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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  TOWN   OF    BRANFORD. 

PAGE 

Settlement  and  Early  History.— Civil  Government.— Town  Officers.—  Town 
Buildings.— Branford  Borough.— Probate  District.— Public  Highways.— 
General  Industrial  Interests. — Branford  Village. — Beach  and  Shore  Re- 
sorts.—Stony  Creek  Village.— Secret  and  Beneficial  Orders. — The  G.  A. 
R.  and  the  Soldiers'  Monument. — Education.— Congregational  Church 
and  Society.— Trinity  (P.  E.)  Church.— Baptist  Church.— Methodist 
Church.— Lutheran  Church.— St.  Mary's  (R.  C.)  Church.— Cemeteries.— 
Biographical  Sketches 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  TOWN  OF  NORTH  BRANFORD. 

Location  and  Description.— Settlement  and  Settlers.— Civil  Organization. — 
General  Industrial  Interests.— Bare  Plain.— North  Branford  Village. — 
Northford. — Masonic  Lodge. — Patrons  of  Husbandry.— Educational 
Affairs. — North  Branford  Congregational  Church. — Northford  Congrega- 
tional Church.— The  "Enrolled"  Church.—  Zion  (Protestant  Episcopal) 
Church.— Bare  Plain  Union  Chapel.— Cemeteries.— Roster  of  Captain 
Eells  Company  in  the  Revolution.— Soldiers' Monument.— Biographical 
Sketches 72 

CHAPTER  III. 

THE   TOWN   OF   GUILFORD. 

Location  and  Description. — Natural  Features  and  Points  of  Interest. — The 
Pioneers. — Civil  Government. — Probate  District. — Magistrates  and  Jus- 
tices.— Town  Buildings. — Cemeteries.— Roads  and  Bridges.— Industrial 
Pursuits. — Guilford  Borough. — Lodges  and  Societies. — Religious  Inter- 
ests.— Educational  and  Literary. — Some  Distinguished  Citizens. — Physi- 
cians and  Lawyers. — Military  Matters. — Soldiers'  Monument. — Biographi- 
cal Sketches 108 

CHAPTER   IV. 

THE   TOWN   OF    MADISON. 

Location  and  Description.— Settlement  and  Settlers. — Old  Houses. — Civil 
Organization  and  Civil  Officers. — Madison  Green. — Highways. — Industrial 
Interests. — East  River. — North  Madison. — Madison  Village. — The  Beach. 
— Physicians.  — Educational  and  Religious.  — Lodges.  — Cemeteries.  — Mili- 
tary Affairs. — Biographical  Sketches 183 


iv  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  TOWN    OF    MILFORD.  PAGE 

Geographical  and  Descriptive. — The  Indians. — The  Early  Settlers. — Civil 
Government. — Roads,  Ferries  and  Bridges. — Shipbuilding,  Commerce 
and  Trade. — Milford  Village. — Woodmont. — Wheeler's  Farm. — Public 
Houses. — Manufacturing  Interests. — Banks. — Newspapers. — Post  Office. 
— Fire  Company. — Agricultural  Society. — Secret  Orders. — Soldiers' 
Monuments. — Educational  and  Professional. — Churches. — Cemeteries. 
— Military  Affairs. — 250th  Anniversary. — Biographical  Sketches 210 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   TOWN   OF   WOODBRIDGE. 

Location  and  Natural  Features. — Geology  and  Mineralogy. — Flora. — Indus- 
tries.— The  Regicide  Judges. — Amity  Society. — Union  Society. — Chapel. 
— Ministers. — Burial  Grounds. — Prominent  Citizens. — List  of  Early  In- 
habitants.— First  Town  Meeting. — Town  Officers. — Town  House. — Roads. 
— Physicians. — Biographical  Sketches 28£ 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  TOWN   OF   BETHANY. 

Location  and  Description. — Civil  Organization. — Town  Officers. — Business 
Interests. — Physicians. — Religious  and  Educational  Interests. — Cemeter- 
ies.— Revolutionary  Incident. — Biographical  Sketches 311 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  TOWN    OF   ORANGE. 

Location  and  Natural  Features. — Incorporation. — Civil  List. — Highways. — 
West  Haven  Village  and  Its  Various  Interests. — The  Village  of  Orange. 
— Tyler  City. — Allingtown. — West  Haven  Congregational  Church. — 
Christ  Church  (P.  E.).— West  Haven  M.  E.  Church.— St.  Lawrence 
Church  (R.  C). — Orange  Congregational  Church. — Orange  Cemetery. — 
Biographical  Sketches 330 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  TOWN    OF   DERBY. 

Location.— The  Indians.— Early  Trading  Post.— Purchase  of  Lands.— The 
Proprietors.— Civil  Government.— Extracts  from  Town  Records. — Fer- 
ries, Roads,  Bridges,  etc.— Early  Commercial  Interests  and  Shipbuilding. 
—Derby  Village.— Burtville.— Birmingham  and  Its  Manufacturing  Inter- 
ests.—Merchants.— Hotels.— Banks.— The  Press.— Post  Office.— Physi- 
cians and  Lawyers. — The  Borough. — Fire  Department.— Water  Com- 
pany.— Gas  Company.— Street  Railways. — Driving  Park.— Societies  and 
Lodges.  — Soldiers'  Monument 365 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE   TOWN   OF  DERBY    (CONCLUDED). 

Educational  Interests.— Early  Religious  Interests.— First  Congregational 
Church  in  Derby.— Birmingham  Congregational  Church.— Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.— Episcopal  Churches. — The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Denomination.— Union  Chapels.— African  M.  E.  Church.— Roman  Catho- 
lic Church.— Cemeteries.— Biographical  Sketches 41T 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  TOWN   OF   ANSONIA.  PAGE 

Location  and  Description. — Civil  Government. — The  Borough  of  Ansonia. — 
West  Ansonia. —  Manufacturing  Interests. —  Banks. — Post  Office. — The 
Press. — Opera  House. — Water  Companies. — Physicians  and  Lawyers. — 
Lodges  and  Societies. — Soldiers'  Monument. — Congregational  Church. — 
Christ  Church. — Young  Men's  Christian  Association. — Emanuel  Free 
Church. — Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — Baptist  Church. — Second  (Col- 
ored) Baptist  Church. — Roman  Catholic  Church. — Schools. — Biographical 
Sketches 476 

CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  TOWN   OF   OXFORD. 

Description. — Purchase  of  Lands  from  the  Indians. — Early  Settlers  and  Their 
Descendants. — Civil  Organization. — Town  Officers. — Business  Interests. 
— Oxford  Village  and  Its  Various  Interests. — Physicians. — Religious  and 
Educational. — Sheldon  Clark. — Burial  Places. — Samuel  Candee. — Militia. 
— Biographical  Sketches 531 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  TOWN    OF   SEYMOUR. 

Geographical  and  Descriptive. — The  Indians. — The  Settlers. — Civil  Organi- 
zation.— Public  Thoroughfares. — Village  of  Seymour. — Hotels. — Mer- 
chants.— Post  Office. — Banks. — Physicians  and  Attorneys. — The  Press. — 
Libraries. — Lodges  and  Societies. — Manufacturing  Interests. — Schools. — 
Churches. — Cemeteries. — Biographical  Sketches 551 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  TOWN   OF   BEACON   FALLS. 

Location  and  Description. — Land  Purchases. — Settlement  and  Settlers. — 
Civil  Organization. — Town  Officers. — Pines  Bridge. — Cemetery. — Indus- 
trial Interests. — Societies. — Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — High  Rock 
Grove.— Biographical  Sketches 615 

CHAPTER  XV. 

TOWN    AND    CITY    OF    WATERBURY. 

Location  and  Description. — Settlement  and  Early  Events. — Waterbury  City. 
— Other  Business  Centers. — Civil  Organization  of  the  Town. — Probate 
District. — Courts. — Waterbury  Borough. — First  City  Charter. — Charter 
of  1867.— Mayors  and  Clerks.— City  Hall.— Police  Department.— Street 
Improvement. — Fire  Department. — Water  Works. — Gas  and  Electric 
Lighting. —  Parks. —  Statistics. — Manufacturing  Enterprises. —  Banks. — 
Insurance  Company. — Horse  Railway  Company. — The  Periodical  Press. 
— Post  Office. — Public  Houses. — Prominent  Merchants. — Physicians  and 
Lawyers. — Lodges  and  Societies. — Educational  Matters. — Churches. — 
Hospital. — Cemeteries. — Military  Matters. — Biographical  Sketches 626 


Vi  TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE   TOWN    OF    NAUGATUCK.  PAGE 

Location  and  Description.— Allotment  of  Lands  and  Settlement.— Civil  Or- 
ganization.—Town  Officers.— Probate  Court.— Town  Hall,— Town  Farm. 
—Roads  and  Bridges.— Manufacturing  Interests.—  Straitsville.— Nauga- 
tuck  Village.— Savings  Bank  and  Building  Association.— Naugatuck  Na- 
tional Bank.— Electric  Light  Company. — Gas  Company.— Water  Com- 
pany.—Fire  Company.— Telephone  Company. — The  Periodical  Press. — 
Post  Office.— Inns  and  Hotels. — Stores  and  Merchants. — Physicians. — 
Secretand  Social  Orders. — Schools.— Libraries. — Congregational  Church. 
—St.  Michael's  (Protestant  Episcopal)  Church.— Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. — Union  City  Mission  Chapel. — Swedish  Lutheran  Chapel. — 
Baptists. — St.  Francis  (R.  C.)  Courch. — Soldiers'  Monument. — Cemeter- 
ies. — Biographical  Sketches 699 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE    TOWN    OF   M1DDLEBURY. 

Description  and  Natural  Features. — Settlement  and  Settlers. — Civil  Organi- 
zation.— Town  Officers. — Roads  and  Bridges. — General  Interests. — Mid- 
dlebury  Village. — Physicians. — Quassepaug  Lake. — Schools. — Religious 
Interests. — Cemetery. — Biographical  Sketches 757 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

THE  TOWN   OF   SOUTHBURV. 

Location  and  Description.— The  Pootatuck  Indians.— The  Early  Settlers. — 
Civil  Organization. — Business  Interests. — South  Britain. — Southford  and 
its  Various  Interests. — Physicians  and  Lawyers.— Religious  Interests. — 
Cemeteries.— Military  Affairs.— Biographical  Sketches 774 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   TOWN   OF   WOLCOTT. 

Settlement.— Civil  Organization.— First  Town  Meeting.— Town  Clerks.— Pub- 
lic Green.— Public  Highways.— Schools.— Industrial  Interests.— Wolcott 
Center.  —  Woodtick.—  Physicians.—  Religious  Matters.—  Cemeteries. — 
Biographical  Sketches 808 


PORTRAITS. 

Allerton ,  George   M 736 

Ailing,  Charles  B 434 

Augur,  Reuben  N 95 

Bartholomew,  Arthur  H 506 

Bartholomew,  Dana 504 

Bartlett,  Egbert '   g08 

Bassett,  Robert  N 436 

Bassett,  Royal  M '   438 

Beattie,  John 166 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  Vll 

PAGE 

Birdseye,  Thomas  S 442 

Blake,  Rufus  W 444 

Blakeman,   George 446 

Bristol,  Charles  E 510 

Camp,  Robert 768 

Chaffee,  Charles  S 448 

Clark,  Charles  E 450 

Colburn,  James  M 452 

Coupland,  Charles 594 

De  Wolfe,  Alva  G 598 

Fagan,  James 732 

Farrel,  Franklin 512 

French,  Raymond 600 

Gager ,  Edwin  B 454 

Gardner,  John  B 514 

Gaylord,  Charles  W 66 

Hall,  Ransom  B 825 

Hallock,   Edwin 456 

Hill,  Alden  H 102 

Holden,  Frederick  W 492 

Jackson,  Charles  C 518 

James,  Thomas 604 

Kellogg,  Stephen  W 688 

Kingsbury,  Frederick  J 690 

Leete,  Calvin  M 178 

Leete,  Rufus  N 176 

Lewis,  Edward  C 692 

Limburner,  Robert  B 546 

Lines,  John  M 304 

Lounsbury,  Charles  H 606 

Maltby,  William  H 104 

Merwin,  William  M 272 

Peck,  George  H 458 

Peck,  Henry  H 694 

Phillips,  Albert  W 460 

Plant,  Samuel  0 68 

Piatt,  Alfred  L 696 

Piatt,  David 358 

Plumb,  David  W 462 

Rogers,  Henry 70 

Sanford,  Samuel  P 549 

Schaffer,  Frederick  F 747 

Schneller,  George  O 522 

Shelton,  Edward  N 464 

Smith,  Charles  H 748 

Stevens,  David  S.,  Jr 106 

Stiles,  David  J 802 

Storrs,  Carlos  H 610 

Swan,  James 612 

Tomlinson.  Charles  A 278 

Torrance,  David 466 

Tuttle,  Joel 182 

Twitchell,  Homer 752 


viii  TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Upson,  Evelyn  M 826 

Wallace,  Thomas,  Sr 468 

Wallace,  Thomas 528 

Wallace,  William 526 

Ward,   William 754 

Wheeler,  Elisha 806 

Williams,  William  H 472 

Wooster,  William  B 474 


VIEW. 

"  Stillwood,"  Residence  of  John  M.  Lines 305 


HISTORY  OF  NEW  HAVEN  COUNTY. 


VOLUME    II 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    TOWN    OF    BRANFORD. 


Settlement  and  Early  History. — Civil  Government. — Town  Officers. — Town  Buildings. — 
Branford  Borough. — Probate  District. — Public  Highways. — General  Industrial  In- 
terests.— Branford  Village. — Beach  and  Shore  Resorts. — Stony  Creek  Village. — 
Secret  and  Beneficial  Orders. — The  G.  A.  R.  and  the  Soldiers'  Monument. — Educa- 
tion.— Congregational  Church  and  Society. — Trinity  (P.  E.)  Church. — Baptist 
Church.— Methodist  Church.— Lutheran  Church.— St.  Mary's  (R.  C.)  Church. — 
Cemeteries. — Biographical  Sketches. 


BRANFORD  is  one  of  the  shore  towns  of  the  county.  It  is  be- 
tween seven  and  eight  miles,  along  the  sound,  between  Guil- 
ford on  the  east  and  East  Haven  on  the  west.  From  North 
Branford  south  to  the  coast  line  the  distance  is  between  four  and  five 
miles.  The  surface  is  uneven,  there  being  in  some  localities  high 
hills.  Many  of  these  having  a  smooth  surface,  are  tillable  to  the  sum- 
mit. In  the  western  part  some  of  the  Branford  hills  attain  consider- 
able elevation  and  are  designated  by  local  names.  In  the  southeast 
outcroppings  of  granite  are  manifest  and  the  soil  is  less  fertile  than  in 
other  localities.  Along  Stony  creek  that  rock  has  been  extensively 
quarried  for  building  purposes.  That  stream  empties  into  the  sound 
at  a  cluster  of  numerous  islands,  several  hundred  in  number,  large  and 
small,  called  Thimble  islands.  Farther  west  is  still  another  clus- 
ter, called  Indian  islands.  The  streams  are  small,  Branford  river, 
flowing  through  the  central  part,  being  the  most  important.  Near  the 
sound  its  course  is  winding,  and  for  several  miles  it  is  a  tidal  stream, 
admitting  vessels  of  from  50  to  75  tons  burden.  In  the  vales  and  low- 
lands the  soil  is  strong  and  very  productive.  It  has  been  found,  with 
proper  fertilization,  to  be  admirably  adapted  for  garden  crops,  and  a 
number  of  inhabitants  have  lately  engaged  in  that  pursuit.  The  up- 
lands are  better  for  grazing  and  fruit.  Agriculture  is  still  a  leading 
occupation  of  many  citizens.  Formerly  property  was  much  more 
equalized  than  at  present,  and  in  consequence  the  town  was  long  ex- 
1 


2  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

empt  from  an  indigent  population.  In  1835,  according  to  J.  W.  Bar- 
ber", there  was  but  one  town  pauper.  In  the  last  half  century  this  con- 
dition of  things  has  been  changed  to  a  considerable  extent  by  the  in- 
troduction of  new  industries  and  the  use  of  much  of  the  area  for 
suburban  and  summer  residences. 

Concerning  the  early  settlers  of  the  locality  first  known  as  Totoket* 
there  is  much  diversity  of  opinion.  Some  writers  insist  that  the  town 
was  depopulated  by  the  going  away  of  Mr.  Pierson  and  his  followers, 
and  Doctor  Trumbull  says  that  for  a  long  time  no  organic  existence 
■was  maintained,  Branford  being  reinvested  with  town  privileges  in 
1685.  These  assertions  do  not  appear  to  be  sustained  by  the  investi- 
gations of  the  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin,  whose  account  of  early 
events  is  given  in  the  following  annals: 

"  In  the  month  of  December,  1638,  the  New  Haven  settlers  bought 
an  additional  tract  of  land  of  the  Indians.  It  was  ten  miles  in  length, 
north  and  south,  and  extended  eight  miles  east  of  the  Quinnipiac 
river.  It  was  bought  of  Montowese,  son  of  Sowheog,  the  sachem  of 
Mattabeseck  Indians.  Sowheog  was  a  powerful  sachem.  His  fort 
was  at  Middletown,  on  a  hill,  where,  by  means  of  his  whistle,  he  could 
call  around  him  500  warriors  very  quickly.  His  dominion  embraced 
a  portion  of  this  county.  The  Indians  of  Branford  were  governed  by 
his  son.  The  deed  was  signed  by  Montowese  and  Sausounck.  Their 
tribe  then  was  very  small  (ten  men  with  their  families).  Montowese's 
signature  was  a  bow  and  arrow.  Sausounck's  was  a  rude  hatchet. 
This  tract  of  land  included  the  present  territory  of  Branford.  Its 
boundaries  were  Lake  Saltonstall  and  the  river  on  the  west,  Stony 
river  (not  Stony  creek)  on  the  east,  the  sound  on  the  south,  and  a  line 
ten  miles  back  from  the  sound  on  the  north.  The  boundaries  have 
never  varied  much  from  these  original  lines.  On  the  east,  Guilford 
has  a  small  tract  that  once  belonged  to  the  original  Branford.  This 
territory  was  then  called  Totoket,  from  the  Indian  name  of  a  range  of 
hills  in  the  northern  part.  Its  shores  were  a  favorite  resort  for  the 
Indians  of  the  neighboring  settlements,  as  well  as  of  Totoket.  Fish 
and  clams  were  abundant.  For  some  years  after  its  purchase  little 
use  was  made  of  it  except  for  hunting.  The  Indians  were  allowed 
to  hunt  and  plant  also.  A  few  squatters  occasionally  pushed  in  along 
the  shore.  Notable  among  these  was  a  Thomas  Mulliner,  and  he 
thus  became  a  cause  of  considerable  trouble  to  the  early  settlers. 
From  him  comes  the  name  'Mulliner's  neck,'  long  applied  to  the 
region  now  called  'Branford  Point.' 

"September  3d,  1640.  the  general  court  at  New  Haven  made  a 
grant  of  Totoket  to  Mr.  Samuel  Eaton,  brother  of  Governor  The- 
*Some  writers  interpret  Totoket  to  mean  "  The  place  of  the  Tidal  River," 
i.e.,  Branford  river;  others  say  with  equal  positiveness  that  the  name  was 
derived  from  the  range  of  mountains  terminating  in  North  Branford.  The 
present  name,  Branford,  is  said  to  have  been  derived  from  Brentford,  a  village 
in  England,  where  some  of  the  early  settlers  lived  before  coming  to  America. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  3 

•ophilus  Eaton,  upon  the  condition  of  his  procuring  a  number  of  his 
friends  from  England  to  settle  on  its  lands.  Mr.  Eaton  failed  to 
fulfill  this  condition.  He  went  to  England  to  procure  settlers,  but 
never  returned. 

"In  1643  Totoket  was  granted  to  Mr.  William  Swaine  and  others 
of  Wethersfield.  The  record  read  thus:  'Totoket,  a  place  fit  for  a 
small  plantation,  betwixt  New  Haven  and  Guilford,  and  purchased 
from  the  Indians,  was  granted  to  Mr.Swayne  and  some  others  of  Weth- 
ersfield, they  repaying  the  charge  which  is  betwixt  12  and  13/,  and 
joyning  in  one  jurisdiction  with  New  Haven  and  the  forenamed  plan- 
tations, upon  the  same  fundamental  agreement  settled  in  October, 
1643,  which  they  duely  considering,  readjlye  accepted.' 

"The  removal  from  Wethersfield  was  the  result  of  divisions  in  the 
church  there.  There  were  several  ministers  in  the  Wethersfield 
settlement.  Each  natiirally  desired  to  be  the  minister,  and  each  had 
his  special  friends.  They  had  not  then  learned  the  more  modern  pol- 
icy of  leaving  each  faction  to  gather  around  its  own  choice  and  sup- 
port him  as  well  as  they  could.  They  could  support  only  one,  but 
which  should  he  be  ? 

"Advice  being  sought  from  Davenport,  of  New  Haven,  and  others, 
a  separation  was  advised.  Some  went  to  Stamford;  others,  and  the 
larger  number,  came  to  Bran  ford. 

"  The  men  who  had  bought  Totoket  for  a  settlement  came  to  oc- 
cupy their  purchase  early  in  1644.  Their  names  were:  Samuel  Swaine, 
William  Swaine,  Luther  Bradfield,  John  Plum,  Robert  Abbott,  John 
Robbins,  William  Palmer,  Samuel  Nettleton,  Roger  Betts,  John  Lins- 
ley,  Robert  Rose,  John  Morris,  Michael  Palmer,  Francis  Linsley. 
Thomas  Whitehead,  John  Hill,  Daniel  Dod,  Richard  Harrison,  Sigis- 
mond  Richalls,  Thomas  Blachly,  John  Edwards,  Robert  Meaker,  Rich- 
ard Mather,  Jonathan  Sargent,  Richard  Williams,  Jonathan  England, 
William  Merchant,  Edward  Frisbie,  John  Horton,  Samuel  Pond, 
Thomas  Lupton,  Richard  Richards,  Edward  Treadway,  Samuel  Plumb 
and  Charles  Taintor.     These  were  mostly  from  Wethersfield. 

"  Thomas  Mulliner  was  already  on  hand.  And  from  New  Haven 
came  Jasper  Crane,  Lawrence  Ward,  George  Ward,  Richard  Lawrence 
and  Reverend  John  Sherman.  Several  had  their  wives  and  children 
with  them.     These  were  the  first  year's  inhabitants. 

"  Coming  early  in  the  year  1644,  they  began  to  clear  off  the  forests, 
build  shelters  for  themselves  and  their  cattle,  prepare  land  for  culti- 
vation, gather  hay  from  the  fertile  meadows,  and  organize  society. 
The  abundance  of  shell  fish  found  along  the  shores  no  doubt  made  it 
comparatively  easy  to  procure  food.  By  the  first  of  October  they  have 
a  minister  who  resides  with  them  and  serves  them  regularly;  this  was 
Reverend  John  Sherman.  He  was  born  in  Dedham,  county  of  Essex, 
England,  December  26th,  1613.  He  entered  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge at  an  early  age,  but  left  college  when  ready  for  his  degree,  un- 


4  HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

der  the  character  of  a  college  puritan.  In  1634-5  he  came  to  New 
England.  He  preached  his  first  sermon  at  Watertown,  Mass.,  under  a 
large  tree.  His  preaching  was  much  admired.  One  minister  said: 
'  Brethren,  we  must  look  to  ourselves  and  our  ministry,  for  this  young 
divine  will  outdo  us  all.'  He  spent  at  least  one  year  in  Totoket.  He 
preached  in  several  places.  He  also  acted  as  judge  and  magistrate 
for  the  colony.  He  died  August  8th,  16S5.  His  great-grandson, 
Roger  Sherman,  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence. 

"  The  new  inhabitants  make  their  first  division  of  lands  in  June, 
1644.  This  is  the  first  thing  recorded  upon  the  ancient  records  of  the 
town.  It  reads  thus:  '  June  18th,  1644,  this  dai  it  is  ordered  that  the 
meadow  in  this  plantation  shall  be  divided  into  4  parts,  and  then  divided 
by  lott,  viz.:  all  the  meadow  that  lyeth  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the 
town  that  is  earliest  settled  shall  be  in  the  first  dividend,  and  all  the 
meadow  that  lyeth  by  the  river  on  the  left  side  and  all  upwards  from 
that  place  where  it  is  considered  a  bridge  must  be,  is  for  the  2d  divi- 
dend: Also  3dly  all  the  meadow  that  lyeth  downe  the  river  from  the 
place  where  it  was  considered  a  bridge  must  be,  and  all  that  lyeth 
within  the  compass  of  that  piece  of  ground  called  the  plaine  shall  be 
in  the  3d  dividend.  4thly  all  the  meadow  left  beside  in  the  towne  that 
is  knowne  shall  be  in  the  4th  dividend.  This  meadow  is  to  be  bounded 
and  prized  by  Robert  Rose,  William  Palmer,  Samuel  Swaine,  John 
Horton,  Richard  Harrison,  and  Thomas  Blachly,  with  all  convenient 
speede,  and  then  the  lott  to  be  cast.' 

"  The  people  first  settled  along  the  river,  mostly  on  the  western  and 
northern  side.  Indian  Neck  was  left  to  the  Indian  inhabitants.  The 
new  settlers  very  soon  had  trouble  with  Mulliner.  The  court  record 
is,  '  3d  of  Feb.,  1644,  Thos.  Moulenor,  sen'r,  and  Thomas  Moulinor, 
his  son,  being  charged  with  sundry  miscarryages  and  breach  of  peace 
but  nott  issued.  Itt  was  referred  to  another  court  and  the  meane  time 
it  was  ordered  that  they  shall  both  enter  into  a  recognisance  of  each 
man  100  /,  to  keep  the  publique  peace  and  be  of  the  good  behavior  to- 
wards all  people,  and  especially  towards  the  inhabitants  of  Totoket.' 

"To  show  some  of  the  vexations  of  that  first  year  an  instance  is  here 
given.  November  11th,  1644,  'Upon  complaint  made  by  some  of  the 
planters  of  Totoket,  that  the  Mohegin  Indians  have  done  much  dam- 
age to  them  by  setting  their  traps  in  the  walke  of  their  cattell,  itt  was 
ordered  that  the  marshall  shall  goe  with  Thomas  Whitway  to  warnne 
Uncus  or  his  brother,  or  else  Foxen.to  come  and  speake  with  the  Gov- 
ernor and  the  magistrates.' 

"  This  name  Foxen  shows  the  origin  of  the  title  given  to  a  well- 
known  section  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town. 

"  Among  the  first  buildings  which  the  settlers  put  up  were  a  house 
for  the  minister,  and  a  meeting  house.  The  minister's  house  may 
have  been  near  the  present  residence  of  William  Russell.     The  meet- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  5 

ing  house  was  built  in  the  front  part  of  the  present  burying  yard.  It 
was  a  kind  of  block-house,  and  was  surrounded  by  palisades,  as  a  de- 
fense against  possible  Indian  attacks.  During  the  hours  of  worship 
some  one  or  more  of  the  settlers  stood  guard  near  the  entrance  of  the 
stockade.  All  carried  their  firearms  when  they  went  to  meeting. 
They  were  not  afraid  of  Totoket  Indians,  but  of  raiding  bands  of  other 
tribes,  who  attacked  Indians  and  whites  alike  in  the  town.  It  is  a  tra- 
dition that  the  Totoket  Indians  had  to  resist  attacks  of  that  kind  in 
defense  of  their  hunting  and  fishing  grounds.  A  sort  of  fort  was  built 
by  them  near  the  present  residence  of  William  Bryan  (of  the  Monto- 
wese  Hotel),  and  once,  at  least,  a  sanguinary  battle  was  fought  there. 

"  The  houses  first  built  by  the  settlers  were  rude  and  small, — the 
common  houses  of  to-day  are  palaces  in  comparison,  both  in  size  and 
appearance,  and  furniture.  The  work  for  both  men  and  women  was 
hard.  Their  vigilance  must  be  constant;  their  crops  were  meagre  and 
uncertain;  their  methods  of  cultivating  the  soil  were  rude;  their  tools 
were  few  and  clumsy.  They  also  had  to  guard  individuals  from  pur- 
chasing or  receiving  gifts  of  land  from  any  Indian  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  town.  They  also  required  all  new-comers  to  agree  to  bear 
their  proportion  of  expenses  for  sustaining  a  minister. 

"  '  Samuel  Swaine  complayned  of  Mr.  Mullyner  for  neglecting  of 
travnings,  watchings,  and  bringing-  of  his  arms  when  it  was  his  turne 
on  the  Lord's  Days.'  Mr.  M.  makes  acknowledgment  and  promises  to 
do  better. 

"  During  the  second  and  third  years  of  life  in  this  new  settlement 
a  number  of  other  families  came  in  to  join  those  already  here.  The 
most  notable  of  the  new-comers  was  the  Reverend  Abraham  Pierson, 
from  Southampton,  Long  Island.  He  came  with  his  wife  Abigail  and 
at  least  two  children,  one  of  which  was  a  son  Abraham,  afterward  the 
first  president  of  Yale  College.  Several  other  families  came  with  him 
or  soon  afterwards,  from  the  same  place.  Reverend  Abraham  Pierson 
was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England;  he  was  graduated  at  the  University 
of  Cambridge  in  1632;  he  was  Episcopally  ordained  while  in  England; 
he  preached  for  some  years  in  his  own  country.  He  came  to  Boston 
in  1639  and  joined  the  church  there.  For  a  time  he  preached  at  Lynn, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  again  ordained.  In  1640  a  portion  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  Lynn,  'finding  themselves  straitened,'  removed,  with  Mr. 
Pierson,  to  Long  Island.  They  made  an  ineffective  attempt  to  settle 
on  the  west  end  of  the  island.  They  then  went  to  the  east  and  settled 
Southampton.  When  they  came  to  decide  whether  they  would  be  un- 
der New  Haven  jurisdiction  or  that  of  Connecticut  colony,  the  larger 
part  chose  the  latter,  because,  in  their  view,  more  liberal. 

"  Mr.  Pierson  and  some  others  were  dissatisfied,  and,  therefore,  re- 
moved to  Totoket,  which  was  under  New  Haven  jurisdiction.  Sprague 
says,  '  Mr.  Pierson  agreed  with  John  Davenport  in  wishing  to  rest  all 
civil  as  well  as  ecclesiastical  power  in  the  church,  and  to  allow  none 


6  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

but  church  members  to  act  in  the  choice  of  the  officers  of  government- 
or  to  be  eligible  as  such.'  Accordingly,  he  desired  to  be  under  the 
New  Haven  jurisdiction,  which  sustained  this  view  of  civil  govern- 
ment. Coming  to  Totoket  he  was  chosen  pastor.  The  people  give 
him  a  liberal  share  of  the  land  and  provide  otherwise  for  his  support. 
This  is  seen  by  a  record  a  little  later.  September  22d,  1650,  '  It  was 
ordered  that  the  minister's  pay  shall  be  brought  each  half  year.  For 
every  milch  cow  he  shall  have  two  pounds  of  butter,  in  part  pay  every 
year;  for  the  rest,  for  the  first  half  year  in  beef,  or  pork,  or  Indian 
corn,  or  wampum — for  the  second  half  year  in  wheat  and  pease,  good 
and  marketable.' 

"1659.  February  24th.  'At  a  town  meeting  it  was  granted  by  the 
consent  of  the  town  to  Mr.  Pierson  that  he  shall  have  the  use  of  the 
whole  five  hundred  pound  lot  that  he  has  formerly  used  which  is  the 
meadow  of  a  two  hundred  pound  lot  that  did  not  belong  to  his  house 
when  he  bought  it;  that  was  granted  to  him  for  as  long  as  he  shall  live 
in  the  town,  and  if  he  shall  live  in  the  town  till  his  death  then  it  is 
given  to  his  wife  and  his  children  for  their  use  forever.'  This  will 
show  the  requirements  made  upon  new  comers. 

"  It  is  evident  that  new  settlers  were  coming  every  year,  as  new 
names  appear  in  the  votes  of  the  town  and  allotments  of  land.  They 
were  so  careful  to  secure  uniformity  of  action,  and  to  have  each  meas- 
ure considered  by  all  the  people,  they  made  strict  rules  concerning 
attendance  upon  all  their  meetings.  They  laid  heavy  fines  upon  such 
as  neglected  to  attend  when  they  were  duly  warned. 

"  There  was  no  bell  to  sound  out  the  call  to  meeting.  A  man  was 
therefore  appointed  to  beat  the  drum  as  a  call.  One  of  the  town 
charges  in  that  day  was  3  shillings  for  a  pair  of  drum  sticks.  In  those 
early  days  constant  vigilance  was  required  to  guard  against  lawless 
men  and  wild  beasts. 

"  One  of  the  town  votes  reads  thus:  'June  24th,  1650,  This  day  it  is 
ordered  that  if  any  man  or  woman,  young  or  old,  shall  be  taken  by 
the  watch  abroad  in  the  night  after  ten  of  the  clock,  and  cannot  give 
a  sufficient  reason  therefor  to  the  watch  of  their  being  abroad,  shall 
for  every  such  fault  pay  12  pence  or  other  coudine  punishment  as  the 
court  shall  require. 

"  During  these  first  ten  years  of  their  history  the  settlers  were  dis- 
turbed by  troubles  with  the  Dutch.  England  was  ruled  by  CromwelL 
There  was  war  between  England  and  Holland.  The  Dutch  were  push- 
ing their  trading  settlements  all  along  the  New  England  coast  as  well 
as  in  New  York  and  down  the  Atlantic  coast.  Of  course  the  English 
people  here  shared  in  the  controversy.  The  Dutch  made  a  short  stop- 
at  Totoket,  had  a  landing  and  are  believed  to  have  built  a  small  trad- 
ing house.  Their 'stay  was  sufficient  to  give  the  name  '  Dutch  house 
wharf  to  one  of  the  river  landings.  The  name  is  retained  to  this 
day. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  7 

"The  early  settlers  were  much  engaged  in  traveling  by  water. 
Coasters  have  always  been  a  numerous  and  important  class  in  Bran- 
ford.  It  is  recorded  that  in  1651  fifty  men  from  New  Haven  and  To- 
toket.  in  attempting  to  settle  their  land  at  Delaware,  were  imprisoned 
by  the  Dutch  governor.  The  people  here  instituted  vigorous  meas- 
ures to  defend  themselves  from  possible  attacks  from  the  Dutch. 
But  so  serious  did  this  matter  become  that,  in  1653,  New  Haven  and 
Connecticut  colonies  united  in  an  appeal  to  Cromwell  for  help  against 
the  Dutch." 

In  spite  of  these  apprehensions,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Dutch 
injured  any  one  at  Bran  ford,  and  in  the  main  the  town  was  as  fairly 
prosperous  as  any  other  community  of  like  age  in  the  country.  The 
principles  and  practices  of  Mr.  Pierson's  community  had  been  estab- 
lished, when  the  town  was  again  agitated  by  the  question  of  the  union 
of  the  colonies,  and  before  it  was  decided  affairs  in  Branford  were 
very  much  unsettled.  How  this  matter  affected  the  town  is  thus  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Baldwin: 

"  From  the  first  settlement  of  Connecticut  by  the  English,  in  1635, 
little  official  correspondence  passed  between  the  settlers  and  the  Eng- 
lish government  till  1661.  Companies  settled  about  where  they  chose. 
The  most  of  attention  on  the  part  of  the  British  government  to  the 
new  colonies  is  ascribed  to  the  civil  troubles  at  home.  King  Charles 
I.  was  dethroned  and  executed  in  1649.  Oliver  Cromwell  was  made 
protector  in  1653;  he  died  in  165S;  his  son  Richard  succeeded  him,  but 
resigned  in  1659.  Charles  II.  ascended  the  throne  in  1661.  Soon  fol- 
lowed the  dreadful  revenges  he  took  upon  such  as  had  been  concerned 
in  removing  his  father.  This  furnished  the  romantic  episode  of  the 
long  concealed  regicides,  Goffe,  Whalley  and  Dixwell,  so  interesting 
to  all  readers  of  our  early  history. 

"  The  colonies  of  Connecticut  and  New  Haven  were  separate  gov- 
ernments, though  Connecticut  claimed  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  by 
virtue  of  their  first  patent;  there  had  been  some  talk  between  them 
about  it,  but  nothing  decisive  occurred  until  a  new  charter  was  ob- 
tained from  the  new  king.  Then  Connecticut  purchased  her  claim  of 
jurisdiction  and  the  New  Haven  towns  were  constrained,  though  with 
sorrow,  to  submit. 

"  The  coming  of  royal  commissioners  from  England,  in  1664,  to 
look  after  the  king's  interests  here,  hastened  the  union.  There  was 
danger,  if  they  continued  divided,  that  the  Duke  of  York's  grant  would 
be  purchased;  this  would  have  carried  the  boundary  of  New  York  to 
the  Connecticut  river,  and  so  left  our  state  very  small  indeed.  A 
peaceable  union  saved  the  two  colonies.  But  some  could  not  be  recon- 
ciled to  this  change;  Mr.  Pierson  and  his  friends  were  especially 
grieved;  they  saw  in  this  new  jurisdiction  the  destruction  of  all  their 
hopes;  they  did  not  believe  there  could  be  a  good  and  safe  government 
unless  the  voting  and  office  holding  were  in  the  hands  of  professional 


8  HISTORY  OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Christian  men.  We  can  imagine  the  earnest  and  absorbing  talk  the 
subject  must  have  occasioned  in  these  men's  homes,  both  in  week  days 
and  on  the  Sabbath.  Having  spent  so  much  labor  in  building  houses, 
fences,  etc.,  having  cleared  the  land,  built  bridges,  mills,  and  so  many 
needed  helpers  to  comfortable  living,  it  was  a  serious  matter  to  think 
of  leaving  all,  to  go  into  another  wilderness  and  begin  again.  The 
labors  of  twenty-three  years  meant  a  great  deal,  yet  their  consciences 
constrained  them.  They  sent  agents  to  examine  and  buy  lands  for 
them  on  the  Passaic  river  in  New  Jersey.  Some  persons  from  Guil- 
ford and  Milford  shared  in  the  proposed  enterprise  of  a  new  settle- 
ment. 

"  The  agents  having  returned  and  made  report  of  their  commission, 
a  large  number  of  the  people  of  Branford  held  a  meeting  on  the  30th 
of  October,  166G,  which  is  thus  noted:  'At  a  meeting  touching  the  in- 
tended design  of  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Branford,  the  following 
was  subscribed:  Deut.  1.  13;  Ex.  xviii,  21;  Deut.  xvii,  15;  Jer.  xxxvi,  21. 
1.  That  none  shall  be  admitted  free-men  or  free  burgesses  within  our 
town  upon  Passaic  River,  in  the  Province  of  New  Jersey,  but  such 
planters  as  are  members  of  some  or  other  of  the  Congregational 
churches,  nor  shall  any  but  such  be  chosen  to  magistracy  or  to  carry 
on  any  part  of  civil  judicature,  or  as  deputies  or  assistants  to  have 
power  to  vote  in  establishing  laws,  and  making  or  repealing  them,  or 
to  any  chief  military  trust  or  office,  nor  shall  any  but  such  church 
members  have  any  vote  in  any  such  elections;  though  all  others  ad- 
mitted to  be  planters  have  right  to  their  proper  inheritance,  and  do 
and  shall  enjoy  all  other  civil  liberties  and  privileges  according  to  all 
laws,  orders,  grants  which  are,  or  shall  hereafter  be  made  for  this 
town.  2.  We  shall,  with  care  and  diligence,  provide  for  the  mainten- 
ance of  the  purity  of  religion  professed  in  the  Congregational  churches.' 
Whereunto  subscribed  the  inhabitants  from  Branford:  Jasper  Crane, 
Abra.  Pierson,  Samuel  Swaine,  Lawrence  Ward,  Thomas  Blatchley, 
Samuel  Plum,  Josiah  Ward,  Samuel  Rose,  Thomas  Pierson,  John 
Ward,  John  Catling,  Richard  Harrison,  Ebenezer  Canfield,  John  Ward, 
Sen.,  Ed.  Ball,  John  Harrison,  John  Crane,  Thomas  Wrentington,  De- 
livered Crane,  Aaron  Blatchley,  Richard  Lawrence,  John  Johnson, 
Thomas  Lyon  (his  L.  mark). — 23. 

'  Most  of  these  signers  moved  with  Mr.  Pierson  to  Newark  (New- 
work).  They  comprised  many  of  the  most  prominent  inhabitants 
of  Branford.  They  went  by  vessel  down  Long  Island  sound. 
This  is  the  way  most  of  the  first  settlers  came  to  Branford.  Those 
from  Wethersfield  came  down  the  Connecticut  river  and  along  the 
shore;  those  from  Southampton  and  New  Haven  also  came  by  water 
in  most  cases.  They  built  and  used  small  coasting  vessels  from  the 
first. 

•'  We  have  evidence  that  Branford  was  by  no  means  depopulated  ; 
the  town  records  were  not  removed;  other  settlers  came  in,  buying  and 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  9 

occupying  the  houses  and  lands  of  such  as  had  removed.  Some  that 
had  proposed  to  go,  not  making  a  favorable  sale  of  their  property,  de- 
cided to  remain.  Mr.  Pierson  engaged  the  Reverend  John  Bowers  to 
preach  to  those  who  remained,  and  he  paid  him  to  the  end  of  the  year 
1666." 

Newark  was  the  third  colony  Mr.  Pierson  helped  to  plant.  Now 
he  sat  down  under  a  code  of  laws  of  his  own  choice,  with  his  hopes 
realized,  and  remained  with  his  people  until  his  death,  August  9th, 
1678. 

"  Though  so  many  had  removed,  the  rest  showed  they  were  not 
discouraged.  June  20th,  1667,  they  met  and  took  vigorous  measures 
to  rally  the  planters  to  hope  and  courage.  They  voted  and  put  on 
record  this  agreement:  '  Forasmuch  as  that  it  appears  that  the  under- 
taking and  the  settlement  of  this  place  of  Branford  was  procured  by 
and  for  men  of  Congregational  principles,  as  to  church  order,  accord- 
ing to  the  platform  of  discipline  agreed  on  by  the  synod  of  48,  or 
thereabouts,  drawn  from  the  word  of  God  in  the  main;  we,  that  yet 
remain  here,  can  say  that  we  have  found  much  peace  and  quietness,  to 
•our  great  comfort,  for  the  which  we  desire  to  bless  God;  and  that  it 
may  so  remain  to  such  as  do  continue  their  abode  in  this  place,  and  to 
•such  as  shall  come  in  to  fill  up  the  rooms  of  those  that  are  removed, 
and  that  do  intend  to  remove  from  this  place  of  Branford.  We  all  do 
see  cause  now  for  to  agree  that  an  orthodox  minister  of  that  judgment 
shall  be  called  to  it  and  among  us.  The  gathering  of  such  a  church 
shall  be  encouraged.  The  upholdment  of  such  church  officers  shall 
not  want  our  proportional  supply  of  maintenance,  according  to  rule. 
We  will  not  in  any  wise  encroach  upon  or  disturb  their  liberties  in  so 
walking  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times:  nor  will  we  be  in  any 
ways  injurious  to  them  in  civil  or  ecclesiastical  respects.  And  this  we 
freely  and  voluntarily  engage  ourselves  unto,  jointly  and  severally,  so 
long  as  we  remain  inhabitants  of  this  place,  and  this  we  bind  our- 
selves unto  by  our  subscription  to  this  agreement.  It  is  also  agreed 
that  whoever  shall  come  for  purchase  or  to  be  admitted  or  planted 
here,  shall  so  subscribe  before  admittance  or  his  bargain  be  valid  in 
law  among  us.'  Jasper  Crane,  Jonathan  Rose,  John  Wilford,  Thomas 
Blatchly,  Samuel  Plum,  Michael  Taintor,  John  Collins,  Michael  Pal- 
mer, John  Ward,  John  Linsley,  George  Adams,  John  Whitehead, 
Samuel  Ward,  Edward  Frisbie,  Henry  Gretwich,  Matthew  Biskatt, 
Thomas  Harrison,  Thomas  Wheadon,  John  Robing,  Robert  Foote, 
George  Page,  Thomas  Gutsill,  Samuel  Swaine,  Samuel  Pond,  Isaac 
Bradley,  William  Rosewell,  Peter  Tyler,  John  Anams,  Moses  Blachly, 
John  Frisbie,  William  Maltbie,  Bartholomew  Goodrich,  Sigismond 
Richalls,  George  Seward,  Edward  Ball, William  Hoadley,  Eleazer  Stent, 
John  Rogers,  Samuel  Bradfield,  John  Charles,  Edward  Barker,  An- 
thony Hand,  Thomas  Sargent,  Daniel  Swaine,  John  Linsley,  Jr.,  John 
Rose.  John  Taintor,  Francis  Linsley — 48.     Six  of  the  signers  of  this 


10  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

agreement  afterward  went  to  Newark.  John  Wilford,  Thomas 
Blatchly,  John  Collins  and  Michael  Taintor  are  put  forward  as  leaders. 
They  are  directed  to  buy  Richard  Harrison's  house  and  lands  for  a 
minister.  The  people  pledge  themselves  to  pay  for  them.  They  re- 
quire all  new-comers  to  do  the  same."* 

In  addition  to  those  who  removed  or  remained,  it  is  known  that  26 
persons  died  before  1(566,  which  would  indicate  that  while  the  popula- 
tion of  Branford  was  not  as  great  as  that  of  some  other  towns,  at  that 
period,  the  improvements  must  have  been  of  considerable  importance. 

New  and  desirable  settlers  were  added  yearly,  and  under  the  more 
liberal  policy  of  the  united  colonies,  the  work  of  development  was  car- 
ried forward.  Of  the  new  men  who  settled  here  was  William  Rose- 
well,  a  merchant  in  New  Haven.  December,  24th,  1672,  the  town  gave 
him,  "  in  consideration  of  his  setting  up  a  saw  mill  upon  Beaver  brook 
and  selling  the  people  boards  and  timber  at  a  specified  price,  the  priv 
ilege  of  cutting  the  wood  he  needed  for  timber,  etc.,  provided  he  cut 
none  within  a  mile  of  the  furnace  pond.  Mr.  Rosewell  built  a  house 
about  where  Mrs.  Peggy  Fowler  now  lives.  He  gave  it  to  his  wife, 
Catherine  (Russell)  as  a  marriage  portion.  He  continued  to  buy  land 
of  different  parties  until  he  owned  a  large  estate.  He  was  also  en- 
gaged in  trade  between  New  England  and  Barbadoes.  He  probably 
had  vessels  built  for  his  trade  near  Peggy  Fowler's.  He  died  July 
19th,  1674.  His  widow  died  in  1698.  Of  their  three  children  only  one, 
a  daughter,  outlived  the  parents. 

"  John  and  Noah  Rogers  came  from  Long  Island,  and  were  sons  of 
William  Rogers  of  Southampton  and  Hempstead;  Eleazer  Stent  came 
from  New  Haven  with  his  mother  and  sisters.  His  father  was  a 
Protestant  minister  who  had  sailed  from  England  for  Virginia.  He 
died  on  the  passage.  His  family  afterward  came  to  New  Haven.  His 
widow  married  Thomas  Beaumond.  She  was  again  a  widow  when  the 
family  came  to  Branford.  She  again  married  Thomas  Harrison,  of 
Branford.  Eleazer  Stent  was  in  Branford  as  early  as  1667.  He  was  a 
freeman  in  1672;  was  granted  six  acres  as  a  home  lot.  It  was  between 
the  Russell  place  and  '  fig  lane,'  going  back  to  the  river,  not  on  the 
highway  at  first.  He  was  soon  made  town  clerk,  to  assist  John  Wil- 
ford. He  continued  after  Wilford  died,  and  for  many  years.  In  1683 
he  was  granted  a  small  piece  of  land  near  '  Little  Plain  brook.'  1687, 
March  4th,  he  was  granted  ten  acres  at  '  dirty  swamp,  along  Guildford 
old  road;'  was  chosen  '  commissioner '  May  3d,  1688;  same  day  was  given 
six  acres  upon  the  hill  west  of  Brushy  plain,  on  condition  of  his  giving 
up  six  acres  of  '  dirty  swamp.'  John  Plant,  to  whom,  1683,  February, 
the  town  gave  six  acres  upon  Mulliner's  hill.  His  son,  James, 
was  born  February  22d,  1685.  February  4th,  1688,  the  town  gave  John 
Plant  six  acres  more  on  the  '  half  way  hill,'  that  is  half  way  to  '  iron 
works.' 

*  Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  .  11 

"  Isaac  Bradley,  who  came  from  New  Haven  and  settled  near  Stony 
river,  and  was  granted  land.  The  '  Bradley  farm,'  near  the  East 
Haven  line,  south  of  the  main  road,  was  long  owned  by  his  family. 

"John  Collins,  a  shoemaker,  came  from  Guilford.  George  Bald- 
win, a  blacksmith,  came  from  Milford.  1688,  October  4th,  the  town 
gave  him  '  Sawpit's '  lot,  also  land  at  '  Cattholes,'  also  swamp  between 
'  the  narrow  of  dirty  swamp  and  world's  end  path.'  In  1691  the  town 
gave  him  five  or  six  acres  below  Brushy  plain.  In  1694,  August  14th, 
he  was  also  chosen  constable,  and  to  '  beat  the  drum  '  for  Sabbath  and 
other  meetings.  He  was  paid  thirty  shillings  for  it.  In  1697  he  was 
chosen  collector  of  taxes. 

"  Richard  Towner.  His  first  grant  near  Canoe  brook,  1690.  April 
8th,  he  changed  his  land  '  near  Bartholomew  Goodrich,  at  the  old  mill 
brook.'  1692,  November  2d,  he  was  chosen  to  have  the  oversight  of 
young  people  on  Sabbath  days.  He  gave  name  to  '  Towner's  hill.' 
William  Bartholomew  was  here  and  agreed  to  build  a  corn  mill. 
Thomas  Gutsell  was  settled  near  Branford  Point;  from  him  came  the 
name  'Goodsell's  Point.'  His  wife  Ruth  (Butler)  deserted  him,  going 
off  to  Providence,  R.  I.,  with  Joseph  Woodward. 

"  During  these  years  the  town  kept  up  a  '  train  band.'  1687,  April 
5th,  town  agreed  to  furnish  a  silk  flag  for  the  soldiers,  paying  Edward 
Johnson  for  work  upon  it. 

"John  Blakiston  came  here  soon  after  1700;  he  was  a  mariner.  He 
began  to  buy  land  near  the  present  Blackstoneville,  and  continued, 
from  year  to  year,  until  he  was  one  of  the  largest  landholders  in  the 
town.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  the  grandson  or  great-grandson  of 
the  William  Blackstone  who  built  the  first  house  in  Boston,  Mass.  He 
then  owned  much  of  the  land  upon  which  the  present  city  of  Boston 
is  built.  Boston  preserves  the  name  in  one  of  her  streets.  He  is  also 
believed  to  have  been  a  near  relative  of  Sir  William  Blackstone  of 
England,  a  name  so  well  known  and  honored. 

"  This  John  Blackiston  came  over  from  Rhode  Island.  Tradition 
relates  that  his  marriage  was  not  agreeable  to  his  friends,  or  his  wife's 
friends,  so  the  young  people  resolved  to  make  a  new  home  for  them- 
selves in  this  town.  All  the  Blackstones  of  Branford  were  and  are  his 
descendants.  Much  of  the  land  originally  purchased  by  the  first  John 
Blackiston,  is  still  retained  in  the  Blackstone  family  of  to-day.  Rhode 
Island  and  Massachusetts  have  their  Blackstone  river,  Blackstone  canal 
and  town  of  Blackstone.  This  name  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  important  interests  of  Branford  for  150  years.  It  has  also  sent  out 
honored  branches  to  other  places." 

Near  the  same  time  (1700),  Reverend  Gurdon  Saltonstall  came  to 
Branford  and  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Rosewell,  the 
trader  and  ship  builder,  and  who  had  left  a  large  estate  in  the  town. 
In  1707  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  colony,  and  was  reelected  until 
his  death,  in  1725.     Soon  after  being  elected  governor  he  built  a  large 


12  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mansion  on  the  Rosewell  property,  near  the  Furnace  pond,  which  he 
occupied  most  of  the  time,  living  at  New  London  the  remainder  of 
the  time,  and  was  buried  at  the  latter  place.  From  the  fact  of  his  resi- 
dence here  Saltonstall  lake  took  its  name.  The  house  is  still  standing 
and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  grandest  on  the  shore,  being  fitted 
up  in  a  style  becoming  the  station  of  a  governor. 

Nathaniel  Johnson  was  another  important  settler  after  1700.  He 
was  a  merchant  from  the  old  country,  and  brought  much  wealth  to  the 
town,  which  he  invested  in  lands.  "  He  bought  the  two  hundred  acres 
that  had  been  given  to  Thomas  Mulliner,  Jr.,  in  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  the  town.  Mulliner  and  his  wife  moved  to  Westchester,  N.Y., 
and  the  name  ceased  here.  Mr.  Johnson  is  believed  to  have  built  the 
house  that  stood  where  Mrs.  Peggy  Fowler  now  lives.  It  was  burned, 
with  all  the  barns  near  it,  about  sixty  years  ago.  It  made  so  large  and 
hot  a  fire  the  people  had  great  difficulty  in  saving  the  other  houses  in 
the  street.  Samuel  Barker  was  another  wealthy  man  who  came  about 
the  same  time.  His  first  purchase  was  42  acres  at  '  Littleworth,'  of 
Philip  Pond  in  1734.  He  gave  the  Reverend  Mr.  Robbins  five  acres 
.the  same  year.  Mr.  Barker  is  believed  to  have  built  the  house  still 
standing  on  Cherry  hill.  That  house  was  finely  finished  and  furnished 
for  its  day.  It  had  pictured  tiles  around  its  fire  places.  Some  of  those 
tiles  are  still  to  be  seen.  Some  are  preserved  by  the  family  of  James 
F.  Morris,  who  once  owned  the  place.  The  place  was  sold  to  Ralph 
Isaacs,  a  man  of  some  considerable  fame  in  this  place  during  the  war 
of  the  revolution.  His  daughter  married  an  Ingersoll,  and  became 
the  mother  of  the  Iugersolls  now  so  well  known  in  New  Haven. 
Another  family  of  note  coming  here  about  the  same  time  was  the 
Gould  family.  That  family  furnished  the  physicians  for  Branford  for 
about  100  years.  They  are  believed  to  have  built  the  house  that  stood 
between  the  present  Stedman  and  Robinson  places  on  the  Main  street. 
Richard  Gould,  M.  D.,  came  to  America  from  North  Country,  County 
Devon,  parish  of  Oakhampton.  He  was  born  April  28th,  1662.  He 
■died  March  9th,  1746,  aged  84. 

"  William  Gould,  his  son,  was  born  at  the  same  place  February  11th, 
1693.  He  was  a  physician  here  July  2d,  1757.  He  had  three  wives  and 
ten  children.  His  son,  William  Gould,  Jr.,  M.D.,was  born  here  Novem- 
ber 17th,  1727,  and  died  July  29th,  1805.  He  had  a  son,  Orchard  Gould, 
M.D.,  who  was  born  March  1st,  1764,  and  died  February  4th,  1819.  His 
brother,  James  Gould,  was  an  eminent  lawyer  and  judge  for  many  years. 
His  sister,  Elizabeth,  was  the  wife  of  Hon.  Roger  M.  Sherman,  of  Fair- 
field. Mrs.  Mary  Daniels,  who  built  the  house  where  Mr.  Henry  Nich- 
ols now  lives,  was  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Orchard  Gould." 

James  Gould  was  born  in  Branford  December  5th,  1770;  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1794,  and  received  degree  of  LL.D.  in  1819.  He  was  one 
■of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  times,  and  his  contributions  to  litera- 
ture are  chaste  and  elegant  to  an  unusual  decree. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  13 

"  Richard  Gould,  M.D.,  must  have  practiced  medicine  here  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  much  esteemed,  as  is  evident  from  his  being 
elected  tythingman  in  1728.  Only  the  most  dignified  and  trusted  men 
were  chosen  to  this  office  in  that  day.  William  Gould,  his  son,  pur- 
chased several  tracts  of  land  at  Paved  street  and  Hopyard  plain.  Some 
of  that  land  is  still  owned  by  Elias  Gould,  the  only  male  descendant 
of  the  name  now  living  in  Branford. 

"  Another  physician  lived  in  Branford  at  that  time — Isaac  Barthol- 
omew, M.D.  He  became  a  large  owner  of  land,  buying  a  great  deal 
at  Hopyard  plain.  This  name  has  been  a  prominent  one  in  Branford 
since  the  first  William  Bartholomew,  who  built  the  first  dam  and  the 
first  corn  mill  on  the  Branford  river.  It  used  to  be  pronounced  '  Bot- 
tlemy,'  or  '  Barthlemy.' 

"  John  Guy  and  Orchard  Guy  are.  the  first  names  of  another  some- 
what influential  family.  John  Guy,  in  1723,  buys  Eleazer  Stent's  place, 
near  the  town  street.  Orchard  Guy,  a  little  later,  has  a  house  near  the 
place  where  Charles  Wilford  now  lives. 

"  October  10th,  1737,  Andrew  Beach,  of  Fairfield,  buys  an  acre  of 
land,  a  house  and  barn  at  Mill  plain,  of  Archibald  McNeil.  The  house 
was  evidently  built  by  McNeil.  The  place  is  now  owned  and  lived  in 
by  Timothy  Palmer  and  family. 

"  The  land  just  north  was  owned  by  Roger  Tyler.  Mr.  Jordan 
Rogers  owned  what  Mr.  Timothy  Palmer's  new  house  stands  on.  Mr. 
Andrew  Beach  is  believed  to  be  the  ancestor  of  all  the  Branford 
Beaches.  He  was  a  '  cordwainer ' — what  we  now  call  a  shoemaker. 
Archibald  McNeil  may  have  built  that  old  house.  He  bought  and  sold 
several  places,  and  is  believed  to  have  built  several  houses.  He  once 
owned  a  house  that  stood  about  between  Hattie  Hoadley's  house  and 
the  Blackstone  house. 

"  In  1734  Ephraim  Parish  bought  of  Solomon  Palmer  five  and  a 
half  acres  of  land  and  a  new  house-frame  and  a  barn.  Mr.  Palmer  had 
bought  the  land  of  Bezaleel  Tyler.  It  is  the  place  so  long  the  home 
of  Reverend  Timothy  O.  Gillett  and  wife.  Mr.  Parish  built  the  house; 
he  had  a  son,  Ephraim,  and  a  grandson,  Russell  Parish.  This  Russell 
sold  it  to  Reverend  T.  O.  Gillett  in  1811.  Russell  Parish  had  kept  a 
hotel  there  for  a  number  of  years. 

"  In  1733,  William  Barker  sold  a  piece  of  his  home  lot  to  Reverend 
Philemon  Robbins.  It  was  on  '  Pig  lane,'  or  Barker's  lane,  and  known 
as  Foot's  lot.  That  is  probably  the  lot  on  which  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Robbins  built  his  house.  This  lane  ran  down  to  the  meadows,  both 
east  and  west  of  what  is  now  the  main  road.  It  ran  by  the  south  side  of 
William  Averill's  house,  and  south  of  the  Catholic  church  on  the  west 
side  of  the  street.  There  were  houses  on  that  lane,  one  supposed  to 
be  the  first  Stent  house,  down  at  the  east  end  of  the  meadow;  another 
half  way  to  the  road,  believed  by  some  to  be  the  first  Robert  Foote 
house. 


14  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  There  was  a  road  in  those  early  days  which  commenced  back  of 
Mrs.  Peggy  Foster's  house,  and  ran  along  the  meadow  up  to  the  main 
road,  back  of  the  Baptist  church.  There  were  at  least  three  houses  on 
that  road— one  close  to  the  railroad,  said  to  have  been  the  first  frame 
house  in  Branford;  another  about  west  of  Captain  William  Averill's 
place;  another  west  of  Mr.  John  Foot's  place.  Another  road  turned 
west  from  this  last,  near  the  Stent  lot,  and  followed  the  meadows  round 
to  Page's  Point. 

"  In  December,  1736,  Samuel  Stent  died.  He  had  been  a  public- 
spirited  and  useful  man;  he  left  money  to  the  church  and  ^10  to  the 
town  for  the  care  of  the  poor.  This  sum  was  loaned  on  interest  by  the 
selectmen.  As  it  ceased  to  appear  in  any  reports  after  a  few  years,  it 
was  probably  lost.  During  these  years,  from  1735  to  the  first  years  of 
the  war  of  the  revolution,  Branford  rapidly  grew  in  population  and 
wealth.  The  land  was  taken  up  and  cleared  and  cultivated  over  a 
great  part  of  its  surface.  Many  vessels  were  built  and  quite  a  foreign 
trade  grew  up.  A  new  wharf  was  built  at  the  Dutch  House  landing, 
by  Samuel  Barker,  in  the  year  1752. 

"  The  whole  territory  of  Branford  belonged  to  those  who  were  pro- 
prietors at  the  time  of  obtaining  the  patent,  and  such  as  they  sold  to. 
When  a  new  settler  came  and  bought,  he  shared  in  whatever  new  di- 
visions of  unappropriated  lands  were  made.  There  were  three  divisions 
before  the  year  1700.  There  were  four  more  before  1750.  The  greater 
part  of  all  Branford  territory  was  taken  up  between  1700  and  1740. 
The  fourth  division  took  up  most  of  the  present  territory  of  North 
Branford.  The  fifth  division  took  a  great  part  of  Stony  Creek  section. 
There  were  meetings  of  the  proprietors  separate  from  the  town  meet- 
ings. These  continued  even  down  to  within  the  memory  of  some  now 
living.  Their  records  show  to  whom  each  parcel  of  land  was  origi- 
nally given.  In  assigning  land,  they  left  places  for  roads  to  such  land; 
these  were  the  highways,  and  they  were  few.  Most  of  the  roads  now 
in  use  have  been  opened  during  the  last  sixty  years. 

"  In  Branford,  as  in  some  of  the  other  towns,  slavery  was  a  recog- 
nized institution,  Indians  and  negroes  being  sold  in  bondage.  The 
more  wealthy  families  had  usually  two  or  more  colored  men  and 
women.  These  servants,  as  they  were  called,  were  often  a  very  inter- 
esting part  of  the  household." 

"  Among  the  foregoing  Richard  Harrison  came  to  Branford  about 
1650,  and  died  in  1653.  One  of  his  sons,  Richard,  removed  to  New 
Jersey  in  1666.  It  is  supposed  that  the  family  came  from  Virginia  and 
was  connected  with  the  Harrisons  of  that  state.  Thomas  Harrison, 
another  son  of  Richard,  remained  in  the  town.  He  had  five  sons,  who 
left  numerous  descendants,  among  them  being  Governor  Henry  B. 
Harrison,  Hon.  Lynde  Harrison  and  others.  One  of  the  five  sons, 
Thomas,  and  his  son,  Nathaniel,  and  grandson,  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  were 
very  prominent  men  in  their  day,  filling  many  positions  of  honor  and 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  15 

trust.  The  Harrison  family  is  still  numerously  and  honorably  repre- 
sented in  Branford  and  North  Branford." 

Another  settler  of  prominence  was  William  Maltby,  who  for  along 
time  was  one  of  the  iustices  of  the  quorum  and  was  usually  called 
Judge  Maltby.  Samuel  Maltby  graduated  from  Yale,  and  also  became 
prominent  in  affairs.     Most  of  this  family  removed. 

Captain  William  Hoadley,  born  about  1630,  and  supposed  to  have 
been  a  brother  of  Reverend  John  Hoadley,  of  Guilford  (who  returned 
to  England  in  1650),  was  an  early  merchant  of  Branford.  He  left  a 
large  family,  and  from  them  have  descended  members  who  attained 
honorable  distinction;  as  Governor  George  Hoadley  of  Ohio,  Charles 
J.  Hoadley,  LL.  D.,  state  librarian;  David  Hoadley,  the  architect,  and 
his  son  David,  president  of  the  Panama  railroad,  and  others  who  were 
active  in  the  town's  affairs. 

Edward  Barker  was  one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  western  part  of 
the  town.  His  son,  Samuel,  graduated  from  Yale,  and  bore  the  title 
of  Mister.  One  of  his  sons,  Samuel  S.,  who  graduated  from  Yale  in 
1772,  was  an  officer  in  the  revolution,  resigning  as  major  in  1782. 
Both  he  and  his  father  removed  to  Beekman,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in 
1819. 

Noah  Rogers,  another  early  prominent  settler,  also  had  a  grandson, 
Captain  Edward  Rogers,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  revolution. 
Removing  to  New  York,  his  son,  Edward,  became  a  member  of  Con- 
gress after  1840. 

Colonel  Edward  Russell,  a  son  of  Mr.  John  Russell,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing public  men  in  his  time,  was  a  captain  in  Colonel  Douglass'  regi- 
ment, in  1776,  and  the  same  year  became  a  major  in  General  Wooster's 
■command.  In  1778  he  received  the  rank  of  colonel  and  did  much 
service  in  the  war. 

An  idea  of  the  names  of  many  of  the  citizens  of  Branford  may  be 
obtained  from  the  following  lists,  which  have  been  compiled  from  the 
town  books,  in  the  periods  named,  where  they  were  registered  as  own- 
ers of  ear  marks  for  their  cattle  : 

1747:  Nathaniel  Page,  Benjamin  Barnes,  Ebenezer  Harrison,  John 
Parrish,  Joel  Parrish,  Nathan  Goodrich,  Abraham  Foote,  Nathaniel 
Butler,  Isaac  Harrison,  Daniel  Hoadley,  Nathaniel  Frisbie. 

1748:  Samuel  Barker,  Thomas  Rogers,  William  Barker,  Benjamin 
Palmer,  John  Butler,  John  Potter,  Josiah  Harrison,  Daniel  Harrison, 
Wheeler  Brown,  Samuel  Palmer,  Aaron  Baldwin,  Eiios  Barnes,  Joseph 
Page. 

1749:  Elisha  Frisbie,  Daniel  Page,  Noah  Frisbie,  Daniel  Butler, 
Eliphalet  Howd,  James  Barker,  Samuel  Rose,  Isaac  Hoadley,  Daniel 
Otis. 

1750:  John  Ford,  Joseph  Palmer,  Abel  Butler,  Josiah  Butler,  Sam- 
uel Butler,  Asa  Leete,  David  Leavitt,  Eleazer  Stent,  Samuel  Stent, 
Samuel  Kirkham,  Abraham  Hoadley. 


16  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

1751:  Benjamin  Bartholomew,  Daniel  Rogers,  Joseph  Bartholomew, 
Daniel  Bradley,  Samuel  Russell,  Jehiel  Whedon,  Samuel  Maltbie, 
[ohn  Russell,  Edward  Russell,  Joshua  Dudley. 

1752:  Daniel  Johnson,  Timothy  Harrison,  Samuel  Rose,  Elnathan 
Beach,  John  Plant,  Abraham  Plant,  Samuel  Barker,  Abraham  Har- 
rison. 

1 7.13:  Stephen  Blackstone,  Jacob  Hoadley,  Samuel  Rogers,  Josiah 
Fowler,  Ebenezer  Linsley,  Edward  Brockway,  Silas  Parker,  David 
Tyler,  Benjamin  Plant,  Richard  Towner,  Jonathan  Plant,  John  Smith, 
Elisha  Smith,  Jonathan  Russell,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Taintor,  Thomas 
Gould. 

1754:  John  Johnson,  David  Hudson,  Ebenezer  Russell,  Jonathan 
Whedon,  John  Linsley,  Jr.,  Stephen  Harrison,  Joseph  Rogers,  Eben- 
ezer Hoadley,  Daniel  Baldwin,  Stephen  Foote,  Joseph  Wilford,  James 
Hoadley. 

1756:  James  Baldwin,  Daniel  Palmer,  Jacob  Palmer,  David  Hudson. 

1757:  Phineas  Baldwin,  David  Foote,  Jr.,  William  Gould,  Ebenezer 
Foote. 

175S:  Joseph  Finch,  Reuben  Whedon,  Nathaniel  Goodrich,  Timothy 
Frisbie,  Amos  Seward,  Josiah  Parrish,  Thomas  Frisbie. 

1759:  John  Barnes,  Richard  Baldwin,  David  Linsley,  David  Good- 
rich, John  Welford,  Joseph  Tyler,  Joseph  Tyler,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Good- 
sell. 

1760:  Samuel  Barker,  2d,  Isaac  Palmer,  Jeremiah  Woolut,  Nathan- 
iel Harrison,  John  Welford,  Jr.,  Abel  Page,  William  Harrison. 

1761:  Papillon  Barker,  Edward  Rogers,  Samuel  Baldwin.  Abijah 
Hobart,  Thomas  Norton. 

1762:  Reverend  Warham  Williams,  Jacob  Linsley,  Ephraim  Foote, 
Samuel  H.  Torrey,  Nathan  Foote,  Timothy  Hoadley, Wilkinson  Howd, 
Obadiah  Winters,  Abraham  Rogers,  John  Blackiston,  Jr. 

1763:  Ralph  Hoadley,  Isaac  Linsley,  Thomas  Stent,  Eli  Rogers, 
John  Rose,  Solomon  Rose. 

1764:  Isaac  Foote,  Obed  Linsley,  John  Harrison,  Rufus  Palmer, 
Noah  Baldwin,  Jr. 

1765:  Ezekiel  Hays,  George  Baldwin,  Timothy  Russell,  Edward 
Barker,  Timothy  Palmer,  Samuel  Still,  Othniel  Stent,  Jeremiah  Scar- 
ritt,  Minor  Merrick. 

1766:  Solomon  Tyler,  Benjamin  Linsley,  Ebenezer  Truesdell, 
Thomas  Russell,  Jared  Robinson,  Peter  Harrison,  Bille  Rose. 

1767:  Isaac  Tyler,  Stephen  Potter,  Zaccheus  Baldwin,  Bartholomew 
Goodrich,  Timothy  Goodrich,  Samuel  Russell,  Jr.,  Amos  Harrison. 

1768:  Jonathan  Linsley,  Rufus  Hoadley,  Samuel  Buel,  Asa  Foote, 
John  Butler,  2d,  Samuel  Harrison,  Jr.,  Orchard  Guy,  Samuel  Maltbie, 
Jonathan  Truesdell,  Joseph  Chidsey. 

1769:  Samuel  Hoadley,  Judah  Howd,  Ozias  Tyler,  John  Negus, 
Joseph  Page,  Joel  Rogers,  John  Stent. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  17 

1770:  Jared  Barker,  Roger  Tyler,  Samuel  Ford,  Josiah  Harrison, 
Jonathan  Tyler,  Peter  Tyler,  Jason  Rogers,  Ephraim  Beach,  Jareb 
Palmer,  Jabez  Palmer,  Rufus  Palmer,  Nicholas  Palmer,  William  Good- 
rich, Bille  Tyler,  Samuel  Byington,  Elisha  Barker,  Reuben  Page. 

1771:  Daniel  Page,  James  Maltbie.Timothy  Hoadley,  Enoch  Staples, 
Jonathan  Maltbie,  Bernard  Lintot,  Samuel  Hand,  Samuel  Eells. 

1772:  Samuel  Page,  Jr.,  Edward  Mulford,  Russell  Barker,  Rogers 
Tyler,  Jairus  Bunnell,  Edward  Stent,  Benjamin  Tyler,  Samuel 
Whedon. 

1773:  Jonathan  Beers,  Freeman  Crocker,  Ebenezer  Rogers,  David 
Rose,  John  Johnson. 

1774:  Samuel  Foote,  David  Harrison,  Jr.,  Asahel  Tyler,  Obadiah 
Tyler,  William  Douglas,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  John  Monroe. 

1775:  Elihu  Stone,  John  Harrington,  Hezekiah  Palmer,  Abijah 
Rogers,  Ammi  Harrison,  Peter  Harrison,  Ichabod  Culpepper,  Joseph 
Rogers,  Jr.,  William  Monroe. 

1776:  Jonathan  Towner,  Jonathan  Bartholomew,  Samuel  Tyler, 
Ebenezer  Beach,  Matthew  Butler,  Isaac  Hotchkiss,  Benjamin  Hoadley, 
Israel  Baldwin,  Israel  Linsley,  Elihu  Linsley,  Timothy  Barker,  Jr., 
Aaron  Morris,  Jesse  Stent,  Ransom  B.  Harlow,  Solomon  Goodrich, 
Samuel  Howe,  Samuel  Howe,  Jr.,  Solomon  Talmadge,  John  Butler, 
3d,  Major  Edward  Russell,  John  Russell,  Joseph  Parmalee,  Timothy 
Parmalee. 

1777:  Timothy  Chidsey,  Barnabas  Palmer,  Collins  Page,  Isaac  In- 
graham,  James  Goodrich,  Estus  Barker,  Michael  Taintor,  Jr.,  Medad 
Taintor,  Jonathan  Towner,  Ephraim  Parrish,  Lemuel  Johnson,  Cor- 
nelius Johnson,  Samuel  Griffing,  Artemas  Johnson. 

1778:  Elnathan  Tyler,  Amaziah  Rose,  Gideon  Goodrich,  Jr.,  Rose- 
well  Chidsey,  Robert  Olds,  Hooker  Frisbie,  Benjamin  Maltbie,  Zaccheus 
Maltbie. 

1779:  Edwin  Harrison,  Rufus  Linsley,  Nathan  Rose,  Wooster  Har- 
rison, Isaac  Smith,  Elihu  Rogers,  Oliver  Lanfair,  John  Augur,  Malachi 
Rogers,  Benjamin  Barker. 

1780:  William  Scott,  William  McQueen,  Captain  Benjamin  Baldwin, 
John  Rogers,  Captain  Reuben  Rose. 

Some  doubt  attaches  to  the  early  records  of  the  town,  and  it  is 
questioned  whether  they  are  complete.  Certainly,  on  some  points, 
they  are  obscure  and  imperfectly  preserved.  But  it  is  not  true,  as  is 
often  said,  that  the  early  Branford  records  were  carried  to  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  when  Mr.  Pierson  and  his  adherents  removed  thither,  in 
1666-7.  John  Plum,  the  first  clerk,  died  in  Branford  in  1658,  and  his 
successor  gathered  up  his  accounts  and  preserved  them  as  well  as  he 
could,  after  he  had  copied  them.  These  records  of  Eleazer  Stent  show 
nice  care  in  the  writing,  but  their  orthography  is  in  the  peculiar  style 
of  two  hundred  years  ago.  Most  of  the  early  records  pertain  to  affairs 
of  the  planters  in  relation  to  the  allotment  and  disposition  of  lands, 
2 


18  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

the  care  of  the  herds  and  flocks,  and  the  support  of  a  minister,  as 
examples: 

"December  15th,  1645.  This  day  it  was  ordered  that  Mr.  Sher- 
man should  be  allowed  a  year,  to  begin    from    the  1st  of    October, 

1644." 

"  This  day  it  was  ordered  by  the  inhabitants  of  this  place  (com- 
monly called  Totokett),  that  John  Plum  shall  keep  the  town  books. 
It  is  ordered,  also,  that  all  the  inhabitants  shall  give  in  their  estate 
unto  John  Plum  by  the  25th  of  this  month,  and  the  second  day  of 
the  week  next  following  all  the  inhabitants  are  to  meet  at  Mr. 
Sherman's  house  by  eight  of  the  clock,  upon  the  penalty  of  losing 
of  twelve  pence." 

"December  the  28th,  1645.  It  is  ordered  this  day  that  Mr.  Pal- 
mer, Mr.  Swaine,  Samuel  Swaine  and  John  Plum  shall  go  to-morrow 
to  New  Haven  to  meet  Mr.  Mulliner  at  the  Governor's,  to  agree 
upon  a  way  both  for  Mr.  Mulliner,  the  accommodating  and  voting, 
and  any  other  difference  that  is  between  him  and  the  town.  It  is 
ordered,  also,  that  any  one  under  a  100th  shall  be  accommodated 
according  to  that  rule  that  Mr.  Sherman,  Mr.  Swaine,  Goodman,  Rose, 
and  John  Plum  did  bring  in.  Those  that  have  a  100j  bond  accord- 
ing to  the  former  order.  Moreover,  it  is  ordered  that  Mr.  Palmer, 
in  consideration  of  some  former  expense  and  also  for  the  good  serv- 
vices  he  has  done  the  town,  and  also  for  the  public  business 
that  he  is  to  do  the  town  for  one  year  following  as  they  call  him 
thereunto,  he  is  to  have  that  piece  of  meadow  which  lyeth  at  the 
end  or  side  of  his  lot  to  the  neck,  and  also  upland  apportionable 
to  it." 

This  shows  that  Mr.  Palmer  was  the  first  town  agent  chosen. 

"  The  2nd  month,  the  10th  day,  1646.  This  day  it  was  agreed  by 
the  town  and  Francis  Linsley  that  the  said  Francis  shall  keep  the 
heard  of  cows  and  heifers  from  the  16th  of  this  month  to  the  16th  of 
the  9th,  and  he  to  call  for  them  by  the  sun  half  an  hour  high  in  the 
morning  and  to  bring  them  home  at  that  time  in  the  evening,  and  he 
must  blow  a  horn,  or  make  some  other  noise,  before  he  come  in  the 
morning  and  also  in  the  evening,  that  we  may  be  ready  to  turn  them 
out  of  our  yards,  and  to  return  them  in  the  evening."  They  further 
arrange  that  he  is  to  have  one  Sabbath  out  of  four.  If  any  of  the  cat- 
tle get  lost  he  is  to  look  for  them  four  days,  with  a  man  to  help,  at  his 
own  charge. 

Another  important  public  measure  was  the  surrounding  the  town 
or  much'of  it  by  a  strong  fence. 

;'  The  16th  of  the  9th  month,  1646.  This  dai  it  is  ordered  that  there 
shall  a  fence  be  made  from  the  sea,  beginning  near  that  neck  where 
Thos.  Mulliner  sometime  dwelt,  to  run  about  five  miles  to  the  sea  near 
a  place  where  the  Indians  now  dwell.  And  four  miles  of  this  fence  is 
to  be  done  according  as  it  shall  fall  to  men  by  lott.     And  the  first  lott 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  19 

that  shall  be  drawn  is  to  begin  within  one-quarter  of  a  mile  next  that 
part  of  the  sea  first  mentioned,  and  so  every  one  shall  do  his  part  ac- 
cording as  he  shall  be  drawn,  as  he  that  is  drawn  first  shall  make  first, 
so  every  one  severally  shall  do  it  according  as  their  name  shall  be 
drawn  then  following.  And  the  rest  that  remains  shall  be  done  in 
generall.  This  fence  is  to  be  finished  by  the  first  of  May  next,  and  no 
man  is  to  take  any  timber  but  right  against  his  fence.  And  whoever 
defaults  of  not  doing  by  the  time  appointed  every  one  shall  forfeit  to 
the  town  two  shillings  per  pound  a  rod  or  span  or  pole.  And  for  every 
day  after  this  it  shall  not  be  done  every  one  that  is  defective  shall  pay 
sixpence  a  day  for  every  rod  or  span  or  pole  until  it  be  made,  and  also 
pai  the  damages  that  shall  come  whoever  defaults  of  not  making.  The 
fence  is  to  be  4  feet  2  inches.     It  is  to  be  a  log  fence." 

"  The  27th  of  the  3d  month  1647.  This  day  it  is  agreed  between 
the  Townsmen  of  Totokett  and  John  Edwards  of  Wethersfield,  of  Con- 
necticut, that  the  said  John  Edwards  hath  agreed  to  pay  all  the 
charges  that  have  arose  within  the  said  Totokett  from  the  beginning 
of  the  plantation  unto  this  present  day,  with  equal  proportion  with 
each  man  according  to  estate  he  gave  in  both  for  himself  and  his  son 
and  that  as  well  in  respect  of  joyning  the  preaching  of  the  word  of 
God  as  all  other  common  charges  that  have  occurred  to  this  planta- 
tion." 

Many  domestic  matters  were  very  carefully  regulated,  the  most 
explicit  rules  being  adopted  in  the  town  meetings.  If,  for  instance,  a 
man  wanted  to  own  a  gun,  he  had  to  secure  the  town's  consent.  De- 
cember 31st,  1718,  "  Charles  Tyler  asked  for  that  liberty,  but  the  town 
thought  it  would  not  be  safe  and  voted  in  the  negative." 

A  demand  having  been  created  for  various  products  of  the  town, 
their  shipment  was  regulated.  February  6th,  1717,  the  town  votes  that 
none  should  be  allowed  to  cut  staves  on  the  town's  land  without 
special  permission  from  the  town.  About  this  time  (1717)  the  town 
had  to  regulate  the  gathering  of  "  bayberries."  These  small,  waxy 
balls,  found  on  bushes,  were  useful  in  making  wax.  This  wax  entered 
into  the  manufacture  of  several  very  useful  articles — especially  of 
blacking  and  salve.  It  continued  to  be  an  article  of  trade  in  Branford' 
down  to  within  the  last  fifty  years.  In  1717  the  town  forbid  the  gath- 
ering of  these  berries  on  the  highways  and  common  before  Septem- 
ber 15th.  A  fine  of  ten  shillings  was  exacted  for  each  violation  of 
the  law. 

A  deed  from  the  Indians  for  all  the  lands  in  Branford  bounds  was 
secured  in  1685,  and  February  16th  that  year  the  town  received  its 
patent  from  the  colony.  It  was  signed  by  Governor  Robert  Treat,  and 
was  granted  Mr. William  Rosewell,  Ensign  Thomas  Harrison,  William 
Hoadley,  Samuel  Pond,  Edward  Barker,  William  Maltby,  Lieutenant 
Eleazer  Stent,  John  Frisby  and  John  Tayntor,  representing  all  the 
settlers.     Both  instruments  were  properly  recorded  July  13th,  1719. 


20  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Since  the  war  for  the  Union  among  the  first  selectmen  have  been: 
John  Bishop,  David  Beach,  Henry  E.  Towner,  Thomas  S.  McDermott, 
John  Plant,  George  H.  Page,  J.  August  Blackstone,  Richard  S.  Bradley, 
William  R.  Foote  and  Daniel  O.  Brien. 

In  the  same  period  the  town  treasurers  were:  Elizur  Rogers,  Eli  F. 
Rogers,  and  the  past  thirteen  years,  Henry  H.  Stedman. 

John  Plum  was  the  first  town  clerk,  and  left  papers  which  Eleazer 
Stent  afterward  copied.  None  of  Mr.  Plum's  writings  have  been 
found.  He  died  in  1648,  and  John  Wilford  was  chosen  in  his  place. 
Succeeding  him  the  town  clerks  served  until  the  years  set  after  their 
names:  Eleazer  Stent,  to  1705;  William  Maltbie,  1710;  John  Russell, 
1712;  Nathaniel  Harrison,  1714;  John  Russell,  1721;  Samuel  Maltbie, 
1746;  John  Russell.  1747;  Israel  Baldwin,  1748;  John  Russell,  1754; 
Nathaniel  Harrison,  1758;  Samuel  Barker,  1775;  William  Monroe, 
1776;  Samuel  Barker,  1781;  Edward  Russell,  1794;  Samuel  Gould,  1798; 
Orchard  Gould,  1818;  Samuel  Frisbie,  1824;  John  Barker,  1825;  Samuel 
Frisbie,  1839;  William  Tyler,  1841;  William  R.  Frisbie,  1843;  Wil- 
loughby  L.  Lay,  1847;  Orrin  D.  Squire,  1858;  Samuel  Beach,  1861;  J. 
E.  Russell,  1866;  A.  M.  Babcock,  1867;  Elizur  Rogers,  1870;  Eli  F. 
Rogers,  1876;  Henry  H.  Stedman,  1891,  deceased  the  same  year  and 
was  succeeded  by  Walter  Foote. 

The  town  hall  at  Branford  is  a  large,  two-story  frame  building, 
centrally  located  on  the  green.  It  was  erected  in  1857,  thoroughly  re- 
paired in  1869,  and  placed  in  good  condition  since  that  time.  In  1875 
a  fine  safe,  manufactured  at  Branford  by  James  E.  Russell,  was  placed 
in  the  office  of  the  town  treasurer. 

The  town  prison  or  lockup  was  erected  in  the  rear  of  the  town  hall 
in  1878-9.     It  is  a  small,  strong  stone  building  and  cost  $1,100. 

The  town  poor  farm  was  purchased  in  1874,  at  a  cost  of  $3,200.  It 
was  thereafter  greatly  improved. 

By  an  act  of  the  general  assembly,  January  15th,  1874,  the  town 
was  divided  into  two  voting  districts — Branford  and  Stony  Creek.  In 
1890  the  latter  had  about  one  hundred  voters,  or  about  one-eighth  of 
the  whole  number  of  polls  cast. 

An  act  of  the  general  assembly,  July  25th,  1867,  authorized  the  in- 
corporation of  Branford  village  as  a  borough,  and  the  matter  of  or- 
ganization was  placed  in  the  hands  of  John  R.  Holcomb,  Samuel  E. 
Linsley  and  Elizur  Rogers.  A  board  of  officers  was  elected  the  fol- 
lowing September,  but  the  organization  was  soon  dropped.  In  1883 
the  privileges  of  the  act  were  revived  and  another  election  was  or- 
dered to  be  called  by  Samuel  E.  Linsley  and  T.  F.  Hammer.  But 
this,  like  the  former  movement  in  this  direction,  was  also  void  of  prac- 
tical results. 

The  affairs  of  the  town  are  carried  on  at  a  yearly  outlay  of  about 
$17,000,  about  one-seventh  of  that  amount  being  used  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  poor.     There  was,  in  1890,  a  debt  of  $31,470.97,  $30,000 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  21 

of  which  was  bonded.  The  grand  list  of  the  previous  year  was  $1,- 
581,618,  and  the  rate  of  taxation  12  mills. 

The  Branford  Probate  District  was  established  in  1850,  when  it  was 
set  off  from  the  Guilford  district.  The  first  court  was  held  July  8th, 
1850,  Levi  S.  Parsons  being  the  judge,  and  Ebenezer  B.  Barker  the 
clerk.  The  subsequent  judges  have  been  the  following:  1S53,  O.  D. 
Squire;  1854.  John  J.  Bartholomew;  1863,  J.  E.  Russell;  1869,  Edward 
R.  Landon,  of  Guilford,  acting  judge;  1870,  Eli  F.  Rogers;  1879,  Henry 
H.  Stedman. 

It  has  been  stated  that  when  the  proprietors  laid  out  the  land  they 
usually  made  allowance  for  roads,  but  evidently  there  were  no  fenced 
roads  for  many  years  after  the  town  was  settled.  Fences  were  gradu- 
ally made,  as  different  persons  found  it  needful  to  have  them.  They 
did  not  always  conform  to  the  highway,  as  laid  out;  they  often  en- 
croached, and  thus  much  land  is  now  held  by  individuals  that  really 
belongs  to  the  town  as  highway.  Most  of  the  roads,  before  the  year 
1800,  were  only  cart  paths  to  peoples'  houses  and  fields.  In  most  in- 
stances they  were  called  lanes,  and  often  received  some  outlandish 
names.  Many  of  the  people  of  the  town  were  opposed  to  the  location 
of  general  highways,  and  it  is  said  that  the  petition  of  the  people  of 
"North  Parish,"  in  1741,  for  a  road  to  connect  them  with  Guilford,  was 
pending  several  years  before  it  was  granted,  and  other  roads  to  points 
outside  of  the  town  shared  a  like  fate. 

The  town  has  had  no  turnpikes,  but  the  Shore  road  following,  in  a 
general  way,  the  old  "Totoket  path"  of  the  very  6rst  settlers,  has  gen- 
erally been  improved  to  an  easy  condition.  In  the  past  thirty  years 
nearly  all  the  principal  highways,  whose  courses  in  many  places  have 
been  modified  over  the  original  layout,  have  been  graded  and  made 
hard  and  smooth  by  covering  them  with  paving  material  found  in 
abundance  near  Cherry  hill.  In  the  main,  all  the  principal  roads  are 
now  well  improved. 

The  streams  of  the  town  being  narrow,  it  has  been  a  small  item  to 
maintain  the  bridges.  One  of  the  most  important  is  the  stone  bridge 
at  the  foot  of  Montowese  street,  which  was  built  in  1869  and  provided 
with  tide  gates.  In  1874  a  part  of  it  was  swept  away,  but  was  sub- 
stantially repaired,  and  is  now  an  attractive  structure.  The  pile  bridge, 
next  below,  was  built  in  recent  years. 

The  railway  through  the  town  was  got  in  operation  in  the  summer 
of  1852.  A  station  was  first  located  at  Branford  village,  later  another 
at  Stony  Creek,  and  still  later,  the  third,  at  Pine  Orchard.  The  first 
two  have  become  important  points  on  the  Shore  Line  railroad. 

The  wants  of  the  early  settlers  were  supplied  by  several  mills, 
erected  on  the  streams  of  the  town,  among  the  first  improvements  of 
the  kind  being  a  tide  mill,  near  where  is  now  the  Branford  Point 
bridge.     Later  the  Bartholomews  and  others  built  a  mill  higher  up 


22  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

the  stream,  at  Mill  Plain,  and  mills  have  been  there  continued  until 
the  present  time. 

The  town  united  with  New  Haven  in  granting  liberty  to  set  up 
iron  works  at  Saltonstall  lake,  at  that  time  called  the  Great  pond,  and 
later  known  as  Furnace  pond,  voting  aid  to  encourage  the  enterprise, 
from  1655  until  1658.  These  were  the  pioneer  iron  works  in  the  state. 
The  power  has  ever  since  operated  some  kind  of  machinery,  a  small 
feed  mill  being  at  present  kept  up.  On  Beaver  brook,  above  this 
point,  William  Rosewell  built  a  saw  mill  about  1672.  On  other  small 
streams  machinery  was  set  up,  as  the  wants  of  the  town  demanded,  but 
the  operations  were  on  a  small  scale. 

The  Branford  Lock  Works  rank  as  one  of  the  oldest  and  the  lead- 
ing industry  in  the  town.  They  are  the  outgrowth  of  small  industries 
established  in  the  early  part  of  the  century.  About  1809  Orrin  D. 
Squire  became  a  resident  of  the  village,  and  as  a  skillful  blacksmith 
carried  on  a  shop  in  the  rear  of  the  "Hayes  Garden."  Near  the  same 
time  L.  D.  Hosley  and  Daniel  Nichols  had  a  small  foundry  on  the 
brook,  above  the  village.  They  united  their  interests  and  established 
a  new  plant,  where  are  now  the  works,  removing  some  of  their  old 
buildings  to  that  place.  At  that  time  the  "  hollow"  was  a  part  of  a 
wood  lot,  being  full  of  trees  and  stumps.  They  engaged  in  a  general 
foundry  business  and  made  fine  castings  and  stoves,  which  had  a  good 
reputation.  Subsequently  the  variety  of  products  was  increased  and 
changes  of  the  firm  occurred. 

In  1852  the  business  passed  to  the  "  Squire  &  Parsons  Manufactur- 
ing Company,"  which  had  among  its  members  Levi  Parsons,  Lyman 
Squire  and  William  S.  Kirkham,  and  the  manufacture  of  locks  was 
extensively  begun.  After  several  years  the  company  failed,  and  in 
1862  the  property  passed  to  Thomas  Kennedy,  a  practical  lock  maker 
of  New  York.  He  brought  to  his  assistance  skilled  labor  and  im- 
proved machinery,  much  of  which  he  devised  himself,  and  soon  cre- 
ated a  vast  business,  which  in  1865  he  placed  under  the  management 
of  the  present  corporation,  which  was  organized  with  a  capital  of 
$150,000.  Thomas  Kennedy  was  elected  president,  and  so  served 
until  his  death,  in  1880.  John  H.  Royal  was  the  first  secretary,  and 
was  succeeded  by  E.  F.  Jones,  who  now  serves  in  that  capacity,  and  is 
also  treasurer  of  the  company.  A.  L.  Runyan  succeeded  Kennedy  as 
president;  John  J.  Kennedy  is  the  general  superintendent  and  W.  f. 
Powes  the  general  agent  of  the  works. 

The  plant  is  valued  at  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars  and  covers 
nearly  five  acres  of  land.  Most  of  the  buildings  are  brick,  and  afford 
a  working  capacity  for  500  people.  In  addition,  many  of  the  operations 
are  performed  by  machinery,  peculiar  to  this  establishment,  making 
it  possible  to  produce  500  dozen  complete  locks  and  knobs  per  day, 
some  of  them  being  very  handsome  in  design  and  finish.     About  five 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  23 

tons  of  iron,  brass  and  nickel  are  consumed   daily,  and  this  industry 
has  contributed  very  much  to  the  prosperity  of  the  town. 

The  Bran  ford  Malleable  Iron  Fittings  Company  have  extensive 
works  opposite  the  railway  depot,  at  Page's  Point.  The  first  improve- 
ment there  was  made  after  the  building  of  the  railroad,  by  Elizur 
Rogers,  who  built  a  dock  and  opened  a  coal  yard,  which  are  still  con- 
tinued. On  the  west,  and  having  the  facilities  of  the  railroad  and 
Branford  river,  the  manufacture  of  iron  articles  was  soon  after  begun 
by  the  "Totoket  Company,"  which  was  incorporated  in  October,  1854, 
with  a  capital  of  §16,000.  Among  the  principal  stockholders  were 
William  H.  Perry,  William  S.  Kirkham,  F.  Northrup,  L.  S.  Parsons, 
John  Plant,  Samuel  O.  Plant,  Henry  L.  Baldwin,  William  Blackstone, 
Gurdon  Bradley,  A.  &  E.  Rogers,  Eli  F.  Rogers,  J.  Henry  Page,  Henry 
Rogers,  David  Beach  and  William  Wadsworth.  Operations  were 
begun  in  1855,  on  malleable  iron,  brass  and  wrought  iron  goods.  Two 
years  later  Henry  Rogers  was  authorized  to  sell  the  property  of  the 
"Totoket  Company,"  and  for  several  years  Elizur  Rogers  and  B.  H. 
Hadley,  as  Rogers  &  Hadley,  carried  on  the  business.  In  1864  the 
present  corporation  took  charge  of  the  property  and  developed  the 
business  to  its  fine  proportions. 

The  plant  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  Union,  devoted  to  this  line  of 
manufactures,  which  embraces  fittings  of  every  nature.  About  four 
acres  are  covered  with  substantially  constructed  brick  buildings,  a 
number  of  them  being  several  stories  high,  and  the  main  structure  is 
more  than  200  feet  long.  One  foundry  is  also  200  feet  long  and  two 
others  are  of  less  length.  There  are  two  large  annealing  rooms  and 
other  spacious  buildings,  adapted  for  the  uses  of  the  company.  Power 
is  furnished  by  ponderous  engines,  and  every  department  is  equipped 
with  labor-saving  machinery,  but  the  works  give  employment,  aside 
from  these  devices,  to  nearly  300  persons.  A  specialty  is  made  of  the 
manufacture  of  goods  from  semi-steel,  which  have  proved  excellent 
substitutes  for  drop  forgings  and  gun  metals,  and  all  goods  are  manu- 
factured on  a  basis  of  chemical  analysis. 

The  company  has  since  1865  been  officered  by  J.  J.  Walworth,  presi- 
dent; E.  C.  Hammer,  secretary  and  treasurer;  T.  F.  Hammer,  general 
manager  at  Branford;  and  R.  E.  Hammer,  general  superintendent. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  Messrs.  Hammer  the  business  has  become 
very  prosperous  and  is  continually  increasing. 

The  manufacture  of  carriages  was  for  many  years  an  important 
industry  at  Branford,  F.  A.  Holcomb  &  Sons  being  large  builders,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  village,  before  their  removal  to  New  Haven. 
Another  company  had  its  works  on  Page's  Point,  where  they  were  de- 
stroyed by  fire  and  not  rebuilt,  when  the  business  was  wound  up.  At 
the  old  Dutch  House  wharf,  in  shops  which  are  now  idle,  Alexander 
Van  Wie  at  one  time  made  carriage  parts  on  an  extensive  scale.   These 


24  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

buildings  were  occupied  in  1874-9  by  James  E.  Russell  and  others  in 
the  manufacture  of  large  and  small  safes,  patented  by  Russell. 

Another  abandoned  interest  is  ship  building,  which,  about  eighty 
years  ago,  gave  occupation  to  scores  of  people,  and  yards  were  main- 
tained at  various  points  on  the  Branford  river,  as  high  up  as  Mill 
Plain.  At  the  latter  place  a  vessel  called  the  "  Laura  Hoadley  "  was 
built.  The  yard  at  Hubbard's  bridge  was  occupied  by  various  build- 
ers, and  was  used  as  late  as  1875,  when  Captain  Russell  Pond  built  a 
small  craft  at  that  place.  Here  was  built  a  vessel  called  the  "  Lottery," 
"  which  was  castaway  at  Little  Egg  Harbor,  and  all  her  crew  lost  with 
her." 

At  Page's  Point  a  number  of  vessels  were  built,  among  them  being 
the  "  Friendship."  the  "  Ariel,"  and  the  "  Mary  Ann."  The  last 
was  named  for  the  daughter  of  Rose  well  Sheldon,  who  presented  the 
colors  and  a  looking  glass  when  she  was  launched.  This  vessel  was 
also  ill-fated,  and  was  lost  on  Oyster  Pond  Point.  At  Goodsell's  Point 
Harvey  Frisbie  built  small  vessels,  and  had  the  conveniences  for  "grav- 
ing" vessels. 

In  this  period  of  vessel  building  coastwise  commerce  was  quite 
active,  but  has  been  very  limited  since  the  era  of  railroads.  Quite  a 
trade  was  carried  on  with  the  upper  New  England  states  in  shipping 
thither  dried  fruit  and  other  farm  products,  and  bringing  back  fish 
and  ship  timber.  Many  of  the  young  men  led  a  seafaring  life,  and 
the  young  women  and  boys  found  occupation  on  the  farm,  picking 
juniper  berries  and  wax  berries,  or  sewed  buckskin  gloves  or  bound 
shoes  for  parties  outside  of  town.  The  spinning  of  twine  for  ship- 
ment to  the  fishing  coasts  was  much  followed  at  one  time. 

The  town  also  had  some  trade  with  foreign  ports,  and  near  the  close 
of  the  last  century  Branford  was  made  a  port  of  entry.  The  harbor 
master  lived  at  Dutch  House  wharf,  and  the  building  used  for  the  cus- 
toms service  stood  there  many  years  after  the  port  was  abandoned. 
Some  time  after  this  Elnathan  Linsley  built  a  wharf  at  Branford  Point, 
and  that  became  the  principal  landing  point.  The  water  there  at  the 
highest  is  about  15  feet  deep,  and  steamboats  land  there  in  summer. 
The  place  later  became  more  important  as  a  summer  resort.  Among 
the  mariners  of  the  town  were  members  of  the  Blackstone,  Harrison 
and  Palmer  families,  who  were  also  ship  owners.  Captain  John  Black- 
stone  settled  here  after  1700,  coming  from  Rhode  Island.  He  pros- 
pered in  his  affairs  and  became  a  large  landowner,  at  the  place  called 
"  Blackstoneville,"  where  some  of  the  property  is  still  held  by  de- 
scendants. Captain  James  Blackstone,  of  this  family,  became  very 
aged,  and  had  a  long  and  varied  experience  as  a  seaman.  Captain 
Furrington  Harrison  was  in  the  West  Indies  trade,  carrying  cattle  to 
those  islands.  He  died  in  1808.  Captain  Ammi  Harrison  was  also  a 
well-known  mariner.  Captain  Edward  Palmer  was  the  owner  of  a 
good  schooner,  called  the  "  Betsey."     Only  small  vessels  now  ascend 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  25 

this  river,  the  traffic  by  this  means  being  very  limited.  But  few  sea- 
men now  reside  in  the  town. 

For  more  than  a  century  of  years  many  of  the  inhabitants  found 
much  subsistence  in  the  sea  food  afforded  by  the  Branford  coast,  and 
for  some  years  oysters  were  an  article  of  commerce.  This  extraor- 
dinary demand  upon  the  natural  beds  exhausted  them,  and  regulations 
for  their  protection  were  early  found  necessary.  In  1789  the  town 
voted  to  regulate  the  catching  of  oysters;  and  it  was  provided  that 
from  April  1st  to  November  1st  of  each  year  no  bivalves  should  be 
taken,  under  a  penalty  of  $7  for  each  offense.  From  November  1st 
to  the  following  April  permits  might  be  obtained  to  take  two  bushels 
in  the  course  of  4S  hours,  one  permit  only  being  issued  to  a  family. 
For  many  years  the  natural  beds  afforded  delicious  oysters,  and  the 
Branford  river  and  other  inlets  were  much  frequented  by  fishermen- 
"  In  Branford  Harbor  no  oysters  are  raised  to  sell,  and  the  outside 
oyster  grounds  in  town  jurisdiction  are,  as  a  rule,  too  shoal  for  safe 
cultivation."*  In  recent  years  the  interest  in  this  business  has  in- 
creased, and  under  a  system  of  cultivation  the  oyster  fisheries  of  Bran- 
ford have  become  important  industries.  There  are  about  1,000  acres 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  town,  and  more  than  1,300  acres  con- 
trolled by  the  state.  In  1890  the  town  had  13  oyster  planters,  among 
them  being  Lewis  Shepard,  E.  B.  Beach,  N.  H.  Bishop,  N.  C.  Frink, 
Henry  Hall,  Oliver  Knowles,  C.  C.  Smith,  G.  Smith  &  Sons,  and  the 
Stony  Creek  Oyster  Company.  The  latter  corporation  was  organized 
after  the  late  civil  war,  and  in  1868  reported  a  capital  of  $28,000,  and 
a  board  of  directors  composed  of  Nathan  C.  Frink,  H.  Lynde  Harri- 
son, William  H.  Holt,  T.  N.  Parmalee,  William  Blackstone  and  F.  A. 
Holcomb.  Henry  Rogers  was  the  president.  In  1890  the  capital  was 
reported  at  $42,000;  real  estate  valued  at  $9,500;  and  had  personal 
property  to  the  amount  of  $7,500.  W.  J.  Clark  was  the  president  of 
the  company,  and  F.  E.  Smith,  secretary. 

Nearly  the  entire  oyster  business  has  been  centered  at  Stony  Creek, 
where  it  gives  employment  to  a  number  of  men.  Five  vessels  are 
employed  in  the  business.  The  oysters  grown  at  Stony  Creek  are  of 
superior  quality,  and  are  in  demand  beyond  the  supply.  Even  while 
yet  confined  to  the  natural  beds  they  were  much  sought,  and  frequently 
parties  from  the  interior  would  visit  this  place,  encamping  for  several 
days,  until  a  supply  of  oysters  had  been  obtained. 

On  Indian  Neck  salt  was  made  in  limited  quantities  in  the  early 
part  of  the  present  century;  and  along  Saltonstall  lake  an  effort  was 
made  to  manufacture  peat  fuel  by  a  company  organized  for  that  pur- 
pose in  1871.  The  project  was,  however,  abandoned  before  any  satis- 
factory results  were  obtained. 

Near  the  same  time  the  Pine  Orchard  Granite  Company  was  organ- 
ized, with  a  capital  of  $50,000,  to  develop  the  granite  deposits  in  that 

♦Henry  H.  Stedman,  1890. 


26  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

section,  but  that  project  was  also  abandoned.  The  granite  quarries  at 
Stony  Creek  have  been  more  successfully  operated,  there  being  sev- 
eral which  are  carried  on  extensively.  The  quarry  near  the  railway 
station  was  opened  by  B.  N.  Green,  and  the  one  farther  east  by  John 
Beattie.  From  the  quarry  at  ,;  Red  Hill,"  on  the  north  side  of  the 
railway,  a  stone  is  taken  which  closely  resembles  the  red  Scotch 
granite,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  very  fine  polish. 

These  interests  are  more  fully  noted  in  the  account  of  Stony  Creek. 

Branford  Village,  long  called  Branford  Center,  is  about  eight  miles 
east  of  New  Haven,  on  Branford  river,  several  miles  from  the  sound. 
It  has  a  very  pleasant  location,  the  principal  part  being  on  a  consider- 
able elevation,  which  also  affords  good  natural  drainage  and  sites  for 
attractive  homes.  Until  25  years  ago  the  village  was  less  important 
that  at  present,  much  of  its  growth  having  been  made  in  this  latter 
period,  in  consequence  of  prosperous  manufactories  and  the  desirabil- 
ity of  Branford  as  a  summer  resort.  These  circumstances  have  also 
made  Branford  one  of  the  most  important  stations  on  the  Shore  Line 
railroad,  both  the  freight  and  passenger  traffic  for  this  point  being 
heavy.  When  the  road  was  completed,  in  1852.  the  station  was  located 
at  the  foot  of  Montowese  street,  where  was  also  the  village  wharf.  A 
few  years  later  Elizur  Rogers  began  his  improvements  at  Page's 
Point,  opening  a  new  street  to  that  place  from  Main  street,  in  the  old 
village,  and  the  depot  was  soon  after  located  west  of  the  Page  Point 
wharf.  In  1887  a  very  spacious  and  handsome  station  for  passenger 
use  was  erected  and  has  since  been  occupied.  It  is  of  brick  and  is  one 
of  the  finest  structures  of  the  kind  in  the  county. 

The  upper  or  older  part  of  the  village  is  built  around  the  green — 
an  irregular  tract  of  land,  nearly  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  length,  and 
coming  to  an  apex  at  the  west  end.  The  east  end  is  about  30  rods 
wide.  For  a  long  time  it  was  much  neglected,  but  has  been  made  at- 
tractive by  planting  it  with  elms  and  maples.  Upon  it  stand  three 
church  edifices  (Congregational,  Episcopal  and  Baptist),  the  old  acad- 
emy, the  town  hall  and  the  soldiers'  monument.  On  the  north  side  is 
the  principal  business  street  of  the  village,  which  is  also  the  main  high- 
way from  New  Haven  east.  Formerly  that  thoroughfare  was  chiefly 
on  the  south  side  of  the  "Green,"  to  Montowese  street,  down  to  Ho- 
bart's  bridge,  thence  east  to  Stony  creek.  On  these  streets  were  built 
the  first  good  homes  of  the  early  settlers,  and  some  of  the  old  build- 
ings still  remain.  The  first  house  south  of  the  cemetery,  on  the  east 
side  of  Montowese  street,  was  the  Russell  place,  where  were  kept  for 
several  years  the  books  which  formed  the  nucleus  of  Yale  library. 
Opposite  was  the  Welford  place.  Lower  down  the  street  lived  David 
Staples,  father  of  Captain  Enoch  Staples,  who  is  credited  with  com- 
manding a  privateersman  in  the  revolution,  and  it  is  said  that  he  lost 
his  life  while  attempting  to  board  one  of  the  enemy's  vessels.  The 
building  on  the  other  side  of  the  street  is  the  Bradley  place  and  is  one 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  27 

of  the  oldest  in  the  town.  Nearer  the  river  were  the  Hobart  and  the 
Captain  Ammi  Harrison  places,  both  being  well-known  in  their  day. 
The  railroad  destroyed  the  former  place. 

On  North  Main  street  lived  another  cluster  of  Harrisons;  .William 
having  his  residence  on  the  hill,  Jonathan  on  the  lot  where  is  now  the 
school  house,  and  Captain  Farrington  Harrison  where  now  lives  Henry 
G.  Harrison.  This  house  remains  much  as  it  was  built,  in  1757. 
Others  of  the  old-time  residences  have  been  modernized  and  in  Bran- 
ford,  more  than  in  some  of  the  other  shore  towns,  is  seen  the  handi- 
work of  the  architects  of  the  present  time. 

Ezekiel  Hayes,  great-grandfather  of  the  ex-president,  built  a  house 
on  the  site  of  the  present  Totoket  Hotel,  in  1757.  He  was  a  toolmaker, 
having  a  shop  on  the  brook  in  the  rear  of  his  garden.  He  there  also 
made  cow  bells  for  the  early  settlers,  in  addition  to  his  other  work. 
In  the  course  of  time  this  house  was  taken  and  kept  by  Giles  Barker 
as  a  tavern.  He  had  previously  kept  a  public  house  on  the  Nichols 
lot,  which  was  burned  down.  Lorenzo  Blackstone  improved  the  Hayes 
house,  enlarging  it  to  a  three-story  building,  and  for  some  time  the 
Totoket  Hotel  was  favorably  known.  It  is  still  kept  as  a  public  place, 
but  with  varying  success. 

A  mile  or  more  east  of  the  village  the  "  Half  Way  House  "  (mid- 
way between  New  Haven  and  Guilford)  was  kept  many  years  by  Da- 
vid Towner;  and  near  the  Guilford  line  Joseph  Frisbie  had  another 
public  house. 

Among  the  traders  and  principal  merchants  of  the  village,  after 
1800,  was  Mason  Hobart,  at  the  end  of  Meadow  street.  In  the  same 
locality  Nathaniel  Johnson  was  a  merchant,  large  land-owner  and  ship- 
builder. He  erected  a  large  house  on  the  site  of  the  present  Fowler 
place,  which  burned  down  about  80  years  ago. 

On  the  hill  on  North  Main  street,  Rosewell  and  Jephtha  B.  Shel- 
don and  Timothy  Johnson  merchandised  in  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury, and  the  buildings  they  occupied  still  remain;  Levi  Bradley  was 
on  the  other  side  of  Alain  street  and  Phineas  Bushnell  was  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  village.  Business  now  began  to  concentrate  at  the 
"  hollow,"  where  the  proprietors  of  the  foundry  had  stores.  In  1825 
Judah  Frisbie  built  a  store  on  what  is  known  as  the  Rogers  lot,  where 
next  traded  Henry  Taintor.  Both  removed,  and  in  1833  Eli  F.  Rog- 
ers there  began  merchandising  and  continued  at  that  stand  until  1868, 
when  he  built  a  business  house  on  the  north  side  of  the  street.  In 
1869  he  was  succeeded  by  Kimberley  &  Scranton,  who  removed  to  New 
Haven.  This  is  now  the  J.  Hutchinson  &  Co.  stand.  The  village  has 
a  dozen  other  stores. 

The  Branford  post  office  was  long  kept  by  Jonathan  Barker  at  his 
house,  where  is  now  the  residence  of  H.  D.  Nichols.  In  1827  O.  D. 
Squire  had  the  office  in  a  small  building  near  the  lock  works,  and  the 
income  that  year  was  $51.34,  less  than  half  the  income  of  the  Guilford 


■28  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

office  the  same  year.  .Sometime  about  1845  the  office  was  removed  to 
the  brick  store  kept  by  the  company,  and  Lyman  Squire  was  the  post- 
master. In  1849  Eli  F.  Rogers  became  the  postmaster  and  continued 
until  1862.  He  was  succeeded  by  Philo  Hall,  who  served  until  1886, 
when  Henry  D.  Linsley  was  appointed  and  was  the  incumbent  until 
January  13th,  1891,  when  B.  B.  Bunnell  became  the  postmaster. 

Branford  is  now  a  postal  money  order  office.  Six  mails  are  received 
daily,  and  from  this  office  is  supplied  the  mail  of  the  Short  Beach  post 
office,  which  was  established  in  1887,  with  Mrs.  Ruth  Clapp  as  the  post- 
mistress. At  Branford  a  new  office  has  been  occupied  since  April, 
1891. 

A  few  newspapers  have  been  published  in  the  village,  the  first 
being  the  Branford  Weekly  Gleaner.  It  was  published  in  1878,  and  later 
by  Philo  Hall  and  others,  when  it  was  merged  with  the  Shore  Line 
Times,  of  New  Haven.  Another  paper,  also  of  short  duration,  was 
published  by  Willis  Hopson.  Neither  publication  received  the  sup- 
port it  merited. 

It  is  probable  that  Doctor  Richard  Gould  was  the  first  permanent 
physician  in  the  town,  coming  after  1700  and  residing  here  until  his 
death,  March  9th,  1746,  84  years  of  age.  Contemporary  in  the  latter 
years  of  his  practice  was  his  son,  Doctor  William  Gould,  who  was  also 
born  at  Oakhampton,  England,  in  1692,  and  who  died  in  1757.  The  lat- 
ter had  also  a  son  William,  who  was  a  physician  in  the  town,  and  who 
was  born  here  in  1727  and  died  in  1805.  In  1787  he  was  given  permission 
to  "set  up  for  the  inoculation  of  small  pox  for  the  space  of  one  year, 
under  the  direction  and  terms  of  the  government."  He  was  the  father 
of  Doctor  William  Gould,  born  in  1752,  who  died  in  1809,  and  of  Doc- 
tor Orchard  Gould,  the  last  of  this  famous  family  of  physicians  to  prac- 
tice here.  Doctor  Orchard  Gould  was  born  in  1764  and  died  in  1819. 
His  home  was  on  the  hill  where  is  now  the  Elizur  Rogers  place.  All 
these  physicians  are  interred  in  the  old  cemeterv. 

About  the  time  of  the  first  Doctor  Gould,  Doctor  Isaac  Bartholo- 
mew was  in  practice  some  years,  but  removed  to  Middletown.  He  was 
a  son  of  William  Bartholomew,  the  miller.  Later  a  Doctor  Herpin 
was  a  practitioner,  coming  from  Milford.  He  probably  remained  only 
a  short  time.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  Doctor  Joel  North- 
rup  was  in  Branford,  and  lived  where  is  now  the  Congregational  par- 
sonage. 

Doctor  Willoughby  L.  Lay  came  from  Lynn,  Mass.,  and  after 
many  years  of  practice  died  in  1858.  He  lived  in  the  house  now  occu- 
pied by  his  son,  James  W.  Lay.  His  practice  passed  to  Doctor  H.  V. 
C.  Holcomb,  who  also  died  in  the  town  some  time  about  1871.  Doctor 
Newton  B.  Hall  was  a  student  of  the  latter,  and  after  several  years  of 
practice  in  Branford  also  deceased. 

As  early  as  1S72  Doctor  C.  W.  Gay  lord*  located  in  the  village  and 
biographical  sketch  in  this  chapter. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  29 

continues  in  active  practice.  Near  the  same  time  Doctor  E.  W.  Brain- 
erd  came  from  East  Haven,  and  after  some  years  was  killed  at  Monto- 
wese  street  railway  crossing,  while  on  his  way  to  Stony  Creek.  At 
the  latter  place  the  physicians  have  been  Doctors  G.  P.  Reynolds  and 
E.  C.  M.  Hall,  none  residing  there  in  1890.  Doctor  Isaac  P.  Leete,  an 
eclectic  practitioner,  has  been  in  Branford  a  score  of  years,  and  in  the 
regular  school  of  practice  have  been  the  past  eight  years,  Doctor 
Walter  H.  Zink;  and  the  past  six  years,  Doctor  A.  J.  Tenney. 

In  1890  the  attorney  resident  at  Branford  was  Edmund  Zacher,  who 
also  maintained  an  office  in  New  Haven.  In  the  same  way  Lynde 
Harrison  lived  in  the  village  a  number  of  years.  Jay  E.  Russell  was 
an  attorney  at  Branford  after  the  late  war,  but  after  several  years  re- 
moved to  California.  Edward  H.  Rogers  removed  to  New  York  and 
William  A.  Wright  to  New  Haven.  The  town  has  had  but  few  resi- 
dent attorneys. 

Since  the  completion  of  the  railroad,  in  1852,  the  sea  shore  of  Bran- 
ford has  become  very  popular,  and  has  been  greatly  improved  for  sum- 
mer visitors  and  residence  purposes.  Along  nearly  its  entire  length 
may  be  found  attractive  cottages,  hotels  or  pleasure  grounds,  and  the 
several  localities,  designated  by  the  names  of  Short  Beach,  Double 
Beach,  Lanfair's  Cove,  Branford  Point,  Pawson  Park,  Indian  Neck, 
Blackstone's  Cove,  Pine  Orchard,  Point  Pleasant  and  Stony  Creek,  all 
have  advocates  of  their  merits  and  claims  upon  those  who  love  sea-side 
attractions.  In  area  Indian  Neck  is  the  most  extensive  of  the  above 
localities.  As  its  name  indicates,  it  was  a  natural  home  for  the  In- 
dians, and  after  the  settlement  of  the  whites  they  were  encouraged  to 
live  there  upon  small  tracts  of  land,  some  of  which  they  cultivated, 
but  subsisted  mainly  in  fishing.  Thus  some  of  them  lived  on  the 
"Neck"  until  a  century  after  the  coming  of  the  whites.  In  the  mean- 
time, the  town  had  purchased  these  lands  of  the  Indians  and  set  them 
aside  for  the  support  of  the  church.  A  tract  for  that  purpose  was 
purchased  as  early  as  1685,  and  the  acquisition  continued  until  the 
First  Society  practically  controlled  the  lands  in  that  section.  In  1770 
the  society  began  leasing  these  lands  for  a  term  of  seven  years,  the 
rental  being  about  $200  per  year,  and  continued  that  practice  until 
1S60.  After  that  period  the  rental  was  increased,  and  the  lands  netted 
the  society  about  $400  per  year.  In  1867  Samuel  Beach  secured  a  lease 
of  Indian  Neck  for  99  years,  with  the  privilege  of  sub-leasing,  but 
under  restrictions  which  strictly  protect  its  morals;  and  from  this 
time  on  the  improvements  for  summer  homes  began.  By  the  terms 
of  the  new  lease,  the  First  church  society  realizes  about  $900  per  year. 

The  extreme  southwestern  part  of  the  "  Neck  "  is  known  as  "  Jaf- 
frey's  Point,"  from  Indians  who  had  their  lands  at  that  place,  and  who, 
in  1702,  sold  some  of  their  possessions  to  William  Maltbie.  East  of 
this  was  the  34-acre  farm  of  the  Indian  Pawson,  some  of  which  was 
high  and  attractive  ground.    This  and  other  lands  in  that  locality  have 


30  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

been  improved  as  "Pawson  Park"— a  very  pleasant  and  well  regulated 
day  resort  and  picnic  grounds. 

On  the  main  part  of  Indian  Neck.  Elias  Pond  made  the  first  sub- 
stantial improvement,  building  an  English  house.  On  the  shore  the 
Taunton  Seine  Company  had  leased  lands  for  fishing  purposes,  and 
from  this  circumstance  were  derived  the  names  Taunton  Beach  and 
Taunton  island,  off  shore  from  that  place.  In  the  same  locality  are 
Clam  island  and  Shumake  island,  the  latter  being  first  owned  by  An- 
drew Beach,  the  first  of  that  name  in  this  locality.  On  another  part  of 
the  coast  William  Frisbie  had  a  small  fishery.  Near  the  same  place 
Captain  Lynde  Frisbie  built  a  small  house  for  the  entertainment  of 
visitors,  which,  with  enlargements,  became  known  as  the  Indian  Neck 
House — a  hotel  kept  by  Eli  Goodrich  and  others.  After  1866  William 
Bryan  built  another  summer  hotel,  called  the  Montowese  House.  Fine 
cottages  were  built  soon  after  by  Thomas  R.  Trowbridge,  Thomas 
Gallaudet  and  many  others,  until  the  entire  shore  has  been  lined  with 
artistic  and  pleasant  cottages,  owned  by  people  in  all  parts  of  the 
state,  who  were  attracted  not  only  by  the  scenic  surroundings,  but  by 
the  security  against  objectionable  elements  afforded  by  the  provisions 
of  the  lease  exacted  by  the  society. 

At  Short  Beach  the  first  house  for  summer  entertainment  was  built 
about  1852,  by  Harrison  Bristol,  and  at  that  time  the  place  was  a  com- 
parative forest.  Here  are  now  cottages  for  several  hundred  people, 
many  of  them  being  permanent  residents,  and  the  place  has  a  village- 
like appearance,  having  a  small  chapel,  a  school  building,  a  post  office 
and  a  few  business  places. 

At  Branford  Point  Elnathan  Linsley  made  the  first  improvements, 
which  converted  that  locality  into  a  public  place.  Others  succeeded 
him  and  the  present  Branford  Point  House  is  owned  by  George  T. 
Parker.  It  has  enjoyed  a  large  patronage.  The  groves  at  the  point 
are  pleasant,  and  there  being  a  landing  point  for  steamboats,  the  place 
is  much  visited  some  seasons. 

On  the  coast  eastward  is  Pine  Orchard,  so-called  on  account  of  the 
fine  grove  of  pines  near  the  sandy  beach.  The  locality  has  afforded 
good  fishing  and  clamming,  and  has  been  visited  for  that  purpose  with 
much  regularity  the  past  hundred  years.  In  later  years  many  of  those 
who  went  there  were  entertained  by  Jerre  Sheldon,  who  lived  on  the 
road  from  Damascus  to  Stony  Creek.  Truman  Sheldon,  a  son,  suc- 
ceeded his  father  as  a  dispenser  of  public  hospitality,  and  established 
a  popular  place,  the  fame  of  "  Mother  Sheldon  "  being  widely  known 
as  a  caterer.  In  still  more  recent  years  their  sons,  Edward  and  George 
Sheldon,  established  a  very  popular  place,  and  Pine  Orchard  has  be- 
come a  favorably  known  resort.  New  roads  have  been  constructed  to 
this  locality,  and  the  railroad  has  established  a  station.  A  number  of 
fine  cottages  have  been,  built  in  recent  years. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  31 

Stony  Creek  village*  is  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  town  and 
off  shore  are  the  Thimble  islands,  having  attractive  peach  surround- 
ings. Long  before  the  settlement  of  the  whites,  these  localities  were 
famous  resorts  of  the  Indians,  who  here  found  fish  and  game  in  great 
abundance.  In  no  other  places  on  the  Long  Island  shores  were  there 
found  such  immense  beds  of  oyster  and  clam  shells  as  were  seen  here 
on  the  coming  of  the  first  settlers,  showing  that  it  must  have  taken 
ages  to  accumulate  them.  The  village  derived  its  name  from  the 
creek  in  this  locality,  and  the  stream  was  so  called  on  account  of  the 
nature  of  the  bed  over  which  its  waters  course.  The  Thimble  islands 
form  a  pleasant  and  interesting  group,  being  scattered  in  a  somewhat 
promiscuous  manner,  forming  harbors  and  places  of  shelter  from 
storms  for  pleasure  boats  and  vessels  in  the  coastwise  trade.  Tradi- 
tion has  associated  the  name  of  Captain  Kidd,  the  freebooter  and 
pirate,  with  one  of  these  harbors.  It  is  said  that  toward  the  close  of 
the  seventeenth  century  he  made  it  a  place  of  rendezvous  and  some- 
times came  ashore  for  supplies.  On  one  occasion  some  of  the  citizens 
went  on  board  his  ship,  but  not  liking  the  looks  of  the  craft,  hastily 
ended  their  visit.  Not  long  after  this  a  division  of  the  common  lands 
of  the  town  was  made,  when  the  name  of  "  Kidd's  Harbour  "  was  ap- 
plied to  one  of  these  localities.  It  is  very  probable,  however,  that 
Kidd's  real  rendezvous  was  at  Gardner's  island,  35  miles  to  the  east- 
ward, and  that  he  may  have  barely  visited  this  place. 

The  islands  are  about  25  in  number  and  have  been  favorite  pleas- 
ure resorts  ever  since  there  is  any  account  of  them,  but  in  later  years 
they  have  become  more  widely  known.  In  1847  Captain  William  Brien 
purchased  one  of  them,  called  Pot  Rock  island,  and  built  on  it  a  house 
for  the  entertainment  of  visiting  parties  and  others  who  might  claim 
its  hospitality.  This  house  has  since  been  enlarged  and  steamboats 
make  two  trips  a  day  between  this  point  and  New  Haven  when  the 
season  is  fairly  under  way.  About  50  cottages  have  been  built  on  the 
different  islands,  some  of  them  being  very  handsome.  Most  of  them 
are  occupied  from  May  till  October,  but  in  July  and  August  this  sec- 
tion is  most  populous.  In  those  months  a  steamboat  also  plies  regu- 
larly between  these  islands  and  the  mainland  at  Stony  Creek. 

In  1874  the  general  assembly  constituted  Stony  Creek  the  second 
voting  district  of  the  town  of  Branford.  It  was  made  to  include  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  east  to  west  and,  including  the  islands,  about 
the  same  distance  from  north  to  south. 

The  Stony  Creek  section  was  not  early  settled,  on  account  of  the 
rough  and  broken  nature  of  the  land,  which  made  it  less  inviting  than 
other  parts  of  the  town. 

"  This  region  was  comprised  in  the  fifth  division  of  Branford.  This 
was  made  before  1700.  The  first  allowance  to  any  settler  of  land  there 
was  to  Francis  Norton,  March  13th,  1671.     The  record  says:  '  His  lott 

*  From  data  by  Henry  Rogers. 


32  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

is  to  be  at  Stony  Creek,  by  the  sea.'  In  1673  William  Leete,  Esq.v 
was  granted  lands  somewhat  east  of  Stony  Creek.  His  grant  was  for 
a  lease  of  twenty-one  years,  and  he  was  required  to  build  a  house 
upon  it  to  hold  it.  October  20th,  1680,  Richard  Butler  obtained  a 
farm  there.  He  was  allowed  six  acres  more  in  1686,  if  he  would  build 
a  house  within  three  years.  Abraham  and  William  Hoadley  soon  be- 
came owners  there.  Thus  we  have  the  name  '  Hoadley's  Neck '  for 
the  portion  next  to  Guilford,  by  the  sea.  The  Frisbies  soon  after  ap- 
pear as  owners  there.  William  Barker,  Edward  Barker,  Jonathan 
Barker,  Daniel  Palmer,  Abraham  Howd,  John  Rogers  and  others  soon 
settled  there.  These  persons  mostly  purchased  of  the  heirs  of  the 
proprietors,  who  lived  elsewhere,  but  who  shared  in  every  new  division 
of  land.  Thus  Dorcas  Rose  well,  of  New  Haven,  sold  to  Edward  Bar- 
ker '  land  in  the  fifth  division  at  Stony  Creek,  in  1716.'  The  same 
family  names  are  to  be  found  on  some  of  the  same  property  to- 
day. Names  of  places  in  the  old  deeds  and  boundaries  are:  '  Brook 
Creek.'  'Little  Island,'  'Brushy  Corner,'  'Wolf-Pitt  Island,'  'Hog- 
Pound  Hill,'  '  Sea  Hill,'  and  'Chestnut  Hill.'  We  first  meet  the  name 
'  Thimble  Islands  '  in  a  deed  of  '  Shell  Island  '  to  Isaac  Cook,  Novem- 
ber 3d,  1739.     The  first  roads  were  laid  out  in  1710. 

"  Stony  Creek  became  a  school  district  in  1788.  On  December  8th 
of  that  year  the  town  of  Branford  granted  to  Pennock  Howd,  John 
Rogers,  Jr.,  Timothy  Barker,  Abraham  Rogers,  Stewart  Gaylord,  Isaac 
Rogers,  Barnabus  Palmer,  Demetrius  Cook,  Jr.,  Ebenezer  Frisbie,  Jr., 
Elias  Pond,  Daniel  Jones,  Uzziel  Cook  and  Edward  Frisbie  their  re- 
quest for  a  separate  school  district."* 

Most  of  these  were  young  men,  who,  besides  tilling  their  small 
farms,  found  occupation  part  of  the  time  in  the  fishing  business  in  the 
rivers  of  Maine,  or  coasting  to  New  York  with  wood,  which  was  at 
one  time  quite  a  considerable  interest.  A  few  also  sailed  from  these 
shores  to  the  West  Indies.  After  the  decline  of  the  shipping  busi- 
ness some  of  the  older  families  removed. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  abundance  of  sea  food  and  how  popular 
Stony  Creek  was  among  the  Aborigines,  who  statedly  visited  these 
places.  It  became  no  less  popular  among  the  whites,  and  very 
early  there  was  an  influx  of  fishermen  and  others  from  abroad.  Many 
of  the  latter  were  farmers  who  came  here  for  a  few  days'  diversion. 
Some  of  these  visitors  were  not  very  careful  as  to  their  manner  of 
living  here,  falling  into  customs  so  outlandish  that  the  natives  desig- 
nated this  class  as  "  Portugese."  This  lack  of  restraint  also  attracted 
a  better  class  of  people,  whose  recreations,  though  free,  were  less 
harmful.  One  of  the  latter  class  was  Reverend  Samuel  Eells,  a  socia- 
ble man  of  much  native  wit.  It  is  related  of  him  that  on  one  occasion 
when  he  and  a  geuial  company  of  friends  had  visited  this  place  "  he 
suggested  to  them  (many  being  his  parishioners),  that  if  any  were 
*Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  33 

officers  they  should  leave  their  oaths  under  a  juniper  bush,  above  the 
large  flat  rock  in  the  road;  church  members  should  leave  their  cove- 
nants there,  and  upon  their  return  they  might  take  them  up  and  carry 
them  back  home  unsullied  by  any  improper  conduct  at  the  beach." 
But  this,  most  likely,  is  also  a  mere  tradition  of  a  time  removed  and 
obscured  by  the  lapse  of  a  hundred  years. 

The  building  of  the  Shore  Line  railroad,  in  1850,  very  materially 
changed  the  life  of  Stony  Creek,  opening  a  new  future  for  it.  This 
enterprise  was,  to  a  considerable  extent,  the  work  of  the  president, 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  old  New  Haven  &  New  London  Rail- 
road Company,  Frederick  R.  Griffing  and  Ralph  D.  Smyth,  of  Guilford. 
At  that  time  Stony  Creek  was  very  sparsely  settled,  but  a  station  was 
located,  with  the  expectation  that  such  a  step  would  develop  this  coun- 
try. Looking  at  the  improvements  which  have  been  made,  no  one  can 
doubt  the  wisdom  of  their  judgment  in  this  matter.  New  life  was 
transmitted  to  Stony  Creek,  and  improvement  after  improvement  has 
been  made  until  the  present  fair  condition  has  been  attained. 

In  1853  the  Stony  Creek  post  office  was  established,  with  Timothy 
Barker  as  the  postmaster,  and  it  has  steadily  increased  in  importance. 
Soon  after  new  roads  were  laid  out,  upon  which  a  number  of  fine  cot- 
tages have  been  constructed.  Hotels  and  other  business  houses  were 
opened  to  accommodate  the  summer  visitors,  and  the  permanent  pop- 
ulation has  from  year  to  year  been  augmented,  as  other  interests 
were  established,  until  a  number  of  these  business  places  have  also 
become  permanent. 

Theodore  Howd  has  for  many  years  been  the  principal  merchant 
in  the  place,  the  post  office  being  kept  in  his  store. 

"  All  these  businesses  brought  in  more  people,  various  other  busi- 
nesses and  much  money.  Enlargement  and  improvement  have  been 
seen  in  consequence  on  every  hand. 

"  But,  after  all,  the  greatest  charm  of  Stony  Creek  is  its  fitness 
for  a  popular  '  watering  place.'  This  is  becoming  more  and  more 
its  chief  feature. 

"  Twenty  years  ago  Mr.  Giles  Baldwin  and  Mr.  Timothy  Barker 
used  to  have  a  few  summer  boarders  at  their  pleasant  homes.  David 
Barber  also  had  a  few  at  his  house,  which  was  then  farthest  toward 
the  sea.  Mr.  James  Douglass  came  and  carried  on  a  hotel  with  good 
success  for  some  years.  Mr.  Henry  Rogers,  Mr.  John  Russell,  Mr.  H. 
Bishop  and  some  others  received  their  friends  as  visitors  or  boarders> 
more  or  less,  during  the  season. 

"  None  of  these  could  really  have  foreseen  the  extent  to  which  the 
business  of  entertaining  visitors  has  since  grown  at  Stony  Creek.  The 
multitudes  who  now  find  their  way  by  cars  or  carriage  or  boat  to  Stony 
Creek  and  its  Thimble  Islands,  can  hardly  understand  from  what  small 
beginnings  these  places  have  grown  in  fifteen  years.  Besides  the  well 
known  hotels  of  ■  Brainard's,'  '  Frink's,'  '  Barnes,'  and  the  '  Flying 
3 


34  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Point  House  '  of  '  Northrop's,'  there  are  hundreds  of  residences  and 
cottages  covering  the  main  land  and  the  numerous  islands.  The 
progress  is  greater  each  year.  This  resort  gains  in  favor  with  good 
people  every  season,  and  thousands  now  visit  Stony  Creek  during  the 
summer  months  to  enjoy  the  beauty  and  rest  afforded." 

In  1865  a  fine  new  school  house  was  built,  and  about  ten  years  later 
it  was  found  necessary  to  increase  the  capacity  of  the  school  room  by 
building  another  house. 

In  the  old  red  school  house  Deacon  Giles  Baldwin  started  a  mission 
Sunday  school,  in  1863,  and  two  years  later  regular  preaching  services 
were  established  by  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin,  of  the  First  Society 
of  Branford.  Before  that  time  occasional  services  had  been  held  at 
the  same  place  by  Reverend  Timothy  P.  Gillett  and  others.  The  in- 
creased interest  encouraged  the  building  of  a  small  church  upon  a  lot 
donated  by  Henry  Rogers.  It  was  dedicated  July  8th,  1866,  but  in 
1877  it  became  necessary  to  enlarge  it.  Abraham  Baldwin  aided  much 
in  securing  an  organ,  and  Timothy  Barker,  of  San  Francisco,  gave  a 
Sunday  school  library  and  bell.  These  provisions  permitted  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Stony  Creek  Congregational  church,  January  16th, 
1877,  with  34  members.  Reverend  C.  W.  Hill  was  the  first  pastor, 
serving  a  year,  when  he  was  followed  by  Reverend  F.  M.  Taylor.  In 
May,  1888,  Reverend  Andrew  Mclntyre  became  the  pastor,  and  the 
church  reported  75  members.  Mission  services  are  also  held  at  Stony 
Creek  by  the  Swedish  Lutherans  and  the  Roman  Catholics. 

Soon  after  the  building  of  the  railroad  an  examination  of  the  gran- 
ite ledges  in  this  locality  convinced  quarrymen  that  they  were  very 
valuable.  The  stone  is  of  fine  grain  and  has  several  shades  of  color. 
In  1858  B.  G.  Green  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  upon  which  he  opened 
a  quarry  soon  after,  in  which  he  employed  50  men,  and  operated  suc- 
cessfully about  15  years. 

In  1870  John  Beattie.of  Newport,  R.  I.,  purchased  a  tract  at  Hoad- 
ley's  Neck,  on  the  east  side  of  the  creek,  where  he  opened  extensive 
quarries.  But  in  1882  this  part  of  the  town  was  set  off  to  Guilford. 
Mr.  Beattie  has  operated  very  extensively,  at  times  employing  several 
hundred  men.  In  the  same  locality,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
creek,  the  Branford  Granite  Company  secured  a  tract  in  1889,  which 
has  been  already  developed  to  a  considerable  extent.  The  company 
is  composed  of  Brooklyn  capitalists,  and  from  100  to  150  men  are  em- 
ployed, in  a  well  equipped  quarry.  Here  are  found  bluish-grey  and 
reddish  colored  granites,  which  are  equal  to  any  produced  in  this 
county. 

A  quarry  of  red  granite  was  opened  a  mile  north  of  the  railroad, 
by  some  New  Yorkers,  some  time  in  1875.  It  was  not  well  equipped, 
but  the  quality  of  the  granite  was  fine,  and  from  it  has  been  obtained 
the  material  for  making  some  of  the  granite  columns  in  the  legislative 
chambers  at  Albany  and   Hartford.     After  some  years  Samuel  Bab- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  35 

cock,  of  Middletown,  secured  the  property  and  organized  the  Stony 
Creek  Red  Granite  Company  to  operate  it.  This  quarry  has  also  been 
well  equipped  and  large  shipments  have  been  made.  About  150  men 
are  employed,  and  the  company  is  engaged  in  filling  large  contracts. 

In  1SS8  the  well  known  contractors,  Norcross  Brothers,  of  Worces- 
ter, Mass.,  purchased  tracts  of  land  adjoining  the  above,  and  opened 
an  extensive  quarry,  which  is  supplied  with  all  modern  equipments, 
including  a  special  railway  connection  with  the  Shore  Line  railroad. 
The  capital  stock  of  the  company  is  $250,000.  The  quality  of  the  prod- 
ucts is  very  superior. 

Still  another  quarry  is  operated  by  the  Totoket  Granite  Company, 
in  which  60  men  are  employed.  The  products  are  of  a  pinkish  color 
and  of  a  fine  quality.  In  other  localities  are  found  fine  deposits  of 
granite,  which,  no  doubt,  will  also  be  developed  in  the  future,  and 
which  will  add  much  to  the  prosperity  of  Stony  Creek. 

Widow's  Son  Lodge,  No.  66,  F.  &  A.  M.,  is  the  oldest  secret  organi- 
zation in  the  town.  It  was  instituted  September  27th,  1825,  with  the 
following  charter  members:  John  Polter,  Joel  Polter,  John  Foote,  Mer- 
ritt  Foote,Calvin  Frisbie,  Asa  Norton,  Orrin  D.  Squire,  Lyman  Frisbie, 
Edmund  Palmer,  Samuel  Russell,  James  W.  Frisbie,  Judah  Frisbie, 
Lorrin  D.  Hosley,  Ruel  Chidsey,  William  Tyler,  Ebenezer  Linsley, 
William  Bryan,  Doctor  Willoughby  L.  Lay. 

Of  this  body  of  men,  William  Bryan  was  the  only  survivor  in  1890. 
Many  additions  to  the  membership  were  early  made,  but  through 
some  informality  the  charter  of  the  Lodge  was  revoked  in  1842.  The 
following  year  it  was  restored,  but  after  six  years,  in  1849,  it  was  again 
revoked,  and  for  five  years  the  meetings  of  the  Lodge  were  inter- 
mitted. Since  the  second  restoration  of  the  charter,  in  1854,  the  Lodge 
has  been  prosperous  to  an  unusual  degree,  considering  the  limited 
jurisdiction.  In  1890  there  were  126  members  in  good  standing  and 
the  following  principal  officers:  Trustees,  E.  Zacher,  C.  W.  Covert, 
John  Eades;  W.  M.,  W.  N.  Boynton;  treasurer,  C.  F.  Bradley;  secre- 
tary, L.  A.  Merriam.  Among  the  past  masters  have  been:  Orrin  D. 
Squire,  Merritt  Foote,  William  Nash,  H.  V.  C.  Holcomb,  H.  F.  Nichols. 
William  D.  Hendricks,  N.  B.  Hall,  Frank  E.  Welford,  Herbert  Jones, 
Harvey  Beach,  Henry  H.  Stedman,  Joseph  F.  Nettleton,  Samuel  A. 
Welford,  Josiah  Jones,  George  H.  Newell,  E.  E.  Isbell,  W.  Boynton, 
John  Eades,  Francis  Clark  and  C.  A.  Hoadley. 

Woodland  Lodge,  No.  39,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted  February  26th, 
1882,  with  twenty  charter  members  and  the  following  principal  offi- 
cers: B.  F.  Hosley,  past  chancellor;  W.  H.  Zink,  M.  D.,  chancellor  com- 
mander: J.  Curtis,  vice  commander.  The  Lodge  has  been  very  pros- 
perous, having  in  the  fall  of  1890  98  members.  Its  meetings  are  held 
in  a  finely  furnished  hall  in  the  Armory  Building,  which  is  sub-let  by 
this  Lodge  to  six  other  societies.  A  number  of  sick  and  funeral  bene- 
fits have  been  paid.     At  this   time  the  principal  officers  were:  C.  H. 


36  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Van  Wie,  past  chancellor;  George  W.  Hull,  chancellor  commander;  H. 

B.  Terhune,  vice  commander;  W.  H.  Felker,  keeper  of  records  and 
seals. 

Endowment  Rank,  Section  891,  K.  of  P.,  was  started  November 
17th,  1888,  with  15  members  and  $23,000  of  insurance.  In  the  fall  of 
1890  the  members  numbered  30,  and  the  insurance  amounted  to 
$57,000. 

B.  F.  Hosley  Division,  No.  13,  Uniform  Rank,  K.  of  P.,  was  organ- 
ized June  9th,  1890,  with  34  members  in  full  uniform,  and  E.  C.  John- 
son, captain;  George  W.  Hull,  recorder.  The  membership  of  the  divi- 
sion has  been  increased  to  41,  and  all  these  branches  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  are  prosperous. 

The  town  has  had  a  large  number  of  purely  beneficiary  orders,  a 
number  of  which  have  succeeded  in  establishing  themselves  so  well 
that  the)7  continue  prosperous.  Among  the  oldest  of  these  are  the 
First  Division  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  which  was  incor- 
porated January  28th,  1878:  and  the  Court  Totoket,  No.  7196,  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters  of  America,  which  was  instituted  November  7th, 
1884,  with  11  members.  In  the  fall  of  1890  the  total  belonging  was 
118,  and  George  W.  Hull  was  the  chief  ranger.  It  is  duly  incorpor- 
ated by  an  act  of  the  general  assembly.  The  court  has  property  to- 
the  amount  of  $1,000,  besides  having  paid  many  sick  and  other  bene- 
fits, on  a  basis  of  $9  dues  per  year. 

In  the  Second  Degree  of  this  order  was  instituted  February  26th, 
1886,  Sanctuary  Totoket,  No.  7196,  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds,  with 
James  Galligan,  John  Winthrop,  George  W.  Hull,  J.  W.  Cliffe  and  11 
other  charter  members.  This  has  also  increased  its  membership, 
there  being  in  the  fall  of  1890  23  members. 

El  Dorado  Council,  No.  10,  K.  of  C,  was  instituted  in  August,  1884, 
with  12  charter  members.  Its  membership  increased  rapidly,  there 
being  in  the  fall  of  1890  119  persons  belonging,  all  of  them  in  good 
standing.  The  principal  officers  were:  Grand  knight,  John  J.  Buckley; 
deputy  grand  knight,  John  B.  Reilley;  recording  secretary,  Luke 
Quinn;  financial  secretary,  Thomas  Scanlan;  treasurer,  Martin  Burke. 
The  Lodge  has  a  sick  benefit  fund  of  $1,500,  paying  $5  per  week  to 
members  who  are  awarded  that  kind  of  support. 

Totoket  Lodge,  No.  3019,  Knights  of  Honor,  was  organized  No- 
vember 20th,  1883,  with  the  following  charter  members:  C.  F.  Brad- 
ley, W.  E.  Beach,  F.  T.  Bradley,  John  Eades,  W.  E.  Fowler,  Walter 
Foote,  D.  W.  Goddard,  C.  W.  Gaylord,  W.  W.  Hawkes,  B.  F.   Hosley, 

C.  A.  Hoadley,  H.  F.  Jourdan,  E.  C.  Johnson,  G.  H.  Newell,  L.  F.Nich- 
ols, F.  E.  Peckham,  A.  B.  Palmer,  E.  H.  Parshley,  W.  T.  Robinson,  I. 
N.Spencer,  Jr.,  J.  C.  Sharney,  N.  R.  Terhune,  W.  A.  Wright,  S.  A. 
Welford  and  Edmund  Zacher.  The  membership  in  1890  was  60,  and 
H.  C.  Woodstock  was  the  dictator.  Those  who  had  passed  that  office 
were:  W.  A.  Wright,  George  Newell,  E.  Zacher,   B.  F.  Hosley,  H.  N. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  37 

Way,  Henry  Jourdan  and  Frank  Jerald.      Doctors  C.  W.  Gaylord  and 

A.  J.  Tenney  were  the  medical  examiners. 

Among  the  distinctively  labor  organizations  were  an  assembly  of 
Knights  of  Labor  and  a  society  in  the  Iron  Moulders'  Union,  both  of 
which  had  a  good  membership. 

In  the  domain  of  temperance  societies  has  been  St.  Mary's  Total 
Abstinence  and  Beneficial  Society,  which  for  nearly  a  score  of  years 
has  been  doing  a  good  work  among  the  young  Catholic  people  of  this 
town.  Of  more  recent  organization,  and  doing  a  similar  work  among 
the  Protestant  youth,  were  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Cross  and  Bran- 
ford  Division,  No.  16,  Sons  of  Temperance,  each  having  an  increasing 
membership. 

Mason  Rogers  Post.  No.  7,  G.  A.  R..  is  a  flourishing  organization. 
It  was  instituted  July  28th,  1881,  with  the  following  charter  members: 
Isaac  Van  Benthusan,  J.  Edward  Turner,  Joseph  Curtis,  Edward  D. 
Sheldon,  Henry  Z.  Nichols,  Elizur  C.  Johnson,  James  W.  Lay,  Obed 
Tyler,  Michael  Kinner,  Joseph  F.  Nettleton,  Samuel  S.  Cook,  David 
Sliney,  A.  Judson  Smith,  Nicholas  R.  Terhune,  Jerome  Baldwin,  Cal- 
vin L.  Ely,  Alvin  M.  Thayer,  John  Hutchinson,  George  Bliss, William 
Donahue,  Walter  E.  Fowler,  Franklin  Bradley,  Burton  T.  Buel,  Arami 

B.  Parmer  and  Ammi  B.  Barker.  In  1890  the  membership  was  but 
slightly  greater,  the  number  belonging  being  thirty.  The  post  com- 
manders have  been  Calvin  L.  Ely,  Henry  Z.  Nichols,  Nicholas  R. Ter- 
hune, Ammi  B.  Barker,  Henry  W.  Hubbard,  Walter  E.  Fowler,  J.  Ed- 
win Towner,  Elizur  C.  Johnson  and  J.  Atwood  Linsley. 

This  Post  was  instrumental  in  the  building  of  the  beautiful  Soldiers' 
Monument,  standing  on  Branford  Green,  between  the  middle  and  west 
end  church  edifices.  It  raised  for  that  object  $1,000,  the  town  of  Bran- 
ford  gave  $1,000,  and  the  patriotic  non-resident  citizens  of  the  town 
added  $1,000  more— the  total  cost  of  the  pile  being  about  $3,000.  The 
monument  was  built  by  the  Smith  Granite  Company  of  Westerly,  R. 
I.,  and  is  wholly  of  the  celebrated  granite  of  that  section.  It  consists 
of  a  large  base,  two  semi-bases  (the  upper  one  being  inscribed:  G.  A. 
R.,  1885)  and  a  large  die,  on  the  cap-stone  of  which  is  the  shaft,  which 
is  surmounted  by  the  figure  of  a  soldier,  more  than  seven  feet  high, 
whose  arms  encircle  a  flag.     The  entire  height  is  about  thirty  feet. 

The  dedicatory  inscription  is  on  the  north  face  of  the  die: 

Branford 

To  Her  Brave  Sons 

Who  Fought   in  the  War 

of  the  Rebellion 

1861—1865. 

One  Country.  One  Flag. 

On  the  shaft  are  cut  shields  and  engraven  the  principal  battlefields 
in  which  Branford  soldiers  were  engaged: 


38  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Antietam. 
Fredericksburg. 

S H. 

Gettysburg. 

Vicksburg. 
Port  Hudson. 

New  Berne. 
Chancellorsville. 

The  town's  monument  committee  was  composed  of  John  Hutchin- 
son, Samuel  Beach,  James  W.  Lay,  T.  F.  Hammer,  John  P.  Callahan, 
Joseph  Curtis  and  Edward  F.  Jones,  who  also  arranged  for  the  dedi- 
cation, October  28th,  1885.  The  occasion  was  one  of  great  interest  and 
brought  together  a  large  concourse  of  people.  Among  those  in  attend- 
ance was  the  venerable  Captain  James  Blackstoue,  93  years  of  age;  the 
governor  of  the  state  and  other  distinguished  citizens.  Reverend  J. 
O.  Peck  was  the  orator  of  the  occasion.  The  Second  Platoon  of  Bat- 
tery A  (Branford  artillery  company)  fired  a  military  salute,  and  thus 
was  given  to  the  public  one  of  the  most  artistic  and  substantial  monu- 
ments in  the  county. 

At  Stony  Creek  a  Lodge  of  the  Sons  of  St.  George  has  been  estab- 
lished in  recent  years,  which  has  been  well  maintained. 

The  following  account  of  early  educational  matters  is  from  the  pen 
of  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin: 

"  The  duty  of  properly  educating  children  soon  began  to  receive 
attention.  May  21st,  1655,  '  It  is  agreed  by  the  consent  of  the  whole 
to  give  toward  the  maintaining  of  a  college  at  New  Haven,  to  give 
our  part  of  a  rate  of  sixty  pounds  by  the  year,  year  after  year.' 

"  The  same  year  laws  were  made  for  the  whole  colony  by  Gov- 
ernor Theophilus  Eaton,  and  the  next  year  these  were  the  require- 
ments : 

"  '  Whereas  too  many  parents  and  masters,  either  through  an  over 
tender  respect  to  their  own  occasions  and  businesse,  or  not  duly  con- 
sidering the  good  of  their  children  and  apprentices,  have  too  much 
neglected  duty  m  their  education  while  they  are  young  and  capable  of 
learning:  //  is  ordered,  That  the  deputies  for  the  particular  court  in 
each  plantation  within  this  jurisdiction,  for  the  time  being,  or  where 
there  is  no  such  deputies  the  constable  or  other  officer  or  officers  in 
public  trust,  shall,  from  time  to  time,  have  a  vigilant  eye  over  their 
brethren  and  neighbors,  within  the  limit  of  the  said  plantation,  that 
all  parents  and  masters  doe  duly  endeavor,  either  by  their  own  ability 
and  labour  or  by  improving  such  schoolmaster  or  other  helpers  and 
means  as  the  plantation  afford,  or  the  family  may  conveniently  pro- 
vide, that  all  their  children  and  apprentices,  as  they  grow  capable, 
may,  through  God's  blessing,  attain  at  least  so  much  as  to  be  able  duly 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  39 

to  read  the  Scriptures  and  other  good  and  profitable  printed  books  in 
the  English  language,  being  their  native  language,  and  in  some  com- 
petent manner  to  understand  the  main  grounds  and  principles  of  chris- 
tian religion  necessary  to  salvation.' 

"Penalties  were  also  provided  for  such  as  neglected  their  children's 
education. 

"  Reverend  Abraham  Pierson,  pastor  of  the  church  here,  beside 
faithfully  attending  to  his  own  people,  was  careful  not  to  neglect  the 
heathen  families  in  the  same  territory.  He  regularly  preached  to  the 
Indians.  He  prepared  and  had  printed  a  catechism  for  them.  He 
was  versed  in  the  Indian  language,  so  that  he  could  do  this.  His  ac- 
quaintance with  the  Indian  tongue  was  useful  in  other  ways;  he  was 
frequently  called  to  act  as  interpreter,  especially  before  the  court.  J. 
Hammond  Trumbull  has  given  specimens  of  this  catechism.  A  cita- 
tion will  show  the  kind  of  meat  set  before  these  Indians  '  in  their  buck- 
skin and  war  paint' :  Question — '  How  do  you  prove  that  there  is  but 
one  God  ?'  Answer — '  Because  the  reason  why  singular  things  of  the 
same  kind  are  multiplied  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  nature  of  God,  for 
the  reason  why  such  like  things  are  multiplied  is  from  the  fruitfulness 
of  their  causes;  but  God  hath  no  cause  of  his  being,  but  is  of  himself  ; 
therefore  he  is  one.  2.  Because  singular  things  of  the  same  kind, 
when  they  are  multiplied,  are  differenced  among  themselves  by  their 
singular  properties;  but  there  can  not  be  found  another  God  different 
from  this  by  any  such  like  properties.' 

"  Mr.  Pierson  had  a  regular  salary  for  his  labors  among  the  In- 
dians; it  was  paid  by  a  missionary  society  in  England — '  The  Commis- 
sioners for  the  United  Colonies  of  New  England.'  This  salary  some- 
times amounted  to  $150  a  year.  To  induce  the  Indians  to  attend  upon 
his  ministrations  rewards  were  offered. 

"  In  the  effort  to  secure  the  settlement  and  growth  of  the  town 
after  the  Newark  removal,  education  was  neglected.  For  many  years 
the  schools  were  few  and  far  between.  Several  times,  in  the  period, 
the  people  were  fined  for  not  having  a  school  as  the  law  required. 
There  were  a  few  teachers  employed,  as  John  Arnold,  in  1678;  Eleazur 
Stent,  in  1680-1,  and  in  several  later  years.  Thomas  Sargeant,  in  1684; 
S.  Mansfield,  in  1691;  Richard  Wilford,  in  1700;  Eleazur  Stent  again  in 
1701,  at  forty  dollars  a  month.  Again  in  1702.  Then  John  Collins,  in 
1708.  These  schools  were  only  for  a  few  months  in  the  winter.  The 
town  paid  part  of  the  wages,  the  parents  paid  the  rest.  The  effect  of 
so  little  interest  in  schools  was  this.  Nearly  a  whole  generation  grew 
up  in  ignorance.  This  is  seen  in  the  frequency  with  which  both  men 
and  women  '  make  their  mark  '  in  signing  deeds  and  other  docu- 
ments." 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  according  to  President 
Dwight,  the  interest  in  education  was  very  feeble.  There  were  at  that 
time  in  the  South  Society  five  districts,  each  provided  with  a  school 


40  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

house.  The  one  at  Stony  Creek  was  provided  in  1789  upon  the  peti- 
tion of  eleven  inhabitants  of  that  locality.  In  the  meantime,  what  is 
now  North  Branford  was  far  more  active  in  promoting  the  cause  of 
education,  and  a  number  of  their  youth  were  securing  the  benefits  of 
academic  instruction. 

At  Branford  village  a  select  school  was  taught  by  Reverend  Tim- 
othy P.  Gillett,  some  time  after  the  war  of  1812,  which  there,  also,- 
awakened  a  desire  for  schools  of  a  higher  grade,  and  which  led  to  the 
establishment  of  an  academy,  in  1820.  Benjamin  R.  Fowler,  Calvin 
Frisbie,  Philemon  Tyler,  John  Beach  and  others,  aided  by  Mr.  Gillett, 
were  active  in  this  movement,  and  secured  the  town's  consent  to  erect 
the  buildings  on  the  south  side  of  the  green.  A  two-story  frame  house, 
with  a  belfry,  was  put  up,  which  is  still  standing  in  that  locality.  For 
a  number  of  years  Branford  Academy  had  a  good  reputation,  and  the 
stockholders  were  rewarded  by  having  a  school  in  their  midst,  which 
well  served  its  purpose.  The  academy  was  continued  with  varying 
success  until  1S66,  Miss  Jane  Hoadley  being  the  last  teacher.  Others 
who  are  remembered  as  having  taught  there  were:  Reverend  Gillett, 
Deacon  Samuel  Frisbie  and  Lynde  Harrison.  The  latter  was  instru- 
mental in  securing  a  school  library  of  several  hundred  volumes.  The 
upper  story  of  the  academy  building  has  long  been  used  as  a  Masonic 
hall. 

The  usefulness  of  the  academy  was  at  an  end  after  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  public  schools  of  the  town.  Gradually  these  were  improved, 
and  with  the  increase  of  wealth  there  was  a  demand  for  better  build- 
ings. About  the  time  of  the  late  war  this  question  was  much  agitated, 
but  the  unusual  expense  at  that  time  prevented  action.  Finally  the 
village  school  building  was  so  poor  that  the  public  moneys  were  re- 
fused. After  much  effort,  $3,500  was  voted  for  a  new  school  house, 
and  soon  after  a  public  graded  school  was  established  in  it.  In  1881 
it  was  enlarged,  and  it  has  since  been  fitted  up  in  a  very  thorough 
manner,  the  property  being  an  object  of  pride  in  the  community.  It 
is  valued  at  about  $8,000.  In  recent  years  very  neat  school  buildings 
have  been  erected  in  some  of  the  other  districts  of  the  town. 

As  early  as  1875  the  high  school  at  the  village,  under  the  princi- 
palship  of  E.  Zacher,  was  well  sustained.  In  1881  William  E.  Hatch 
became  the  principal  in  the  new  house.  G.  L.  Faxon  succeeded  him 
in  1883,  and  under  his  direction  the  schools  at  the  village  were  more 
properly  graded.  A  course  of  three  years  was  established  for  the 
high  school,  and  ten  grades  outside  of  that.  C.  R.  Stiles  became  the 
principal  in  1885,  and  since  1887  H.  S.  Gulliver  has  been  at  the  head 
of  the  schools  at  the  village.  Six  rooms  are  occupied.  The  children 
here  enumerated  number  400,  and  in  the  entire  town  773.  The  entire 
school  expenses  per  year  are  about  $8,000.  For  a  number  of  years 
Doctors  Walter  H.  Zink  and  C.  W.  Gaylord  have  been  the  acting 
school  visitors,  and  have  aided  much  in  promoting  the  interest  in 
popular  education. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  41 

Most  of  the  early  settlers  of  Branford  were  plain  people,  but  were 
-men  of  strict  Puritan  principles,  "  men  of  stern  integrity  and  zealous 
for  religious  liberty,  so  far  as  its  principles  were  then  understood. 
The  doctrines  of  their  creed  were  Calvinistic,  or  those  which  were 
embodied  shortly  after  in  the  Cambridge  and  Westminster  Confes- 
sions of  Faith.  In  church  polity  they  were  Congregationalists,  hold- 
ing the  doctrine  of  parity,  or  of  one  order  in  the  ministry,  and  that 
all  ministers  are  of  equal  official  rank;  and  that  each  parochial  church 
is  an  ecclesiastical  body  complete  in  itself,  with  power  to  elect  its  own 
pastors  and  deacons,  to  decide  on  the  proper  qualifications  of  those 
who  offer  themselves  for  admission  to  membership  with  them,  and  to 
receive,  to  discipline  and  exclude,  as  the  majority  shall  judge  to  be 
agreeable  to  the  laws  of  Christ,  the  only  head,  law-giver  and  king  of 
the  church.  They  further  held  to  the  propriety  of  asking  advice  from 
other  churches,  reserving  the  right  to  follow  or  reject  such  advice,  ac- 
cording to  their  judgment  of  expediency.  In  common  with  other 
colonists  of  that  age,  they  acted  on  the  scheme  of  carrying  the  gospel 
and  its  ordinances,  education  and  its  advantages,  with  them,  and  hav- 
ing the  church,  the  minister  and  the  school  coeval  with  their  set- 
tlement."* 

Hence,  before  their  organization  into  a  church  estate  they  built  a 
log  meeting  house,  and  as  early  as  October,  1644,  had  Mr.  John  Sher- 
man, one  of  the  first  settlers,  preaching  for  them  on  a  salary.  He  was 
a  man  of  superior  talents,  and  ministered  to  them  until  1646,  when  the 
settlement  of  the  Reverend  Abraham  Pierson  left  him  free  to  go  to 
Watertown,  where  he  was  settled  in  the  ministry,  and  where  he  died 
at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 

The  Reverend  Abraham  Pierson  has  been  properly  regarded  as  the 
first  pastor  of  the  church.  Coming  from  South  Hampton,  L.  I.,  with  a 
part  of  his  congregation  from  that  place,  and  being  a  man  of  char- 
acter and  influence,  he  was  here  also  the  controlling  spirit  in  all  the 
affairs  of  the  town  until  his  removal  to  Newark,  as  has  been  stated. 

"  Mr.  Pierson  preached  in  the  log  meeting  house  which  stood  in 
the  old  grave  yard,  near  the  willow  tree  now  there.  One  of  the  orig- 
inal palisades  which  stood  around  that  house  is  now  to  be  seen  on  Mr. 
William  Russell's  place.  The  Sabbath  services  consisted  of  two  ser- 
mons, each  an  hour  long,  timed  by  the  hour  glass  standing  on  the  pul- 
pit. There  was  also  a  prayer,  and  two  or  three  hymns  were  sung, 
but  there  was  no  scripture  reading  nor  any  musical  instruments. 

•'  Men  and  women  sat  on  opposite  sides  of  the  house,  the  boys  sat 
by  themselves,  attended  by  a  '  tithing  man,'  to  keep  order.  Children 
were  baptized  in  the  meeting  house,  generally  on  the  next  Sabbath 
after  their  birth;  sometimes  on  the  day  of  their  birth.  Marriages 
were  as  often  performed  by  some  magistrate  as  by  a  minister.  There 
were  no  public  religious  services  at  funerals;  minister  and  people  all 

*Reverend  Timothy  P.  Gillett. 


42  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

attended  and  assisted  silently  and  solemnly  until  the  remains  were 
buried.  The  meeting  house  roof,  and  so,  in  fact,  the  roofs  of  all  the 
houses,  were  thatched— sedgegrass  was  the  material  used. 

"  A  little  before  the  Newark  removal  Robert  Rose  died— April 
4th,  1665.  He  gave  by  will,  six  pounds,  thirteen  shillings  and  four 
pence  to  the  church.  This  was  probably  the  first  legacy  ever  left  to 
the  Congreg-ational  church  of  Branford.  The  example  thus  early  fur- 
nished  has  been  followed  by  several  others  since."* 

When  Mr.  Pierson  removed  to  Newark,  in  the  summer  of  1666,  he 
employed  John  Bowers,  of  Guilford,  to  preach  for  those  remaining 
until  the  end  of  the  year,  when  the  town  engaged  him,  as  is  shown 
by  the  following  record: 

January  6th,  1667.  "This  certifieth  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  Branford  did  engaee  themselves  unto  Mr.  Bowers  for  to  allow 
and  pay  unto  him  the  sum  of  thirty  pounds  and  the  cutting  and  cart- 
ingof  wood,  and  to  be  rent  free  in  the  house  and  lands  that  are  bought 
for  a  minister,  and  he  is  to  be  free  from  all  town  rates  for  himself  and 
his  estate,  for  and  in  consideration  that  the  said  Mr.  Bowers  is  for  to 
carry  on  the  work  of  the  ministry  one  whole  year  here  in  Branford, 
and  his  time  is  for  to  begin  the  9th  Dec,  1666,  and  the  town  doth 
promise  to  bear  his  charges  of  diet  till  he  come  with  his  family." 

They  renewed  this  arrangement  from  year  to  year  until  1671,  when 
he  was  invited  to  settle  with  them  and  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  He  accepted  the  invitation,  but  the  call  not  being  unani- 
mous, there  was  some  trouble,  which  caused  him  to  leave  and  settle 
over  the  Derby  church,  in  1672. 

"  They  new  have  ten  years  of  candidating.  March  12th,  1677,  they 
call  a  Mr.  ,Stowe,  but  he  does  not  accept.  October  24th,  1677,  they  wish 
a  Mr.  Wise  to  remain  with  them  through  the  winter.  He  was  a  very 
large  man  and  famous  as  a  wrestler.  They  have  a  Reverend  Daniel 
Russell  for  a  few  months.  August  1st,  1678,  they  call  Reverend  John 
Harriman.  A  month  later  they  call  Reverend  Samuel  Mather,  offer- 
ing him  sixty  pounds  salary  and  the  minister's  house  and  lands.  He 
stays  a  while;  they  build  him  a  barn,  paying  for  the  work  in  land. 

"  In  1679  they  consider  the  question  of  building  a  new  meeting 
house.  They  conclude  to  enlarge  the  old  one  to  twice  its  size.  Mr. 
Mather  serves  them,  off  and  on,  till  1681.  With  the  hope  of  keeping 
him  they  agree  to  petition  the  general  court  for  liberty  '  to  embody 
in  a  church  estate.'  Men,  not  Christians,  and  those  willing  to  support 
a  religion  that  left  them  free  to  their  chosen  habits,  had  so  far  directed 
the  policy  of  Branford  since  Pierson  had  left.  Hence  their  difficulty 
in  obtaining  a  minister.  December  6th,  1681,  they  conclude  to  seek 
God's  help;  they  invite  the  Reverend  Mr.  Eliot,  of  Guilford,  to  come 
and  carry  on  '  a  day  of  humiliation  '  and  prayer  with  them.  April 
1st,  1682,  they  call  Reverend  Jonah  Fordham,  but  he  refuses.     Febru- 

*Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  43 

ary  13th,  1683,  they  call  a  Mr.  Oakes.  Being  doubtful  of  his  accept- 
ance they  concluded  to  let  the  minister's  house  and  lands,  as  they 
record  it,  '  at  an  outcry  by  a  piece  of  candle.'  By  this  is  meant  a  short 
piece  of  candle  was  lighted,  at  the  time  of  the  sale,  and  the  auctioneer 
cried  up  the  property  until  the  candle  burned  out.  He  that  bid  high- 
est during  that  time  obtained  whatever  was  offered.  Samuel  Pond, 
for  four  pounds  and  six  shillings,  on  this  occasion,  obtained  the  use  of 
the  property.  He  was  to  vacate  it  when  they  had  a  minister  to  need 
it;  but  that  was  not  till  three  years  later.  Mr.  Oakes  proposing  to  go- 
to '  the  Bay,'  that  is  to  Massachusetts,  the  town  '  agreed  to  sit  still  and 
not  be  in  motion  to  look  out  for  other  help '  until  they  hear  from  him. 
He  never  returns.  November  7th,  1683,  they  call  a  Mr.  Younglove. 
January  7th,  1684,  they  call  Reverend  John  Wilson.  April  29th,  1684, 
they  call  Mr.  Mather  again.  Then  they  try  Reverend  John  Cotton, 
Jr.,  and  a  Mr.  Woodruff  and  a  Mr.  Emerson.  February  1st,  1686,  Rev- 
erend Samuel  Russell  is  introduced  to  Branford  people.  The  now 
sufficiently  humbled  people  are  drawn  to  him.  He  is  called,  and 
comes. 

"  Having  the  Reverend  Samuel  Russell  now  living  with  them,  they 
move  to  reorganize  the  church.  June  7th,  1 687, '  Whereas  motion  hath 
been  made  to  Reverend  Samuel  Russell  respecting  his  settlement  or 
taking  office  in  a  church  way,  and  having  also  applyed  and  solicited  to 
the  general  court  for  liberty  to  embody,  and  being  granted,  as  also  it 
being  moved  to  Mr.  Russell,  by  those  that  are  members  of  churches,' 
the  town  agreed  to  reserve  their  motion  and  desire,  leaving  it  to  a 
committee  to  prosecute  the  work  as  they  and  Mr.  Russell  shall  agree. 

"  March  7th,  1688,  their  affairs  had  so  progressed  they  were  ready 
for  an  organized  church.  They  then  entered  into  and  signed  the  fol- 
lowing covenant: 

"  '  It  having  pleased  God  of  his  grace  to  call  up  to  the  visible  pro- 
fession of  religion,  and  being  now  by  his  providence  called  to  unite 
together  for  the  carrying  on  the  ordinances  of  God  amongst  us,  we  do, 
therefore,  with  self-abasement  and  sorrow  of  our  great  unworthiness, 
yet  in  obedience  to  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  we  do  this  day,  be- 
fore God  and  his  people,  give  up  ourselves  and  ours  first  unto  God  and 
then  one  to  another,  to  work  together  to  attendance  to  all  those  duties 
and  enjoyment  of  all  those  privileges  of  the  covenant  of  grace  that 
are  to  be  attended  and  enjoyed  in  a  particular  visible  church,  mak- 
ing the1  Scriptures  to  be  our  rule.  We  do  declare  it  to  be  our  pur- 
pose, as  God  shall  assist,  both  in  our  principles  and  practice  in  all 
substantials  to  work  in  a  consonance  with  the  churches  of  Christ 
with  whom  we  hold  communion.  Samuel  Russell,  John  Frisby, 
Ebenezer  Stent,  Peter  Tyler,  Samuel  Pond,  Daniel  Swaine,  Aaron 
Blatchly,  Samuel  Betts,  Thomas  Sergeant,  Elizabeth  Barker,  Hamot 
Maltby,  Saroi  Blatchley,  Miriam  Pond,  Dorcas  Taintor,  Elizabeth 
Stent,  Hamot  Wheadon,  Elizabeth  Pamer,    Hamot  Frisbie,  Deliver- 


44  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ance  Rose,  Mary  Betts,  Ruth  Frisby,  Saroi  Page,  Saroi  Gutsil,  Jane 
Tyler.' 

"  In  April  others  signed,  as:  John  Rose,  Francis  Tyler,  Abigail 
Russell,  Elizabeth  Rose,  Wid.  Linsley,  Wid.  Nash,  Esther  Wheadon. 

"  In  November  others  still,  as:  Jonathan  Frisby,  Jono.  Maltby, 
Thomas  Topping."* 

This  may  be  regarded  as  the  beginning  of  the  church  organiza- 
tion proper.  The  town  and  the  society  thereafter  became  distinct, 
the  latter  managing,  in  a  measure,  its  own  affairs.  They  had  begun, 
in  108."),  the  acquisition  of  the  lands  on  Indian  Neck  for  the  support 
of  the  minister,  and  during  this  pastorate  much  of  the  land  now 
owned  was  acquired. 

Reverend  Samuel  Russell  was  a  son  of  Reverend  John  Russell,  of 
Hadley,  and  was  a  graduate  of  Cambridge  College.  His  salary  was 
;£60  and  the  society  gave  him  as  a  settlement  the  town  house  and  lands 
connected  with  it,  and  he  lived  at  that  place  as  early  as  1686. 

"The  years  that  follow  show  increase  and  prosperity  in  church  and 
•town.  They  soon  add  to  the  minister's  salary  and  occasionally  grant 
him  more  land,  until  he  becomes  about  the  largest  land-holder  in  the 
place. 

"  January  2d,  1692,  they  give  Mr.  Russell  a  deed  of  the  parsonage 
property  which  was  built  in  1690. 

"  April  5th,  1697,  they  grant  to  Mr.  Russell  and  others  the  privilege 
of  setting  up  a  saw  mill.  The  next  year  they  grant  Mr.  Russell  the 
use  of  the  grass  in  the  burying  yard  for  ten  years,  if  he  will  fence  it 
in.  Then  it  is  probable  the  old  cedar  palisades  were  used  by  Mr.  Rus- 
sell in  making  this  fence,  the  first  fence  around  the  graveyard." 

The  Russell  parsonage  remained  substantially  as  built  until  about 
1825,  when  it  was  modernized.  It  became  noted  as  being  the  building 
in  which  the  meeting  was  held  which  led  to  the  formation  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, and  for  several  years  the  library  of  the  new  institution  was  kept 
there. 

In  1687  "  the  town  agreed  to  white-lime  the  meeting  house,  but 
September  28th,  1699,  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  build  a  new  meet- 
ing house,  '  the  form  of  it  to  be  about  forty  foot  square,  an  upright 
wall  from  the  ground  to  the  plate.'  Appointed  Mr.  William  Maltbie, 
Mr.  Edward  Barker  and  Mr.  William  Hoadley,  Eleazur  Stent,  Lt.  Sam- 
uel Pond,  Ensign  Thomas  Harrison,  Jr.,  and  Searg.  John  Rose,  or  any 
■five  of  them,  to  be  a  committee  to  manage  the  work  from  time  to 
time. 

"  November  30th,  1699.  '  Whereas  it  hath  been  agreed  upon  by  the 
town  to  build  a  new  meeting  house,  and  there  being  different  notions 
respecting  the  form— some  being  for  a  square  house  and  others  for  a 
long  brick  house  with  lean-to— it  is  agreed  by  the  town  that  a  lott  shall 
be  drawn  to  decide  the  matter,  and  it  is  agreed  that  Benj.  Harrington 

*  Reverend  E.  C.  Baldwin. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  4fr 

shall  draw  the  lott.'  The  lot  being  drawn  fell  for  a  square  meeting 
house.  The  form  of  the  tower  and  turret  was  left  to  the  committee. 
The  inhabitants  agreed  to  work  out  their  proportions  of  expense  as 
near  as  they  can  in  such  work  as  the  committee  judge  them  capable. 
The  committee  were  to  deduct  from  wages  of  those  who  come  late  or 
are  negligent.  They  sell  the  new  part  of  the  old  house  to  help  pay 
joiners  for  work  on  the  new  house.  They  sell  the  old  part  of  the  old 
house  to  Richard  Wilford  for  teaching  school.  This  new  house  stood 
on  the  common,  about  in  front  of  the  town  hall. 

"  June  27th,  1701.  '  It  is  agreed  that  the  congregation  in  Branford 
do  meet  together  to  worship  in  the  old  meeting  house  next  Lord's  Day, 
and  that  the  next  following  we  meet  in  the  new  house.' 

"  They  gave  several  men  liberty  to  put  pews  for  themselves  in  the 
church  there,  to  be  for  their  families  ever  after,  for  a  reasonable  rent. 
This  house  stood  till  1744.  In  1738  they  voted  to  build  anew  meeting 
house,  just  west  of  the  old  one.  When  it  was  done,  they  pulled  down 
the  old  one." 

Mr.  Russell's  ministry  closed  with  his  life,  June  25th,  1731,  when 
he  was  71  years  of  age.  His  pastorate  was  continued  a  little  more  than 
43  years,  but  in  the  last  six  years  he  was  not  able,  on  account  of  bodily 
ailments,  to  preach  much,  and  by  mutual  arrangement  the  pulpit  was 
supplied  by  Reverend  Samuel  Sherman  and  others. 

Until  1725  the  entire  original  town  attended  services  at  the  meet- 
ing house  on  Branford  green,  but  this  year  the  inhabitants  were  divided 
into  two  parishes,  those  living  on  the  North  Farms  becoming  the 
North  Branford  Society,  and  the  original  society  became  the  old  or 
South  Society.  The  church  was  also  divided,  and  the  town  assisted  in 
building  the  two  meeting  houses  required. 

Mr.  Russell  has  been  styled  "  the  second  father  of  Branford."  He 
was  a  talented  man,  and  by  the  ministers  of  his  time  was  looked  upon 
as  a  leader.  Including  those  who  joined  when  the  church  was  or- 
ganized, he  added  300  to  the  membership  of  the  church.  He  was  a 
warm  friend  of  Yale  College,  serving  as  a  trustee  from  1701  to  1731. 
He  contributed  to  its  support  liberally  himself,  and  induced  his  people 
to  do  the  same.  Four  of  his  sons  were  graduated  from  that  institu- 
tion, viz.:  John,  Samuel,  Daniel  and  Ebenezer.  His  other  sons  were 
Jonathan  and  Ithiel,  and  their  descendants  became  worthy  and  hon- 
orable citizens, 

Efforts  were  made  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Russell  to  secure  Rev- 
erends Samuel  Sherman  and  Ebenezer  Silliman  as  pastors.  Both  had 
preached  on  calls,  but  failed  to  settle.  The  church  was  now  without 
a  pastor  until  1733,  when  Reverend  Philemon  Robbins  was  secured. 
In  the  summer  of  1732  he  came  with  a  classmate  of  Harvard,  from 
which  college  they  had  just  graduated,  to  attend  the  commencement 
of  Yale. 

"  While  Mr.  Robbins  was  at  New  Haven  a  person  came  from  Bran- 


46  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNT V. 

ford  to  procure  some  one  to  preach  as  a  candidate;  and  he,  being 
recommended  as  a  suitable  person,  consented  to  go  in  that  capacity. 
The  people  are  pleased  with  him,  and,  September  18th,  1732,  ask  him 
to  come  four  weeks  on  probation.  October  9th,  1732,  they  give  him  a 
■call  to  settle,  offering  £400  as  a  settlement,  to  be  paid  in  two  years; 
also  £130  per  annum  for  the  first  four  years,  and  after  that  £140  per 
year  and  his  firewood." 

He  accepted  the  call,  and  began  his  ministry  with  the  following: 
"October  9th,  1732.  I  had  an  invitation  to  settle  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry  in  the  South  Society  in  Branford,  Connecticut,  Dec.  27th, 
1732.  I  accepted  the  call.  Feb.  7th,  1733,  I  was  ordained  to  the  pas- 
toral office  in  Branford  South  Society.  Philemon  Robbins." 

"Mr.  Robbins  found  here  a  church  of  125  members — 43  males  and 
82  females.  There  were  218  additions  during  his  ministry  of  47  years. 
In  the  first  years  the  gains  were  numerous.  In  the  years  of  opposition 
and  trouble  the  gains  were  few.  In  the  first  year  the  church  chose 
Captain  John  Russell  as  deacon. 

"  December  24th,  1736,  Mr.  Robbins  married  Hannah  Foot,  the 
daughter  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca  Foot,  of  Branford.  Then  the  people 
helped  their  minister  to  build  a  house.  That  house  is  still  standing, 
perhaps  the  second  oldest  house  in  Branford.  It  is  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Michael  Harding-.  The  original  house  has  been  added  to 
and  much  improved  by  the  present  owner.  Mr.  Robbins  spent  his 
married  life  in  it,  and  his  nine  children  were  born  there." 

In  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Robbins  occurred  some  of  the  most  import- 
ant and  stirring  events  in  the  history  of  the  town.  About  1740  here, 
as  well  as  elsewhere  in  the  New  England  states,  much  attention  was 
paid  to  the  subject  of  religion,  the  minds  of  the  people  being  espec- 
ially awakened  by  the  preaching  of  evangelists,  who  went  from  town 
to  town  on  this  mission.  Mr.  Robbins  believed  in  these  special  efforts 
to  quicken  the  spiritual  life  of  the  church,  and  insisted  on  "  spiritual 
growth  as  evidence  of  conversion.  He  adopted  measures  to  promote 
such  life.  In  addition  to  the  usual  meetings  he  encouraged  prayer 
and  conference  meetings.  He  at  times  had  extra  preaching  services. 
He  was  ready  to  encourage  revival  efforts  everywhere.  It  seems 
strange  to  Christians  now  that  any  one  should  object.  Yet  many  did, 
even  ministers.  So  much  objection  was  made,  in  a  number  of  towns, 
divisions  occurred,  and  new  churches  were  formed.  The  more  actively 
inclined  felt  compelled  to  the  step  by  the  opposition  they  met  in  the 
old  church.  Of  course  Mr.  Robbins  and  those  like  him  were  jealously 
regarded  by  such  as  differed  from  them.  Perhaps  he,  rather  more 
than  others,  because  he  had  come  in  from  Massachusetts,  where  they 
did  not  so  highly  esteem  the  Saybrook  Platform. 

"  At  this  time  Reverend  Jonathan  Merick  was  the  minister  at  North 
Branford,  and  Reverend  Warham  Williams  was  minister  at  Northfordr 
Reverend  Thomas  Ruggles,  Jr.,  was  at  Guilford,  and  Reverend  Samuel 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  47 

Whittlesey  at  Wallingford,  Jacob  Hemingway  at  East  Haven,  and 
Reverend  Isaac  Stiles  at  North  Haven,  and  young  Samuel  Russell  at 
North  Guilford. "* 

At  this  time  the  "great  revival  preacher,  George  Whitfield,  had  been 
making  his  remarkable  tour  through  our  country.  He  met  great  op- 
position in  New  England.  Many  Connecticut  ministers  were  espec- 
ially hostile.  Mr.  Robbins  favored  him,  and  so,  with  a  few  others,  bore 
the  stigma  of  '  new  lights.'  They  were  looked  upon  with  great  dis- 
favor by  the  other  pastors. 

'  One  special  cause  of  complaint  grew  up  from  the  desire  of  many 
people  in  various  towns  to  have  the  '  new  lights '  ministers  preach  for 
them.  Some  of  the  earnest  preachers  were  willing  to  do  so.  Rever- 
end Mr.  Humphreys,  of  Derby,  consented  to  preach  to  a  Baptist 
church;  he  was  expelled  for  it.  Reverend  Timothy  Allen,  of  West 
Haven,  was  also  expelled.  He  had  been  heard  to  say,  '  That  the  read- 
ing of  the  Scriptures,  without  the  Spirit's  aid,  will  no  more  convert  a 
sinner  than  reading  an  old  almanack.'  He  was  a  devoted  minister, 
but  he  was  too  spiritual  for  his  church.  Mr.  Lee,  of  Salisbury;  Leaven- 
worth, of  Waterbury,  and  Todd,  of  Northbury,  were  also  expelled  for 
similar  faults.     Mr.  Robbins'  turn  came  next." 

The  opportunity  for  prosecuting  him  presented  itself  very  soon  in 
the  violation  of  the  rules  of  the  Consociation,  adopted  at  Guilford,  the 
latter  part  of  1741.  One  of  its  acts  was  to  vote  "  That  for  a  minister 
to  enter  into  another  minister's  parish,  and  preach  or  administer  the 
Seals  of  the  Covenant,  without  the  consent  of  or  in  opposition  to  the 
settled  minister  of  the  parish  is  disorderly.  Notwithstanding,  if  a 
considerable  number  of  people  in  the  parish  are  desirous  to  hear  an- 
other minister  preach,  provided  the  same  be  orthodox  and  sound  in 
the  Faith,  and  not  notoriously  faulty  in  censuring  other  persons,  or 
guilty  of  any  other  scandal.  We  think  it  ordinarily  advisable  for  the 
minister  of  the  parish  to  gratify  them  by  giving  his  consent  upon  their 
suitable  application  to  him  for  it,  unless  neighboring  ministers  should 
advise  against  it."  "  Not  satisfied  with  this,  these  ministers  went  to 
the  general  assembly  and  got  a  law  passed  which  was  an  outrage  to 
every  principle  of  justice.  One  provision  was  this:  '  3.  If  any  minis- 
ter, or  ministers,  contrary  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  this  act, 
shall  presume  to  preach  in  any  parish,  not  under  his  immediate  care 
and  charge,  the  minister  of  the  parish  where  he  shall  so  offend,  or  the 
civil  authority,  or  any  of  the  committee  of  said  parish,  shall  give  in- 
formation thereof,  in  meeting,  under  their  hands  to  the  clerk  of  the 
society  or  parish  where  such  offending  minister  doth  belong,  which 
clerk  shall  receive  such  information  and  lodge  and  keep  the  same  on 
file  in  his  office,  and  no  assistant  or  justice  of  the  peace  in  this  colony, 
shall  sign  any  warrant  for  collecting  any  minister's  rate,  without  first 
receiving  a  certificate  from  the  clerk  of  the  society  or  parish  where 
♦Reverend  Elijah  Baldwin. 


48  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

such  rate  is  to  be  collected,  that  no  such  information  as  is  above  men- 
tioned, hath  been  received  by  him  or  lodged  in  his  office.'  This  was 
an  example  of  what  cruel  wrongs  may  be  done  by  professed  good 
men  in  the  name  of  religion.  In  their  eager  desire  to  carry  certain 
ends  they  deemed  for  the  good  of  Zion,  they  violated  every  principle 
of  justice,  and  forgot  every  Christian  virtue.  Of  course  their  efforts 
only  increased  the  evils  they  hoped  to  destroy.  The  records  of 
them  are  another  monument  of  the  folly  of  doing  evil  that  good  may 
come. 

"Some  time  in  the  early  part  of  December,  1741,  Mr.  Robbins  had 
an  invitation  to  preach  at  the  Baptist  church  in  Wallingford.  These 
Baptists  lived  within  the  bounds  of  the  First  Society  or  parish  in  Wal- 
lingford. They  were  formerly  in  the  Congregational  church,  but  had 
gone  off.  and  professing  Baptist  principles  had  set  up  by  themselves. 
Some  years  before  Mr.  Robbins  came  to  Connecticut  they  had  em- 
ployed a  Separate  minister.  Mr.  John  Merriman,  who  was  ordained 
their  pastor.  By  the  advice  of  the  governor,  no  rates  had  been  col- 
lected from  them  by  the  First  Society  for  several  years. 

"Mr.  Robbins  returned  no  positive  answer  to  the  first  overture. 
Soon  after  he  received  the  following  letter  : 

"  '  To  Mr.  Robbins,  Branford. 
"  Sir: — After  suitable  respects  to  yourself,  this  note  is  to  inform 
you  that  Mr.  Bellamy  has  been  with  us  at  Wallingford,  and  preached 
in  our  Baptist's  society  to  very  good  satisfaction  and  success  on  sev- 
eral persons  both  of  our  people,  and  also  those  of  your  denomination 
with  whom  we  desire  to  join  heartily  in  the  internals  of  religion, 
though  we  can't  in  form;  so  that  it  seems  to  be  the  desire  of  both  de- 
nominations here,  that  yourself  would  oblige  us  with  a  sermon  or  two 
as  soon  as  you  can  after  the  next  week;  and  please  to  send  me  when. 
This  is  also  my  desire  for  the  good  of  souls  and  the  glory  of  God. 
"Sir,  yours  in  good  affection, 

John  Merriman,  Elder. 
"  Wallingford,  Dec.  23d,  1741.' 

"Mr. Robbins  accepted  the  invitation  and  agreed  to  go  on  January 
6th,  1742.  The  day  before  he  was  to  preach  he  was  handed  a  note 
from  two  of  the  members  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Walling- 
ford, requesting  him  not  to  preach  for  the  Baptists.  But  he  could  see 
no  reason  why  he  should  break  his  engagement.  There  were  many 
reasons  why  he  should  keep  it.  He  accordingly  went  and  preached 
twice  to  full  congregations. 

"  Mr.  Robbins  had  preached  in  Wallingford  on  January  6th,  1742. 
The  Consociation  met  at  New  Haven  February  9th,  1742.  Mr.  The- 
ophilus  Yale,  a  member  of  the  Consociation,  messenger  from  Walling- 
ford church,  exhibited  a  complaint  against  Mr.  Robbins  in  the  form  of 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  49 

an  indictment.     Mr.  Robbins  could   never  get  a  copy  for  himself,  but 
it  ran  like  this  : 

"  '  The  subscriber,  do  certify,  in  way  of  complaint,  to  this  reverend 
Consociation,  that  on  the  6th  day  of  January  last  past,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Philemon  Robbins  did  enter  into  the  First  Society  of  Wallingford,  and 
preached  in  a  disorderly  manner,  in  contempt  of  the  authority  of  this 
Consociation,  without  the  consent  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whittlesey,  pastor 
of  said  society;  contrary  to  the  act  of  the  Guilford  Council;  contrary 
to  an  act  of  this  Consociation,  and  contrary  to  the  desire  of  his  neigh- 
boring ministers,  and  a  great  number  of  church  members  in  Walling- 
ford. 

"  Theophilus  Yale.'  " 

"  Mr.  Robbins,  who  was  present,  observed  that  there  was  nothing 
said  in  the  complaint  of  its  being  contrary  to  the  law  of  God.  '  We 
know  not  how  to  answer  for  preaching  any  more  than  for  praying, 
unless  they  would  tell  him  wherein  was  the  crime  of  it.  They  told 
him  it  was  expressed  in  the  complaint  as  contrary  to  the  act  of  the 
Guilford  Council,  etc'  Mr.  Robbins  said  he  did  not  know  what  were 
the  acts  of  the  Guilford  Council  when  he  preached  at  Wallingford. 
Whatever  they  were  they  had  not  even  then  been  read  to  or  accepted 
by  the  Consociation.  Where  there  was  no  law  there  could  be  no  trans- 
gression. As  it  being  contrary  to  the  desire  of  two  neighboring  min- 
isters and  a  great  many  church  members,  there  was  no  rule  in  the 
word  of  God  or  Saybrook  Platform  that  obliged  one  to  attend  such 
desire  in  preaching.  They  referred  him  to  the  vote  of  the  Consocia- 
tion to  any  act  of  that  Consociation  instructing  their  delegates  to  the 
Guilford  Council.  He  answered  that  such  a  vote  did  not  bind  the 
Consociation  to  any  act  of  that  council  ;  that  he  was  not  guilty  even 
under  that  vote,  because  he  had  not  been  into  another  man's  parish 
to  preach.  The  Baptists  were  a  church  gathered  by  themselves.  They 
had  a  minister  ordained  over  them.  He  had  preached  for  them  at 
their  minister's  desire.  The  collector  of  Mr.  Whittlesey's  society  had 
been  advised  by  the  governor  not  to  require  taxes  of  these  Baptists. 
He  had.  moreover,  sent  to  them  proclamation  for  fasts  and  thanksgiv- 
ings as  to  other  churches.  But  they  claimed  that  the  Baptists  were 
not  by  the  letter  of  the  law  a  legal  society,  so  decided  his  preaching 
to  be  disorderly.  They  required  him  to  make  confession,  and  gave 
him  over  night  to  think  of  it.  But  he  declined  to  do  what  they  re- 
quired. They  then  passed  judgment  on  him  as  follows:  'At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Convocation  of  New  Haven  County,  convened  by  and  ac- 
cording to  adjournment  at  New  Haven,  February  9th,  1741-2.  A 
complaint  being  given  in  by  Theophilus  Yale,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the 
First  church  in  Wallingford,  against  the  Rev.  Philemon  Robbins,  pas- 
tor of  the  First  church  in  Branford,  within  this  county,  that  the  said 
Mr.  Philemon  Robbins  has  preached   in  said  First  society  in  Walling- 

4 


50  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ford,  in  a  disorderly  and  offensive  manner,  as  by  said  complaint  is  set 
forth  and  laid  before  this  Consociation: 

••  '  Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robbins  so  preaching  was  disor- 
derly. 

"''  Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  Mr.  Philemon  Robbins  should  not  sit  as 
a  member  of  this  council  for  his  disorderly  preaching.' 

"This  judgment  being  read,  Mr.  Robbins  took  leave,  went  home 
and  made  this  memorandum:  'The  crime  is  preaching  to  the  Bap- 
tists, and  the  punishment  is  being  secluded  from  the  Consociation.' 

"  But,  unexpectedly,  the  punishment  is  turned  into  a  crime,  and 
becomes  the  burden  of  more  serious  complaints.  At  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  association  he  found  a  complaint  against  him  from  some  of 
his  own  people.  Everything  seemed  to  be  managed  in  the  greatest 
secrecy,  for  he  only  learned  of  it  at  the  last  moment.  The  association 
sent  him  this  notice: 

"  '  The  Association  of  the  County  of  New  Haven  convened  at  New 
Cheshire  May  31st,  1743.  To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Philemon  Robbins,  Pastor 
of  the  First  Church  in  Branford.  Reverend  Sir,  and  dear  Brother;  By 
a  paper,  given  into  this  association  by  one  of  the  members  of  your 
church,  and  signed  by  six  members  of  the  same,  we  are  given  to  un- 
derstand that  there  is  an  uneasiness  among  a  number  of  your  people, 
with  your  conduct  and  management  in  sundry  particulars;  and,  hoping 
that  it  may  be  of  good  service,  we  have  desired  a  number  of  our  body, 
viz.:  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Jacob  Hemingway,  Samuel  Russell,  Samuel  Hall, 
Isaac  Stiles  and  Jonathan  Merrick,  to  repair  to  Branford  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  June  next,  to  make  inquiry  into  the  difficulties  among  your 
people,  and  shall  rejoice  if  they  may  be  instrumental  of  good  and 
peace  among  you;  and  hoping  you  will  take  this  in  good  part,  and  treat 
the  motion  candidly,  we  heartily  wish  you  well. 

'  Test,  Thomas  Ruggles,  Scribe. 

'  By  order  of  Association.' 

"  When  he  found  who  of  his  people  had  petitioned  for  this,  he  was 
much  surprised.  One  was  an  old  non  compos  mentis  man,  unable  to  at- 
tend church;  others  were  persons  who  had  never  given  him  any  reason 
to  believe  they  were  uneasy.  Three  were  persons  who  had  annoyed 
him  before,  and  who  had  evidently  moved  against  him  at  the  instiga- 
tion and  advice  of  some  of  the  ministers.  He  could  never  get  a  copy 
of  the  things  complained  of;  but,  as  near  as  he  could  learn  by  diligent 
inquiry,  they  were  these: 

"  1st.  That  Mr.  Robbins  has  set  up  lectures,  without  a  vote  of  the 
church  for  it. 

"2d.  That  he  denies  the  platform. 

"3d.  That  he  has  baptized  a  child  at  New  Haven. 

"  4th.  That  he  is  a  promoter  of  divisions  and  separations. 

"5th.  That  he  admits  members  of  the  separate  church  at  New 
Haven  to  the  Communion." 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  51 

The  number  and  nature  of  these  charges  showed  very  plainly  that 
these  members  had  been  instigated  by  some  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Consociation.  Mr.  Robbins  soon  quieted  the  apprehensions  of  his 
parishioners  and  even  made  everything  satisfactory  to  the  five  mem- 
bers who  had  complained  of  him.  But  his  opponents  were  not  satis- 
fied. New  complaints  were  lodged,  at  the  instance  of  the  opposing 
ministers,  and  nothing  Mr.  Robbins  could  say  or  do  would  satisfy 
them.  After  a  protracted  trial  of  two  years  and  much  agitation,  the  Con- 
sociation formally  deposed  him  from  the  ministry. 

"  His  church  and  people  now  took  the  case  in  their  own  hands.  In- 
stead of  using  the  liberty  which  the  law  of  the  legislature  gave  them, 
they  paid  their  minister's  salary  with  more  cheerfulness  and  punctu- 
ality than  before.  Instead  of  admitting  the  charges  of  error  filed 
against  him  before  Consociation,  the  church,  nem.  con.,  met  and  rebut- 
ted them  thus:  '  We  are  of  opinion  that  what  is  contained  in  the  arti- 
cles against  the  pastor  of  this  church,  respecting  doctrines  and  princi- 
ples, is  very  wrongfully  and  injuriously  charged,  and  disagreeable,' 
contrary  to  'the  known  course  and  tenor  of  his  preaching.  We  think 
Mr.  Robbins  preaches  the  doctrines  of  grace  more  clearly  than  in  some 
of  the  first  years  of  his  ministry  among  us;  and  yet  we  have  too  much 
reason  to  fear  that  our  uneasy  brethren  and  neighbours,  especially 
some  of  the  principal  of  them,  are  dissatisfied  on  account  of  those  doc- 
trines: which  doctrines,  for  our  part,  we  think  are  clearly  revealed  in 
the  word  of  God,  and  adhered  to  by  the  reformed  churches,  as  appears 
by  their  confessions  of  faith  and  catechisms;  and  we  trust  God  has  and 
will  implant  them  in  our  hearts,  and  enable  us  to  maintain  them  as 
long  as  we  live.'  No  very  pleasant  decision  for  such  men  as  Whittle- 
sey and  Stiles,  who  had  ordained  and  given  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship to  young  Robbins,  and  whose  new  light  was  now  so  brilliant  as 
to  give  pain  to  their  visual  organs.  He  was  ecclesiastically  silenced 
and  deposed.  His  flock  would  not  submit.  They  voluntarily  with- 
drew from  the  compact  into  which  they  had  entered  with  the  neigh- 
boring churches  about  38  years  before.  They  retained  their  minister 
and  loved  him  the  more  for  his  trials  and  his  increased  soundness  in 
the  faith.  His  opponents  appealed  to  the  assembly  for  aid  to  quell  or 
to  awe  this  rebellious  spirit.  .  The  assembly,  in  May,  1748,  cited  the 
society  to  appear  before  them  and  answer  to  the  complaint.  The  soci- 
ety appointed  John  Russell,  Esq.,  and  Samuel  Barker  to  be  their  agents 
or  attorneys,  to  appear  before  the  assembly  and  show  reasons  why  the 
prayer  of  said  petition  should  not  be  granted.  The  assembly,  after 
hearing  the  parties,  appointed  a  council  of  seven  ministers  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  colony,  requesting  them  to  repair  to  Branford  and 
hear  the  parties,  and  endeavor  to  make  peace  in  the  society.  On  hear- 
ing the  decision  of  the  assembly,  the  society  here  voted  to  request  and 
entreat  the  ministers  so  appointed  by  the  assembly,  together  with 
messengers  from  their  respective  churches,  to  meet  at  Branford,  on 


52  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Wednesday,  the  29th  of  June,  1748.  Bat  the  council  never  met. 
Though  requested  again  in  July,  that  they  would  be  pleased  to  come 
and  attend  to  the  business  of  their  appointment,  they  came  not.  Being 
let  alone,  the  difficulties  died  out.  The  days  of  Mr.  Robbins  were 
thenceforth  spent  in  peace  with  his  people— in  the  love  and  confidence 
of  his  church  and  of  the  whole  community.  Without  any  formal  act 
of  restoration,  he  was  called  gradually  into  the  councils  and  associa- 
tions of  his  brethren."" 

Being  received  into  the  Consociation  and  the  association,  Mr.  Rob- 
bins  remained  an  honored  and  trusted  member  until  his  death,  August 
13th,  1781.  He  preached  the  preceding  day  with  unusual  animation, 
closing  his  sermon  with  the  words  "  Glory!  glory!"  After  dinner,  on 
the  day  of  his  death,  he  sat  down  in  his  arm  chair  and  was  soon  ap- 
parently asleep,  but,  as  it  proved,  went  quietly  out  of  this  life  into  the 
next.  Two  of  his  sons  became  eminent  as  ministers.  His  later  de- 
scendants, also,  have  honored  the  name. 

Not  long  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Robbins  it  was  determined  to 
build  a  new  meeting  house.  "  March  15th,  1738,  the  Society  moves  to 
build  a  new  meeting  house.  October  11th,  1738,  they  decide  to  build 
it  west  of  the  old  one,  and  64  feet  long  by  44  feet  wide,  with  24  foot 
posts,  but  nearly  two  years  pass  away  before  they  really  get  to  work 
at  the  new  house."  It  was  occupied  in  1744,  and  was  in  the  style  of 
that  day,  a  two-story  house  without  a  spire.  In  1803  a  steeple  was  built 
to  the  house  and  a  clock  placed  in  the  spire.  With  other  repairs  this 
meeting  house  was  used  until  1843,  when  it  was  removed  and  a  part 
of  the  present  brick  edifice  was  occupied,  in  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev- 
erend T.  P.  Gillett.  This  house  was  practically  rebuilt  in  1868-9,  in 
Mr.  Baldwin's  pastorate.  A  new  front,  with  tower  and  steeple,  was- 
built,  and  the  rear  was  lengthened  15  feet,  making  the  building  very 
commodious.  It  was  also  thoroughly  refitted  and  a  new  organ  pro- 
vided. The  entire  outlay  was  about  $26,000.  It  has  since  been  re- 
paired. In  1889  a  very  fine  parsonage,  costing  $7,000,  was  erected  on 
the  old  Frisbie  lot,  in  the  rear  of  the  church  edifice.  All  the  property 
is  in  good  condition. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Robbins  the  pulpit  was  vacant  several  years, 
when  Reverend  Jason  Atwater  was  secured  as  the  next  pastor.  He 
was  a  native  of  Hamden,  Conn.,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale  College.  He 
was  ordained  by  the  Consociation,  March  10th,  1784.  He  died  of  con- 
sumption, June  10th,  1794.  His  pastorate  was  ten  years  and  three 
months.  The  society  gave  him  £300  settlement,  and  £100  salary,  with 
the  privilege  of  cutting  firewood  from  the  society's  lands.  During  his 
ministry  96  were  added  to  the  church;  the  baptisms  were  187,  of  which 
number  19  were  adults;  marriages,  96. 

The  next  pastor,  Reverend  Lynde  Huntington,  was  a  native  of 
Norwich,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale.     He  was  ordained  the  28th  of  Oc- 

*  Reverend  T.  P.  Gillett. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  53 

tober,  1795,  and  died  of  consumption,  September  20th,  1804.  The  so- 
ciety gave  him  as  a  settlement  £300,  and  £95  salary,  "  with  the  priv- 
ilege of  cutting  wood  sufficient  for  his  own  fires  from  the  Society's 
lands,  so  long  as  he  shall  continue  to  preach  in  said  Society."  The 
additions  to  the  church  under  his  ministry  were  50;  the  baptisms 
121,  adults  2;  marriages,  50. 

Reverend  Timothy  P.  Gillett,  son  of  Reverend  Alexander  Gillett, 
of  Torrington,  was  settled  as  the  next  pastor.     He  was  ordained  June 
15th,  1S0S.     The  society  gave  him  a  "  a  salary  of  $500,  to  be  paid  an- 
nually, until  from  continued  ill  health  and  infirmity  he   is  no   longer 
able    to    perform    the    duties  of   the  gospel  ministry  among    them," 
with  the  privilege  of  cutting  his  firewood  from  the  society's  land.     His 
salary  was  not  increased,  remaining  as  fixed  until  he  ceased  to  be  the 
active  pastor.     But  so  frugal  was  he,  without  being  mean  or  miserly, 
that,  without  engaging  in  any  speculations,  his  estate  in  1881  amounted 
to  $80,000,  some  of  which  was  given  to  benevolent  objects.     During 
his  pastorate  many  additions  were  made  to  the  membership  of  the 
church,  the  last  years  of  his  life  being  the  most  fruitful.     He  continued 
as  pastor  emeritus  until  the  fall   of  1866.      His  health   having  failed, 
Reverend  Jacob  G.  Miller  was  appointed  colleague  pastor  in  1859,  and 
so  served  until  1864.     The  following  year  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin 
was  settled  in  a  like  relation,  and  after  Mr.  Gillett's  death  became  the 
pastor.     He  continued  until  1878.     He  was  an  able  and  conscientious 
minister  and  the  last  to  remain  a  term  of  years.     Since  his  departure 
the  acting  pastors  have  been:  1878-80,  Reverend  C.  W.   Hill;  1880-84, 
Cyrus  P.Osborne;  1885-88,  Henry  Pearson  Bake;  1888,Thomas  Bickford. 
On  the  1st  of  January,  1889,  the  latter  was  settled  as  the  pastor. 
He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1875.     His  labors  here  the  past 
year  have  been  successful,  about  fifty  members  being  added,  making 
the  present  US90)  membership  340,  contributed  by  190  families  in  the 
parish.     In  addition  to  its  labors  at  home  the  church  has  encouraged 
mission  services  at  Short  Beach,  and  aided  in  establishing  the  church 
at  Stony  Creek. 

The  church  maintains  a  well  equipped  Sabbath  school  of  several 
hundred  members,  having  Horace  B.  Meigs  as  superintendent,  and 
has  also  a  number  of  aid  societies  connected  with  it. 

The  following  have  been  the  deacons  and  the  years  of  their  elec- 
tion: Lawrence  Ward,  uncertain:  John  Rose,  uncertain;  George  Bald- 
win, uncertain;  Samuel  Harrington,  after  1689;  Samuel  Rose,  after  1689; 
John  Russell,  1733;  Edward  Barker,  1757;  Nathaniel  Foot,  1763;  El- 
nathan  Beach,  1763;  Stephen  Smith,  1771;  Daniel  Maltbie,  1771;  Samuel 
Rogers,  1777;  Zaccheus  Baldwin,  1795;  Samuel  Tyler,  1800;  Samuel 
Frisbie,  1809;  Eli  Fowler,  1816;  Harvey  Page,  1851;  Jeremiah  Russell, 

1852;  -William  Linsley,  1857;  John  Plant, ;  -Austin  M.Babcock,1869. 

Of  the  foregoing,  John  Russell,  who  was  a  son  of  Reverend  Samuel 
Russell,  was,  in  his  day,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  civilians  in  town. 
♦Now  in  office. 


.-,1  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  following  Congregational  ministers  have  been  raised  up  in  the 
town  of  Branford:  Reverends  Joseph  Barker,  John  Tyler  Benedict, 
Thomas  Wells  Bray,  Andrew  Bartholomew,  Samuel  Barker,  Thomas 
Canfield,  John  Cornwall,  John  Foote,  Levi  Frisbie,  Josiah  Frisbie, 
Dana  Goodsell,  George  Justus  Harrison,  Jared  Harrison,  Roger  Har- 
rison, L.  I.  Hoadley,  Lewis  F.  Morris.  Solomon  Palmer,  Abraham  Pier- 
son,  Ammi  R.  Robbins,  Chandler  Robbins.  D.D.,  Samuel  Russell, 
Ebenezer  Russell.  Lemuel  Tyler  and  Samuel  Whiting. 

Trinity  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)*  had  its  origin  in  the  dissent- 
ing minority  of  the  First  Society,  or  those  who  were  avowed  opponents 
of  Mr.  Robbins  after  he  had  become  a  "  new  light."  In  1748  these 
opponents  of  Mr.  Robbins  petitioned  the  general  court  for  aid  in  car- 
rying into  effect  the  decree  of  the  New  Haven  Consociation,  debarring 
him  from  ministerial  duties,  and  to  the  obeyance  of  which  he  paid  no 
heed.  The  petitioners  were  Nathaniel  Harrison,  Nathaniel  Johnson, 
Joseph  Frisbie,  Noah  Rogers,  Jo/in  Rogers,  John  Rogers,  Jr.,  John  Linsley, 
Jonathan  Hoadley,  John  Hoadley,  Nathaniel  Hoadley,  Benjamin  Palmer, 
Demetrius  Cook,  Ebenezer  Frisbie,  Orchard  Guy,  Daniel  Palmer,  Samuel 
Maltby,  Nathaniel  Butler,  Joseph  Bishop,  Samuel  Frisbie,  Mieha  Palmer, 
Jr.,  Noah  Baldwin,  Abraham  Palmer,  Ebenezer  Linsley,  Uzal  Cook,  Nathan- 
iel Frisbie,  Isaae  Cook,  Abijah  Hobart,  Daniel  Frisbie,  Jonathan  Good- 
sell. 

The  names  in  italics  represent  the  families  which  probably  em- 
braced Episcopacy,  though  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  every  per- 
son so  indicated  became  a  churchman.  Many  of  the  foregoing  remained 
Congregationalists,  forgetting,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  their  dis- 
affection with  the  "  new  light "  doctrines. 

In  September,  1748,  Reverend  Matthew  Graves,  missionary  from 
New  London,  and  Doctor  Samuel  Johnson,  from  Stratford,  held  Epis- 
copal services  in  the  town,  and  thereafter  they  were  continued  with 
some  regularity,  so  that  the  church  properly  had  its  beginning  in  that 
year.  A  few  years  later  the  society  was  more  fully  organized  and  un- 
der its  direction  regular  missionaries  served  it :  Reverend  Matthew 
Graves  in  1748;  Samuel  Johnson,  D.D.,  in  1748,  1752  and  1766;  Eben- 
ezer Punderson,  1752-61;  Solomon  Palmer,  1763-6;  Bela  Hubbard,  D. 
D.,  1767-84.  During  the  revolution  the  feeling  against  the  Episcopal 
church  was  very  strong  and  but  little  advance  was  made.  The  society 
had,  in  these  latter  years,  only  a  nominal  existence,  and  in  June,  1784, 
steps  were  taken  to  reorganize  and  to  found  the  present  parish.  This 
act  was  consummated  November  29th,  1784,  when  the  following  were 
elected  as  the  first  parish  officers:  Mr.  Ebenezer  Linsley  and  Captain 
Samuel  Russell,  church  wardens;  Captain  John  Russell,  Obed  Linsley, 
Thomas  Frisbie,  John  Rogers,  Jr.,  Papillian  Barker,  Captain  Ebenezer 
Barker  and  Edward  Barker,  vestrymen;  William  Monro,  clerk  of  the 
church  and  society. 

*From  data  by  Reverend  M.  K.  Bailey,  Eli  F.  Rogers,  Esq.,  and  others. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 


55 


At  the  same  meeting  a  vote  was  passed  with  the  intention  of  pro- 
curing Mr.  Sayre  as  their  minister,  and  he  probably  was  in  charge 
while  the  church  was  building. 

The  next  step  was  the  formal  notice  of  organization  given  to  the 
First  Society,  so  as  to  secure  exemption  from  paying  rates.  This  no- 
tice was  signed  by  the  following: 


'Ebenezer  Linsley 
Jonathan  Hoadley 
Ralph  Isaacs 
Isaac  Rogers 
Jonathan  Hoadley  jur 
Samuel  Russell 
Thomas  Frisbie 
Ebenezer  Barker 
Abraham  Rogers 
Ebenezer  Frisbie 
John  Garrett 
Nathaniel  Palmer 
Thomas  Barker 
Peter  Grant 
Samuel  Whedon 
John  Rogers  jur 
Pennock  Houd 
Stewart  Gaylord 
Ebenezer  Frisbie  jur 
Timothy  Barker 
Elias  Pond 
Richard  Spink 
Andrew  Morris 
Edmund  Morris 
Papillian  Barker 
Archelaus  Barker 
Daniel  Frisbie  jur 


Barnabas  Palmer 
Obed  Linsley 
William  Monro 
John  Russell 
Allen  Smith 
George  Cook 
Oliver  Landfair  jur 
Roswell  Chidsey 
George  Friend 
Sarah  Johnson 
Martha  Olds 
John  Cory 
Jacob  Rogers 
Thomas  Rose 
John  Potter  jur 
Daniel  Jones 
Abel  Frisbie 
Jonathan  Barker 
Benjamin  Barker 
Obediah  Tyler 
Ebenezer  Linsley  3d 
John  Butler 
Samuel  Russell  jur 
Moses  vStork 
Samuel  Palmer  jur 
John  Rogers 
Ebenezer  Linsley  jur- 


"  By  order  of  said  Episcopal  Church  or  Congregation  in  legal  meet- 
ing assembled,  holden  in  said  Branford  first  society  on  the  11th  day  of 
December  A.D.  1784. 

Will.m  Monro  Clerk — 

Ebenezer  Linsley 
Samuel  Russell 
Samuel  Whedon 
John  Russell 
Obed  Linsley 
Thomas  Frisbie 
Papillian  Barker 
John  Rogers  jur 


'f     Committee- 


56  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  We  whose  names  are  in  the  foregoing,  beg  leave  to  address  the 
first  society,  and  to  assure  them  that  we  wish  them  peace  in  Jesus 
Christ;  and  they  with  us  may  enjoy  every  blessing  this  world  can  afford, 
and  eternal  happiness  in  the  World  to  come— By  Order  of  the  Episco- 
pal Church  or  Congregation  in  the  first  society  in  Branford." 

After  some  little  delay  and  consideration  the  matter  was  settled 
by  a  decision  that  the  Episcopal  society  should  be  exempt  from  the 
payment  of  all  rates  for  the  benefit  of  the  First  society,  after  Decem- 
ber 13th,  1784,  since  which  time  Trinity  parish  has  had  a  recognized 
independent  existence. 

The  next  step  was  to  build  a  church,  but  here,  as  in  many  other 
places  in  the  county,  the  selection  of  a  site  was  attended  with  some 
difficulties. 

"  It  was  voted,  December  28th,  1784,  to  build  a  church  not  to  ex- 
ceed 50  feet  by  38,  and  John  Russell,  William  Monro,  Captain  Samuel 
Russell,  Obed  Linsley,  Abraham  Rogers,  Papillian  Barker  and  Eben- 
ezer  Barker  were  appointed  a  committee  to  receive  subscriptions, 
transact  all  business  of  building,  and  to  search  the  First  society's  rec- 
ords to  see  whether  liberty  had  formerly  been  granted  to  build  a 
church,  and  in  case  it  had  not,  to  make  application  for  it.  William 
Monro  and  Captain  John  Russell  were  also  appointed  to  see  an  attor- 
ney about  the  rates,  and  to  petition  the  county  court  for  liberty  to 
build  a  church.  Neither  of  these  committees  seem  to  have  gotten 
much  satisfaction,  for  March  7th,  1785,  Samuel  Russell,  John  Russell, 
Ebenezer  Barker,  John  Rogers,  Jr.,  Abraham  Rogers,  Obed  Linsley 
and  William  Monro  were  appointed  to  determine  where  the  church 
should  be  built.  This  committee  examined  two  sites — '  the  hill  where 
the  timber  now  lies,  likewise  the  ground  near  the  school  house  hol- 
low.' March  25th,  it  was  voted  to  build  on  this  hill,  which  was  called 
Baldwin's  hill,  if  a  title  could  be  had.  Where  Baldwin's  hill  was  can- 
not be  decided,  but  probabilities  indicate  a  site  near  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Philander  Hopson.  This  did  not  prove  satisfactory,  and  the  place 
selected  was  'the  ground  near  the  school  house  hollow.'  The  de- 
cision was  referred  to  Jonathan  Ingersoll,  Esq.,  of  New  Haven,  and  he 
fixed  it. 

'  Meanwhile  the  subscription  paper  had  been  started.  The  first 
copy  was  drawn  up  December  28th,  1784,  without  doubt  at  the  parish 
meeting.  In  this  list  several  names  appear  which  are  not  among  the 
founders,  one  of  them  being  Cambrig  Primus,  probably  a  slave  or  freed- 
man,  who  subscribed  six  shillings.  A  second  list,  showing  amounts 
subscribed,  paid  and  due,  gives  the  sum  total  as  .£300—10—0.  The 
tax  list  of  forty-three  members  of  the  parish  in  1786  aggregated 
.£1,533—10—3.  A  part  of  the  subscriptions  were  paid  in  labor  and 
goods. 

'  The  timber  was  drawn  in  February  of  1785,  the  work  on  the 
frame  was  probably  done  in  June  and  July.     August  12th  a  contract 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  57 

was  given  to  Jacob  Tyler,  of  Southington,  to  complete  the  church 
which  was  then  raised.  It  was  for  £50,  one-third  to  be  paid  in  cattle 
and  cash,  and  two-thirds  in  West  India  rum  and  dry  goods,  the  rum 
being  valued  at  three  shillings  or  fifty  cents  per  gallon.  In  December 
men  were  still  working  at  the  pillars.  The  first  parish  meeting  in 
the  church  was  warned  for  the  first  Monday  in  May,  1786.  In  the 
period  between  December  and  May,  then,  the  church  was  occupied. 

"  Three  names  appear  in  the  documents  of  the  time  as  most  promi- 
nent—those of  Samuel  Russell.  Ebenezer  Linsley  and  Ralph  Isaacs. 
They  did  a  great  deal  of  work  for  the  parish,  and  were  liberal  in  their 
contributions.  The  parish  meetings  were  frequently  held  at  the  houses 
of  the  former  two.  Captain  Russell  and  Ralph  Isaacs  made  frequent 
journeys  on  parish  business.  The  latter  lived  in  the  old  farm  house 
at  Cherry  hill.  He  entertained  the  clergy,  and  his  contributions  in 
money  were  larger  than  those  of  anyone  else. 

"At  this  point  of  the  parish  history  we  find  the  old  church  stand- 
ing northwest  of  the  present  edifice,  where  a  line  of  the  foundation 
stones  still  appears  through  the  turf.  It  was  unpretentious,  being 
built  somewhat  after  the  school  house  model.  But  it  represented 
much  perseverance  and  toil.  There  was  no  recessed  chancel,  but  a 
semi-circular  rail  enclosed  the  altar  and  the  chancel  space.  The  whole 
Sunday  school  used  to  gather  about  the  rail  to  be  catechised  at  the 
visit  of  the  bishop.  The  pulpit  was  very  high  and  stood  against  the 
wall,  having  a  small  dark  robing  room  under  it.  It  was  afterward 
moved  forward,  and  a  convenient  robing  room  placed  behind  it,  the 
chancel  was  made  square,  reduced  in  size,  and  pews  were  added.  The 
altar  at  first  stood  directly  in  front  of  the  pulpit— afterward  near  the 
chancel  rail,  with  a  space  behind  it.  Over  the  entrance  was  a  semi- 
circular gallery,  the  ends  extending  about  half  the  length  of  the 
church.  The  pillars  were  a  conspicuous  feature  of  the  interior,  and 
seem  to  have  cost  considerable  labor.  At  one  time  it  was  intended  to 
erect  a  spire,  and  the  timber  was  drawn  to  the  church.  It  was,  how- 
ever, sold,  and  formed  the  spire  of  the  Congregational  church  preced- 
ing the  present  one.  It  was  pulled  over,  at  the  demolition  of  that  edi- 
fice, and  people  who  saw  it  fall  remember  how  it  quivered  in  the  air 
like  a  serpent  before  it  came  down. 

"  For  about  forty  years  there  was  no  way  of  heating  the  old  church. 
A  stove  for  burning  wood  was  put  in  about  1825,  the  pipe  being  put 
through  a  window.  Another  was  added  a  dozen  years  later.  The 
seats  were  free,  and  the  men  and  boys  sat  on  one  side,  the  women  and 
children  on  the  other." 

With  some  minor  repairs  the  church  was  used  as  built  until  1840, 
when  the  old  gallery  was  replaced  by  a  new  one.  In  1845  the  rectory 
property,  which  had  been  secured  by  a  stock  company  after  1840,  was 
transferred  to  the  parish,  and  near  the  same  time  a  pipe  organ  was 
placed  in  the  church.     A  new  church  edifice  being  deemed  necessary, 


58  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

funds  were  raised  in  1850,  and  Harry  Barker,  Isaac  H.  Palmer,  Levi 
S.  Parsons,  David  Averill  and  Benjamin  Rogers  were  appointed  a 
building-  committee.  A  plan  which  was  deemed  quite  advanced  for 
the  times  was  selected,  and  the  corner  stone  of  the  building  was  laid 
in  April,  1851.  The  church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Brownell  Jan- 
uary 27th,  1852.  Four  years  later  the  improved  parsonage  and  the 
church  were  fully  paid,  leaving  the  parish  free  from  debt. 

The  parish  has  been  the  recipient  of  a  number  of  generous  gifts, 
among  them  being,  in  1859,  the  sum  of  $524  from  Abraham  Rogers; 
in  1867,  bonds  from  General  Schuyler  Hamilton,  who  was  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  a  devoted  member  of  the  church,  to  the  amount  of  $1,000; 
in  1867,  $404  from  Captain  David  Barker,  to  provide  free  sittings  in 
the  church;  in  1872,  $500  from  the  estate  of  Mrs.  Mary  Daniels;  in  1880, 
the  Chapel  of  Grace,  from  Isaac  H.  Brown  and  his  friends;  in  1882,  a 
bequest  from  Eli  Goodrich,  amounting  to  about  $9,500. 

The  parish  is  prosperous  financially  and  in  numbers  of  members, 
having  140  families  and  213  registered  communicants.  Its  total  yearly 
contributions  are  about  $2,000. 

The  senior  wardens  of  the  church  have  been  as  follows:  1784-6, 
Ebenezer  Linsley;  1787-1804,  Samuel  Russell;  1805,  Isaac  Hoadley; 
1806-7,  Samuel  Russell;  1808-12,  Andrew  Morris;  1813-14,  Ebenezer 
Linsley,  Jr.;  1815,  Timothy  Johnson;  1816-18,  Ebenezer  Linsley;  1819, 
Timothy  Johnson;  1820,  Ebenezer  Linsley;  1821-2,  Timothy  Johnson; 
1823-4,  Ebenezer  Linsley;  1825-8,  Abraham  Rogers,  Jr.;  1829-30,  Tim- 
othy Johnson;  1831-2,  Abraham  Rogers;  1833,  Timothy  Johnson;  1834,. 
Abraham  Rogers:  1835,  Timothy  Johnson;  1836,  Edward  Linsley; 
1837-43,  Timothy  Johnson;  1844-8,  Edward  Linsley;  1849-54,  Isaac 
H.  Palmer;  1855,  Orrin  Hoadley;  1856-7,  Isaac  H.  Palmer;  1858-63, 
Orrin  Hoadley;  1864-88,  Isaac  H.  Palmer;  1889—,  Walter  E.  Fowler. 

The  clergymen  who  have  served  the  parish  have  been  the  follow- 
ing: Reverend  Samuel  Johnson,  D.D.,  1748,  occasional  services;  Mat- 
thew Graves,  1748,  occasional  services;  Ebenezer  Punderson,  1752-61, 
stated  services  part  of  the  time;  Solomon  Palmer,  1763-6,  stated  serv- 
ices part  of  the  time;  Bela  Hubbard,  D.D.,  1767-83,  probably  occasional 
services;  James  Sayre,  1784-6,  probably  resident  minister,  church 
built;  John  Bowden,  D.D.,  1785,  one  visit  known;  Jeremiah  Learning, 
D.D.,  1787,  one  visit  known;  Edward  Blakeslee,  1788-90,  probably 
stated  services  part  of  the  time;  Tillotson  Bronson,  D.D.,  1789,  one 
visit  known;  Ambrose  Hull,  1790-91,  resident  minister;  Manoah  Smith 
Miles,  1795-7,  resident  minister;  Ammi  Rogers,  1801-04,  stated  serv- 
ices part  of  the  time;  Virgil  H.  Barber,  1806,  one  visit  known;  Charles 
Seabury,  1808,  one  visit  known;  Benjamin  Benham,  1809,  two  visits 
known,  probably  in  charge;  J.D.Jones,  1809-11,  without  doubt  in 
charge  of  cure;  Elijah  G.  Plumb,  1811-18,  resident  minister;  Ashbel 
Baldwin,  1816,  one  visit  recorded;  Origen  P.  Holcomb,  1820-3,  resi- 
dent minister;    Joseph  Perry,  1821,  also  in  1819;    John  M.  Garfield, 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    KAVEN    COUNTY.  59' 

1S23-8,  stated  services;  James  Keeler,  1828-9,  resident  minister;  Wil- 
liam T.  Potter,  1830,  stated  services;  Edward  J.  Ives,  1831-2,  stated 
services;  David  Baldwin,  1834-8,  stated  services;  Levi  H.Carson,  1838- 
40,  entire  services;  Pascal  P.  Kidder,  1840-3,  resident  rector;  Frederick 
Miller,  1844-9,  resident  minister:  William  H.  Rees,  1850,  resident  rec- 
tor; Henry  Olmstead,  Jr.,  1851-62,  resident  rector;  Clayton  Eddy,  1862- 
4,  resident  rector;  Frederick  D.  Lewin,  1864,  resident  rector;  David 
Bishop,  1866-9,  resident  rector;  George  C.  Griswold,  1870-2,  resident 
rector;  Henry  Olmstead,  D.D.,  1872-82,  resident  rector;  Charles  H. 
Plummer,  1882-3,  one  year;  Melville  K.  Bailey,  1885-91,  resident  rec- 
tor; F.  B.  Whitcomb,  since  June,  1891. 

The  longest  ministry  was  that  of  Reverend  Henry  Olmstead,  who 
died  in  the  service  of  the  church  October  30th,  1882.  An  appropriate 
tablet,  commemorating  the  21  years  of  service  which  he  gave  the  par- 
ish, has  been  placed  in  the  church.  His  age  was  64  years.  In  his 
ministry  the  Chapel  of  Grace,  at  Branford  Point,  built  mainly  by  Isaac 
H.  Brown  and  his  friends,  of  Grace  church,  New  York,  was  donated  to 
the  parish.  Another  well-beloved  pastor  was  Frederick  Miller,  who 
died  as  rector  of  this  church  October  3d,  1849,  aged  39  years.  Both 
are  buried  beneath  the  chancel  of  the  church. 

In  the  ministry  of  Reverend  John  M.  Garfield  the  Sunday  school 
was  founded,  about  1826,  and  soon  had  50  members.  After  a  few  years 
it  went  down,  and  in  1834  it  was  reorganized  by  Isaac  H.  Tuttle.  Eli 
F.  Rogers  became  the  superintendent  and  acted  continuously  until 
1865.  Samuel  E.  Linsley  then  became  the  superintendent  and  served 
until  his  death,  September  22d,  1883.  Since  1834  Eli  F.  Rogers  has 
been  an  officer  of  the  Sunday  school,  which  has  about  160  members. 

The  Branford  Baptist  Church  was  constituted  in  1838.  In  the  year 
1836  Mrs.  Nicholas  Andrews,  a  devout  member  of  the  Wallingford 
Baptist  church,  lived  in  Branford,  and  at  her  request  her  pastor.  Rev- 
erend Simeon  Shailer,  visited  the  town  and  preached.  He  was  fol- 
lowed, in  1837,  by  Reverend  Amos  D.  Watrous,  whose  services  at- 
tracted many,  but  also  awakened  some  hostile  feeling  and  acts  of 
violence  towards  him  and  his  property.  Not  disheartened,  Reverend 
David  T.  Shailer  came  next,  beginning  regular  Sabbath  services  in 
the  old  Academy  building,  in  December,  1837.  The  following  spring 
a  large  chamber  in  the  Andrews  house  was  fitted  up  as  a  place  of 
worship,  and  April  8th,  1838,  occurred  the  first  public  baptism  in  the 
village,  Woodward  Page  and  Abigail  Johnson  being  immersed  in  the 
river,  near  the  Neck  bridge,  in  the  presence  of  a  great  throng  of  peo- 
ple. The  same  season  were  also  baptized  Charles  Hopson,  George  W. 
Johnson,  Betsy  Beers,  Nicholas  Andrews,  Nelson  J.  Linsley,  James 
Barker  and  wife,  Mary  Ann  Goodrich,  Irene  Page,  Maria  Russell,  Char- 
lotte Covert,  Mary  Beers  and  Nancy  Hopson.  These  and  ten  others 
were,  on  the  19th  of  December.  1838,  constituted  as  the  foregoing 
church. 


60  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

A  larger  place  for  meetings  having  become  necessary,  the  town 
yielded  its  consent  that  a  house  should  be  built  on  the  site  of  the  old 
whipping  post  on  the  -'green,"  and  the  members  gave  materials  and 
labor  toward  building  the  house,  Mr.  Shailer  himself  helping  to  hew 
some  of  the  timbers.  Nelson  J.  Linsley  supervised  the  work  of  build- 
ing. The  church  edifice  was  dedicated  July  11th,  1840,  but  not  free 
from  debt.  It  was  more  or  less  a  burden  on  the  society  for  twenty 
years,  being  finally  lifted  by  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  of  which  Mrs. 
Martha  Barker  was  the  president.  In  1859,  in  the  pastorate  of  the 
Reverend  P.  G.  Wightman,  the  house  was  remodelled,  the  interior  es- 
pecially being  much  changed.  In  1866  the  work  of  bettering  the 
church  building  was  still  further  carried  on  at  an  outlay  of  $1,800.  A 
baptistery  was  built  in  1888  and  more  repairs  were  made  at  an  outlay 
of  $1,000.  The  property  is  worth  $3,500,  and  the  church  has  300  sit- 
tings. 

In  1876  a  fine  parsonage  was  built  on  Rogers  street,  which  is  valued 
at  $3,000,  $1,500  being  contributed  by  Ara  Baldwin  and  Mrs.  James 
Barker. 

The  church  has  been  reasonably  prosperous,  having  now  about  150 
members.  It  has  had  but  two  clerks — James  Barker,  from  1838  until 
1882,  and  James  Fowler  since  that  time. 

Those  elected  as  deacons  were:  in  183S,  Nicholas  Andrews;  1843, 
James  Barker,  Nelson  J.  Linsley;  1853,  Samuel  D.  Linsley,  Giles  T. 
Baldwin;  1868,  James  Palmer;  1874,  Philander  Hopson;*  1879,  Har- 
vey Beach,  Henry  W.  Hubbard,*  Elizur  Johnson.* 

For  many  years  Giles  Baldwin  had  a  Sabbath  school  at  Stony  Creek, 
and  after  1874  Deacon  Philander  Hopson  continued  the  good  work  a 
number  of  years  at  both  Branford  and  Stony  Creek.  Of  the  former 
school  H.W.  Hubbard  was  the  superintendent  in  1889,  and  the  scholars 
numbered  about  100. 

The  ministers  of  the  church  have  been  the  following:  Reverend 
D.  T.  Shailer  until  April,  1844,  when  the  church  had  62  members;  A. 
C.  Wheat,  1845,  for  three  and  a  half  years;  Calvin  Topliff,  one  year; 
Lucius  Atwater,  1850-4;  R.  H.  Bolles,  1855-6;  D.  T.  Shailer,  supply, 
1857;  P.  G.  Wightman,  1858-63;  A.  H.  Simons,  1864-7;  Curtis  Keeney, 
eight  months;  Henry  A.  Wildridge,  eight  months;  Warren  Mason, 
1870-3;  five  supplies  in  1874-7;  Melville  Thwing,  first  to  occupy  the 
parsonage;  C.  C.  Smith,  July,  1877,  to  May,  1885;  J.  A.  Bailey,  supply 
\\  years-;  P.  G.  Wightman,  supply  from  October,  1886,  to  April,  1S87, 
and  pastor  since  that  time.  From  his  historical  sermon,  preached  on 
the  50th  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  church,  in  1888,  this  ac- 
count has  been  compiled. 

Attempts  were  made  by  the  Methodists  as  early  as  1836  and  since 
to  establish  a  church  at  Branford,  but  for  many  years  without  success. 
In  1875  the  effort  was  renewed,  and  a  small  congregation  was  organ - 

*Present  deacons. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  61 

ized,  which  built  a  house  of  worship  on  the  street  on  the  south  side 
of  the  green.  Unfortunately  the  organization  of  this  society  was  not 
long  continued,  and  in  1878  it  disbanded.  The  building  was  later 
purchased  by  Doctor  Gaylord,  who  converted  it  into  a  neat  public  hall. 

The  Tabor  Church  (Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran)  occupies  a 
commanding  location  in  the  southern  part  of  the  village.  It  is  a 
Gothic  frame  edifice,  40  by  58  feet,  with  a  brick  basement  and  hand- 
some corner  tower.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  October  20th,  1889,  and 
the  church  was  formally  dedicated  August  10th,  1890.  The  interior  is 
handsomely  finished,  and  the  entire  property  cost  $5,152.  It  was  built 
mainly  by  the  efforts  of  the  Swedes  and  Finlanders  in  this  locality, 
the  building  committee  being  composed  of  P.  A.  R.  Engquist,  Gustaf 
Dahlgren,  Joseph  Mattson,  Peter  Palson,  Herman  Mickelson,  H.  Jacob- 
son,  John  Gulland,  Charles  Damberg.  The  congregation  occupying 
this  house  was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1887,  with  a  few  members.  But 
there  has  been  a  steady  and  encouraging  increase,  there  being  now 
more  than  one  hundred  members  belonging.  The  meetings  were 
first  held  in  the  basement  of  the  Congregational  meeting  house,  Rev- 
erend Henry  Jacobson  being  the  minister. 

St.  Mary's  Church  (Roman  Catholic).  The  mass  of  the  Catholic 
church  was  first  said  in  Branford  at  the  house  of  Francis  Harding,  in 
the  summer  of  1851.  That  family  was  one  of  the  first  professing  the 
Catholic  faith  to  take  up  its  abode  in  the  town,  and  a  son,  Michael 
Patrick  Harding,  who  was  born  April  15th,  1850,  was  the  first  native 
Irish-American  of  Branford.  The  officiating  priest  at  this  mass  was 
the  Reverend  Father  John  Sheridan,  who  came  from  New  Haven,  and 
was  followed  by  Father  Matthew  Hart,  of  St.  Patrick's  church  of  the 
same  city,  who  opened  the  ground  for  the  church,  which  was  raised 
in  1855,  while  Father  John  Lynch  was  in  charge  of  the  mission,  which 
was  now  here  maintained  by  St.  Patrick's  parish.  In  1861  Reverend 
James  Bohen  was  assigned  to  the  parish,  composed  of  the  shore  towns 
east  of  New  Haven,  and  in  1862  was  followed  by  Reverend  Thomas 
Quinn.  Reverend  James  F.  Campbell  became  the  priest  in  1865  and 
enlarged  the  church  building.  After  three  years  he  was  followed  by 
Reverend  Thomas  Mullen.  Since  September  1st,  1876,  the  resident 
priest  has  been  Reverend  Edward  Martin.  Branford  became  a  dis- 
tinct parish  in  the  spring  of  1887,  when  Guilford  was  set  off.  It  con- 
tained, in  1890,  177  families  and  1,200  persons,  and  was  growing  in 
numbers  and  influence. 

Besides  the  church  building  the  parish  owns  a  fine  priest's  house 
and  two  places  of  interments.  The  old  cemetery,  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  village,  is  well  filled,  and  contains  a  number  of  handsome  mon- 
uments. The  new  one  of  14  acres  is  east  of  the  village,  and  was  pur- 
chased in  1889  for  $2,500. 

Until  the  present  century  the  town  had  but  one  public  place  of 
burial — the  cemetery  at  Branford  village.     On  the  30th  of  November, 


62  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1810,  the  burial  place  at  Mill  Plain  was  occupied,  young  Ammi  Beach 
being-  the  first  interred  there.  The  area  is  small,  but  the  ground  is 
well  enclosed  and  filled  with  graves,  many  being  marked  with  head- 
stones. These  indicate  the  burial  at  that  place  of  members  of  the 
Beach,  Baldwin,  Bartholomew,  Barker,  Downs,  Frisbie,  Hoadley,  Nor- 
ton, Tyler,  Towner  and  Rogers  families.  The  third  place  of  burial 
was  opened  at  Damascus,  June  18th,  1812,  and  Mrs.  Lucretia  Day  was 
the  first  person  buried  at  that  place.  After  the  dates  named  the  latter 
two  places  were  used  mainly  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  Stony  Creek 
section  until  187C,  when  the  cemetery  was  opened  in  that  locality. 

The  Catholics  have  a  place  of  burial  at  Bran  ford  village,  and 
another  east  of  Branford  river,  on  the  Guilford  road. 

The  old  cemetery  has  been  used  from  the  time  of  settlement.  It 
contains  many  graves,  some  of  which  are  unmarked.  The  area  has 
been  increased  from  time  to  time,  a  large  addition  being  made  after 
1850.  Mrs.  Sally  Gillett  gave  $2,000  as  a  fund  for  the  care  of  the  cem- 
etery, and  that  proper  attention  might  be  paid  to  the  graves  of  her- 
self and  consort.  A  brown  sandstone  monument  marks  this  resting 
place  in  the  new  part  of  the  cemetery,  and  the  inscriptions  are  as 
follows: 

Rev.  Timothy  P.  Gillett, 
Died  Nov.  5,  1866, 
Aged  86  Yr's, 
A  preacher  of  the  Gospel  61  years,  and  pastor  of  the  First  Cong'l  Church  in  Bran- 
ford  58  years. 
"  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed." 
Mrs    Sally  Gillett, 
wife  OF 
Rev.  Timothy  P.  Gillett, 
Died  May  20,  1887, 
Aged  100  Years  &  2  Months. 

In  the  old  part  of  the  cemetery,  near  the  spot  where  stood  the  first 
meeting  house,  is  the  table  monument  to  the  memory  of  Reverend 
Samuel  Russell  and  his  wife.  In  the  same  part  of  the  cemetery  are 
the  graves  of  Reverend  George  L.  Russell,  who  died  in  1844,  and  of 
Reverend  Rutherford  Russell,  who  died  in  1876.  In  this  cemetery  is 
also  the  well  marked  grave  of  Reverend  Philemon  Robbins,  who  died 
August  13th,  1781. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Daniel  Averill,  born  in  1817,  is  a  son  of  David  and  Polly  (Morris) 
Averill,  and  grandson  of  Daniel  Averill,  who  was  a  drummer  in  the 
revolutionary  war.  Mr.  Averill  followed  the  sea  in  coasting  and  West 
India  trade  until  1877.  He  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Seth  Bradley,  of 
East  Chatham,  N.  Y.  They  have  two  children:  Delbert  C.  and  La- 
verne  S.     Delbert  married  Estella  Shepard,  of  Branford,  and  has  one 


HISTORV   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  63 

son,  Roy  Victor,  born  in  1880.     Laverne  married  Samuel  Hodgkinson 
of  England,  and  has  one  son,  Harold  Daniel,  born  1890. 

'Henry  W.  Averill,  born  in  1851,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Myrtie 
(Fowler)  Averill,  and  grandson  of  Daniel  Averill.  Mr.  Averill  is  a 
farmer.  He  married  Hattie,  daughter  of  Albert  C.  Gardiner,  of  Rhode 
Island. 

John  U.  Baldwin,  born  in  1836  at  Carmel,  N.  Y.,  is  a  son  of  Arvah 
and  Harriet  (Carpenter)  Baldwin.  He  came  to  Guilford  with  his 
parents  when  a  boy,  and  after  his  marriage  settled  at  his  present 
home  in  Branford.  He  is  a  farmer  and  butcher.  He  married  Mary 
E.,  daughter  of  Alva  Kelsey.  Their  children  are:  A.  Earle  and  Mel- 
vina  C. 

Harvey  R.  Barker  is  the  only  son  of  James  and  Martha  (Beach) 
Barker,  and  grandson  of  Captain  Archilus  Barker,  who  was  a  revolu- 
tionary soldier  and  sea  captain.  Mr.  Barker  is  a  farmer.  He  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Richard  Hubbard.  They  have  three  children: 
James,  who  is  a  farmer  with  his  father;  Elizabeth  A.,  now  Mrs.  Fred 
Smith;  and  Susan  J.,  now  Mrs.  E.  R.  Monroe. 

David  Beach,  born  in  1817.  is  a  son  of  John  and  Sally  (Harrison) 
Beach,  and  grandson  of  John  H.  Beach.  Mr.  Beach  is  a  farmer, 
though  the  two  sons  operate  the  farm  at  present.  He  married  Sylvia 
Baldwin.  Their  children  were:  Betsey  B.,  John  H.,  who  married  Car- 
rie Linsley;  Frank  E.,  who  married  Alida  Duncan;  and  two  that  died 
in  infancy. 

John  Bishop,  son  of  Jonathan  C.  and  Lydia  (Tyler)  Bishop,  and 
grandson  of  James  Bishop,  was  born  in  1818,  and  is  the  youngest  of 
five  children.  Mr.  Bishop  is  a  farmer.  For  twelve  years  he  was  select- 
man of  Branford.  He  married  Thankful  K.,  daughter  of  Elias  Gould. 
They  have  two  children  living:  Elias  G.  and  Sarah  E.  (Mrs.  William 
Whiting);  and  two  died  in  infancy. 

John  Augustus  Blackstone  is  a  son  of  Augustus  and  Esther  (Lins- 
ley) Blackstone,  and  grandson  of  John,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son 
of  John  Blackstone,  who  died  in  1785,  and  is  supposed  to  be  a  grand- 
son of  William  Blackstone,  who  came  to  New  England  in  the  early 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Mr.  Blackstone  was  born  in  1829. 
He  was  married  in  1855  to  H.  Minerva,  daughter  of  Rewel  Andrews. 
They  have  two  sons:  Charles  A.  and  Ruel  A.,  both  married  and  fol- 
lowing- the  business  of  farming-  with  their  father.  Mr.  Blackstone  has 
held  the  office  of  selectman  eight  successive  years,  also  tax  collector, 
assessor  and  town  agent. 

Ralph  Blackstone,  born  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Ralph  and  Sally  (Pond) 
Blackstone,  and  grandson  of  John,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of 
John,  a  descendant  of  William  Blackstone.  Mr.  Blackstone  is  a  far- 
mer. He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Orrin  Hoadley.  She  died,  leav- 
ing two  daughters,  Valnette  and  Emeline  E. 


64  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Richard  Bradley,  born  in  1850,  is  a  son  of  Gurdon  and  Ann  M« 
(Spink)  Bradley,  and  grandson  of  Timothy^Bradley.  Mr.  Bradley  is  a 
contractor  and  builder,  and  has  worked  at  carpentering  for  twenty 
years.  He  was  selectman  one  year.  He  married  Mary  C,  daughter  of 
Leonard  and  Harriet  E.  (Yale)  Smith.  Their  children  are:  Frank  S., 
Harriet  E.  and  Charles,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Frank  E.  Brainard,  son  of  John  W.  and  Esther  L.  (Bailey)  Brain- 
ard,  grandson  of  Deanthiuem  Brainard,  and  great-grandson  of  Sylves- 
ter O.  Brainard,  was  born  in  1861.  Mr.  Brainard  has  been  a  merchant 
at  Stony  Creek  since  1884.  He  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Ira  M. 
Brown.     They  have  one  daughter,  Florence. 

Terence  Brannigan  came  from  Ireland  in  1868.  He  is  an  iron 
moulder  by  trade.  He  has  lived  in  Branford  since  1876,  and  since 
1888  has  kept  a  dry  goods  and  clothing  store.     He  married  Catharine 

A.  Winnithan.  They  have  five  children:  Angeline,  Daniel,  Jeremiah, 
Terence  and  Catharine. 

Ebenezer  J.  Coe,  who  died  in  1889,  aged  72  years,  came  from  Mid- 
dlefield  to  Stony  Creek  in  1854.  He  married  Phebe,  daughter  of  John 
and  Esther  (Coe)  Burdsey.  Their  children  are:  Ruth  B.  (Mrs.  Els- 
worth  Austin),  John  W.  (of  Meriden),  Mattie  R.  (Mrs.W.  C.  Maynard), 
and  Fannie  R.  (Mrs.  W.  Wallace).  Mr.  Coe  kept  the  "  Three  Elms 
House"  for  several  years  prior  to  his  death,  and  his  widow  and  daugh- 
ter now  keep  it. 

Elbert  H.  Coe,  born  in  1820  in  Middlefield,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of  Amos 
and  Harriet  (Johnson)  Coe,  and  grandson  of  Seth  Coe.  Mr.  Coe,  in 
1859,  came  from  Middlefield  to  Stony  Creek,  where  he  has  since  been 
a  farmer.  He  married  Louisa  C,  daughter  of  Alfred  Bailey.  Their 
children  are:  Ellen  (Mrs.  Joseph  Howard),  Harriet  (Mrs.  Lembert 
Chidsey),  Timothy  A.,  Phebe  (Mrs.  Walter  Foote),  and  one  daughter 
that  died,  Ida.  Timothy  A.  Coe  was  born  in  1857,  and  is  a  farmer  and 
milkman.     He  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Bela  Foote. 

Samuel  S.  Cook,  born  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 
(Hobert)  Cook,  and  grandson  of  Joseph  Cook.  Mr.  Cook  was  a  shoe 
manufacturer  until  the  war  began.     He  was  in  the  army  in  Company 

B,  27th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  as  sergeant  nine  months.  He  then 
followed  the  sea  for  twelve  years,  after  which  he  was  foreman  of  the 
packing  department  of  the  Malleable  Iron  Fittings  Company  for  ten 
years.  He  married  Caroline  C,  daughter  of  Chandler  and  Lucy  Lor- 
etta  (Collins)  Page.  They  had  four  children :  Alice  E.  (Mrs.  L.  J. 
Nichols),  Anderson  S.,  and  two  sons  that  died— Everett  E.  and  Ever- 
ett A. 

Eckford  Davis,  born  in  1836  in  Killingworth,  is  a  son  of  Lewis  and 
Sally  (Burr)  Davis,  and  grandson  of  Peter  Davis.  Mr.  Davis  came 
from  Killingworth  to  Branford  in  1860,  where  he  has  been  a  farmer. 
He  married  Sarah  E.,  daughter  of  Eber  Beach,  granddaughter  of  An- 
drew, and   great-granddaughter  of    Ephraim,  whose   father,  Andrew 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  65 

Beach,  in  1737,  came  to  Branford  and  settled  near  where  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davis  now  live.    Their  only  daughter,  Mary  T.,  is  now  Mrs.  Elon  Bragg. 

C.  Wilbur  Field,  son  of  Danforth  C.  and  Lucretia  (Griswold)  Field, 
grandson  of  James  E.  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel  Field,  was  born 
in  1837.  Mr.  Field  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of 
George  Bailey.  Their  children  were:  George  W.  (deceased),  Charles 
M.  (deceased),  Minnie  I.,  Homer  W.  (deceased),  Fannie  E.,  James  C, 
Wallace  D.,  Elsie  J.  and  Lillia  L. 

George  C.  Field,  son  of  Danforth  and  Lucretia  (Griswold)  Field, 
was  born  in  1836,  and  is  a  blacksmith  and  farmer.  He  married  Sarah, 
daughter  of  George  L.  Dowd.     They  have  an  adopted  son,  George  I. 

William  R.  Foote,  oldest  living  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  E.  (Rus- 
sell) Foote,  was  born  in  1848,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  was  two  years 
selectman,  and  has  held  other  town  offices.  He  married  Nettie,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Averill.  Their  children  are:  Wallace  H.  and  Mabel  L., 
living;  and  Ada  and  Roland  T.,  deceased. 

Charles  Woodward  Gaylord,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Wallingford,  this 
county,  August  28th,  1846,  and  his  parents  are  still  residents  of  that 
town.  He  was  the  eldest  of  three  children  born  to  David  and  Bertha 
(Bartholomew)  Gaylord,  the  other  members  of  the  family  being  Wil- 
liam Bartholomew,  who  became  a  business  man  of  Meriden,  where  he 
died  in  October,  1889,  aged  40  years;  and  a  daughter,  Ida,  who  married 
Frank  Brown,  of  Meriden.  Charles  W.  Gaylord  is  grandson  of  John 
Gaylord,  whose  father,  John,  was  one  of  three  brothers — Elias,  Nathan 
and  John — who  came  from  England  and  settled  in  Cheshire  and  Wal- 
lingford, in  the  locality  long  known  as  Gaylord  hill.  In  the  war  of 
the  revolution  the  grandfather,  John,  served  in  defense  of  the  colony 
of  Connecticut,  having  warmly  espoused  the  patriot  cause. 

Doctor  Gaylord  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  his  father's  farm,  until 
he  was  18  years  old,  when  he  went  to  the  Connecticut  Literary  Insti- 
tution at  Suffield,  where  he  was  two  years  preparing  for  college.  In 
the  fall  of  1866  he  entered  Yale,  and  graduated  from  that  institution 
in  1870.  He  soon  after  began  to  qualify  himself  for  the  medical  pro- 
fession, beginning  his  studies  in  the  Yale  Medical  School,  and  pursu- 
ing also  a  course  in  the  Bellevue  Hospital  and  the  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons,  in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  the  summer  of  1872 
he  graduated  from  the  Yale  school,  and  for  a  few  months  assisted 
Doctor  Benjamin  Franklin  Harrison,  of  Wallingford,  in  his  practice. 
In  November,  1872,  he  located  at  Branford,  where  he  established  an 
independent  practice,  which  soon  grew  to  large  proportions,  and  which 
has  been  successfully  continued  in  this  and  the  adjoining  towns. 
Although  comparatively  a  young  man,  Doctor  Gaylord  ranks  as  one  of 
the  leading  country  practitioners  in  the  county.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Connecticut  State  and  New  Haven  County  Medical  Societies. 
Since  the  passage  of  the  new  coroner's  law,  he  has  served  as  medical 
examiner  for  the  towns  of  Branford  and  North  Branford. 
5 


66  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1873,  Doctor  Gaylord  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Rose,  of  Essex,  Conn.  Two  sons  and  three  daughters  have 
come  to  bless  this  union,  viz.:  Lynde  Vincent,  January  31st,  1874; 
Bertha  Rose,  June  5th,  1876;  Anna  Evangeline,  July  8th,  1884;  Charles 
William,  February  27th,  1889;  Ruth  Marguerite,  March  21st,  1891. 

Doctor  Gaylord  is  enterprising,  progressive  and  public-spirited, 
and  has  warmly  identified  himself  with  the  best  interests  of  his 
adopted  home.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Branford  Village  Im- 
provement Society  as  long  as  it  existed,  and  to  its  efforts  can  be  attrib- 
uted much  of  the  changes  wrought  in  the  appearance  of  the  place. 
He  was  also  interested  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  a  vil- 
lage lyceum,  under  whose  auspices  several  instructive  courses  of  lec- 
tures were  held.  In  the  furtherance  of  this  purpose  to  provide  for 
the  entertainment  and  instruction  of  the  community,  he  fitted  up,  in 
1879,  a  public  hall,  which  he  has  since  made  one  of  the  most  cosy  little 
opera  houses  in  smaller  places.  He  has  taken  an  unabated  interest  in 
schools,  serving  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  education,  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  was  the  acting  school  visitor.  In  this  period  the  schools 
were  greatly  improved  and  are  yearly  advanced  to  a  higher  plane. 
Since  being  at  Branford,  Doctor  Gaylord  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church,  and  gives  it  a  warm  support.  His  political 
preferences  have  allied  him  to  the  republican  party,  but  he  is  in  no 
sense  a  partisan  when  the  interests  of  the  town  are  at  stake.  In  this 
relation  he  has  endeavored,  at  all  times,- to  conform  his  life  to  the  best 
standard  of  true  citizenship — to  be  energetic  and  progressive  in  his 
own  affairs,  but  ever  to  be  mindful  of  his  obligations  to  his  town  and 
the  state  which  protects  his  home. 

Charles  H.  Grannis,  son  of  John  and  Sally  Griffin  Grannis,  was 
born  in  1851.  His  grandfather  was  Jared  Grannis.  Mr.  Grannis  has 
been  twelve  years  in  the  meat  business,  and  since  November,  1888,  has 
owned  a  market  of  his  own. 

Michael  P.  Harding,  son  of  Francis  and  Ellen  Harding,  was  born 
in  1850,  and  was  the  first  child  born  in  Branford  of  Irish  parentage. 
Mr.  Harding  succeeded  his  father  in  the  mercantile  trade  in  1871,  the 
latter  dying  in  August  of  that  year.  He  was  representative  in  1876 
of  general  assembly.  At  present  he  stands  the  fifth  highest  taxpayer 
of  the  town  taxes.  He  is  vice-president  of  the  Branford  Savings  Bank, 
and  has  held  a  number  of  different  public  offices  in  the  town. 

Henry  G.  Harrison,  born  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Betsey  Har- 
rison. He  was  married  April  11th,  1869,  to  Harriet  L.,  daughter  of 
Harry  and  Nancy  (Towner)  Rogers,  and  granddaughter  of  Jarus 
Rogers. 

William  H.  Hartley,  born  in  1844,  in  New  Haven,  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Sarah  (White)  Hartley,  and  grandson  of  William  Hartley. 
Mr.  Hartley  is  a  farmer.  In  1871  he  bought  the  old  Governor  Salton- 
stall  homestead,  at  the  foot  of  Saltonstall  lake,  where  he  now  lives. 


CJi^A..    c   rcl  ?K.& 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  67 

He  married  Mary  Woods.  They  have  six  children:  Mary  A.,  Sarah 
G.,  Annie  M.,  Theresa,  Josephine  and  William. 

Benjamin  A.  Hosley,sonof  LoringD.  and  Anna  A.  (Beach)  Hosley, 
was  born  in  1823,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  was  married  in  1849  to  Lois 
W.,  daughter  of  William  Ward,  of  Vermont.  Their  children  are: 
Benjamin  F.,  Anna  M.  (Mrs.  George  W.  Dory),  John  H.,  M.  Carrie 
(Mrs.  G.  W.  McClunie),  William  H.,  Edward  K.,  and  one  that  died— 
Judith  E.  Benjamin  F.  Hosley,  eldest  son  of  Benjamin  A.,  was  born 
in  1852,  and  is  a  contractor  and  builder.  He  married  Idella,  daughter 
of  Russell  and  Lydia  (Tyler)  Pond. 

Henry  W.  Hubbard,  born  in  1833,  in  Hartford,  is  a  son  of  Richard 
and  Rebecca  Hubbard.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  blacksmith  and  wagon 
maker.  He  came  from  Middletown,  Conn.,  to  Branford  in  1855,  and 
has  worked  at  his  trade  since  that  time,  with  the  exception  of  nine 
months,  when  he  was  in  the  civil  war,  in  Company  B,  27th  Connecti- 
cut Volunteers.  He  married  Emma  P.,  daughter  of  James  Linsley- 
They  have  three  daughters:  Ida  P.,  Henrietta  W.  and  Luella  L. 

Frederick  Jourdan,  born  in  1822,  at  Basel,  Switzerland,  came  to 
Branford  in  1850,  where  he  was  a  butcher  and  farmer  until  1876,  when 
he  began  the  lumber  and  coal  business,  which  he  and  his  son  have 
since  conducted.  He  married  Fannie  E.,  daughter  of  Edward  Lins- 
ley. They  have  one  son,  Henry  F.  Mr.  Jourdan  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board  for  a  number  of  years,  and  has  held  other 
town  offices. 

George  W.  Lanfair,  born  in  1830,  is  a  son  of  Oliver  and  Chloe 
(Steele)  Lanfair,  and  grandson  of  Oliver  Lanfair.  Mr.  Lanfair  is  a 
carriage  maker  by  trade.  He  is  now  a  farmer,  owning  and  occupying 
the  homestead  of  his  father  and  grandfather,  at  Double  Beach.  His 
first  wife  was  Emily  Augur,  who  died  leaving  four  children:  Charles, 
Edna,  Nellie  and  Sadie.  His  present  wife  was  Mattie,  daughter  of 
Sheldon  Hitchcock. 

Peter  A.  Lundquist,  born  in  Sweden  in  1846,  is  the  son  of  P.  J.  Lund- 
quist.  He  came  to  Connecticut  in  1872,  and  to  Stony  Creek  in  1878, 
where  he  has  since  been  a  stone  mason.  His  wife  was  Sophia 
Johnson. 

Daniel  O'Brien,  born  in  1845  in  Ireland,  is  a  son  of  John  O'Brien. 
He  came  to  Branford  in  1854.  He  has  been  employed  in  the  knob 
department  of  the  Branford  Lock  Works  since  1862,  and  since  1874  has 
been  foreman  of  the  department.  He  has  been  selectman  three  terms, 
and  a  member  of  the  school  board  twelve  years.  He  married  Kate 
O'Donnell  and  has  twelve  children. 

Sidney  V.  Osborn,  born  March  10th,  1856,  in  Woodbury,  Conn.,  is 
a  son  of  Aaron  and  Polly  (Bishop)  Osborn,  and  grandson  of  Daniel 
Osborn.  Mr.  Osborn  came  to  Branford  May  7th,  1879,  where  he  has 
since  been  a  farmer.  He  was  for  one  year  assessor  of  the  town,  in 
1889,  and  one  of  the  board  of  selectmen  in  1890  and  1891.     He  mar- 


68  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

ried  May  6th.  1S79,  Emma,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Alvira  Tyler,  of 
Middlebury,  New  Haven  county,  Conn.,  and  granddaughter  of  Daniel 
Tyler,  of  Middlebury.  They  have  one  son,  Sidney  V.,  Jr.,  born  Janu- 
ary 23d,  1888. 

George  Palmer,  born  in  1829,  is  a  son  of  Lauren  and  Polly  (Butler) 
Palmer,  and  grandson  of  Jared  Palmer.  Mr.  Palmer  is  a  farmer,  and 
has  what  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  finest  farm  barns  in  the  town. 
He  has  been  for  25  years  insurance  agent,  and  for  30  years  agent  for 
farm  implements.  He  married  Ellen  J.,  daughter  of  Hezekiah  War- 
ner, of  Wheeling,  W.  V.  They  have  one  daughter,  Fannie,  a  school 
teacher. 

Samuel  Orrin  Plant  was  born  in  Branford,  January  24th,  1815. 
He  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Frisbie)  Plant,  and  was  the  young- 
est of  their  family  of  five  children,  namely:  Anderson,  deceased  in  Bran- 
ford,  the  father  of  Henry  B.  Plant,  the  president  of  the  Plant  system 
of  Southern  transportation  companies;  Sarah,  married  Judah  Frisbie, 
a  merchant  of  New  Haven;  John,  a  deacon  of  the  church,  and  who 
died  as  a  farmer  at  Plantsville;  Mary  R.,  deceased  at  the  age  of  17 
years;  and  Samuel  O. 

The  father  of  this  family  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  Plant,  who  de- 
scended from  the  Plant  family  which  was  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Branford,  and  whose  allotment  of  land  was  in  the  fertile  little  valley, 
a  mile  from  the  village,  and  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Branford 
hills.  Here  for  six  generations  have  been  the  homes  of  the  Plant  fam- 
ily in  Branford,  and  for  many  years  the  place  bore  the  name  of  Plants- 
ville. At  this  place  lived  Samuel  Plant,  when  he  served  as  a  coast 
guard  in  the  war  of  1S12,  and  here  he  died  in  July,  1861,  aged  90 
years. 

Benjamin  Plant,  the  grandfather  of  Samuel  O.,  also  rendered  mili- 
tary service.  In  the  revolution  he  and  two  of  his  sons  were  enlisted. 
One  of  them  was  with  Washington  in  his  perilous  retreat  across  the 
Delaware;  the  other  son,  Timothy,  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  German- 
town.  The  maternal  grandfather,  Joseph  Frisbie,  was  also  a  patriot 
and  there  is  a  tradition  that  he  was  with  the  detachment  of  soldiers  at 
the  execution  of  Major  Andre.  Mr.  Plant  thus  being  of  revolutionary 
stock,  has  become  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Society  of  the  Sons  of 
the  American  Revolution. 

Samuel  O.  Plant  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
town,  at  the  academy  at  Branford,  and  also  attended  the  boys'  school 
of  General  James  N.  Palmer,  at  New  Haven,  where  he  was  a  class- 
mate of  General  A.  H.  Terry.  In  February,  1841,  he  married  Mary 
A.,  daughter  of  the  venerable  Captain  James  Blackstone,  of  Branford. 
By  this  union  two  children  attained  mature  years:  Ellen  B.  Plant,  of 
Branford;  and  Sarah  F.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Judge  Lynde  Harri- 
son, of  New  Haven. 

Since  his  boyhood  Mr.  Plant  has  been  a  farmer,  and  to  that  occu- 


6/  &  /Xh^ 


~7 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  69 

pation  has  industriously  confined  his  efforts,  achieving-  well-merited 
success.  Although  limiting  himself  to  the  private  walks  of  life,  he  is 
well-known  and  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  townsmen  as  one 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  Branford.  Mr.  Plant  was  a  whig  until  that 
party  ceased  to  exist,  and  has  since  been  a  republican.  For  the  past 
fifty  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Branford  Congregational 
church. 

Willis  T.  Robinson,  born  in  1847,  is  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Julia  A. 
(Tyler)  Robinson.  He  has  been  engaged  in  mercantile  trade  in  Bran- 
ford for  a  number  of  years.  He  married  Lucy  F.,  daughter  of  Gilbert 
Gaylord.  Their  children  are:  James  H..  Oswin  H.,  and  one  that  died, 
John  G.  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives 
in  1886. 

Henry  Rogers,  born  at  Branford  July  31st,  1821,  is  a  descendant 
of  two  of  the  oldest  and  most  respected  families  in  the  county.  He  is 
a  son  of  Abraham  and  Fanny  (Fowler)  Rogers,  a  grandson  of  Abraham 
Rogers,  great-grandson  of  John  Rogers,  whose  father,  also  John,  was 
a  son  of  Noah  Rogers,  the  first  of  the  family  name  to  settle  in  Bran- 
ford. It  is  claimed  on  good  authority  that  the  latter's  ancestor.William 
Rogers,  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Rogers,  who  came  from  England  in  the 
"Mayflower,"  in  1620.  Some  of  his  sons,  according  to  Governor  Brad- 
ford,* had  been  left  in  England,  but  followed  their  father  to  this 
country,  and  William  was  at  Wethersfield  as  early  as  1640.  He  prob- 
ably removed  with  Andrew  Ward  and  his  company  to  Stamford, 
Conn.,  about  1641,  and  later  went  with  the  company  to  Hempstead, 
L.  I.,  where  he  was  allotted  some  land.  He  afterward  moved  to 
Southampton,  L.  I.,  where  he  died  about  1650,  and  his  widow  deceased 
at  Huntington,  L.  I.,  about  1664.  From  the  latter  place,  about  three 
years  later,  the  youngest  son,  Noah,  removed  to  Branford.  Here  he 
married,  April  8th,  1673,  Elizabeth  Taintor,  and  had  a  family  of  four 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Their  son,  John,  married  Lydia  Frisbie, 
daughter  of  John  Frisbie,  January  17th,  1713.  Of  their  family  of  four 
sons  and  the  same  number  of  daughters,  John,  the  great-grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  one.  He  married  Thankful,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  Harrison,  Jr.,  Esq.,  and  one  of  their  five  children  was 
Abraham  Rogers,  the  grandfather.  The  wives  of  the  foregoing 
Rogers'  ancestors  were  daughters  of  some  of  the  earliest  and  most 
prominent  settlers  of  Branford.  Lydia  Frisbie  was  a  granddaughter 
of  Reverend  John  Bowers,  one  of  the  first  ministers  in  Branford,  and 
Michael  Taintor,  John    Frisbie,  Nathaniel    Harrison  and  Nathaniel 

*  History  of  Plymouth  Plantation    1636,  p.  449. 

[Passengers  in  the  "  Mayflower."] 

"  Thomas  Rogers  Joseph  his  sone  his  other  children  came  afterwards." 

P.  543:  "Thomas  Rogers  dyed  in  the  first  sickness,  but  his  son  Joseph  is 
still  living  and  is  Married  and  hath  6  children." 

"  The  rest  of  Thomas  Rogers  [children]  came  over  and  are  married  and 
have  many  children." 


70  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Harrison,  Jr.,  as  well  as  Noah  Rogers,  were  frequently,  in  their  day. 
members  of  the  general  court. 

Abraham  Rogers,  senior,  was  married  in  Branford,  March  11th. 
1773,  to  Hannah,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Palmer,  and  of  their  family 
of  six  children  there  was  but  the  one  son,  Abraham,  the  father  of 
Henry  Rogers.  The  elder  Rogers  removed  to  Stony  Creek,  where  he 
died  in  1827,  being  at  that  time  one  of  the  largest  landowners  of  the 
town.  Besides  being  a  farmer  he  was  in  the  coasting  trade,  and  owned 
several  vessels.  He  served  in  the  revolution,  being  with  the  Connec- 
ticut militia  in  their  retreat  on  Long  Island,  in  the  fall  of  1776. 

On  November  16th,  1809,  Abraham  Rogers,  Jr.,  married  Fanny, 
daughter  of  Eli  Fowler,  of  Branford.  They  reared  a  family  of  four 
sons:  Eli  F.,  born  July  15th,  1811;  Abraham,  born  June  11th,  1813; 
Elizur,  born  November  2d,  1816;  Henry,  born  July  31st,  1821.  All 
settled  in  Branford,  becoming  useful  and  honored  citizens.  The  father 
remained  on  the  homestead,  and  for  many  years  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  besides  holding  other  town  offices.  He  died  in  1870.  In  the 
war  of  1812  he  was  first  lieutenant  in  the  5th  Company,  2d  Regiment 
of  state  corps  of  troops.  In  1814  the  British,  under  Commander 
Hardy,  blockaded  the  Long  Island  sound  coasts,  and  threatened  to 
make  incursions  into  Connecticut.  Troops  were  called  out  and  the 
5th  Company,  with  Lieutenant  Rogers  in  command,  was  in  service 
from  September  12th,  1814,  until  the  following  October  20th.  Most  of 
the  service  was  at  New  Haven,  in  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Sanford. 

The  maternal  ancestry  of  Henry  Rogers  is  equally  important,  the 
descent  being  from  William  Fowler,  the  magistrate,  who  came  to 
America  in  1637,  and  who  was  one  of  the  leading  settlers  of  Milford. 
From  that  town  John  Fowler  moved  to  Guilford  in  1649,  marrying 
Mary  Hubbard,  of  Guilford  (daughter  of  George  Hubbard,  formerly 
of  Wethersfield),  and  in  his  new  home  became  a  man  of  note.  His 
son,  Abraham,  born  in  1652,  married  in  1677,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Deacon  George  Bartlett.  They  were  the  parents  of  Abraham  Fowler, 
Jr.,  born  in  1683.  The  elder  Abraham  Fowler  was  one  of  the  most 
important  men  of  the  town  in  his  day,  representing  it  in  the  general 
courts  and  serving  as  a  justice  until  his  death  in  1720.  The  last  eight 
years  of  his  life  he  was  a  member  of  the  governor's  council.  In 
1720  his  son,  Abraham  Fowler,  Jr.,  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Daniel  Hubbard,  Jr.,  and  their  youngest  child,  Noah,  was  born  in  1730. 
The  latter  married  Deborah  Pendleton,  daughter  of  Joshua  Pendleton, 
of  Stonington,  who  was  a  descendant  of  Andrew  Ward,  one  of  the  very 
first  settlers  of  Connecticut,  and  who  helped  to  found  that  plantation. 
She  also  descended  from  William  Spencer,  who  was  one  of  the  depu- 
ties of  the  new  colony  in  1639.  Noah  Fowler  became  a  large  land 
owner,  living  on  a  part  of  his  estate  in  Guilford,  near  the  Branford 
line.  His  revolutionary  service  was  very  honorable.  He  marched 
with  his  company,  as  its  captain,  to  the  relief  of  Boston  in  1775,  served 


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HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  71 

as  major  of  his  regiment  in  the  Long  Island  retreat  in  1776,  and  was 
on  the  coast  guard  many  times  during  the  war.  At  the  formation  of 
the  27th  Regiment  of  militia,  about  1780,  he  was  appointed  its  colonel. 

His  son,  Eli  Fowler,  maternal  grandfather  of  Henry  Rogers,  was 
born  April  1st,  1765,  and  in  1784  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
Hopson,  of  Guilford.  About  1790  he  settled  on  a»part  of  his  father's 
estate,  in  Branford,  which  he  occupied  until  his  death  in  1850.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  prominence  and  served  in  many  official  capacities. 
In  1797  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  and  was  re- 
turned to  that  body  17  times,  the  last  time  being  in  1819.  In  ISIS  he 
was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention;  in  1806  he  was  ap- 
pointed a  brigadier  general  of  Connecticut  Militia;  January  8th,  1814, 
he  was  commissioned  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  artillery  to  defend  the 
state  coast;  from  1816  until  his  death  he  was  a  deacon  of  the  Congre- 
gational church.  One  of  his  five  daughters,  Fanny,  born  April  24th, 
1789,  was  the  wife  of  Abraham  Rogers,  Jr.  She  was  a  most  excellent 
woman  and  was  held  in  great  esteem. 

Henry  Rogers,  her  youngest  son,  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead 
as  a  farmer,  living  there  and  following  that  occupation  until  1870, 
when  he  began  to  divide  his  land  into  building  lots,  and  his  former 
farm  is  now  covered  with  the  principal  part  of  the  village  of  Stony 
Creek.  He  was  also  active  in  the  introduction  of  the  present  system 
of  oyster  cultivation  at  Stony  Creek,  and  has  been  concerned  in  the 
development  of  those  celebrated  beds.  In  1851,  at  the  first  election  of 
the  people  for  that  office,  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  served 
until  1858.  In  1877  he  was  a  member  of  the  general  assembly  of  the 
state  and  has  held  numerous  minor  offices,  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
townsmen,  who  hold  his  worth  in  high  esteem. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  married  May  16th,  1849,  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
John  Townsend,  of  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.  The  only  child  by  this  union 
is  a  son,  Edward  Henry,  born  September  4th,  1854.  He  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1875  and  from  the  law  school  of  that  university  in  1877, 
and  is  now  a  successful  attorney  in  New  York  city. 

John  Rogers,  born  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Jarus  and  Fannie  (Frisby) 
Rogers,  and  grandson  of  Isaac  Rogers.  He  is  a  farmer.  He  was  se- 
lectman two  years.  He  married  Mary  C,  daughter  of  Peter  Winn. 
They  had  two  children:  Ida  O.  and  J.  Sumner,  both  deceased. 

Charles  H.  Wilford,  born  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Lucretia 
(Goodnow)  Wilford,  grandson  of  John  Augustus,  and  great-grandson 
of  John  Wilford.  Mr.  Wilford  is  an  iron  moulder  by  trade.  Since 
1874  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  butchering  business.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1866,  to  Hattie,  daughter  of  John  Grannis.  They  have  five 
children  living  and  have  lost  three. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  TOWN  OF  NORTH  BRANFORD. 

Location  and  Description. — Settlement  and  Settlers. — Civil  Organization. — General 
Industrial  Interests.— Bare  Plain.— North  Branford  Village.— Northford.—  Masonic 
Lodge. — Patrons  of  Husbandry. — Educational  Affairs. — North  Branford  Congrega- 
tional Church.— Northford  Congregational  Church.— The  "Enrolled"  Church. — 
Zion  (Protestant  Episcopal)  Church. — St.  Andrew's  (Protestant  Episcopal)  Church. 
—Bare  Plain  Union  Chapel.— Cemeteries.— Roster  of  Captain  Eells  Company  in  the 
Revolution. — Soldiers'  Monument. — Biographical  Sketches. 


IN  1831  the  "  North  Society  "  and  the  "  Northford  Society,"  in  the 
old  town  of  Branford,  were  formed  into  a  new  town,  with  the  name 
of  North  Branford.  It  is  about  five  and  a  half  miles  long  from 
north  to  south,  and  a  little  more  than  four  miles  wide.  The  Totoket 
mountain  extends  through  the  greater  part  of  it  from  northeast  to 
southwest,  causing  a  large  part  of  the  area  to  be  unfit  for  cultivation. 
Other  sections  are  hilly,  but  east  and  west  of  the  general  ranges  are 
some  pleasantly  located  and  fertile  lands,  which  have  been  well  im- 
proved. The  west  section  is  drained  by  Farm  river  and  its  affluent 
brooks.  The  former  is  the  outlet  of  Pistapaug  lake  and  affords  several 
small  but  good  water  powers.  In  East  Haven  this  stream  is  called 
Stony  river.  Along  it  are  some  pleasant  vales  and  meadow  lands. 
The  east  section  is  drained  by  Stony  creek  and  Branford  river,  both 
small  streams.  Agriculture  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  inhabitants 
and  the  town  has  had,  in  all  periods,  a  number  of  substantial  farmers. 
It  has  also  been  noted  for  the  sturdy,  self-reliant  nature  of  its  inhabi- 
tants, as  well  as  the  general  intelligence  which  characterized  them. 

Regarding  the  early  settlements  of  the  town,  the  Reverend  Elijah 
C.  Baldwin,  who  thoroughly  investigated  it,  said: 

"  It  seems  quite  clear  that  when  the  territory  Totoket  was  pur- 
chased of  the  Indians,  in  1638,  two  white  families  were  already  on  the 
ground.  One  was  Thomas  Mulliner,  who  claimed  as  his  a  large  tract 
in  Branford  Point  region.  The  other  was  Thomas  Whitway.  He  was 
living  in  the  vicinity  of  Foxon.  Both  were  identified  with  the  early 
settlement  of  North  Branford.  As  Whitway \s  settlement  was  within 
the  Branford  lines,  it  must  have  been  a  portion  of  the  region  since  and 
now  called  Bare  Plain.  The  New  Haven  purchasers,  before  selling  to 
the  Branford  settlers,  arranged  with  Mulliner  to  give  up  a  consider- 
able portion  of  his  claim.  Whitway  was  left  to  enjoy  peaceable  pos- 
session of  his,  partly  because  the  land  was   not  wanted  and  partly  be- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  73 

cause  he  made  himself  useful.  He  understood  the  Indian  language 
and  could  act  as  interpreter  on  occasion.  '  Nov.  11,  1644,  upon  com- 
plaint made  by  some  of  the  planters  of  Totoket,  that  the  Mohegan  In- 
dians have  done  much  damage  to  them  by  setting  their  traps  in  the 
walks  of  their  cattell,  itt  was  ordered  that  the  marshall  shall  goe  with 
Thomas  Whitway  to  warne  Uncus  or  his  brother,  or  else  Foxon  to 
come  and  speake  with  the  Governor  and  the  magestrat.es.'  The 
name  Foxon  shows  the  origin  of  the  designation  of  the  western  por- 
tion of  this  locality.  Whitway  went  with  the  marshal  to  interpret 
for  him  without  doubt.  Thomas  Whitway  died  on  December  12th, 
1651.  His  lands  were  reclaimed  by  the  town  because  he  seems  to 
have  left  no  heirs  to  continue  in  possession  of  them.  Other  parties 
beginning  to  occupy  them,  the  town  in  1695  took  measures  before  the 
court  to  keep  them  off,  E.  Stent  and  John  Rose  to  enter  caveat  upon 
such  lands  at  a  special  court  at  New  Haven  April  23d,  1695. 

"  Thomas  Mulliner  also  died  in  due  time,  but  his  son,  Thomas,  who 
was  his  sole  heir,  so  far  as  known,  was  living  in  1691.  That  year  it  is 
on  record  that  Thomas  Mulliner  and  his  wife,  Martha,  give  up  all 
other  claims  to  land,  and  are  given  200  acres  of  land  in  the  extreme 
northwest  corner  of  the  town.  This  was  a  piece  almost  square, 
bounded  by  New  Haven  and  Wallingford.  In  1714,  December  25th, 
Horseman  Mulliner  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  sell  to  Nathaniel  Johnson 
the  200  acres.  The  Mulliners  moved  then  to  Westchester  county,  New 
York,  and  no  more  appear  in  Branford  history. 

"  In  1687,  March  4,  John  Rosewell,  Samuel  Hoadley,  Joseph  Foot, 
Josiah  Frisbie,  William  Barker,  John  Maltbie*  and  Isaac  Bartholomew 
were  granted  a  parcel  of  land  one  mile  square  in  the  western  and 
northerly  part  of  the  town.  That  grant  must  have  included  much  of 
the  land  in  the  district  of  Bare  Plain.  The  conditions  were  that  each 
man  was  to  build  a  habitable  house  and  settle  on  his  land  within  three 
years.  If  any  failed  to  do  this  they  could  not  hold  the  property. 
These  were  young  men  starting  out  to  secure  homes  for  themselves. 
There  is  much  reason  to  believe  that  Foote,  Maltbie,  Hoadley,  Frisbie 
and  Bartholomew  did  settle  on  these  lands."  They  were  thus  the 
founders  of  families  that  have  ever  since  been  in  North  Branford. 

"Josiah  Frisbie  was  the  son  of  Edward  Frisbie.  John  Maultbie  was 
probably  the  son  of  William  Maultbie,  and  Joseph  Foote  was  the  son 
of  Robert  Foote.  Samuel  Hoadley  was  probably  the  son  of  William 
Hoadley,  who  was,  August  25th,  1697,  granted  the  privilege  of  setting 
up  a  saw  mill  on  Stony  river  (Farm  river),  if  he  would  agree  to  sell 
boards  at  five  shillings,  and  not  take  more  than  half  a  log  to  pay  for 
sawing  it.  William  Maultbie  was  a  justice  and  magistrate  in  the  town. 
September  28th,  1699,  he  was  granted  the  liberty  to  retail  'rhum.' 
March  21st,  1700,  John  Maultbie  removes  to  New  London,  and  sells  to 
his  father  William. 

*Also  spelled  Maultbie. 


74  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  Captain  Jonathan  Rose,  son  of  Robert  Rose,  built  a  house  near 
Hop- Yard  Plain  before  A700."  His  father  was  one  of  the  Branford 
original  proprietors.  There  is  a  tradition  "  that  Robert  Rose  owned 
ten  cows  and  sixty  horses;  also,  that  the  Sunday  '  milking  '  was  always 
given  to  the  poor.  The  Bible  he  brought  with  him  from  England, 
printed  in  1599,  is  still  extant.  It  has  been,  in  its  time,  the  property 
of  three  or  four  deacons  of  the  Rose  family."  Colonel  George  Rose, 
prominent  in  the  later  affairs  of  the  town,  who  died  in  18S4,  was  a 
descendant. 

"Bare  Plain  was  settled  by  Frisbie,  Hoadley  and  others  before  1700. 
John  Linsley  and  Bartholomew  Goodrich  were  among  the  earliest  and 
largest  owners  of  North  Branford  lands.  Ensign  Isaac  Harrison  and 
Eleazer  Stent  drew  lands  on  others'  rights,  which  they  had  bought, 
and  thus  were  early  owners.  June  6th,  1700,  John  Coley,  of  New  Lon- 
don, a  grandson  of  John  Linsley,  of  Branford,  sells  a  Bare  Plain  farm 
to  John  Barnes.  It  was  land  on  which  the  new  chapel  is  now  built. 
The  Barnes  house  stood  out  in  the  middle  of  this  farm  lot,  south  of 
the  present  chapel.  This  John  Barnes  gets  liberty  from  the  town, 
October  26th,  1702,  to  build  a  Sabbath  day  house  on  the  common  at 
Branford  Center.  Other  families  were  rapidly  pushing  up  to  settle 
in  the  northern  half  of  Branford  territory.  Hence  there  was  a  ne- 
cessity of  another  division  of  lands."  It  was  completed  March  9th, 
1703. 

:'  This  was  the  fourth  proprietor's  division  and  a  long  step  toward 
equalizing  rights.  It  disposed  of  most  of  the  lands  now  in  North 
Branford.  It  also  confirmed  the  titles  of  several  who  were  already  in 
possession.  There  were  fourteen  different  parcels.  A  roughly  drawn 
map  of  this  division  is  to  be  found  upon  the  223d  page  of  the  2d  vol- 
ume of  Branford  town  records.  Along  the  Wallingford  line,  from  west 
to  east,  were  Thomas  Mulliner,  Thomas  Wheadon  and  Ensign  Harri- 
son, who  drew  for  William  Hoadley. 

"  The  next  range  below,  from  west  to  east,  was  drawn  by  Josiah 
Frisbie  for  Samuel  Frisbie,  Eleazer  Stent  for  the  Rosewell  family, 
John  Linsley  for  Bartholomew  Goodrich.  Below  Rosewell  was  Wil- 
liam Hoodly  again.  The  eastern  tier  extending  from  boundary  of 
present  Northfield  Society  to  Guilford  road  at  Paved  street  comprised 
the  particles  of  Jonathan  Rose,  Micah  Palmer,  Samuel  Pond  and 
Thomas  Gutsell.  Next  west  was  a  tier  assigned  to  John  Rose,  Noah 
Rogers  and  William  Maultbie.  Still  another  tier  west  was  set  to  Mr. 
Maultbie,  Nathaniel  Foote,  Josiah  Frisbie  and  William  Barker  for 
Thomas  Sargeant." 

Concerning  the  Northford  section,  the  Reverend  A.  C.  Pierce  said 
in  his  historical  sermon,  in  1876  : 

"  With  respect  to  the  precise  time  of  settlement,  it  is  not  easy  now 
to  determine  it  with  absolute  certainty;  but  from  the  earliest  dates  to 
be  found  upon  the  tombstones  in  your  cemetery,  and  from  some  other 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  75  • 

evidence,  traditional  and  otherwise,  of  which  I  have  been  able  to 
avail  myself,!  have  judged  that  this  must  have  taken  place  not  far 
from  the  year  1720.  The  tradition  is,  that  various  individuals  from 
the  town  of  Branford,  to  which  the  parish  then  belonged,  in  the  pur- 
suit of  a  larger  success  in  their  industry,  and  with  something  of  that 
roving  and  adventurous  spirit  which  has  ever  characterized  the  people 
of  our  New  England  towns,  and  which  has  so  rapidly  peopled  the 
broad  West,  were  accustomed  to  leave  their  homes  in  the  opening 
spring  with  their  provisions  and  implements  of  husbandry  for  a  sort 
of  backwoods  life  through  the  summer  months,  occupying  "clearings" 
at  the  base  of  your  mountain  range,  from  which  they  gathered  ample 
crops,  returning  again  by  their  woods'  path  with  the  approach  of  win- 
ter to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  summer  absence,  in  the  bosom  of  their 
families. 

"The  first  encampments  of  these  Branford  laborers,  it  is  said,  were 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  near  the  dwelling  long  occupied  by  Dea- 
con Ralph  Linsley — the  place  of  these  encampments,  determined,  per- 
haps, by  the  fact  that  there  the  laborers  were  well  sheltered  by  the 
high  bluff  from  southern  and  easterly  winds,  and  that  there  they  might 
avail  themselves  of  pure  and  abundant  supplies  of  water  from  a  never- 
failing  spring,  still  held  in  high  esteem. 

"  But  evidently  this  migratory  sort  of  life  could  not  long  continue, 
and  arrangements  for  a  continuous  residence  in  the  Northford  '  clear- 
ing  '  must  have  been  shortly  made.  Near  the  fountain  already  alluded 
to,  a  cellar,  filled  in  by  the  plowshare  but  a  few  years  ago,  was  pointed 
out  as  the  probable  site  of  the  first  permanent  dwelling,  or  rather,  I 
should  say,  the  first  erected  and  occupied  by  the  white  men,  for  in  this 
immediate  vicinity  and  along  side  the  pelucid  stream  above  were 
numerous  wigwams  of  the  Indians,  two  or  three  of  which  were  inhab- 
ited  by  their  dusky  owners  within  the  memory  of  those  who  were  the 
oldest  residents  of  the  parish  when  my  own  ministry  here  began." 

These  young  men  were  the  descendants  of  the  following  early" set- 
tlers of  the  old  town  of  Branford:  Michael  Taintor,  Robert  Foote,  Peter 
Tyler,  John  Rogers,  John  Linsley,  John  Frisbie,  William  Maltby, 
Francis  Linsley,  Edward  Frisbie,  Thomas  Harrison,William  Hoadley, 
John  Taintor,  William  Bartholomew.  They  were  soon  after  joined  by 
families  bearing  the  names  of  Cook,  Harrington,  Barnes,  Baldwin, 
Todd,  Munson  and  Rose.  In  most  instances  these  names  are  still  per- 
petuated by  the  present  inhabitants,  and  around  them  clusters  most 
of  the  history  of  the  parish.  Among  later  prominent  settlers  here 
were  the  Smiths,  Fowlers,  Williams,  Elliotts,  Beaches  and  Whitneys— 
all  good  types  of  true  New  England  citizens. 

Like  in  most  of  the  inland  hill  towns  of  the  state,  the  population 
has,  in  the  last  half  century,  decreased  instead  of  increased.  In  1880 
there  were  1,025  inhabitants;  in  1890  there  were  two  hundred  inhabi- 
tants less,  but  the  grand  list  was  about  the  same  as  in  1880. 


76  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  North  Branford  people  began  to  ask  to  be  a  separate  town 
soon  after  the  revolutionary  war,  in  which  they  had  taken  a  very  ac- 
tive part.  In  1799  they  asked  the  legislature  to  help  them  to  this. 
The  town  strongly  opposed  the  effort.  For  a  time  town  meetings 
were  held  alternately  in  the  two  societies.  April  22d,  1751,  meetings 
were  held  at  Hopyard  Plain  to  do  business  for  both  societies.  Sep- 
tember 21st,  1790 — Voted  to  hold  future  town  meetings  at  First  So- 
ciety's meeting  house. 

North  Branford  was  finally  organized  as  a  town  under  the  terms  of 
an  act  passed  by  the  May  (1831)  session  of  the  general  assembly.  The 
first  town  election  was  held  at  the  Congregational  meeting  house,  in 
North  Branford  village,  June  13th,  1831,  Benjamin  Page  acting  as  the 
clerk,  and  was  chosen  to  that  office  and  treasurer.  Jesse  Linsley,  Sam- 
uel Bartholomew  and  Eleazer  Harrison  were  chosen  selectmen. 
Luther  Chidsey,  Timothy  R.  Palmer,  L.  Talmadge,  Gideon  Baldwin, 
De  Grosse  Fowler  and  Wyllys  Linsey  were  chosen  tythingmen.  The 
highway  districts  were  altered  and  placed  in  charge  of  John  Maltby, 
Jonathan  Rose,  2d,  Timothy  Bartholomew,  Jr.,  Richard  Linsley,  Jared 
Potter,  Rufus  Rogers,  2d,  Levi  Rose,  Jr.  It  was  voted  to  hold  the 
meetings  alternately  in  the  North  Branford  Society  and  in  the  North- 
ford  Society. 

At  the  next  regular  meeting  Rufus  Rogers,  2d,  Ralph  Linsley  and 
Samuel  Foote  were  chosen  as  a  board  of  relief. 

The  town  clerks  since  the  organization  of  the  town  have  been  the 
following:  1831,  Benjamin  Page;  1832,  Joseph  Munroe;  1833,  John 
Linsley;  1834,  Ralph  Linsley;  1835-43,  Benjamin  Page,  Jr.;  1844,  Wil- 
liam M.  Fowler;  1845-9,  Francis  C.  Bartholomew;  1850-63,  Benjamin 
Page,  Jr.;  1864-70,  T.  Russell  Palmer;  1871,  Charles  Page. 

In  the  same  period  the  first  selectmen  have  been:  1831,  Captain 
Jesse  Linsley;  1832,  John  Rose,  2d;  1833,  Timothy  Bartholomew;  1834, 
Walter  R.  Foote;  1835,  Jesse  Linsley;  1836-7,  Chauncey  Linsley;  1838, 
Walter  R.  Foote;  1839-41,  George  Rose;  1842,  Samuel  Rose;  1843, 
George  Rose;  1844,  Timothy  Bartholomew;  1845-6,  Walter  R.  Foote; 
1847,  Langdon  Harrison;  1848-9,  Levi  Talmadge;  1850,  Whitney  El- 
liott; 1851-2,  Judson  Page;  1853-4,  Prelate  Dernick;  1855-7,  George 
Rose;  1858-9,  Charles  Todd;  1860-2,  George  Rose;  1863,  William  D. 
Ford;  1864,  George  Rose;  1865-7,  Martin  C.  Bishop;  1868,  George 
Rose:  1869-70,  Martin  C.  Bishop;  1871-7,  Alden  H.  Hill;  1878-81, 
George  Rose;  1882,  Alden  H.  Hill;  1883-4,  Herbert  O.  Page;  1885, 
William  D.  Ford;  1886,  Isaac  B.  Linsley;  1887,  Alden  H.  Hill;  1888-90, 
Herbert  O.  Page. 

The  town  meetings  continue  to  be  held  alternately  in  the  first 
and  the  second  societies,  the  basement  of  the  meeting  house  being 
rented  for  that  purpose.  All  manner  of  accounts  are  also  kept  sep- 
arately under  the  heads  of  these  societies.  No  public  buildings  are 
owned  by  the  town.     The  yearly  expenditures  of  the  town  are  more 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  77 

than  $7,000,  about  $1,800  of  which  is  applied  to  the  maintenance  of 
schools.  About  $2,100  is  expended  annually  on  roads  and  bridges, 
and  the  highways  are  in  fair  condition.  For  many  years  the  roads  of 
the  town  were  mere  pathways.  The  highway  to  North  Guilford  was 
not  located  until  after  1745.  One  of  the  earliest  and  best  roads  is 
that  connecting  Northford  and  North  Branford  villages.  The  town 
has  no  railway,  but  Northford  station,  on  the  Air  Line  railroad,  in 
North  Haven,  affords  the  necessary  facilities  of  that  nature  a  few  miles 
from  Northford. 

"Among  the  earliest  interests  of  North  Branford,  besides  farming, 
were  fulling  mills  and  barkers'  mills,  in  which  cloth  was  shrunk  and 
cleaned  and  hides  were  tanned.  In  1734  Edward  Petty  was  permitted 
to  set  up  both  a  saw  mill  and  fulling  mill  on  the  river  not  far  from 
the  center.  In  1742  Barnabus  Woodcock  had  both  fulling  mill  and 
barkers'  mill  on  Long  Hill.  He  soon  sold  to  James  Burwell.  In  1744 
James  Burwell  was  given  liberty  to  set  up  fulling  mill  on  the  river, 
just  south  of  the  North  Branford  church." 

In  the  Connecticut  Journal  of  November  25th,  1801,  appeared  the 
following  advertisement  of  a  fulling  mill  in  this  town: 

"John   Maltby 

Informs  his  Customers  and  others,  as  water  is  scarce  among  the  Clothiers,  he  has 

a  good  supply  of  water,  and  dresses  cloth  in  the  neatest  order,  that  he  is  in  want 

of  what  is  called  Cash,  for  which  he  will  dress  cloth  on  the  shortest  notice. 

■  He  lives  in  Northford,  a  place  called  Pog, 

North  from  Branford,  along  as  you'd  Jog. 

"  Two  years  before  this,  Calvin  Mansfield,  who  had  removed  from 
Northford  to  North  Haven,  advertised  a  new  mill  there.  John  Maltby, 
who  had  bought  the  old  works  at  Branford,  writes:  '  Messers  Printers, 
I  saw  in  vour  paper,  No.  1665,  a  pompous  advertisement  of  one  Calvin 
Mansfield,  of  North  Haven,  setting  forth  a  plurality  of  clothiers'  works. 
That  gentleman  seemeth  to  be  very  fond  of  showing  his  name  in  the 
public  prints.  I  believe  he  never  owned  clothier's  works  anywhere;  I 
am  certain  that  the  clothier's  shop  and  tools  which  he  advertises  for 
sale  is  not  his,  but  the  property  of  the  subscriber,  and  it  is  not  for 
sale.  I  should  not  have  noticed  the  imposition  so  much  as  to  put 
pen  to  paper  had  I  been  alone  concerned.  But  this  trouble  I  give  my- 
self to  undeceive  the  public.  John  Maltby,  Northford,  in  Branford, 
Oct.  1st,  1799.' 

"  This  letter  called  out  Mansfield's  reply,  which  is  a  specimen  of  the 
amenities  of  discussion  then  prevailing:  '  Messers  Printers:  If  my 
optics  did  not  fail  I  saw  in  your  Journal,  No.  1666,  a  scurvy  publication 
of  a  certain  John  Maltby.  of  Northford.  This  Maltby,  I  fancy,  thinks 
it  a  pretty  novelty  to  publish  his  name  also,  and  that  in  opposition  to 
his  betters;— children  and  fools  have  sometimes  doubtless  spoken  the 
truth,  but  Maltby  appears  to  me  an  exception  to  this  general  rule.  I 
shall  not  enlarge,  but  observe  simply  that  the  clothier's  works  which 


78  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

I  advertised  in  your  paper,  No.  1665,  are  in  fact  Foot's  and  my  prop- 
erty, and  for  sale  with  an  indisputable  title.  The  public  will  need  no 
further  conviction  than  to  come  and  see  the  records  and  the  subscriber. 
I  shall  not  make  another  reply  to  any  stuff  of  Maltby's,  but  subscribe 
myself  the  public's  most  obedient  servant,  Calvin  Mansfield,  North 
Haven,  Oct.  7th.  1799.'  "* 

Mansfield  was  eccentric,  but  had  a  genius  for  invention,  and  his 
sons,  Sherlock  and  Hiram,  were  pioneer  manufacturers  of  wooden 
buttons  and  combs,  near  the  village  of  Northford.  John  Maltby  also 
carried  on  a  large  cooperage,  the  products  being  carted  to  Fair  Haven. 
The  clothing  works  were  last  operated  by  Henry  De  Wolf,  and  the  site 
is  now  used  by  William  M.  Foote  for  the  manufacture  of  carriage  wood 
parts. 

Fifty  years  ago  this  little  Farm  river  began  to  be  much  used  to  fur- 
nish the  power  needed  to  carry  on  the  industries  devised  by  some 
of  the  citizens  of  Northford,  there  being  here  an  unusual  amount 
of  inventive  ability  put  to  practical  use.  Maltby  Fowler  was,  next  to 
Mansfield,  one  of  the  first  of  these  Northford  inventors.  He  produced 
machinery  for  making  metal  buttons,  combs,  spoons,  gimlets  and  pins. 
The  machine  for  making  the  latter  articles  was  one  of  the  first  of  the 
kind  in  this  country,  and  was  sold  to  Waterbury  parties  when  pin 
making  was  there  begun.  The  sons  of  Maltby  Fowler — William, 
■  George,  De  Grosse,  Horace,  Frederick  and  Thaddeus — also  had  me- 
chanical ability,  and  most  of  them  invented  useful  and  meritorious 
articles.  All  are  deceased.  About  1840  Horace  Fowler  invented  a 
machine  for  embossing  silk.  Thaddeus  Fowler  was  one  of  the  most 
successful  inventors  of  this  family.  He  made  a  very  satisfactory  pin 
machine,  which  was  used  about  five  years  at  Northford,  in  the  old 
Maltby  mill  building,  by  the  United  States  Pin  Company,  when  the 
interest  was  transferred  to  Seymour,  of  which  place  Thaddeus  Fowler 
became  a  citizen. 

Frederick  Fowler  invented  a  machine  for  rolling  brass  lamp  and 
household  goods,  and  in  company  with  F.  C.  Bartholomew,  Isaac  H. 
Bartholomew  and  others,  formed  the  Northford  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, which  was  organized  in  April,  1854.  They  occupied  large  shops, 
supplementing  the  water  power  with  steam,  and  successfully  operated 
about  thirty  years.  Large  quantities  of  tin,  japanned  and  household 
goods  were  manufactured  and  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Operations  were  last  carried  on  by  F.  C.  Bartholomew,  but  for  several 
years  the  shops  have  been  idle. 

The  Fowlers  and  Bartholomews,  as  the  Northford  Hook  &  Eye 
Company,  made  those  articles  several  years,  and  later  manufactured 
rivets,  but  sold  the  machinery  to  parties  in  Chicago.  About  1855 
Isaac  H.  Bartholomew  and  Frederick  Fowler  invented  a  machine  for 
perforating  tinware,  which  was  a  very  useful  device.  In  recent  years 
♦Reverend  E.  C.  Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  79 

the  former  and  his  sons,  Edward  and  George  G.  Bartholomew,  engaged 
in  the  invention  and  manufacture  of  devices  for  electrical  liehtinsr, 
occupying  a  part  of  the  old  hook  and  eye  factory.  Dynamos  and  other 
appliances  are  made. 

At  Northford  David  S.  Stevens  and  others  formerly  manufactured 
iron  and  steel  plated  spoons,  the  industry  giving  work  to  about  thirty 
persons,  but  after  twenty  years  it  was  allowed  to  go  down  and  the 
buildings  have  been  left  in  a  state  of  decay.  On  another  site,  on  Farm 
river,  E.  C.  Maltby  manufactured  wooden  goods,  such  as  buttons, 
spoons,  etc.,  but  later  successfully  engaged  in  the  process  of  manu- 
facturing dessicated  cocoanut  goods.  The  latter  works  became  exten- 
sive, about  forty  persons  being  employed.  This  industry  was  re- 
moved to  Shelton,  and  the  buildings  are  now  occupied  by  the  exten- 
sive card  printing  and  novelty  business  of  D.  S.  Stevens,  Jr.,  which 
is  one  of  the  chief  occupations  in  the  town.  Until  September,  1890, 
the  works  were  owned  by  the  Stevens  Brothers  (H.  M.  &  D.  S.),  when 
the  former  removed  to  Wallingford. 

At  Northford  a  modern  creamery  has  become  a  recent  and  success- 
ful industry.     The  milk  of  300  cows  is  consumed. 

On  Farm  river,  at  Bare  Plain,  the  Rogers  mills  have  been  operated 
the  best  part  of  two  hundred  years.  Samuel  A.  Rogers  was  the  last 
of  that  family  to  own  them,  the  proprietor  since  1880  being  Charles 
Page.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Branford  village  lumber  mills  were 
run  by  Joshua  Rose,  Charles  Todd,  the  Partridge  family  and 
the  Foote  family.  At  the  latter  site  Samuel  Foote  had  a  carding 
mill,  in  which  members  of  the  Linsley  family  were  also  interested. 
A  small  grist  mill,  by  Samuel  Foote,  is  now  kept  at  that  place.  At 
the  next  site  below  the  milling  interests  were  controlled  in  1890  by 
Alden  H.  Hill,  who  was  largely  engaged  in  getting  out  ship  timber 
for  the  builders  at  Fair  Haven.  For  a  short  time  Edward  A.  Lins- 
ley had  a  small  forge  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  town,  where  he 
wrought  axes  of  a  good  quality. 

Bare  Plain  is  a  general  name  applied  to  the  level  tract  of  land  a 
little  north  of  the  southwest  'section  of  the  town.  When  the  whites 
came  there  was  but  a  scant  growth  of  trees  in  that  locality,  hence  the 
name.  Here  was  begun  the  first  mercantile  business  in  the  town, 
according  to  the  account  of  Mr.  Baldwin: 

"  The  first  and  only  store  in  those  days  for  the  northern  farmers 
was  kept  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Mr.  Marquand,  half  way  up  the 
hill,  above  James  Linsley 's,  at  Bare  Plain.  There  were  several  Frisbie 
families  living  in  that  vicinity,  and  one  of  them  kept  the  store." 

At  a  later  period,  on  the  old  New  Haven  road,  Colonel  Thaddeus 
Harrison  had  a  very  popular  country  tavern;  this  is  now  the  farm 
house  of  his  son,  Jerome  Harrison.  In  this  section  Doctor  Increase 
Harrison  practiced  medicine  half  a  century  ago,  and  Doctor  Jacob 
Linsley  was  located  here  at  a  later  period. 


80  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  1880  a  chapel  was  built  at  Bare  Plain,  and  in  1889  a  post  office  was 
opened  near  by,  with  the  name  of  Totoket.  A.  J.  Smith  is  the  post- 
master. A  daily  mail,  by  stage  from  New  Haven,  is  supplied.  Here 
are  also  the  card  works  of  H.  D.  Bartholomew  and  A.  J.  Smith,  and 
several  mechanic  shops  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  complete  the 
hamlet. 

North  Branford  village  was  the  next  business  point  of  the  town. 
It  has  a  pleasant  location,  five  miles  from  Branford  village,  and  about 
nine  miles  from  New  Haven.  There  are  several  dozen  buildings,  in- 
cluding two  stores,  shops,  a  fine  new  school  house  and  Congregational 
and  Episcopal  houses  of  worship.  The  card  works  of  C.  W.  Barker 
the  past  seven  years  is  a  thriving  industry. 

This  was  formerly  more  of  a  business  place  than  at  present,  the 
"  Totoket  Store  "  having  a  large  trade  when  Russell  Clark  occupied 
it.  Since  1882  Ralph  Beers  has  been  the  occupant,  and  was  the  post- 
master in  1890.  Preceding  him  were,  as  postmasters,  C.  W.  Barker, 
Albert  Piatt,  Russell  Clark  and  Jasper  Monroe,  the  latter  merchandis- 
ing in  the  village  about  1840.  At  the  post  office  is  kept  a  small  pub- 
lic library,  established  in  1889,  which  is  controlled  by  the  North  Bran- 
ford Library  Association.  Reverend  Franklin  Countryman  is  the  gen- 
eral manager. 

Doctor  Sheldon  Beardsley  lived  here  a  number  of  years,  following 
his  profession  until  his  death.  After  a  time  Doctor  Edward  A.  Ward 
was  located,  and  skillfully  served  the  wants  of  the  sick.  Doctor  Wel- 
lington Campbell  remained  a  few  years;  and  Doctor  H.  O.  Brown,  who 
removed  in  1889,  was  the  last  located  practitioner. 

Public  houses  were  formerly  kept  by  Philo  and  Nathan  Harrison. 
Since  1852  there  has  been  little  demand  for  such  accommodations. 

Northford  is  near  the  north  line  of  the  town,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Totoket  mountain,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  Farm  river.  For 
many  years  it  was  known  by  the  Indian  name  Paug.  There  are  an 
Episcopal  church  and  an  attractive  brown  stone  meeting  house,  be- 
longing to  the  Congregational  society;  a  good  Masonic  Lodge,  several 
factories,  and  about  a  dozen  fine  residences.  The  place  has  long  been 
known  as  one  of  the  most  thrifty  of  its  size  in  the  state,  and  is  also 
one  of  the  most  intelligent  communities  in  the  county.  The  removal 
of  several  industries  has  diminished  the  population  and  relative  influ- 
ence of  the  place. 

In  1827  Augustus  Tyler  was  the  postmaster  of  the  Northford  office, 
and  the  income  was  $42.02.  Malachi  Cook  next  held  the  office  at  his 
store,  north  of  the  churches,  where  it  was  kept  in  1841  by  Timothy 
Bartholomew.  William  Evarts  was  an  innkeeper,  and  also  kept  the 
post  office.  Henry  C.  Hart  was  long  in  charge.  Thomas  A.  Smith 
came  next,  at  the  same  stand,  and  since  March,  1889,  Henry  N.  Pardee 
has  been  the  postmaster.     For  many  years  it  was  a  second-class  presi- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  81 

deritial  office,  being  now  in   the  third  class.     Several  mails  per  day 
are  supplied  from  Northford  station,  distant  two  and  a  half  miles. 

Reuben  Harrison  had  a  store  fifty  years  ago,  one  mile  north  of  the 
churches,  where  Lorenzo  E.  Harrison  had  a  fruit  distillery  at  a  later 
day.  In  the  same  locality  Doctor  Joseph  Foote  was  a  medical  practi- 
tioner many  years.  A  Doctor  Baldwin  practiced  later,  but  the  past 
two  years  the  town  has  not  had  a  resident  physician. 

Corinthian  Lodge.  No.  103,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  instituted  at  Northford 
in  1868,  with  the  following  as  charter  members  :  John  M.  Page  (first 
master),  Milo  A.  Todd,  Thomas  A.  Smith,  R.  N.  Augur,  John  H.  Mans- 
field, Edgar  F.  Eaton,  Philo  Williams,  J.  H.  Bartholomew,  F.  C.  Bar- 
tholomew. Considering  its  limited  jurisdiction,  the  Lodge  has  pros- 
pered very  much,  and  had,  in  1890,  72  members,  with  T.  F.  Barnes, 
master;  E.  F.  Eaton,  secretary;  S.  M.  Foote,  treasurer;  J.  A.  Smith, 
senior  warden;  and  J.  H.  Baldwin,  junior  warden.  The  intermediate 
past  masters  have  been:  L.  Peet  Tuttle,  Henry  N.  Pardee,  Guernsey 
B.  Smith,  T.  F.  Barnes,  A.  L.  Dayton,  E.  F.  Eaton,  Urban  T.  Harrison, 
S.  M.  Foote  and  John  P.  Potter. 

In  1870  the  meetings  of  the  Lodge  were  convened  in  Association 
Hall,  at  Northford,  built  that  year  by  a  company  organized  for  that 
purpose.  This  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  summer  of  1878,  and  many 
of  the  Lodge  records  were  also  burned.  The  hall  was  rebuilt  the  same 
year,  and  is  still  in  use.  It  is  a  three-story  edifice,  the  first  being  used 
as  a  store,  the  second  as  a  public  hall,  and  in  the  third  is  the  finely 
furnished  Masonic  hall. 

In  this  hall  are  held  the  meetings  of  Northford  Grange,  No.  80,  P. 
of  H.,  which  is  well  supported.  Totoket  Grange,  No.  83,  holds  its 
meetings  in  Totoket  Hall.  Both  bodies  are  doing  a  good  educational 
work  in  their  respective  localities.  Of  the  former  Dwight  M.  Foote 
was  the  master  in  1890,  and  Charles  Linsley  of  the  latter. 

Foxon  Grange,  No.  84,  in  the  northern  part  of  East  Haven,  also 
draws  upon  North  Branford  for  some  of  its  membership.  At  this  time 
Charles  W.  Granniss  was  the  master. 

This  part  of  Branford  shared  the  interest  of  the  old  town  in  the 
cause  of  education,  and  soon  after  the  North  Parish  was  established 
provision  was  made  for  schools. 

"  Nov.  5,  1736 — Town  vote  to  build  a  school  house  near  Edward 
Frisbie's  on  the  country  road. 

"  March  29,  1732— Gave  40  acres  for  school  lands  in  No.  B. 
"  1734— Laid    out  60  acres  on    farther   Great    Hill  for  school  for 
No.  B. 

"  1760 — Grant  school  to  people  of  Bare  Plain. 

"  1760,  May  30 — Grant  to  people  of  north  of  Great  Hill  money  for 
school." 

In  the  Northford  parish,  too,  arrangements  were  made  for  schools 
soon  after  the  machinery  of  the  parish  was  gotten  into  operation. 
6 


82  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"At  first,  and  until  1752,  the  entire  parish  was  comprised  in  a  single 
school  district.  A  division  was  then  effected,  creating  one  district 
north  and  one  south  of  the  meeting  house.  Three  years  after,  in  1755, 
a  third  district  was  organized,  and  still  a  fourth  in  1769,  these  arrange- 
ments all  being  made,  and  common  school  education  supervised— not 
by  the  town,  as  now,  but  by  the  Ecclesiastical  Society." 

A  deep  interest  was  taken  in  these  primary  schools,  and  although 
there  have  not  been  any  academies  or  schools  of  higher  order  to  which 
the  youth  of  Northford  might  readily  resort,  the  thirst  for  knowledge 
was  so  keen  that  many  acquired  an  education  in  colleges  and  profes- 
sional schools  elsewhere. 

"  Few  parishes  in  the  state,  and  perhaps  none  of  equal  population, 
have  given  to  the  world  so  large  a  number  of  liberally  educated  men 
— so  goodlv  a  number  of  emigrant  sons,  who  have  served  their  gener- 
ation in  the  varied  fields  of  professional  labor — as  Northford,  and  of 
these  it  is  she  speaks  with  something  of  the  honest  exultation  of  the 
noble  Roman  mother,  who  pointed  to  her  sons  as  they  returned  from 
the  public  schools,  saying,  'These  are  my  jewels.'  Of  these  sons,  31, 
so  far  as  I  am  informed,  have  been  graduated  at  Yale  College. 

"  The  legal  profession  has  been  represented  by  four  Northford 
men,  as  follows;  Noah  Linsley,  Douglas  Fowler,  George  Hoadley  and 
Gustavus  R.  Elliott. 

"  Nineteen  at  least  have  borne,  and  for  the  most  part  honored,  the 
diplomas  of  the  medical  schools.  I  give  their  names  without  any  at- 
tention to  their  arrangement  in  chronological  order:  Doctors  Malachi 
Foote,  William  Foote,  Salmon  Frisbie,  —  -  Auger,  Stephen  Todd, 
Jehiel  Hoadley,  Augustus  Williams,  Joseph  Foote,  Lyman  Cook,  Har- 
vey Elliot, William  Baldwin,  Chauncey  Foote,  Jared  Linsley,  Benjamin 
F.  Harrison,  D.  A.  Tyler,  Benjamin  Fowler,  Anson  Foote,  Elizur 
Beach  and  John  Linsley. 

"Sixteen  have  entered  the  ministerial  profession.  Their  names 
are  as  follows :  Reverends  Medad  Rogers,  Lemuel  Tyler,  Jonathan 
Maltby,  Mr.  Rose,  L.  Ives  Hoadley,  Isaac  Maltby,  Oliver  D.  Cook,  Eli 
Smith,  Samuel  Whitney,  James  H.  Linsley,  John  Maltby,  Erastus 
Maltby,  Benjamin  S.  J.  Page,  Harvey  Linsley,  L.  S.  Hough  and  Ste- 
phen C.  Loper. 

"Thus  39  have  represented  the  parish  in  the  three  leading  profes- 
sions. In  this  connection  mention  should  be  made  of  Reverend  Al- 
bert Barnes,  author  of  '  Barnes'  Notes,'  etc.,  who,  though  not  born  here, 
was  of  Northford  parentage  ;  his  father,  Rufus  Barnes,  and  mother, 
Anne  Frisbie,  were  natives,  and  lived  here  until  their  marriage,  when 
they  removed  to  New  York  state.  And  also  of  the  two  female  mission- 
aries whose  early  homes  were  here— Mrs.  Epaphras  Chapman,  mission- 
ary among  the  Indians,  and  Mrs.  Dwight  Baldwin,  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands. 

"  Reverends  Samuel  Whitney  and  Eli  Smith,  already  mentioned, 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  83 

were  also  prominently  engaged  in  missionary  labor,  the  one  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  the  other  in  Syria."* 

At  North  Branford  village  a  very  neat  school  house  was  completed 
in  the  fall  of  1SS9,  and  was  first  occupied  December  30th,  that  year. 
It  has  56  sittings  and  cost  $1,400.  The  character  of  school  buildings 
in  other  localities  is  also  being  improved. 

Many  learned  men  claim  the  old  "North  Parish"  as  their  home  or 
birthplace.  Miss  Martha  Russell,  a  native  of  Bare  Plain,  is  an  author- 
ess whose  works  of  fiction  are  read  by  many  admirers  of  her  talent. 

The  religious  interests  of  the  town  embrace  two  Congregational 
and  two  Episcopal  churches  and  a  Union  chapel  at  Bare  Plain.  Con- 
cerning the  early  religious  history  of  the  town,  the  Reverend  Elijah 
C.  Baldwin  said,  in  his  "  Annals  of  Branford  ": 

"  For  a  number  of  years  the  '  North  Farmers,'  as  they  were  called, 
came  to  meeting  at  Branford,  and  were  under  the  ministrations  of 
Reverend  Samuel  Russell.  As  there  were  but  few  roads,  and  those 
poor,  and  the  people  had  no  carriages,  the  journey  was  slow  and 
difficult.  It  was  made  on  foot  or  on  horseback,  along  the  poorly- 
made  paths,  through  forests  and  swamps.  But  the  word  of  God 
and  the  privileges  of  the  sanctuary  were  prized  in  those  days.  The 
journey  took  them  all  day.  The  whole  family  went,  carrying  their 
wood,  also  weapons  for  defense,  hence  .Sabbath  day  houses  were 
built  to  accommodate  both  family  and  horses.  Having  no  fires  in 
the  meeting  house,  they  went  to  these  houses  for  warmth  and  bodily 
refreshment.  In  1706  the  town  granted  to  Stephen  Foote,  Daniel 
Barker,  John  Frisbie  and  Edward  Frisbie,  '  North  Farmers,'  the 
privilege  of  building  Sabbath  day  houses  on  the  common  at  Bran- 
ford Village. 

"Mr.  Russell  and  others  also  occasionally  preached  for  them,  in 
their  own  locality,  worship  being  held  in  private  houses.  But  this 
only  had  the  effect  of  strengthening  the  desire  to  have  a  minister 
of  their  own,  at  'North  Farms,'  and  for  this  privilege  they  peti- 
tioned. Naturally  the  people  of  the  lower  part  of  the  town  were 
reluctant  to  have  so  many  valuable  families  separated  from  them. 
Not  getting  consent  from  the  town  they  petitioned  the  general  as- 
sembly in  May,  1717,  for  relief.  (Col.  Rec.)  This  pressure  led  the 
town,  the  same  year,  to  vote  liberty  to  the  people  at  Sibbie's  Hill  to 
have  a  minister  for  four  months.  Sibbie's  Hill  is  just  north  of  the 
present  center  of  North  Branford.  This  name  comes  from  an  Indian 
sachem,  who  once  lived  there  near  a  spring  of  water  which  bears  the 
same  name.  Daniel  Page,  afterward  Deacon,  one  of  the  first  settlers, 
lived  near  the  summit  of  this  hill.  It  is  said  that  the  services  of  the 
extra  minister  were  held  at  his  house.  All  expenses  were  paid  from 
the  town  treasury,  and  collected  from  a  tax  on  the  property  of  the 
whole  town. 

*Reverend  A.  C.  Pierce. 


84  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  Thus  encouraged,  they  renewed  their  efforts  for  a  new  society  in 
1717,  and  the  town  consented  so  far  that  it  appointed  a  committee  on 
proposed  bounds.  They  ran  the  line  from  '  Rose's  meadow,'  '  Rattle- 
snake rocks,'  'Sawmill,'  '  Long  Hill,'  and  '  Cedar  Swamp.'  All  were 
not  quite  satisfied  with  the  first  bounds,  so  they  were  changed  a  little. 
The  North  farmers  had  their  minister  longer  and  longer  each  year 
until  on  September  27th,  1722,  they  ask  to  have  him  permanently  set- 
tled. The  town  therefore  voted  to  set  up  another  society,  purchase 
minister's  lot,  build  a  meeting  house  and  a  house  for  the  minister.  In 
1722,  October  8th,  the  proprietors  gave  200  acres  for  parsonage  lands 
at  Jod's  lot  on  the  east  side  of  Great  hill  for  the  new  society. 

"  December  30th,  1723 — The  North  Farmers  came  with  their  request 
again  and  asked  for  a  change  of  bounds.  It  was  voted  that  if  they 
would  sit  down  contented  with  their  former  bounds  then  the  town 
would  go  equal  shares  with  them  in  building  and  perfecting  a  meet- 
ing house  within  those  same  bounds,  of  forty  feet  in  length  and  thirty 
feet  in  breadth.  The  petitioners  to  which  this  answer  was  given  were 
Jonathan  Butler,  David  Barker,  John  Harrison,  Benjamin  Linsley  and 
Samuel  Harrison. 

"  In  May  12th,  1724,  the  town  voted  'that  the  whole  town  would, 
as  one  m  respect  that  they  are  numerous,  so  that  one  meeting  house 
is  not  sufficient  to  contain  them,  build  another,  have  another  minister, 
and  to  maintain  each  of  them  by  one  rate.'  On  June  23d  of  the  same 
year,  they  vote  to  go  on  with  the  building  at  '  North  Farms,'  the  build- 
ing to  be  45  by  35  feet.  December  28th  in  the  same  year  they  recon- 
sidered the  vote  about  the  meeting  house  and  minister,  changing: 
bounds  and  location.  Three  sites  were  debated.  It  was  finally  de- 
cided to  locate  it  '  on  the  knoll  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  at  the 
place  near  Samuel  Harrison's.'  This  spot  was  a  few  feet  south  of  the 
present  meeting  house  in  North  Branford.  The  town  vote  £200  for 
the  house  if  the  North  Farmers  will  accept  the  terms.  But  all  is  not 
quite  satisfactory.  Therefore,  on  August  5th,  1725,  the  town  appointed 
a  joint  committee  to  arrange  the  matter.  By  December  14th,  1725, 
they  have  come  to  an  agreement,  and  they  appointed  collectors  for 
each  society.  They  also  arrange  for  the  payment  of  the  new  meeting 
house  bills.  Isaac  Foote,  Lieutenant  Rose,  John  Harrison,  Daniel 
Barker  and  Josiah  Rogers  were  the  committee  appointed  to  direct  the 
building  of  the  meeting  house.     It  was  not  finished  until  1732. 

"Tradition  says  that  Reverend  Samuel  Russell  went  up  and  offered 
prayer  at  the  erection  of  the  frame  of  the  new  meetinghouse.  At  the 
raising  an  accident  occurred,  which  might  have  been  very  serious. 
One  of  the  heavy  upright  beams  fell  from  its  position  into  the  midst, 
as  it  seemed,  of  the  people.  Beams  used  then  were  very  heavy.  But, 
by  a  kind  providence  interposing,  no  one  was  struck  or  injured  by  the 
falling  timber. 

"  That  meeting  house  had  its  location  very  near  the  present  newer 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  85 

structure  at  the  center.  It  stood  and  was  used  until  after  the  present 
meeting  house  was  finished.  It  is  remembered  by  some  persons  now 
living.  Its  windows  were  small  and  diamond-shaped  and  numerous. 
It  had  doors  on  the  east,  west  and  south  sides.  The  pulpit  was  high 
and  shut-in  galleries  went  around  three  sides,  and  they  were  quite 
high.  The  floor  of  the  house  was  a  step  below  the  sills  as  you  entered. 
Box  pews  for  families  covered  the  floor.  Above  the  pulpit  was  hung 
a  square,  roof-like  structure  for  a  sounding  board.  In  later  years  the 
bats  had  nests  in  this  and  occupied  them  with  impunity,  because  of 
many  years  accumulation  of  dust  and  filth,  that  seemed  out  of  the 
reach  of  all  cleaning  efforts  that  were  made  in  those  days.  It  was  no 
uncommon  thing  for  a  bat  to  get  loose  during  a  service  and  go  scoot- 
ing through  the  house,  to  the  manifest  discomfort  of  many  in  the  con- 
gregation. A  number  of  the  '  North  farmers  '  lived  near  the  Walling- 
ford  line,  but  they  came  down  to  'Sibbie's  hill'  to  attend  worship  for  a 
number  of  years." 

In  the  latter  part  of  1725  the  North  Ecclesiastical  Society  was  or- 
ganized, and  the  town  was  amicably  divided  into  two  parishes.  The 
old  church  at  Branford  was  also  divided,  dismissing  members  to  form 
the  North  Branford  church.  In  1726  the  ecclesiastical  societies  began 
to  keep  their  records  separate  from  those  of  the  town. 

"  March  3d,  1726 — The  town  granted  the  privilege  of  a  burying 
yard  to  the  North  society.  The  oldest  stone  in  it  records  the  death  of 
Isaac  Bartholomew  in  1727.  He  was  the  second,  if  not  the  first,  regu- 
lar physician  the  town  had." 

The  North  Society  also  settled  its  first  minister  in  1726 — Reverend 
Jonathan  Merick,  who  was  born  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  in  1700,  and  who 
had  graduated  at  Yale  in  1725.  He  was  ordained  the  following  year, 
his  only  charge  being  the  North  Branford  church,  which  was  organ- 
ized about  the  time  of  his  settlement,  or  in  1727.  The  town  helped 
him  to  build  a  house  on  the  farm  which  it  had  furnished  him,  and 
which  until  a  few  years  ago  was  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants, 
who  at  one  time  were  numerous  in  this  locality.  Mr.  Merick  had  a 
tall,  commanding  stature,  and  wore  one  of  the  large,  old-fashioned 
wigs.  His  ministry  closed  in  1769,  in  consequence  of  a  paralysis, 
which  laid  him  aside  from  his  duties.  His  last  public  act  was  to  pre- 
side as  moderator  of  a  church  meeting,  held  February  23d,  1769,  to 
appoint  a  day  for  the  ordination  of  his  successor,  Reverend  Samuel 
Eells.  His  signature  appears,  then,  for  the  last  time,  on  the  church 
records.  His  grave,  in  the  little  enclosure  just  east  of  the  North  Bran- 
ford meeting  house,  has  a  stone,  with  this  inscription  : 

In  Memory  of 
Rev.  Jonathan  Merick, 
Consort  to  Mrs.  Jerusha  Merick,  and  first  Pastor  of  the  2d  Church  of  Christ  in 
Branford,  who  departed  this  life  June  2d,  Anno  Domini,  1772,  ,-Etatis  Sua  72;  in 
Officio  Ministerei  43.     Remember  them  who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word  of 
God.     Our  Fathers,  where  are  they?  and  the  Prophets,  do  they  live  forever? 


86  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  successor  of  Mr.  Merick,  Samuel  Eells,  who  became  the  second 
pastor,  was  born  in  Middletown  in  1745,  and  here  ordained  in  1769. 
The  parish  voted  him  a  settlement  of  £200  and  the  material  for  build- 
ing a  house.  He  was  a  man  of  vivacious  temperament,  and  was  much 
esteemed  by  his  people.  In  1777  he  preached  a  sermon  on  the  need  of 
prompt  response  to  the  demand  of  the  governor  for  troops,  and  plac- 
ing himself  at  the  head  of  the  North  Branford  company,  marched  to 
the  defense  of  the  country.  His  commission  as  chaplain  was  dated 
January  14th,  1777,  and  was  signed  by  Jonathan  Trumbull.  Both  the 
commission  and  the  muster  roll*  are  deposited  in  Yale  library.  Mr. 
Eells  died  April  3d,  1808,  and  was  buried  at  North  Branford.  He 
added  104  members  to  the  church,  being  the  largest  number  added  by 
any  one  minister. 

At  the  beginning  of  his  pastorate  in  1769,  he  prepared  the  first  list 
of  the  members  of  the  church,  numbering  at  that  time  70.  These  be- 
longed to  the  following  families:  Barnes,  Buel,  Barker,  Baldwin,  But- 
ler, Collins,  Foote,  Ford,  Harrison,  Hubbard,  Hoadley,  Linsley,  Nor- 
ton, Merrick,  Page,  Palmer,  Russell,  Rogers,  Rose,  Scarritt,  Tyler, 
Whedon  and  Wolcott.  The  names  of  many  of  these  families  are  per- 
petuated in  the  present  membership. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  church  the  mode  of  worship  was  differ- 
ent from  the  present.  Jonathan  Butler  was  elected  as  the  first  singing 
clerk.  Abiel  Linsley  and  Abraham  Whedon  were  next  appointed  to 
"set  the  Psalms,"  and  in  1735  it  was  voted  to  give  the  clerk  "liberty  to 
tune  the  Psalms  which  way  he  pleaseth." 

In  1770  William  Whedon  and  Ithiel  Russell  were  appointed  chor- 
isters, and  in  1780  the  society  maintained  a  singing  school.  In  1792 
the  "Musical  Society  of  North  Branford"  had  a  flourishing  existence. 
"In  1799  the  society  paid  its  singers  $10  per  year,  and  they  purchased 
books  at  their  own  expense,  and  trained  themselves  in  singing." 

In  17S9  the  pews  of  the  church  were  "dignified,"  but  the  practice 
was  soon  abandoned. 

The  third  minister  of  the  church  was  Charles  Atwater,  who  was 
born  in  New  Haven  in  1786.  In  March,  1809,  he  was  ordained  to  this 
pastorate  by  President  Dwight,  of  Yale,  and  served  until  his  death, 
February  21st,  1825.  He  was  acceptable  and  useful,  and  his  memory 
is  still  cherished.  He  is  also  buried  in  the  North  Branford  cemetery. 
His  home  in  the  town  was  the  present  parsonage,  which  was  remod- 
elled in  1859.  The  three  sons  of  Mr.  Atwater,  George  and  Doctor 
David  F.,  of  Springfield,  and  James,  of  Brooklyn,  have  become  promi- 
nent and  useful  men. 

Reverend  Judson  A.  Root  became  the  fourth  pastor,  in  the  old 
meeting  house,  October  15th,  1828.  In  his  pastorate  this  house  was 
taken  down,  the  society  voting,  February  28th,  1831,  to  remove  it,  after 
having  been  in  use  more  than  a  hundred  years.     The  new  meeting 

*  See  copy,  in  this  chapter. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  87 

house  was  begun  May  26th,  1830,  six  feet  north  of  the  old  house,  and 
was  dedicated  in  April,  1831.  In  the  winter  of  1870-1,  a  pulpit  recess 
was  added  and  the  house  was  thoroughly  renovated.  It  has  since  been 
kept  in  good  repair.  The  church  property  was  further  improved  in 
the  fall  of  1886,  when  a  neat  frame  Gothic  chapel  and  parish  house  was 
built,  near  the  main  edifice.  Its  cost  was  about  $2,000,  which  was 
largely  the  gift  of  Mrs.  George  Rose  and  Mrs.  Lucretia  Plant,  assisted 
by  others  of  the  parish.     This  house  was  dedicated  January  16th,  1887. 

Mr.  Root's  pastorate  continued  until  1834,  and  58  members  were 
added  to  the  church. 

Reverend  Henry  B.  Camp  became  the  pastor  in  1835,  but  was  com- 
pelled by  sickness  to  leave  in  1836. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1838,  Reverend  John  D.  Baldwin  became 
the  sixth  pastor,  and  remained  until  1844.  In  that  period  60  members 
were  added  to  the  church,  25  joining  in  September,  1840.  Mr.  Bald- 
win was  a  man  of  marked  ability,  and  after  his  removal  to  Worcester, 
Mass.,  he  became  a  distinguished  author. 

The  subsequent  pastors  of  the  church  were:  Reverend  George  I. 
Wood,  1844-50;  Whitman  Peck,  1851-5;  George  I.  Wood,  1855-9;  Will- 
iam B.  Curtis,  1860-7;  E.  J.  Clark,  1867-77;  John  W.  Beach,  1878-9;  D. 
N.  Prentice,  1880-2.  Since  May,  1882,  the  acting  pastor  has  been  Rev- 
erend Franklin  Countryman. 

The  ministers  raised  up  in  this  parish  have  been  the  following: 
Reverends  Henry  Gilbert,  Ammi  Linsley,  Alonzo  Loper,  Fosdick  Har- 
rison, Jared  Harrison,  Marcus  Harrison,  Roger  Harrison,  Lewis  Mun- 
ger,  Edward  Strong  Peck,  Ammi  Rogers,  David  Rose,  Levi  Rose. 

The  deacon  elected  when  the  church  was  formed  was  Benjamin 
Barnes,  who  lived  on  the  main  road  across  Bare  Plain.  Prior  to  1734 
Daniel  Page,  who  lived  on  "Sibbie's"  hill,  was  elected  another  dea- 
con. In  1743  Israel  Baldwin,  who  had  removed  to  this  parish  from 
Milford,  was  appointed  the  third  deacon.  In  1765  he  was  found  dead 
on  "  Great  hill,"  a  sudden  sickness  overtaking  him,  after  he  had  gone 
t'o  that  place  on  business.  The  subsequeut  deacons  were  elected  in 
about  the  years  set  opposite  their  names:  Ithiel  Russell,  1754;  Barna- 
bas Mulford,  1769;  Ebenezer  Russell,  1772;  Aaron  Baldwin,  1778: 
Israel  Baldwin,  1798;  Daniel  Russell,  1808;  Daniel  Whedon,  1822 
Sidney  Alden,  1822;  Thomas  Plant,  1838;  Samuel  F.  Russell.  1846 
Luther  Chidsey,  1846;  Timothy  R.  Palmer,  1870;  Charles  Page,  1870 
George  C.  Linsley,  1883.  The  last  two  served  in  1S90.  At  this  time 
the  parish  had  90  members,  belonging  to  85  families.  The  Sabbath 
school  had  150  members. 

The  following  account  of  the  Northford  Congregational  Church 
was  compiled  from  a  historical  discourse  by  Reverend  A.  C.  Pierce, 
October  8th,  1876. 

For  about  40  years  the  inhabitants  in  the  extreme  northern  part 
of  the  old  town  of   Branford  worshipped  at  places  remote  from  their 


88  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

homes,  for  a  long  time  at  what  is  now  North  Branford  village.  The 
distance  was  great  and  the  facilities  of  travel  few,  but  these  Sab- 
bath day  journeys  were  made  without  much  relief  until  1734,  when 
the  general  court  of  Connecticut,  upon  the  petition  of  Peter  Tyler, 
Samuel  Harrington,  Bezaleel  Tyler  and  others  living  in  the  north- 
erly part  of  the  "  North  Parish,"  ordered  "That  said  memorialists 
shall  be  allowed  liberty  to  have  some  Orthodox  Minister  preach  the 
gospel  to  them  during  the  months  of  December,  January,  February 
and  March  annually,  and  during  said  time  they  shall  be  free  from  pay- 
ing church  rates  to  said  North  Parish." 

The  remaining  months  of  the  year  the  inhabitants  of  this  section 
attended  the  meetings  of  Reverend  Jonathan  Merick,  held  at  the 
"  Center,"  or  North  Branford  village,  continuing  that  arrangement 
eleven  years  longer,  when  the  third  ecclesiastical  society  in  the  town 
of  Branford  was  formed,  to  include  these  "  Northerly  inhabitants  "  of 
the  Second  or  North  Society.  Their  meeting  for  parish  organization 
was  held  June  24th,  1745,  at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Hand.  Samuel 
Harrington  moderated,  and  Josiah  Rogers  served  as  clerk.  They  then 
"  agreed  by  a  major  vote  that  the  name  of  the  place  shall  be  called 
Salem."  This  title,  so  significant  of  the  amicable  feeling  which  at- 
tended the  organization  of  the  parish,  was  set  aside  in  December,  1751, 
when  the  name  of  "  Northford  "  first  appears  in  its  stead  in  the  parish 
records.  It  is  not  plain  what  induced  the  change,  as  there  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  a  local  circumstance  to  warrant  the  taking  of  such 
an  "  incongruous  name." 

"  At  the  commencement  of  their  existence  as  a  distinct  religious 
community,  public  worship,  it  would  seem,  was  held  in  a  private  dwell- 
ing at  first,  and  probably  for  the  entire  period  prior  to  the  completion 
of  the  first  meeting  house,  or  rather  until  the  building  was  so  far  ad- 
vanced as  to  allow  worship  within  its  walls,  at  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Isaac  Ingraham." 

"  In  June  or  July  of  1746,  one  year  from  the  establishment  of  pub- 
lic worship,  application  was  made  to  the  general  court  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  commissioners  to  '  locate  a  meeting  house,'  a  measure  adopted , 
as  we  may  suppose,  on  account  of  some  diversity  of  views  as  to  where 
the  edifice  should  stand,  or  to  avoid  subsequent  divisions,  such  as  are 
so  likely  to  grow  out  of  locating  public  buildings. 

"  In  compliance  with  the  desire  of  the  petitioners,  the  general  court 
voted  permission  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  and  appointed  '  Capt. 
John  Hubbard,  Capt.  Jonathan  Allen  and  Mr.  John  Hitchcock,  all  of 
New  Haven,  to  locate  said  house,'  which  committee  in  due  time  made 
its  report  to  the  court,  and  thereupon  it  was  voted,  that  'Said  house  of 
worship  be  erected  in  the  highway,  on  the  west  side  of  the  path,  twenty- 
rods  north  of  Samuel  Bartholomew's  house,  the  sills  to  enclose  a  wal- 
nut staddle  thereon  standing,  with  a  heap  of  stones  around  it.'  In  the 
following  spring  a  building  committee  was  appointed,  and  the  work 
was  undertaken. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  89 

"  The  edifice  erected  was  at  first  without  a  steeple,  which  append- 
age was  added  in  1796 — 49  years  after  the  body  of  the  house  was  built 
— and  a  bell,  the  same  now  in  use,  was  placed  upon  its  deck.  Even 
the  lower  part  of  the  house  was  not  finished  until  1752,  and  the  gal- 
leries not  until  1760." 

The  old  meeting  house  was  used  for  the  last  time  April  25th,  1847. 
Most  of  that  time  it  was  simply  a  barn-like  structure,  and  there  were 
no  heating  appointments  except  foot  stoves.  Yet  here  the  inhabitants 
attended  in  goodly  numbers,  and  within  its  rude  walls  several  genera- 
tions were  edified  in  spiritual  things.  Bare  and  uninviting  as  it  was, 
no  doubt  to  them  the  old  house  was  not  altogether  an  unlovely  object, 
and  had  become  endeared  to  them  by  many  pleasant  associations. 

In  1846  the  present  stone  edifice  was  begun,  and  was  dedicated 
April  28th,  1847,  Doctor  Leonard  Bacon  preaching  the  dedicatory  ser- 
mon. Its  appearance  indicated  a  fine  structure,  but  unfortunately  the 
walls  of  the  tower  were  so  poorly  built  that  it  was  found  necessary  in 
1863  to  take  them  down  and  rebuild  them,  the  work  involving  an  out- 
lay of  $800.  In  1873  the  walls  of  the  church  gave  way,  and  were  re- 
built at  an  expense  of  $3,400,  but  the  building  now  presents  a  sub- 
stantial appearance.  In  more  recent  years  it  has  been  embellished 
and  a  fine  parsonage  has  been  provided  nearer  the  church  edifice  than 
the  old  parish  home,  which  has  become  the  rectory  of  the  Episcopal 
parish. 

Five  years  after  the  organization  of  the  "  Salem  "  parish  the  church 
was  formally  constituted,  June  13th,  1750,  of  the  following  male  mem- 
bers: Captain  Aaron  Cook,  Deacon  Samuel  Harrington,  Samuel  Barnes, 
John  Baldwin,  2d,  Ensign  Josiah  Rogers,  Jr.,  Joseph  Linsley,  Isaac 
Foote,  Jr.,  Stephen  Todd,  Abel  Munson,  Merriman  Munson,  Abraham 
Bartholomew,  Peter  Tyler,  Timothy  Rose,  Daniel  Maltbie,  John  Tain- 
tor,  Samuel  Goodsell,  Joseph  Elwell  and  Enos  Barnes. 

On  the  first  Sabbath  in  July  following  23  females,  most  of  them 
relatives  of  the  foregoing,  were  added  to  the  roll.  Most  of  them  had 
been  dismissed  from  neighboring  churches  to  form  the  new  body. 
The  membership  increased,  but  the  parish  support  was  diminished  in 
1763,  by  the  formation  in  this  territory  of  St.  Andrew's  Episcopal 
parish,  whose  existence  has  been  continued  until  the  present  time. 
In  1801  there  was  here  organized  another  body,  called  the  "  Enrolled 
Church,"  which  was  composed  of  members  of  the  Northford  church, 
who  had  become  disaffected  with  Mr.  Noyes'  preaching.  They  enrolled 
themselves  as  dissenters  from  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  old  church, 
and  organized  themselves  as  a  new  body,  with  the  above  name.  A 
house  of  worship  was  built  in  1805,  in  which  services  were  statedly 
maintained,  but  no  minister  was  ever  installed.  Among  the  ministers 
who  preached  for  the  "  Enrolled  Church  "  were  Reverends  Hunting- 
ton, Barrows,  Claudius  Herrick,  Eliphalet  B.Coleman  and  Jeremiah  At- 
water,  D.  D.     The  feeling  which  caused  the  separation  continued  until 


90  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1833,  when,  through  the  mediation  of  the  association,  the  differences 
were  adjusted  and  the  matter  was  healed,  so  that  most  of  the  members 
of  the  "  Enrolled  Church  "  returned  to  the  mother  society,  and  the 
new  body  disbanded. 

The  changes  in  the  industrial  life  of  this  section  caused  the  re- 
moval of  many  of  the  inhabitants  and  a  corresponding  decrease  of  the 
membership  of  the  church.  In  1890  the  families  in  the  parish  num- 
bered 58,  and  there  were  23  male  and  53  female  members. 

Soon  after  the  parish  was  formed  an  effort  was  made  to  secure  a 
settled  minister,  but  a  number  of  calls  were  extended  before  the  invi- 
tation was  honored.  Finally  Warham  Williams  consented  to  come, 
and  the  13th  of  June,  1750,  was  appointed  as  the  day  for  his  ordination. 
It  was  looked  forward  to  with  no  little  interest  by  the  people  of  the 
parish  and  such  a  large  attendance  was  anticipated  that  it  was  voted 
by  the  Society  "  That  Isaac  Ingraham.  Paul  Tyler,  and  John  Thomp- 
son, shall  be  a  committee  to  take  care  of  the  meeting  house  doors  or- 
dination day,  to  keep  folks  out." 

"  Mr.  Williams  was  of  Puritan  ancestry,  his  great-grandparents  on 
both  sides  having  come  from  England  at  the  time  of  the  Puritan  exo- 
dus. He  was  grandson  of  Reverend  John  Williams,  who  was  carried 
captive  by  the  Indians  from  Deerfield  to  Canada,  in  1704,  and  was  son 
of  Reverend  Stephen  Williams,  D.D.,  of  Long  Meadow,  Mass.  He  was 
graduated  at  Yale  College,  in  which  institution  he  was  shortly  after 
elected  tutor,  and  in  the  corporation  of  which  he  served  as  Felfow 
from  the  time  of  his  early  ministry  to  the  time  of  his  death." 

"  His  ministry  continued  through  a  period  of  38  years,  and  was  one 
of  marked  success,  there  having  been  added  to  the  church  during  his 
pastorate,  including  the  23  original  members  who  were  constituted  a 
church  on  the  day  of  his  ordination,  256  individuals,  an  average  of 
something  more  than  six  each  year  through  his  entire  ministry.  He 
fell  asleep  April  4th,  1788,  in  the  63d  year  of  his  life,  and  '  his  sepulchre 
is  with  you  unto  this  day.' 

"  After  the  decease  of  Mr.  Williams  the  pulpit  was  variously  sup- 
plied for  a  period  of  two  years. 

"  In  March,  1790,  the  labors  of  Reverend  Matthew  Noyes  began. 
In  May,  proposals  were  made  for  his  permanent  establishment  in  the 
pastorate;  the  proposal  for  his  support  being,  that  he  should  receive 
£200  settlement,  and  £90  annually  as  his  salary. 

"  In  the  following  August  his  ordination  took  place,  the  sermon 
being  preached  by  Reverend  Dr.  Goodrich,  of  Durham.  He  was  a 
native  of  Lyme,  Conn.,  a  descendant,  as  was  his  predecessor,  of  Puri- 
tan ancestry,  being  in  the  fifth  generation  from,  Reverend  James 
Noyes,  who  came  from  England  in  1634  and  settled  in  Newbury, 
Mass. 

'  Mr.  Noyes'  academic  education  he  received  at  Yale  College  (of 
which  he  also  was  afterward  a  member  of  the  corporation),  and  his 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  91' 

theological  studies  were  pursued  under  the  instructions  of  Rever- 
end Dr.  Whitney,  of  Brooklyn,  Conn.  His  pastorate  •  here  continued 
through  a  period  of  44  years,  and  under  his  ministry  there  was  an  in- 
gathering to  the  church  of  201  individuals.  His  labors  as  pastor  were 
suspended  in  1833;  his  pastoral  relations  were  dissolved  in  1835,  and 
in  1837,  on  the  25th  of  September,  he  finished  his  course,  departing 
this  life  in  the  76th  year  of  his  age."* 

"  He  was  a  methodical  and  vigorous  thinker  and  his  mind  was  re- 
markably ready  in  the  phraseology  of  the  Scriptures."  These  qualities 
endeared  him  to  the  community  and  he  was  one  of  the  most  honored 
clergymen  of  his  times. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1835,  Reverend  William  J.  Boardman  was 
installed  as  the  third  pastor,  and  served  the  church  eleven  years.  He 
was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  North  Haven  September  20th,  1820, 
and  spent  his  entire  ministerial  life  with  these  two  churches.  He  died 
at  Northford  October  1st,  1849. 

The  pulpit  was  now  supplied  for  about  six  years  by  (among  others) . 
Reverend  Henry  Steel  Clark,  D.D.,  Reverend  Edward  Root  and  Rev- 
erend Charles  H.  Bullard,  but  June  8th,  1853,  Reverend  A.  C.  Pierce 
became  the  pastor  and  served  until  July  1st,  1866.  His  ministry  was 
pleasant  and  successful,  72  persons  being  added  to  the  membership  of 
the  church. 

For  about  two  years  Reverend  A.  C.  Hurd  was  the  stated  supply, 
when'in  December,  1869,  Reverend  George  DeF.  Folsom  became  the 
acting  pastor,  continuing  until  his  resignation,  April  4th,  1879.  He 
was  followed  by  the  Reverend  E.  A.  Winslow,  and  in  November,  1880, 
Reverend  Theodore  A.  Leete  became  the  pastor,  continuing  until  May 
6th,  1S83.  Henry  S.  Snyder  was  here  next  ordained,  October  28th, 
1885,  to  a  pastorate  which  ended  May  6th,  1S88.  Since  August  5th, 
1888,  the  acting  pastor  has  been  Reverend  J.  Lee  Nott. 

In  passing  from  the  ministry  it  is  natural  to  speak  of  the  deacons 
as  office-bearers  in  the  church.  They  have  served  in  the  following 
order:  Deacons  Josiah  Rogers  and  Merriman  Munson,  chosen  when 
the  church  was  organized;  Deacons  Benjamin  Maltby  and  Phineas 
Baldwin,  chosen  April  2d,  1778;  Deacon  Benjamin  Maltby,  Jr.,  chosen 
December  1st,  1791;  Solomon  Fowler,  chosen  December  3d,  1801;. 
Stephen  Maltby,  chosen  May  31st,  1804;  Munson  Linsley,  chosen  Feb- 
ruary 2d,  1809;  Ralph  Linsley,  February  2d,  1826;  Thomas  Smith, 
February  2d,  1832;  Charles  Foote,  October  3d,  1844;  and  William 
Maltby,  March  4th,  1863,  the  latter  being  this  office-bearer  in  1890. 

A  permanent  fund  for  the  benefit  of  the  church  has  been  estab- 
lished by  the  generosity  of  friends.     Among  such  benefactors  mention 
should  be  made  of  Deacon  Samuel  Harrington,  who,  in  1754, gave  .£20  ■ 
to  the  society  for  their  permanent  use  in  the  maintenance  of  a  dissent- 
ing minister;  of  John  Taintor,  who  bequeathed  a  farm,  valued  at  about 

*  Reverend  Pierce. 


92  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

$2,500,  for  a  like  purpose;  of  Ebenezer  H.  Fowler,  who  left  for  the 
society  real  estate  and  personal  property  to  the  value  of  some  $4,000; 
also,  of  Doctor  Jared  Linsley,  of  New  York  city,  who,  on  more  than 
one  occasion,  particularly  when  the  parsonage  was  purchased,  mani- 
fested his  love  for  his  native  parish  and  his  generosity  of  spirit  in 
methods  more  expressive  than  mere  kind  words  and  good  wishes;  of 
Mrs.  Ruth  Maltby,  who  bequeathed,  at  her  decease,  the  sum  of  $100; 
and  of  Mr.  Julius  Maltby,  who,  at  his  decease,  donated  to  the  society 
$2,000. 

Zion  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  is  located  at  North  Branford 
village.  A  preliminary  meeting  to  consider  the  propriety  of  organiz- 
ing such  a  body  was  held  at  the  house  of  Chauncey  Linsley,  March  12th, 
1812,  when,  as  a  result  of  the  deliberations,  the  permission  of  the  bishop 
was  asked  to  proceed.  He  granted  the  desired  privilege  and,  April  2d, 
1812,  the  following  were  constituted  the  Episcopal  Society  of  North 
Branford :  Augustus  Baldwin,  Jesse  Linsley,  Jonathan  Foote,  Jacob 
Barker,  Sherman  Bunnell,  Jacob  M.  Tyler,  Nicholas  O.  Thompson  and 
Jonathan  B.  Potter. 

The  three  first  named  were  elected  as  vestrymen.  Other  members 
from  the  Harrison,  Monroe  and  Rose  families  were  added,  and  in  1813 
Reverend  Elijah  G.  Plumb  was  secured  for  one-eighth  of  his  time  as 
the  first  minister.  He  also  preached  at  Northford,  Branford  and 
at  East  Haven.  Subsequently  a  similar  arrangement  was  continued 
with  other  churches  in  Branford  and  Guilford,  the  Reverend  David 
Baldwin  being  the  well-beloved  rector  for  many  years,  in  connection 
with  the  church  at  Guilford.  In  1890  the  parishes  of  North  Guilford 
and  North  Branford  were  served  by  one  rector — Reverend  W.  H. 
Dean,  residing  in  the  former  parish. 

The  North  Branford  parish  reported  20  families  and  25  registered 
•communicants.  About  $500  was  raised  in  the  parish  for  church  pur- 
poses each  year. 

In  1818  the  parish  voted  to  build  a  church  32  by  42  feet,  and  ap- 
pointed as  a  building  committee  David  Rose,  Samuel  Baldwin,  Jr., 
Chauncey  Linsley,  Augustus  Baldwin,  with  Jesse  Linsley  as  treasurer. 
Not  being  able  to  obtain  public  land  upon  which  to  build,  a  lot  was 
bought,  in  the  village  of  North  Branford,  of  Jairus  Harrison,  a  part  of 
which  was  set  aside  for  burial  purposes.  This  was  laid  out  into  lots, 
which  were  divided,  in  1829,  among  the  Baldwin,  Rose,  Linsley,  But- 
ler and  other  families. 

In  1827  the  church  was  painted,  and  in  1840  was  more  thoroughly 
finished  and  repaired  by  Charles  Todd,  Joshua  Rose  and  Jesse  Lins- 
ley. In  the  fall  of  1863  it  was  enlarged  and  much  beautified,  and  May 
30th,  1864,  the  church  was  duly  consecrated  by  Bishop  John  Williams. 
Stained  glass  windows  were  placed  in  the  church  in  1886,  and  it  is  now 
a  comfortable  place  of  worship,  with  150  sittings. 

Among  the  wardens  of  the  church  have  been  Jonathan  Foote,  Jesse 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  .  93 

Linsley,  Jonathan  Rose,  Chauncey  Linsley,  Charles  Todd,  Joshua  Rose, 
Martin  C.  Bishop,  John  H.  Harrison,  Jr.,  Jesse  L.  Harrison  and  George 
W.  Dudley.  The  vestrymen  in  1890  were  Albert  Todd,  Samuel  L. 
Hale  and  E.  M.  Fields.  Martin  C.  Bishop  was  the  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school,  which  had  several  dozen  members. 

St.  Andrew's  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  at  Northford  was  or- 
ganized much  earlier.  The  agitation  and  discussion  of  theological 
subjects,  after  the  time  of  the  "great  awakening,"  caused  a  number  of 
families  to  renounce  Congregationalism,  as  defined  by  the  "Saybrook 
Platform,"  and  some  of  these  were  later  led  to  associate  themselves 
with  churchmen  in  an  Episcopal  society  which  was  formed  in  1763. 
The  original  members  of  this  society  were:  Paul  Tyler,  Ichabod  Foote, 
Joseph  Darien,  Samuel  Maltby,  David  Rogers,  Jonah  Todd,  Phineas 
Beach,  Joseph  Finch  and  John  Johnson. 

Some  of  these  had  been  connected  with  the  Episcopal  church  at 
Guilford,  and  no  doubt  occasionally  attended  worship  at  that  place, 
even  though  the  distance  was  so  remote.  It  was  the  nearest  point 
where  the  worship  of  the  Church  of  England  was  at  that  time  main- 
tained. 

Soon  after  this  Episcopal  society  was  formed  steps  were  taken  to 
build  a  church  at  Northford.  A  lot  of  land  was  secured  from  James 
Howd,  who  gave  a  deed  for  the  same,  December  31st,  1763.  The  fol- 
lowing year  the  church  was  completed  for  use,  and  in  a  repaired  form 
served  its  intended  purpose  until  1845,  when  the  house  at  present  oc- 
cupied was  built.  It  has  sittings  for  200  persons,  and  repairs  in  recent 
years  have  made  it  inviting  and  comfortable. 

Opposite  the  church  edifice  is  the  old  but  substantial  rectory  of  the 
parish.  A  part  of  the  house  was  built  about  1750,  as  the  residence  of 
Reverend  Warham  Williams,  of  the  Congregational  society,  whose 
parsonage  it  became.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Williams,  in  April,  1788, 
the  house  was  occupied  by  the  well-to-do  Reverend  Matthew  Noyes, 
until  his  death,  September  25th,  1839.  At  this  time  he  was  reputed  to 
be  one  of  the  wealthiest  clergymen  in  the  state,*  and  the  house  con- 
tained many  comforts  not  found  in  ordinary  homes.  In  August,  1866, 
through  the  efforts  of  Rector  Sheldon  Davis,  the  house  became  the 
property  of  the  parish,  and  was  much  repaired.  In  his  ministry  of 
six  years  the  church  was  also  thoroughly  renovated. 

For  many  years  the  church  had  the  ministerial  service  of  rectors 
of  near-by  parishes,  Mr.  Davis  being  settled  here  in  the  summer  of 
1866.  In  1872  Reverend  D.  H.  Short,  D.D.,  became  the  rector,  and  so 
served  four  years  and  five  months.  He  was  succeeded  by  Reverend 
John  Coleman,  who  resigned  after  two  years,  in  September,  1879. 
Reverend  Clayton  Eddy  was  the  minister  in  1880,  and  July  3d,  1881, 
Reverend  George  Buck  began  a  rectorship,  which  was  terminated  De- 
cember, 1886.  Since  the  fall  of  1889,  the  rector  has  been  Reverend 
Warren  H.  Robberts. 

*  J.  W.  Barber,  Hist.  Col.,  p,  240. 


94  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  parish  has  40  families,  200  individuals  and  50  registered  com- 
municants. The  wardens  in  1890  were  Douglas  Williams  and  E.  A.  C. 
Potwine. 

Bare  Plain  Union  Chapel  is  a  frame  building,  seating  100  people, 
and  was  erected  in  1880  at  a  cost  of  $1,300.  It  is  controlled  by  an 
association,  incorporated  March  3d,  1880;  and  in  1890  the  trustees 
were:  Isaac  B.  Linsley,  Charles  E.  Linsley  arid  Herbert  O.  Page. 
While  all  persuasions  can  obtain  consent  to  use  this  house,  which  is 
intended  for  the  accommodation  of  the  people  of  the  western  part 
of  the  town,  it  is  used  mainly  by  the  Congregationalists  of  the  North 
Branford  church.  Since  1886  Reverend  Charles  Page  has  held  regu- 
lar services  at  this  place.  In  1885  he  became  a  licentiate  of  the 
New  Haven  East  Association. 

Near  this  chapel  is  the  Bare  Plain  Cemetery,  which  was  opened 
in  the  spring  of  1860,  on  the  land  of  Jerome  Harrison.  The  orig- 
inal area  was  half  an  acre.  In  1877  it  was  enlarged  by  the  addition 
of  an  acre,  purchased  by  the  Bare  Plain  Cemetery  Association,  which 
now  controls  the  ground.  The  person  first  interred  was  Miss  Amoret 
Harrison,  in  April,  1860.     Since  that  time  it  has  been  much  used. 

The  cemetery  at  Northford  embraces  several  acres,  and  is  kept 
in  fair  order.  It  contains  many  monuments,  some  being  costly  and 
of  fine  design,  which  commemorate  the  memories  and  virtues  of  the 
Williams,  Tyler,  Maltby,  Hoadley,  Foote,  Smith,  Augur,  Linsley, 
Cook,  Todd,  Elliott,  Harrison  and  Bartholomew  families.  A  head- 
stone indicates  that  Captain  Stephen  Smith  died  June  22d,  1851,  aged 
100  years  and  8  weeks. 

Dr.  Jared  Linsley 

Born  in  Northford 

Oct.  30,  1803, 

Died 
July  12,   1887. 

For  over  fifty  years  he  was  a  practicing  physician  in  New  York  city. 
Here  are  also  the  graves  of  several  of  the  former  pastors  of  the 
Northford  society. 

At  North  Branford  village  are  small  places  of  interment  in  con- 
nection with  both  of  the  churches  at  that  place. 

Roster  of  Captain  Eells'  Company  in  the  Revolution:  Captain, 
Samuel  Eells;  first  lieutenant,  Samuel  Baldwin;  second  lieutenant, 
Jacob  Bunnell;  sergeants,  Ebenezer  Linsley,  Isaac  Foot,  John  White, 
Lud.  Munson,  Abraham  Foot;  corporals,  Uriah  Collins,  Samuel  Har- 
rison, Samuel  Brown,  Jacob  Page;  musicians,  John  Bunnell,  Joseph 
Whedon,  Moses  Baldwin;  privates,  Samuel  Augustus  Barker,  Ambrose 
Baldwin,  James  Barker,  Benjamin  Bartholomew,  Daniel  Baldwin, 
Jairus  Bunnell,  Phineas  Baldwin,  Jacob  Barker,  Gideon  Bartholomew, 
Jonathan  Byington,  Titus  Cook,  Stephen  Cook,  Hooker  Frisbie,  Isaac 
Frisbie,  Samuel  Ford,  Gideon  Goodrich,  Daniel  Hoadley,  Ralph  Hoad- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  95 

ley,  Jairus  Harrison,  Rufus  Harrison,  Isaac  Hanford,  Benjamin  Harri- 
son, Reuben  Johnson,  John  Linsley,  Jonathan  Munson,  James  Pier- 
pont,  Samuel  Peck,  John  Potter,  Solomon  Rose,  Jonathan  Russell, 
Ebenezer  Rogers,  Joseph  Smith,  Dan  Smith,  Othniel  Stent,  Ebenezer 
Truesdell,  Solomon  Talmadge,  Asa  Todd,  Jonathan  Tyler,  Medad 
Taintor. 

Later  in  the  war  the  town  quickly  responded  and  some  of  its  citi- 
zens were  at  New  Haven  to  repel  the  British  invasion  July  5th,  1779. 
"  John  Baldwin  was  shot  by  the  enemy  and  left  dead  upon  the  field." 

In  the  early  part  of  the  revolution  Colonel  William  Douglas,  who 
lived  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Douglas  Williams,  a  descendant, 
was  in  command  of  a  regiment  of  Connecticut  troops.  "  He  contracted 
consumption,  as  a  consequence  of  exposure,  and  died  before  the  war 
was  concluded."     His  memory  is  still  cherished  in  the  town. 

The  Soldiers'  Monument  at  North  Branford  is  the  first  monument 
in  the  United  States  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  defenders  of  the 
Union  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  The  movement  to  build  it  was  be- 
gun soon  after  the  declaration  of  peace,  in  1865,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  raise  funds  for  that  object.  This  consisted  of  Russell 
Clark,  Jonathan  Foote  and  Henry  Rogers,  the  latter  being  at  that  time 
located  at  Branford  village  as  an  attorney.  About  $2,000  was  secured 
and  the  building  of  the  monument  was  begun,  of  Stony  Creek  granite. 
The  last  piece  was  swung  into  place  the  following  year  and  on  the  12th 
of  April,  1866,  the  monument  was  dedicated,  an  oration  being  pro- 
nounced by  General  E.  M.  Lee.  The  monument  stands  on  North 
Branford  Village  green,  west  of  the  meeting  house,  and  makes  a  pile 
about  20  feet  high.  It  consists  of  a  massive  base,  die,  semi-base  and 
shaft.     The  inscriptions  are — on  the  shaft: 

1865. 

On  the  die: 

Our  Soldiers: 

James  H.  Scranton. 
J.  Henry  Palmer. 
Walter  A.  Stone. 
Albert  F.  Wheaton. 
Josiah  Johnson. 
John  F.  Robinson. 
Dayton  R.  Scranton. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Charles  E.  Ailing,  born  in  Hamden,  Conn.,  in  1846,  is  a  son  of  Ezra 
and.  Emily  (Bassett)  Ailing,  and  grandson  of  Merritt  Ailing.  Mr.  Ai- 
ling is  a  farmer  in  Northford,  where  he  has  lived  for  several  years. 
He  is  one  of  the  selectmen  of  North  Branford.  He  married  Jennette, 
daughter  of  Charles  D.  and  Mary  (Linsley)  Maltby,  granddaughter  of 
Samuel,  and  great-granddaughter  of  Benjamin  Maltby.  They  have 
.two  children:  Morris  E.  and  Mary  M. 


96  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Reuben  Neros  Augur,  one  of  the  largest  farmers  of  Northford, 
was  born  September  27th,  1S22,  on  a  homestead  in  the  southern  part 
of  that  society,  still  owned  by  members  of  his  family.  He  was  a  son 
of  Joel  and  grandson  of  John  Augur,  one  of  the  early  prominent  set- 
tlers of  that  part  of  the  county.  His  father  died  July  5th,  1873,  aged 
more  than  83  years.  He  had  been  twice  married  and  reared  five  chil- 
dren. His  first  wife  was  Abigail  Barnes,  by  whom  he  had  this  son, 
Reuben  N.,  and  three  daughters,  viz.:  Abigail  Angeline,  married  John 
Allen,  of  Wallingford;  Phcebe  Eliza,  married  Henry  Loper,  of  Guil- 
ford, now  resides  in  New  Haven;  and  Correlia,  married  Thelos  Todd, 
of  Northford.  The  second  wife  of  Joel  Augur  was  Mrs.  Hannah 
Tripp,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  John  P.  Augur,  who  deceased  in 
North  Branford. 

Reuben  N.  Augur  left  his  father's  farm  when  he  was  sixteen  years 
of  age,  with  a  limited  common  school  education,  to  learn  the  butcher's 
trade  in  New  Haven.  He  followed  that  occupation  until  1850,  when 
he  returned  to  Northford,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  has  been 
very  successfully  engaged  as  a  farmer  and  cattle  and  horse  dealer. 
He  owns  450  acres  of  highly  improved  land,  and  the  surroundings 
bear  evidence  of  thrifty  management.  Mr.  Augur  is  a  very  active, 
industrious  man,  possesses  good  judgment  and  dilligently  applies  him- 
self to  his  chosen  occupation.  In  his  relations  to  the  community  he 
is  a  good,  useful  citizen,  warmly  favoring  such  measures  as  will  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  his  native  town.  He  is  a  democrat,  and  no  office 
seeker,  but  represented  North  Branford  in  the  state  legislature  in  1859. 
As  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  society  of  Northford,  he  is  a  most 
liberal  supporter  of  the  work  of  that  church,  and  his  charity  in  other 
causes  is  unstinted.  He  is  also  an  honored  member  of  Corinthian 
Lodge,  No.  103,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Northford,  and  ranks  as  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  that  community. 

Reuben  N.  Augur  was  married  November  26th,  1846,  to  Esther  E. 
Todd,  who  died  October  23d,  1849,  aged  23  years,  and  leaving  one  son, 
Elbert  Reuben,  born  October  5th,  1847,  who  died  July  22d,  1879,  at 
Middletown,  Conn.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Augur  married  a  sister 
of  the  foregoing,  Maria  C.  Todd,  October  28th,  1850,  who  died  Janu- 
ary 3d,  1873,  at  the  age  of  40  years.  By  this  union  there  were  three 
children: 

1.  Robert  Duane,  born  November  24th,  1851,  who  died  August  23d, 
1883,  in  the  society  of  Northford.  He  left  surviving  his  widow,  Mar- 
garet Evans. 

2.  Ella  Maria,  born  April  27th,  1854,  married  Henry  M.  Stevens,  of 
Northford,  and  now  resides  in  Wallingford. 

3.  Watson  Davis,  born  May  1st,  1856,  who  married  Agnes  Gertrude 
Stevens,  of  Northford,  and  is  now  a  citizen  of  Middletown. 

Mr.  Augur  was  married  to  his  third  and  present  wife,  Mrs.  Margaret 
E.  Hall,  December  26th,  1876.     She  was  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Barnes, 


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HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  97 

of  North  Haven,  and  widow  of  James  T.  Hall,  of  the  same  town.  By 
her  former  marriage  she  had  one  son,  Frank  E.  Hall,  born  October 
ISth,  1856,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  New  York  city. 

Clarence  W.  Barker,  born  in  1856,  is  a  son  of  Eliphalet  and  Martha 
(McCoy)  Barker,  and  grandson  of  Chandler  Barker.  In  1879  Mr.  Bar- 
ker began  a  card  printing  business  in  Branford,  and  in  1883  he  moved 
the  business  to  its  present  place  at  North  Branford.  Since  1885  he  has 
had  a  novelty  and  toy  department.  He  married  Minnie,  daughter  of 
Henry  D.  and  Sarah  (Talmadge)  Bartholomew.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren: Florence  E.,  Clarence  D.,  Fred  W.  and  Bertram  L. 

Harrison  Barker,  born  in  1837,  is  the  only  son  of  Elon  and  Anice 
(Harrison)  Barker,  and  grandson  of  Joel,  whose  father,  Jacob,  was  a 
son  of  Daniel,  whose  father,  Daniel  Barker,  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers in  North  Branford.  Air.  Barker  has  two  sisters — Caroline  and 
Emily.  He  is  a  farmer  on  the  farm  where  his  father  resided  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  in  1883. 

Henry  D.  Bartholomew,  born  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Nancy 
G.  ( Wolcott)  Bartholomew,  and  grandson  of  Timothy  Bartholomew. 
Mr.  Bartholomew  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Levi  and  Marietta  (Foote) 
Talmadge,  granddaughter  of  Enos,  whose  father  was  Solomon  Tal- 
madge. They  have  two  children:  Bertie  L.  and  Minnie  G.  (Mrs.  C.W. 
Barker). 

Isaac  H.  Bartholomew  is  a  brother  of  Francis  C.  Bartholomew,  men- 
tioned in  Wallingford,  with  whom  he  was  engaged  in  manufacturing 
here  for  a  number  of  years  prior  to  1872.  Mr.  Bartholomew  married 
Delia,  daughter  of  Horace  Fowler.  They  have  two  sons:  Edward  F. 
and  George  W.  They  lost  four  children :  Emma,  Hattie,  Mary  and 
Willie. 

Sedley  D.  Bartlett,  born  in  1S48  in  North  Madison,  Conn.,  is  a  son 
of  David  and  Mariette  (Stevens)  Bartlett.  He  is  a  painter  and  paper 
hanger  by  trade.  He  came  to  North  Branford  in  1878,  and  since  1882 
has  kept  a  store  here.  He  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  E.  Washing- 
ton Dudley. 

Ralph  Beers,  born  in  1843,  is  the  only  son  of  Frederick  and  Amelia 
(Palmer)  Beers,  grandson  of  Samuel,  and  great-grandson  of  Pitman, 
whose  father  was  Wheeler  Beers.  Some  of  his  ancestors  served  in  the 
revolutionary  war.  Samuel  Beers,  a  great-uncle,  was  killed  in  Septem- 
ber, 1777,  aged  25  years.  Mr.  Beers  has  been  engaged  in  mercantile 
trade  since  1866,  and  since  1883  has  owned  and  operated  a  store  in 
North  Branford.  He  has  been  the  postmaster  since  1883,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  three  years.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Smith.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Florence  L.,  and  one  son. 

Martin  C.  Bishop,  born  in  1823,  is  a  son  of  Augustus  and  Patty 
(Loper)  Bishop.     Mr.   Bishop  is  a   joiner   by  trade.     He   came  from 
North  Guilford  to  North  Branford  in  1859.    He  was  several  years  select- 
man, and  in  1870  was  representative  in  the  legislature.     His  first  wife 
T 


98  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

was  Angfeline  A.  Chittenden,  and  his  second  wife  was  Janette  A., 
daughter  of  Jacob  Griswold.  They  have  one  daughter,  Ellen,  wife  of 
Frank  Foot. 

Edward  J.  Buel,  born  in  1833,  in  Clinton,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of  Will- 
iam A.  and  Rosetta  (Stevens)  Buel,  and  grandson  of  Oliver,  whose 
father,  James,  was  a  son  of  Reuben  Buel.  Mr.  Buel  is  a  mason  by 
trade.  He  lived  in  Ohio  and  Michigan  from  1840  until  1875,  when  he 
came  back  to  Connecticut.  He  served  in  the  late  war  in  Company  D> 
75th  Ohio  Volunteers;  was  a  prisoner  at  Andersonville  and  Florence, 
S.  C,  for  six  months.  He  married  Lovina  Manley,  who  died  leaving 
three  children:  Minnie  A.,  Clifford  E.  and  Elbert  E.  His  second  wife 
was  Mrs.  Dorliska  A.  Griswold,  daughter  of  Heman  and  Mabel  (Field) 
Stone.  Mrs.  Buel  had  one  son  by  her  former  marriage,  Charles  Gris- 
wold. 

Edwin  A.  Buell,  born  in  1832  in  Clinton,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of  Horace 
Buell.  He  is  a  tinsmith  by  trade,  and  came  to  Northford  in  1858.  He 
was  in  the  late  war  in  Company  K,  15th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  for 
three  years.  He  married  Mary  Amelia,  daughter  of  Seneca  and  Mary 
(Hart)  Barnes,  and  granddaughter  of  Samuel  Barnes. 

Frank  O.  Burr,  born  in  Haddam,  Conn.,  in  1853,  is  a  son  of  Ste- 
phen D.  and  Fannie  A.  (Lane)  Burr,  and  grandson  of  David  Burr.  He 
came  to  North  Bran  ford  in  1875,  where  he  is  a  farmer.  He  married 
Sarah  L.,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Lucretia  B.  Russell,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Jonathan  Russell.     They  have  one  daughter,  Lucretia  H. 

Luther  Chidsey,  born  1800,  died  1872,  was  a  son  of  Caleb  and  Re- 
becca (Page)  Chidsey,  and  grandson  of  Isaac  Chidsey.  Mr.  Chidsey 
was  a  farmer.  He  married  Eliza,  daughter  of  David  Palmer.  Their 
children  are:  Grace  (Mrs.  Noah  Foot),  Mariette,  Leverett  (married 
Mary  Grannis),  Myrick  (married  Emma,  daughter  of  John  Grannisand 
sister  of  Leverett's  wife,  and  has  two  children,  Georgia  L.  and  Wal- 
ter), and  Emma  (Mrs.  Edward  Newton). 

Rebecca  S.  Clark,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  M.  (Smith)  Wil- 
cox, married,  first,  Nelson  Burr,  of  Haddam,  who  died,  leaving  one 
daughter,  Sarah  M.,  who  married  Ellis  Stevens,  and  has  three  chil- 
dren: Elbert  W.,  Flora  B.  and  Willie  E.  Mrs.  Burr  afterward  married 
Admerald  Clark,  of  Durham.  They  came  from  Durham  to  North 
Branford  in  1885,  and  three  years  later  Mr.  Clark  died. 

Reverend  Frank  Countryman  was  born  in  New  Haven,  September 
23d,  1849,  and  is  a  son  of  Nicholas  and  Louisa  (Hine)  Countryman.  At 
the  age  of  13  he  entered  Hopkins  Grammar  .School,  New  Haven,  and 
prepared  for  Yale  College;  entered  Yale  College  in  1866,  and  graduated 
in  1870;  then  studied  (1871-2)  in  Yale  Theological  Seminary.  He  was 
married  first,  December  26th,  1870,  at  New  Haven,  to  Mary  I.,  oldest 
daughter  of  Judge  Pickett,  of  city  court,  New  Haven.  She  died  August 
24th,  1877,  leaving  no  children.  Mr.  Countryman  married  Miss  Ella  S. 
Butricks,  of  New  Haven,  November  18th,  1880,  and  they  have  one  child, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  99 

Ella  May,  born  November  9th,  1882.  Mr.  Countryman  preached  in 
Brownington,  Vt.,  during  the  summers  of  1872  and  1873;  was  pastor 
at  Prospect,  Conn.,  1874  to  1877;  preached  at  Georgetown,  Conn.,  1880 
to  1882;  pastor  at  North  Branford,  Conn.,  since  1882.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Connecticut  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  revolutionary  stock. 

E.  Washington  Dudley,  born  in  1824,  in  Madison,  is  a  son  of  David 
and  Abigail  (Stevens)  Dudley,  and  grandson  of  David  Dudley.  Mr. 
Dudley  came  from  North  Madison  to  North  Branford  in  1876.  He 
married  first,  Jane,  daughter  of  Gaylord  Munger.  She  died,  leaving 
four  children:  Helen  A.  (Mrs.  Edson  S.  Beardsley),  Mary  E.  and  Martha 

E.  (twins),  and  Frank  E.  Mary  E.  married  Sedley  D.  Bartlett,  and 
Martha  E.  married  George  B.  Stone.  His  second  wife  was  Emeline, 
daughter  of  Elihu  Stevens. 

Bela  H.  Foote,  born  in  1816,  is  a  son  of  Rufus  and  Elizabeth  (Har- 
rison) Foote,  and  grandson  of  Daniel,  whose  father,  Daniel,  was  a  son 
of  Joseph,  whose  father,  Robert,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel  Foote.  Mr. 
Foote  first  married  Almira  Pierpoint,  who  died,  leaving  one  son,  Adel- 
bert  P.  His  second  marriage  was  with  Mary,  daughter  of  John  and 
Esther  (Coe)  Birdsey.  Their  children  are:  Martha  A.  (Mrs.  T.  A.  Coe), 
Carrie  L.  (Mrs.  S.  A.  Barnes),  and  Ella  M.  (Mrs.  O.  C.  Kelsey).  Mr. 
Foote  is  a  farmer. 

John  M.  Foote,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Edwin  and  Salina  (Maltby) 
Foote,  grandson  of  Elihu,  and  great-grandson  of  Daniel,  whose  father, 
Daniel,  was  a  son  of  Joseph,  whose  father,  Robert,  was  a  son  of  Na- 
thaniel Foote,  of  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  the  first  settler.  Mr.  Foote 
is  a  farmer.  His  first  marriage  was  with  Sarah  A.  Monson,  who 
died  leaving  one  son,  Sereno  M.,  who  married  Rose  Cooper,  and  has 
three  children:  Laura,  S.  Scott  and  John  H.  Mr.  Foote's  second  wife 
was  Mrs.  Lydia  J.  Crook,  a  daughter  of  Hezekiah  Towner,  of  New 
Milford,  Pa. 

Lynde  H.  Foote,  son  of  Warren  W.  and  Lucinda  (Harrison)  Foote, 
and  grandson  of  Elihu  Foote,  was  born  in  1834,  and  is  a  farmer.  He 
married  Juliette,  daughter  of  George  W.  Gedney.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Flora  G. 

Noah  Foot,  born  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Walter  R.  and  Sally  A.  (Har- 
rison) Foot,  and  grandson  of  Jonathan  Foot.  Mr.  Foot  represented 
the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1872,  and  has  held  several  town  offices. 
He  married  Grace,  daughter  of  Luther  and  Eliza  (Palmer). Chidsey. 
They  have  two  sons,  George  and  Frank. 

George  L.  Ford,  born  in  1839,  is  the  youngest  son  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Rose)  Ford,  grandson  of  Davis,  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel 
Ford.     Mr.  Ford  is  a  farmer.     He  married  Lois  R.,  daughter  of  Luther 

F.  Dudley.  They  have  four  children:  Walter  D.,  Frederick  L.,  Robert 
N.  and  George  D. 

Andrew  M.  Gates,  born  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  Andrew  M.  and  Lucinda 


100  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

(Augur)  Gates,  and  grandson  of  John  Gates.  Mr.  Gates  is  a  farmer. 
His  first  marriage  was  with  Olive  E.,  daughter  of  Harvey  and  Lydia 
Auorur.  She  died  leaving  two  children:  Andrew  M.  and  Addie  M. 
His  present  wife  is  Laura,  daughter  of  Eliaday  Harrison. 

J.  Henry  Gates,  born  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  John  M.  and  Sylvia  (Pal- 
mer) Gates,  and  grandson  of  John  Gates,  who  came  to  North  Branford 
in  1793.  Mr.  Gates  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1889, 
and  has  been  selectman  one  year.  He  married  Sarah  L.,  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Louisa  A.  (Monson)  Todd,  granddaughter  of  Albert,  whose 
father  Charles,  was  a  son  of  Albert  Todd.  They  have  three  children: 
Charles  M.,  Sylvia  L.  and  John  H. 

John  A.  Gates,  born  in  1836,  is  a  son  of  Andrew  M.  and  Charlotte 
(Robinson)  Gates.  He  married  Grace  A.,  daughter  of  George  Augur. 
They  have  one  daughter,  Mary  Etta,  wife  of  Charles  E.  Linsley. 

Jerome  Harrison,  born  in  1806,  was  the  only  child  of  Thaddeus  and 
Betsey  Harrison,  grandson  of  Butler,  and  great-grandson  of  Timothy, 
whose  father  Josiah,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  whose  father  Thomas, 
with  his  brother  Richard  Harrison,  came  to  Branford  about  1644.  Mr. 
Harrison  is  a  farmer.  He  was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representa- 
tives in  1S84  as  a  democrat.  He  married  Lydia  Chidsey,  daughter  of 
.Samuel  and  Betsey  (Holt)  Chidsey.  Their  only  daughter,  Amorette 
W.,  died  at  the  age  of  17  years. 

Jesse  L.  Harrison,  son  of  John  H.  and  Sally  (Linsley)  Harrison, 
and  grandson  of  Martin  Harrison,  is  a  farmer  and  dairyman.  His  first 
wife  was  Anna  Jackson,  who  died  leaving  one  daughter,  Anna  J.  His 
present  wife  was  Marion  E.,  daughter  of  Russell  and  Emily  (Dud- 
ley) Foote.  They  have  one  son,  Robert  R.,  and  one  daughter,  Sallie 
Linsley. 

John  C.  Harrison,  born  in  1838,  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Harriet  (Hart) 
Harrison,  grandson  of  Amos  A.,  and  great-grandson  of  Amos  Harri- 
son. Mr.  Harrison  is  a  farmer.  He  was  for  two  years  selectman. 
His  first  wife  was  Stella,  daughter  of  Darius  Hull  of  Cheshire.  His 
present  wife  is  Susan  Emily,  daughter  of  Bradford  J.  Hull,  of  Wood- 
bury, Conn.  Their  children  were:  Charles  C.  (deceased),  Amos  L., 
Harvey  C.  and  Clarence  E. 

Nathan  Harrison,  born  in  1836,  is  a  son  of  Albert  and  Ann  (Foote) 
Harrison,  grandson  of  Nathan,  and  great-grandson  of  Nathan,  whose 
father,  Josiah,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  and  grandson  of  Thomas  Har- 
rison. Mr.  Harrison  is  a  farmer.  He  served  nine  months  in  the  war 
in  Company  B,  27th  Connecticut  Volunteers.  He  married  A.  Louisa, 
daughter  of  Nelson  Strickland.  Their  children  are:  N.  Irving,  Albert, 
Lewis,  Leroy,  Frederick  and  John. 

Roderick  E.  Harrison,  born  in  1845,  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Harriet 
(Hart)  Harrison,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  is  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the 
town.  He  married  Ella  E.,  daughter  of  Sherman  J.  Nettleton,  of  Dur- 
ham.    They  have  one  daughter,  Callie  E. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  101 

Rufus  Harrison,  born  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Eliaday  and  Rebecca 
(Rose)  Harrison,  grandson  of  Nathan,  and  great-grandson  of  Nathan, 
whose  father,  Josiah,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  and  grandson  of  Thomas 
Harrison.     Mr.  Harrison  is  a  farmer. 

Urban  T.  Harrison,  born  in  1855,  is  a  son  of  Lorenzo  E.  and  An- 
toinette (Todd)  Harrison,  and  grandson  of  Benajah  Todd.  He  has 
been  a  turner  in  Simpson,  Hall,  Miller  &  Co.'s  shop,  at  Wallingford, 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  two  sisters:  Ella  (Mrs.  T.  F.  Barnes) 
and  Louise. 

Ai.den  Hopson  Hill,  a  son  of  Arden  and  Flora  (Davis)  Hill,  was 
born  in  Killingworth,  Conn.,  September  4th,  1831.  He  was  the  seventh 
of  nine  children  and  the  elder  of  two  brothers.  His  parents  were 
farmers  in  very  moderate  circumstances,  whose  income  would  not 
permit  them  to  educate  their  children,  and  the  school  days  of  Alden 
H.  were  limited  to  an  attendance  of  three  months  in  the  winter,  when 
he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  What  knowledge  he  subsequently  ac- 
quired was  obtained  in  the  school  of  experience,  aided  by  a  thought- 
ful disposition  and  an  observant  nature.  He  was  thus  early  in  life 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  and  began  by  working  out  as  a  farm 
laborer.  As  a  result  of  his  first  season's  labors  he  paid  $70  into  the 
family  fund;  and  from  this  time  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  all 
his  earnings  were  devoted  to  the  relief  of  his  parents  and  sisters.  To 
accomplish  that  purpose  he  worked  incessantly,  never  losing  a  day, 
and  often  making  over-time,  being  most  faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
his  filial  obligations.  Several  seasons  were  spent  in  North  Branford, 
working  in  that  manner,  in  the  fields,  woods  and  mills,  and  in  1864 
he  became  a  permanent  resident  of  the  town.  Since  that  time  he  has 
here  built  up,  by  his  tireless  energy  and  industrious  habits,  the  for- 
tune he  now  enjoys.     He  erected  his  fine  home  in  1879. 

His  first  business  venture,  in  the  season  of  1864 — a  contract  to  fur- 
nish ship  timber  for  vessel  builders  in  an  adjoining  town — resulted  in 
a  loss  to  him  of  $1,000.  But,  not  discouraged  and  profitting  by  his 
experience,  he  persevered  in  the  same  industry,  and  has  been  very 
successful  in  his  subsequent  undertakings.  He  invested  in  the  stock 
of  thirteen  vessels,  for  which  he  furnished  material,  and  is  now  a  part 
owner  in  ten  of  them.  Since  1865  he  has  operated  the  Chidsey  mills, 
below  North  Branford  Center,  and  later,  as  their  owner,  rebuilt  them. 
He  has  also  become  a  large  land  owner,  and  engaged  in  other  enter- 
prises which  have  enabled  him  to  employ  constantly  from  three  to 
thirteen  men,  he  thus  being  the  most  active  business  man  of  the 
town.  In  his  relations  to  the  community  in  which  he  resides,  Mr.  Hill 
enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  those  who  know  him,  and  in  all 
his  dealings  he  has  endeavored  to  conform  his  actions  to  the  teachings 
of  the  golden  rule.  He  is  benevolent  and  public-spirited,  ever  being 
ready  to  take  a  foremost  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  schools  and 
town,  filling  the  office  of  selectman  eight  years.     As  the  representa- 


102  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tive  from  North  Branford  in  the  state  legislature  in  1878,  he  helped  to 
dedicate  the  new  state  capitol.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  but  has 
held  himself  free  from  partisan  feeling.  He  is  an  active  member  of 
the  North  Branford  Congregational  society,  and  has  for  several  years 
been  chairman  of  the  society's  committee.  The  work  of  that  church 
has  his  generous  support.  In  his  success  in  life  and  conduct  as  a  citi- 
zen, he  affords  a  commendable  example  of  one  of  the  best  types  of 
our  self-made  men. 

Mr.  Hill  was  married  November  18th,  1879,  to  Sarah  E.,  daughter 
of  Judson  and  Mariette  (Thompson)  Page,  of  North  Branford,  who 
was  born  December  8th,  1847.  She  is  a  woman  of  much  worth,  and 
has  ably  seconded  him  in  his  life  work.  They  have  two  children  : 
Raymond  Thompson,  born  January  11th,  1883;  and  Alden  Judson,  born 
August  12th,  1886. 

Charles  F.  Holabird,  born  at  Sheffield,  Mass.,  in  1857,  is  a  son  of 
Hiram  B.  and  Mariette  (Vosberg)  Holabird.  He  married  Bertha, 
daughter  of  Alfred  Russell.  They  have  four  children:  Royal  R., 
Charles  L.,  Douglass  B.  and  Ralph  H. 

Charles  E.  Linsley,  born  in  1856,  is  a  son  of  Edward  and  Emeline 

A.  (Hall)  Linsley,  and  grandson  of  Isaac  Linsley.  He  was  married  in 
1890,  to  Mary  Etta,  daughter  of  John  A.  Gates.  Mr.  Linsley's  father 
died  in  1875.  He  has  one  sister  living,  Lucinda  Rose.  A  brother, 
Edwin  H.,  was  born  in  1S65  and  died  in  1886. 

George  C.  Linsley,  born  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Edward  A.  and  Mary  A. 
(Baldwin)  Linsley,  grandson  of  Solomon,  and  great-grandson  of  Rufus 
Linsley.  Mr.  Linsley  is  a  farmer.  He  has  been  for.  eight  years  dea- 
con of  the  North  Branford  Congregational  church.  He  married  Het- 
tie  L.  Ball,  who  died,  leaving  one  son,  Merwin  B.  His  present  wife  is 
Vernelia  A.  Smith.     They  have  two  sons:  Charles  S.  and  Ernest  C. 

Isaac  B.  Linsley,  born  in  1845,  is  the  only  child  of  John  and  Lydia 
E.  (Hall)  Linsley.  He  is  the  great-great-grandson  of  John  Linsley, 
who  was  the  first  settler  on  the  farm,  which  has  gone  from  father  to 
son  until  the  present  owner,  Isaac  Linsley.  Mr.  Isaac  B.  Linsley  was 
two  years  selectman  and  has  held  other  town  offices. 

James  H.  Linsley,  born  in  1835,  is  a  son  of  John  S.  and  Eliza  A. 
(Halsey)  Linsley,  and  grandson  of  James  Linsley.  Mr.  Linsley  gradu- 
ated from  the  Connecticut  State  Normal  School  in  1857,  and  taught 
school  several  winters  in  this  and  other  states.  He  is  a  farmer.  He 
served  in  the  late  war  in  Company  C,  10th  Connecticut  Volunteers, 
from  September,  1861,  until  August,  1865,  and  was  wounded  three 
times.  In  November,  1864,  he  was  mustered  as  captain  of  the  com- 
pany. He  had  two  brothers  in  the  service:  Benjamin  M.,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness;  and  John  S.,  who  is  now  a  phy- 
sician. Another  brother  is  a  clergyman.  Mr.  Linsley  was  represent- 
ative from  this  town  in  1867.  He  married  Catharine  D.,  daughter  of 
Dean  Conant,  of  New  Hampshire.     They  have  two  children:  Eleanor 

B.  and  Arthur  M. 


^^<^^  fe^tiL 


*<-* 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  103 

Solomon  Linsley,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Elijah  and  Delia  (Foote) 
Linsley,  grandson  of  Solomon,  and  great-grandson  of  Joseph  Linsley. 
Mr.  Linsley  is  a  farmer.  His  first  wife,  Adaline  Hull,  died  leaving  one 
son,  Noah.  His  second  wife  was  Mrs.  Hannah  Bradley,  daughter  of 
Augustus  Hemingway.  Mr.  Linsley  has  been  selectman  two  years, 
and  has  held  other  town  offices. 

William  Maltby,  farmer,  born  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Ruth 
(Hart)  Maltby.  He  is  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church,  which 
office  he  has  held  for  the  past  25  years.  He  has  taken  an  active  inter- 
est in  all  that  pertains  to  the  best  good  of  the  public  schools  in  his 
town,  having  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  more  than  35 
years.  He  represented  his  town  in  the  legislature  of  1881.  He  mar- 
ried Esther,  daughter  of  Doctor  Rice  Hall,  and  has  two  daughters- 
Ophelia  H.  and  Mary  J.     A  son,  William  T.,  died  in  childhood. 

William  Hall  Maltby  is  a  direct  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest 
families  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Northford 
Society,  August  29th,  1810,  and  was  the  elder  child  of  Thaddeus  and 
Elizabeth  (Hall)  Maltby.  Their  younger  child,  also  a  son,  Isaac,  born 
in  1819,  removed  to  California,  where  he  died  in  1889,  leaving  an  only 
son,  Herbert.  The  grandfather  of  William  H.  Maltby  was  Benjamin 
Maltby,  a  large  farmer  and  miller  in  Branford.  He  died  May  10th, 
1823,  aged  68  years.  He  had  been  married  first,  January  22d,  1778,  to 
Rebecca  Taintor,  who  died  in  May,  1786,  leaving  him  five  children. 
By  a  second  marriage  there  were  five  more  children,  the  ten  being  as 
follows:  Thaddeus  (the  father  of  William  H.),  born  January  15th, 
1779,  married  Elizabeth  Hall,  May  18th,  1809,  died  January  12th, 
1873,  being  within  three  days  of  94  years  of  age;  Benjamin,  born  No- 
vember 11th,  1780,  married  Wealthy  W.  Chittenden  in  1811,  and  died 
in  1S34;  De  Grosse,  born  September  14th,  1782,  married  Sarah  Smith, 
October  11th,  1807,  died  February,  1872;  Elizabeth,  born  June  20th, 
1784,  married  Bennett  Bronson,  May,  1820,  died  June,  1840;  Rebecca, 
born  April  19th,  1786,  died  April  22d,  1836;  Julius,  born  January  5th, 
1788,  married  Melinda  Fowler,  May,  1819,  died  October,  1872;  Samuel, 
born  January  27th,  1790,  married  A.  De  Witt,  September,  1816,  died 
January  28th,  1881;  Elbridge,  born  January  23d,  1792.  married  Jane 
Ball,  November,  1822,  died  in  1863;  Erastus,  born  December  2d,  1796, 
married  Almira  Smith,  September  7th,  1826;  Eliza  R.,  born  April  13th, 
1800,  married  Jonathan  C.  Fowler,  April,  1820. 

William  H.  Maltby  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  for  many  years  ac- 
tively followed  that  pursuit,  his  habits  of  industry  and  frugality  aid- 
ing him  in  accumulating  considerable  property.  He  was  thus  en- 
gaged in  Wallingford  from  1836  until  1842,  and  for  the  next  twenty- 
one  years  in  the  town  of  Durham.  In  1863  he  returned  to  the  old 
homestead,  in  Northford,  where  he  has  since  resided,  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  know  him.  Although  now  advanced  in  age,  he 
retains  his  vivacious  disposition  and  cheerful  nature,  which  are  among 


1()4  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

his  chief  characteristics,  in  spite  of  bodily  affliction.  On  the  17th  of 
December,  1845,  his  hip  was  dislocated  by  a  fall  over  the  drum  of  the 
water  wheel  of  a  saw  mill,  which  precipitated  him  a  great  distance 
and  badly  injured  him;  but  after  a  year  he  recovered,  and  thereafter 
led  a  very  busy  life.  He  has  taken  a  warm  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
the  towns  in  which  he  resided,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  a  select- 
man, both  in  Durham  and  in  North  Branford.  The  latter  town  he 
represented  in  the  state  legislature  in  1871.  He  is  a  republican  and 
a  member  of  the  Northford  Congregational  church,  and  member  of 
the  prudential  committee.  In  the  earlier  years  of  his  manhood  he  was 
much  interested  in  military  matters,  and  for  several  years  he  was  in 
command  of  the  Northford  company. 

Mr.  Maltby  was  married  September  30th,  1836,  to  Polly  A.,  daughter 
of  Rufus  Foote,  of  Northford,  who  died  November  27th,  1872.  By 
this  union  there  were  three  children:  Benjamin  E.,  born  February 
21st,  1840,  died  March  29th,  1841;  William  E..  born  April  7th,  1843, 
died  March  31st,  1S64;  Elbridge  Lyman  Hall,  born  August  23d,  1846, 
now  living  in  the  city  of  Boston.  Mr.  Maltby  was  united  in  marriage 
the  second  time  April  30th,  1873,  to  his  present  wife,  Martha,  daughter 
of  John  Birdsey  and  Esther  Coe,  of  Middlefield,  Conn.,  and  grand- 
daughter of  John  Birdsey  of  the  same  town. 

George  H.  Munger,  born  in  1827  in  North  Madison,  Conn.,  is  a  son 
of  Gaylord  and  Densie  (Stephens)  Munger,  and  grandson  of  Josiah 
Munger.  He  came  from  North  Madison  to  North  Branford  in  1868, 
where  he  has  been  a  farmer.  He  married  Emily,  daughter  of  David 
and  Betsey  (Norton)  Russell.  They  have  three  daughters:  Martha  C. 
(Mrs.  Erastus  Dudley),  Belle  A.  (Mrs.  C.  A.  Harrison)  and  Helen  R. 
M.  (Mrs.  C.  M.  Bergstresser). 

Charles  Page,  born  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  E.  (Mer- 
riam)  Page,  grandson  of  Benjamin,  and  great-grandson  of  Daniel, 
whose  father,  Daniel,  was  a  son  of  George  Page,  who  was  among  the 
first  settlers  of  Branford.  Mr.  Page  attended  the  schools  of  this  and 
surrounding  towns,  spent  one  term  in  the  State  Normal  School,  and 
later  he  took  a  special  course  in  Yale  Theological  Seminary  and  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1885.  He  taught  school  nine  years  in  this  vicin- 
ity. He  was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  in  1874,  and 
has  been  town  clerk  and  treasurer  since  1871.  He  married  Elbertine 
A.,  daughter  of  Luther  F.  Dudley.  Their  children  are:  Charles  A., 
Edson  C.  and  May  C.  Mr.  Page  has  three  brothers  and  one  sister: 
John  M.,  Benjamin,  Martha  E.  and  Robert. 

Herbert  O.  Page,  born  in  1846,  is  a  son  of  Judson  and  Mariette 
(Thompson)  Page,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  has  been  for  four  years  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  selectmen,  and  has  held  other  town  offices.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  in  1886.  He  married 
Betsey  R.,  daughter  of  John  R.  Baldwin,  whose  father,  Noah,  was  a 
son  of  Edward,  and  grandson  of   Noah,  who  was  a  son  of  Noah,  and 


y/^-  MA 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  1()5 

he  a  son  of  George  Baldwin.  They  have  two  children:  Herbert  D. 
and  Helen  Gertrude. 

Thomas  Palmer,  born  in  1817  at  Stonington,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  Lydia  (Austin)  Palmer,  grandson  of  George  and  great- 
grandson  of  Andrew  Palmer.  Mr.  Palmer  followed  the  sea  more  or 
less  from  the  age  of  nine  years  until  1872.  Several  years  of  that  time 
he  was  in  command  of  vessels.  He  came  to  North  Branford  in  1873, 
where  he  now  lives.  He  married  Eliza  Hiscock,  and  their  children  are: 
Charles,  George,  Edith,  Edgar,  Jefferson,  Daisy,  Rosa  E.,  and  three 
that  died — Thomas,  Eliza  and  Edward. 

Seth  Russell,  born  in  1814,  is  a  son  of  Augustus  and  Lydia  (Rose) 
Russell,  and  grandson  of  Jonathan,  whose  father,  Jonathan,  was  a  son 
of  Reverend  Samuel  Russell.  Mr.  Russell  is  a  carpenter  and  farmer. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  in  1866.  He  mar- 
ried, first,  Abbie  Chidsey,  who  died,  leaving  two  children:  Susan  (Mrs. 
Samuel  Thompson)  and  Clark.  His  second  wife  was  Ann  Hecock,  and 
his  present  wife  was. Elizabeth  Baldwin. 

A.  Judson  Smith,  born  in  1841,  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Emily  (Wat- 
son )  Smith,  grandson  of  Abner,  and  great-grandson  of  Pollicarpus,  who 
came  from  Barnstable,  Mass.,  to  East  Haddam,Conn.  The  latter  was 
a  son  of  Heman,  whose  father,  Nathaniel,  was  a  son  of  Heman  Smith, 
who,  it  appears  from  the  records  of  Barnstable,  was  made  a  freeman 
there  in  1642.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  tinsmith  by  trade.  He  came  to  Bran- 
ford  in  1867,  and  from  that  time  until  1888  he  carried  on  the  hard- 
ware business  there,  and  since  that  time  he  has  lived  in  North  Bran- 
ford.  In  September,  1889,  he  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster  at 
Totoket.  His  first  marriage  was  with  Aphelia  Pyatt.  .She  died,  leav- 
ing three  children:  Nettie  E.,  Etta  M.  and  Albert  W.  His  second  wife 
was  Mary  S.  Hand.  Their  children  are:  Mary  E.,  Ruth  E.,  Bessie  S. 
and  Margaret  L. 

Thomas  A.  Smith,  born  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Hannah 
(Tuttle)  Smith.  He  was  for  several  years  engaged  in  the  manufactur- 
ing business  in  Northford,  but  since  1875  has  been  a  merchant.  He 
was  for  12  years  postmaster  of  Northford.  He  held  the  office  of  select- 
man and  was  for  two  years  a  representative  in  the  legislature.  His 
first  wife,  Ann  Delia  Harrison,  died,  leaving  one  son,  Albert  H.  His 
present  wife  is  Martha  E.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Page. 

David  Stearns  Stevens,  Jr.,  was  born  at  Quinnipiac,  in  the  town 
of  North  Haven,  April  5th,  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  David  and  Eliza  (Ben- 
jamin) Stevens.  He  was  the  fifth  of  six  children  born  to  them,  viz.: 
Albert  Benjamin,  who  died  in  Northford;  Alice  Eliza,  married  Jared 
B.  Bassett,  of  North  Haven;  Elizur  Seneca,  of  the  firm  of  Maltby, 
Stevens  &  Curtiss,  of  Wallingford;  Henry  M.,  also  residing  at  Walling- 
ford;  David  Stearns,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  and  Agnes  Gertrude, 
married  Watson  D.  Augur,  of  Middletown.  By  a  second  marriage,  to 
Frances  J.  Hart,  Mr.  Stevens  had  two  more  children:    Frances  Jane 


106  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

and  Peter  DeForest,  both  living  in  Virginia,  to  which  state  the  father 
removed  in  1883.  He  had  become  a  resident  of  Northford  in  1868  and 
for  a  number  of  years  there  carried  on  business  as  a  spoon  manu- 
facturer. 

As  a  boy,  David  S.  worked  in  his  father's  shops,  attending  mean- 
time the  common  schools  of  Northford,  but  completed  his  preliminary 
education  at  General  Russell's  institute  in  New  Haven.  In  1875  he 
returned  to  his  home  in  Northford,  where  he  then  began  the  card-print- 
ing business  in  his  father's  spoon  shop,  with  an  outfit  costing  $36, 
which  his  father  advanced  to  him.  From  the  beginning  his  efforts 
were  attended  with  success  and  the  industry  grew  so  rapidly  that,  in 
1880,  the  present  commodious  rooms  in  the  old  Maltby  Works  were 
secured.  In  these  new  quarters  the  business  was  developed  until  it 
became  one  of  the  leading  interests  of  the  kind  in  this  country.  As 
many  as  fifty  hands  have  been  employed  in  carrying  on  the  opera- 
tions, which  embrace  the  manufacture  and  printing  of  an  endless  vari- 
ety of  plain  and  fancy  cards  and  scrap-book  pictures,  which  are  sold  in 
every  part  of  the  Union.  In  1880  his  brother,  Henry  M.,  became  asso- 
ciated with  him,  the  firm  since  that  time  being  Stevens  Brothers.. 
Since  1890  the  latter  has  been  in  charge  of  the  Wallingford  branch  of 
the  business,  which  was  established  that  year. 

Mr.  Stevens  possesses  a  fertile  brain,  which  has  enabled  him  to 
keep  in  advance  of  the  ever-varying  changes  of  his  business  and  to 
constantly  devise  or  add  new  features,  which  have  further  enlarged 
it.  He  has  also  developed  a  capacity  for  affairs  which  entitles  him 
properly  to  a  place  among  the  representative  successful  self-made  men 
of  the  county.  His  skill,  tact  and  indomitable  energy  and  persever- 
ance have  brought  him  business  prosperity  and  an  honored  name.  He 
is  much  esteemed  in  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  has  iden- 
tified himself  with  its  best  interests,  serving  them  so  far  as  the  urgent 
demands  of  his  business  would  permit. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  married  October  9th,  1S79,  to  Clara  Hoadley, 
daughter  of  E.  C.  and  Hannah  Maltby,  who  was  born  September  27th,. 
1857.  Her  mother,  Hannah  Hoadley,  was  a  daughter  of  the  Reverend 
L.  Ives  Hoadlev,  who  was  an  honored  minister  of  the  Congregational 
church.  Five  children  have  been  born  as  the  fruit  of  that  union: 
Douglas  Maltby,  September  4th,  1880;  Clifford  Fleetwood,  July  9th, 
1885;  Wilbur  Benjamin,  December  3d,  1886;  David  Stearns,  July  23d, 
1888;  Clara  Marguerite,  December  31st,  1889. 

Mr.  Stevens  resides  in  the  E.  C.  Maltby  place,  at  Northford,  which 
has  been  finely  fitted  up  for  his  home. 

Albert  Todd,  born  in  1834,  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Ann  Louisa 
(Munson)  Todd,  grandson  of  Albert,  and  great-grandson  of  Charles 
Todd.  Mr.  Todd  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Orpha  A.,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Laura  (Jones)  Smith.  They  have  two  children  living: 
Charles  S.  and  Louisa  L.     One  died,  Lewis  A. 


^r-s^<^5>^-. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  107 

Willys  Tucker,  born  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Sheldon  and  Betsey  (Dor- 
man)  Tucker,  and  grandson  of  Oliver  Tucker.  He  is  a  farmer  and 
blacksmith.  Since  1861  he  has  been  agent  for  farm  implements.  He 
married  Submit,  daughter  of  John  and  Jerusha  (Rossiter)  Graves. 
They  have  two  children:  Ellen  M.,  wife  of  Edgar  Eaton,  and  Alice  L., 
wife  of  Charles  Munson.  Mr.  Tucker  has  served  several  years  as 
selectman. 

Douglas  Williams,  born  in  1830,  is  a  son  of  Herman  H.  and  Sarah 
J.  (Douglass)  Williams,  and  grandson  of  Herman,  whose  father  was 
Herman  Williams.  His  maternal  grandfather  was  Captain  William 
Douglass,  son  of  Colonel  William  Douglass.  Mr.  Williams  is  a  far- 
mer. His  first  wife,  Jeanette  L.  Foote,  died,  leaving  three  children: 
Benjamin  D.,  Herman  H.  and  Davis  F.  His  second  wife  was  Eugenia, 
daughter  of  Warram  W.  Foote,  and  sister  of  the  first  wife.  His  present 
wife  was  Mrs.  Ann  L.  Shove,  daughter  of  Abiatha  Foote. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE    TOWN   OF   GUILFORD. 


Location  and  Description. — Natural  Features  and  Points  of  Interest. — The  Pioneers. — 
Civil  Government. — Probate  District. — Magistrates  and  Justices. — Town  Buildings. 
— Cemeteries. — Roads  and  Bridges. — Industrial  Pursuits. — Guilford  Borough. — 
Lodges  and  Societies  — Religious  Interests. — Educational  and  Literary. — Some 
Distinguished  Citizens. — Physicians  and  Lawyers. — Military  Matters. — Soldiers' 
Monument. — Biographical  Sketches. 


THE  original  town  of  Guilford  included  the  present  town  and 
Madison,  which  was  set  off  in  1826.  It  stretched  along  the 
shore  of  Long  Island  sound  from  Branford  to  Killingworth,  a 
distance  of  nearly  ten  miles,  and  was  nearly  eleven  miles  long  from 
south  to  north.  At  the  north  end  the  width  was  not  quite  five  miles, 
and  at  other  points  it  was  irregular.  The  boundary  between  Branford 
and  Guilford  was  a  straight  line  from  the  mouth  of  Stony  creek  to  the 
center  of  Pistapaug  pond,  upon  which  cornered  the  towns  of  Walling- 
ford,  Branford,  Guilford  and  Durham.  The  pond  is  a  mile  long  from 
north  to  south,  and  half  a  mile  wide.  From  this  common  center  a 
line,  extending  northeast  to  the  western  branch  of  the  Hammonassett 
river,  formed  the  northern  boundary,  and  separated  Guilford  from 
Durham.  The  eastern  boundary  was  down  that  stream  to  the  Ham- 
monassett proper,  thence  down  the  middle  of  the  river  to  Dudley's 
creek,  thence  down  to  West  rock,  on  the  sound.  This  separated  the 
town  from  Killingworth.  In  this  territory  were  for  many  years  four 
Congregational  societies,  viz.:  Guilford  First  Society,  North  Guilford, 
East  Guilford  (now  Madison),  and  North  Bristol  (now  North  Madison). 
The  latter  two  and  a  narrow  strip,  two  miles  long  from  the  sound 
north,  of  the  First  Society,  were  constituted  the  town  of  Madison,  thus 
leaving  Guilford  with  a  mean  length  of  eleven  miles  and  an  average 
width  of  four  miles,  the  town  of  Madison  forming  the  eastern  bound- 
ary, and  having  the  East  river  in  part  as  the  dividing  line. 

That  stream,  called  by  the  Indians  Ruttawoo,  has  its  source  in  sev- 
eral brooks,  or  branches,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  old  town,  which 
unite  at  Nut  Plains.  Then  it  takes  a  southwesterly  course,  and  emp- 
ties its  waters  into  Guilford  harbor,  east  of  Guilford  Point.  For  some 
distance  it  is  a  tidal  stream,  and  is  navigable  for  sloops  to  East  River 
bridge,  where  are  several  wharves,  in  the  town  of  Madison.  Near  its 
mouth   are  Sawpits,  Quarry  and  the  Farmers'  wharves.     The  other 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  109 

principal  stream  of  the  town  is  the  Menuncatuc,  or  West  river,  which 
is  the  outlet  of  Quinnebaug  or  Quonepaug  pond,  in  North  Guilford. 
This  pond  or  lake  is  two  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  a  little 
more  than  a  fourth  of  a  mile  wide.  Its  waters  are  very  deep,  and  the 
environing  scenery  is  attractive.  Southwest  is  a  smaller  sheet  of 
water  called  West  pond,  whose  small  outlet  flows  into  West  river. 
The  latter  stream  has  a  southerly  course  to  the  west  of  Guilford,  bor- 
ough, and  empties  into  the  harbor  west  of  the  point.  It  is  also  a  tidal 
stream  as  high  as  the  village,  where  small  wharves  have  been  con- 
structed. East  creek  is  a  small  stream  occupying  an  intermediate 
position  between  the  above  streams,  and  also  emptying  near  the  neck 
or  mouth  of  East  river. 

Guilford  harbor  is  too  shallow  to  afford  a  good  entrance  for  vessels. 
At  low  mark  there  are  six  feet  of  water  on  the  bar,  and  twelve  feet  at 
full  tide.  A  higher  flow  sometimes  submerges  the  lowlands  along  the 
rivers.  In  these  fiats  and  channels  are  found  clams  of  superior  qual- 
ity, and  the  East  River  oysters  are  regarded  by  epicures  as  the  finest 
flavored  in  the  state.  The  quantity  is  limited,  and  the  price  is  high. 
An  effort  was  made  to  build  a  breakwater  to  improve  the  harbor,  which 
has  been  filling  up  from  the  wash  of  the  waters  of  the  sound,  but  the 
government  refused  an  appropriation.  In  1703  Guilford  was  desig- 
nated by  the  general  assembly  as  one  of  the  eight  ports  of  entry  in 
the  colony,  and  Josiah  Rossiter  was  made  naval  officer.  In  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century  Guilford  was  made  tributary  to  New  Haven 
harbor.  Two  miles  west  is  Sachem's  Head  harbor,  which  is  a  small 
but  deep  body  of  water,  almost  wholly  land  locked,  and  before  the 
period  of  light-houses  was  much  used  as  a  night  station  for  vessels  in 
the  coastwise  trade.  Before  1775  this  harbor  was  also  used  by  vessels 
in  trade  with  the  West  Indies.  Many  cargoes  of  cattleand  other  stock 
were  shipped  from  that  point,  and  lumber  was  also  shipped  to  some 
extent.  Still  further  southwest  is  another  expanse  of  still  water,  wash- 
ing Leete's  island  on  the  east.  It  is  too  shallow  for  shipping  purposes, 
but  was  formerly  a  favorite  place  for  fishing. 

At  both  of  these  larger  harbors  the  land  projects  in  points,  which 
have  for  manv  years  been  esteemed  as  summer  resorts.  Guilford 
Point,  a  mile  or  more  below  the  village,  has  thus  been  used  more  than 
a  century.  Later  a  hotel  was  built,  known  as  the  Point  House,  which 
increased  the  popularity  of  the  place.  This  house  is  now  old,  but  has 
an  attractive  location,  with  quieting  surroundings.  Before  the  use  of 
the  railroad,  steamboats  landed  passengers  at  this  point.  A  good  road 
now  leads  to  it  from  the  village  railway  station. 

Sachem's  Head,  the  other  point,  is  three  and  a  half  miles  southwest 
from  the  village,  and  is  more  abrupt  and  picturesque  than  the  former. 
It  derived  its  peculiar  name  from  an  incident  in  the  war  upon  the 
Pequots  at  their  fort  on  Mystic  river. 


110  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  The  defeat  of  the  Pequots  took  place  May  26th,  1637,  by  the  Eng- 
lish under  Captain  Mason,  and  their  allies,  the  Narragansett  Indians, 
and  a  remnant  took  flight  along  the  '  shore  trail '  of  the  Indians  west- 
ward, pursued  by  a  few  English  under  Captain  Stoughton  and  Indians 
under  Uncas.  The  English  kept  a  reserve  force  on  board  their  trans- 
ports, which  coasted  along  the  shore,  scouring  every  inlet  for  detached 
bands  of  the  retreating  foe.  When  the  land  party  under  Stoughton 
and  Uncas  had  reached  this  head-land  projecting  into  the  Sound  Uncas, 
who  knew  Indian  craft,  left  the  trail  and  made  a  thorough  search  of 
the  point.  A  chief  and  several  warriors  were  found.  The  refugees 
made  effort  to  escape  by  swimming  across  the  narrow  part  of  the  har- 
bor, and  were  captured  as  they  landed.  The  Sachem  was  shot  dead 
with  an  arrow  by  Uncas,  who  cut  off  his  head  and  placed  it  between 
the  limbs  of  an  oak  tree,  which  grew  around  the  skull,  holding  it 
firmly  for  years,  and  from  this  tragedy  originated  the  name  '  Sachem's 
Head.'  "* 

This  expedition  of  Captain  Stoughton  was  one  of  the  means  which 
led  to  the  settlement  of  the  county,  first  at  New  Haven,  and  later 
brought  the  Guilford  settlers  to  that  place  and  this  section. 

"  It  has  been  said  that  Captain  Stoughton  on  his  return  with  the 
fleet  put  in  for  refuge  and  spent  a  few  days  in  the  beautiful  bay  of 
the  'Red  Mountains,'  later  the  '  Fayre  Haven  '  of  the  Whitfield  com- 
pany, and  observing  its  many  advantages  for  a  commercial  town  site 
he,  on  his  return  to  Massachusetts  Bay,  informed  Governor  Eaton  and 
company,  who  had  just  landed,  of  its  adaptability  for  settlement,  and 
the  Governor,  notwithstanding  advantageous  offers  which  had  been 
made  at  Boston,  Salem  and  Lynn  for  their  settlement,  and  also  the 
lateness  of  the  season,  came  here  with  a  company  to  view  this  '  prom- 
ised land.'  On  being  satisfied  with  its  conditions  which  invited  set- 
tlement, he  at  once  made  all  preliminary  steps  necessary  for  its  pur- 
chase of  the  then  nearly  extinct  tribes  (the  Ouinnipiacs),  and  built  a 
hut  and  left  a  small  company  to  hold  and  occupy  the  territory  until 
the  next  spring.  He  then  returned  and  took  possession  of  his  new 
purchase." 

From  New  Haven  attention  was  directed  to  the  desirable  lands  of 
Guilford  and  Milford,  which,  no  doubt,  were  soon  after  prospected, 
with  a  view  to  their  acquisition  by  the  whites. 

A  little  east  of  Sachem's  Head  is  a  place  called  Bloody  Cove,  where 
is  said  to  have  occurred  a  fatal  skirmish  between  Uncas  and  his  clan 
and  the  Pequots  before  the  above  capture  took  place. 

Sachem's  Head  point  became  well  known  as  a  seaside  resort  half  a 
century  ago,  and  was  for  many  years  a  fashionable  summer  watering 
place.  A  hotel,  with  accommodations  for  several  hundred  guests,  was 
erected,  and  the  grounds  were  finely  laid  out  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  visitors.  It  was  for  many  years  largely  patronized,  but  was  de- 
♦Captain  Townsend. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  Ill 

stroyed  by  fire  in  June,  1865.     After  some  years  the  locality  became 
popular  for  seaside  cottages,  and  is  again  growing  much  in  favor. 

Between  Guilford  and  Sachem's  Head  points  is  a  projection  of 
land  called  Mulberry  point;  and  at  the  sound  extremity  of  Leete's 
Island  is  Leete's  point.  The  name  Leete's  Island  is  applied  to  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  town,  much  of  which  is  low  land.  Off  shore 
from  Guilford  harbor,  and  some  distance  from  it,  is  Falcon  or  Faulk- 
ner's island,  which  is  a  part  of  this  town.  After  belonging  to  various 
parties  it  was  sold  in  1801  to  the  United  States  government  for  $325, 
and  a  lighthouse  has  since  been  built  on  it,  which  has  made  this  part 
of  the  sound  comparatively  safe.* 

The  surface  of  Guilford  presents  a  varied  aspect.  The  northern 
part  is  elevated  and  broken  by  the  northeastern  extremity  of  Totoket 
mountain,  which  extends  into  its  territory  several  miles,  terminating 
in  a  bold  bluff.  Along  Ouinnebaug  pond  and  extending  south  to 
North  Guilford  Center  are  also  a  series  of  hills,  some  of  them  very 
steep.  South  of  this  are  elevations  bearing  the  local  names  of  Long 
hill,  a  high  ridge  on  the  west  side  of  the  West  river;  Moose  hill,  of 
less  altitude,  extending  into  the  town  of  Branford;  and  Clapboard  hill, 
the  elevation  between  the  East  creek  and  East  river.  South  of  these 
the  change  to  the  lowlands  is  rapid,  there  being  only  small  elevations, 
showing  upheavals  of  granite  rock,  with  a  hard  and  compact  soil. 
Much  of  the  entire  surface  is  of  a  stony  nature,  better  fitted  for  wood- 
lands than  for  cultivation.  But  along  the  shore  are  alluvial  plains  and 
along  the  streams  are  some  intervales  having  strong  and  generous 
soils,  which  with  proper  tillage  yield  profitable  crops.  Corn,  wheat 
and  the  root  crops  have  given  bountiful  returns  and  the  agriculture 
of  the  town  in  its  extent  and  products  is  not  exceeded  by  an  equal  area 
in  the  county. 

Along  the  sound  and  several  miles  back  the  lands  are  either 
swampy  or  are  alluvial  deposits,  naturally  very  fertile,  and  are  still 
further  enriched  by  skillful  fertilization.  For  many  years  this  was 
the  section  first  tilled  by  the  Guilford  settlers  and  before  their  coming 
had  been  the  favorite  planting  ground  of  the  Indians,  who  called  it 
Menuncatuc.  All  the  bounties  of  nature  were  here  generously  pro- 
vided—a strong,  fertile  and  easily  cultivated  soil,  game  and  water  fowl, 
fresh  fish  and  sea  food.  These  conditions,  also,  most  naturally  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  whites  to  this  locality  and  led  to  the  early 
purchase  of  the  Indian  lands. 

That  part  of  Guilford  on  the  coast,  lying  between  the  East  river 
(Ruttawoo)  and  the  Stony  creek  (Agicomook),  was  purchased  of  the 
sachem  squaw  of  Menuncatuck,  Shaumpishuh,  acting  for  the  Indian  in- 
habitants, who  agreed  to  the  sale  September  29th,  1639.     The  commis- 

*  At  the  general  court  at  Hartford,  October  18th,  1677,  "Liberty  was  granted 
to  Andrew  Leete  to  purchase  Falcon  Island  and  Goose  Island     *      *  which 

.said  Islands  lie  before  or  near  Guilford."     (.Col.  Rec.  of  Conn..  1665-77.) 


112  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

sioners  for  the  whites  were  Henry  Whitfield,  Robert  Kitehell, William 
Chittenden,  William  Leete,  John  Bishop  and  John  Cofhnge.  The  pay- 
ment was  a  dozen  each  of  coats,  glasses,  pairs  of  shoes,  hatchets,  hoes, 
pairs  of  stockings,  knives,  hats,  porringers,  spoons,  fathoms  of  wam- 
pum, four  kettles  and  two  English  coats.  Most  of  the  Indians  now 
removed  to  Branford  and  East  Haven,  but  a  few  received  liberty  to 
remain  for  a  time  at  Ruttawoo. 

"At  the  time  of  the  above  pirrchase  it  was  understood  that  the  deed 
for  the  land  should  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  above  committee  of 
planters  until  a  church  should  be  formed,  to  whom  it  should  then  be 
given  and  under  whose  superintendence  the  lands  should  be  divided 
out  to  those  interested  in  them.  The  English  settlement  was  com- 
menced immediately  after  this  purchase  on  the  ground  where  is 
now  Guilford  borough,  the  plain  and  some  other  lands  near  by 
having  already  been  cleared  by  the  natives  and  prepared  for  culti- 
vation."* 

The  first  settlers  were  mostly  emigrants  from  the  counties  of 
Kent  and  Surrey,  in  England,  and  came  to  America  in  1639  in  two 
vessels.  They  landed  at  New  Haven  and  remained  there  a  short 
time  as  a  distinct  company,  and  were  not  a  part  of  the  New  Haven 
planters  or  company.  Many  of  them  were  persons  of  position  and 
influence  in  England  and  nearly  all  were  farmers  in  that  country. 
Their  sole  purpose  in  coming  to  the  new  world  was  that  they  might 
have  greater  religious  liberty  and  the  advantages  of  a  community 
having  a  concordance  of  belief.  Accordingly,  while  yet  on  ship- 
board, they  organized  themselves  as  a  separate  community  and 
entered  into  relations  which  are  expressed  by  the  following  cove- 
nant: 

"  We,  whose  names  are  hereunder  written,  intending  by  God's 
gracious  permission  to  plant  ourselves  in  New  England,  and  if  it 
may  be,  in  the  southerly  part,  about  Ouinnipiack:  We  do  faithfully 
promise  each  to  each,  for  ourselves  and  families,  and  those  that  be- 
long to  us;  that  we  will,  the  Lord  assisting  us,  sit  down  and  join 
ourselves  together  in  one  intire  plantation;  and  to  be  helpful  each 
to  the  other  in  every  common  work,  according  to  every  man's  abil- 
ity and  as  need  shall  require;  and  we  promise  not  to  desert  or  leave 
each  other  or  the  plantation,  but  with  the  consent  of  the  rest,  or 
the  greater  part  of  the  company  who  have  entered  into  this  engage- 
ment. 

"As  for  our  gathering  together  in  a  church  way,  and  the  choice  of 
officers  and  members  to  be  joined  together  in  that  way,  we  do  refer 
ourselves  until  such  time  as  it  shall  please  God  to  settle  us  in  our  plan- 
tation. 

"  In  witness  whereof  we  subscribe  our  hands,  the  first  day  of  June, 
1639. 

*R.  1 1.  Smith. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  113 

"Robert  Kitchell,  John  Hughes, 

John  Bishop,  William  Dudley, 

Francis  Bushnell,  John  Parmelin, 

William  Chittenden,  John  Mepham, 

William  Leete,  Thomas  Norton, 

Thomas  Joaues,  Abraham  Cruttenden, 

John  Jurdon,  Francis  Chatfield, 

William  Stone,  William  Halle, 

John  Hoadly,  Thomas  Naish, 

John  Stone,  Henry  Kingsnorth, 

William  Plane,  Henry  Doude, 

Richard  Gutridge,  Thomas  Cooke, 
Henry  Whitfield." 

It  is  said  that  the  vessel  which  bore  this  company  was  a  ship  of 
about  350  tons  burden  and,  sailing  from  London  about  May  25th,  1639, 
entered  New  Haven  harbor  some  time  near  the  beginning  of  July.  It 
is  claimed  that  Whitfield's  vessel  was  the  first  that  ever  cast  anchor  in 
the  waters  of  the  Quinnipiac.  "  The  sight  did  so  please  the  captain  of 
the  ship  and  all  the  passengers  that  he  called  New  Haven  harbor  'the 
Fayre  Haven.'  "  But  for  some  reason  it  was  changed  to  New  Haven, 
and  nearly  two  centuries  later  the  very  prosperous  east  part  of  the 
town  was  called  Fair  Haven. 

After  landing  at  New  Haven  they  soon,  under  the  friendly  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Davenport  and  Mr.  Eaton,  selected  Menuncatuc  as  the 
place  for  their  plantation,  and  not  long  thereafter  named  the  new  town 
Guilford,  after  a  city  in  their  native  Surrey. 

The  leader  of  these  25  gentlemen  and  yeomen*  was  the  Reverend 
Henry  Whitfield,  a  gentleman  of  influence  and  wealth,  both  elements 
being  freely  used  by  him  in  establishing  his  plantation.  In  temporal 
as  well  as  in  spiritual  matters  he  was  the  foremost  of  the  "  English 
planters  of  Menuncatuc,"  and  the  first  improvements  were  made  under 
his  direction.  One  of  the  first  acts  was  to  locate  a  town  site,  which 
was  done  by  following  the  English  fashion  of  laying  out  a  market 
place  or  green  of  oblong  shape  and  building  around  it.  This  being 
done,  they  commenced  building  homes  for  themselves,  the  houses  of 
some  of  the  planters  being  put  up  in  a  very  substantial  manner  of 
stone,  and  also  after  the  style  of  the  better  English  farm  houses  of 
that  period. 

The  famous  old  stone  house  of  Guilford  was  built  by  Mr.  Whitfield 
in  1639-40,  and  was  probably  the  best  in  the  village.  It  was  made  un- 
usually strong,  so  that  it  would  also  serve  as  a  means  of  defense  against 
Indians.     It   is   still    standing,  although   in  a  remodelled   condition. 

*  The  first  planters  were  of  these  two  ranks— gentlemen  and  yeomen.     The 
former  were   men  of  wealth  and  bore  the  title  of  Mr.     The  commonality  were 
spoken  of  without  a  title   prefixed,  or  were  called   goodman  or  neighbor.     But 
none  of  these  planters  were  poor,  and  but  few  had  servants. 
8 


114  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Until  18GS  the  original  form  was  preserved,  and  even  now  the  large 
■stone  chimney  and  the  north  wall  remain  as  they  were  put  up,  250 
years  ago,  making  this  the  oldest  English  built  house  in  the  United 
States.  It  occupies  a  good  site  on  slightly  rising  ground,  which  over- 
looks the  great  plain  south  of  the  village,  and  gives  a  fine  prospect  of 
the  sound.  Mr.  Whitfield  had  a  large  family  of  grown  children,  and 
it  is  said  that  the  first  marriage  in  the  town  was  here  held,  when  Mr. 
John  Higginson  took  to  wife  one  of  his  daughters.  The  wedding 
feast  was  very  simple,  consisting  of  pork  and  pease. 

The  original  Whitfield  house  was  described,  in  1859,  by  R.  D. 
Smith,  as  follows: 

"The  walls  are  of  stone  from  a  ledge  eighty  rods  distant  to  the  east. 
The  material  was  probably  brought  on  handbarrows  across  a  swamp, 
over  a  rude  carfseway,  which  is  still  to  be  traced.  A  small  addition 
has  in  modern  times  been  made  to  the  back  of  the  house,  but  there  is 
no  question  that  the  main  building  remains  in  its  original  state,  even 
to  the  oak  of  the  beams,  floors,  doors  and  window  sashes.  *  *  *  * 
In  the  recesses  of  the  windows  are  broad  seats.  Within  the  memory 
of  some  of  the  residents  of  the  town  the  panes  of  glass  were  of  dia- 
mond shape. 

"  The  height  of  the  first  story  is  seven  feet  and  two-thirds,  the 
height  of  the  second  is  six  feet  and  three-quarters.  At  the  southerly 
corner  in  the  second  story  there  was  originally  an  embrasure  about  a 
foot  wide,  with  a  stone  flooring,  which  remains.  The  exterior  walls 
are  now  closed  up,  but  not  the  walls  within. 

"The  walls  at  the  front  and  back  of  the  house  terminate  at  the  floor 
of  the  attic,  and  the  rafters  lie  upon  them.  The  angle  of  the  roof  is 
sixty  degrees,  making  the  base  and  sides  equal.  At  the  end  of  the 
wing  by  the  chimney  is  a 'recess,'  which  must  have  been  intended  as  a 
place  of  concealment.  The  interior  walls  have  the  appearance  of 
touching  the  chimney,  like  the  walls  at  the  northwest  end,  but  the  re- 
moval of  a  board  discovers  two  closets,  which  project  beyond  the 
lower  part  of  the  building. 

"  This  noted  residence  was  sold  by  Mr.  Whitfield  on  his  removal  to 
England  in  1652  to  Major  Thompson,  of  London,  an  important  man  in 
England  during  the  commonwealth,  and  continued  in  his  family  until 
October  22d,  1772,  when  Mr.  Wyllys  Elliot,  of  Guilford,  bought  it  for 
£3, 000,  Massachusetts  money." 

In  1890  this  house  and  much  of  the  original  Whitfield  plantation 
was  the  property  of  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Cone,  and  was  in  a  well  preserved 
condition. 

Other  stone  houses  were  built  soon  after  by  Jasper  Stillwell,  on 
the  lot  north  of   Mr.  Whitfield;  by  Mr.  John  Higginson,  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  green,  on  the  south  side  of  Bridge  street;  by  Sam- 
uel Desborough,  west,  on  the  same  side  of  the  street.     Opposite  them 
'  lived  planters  Ward  and   Bishop.     Mr.  Robert  Kitchell  lived  west  of 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  115 

the  northwest  corner  of  the  green,  and  John  Fowler  lived  on  the  op- 
posite corner.  Mr.  William  Leete  was  farther  west,  on  the  river,  and 
Mr.  William  Chittenden  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  the 
lots  being  still  occupied  by  his  descendants.  But  no  building  except 
the  Whitfield  house  remains. 

The  next  step  of  the  planters  was  to  increase  the  area  of  the  town, 
so  as  to  have  ample  lands  for  every  one.  Additional  purchases 
were  made  of  the  Indians  by  Mr.  Whitfield,  September  20th,  1641, 
when  he  bought  of  the  sachem  Weekwosh  the  territory  along  the 
sound  eastward  from  the  East  river  to  Tuxis  Pond,  for  a  small  con- 
sideration of  clothing.  The  right  of  Weekwosh  to  sell  this  land 
being  doubted,  the  title  was  perfected  by  another  purchase  of  Uncas, 
the  sachem  of  the  Mohegans,  who  claimed  the  land  by  right  of  con- 
quest of  the  Pequots  in  1637,  when  the  last  of  their  warriors  was  slain 
by  Captain  Stoughton  in  the  swamp  at  Fairfield.  This  purchase  was 
made  December  17th,  1641,  by  Mr.  Whitfield,  Robert  Kitchell,  William 
Chittenden  and  others  of  the  English  planters,  and  embraced  the  land 
on  the  sound  between  the  points  named  and  north  through  the  town- 
ship. The  consideration  was  four  coats,  two  kettles,  four  fathoms  of 
wampum,  four  hatchets  and  three  hoes. 

In  the  meantime  the  remaining  territory  of  the  old  town  had  been 
secured  of  the  Indians  by  Colonel  George  Fenwick.  of  Saybrook,  who 
was  a  personal  friend  of  Mr.  Whitfield  and  other  planters  of  Guilford. 

"  Mr.  Whitfield  being  desirous  of  extending  the  township  still  fur- 
ther eastward,  made  repeated  application  to  his  friend  Fenwick  to 
convey  to  his  plantation  a  tract  lying  between  Tuxis  and  Hammon- 
asset  rivers,  which  Mr.  Fenwick  had  bought  of  Uncas,  and  in  a  letter 
dated  October  22d,  1645,  Mr.  Fenwick  gave  this  tract  to  Guilford,  on 
conditions  that  the  planters  would  '  accommodate  Mr.  Whitfield  with 
land  to  his  content,'  and  he  was  authorized  to  hold  the  land  until  the 
conditions  should  be  fulfilled. 

"  This  grant  from  Mr.  Fenwick  was  accepted  by  Guilford,  which 
made  Mr.  Whitfield  several  allotments  of  land,  which  he  afterward 
deeded  to  the  town,  the  20th  of  August,  1650,  for  the  consideration  of 
£20,  paid  in  wheat." 

Other  purchases  were  made  of  Indian  claimants,  the  last  being  in 
1686,  when  much  of  what  is  now  North  Guilford  was  bought  of  the 
Indian  Nausup,  for  £16  12s. 

For  many  years  the  great  concern  of  the  planters  was  the  proper 
distribution  of  the  foregoing  land.  Some  of  it  was  held  in  commons 
many  years,  and  others  were  fenced  as  common  meadows,  common  ox 
pastures  and  common  young  cattle  pastures.  Before  1666  two  allot- 
ments of  land  had  been  made;  the  third  took  place  in  1667:  another, 
including  North  Guilford  lands,  in  1691.  Subsequently  other  divisions 
were  made,  there  being  in  all  more  than  half  a  dozen  allotments, 
and  the  business  of  the  proprietors  was  not  closed  up  until  1831. 


116  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

It  is  known  that  there  were  forty  planters  in  "1639,  but  owing  to 
the  vagueness  of  the  records  their  names  cannot  be  given  with  any 
degree  of  certainty.  In  1651  the  following  were  the  freemen  of  the 
town:  Henry  Whitfield,  Jno.  Higginson,  George  Hubbard,  Mr.  Samuel 
Disborow,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchell,  Mr.  William  Chittenden,  Mr.  William 
Leete,  Thomas  Jordan,  John  Hoadley,  John  Scranton,  George  Bartlett, 
Jasper  Stillwell,  Alexander  Chalker,  John  Stone,  Thomas  Jones,  Wil- 
liam Hall,  Thomas  Betts,  John  Parmelin,  Sr.,  Henry  Kingsworth, 
Thomas  Cook,  Richard  Bristow,  John  Parmelin,  Jr.,  John  Fowler, Wil- 
liam Dudley,  Richard  Gutteridge,  Abraham  Cruttenden,  Sr.,  Edward 
Benton,  John  Evarts. 

The  following  were  planters  in  Guilford  before  this  period,  1652, 
but  had  not  yet  been  admitted  as  freemen;  or,  in  other  words,  they 
were  not  accepted  church  members:  John  Bishop,  Sr.,  Thomas  Chat- 
field,  Francis  Bushnell,  Henry  Dowd,  Richard  Hues,  George  Chatfield, 
William  Stone,  John  Stevens,  Benjamin  Wright,  John  Linsley,  John 
Johnson,  John  Sheader,  Samuel  Blachley,  Thomas  French,  Stephen 
Bishop,  Thomas  Stevens,  William  Boreman,  Edward  Sewers,  George 
Highland,  Abraham  Cruttenden,  Jr. 

Some  of  the  original  planters  had  died  before  this  period,  or  had 
removed.  Among  these  were  John  Cofhnge  and  Thomas  Norton. 
Thomas  Mills  died  in  1648,  John  Mepham  in  1649,  John  Jordan  in 
1649,  William  Somers  in  1650,  and  Francis  Austin  in  1646;  the  last 
named  being  one  of  the  drowned  on  the  ill-fated  Lamberton  ship, 
which  sailed  from  New  Haven  that  year. 

Some  of  the  foregoing  planters  did  not  come  directly  to  Guilford, 
but  were  first  located  elsewhere.  John  Higginson  came  from  Salem, 
Mass.,  in  1641;  John  Fowler  and  Edward  Benton  came  from  Milford, 
and  George  Hubbard  was  first  at  Wethersfield  and  later  at  Milford. 
Doctor  Bryan  Rossiter  came  in  October,  1651,  having  purchased  the 
holdings  of  Samuel  Desborough.  William  Seward  came  from  England 
to  New  Haven  and  from  the  latter  place  to  Guilford  in  1651.  He  was 
the  first  tanner  and  was  also  captain  of  the  train  band. 

John  Baldwin  came  from  Milford  in  1651;  William  Johnson  from 
New  Haven  in  1653;  John  Hill,  a  carpenter,  from  England  in  1654; 
John  Graves  from  Hartford  in  1657,  and  Thomas  Clarke  and  Thomas 
Meacock  came  from  Milford  about  1659  or  earlier.  Richard  Hubball 
was  admitted  a  planter  in  1654,  and  the  same  year  John  Hodgkin* 
came  from  Essex,  England. 

In  1652  John  Smith  came  from  Fairfield  as  the  blacksmith  and  took 
the  oath  of  fidelity  in  1654.  A  large  tract  of  land  was  given  him  upon 
condition  of  his  settlement,  and  that  he  follow  his  trade  in  the  town 
five  years.  This  he  did,  but  for  some  cause  did  not  remain  much 
longer,  removing,  with  others,  to  Killingworth  in  1664.  So  urgent 
was  the  need  for  a  smith  that  in  1675  Samuel  Baldwin  was  invited  to 

*  This  name  was  modified  to  Hotchkin  and  still  later  to  Hotchkiss. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  117 

come  from  Fairfield  and  liberal  inducements  were  held  out  for  him  to 
settle,  by  giving  him  a  site  on  the  village  green  for  his  shop,  and  lands 
elsewhere. 

In  1657  the  following  were  the  freemen  and  the  dates  of  their  sub- 
sequent deaths:  William  Leete,  removed  to  Hartford  as  governor,  died 
April,  1683;  Robert  Kitchell,  removed  to  Newark  1666,  died  October, 
1671;  William  Chittenden,  February,  1660;  George  Hubbard,  January, 
1683;  Mr.  Bryan  Rossiter,  .September,  1672;  Mr.  John  Bishop,  January, 
1661;  Abraham  Cruttenden,  Sr.,  January,  1683;  William  Dudley,  March, 
1684;  William  Johnson,  October,  1702;  Benjamin  Wright,  Sr.,  March, 
1677;  William  Stone,  November,  1683;  Thomas  Cooke,  December,  1692; 
John  Stevens,  September,  1670;  John  Fowler,  September,  1670;  John 
Hill,  June,  1689;  John  Parmelin,  Sr.,  November,  1659;  John  Evarts, 
May,  1669;  Thomas  French;  William  Seward,  March,  1689;  William 
Stevens,  January,  1703;  Henry  Kingsworth,  July,  1668;  Richard  Gutt- 
ridge,  May,  1676;  Henry  Dowd,  August,  1668;  William  Hall,  May,  1669; 
John  Scranton,  August,  1671;  Edward  Benton,  October,  1680;  Daniel 
Benton,  June,  1672;  John  Meigs,  January,  1671;  Richard  Bristow,  Sep- 
tember, 1683;  John  Johnson,  November,  1681;  John  Sheader,  June, 
1670;  Richard  Hubball,  1692;  John  Parmelin,  Jr.,January,  1687;  Abra- 
ham Cruttenden,  Jr.,  September,  1694;  John  Graves,  December,  1695; 
George  Highland,  January,  1692;  John  Rossiter,  September,  1670; 
John  Baldwin,  removed  to  Norwich,  1661;  Thomas  Clark,  died  October, 
1668;  Richard  Hughes,  Jul}7,  1658;  John  Stone,  February,  1687;  George 
Bartlett,  August,  1669;  Henry  Goldam,  1661;  Nicholas  Munger,  Octo- 
ber, 1668;  George  Chatfield,  June,  1671:  John  Bishop,  Jr.,  October, 
1683;  Stephen  Bishop,  June,  1690. 

Of  the  freemen  in  the  former  list  a  number  had  removed  and  a  few 
had  died.  Francis  Bushnell  removed  to  Saybrook;  John  Linsley  and 
Edward  Sewers  removed  to  Branford;  a  number  removed  to  Killing- 
worth,  and  a  few  returned  to  England.  But  a  number  of  new  plant- 
ers and  freemen  were  received  into  the  town,  so  that  in  1672,  when 
the  fourth  division  of  land  was  made,  the  proprietors  were  more  than 
a  hundred  in  number.  The  list  of  freemen  of  that  period  embraced 
the  names  of  63  persons.  Among  these  were  Joseph  Clay,  Josiah 
Wilcox,  Obadiah  Wilcoxon,  Joseph  Hand,  Jonathan  Hoyt  and  Thomas 
Meacock.  Edward  Lee  came  about  1675;  James  Hooker,  the  first 
judge  of  the  probate  court,  came  from  Farmingham  before  1700;  Peter 
Tallman,  about  1684;  Thomas  Griswold,  1695;  John  Bailey,  John  Sar- 
gent, Matthew  Bellamy  and  Ephraim  Darwin  came  earlier.  The  latter 
resided  near  the  rocks,  at  the  head  of  Fair  street,  and  owned  consider- 
able property  at  that  place.  Hence  the  name  Ephraim  Rocks.  Another 
wealthy  planter  was  Mr.  Thomas  Robinson,  who  bought  the  allotment 
of  Thomas  Coffinge,  one  of  the  original  settlers.  Along  about  1700 
among  the  admitted  planters  were  Comfort  Starr,  Charles  Caldwell, 
Abraham    Kimberley,  Jasper    Griffing   and    Joseph    Pynchon,   all  of 


118  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

whom,  and  their  descendants,  became  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the 
town. 

North  Guilford  was  surveyed  and  divided  in  1705.  Soon  after  this 
was  done  some  of  the  planters  began  to  improve  their  allotments,  going 
from  their  homes,  in  the  First  Society,  on  Monday  and  returning  on 
Saturday.  During  the  week  they  had  a  common  habitation  in  the  new 
section,  from  which  circumstance  the  place  was  first  called  Cohabit. 
Their  numbers  increased  so  rapidly  that  in  1719  they  received  liberty 
to  organize  as  a  separate  society.  This  community  has  always  been 
noted  for  its  excellent  class  of  citizens,  many  of  whom  were  highly 
educated.  A  large  proportion  of  the  present  inhabitants  are  the  de- 
scendants of  the  following,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  this 
locality,  namely:  Timothy  and  Nathaniel  Baldwin,  George  and  Daniel 
Bartlett,  Ebenezer  and  Joseph  Benton,  Samuel  and  Ebenezer  Bishop, 
Joseph  Clark,  Daniel  and  John  Collins,  William  Dudley,  Samuel  and 
Joseph  Fowler,  William  Hall,  Samuel  Hopson,  John  Hubbard,  Ben- 
jamin Leete,  Jonathan  Robinson,  Josiah  and  Joshua  Stone,  all  of  whom 
were  from  the  lower  part  of  the  old  town.  Nathaniel  Parks  and  Ed- 
ward Parks,  the  latter  a  tailor  from  the  East  Guilford  Society,  were 
also  among  the  first  at  North  Guilford,  as  was  Theophilus  Rossiter, 
from  the  same  society.  Later  settlers  in  that  section  were  Eben- 
ezer Talman  and  John  Chidsey.  In  1800  the  official  census  gave  the 
population  of  North  Guilford  as  540;  and  thirty  years  later  it  was  only 
eight  more.  In  1850,  or  twenty  years  later,  the  population  was  even 
smaller,  being  only  495.  In  the  same  period  the  population  of  the 
First  Society  indicated  a  small  but  steady  increase,  being  1,629  in  1S00, 
and  2,158  in  1850.  About  two-thirds  lived  in  the  borough,  and  in  this 
society  also  the  rural  population  has  decreased. 

The  inhabitants  of  Guilford  have  always  been  characterized  for  their 
conservative  views  and  fixed  purposes.  These  traits,  continued  from 
generation  to  generation,  have  been  the  means  of  keeping  a  large 
proportion  of  the  estates  of  the  original  settlers  in  the  family  name, 
or  in  the  hands  of  the  descendants,  who  cherish  the  traditions  of  the 
past.  Hence,  here  a  larger  proportion  of  the  old  homesteads  have 
been  allowed  to  remain  unchanged  than  in  any  other  part  of  the 
county.  There  are  in  the  town  more  than  a  hundred  houses  a  century 
old,  and  at  least  thirty  that  are  150  years  old.  And  so  substantially 
have  most  of  these  been  built  that  nearly  all  of  them  are  in  good  re- 
pair. vSome  of  them  seem  to  have  partaken  of  the  nature  of  the  occu- 
pants to  change  but  very  little,  and  are  now  substantially  as  they  were 
a  century  ago. 

The  quarto-millennial  celebration  of  the  settlement  of  Guilford 
was  held  in  Madison  and  Guilford  borough,  September  8th,  9th  and 
10th,  1889.  The  exercises  arranged  for  the  occasion  were  highly  in- 
teresting and  instructive  in  the  history  of  the  town,  and  the  attend- 
ance of  citizens  and  visitors  from  abroad  was  in  keeping  with  the  im- 
portance of  the  event. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN  COUNTY.  119 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  planters  agreed  that  all  public  matters 
should  be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  six  persons  to  whom  the  Indians 
deeded  the  land,  to  be  held  in  trust  until  a  church  should  be  formed, 
when  the  management  should  be  surrendered  to  that  body.  But  in 
fact  only  four  persons  exercised  the  civil  power  until  the  church  was 
organized,  in  1643,  viz.:  Robert  Kitchell,  William  Chittenden,  John 
Bishop  and  William  Leete.  How  they  managed  the  affairs  of  the 
plantation  in  the  interim,  when  Guilford  was  in  reality  an  independent 
body,  is  not  known,  as  no  records  of  that  period  have  been  preserved. 
The  church  being  formed  they  surrendered  their  trust,  and  that  body 
now  managed  the  affairs  of  the  town. 

As  Guilford  became  a  part  of  the  combination  forming  the  New 
Haven  colony  in  1043,  the  inhabitants  now  adhered  to  the  agreement 
made  in  the  Newman  barn,  in  all  their  affairs,  civil  and  religious. 

"  Their  form  of  government  was  something  siugular.  Like  that  of 
New  Haven,  it  was  a  pure  aristocracy,  yet  modeled  and  exercised  in  a 
peculiar  way.  They  had  one  magistrate  allowed  them  as  part  of  the 
New  Haven  colony,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  assistants  and  council, 
who  was  their  head,  and  invested  with  the  whole  executive  and  judi- 
cial power.  But  the  planters  were  allowed  to  choose  annually  three 
or  four  deputies  to  sit  with  him,  in  judging  and  awarding  punishment 
in  all  civil  cases,  in  courts  held  by  him,  called  general  courts.  The 
inhabitants  were  divided  into  two  classes  or  orders,  by  the  names  of 
freemen  and  planters.  The  freemen  consisted  of  all  the  church  mem- 
bers who  partook  of  the  sacrament,  and  no  others  were  admitted. 
They  were  all  under  oath  agreeably  to  their  plan  of  government.  Out 
of  their  number  were  those  deputies  and  all  public  officers  chosen; 
and  by  them  was  managed  all  public  business  that  was  regarded  either 
interesting  or  honorable.  The  second  class  included  all  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  town,  who  composed  their  town  meetings,  which  were 
styled,  emphatically,  general  courts.  It  was,  however,  required  that 
they  should  be  of  age  (21  years)  and  have  a  certain  estate  to  qualify 
them  to  act  in  said  meetings.  In  these  town  meetings,  or  general 
courts,  all  divisions  of  land  were  limited  and  established,  and  all  the 
by  or  peculiar  laws,  for  the  well  ordering  of  the  plantation,  were  made. 
And,  in  general,  all  transgressions  of  the  town  laws,  relating  fo  the 
buying  or  selling  of  lands,  were  punished,  and  fines  and  stripes  were 
imposed  and  executed  according  to  the  nature  of  the  offense  by  the 
judgment  of  said  judicial  court.  Besides  these  general  assemblies  of 
the  planters  and  the  said  magistrate's  court,  they  appointed  particular 
courts  for  the  administration  of  justice,  much  like  our  justices'  courts 
at  present.  These  were  held  quarterly  through  the  year.  The  magis- 
trate presided  in  these  courts  and  deputies  were  annually  chosen  to  sit 
in  council  with  him  in  these  courts;  also,  by  the  freemen.  Like  New 
Haven,  they  had  no  juries  in  any  trial;  their  deputies  in  some  meas- 
ure supplied  that  defect.     From  this  court  lay  appeals,  in  allowed  cases, 


120  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

to  the  court  of  assistants  at  New  Haven.  Mr.  Samuel  Desborow  was 
the  first  magistrate  who  held  the  courts.  In  general,  their  judgment 
was  final  and  decisive.  Town  officers  were  annually  chosen,  viz., 
marshals,  a  secretary,  surveyors  of  the  highways,  etc.,  much  as  in  the 
present  manner.  Military  order  and  discipline  were  soon  established, 
and  watch  and  ward  were  kept,  day  and  night,  under  a  very  strict 
charge;  and  the  punishments  for  defaults  in  this  duty  were  very  severe 
and  exactly  executed."* 

The  early  assistants  of  Magistrate  Samuel  Desborough,  chosen  by 
the  freemen  of  the  town,  were  William  Chittenden,  William  Leete, 
Robert  Kitchell,  John  Bishop,  John  Jordan,  George  Hubbard  and 
John  Fowler.  Upon  the  return  of  Judge  Desborough  to  England  in 
1651,  William  Leete  was  chosen  magistrate  and  continued  in  that  office 
until  the  union  of  the  colonies  in  1665,  and  several  years  thereafter. 

A  very  good  rule  adopted  by  the  planters  of  Guilford  was  that  no 
man  should  put  more  than  ^500  into  the  common  stock  for  purchas- 
ing and  settling  the  town  and  that  no  person  should  sell  or  purchase 
his  rights  without  leave  of  the  town.  After  the  attendant  expenses 
were  paid,  lots  of  land  were  assigned  in  proportion  to  the  money  ex- 
pended in  the  general  purchase,  and  the  number  of  members  in  his 
family.  These  rules  prevented  too  great  disparity  in  the  circum- 
stances of  the  people,  and  put  the  poor  upon  somewhat  near  the  same 
plane  as  the  rich.  Another  good  provision  was  that  all  the  planters 
should  be  present  at  the  meetings  of  the  general  court  (town  meetings), 
where  the  second  class  or  planters  could  be  heard  as  well  as  the  free- 
men, provided  none  of  them  should  "continue  speech  longer  by  im- 
pertinences, needless  repetitions  or  multiplication  of  words,  which 
rather  tends  to  darken  than  clear  the  truth  or  right  of  the  matter." 

The  representatives  or  deputies  of  Guilford — Samuel  Desborough 
and  William  Leete — first  attended  the  general  court  of  the  New  Haven 
colony  jurisdiction  July  6th,  1643,  in  the  records  of  which  session  first 
appears,  officially,  the  present  title  of  the  town.  At  this  meeting  Guil- 
ford was  ordered  to  pay  a  tax  of  £5  "  towards  the  charges  about  the 
combination."  In  this  confederation  Guilford  took  an  important  part 
and  for  many  years  furnished  some  of  the  principal  officers.  William 
Leete  was  the  deputy  governor  from  1658  to  1660,  and  then  governor 
until  the  colony  ceased  to  exist. 

In  1656  the  town  was  agitated  in  consequence  of  a  fear  that  the 
Dutch  would  make  an  incursion  into  this  region,  and  that  year  Crom- 
well made  an  offer  to  such  of  the  colony  as  desired,  to  remove  to  Ja- 
maica, where  he  could  better  afford  them  protection.  In  answer  to 
this  proposition  they  said  that,  "  for  divers  reasons  they  could  not  con- 
clude that  God  called  them  to  a  present  remove  thither." 

The   union    of   Guilford  with  the  Connecticut  confederation  was 
warmly  advocated  by  some  of  the  citizens  of  the  town,  especially  by 
*  Reverend  Thomas  Ruggles,  Jr.,  mss.  of  Guilford,  1769. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  121 

Doctor  Bryan  Rossiter  and  his  son,  John,  but  was  as  bitterly  opposed 
by  others.  As  early  as  December,  1662,  the  former  tendered  their 
allegiance  to  Connecticut,  and  being  encouraged  by  commissions,  re- 
turned to  vex  and  annoy  those  who  did  not  favor  the  movement.  So 
the  matter  was  agitated  until  May,  1665,  when  the  union  was  perma- 
nently concluded.  In  the  meantime,  Doctor  Rossiter,  tiring  of  his 
troublesome  life,  had  moved  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  New  Haven  col- 
ony, going  to  Killingworth  in  1664.  He  returned  upon  the  announce- 
ment of  the  union,  but  the  idea  of  subordinating  the  church  to  the 
extent  of  giving  every  voter  an  equal  voice  in  the  affairs  of  the  colony 
was  so  repulsive  to  Robert  Kitchell  and  others,  that  they  removed  with 
Mr.  Pierson,  of  Branford,  to  found  the  colony  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  upon 
the  original  New  Haven  idea. 

The  town  having  acquired  titles  to  their  lands  from  the  Indians,  or 
arranged  for  the  same,  now  proceeded,  under  the  act  of  1684,  to  secure 
a  patent  from  the  colony  for  the  same.  At  a  meeting  held  November 
4th,  1685,  it  was  voted  to  secure  a  patent,  and  the  following  twelve 
men  were  designated  as  patentees,  in  behalf  of  the  then  ninety  pro- 
prietors: Andrew  Leete,  Esq.,  Mr.  Josiah  Rossiter,  Lieutenant  William 
Seward,  Deacon  William  Johnson,  Deacon  John  Graves,  Mr.  John  Col- 
lins, Mr.  John  Stone,  Mr.  Stephen  Bishop,  Sergeant  Daniel  Hubbard, 
Mr.  Abraham  Cruttenden,  Sergeant  John  Chittenden  and  Mr.  John 
Meigs.  The  charter  was  granted  December  7th,  1685,  and  by  vote  of 
the  town  placed  in  the  keeping  of  "Andrew  Leete,  William  Seward 
and  Josiah  Rossiter  for  the  town's  use." 

In  1088  the  townsmen  were  empowered  "  to  look  after  the  town's 
bounds  and  to  defend  the  town's  rights  against  any  that  shall  infringe 
them." 

In  1722  the  town  ordered  a  saw  mill  built  for  the  common  good  of 
the  town.  In  1724  the  surplus  funds  of  the  mills  were  divided:  £B5  for 
a  bell  for  Guilford;  £8  for  one  for  Madison;  and  £3  for  one  for  North 
Guilford. 

The  towns  of  Branford,  Guilford,  Durham,  Killingworth  and  Say- 
brook,  having  been  constituted  a  probate  district  in  1719,  with  the  seat 
of  the  court  at  Guilford,  attempts  were  made  at  five  different  times, 
from  1718  to  1753,  to  form  a  Guilford  county.  In  every  instance  the 
bill,  after  passing  the  house,  failed  in  the  senate.  In  1739  the  town 
voted  .£100  extra  "for  gaol  and  court  house,"  if  such  a  county  should 
be  ordered.  As  late  as  1824  the  ambition  to  be  a  shire  town  was  cher- 
ished by  Guilford,  which  was  willing  to  be  annexed  to  Middlesex 
county,  if  it  could  thus  become  a  "  half  shire  town."  Failing  in  that, 
the  town  consented  to  the  formation  of  Madison,  in  1826,  after  having 
combatted  the  idea  since  1699. 

The  action  of  the  town  upon  other  matters  of  public  interest  is 
detailed  in  the  following  pages. 

Before  the  formation  of  the  county  courts,  in  L666,  probate  busi- 


/ 


122  HISTORV   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ness  was  done  by  particular  courts,  called  for  that  purpose.  Subse- 
quently the  county  courts  had  all  the  probate  business,  until  the  divi- 
sion of  the  county  into  probate  districts.  Guilford  district  was  ordered 
in  October,  1719,  to  embrace  the  towns  of  Guilford,  Branford  (except 
Northford,  which  belongs  to  Wallingford  district),  Killingworth  and 
Saybrook.  The  latter  two  were  set  off  in  1780  to  form  the  district  of 
Saybrook.  Madison  was  created  a  separate  district  in  1834,  and  the 
Branfords  were  created  another  in  1850,  leaving  the  Guilford  district 
as  it  now  is,  confined  to  the  town  of  Guilford. 

The  judges  of  the  district,  the  years  of  their  appointment  and  their 
places  of  residence  have  been  the  following:  James  Hooker,  1720, 
Guilford;  Colonel  Samuel  Hill,  1740,  Guilford;  Colonel  Timothy  Stone, 
1752,  Guilford;  Nathaniel  Hill,  1765,  Guilford;  Aaron  Elliott,  1772,  Kil- 
lingworth; Samuel  Barker,  1780,  Branford;  Colonel  Edward  Russell, 
1782,  Branford;  Henry  Hill,  1810,  Guilford;  Major  Samuel  Fowler, 
1834,  Guilford;  Reuben  Elliott,  1835,  Guilford;  Joel  Tuttle,  1838,  Guil- 
ford; George  Griswold,  1S42,  Guilford;  John  R.  Wilcox  (acting),  1843, 
Madison;  George  Landon,  1843,  Guilford;  Ralph  D.  Smith,  1844,  Guil- 
ford; George  Landon,  1846,  Guilford;  Ralph  D.  Smith,  1847,  Guilford; 
George  Landon,  1850,  Guilford;  Edward  R.  Landon,  1854  to  18S2;  Ed- 
win C.  Woodruff,  1S82  to  1886;  Henry  H.  Stedman,  Branford  (acting 
judge),  May,  1886,  to  January,  1887;  Charles  H.  Post,  since  January, 
1S87. 

Among  those  who  served  man)7  years  as  clerks  were  Colonel  Sam- 
uel Hill,  Henry-  Hill,  Nathaniel  Hill,  John  Elliot  ff  William  Todd, 
Ralph  D.  Smith,  Edward  R.  Landon,  Sylvanus  Clark,  William  F.  Isbell 
and  George  S.  Davis,  the  latter  serving  in  1890. 

The  magistrates  and  justices  of  Guilford  the  first  two  hundred 
years  were  as  follows:  1644-51,  Samuel  Desborough  ;  1644,  Governor 
William  Leete;  1670,  George  Hubbard;  1676,  Andrew  Leete;  1698,  Jo- 
siah  Rossi  ter;  1705,  Abraham  Fowler;  1712,  James  Hooker;  1734,  Col- 
onel Samuel  Hill;  1746,  Captain  Andrew  Ward;  1748,  Colonel  Timothy 
Stone;  1752,  Nathaniel  Hill;  1753,  Samuel  Robinson  and  Doctor  Nathan- 
iel Ruggles;  1772,  Samuel  Brown  and  Joseph  Pynchon;  1774,  John 
Burgis;  1778,  General  Andrew  Ward;  1780,  Thomas  Burgis;  1781,  Wil- 
liam Starr;  1792,  Henry  Hill;  1794,  Abram Chittenden;  1800,  Nathaniel 
Rossiter;  1802,  Nathaniel  Griffing  and  Colonel  Samuel  Robinson;  1807, 
Samuel  Fowler;  1815,  Joseph  Elliott;  1818,  William  Todd,  Esq.;  1819, 
Timothy  Stone,  Esq.,  Reuben  Elliott,  Abraham  Coan,  William  Spen- 
cer and  George  Griswold;  1821,  George  Landon;  1830,  Samuel  Elliott; 
1832,  Comfort  Starr;  1833,  George  Hart  and  Samuel  Scranton;  1834, 
Colonel  George  A.  Foote  and  Ralph  D.  Smith;  1835,  Doctor  Anson 
Foote,  Henry  Loper  and  Samuel  C.  Spencer;  1838,  S.  C.  Johnson,  Amos 
Seward,  Doctor  Joel  Canfield  and  A.  S.  Fowler;  1840,  John  Burgis; 
1841,  Reuben  Stone;  1842,  Walter  Osborn,  Alvah  B.  Goldsmith,  Elisha 
Hutchinson,  Horace  Norton  and  Daniel  Chittenden;  1843,  S.  A.  Bar- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  123 

ker,  William  Kelsey  and  J.  H.  Bartlett;  1S44,  Samuel  Robinson,  Henry 
W.  Chittenden,  Edward  R.  Landon  and  Albert  B.  Wildman. 

The  North  Guilford  magistrates  and  justices  for  the  first  one  hun- 
dred years  and  the  times  of  their  appointment  were:  1749,  William 
Dudley  and  Theophilus  Rossiter;  1750,  Samuel  Hopson;  1769,  Deacon 
Simeon  Chittenden;  1772,  Oliver  Dudley;  1779,  General  Augustus  Col- 
lins; 1800,  Nathan  Chidsey;  1814,  Thomas  R.  Bray;  1818,  David  S. 
Fowler;  1820,  Jared  Scranton  and  Henry  Elliott;  1829,  Colonel  Abel 
Rossiter;  1830,  Richard  Fowler;  1832,  Samuel  W.  Dudley;  1836,Wyllys 
Ellrott,  Alfred  Norton  and  Victor  Fowler;  1839,  William  M.  Dudley; 
L840,  Ammi  Fowler;  1841,  Benjamin  Rossiter;  1845,  John  R.  Rossiter; 
1847,  Augustus  E.  Bartlett  and  Whitney  Elliott;  1848,  Nathaniel  Bart- 
lett and  Timothy  Rossiter;  1849,  Edmund  M.  Field  and  Stephen  Fow- 
ler; 1850,  John  G.  Johnson. 

The  town  clerks  of  Guilford  have  been  the  following:  1639- 02, Wil- 
liam Leete;  1662-5,  George  Bartlett;  1665-8,  Samuel  Kitchell;  1668-73, 
William  Johnson;  1673-85,  John  Graves;  1685-1706,  Josiah  Rossiter; 
1706-7,  Joseph  Dudley;  1707-16,  Josiah  Rossiter;  1716-17,  John  French 
1717-20,  Samuel   Hill;  1720-1,  Andrew  Ward;  1721-52,  Samuel  Hill 
1752-71,  Nathaniel  Hill;   1771-6,  Ebenezer  Parmelee;  1776-99,  Thomas 
Burgis,  Jr.;  1799-1801,  John  H.  Fowler;  1801-35,  Samuel  Fowler;  1835 
-8,   Reuben  Stone;  1838-43,  Joel  Tuttle;  1843-8,   Henry  W.  Chitten- 
den; 1848-83,  Edward   R.  Landon;  18s:1,  5,  Kdwin  C.Woodruff;  1885 
6,  Wallace  G.  Fowler;  1886 ,  Charles  H.  Post. 

For  more  than  a  hundred  years  the  meetings  of  the  town  were  held 
in  the  meeting  houses  of  the  First  Society.  In  1773  the  matter  of  build- 
ing a  town  hall  was  discussed,  but  no  definite  action  was  taken.  There- 
upon a  public  hall  was  begun  by  private  enterprise,  which  in  April, 
1775,  the  town  voted  "to  take  the  house  which  hath  been  begun  and 
partly  finished  by  a  number  of  subscribers,  and  to  complete  it."  The 
sum  of  .£90  had  been  expended,  and  the  building  was  offered  as  a  free 
donation,  on  condition  that  it  be  used  for  all  public  gatherings.  It  was 
not  wholly  completed  until  1793.  In  1801  the  lower  part  was  fitted  up 
and  leased  for  a  "  Store  of  dry  and  West  India  goods."  In  1812  the 
upper  part  of  the  house  was  rearranged  so  as  to  hold  more  people,  and 
Baptist  and  Methodist  meetings  were  held  there.  In  1830  the  hall  was 
removed  to  its  present  site,  where  it  still  stands,  antiquated  and  in  a 
dilapidated  condition. 

In  1852  and  1856  futile  attempts  were  made  to  build  a  new  hall.  A 
special  meeting,  in  1870,  was  also  fruitless  of  action.  In  1888  the 
matter  was  so  far  considered  that  Harvey  W.  Spencer,  John  W.  Nor- 
ton and  George  W.  Seward  were  appointed  a  committee  on  a  town 
hall.  They  reported,  June  1st,  1889,  that  a  site  on  the  east  of  the  green 
could  be  secured,  and  that  a  suitable  hall,  with  town  offices,  would  cost 
$12,000  if  built  of  brick,  and  $8,000  if  constructed  of  wood.  In  that 
condition  the  matter  has  since  rested,  although  the  town  sadly  needs 
a  creditable  hall. 


124  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  propriety  of  building  an  almshouse  was  considered  as  early  as 
1699,  and  liberty  was  given  to  set  a  small  house  on  the  green.  But 
nothing  further  appears  to  have  been  done  until  1790,  when  another 
unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  put  up  such  a  building.  Usually, 
in  olden  times,  there  were  not  many  poor,  and  their  care  was  generally 
sold  to  citizens  of  the  town  by  the  selectmen.  As  late  as  1810  they 
were  disposed  of  at  public  vendues  "  to  whomever  shall  undertake  to 
keep  them  the  cheapest." 

In  1814  a  poor  house  was  secured  in  the  western  part  of  the  borough, 
at  an  outlay  of  $2,080,  in  which  from  twenty  to  thirty  persons  were 
maintained  annually  until  1827.  In  the  division  of  the  town  property, 
after  Madison  was  set  off,  this  property  was  awarded  to  that  town,  Guil- 
ford taking  the  town  mill.  In  1849  another  almshouse,  east  of  the  vil- 
lage, was  purchased  and  used  until  1848,  when  it  was  sold  and  the 
present  almshouse,  near  Jones  bridge  was  secured.  About  $1,000  per 
year  is  paid  for  the  support  of  the  poor  at  that  place,  and  as  much 
more  for  the  proper  care  of  the  indigent  outside  of  the  almshouse. 

The  first  interments  in  the  town  were  made  at  Guilford  village,  and 
for  more  than  150  years  the  village  green,  in  the  rear  of  the  meeting 
house,  was  the  place  of  burial.  These  graves  were  neglected  and  un- 
enclosed until  about  1800.  For  many  years  the  dead  were  borne 
thither  on  hand  biers.  In  1691  the  town  chose  Joseph  Dudley  "  for 
the  making  of  coffins  on  all  occasions  of  death."  Joseph  Tustin  was 
soon  after  chosen  grave  digger  and  compensated  at  the  rate  of  four 
shillings  per  adult  grave  and  "  three  shillings  for  lesser  persons." 

In  1731  the  town  voted  "  that  the  palls  or  cloaths  to  cover  the  coffins 
of  ye  Dead,  when  carried  to  their  graves,  shall  be  purchased  at  town 
charge  and  paid  for  out  of  the  earnings  of  the  mill,  and  Each  of  the 
three  Societies  shall  have  the  benefit  of  one  cloath." 

In  1817-18  the  burial  places  on  the  green  were  vacated,  many  of 
those  lying  there  being  reinterred  in  the  East  cemetery,  often  called 
the  Alder  Brook  burying  ground,  about  a  mile  east  of  the  green;  and 
others  found  a  more  quiet  spot  in  the  West  burying  ground,  in  Guil- 
ford, about  the  same  distance  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  green.  Both 
places  are  of  easy  access  and  of  appropriate  selection.  The  latter 
ground  passed  under  the  control  of  Joel  Griffing,  Joel  Tuttle,  Samuel 
Fowler,  Friend  Collins  and  others,  as  corporators,  in  October,  1818. 
In  the  fall  of  1862  lands  were  bought  of  Bildad  Bishop  and  Samuel  C. 
Spencer  to  enlarge  the  cemetery;  and  at  this  time  a  new  corporation 
was  formed,  which  had  among  its  members  Doctor  Alvan  Talcott,  John 
Hale,  H.  W.  Chittenden  and  many  others.  In  1890  this  cemetery  pre- 
sented a  well  kept  appearance  and  had  considerable  area. 

The  Alder  Brook  or  Guilford  East  cemetery  also  passed  under  the 
control  of  an  association,  incorporated  September  26th,  1866,  which 
had  among  its  members  Fitz-Greene  Halleck,  Thomas  R.  Pynchon> 
George  E.  Kimberly,  Doctor   Henry  Benton  and  nearly  one  hundred 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  125 

others.  It  is  not  as  large  as  the  West  cemetery,  but  contains  more  old 
stones,  some  of  which  are  quaintly  inscribed.  These  inscriptions,  of 
an  earlier  date  than  1800,  and  others  of  the  town,  in  the  same  period, 
have  been  published  by  the  New  Haven  County  Historical  Society. 
Here  is  the  grave  of  the  poet,  Fitz-Greene  Halleck,  born  in  Guilford 
July  8th,  1700,  and  who  died  in  the  town  November  19th,  1807.  On 
the  8th  of  July,  1869,  a  monument  placed  over  his  grave  by  loving 
friends  and  admirers,  was  dedicated.  On  that  occasion  his  friend  and 
brother  poet,  George  Hill,  read  an  original  sonnet,  and  Bayard  Taylor 
delivered  an  eulogistic  oration.  The  monument  is  plain  and  unpre- 
tentious, but  is  much  visited.     The  cemetery  is  substantially  enclosed. 

A  place  of  burial  was  opened  on  Moose  hill,  in  1801,  and  one  on 
Nut  plains,  in  1817.     Both  are  small  and  less  used  now  than  formerlv. 

The  cemetery  at  North  Guilford,  opened  soon  after  the  settlement 
of  that  part  of  the  town,  has  a  most  beautiful  location,  on  a  hill  near 
the  church  edifices,  and  commands  a  view  of  much  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  It  contains  several  acres  and  is  well  kept.  There  are 
hundreds  of  headstones  to  the  memory  of  many  of  the  former  inhabi- 
tants of  this  part  of  Guilford.  Some  have  inscriptions  which  flavor  of 
quaintness,  while  others  are  decidedly  pathetic,  as,  for  example: 

On  a  Friendly  Visit 
Doc't. 
Daniel  Lyman 
Died  Sept.  28,  1795; 
in  the  27  year 
of  his  age. 
In  his  profession  very  judicious  and  useful.     His  early  death  is  greatly  la- 
mented. 

Tims  pain  and  prospects  pain  our  years, 
We  meet  to  mingle  groans  and  tears 
And  bid  the  painful  last  farewell. 

Burials  were  made  at  Leete's  Island  at  an  early  day  by  the  people 
of  that  locality.  With  the  increase  of  population  more  attention  was 
paid  to  this  place  of  interment,  and  it  has  recently  been  enlarged.  In 
1885  it  passed  under  the  control  of  an  incorporated  body,  which  has 
improved  the  appearance  of  the  cemetery. 

The  East  river  was  ordered  bridged  in  1049,  and  since  that  time 
bridges  have  been  maintained  on  the  various  roads  where  they  cross 
the  streams,  which  are  small.  The  oldest  road  is  the  main  thorough- 
fare from  New  Haven  to  Saybrook,  and  was  used  since  the  settlement 
of  the  town.  It  followed,  in  a  general  way,  the  shore  trail  of  the  In- 
dians. Although  never  improved  as  a  turnpike,  it  has,  in  the  main, 
always  been  good.  In  May,  1794,  it  was  made  a  part  of  the  great  mail 
route  of  the  states,  from  Maine  to  Georgia,  and  stages  used  this  thor- 
oughfare until  forty  years  ago.  In  1818,  the  Pettipauge  &  Guilford 
Turnpike  Company  was  authorized  to  build  a  road  from  the  former 
place,  in  Saybrook,  to  the  stage  road  in  Guilford. 


126  HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  Guilford  &  Durham  Turnpike  Company  was  authorized  in 
1824.  A  road  from  Guilford  green  was  built  northward,  13£  miles,  to 
a  point  on  the  New  Haven  and  Middletown  road.  From  Guilford  the 
road  was  extended  to  .Sachems'  Head  harbor,  four  miles  more.  As 
this  turnpike  followed  the  intervales  of  the  stream  much  of  the  way,  it 
had  a  fine  location,  and  for  many  years  was  much  used.  It  has  long 
since  been  a  public  highway. 

The  New  Haven  &  New  London  railway  was  chartered  in  1848  to 
construct  a  road  through  the  towns  on  the  shore  of  the  Long  Island 
sound.  The  construction  was  commenced  in  1S51,  and  the  first  pas- 
senger train  was  run  over  the  road,  from  New  Haven  to  the  Connecti- 
cut river,  July  1st,  1852.  This  road  and  eastern  connections  were  re- 
organized as  the  Shore  Line  railroad;  and  as  a  division  by  that  name 
it  is  now  a  part  of  the  consolidated  system  of  the  New  York,  New 
Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad  Company.  It  was  leased  to  the  latter 
company  in  1870.  The  train  service  is  very  good.  Stations  are  main- 
tained at  Guilford  village  and  Leete's  Island. 

Nearly  all  the  first  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  planters  or  far- 
mers, and  it  is  said  that  for  many  years  some  of  the  mechanic  arts 
were  not  carried  on,  which  resulted  in  many  inconveniences  to  the 
community.  However,  in  time,  most  of  the  necessary  tradesmen  were 
secured,  and  thence  for  a  century  the  town  was  almost  exclusively  de- 
voted to  agriculture;  and  even  to  the  present  time  that  pursuit  princi- 
pally occupies  the  attention  of  the  inhabitants.  Hence  in  Guilford, 
more  than  in  any  other  town  in  the  county,  are  found  the  customs  and 
practices  which  years  ago  characterized  rural  New  England,  and  which 
have  been  promotive  of  the  full  development  of  a  sturdy,  self-reliant 
and  intelligent  class  of  people. 

The  usual  grain  and  lumber  mills  were  early  provided,  and  have 
been  continued  to  serve  the  wants  of  the  people  as  confined  to  their 
local  demands.  In  early  times  the  cutting  and  shipment  of  cedar  lum- 
ber was  so  actively  carried  on  that  the  town  issued  an  order  of  prohi- 
bition, lest  that  timber  should  be  altogether  exhausted. 

The  first  grain  mill  was  commenced  in  1643  and  completed  two 
years  later.  It  was  begun  by  Mr.  Whitfield,  on  a  contract  to  build 
and  operate  a  tide  mill  for  certain  privileges,  but  was  finished  and  first 
operated  by  Robert  Kitchell.  After  vain  attempts,  several  years,  to 
make  the  tide  mill  work  satisfactorily,  the  site  was  abandoned  and  a 
site  on  the  lowest  power  of  the  West  river  sequestered  by  the  town,  on 
which  the  mill  was  built  with  better  results.  The  town  has  retained 
the  ownership  of  the  property,  and  the  mill  has  been  rebuilt  a  number 
of  times.  The  present  frame  was  put  up  in  1854.  The  power  is  suffi- 
cient to  operate  three  runs  of  burrs. 

Higher  up  this  stream  a  site  for  clothiers'  works  was  granted  to 
Samuel  Johnson  in  1707.  At  first  little  else  was  done  than  fulling  the 
cloth,   but  later  weaving  and  dressing  machinery  was  added.     The 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  1^7 

Johnsons  carried  it  on  until  about  fifty  years  ago,  the  last  owner  also 
being-  a  Samuel  Johnson. 

Other  mills  and  small  works  were  established,  so  that  in  1838  the 
town  had  four  saw  mills,  three  grain  mills,  three  fulling  mills  and  four 
tanneries.  About  this  period,  after  the  manner  of  those  times,  large 
quantities  of  shoes  were  made,  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  and  ship- 
ped to  markets  outside  of  the  state.  Previous  to  this  time  Daniel  Hub- 
bard had  in  successful  operation  an  extensive  carriage-making  estab- 
lishment, whose  business  declined,  after  1837,  and  later  that  industry 
in  the-town  was  carried  on  in  a  limited  manner  only.  In  more  recent 
years  George  A.  Hull  &  Son  have  been  carrying  on  a  hub  and  spoke 
factory  on  the  West  river,  near  the  old  fulling  mill.  Water  and  steam 
power  are  used  and  half  a  dozen  men  are  employed.  In  1850  Samuel 
Jones  had  a  shop  for  making  carriage  parts. 

In  the  same  locality,  some  time  about  1857,  E.  C.  Bishop  and  others 
had  an  iron  foundry,  where  they  made  grindstone  castings,  etc.,  and 
among  their  products,  for  a  time,  were  also  castings  for  the  street  car 
works  of  John  Stephenson,  of  New  York.  The  industry  was  not  long 
continued,  but  Reuben  Bull  &  Co.  were  there  later. 

The  building  of  small  sailing  craft  was  carried  on  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  later  larger  vessels  were  built.  A  shipyard,  in  which  many 
men  worked,  was  many  years  maintained  at  Jones'  bridge,  where 
among  the  best  known  builders  were  Nathaniel  Griffing.  Frederick 
Grifhng,  George  Graves  and  William  W.  Baldwin.  The  latter  discon- 
tinued sometime  about  1849,  but  here  built  a  fully-rigged  schooner, 
which  sailed  for  California,  carrying  out  some  of  the  argonauts.  It  is 
said  that  some  Guilford  men  were  on  board  of  that  vessel.  At  this 
point  a  saw  mill  was  also  operated.  On  the  East  river  was  another 
shipyard,  where  sea-going  vessels  were  built  by  Eben  S.  Hotchkiss, 
William  H.  Caldwell  and  others.  In  more  recent  years  small  craft 
only  were  there  built.  When  business  was  at  its  best  as  many  as  fifty 
men  were  employed  at  that  yard.  Some  of  the  craft  built  were  owned 
by  inhabitants  of  the  town,  who  were  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade, 
and  a  few  vessels  of  this  kind  are  still  kept  in  Guilford.  A  few  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Guilford  were  also  engaged  in  the  West  Indies  trade. 

About  1847  O.  B.  Fowler  and  Charles  Bishop  bought  out  the  Hull 
Foundry,  at  Clinton,  and  removed  it  to  Guilford,  setting  it  up  at  the 
wharf  by  Jones'  bridge.  They  made  plow  castings  and  general  work. 
Bishop,  who  had  come  from  Meriden,  sold  out  to  Fowler  the  following 
year,  and  returned  to  that  city.  The  foundry  was  now  moved  to  the 
Xausup  brook,  where  it  crosses  Fair  street,  where  a  large  building 
was  put  up  and  the  manufacture  of  sad  irons  added.  In  1854  the  place 
was  called  the  "  Nausup  Foundry  and  Machine  Shop,"  and  O.  B.  Fowler 
was  the  agent  in  charge.  The  property  was  soon  after  sold  to  Israel 
S.  Spencer  and  his  son,  Christopher.  Later  another  son,  George  B., 
was  added  to  the  firm,  which  became,  after  the  father's  death  in  1867, 


128  HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

I.  S.  Spencer's  Sons,  and  has  since  so  continued.  The  Spencers  began 
making  plows  complete  and  made  other  castings  to  which  wood  work 
was  here  added,  so  that  it  became  necessary,  as  the  products  were  in- 
creased, to  enlarge  the  factory  from  time  to  time.  In  1S69  a  brick 
foundry,  60  by  100  feet,  was  built,  in  which  was  a  cupola  having  a 
capacity  for  five  tons.  Castings  for  school  furniture  and  sewing  ma- 
chines were  extensively  made.  In  March,  1872,  the  part  of  the  works 
fronting  on  the  street  was  burned,  when  a  two-story  brick  shop,  66  by 
110  feet,  took  its  place.  In  1880  the  works  were  further  enlarged  and 
a  seven-ton  cupola  built.  The  manufacture  of  scales  of  all  kinds  was 
now  begun,  using  the  patterns  of  the  Universal  Scale  Company  of  New 
Haven.  In  1883  a  brass  foundry  was  added.  Steam  power  was  sup- 
plied in  1872.  The  works  manufacture  a  large  variety  of  products, 
and  have  become  the  most  important  industry  in  the  town.  Nearly 
one  hundred  men  are  employed. 

In  the  spring  of  1849  a  joint  stock  corporation  was  organized,  as 
the  Guilford  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which  Harlow  Isbell  was  the 
president,  and  which  had  among  the  directors  Jonathan  Bishop,  Samuel 
C.  Spencer,  George  Bartlett,  Horace  Norton,  Rufus  N.  Leete  and  Al- 
vah  B.  Goldsmith.  The  company  purchased  in  May,  1849,  the  Baldwin 
shipyard  and  other  property  at  the  Jones  Bridge  wharf ,  and  established 
a  fine  plant  on  its  five  and  a  half  acres.  Steam  engines  and  heavy  ma- 
chinery of  various  kinds  were  manufactured,  which  were  shipped  by 
boat  from  this  place.  In  the  fall  of  1850  the  company  bought  out 
Junius  S.  Norton's  lock  and  knob  manufactory,  on  High  street,  which 
had  been  erected  a  few  years  previous.  A  part  of  this  building  was 
occupied  by  Ransom  Gaylord,  in  the  manufacture  of  gimlets,  which 
business  he  also  sold  out  to  the  company  in  1851.  On  the  plant  near 
the  bridge  E.  L.  Ripley  had  papier  niacin'  works  the  same  time,  and 
business  appeared  to  prosper  on  all  hands,  when  reverses  came  which 
resulted  in  the  failure  of  the  corporation.  The  manufactured  goods 
and  the  machinery  were  sold  at  a  sacrifice,  and  for  some  years  the 
property  stood  idle.  After  the  war  one  of  the  buildings  at  the  wharf 
was  removed  to  the  north  side  of  the  green,  where  it  now  serves  as 
Music  Hall.  Other  buildings  on  that  site  were  converted  into  tene- 
ments. 

In  186S  the  old  lock  and  knob  works  were  occupied  by  J.  W.  Scher- 
merhorn  &  Co.,  for  the  manufacture  of  school  furniture  and  apparatus, 
which  here  developed  into  an  important  industry.  Many  men  were 
employed  and  large  quantities  of  goods  were  shipped  to  all  parts  of 
the  Union.  The  money  stringency  in  1877  affected  this  line  of  manu- 
facture, which  was  here  discontinued  that  year. 

After  being  idle  a  few  years  the  property  passed  to  the  Guilford 
Enterprise  Company,  composed  of  Amos  Gates,  H.  E.  Norton  and 
others,  who  manufactured  vegetable  ivory  buttons,  etc.  The  old  works 
burned  down,  and  about  half  a  dozen  years  ago  a  good  brick  factory 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  129 

was  located  in  its  place.  That  business  was  last  carried  on  by  Edwin 
C.  Woodruff,  E.  H.  Butler  and  others.  In  February.  1888,  the  plant 
became  the  property  of  the  Guilford  Savings  Bank,  and  in  1890  it  was 
leased  to  the  Paragon  Novelty  Company,  transferred  to  this  place  from 
New  Haven. 

In  spite  of  these  reverses  the  town  deemed  it  proper  to  encourage 
the  spirit  of  manufacturing,  and  October  6th,  1884,  "Voted,  that  the 
selectmen  be  instructed  to  abate  the  taxes  on  all  the  property  owned 
by  any.manufacturing  company,  or  company  coming  into  the  town  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  business." 

Since  that  time  several  enterprises  have  been  set  on  foot.  Early  in 
1886  the  citizens  of  Guilford  united  in  raising  a  fund  of  $25,000  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  a  manufacturing  plant  for  the  production 
of  textile  goods.  This  fund  was  placed  in  the  care  of  E.  H.  Butler, 
Alvan  Talcott  and  S.  W.  Landon  as  trustees.  A  lot  of  ground  near 
the  railway  station  was  donated  by  A.  G.  Sommer,  on  which  was  built 
a  large,  fine  frame  mill  and  an  engine  room,  in  which  a  good  Harris- 
Corliss  engine  was  placed.  The  mill  was  stocked  with  machinery  for 
spinning  weaving  silk,  by  William  O.  Atwood,  and  about  sixty  opera- 
tives were  employed.  After  two  years  Atwood  failed,  and  the  mill, 
after  being  idle  a  year,  was  operated  a  year  by  Singleton  &  Co.  The 
next  lessees  were  George  H.  Rose  &  Co.,  who  operated  until  May,  1890, 
since  which  time  the  mill  has  again  been  idle. 

Within  the  past  six  years  the  cultivation  of  tomatoes  has  become 
an  important  industry  in  the  town,  and  several  canning  establishments 
have  been  started.  The  Guilford  Canning  Company,  composed  of 
Messrs.  Griswold,  Dudley,  Hubbard  and  others,  put  up  a,  large  cannery 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  village,  which  was  extensively  operated 
two  years.  On  Water  street  is  the  cannery  of  the  Sachem"s  Head 
Canning  Company,  which  has  a  capacity  of  20,000  cans  per  day.  Since 
1886  L.  N.  Benton  has  been  the  proprietor.  In  mid-season  more  than 
one  hundred  people  are  employed.  The  products  have  a  most  excel- 
lent reputation,  widely  advertising  the  name  of  the  town. 

The  latest  industrial  venture  is  the  Guilford  Creamery,  established 
in  March,  1889.  by  a  joint  stock  company,  of  which  E.  C.  Bishop  was 
the  president.  The  creamery  has  a  working  capacity  for  500  cows,  and 
is  fitted  with  modern  machinery. 

In  1837  the  quarrying  of  granite  for  export  was  begun  on  an  exten- 
sive scale  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  borough,  near  East  river. 
The  material  for  a  number  of  public  buildings  in  New  York  was  here 
procured.  In  recent  years  the  quarry  has  become  subordinate  to  the 
one  at  Leete's  Island,  where  building  stone  of  superior  quality  abounds. 
It  was  opened  about  twenty  years  ago  by  John  Beattie,  and  by  him 
has  been  successfully  developed  into  one  of  the  most  extensive  and 
important  industries  in  the  town. 
9 


130  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

A:  Mulberry  point  were  formerly  fish  oil  works,  carried  on  by  Messrs. 

'burn,  which  have  been  abandoned. 

irly  eighty   years  ago  the   Farmers'  Wharf  was  an  important 

place  in  the  town.     It  was  built  in  1S12  on  the  East  river,  at  the  foot 

of  Harbor  st  >ut  as  early  as  166.5.  to  the  tide  mill  formerly  at 

that  point),  by  the  Farmers'  Wharf  Company,  incorporated  January 

.    th,  1812.     Land  for  the  wharf  was  purchased  of  Samuel   Fowler. 

The  companv  was  composed  of  Samuel  Elliott.  William  Hubbard,  Joel 

tie.  Reuben  Elliott  &  Co..  Solomon  Stone,  Jr.,  Timothy  Johnson, 

Daniel  L.  Bent::.  Peletiah  Leete,  William  Landon,  Jonathan  Bishop, 

raham  T.  Chittenden  &  Co.,  Charles  Chalker.  Isaac   Benton  and 

Frederick  Lee.  of  Guilford;  and  Silas  Benton  and  Silas  Benton.  Jr..  of 

Bran ford. 

These  parties  not  only  used  the  wharf  themselves,  but  gave  that 
privilege  to  others,  the  charter  permitting  the  charge  of  wharfage.  It 
has  long  since  been  abandoned,  although  small  sloops  still  touch  there 
and  "  wharves  in  the  town. 

The  village  of  Guilford  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  October, 
181"  dian  Todd  authorized  to  call  the  first  meeting.     It  was 

he".  5th,  1S15,  when  the  following  were  elected  -.  Ward. 

1  Griffing:  burges-es.  William  Todd.  Reuben  Elliott.  Thomas  Bur- 
giss.  William  Spen.  aham  Coan,  Jonathan  Bishop:  clerk.  Sam- 

nel  Fowler:  treasurer,  Timotl      -      ie;  bailiff.  Reuben  Stone. 

Extensive  by-laws  were  passed  January  12th.  1816.  and  the  streets 
were  officially  named  tha 

the  17th  of  July,  1874.  the  chai  the  borough  was  gre 

.nded.  and  the  b  sas then  s  general  way.  embraced 

the  terr  :    che  W.  river,  and  as  high  up 

si   earn  as  the  ancient  Bradley  ship  yard,  thence  up  the  stream  to 

Xcr  I  road. thenc.        -  1  down 

am  to  the  S      pitbridg  nee 

ae  to  the  eastern         :  of  the  old  Farmers'  wharf ,  on  the 

:o  the  place  of  beginning,  at  Hogs- 
point. 
This  embraces  the  major  part  of  the  "Great  Plain"  of  t  set- 

gth  from   the  s  nearly  1£  miles, 

and  .:h  front  ...   to  west  of  14;  miles.     It  ;  as  all 

the  public  buiL:  tigs  of  the  s  .y-q  and  most  of  the 

population  . 

iges  .re  not  :'.  d.  as 

mc>  don  of  the  borough  ha-  .   training 

seeking  a  -'  :gh 

.  Xew  H  a  -  jng 

.1  become  w  ss. 

raachin.  g  s  org  ... 


HISTORY   OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  131 

properly  man  it.  In  1890  the  fire  inspectors  were:  D.  A.  Benton,  Wil- 
liam E.  Weld,  A.  Hinckley.  George  W.  Hill  and  Charles  Griswold. 

The  following  have  been  the  wardens  of  the  borough:  1816-8,  Joel 
Griffing;  1819-20,  William  Todd;  1821,  Nathaniel  Griffing:  1822-4,  Sam- 
uel Elliott;  182:.-?.  William  Todd;  1S28-9,  Jedediah  Lathrop;  1830-1, 
William  Todd;  1832,  Samuel  C.  Johnson;  1833-4,  George  Griswold; 
1S35-6,  Samuel  Scranton;  1837-8,  George  Hart;  1839-40,  Anson  Foote; 
1S41-2,  Miles  Munger;  1843-4,  Elisha  Hutchinson;  1845-8,  Joel  Tuttle; 
1849-52, "Ralph  D.  Smith;  1853-4,  James  A.  Norton;  1855-7,  Edward  R. 
Landon;  1858-9,  Russell  Benton;  1860,  Franklin  C.  Phelps;  1861,  Reu- 
ben L.  Fowler;  1862,  William  C.  Dudley;  1863-8,  Reuben  L.  Fowler; 
1869-71,  Russell  Crampton;  1S72-3,  Reuben  L.  Fowler;  1874-7,  George 
B.  Spencer;  187S,  E.  C.  Bishop;  1879,  George  B.  Spencer;  1880,  John 
Graves;  1881-5,  John  S.Starr;  1886-90,  William  T.  Dowd. 

In  the  same  period  the  following  have  been  the  clerks:  Samuel 
Fowler,  Reuben  Stone,  Abraham  Fowler,  Amos  Seward,  Samuel  Fow- 
ler, Jr.,  George  C.  Griswold,  WTilliam  Hale,  Richard  Weld.  Roger  Gris- 
wold, Charles  W.  Landon,  Sylvenus  Clark,  Edward  R.  Landon,  Bev- 
erly Monroe,  John  S.  Elliott,  John  A.  Stanton,  Charles  Griswold,  L. 
O.  Chittenden,  H.  Pendleton,  Jr.,  Henry  W.  Spencer.  George  W.  Sew- 
ard, F.  C.  Spencer. 

The  borough  is  sixteen  miles  east  of  New  Haven,  and  since  1852 
has  been  a  station  on  the  Shore  Line  railroad.  The  situation  is  very 
pleasant,  and  the  surroundings  have  been  much  improved  by  the 
planting  of  trees  and  the  laying  out  of  lawns,  which  give  the  village 
a  quiet  and  restful  appearance.  Nearly  all  the  buildings  are  of  wood, 
many  of  them  being  large  and  substantial,  their  erection  ante-dating 
the  present  century.  Here  is  also  the  famous  old  stone  house,  built 
by  the  founder  of  the  village,  Reverend  Henry  Whitfield,  in  1639, 
thus  being  the  oldest  English  built  house  in  America.  There  are  two 
Congregational  meeting  houses,  and  Episcopal,  Catholic  and  Method- 
ist churches;  a  public  hall,  a  savings  bank,  several  manufacturing  es- 
tablishments and  a  dozen  other  business  places.  Within  the  limits  of 
the  borough  are  several  thousand  inhabitants. 

When  the  town  was  first  settled  and  the  village  established  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  plain,  the  custom  of  these  times  was  followed,  and  a 
market  place  or  public  square  set  aside,  on  which  the  meeting  house 
and  other  public  buildings  were  to  be  set.  Around  the  square  the 
homes  of  the  planters  were  to  be  placed.  The  tract  thus  reserved 
embraced  nearly  twelve  acres  of  woodland,  about  half  as  wide  as  long. 
Its  surface  was  broken  by  hillocks,  rocks  and  depressions,  forming 
pond  holes  or  basins  of  stagnant  water.  Some  of  the  trees  were  cut 
down  when  the  first  meeting  house  was  placed  upon  the  square,  but 
measures  were  early  taken  to  protect  them,  and  they  were  ordered  to 
be  left  standihg.  Other  trees  along  the  highways  were  preserved,  be- 
cause they  "are  found  by  experience  to  be  of  public  benefit  and  advan- 


132  HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tage,  therefore,  for  promoting  the  same,  the  selectmen  are  to  mark 
therrTwith  a  G,  and  then  there  is  a  penalty  following  their  being  cut 
down."  In  other  ways,  however,  the  square  was  allowed  to  become  a 
nuisance.  The  public  buildings  were  placed  on  it  without  regard  to 
system,  and  the  central  part  was  unwisely  used  as  a  place  of  burial. 
Other  parts,  and  even  the  sacred  resting  place  of  the  dead,  became  the 
favorite  haunt  of  hogs  and  cows,  who  revelled  among  rank  weeds  and 
garbage  until  the  place  looked  very  forbidding  indeed,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century.  At  night,  when  the  sun  set,  the  cows 
lowed,  the  geese  screeched,  and  the  swine  lay  off  in  sonorous  sleep. 
Smartweed  and  milkweed  had  their  rights  there,  and  the  scraggy  sides 
of  poplars  and  willows  were  polished  by  the  scrawny  hides  of  itching 
cattle.  The  gouty  land  rose  in  humps  and  knolls,  and  the  water  ooz- 
ing out  formed  natural  cisterns,  partly  drained  by  those  camp  follow- 
ers, the  hogs  and  cows.  At  the  upper  end  stood  the  already  aged 
town  house  and  the  academy,  where  Mistress  Halleck,  the  poet's 
mother,  once  wielded  the  ferule.  There  was  the  whipping  post,  too, 
for  larger  children. 

But  soon  after  the  public  sense  was  quickened  by  the  evil  appear- 
ance of  this  spot,  and  its  improvement  began.  The  burial  places  were 
vacated  in  1817  and  new  cemeteries  begun  about  a  mile  away,  on  either 
side  of  the  village.  The  rocks  were  removed,  the  low  places  filled  up, 
and  the  unsightly  poplar  trees  gave  place  to  the  more  graceful  and 
honored  elms.  The  removal  of  the  public  buildings  followed.  The 
Congregational  meeting  house  found  a  more  suitable  site  north  of  the 
green  in  1830,  and  the  same  year  the  town  house  and  the  old  academy 
were  removed  to  lots  in  the  rear  of  that  building.  The  last  building 
removed  was  the  Episcopal  church,  in  1838,  which  found  a  new  site  on 
the  east  of  the  green.  The  preceding  year  the  ground  was  enclosed 
by  a  simple  white  railing,  and  it  now  began  to  develop  into  the  beauty 
spot  which  is  justly  an  object  of  pride  of  all  good  citizens.  Much  of 
the  later  embellishment  was  produced  by  the  efforts  of  the  ladies' 
society  of  "  United  Workers,"  formed  in  1874,  which  has  directed  its 
further  improvement  with  good  taste  and  loving  hands. 

The  green  now  has  the  appearance  of  an  attractive  green  sward, 
studded  with  stately  elm  trees,  whose  grateful  shade  extends  comfort 
and  rest.  But  at  stated  periods,  on  important  occasions,  its  quiet 
beauty  is  disturbed  by  gatherings  of  citizens,  which  give  life  and  ani- 
mated aspect  to  its  precincts.  Near  the  center  of  the  green  a  soldiers' 
monument  has  been  erected,  whose  natural  beauty  is  much  enhanced 
by  its  sylvan  surroundings. 

The  Guilford  Savings  Bank  was  organized  October  1st,  1875.  Its 
first  officers  were:  Edward  R.  Landon,  president;  Alfred  G.  Hull,  vice- 
president;  Beverly  Monroe,  treasurer;  Henry  E.  Fowler,  secretary. 
Christopher  Spencer  succeeded  Landon  as  president,  and  in  1884  was 
succeeded  by  Lewis  R.  Elliott,  who  has  since  been  at  the  head  of  the 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  133 

institution.  Charles  Griswold  was  elected  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  bank  in  18S3,  and  so  served  until  Jul}-  1st,  1889,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  present  incumbent,  H.  W.  Spencer.  E.  H.  Butler  is  the 
present  vice-president.  There  are  25  trustees.  The  bank  was  opened 
for  business  in  Beverly  Monroe's  store,  moving  to  its  present  house  in 
1883.  The  deposits,  January,  1890,  were  nearly  $142,000,  and  there 
was  a  surplus  fund  of  $5,000. 

The  first  periodical  published  at  Guilford  was  the  Clionian  Banner, 
a  small  paper  issued  by  the  members  of  the  Clionian  Literary  Society 
of  Guilford  village.  It  had  a  limited  circulation  and  a  short  exist- 
ence. 

The  first  general  newspaper  was  the  Shore  Line  Sentinel,  whose  first 
issue  bore  date  March  8th,  1877.  The  office  of  publication  was  in  the 
old  Chamberlain  building  and  the  paper  was  here  continued  about  a 
year,  when  for  want  of  proper  encouragement  it  was  removed  to  the 
interior  of  the  state.  It  was  a  large,  handsome  sheet,  devoted  to  the 
local  interests  of  the  shore  towns,  and  W.  F.  Hendrick  was  the  editor 
and  publisher. 

In  more  recent  years  the  Guilford  Item  was  published  as  a  more  dis- 
tinctly village  local  weekly,  but  it,  too,  was  short-lived.  The  office  was 
in  the  Kelsey  building,  on  Whitfield  street,  and  the  material  was  re- 
moved. Since  that  time  several  small  job  printing  offices  have  been 
set  up  in  the  village. 

The  post  office  at  Guilford  village  was  established  in  1789.  In  May, 
1794,  the  office  was  supplied  by  the  great  mail  route  from  Boston  to  New 
York.  After  1837  the  stages  furnished  a  daily  mail  supply.  The 
service  since  1852  has  been  by  railway  and  embraces  several  mails  per 
day.  Medad  Stone  was  an  early  postmaster,  as  was  also  Reuben  Elli- 
ott, the  latter  keeping  the  office  many  years  on  Boston  street.  Amos 
Seward,  a  later  postmaster,  lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  green.  George 
Hart,  Albert  Wildman,  Elisha  Hutchinson  and  Franklin  C.Phelps 
were  postmasters  up  to  the  close  of  the  civil  war.  Henry  E.  Norton 
followed;  and  for  sixteen  years  prior  to  18S5,  Captain  Charles  Gris- 
wold was  the  postmaster.  Then  came  Henry  W.  Spencer,  four  years, 
succeeded  in  1889  by  the  present  incumbent,  George  N.  Bradley. 
Since  the  war  of  1865  a  post  office  has  been  established  at  Leete's 
Island,  and  for  a  longer  period  there  has  been  an  office  at  North 
Guilford. 

Formerly  the  town  had  hotels  of  good  repute,  the  Bradley  inn, 
opposite  the  northwest  corner  of  the  green,  being  favorably  known 
until  after  the  building  of  the  railway.  The  house  was  large  and 
had  pillars  extending  through  both  stories.  It  has  been  converted 
into  a  residence.  Before  the  period  of  stage  lines,  in  1794,  the  town 
had  ordinaries  and  inns,  but  they  did  not  attain  any  special  import- 
ance. Indeed,  the  custom  of  the  town  did  not  favor  it.  We  are 
told  that  there  was  "  no  such    thing  as  tavern    haunting    and    little 


134  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

wasting  of  time  in  drinking  and  fruitless  diversion."  These  habits 
of  sobriety  and  industry  are  largely  continued  to  the  present  time. 
Along  the  shore  a  number  of  hotels  were  formerly  maintained; 
the  Harbor  House,  at  the  foot  of  Harbor  street;  the  Pavilion  Hotel, 
on  Guilford  Point,  by  Robert  Hunt,  and  still  continued  as  a  sum- 
mer hotel;  the  Sachem's  Head  House,  by  Samuel  Barker,  burned  in 
1865;  and  the  Walnut  Grove  House,  on  Leete's  Island,  by  H.  Ives, 
being  the  principal  ones.  At  Sachem's  Head,  summer  hotels  have 
more  recently  been  opened. 

Among  the  merchants  of  the  village  are  remembered  the  Chitten- 
dens,  the  Elliotts,  and  a  few  others  of  half  a  century  ago.  The 
Hales  were  in  trade  many  years,  Henry  Hale  continuing  since  1856. 
J.  Monroe  &  Son  established  a  trade  many  years  ago,  which  is  also 
still  carried  on  by  Beverly  Monroe.  Russell  Clark  merchandised 
here  before  removing  to  New  Haven. 

At  North  Guilford  stores  have  also  been  kept  the  greater  part  of  a 
century,  among  those  later  in  trade  being  Edmund  Field,  Charles 
Lane,  and  at  that  stand  in  1890  was  Jerome  Coan.  Half  a  mile  north 
was  the  store  of  Baldwin  C.  Dudley,  where  was  also  kept  the  North 
Guilford  post  office.  More  recently  stores  have  been  opened  at  Leete's 
Island. 

Prior  to  the  revolution  some  members  of  the  Masonic  order  resided 
at  Guilford,  who  complained  of  the  long  distance  they  were  obliged  to 
travel  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  order.  Desiring  that  a  Lodge  be 
established  in  their  town,  they  made  application  to  the  Provincial 
Grand  Lodge  of  North  America  for  that  privilege,  and  that  body 
granted  them  a  charter  July  10th,  1771.  The  petitioners  were  Timothy 
Ward,  Bilious  Ward,  David  Landon,  Timothy  Ludinton,  Eber  Water- 
house,  Asher  Fairchild,  Benjamin  Stone,  Giles  Trubee  and  William 
Johnson.  In  due  time  the  organization  of  St.  Alban's  Lodge,  No.  38, 
F.  &  A.  M.,  was  effected,  with  Bilious  Ward  as  the  first  master.  He 
was  also  at  the  head  of  the  Lodge  the  next  two  years.  In  1774-5  the 
master  was  Eli  Foote.  The  names  of  those  who  presided  from  1775  to 
1797  cannot  be  given,  as  the  records  of  that  period  were  burned  in 
the  fire  of  1862,  when  Music  Hall,  where  the  Lodge  held  its  meetings, 
was  destroyed.  Prior  to  the  occupancy  of  that  building  the  Lodge  met 
in  the  old  academy  building.  The  present  Masonic  hall  is  in  the  up- 
per rooms  of  Henry  Hale's  block,  which  has  been  neatly  fitted  up  for 
that  purpose. 

The  Lodge  met  statedly  until  1827,  when  its  charter  was  revoked, 
and  was  not  restored  until  1851,  when  the  Lodge  was  revived,  and  has 
in  the  main  since  had  a  fair  degree  of  prosperity.  In  the  fall  of  1S90 
one  hundred  members  were  reported. 

Besides  the  masters  named  the  following  brethren  have  served  in 
that  position:  1797,  Isaac  Chalker;  1798,  George  Cleveland;  1799,  Oliver 
Bray;  1800,  Jedediah    Lathrop;  1801,  George  Cleveland;  1802-3,  Joel 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  135 

Griffing;  1804-6,  Jeremiah  Parmelee;  1807,  William  Spencer;  180S  9, 
Peletiah  Leete;  1810,  Thomas  Powers;  1811,  Jeremiah  Parmelee;  1812 
-13,  Jedediah  Lathrop;  1814,  Abraham  L.  Chittenden;  1815-16,  Joseph 
Griffing;  1817-19,  Jedediah  Lathrop;  1820-3,  Amos  Seward;  1824,  Mer- 
ritt  Foote;  1825-6,  Jedediah  Lathrop;  1827,  AmosSeward;  1851,  Charles 
A.  Ball;  1852,  C.  L.  Crowell;  1853,  Charles  W.  Miller;  1854,  C.  L.  Crowell; 
1855-62,  Asahel  B.  Morse;  1863-6,  Henry  B.  Stannard;  1867-9, William 
T.  Dowd;  1870-1,  Henry  B.  Stannard;  1872-3,  William  T.  Dowd;  1874 
-5,  C.  HT  Norton;  1876,  William  T.  Dowd;  1877,  C.  H.  Norton.  And 
since  that  time,  in  the  order  named,  Hart  Landon,  A.  B.  Palmer,  George 
S.  Davis,  Charles  W.  Walkley,  S.  J.  Griswold  and  Samuel  W.  Landon. 

Halleck  Chapter,  No.  4,  R.  A.  M.,  was  instituted  at  Guilford,  Octo- 
ber 3d,  18S3,  with  H.  I.  Fisk  as  the  first  high  priest.  In  that  office  he 
was  followed  by  C.  H.  Norton,  E.  S.  Bishop,  C.W. Walkley  and  George 
S.  Davis.  Other  officers  in  1890  were:  K.,  Nelson  S.  Leete;  S.,  Francis 
Beattie;  secretary,  C.  H.  Norton;  treasurer,  J.  T.  Wildman;  C.  IL, 
Charles  H.  Post;"  P.  S.,  J.  W.  Oughton;  R.  A.  C,  Edwin  S.  Spencer. 
This  is  the  only  Chapter  on  the  coast  between  New  Haven  and  New 
London,  and  has  25  members.  Its  convocations  are  held  in  Masonic 
Hall. 

Menuncatuck  Lodge,  No.  62,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized  in  1849» 
Among  the  charter  members  were  Reuben  L.  Fowler,  Asahel  B.Morse, 
Russell  Crampton,  Henry  B.  Stannard,  Horace  Fowler,  Edward  R. 
Benton,  Amos  Griswold  and  Alpha  Morse.  After  an  existence  of  a 
number  of  years  the  meetings  were  allowed  to  lapse  and  the  Lodge 
went  down.  But  on  the  25th  of  February,  1880,  it  was  resuscitated, 
with  the  foregoing  charter  members  and  these  additional:  H.  Pendle- 
ton, Jr.,  Henry  W.  Leete,  Charles  W.  Walkley,  Richard  E.  Benton  and 
Edwin  H.  Griswold.  In  May,  1890,  the  Lodge  had  76  members  and  an 
accumulated  fund  of  $1,200.  which  was  in  care  of  trustees:  E.  H.  But- 
ler, George  W.  Walkley  and  George  P.  Rolf.  The  meetings  were 
held  in  Masonic  Hall. 

Whitfield  Council,  No.  1034,  Royal  Arcanum,  was  instituted  April 
19th,  1887,  with  27  charter  members.  In  October,  1890,  the  Council 
had  45  members.  It  has  had  a  continued  growth  and  but  one  death, 
that  of  S.  W.  Landon,  in  the  summer  of  1890.  The  $3,000  benefit  was 
paid  to  his  heirs  within  a  month  of  his  decease.  The  first  regent  of 
the  Council  was  H.  S.  Wedmore,  and  that  office  was  filled  in  1890  by 
F.  P.  Knowles.  The  trustees  at  this  time  were:  George  S.  Davis,  E.  II. 
Griswold  and  H.  S.  Putney.  The  meetings  of  the  Council  are  held  in 
Masonic  Hall. 

Parmelee  Post,  No.  42,  G.  A.  R.,  was  instituted  June  17th,  1873,  with 
the  following  charter  members:  Alfred  N.  Wilcox,  Charles  Griswold, 
Henry  B.  Dudley,  Joel  Griswold,  Eber  S.  Fowler,  John  Coulter,  Henry 
H.  Mack,  Julian  F.  Watrous,  H.  Lynde  Harrison,  Samuel  J.  Griswold. 
Edward  Griswold.     The  Post  has  mustered  a  number  of  members,  and 


136  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

had  in  the  fall  of  1890  65  comrades  belonging.  Captain  Charles  Gris- 
wold  was  the  first  commander.  The  other  commanders,  in  the  order 
of  their  service,  were:  H.  Lynde  Harrison,  Alfred  N.  Wilcox,  William 
H.  Harrison,  Julian  F.  Watrous,  Edward  R.  Benton,  L.  Odell  Chitten- 
den, Joel  C.  Page,  Adolph  G.  Sommer,  E.  Roger  Davis,  Edson  S.  Bishop, 
John  W.  Oughton,  Hart  Landon,  Sylvester  R.  Snow,  Charles  Griswold 
and  L.  Odell  Chittenden.  The  Post  was  instrumental  in  the  building 
of  the  soldiers'  monument,  and  has  promoted  the  decoration  of  the 
graves  of  deceased  comrades. 

A  Woman's  Relief  Corps  was  organized  in  March,  1888,  as  an  ad- 
junct of  the  above  Post,  Mrs.  Charles  Griswold  being  the  first  presi- 
dent and  Mrs.  Hart  Landon  the  present.  The  original  membership  of 
17  has  been  increased  to  more  than  30. 

The  United  Workers  for  Public  Improvement,  more  commonly 
called  the  "U.  W.  P.  I.,"  was  organized  February  9th,  1874,  by  some  of 
the  energetic,  public-spirited  ladies  of  Guilford,  to  beautify  and  im- 
prove the  village.  The  society  has  been  maintained  in  the  spirit  in 
which  it  was  organized,  ever  embracing  in  its  membership  the  leading 
ladies  of  the  community.  Their  efforts  have  led  to  the  material  im- 
provement and  embellishment  of  the  village  in  the  way  of  having 
trees  planted,  sidewalks  built,  streets  lighted,  and  properly  caring  for 
the  public  grounds.  As  an  incidental  feature  in  the  accomplishment 
of  these  objects,  the  society  published  in  1877  the  MSS.  History  of 
Guilford,  prepared  by  the  Hon.  Ralph  D.  Smith,  under  the  direction 
of  its  committee,  Miss  Nettie  Fowler  and  Mrs.  Ripley  Baylies,  and 
devoted  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  the  book  to  the  prosecution  of 
its  work. 

The  public  efforts  of  the  ladies  have  stimulated  private  and  indi- 
vidual improvement  to  such  an  extent  that  much  of  old  Guilford  has 
been  clothed  with  a  new  dress,  presenting  a  clean,  orderly  and  well 
preserved  appearance. 

The  Guilford  Agricultural  Society,  as  a  temporary  body,  was  formed 
a  few  years  after  the  war.  Its  permanent  organization  took  place  in 
1872,  and  June  25th,  1874,  it  was  incorporated  with  the  following  mem- 
bership, who  had  before  sustained  a  voluntary  relation  to  the  society 
and  Farmers'  Club,  viz.:  John  Elliott,  Lewis  R.  Elliott,  Henry  Fowler, 
William  T.  Foote,  William  W.  Fowler,  Sidney  Leete,  J.  W.  Norton, 
Richard  Wilcox,  William  E.  Weed,  J.  S.  Benton,  Sylvester  Snow, 
Henry  R.  Spencer,  William  D.  Hull,  Edwin  O.  Davis,  Henry  N.  Davis, 
D.  L.  Davis,  Lewis  Fowler,  Samuel  Cruttenden,  Charles  F.  Leete.  To 
these  were  soon  added  Jerome  Coan,  George  B.  Spencer,  Richard  H. 
Woodruff,  Richard  W.  Starr,  Arthur  S.  Fowler,  E.  Roger  Davis,  Charles 
L.  Benton,  Dudley  Chittenden,  Everett  L.  Dudley,  Daniel  L.  Spencer, 
Roger  C.  Leete,  H.  Francis  Dudley,  William  H.  Lee,  Henry  H.  Gris- 
wold, George  W.  Dudley,  Wilbur  F.  Rossiter,  Richard  F.  Kelsey,  and 
many  others. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  137 

The  society  succeeded  in  awakening-  an  interest  in  agriculture, 
which  had  been  languishing,  and  has  been  carried  on  with  general 
g-ood  results.  Under  its  auspices  more  than  a  dozen  of  very  success- 
ful agricultural,  mechanical  and  industrial  exhibitions  have  been  held, 
which  have  stimulated  competition  and  attracted  large  numbers  of 
people  annually.  Usually  these  shows  are  held  in  the  public  green 
and  in  Music  Hall.  On  these  occasions  the  display  of  the  famous 
Guilford  red  cattle  is  especially  fine,  affording  a  sight  seldom  witnessed 
in  any  other  town  in  the  county,  hundreds  of  yokes  sometimes  being 
in  the  grand  parade,  preliminary  to  the  competitive  examination. 

The  society  has  a  large  membership,  and  in  1S90  had  the  following- 
officers:  President,  Robert  E.  Davis;  vice-presidents,  S.  R.  Snow,  D.  R. 
Spencer;  secretary,  George  L.  Griswold;  treasurer,  George  B.  Spencer; 
directors,  George  W.  Dudley,  Charles  H.  Davis,  E.  J.  Chittenden,  E.  G. 
Davis,  John  Benton,  William  S.  Leete,  William  H.  Lee,  George  Rolfe, 
R.  H.  Woodruff,  R.  T.  Kelsey,  J.  C.  Potter,  R.  C.  Wilcox,  George  Car- 
ter, Charles  Walkley,  R.  L.  Parker. 

Guilford  Grange,  No.  81,  P.  of  H.,  was  organized  April  6th,  1888, 
with  15  members.  In  May,  1890,  those  belonging  numbered  50. 
Meetings  of  great  interest  are  held  semi-monthly  in  Armory  Hall. 
The  executive  committee  in  the  summer  of  1890  was  John  B.  Hubbard, 
George  W.  Dudley  and  J.  W.  Norton. 

North  Guilford  Grange,  No.  104,  though  but  recently  organized, 
has  attained  considerable  prosperity.  Its  membership  is  mainly  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  town,  where  the  Grange  is  looked  upon  with 
favor  as  an  educational  and  social  factor. 

Undoubtedly  the  "  great  design  "  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  town 
was  religion  and  the  formation  of  a  church  in  which  they  might  enjoy 
Gospel  privileges  as  best  suited  themselves.  They  clearly  express 
this  purpose  in  their  "  Plantation  Covenant,"  June  1st,  1639,  even  be- 
fore their  place  of  habitation  had  been  selected,  when  they  speak  of 
being  gathered  together  "in  a  church  way  after  such  time  as  it  shall 
please  God  to  settle  us  in  our  plantation."  The  latter  object  having 
been  secured,  they  now  turn  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  purpose 
which  primarily  led  them  into  the  new  world,  where  they  might  better 
seek  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness;  or,  as  they  empha- 
sized the  purpose  in  1643,  "The  mayne  ends  which  were  propounded 
to  ourselves  in  our  coming  hither  and  settling  down  together  are,  that 
we  may  settle  and  uphold  the  ordinances  of  God  in  an  explicit  Con- 
gregational church  way,  with  most  purity,  peace  and  liberty  for  the 
benefit  both  of  ourselves  and  posterity  after  us."  This  idea  was  fully 
■consummated  June  19th,  1643,  when 

The  Guilford  Congregational  Church  was  formally  organized.  The 
method  they  pursued  was  the  same  as  had  been  adopted  by  the  New 
Haven  and  Milford  churches:  "Seven  Pillars"  were  chosen  as  the  basis 


138  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

of  the  organization,  and  to  these  the  remainder  of  the  company  joined 
themselves  to  constitute  the  church. 

These  seven  pillars  were:  Mr.  Henry  Whitfield,  Mr.  John  Higgin- 
son,  Samuel  Desborough,  William  Leete,  Jacob  Sheafe,  John  Mepham,. 
and  John  Hoadly.  They  now  drew  up  a  "Doctrine  of  Faith,"  which 
was  used  in  an  unamended  form  until  1837,  to  which  they  first  for- 
mally assented,  then  entered  into  covenant  relations  with  each  other. 
After  this  others  of  the  planters  were  added,  upon  similar  confession 
of  faith  and  expression  of  covenant  belief,  and  being  approved  church 
members  were  also  dignified  as  freemen.  This  gave  them  the  right 
to  fully  participate  in  the  affairs  of  the  plantation.  Here  as  in  New 
Haven  only  church  members  could  vote  or  hold  office,  until  after  the 
union  of  New  Haven  colony  with  other  colonies  in  the  state  in  1665. 
How  man}'  of  the  planters  were  excluded  by  this  provision  is  not 
known,  as  the  early  church  records  have  not  been  preserved.  For 
many  years  no  deacons  or  ruling  elders  were  elected,  and  the  tempor- 
alities of  the  church  were  managed  by  three  men  chosen  annually. 

"  To  the  church  thus  constituted  the  four  planters — Robert  Kit- 
chell,  William  Chittenden,  John  Bishop  and  William  Leete — who  had 
been  entrusted  with  the  control  of  affairs  until  a  church  should  be 
gathered,  resigned  their  trust,  and  by  the  church  thus  organized  the 
civil  polity  of  the  plantation  was  thereupon  established."*  The 
church,  it  will  be  seen,  thus  became  the  all  important  factor  in  the 
community,  and  for  many  years  everything  else  was  subordinated 
to  it. 

It  appears  strange  that  a  community  which  placed  such  an  esti- 
mate upon  the  church  relation  should  not  have  been  organized  into 
that  form  earlier;  but  it  is  probable  that  there  was  some  cause  for  the 
delay,  or  the  need  may  not  have  been  so  apparent  since,  no  doubt, 
they  regularly  maintained  worship.  Mr.  Whitfield  had  been  the  pas- 
tor of  some  of  the  members  in  England,  and  at  least  one  of  them, 
Thomas  Norton,  had  been  a. warden  in  his  church  at  Ockley.  That 
there  may  have  been  some  temporary  organization  appears  from  the 
fact  that  in  1641  Mr.  John  Higginson  had  been  secured  as  a  teacher, 
and  both  were  continued  by  the  church  in  their  former  relations;  and 
as  Mr.  Whitfield  had  been  ordained  in  England,  that  formality  was 
not  here  followed  by  the  new  church. 

It  is  probable  that  the  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  stone  house 
of  Mr.  Whitfield,  built  in  1689,  which  was  first  "  fitted  up  with  folding 
partitions  "  to  afford  the  necessary  room.  But  a  stone  meeting  house, 
with  a  thatched  roof,  was  soon  built  on  the  northwest  part  of  the 
green.  It  may  have  been  completed  in  1643,  at  the  time  the  church 
was  organized.  In  1651  it  was  ordered  to  be  rethatched  "  and  clayed 
before  winter,"  which  would  indicate  that  it  was  perhaps  hurriedly 
finished.     Its  capacity  was  increased  in  1668,  when  a  gallery  was  built 

*  Reverend  Cornelius  L.  Kitchell. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  139 

across  the  west  end  or  side,  for  the  building  was -about  25  feet  square, 
and  the  sides  of  the  roof,  which  were  now  covered  with  lumber,  came 
to  a  point  in  the  center.  In  1672  a  porch  was  added  and  in  1679,  more 
room  being  wanted,  it  was  agreed  to  build  galleries  on  all  the  sides 
and  a  porch  on  the  south  side.  Again  it  was  enlarged  in  16S1,  and  in 
that  manner  was  used  until  1712. 

Notwithstanding  the  parish  of  East  Guilford  had  been  formed  in 
1703,  the  attendance  at  church  was  so  large  that  a  new  meeting  house 
was  demanded  and  secured  in  1713.  This  was  a  large  wooden  struct- 
ure, 46  by  83  feet,  and  three  stories  high,  so  as  to  afford  double  gal- 
leries. At  the  west  end  a  steeple,  120  feet  high,  was  added,  in  which 
a  bell  was  placed  about  1725:  and  about  the  same  time  a  clock  was 
made  for  it  and  given  to  the  society  by  Ebenezer  Parmelee,  a  skillful 
mechanic  of  the  town.  It  is  said  that  this  was  the  first  meeting  house 
in  the  state  thus  equipped.  In  a  repaired  condition  the  old  clock  is 
still  in  use  in  the  present  church  spire.  Up  to  1726  the  drum  was  used 
to  warn  the  people  to  attend  meetings,  according  to  the  custom  of 
those  times.  In  the  old  meeting  house  the  men  sat  in  one  part  and 
the  women  in  another;  and  in  the  new  building  it  was  ordered,  in  1713, 
that  "  men  and  women  sit  together  in  the  meeting  house  in  the  pews;" 
which  were  assigned  to  families  according  to  age,  social  position  and 
the  property  list.  This  meeting  house,  which  stood  near  the  center  of 
the  green,  was  used  about  117  years. 

Early  in  1S2S  it  was  determined  to  build  a  new  meeting  house, 
and  after  some  effort  to  raise  the  necessary  means,  thirty  members  of 
the  society  agreed  to  build  the  house,  taking  the  risk  of  being  reim- 
bursed from  the  sale  of  pews.  A  lot  opposite  the  north  end  of  the 
green  was  selected,  on  which  the  corner  stone  of  the  present  edifice 
was  laid  June  5th,  1829.  It  is  60  by  80  feet,  with  a  pulpit  recess  of  six 
feet,  and  originally  cost  more  than  $7,000.  As  dedicated  May  19th, 
1830,  it  was  a  large,  imposing  frame  building,  and  for  those  times  was 
deemed  very  complete.  The  old  house  was  now  demolished  and  re- 
moved from  the  green.  In  1861  the  present  meeting  house  was  very 
materially  improved  and  modernized,  especially  the  interior.  In  1868 
Mrs.  Mary  G.  Chittenden  presented  the  society  with  a  superb  organ. 
Recent  repairs  have  made  this  building  and  the  parsonage  adjoining 
attractive  and  comfortable.  On  the  20th  of  May,  1830,  the  pews  of 
the  meeting  house  were  sold  for  more  than  enough  to  pay  all  the 
bills  contracted  in  its  erection,  and  the  ownership  remained  in  the 
purchasers  until  1850,  when  they  were  deeded  back  to  the  society, 
which  has  since  annually  rented  them. 

The  Reverend  Henry  Whitfield  continued  his  pastoral  labors  un- 
til October,  1651,  when  he  returned  to  England.  His  congregation 
had  become  greatly  attached  to  him,  for  he  was  not  only  a  pastor, 
but,  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Ruggles,  "  He  was  properly  the  father  of 
the  plantation;  lov'd  his  flock    tenderly  and  was    extremely  belov'd 


140  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

by  them."  His  preaching  had  been  most  acceptable,  "delivering 
himself  with  a  peculiar  dignity,  beauty  and  solemnity."  Hence 
when  the  time  came  for  him  to  leave  his  church  the  people  of  the 
town  "followed  him  to  the  water's  side  with  many  tears,"  and 
bade  adieu  to  him  who  had  in  all  things  amongst  them  been  the 
foremost.  Coming  to  Guilford  with  what  seemed  great  means,  his 
estate  had  become  much  exhausted  by  helping  his  people  and  sup- 
porting his  large  family,  so  that  when  a  living  was  offered  him  in 
England,  under  the  protectorate,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  return;  and 
he  ended  his  life  in  the  ministry  in  the  city  of  Winchester. 

Henry  Whitfield  was  the  son  of  a  lawyer  and  was  designed  by 
his  father  for  that  profession.  But  he  became  a  minister  of  the 
established  church  of  England  and  served  at  Ockley,  in  Surrey. 
For  twenty  years  he  conformed  to  the  church  of  England,  when, 
through  his  acquaintance  with  some  distinguished  non-conformists, 
as  Hooker,  Davenport  and  Eaton,  he  also  became  a  non-conformist, 
among  whom,  on  account  of  his  ability  and  wealth,  he  took  a  promi- 
nent place.  From  the  fact  that  his  family  remained  in  Guilford 
some  eight  years  longer,  it  has  been  inferred  that  it  may  have  been 
Mr.  Whitfield's  purpose  to  return,  but  in  1659  all  the  remaining 
members,  including  his  son-in-law,  the  Reverend  John  Higginson, 
left  the  town,  and  his  landed  property  passed  into  other  hands. 

While  the  church  mourned  the  loss  of  its  beloved  pastor,  it  was 
soon  called  upon  to  suffer  a  still  further  loss  in  the  departure  of  two 
more  of  its  seven  pillars:  Mr.  Samuel  Desborough,  who  returned  to 
England  in  1651,  and  Mr.  John  Hoadley,  who  went  two  years  later. 
In  the  meantime  the  teacher  of  the  church,  Mr.  John  Higginson,  con- 
tinued to  preach,  and  September  5th,  1653,  was  settled  as  the  pastor. 
He  remained  until  1659,  when  he  also  purposed  to  return  to  England. 
Sailing  for  England,  contrary  winds  forced  the  vessel  back  into  Salem, 
where  his  father  had  been  settled  in  the  ministry  in  1629  as  the  first 
pastor  of  that  church.  The  pulpit  being  vacant,  he  was  persuaded  to 
settle  there  as  the  pastor,  and  was  installed  August  29th,  1660.  He 
continued  until  his  death,  December  9th,  1708,  in  the  93d  year  of  his 
age,  after  having  been  in  the  ministry  72  years.  In  his  twenty  years' 
stay  in  the  town  he  aided  largely  in  forming  the  character  of  the  com- 
munity, and  was  respected  both  as  a  teacher  and  as  a  preacher. 

The  departure  from  Guilford  of  Reverend  John  Higginson  marked 
an  ebbing  period  in  the  history  of  the  church,  and  for  several  years 
matters  were  in  a  confused  condition.  Reverend  John  Cotton,  who 
had  married  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Bryan  Rossiter,  was  here  part  of 
the  time,  as  was  also  Reverend  John  Bowers,  who  was  afterward  the 
pastor  of  the  Derby  church.  A  call  was  extended  to  Reverend  In- 
crease Mather  in  1663,  and  the  town  was  much  elated  at  the  prospect 
of  his  acceptance;  but  he  declined  the  call  the  next  spring.  In  this 
state  of  affairs  some  of  the  planters  removed  and  the  town  suffered 
in  consequence. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  141 

"After  they  had  waded  through  these  troublesome  times  Provi- 
dence provided  for  them  a  pastor  after  God's  own  heart  to  feed  them 
with  knowledge  and  understanding.  For  about  the  year  1664 or  1665, 
the  renowned  Mr.  Joseph  Eliot,  son  of  the  famous  and  pious  Mr.  John 
Eliot  of  Roxbury  (the  Indian  New  England  Apostle)  was  called  and 
ordained  to  the  pastoral  office  in  this  church."  "  The  church  and  town 
greatly  flourished  under  his  successful  ministry.  After  this  burning 
and  shining  light  had  ministered  to  the  good  people  about  thirty 
years,  he  deceased  May  24th,  1694,  to  the  inexpressible  grief  of  his 
beloved  flock  whose  memory  is  not  forgotten  to  this  day."* 

The  Reverend  Thomas  Ruggles  was  settled  as  the  next  pastor 
November  20th,  1695,  "  and  after  he  had  faithfully  fed  the  flock,  he 
deceased  June  1st,  1728,  in  the  34th  year  of  his  ministry  and  the  58th 
year  of  his  age."  His  son,  Thomas  Ruggles,  Jr.,  succeeded  him  in 
the  pastorate  March  26th,  1729.  His  accession  was  attended  by  an  un- 
fortunate disagreement  which  caused  the  formation  of  the  Fourth 
church.  And  yet  Mr.  Ruggles  acquitted  himself  a  careful,  prudent 
pastor,  "  a  lover  of  good  men  and  a  friend  to  mankind."  He  died 
November  19th,  1770.  His  powers  having  failed,  Reverend  Amos 
Fowler  was  settled  as  his  colleague  June  8th,  1757,  and  after  his  death 
became  the  pastor.  He  was  also  a  native  of  Guilford,  and  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1753.  He  died,  greatly  respected,  February  10th,  L800. 
Reverend  Israel  Brainerd,  of  Haddam,  was  installed  as  the  next  pastor 
June  11th,  1800,  and  was  dismissed  six  years  later.  In  this  period 
there  was  much  unrest  in  the  congregation  and  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
church  was  very  low.  He  could  not  yield  himself  to  the  demands  of 
his  people,  and  after  a  vain  effort  to  quicken  them,  left  the  town. 

The  church  was  now  without  a  pastor  six  months,  when,  Decem- 
ber 10th,  1806,  Reverend  Aaron  Dutton  was  settled  as  the  minister. 
At  the  time  he  was  installed  there  were  less  than  thirty  active  mem- 
mers,  but  so  successful  was  his  ministry  of  36  years,  that  at  its  close, 
June  8th,  1842.  there  were  more  than  400  members.  He  was  a  man  of 
marked  character  and  ability,  and  "  resigned  his  pastorate  chiefly  on 
account  of  the  difference  of  opinion  between  himself  and  many  of  his 
congregation  on  the  subject  of  negro  slavery  in  the  United  States." 
He  left  the  parish  for  the  sake  of  harmony,  but  the  continued  agitation 
of  the  subject  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  present  Third  church. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  efforts  to  unite  the  two  churches,  made  after 
the  cause  of  the  separation  had  been  removed  and  forever  settled, 
have  not  been  attended  with  more  encouraging  results.  The  united 
congregations  would  constitute  one  grand  and  powerful  church. 

Since  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Dutton  the  following  have  been  the 
ministers :  Reverend  E.  Edwin  Hall,  settled  October  25th,  1843,  dis- 
missed July  24th,  1855,  at  his  own  request,  to  make  a  visit  to  Europe; 
Henry  Wickes,  May  22d,  1856,  to  July  21st,  1858;  William  S.  Smith.  May 

*  Ruggles  mss.,  1769. 


142  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

3d,  1859,  to  July  3d,  1865;  Cornelius  L.  Kitchell  followed  the  Reverend 
E.  Edwin  Hall,  who  had  supplied  the  pulpit,  and  was  settled  April 
13th,  1870,  resigned  March  24th,  1873.  October  4th,  1873,  Reverend 
Theodore  L.  Day  became  acting  pastor,  and  remained  until  May  4th, 
1876.  The  pulpit  was  now  supplied  by  the  Reverends  H.  R.  Harris, 
Andrew  W.  Archibald  and  George  S.  Thrall.  January  2d,  1879,  Rev- 
erend Henry  Fink  became  the  acting  pastor,  until  his  death,  Aug- 
ust 27th,  1879.  March  10th,  1S80,  Reverend  Frank  H.  Taylor  was  in- 
stalled, and  was  dismissed  September  3d,  1883,  when  Reverend  S.  M. 
Keller  supplied  the  pulpit.  In  May,  1884,  Reverend  E.  M.  Vittum  was 
here  ordained,  and  was  dismissed  December  15th,  1888.  On  the  1st 
of  August,  1889,  Reverend  Charles  H.  Mcintosh  became  the  supply 
for  one  year,  and  continued  in  the  summer  of  1890. 

In  the  town  have  been  raised  up  as  ministers,  among  others,  the 
following  in  the  First  Society:  Tared  Eliot,  Timothy  Cullins,  Bela  Hub- 
bard, D.D.,  Thomas  Ruggles,  Timothy  Stone,  Thomas  Ruggles,  Jr., 
William  Leete,  Jr.,  Edwin  H.  Seward,  Beriah  Hotchkin,  Henry  Rob- 
inson, S.  W.  Dutton,  D.  D.,  Henry  L.  Hall,  Daniel  Collins,  Edmund 
Ward,  Samuel  Johnson,  D.  D.,  William  Seward,  Andrew  Fowler,  Joy 
H.  Fairchild,  Thomas  Dutton,  Theodore  A.  Leete,  John  H.  Fowler, 
Sherman  Griswold,  Martin  Dudley,  Edward  C.  Starr,  John  W.  Starr. 

From  the  North  Guilford  part  have  gone  Nathaniel  Bartlett,  Amos 
Fowler,  Aaron  C.  Collins,  Lyman  Beecher,  Angus  B.  Collins,  Jared 
Tyler,  Abraham  C.  Baldwin,  John  E.  Bray,  Stephen  A.  Loper  and 
others. 

Several  new  churches  have  from  time  to  time  been  formed  as  off- 
shoots from  this  church;  the  Congregational  church  of  East  Guilford, 
now  Madison,  in  1703;  the  Congregational  church  in  North  Guilford, 
in  1719;  the  church  in  Guilford  called  the  Fourth  church,  in  1731,  now 
disbanded  ;  the  Congregational  church  in  North  Bristol,  now  North 
Madison,  in  1757;  and  the  Third  Congregational  church  of  Guilford,  in 
1843.  The  Episcopal  church  of  Guilford,  in  1743,  and  the  Methodist 
church  of  Guilford,  in  1836,  also  received,  at  their  organization,  sev- 
eral members  from  this  church. 

The  members  in  1S90  numbered  332,  belonging  to  185  families  in 
the  parish. 

The  following  were  chosen  and  served  as  deacons  of  the  church: 
George  Bartlett,  1664;  John  Fowler,  1664;  John  Graves,  1666;  William 
Johnson,  November,  1673;  John  Meigs,  1696;  Samuel  Johnson,  1713; 
James  Hooker,  1702;  Thomas  Hall,  1727;  William  Seward,  1730;  Tim- 
othy Stone,  1742;  Doctor  Nathaniel  Ruggles,  1751:  Ebenezer  Bartlett, 
1765;  John  Burgis,  November  2d,  1775;  Thomas  Burgis,  November  5th, 
1794;  Samuel  Chittenden,  June  19th,  1799;  Abraham  Chittenden,  July 
2d,  1799;  David  Bishop,  April  29th,  1802;  Ambrose  Leete,  December  2d, 
1807;  Thomas  Hart,  March  29th,  1809;  Anson  Chittenden,  March  29th, 
1809;  William  Starr,  December  3d,  1813;  John  B.  Chittenden,  October 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    EIAVEN    COUNTY.  143 

3d,  1823;  Comfort  Starr,  August  30th,  1827;  Jason  Seward,  August  30th, 
1827;  Abraham  Dudley,  August  30th,  L827;  Samuel  Robinson,  May  3d, 
1832;  Albert  A.  Leete,  May  3d,  1832;  Edward  L.  Leete,  November  14th, 
1852;  Eli  Parmelee,  November  14th,  1852;  "Edwin  O.  Davis,  January 
8th,  1871;  -'John  Graves,  March  30th,  1877;  -John  W.  Norton,  March 
30th,  1877;  *E.  Walter  Leete,  November  25th,  1883. 

The  North  Guilford  Congregational  church  was  formally  organized 
in  1725.  For  a  number  of  years  the  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  town 
attended  worship  at  Guilford  village,  going  thither  at  much  inconven- 
ience. Application  was  then  made  for  the  means  of  winter  preaching, 
and  in  May,  1720,  the  general  assembly  incorporated  the  inhabitants 
into  a  society ,f  to  enable  them  to  build  a  meeting  house  at  some  suit- 
able place  in  their  midst.  A  plain  house  was  put  up  in  1723,  which 
was,  with  repairs,  made  to  do  service  until  it  was  replaced  by  the 
second  or  original  part  of  the  present  house,  built  in  1814.  This  meet- 
ing house  has  been  materially  changed,  and  the  repairs  at  different 
times  have  made  it  an  inviting  place.  Its  location  is  most  charming, 
being  on  a  hill,  overlooking  the  greater  part  of  the  North  Guilford 
section.  Near  by  is  a  comfortable  parsonage,  and  on  the  opposite  side 
is  the  new  and  attractive  parish  house.  The  latter  reflects  great  credit 
upon  the  enterprise,  taste  and  forethought  of  the  community.  It  was 
carried  to  completion  largely  through  the  instrumentality  of  pastor 
Frank  R.  Kahler  and  Augustus  Bartlett,  the  latter  donating  $500  for 
that  purpose.  Other  generous  friends  contributed  the  balance,  the 
entire  cost  being  about  $1,600.  The  house  has  room  for  general  church 
and  social  meetings,  a  school  room  and  a  library.  It  was  occupied  in 
the  fall  of  1888. 

At  the  formal  organization  of  the  church,  June  Kith,  1725,  Reverend 
Samuel  Russell  became  the  pastor.  He  was  a  son  of  Reverend  Samuel 
Russell  of  the  Branford  church,  and  graduated  from  Yale  in  1712.  His 
service  as  pastor  continued  until  his  death,  January  19th,  1746,  but  as 
the  records  of  that  period  have  not  been  preserved,  it  is  not  known 
how  largely  he  augmented  the  church  membership. 

After  several  years  Reverend  John  Richards,  of  Waterbury,  who 
graduated  from  Yale  in  1745,  was  ordained  in  November,  1748,  and 
was  dismissed  at  his  own  request  December,  1765.  In  his  ministry  85 
persons  were  added  to  the  church. 

The  third  pastor  was  Reverend  Thomas  Wells  Bray,  a  native  of 
Branford.  He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1765,  was  ordained  pastor  of 
this  church  December,  1766,  and  died  in  the  service  of  the  parish  April 
23d,  1808.  He  was  a  pious,  exemplary  and  successful  preacher,  and 
167  members  were  admitted  as  the  result  of  his  labors. 

Reverend  William  Fowler  Vaill  was  ordained  as  the  pastor  Decem- 
ber 21st,  1808,  and  served  in  that  office  until  April  20th,  1820,  when  he 
left  to  become  a  missionary  in  Arkansas.     He  graduated  from  Yale  in 
*  Present  deacons.       t  Known  as  the  "  Third  Society  in  Guilford." 


144  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1S06,  and  here  fitted  quite  a  number  of  young  men  for  that  institution. 
He  also  added  about  thirty  persons  to  the  church  membership. 

In  September,  1821,  Reverend  Zolva  Whitmore  was  settled  in  the 
pastorate,  and  continued  until  August,  1846.  Then,  for  several  years, 
the  pulpit  was  supplied. 

Reverend  John  L.  Ambler  was  the  acting  pastor  in  184S,  and  the 
Reverend  Henry  Eddy  served  in  the  same  way  from  January,  1849,  to 
March,  1851.  Reverend  Fosdic  Harrison  was  the  acting  pastor  from 
November,  1851,  to  November,  1854,  and  in  the  summer  of  1853  had 
a  good  revival,  eleven  persons  being  added  by  profession  of  faith. 
Reverend  Abraham  C.  Baldwin  was  next  the  acting  pastor,  from  De- 
cember 1854,  until  October,  1S55.  In  this  period  the  church  edifice 
was  repaired. 

Reverend  Thomas  R.  Dutton  began  an  acting  pastorate  December 
9th,  1855,  which  was  continued  to  Ma)7  1st,  1859.  In  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1858  there  was  a  notable  revival,  which  added  24  to  the 
membership,  and  in  all  37  were  added  during  his  pastorate. 

Reverend  Richard  Chittenden  began  supplying  the  pulpit  in  July, 
1859,  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate  August  1st,  1860,  and  dismissed  in 
1864.  The  next  minister  was  Reverend  William  Howard,  who  was 
installed  December  20th,  1865,  and  who,  after  an  acceptable  ministry, 
was  dismissed  in  1875. 

Since  that  time  the  pulpit  has  been  supplied  or  filled  by  acting 
pastors,  among  them  being  the  Reverends  William  B.  Curtis,  Frank 
R.  Kahler,  until  the  fall  of  1888;  and  since  March,  1889,  Reverend 
Harry  C.  McKnight.  At  this  time  the  church  had  on  its  rolls  118 
members,  11  of  whom  lived  outside  of  the  town.  The  families  in  the 
parish  numbered  86,  and  an  invested  fund  helped  to  support  the  Gos- 
pel work. 

From  all  accounts  the  deacons  at  the  organization  of  the  church 
were  George  Bartlett  and  William  Dudley.  Subsequently  those  in 
the  deacon's  office  were:  Theophilus  Rossiter,  Simeon  Chittenden, 
Selah  Dudley,  John  Bartlett,  Robert  Griffiiig,  Joel  Rose,  Levi  Chit- 
tenden, Timothy  Rossiter,  Benjamin  Rossiter,  William  R.  Collins, 
Samuel  W.  Dudley,  John  R.  Rossiter  and  M.  L.  Chittenden,  the  latter 
being  the  clerk. 

The  Fourth  Society  in  Guilford  may  here  be  appropriately  noted. 
The  elder  Ruggles,  pastor  of  the  First  church,  died  in  1728,  and  was 
succeeded  in  1729  by  his  son,  Thomas  Ruggles,  Jr.  His  settlement 
gave  cause  for  dissatisfaction  to  29  of  the  80  male  communicants,  who 
protested  that  he  was  "not  such  a  distinguishing,  experimental  and 
animating  preacher  as  they  desired."  They  and  others,  more  than 
fifty  in  all,  withdrew  and  set  up  separate  worship,  building  a  small 
meeting  house  in  1730,  on  a  lot  facing  the  north  end  of  the  green, 
after  all  efforts  at  reconciliation  had  failed.  Although  the  dissent- 
ients were  but  few  in  number,  they  were  not  without  influence,  and 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  145 

succeeded,  after  several  attempts,  in  being  incorporated  in  1733  as  a 
separate  society,  with  the  same  bounds  as  the  First  society,  in  spite  of 
the  vigorous  protest  of  that  body.  They  now  had  Reverend  Edmund 
Wood,  who  had  preached  for  them  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  or- 
dained September  21st,  1733,  as  their  first  pastor.  Mr.  Wood  was  a 
native  of  the  town,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1727,  and  served  as  pastor 
until  1735,  when  he  was  dismissed  and  deposed  by  a  council  called  for 
that  purpose.  He  subsequently  became  an  Episcopalian,  but  never 
took  orders  in  that  church.     He  died  in  1779,  aged  73  years. 

The  society  was  without  a  pastor  for  eight  years,  and  being  deter- 
mined to  maintain  its  organization,  in  spite  of  legislative  and  other 
efforts  to  unite  them  to  the  parent  society,  ordained  Reverend  James 
Sproat  as  its  second  pastor,  August  23d,  1743.  He  was  dismissed  Octo- 
ber 18th,  1768,  and  not  long  thereafter  was  installed  over  the  Second 
Presbyterian  church  of  Philadelphia.  His  learning  and  ability  secured 
for  him  the  title  of  D.  D.,  which  he  fitly  honored.  He  died  in  Phila- 
delphia in  the  fall  of  1798,  himself,  wife  and  several  children  being 
victims  of  the  yellow  fever  scourge. 

The  successor  of  Doctor  Sproat  at  Guilford  was  Reverend  Daniel 
Brewer,  who  was  settled  as  the  pastor  September  18th,  1771.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  years  he  became  a  believer  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
Sandemanians,  or  that  none  but  Christ  and  his  apostles  should  be  ad- 
mitted as  preachers,  and  of  course  no  longer  preached  himself.  He 
was  dismissed  in  1775. 

The  last  settled  minister  was  Reverend  Beriah  Hotchkin,  who  was 
ordained  as  pastor  August  17th,  1785,  and  was  dismissed  in  March, 
1789,  to  become  a  missionary  in  the  wilds  of  New  York.  He  was  a 
native  of  the  town,  and  from  his  boyhood  was  devoted  to  religious 
thought. 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  Hotchkin  the  Fourth  church  rapidly  de- 
clined, until  but  few  members  remained.  In  1810,  by  legislative 
enactment,  sixteen  members  were  returned  to  the  First  church,  which 
practically  ended  the  existence  of  the  Fourth  society,  which  had  for 
so  many  years  been  an  unhappy  factor  in  the  community;  and  thence- 
forth, for  manj'  years,  the  First  church  was  again  supreme. 

The  following  were  elected  as  the  deacons  of  the  Fourth  church: 
1733,  Samuel  Cruttenden;  1740,  Daniel  Benton;  1755,  Peletiah  Leete 
and  Seth  Morse;  1766,  Daniel  Leete;  1768,  Joseph  Bartlett;  1772,  John 
Davis;  1773,  Peletiah  Leete,  2d;  1776,  John  Hall;  1786,  Ambrose  Leete 
and  James  Corwin. 

The  Third  Congregational  Church  in  Guilford  is  also  an  offshoot 
of  the  First  church.  Toward  the  close  of  the  pastorate  of  Reverend 
Aaron  Dutton  the.  congregation  was  much  distracted  and  divided  by 
the  agitation  of  the  subject  of  American  slavery,  with  a  result  that  a 
considerable  proportion  of  those  who  were  opponents  of  slavery  with- 
drew to  form  a  separate  congregation.  These  avowed  friends  of  the 
10 


146  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

African  slave,  to  the  number  of  123  persons,  were  organized  as  the 
above  body  by  an  ecclesiastical  council  held  in  Guilford,  November 
23d,  1843. 

It  was  at  once  determined  to  build  a  meeting  house,  and  December 
19th,  1843,  William  Hart,  Jonathan  Bishop,  Samuel  Seward,  Jonathan 
Parmelee  and  George  Bartlett  were  appointed  in  behalf  of  the  congre- 
gation  to  carry  on  the  work.     The  corner  stone  was  laid  July  17th, 

1844,  upon  a  lot  on  the  east  side  of  the  green,  which  was  secured  with 
some  difficulty,  as  many  citizens  were  opposed  to  the  building  (as  they 
called  it)  of  "  an  abolitionist  meeting  house."  However,  the  house 
was  rapidly  pushed  to  completion,  and  was  dedicated  January  1st, 
](S4o,  when  the  first  pastor  was  also  installed.  In  the  summer  and  fall 
of  1862  this  house  was  remodelled  at  a  cost  of  $2,600.  A  suitable  or- 
gan was  supplied  in  1873,  a  chapel  built  in  1879,  and  an  infant  class 
room  added  in  1880.  More  recent  repairs  have  made  this  a  comforta- 
ble place  of  worship. 

Reverend   David   Root,  who  became  the  first  pastor,  January  1st, 

1845,  was  an  experienced  minister,  and  came  to  this  church  from  the 
First  Congregational  church  at  Waterbury.  He  gave  the  church  faith- 
ful service,  and  was  relieved  at  his  own  request,  April  6th,  1851.  He 
died  in  Chicago,  111.,  at  the  residence  of  his  son-in-law,  Horace  White, 
August  30th,  1873,  aged  82  years,  but  was  brought  to  Alderbrook  cem- 
etery for  interment. 

Reverend  Richard  Manning  Chipman,  the  second  pastor,  was  in- 
ducted into  that  office  January  14th,  1852,  and  remained  until  May 
19th,  1858.  He  was  an  able  preacher  and  writer,  numerous  publica- 
tions bearing  testimony  to  his  skill  and  diligence.  During  the  war 
he  was  active  in  the  interests  of  the  freedmen. 

The  third  pastor  of  the  church,  Reverend  George  I.  Wood,  was  in- 
stalled November  30th,  1858,  and  remained  until  October,  1867,  when 
physical  ailment  compelled  him  to  resign. 

Reverend  George  M.  Boynton,  the  fourth  pastor,  was  born  in  1837, 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1858,  was  installed  pastor 
of  this  church,  June  24th,  1868,  and  was  dismissed  December  1st,  1872, 
to  become  the  pastor  of  a  Congregational  church  in  Newark,  N.  J. 

The  next  and  the  present  pastor,  Reverend  George  W.  Banks,  was 
here  installed  June  18th,  1874.  His  long  pastorate  has  been  peaceful 
and  prosperous.  He  was  born  in  1839,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1863, 
and  from  its  Theological  Seminary  in  1866,  and  prior  to  his  settlement 
at  Guilford  served  the  Bethlehem  church. 

In  1890  the  parish  of  the  Third  church  contained  213  families,  and 
there  were  310  resident  members.  The  Sabbath  school  had  an  average 
attendance  of  200  members,  and  Clifford  F.  Bishop  was  its  superin- 
tendent. Beverly  Monroe  was  the  church  clerk,  and  George  W.  Hill 
the  treasurer. 

Those  elected  as  deacons  have  been  the    following:  1843,  Asher 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  147 

Dudley;  1844,  Leverett  Griswold;  1844,  Julius  A.  Dowd;  1852,  Alfred 
G.  Hull;  1877,  James  D.  Hall;  1877,  Henry  E.  Norton;  1880,  Edwin  A. 
Leete,  1881,  Lucius  Dudley;  1881,  Richard  Bartlett;  1882,  Calvin  M. 
Leete,  1883,  George  W.  Hill.  The  three  last  named  were  the  active 
deacons  in  1890. 

Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  had  its  origin  in  a  society  of 
conformists  to  the  Church  of  England,  which  was  organized  Septem- 
ber oth,  1744,  under  the  auspices  of  the  London  "Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts."  Among  these  conform- 
ists living  in  the  parish  of  the  First  society,  were,  in  1746,  Samuel 
Collins,  Nathaniel  Johnson,  Edmund  Ward,  Ebenezer  Bishop  and  John 
Collins.  About  this  time  they  voted  to  build  a  church,  which  was 
raised  in  1747,  and  consecrated  in  March,  1750,  by  Reverend  Samuel 
Johnson,  of  Stratford,  a  native  of  this  town.  The  Liturgy  of  the 
Church  of  England  was  now  regularly  employed,  there  being  lay  ser- 
vices or  preaching  by  missionaries  of  the  above  society — by  Reverend 
Ebenezer  Punderson,  and  from  1764  until  1767  by  Reverend  Bela  Hub- 
bard, another  native  of  the  town,  but  serving  as  a  missionary  at  New 
Haven.  He  was  born  in  1739,  and  died  highly  respected,  in  1812. 
Other  missionaries  were  Reverends  Roger  Viets,  in  1770;  Abraham 
Jarvis,  in  1773;  Ashbel  Baldwin,  in  1790,  and  David  Butler  for  a  few 
years  after  1792.  The  preaching  services  were  at  long  intervals,  and 
the  membership  consequently  remained  small. 

In  1801  the  church  had  its  first  rector  in  the  person  of  Reverend 
Nathan  B.  Burgess,  who  was  at  the  same  time  the  rector  of  the  par- 
ishes of  Branford,  North  Guilford  and  Killingworth.  His  service  con- 
tinued until  September,  1805.  In  November,  1806,  Reverend  David 
Baldwin  began  preaching  in  all  the  foregoing  parishes  except  Bran- 
ford  and  became  the  settled  minister  in  March,  1807,  but  was  not  or- 
dained as  the  priest  until  April,  1809.  After  1824  he  confined  his 
labors  almost  wholly  to  the  two  parishes  in  Guilford  until  1834,  when 
he  resigned  his  rectorship  of  Christ  church,  but  continued  serving  St. 
John's,  or  North  Guilford  parish,  in  connection  with  the  Zion  parish 
in  North  Branford  and  others,  until  1851.  At  the  beginning  of  his 
ministry  the  church  membership  was  greatly  augmented  and  the  par- 
ish first  began  to  assume  the  position  which  it  has  since  retained  among 
other  religious  bodies  of  the  town.  Mr.  Baldwin  died  in  the  83d  year 
of  his  age  and  was  buried  in  Alderbrook  Cemetery.  His  grave  is 
marked  by  a  monument:  "  Erected  to  his  revered  memory,  in  recog- 
nition of  his  valued  ministrations,  by  grateful  parishioners  and  other 
friends  in  Guilford  and  the  adjoining  parishes,  where  he  officiated 
more  than  half  a  century."  For  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  the  only 
resident  Episcopal  minister  on  the  sound  shore  between  New  Haven 
and  New  London. 

From  July,  1834,  until  Easter,  1835,  the  parish  had  the  entire  serv- 
ice of  Reverend  Lorenzo  T.  Bennett,  when  he  resigned  to  become  asso- 


148  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ciated  with  Doctor  Croswell,  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  New  Haven. 
Subsequently  the  ministers  were:  May,  1835,  to  October,  1835,  Rever- 
end William  N.  Hawks,  who  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health;  in 
March,  1836,  Reverend  Levi  H.  Carson  became  the  rector  and  served 
the  parish  two  years,  when,  in  April,  1S38,  Reverend  Edward  J. 
Darken  became  the  rector  and  also  remained  two  years. 

In  the  last  two  rectorates  the  present  Christ  church  was  built  and 
occupied.  The  old  house  on  the  green,  which  had  been  in  use  since 
1750,  had  become  unfitted  by  age  and  no  longer  served  as  a  proper 
place  of  worship.  Early  in  1836  the  parish,  which  had  at  that  time  67 
communicant  members,  began  to  build  the  new  church  on  a  lot  east 
of  the  old  house.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  June  24th,  1836,  and 
December  12th,  1838,  the  church  was  dedicated,  when  the  old  church 
was  removed  from  the  green,  and  was  the  last  building  taken  off  that 
public  ground.  The  church  was  built  in  the  Gothic  style,  of  native 
granite.  44  by  64  feet,  and  cost  originally  $7,500.  In  1872  a  recess 
chancel  was  added  and  improvements  made  at  a  cost  of  $5,000  more, 
which  have  made  the  church  very  attractive.  It  is  also  the  most  sub- 
stantial in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county. 

The  rectorship  of  Reverend  Lorenzo  T.  Bennett,  D.D.,  was  the  most 
important  in  the  history  of  the  parish.  Born  in  1805,  he  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1825,  and  was  ordained  to  the  diaconate  in  1834.  He 
became  rector  of  Christ  church  July  12th,  1840,  and  continued  solely 
in  charge  until  July  12th,  1880.  He  was  then  made  rector  emeritus  by 
order  of  the  parish  and  so  continued  until  his  death.  September  2d, 
1889.  He  was  thus,  with  his  first  service  at  this  church,  connected 
with  the  parish  more  than  fifty  years,  and  was  much  revered  for  his 
qualities  of  mind  and  goodness  of  heart,  not  only  by  his  parishioners 
but  by  the  citizens  in  general.  He  died  very  suddenly  at  the  railway 
station,  where  he  had  gone  to  take  passage  on  an  early  train. 

On  the  24th  of  April,  1881,  Reverend  William  G.  Andrews,  D.D., 
became  the  rector  of  the  parish  and  has  in  every  way  acquitted  him- 
self a  worthy  successor  of  Doctor  Bennett.  The  affairs  of  the  parish 
remain  in  a  prosperous  condition,  there  being,  in  the  fall  of  1890,  110 
families  and  163  communicant  members.  The  Sunday  school  had  108 
members. 

The  parish  has  a  fine  fund  for  the  promulgation  of  its  work.  Lega- 
cies were  given  by  Charles  Collins,  $1,000;  William  H.  Hubbard, 
$10,000;  Franklin  M.  Hill,  $300;  and  Captain  William  Tyler,  $5,522.. 
The  Hubbard  bequest  was  not  realized  in  full  in  consequence  of 
losses  to  his  estate  in  Virginia  during  the  rebellion. 

The  following  have  been  wardens  of  the  parish:  1799,  Thomas 
Powers,  Charles  Collins;  1820,  Abraham  Coan,  Jedediah  Lathrop;  1824, 
Erastus  C.  Kimberley;  1825,  Thomas  Burgis;  1833,  Henry  Loper;  1840, 
Thomas  Burgis;  1854,  John  H.  Bartlett;  1861,  George  A.  Foote;  1863, 
E.    C.    Kimberley;    1872-90,  George    B.  Spencer;    1874,  Henry  Hale;. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  149 

1876,  George  C.  Kimberley;  1881,  William  Skinner;  1890,  George  S. 
Davis. 

George  C.  Griswold  was  the  parish  clerk  from  1845  to  1889,  when 
John  S.  Elliott  was  elected. 

St.  John's  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  of  North  Guilford  was 
organized  in  1747.  There  were  at  first  but  a  few  families  conforming 
to  the  church  of  England,  but  these  were  united,  and  in  1748  they 
built  a  small,  plain  house  of  worship  on  the  south  slope  of  the  hill, 
about  forty  rods  south  of  the  present  St.  John's  church.  Here  public 
worship  was  statedly  held  by  the  ministers  of  the  foregoing  church. 
In  1765  the  male  members — George  Bartlett,  John  Hubbard,  John 
Fowler,  Nehemiah  Griswold,  Abraham  Hubbard,  David  Fowler,  Jared 
Scranton,  Eber  Hubbard,  Abner  Fowler,  James  Pelton  and  George 
Bartlett — agreed  to  pay  Reverend  Bela  Hubbard  ,£20  for  his  services 
as  a  minister  part  of  a  year;  and  these  were  probably  the  principal 
early  members  of  the  church. 

The  old  house  having  become  dilapidated,  a  new  one  was  begun  in 
1812,  which  was  several  years  in  building,  and  was  consecrated  June 
7th,  1817,  as  St.  John's  church,  by  Bishop  John  Hobart,  of  New  York. 
About  1860  a  chancel  was  added  to  the  original  building  and  the  other 
property  of  the  parish  was  also  thoroughly  repaired,  mainly  through 
the  efforts  of  Reverend  Oliver  Hopson,  then  rector.  In  more  recent 
years  the  church  building  has  again  been  modernized  and  has  been 
made  fairly  comfortable.  The  church  has  an  attractive  location  and 
in  the  same  neighborhood  is  the  rectory,  on  a  tract  of  six  acres  of 
land.  This  parish  also  has  an  endowment  fund  of  several  thousand 
dollars.  In  1890  there  were  21  families  and  45  communicant  mem- 
bers.    A  small  Sunday  school  is  also  maintained. 

Reverend  David  Baldwin  was  the  beloved  rector  from  1809  until 
1851,  and  was  followed  in  1853  by  Reverend  Alpheus  Geer  and  later 
by  Oliver  Hopson.  The  last  rector  was  Reverend  W.  H.  Dean,  who 
began  in  1889  to  serve  this  and  the  North  Branford  parish. 

At  this  time  George  W.  Dudley  and  Albert  B.  Potter  were  the 
wardens,  and  P.  K.  Hoadley,  E.  W.  Leete  and  Norris  Hubbard  the 
vestrymen. 

Among  the  early  church  officials  were,  in  1761,  Jared  Hubbard, 
Ebenezer  Talman  and  Nehemiah  Griswold,  committee;  George  Bart- 
lett, Jr.,  parish  clerk;  in  1781,  Nehemiah  Griswold  and  Abraham  Hub- 
bard, church  wardens;  John  Fowler,  Sr„  George  Bartlett  and  David 
Fowler,  vestrymen;  in  1789,  Abraham  Hubbard  and  Jared  Scranton, 
wardens. 

The  Guilford  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1808.  Baptist  ser- 
vices were  first  held  some  time  after  1800,  by  Reverend  John  Gano 
Whitman,  of  Groton,  who  occasionally  preached  in  the  town.  This 
led  to  the  organization,  June  30th,  1808,  of  the  above  church.  There 
were  19  constituent    members,  some    of    whom    withdrew  from    the 


150  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Pirsl  Congregational  church,  and  others  had  been  members  of  the 
dissolved  Fourth  society.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  old  acad- 
.  1,1  building.  February  24th,  1823,  Alvah  B.  Goldsmith  was  or- 
dained as  the  first  regular  pastor,  and  at  the  same  time  his  father, 
foshua  Goldsmith,  was  ordained  as  the  first  deacon.  These  appear 
to  li.iv  been  the  <>n]y  prominent  officials  of  the  society,  which  never 
became  strong.  Its  maximum  membership  (36 )  was  reached  in  1826, 
and  tin  reafti  i  the  church  declined  until  its  dissolution  took  place 
I"  for<  1840  Elder  Goldsmith  remained  in  the  town  and  was  a 
much  respected  and  trusted  citizen.  In  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
In     professions  were  those  of  a  Quaker.     He  died  in  June,  1863. 

The  Methodist  I  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  about  1838.  It  is 
probable  thai  [esse  Lee  preached  the  first  Methodist  sermon  in  the 
tow  n  I  te  held  a  meeting  in  the  house  of  Ebenezer  Hopson,  on  Bos- 
ton street,  as  early  as  1  789.  In  1811  Bishop  Asbury  also  visited  Guil- 
ford and  preached  here,  but  no  attempt  was  made  to  form  a  church 
until  man)  years  later.  The  efforts  which  led  to  an  organization  were 
made  by  Reverend  Nathan  Kellogg,  who  preached  a  number  of  times 
in  the  private  houses  of  such  as  were  favorable  to  the  movement.  In 
1886  Reverend  Charles  Chittenden  was  assigned  to  this  place  by  the 
New  N  erk  Conference,  and  his  missionary  labors  and  the  fruits  of  a 
revival,  in  the  winter  of  1837  8,  enabled  him  to  organize  the  present 
church.  He  was  a  very  devoted,  energetic  man.  and  began  the  build- 
Ing  of  a  house  o(  worship  on  a  lot  secured  on  the  west  side  of  the 
green,  William  Hale  offered  to  donate  the  timber,  and  Mr.  Chitten- 
den led  some  of  his  members  in  the  work  of  preparing  the  material, 
and  helped  to  fell  the  first  tree.  In  IS^S  he  was  succeeded  by  Rever- 
end llart  P,  Pease,  during  who-.  the  h<  .  -  is  com]  -ted 
and  dedicated.  It  was  originally  ..  frame  house.  36  by  48  feet,  but  its 
app<  ebeenchang  The  first  board  of 
trustees  was  composed  of  John  Hale,  William  Hale.  Henry  Griffin, 
uel  1  eete,  Samuel  A.  Barker.  Lucius    Elliott,  F.  C,  Phelps  and   A. 

S   cceeding  Mr.  Pease  amongol    i   -     .   ore   IS50,  came  Reverend 

R  \Y  Raymond,  wh  berson  p                               -..me 

time  a     .  \.              eviva   -  gi    about  two  hundred 

pro:.                  ..on.     Revert  -   .          ashen   in  1850- 

d  John  fceresting  p in   18."" 

'her  w<  ■  n  1  .  11...  g         r-       .         the  ap. 

....  -      , 

were  s  ..,-., 

Ame;  .     .     .  ,  ....... 

187,      x.  •  '  --  8  Wil- 

1881,  W    A     -      ->      O.  J.  Ran^r.  1887.  J.   :.     . 

.    -      The 


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par. 

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on  "" 

James  Be  ban 
a  house  own 

[n 

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: 

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mm 

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-  . -.   -     -  . 

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: 
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-•'.-----. ti    -:■:•;-    i::tr    ;a f    aa=    ;;nce    bees    improved    sa    3t     rt\- ^-  : 

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152  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

half  of  the  Sabbath.  He  lived  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  green, 
and  was  in  Guilford  from  1641  until  1659.  Tuition  was  reckoned  at 
the  rate  of  4  shillings  per  quarter  for  "  each  child  put  to  school."*  A 
school  house  was  built  on  the  green  as  early  as  1645,  which  was  dis- 
placed by  a  new  one  in  1671.  Both  were  very  plain.  Until  after  1700 
the  town  had  but  this  one  school  house,  but  others  were  built  soon 
after.  In  1702  the  "  East  Farmers  "  were  given  liberty  to  have  a  school, 
and  the  same  privilege  was  given  the  "  North  Farmers,"  not  many 
years  later,  after  that  section  was  settled. 

After  Mr.  Higginson  left  the  town,  other  teachers  were  employed, 
a  few  only  remaining  for  more  than  several  years.  These  were  paid 
salaries  of  from  £20  to  £30  per  year.  Among  other  teachers  who 
were  appointed  were:  In  1671,  Matthew  Bellamy;  1675,  Jonathan  Pit- 
man; 1682,  John  Collins;  1690,  Thomas  Higginson;  1694,  Mr.  Elliott; 
1700,  John  Collins;  1701,  Captain  Andrew  Ward;  1706,  James  Elliott; 
1720,  Doctor  William  Johnson;  and  thence  for  about  three-quarters  of 
a  century  the  Johnson  family  supplied  the  teachers. 

The  state  of  Connecticut  adopted  the  district  system  in  1794,  and 
under  this  plan  the  town  was  divided  into  more  than  one  district.  In 
the  period  about  1800  four  schools  were  at  the  village.  These  occu- 
pied one  building,  standing  on  the  green,  and  were  not  in  four  separ- 
ate school  houses,  on  that  plot  of  ground,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the 
account  of  President  Dwight  on  his  visit  to  this  part  of  the  county. 
About  1830  this  building  was  removed  from  the  green  to  its  present 
site  on  the  North  Guilford  turnpike. 

In  1824  the  Lancasterian  system  was  applied  to  the  schools,  and 
continued  five  years.  Under  this  method  all  the  schools  in  the  village 
were  taught  in  the  town  house.  In  the  meantime  an  academy  or 
select  school  was  taught  in  the  old  school  house,  among  the  teachers 
being  AlvanTalcott  and  Samuel  Robinson.  In  1829  the  village  public 
school  was  divided  into  four  classes,  of  which  the  highest,  or  academic, 
was  taught  from  1831  to  1834,  by  R.  D.  Smith.  He  was  followed  by 
Luman  Whedon,  Julius  N.  Dowd  and  others.  In  1837  the  village  part 
of  the  town  was  divided  into  four  sections  and  school  houses  built  for 
their  accommodation.  The  northwest  section  used  the  academy.  A 
part  of  the  building  was  occupied  by  a  Mr.  Dudley  for  his  high  school 
in  1838  and  later.  Schools  of  this  nature  continued  to  be  taught  until 
the  Guilford  Institute  supplanted  them. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  four  districts  at  the  Center  and  another 
near  by  were  merged  into  a  "Union"  district.  In  1890  there  were  in 
the  town,  including  the  Union  district,  in  all  ten  districts,  in  which 
there  were  512  children  of  school  age.     From  this  number  322  pupils 

*An  effort  was  made  in  1660  to  establish  a  grammar  school  in  the  jurisdiction 
of  New  Haven,  in  order  that  "learning  might  be  promoted  as  a  means  for  the 
fitting  of  instruments  for  publique  service  in  church  and  commonwealth."  To 
encourage  this  plan,  which  at  that  time  failed,  the  inhabitants  of  Guilford  offered 
the  Whitfield  stone  house  as  a  seat  for  the  school. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  153 

were  secured.  The  schools  are  maintained  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $5,000 
per  annum,  half  of  which  is  raised  by  town  taxation.  In  the  North 
Guilford  part  of  the  town  there  are  four  schools,  viz.:  The  North,  the 
South,  the  Bluff  and  the  Center.  These  have  an  attendance  of  about 
75  pupils.  The  school  at  the  Center  has  been  graded.  The  Leete's 
Island  school  had  an  enrollment  of  40  pupils.  At  this  time  the  school 
visitors  were:  Henry  R.  Spencer,  Henry  M.  Rossiter,  Daniel  R.  Spen- 
cer, Reverend  W.  G.  Andrews,  Jerome  Coan,  L.  A.  Kimberley,  Doctor 
G.  H.  Beebe,  Reverend  G.  W.  Banks  and  Reverend  L.  T.  Bennett. 
The  latter  resigned  June  11th,  1889,  after  having  served  the  cause  of 
education  in  this  town  about  half  a  century. 

The  Guilford  Institute  was  erected  and  endowed  through  the 
munificence  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Griffing,  the  widow  of  Hon.  Nathaniel  Grif- 
fing,  and  Hon.  Simeon  B.  Chittenden,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  The  former 
deeded  the  land  on  which  to  build  the  institute,  near  "  Ephraim's 
Rocks,"  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  village,  August  21st,  1854,  and 
also  gave  the  sum  of  $10,000.  The  latter  set  aside  $10,000  for  an  en- 
dowment fund.  October  12th,  1855.  Mrs.  Griffing  stipulated  that  the 
ministers  of  the  First  Congregational  church  should  be  members  of 
the  board  of  trustees,  cx-officio,  and  that  while  the  school  should  be 
non-sectarian,  that  "  the  Bible  should  always  be  used  in  said  school 
as  the  foundation  of  all  education  for  usefulness  and  happiness." 

The  first  board  of  trustees  was  incorporated  in  August,  1854,  and 
was  composed  of  Reverend  E.  Edwin  Hall,  Henry  W.  Chittenden, 
Ralph  D.  Smith,  Abraham  C.  Baldwin,  Sherman  Graves,  Simeon 
B.  Chittenden  and  Alvan  Talcott.  The  latter  continuously  served 
until  1890.  Others  associated  with  him  on  the  board  at  that  time  were 
Reverends  George  W.  Banks  and  C.  H.  Mcintosh,  E.  Walter  Leete, 
Henry  D.  Coan,  Samuel  B.  Chittenden  and  Charles  Griswold. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  building  was  laid  September  13th,  1854, 
and  a  year  later  the  substantial  stone  structure  was  ready  for  occu- 
pancy. The  first  term  of  the  institute  was  opened  September  3d,  1855, 
with  appropriate  public  exercises,  and  Eli  T.  Mack  as  the  first  princi- 
pal. There  was  considerable  interest  in  the  school,  and  in  the  first 
years  of  its  existence  the  attendance  was  very  good,  not  only  from 
Guilford,  but  from  the  surrounding  towns.  Among  the  pupils  thus 
coming  from  Madison  was  an  active,  promising  youth,  who  became 
distinguished  as  W.  H.  H.  Murray.  The  institute  appears  to  have 
served  its  purpose  in  the  first  twenty  years,  and  since  1875  has  been 
occupied  as  the  high  school  of  the  town,  an  arrangement  to  that  end 
having  been  made  with  the  trustees. 

The  principals  of  the  school  have  been  the  following,  in  the  order 
of  their  appointment :  1855,  Eli  T.  Mack;  1S58,  Augustine  Hart;  I860, 
J.  Wilson  Ward;  1862,  Henry  S.  Barnum;  1863,  Joseph  L.  Daniels;  1864, 
Winthrop  D.  Sheldon;  1865,  W.  A.  Ayres;  1866,  Edwin  H.  Wilson;  1867, 
James  P.  Hoyt;  1869,  F.  S.  Thompson;   1871,  Charles  E.  Gordon;  1872, 


154  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

John  P.  Slocum;  1875,  Jairus  P.Moore;  1879,  Melville  Stone;  1880, 
Charles  H.  Levermore;  1883,  W.  H.  Buell;  1884,  Carll  A.  Lev/is;  1887, 
Hart  Lewis;  1888,  Charles  L.  Wallace;  1889,  Arthur  M.  Hyde. 

"  The  people  of  Guilford  have  always  been  well  educated,  and 
the  Triennial  Catalogue  of  Yale  University  counts  over  160  names 
of  Guilford  men;  while  part  of  the  college  was  situated  in  the  old 
town  in  its  early  years,  when  the  tutors,  John  Hart,  of  Madison, 
and  Samuel  Johnson,  of  Guilford,  lived  at  home  and  had  their  classes 
with  them."* 

The  cause  of  education  had  a  valuable  adjunct  in  the  public 
libraries  which  were  early  established.  In  1737  some  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Guilford  and  others  living  in  the  towns  on  the  east  formed  a 
library  which  was  quite  valuable  in  those  days.  When  the  company 
was  dissolved,  before  1800,  the  library  contained  about  400  volumes, 
having  among  them  a  number  of  standard  and  valuable  books.  A 
new  library  was  now  formed  in  Guilford  village,  to  which  some  of  the 
books  of  the  old  library  were  transferred.  Another  library  was  soon 
after  formed  by  the  young  people  of  the  same  community  and  in  May, 
1823,  these  were  united  to  form  the  Union  Library.  In  1838  it  had 
600  volumes.  Not  many  years  thereafter,  for  want  of  proper  care,  it 
went  down  and  for  many  years  the  remaining  books  were  stored  in  an 
old  loft.  In  1880  they  were  removed  and  incorporated  with  the  Insti- 
tute Library. 

In  1760  a  public  library  was  formed  in  North  Guilford,  which  was 
nearly  destroyed  by  fire  in  1794.  New  books  were  added  until  there 
were  185  volumes.  In  1838  only  about  100  books  remained  and  the 
library  was  soon  after  dissolved.  In  1887  a  Young  People's  Literary 
Society  was  formed,  which  raised  funds  for  another  library.  In  the 
fall  of  1890  it  contained  about  200  volumes  and  was  kept  at  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Scranton. 

The  North  Guilford  select  school,  taught  many  years  in  a  small 
building  which  stood  in  the  new  addition  to  the  cemetery,  served  a 
noble  purpose  after  1800  and  for  about  fifty  years.  John  E.  Chandler, 
who  afterward  became  a  missionary  to  India,  was  one  of  the  teachers. 
Deacon  John  R.  Rossiter  taught  for  twenty  years.  The  building  was 
removed  in  1876. 

Not  a  few  treasures  in  the  literary  storehouses  of  this  country 
were  gathered  or  contributed  by  inhabitants  or  descendants  of  the 
founders  of  Guilford  in  periods  reaching  from  the  settlement  to  the 
present  time.  One  of  the  latter  class+  quaintly  says:  "  Guilford  was 
born  with  a  book  in  her  hand,"  and  gives  the  credit  of  the  first  author- 
ship to  the  founder  and  leader  of  the  Guilford  colony,  the  Reverend 
Henry  Whitfield.     Some  of  his  sermons  and  letters  were  published,  as 

*  Bernard  C.  Steiner. 

+  Henry  P.  Robinson  (of  Reverend  Henry  Whitfield,  1639)  in  his  discourse  on 
Literature  in  Madison  and  Guilford,  anniversary  1889. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  155 

were  also  the  sermons  on  important  subjects  cf  Reverends  John  Hig- 
ginson,  Joseph  Eliot  and  John  Cotton,  his  successors  as  ministers  of 
the  First  church. 

Reverend  Jared  Eliot,  son  of  Reverend  Joseph,  who  preached  in 
Killingworth,  but  who  followed  the  art  of  agriculture  in  Guilford,  was 
a  pioneer  writer  in  a  field  which  has  since  been  extensively  covered. 
Beginning  in  1747,  he  wrote  a  series  of  "Essays  upon  Field  Husbandry 
in  New'England,"  which  proved  very  popular  and  brought  to  his 
acquaintance  and  friendship  scientists  of  this  and  foreign  countries. 
He  died  in  1763.  One  of  his  pupils  was  Reverend  Samuel  Johnson,  a 
very  bright,  witty  and  learned  man.  In  1767  he  published  a  small 
Hebrew  grammar,  and  some  of  his  other  books  were  issued  at  an 
earlier  day.  He  was  born  in  Guilford  in  1696,  and  after  graduating 
from  Yale  College  in  1714,  he  was  for  several  years  one  of  its  tutors 
and  had  his  classes  in  the  town.  Becoming  a  minister  of  the  estab- 
lished church,  he  later  became  a  Churchman  and  a  profound  theolo- 
gian. He  was  elected  the  first  president  of  Columbia  College.  He 
died  in  1772. 

Another  bright  man  of  that  period  was  Reverend  Thomas  Rug- 
gles,  Jr.  In  addition  to  the  publication  of  some  of  his  sermons  his 
authorship  embraced  a  manuscript  history  of  Guilford  up  to  1769, 
most  of  which  has  been  printed.     He  died  in  1770. 

Other  ministers  of  the  town  who  contributed  to  the  literary  life 
in  the  periods  in  which  they  lived,  were  the  following:  Reverend 
Jonathan  Todd,  of  the  Madison  Society,  in  1749;  John  Eliot,  of  the 
same  society,  in  1810  and  earlier,  who  was  a  very  scholarly  man; 
David  Dudley  Field,  born  in  Madison  in  1781,  graduated  from  Yale 
in  1802,  and  who  died  in  1867,  author  of  a  number  of  books  on  local 
history  and  other  works;  Aaron  Dutton  published  a  notable  sermon 
in  1815;  Abraham  Chittenden  Baldwin,  born  in  North  Guilford  in 
1804,  died  in  1887,  was  the  author,  among  other  admirable  works, 
of  a  prize  essay,  "  Letters  to  a  Christian  Shareholder,"  published  in 
1857;  S.  W.  S.  Dutton,  born  in  Guilford  in  1814,  and  who  deceased 
in  1866,  was  a  prolific  writer  on  theological  and  contemporary  sub- 
jects; Samuel  Fiske,  of  Madison,  who  died  in  the  army  May  22d,  1864, 
wrote  letters  for  the  press  as  "Dunn  Browne,"  which  were  "as  graphic, 
genial  and  bright  as  the  man  himself."* 

A  number  of  laymen  also  gave  expression  to  rich  literary  thoughts 
which  entertained  and  ennobled.  Among  those  of  minor  nature  may 
be  noted  the  Nortons,  Elijah  and  Colonel  Rufus,  the  latter  being  a 
writer  of  short  hymns  and  poems,  which  did  not  pass  out  of  the  manu- 
script state;  John  P.  Foote,  of  Cincinnati,  a  native  of  the  town,  was 
a  clear  writer  and  biographer. 

Ralph  D.  Smith,  a  lineal  descendant  of  John  Smith,  who  came  to 
Milford  in  1640,  was  born  in  Southbury  in  1804,  graduated  from  Yale  in 

*  Robinson. 


156  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1827,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1831,  in  November  of  which  year  he 
came  to  Guilford,  where  he  died  September  11th,  1874.  Besides  being 
a  lawyer  of  good  reputation  and  practice  extended  beyond  the  limits 
of  his  village,  he  was  an  industrious  and  painstaking  author.  He  wrote 
sketches  of  the  graduates  of  Yale  College  from  1702  to  1767,  and  other 
sketches  pertaining  to  the  university,  of  which  institution  his  sons, 
Walter  H.  and  Richard  E.,  were  also  graduates  in  1863  and  1866,  re- 
spectively. His  researches  in  the  local  history  of  Guilford  have  been 
very  valuable.  After  his  death  some  of  his  manuscripts  on  Guilford 
were  published. 

Doctor  Alvan  Talcott  also  prepared  a  valuable  genealogy  of  the 
citizens  of  Guilford.  In  May,  1890,  his  manuscripts  embraced  30,000 
names,  1,700  belonging  to  the  Norton  family.  He  noted  100  families 
fully  and  78  more  not  so  completely.  This  exhaustive  work  was  do- 
nated to  Yale  College,  from  which  the  doctor  graduated  in  1824,  and 
from  the  medical  department  in  1831. 

The  town  has  produced  several  poets  of  national  reputation.  The 
foremost  of  these,  Fitz-Greene  Halleck,  occupied  a  position  which 
brought  him  the  honor  of  having  the  first  bronze  statue  in  a  public 
place  erected  to  the  memory  of  an  American  poet.  This  figure,  of 
heroic  size,  is  in  Central  Park,  New  York,  near  the  statues  of  Shakes- 
peare and  Sir  Walter  Scott. 

Fitz-Greene  Halleck  was  the  son  of  Israel  and  Mary  (Eliot)  Hal- 
leck, and  was  born  in  Guilford,  July  8th,  1790.  When  but  a  lad  his 
poetic  nature  found  expression  in  verses  of  promise  and  merit,  which 
are  still  extant.  At  the  age  of  15  he  became  a  grocer's  clerk  at  Guil- 
ford, and  so  continued  until  1811.  He  then  went  to  New  York  and 
entered  the  banking  house  of  Jacob  Barker,  also  as  a  clerk.  Visiting 
Europe  in  1822,  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  many  literary  men  of  the 
Old  World.  In  1832  he  entered  the  service  of  John  Jacob  Astor,  and 
in  his  banking  house  he  remained  until  Astor's  death,  in  1848.  He 
received  an  annuity  of  $200  from  the  elder  Astor,  to  which  was  added 
a  gift  of  $10,000  by  William  B.  Astor.  In  1849  Halleck  returned  to 
Guilford,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  November  19th, 
1867.  For  many  years  his  home  was  in  the  old  house  opposite  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  green,  and  he  was  a  well  known  personage  to 
many  of  the  present'  inhabitants  of  the  village,  where  he  was  beloved 
as  much  as  he  was  admired  abroad. 

George  Hill,  a  brother  poet,  was  born  in  Guilford,  January  29th, 
1796.  After  graduating  from  Yale  College,  in  1816,  he  was  in  public 
service  at  home  and  abroad  until  about  1856,  when  he  retired  to 
private  life,  taking  up  his  residence  at  Guilford,  where  he  died  De- 
cember 15th,  1871.  At  that  time  his  volume  of  short  poems  had 
passed  several  editions.  They  were  carefully  written  and  show  fine 
poetic  taste.  In  the  last  years  of  his  life  Mr.  Hill  was  very  unobtru- 
sive and  retired  in  his  habits,  but  his  gentle  manners  caused  him  to  be 
much  esteemed. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  157 

Abraham  Bradley,  3d,  who  was  born  in  Guilford,  December  11th, 
1731,  and  who  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life  was  a  deputy  postmaster 
general,  was  also  a  poet  of  some  merit,  and  his  verses  on  pioneer  life 
in  Guilford  are  fairly  descriptive  and  entertaining  of  a  period  which 
always  awakens  interest. 

Many  of  the  settlers  of  the  town  and  their  descendants  became  dis- 
tinguished in  civil  and  other  avocations  of  life.  Samuel  Disbrowe  or 
Disborough,  who  came  with  Whitfield,  a  young  man  of  24,  was  one  of 
the  "seven  pillars"  of  the  church,  and  served  as  magistrate  of  the 
plantation  from  1643  until  1651.  In  the  latter  year  he  returned  to 
England,  where  he  became  one  of  the  principals  in  the  Cromwell  ac- 
cession, and  held  many  important  trusts  in  England  and  Scotland.  He 
died  in  the  latter  country  in  1690. 

Another  of  the  "  seven  pillars,"  Reverend  John  Hoadley,  while  not 
so  active  in  civil  affairs,  became  noted  after  his  return  to  England,  as 
the  ancestor  of  two  of  the  most  distinguished  prelates  of  their  times. 
In  1642  he  was  married  in  Guilford  to  Sara,  daughter  of  Francis  Bush- 
nell,  one  of  the  foremost  of  Guilford's  planters,  and  their  grandsons 
John  and  his  brother  Benjamin,  attained  the  highest  ecclesiastical 
honors. 

The  male  descendants  of  Francis  Bushnell  were  prominent  in  every 
generation  in  the  ordinary  walks  of  life;-  and  another  daughter,  Eliza- 
beth, married  William  Johnson,  another  of  the  leading  planters.  Their 
son,  Samuel,  was  the  father  of  the  Reverend  Samuel  Johnson.  D.  D., 
who  was  the  president  of  King's  (Columbia)  College,  from  1754  until 
1763.  His  son,  William  Samuel  Johnson,  was  the  first  United  States 
senator  under  the  national  confederation,  serving  from  1789  until  1791. 
He  was  also  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  times.  The  Univer- 
sity of  Oxford  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  D.  D. 

William  Chittenden  was  another  of  the  foremost  planters  of  Guil- 
ford, and  being  a  brother-in-law  of  Whitfield,  had  one  of  the  choicest 
locations  on  the  Menuncatuc  river,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
first  settlement,  which  is  still  owned  by  descendants.  He  was  the 
military  leader  of  the  community,  and  also  held  civil  offices.  One  of 
his  grandsons,  Ebenezer,  married  a  sister  of  Reverend  Samuel  John- 
son, and  settled  in  Madison.  Their  eldest  son,  also  called  Ebenezer, 
moved  to  New  Haven,  where  he  became  a  mechanic  of  great  skill.  A 
younger  son,  Thomas,  born  in  1730,  at  the  age  of  20  left  his  paternal 
home  and  removed  to  Salisbury,  and  in  1774  to  the  Onion  River  local- 
ity in  Vermont.  He  was  elected  the  first  governor  of  that  state  in 
1778,  and  continued  to  hold  that  office  18  years.  He  died  in  1797.  Sub- 
sequently his  son,  Martin,  twice  occupied  that  office.  Of  the  Chitten- 
den stock  which  remained  on  the  Guilford  homestead,  Simeon  B.Chit- 
tenden was  a  descendant.     He  was  born  March  9th,  1814,  and  remov- 

*Cornelius  S.  Bushnell,  a  native  of  Madison,  was  instrumental  in  furnishing 
Captain  Ericsson  the  means  to  complete  his  monitor  in  use  in  the  civil  war. 


158  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ing  to  New  York,  became  one  of  the  merchant  princes  of  the  metrop- 
olis. His  benefactions  in  the  town  and  the  county  are  well  known. 
Through  his  liberality  the  erection  of  the  fine  library  building  on 
Yale  campus,  lately  occupied,  was  made  possible. 

The  Leete  family  has  ever  been  one  of  the  most  important  in  the 
annals  of  Guilford.  The  first  of  that  name  and  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  town,  rose  to  the  rank  of  a  colonial  statesman,  and  was  a  worthy 
peer  of  Thomas  Hooker  and  John  Winthrop,  Jr.,  in  the  early  history 
of  Connecticut.  William  Leete  was  born  of  a  good  family,  in  1613, 
and  was,  therefore,  26  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Guilford.  He 
was  bred  to  the  law,  and  was  a  clerk  in  the  Bishop's  Court  in  Eng- 
land. In  the  old  country  he  was  a  neighbor  of  Disborough,  and  suc- 
ceeded him  here  as  the  first  magistrate.  He  was  chosen  deputy  gov- 
ernor of  the  New  Haven  colony  from  1658  to  1661,  when  he  was 
chosen  governor  of  that  colony,  serving  until  the  union  with  Connecti- 
cut in  1665.  Four  years  later  he  was  elected  deputy  governor  of  the 
united  colonies,  in  which  office  he  served  until  1676.  He  was  then 
elected  governor  and  was  reelected  until  his  death  in  1683.  He  thus 
served  in  a  magisterial  capacity  forty  years,  and  was  one  of  the  best 
trusted  men  in  the  colony.  He  was  buried  at  Hartford,  and  his  grave 
was  for  a  long  time  unknown,  but  was  discovered  about  1830,  in  the 
ancient  burial  ground  of  that  place. 

He  left  a  numerous  family  in  Guilford,  and  his  eldest  son,  John, 
who  died  November  25th,  1692,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  white 
child  born  in  the  town.  Another  son,  Andrew,  was  active  in  the 
management  of  the  affairs  of  the  colony  and  the  town.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Jordan,  Esq.,  and  after  the  return  of  his 
father-in-law  to  England,  about  1660,  lived  on  his  estate,  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  green.  It  is  said  that  he  here  kept  for  a  time  the 
charter  of  the  colony,  which  he  was  instrumental  in  recovering,  in 
the  period  when  Major  Andross  had  usurped  the  government. 

The  Guilford  home  of  Governor  William  Leete  was  opposite  the 
Chittenden  place,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  West  river,  where  he  had  a 
store  or  warehouse,  in  the  cellar  of  which  he  secreted  the  Judges 
Whalley  and  Goffe,  some  time  between  June  11th  and  June  20th,  1660. 
They  spent  about  a  week  here  and  at  Mr.  Rossiter's,  being  supplied 
with  victuals  from  the  governor's  table.  This  property  passed  to  Caleb 
Stone  in  1714,  was  long  owned  by  Timothy  Stone,  and  is  now  the 
property  of  Leverett  C.  Stone.  The  old  store  building  has  long  since 
disappeared,  but  the  cellar  in  which  the  judges  were  hidden  remains 
practically  as  built,  and  is  now  covered  by  a  barn.  In  other  parts  of 
the  town  descendants  of  William  Leete  remain,  and  his  name  has 
been  ineffaceably  affixed  to  the  southwestern  part  of  Guilford. 

Doctor  Bryan  Rossiter  came  to  Guilford  in  1651,  upon  the  depart- 
ure of  Samuel  Disborough,  whose  large  estate  he  purchased.  As 
Leete  was  the  first  lawyer,  so  he  was  the  first  physician,  and  like  his 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  159 

professional  neighbor,  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  mind  and  character. 
He  was,  moreover,  a  physician  of  ability,  and  it  is  claimed  that  he 
made  the  first  post  mortem,ihat  is  a  matter  of  record,  in  Connecticut,  in 
Hartford,  in  1662.*  Doctor  Rossiter  was  very  warmly  interested  in 
bringing  about  the  union  of  the  Connecticut  colonies  in  1665,  and  his 
action  in  this  matter  caused  offense  to  some  of  the  New  Haven  colon- 
ists. He  died  at  Guilford  September  30th,  1672.  His  son,  Josiah  Ros- 
siter, who  died  in  1716,  was  actively  interested  in  the  affairs  of  the 
town  and  the  county.  A  daughter  married  John  Cotton,  and  their 
descendants  became  distinguished  in  Massachusetts  affairs.  Descend- 
ants of  the  Rossiter  family  have  remained  in  the  town,  and  have 
always  held  an  honored  place  in  the  estimation  of  the  inhabitants. 

Samuel  Baldwin,  the  blacksmith,  was  the  founder  of  another  fam- 
ily, which  is  greatly  esteemed  in  the  town  and  especially  honored  in 
North  Guilford,  from  which  have  gone  some  of  its  best  representa- 
tives. He  was  the  ancestor  of  Abraham  Baldwin,  who  was  born  in 
North  Guilford,  November  6th,  1754.  Graduating  from  Yale  College 
in  1772,  he  was  a  tutor  from  1775  to  1779.  He  studied  theology,  and 
was  a  chaplain  in  the  continental  army  several  years.  In  17S4,  at  the 
request  of  his  friend,  General  Greene,  he  removed  to  Georgia,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  continental  con- 
gress. As  a  member  from  Georgia  of  the  constitutional  convention, 
in  1787,  he  drafted  the  constitution,  which  was  finally  adopted,  and 
has  been  called  the  "Father  of  the  Constitution."  He  was  also  instru- 
mental in  founding  the  University  of  Georgia,  having  been  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  system  of  education  in  17S5.  He  died  at  Washington, 
March  4th,  1807,  as  a  United  States  senator  from  Georgia.  His 
brother,  Henry,  became  a  distinguished  justice  of  the  United  States 
supreme  court;  and  their  sis'er  was  the  wife  of  Joel  Barlow,  the  author 
and  diplomat  at  the  French  court. 

Doctor  Stephen  C.  Bartlett  was  another  brilliant  native  of  North 
Guilford,  where  he  was  born  April  19th,  1839.  He  was  thoroughly 
educated  in  the  medical  profession,  and  after  practicing  at  Naugatuck 
settled  at  Waterbury,  where  he  died  at  the  early  age  of  40  years,  but 
not  before  he  had  given  abundant  evidence  of  his  great  medical  skill. 

James  Hooker,  Esq.,  the  first  judge  of  the  probate  court,  was  a  son- 
in-law  of  William  Leete,  Esq.  He  lived  in  the  town  about  40  years, 
dying  in  1740.  His  successor,  Colonel  Samuel  Hill,  who  was  one  of 
the  principal  public  men  of  his  time,  was  then  elected  judge,  and 
served  in  that  position  until  his  death  in  1752.  He  was  also  for  a  time 
judge  of  the  county  court.  His  son,  Nathaniel,  and  grandson,  Henry, 
also  became  eminent  in  public  affairs.  So  also  were  Colonel  Timothy 
Stone,  General  Andrew  Ward,  Nathaniel  Griffing,  etc.,  who  enjoyed 
the  highest  honors  in  the  gift  of  the  town.  In  the  same  connection 
may  be  given  the  name  of  General  Augustus  Collins,  who  had  been 

*  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  396. 


160  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

in  the  revolution.  He  served  in  64  consecutive  sessions  of  the  legisla- 
ture of  the  state,  before  1813.  His  sister,  Lorain,  married  Oliver  Wol- 
cott,  the  first  secretary  of  state  under  President  Washington,  and  who 
was  one  of  Connecticut's  signers  of  the  declaration  of  independence, 
and  afterward  governor  of  the  state. 

Among  other  notable  men,  as  natives  who  attained  distinction  else- 
where, was  Doctor  David  Dudley  Field,  born  in  Madison  in  1771,  son 
of  Captain  Timothy  Field  of  the  revolutionary  army.  He  was  the 
father  of  the  famous  Field  sons,  David  Dudley,  Cyrus  West,  Stephen 
and  Henry  Martyn,  all  of  them  men  of  national  reputation.  Doctor 
Bela  Hubbard,  born  in  Guilford  in  173!),  became  a  distinguished  Epis- 
copal minister  in  the  county,  dying  in  New  Haven  in  1812.  Reverend 
Andrew  Fowler,  born  in  1765,  became  an  Episcopal  missionary,  and 
died  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1851.  The  names  of  other  and  later  public 
men  are  found  in  the  civil  lists  of  the  town  and  county. 

The  physicians  of  the  town  have  been  the  following: 

At  Guilford  village.— Doctor  Bryan  Rossiter,  died  at  Guilford  Sep- 
tember 30th,  1672. 

Doctor  Anthony  Lahore,  died  at  Guilford  March  19th,  1712. 

Doctor  Nathaniel  Ruggles,  died  at  Guilford  1794,  as.  82  years. 

Doctor  John  Redfield,  born  at  Guilford  1818,  ae.  78  years. 

Doctor  Thomas  Ruggles  Pynchon,  died  at  Guilford  1796,  ae.  36 
years. 

Doctor  Jared  Redfield,  died  at  Guilford  1821,  ae.  50  years. 

Doctor  Seth  H.  Rogers,  died  at  Guilford  1807,  se.  35  years. 

Doctor  Lewis  Collins,  removed. 

Doctor  David  Marvin,  removed,  1811. 

Doctor  Elias  Shipman,  removed  to  New  Haven. 

Doctor  Lyman  Strong,  removed  to  Hebron. 

Doctor  Anson  Foote,  died  at  Guilford  1841,  as.  57  years. 

Doctor  Joel  Canfield,  died  at  Guilford  1877.  Had  located  in  North 
Guilford  in  1824  and  in  Guilford  village  1825. 

Doctor  Elias  Hutchinson,  located  1838,  removed  1849. 

Doctor  Alvan  Talcott,  graduated  from  Yale,  Medical  Department, 
1831,  located  at  Guilford  in  1841;  was  in  active  practice  until  1886, 
when  he  was  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  in  the  county.  He  died  Jan- 
uary 17th,  1891,  in  his  87th  year. 

Doctor  Gideon  Perry  Reynolds  located  in  1870,  and  still  continues 
in  practice. 

Doctor  Frederick  P.  Griswold  was  in  practice  from  1878  to  1883; 
Doctor  Charles  H.  Hamilton  from  1883  to  1886;  Doctor  George  H. 
Beebe  located  in  1886,  and  continues  in  practice;  so  also  does  Doctor 
H.  I.  Fisk,  an  eclectic  physician. 

At  North  Guilford  were,  at  different  times  after  1800,  the  following: 

Doctor  David  Brooks,  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  died,  in 
January,  1826. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  161 

Doctor  Samuel  Fitch,  died  August  8th,  1847,  aged  71  years. 

Doctor  Joel  Canfield,  from  1824  until  1825. 

Doctor  George  Kirtland,  died  1825,  aged  25  years. 

Doctors  Julius  Willard,  Richard  Dennison  and  Justin  W.  Smith 
removed  after  short  periods  of  practice. 

After  the  death  of  Doctor  Rossiter,  and  for  about  50  years  later, 
the  town  purchased  medicines  and  distributed  them  out  of  the  com- 
mon stock.  July  3d,  1679,  a  meeting  was  held  to  consider  whether  the 
inhabitants  would  buy  "  Mrs.  Cosster's  physic  and  physical  drugs," 
"  and  was  answered  by  a  unanimous  vote  that  they  would  buy  them." 
Subsequently,  August  28th,  1679,  "  Lieut.  William  Seward  was  chosen 
and  appointed  to  fetch  or  procure  the  Physic  and  Physical  drugs  bought 
of  Mrs.  Cosster,  brought  to  Guilford  and  deliver  them  into  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Joseph  Elliott  for  the  town's  use." 

The  mortality  was  at  first  not  great,  and  there  were  for  many  years 
no  epidemic  diseases.  Later  the  death  rate  was  greater,  being  about 
one  death  to  every  69  persons  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

The  staid  habits  of  the  people  of  the  town,  with  its  fixed  popula- 
tion, gave  little  occasion,  the  first  150  years,  for  the  employment  of  a 
lawyer.  Ralph  D.  Smith  was  one  of  the  first  after  William  Todd  to 
devote  himself  almost  exclusively  to  the  legal  profession.  He  settled 
in  Guilford  in  November,  1831,  and  remained  in  the  town  until  his 
death,  in  1874.  Previous  to  that  time  Edward  R.  Landon,  who  had 
read  law  with  him,  was  also  a  practicing  attorney,  and  was  thus  en- 
gaged until  his  death,  in  18S3.  H.  Lynde  Harrison  lived  in  the  town 
a  number  of  years,  but  his  practice  was  mainly  in  New  Haven.  Will- 
iam Kelsey,  after  being  here  a  while,  removed  to  Cheshire.  Edwin 
C.  Woodruff  died  in  the  town  in  May,  1886,  and  Hollis  T.  Walker  has 
since  been  the  attorney. 

While  the  people  of  the  town  were  not  warlike,  provision  for  de- 
fense was  early  made.  A  train  band  was  organized,  which  had  in  1665 
William  Seward  as  its  captain;  George  Bartlett,  as  lieutenant;  and 
Samuel  Kitchell,  ensign.  At  that  time  the  town  stock  of  ammunition 
was  reported  as  140  pounds  of  powder  and  235  pounds  of  lead.  In  1672 
the  "town's  arms  were  mended  "  by  a  mechanic,  who  came  from  Hart- 
ford for  that  purpose,  so  as  to  be  ready  in  case  of  Indian  attack.  Up 
to  this  time  there  had  been  but  little  fear  on  account  of  the  local  In- 
dians, and  there  never  was  any  hostility  between  them  and  the  whites. 
The  danger  apprehended  was  from  Indian  incursions. 

In  the  period  of  King  Philip's  war  the  town  was  active.  In  1676 
it  voted  to  fortify  two  houses,  and  all  males  over  fourteen  years  of  age 
were  pressed  into  the  work  of  speedily  building  them.  The  town 
voted  "  that  all  damage  to  housing  by  enemies  shall  be  borne  and 
made  good  by  the  towne  in  generall;"  and  also  voted  "  to  grant  tenn 
acres  of  land  to  every  soldier  from  Guilford  "  serving  under  Major 
11 


162  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Robert   Treat  and   Mr.  John  Talcott.     It  thus  anticipated  the  bounty 
land  warrant  system  of  the  United  States. 

In  1690  Reverend  Mr.  Eliot's  house  was  again  fortified,  and  it  was 
voted  that  "  the  great  guns  be  set  up  on  carriages  and  fitted  for  ser- 
vice." In  1697  these  guns  or  cannon  were  desired  by  Connecticut,  but 
the  town  refused  to  give  them  up,  "  as  they  wanted  them  for  their  own 
defense  against  the  common  enemy."  They  were  finally  sold  in  1739. 
But  a  company  of  artillerists  has  almost  continually  been  a  feature  of 
the  military  life  of  Guilford.  In  the  present  century  there  was  a  com- 
pany of  "  Flying  Artillery,"  of  which  Joel  Griswold  was  the  captain. 
In  the  rebellion  36  men  were  in  the  First  Light  Artillery  of  Connec- 
ticut Volunteers.  Since  the  war  a  section  of  artillery  has  been  main- 
tained in  the  town,  which  has  been  united  with  the  platoon  in  Bran- 
ford  in  forming  a  company — Battery  A — of  which,  in  1890,  Arthur  S. 
Fowler,  of  Guilford,  was  the  captain. 

In  1705  a  train  band  was  formed  in  East  Guilford,  and  in  1728 
another  at  North  Guilford. 

In  1745  Colonel  Andrew  Ward,  of  Guilford,  commanded  a  company 
at  Louisburg,  in  which  were  some  Guilford  men;  and  in  the  expedition 
at  Fort  William  Henry,  Oliver  Dudley  and  Nathaniel  Johnson  had 
companies  of  Guilford  soldiers. 

In  the  second  French  war  there  were  also  two  companies  of  Guil- 
ford men,  commanded  by  General  Andrew  Ward,  son  of  the  above 
Colonel  Andrew  Ward,  and  Colonel  Ichabod  Scranton,  of  East  Guil- 
ford, and  were  at  the  battle  of  Lake  George.  It  is  said  that  an  Indian 
picket  attached  to  the  Guilford  troops  found  the  wounded  Baron 
Dieskau  and  carried  him  as  a  prisoner  into  the  English  lines.  In 
this  excursion  Enos  Bishop,  of  North  Madison,  served  as  a  lieutenant. 

In  the  war  for  independence  Guilford  took  a  patriotic  position,  a 
few  only  adhering  to  the  cause  of  the  royalists.  The  acts  of  the  con- 
tinental congress  were  endorsed  as  early  as  December,  1774.  The  fol- 
lowing spring  45  men,  under  Colonel  Noah  Fowler,  and  23  under  En- 
sign Jehiel  Meigs,  held  themselves  ready  to  move  after  the  alarm  at 
Lexington.  General  Ward  was  at  Valley  Forge  with  some  Connecti- 
cut troops,  and  others  of  Guilford's  sons  distinguished  themselves  on 
fields  of  battle  elsewhere. 

From  the  fall  of  1776  until  the  close  of  the  war  the  town  main- 
tained a  watch  upon  its  coast,  a  guard  of  24  men  being  set  nightly,  and 
received  but  little  aid  from  the  state.  In  1777  a  bounty  of  £\0  was 
voted  to  soldiers  enlisting  for  three  years,  and  this  offer  was  thrice  re- 
newed later.  In  1779  these  bounties  and  other  taxes  caused  the  rate 
to  be  five  shillings  on  the  pound,  payable  in  such  things  as  the  select- 
men might  deem  necessary. 

Some  of  the  movements  of  the  war  were  performed  on  Guilford 
soil.  "  May  29th,  1777,  Col.  Return  J.  Meigs,  of  Guilford  stock,  led  an 
expedition  from   Sachem's   Head  in  three  sloops  and   thirteen  whale 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  163 

boats.  In  twenty-four  hours,  with  one  hundred  and  seventy  men,  he 
crossed  the  Sound  to  Sag  Harbor;  broke  up  a  depot  of  the  British  there, 
destroying  much  property;  took  ninety-six  prisoners  without  losing  a 
man;  and  returned  safely  to  Sachem's  Head.  For  this  service  Congress 
voted  him  a  sword."* 

The  British,  however,  soon  retaliated.  On  the  17th  of  June  follow- 
ing a  party  from  three  ships  landed  at  Sachem's  Head  and  burned  the 
house  of  Solomon  Leete  and  two  barns.  In  the  following  December 
the  house  of  Timothy  Shelley  was  burned.  But  the  most  serious  at- 
tack was  made  at  Leete's  Island  June  18th,  1781.  A  party  of  British 
and  tories,  in  all  about  150  men,  from  two  brigs  and  a  schooner,  landed 
at  that  point,  burned  the  guard  house  built  by  Deacon  Pelatiah  Leete 
and  a  house  and  barns  of  Daniel  Leete.  They  now  made  a  movement 
toward  the  village  of  Guilford,  but  were  met  by  the  company  of  Cap- 
tain Peter  Vail,  who  took  shelter  behind  rocks  and  fences  and  opened 
a  spirited  attack.  Captain  Vail  became  exhausted  from  the  heat  and 
soon  afterward  died  from  the  effects.  The  Guilford  men,  under  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Timothy  Field,  succeeded  in  driving  the  enemy 
to  its  boats,  with  the  loss  of  several  men.  Simeon  Leete  and  Ebenezer 
Hart  were  mortally  wounded. 

The  last  incursion  of  the  British  was  made  near  the  East  Wharf,  in 
Madison,  in  1782.  The  militia,  under  Captain  Phineas  Meigs,  suc- 
ceeded in  repelling  their  advance,  but  not  until  Captain  Meigs  had 
been  killed.     He  was  shot  through  the  head. 

In  1783  Samuel  Lee,  Jr.,  who  had  been  a  lieutenant  in  the  Guilford 
company,  was  commissioned  its  captain  and  the  company  became  a 
part  of  the  2Sth  Regiment. 

In  the  summer  of  1780  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Tucker  worked 
as  a  farm  hand  for  Deacon  Daniel  Leete,  who  resided  at  Leete's  Island. 
In  the  fall  he  left,  but  received  the  idea  (probably  a  correct  one)  that 
Deacon  Leete  had  considerable  money.  About  this  time  marauding 
parties  from  within  the  British  lines  were  in  the  habit  of  plundering 
along  the  coast;  consequently  all  the  inhabitants  able  to  bear  arms 
were  enrolled  as  a  coast  guard  and  detailed  in  squads  of  from  ten  to 
fifteen,  under  a  sergeant,  and  stationed  at  different  exposed  points  as 
a  protection  to  the  inhabitants.  Leete's  Island  was  one  guard  station, 
but  no  guard  had  been  regularly  kept  there  during  Tucker's  stay. 
After  he  left  a  small  guard  was  maintained  at  the  guard  house,  and  a 
sentry  stood  at  his  post  every  night,  though  the  season  was  so  far  ad- 
vanced that  no  one  expected  an  enemy.  About  3  o'clock  one  morning 
near  the  last  of  October,  a  boat  with  about  a  dozen  armed  men  landed 
at  a  little  harbor  about  half  a  mile  west  of  Deacon  Leete's  house,  where 
an  old  man  was  making  salt.  They  inquired  if  a  guard  was  kept  at 
the  guard  house.  He  told  them  he  believed  not;  so  they  compelled 
the  old  man  to  go  with  them  to  find  Deacon  Leete's.      When   they  ar- 

*Bernard  C.  Steiner. 


164  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

rived  they  stationed  part  of  their  number  at  the  west  kitchen  door, 
while  others  endeavored  to  find  the  front  door.  The  party  at  the 
kitchen  door  knocked  loudly  for  admittance  and  Ambrose,  one  of  the 
deacon's  sons,  ran  to  the  door  and  opened  it,  to  learn  the  cause  of  the 
disturbance  One  of  the  gang  made  a  blow  at  him  with  a  cutlass,  but 
it  being  dark  he  struck  too  high,  and  the  casing  over  the  door  received 
the  force  of  the  blow,  though  his  neck  received  a  slight  incision.  As 
he  drew  back  another  of  the  party  fired  his  gun  at  him,  the  ball  pass- 
ing under  his  arm  and  lodging  in  the  wall.  The  report  alarmed  the 
guard  and  they  turned  out.  The  enemy  heard  them  and  drew  off  some 
eight  or  ten  yards  for  consultation.  In  the  meantime  the  sentry,  who 
had  been  dozing  in  the  deacon's  wood  pile,  awoke  and  hearing  some 
talking,  listened  a  moment  and  heard  a  voice,  which  he  recognized  as 

Tucker's,  say,  "  You  may  do  as  you  please,  I'll  be  d d  if  I  go  till  I 

make  Deacon  Leete's  money  jink."  It  was  so  dark  the  sentry  could 
see  nothing,  but  he  fired  his  gun  in  the  direction  of  the  voices.  The 
party  at  once  drew  off  and  the  guard  was  too  small  to  feel  it  safe  to 
pursue.  On  the  next  day  the  dead  body  of  Tucker  was  found  in  a 
small  brook  a  few  rods  west  of  the  house,  with  two  bullets  through  his 
head.  The  body  was  rolled  in  a  blanket  and  buried  in  a  hole  below 
high  water  mark,  at  the  head  of  the  Island  bay,  so-called. 

While  but  few  men  of  Guilford  were  killed  outright  in  the  war  of 
the  revolution,  a  number  died  from  exposure  and  sickness  contracted 
in  the  service.  Doctor  Alvan  Talcott  placed  the  number  at  twenty 
and  gave  the  following  as  their  names:  Timothy  Barnes.William  Fair- 
child,  Lewis  Fairchild,  Eber  Hall,  Timothy  Luddington,  Seth  Morse, 
Bridgeman  Murray,  Captain  Phineas  Meigs,  Abel  Saxton,  William  Sa- 
bine, David  Field,  Joseph  Hotchkin,  Ebenezer  Hart,  Abner  Leete, 
Simeon  Leete,  Captain  Jehiel  Meigs,  Wait  Munger,  Samuel  Stevens, 
Daniel  Stone,  Samuel  Ward. 

The  war  of  1812  did  not  produce  any  stirring  events  in  the  town. 
A  volunteer  artillery  company  was  raised,  which  had  two  brass  field 
pieces,  kept  in  the  town  house;  and  an  iron  cannon  was  kept  in  Madi- 
son, to  be  used  as  was  the  one  in  the  revolution,  to  give  the  signal  of 
invasion.  A  company  of  state  troops,  formed  in  this  town  and  Bran- 
ford,  commanded  by  Abraham  I.  Chittenden,  Abraham  Rogers  and 
William  Todd,  was  in  service  a  short  time  as  a  reserve  corps  at  New 
London  and  New  Haven. 

The  War  for  the  Union — 1861-5 — awoke  the  spirit  of  patriotism  in 
Guilford  to  a  wonderful  extent;  and  at  no  stage  was  there  any  lagging 
of  ardor  to  prosecute  it,  so  far  as  the  town  was  concerned,  to  a  success- 
ful issue.  Beginning  with  the  special  meeting  held  April  30th,  1861, 
until  the  close  of  war,  action  to  that  end  was  taken  at  the  regular  meet- 
ings and  at  seven  meetings  called  especially  for  that  purpose.  In  all, 
Guilford    contributed    308   men    and   $21,166   in    money,   besides  the 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  165 

amounts  raised  by  the  Christian  and  Sanitary  Commissions,  aggregat- 
ing- about  $10,000  more.  With  scarcely  any  exception,  the  leading  citi- 
zens were  all  active  in  this  cause.  Before  the  close  of  the  war  60  of 
the  heroic  sons  of  Guilford  had  laid  down  their  lives.  After  many 
years  their  bravery  was  fitly  commemorated. 

A  movement  to  build  a  Soldiers'  Monument,  begun  in  1872,  met 
with  but  indifferent  success  and  was  abandoned.  Several  years  later 
the  matter  was  again  taken  up,  when  Ed.  Griswold  and  others  were 
appointed  a  soliciting  committee,  which  raised  a  fund  of  about  $1,300. 
This  encouraged  those  interested  to  adopt  plans  for  a  monument, 
by  modifying  one  of  the  designs  prepared  by  J.  G.  Batterson,  of 
Hartford,  consisting  of  a  base,  die  and  pedestal,  surmounted  by  a 
figure.  The  contract  for  all  but  the  latter  was  awarded  to  John 
Beattie,  the  material  selected  by  him  being  Leete's  Island  granite. 

The  base  was  laid  with  ceremonies  May  30th,  1877,  on  which  occa- 
sion W.  H.  H.  Murray  delivered  the  oration.  In  1879  the  die,  on  which 
were  cut  the  names  of  many  soldiers  who  fell  in  the  service,  was  placed 
upon  the  base,  and  thus  for  eight  years  the  monument  was  left  stand- 
ing in  an  incomplete  condition.  In  1884  the  work  was  revived  and  the 
matter  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  executive  committee  composed 
of  J.  Lynde  Harrison,  Miss  Kate  Foote  and  Charles  Griswold,  who 
raised  the  necessary  funds  to  complete  the  monument.  In  this  they 
were  much  encouraged  by  Hon.  Simeon  B.  Chittenden,  of  New  York, 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Cone,  also  a  native  of  the  town.  A  contract  was 
made  with  Thomas  Phillips  &  Sons,  of  New  Haven,  to  cut  out  of 
Quincy  granite  the  statue  of  an  infantry  soldier,  standing  at  rest, 
which  was  to  be  placed  upon  the  pile  already  standing  in  the  center 
of  the  green.  This  figure  was  ready  to  place  in  position  the  follow- 
ing year,  and  the  monument  was  dedicated  June  2d,  1887.  Among 
the  throng  in  attendance  were  Governor  Lounsbury  and  staff, 
Senators  Hawley  and  Piatt,  and  a  number  of  Grand  Army  Posts 
from  neighboring  towns.  Charles  Griswold  was  the  marshal  of  the 
day. 

The  monument  as  it  stands  is  about  fifteen  feet  high  and  has  at- 
tractive proportions.  Its  entire  cost  was  about  $2,500.  On  one  of  the 
faces  of  the  die  are  engraved  the  words: 

"In  memory  of  the  men  of  Guilford  who  fell,  and  in 
honor  of  those  who  served  in  the  war  for  the  Union,  the 
grateful  town  erects  this  monument,  that  their  example 
may  speak  to  coming  generations." 

Also  are  inscribed,  on  the  pedestal,  the  names  of  the  important  bat- 
tles in  which  they  participated,  viz.: 

•' Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Port  Royal  and  Gettysburg." 

It  reflects  credit  upon  the  town  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  it  took  ten 
years  to  complete  what  should  at  once  have  been  finished. 


lu'tj  HISTORY'   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

John  W.  Barker,  born  in  1828,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  A.  and  Mary  Ann 
(Kirkum)  Barker,  grandson  of  Joel,  great-grandson  of  Jacob,  and  great- 
great-grandson  of  Daniel,  whose  father,  Daniel,  was  among  the  early 
settlers  of  North  Branford.  Mr.  Barker  is  a  carriage  maker  by  trade. 
In  1877  he  built  the  Sachem's  Head  House,  which  he  has  kept  open  to 
the  public  since  that  time  as  a  summer  hotel.  He  married  Mary  A. 
Serry.  Their  children  are:  Charles  A.,  Nettie  M.,  Lottie  M.  (Mrs.  E. 
J.  Parmelee),  William  S.  and  Edward  B. 

Cyrus  Olcott  Bartlett,  born  in  1829,  is  the  eldest  son  of  Nathaniel 
and  Bertha  (Cook)  Bartlett,  grandson  of  Samuel  and  great-grandson  of 
John  Bartlett.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Frances  H.> 
daughter  of  Austin  Fowler.  Their  children  are:  Amy  F.  and  Charles 
O.     They  lost  one  daughter,  Mary  F. 

David  Bartlett,  born  in  1815,  is  a  son  of  Stephen  and  Nancy  (Fow- 
ler) Bartlett,  and  grandson  of  John,  whose  father,  Henry,  was  a  son  of 
George  Bartlett.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  a  farmer,  and  has  held  several  town 
offices.  In  1877  and  1879  he  was  representative  to  the  legislature. 
He  married  Ruth  Frances,  daughter  of  Erastus  Dudley.  She  died  in 
1889.     They  had  two  children:  James  D.  and  one  that  died,  Melzar  F. 

Edwin  W.  Bartlett,  born  in  1839,  is  a  brother  of  Cyrus  O.  Bartlett. 
He  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Annis  S.,  daughter  of  Nathan  C.  Dudley. 
Their  children  are:  Bertha,  Edwin  N.,  Mary  and  Erastus  D.  Mr.  Bart- 
lett was  selectman  eleven  years. 

John  Beattie,  the  well  known  quarryman  and  contractor,  of  Leete's 
Island,  Guilford,  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  June  18th,  1824. 
His  father  was  John  Beattie,*  a  freeman  of  that  city,  who  was  a  direct 
descendant  of  the  noted  Beattie  family  of  Eskdale  Moor,  in  Dumfries- 
shire, Scotland,  whose  ancestry  has  been  traced  back  more  than  six  cen- 
turies, and  whose  valor  and  exploits  in  peace  and  war  have  been  cele- 
brated in  the  story  and  song  of  that  country,  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  and 
others.  On  the  paternal  side  his  grandmother  was  Nanes  Armstrong, 
a  descendant  of  the  Johnson  family,  of  Dumfriesshire,  also  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  Scotland.  The  mother  of  John  Beattie  was  Ann 
Richardson,  a  daughter  of  John  Richardson,  whose  wife  was  Catherine 
Tate,  and  both  families  belonged  to  Haddington,  Scotland. 

In  1830,  when  John  Beattie  was  about  six  years  of  age,  his  parents 
removed  to  America  and  settled  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  where  his  father 
carried  on  his  trade  as  stone  mason  and  contractor,  and  at  that  place 
the  paternal  home  in  this  country  was  established,  on  a  small  farm. 
Here  the  son  was  sent  to  school  for  a  short  time,  but  his  robust  nature 
rebelled  against  the  restraint  imposed  upon  him  by  such  a  life,  and  he 
preferred  to  work  in  the  fields  on  his  father's  farm.     Subsequently,  in 

*From  time  immemorial  the  oldest  son  of  each  generation  of  the  Beattie 
family  was  named  John. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  167 

Nova  Scotia,  he  attended  with  profit,  for  a  few  terms,  the  school  of  an 
excellent  man,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Morrison,  his  school  days  being  thus 
limited  to  these  brief  periods.  In  the  meantime  his  father  had  re- 
moved from  Newport  to  Nova  Scotia,  where  he  was  engaged  as  the 
contractor  in  the  construction  of  the  masonry  work  on  a  canal  from 
Halifax  to  Pictou. 

After  a  few  years  residence  in  the  former  town,  when  John  would 
no  longer  attend  school,  his  father  purposed  to  indenture  him  to  learn 
the  trade  of  a  shoemaker,  and  had  selected  a  master  for  him,  where- 
upon the  independent  lad  gave  so  emphatic  a  demonstration  against 
such  a  step  that  the  plan  was  summarily  abandoned.  This  opposition 
was  probably  the  act  in  his  life  which  led  him  into  the  avocation  in 
which  he  has  for  so  many  years  been  most  successfully  engaged.  Being 
now  thirteen  years  old,  strong  and  healthy,  with  a  love  for  out-door 
occupation,  his  father  was  persuaded  to  allow  him  to  learn  the  trade 
of  stone  cutting,  which  work  John  took  up  with  great  spirit.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  years  the  failure  of  the  canal  company  induced  the 
Beatties  to  return  to  their  home  at  Newport,  when  the  father  and  John 
went  to  New  York  to  work  at  their  trade.  A  year  later  they  went  to 
Boston,  and  not  long  after  to  Newport,  where  the  father  died  when 
John  was  16  years  of  age.  The  care  of  the  family,  consisting  of  his 
mother  and  four  children,  the  next  oldest  being  ten  years,  devolved 
upon  John,  who,  deeply  feeling  the  responsibility  placed  upon  him, 
now  entered  upon  his  life-work  with  an  earnestness  of  application  that 
was  bound  to  bring  success.  He  became  very  skillful  in  his  trade,  and 
was  a  rapid  and  thorough  workman.  The  next  four  years  he  was  en- 
gaged at  Fort  Adams,  R.  I.,  having,  when  he  was  18  years  of  age,  his 
first  contract  to  do  work  for  the  United  States  government.  At  the  age 
of  20  years  he  was  appointed  foreman  mason  of  the  bridge  builders  on 
a  section  of  the  Boston  &  Troy  railroad,  where  for  two  years  he  had 
his  first  experience  in  overseeing  large  numbers  of  men.  In  1846  he 
returned  to  Fort  Adams,  where  he  was  appointed  master  stone  cutter 
by  General  W.  S.  Rosecrans,  and  superintended  the  preparation  of 
the  material  used  in  that  fortification  until  work  was  suspended  by 
order  of  Jefferson  Davis,  at  that  time  the  secretary  of  war.  Again, 
for  a  year,  he  was  with  the  Boston  &  Troy  Railroad  Company  in  his 
old  capacity,  when  he  went  to  California  as  a  gold  miner,  and  for  two 
years  and  two  months  had  the  experience  of  that  occupation,  without 
realizing  any  of  the  rewards  sometimes  associated  with  it.  Returning 
to  the  East,  poor  in  purse  and  with  impaired  health,  his  next  work  was 
building  the  stone  towers  for  the  suspension  bridge  across  the  Ken- 
tucky river,  at  Pleasant  Valley.  His  health  continuing  poor  he  and 
his  brother,  William,  next  opened  a  stone  cutter's  yard  at  Newport,  in 
which  he  worked  a  year  with  beneficial  results  to  his  health. 

In  1855  he  built  the  towers  for  the  great  bridge  across  the  Ohio, 
between  Cincinnati  and  Covington,  after  which  he  had  an  interest  in 


168  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  construction  of  Section  1  of  the  Brooklyn  Water  Works,  at  Jamai- 
ca, N.  Y.  That  being  completed,  at  a  loss  to  him,  he  next  spent  some 
time  building  bridges  on  the  Wabash  railroad  in  Indiana,  after  which 
he  again  returned  to  Jamaica,  N.  Y.,  and  contracted  for  the  construc- 
tion of  another  section  of  the  water  works.  This  job  he  personally 
superintended,  and  to  such  great  advantage  that  he  and  his  partner 
cleared  $20,000  in  eighteen  months.  After  this  he  executed  many 
contracts  for  mason  work  in  bridges,  on  railroads,  warehouse  docks 
and  lighthouses.  He  built  bridges  on  the  Worcester  &  Nashua  rail- 
road, on  the  Old  Colony  Line,  and  the  Warren  &  Fall  River  railroad. 
He  constructed  the  piers  for  the  bridge  at  Warehouse  Point  and  the 
Old  Colony  dock  at  Newport,  all  large  public  works. 

In  186.r>  he  purchased  the  Harrison  Quarry,  at  Fall  River,  but  after 
operating  it  one  year  left  it  in  charge  of  his  brother  William  and  son 
John,  and  opened  another  quarry  at  Niantic,  Conn.  In  a  few  years 
he  disposed  of  that  interest,  and  in  February,  1869,  came  to  Guilford, 
where  he  bought  16  acres  of  land  at  Hoadley's  Point,  upon  which  were 
very  fine  ledges  of  excellent  granite.  The  following  season  he  built 
several  houses  upon  this- tract,  doing  at  the  same  time  the  mason  work 
of  the  Newport  &  Wickford  railroad.  On  the  22d  of  August,  1870,  he 
removed  permanently  to  Leete's  Island,  which  has  since  been  his  home, 
where  he  has  developed  the  large  quarrying  interests  at  that  place, 
until  the  industry  has  become  one  of  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the 
state.  His  granite  lands  and  real  estate  at  Leete's  Island  have  been 
increased  to  more  than  400  acres  of  land.  He  employs  from  125  to 
600  men,  their  operations  being  conducted  in  a  systematic  manner 
and  aided  by  modern  appliances.  The  products  are  readily  trans- 
ported to  many  different  localities  by  the  Shore  Line  railroad,  running 
through  his  lands,  and  by  a  fleet  of  vessels  owned  by  him  and  laden  at 
his  own  docks,  at  Hoadley's  Point.  The  granite  of  his  quarries  is  of 
several  qualities:  blue,  pink  and  white — which  are  here  cut,  carved 
and  polished  into  any  desired  forms — and  a  coarse-grained  gray,  hav- 
ing a  carrying  capacity  of  18,000  pounds  to  the  square  inch,  which  is 
much  used  for  building  purposes.  A  large  quantity  was  thus  supplied 
for  the  construction  of  the  roadway  of  the  New  York  &  Harlem  rail- 
road, from  the  river  to  the  Grand  Central  depot,  in  New  York  city. 
Much  of  the  stone  in  the  Brooklyn  bridge  was  procured  at  Leete's 
Island,  and  the  granite  pedestal  for  the  statue  of  "  Liberty,"  on  Bed- 
loe's  Island,  in  New  York  bay,  was  furnished  from  these  quarries. 

Mr.  Beattie  has  a  thorough,  practical  knowledge  of  every  depart- 
ment of  work  carried  on  by  him,  and  having  great  industry,  pluck  and 
fine  executive  ability,  he  has  prospered  in  his  affairs  and  has  earned 
the  distinction  of  being  one  .of  the  foremost  business  men  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  county.  He  has  a  strong  physique  and  is  liberally  en- 
dowed with  many  of  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  Scottish 
race.     He  was  twice  married;  first  to  Ann  Kelly,  in  1842,  by  whom  he 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  169 

had  four  children:  John,  living  at  Fall  River,  Mass.,  the  inventor  of 
the  Amalgamated  Battery  Compound;  Frank,  superintendent  of  quar- 
ries at  Leete's  Island;  George,  deceased  in  1887;  and  Isabella,  married 
George  Sanborn,  of  Leete's  Island.  For  his  second  wife  he  married, 
in  1870,  Mary  Gay,  of  Guilford,  and  the  children  by  this  union  were: 
Elizabeth,  who  deceased  in  1878;  and  two  sons,  Peter  and  Thomas, 
residing  with  their  father  at  his  pleasant  home  on  Hoadley's  Point, 
Leete's  Island. 

Dan  L.  Benton,  born  in  1810,  is  a  son  of  Dan  L.  and  Betsey  (Seward) 
Benton,  and  grandson  of  Silas  and  Abigail  (Linsley)  Benton.  Mr. 
Benton  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Marietta,  daughter  of  Montgomery 
Norton.  She  died,  leaving  one  son,  Darwin  N.  His  second  marriage 
was  with  Elizabeth  A.,  daughter  of  Sacket  and  Polly  (Bassett)  Blak- 
sley,  and  granddaughter  of  Joel  Blaksley.  Their  children  are:  Hur- 
bert  L.,  Charles  L.  and  Edward  W. 

Darwin  N.  Benton,  born  in  1834,  is  a  son  of  Dan  L.  and  Marietta  E. 
(Norton)  Benton.  He  was  a  grain  merchant  since  1872,  and  since  1881 
has  been  engaged  in  canning  fruit  in  Guilford. 

Richard  H.  Benton,  born  in  1823,  is  a  brother  of  Dan  L.  Benton. 
He  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Beverly  and 
Parna  (Gould)  Parkis.  Their  children  are:  Hattie  E.  Mattie  S.  and 
Richard  B.     They  lost  one  daughter  in  infancy. 

Elisha  C.  Bishop,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Polly  Maria  Bishop,  was  born 
in  1824.  His  grandfather,  Jonathan,  was  a  son  of  David,  whose  father, 
David,  was  a  son  of  John,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of  John 
Bishop,  who  came  from  England  in  1639,  and  was  one  of  the  orig- 
inal settlers  of  Guilford.  Mr.  Bishop  is  now  a  farmer.  He  repre- 
sented the  town  in  the  legislature  in  18S2,  and  has  served  sev- 
eral terms  as  selectman.  He  married  Charlotte  G.  Fowler  in  1846. 
She  died  in  October,  18S5.  Their  children  were:  Frederick  C,  who 
died  in  infancy;  Frederick  C,  Robert  D.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Robert 
A.,  Edward  F.,  Mary  C,  Frank  H.,  Ida  and  Eva,  twins;  Richard  M„ 
■died  in  infancy;  Marilla  C.  and  Ernest  S.  His  present  wife  is  Cor- 
nelia, a  sister  of  his  first  wife. 

Walter  G.  Bishop,  born  in  Meriden  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Martin  and 
Sylvina  (Bradley)  Bishop,  and  grandson  of  Benjamin  Bishop,  of  North 
Haven.  He  is  a  moulder  by  trade.  In  1871  he  came  to  Guilford, 
where  he  has  followed  farming.  His  first  wife  was  Dorcas  J.  Hunger- 
ford,  of  Harwinton.  His  second  marriage  was  with  Nancy  M.,  daugh- 
ter of  Rufus  N.  Leete,  of  Guilford,  who  died,  leaving  three  children: 
Dexter  L.,  Burton  W.  and  Grace  S.  His  present  wife  was  Ellen  L. 
Leete,  sister  of  his  second  wife. 

Albert  C.  Brewer,  born  in  1864,  is  a  son  of  Alva  G.  and  H.  Alice 
(Palmer)  Brewer,  and  grandson  of  Thomas  Brewer,  who  came  from 
England  when  a  young  man,  and  about  50  years  ago  settled  where  Al- 
bert C.  now  lives.     Alva  G.  Brewer  was  a  farmer,  and  died  in  1887, 


170  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

aged  49  years.  His  children  were:  Nellie  (Mrs.  Richard  H.  Woodruff  i. 
Albert  C.,  Fannie,  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  William  Blatchley),  Angeline, 
Harry,  Mary  and  Hattie. 

Elisaph  H.  Butler,  born  in  1848  in  Norfolk,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of  Levi 
and  Clarinda  E.  (Sanford)  Butler,  and  grandson  of  Elisaph  Butler. 
Mr.  Butler  came  to  Guilford  in  1854.  In  1870  he  became  one  of  the 
hardware  firm  of  S.  Robinson  &  Co.,  succeeding  Chester  Buckley  in 
the  business.  In  1887  Mr.  Butler  bought  the  interest  of  his  partner, 
and  now  conducts  the  business  in  his  own  name.  He  is  vice-president 
of  the  Guilford  Savings  Bank,  has  been  several  years  burgess  of  the 
borough,  and  is  now  justice  of  the  peace.  He  married  Fannie  E., 
daughter  of  Stephen  Robinson.  Their  children  are:  William  S.,  Jennie 
C,  Hattie  M.  and  Robert  B.     They  lost  four  children. 

David  D.  Carter,  born  in  1821  in  Clinton,  is  a  son  of  Jared  and  Polly 
(Dibbell)  Carter.  He  came  to  Guilford  in  1843,  where  he  has  since 
been  a  farmer.  He  married  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  William  and  Betsey 
(Dudley)  Chittenden.  Their  son,  George  W.,  married  Alice  Wilcox, 
and  they  have  two  children:  George  E.  and  Harry  W. 

David  D.  Chittenden,  born  in  1817  and  died  in  1890,  was  a  son  of 
David  D.,  grandson  of  Simeon,  and  great-grandson  of  Simeon  Chitten- 
den. Mr.  Chittenden  married  Abbie  Ann,  daughter  of  Erastus  and 
Ruth  (Fowler)  Dudley,  who  survives  him.  Their  children  are:  George 
M.,  David  Dwight,  Ruth  F.  (deceased),  Dudley,  Frederick  and  Lucy  F. 

Dudley  Chittenden,  born  in  1851.  is  a  son  of  David  D.  Chittenden. 
He  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Darwin  Page,  and 
has  three  sons:  George  D.,  David  D.  and  Harold. 

Simeon  Chittenden  was  a  son  of  Simeon,  and  grandson  of  Simeon 
Chittenden.  He  had  six  children:  Henry  W., William  V.  and  Jerusha,. 
deceased;  and  Parnel  F.,  Martin  Luther  and  John  D.  Henry  W.  was 
born  October  14th,  1817,  and  had  four  children,  of  whom  Charles  R., 
Henry  and  Maria  Louise  deceased,  and  one,  Charles  R.,  is  living. 
William  V.  was  born  November  28th,  1822,  and  had  four  children. 
Three  are  deceased — Henry  Scott,  Emily  L.  and  William  H.  The  sur- 
vivor is  Simeon  D.  Jerusha  Chittenden  was  born  June  12th,  1826,  and 
died  June  18th,  1826.  Parnel  F.  married  E.  Frank  Dudley.  Martin  L. 
Chittenden  owns  and  occupies  his  father's  homestead.  John  D.  mar- 
ried Lucy  A.,  daughter  of  Timothy  Rossiter.  Their  children  are: 
Sarah  T.  and  Charles  F.,  and  two  that  died — William  H.  and  Franklin 
F.  J.  William  H.  was  a  young  man  of  much  promise.  He  graduated 
from  the  medical  department  of  Yale  College  in  1883,  and  began  prac- 
tice at  Branford,  but  on  account  of  failing  health  was  obliged  to  return 
home,  and  died  October  18th,  1884,  aged  26  years. 

Jerome  Coan,  born  in  1834,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Hart) 
Coan,  and  grandson  of  John,  who  was  a  revolutionary  soldier,  who 
was  a  son  of  John,  and  grandson  of  John,  whose  father,  Peter,  was  born 
in  1697,  in  Germany,  and  in  1715,  with  his  parents  and  two  younger 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  171 

brothers.  George  and  Abraham,  came  to  America.  In  1736  Peter  set- 
tled at  North  Guilford,  near  where  Jerome  now  lives.  Mr.  Coan  is  a 
merchant.  He  served  three  years  in  the  late  war  in  Company  E,  15th 
Connecticut  Volunteers.  He  married  Frances  D.  Griswold,  who  died 
in  1859.  He  married  for  his  second  wife  Mary  F.,  daughter  of  Henry 
Judd.     Their  children  are:  Joseph  F.  and  Fannie  L. 

Owen  Cunningham,  son  of  Dennis  Cunningham,  was  born  in  Ire- 
land in  1832,  and  came  to  America  in  1838.  He  learned  the  copper- 
smith trade  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  at  the  age  of  20  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  lived  until  1880,  when  he  came  to  Guilford.  He  served  in 
the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  Company  K,  23d  Illinois  Volunteers,  for 
about  three  years.     He  married  Ann  Driscoll. 

Deacon  Edwin  O.  Davis,  born  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Joel  and  Polly 
(Loper)  Davis,  and  grandson  of  James  Davis,  who  was  a  revolutionary 
soldier,  and  came  from  Southold,  L.  I.,  to  Guilford,  where  he  married 
Ruth  Griswold  and  had  nine  children.  Mr.  Davis  is  a  farmer.  He  mar- 
ried in  1849,  Martha  S.,  daughter  of  Dan  L.  Benton.  Their  children 
are:  Anna  S.,  now  Mrs.  J.  P.  Slocum;  Robert  E.,  who  is  a  farmer  with 
his  father;  and  Martha  E.,  now  Mrs.  Frank  E.  Fowler.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davis  have  11  grandchildren. 

George  S.  Davis,  born  in  1854,  is  the  eldest  son  of  George  W.  and 
Cornelia  (Smith)  Davis,  and  grandson  of  Joel  Davis.  Mr.  Davis  was 
eight  years  in  Hartford  as  merchant's  clerk,  and  was  then  four  years 
clerk  in  the  Guilford  post  office.  Since  18S3  he  has  been  a  grocery 
merchant.  He  is  now  serving  his  sixth  term  as  town  treasurer,  and  in 
1889  he  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature.  He  married  Anna  G. 
Fowler.  They  have  one  daughter,  Elizabeth  G.  They  lost  one  son  in 
infanc3\ 

Sherman  W.  Davis,  born  in  lS26in  Killingworth,  was  a  son  of  Zina 
and  Amanda  (.Stephens)  Davis.  He  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Emma 
J.,  daughter  of  Nathan  Aldrich.  Their  children  are:  Ella  (Mrs.  Frank 
Hill),  Mrs.  Phebe  J.  Dudley  and  Mrs.  Flora  E.  Dudley. 

Emily  G.  (Davis)  Demarest  is  a  daughter  of  Joel  and  Polly  (Loper) 
Davis.  She  married  first  Samuel  Madden,  a  furniture  dealer  of  New 
York,  who  died  in  1869,  aged  50  years.  They  had  eight  sons:  Oscar 
E.,  Samuel  C,  Joel  D.,  Albert  F.,  Harry  G.,  Lewis  A.,  Allen  E.  and 
Charles  W.  They  lost  one  daughter,  Ella  P.  Mrs.  Demarest  has  her 
home  in  Guilford,  near  the  place  of  her  birth. 

Julius  A.  Dowd,  born  in  1806,  was  the  eldest  of  twelve  children  of 
Julius  and  Clarissa  (Stone)  Dowd,  grandson  of  Ebenezer,  and  great- 
grandson  of  Ebenezer,  whose  father,  Thomas,  was  a  son  of  Thomas, 
and  a  grandson  of  Henry  Dowd,  who  came  from  England  in  1639  and 
died  in  Guilford  in  1668.  Mr.  Dowd  is  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  has 
followed  the  business  through  life  except  20  years,  during  which  time 
he  was  a  farmer.  He  married  Mrs.  Nancy  Terry,  who  died  leaving 
one  daughter,  Mary  C,  now  Mrs.  Virgil  Hotchkiss.     His  second  mar- 


172  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

riage  was  with  Mrs.  Abigail  Tibbies,  daughter  of   Doctor  Jonathan 
Todd,  of  Madison. 

William  T.  Dowd,  born  in  1828  in  Madison,  is  a  son  of  Rufus  and 
Rebecca  (Bishop)  Dowd,  and  grandson  of  Moses  Dowd.  He  is  a  joiner 
by  trade.  He  is  now  filling  his  fifth  term  as  warden  of  the  borough. 
He  married  Mary  J.  Pomeroy.  They  have  two  children:  William  H. 
and  Mary,  now  Mrs.  Louis  P.  Anderson. 

Ebenezer  F.  Dudley,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Erastus  and  Ruth 
(Fowler)  Dudley,  grandson  of  Luther,  and  great-grandson  of  Jared, 
whose  father.  William,  was  a  son  of  Joseph,  and  grandson  of  William 
Dudley.  Mr.  Dudley,  like  most  of  his  ancestors,  is  a  farmer.  He  mar- 
ried Nancy  A.,  daughter  of  Timothy  Fowler.  She  died  in  February, 
1890,  leaving  two  sons:  Baldwin  C.  and  Ira  F. 

George  C.  Dudley,  born  in  1S42,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  W.  and  Lucy  A. 
(Chittenden)  Dudley,  and  grandson  of  Ambrose  Dudley.  Mr.  Dudley 
is  a  farmer  on  the  homestead  of  his  father  and  grandfather.  Samuel 
W.  Dudley  was  a  farmer,  was  for  a  number  of  years  representative  in 
the  legislature  and  one  term  state  senator.  He  had  six  children: 
Charles  S.,  Henry  C,  who  died  in  the  army:  Elizabeth,  James  A., 
George  C.  and  William  R.,  who  is  a  teacher  at  Cornell. 

John  Hooker  Dudley  is  a  son  of  Hooker  and  Mary  (Evarts)  Dudley, 
grandson  of  John,  and  great-grandson  of  Nathaniel,  whose  father, 
Caleb,  was  a  son  of  Caleb,  grandson  of  Joseph,  and  great-grandson  of 
William  Dudley.  Mr.  Dudley  is  an  enterprising  and  successful  farmer, 
owning  and  occupying  the  homestead  of  his  father. 

Lucian  W.  Dudley,  born  in  1830  in  Guilford,  is  a  son  of  David  and 
Abigail  (Stevens)  Dudley,  grandson  of  Roswell,  and  great-grandson  of 
Lutenant,  who  was  a  son  of  Deacon  David  Dudley.  Mr.  Dudley  was 
a  manufacturer  of  turned  wood  in  Madison  several  years,  and  he  was 
for  14  years  engaged  in  mercantile  trade  in  Norwich.  Since  18S4  he 
has  been  a  farmer  in  Guilford.  While  in  Madison  he  held  several 
town  offices.  He  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Erastus  Page.  Their 
children  are:  William  H.,  M.D.,  and  George  W.,  who  is  a  farmer  with 
his  father. 

Nathan  C.  Dudley,  born  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Erastus  and  Ruth 
(Fowler)  Dudley,  and  grandson  of  Luther,  whose  father  was  Jared 
Dudley.  Mr.  Dudley  was  a  tanner  and  farmer  until  1875,  and  since 
that  time  has  lived  retired.  He  married  Annis  S.,  daughter  of  Benja- 
min Rossiter.  Their  children  are:  Annis  S.,  now  Mrs.  Edwin  W. 
Bartlett;  Erastus,  Lucy  E.,  Catharine  B.  and  Mary  R.,  deceased  June 
23d, 1883. 

Harvey  Elliot,  born  in  1830,  is  a  son  of  Willis  and  Lucy  (Camp) 
Elliot,  grandson  of  Timothy,  and  great-grandson  of  Abial,  whose  father, 
Reverend  Joseph,  was  a  son  of  John  Elliot,  the  apostle  to  the  Indians. 
Mr.  Elliot  is  a  farmer.     He  married  Jane  Coulter,  who  died  in  Febru- 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  173 

ary,  1887.  They  had  four  children:  Frederick  W.,  Harry  L.,  Jennie 
L.  and  Fannie  L.     Frederick  W.  has  charge  of  the  home  farm. 

Lewis  R.  Elliot,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Chloe  (Pardee) 
Elliot.  He  is  president  of  the  Guilford  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a  farmer, 
though  the  more  laborious  part  of  the  work  he  has  surrendered  to  his 
son.  His  house  stands  on  the  site  where,  in  1664,  Reverend  Joseph 
Elliot  built  his  first  residence  in  the  town,  and  the  family  have  owned 
the  place  continuously  since  that  time.  His  first  marriage  was  with 
Fannie  Griswold.  She  died  leaving  one  daughter,  Fannie,  now  Mrs. 
Herbert  Benton.  His  second  wife  was  Catharine  Graves.  They  have 
two  children:  Edward  and  Elizabeth. 

Arthur  S.  Fowler,  born  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  Captain  Harry  B.  and 
Caroline  (Williams)  Fowler,  and  grandson  of  Bildad  Fowler.  Mr. 
Fowler  is  a  farmer.  He  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  assessor. 
He  married  Charlotte  A.,  daughter  of  John  J.  Bartholomew,  of  Bran- 
ford.  They  have  one  daughter  living,  Annice  B.,  and  lost  one,  Bessie  I. 
Mr.  Fowler  enlisted  as  private  in  Battery  A,  C.  N.  G.,  in  May,  1874; 
was  promoted  to  corporal  1877;  to  sergeant  1879;  to  second  lieutenant 
December  5th,  1881:  to  first  lieutenant  January  22d,  1883;  to  captain 
March  11th,  1886,  which  position  he  now  holds. 

Charles  Griswold  was  born  July  26th,  1841,  at  Guilford,  Conn.,  the 
youngest  in  a  family  of  nine.  His  father,  Joel  Griswold,  was  one  of 
the  staunch  New  Englanders  of  the  old  school,  a  man  of  influence  in 
town  affairs.  Charles  Griswold  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he 
was  21,  attending  school  during  the  winter  at  the  Guilford  Institute. 
At  his  father's  desire,  he  planned  to  study  civil  engineering,  and  with 
this  in  view,  so  shaped  his  winters'  studies  as  to  fit  himself  to  enter  the 
Sheffield  School  at  Yale.  But  the  wise  men  of  the  town  said  there 
would  be  no  more  railroads  built,  and  such  a  course  of  study  would  not 
be  profitable.  About  this  time  the  war  broke  out,  and  the  young  man 
enlisted  as  soon  as  he  attained  his  majority.  He  served  first  as  pri- 
vate, then  as  sergeant  in  the  15th  Regiment,  and  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Fredericksburg,  Suffolk  Road,  etc.  After  18  months  of  this 
service,  he  was  made  captain  in  the  29th  Connecticut  Volunteers  (col- 
ored), in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  about  two 
years,  experiencing  some  hard  fighting  in  Maryland,  Virginia,  North 
and  South  Carolina  and  Texas.  He  was  present  at  the  surrender  of 
Richmond,  his  regiment  being  one  of  the  first  to  enter  the  city.  Since 
the  war  he  has  been  identified  with  Guilford  interests  in  many  forms. 
For  several  years  he  was  a  merchant,  for  17  years  postmaster,  for  ten 
years  treasurer  of  the  Guilford  Savings  Bank,  served  on  the  school 
board  as  secretary  or  president  for  25  years,  represented  the  town  in 
the  legislature  of  1887;  in  fact,  has  held  almost  every  office  which  falls 
to  the  lot  of  public-spirited  and  popular  citizens  of  a  New  England 
town.  In  June,  1889,  he  was  appointed  bank  commissioner  of  Connec- 
ticut, which  office  he   still  holds.     Mr.  Griswold  is  a  member  of  the 


174  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

First  Congregational  church,  Guilford.  He  was  married  in  1864,  to 
Mary  E.  Griswold,  of  Guilford.  He  has  two  children,  both  of  mature 
age.  He  was  assistant  quartermaster  general  of  the  department  of 
Connecticut,  G.  A.  R.,  for  one  term,  and  served  as  commander  of  the 
Grand  Army  Post  in  his  native  town  for  three  years. 

Henry  H.  Griswold,  born  in  1847,  is  the  only  son  of  Russell  M.  and 
Polly  F.  (Hill)  Griswold,  grandson  of  Jacob,  and  great-grandson  of 
Nathan  Griswold.  Mr.  Griswold  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Frances, 
daughter  of  E.  Frank  and  Parnella  (Chittenden)  Dudley. 

John  E.  Griswold,  born  in  1825,  is  the  eldest  son  of  Henry  and 
Nancy  (Elliot)  Griswold,  and  grandson  of  John  Griswold.  He  is  a 
farmer.  He  married  Mary  Deborah,  daughter  of  Daniel  Goldsmith. 
Their  children  are:  Henry  D.,  Lydia  G.  (Mrs.  Robert  Davis),  Frank 
R.,  Edward  E.,  John  L.  (deceased),  Walter  S.,  Minnie  M.,  Russell  (de- 
ceased), and  Jennie,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Ornn  Hoadley  was  born  in  Branford  in  1788,  and  died  May  29th, 
1864.  For  16  consecutive  years  he  was  warden  of  Trinity  church, 
Branford,  and  he  was  selectman  several  terms.  He  learned  the  black- 
smith trade  when  young,  and  later  became  a  farmer,  owning  at  the 
time  of  his  death  200  acres  of  land.  He  had  one  brother,  Alvin,  a 
blacksmith,  who  settled  in  the  town  of  Tinmouth,  Vt.  Orrin  Hoadley 
married,  first,  Hannah  Frisbie,  who  had  two  sons — Alonzo  and  Lor- 
enzo. His  second  wife  was  Julia  Tyler,  who  had  eight  children,  only 
two  of  whom  are  living — Ann  and  Paschal  Kidder.  His  third  wife 
was  Sarah  Wetherholt,  of  Terre  Haute,  111.  Paschal  K.  Hoadley,  born 
in  1845,  came,  in  1868,  from  Branford  to  North  Guilford,  where  he  is 
a  farmer.  He  married,  first,  Jane  Honce,  who  died,  leaving  one  son, 
James  Morgan.  His  second  wife  was  Sarah,  daughter  of  Joseph  Hub- 
bard. Their  children  are:  Alvin  and  Lucy  Alvena  (were  twins), 
Mary  A.,  Grace  W.,  Ethna  E.,  Ralph  L.  and  Homer  R.  Alvin  died, 
aged  nine  months. 

John  Hubbard,  born  in  1804,  is  the  youngest  son  of  Daniel  and 
Hannah  (Fowler)  Hubbard.  His  grandfather  was  Daniel,  whose 
father,  grandfather  and  great-great-grandfather  bore  the  same  name, 
and  back  of  the  last  mentioned  Daniel  was  George  Hubbard,  born  in 
England  in  1595,  came  to  Guilford  in  1650,  and  settled  where  John 
now  lives.  Mr.  Hubbard  has  been  a  farmer  and  drover.  He  married 
Mary  Linsley,  who  died,  leaving  one  daughter,  Mary  L.  His  second 
marriage  was  with  Charlotte  Rose.  They  have  five  children:  Han- 
nah, William  H.,  Ellen,  James  R.  and  John  B. 

George  W.  Hull,  born  in  1839,  is  the  only  son  of  E.  Willis  and 
Rohama  (Davis)  Hull.  Mr.  Hull  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Eugenia, 
daughter  of  Asa  Morse.  Their  children  are:  George  W.,  Jr.,  and  Lan- 
ette  R. 

James  M.  Hunt,  son  of  Robert  Hunt,  was  born  in  Hartford  county 
in  1823,  and  came  to  Guilford  in  1844  with  his  father,  who  at  that  time 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  175 

took  charge  of  the  Guilford  Point  House,  purchasing  the  property- 
three  years  later.  Mr.  Hunt  succeeded  his  father  as  proprietor  of  the 
house,  and  is  its  present  owner.  He  married  Lucy  A.,  daughter  of 
Horace  Norton.  They  have  one  daughter,  Harriet  L.,  now  Mrs.  S.  M. 
Bryant.     They  lost  one  son,  Robert  N. 

Rufus  Norton  and  Calvin  Miner  Leete,  brothers,  two  of  the 
oldest  and  most  respected  citizens  of  Leete's  Island,  are  lineal  descend- 
ants, in  the  seventh  generation,  of  Governor  William  Leete,  the  progen- 
itor of  most  of  the  Leetes  in  America.  The  prominence  of  Governor 
Leete  in  the  Menuncatuc  plantation  and  town  of  Guilford,  and  his 
official  relation  to  the  colony  of  New  Haven,  and  later  the  United 
Connecticut  colonies,  are  fully  noted  in  the  foregoing  pages.  He  died 
in  the  service  of  the  state,  April  16th,  1683,  after  having  resided  in 
this  country  about  44  years.  His  oldest  son,  John,  born  in  Guilford  in 
1639  (and  said  to  be  the  first  white  child  born  in  this  town ),  married, 
in  1670,  Mary,  daughter  of  William  and  Joanna  (Sheafe)  Chittenden, 
and  their  fifth  child,  Pelatiah,  born  March  26th,  1681,  was  the  great- 
great-grandfather  of  the  subjects  of  this  sketch. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1705,  Deacon  Pelatiah  Leete  married  Abigail, 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  i  Bartlett)  Fowler,  and  soon  after 
they  removed  to  Leete's  Island,  where  no  settlement  had  before  been 
made.  But  the  land  had  been  allotted  to  his  grandfather,  Governor 
William  Leete,  after  proper  purchase  from  the  Indians,  and  the  title 
for  the  greater  part  of  this  soil  has  never  been  out  of  this  family. 
Upon  these  ancestral  acres  six  generations  of  Leetes  have  resided  as 
farmers,  members  of  each  one  being  content  to  remain  and  follow  the 
occupation  of  their  forefathers,  most  of  them  with  success  and  profit. 
Originally  the  soil  here  was  very  fertile,  and  it  is  said  of  Deacon  Leete 
that  he  farmed  so  successfully  that  he  did  not  consider  a  hundred 
bushels  of  shelled  corn  to  the  acre  more  than  an  average  yield.  He 
also  had  a  herd  of  100  head  of  neat  cattle.  In  1735  he  erected  a  large 
house  on  a  commanding  spot  of  his  farm,  overlooking  the  waters  of 
the  sound,  in  which  he  lived  until  his  death,  October  13th,  1768.  His 
widow  died  October  22d  the  following  year.  They  had  lived  together 
63  years.  This  house  was  a  noted  landmark  in  the  time  of  the  revo- 
lution,- and  was  later  occupied  by  descendants  in  several  generations. 
In  1874  it  was  demolished,  and  upon  its  site  was  erected  the  present 
residence  of  one  of  the  foregoing  brothers,  Deacon  Calvin  M.  Leete. 

The  eldest  son  of  Deacon  Pelatiah  Leete,  Daniel,  born  October  14th, 
1709,  also  became  a  deacon  of  the  Fourth  Congregational  church.  He 
married  June  14th,  1738,  Rhoda,  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Sarah  (Meigs) 
Stone,  and  resided  at  Leete's  Island,  where  he  died  October  1st,  1772. 
His  wife  had  deceased  earlier,  December  23d,  1769,  at  the  age  of  50 
years.  Their  third  child -was  Ambrose,  the  grandfather  of  the  brothers, 
whose  portraits  are  here  given. 
*See  account  of  the  revolution. 


176  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Like  his  father  and  grandfather,  Ambrose  Leete  was  also  a  deacon 
of  the  Conereo-ational  church.  He  was  chosen  to  that  office  in  the 
Fourth  church  in  1786,  and  by  the  First  church  in  1807.  He  was  born 
January  19th,  1748,  and  November  10th,  1773,  married  Miranda,  daught- 
er of  William  and  Rachel  (White)  Chittenden.  He  died  February 
14th,  1809.  but  his  widow  survived  until  September  16th.  1838,  when 
she  deceased  at  the  age  of  91-J-  years.  Their  third  child  was  Miner, 
the  father  of  Rufus  N.  and  Calvin  M.  Leete. 

Miner  Leete  was  born  June  30th.  1779.  He  was  married  November 
17th,  1807,  to  Lucinda,  daughter  of  Colonel  Rufus  and  Hannah  (Cook) 
Norton,  who  was  born  in  Guilford,  November  18th,  1780.  They  lived 
and  died  at  Leete's  Island,  he  deceasing  November  7th,  1826,  and  she 
August  28th,  1848.  Of  their  five  children  the  youngest  was  the  only 
daughter,  Louisa  Maria,  born  August  20th,  1822,  died  unmarried,  July 
29th,  1855.  The  sons  were:  Edward  L.,  Rufus  N.,  Theodore  A.  and 
Calvin  M.  Deacon  Edward  Lorenzo  was  born  June  28th,  1810,  and 
married  April  29th,  1833,  Sylvia,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Lucy  (Chit- 
tenden) Fowler,  born  in  North  Guilford,  May  2d,  1807.  He  died  at 
Leete's  Island,  May  3d,  1884,  leaving  two  children,  Edward  Walter  and 
Lucy  Louisa.  Deacon  Leete  was  very  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  town, 
taking  especial  interest  in  the  cause  of  education.  He  was  a  very  use- 
ful man  in  this  community,  and  "  had  the  respect,  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  all  who  associated  with  him,  and  all  justly  considered  him 
a  personal  friend."  In  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he  compiled  the 
Leete  Genealogy,  from  which  many  of  these  facts  have  been  taken. 

The  third  son,  Reverend  Theodore  Adgate.  was  born  May  18th, 
1814.  He  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1839,  and  subsequently  from 
the  Yale  Theological  Seminary.  From  1845  to  1859  he  was  the  pastor 
of  the  First  church  in  Windsor,  Conn.  Later  he  removed  to  Long 
Meadow,  Mass.  He  was  married  to  Mary  C.  White,  of  that  place,  and 
had  three  children:  Ella  Louisa,  Reverend  William  White  and  Theo- 
dore Woolsey.  His  death  occurred  April  28th,  1886,  at  Long  Meadow, 
Mass. 

Rufus  N.  Leete,  the  second  son  of  Miner  and  Lucinda  (Norton) 
Leete,  was  born  August  17th,  1812,  and  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm 
at  Leete's  Island.  Upon  reaching  manhood  he  adopted  that  occupa- 
tion, and  has  intelligently  followed  it  to  the  present  time,  his  industry 
being  rewarded  by  an  encouraging  measure  of  success.  In  1S48  he 
built  and  occupied  his  present  home  on  Leete's  Island  proper.  He  was 
married  October  23d,  1833,  to  Sarah,  daughter  of  Ezra  S.  and  Abigail 
(Norton)  Bishop,  and  six  children  were  born  to  them,  namely:  Nancy 
Maria,  October  23d,  1834,  married,  February  12th,  1862,  Walter  G. 
Bishop,  of  Meriden,  and  died  in  Guilford,  April  4th,  1886;  Richard 
Miner,  born  November  20th,  1836,  married,  November  14th,  1861,  Mary 
E.,  daughter  of  Anson  and  Fanny  Norton;  Roger  Calvin,  born  August 
30th,  1838,  married,  October,  1869,  Helen  A.  Park,  of  Sheshequin,  Pa.; 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  177 

Ellen  Lucretia,  born  August  20th,  1840,  married,  February  22d,  1887, 
W.  G.  Bishop;  Rufus  Burton,  born  June  22d,  1843;  Margaret  Elizabeth, 
born  March  11th,  1846.  The  latter  two  reside  with  their  parents,  on 
the  homestead,  and  the  remaining  members  of  the  family  also  live  in 
the  town  of  Guilford. 

Rufus  N.  Leete  has  a  retiring  disposition,  but  is  esteemed  by  those 
who  know  him  as  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  and  honorable  in  all  his 
actions  of  life.  He  is  very  steadfast  in  his  convictions,  and  consist- 
ently maintains  them  in  politics  and  religion.  He  has  remained  at- 
tached to  the  principles  of  democracy  in  spite  of  continued  adverse 
majority  against  his  party  in  this  town,  hence  was  not  called  to  serve 
in  public  capacity.  During  the  existence  of  the  Baptist  society  in  Guil- 
ford he  was  a  member  of  that  body,  and  warmly  supported  its  work. 
In  these  professions  and  acts  he  is  a  conscientious  and  just  man.  Mr. 
Leete  has  been  interested  in  the  industrial  development  of  his  native 
town,  aside  from  his  farm  pursuits.  He  was  a  large  stockholder  of  the 
Guilford  Manufacturing  Company,  and  discharged  his  obligations  to 
that  unfortunate  enterprise  in  a  manner  creditable  to  his  integrity  and 
honor  as  a  man.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  an  efficient  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Guilford  Savings  Bank,  and  his 
sound  judgment  in  business  matters  is  much  esteemed. 

Deacon  Calvin  M.  Leete,  the  youngest  son  of  Miner  and  Lucinda 
(Norton)  Leete,  was  born  on  the  homestead  now  occupied  by  him,  Oc- 
tober 18th,  1816.  After  having  attended  the  common  schools  he  began 
work  on  his  father's  farm,  but  was  obliged,  when  19  years  of  age,  to 
seek  another  locality,  on  account  of  his  health.  He  spent  several  years 
in  Meriden,  when  he  returned  much  improved,  and  thenceforth  fol- 
lowed the  pursuit  of  farming  on  a  place  where  four  generations  of  his 
ancestors  had  previously  cultivated  the  soil.  His  industry,  thrift  and 
intelligent  application  enabled  him  to  prosper  and  succeed  in  his  chosen 
avocation.  These  same  characteristics,  exercised  in  his  other  affairs, 
have  been  attended  with  equally  gratifying  results,  and  he  thus  be- 
came one  of  the  foremost  men  of  the  town.  Although  averse  to  hold- 
ing office,  he  was  elected  as  one  of  the  representatives  of  Guilford  in 
the  state  legislature  in  1856,  again  in  1862,  and  for  the  third  time  in 
1878.  He  also  served  the  town  in  other  capacities,  and  has  always 
taken  a  warm  interest  in  its  affairs. 

Early  in  life  he  became  deeply  interested  in  the  human  rights  of 
man,  and  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  the  blacks  in  the  South.  He 
cast  his  vote  for  Birney  and  Hale,  on  the  abolition  tickets,  voted  for 
Van  Buren  in  the  free  soil  movement,  and  since  that  time  has  been  a 
republican.  In  1839  he  became  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church 
in  Meriden,  from  which  he  was  transferred  to  the  Third  church  in 
Guilford.  Of  this  church  he  has  long  been  a  leading  member,  serving 
as  a  deacon  the  past  ten  years.  His  worthy  and  consistent  life  in  this 
12 


178  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

relation,  added  to  his  other  good  qualities  as  a  citizen,  has  caused  him 
to  be  sincerely  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 

Deacon  Calvin  M.  Leete  was  married,  February  7th,  1806,  to  Lucy 
M.,  daughter  of  Morris  A.  and  Clarinda  (Graves)  Leete,  and  the  fruit 
of  this  union  was  one  son,  Calvin  Morris,  born  January  11th,  1867,  now 
living  in  the  paternal  home. 

Edward  Walter  Leete,  born  in  1834,  is  the  only  son  of  Deacon  Ed- 
ward L.  and  Sylvia  (Fowler)  Leete,  grandson  of  Miner,  great-grandson 
of  Ambrose,  and  great-great-grandson  of  Daniel,  whose  father,  Pela- 
tiah,  was  a  son  of  John,  and  a  grandson  of  Governor  William  Leete. 
Mr.  Leete,  like  his  ancestors,  is  a  farmer.  He  has  held  the  offices  of 
assessor,  tax  collector,  justice  and  member  of  the  board  of  education. 
Mr.  Leete  is  also  a  deacon  in  the  First  Congregational  church  in  Guil- 
ford, a  trustee  of  the  Guilford  Institute,  and  the  manager  of  several 
fiduciary  trusts.  His  wife,  Harriet,  is  a  daughter  of  Daniel  L.  Rogers, 
of  Cornwall,  Conn.  Their  children  are:  Abbie  L.,  Edward  R.,  William 
S.,  vSarah  T.,  died  October  25th,  1891;  and  one  son  that  died  in  infancy. 

George  E.  Meigs,  born  in  Guilford,  is  a  son  of  Erastus,  and  grand- 
son of  Isaac  Meigs,  both  seafaring  men.  Mr.  Meigs'  mother  was  a 
Walkley.  She  left  eight  children:  Anna  E.,  George  E.,  Clara,  William, 
Sarah,  Charles,  Richard  and  Walter.  Mr.  Meigs  has  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  mercantile  trade  in  Guilford. 

Asahel  B.  Morse,  born  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Alpha  and  Phebe  (Nor- 
ton) Morse,  and  grandson  of  Jonathan  Morse.  Mr.  Morse  spent  his 
early  life  in  coasting  and  fishing,  and  after  keeping  the  town  farm  six 
years,  took  charge  of  the  town  mill  in  1861,  and  has  operated  it  since 
that  time.  He  was  for  six  years  selectman  and  has  held  minor  town 
offices.  He  married  Martha  Ray.  Their  children  are:  Eugenia,  Mary, 
Anna,  Fred,  Harry,  and  Kate,  deceased. 

Henry  A.  Norton,  born  in  1846,  was  a  son  of  Billy  and  Mary  (Dud- 
ley) Norton,  and  grandson  of  Abel,  whose  father,  Charles  Norton,  came 
to  North  Guilford  and  married  Mary  Gould,  whose  father  owned  the 
farm  where  Mr.  Norton  spent  his  life.  He  was  a  farmer  and  died  in 
1872.  He  married  Annette  E.,  daughter  of  Theophilus  and  Eliza  A. 
(Chittenden)  Rossiter.     They  had  one  son,  Roland  B. 

John  W.  Norton,  born  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Ruth  (Dudley) 
Norton,  grandson  of  Eber,  and  great-grandson  of  Reuben,whose  father, 
Thomas,  was  a  son  of  John,  whose  father,  Thomas  Norton,  was  born 
in  1582,  came  to  America  in  1639,  and  died  in  Guilford  in  1648.  Mr. 
Norton  is  a  farmer.  He  has  been  three  years  selectman,  two  terms 
representative  and  is  now  one  of  the  board  of  assessors.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1839,  to  Adalaide  E.  Kimberly,  who  died  leaving  one  son,  Wal- 
lace D.     His  present  wife  was  Elizabeth  R.  Dudley. 

Eli  Parmelee,  born  in  1808,  was  a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth 
(Hart)  Parmelee.  Mr.  Parmelee  was  a  farmer.  He  died  in  Guilford 
in  1882.     He  married  Betsey  A.,  daughter  of  Dan  L.  Benton,  in  1830. 


^  oZZ 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  179 

They  had  two  children:  Annie  Elizabeth,  now  Mrs.  Edward  Griswold; 
and  Ellen  C,  who  died  aged  six  years. 

Henry  E.  Parmelee,  born  in  1830,  is  the  youngest  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Maria  (Dudley)  Parmelee,  and  a  grandson  of  Jonathan  Parmelee. 
Mr.  Parmelee  is  a  farmer.  He  has  served  the  town  as  assessor  and 
selectman,  and  in  1889  was  representative  in  the  legislature.  He  was 
in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  Company  1, 14th  Connecticut  Volunteers, 
from  August  7th,  1862,  to  December  23d,  1863.  He  married  Georgi- 
anna,  daughter  of  Theophilus  Rossiter.  Their  two  sons,  Herbert  E.  and 
Edgar  P.,  are  both  married,  and  follow  the  vocation  of  their  father. 

G.  Perry  Reynolds,  M.D.,  born  in  February,  1829,  in  Norwich, 
Conn.,  is  a  son  of  Henry  B.  and  Amanda  i  Merriss)  Reynolds,  and  grand- 
son of  Jonathan  Reynolds.  Doctor  Reynolds  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Norwich  and  Lyme,  and  the  Essex  Academy,  and  after 
studying  with  Doctor  William  A.  Babcock,  graduated  from  New  York 
Medical  University  in  1852.  He  began  practice  in  Berlin,  Conn., 
and  subsequently  went  to  Spragiie,  from  which  place  he  entered  the 
United  States  service  in  the  11th  Connecticut  Volunteers  as  surgeon 
in  1863,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  began  private 
practice  at  Killingworth,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  until  1870,  when 
he  came  to  Guilford,  where  he  has  since  practiced.  He  married  Mary 
A.  Rogers  in  1852.  She  died  May  24th,  1879,  leaving  two  children: 
Herbert  S.,  M.D.,  of  Clinton;  and  Edith  E.,  a  teacher  in  Meriden, 
Conn. 

George  P.  Rolf,  born  in  1849  in  England,  is  a  son  of  Henry  Rolf. 
He  came  to  Madison  when  one  year  old,  and  in  1870  came  to  Guilford, 
where  he  followed  the  mason's  trade  until  1881,  when  he  bought  a 
livery  business  of  George  Davis,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
Redfield,  under  the  firm  name  of  Rolf  &  Redfield,  which  business  they 
conducted  until  January  1st,  1891,  when  he  bought  out  Mr.  Redfield 
and  carried  on  the  business  in  the  name  of  George  P.  Rolf.  He  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  William  Storer.     They  have  one  son,  Fred. 

David  B.  Rossiter,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Cathar- 
ine L.  (Brooks)  Rossiter,  grandson  of  Timothy,  and  great-grandson  of 
Benjamin  Rossiter.  Mr.  Rossiter  is  a  farmer.  He  has  held  various 
town  offices  and  was  representative  in  1867.  He  married  Carile  M., 
daughter  of  Theophilus  Rossiter.  Their  children  are:  Daniel  W., 
Susan  A.,  Erwin  W.,  Wilbur  T.,  Eliza  A.,  Ellen  S.,  Jennie  A.  and  an 
infant  son,  all  of  whom  are  deceased  except  Erwin  W.  and  Wilbur  T., 
who  are  farmers  at  North  Guilford. 

Edgar  P.  Rossiter,  born  in  1826,  is  a  son  of  Theophilus  and  Eliza 
A.  (Chittenden)  Rossiter,  grandson  of  William,  and  great-grandson  of 
Theophilus  Rossiter.  Mr.  Rossiter  is  a  fanner.  He  has  held  various 
town  offices,  and  in  1885  he  was  in  the  legislature.  He  married  Mrs. 
Elvira  C.  Rossiter,  daughter  of  Augustus  Bishop.  They  have  had  two 
children:  Grace  E.  and  Edgar  E.,  both  deceased. 


180  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

John  R.  Rossiter,  born  in  1817,  is  the  eldest  son  of  Benjamin, 
grandson  of  Timothy,  and  great-grandson  of  Benjamin,  whose  father, 
Nathaniel,  was  a  son  of  Joseph  and  grandson  of  Doctor  Bryan  Rossi- 
ter. Mr.  Rossiter  is  a  farmer.  He  served  four  terms  as  representa- 
tive, has  been  about  40  years  on  the  school  board  and  30  years  acting 
school  visitor.  He  married  Frances  C,  daughter  of  Eber  Critten- 
den. Their  children  are:  Benjamin,  Adeline,  John,  Catharine  (de- 
ceased), Lois,  Frances,  Mary,  Anna  and  Ruth  F.  (deceased).  Mr. 
Rossiter  has  been  for  40  years  deacon  of  the  North  Guilford  church. 

Christopher  Spencer,  born  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  Isaac  S.  and  Char- 
lotte B.  Spencer.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  a  farm  with  his  grand- 
father, Samuel  Spencer.  He  left  the  farm  to  enter  the  employ  of  the 
Guilford  Manufacturing  Company,  where  he  served  his  apprenticeship 
in  company  with  ex-Governor  H.  B.  Bigelow  and  others.  There  he 
remained  until  the  failure  of  the  company.  He  afterward  held  im- 
portant positions  in  stores  in  New  York  and  Ravenna,  Ohio,  returning 
from  the  last  named  place  to  Branford,  Conn.,  where  he  took  the  posi- 
tion of  superintendent  of  the  foundry  of  the  Squires  &  Parsons  Manu- 
facturing Company,  now  Branford  Lock  Works.  Leaving  there  in 
1857,  he  came  to  Guilford  and  began  business  with  his  father  in  the 
firm  now  known  as  I.  S.  Spencer's  Sons,  of  which  firm  he  is  the  senior 
member.  Mr.  Spencer  married  Jane  E.,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Collins. 
They  have  three  sons:  Frederick  C,  Edwin  S.  and  Walter  T. 

George  B.  Spencer,  born  in  1841,  is  one  of  seven  children  of  Isaac 
S.  and  Charlotte  (Brickell)  Spencer,  and  grandson  of  Samuel  Spencer. 
Mr.  Spencer  has  been  engaged  in  manufacturing  in  Guilford  since 
1857.  He  is  now  one  of  the  firm  of  I.  S.  Spencer's  Sons.  He  was 
representative  in  1874,  selectman  one  year,  warden  of  the  borough 
four  years,  and  several  years  burgess.  He  married  Emma  F.,  daugh- 
ter of  Chester  Bickley.     They  have  two  sons:  Samuel  and  Chester  S. 

Leverett  C.  Stone,  born  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Reuben  and  Lucinda 
(Camp)  Stone,  and  grandson  of  Timothy,  whose  father,  Reuben,  was 
a  son  of  Caleb,  he  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of 
Reverend  William  Stone  of  England.  Mr.  Stone,  like  most  of  the 
people  of  Guilford,  has  been  a  farmer.  He  married  Adaline,  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Chloe  (Pardee)  Elliot.  Their  two  children  are:  Anna 
Mary  and  William  L.,  who  married  Elizabeth  Morrill,  and  has  two 
children:  Adaline  E.  and  William  M. 

Alvan  Talcott,  M.  D.,  born  in  Vernon,  Conn.,  in  1804,  was  a  son  of 
Alvan  and  Philomela  (Root)  Talcott,  and  grandson  of  Benjamin  Tal- 
cott. Doctor  Talcott  fitted  for  college  in  his  native  town,  under  the 
instruction  of  Reverend  William  Ealy,  entered  Yale  in  1820,  and  after 
graduating  in  1824,  taught  different  academies  for  a  few  years,  and  in 
1831  graduated  from  Yale  Medical  School  and  began  practice  in  his 
native  town.  In  1841  he  came  to  Guilford,  where  he  practiced  until  a 
few  years  ago,  when  he  retired.     He  married  Olive  N.,  daughter  of 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  181 

Abel  Chittenden.  She  died  in  1882.  Their  three  children  were: 
William  H.,  who  was  lost  at  sea  in  1856;  Sarah,  who  died  in  1866;  and 
a  daughter  that  died  in  infancy.  Doctor  Talcott  died  January  17th, 
1891.  leaving  valuable  genealogical  manuscripts  to  the  New  Haven 
Colony  Historical  Society.  A  short  time  before  his  death  he  gave 
Yale  College  $25,000  to  endow  a  Greek  professorship. 

Levi  W.  Thrall,  born  in  1825,  in  Torrington,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of 
Lawrence  and  Sarah  (Dutton)  Thrall,  and  grandson  of  Levi  Thrall. 
He  came  to  Guilford  in  1867,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in 
raising  fruit  and  garden  truck.  He  married  Amelia  Beecher,  who 
died,  leaving  nine  children:  Sarah,  Martha,  Laura,  Beecher,  Charles, 
Henry,  Anna,  Walter  and  Levi.  His  present  wife  was  Antoinette 
Cole. 

Joel  Tuttle  was  born  in  Guilford,  May  8th,  1792,  and  died 
one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  that  town,  May  1st,  1855.  He 
was  the  youngest  child  and  only  son  of  Joel  and  Elizabeth  (Fowler) 
Tuttle,  the  other  members  of  their  family  being  five  daughters.  His 
mother  belonged  to  one  of  Guilford's  oldest  families,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 26th,  1842,  aged  a  little  more  than  91  years.  His  father  was  a 
son  of  Joel  and  Rebecca  Tuttle,  of  New  Haven,  where  he  was  born, 
September  1st,  1746.  About  the  beginning  of  the  revolution  he  re- 
moved to  Guilford,  where  his  first  wife,  Anna  Crawford,  died,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1775,  and  where,  in  October,  1778,  he  married  Elizabeth  Fowler. 
He  deceased  November  30th,  1822.  The  Tuttles  were  lineal  descend- 
ants of  William  Tuttle,  who  settled  on  Stony  Creek,  in  East  Haven, 
about  1645,  and  from  that  place  members  of  his  family  removed  to 
various  parts  of  the  county,  where  they  prospered  and  became  influ- 
ential citizens. 

The  boyhood  education  of  Joel  Tuttle,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  limited  to  the  instruction  imparted  in  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  town,  but  he  was  a  great  reader  and  diligent  student  in 
his  later  years,  becoming  remarkably  well  self-educated.  He  early 
showed  an  inclination  for  business  pursuits,  and  he  was  trained  for 
mercantile  trade,  which  avocation  he  successfully  followed  until  about 
1850.  His  store  was  on  Broad  street,  west  of  the  new  residence  which 
he  occupied  as  a  homestead  in  the  latter  days  of  his  life. 

He  was  very  energetic  and  industrious,  prospering  in  his  affairs, 
and  became  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  this  part  of  the  county. 
The  care  of  a  farm  also  received  his  attention,  and  he  was  much  in- 
terested in  the  construction  of  the  Shore  Line  railroad.  He  had  a 
clear  judgment  and  his  integrity  was  unsullied.  Hence  his  advice  on 
business  matters  was  often  sought,  and  many  safely  rested  on  his 
counsels.  He  manifested  a  warm  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  town, 
and  his  fellow-townsmen  appreciated  his  worth  by  electing  him  to 
various  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  a  judge  of  the  probate 
court,  and  served  as  a  representative  from  Guilford  in  the  state  legis- 


182  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

lature.  Although  not  a  member  of  any  Christian  church,  he  lived  a 
life  of  the  strictest  morality,  and  was  esteemed  a  just  and  upright  man. 

Joel  Tuttle  was  married  April  23d,  1851,  to  Lucy  E.,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Harriet  Sage,  of  Cromwell,  Conn.,  and  two  children  were 
born  to  them:  Joel  Edward,  March  8th,  1852,  died  August  29th,  the 
same  year;  and  William  .Sage,  December  28th,  1853,  who  died  July 
27th,  1867.  He  was  a  youth  of  unusual  promise,  and  his  intellectual 
development  was,  for  one  of  his  years,  very  brilliant.  His  mother 
fitly  perpetuated  his  memory  by  giving  the  Olivet,  Michigan,  College 
a  memorial  library  fund  of  $15,000.  Mrs.  Tuttle  was  a  woman  of 
many  excellent  qualities,  and,  like  her  husband,  was  much  esteemed 
in  this  community.  The  Tuttle  homestead  is  now  occupied  by  her 
sister,  Miss  Clara  I.  Sage. 

Charles  W.  Walkley,  born  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  Roswell  S.  and  Jeru- 
sha  B.  (Stone)  Walkley,  grandson  of  William,  and  great-grandson  of 
William  Walkley.  Mr.  Walkley  is  a  fisherman  and  farmer.  He  mar- 
ried Jane  E.,  daughter  of  Henry  W.  and  Eliza  A.  (Morse)  Lee,  and 
granddaughter  of  Frederick  W.  Lee.  They  have  two  adopted  daugh- 
ters: Addie  S.  and  Louie  H. 

William  E.  Weld,  son  of  George  and  Mabel  (Fowler)  Weld,  grand- 
son of  Edmund  and  Charlotte  (Stone)  Weld,  and  great-grandson  of 
Joseph  Weld,  was  born  in  1815.  In  early  life  he  was  a  carpenter,  lum- 
ber dealer  and  builder,  but  now  devotes  his  attention  to  farming.  He 
married  Myrta  M.  Holcomb.  Their  children  are:  Jennie  C.  (Mrs. 
Charles  Shelton),  William  Edwin,  and  Julia  A.,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Richard  C.  Wilcox,  born  in  1846,  is  a  son  of  Almon  O.  and  Ruth  D. 
(Kennedy)  Wilcox.  Mr.  Wilcox  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Lucy, 
daughter  of  Edgar  and  Jane  (Robinson)  Page.  Their  children  are: 
Lewis  C,  Elmer  E.,  Edgar  A.  and  Richard  L. 

Eleazer  Woodruff,  born  in  1819,  in  Killingworth,  is  a  son  of  Alonzo 
and  Hannah  (Davis)  Woodruff.  Mr.  Woodruff  is  a  farmer.  He  kept 
the  Guilford  town  mill  for  23  years.  He  married  Harriet  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  Christopher  B.  Davis.  She  died  December  14th,  1890.  Their 
children  are:  Richard  H.,  Lucy  and  Edwin  C.  Richard  H.  married 
Isabell  Parmelee,  November  1st,  1882.  She  died  April  27th,  1885,  at 
the  age  of  26  years,  leaving  one  son,  Henry.  He  afterward  married 
Nellie  R.  Brewer,  and  has  two  children,  Hattie  and  Alva.  Richard 
H.  is  a  farmer.  Lucy,  now  Mrs.  Frank  Griswold,  has  one  son,  John. 
Edwin  C.  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  class  of  '72,  graduating  at 
the  age  of  20  years.  He  married,  July  15th,  1884.  He  died  May  17th, 
1886,  at  the  age  of  34  years.  He  was  town  clerk  and  judge  of  pro- 
bate in  the  town  of  Guilford  at  the  time  of  his  death. 


jL£  J£#£, 


CHAPTER   IV. 


THE    TOWN   OF    MADISON. 


Location  and  Description.— Settlement  and  Settlers.— Old  Houses.— Civil  Organization 
and  Civil  Officers.— Madison  Green. —High  ways. —Industrial  Interests.— East  River. 
— North  Madison.— Madison  Village.— The  Beach.— Physicians.— Educational  and 

Religious.—  Lodges.— Cemeteries.— Military  Affairs.— Biographical  Sketches. 


THE  town  of  Madison  occupies  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county. 
It  extends  north  from  the  sound,  between  the  East  and  the 
Hammonassett  rivers,  about  nine  miles,  and  averages  about  four 
miles  in  width.  The  northern  part  is  very  broken  and  a  considerable 
portion  still  remains  as  woodland.  Along  the  coast  the  soil  is  sandy, 
but  has  been  made  fairly  fertile  by  the  use  of  guano  and  menhaden 
fish,  of  which  large  quantities  are  ploughed  under  annually.  This 
system  of  fertilization  was  begun  in  1798. 

The  streams  of  the  town  are  small  and  unimportant.  Near  the 
southern  central  part  is  Tuxis  pond,  which  has  a  small  and  sluggish 
outlet.  Off  the  shore  is  a  small  island  by  the  same  name.  At  various 
points  near  the  shore  are  upheavals  of  rock,  which  have  been  quarried 
for  flagging  stone,  and  large  quantities  have  been  shipped  out  of  the 
town.  The  shore  presents  a  few  irregularities,  but  is  mainly  an  un- 
broken beach.  The  principal  points  are  Hogshead,  in  the  southwest, 
and  Hammonassett,  in  the  southeast.  The  East  river  at  the  lower  end 
divides  Madison  from  Guilford,  and  the  sound  forms  a  long  neck  of 
land,  which  is  a  part  of  Madison.  The  river  between  the  railroad  to 
the  sound  is  a  natural  bed  for  oysters  and  clams,  both  of  which  are 
finely  flavored  and  often  numerous.  Of  their  value  a  citizen  has  re- 
cently said,  that  he  "would  rather  own  the  river  than  the  whole  town 
of  Madison."  The  fishery  gives  occupation  to  about  a  score  of  regular 
oystermen. 

Title  to  the  Indian  lands  in  the  town  was  early  acquired  by  the 
"  English  Planters  of  Menuncatuck,"  as  is  related  in  the  account  of 
Guilford,  of  which  Madison  was  a  part  more  than  a  century  and  a  half. 
Under  the  direction  of  Guilford  the  first  settlements  were  made.  As 
early  as  1645  a  part  of  what  is  now  Madison  was  improved  as  a  com- 
mon field  for  the  planters,  and  regulations  were  made  concerning  it. 
In  this  territory  the  Indians  had  cleared  a  large  tract,  upon  which  the 
planters  were  encouraged  to  settle.  In  1656  some  of  the  uplands  of 
the  town  were  surveyed  and  divided  according  to  the  proprietors'  list. 


184  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  1666  the  meadows  in  the  East  Quarter  were  divided;    and  in  1675 
all  the  lands  at  that  place  were  fenced  as  a  common  field. 

John  Meigs  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town.  He  came  from 
New  Haven  and  bought  a  hundred-pound  allotment  at  Hammonas- 
sett  in  1653,  but  did  not  remain  permanently  in  the  town.  His  father, 
Vincent  Meigs,  an  old  man,  was  with  him  and  died  in  the  town  in 
1658.  Not  long  thereafter  John  Meigs  removed  to  Killingworth,  but 
his  son,  John  Meigs,  Jr.,  afterward  came  to  East  Guilford,  and  from 
him  have  descended  the  numerous  family  bearing  that  name  in  Madi- 
son, for  more  than  two  hundred  years.  In  the  war  of  the  revolution 
the  Meigs  family  rendered  valiant  service. 

Nathan  Bradley  and  his  brother,  Stephen,  came  from  England  be- 
fore they  had  attained  their  ages.  They  had  intended  to  land  at  New 
Haven,  but  were  obliged  to  land  at  Saybrook,  and  starting  for  their 
point  of  destination  through  the  wilderness,  concluded  to  remain  in 
Guilford.  In  1658,  when  their  names  first  appear  in  the  town  records, 
Nathan  was  twenty  and  Stephen  but  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  former 
settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  near  the  Killingworth  line;  the 
latter  lived  on  Neck  Plain.  Nathan  Bradley  became  a  great  hunter, 
and  in  pursuit  of  game  was  the  first  to  ascend  the  Hammonassett  to 
its  source  in  the  small  lake,  which  was  called  in  his  honor,  Nathan's 
pond.  It  is  said  that  in  his  lifetime  he  killed  several  hundred  deer 
and  bears,  besides  many  other  smaller  wild  animals.  He  lived  to  an 
advanced  age. 

Another  early  settler  on  Neck  Plain  was  Dennis  Crampton,  who, 
prior  to  1660,  lived  on  South  lane,  in  Guilford.  In  his  new  home  he 
became  wealthy  and  the  descendants  numerous. 

Before  1672  Joseph  Hand  came  from  East  Hampton,  Long  Island, 
and  joined  the  East  farmers;  and  later,  Jonathan  Hoyt,  of  Windsor, 
who  received  liberty,  December  9th,  1671,  to  remain  in  Guilford  over 
winter,  became  a  part  of  the  same  community. 

"  In  1672,  as  appears  from  an  official  letter  of  that  period,  the  fol- 
fo wing  persons  resided  in  what  is  now  Eastern  Madison:  Ebenezer 
Thompson,  Nathan  Bradley,  William  Leete,  John  Scranton,  James 
Hill,  John  Meigs,  Joseph  Hand,  Thomas  Cruttenden  and  Thomas  Wil- 
lard.  The  latter  came  from  Deerfield  soon  after.  Still  later  came 
Joseph  Wilcox,  from  Middletown.  In  Liberty  street  Thomas  Dowd 
was  an  earl)'  settler." 

"  In  the  Neck,  were  Benjamin  Stone,  Stephen  Bradley,  Daniel 
Blatchley,  Caleb  Parmelee,  and  Dennis  Crampton,  in  about  1660  or 
earlier,  and  afterwards  Josiah  and  Caleb  Bishop,  James  Lee,  Ebenezer 
Chittenden,  and  Samuel  Leete,  all  from  Guilford;  also,  Thomas  Wil- 
cox, from  Middletown;  Jonathan  Bassett,  from  Chester;  and  Seth  Stone, 
from  Guilford,  about  1760.    John  Scranton,  John  and  Ebenezer  French, 

*From  the  Reverend  James  A.  Gallup's  Historical  Discourse,  November 
16th,  is;;. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  185 

John  French,  Jun.,  John  Grave,  Nathaniel  Evarts,  Cornelius  and  John 
Dowd,  and  Thomas  Hotchkin,  from  Guilford;  Jonathan  Hoyt,  from 
Windsor;  and  Ebenezer  Field,  from  Deerfield,  Mass.,  were  among  the 
first  settlers  in  the  central  part  of  the  town;  also,  Nathaniel  and  John 
Alis,  from  Bolton;  and  Jonathan  Judd,  from  Farmington. 

"Jonathan  Murray  came  from  Scotland,  and  settled  about  168S  in 
the  neighborhood  called  Scotland,  which  took  its  name  from  him; 
John  Bishop,  from  Guilford,  also  located  there. 

"  Benjamin  Hand  located  north  of  '  Short  Rocks.'  John  Hotchkin 
and  Ebenezer  Dudley,  from  the  Center;  and  Jedediah  Coe,  from  Dur- 
ham, settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  '  Horse  Pond.'  In  the  Woods 
District  were  John  Wilcox,  from  Middletown;  Moses  Blatchley,  from 
Guilford;  Nathaniel  Stevens,  from  Killingworth;  Joseph  and  Janna 
Hand,  Jared  Willard,  Samuel  Field,  Joseph  and  Hull  Cruttenden,  sons 
of  settlers  in  the  south  part  of  the  town;  also  Christopher  Foster,  from 
South  Hampton,  L.  I.,  in  1745.  West  of  the  Woods  School  House  were 
Abraham  Dowd  and  Josiah  Dudley,  from  Guilford;  John  Grave,  from 
Hartford;  and  David  Field,  son  of  Ebenezer  Field. 

"  John  Muuger,  grandson  of  Nicholas  Munger,  John  Pierson,  from 
Killingworth;  and  William  Bartlett,  an  Englishman,  immediately 
from  Barbadoes,  settled  in  '  Flanders.' 

"In  the  'Copse'  were  Ebenezer  Grave,  son  of  John  Grave,  the 
elder;  Ebenezer  Field,  2d,  and  Josiah  Everts.  North  of  these  was 
Jonathan  Lee,  from  Guilford;  and  to  the  west,  over  Neck  River,  was 
Ebenezer  Munger,  brother  of  John  Munger. 

"  '  Nicholas  Munger,  who  came  from  England  when  a  youth,  settled 
north  of  Neck  River,  on  the  public  road,  as  soon  as  1651.  Samuel 
Stone  settled  near  him,  and  Reuben  Norton  a  little  west;  they  were 
both  from  Guilford.' 

"  At  the  Quarter  were  James  and  Jonathan  Evarts,  Bezaleel  Bristol, 
and  at  an  early  period  Samuel  Chittenden." 

The  same  writer  says:  "  From  the  famous  ship's  company,  East 
Guilford  appropriates  the  names  of  Bishop,  Chittenden,  Leete,  Stone, 
Dudley,  Norton,  Cruttenden  and  Naish,"  and  added  in  honorable  array 
later  "the  names  of  Munger,  Willard,  Meigs,  Smith,  Crampton,  Kel- 
sey,  Hill,  Hart,  Todd,  Grave,  Hoyt,  Hull,  Bradley." 

"  The  name  of  Field  is  an  East  Guilford  trophy,"  that  famous 
family  having  a  clear  Madison  origin;  so  also  honor  is  reflected  upon 
the  town  by  the  names  of  Hand,  Scranton,  Bushnell,  Dowd  and  Lee, 
all  of  whom  can  trace  their  lineage  back  to  the  time  when  these  hum- 
ble beginnings  were  made  in  East  Guilford  and  North  Bristol  societies. 
The  town  never  became  very  populous  nor  wealthy.  In  1800  there 
were  in  the  First  society,  939  inhabitants;  and  in  North  Madison,  489. 
Thirty  years  later  the  latter  society  had  only  480  inhabitants,  while 
the  former  had  1,262.  In  1S80  the  total  population  was  less,  being  but 
1,672,  and  the  grand  list  did  not  reach  $800,000.  The  population  in 
1880  was  1,429. 


186  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  Madison,  as  in  Guilford,  many  old  houses  may  still  be  found, 
sixty  or  seventy  being  more  than  a  hundred  years  old.  Among  the 
very  old  ones  remaining  are,  at  Hammonassett,  the  Nathan  Bradley 
house,  built  in  1G80;  in  Madison  village,  the  Deacon  John  French  house, 
built  in  1675,  and  the  Deacon  John  Graves  house,  built  in  1680;  in  the 
Neck  district,  the  Bassett  house,  built  in  1680;  in  the  Woods  district, 
the  Return  Jonathan  Wilcox  house,  built  in  1680;  and  in  the  North 
Madison  section  a  house  owned  in  1890  by  Nelson  A.  Taylor,  built  in 
1689.  Madison  warmly  united  with  Guilford,  in  September,  1889,  in 
celebrating  the  250th  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  the  town,  the 
services  being  begun  September  8th,  by  the  exercises  in  the  Madison 
church,  when  the  Reverend  J.  A.  Gallup  preached  the  historical  ser- 
mon. Much  of  the  data  for  this  sketch  has  been  gleaned  from  his 
researches. 

As  the  east  end  of  old  Guilford  became  more  populous,  the  farmers 
living  there  petitioned  the  town  for  liberty  to  become  a  village,  etc. 
Such  a  request,  made  in  1699,  was  refused,  rather  curtly,  because  of 
the  displeasure  of  Guilford  at  the  act  of  the  planters  in  asking  priv- 
ilege to  pay  minister's  rates  at  Killingworth  (to  which  place  they  were 
five  miles  nearer  than  to  Guilford),  which  the  legislature  had  granted 
in  1695.  Nothing  daunted,  the  petition  was  renewed,  and  with  better 
success,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  extracts: 

"  To  the  inhabitants  of  the  towne  of  Guilford,  honored  and  much 
respected  Gentlemen  and  friends,  we  whose  names  are  underwritten, 
your  humble  petitioners  sheweth  that  whare  as  the  providence  of  God 
hath  far  stated  the  lands  of  our  habitation,  as  that  we  cannot  without 
great  difficultie  and  inconveniency,  attend  the  publick  worship  of  god 
in  his  house  and  ordinances  with  yourselves  in  guilford,  which  present 
surcomstances  continuing  as  they  have  bene,  and  are  preiodisiall  to  us, 
so  they  will  be  of  equall  preiodice  to  our  children  and  posteritie; 
Whereupon  we  account  it  our  duty  to  seek  releuef  and  desier  your 
favorable  judgment  for  the  upbuilding  the  publick  worship  of  God 
among  ourselves,  in  order  to  ferder  adress  to  the  General  Cort  for  con- 
farmation. 

which  sd.  grant  as  we  aprehend  being  so  reasonable  for  ous  to  desier, 
and  yourselves  to  allow,  we  humbly  submit  to  your  serious  and  more 
maturer  consediration  and  ever  pray,  dated  at  the  esterly  farms  the 
4  of  March  170| 

John  French,  Janna  Meigs, 

Ebenezer  French,  Benjamin  Hand, 

John  Dudley,  Jonathan  Murry, 

John  French,  Jun.,  John  Scranton, 

Caleb  parmely,  Thomas  Willard, 

Ebenezer  dudley,  John  Thompson, 

Joseph  Parks,  Joseph  Hand, 

Jonathan  hoit,  Nathan  Bradley, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  187 

Moses  blachly,  Obadiah  Wilcoxen, 

nathaniel  Everts,  Jeames  Hill, 

Daniel  blachly,  Nathaniel  Steevens, 

Benjamin  Stone,  Thomas  Critenden, 

Nathaniel  Dudley.  Stephen  Hand, 

Thomas  Hodgken,  Thomas  Doud, 

Ebenezer  Field,  Cornelous   Doud." 
John  Meigs, 

To  this  Petition  the  following  reply  was  made  by  the  town  of  Guil- 
ford: 

"  At  a  Touwn  meting  held  aprall  ye  6,  1703,  in  answare  to  our  sd. 
este  farmers  Petitioners  dated  march  4,  170$  the  touwn  then  Voted, 
that  the  sd.  este  farmers  on  the  east  side  of  neck  river,  have  libarty 
granted  them  by  the  touwn  of  Gilford,  to  be  a  societie  by  them  selves 
and  to  procure  a  minister  among  themselves  in  case  the  General 
Coart  aprove  and  confirme  the  same,  they  paying  their  dues  to  the 
minister  of  Guilford  untill  they  have  provided  a  minister  among 
themselves."- 

The  town  having  assented  to  this  proposition,  Mr.  Joseph  Hand 
was  directed  to  bear  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants  to  the  general  as- 
sembly, at  Hartford,  and  that  body  on  May  13th,  1703,  granted  their 
request  upon  the  same  conditions  as  the  town.  In  1705  the  East  So- 
ciety was  freed  of  town  charges;  and  in  1707  the  society  was  formally 
incorporated.  Three  years  later  the  name  East  Guilford  was  first  used. 
In  1753  the  North  Bristol  society  was  incorporated. 

After  several  futile  attempts  these  two  societies  were  incorporated 
as  a  town  by  the  May,  1826,  general  assembly,  Captain  Frederick  Lee 
and  others  petitioning  that  body  in  behalf  of  the  two  parishes.  The 
town  was  named  Madison  in  compliment  to  the  president,  and  its 
bounds  were  ordered  to  be  the  same  as  those  of  the  constituent 
societies. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  June  19th,  1826,  when  the  follow- 
ing were  chosen:  Clerk  and  treasurer,  Walter  P.  Munger;  selectmen, 
Ebenezer  Dudley,  Reynolds  Webb,  Joel  Blatchley,  Joel  Munger;  con- 
stables, Seth  Ely,  Galen  Dowd;  assessors,  Nathan  W.  Hopson,  Walter 
P.  Munger;  board  of  relief,  Timothy  Grave,  William  Blatchley,  Curtis 
Wilcox;  fence  viewers,  Stephen  Stone,  Elisha  Bassett,  Cyrus  Bradley, 
Josiah  Coan,  Joseph  Hill;  grand  jurors,  Samuel  Robinson,  Truman 
Munger,  Timothy  Dowd;  tythingmen,  Hubbard  Scranton,  Julius  N. 
Dowd,  Gaylord  Munger,  Hubbard  Munger,  Truman  N.  Wilcox;  hay- 
wards,  Augustus  Grave,  Wyllys  Munson,  Truman  N.  Wilcox,  Austin 
Evarts,  Enos  Rogers,  Austin  Chittenden;  sealer  of  weights,  Eber  Judd; 
sealer  of  measures,  Josiah  Munger,  Nathan  Crampton,  Jr.;  pound 
keepers,  Philip  G.  Hill,  Simon  L.  Ely,  Joel  Blatchley,  Frederick  Will- 
iam Scranton,  Pitman  Wheaton,  Josiah  Coan,  Abraham  Hill. 

*Guilford  town  records. 


188  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Walter  P.  Munger  was  the  treasurer  of  Madison  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century,  and  in  1852  received  the  thanks  of  the  town  for  his 
faithfulness  to  his  trust.  In  1837,  when  the  town  received  its  share 
of  the  United  States  surplus  fund,  which  was  accepted  as  a  town  de- 
posit, Walter  P.  Munger,  Jedediah  Field  and  William  Blatchley  were 
appointed  managers  of  the  fund. 

In  1832  the  town  endeavored  to  secure  Buell's  Mills,  on  the  Ham- 
monassett  river,  for  its  use,  but  failed  to  reach  definite  action.  The 
meetings  of  the  town  were  held  alternately  in  the  South  and  North 
societies,  then  more  frequently  in  the  basement  of  the  meeting  house, 
at  Madison  village.  In  November,  1837,  this  was  so  much  out  of  re- 
pair that  the  town  meeting  was  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Frederick 
S.  Field.  The  following  year  the  town  secured  the  right  to  meet  in 
the  basement  of  the  new  church  by  paying  for  the  same.  This  has 
since  been  designated  as  the  town  hall.  In  the  same  locality,  in  recent 
years,  a  small  fireproof  brick  building  was  erected,  in  which  are  the 
offices  of  the  town.  Substantial  vaults  have  been  provided  for  the 
records. 

The  town  clerks  of  Madison  from  its  organization  to  the  present 
time  have  been  the  following:  1826-48,  Walter  P.  Munger;  1849-61, 
Joseph  W.  Dudley;  1862-3,  E.  S.  Smith;  1864-7,  Henry  B.  Wilcox; 
1868,  Reuben  Shaler;  1869-71,  Henry  B.  Wilcox;  1872,  Dennis  Tuttle; 
1873-90,  Henry  B.  Wilcox. 

In  May,  1834,  the  general  assembly  constituted  Madison  as  a  sep- 
arate probate  district,  taking  it  from  the  district  of  Guilford.  Samuel 
Robinson  was  the  first  judge,  serving  two  years.  Since  1S72  Henry  B. 
Wilcox  has  been  the  judge.  Other  judges,  serving  in  order  in  the 
intermediate  period,  were:  Reynolds  C.  Webb,  Jesse  Crampton,  John 
R.  Wilcox,  Joseph  W.  Dudley,  M.  L.  Dowd,  Luman  H.  Whedon,  Lu- 
cius B.  Tuttle  and  William  S.  Hull.  The  clerks  have  been:  Jonathan 
F.  Todd,  John  R.  Wilcox,  Thomas  C.  Ward,  Jonathan  R.  Crampton, 
Richard  E.  Rice,  William  B.  Crampton,  George  C.  Dowd,  Charles  M. 
Wilcox,  Frederick  T.  Dowd,  C.  Henry  Whedon,  William  S.  Hull,  Ezra 
S.  Smith,  Henry  B.  Wilcox,  Joseph  J.  Meigs,  Manfred  A.  Wilcox,  H. 
Clifford  Wilcox. 

The  following  were  the  early  justices  of  the  peace  of  the  East  So- 
ciety: Jarena  Meigs,  Benjamin  Hand,  Thomas  Hodgkin,  John  Graves, 
Josiah  Meigs,  Timothy  Todd,  Timothy  Hill,  Elias  Graves,  Jonathan 
Todd,  Daniel  Hand,  Jr. 

The  public  square,  or  Madison  green,  contains  about  four  acres, 
lying  near  the  present  center  of  Madison  village.  For  many  years  it 
was  an  open  common,  unimproved  and  neglected.  In  1826  the  First 
society  voted  to  sequester  the  land  for  a  "Publick  square  and  parade 
ground,  and  for  other  publick  purposes,  for  all  citizens  of  this  society 
and  others  to  use,  improve  and  enjoy."  In  1842  it  was  voted  inex- 
pedient to  have  any  public  building  on  the  green,  and  in  1845  its  im- 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  189 

provement  as  a  park  was  begun.  This  liberty  was  accorded  to  Thomas 
Scranton,  Timothy  V.  Meigs,  Baldwin  Hart  and  others.  The  ground 
was  now  cleared,  trees  planted  and  a  railing  placed  around  the  square. 
About  half  of  the  green  was  reserved  for  a  parade  ground.  Around 
it,  or  near  by,  are  the  principal  public  buildings  of  the  town,  and  in 
1890  the  locality  presented  a  pleasing  appearance. 

The  first  bridge  across  the  East  river  was  built  in  1649;  the  one 
across  the  Hammonassett  in  1690.  In  1714  the  town  directed  that 
there  should  be  an  open  highway  to  the  bridge.  The  only  turnpike 
in  the  town,  the  "Pettipauge  and  Guilford  Pike,"  surrendered  its  char- 
ter after  about  sixteen  years,  and  in  1840  the  town  voted  to  use  it  as  a 
highway.  The  Shore  road  east  has  for  more  than  two  centuries  been 
the  main  thoroughfare.  Since  July,  1852,  the  town  has  had  the  rail- 
way facilities  afforded  by  the  Shore  Line  Division  of  the  New  York, 
New  Haven  &  Hartford  railroad.  Stations  are  maintained  at  Madison 
village  and  East  River.  Prior  to  this  the  products  of  the  town  were 
shipped  from  the  wharves  on  the  sound  or  East  river,  several  being  in 
the  town.  In  this  period  the  vessels  owned  in  Madison  were  valued 
at  more  than  $50,000.  A  number  were  engaged  in  the  white  fishing 
business,  which  was  here  first  begun  in  1798,  the  fish  being  used  for 
fertilizing  purposes. 

For  many  years  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  almost  exclu- 
sively devoted  to  agriculture,  but  later  ship  building  and  the  timber 
interests  of  the  town  gave  employment  to  many  people.  In  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  town,  which  was  heavily  timbered,  large  quantities  of 
charcoal  were  burned.  At  East  River  bridge  Samuel  H.  Chittenden 
had  a  lumber  mill,  sash  and  blind  factory,  from  about  1825  until  before 
the  civil  war,  which  were  extensively  operated,  and  had  the  reputation 
of  being  one  of  the  best  establishments  of  the  kind  on  the  New  Haven 
county  coast.  The  machinery  was  removed  many  years  ago.  Near 
by  Eber  S.  Hotchkiss  built  a  small  sloop,  drawing  it  to  the  water's 
edge  by  oxen.  Later  he  was  an  extensive  builder  of  vessels  in  this 
locality,  on  the  Guilford  side.  From  the  East  River  wharf  packets 
plied  to  New  York  regularly.  For  some  years  Captain  Henry  Critten- 
den commanded  one  of  these  vessels,  and  was  the  first  to  bring  a  cargo 
of  anthracite  coal  into  the  town.  The  shipment  was  but  fifteen  tons, 
but  the  supply  lasted  three  years.  ■  Russell  Crampton  and  Captain 
Fred  Bishop  were  also  sloop  owners.  Philo  Blatchley  was  one  of  the 
last  to  touch  here  regularly.  Much  ship  timber  was  taken  from  this 
point,  and  a  limited  quantity  is  still  sent  forward  by  rail. 

At  West  Wharf,  Deacon  Abel  Hoyt  was  an  active  ship  builder 
about  1830,  employing  from  two  to  fifty  men.  Among  other  craft  he 
built  was  a  large  brig,  called  the  "  Madison."  Many  vessels  for  the 
West  Indies  trade  were  built.  Jonathan  S.  Hoyt  was  the  last  builder 
at  that  place,  discontinuing  about  1856. 

At  the  East  Wharf  ship  building  has  been  carried  on  more  than 


190  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

seventy  years.  Colonel  Ichabod  L.  Scranton  was  there  about  1825, 
and  built  from  three  to  five  vessels  per  year.  Usually  they  were 
about  BOO  tons  burden.  Charles  M.  Miner  was  one  of  his  workmen, 
and  after  1843  was  more  or  less  engaged  at  that  point,  becoming  the 
master  of  the  yard.  In  1860  he  associated  his  son,  William  C,  with 
him,  and  their  firm  achieved  an  enviable  reputation  as  ship  builders. 
Many  fine  vessels  were  constructed,  among  them  being  one,  in  1868, 
called  the  "Alaska" — a  bark  of  1,200  tons  for  the  Mediterranean  sea 
trade.  Scores  of  three-masted  schooners  were  built,  and  about  forty 
men  were  employed.  The  firm  continued  until  1884.  Since  that  time 
William  C.  Miner,  as  marine  architect,  has  superintended  the  yard  for 
various  builders,  operations  at  times  being  extensively  carried  on, 
from  75  to  90  men  being  given  employment.  In  the  fall  of  1890  two 
large  vessels,  on  the  stocks  and  nearly  ready  to  launch,  were  con- 
sumed by  fire. 

North  of  the  village  of  Madison  small  sloops  were  built  many  years 
ago  by  John  S.  Miner,  and  small  craft  were  also  built  on  the  Hammon- 
assett. 

Madison  has  had  mills  for  grinding  grain  and  sawing  lumber  since 
1699,  when  the  town  of  Guilford  aided  the  East  Farmers  in  acquiring 
those  interests.  Among  the  best  known  mills  in  the  town  are  those 
on  the  Hammonassett,  operated  by  the  Hull  family.  On  the  same 
stream  paper  mills  were  operated  for  some  time.  Two  miles  north  of 
Madison  the  wood  turning  shop  of  William  Whedon,  and  later  of  his 
son,  Webster  D.,  is  a  small  but  active  industry.  The  quarrying  of 
flag  stones  in  various  parts  of  the  town  has  afforded  profitable  occu- 
pation to  a  number  of  men;  and  the  marble  works  of  Julian  Shelley 
give  employment  to  several  more,  on  the  old  Shore  road. 

At  East  River,  Munger  &  Son  are  manufacturers  of  school  appara- 
tus. This  interest  was  begun  in  New  Haven  by  George  Munger,  who 
first  made  liquid  slating.  In  1868  he  removed  to  Guilford,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  J.  W.  Schermerhorn  &  Co.,  which  there  made 
school  apparatus.  He  located  at  East  River  in  1877,  and  with  his  son, 
George  B.  Munger,  established  the  present  business.  Well  equipped 
shops  are  occupied  and  about  a  dozen  men  are  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  blackboards  and  blackboard  goods.  Steam  is  used  as  the 
motive  power. 

East  River  is  a  straggling  hamlet  on  the  railroad  about  midway 
between  Guilford  and  Madison  village.  A  station  was  first  located  in 
1871,  but  for  lack  of  patronage  it  was  soon  discontinued.  In  1876  the 
present  station  was  opened,  and  the  place  has  since  that  time  grown 
to  its  present  condition  as  a  business  point.  Samuel  D.  Crittenden  has 
here  merchandised  since  1871,  and  for  most  of  the  time  has  been  the 
postmaster  of  the  East  River  office,  which  supplies  mail  for  about  600 
people,  there  being  six  mails  per  day.  There  is  a  small  chapel  and  a 
public  library. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  191 

A  post  office  is  also  maintained  at  North  Madison,  and  in  the  same 
locality  stores  and  shops  have  long  been  kept. 

Madison  village  has  a  very  pleasant  location,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  beach  of  Long  Island  sound,  and  is  built  mainly  on  the  street  par- 
alleling it.  This  street  is  from  four  to  ten  rods  wide,  and  has  in  most 
parts  several  rows  of  large  elms,  with  the  intermediate  spaces  well 
turfed,  giving  the  place  an  attractive  appearance.  In  the  village 
proper  it  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long.  Leading  from  it  to  the  rail- 
way station  is  another  fine,  wide  street,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long. 
Many  of  the  houses  are  old  and  stand  on  large  lots,  making  a  strag- 
gling appearance,  yet  indicating  quiet  comfort.  There  are  also  a 
number  of  business  places,  widely  scattered,  a  fine  Congregational 
meeting  house,  a  Methodist  church,  a  Masonic  Hall,  the  new  Hand 
Academy  and  several  other  school  buildings. 

The  Madison  post  office  has  had  as  postmasters,  in  the  last  fifty 
years,  S.  F.  Willard,  J.  R.  Meigs,  John  Wilcox,  Charles  E.  Scranton,  J. 
Myron  Hull  and,  since  August,  1889,  H.  N.  Coe.  It  is  a  money  order 
office,  and  there  are  eight  mails  daily,  distributing  a  large  volume  of 
matter. 

Timothy  Todd  was  a  merchant  at  Madison  after  1747,  but  studied 
medicine  and  removed  to  Vermont.  David  Cruttenden  and  Luman 
Stone  were  merchants  in  the  present  century.  Ichabod  L.  Scranton 
was  in  trade  fifty  years  ago.  He  was  followed  by  Horace  Dudley, 
who  built  the  brick  store  in  1834.  This  has  for  many  years  been  occu- 
pied by  the  Dowd  family.  At  the  green,  stores  were  kept  by  A.  &  J. 
Tibbals,  John  R.  Wilcox,  Curtis  Wilcox  and  others.  Since  1861  James 
R.  Meigs  has  merchandised  at  Madison. 

Madison  Beach,  at  and  near  the  village,  has  become  a  popular  sea- 
side resort,  many  attractive  cottages  being  erected  in  the  past  ten 
years.  Prior  to  that  time  several  good  hotels  had  invited  the  visits  of 
hundreds  of  guests.  Among  these  were  the  hotel  of  H.  B.  Wilcox, 
the  "  Sea  Shore  House,"  of  Artemas  Flower,  and  the  "  Hammonassett 
House,"  of  H.  L.  Parker.  The  latter  is  still  continued.  The  beach 
in  Madison  is  hard  and  in  long  stretches,  and  the  bathing  is  safe. 

The  Reverend  James  A.  Gallup  says  the  following  physicians  prac- 
ticed in  Madison:  Doctors  Isaac  Knight,  Jonathan  Todd,  Abraham 
Blatchley,  William  C.  Griffith,  David  Pritchard,  George  W.  Scranton, 
George  Stone,  Reynold  C.  Webb,  Edwin  Bidwell,  Joseph  J.  Meigs 
and  Daniel  M.  Webb.  The  latter  and  A.  D.  Ayers  were  in  practice  in 
1890. 

.Schools  were  early  established  in  the  East  society  and  in  North 
Bristol.  In  1800  the  First  society  had  four  schools,  and  also  had  a 
good  library.  In  1821  Captain  Frederick  Lee,  who  had  commanded 
a  revenue  cutter  in  the  war  of  1812,  built  an  academy  a  mile  west  of 
the  green.  In  1825  Lee's  Academy  was  incorporated  and  the  building 
drawn  to  the  green,  by  Frederick  Lee,  James  Graves,  Jedediah  Field, 


192  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Samuel  Robinson,  Jr.,  and  others.  The  latter  was  the  teacher,  and 
was  followed,  in  1840.  by  Richard  E.  Rice.  Other  teachers  were  : 
Theodore  A.  Leete,  William  Wallace  Wilcox,  John  R.  Freeman, 
George  Sutton  and  Stillman  Rice.  The  academy  had  for  many  years 
a  splendid  reputation.  The  building-,  a  two  story  frame,  was  used 
more  recently  for  both  public  and  private  schools.  In  1889  it  was 
thoroughly  repaired,  and  is  now  wholly  used  for  public  schools. 

East  of  this  venerable  institution  is  the  new  Hand  Academy, 
erected  in  1884  by  Daniel  Hand  and  presented,  November  23d,  1884, 
by  him  to  the  town  of  Madison,  upon  the  following  conditions  : 

1.  To  be  known  always  as  the  Hand  Academy. 

2.  To  be  kept  unencumbered  and  in  good  repair,  and  to  be  used  as 
an  academy  only,  where  the  youth  of  the  town  may  receive  a  higher 
grade  of  education  than  in  the  common  schools  of  said  town. 

3.  The  town  to  provide  suitable  teachers  and  to  keep  the  academy 
open  to  all  who  may  wish  to  attend  the  same,  at  least  eight  months  in 
the  year. 

The  building  was  erected  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Daniel  Hand^ 
of  Guilford,  and  his  attorney,  Judge  Luzon  B.  Morris,  of  New  Haven. 
It  stands  on  a  spacious  lot,  which  has  been  enclosed  with  an  iron  fence. 
The  building  is  two  stories  high,  of  brick,  with  granite  trimmings,  of 
attractive  architecture,  and  has  been  well  arranged  for  high  school 
purposes.  The  school  has  a  regular  course  of  study,  graduating 
those  who  complete  it,  and  has  about  25  students  yearly.  To  his  gift 
of  an  academy  to  his  native  town  of  Madison,  Daniel  Hand  has 
added  sundry  pieces  of  land  in  the  town,  the  income  of  which  is  to  be 
used  for  the  academy's  support. 

Mr.  Daniel  Hand,  who  died  in  1891,  was  the  donor  of  $1,000,000  to 
the  "Hand  Fund"  of  the  American  Missionary  Association.  It  is  said 
that  this  was  the  largest  gift  of  charity  made  by  an  American  during 
life.  This  munificent  sum  was  largely  the  proceeds  of  the  settlement 
of  business  carried  on  by  Mr.  Hand  and  George  W.Williams,  of  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  in  the  South  before  the  war.  During  the  rebellion  Mr. 
Hand  came  to  the  North,  supposing  that  he  should  lose  all  his  inter- 
ests. But  Mr.  Williams,  with  singular  and  rare  honor,  continued  the 
business  to  a  successful  end,  and  paid,  of  his  own  accord,  the  above 
large  amount  to  Mr.  Hand,  as  his  share  of  the  proceeds  of  their  sev- 
eral ventures,  and  Mr.  Hand,  very  wisely,  has  devoted  the  greater 
part  of  it  to  the  education  of  the  freedmen  where  the  money  was 
made. 

The  Hand  Academy  is  supported  by  an  annual  outlay  of  about 
$1,000,  and  the  other  schools  cost  about  $2,500  per  year.  Over  two 
hundred  pupils  are  enrolled,  and  there  is  an  increasing  interest  in 
education.  In  1890  the  acting  school  visitors  of  the  dozen  schools  were 
James  L.  Parker  and  Reverend  W.  E.  B.  Moore.  The  Reverend  J.  A. 
Gallup  was  the  examining  committee. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  193 

The  Madison  Farmers'  Library  Association  was  incorporated  in 
March,  1831.  A  good  library  was  established,  which  was  usually  kept 
in  the  Boston  street  school  house,  and  books  were  given  out  periodi- 
cally. It  is  said  that  in  this  circulation  a  peculiar  method  was  pur- 
sued. The  librarian  called  out  the  titles  of  the  books,  when  those 
present  wanting  them  bid  on  them,  according  to  the  degree  of  inter- 
est they  had  in  the  books.  After  a  score  of  years  the  library  went 
down. 

At  East  River,  a  small  public  building  for  a  reading  room  and 
social  gatherings  was  built,  in  1874,  by  Horace  B.  Washburne,  of  New 
York,  and  the  citizens  of  that  locality.  In  this  the  East  River  Library 
Company,  incorporated  in  1876,  has  established  a  library  which  had  in 
1890  nearly  1,200  volumes.  Besides  the  local  support  given  it,  the 
library  has  an  endowment  fund,  given  by  Mr.  Washburne,  which 
yields  $150  per  year.  In  1890  the  directors  of  the  association  were: 
Samuel  D.  Cruttenden,  H.  D.  Knowles,  I.  L.  Scranton,  S.  H.  Chitten- 
den and  E.  W.  Munger.  William  B.  Chittenden  is  secretary  of  the 
company,  and  Miss  Carrie  Leete  the  librarian. 

In  the  audience  room  of  the  above  building  a  Union  Sunday  school 
was  established  in  1890. 

The  Madison  Library  Association  was  organized  January  9th,  1878, 
with  J.  Myron  Hull,  president ;  Mrs.  J.  A.  Gallup,  secretary;  Dennis 
Tuttle,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Frank  Lee,  librarian;  H.  B.  Wilcox  and  Mrs. 
William  Wilcox,  trustees.  The  association  prospered,  and  in  1883 
was  incorporated.  In  1890  there  were  25  annual,  13  semi-annual  and 
9  quarterly  members.  The  library  contained  650  volumes  of  well- 
selected  books,  besides  a  large  quantity  of  periodical  matter.  It  was 
opened  three  days  in  the  week  and  was  well  patronized.  At  this  time 
Reverend  J.  A.  Gallup  was  the  president,  Miss  M.  E.  Redfield  the  sec- 
retary, and  Miss  Fannie  Fisk  the  librarian.  This  library  is  kept  at 
Madison  village. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  early  settlers,  in  order  to  enjoy  church 
privileges,  were  obliged  to  go  to  Guilford  or  Killingworth,  and  that 
parish  privileges  were  not  fully  realized  until  1707.  But  pending  the 
efforts  to  secure  these  privileges,  the  planters  took  measures  to  build 
a  meeting  house,  which  should  be  used  by  the  new  society.  As  early 
as  February  13th,  1701,  "  at  a  meeting  of  the  easterly  farmers,  it  was 
agreed  that,  provided  that  the  town  of  Guilford  give  us  liberty  to  erect 
a  meeting  house,  that  we  will  set  the  meeting  house  between  John 
Grave's  house  and  Jonathan  Hoit's,"  which  would  be  between  the 
present  residences  of  Deacon  J.  T.  Lee  and  Mrs.  Betsey  Grave,  a  spot 
on  the  southeastern  section  of  the  present  green;  and  it  was  there  that 
the  first  meeting  house  was  located,  near  the  site  of  the  one  which  sue- 
ceeded  it.  It  had  neither  bell  nor  steeple,  and  was  at  first  without 
galleries,  and  was  built  in  1705. 

December  2d,  1714,  the  "  societie  voted  a  2-peny  roat  to  build  the 
13 


1!»4  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

galliros,"  also  "  that  they  wold  not  build  the  pues  with  the  gallery," 
and  "  that  they  wold  have  seats  in  thegalleres."  February  11th,  1715, 
it  was  voted  "  that  the  tow  peuni  reat  that  was  granted  to  build  the 
gallery,  be  paid  in  money,  or  in  wheat  at  six  shiling  per  bushel,  or  in 
corn  at  tow  shiling  and  six-pence  per  bushel,  or  flax  at  eight-pence 
per  pound,  or  ots  at  one  shiling  six-pence  per  bushel." 

Permission  was  given  from  time  to  time  to  individuals  to  put  up 
pews  in  the  gallery  at  their  own  expense  and  for  their  own  use. 
Abraham  Bishop  and  Stephen  Bradley  were  "  granted  liberty  to  build 
a  peu  over  the  gallery  stares,  provided  it  baint  a  damieg  to  ye  going 
up  into  ye  gallerys."  John  French  and  Nathaniel  Dudley  "  to  build 
peus  between  ye  est  gallirie  stares  and  the  south  door,"  and  "between 
the  west  gallery  stares  and  south  door,"  and  to  have  the  "  emprove- 
ment  of  them  till  ye  societie  see  caus  to  order  otherways." 

"  October  ye  25,  year  1717,  it  was  voted,  that  they  will  have  eaight 
new  winda  freames  in  ther  meting-hous,  and  they  will  have  them  put 
up  in  ther  loer  tiers  of  windars,  and  casements,  and  glass."  It  was, 
probably,  without  glass  windows  at  first.  In  December,  1721,  it  was 
"  voted  to  build  up  the  hinder  seats  in  side  gallery,  and  banister  them, 
and  that  the  younger  sort  of  men  to  set  in  the  bannestered  seat,  and 
ye  boys  to  set  in  ye  meddlemost  seat,  and  the  like  order  to  be  in  ye 
este  gallery,  by  the  younger  sort  of  maids  and  garls;"  also  "  voted  to 
have  a  seat  built  before  the  foremost  seat  in  the  square  body  of  ye 
meeting  house  for  boys  and  girls  to  set  on,  and  another  on  the  hind 
part  of  sd  square  body,  for  the  boys  and  garls  to  set  on;  also  to  build 
a  pew  on  the  west  side  of  the  pulpit,  for  Mrs.  Hart  to  set  in,  and  to 
move  the  pew  este  side  of  the  pulpit  up  to  the  pulpit,  for  the  aged 
widdows  to  set  in,  and  to  make  the  rest  of  the  hy  ground  into  seats." 

Thus  we  have  a  fair  idea  of  the  first  meeting  house  in  which  the 
fathers  worshipped  in  this  place.  The  pulpit  was  on  the  north.  There 
were  outside  doors  on  the  south,  east  and  west.  The  gallery  stairs 
were  in  the  southeast  and  southwest  corners  of  the  audience  room. 
Pews  were  built,  to  some  extent,  around  the  sides,  and  long  seats  were 
placed  in  the  square  body  or  center  of  the  house.  It  was  finished  un- 
doubtedly in  native  wood,  and  was  innocent  of  paint,  varnish  and  car- 
pets. Externally  it  was  a  barn-like  edifice,  without  paint  or  ornament- 
ation, panel  or  cornice.  Instead  of  the  bell  to  call  the  people  together, 
they  used  the  drum,  which  answered  the  double  purpose  of  calling  to- 
gether the  assembly  for  worship  and  of  sounding  an  alarm  in  case  of 
attack  by  the  Indians. 

"  At  a  society's  meeting,  held  December  2,  1714,  John  Grave  was 
chosen  to  beat  the  drum  on  Sabbath  days  and  other  publick  days, 
for  twenty  shiling  the  year;"  this  salary  was  cut  down  the  next 
year  to  "  13  shiling  and  4d.,"  and  "  Widdow  Martha  Dudley  was 
chosen  to  sweep  the  meeting-house  this  year,  and  to  do  it  for  twenty 
shiling." 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  195 

There  were  no  fires  to  build  and  no  candles  to  light,  as  evening: 
meetings  were  not  then  thought  of;  no  carpets  to  sweep  or  cushions  to 
keep  in  order.  The  sexton's  duties  were  not  arduous  or  expensive. 
Another  matter  of  importance  was  to  have  the  congregation  properly 
seated,  and  in  order  to  do  this  a  committee  was  appointed  to  "  dignify 
the  meeting  house,"  that  is,  to  seat  those  attending  according  to  their 
ages,  social  position  and  the  lists  of  rates  paid.  Twelve  men  were 
chosen  "  to  have  inspection  over  the  youth  on  Sabbath  days  and  other 
public  days."  A  watch  was  also  kept  against  Indian  attack.  In  1706 
a  house  was  built  for  the  accommodation  o'f  the  minister. 

The  organization  of  the  church  now  properly  followed,  and  in  No- 
vember, 1707,  was  formed  the  present  Congregational  church  of  Mad- 
ison. The  same  time  the  first  pastor,  the  Reverend  John  Hart,  was 
installed.  He  was  born  at  Framingham,  in  1682,  studied  three  years 
at  Cambridge,  removed  toSaybrook  in  1702,  and  became  the  sole  mem- 
ber of  the  senior  class  of  Yale  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1703,  being  the  first  graduate  in  course  of  that  institution.  He  was 
soon  after  elected  a  tutor  of  that  college,  and  probably  had  some  of  his 
classes  at  Madison,  as  he  first  preached  here  as  early  as  1705,  serving 
the  newly  formed  society  before  his  installation.  He  continued  as  the 
pious,  exemplary  pastor  until  his  death,  March  4th,  1731,  and  added 
about  80  members  to  the  church.  He  was  interred  in  the  West 
cemetery. 

It  was  with  some  little  difficulty  that  the  next  pastor  was  settled, 
calls  being  given  in  turn  to  Abraham  Todd,  Thomas  Weld  and  Job 
Parker,  before  Jonathan  Todd  was  finally  invited  to  settle,  August 
27th,  1733.  He  was  ordained  October  24th,  1733,  and  at  once  began 
the  work  of  harmonizing  the  church,  which  had  become  distracted  in 
this  period  of  two  years  and  eight  months,  in  which  there  was  no 
minister.  Mr.  Todd  was  born  in  New  Haven  in  1713,  graduated  from 
Yale  in  1732,  and  was  ordained  when  he  was  but  twenty  years  old.  He 
took  a  high  rank  as  a  scholar,  being  one  of  the  most  accomplished 
linguists  of  his  day,  and  was  also  highly  esteemed  as  a  pastor  and 
preacher.  In  the  epidemic  of  1750-1,  when  43  of  his  parishioners  died, 
he  was  callled  upon  to  labor  incessantly  among  the  sick  and  the  dying. 
But,  although  his  labors  were  so  arduous,  -'he  outlived  all  in  his  parish 
who  were  heads  of  families  when  he  was  ordained,  and  during  his 
ministry  he  buried  twice  his  whole  congregation.  He  had  held,  at  his 
death,  the  pastoral  office  longer  than  any  other  person  in  the  state— 57 
years  and  4  months."  He  died  February  24th,  1791,  full  of  years,  good 
works  and  honors.  In  his  ministry  about  ten  persons  per  year  were 
added  to  the  church,  the  number  belonging  at  his  decease  being  84.  A 
monument  in  West  Cemetery  fitly  tells  of  his  worth. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Todd  the  building  of  a  new  meet- 
ing house  was  agitated,  a  vote  to  that  effect  being  taken  December 
17th,  1736.     But  the  question  of  site  and  other  matters  connected  with 


196  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  building  prevented  the  speedy  completion  of  the  house,  and  it  was 
not  dedicated  until  May,  1743.  "  This  meeting  house,  which  is  re- 
membered by  many  now  living,  stood  on  the  southeastern  section  of 
the  present  green,  which  was  then  an  open  common.  It  was  two 
stories,  had  two  tiers  of  windows,  and  entrances  on  the  south,  east  and 
west.  In  1799  a  steeple  was  built  on  the  west  end  of  the  meeting 
house,  and  in  1801  a  bell  was  purchased,  which  superseded  the  drum 
that  up  to  this  time  had  continued  to  call  the  assembly  together  for 
worship  on  the  Sabbath. 

"  The  internal  arrangement  of  the  house  was  quite  similar  to  the 
one  which  preceded  it.  The  pulpit  was  on  the  north  side,  and  was 
reached  by  a  long,  winding  flight  of  stairs  and  entered  through  sub- 
stantial doors,  while  over  it  hung  the  '  sounding  board  ' — a  bulky,  pear- 
shaped  contrivance  of  wood,  suspended  over  the  minister's  head,  to 
the  anxious  solicitude  of  the  timid  and  the  youthful  of  the  congrega- 
tion, lest,  by  some  mischance,  it  should  break  from  its  fastenings  and 
fall  upon  the  preacher's  head,  bringing  to  an  untimely  end  both  the 
sermon  and  the  preacher.  There  were  pews  around  the  walls  of  the 
church,  and  an  outside  tier  on  the  square  body.  On  either  side  of  the 
broad  aisle  were  long  seats,  while  the  deacons  sat  below  the  pulpit  and 
behind  the  communion  table.  The  stairs  leading  to  the  galleries  were 
in  the  southeastern  and  southwestern  corners  of  the  audience  room. 
This  house  was  considered  large  and  handsome  in  its  day."* 

The  plan  of  seating  it  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  first  house,  and 
seating  committees  were  appointed  as  late  as  October  1 0th,  1831,  the 
following  being  last  designated  to  serve  in  that  capacity:  Jesse  Cramp- 
ton,  J.  T.  Lee,  Ichabod  L.  Scranton,  Frederic  L.  Whedon,  Walter  P. 
Munger,  Cyrus  Bradley  and  Amos  Bishop,  all  of  them  influential  men 
in  their  day,  as  this  was  a  most  delicate  duty  to  perform,  so  that  none 
would  be  offended. 

The  successor  of  Mr.  Todd  was  Reverend  John  Elliott,  D.D.,  who 
was  ordained  to  the  pastoral  office  November  2d,  1791 .  He  was  born 
in  Killingworth  in  176S,  and  was  a  grandson  of  Reverend  Jared  Elli- 
ott, who  was  a  son  of  Reverend  Joseph  Eliot,  of  the  Guilford  church. 
Entering  Yale  in  1782,  he  graduated  with  high  honors  and  scholarly 
attainments  in  1786.  Before  his  settlement  here  he  had  preached  for 
Mr.  Todd  when  the  latter's  infirmities  prevented  him  from  doing  so, 
and  his  ministry  here  was  continued  also  till  his  death,  December  17th, 
1824.  He  was  a  wise,  judicious  and  devoted  minister,  thoroughly  con- 
secrated to  his  work  and  living  only  for  its  better  advancement.  His 
admissions  to  the  membership  averaged  about  ten  per  year,  and  through 
his  instrumentality  the  "  Ministerial  Fund  "  was  begun  in  1815,  whose 
income  first  became  available  in  1855.  By  additions  and  wise  manage- 
ment the  fund  now  amounts  to  more  than  $12,000.  In  Doctor  Elliott's 
pastorate  the  Sunday  school  was  also  established   in   1820,  the  pastor 

♦Reverend  J.  A.  Gallup. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  197 

and  the  church  warmly  cooperating  to  that  end.  It  has  been  a  most 
valuable  auxiliary  in  the  work  of  the  parish. 

For  a  time,  after  Doctor  Elliott's  decease,  Reverend  William  C. 
Fowler  supplied  the  pulpit  and  declined  an  invitation  to  settle  as  pas- 
tor. The  fourth  person  in  that  office  was  Reverend  Samuel  Nicholas 
Shepard,  who  was  ordained  November  2d,  1825.  He  was  a  learned, 
vigorous  preacher,  faithfully  serving  his  parishioners,  among  whom 
his  life  was  ended  September  30th,  1856,  when  but  57  years  of  age. 
He  yearly  added  to  the  membership,  the  average  for  his  ministry  be- 
ing more  than  16  per  year.  In  his  ministry  the  third  and  the  present 
meeting  house  was  built. 

The  first  action  of  the  society,  with  reference  to  a  new  meeting 
house,  was  taken  January  11th,  1837;  and  January  22d  they  voted  "to 
build  a  house  for  the  worship  of  God,"  provided  $2,500  be  obtained  by 
subscription.  February  15th,  the  following  persons  were  appointed  a 
building  committee:  Benjamin  Hart,  Jedediah  Field,  Eber  S.  Hotch- 
kiss,  Alva  O.  Wilcox  and  Timothy  V.  Meigs.  It  was  voted  to  have 
the  desk  opposite  the  doors,  "  that  there  be  three  aisles,"  "  that  the 
wall  slips  be  set  bending,  so  as  to  face  the  desk,"  "  to  have  the  walls  of 
the  house  arched,"  "  that  the  posts  be  thirty  feet  high,  on  a  basement 
of  five  feet,"  "  to  have  a  steeple  with  a  spire."  April  10th,  it  was  voted, 
"  to  have  the  new  house  located  on  Dea.  Hart's  land,  provided  it  can 
be  obtained  without  expense  to  the  society;"  if  not,  "  to  move  the 
present  stakes  one  inch,  and  locate  the  house  there." 

The  present  site  was  finally  fixed  upon,  but  became  the  occasion  of 
a  very  bitter  controversy.  Alienations  and  divisions  followed,  result- 
ing, in  1841,  in  the  withdrawal  of  47  members  of  the  church  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  new  and  independent  church.  Measures  were 
taken  for  the  erection  of  a  new  meeting  house.  This  breach  in  the 
church  and  society,  which  threatened  the  most  serious  consequences, 
was  finally,  through  the  kindly  mediation  of  the  Consociation,  happily 
adjusted,  and  those  who  had  withdrawn  were  restored  to  fellowship, 
and  the  lines  of  separation  gradually  faded  out  through  the  friendly 
aid  of  time  and  the  grace  of  God. 

The  architect  and  builder  of  the  new  meeting  house  was  Mr.  Vol- 
ney  Pierce.  A  very  sad  accident  occurred  in  raising  a  heavy  truss 
beam.  The  frame  of  the  tower  to  which  it  was  attached,  and  by  which 
it  was  being  raised,  gave  way  and  fell,  precipitating  those  on  it  to  the 
ground.  Two  workmen,  by  the  name  of  H.  M.  Pierce  and  John  A. 
Smith,  were  instantly  killed.  This  was  May  19th,  1838.  The  bell  of 
the  old  house  was  sold  to  the  society  in  North  Madison,  and  a  new  one 
procured  for  this  house.  The  tower  clock,  which  still  regulates  the 
time-pieces  of  the  village,  was  transferred  to  its  present  position  from 
the  old  meeting  house.  The  new  meeting  house  was  formally  dedi- 
cated November  21st,  1838.  The  following  year  the  basement  was 
fitted  ud  for  a  town  hall  and  has  since  so  been  used. 


108  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  1867  the  house  was  so  thoroughly  reconstructed  that  it  practi- 
cally became  a  new  edifice,  and  was  rededicated  November  21st,  1867, 
as  one  of  the  most  comely  country  churches  in  the  county,.  An  organ 
costing  $2,600  was  supplied,  and  was  first  used  on  August  8th,  1869. 
Still  later  a  convenient  chapel  was  built,  the  entire  outlay  of  these 
improvements  being  more  than  $19,000,  all  of  which  has  been  paid, 
leaving  the  parish  free  from  debt. 

Reverend  Samuel  Fisk,  the  fifth  pastor  of  the  church,  was  ordained 
June  3d,  1857.  He  was  born  in  Shelburne,  Mass.,  July  23d,  1828,  and 
graduated  from  Amherst  College  in  1848,  afterward  serving  three 
years  as  tutor  of  that  institution.  Subsequently  he  traveled  in  Europe 
and  other  foreign  countries,  and  published  his  keen  observations  in  a 
volume  called  "  Dunn  Browne  Abroad."  To  this  was  afterward  added 
a  companion  volume  of  his  experiences  in  the  army  of  the  Union, 
which  he  entered  as  a  private  August  23d,  1862.  He  was  soon  after 
elected  captain  of  Company  G,  of  the  regiment  in  which  he  enlisted, 
and  served  in  that  office  until  his  death,  May  22d,  1864,  from  wounds 
received  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  He  was  brought  to  Madi- 
son, where  funeral  services  were  held  May  26th,  when  the  remains 
were  taken  to  Shelburne  Falls  for  interment  among  his  kindred.  He 
was  thus  the  first  pastor  buried  away  from  the  scenes  of  his  labors  at 
Madison. 

Mr.  Fisk  was  beloved  by  the  entire  community  and  was  eminently 
successful  as  a  pastor,  and  during  his  ministry  of  a  little  more  than 
seven  years,  82  were  added  to  the  church. 

"  During  Mr.  Fisk's  absence  in  the  army  his  pulpit  was  supplied 
for  about  two  years  by  Reverend  S.  A.  Loper.  After  Mr.  Fisk's  death 
various  persons  supplied  the  pulpit,  several  with  reference  to  settle- 
ment. Reverend  Thomas  M.  Boss  preached  here  with  general  accept- 
ance for  six  months  or  more." 

The  sixth  and  present  pastor  of  the  church,  Reverend  James  A. 
Gallup,  was  born  in  Ledyard,  Conn.,  and  is  a  son  of  Deacon  Russel 
Gallup,  of  the  Congregational  church  of  that  place,  of  which  the  Rev- 
erend Timothy  Tuttle  was  pastor  for  53  years.  He  prepared  for  col- 
lege at  Phillips'  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.;  entered  Yale  in  1847,  and 
graduated  in  1851;  studied  theology  in  New  Haven;  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  the  New  Haven  Central  Association,  July  6th,  1853,  and 
was  ordained  and  settled  over  the  Cono-reo-ational  church  in  Essex, 
Conn.,  May  17th,  1854.  A  call  to  the  pastoral  office  of  this  church  was 
extended  to  him  September  18th,  1865.  He  was  dismissed  from  the 
church  in  Essex  October  4th,  1865,  and  signified  his  acceptance  of  the 
call  of  this  church  and  society  October  5th.  He  began  his  labors  here 
the  first  Sabbath  in  October,  and  was  installed  November  2d,  1865. 

Mr.  Gallup,  like  his  predecessors,  has  consecrated  his  life  to  the 
work  of  the  parish,  and  consequently  the  church  has  continued  to 
prosper.     During  his  ministry  the  changes  in  the  East  meeting  house 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  199 

have  been  made,  placing  the  temporalities  of  the  parish  in  excellent 
condition.  More  than  360  members  have  been  added  to  the  church  by 
him,  which  had  in  1889  359  members.  The  families  in  the  parish 
numbered  225.  The  Sabbath  school  had  200  members  enrolled,  and 
Webster  D.  Whedon  was  the  superintendent.  Joseph  S.  Scranton  was 
the  treasurer  of  the  church  and  Everett  G.  Hill  the  treasurer. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  for  the  first  150  years  of  its  existence 
and  the  time  they  were  chosen  were  as  follows:  John  Meigs,  1707; 
Benjamin  Stone,  1707;  John  French,  1718;  Timothy  Meigs,  1745;  Josiah 
Meigs,  1751;  John  Grave,  1753;  Timothy  Hill,  1763;  Thomas  Stone, 
1774;  Benjamin  Hart,  1781:  Levi  Ward,  1791;  Timothy  Hill,  1798; 
Phineas  Meigs,  1S06;  Ashbel  Bradley,  1807;  Abel  Hoyt,  1817;  William 
Hart,  1824;  Benjamin  Hart,  1828;  Josiah  Griswold,  1828;  Jason  Seward, 
1841;  Zenas  Wilcox,  1850;  J.  Trumbull  Lee,  1850;  Walter  P.  Munger, 
1850;  Martin  L.  Dowd,  1857;  William  C.  Bushnell,  1859. 

The  church  has  raised  up  the  following  as  ministers:  Moses  Bart- 
lett,  William  Hart,  William  Stone,  Timothy  Field,  David  D.  Field, 
D.D.,  Erastus  Scranton,  Harvey  Bushnell,  William  C.  Fowler,  Ralph 
S.  Crampton,  Stephen  A.  Loper,  Andrew  L.  Stone,  Seth  B.  Stone,  James 
L.  Willard,  William   B.  Lee,  Chauncey  D.  Murray,  Pascal  Murray,  W. 

H.  H.  Murray,  Marshall  V.  Meigs,  Timothy  J.  Lee,  Charles  Dowd, 

Buell,  Wedworth  Dowd. 

The  North  Madison  Congregational  church  was  regularly  consti- 
tuted in  1757.  The  North  Madison  locality  was  first  settled  by  the 
Bristol  family  and  a  few  others,  who  for  many  years  attended  church 
at  Guilford,  and  after  the  formation  of  the  First  or  East  Guilford  so- 
ciety, at  the  latter  place.  Samuel  Bristol  died  in  1692.  He  had  two 
sons,  Samuel  and  Bezaleel.  The  latter  was  born  in  1681,  and  became 
a  very  prominent  man  in  that  community  and  the  town,  as  did  also 
his  sons,  Bezaleel,  Richard  and  Nathan.  He  was  active  in  his  efforts 
to  have  a  distinct  society,  and  when  that  liberty  was  granted,  on  their 
petition  of  March  5th,  1752,  the  society  was  named  for  him.  North 
Bristol.  This  title  the  church  and  society  retained  until  about  1830, 
when  the  present  name  was  adopted. 

The  first  application  for  the  right  to  set  up  public  worship  was 
made  December  3d,  1744,  when  the  North  Madison  inhabitants  asked 
for  liberty  "  to  have  winter  preaching  among  themselves  the  three 
winter  months  and  the  month  of  March."  In  1748  they  petitioned 
"for  leave  to  be  a  winter  parish."  On  the  order,  in  1753,  that  a  "div- 
ident  line  be  fixed  between  the  old  society  and  the  new,"  a  line  was 
run,  "To  begin  at  the  mouth  of  hog  pound  Brook,  thence  by  sd.  hog 
pound  to  the  mouth  of  Jay  swamp  Brook,  thence  to  the  old  Saw-mill 
dam,  Called  Capt.  Seward's  saw  mill." 

The  society  was  embodied  into  a  church  state  March  23d,  1757,  the 
following  being  enrolled  as  members:  John  Albs,  Mary  Allis,  wife  of 
John;  Joshua  Bishop,  Silence  Bishop,  wife  of  Joshua;  Susanna  Bishop. 


200  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

daughter  of  Joshua;  Sarah  Bristol,  wife  of  Eezaleel;  Mercy  Crampton, 
David  Dudley,  Dinah  Dudley,  wife  of  David;  David  Dudley,  2d,  Mary 
Dudley,  wife  of  David,  2d;  David  Field,  Anna  Field,  Wife  of  David; 
Thomas  French,  Sarah  French,  wife  of  Thomas;  John  Hopson,  Milli- 
cent  Hopson,  wife  of  John;  David  Seward,  Martha  Seward,  wife  of 
David;  Jerusha  Shelley,  wife  of  John;  Nathaniel  Stevens,  Sarah  Ste- 
vens, wife  of  Nathaniel;  Samuel  Teal,  Anna  Teal,  wife  of  Samuel; 
John  Wilcox. 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1757,  Reverend  Richard  Ely  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  the  first  pastor.  The  ceremony  took  place  at  Guilford, 
and  at  the  same  time  Mr.  Amos  Fowler  was  set  over  the  Guilford 
church.     He  was  dismissed  August  30th,  1785. 

In  the  history  of  the  church  six  more  ministers  were  installed, 
namely:  Reverend  Simon  Backus,  installed  October,  1790,  dismissed 
April,  1801 ;  John  Ely,  installed  October,  1812,  died  November,  1827, 
aged  64;  David  Metcalf,  installed  May,  1S29,  dismissed  September, 
1831;  Jared  Andrus,  installed  June,  1832,  died  in  November,  1832,  aged 
48;  Stephen  Hayes,  installed  June,  1833,  dismissed  June,  1838;  Amos 
LeFavor,  installed  December,  1838,  dismissed  December,  1840. 

From  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Ely  to  that  of  Mr.  Backus  was  a  period 
of  five  years;  and  from  that  of  Mr.  Backus  to  that  of  Mr.  John  Ely 
eleven  years,  during  which  the  church  was  without  a  pastor.  The 
names  of  the  ministers  are  not  given  in  the  records. 

The  uninstalled  or  acting  pastors  of  the  church  have  been  the  fol- 
lowing: Reverend  Judson  A.  Root,  April  1st,  1841— April  1st,  1842; 
Lent  S.  Hough,  April,  1842— April,  1845;  Martin  Dudley,  April,  1845— 
April,  1846;  William  Case,  April,  1846— April,  1847;  James  T.  Terry, 
April,  1847— April,  1848;  Reuben  Torrey,  April,  1848— October,  1852; 
Phineas  Blakeman,  January  1st,  1853— January  1st,  1858;  Samuel 
Howe,  August,  1858— April  1st,  1866;  Elbridge  W.  Meritt,  July  22d, 
1866— January  14th,  1867;  Clinton  M.  Jones,  May  1st,  1867— May  1st, 
1st,  1870;  Francis  Dyer,  September,  1870— November,  1873;  Dighton 
Moses,  April  1st,  1874— April  1st,  1875;  F.  F.  Rea,  three  months  in 
1875;  Richard  H.  Gidman,  December  1st,  1875— December  1st,  1884; 
William  E.  B.  Moore,  April  1st,  1S85,  and  continues  to  the  present 
time. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  have  been:  Thomas  French,  chosen 
1757,  resigned  1765,  died  1772,  aged  73;  David  Dudley,  chosen  1758, 
died  1780,  aged  73;  Caleb  Munger,  chosen  1765,  died  1797;  David  Dud- 
ley, chosen  1775,  died  1807,  aged  9.0;  John  Hopson,  chosen  1782,  died 
1786,  aged  65;  Aaron  Stone,  chosen  1796,  died  1821,  aged  80;  John  Hop- 
son,  chosen  1812,  died  1820,  aged  65;  Noah  Benton,  chosen  June,  1820, 
died  1847,  aged  84;  Bela  Munger,  chosen  December  1820,  died  1861; 
Hubbard  S.  Munger,  chosen  1839,  died  1858,  aged  64;  Alanson  Red- 
field,  chosen  1846,  resigned  1853;  Henry  S.  Hill,  chosen  1853;  Timothy 
Norton,  chosen  1853,  died  1877,  aged  64;  Judson  H.  Munger,  chosen 
1878. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  201 

The  house  of  worship,  according  to  the  last  church  manual,  was 
the  "  Society  House,"  until  the  first  meeting  house  was  erected. 
This  house  stood  at  the  end  of  the  old  cross-road,  a  little  north  of 
Deacon  J.  H.  Munger's. 

The  first  meeting  house  was  raised  in  June,  1765.  It  stood  a  few 
rods  northeast  of  the  present  house.  This  house  was  32  by  45  feet. 
It  had  no  steeple  or  chimney.  There  were  three  doors— one  at  the 
middle  of  the  south  side  and  a  door  at  the  middle  of  each  end,  all 
opening  directly  into  the  audience  room.  There  was  a  gallery  on  the 
south  side  and  across  each  end.  The  pulpit  was  on  the  north  side.  It 
was  built  in  1780,  and  with  a  sounding  board.  The  pews  were  square. 
The  last  pews  were  built  about  1784,  19  years  after  the  house  was 
raised.  This  first  meeting  house  was  used  for  public  worship  72  years. 
The  second  and  present  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1837.  The  cor- 
ner stone  was  laid  July  4th,  1837.  It  was  dedicated  February  14th, 
1838.  The  pastor,  Reverend  Stephen  Hayes,  preached  the  sermon 
from  Hag.  ii:  9.  The  pulpit  was  exchanged  for  the  present  platform 
and  desk  in  1873.  New  seats  were  put  in,  the  walls  and  ceiling  painted 
and  the  roof  shingled  in  1889. 

The  church  has  about  90  members.  In  the  Sabbath  school,  which 
was  organized  in  1826,  are  125  persons  enrolled.  Three-fifths  attend 
regularly.  Since  1865  the  school  has  been  maintained  during  the  whole 
year. 

In  the  North  Madison  part  of  the  town  an  Episcopal  society  was 
organized  in  the  last  century,  which  had,  in  1800,  as  officers:  Ashbel 
Fowler  and  David  Blackley,  wardens;  James  Pardee  and  Noah  Hill, 
vestrymen;  and  Nathan  Fowler,  clerk.  In  1801  it  voted  to  secure  the 
services  for  part  of  the  time,  of  Reverend  Nathan  R.  Burgis,  as  min- 
ister. Meetings  were  held  in  private  houses  and  in  the  Town  Hill 
school  house. 

On  the  25th  of  April,  1805,  this  North  Bristol  Episcopal  Society 
and  the  North  Killingworth  society  voted  to  consolidate  and  become 
the  Union  Episcopal  Church,  and  that  the  meetings  should  be  held  in 
North  Killingworth.  Later  they  became  known  as  the  Emanuel 
Parish,  in  Middlesex  county,  and  occupied  a  house  of  worship  half  a 
mile  from  the  Hammonassett  river,  in  Killingworth. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  Methodism  was  established  in  Mad- 
ison, and  an  effort  to  that  end  encountered  strong  opposition.  Yet  it 
was  successfully  overcome  in  1839  by  Reverend  James  H.  Perry,  who 
preached  in  a  school  house,  where  the  class  he  had  organized  met 
regularly.  Fortune  soon  favored  these  pioneer  Methodists  and  enabled 
them  to  secure  the  meeting  house  built  by  the  disaffected  members  of 
the  First  church,  who,  happily,  through  the  medium  of  the  Consocia- 
tion, had  been  reconciled  to  the  parent  church.  That  building, 
erected  by  Ebenezer  Dudley,  Galen  Dowd,  Russell  Evarts,  Marion 
Foster,  Frederick   Dowd,  Noah  Bradley  and  others,   in  an   improved 


202  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

condition,  has  since  been  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  it  the  congre 
gation  has  grown  to  respectable  proportions.  In  1890  the  members 
numbered  85,  and  the  official  board  was  composed  of  James  L.  Parker, 
Charles  M.  Miner,  William  C.  Miner,  Charles  Smith,  Philander  Lewis, 
Thomas  Pentilow,  Frederick  W.  Hull,  Almon  L.  Miner,  James  H. 
Dowd,  Timothy  Dowd.     Henry  D.  Latham  is  a  local  preacher. 

Since  1S89  the  church  is  served  with  Guilford.  The  following  min- 
isters were  appointed  to  take  charge,  as  indicated  by  the  records  of  the 
Conference:  1842,  Reverend  W.  Tlbbals;  1846,  H.  D.  Latham;  1848,  T. 
A.  Lovejoy;  1849,  George  S.  Hare;  1851,  G.  Stillman;  1858,  J.  L.  Peck; 
1855,  W.  H.  Russell;  1857,  B.  Reclford;  1867,  J.  R.  Hammond;  1868.  A. 
K.  Crawford;  1869,  G.  W.  Allen;  1870,  J.  O.  Munson;  1871,  H.  D.Lath- 
am; 1874,  W.  F.  Markwick;  1875,  J.  B.  Shepherd;  1877,  H.  D.  Latham; 
1878,  H.  H.  Hayden;  1880,  H.  D.  Latham;  1881,  W.  A.  Thomas;  1882, 
W.  F.  Markwick;  1884,  J.  J.  Moffett;  1885,  W.  E.  Jeffries;  1886,  W.  H. 
Lawrence;  1887,  H.  G.  McLaughlin;  1888,  J.  H.  Crofut;  1889,  S.  G. 
Neil. 

Methodism  was  introduced  into  the  Black  Rock  or  Rockland  dis- 
trict of  Madison  much  earlier.  A  class  was  there  organized  before  the 
present  century,  and  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  that  locality  about 
1803.  The  membership  has  never  been  large,  and  the  circuit  relations 
extend  into  the  adjoining  county. 

Madison  Lodge,  No.  87,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  instituted  May  24th,  1859, 
the  petitioners  for  the  charter  being  Horace  Butler,  Samuel  F.  Wil- 
lard,  Samuel  Dudley,  John  M.  Bishop,  Jonathan  Willard,  William  W. 
Hart  and  Thomas  White.  Others  admitted  in  1859  were  George  Keep, 
William  H.  Dowd,  Charles  M.  Wilcox,  Daniel  M.  Webb,  Serreno  H. 
Scranton.  The  members  admitted  in  1S60-1  were  William  B.  Hunter, 
George  A.  Kelsey,  William  H.  Caldwell,  Edwin  A.  Hill,  George  A. 
Olcott,  Daniel  C.  Davis,  Mortimer  Buell,  Henry  A.  Pendleton  and  Nor- 
man G.  Scranton.  In  1862  sixteen  members  were  admitted,  and  in 
1863,  twelve.  The  members  numbered  72  in  1890,  and  the  meetings 
were  held  in  a  fine  hall  over  the  "  Brick  Store,"  on  Boston  street.  The 
past  masters  of  the  Lodge  have  been  the  following:  Frederick  T.  Carl, 
Frank  C.  Dowd,  Phineas  M.  Griswold,  Hiram  Hull,  Alexander  H. 
Johnson,  William  F.  Markwick,  John  H.  Meigs,  William  H.  Morgan,. 
George  B.  Munger,  Edward  S.  Scranton,  Kelley  E.  Spencer,  Ebenezer 
S.  Walkley,  Henry  B.  Wilcox.  The  latter  has  for  man)7  years  been 
secretary  of  the  Lodge. 

Friendship  Lodge,  No.  67,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  at  Madison, 
July  11th,  1849.  Its  meetings  were  held  in  the  hall  named  above,  and 
for  several  years  the  Lodge  prospered.  In  1853  Charles  A.  Willard 
was  the  noble  grand,  and  in  1855  S.  F.  Willard.  Soon  after  the  Lodge 
went  down.  Other  social  orders  were  for  short  periods  maintained, 
when,  owing  to  decreasing  population,  they  discontinued  their  meetings 

The  town  has  a  number  of  places  of  interment,  five  cemeteries  re- 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  203 

ceiving  the  care  of  the  town  authorities.  It  is  supposed  that  first  in- 
terments were  made  in  the  Hammonassett  cemetery,  where  are  buried 
among'  others,  members  of  the  Meigs  family.  It  is  said  that  Vincent 
Meigs  died  in  1658,  and  was  the  first  person  buried  in  the  town.  This 
cemetery  was  the  first  fenced  in  the  old  town  of  Guilford,  being  en- 
closed in  1758,  "  because  its  Herbage  being  worth  something."  In  the 
East  cemetery  is  a  stone  bearing  date  1682. 

The  West  cemetery  is  the  principal  one  in  the  town,  and  was  used 
as  early  as  1688,  when  Samuel,  the  six  year  old  son  of  John  French, 
was  buried  there.  In  1789  it  was  first  fenced.  Numerous  interments 
have  been  there  made,  the  aggregate  number  being  more  than  1,800 — 
greater  than  the  present  population  of  the  town.  It  has  been  several 
times  enlarged,  and  in  1867  was  placed  in  care  of  the  Madison  Ceme- 
tery Association,  incorporated  that  year.  There  are  many  quaint  in- 
scriptions on  the  old,  lichen-covered  brown  stones.  Here  are  interred 
among  others,  Captan  Jehiel  Meigs,  of  the  revolutionary  army,  who 
died  in  New  York  in  December,  1776,  but  was  brought  home  for  burial; 
also  Captain  Phineas  Meigs,  who  fell  in  action  near  the  East  wharf,  in 
conflict  with  the  British  enemy,  May  19th,  1782.  He  was  aged  74 
years. 

Many  seafaring  men  have  found  a  haven  of  rest,  and  the  tomb  of 
one  of  them  bears  this  unique  inscription: 

E.  G.  . 

§  SACRED  § 

to  the  Memory  of 
Capt.  Edward  Griffin, 
who  departed  this  life 

August  3d,  1802. 

Aged  40  years. 


Though  Boreas  blasts  and  Neptunes  waves 

Have  tos'd  me  to  and  fro, 
In  spite  of  both,  by  God's  decree, 

I  Harbor  here  below. 

Where  I  do  now  at  Anchor  ride 

With  many  of  our  fleet, 
Yet  once  again  I  must  set  sail 

Our  Admiral  Christ  to  meet. 

Two  pastors  of  Madison  church— the  Reverend  Jonathan  Todd, 
who  died  in  1791 ,  and  the  Reverend  John  Hart,  who  died  in  1731— lie 
close  together  in  this  hallowed  ground,  in  which  also  repose  the  well- 
beloved  pastors,  Elliott  and  Shepard. 

The  Summer  Hill  Cemetery  is  also  controlled  by  an  association, 
which  secured  its  charter  in  1868.  Its  use  is  limited  to  the  people  of 
that  locality,  as  is  also  the  cemetery  at  Rockland,  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  town,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  upper  end  of  Madison.  For  each 
of  these  five  cemeteries  the  town  provided  sextons  in  1890. 


204  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  military  history  of  Madison,  prior  to  its  organization  in  1826, 
is  almost  inseparable  from  that  of  the  mother  town.  But  as  early  as 
1705,  the  farmers  of  East  Guilford  had  their  own  train  band,  and  the 
following  were  the  commanders  in  the  periods  named,  before  1800: 
1704,  Lieutenant  Nathaniel  Stevens;  1709,  Lieutenant  Stephen  Bishop; 
1714,  Captain  Stephen  Bishop;  1716,  Captain  Janna  Meigs;  1731,  Cap- 
tain John  Scranton;  1737,  Captain  Thomas  Hodgkin;  1741,  Captain 
Nathaniel  Stevens;  1747,  Captain  Jehiel  Meigs;  1762,  Captain  Timothy 
Hill;  1773,  Captain  Daniel  Hand;  1778,  Captain  Elias  Graves;  1780, 
Captain  Gilbert  Dudley;  1782,  Captain  Timothy  Field;  1786,  Captain 
Jonathan  Todd;  1792,  Captain  Josiah  Munger;  1797,  Captain  Benjamin 
B.  Wilcox. 

In  the  revolution  a  cannon  was  kept  in  the  town,  to  be  used  for 
signal  purposes,  in  case  the  enemy  should  land.  But  one  such  attempt 
was  made — the  inroad  at  East  Wharf,  May  19th,  17S2 — when  the  ven- 
erable Captain  Phineas  Meigs  was  killed.  It  is  said  that  three  of  the 
enemy  also  lost  their  lives. 

In  the  war  of  1812  this  coast  was  also  guarded,  but  beyond  the  mili- 
tia service  of  some  of  the  citizens,  nothing  transpired. 

In  the  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Union,  from  1S61-5,  Madison  did 
not  lag.  She  sent  out  in  all  208  men  and  raised  $16,065  in  money. 
Five  special  meetings  were  held  to  prosecute  the  war,  and  the  town 
also  gave  up  to  the  cause  its  beloved  pastor,  Reverend  Samuel  Fisk, 
who  will  always  be  honored  by  Madison.  He  left  the  pulpit  of  the 
Congregational  church  and  mustered,  August  8th,  1862,  in  the  Eighth 
regiment.  Within  a  short  time  he  was  promoted  captain  of  Company 
G,  and  on  May  23d,  1864,  died  from  wounds  received  in  active  service. 

Madison  also  claims  the  honor  of  the  citizenship  of  the  man  who 
suggested  and  aided  in  building  the  Ericsson  Monitor,  that  credit  be- 
longing to  C.  S.  Bushnell,  of  this  town. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Doctor  Alveno  D.  Ayer  was  born  in  1851  in  Windham,  Conn.  His 
father,  William  D.  Ayer,  was  a  descendant  of  John  Ayer,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Franklin,  Conn.,  in  1665,  and  who  came  from  England 
with  his  parents  in  1630  and  settled  in  Massachusetts.  William  D. 
Ayer  was  foreman  and  moulder  in  Smith,  Winchester  &  Co.'s  shop  in 
South  Windham  for  30  years.  Doctor  Ayer  received  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  district  school,  and  when  16  years  old  attended  a  pri- 
vate school  under  the  tutorship  of  Doctor  Robinson  and  Lawyer  Ben- 
nett, continuing  four  years.  He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1870. 
In  1874  he  went  to  Springvale,  Me.,  remaining  there  about  nine 
months  with  Doctor  Alva  M.  Dam,  after  which  he  was  traveling  sales- 
man for  drugs  and  medicines  for  two  years,  at  the  same  time  continu- 
ing his  studies.  He  then  studied  for  awhile  with  Doctor  Isaac  B. 
Gallup,  of  Willimantic,  Conn.,  attending  a  course  of  medicine  in  a 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  205 

medical  college  in  Philadelphia,  after  which  he  went  to  Glover.  Vt., 
and  practiced  there  as  assistant  to  Hon.  W.  F.  Tern pleton,  M.D.  In 
1877  he  was  licensed  to  practice  medicine  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  and 
in  1878  began  practice  in  Winhall,  Vt.  In  1880  he  went  to  Indian- 
apolis, Ind.,  with  Doctor  S.  S.  Boots,  a  member  of  the  Indiana  State 
Board  of  Health,  and  entered  the  Eclectic  Medical  College,  receiving 
the  degree  of  M.D.  in  1881.  In  the  same  year  he  returned  to  Vermont 
and  practiced  there  until  1885.  Since  1887  he  has  practiced  in  Madi- 
son. In  1889  he  took  a  special  course  of  instruction  at  the  New  York 
Polyclinic  Hospital  on  the  diseases  of  women,  under  Professors  James 

B.  Hunter,  Paul  F.  Munde  and  W.  Gill  Wylie,  and  on  the  diseases  of 
the  nervous  system  under  Professor  Landon  C.  Gray.  Doctor  Ayer  is 
a  member  and  officer  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Madison  and  a  member 
of  Madison  Grange,  No.  120,  P.  of  H.,  and  lecturer;  also  a  member  of 
the  State  Grange.  He  is  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  acting 
school  visitor  for  the  northern  part  of  the  town;  also  a  member  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  Royal  Arcanum.  During  the  winter  and  spring  of 
1890-1,  by  invitation,  he  delivered  lectures  in  various  places  before  the 
Grange  on  the  use  and  abuse  of  corsets  and  alcohol. 

Horace  N.  Coe  was  born  in  Madison.  He  was  appointed  postmas- 
ter of  Madison  June  22d,  1889,  succeeding  J.  Myron  Hull.  Mr.  Coe 
represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1881. 

Samuel  D.  Cruttenden  was  born  in  Guilford  and  came  to  Madison 
and  commenced  business  in  1870  as  a  merchant,  succeeding  H.  E.  Nor- 
ton. He  moved  to  the  town  of  Madison  in  1872.  He  conducts  a  gen- 
eral store  and  grocery.  He  has  held  the  office  of  postmaster  since 
1870,  with  the  exception  of  four  years  under  Cleveland's  administra- 
tion. He  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  Madison  for 
twelve  years. 

Frank  C.  Dowd,  born  in  New  Jersey,  is  a  son  of  George  Curtis 
Dowd,  and  grandson  of  George  Dowd,  all  merchants  of  Madison.  The 
business  was  established  by  Horace  L.Dudley  and  was  owned  by  George 

C.  Dowd  and  his  father  a  number  of  years.  George  C.  Dowd  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  He  enlisted  in  1862  in  the  14th 
Connecticut  Volunteers  for  nine  months,  then  reenlisted  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge 
of  Madison,  and  secretary  of  the  Lodge  for  ten  years  or  more.  He 
died  in  1880.  His  son  at  this  time  was  clerk  in  a  store  at  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  but  came  home  and  became  proprietor  of  the  store  in  Madison. 
He  has  enlarged  the  business  and  made  it  successful.  He  has  been 
twice  elected  master  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Madison. 

Jason  Dudley,  born  in  Madison  in  1885,  is  a  son  of  Phineas,  who 
was  born  in  Killingworth.  His  mother  was  Catharine  Bradley,  a  de- 
scendant of  Noah  Bradley,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  town.  They  had 
two  sons,  Launcellot  and  Jason,  both  natives  of  Madison.  Jason  has 
been  twice  married,  first  to  Imogene  Kellsey,  of  Clinton,  by  whom  he 


206  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

had  two  children.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  B.  Amelia  Kellsey, 
of  Clinton.  They  have  one  daughter,  Katie  A.  Mr.  Dudley  has  been 
selectman  and  constable.  He  is  a  member  of  Clinton  Grange,  No.  77, 
P.  of  H. 

Joel  M.  Hill,  born  in  Madison  in  1833,  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  grand- 
son of  Noah  Hill.  He  came  from  Killingworth,  Conn.,  and  settled  in 
the  town  of  Madison,  on  what  is  called  Opening  hill.  Daniel  Hill 
married  Betsey  Munger,  of  Madison.  They  had  three  sons:  Henry  S., 
Joel  M.  and  Horace  O.  They  still  live  on  or  near  the  old  homestead 
on  Opening  hill,  near  North  Madison  post  office.  Joel  M.  Hill  mar- 
ried Mary  H.  Munger  in  1854.  They  have  two  children:  Louisa  B., 
born  1857;  and  Ralph  B.,  born  1862.  Mr.  Hill  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  in  town  affairs,  has  held  the  offices  of  collector  and  school 
visitor,  and  is  selectman  of  the  town.  His  father  held  the  office  of 
selectman,  and  was  also  justice  of  the  peace  a  number  of  years.  Joel 
M.  is  a  member  of  Madison  Grange,  No.  120,  P.  of  H. 

J.  Myron  Hull,  born  in  Madison,  is  a  son  of  William  S.  Hull,  a  na- 
tive of  Killingworth.  William  S.  Hull  was  active  in  town  affairs  of 
Madison  from  1840  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  November,  1890. 
He  held  nearly  all  the  town  offices  except  town  clerk.  He  was  deputy 
sheriff  of  New  Haven  county  28  years.  J.  Myron  Hull  was  postmas- 
ter of  Madison  under  Cleveland's  administration.  He  has  been  select- 
man, town  clerk,  chairman  of  the  board  of  education,  and  a  trustee  of 
the  high  school  since  it  was  established,  in  1884. 

John  Erastus  Lewis,  born  in  Haddam,  Conn.,  February  9th,  1815, 
is  the  son  of  Levi  and  grandson  of  Francis.  His  mother  was  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Phineas  Doane.  Mr.  Lewis  came  to  Madison  while  quite 
young,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  then  com- 
menced- farming,  and  has  made  that  his  life  occupation.  February 
13th,  1854,  he  married  Drusilla,  daughter  of  Coleman  Clark.  They 
had  three  children:  Walter  C,  Wallace  F.  and  Catharine  S. 

George  Munger,  son  of  George  N.  and  grandson  of  George,  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  November  27th,  1827.  He  there  received  his 
education,  and  when  21  years  old  came  to  Madison  and  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  sash  and  blinds.  Later  he  became  interested  in 
the  making  of  school  supplies,  and  in  1876  established  a  factory  in 
Madison,  which  is  still  in  operation.  November  28th,  1850,  he  married 
Cornelia  L.  Jacobs,  of  New  Haven.  They  had  two  children:  Emma 
L.,  born  April  5th,  1852,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  William  T.  Foote,  of 
Guilford;  and  George  B.,  born  May  18th,  1854.  Mr.  Munger  is  one  of 
the  trustees  of  the  Hand  Academy. 

S.  Arthur  Scranton,  born  in  Madison  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  Daniel  H. 
and  grandson  of  Hubbard  Scranton.  During  the  rebellion  Hubbard 
Scranton  furnished  vegetables  for  the  war  department  at  Washington, 
and  ran  a  coasting  line  from  Madison  to  Georgetown,  D.  C.  Mr. 
Scranton  lives  with  his  aunt,  the  widow  of  Philemon  A.  Scranton,  who 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  207 

was  a  cotton  merchant  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  during  the  late  war.  The 
house  where  he  resides  was  purchased  in  1874.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest 
houses  in  Madison,  and  was  built  by  a  Captain  Griffin  about  150  years 
ago.  The  grandmother  of  S.  Arthur,  the  widow  of  Hubbard,  died  in 
January,  1891,  at  the  age  of  99  years.  She  lived  in  the  house  where 
she  died,  for  78  years.  Hubbard  Scranton  always  took  an  active  part 
m  church  and  town  affairs,  and  represented  Madison  in  the  legisla- 
ture. He  died  in  1874,  aged  84  years.  S.  Arthur  Scranton  has  been 
deputy  sheriff  of  New  Haven  county  seven  years.  He  is  a  dealer  in 
market  truck  and  ice.  The  Scranton  family  is  one  of  the  pioneer  fam- 
ilies of  Madison. 

Serreno  H.  Scranton  was  born  in  Madison,  March  1st,  1811.  His 
father,  Jonathan,  married  Roxana  Crampton,  daughter  of  Ashville. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  and  at  Lee's  Acad- 
emy. His  career  has  been  quite  eventful  and  interesting.  His  first 
occupation  was  that  of  farming,  but  being  ambitious,  he  invested  his 
small  capital  in  a  sea  vessel.  For  14  years  he  followed  the  sea,  mak- 
ing his  business  a  financial  success.  He  was  president  of  the  Shore 
Line  railroad  14  years;  also  general  manager  of  the  New  Orleans,  Mo- 
bile &  Texas  railroad  for  some  time.  He  has  been  representative 
three  times,  and  was  senator  in  1870.  In  1833  he  married  Susan  Dowd, 
daughter  of  William.  They  had  nine  children:  Roxana  R.,  Jonathan 
S.,  Edward  S.,  Jonathan  S.,  William  D.,  Charles  W.,  Catharine  L., 
George  C.  and  Alice. 

George  A.  Shelley,  son  of  Julius  Shelley,  was  born  in  Madison  in 
1827.  He  has  followed  the  marble  business  since  1847  in  his  native 
town.  He  was  married  to  Georgiana  Field  in  1849,  who  died  in  1883. 
Their  first  son,  Charles  Henry,  died  in  1856,  in  the  fifth  year  of  his 
age.  Charles  Elliott,  their  second  son,  died  in  Weber,  Utah,  in  1884, 
aged  27,  supposed  to  have  been  murdered  on  his  way  home  from  Cali- 
fornia. His  body  was  found  the  year  following  and  brought  home 
and  buried.  George  A.  was  married  again  in  1886  to  Kate  E.  Smith, 
his  present  wife,  who  was  born  in  Madison  in  1847. 

J.  Willis  Tucker,  born  in  Madison  in  1818,  is  a  son  of  James  W., 
who  was  born  in  North  Madison.  His  mother  was  from  Middlefield, 
Conn.  She  died  at  the  age  of  44  and  left  11  children.  J.  Willis  is  the 
only  member  of  the  family  living  in  Madison.  He  has  been  married 
twice;  first  to  Sarah  Wilcox,  of  Madison,  by  whom  he  had  four  chil- 
dren. For  his  second  wife  he  married  Mrs.  Clarissa  Dudley,  of  Madi- 
son. He  has  been  grand  juror  a  number  of  years,  is  a  member  of  the 
First  Ecclesiastical  society,  and  he  has  been  treasurer  of  the  minis- 
terial fund  21  years.  Mr.  Tucker  is  a  farmer  and  a  large  land  holder. 
For  the  last  six  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  ship  building.  He 
was  one-third  loser  in  two  vessels  that  burned  June  2d,  1890,  at  Mad- 
ison. 


208  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Doctor  Daniel  Meigs  Webb  was  born  in  Madison  April  6th,  1822, 
and  is  a  son  of  Doctor  Reynolds  Webb,  born  in  Chester,  Conn.  Daniel 
M.  was  graduated  from  the  academic  department  of  Yale  in  1846,  and 
from  the  medical  department  in  1849.  He  began  the  practice  of  med- 
icine in  1849  in  Madison.  His  father  practiced  medicine  in  the  same 
town.  His  grandfather,  also  named  Reynold  Webb,  served  in  the 
revolutionary  war,  and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis. 
Doctor  Daniel  M.  Webb  is  a  member  of  the  State  Medical  Society. 
He  is  a  member  of  Madison  Lodge,  No.  87,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Franklin 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  No.  2;  Harmony  Council,  R.  &  S.  M.,  No.  8,  and  of 
New  Haven  Commandery,  No.  2,  K.  T. 

John  A.  Willard,  born  in  Madison  in  1820,  is  a  son  of  James  and 
Susan  Claning  Willard.  James  was  a  native  of  Madison  and  his  wife 
was  born  in  Newport,  R.  I.  The  father  of  James,  Hile  Willard.  was 
also  a  native  of  Madison,  and  a  member  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families 
of  the  town.  John  A.  married  Ellen  Wellman,  of  Clinton,  in  1845. 
They  have  two  children:  Edward  N.  and  Nellie  L.,  who  married 
Charles  B.  Upston,  of  Bristol,  Conn.,  and  has  one  daughter.  Edward 
married  Nellie  Graves,  of  Madison,  and  has  one  daughter.  John  A.  is 
a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  of  Madison.  He  owns  Sea  View  farm, 
near  the  village  of  Madison,  on  which  he  was  born,  and  which  has  re- 
mained in  the  possession  of  the  family  ever  since. 

Alva  O.  Wilcox  was  many  years  a  prominent  man  in  Madison. 
For  many  years  he  had  the  contract  with  the  United  States  govern- 
ment for  carrying  the  mails  between  New  Haven  and  New  London. 
He  established  the  first  stage  route  between  these  two  cities,  and  later 
was  active  in  building  the  Shore  Line  railroad,  thus  connecting  by 
"Shore  route"  New  York  with  Boston.  His  son,  William  M.  Wilcox, 
at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1874,  was  superintendent  of  the  Shore  Line 
railroad.  William  M.  married  a  daughter  of  Talcott  Bradley.  Mr. 
Bradley  was  one  of  the  four  leading  abolitionists  that  year  after  year  had 
the  courage  to  cast  their  votes  for  the  abolition  of  slavery.  Three  of 
his  sons — Lieutenant  John,  William  and  Henry — served  in  the  war  of 
the  rebellion.  Lieutenant  John  and  William  Bradley  lost  their  lives 
in  defense  of  their  country.  Henry  served  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
was  twice  wounded  and  once  taken  prisoner.  Doctor  Ashabel  Bradley, 
father  of  Talcott,  was  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war,  in  Colonel 
Wolcott's  Regiment,  from  1777  to  1783. 

George  A.  Wilcox,  born  in  Madison,  is  a  son  of  Jonathan  S..  whose 
father,  Jonathan,  was  a  son  of  Thomas,  who  settled  in  Madison  in 
1743,  and  was  a  descendant  of  John,  who  was  one  of  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  Hartford,  Conn.  (1637).  George  A.  Wilcox  is  an  attorney- 
at-law,  and  has  an  office  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  where  he  resides  a  part  of 
the  time.  His  mother  wasChloe,  daughter  of  Daniel  Hand,  a  descend- 
ant of  Joseph  Hand,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  Hammonassett  dis- 
trict, a  part  of  the  town  of  Madison.     He  settled  here  about  1660,  and 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  209 

was  a  son  of  John  Hand,  emigrant,  from  Kent,  England,  first  to  Lynn, 
Mass.  (about  1640),  thence  to  Southampton  and  East  Hampton,  L.  I. 

Henry  Beals  Wilcox,  born  in  Madison,  February  1st,  1821,  is  the 
son  of  Abel  and  grandson  of  Joseph.  He  is  a  member  of  one  of  the 
pioneer  families,  and  his  ancestry  can  be  traced  back  to  the  earliest 
settlement  in  Connecticut  in  both  lines.  His  mother's  name  was  Anna 
Field,  daughter  of  Timothy,  son  of  David.  Our  subject's  education 
began  in  the  common  schools,  and  was  completed  at  Lee's  Academy. 
When  twenty  years  of  age  he  commenced  teaching  school,  and  taught 
25  seasons;  one  year  in  Iowa,  one  and  a  half  years  in  Kentucky,  and 
the  rest  of  the  time  in  Connecticut.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  27th 
Regiment,  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and  was  wounded  during  the  en- 
gagement at  Fredericksburg,  December  13th,  1862,  a  minie  ball  pass- 
ing through  his  right  lung,  and  for  some  time  no  one  thought  he  would 
live.  In  October,  1863,  he  was  elected  town  clerk;  in  1864  justice  of 
the  peace;  and  in  1869  judge  of  the  probate  court  for  the  district  of 
Madison,  and  held  these  offices  up  to  January,  1891,  when  he  became 
70  years  of  age  and  consequently  disqualified.  He  was,  also,  during 
the  aforesaid  time,  for  15  years  a  member  of  the  board  of  education. 
January  1st,  1851,  he  married  Lucetta  Woodruff,  and  together  they 
lived  over  40  years,  she  dying  February  9th,  1891.  He  had  two  chil- 
dren: Henry  Clifford,  a  graduate  of  Union  College,  1874,  died  in  18S2; 
and  Dwight  Woodruff,  married,  and  has  two  children,  now  living  in 
Kansas.  Mr.  Wilcox  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  a 
member  of  Madison  Lodge,  No.  87,  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
Post  at  Guilford. 

Manfred  A.  Wilcox,  son  of  Abel,  was  born  in  Madison,  May  15th, 
1830.  His  mother's  name  was  Anna  Field,  daughter  of  Timothy.  He 
received  his  education  at  the  common  schools,  and  has  made  farming 
his  occupation.  His  first  marriage  was  to  Nancy  S.  Smith,  daughter 
of  Reuben,  June  27th,  1852.  By  her  he  had  one  child,  Nancy  S.,  born 
March  24th,  1857.  Mrs.  Wilcox  died  April  4th,  1857.  He  next  mar- 
ried Jeannette  L.  Snow,  daughter  of  Arthur,  October  16th,  1864.  They 
have  four  children:  Blanche  E..  born  September  2d,  1866,  died  March 
4th,  1867;  Edward  A.,  born  July  31st,  1869:  Jessie  L.,  born  May  4th, 
1872;  and  Walter  A.,  born  March  5th,  1874.  Mr.  Wilcox  has  held 
several  town  offices,  including  justice  of  the  peace  and  clerk  of  pro- 
bate court. 


14 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    TOWN    OF    MILFORD. 

Geographical  and  Descriptive. — The  Indians. — The  Early  Settlers. — Civil  Government. 
— Roads,  Ferries  and  Bridges. — Shipbuilding,  Commerce  and  Trade. — Milford  Vil- 
lage.— Woodniont. — Wheeler's  Farm. — Public  Houses. — Manufacturing  Interests. — 
Banks. — Newspapers. — Post  Office. — Fire  Company.— Agricultural  Society. — Secret 
Orders.— Soldiers'  Monuments. — Educational  and  Professional.  — Churches. — Ceme- 
teries.— Military  Affairs. — 350th  Anniversary. — Biographical  Sketches. 

THE  town  of  Milford,  dating  from  its  settlement,  in  1639,  is,  next 
to  New  Haven,  the  oldest  in  the  county,  and  one  of  the  oldest 
in  the  state.  When  purchased  of  the  Indians,  and  for  several 
years  later,  this  territory  was  called  Wepawaug,*  but  since  November 
24th,  1640,  the  formal  name  has  been  Milford.  The  town  occupies  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  county,  being  bounded  on  the  south  by 
Long  Island  sound,  on  the  west  by  the  Housatonic  river,  and  northeast 
by  the  town  of  Orange,  its  area  having  a  triangular  shape,  the  apex 
being  at  Poconoc  point.  The  general  surface  is  level,  there  being  no 
high  hills  and  only  a  limited  amount  of  broken  land.  In  some  local- 
ities the  rock  crops  out  and  the  ground  is  covered  with  boulders.  In 
the  eastern  part  of  the  town  is  a  considerable  deposit  of  fine  serpen- 
tine marble,  discovered  in  1811,  and  later  developed  to  some  extent. 
Limestone  may  be  obtained  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  flagging 
stone  in  the  western  part,  and  shale  rock  in  other  parts.  Hence,  the 
soil  is  also  variable,  and  is  usually  fairly  fertile.  By  skillful  cultiva- 
tion it  has  been  made  productive  enough  to  make  agriculture,  which 
has  been  made  the  leading  occupation  of  the  inhabitants,  remunera- 
tive. There  are  in  the  town  considerable  areas  of  alluvial  lands,  some 
of  which  are  scarcely  above  the  water  level,  and  bear  evidence  that  in 
periods  not  very  remote  they  were  submerged.  Among  these  tracts 
are  the  Great  and  New  Meadows,  along  the  Housatonic,  and  the  French 
and  Indian  River  meadows.  Along  the  sound  inlets  are  tidal  lands, 
and  in  other  parts  of  the  town  are  swamps  of  considerable  extent, 
the  chief  ones  being  called  Dreadful,  Great  and  Mohawk  swamps. 

The  streams  of  the  town  are  not  large,  but  afford  fair  drainage. 
The  Wepawaug  or  Mill  river  is  a  little  more  than  a  dozen  miles  long 
from  its  source  in  Woodbridge  through  its  course  in  Orange  and  the 
central  part  of  this  town  to  its  mouth  at  Milford  harbor.     It  affords 

*Also  spelled  Wepawage. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  211 

a  number  of  good  mill  seats.  The  Indian  river  also  rises  in  Wood- 
bridge,  but  in  the  eastern  part,  and  flowing  southwest  finds  an  out- 
let in  Indian  gulf  or  Milford  gulf,  whose  waters  pour  into  the  sound 
near  those  of  Milford  harbor.  In  the  extreme  east  is  the  Oyster 
river,  separating  the  coast  parts  of  Milford  and  Orange.  The  West 
End  brook  is  in  the  western  part  of  the  village  of  Milford  and  flows 
into  the  harbor,  below  the  village.  Beaver  brook  is  in  the  western 
part  of  the  town,  flowing  southwest,  and  emptying  into  the  Housatonic. 
At  the  mouth  of  this  river,  which  is  here  about  one  mile  wide,  a  long, 
sandy  beach  has  been  formed  by  the  contra  action  of  the  waves  on 
the  sound  and  those  flowing  into  the  river,  which  is  called  Poconoc 
or  Milford  Point.  It  has  for  hundreds  of  years  been  a  favorite  resort 
of  fishermen,  and  was  once  improved  for  a  seaside  resort.  Eastward 
along  the  sound  is  next  a  point  of  land  called  Meadow's  End,  east 
of  which  are  salt  meadows.  Extending  thence  eastward  to  the  harbor 
is  Burn's  Point,  a  high,  dry  point  of  land,  which  has  been  improved 
for  summer  residences.  A  small  beach  permits  bathing.  Off  this 
shore  and  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  it  is  Charles  or  Milford 
island.  It  is  pleasantly  shaped,  and  contains  about  ten  acres  of  land, 
much  of  which  was  formerly  timbered.  The  Indians  called  it  Poqua- 
paug,  and  it  was  a  place  where  they  delighted  to  resort  in  the 
summer.  It  is  said  that  the  sachem,  Ansantawae,  here  had  his  "  big 
wigwam."  The  bar  between  the  island  and  the  shore  is  bare  about 
half  of  the  time,  and  formerly  afforded  excellent  clamming,  fine  ones 
being  found  there. 

"  On  the  17th  of  March,  1657,  the  town  granted  liberty  to  Charles 
Deal,  a  tobacco  planter,  to  purchase  and  enjoy  the  island  for  a  to- 
bacco plantation,  provided  he  would  not  use  the  buildings  for  any 
other  purpose  than  as  a  tobacco  house,  and  that  he  would  not  trade 
with  the  Dutch  or  the  Indians,  or  suffer  disorderly  seamen  to  make 
it  a  place  of  resort."  From  his  ownership  the  name  Charles'  island 
is  derived.  In  1835  it  was  purchased  by  John  Harris,  of  New  York, 
who  fitted  it  up  for  a  country  seat.  Later  it  was  used  as  a  day  re- 
sort by  excursionists,  brought  thither  by  steamers  from  New  Haven 
and  Bridgeport.  Since  that  time  the  island  has  been  denuded  of 
everything  except  some  small  trees  and  bushes,  and  is  now  a  com- 
parative waste. 

East  of  the  harbor  are  Indian  Neck  and  Welch's  Point,  so  named 
for  Thomas  Welch,  an  early  owner.  This  has  a  good  beach,  and 
fine  summer  residences  have  been  erected  on  the  high  lands  over- 
looking the  sound.  Next  eastward  is  Pond  Point,  named  for  Charles 
Pond,  the  owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  in  that  locality;  and  Mer- 
win's  Point,  still  further  to  the  eastward,  took  its  name  from  Miles 
Merwin,  the  original  settler.  Burwell's  Farm,  or  the  newly  developed 
section  of  Woodmont  Beach,  is  the  last  point  of  land  in  the  town, 
which  has  become  a  favorite  resort  on  account  of  its  bathing  priv- 


212  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ileges  afforded  by  this  shore.  All  along  the  sound  to  Indian  Neck  are 
a  number  of  sightly  places,  some  of  which  have  been  improved  for 
beautiful  homes. 

In  the  records  of  Milford  appear  more  than  80  names  of  localities 
in  the  town,  some  of  which  have  long  since  become  obsolete,  by  reason 
of  the  changes  in  the  topography  of  the  country.  Other  old  names 
have  been  displaced  by  new  ones,  some  more  and  others  less  appro- 
priate than  the  original  titles. 

When  the  whites  prospected  this  country  they  found  it  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  strong  tribe  of  Paugasuck  Indians,  who  called  this  section 
Wepawaug.  From  this  fact  these  aborigines  were  sometimes  called 
Wepawaug,  and  later,  Milford  Indians.  Their  sachem  was  Ansanta- 
way  or  Ansantawae,  whose  "big  wigwam"  was  on  Charles'  island. 
They  appear  to  have  been  kindly  disposed  toward  the  whites,  but 
lived  in  dread  of  the  Mohawks  and  other  Indians.  They  were  super- 
stitious and  indulged  much  in  pow-wows.  Their  incantations  were 
wild  and  fantastic  in  the  extreme.  On  such  occasions,  led  on  by  their 
priests,  they  would  dance  around  a  camp  fire  in  the  most  excitable 
manner,  and  often  hurled  their  choicest  treasures  in  it,  in  the  belief 
that  such  an  act  would  appease  the  spirits. 

These  Indians  lived  in  four  principal  villages:  on  the  Wepawaug, 
near  where  is  now  the  Episcopal  church,  where  also  lived  at  times  the 
sachem,  Ansantawae;  another  near  Washington  bridge,  near  which 
place  they  had  a  fortress  for  defense  against  the  Mohawks;  a  third  at 
Turkey  hill,  where  was  one  of  their  principal  places  of  burial,  and 
where  Indians  were  buried  as  late  as  1794.  A  fourth  village  was  at 
Poconoc  Point,  and  smaller  ones  at  Oronoque  and  Burwell's  Farm. 
Their  principal  planting  grounds  were  on  Mill  Neck  and  along  the 
Housatonic.  They  subsisted  largely  in  fishing,  and  often  exchanged 
their  sea  food  for  the  game  brought  hither  by  the  Indians  from  the  in- 
terior. Their  wampum  were  black  and  white  perforated  shells,  three 
of  the  former  and  six  of  the  latter  passing  current  for  an  English 
penny. 

Ansantawae's  tribe  claimed  all  the  land  from  the  Oyster  river  to 
the  Housatonic,  and  from  the  sound  north  to  Beacon  Hill  brook,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  twenty  miles,  where  it  joined  the  Mattatuck  country. 
The  first  purchase  by  the  whites  was  made  February  12th,  1639,  and 
comprised  about  two  miles  of  land  at  Milford  village.  The  sale  was 
made  with  "twig  and  turf,"  indicating  that  the  Indians  were  willing 
to  surrender  the  soil  and  all  that  grew  upon  it.  The  deed  in  trust  for 
the  planters  was  given  to  William  Fowler,  Edmund  Tapp,  Zachariah 
Whitman,  Benjamin  Fenn  and  Alexander  Bryan.  The  consideration 
was  "6  coats,  10  blankets,  1  kettle,  besides  a  number  of  hoes,  knives, 
hatchets  and  glasses  (small  mirrors)."  Ansantawae  and  other  princi- 
pal Indians  signed  the  instrument.  At  different  times,  later,  other 
purchases  were  made  of  land  along  the  Housatonic  in  1656,  and  of  the 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  213 

Indian  Neck  in  1660.  In  the  latter  tract  20  acres  were  reserved  for 
planting  purposes.  Afterward,  this  too  was  sold,  apparently  reluctant- 
ly, for  they  demanded  a  proviso  that  in  case  of  danger  Ansantawae,  his 
wife  and  sons  might  have  "  liberty  to  sit  down  for  shelter  in  some 
place  near  the  town,  where  the  townsmen  should  think  most  fit."  The 
central  and  northern  parts  of  the  Indian  domains  were  purchased  in 
1685,  1700  and  1702,  the  last  purchase  being  of  lands  along  the  Beacon 
brook,  in  what  are  now  the  towns  of  Bethany  and  Beacon  Falls. 

After  the  lower  lands  had  been  sold,  the  Indians  complained  that 
they  had  nowhere  to  live,  when  the  town  set  aside  one  hundred  acres 
on  Turkey  hill,  upon  which,  under  restrictions,  the  Indians  might  find 
homes.  This  land  was  under  the  care  of  a  committee  appointed  for 
that  purpose,  and  which  in  1777  was  composed  of  Captain  Benjamin 
Hine,  Stephen  Gunn,  Esq.,  and  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Fenn.  It  is  said 
that  Ansantawae  died  here  about  1676,  but  some  of  his  descendants 
remained  as  long  as  1820.  The  decay  of  the  Indians  was  rapid.  In 
1731,  when  Con-que-po-ta-na,  the  sachem  of  the  Milford  Indians,  died 
in  Derby,  he  had  but  60  men  under  him.  Gradually  the  number  be- 
came less,  and  most  of  the  remaining  members  removed  to  the  West, 
where  they  became  a  part  of  the  Six  Nations.*  A  few  stragglers  only 
remained  until  their  death.  Some  of  the  Indians  who  removed,  or 
their  descendants,  occasionally  visited  the  town,  and  as  late  as  1831 
a  band  of  thirty  persons  came  hither  from  the  Lake  Champlain  region 
to  visit  Poconoc  Point.  They  remained  a  few  days,  and  it  was  learned 
that  they  had  a  tradition  that  their  ancestors  were  from  this  region. 
"They  had  come  for  the  last  time  to  visit  the  hunting  ground  of  their 
fathers."+ 

Although  the  Indians  appeared  friendly  toward  the  whites,  the 
planters,  soon  after  settlement,  provided  a  means  of  safety  and  defense 
by  erecting  a  palisade  nearly  a  mile  square  around  the  village,  enclos- 
ing land  on  both  sides  of  the  Wepawaug.  The  trunks  of  trees  twelve 
feet  long  were  taken,  and  so  closely  set  together  that  a  man  could  not 
crowd  through  the  line.  In  times  of  danger  sentinels  were  posted 
every  few  rods,  who  were  relieved  at  sunset  by  drum  beat  from  the  top 
of  the  meeting  house  Each  planter,  as  a  member  of  the  "  train  band," 
was  required  to  do  guard  duty  every  fifth  day.  On  the  Sabbath  and 
"  lecture  days  "  armed  men  went  to  the  meeting  house,  and  the  mus- 
kets were  also  kept  close  at  hand  while  working  in  the  fields.  In  1645 
-6  there  was  such  a  feeling  of  unrest  among  the  Indians  that  a  guard 
was  kept  day  and  night.  About  this  time  the  Indians  set  fire  to  the 
adjacent  country,  but  the  settlers  fortunately  arrested  the  flames  be- 
fore they  reached  the  palisade.  But  much  damage  was  done  to  the 
timber  in  the  swamps  north  and  west  of  the  village. 

A  few  years  later,  in  1648,  occurred  in  the  town  a  severe  battle  be- 
tween the  Wepawaug  and  Mohawk  Indians.     The,latter,  with  a  view 

*  Lambert.       t  Baldwin. 


214  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

of  surprising  the  Wepawaugs  in  their  fort,  on  the  Housatonic,  had  se- 
creted themselves  in  a  swamp  about  a  mile  from  Washington  bridge. 
They  were  discovered  by  some  whites,  who  reported  their  presence  to 
the  Wepawaugs,  who  arose  in  such  number  and  attacked  the  Mohawks 
that  the  invaders  were  defeated — some  being  killed  and  others  taken 
captive.  A  stout  Mohawk  prisoner  was  stripped  naked  and  tied  to  a 
tree  in  the  swamp,  to  be  tortured  by  mosquitoes.  Here  he  was  dis- 
covered by  Thomas  Hine,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  who  released  him, 
and  after  caring  for  his  wants,  permitted  him  to  return  to  his  own  coun- 
try. This  humane  act  pleased  the  Indians,  who  ever  after  revered  the 
Hine  family  and  pledged  their  protection  to  them.  They  used  to  say 
of  the  Hines,  "  they  did  not  die  like  other  pale  faces,  but  went  to  the 
West,  where  the  Great  Spirit  took  them  into  his  big  wigwam  and  made 
them  great  men." 

The  Indians  were  again  troublesome  in  1653,  and  up  to  1656,  and 
the  town  threatened  to  impose  a  penalty  for  harboring  them.  Soon 
after  a  good  deal  of  prejudice  existed  against  the  Indians,  who  really 
were  harmless  enough,  and  in  1671  some  young  men  of  the  town  de- 
stroyed their  fort  on  the  Housatonic.  But  whether  this  was  done  from 
hatred  of  the  Indians  or  from  a  spirit  of  adventure  is  not  very  clear. 
They  went  at  the  dead  of  night,  and  working  with  the  utmost  secresy, 
razed  the  fort  to  the  ground.  This  very  much  angered  the  Indians, 
but  instead  of  seeking  revenge  they  complained  to  Benjamin  Fenn 
and  Robert  Treat,  seeking  redress  through  them.  As  a  consequence 
the  ten  young  men  implicated  were  cited  to  appear  before  the  court  at 
New  Haven,  when  they  were  properly  fined  £10.  This  satisfied  the 
Indians,  who  now  rebuilt  the  fort. 

In  the  spring  of  1700  danger  was  again  apprehended,  and  the  palis- 
ade having  been  removed,  to  guard  against  Indian  attack  it  was  ordered 
that  Mr.  Prudden's  house,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Wepawaug,  and  the 
house  of  George  Clark,  at  the  "  West  End,"  should  be  fortified  as 
places  of  refuge  for  the  infirm,  the  women  and  the  children.  That 
the  work  might  speedily  be  done,  all  able-bodied  male  persons  over  16 
years  of  age  were  ordered  forthwith  to  assist  in  the  undertaking.  Lib- 
erty was  also  granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  Burwell's  Farm  to  erect  some 
measure  of  defense.  For  several  years  there  was  a  general  alarm  in 
the  town  and  surrounding  country,  but  so  far  as  known  not  a  single 
English  inhabitant  of  Milford  lost  his  life  at  the  hands  of  an  Indian 
in  this  town.  In  King  Philip's  war  some  of  the  inhabitants  were  en- 
gaged, and  in  the  later  French  and  Indian  wars  several  of  the  inhab- 
tants  lost  their  lives,  some  falling  in  battle  and  others  dying  from  sick- 
nesses contracted  in  camp. 

Through  apprehension  that  Milford  might  be  an  objective  point 
of  attack  some  British  troops  were  quartered  in  the  town  in  the 
winter  of  1757-8,  and  in  a  revel  the  town  hall  was  burned.  The 
Crown  subsequently  remitted  ,£50  to  assist  in  defraying  this  damage. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  215 

It  is  said  that  in  these  later  troubles  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  accompanied  General  Putnam  in  an  expedition  to  Cuba,*  and 
there  was  no  full  sense  of  security  until  the  war  had  closed. 

Most  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Milford  came  from  Essex,  Hereford 
and  York  counties,  in  England,  and  rendezvoused  in  New  Haven  in 
1638  and  1639,  preparatory  to  taking  up  their  abode  in  the  Wepawaug 
country.  After  the  purchase  of  the  lands,  in  the  spring  of  the  latter 
year,  active  preparations  were  made  to  occupy  and  improve  them.  The 
material  for  "  the  common  house  "  and  their  household  utensils  were 
put  on  board  a  vessel  which  sailed  for  Milford  harbor,  in  the  fall  of  1639, 
and  was  probably  the  first  to  land  there.  The  body  of  planters  moved 
by  land  from  New  Haven,  following  the  Indian  foot  paths,  driving 
their  domestic  animals  before  them.  Sergeant  Thomas  Tibbals  piloted 
the  company  through  the  woods  to  the  place  of  destination,  "he  hav- 
ing been  there  a  number  of  times  before."  For  this  service  the  town, 
in  1670,  voted  him  as  a  free  gift  two  parcels  of  land  lying  in  Westfield, 
"  both  parcels  containing  ten  measured  acres."  The  planters  and  their 
goods  arrived  safe  at  the  head  of  Milford  harbor,  where  the  "  common 
house  "  was  set  up,  probably  near  where  are  now  Baldwin's  straw  and 
matting  works;  and  a  few  temporary  houses  were  also  built  for  imme- 
diate occupation,  and  until  the  planters  could  each  build  his  home  upon 
a  lot  properly  assigned.  Matters  had  so  far  progressed  by  November 
20th,  1639,  that  a  meeting  for  civil  organization  and  regulation  was 
held,  when  44  persons,  by  reason  of  being  accepted  church  members, 
were  recognized  as  free  planters,  having  a  full  voice  in  the  town's 
affairs.  Ten  others,  it  appears,  were  with  the  company  or  came  soon 
after,  but  not  yet  having  been  received  into  the  church,  were  not  free- 
menf  at  the  time  named. 

The  first  list  of  freemen  or  pioneer  planters  embraced  the  follow- 
ing 44  men:  Zachariah  Whitman,  died  in  1666;  Thomas  Welch,  16S1 
Thomas  Wheeler,  1675;  Edmond  Tapp,  1653;  Thomas  Buckingham 
1657;  Richard  Miles,  1667;  Richard  Piatt,  1671;  Thomas  Tapping,  1684 
Mr.  Peter  Prudden,  1656;  William  Fowler,  1660;  John   Astwood,  1654 
Richard  Baldwin,  1665;  Benjamin   Fenn,  1662;    Samuel  Coley,   1684 
John    Babcock,    removed   in    1651;    Henry   Stonhill,    1651;  Nathaniel 
Baldwin,  died  in  1692;  James  Prudden,  1648;  Thomas  Baker,  removed 
in  1650;  George  Clark,  Sr.,  died  in  1690;  George  Hubbard,  removed  in 
1650;  Doctor  Jasper  Gunn,  died  in  1670;  John  Fletcher,  1662;  Alexan- 
der Bryan,  1679;  Francis  Bolt,  1649;  Micah  Tompkins,  1649:  John  Bird- 
sey,  removed  in  1649;  Edmund  Harvey,  died  in  1648;  John  Lane,  1669 
William  East,  1681;  Thomas  Lawrence,  1648:  Thomas  Sandford.  168] 
Timothy  Baldwin,  1664;  George  Clark,  Jr.,  1690;  John   Burwell,  1649 
Henry  Bottsford,  1686;  Joseph  Baldwin,  1690;  Philip  Hatley,  removed 
in  1649;  Nicholas  Camp,  died  in  1706;  John  Rogers,  1684;  Thomas  Uffat, 
1691;  Nathaniel   Brisco,  1683:  Thomas  Tibbals,  1703;  John  Sherman, 

*Lambert.       fSee  account  of  the  First  Church. 


216  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

removed  in  1645,  died  in  1685.  The  other  ten  planters  were:  Robert 
Plumb,  died  in  1655;  Roger  Terrill,  1682;  Joseph  Northrop,  1699;  John 
Baldwin,  16S1;  William  Slough,  1681;  Andrew  Benton,  removed  in 
1666,  died  in  1681;  William  Brooke,  died  in  1G84;  Robert  Treat,  1712; 
Henry  Lyon,  1712;  John  Fowler,  removed  in  1660. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  the  foregoing  54  persons,  most  of  them 
heads  of  families,  represented  200  inhabitants,  living  in  the  town  as 
early  as  the  spring  of  1640. 

Before  1685,  69  more  free  planters  joined  those  named  above, 
among  them  being:  Joshua  Atwater,  came  in  1655;  Henry  Allen, 
Edward  Adams,  Joseph  Ashbam,  Haerts  Albers,  Thomas  Andrews, 
Thomas  Beardsley,  came  1647;  John  Brown,  came  1648;  Thomas 
Beach,  came  1658;  Thomas  Bayley,  Roger  Betts,  Thomas  Betts, 
Thomas  Campfield,  Robert  Downs,  1660;  Charles  Deal.  1657;  Robert 
Dennison,  Gilbert  Davidson,  Samuel  Eells,  1664;  John  Ford,  1644; 
Thomas  Ford,  Thomas  Farman,  Nathaniel  Farrand,  Stephen  Free- 
man, John  Fisk,  Nathaniel  Gould,  Joseph  Guernsey,  Thomas  Hine, 
1646;  Richard  Houghton,  Thomas  Hayes,  Richard  Holbrook,  Richard 
Hollingworth,  Jonathan  Ingersoll,  1698;  Walter  Joye,  Jesse  Lambert, 
1680;  Jonathan  Law,  1664;  Simon  Lobdell.  Miles  Merwin,  1645;  Miles 
Moore,  Jonathan  Marsh,  Thomas  Mecock,  Samuel  Nettleton,  1645; 
Roger  Newton,  Francis  Norton,  Joseph  Peck,  1645;  John  Prindle,  1645; 
Roger  Pritchard,  1653;  Abraham  Pierson,  James  Prime,  David  Phillips, 
Edward  Riggs,  1646;  William  Roberts,  Thomas  Read,  John  Smith, 
1643;  Richard  Shute,  Joseph  Sill,  John  Stream,  John  Stone,  Vincent 
Stilson,  Peter  Simpson,  Henry  Tomlinson,  1652;  Edward  Turner, 
William  Tyler,  John  Woodruff,  1685;  Edward  Wooster,  1651;  Edward 
Wilkinson,  Thomas  Ward,  Joseph  Waters. 

The  first  settlers  located  themselves  on  each  side  of  the  Mill  river 
and  the  West  End  brook,  probably  for  the  convenience  of  water  for 
themselves  and  cattle.  Their  house  lots  were  laid  out  in  parallel, 
narrow  slips,  containing  each  about  three  acres.  Some  of  them  had 
double,  i.  e.,  two  slips  adjoining.  Each  planter  was  to  erect  a  good 
house  on  his  lot  within  three  years,  or  it  was  to  go  back  to  the  town. 

The  first  fence  enclosed  the  Gulf  neck,  which  was  called  Eastfield, 
and  was  the  common  lot  of  those  located  on  the  river.  The  second 
fence  enclosed  Westfield,  or  all  the  land  down  to  the  Great  Meadow, 
and  was  the  common  lot  of  the  planters  residing  at  the  West  End. 
The  tract  called  Mill  Neck  was  owned  by  both  the  East  End  and  the 
West  End  inhabitants.  Each  lot  holder  had  also  a  right  to  the  mead- 
ows in  the  harbor,  or  Great  Meadow  tracts. 

The  planters  at  first  enclosed  their  home  lots  in  common,  each  man 
making  and  maintaining  a  share  of  fence,  according  to  his  quantity  of 
land.  In  1645  they  agreed  to  make  their  division  fences.  By  this 
time  most  of  the  planters  had  erected  frame  houses,  in  the  old  leanto 
style,  which  were  covered  with  rent-oak  shingles,  and  had  windows  of 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  217 

diamond  glass.     Their  object  in  settling  thus  close  together  was  for 
security  in  case  of  an  attack  from  the  Indians. 

They  soon  surrounded  their  settlement  with  palisades  twelve  feet 
high,  so  thickly  set  a  man  could  not  come  between.  They  enclosed  a 
square  mile  of  land  on  both  sides  of  the  Wepawaug.  As  the  popula- 
tion increased,  and  the  danger  from  Indian  attack  became  less,  the 
land  further  from  the  center  was  laid  out  and  settled. 

House  lot  owners  in  1645:  Lot  No.  1,  John  Astwood;  2,  Richard  Bald- 
win; 3,  Benjamin  Fenn;  4,  Samuel  Cooley;  5,  John  Peacocke;  6,  Henry 
Stonhill;  7,  Nathaniel  Baldwin;  8,  James  Prudden;  9,  John  Sherman;  10, 
Thomas  Baker;  11,  Stephen  Freeman:  12,  John  Fletcher;  13,  John  Bald- 
win; 14,  Frances  Bolt;  15,  Micah  Tomkins;  16,  John  Birdseye;  17,  Ed- 
ward Harvey;  18,  John  Lane;  19,  William  East;  20,  Thomas  Lawrence 
(sold  to  William  East);  21,  Thomas  Sanford;  22,  Timothy  Baldwin;  23, 
Alexander  Bryan;  24,  Jasper  Gunn;  25,  Thomas  Hine;  26,  Henry  Lyon; 
27,  John  Stream;  28,  William  Slough;  29,  James  Prime;  30,  Thomas 
Reed;  31,  Robert  Denison;  32,  Zachariah  Whitman;  33,  Thomas  Welch; 
34,  Thomas  Wheeler;  35,  Mr.  Edmond  Tapp;  36,  Thomas  Buckingham; 
37,  Robert  Plum;  38,  Richard  Piatt;  39,  Thomas  Tapping;  40,  Mr.  Peter 
Prudden;  41,  Mr.  William  Fowler;  42,  Thomas  Lawrence;  43,  George 
Clark,  Jr.;  44,  John  Burwell;  45,  Henry  Botsford;  46,  John  Smith;  47, 
John  Rogers;  48,  Philip  Hatley;  49,  Roger  Tyrrell;  50,  Nicholas  Camp; 
,51,  John  Fowler;  52,  Joseph  Baldwin;  53,  Thomas  Tibbals;  54,  Widow 
Martha  Beard:  55,  Thomas  Campfield;  56,  Thomas  Ford;  57,  William 
Roberts;  58,  John  Smith;  59,  Thomas  Bailey;  60,  William  Brookes;  61, 
John  Brown;  62,  Nathaniel  Briscoe;  63,  Edward  Riggs;  64,  Andrew 
Benton;  65,  George  Clark,  Sr.;  66,  George  Hubbard  (sold  to  John 
Stream). 

When  the  public  buildings  were  erected,  the  First  Congregational 
meeting  house  was  built  against  lot  No.  9;  Second  Congregational 
meeting  house  against  No.  38;  Episcopal  church  against  No.  17,  and 
town  house  against  No.  15. 

The  regicide  judges — William  Goffe  and  Edward  Whalley — sought 
shelter  and  refuge  at  Milford,  coming  here  August  19th,  1661,  and  re- 
maining about  two  years.  They  were  securely  hidden  in  the  base- 
ment of  a  shop  which  stood  on  lot  No.  15,  which  had  been  allotted  to 
Micah  Tomkins.  But  few  people  knew  of  this  concealment  at  Mil- 
ford,  and  so  well  was  the  secret  kept  that  even  the  daughters  of  Mr. 
Tomkins,  who  sometimes  spun  and  wove  in  the  shop,  were  unaware 
of  the  presence  of  the  judges  in  the  room  beneath  them. 

At  this  period  the  population  of  the  town  was  500  or  more,  and  the 
planters  were  constantly  receiving  new  additions  to  their  numbers. 
About  the  close  of  that  century  new  settlements  were  established  in 
various  parts  of  the  town— at  Burwell's  Farm,  on  the  sound;  at  Wheel- 
er's Farm,  on  the  Housatonic;  at  Bryan's  Farm,  north  of  the  Center, 
and  at  other  points  in  what  are  now  Woodbridge,  Bethany,  Orange, 


218  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Derby,  Ansonia  and  Seymour  in  this  county.  In  1702  the  town  pur- 
chased the  tract  of  Indian  land  called  Weantinoque  and  settled  it  as 
New  Milford.  Many  others  from  this  place  early  located  at  Newtown, 
Watertown,  Durham  and  Greenwich,  in  this  state;  at  Huntington,  on 
Long  Island;  at  Newark,  N.  J.;  New  Milford,  Pa.,  and  Talmadge.Ohio. 

In  1774  the  population  of  the  town  was — whites,  1,965;  Indians,  162. 
In  1810  the  inhabitants  numbered  2,674.  In  1850,  after  all  the  towns 
had  been  set  off  that  originally  were  a  part  of  Milford,  the  population 
was  2,465.  Since  that  time  there  has  been  no  decrease.  In  1890  the 
inhabitants  numbered  3,811. 

Not  being  under  the  jurisdiction  of  any  civil  government  until 
1644,  when  the  town  joined  in  forming  the  extended  New  Haven 
colony,  the  planters  met  November  20th,  1639,  to  adopt  a  polity  for 
their  little  republic.  Forty-four  persons  were  accorded  a  full  voice  in 
this  meeting,  and  ten  others,  as  soon  as  received  into  church  fellow- 
ship, were  to  be  entitled  to  engage  in  the  town's  affairs,  being  then 
also  freemen  or  "free  planters."  At  this  meeting  the  following  clearly 
expressed  and  comprehensive  civil  compact  was  voted  on  and  adopted: 

"  That  the  power  of  electing  officers  and  persons  to  divide  the  land 
into  lots,  to  take  orders  for  the  timber,  and  to  manage  the  common 
interests  of  the  plantation,  should  be  in  the  church  only,  and  that  per- 
sons so  chosen  should  be  only  among  themselves. 

"  That  they  would  guide  themselves  in  all  their  doings  by  the 
written  word  of  God,  till  such  time  as  a  body  of  laws  should  be  estab- 
lished. 

"  That  five  men  should  be  chosen  for  judges  in  all  civil  affairs,  to 
try  all  causes  between  man  and  man,  and  as  a  court  to  punish  any 
offence  and  misdemeanor. 

"  That  the  persons  invested  with  the  magistracy  should  have  power 
to  call  a  general  court  whenever  they  might  see  cause,  or  the  public 
good  require. 

"  That  they  should  hold  particular  court  once  in  six  weeks,  wherein 
should  be  tried  such  causes  as  might  be  brought  before  them,  they  to 
examine  witnesses  upon  oath  as  need  should  require. 

"  That,  according  to  the  sum  of  money  which  each  person  paid  to- 
ward the  public  charges,  in  such  proportion  should  he  receive  or  be 
repaid  in  lands,  and  that  all  planters  who  might  come  after  should  pay 
their  share  equally  for  some  public  use. 

"  That  William  Fowler,  Edmond  Tapp,  Zachariah  Whitman,  John 
Astwood  and  Richard  Miles  be  the  first  judges." 

A  year  later,  November  24th,  1640,  at  the  third  meeting  of  the 
general  court  of  the  Wepawaug  planters,  a  town  seal  was  adopted,  the 
capital  letters  M.  F.*  being  blended  and  placed  in  the  figure  of  a  heart. 
This  being  done,  "With  common  consent  and  general  vote  of  the  free- 
men, the  plantation  was  named  Milford." 

*  Probably  means  United  Milford  Freemen. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  21£ 

It  was  also  voted  at  this  court,  "  So  that  justice  be  done  between 
man  and  man  (because  false  weights  and  false  measures  are  an  abomi- 
nation in  the  sight  of  the  Lord),  that  all  measures  for  commerce,  for 
buying  and  selling,  should  be  made  equal  to  the  standard  used  at 
New  Haven,  which  was  brought  from  the  Bay,  and  to  be  sealed  by 
Jasper  Gunn;  and  that  whoever  shall  buy  or  sell  by  any  measure 
not  legally  sealed  should  forfeit  for  every  such  default  5s." 

At  this  meeting  John  Sherman  was  elected  judge  in  place  of  Rich- 
ard Miles.  In  1641  Reverend  Mr.  Prudden  was  chosen  in  place  of 
John  Astwood,  but  in  May,  that  year,  he  was  excused  from  longer 
serving,  and  John  Astwood  was  again  chosen.  In  1(143  the  judges 
were  William  Fowler,  Edmond  Tapp,  Zachariah  Whitman,  George 
Clark  and  Jasper  Gunn. 

In  1644  Milford  united  with  the  towns  of  New  Haven,  Stamford, 
Guilford  and  Southold  (L.  I.)  in  forming  the  New  Haven  jurisdiction. 
But  there  was  some  objection  because  Milford  had  "  formerly  taken 
in  as  free  burgesses  six  planters  who  were  not  in  church  fellowship." 
The  matter  was  compromised  by  a  condition  that  the  six  men  should 
"  never  be  chosen  deputies,  or  into  any  public  trust,  for  the  jurisdic- 
tion, nor  to  be  allowed  to  vote  for  magistrates,  and  that  none  should 
afterward  be  admitted  freemen  but  church  members." 

In  this  jurisdiction  the  town  had  two  magistrates,  and  sent  two 
deputies  to  the  general  court,  which  convened  at  New  Haven.  Will- 
iam Fowler  and  Edmond  Tapp  were  those  chosen  the  first  magis- 
trates, and  John  Astwood  and  John  Sherman  the  first  deputies. 

The  New  Haven  jurisdiction  was  dissolved  in  1664,  and  the  colony 
of  Connecticut  formed  in  1665,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  two  Mil- 
ford men,  Benjamin  Fenn  and  Robert  Treat.  Hence  the  town  has 
sustained  three  civil  relations:  As  an  independent  plantation,  from 
1639  to  1644;  as  a  member  of  the  New  Haven  colony  or  jurisdiction 
until  1665,  and  as  a  member  of  the  colony  and  state  of  Connecticut 
since  the  latter  date. 

Much  of  the  early  affairs  of  the  town  pertained  to  the  purchase  and 
disposition  of  the  lands  in  the  plantation.  Besides  the  first  allotments, 
already  noted,  it  was  voted  in  1674,  "  There  should  be  two  miles  of  land 
sequestered  to  lie  in  common  for  the  use  of  the  town,  and  not  any  of  it  to 
be  laid  out  without  the  consent  of  three-fourths  of  the  inhabitants;  to  be- 
gin at  the  uttermost  houses  in  the  town  and  to  go  two  miles  on  each 
side."  This  tract  was  especially  intended  for  the  use  of  the  town  flock 
of  sheep,  which  was  kept  for  the  common  profit  of  the  people   for 

nearly  one  hundred  years.     At  times  the  flock  had  as  many  as  1 .." 

sheep,  in  the  care  of  hired  shepherds.  The  income  was  used  in  pay- 
ing town  expenses.  After  1688  this  tract  of  land  was  divided  among 
the  planters  by  a  vote  of  the  town. 

In   the  disposition  of  the  common  lands  each  planter  was  allotted 
meadow  land,  either  on  the   East  or  Indian    river  or  on  the  harbor 


■220  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

meadows.  Four  shillings  per  acre  was  paid  into  the  treasury  for  every 
acre  allotted.  In  addition  to  the  first  allotments  the  town  decreed  di- 
visions in  1645  in  the  eastern  part  of  Milford;  in  1646,  meadow  lands; 
in  1658,  the  Newfield;  in  1660,  Indian  Neck  (which  had  just  been  pur- 
chased of  the  Indians)  was  divided  among  15  planters,  and  other  divi- 
sions were  made  in  1676,  1679  and  1689.  Later  allotments  were  made 
in  1712,  when  there  were  197  proprietors.  The  Oyster  Neck  and 
Ferry  lands  were  the  last  laid  out,  in  1805.  They  were  allotted  ac- 
cording to  the  list  of  1686. 

No  land  records  were  kept  before  1646,  but  soon  thereafter  strin- 
gent regulations  were  made,  requiring  proper  bounds  and  records  to 
be  strictly  noted  and  entered. 

The  ancient  boundary  lines  between  this  and  the  adjoining  towns 
were  established:  Between  Milford  and  New  Haven  in  April,  1672; 
between  Milford  and  Derby  in  May,  1680,  and  between  Milford  and 
Waterbury  in  April,  1738. 

The  patent  to  the  town  from  the  general  court  of  the  colony  was 
dated  May  25th,  1685,  and  was  given  to  "  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  Mr. 
Richard  Bryan,  Capt.  Samuel  Eells,  Capt.  John  Beard,  Mr.  George 
Clark  and  Lieut.  Samuel  Burwell  and  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  township  of  Milford."  It  was  signed  by  Robert  Treat, 
governor.  After  this  patent  was  given  further  purchases  were 
made  by  the  town,  and  in  1713  it  was  determined  to  ask  for  a 
new  patent,  which  should  comprehend  all  the  territory,  and  which 
should  contain  the  name  of  every  individual  proprietor.  To  further 
this  end  "  Jonathan  Law,  Esq.,  Major  Samuel  Eells,  Serg.  Zachariah 
Baldwin,  Ensign  Samuel  Gunn,  Capt.  Joseph  Treat,  Ensign  George 
Clark  and  Mr.  Samuel  Clark,  Jun.,  were  chosen  a  committee 
to  take  care  about  drawing  up  said  patent."  The  instrument  was 
carefully  drawn  up  by  Jonathan  Law,  Esq.,  and  described  the  original 
purchases  covered  by  the  first  patent  and  the  additional  purchases  in 
1693  north  of  Bladen's  brook,  which  extended  the  bounds  from  the 
"  Sea  "  south  to  Beacon  Hill  river,  north;  with  New  Haven  on  the 
east  and  the  Housatonic  and  Derby  on  the  west.  In  the  description 
Milford  island,  Edward  Wooster's  island  and  Duck  island  were  in- 
cluded as  parts  of  Milford  territory.  The  patent  bore  the  names  of 
235  freeholders,  and  was  signed  by  Governor  Gurdon  Saltonstall,  May 
22d,  1713. 

The  area  thus  described  by  the  above  patent  was  reduced  by  the 
incorporation  of  the  town  of  Woodbridge  in  1784,  and  further  by  the 
■erection  of  the  town  of  Orange  in  1822. 

Besides  the  first  judges,  already  named,  some  of  the  other  judges 
in  the  first  sixty  years  of  the  town  were  William  East,  George  Treat, 
Alexander  Bryan,  Thomas  Clark,  Samuel  Eells,  John  Beard,  Richard 
Bryan,  Samuel  Newton  and  Joseph  Treat. 

After  1698  and   for  the  next  ninety  years  following  the  town  had 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  221 

as  justices  or  commissioners,  among  others:  Richard  Baldwin,  Roger 
Newton,  Jonathan  Law,  Samuel  Andrew,  Samuel  Gunn,  Robert  Treat, 
John  Fowler,  Nathaniel  Baldwin,  Joseph  Woodruff,  David  Baldwin, 
Ephraim  Strong,  David  Ingersoll,  Gideon  Buckingham,  Isaac  Miles, 
Samuel  Treat,  Stephen  Gunn,  Lewis  Mallett  and  Samuel  Dibble.  The 
years  in  which  they  served  cannot  be  accurately  given,  and  the  imper- 
fect condition  of  the  records  also  precludes  the  giving  of  complete 
lists  of  other  officers.     Hence  they  are  given  in  an  abridged  form. 

The  town  clerks  of  Milford  and  the  years  in  which  they  were  cho- 
sen have  been  the  following:  1640,  Robert  Treat;  1648,  Richard  Bald- 
win: 1680,  Samuel  Eells;  1685,  Daniel  Buckingham;  1689,  Thomas 
Oviatt;  1692,  Alexander  Bryan;  1698,  Richard  Bryan;  1705,  John  Law, 
Jr.;  1718,  John  Fowler;  1756,  John  Fowler,  Jr.;  1774,  David  B.  Inger- 
soll; 1775,  Samuel  Whittlesey;  1776,  Gideon  Buckingham;  1809,  Abra- 
ham V.  H.  De  Witt;  1813,  Samuel  Higbey;  1836,  David  L.  Baldwin; 
1862,  William  Durand;  1864,  D.  L.  Hubbell;  1865,  Selah  Strong;  1867, 
Arthur  N.  Clark;  1871,  Phineas  S.  Bristol;  1872,  Thomas  W.  Stowr 
1873,  William  H.  Pond;  1876-90,  John  W.  Fowler. 

Since  1850  the  first  selectmen  and  town  agents  have  been  elected  as 
follows:  1850-61,  Samuel  B.  Gunn;  1802-4,  Selah  Strong;  1865-7, 
Simeon  L.  Bristol;  1868,  Mark  Tibbals;  1869,  Phineas  S.  Bristol;  1770-2, 
Mark  Tibbals;  1873-4,  William  Brotherton;  1875-6,  John  N.  Bucking- 
ham ;  1877-86,  Charles  W.  Beardsley ;  1887,  William  H.  Andrews; 
1888-90,  Isaac  C.  Smith. 

In  the  same  period,  the  treasurers  of  the  various  funds  have  been 
Selah  Strong,  Nathan  Fenn,  Samuel  Beach,  Alfred  Mallett,  Isaac  T. 
Rogers,  David  Miles,  Phineas  S.  Bristol  and  Edward  G.  Miles. 

The  Milford  Probate  District  was  established  May  30th,  1832.    Prior 
to  that  time  business  of  that  nature  was  done  at  New  Haven,  from 
which  the  town  was  now  set  off  as  a  separate  district.     The  first  court 
was  held  July  11th,  1832,  William  Strong  being  the  judge  and  David 
C.  Baldwin  the  clerk.     The  subsequent  judges  were  elected  as  below 
1837,  Abijah  Carrington;   1842,  William  Durand;   1845,  Selah  .Strong 
1847,  Abijah  Carrington;  1848,  Andrew  French;  1850,  William  Strong 
1851,  Andrew  French;  1S52,  David   L.  Baldwin.     In  1855  Samuel  B 
Gunn  was  elected  judge,  succeeding  David   L.  Baldwin,  who  became 
inelligible  by  reason  of  being  more  than  seventy  years  of  age.     But 
the  latter  was  appointed  clerk,  and  the  two  sustained  that  relation 
until  1863,  when  John  W.  Fowler  was  elected  judge.     He  so  served 
until  1877,  when  age  made  him  inelligible,  and  William  G.  Mitchell 
was  elected  judge  and  John  W.  Fowler  clerk,  each  serving  twelve 
years.     In  1889  George  M.  Gunn  was  elected  judge  and  John  W.  Fow- 
ler continued  as  clerk,  at  the  age  of  82  years. 

Public  business  was  first  transacted  at  the  "Common  House," 
erected  at  the  head  of  the  harbor  on  the  settlement  of  the  planters. 
Next  the  meeting  house  was  used,  but  after  schools  were  established 


222  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

a  town  house  was  built.  It  was  placed  upon  public  lands  at  the  angle 
where  is  now  the  town  hall.  In  1699  a  school  or  town  hall  was  author- 
ized to  be  built  at  the  "  West  End,"  which  stood,  and  was  used  the 
greater  part  of  a  hundred  years.  The  "  East  End  "  town  house  gave 
place  to  a  new  and  larger  building  in  1734,  which  was  burned  in  the 
winter  of  1758  in  a  revel  by  some  British  troops  which  were  quartered 
in  it,  having  been  brought  here  in  consequence  of  the  French  and  In- 
dian wars.  The  British  government  paid  the  town  .£50  for  this  dam- 
age, toward  building  a  new  town  house,  which  was  put  up  in  1760  by 
John  Hopkins.  This  stood  until  about  1845,  and  was  last  used  as  a 
place  of  worship  by  the  Baptists  of  Milford.  It  was  a  substantial 
frame,  30  by  45  feet,  and  had  a  very  plain  appearance. 

In  1S33  a  new  town  house  was  built,  also  on  the  small  green  and  in 
front  of  the  old  town  house.  This  building  was  32  by  42  feet  and  two 
stories  high,  the  upper  room  being  used  for  school  purposes.  Elijah 
Baldwin  was  the  builder,  and  it  cost  $1,200.  Its  location  in  the  angle 
of  the  green  caused  that  plat  of  ground  to  look  unattractive;  hence,  in 
1854,  the  house  was  moved  up  and  placed  in  line  with  the  Baptist 
meeting  house,  built  upon  the  site  of  the  old  town  house.  The  Bap- 
tists disbanding,  their  church  building  was  purchased  by  the  town  in 
1866,  and  has  since  been  used  for  a  town  auditorium.  In  1875  this 
building  and  the  old  town  house  were  merged  in  the  present  town 
edifice,  which  is  used  for  school  and  public  purposes.  The  small  green 
has  also  been  improved,  and  in  1876  one  of  the  finest  liberty  poles  in 
the  state  was  erected  at  the  lower  angle.  These  improvements  are 
noteworthy  and  attractive,  and  reflect  credit  upon  the  town. 

In  1824  the  town  purchased  a  poor  farm  at  Burwell's  Corner,  which 
contained  23  acres.  This  was  further  improved,  and  was  used  as  a 
home  for  indigent  persons  until  1873,  when  it  was  ordered  sold  and 
other  provision  made  for  the  care  of  the  town's  poor. 

In  1740  the  town  voted  "  to  buy  a  new  bell  of  about  600  pounds 
weight,  the  old  one  being  cracked."  The  same  year  Ebenezer  Parme- 
lee  set  up  a  brass  clock,  which  gave  good  satisfaction  a  number  of 
years.  In  1825  it  was  unwisely  replaced  by  a  wooden  clock,  which  was 
a  greater  failure  than  the  old  one,  which  had  been  sold  for  a  trifle. 
After  some  delay  the  wooden  affair  was  cast  out  and  a  good  clock  sup- 
plied. The  town  clock  is  still  a  feature  of  the  life  at  Milford  village, 
and  retains  its  place  in  the  tower  of  the  First  meeting  house. 

It  is  said  of  the  early  roads  of  Milford  that  they  were  not  laid  out, 
but  the  land  was;  and  that  cart  paths  were  made  where  the  trees  were 
the  thinnest,  so  as  to  reach  each  farm  without  much  reference  to  course, 
As  the  best  lands  were  first  picked  out  and  the  roads  followed  them, 
about  all  the  vacant  land  was  regarded  as  the  roadway.  After  the 
roads  were  once  laid  out  they  were  also  left  very  wide.  Broad  street 
was  originally  40  rods  wide,  and  most  of  the  present  houses  stand  on 
what  was  the  highway.     The  old  New  Haven  road  was  laid  out  16  rods 


HISTORY   OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  223 

wide;  the  Harbor  road,  10  rods;  and  the  Mill  Neck  road,  6  rods  wide. 
On  these  roads  and  the  roads  on  both  sides  of  the  Wepawaug  the 
abutting  property  holders  have  so  much  encroached  that  but  little  sem- 
blance of  the  original  highways  is  left,  and  many  of  the  houses  stand 
on  "Squatter's  claims." 

Some  of  the  early  roads  to  principal  points  followed  the  Indian 
trails  much  of  the  way.  The  old  Turkey  Hill,  Burwell's  Farm,  New 
Haven  and  the  Poconoc  Point  roads  are  almost  identical  with  the  In- 
dian pathways  found  by  the  early  settlers.  For  many  years  there  was 
considerable  objection  to  the  better  system  of  roads,  or  building  them 
according  to  modern  methods.  Hence,  when  turnpikes  were  projected, 
there  was  much  opposition.  The  road  from  Derby  Narrows  to  New 
Haven,  through  the  northern  part  of  Milford  (now  Orange)  was  bit- 
terly opposed  in  1798,  and  so  also  in  1802,  "  it  was  voted  to  oppose  the 
New  Haven  and  Milford  Turnpike  Company  running  the  turnpike  road 
through  people's  land,  but  to  have  them  keep  the  old  road,  except  cut- 
ting off  short  corners."  But  in  spite  of  this  opposition  both  roads  were 
built  and  were  afterward  much  appreciated  by  the  people.  The  gen- 
eral course  of  the  latter  highway  through  the  town  was  from  northeast 
to  southwest,  and  it  was  opened  to  the  public  in  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century.  At  Milford  village  the  Wepawaug  was  crossed,  be- 
tween the  first  and  second  dams,  the  company  building  the  so-called 
Jefferson  bridge.  The  company  also  owned  the  first  Washington 
bridge  across  the  Housatonic.  As  the  stage  route  from  New  Haven 
to  New  York,  this  road  was  much  used  until  after  the  completion  of 
the  railroad  in  the  same  course. 

The  construction  of  the  railroad  was  begun  in  184f>,  and  a  through 
train  from  New  York  first  ran  through  Milford  December  28th,  1848. 
William  Strong  was  the  first  agent  at  Milford  village,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Peter  Hobart,  who  was  the  first  telegrapher  at  this  station. 
The  Naugatuck  Valley  railway  was  joined  to  the  main  line  at  the  Housa- 
tonic bridge  in  1849.  The  first  bridge  was  of  wood.  The  present 
elegant  iron  bridge  was  erected  in  1884.  Full  station  facilities  at  the 
junction  were  established  in  the  fall  of  1890,  when  a  ticket  office  was 
added  to  the  adjuncts  already  there. 

When  the  "  new"  road  was  located  through  the  lots  in  the  middle 
of  the  village,  in  1805,  it  was  so  vigorously  opposed  that  suits  for  dam- 
ages followed,  and  the  matter  was  carried  to  the  county  court  for  set- 
tlement. 

The  green  or  park  in  Broad  street,  in  Milford,  was  improved  by  the 
town  fn  1854,  and  a  railing  was  built  around  it.  For  a  long  time  the 
west  end  was  low  and  swampy,  but  it  has  been  drained  and  much 
beautified. 

The  necessity  for  better  facilities  for  crossing  the  Housatonic  im- 
pelled the  town  to  early  establish  a  ferry,  and  it  was  set  up  in  1675,  at 
a  point  above  Washington  bridge.     To  encourage  the  settlement  of  a 


224  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ferryman,  forty  acres  of  land  were  there  sequestered.  In  1731,  under 
a  new  act  of  the  general  assembly,  the  town  built  a  two-story*frame 
house  for  the  ferryman,  and  provided  other  suitable  accommodations 
and  boats.  In  1758  these  were  thoroughly  repaired.  October  1st, 
1798,  Washington  bridge  having  been  built  so  that  it  was  no  longer 
necessary  to  have  the  ferry,  the  town  voted  to  sell  all  the  property, 
and  William  Hopkins  became  the  purchaser.  The  old  county  road 
led  to  the  ferry,  and  was  here  called  the  Ferry  road.  In  1785  its  pres- 
ent course  to  "  Hog  Rock  "  was  located.  This  is  an  immense  boulder, 
one  mile  east  of  Washington  bridge,  and  it  is  said  its  name  was  de- 
rived from  the  following  circumstance: 

"  Once  four  young  men  upon  ye  rock 
Sate  down  at  Shuffle-board  one  day, 
When  ye  Devill  appeared  in  shape  of  a  hogg, 
And  frighten'd  y'm  so  they  scampered  awaye, 
And  left  Olde  Nick  to  finish  ye  play." 

The  story  runs  that  the  hog  came  from  the  bushes  near  by,  and 
walked  around  the  rock,  as  the  boys  were  playing  cards  upon  the  top 
of  it,  one  Sabbath  morning.  Its  peculiar  actions  convinced  the  boys 
that  it  must  be  the  messenger  of  the  evil  one,  and  they  beat  a  hasty 
retreat.  During  the  revolutionary  war  the  rock  was  devoted  to  a  better 
use  by  an  ardent  patriot,  Peter  Pierett,  Jr.,  who  cut  in  large  letters  on 
the  north  side  the  words  "  Liberty,  1776." 

Another  ferry  was  long  kept  up  at  Oronoque,  and  this  means  of 
crossing  streams  was  employed  at  other  points  until  bridges  could  be 
built. 

The  first  bridge  in  the  town  was  ordered  at  the  November  24th, 
1640,  meeting,  "  to  be  built  with  all  possible  expedition."  This  was 
called  the  Meeting  House  bridge,  and  has  ever  since  been  kept  up. 
The  next  one  built  was  at  Fowler's  mill,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Wepa- 
waug,  which  was  put  up  in  1645.  On  its  site  was  built,  in  1889,  the 
town's  beautiful  memorial  bridge,  commemorative  of  the  250th  anni- 
versary of  the  settlement  of  Milford.  It  is  a  handsome  stone  arch 
structure,  with  graceful  and  artistic  lines,  and  at  the  west  approach 
is  a  tower  of  peculiar  beauty  and  substantial  appearance,  also  built  of 
stone  and  covered  with  tile.  On  this  and  on  the  north  side  of  the 
bridge  are  many  historical  inscriptions.  The  bridge  cost  about  $3,100, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  objects  in  the  town. 

The  first  Gulf  bridge  was  the  third  in  the  town,  and  was  built  in 
1662.  In  1810  another  wooden  structure  took  its  place,  which  was  used 
in  a  repaired  condition  until  1890,  when  a  good  stone  and  iron  bridge 
was  erected  in  its  stead,  at  a  cost  of  more  than  $6,000.  Plumb's,  or  the 
Indian  River  bridge,  on  the  old  County  road,  was  first  built  in  1706; 
King's  bridge  in  1711;  a  bridge  across  the  Wepawaug,  between  the 
meeting  house  and  Fowler's  Mill  bridge,  in  1723.  This  was  below 
where  is  now  the  Episcopal  church.     It  was  abandoned  after  the  Jef- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  225 

ferson  bridge,  a  short  distance  above,  was  built,  about  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century.  Oyster  River  bridge  was  built  by  New  Haven 
and  Milford  in  1753.  The  North  street  foot  bridge  was  first  built  in 
1768,  and  the  bridge  at  Jehiel  Bristol's  in  1819. 

The  Washington  bridge,  over  the  Housatonic,  was  begun  in  1797 
and  completed  in  the  following  year.  In  the  spring  of  1806  an  ice 
gorge  carried  away  a  part  of  it.  In  1808  it  was  rebuilt  at  an  expense 
of  $8,000,  which  sum  was  raised  by  a  lottery.  The  bridge  at  first  had 
a  narrow  draw,  which  was  the  cause  of  much  trouble,  the  inhabitants 
of  Derby  and  the  Upper  Housatonic  demanding  its  removal.  After 
much  litigation  the  difficulty  was  overcome  by  the  sale  of  the  bridge 
to  other  parties.  Later  it  was  kept  up  by  the  towns  of  Milford  and 
Stratford,  but  in  1889  the  counties  of  New  Haven  and  Fairfield  assumed 
control,  and  by  these  bodies  it  is  now  kept  in  good  condition.  It  is  a 
long  wooden  structure,  with  a  roomy  side  draw,  permitting  the  pas- 
sage of  the  largest  boats. 

Milford  village  is  the  center  of  population,  wealth  and  influence  of 
the  town.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  attractive  places  in  the 
county,  and  but  few  villages  in  the  state  surpass  it  for  quiet  beauty 
and  pleasing  environments.  The  village  has  a  good  and  healthy  loca- 
tion, on  both  sides  of  the  Wepawaug  river  and  Milford  harbor,  near 
Long  Island  sound,  with  beach  and  sailing  privileges.  The  streets  are 
wide,  well  kept  and  afford  pleasant  drives.  Many  of  them  are  adorned 
with  aged  and  stately  elms  and  other  shade  trees.  Capacious  resi- 
dences, some  of  them  of  modern  architecture  and  costly,  are  set  in 
large  yards  of  greensward,  giving  the  village  a  retired  and  perhaps 
drowsy  appearance.  There  are  also  a  large  number  of  quaint  and 
well  preserved  old  mansions,  betokening  the  architecture  of  former 
centuries. 

"The  old  houses  have  a  musty  odor,  but  they  were  built  to  last. 
On  the  front  doors  one  may  see  wrought-iron  hinges  in  the  form  of  a 
T,  with  long  arms  and  wooden  door  latches;  the  doorstep  is  an  uncut 
stone.  In  the  garrets  one  finds  hops  spread  on  the  floor  to  dry,  colos- 
sal band  boxes,  the  hair  trunk  and  the  lank,  glazed  gripsack  of  our 
fathers.  In  many  door  yards  the  old  style  well-sweep  still  remains  in 
use.  One  old  dwelling,  as  black  as  coal,  has  an  overhanging  third 
story,  supported  by  carved  brackets;  another  has  a  row  of  small  dor- 
mer windows  in  the  front  of  its  roof,  which  are  the  admiration  of 
architects.  But,  above  all,  there  is  an  air  of  innate  connection  and 
relationship  between  house  and  house  and  surroundings  which  a  new 
house  cannot  have,  and  which  makes  the  indefinable,  but  no  less  posi- 
tive, physiogomy  and  atmosphere  of  the  old  home  so  gracious  and  so 
dignified.  The  giant  trees  protect  it  from  sun  and  tempest;  around 
and  over  it  have  grown  vines  and  flowers,  memories  and  traditions."* 
There  are  a  score  of  business  places,  a  Masonic  hall,  savings  bank. 
*W.  H.  Downes,  in  Neiv  England  Magazine. 
15 


226  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

several  grood  manufacturing:  establishments,  a  fine  town  hall  and 
Union  school  house,  Congregational,  Episcopal,  Methodist  and  Catho- 
lic church  edifices,  and  several  thousand  contented  inhabitants,  many 
leading  retired  lives. 

The  settlement  of  the  village  and  the  town  are  coeval,  the  place 
being  founded  in  1639.  Their  history  is  also  practically  the  same  as 
related  in  these  pages.  The  event  of  founding  Milford,  as  indicated 
by  the  25(>th  anniversary,  was  fitly  celebrated  August  28th,  1889,  when 
the  beautiful  Memorial  bridge  at  the  foot  of  Broad  street  was  dedi- 
cated in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

Woodmont  is  a  post  office  and  station  on  the  New  Haven  railroad 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  near  the  Long  Island  sound.  Extend- 
ing to  the  beach  and  along  the  shore,  a  village  of  several  hundred  in- 
habitants, most  of  them  summer  residents  only,  has  lately  sprung  up; 
but  the  improvements  lately  begun  and  projected  will  not  only  make 
this  an  attractive  place  of  resort,  but  will  also  invite  a  settled  popula- 
tion. In  the  past  year  some  handsome  residences  were  erected  and 
the  roads  much  improved. 

This  locality  was  long  known  as  "  Burwell's  Farm,"  from  the  fact 
that  large  tracts  of  land  were  owned  here  by  John  Burwell,  one  of  the 
first  planters  of  Milford.  He  had  a  son,  Lieutenant  Samuel  Burwell, 
and  the  latter's  sons,  Nathan  and  Samuel,  were  the  first  settlers  of 
this  part  of  the  town,  about  1690.  They  became  well-to-do  farmers, 
and  at  one  time  their  descendants  here  were  numerous;  a  few  only 
remain. 

In  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town,  near  the  Housatonic  river, 
Joseph  Wheeler  settled  in  1705,  and  from  that  time  the  locality  be- 
came known  as  Wheeler's  Farm.  Previously  it  was  called  the  "  Upper 
Meadows,"  and  Sergeant  Camp  had  hop  yards  there  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  The  rich,  alluvial  lands  were  well  adapted  for  their 
growth,  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil  also  attracted  many  good  farmers 
to  this  section,  which  for  many  years  was  one  of  the  best- tilled  in  the 
town.  Fine  farm  buildings  were  put  up.  At  the  river  was  formerly 
a  small  ship  yard.  In  late  years  this  has  been  an  ordinary  farming 
community. 

Henry  Tomlinson,  who  was  by  trade  a  weaver,  was  authorized  in 
1654  as  the  first  keeper  of  an  ordinary  in  Milford.  His  place  was 
on  the  old  county  road,  a  dozen  or  more  rods  west  of  the  meeting 
house.  Not  fulfilling  the  requirements  .of  the  town,  he  was  succeeded 
in  the  course  of  a  year  by  Richard  Bryan,  and  that  family  kept  the 
place  many  years.  Others  followed.  In  1789  Andrew  Clark  was  the 
keeper.  There  is  a  tradition  that  in  that  year  General  George  Wash- 
ington was  a  guest  of  the  house,  when,  according  to  Lambert,  the  fol- 
lowing incident  occurred:  "  Washington,  not  much  relishing  his  sup- 
per of  boiled  meat  and  potatoes,  called  for  a  bowl  of  milk,  which  was 
brought  him,  with  a  pewter  suoon  in  it,  having  a  broken  handle.     He 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  227 

asked  for  a  silver  spoon,  but  was  told  that  the  house  afforded  none, 
whereupon  he  gave  the  servant  maid  a  two-shilling  piece,  and  told 
her  to  go  and  borrow  one.  She  accordingly  borrowed  one  for  him  at 
the  minister's."  David  Butler  was  the  last  keeper  of  the  old  inn, 
when  it  was  discontinued  about  1824. 

John  Camp  opened  a  tavern  on  lot  No.  50,  in  the  "West  End,"  in 
1705,  and  about  1710  Samuel  Miles  opened  another  public  house  in  the 
village.  As  the  travel  by  land  increased  these  places  had  a  good  pa- 
tronage. Some  time  about  1800  a  tavern  was  opened  at  the  east  end 
of  Washington  bridge,  on  the  Housatonic,  which  for  a  number  of 
years  was  quite  popular.  Later,  Benajah  Thompson  had  a  public 
house  at  Poconoc  Point,  which  had  a  fine  reputation,  and  fifty  years 
ago  was  patronized  as  a  sea-side  resort.  Later  and  more  modern  sea- 
side places  were  opened,  nearer  the  village,  on  Burns'  Point,  and  the 
former  places  have  been  discontinued. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  when  Broad  street  be- 
came a  general  thoroughfare  for  east  and  west  travel,  two  public 
houses  were  opened  on  it,  opposite  each  other  and  near  the  center  of 
the  village — the  Milford  House  and  the  Washington  House.  The  lat- 
ter was  on  the  south  side  of  the  street,  and  was  kept  by  Captain  Ste- 
phen Trowbridge.  He  was  also  a  well-known  sailor  and  sea  captain, 
and  as  such  crossed  the  Atlantic  100  times.  The  tavern  was  discon- 
tinued many  years  ago,  but  Captain  Trowbridge  lived  until  1S76, 
when  he  died  at  the  age  of  95  years. 

Of  the  Milford  House  Nathan  Merwin  was  the  popular  landlord 
fifty  years  ago  and  later.  Since  his  time  the  house  has  been  much  en- 
larged, some  of  the  most  substantial  alterations  being  made  after  the 
rebellion,  by  Andrew  Hepburn,  who  had  been  a  sutler  in  the  army.  It 
has  been  continuously  used  as  a  hotel,  and  has  had  a  number  of 
landlords. 

When  the  town  was  settled  the  harbor  was  clear  of  obstructions, 
permitting  vessels  to  land  where  is  now  Fowler's  mill,  where  a  wharf 
was  built.  Gradually  the  channel  filled  up  and  became  so  shallow  that 
navigation  was  practically  abandoned.  Efforts  were  made  to  improve 
the  harbor,  and  in  1877  the  United  States  government  caused  the  chan- 
nel to  be  dredged,  when  immense  quantities  of  mud  were  removed. 
At  the  same  time  a  stone  breakwater,  about  300  yards  long,  and  jet- 
ties were  built  at  the  mouth  of  Indian  gulf.  This  being  done,  small 
vessels  could  again  ascend  to  Baldwin's  wharf. 

The  first  merchant  and  trader  was  Alexander  Bryan.  As  early  as 
1640  he  sent  a  sloop  to  Boston,  which  was  laden  with  furs  he  had 
bought  of  the  Indians,  and  which  returned  with  goods  for  the  plant- 
ers. In  May,  1 650,  the  town  granted  him  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Broad 
street  and  Dock  lane,  on  which  he  built  a  store  or  warehouse.  The 
same  year  he  built  a  wharf  at  Dock  lane,  which  he  resigned  to  the 


228  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

town  in  1653  on  condition  that  the  town  would  keep  it  in  repair.  This, 
was  done,  and  for  many  years  it  was  known  as  the  Town  Wharf. 
There  were  now  two  wharves,  this  one  and  the  first  one  at  Fowler's 
mill.  In  1655  Richard  Bryan,  son  of  Alexander,  was  given  liberty  to 
build  another  store,  18  by  30  feet,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lane. 
Below  Alexander  Bryan's  store  was  the  store  and  warehouse  of  Will- 
iam East,  and  near  by  was  the  tannery  of  Miles  Merwin.  These  three 
merchants  owned  in  1675  two  brigs  and  one  sloop.  The  former  were 
used  in  the  West  Indies  trade,  carrying  thither  horses,  cattle,  cornmeal 
and  timber.  Returning,  they  were  laden  with  rum  and  molasses,  and 
it  is  said  that  the  New  Haven  planters  first  got  their  supplies  here. 
The  sloop  was  used  in  the  Boston  and  coast  trade  by  Alexander  Bryan, 
whose  credit  with  the  merchants  of  the  Bay  was  so  high  that  his  note 
of  hand  passed  as  current  among  them  as  bank  bills  of  this  day  in  our 
present  trade. 

About  this  time  John  Maltbie  was  also  in  trade.  In  1685  Nicholas 
Camp  built  a  store  at  the  "West  End,"  where  he  lived,  and  he  became 
a  well  known  business  man  of  the  town.  "  In  1696  Mungo  Nisbett 
traded  here,  by  way  of  New  York."* 

In  1714  Samuel  Clark  was  a  merchant  and  bought  Richard  Bryan's 
store.  In  1730  Peter  Pierett,  a  Frenchman,  came  to  Milford,  where  he 
was  a  merchant,  and  traded  with  France  many  years.  He  built  the 
lower  wharf,  on  the  west  side  of  the  harbor,  afterward  purchased  by 
Milford  and  known  as  the  Town  wharf.  About  the  same  time  John 
Gibbs  carried  on  a  trade  with  Holland.  Louis  Lyron,  another  French- 
man, traded  here  about  1740.  At  this  time  the  port  of  Milford  was 
widely  known  at  home  and  in  foreign  parts. 

In  1790  Captain  Charles  Pond,  a  seafaring  man,  who  had  commanded 
the  "  New  Defense"  in  1779  as  a  privateer,  and  others  engaged  in 
trade,  shipbuilding  and  merchandising,  as  Charles  Pond  &  Co.  In  1793 
they  built  the  wharf  on  Gulf  Neck,  where  is  now  the  Merwin  oyster 
industry.  In  1811  Adam  Pond,  a  son  of  Captain  Charles  Pond,  and 
others  formed  the  firm  of  Pond,  Fowler  &  Co.,  and  continued  in  trade 
until  1823.  He  was  a  successful  foreign  trader,  and  was  well  known 
among  the  shippers  of  New  York.  Pond,  Baldwin  &  Co.  were  also  in 
trade  until  1814,  when  the  firm  was  dissolved.  Later  came  Miles, 
Strong  &  Miles,  who  were  largely  engaged  in  the  shipping  trade  until 
the  failure  of  the  firm  in  1821,  since  which  time  there  has  been  but 
little  foreign  trade  with  Milford. 

Ships  were  built  at  Milford  as  early  as  1690,  by  Bethuel  Langstaff, 
who  that  year  built  a  150-ton  brig  for  Alexander  Bryan.  In  1695  he 
built  another  vessel  for  Boston  parties. 

The  "  Sea  Flower,"  built  for  Richard  Bryan,  was  launched  in  1717, 
and  from  that  time,  for  a  little  more  than  one  hundred  years  ship- 
building was  one  of  the  leading  industries  of  the  town.     Nearly  every 

*  Lambert. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  229 

trader  built  his  own  vessels,  and  several  yards  were  maintained  at  the 
village.  A  few  small  vessels  were  also  built  at  Wheeler's  Farm,  on 
the  Housatonic. 

About  1760  Eli  Gunn  came  to  Milford  and  had  a  ship  yard  near  his 
residence.  In  later  times  the  principal  ship  yard  was  on  the  east  side 
of  the  harbor,  below  Fowler's  mill.  Another  yard  was  on  the  west 
side,  between  Dock  lane  and  Wharf  street. 

Among  the  master  builders  were  Isaac  Jones,  called  "  Boss  "  Jones, 
and  "Boss"  John  Rhodes.  As  ship  carpenters  there  were,  among 
others,  John  Hepburn,  William  Tibbals,  Newton  Northrup,  Nathan 
Bristol,  John  Bump,  Samuel  Greene,  John  Bassett,  John  Rood,  Caleb 
Northrup,  Isaac  Bristol,  Samuel  B.  Gunn  and  Asa  Gunn.  Other  ship 
builders  were  William  Durand,  David  and  William  Atwater,  Abraham 
Tomlinson  and  Farrand  Clark. 

Captain  Noah  Kelsey,  who  had  a  shop  near  the  Episcopal  church, 
made  many  of  the  vessel  irons  used.  Two  of  the  last  vessels  of  any 
size  launched  were  the  "  Isabella,"  in  1818,  and  the  "  Marcellus,"  in 
1820.  This  was  built  for  Captain  David  P.  Halsey,  but  was  sold  to 
Captain  Nathan  Gillett.  The  builders  were  W.  H.  Fowler  and  D.  L. 
Baldwin. 

The  venerable  John  W.  Fowler  says  that  in  the  period  of  Milford's 
greatest  commercial  activity,  for  about  thirty  years,  ending  in  1820, 
the  following  vessels  were  owned  in  Milford  and  sailed  from  that 
port: 

Ships:  "  Hesperus,"  by  Pond,  Baldwin  &  Co.;  "  Garune,"  by  Miles, 
Strong  &  Miles;  "  Chase,"  "Vaucher,"  "  Hamlet,"  by  Stephen  A.  and 
Isaac  Treat.  Brigs:  "  Charles,"  "  Susan,"  "  Martha,"  "  Pond,"  by  Pond, 
Baldwin  &  Co.;  "  Calena,"  "  Behurin,"by  Tomlinson  &  Clark;  "  Wepo- 
wage,"  "  Milford,"  by  Miles,  Strong  &  Miles;  "  Friendship,"  "  Thomas," 
by  S.  A.  &  I.  Treat;  "  Patriot,"  by  William  Durand. 

The  schooners  built  or  sailing  from  Milford  in  the  interests  of  the 
above  were  more  than  a  dozen  in  number,  and  there  was  about  the 
same  number  of  sloops. 

A  number  of  seafaring  men  dwelt  at  Milford,  and  it  has  been  esti- 
mated that  the  casualties  of  such  a  life  caused  more  than  one  hundred 
persons  to  find  their  last  resting  places  in  the  waters  of  the  mighty 
deep.  It  should  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  an  unusual  propor- 
tion of  Milford's  seamen  became  the  commanders  of  their  vessels, 
which  commends  the  bravery  and  the  intelligence  of  this  class  of  citi- 
zens. Indeed,  some  of  the  best  people  of  the  town  followed  the  sea, 
and  "at  one  time  nearly  every  house  contained  a  retired  sea  captain 
or  the  memory  of  one."  Among  those  who  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain 
were:  Benedict  Bull,  James  Bull,  Freeman  Bassett,  Mix  Bradley,  Philip 
Bull,  Nehemiah  Bristol,  Edward  Brown,  William  Coggeshall,  Farrand 
Clark,  Freegift  Coggeshall,  Charles  Coggeshall,  William  Coggeshall, 


230  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Tr.,  George  Coggeshall,*  Isaac  Dickinson,  Samuel  Dickinson,  William 
Davidson,  Howe  Davidson,  Samuel  Davis,  David  Foster,  Joseph  Green, 
William  Glenney,  James  Hitchcock,  Richard  Hepburn,  David  Hepburn, 
John  Hepburn,  William  Larrabee.  Daniel  Miles,  Isaac  Miles,  Daniel 
Mallory,  Benajah  Mallory,  Robert  Meadows,  William  Nott,  Charles 
Pond,  Charles  H.  Pond,  Adam  Pond,  Peter  Pond,  Samuel  Peck,  Dan 
Peck,  Joel  Plumb,  James  Riley,  Josiah  Rogers,  Stephen  Stow,  Anthony 
Stow,  Samuel  Stow,  Samuel  Stow,  2d,  Phineas  Stow,  William  Sanford, 
Frederick  Stow,  Elisha  H.  Stow,  Henry  Turner,  Isaac  Treat,  William 
Tomlinson,  Samuel  Tibbals,  David  Treat,  Stephen  Trowbridge. 

In  the  ordinary  lines  of  merchandising,  Abraham  Tomlinson  & 
Co.  were  in  trade  at  the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  in  1802  David 
L.  Baldwin  was  one  of  their  clerks.  He  became  one  of  Milford's  mer- 
chants, and  was  in  trade  until  1854.  Contemporary  with  him  latterly 
were  Mark  Tibbals,  John  W.  Merwin  and  A.  Clark.  Nathan  Fenn, 
a  later  merchant,  was  killed  by  burglars  who  entered  his  store. 
P.  S.  Bristol  and  the  Cornwalls  were  merchants  of  a  later  period,  the 
latter  continuing  and  having  as  contemporaries  the  Fords,  Platts, 
Shepherds  and  Buckinghams. 

About  1850  M.  &  J.  A.  Curtis  opened  a  drug  store,  which  has  been 
carried  on  since  1865  by  James  T.  Higby,  now  one  of  the  oldest  mer- 
chants in  the  village.  On  the  10th  of  December,  1887,  a  part  of  this 
business  block  was  destroyed  by  fire.  All  trade  is  limited  to  local  de- 
mand of  the  town,  having  a  score  of  stores. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1640,  the  planters  arranged  with  William 
Fowler,  one  of  the  five  judges  and  one  of  the  chief  men  among  them, 
to  have  a  mill.  An  advantageous  natural  site,  on  the  lowest  power  of 
the  Wepawaug,  with  the  perpetual  use  of  the  stream  at  that  place,  was 
granted  him,  and  the  mill  was  set  going  as  early  as  September,  1640. 
The  mill  was  estimated  worth  at  least  ,£180,  and  was  the  first  in  the 
county.     The  second  one,  at  New  Haven  ( Whitneyville),  was  built  by 

*  Captain  George  Coggeshall  made  80  sea  voyages  between  1799  and  1854, 
and  wrote  a  book  in  1851,  recounting  his  experiences.  His  literary  ability  was  of 
no  mean  order,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  epitaph,  which  he  wrote  for  his 
nephew,  Captain  Freegift  Coggeshall: 

"  Here  in  this  lonely,  humble  bed, 

Where  myrtle  and  wild  roses  grow, 
A  son  of  Neptune  rests  his  head, 
For,  reader,  'tis  his  watch  below. 

"  Long  hath  he  done  his  duty  well. 

And  weathered  many  a  stormy  blast; 
But  now,  when  gentle  breezes  swell, 
He's  safely  moored  in  peace  at  last. 

"  Tread  lightly,  sailors,  o'er  his  grave, 
His  virtues  claim  a  kindred  tear; 
And  yet  why  mourn  a  brother  brave 
Who  rests  from  all  his  labors  here?" 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  231 

William  Fowler,  the  son  of  the  above  William  Fowler,  in  1645.  In 
this  year  (1645)  the  Milford  mill  was  injured  by  a  freshet,  but  was  soon 
repaired,  the  town  voting  the  help  of  the  brethren  to  that  end.  At 
this  place  a  grist  mill  has  been  continuously  operated  ever  since,  and 
the  owners  have  always  been  members  of  the  Fowler  family.  The 
present  owner,  William  M.  Fowler,  obtained  possession  of  the  property 
in  1884,  and  soon  thereafter  erected  the  mill  now  standing  on  the 
original  site,  which  has  been  thus  occupied  by  five  different  mills. 
Another  singular  circumstance  is  that  the  present  owner  is  the  eighth 
William  Fowler,  in  the  ninth  generation  of  the  family,  that  has  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  this  mill  property. 

Soon  after  the  grist  mill  was  started  a  saw  mill  was  added,  but  the 
latter  was  removed  many  years  ago. 

The  mill  site  next  above,  on  the  Wepawaug,  was  improved  in  1675. 
The  town  made  an  order,  September  29th,  1674,  when  liberty  was 
granted  to  Elder  Buckingham  and  others  to  build  a  saw  mill  and  a 
fulling  mill  at  that  point,  and  they  were  put  up  on  the  east  side  of  the 
stream.  In  the  month  of  December,  1702,  the  town  requested  the 
owners  of  this  site  to  build  a  grist  mill  with  at  least  two  sets  of  stones, 
"  one  for  English  grain  and  the  other  for  Indian  grain,  and  a  good 
boult  so  ye  men,  if  they  wish,  may  boult  yr  own  fioure."  The  mill 
was  built  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  stream,  and  is  still  continued. 
The  saw  mill  was  taken  down  in  1836  and  a  woolen  mill  erected  in  its 
place  by  Townsend,  Dickinson  &  Co.  For  several  years  they  made 
satinets  on  an  extensive  scale,  when  the  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
A  smaller  mill  was  then  built,  but  the  death  of  Dickinson  soon  brought 
this  enterprise  to  an  untimely  end.  Subsequently  this  building  and 
others  at  the  same  place  were  used  in  the  carriage  business. 

A  mill  was  also  early  built  on  Beaver  brook,  west  of  the  village. 
In  May,  1689,  Captain  Samuel  Eells,  Timothy  Baldwin  and  Samuel 
Couch  were  given  liberty  to  build  a  fulling  mill  at  that  place,  on  Bald- 
win's land.  Some  time  after  the  revolution  the  power  was  utilized  for 
a  grist  mill,  which  was  owned  and  run  by  the  Prince  family  more  than 
half  a  century,  but  has  been  disused  many  years. 

On  the  East  river  the  third  grist  mill  in  the  town  was  built  by  John 
Plumb,  the  town  granting  him  the  necessary  liberty  in  December, 
1706.  As  conditions  of  this  right  he  agreed  to  build  a  causeway  and 
keep  the  same  in  repair,  and  to  grind  the  grist  of  "  the  towns  people 
in  preference  to  those  of  strangers."  The  grist  mill  was  allowed  to  go 
down,  and  about  1825  the  power  was  used  to  saw  stone  for  the  Milford 
Marble  Company,  whose  quarries  were  near  this  locality.  The  marble 
is  of  the  kind  called  Verde  antique,  and  was  discovered  in  1811  by  Solo- 
mon Baldwin,  at  that  time  a  student  in  Yale  from  Huntington.  A 
company  was  formed  to  quarry  the  marble,  and  for  some  years  it  was 
actively  engaged,  when  the  quality  no  longer  held  out.  From  this 
quarry  four  chimney  pieces  were  supplied  for  the  Capitol  at  Washing- 


232  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

ton.  In  later  years  small  lumber  mills  have  been  carried  on  by  the 
Clark  Brothers  and  H.  M.  Rose,  the  stream  furnishing  limited  power. 
In  this  part  of  the  town  the  scenery  is  very  attractive  along  the  river. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  1714,  liberty  was  granted  to  a  company  of 
forty  persons  to  build  a  tide  mill  at  the  Indian  Gulf  outlet.  This  was 
kept  up  a  number  of  years,  and  about  the  time  of  the  revolution  a  new 
mill  was  built.  The  latter  was  swept  away  March  5th,  1843,  and  a 
new  mill  was  built,  which  was  last  used  for  grinding  barytes.  Some 
time  before  the  late  war  this  was  removed,  and  no  mill  has  been  there 
since  that  time. 

In  1815  there  were  in  Milford  and  in  the  Milford  part  of  Orange  six 
grist  mills,  seven  saw  mills,  four  fulling  mills,  one  oil  mill,  two  card- 
ing machines,  one  large  woollen  factory,  and  two  ship  yards. 

It  is  said  that  among  the  early  settlers  there  was  a  great  want  of 
mechanics,  but  upon  proper  encouragement  by  the  town  the  various 
trades  were  soon  represented.  George  Clark,  Jr.,  was  the  carpenter; 
Nathaniel  Baldwin  the  cooper;  John  Baldwin  the  tailor;  John  Smith, 
the  blacksmith,  having  his  shop  near  the  town  house;  and  Ephraim 
Strong  was  a  later  blacksmith.  Edward  Adams  and  Miles  Merwin 
were  the  tanners.  The  latter's  yard  was  near  Bryan's  Wharf,  and  the 
business  was  long  carried  on  by  his  family.  There  were  shoemakers, 
but  it  is  said  that  "  for  fifty  years  there  was  no  saddler  in  town;  sheep- 
skins were  used  for  saddles,  and  in  such  demand  that  the  Stratford 
people  used  to  say,  '  If  the  Devil  should  go  into  Milford  in  the  shape 
of  a  lamb  they  would  skin  him  to  get  his  hide  for  a  saddle.'  "* 

Henry  Tomlinson  and  Richard  Holbrook  were  weavers,  but  in 
many  families  weaving  was  carried  on,  and  the  fulling  mill  put  up  in 
1675  was  the  first  in  the  colony.  In  1720  Lewis  Wilkinson  had  a 
clothier's  shop  on  the  island,  below  Meeting  House  bridge.  An  in- 
dustry which  was  important,  but  which  was  discontinued  so  many  years 
ago  that  few  know  that  it  was  ever  carried  on,  was  brewing.  In  1651 
Edward  Wooster,  a  brewer,  had  a  hop  yard  on  Mill  river.  He  later 
had  another  yard  in  the  lower  part  of  the  present  town  of  Ansonia. 
Sergeant  Camp,  another  brewer,  had  a  hop  yard  on  the  Housatonic. 
Brewing  houses  were  maintained  until  about  1750. 

The  manufacture  of  carriages  was  for  many  years  an  important 
industry  in  the  town.  About  1830  Dennis  Beach  and  his  brothers, 
Hammond  and  Harvey,  began  on  a  small  scale  in  a  shop  near  his  resi- 
dence. In  1837  they  built  the  dam  in  the  upper  part  of  Milford  vil. 
lage,  and  used  its  power  in  this  industry,  and  continued  a  number  of 
years.  A  little  earlier,  about  1834,  Brown,  Frazer  &  Co.  put  up  car- 
riage works  on  the  site  of  the  post  office  block,  manufacturing  for  the 
Southern  trade.  Charles  Pond  Strong  was  also  interested  later.  Oper- 
ations were  discontinued  about  1847,  when  the  shop  was  used  for  a 
cabinet  factory  a  short  time. 

*Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  233 

In  1837  Rogers,  Gardner  &  Davis  had  carriage  works  on  Broad 
street,  near  the  Trowbridge  tavern,  which  passed  to  Isaac  T.  Rogers, 
who  manufactured  until  his  removal  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Beecher  & 
Miles,  at  the  old  fulling  mill  property,  above  Jefferson  bridge,  were 
the  last  to  operate  on  an  extensive  scale,  and  continued  until  about 
1853,  when  the  industry  here  declined.  When  fully  carried  on  several 
hundred  men  were  employed,  and  Milford  carriages  had  a  splendid 
reputation  in  Southern  and  Western  markets.  Since  the  year  named 
small  shops  only  in  these  mechanic  arts  have  been  occupied. 

Shoe  manufacturing  has  for  many  years  engaged  the  attention  of 
some  of  the  people  of  Milford.  At  first  small  shops  were  occupied,  in 
which  the  uppers  were  cut  and  given  out  to  be  bound  and  trimmed  at 
home,  when  the  shoe  was  returned  to  the  shop  to  be  completed.  In 
this  way  shoemaking  was  carried  on  by  Samuel  C.  Glenney,  John 
Smith,  Miles  Davidson,  Jonah  Piatt,  Joseph  Merwin  and  others,  a  con- 
siderable business  in  the  aggregate  being  done.  In  about  1852  the 
factory  system  was  adopted  by  Davidson  &  Clark.  During  the  war  a 
brisk  business  was  done,  manufacturing  army  shoes,  the  firm  of  J.  O. 
Silliman  &  Co.,  in  the  Merwin  shop,  being  very  active,  and  it  was  the 
first  in  the  place  to  use  machinery.  Silliman,  Glenney  and  some  others 
moved  to  New  York. 

In  1855  Albert  A.  Baldwin  engaged  in  shoe  manufacturing,  occupy- 
ing a  shop  on  the  hill  at  the  "  West  End,"  and  having  several  appren- 
tices. In  1865  he  more  fully  adopted  the  factory  system,  and  employed 
the  machinery  at  that  time  available,  working  with  success,  so  that 
larger  accommodations  were  demanded.  In  February,  1875,  a  part  of 
the  spacious  factory  on  Broad  street  was  occupied.  In  1885  it  was  en- 
larged to  its  present  proportions — a  four-story  building,  35  by  100  feet, 
with  an  addition  40  by  60  feet.  The  motor  is  a  60  horse-power  engine, 
and  the  factory  as  equipped  with  modern  machinery,  has  a  working 
capacity  for  200  people.  Many  hundred  pairs  of  women's  fine  grade 
shoes  are  daily  made,  and  this  establishment  is  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful of  the  kind  in  the  county.  Albert  A.  Baldwin  has  been  con- 
tinuously identified  with  this  industry  as  the  controlling  head,  but  for 
a  number  of  years  has  had  Guy  Lambkin,  of  Boston,  as  an  associate 
partner,  the  firm  being  Baldwin  &  Lambkin.  Distributing  stores  are 
maintained  in  Boston  and  New  York,  and  a  retail  store  in  Milford. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  village  a  paper  box  factory  was  estab- 
lished by  Payne  &  Todd.  But  after  a  few  years  the  latter  removed  the 
interest  to  New  Haven,  and  the  building  was  enlarged  for  a  shoe  fac- 
tory by  Walp  &  Co.  After  occupying  it  a  short  time  the  interest  was 
removed  to  Lynn,  Mass.,  in  L890. 

X.  A.  Baldwin,  of  Milford,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  manufacturers 
of  straw  goods  for  headwear,  by  machinery.  In  1853  he  began  work 
experimentally  in  a  small  shop  at  Bryan  Wharf.  His  operations  soon 
•convinced  him  that  there  was  a  new  era  for  straw  goods  manufacture, 


234  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  that  there  was  a  possibility  of  one  girl  and  the  straw  sewing  ma- 
chine doing  as  much  work  as  could  be  done  by  twenty  girls  working 
by  hand  only.  Acting  upon  this  idea  he  caused  the  sewing  machine 
to  be  still  further  perfected  and  had  scores  of  them  placed  in  position 
in  his  newly-built  factory.  Operations  were  now  extensively  carried 
on,  sewing  braided  straw  he  imported  from  China  and  Japan.  The 
business  having  assumed  such  large  proportions,  in  1866,  it  passed  un- 
der the  management  of  the  Milford  Straw-Sewing  Machine  Company, 
of  which  N.  A.  Baldwin  was  the  treasurer  and  manager;  and  it  so  con- 
tinued until  the  expiration  of  the  Bosworth  patents.  In  1867-8  oper- 
ations were  so  extensive  that  about  700  persons  were  employed  and 
thousands  of  dozens  of  hats  were  fully  finished  each  day.  In  later 
years  the  working  force  has  not  been  so  great,  but  with  the  aid  of  im- 
proved machinery  the  product  still  attains  immense  proportions.  The 
factory  buildings,  erected  and  enlarged  from  time  to  time,  form  a 
plant  which  had,  in  1890,  an  aggregate  floor  space  25  feet  wide  and 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  long.  The  main  buildings  are  brick,  and 
there  is  also  a  fine  block  of  brick  tenements.  An  immense  warehouse 
affords  storage  for  finished  goods,  which  embrace  a  vast  variety  of 
styles  and  many  qualities  of  products.  The  plant  has  its  own  wharf, 
and  manufactures  its  own  gas  for  heating  and  lighting  purposes,  the 
coal  used  being  unloaded  from  barges  in  its  yards  direct,  and  heavy 
goods  find  shipment  in  the  same  way. 

To  the  manufacture  of  straw  goods  was  here  added,  in  1888.  the 
production  of  floor  matting,  by  machinery,  operated  by  steam  power, 
which  has  already  become  an  important  industry,  and  the  first  of  the 
kind  in  the  Union.  The  machines  designed  and  here  constructed 
weave  goods  far  superior  to  hand  work,  and  will  permit  a  variety  of 
styles  which  will  have  a  marked  effect  upon  the  matting  trade.  Both 
foreign  and  domestic  straws  are  used,  and  this  interest  is  being  stead- 
ily expanded.  It  is  carried  on  by  the  Mitchell  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, incorporated  May  28th,  1888,  of  which  John  M.  Forbes,  of  New 
York,  is  president,  and  N.  A.  Baldwin,  treasurer.  Under  his  manage- 
ment it  is  becoming  as  great  a  success  as  the  straw  goods  manufac- 
ture. 

The  Milford  Steam  Power  Company  was  incorporated  May  5th, 
1873,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $25,000,  to  encourage  manufacturing  in- 
terests to  locate  and  operate  in  the  village.  Soon  after  the  organiza- 
tion James  T.  Higby  was  chosen  president  and  P.  S.  Bristol  secretary 
and  treasurer,  and  these  officers  have  since  been  continued.  Ground 
for  a  plant  was  purchased,  upon  which  the  company  erected  substan- 
tial brick  factory  buildings,  having  an  aggregate  length  of  several 
hundred  feet,  and  32  feet  wide,  and  a  25  horse  power  steam  engine 
was  provided.  This  has  been  occupied  by  various  interests.  From 
1873  until  1879  Henry  G.  Thompson  and  others  there  manufactured 
shoe  lasting  machinery,  removing  to  New  Haven  in  the  latter  year. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  235 

Next  the  occupants  were  the  Automatic  Tool  Company,  removed  here 
from  New  York,  and  which  remained  about  a  year.  Patent  nippers 
and  wire  cutters  were  made. 

The  Connecticut  Shoe  Company,  incorporated  in  March,  1882,  for 
the  manufacture  of  patent  horse  shoes,  were  the  next  to  occupy  the 
buildings,  under  a  lease  from  the  Power  Company.  They  soon  re- 
moved to  a  distant  state.  In  1884  an  industry  was  there  started  as 
the  Milford  Harness  Company,  which  name  was  changed  to  the  Mil- 
ford  Manufacturing  Company.  Hames  and  saddlery  hardware  were 
made.  In  the  summer  of  1S90  this  company  removed  to  New  Jersey, 
and  in  July  of  the  same  year  the  buildings  were  taken  as  the  works  of 
the  National  Electrical  Manufacturing  Company  of  New  York  city. 
The  capital  stock  is  $200,000,  and  all  kinds  of  electrical  appliances  are 
manufactured.  J.  G.  Noyes  is  the  general  manager  of  the  company, 
and  F.  A.  Lane  the  superintendent  at  Milford.  About  100  skillful 
workmen  are  employed,  and  this  promises  to  become  an  important  in- 
dustry. 

The  seed  growing  interests  of  Milford  have,  in  the  past  six  years, 
attained  generous  proportions.  The  soil  and  climate  of  the  town  are 
well  adapted,  and  with  skillful  cultivation  good  returns  have  been  se- 
cured. Seeds  were  grown  in  this  town  and  Orange  many  years  ago, 
but  lately  a  specialty  has  been  made  in  growing  onion,  turnip  and 
sweet  corn  seeds  for  the  leading  seedmen  of  the  country.  The  prod- 
uct ranks  high,  the  seeds  here  grown  maturing  finely.  A  number  of 
farmers  devote  attention  to  this  interest,  growing  seeds  for  local  seeds- 
men more  extensively  engaged,  such  as  Charles  W.  Beardsley,  Dennis 
Fenn,  Everett  B.  Clark,  Alburtis  N.  Clark,  George  F.  Piatt  and  others 
of  Milford;  and  S.  D.  Woodruff  and  others  of  Orange. 

The  oyster  interests  of  Milford  are  important.  The  early  settlers 
had  a  considerable  source  of  food  supply  in  the  fish,  clams  and  oysters 
afforded  by  the  coasts  of  the  town,  and  in  more  recent  years  the  culti- 
vation and  shipment  of  oysters,  taken  from  beds  off  the  sound  shore, 
have  been  very  profitable.  So  important  was  this  matter,  as  early  as 
1764,  that  the  town  passed  laws  regulating  the  time  and  manner  of 
taking  oysters.  In  that  year  a  penalty  of  £1  was  imposed  for  every 
act  of  catching  in  the  months  between  April  and  September.  Subse- 
quently this  has  remained  a  matter  for  much  legislation,  both  by  the 
state  and  the  town,  and  many  regulations  have  been  made  to  protect 
the  interest. 

Oysters  were  especially  plentiful  many  years  ago  at  Poconoc  Point, 
and  the  lands  laid  out  there  in  1752  were  called  the  "Oyster  Banks." 
Clams  were  also  abundant,  and  the  Naugatuck  and  Pootatuck  Indians 
used  to  resort  there  yearly,  for  the  purpose  (as  they  expressed  it.  "  to 
salt,*')  of  catching  clams,  which  they  dried  and  hung  on  strings  to  be 
carried  inland,  where,  they  used  them  with  their  fresh  meat  food. 
Later,  the  whites  visited  this  point  and  remained  a  few  days,  until  a 


236  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

supply  of  oysters  could  be  obtained.  Huts  covered  with  moss  and 
sea-weed  were  occupied  by  those  engaged  in  the  fishing  business,  and 
in  1836  it  was  said  of  this  locality:  "  There  is  a  street  containing  about 
15  or  20  huts  of  this  description,  covered  with  sea-weed,  etc.,  which  are 
quite  novel  in  their  appearance.  About  50  or  60  persons,  engaged  in 
the  oyster  business,  reside  in  these  habitations  during  the  winter 
months,  and  four  or  five  have  their  families  with  them."* 

Along  the  east  shore  of  the  Housatonic  river,  from  this  point 
northward  in  the  town,  were  also  formerly  valuable  shad  fisheries. 
Many  seines  were  cast  in  the  months  of  April,  May  and  June,  and  vast 
quantities  of  that  excellent  fish  were  taken.  But  these  industries  have 
almost  wholly  passed  away.  Both  oysters  and  fish  have  become 
scarce,  owing  to  the  changes  in  the  beach  at  the  Point  and  the  defile- 
ment  of  the  water  in  the  river  by  factories  on  the  streams  above.  At 
other  points  along  the  shore  the  natural  oyster  beds  have  been  much 
depleted,  but  oysters  and  clams  of  good  quality  may  still  be  obtained. 

With  a  view  of  increasing  the  product  of  oysters  by  artificial  plant- 
ing, the  Gulf  Pond  Oyster  Company  was  formed  after  the  late  war, 
having  among  its  members  William  S.  Pond,  Edward  G.  Burns,  Will- 
iam M.  Merwin  and  others.  The  gulf  was  planted  with  oysters,  and 
arrangements  were  made  to  regulate  the  flow  of  the  tide  so  as  to  pro- 
mote their  growth.  But  the  waters  were  too  muddy  and  shallow,  and 
the  experiment  was  not  a  success.  But  this  venture  led  one  of  the  old 
company,  William  M.  Merwin,  to  engage  in  deep-water  planting,  a 
mile  or  more  off  the  Milford  coast,  and  after  some  effort  he  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  large  and  profitable  industry.  His  beds  yield  annu- 
ally thousands  of  bushels  of  fine  oysters,  which  are  dredged  and 
brought  to  Merwin's  wharf  (where  was  the  old  Pond  or  Gulf  wharf), 
where  they  are  prepared  for  shipment  to  northern  markets.  Two 
small  steamers  are  kept  in  this  service,  and  the  business  on  an  ex- 
tended scale  is  still  carried  on  by  Mr.  Merwin  and  his  sons. 

A  menhaden  fish  rendering  establishment  at  Welch's  Point  has 
had  a  checkered  and  unsavory  existence  at  other  points  along  the 
coast.  Although  an  industry  of  some  importance,  it  is  so  located  that 
its  operations  have  been  enjoined  as  a  nuisance. 

The  Milford  Savings  Bank  was  chartered  in  1872,  and  organized 
January  18th,  1875,  with  the  following  officers:  President,  Isaac  T. 
Rogers;  vice-president,  Albert  A.  Baldwin;  treasurer,  Phineas  S.  Bris- 
tol; secretary,  John  W.  Fowler.  In  1890  George  M.  Gunn  succeeded 
Colonel  Rogers  as  president,  but  the  secretary  and  the  treasurer  have 
continuously  served  in  those  offices.  The  bank  was  opened  for  busi- 
ness in  P.  S.  Bristol's  store  in  February,  1875,  but  in  1887  the  present 
banking  house  on  Broad  street  was  occupied.  The  bank  has  been  a 
convenience  to  the  village,  and  has  been  successfully  conducted.  In 
January,  1890,  the  deposits  amounted  to  more  than  $210,000,  and  there 
was  a  surplus  fund  of  $18,556.75. 

*  Barber's  Hist.  Col..  238. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  237 

An  earlier  banking  enterprise  was  carried  on  a  short  time  about 
1835  by  the  Milford  Banking  and  Mining  Company.  The  institution 
was  known  as  the  Phoenix  Bank,  and  it  was  mainly  a  bank  of  issue, 
and  was  based  on  the  mines  at  West  Haven.  Charles  Clark  was  the 
cashier,  and  Doctor  Andrew  Franks  the  president,  representing  for- 
eign stockholders.     The  venture  was  not  successful. 

Among  the  newspaper  ventures  The  Milford  Telegram  is  given  the 
priority.  It  was  begun  in  January,  1873,  by  George  H.  Carpenter. 
After  being  issued  a  few  years,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Milford 
Sentinel,  and  in  1876  C.  D.  Page  was  the  editor.  Not  receiving  suffi- 
cient patronage,  it  was  discontinued  not  long  thereafter. 

The  Milford  post  office  was  established  at  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century,  and  William  Durand  was  a  pioneer  postmaster. 
Later,  Jireh  Bull  was  the  postmaster,  serving  until  1824,  the  office  be- 
ing kept  on  Broad  street.  William  Strong  was  the  postmaster  in  1825 
and  later;  Doctor  L.  N.  Beardsley  from  1841  to  1845.  In  the  latter 
year  D.  L.  Hubbell  was  appointed,  and  for  three  years  had  the  office 
at  the  corner  of  Wharf  and  Broad  streets,  then  at  John  W.  Merwin's 
store,  where  letter  boxes  were  first  used,  about  fifty  boxes  being  pro- 
vided. William  Brotherton  was  appointed  in  1854,  and  held  the  office 
until  1861.  The  subsequent  appointees  have  been  :  Thomas  Corn- 
wall, 1861-6;  William  Brotherton,  1866-9;  Joseph  L.  Clark,  1869-87; 
William  B.  Brotherton,  since  1887.  The  office  is  in  a  well-appointed 
building,  has  eight  mails  per  day,  and  its  business  is  steadily  in- 
creasing. 

The  general  assembly  of  1838  authorized  a  fire  company  at  Milford, 
which  was  organized  in  1839  as  a  volunteer  association — the  Milford 
Fire  Company  No.  1,  or  the  Wepowage  Company.  Of  this  body 
Theodore  Buddington  was  the  foreman.  Subsequently  in  the  same 
capacity  were  Wilson  Plumb,  David  Miles  and  Mark  Tibbals,  and  the 
company  included  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  village. 

The  first  engine  proving  too  large,  it  was  returned  to  New  York 
and  a  gallery  or  side-bar  engine,  requiring  half  a  dozen  men  on  each 
side  to  operate  it,  was  procured.  This  was  used  a  number  of  years, 
when  a  second-hand  engine  was  purchased  at  New  Haven,  also  like 
the  first,  with  moneys  raised  by  subscription. 

The  town  having  taken  charge  of  the  apparatus,  sold  both  the  old 
machines  and  had  the  present  Button  hand  engine  built  to  order  for 
$1,800.  This  is  called  the  "  Arctic,"  and  is  a  good  machine,  capable  of 
throwing  three  streams  to  a  perpendicular  height  of  150  feet.  The 
company  has  two  service  hose  carts  and  a  fine  glass  hose  parade  car- 
riage, the  latter  purchased  in  the  fall  of  1890.  The  other  equipments 
are  ample  for  the  service  required.  The  company  is  fully  manned, 
having  75  members  and  Charles  H.  Munson  as  the  foreman. 

In  1854  the  town  appointed  William  S.  Pond,  David  Miles  and 
Samuel  B.  Baldwin  as  a  committee  to  select  a  site  for  an  engine  house. 


238  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

This  was  built  on  the  north  side  of  the  railroad.  In  1857  it  was  en- 
larged by  the  addition  of  fifteen  feet  to  the  rear.  It  has  since  been 
much  improved.  The  second  story  has  been  handsomely  fitted  up  as 
the  company's  parlor.     In  1886  a  good  bell  was  placed  in  the  tower. 

The  town  has  been  exempt  from  general  conflagrations,  but  in  the 
fall  of  1886  there  were  a  number  of  incendiary  fires,  confined  mostly 
to  detached  buildings. 

The  Milford  and  Orange  Agricultural  Society  was  incorporated  in 
1866,  George  Cornwall  being  a  prime  mover  in  its  organization.  For 
several  years  fairs  were  held  on  Milford  Green,  but  in  1872  fine 
grounds  were  secured  and  fitted  up  on  the  "  Meadow  Side  "  farm  of 
Nathan  G.  Pond,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  village.  A  half-mile 
track  was  laid  and  considerable  interest  created  in  speeding  horses, 
and  the  exhibition  of  the  finer  grades  of  live  stock.  A  declining  in- 
terest compelled  the  holding  of  fairs  to  be  discontinued  in  1881,  and 
since  that  the  existence  of  the  society  has  been  nominal  only.  At  the 
new  grounds  several  very  interesting  and  successful  fairs  were  held. 

Prior  to  1800  a  number  of  Masons  resided  in  the  town  as  members 
of  King  Hiram  Lodge,  of  Derby,  which  claimed  jurisdiction  over  this 
territory.  About  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  an  effort  was 
made  to  establish  a  Lodge  at  Milford,  but  the  purpose  was  not  carried 
out,  and  there  was  no  such  organization  until  Ansantawae  Lodge,  No. 
89,  F.  and  A.  M.,  was  instituted  October  21st,  1859.  There  were  but 
eight  charter  members,  namely,  Daniel  Buckingham,  John  N.  Buck- 
ingham, Thomas  A.  Dutton,  Frank  Mallett,  David  Miles,  James  Sweet, 
Harvey  Treat  and  Stephen  Trowbridge.  To  this  small  number  have 
been  added  more  than  200  members,  the  number  belonging-  in  1890 
being  112.  Doctor  Thomas  A.  Dutton  was  the  first  master,  and  also 
served  in  1860  and  1866.  Other  masters  have  been  the  following,  in 
order  of  service:  John  N.  Buckingham,  David  Miles,  Lockwood  Burns, 
Alfred  B.  Mallett,  Charles  Davidson.  Jr.,  Nathan  E.  Smith,  Charles 
Van  Horn,  Phineas  S.  Bristol,  Colin  A.  Campbell,  William  A.  Bull, 
Samuel  N.  Oviatt,  George  H.  Kingsley,  Fred  J.  Pope,  H.  D.  Simonds, 
George  A.  Roberts,  Colin  A.  Campbell,  Elbert  D.  Ford;  the  latter  serv- 
ing since  1888. 

After  meeting  nearly  twenty  years  in  a  rented  hall,  the  Lodge  de- 
termined in  1878  to  build  its  own  home.  A  desirable  lot  on  the  north 
side  of  Broad  street  was  secured,  and  the  corner  stone  laid  August 
6th,  1878.  The  building  is  a  substantial  two-story  structure  of  brick, 
and  has  an  attractive  exterior.  The  Lodge  room,  in  the  second  story, 
is  handsomely  furnished,  and  the  value  of  the  Lodge  property  approx- 
imates $10,000.  Ansantawae  ranks  as  one  of  the  leading  Masonic 
bodies  in  the  county,  and  since  March  12th,  1889,  has  been  an  incor- 
porated body. 

Lucia  Chapter,  No.  25,  Eastern  Star,  was  organized  April  28th,  1886, 
and  formally  instituted  January  6th,  1887.  Its  semi-monthly  meetings 
are  attended  with  interest. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  239 

Wepowage  Lodge,  No.  14,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  July  11th, 
1844.  Among  the  charter  members  were  John  N.  Buckingham,  Ben- 
jamin D.  Wells,  F.  C.  Dayton  and  William  Bush.  The  latter  survived 
in  1890,  being  more  than  85  years  of  age.  The  meetings  of  the 
Lodge  have  not  been  interrupted  since  the  date  of  the  charter.  In 
July,  1890,  the  number  belonging  was  155. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  basement  of  the  Plymouth 
church,  from  which  they  were  moved  to  a  room  over  G.  &  M.  Tib- 
bals'  about  1849.  This  place  was  occupied  until  1880,  when  the  pres- 
ent hall  on  Broad  street  was  secured  and  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $1,000. 
The  regalia  of  the  Lodge  is  valued  at  $900,  and  there  is  a  benefit  fund 
of  nearly  $8,000. 

For  25  years  David  Miles  was  the  secretary  of  the  Lodge,  serving 
until  1876.  Since  that  time,  Edward  G.  Miles,  his  son,  has  filled  that 
office.  William  Bush  was  the  treasurer  more  than  30  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Sanford  Hawkins,  since  in  office. 

In  1890  the  Lodge  had  53  past  grands,  as  follows:  William  Bush, 
€.  N.  Peck,  Mark  Tibbals,  A.  S.  Bristol,  Samuel  C.  Peck,  Samuel  A. 
Miles,  George  N.  Osborne,  L.  M.  Welch,  Ralph  W.  Chidsey,  Samuel 
R.  Baldwin,  Isaac  C.  Smith,  Charles  S.  Bottsford,  Ephraim  Curtiss, 
Nathan  C.  Piatt,  Charles  P.  Morris,  Theodore  Piatt,  Charles  M.  Smith, 
James  G.  Peck,  Edward  G.  Miles,  J.  F.  Canfield,  Henry  E.  Smith,  Elli- 
ott N.  Smith,  Jasper  L.  Miles,  T.  F.  Camp,  John  W.  Buckingham,  De 
Witt  C.  Beardslee,  Owen  T.  Clark,  D.  P.  Marvin,  A.  H.  Bristol,  E.  C. 
Piatt,  S.  H.  Baldwin,  George  E.  Baldwin,  L.  H.  Northrop,  William  B. 
Bush,  Samuel  N.  Higby.  H.  E.  Baldwin,  Alfred  Plumb,  Sanford  Haw- 
kins, Charles  W.  Piatt.  Robert  W.  Clark,  George  S.  Gillett,  R.  R.  Hep- 
burn,  Noyes  R.  Bailey,  E.  B.  Heady,  A.  B.  Gardner,  E.  E.  Bradley,  An- 
drew Clark,  A.  C.  Tibbals,  S.  R.  Smith,  L.  M.  Fairbanks,  W.  S.  Putney, 
W.  M.  Irving,  W.  S.  Clark,  E.  J.  Hungerford. 

George  Van  Horn*  Post,  No.  39,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  at  Milford 
June  29th,  1871,  with  twelve  charter  members.  The  Post  has  since 
prospered,  enough  members  being  mustered  to  make  the  number  53 
in  November,  1S90.  It  was  largely  instrumental  in  the  erection  of 
the  soldiers'  monument,  holding  a  fair  in  the  winter  of  1887-8,  at- 
which  $2,100  was  realized.  The  remainder  of  the  amount  needed, 
about  $2,800,  was  raised  by  subscription,  largely  by  the  members  of 
the  Post.  The  following  have  been  the  commanders:  1871-2,  John  W. 
Buckingham;  1873,  C.  I.  Isbell;  1874,  George  E.  Tilton;  1875,  E.  B. 
Baldwin;  1876-80,  John  W.  Buckingham;  1881,  Charles  W.  Ford;  1882, 
John  W.  Buckingham;  18S3,  Edgar  Van  Horn;  1884,  Charles  J.  Morris; 
1S85-7,  Wallace  S.  Chase;  1888,  George  W.  Coy;  1889,  Nelson  L.  Stone; 
1890,  S.  A.  Warburton. 

*  Named  for  George  Van  Horn,  one  of  the  first  at  Milford  to  enlist  in  Com- 
pany D,  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run.  Re-enlisted 
in  First  Connecticut  Light  Artillery,  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war.  Being 
ill,  he  took  a  voyage  and  died  at  sea,  October  3d,  1866,  aged  25  years. 


240  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  George  Van  Horn  Relief  Corps,  No.  33,  was  organized  May 
11th,  1888,  with  twelve  members,  which  number  has  been  more  than 
doubled. 

The  Milford  soldiers'  monument  was  dedicated  August  30th,  1888, 
with  impressive  ceremonies,  which  were  witnessed  by  a  large  con- 
course of  people.  Governor  Lounsbury  and  his  staff  were  in  attend- 
ance; Isaac  C.  Smith  was  the  grand  marshal,  and  Judge  A.  H.  Fenn 
made  an  address.  The  well  arranged  decorations,  consisting  of  thous- 
ands  of  flags  and  Japanese  lanterns,  added  to  the  beauty  of  the  occasion. 

The  monument  occupies  a  central  location  on  Broad  street,  and 
stands  on  a  mound,  graded  and  surrounded  by  granite  coping.  Ap- 
proaching it  are  wide  concrete  walks.  It  is  a  beautiful  piece  of  work- 
manship, of  Ryegate  granite,  weighing  about  37  tons,  arranged  as  four 
bases,  inscribed  die,  plinth,  second  die  and  pedestal,  on  which  is  a  life- 
size  figure  of  a  soldier  at  "parade  rest,"  and  facing  east.  On  the  same 
side  of  the  monument  is  the  inscription  "  Gettysburg,"  over  the  na- 
tional coat  of  arms,  in  relief,  and  underneath  is  "1888."  On  the  east 
die  are  the  words: 

"  To  the  bravery  of  the  men  who  risked  their  lives  that  the  nation 
might  live— 1861— 1865." 

On  the  west  side  of  the  monument,  on  the  second  die,  is  the  word 
"Appomatox,"  over  the  Grand  Army  badge,  in  bold  relief.  A  lower 
inscription  is,  "  Erected  by  George  Van  Horn  Post,  No.  39,  G.  A.  R., 
and  Friends." 

On  the  north  side  is  "  Fort  Fisher,"  over  a  foul  anchor  and  can- 
non balls,  in  relief  ;  and  on  the  south,  "  Port  Hudson,"  with  crossed 
cannon,  cut  in  relief. 

The  monument  cost  complete  about  $5,000,  and  is  not  only  artisti- 
cally attractive,  but  very  substantial. 

The  revolutionary  soldiers'  monument  is  in  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  Milford  cemetery.  It  is  about  30  feet  high,  and  the  material  is 
Portland  free  stone  of  a  brownish  color.  It  was  erected  under  an  act 
of  the  general  assembly,  passed  in  May,  1852,  which  appropriated  $600 
for  that  object,  and  appointed  Charles  H.  Pond,  John  K.  Bristol  and  John 
W.  Fowler  as  a  local  committee  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  act. 
The  people  of  Milford  also  contributed  labor  and  aided  the  project  in 
other  ways.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  October  28th,  1852,  in  the 
presence  of  3,000  people,  by  Governor  Seymour.  Lieutenant-Governor 
C.  H.  Pond  read  a  narrative,  detailing  some  incidents  in  the  history 
of  the  unfortunate  soldiers,  whose  memory  was  thus  commemorated. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  monument  are  the  arms  of  the  state  and 
the  following  words,  giving  the  story  of  the  memorial : 

Soldiers'  Monument. 
1776. 
In  honor  of 
Forty-six  American  Soldiers,  who  sacrificed  their  lives  in  struggling  for  the  Inde- 
pendence of  their  country,  this  Monument  was  erected  in  1852,  by  the  joint  lib- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  '241 

erality  of  the  General  Assembly,  the  people  of  Milford  and  other  contributing 
friends. 

Two  hundred  American  soldiers,  in  a  destitute,  sickly  and  dying  condition, 
were  brought  from  a  British  Prison  ship,  then  lying  near  New  York,  and  sud- 
denly cast  upon  our  shore  from  a  British  cartel  ship,  on  the  first  of  January,  1777. 

The  inhabitants  of  Milford  made  the  most  charitable  efforts  for  the  relief  of 
the  strangers;  yet  notwithstanding  all  their  kind  ministrations  in  one  month 
these  forty-six  died  and  were  buried  in  one  common  grave. 

Their  names  and  residences  are  inscribed  on  this  Monument. 

Who  shall  say  that  Republics  are  ungrateful  ? 

None  of  these  unfortunates  was  from  the  county,  but  most  of  them 
were  from  this  state  or  New  England.  A  few  only  were  from  other 
states.  It  is  said  of  these  soldiers  "that  on  being  cast  ashore  as  many 
as  could  traveled  to  town,  in  the  snow;  those  who  could  not  walk  were 
conveyed  to  the  town  house,  which  was  converted  into  a  hospital,  and 
some  were  quartered  in  charitable  families."* 

Captain  Stephen  Stow,  one  of  Milford's  citizens,  was  especially  ac- 
tive in  ministering  to  these  poor  men,  doing  so  at  the  sacrifice  of  his 
own  life.  It  was  but  proper,  therefore,  that  his  name  should  also  ap- 
pear upon  this  monument,  and  July  11th,  1872,  the  legislature  so  or- 
dered. The  inscription  on  the  east  side,  as  placed  there  by  Commit- 
teemen Phineas  S.  Bristol,  Samuel  B.  Gunn  and  James  W.  Beach,  is  as 
follows: 

In  Memory  of 

Capt.  Stephen  Stow, 

of  Milford, 

Who  died  Feb.  8,  1777,  aged  51  years. 

To  administer  to  the  wants  and  soothe  the  miseries  of  these  sick  and  dying 
soldiers  was  a  work  of  extreme  self-denial  and  danger,  as  many  of  them  were 
suffering  from  loathsome  and  contagious  maladies. 

Stephen  Stow  voluntarily  left  his  family  to  relieve  these  suffering  men,  he 
contracted  disease  from  them,  died  and  was  buried  with  them.  He  had  already 
given  four  sons  to  serve  in  the  War  for  Independence.  To  commemorate  his 
self-sacrificing  devotion  to  his  country  and  to  humanity,  the  Legislature  of  Con- 
necticut resolved  that  his  name  should  be  inscribed 

Upon  this  Monument. 

The  graves  of  these  men  and  of  Captain  Stow  are  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  cemetery,  near  the  monument,  but  are  otherwise  un- 
marked. 

Names  of  soldiers,  1861-5,  buried  at  Milford;  Augustus  Clark,  L5th 
C.V.;  George  Prince,  15th  C.V.;  Hezekiah  E.  Smith,  27th  C.V.;  George 
Van  Horn,  1st  Light  Battery;  Henry  A.  Downs,  10th  C.  V.;  Treat  A. 
Mark,  27th  C.  V.;  George  H.  Glenney,  10th  C.  V;  Samuel  C.  Glenney, 
1st  Heavy  Artillery;  Chauncey  S.  Baldwin,  15th  C.  V.;  William  D. 
Trowbridge,  23d  N.  Y.  V.;  Sidney  H.  Plumb,  27th  C.  V.;  Charles  E. 
Cornwall,  27th  C.  V.;  Lewis  W.  Nettleton,  15th  C.  V.;  DeWitt  Bald- 
win, N.  Y.  V.;  Theodore  M.  Clark,  15th  C.  V.;  Noyes  A.  Treat,  10th  C. 

*  Barber's  Historical  Col.,  p.  583. 
16 


242  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

V.;  Thomas  Tuthill,  6th  N.  Y.  V.;  Elliott  W.  Nettleton,  20th  C.  V.; 
Luke  Stowe,  1st  C.  Heavy  Artillery;  William  A.  Northrop,  13th  C.  V.; 
Charles  Robinson,  1st  N.  J.  V.;  Chester  Peck,  13th  C.  V.;  Thomas  Wil- 
liams, 9th  N.  Y.  V.;  George  W.  Hine,  27th  C.  V.;  William  H.  Harris, 
12th  C.  V.;  Sidney  Stowe,  93d  Ohio  V.;  William  L.  Graham,  1st  Light 
Battery;  Wallace  W.  Graham,  27th  C.  V.;  Brainard  Smith,  10th  C.V.; 
George  T.  Peck,  10th  C.  V.;  Smith  Canfield,  12th  C.  V.;  John  H.  Bald- 
win, 104th  Ohio  V.;  Dwight  A.  Rallis,  29th  C.  V.;  Charles  H.  R.  Botts- 
ford,  15th  C.  V.;  Thomas  Haley,  15th  C.  V.;  Marcus  Higby,  17th  C.V.; 
John  G.  Clark,  27th  C.  V.;  Russell  Whitcomb,  regiment  unknown. 

In  the  South  are  interred  the  following  Milford  soldiers:  Elliott 
W.  Beach,  10th  C.  V.;  Samuel  Clark,  27th  C.  V.;  George  W.  Manville, 
15th  C.  V.;  Joseph  Wilson,  U.  S.  Regulars;  James  McGuiness,  15th  C. 
V.;  Carl  Michael,  27th  C.  V.;  Erasmus  Oviatt,  10th  C.  V.;  Horace  Law- 
den,  unknown;  Levi  Summers,  unknown;  Victor  Woods,  unknown. 

The  early  inhabitants  of  the  town  took  an  especial  interest  in  edu- 
cation, and  that  matter  was  held  to  be  of  importance  next  to  the  church. 
Jasper  Gunn,  one  of  the  first  settlers  and  the  first  physician,  was  also 
the  first  teacher.  Previous  to  1656  Richard  Bryan  also  instructed  the 
youth  of  the  Milford  planters.  A  Latin  school  was  early  maintained, 
and  it  appears  that  more  attention  was  paid  to  higher  education  in 
schools  than  to  primary  instruction,  which  most  likely  was  imparted 
at  home.  In  December,  1696,  the  town  voted  that  a  school  should  be 
kept  a  whole  year,  and  that  the  selectmen  were  to  provide  an  "  able 
teacher."  To  carry  out  this  purpose  £30  was  appropriated.  Evidently 
the  school  was  a  success,  for  in  1697  it  was  voted  "  there  should  be 
thirty-five  pounds  allowed  out  of  the  town  treasury  to  maintain  a  Latin 
school,  the  honorable  Governor  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Andrew  to  at- 
tend to  the  business."  The  town  also  ordered  "  that  the  Selectmen 
should  see  that  the  school  is  attended  by  such  scholars  as  need  learn- 
ing." Reverend  Samuel  Andrew  was  one  of  the  most  earnest  patrons 
of  education  in  the  colony,  and  largely  through  his  efforts  Yale  Col- 
lege was  established.  When  he  was  rector  of  that  institution  he  had 
the  senior  class  at  Milford  several  years. 

In  1699  the  town  voted  £40  for  the  support  of  schools.  Of  this  sum 
£12  were  to  be  used  to  keep  up  a  winter  school  at  the  West  End,  and 
liberty  was  granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  town  to  build 
a  school  or  town  house.  The  school  at  the  East  End  was  now  kept  up 
all  the  year.  Fifty  years  later,  in  1750,  a  school  tax  of  40  shillings 
was  levied  on  every  £1,000  in  the  grand  levy,  and  amounts  paid  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Amity  Society,  Bryan's  Farm,  Wheeler's  Farm  and 
Burwell's  Farm  were  to  be  returned  to  them,  so  that  schools  could  be 
set  up  in  their  own  localities.  This  was  done,  and  about  that  period 
the  town  had  at  least  six  schools. 

In  November,  1797,  the  town  was  formed  into  a  school  society,  and 
officers  were  appointed  to  receive  the    moneys  accruing  to  the  town 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  243 

from  the  sale  of  Western  lands  belonging  to  the  state.  Of  this  board 
Stephen  Gunn  was  the  treasurer,  and  Gideon  Buckingham  the  clerk. 

The  school  in  the  village  was  usually  kept  in  the  town  house,*  and 
even  to  this  day  the  school  building  and  the  town  hall  are  practically 
under  one  roof.  But  in  addition  to  the  public  schools,  select  instruc- 
tion was  imparted,  and  in  1810  the  Milford  Academy  was  erected. 
This  was  a  frame  house  which  stood  on  the  hillside  on  the  east  of  the 
Wepawaug,  between  the  two  meeting  houses.  From  its  opening  in 
1810,  to  1825,  Elijah  Bryan  was  the  good  but  stern  teacher.  Later, 
Oliver  H.  Hammond  and  Jonas  French  taught  there  acceptably.  Af- 
ter the  public  schools  were  elevated  to  a  higher  standard  it  was  no 
longer  kept  up.  In  this  period  Reverend  Bezaleel  Pinneo  had  a  num- 
ber of  private  students,  fitting  some  thirty  boys  for  college  between 
1800  and  1845. 

On  the  first  of  April,  1875,  all  the  school  districts  of  the  town  were 
abolished  and  a  new  district  formed  of  the  consolidated  schools,  ordi- 
nary schools  to  be  held  in  Nos.  6,  7,  8,  10  and  11,  and  a  graded  school 
to  be  established  at  Milford  village.  A  board  of  education  was  cho- 
sen, composed  of  twelve  members,  one  from  each  of  the  former  dis- 
tricts. The  town  house  was  ordered  to  be  enlarged,  and  Isaac  T. 
Rogers,  Nathan  C.  Tomlinson,  C.  F.  Bosworth,  James  A.  Smith,  Sam- 
uel N.  Beecher,  Albert  A.  Baldwin  and  Nathan  E.  Smith  were 
appointed  a  building  committee.  They  reported  December  27th, 
1875,  that  their  work  was  finished  and  that  the  cost  of  the  building 
and  the  furnishing  of  the  same  was  $15,934.53.  More  recently  the 
building  has  been  enlarged  and  improved,  and  is  now  commodious 
and  attractive.  Six  schools  are  taught  in  this  building,  and  from  the 
high  school  half  a  dozen  pupils  are  graduated  yearly.  About  450  pu- 
pils are  registered  annually,  and  the  schools  are  maintained  at  an  out- 
lay of  more  than  $5,000  per  year,  more  than  three-fifths  of  which  is 
drawn  from  the  town  treasury. 

As  adjuncts  of  the  schools  and  the  churches  libraries  were  estab- 
lished at  different  periods,  and  some  of  them  were  long  successfully 
maintained.  The  Milford  Library  was  formed  in  1745  by  the  First 
Church  Society,  and  had  a  good  collection  of  books,  most  of  them 
treating  on  theological  subjects.  It  was  kept  up  about  one  hundred 
years,  but  in  its  latter  existence  did  not  have  many  books,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  relaxed  vigilance  in  keeping  up  the  library. 

The  Associate  Library  was  established  in  March,  1761,  mainly  by 
members  of  the  Second  Society.  It  had  fewer  books  than  the  older 
library,  but  they  covered  a  wider  range  of  subjects.  After  about  sixty 
years  of  usefulness  it  was  dissolved. 

In  later  years  a  number  of  libraries  have  been  formed,  but  which 
were,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years,  allowed  to  go  down.  The  Milford 
Lyceum  Library  has  recently  been  incorporated.  It  has  a  good  selec- 
tion of  books  and  the  promise  of  a  successful  future. 

*  See  Town  Houses,  etc. 


244  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

The  citizens  of  Milford  claim,  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  pride, 
that  an  unusual  proportion  of  its  inhabitants  were  men  of  liberal  edu- 
cation, who  graduated  from  some  of  the  leading  colleges  of  the  Union, 
by  far  the  greatest  proportion  from  Yale.  The  subjoined  list  gives 
the  names  of  many  who  took  degrees  in  institutions  of  learning,  like 
Harvard,  Yale,  Princeton,  Trinity  and  Oberlin,  in  periods  of  time  from 
1668  to  the  present.  Most  of  these  names  have  been  taken  from  the 
Reverend  Erastus  Scranton's  MSS.:  Samuel  Andrew,  Samuel  An- 
drew, Jr.,  Reverend  Thomas  Buckingham,  Reverend  Daniel  Bucking- 
ham, Reverend  Stephen  Buckingham,  Gideon  Buckingham,  Benedict 
Bull,  William  Bryan,  David  Baldwin,  Joseph  Bryan,  Isaac  Baldwin, 
William  Bristol,  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin,  D.  W.  Baldwin,  Rev- 
erend John  Gunn  Baird,  George  William  Baird,  Dennis  Beach,  Doctor 
Ferdinand  Beach,  Walter  Beach,  Henry  Baldwin,  Reverend  Cornelius 
Bristol,  Doctor  George  L.  Beardsley,  Doctor  William  Beardsley,  Rev- 
erend Thomas  Canfield,  Doctor  Edward  Carrington,  Thomas  Clark, 
John  Camp,  Joseph  Clark,  Nicholas  Camp,  George  Clark,  Jr.,  Samuel 
Carrington,  Abijah  Carrington,  John  Clark,  Gamaliel  Clark,  John 
Churchill,  Reverend  John  Eells,  Nathaniel  Eells,  John  Eells,  Colonel 
Benjamin  Fenn,  Phineas  Fisk,  Benjamin  Fisk,  Nathan  Fenn,  Daniel 
Fannon,  Nathaniel  Farrand,  Daniel  Farrand,  Franklin  H.  Fowler, 
Reverend  Joseph  Fowler,  W.  H.  N.  Ford,  Nathaniel  Gunn,  George 
Miles  Gunn,  Doctor  John  Herpin,  John  Herpin,  Jr.,  Reverend  Jona- 
than Ingersoll,  Jared  Ingersoll,  David  Ingersoll,  David  Ingersoll  2d, 
David  B.  Ingersoll,  Jonathan  Law,  Richard  Law,  John  Law,  Reverend 
N.  T.  Merwin,  Reverend  Henry  G.  Marshall,  D.  P.  Merwin,  Colonel 
Roger  Newton,  Christopher  Newton,  Reverend  John  Prudden,  Job 
Prudden,Nehemiah  Prudden,  Timothy  Pinneo,  Otis  Pinneo,  Ebenezer 
Pinneo,  John  Plumb,  Joseph  Piatt,  Charles  H.  Pond,  Henry  Piatt, 
Robert  T.  Piatt,  Ephraim  Strong,  Joseph  Smith,  Reverend  Samuel 
Treat,  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  Reverend  Solomon  Treat,  Robert  Treat,  Jr., 
Esq.;  Reverend  Richard  Treat,  Charles  Treat,  Richard  Treat,  D.  D., 
Samuel  Treat,  Bethuel  Treat,  Abner  L.  Train,  Zachariah  Whitman,  1st, 
Elnathan  Whitman,  Zachariah  Whitman,  Reverend  Samuel  Whittle- 
sey, Samuel  Whittlesey.  Esq.,  Reverend  Daniel  Welch,  Reverend 
Whitman  Welch,  Gideon  Woodruff,  Reverend  Joseph  Whiting. 

In  addition  to  these  were  others  highly  educated,  as  Captain  John 
Astwood,  who  had  a  classical  education.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
judges.  Going  to  London  on  business  for  the  colony,  he  died  there 
about  1653.  Reverend  John  Sherman  also  had  a  superior  education. 
From  him,  in  line  of  descent,  came  Roger  Sherman;  and  from  George 
Clark  came  Abraham  Clark,  of  New  Jersey,  another  of  the  signers  of 
the  declaration  of  independence. 

Three  of  the  foregoing  were  governors  of  the  state.  Robert  Treat, 
the  first,  came  with  Mr.  Prudden  to  Milford.  At  the  first  meeting  of 
the  planters  he  was  chosen  to  assist  in  surveying  and  laying  out  the 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  245 

township.  He  was  one  of  the  five  judges,  and  in  1661  was  chosen  a 
magistrate  of  the  New  Haven  colony,  and  continued  in  that  office  four 
years.  In  1664,  through  his  influence  and  that  of  Benjamin  Fenn, 
Milford  was  induced  to  break  off  from  the  New  Haven  colony  and  join 
the  Connecticut  colony,  and  soon  the  union  of  all  the  colonies  was 
effected.  He  served  in  King  Philip's  war  as  a  major  of  Connecticut 
troops.  In  1683  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  colony  and  served  15 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  superior  parts,  and  lived  to  be  more  than  88 
years  of  age,  dying  in  1710. 

The  second  governor  from  this  town  was  Jonathan  Law,  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Sarah  (Clark)  Law,  of  this  town.  He  was  born  in  1674 
and  graduated  from  Harvard  in  1695.  Three  years  later  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  law  at  Milford,  and  acquired  a  good  reputation  as  a 
counsellor.  He  was  chosen  a  deputy  governor,  in  which  office  Robert 
Treat  had  also  served,  and  was  elected  to  the  office  of  governor  in  1741, 
and  annually  thereafter  until  his  death  in  November,  1750.  Charles 
H.  Pond  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  in  April,  1853,  and  upon  the 
resignation  of  Governor  Thomas  Seymour,  served  as  governor  for 
eleven  months.     He  died  in  1860. 

Captain  Samuel  Eells  was  an  attorney  in  the  town,  and  was  an  im- 
portant man  in  its  affairs.  Gideon  Buckingham  was  also  a  man  of 
note,  whose  counsel  was  much  sought,  and  the  memory  of  the  pious 
Roger  Newton  still  continues.  He  was  judge  of  the  court  of  common 
pleas  33  years,  and  until  his  death,  in  1771,  in  the  87th  year  of  his  age. 
It  was  said- of  him  that  "  Newton,  as  steel  inflexible  from  right,  in 
Faith,  in  Law,  in  Equity,  in  Fight."  Others  of  the  foregoing  were 
counsellors  at  law,  and  in  1890  those  in  that  profession  at  Milford  were: 
George  M.  Gunn,  Henry  C.  Piatt,  William  B.  Stoddard,  Henry  Stod- 
dard and  Frederick  W.  Babcock. 

Notwithstanding  Milford  is  a  remarkably  healthy  town,  and  has 
been  exempt  from  epidemic  diseases  to  an  unusual  degree,  it  has  always 
had  its  full  quota  of  physicians.  Among  the  first  settlers  was  Doctor 
Jasper  Gunn,  who  was  also  a  planter  and  the  school  teacher.  Doctor 
John  Durand  also  practiced  here  in  the  seventeenth  century,  then  re- 
moved to  Derby.  Doctor  John  Fisk  was  here  soon  after.  Doctor  John 
Herpin,  a  native  of  France,  was  here  for  50  years,  until  his  death  in 
November,  1765,  at  the  age  of  74  years.  "  He  practiced  physick  and 
surgery  in  this  place  with  distinguished  reputation,"  if  the  inscription 
on  his  tombstone  can  be  believed.  He  evidently  prospered,  for  in 
1725,  ten  years  after  his  location,  he  purchased  the  Richard  Bryan 
place,  which  was  owned  by  the  Herpins  until  17S5,  when  it  became  the 
property  of  Captain  Charles  Pond,  a  ship  master,  who  was  the  father 
of  Governor  Charles  H.  Pond.  It  was  known  as  the  Pond  Mansion 
until  about  1860,  and  was  one  of  the  historic  houses  of  the  place. 

Other  physicians  have  been:  Doctors  Ezekiel  Newton,  Zebulon 
Gillett,  James  Clark,  Elias  Carrington,  Samuel  Whittlesey,  Caleb  Aus- 


246  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tin,  John  Rossiter,  Abraham  Tomlinson,  John  Carrington,  Charles 
Beardsley,  Elijah  F.  Bryan,  Andrew  French,  Joseph  Tomlinson,  Lucius 
N.  Beardsley,  Thomas  A.  Dutton,  Hull  Allen.  The  latter  still  lives 
in  the  town,  very  aged,  but  has  not  been  in  active  practice  for  some 
years.  Doctor  W.  H.  Andrews,  who  died  in  January,  1890,  practiced 
here  16  years  as  an  allopath.  Others  at  present  at  Milford,  in  the 
practice  of  the  same  school  of  medicine,  are  Doctor  E.  B.  Heady,  Doc- 
tor Edwin  C.  Beach  and  Doctor  F.  Bayard  Jackman.  Doctor  W.  L. 
Putney  is  the  homeopath;  and  others  of  that  school  were  Doctors  Reed, 
E.  P.  Gregory,  Charles  Sterling  and  Charles  Bray. 

From  1712  to  1720  Doctor  Andrew  Warner  was  a  botanic  physician, 
and  was  called  the  "  Indian  doctor,"  because  he  used  herbs  only. 

In  1836  Doctor  Edwin  Woodruff,  a  Thompsonian,  had  a  large  prac- 
tice in  Milford. 

Milford  was  founded  as  a  religious  community.  Many  of  its  early 
settlers  had,  in  the  old  country,  been  the  parishioners  of  the  first  min- 
ister of  the  town,  and  came  with  him  or  followed  him  to  the  new 
world.  The}'  were  bound  to  him  and  to  one  another  by  the  ties  of 
association  and  some  by  family  connections,  which  were  so  strong  that 
they  cheerfully  accepted  the  privations  which  awaited  them  if  they 
could  remain  under  the  leadership  of  their  beloved  minister.  Rever- 
end Peter  Prudden  was  a  worthy  leader  in  such  a  movement.  His 
judgment  had  been  matured  by  age,  and  he  was  also  well  educated. 
He  had,  before  his  coming,  wealth,  influence  and  position  in  England, 
and  among  his  hearers  in  Herefordshire  were  many  persons  of  dis- 
tinction and  wealth.  His  was  an  animated  and  fervent  nature,  which 
would  naturally  attract  and  hold  genial  friends  as  warm  personal  fol- 
lowers. Hence,  when  because  of  his  "  non-conformity,"  he  was  driven 
from  his  station  by  persecution,  whence  he  fled  to  New  England,  a 
devoted  band  went  with  him,  and  others  later  followed.  Being  desir- 
able citizens,  they  were  besought  to  remain  in  Massachusetts,  and  the 
records  of  Dedham  show  that  land  was  there  apportioned  to  Mr.  Prud- 
den and  15  of  his  followers,  which  they  did  not  accept.  They  decided 
to  cast  their  lot  farther  to  the  westward,  and  joined  Eaton  and  his  asso- 
ciates in  the  search  for  a  new  home  in  what  is  now  New  Haven  county. 
Thus  we  find  them,  April  18th,  1638,  with  Mr.  Davenport  and  his  ad- 
herents, observing  their  first  Sabbath  in  their  chosen  territory  by 
worshipping  God  under  the  spreading  branches  of  a  friendly  oak  at 
New  Haven.  In  the  morning  Mr.  Davenport  preached,  and  in  the  af- 
ternoon, at  the  same  place,  Mr.  Prudden  discoursed  from  the  text 
Matt.  3:3:  "The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare  ye  the 
way  of  Lord  and  make  His  paths  straight." 

Until  a  permanent  place  could  be  gotten  for  the  Prudden  colony, 
they  abode  at  New  Haven,  keeping  themselves  distinct,  in  that  part 
known  as  the  Herefordshire  Quarter.  Mr.  Prudden,  meantime,  was 
preaching  for  the  church  at   Wethersfield,  where  he  also  so  warmly 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  247 

attached  some  of  the  principal  settlers  of  that  place  that  when  he  left 
they  followed  him,  "  that  they  might  enjoy  his  pious  and  fervent  med- 
itations." "  It  was  thus  that  Gov.  Robert  Treat,  John  Astwood,  Jasper 
Gunn,  the  Rev.  John  Sherman  and  others  came  to  Milford."  The 
number  at  New  Haven  was  also  augmented  by  new  arrivals  from  Es- 
sex and  York  counties. 

The  selection  and  purchase  of  a  home  for  the  Herefordshire  people 
(which  was  consummated  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  1639),  and 
the  discussion  of  the  best  methods  of  church  and  civil  o-overnment 
had  earnestly  engaged  the  attention  of  the  people  at  New  Haven  in 
the  intervening  period.  Grave  questions  were  to  be  considered  and 
decided.  It  was  desired  that  justice  should  be  done  to  all  who  had  as- 
sumed or  should  assume  a  part  in  this  project  of  founding  a  new  gov- 
ernment and  a  new  church,  but  it  had  already  become  apparent  that 
there  should  also  be  a  restricting  qualification  before  a  full  voice  in  all 
the  affairs  should  be  granted.  Most  were  disposed  to  limit  voting  and 
office  holding  to  those  who  were  approved  in  matters  of  personal  piety, 
i.  e.,  church  members,  but  Reverend  Samuel  Eaton  stood  for  the  prin- 
ciple that  all  proprietors  should  have  a  vote.  Davenport,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved, Prudden,  stood  for  the  former  qualification,  and  their  views 
prevailed.  Davenport  held  that  as  they  had  come  as  reformers  they 
should  go  to  the  full  length  of  their  convictions;  that  hardly  any 
reformation  went  beyond  where  it  was  left  by  the  original  reformers; 
and  that  those  coming  after  them  might  not  be  able  to  carry  out  the 
measures  which  they  conceived  were  right,  but  which,  through  motives 
of  policy,  brought  about  by  the  circumstances  of  settlement,  etc.,  they 
were  asked  to  modify. 

This  vexed  question  being  out  of  the  way,  as  finally  decided  at  the 
meeting,  June  4th,  1639,  at  the  "great  barn  "  of  Robert  Newman,  in 
which  all  the  free  planters  of  New  Haven,  Guilford  and  Milford  par- 
ticipated, and  where  other  important  matters  were  also  considered, 
the  way  was  opened  for  the  formation  of  a  church  society.  A  pre- 
liminary step  was  the  selection  of  seven  of  the  best  and  most  tried 
men,  as  a  basis  upon  which  the  membership  should  be  built.  Upon 
these  "seven  pillars  "  rested  all  the  care  and  responsibility  of  exam- 
ining and  passing  on  the  fitness  of  the  succeeding  members.  A  cove- 
nant, embodying  the  principles  of  belief  as  expressed  in  the  prelimi- 
nary meeting,  was  also  prepared,  and  the  22d  day  of  August,  1639.  se- 
lected as  the  time  for  organizing  both  Mr.  Davenport's  and  Mr.  Prud- 
den's  churches. 

The  council  called  for  this  occasion  embraced  the  neighboring 
churches,  and  was  also  held  in  Mr.  Newman's  "  mighty  barn,"  in  New 
Haven.  The  "  seven  pillars"  selected  for  each  church  now  appeared 
before  the  council  and  congregation,  and  after  giving  their  religious 
experience  and  belief  and  reciting  the  covenant,  were  taken  by  the 


248  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

hand  by  members  of  the  council,  as  a  sign  of  fellowship,  and  the  or- 
ganization was  complete. 

Mr.  Prudden's  church  became  known  as  the  First  Church  of  Christ, 
at  Milford,  of  which  it  is  recorded  :  "  The  Church  of  Christ  at  Milford 
was  first  gathered  at  New  Haven  uppon  Aug.  22,  1639.  The  persons 
first  joyning  in  the  formation  were  those  whose  names  are  next  under 
mentioned.  Peter  Prudden,  Zachariah  Whitman,  William  Fowler, 
John  Astwood,  Edmond  Tapp,  Thomas  Buckingham,  Thomas  Welsh." 

To  these  "seven  pillars"  other  members  were  added  from  time  to 
time,  six  at  New  Haven  before  the  removal  to  Milford.  At  the  latter 
place  William  East  was  the  first  received,  March  8th,  1640.* 

It  is  probable  that  the  Reverend  Peter  Prudden  occasionally 
preached  before  the  removal  to  Milford,  the  following  March,  but  he 
was  not  formally  ordained  as  the  pastor  until  April  18th,  1640.  His 
own  record  of  the  event  is  in  the  following  words:  "At  Milford,  I,  Peter 
Prudden  was  called  to  ye  office  of  a  Pastour  in  this  church,  and  or- 
dayned  at  New  Haven,  by  Zachariah  Whitman,  William  Fowler,  Ed- 
mond Tapp,  designed  by  ye  church  for  that  work;  Zach.  Whitman 
being  ye  moderator  for  that  meeting  in  a  day  of  solmn  humiliation, 
upon  ye  3d  Saturday  in  April,  being,  I  remember,  ye  18th  day  of  ye 
month,  1640." 

The  ordination  took  place  at  New  Haven,  probably  for  the  con- 
venience of  the  clergymen  who  wished  to  attend — Reverends  John 
Davenport,  Samuel  Eaton,  Ezekiel  Cheever  and  others. 

A  pastor  having  been  secured,  a  teacher,  or  assistant  pastor,  was 
next  called.  This  office  was  tendered  Reverend  John  Sherman,  but 
he  declined  it  for  fear  that  local  jealousies  might  arise.  The  call  was 
not  extended  to  any  one  else,  and  the  office  in  Milford  became  extinct. 
In  1645  Mr.  Sherman  was  connected  with  the  Branford  settlement. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  church  it  had  ruling  elders,  the  first 
ordained  to  that  office  being  one  of  the  "seven  pillars" — Zachariah 
Whitman,  on  the  26th  of  January,  1645.  He  probably  served  until  his 
death,  in  1666.  Two  others  were  ordained  to  the  same  office  in  1673: 
John  Clark,  who  died  the  following  year,  and  Daniel  Buckingham, 
whose  death  occurred  in  1712,  after  which  the  office  was  no  longer 
filled. 

It  is  probable  that  the  church  had  an  acting  deacon  from  the  time 
of  its  organization,  but  no  election  to  fill  that  office  is  recorded  prior 
to  the  one  held  July  3d,  1645,  when  ten  men  were  placed  in  nomina- 
tion, and  George  Clark,  Jr.,  and  Benjamin  Fenn  elected.  But  so  care- 
ful was  the  church  of  the  character  of  those  called  that  they  were  not 
ordained  for  two  years,  when,  on  account  of  family  matters,  Mr.  Clark 
was  excused  and  Mr.  Fenn  only  ordained.  Six  years  later  George 
Clark,  Sr.,  was  chosen  and  ordained  the  second  deacon.  The  church  was 
now  fully  officered,  and  under  Mr.  Prudden's  ministry  was  quiet  and 

*  Reverend  J.  A.  Biddle's  sermon. 


HISTORY    OK    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  249 

prosperous  to  the  extent  warranted  by  his  prudent  nature.  "  He  was 
fervid  and  earnest  as  a  preacher,  but  owing  to  his  desire  to  keep  the 
church  free  from  unworthy  members,  only  100  were  received  by  him 
into  church  fellowship.  At  his  death  the  church  numbered  about  94 
members  in  a  population  of  about  500."  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Prud- 
den  continued  16  years,  and  was  terminated  by  his  death,  in  July, 
1656.  A  fine  tablet  in  the  present  house  of  worship  appropriately  com- 
memorates his  worth. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  planters  of  the  town  was  to  order  the 
building  of  a  meeting  house.  The  five  judges  were  directed,  Novem- 
ber 24th,  1640,  "to  lay  out  a  meeting  house  30  feet  square,  after  such  a 
manner  as  they  should  judge  most  convenient  for  the  public  good." 
It  is  believed  that  this  house  was  like  the  one  at  New  Haven.  "It  was 
two  stories  high,  had  a  sharp  roof  (a  four-sided  peaked  roof),  on  the  top 
of  which  was  a  turret,  where  sentry  could  stand  and  look  out  for  In- 
dians, and  where  a  drum  was  beat  to  call  people  together  Sabbaths 
and  town  meeting  days,  &c." 

This  house,  though  so  plain,  was  not  finished  for  several  years.  As 
the  town  grew  and  the  population  demanded  more  room,  the  accom- 
modations were  expanded  by  putting  galleries  in  it.  In  1697  a  gal- 
lery was  placed  across  the  west  end  of  the  house,  which  stood  facing 
west,  where  was  one  door  as  an  entrance.  In  1707  one  was  built 
across  the  north  end,  and  in  1709  another  on  the  south  side.  Still  it 
was  necessary  to  husband  all  the  room,  and  in  the  latter  year  the  town 
voted  "that  whoever  needlessly  sat  out  of  his  seat  should  forfeit  five 
shillings." 

The  pulpit  occupied  an  elevated  position  on  the  east  side  of  the 
house,  and  near  the  door  were  several  seats  for  "the  use  of  the  armed 
men  who  were  expected  to  come  to  the  Sabbath  worship  with  muskets 
fully  prepared  to  repel  any  sudden  attack  from  Indians.  These  were 
at  times  troublesome  and  dangerous.  In  their  outbreaks  they  would 
rush  up  to  the  palisades,  deride  the  settlers  as  cowards  for  keeping 
themselves  in  a  pen,  challenge  them  to  come  out  and  fight  like  brave 
men,  boasting  that  they  kept  the  English  'shut  up  all  one  as  pigs.'  In 
1646  there  was  such  alarm  the  entire  'train  band'  went  to  meeting  on 
Sabbaths  and  Lecture  days,  sentinels  were  placed  on  the  palisades  a 
few  rods  apart,  the  people  even  went  to  their  fields  in  armed  com- 
panies." 

As  late  as  1700  there  was  so  much  fear  of  Indians  that  houses  were 
fortified  at  different  ends  of  the  town,  yet  there  is  no  account  of  any 
Milford  man  being  killed  by  Indians. 

A  new  meeting  house  was  voted  in  1727.  It  was  80  by  65  feet, 
and  three  stories  high,  having  two  galleries,  an  upper  one  for 
slaves  and  other  blacks,  who  had  become  numerous  then.  There 
were  three  entrances  to  this  house,  one  south,  another  east  and  another 
west.     The  pulpit  was  on  the  north  side.     This  house  had  a  steeple  95 


250  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

feet  high.  The  new  house  had  long  benches  till  1775,  when  pews 
were  made.  In  1803  the  interior  was  arched,  the  upper  gallery  being 
thus  shut  up.  The  society  very  early  had  a  bell,  but  in  1740  procured 
a  new  one  weighing  six  hundred  pounds.  The  same  year  a  tower 
clock  was  put  up  in  the  steeple. 

"  The  house  was  built  from  the  proceeds  of  a  tax  levied  for  that 
purpose  and  from  the  profits  of  the  flock  of  sheep  kept  by  the  town." 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  large  house  was  necessary  to 
properly  accommodate  all  the  people  of  the  town,  which  had  not  yet 
been  reduced  by  the  formation  of  new  towns  out  of  its  northern  terri- 
tory, man}'-  people  coming  fifteen  miles  to  meeting. 

With  some  repairs  and  improvements  this  meeting  house  was  used 
nearly  a  hundred  years.  But  about  1820  it  became  alarmingly  shaky. 
When  ministers  from  abroad  came  to  preach  here  they  would  hurry 
through  their  sermon  lest  the  old  building  should  come  down  upon 
their  heads.  The  fame  of  the  rickety  old  house  went  abroad  in  the 
state.  Finally,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  examine  it.  They  re- 
ported it  to  be  safe.  But  the  terrific  September  gale  of  1821  decided 
the  question,  and  in  1822  a  resolution  to  tear  down  the  creaky  building 
and  construct  a  new  one  was  passed  by  a  vote  of  91  to  31.  Upon  the 
16th  of  February,  1823,  the  people  gathered  to  worship  for  the  last 
time  in  the  ancient  temple.  Its  venerable  walls  had  echoed  to  6.000 
sermons.  They  had  looked  down  upon  S13  persons  as  they  were  ad- 
mitted into  church  fellowship.* 

The  old  house  was  razed  on  the  25th  of  March,  1823,  and  upon  its 
site  the  original  part  of  the  present  building  was  put  up  the  same  year 
by  Captain  Michael  Peck,  at  a  cost  of  $8,000.  The  original  size  was  54 
by  70  feet  and  27  feet  in  height.  While  this  house  was  building  the 
congregation  worshipped  in  the  Episcopal  church.  The  appliances  for 
heating  were  first  introduced  in  1831,  when  two  stoves  were  supplied. 

In  the  basement  of  the  meeting  house  a  lecture  room  was  fitted  up, 
but  during  the  pastorate  of  Doctor  Brace,  ending  in  1863,  a  chapel 
was  built,  the  meeting  house  repaired  and  a  new  bell  supplied.  Since 
that  time  the  house  has  had  other  repairs  and  has  been  much  im- 
proved in  appearance.  In  1S90  it  was  an  attractive  and  valuable 
property. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Prudden  the  church  was  four  years  without 
a  pastor,  when  on  July  29th,  1660,  Reverend  Roger  Newton  was  re- 
ceived, and  ordained  August  22d,  the  same  year.  He  was  a  son-in-law  of 
Reverend  Thomas  Hooker,  of  Hartford,  and  had  studied  theology  with 
him,  and  was  reputed  a  sound  and  judicious  preacher.  But  disturb- 
ances arose  in  his  parish  beyond  his  power  to  control,  and  his  situation 
here  was  very  trying.  Yet  he  swerved  not  from  the  faith  of  the 
founders  of  the  church  to  lower  the  standard  of  admission  or  by  con- 
senting to  the  Half-way  Covenant.     He  was  a  studious  man  and   had 

*  Doctor  Biddle's  sermon. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  251 

accumulated  one  of  the  finest  libraries  in  his  day,  more  than  200  vol- 
umes in  all, most  of  them  devoted  to  his  calling.-  His  ministry  covered 
a  period  of  23  years,  and  was  terminated  by  his  death,  June  7th,  1683. 
In  all  he  received  164  persons  into  church  fellowship,  and  left  it  200 
strong. 

After  a  vacancy  of  several  years  the  third  pastor  was  secured  in  the 
person  of  Samuel  Andrew,  in  his  day  a  superior  man.  He  graduated 
from  Harvard  in  1675,  and  for  five  or  six  years  was  a  tutor  in  the  col- 
lege. In  October,  1685,  he  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate  of  this  church, 
and  also  continued  until  his  death,  January  24th,  1737,  nearly  82  years 
of  age.  He  was  pastor  more  than  50  years,  and  received  into  the 
church  530  members. 

Mr.  Andrew  was  one  of  the  leading  men  in  New  England,  and  one 
of  the  most  active  in  promoting  higher  education  in  the  colony.  "  He 
gave  a  great  deal  of  time  and  thought  to  the  establishment  and  build-, 
ing  up  of  Yale  College,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  principal  founders. 
In  1707  he  was  appointed  rector  pro  tern.,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
for  twelve  or  thirteen  years.  He  served  for  38  years  as  a  member  of 
the  college  corporation,  from  its  beginning  until  his  death."  * 

In  the  later  years  of  his  ministry  the  church  adopted  the  "  Half- 
way Covenant  "  idea,  in  consequence  of  which  the  material  interests 
of  the  church  were  advanced,  perhaps  to  the  hurt  of  the  spiritual  good 
of  the  community.  "  It  brought  many  into  the  church  who  were  full 
of  carnal  ideas  and  plans.  If  the  finances  were  nourishing  and  the 
people  outwardly  moral,  not  much  was  said  of  other  requirements." 
This  state  of  affairs  also  made  the  established  church  not  only  domi- 
nant, by  reason  of  the  fact  that  every  one  must  pay  rates  for  its  sup- 
port, but  there  was  created  a  selfish  motive  for  keeping  it  dominant,, 
and  the  laws  were  shaped  to  perpetuate  that  end.  A  further  conse- 
quence was  that  the  church  in  this  colony  became  as  intolerant  of  re- 
ligious views  not  held  by  itself  as  was  the  church  in  England  from 
which  they  had  fled  for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  greater  religious 
liberty. 

At  Milford  the  evil  effects  of  this  policy  were  soon  manifested  in  the 
clashing  of  opinions  and  prolonged  contention. 

A  short  time  before  the  death  of  Mr.  Andrew,  Reverend  Samuel 
Whittlesey,  of  Wallingford,  was  called  as  his  colleague  pastor.  Both 
the  church  and  the  town  extended  such  an  invitation,  the  latter  in 
November,  1736.  At  that  time  Mr.  Whittlesey  was  about  23  years  of 
age,  and  was  a  young  man  of  much  ability  and  promise.  He  was  a 
son  of  Reverend  Samuel  Whittlesey,  pastor  of  the  Wallingford  church, 
and  had  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1729,  when  he  was  but  16 
years  of  age,  being  the  earliest  son  of  a  graduate  of  that  institution  to 
receive  a  degree.  He  probably  imbibed  his  father's  views  in  regard 
to  the  evangelistic  labors  of  Whitfield  and  others  who  preached  re- 
vival sermons,  being  in  his  belief  an  "Old  Light." 

*  Doctor  Biddle's  sermon. 


252  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  the  church  at  Milford  was  a  considerable  element,  especially 
among  the  young  members,  who  looked  with  favor  upon  the  "  New 
Light  "  doctrines.  These  objected  to  Mr.  Whittlesey's  settlement,  and 
the  matter  was  agitated  through  the  greater  part  of  1737.  Finally  Mr. 
Whittlesey  was  ordained  in  December,  1737.  The  "  New  Light  "  be- 
lievers withdrew  as  "  Separatists,"  and  January  5th,  1741,  were  organ- 
ized as  the  present  Plymouth  church.  Thence,  for  some  years,  the 
strife  and  persecution  were  intensified  in  bitterness,  and  it  was  not 
until  1776  that  the  two  bodies  consented  to  fellowship  each  other. 

It  is  said  of  Mr.  Whittlesey  that  while  he  was  firm  in  his  belief  as 
an  "Old  Light,"  and  perhaps  as  such  partook  of  the  feeling  against 
the  new  movement,  he  did  not  advise  the  persecution  which  followed 
their  efforts  to  set  up  their  own  worship.  He  is  described  as  having 
been  a  man  having  a  lovely,  sweet  spirit,  "gifted  in  prayer,  devout 
and  affectionate."  After  being  pastor  31  years,  in  which  period  he 
received  about  300  members,  he  died  October  22d,  1768,  aged  54  years. 

After  some  little  delay  in  filling  the  pastoral  office,  Reverend 
Samuel  Wales,  a  tutor  in  Yale  College,  was  ordained  December  19th, 
1770.  For  a  short  time  in  1776  he  was  a  chaplain  in  the  continental 
army.  In  17S2  he  resigned  to  become  a  professor  of  divinity  in  Yale 
College.  He  was  a  D.  D.  of  both  Yale  and  Princeton  Colleges,  and 
possessed  an  unusual  combination  of  talents.  Under  his  administra- 
tion the  "  Halfway  Covenant  was  discarded,  107  members  were  added 
to  the  church,  and  a  much  better  spirit  was  engendered  in  the  town."* 

Another  interval  of  two  years  followed,  when  the  sixth  pastor,  Rev- 
erend William  Lockwood,  was  chosen.  After  graduating  from  Yale 
in  1774,  he  served  as  chaplain  in  the  revolutionary  army.  In  1779-80 
he  was  a  tutor  in  Yale.  He  was  ordained  pastor  of  this  church  March 
17th.  1784,  but  after  twelve  years  he  was  compelled  to  resign  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health.     He  was  dismissed  in  April,  1796. 

The  same  year  began  the  lifelong  pastorate  of  Reverend  Bezaleel 
Pinneo,  which  was,  next  to  that  of  Mr.  Andrew,  the  most  noteworthy. 
"  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  ministers  of  the  period,  being 
talked  of  for  president  of  Yale  College  after  the  death  of  President 
Dwight.  Had  he  been  a  graduate  he  might  have  been  chosen  thus."f 
He  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in  1791,  and  was  ordained  in  October, 
1796.  He  was  at  this  time  in  his  28th  year,  strong  of  body,  and  with 
a  fresh  and  vigorous  intellect,  remarkably  well  disciplined  and  bal- 
anced. He  was  also  remarkably  prudent  and  consecrated  to  his  work, 
so  that  revivals  of  religion  occurred  during  his  entire  ministry.  In 
his  pastorate  of  44  years  over  700  persons  were  added  to  the  church. 
In  addition  to  his  pastoral  duties  he  fitted  about  thirty  boys  for  college 
and  had  several  theological  students.  In  July,  1839,  he  asked  for  the 
help  of  an  assistant  pastor,  and  his  wish  was  complied  with  January 
4th,  1840,  when  Reverend  David  B.  Coe  was  called  to  fill  that  position. 
*  Doctor  Biddle's  sermon.      t  Reverend  E.  C.  Baldwin's  sermon. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  253 

He  was  a  tutor  in  Yale,  from  which  he  had  graduated  in  1837.  His 
services  here  were  continued  about  three  and  a  half  years  and  over 
200  were  added  to  the  church,  when  he  removed  to  New  York  city, 
where  he  some  years  after  was  appointed  secretary  of  A.  H.  M.  S., 
which  position  he  has  long  filled.  Mr.  Pinneo  continued  until  his 
death,  September  16th,  1849,  in  the  81st  year  of  his  age  and  the  53d 
of  the  ministry. 

In  1845  Reverend  Jonathan  Brace  was  installed  as  the  colleague  of 
Father  Pinneo,  and  after  his  death  continued  as  pastor  18  years,  when 
he  resigned  to  remove  to  Hartford  to  devote  himself  to  his  duties  as 
editor  of  the  Religious  Herald. 

The  tenth  minister  of  the  church  was  Reverend  James  W.  Hub- 
bell,  ordained  September  21st,  1864,  and  dismissed  January  1st,  1869, 
to  become  the  pastor  of  the  College  Street  church,  in  New  Haven. 

Reverend  Albert  J.  Lyman  was  installed  pastor  September  7th, 
1870,  but  after  a  little  more  than  three  years  was  obliged  by  ill  health  to 
resign.  He  left  in  December,  1873.  In  the  latter  year  the  member- 
ship of  the  church  reached  its  maximum,  581.  After  a  vacancy  of  two 
years  Reverend  J.  A.  Biddle  became  the  pastor,  and  so  continued  ac- 
ceptably several  years.  On  the  9th  of  July,  1876,  he  delivered  a  his- 
torical sermon,  from  which  many  of  the  facts  in  this  account  are 
taken. 

Reverend  Seneca  M.  Keeler  was  the  acting  pastor  from  November, 
1880,  till  March,  1883.  He  was  followed  by  Reverend  Newell  M.  Cal- 
houn for  several  years,  from  June,  1884.  Reverend  Frank  I.  Ferguson 
was  the  pastor  from  1888  until  the  spring  of  1890.  In  the  summer  and 
fall  of  the  latter  year  the  pulpit  was  vacant. 

In  the  fall  of  1890  the  church  had  a  membership  of  nearly  500,  and 
the  aggregate  membership  was  over  3,000.  The  greatest  addition  in 
any  one  year  was  in  1843,  when  145  were  added;  the  greatest  number 
added  at  one  time  was  in  1872,  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Lyman,  when 
88  persons  joined. 

The  First  church  is  properly  the  parent  of  the,  Plymouth  Society, 
and  of  the  Orange  church.  To  form  the  latter  30  members  withdrew 
in  February,  1805. 

In  the  first  hundred  years  of  the  history  of  the  church  the  deacons 
were,  in  the  order  named:  Zachariah  Whitman,  Benjamin  Fenn,  John 
Fletcher,  George  Clark,  Sr.,  Jasper  Gunn,  Richard  Piatt,  Thomas  Clark, 
John  Camp,  Josiah  Piatt,  Joseph  Clark  and  Richard  Piatt,  Jr.  In  the 
next  hundred  years  they  were:  John  Smith.  Nathaniel  Buckingham, 
Thomas  Clark,  Samuel  Woodruff,  Thomas  Baldwin,  Daniel  Clark, 
Stephen  Gunn,  Samuel  Treat,  Samuel  Piatt,  Joseph  Piatt,  David  Buck- 
ingham, Benedict  A.  Law,  Benjamin  Bull,  John  Whiting,  Nathan  Net- 
tleton, William  Fenn,  Horatio  Downs,  George  Mann,Thaddeus  Plumb, 
Samuel  A.  Marshall.  And  in  the  last  fifty  years  those  in  the  deacon's 
office   have  been:  John    Benjamin,    Jr.,  William    Plumb,   Samuel    C. 


254  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Glenney,  Theophilus  Miles,  George  G.  Baldwin,  H.  R.  Beach,  Caleb 
T.  Merwin,  James  B.  Benjamin,  Elliott  B.  Piatt,  Charles  W.  Miles,  Jo- 
seph Benjamin,  Richard  Piatt,  John  Benjamin,  George  F.  Piatt,  O.  E. 
Nettleton,  Henry  N.  Piatt,  Darius  T.  Whitcomb  and  E.  B.  Clark.  The 
latter  five  served  in  1889.  At  the  same  time  the  church  clerk  was 
George  F.  Piatt,  and  the  Sunday-school  superintendent,  S.  N.  Oviatt. 
The  school  had  more  than  300  members.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the 
county,  "and  is  thoroughly  furnished  unto  every  good  work." 

Other  auxiliaries  of  the  church  are  the  Women's  T.  M.  S.,  organ- 
ized in  1877;  the  Ladies'  Benevolent  Union,  organized  in  1886;  and 
the  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  permanently  or- 
ganized in  1887,  each  doing  a  good  work  in  their  spheres. 

The  250th  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  church  was  appro- 
priately celebrated  August  25th,  1889.  The  historical  address  was 
by  the  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin.  Reverend  David  B.Coe,  the  old- 
est living  ex-pastor,  administered  the  sacrament  to  about  1,000  com- 
municants. Other  interesting  and  impressive  services  were  held, 
among  them  being  the  presentation  and  placing  in  the  meeting  house 
of  fine  memorials  to  the  following  former  pastors:  Reverend  Peter 
Prudden,  1639-56;  Roger  Newton,  1660-83;  Samuel  Andrew,  1685-1738; 
Samuel  Whittlesey,  1737-68;  Bezaleel  Pinneo,  1796-1849;  Jonathan 
Brace,  1845-63. 

The  tablets  are  chaste  and  are  inscribed  with  some  salient  facts  in 
regard  to  their  several  pastorates.  Hundreds  of  loving  friends  con- 
tributed to  their  erection. 

The  Plymouth  Church,  or  as  it  was  long  known,  the  Second 
Congregational  Church  of  Milford,  was  formed  mainly  of  dissenters 
from  the  First  church.  In  1737,  near  the  close  of  the  tninistry  of 
Reverend  Samuel  Andrew,  a  colleague  pastor  was  called,  in  the  per- 
son of  Reverend  Samuel  Whittlesey,  of  Wallingford.  His  settlement 
was  opposed  by  a  considerable  minority,  who  accused  him  of  inclin- 
ing too  much  toward  Arminianism,  and  being,  therefore,  doctrinally 
unsound.  After  much  discussion  of  the  matter  they  consented  to  his 
ordination,  provided  "  that  if,  at  the  end  of  six  months  they  should  re- 
main unsatisfied,  they  should  have  the  liberty  of  another  chosen  by 
them,  to  be  settled  in  the  ministry  as  the  colleague  of  (the  new  pas- 
tor) Mr.  Whittlesey."  It  appears  that  in  this  probationary  period  Mr. 
Whittlesey  so  much  guarded  himself  against  the  utterance  of  so-called 
unsound  doctrines  that  the  minority  did  not  "  move  for  a  compliance 
of  the  agreement."  But  soon  after  the  expiration  of  the  six  months 
he  gave  them  cause  for  uneasiness,  "  by  declaring  from  the  desk  such 
doctrines  as  they  did  not  believe  were  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God, 
neither  were  embraced  by  their  pious  predecessors,  the  Fathers  of 
England." 

They  made  complaint,  but  the  church  failing  to  take  cognizance  of 
their  grievance,  the  county  association  was  appealed  to,  in  May,  1740, 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  255 

for  advice  and  counsel.  But  they  were  told  by  the  "Reverend  Fathers 
of  that  body  that  they  had  no  advice  to  give,"  "thus  slighting  them  in 
their  distressed  and  afflicted  state." 

An  appeal  was  next  made  to  the  town,  in  December,  1740,  also  to 
no  purpose,  "the  Hon.  Jonathan  Law,  moderator  of  the  meeting,  ap- 
pearing not  pleased  with  it  and  putting  it  aside." 

Failing  in  every  attempt  to  obtain  relief,  they  availed  themselves 
of  their  right  to  dissent  from  the  church  constitution  and  to  "declare 
for  the  excellent  establishment  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,"  or  to  avow 
themselves  to  be  Presbyterians  and  to  incorporate  as  such  under  the 
laws  of  the  colony.  To  this  end  the  following  persons  agreed  to 
apply  to  the  "next  county  court  and  there  perform  what  the  act  re- 
quired:" Seth  Plumb,  Peleg  Baldwin.  Jesse  Smith,  Samuel  Merchant, 
Samuel  Hines,  Gyles  Oviatt,  Deliverance  Downs,  Jonathan  Fowler, 
Samuel  Hine,  Daniel  Collins,  Joseph  Prichard,  Joseph  Northrup,  John 
Baldwin,  Josiah  Hine,  Joel  Baldwin,  Andrew  Santford,  Jr.,  Samuel 
Bristol,  Jesse  Lambert,  Samuel  Santford,  Jr.,  Daniel  Downs,  Lewis 
Mallett,  John  Oviatt,  James  Smith,  Samuel  Eells,  Nathaniel  Bucking- 
ham, Samuel  Oviatt,  Jr.,  William  Fenn,  Andrew  Santford,  George 
Clark,  Benjamin  Fenn,  Jeremiah  Peck,  Joseph  Smith,  Bartholomew 
Sears,  Thomas  Welch,  William  Sewall  Sears,  Joseph  Fenn,  Jr.,  John 
Downs,  Nathaniel  Eells,  Samuel  Eells,  Jr.,  John  Smith,  Joseph  Howman, 
Lemuel  Smith,  Josiah  Tibbals,  Samuel  Oviatt,  Samuel  Hine,  Jr.,  Hor- 
ace Peck. 

These  were  all  members  of  the  First  church,  and  as  such  declared 
their  "sober  dissent."  Twelve  others  soon  joined  them,  and  their 
cause  gained  sympathy  every  day.  The  matter  coming  before  the 
court,  in  January,  1741.  that  body  put  it  off  until  the  April  term,  and 
then  still  further  postponed  action,  advising  them  "  not  to  prosecute 
their  dissent,"  thinking  that  the  feeling  created  in  Milford  that  year 
by  Reverend  Mr.  Tennant's  preaching  might  indicate  a  way  of  relief. 
But  this  hope  not  being  realized,  the  plea  before  the  court  was  con- 
tinued in  November,  1741.  To  their  great  surprise,  the  judges  would 
not  admit  their  dissent,  dismissing  it  on  a  technicality.  A  new  me- 
morial, couched  in  the  language  of  the  statute,  was  now  presented, 
proclaiming  their  "dissent,"  without  expressing  "assent"  to  any  form 
of  church  government,  which  was  placed  on  file.  They  also  agreed, 
November  30th,  1741,  to  set  up  a  separate  assembly,  if  thirty  families 
would  unite  for  that  purpose.  These  were  secured,  and  in  January, 
1742,  they  qualified  themselves  according  to  the  "  English  act  of  Tol- 
eration," as  Separatists  from  the  church  established  by  the  laws  of  the 
colony. 

But  in  the  meantime  the  decided  opposition  of  the  First  church 
was  awakened,  and  a  series  of  petty  persecutions  followed.  The 
ministers  at  their  public  meetings  were  cited  to  appear  before  the 
magistrates  as  disorderly  transient  persons.      In  this  way  Benajah 


256  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Case,  A.M.,  of  Simsbury,  was  brought  before  Governor  Jonathan  Law, 
January  17th,  1742,  charged  with  preaching  to  the  "sober  dissenters." 
After  two  days  trial,  in  which  the  governor  made  many  apparent  pre- 
judicial rulings  against  Mr.  Case,  he  was  adjudged  guilty  and  sen- 
tenced to  pay  in  all  41  shillings  and  4  pence.  Mr.  Case  refused  to  do 
this,  when  he  was  taken  to  the  New  Haven  jail  until  the  sentence 
should  be  satisfied. 

But  the  congregation  was  not  discouraged,  and  in  June,  1742,  de- 
cided to  build  a  meeting  house,  asking  the  consent  of  the  town  to  set 
it  on  public  land.  This  privilege  being  refused,  a  lot  was  purchased 
of  Bartholomew  Sears,  east  of  the  old  meeting  house  and  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river,  the  county  court  granting  the  necessary  lib- 
erty November  9th,  1742.  The  first  sermon  in  it  was  preached  by 
Reverend  John  Eells,  in  April,  1743.  The  house  was  very  plain  and 
had  no  steeple  until  1799,  when  one  was  built  by  subscription,  Ste- 
phen Treat,  Esq.,  donating  the  bell  for  the  same.  The  house  was 
used  until  1833,  when  a  part  of  the  present  edifice  took  its  place. 

Complaint  having  been  made  of  Mr.  Eell's  preaching,  the  constable 
searched  for  him,  "but  he  could  not  be  found."  Mr.  Kent,  who  was 
the  second  person  to  preach  in  this  house,  was  also  complained  of, 
"  but  could  not  be  apprehended." 

In  April.  1743,  the  church  placed  itself  under  the  care  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  Brunswick,  and  in  June  that  year  Reverend  Richard 
Treat,  of  that  body,  came  and  preached  so  acceptably  that  his  settle- 
ment as  a  minister  was  most  earnestly  desired.  But  his  charge  in 
New  Jersey  would  not  consent  to  his  leaving  them.  Meantime,  Mr. 
Whittlesey  and  his  "Old  Light"  adherents  had  not  become  more  tol- 
erant. But  so  strongly  were  they  opposed  to  those  holding  "  New 
Light"  views  that,  up  to  1743,  he  had  refused  the  use  of  his  pulpit  to 
five  ministers  in  good  standing,  but  who  differed  with  him  on  the 
points  which  were  then  engaging  the  attention  of  the  people  in  so 
earnest  a  manner.  Hence,  to  appease  the  popular  desire  to  hear  them, 
on  one  occasion  one  of  these  visiting  brethren  preached  from  the  door- 
step of  the  meeting  house  to  more  than  a  thousand  people. 

In  1743  the  persecution  reached  its  climax.  In  August  of  that 
year  Reverend  Samuel  Finlay,  president  of  Princeton  College,  by  the 
approval  of  the  New  Brunswick  Presbytery,  preached  twice  for  the 
dissenters;  but  he  was  apprehended  for  disorderly  conduct,  prose- 
cuted, condemned  and  ordered  by  Governor  Law  to  "be  transported 
as  a  vagrant  from  town  to  town  by  the  constable  of  each  town."  This 
outrageous  sentence  reacted  upon  the  opposition,  and  greater  liberty 
was  accorded  in  the  course  of  a  few  years. 

In  May,  1750,  the  general  assembly  released  the  dissenters  from 
paying  taxes  to  the  First  society,  and  gave  them  certain  parish  priv- 
ileges. In  1760  they  became  an  ecclesiastical  society  of  the  estab- 
lished church,  holding    their  first   regular   meetings  as  the    Second 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  257 

Society  in  Milford,  October  27th,  1760.  Thus  the  society  and  church 
were  designated  until  May,  1S59,  when  the  general  assembly  author- 
ized the  name  to  be  changed  to  the  Plymouth  Society  of  Milford,  by 
which  title  it  and  the  church  have  since  been  known. 

In  1870  the  meeting  house,  built  in  1833,  was  enlarged  by  an  addi- 
tion to  the  rear  end,  the  organ  loft  was  changed  and  a  new  organ  sup- 
plied. About  $7,000  was  thus  expended.  In  1889  repairs  and 
improvements  to  the  amount  of  $3,000  were  made,  and  the  building 
is  now  in  a  fine  condition,  and  the  society  is  said  to  be  prosperous. 
The  parish  contains  145  families,  and  the  church  has  250  members. 
The  Sabbath  school  has  about  200  members. 

A  pastor  was  settled  before  parish  privileges  were  accorded. 
Through  the  efforts  of  Ephraim  Strong,  a  leader  in  the  new  church, 
and  who  was  by  nature  and  education  well  qualified  for  the  work 
(having  graduated  from  Yale  in  1737),  his  brother-in-law,  Job  Prudden, 
was  settled  as  the  first  regular  minister.  Reverend  Job  Prudden  was  the 
great-grandson  of  Reverend  Peter  Prudden,  the  first  minister  of  the 
town.  He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1743,  and  was  ordained  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  church  in  May,  1747,  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. Two  delegates  from  Milford,  his  native  town,  accompanied  him 
to  New  Jersey.  He  proved  himself  faithful,  efficient  and  so  prudent 
that  much  of  the  embittered  feeling:  against  the  new  church  wore 
away.  After  a  pastorate  of  27  years  he  took  sick  of  the  small-pox 
while  visiting  a  parishioner,  and  died  June  24th,  1774.  His  tombstone 
has  been  fitly  inscribed:  "A  bountiful  benefactor  to  mankind,  well  be- 
loved in  his  life,  and  much  lamented  in  his  death."  He  left  his  prop- 
erty to  the  church,  in  addition  to  having  contributed  £100  toward 
a  ministerial  fund  of  $3,500,  which  was  raised  in  his  pastorate.  This 
fun'd  and  his  benefaction  have  greatly  aided  in  carrying  on  the  work  of 
the  church  in  these  later  periods. 

Reverend  Josiah  Sherman,  a  native  of  Watertown,  Mass.,  and  a 
great-grandson  of  John  .Sherman,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town, 
was  the  second  pastor.  He  was .  installed  August  23d,  1775,  and  dis- 
missed June  21st,  1781.  He  died  in  Woodbridge,  November  24th, 
1789. 

The  third  pastor  was  Reverend  David  Tullar,  installed  November 
17th,  1784,  and  dismissed  December  8th,  1802.  In  his  ministry  a  great 
religious  awakening  occurred,  beginning  in  August,  1797,  and  continu- 
ing through  the  following  year,  when  70  persons  were  added  to  the 
church.  In  man}'  households  family  prayer  was  established,  which 
greatly  increased  the  piety  of  the  town. 

Reverend  Sherman  Johnson  was  ordained  the  fourth  pastor  Feb- 
ruary 6th,  1805,  but  died  May  21st,  1806.  He  was  followed  by  Rever- 
end Caleb  Pitkin,  ordained  March  16th,  1S0S,  and  dismissed  October, 
1816.     In  the  latter  year  25  persons  were  added  to  the  church. 

This  revival  spirit  continued  during  the  pastorate  of  Reverend 
17 


258  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Jehu  Clark,  who  was  installed  December  10th,  1817.  In  1821  40  united 
with  the  church.     He  was  dismissed  in  1826. 

The  seventh  pastor  was  Reverend  Asa  M.  Train.  He  was  ordained 
July  2d,  1828,  and  dismissed  January  2d,  1850.  In  his  pastorate  oc- 
curred five  revivals,  from  which  resulted  223  additions,  the  largest 
number — S3 — joining  in  1843. 

Reverend  J.  M.  Sherwood  was  installed  May  29th,  1851,  and  dis- 
missed October  20th,  1852.  The  next  pastorate  was  also  short — Rev- 
erend S.  G.  Dodd  being  ordained  October  20th,  1852,  and  dismissed 
July  19th,  1854. 

In  November  of  the  latter  year  Reverend  W.  C.  Schofield  began 
the  tenth  pastorate,  which  was  terminated  in  April,  1S0S.  The  begin- 
ning was  characterized  by  a  revival  which  continued  eight  months, 
and  80  persons  were  added  to  the  church. 

From  October  15th,  1858,  till  December  17th,  1861,  Reverend  W. 
Nye  Harvey  was  the  stated  supply;  and  the  same  relation  was  sus- 
tained by  Reverend  J.  M.  Sherwood  from  March,  1863,  till  March, 
1865. 

Reverend  George  H.  Griffin  was  ordained  and  installed  as  the 
regular  pastor  June  22d,  1865,  and  continued  that  relation  until  Feb- 
ruary 18th,  1885.  In  this  period  of  twenty  years  many  were  ad- 
ded to  the  church. 

The  pastorate  of  Reverend  N.  G.  Axtell  began  September  1st,  1885, 
and  was  terminated  May  28th,  1889.  The  present  pastor,  Reverend 
C.  H.  Upson,  was  called  September  29th,  1889,  and  has  served  as  the 
regular  minister  since  February  1st,  1890. 

Under  the  Presbyterian  form  of  government  Ephraim  Strong, 
Noah  Baldwin,  Nathaniel  Cunningham  and  Benjamin  Fenn  were 
elected  elders  of  the  church. 

Since  the  office  of  deacon  has  had  a  recognized  place  the  following 
have  been  chosen:  Joseph  Treat,  William  Atwater,  Samuel  Piatt,  J. 
Benedict  Bull,  Henry  Bull,  William  Durand,  Samuel  Higby,  Noah 
Kelsey,  Allen  C.  Bull,  William  Fenn,  Harvey  Mallory,  Theophilus 
Miles,  Bryan  Clark,  Amos  Smith  Bristol,  Frank  H.  Woodruff,  Nathan 
T.  Smith  and  A.  A.  Baldwin.  The  three  last  named  now  serve.  The 
latter  is  also  the  church  clerk  and  the  treasurer. 

A  Protestant  Episcopal  church  was  formed  in  Milford  in  1764.  The 
contention  between  the  two  factions  in  the  First  Congregational 
church,  consequent  upon  the  settlement  of  Reverend  Mr.  Whittlesey 
as  the  pastor,  encouraged  the  formation  of  a  society  professing  the 
doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England.  Accordingly,  with  that  end 
in  view,  clergymen  visited  the  town  and  preached;  Reverend  Mr.  Ar- 
nold in  1736,  and  others  soon  after.  In  1743  Reverend  William  Lyon, 
as  a  missionary  of  the  English  society,  preached  in  the  town,  and 
some  lands  were  secured  as  a  parish  glebe.  But  no  parish  was 
formed  until  1764,  when  one  was  constituted  of  20  families.     To  these 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  259 

sermons  were  read  by  Richard  Clark,  a  lay  reader,  who  afterward 
went  to  England  for  holy  orders.    In  September,  1704,  Reverend  Doc- 
tor Mansfield,  of  the  Derby  church,  who  sometimes  preached  in  Mil- 
ford,  here  administered  the  first  public  communion,  20  persons  partic 
ipating  in  these  solemn  rites. 

In  1765  the  parish  was  placed  under  the  care  of  Doctor  Johnson,  of 
Stratford,  who  preached  at  both  places,  but  later  appointed  Samuel 
Tingley  lay  reader  for  the  Milford  church.  Reverend  Mr.  Kneeland 
also  preached,  continuing  until  the  revolution.  In  this  period  a  house 
of  worship  was  begun  in  1771,  which  was  completed  and  consecrated 
in  March,  1775,  as  St.  George's  Church. 

In  consequence  of  the  feeling  against  the  Church  of  England  dur- 
ing the  war  for  independence,  no  minister  was  maintained  for  ten 
years.  But  in  17S6  Reverend  Henry  Van  Dyke  became  the  minister 
of  this  and  the  West  Haven  church.  A  like  relation  was  sustained  by 
Reverend  David  Belding  two  years  later.  From  1788  to  1814  only 
occasional  services  were  held,  when  Reverend  Nathan  P.  Burgess  for 
two  years  preached  one-fourth  of  his  time.  From  1S16  until  1819  Rev- 
erend Doctor  William  Smith  served  the  Milford  and  West  Haven 
churches.  Then  came  a  vacancy  of  more  than  four  years,  when,  in 
1823,  Reverend  John  M.  Garfield  was  the  minister  a  short  time.  After 
tiiis  the  church  was  again  served  with  Stratford. 

In  1831  Reverend  Gurdon  Coit  preached  one-half  his  time;  from 
1833  to  1835,  Reverend  William  H.  Walter;  1835  to  1837,  Reverend  R. 
Camp;  and  then  came  the  Reverends  S.  Stocking  and  Edward  J.  Ives. 
In  1843  Reverend  Ferdinand  E.  White  became  rector  and  served  the 
church  five  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  May,  1848,  by  Reverend 
James  Dixon  Carder,  whose  rectorship  continued  until  1861.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  eventful  in  the  history  of  the  church.  In  1850  the  old 
church  building,  which  was  a  wooden  structure  without  a  spire,  but 
having  an  architecture  which  was  not  unattractive,  was  taken  down. 
As  a  consecrated  building  it  had  been  used  about  75  years.  A  new 
church  edifice  of  stone  was  built  upon  the  same  lot,  at  a  cost  of  $7,000, 
which  was  dedicated  in  1851  as  St.  Peter's  Church.  This  building  is 
not  only  substantial,  but  is  very  neat,  and  with  repairs  and  improve- 
ments has  been  still  further  beautified.  It  has  300  sittings  in  the  nave 
of  the  house.  The  spire  is  100  feet  high  and  is  also  of  stone.  On  the 
same  lot  is  a  fine  rectory,  put  up  after  the  church. 

After  Mr.  Carder  the  following  served  as  rectors:  1861  to  1864, 
Reverend  Storrs  O.  Seymour;  1864  to  1S6S,  Thomas  E.  Pattison;  1869 
to  1871,  Henry  R.  Howard;  1871  to  1S76,  A.  Douglas  Miller;  1876  to 
1878,  J.  H.  Van  Buren;*  1878  to  1890,  John  H.  Fitzgerald.  Since  1800 
the  rector  has  been  Reverend  F.  I.  Paradise. 

In  1890  the  parish  of  St.  Peter's  had  as  clerk  John  W.  Fowler;  as 
♦Being  a  candidate  for  holy  orders,  he  was  here  ordained  a  deacon  May  31st, 
1876,  and  a  minister  June  25th,  1877;  he  now  served  as  rector  till  May  1st,  1878, 


260  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

wardens,  Henry  Cornwall,  Samuel  L.  Burns;  as  vestrymen,  Isaac  T. 
Rogers,  John  W.  Fowler,  P.  S.  Bristol,  Joseph  S.  Ferris,  Thomas  Corn- 
wall, Edward  P.  Avery,  Henry  Davidson,  Charles  A.  Tomlinson,  Wil- 
liam Cecil  Durand,  Frederick  Cornwall,  Eldridge  L.  Cornwall,  Warren 
G.  Plumb,  Henry  C.  C.  Miles,  De  Witt  C.  Burns.  The  number  of 
families  in  the  parish  was  100;  the  individuals,  350;  the  registered 
communicants,  160.  In  the  Sunday  school  were  15  teachers  and  100 
scholars. 

The  Milford  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1836. 
Reverend  Jesse  Lee  preached  the  first  Methodist  sermon  in  the  town 
August  16th,  1789.  He  spoke  in  the  town  house,  which  was  crowded 
with  attentive  listeners.  On  two  other  occasions,  subsequently,  he 
preached  here,  but  appears  to  have  made  no  lasting  impression,  for  he 
said  that  he  had  no  invitation  to  call  at  any  man's  house,  nor  did  he 
become  acquainted  with  any  person.  He  further  added,  at  this  ap- 
parent lack  of  hospitality,  "  If  I  can  but  be  useful,  I  am  willing  to  re- 
main unknown  among  men."  After  this  the  town  was  occasionally 
visited  by  itinerant  ministers,  and  local  preachers  from  the  neighbor- 
ing churches  also  came,  preaching  as  they  had  opportunity. 

In  1822  Reverend  E.  Barnett  preached  and  organized  a  small  class, 
some  of  whom  had  been  converted  by  the  preaching  of  a  Mr.  Water- 
bury,  whose  labors  among  the  sailors  especially  had  been  successful, 
as  he  himself  was  a  converted  sailor.  Later  meetings  were  held  in  a 
house  near  the  mill,  owned  by  Elizur  Fowler.  In  1833  Reverend  Hum- 
phrey Humphries  made  an  effort  to  more  fully  organize  the  work  in 
Milford  without  satisfactory  results.  But  two  years  later  Eliakim  Fenn 
and  several  others  who  had  been  converted,  commenced  to  hold  meet- 
ings at  Burwell's  Farms.  About  this  time,-  also,  Deacon  Ebenezer  Ail- 
ing, of  Orange,  was  licensed  to  preach  and  held  meetings  in  various 
parts  of  the  town  with  much  success.  More  than  twenty  persons  were 
converted.  Accordingly,  in  1836,  on  the  12th  of  August,  the  Milford 
church  was  organized,  with  27  members.  Of  these  ten  joined  by  letter 
from  the  First  church,  among  them  being  Eliakim  Fenn,  Stephen 
Gunn,  Nathan  Gunn,  Thomas  Burwell,  Lamson  B.  Clark  and  Eliza  L. 
Gunn,  the  latter  surviving  as  a  member  in  the  fall  of  1890.  Milford 
was  now  taken  up  as  a  regular  appointment,  with  Reverend  Ebenezer 
Ailing  as  the  pastor.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  old  Baptist  church 
(the  old  town  hall),  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  about  60  members  were 
reported.  The  society  now  purchased  Bristol's  shoe  shop,  and  moved 
it  to  a  site  on  North  street,  near  the  Orange  road.  Heman  Bangs 
was  the  presiding  elder,  and  aided  in  fully  establishing  the  church. 

In  1837  Reverend  J.  C.  Goodrich  became  the  first  resident  pastor, 
and  was  followed  by  Reverend  Josiah  Bowen,  in  1838;  Ira  Abbott,  in 
1839;  and  Lewis  Lum,  in  1840.  The  following  two  years  the  confer- 
ence made  no  appointment  for  Milford,  but  the  brethren  nevertheless 
decided  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  which  was  begun   in  1843.     The 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  261 

corner  stone  was  laid  in  the  fall  of  that  year  by  the  pastor,  Reverend 
J.  B.  Wakeley,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  December  5th,  1844. 
The  house  cost  $3,000,  and  some  debt  remained  to  burden  the  society. 

In  1845  Reverend  Stephen  B.  Bangs  was  appointed  pastor;  in  1846, 
William  F.  Smith;  in  1847,  G.  S.  Hare.  On  account  of  the  poverty  of 
the  society  no  regular  minister  was  appointed  until  1852,  when  Rev- 
erend L.  A.  Hubbell  was  assigned.  A  notable  revival  had  just  ended, 
and  33  persons  had  been  added  to  the  church. 

Ground  for  a  parsonage  was  now  bought,  which  was  built  in  1854- 
5,  during  the  pastorate  of  Reverend  M.  N.  Olmstead. 

In  1875-6  the  church  building  was  remodelled  and  repaired,  at  an 
outlay  of  §2,500;  and  lesser  repairs  were  made  in  1882  and  again  in 
1886.  The  church  debt  was  fully  removed  in  1885.  In  later  years 
the  membership  of  the  church  has  also  been  increased,  there  being  130 
in  1890. 

Among  the  later  pastors  have  been  the  Reverends  W.  Bool,  Daniel 
Nash,  S.  C.  Keller,  G.  Perrine.W.W.  McGuire,  K.  K.  Diossy,  G.  Loomis, 
W.  Ross,  E.  H.  Rowlandson.W.  Treviddy,  E.  Rowlandson,  J.  M.  Carroll 
and  since  April,  1890,  Reverend  J.  A.  Macmillan. 

Connected  with  the  church  is  a  Sabbath  school  of  more  than  100 
members,  which  has  George  H.  Woods  as  the  superintendent,  and  a 
Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  which  was  organized  February  9th, 
1888,  with  seven  members.     In  1890  the  number  belonging  was  32. 

The  Milford  Baptist  Church  was  organized  August  28th,  1831,  by 
Reverend  James  H.  Linsley,  of  the  Stratford  church.  There  were 
about  25  covenanting  members,  and  John  Smith  was  chosen  the  first 
deacon.  Subsequently,  in  the  same  office,  were  D.  L.  Hubbell,  Jason 
Clark,  Anon  Clark  and  Thaddeus  Smith.  For  some  years  the  mem- 
bership increased,  but  as  the  population  of  the  town  changed,  the  na- 
tive element  removing  and  foreigners  taking  their  places,  the  society 
became  so  weak  that  its  organization  was  discontinued.  The  new 
meeting  house,  which  was  erected  in  the  period  of  the  church's  pros- 
perity, in  1845-6,  was,  through  the  treasurer  of  the  society,  Thaddeus 
Smith,  sold  to  the  town  in  1866,  and  has  since  formed  a  part  of  the 
town  house.  In  a  remodelled  condition  it  is  now  the  audience  room 
of  the  public  building. 

Among  the  Baptist  ministers  who  preached  here  there  is  none  re- 
membered with  greater  pleasure  than  Reverend  Oliver  H.  Hammond. 
He  was  highly  educated  and  a  very  ready  speaker.  Reverends  John 
H.  Waterbury,  Dryden  S.  Viets  and  Mr.  Davis  were  also  ministers. 
Most  of  the  remaining  Baptist  members  connected  themselves  with 
other  Protestant  churches,  and  at  present  but  very  few  of  that  faith 
remain  in  the  town. 

St.  Mary's  Church  (Roman  Catholic)  had  its  beginning  in  the  influx 
of  Irish  laborers,  consequent  upon  the  building  of  the  New  Haven 
railroad.     A  visiting  priest  came  here  in  1848,  and  gathering  together 


262  HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  believers  in  Catholicism,  said  mass  to  them  in  a  private  house. 
Encouraged  by  the  increasing  interest,  Reverend  Edward  O'Brien,  of 
St.  Mary's  church,  New  Haven,  who  now  had  the  care  of  this  people, 
erected  a  small  church  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  village,  southeast  of 
the  cemetery,  which  was  occupied  in  September,  1853,  as  the  St.  Mary's 
church.  Subsequently  this  work  sustained  a  mission  relation  to  the 
parish  of  Birmingham,  and  was  greatly  built  up  by  Reverend  Father 
Kennedv.  A  larger  church  was  demanded,  and  its  erection  was  begun 
in  1882  by  him  on  a  fine  lot  on  the  corner  of  Gulf  street  and  New 
Haven  avenue.  This  was  dedicated  June  25th,  1883,  by  the  Right 
Reverend  Bishop  McMahon.  It  has  400  sittings,  and  cost  about  $12,- 
000.  As  the  parish  had  a  limited  membership,  mostly  of  the  poorer 
classes,  it  required  much  sacrifice  to  accomplish  this  purpose,  but  the 
parish  has  nevertheless  since  prospered,  and  in  1885  became  separate 
from  other  churches.  That  year  Reverend  J.  Larkin  became  the  first 
resident  priest.  For  his  accommodation  a  fine  parsonage  was  subse- 
quently erected  opposite  the  church.  The  old  church  is  used  for 
school  purposes.  The  parish  is  now  fully  equipped,  and  is  growing  in 
numbers  and  influence.  There  are  not  quite  one  hundred  families  at 
this  time. 

The  Catholic  cemetery  is  on  the  Indian  river,  south  of  the  New 
Haven  road.  The  land  was  purchased  in  1868,  but  it  was  not  dedi- 
cated until  about  ten  years  later. 

It  is  said  that  the  first  death  in  the  town  was  a  child  of  William 
East,  June  18th,  1644,  aged  1  year.  The  first  adult  death  was  Sarah, 
wife  of  Nicholas  Camp,  who  died  September  6th,  1645.  These  and 
others  dying  up  to  1675  were  buried  in  a  part  of  Mr.  Peter  Prudden's 
garden,  set  aside  for  that  purpose.  Mr.  Prudden  himself  was  buried 
there  in  1656.  Not  quite  40  years  after  the  town  was  settled  the  south- 
east portion  of  the  present  burial  place  was  laid  out,  but  it  was  a  part 
of  the  commons  until  1756,  when  it  was  fenced  on  three  sides,  the 
swamp  being  on  the  east  side  On  the  south  side  was  now  a  road  three 
rods  wide,  whose  course  was  afterward  taken  by  the  railroad.  In  this 
part  46  revolutionary  soldiers  were  buried  in  1777.  Since  that  time 
the  cemetery  has  been  much  enlarged  and  its  neglected  condition  im- 
proved. Its  appearance  was  very  much  bettered  in  1863,  and  in  more 
recent  years  it  has  been  placed  in  care  of  a  superintendent,  under 
whose  direction  it  looks  more  like  a  modern  place  of  interment. 

There  are  many  quaint  inscriptions  on  the  older  stones,  which  have 
been  transcribed  and  published  by  the  New  Haven  Historical  Society. 
A  number  of  handsome  monuments  mark  the  resting  places  of  Mil- 
ford's  worthy  citizens  dying  in  more  recent  times.  In  the  southwest 
part  is  the  revolutionary  soldiers'  monument,  erected  in  1852. 

The  cemetery  contains  the  graves  of  three  Connecticut  governors — 
Treat,  Law  and  Pond — Judge  Roger  Newton  and  several  of  the  former 
pastors  of  the  churches. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  263 

In  1825  the  town  purchased  a  hearse;  in  1866  a  new  hearse  was  pur- 
chased, also  by  the  town,  which  still  controls  the  cemetery. 

As  early  as  1640  the  Milford  planters,  able-bodied  males  over  L6 
years  of  age,  were  formed  into  a  "Train  Band,"  or  local  militia,  with 
the  following  officers:  Captain,  John  Astwood;  lieutenant,  William 
Fowler:  ensign,  Alexander  Bryan:  sergeant,  William  East.  The  com- 
pany had  six  general  trainings  per  year,  three  in  the  spring  and  three 
in  the  fall.  In  1699  the  population  of  the  town  warranted  the  forma- 
tion of  two  companies,  commanded  by  Roger  Newton  and  Joseph 
Woodruff.  They  were  that  year  provided  with  new  equipments,  colors 
and  drums,  and  were  drilled  to  a  fine  state  of  proficiency. 

Besides  the  foregoing  there  were  others  captain:  Robert  Treat, 
in  1662;  John  Beard,  in  1670;  William  Fowler,  2d,  in  1677;  Samuel 
Eells,  in  1680;  Samuel  Burwell,  in  1690;  Josiah  Prime,  in  1692;  Samuel 
Bryan,  in  1696;  Samuel  Newton,  in  1698;  Benjamin  Fenn,  in  1708; 
Joseph  Treat,  in  1712.  Others  in  command  of  militia  companies  before 
the  revolution  were  Captains  Thomas  Clark,  Elias  Clark,  Josiah  Buck- 
ingham, Isaac  Treat,  Samuel  Buckingham,  Nathan  Baldwin,  Theodore 
Miles,  John  Woodruff,  Benjamin  Fenn,  Arnold  Tibbals,  Benjamin 
Bull,  Nathan  Clark. 

Roger  Newton  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  that  title  was  also 
bestowed  upon  Benjamin  Fenn,  in  1737;  Richard  Bryan,  in  1770. 
David  Baldwin  became  a  major  in  1784. 

Of  the  later  military  organizations,  the  Milford  Grenadiers  achieved 
an  enviable  reputation.  The  company  was  organized  in  1796,  the  first 
officers  being:  Daniel  Sackett,  captain;  Abram  V.  H.  De  Witt,  lieuten- 
ant, and  Benjamin  Bull,  ensign.  At  first  there  were  25  members,  who 
voluntarily  enlisted  in  1795  to  serve  in  the  32d  Regiment,  of  the  Second 
Brigade  of  the  militia  of  the  state.  The  original  uniform,  which  they 
themselves  provided,  "  consisted  of  scarlet  coats  with  buff  facings,  and 
gold  lace  trimmings,  drab  knee  breeches,  with  buckles,  and  suwarrow 
boots  with  tassels;  pointed  caps,  about  18  inches  high,  of  cloth,  red 
front  and  buff  back,  with  side  edges  and  plume  of  ostrich  feathers;  a 
narrow  frontlet  was  added  afterwards,  of  same  material. 

"On  the  first  Sunday  after  their  equipment  they  marched  in  '  full 
regimentals'  to  the  meeting  house,  and  no  doubt  a  discourse  was  deliv- 
ered and  a  blessing  invoked  on  the  occasion,  by  the  then  youthful 
and  greatly  beloved  Mr.  Pinneo. 

"At  a  later  period,  the  buff  breeches  gave  place  to  blue  broadcloth 
pants,  with  the  lace  and  silk  trimmings,  and  about  181.")  white  pants 
were  adopted,  and  continued  during  their  existence. 

"  Wherever  and  whenever  they  appeared,  they  were  the  company. 
and  the  observed  of  all.  Their  tall  and  lofty  bearing,  faultless  in 
dress,  equipments  and  discipline,  marching  and  counter-marching  to 
the  music  of  Isaac  Tibbals,  Charles  Baldwin,  Nathan  Baldwin,  fifers; 
and  Joseph  Fowler,  Hubbard  Botsford  and  Isaac  Davidson,  drummers. 


264  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

rendered  them  ever  welcome  among  their  friends,  but  a  terror  to  their 
foes.  The  reputation  of  the  gallant  New  York  Seventh  Regiment  was 
never  more  enviable  or  deeply  cherished  by  her  citizens  than  was  this 
brave  and  patriotic  corps."-' 

In  the  war  of  1812.  when  Joseph  Piatt  was  the  captain,  the  com- 
pany marched  to  old  Fort  Trumbull  to  repel  the  British  if  they  should 
attempt  to  land  from  their  vessels,  which  appeared  off  shore.  But  the 
enemy  soon  left  these  parts,  and  -the  Grenadiers  saw  no  further  ser- 
vice in  that  war.  In  1816  the  company  attained  its  zenith,  having  in 
all  about  70  men,  and  embracing  the  leading  young  men  of  the  town. 
A  waning  interest,  caused  by  dissatisfaction  by  being  deprived  of  its 
time-honored  position,  on  the  right  of  the  regiment,  and  the  organi- 
zation of  an  artillery  company  at  Milford,  led  to  the  dissolution  of  the 
company,  in  1836,  while  Charles  Tibbals  was  the  captain.  Two  years 
later  another  light  infantry  company  was  in  existence,  with  Jason 
Bristol,  captain,  and  Captain  John  Smith  commanded  the  artillery. 
The  former  disbanded  in  1849.  The  latter  was  for  many  years  a  suc- 
cessful organization. 

Many  of  the  members  of  the  celebrated  Grenadiers  were  honored 
by  promotions  in  the  state  militia,  and  became  regimental  and  brig- 
ade commanders.  Among  them  are  remembered  the  following:  Col- 
onel Daniel  Sackett,  Colonel  Benjamin  Bull,  Colonel  William  Fenn, 
Colonel  Stephen  B.  Ford,  Colonel  Andrew  Beard,  Colonel  William 
Piatt,  Colonel  Abel  R.  Hine  and  Colonel  Isaac  T.  Rogers;  Major  Sam- 
uel Higby,  Major  Barnabas  Woodstock  and  Major  Samuel  B.  Gunn. 
None  of  the  later  military  organizations  was  as  long  continued  or  be- 
came as  renowned  as  the  Grenadiers. 

The  inhabitants  of  Milford  warmly  espoused  the  patriot  cause  in 
the  struggle  for  the  independence  of  the  colonies.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolution  they  expressed  themselves  as  being  unani- 
mously opposed  to  the  oppressive  measures  of  the  British  ministry, 
and  opened  a  subscription  "for  the  relief  and  support  of  such  poor  in- 
habitants of  Boston  as  were  immediate  sufferers  by  the  Port  Bill." 
The  town  also  later  contributed  liberally  for  the  relief  of  the  people  of 
Fairfield. 

Measures  for  defense  were  early  urged.  May  1st,  1775,  "voted  that 
all  the  great  guns  be  mounted  and  be  made  ready  for  use,  and  that 
the  selectmen  provide  powder  and  balls  at  the  Town  Expense." 

A  minute  post  was  at  once  established,  under  the  direction  of  Cap- 
tain Isaac  Miles.  In  the  spring  of  1776  a  small  earthwork  was  erected 
at  Burns'  Point,  about  where  is  now  Colonel  Fall's  residence,  in  which 
a  battery  of  guns  was  placed  for  the  defense  of  the  harbor.  It  was 
erected  by  the  town,  aided  by  the  colony,  and  was  called  Fort  Trum- 
bull. From  this  fact  arose  the  name  of  Trumbull  avenue,  in  that  lo- 
cality. A  lookout  was  also  kept  at  Burwell's  Farm,  and  another  at 
Poconoc  Point. 

*  Hon.  John  W.  Fowler. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  265 

On  the  first  of  January,  1777.  a  transport  bearing  a  flag  of  truce 
appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  and  landed  200  sick  American 
■prisoners,  of  whom  46  died  in  a  short  time  and  were  buried  in  a  com- 
mon grave.  The  same  year  the  town  provided  its  full  quota  of  men, 
and  the  selectmen  were  directed  to  "  furnish  guns,  bayonets  and  pro- 
visions for  such  as  are  called  forth  for  the  defence  of  the  Liberty  of 
America."  A  premium  of  £10  was  offered  per  head  to  enlist  during 
the  war,  and  Captain  Samuel  Peck's  company  of  72  men  marched  for 
the  seat  of  war.  Three  of  the  townsmen  were  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Danbury. 

In  January,  1778,  the  town  expressed  its  approval  of  the  articles  of 
confederation  adopted  by  the  colonies.  In  1779  20  British  transports 
lay  off  the  harbor  several  days,  but  did  not  land,  except  a  few  soldiers 
who  came  ashore  at  Pond  Point  and  plundered  the  house  of  Miles 
Merwin,  the  family  being  at  that  time  in  the  village.  No  buildings 
were  burned  during  the  war,  but  some  property  was  stolen  by  the 
"Cow  Boys,"  of  New  York,  who  sometimes  visited  the  town  and  com- 
mitted depredations  in  the  way  of  stealing  cattle,  sheep,  etc.,  which 
they  carried  to  Long  Island  and  sold  to  the  British  forces.  Lambert 
says  that  in  1780a  band  of  twelve  of  these  marauders  was  captured  on 
an  island  in  the  Housatonic,  near  Turkey  hill,  but  the  particulars  in 
regard  to  it  are  somewhat  vague. 

There  were  but  few  tory  sympathizers,  and  owing  to  the  over- 
whelming sentiment  in  favor  of  the  Americans,  they  were  not  trouble- 
some; but  after  the  war  a  few  loyalist  families  moved  to  Nova  Scotia. 
In  the  war  of  1812  a  small  guard  was  kept  for  a  time  in  Milford 
harbor,  but  among  the  inhabitants  there  was  but  little  interest  taken 
in  the  war,  as  the  town  in  general  did  not  approve  it. 

The  250th  Anniversary  and  Founders'  Memorial  was  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  important  events  that  have  occurred  in  the  town. 
At  the  annual  town  meeting  in  October,  1888,  action  was  taken 
to  appropriately  celebrate  the  founding  of  Milford  on  the  250th 
anniversary,  the  following  year.  In  pursuance  of  that  purpose  the 
town  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Charles  A.  Tomlinson. 
Phineas  S.  Bristol,  Nathan  G.  Pond,  William  Cecil  Durand  and  Charles 
H.  Trowbridge,  who  decided  that  a  memorial  bridge  at  Fowler's  Mill 
would  best  perpetuate  the  event  to  be  observed,  and  be  as  well  an  en- 
during monument  to  the  founders  of  the  Wepawaug  plantation  or 
Milford  colony.  This  idea  was  successfully  carried  out,  as  is  attested 
by  the  artistic  and  substantial  handiwork  at  the  spot  designated.  The 
memorial  arch  and  tower,  crowned  with  tablets  and  mementoes  in 
honor  of  the  leading  founders  of  the  plantation,  is  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  objects  in  the  town,  and,  while  attractive,  is  also  useful  and 
strikingly  appropriate.  The  erection  was  made  possible  by  appropri- 
ations from  the  town  and  the  liberal  aid  of  patriotic  citizens  in  Milford 
and  other  places. 


266  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  work  was  dedicated  and  the  general  celebration  of  the  event 
was  held  August  28th,  1889.  On  the  morning  of  that  day  42  guns 
were  fired,  the  village  bells  were  rung  and  there  was  a  parade,  show- 
ing various  phases  of  Indian  and  pioneer  life;  also  an  industrial  ex- 
hibit, showing  products  from  1639  to  1889.  Isaac  C.  Smith  was  the 
chief  marshal,  A.  A.  Baldwin  the  president  of  the  day,  General  Joseph 
R.  Hawley  the  orator;  a  concert  was  given  by  the  Wheeler  and  Wil- 
son Band;  Governor  Morgan  G.  Bulkeley  and  others  made  addresses. 
A  vast  concourse  of  people  was  in  attendance,  and  the  occasion  was 
full  of  credit  to  the  people  of  the  town. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Doctor  Hull  Allen,  born  in  Westport,  Conn.,  May  16th,  1798,  is  a 
son  of  Gabriel  Allen,  of  that  place.  Doctor  Allen  was  educated  in 
Westport,  studied  medicine  one  year  with  Doctor  Chetwood,  of  Eliza- 
bethtown,  N.  J.,  and  attended  medical  lectures  in  New  York.  He 
taught  the  young  ladies'  seminary  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  about  one  year. 
He  was  licensed  to  practice  medicine  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  in  1821,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Sparta,  N.  J.  He  came  to 
Milford  in  1821,  and  practiced  there  until  1870,  when  he  gave  up  act- 
ive practice.  He  does  some  office  practice  still.  He  was  93  years  old 
May  16th,  1891.  He  is  the  oldest  physician  in  New  Haven  county,  if 
not  the  oldest  in  New  England.  He  has  been  three  times  married. 
By  his  first  wife,  Susan  Piatt,  he  had  three  children.  One  daughter, 
now  living  with  him,  is.  the  only  child  surviving.  He  has  also  one 
granddaughter  living  with  him,  and  one  grandson  in  New  Haven. 
His  second  wife  was  Elizabeth  Clark,  and  his  third  wife  Susan  Phil- 
lips, of  Fishkill,  N.  Y.  Doctor  Allen  is  a  member  of  the  state  and 
county  medical  societies.  The  meetings  of  the  latter  have  frequently 
been  held  at  his  house.  He  has  frequently  consulted  with  the  leading 
physicians  of  New  Haven  county,  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  them, 
and  has  the  utmost  respect  of  his  townspeople. 

Charles  W.  Beardsley,  son  of  Charles  Beardsley,  was  born  in 
Stratford,  Conn.,  May  27th,  1829,  and  in  the  year  1844  he  removed 
with  his  father's  family  to  Milford.  He  is  descended  from  William 
Beardsley,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town  of  Stratford,  from  whom 
he  takes  the  name  William,  and  from  the  Beach  family  through  his 
great-grandmother,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Israel  Beach,  2d,  of  Stratford. 
His  mother  was  Sarah,  daughter  of  Hezekiah  Baldwin,  of  Milford. 
a  descendent  of  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  that  town;  and  he  regards 
his  success  in  life  as  very  largely  the  result  of  the  early  training  and 
Christian  advice  of  his  mother.  The  first  American  ancestor  above 
alluded  to,  William  Beardsley,  came  from  England  in  1635,  in  the  ship 
"  Planter,"  commanded  by  Captain  Travice.  He  was  then  only  30 
years  of  age,  but  had  a  wife  and  three  children,  all  of  whom  accompa- 
nied him  hither.     He  came  from  Stratford-on-Avon  (the  birthplace  of 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  267 

William  Shakespeare),  and  was  made  a  freeman  in  Massachusetts,  but 
afterward,  in  1639,  settled  in  the  Connecticut  township,  to  which  the 
family  gave  the  name  of  Stratford  in  honor  of  the  English  town  from 
which  they  had  emigrated.  The  town  of  Avon,  N.  Y.,  was  also  named 
by  descendants  of  William  Beardsley,  who  settled  there,  in  honor  of 
the  old  river  in  England.  William  Beardsley  was  a  deputy  for  Strat- 
ford in  1645,  and  for  seven  years  thereafter,  and  was  a  man  of  much 
prominence  in  early  colonial  times.  He  died  in  1660,  at  the  age  of  56, 
leaving  three  children.  The  succession  in  the  line  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  through  Joseph  Beardsley,  the  youngest  son.  The 
generations  from  Joseph  were  John,  Andrew,  Henry,  William  Henry 
and  Charles,  the  latter  being  the  father  of  Charles  W.  Beardsley,  the 
present  subject.  Charles  W.  is  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, the  brothers  and  sisters  being  the  following,  all  of  whom  are 
now  living  and  residents  of  Milford,  except  as  otherwise  stated:  Abi- 
gail, now  the  wife  of  Charles  R.  Baldwin,  of  Milford;  Alvira,  Heze- 
kiah,  an  extensive  contractor  and  builder  in  Milford;  George,  now 
residing  in  New  Haven;  Theodore,  a  prominent  builder  of  Springfield, 
Mass.;  Sarah  J.  wife  of  Edward  Clark,  of  Milford;  and  Frederick,  the 
youngest. 

Mr.  Charles  W.  Beardsley  was  educated  in  the  common  and  select 
schools  of  his  native  town,  and  commenced  learning  the  shoe  business 
at  the  age  of  15,  which  he  followed  for  18  years.  His  health  partially 
failing  by  close  confinement  in  his  work,  he  engaged  in  the  stock  and 
produce  business,  importing  the  same  from  Montreal,  Canada;  and 
continued  this  business  twelve  years.  He  then  bought  one  of  the  best 
farms  in  the  town  of  Milford,  and  is  engaged  in  the  seed  business  for 
Peter  Henderson  &  Company,  of  New  York  city.  Mr.  Beardsley  has 
bred  some  of  the  finest  Jersey  cattle  that  have  appeared  in  America, 
and  for  which  he  has  obtained  large  prices.  He  has  held  the  offices 
of  town  agent  and  first  selectman  for  twelve  successive  years,  and  was 
one  of  the  directors  of  the  Milford  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge  in  Milford,  a  member  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion and  a  director  of  the  Steam  Power  Manufacturing  Company.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  fire  department  for  22  years,  and  a  member 
of  the  Second  Company,  Governor's  Foot  Guards  (organized  1775)  un- 
der Governor  Buckingham.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  house  of 
representatives  of  Connecticut  by  the  democratic  party  in  1889  for  two 
years,  and  served  on  the  railroad  committee,  and  was  commissioner  on 
the  Washington  bridge.  He  gave  a  full  history  of  the  old  bridge,  and 
when  the  bill  came  before  the  house  to  have  the  structure  made  a  free 
bridge,  supported  by  New  Haven  and  Fairfield  counties,  he  made  a 
strong  argument  in  favor  of  the  free  bridge  system,  and  the  bill  was 
passed.  He  was  reelected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives 
for  the  years  ]  891-2,  and  is  again  a  member  of  the  railroad  committee, 
and  he  accepted  from  Governor  Bulkeley  an  appointment  as  shell-fish 
commissioner. 


268  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Mr.  Beardsley  joined  the  First  Congregational  church  at  Milford  in 
the  year  1850,  and  is  esteemed  in  his  native  town  and  in  the  town 
where  he  resides,  and  wherever  known,  as  an  honorable  and  upright 
citizen.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Elnathan  Baldwin,  of  Milford. 
in  1850,  and  has  the  following  children:  De  Witt  Clinton,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Martha  P.  Avery,  of  Stratford,  and  has  three  children,  Medo- 
rah  H.,  Maud  C.  and  Stanley  A.  Beardsley;  Sarah  Etta,  who  married 
•Charles  Clark,  of  Milford,  and  had  two  children,  George  W.  and  El- 
wood  R.  Clark;  and  Charles  Frederick,  the  youngest,  who  resides  at 
home,  and  is  in  company  with  his  father  in  the  seed  business.  The 
Beardsley  family  is  a  quite  numerous  one  in  Connecticut,  and  in  all  its 
branches  has  maintained  the  honorable  reputation  transmitted  through 
succeeding  generations, from  William  Beardsley,  the  venerated  an- 
cestor. 

Hezekiah  B.  Beardsley,  born  in  Stratford,  is  a  brother  of  Charles 
W.  Beardsley.  He  came  to  Milford  with  his  parents  when  eight  years 
old.  He  was  educated  in  Milford,  and  studied  mathematics  in  New 
Haven  with  George  Beckwith,  and  architecture  one  year,  then  learned 
the  trade  of  carpenter  and  builder  with  Jirah  Stowe,  of  Milford,  and 
finished  with  Elijah  Baldwin.  With  a  son  of  the  latter,  George  G. 
Baldwin,  Mr.  Beardsley  carried  on  the  business  of  building  until  1872, 
and  since  that  time  has  continued  alone.  He  has  built  many  of  the 
finest  residences  in  Milford  and  other  places.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Marcus  Stowe,  of  Milford,  in  1861.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Helen,  who  married  Frederick  S.  Beardsley,  of  Stratford. 
They  reside  in  Brunswick,  Georgia,  and  have  one  daughter,  Helen 
May.  Mr.  H.  B.  Beardsley  has  been  a  director  of  the  Milford  Savings 
Bank  for  the  past  eight  years. 

Henry  J.  Bristol,  born  in  Milford  in  1880,  is  a  son  of  Johnson  Bris- 
tol. The  latter  established  the  store  now  kept  by  Henry  J.,  on  North 
avenue,  Milford,  about  1829,  and  conducted  it  until  1872,  when  Henry 
J.  succeeded  him.  He  is  a  dealer  in  groceries  and  feed.  He  has  been 
assessor  and  member  of  the  board  of  relief.  He  has  been  treasurer  of 
the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Milford  for  16  years,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  Birmingham.  He  married  Emma  A.  Thomas, 
of  New  Haven,  in  1856.  They  have  three  children:  Frank  T.  (in  bus- 
iness in  New  York),  Harry  and  Lillian  F.  Mrs.  Bristol  is  a  relative  of 
the  Kimberly  family,  of  West  Haven.  Her  mother,  Mary  Kimberly, 
daughter  of  Eliakim,  of  West  Haven,  married  Captain  Asahel 
Thomas. 

Phineas  S.  Bristol,  born  in  Milford,  in  1823,  was  a  son  of  Nehemiah 
and  Elizabeth  (Stowe)  Bristol),  and  grandson  of  Nathan  and  Anna 
Bristol.  Nathan  was  a  soldier  in  the  revolution,  and  fought  in  the 
battles  of  Long  Island  and  White  Plains.  He  was  a  son  of  Richard 
and  Mary  Bristol.  Richard  was  a  son  of  Daniel,  whose  father,  Henry, 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  New  Haven,  about  1670.     The  ma- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  269 

ternal  grandfather  of  Phineas  S.  Bristol  was  William  Stowe,  son  of 
Stephen,  who  died  from  disease  contracted  while  nnrsing  the  sick 
soldiers  of  the  revolutionary  war.  He  had  four  sons  in  the  war:  John, 
Stephen,  Jedediah  and  Samuel.  The  father  of  Stephen  Stowe  was  the 
Reverend  Samuel  Stowe,  who  settled  and  preached  in  Middletown, 
Conn.,  in  1052.  He  was  a  son  of  Deacon  John  Stowe,  who  came  from 
England  in  1634,  settled  in  Boston,  and  from  there  moved  to  Roxbury 
in  1839.  He  was  born  in  England  in  1595.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery,  of  Boston,  and  a  member  of  the 
general  court  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts,  in  1639.  Phineas  S. 
Bristol  was  three  times  married:  first  to  Elizabeth  G.,  daughter  of 
Captain  Samuel  Tibbals.  By  her  he  had  one  son,  Reverend  Cornelius 
Bristol,  born  in  1863.  He  is  a  minister  in  charge  of  St.  Alban's  Epis- 
copal church  in  Danielsonville,  Conn.  Mr.  Bristol's  second  wife  was 
Ann  M.,  daughter  of  Isaac  Baldwin.  His  third  wife  is  Laura  A., 
daughter  of  Samuel  Peck.  Mr.  Bristol  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker 
when  young,  and  afterward  was  a  merchant  in  Wallingford,  Conn.,  in 
New  York  city,  and  then  in  Milford  from  1862  to  1875,  when  he  be- 
came treasurer  of  the  Milford  Savings  Bank.  He  represented  Milford 
in  the  legislature  in  1871,  was  first  selectman  in  1870,  and  was  justice 
of  the  peace  for  25  years.  Shortly  before  the  death  of  Mr.  Bristol  (which 
occurred  March  14th,  1891),  he  was  made  a  member  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution. 

Theodore  Bristol,  born  in  Milford  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  Johnson  Bris- 
tol, and  grandson  of  Jehial  Bristol,  both  natives  of  Milford.  He  en- 
gaged in  the  livery  business  in  Milford  in  1873,  with  I.  C.  Smith,  suc- 
ceeding Warren  Bradley,  who  succeeded  George  B.  Wheeler,  the 
founder  of  the  livery  business  in  Milford.  The  firm  of  Smith  &  Bris- 
tol was  dissolved  in  1878,  Mr.  Smith  retiring.  Since  this  time  Mr- 
Bristol  has  continued  the  business  alone.  He  has  been  twice  married: 
first  to  Caroline  A.  Merwin,  of  Milford.  By  her  he  had  one  daughter, 
Julia  E.,  who  married  Walter  Irving,  of  Milford.  For  his  second  wife 
he  married  Rachel  C.  Wright,  of  Clinton,  Conn.,  by  whom  he  has  one 
daughter,  Grace  L.,  also  one  son,  Royal  M.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six 
years  and  five  months. 

William  B.  Brotherton,  born  in  Milford  in  1849,  is  a  son  of  William 
Brotherton,  of  Westport,  Conn.,  who  came  to  Milford  in  1S38,  and  was 
postmaster  from  1852  to  1861,  and  from  1865  to  1869.  William  B.  was 
educated  in  Milford,  and  married  Mary  A.  Chappell,  of  New  London 
county,  Conn.,  in  1873.  They  have  four  children:  Harold  L.,  Gracie 
B.,  Frank  C.  and  Edward  B.  Mr.  Brotherton  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Milford  in  1S87.  The  office  of  postmaster  has  been  held  in  the 
Brotherton  family  under  all  democratic  administrations  since  1852. 

Frank  P.  Buckingham,  born  in  Milford  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  Daniel, 
and  grandson  of  Daniel,  descendants  of  Thomas  Buckingham,  who 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  Milford  in  1639.     Frank  P.  was  edu- 


270  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

cated  in  Milford,  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  when  a  boy,  and  has 
since  followed  it.  He  has  been  boss  carpenter  of  the  Milford  Straw 
Manufacturing  Company  for  the  last  twenty  years.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  societies,  and  a  member  of  the 
American  Provident  Union  of  Milford.  He  is  assessor  of  taxes. 
He  married  Sarah  Judd,  of  Watertown,  Conn.,  in  1875.  They  have 
two  sons  and  two  daughters:  Marion  L.,  Daniel  F.,  Leah  J.  and  For- 
rester L. 

Alonzo  W.  Burns,  son  of  Samuel  L.  and  grandson  of  Samuel  Burns, 
was  born  in  Milford  in  1840,  was  educated  here  and  learned  the  trade 
of  cooper.  Since  1875  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  clam  and  fish 
trade.  He  married  Maria  E.  Ford,  of  Milford.  He  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  in  1873  and  1891,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of 
relief. 

W.  Cecil  Durand,  born  in  Milford  June  15th,  1851,  is  a  son  of  Cal- 
vin and  Sarah  Cecil  (Hunter)  Durand  (the  latter  a  native  of  Savannah, 
Ga.),  and  grandson  of  William  Durand.  Calvin  Durand  was  born  in 
Milford  in  1802,  and  was  a  merchant  in  New  York  56  years,  for  17 
years  of  the  firm  of  Goodhue  &  Co.,  64  South  street.  His  brother, 
Mason  A.  Durand,  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  National  Blues  of 
the  city  of  New  Haven.  Another  brother,  William  Durand,  was  sur- 
veyor of  the  port  of  New  Haven  eight  years,  was  the  first  democrat 
elected  to  the  legislature  from  Milford,  and  held  the  offices  of  judge 
of  probate  and  town  clerk.  W.  Cecil  Durand  was  educated  in  New 
York  and  New  Haven,  completing  his  studies  at  the  Sheffield  Scien- 
tific School  of  New  Haven  in  1871.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
from  Milford  in  1882,  1883  and  1888.  He  has  been  twice  married; 
first  to  Lizzie  C.  Ford,  of  Milford,  in  1885.  She  died  August  18th, 
1888;  and  June  17th,  1890,  he  married  Clara  Baldwin  Clark,  of  Milford. 
In  July,  1891,  he  was  chosen  treasurer  and  secretary  of  the  Milford 
Savings  Bank.  He  was  a  state  auditor  (Conn.),  from  July  1st,  1889,  to 
July  1st,  1891. 

Dennis  Fenn,  born  m  Milford  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  Dan  and  grand- 
son of  Dan,  whose  father,  Benjamin,  was  a  son  of  Lieutenant  Ben- 
jamin, all  descendants  from  Benjamin  Fenn,  the  settler  of  1639. 
Dennis'  mother  was  Maria  Bradley.  He  had  one  brother,  George 
Newton  Fenn,  who  settled  in  Illinois  in  1856.  Dennis  married,  in 
1865,  Eva  M.,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Brown,  of  Milford.  They  have 
four  children:  Benjamin,  Nathan  H.,  Anna  M.  and  Harry  D.  Mr. 
Fenn  has  been  interested  in  the  town  affairs,  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  two  years,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Indian 
River  Grange  of  Milford.  He  has  always  been  a  farmer  and  seed 
grower.  He  owns  the  farm  originally  owned  by  Benjamin,  the  set- 
tler. It  was  eiven  to  him  for  settling  outside  the  stockade,  and  has 
remained  in  the  Fenn  family  250  years. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  271 

Doctor  Elias  Buell  Heady  was  born  in  Norfolk,  Conn..  July  28th, 
1846,  and  is  a  son  of  Clark  Heady,  of  the  same  town.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Norfolk  high  school  and  at  the  South  Berkshire  Institute, 
Mass.  He  taught  school  after  this,  and  then  took  a  course  at  East- 
man's Business  College,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  graduating  February 
15th,  1866.  He  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Doctor  H.  M. 
Knight  in  1869,  was  with  him  three  years,  and  during  this  time  at- 
tended the  Yale  Medical  College,  graduating  in  1872.  He  commenced 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  the  spring  of  1872  in  Cornwall,  Conn., 
practiced  there  eight  years,  and  came  to  Milford  in  March,  1880, 
where  he  has  since  practiced.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New  Haven 
County  and  State  Medical  societies,  honorary  member  of  the  Bridge- 
port Medical  Association,  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Milford. 
He  makes  a  specialty  of  surgery.  He  married,  in  1874,  Julia  V.  Kel- 
logg, of  Cornwall,  Conn.  They  have  two  sons:  Louis  E.  and  Carlton 
K.  Heady. 

Frank  M.  Howe  was  born  in  Painesville,  Ohio,  in  1852,  and  re- 
ceived his  education  there.  His  father,  George  E.  Howe,  has  had 
charge  of  the  state  reformatory  at  Meriden  12  years.  Frank  M.  Howe 
was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  reform  school  at  Lansing,  Mich., 
in  1S72,  when  he  was  20  years  of  age.  He  was  called  "the  boy  super- 
intendent," and  was  the  youngest  state  officer  in  the  country.  He  held 
this  position  seven  years,  when  he  resigned  to  come  East  to  take  the 
same  position  in  the  reform  school  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  in  1880.  He 
remained  at  the  latter  place  over  three  years,  when,  on  account  of  ill 
health,  he  was  compelled  to  resign.  He  introduced  many  reforms 
both  at  Lansing  and  at  Providence.  He  came  to  Milford  in  Septem- 
ber, 1884,  and  established  a  private  school,  known  as  Elmwood  School 
for  Boys. 

James  W.  Kelley  was  born  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  in  1857,  learned  the 
shoemaking  trade  there,  came  to  Milford  in  1878,  and  engaged  with 
Baldwin  &  Lamkin,  shoe  manufacturers.  He  married  Mary  Purcell, 
of  Milford,  in  1881.  They  have  three  children:  David  P.,  Agnes  and 
Richard.  Mr.  Kelley  is  a  retail  dealer  in  liquors,  teas  and  coffee.  In 
politics  he  is  a  democrat,  and  has  served  his  party  on  town  and  dis- 
trict committees.  He  is  grand  knight  of  Tinto  Council,  No.  47,  K.  of 
C.     This  council  was  organized  September  5th,  1888. 

James.  McCarthy  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1830,  and  came  to  America 
in  1860.  He  settled  first  in  New  York,  and  removed  to  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  in  1S63.  He  enlisted  from  there  in  Company  F,  14th  Connecti- 
cut Volunteers.  He  was  wounded  before  Petersburg,  in  his  right  knee, 
and  was  discharged  in  April,  1865.  He  came  to  Milford  in  1868,  and 
has  since  been  engaged  in  the  clothing  trade.  He  has  been  justice  of 
the  peace  for  the  past  12  years,  and  selectman  five  years.  He  is  a 
director  and  incorporator  of  the  Milford  Savings  Bank.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1869,  and  has  four  children. 


272 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 


William  Merritt  Merwin,  a  son  of  Merritt  and  Catherine  (Peck) 
Merwin,  was  born  in  Milford  in  1827.  He  is  a  lineal  descendant  of 
John,  the  son  of  Miles  Merwin,  one  of  the  original  settlers  of  the  town, 
who  was  the  progenitor  of  all  those  of  that  name  in  this  part  of  the 
county.  Miles  Merwin  died  in  1697,  and  his  grave,  in  the  old  burial 
plot  of  Milford,  was  the  only  one  of  the  first  Wepawaug  planters 
marked  by  a  headstone.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  property,  and 
as  his  estate  was  entailed,  a  number  of  generations  of  his  descendants 
remained  in  Milford,  each  one  embracing  representative  citizens  in 
this  and  adjoining  towns.  Among  his  descendants  in  New  Haven  is 
Lieutenant  Governor  Samuel  E.  Merwin,  one  of  the  leading  attorneys 
of  that  city. 

William  M.  Merwin,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this  book,  has  the 
well-merited  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  most  successful  business 
men  in  Milford  in  the  present  period  of  time.  He  was  reared  in  this 
town,  and  has  ever  been  identified  with  its  interests,  but  having  ap- 
plied himself  closely  to  his  own  affairs,  became  but  little  known  in 
public  capacities.  After  being  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade,  he  suc- 
cessfully grew  garden  seeds,  following  that  occupation  a  number  of 
years.  Later,  nearly  a  score  of  years  ago,  he  became  interested  in  the 
cultivation  of  oysters  in  the  waters  of  his  native  town,  being  one  of 
the  pioneers  in  that  industry,  which  he  developed  to  its  present  im- 
portant condition,  with  beneficial  results  to  himself  and  his  family.  In 
this  avocation  he  has  had  abundant  opportunity  to  exercise  those 
characteristics  which  most  distinguish  him,  and  which  have  been  such 
fruitful  factors  in  his  success.  To  his  excellent  habits  of  living  and 
business  he  added  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  energy,  a  worthy  ambition 
to  overcome  every  obstacle  which  interfered  with  his  interests,  and 
labored  ceaselessly  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  Although  often  beset 
with  difficulties  which  would  have  discouraged  a  person  of  a  less  san- 
guine nature,  he  was  indefatigable  in  every  effort  until  his  business 
was  established  upon  a  firm  basis. 

As  related  in  the  foregoing  pages,  the  first  efforts  at  oyster  culture 
in  the  Gulf  pond  were  failures,  on  account  of  the  shallow  waters  and 
the  impeded  flow  of  sediment,  which  smothered  the  young  plant.  A 
bed  of  oysters  placed  in  the  outer  waters  of  the  bay  in  1875  by  Mr. 
Merwin  and  others,  was  also  an  expensive  and  disastrous  experiment. 
A  severe  storm,  which  washed  the  sand  into  the  sound,  almost  wholly 
destroyed  it.  After  three  years  efforts  of  that  nature,  he  began  plant- 
ing for  himself  in  deeper  water,  farther  in  the  sound,  in  order  to  secure 
better  protection  from  these  external  elements.  His  neighbors  pre- 
dicted failure,  but  he  risked  the  venture  and  succeeded  in  cultivating 
a  very  fine  crop  of  superior  oysters.  His  sons,  Uumond  P.  and  Mer- 
ritt W.,  now  joined  him,  the  firm  becoming  William  M.  Merwin  & 
Sons,  which  has  since  been  continued. 

*  About   this  time  they  buoyed  off  200  acres,  near  Pond   Point,  in 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  273 

water  from  20  to  50  feet  deep,  upon  which  they  planted,  on  gravelly 
bottom.'full  grown  oysters  and  shells.  This  venture  was  also  entirely 
successful,  a  large  set  was  secured,  and  the  belief  of  Mr.  Merwin  that 
deep  water  oyster  culture  could  here  be  profitably  carried  on  was  fully 
confirmed.  After  this  the  area  of  the  beds  was  largely  increased,  there 
being  in  1881  one  hundred  acres  under  successful  cultivation.  Other 
privileges  were  subsequently  buoyed  off,  until  ten  years  later  the  firm 
cultivated  1,000  acres  on  which  1,000,000  bushels  of  fine  native  oysters 
were  growing.  The  product  finds  a  ready  sale  in  home  markets,  and 
a  large  export  trade  with  Liverpool  has  been  established.  The  indus- 
try hasjbecome  one  of  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the  county,  and  from 
20  to  50  persons  are  employed  in  carrying  it  on.  Since  1878  Mr.  Mer- 
win has  spent  his  winters  at  Rock  Ledge,  Florida,  being  the  second 
citizen  of  Connecticut  to  locate  at  a  point  where  is  now  such  a  numer- 
ous colony  from  the  state  of  his  nativity.  There,  as  in  Milford,  his 
energy  and  practical  ideas  have  greatly  assisted  in  the  development  of 
the  country,  until  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  desirable  sections  of 
that  state. 

Mr.  Merwin  was  married  in  1849  to  Sarah  C,  daughter  of  Harvey 
Peck,  of  Orange,  and  their  only  children  are  the  foregoing  sons. 
Dumond  P.,  born  August  9th,  1853,  married  October  1st,  1874,  A. 
Berthena,  daughter  of  David  Bristol,  and  they  have  two  children,  Al- 
bert Dumond  and  William  Harvey.  The  younger  son,  Merritt  W., 
was  born  February  6th,  1856,  and 'was  married  October  1st,  1877,  to 
Julia,  daughter  of  George  Elmer,  of  Milford.  The  fruits  of  their  union 
are  three  daughters:  Lottie  E.,  Grace  and  Katie. 

I.  Atwater  Merwin  was  born  April  26th.  1819,  m  Milford,  on 
the  farm  he  now  occupies,  which  has  been  in  the  Merwin  family 
for  many  generations.  His  father,  Benedict,  was  a  son  of  the  fifth 
Miles  Merwin  that  was  born  on  the  same  farm.  I.  Atwater  Merwin  is 
in  the  seventh  generation  from  the  first  Miles  Merwin,  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Milford,  in  1639.  Mr.  Merwin  married  Susan  H.,  daughter 
of  James  A.  Giddings,  of  New  Milford,  January  7th,  1857.  She  is  a 
relative  of  Hon.  Joshua  R.  Giddings,  of  Ohio.  She  was  born  July  4th, 
1833.  They  have  four  children:  Mary  Belle,  born  1857;  Charles  A., 
born  1862;  James  Dwight,  born  1865;  and  Rosalie  G.,  born  1873.  Mr. 
Merwin  was  educated  at  Milford  and  Wilton,  Conn.  He  has  been  en- 
gaged largely  as  dealer  in  cattle.  He  was  major  of  the  3d  Battalion 
of  Light  Artillery  for  six  years.  He  resides  at  Pond  Point,  near  where 
the  British  landed  in  the  war  of  revolution.  The  house  is  on  the  site 
of  one  sacked  by  the  British. 

Edward  G.  Miles  was  born  in  Milford,  February  2d,  1S46.  in  the 
house  where  he  now  resides.  He  is  a  son  of  David  and  Martha  (Baldwin) 
Miles,  and  grandson  of  David,  all  natives  of  Milford.  David  Miles 
held  the  office  of  selectman  of  Milford  a  number  of  years.  The  Miles 
family  is  among  the  old  families  of  Milford.  Edward  G.  was  educated 
18 


274  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

in  Milford,  and  has  always  been  a  farmer.  He  has  been  assessor  and 
member  of  the  board  of  relief,  and  was  elected  town  treasurer  in  1888, 
'89.  '90  and  '91.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  William  Brooks,  in 
1870.  They  have  one  son,  David  Dewitt  Brooks  Miles.  Mr.  Miles  is 
a  member  of  the  order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  has  been  secretary  of  the 
same  14  years,  succeeding  his  father,  who  had  been  secretary  25  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Grange,  and  clerk  of  the  First  Ecclesiastical 
Society. 

Charles  J.  Morris,  born  in  Woodbridge,  Conn.,  in  1835,  is  a  son  of 
Nathan  R.,  and  grandson  of  Asa  Morris.  He  learned  blacksmithing 
in  Bethany,  with  Sidney  Sperry,  commencing  when  17  years  old.  He 
followed  this  trade  in  Bethany  and  Orange  until  1861,  when  he  en- 
listed in  the  27th  Regiment,  Connecticut  Volunteers,  for  nine  months. 
He  was  in  the  battles  of  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  at  the  latter  battle  and  sent  to  Richmond,  but  was  soon 
paroled  and  sent  North.  He  was  discharged  after  serving  one  year. 
He  came  to  Milford  in  1863,  and  was  eno-aged  at  blacksmithing  with 
A.  H.  Ailing  nine  years,  then  with  N.  R.  Ford  three  years,  then  formed 
a  partnership  with  the  latter  lasting  three  years.  He  came  to  the  shop 
he  now  occupies  on  River  street  in  1879,  and  established  business 
alone.  He  married  Emma  L.  Buckingham,  of  Milford,  in  1874.  They 
have  three  children:  George  A.,  Bessie  L.  and  Clifford  B. 

Joseph  W.  Nettleton,  born  in  Milford  in  1824,  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Nancy  (Rogers)  Nettleton,  and  grandson  of  Benajah  Nettleton. 
Joseph  W.  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  now  living.  He  married  in 
1847  Elizabeth  A.,  daughter  of  Stephen  B.  Ford,  of  Milford.  Joseph 
W.  had  one  sister,  Julia  A.,  who  married  T.  S.  Ford,  and  died  in  New 
Haven,  March  20th,  1848;  and  one  brother,  Garry  Nettleton,  who  died 
at  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  April  12th,  1869,  aged  41.  He  was  an  archi- 
tect and  builder.  Mr.  Nettleton  has  always  been  a  farmer.  He  takes 
an  active  interest  in  political  matters  and  is  a  republican. 

John  G.  North  was  born  in  Berlin,  Conn.,  in  1823,  graduated  from 
Berlin  Academy  at  the  age  of  14,  was  clerk  in  post  office,  drug  store, 
dry  goods  and  grocery  stores  and  railroad  station  until  he  was  20  years 
of  age,  then  he  commenced  the  insurance  business  in  1843,  and  is  in 
continuance  of  the  business  the  oldest  life  insurance  agent  living  in  the 
United  States,  and  is  the  only  agent  now  living  that  commenced  with 
the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  at  its  organization,  in  1846.  He  has  been 
fire  insurance  agent  for  48  years.  He  represents  the  Aetna,  Phoenix, 
Hartford,  National  Insurance  Company  of  North  America,  Fire  Asso- 
ciation, Liverpool,  London  &  Globe,  Royal  and  other  insurance  com- 
panies, that  have  aggregate  assets  of  over  $100,000,000.  Mr.  North 
married  Elizabeth  Dickinson  in  1843,  and  has  two  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Both  sons  are  engaged  in  the  insurance  business,  John  C. 
with  his  father  in  New  Haven,  and  Edward  C.  in  Boston.  His  three 
daughters  all  married  Yale  graduates;  Mary  married  Reverend  Eras- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  275 

tus  Blakesley,  of  Spencer,  Mass.;  Sarah  married  Doctor  S.  P.  Warren, 
of  Portland,  Maine;  and  Nellie  married  S.  T.  Dutton,  superintendent 
of  public  schools  of  Brookline,  Mass.  Mr.  North  moved  to  Milford  in 
1887,  and  has  an  office  both  here  and  in  New  Haven.  He  was  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  New  Haven  over  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  and  more  than  fifty  years  a  teacher  or  superintendent  of  .Sun- 
day schools.  He  was  for  many  years  manager  of  the  lectures  of  John 
B.  Gough  and  Henry  Ward  Beecher  and  others.  He  is  the  noted  judge 
who,  by  the  large  fines  he  has  imposed  upon  violators  of  the  liquor  law 
and  houses  of  ill-fame  in  63  cases,  has  closed  up  several  saloons  and 
broken  up  every  known  house  of  ill-fame  in  the  town. 

Samuel  N.  Oviatt,  born  in  Milford  September  17th,  1840,  is  a  son 
of  Samuel,  grandson  of  Abel  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel  Oviatt. 
Abel  built  the  first  store  at  the  junction  of  Tomlinson,  Main  and 
West  streets,  in  Milford,  in  1820.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  two  sons, 
Samuel  and  Curtis,  in  1821.  They  added  tanning  and  the  lumber 
business  to  their  grocery  trade  about  1824.  In  1825  they  took  in  two 
new  partners— Charles  Baldwin  and  Nathan  Botsford.  Samuel  Oviatt 
succeeded  this  firm  in  1826,  and  continued  until  1850,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  Tuttle  &  Nettleton.  He  bought  them  out  in  1855,  and 
continued  until  1863.  The  store  was  afterward  used  for  a  dwelling 
house  until  1871,  when  Samuel  N.  Oviatt  commenced  the  general  store 
business  there  and  has  continued  since.  He  married  Mary  Furman, 
of  Mdford,  in  1872.  They  have  one  son  and  one  daughter:  Rennie  P. 
and  Abby. 

Henry  C.  Piatt,  born  in  Milford  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Jonah  Piatt 
and  a  descendant  of  Deacon  Richard  Piatt,  who  settled  in  Milford  in 
1639.  Henry  C.  is  the  sixth  generation  from  Deacon  Richard.  He 
was  educated  at  Yale  College,  studied  law  in  New  York  city,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  New  York  in  June,  1861, practiced  law  thereuntil 
1869,  then  came  to  New  Haven,  and  has  practiced  there  since.  He 
has  continued  his  residence  in  Milford  all  his  life.  He  has  never 
sought  office,  but  was  justice  of  the  peace  several  years. 

N.  Dwight  Piatt,  born  in  Milford  in  1848,  is  a  son  of  Nathan  and 
Sarah  S.  Piatt,  grandson  of  Nathan  and  great-grandson  of  Joseph. 
Nathan  and  Sarah  had  three  sons  :  George  F.,  Norman  S.  and  N. 
Dwight.  The  first  and  last  are  residents  of  Milford,  while  Norman  S. 
resides  in  Cheshire.  George  F.  and  N.  Dwight  are  farmers  and  fruit 
and  seed  growers.  N.  Dwight  Piatt  married  M.  Lizzie  Manville,  of 
Milford,  in  1869.  They  have  one  son,  Frank  N.  In  politics  the  Platts 
are  republicans. 

Theodore  Piatt,  born  in  Milford  November  20th,  1837,  is  a  son  of 
Clark  and  grandson  of  Jonah  Piatt,  and  a  descendant  of  Richard  Piatt, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Milford  in  1639.  Theodore  Piatt  was  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Piatt  &  Merwin,  which  succeeded  John  W.  Mer- 
win  in  1874  in  the  grocery  business.     This  firm  continued  until  Jan- 


276  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

uary  1st,  1889,  when  it  was  succeeded  by  Theodore  Piatt  &  Co.,  con- 
sisting of  Theodore  and  his  brother,  Nathan  C.  Piatt.  They  are  also 
engaged  in  raising  seed.  This  business  was  established  in  1858. 
Their  farm  is  located  at  Pond  Point,  in  this  town.  Mr.  Piatt  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge,  Encampment  and  Grand  Canton. 

Doctor  Willis  S.  Putney,  born  in  New  York  city  May  26th,  1859,  at 
the  parsonage  of  the  Second  Street  M.  E.  church,  is  a  son  of  the  late 
Reverend  Rufus  C.  Putne}^,  a  Methodist  clergyman.  Willis  S.  was 
educated  at  the  Brooklyn  Collegiate  and  Polytechnic  Institute,  studied 
medicine  under  Doctor  William  H.  Hanford,  of  Brooklyn,  graduated 
from  the  New  York  Homeopathic  Medical  College  in  1882,  and  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  in  Bethel,  Conn.,  in  1882.  After  a 
practice  there  of  two  years,  he  removed  to  Milford  in  1884,  and  has 
since  practiced  there.  His  office  and  residence  is  at  the  west  end  of 
Broad  street.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Homeopathic  Medi- 
cal society,  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Milford,  examining  physi- 
cian of  Volunteer  Council,  No.  819,  Royal  Arcanum  of  Milford,  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  education  and  of  the  board  of  health  of  Milford. 
He  married  Helen  S.,  daughter  of  Doctor  John  Young,  of  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  in  1883.     They  have  one  son,  Edward  W. 

Isaac  T.  Rogers,  born  in  Milford  in  1813,  was  a  son  of  Josiah 
Rogers,  who  was  a  sea  captain,  and  died  about  the  time  Isaac  T.  was 
born.  The  latter  was  educated  in  New  Haven,  where  his  mother 
moved  when  he  was  nine  years  old.  He  first  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  carriages  in  Milford,  and  afterward  moved  to  New  York 
and  engaged  in  importing  and  exporting  goods  between  New  York 
city  and  London,  with  his  twin  brother,  Henry  S.  Rogers.  He  retired 
from  this  business  in  1S60,  and  for  the  last  32  years  of  his  life  made 
Milford  his  home,  devoting  his  time  to  public  affairs.  He  was  acting 
school  visitor  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
securing  the  charter  of  the  Milford  Savings  Bank,  and  was  president 
of  the  bank  until  September,  1890,  when  he  resigned.  He  married, 
in  1842,  Martha  Ann  Ingersoll,  and  they  had  three  children:  George 
Ingersoll,  in  the  State  Insurance  Department,  Hartford;  Helen  Louisa, 
married  Charles  Tuttle,  of  New  York  ;  and  Martha  Amelia,  married 
Doctor  Frank  Hamilton  Whittemore,  of  New  Haven.  Mr.  Rogers 
died  May  19th,  1891. 

John  E.  Rogers,  born  in  Milford  in  1834,  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and 
Anna  (Nettleton)  Rogers,  and  grandson  of  Joseph  Rogers.  They  were 
descendants  of  John  Rogers,  one  of  the  settlers  of  Milford  in  1639. 
Joseph  and  Anna  (Nettleton)  Rogers  had  six  children,  five  of  whom 
are  still  living:  John  E.,  George  E.,  Theodore  H.,  Elizabeth  A.  and 
Mary  A.  Charles  J.  died  in  1872.  John  E.  has  been  twice  married. 
His  first  wife  was  Charlotte  Plumb,  of  Milford.  They  were  married  in 
1861  and  had  no  children.  For  his  second  wife  he  married,  in  1888, 
Ella  L.  Wilcox,  of  Cromwell,  Conn.     Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  are 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  277 

members  of  the  First  Congregational  church,  of  Milford.  He  is  a 
farmer.  On  his  farm  the  Bridgeport  M.  E.  Conference  held  their  an- 
nual camp  meetings  from  1858  until  1874.  His  brother,  George  E., 
was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Alice  Crosby  and  his  second 
wife  was  Harriet  M.  Pope.  By  his  second  wife  he  had  two  sons.  He 
served  nine  months  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  F.  &  A.  M.  and  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

David  E.  Smith,  born  in  Milford  in  1848,  is  a  son  of  Richard  E., 
grandson  of  David,  and  great-grandson  of  David  Smith.  Richard  E. 
married  Mehitable,  daughter  of  Enoch  Clark,  whose  father,  David, 
was  a  son  of  Isaac  Clark.  David  E.  Smith  learned  the  trade  of  car- 
penter and  builder  when  18  years  old,  and  became  a  contractor  and 
builder  as  early  as  1870.  He  built  St.  Mary's  church,  of  Milford,  in 
1S82,  and  St.  Lawrence's  church,  of  West  Haven,  in  1886,  and  has 
erected  some  of  the  finest  residences  of  Milford  and  other  places.  He 
established  a  lumber  yard  in  Milford  in  1876,  and  July  1st,  1890,  one 
in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  known  as  the  Burns  &  Smith  Lumber  Company. 
He  employs  in  his  building  business  25  men.  He  married,  May  31st, 
1871,  Emma  F.  Studley,  of  Bridgeport.  They  have  six  daughters  and 
one  son. 

Edwin  P.  Smith,  born  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  in  1813,  was  a  son  of 
Edwin  and  Harriet  (Porter)  Smith,  and  grandson  of  Nathaniel,  whose 
father,  Lamberton  ,was  a  son  of  Lamberton,  and  he  a  son  of  Captain  Sam- 
uel Smith, whose  father,  Lieutenant  Samuel,  was  a  son  of  George  Smith, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  New  Haven,  who  came  with  Davenport  and 
Eaton.  Lieutenant  Samuel  married  Obedience,  daughter  of  Captain 
George  Lamberton,  who  came  from  England  in  1638  and  settled  in 
New  Haven.  Captain  Lamberton  came  in  1635  to  Boston,  afterward 
returned  to  England,  and  came  with  the  Davenport  and  Eaton  com- 
pany in  1638.  Edwin  P.  was  engaged  in  business  in  New  York,  from 
1836  until  1S72,  as  a  distiller  and  sugar  refiner,  with  William  M.  John- 
son &  Sons.  He  built  the  first  sugar  house  in  which  white  sugars 
were  made  by  the  centrifugal  process.  He  removed  to  Milford  with 
his  family  in  1884,  and  died  January  5th,  1890.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  Peter  Hepburn,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  They  had  three 
daughters  and  two  sons.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Smith,  Peter  Hepburn, 
was  born  in  Milford  in  1795,  and  was  the  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Abigail 
(Merwin)  Hepburn.  She  is  a  direct  descendant  of  the  first  Miles  Mer- 
win  of  Milford. 

Isaac  C.  Smith,  born  in  Milford,  October  21st,  1832,  is  a  son  of 
Nathan,  and  grandson  of  Isaac,  both  natives  of  Milford.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  Milford,  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker,  and  followed  it  about 
five  years.  He  then  worked  in  the  straw  shop  of  Milford  six  years, 
then  engaged  in  the  butcher  business  and  followed  it  23  years.  Retir- 
ing from  this  in  1873,  he  followed  the  livery  business  ten  years.  He 
has  also  practiced  veterinary  surgery  for  the  past  30  years,  having 


278  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

studied  one  year  in  New  York,  and  under  Doctor  W.  J.  Sullivan,  of 
New  Haven.  He  now  makes  a  specialty  of  breeding  fine  Jersey  stock 
on  his  farm  in  Milford.  He  was  elected  first  selectman  and  town 
agent  in  1885, 1887, 1888, 1889  and  1890.  He  married  Laura  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Piatt,  of  Milford,  in  1854.  They  have  one  son,  George 
W.,  born  in  I860,  now  engaged  in  the  butchering  business  in  Milford. 
Isaac  C.  Smith  was  an  active  member  of  the  Governor's  Horse  Guards 
of  New  Haven  for  15  years,  and  is  still  an  honorary  member.  He  has 
held  all  the  offices  in  this  company,  from  private  to  major. 

Nathan  E.  Smith,  born  in  Milford  in  1833,  is  a  son  of  Nathaniel  and 
Susan  (Merwin)  Smith,  and  grandson  of  Theophilus  M.  and  Abigail 
G.  (Nettleton)  Smith.  Theophilus  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Cath- 
erine (Miles)  Smith,  and  grandson  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Bryan)  Smith. 
Joseph  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Haughter)  Smith,  and  grand- 
son of  William  Smith,  who  came  from  England  and  settled  on  Long 
Island,  and  afterward  came  to  Milford.  Nathan  E.  Smith  married 
Sarah  A.  Buckingham,  of  Milford,  March  10th,  1857.  Her  father  was 
Jonah  C,  son  of  Daniel,  grandson  of  Daniel,  a  descendant  of  Thomas 
Buckingham,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Milford  in  1639.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Smith  have  three  children:  Charles  E.,  born  February  22d,  1858; 
Carrie  I.,  August  22d,  1859,  and  Frederick  A.,  February  12th,  1874. 
Mr.  Smith  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  school  affairs  of  Milford, 
and  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  18  years. 

Charles  A.  Tomlinson,  one  of  the  most  active  of  the  young  citi- 
zens of  Milford  and  at  present  the  sheriff  of  New  Haven  county,  is  a 
descendant,  in  direct  line  in  the  eighth  generation,  of  Henry  Tomlin- 
son, one  of  the  first  to  bear  that  name  in  America.  That  ancestor 
was  a  son  of  George  Tomlinson,  of  Derby,  in  Derbyshire,  England, 
who,  "according  to  tradition,  was  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  where  the 
family  name  runs  back  in  history  several  hundred  years."  The 
father  removed  to  Derby,  where  the  son  was  reared  to  his  trade — that 
of  a  weaver,  which,  according  to  the  prevailing  custom  in  England  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  gave  them  the  same  social  position  as  the  mer- 
chants or  the  "  Landed  Gentry,"  or  the  class  next  below  the  nobility 
of  that  country.  The  family  arms  brought  to  America  by  Henry 
Tomlinson  indicates  by  its  ornamentation  that  in  earlier  periods  the 
Tomlinsons  descended  from  some  line  of  kings.  In  England,  as  well 
as  in  America,  the  family  has  had  representatives  eminent  in  political, 
professional  and  military  life,  and  all  the  members  have,  by  their 
worth,  to  a  large  degree,  commanded  the  esteem  of  the  communities 
in  which  they  have  resided.  A  number,  in  different  generations,  be- 
came noted  in  the  pursuits  of  the  law,  medicine  and  theology,  several 
attaining  high  official  positions.  Gideon  Tomlinson,  in  the  sixth  gen- 
eration from  Henry,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  graduated 
from  Yale  College  in   1802.      In  1819  he  was  elected  member  of  con- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  279 

gress  from  Connecticut,  and  served  eight  years  in  that  body.  He  was 
elected  governor  of  the  state  in  1827,  and  held  that  office  until  he  was 
chosen  United  States  senator  in  1831.  In  1836  he  was  elected  the  first 
president  of  the  Housatonic  Railroad  Company.  Besides  Governor 
Tomlinson  there  were  fifteen  other  Tomlinson  graduates  of  Yale  Col- 
lege from  1744  to  188,1.  Some  of  the  Tomlinsons  became  distin- 
guished educators,  and  others  attained  distinction  as  successfitl  man- 
ufacturers or  business  men.  Reverend  David  Gibson  Tomlinson,  of 
the  seventh  generation,  an  uncle  of  Sheriff  Charles  A.,  was  a  most 
worthy  and  useful  Episcopal  minister,  who  died  as  the  rector  of  Em- 
manuel church,  in  Weston,  Conn.,  November  3d,  1864.  With  few  ex- 
ceptions, the  Tomlinsons  of  every  generation  have  been  earnest 
churchmen,  and  while,  in  consequence  of  this  training,  some  adhered 
to  the  British  crown  in  the  troublous  times  of  the  revolution,  most  of 
them  were  staunch  patriots,  and  a  number  were  soldiers  in  the  Amer- 
ican armies.  As  showing  their  devotion  to  the  duties  they  had 
assumed,  the  following  anecdote  is  told: 

"Caleb  Tomlinson,  of  Huntington,  being  a  soldier  in  the  revolu- 
tion, was  sent  by  General  Wooster  with  a  dispatch  to  General  Wash- 
ington. Being  from  the  same  neighborhood  as  Gen.  Wooster,  young 
Tomlinson  was  selected  by  the  general  because  he  knew  him  to  be  a 
plucky  Yankee,  although  a  little  uncultivated  in  his  manners,  but  one 
to  be  trusted  for  the  discharge  of  duty. 

"Arriving  at  headquarters,  he  asked  to  see  Gen.  Washington,  but 
was  told  by  the  guard,  '  You  cannot  see  him.'  '  But  I  must;  I  have  a 
dispatch  for  him  from  Gen.  Wooster.'  The  guard  reported  to  Wash- 
ington, and  he  was  admitted  to  the  presence  of  the  general,  who  was 
seated  at  a  rude  table,  writing,  when  Tomlinson  handed  the  dispatch, 
and  Washington,  on  reading  it,  nodded  assent,  and  asked,  'Anything 
more?'  '  Nothing.' said  Tomlinson,  '  but  an  answer  from  you.'  'Do 
you  presume  to  tell  me  what  I  must  do?'  inquired  the  general.  '  No, 
General,  but  I'll  be  darned  if  I  leave  these  quarters  without  something 
to  show  that  I  have  discharged  my  duty  as  a  soldier.'  Rising  from 
his  seat,  Washington  remarked,  'You  are  from  Connecticut,  I  per- 
ceive.' '  I  am,  sir,'  was  the  reply.  Tapping  him  on  the  shoulder,  the 
General  said,  '  Young  man,  I  wish  to  the  God  of  battles  I  had  more 
such  soldiers  as  you.     You  shall  be  granted  your  request.'  " 

Henry  Tomlinson  and  his  wife,  Alice,  and  several  children,  after 
having  come  to  America  from  Derbyshire,  England,  settled  in  Milford 
in  1652,  where  the  town  granted  him  a  home  lot  "  by  the  water  side," 
on  which  to  build  his  weaver  shop.  Later,  he  was  elected  as  the 
"  keeper  of  the  ordinary,"  and  was  thus  brought  into  prominence  in 
the  town's  affairs.  In  the  course  of  four  years  he  removed  to  Strat- 
ford, where  he  became  a  large  owner  of  lands,  purchased  of  the  In- 
dians, in  Derby  and  other  localities.  He  died  at  Stratford,  March  Kit  In, 


280  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1681,  leaving  a  large  estate  to  his  wife,  five  married  daughters  and  his 
two  sons,  Agur  and  Jonas,  the  latter  being  the  paternal  ancestor  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  settled  on  Great  Hill,  in  Derby,  about 
1675,  on  the  tract  of  land  given  him  by  his  father,  where  he  died  the 
latter  part  of  1692.  Of  his  four  children,  all  sons,  Abraham,  the  eldest, 
also  resided,  as  a  farmer,  on  Great  Hill,  and  was  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  old  Derby.  His  will,  made  in  1739,  devised  a  large  estate 
to  his  wife  and  six  children,  the  eldest  of  these  being  Jonah,  the  an- 
cestor of  Sheriff  Tomlinson.  He  was  born  in  Derby  in  1712,  and  died 
in  that  town  in  1796,  when  his  estate  inventoried  nearly  .£2,500.  His 
wife  was  Mar}?,  daughter  of  Reverend  Joseph  Moss,  of  Derby,  and  their 
children  were  nine  in  number,  the  eldest  being  Abraham,  the  pater- 
nal great-grandfather  of  Charles  A. 

Abraham  Tomlinson,  born  in  1738,  became  a  physician  and  surgeon, 
and  after  some  years  removed  to  Milford,  where  he  died  December 
29th,  J 816.  Besides  being  active  as  a  medical  practitioner,  he  was  also 
a  merchant,  and  engaged  largely  in  the  shipping  trade  with  the  West 
Indies.  His  third  son,  David,  born  in  1767,  married  Anna,  daughter 
of  David  Camp,  of  Milford,  and  of  their  eleven  children  the  tenth, 
Nathan  Camp,  was  the  father  of  Charles  A.  Tomlinson.  The  grand- 
father, David,  died  in  1825. 

Nathan  Camp  Tomlinson,  born  in  Milford  in  1813,  married  in  1835, 
Susan  Catharine,  daughter  of  Hezekiah  Baldwin,  of  Milford,  a  descend- 
ant of  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  very 
prominent  in  all  the  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  native 
place.  The  father  deceased  November  21st,  1885;  the  mother  had  de- 
parted this  life  at  the  homestead  on  Broad  street,  May  5th,  1884,  leav- 
ing a  family  of  five  daughters  and  one  son,  Charles  Abraham. 

Charles  A.  Tomlinson  was  born  in  Milford,  July  19th,  1848,  and 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  town.  He  next  worked  as  a 
mechanic  in  some  of  the  factories  of  Milford,  but  in  1874  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  coal  trade,  which  he  has  since  successfully  followed.  Oc- 
tober 27th,  1868,  he  married  Lucia  E.,  daughter  of  Fowler  Sperry,  of 
Milford,  and  they  have  four  living  children:  Edward  Sperry,  born  Sep- 
tember 20th,  1870;  Kate  Louise,  Ada  May  and  Bertha  Hart.  Since  his 
boyhood  Mr.  Tomlinson  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
Milford,  and  has  served  it  in  many  official  capacities.  For  fifteen  years 
he  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  education,  serving  that  body  as  its 
secretary.  For  a  longer  period  he  was  one  of  the  vestrymen  of  St. 
Peter's  Episcopal  church,  and  the  treasurer  of  Ansantawae  Masonic 
Lodge  at  Milford.  In  1876  he  was  elected  one  of  the  representatives 
of  Milford  in  the  state  legislature,  and  was  reelected  in  1877.  He  was 
again  chosen  in  1882  and  1886.  In  November,  1890,  he  was  elected 
sheriff  of  New  Haven  county,  and  since  June,  1891,  he  has  discharged 
the  duties  of  that  office.     The  principles  of  democracy  have  always 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  281 

been  advocated  by  him,  and  in  1888  he  was  one  of  the  delegates  from 
Connecticut  to  the  convention  at  St.  Louis,  which  renominated  Grover 
Cleveland.  In  all  his  feelings  he  is  energetic  and  progressive,  encour- 
aging whatever  measure  will  promote  the  welfare  of  his  native  town. 
He  is  the  president  of  the  Milford  Board  of  Trade,  and  the  secretary 
of  the  Steam  Power  Company.  When  the  soldiers'  monument  was 
erected,  in  1888,  he  was  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  chief  committees,  and 
was  also  the  chairman  of  the  Memorial  Committee,  which  so  successfully 
commemorated,  in  1889,  the  250th  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of 
Milford,  which  has  so  highly  honored  his  citizenship. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE    TOWN    OF    WOODBRIDGE. 


Bv  Reverend  S.  P.  Marvin. 


Location  and  Natural  Features. — Geology  and  Mineralogy. — Flora. — Industries. — The 
Regicide  Judges. — Amity  Society. — Union  Society. — Chapel. — Ministers. — Burial 
Grounds. — Prominent  Citizens. — List  of  Early  Inhabitants. — First  Town  Meeting. — 
Town  Officers. — Town  House. — Roads. — Physicians. — Biographical  Sketches. 


THE  town  of  Woodbridge  lies  northwest  of  New  Haven,  having 
New  Haven  and  Orange  for  its  southern  boundary,  Derby,  An- 
sonia  and  Seymour  on  the  west,  Bethany  on  the  north,  and  the 
West  Rock  range  of  hills  on  the  east.  It  was  incorporated  in  1784. 
The  scenery  of  Woodbridge  is  picturesque  and  attractive.  From 
numerous  points  may  be  seen  the  city  of  New  Haven,  the  mouth  of 
its  harbor  and  Long  Island  sound,  with  its  white  sails  or  its  palatial 
steamers,  as  they  pass  to  their  destined  ports.  From  some  of  its  eleva- 
tions may  be  seen  more  than  fifty  miles  of  Long  Island  sound,  and  of 
the  north  shore  of  Long  Island.  Round  Top  and  its  companion,  Tom- 
linson  hill,  are  each  of  them  over  600  feet  high,  and  from  their  tops 
may  be  seen  with  a  glass,  in  addition  to  the  extensive  view  of  the  sound 
and  Long  Island,  some  15  of  the  towns  which  surround  them.  The 
late  President  Woolsey,  of  Yale  College,  when  taking  the  view  from 
these  hills,  remarked:  "  We  have  no  view  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Haven 
to  equal  this." 

The  Ravine  has  long  been  attractive  for  its  romantic  and  delight- 
ful driveway,  with  its  high  and  shaded  bluffs  on  the  one  side,  and  its 
clear,  silvery  brook  on  the  other,  rushing  over  the  pebble  stones  at  one 
time,  and  at  another  forming  a  cascade,  at  the  foot  of  which  a  pool  in 
sleeping  beauty  mirrors  the  bold  and  rugged  rocks  and  trees  of  the 
over-hanging  banks,  and  the  fleecy  clouds  floating  in  the  sky  above  it. 

The  streams  abound  with  the  speckled  trout,  the  glens  with  the 
partridge,  quail  and  woodcock,  while  the  forests  are  made  musical  with 
the  chatter  of  the  red  and  grey  squirrel. 

Woodbridge  is  celebrated  for  its  healthy  atmosphere.  Beingseven 
miles  from  Long  Island  sound,  and  having  an  altitude  of  from  four  to 
six  hundred  feet  above  the  sea  level,  it  combines  the  sea  and  mountain 
air,  making  a  most  delightful  and  healthful  atmosphere.  Those  who 
have  resided  in  other  localities  say  that  the  atmosphere  of  Woodbridge 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAYEK    COUNTY.  283 

is  as  good  as  at  Litchfield  in  this  state,  or  any  place  within  a  hundred 
miles  of  New  Haven.  It  is  a  suggestion  of  some  of  the  old  physicians 
of  New  Haven  when  anything  is  the  matter  with  the  babies,  "  Take 
them  up  to  Woodbridge.  The  Woodbridge  air  is  better  than  any 
medicine  I  can  give  them."  Woodbridge  is  also  celebrated  for  the  ex- 
cellence of  its  water,  which  is  noted  for  its  purity  and  coolness.  The 
necessity  of  ice  is  hardly  felt,  so  cool  and  refreshing  is  the  water  from 
its  numerous  springs. 

The  soil  is  a  rich  loam,  which  holds  the  fertilizing  properties  which 
are  put  upon  it,  and  their  influence  may  be  seen  for  years.  The  sur- 
face is  somewhat  uneven  and  stony,  but  when  once  cleared  of  stones 
it  amply  repays  in  productiveness  for  all  the  labor  of  removing  them. 

In  some  parts  of  the  town  are  immense  boulders,  the  relics  of  the 
glacial  period,  while  the  eastern  valley  and  the  Sperry's  farm  plains 
give  evidence  that  they  were  once  covered  with  water,  which  was  an 
arm  or  bay  of  the  sound. 

The  gneiss  and  granite  are  the  prevailing  kinds  of  stone.  Slate  is 
found,  but  not  in  quantity  or  quality  to  repay  its  being  prepared  for 
the  market.  In  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  indications  of  silver 
have  been  sufficient  to  attract  the  "  prospector,"  and  boreings  have 
been  made,  but  not  with  satisfactory  results.  Along  the  hills  on  the 
east  side  is  found  the  argillo  magnesian  limestone,  out  of  which 
cement  similar  to  the  Rosendale  is  made.  Quite  extensive  works 
were  started  for  its  production,  but  for  some  reason  the  venture  did 
not  prove  a  success. 

The  fruits  and  flowers  common  to  this  part  of  New  England  flour- 
ish here.  Apples,  pears  and  quinces  are  quite  productive.  The  peach 
is  somewhat  unreliable,  though  in  some  years  produces  a  valuable 
crop.  The  wild  flowers  are  abundant  in  variety, decking  the  hillsides 
and  rendering  beautiful  the  ravines.  The  cardinal  flower  grow\s  bril- 
liant by  the  brooksides.  The  pitcher  plant,  quite  rare  in  most 
places,  grows  in  the  meadows.  The  pipsissewa  and  the  trailing  ar- 
butus are  found  in  the  woods. 

Agriculture  in  its  various  forms  maybe  said  to  be  the  principal  in- 
dustry of  the  place.  Market  gardening  is  carried  on  to  some  extent, 
and  milk  is  extensively  produced  for  the  New  Haven  market  and  the 
villages  of  Ansonia,  Birmingham  and  Seymour.  Woodbridge  was 
once  famous  for  its  excellent  beef,  but  the  great  corporations  of  Chi- 
cago and  Kansas  City  have  so  extended  the  dressed  beef  industry  that 
the  raising  of  beef  by  the  farmers  is  not  so  profitable  as  formerly. 
The  cattle  trade  was  once  extensive  and  lucrative,  but  at  present  D. 
N.  Clark  is  the  only  cattle  broker  doing  business  between  Albany 
and  New  Haven  and  the  surrounding  villages. 

Quite  a  number  of  mechanics  and  other  business  men  are  engaged 
in  the  city,  and  ride  back  and  forth  night  and  morning. 

The  friction  match  had  its  orio;in  in   this  town.     Messrs.  Anson 


284  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

Beecher,  William  A.  Clark  and  Thomas  Sanford  were  pioneers  in  the 
business.  Mr.  Beecher  moved  his  business  to  Westville,  where,  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Eben  and  Wheeler  Beecher  and  their  brothers,  it 
assumed  large  proportions,  and  became  a  source  of  great  wealth. 
William  A.Clark  continued  to  carry  on  the  business  in  the  north  part 
of  the  town,  gaining  a  high  reputation  for  his  matches  and  a  compe- 
tence of  wealth.  After  his  death,  under  the  management  of  his  son- 
in-law,  Frederick  P.  Newton,  it  was  absorbed  in  the  Diamond  Match 
Company  and  removed  to  Westville. 

The  timber  trade  was  at  one  time  quite  extensively  carried  on  by 
James  J.  Baldwin  and  others  between  this  place  and  New  York,  but 
with  his  advanced  years  the  business  has  declined. 

Though  the  Judges'  cave  on  West  Rock  is  just  without  the  limits 
of  the  town,  still  there  are  several  locations  which  have  a  historic  in- 
terest as  places  to  which  the  regicides  fled,  or  where  they  secreted 
themselves,  and  were  aided  by  the  early  settlers  of  Woodbridge.  There 
are  several  places  which  bear  names  evidently  derived  from  their 
having  been  the  residence  of  the  exiles,  such  as  the  "  Lodge,"  the 
"  Harbor,"  the  "  Spring,"  "Hatchet's  Harbor,"  and  others.  Of  these 
places  the  Lodge  was  probably  the  one  most  frequented  by  them. 
This  was  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town.  Reverend  I.  P.  Warren, 
in  his  history  of  the  three  judges,  thus  speaks  of  it:  "  Here  by  the 
side  of  a  ledge  of  rocks,  some  20  feet  high,  was  built  a  cabin  of  stone, 
9  by  10  feet  in  dimension  and  covered  over  by  trunks  and  leaves  of 
trees.  From  the  top  of  the  ledge  is  a  fine  view  of  the  city  and  Long 
Island  sound,  with  the  intervening  villages  and  scattered  farms  and 
dwellings.  A  little  spring  of  clear  water  issues  from  the  crevices  of  a 
rock  a  few  rods  distant."  "  This,"  says  President  Stiles,  at  one  time 
president  of  Yale  College,  "  was  undoubtedly  their  great  and  principal 
lodge."  The  "  Harbor  "  was  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  above 
Halsted  Bishop's,  on  the  stream  across  which  the  New  Haven  Water 
Company  have  built  their  large  dam.  Another  hiding  place  was  with 
Mr.  Richard  Sperry,  the  ancestor  of  the  Sperrys,  once  so  numerous  on 
the  flat  known  as  "  Sperry 's  Farm."  It  is  evident  that  to  Woodbridge 
and  its  inhabitants,  as  much  as  to  any  other  place  or  people,  the  regi- 
cides owed  their  escape  from  the  emissaries  of  Charles  the  Second, 
who  had  come  over  from  England  to  apprehend  them. 

The  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Amity  (including  Bethany  till  1763) 
was  formed  in  1737.*  After  petitioning  the  general  court  for  20  years, 
•consent  was  granted,  and  it  was  formed  from  the  northwest  part  of 
the  town  of  New  Haven,  with  the  addition  of  one  mile  and  six  score 
rods  in  width  from  the  northeast  part  of  Milford,  and  in  length,  from 
an  east  and  west  line  about  four  miles  south  from  the  Waterbury  line. 
Before  this,  those  living  on  the  New  Haven  side  had  gone  to  the  First 
church    of    New  Haven,  and  those    on  the   Milford   side  to  the  First 

*  Incorporated  in    1739. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  28& 

church  of  Milford,  some  of  them  having  to  go  ten  or  twelve  miles  to 
church  on  the  Sabbath  and  to  procure  the  administration  of  covenant 
ordinances  for  their  children. 

The  first  record  which  we  have  of  the  society  reads  thus:  "At  a 
meeting  of  the  inhabetence  of  the  parish  of  Amety,  in  the  town  of 
new  haven  legally  warned,  met  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  October, 
1738.  And  at  said  meeting,  by  vote,  in  the  first  place  made  choice  of 
Cap.  iack  Johnson  for  their  moderator.  Secondly,  thay  by  vote 
made  choice  of  Ebenezer  peck  as  their  society  dark  and  sworn  accord- 
ing to  law,  thirdly  and  sum  more  then  tue  thirds  of  said  inhabetence 
convened  voted  to  build  a  hous  to  meet  in  for  the  worship  of  God  and 
none  dessented  thereafrom  said  intention." 

They  then  appointed  a  society  committee  and  laid  a  tax  of  three 
pence  on  the  pound,  to  be  paid  in  one  month,  for  the  support  of  the 
Gospel,  and  voted  "  There  should  be  two  places  for  meeting,  viz.,  that 
the  dwelling  hous  of  Mr.  Joseph  Willmot  and  the  dwelling  hous  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Perkins  shall  be  the  places  for  the  meeting  for  divine  sar- 
veces."  The  location  of  the  meeting  house  was  to  be  determined  by 
the  following  vote:  "  It  was  then  voted  that  the  county  survear  with 
tue  chain  bearers  under  oth  shal  be  cald  out  between  this  and  the  firs 
day  of  Jenewary  to  measure  and  compute  the  distance  of  way  from 
each  of  the  inhabetance  to  sum  sartain  place  to  build  a  meeting  hous 
for  the  worship  of  God."  The  size  of  the  house  was  to  be  "  fifty  and 
five  foot  in  length  aud  forty  foot  in  width." 

The  internal  arrangement  of  this  house  was  with  square  pews  all 
around  the  four  sides,  except  that  part  of  one  side  occupied  by  the 
pulpit.  There  was  an  aisle  leading  from  the  front  dcor  to  the  pulpit 
through  the  center,  and  two  rows  of  pews  each  side  of  this  broad  aisle. 
The  pulpit  was  elevated  some  ten  feet  above  the  audience,  with  a  can- 
opy or  sounding  board  suspended  over  it.  The  deacons'  seat  was  un- 
der the  pulpit,  facing  the  audience. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting,  May  13th,  1740,  they  voted  to  ask  the 
advice  of  the  association  "for  a  minister  to  preach  to  us  in  order  for  a 
settlement.  Left.  Ebenezer  Becher  and  insin  Barnabas  Baldwin  be  a 
comtee  to  make  our  requests  to  the  association  for  a  minister."  The 
advice  of  the  association  was  probably  favorable,  as  on  the  30th  of 
June  following  they  voted  they  would  have  preaching  on  the  second 
Sabbath  day  in  August.  Probably  this  meeting  on  the  second  Sabbath 
of  August,  1740,  was  the  first  meeting  held  in  the  new  meeting  house. 
At  first  they  were  not  successful  with  their  candidates.  Reverends 
Gideon  Mills,  Mr.  Whittlesey  and  Nathan  Birdsey  were  each  employed 
as  candidates,  but  for  some  reason  did  not  settle  with  them.  The  next 
candidate  was  more  fortunate.  Mr.  Benjamin  Woodbridge.  having 
preached  as  a  probationer,  won  the  affections  and  confidence  of  the 
good  people  of  Amity,  and  received  a  call  May  13th,  1742.  His  settle- 
ment was  to  be  ^fiOO,  with  the  condition  that   if  he  "  turned  to  any 


286  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

other  practice  or  opinion  than  that  on  which  this  church  is  or  shall  be 
settled,"  and  he  cease  to  be  the  pastor  of  the  church,  the  settlement 
was  to  revert  to  the  parish  again.  In  addition  to  the  settlement  he 
was  to  have  as  a  permanent  salary  ,£200  a  year.  After  some  explana- 
tions by  the  parish,  Mr.  Woodbridge  accepted  the  call  and  was  in- 
installed  on  the  3d  of  November,  1742.  Captain  Isaac  Johnson  and 
Theophilus  Baldwin  were  elected  deacons,  and  the  church  adopted  the 
"  Halfway  Covenant." 

No  one  was  allowed  in  those  times  to  hold  a  religious  meeting  or 
to  give  an  exhortation  in  any  meeting  without  consent  of  the  proper 
authorities.  Accordingly,  on  the  24th  of  November,  the  following 
vote  was  passed:  "  There  was  chosen  by  the  church  in  Amity,  as  their 
representatives  for  sd  church,  with  the  Pastor,  to  order  for  the 
opening  and  shutting  of  the  pulpit  doors, "and  for  giving  leave  or  pro- 
hibiting any  persons  preaching  or  exhorting  publicly,  according  to  the 
laws  of  the  government  on  that  occasion,  Dea  Isaac  Johnson,  Francis 
Griffin  and  Dea  Theophilus  Baldwin." 

Very  soon  after  the  church  was  finished  rules  were  adopted  for 
seating  it  and  dignifying  the  seats.  The  males  and  females  sat  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  house.  In  all  cases  the  men  sat  on  the  right  of 
the  minister  and  the  women  on  the  left;  the  dignity  of  a  person  was 
reckoned  from  the  amount  of  his  tax  rate  for  the  building  of  the  meeting 
house.  "  Each  person  should  sit  according  to  their  building  part." 
As  this  dignifying  the  meeting  house  was  peculiar  to  the  fathers,  the 
following  rules  or  votes  respecting  it  are  given:  "  Voted,  that  the  two 
foremost  seats  should  be  the  highest  seats.  2.  That  the  two  pews  on 
the  right  and  left  hand  of  the  fore  doors  should  be  the  next  highest 
seats.  3.  That  the  two  pews  on  the  right  and  left  hand  of  the  pulpit 
should  be  the  next  highest  seats.  4.  That  the  two  next  seats  to  the 
fore  seats  the  next  highest  seats.  5.  That  the  the  third  seats  in  the 
equare  body  should  be  equal  to  the  four  seats  in  the  front  gallery." 
And  so  they  proceeded  through  the  house.  The  corner  pews  under 
the  gallery  stairs  were  the  lowest  in  dignity.  "  All  persons,  males  at 
21  and  girls  at  18,  were  to  be  seated."  In  1753  the  church  was  reseated 
and  dignified,  and  this  proviso  added  to  previous  rules:  "  That  but  one 
head  should  be  reconed  to  a  man  in  order  to  advance  him  in  seating." 

In  the  early  years  of  the  parish  clocks  were  not  in  use  in  the 
churches,  and  the  length  of  the  service  was  determined  by  an  hour- 
glass. When  the  service  commenced  the  hour-glass  was  placed  upon 
one  end.  When  the  sand  had  run  through  it  was  turned  on  the  other, 
and  when  it  had  run  through  a  second  time  the  meeting  closed. 

To  provide  for  the  comfort  of  the  worshippers,  as  stoves  were  not 
in  existence,  they  built  "  Sabba-day  houses"  upon  the  green.  These 
were  one  story  high  and  about  15  feet  square,  with  a  fireplace.  A  row 
of  these  houses  extended  across  the  north  and  east  sides  of  the  green. 
Usually  two  families  united  and  spent  the   noon   in   each  of  them. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  287 

Tradition  has  it  that  often  the  cider  bottle  was  brought  and  passed 
around,  but  a  better  one  is  that  noon  prayer-meetings  were  frequently 
held  in  them.  These  "Sabba-day  houses  "  became  a  source  of  conten- 
tion, as  some  of  their  owners  would  rent  them  to  tramps  to  the  annoy- 
ance of  the  neighbors.  Accordingly,  one  Saturday  night  a  company 
of  men  repaired  to  the  green  and  tore  down  all  the  Sabba-day 
houses  on  the  east  side  of  the  green  but  one.  It  being  too  near  morn- 
ing to  pull  that  down  without  being  detected,  they  wrote  on  the  door 
with  chalk,  "Be ye  a/so  ready."  Molly  Woodbridge,  when  she  heard  of 
it,  said,  "Thai  was  a  very  solemn  admonition." 

In  1761  they  voted  "  to  shingle  the  roof  and  color  the  sides  and 
ends  of  the  house  and  that  a  number  of  gentlemen  might  build  a  bell 
chamber  on  the  top  of  the  meeting  house  at  their  own  cost."  In  the 
following  year  (1762)  the  north  part  of  the  parish  was  set  off,  and  con- 
stituted the  parish  of  Bethany.  The  territorial  center  of  the  parish  of 
Amity  remained  at  the  same  place  where  the  "  survear  and  tue 
chain  bearers"  had  located  the  center  of  the  "  inhabetance"  20  years 
before.  It  was  about  1802  that  the  canopy  was  lowered  and  a  window 
put  in  back  of  the  pulpit.  The  house  was  again  painted,  and  a  tax 
levied  in  dollars  and  cents,  the  first  mention  made  of  money  of  this 
denomination  on  the  society's  records.  In  1831  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  build  a  new  church  and  to  dispose  of  the  old  one.  The 
new  meeting  house  was  located  but  a  few  rods  from  the  old  one,  and 
was  a  great  improvement  in  internal  arrangement,  as  well  as  archi- 
tecture, on  its  predecessor. 

The  parish  has  ever  kept  up  with  the  progress  of  the  age  in  taste 
and  refinement.  In  1862-3  they  remodelled  the  interior  and  beautifully 
frescoed  it,  and  built  a  pulpit  recess  on  the  back  of  the  house,  making 
it  a  most  attractive  audience  room,  which  has  been  taken  as  a  model 
by  several  other  parishes. 

In  186;")  a  neat  fence  was  built  enclosing  the  church  green,  and  in 
the  following  spring  the  grounds  were  laid  out  with  walks,  and  trees 
were  set  out,  making  a  beautiful  park.  A  few  years  later  a  lecture 
room  and  church  parlor  was  built  and  connected  with  the  church, 
$500  of  the  expense  of  which  was  defrayed  by  Mrs.  Zina  Carring- 
ton.  In  1891  Mrs.  Mary  Clark  Treat  gave  the  church  a  beautiful 
pipe  organ,  as  a  memorial  of  her  father's  family,  Mr.  Treat  Clark. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Reverend  Jason  Allen,  those  who  were  op- 
posed to  him,  uniting  with  those  belonging  to  other  denominations, 
formed  a  new  society,  calling  it  the  "  Union  Society."  They  built  a 
meeting  house,  which  stood  opposite  the  west  part  of  the  church  green. 
They  seem  to  have  been  aggressive  and  bitter  in  their  opposition  to 
the  old  society  of  Amity,  and  attempted  to  obtain  a  part  or  the  whole 
of  the  fund,  but  were  unsuccessful  in  their  purpose.  The  meetings  in 
the  united  meeting  house  were  held  by  different  denominations. 


288  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

After  struggling  for  existence  a  few  years  the  organization  was 
given  up  and  the  meeting  house  sold,  to  be  removed  to  Ansoma,  where 
it  was  reconstructed  into  a  tenement  house.  Most  of  the  families  who 
were  interested  in  that  organization  have  either  left  the  place  or  are 
identified  with  the  First  church. 

In  the  north  part  of  the  parish  within  a  few  years  a  chapel  has  been 
built,  which  is  supplied  by  ministers  from  different  denominations, 
and  where  a  Sabbath  school  is  maintained. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  Amity  church  was  Reverend  Benjamin 
Woodbridge,  who  held  the  office  48  years,  and  until  his  death.  He  had 
a  settlement  of  .£500,  and  an  annual  salary  after  the  fourth  year  of 
his  settlement  of  £200.  A  minister  in  those  days  was  settled  for  life, 
and  a  certain  amount  was  given  for  his  settlement,  which  was  inde- 
pendent of  his  salary.  His  long  pastorate  seems  to  have  been  success- 
ful and  harmonious.  He  was  suspected  of  being  a  tory  in  revolution- 
ary times,  and  the  church  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on  him  re- 
specting his  political  views  and  loyalty  to  the  cause  of  the  colonies.  His 
reply  was  that  when  the  United  Colonies  had  gained  their  independ- 
ence he  would  take  the  "  oath  of  fidelity."  The  success  of  the  colon- 
ies led  him,  however,  to  take  the  oath  as  a  loyal  citizen.  At  the  form- 
ation of  the  town  it  was  named  after  him,  for  which  honor  he  gave 
them  a  copy  of  "  Whitley's  Annotations  on  the  Epistles,"  which  is  still 
preserved  in  the  library  at  the  parsonage  in  Woodbridge;  also  a  copy 
of  "  Annotations  by  several  eminent  Dutch  Divines,"  which  was  given 
to  the  Congregational  society  of  Bethany.  He  died  December  4th, 
1785.  His  remains  were  deposited  in  the  cemetery  near  the  center 
of  the  town.  His  wife  sleeps  beside  him,  and  his  daughter,  Mary, 
lies  near  them.  The  society  erected  a  monument  over  his  grave, 
with  the  following  inscription:  "The  Rev.  Benj.  Woodbridge,  1st  min- 
ister of  the  town  of  Woodbridge,  died  on  the  24th  of  Dec,  1785,  in  the 
75th  year  of  his  age,  and  44th  of  his  Ministry.  This  Gentn  was  of  a 
fine  constitution.  Little  elated  or  depressed  with  various  fortunes,  of 
excellent  mental  powers,  he  had  a  public  education,  was  a  good  scholar, 
an  able  divine,  a  wise  counsellor,  he  was  plain  and  unaffected  in  his 
manners  and  dress.  His  conversation  was  free  and  instructive  and 
unreserved,  as  the  words  of  his  mouth  were  the  sentiments  of  his 
heart  (his  friendship  was  void  of  dissimulation,  his  learning  of  ped- 
antry, his  charity  of  ostentation,  and  his  religion  of  superstition  and 
bigotry,  his  life  was  a  portrait  of  Christian  virtues).  With  serenity 
and  filial  obedience  he  submitted  to  his  summons  and  welcomed  death 
as  the  messenger  to  introduce  him  to  a  better  world." 

Immediately  under  this  inscription  is  the  following  of  his  wife: 
"  Mrs.  Mary  Woodbridge,  the  Virtuous  and  Agreeable  Consort  of  Rev. 
Benj.  Woodbridge,  deceased,  who  died  on  the  19th  day  of  Dec,  1786, 
in  the  72d  year  of  her  age.     Her  friends  and  acquaintances  who  have 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  289 

experienced  her  charity  and  known  her  worth  will  long  remember  her 
with  pleasure." 

The  second  pastor  of  the  church  was  Reverend  Eliphalet  Ball,  who 
was  settled  as  colleague  with  Mr.  Wooclbridge  some  two  years  before 
his  death.  Mr.  Ball's  pastorate  lasted  only  about  five  years.  His  rea- 
sons for  resigning  were  his  advanced  age,  some  disaffection  in  the 
parish,  the  desire  of  his  children  to  have  him  with  them,  and  "  Tke 
thought  of  eating  tin-  bread  of  tkose  who  are  unwilling  to  give  it  is  iery 
disagreeable  and  mortifying."  He  soon  removed  to  Ballston,  N.  Y., 
which  it  is  said  was  named  after  him. 

The  Reverend  David  Lewis  Beebe,  having  supplied  the  church  for 
some  time  previous,  received  a  call  to  settle  on  a  salary  of  ;£100  per 
annum.  He  was  installed  February  22d,  1791.  Mr.  Beebe  was  the  son 
of  Reverend  James  Beebe,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
Trumbull,  and  who  served  in  the  French  and  Canadian  war  as  chap- 
lain. David  was  born  in  Trumbull,  and  graduated  at  Yale  College  in 
1785.  His  pastorate  with  the  Woodbridge  church  continued  for  nine 
years,  when  his  health  failed  and  he  was  obliged  to  resign.  The  evi- 
dences of  his  faithful  and  zealous  efforts  for  the  good  of  his  people 
were  manifest  on  every  hand.  The  council  dissolving  the  pastoral  re- 
lation commended  him  for  his  "orthodox  zeal  and  fidelity  in  the  work 
of  the  evangelical  ministry." 

After  the  failure  of  his  health  he  went  into  the  mercantile  business, 
and  had  a  store  at  Northford  and  then  at  Wallingford.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  he  was  in  business  at  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in 
1S03.  Mrs.  Beebe  was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Caleb  Atwater.  She  was 
born  in  Wallingford,  and  died  in  1845,  aged  76.  She  was  a  model 
minister's  wife,  and  after  her  removal  from  the  parish  it  was  a  sufficient 
condemnation  of  any  mode  of  operations  in  the  parish  to  say  "  Mrs. 
Beebe  didn't  do  it  so."  Among  the  descendants  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beebe 
are  Brigadier-General  H.  B.  Carrington,  of  the  United  States  army, 
and  Mrs.  Gilbert,  the  wife  of  Reverend  E.  R.  Gilbert,  so  long  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  at  Wallingford. 

The  fourth  pastor  of  the  church  was  Reverend  Claudius  Herrick, 
who  was  settled  on  a  salary  of  "  140  pounds,  lawful  money."  His  pas- 
torate was  eminentlv  successful,  but  owing  to  a  failure  of  health  it 
lasted  but  little  more  than  four  years.  After  his  dismission  he  re- 
moved to  New  Haven,  where  he  established  a  young  ladies'  seminary, 
one  of  the  first  in  the  city.  He  died  May  26th,  1831.  Mr.  Herrick 
was  largely  successful,  both  as  pastor  and  teacher.  Mild,  pleasant  and 
cheerful,  yet  ever  sober  and  earnest,  his  influence,  both  in  the  parish 
and  the  school,  impressed  others  with  the  worth  and  beauty  of  the 
Christian  life.  He  was  a  man  of  culture  and  refinement.  He  was  the 
father  of  the  late  Edward  Herrick,  for  so  many  years  librarian  and 
treasurer  of  Yale  College,  and  of  Reverend  Henry  Herrick,  of  Wood- 
stock, this  state,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  this  town. 
19 


290  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  fifth  pastor  of  the  church  was  Reverend  Jason  Allen,  who  was 
ordained  April  11th,  1810.  The  society  was  not  unanimous  in  his 
call.  When  the  vote  was  taken  it  was  challenged  and  the  house  was 
divided;  71  voted  yea,  and  14  no.  He  accepted  the  call,  and  at  his  in- 
stallation Doctor  Dwight  was  overheard  to  say  to  Mr.  Allen,  "  This 
church  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  Union."  His  pastorate,  however,  was 
af  ended  with  opposition  and  embarrassments.  The  opposition  in- 
creased. Political  feuds  were  rife,  and  the  elements  of  discord  with- 
drew from  the  parish,  formed  a  union  society  and  attempted  to  get 
the  whole  or  a  part  of  the  bank  fund  without  success.  In  all  the  op- 
position Mr.  Allen  bore  himself  with  dignity  and  Christian  urbanity, 
and  in  spite  of  the  opposition  maintained  his  pastorate  for  16  years. 
The  council  which  sat  at  his  dismission  say:  "  They  are  happy  to  find 
that  nothing  has  been  alleged  against  the  Reverend  Jason  Allen,  and 
that  they  are  able  to  bear  their  decided  testimony  to  his  Christian 
and  ministerial  character,  as  having  through  a  series  of  years  proved 
himself  a  sound,  faithful,  active  and  prudent  preacher  and  laborer  in 
the  vineyard  of  our  common  Lord."  Mr.  Allen  soon  removed  to  the 
state  of  New  York. 

Reverend  Prince  Hawes  was  ordained  the  2d  of  December,  1828- 
Two  years  had  now  passed  since  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Allen,  and 
the  clouds  which  at  that  time  threatened  the  peace  of  this  Israel  had 
passed  away,  and  the  day  spring  from  on  high  was  shining  in  his 
brightness  and  power.  During  Mr.  Hawes'  pastorate  the  new  meet- 
ing house  was  built,  and  the  old  proverb  seems  to  have  been  fulfilled 
in  his  case :  "  The  minister  who  builds  a  house  of  worship  never 
preaches  in  it."  His  pastorate,  commencing  so  auspiciously,  lasted  but 
five  years  and  four  months.  He  was  dismissed  by  the  Consociation 
April  21st,  1824,  and  died  suddenly  December  17th  or  18th,  184S,  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Hawes,  the  church  was  without  a  set- 
tled pastor  for  some  nine  years,  during  which  time  they  were  sup- 
plied by  different  ministers,  among  whom  were  the  Reverend  Asa  B. 
Smith,  whose  labors  were  greatly  blessed,  and  Reverend  Walter  R. 
Long,  who  labored  with  them  three  years,  received  a  call  and  en- 
deared himself  to  the  parish,  but  declined  to  settle  with  them.  The 
year  1843  is  memorable  in  the  parish  for  the  installation  of  Reverend 
Samuel  H.  Elliot.  After  supplying  the  church  two  years,  he  was  or- 
dained its  seventh  pastor,  on  the  9th  of  November.  The  church  grew 
under  Mr.  Elliot's  ministrations,  and  in  addition  to  his  pastoral  labors 
he  wrote  the  "  Memoirs  of  Emily  Perkins,"  also  "  Parish  Side," 
"  Rolling  Ridge,"  and  the  sequel  to  "  Rolling  Ridge."  He  was  dis- 
missed December  3d,  1849,  ministering  to  the  church  in  all  eight 
years  and  three  months.  He  was  afterward  settled  in  Westville, 
where  he  established  a  boarding  school.  From  Westville  he  removed 
to  New  Haven,  where  he  died,  September  15th,  1869,  aged  60  years. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  291 

He  married  Marian  L.  Harvey,  of  New  York  city,  by  whom  he  had 
three  sons  and  a  daughter.  Two  of  his  sons,  Charles  and  Henry, 
were  born  in  Woodbridge,  and  graduated  at  Yale  College,  traveled  in 
Europe  and  settled  in  New  York  city.  The  daughter  married  and 
lives  in  Cooperstown,  N.  Y. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Elliot,  the  church  depended  .upon  stated 
supplies  for  about  nine  years.  Reverends  Owen  Street,  Alfred  .C. 
Raymond,  Jesse  Guernsey  and  David  Peck  occupied  different  inter- 
vals of  this  time,  and  ministered  with  success  and  acceptance  to  the 
people. 

Reverend  A.  D.  Stowel,  the  eighth  pastor,  was  ordained  November 
l?th,  1S5S,  and  dismissed  April  3d,  1860.  Mr.  Stowel  removed  to 
Massachusetts,  and  from  there  to  Elmira,  N.  Y.  Reverend  D.  M.  El- 
wood  supplied  the  church  from  1862  to  1864. 

Reverend  S.  P.  Marvin,  the  ninth  pastor,  was  settled  over  the 
church  February  22d,  1865.  The  25th  anniversary  of  his  settlement 
was  observed  in  1890.  Reverend  Hiram  Eddy,  D.D.,  who  preached 
his  installation  sermon,  was  present  on  the  occasion.  The  pastor 
preached  a  25th  anniversary  sermon,  which  was  printed.  During  his 
ministry  the  park  around  the  church  has  been  enclosed  with  a  neat 
fence,  trees  have  been  set  out,  a  new  lecture  room  and  ladies'  parlor 
have  been  built,  and  a  new  pipe  organ  has  been  presented  to  the 
church  by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Clark  Treat,  as  a  memorial  of  her  father's 
family,  Mr.  Treat  Clark.  During  the  25  years  Professor  C.  T.  Walker 
has  been  choir  leader  and  organist. 

The  fathers  of  Woodbridge  early  showed  a  proper  care  and  regard 
for  the  memory  and  resting  places  of  the  dead.  In  1743  arrangements 
were  made  for  burying  grounds.  Isaac  Sperry,  Captain  Johnson  and 
others  were  appointed  a  committee  to  select  burying  places  for  the 
society.  At  a  subsequent  meeting  in  1745  they  voted  that ''three 
burying  cloths  should  be  purchased  for  the  three  sarval  parts  of  sd 
society  by  donation  or  contribution  by  the  inhabitants  of  sd  society." 
At  a  subsequent  meeting  a  committee  was  appointed  to  fence  round 
the  burying  grounds  in  the  society,  and  a  tax  laid  to  defray  the  ex- 
pense. Since  then  the  burying  grounds  have  been  enlarged  from 
time  to  time  and  beautified.  In  1887  the  one  in  the  Middle  district, 
under  the  direction  of  S.  P.  Perkins,  was  greatly  improved,  and  all  of 
them  are  kept  in  good  order  and  show  the  respect  of  the  people  for 
the  loved  memories  of  their  departed  ones. 

The  tombstone  of  Reverend  Josiah  Sherman,  who  died  very  sud- 
denly while  laboring  with  the  church,  has  the  following  inscription: 
"  In  memory  of  Rev.  Josiah  Sherman,  minister  of  the  Gospel,  Ob.  Nov. 
24  A  D  17S9,  M.  60.  The  learned  scholar,  the  eloquent  orator,  the 
exemplary  Christian,  the  faithful  pastor,  the  kind  husband  and  parent, 
and  the  humble  follower  of  Jesus  Christ.  Piety  adorned  his  useful 
life  and  in  the  moments  of  a  painful  death  enabled  him  to  triumph  in 


292  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  hope  of  heaven.  Much  impressed  himself  and  conscious  of  his 
awful  danger,  by  him  the  violated  law  spoke  its  thunders  and  by  him 
in  strains  as  sweet  as  ever  angels  use  the  Gospel  whispered  peace." 

Captain  Isaac  Johnson  was  among  the  most  prominent  of  the  early 
settlers.  He  lived  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  near  the  Orange 
line,  011  the  farm  now  owned  by  Nathan  P.  Peck.  He  was  moderator 
of  the  first  meeting  called  to  organize  the  ecclesiastical  society  of 
Amity,  and  of  almost  all  public  meetings,  and  on  all  committees  when 
questions  of  importance  were  to  be  considered,  whether  civil  or  ecclesi- 
astical. He  was  the  first  captain  and  the  first  deacon  elected ;  also 
captain  in  the  revolutionary  war.  Among  his  descendants  was  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Johnson,  whose  ancestry  lie  buried  in  the  cemetery  on 
the  East  side. 

Inscription  on  his  tombstone:  "Here  lieth  the  Body  of  Isaac  John- 
son, the  first  captain  and  the  first  deacon  in  Amity.  A  guide  to  this 
infant  society,  a  zealous  promoter  of  the  worship  of  God,  A  Benefac- 
tor &  faithful  servant  to  ye  Chr.  When  best  known  best  loved. 
Who  lived  long,  lived  well  and  died  happy  in  the  hope  of  the  Gospel 
OEt  of  23d  1750  in  the  78  year  of  his  age." 

Captain  Stephen  Sanford  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
church,  and  lived  on  the  farm  owned  in  later  years  by  Mr.  Nelson 
Newman.  He  was  honored  by  his  fellow  townsmen,  and  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  church.  He  made  the  church  a  present  of  a  silver 
communion  cup  and  baptismal  bowl.  At  his  death  he  left  a  large 
landed  estate,  which  was  afterward  sold,  and  from  which,  with  other 
funds  which  he  also  gave  the  parish,  was  derived  a  large  part  of  the 
society's  present  fund  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel.  As  an  apprecia- 
tion of  his  services  the  following  inscription  was  placed  upon  the 
monument  erected  to  his  memory: 

"  Capt.  Stephen  Sanford  of  Woodbridge  departed  this  life  on  the 
6th  day  of  January  1779  in  the  72  year  of  his  age.  His  character  was 
reputable  as  a  man  and  a  Christian,  had  the  advancement  of  Christ's 
Kingdom  in  this  place  so  much  at  heart  that  he  made  a  testamentary 
gift  to  this  society  of  much  the  largest  part  of  his  estate,  amounting  to 
930  pounds  L.  M.,  and  appropriated  the  same  to  the  support  of  the 
ministry  in  this  society.  This  society  therefore,  as  an  acknowledge- 
ment and  lasting  memorv  of  their  gratitude  for  so  liberal  and  distin- 
guished  a  benefaction,  at  their  own  expense  have  erected  this  monu- 
ment." 

Thomas  Darling  joined  the  church  at  Woodbridge  in  1782,  from 
New  Haven.  He  was  a  valuable  acquisition,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  efficient  citizens,  as  well  as  members  of  the 
church.  He  was  honored  with,  positions  of  trust  by  his  fellow  citi- 
zens. The  epitaph  upon  his  tombstone,  which  is  given  below,  por- 
trays a  character  of  surpassing  excellence  and  a  life  of  unblemished 
usefulness.     Of  his  sons,  Noyes  became  a  judge  of   the  New  Haven 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY  293 

county  court.  Thomas  lived  on  the  old  homestead.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent supporter  of  the  Woodbridge  church  and  of  every  good  work. 
He  was  honored  with  positions  of  trust  by  the  town,  and  beloved  by 
all  who  knew  him.  His  grandson,  G.  Halsted  Bishop,  occupies  the 
ancestral  home. 

"  In  memory  of  Thomas  Darling  Esq  who  died  Dec  1st  1815  Aged 
63  years.  He  was  distinguished  for  sound  judgment  and  integrity  in 
the  discharge  of  public  duties  and  purity  of  heart  in  the  relations  of 
private  life.  As  a  magistrate  he  was  a  peace  maker,  and  just ;  as  a 
member  of  society  indulgent,  upright  and  kind;  as  a  professor  of  re- 
ligion an  example  of  tender  and  modest  piety.  To  the  Christian 
church  an  ornament  and  firm  support.  He  remembered  his  Creator 
in  the  days  of  his  youth,  and  in  advancing  age,  and  in  the  hour  of 
death  the  faith  of  his  Redeemer  was  his  comfort  and  strength.  Re- 
spected, esteemed,  beloved  here  below,  he  is  gone,  we  trust,  to  be  ap- 
proved, honored  and  blest  above." 

The  name  of  John  Lines  occurs  among  those  who  were  first  organ- 
ized into  the  church.  One  of  his  descendants  was  David  Lines.  In 
his  early  boyhood  David  was  intractable,  uncouth,  awkward  and  un- 
ambitious. It  is  said  he  once  ran  away  into  the  swamp  to  keep  away 
from  his  friends.  Later  he  took  to  a  seafaring  life.  He  became  con- 
nected with  the  Havre  line  of  packets  and  was  promoted  till  he  be- 
came master  of  the  vessel  he  sailed.  The  uncouth  country  boy  we 
find  captain  of  the  steamship  "Arago,"  and  one  of  the  most  successful 
and  popular  navigators  of  the  times.  The  following  inscription  is  on 
the  massive  monument  erected  to  his  memory: 

"  David  Lines,  Born  at  Woodbridge,  Conn.,  died  at  Niagara,  New 
York,  falling  it  is  supposed  into  the  river  above  the  great  falls  on 
Sabbath  morning  June  15th,  1862,  aged  59.  He  was  a  seaman  from  his 
youth;  he  sailed  early  to  the  Pacific,  to  South  American  ports,  to  the 
Mediterranean,  and  for  30  years  was  connected  with  the  Havre  Pack- 
ets. He  was  long  known  as  commander  of  the  Steamship  Arago  and 
crossed  the  Atlantic  nearly  240  times.  Under  his  skillful  seamanship 
thousands  passed  safely  over  the  seas,  for  the  Lord  did  guide  him  and 
lead  him  to  his  desired  haven.  By  them  he  was  esteemed  and  greatly 
beloved  and  his  untimely  death  lamented;  a  man  of  temperate  habits, 
of  great  kindness,  of  true  friendship,  of  liberal  charity.  His  toils 
and  enterprises  were  rewarded  with  a  fortune,  and  a  generous  nature 
led  him  to  befriend  the  poor.  A  veteran  sailor,  an  honored  man;  he 
now  sleeps  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking." 

The  Baldwin  family,  which  are  quite  numerous  in  the  town,  trace 
their  genealogy  to  Richard  Baldwin,  who  was  baptized  in  the  parish 
of  Aston,  Clinton,  Buckinghamshire,  England,  August  25th,  1622. 
Barnabas,  whose  father's  name  was  Barnabas,  and  who  was  the  grand- 
son of  Richard,  was  one  of  the  fifteen  set  off  from  Milford  in  1738  to 
form  the  parish  of  Amity,  and  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  church. 


294  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

He  was  made  ensign  of  the  Sixth  Company  of  New  Haven  in  1739, 
and  in  1749  captain  of  the  company  of  Amity.  From  his  sons  we  have 
the  different  branches  of  the  Baldwin  family  in  the  town.  Captain 
James  Baldwin  lived  on  the  tract  of  land  sold  by  the  Indian  chief, 
Towtanimoe,  to  his  ancestor,  Richard  Baldwin.  He  was  a  successful 
business  man,  public-spirited  and  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  every 
good  object.  He  was  selectman  of  the  town  27  years,  town  agent  5 
other  years,  and  was  sent  to  the  legislature  4  years. 

Captain  Ephraim  Baldwin  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of 
his  times,  both  in  town  and  parish  affairs.  He  often  represented 
his  town  in  the  legislature,  and  was  one  of  the  large-hearted  support- 
ers of  the  church.  Of  the  names  which  have  come  down  to  the  present 
none  are  more  honored  than  his.  He  was  eminently  a  peace  maker 
and  a  firm  support  to  every  good  enterprise. 

Two  of  the  original  eight  who  were  constituted  the  church  of  Amity 
were  Ebenezer  Beecher  and  Ebenezer  Beecher,  Jr.  Ebenezer  mar- 
ried Louise,  daughter  of  Captain  Isaac  Johnson.  The  Beechers  have 
always  been  prominent  in  the  parish.  Joseph  Beecher  gave  the  land 
for  the  church  park,  originally  containing  five  acres. 

There  were  two  branches  of  the  Clark  family  in  Woodbridge.  One 
branch  came  from  Mr.  David  Clark;  the  other  from  Ensign  George 
Clark,  both  of  Milford.  The  two  branches  unite  in  the  marriage  of 
Noyes  Clark  and  Mary  Abigail  Clark. 

Mr.  Treat  Clark,  who  was  a  descendant  of  Ensign  George  Clark, 
married  Miss  Ann  Maria  Peck.  He  was  an  extensive  farmer  and  cat- 
tle broker.  He  was  one  of  the  board  of  selectmen  for  13  years,  and 
represented  the  town  in  the  state  legislature  four  terms.  Few  men  in 
the  town  were  more  highly  respected  and  esteemed  for  urbanity  and 
kindly  assistance  wherever  he  could  be  of  benefit  to  others.  The  only 
child  that  survived  him  was  his  daughter,  Mary  Angeline  Clark,  who 
married  Hon.  Amos  S.  Treat,  who  represented  the  town  of  Woodbridge 
three  years  in  the  state  legislature,  and  was  honored  with  the  speaker- 
ship of  the  house.  He  afterward  moved  to  Bridgeport,  where  he  ac- 
cumulated a  large  property,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
city. 

The  name  Peck  has  been  from  the  first  prominent  in  the  annals  of 
Woodbridge.  At  the  organization  of  the  ecclesiastical  society  of 
Amity,  in  1738,  after  they  "  made  choice  of  Capt.  Isack  Johnson  "  for 
their  moderator,  "  Secondly,  They  by  vote  made  choice  of  Ebenezer 
Peck  as  their  society  dark  and  sworn  according  to  law."  He  was 
probably  the  son  of  Benjamin  Peck,  and  the  grandson  of  Henry  Peck, 
who  is  supposed  to  have  come  to  this  country  with  Eaton  and  Daven- 
port. There  were  two  branches  of  the  Peck  family  which  settled  in 
Woodbridge,  the  descendants  of  Joseph  Peck  of  Milford,  and  those  of 
Henry  Peck  of  New  Haven.  The  line  of  Joseph  of  Milford  is  Joseph,' 
Joseph2,  Jeremiah3,  Phineas*.     From  Phineas'  we  have   Phineas',  who 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  205 

entered  the  service  in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  was  taken  pris- 
oner and  confined  in  the  old  sugar  house  in  New  York,  where  so  many- 
perished  through  the  inhumanity  of  the  British.  Tradition  says  he 
was  reduced  to  a  mere  skeleton,  but  was  finally  released  and  brought 
home  by  men  on  a  hand  litter  from  New  York.      He  soon  after  died.* 

Mr.  John  Peck  became  one  of  the  master  masons  and  contractors 
in  New  Haven.  At  one  time  he  was  an  alderman  of  the  city.  He 
was  a  prominent  member  and  supporter  of  the  College  Street  church. 
After  acquiring  a  competence  he  returned  to  his  native  town,  Wood- 
bridge,  which  honored  him  with  positions  of  trust,  and  sent  him  as 
representative  twice  to  the  legislature.  He  was  a  valuable  aid  in  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  affairs. 

Mr.  Edwin  J.  Peck  removed  to  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  where  he  became 
a  man  of  large  wealth  and  influence.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  active  in  promoting  the  moral  and  Christian  inter- 
ests of  the  city.  He  was  deeply  interested  in  Sabbath  schools  and 
education,  and  gave  a  large  part  of  his  fortune  to  Wabash  College. 

The  Newtons  of  Woodbridge  descended  from  Reverend  Roger 
Newton,  the  second  pastor  of  Milford,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Reverend  Thomas  Hooker,  the  first  pastor  of  Hartford.  Lieutenant 
Samuel  Newton  was  a  large  landholder  and  prominent  in  town  and 
parish  affairs.  It  was  from  his  house  that  the  council  for  the  settle- 
ment of  all  the  early  pastors  took  up  their  march  for  the  sanctuary. 
General  Booth,  of  Meriden,  was  a  son  of  his  daughter  Mary.  Another 
of  his  descendants  was  Senator  Newton  Booth,  of  California.  Among 
others  of  the  name  who  distinguished  themselves  was  Nelson  Newton, 
who  was  a  most  valuable  and  public  spirited  citizen,  at  one  time  state 
senator  from  his  district,  and  holding  office  under  the  United  States 
government. 

Daniel  Smith  united  with  the  church  in  Amity  December  26th, 
1742.  From  him  descended  Daniel  Smith,  2d,  whose  son,  Daniel  Treat 
Smith,  became  a  prominent  member  of  the  society  and  church.  The 
parsonage  of  Reverend  Mr.  Woodbridge,  consisting  of  a  house  and 
farm,  was  given  to  him  as  a  remuneration  for  the  care  and  support  of 
Molly  Woodbridge  during  her  lifetime.  Mr.  Smith  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  and  was  sirict  in  his  Puritan  faith  and  practices.  At  four 
o'clock  every  Saturday  afternoon  his  workmen  in  his  shop  laid  aside 
all  work,  and  were  called  into  the  house  to  wash  and  prepare  for  the 
Sabbath.  He  was  a  man  of  large  influence  both  in  the  society  of 
Amity.and  in  the  town,  and  greatly  respected  for  his  integrity  and 
moral  worth. 

Of  his  descendants  Mr.  Willis  Smith  became  a  master  mason  and 
contractor  in  the  city  of  New  Haven.  Some  of  the  finest  buildings  in 
that  city,  and  the  soldiers'  monument  in   East  Park,  were  constructed 

*Peck  genealogy. 


296  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

under  his  supervision.  Another  son.  Isaac  T.  Smith,  after  residing  in 
Woodbridge,  removed  to  the  city. 

Deacon  David  Smith  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  church  and  so- 
ciety of  Woodbridge,  and  was  largely  connected  by  marriage  with  the 
other  families  of  the  place.  One  sister  became  the  wife  of  Doctor 
Goodsell,  another  the  wife  of  Phineas  Peck  and  mother  of  Deacon 
William  Peck.  Deacon  Smith  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity,  and  his 
memory  remains  carrying  the  fragrance  of  Christian  charity  to  the 
present  day. 

Stephen  Peck  Perkins  learned  the  mason's  trade  and  became  a 
prominent  contractor  in  the  city.  He  was  a  skillful  and  thorough 
workman.  There  was  never  a  question  but  that  work  entrusted  to 
him  would  be  done  well.  He  retired  from  business  and  built  an  ele- 
gant villa  in  his  native  town  near  the  old  homestead  of  his  childhood. 
He  was  honored  and  beloved  by  his  fellow  townsmen.  They  con- 
ferred upon  him  important  civil  offices,  and  sent  him  to  the  legislature. 
He  was  foremost  in  all  efforts  for  the  welfare  of  the  town  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  church. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  town  was  made  by  Richard  Sperry, 
whose  house  stood  at  Sperry  Farms,  in  the  bend  of  the  road  at  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  in  that  locality.  One  of  his  descendants  was  Enoch  Sperry, 
who  had  a  mill  on  Brush  brook.  He  was  a  very  active  business  man, 
and  also  carried  on  clothing  works,  making:  this  one  of  the  busiest 
points  in  the  town.  At  one  time  seven  roads  led  to  these  mills,  in 
place  of  the  one  now  existing.  Enoch  Sperry  lost  his  life  at  the  hands 
of  an  insane  man.  Several  of  the  Sperry  family  descended  from  him 
are  among  the  most  prominent  of  New  Haven's  citizens.  The  "  Sperry 
Farms  "  in  this  town  embraced  very  choice  lands. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  settlers  and  principal  citizens,  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  those  living  in  the  town  prior  to  April  12th,  1784,  as 
shown  by  the  oath  of  fidelity,  subscribed  before  Caleb  Beecher,  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  of  the  town:  Benjamin  Woodbridge,  Eliphalet  Ball, 
Thomas  Darling,  Esq.,  David  Perkins,  Ailing  Sperry,  Elijah  Sperry, 
Benjamin  Hotchkiss,  Jonathan  Perkins,  Abel  Smith,  Bezaleel  Peck, 
Lazarus  Clark,  Nathan  Piatt,  Thomas  Baldwin,  Joseph  Colens,  Jared 
Tolles,  Isaac  Sperry,  Lucas  Lines,  Samuel  Brisco,  Joel  Hine,  Jonathan 
Peck,  Hezekiah  Thomas,  Eliakim  Sperry,  Nathaniel  Sperry,  Abraham 
Hotchkiss,  Barnabas  Baldwin,  Jr.,  Samuel  Johnson,  Jr.,  Francis  Mar- 
tin, Caleb  Peck,  John  Thomas,  Daniel  Tolles,  David  Thomas,  Judah 
Andrews,  Daniel  Smith,  Jared  Beecher,  Ebenezer  Beecher,  Joseph 
Downs,  Elias  Hotchkiss,  S.  Burrall  Smith,  Richard  Russell,  Jr.,  Zenas 
Peck,  Archibald  Perkins,  Thomas  Perkins,  Ezekiel  Hotchkiss,  Aaron 
Clark,  Joel  Colens,  Thomas  Darling.  Jr.,  Roger  Peck,  Thomas  Ailing, 
Elijah  Sperry,  Andrew  Bradley,  Wilmot  Bradley,  James  Wheeler, 
Amos  Stilson,  Samuel  Beecher,  Titus  Smith,  Benajah  Peck,  David 
Freeman,  Samuel  Fisk  Peck,  Abel  Ives,  George  Gunn,  Jesse  Johnson, 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  297 

Christopher  Newton,  Barnabas  Baldwin,  Moses  Sanford,  David  Smith, 
Solomon  Gilbard,  Jason  Sanford,  Samuel  Downs,  Timothy  Ball,  Jr., 
Simeon  Sperry,  Benjamin  Peck,  Lemuel  Sperry,  David  Ford,  Lieuten- 
ant Sperry,  Richard  Sperry,  Asa  Sperry,  Nathaniel  Tuttle,  Ebenezer 
Sperry,  Uriah  Tuttle,  Philo  F.  Dibble,  Azariah  Perkins,  Caleb  Geer, 
Hezekiah  Smith,  Nathan  Clark,  Asa  Hunterton,  Joel  Sperry,  Joseph 
Peck,  Joseph  Merwin,  Amadus  Dibble,  Allen  Carrington,  Samuel 
Beach,  Amos  Stillson,  Barnabas  Baldwin,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Peck,  Jr.,  Eli- 
jah Osborne,  Nathan  Sperry,  Hezekiah  Smith,  Francis  Martin,  Oscar 
Hunterton,  Jared  Beecher,  Eliakim  Sperry,  Aaron  Clark,  Abraham 
Hotchkiss. 

This  taking  of  the  oath  of  fidelity  was  one  of  the  first  acts  after  the 
incorporation  of  the  parishes  of  Amity  and  Bethany  into  a  town,  Jan- 
uary, 1784,  with  the  name  of  Woodbridge,  in  compliment  to  Reverend 
Benjamin  Woodbridge,  who  had  then  been  the  pastor  of  the  Amity 
church  for  more  than  forty  years.  The  deference  which  was  paid  the 
minister  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  but  very  few  towns  in  the  colony 
were  named  after  persons,  the  names  of  places  being  preferred.  He 
died  about  two  years  later. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  February  17th,  1784,  when  the 
following  principal  officers  were  chosen  :  Selectmen,  Captain  Ezra 
Sperry,  Jacob  Hotchkiss,  John  Dibble,  Esq.,  Captain  Samuel  Osborne; 
clerk,  Amos  Perkins;  collector,  Reuben  Beecher;  listers,  Amos  Thomas, 
David  Smith,  Charles  Baldwin,  Roger  Peck,  John  Thomas,  Raymond 
Sanford. 

The  town  clerks  of  Woodbridge  from  1784  have  been:  1784-92, 
Amos  Perkins;  1793-5,  David  Cook;  1796-7,  Doctor  Thomas  Goodsell; 
1798-1804,  Samuel  Osborne;  1805,  Jehiel  Castle;  1806-9,  Samuel  Os- 
borne; 1810-29,  Justus  Thomas;  1830-1,  Andrew  Castle;  1832-6,  Joseph 
W.  Davis;  1837-50,  Beril  P.  Smith;  1851-77,  Marcus  Earl  Baldwin; 
1878.  William  H.  Warner;  1879-89,  Marcus  Earl  Baldwin. 

Among  the  selectmen  before  1800  were  the  following:  Thomas 
Darling,  Samuel  Newton,  Jonathan  Andrews,  Enoch  Norton,  Nathan 
Clark,  David  French,  Jonathan  Peck,  Jesse  Beecher,  Joseph  Beecher, 
v/Samuel  Osborne,  Daniel  Beecher,  Nathaniel  Tuttle,  Timothy  Ball, 
Daniel  Hotchkiss,  Raymond  Sanford,  Oliver  Buckingham,  Roger 
Peck,  Amos  Thomas,  Charles  Baldwin,  Eli  Sanford,  John  Thomas, 
Nathan  Piatt,  Richard  Baldwin,  Eber  Downs,  Joel  Goodyear,  Moses 
Hine,  Eliakim  Sperry,  Ailing  Carrington,  Jason  Hotchkiss,  Jared 
Beecher,  Charles  Bradley,  Hezekiah  Thomas,  Daniel  Tolles,  David 
Smith,  John  Russell,  Isaac  Sperry,  Medad  Hotchkiss,  Samuel  T.  Peck, 
David  Hotchkiss,  Hezekiah  Baldwin. 

In  the  same  office  there  were,  in  the  present  century,  in  the  orig- 
inal town:  Timothy  Hitchcock.  Isaac  Hemingway,  Philo  Dibble,  Doc- 
tor Thomas  Goodsell,  Enoch  Newton.  Captain  Samuel  Newton,  Will- 
iam Andrews,  David  Wooding,  Demas  Sperry,  Chauncey  Tolles,  Isaac 


298  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Hotchkiss,  Eliakim  Terrell,  Roger  Ailing,  Beri  Beecher,  Reuben 
Hitchcock,  Jabez  Hitchcock,  Colonel  Joel  Hine,  Archibald  Perkins, 
Timothy  Bradley,  Noyes  Darling,  Enoch  Beecher,  Robert  Clarke. 

And  among  the  selectmen  since  Bethany  was  set  off  in  1832,  have 
been:  Samuel  Peck,  Lyman  Manville,  William  W.  Peck,  James  A. 
Darling,  Joseph  W.  Davis,  Edward  Hine,  John  Andrews,  Levi  Peck, 
James  J.  Baldwin,  Nathan  P.  Thomas,  Daniel  C.  Augur,  Henry  Hi- 
cox,!  Alvin  Perkins,  Lewis  Russell,  Sidney  B.  Sperry,  Samuel  P.  New- 
ton, Leverett  Carrington,  Lewis  Thomas,  John  Peck,  Theodore  R. 
Baldwin,  Rollin  C.  Newton,  Frederick  F.  Finney,  William  Clark,  Wil- 
liam H.  Hotchkiss, Thomas  Darling,  Beril  P.Smith,  David  R.  Baldwin, 
Nelson  Newton,  Lyman  A.  Bradley,  Samuel  F.  Perkins,  Thomas  San- 
ford,  Abner  S.  Baldwin,  Jared  Sperry,  Henry  F.  Merwin,  Mortimer 
G.  Perkins,  Nathan  P.  Peck,  Theron  A.  Todd,  Stephen  P.  Bradley, 
James  F.  Nichols. 

Among  the  treasurers  in  more  recent  years  were  :  William  A. 
Warner,  Phineas  E.  Peck,  J.  L.  Terrell  and  Wells  M.  Beecher. 

In  1786  the  town  "  Voted  to  agree  with  Jacob  Hotchkiss,  or  any 
other  man,  to  build  a  town  house  the  bigness  of  MilfordTown  House, 
for  seventy  pounds." 

It  was  built  so  as  to  permit  the  meeting  of  1787  to  be  held  in  it.  It 
had  three  seats  on  the  south  side  and  alike  number  on  the  north  side. 
"There  was  a  table  eight  feet  long  and  suitable  benches  that  could 
be  moved."  The  place  where  it  stood  is  still  known  as  the  town  house 
lot.  After  the  parish  of  Bethany  was  formed  a  public  building  was 
erected  in  that  section,  and  the  town  meetings  alternated  between  the 
two  parishes  until  each  was  recognized  as  a  distinct  town.  In  late 
years  no  separate  town  hall  has  been  maintained. 

The  location  and  improvement  of  the  public  roads  has  demanded 
unusual  attention, in  every  period  of  the  town's  history.  In  1784  it 
was  voted  to  repair  the  West  River  bridge.  In  1798  the  Straits 
Turnpike  Company  used  part  of  the  public  roads  in  locating  its  high- 
way. The  Oxford  and  Derby  turnpikes  were  located  at  later  periods, 
and  each,  in  its  day.  was  an  important  thoroughfare.  The  general 
course  of  all  of  these  roads  is  southeast  toward  New  Haven,  but  pass- 
ing through  the  town  in  different  sections,  they  afforded  easy  means 
of  communication.  They  have  been  kept  in  fair  repair  by  the  town, 
and  are  still  the  leading-  thoroughfares  of  travel.  This  is  one  of  the 
few  towns  of  the  county  which  has  no  railway  within  its  bounds. 

Doctor  Thomas  Goodsell  was  one  of  the  first  located  physicians, 
being  here  soon  after  the  organization  of  the  town.  In  1796  he  was 
also  licensed  as  a  taverner.  In  that  period  public  houses  were  also 
kept  by  Captain  Samuel  Osborne,  David  Perkins  and  Elijah  Sanford. 

In  1814  Doctor  Isaac  Goodsell  was  located  in  Woodbridge  as  a  prac- 
titioner of  medicine.  The  physicians  in  1890  were:  Doctors  Silas  C. 
Hubbell  and  J.  W.  Barker.     In  recent  years  no  stores  have  been  kept 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  299 

in  the  town,  and  the  principal  source  of  mail  supply  is  from  the  West- 
ville  post  office,  in  the  town  of  New  Haven. 

The  population  of  the  town  is  small,  being  in  1890  920.    The  grand 

list  was  $401,807. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Daniel  C.  Augur,  born  in  New  Haven  in  1807,  was  a  son  of  Joel, 
and  grandson  of  Isaac  Augur.  Joel  married  Phila,  daughter  of  Joshua 
Newhall,who  wasa  revolutionary  soldier.  Theirchildren  were:  Lewis, 
Daniel  C,  Joel,  George,  Wealthy  A.,  Susan  and  Elizabeth  B.  Daniel 
C.  Augur,  from  1822  to  1829,  was  a  resident  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  where 
he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade.  From  1829  to  1838  he  resided  in 
New  Haven.  In  183S  he  removed  to  Woodbridge,  where  he  after- 
ward resided.  In  1839  he  engaged  in  the  butcher  business  in  New 
Haven,  which  he  conducted  for  17  years,  doing  a  wholesale  and  retail 
business.  From  that  time  until  his  death  he  was  extensively  engaged 
in  growing  garden  seeds.  He  was  a  selectman  of  the  town,  and  was 
assessor  for  ten  years,  also  justice  of  the  peace  and  notary  public  sev- 
eral years.  From  1830  to  1834  he  was  a  captain  in  the  state  militia. 
Captain  Augur  was  thrice  married:  first,  in  1828,  to  Delia  Middlebrook, 
by  whom  he  had  three  children:  Minot,  Amelia  E.  and  Charles  P.  He 
married  for  his  second  wife  Caroline  E.  Clark,  and  for  his  third  wife 
Miranda  Allen.  Minot  married  Ruth,  daughter  of  Bennett  B.  Peck, 
of  Woodbridge.  Amelia  E.  is  the  wife  of  Judge  Henry  Stoddard. 
Charles  P.  was  married  in  1871  to  Isabel  Allen,  of  Westport,  Conn. 
Their  children  are:  Edith,  Erroll,  Elma,  Ethel,  Eimer,  Eunice,  Elsie 
and  Edna.  Daniel  C.  Augur  died  October  24th,  1890.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  the  oldest  Odd  Fellow  and  the  oldest  militia  officer  in 
the  state. 

Ira  W.  Baldwin,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  Abner  S., 
grandson  of  Abner,  and  great-grandson  of  Jeremiah  Baldwin.  Mr. 
Baldwin  is  a  farmer  and  has  always  resided  in  Woodbridge  and 
Orange.  He  married,  in  1862,  Esther  C,  daughter  of  WTilliam  An- 
drew, of  Orange.     Theirchildren  are  Frank  I.  and  Fannie  E. 

John  J.  Baldwin,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  Abner  S.. 
whose  father,  Abner,  was  a  son  of  Deacon  Richard  Baldwin,  also  an 
elder  of  the  church.  Abner  S.  was  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1809,  and 
married  Mary  A.  Camp.  Their  children  were:  Delia,  Emily,  Nancy, 
Ira  W.,  Everett,  Allison,  Mary  and  John  J.  Abner  S.  Baldwin  held 
the  office  of  selectman  for  several  years,  also  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
taught  school.  John  T.  Baldwin  is  engaged  in  farming  and  the  milk- 
business.  He  married,  in  1872,  Ellen  F.,  daughter  of  Parson  Baldwin, 
of  Woodbridge.  They  have  two  children:  Burton  J.,  born  in  1875, 
now  pursuing  a  preparatory  college  course  at  the  Hopkins  Grammar 
School,  New  Haven;  and  Adella  F..  born  in  1877,  at  West  End  Insti- 
tute, New  Haven. 


300  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Doctor  John  W.  Barker,  born  in  New  York  city  in  1836,  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Yale  Medical  School,  graduating  in  1860.  He  immediately 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Easthampton,  Mass.  He  re- 
mained there  less  than  three  years.  Going  to  New  Haven  he  practiced 
there  until  1871,  when  he  settled  in  Woodbridge,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  is  a  member  of  the  State  and  County  Medical  Societies, 
and  during  his  residence  in  New  Haven  was  a  member  of  the  New 
Haven  Medical  Society. 

Charles  N.  Beecher,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Amos 
and  grandson  of  Enoch,  both  of  whom  were  residents  of  Woodbridge 
and  farmers.  Enoch  kept  a  store  in  Woodbridge  at  one  time.  Amos 
Beecher  married  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Silas  Baldwin,  of  Woodbridge, 
and  their  children  were:  Charles  N.,  Mary  A.,  Elizabeth  A.,  George  E., 
Charlotte  M.,  Alonzo  E.,  Franklin  A.  and  Jane  V.  Charles  N.  Beecher 
was  married,  in  1858,  to  Mary  Warner,  of  Mt.  Carmel,  Conn.  They 
have  one  son,  Charles  L.,  born  in  1859,  married  Gertrude  Ladd,  of  Sey- 
mour. Charles  L.  is  secretary  of  the  board  of  education,  and  of  the 
Woodbridge  Grange. 

John  J.  Beecher,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1824,  is  a  son  of  Reuben, 
and  grandson  of  Ephraim,  whose  father  is  supposed  to  have  been 
named  Reuben.  Ephraim  Beecher  was  one  of  the  early  residents  of 
Woodbridg;e,  and  one  of  the  leading"  men  of  his  dav.  He  served  in 
the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Sarah  Dorrance,  and  had  ten  children, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  and  the  majority  to  the  advanced  age 
of  70  and  80  years.  They  were:  Pattie,  Bela,  Malinda,  Reuben  M., 
Demon,  Elizabeth  A.,  Sally,  Riley,  Lydia  C.  and  David.  Reuben  M. 
Beecher  was  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1791,  and  married  Mary,  daughter 
■of  Silas  Baldwin.  Their  children  were:  John  J.,  Catherine  L.,  Wells 
M.,  Edward  I.  and  Francis  M.;  the  two  last  died  young.  John  J. 
Beecher  has  mostly  been  a  resident  of  Woodbridge,  has  held  a  num- 
ber of  the  important  offices  of  the  town,  and  is  now  deacon  of  the 
church.  In  1S62  he  enlisted  in  the  10th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and 
served  three  years.  He  married,  in  1846,  Maria  Carrington,  of  Chesh- 
ire, Conn.  They  had  two  children:  Helen  M.  and  one  that  died  in 
infancy.  Helen  M.  married  Carlos  D.  Blakeman,  of  Stratford,  Conn. 
Wells  M.  Beecher  was  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1833,  and  married,  in 
1859,  Carrie  W.  Fuller,  of  Orange,  Mass.  They  have  had  two  chil- 
dren: Frank  Wheaton,  born  June  29th,  1861,  died  the  following  Octo- 
ber; and  Edward  W.  Mr.  Beecher  was  appointed  town  treasurer  in 
1887,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  elected  to  the  same  office  in  1888  and  1889. 
He  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Wood- 
bridge. 

Jacob  Beiseigel,  born  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  December 
25th,  1827,  came  to  America  in  1854,  and  to  Woodbridge  in  1855, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  engagfed  in  farming-.  He  was  married  in 
1857    to    Clara   Schwartz weller.      Their    children   are:    Mary,    Kate, 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  302 

Jacob,  Jr.,  Clara,  Julia,  Amelia  and   Frank.      Julia  married  Charles 
Parker;  Mary  married  Albert  Liefield;  Clara  married  Edward  Buhlus. 

Jacob  Beiseigel,  Jr.,  born  in  Woodbridge  October  5th,  1860,  is  a  son 
of  Jacob  and  Clara  (Schwartzweller)  Beisiegel,  and  grandson  of  Jacob. 
Jacob  Beisiegel,  Jr.,  was  married  in  1889  to  Mamie  Russell.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Woodbridge  Congregational  church  and  of  the  Grange. 

G.  Halsted  Bishop,  born  in  New  Haven  in  1S64,  is  a  son  of  Charles, 
whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of  Ichabod  Bishop,  who  was  a  resident 
of  East  Haven  and  one  of  its  leading  men.  Charles  Bishop  was  born 
January  14th,  1817,  in  East  Haven.  He  carried  on  a  coal  business  for 
several  years,  and  afterward  engaged  in  the  wholesale  grocery  trade. 
He  died  in  1869.  He  married,  in  1845,  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Darling.  They  had  six  children,  only  two  of  whom  lived  to  grow  up 
— G.  Halsted  and  Mary  R.  Thomas  Darling  was  born  May  3d,  1793. 
He  was  a  son  of  Thomas,  he  a  son  of  Thomas,  and  he  a  son  of  Thomas, 
who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Woodbridge.  Thomas  Darling, 
the  4th,  was  a  prominent  man  in  Woodbridge.  He  was  its  representa- 
tive three  terms.  He  married  Lucy,  daughter  of  Samuel  Newton,  and 
they  had  three  daughters:  Jane,  Mary  A.  and  Lucia. 

Stephen  P.  Bradley,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Abner, 
whose  father,  Abner,  was  a  son  of  Abner  Bradley.  All  were  residents 
of  Woodbridge  and  farmers,  except  the  father  of  Stephen  P.,  who  was 
a  mason.  He  married  Abia,  daughter  of  Stephen  Peck.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Stephen  P.  and  Rowe  S.  Stephen  P.  Bradley  was  engaged 
in  farming  until  1870,  when  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade,  which 
he  carried  on  for  eleven  years,  nine  in  Westville  and  two  in  New 
Haven.  In  1889  he  again  engaged  in  trade  at  Westville,  which  he  car- 
ries on  at  the  present  time.  He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman  for 
five  years  and  assessor  for  eight  years.  He  married,  in  1854,  Betsey 
A.,  daughter  of  James  J.  Baldwin,  of  Woodbridge.  They  have  one 
son,  Charles  A.,  born  1858,  married  in  1S82  Addie  W.  Burgess. 

Oliver  Stoddard  Chatfield,  born  in  Derby  (now  Seymour)  in  1794, 
was  a  son  of  Joel  and  grandson  of  Elnathan,  who  was  a  son  of  Edwin. 
Joel  Chatfield  married  Ruth  Stoddard.  His  son,  Oliver  Stoddard  Chat- 
field,  married  Abigail  Tuttle.and  their  children  were:  Mary  J.,  George 
W.,  Martha  A.,  Howard  G.,  Henry  W.,  Ruth  A.  and  Charles  C.  He 
graduated  from  Yale  College,  and  at  one  time  published  the  New  Eng- 
land Journal  of  Education,  at  Boston,  Mass.  Mary  J.  married,  in  1849, 
Friend  C.  Ford,  son  of  Jared  and  grandson  of  Elias  Ford. 

John  Currie,  born  in  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  in  1829,  is  a  son  of 
David  and  Agnes  (Gillispie)  Currie,  and  grandson  of  James  Currie. 
He  came  to  America  in  1853,  and  in  1863  settled  in  Woodbridge  and 
enea^ed  in  farming-.  He  owns  and  resides  on  the  homestead  of  Rev- 
erend  Woodbridge,  after  whom  the  town  was  named.  The  residence 
on  the  place  was  built  in  1697.  Mr.  Currie  is  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  of  Woodbridge.     He  was  married  in  1856  to  Ellen 


302  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Nesbitt.  Their  children  were;  Mary,  David  and  Agnes.  In  1882  he 
married  for  his  second  wife  Elizabeth  Johnstone.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren: Archibald  and  Amy. 

David  E.  Currie,  born  in  Canada  in  1860,  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Ellen  (Nesbitt)  Currie,  grandson  of  David  and  great-grandson  of 
James  Currie.  In  1863  his  parents  settled  in  Woodbridge,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  Since  1880  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  milk  busi- 
ness.    He  married,  in  1883,  Addie  L.  Church,  of  West  Haven. 

Lauren  Doolittle,  born  in  Hamden  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Reuben  and 
grandson  of  Caleb.  Lauren  Doolittle  settled  in  Woodbridge  in  1847, 
and  married  Ann  E.  Parker.  Their  children  are:  Sarah,  who  married 
Francis  Gorham;  Frank,  who  married  Hattie  Beecher;  Grace,  who  mar- 
ried Burnet  Dorman;  Herbert,  married  Kate  Hotchkiss;  George,  mar- 
ried Ida  Hotchkiss;  and  Willie.  Mrs.  Doolittle's  father  was  Ebenezer 
P.  Parker,  son  of  Ebenezer.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Huldah 
Sperry. 

Willis  Doolittle,  born  in  Hamden  in  1810,  is  a  son  of  Reuben  and 
grandson  of  Caleb  Doolittle.  Caleb  married  Hannah  Merriman.  Reu- 
ben Doolittle  married  Rhoda,  daughter  of  John  Wooding.  Their  chil- 
dren were :  Alfred,  Isaac,  Alma,  Ana,  Seymour,  Wealthy,  Reuben, 
Willis,  Lucius,  Huldah,  Lauren  and  Burnett.  Willis  Doolittle  settled 
in  Woodbridge  in  1837,  and  married,  the  same  year,  Abigail,  daughter 
of  Phineas  Hitchcock.  Mr.  Doolittle  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace. 

John  W.  Downs,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1830,  is  a  son  of  Joseph, 
and  grandson  of  Joseph  Downes,  all  natives  of  Woodbridge,  and 
farmers.  Joseph,  the  1st,  married  Rhoda  Beecher,  November  17th, 
1780,  and  their  children  were:  Mary,  born  March  16th,  1781;  Lucy,  July 
8th,  1783;  Content,  February  17th,  1786;  Elizabeth,  April  13th,  1788; 
Shelden,  April  7th,  1790;  Sarah,  June  6th,  1792;  Amanda,  April  29th, 
1796;  Caroline,  September  2d,  1799;  Joseph,  September  5th,  1801.  Jo- 
seph, 2d,  married  Adeline  Morris,  of  Oxford,  and  their  children  were: 
Albert  B.,  John  W.  and  Andrew  E.  Albert  B.  and  John  W.  are  living. 
Albert  B.  Downs  served  in  the  Second  Connecticut  Regiment  during 
the  late  war,  and  was  captain  of  a  company.  He  married  Celeste 
Dowd.  John  W.  Downs  settled  in  New  Haven  early  in  life,  and  learned 
the  trade  of  saddler  and  harness  maker,  which  he  followed  for  some 
years.  For  the  past  28  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  root  beer.  In  1881  he  returned  to  Woodbridge,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  married,  in  1857,  Ann  E.  Browne.  Their  children  are: 
Albert  W.,  Mary  A.,  Anna  M.,  Katie  B.,  Lily  D.  and  Cora  E. 

Frederick  F.  Finney,  born  in  Norwalk,  Conn.,  in  1837.  is  a  son  of 
Charles,  and  grandson  of  Charles  Finney.  Charles,  father  of  Freder- 
ick, married  Abigail  Webb.  Their  children  were:  George  L.,  Freder- 
ick F.  and  Oscar  F.  Frederick  F.  came  to  Woodbridge  in  1870,  and 
with  the  exception  of  five  years  spent  in   New  Haven,  has  since  re- 


HISTORY   UF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  303 

sided  there.  He  was  elected  representative  in  1887,  and  first  selectman 
in  1888  and  1889.  He  was  married  in  1S64  to  Esther  L.  Hitchcock. 
They  have  two  sons:  Franklin  H.  and  Edward  A. 

Charles  C.  Hitchcock,  born  in  New  Haven  in  1837,  is  a  son  of 
Chester  Hitchcock,  who  was  a  carriage  maker,  and  carried  on  that  bus- 
iness in  New  Haven  for  nearly  40  years.  He  married  Julia  Nettleton, 
of  Naugatuck.  Their  children  were:  Charles  C,  Mary,  Anna,  Har- 
riett, Ella,  George  and  Albert.  Ella  and  Albert  are  deceased.  Charles 
C.  Hitchcock  worked  at  carriage  making  in  New  Haven  for  several 
years,  and  in  1S72  settled  in  Woodbridge  and  engaged  in  the  milk 
business  and  farming.  He  enlisted  in  the  13th  Connecticut  Regiment, 
Company  K,  and  served  over  three  years.  In  1872  he  married  Jennie 
E.  Royce,  of  Willington,  Conn.  Their  children  are:  George  H.  (de- 
ceased), Nellie  J.  and  Chester  C. 

Lewis  Hitchcock,  born  in  Bethany  in  1838,  is  a  son  of  Amos,  and 
grandson  of  Amos,  who  came  from  New  Haven,  settled  in  Bethany, 
and  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Sarah  Sperry.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Phineas,  Ransom,  Amos,  Hannah  and  Minerva.  Amos 
Hitchcock,  Jr.,  married  Abby  L.  Judson.  Their  children  were:  Sarah, 
Alice,  Ransom,  LeAvis,  Lucien  (deceased),  Ellen  and  Irene.  Sarah 
married  Jared  Sperry;  Alice  married  Lyman  Sperry;  Ransom  married 
Mary  Russell;  Ellen  married  Stiles  C.  Williams.  Lewis  Hitchcock 
was  married  in  1860  to  Velina,  daughter  of  Edward  Hine,  of  Wood- 
bridge.  They  have  three  children:  Nellie  E.,  Helen  and  Edward.  Mr. 
Hitchcock  settled  in  Woodbridge  about  1866.  He  enlisted  in  the  27th 
Regiment  in  1862,  and  served  nine  months.  Ransom  Hitchcock  also 
enlisted  in  the  same  regiment. 

Alfred  F.  Key,  born  in  New  York  city  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  Frederick 
Key.  He  resided  in  Philadelphia  for  a  time,  and  later  in  New  Haven, 
where  he  was  bookkeeper  for  the  Scoville  Manufacturing  Company. 
He  settled  in  Woodbridge  in  1871.  He  is  a  member  of  Montowese 
Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  New  Haven.  In  1873  he  married  Emily,  daughter 
of  Allen  Peck,  of  Woodbridge.  They  have  two  children:  Ella  L.  and 
Frederick  W.  Allen  Peck  married  Julia  Spencer.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren: Zina,  Austin,  Martha,  Zina,  James  and  Emily.  Only  James  and 
Emily  are  living. 

Jacob  Kunz,  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  in  1842,  came  to  America 
in  1865,  and  in  1866  settled  in  New  Haven,  where  he  resided  until 
1878,  when  he  removed  to  Woodbridge,  and  has  since  resided  there. 
He  engaged  in  farming.  He  married  Margarita  Knecht.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Annie,  John  J.  and  Charles.  Mrs.  Kunz  died  in  1878.  In 
1879  Mr.  Kunz  married  Elizabeth  Herpich.  Their  children  are:  Eliz- 
abeth and  Christiana. 

John  M.  Lines,  of  Woodbridge,  Conn.,  was  born  in  Woodbridge 
September  15th,  1830.  About  four  miles  west  of  the  city  of  New 
Haven,  along  the  Seymour  turnpike,  is  situated  "Stillwood,"  the  resi- 


304  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

dence  of  Mr.  Lines.  It  is  named  for  its  quietness,  in  the  midst  of  sur- 
rounding copse  and  wood.  Ample  wealth  has  added  the  charm  of  art 
to  the  rustic  beauty  of  nature.  The  closely  shaven  lawn,  the  green 
fields,  the  growing  crops,  the  great  elms,  and  the  fruit-bearing  trees, 
the  capacious  and  richly  appointed  residence  situated  in  the  midst, 
the  barns  and  carriage  houses  and  other  buildino-s  in  the  rear  and  at  a 
little  distance,  make  "  Stillwood  "  one  of  the  most  attractive  estates  to 
be  found  in  the  environs  of  New  Haven.  The  place  has  long  been 
held  in  the  Lines  family;  it  has  been  an  ancestral  estate,  and  now  the 
seventh  generation  dwells  where  long  since  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
the  Lines  stock,  in  the  early  history  of  New  Haven  county,  made  their 
home. 

So  early  as  January  1st,  1772,  there  met  and  married  two  from 
leading  families  of  the  county,  James  Lines  and  Susanna  Ailing. 
Their  eldest  daughter,  Sarah,  married  James  Landon  and  settled  in 
Litchfield  county.  Their  son,  John  Lines,  was  born  in  Woodbridge 
April  30th,  1777,  and  settled  near  the  homestead.  He  married  Betsey 
Perkins,  January  8th,  1S00.  Their  children  numbered  five:  Charles, 
born  November  15th,  1S00;  David,  born  July  1st,  1803;  Anna,  born 
October  27th,  1805;  Ailing,  born  November' 2d,  1791,  and  Betsey.  The 
last  two  died  young  in  life,  Betsey  on  March  7th,  1824,  at  15  years  of 
age. 

Charles  Lines  inherited  the  paternal  estate,  and  married  Asenath 
Ailing. 

David  Lines  left  home  to  seek  his  fortune  elsewhere.  Inclination 
led  him  to  the  sea;  he  was  only  14  years  of  age,  and  was  determined 
sooner  or  later  to  become  a  seaman.  His  father  being  in  South 
America,  his  mother  and  older  brother  Charles,  observing  his  purpose 
so  strongly  set,  and  his  uneasiness  to  go,  fitted  him  out,  and  obtained 
a  position  for  him  from  the  port  of  New  Haven.  His  first  sea  voyage 
was  a  sealing  expedition  to  the  Pacific.  He  was  gone  three  years, 
and  the  young  man  came  home  with  about  $300  as  his  share  of  the 
ship's  profits.  While  absent  he  had  perceived  the  difference  between 
being  the  master  and  the  common  sailor.  He  resolved  that  the  high- 
est was  none  too  high  for  his  hopes  and  his  achievements;  hence  when 
he  came  home,  he  put  himself  under  the  instruction  of  a  competent 
scholar  for  the  study  of  the  science  of  navigation,  intending  soon  to 
rise  to  the  first  position  as  a  seaman.  The  science  having  been  well 
mastered,  he  went  to  New  York,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  firm 
of  Fox  &  Livingstone,  owners  of  the  packet  line  of  clipper-built 
ships  plying  between  New  York  and  Havre,  France.  He  soon  became 
captain,  and  for  a  few  years  ran  to  and  fro.  He  next  sailed  on  voy- 
ages to  ports  of  South  America  and  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  interests 
of  the  same  company;  and  so  successful  were  his  mercantile  expedi- 
tions that  from  his  share  he  soon  had  several  thousands  of  dollars  to 
invest.     These  he  wisely  placed  with  the  company,  and  when  steam- 


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HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  305 

ships  were  built  and  put  on  the  packet  line,  the  company  became  the 
"  New  York  and  Havre  Steamship  Navigation  Company." 

Mr.  Mortimer  Livingstone  was  chosen  president  and  agent  of  the 
company.  Captain  David  Lines,  who  had  now  become  a  heavy  stock- 
holder, was  put  in  charge  of  the  "  Humboldt."  She  was  plied  success- 
fully, until  in  one  voyage,  running  short  of  coal,  she  put  in  to  the  port 
of  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia.  A  pilot  was  taken  on  board,  and  going  in 
the  harbor,  he  ran  the  steamer  on  the  rocks  and  she  was  wrecked. 

Captain  Lines  was  now  placed  in  charge  of  another  steamship  of 
the  company,  the  "  Arago."  This  ship  he  ran  with  great  success, 
making  a  very  popular  line  between  this  country  and  France.  So  ap- 
preciated was  he  as  a  captain  and  a  gentleman,  that  resolutions  and 
testimonials  of  the  highest  character  were  frequently  presented  to  him 
by  the  passengers.  One  of  these  is  here  recorded,  and  the  eminent 
names  bespeak  their  own  worth. 

A  Card. 

U.  S.  M.  Steamer  "  Arago,"  New  York,  April  23d,  1856. 
Captain  David  Lines: — 

Dear  Sir: — The  passengers  in  the  "  Arago,"  from  Havre  to  New  York,  cannot, 
in  justice  to  their  own  feelings,  bid  you  farewell  without  expressing  their  deep 
and  grateful  sense  of  your  conduct  as  the  commander  of  this  noble  steamer 
throughout  the  last  voyage.  Whilst  your  seamanship,  vigilance  and  devoted  at- 
tention to  your  official  duties  have  inspired  them  with  the  utmost  confidence, 
your  kindness  and  gentlemanly  bearing  in  our  social  intercourse  have  made  us 
all  your  personal  friends.  We  wish  you  with  all  our  hearts  health,  prosperity 
and  happiness.  It  would  be  unjust  were  we  to  conclude  without  a  tribute  to  the 
alacrity  and  skill  with  which  the  officers  and  crew  have  at  all  times  obeyed  your 
commands.  Indeed  there  could  not  be  a  better  ordered  ship,  and  this,  under 
Providence,  has  produced  a  perfect  sense  of  security  in  all  of  us  amid  the  dangers 
of  the  sea. 

Yours  respectfully. 

Signed — James  Buchanan,  Henri  Charles  Dubois,  George  Dickinson,  J.  G. 
Adams,  E.  T.  Dickinson.  F.  A.  Livingstone,  J.  W.  Tucker,  Samuel  Penniman, 
Louis  K.  Bridge,  G.  Kreisler,  and  all  the  passengers. 

So  sincerely  trusted  and  worthy  of  trust  was  Captain  Lines,  that 
gentlemen  placed  their  wives  and  children  in  his  care.  He  would 
take  them  to  France,  act  as  chaperon  to  a  limited  extent  to  them 
there,  and  bring  them  home  in  safety.  He  crossed  the  ocean  to  and 
fro  in  all  about  240  times. 

When  the  president  of  the  company,  Mr.  M.  Livingstone,  died, 
Captain  Lines  was  appointed  president  and  agent  in  his  stead.  His 
closest  friends  were  of  the  first  people  of  New  York  and  France.  He 
amassed  a  large  fortune,  and  by  his  sterling  manliness  and  elegant 
manners  won  great  confidence  and  esteem.  The  town  of  Woodbridge 
is  highly  honored  in  her  son. 

Captain  Lines  disappeared  on  June  15th,  1862.  He  was  visiting 
Niagara  Falls  in  search  of  health,  and  registered  at  the  International 
Hotel.  The  last  seen  of  him  he  went  out  of  the  door  of  the  hotel, 
20 


306  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and,  it  is  supposed,  he  wandered  too  near  the  yawning  chasm  and  fell 
over.  Relatives  and  friends  made  diligent  search  for  him  and  offered 
a  reward  of  $1,000  for  the  recovery  of  his  body,  but  it  was  never 
found.  He  was  not,  for  the  God  of  the  sea,  whose  mighty  working  he 
had  so  often  seen  on  the  ocean,  took  him. 

His  sister,  Mrs.  Anna  Sperry,  of  New  Haven,  and  his  nephew,  Mr. 
John  M.  Lines,  erected  alargeand  costly  cenotaph  in  the  Woodbridge 
cemetery.  On  its  various  sides  are  recorded  the  principal  events  of 
his  life,  the  generous,  upright  quality  of  his  nature,  and  the  great 
respect  in  which  he  was  held.  The  inscription  of  one  face  is  as  fol- 
lows: » 

"  He  was  esteemed  and  beloved,  and  his  untimely  death  lamented;  a  man  of 
temperate  habits,  of  great  kindness,  of  true  friendship,  of  liberal  charity.  His 
toils  and  enterprises  were  rewarded  with  a  fortune,  and  a  generous  nature  led 
him  to  befriend  the  poor — a  veteran  sailor — an  honored  man;  he  now  sleeps  the 
sleep  that  knows  no  waking." 

Charles  Lines,  the  eldest  son  of  John  and  Betsey  Lines,  remained 
at  home,  caring  for  his  mother  during  the  prolonged  absence  of  his 
father,  John  Lines,  in  South  America.  He  married  Asenath  Ailing. 
He  was  a  thrifty  farmer  on  the  family  homestead,  a  man  of  great  in- 
dustry as  of  sterling  virtue,  and  well  maintained  the  good  name 
of  the  Lines  family.  He  died  when  only  56  years  of  age,  July  11th, 
1857.  His  wife,  Asenath,  survived  him  until  October  11th,  1862,  aged 
71  years. 

Their  only  son  was  John  M.  Lines,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this 
work  to  represent  both  his  family  and  his  town.  He  attended  the 
district  school  until  he  was  16  years  of  age,  and  pursued  his  studies 
farther  in  a  private  school  in  New  Haven.  But  he,  too,  like  his  uncle 
David,  had  the  passion  for  trying  the  "  hazard  of  new  fortunes,"  and 
his  uncle  invited  him  to  the  office  of  the  New  York  &  Havre  Steam- 
ship Navigation  Company  in  New  York.  Subsequently  he  crossed 
the  ocean  and  went  to  Paris.  There  he  entered  the  great  school, 
"The  Institution  Massin,"  for  the  study  of  French.  He  remained 
about  one  year,  and  returned  to  New  York  and  home  in  1854,  his 
father's  broken  health  demanding  the  filial  attentions  of  his  son.  A 
few  months  later  he  married,  July  21st,  1854,  Miss  Adeline  Curley,  of 
New  York.  The  young  married  couple  found  enough  to  do  on  the 
large  homestead,  and  in  filial  devotion  to  their  parents,  to  whose  es- 
tate they  were  the  heirs.  It  was  also  their  great  good  fortune,  a  little 
later,  to  come  into  possession  of  a  large  portion  of  their  Uncle  David 
Lines'  estate.  So  that  wealth,  beside  that  of  their  own  thrifty  making, 
centered  in  to  them  from  two  distinct  lines. 

And  not  without  a  sense  of  responsibility  have  these  large  advan- 
tages been  used.  The  homestead  ha's  been  greatly  beautified,  and  the 
town  improved  in  a  variety  of  ways.  A  large  family  has  been  raised 
and  educated  ;    the  poor  have  been   comforted,  the  church  has  been 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  307 

aided  and  society  benefitted.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lines  have  social  qualities 
equalled  only  by  their  kindness  of  nature  and  moral  worth.  In  all 
their  large  circle  of  acquaintance  they  are  esteemed  as  choice  friends. 

Nine  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Mrs.  Ella  Asenath  Lewis, 
of  Minneapolis;  David  Charles,  of  New  York  (Yale  University,  1880); 
Isabella,  who  died  November  11th,  1863,  at  nearly  five  years  of  age; 
Harriett  M.;  Mrs.  Adeline  M.  Marsh,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  Maude 
Ethel;  Eugenia,  who  died  June  30th,  1868,  aged  eight  months;  John 
Marshall,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  Clarkson,  who  died  August  20th,  1876,  at 
about  ten  months  of  age. 

Mr.  Lines  has  refused  in  unmistakable  terms  all  town  offices.  In 
politics  he  is  nominally  a  democrat,  but  so  popular  among  all  his 
townsmen  that,  in  1884,  he  went  to  the  general  assembly  from  old 
republican  Woodbridge — an  occurrence  which  had  not  happened  be- 
fore in  thirty  years.  Mr.  Lines  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  thirty-second 
degree  Mason,  and  an  Odd  Fellow  of  the  highest  rank.  He  is  chief 
of  staff  to  General  Foster,  of  the  Patriarchs  Militant  of  the  state,  and 
one  of  the  few  from  Connecticut  who  wear  the  highest  honors. 

His  family  are  parishioners  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  "  .Still- 
wood  "  the  abode  of  plenty  and  happiness. 

Michael  McCarthy  was  born  in  Quebec,  Canada,  in  1848.  His 
father,  Dennis  McCarthy,  emigrated  to  Canada  from  Ireland,  settled 
in  North  Haven  about  1850,  and  later  removed  to  Orange,  where  he 
now  resides.  Michael  settled  in  Woodbridge  in  1877,  and  engaged  in 
farming.  He  married,  the  same  year,  Ellen  Dargen.  They  have  four 
children:  Benson,  Helen,  James  and  Mary. 

David  W.  Marks,  born  in  Willing,  Allegany  county,  N.  Y.,in  1860, 
is  a  son  of  David  B.,  born  1819,  he  a  son  of  Levi,  born  1792,  he  a  son  of 
of  Abraham,  he  a  son  of  Zachariah.and  he  a  son  of  Mordecai,  who  was 
born  in  England  in  1706  and  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  New 
Haven  count)'.  David  B.  Marks  was  a  native  of  Milford,  as  was  also 
Levi,  his  father.  The  latter  married  Esther  Tolles.  David  B.  Marks 
married  Helen  S.  Hall.  David  W.  Marks  settled  in  Woodbridge  in 
1879,  and  is  engaged  in  farming.  He  married  Hattie,  daughter  of 
John  L.  Sperry,  in  1880.  They  have  two  children:  Herbert  S.  and 
Archer  A. 

Chauncy  S.  Morris,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Nathan 
R.,  and  he  a  son  of  Asa  Morris,  all  residents  of  Woodbridge.  Nathan 
R.  Morris  married  Lucy  Wooding.  Their  children  were:  Chauncy  S., 
Sarah  E.,  Charles  J.  Charles  J.  enlisted  in  Company  A,  27th  Connec- 
ticut Regiment,  and  served  through  the  war.  Chauncy  S.  Morris  mar- 
ried, in  1852,  Mabel  Hotchkiss.  They  have  one  son,  Dennis  B.,  born  in 
1857.     He  married,  in  1876,  Addie  Warner. 

Charles  L.  Northrop  was  born  in  Bethany  in  1828.  He  was  the  son 
of  Marvin  and  Mary  Northrop,  who  were  also  natives  of  Bethany. 
Charles  L.  married  Adaline  F.  Andrew,  of  Bethanv,  in  1850.     She  was 


30S  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  daughter  of  Nehemiah  and  Phinett  Sperry  Andrew.  They  had 
five  children,  three  now  living:  Mary  A.,  born  in  1851;  Elmer  T.,  born 
in  1854;  Willie  D.,  born  in  1858;  Hattie  B.,  born  in  1860,  died  in  1888; 
Sarah  P.,  born  in  1S56,  died  in  1880.  Charles  L.  learned  the  trade  of 
carpenter  and  joiner  when  a  young  man.  He  came  to  Woodbridge 
in  1860,  and  for  25  years  he  was  employed  in  the  match  factory  of 
Woodbridge. 

Frank  G.  Northrop,  born  in  Bethany,  now  a  part  of  Woodbridge, 
in  1852,  is  a  son  of  Allen  and  Jane  (French)  Northrop.  His  grand- 
father was  Bela,  and  his  great-grandfather  Jedediah  Northrop,  a  wheel- 
wright. Bela  was  in  the  lumber  business.  He  built  a  saw  mill  on 
the  place  now  owned  by  Frank  G.  This  business  was  afterward  car- 
ried on  by  his  son,  Allen  Northrop.  Frank  G.  now  owns  a  saw  and 
grist  mill  upon  the  same  site.  Allen  and  Jane  Northrop  had  nine 
children:  Frank  G.,  Lucia,  Louise,  Oscar  (deceased),  Annie,  Mary, 
Fred.,  Harry  and  Edwin  (deceased). 

Silas  J.  Peck,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1867,  is  a  son  of  Henry  C, 
grandson  of  Silas  J.,  and  great-grandson  of  Phineas,  who  was  a  son  of 
Fiske  Peck.  Henry  C.  Peck  married  Susan  C,  daughter  of  Captain 
James  J.  Baldwin.  They  have  three  children:  Newton  J.,  Silas  J.  and 
Annie  E.  Newton  J.  married,  in  1889,  Bertha  H.  Thompson. 
Silas  J.  Peck  was  married,  in  1889,  to  Eva  S.  Hollenbeck,  and  has 
one  son. 

W'illiam  J.  Peck,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  Aurelius 
and  Ruth  A.  (Osborn)  Peck.  Jerry  Peck,  his  grandfather,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  revolutionary  war.  Aurelius  Peck's  children  were:  Mary,  Jane, 
Eliza,  Sarah,  Helen,  Edwin,  John,  Nathan,  Fred.,  Hiram,  William  J. 
and  Daniel.  William  J.,  Hiram,  Fred,  and  Eliza  are  living.  William 
J.  Peck  was  married  in  1875  to  Agnes  A.  Halliday.  Their  children 
are:  Nellie,  Hattie,  Mary  and  Edna.  Mr.  Peck  is  a  joiner  by  trade, 
but  is  engaged  in  farming  at  present.  He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  O. 
U.W.,  and  Knights  of  Honor.  Edwin  Peck  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion,  and  died  in  the  service. 

William  W.  Peck,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  William, 
grandson  of  Captain  Phineas,  and  great-grandson  of  Fiske.  The 
latter's  father  is  supposed  to  have  been  named  Phineas.  He  settled  in 
Woodbridge  at  an  early  date,  the  family  being  one  of  the  oldest  in  the 
town.  William  Peck  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Chauncy  Tolles, 
of  Bethany.  Their  children  were:  George  C,  William  W.  and  Leon- 
ard E.,  living;  and  Elizabeth  J.,  deceased.  William  Peck  represented 
the  town  of  Woodbridge  in  the  legislature  two  terms.  William  W. 
was  married  in  1853  to  Mary  J.  Fairchild,  and  their  children  are: 
Charles  J.,  Will.  F.,  Arthur  T.,  Minnie  L.  and  Lucy  E.  Mr.  Peck 
represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1880  and  1881.  He  held  the 
office  of  selectman  seven  years  in  succession,  and  he  has  also  been 
grand  juror. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  309 

Henry  Perthes,  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  in  1845,  is  a  son  of  Carl 
Perthes.  He  came  to  America  in  1869,  and  until  1874  was  a  resident 
of  Catskill,  N.  Y.  In  that  year  he  settled  in  Seymour,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1890,  when  he  purchased  a  fine  residence  in  Woodbridge. 
He  bought  a  hotel  in  Seymour  in  1882,  and  three  blocks  of  houses  in 
1888.  He  was  married  in  1871  to  Paulina  Heiman.  They  have  three 
children:  Annie.  Laura  and  Oscar. 

Lewis  Russell,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1805,  was  a  son  of  Lemuel, 
and  grandson  of  William  Russell.  Lemuel  married  Betsey  Hotchkiss, 
and  their  children  were:  Dolly,  Nehemiah,  George,  Lewis,  William 
and  Isaac.  Lewis  Russell  held  the  offices  of  selectman  and  town  treas- 
urer several  years,  and  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  two 
terms.  He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Camp  and  Elizabeth  New- 
ton. They  have  one  daughter,  Elizabeth.  Mr.  Russell  died  in  1885. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Woodbridge. 

John  F.  Shepherd  was  born  in  North  Haven  in  1855.  His  father 
was  Franklin,  son  of  Ziba,  and  grandson  of  John  Shepherd,  all  resi- 
dents of  New  Haven  county.  Franklin  Shepherd  married  Sarah 
Mansfield,  and  had  two  sons — Roswell  and  John  F. — and  five  daugh- 
ters—Mary, Mabel,  Leeta,  Elizabeth  and  Esther.  John  F.  Shepherd 
settled  in  Woodbridge  in  1887,  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  married, 
in  1884,  Margaret  Roche.  They  have  three  children:  Mary  E.,  John 
J.  and  Susan. 

George  R.  Sperry,  born  in  Woodbridge  in  1826,  is  a  son  of  Albert, 
whose  father,  Eliakim,  was  a  son  of  Eliakim.  George  R.  is  a  joiner 
by  trade,  and  worked  at  that  business  for  many  years.  He  has  been  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Woodbridge  for 
many  years.  He  always  resided  in  Woodbridge  until  recently,  when 
he  took  up  his  residence  in  New  Haven.  He  married  Marietta,  daugh- 
ter of  Elihu  Beecher,  and  their  children  were:  Albert  L.,  Harry  R., 
Burton  P.  and  Carrie  L.  (deceased).  Albert  L.  Sperry  was  born  in 
Woodbridge  in  1850,  learned  the  joiner's  trade,  and  after  working  at 
it  for  some  years,  engaged  in  farming  and  the  milk  business.  He 
was  married  in  1874,  to  Laura  J.,  daughter  of  William  F.  Morgan. 
Their  children  are:  Frederick  G.,  Arthur  B.,  Frank  A.  and  Minot 
M.  Mr.  Sperry  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Wood- 
bridge. 

William  H.Warner  was  born  in  Woodbridge  January  23d,  1853, 
and  married  Mary  Eliza,  daughter  of  Mark  and  Martha  S.  Tucker,  of 
Woodbridge,  July  31st,  1876.  They  have  one  child,  Mary  Helen 
Warner,  born  April  25th,  1879.  W.  H.  Warner  entered  the  work  of 
teaching  in  the  fall  of  1873,  and  taught  in  various  schools  until  No- 
vember, 1888,  except  from  December,  1880,  to  May,  1885,  during  which 
time  he  was  employed  by  the  Diamond  Match  Company  as  book- 
keeper. From  April,  1875,  to  July,  1878,  he  was  principal  of  the  Sey- 
mour High  School.     Since   November,  1888,  he   has  been  connected 


310  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

with  Bennett,  Sloan  &  Co.,  of  New  York.  He  has  held  numerous 
offices  in  his  native  town.  He  has  been  school  visitor  16  years,  being 
often  chairman  of  the  board  of  school  visitors,  and  four  years  secretary 
and  acting  visitor.  He  has  been  elected  justice  of  the  peace  several 
times,  grand  juror,  town  clerk  in  1879,  and  collector  of  taxes  for  three 
years.  He  is  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Woodbridge  Grange, 
and  was  elected  overseer  in  December,  1890. 

William  C.  White,  born  in  Bethany  in  1817,  was  a  son  of  John  and 
Martha  (Hotchkiss)  White.  His  grandfather,  John,  was  a  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant John,  he  a  son  of  Deacon  John,  he  a  son  of  Captain  John,  and 
he  a  great-grandson  of  Elder  John  White,  who  came  from  England  in 
1632.  John  and  Martha  (Hotchkiss)  White's  children  were:  Joel, 
Elisha,  John  E.  and  William  C.  Joel  was  a  resident  of  Oxford  for 
upward  of  40  years,  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  that  town 
in  1846,  state  senator  in  1851 ,  and  judge  of  probate  for  several  years. 
Elisha  White  settled  in  New  York  state  and  died  there.  John  E. 
died  in  early  manhood.  William  C.  married  Harriet,  daughter  of 
Abel  Prince,  of  Bethany.  They  had  one  daughter,  Harriet  May. 
William  C.  White  resided  in  Bethany  until  1866,  when  he  removed  to 
Woodbridge,  where  he  died  November  15th,  1881.  Mrs.  White  died 
in  1873. 

Stiles  C.  Williams  was  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1843.  His  father  was 
John  M.,  and  his  grandfather  was  Jonathan  Williams,  a  resident  of 
Woodbury.  John  M.  Williams  married  Lucy  C.  Clark.  They  had 
three  sons:  Henry  C,  Stiles  C.  and  Nelson  B.  Henry  C.  was  a  car- 
penter by  trade.  He  settled  in  Ansonia.  He  enlisted  in  Company  E, 
7th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and  served  four  years.  He  married  Mar- 
tha Dean,  and  died  in  Ansonia  in  1887.  Nelson  B.  Williams  was  also 
a  carpenter.  He  enlisted  in  the  2d  Connecticut  Artillery.  He  mar- 
ried Louise  Meiggs,  and  died  in  1889.  Stiles  C.  Williams  has  always 
been  engaged  in  farming,  with  the  exception  of  five  years,  during 
which  he  was  employed  by  the  Douglass  Manufacturing  Company, 
auger  manufacturers,  at  Seymour.  In  1869  he  settled  in  Bethany, 
where  he  resided  until  1882,  when  he  settled  in  Woodbridge.  In  1867 
he  married  Ellen  H.  Hitchcock,  of  Bethany.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren: Lucy  I.,  Ida  S.  and  Walter  S. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE    TOWN   OF    BETHANY. 


Location  and  Description. — Civil  Organization. — Town  Officers. — Business  Interests. — 
Physicians. — Religious  and  Educational  Interests. — Cemeteries. — Revolutionary  In- 
cident.— Biographical  Sketches. 


BETHANY  was  incorporated  as  a  parish  in  1762,  and  became  a 
town  in  1832,  being  up  to  that  time  a  part  of  Woodbridge. 
The  central  part  is  nearly  12  miles  from  the  city  of  New  Haven, 
which  is  the  market  for  most  of  the  products  of  the  town.  On  the 
north  are  the  towns  of  Naugatuck  and  Oxford;  on  the  east  is  Hamden; 
on  the  south  Woodbridge;  and  on  the  west  are  the  towns  of  Seymour 
and  Beacon  Falls.  Bethany  is  about  five  miles  long,  and  not  quite 
four  miles  wide  from  east  to  west,  but  is  somewhat  irregular  in  shape. 
The  general  surface  is  elevated,  and  in  parts  somewhat  broken  by 
high  hills,  especially  along  its  borders.  Hence  some  sections  are 
rather  sterile;  but  in  other  parts  are  pleasantly  located  and  productive 
lands,  being  especially  adapted  for  meadows  and  grazing.  The  town 
was  noted  for  its  fine  timber  lands,  and  small  areas  still  remain,  while 
on  the  hills  may  be  seen  many  wood  lots  of  attractive  appearance,  af- 
fording a  very  pleasant  landscape,  which  is  dotted  with  cosy  farm  im- 
provements. 

The  town  has  no  large  streams,  the  drainage  being  afforded  by 
small  brooks,  which  are  tributary  to  West  river,  in  the  southeastern 
part;  Sargent's  river,  in  the  southern  central  part;  Bladen's  brook,  in 
the  southwest,  and  Beacon  Hill  brook,  in  the  northwest.  The  latter 
flows  through  a  narrow  defile,  on  the  north  of  the  hill,  into  the  Nau- 
gatuck, and  its  mill  seats  are  mainly  in  the  town  of  Naugatuck.  On  the 
other  streams  the  power  is  very  feeble. 

Bethany  is  one  of  the  few  towns  which  has  no  railroad  within  its 
bounds,  but  for  50  years  the  Watertown  or  Straits  turnpike  afforded 
comparatively  easy  communication.  It  is  still  one  of  the  main  high- 
ways in  the  northern  and  eastern  parts,  but  for  many  years  has  been 
under  the  care  of  the  town. 

The  territory  in  Bethany  was  included  in  the  purchases  made  from 
the  Indians  in  behalf  of  the  towns  of  New  Haven  and  Milford.  The 
early  settlements,  also,  are  a  part  of  the  history  of  these  towns  and  of 
Woodbridge  and  are  not  here  reproduced.  Some  of  the  principal 
families,  in  the  different  parts  of  the  town,  were:  the  Hotchkiss,  Peck 


312  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  Hitchcock,  in  the  interior  and  southwest;  the  French  and  Louns- 
bnry,  in  the  west;  the  Bradley,  Beard  and  Perkins,  in  the  north;  the 
Tuttle,  Beecher  and  Tolles,  in  the  east;  the  Clark,  Sperry  and  Hitch- 
cock, in  the  south.  The  population  of  the  town  has  steadily  declined, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  official  tables. 

Bethany  was  constituted  a  civil  and  ecclesiastical  district  by  the  gen- 
eral assembly  held  at  New  Haven  in  October,  1762,  which  acted  upon 
the  memorial  of  Joel  Hotchkiss  and  others  living  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  parish  of  Amity.  They  represented  that  by  reason  of  the 
length  of  the  parish,  from  north  to  south,  they  (who  lived  in  the  north- 
ern part)  were  much  inconvenienced  to  attend  public  worship,  on  ac- 
count of  the  great  distance,  and  prayed  that  the  old  parish  be  divided 
by  an  east  and  west  line,  drawn  from  the  south  end  of  the  dwelling  of 
the  widow  Hannah  Sperry.  This  was  done,  and  the  northern  part  was 
constituted  a  distinct  parish,  with  all  the  appertaining  privileges,  and 
received  the  name  of  Bethany. 

Parish  relations  were  sustained  with  New  Haven  and  Milford  until 
the  parishes  of  Amity  and  Bethany  were  incorporated  as  the  town  of 
Woodbridge,  in  1784.  In  May,  1832,  the  parish  of  Bethany  became  a 
separate  town,  the  limits  and  name  remaining  unchanged.  In  1844  a 
part  of  Bethany  was  set  to  Naugatuck,  and  another  part  was  set  off  in 
1871,  to  help  form  Beacon  Falls. 

The  first  town  meeting  of  Bethany  was  held  at  the  Congregational 
meeting  house,  June  11th,  1832,  and  Reuben  Judd  was  the  moderator. 
The  officers  chosen  were:  Town  clerk,  Hezekiah  Thomas;  selectmen, 
Reuben  Judd,  Andrew  Beecher,  Theophilus  Smith,  John  Russell, 
Archibald  A.  Perkins;  constables,  Burr  Perkins,  Leverett  Thomas; 
grand  jurors,  Ebenezer  Piatt,  Jesse  Beecher,  Libbeus  Dickerman,  Abel 
Prince,  Abraham  Hotchkiss;  tythingmen,  Leonard  Todd,  Miles  Hitch- 
cock, Grant  Hitchcock,  Joel  Andrews,  Eli  Terrell,  Ahira  Collins,  Clark 
Hotchkiss,  Major  Lounsbury,  Anon  Atwater,  Lewis  Bishop,  Leverett 
Benham,  Eden  Johnson;  fence  viewers,  Isaac  Hine,  Timothy  Louns- 
bury, Lysias  Beecher,  Abel  Prince,  Elihu  Robinson. 

In  August,  1832,  the  selectmen  of  Woodbridge  and  Bethany  ran 
and  described  the  bounds  between  the  two  towns,  Elihu  Dickerman  as 
county  surveyor  assisting  them.  Those  first  charged  with  the  care  of 
the  roads  were:  Adonijah  French,  Daniel  Russell,  Enos  Perkins,  Abi- 
jah  P.  Judd,  Nathan  Prince,  x\bijah  Chatfield,  Benjamin  M.  Collins, 
Burr  Perkins,  David  Hotchkiss,  Jesse  Beecher,  Amos  Hitchcock,  Jr., 
Ebenezer  Piatt,  Joseph  Bradley,  Eli  Todd,  Marshall  Baldwin,  Oliver 
vS.  Chatfield,  Sidney  Downs  and  John  Wooding. 

The  highways  of  the  town  are  fairly  well  maintained,  at  a  yearly 
expense  of  about  $1,500.  The  total  expenses  of  the  town  approximate 
$5,000  per  year,  requiring  a  tax  of  thirteen  mills  on  the  dollar.  The 
grand  list  of  the  town  has  steadily  decreased  the  past  four  years,  being 
$280,057.62  in  1889. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  313 

Since  the  incorporation  of  Bethany  the  following  have  been  the 
town  clerks:  1832-44,  Hezekiah  Thomas;  1845,  Edwin  Lines;  1846-9, 
Asa  C.  Woodward;  1850-4,  Jason  W.  Bradley;  1855-79,  Nathan  Clark; 
L880-9,  Edwin  N.  Clark. 

In  the  same  period  the  following,  among  others,  have  been  the  se- 
lectmen: Andrew  Beecher,  Harry  French,  Lewis  Lines,  Miles  French, 
P.  B.  Hine,  Enos  Perkins,  Darius  Driver,  Sidney  Sperry,  Justus  Peck, 
Marcus  W.  Bradley,  Edwin  Buckingham,  Henry  E.  Lounsbury,  .Samuel 
G.  Davidson,  E.  O.  Pardee,  Jason  W.  Bradley,  Theophilus  Smith,  Ed- 
win Pardee,  Horace  Tolles,  Anthony  H.  Stoddart,  Abel  Prince,  Lev- 
erett  Shares,  Guy  Perkins,  Dennis  Beecher,  Robert  Clark,  D.  N.  Clark, 
Samuel  R.  Woodward,  Charles  C.  Perkins,  David  Carrington,  Jasper 
B.  Todd.  The  first  selectman  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  Samuel 
R.  Woodward. 

In  1S54  the  probate  district  of  Bethany  was  formed,  and  Jason  W. 
Bradley  was  the  judge.  He  served  until  the  fall  of  1856,  when  An- 
drew Beecher  succeeded  him.  Since  the  fall  of  1863  the  judge  has 
been  Nathan  Clark.  He  is  also  the  commissioner  of  the  superior 
court. 

With  but  little  exception  the  sole  occupation  of  the  people  of  Beth- 
any has  been  agriculture.  .Since  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town 
was  set  off  to  Naugatuck,  which  included  the  best  part  of  Beacon  Hill 
brook,  there  have  remained  but  few  small  water  powers,  some  of  which 
have  been  turned  to  account  in  operating  small  mills.  No  unusual 
manufactories  have  been  carried  on,  except  for  a  few  years,  about 
1845,  when  Hezekiah  Thomas  had  a  pocket-book  factory  at  the  center, 
in  which  he  employed  a  number  of  young  people.  He  also  had  a  small 
store  and  kept  the  Bethany  post  office.  Subsequently  this  was  kept 
by  Wales  F.  Perkins,  at  his  tavern,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town. 
For  ten  years,  after  1855,  the  office  was  kept  by  Nathan  Clark,  at  his 
residence  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town.  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Sperry  next 
was  the  postmistress,  for  fourteen  years,  and  was  succeeded  in  1879 
by  the  present  incumbent,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Hitchcock.  The  mail  supply  is 
daily  from  Westville.  The  office  is  again  kept  at  the  center,  which  is 
a  small  hamlet,  consisting  of  the  Congregational  and  Episcopal 
churches  and  half  a  dozen  residences.  There  is  a  small  green,  which 
will  bear  better  improvement.  The  former  green  was  on  the  hill, 
half  a  mile  south.  This  was  abandoned  when  the  present  Congrega- 
tional meeting  house  was  built. 

Along  the  old  county  road,  which  became  later  the  Straitsville 
turnpike,  and  which  is  still  the  main  highway  between  Naugatuck 
and  New  Haven,  shops,  stores  and  inns  were  early  opened,  and  some 
are  still  continued.  At  Straitsville  was  the  Collins  tavern,  of  excel- 
lent reputation,  and  the  accessories  of  a  country  village,  all  of  which 
have  declined  or  passed  away.  On  the  road  farther  east  Archibald 
Perkins  had  a  tavern,  which  was  kept  prior  to  the  revolution.     It  be- 


314  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

came  widely  known,  and  at  one  time  was  much  patronized  by  trav- 
elers, but  since  1S50  its  business  has  greatly  declined,  ^fter  Perkins 
the  landlords  were  :  his  son,  Guy,  his  grandson,  W.  F.,  Richard  War- 
riss  and  others.  It  is  still  best  known  as  Perkins'  inn.  Here  was 
once  kept  the  Bethany  post  office,  and  usually  there  was  a  small  store. 
Mechanic  shops  are  still  carried  on  in  this  locality.  Those  of  Beecher 
Hotchkiss  at  one  time  employed  a  number  of  men. 

The  old  Woodin  tavern,  nearer  New  Haven,  on  the  pike,  was  kept 
many  years  by  Theophilus  Smith,  but  was  converted  into  a  farm 
house.  In  this  part  of  the  town  Hezekiah  Hitchcock  made  nails  by 
hand,  working  on  a  small  scale. 

Among  the  physicians  who  were  located  in  the  town  are  remem- 
bered Doctor  Hezekiah  Hooker,  who  was  in  the  parish  of  Bethany  in 
the  times  of  the  revolution  and  until  his  death  in  1798.  He  lived  on 
the  old  green,  half  a  mile  south  of  the  present  center,  and  was  a  neigh- 
bor of  the  Reverend  Stephen  Hawley.  Doctor  Jehiel  Castle  was  a 
practitioner  in  the  town  many  years,  also  remaining  until  his  death. 
He  is  interred  in  the  Episcopal  cemetery,  and  was  at  the  time  of  his 
demise  an  aged  man.  Doctor  Andrew  Castle,  his  son,  lived  in  Wood- 
bridge,  but  was  buried  in  Bethany,  about  twenty  years  ago.  He  was 
a  brilliant  man,  a  successful  physician,  and  enjoyed  a  large  practice. 

Some  time  about  1840  Doctor  Lucian  Spencer  became  a  resident  of 
Bethany,  coming  from  Naugatuck,  where  he  had  previously  practiced. 
He  was  a  son-in-law  of  John  Thomas,  Esq.,  and  lived  on  his  old  home- 
stead, where  is  now  the  farm  residence  of  George  Woodward,  a  mile 
north  of  the  center.  One  cold  night  in  February,  1844,  the  house  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  In  it  were  asleep  two  sons  of  Doctor  Spencer,  John 
and  Henry,  aged  12  and  14  years,  whom  it  was  vainly  endeavored  to 
arouse.  In  his  efforts  to  save  them  Doctor  Spencer  entered  a  room, 
where  he  was  caught  by  the  flames,  and  all  three  lost  their  lives.  The 
event  cast  a  sad  gloom  over  the  entire  surrounding  country,  as  Doctor 
Spencer  was  well  known  and  much  esteemed. 

Doctor  AsaC.  Woodward  succeeded  to  the  practice  of  Doctor  Spen- 
cer. He  had  graduated  from  Yale  in  January,  1844,  and  located  in 
Bethany  in  April  the  same  year.  Here  he  abode  until  his  death,  in 
May,  1881,  aged  not  quite  69  years.  He  was  the  last  regular  practi- 
tioner permanently  located  in  the  town,  although  Doctor  Burton  C. 
Case  subsequently  lived  here  a  short  time.  A  son  of  Doctor  Wood- 
ward, Doctor  Edward  P.  Woodward,  was  m  practice  in  Bethany  a  few 
months  in  1861,  when  he  located  in  Bristol. 

The  first  settlers  were  dependent  upon  the  churches  in  New  Haven 
and  Milford  for  spiritual  instruction,  until  the  parish  of  Amity  was 
created,  in  1739.  Over  this  the  Reverend  Benjamin  Woodbridge  was 
settled  as  the  regular  pastor  three  years  later,  and  these  comforts  and 
means  could  now  be  more  readily  enjoyed,  although  the  distance  for 
many  was  still  very  great.     As  the  northern  part  of  Amity  parish  be- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  815 

came  more  thickly  settled,  there  arose  a  desire  for  a  place  of  worship 
in  their  own  locality,  which  soon  after  found  expression  in  petitions  for 
that  object.  But  that  end  was  not  attained  for  a  number  of  years.  It 
was  not  until  October,  1762,  that  the  parish  of  Bethany  was  consti- 
tuted and  a  new  ecclesiastical  society  ordered.  Its  organization  took 
place  November  13th,  1762,  at  a  meeting  over  which  Deacon  Joel 
Hotchkiss  moderated  and  James  Sherman  served  as  clerk.  These 
were  sworn  to  faithfully  attend  to  their  offices  by  Samuel  Sherman, 
Esq.  A  society  committee  was  then  chosen,  consisting  of  Timothy 
Peck,  John  White,  Isaac  Beecher,  Daniel  Tolles  and  Joel  Hotchkiss. 
These  were  prominent,  representative  men,  and  well  calculated  to  set 
on  foot  a  measure  in  which  all  were  so  much  interested.  They  voted 
to  hold  meetings  from  December  until  April,  and  that  there  should  be 
a  tax  levied  of  1^  pence  on  the  pound  of  valuation.  Gershom  Thomas 
was  appointed  collector  of  this  rate.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the 
school  house,  which  the  Amity  society  had  built,  in  1750,  on  the  road 
about  a  mile  south  of  the  present  center,  and  which  was  used  until  the 
first  church  edifice  could  be  occupied.  Apparently  these  winter  meet- 
ings gave  encouragement  to  the  belief  that  a  pastor  could  be  sustained, 
and  in  August,  1763,  Reverend  Stephen  Hawley  was  called  to  that 
office.  He  accepted,  and  on  the  12th  of  October,  1763,  he  was  prop- 
erly ordained  as  the  first  pastor.  At  this  time,  also,  the  church  was 
organized,  but  who  were  the  original  members  cannot,  in  the  absence 
of  proper  records,  be  clearly  determined.  Joel  Hotchkiss  and  John 
White  were  the  deacons,  and  among  other  early  members  or  adher- 
ents of  the  church  were  James  Warren,  Caleb  Tuttle,  Hezekiah  Clark, 
Peter  Perkins,  Reuben  Sperry,  Samuel  Downs,  Jesse  Bradley,  Nehe- 
miah  Tolles,  Thomas  Johnson,  Ebenezer  Bishop,  John  Perkins,  Sam- 
uel Bisco,  John  Lines,  Eliphalet  Johnson,  Joseph  Hotchkiss,  Isaac 
Sperry,  David  Thomas  and  David  French. 

In  1763  the  society  agreed  to  purchase  three  public  lots  of  Nathan 
Sanford,  and  began  agitating  the  propriety  of  building  a  meeting 
house;  but  several  years  elapsed  before  final  action  was  taken.  In  De- 
cember, 1767,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  meeting  house,  40  by  50  feet,  and 
Deacon  Joel  Hotchkiss,  Timothy  Peck,  Daniel  Tolles,  Isaac  Beecher, 
Hezekiah  Clark,  Daniel  Beecher,  Timothy  Ball,  Deacon  John  White, 
Samuel  Bisco  and  Israel  Thomas  were  appointed  "  to  procure  boards, 
clapboards,  shingles,  nails  and  glass  to  build  the  meeting  house  in 
1768."  A  rate  of  four  pence  on  the  pound  was  laid,  and  Benajah  Peck 
was  to  collect  it.  A  delay  of  another  year  followed,  and  we  find 
that,  in  December,  1768,  the  society  again  voted  to  set  up  the  house 
the  next  spring.  The  work  of  building  was  placed  in  charge  of  a 
committee,  which  was  authorized  to  hire  workmen  to  hew  and  score 
timbers,  at  the  rate  of  3  shillings  6  pence  per  day.  The  deacons  were 
charged  with  the  work  of  culling  the  clapboards  and   shingles,  gath- 


316  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ered  for  the  meeting  house,  so  that  none  but  good  material  should  be 
used.     In  March,  1709,  liberty  was  given  to  add  a  belfry. 

In  the  meantime  the  parish  had  been  enlarged  by  the  annexation, 
in  1769,  of  that  part  of  Milford  south  of  the  top  of  Beacon  hill  and  that 
part  of  Derby  lying  between  Bethany,  as  formed,  and  the  Naugatuck 
river.  This  made  the  selection  of  a  site  for  a  meeting  house  more 
difficult.  On  application  for  this  purpose,  the  committee  appointed  by 
the  county  court  set  the  stake  on  the  lands  of  Isaac  Hotchkiss  and  En- 
sign  Clark,  and  Israel  Thomas  and  Isaac  Beecher  were  appointed  to 
purchase  the  land.  But  the  society  demanded  a  vote  on  this  site,  on  the 
hill,  half  a  mile  south  of  the  present  green,  when  29  members  ex- 
pressed themselves  in  favor  of  it,  and  the  following  ten  persons 
claimed  that  it  was  too  far  south,  viz.:  Timothy  Peck,  Titus  Peck,  Jesse 
Bradley,  Uri  Tuttle,  Daniel  Beecher,  Nathaniel  Tuttle,  Ephraim 
Turner,  Charles  Todd,  John  Lounsbury  and  Lemuel  Ward,  all  of 
whom  will  be  recognized  as  residents  of  the  northern  part  of  the  par- 
ish. The  meeting  house  was  so  far  completed  that  it  was  occupied  in 
January.  1770.  but  was  not  wholly  finished  for  a  number  of  years.  In 
1776  the  galleries  were  finished,  and  the  interior  made  more  comfort- 
able. In  1790  the  house  was  repaired  and  painted,  the  committee  for 
this  purpose  being  John  Thomas,  Nathaniel  Tuttle,  Hezekiah  Thomas, 
Lazarus  Tolles  and  Reuben  Sperry.  The  following  year  box  pews 
were  placed  in  the  house.  In  about  that  condition  the  meeting  house 
was  used  for  40  years,  when  it  was  found  necessary  to  build  a  new 
one.  Again  the  question  of  a  site  proved  to  be  a  disturbing  factor, 
and  several  years  were  spent  in  a  fruitless  effort  to  find  one  which 
should  please  all  concerned. 

In  1830  a  committee  was  appointed  to  propose  a  plan  for  a  new 
meeting  house,  whose  report  was  accepted  in  1831,  and  the  following 
appointed  a  committee  to  execute  the  same:  John  Thomas,  Silas 
Hotchkiss,  Elihu  Sanford,  Lewis  Hine  and  Hiram  Hotchkiss.  Elihu 
Robinson,  Demas  Sperry  and  Theophilus  Smith  were  empowered  to  sell 
the  old  green.  The  present  edifice  was  erected  in  1832-3.  In  1866  it 
was  remodelled  at  a  cost  of  more  than  $2,500,  the  interior  being  ma- 
terially changed.  This  was  done  under  the  direction  of  Jason  W. 
Bradley.  William  O.  White  and  Justus  Peck.  In  1885  the  meeting 
house  was  further  beautified,  at  an  outlay  of  $500,  and  was,  in  1890,  a 
pleasant  place  of  worship.  It  has  a  good  location,  at  the  center,  nearly 
opposite  the  Episcopal  church. 

The  Reverend  Stephen  Hawley  was  the  pastor  of  the  church  until 
his  death  in  the  summer  of  1804 — a  period  of  more  than  40  years.  Un- 
der his  ministry  the  church  prospered;  and  if  there  were  any  antago- 
nistic elements  he  had  so  well  succeeded  in  harmonizing  them  that 
there  were  no  marked  discordances.  A  short  time  before  his  decease 
he  was  unable  fully  to  attend  to  his  pastoral  duties,  and  June  6th, 
1804,  the  Reverend  Isaac  Jones,  of  Woodbridge,  was  ordained  as  his 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  817 

colleague.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  young  man  of  ability,  progres- 
sive in  his  ideas,  and  possessed  many  good  parts.  But  he  failed  to 
lead  the  entire  congregation,  and,  it  is  said,  by  disregarding  the  advice 
of  some  of  the  older  members,  in  the  choice  of  a  wife-  from  among 
the  many  comely  maidens  of  the  parish,  incurred  their  ill-will  to  such 
an  extent  that  they  became  positively  opposed  to  him,  and  conjured 
up  many  things  to  embarrass  his  work.  The  unfortunate  feeling 
which  was  thus  created  assumed  such  proportions  that  a  meeting  of 
the  Consociation  was  called  to  adjudicate  the  matter.  As  a  result  of 
its  deliberations,  on  the  18th  of  November,  1806,  that  body  declared 
Mr.  Jones  deposed  from  the  pastoral  office.  But  Mr.  Jones  and  many 
members  of  the  church  were  not  disposed  to  accept  this  interference 
with  what  they  regarded  his  private  rights,  without  protesting,  as  the 
following  record  will  show:  "  In  the  matter  of  complaint  against  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Jones,  some  of  them  preferred  by  Medad  Hotchkiss, 
not  a  member  of  the  church,  the  Consociation  of  the  Western  District 
of  New  Haven  County  was  called  upon  to  act.  Thereupon  after  sev- 
eral days  meeting,  on  the  16th  of  Oct.,  1806,  a  church  meeting  was 
called  which  declared  that  the  church  was  independent  of  the  associa- 
tion." This  report  was  signed  by  Reverend  Isaac  Jones,  moderator 
and  clerk  of  the  meeting;  John  Woodin,  Joseph  Collins,  Eden  John- 
son, Jesse  Beecher,  Jesse  Terrell,  Deacon  Phineas  Terrell,  Deacon 
Hezekiah  Beecher,  Daniel  Tolles,  Moses  Clark,  Joel  Hine,  Amos 
Hotchkiss,  Bezaleel  Peck  and  Joel  Andrews. 

The  church  being  thus  divided  into  two  strong  factions,  practically 
became  disrupted,  and  for  several  years  religious  services  were  sus- 
pended. Mr.  Jones  and  many  of  his  adherents  became  Episcopalians, 
and  the  organization  of  the  Congregational  society  was  not  legally 
maintained.  Upon  complaint  to  the  proper  authorities  notice  was 
served  that  the  parish  privileges  would  be  forfeited  unless  officers  of 
the  society  were  duly  elected.  Accordingly  a  meeting  was  legally 
warned,  in  1809,  and  officers  were  elected  anew,  namely:  Clerk  and 
treasurer,  Timothy  Hitchcock;  committee,  John  Thomas,  Medad 
Hotchkiss,  Isaac  Hotchkiss,  Jabez  Hitchcock  and  Jesse  Atwater;  col- 
lector, Joel  Hotchkiss;  bank  committee,  Demas  Sperry,  John  Terrell, 
Silas  Hotchkiss,  Jesse  Bradley. 

A  church  bank  or  fund  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  was  started  as 
early  as  1763,  and  not  many  years  after  Deacon  Isaac  Johnson  left  a 
legacy  which  was  placed  in  its  care.  Under  the  quickening  influence 
of  the  new  organization,  it  was  purposed  in  December,  1809,  to  raise 
the  fund  to  $5,000  and  place  the  disposition  of  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
bank  committee.  John  Thomas  was  the  largest  subscriber,  being 
pledged  for  $700;  Elihu  Sanford   for  $250,  and  the    subscribers   for 

*  Mr.  Jones,  like  a  true  lover,  preferred  to  marry  the  girl  of  his  own  choice, 
and  secured  a  most  amiable  wife  in  the  person  of  the  Miss  Thomas,  to  whom  he 
was  wedded. 


318  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

smaller  amounts  were:  Joel  Hotchkiss,  Isaac  Hotchkiss,  Jabez  Hitch- 
cock, Jesse  Atwater,  Demas  Sperry,  Timothy  Hitchcock,  Joel  Hotch- 
kiss, William  Andrews,  Silas  Hotchkiss,  Amos  Hitchcock,  Seymour 
Hotchkiss,  Sheldon  Hotchkiss,  Elam  Sperry,  Jesse  Terrell,  Chilson 
Sperry,  Harvey  Hotchkiss,  Jacob  Hotchkiss,  John  Nettleton,  John 
Terry,  Elias  Hotchkiss,  Isaac  Clark,  David  Perkins,  Chauncey  Tolles, 
Joseph  Bradley,  Eunice  Sperry,  Richard  Stone,  Ruth  Lines,  Eli  Hitch- 
cock, Medad  Hotchkiss.  Robert  Clark,  Alvan  Sperry,  Ebenezer  D. 
Thomas,  Zedekiah  Hotchkiss,  Zacheus  Hotchkiss,  Timothy  Beecher, 
David  Atwater,  Amos  Wilmot,  John  Wilmot  and  Valentine  Wilmot. 
The  fund  has  been  augmented  from  time  to  time  by  subscriptions  and 
bequests,  until,  in  1890,  it  amounted  to  about  $8,000.  The  fund  com- 
mittee was  last  composed  of  Henry  F.  Peck,  A.  C.  Rosha  and  Ransom 
Hitchcock;  James  Megin  was  the  clerk  of  the  society,  and  E.  N.  Clark 
the  secretary. 

The  society  having  been  placed  upon  a  more  substantial  footing 
by  its  complete  reorganization  and  the  proceeds  of  the  foregoing 
fund,  again  secured  a  regular  pastor.  August  22d,  1810,  the  Reverend 
Nathan  G.  Huntingdon  was  installed  and  continued  until  1823.  The 
following  year  Reverend  Abraham  Ailing  became  the  minister,  and 
was  followed  by  Reverend  Ephraim  Swift.  From  November  7th, 
1832,  until  June  17th,  1834,  the  pastor  was  Reverend  Jairus  Wilcox; 
August,  1834,  until  June  7th,  1836,  John  B.  Kendall.  After  this  there 
were  many  other  ministers — stated  and  irregular  supplies — among 
them  being  about  1840,  Samuel  Clark;  1843,  D.  B.  Butts;  1849,  F.  Har- 
rison; 1855,  E.  W.  Robinson;  and,  subsequently,  John  Churchill,  Wil- 
liam N.  Belden,  Ira  Smith,  Augustus  Smith,  Seth  C.  Bruce,  William 
S.  Woodruff  and  students  from  the  Divinity  School  of  Yale  College. 
From  Bethany  have  gone  as  Congregational  ministers  John  Thomas 
Andrews  and  Israel  Perkins  Warren,  D.D. 

Besides  those  already  named  as  deacons,  Jabez  Hitchcock  and 
Jesse  Bradley  served  in  that  capacity  in  1823.  Some  time  about  1829 
Clark  Hotchkiss  was  elected,  and  was  still  a  deacon  in  1890,  although 
unfitted  by  his  great  age  for  active  service.  In  187S  David  A.  Louns- 
bury  was  elected;  and  in  1883  Thomas  Horsfall.  The  church  has 
about  50  members. 

Some  of  the  first  records  of  Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  are 
lost  or  mislaid,  which  prevents  giving  a  complete  account  of  the  early 
history.  From  contemporary  accounts-  it  appears  that  the  churchmen 
in  the  parish  of  Bethany  desired  to  build  a  house  of  worship  as  early 
as  1783,  and  that  in  the  furtherance  of  that  object  Timothy  Peck, 
Timothy  Ball  and  Isaac  Beecher  were  appointed  a  committee  by  the 
parish  society  "  to  assist  in  finding  a  place  to  set  a  church  on,  and  lib- 
erty is  given  to  said  churchmen  to  have  any  place  near  the  meeting 
house  they  could  get  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Dr.  Hooker's  lot." 

*The  records  of  the  Congregational  church. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  319 

This  place  was  not  selected,  but  some  time  thereafter  a  small  and  ex- 
ceedingly plain  church  was  built  on  a  lot  a  mile  east  of  the  present 
edifice,  and  a  fourth  of  a  mile  west  of  the  old  turnpike.  The  place  is 
still  called  the  "  church  corner,"  and  is  the  property  of  D.G.David- 
son. The  organization  of  a  church  and  the  formation  of  a  parish  be- 
fore 1800  followed,  and  after  the  difficulty  with  the  Reverend  Isaac 
Jones,  in  the  Congregational  church,  he  and  many  others  of  that  body 
became  Episcopalians.  At  that  time  Christ  church  received  such  an 
impetus  that  it  has,  in  many  respects,  been  the  principal  religious  body 
in  the  town  ever  since.  In  consequence  it  was  possible  to  build  a 
larger  church,  more  centrally  located,  and  to  determine  the  center  of 
the  town,  regardless  of  the  old  green  on  the  hill.  This  house  was 
built  in  1810  by  means  secured  by  subscriptions,  and  by  labor  donated. 
An  application  was  also  made  to  the  assembly  for  permission  to  raise 
$],()()()  by  a  lottery  scheme,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  anything  was 
realized  by  that  project,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  church  was  built 
without  that  questionable  aid.  In  1875  the  church  was  thoroughly  re- 
paired inside  and  outside,  at  an  outlay  of  $2,000.  In  1S85  a  pipe  organ 
was  purchased,  costing  $1,000,  and  the  building  still  more  repaired. 
The  building  is  a  shapely  frame,  surmounted  by  a  spire,  in  which  is  a 
good  bell.     There  is  also  a  good  rectory. 

The  Reverend  William  A.  Curtis  was  a  minister  of  the  church  in 
1813,  and  after  the  Reverend  Isaac  Jones,  Jr.,  became  a  churchman  he 
was  called  to  minister  in  spiritual  things.  He  was  the  minister  many 
years,  and  the  parish  under  his  care  contained  many  families.  In  1830 
there  were  126  families,  prominent  among  them  being  those  of  An- 
drew Beach,  Beri  E.  Beecher,  William  Burnham,  Edward  Bucking- 
ham, Oliver  Buckingham,  Hezekiah  Brown,  Doctor  Jehiel  Castle,  Rus- 
sell Chatfield,  Henry  A.  Carrington,  Darius  Driver,  Jesse  A.  Doolittle, 
Charles  French,  Harry  French,  Asaph  French,  Eber  Hotchkiss,  George 
Hotchkiss,  Hai-ley  Hotchkiss,  Archibald  Perkins,  A.  A.  Perkins,  Guy 
Perkins,  Abel  Prince,  Edwin  Pardee,  Levi  Marks,  Ezra  S.Sperry.Enos 
Sperry,  Hezekiah  Thomas,  Seymour  Tuttle,  Charles  S.  Tuttle  and 
Henry  A.  Smith.  From  the  foregoing  families  and  those  descended 
from  them  much  of  the  present  membership  is  derived.  In  1890  there 
were  61  families,  having  190  individuals;  and  the  registered  commu- 
nicants numbered  86.  The  official  members  were:  Wardens,  Noyes 
Wheeler,  Jasper  B.  Todd;  vestrymen,  Samuel  G.  Davidson,  Samuel 
R.Woodward  and  Theron  E.  Allen;  clerk,  George  B  Hotchkiss;  treas- 
urer, Ernest  Hotchkiss. 

Among  the  rectors  and  ministers  of  the  church  have  been,  since 
1840:  Reverend  Isaac  Jones;  1842-6,  F.  B.  Woodward;  1846-8,  Dexter 
Potter;  1848-52,  Henry  Zell;  1853,  John  M.  Guion;  1854-5,  Henry 
Townsend;  1855,  Charles  J.  Todd;  1856-8,  James  Adams;  1858-63,  F. 
B.  Woodward;  1864-8,  H.  S.  Atwater;  1869-74,  Martin  Moody;  1875 
•80,  C.  W.  Colton;  1881-7,  Lewis  F.  Morris;  1887-9,  Walter  D.  Hum- 
phrey. 


320  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  church  has  a  supporting  fund  of  $4,500,  bequeathed  by  Anson 
Perkins,  $2,000;  Dwight  E.  Todd,  $1,000;  Leonard  Todd,  $500;  Juliana 
Bradley,  $500;  and  Hannah  Beecher,  $500. 

In  connection  with  these  old  parishes  schools  were  established  and 
maintained  to  the  extent  of  the  ability  of  the  people  of  those  times. 
In  1750  ,£30  was  expended  in  building  the  first  school  house  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  parish;  and  in  1780  one  was  built  in  the  northern 
part.  In  1890  the  town  had  an  interest  in  six  districts,  having  from  24 
to  34  weeks  of  school,  which  were  maintained  at  an  outlay  of  about 
$1,200. 

About  1800  considerable  freedom  of  opinion  on  religious  matters 
prevailed.  There  was,  also,  as  has  been  stated,  much  disaffection  in 
the  Congregational  church,  which  caused  many  persons  to  leave,  to 
seek  more  harmonious  fellowship.  Hence,  when  a  class  of  Methodists 
was  formed,  in  the  western  part  of  the  town,  it  had  an  active  support 
which  it  would  not  otherwise  have  received,  and  for  a  few  years  pros- 
pered to  an  unusual  degree.  The  removal  of  a  number  of  people  from 
the  town,  after  1820,  and  a  better  condition  in  the  established  church, 
weakened  the  class,  and  it  was  not  permanently  maintained.  Among 
the  members  were  some  of  the  French,  Lounsbury  and  Wheeler  fam- 
ilies. In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  also,  the  doctrines  of  the  Meth- 
odists received  early  acceptance,  which  resulted,  later,  in  the  building 
of  a  house  of  worship  for  that  denomination.  The  meeting  house  is 
on  the  old  New  Haven  road,  southeast  of  the  center.  It  is  a  plain 
frame,  resting  on  a  brick  basement,  put  up  at  a  cost  of  $1,200,  and  was 
dedicated  in  August,  1841.  There  are  sittings  in  the  main  room  for 
200  people,  and  in  1890  the  house  was  in  fair  order.  Part  of  the  lot 
on  which  it  stands  is  devoted  to  burial  purposes,  in  which  interments 
were  made  prior  to  the  building  of  the  church.  The  trustees  in  1890 
were:  Jerome  A.  Downs,  Allen  Lounsbury,  Thomas  H.  Brooks,  Sher- 
rill  Brooks,  D.  B.  Hoadley,  William  H.  Lounsbury  and  Benajah 
Tuttle. 

Among  the  first  Methodists  in  this  locality  are  remembered  Joel 
Andrews,  George  F.  Peck,  Philo  Sanford  and  members  of  their  fam- 
ilies. In  1890  there  were  25  members — a  smaller  number  than  a  dozen 
years  ago.  This  church  and  the  one  atWestville  have  for  many  years 
constituted  a  charge,  having  a  minister  in  common.  The  principal 
appointees  have  been  the  following:  1828,  Reverend  N.  Kellogg;  1836, 

A.  S.  Francis;  1837-8,  J.  Bowen;  1840-1,  Charles  W.  Chapman;  1848-9, 

B.  Pillsbury;  1850-1,  C.  F.  Mallory;  1852-3,  J.  B.  Merrone;  1854-5,  F.  B. 
Chandler;  1856,  G.  S.  Gilbert;  1857-8,  G.  Stillman;  1859-60,  J.  M.  Car- 
roll; 1861-2,  W.  Lawrence;  1863-5,  W.  H.  Warded;  1866,  C.  H.  Buck; 
1867-8,  John  Dickinson  ;  1869-70,  J.  A.  Dean;  1871-3,  J.  E.  Richards; 
1874,  T.  D.  Littlewood;  1875-7,  W.  D.  Thompson;  187S-80,  J.  M.  Car- 
roll; 1881-3,  S.  K.  Smith;  1884,  G.  L.  Thompson;  1885,  A.  Hulead; 
1886-8,  C.  W.  Fordham;  1889,  A.  McNicholl. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  321 

The  cemeteries  are  small  places  of  burial  in  the  Lounsbury  neigh- 
borhood, in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town;  in  the  Carrington 
neighborhood,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town;  at  the  Methodist 
church,  in  the  eastern  part;  and  in  the  Sperry  neighborhood,  in  the 
southeast.  Most  of  these  were  established  for  local  convenience,  and 
some  of  them  have  been  used  only  to  a  limited  extent.  The  most  in- 
terest centers  around  the  ancient  cemetery.  This  is  more  than  a 
mile  south  of  the  churches,  and  is  located  on  a  dry,  sandy  side  hill. 
Being  removed  from  the  main  highways,  it  appears  somewhat  iso- 
lated. The  area  is  more  than  an  acre,  which  is  enclosed  with  a  good 
stone  fence,  and  the  ground  is  fairly  kept.  Here  are  the  graves  of 
some  of  the  oldest  families  in  the  present  town.  Among  the  head- 
stones may  be  seen  several  whose  inscriptions  have  become  obliter- 
ated by  age.  Others  have  a  modern  appearance  and  were  more  re- 
cently put  up  by  descendants  of  the  deceased.  The  one  marking  the 
grave  of  Reverend  Stephen  Hawley,the  first  pastor  of  the  church,  was 
put  up  by  the  congregation,  on  its  first  centennial  anniversary,  Octo- 
ber 12th,  1863.     He  died  July  17th,  1804,  aged  66  years. 

The  cemetery  adjoining  the  lot  of  the  Episcopal  church  is  spacious, 
neatly  enclosed,  and  contains  a  number  of  fine  monuments.  The  place 
presents  an  attractive  appearance.  Since  1851  it  has  been  under  the 
care  and  control  of  the  "  Union  Burial  Association,"  which  took  the 
old  ground  and  enlarged  and  improved  the  same.  In  1890  the  princi- 
pal officers  of  this  association  were:  President,  Dwight  L.  Johnson; 
treasurer,  Samuel  R.  Woodward;  and  secretary,  George  B.  Hotchkiss. 
This  may  be  considered  the  principal  place  of  interment,  and  it  is  well 
managed. 

One  of  the  most  stirring  incidents  in  the  history  of  the  county 
during  the  revolution  occurred  in  Bethany.  Along  the  Naugatuck 
lived  many  adherents  of  the  British  crown.  Their  opinions  were 
made  more  steadfast  because  of  a  belief  that  their  religious  obliga- 
tions demanded  that  they  should  be  royalists.  They  were  churchmen 
and  their  societies  were  established  or  supported  by  the  "  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,"  which  required  of 
those  aided  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  British  rule.  Religious  duty  was 
stronger  than  feelings  of  patriotism,  provoked  by  oppressive  rule.  In 
this  they  were  no  exception  to  many  other  communities  in  other  parts 
of  the  country,  and  many  were  really  blameless  in  their  purposes. 
Bethany,  it  appears,  was  so  far  removed  from  the  course  of  the  armies 
as  to  be  free  from  predatory  incursions.  This  effected  a  sense  of  se- 
curity which  induced  some  families  to  take  up  their  residence  in  the 
parish,  in  preference  to  their  old  homes,  where  life  and  property  were 
less  secure.  Among  the  new  residents  was  Captain  Ebenezer  Dayton, 
who  had  been  a  merchant  at  Brook  Haven,  Long  Island,  where  he  was 
also  interested  in  an  American  privateersman.  He  had  amassed  much 
property  in  trade,  and  by  the  latter  means,  which  made  his  stay  in 
21 


322  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Long  Island  perilous.  Hence  he  brought  his  family  and  movable 
effects  to  Bethany.  He  secured  a  house  on  the  old  "  green,"  where 
was,  also,  besides  the  church,  the  houses  of  Reverend  Stephen  Hawley 
and  Doctor  Hooker.  The  movements  of  Captain  Dayton  appear  to 
have  been  known  to  his  tory  neighbors  on  Long  Island,  and  the  fact 
of  his  having  so  much  money  probably  awakened  their  cupidity  to 
such  an  extent  that  a  plan  was  laid  to  capture  it  at  the  new  home. 
Alexander  Graham  was  entrusted  with  the  details  of  this  movement. 
He  secured  a  commission  for  such  an  expedition  from  General  Howe, 
the  British  commander,  and  set  out  to  execute  it.  Going  to  old  Derby 
about  the  middle  of  March,  1780,  he  stopped  at  the  tavern  of  Turell 
Whittemore,  which  stood  on  a  bluff  a  mile  below  where  is  now  Sey- 
mour. Here  he  unfolded  his  plans  to  some  tory  sympathizers,  showed 
his  commission,  and  asked  them  to  enlist.  He  succeeded  in  forming 
a  company  of  six  persons,  and  on  Tuesday  night,  March  14th,  1780, 
they  left  their  rendezvous  for  Bethany.  At  the  time  of  the  raid  Cap- 
tain Dayton  was  away  in  Boston,  and  Mrs.  Phebe  Dayton,  her  three 
small  children  and  two  negro  slave  children  were  the  only  inmates  of 
the  house.  A  little  after  midnight  Graham  and  his  company,  who  were 
well  armed,  forced  their  way  into  the  house,  bound  Mrs.  Dayton  and 
prevented  her  from  making  an  outcry. 

They  deliberately  ransacked  the  house  for  the  next  two  hours,  and 
destroyed  some  property  which  they  could  not  carry  with  them.  In 
all  they  secured  in  gold,  silver,  bonds,  notes  and  other  valuables  about 
.£5,000  worth  of  property.  Hastily  leaving  the  Dayton  mansion,  at 
about  two  o'clock  at  night,  they  passed  Perkins'  tavern  to  Salem  Bridge 
(now  Naugatuck),  on  their  way  to  Gunntown,  near  which  place  some 
of  the  foragers  lived.  On  the  way,  near  Naugatuck,  they  passed  a 
young  man,  19  years  of  age,  named  Chauncy  Judd,  who  was  just  re- 
turning home  from  a  visit  to  his  sweetheart.  Judd  recognized  some 
of  them  as  his  neighbors,  and  fearing  he  would  expose  them,  they  took 
him  along.  Proceeding  beyond  Gunntown,  they  were  secreted  several 
days  at  the  David  Wooster,  Sr.,  mansion,  still  standing,  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  Middlebury.  The  robbery  of  the  Dayton  house  and 
the  mysterious  disappearance  of  Chauncy  Judd,  created  intense  ex- 
citement in  that  part  of  the  country,  which  was  increased  by  the  fact 
that  the  whigs  and  tories  were  here  pretty  evenly  divided.  From  Da- 
vid Wooster's  the  robbers  fled  to  the  tavern  of  Captain  John  Wooster, 
in  the  southern  part  of  Oxford,  which  stood  near  his  celebrated  "  Deer 
Park."  Near  by  they  were  secreted  a  day  and  a  night,  when  they  fled 
to  Derby,  where  they  took  a  boat  and  quickly  rowed  down  the  river. 
By  this  time  they  were  discovered  and  were  pursued  by  horsemen  on 
the  shore,  but  succeeded  in  reaching  the  sound  ahead  of  them.  They 
reached  Long  Island  in  safety,  but  the  following  night  all  but  one, 
who  escaped  by  jumping  out  of  the  window,  were  captured  by  pur- 
suing parties,  who  crossed  the  sound  in  whale  boats,  commanded  by 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  323 

Captains  William  Clarke  and  James  Harvey.  They  recovered  the 
stolen  goods  and  released  Chauncy  Judd  and  restored  him  to  his 
parents.  The  robber  leader,  Graham,  was  found  to  be  a  deserter 
from  the  continental  army,  and  was  sent  to  Morristown,  where  a  court 
martial  condemned  him  to  be  executed. 

"  The  others  (the  five  under  Graham)  were  put  on  trial  in  the  su- 
perior court  of  New  Haven,  with  David  Wooster,  Sr.,  Noah  Candee, 
Daniel  Johnson,  William  Seeley,  Francis  Noble  and  Lemuel  Wooding 
(Whittemore's  barkeeper).  Two  of  the  accused,  Scott  and  Cady,  were 
allowed  to  turn  state's  evidence.  All  the  others  were  found  guilty. 
David  Wooster,  Henry  Wooster,  Jr.,  and  Samuel  Doolittle  (principals 
in  the  expedition)  were  each  sentenced  to  a  fine  of  £50  and  imprison- 
ment for  four  years,  in  the  Newgate  state  prison.*  Noah  Candee  and 
David  Wooster,  Sr.,  were  fined  each  £500  and  imprisoned  nine  months 
in  Hartford  jail.  Daniel  Johnson  was  fined  £250  and  imprisoned  nine 
months.  Francis  Noble  was  fined  £50  and  imprisoned  one  year. 
William  Seeley  was  fined  £25  and  imprisoned  nine  months.  Lemuel 
Wooding  was  fined  £25  and  imprisoned  six  months.  In  addition,  Cap- 
tain Dayton  recovered  heavy  damages  in  civil  suits  against  the  differ- 
ent parties,  amounting  to  several  thousand  pounds.  Mr.  Judd  also 
recovered  £800  from  the  robbers  and  their  accessories  for  damages  to 
his  son.  This  summary  punishment  was  as  discouraging  to  the  tories 
of  the  vicinity  as  it  was  encouraging  to  the  struggling  patriots.''^ 

It  may  be  proper  to  add  in  this  connection  that  Chauncy  Judd 
married  his  sweetheart  and  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  Nauga- 
tuck.  The  other  parties  in  this  affair  continued  after  the  war,  as  they 
were  before  these  troublous  times,  to  be  leading  men  in  their  several 
communities,  and  preserved  the  respect  of  their  fellow  citizens.  In 
several  cases  their  confiscated  property  was  restored  by  acts  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly. 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

Azariah  Andrew,  born  in  Bethany  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  Job  and 
grandson  of  William  Andrew.  Job  Andrew  was  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812.  He  represented  the  town  of  Bethany  in  the  legislature  one 
year.  He  married  Lois  Prince.  Their  children  were:  Maria,  Jere- 
miah, Azariah,  Nathan  and  Eliza.  Azariah  Andrew  married  Sarah  A. 
Pardee  in  1856.  Their  children  are:  Fannie,  born  1S58;  Mary  E.,born 
I860;  Noyes,  born  1857;  and  John  D.,  born  1861.  Fannie  married  John 
Early,  and  Mary  E.  married  M.  S.  Burgess. 

Russell  M.  Beach,  born  in  Bethany  in  1830,  is  a  son  of  Roger  M., 
and  grandson  of  Jason  Beach.  Roger  M.  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Moses  Russell.  Mr.  Beach  is  a  farmer,  and  most  of  his  life  has  been 
spent  in  Bethany.     He  was  married  in  1852  to  Eliza  B.,  daughter  of 

*  Barber  says  they  escaped  and  fled  to  Nova  Scotia. 

t  Sharped  History  of  Seymour,  p.  147. 


324  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Stephen  Anthony,  of  Meriden.  Their  children  are:  Dencie,  born 
1854,  married  James  Cahoun;  Elsie,  born  1858,  died  1869;  Mary,  born 
1860,  died  1874;  Elmer  J.,  born  1862,  and  Lizzie  A.,  born  1866. 

Allen  C.  Beard,  born  in  Milford,  Conn.,  in  1S13,  is  a  son  of  Colonel 
Andrew  Beard  and  Nancy  Camp.  His  grandfather  was  also  named  An- 
drew Beard.  Allen  C.  learned  the  shoemaker  trade  and  worked  at  it 
several  years.  He  came  to  Bethany  in  1844,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided, engaged  in  farming  and  working  at  his  trade.  He  was  married 
in  1840  to  Abigail,  daughter  of  William  Smith,  of  Milford.  Their 
children  were:  Abigail  A.,  born  1840;  Susan  A.,  born  1842;  Marian  C; 
Andrew  A.,  born  1848;  Kate  S.,  born  1850;  Sarah  M.,  born  1853;  Flora 
G.,  born  1855;  and  William,  born  1858.  All  are  living  but  William. 
Abigail  A.  married  Dennis  Smith;  Susan  A.  married  William  Louns- 
bury;  Marian  C.  married  Caleb  Smith;  Kate  S.  married  Arthur  J.  Lacy; 
Sarah  M.  married  Zeri  Beach.  Mr.  Beard  is  a  member  of  Bethany 
Presbyterian  church.     His  wife  died  in  1870. 

David  Burnham,  the  first  of  his  family  to  settle  in  New  Haven 
county,  came  from  England  and  settled  in  East  Haven,  and  later  in 
Bethany,  then  a  part  of  Woodbridge.  He  married  Martha  Barker  for 
his  first  wife.  For  his  second  he  married  Mrs.  Rachel  Luddington, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Tuttle.  Their  children  were:  James,  Will- 
iam and  Martha.  James  married  Lois  Johnson.  Martha  married 
John  Mansfield.  William  married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Ami  Hoadley, 
and  their  children  were:  Adaline,  David  A.,  Emeline,  Martha,  Mar- 
garet and  Sarah  J.  Margaret  Burnham  married  George  L.  Woodruff, 
son  of  Merritt  Woodruff.  Their  children  are:  Mary  S.,  married  to 
Charles  E.  Ball,  and  Georgiana  L.,  married  to  Ellis  O.  Warner.  Will- 
iam Burnham  was  born  June  11th,  1795,  and  died  July  29th,  1882. 
Harriet,  his  wife,  was  born  October  20th,  1794,  and  died  March  2d, 
1887. 

Abram  E.  Carrington,  born  in  1829,  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  grand- 
son of  David  Carrington.  Daniel  was  a  blacksmith,  and  all  his  boys 
were  engaged  in  farming.  Daniel  Carrington  married  Rachel  A.  Dor- 
man,  of  Hamden.  Their  children  were:  David,  Albert,  Abram,  Eliza, 
.Sarah  and  Emily.  Abram  E.  Carrington  was  married  in  1857  to  Sarah 
Pritchard.  Their  children  were:  Ida,  Charles  and  Ella.  For  his  sec- 
ond wife  he  married  Mary  J.  Patterson,  of  Naugatuck.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Otis,  Burton,  Henry,  Rachel,  Hiram  and  Ralph.  From  about 
1847  to  1870  Mr.  Carrington  resided  in  Seymour,  and  since  that  time 
in  Bethany. 

Henry  A.  Carrington,  born  in  Bethany  in  1808,  was  a  son  of  Allen 
and  grandson  of  Abraham  Carrington.  Allen  married  for  his  first 
wife  Hulda  Allen.  They  had  two  children,  Emily  and  Nehemiah. 
His  second  wife  was  Nancy  Atwood.  Their  children  were:  J.  Ben- 
nett, William,  Henry  A.,  Edward,  Charles  and  George.  William  is 
the  only  one  living.     J.  Bennett   Carrington  was  editor  of  the  New 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  325 

Haven  Journal  and  Courier  for  many  years.  Henry  A.  Carrington  re- 
sided in  Bethany.  He  married,  in  1832,  Samantha  Tolles,  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  granddaughter  of  Daniel  Tolles.  They  had  four  children; 
Edward  H..  who  married  Fannie  E.  Lounsbury;  Mary  S.,who  married 
Wales  H.  French;  Josephine,  married  for  her  first  husband  H.  W. 
Beecher,  and  for  the  second  Hagot  Bogigian;  and  Justine,  married 
Frank  L.  Coe.     Henry  A.  Carrington  died  in  1855. 

Ransom  Chatfield,  born  in  Seymour  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Joel  R.  and 
Mary  (Tomlinson)  Chatfield,  and  grandson  of  Joel  Chatfield,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Humphreysville,  having  a  saw  and  grist 
mill  there.  Joel  R.  Chatfield's  children  were:  Clark,  Lucinda,  John, 
Edwin,  Ransom,  Hiram,  Mary,  Joel  and  Charlotte,  living;  and  Hattie, 
deceased.  Ransom  Chatfield  has  resided  in  Bethany  since  1871.  He 
married  Sarah  L.  Gilyard  in  1806.  They  have  two  children:  Benja- 
min N.  and  Bernice  M. 

Nathan  Clark,  born  in  that  part  of  Woodbridge  now  Bethany,  in 
1824,  is  a  son  of  Isaac  and  grandson  of  Isaac,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  Milford,  Conn.  Isaac  Clark,  the  father  of  Nathan,  married 
Esther,  daughter  of  Deacon  Joseph  Treat,  descended  from  Robert 
Treat,  who  was  lieutenant-governor  of  the  state  of  Connecticut  17  years, 
and  governor  15  years.  Isaac  Clark  held  the  office  of  selectman  of 
the  old  town  of  Woodbridge  for  eight  years  in  succession.  Nathan 
Clark  was  elected  town  clerk  and  treasurer  of  Bethany  in  1855,  and 
held  those  offices  continuously  until  1881.  He  was  elected  probate 
judge  in  1862,  and  has  held  the  office  continuously  since  that  date.  He 
was  also  postmaster  of  Bethany  for  eight  years.  Mr.  Clark  was  mar- 
ried in  1843,  to  Sarah  L.  Lounsbury.  Their  children  are:  Emma  S., 
born  1844,  and  Edwin  N.,  born  1851.  Emma  S.  married  Pearl  P. 
Sperry.  Their  children  are:  Isidore  S.,  Belle  E.,  Pearl  P.  and  Harold 
C.  Edwin  N.  Clark  was  married  in  1874,  to  Hannah  Basham.  Their 
children  are:  Eugene  F.,  Walter  E.,  Lena  B.,  Ruby  B.  and  Frank  J. 
Edwin  N.  Clark  succeeded  his  father  as  town  clerk  and  treasurer,  and 
has  held  those  offices  since. 

Andrew  J.  Doolittle,  born  in  Bethany  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Isaac,  and 
grandson  of  Reuben  Doolittle.  Isaac  Doolittle  married  Urusula, 
daughter  of  Ami  Hoadley,  of  Bethany.  Their  children  were:  Andrew 
J  ,  Ellen  S.,  Mary  and  Luther.  Luther  enlisted  in  the  10th  Connecti- 
cut Regiment,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Kingston,  N.  C.  Ellen 
S.  (deceased)  married  George  Dorman;  Mary  J.  (deceased)  married  Heze- 
kiah  Lindsley.  Andrew  J.  was  married  in  1870,  to  Josephine,  daugh- 
ter of  Benjamin  Bishop,  of  Woodbridge.  They  had  one  son,  Arthur 
H.  Doolittle.  Mrs.  Doolittle  died  several  years  ago.  Mr,  Doolittle 
served  nine  months  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  Company  H,  23d 
Connecticut  Regiment.  He  is  a  member  of  Admiral  Foote  Post,  No. 
17,  G.  A.  R.,  of  New  Haven.  He  was  elected  representative  in  1888, 
and  has  also  been  assessor  and  selectman. 


326  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Dennis  W.  Doolittle,  born  in  Hamden,  Conn.,  in  1843,  is  a  son  of 
Bennett  and  Minerva  (Warner)  Doolittle,  grandson  of  Reuben,  and 
great-grandson  of  Caleb  Doolittle,  all  residents  of  Hamden.  Caleb  is 
supposed  to  have  removed  from  Wallingford  and  settled  in  Hamden. 
Dennis  W.  Doolittle  kept  a  grocery  store  at  Mt.  Carmel,  Conn.,  for 
a  short  time,  and  in  New  Haven  for  about  15  years.  He  was  engaged 
in  the  coal  and  wood  business  there  for  several  years.  He  settled  in 
Bethany  in  18S4,  and  in  1886  opened  a  grocery  store  there,  being  also 
engaged  in  farming.  He  was  married  in  1867,  to  Evelina  I.,  daugh- 
ter of  Philos  Dorman.  The}'  had  no  children.  For  his  second  wife 
he  married,  in  1878,  Rosa  N.  Dorman,  sister  of  his  first  wife.  Their 
children  are:  Cleveland  B.,  born  1884,  and  Warren  P.,  born  1885. 

Denzil  B.  Hoadley,  born  in  Bethany  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  Garry  and 
Lucy  (Doolittle)  Hoadley,  and  grandson  of  Ami  Hoadley,  both  of 
whom  were  residents  of  Bethany.  Ami  Hoadley  built  a  grist  mill  in 
Bethany,  which  has  been  run  by  his  son  and  grandson  up  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  Garry  Hoadley  had  two  children,  Denzil  B.  and  Harriet  A., 
who  married  Frederic  Warner.  Denzil  B.,  besides  conducting  a  saw 
and  grist  mill,  is  also  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  is  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. He  was  married  in  1865,  to  Anna  J.,  daughter  of  William  Moak- 
ley.  There  were  born  to  them  four  children:  George  T.,  born  1875, 
died  1890;  Edwin  D.,  born  1877;  Jessie  L.,  born  1881,  died  1S83;  and 
Hattie  J.,  born  1886.  Mr.  Hoadley  is  a  member  of  Bethany  M.  E. 
church.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in  1881  on  the  democratic 
ticket. 

Garry  B.  Johnson,  born  in  Humphreysville  (now  Seymour)  in  1817, 
is  a  son  of  Garry,  whose  father,  Ebenezer  B.,  was  a  son  of  Asahel,  who 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Humphreysville.  Ebenezer  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  war  of  1812.  Garry  Johnson  married  Harriet,  daughter  of 
David  Hotchkiss.  Garry  B.  Johnson  settled  in  Bethany  in  1855,  and 
is  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  selectman  and 
grand  juror  several  terms,  and  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  in  1873 
and  in  1874.  In  1841  he  married  Huldah,  daughter  of  Reuben  Doo- 
little, of  Hamden.  Their  children  were:  Frances  (deceased),  Dwight 
L.,  Frances  (deceased),  Frank  B.  (deceased)  and  Frank.  He  married 
for  his  second  wife,  in  1871,  Polly,  widow  of  Nehemiah  Tclles.  Frank 
B.  Johnson  married  Belinda  Atwood.  Dwight  L.  was  married  in  1874, 
to  Harriet  Wellman.  They  have  three  children  living:  Treat,  Walter 
and  Edgar.     Mr.  Johnson  represented  the  town  in  18S6. 

William  H.  Lounsbury,  2d,  born  in  Oxford  in  1833,  is  a  son  of 
Crownage,  and  grandson  of  Jaras,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of 
Timothy  Lounsbury.  Crownage  Lounsbury  married  Samantha,  daugh- 
ter of  Harvey  Hotchkiss.  Their  children  were:  William  H.,  2d,  Mark 
and  Sarah.  William  H.  Lounsbury,  2d,  worked  at  tool  making  for  many 
years,  and  was  foreman  of  the  tool  department  at  Sing  Sing  prison 
for  one  year.     He  settled  in  Bethany  in  1863,  and  is  engaged  in  farm- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  327 

ing  and  dairying.     He  was  married,  in  1859,  to  Julia  A.  Ladne.     They 
have  two  children,  Jennie  and  Mark  L. 

William  McClure,  son  of  Thomas  and  Ellen  (Johnson)  McClure, 
was  born  in  Park,  County  Leitrim,  Ireland,  in  1810,  came  to  America 
in  1852,  and  settled  in  Bethany,  where  he  died  in  1869.  He  married 
Hannah  Lipsett  in  1838.  They  had  eight  children:  Catherine,  born  in 
1839;  Thomas  B.,  1841;  Hannah,  1843;  Robert,  1845;  William,  1849; 
Laura  E.,  1853;  James  E.,  1858;  and  Richard  C.,1860.  Catherine  mar- 
ried Darius  Collins.  Thomas  B.  married  Lucretia  Beecher.  William 
married  Margaret  Kelley.  They  have  one  son,  Herbert.  Catherine's 
children  are:  Perry  M.,  Etta  M.,  Abrarn  L.,  Laura  A.,  Fannie  M.,  Eva 
E.  and  Alice  J. 

Edmund  Peck,  born  in  Greenwich,  Conn.,  in  1817,  is  a  son  of  Rufus, 
he  a  son  of  Ebenezer,  he  a  son  of  Ebenezer,  and  he  a  son  of  Ebenezer 
Peck,  who  came  from  England  and  settled  in  Greenwich,  Conn.,  founded 
the  Methodist  church  there,  and  was  its  first  pastor.  Edmund  Peck 
studied  for  the  ministry,  and  for  over  30  years  has  been  a  Methodist 
minister.  He  was  pastor  of  the  Bethany  M.  E.  church  for  one  year, 
about  30  years  ago,  and  for  another  year  about  15  years  later.  He 
took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  Bethany  in  1884.  He  married  for 
his  first  wife  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Samuel  F.  Peck,  of  Sharon,  Conn., 
in  1855.  They  had  one  daughter,  Charlotte  A.  He  was  married  the 
second  time,  in  1862,  to  Elizabeth  B.,  daughter  of  Theophilus  Smith. 
They  have  three  children:  Mary  E.,  Laura  B.  and  Charles  E.  The- 
ophilus Smith  was  a  native  of  Milford,  and  settled  in  Bethany,  where 
he  resided  nearly  50  years.  He  kept  a  hotel  and  store  for  many  years 
on  the  New  Haven  &  Waterbury  turnpike,  and  for  several  years 
kept  a  select  school.  His  wife  was  Eliza,  daughter  of  Lycius 
Beecher. 

Adrian  C.  Rosha,  born  in  Bethany  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  Elexis  and 
Esther  Rosha,  the  latter  a  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Hitchcock,  of  Bethany. 
Mr.  Rosha  has  always  been  a  farmer.  He  enlisted  in  the  27th  Connec- 
ticut Infantry,  in  October,  1862,  and  served  until  July,  1863.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1868,  Anna  G.,  daughter  of  Clark  Hotchkiss.  Their  children 
are:  Clifton  and  Eugene.  In  1874  he  married  Fannie  Hotchkiss,  sister 
of  his  first  wife.  They  have  one  son,  Herbert.  Clark  Hotchkiss  was 
born  in  Bethany  in  1803,  and  died  July  3d,  1890.  He  was  a  son  of 
Isaac,  and  he  a  son  of  Isaac  Hotchkiss.  Isaac,  the  father  of  Clark,  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Clark.  Clark  Hotchkiss  married  Caroline  A.  Sperry. 
Their  children  were:  Martha,  Mary,  Isaac,  Sarah,  Fannie,  Julia,  Anna 
and  Arthur.  Martha  married  Lyman  Gaylord;  Mary  married  Elizur 
Hickok,  and  for  her  second  husband  Thomas  Cocran;  Isaac  married 
Mary  Reed;  Julia  married  Thomas  Higgins;  Arthur  married  Eugenia 
Sperry.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hotchkiss  were  members  of  Bethany  Congre- 
gational church  for  62  years. 


328  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

jasper  B.  Todd,  born  in  Bethany  in  1842.  is  a  son  of  Leonard,  he  a 
son  of  Ely,  he  a  son  of  Jonah,  he  a  son  of  Stephen,  he  a  son  of  Samuel, 
he  a  son  of  Samuel,  and  he  a  son  of  Christopher  Todd,  who  came 
from  England  to  Boston  in  1637.  It  is  thought  he  settled  in  New- 
Haven.  He  died  in  1686.  Jonah  Todd  was  the  first  of  the  family  to 
settle  in  Bethany,  coming  from  Branford,  Conn.  He  died  in  1803. 
Ely  Todd,  his  son,  was  born  in  Bethany,  June  29th,  1772,  and  died  in 
1847.  Leonard  Todd  was  born  in  Bethany,  November  8th,  1800.  He 
married  Julia  B.,  daughter  of  Elam  Bradley,  of  Hamden,  and  died  in 
1876.  The  widow  still  survives  him.  They  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding.  Their  children  were:  Grace,  Emily,  Margaret,  Celia,  Street 
B.,  Dwight  E.  and  Jasper  B.  Grace  married  Reverend  F.  B.  Wood- 
ward, M.  D.;  Emily  married  Isaac  Perkins,  Margaret  married  Chauncy 
T.  Beecher;  Celia  married  Wales  C.  Dickerman;  Street  B.  mar- 
ried Sarah  A.  Hotchkiss;  Dwight  E.  married  Mrs.  Kate  E.  Bishop; 
and  Jasper  B.  married  Mary  A.  Moody.  Street  B.  represented  the  town 
of  Bethany  in  the  legislature  in  1880.  Jasper  B.  was  elected  select- 
man in  1888  and  1889.     He  is  a  warden  in  the  Episcopal  church. 

Nehemiah  Tolles,  born  in  Bethany  in  1810,  died  in  1853,  was  a  son 
of  Daniel,  and  grandson  of  Daniel,  who  was  a  resident  of  Derby, 
Conn.  Nehemiah  Tolles  married  Polly,  daughter  of  Captain  Jesse 
Beecher.  Their  children  were:  Daniel,  married  Maria  Newton;  De 
Etta,  married  Jerome  Downs;  and  Christine,  married  Edward  Beecher, 
son  of  Lyman  Beecher,  and  had  one  daughter,  Leta  Beecher.  Edward 
Beecher  was  elected  representative  from  Bethany  in  1878.  He  died 
in  1881.  Daniel  Tolles,  father  of  Nehemiah,  married  Mary  Hine. 
Captain  Jesse  Beecher  (named  for  his  father)  married  Sarah  Lines,  and 
their  children  were:  Hoel,  Jesse,  Emeline,  Sarah,  Polly  and  Hen- 
rietta. 

Benajah  Tuttle,  born  in  Woodbridge  (now  Bethany)  November  3d, 
1812,  is  a  son  of  Calvin  and  Sylvia  (Smith)  Tuttle,  and  grandson  of 
Uri  Tuttle,  who  came  from  Hamden  and  settled  in  Bethany  Decem- 
ber 5th,  1764.  Uri  was  the  fifth  generation  from  William  Tuttle.  who 
came  from  England  in  the  ship  "  Planter"  in  1635.  He  landed  in 
Boston  and  settled  in  or  near  New  Haven.  Calvin  Tuttle  was  born 
in  Bethany  in  1786.  In  his  family  were  six  children:  Benajah,  Jere- 
miah, Elizabeth  H.,  Edwin  A.,  Horace  and  Sylvia  E.  Only  two  are 
living,  Benajah  and  Elizabeth  H.  Edwin  A.  married  Malinda  Tuttle 
in  1862.  Benajah  married  Mrs.  Alice  C.  Sperry  in  1S69.  Benajah 
learned  dentistry,  and  that,  in  connection  with  farming,  has  been  his 
business.  Uri  Tuttle,  born  1737,  married  Thankful  Ives.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Jeremiah,  Amasa,  Uri,  Chauncey,  Mary,  Uri3,  Elam,  Ben- 
ajah, Seymour  and  Calvin. 

Lambert  Wooding,  born  in  Bethany  in  1825,  is  a  son  of  Levi  and 
Polly  (Bradley)   Woodiug  of  Woodbridge,  grandson    of    Elijah,  and 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  829 

great-grandson  of  John  Wooding;  all  residents  of  Woodbridge.  Lam- 
bert Wooding  was  married  in  1865  to  Celia  A.,  daughter  of  George 
W.  Royce.  They  have  two  children  living,  George  L.  and  William  L. 
Winthrop  D.  died  in  1808,  Frank  H.  died  in  infancy  in  1875,  and 
Grace  A.  died  in  1873. 

Samuel  R.  Woodward,  born  in  Morris,  Conn.,  in  1S44,  is  a  son  of 
Sherman  P.  and  grandson  of  Reuben  S.  Woodward.  He  settled  in 
Bethany  in  1872.  He  has  been  highway  commissioner,  justice  of  the 
peace  and  secretary  of  the  board  of  education;  was  elected  selectman 
in  1878,  and  first  selectman  in  1879,  and  with  the  exception  of  nine 
months  has  been  first  selectman  and  town  agent  to  the  present  time; 
and  was  elected  representative  in  18S2.  He  was  married  in  1872  to 
Mrs.  Charlotte  F.  Bigelow,  daughter  of  Justus  Peck.  Their  children 
are:  Daisy  E.,  Florence  E.  and  Sherman  P.  Justus  Peck,  born  in 
Cheshire  in  1809,  was  a  son  of  Asa  Peck.  Justus  worked  on  the  old 
Farmington  Canal,  and  ran  the  first  through  boat  on  the  same.  He 
came  to  Bethany  in  1843.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Bethany  Congregational  church.  He  held  the  office  of 
selectman  several  years,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace.  He  married, 
in  1834,  Marietta  Moss,  and  for  his  second  wife,  in  1839,  Jane,  daugh- 
ter of  Harry  French,  of  Bethany.  Their  children  were:  Harry  F., 
Charlotte  F.  and  Marietta  J.,  who  married  William  J.  Francis,  of 
Wallingford.  Charlotte  F.  married  Henry  M.  Bigelow  for  her  first 
husband  and  Samuel  R.  Woodward  for  the  second.  Harry  F.  Peck 
married  Lydia  A.  Wood,  of  Beacon  Falls.  Their  children  are:  Henry 
B.,  Nelson  J.  and  Edwin  H.     Justus  Peck  died  February  3d,  1885. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE    TOWN    OF    ORANGE. 


Location  and  Natural  Features. — Incorporation. — Civil  List. — Highways. — West  Haven 
Village  and  its  Various  Interests. — The  Village  of  Orange. — Tyler  City. — Ailing- 
town. — West  Haven  Congregational  Church. — Christ  Church  (P.  E.). — West  Haven 
M.  E.  Church. — St.  Lawrence  Church  (R.  C). — Orange  Congregational  Church. — 
Orange  Cemetery. — Biographical  Sketches. 


THE  town  of  Orange  is  west  of  New  Haven,  north  of  Long  Island 
sound  and  Milford,  and  south  of  Derby  and  Woodbridge.  On 
the  west  are  Milford  and  the  Housatonic  river.  Its  length  from 
east  to  west  is  more  than  six  miles,  and  the  average  width  is  about 
three  and  a  half  miles.  The  shape  of  the  town  is  somewhat  irregu- 
lar, in  consequence  of  taking  some  natural  features  as  boundary  lines. 
On  the  southeast  they  follow  the  waters  of  New  Haven  bay  or  harbor, 
with  West  river  as  the  upper  line  of  division  from  New  Haven.  On 
the  southwest,  separating  the  coast  ports  of  Orange  and  Milford,  is 
Oyster  river.  Eastward,  to  the  New  Haven  harbor,  much  of  the 
sound  shore  affords  a  very  fine  beach,  a  part  of  which  has  been  im- 
proved for  a  pleasure  resort.  The  principal  improvements  of  this 
nature  are  at  and  near  Savin  Rock,  less  than  two  miles  south  of  West 
Haven  green,  and  consist  of  several  dozen  villas  and  buildings  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  public.  Savin  Rock  is  a  large  ledge  ex- 
tending some  distance  into  the  sound.  Here  General  Garth's  division 
of  British  troops  landed,  July  5th,  1779,  when  occurred  the  invasion  of 
New  Haven.  It  is  said  that  the  locality  was  so  named  on  account  of 
an  evergreen  shrub  which  grew  upon  this  shore  when  the  country 
was  settled.  The  shore  surroundings  at  this  point  are  very  pleasant, 
and  their  attractions  are  constantly  increasing. 

The  general  surface  of  the  town  is  hilly,  but  there  are  some  level 
lands  along  the  streams — Indian  river,  Wepawaug  and  Bare  brook — 
where  productive  farms  are  cultivated,  and  are  especially  adapted  for 
the  growth  of  vegetable  seeds.  In  several  localities  mineral  deposits, 
principally  silver  and  copper,  have  attracted  the  attention  of  miners, 
in  consequence  of  the  discoveries  of  David  Lambert  in  1818.  Later  a 
New  York  mining  company  developed  a  copper  mine  in  the  same 
range  of  rocks,  but  the  operations  did  not  yield  profitable  returns. 
Agriculture  has,  from  the  beginning,  been  the  chief  occupation,  but 
in  recent  vears  manufacturing;  has  received  more  attention. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  331 

The  grand  list  of  1S89  indicated  taxable  property  to  the  amount  of 
$2,657,342,  some  of  it  being  detailed  as  follows:  Acres  of  land,  16,185, 
value  $1,146,006;  dwelling  houses,  1,016,  value  $1,002,729;  manufac- 
tories, 20,  value  $33,150;  horses,  590,  value,  $31,446;  neat  cattle,  1,469, 
value  $29,751;  stores,  11,  value  $13,450;  capital  in  trade,  $27,825;  manu- 
facturing operations,  $107,325;  earnings  of  vessels,  $7,754;  oyster 
grounds,  $31,516. 

Orange  was  incorporated  May  28th,  1822,  to  include  in  its  body 
politic  the  parish  of  North  Milford,  in  the  town  of  Milford,  and  the 
parish  of  West  Haven,  in  the  town  of  New  Haven.  A  new  name 
being  necessary,  many  terms  were  suggested,  but  the  present  title 
was  selected,  finally,  "  in  commemoration  of  the  benefits  received 
from  William,  Prince  of  Orange,  by  Connecticut  when  a  colony;  par- 
ticularly in  the  restoration  of  their  charter  privileges,  after  the  tyr- 
anny and  usurpation  of  Sir  Edmund  Andross."* 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  North  Milford  meeting 
house,  on  the  second  Monday  in  June,  1822,  when  the  following  were 
chosen  as  the  principal  officers:  Town  clerk,  Benjamin  L.  Lambert; 
selectmen,  John  Bryan,  Jr.,  Ichabod  Woodruff,  Aaron  Thomas,  Lyman 
Law;  treasurer,  Nathan  Clark;  tythingmen,  George  Treat,  Aaron 
Clark,  Jr.,  Simeon  Smith,  Bradford  Smith,  Lyman  Pruitt,  Samuel  L. 
Pardee. 

Since  that  time  the  town  clerks  have  been:  1823-33,  Solomon  John- 
■  son;  1834,  Lyman  Prindle;  1835-49,  William  Woodruff;  1850-4,  Sidney 
Pardee;  1855-6,  J.  Seymour  Pardee;  1857-87,  Elias  T.  Main;  1888-  , 
Walter  A.  Main. 

Among  others  who  served  as  selectmen  or  town  agents  were: 
Nathan  Merwin,  Aaron  Clark,  James  Reynolds',  James  Fitts,  Albert  F. 
Miles,  Benjamin  T.  Clark,  from  1850  until  1879;  Albert  Candee,  Henry 
W.  Palmer,  Dennis  B.  Stone,  Isaac  Hine,  George  H.  Ailing,  Enoch 
Clark,  George  W.  Tuttle,  Samuel  L.  Smith,  James  Graham,  Luther 
Fowler,  David  Piatt,  George  R.  Kelsey,  Isaac  P.  Treat,  E.  W.  Wilmot, 
Charles  T.  Sherman,  Charles  F.  Smith,  Elbee  J.  Treat,  Joseph  An- 
drews, Andrew  D.  Thomas,  David  Piatt,  William  C.  Russell. 

The  town  affairs  are  carried  on  at  an  outlay  of  about  $30,000  yearly, 
about  one-third  being  for  the  benefit  of  schools,  and  another  third  for 
the  improvement  of  the  highways.  The  Derby  turnpike,  passing 
through  the  upper  part  of  the  town,  is  still  a  toll  road.  The  Milford 
turnpike,  through  the  town,  nearer  the  center,  was  vacated  and  be- 
came a  public  highway  many  years  ago,  its  usefulness  having  been 
destroyed  by  the  New  York  &  New  Haven  railroad,  which  was  built 
through  the  town  in  1848.  A  well-ordered  station  is  maintained  at 
West  Haven.  The  Derby  railroad  built  through  the  town,  in  recent 
years,  has  stations  at  Orange,  Tyler  City  and  Allingtown.  By  these 
means  the  towns  has  easy  communication  with  outside  points. 

*  Barber's  Hist.  Col.,  p.  246. 


332  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

West  Haven  village  is  on  the  west  side  of  New  Haven  harbor,  and 
about  one  mile  from  Long  Island  sound.  It  has  a  pleasant  location, 
on  an  elevated  plain,  and  has  a  number  of  handsome,  wide  streets, 
some  of  which  are  well  shaded  by  large  trees.  The  buildings  lots  are 
large,  and  some  of  the  residences  stand  on  spacious,  well-improved 
grounds,  which  contribute  to  the  pleasing  appearance  of  the  place. 
The  center  of  the  old  village  was  at  West  Haven  green,  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  from  New  Haven  green.  The  railway  station  is  half 
a  mile  nearer  the  city.  Since  July  4th,  1867,  the  old  part  of  the  village 
has  been  connected  with  the  city  by  the  West  Haven  horse  railway. 
The  same  company  afterward  extended  its  lines  through  the  village 
to  Savin  Rock.  The  system  is  well  managed,  and  has  advanced  the 
prosperity  of  the  town.  The  headquarters  of  the  company  are  at 
West  Haven,  and,  in  1891,  it  was  officered  by  Israel  A.  Kelsey.  presi- 
dent; William  H.  Tallmadge,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  W.  W. 
Ward,  superintendent.  West  Haven  green  was  formerly  somewhat 
marshy,  but  more  that  50  years  ago  its  improvement  was  begun,  and 
it  has  been  carried  on  to  a  considerable  extent.  It  now  has  a  fine 
lawndike  appearance,  with  regular  paths  laid  out  through  it.  It  is 
graced  by  a  fine  liberty  pole,  and  contains  also  the  Congregational 
meeting  house  and  the  old  burial  ground.  On  the  south  are  the  Epis- 
copal church  and  grave  yard.  In  the  east  part  of  the  village  are 
Methodist  and  Catholic  churches.  Near  the  same  locality  are  Tem- 
perance Hall,  used  by  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  and  the  Women's 
Christian  Union,  and  the  magnificent  Union  school  building,  which 
was  first  occupied  in  the  fall  of  1889.  The  rooms  are  10  in  number, 
each  one  capable  of  accommodating  50  pupils.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  edifices  of  the  kind  in  the  county.  On  the  corner  of  Main 
street  and  Campbell  avenue  is  Thompson's  Block,  a  public  business 
building,  erected  in  1874.  In  it  are  the  public  offices,  halls  and  the 
West  Haven  Reading  Rooms,  recently  established  under  favorable 
auspices. 

In  this  building  is  also  kept  the  West  Haven  post  office,  finely  fit- 
ted up,  and  which  supplies  mail  for  3,000  patrons.  The  service  is  five 
mails  per  day.  Harris  G.  Eames  is  the  postmaster,  serving  since  De- 
cember 6th,  1890.  His  predecessor  was  George  H.  Thomas,  who  suc- 
ceeded Frederick  Bishop. 

West  Haven  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1873,  and  is  gov- 
erned by  a  board  of  warden  and  burgesses.  These  were,  in  1891: 
Warden,  E.  J.  Crawford;  burgesses,  Dennis  Kimberley,  Samuel  Bry- 
ant, Lee  Bishop,  Charles  Sherman,  Israel  Kelsey  and  Arthur  Ben- 
ham.  A.  C.  Heitman  was  the  clerk,  and  John  F.  Barnett  the  treasurer. 
About  $10,000  is  expended  yearly  in  public  improvements  and  main- 
taining public  interests. 

There  is  a  system  of  public  water  supply,  furnished  by  the  West 
Haven  Water  Company,  which  has  been   in  operation   the  past  five 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  333 

years.  Several  reservoirs  have  been  built,  northwest  of  the  village, 
into  which  water  from  a  brook  is  pumped  and  carried  thence  by  mains 
through  the  principal  streets  and  to  the  sound  shore.  There  are  19 
street  hydrants  and  3  public  water  tanks,  maintained  at  a  yearly  out- 
lay of  about  $500.  The  borough  has  a  fire  warden  and  owns  a  fire  en- 
gine, which  is  manned  by  a  volunteer  company.  Since  1887  the 
borough  has  had  its  streets  illuminated  by  electricity,  there  being  46 
public  and  3  private  arc  lamps.  There  are  also  gas  lights,  both  illum- 
inants  being  furnished  by  New  Haven  companies.  These  improve- 
ments have  been  conducive  to  the  prosperity  of  the  borough,  whose 
present  growth  is  measured  by  50  new  houses  erected  yearly. 

For  many  years  the  development  of  the  village  was  slow,  and  for  a 
term  of  years  was  practically  at  a  standstill,  the  most  of  the  improve- 
ments having  been  made  within  the  present  half  century.  Prior  to 
this  century  this  locality  was  generally  called  the  "  West  Farms  "  of 
New  Haven,  and  the  inhabitants  of  this  section  were  usually  spoken 
of  as  the  "West  Farimers."  One  of  the  houses  occupied  by  one  of 
these  farmers,  and  which  was  built  in  1695,  is  still  standing  as  the 
property  of  the  Collins  family.  A  house,  built  in  1745,  which  was 
long  owned  by  Captain  Anson  Clinton,  stood  until  1889,  when  it  was 
removed  to  make  place  for  the  new  mansion  of  Rollin  W.  Hine. 

George  Lamberton  owned  property  on  the  "  West  side,"  which  was 
divided  among  heirs,  Samuel  Smith,  Captain  John  Ailing  and  William 
Trowbridge.  Deacon  Thomas  Stephens  was  an  early  settler  and  be- 
came very  aged.  Thomas  Painter  was  one  of  the  original  settlers, 
having  Edward  Thomas  as  a  neighbor.  The  Benhams,  Wards,  Clarkes, 
Browns  and  Thompsons  were  also  here  as  pioneers.  Later,  some  of 
the  principal  farmers  of  West  Haven  were  Thomas  Painter,  James 
Reynolds,  Newton  Stephens,  Eli  Kimberly,  Ezra  Candee,  Nehemiah 
Kimberley,  Albert  Candee,  Isaac  Hine,  Joseph  Prindle,  Captain  Icha- 
bod  Smith,  Captain  Anson  Clinton,  Captain  Albert  Thomas  and  the 
Ward  brothers — Henry,  Thomas,  Elliott  and  Jacob— who  were  also 
vessel  owners  and  seamen.  Formerly  many  of  the  inhabitants  were 
thus  engaged,  and  boat  building  was  also  carried  on.  For  a  number 
of  years  a  ship  yard  has  been  kept  up,  on  the  West  Haven  side  of  the 
harbor.  In  1891  four-masted  schooners  for  the  coastwise  trade  were 
built  there  by  Gessner  &  Marr,  employment  being  given  to  a  large 
number  of  men.  Henry  Sutton  was  a  former  ship-builder,  and 
launched  a  number  of  schooners  of  large  capacity. 

Most  of  the  manufacturing  interests  of  the  town  have  been  cen- 
tered at  West  Haven.  One  of  the  first  factories  opened  here  was  that 
of  the  West  Haven  Buckle  Company,  which  was  incorporated  in  1853. 
Among  those  interested  were  S.  S.  Hartshorne,  Silas  Thompson,  Edgar 
M.  Smith  and  George  R.  Kesley.  Since  that  time  operations  have 
been  carried  on  successfully  and  profitably,  over  three-quarters  of  a 
million  of  dollars  having  been  paid  to  the  stockholders  of  the  com- 


334  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

pany  as  dividends.      Nearly   a  hundred  persons  are  employed.      In 
1891  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company  was  D.  S.  Thompson. 

For  many  years  George  R.  Kelsey  was  the  successful  manager  of 
the  above  company,  and  his  patents  contributed  much  to  the  success 
of  that  corporation.  In  1883  he  established  the  American  Buckle  & 
Cartridge  Company,  of  West  Haven,  of  which  Israel  A.  Kelsey  was 
the  president  and  treasurer  in  1890.  This  company  occupies  works 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  village,  and  several  dozen  hands  are  em- 
ployed, under  the  superintendency  of  M.  L.  Bassett.  Buckles  for 
men's  wear  are  the  principal  manufactures. 

In  the  same  locality  are  the  extensive  works  of  the  Mathushek 
Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of  musical  instruments. 
Operations  were  here  begun  in  1876,  as  the  Parmalee  Piano  Company, 
from  which  has  been  evolved  the  present  corporation,  one  of  the 
most  successful  of  the  kind  in  the  state.  From  40  to  60  superior 
pianos  are  made  every  month,  and  many  skillful  mechanics  are  em- 
ployed. Piano  stools  have  also  been  manufactured  in  the  town  by 
various  corporations. 

The  Graham  Manufacturing  Company  manufactures  keys  and  key 
blanks;  water  pipes  are  made  by  the  Connecticut  Patent  Water  Pipe 
Company;  carriages  by  Grannis  &  Russell,  and  adjustable  carriage 
poles  by  the  Bishop  Pole  Company.  All  these  industries  give  em- 
ployment to  hundreds  of  men. 

The  West  Haven  Budget,  a  local  weekly  paper,  was  established  in 
January,  1885.  The  past  four  years  it  has  been  edited  and  published 
by  F.  S.  Tower.  An  earlier  paper  published  here  was  the  Church  and 
Home,  issued  in  1882-3,  as  a  monthly,  devoted  to  the  objects  indicated 
by  its  name.     Reverend  Norman  J.  Squires  was  the  editor. 

Physicians  have  for  many  years  resided  at  West  Haven,  those  lo- 
cated there  in  1890  being  Doctors  John  F.  Barnett,  Durell  Shepard, 
William  V.  Wilson  and  C.  A.  Bevan. 

Annawon  Lodge,  No.  115,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  chartered  June  16th, 
1873,  upon  the  petition  of  the  following  Masonic  brethren  residing  in 
West  Haven:  D.  S.  Thompson,  Jarvis  E.  Kelsey,  Stephen  G.  Hotch- 
kiss,  M.  S.  Leonard,  James  C.  Hyde,  W.  W.  Ward,  Joseph  Andrews, 
William  A.  Cross,  Isaac  T.  Baker,  Henry  C.  Thomas,  James  McAlpine, 
James  H.  Peck,  James  B.  Thomas,  Norman  W.  Domkee,  John  E. 
Marr,  E.  E.  Wildes,  George  Warner,  Francis  Kettle,  David  T.  John- 
son, Luther  C.  Fowler,  Elizur  Pond,  Frederick  W.  Bishop,  Charles  C. 
Adams,  William  Church,  John  M.  Aimes,  Joel  N.  Andrews,  Stephen  E. 
Booth,  H.  I.  Thompson,  Samuel  Mallory,  Henry  A.Thompson,  Joseph 
B.  Thompson,  George  Edward  Cleeton,  Franklin  Robinson,  Robert 
M.  Gesner,  Zadoc  R.  Morse,  Nelson  S.  Wilmot,  Charles  C.  Smith.  J.  J. 
Butler,  Edward  Pritchard,  Edward  L.  Bradley,  Edgar  M.  Beebe,  T.  W. 
Johnson,  Thomas  E.  Newton.  The  Lodge  has  prospered,  and  now 
has  about  one  hundred  members. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   KAVEN  COUNTY.  335 

The  West  Haven  Volunteer  Memorial  Association  was  organized 
in  18S6.  In  June,  1888,  the  Oak  Grove  Cemetery  Association  pre- 
sented the  former  body  with  a  lot  in  its  cemetery,  in  which  Union  sol- 
diers could  be  interred  and  a  memorial  erected.  The  lot  was  dedi- 
cated to  this  use  in  May,  1SS9.  William  E.  Augur,  W.  L.  G.  Prichard 
and  Harry  I.  Thompson  were  appointed  a  committee  to  raise  funds 
to  erect  a  memorial.  This  was  properly  dedicated  September  10th, 
1890. 

The  first  interments  at  West  Haven  were  made  on  the  public 
green,  which  was  used  for  that  purpose  until  about  thirty  years  ago, 
when  a  more  secluded  place  for  interments  was  provided  by  the  Oak 
Grove  Cemetery  Association.  This  body  was  incorporated  Novem- 
ber 27th,  1860.  The  cemetery  has  been  tastefully  laid  out  and  is 
neatly  kept. 

The  village  of  Orange,  often  called  the  "  Center,"  is  west  of  the 
center  of  the  town.  It  is  a  station  on  the  Derby  railroad,  and  is  lo- 
cated in  one  of  the  pleasantest  parts  of  the  town.  In  this  locality  are 
some  good  farms  and  substantial  improvements.  The  lands  here 
were  surveyed  and  laid  out  in  1687,  but  no  settlement  was  made  until 
a  number  of  years  after  1700.  Richard  Bryan,  Jr.,  son  of  Richard 
Bryan,  of  Milford,  was  the  first  to  locate  here  permanently,  opening 
some  good  farms.  From  this  circumstance  this  part  of  the  town  was 
called  "Bryan's  Farms."  A  descendant,  John,  lived  south  of  the 
"green,"  and  his  son,  Richard,  had  a  store  on  the  west  side  of  that 
plot  of  ground.  The  settlement  of  other  farmers  was  invited,  and  as 
early  as  1750  the  inhabitants  were  so  numerous  that  a  winter  school 
was  set  up. 

After  1804  the  locality  became  known  as  "North  Milford,"  retain- 
ing that  title  until  after  the  formation  of  the  town,  in  1822.  In  the 
year  first  named  a  public  library  was  here  established,  which  had,  in 
1S16,  144  volumes,  mostly  on  religious  subjects,  which  is  an  index  of 
the  character  of  the  inhabitants — they  were  sober,  intelligent  and  in- 
dustrious. Among  the  inhabitants  of  this  period  was  Jonathan 
Rogers,  having  a  homestead  south  of  the  green.  His  sons,  Jonathan 
T.  and  Jonah,  remained  in  this  locality.  Benjamin  Clark  lived  on 
the  east  side  of  the  green,  where  his  son,  Benjamin  T.,  an  aged  and 
respected  citizen,  still  resides.  Colonel  Alpheus  Clark  lived  on  the 
present  Wellington  Andrew  place ;  Colonel  Asa  Piatt,  a  large  and 
wealthy  farmer,  on  the  Ed.  Russell  place.  North  of  the  church  lived 
Deacon  Jonathan  Treat,  who  died  in  1820.  His  sons,  Jonathan  and 
Jireh,  also  opened  farms  and  long  occupied  them.  These  places  are 
now  in  the  possession  of  their  grandsons.  Northwest  of  the  church 
lived  David  Treat,  the  father  of  sons  named  William,  Leverett  and 
David.  In  the  same  locality  were  Josiah  and  Jonathan  Fowler.  Other 
well-known  residents  were  Matthew  Woodruff,  Benedict  Law,  Curtis 
Somers,  the  Fenns  and  the  Andrews.  In  many  instances  the  de- 
scendants remain. 


336  HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  more  recent  years  stores  have  been  kept  in  this  village  by  Rich- 
ard Bryan,  S.  F.  Oviatt  and  others.  William  J.Scobie  has  traded  here 
a  few  years.  The  latter  is  also  the  postmaster  of  the  Orange  office, 
succeeding  S.  F.  Oviatt,  who  had  kept  it  in  the  railway  station,  where 
he  was  the  first  agent.  Preceding  him  as  postmasters,  before  186J, 
were  William  T.  Grant,  Benjamin  T.  Clark  and  Dennis  B.  Stone.  The 
office  has  two  mails  per  day. 

In  1822  Doctor  Josiah  M.  Colburn,  who  had  that  year  graduated 
from  Yale,  located  here  as  a  practicing  physician.  He  continued,  with 
much  success,  until  1889,  when  he  removed  to  Derby.  An  extended 
biographical  sketch  of  Doctor  Colburn  appears  in  another  part  of  this 
volume.     Other  physicians  remained  only  short  periods. 

The  water  power  of  the  Wepawaug  in  this  locality  was  early  util- 
ized in  operating  small  mills,  some  of  which  are  continued,  on  a  lim- 
ited scale,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  community.  The  Alhngs 
successfully  manufactured  woolen  goods  in  a  small  factory  on  this 
stream,  but  many  years  ago  removed  to  Birmingham,  where  their 
Wepawaug  mill  has  become  noted  for  the  variety  and  extent  of  its 
productions,  that  industry  being  among  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the 
county. 

Many  years  ago  an  academy  building  was  put  up,  a  short  distance 
from  the  green,  in  which  good  schools  were  kept.  The  ruins  of  this 
house  still  remain.  Within  the  past  decade  a  fine  two-story  school 
building  and  public  hall  has  been  built  on  the  east  side  of  the  green, 
where  the  youth  of  the  hamlet  are  well  instructed. 

Tyler  City  is  a  hamlet  two  miles  east  from  Orange  village  and  four 
miles  from  New  Haven.  It  is  a  station  on  the  Derby  railroad.  It 
contains  a  few  buildings,  among  them  being  a  shop  occupied  by  the 
Peerless  Button  Hole  Attachment  Company,  which  was  incorporated 
in  1887.  A  large  building  was  erected  here  for  a  private  school, 
which  was  later  occupied  as  the  county  home  of  refuge.  A  post  office, 
with  the  name  of  the  station,  is  maintained. 

Allingtown,  named  for  the  Ailing  family,  is  near  the  West  river, 
two  miles  from  New  Haven  station.  It  is  mainly  suburban  to  New 
Haven  city.  Besides  a  number  of  residences,  it  contains  a  Gospel 
Union  chapel,  which  was  dedicated  December  7th,  1890.  Near  this 
place  is  the  grave  of  the  British  Adjutant  Campbell,  who  was  killed 
while  leading  the  advance  on  New  Haven.  A  monument  has  recently 
been  set  to  mark  the  spot  so  long  neglected. 

An  effort  was  made  as  early  as  1712  by  some  of  the  "  West  Side 
Farmers"  to  secure  parish  privileges,  and  the  general  court  was  peti- 
tioned to  form  them  into  a  separate  society.  New  Haven  strongly 
opposed  such  a  movement,  claiming  that  the  farmers  were  too  few  in 
number  to  maintain  a  society.  But  in  May,  1715,  the  court  at  Hart- 
ford granted  the  request,  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  New  Haven,  whose 
cause  was  argued  by  Samuel  Bishop  and  Samuel  Cook,  and  ordered 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  337 

that  a  Congregational  society  be  established  with  the  following 
bounds:  "  Beginning  at  the  West  river  and  running  from  the  said 
river  on  the  south  side  of  Mr.  John  Allyn's  meadow,  thence  to  the 
upland  and  on  the  north  side  of  Mr.  Thompson's,  till  it  come  to  the 
highway,  between  John  and  Jonathan  Allyn,  and  thence  along  the 
county  road  to  Milford  line." 

The  society  being  formed,  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  1719,  and 
in  1720  Reverend  Samuel  Johnson  was  settled  as  the  first  minister. 
In  October,  1722,  he  publicly  professed  his  belief  in  the  doctrines  of 
the  Episcopal  church,  and  left  this  church.  .Subsequently  he  removed 
to  Stratford,  where  he  became  widely  known  as  an  Episcopal  mission- 
ary.    Later  he  was  the  president  of  Columbia  College,  New  York. 

In  1725  Jonathan  Arnold  was  ordained  as  the  second  minister  at 
West  Haven.  The  church  increased,  under  his  preaching,  so  that,  in 
1729,  it  was  found  necessary  to  build  three  galleries  in  the  meeting 
house.  In  1734  Mr.  Arnold  also  became  an  Episcopalian,  and  the 
church  was  again  without  a  pastor,  and  so  continued  until  1738,  when 
the  Reverend  Timothy  Allen  was  ordained.  Soon  after  he  professed 
himself  a  "  new  light,"  and  in  1742  was  deposed  from  his  pastorate. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Allen  had  become  the  pastor,  the  following  per- 
sons united  in  establishing  a  church  fund:  Thomas  Trowbridge,  Sam- 
uel Smith,  Nathaniel  Beecher,  Samuel  Stevens,  Daniel  Mallory,  Israel 
Bunnell,  Samuel  Candee,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Samuel  Downs,  Joseph 
Thompson,  Samuel  Humphreville,  Daniel  Clark,  John  Benham, 
Thomas  Painter,  Nathaniel  Kimberley,  Eliphalet  Bristol,  Andrew 
Smith,  Josiah  Piatt,  Stephen  Bristol,  John  Stevens,  Samuel  Candee, 
Roger  Ailing,  George  Clinton,  Joseph  Benham,  Deliverance  Painter, 
Nathaniel  Smith,  Shuball  Painter,  Samuel  Sherman,  Thomas  Painter, 
Jr.,  and  Jonathan  Smith. 

Soon  after  the  dismissal  of  Pastor  Allen,  the  Reverend  Nathan 
Birdseye  was  ordained  to  the  pastoral  office,  which  he  filled  from  1742 
until  1758.  He  was  followed  in  1760  by  Reverend  Noah  Williston, 
who  died  here,  as  the  pastor,  in  1811.  His  pastorate  was  one  of  the 
longest  and  most  eventful  in  the  history  of  the  church.  In  1752  the 
meeting  house,  which  had  been  placed  in  repair  six  years  before,  was 
broken  by  a  storm,  and  was  repaired  by  means  of  a  special  tax.  In 
1764  a  steeple  was  built,  in  which  a  bell  was  placed  in  1774.  Up  to 
that  time  the  people  were  assembled  by  the  beating  of  a  drum  on  the 
village  green. 

In  the  troublous  times  of  the  revolution  Mr.  Williston  was  a  staunch 
patriot,  and  had  incurred  the  ill-will  of  some  of  his  tory  neighbors. 
Hence  when  the  British  invaded  the  town,  in  1779,  and  while  they 
were  resting  on  the  green,  after  their  march  from  Savin  Rock,  some 
British  troops  were  led  to  his  house  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  him- 
In  attempting  to  escape  to  the  woods,  in  the  rear  of  his  house,  Mr. 
Williston  broke  his  leg  while  jumping  over  the  fence,  and  was  at  the 
22 


338  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mercy  of  his  enemies.  Through  the  intervention  of  Adjutant  Camp- 
bell his  life  was  spared,  and  his  wounds  received  proper  attention. 
Mr.  Williston  ever  afterward  had  the  highest  estimate  of  the  character 
of  Adjutant  Campbell,  and  lived  to  be  much  respected  by  all  the  com- 
munity. 

Since  his  death  the  successive  pastors  have  been:  Reverend 
Stephen  W.  Stebbins,  settled  June,  1815,  died  August  15th,  1843;  Ed- 
ward Wright,  called  January  28th,  1843,  died  October  23d,  1852;  Hub- 
bard Beebe,  settled  December  6th,  1854,  dismissed  January  4th,  1856; 
Erastus  Colton,  supply  1856-8;  George  Andrew  Bryan,  settled  Septem- 
ber, 1858,  dismissed  October  5th,  1869;  George  Sherwood  Dickerman, 
settled  December  8th,  1870,  dismissed  December  31st,  1873;  William 
E.  Brooks,  became  the  stated  supply  in  April,  1874,  and  after  one  year 
was  settled  as  the  pastor,  and  was  dismissed  October  4th,  1880;  Nor- 
man J.  Squires,  settled  as  the  pastor  January  1st,  1881,  and  has  since 
acceptably  labored  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  church.  When  he  be- 
came pastor  the  church  had  225  members.  The  number  belonging  in 
1890  was  318. 

In  1852  the  old  meeting  house,  which  stood  southwest  of  the  pres- 
ent one,  was  taken  down,  and  the  second  meeting  house  of  the  society 
occupied.  The  latter  was  burned  August  29th,  1859,  and  the  present 
edifice  was  erected  and  dedicated  July  12th,  1S60.  Its  original  cost 
was  $10,000.  Seven  years  later  an  organ  costing  $2,300  was  supplied. 
A  new  bell  was  provided  in  1883,  and  in  1885  the  building  was  fres- 
coed and  otherwise  improved  at  an  outlay  of  $1,900.  The  latest  ad- 
dition to  the  church  property  was  made  in  1891 ,  when  a  parish  house 
costing  $6,000  was  built.  It  contains  reception  rooms,  parlors  and  a 
library. 

The  parish  had  for  more  than  a  century  the  use  of  a  house  for  a 
parsonage  which  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  green,  in  which  many 
famous  church  councils  were  held.  In  one  of  its  rooms  the  Connecti- 
cut Missionary  Society  was  formed  in  the  early  part  of  the  century. 
In  1857  the  house  was  taken  down,  but  before  this  was  done  a  fare- 
well meeting  of  many  Congregational  ministers  was  held  there,  on 
the  3d  of  April  that  year.  In  1847  another  parsonage  was  secured, 
north  of  the  old  one,  which  was  now  used  for  a  select  school.  For 
that  purpose  it  was  occupied  until  1850,  when  Mrs.  Wright  removed 
her  school  to  a  new  building  on  Oak  hill,  where  it  was  successfully 
continued  a  number  of  years  as  Oak  Hill  Ladies'  Seminary,  an  insti- 
tution which  reflected  credit  upon  the  town. 

Among  the  deacons  of  the  church  have  been  the  following;  Thomas 
Trowbridge,  Thomas  Stevens,  Samuel  Downs,  John  Benham,  Deliver- 
ance Painter,  all  before  the  revolution;  Josiah  Piatt,  Nathaniel  Smith, 
Bela  Kellogg,  Ezra  Smith,  Enos  Smith,  Daniel  Moulthrop,  Sidney 
Pardee,  William  H.  Talmadge*  Albert  Candee,  Samuel  L.  Smith, 
*  Present  deacon. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  339 

Esteves  E.  Marsh,  Reverend  S.  J.  Bryant  *  Lucius  A.  Benham  *  Since 
January,  1890,  the  church  clerk  has  been  W.  H.  Moulthrop. 

The  following  Congregational  ministers  have  been  raised  up  in 
the  town  of  Orange:  John  Bunnell,  Elias  Clark,  Benjamin  Fenn, 
George  H.  Hubbard,  William  W.  Leete,  George  Peter  Prudden,  Enoch 
E.  Rogers,  William  T.  Reynolds,  Richard  S.  Storrs,  Payson  Williston 
and  David  Howe  Williston. 

Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal),  of  West  Haven,  it  is  said,  is 
the  oldest  in  the  state  of  Connecticut.  It  is  an  unpretentious  frame 
building,  and  was  probably  begun  in  1740.  The  window  frames  were 
not  put  in  until  the  fall  of  1742,  and  probably  the  house  was  not  com- 
pleted until  several  years  later,  as  there  were  but  few  churchmen  in 
this  locality  and  their  means  were  limited.  In  the  fall  of  1742  a  deed 
for  the  church  lot  was  executed. 

The  church  had  its  beginning  in  consequence  of  the  change  of 
views  of  Reverend  Samuel  Johnson,  the  first  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  After  being  educated  at  Yale  College,  he  was  settled 
over  the  Congregational  society  in  1720,  at  the  age  of  24  years,  and 
soon  warmly  attached  the  church  to  him.  Shortly  after  becoming 
pastor  of  the  church,  doubts  arose  in  his  mind  as  to  the  validity  of  his 
ordination,  and  in  company  with  Reverend  Timothy  Cutler,  at  that 
time  rector  of  Yale  College,  James  Wetmore,  of  the  North  Haven 
church,  and  Tutor  Daniel  Brown,  of  West  Haven  (who  had  been  his 
classmates  at  Yale),  all  Congregationalists,  he  began  to  study  up  the 
subject  of  church  government,  reaching  a  conclusion,  as  expressed  in 
his  own  words: 

"  It  appeared  plain  that  the  Episcopal  form  of  government  was 
universally  established  by  the  Apostles  wherever  they  propagated 
Christianity;  that  through  the  first  order  of  the  ministry,  called  Bish- 
ops, the  power  of  the  Priesthood  was  to  be  conveyed  from  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church;  and  that  although  Presbyters  preached  and  ad- 
ministered the  Sacraments,  yet  that  no  act  of  ordination  or  government 
was  for  several  ages  allowed  to  be  lawful,  without  a  Bishop  at  the 
head  of  the  Presbytery." 

Great  excitement  followed  this  declaration  of  belief,  in  the  summer 
of  1722,  and  Reverends  Johnson  and  Wetmore  withdrew  from  their 
churches.  At  the  end  of  the  school  year  Doctor  Cutler  and  Tutor 
Brown  were  excused  from  Yale  College.  In  November,  1722.  three  of 
them,  including  Mr.  Johnson,  sailed  from  Boston  for  England  to  take 
holy  orders  in  the  Episcopal  church. 

"  At  the  time  the  Reverend  Mr.  Johnson  came  into  the  Episcopal 
church,  and  soon  after,  several  of  his  parishioners,  as  near  as  can  now 
be  ascertained,  ten  or  twelve  families,  and  some  of  them  the  most 
eminently  pious  in  the  place,  influenced  by  his  example  and  convinced 
by  his  arguments,  were  persuaded  to  embrace  Episcopacy."     Among 

*  Present  deacons. 


340  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  names  are  found  those  of  Brown,  Clark,  Humphrey ville,  Prindle, 
Stevens  and  Thomas.  For  some  time  this  eminent  divine  was  the 
only  Episcopal  clergyman  in  Connecticut,  and  continued  to  preach  in 
West  Haven  (though  stationed  at  Stratford  by  the  Society  for  the  Prop- 
agation of  the  Gospel),  about  once  in  three  months,  until  1737.  In 
1734,  Reverend  Jonathan  Arnold,  Doctor  Johnson's  successor  as 
minister  of  the  West  Haven  Congregational  church,  also  became  an 
Episcopalian,  and  having  returned  from  England  after  being  ordained 
as  a  churchman,  was  stationed  at  West  Haven,  in  connection  with 
Derby  and  Waterbury,  where  he  labored  as  a  missionary  of  the  Lon- 
don society  until  1739,  when  he  again  sailed  for  England.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Reverend  Theophilus  Morris,  who  remained  here  sev- 
eral years,  and  began  the  building  of  the  first  portion  of  the  church 
still  used. 

"A  curious  and  at  this  day  rather  amusing  document  is  preserved 
in  the  parish  register,  being  the  account  of  the  expenses  incurred  in 
raising  the  frame,  and  other  items.  A  large  folio  Bible  and  Prayer 
Book,  bound  in  one  volume,  bearing  the  imprint  '  Oxford,  A.  D.  1738,' 
given  to  the  church  at  that  time,  was  used  at  the  lectern  until  a  few 
years  ago,  and  is  now  in  the  rector's  custody,  in  an  excellent  state 
of  preservation  ;  as  well  as  a  huge  pewter  chalice,  bearing  the  date 
1744. 

"  The  succession  of  rectors  from  Reverend  Theophilus  Morris  was 
as  follows:  Reverend  James  Lyon,  1743  to  1747;  Doctor  Richard  Mans- 
field, 1749  to  1755;  Ebenezer  Punderson,  1755  to  1762;  Solomon  Palmer, 
1763  to  1766;  Bela  Hubbard,  from  time  to  time,  1767  to  1813.  Mean- 
while, joining  with  the  parish  of  St.  George's,  Milford,  Reverend 
Henry  Van  Dyke  was  in  charge  for  one  year,  1786;  John  Marshall  for 
six  months,  in  1787;  David  Belding,  1788  to  1790;  Calvin  White,  1805 
to  1807.  During  this  period,  1767  to  1813,  there  appears  to  have  been 
much  irregularity  in  the  ministrations  of  the  parish,  Doctor  Hubbard 
being  called  upon  from  New  Haven  for  services  when  no  settled  min- 
ister could  be  had  by  cooperation  with  Milford;  and  these  difficulties 
bespeak  the  troublous  times  of  the  revolution  and  the  stormy  years 
succeeding,  when  our  dear  Mother  Church  was  in  danger  for  her  very 
life,  and  the  public  thought — quite  naturally — that  to  be  a  churchman 
was  to  be  a  traitor."- 

After  the  revolution  the  Episcopal  church  in  America  received 
many  accessions,  and  in  1784  the  first  diocese  was  formed,  with  Sam- 
uel Seabury  as  the  bishop.  To  this  body  Christ  church  belonged  from 
the  beginning,  coming  in  with  other  parishes  formed  under  the  care 
of  the  "Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts." 
For  80  years,  when  these  missionaries  could  give  the  church  but  part 
of  their  time,  services  were  held;  "when  they  had  no  preaching,  the 
church  was  always  open  for  lay-reading." 

*  Year  Book,  1888-y. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  341 

From  1814  to  1820,  Reverend  William  Smith  had  charge  of  the 
parish,  in  connection  with  Milford;  from  1820  to  1826,  Reverend 
Joseph  Perry,  with  East  Haven;  and  from  1826  to  1830  Reverend  Wil- 
liam T.  Potter.  In  the  latter  year  the  parish  was  so  weak  that  the 
church  was  closed,  and  for  more  than  six  years  public  services  were 
suspended.  They  were  resumed  in  1837  and  continued  at  long  inter- 
vals by  Reverends  Stephen  Jewett,  Servilius  Stocking,  etc. 

In  1839  Reverend  Alonzo  B.  Chapin  took  charge  of  the  parish,  in 
connection  with  Milford,  and  continued  rector  until  1850.  When  he 
here  began  his  labors  he  found  22  families,  to  which  he  added  31  fam- 
ilies.    The  old  church  was  repaired  and  decorated  in  his  ministry. 

From  1850  until  1851  the  ministers  were  Reverends  N.  S.  Richard- 
son, Henry  F.  M.  Whitesides,  and  then  came,  in  1851-2,  Reverend 
Gilbert  B.  Haydeu. 

"  At  this  time  the  old  rectory  was  built,  the  church  enlarged,  and  the 
beautiful  set  of  silver  communion  vessels  procured.  Reverend  Henry 
Zell  was  next  rector,  1853  to  1863;  David  F.  Lumsden,  in  charge  from 
1863  to  1864;  Gurdon  S.  Coit,  D.D.,  1864  to  1866;  Oliver  S.  Prescott, 
1866  to  1867.  Under  his  charge  the  present  chancel,  tower  and  organ 
chamber  were  built,  and  the  weekly  offertory  established.  Reverend 
Jared  B.  Flagg,  D.D.,  followed  him,  186S  to  1869;  DeWitt  C.  Loop, 
1869  to  1871:  Charles  C.  Adams,  1871  to  1873.  In  1874  Reverend  Ed- 
win S.  Lines  became  rector.  During  his  administration  the  parish 
was  rehabilitated  from  its  long  unsettled  condition.  Storm  was  suc- 
ceeded by  calm,  and  Christ  church  became  firmly  established  and 
prosperous.  A  word  of  tribute  is  due  to  his  untiring  and  loving  care 
for  the  flock.  His  rectorship  continued  until  October,  1879,  when  his 
resignation,  in  order  to  accept  a  call  to  St.  Paul's  church,  New  Haven, 
produced  an  affectionate  regret  which  still  lives  in  the  hearts  of  the 
parish  and  people  of  West  Haven.  Under  him  a  debt  was  cleared 
away,  the  church  was  enlarged  by  the  present  side  aisle,  and  a  fund 
for  a  new  church  building  was  begun,  which  amounts  now  to  more 
than  two  thousand  dollars;  the  spiritual  growth  being  large  and  con- 
stant. His  work  was  faithfully  carried  on  by  Reverend  Edward  W. 
Worthington,  1878  to  1882.  Reverend  Jacob  Streibert  succeeded  him, 
1882  to  1885;  Reverend  Everett  Beeman,  1885  to  1886.  The  present 
rector,  Reverend  Hobart  B.  Whitney,  took  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the 
parish  in  October,  1886,"  and  under  his  direction  the  general  pros- 
perity continues.  There  are  about  160  families  in  the  parish,  and  the 
registered  communicants  exceed  200.  The  Sunday  school  has  about 
the  same  number  of  members;  and  more  than  $2,500  is  raised  yearly 
for  "carrying  on  the  work  of  the  parish. 

For  many  years  Prosper  Warner  was  the  senior  warden  of  the 
church,  a  position  at  present  held  by  David  T.  Welch;  Ray  T.  Hum- 
phrey is  the  junior  warden,  and  John  T.  Gill  is  the  parish  clerk. 

Christ  church  has  many  active  auxiliaries  in   addition  to  the  Sun- 


342  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

day  school,  among  them  being  the  Sanctuary  Chapter,  the  Ladies'  Aid 
Chapter,  the  Missionary  Chapter  and  the  Chapter  of  the  Brotherhood 
of  St.  Andrew,  all  promoting  the  interests  of  the  church. 

West  Haven  M.  E.  church  edifice  was  begun  in  1870.  The  Method- 
ists first  in  this  locality  worshipped  with  the  First  M.  E.  church  in  New 
Haven.  Under  the  auspices  of  that  body,  missionary  efforts  were 
made,  about  30  years  ago,  to  establish  a  church  in  the  village.  With 
that  view  the  brethren,  Sylvester  Smith  and  Russell  Chapman,  labored 
here  in  1808,  and  succeeded  in  gathering  a  class,  which  had  among  its 
members  Harris  Eames,  Stephen  Mix,  Edward  Mix,  Marshall  Bassett, 
William  A.  Cross  and  others  to  the  number  of  more  than  a  dozen. 
Meetings  were  held  in  private  houses — at  the  homes  of  Henry  H. 
Richards  and  Mrs.  Eames — and  at  Thompson's  Hall,  the  preacher  in 
1869  being  John  W.  Felous,  an  Englishman.  The  following  years  Rev- 
erend Charles  W.  Lyon  was  appointed  to  the  West  Haven  charge,  and 
the  work  of  building  a  house  of  worship  was  begun.  A  lot  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  village  was  donated  by  Isaac  W.  Hine  and  Richard 
Thomas,  on  which  the  frame  of  the  present  building  was  raised  in 
1870,  and  the  lecture  room  completed.  The  main  audience  room  of 
the  church  was  not  completed  for  dedication  until  1883.  Members  of 
the  other  churches  in  the  village  liberally  aided  in  providing  the 
necessary  means.  A  parsonage  on  the  lot  adjoining  was  also  built  in 
1870.  The  property  was  valued  at  $10,000.  A  bell  was  placed  in  the 
steeple  in  1889. 

The  ministers  of  the  church  have  been:  1870-2,  Reverend  C.  W. 
Lyon;  1873,  E.  D.  Bray;  1874-5,  W.  E.  Tompkinson;  1876,  C.  W. 
Lyon;  1S78-9,  A.  H.  Mead;  1880,  J.  B.  Ayres;  1881-3,  B.  F.  Kidder; 
1884-6,  Thomas  E.  Gilbert;  1887-8,  E.  L.  Thorpe;  1889-90,  W.  C. 
Blakeman;  1891,  B.  F.  Abbott. 

A  Sabbath  school,  organized  in  October,  1868,  has  been  success- 
fully continued,  having  had  as  its  superintendent  for  a  dozen  of  years 
Stephen  Mix.     It  numbers  about  200  members. 

St.  Lawrence  church  (Roman  Catholic)  was  built  in  1876,  when 
West  Haven  was  connected  with  Milford  as  part  of  that  parish.  It 
has  a  pleasing  appearance,  and  provides  sittings  for  300  persons.  The 
cost  was  about  $6,000.  The  church  still  sustains  a  mission  relation  to 
Milford,  about  100  families  residing  in  this  part  of  the  parish.  Semi- 
monthly services  are  maintained,  and  the  interest  is  increasing  yearly, 
with  prospects  of  soon  making  this  an  independent  parish. 

The  Orange  Congregational  church  was  organized  and  known 
many  years  as  the  North  Milford  church.  For  more  than  60  years  the 
inhabitants  in  the  locality  of  the  church,  at  Bryan's  Farms  (later  Or- 
ange Center),  attended  meetings  at  Milford.  But  as  early  as  1750  the 
settlers  here  were  so  numerous  that  a  winter  school  was  set  up.  In 
1791  a  public  green  was  set  apart,  on  a  pleasant  hill,  on  which,  the 
same  year,  a  plain  meeting  house,  30  by  36  feet,  was  built,  by  the  con- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  343 

sent  of  the  town  of  Milford,  and  in  which  winter  preaching  was  held. 
The  attendance  and  interest  were  so  good  that,  after  1796,  Reverend 
Bezaleel  Pinneo,  of  the  First  Milford  church,  preached  here  every  two 
weeks,  holding  these  meetings  several  years.  A  number  of  members 
of  the  Second  Milford  church  also  lived  in  this  locality.  These  united 
in  the  expression  of  a  desire  to  form  a  separate  society,  at  their  home, 
and  selected  Samuel  Treat,  of  the  First  society,  and  Joseph  Treat,  of 
the  Second  society,  of  Milford,  to  petition  the  general  assembly  to  that 
end.  That  body  granted  the  petition,  and  in  October,  1804,  incorpor- 
ated the  "  Society  of  North  Milford."  The  territory  included  all  that 
part  of  Milford  north  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  head  of  Oyster  creek 
or  Oyster  river,  west,  by  the  stone  bridge,  on  the  Derby  road,  over 
Weaver's  brook,  thence  to  the  Housatonic,  at  the  north  end  of  the 
upper  meadow.  The  name  of  the  society  remained  North  Milford  un- 
til 1842,  when,  by  legislative  enactment,  it  was  altered  to  the  "  Eccle- 
siastical Society  of  Orange." 

A  parish  having  been  established,  in  spite  of  the  vigorous  protests 
of  many  of  the  old  citizens  of  Milford,  preparations  were  made  for  the 
organization  of  a  church.  In  January,  1  805,  the  First  church  dis- 
missed 30  of  its  members  for  that  purpose,  and  24  withdrew  from  the 
Second  church,  with  the  same  object.  Accordingly,  March  13th,  1805, 
the  following  entered  into  covenant  relations  as  the  North  Milford 
church:  Robert  Treat,  Benedict  Law,  Henrietta  Law,  Elias  Clark, 
Abigail  Clark.  Matthew  Woodruff,  Esther  Woodruff,  Jonathan  Rog- 
ers, Elizabeth  Rogers,  Samuel  Treat,  Clarissa  Treat,  John  Bryan, 
Frances  Treat,  Anna  Treat,  Rebecca  Pardee,  Anna  Clark,  Mary 
Woodruff,  Keturah  Piatt,  Robert  Treat,  Content  Treat,  Joseph  Stone, 
Sarah  Stone,  Samuel  Stone,  Naomi  Stone,  Samuel  Prudden,  Jonah 
Treat,  Rebecca  Treat,  Asa  Piatt,  Patty  Piatt,  Josiah  Boardman,  Wil- 
liam Fowler,  Eunice  Fowler,  Benjamin  Clark,  Sarah  Clark,  Content 
Fowler,  Joseph  Treat,  Rebecca  Treat,  Margaret  Andrews,  Samuel 
Fenn,  Isaac  Treat,  Mehitable  Treat,  Benjamin  Fenn,  Comfort  Fenn, 
Peck  Fenn,  Urania  Fenn,  Jonathan  Treat,  Susannah  Treat,  Samuel 
Fenn,  Abigail  Fenn,  David  Treat,  Mabel  Treat,  Joseph  Treat,  Amos 
Mallery,  Sarah  Mallery. 

The  same  year  were  added  John  Gunn,  Martha  Gunn,  Hannah 
Clark,  Eunice  Treat.  In  1806  13  members  were  added,  the  males  be- 
ing Enoch  Clark,  Benjamin  Clark,  Isaac  Clark,  Gideon  Ailing,  Amos 
Smith.  In  1807  John  Buttrick  and  five  others  joined;  in  1808  John 
Hine,  Joseph  Buttrick  and  five  females.  In  1809  31  persons  were  ad- 
mitted, all  but  four  by  profession,  the  male  members  being  David 
Nettletou,  Aaron  Hine,  Jonathan  Rogers,  Joseph  Prudden,  Josiah 
Fowler,  Oliver  Nettleton,  Richard  Bryan.  In  1821  75  persons  were 
added;  in  1831  about  50;  and  in  1843  about  70. 

The  church  has  had  an  aggregate  membership  of  about  700,  the 
number  belonging  in  1890  being  171,  and  representing  125  families. 


344  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Reverend  Erastus  Scranton,  who 
was  settled  July  4th,  1805,  and  dismissed  January  3d,  1827.  "  He  was 
a  native  of  Madison,  and  was  a  strong,  tall,  farmer-looking-  man.  His 
father  once  speaking  of  him  said:  'Erastus  was  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  the  everlasting  heathen  of  North  Milford;'  but  he  proved  useful  and 
was  deservedly  greatly  respected.  He  gathered  and  wrote  out  and 
deposited  in  the  town  clerk's  office  a  considerable  history  of  old  Mil- 
ford."*  The  church  and  society  prospered  under  his  ministrations, 
which  were  longer  continued  than  those  of  any  other  pastor.  While 
he  was  pastor  a  new  meeting  house  was  built.  It  was  commenced 
June  27th,  1810,  and  dedicated  April  17th,  1811,  Reverend  Bezaleel 
Pinneo  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  This  house  was  placed  on 
the  north  end  of  the  green,  and  was  more  in  the  modern  style  of 
church  building  than  its  predecessor  on  the  green.  In  1864  it  was  re- 
modelled at  a  cost  of  $3,650,  and  rededicated  June  9th,  that  year.  More 
recent  repairs  have  made  it  very  comfortable. 

A  parsonage  on  the  west  side  of  the  green,  near  the  meeting  house, 
affords  a  comfortable  home  for  the  officiating  ministers.  These  have 
been,  after  Mr.  Scranton,  the  following:  Reverend  Horatio  A.  Parsons, 
settled  December  23d,  1829,  dismissed  April  24th,  1832;  Horace  Wood- 
ruff, settled  August  22d,  1832,  dismissed  June  7th,  1836;  Anson  Smyth, 
settled  November  25th,  1840,  dismissed  December  27th,  1842;  Cyrus 
Brewster,  settled  August  23d,  1843,  dismissed  August  23d,  1848;  W.  W. 
Belden,  settled  August  23d,  1848,  dismissed  May  18th,  1852;  D.  Wil- 
liams, stated  supply  from  February,  1853,  to  February,  1855;  A.  C. 
Raymond,  settled  June  11th,  1856,  dismissed  October  27th,  1862; 
Henry  T.  Staats,  settled  June  9th,  1864,  dismissed  March  17th,  1869; 
William  H.  Dean,  stated  supply  from  July  1st,  1871,  to  April  1st,  1875; 
T.  A.  Leete,  stated  supply  from  January  1st.  1877,  to  April  1st,  1879; 
W.  H.  McGiffert  began  his  labors  June  1st,  1879,  and  ended  them  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1880.  The  same  year  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin  preached 
three  months.  Reverend  G.  W.  Noyes  became  the  acting  pastor  July 
1st,  1880,  but  continued  only  a  few  months,  when  the  pulpit  was  sup- 
plied until  September,  1881.  In  that  month  Reverend  C.  C.  Otis  began 
his  labors  as  a  supply,  and  was  ordained  and  settled  August  2d,  1882. 
He  was  dismissed  July  30th,  1883,  to  become  a  general  missionary  in 
Washington,  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Reverend  H.  W.  Hunt  began  here 
as  a  supply  September  1st,  1883,  and  was  ordained  as  the  pastor  Sep- 
tember 17th,  1884.  He  has  since  acceptably  continued,  and  under  his 
care  the  church  prospers. 

The  office  of  deacon  in  this  church  was  for  life  up  to  1875,  when  a 
change  was  made,  electing  them  for  three  years.  The  complete  dea- 
con ry  has  been  as  follows:  Elias  Clark,  elected  March  13th,  1805,  died 
July  17th,  1817;  Jonathan  Treat,  elected  March  13th,  1805,  died  No- 
vember 20th,  1S29;  Joseph  Prudden,  elected  November  4th,  1814,  died 

*  The  writer  has  drawn  largely  on  this  book  for  data  on  this  section. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  345 

January  11th,  1840;  Peck  Fenn,  elected  June  30th,  1815,  died  March 
12th,  1824;  Ebenezer  Ailing,  elected  April  9th,  1S30,  resigned  May  4th, 
1834;  Calvin  Beach,  elected  September  14th,  1834,  resigned  January 
18th,  1843;  Andrew  Smith,  elected  December  31st,  1840,  resigned  Feb- 
ruary 10th,  1843;  Nathan  Merwin,  elected  May  12th,  1843,  died  April 
9th,  1844;  Aaron  Clark,  elected  May  12th,  1843,  resigned  January  2d, 
1876;  Alpheus  N.  Merwin,  elected  February  28th,  1857,  resigned  Jan- 
uary 2d,  1876;  Leverett  J.  Clark,  elected  March  6th,  1875,  reelected 
March  1st,  1878,  January,  1882,  January,  1885,  and  January,  1888,  still 
serves;  H.  B.  French,  elected  May  5th,  1877,  reelected  January,  1880, 
and  January  6th,  1883;  upon  the  same  date  Aaron  Clark  was  elected  an 
honorary  deacon  for  life.  Deacon  French  died  April  7th,  1883,  and 
May  5th,  J.  S.  Ailing  was  elected  to  fill  his  term.  He  was  reelected 
January,  1S86,  but  declined.  S.  D.  Woodruff  was  chosen  April  30th, 
1886,  but  also  declined,  when  Charles  A.  Clark  was  elected,  in  July, 
1886.  Being  reelected  January,  1889,  he  declined  the  office,  when  Ed- 
ward L.  Clark,  Jr.,  was  elected  and  now  serves  with  Leverett  J.  Clark 
in  this  honorable  office.  The  latter,  S.  D.  Woodruff,  S.  J.  Ailing, 
Charles  A.  Clark  and  Aaron  Clark  constitute  the  standing  committee. 
S.  D.  Woodruff  is  the  clerk  of  the  church. 

The  committee  of  the  ecclesiastical  society  are  E.  L.  Clark,  I.  P. 
Treat  and  E.  C.  Russell. 

Connected  with  the  church  is  a  good  Sabbath  school  of  125  mem- 
bers, superintended  by  Lewis  A.  White.  For  many  years  Deacon  H. 
B.  French  was  the  superintendent.  It  has  a  well  selected  library  of 
400  volumes.  The  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  an  active  auxiliary, 
has  45  members. 

In  this  part  of  the  town  the  Baptists  and  Methodists  formerly  had 
a  number  of  members,  and  greatly  aided  in  promoting  the  revival 
spirit  half  a  century  ago.  A  former  deacon  of  the  above  church,  Eben- 
ezer Ailing,  became  a  useful  Methodist  minister,  preaching  in  Milford 
and  in  this  town.  For  a  period  of  years  a  Methodist  class  was  main- 
tained, and  was  connected,  in  a  circuit  relation,  with  Derby  and  Mil- 
ford. 

The  Orange  Cemetery  is  a  short  distance  north  of  the  green,  at 
Orange  Center,  and  contains  several  acres  of  land.  It  first  consisted 
of  half  an  acre,  which  was  set  aside  for  burial  purposes  in  1804. 
Previous  interments  were  made  at  Milford.  The  cemetery  is  well 
kept,  and  there  are  many  attractive  and  a  few  costly  monuments. 
Among  the  inscriptions  may  be  noted  the  following,  commemorative 
of  many  of  the  leading  families  and  citizens  who  lived  in  this  part  of 
the  town: 

Enoch  Clark,  killed  by  lightning  while  harvesting,  July  18th,  1807, 
aged  60  years. 

Joel  Woodruff,  died  March  14th,  1808,  aged  —  years. 

Joseph  Stone,  died  December  14th,  1810,  aged  55  years. 


346  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Samuel  Treat,  died  May  3d,  1813,  aged  58  years. 

Benjamin  Clark,  died  February  28th,  1813,  aged  75  years. 

Aaron  Hine,  died  October  7th,  1813,  aged  82  years. 

Samuel  Stone,  died  December  13th,  1816,  aged  60  years. 

Deacon  Elias  Clark,  died  July  7th,  1817,  aged  65  years. 

Benedict  Law,  died  November  19th,  1819,  aged  79  years. 

Samuel  Prudden,  died  July  12th,  1819,  aged  76  years. 

Jonathan  Rogers,  died  March  2d,  1821,  aged  73  years. 

Captain  Nehemiah  Clark,  died  January  11th,  1820,  aged  36  years. 

Joseph  Hine,  died  July  3d,  1822,  aged  70  years. 

Isaac  Toll,  died  October  9th,  1822,  aged  67  years. 

Matthew  Woodruff,  died  July  15th,  1824,  aged  81.  years. 

John  Bryan,  Jr.,  died  April  18th,  1824,  aged  43  years. 

Asa  Ailing,  died  July  21st,  1825,  aged  30  years. 

Robert  Treat,  died  April  7th,  1825,  aged  67  years. 

Benjamin  Lambert,  died  October  11th,  1825,  aged  43  years. 

Captain  John  Gunn,  died  July  26th,  1826,  aged  61  years. 

Joseph  Treat,  died  October  24th,  1828,  aged  81  years. 

Edward  R.  Fowler,  died  May  26th,  1828,  aged  58  years. 

Deacon  Jonathan  Treat,  died  November  20th,  1829,  aged  66  years. 

Major  Enoch  Piatt,  died  October  2d,  1829,  aged  36  years. 

Josiah  Fowler,  died  February  17th,  1829,  aged  52  years. 

Jonathan  Fowler,  died  February  14th,  1829,  aged  58  years. 

Ephraim  Lambert,  died  April  10th,  1829,  aged  70  years. 

Samuel  Prudden,  died  June  26th,  1832,  aged  47  years. 

Amos  Nettleton,  died  April  13th,  1835,  aged  64  years. 

John  Hine,  died  May  13th,  1837,  aged  88  years. 

Deacon  Joseph  Prudden,  died  January  11th,  1840,  aged  52  years. 

John  Bryan,  died  December  11th,  1840,  aged  87  years. 

Isaac  Clark,  died  April  25th,  1841,  aged  91  years. 

Amos  Clark,  died  November  14th,  1841,  aged  85  years. 

Luke  Clark,  died  November  25th,  1842,  aged  54  years. 

Captain  Jonah  Treat,  died  February  2d,  1843,  aged  75  years. 

Samuel  Johnson,  died  June  22d,  1844,  aged  68  years. 

Nathan  Merwin,  died  April  9th,  1844,  aged  54  years. 

Miles  Mallette,  died  June  25th,  1844,  aged  82  years. 

Nehemiah  Woodruff,  died  December  26th,  1845,  aged  72  years. 

Levi  Parsons,  died  September  22d,  1847,  aged  77  years. 

Jireh  Treat,  died  October  21st,  1848,  aged  54  years. 

David  Treat,  died  June  17th,  1848,  aged  82  years. 

Aaron  Clark,  died  May  7th,  1848,  aged  90  years. 

Calvin  Beach,  died  July  21st,  1850,  aged  51  years. 

Levi  Beecher,  died  April  18th,  1851,  aged  75  years. 

John  Lambert,  died  January  17th,  1852,  aged  83  years. 

Leverett  Treat,  died  October  24th,  1854,  aged  61  years. 

Colonel  Samuel  Potter,  died  May  4th,  1859,  aged  69  years. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  347 

John  Latt  Lambert,  died  March  25th,  I860,  aged  59  years. 
Jonathan  Rogers,  died  February  3d,  1860,  aged  79  years. 
Robert  Treat,  died  April  24th,  1861,  aged  75  years. 
Lyman  Law,  died  August  26th,  1863,  aged  75  years. 
Charles  W.  Ailing,  died  April  6th,  1863,  aged  75  years. 
Alvin  Clark,  died  August  19th,  1863,  aged  63  years. 
Nathan  Fenn,  died  March  25th,  1864,  aged  82  years. 
Albert  Ailing,  died  May  8th,  1864,  aged  62  years. 
Asa  Ailing,  died  March  11th,  1866,  aged  86  years. 
Deacon  Aaron  Clark,  died  April  13th,  1S66,  aged  90  years. 
Andrew  P.  Hine,  died  November  21st,  1870,  aged  84  years. 
Lewis  Bradley,  died  October  7th,  1872,  aged  67  years. 
William  Treat,  died  May  8th,  1873,  aged  71  years. 
Benjamin  Clark,  died  December  12th,  1873,  aged  94  years. 
Anson  Clark,  died  May  25th,  1876,  aged  78  years. 
Jonah  Treat,  died  February  2d,  1882,  aged  87  years. 
William  T.  Grant,  died  July  29th,  1882,  aged  75  years. 
Dennis  Andrews,  died  January  5th,  1883,  aged  65  years. 
Henry  P.  Russell,  died  March  18th,  1885,  aged  76  years. 
William  Andrew,  died  December  22d,  1887,  aged  75  years. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Leonidas  W.  Ailing,  born  in  Orange  in  1840,  is  a  son  of  Charles  W., 
he  a  son  of  Amos,  he  a  son  of  Silas,  he  a  son  of  Daniel,  he  a  son  of 
Samuel,  and  he  a  son  of  Roger  Ailing,  who  came  from  England  in 
1638  and  settled  in  New  Haven.  Charles  W.  Ailing  was  born  in  New 
Haven  in  1793,  settled  in  Orange,  and  married  Lucy  Booth  in  1819. 
They  had  seven  children,  six  of  whom  lived  to  grow  up:  Amos  H., 
Charles  B.,  John  W.,  Leonidas  W.,  Mary  N.  and  Lucy  A.  Charles  W. 
Ailing  established  in  1823  a  mill  for  carding  wool  and  dressing  cloth. 
This  business  he  continued  until  1840,  when  a  new  mill  was  built  and 
spinning  and  looms  were  introduced.  He  continued  the  manufacture 
of  cloth  until  1845,  in  which  year  his  sons,  A.  H.  and  C.  B.  Ailing,  suc- 
ceeded him  and  carried  on  the  business  until  1859,  when  they  engaged 
in  business  in  Birmingham.  Charles  W.  Ailing:  carried  on  a  saw  and 
grist  mill  from  1819  to  1868.  His  death  occurred  in  the  latter  year. 
Leonidas  W.  Ailing-,  in  1860,  engaged  in  woolen  manufacture  in  the 
factory  formerly  conducted  by  his  father  and  brothers.  He  still  con- 
tinues the  business.  Mr.  Ailing  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature, 
in  1864  and  1868.  He  married  in  1870,  Maria  F.,  daughter  of  Alpheus 
Merwin,  of  Orange.  They  have  three  children:  Mary,  Wilbur  M.  and 
Leon  Booth. 

Theron  L.  Ailing  was  born  in  Orange  August  4th,  1838.  He  is  a 
son  of  Harvey,  and  grandson  of  Edward,  whose  father,  Silas,  was  a  son 
of  Roger  Ailing,  who  was  one  of  the  original  settlers  of  New  Haven. 
He  had  three  sons:  Daniel,  Timothy  and  Silas.     Silas  settled  early  in 


348  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

what  is  now  a  part  of  Orange.  He  married  Dorcas  Baldwin,  of  Wood- 
bridge.  They  had  seven  children:  Amos,  Edward,  Silas,  Louis,  Asa, 
Rebecca  and  Anna.  Harvey  Ailing,  son  of  Edward,  married  Mary 
Hull.  Their  children  were:  Andrew,  Edward,  Martha,  Delia,  Theron 
L.  and  Ann  M.  Theron  L.  Ailing  married,  in  1865,  Helena  Larra- 
bee.  Their  children  are:  Ruby  and  Ernest.  Ruby  died  at  the  age  of 
two  years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  engaged  in  farming,  the 
milk  business  being  a  large  factor.  He  has  also  been  prominent  in 
town  affairs,  and  was  in  1891  a  member  of  the  board  of  relief.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Orange. 

Wellington  M.  Andrew,  born  in  Orange  in  1843,  is  a  son  of  Dennis, 
whose  father,  Merwin,  was  a  son  of  William  Andrew,  all  residents  of 
North  Milford  and  Orange.  Merwin  Andrew  married  Susan  Piatt,  of 
Milford.  Their  children  were:  William,  Dennis,  Merwin,  Mary  and 
Susan.  Wellington  M.  Andrew  is  a  civil  engineer  and  surveyor,  a 
graduate  of  the  Sheffield  Scientific  School  of  New  Haven.  From  1868 
to  1878  he  followed  his  profession  in  California.  Since  1878  he  has 
been  engaged  in  farming  in  Orange.  In  1887  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  legislature,  has  been  school  visitor  eight  years,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Orange  Congregational  church.  He  married,  in  1881,  Flora  B., 
daughter  of  Isaac  P.  Treat,  of  Orange.  They  have  three  children: 
Irving  A.,  Ashley  W.  and  Florence. 

James  Andrews,  born  in  Roxbury,  Conn.,  October  15th,  1830,  is  a 
son  of  Elijah,  and  grandson  of  Elijah,  who  was  a  resident  of  Orange. 
Elijah,  father  of  James,  removed  to  Watertown,  Conn.,  early  in  life 
and  engaged  in  farming.  He  afterward  settled  in  Roxbury.  He  mar- 
ried for  his  first  wife  a  Miss  Parsons,  of  Watertown.  Their  children 
were  :  Amos,  William,  Jane,  Hannah,  John  P.,  Polly,  Susan,  Betsey, 
Thomas,  Reuben  and  Elijah.  He  married  for  his  second  wife  Mrs. 
Lovina  Judson,  daughter  of  Gideon  Leavenworth.  They  had  one  son, 
James  Andrews.  Of  these  children  Amos  died  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.; 
William  died  at  Plantsville,  Conn.;  Jane  resides  in  Edinboro,  Scotland; 
Hannah  died  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  and  John  P.  died  at  Cairo,  N.  Y. 
He  was  a  well  known  contractor,  and  with  his  partners  built  the 
Grand  Central  depot  in  New  York  city  and  the  underground  railroad. 
Polly  and  Susan  Andrews  died  at  Watertown,  Conn.  Betsey  died  at 
Wilkesbarre,  Pa.  Reuben  lives  at  Cairo,  N.  Y.  Thomas  lives  at  Ar- 
lington Heights.  Elijah  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  afterward 
enlisted  for  the  Indian  war.  He  was  killed  in  battle.  James  Andrews 
carried  on  the  butcher  business  in  Thomaston,  Conn.,  for  several  years, 
and  afterward  engaged  in  farming  in  Bethany,  Conn.  He  came  to 
West  Haven  about  187;"),  and  has  been  engaged  in  cigar  manufactur- 
ing.  He  was  married  in  1854  to  Jane  M.  Atkins.  They  had  two 
children:  James  C,  born  1S55,  married  in  1888  Nettie  L.  Riggs,  and 
resides  in  New  Haven;  and   Mason  E.,  born  1859.     Mr.  Andrews  mar- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  349 

ried,  for  his  second  wife,  Elizabeth  Perkins,  in  1865.    He  and  James  C. 
are  members  of  Annawan  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  West  Haven. 

Joseph  Andrews  was  born  in  Meriden  February  14th,  1832.  His 
father,  Orrin  Andrews,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  he  a  son  of  Andrew,  he 
a  son  of  Joseph,  he  a  sou  of  Samuel,  and  he  a  son  of  William  Andrews, 
who  came  from  Hampsworth,  England,  in  1635.  He  settled  in  New 
Haven.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  built  the  first  meeting  house  in  New 
Haven  in  1644.  He  also  kept  an  inn.  He  died  at  East  Haven,  March 
4th,  1676.  His  second  wife  was  Anna  Gibbons,  daughter  of  William 
Gibbons,  colonial  secretary  in  1617.  He  had  two  sons,  Samuel  and 
Nathan,  who  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Wallingford  in  1670. 
Nathaniel  Andrews  was  a  farmer  and  resided  in  the  town  of  Walling- 
ford, at  North  Farms.  He  married  a  Miss  Blakeslee.  Their  children 
were:  Solomon,  Ira,  Andrew,  Nathaniel,  Joseph,  Orrin,  Polly  and  Mary. 
Orrin  Andrews  was  born  at  North  Farms  in  1797.  He  removed  to 
Meriden,  and  for  several  years  kept  a  store  there,  afterward  returning 
to  Wallingford.  He  was,  upon  the  building  of  the  New  Haven  & 
Hartford  railroad,  appointed  station  agent,  which  position  he  held  for 
many  years.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature,  was  post- 
master at  Wallingford  for  eight  years,  and  was  captain  of  the  Old 
Horse  Guards.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  democratic  party  in 
that  town.  He  married  Caroline,  daughter  of  Chester  Cook,  of  Wal- 
lingford. Their  children  were:  Gould  N.,  born  1820;  George,  born 
1823;  Emily,  born  1825;  Orrin  C,  born  1S2S;  Joseph,  born  1832;  Mary 
A.,  born  1834;  Charles  H.,  born  1838;  Mary  C,  born  1841,  and  Martha 
H.,  born  1844.  Mary  A.,  Mary  C.  and  Orrin  C.  are  deceased.  Orrin 
Andrews  died  in  1867.  Joseph  Andrews  resided  in  Wallingford  until 
the  age  of  17,  when  he  went  to  Fair  Haven  and  learned  the  carpenter 
trade,  remaining  there  and  in  New  Haven  for  the  next  nine  years. 
He  soon  after  settled  in  West  Haven,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in 
the  building  business  ever  since.  In  October,  1889,  he  was  elected 
first  selectman  and  town  agent,  and  the  next  year  was  elected  third 
selectman.  In  1891  he  was  elected  first  selectman  and  town  agent, 
which  position  he  now  holds.  He  was  elected  warden  of  the  borough 
in  1876,  '77  and  '78.  He  was  made  a  Mason  in  old  Hiram  Lodge,  No. 
1,  of  New  Haven,  November  28th,  1868;  was  a  charter  member  of  An- 
nawan Lodge,  and  first  junior  warden  in  1873;  elected  master  in 
1876,  1883  and  in  1890.  In  1857  he  married  Eliza  J.,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam A.  Peck,  of  West  Haven.  They  had  two  children  :  Joseph  (de- 
ceased) and  William  A.  P.  Andrews,  who  is  a  physician  at  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

William  E.  Bull  was  born  at  Saybrook,  Conn.,  in  1852.  He  is  a 
son  of  Ezra  C,  whose  father,  Ezra,  was  a  son  of  Clark  Bull.  Ezra 
Bull  was  a  farmer.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812  as  a  major.  Ezra  C. 
Bull  married  Almira,  daughter  of  Captain  Azariah  Whittlesey,  a  sea 
captain.     Ezra  C.  Bull  was  a  ship  builder  in  the  early  part  of  his  life, 


350  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  later  was  a  house  carpenter.  William  E.  Bull  learned  the  trade  of 
pattern  maker.  For  several  years  he  was  a  traveling  salesman.  In 
1888  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Peerless  Button  Hole  Attachment 
Company  of  Tyler  City,  and  in  1890,  with  Louis  T.  Bulley,  became 
contractor  for  the  company.  Mr.  Bull  is  manager.  He  married,  in 
1S82,  Ella  Carman,  of  New  York.  They  have  two  children:  Amelia 
Isabel  and  Ezra  Carman. 

Doctor  John  Frederick  Barnett,  born  June  26th,  1846,  in  West 
Haven,  Conn.,  is  a  son  of  William  N.  and  grandson  of  Samuel  Bar- 
nett. William  N.  Barnett,  when  a  young  man,  engaged  in  the  pub- 
lishing business  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  which  he  carried  on  for  many 
years.  He  retired  about  1845  and  settled  in  West  Haven.  He  died 
in  Florida,  October,  1878.  He  married  Mary  S.  Pritchard,  of  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.  Their  children  were:  William  E.,  John  Frederick,  George 
(who  died  in  childhood),  and  Francis  W.  William  E.  is  a  lawyer  and 
executive  secretary  for  the  Consolidated  railroad.  Francis  W.  is  an 
Episcopal  clergyman  at  Canaan,  Conn.  John  Frederick  Barnett  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  West  Haven  and  the  Hopkins  Gram- 
mar School  of  New  Haven,  graduating  from  the  Yale  Medical  School 
in  1869.  He  was  in  the  Hartford  Hospital  for  one  year,  then  accepted 
a  position  as  surgeon  on  board  an  emigrant  vessel  between  New  York 
and  Liverpool.  In  1872  he  located  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  where  he  prac- 
ticed until  1875,  when  he  returned  to  West  Haven,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of 
Kings  County  Medical  Society  of  Brooklyn,  the  Connecticut  State  and 
New  Haven  County  Medical  Societies.  He  has  been  medical  exam- 
iner for  the  town  of  Orange  since  1883,  treasurer  of  the  borough  of 
West  Haven  since  1882,  and  secretary  of  the  school  board  for  ten 
years.  He  married,  in  1887,  Mary  E.  Keeley,  of  Ottawa,  Can.  They 
have  one  son,  Frederick  H. 

Lucius  A.  Benham,  born  in  Orange  in  1824,  died  in  May,  1891,  was 
a  son  of  Elisha,  born  1782;  he  a  son  of  Gamalial,  he  a  son  of  John,  and 
he  a  son  of  John,  who  came  from  England  in  the  ship  "  Mary  and 
John,"  and  landed  in  Boston  in  1630.  He  afterward  joined  the  Con- 
necticut colony,  and  was  one  of  the  70  heads  of  families  that  founded 
New  Haven,  as  is  shown  by  the  town  records.  They  were  all  farmers 
and  residents  of  New  Haven  county.  Gamalial  Benham  married 
Lydia  Painter.  Elisha  married  Phcebe  Keeler,  of  Litchfield.  Their 
children  were:  Almeda,  born  1811;  Elvira,  born  1813;  Maria,  born 
L816;  Elijah  E.,  born  1820;  Eliza  D.,  born  1822,  and  Lucius  A.,  born 
1824.  Almeda  married  James  L.  Kimberly.  Elvira  married  Charles 
B.  Stone.  Maria  married  Gorham  Munson.  Elijah  married  Mary  E. 
Hine.  Lucius  A.  married  in  1854,  Sarah  L.  Plimpton,  of  Sturbridge, 
Mass.  They  had  four  children:  Susan  W.,  Louisa  E.,  Mary  P.  and 
Catharine  M.  Catharine  M.  is  the  only  one  of  these  children  now 
living:. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  351 

Louis  T.  Bulley,  born  in  Vergennes,  Vt.,  in  1852,  is  a  son  of 
Theodore  Bulley,  who  emigrated  from  France  and  settled  in  Vermont. 
In  1871  he  came  to  New  Haven,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business.  Louis  T.  is  a  tool  maker  by  trade.  For  several  years  he 
was  in  the  employ  of  C.  Cowles  &  Co.,  of  New  Haven.  In  1885  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  Sackett  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Tyler 
City,  and  later  the  Peerless  Button-Hole  Attachment  Company,  which 
succeeded  the  former  company.  In  1890  he  and  William  E.  Bull  be- 
came manufacturers  for  the  company  under  contract.  Mr.  Bulley  is 
superintendent. 

Benjamin  T.  Clark,  born  in  that  part  of  Orange  then  a  part  of  Mil- 
ford,  in  1814,  is  a  son  of  Benjamin,  he  a  son  of  Benjamin,  and  he  a  son 
of  John,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Milford.  Benjamin 
Clark,  son  of  John,  married  Sarah  Rogers,  and  had  three  children: 
Benjamin,  Nathan  and  Rebecca.  Nathan,  after  residing  in  Milford  for 
many  years,  emigrated  with  his  family  to  the  West.  Benjamin,  his 
brother,  settled  in  Milford.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  mar- 
ried Susan,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Treat,  and  their  children  were: 
Susan,  Sarah  C,  Benjamin  T.,  Charlotte  and  Mary  S.  Benjamin  T. 
has  always  been  engaged  in  farming,  and  in  his  younger  days,  for 
many  years,  devoted  his  winters  to  teaching  school.  He  took  for 
many  years  a  leading  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  town.  He  held  the 
office  of  selectman  for  26  years  in  succession,  was  town  agent  for 
many  years,  justice  of  the  peace  for  nearly  40  years,  represented 
the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1847  and  1848,  and  again  in  1856  and 
1863.  He  married,  in  1839,  Elizabeth  R.,  daughter  of  Joseph  Newton, 
of  Woodbridge.  They  have  one  son,  Joseph  N.,  born  1840,  married  in 
1866,  Sarah  A.  Miles,  and  has  five  sons:  Benjamin  T.,  Joseph  N.,  Al- 
bert M.,  Henry  F.  and  George  E. 

Charles  A.  Clark,  born  in  Orange  in  1834,  is  a  son  of  Alvin  and 
grandson  of  Isaac,  whose  father,  Isaac,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
North  Milford  (now  a  part  of  Orange).  Isaac  Clark  was  a  revolution- 
ary soldier.  Alvin  Clark  married  Mary  Peck.  Their  children  were: 
Alvira  H.,  Charles  A.,  Dennis,  Andrew,  Nathan,  Grace  E.  and  Henry 
M.  Dennis  enlisted  in  the  15th  Connecticut  Regiment,  and  died  in 
service.  Charles  A.  Clark  has  always  been  engaged  in  farming.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  deacon  of  the  same. 
He  married,  for  his  first  wife,  Mary  J.  Sexton,  in  1859.  They  had 
four  children:  Nellie,  Arthur,  Charles  and  Mary.  He  married  the  sec- 
ond time  Frances  E.  Barker,  in  1S81. 

Edward  Cunningham,  born  in  Scotland,  is  a  son  of  Edward  and 
grandson  of  James  Cunningham.  He  came  to  this  country  about 
1 850,  and  two  years  later  came  to  New  Haven.  He  followed  the  sea 
several  years.  About  1860  he  engaged  in  his  present  business,  filling 
large  contracts  from  his  stone  quarries  in  West  Rock  and  East  Haven. 
He  settled  in  Orange  about  1875.     He  married  Catherine  Fitzgerald. 


352  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Their  children  are:  Edward,  James,  Simon,  Agnes  and  Katie.  His 
sons  are  in  partnership  with  him. 

Joseph  Dudley,  born  in  Cheshire,  Conn.,  in  1822,  is  a  son  of  Elias, 
born  in  1790,  he  a  son  of  Jedediah,  and  he  a  son  of  John  Earl  Dudley, 
who  came  from  England  about  1746,  and  settled  in  Wallingford,  Conn. 
He  married  Lois  Brockett,  and  their  children  were:  Jedediah  and 
Molly.  Jedediah  married  Lucy  Plumb,  of  Milford,  and  their  children 
were:  John,  Caleb,  Isaac,  Ransom,  Elias,  Amelia,  Roxanna  and  Sarah. 
Elias  Dudley  married  Laura  Preston,  of  Wallingford.  Their  children 
were:  Maria,  Mary  A.,  Harriett,  Joseph,  George  E.,  Caroline,  Charles, 
and  Samuel.  Elias  Dudley  was  a  marble  cutter,  and  carried  on  that 
business  in  Cheshire.  Joseph  learned  the  same  trade,  conducted  a 
marble  business  in  Cheshire,  and  for  several  years  had  another  place 
in  Meriden.  In  1859  he  located  in  New  Haven,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  the  same  business.  He  had  an  interest  for  a  time  in  the  gents' 
furnishing  establishment  of  Blair  &  Dudley,  of  New  Haven.  In  18S5 
he  settled  in  Orange.  He  married  in  1849,  Harriett,  daughter  of 
Captain  Chauncy  Sperry.  They  had  two  children:  George  E.,  who  is 
engaged  in  the  gents'  furnishing  trade  in  New  Haven;  and  Nellie  E., 
who  married  William  H.  Seymour,  of  South  Norwalk,  Conn.,  October 
1st,  1879,  have  since  settled  in  Ballston  Spa,  N.  Y.  In  1885  Mr.  Dud- 
ley married  Mrs.  Hettie  M.  Turner,  of  East  Norwalk,  Conn.,  and 
formerly  of  Jamesport,  L.  I.  He  settled  in  Orange  the  same  year  he 
married  Mrs.  Turner,  although  he  owned  the  place  and  rented  it  some 
years  before  settling  there. 

Loring  T.  Ellis,  born  in  Prospect,  Me.,  in  1850,  is  a  son  of  Barrach 
Ellis,  who  settled  in  Bridgeport  in  1854,  and  engaged  in  the  marble 
and  monumental  business,  which  he  conducted  until  1876,  at  which 
time  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Loring  T.  Ellis,  who  continued  the 
business  until  1SS4,  when  they  settled  in  Orange  and  he  engaged  in 
the  grocery  trade  at  Woodmont.  In  the  fall  of  1S87  his  store  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  The  following  winter  he  built  the  large  store  he 
now  occupies  and  does  an  extensive  business,  especially  during  the 
summer  months,  dealing  in  groceries,  provisions  and  general  mer- 
chandise.    He  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Woodmont  in  1889. 

Peter  R.  Forbes,  born  in  Canada  in  1800,  was  a  son  of  Adam 
Forbes,  who  was  a  New  York  state  man.  He  served  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  died  from  wounds  received  in  the  service.  Peter  R.  served 
as  a  teamster  during  the  latter  part  of  the  same  war.  The  father  of 
Adam  Forbes  served  in  the  cavalry  in  General  Gates'  army  in  the 
revolution.  The  family  came  from  Scotland  at  an  early  date.  Peter 
R.  Forbes  settled  in  Orange  in  1831.  He  carried  on  a  butcher  busi- 
ness for  many  years,  but  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  was  a  farmer. 
He  married  Cynthia  M.,  daughter  of  David  Downs,  of  Orange.  Their 
children  were:  Henry,  born  1832;  David,  born  1834;  Nathaniel,  born 
1842,  and  John  P.,  born  1845.     The  three  eldest  learned  carriage  mak- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  353 

ing.  John  P.  is  a  farmer.  Henry  Forbes  married  Claudenia  Heit- 
mann.  Nathaniel  married  Harriett  Lord.  John  P.  married  Lillian, 
daughter  of  Stephen  Gunn,  of  Milford.  Peter  R.  Forbes  died  in  1885. 
Luther  Fowler  was  born  in  Derby  in  1822.  His  father  was  named 
Luther,  and  his  grandfather  is  believed  to  have  been  named  Elijah. 
He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  revolutionary  war  and  commanded  a  pri- 
vateer which  was  sent  out  from  New  London  and  is  supposed  to  have 
been  lost  at  sea  with  all  on  board.  He  left  but  two  children,  Luther 
and  Catherine.  Luther  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  but  for  several  years  followed  the  sea,  and  afterward 
engaged  in  farming  in  what  was  then  Derby,  now  a  part  of  Seymour. 
He  was  selectman  of  Derby  for  several  years,  and  was  twice  elected 
to  the  legislature.  He  married  Mrs.  Mercy  Short  Hawkins.  Their 
children  were:  Hannah  J.,  Abraham,  Mary  C,  Louisa,  Luther  and 
Charlotte  A.  Luther  Fowler,  Jr.,  learned  the  mason's  trade.  He  built 
for  himself  a  house  in  that  part  of  the  old  town  of  Derby,  afterward 
included  in  Seymour  and  finally  set  off  to  Oxford.  He  was  success- 
ively a  resident  of  three  towns,  although  occupying  the  same  premises. 
Mr.  Fowler's  business  has  been  principally  contracting  and  building. 
He  settled  in  West  Haven  in  1S67,  and  for  several  years  was  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  patent  brick  in  Bridgeport,  Waterbury  and  later 
in  New  Haven.  He  afterward  engaged  in  contracting  and  building 
again.  He  was  selectman,  also  warden  of  the  borough  one  year,  and 
burgess  for  seven  years.  He  married,  in  1847,  Ann  A.  Hurd,  of  Sey- 
mour. Their  children  were:  Kate  E.,  Frank  H.  (living)  and  Charles 
W.  (deceased).  Kate  E.  married  Charles  Butler,  of  Oxford,  and  Frank 
H.  married  Isabel  Piatt,  of  New  Haven.  Luther  Fowler  died  May  4th, 
1891. 

William  Gilbert,  born  in  New  Haven  in  1809,  is  a  son  of  Isaac,  he 
a  son  of  Joel,  he  a  son  of  John  and  he  a  son  of  Matthew,  who,  with  his 
two  brothers,William  and  Samuel,  came  from  England  to  Boston  about 
1620.  Matthew  and  William  settled  there  and  Samuel  went  to  New 
York  state.  Matthew  afterward  came  to  New  Haven.  The  sons  of 
Joel  Gilbert  were:  Joel,  Elisha,  Jairus,  Elijah,  Israel  and  Isaac.  Isaac 
Gilbert  served  in  the  revolutionary  war.  He  was  a  tanner  in  New 
Haven  and  carried  on  an  extensive  business.  He  was  selectman  and 
town  agent  for  many  years.  His  first  wife  was  Annie  Mix.  Their 
children  were:  Elizabeth,  Jabez,  Annie,  Maria,  Elias,  Isaac,  Mary, 
Harriett,  Luther  and  Eliza.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  Esther, 
daughter  of  Stephen  Ailing.  Their  children  were:  Stephen,  Levi, 
Esther,  William,  Jesse  and  Sarah.  Of  this  large  family  two  are  living 
— William  and  Sarah.  Elias  and  Levi  became  partners  in  the  tannery 
business,  the  firm  of  Isaac  Gilbert  &  Sons  being  widely  known. 
Stephen  and  Jesse  Gilbert  engaged  in  carriage  manufacturing  in  New 
Haven  and  built  up  an  extensive  business.  William  Gilbert  was 
superintendent  in  their  factory  for  many  years.  About  1860  he  set- 
23 


354  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tied  in  West  Haven  and  engaged  in  farming  and  market  gardening. 
He  married  for  his  first  wife  Nancy  A.  Kibbe,  of  Wilbraham,  Mass. 
Their  children  were:  Gideon  K.  and  Fidelia  M.,  both  of  whom  are 
residents  of  Minnesota.  Mr.  Gilbert  married  for  his  second  wife 
Fidelia  Kibbe.  They  had  no  children.  For  his  third  wife  he  married 
Emily  Buck.  Their  children  were:  William  M.,  Edward  F.  (deceased) 
and  Edwin  A. 

Joseph  W.  Granniss,  born  in  Branford  in  1856,  is  a  son  of  Sylvester 
M.,  born  1820,  he  a  son  of  Joseph,  born  1791,  he  a  son  of  Samuel,  born 
1768,  he  a  son  of  Joseph,  born  1735,  he  a  son  of  Thomas,  born  1711,  he 
a  son  of  Joseph,  born  in  North  Haven  1677,  he  a  son  of  Edward  Gran- 
niss, who  came  from  England  and  settled  in  North  Haven  in  1644, 
where  during  the  next  hundred  years  more  than  one  hundred  of  that 
name  were  born.  They  were  largely  seafaring  men.  The  original 
name  was  Grand  Lys,  and  dates  back  to  the  Norman  conquest  in  1066, 
when  the  family  came  from  Normandy,  France,  to  England.  Joseph, 
son  of  Edward,  married  Hannah  Russell  in  1702.  Thomas,  his  son, 
was  the  first  to  spell  the  name  Granniss.  He  married  Mehitable 
Thompson.  Joseph, his  son,  married  Olive  Luddington.  Samuel,  their 
son,  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Chidsey,  3d.  Joseph,  their  son, 
married  Lucy,  daughter  of  Jesse  Luddington.  Sylvester  M.  Granniss 
for  his  first  wife  married  Lois  R.  Curtis,  and  for  his  second  Lydia  L. 
Bradley.  They  had  one  son,  Joseph  W.  Mr.  Granniss  married  for 
his  third  wife  Ellen  Blatchley.  He  died  in  1882.  Joseph  W.  Granniss 
is  a  carriage  maker  by  trade  and  carried  on  that  business  in  Hamden 
several  years.  In  1884,  with  William  A.  Russell,  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  carriage  poles  at  Mount  Carmel,  Conn.  In  1887  they 
moved  to  West  Haven,  and  have  continued  the  business  there.  He 
married,  in  1876,  Nellie  A.  Cook.  Their  children  are:  Bertha  F.,  Alice 
A.,  Margarita,  Joseph  L.  and  Harry. 

John  M.  Hubbard,  born  in  Orange  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  John  P. 
(1811-1880),  he  a  son  of  John  (1778-1861),  he  a  son  of  General  John 
(1751-1837),  he  a  son  of  Reverend  John  (1727-1786),  he  a  son  of  Doc- 
tor John  (1703-1773),  he  a  son  of  Reverend  John  (1677-1705),  he  a  son 
of  John,  he  a  son  of  William  (1621-1704),  and  he  a  son  of  William 
Hubbard,  who  came  from  Tendering  Hundred,  Essex  county,  Eng- 
land, to  Boston  in  1630,  and  died  1670.  John,  son  of  William,  was  a 
merchant  in  Boston.  Reverend  John,  his  son,  was  a  minister  at  Ja- 
maica, L.  I.  Doctor  John  settled  in  New  Haven  in  1727.  His  son,  Rev- 
erend John,  was  a  prominent  clergyman  at  Meriden,  Conn.  He  married 
Rebecca  Dickerman.  His  son,  General  John,  born  in  1751,  lived  in 
Hamden.  He  was  an  extensive  famer  and  a  prominent  man.  He 
owned  and  resided  upon  the  present  New  Haven  town  farm.  He  saw 
but  little  service  in  the  revolutionary  war,  but  was  a  major-general  in 
the  state  militia  for  several  years.     He  was  deacon  and  chorister  of 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  355 

the  Center  church  of  New  Haven  for  many  years.  He  married  Anna 
Atwater.  John,  his  son,  married  Sally,  daughter  of  Stephen  Peck,  of 
Woodbridge.  John  P.  married  Sarah  Ann,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Clark,  of  Milford.  He  was  the  son  of  Elisha  and  grandson  of  Thomas 
Clark.  Their  children  were:  John  M.,  Lewis  C,  Edward  E.,  Anna  A., 
Mary  E.  and  Reverend  George  H.,  who  is  a  minister  at  Foo  Chow, 
China.  He  married  Nellie  L.,  daughter  of  Reverend  Lyman  Peet. 
Anna  A.  married  William  M.  Cottle.  Edward  E.  married  Vara, 
daughter  of  Marcus  Smith.  Lewis  C.  married  her  sister,  Fannie 
Smith.     John  M.  was  married  in  1874,  to  Laura  B.  Davis,  of  Oxford. 

Dennis  A.  Kimberly,  born  in  West  Haven  in  1844,  is  a  son  of 
James  L.,  and  grandson  of  Eliakim,  whose  father,  Silas,  was  a  son  of 
Nathaniel,  whose  father,  Nathaniel,  was  a  son  of  Nathaniel,  who  was 
a  son  of  Thomas  Kimberly,  who  came  from  London  to  New  Haven  in 
1638,  and  died  in  Stratford  in  1673.  He  had  four  sons.  Nathaniel 
died  at  West  Haven  in  1705.  Another  son,  Eleazur,  was  the  first  male 
child  born  in  New  Haven.  He  died  at  Glastonbury  in  1707.  He  was 
for  many  years  secretary  of  state.  The  names  of  the  other  sons  were 
Thomas  and  Abraham.  Nathaniel  Kimberly,  2d,  died  at  West  Haven 
in  1720.  His  son,  Nathaniel,  died  at  the  same  place  in  1780.  Silas, 
son  of  Nathaniel,  3d,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Smith,  and 
died  in  1803.  Eliakim  Kimberly  married  Maria  Kimberly.  Their 
son,  James  L.  Kimberly,  married  Mary  A.  Lum,  of  Derby.  Their 
children  were:  Dennis  A.,  Fannie  A.  and  Edward  L.  Dennis  Kim- 
berly, son  of  Silas,  was  a  general  in  the  state  militia  and  a  lawyer  of 
much  prominence.  Dennis  A.  spent  several  years  in  the  western 
states,  but  has  resided  in  West  Haven  since  1883.  In  1861  he  enlisted 
in  the  1st  New  York  Cavalry,  and  in  1862  enlisted  in  the  15th  Con- 
necticut Infantry,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Admiral  Foote  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  New  Haven.  He  was  elected 
burgess  of  the  borough  in  1888,  1889,  1890  and  1891.  He  married  in 
1S76,  Nellie  A.  Norton.  Their  children  are:  Fannie  E.,  J.  Lester, 
Jennie  A.,  Dennis,  Edward  B.  and  Marian  A. 

Samuel  Mallory  was  born  in  Woodbury,  Conn.,  in  1832.  His  fa- 
ther, Thomas,  was  a  son  of  Thomas,  he  a  son  of  Thomas,  and  he  a  de- 
scendant of  Peter  Mallory,  who  signed  the  plantation  covenant  of 
New  Haven  in  1644.  Thomas,  son  of  Peter,  born  1659,  married  Mary 
Umberfield  in  1684.  Thomas,  their  son,  was  born  in  1685.  Thomas 
Mallory,  father  of  Samuel,  settled  in  West  Haven  about  183S.  He  was 
a  farmer,  and  was  later  engaged  in  oyster  growing.  He  married 
Janet  Hinman.  They  had  two  children — Samuel  and  Augusta,  who 
married  Charles  H.  Smith.  Samuel  Mallory  is  a  contractor  and 
builder.  He  has  been  burgess  of  West  Haven,  and  is  one  of  the  char- 
ter members  of  Annawan  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  that  place.  He  mar- 
ried Catherine  E.  Thompson  in  1859.  They  have  four  sons:  Thomas, 
Charles,  George  and  Burton. 


356  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

John  E.  Mar  was  born  in  Alna,  Lincoln  count}',  Me.,  in  1834.  His 
father  was  James  C,  and  his  grandfather  was  James  Mar.  The  latter 
was  a  lieutenant  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Susanna,  daughter 
of  Lieutenant  Richard  Baily,  who  served  in  the  French  and  Indian 
war.  James  C.  Mar  married  Susanna,  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Averill, 
who  was  a  revolutionary  soldier  and  a  member  of  Washington's  body 
guard.  The  founder  of  the  family  was  John  E.  Mar,  who  came  from 
Scotland  in  1715.  John  E.  Mar,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  learned 
the  ship  builder's  trade  in  1854,  and  came  to  New  Haven  county  in 
1862.  He  became  a  resident  of  West  Haven  in  1865,  and  the  same 
year  became  a  partner  of  William  N.  Gesner  in  ship  building.  He 
married  in  1863,  Helen,  daughter  of  Mr.  Gesner.  Their  children  are: 
Frederick  W.,  Margaret  G.,  James  C,  John  E.  and  Charles  E. 

Albert  F.  Miles,  born  in  Milford  in  1S07,  is  a  son  of  Captain  Daniel 
Miles,  who  was  also  a  son  of  Captain  Daniel,  both  sea-faring  men. 
The  younger  Daniel  commanded  a  vessel  before  he  was  21  years  of 
age.  He  was  lost  at  sea  during  the  war  of  1812,  while  bringing  in  a 
captive  vessel.  Daniel  Miles,  father  of  Albert,  married  Martha, 
daughter  of  Clemence  Northrop.  They  had  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  who  died  young.  The  sons  were  Albert  F.,  Edwin  and 
George.  Albert  F.  Miles  has  been  a  resident  of  Orange  all  his  life. 
He  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  followed  it  for  many  years,  but 
for  over  40  years  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  always  been 
a  staunch  republican,  and  held  many  offices  and  positions  of  trust 
in  the  town,  being  selectman  and  town  agent  for  many  years.  He 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Isaac  Clark.  The  result  of  this  union 
was  two  daughters,  both  of  whom  are  living:  Martha,  who  married 
James  W.  Clark,  of  Monroe,  and  Sarah,  who  married  Joseph  N.  Clark, 
of  Orange. 

David  M.  Monahan  was  born  in  County  Letrim,  Ireland,  in  1840, 
and  in  1860  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  New  Haven,  where  for 
several  years  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Stocking  &  Pendleton,  ship 
chandlers.  In  1866  he  removed  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  engaged  in 
trade  (groceries  and  general  merchandise),  doing  an  extensive  busi- 
ness. In  1876  he  returned  to  Connecticut,  and,  locating  in  Southing- 
ton,  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  there.  In  1883  he  came  to  West 
Haven,  and  investing  in  real  estate,  has  made  many  improvements, 
among  which  was  the  building  of  the  Second  Avenue  Hotel.  He 
married  in  1864,  Mary  G.  Dailey,  of  the  same  county,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  millinery  business  in  New  York  city, 

Atwater  L.  Nettleton,  born  in  Derby  in  1847,  is  a  son  of  Lyman 
Nettleton,  born  in  Orange  in  1820;  grandson  of  Amos,  born  1771; 
great-grandson  of  Isaac,  who  was  a  son  of  John,  who  came  from  Mil- 
ford  and  settled  in  what  is  now  a  part  of  Orange,  then  North  Milford, 
being  one  of  the  earliest  settlers.  He  had  two  sons,  Isaac  and  Na- 
than.    Isaac  Nettleton  married  Sarah  Smith,  of  West  Haven.     Their 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  357 

children  were:  Amos,  Isaac,  David,  Comfort,  Sarah  and  Susan.  Amos 
Nettleton  married  Comfort,  daughter  of  Eli  Nettleton,  of  Bethany, 
who  was  a  son  of  Nathan.  Their  children  were:  Sidney,  Julia,  Har- 
riett, Mary,  Amos,  Lyman,  Laura  A.  and  Laura  M.  Lyman  Nettleton 
is  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  has  followed  that  business  for  over  40 
years.  He  married  in  1842.  Sarah,  daughter  of  Samuel  Atwater,  of 
Cheshire.  Their  children  are:  Atwater  L.,  Martha  J.  (died  young), 
Clara  (deceased)  and  Jennie  (married  Merritt  L.  Benton).  Atwater 
Nettleton  married,  in  1870,  Susan,  daughter  of  Amos  Clark,  of  Mil- 
ford.     Their  children  are  Eva  and  Efne. 

H.  Edward  Nettleton,  born  April  28th,  1828,  is  a  son  of  Hezekiah 
Nettleton  and  Sarah  Buckingham  Wilmot,  both  residents  of  Milford, 
Conn.,  whose  children  were:  Abagail  A.,  who  married  George  W. 
Goodsell,  a  merchant  of  New  Haven,  both  of  whom  are  now  deceased; 
George  W.,  who  married  Charlotte  Phillips,  both  residents  of  Hay- 
wards,  Cal.,  at  the  present  time;  H.  Edward,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Ephraim  B.,  now  deceased;  N.  Clark,  who  had  mining  interests  in 
Idaho,  where  he  died;  and  Elliott  W.,  who  served  as  a  corporal  in  the 
war  of  the  rebellion,  and  was  killed  just  previous  to  its  close  at  Ben- 
tonville,  N.  C.  H.  Edward  moved  to  West  Haven  in  1851,  and  in  1858 
purchased  the  grocery  business  of  the  late  George  W.  Goodsell,  which 
he  has  carried  on  continuously  since  that  time.  In  the  same  year  he 
married  Emma,  daughter  of  Hubbard  and  Ann  Smith,  of  Naugatuck, 
Conn.  Their  children  were:  Edward  L.  and  Harry  E.,  living;  Elwood 
W.  and  an  infant  son,  deceased.  Edward  L.  married  Eva  M.  Thomas, 
of  Rushville,  111.  Harry  E.  married  Nettie  B.  Richards,  of  West 
Haven,  Conn. 

James  H.  Peck,  born  in  Waterbury  in  1845,  is  a  son  of  William  A., 
born  in  Waterbury  August  25th,  1804,  he  a  son  of  Ward,  born  October 
7th,  1762,  and  he  a  son  of  Joseph  Peck.  Ward  Peck,  named  after  Gen- 
eral Artemas  Ward,  enlisted  in  the  continental  army  in  1776  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  at  Stony  Point  and  York- 
town  and  at  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis.  He  was  one  of  La  Fayette's 
bodyguard.  He  represented  Waterbury  in  the  legislature.  He  mar- 
ried Dorcas,  daughter  of  James  Porter,  of  Waterbury,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  Lucy,  born  1784;  Chloe,  born  1789;  Lyman, born  1791;  Sher- 
man, born  1793;  Harmon,  born  1795;  Ward,  born  1799;  Simmons,  born 
1801;  Caroline  D.,  born  180S;  and  Mary,  born  1812.  Of  this  large  fam- 
ily all  lived  to  grow  up  and  all  of  them  married.  Joseph  Peck,  sup- 
posed to  have  been  an  older  brother  of  Ward  Peck,  enlisted  in  the  7th 
Company  of  the  7th  Regiment,  July  10th,  1775,  reenlisted  January 
12th,  1777,  for  the  war,  in  Colonel  Hunt's  Regiment.  William  A.  Peck 
ran  a  transportation  line  from  Waterbury  to  New  Haven  from  1835 
until  the  building  of  the  railroad  in  1849.  In  1862  he  settled  in  West 
Haven.  He  married  Lucretia,  daughter  of  George  Leete,  of  North 
Haven.     Their  children  are:  George  L.,  born  1832;  William  A.,  born 


358  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1834;  Eliza  J.,  born  1836;  Caroline  D.,  born  1838;  Sherman,  born  1840; 
Nancy  A.,  born  1843;  James  EL,  born  1845;  Emily  L.,  born  1849;  and 
Clara  M.,  born  1853.  Those  who  married  are:  George  L.  to  Fannie 
Fosdick;  Eliza  J.  to  Joseph  Andrews;  Caroline  D.to  George  Anderson; 
Nancy  A.  to  George  Chase;  James  H.  to  Nettie,  daughter  of  Captain 
John  Thompson,  of  West  Haven,  in  1869.  They  have  one  daughter, 
Louise.  James  H.  Peck  has  been  registrar  of  voters  for  several  years, 
also  burgess.  He  was  deputy  under  Sheriff  Bixby  two  terms,  and 
LT.  S.  revenue  inspector  and  gauger  during  Cleveland's  administration. 
William  A.  Peck,  Jr.,  joined  the  government  engineers  in  1858,  and 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  after  the  war,  has  been  in  the  gov- 
ernment service.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  several 
years,  and  after  West  Haven  was  made  a  borough,  was  clerk  of  same 
for  the  first  three  years.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  bur- 
gesses several  years.  He  married,  in  1868,  Emma  Chase.  They  have 
two  children:  George  W.,  born  1869,  and  Sarah  E.,  born  1873. 

David  Platt,  a  prominent  farmer  in  Orange,  was  born  in  Nauga- 
tuck,  Conn.,  in  1830.  His  great-grandfather,  Josiah  Platt,  was  a  deacon 
of  the  Congregational  church  in  West  Haven,  and  contributed  liber- 
ally to  the  support  of  that  body.  His  grandfather,  Nathan  Platt,  was 
a  prominent  man  in  his  day.  He  was  captain  of  a  militia  company, 
and  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  His  house  was  raided  by  the  British 
soldiers  in  that  war.  His  sou,  Nathan,  father  of  our  subject,  married 
Mary  Meloy,  a  descendant  of  Edward  Meloy,  who  came  to  America 
about  1760,  and  became  a  prominent  man  in  the  New  Haven  colony. 
They  had  ten  children,  all  now  living.  David,  the  fourth  child,  came 
to  Orange  with  his  parents  when  he  was  about  two  years  of  age.  He 
received  a  common  school  education.  At  the  age  of  eight  years  he 
struck  out  for  himself,  and  from  that  time  depended  upon  his  own 
resources.  He  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker  when  16  years  old,  and 
worked  at  that  trade  until  he  was  21.  In  January,  1852,  he  started  for 
California  by  the  Nicaragua  route,  and  after  fifty  days'  adventure  by 
land  and  sea,  reached  San  Francisco.  He  worked  in  the  gold  mines 
for  over  two  years,  then  returned  to  West  Haven.  In  1856  he  mar- 
ried Melissa  A.  Shenehon,  of  New  Haven.  Three  daughters  have  been 
born  to  them:  Mary  K.,  Sarah  S.  and  Florence  L.  Previous  to  his 
marriage  he  purchased  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  near  Savin 
Rock.  The  fine  residence  and  all  of  the  barns  and  buildings  on  the 
place  were  erected  by  Mr.  Platt.  By  his  untiring  industry  he  has 
accumulated  a  sufficient  competency  for  his  declining  years.  In  con- 
nection with  farming,  he  also  follows  the  business  of  fishing. 

Mr.  Platt  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  political  affairs,  having 
been  identified  with  the  democratic  party  during  all  his  residence  in 
Orange.  He  has  held  several  town  offices;  was  selectman  a  number 
of  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1890  was  elected  town  agent,  his  well  known 
integrity  and  business  ability  enabling  him  to  overcome  a  strong  ad- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY,  359 

verse  majority.  In  the  state  election  of  1890  he  was  the  candidate  of 
his  party  for  member  of  the  legislature,  and  although  the  average  re- 
publican majority  at  that  election  was  about  100,  he  came  within  six 
votes  of  an  election.  He  is  president  of  the  Oak  Grove  Cemetery  As- 
sociation of  West  Haven. 

Isaac  Porter,  born  in  Milford  in  1811,  is  a  son  of  Hezekiah,  who 
was  a  farmer.  Hezekiah  married  Rachel  Pardee,  and  their  children 
were:  Hezekiah,  Rachel,  Julius,  Isaac,  Amasa,  Hannah,  Nathan, 
John,  David  and  Caroline.  Isaac  Porter  settled  in  Orange  in  1825. 
He  was  captain  for  several  years  of  the  3d  Company,  Horse  Artillery. 
He  learned  the  carpenter  trade,  which  business  he  has  always  fol- 
lowed. He  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  has  been 
collector  of  taxes.  He  married,  in  1843,  Phebe  Warner,  of  Hamden. 
They  had  three  children.  They,  with  his  wife,  died  in  1859.  He 
married  again,  in  1861,  Mary  E.  Smith.     They  have  one  son,  Frank. 

Edward  W.  Russell,  born  in  Orange  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  William 
Ell  Russell,  whose  father,  Chauncy,  was  a  son  of  Stephen.  William 
Ell  Russell  married  Susan  Parsons.  Their  children  were:  William  C, 
Elford  C,  Betsy  M.  and  Edward  W.  Edward  W.  has  carried  on  the 
butcher  business  for  several  years,  and  is  also  engaged  in  farming. 
He  is  sole  owner  of  the  Tyler  City  Creamery,  which  he  established  in 
May  of  1890.  He  is  a  member  of  Harmon  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  New 
Haven.  He  owns  and  resides  on  the  Colonel  Piatt  hotel  property, 
where  Colonel  Piatt  kept  a  hotel  for  many  years.  Mr.  Russell  was 
married  in  1871  to  Mary  K.  Bishop,  of  West  Haven.  Their  children 
are:  William  E.,  Harry  B.,  Bertha  M.,  Lilla  B.,  Lottie  M.,  Bessie  S., 
George  L.  (deceased),  Daisy  A.,  Clarence  S.  and  Beulah  K. 

Stephen  D.  Russell,  born  in  Orange  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  Stephen  R., 
grandson  of  Chauncy,  and  great-grandson  of  Stephen  Russell.  Ste- 
phen R.  Russell  has  resided  in  Orange  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 
He  is  a  carriage  maker  and  wood-worker,  and  carried  on  that  busi- 
ness for  many  years.  He  married  Cornelia  Beach,  of  Woodbridge. 
Their  children  were:  Stephen  D.,  Elizur  B.,  William  M.,  Wilson  (who 
died  in  infancy),  Lewis  P.  and  Mary  M.  Stephen  D.  and  William  M. 
Russell  enlisted,  in  1862,  in  the  27th  Connecticut  Regiment,  and 
served  nine  months.  Elizur  B.  enlisted  the  same  year  in  the  15th 
Regiment  and  served  three  years.  Stephen  D.  Russell  has  been  en- 
gaged for  many  years  in  carriage  making  and  blacksmithing.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Orange.  He  married,  in 
1860,  Delia  A.,  daughter  of  Harvey  Ailing,  of  Orange.  Their  children 
are:  Celia  (deceased),  Dwight  E.  (born  1864),  and  Anna  B.  (born  1870). 
Dwight  E.  married  Mary  Pardee,  in  1886. 

William  A.  Russell,  born  in  Bethany,  Conn.,  June  6th,  1845,  is  a 
son  of  Stiles  A.,  born  March  29th,  1812,  died  May  3d,  1863.  He  was  a 
wheelwright.  He  married  Susan,  daughter  of  William  Andrew,  May 
1st,  1836.     Their  children  were:    Wallace    A.,  born  1837,  died  1838; 


360  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Mary  E.,  born  1839;  Catharine  J.,  born  1840,  died  1861;  Ellen  J.,  born 
1842;  Elvira  V.,  born  1843,  died  August,  1891;  William  A.,  born  1845; 
Dwight  S.,  born  1847;  Ann  Eliza,  born  1849;  Wallace  A.,  born  1851; 
Grace  L.,  born  1853,  died  1860.  William  A.  Russell  came  to  West 
Haven  in  1869,  and  in  1870  engaged  in  horseshoeing  and  jobbing.  In 
1884,  in  company  with  Joseph  W.  Granniss,  he  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  carriage  poles  at  Mt.  Carmel,  Conn.  Returning  to  West 
Haven,  in  1887,  they  engaged  in  the  same  business  in  connection  with 
blacksmithing  and  general  jobbing.  Mr.  Russell  is  a  member  of 
Annawan  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  West  Haven,  and  of  Harmon  Lodge, 
No.  5,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  Sassacus  Encampment.  He  married,  in  1869, 
Jane  I.  Bradley,  and  has  two  sons — Fred.  A.  and  Elford  B. 

William  C.  Russell,  born  in  Orange  in  1835,  is  a  son  of  William 
E.,  whose  father,  Chauncey,  was  a  son  of  Stephen  Russell,  a  soldier  in 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Amity  (now 
Woodbridge  and  Bethany),  and  one  of  the  most  skillful  mechanics  of 
his  day.  Chauncey  Russell  maried  Lucinda,  daughter  of  Job  Sperry, 
of  Sperry 's  Farms,  whose  father,  Richard  Sperry,  supplied  the  regicides 
with  food  during  their  stay  in  the  cave  on  West  Rock.  He  was  a 
soldier  and  an  officer  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  •  William  E.  Rus- 
sell was  a  resident  of  Orange.  He  married  Susan,  daughter  of  Levi 
Parsons,  of  Derby.  He  raised  a  company  for  the  war  of  1812,  but 
never  engaged  in  active  service.  William  C.  Russell,  although  a 
resident  of  Orange,  has  been  engaged  in  the  meat  business,  in  New 
Haven,  for  upward  of  40  years,  first  in  the  retail,  and  for  the  last  15 
years  in  the  wholesale  trade.  He  is  also  engaged  in  manufacturing 
at  Tyler  City;  vice-president  of  the  Peerless  Attachment  Company. 
He  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  and  has 
been  honored  with  nearly  every  office  in  the  town.  He  is  now  select- 
man and  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in 
1871.  He  married,  in  1855,  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  Dilazon  Lyon,  of 
Woodbridge.     They  have  two  daughters — Jennie  G.  and  Jessie  E. 

Leonard  A.  Schaffnit  was  born  in  Brensbach,  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
Germany,  in  1S55.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1868,  and  in  1882  set- 
tled at  Tyler  City  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cigars.  He  has 
been  station  agent  since  1885,  and  postmaster  for  five  years.  He  was 
married,  in  1878,  to  Ella  Gilbert.  They  have  five  sons:  Jacob,  William, 
Leonard,  Vilas  and  Harry. 

William  J.  Scobie,  born  in  New  Haven,  in  1853,  is  a  son  of  William 
C.  Scobie,  who  emigrated  from  Scotland  and  settled  in  New  Haven, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  but  at  present  carries  on  a 
paint  and  wall  paper  store  in  that  city.  He  married  Amelia  Smith. 
In  1883  William  J.,  with  his  brother,  George  W.,  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile trade  at  Orange  Center,  buying  out  the  business  of  George  M. 
White.  This  firm  existed  until  1S85,  since  which  time  the  business 
has  been  carried  on  by  William  J.  Scobie.     He  is  a  member  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  361 

school  committee,  and  of  Quinnipiac  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  Sassacus 
Encampment,  No.  1,  of  New  Haven.  He  married,  in  1882,  Annie 
McVoie.  Their  children  are:  Amelia  M.  and  Elbert  W.  Mr.  Scobie 
was  appointed  postmaster  at  Orange  Center  in  1888. 

Doctor  Durell  Shepard,  born  in  Newtown,  Conn.,  in  1831,  is  a  son 
of  Hiram  and  Lucretia  (Sherman)  Shepard.  Hiram  was  a  son  of 
George,  he  a  son  of  Timothy,  he  a  son  of  John,  he  a  son  of  John,  he  a 
son  of  John,  who  was  a  son  of  Edward  Shepard,  who  settled  in  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  in  1639.  John,  the  father  of  Timothy,  was  a  Milford 
man.  He  removed  to  Newtown  about  1737.  Doctor  Shepard  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Yale  Medical  School,  graduating  in  1864.  He  was  assist- 
ant surgeon  in  the  army  until  1865,  when  he  located  in  West  Haven, 
where  he  has  since  practiced.  Soon  after  coming  to  West  Haven  he 
opened  a  drug  store,  which  he  still  carries  on.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
New  Haven  County  and  Connecticut  Medical  Societies.  He  married, 
in  1856,  Ellen  R.  Hart,  of  Southington,  who  died  in  1863.  In  1S67  he 
married  Elinor  M.  Tyler,  of  Essex,  Conn.  They  have  three  children: 
Carroll  S.,  George  S.  and  Gussie  S. 

Burgis  W.  Smith,  born  in  New  Haven  in  1857,  is  a  son  of  Hiram 
H.,  and  grandson  of  Josiah  Smith.  He  was  an  auger  manufacturer. 
He  married  a  Miss  Hayes,  and  their  children  were:  Isaac  C,  Frederick 
H.  and  Hiram  H.  Hiram  H.  Smith  was  a  jeweler,  manufacturing  for 
Kirby  &  Sons,  of  New  Haven,  for  nearly  30  years.  He  settled  in 
West  Haven  in  1858.  He  held  the  office  of  warden  two  years,  and  was 
first  selectman  of  the  town  one  year.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of 
William  F.  Henrietta.  They  had  one  son,  Burgis  W.  Mr.  Smith  re- 
moved to  California  in  1886.  Burgis  W.  Smith  has  always  resided  in 
West  Haven,  and  for  several  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  florist 
business.  He  married,  in  1879,  Lucy  B.,  daughter  of  Isaac  Mix. 
Their  children  are:  Clara,  David,  Kirby  and  Ruth. 

Charles  F.  Smith,  born  in  Orange  in  1836,  is  a  son  of  Jesse  G. 
Smith,  who  was  born  in  West  Haven,  then  a  part  of  New  Haven,  in 
1796;  he  a  son  of  Gold  Smith,  and  grandson  of  Nathan  Smith.  They 
were  all  farmers.  Gold  Smith  was  a  captain  in  the  state  militia  in 
1795.  He  married  Susanna  Smith.  Their  children  were:  Jesse  G., 
Lyman.  Oliver,  Susanna,  Katura  and  Catherine.  Jesse  G.  married 
Susan,  daughter  of  William  H.  Fowler,  of  Milford.  Their  children 
were:  William  G.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Montana;  and  Charles  F. 
Charles  F.  Smith  served  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  enlisting  in  the 
27th  Connecticut  Volunteers.  He  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  is  at  the  present  time  (1891)  serving  his  seventh  year  as 
selectman.  He  was  a  representative  in  the  legislature  in  1875  and 
1876.  He  married,  in  1866,  Mary  G.,  daughter  of  Nathan  C.  Tomlin- 
son,  of  Milford.  They  have  two  children:  Susie  F.,  born  1867,  married 
in  1891,  to  Clifford  E.,  son  of  Elbee  J.  Treat;  and  Minnehaha,  born 
1873.     William  H.  Fowler  was  a  descendant  of  William  Fowler,  who 


362  HISTORV   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

came  from  England  in  1637  with  Theophilus  Eaton  and  Peter  Prud- 
den  and  landed  at  Boston.  He  came  to  New  Haven,  and  later  settled 
in  Milford,  being  one  of  the  founders.  The  line  of  descent  is  as  fol- 
lows: William  Fowler,'  William,2  John,3  John,*  John,6  John,0  lohn7  and 
William  H." 

Leonhard  Sohn,  born  in  Hessen,  Germany,  in  1S36,  was  a  son  of 
Jacob  Sohn.  Leonhard  came  to  this  country  in  1866,  and  settled  in 
New  Haven,  where  he  carried  on  a  meat  market  for  several  years. 
He  removed  to  West  Haven  in  1877,  and  opened  a  boarding  house. 
In  1890,  in  company  with  his  son,  Frank  A.,  he  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business.  He  is  a  member  of  Connecticut  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  of  New  Haven.  He  married,  in  1864,  Elizabeth  Porth.  They 
have  two  children— Lena  and  Frank  A. 

Enoch  H.  Somers,  born  in  Orange  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Enoch, 
whose  father,  Benjamin  Somers,  married  Mary  Marks.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Curtis,  Enoch  and  Mary  B.  Curtis  Somers  was  captain  of 
a  military  company,  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  Enoch  Somers 
was  also  a  captain  in  the  old  militia.  He  was  a  shoemaker  and 
farmer.  He  married  Sarah  Downs.  They  had  two  children:  Stiles 
A.,  who  married  Hattie  Kimberly  and  settled  in  Minnesota,  and 
Enoch  H.,  who  from  1843  to  1872  was  a  resident  of  New  York,  where 
he  carried  on  the  business  of  a  broker.  In  the  latter  year  he  took  up 
his  residence  in  Orange. 

Elbee  J.  Treat,  born  in  Orange  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Jonah,  he  a  son 
of  Jonah,  he  a  son  of  Samuel,  and  he  a  son  of  Elisha  Treat.  Jonah 
the  first,  married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Joseph  Treat.  Their  children 
were:  Frances,  Julia  B.,  Rebecca  W.,  Jonah,  Alfred  and  Harvey.  Jonah , 
Treat,  son  of  Jonah  first,  married  Hettie,  daughter  of  David  Treat,  of 
Orange.  Their  children  were:  Mary,  Louise,  Susan,  Jonah,  Elbee  J., 
Emma  S.  and  Ellen  G.  Elbee  J.  Treat  has  always  been  engaged  in 
farming  and  dealing  in  cattle.  He  was  elected  selectman  in  1886, 
and  reelected  in  1887,  1888  and  1889.  Mr.  Treat  married,  in  1856, 
Sarah  Thomas.  Their  .children  are:  Frederick  J.,  Clifford  E.,  Sophia 
(deceased),  Cora  and  Sarah.  Mrs.  Treat  died  in  1871,  and  in  1880  he 
married  Louisa  H.,  daughter  of  D.  K.  Crofut,  of  Derby.  They  had 
one  child,  which  died  in  infancy.  Frederick  J.  Treat  was  born  in 
1860.  He  married  Nellie,  daughter  of  Frederick  B.  Pope,  of  Ansonia. 
They  have  two  children,  Herbert  L.  and  Ellen  L. 

George  D.  Wade,  born  in  Wilbraham,  Mass.,  in  1827,  is  a  son  of 
George  A.  and  grandson  of  Nathan  L.  Wade.  George  A.  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Chauncy  Brewer.  They  had  eight  children:  George 
D.,  Eliza  E.,  Anna  F.,  James  C,  John  H.,  Addison  P.,  Clarrissa  L.  and 
Ellen.  George  D.  settled  in  Milford,  in  1849,  and  was  engaged  in 
railroading  for  many  years.  He  afterward  conducted  a  dry  goods  and 
grocery  business  in  Milford.  In  1862  he  came  to  Orange,  and  has 
since  been  engaged  in  farming.     He  married,  in  1855,  Emeline,  daugh- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  363 

ter  of  Asahel  Clark,  of  Milford.  They  have  had  two  children:  Lottie 
and  George  C. 

William  Wallace  Ward,  born  in  West  Haven  June  18th,  1830,  is  a 
son  of  Jacob.  He  was  a  seafaring  man,  and  was  in  the  West  India 
trade,  following  the  sea  for  upward  of  40  years.  Henry,  Thomas  and 
James  Ward,  brothers  of  Jacob,  were  also  sea  captains.  Thomas  and 
James  carried  on  business  on  Long  Wharf,  New  Haven,  for  many 
years.  They  were  among  the  prominent  and  influential  men  of  their 
day,  and  carried  on  an  extensive  trade.  Jacob  Ward  married  Henri- 
etta Kimberly.  Their  children  were:  John,  Frederick  S.,  George, 
Minot,  Israel  K.  and  William  Wallace.  Minot,  George  and  Frederick 
S.  were  seafaring  men.  George  and  Minot  Ward  commanded  vessels 
during  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  were  in  the  government  service. 
Minot  was  lost  at  sea  on  the  steamer  "  General  Lyon,"  with  nearly  all 
on  board,  March  31st,  1865.  Israel  Ward  engaged  in  the  banking 
business.  He  was  cashier  of  the  Second  National  Bank  of  New- 
Haven  for  25  years.  He  died  in  1883.  William  Wallace  Ward  has 
been  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  timber  business  and  shipping,  hav- 
ing been  interested  for  many  years  in  most  of  the  vessels  built  in 
West  Haven.  The  "  W.  W.  Ward,"  launched  in  1888,  was  named  for 
him.  Upon  the  building  of  the  New  Haven  &  West  Haven  horse 
railroad,  in  1867,  Mr.  Ward  was  made  superintendent,  which  position 
he  still  occupies.  He  was  also  treasurer  of  the  same  several  years. 
He  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1880. 

Henry  Weidemann  was  born  in  Kuhrhessen,  Germany,  in  1850. 
His  father  was  John  Weidemann.  He  came  to  America  in  1872,  and 
for  eight  years  resided  in  New  York  city.  He  then  resided  in  Spring- 
field,  Mass.,  where  he  was  foreman  of  a  brewery.  In  1883  he  pur- 
chased the  Lion  Brewery  in  West  Haven,  and  removed  there.  He 
has  made  many  improvements  in  the  property,  adding  steam  power, 
an  ice  machine,  etc.,  and  has  greatly  enlarged  and  increased  the  busi- 
ness. He  married,  in  1883,  Mary,  daughter  of  John  G.  Schmelzle,  of 
Springfield,  Mass.  In  1890  Adam  Schmelzle  became  a  partner  with 
Mr.  Weidemann.  He  is  a  son  of  John  G.  Schmelzle.  He  was  born  in 
Henermann,  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  in  1861,  came  to  America  with 
his  parents  in  1870,  and  settled  in  Holyoke,  Mass.  In  1878  he  went 
to  .Springfield,  where  be  learned  the  brewer's  business,  remaining 
there  until  1890,  when  he  became  a  partner  of  Mr.  Weidemann  and 
removed  to  West  Haven.  He  married,  in  1SS4,  Ida  Prehn.  Their 
children  are:  Louise,  George  and  Christina. 

Doctor  William  V.  Wilson  was  born  in  Milford,  Conn.,  December 
26th,  1845.  His  father,  Elisha  Wilson,  built  the  first  telegraph  line 
through  the  Naugatuck  valley.  He  was  also  the  inventor  of  the 
telegraph  repeater  about  the  year  1846,  and  an  application  was  made 
for  a  patent  for  it  about  that  time.  This  was  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful inventions  of  the  age.     Without  it  long  distance  telegraphy 


364  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

of  one,  two  or  three  thousand  miles  could  not  be  accomplished  on 
the  single  circuit  over  land  lines.  Elisha  Wilson  married  Julia  A. 
Benjamin,  of  Milford.  They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  William  V., 
Eugene  B.  and  Lillian  E.,  survived.  Doctor  Wilson  was  educated  at 
Yale,  graduating  from  the  Yale  Medical  School  in  1867.  He  located 
at  South  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  practiced  there  for  IS  years.  He  was 
surgeon  for  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  in  New  Jersey  for  12  years. 
From  South  Brunswick  he  went  to  Wellington,  Conn.,  and  in  1887 
located  in  West  Haven.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  State  and 
Yale  Medical  Societies  and  vice-president  of  the  Medical  Practitioners' 
Protective  Alliance  of  the  United  States.  He  was  elected  burgess  of 
West  Haven  in  1890,  and  is  chief  of  the  fire  department.  He  married 
Nellie  H.  Brayton,  of  North  Adams,  Mass.,  and  his  children  are: 
Cornelia  G.  (deceased),  Philip  E.,  Nellie  A.,  Nettie  and  Elizabeth  B. 

Stiles  D.  Woodruff,  born  in  Orange  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  Jeremiah, 
grandson  of  Nehemiah,  and  great-grandson  of  Joseph,  who  was  a 
resident  of  Milford.  Nehemiah  married  Hannah  Jones.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Hannah,  Mary,  Diantha,  Harriet,  John,  Samuel  and  Jere- 
miah. Jeremiah  Woodruff  was  born  in  1811,  and  married  Charlotte, 
daughter  of  David  Nettleton.  They  had  five  children:  Stiles  D., 
George  E.,  Charlotte  E.,  Mary  F.  and  Frank  H.  Stiles  D.  Woodruff 
has  always  been  engaged  in  farming,  making  a  specialty  of  seed  grow- 
ing, in  which  he  has  been  extensively  engaged.  In  1879  he  was 
elected  to  the  legislature,  and  was  reelected  in  1880.  He  has  been 
acting  grand  juror  for  upward  of  20  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church  of  Orange,  and  has  been  clerk  and  treasurer 
of  the  same  for  several  years.  Mr.  Woodruff  enlisted  in  the  27th 
Connecticut  Infantry  in  1862,  and  served  nine  months.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Admiral  Foote  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  New  Haven.  He  married  in 
1862  Elizabeth  M.,  daughter  of  Bryan  Clark,  of  Orange.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Frank  C,  Watson  S.,  Robert  J.  and  Mary  R. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE    TOWN    OF    DERBY. 


Location. — The  Indians.  —Early  Trading  Post. — Purchase  of  Lands. — The  Propiietors. — 
Civil  Government. — Extracts  From  Town  Records. — Ferries.  Roads,  Bridges,  Etc. — 
Early  Commercial  Interests  and  Shipbuilding. — Derby  Village. — Burtville. — Bir- 
mingham and  its  Manufacturing  Interests. — Merchants. — Hotels. — Banks. — The 
Press. — Post  Office. — Physicians  and  Lawyers. — The  Borough. — Fire  Department. — 
Water  Com], any. — Gas  Company. — Street  Railways. — Driving  Park. — Societies  and 
Lodges. — Soldiers'  Monument. 


THE  town  of  Derby  is  on  the  western  border  of  the  county,  about 
nine  miles  northwest  from  New  Haven  and  a  little  more  than 
that  distance  north  of  Long  Island  sound.  As  created  by  the 
charter  of  1675,  it  extended  12  miles  north  from  the  Two  Mile  brook, 
and  the  northeastern  corner  was  seven  and  a  half  miles  east  from  a 
point  on  the  Housatonic;  the  southeastern  corner  was  two  and  a  half 
miles  east  from  that  stream,  the  river  forming  the  southwestern 
boundary  and  separating  the  town  from  Fairfield  county.  This  area 
of  about  14,000  acres  of  land  has  been  reduced  to  about  one-fourth 
that  number  of  acres,  by  the  formation  of  new  towns,  only  the  south- 
eastern part  of  the  old  town  remaining.  Here,  where  is  the  junction 
of  the  Naugatuck  with  the  Housatonic,  the  first  settlements  were  made. 
Adjoining  the  present  Derby  are  Ansonia,  on  the  north;  Woodbridge 
and  Orange  on  the  east  and  southeast. 

In  aboriginal  times  this  locality  was  known  as  Paugasuck,  which 
name  was  corrupted  by  the  English  into  Paugassett.  The  general 
features  are  variable,  hilly  lands  predominating,  the  level  lands  being 
confined  mainly  to  the  areas  along  the  streams,  and  are  small  in 
extent.  Ascending  the  Housatonic  from  the  point  of  confluence  a 
mile  or  two,  at  a  marked  bend  of  the  river  is  the  point  which  from  the 
first  has  been  called  Derby  Neck,  where  some  lands  were  early  tilled. 
Southeast  are  the  pleasantly  elevated  lands  on  which  is  located  Bir- 
mingham, with  the  intervale  along  the  Naugatuck,  on  the  east,  as 
meadows  or  lowlands.  Beyond  the  Naugatuck  the  ground  ascends 
gradually  until  it  culminates  in  a  beautiful  elevation,  called  Sentinel 
hill,  which  is  cultivated  to  its  summit,  and  which  is  a  most  attractive 
object,  with  its  orchards  and  verdant  fields.  Southwest  is  another 
elevation,  called  Turkey  hill,  which  appears  to  have  been  a  favorite 
resort   of   the  Indians.     North  from   this  are  hills  encroaching  upon 


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.  .     .  ....  J  . 


HISTORY   OF   NEVt    HAVEN   COUNTY.  361 

it  was  desired  to  know"whether  Paugassetl  should  be  attached  to 
their  town."  But  before  the  proprietors  of  thi  posl  gave  answer, 
their  interests  were  sold  to  Richard  Baldwin  and  others,  of  Milford, 
and  thenceforth  the  interests  oJ  this  locality  wen  practically  con- 
trolled by  that  town.     Hence,  when  th<    : ral  court  gave  liberty  to 

the  people  of  Paugassett   to  form   themselves  into  a  separate  villag 
Milford  di  clared  that  such  a  such  a  step  would  be  injurious  to  its  in- 
terests, and  opposed  th(   measun  ;  and  this  opposition  Milford  success- 
fully maintained  more  than  20  years,  n  tarding  the  di  vi  lopmi  nt  of 
this  section. 

In  1657  and  L659  other  Indian  lands  were  purchased  oi  iagamores, 
the  title  to  which  was  confirmed  in  1664  and  1665  by  the  chief  sachem 
oi  tin-  Paugasucks,  Okemuck,  after  which  matters  were  upon  a  more 
substantial  basis.  In  1666  tin-  records  of  tin-  plantation  v.  n  begun 
by  Abel  Gun n,  a  young  man  apparently  well  qualified  for  the  work. 

From  his  early  Paugassett  records  we  learn  that  tin-  Milford  nun  who 
had  purchased  the  interests  of  Stephen  I  .oodyear  and  his  New  Haven 
associates  were:  John  Burwell,  Richard  Baldwin,  Samuel  Hopkins, 
Edward  Riggs,  Thomai  Langdon,  Edward  Wooster,  Francis  French, 
John  Brown,  Isaac  Piatt,  Roberl  Denison.  In  a  short  time,  the  Bur- 
w  li  interest  passed  to  Henry  Bottsford,  and  Hopkins'  to  John  Smith. 
Soon  after  L665  a  village  was  officially  founded,  after  the  manner  of 
:  hose  times,  and  the  first  division  of  lands  made.  Each  one  of  the 
ten  proprietors  received  a  home  lot  oi  about  one  and  half  acres;  up- 
lands about  four  acres;  and  meadow  lands  about  three  aeres.  This 
village  was  in  that  pari  of  Derby  called  "  Old  Town  "  or  "Up-town." 
But  not  all  the  proprietors  lived  there.     Edward   Riggs  and  Francis 

I eh  had  selected  lands  and    built    houses   on  the  hill,  about  a  mile 

east,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  only  houses  in  the  village  at  that  time 
were    those    of    Edward    Wooster,   at    the    north    end,  and    of   Thomas 

Langdon.  On  Birmingham  point  Lieutenant  Thomas  Wheeler  had  a 
house,  in  which  he  lived  from  L658  for  about  six  years,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Stratford  and  sold  his  land  to  Joseph  Hawkins,  for  whom 
the  locality  was  afterward  named. 

It  is  probable  that  of  tin-  ten  proprietors  Edward  Riggs  and 
Edward  Wooster  were  the  first  to  here  permanently  settle,  locating  on 
their  lands  about  L654.  The  latter  lived  at  the  upper  end  of  "Old 
Town  "  and  farmed  the  meadow  lands  below  Ansonia,  growing  hops, 
lb- died  in  L689,  and  his  homestead  passed  to  Doctor  John  Durand. 
When  his  estate  was  divided,  in  L694,  L2  children  shared  in  it;  and 
from  him  descended  the  Woosters  in  the  western  part  of  the  county. 
When  Wooster  first  settled  in  Derby,  and  for  some  years  later,  his 
surroundings  were  an  unbroken  forest,  infi  ted  with  wild  animals 
which  were  bold  and  numerous.  The  wolves  especially  were  annoy- 
ing and  ate  up  much  oi  the  pioneer  farmer's  stock.  Other  wild 
animals  injured  his  growing  crops.     So  isolated  was  the  condition  of 


368  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

these  settlers,  at  Paugassett,  that  the  general  court  contemplated 
their  removal  unless  others  should  be  added  to  their  numbers  to  give 
them  the  advantages  of  a  settled  community. 

Edward  Riggs  lived  a  mile  east  of  "Old  Town,"  on  the  farm  still 
called  the  Riggs  place.  The  house  was  fortified  against  possible 
attacks  by  Indians  and  in  the  summer  of  1661  sheltered  the  Judges 
Goffe  and  Whalley,  who  occasionally  spent  a  few  days  here.  Edward 
Riggs  became  one  of  the  planters  of  the  new  colony,  at  Newark,  N. 
J.,  and  removed  in  1666;  but  his  son,  Ensign  Samuel  Riggs,  remained 
on  the  homestead  and  from  him  have  descended  the  Riggs  who  at 
one  time  constituted  such  a  large  part  of  the  population  of  north- 
western New  Haven.  A  granddaughter  of  Samuel  Riggs,  Sarah,  be- 
came well  known  as  the  beloved  Lady  Humphreys,  mother  of  General 
David  Humphreys. 

The  third  permanent  settler  appears  to  have  been  Francis  French. 
In  1661  he  occupied  a  house  half  a  mile  east  from  Edward  Wooster, 
with  whom  most  likely  he  was  related.  He  came  from  Milford  and 
had  been  identified  with  Paugassett  earlier,  as  a  single  man.  He  was 
frequently  called  upon  to  serve  in  a  public  capacity  and  was  most 
faithful  in  the  performance  of  his  duties.  His  death  occurred  in 
February,  1691,  when  he  was  but  66  years  of  age.  Francis,  his  son, 
afterward  occupied  the  homestead  and  also  became  well  known.  The 
descendants  of  the  French  family  became  numerous  in  the  Naugatuck 
valley,  a  number  still  remaining. 

Of  the  other  proprietors  Thomas  Langdon  lived  here  but  a  short 
time,  when  he  removed,  as  did  also  John  Brown,  the  latter  going  to 
Newark  before  1668.  John  Smith  remained  in.  Milford,  but  his  son, 
Ephraim,  came  to  Derby  and  participated  in  its  affairs,  before  1667. 
It  is  thought  that  Richard  Baldwin  also  retained  his  residence  in  the 
mother  town,  his  descendants  coming  to  live  upon  his  Derby  lands. 
Joseph  Hawkins,  in  1665,  bought  the  point  of  land  between  the  two 
rivers,  including  the  warehouse  at  the  trading  post,  and  built  a  new 
house,  which  his  son,  Joseph,  occupied.  This  family  became  numerous 
in  this  section. 

Abel  Gunn  was  not  one  of  the  ten  original  proprietors,  but  was 
intimately  connected  with  the  first  settlers  and  their  affairs,  keeping 
their  records  from  1666.  He  married  a  daughter  of  John  Smith,  of 
Milford,  but  having  no  children  of  his  own,  gave  his  property  to  Abel 
Gunn,  son  of  his  brother,  Jobamah,  who  was  a  prominent  citizen  of 
what  is  now  the  western  part  of  the  town  of  Naugatuck.  A  hundred 
years  ago  this  family  was  very  numerous  and  important  in  the  western, 
part  of  the  county. 

Several  Johnson  families  were  enrolled  among  the  early  settlers. 
Ebenezer  Johnson  settled  in  Paugassett  about  166S,  and  married  a 
daughter  of  Edward  Wooster  in  1671.  He  reared  eight  children,  who 
had  numerous  descendants.     Colonel  Ebenezer  Johnson  lived  on  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  369 

southeast  part  of  Sentinel  hill,  not  far  from  Samuel  Riggs,  and  the 
two  were  for  many  years  the  most  important  men  in  the  town,  and 
were,  in  time,  large  land  owners  along  the  Naugatuck.  Jeremiah 
Johnson  was  of  another  stock,  coming  from  New  Haven  in  1672,  but 
also  lived  on  Sentinel  hill.  His  youngest  child  was  born  in  1084  and 
his  descendants  became  very  numerous  in  Derby  and  in  other  towns 
alo'ng  the  Naugatuck. 

In  1670  Stephen  Pierson  and  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  were  recorded  as 
being  among  the  settlers,  and  the  possessions  were  enlarged  by  pur- 
chases of  lands  between  the  Housatonic  and  the  Naugatuck,  as  far  north 
as  West  Ansonia.     Much  of  this  was  long  known  as  the  Hawley  pur- 
chase, and  the  following  year  it  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Pau- 
gassett  company,  which  now  had  as  additional  members,  John  Tib- 
bals,  Jonas  Tomlinson  and  Moses  Johnson.     Soon  after  Doctor  John 
Hulls  and  Jabez  Harger  were  enrolled  among  the  proprietors  and  set- 
tlers, the  former  being  the  first  physician,  and  also  built  the  first  mill. 
He  removed  to  Wallingford  in  the  course  of  20  years,  but  some  of  his 
family  continued  in  the  town.     Jabez  Harger  lived  on  Sentinel  hill, 
east  of  Edward  Riggs.     He  died  in  1678,  but  his  widow  and  10  chil- 
dren long  survived  him,  and  their  descendants  took  rank  among  the 
leading  people  of  the  Housatonic  valley.     In  1675  12  families  resided 
in   old   Derby,  and  as  many  more  were   listed  to  soon  settle  there. 
Four  years  later  the  proprietor's  list  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of 
Isaac  Nichols,  Samuel   Brinsmade,  John  Pringle,  William  Tomlinson 
and  Isaac  Nichols;  and  a  short  time  later  lands  were  allotted  to  Hope 
Washburn,    William    Washburn,   John    Davis,   John   Johnson,   John 
Beach,  Jonas  Lum,  Joseph  Guernsey  and  Henry  Williams.     The  same 
year  Abel  Holbrook  and  Daniel  Collins  were  among  the  proprietors. 
In  most  cases  the  lands  allotted  were  selected  in  the  most  fertile  sec- 
tions, in  the  valleys  or  most  attractive  upland  parts  of  the  old  town. 
In  1685  the  estates  and  persons  were  38  in  number.     For  several  years 
there  was  an  increase  of  a  few  proprietors  each  year,  when  a  decrease 
took  place,  and  there  were  less  persons  in  1699  than  12  years  earlier. 
In  1700  there  were  about  50  estates;  18  years  later  the   number  was 
some  eight  or  ten  larger,  and  was  composed  of  the  following  persons: 
Colonel  Eben   Johnson,  Captain   Joseph  Hulls,  Ensign  Samuel  Riggs, 
Abel  Gunn,  John  Johnson,  Jabez   Harger,  Ensign  Samuel  Nichols, 
William  Moss,  Isaac  Tomlinson,  Abiram  Canfield,  Lieutenant   John 
Riggs,  John  Hulls,  Eben  Harger,  Mr.  John  Durand,  Francis  French, 
Jonathan  Hill,  George  Black,  John  Munson,  Andrew  Smith,  Jonathan 
Lum,  John   Davis,   William    Washborn,  Samuel   Moss,  John    Weed, 
Stephen   Pierson,  Jr.,  Thomas  Wooster,  Samuel  Tomlinson,  William 
Tomlinson,  John  Twitchell,  John  Towner,  Samuel   Bowers,  Josiah 
Baldwin,  Mr.  Samuel  Gunn,  Samuel  Bassett,  Peter  Johnson,  Abraham 
Tomlinson,  Joseph   Hawkins,  Samuel   Washborn,  Timothy  Wooster, 
John  Pringle,  John  Tomlinson,  Joseph  Smith,  John  Smith,  Sr.,  Eph- 
24 


370  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

raim  Smith,  Ensign  Eben  Johnson,  John  Chatfield,  Jeremiah  Johnson, 
Benjamin  Stiles,  Stephen  Pierson,  John  Tibbals,  Joseph  Nichols, 
Abraham  Pierson,  Abel  Holbrook,  Joseph  Johnson,  Mary  Wooster, 
Abraham  Binto,  Michael  Denman,  James  Humphreys,  Samuel  Brins- 
made. 

Of  the  foregoing  estates,  but  few  were  valued  at  more  than  ,£100, 
viz.:  Colonel  Eben.  Johnson,  £146;  Captain  Joseph  Hull,  £226;  Abel 
Gunn,  £158;  Lieutenant  John  Riggs,  £160;  Andrew  Smith,  £101; 
Thomas  Wooster,  £117;  Joseph  Hawkins,  £157;  Jeremiah  Johnson, 
£106.  The  total  estates  were  rated  at  £3,823.  In  1725  the  valuation 
was  £5,310. 

The  population  now  increased  steadily,  and  the  number  of  pro- 
prietors was  also  increased,  there  being,  when  the  fourth  division  of 
land  was  made  in  1756,  83  proprietors,  many  being  the  children  of  the 
first  settlers. 

Of  the  first  settlers  at  the  landing  J.  W.  Barber  said:*  They 
"  were  Thomas  Parsons,  Samuel  Plumb,  Joseph  Hull,  Ebenezer  Chat- 
field,  Ebenezer  Johnson  and  two  families  of  Weeds.  Thomas  Par- 
sons' house  stood  on  the  ground  where  the  Episcopal  church  now 
[1836]  stands;  Plumb  located  himself  about  half  a  mile  north.  Joseph 
Hull,  the  great-grandfather  of  Commodore  Hull,+ had  his  house  about 
half  a  mile  north  of  Plumb;  Chatfield  settled  a  little  north  of  Hull; 
Johnson  built  his  house  about  a  mile  southeast  of  the  Landing;  he 
was  a  captain,  afterward  a  colonel.  The  Weeds  located  themselves 
about  a  mile  northeast  of  the  Landing,  at  a  place  since  called  Squabble 
Hole.  This  place  is  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the  circum- 
stance of  the  two  first  families  who  lived  there  having  much  conten- 
tion with  each  other." 

An  effort  was  made  by  the  settlers  of  Paugassett,  as  early  as  1655, 
to  secure  corporate  privileges  as  a  township,  the  general  court,  at  New 
Haven,  having  been  petitioned  to  that  end.  But  the  inhabitants  of 
Milford  were  so  strenuously  opposed  that  the  project  was  for  the  time 
being  abandoned.  The  area  of  the  plantation  having  been  enlarged 
by  the  purchase  of  more  Indian  lands,  which  had  the  effect  of  attract- 
ing other  settlers,  the  petition  was  renewed,  and  upon  proper  represen- 
tation was  granted  by  the  general  court  at  Hartford,  May  13th,  16754 

*  See  Historical  Collections,  p.  198. 

t  Joseph  Hull,  3d,  was  the  father  of  Lieutenant  Joseph  Hull  and  General 
William  Hull.  The  latter  was  born  in  Derby,  January  24th,  1753,  and  when  30 
years  old  graduated  from  Yale.  He  served  with  distinction  in  the  revolution, 
and  with  scarcely  less  credit,  though  under  adverse  circumstances,  in  the  war  of 
1812.  He  died  in  November,  1825.  Lieutenant  Joseph  Hull  was  the  father  of 
Commodore  Isaac  Hull,  who  was  born  in  Derby,  March  !)th,  1775.  He  was  a 
brave,  skillful  sea  captain,  and  Isaac  also  early  imbibed  a  love  for  the  sea  and 
naval  affairs.  His  service  in  the  war  of  1812  as  commander  of  the  frigate 
"  Constitution  "  gave  him  undying  fame.     He  died  at  Philadelphia,  in  1843. 

t  A  more  satisfactory  charter  was  granted  in  1720,  and  some  writers  date  the 
incorporation  of  the  town  from  that  period. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  371 

Captain  John  Nash,  Captain  William  Curtiss  and  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Munson  were  appointed  a  committee  on  the  bounds  of  the  new  town, 
and  to  see  to  the  proper  distribution  of  the  lands  "  so  as  may  be  best 
for  the  upholdment  of  a  plantation  as  it  is  now  granted  to  the  in- 
habitants," 

"  The  plantation  of  Pawgasuck  (or  Pawgassett)  is  by  this  court 
named  Derby,*  and  is  freed  from  Country  Rates  for  three  years,  next 
following,  they  defraying  their  own  charges." 

There  were,  at  this  time,  living  within  the  newly  constituted  plan- 
tation 12  families,  viz.:  Edward  Wooster,  Francis  French,  Stephen 
Pierson,  John  Hulls,  Joseph  Hawkins,  Samuel  Riggs,  Ephraim  Smith, 
Abel  Gunn,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jabez  Harger,  Ebenezer  Johnson,  John 
Tibbals.  Lands  had  also  been  granted  to  11  other  families,  upon 
their  representation  that  they  intended  "  to  come  forthwith,"  viz.: 
Reverend  John  Bowers,  George  Beaman,  Deacon  Abel  Holbrook,  John 
Brinsmade,  Captain  John  Beard,  Henry  Tomlinson,  Nicholas  Camp, 
Jonas  Tomlinson,  Joseph  Hawley,  Henry  Bottsford,  Moses  Johnson. 
Some  of  these  were  already  living  in  the  town  as  single  men,  and  a 
few,  probably,  never  occupied  their  lands. 

The  earliest  town  records  are  exceedingly  brief,  imperfect  and  not 
all  of  them,  evidently,  have  been  preserved.  From  various  sources, 
however,  a  list  of  the  selectmen  or  townsmen,  as  they  were  called  for 
about  one  hundred  years,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  missing, 
has  been  compiled  f  and  from  which  the  following  names  are  gleaned. 
Among  the  different  persons  who  were  honored  by  an  election  to  that 
office,  prior  to  1715  were:  Samuel  Riggs,  Ebenezer  Johnson,  John 
Hulls,  William  Tomlinson,  Edward  Wooster,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Sr., 
Isaac  Nichols,  John  Hubbell,  Francis  French,  Ephraim  Smith,  Abel 
Gunn,  Philip  Denman,  Samuel  Nichols,  John  Davis,  Nathan  Nichols, 
Samuel  Brinsmade,  Thomas  Wooster,  John  Bowers,  Joseph  Hulls,  Abel 
Holbrook,  John  Tibbals,  Jonathan  Lumm,  Stephen  Pierson,  Ebenezer 
Harger,  Joseph  Hawkins,  Adino  Strong,  Abel  Gunn,  Jr.,  Stephen 
Miles,  Edward  Riggs,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Abraham  Pierson,  John 
Pringle,  Josiah  Baldwin,  John  Twitchell,  Andrew  Smith,  Samuel 
Bowers,  John  Riggs,  William  Moss.  These  names  also  fairly  repre- 
sent the  families  living  in  the  new  town  up  to  that  period.  From 
three  to  five  townsmen  were  chosen  each  year. 

Since  1715  the  first  selectmen  of  Derby  have  been:  1715,  Joseph 
Hawkins;  1716,  Captain  Joseph  Hulls;  1717,  Jeremiah  Johnson;  1718, 
Captain  Joseph  Hulls;  1719,  Joseph  Hawkins;  1720,  Samuel  Brinsmade; 
1721,  Lieutenant  John  Riggs;  1722,  Jeremiah  Johnson;  1723,  Sergeant 
Samuel  Brinsmade;  1724,  Ensign  Samuel  Bassett;  1725,  Captain  John 
Riggs;  1726,  Timothy  Wooster;  1727,   Francis  French;  1728,  Ensign 

*  Probably  named  for  Derby,  England,  the  native  place  of  some  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Paugassett. 

t  See  Beardsley's  History. 


372  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Samuel    Bassett;  1729,   Francis  French;  1730,  Gideon    Johnson;  1731, 
Isaac  Tomlinson;  1732-3,  Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Johnson;  1734,  Samuel 
Tomlinson;   173S,  William   Moss;    1739-40,  Captain    Samuel    Bassett; 
1741,  Francis  French;  1742,  Samuel  Bassett,  Esq.;  1743,  Joseph  Johnson; 
1744,    Samuel    Riggs;    1745,    Samuel    Tomlinson;    1746-52,    Captain 
Timothy  Russell;  1753,  Abiel  Fairchild;  1754-5,  Timothy  Russell,  Esq.; 
1756-8,  Abiel   Fairchild;  1760,  Samuel  Bottsford;  1761,  Captain   Abel 
Gunn;    1762,    William    Clark;    1763,  Captain    Jabez   Thompson;  1764, 
Captain  James  Wheeler;  1765-6,  Captain  Zachariah    Hawkins;  1767-9, 
Joseph  Hulls,  Jr.;  1770,  Joseph  Riggs;  1771,  Captain  John  Tomlinson; 
1772,  Deacon  Eliphalet  Hotchkiss;  1773,  Elijah   Hotchkiss;  1774,  Cap- 
tain John  Tomlinson;  1775,  Colonel  Jabez  Thompson;  1776,  Captain 
Nathan  Smith;    1777,  Abraham    Beecher;    1778,    Abraham    Hawkins; 
1779,   James   Beard,    Esq.;    1780-1,    Abraham    Hawkins;    1782,   John 
Humphreys;  1783-6,  Captain   Daniel  Holbrook;  1787,   Isaiah  Strong; 
17S8,  Abijah  Hull:  1789,  Eliphalet  Hotchkiss;  1790,  Abijah  Hull;  1791, 
Captain  John   Riggs;  1792,  Reuben   Lumm;  1793,  Abijah  Hull;  1794, 
Captain  Ebenezer  Riggs;  1795,  Reuben  Lumm;  1796,  Captain  Ebenezer 
Riggs;  1797,  Captain  Joseph  Riggs;  1798,  Reuben  Lumm;  1799,  David 
Hitchcock;    1800-1,    Levi    Hotchkiss;    1802-4,    Reuben    Lumm;    1805, 
David  Hawkins;  1806-7,  David  Hitchcock;  1808,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1809, 
Wilson  Hurd;  1810,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1811-15,  Reuben  Lumm;  1816-19, 
Sheldon  Curtiss;  1820,  Robert  Gates;  1821,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1822,  Shel- 
don Smith;  1823-5,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1826,  Abiram  Stoddard;  1827-8, 
Sheldon  Curtiss;  1829,  Josiah  Nettleton;  1830,  Isaac  Tomlinson;  1831, 
Lyman  Chatfield;  1832,  William    Lumm;  1833,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1834, 
Ezekiel  Gillett;  1835,  Daniel  L.  Holbrook;  1836,  Sheldon  Smith;  1837, 
Daniel    L.    Holbrook;  1838,  Leman    Chatfield;    1839,  Sheldon   Smith; 
1840-2,  Leman  Chatfield;  1843,   Robert  Gates;  1844,  Samuel  French; 
1845,  Robert  Gates,  Jr.;    1840,   Sidney  A.   Downes;    1847-9,   Sheldon 
Smith,  Jr.;  1850-1,  Sidney  A.  Downes;  1852,  Sheldon  Smith,  Jr.;  1853, 
Truman   Gilbert;  1854-60,  Sheldon  Smith,  Jr.;    1861-3,  Fitch  Smith; 
1864,  John  Lindley;  1865-6,   Egbert  Bartlett;    1867,  Willett  Bradley; 
1868,  Horace  Casterline;  1869,  Nathan  C.  Treat;  1870-3,  Egbert  Bart- 
lett; 1874-6,  William  B.  Bristol;  1877,  Henry  Somers;  1878-82,  Erwin 
W.  Webster;  1883-6,  Robert  O.  Gates;  1887,  John   B.   Ouillinan;  1888, 
Joel  M.  Wheeler;  1S89,  George  H.   Peck;  1889-90,  Charles   S.  Chaffee. 
Associated  with  the  latter  as  selectmen  in  1890  were  Dickerman  Bas- 
sett and  John  O'Hara.     Henry  J.   Smith  and  Patrick   McManus  also 
served  on  the  board  of  selectmen,  a  number  of  terms,  within  the  past 
ten  years. 

Charles  E.  Clark  has  acceptably  filled  the  office  of  town  treasurer, 
a  number  of  years. 

The  compilation  of  a  complete  list  of  town  clerks,  for  the  reasons 
above  given,  has  also  been  impossible.  But  it  is  believed  that  the 
names  and  years  below  given  indicate  nearly  all  elected  to  that  office; 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  373 

1666,  Abel  Gunn,  with  the  Reverends  Joseph  Webb,  in  1691,  and  John 
James,  in  1701,  each  a  few  years  until  a  regular  clerk  was  elected;  1711, 
Stephen  Miles;  1713,  John  Pringle;  1720,  Joseph  Moss;  1723,  Timothy- 
Russell;  1744,  Charles  French;*  1784,  John  Humphreys;  1805,  Josiah 
Dudley;  1811,  John  L.  Tomlinson;  1816,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1835,  Sheldon 
Bassett;  1838,  Julius  Hotchkiss;  1839,  Sheldon  Bassett;  1840,  Joseph 
P.  Canfield;  1861,  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye;  1863,  Sylvester  Barbour; 
1864,  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye;  1866,  Charles  E.   Baldwin;  1868,  Sidney 

A.  Downs;  1869,  Samuel  M.Gardner;  1873,  John  C.  Reilly;  1874,  Henry 
J.  Smith;  1876,  Chester  A.  Hawley;  1879,  Daniel  E.  McMahon;  1884, 
Reuben  H.  Tucker;  1880,  Daniel  E.  McMahon. 

In  1858  the  town  of  Derby,  as  it  was  at  that  time  constituted,  was 
set  off  from  New  Haven  as  a  separate  probate  district.  Of  the  Derby 
district  the  following  have  been  the  judges  of  the  court:  1858,  William 

B.  Wooster;  1860,  Sidney  A.  Downs;  1866,  Sylvester  Barbour;  1868, 
George  H.  Peck;  1871,  Samuel  M.  Gardner;  1873,  Verrenice  Munger; 
1877,  John  B.  Quillinan;  1879,  William  C.  Atwater;  1881,  Charles 
Reed;  1883,  William  C.  Atwater;  1889,  Daniel  E.  McMahon.  The 
district  embraced,  in  1S90,  the  towns  of  Derby  and  Ansonia,  the  courts 
being  held  at  Birmingham. 

The  town  court  of  Derby  was  established  by  an  act  of  the  general 
assembly,  which  became  effective  in  May,  1885.  The  jurisdiction  ex- 
tended over  the  entire  town  of  Derby,  and  embraced  both  criminal 
and  civil  cases  in  limited  actions,  the  maximum  penalty  being  $200 
or  six  months'  imprisonment  in  jail.  The  main  object  of  the  court 
was  to  secure  speedier  and  less  costly  trials  than  was  afforded  by  the 
old  system  of  trial  by  justices  of  the  peace.  The  officers  of  the  court 
are  a  judge,  deputy  judge,  prosecuting  attorney  and  assistant  prose- 
cuting attorney.  These  were  first:  Seabury  B.  Piatt,  of  Birmingham, 
judge;  John  B.  Gardner,  of  Ansonia,  deputy  judge;  Daniel  C.  McMahon 
and  William  Sidney  Downs,  attorneys.  In  May,  1889,  Verrenice  Mun- 
ger, of  Ansonia,  was  elected  judge,  and  John  B.  Gardner,  of  the  same 
place,  was  continued  as  deputy  judge. 

On  the  division  of  the  town  of  Derby,  the  same  year,  Edwin  B. 
Gager  was  appointed  judge  to  serve  the  unexpired  term,  ending  May 
1st,  1891,  and  Henry  A.  Nettleton,  deputy  judge  for  the  same  period. 
Andrew  J.  Ewen  became  prosecuting  attorney,  and  Robert  L.  Gilbert 
assistant  attorney,  to  serve  for  the  same  period. 

Of  the  town  court  of  Ansonia,  which  was  established  in  July,  1889, 
with  the  same  powers  in  the  new  town  as  the  old  court  in  Derby, 
Judges  V.  Munger  and  John  B.  Gardner  continued  in  office,  Dennis 
T.  Walsh  being  the  prosecuting  attorney. 

The  early  town  meetings  were  held  monthly,  the  business  trans- 
acted being  confined  mostly  to  the  disposition  of  the  public  lands,  the 
establishment  of  a  church  and  minor  regulations.     In  1678  Abel  Gunn 

*  Died  November  9th,  1783,  aged  77  years. 


374  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  William  Tomlinson  were  appointed  surveyors,  and  Ebenezer 
Johnson  was  licensed  as  an  ordinary,  being  probably  the  first  tavern 
keeper  in  the  town.  In  1679  George  Beaman  was  appointed  town 
marshal.  A  mill  was  also  ordered  built  and  roads  to  be  opened, 
which,  with  the  improvement  of  their  own  farms,  kept  the  settlers 
busy. 

The  general  court  had  ordered  certain  rules  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  sheep  keeping  in  the  colony  as  early  as  1666,  legislating  sub- 
sequently upon  the  same  subject,  in  1670  and  1673.  These  laws  pro- 
vided that  the  underbrush  should  be  cut,  so  that  grass  could  grow  in 
the  woods,  each  inhabitant  being  required  to  do  a  certain  amount  of 
the  work  at  stated  times.  Upon  the  commons  thus  prepared,  the 
sheep  were  kept  in  flocks,  in  care  of  a  shepherd  hired  by  the  sheep- 
masters  of  the  town.  In  1703  the  latter  were,  in  Derby,  William 
Tomlinson,  Sr.,  Stephen  Pierson,  Sr.,  and  Sergeant  Thomas  Wooster. 
The  town  flocks  were  kept  many  years,  and  much  revenue  was  derived 
from  them.* 

As  showing  the  singular  customs  of  those  times,  we  note  a  record 
in  1703:  "  Voted  that  Josiah  Baldwin  beat  the  drum  whenever  it  is 
necessary  that  the  town  be  called  together  for  and  to  any  meetings, 
except  the  training  days,  and  that  he  have  eight  shillings  for  so  do- 
ing." This  Josiah  Baldwin  had  been  settled  as  a  physician  a  few 
years  previously,  and  was  probably  selected  to  beat  the  town  drum, 
because  he  lived  centrally.  The  previous  year  John  Pringle,  the  town 
treasurer,  had  been  ordered  to  buy  an  hour-glass,  out  of  the  funds  of 
the  town,  which  seems  the  only  way  they  had  of  measuring  time. 

In  1723  the  town  entered  upon  the  work  of  exterminating  wild 
animals,  offering  a  bounty  for  the  capture  of  wolves,  etc.  It  also 
authorized  several  hunts,  under  the  call  of  Colonel  Johnson,  Lieutenant 
Hulls  and  Sergeant  Brinsmade,  and  imposed  a  fine  in  case  any 
of  the  inhabitants  failed  to  respond  to  their  summons. 

In  174o  a  town  house  was  built  on  Cankwood  plain,  part  of  which 
was  improved  for  a  school  house.  In  1768  a  new  town  house  was 
built  on  Academy  hill,  a  tax  being  laid  for  that  purpose  of  Id.  rate  on 
the  pound  of  valuation.  Captain  Joseph  Riggs,  Deacon  Eliphalet 
Hotchkiss  and  Nathaniel  Smith  were  the  building  committee.  There 
was  some  difficulty  about  the  site,  but  in  December,  1767,  a  joint  com- 
mittee from  Waterbury  and  New  Haven  set  the  stake  in  the  locality 
named.  The  building  was  28  by  32  feet,  with  10  feet  posts,  and  was 
used  as  late  as  1831.     The  town  meeting  in  1832  was  held  on  Great 

*  About  100  years  after  this  action  of  the  town  on  sheep  raising,  that  indus- 
try received  a  wonderful  impetus  through  the  efforts  of  a  native  of  Derby, 
General  David  Humphreys.  In  the  spring  of  1802  he  introduced  Spanish  Merino 
sheep  into  this  country,  bringing  a  flock  of  91  animals  to  Derby  Landing  by 
sloop  from  New  York,  where  they  had  been  landed  from  Spain.  Many  were 
kept  in  Derby,  and  others  were  sent  to  Vermont  and  Massachusetts.  From 
these  have  sprung  many  of  the  fine  flocks  in  New  England. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  375 

hill,  and  the  following  year  in  the  Academy,  at  old  Derby.  From 
that  time  they  alternated  between  the  northern  and  southern  parts  of 
the  town,  it  being  impossible  for  the  voters  to  agree  upon  a  place  for 
a  new  town  house.  Since  1888  the  town  has  found  a  home  for  its 
records  and  a  place  for  its  meetings  in  the  new  Borough  Building,  at 
Birmingham. 

Soon  after  the  town  was  created  measures  were  taken  to  establish 
a  ferry  across  the  Naugatuck,  so  that  communication  could  be  had 
with  Woodbury  and  Mattatuck.  In  1676  a  committee  reported  upon 
the  location  of  such  a  ferry,  on  the  old  channel  of  the  river,  between 
old  Derby  village  and  Ansonia.  Woodbury  united  in  maintaining  the 
ferry,  as  at  first  but  few  of  Derby's  inhabitants  lived  on  the  west  side 
of  the  stream.  Henry  Williams  was  the  first  ferryman  and  a  house 
was  built  for  him  on  the  west  side  of  the  stream.  It  is  probable  that 
the  ferry  was  used  only  in  high  stages  of  water.  In  many  seasons  the 
river  could  be  readily  forded.  In  1717  the  ferry  was  displaced  by  a 
bridge.  It  was  not  built  without  some  difficulty  as  to  the  means  and 
site  to  be  used.  Finally  a  place  near  Doctor  Durand's  house  was 
selected  and  the  bridge  was  there  built.  About  the  same  time  a  ferry 
privilege  was  granted  to  Joseph  Hawkins,  giving  him  the  right  to 
convey  man  and  beast  across  the  Housatonic,  near  his  house,  at  the 
same  rates  of  toll  as  those  charged  at  the  Stratford  ferry.  This  ferry 
was  kept  up  about  50  years.  Sometime  about  the  revolution  a  ferry 
was  established  at  Derby  Landing,  and  later,  in  connection  with  the 
old  turnpike,  was  much  patronized.  For  many  years  a  quaint  char- 
acter by  the  name  of  Parks  was  the  ferryman. 

The  maintenance  of  the  bridge  across  the  Naugatuck  caused  the 
town  much  expense.  In  1739  it  had  to  be  rebuilt  and  in  1741  a  flood 
carried  away  the  new  bridge.  Another  bridge  was  now  built  by  a 
company,  which  wras  given  the  right  to  charge  toll,  which  arrange- 
ment continued  until  1760,  when  the  bridge  was  made  free,  but  was 
again  carried  off  by  the  floods,  and  in  1762  the  town  built  a  new  one. 
In  1783  this  bridge  was  again  rebuilt  and  also  a  new  one  below  the 
falls  at  Seymour,  a  lottery  being  authorized  to  aid  the  project.  The 
scheme  did  not  prove  profitable  and  that  plan  of  raising  money  lost 
favor.  A  part  of  the  means  were  to  be  used  in  building  the  Woodbury 
road  along  the  Housatonic. 

The  bridge  across  the  latter  stream,  at  Birmingham,  was  first  built 
in  the  last  century,  at  the  old  Leavenworth  ferry,  a  short  distance 
above  the  old  red  house.  An  ice  flood  damaged  it  not  long  after,  but 
it  was  rebuilt  at  the  old  place.  Being  again  damaged,  it  was  in  1831 
removed  down  the  stream  to  Hawkins'  point,  where  it  was  rebuilt  by 
Donald  Judson  and  Philo  Bassett.  In  February,  1857,  it  was  almost 
wholly  destroyed  by  a  disastrous  flood,  but  was  at  once  rebuilt  and 
was  used  as  a  toll  bridge  until  1875,  when  it  became  the  property  of 
Derby  and  Huntington.     On  the  19th  of  August,  1889,  the  towns  trans- 


376  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ferred  the  bridge  to  the  counties  of  Fairfield  and  New  Haven  and  a 
fine  new  iron  bridge  will  here  be  built  in  the  near  future.  The  old 
covered  wooden  bridge  has  not  only  become  unsightly,  but  has  been 
condemned  as  unsafe. 

The  courses  of  the  first  highways  have  been  much  modified.  At 
first  they  were  mere  paths  and  were  so  called.  The  oldest  led  to 
Milford.  The  one  to  New  Haven  was  located  soon  after.  In  1683  the 
Woodbury  path  is  first  mentioned.  The  same  year  a  highway  was 
built  from  the  Naugatuck  ferry,  up  the  west  side  of  that  river  and 
thence  across  the  hills  into  the  Woodbury  path,  which  started  at  a 
point  in  Derby  Neck.  The  Woodbury  road  along  the  Housatonic  was 
built  100  years  later,  the  help  of  a  lottery  being  asked  to  that  end.  In 
1795  began  the  era  of  turnpike  building,  which  continued  about  20 
years.  The  Oxford  turnpike,  chartered  in  1795,  was  the  oldest  in  this 
section  and  the  second  in  the  state.  It  was  completed  before  1800  and 
was  used  as  a  toll  road  more  than  80  years.  It  passed  through  Oxford 
Center  down  the  valley  of  Little  river  and  crossed  the  Naugatuck 
below  the  falls. 

In  the  fall  of  1796  the  town  appointed  a  committee  to  cooperate 
with  a  legislative  committee  in  laying  out  a  desired  road  from  New 
Haven  to  Derby,  thence  west  to  Litchfield.  It  was  purposed  to  make 
it  a  turnpike  from  New  Haven  to  Derby  Landing,  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  making  the  latter  place  an  important  shipping  point,  It  was 
believed  that  a  good  road  from  the  east  would  draw  trade  from  that 
section.  Into  this  project  Leman  Stone,  a  merchant  at  the  Landing, 
after  1790,  entered  most  heartily  and  he  had  the  cooperation  of  other 
leading  citizens.  After  some  years  labor  and  the  expenditure  of  much 
money  a  good  road  was  secured;  but  the  hopes  of  those  interested  in 
Derby  Landing  were  disappointed.  Not  only  did  the  farmers  east  of 
the  Landing  fail  to  come,  but  the  western  farmers,  now  having  a  good 
road,  passed  by,  going  to  New  Haven  to  ship  their  goods.  An  effort 
to  attract  those  coming  by  way  of  the  Oxford  turnpike,  from  Seymour 
to  the  Landing  was  scarcely  more  successful.  With  that  view  a  road 
was  laid  out  from  Shrub  Oak  (the  west  part  of  Seymour  village)  to 
Derby  Narrows,  and  the  work  of  construction  began  in  1805.  Although 
the  turnpikes  in  Derby  did  not  prove  as  potent  commercial  factors  as 
was  anticipated,  they  greatly  aided  in  making  communication  more 
easy  than  the  travel  over  the  cumbersome  country  roads,  and  to  this 
day  the  abandoned  turnpikes  are  the  principal  thoroughfares. 

The  development  of  the  water  powers  along  the  Naugatuck  hast- 
ened the  building  of  a  railway  in  the  valley  of  that  stream.  The  first 
charter  for  the  Naugatuck  railroad  was  granted  in  1845,  but  in  1847 
and  1848  it  was  amended.  At  first  the  road  was  projected  to  run  from 
Bridgeport  to  Waterbury,  but  afterward  it  was  concluded  to  extend  it 
to  Winsted.  The  company  organized  in  February,  1848,  and  the  sur- 
vey of  the  route  was  adopted  the  following  month.     In  April,  1848,  the 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  377 

work  of  construction  was  begun,  Alfred  Bishop,  of  Bridgeport,  being 
the  contractor.  He  had  just  completed  the  Housatonic  railroad,  which 
was  among  the  first  lines  built  in  the  United  States.  The  people  along 
the  route  aided  by  donating  $75,000,  which  was  raised  by  committees 
in  each  town  in  the  valley.  As  built  the  road  extends  from  Winsted 
to  Naugatuck  Junction,  in  the  town  of  Milford,  where  an  intersection 
is  made  with  the  New  York  &  New  Haven  railroad.  The  entire 
length  is  55  miles.  The  road  northward  was  completed  to  Derby 
village  in  May,  1849,  to  Waterbury  the  following  June,  and  to  Winsted 
in  September,  1849.  From  the  beginning  the  road  has  been  a  success 
in  affording  the  desired  accommodations  for  the  enterprising  inhabit- 
ants of  the  valley,  and  although  the  nature  of  the  country  through 
which  it  passes  has  made  it  difficult  to  maintain,  it  has  the  reputation 
of  being  one  of  the  best  branches  of  the  consolidated  roads,  of  which 
system  it  became  a  part  in  April,  1887.  Since  186S  George  W.  Beach 
has  been  the  superintendent  of  this  road  or  division.  Of  Derby 
station,  Benjamin  B.  Woodford  was  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first 
agent.     This  position  was  held  in  1S90  by  N.  J.  Bailey. 

The  New  Haven  &  Derby  Railroad  Company  was  chartered  in 
1864.  Among  the  incorporators  were  two  Derby  men,  William  E. 
Downes  and  Robert  N.  Bassett.  The  company  was  organized  April 
24th,  1867,  and  that  fall  the  route  was  surveyed.  The  following  winter 
the  work  of  construction  was  begun,  but  the  road  was  not  completed 
until  the  summer  of  1871.  Regular  trains  between  New  Haven  and 
Derby  commenced  to  run  August  9th,  1871.  The  road  was  extended 
to  Birmingham  and  Ansonia  a  little  later.  At  the  former  place  the 
station  was  opened  in  March,  1872,  with  Sanford  E.  Chaffee  as  the 
agent,  and  he  has  since  filled  that  position;  at  the  latter  place  the  depot 
facilities  are  in  connection  with  the  Naugatuck  railroad. 

The  mileage  of  the  company  was  small,  being  but  a  little  more  than 
a  dozen  miles,  and  the  company  did  not  enjoy  the  measure  of  pros- 
perity it  deserved,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  line  was  a  great 
convenience  to  the  people  along  its  route.  In  the  latter  part  of  1887 
the  "  Little  Derby"  became  a  part  of  the  Housatonic  railroad  system 
and  it  was  extended,  by  way  of  Shelton,  to  Botsford,  on  the  main  line. 
It  now  forms  a  part  of  a  great  route  to  the  West,  and  the  business  has 
much  increased.  The  value  of  the  shipping  facilities  to  Derby  and 
the  contiguous  villages  has  also  been  greatly  enhanced. 

The  first  enterprise  of  a  commercial  nature  was  the  Indian  trading 
house,  on  Birmingham  point,  commenced  in  1642  by  some  New  Haven 
men  and  continued  by  them  about  a  dozen  years.  In  1054  they  sold 
out  to  Richard  Baldwin  and  others,  of  Milford.  Three  years  later 
Lieutenant  Thomas  Wheeler,  of  Stratford,  here  bought  40  acres  of 
land  and  engaged  in  shipbuilding,  having  as  a  partner,  Alexander 
Bryan,  of  Milford.  The  latter  became  the  sole  owner  in  1664  and 
probably  also  here  had  a  small  store.      In  16S2  the  name  of  his  son, 


378  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Richard,  appears  in  connection  with  these  interests  in  Derby.  A  ware- 
house was  maintained  and  produce  was  shipped  from  it  by  means  of 
small  sloops.  Later  this  warehouse  was  owned  by  Joseph  Hawkins, 
son  of  the  first  prominent  settler  on  this  point  of  land,  and  from  whom 
it  received  its  name.  In  1709  grain  was  stored  there  for  the  account 
of  the  town,  the  selectmen  being  instructed  to  have  it  converted  into 
money.  Cattle  and  beef  were  commodities  of  shipment  before  1690. 
In  that  year  packers  were  appointed  to  see  that  the  meats  were  put  up 
according  to  law,  before  they  were  shipped  to  foreign  countries.  The 
shipment  of  fish  caught  in  the  Naugatuck  and  the  Housatonic  was  an 
item  of  profit,  and  was  carried  on  soon  after  the  organization  of  the 
town,  and  before  1700  several  fish  houses  were  put  up  on  the  above 
streams  and  roads  built  to  them.  Large  quantities  of  fish  were  caught, 
by  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and  by  others  who  paid  the  town  for 
the  privilege.  In  1680  Benjamin  Fenn,  Daniel  Baldwin  and  others,  of 
Milford,  were  given  liberty  to  fish  anywhere  in  Derby  bounds,  "  pro- 
vided they  damnify  no  man's  corn  or  grass."  For  many  years  fishing 
was  an  important  interest,  many  of  the  present  inhabitants  remember- 
ing the  large  quantities  of  shad  here  taken  annually.  The  Derby 
Fishing  Company,*  organized  after  180."),  was  engaged  in  the  cod 
fishery  business,  the  products  being  carried  to  Mediterranean  sea- 
ports. 

Before  the  revolution  quite  a  trade  was  carried  on  between  Derby 
and  the  West  Indies,  sloops  of  SO  to  100  tons  burden  carrying  cattle, 
horses,  staves,  casks  and  farm  products  thither  and  returning  were 
laden  with  the  commodities  of  that  region,  much  of  the  imports  being 
rum.  It  is  said  that  as  high  as  60  hogsheads  of  rum  were  landed  on 
Derby  Dock  in  a  single  day.  This  was  carted  to  all  parts  of  the 
country  by  the  teams  which  had  come  to  the  docks  with  articles  for 
shipment.  Often  the  teams  thus  laden  and  waiting  their  turn  to  un- 
load made  a  string  half  a  mile  long. 

It  may  be  said  of  the  commerce  of  Derby  that  it  first  became 
important  about  1765.  The  revolution  interrupted  it  somewhat,  but 
after  the  war  it  again  increased,  until  it  had  reached  its  greatest  pro- 
portions, soon  after  1800.  In  March,  1799,  New  Haven  was  made  a 
port  of  entry  and  in  this  district  Derby,  Branford,  Guilford  and  Milford 
were  constituted  ports  of  delivery.  Derby  now  appeared  to  have  every 
assurance  of  continued  prosperity.  The  number  of  vessels  sailing 
from  here  was  greater  than  those  leaving  the  port  of  New  Haven,  and 
it  was  nearer  the  base  of  export  supplies.  The  hill  towns  north  and 
west  were  then  in  their  prime,  as  an  agricultural  region,  and  their 
products  were  largely  brought  to  Derby  for  shipment.  It  was  at  this 
period  that  Captain  Henry  Whitney  exported  such  large  quantities  of 
horses  to  the  West  Indies,  that  his  reputation  extended  far  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  county. 
*  See  Banking  Interests. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  37!) 

But  various  causes  soon  tended  to  reverse  this  condition  of  affairs, 
causing  the  decline  of  the  commercial  supremacy  of  Derby.  The  chief 
ones  were  the  more  rapid  growth  of  New  Haven  and  Bridgeport, 
whose  natural  advantages  as  shipping  points  were  increased  by  the 
building  of  good  turnpikes  to  those  towns  from  sections  which  had 
before  been  tributary  to  Derby.  Even  the  New  Haven  and  Milford 
turnpikes,  in  which  Derby  had  been  so  much  interested,  were  used  to 
its  disadvantage,  and  some  of  its  warmest  projectors  saw  long  lines  of 
teams  pass  by  their  warehouses  on  their  way  to  the  Long  Wharf,  at 
New  Haven.  The  Washington  bridge,  on  the  lower  Housatonic,  also 
impeded  the  free  course  of  vessels,  which  were  now  attracted  to  the 
neighboring  ports;  and  after  the  unfortunate  ventures  of  the  Derby 
Fishing  Company,  which  ended  in  its  collapse  about  1815,  the  foreign 
shipping  business  of  Derby  rapidly  declined.  Many  of  the  seafaring 
men  who  had  sought  homes  here  removed  to  other  parts  or  engaged 
in  other  occupations,  and  the  population  in  consequence  was  much 
diminished. 

Among  the  sea  captains  who  lived  in  this  locality  in  the  period 
named,  are  recalled  the  names  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Gracey,  sometime 
about  1783;  Captains  William  Clark,  George  Gorham,  Thomas  Horsey, 
William  Whitney,  Clark  Elliott,  Frederick  Hopkins,  Giles  Martin- 
brough,  James  Hickock  and  Mordecai  Prindle,  who  with  seven  men 
from  Derby  was  lost  at  sea  before  1812.  Ithiel  Keeney,  said  to  have 
been  the  first  white  child  born  at  Derby  Landing,  who  died  in  1837, 
aged  83  years;  Joseph  Prindle,  John  Fowler,  James  and  Elijah  Hum- 
phreys, William  Whiting  and  his  sons,  William  and  Henry;  Captain 
Thomas  Vose,  Captain  Frencis  M.  Franch,  Stephen  Mansfield,  Jabez 
Thompson  and  his  sons,  William  and  Sheldon;  James  Lewis,  Silas 
Nichols,  Eugene  Olmstead,  Jared  Bartholomew,  Carlton  White  and 
some  others,  were  also  seafaring  men. 

In  addition  to  the  ship-building  in  Derby  proper,  already  noted, 
the  Leavenworths,  of  Huntington,  at  what  is  now  Shelton,were  active 
in  that  industry,  after  the  revolution.  In  a  yard  between  the  old  Red 
House  and  the  Leavenworth  tavern,  Captain  Edmund  Leavenworth 
and  his  sons,  Gideon  and  Edmund,  built  in  all  21  vessels.  Two  of  the 
last  built,  called  the  "  George  and  Jane  "  and  the  "  Fox,"  and  owned 
by  the  latter,  were  lost  in  the  war  of  1812.  At  other  points,  in  Shelton, 
small  packets  or  sloops  were  built,  among  those  best  remembered  being 
the  "  Hannah  "  (nicknamed  the  "  Pulpit  "),  by  Reverend  Mr.  Ruggles, 
after  his  service  as  the  Congregational  minister  in  Derby. 

On  the  Naugatuck  packets,  sloops  and  schooners  were  early  built 
by  Captain  George  Gorham  and  several  others.  The  former  built  a 
number  of  vessels  at  what  later  became  known  as  the  old  Hallock 
yard,  near  Reuben  Baldwin's  distillery.  He  had  served  in  the  war  of 
the  revolution  and  was  one  of  the  party  that  stretched  the  famous  iron 
chain  across  the  Hudson,  to  prevent  the   British  from  going  up  the 


380  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

river.  Sometime  about  1810  Captain  Bradley  came  from  Guilford  and 
built  several  vessels  for  the  Derby  Fishing  Company,  the  largest  and 
finest  of  which,  the  "  Ocean,"  was  captured  and  her  cargo  confiscated 
by  the  French.  This  proved  a  heavy  loss  to  the  company  and  the 
people  of  Derby.  Other  ship  builders  in  this  locality  were,  about  that 
time,  Ezra  Hubbell  and  John  Lewis.  Talmadge  Beardsley  was  on 
Sugar  street,  Birmingham,  where  he  turned  out  very  superior  work. 
He  is  credited  with  building  the  first  center-board  vessel  on  the 
Housatonic.  This  was  named  the  "Commodore  Hull,"  and  was  a 
very  fast  sailing  vessel.  He  later  assisted  Robert  Fulton  in  building 
the  first  steamboat. 

In  1816  Captain  Lemuel  Chatfield  built  a  sloop  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Housatonic,  north  of  the  bridge,  having  as  workmen  Zephaniah 
and  Israel  Hallock,  brothers,  who  afterward  succeeded  him  and  became 
famous  shipbuilders.  He  soon  secured  a  better  site  for  a  yard,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  at  the  head  of  Sugar  street,  which  embraced  in 
1820  ten  acres.  It  was,  however,  found  difficult  to  launch  large  vessels 
at  that  place,  and  in  1824  the  Hallock  Brothers  removed  their  yard  to 
Derby  Landing,  where  the  new  site  included  the  Baldwin  distillery, 
which  they  discontinued.  At  this  place  ship-building  was  carried  on 
until  1868.  The  last  vessel  built  was  the  "  Modesty."  It  was  of  200 
tons  burden,  and  fitly  ended  their  successful  career  as  builders.  It  is 
said  of  them  that  of  the  52  vessels  they  built,  all  but  one  was  success- 
fully launched;  and  all  their  vessels  were  characterized  for  their  sub- 
stantial construction. 

A  number  of  the  vessels  built  at  Derby  plied  between  that  place 
and  other  points,  and  when  the  first  steamboat  commenced  running, 
in  1824,  those  then  in  service  strongly  opposed  the  new  method  of 
transportation.  In  this  they  were  in  a  measure  successful.  The  first 
steamboat  was  the  "  Lafayette,"  commanded  by  Captain  Thomas  Vose. 
She  was  a  small  boat  and  had  an  uncouth  appearance.  Unable  to 
withstand  the  opposition  of  the  three  Derby  packets,  at  that  time  also 
sailing  tb  New  York,  she  was  sold  to  parties  in  Bridgeport  and  ran 
from  there  to  New  York.  A  new  steamboat  was  now  built,  under  the 
direction  of  Captain  Vose,  which  received  the  name  of  the  "  Ousatonic." 
Although  better  adapted  for  the  service  between  Derby  and  New 
York,  she  remained  on  the  line  but  two  seasons  and  steamboating  on 
the  Housatonic  was  abandoned  until  1836. 

When  Sheldon  Smith  founded  Birmingham,  he  promised  the  in- 
habitants that  they  should  have  steamboat  service  to  New  York.  With 
this  view  he  built  a  dyke  and  deepened  the  channel  across  the  river. 
In  1836  he  put  on  the  "Caroline,"  and  she  not  proving  successful 
secured  a  smaller  boat,  the  "  Maria,"  which  made  several  trips  in  1837, 
ending  her  experience  here  by  running  upon  the  dyke  embankment 
in  high  water.     Mr.  Smith  then  abandoned  this  project. 

In  1845  and  later  the   Naugatuck  Transportation  Company  put  in 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  381 

service  the  small  steamboats,  "  Naugatuck  "  and  "  Ansonia,"  and  be- 
fore 1861  the  Atwater  Iron  &  Steel  Company,  of  Birmingham,  built  a 
small  boat,  the  "  Valley  City,"  which  after  running  here  a  short  time, 
was  sold  to  the  government,  for  use  in  the  civil  war.  Since  that  time 
other  steamboats  have  been  run  for  short  periods,  none  proving  suc- 
cessful in  a  financial  sense.  The  latest  venture  was  made  by  the 
Naugatuck  Valley  Steamboat  Company,  which  placed  two  boats  on  the 
line,  from  Derby  to  New  York,  in  June,  1886;  the  "Naugatuck"  and 
the  "  Housatonic,"  both  of  which  carried  freight  and  passengers.  The 
line  was  continued  about  three  years.  At  the  same  time  the  Derby 
Transportation  Company  was  running  a  steam  propeller  and  two 
barges,  mostly  in  the  coal  carrying  trade.  The  former  company  was 
chartered  in  1886;  the  latter  in  1888,  and  in  1890  its  boats  plied  regu- 
larly between  Derby  and  points  on  the  North  river.  Sailing  vessels 
were  also  in  the  carrying  trade  and  the  aggregate  shipping  reached 
considerable  proportions. 

The  name  of  Derby  village  may  now  properly  be  applied  to  all  that 
part  of  the  town  lying  east  of  the  Naugatuck  and  west  of  Sentinel 
hill,  south  of  the  town  of  Ansonia.  It  thus  embraces  the  old  town  of 
Derby,  the  Landing  or  Narrows,  with  the  intervening  territory.  In 
these  limits  are  several  thousand  inhabitants  and  all  the  elements  of 
a  modern,  progressive  village,  which  are  enjoyed  on  account  of  the 
relation  the  place  sustains  to  Birmingham  and  Ansonia.  It  has  the 
same  system  of  water  works,  street  cars,  gas  and  electric  lighting  as 
those  thriving  boroughs. 

In  the  north  part  of  the  village,  in  the  "Old  Town,"  a  store  was 
kept  soon  after  1700.  In  1712  Edward  Pierson,  a  merchant,  was  at 
that  place,  and  in  1742  William  Clark  was  already  here  established  in 
trade.  His  sons  succeeded  him  and  about  the  time  of  the  revolution 
Sheldon  Clark  was  a  merchant  in  the  town,  having  his  store  at  the 
Landing.  Ebenezer  Keeney  had  here  built  the  first  house,  about  1754, 
and  may  also  have  been  a  small  merchant  before  his  death  in  1795.  In 
1762  Stephen  Whitney  bought  a  piece  of  land  on  which  he  built  a 
store  and  traded  until  1768,  when  his  business  passed  into  the  hands 
of  his  creditors.  The  following  year  Captain  Grassee  built  a  store  at 
the  wharf  and  in  1763  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Joseph  Hall, 
trading  as  such  a  firm  several  years.  From  this  time  on,  for  the 
greater  part  of  50  years,  the  Landing  was  a  busy  place  and  there  was 
so  much  expectation  of  making  this  a  great  commercial  part  that  the 
place  was  called  New  Boston.  At  one  time  the  question  of  regarding 
New  Haven  as  a  business  rival  hardly  entered  into  the  minds  of  the 
merchants  of  the  Landing,  since  this  was  comparatively  the  more 
important  place  and  everything  seemed  to  tend  toward  its  prosperity. 
In  this  period  of  great  activity  Leman  Stone  was  one  of  the  prominent 
merchants.  He  came  from  Litchfield  about  1790,  and  built  a  large 
store  and  warehouse  on  his  wharf,  which  was  so  arranged  that  part  of 


382  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  building-  overhung  the  water.  Here  for  more  than  a  score  of 
years  he  prospered  as  a  merchant  and  shipper.  He  was  very  public- 
spirited,  projecting  or  aiding  many  public  improvements.  After  the 
commercial  decay  of  Derby  Landing  he  and  Benjamin  Hodge 
engaged  in  the  raising  of  garden  seeds,  using  the  warehouse  for  a 
storage  room.  In  this  business  they  were  successful.  Leman  Stone 
died  in  May,  1S47,  aged  96  years,  but  to  this  day  his  name  is  associated 
with  those  stirring  times  in  Derby's  history,  which  are  recalled  by  the 
ruins  of  the  old  Stone  warehouse.  About  1800  Henry  Whitney  was 
in  trade,  engaged  largely  as  a  shipper  of  live  stock  to  the  West  Indies. 
He  died  in  1811,  aged  75  years.  Canfield  Gillette,  the  first  president 
of  the  Derby  Fishing  Company,  was  an  active  business  man  in  the 
same  period.  Robert  Gates  and  others  were  later  merchants.  Every 
branch  of  trade  had  many  representatives  in  1890. 

J.  W.  Barber,  in  his  "  Historical  Collections  of  Connecticut,"  said 
of  this  place,  as  it  appeared  to  him  in  1836,  that  Derby  Landing  had 
41  about  50  dwellings,  four  or  five  mercantile  stores  and  a  number  of 
mechanic  shops.  These  buildings  stand  mostly  on  three  short  streets, 
running  parallel  with  the  river  and  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  which 
from  its  summit  descends  with  considerable  abruptness  to  the  water, 
and  of  course  the  eastermost  street  is  considerably  elevated  above  the 
others." 

The  Congregational  and  Episcopal  churches  are  spoken  of  as  being 
a  mile  north  of  the  Landing,  or  about  midway  between  it  and  the 
"old  town."  The  new  Birmingham  bridge,  completed  in  1831,  at  a 
cost  of  $14,000,  and  the  few  straggling  buildings  of  Birmingham, 
which  had  just  been  founded,  were  visible  in  the  distance  to  the  north- 
west. 

Of  Derby  and  its  early  surroundings,  J.  W.  Osborne,  son  of  Cap- 
tain Stephen  Osborne  and  grandson  of  Captain  George  Gorham,  both 
of  the  revolutionary  army,  who  is  now  an  octogenarian,  writes  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  When  I  came  to  Derby  Narrows  in  1817,  I  found  a  ferry  in  full 
operation  on  the  Ousatonic  river.  Its  home  was  on  the  Derby  side  of 
the  river,  a  few  rods  north  of  the  Derby  Sash  and  Blind  factory  as 
now  situated.  There  were  two  packets  (sloops)  running  between 
Derby  and  New  York.  One  was  named  'The  Mary,'  the  other  'The 
William.'  The  first  was  owned  by  French,  Gates  &  Co.;  the  other  by 
Captain  James  Lewis,  who  was  also  a  merchant.  Both  carried  passen- 
gers and  freight  to  and  from  New  York.  While  the  season  was  fav- 
orable they  made  one  trip  a  week.  The  '  Mary  '  left  Derby  on  Mon- 
day evenings;  the  '  William  '  Friday  evenings.  Their  freight 
consisted  of  ship  timber,  wood  and  manufactured  articles,  such  as 
women's  shoes,  hogsheads,  barrels  and  shooks,  live  poultry  and  other 
things,  such  as  a  country  town  would  naturally  export.  They  brought 
back  merchandise  for  the  stores,  the  heavy  articles  consisting  of  salt, 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  383 

sugar  and  molasses,  with  several  full  loads  of  staves  for  the  coopers 
during  the  summer,  and  leather  for  the  shoemakers,  from  which 
many  thousands  of  pairs  of  shoes  were  made.  There  was  also  a 
packet  called  the  'Caroline,'  owned  by  Captain  William  Tompson, 
which  made  trips  between  here  and  New  York  for  a  while. 

"  There  were  at  this  time  but  two  stores  in  Derby  Narrows.  The 
principal  one  was  that  of  French,  Gates  &  Co.,  the  firm  consisting  of 
Colonel  Robert  Gates,  Bazaleel  Gates,  Jerry  and  Samuel  French;  the 
other  of  Captain  James  Lewis;  and  a  store  Uptown,  owned  by  Josiah 
Smith.  All  these  kept  a  general  assortment  of  dry  goods,  groceries, 
hardware  and  stone  ware,  with  liquors,  not  as  a  rule  to  be  drank  on 
the  premises,  but  to  be  carried  away  in  bottles  and  jugs  the  same  as 
molasses.  A  few  years  later  Lyman  Osborn  built  a  store  for  mer- 
cantile purposes,  and  William  Bassett  &  Son  bought  out  Captain 
James  Lewis  and  added  to  the  stock  boots  and  shoes.  There  were  no 
saloons  in  the  place.  There  were  seven  shoemakers,  three  of  whom 
lived  Uptown,  employing  many  workmen  manufacturing  shoes  for 
the  New  York  market;  the  others  doing  custom  work. 

"  There  were  six  coopers,  two  of  whom  carried  on  business  in  Sugar 
street,  above  the  present  Ousatonic  bridge.  There  were  three  tailor 
shops,  four  blacksmith  shops,  one  hatter,  one  saddle  and  harness 
maker,  who  at  a  later  period  made  the  collars  for  the  horses  of  Presi- 
dent Jackson.  There  was  a  place  where  one  man  made  small  articles 
from  brass,  also  a  manufactory  of  furniture,  where  a  number  of  hands 
were  employed.  There  was  a  tanning  and  currying  establishment, 
which  employed  a  number  of  workmen,  and  turned  out  a  fine  quality 
of  leather,  which  was  owned  by  a  Mr.  Warden,  who  in  a  few  years 
sold  out  to  Wallace  &  Wheeler,  and  they,  sometime  later,  sold  to 
Isaac  J.  Gilbert.  The  latter  was  a  firm  temperance  man,  and  to  be  re- 
venged on  him  his  whole  establishment  was  set  on  fire  by  an  enemy 
and  burned  to  the  ground.  The  incendiary  was  consigned  to  state 
prison,  where  he  died. 

"  My  grandfather,  George  Gorham,  before  my  day,  built  vessels  at 
the  Gorham  place,  half  a  mile  below  Derby  Landing.  In  my  boyhood 
Ezra  Hubbell  built  the  sloop  '  Laura  '  in  the  yard  of  Samuel  Hubbell, 
east  of  the  river  road  running  through  the  Narrows  and  a  number  of 
feet  higher  than  the  road;  north  of  the  street  running  past  the  car- 
riage shop  of  the  late  Jesse  Brown  to  Bank  street,  near  to  the  old 
Derby  Bank  building.  The  descent  to  the  river  was  so  steep  that 
when  launched  she  shot  with  the  speed  of  a  rocket  into  her  native 
element,  swiftly  crossed  the  narrow  stream  and  grounded  near  to  the 
meadows.  A  rope  was  attached  to  her  and  brought  to  the  shore,  and 
by  the  aid  of  those  who  came  to  the  launching,  she  was  drawn  to  the 
dock.  Talmadge  Beardsley  built  for  John  Lewis,  son  of  Captain  James 
Lewis,  the  '  Commodore  Hull.'     She  was  the  first  center  board  vessel 


3S4  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ever  run  on  the  river.  She  took  the  place  of  the  '  William,'  as  a 
packet  to  and  from  New  York,  and  was  a  success. 

"  In  those  days  there  came  up  the  river  vessels  with  two  masts, 
flat-bottomed,  drawing-  little  water,  loaded  with  lumber.  They  had 
large  lee  boards  to  keep  them  from  drifting  when  beating  against  the 
wind,  answering  the  same  purpose  as  a  center  board,  though  not  so 
handy.  They  were  called  pcriaugcrs.  Messrs.  Zephaniah  and  Israel 
Hallock  built  a  number  of  vessels  above  the  present  bridge,  at  Sugar 
street,  and  later  carried  on  shipbuilding  at  Derby  Landing.  There 
were  no  builders  in  the  whole  country  that  stood  higher  in  the  esti- 
mation of  seafaring  men. 

"  John  L.  Tomlinson  was  the  only  lawyer,  but  he  had  a  student  by 
the  name  of  Ira  L.  Ufford,  who  soon  after  practiced  law  in  this  place, 
so  that  in  our  local  courts  one  of  these  attorneys  would  be  for  the 
plaintiff,  the  other  for  defendant. 

"  There  were  two  churches  in  '  Uptown,'  neither  having  chimnies 
or  bells,  though  the  Episcopal  church  had  a  steeple,  being  the  more 
modern  of  the  two.  Not  long  after  it  had  both  a  chimney  and  a  good 
sized  bell.  It  was  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  road  leading  to 
'  Uptown,' a  short  distance  south  of  the  village,  on  the  high  bank  of 
the  Naugatuck  river.  The  rector  was  the  Reverend  Calvin  White, 
as  genial  and  pleasant  a  man  as  could  be -found,  who  finally  became  a 
Roman  Catholic,  but  always  was  beloved  and  respected.  The  old 
church  on  the  hill  was  called  the  Presbyterian  church.  It  was  very 
old  and  nearly  square.  Its  pulpit  was  so  high  and  so  far  away  from 
the  hearers  that  a  large  sounding-board  (so  called)  was  placed  over  the 
pulpit,  so  that  the  congregation  could  the  more  easily  hear  the 
preacher.  The  pews  were  square,  high  and  perpendicular,  surmounted 
by  a  baluster  or  banister,  as  now  called,  with  seats  on  three  sides,  and 
a  door  on  the  other,  so  that  the  people  in  the  pews  would  be  facing 
three  different  ways,  some  with  their  backs  toward  the  minister. 
These  churches  had  no  stoves  or  fires  in  the  coldest  weather,  no  car- 
pets on  the  floor  or  cushions  on  the  seats,  though  our  mothers  did 
have  their  foot  stoves,  but  the  sermons  were  of  such  a  nature  that  the 
hearers  feared  a  warmth  quite  different  from  that  of  God's  own  sweet 
summer. 

"  Reverend  Zephaniah  Swift  was  pastor  of  this  church  for  over  30 
years,  and  was  considered  one  of  the  most  faithful  and  efficient  pastors 
of  his  day. 

"  The  physician  in  '  Uptown  '  was  Doctor  Kimberly,  and  those  in 
Derby  Narrows  were  old  Doctor  Crafts  and  his  son,  Doctor  Pearl 
Crafts.  This  latter  gentleman  had  his  seat  in  the  old  church  directly 
under  a  place  in  the  roof  where  the  shingles  had  been  blown  off.  He 
was  worshipping  with  the  congregation,  for  he  was  a  good  man.  when 
suddenly  quite   a  quantity   of   water   which    accumulated    from    the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  385 

melted  snow,  came  down  upon  the  doctor's  head.     He  sprang  from  his 
seat  exclaiming:  '  I  am  sitting  under  the  droppings  of  the  santuary.' 

"  A  Boston  coaster,  commanded  by  a  Captain  Wheeler,  whose  wharf 
was  in  Shelton,  made  regular  trips  to  Boston.  Her  cargo,  as  far  as 
Fairfield  county  was  concerned,  was  principally  corn. 

"  There  were  thousands  of  shad  caught  in  the  Ousatonic,  and 
when  sold  at  the  seines  where  caught,  brought  about  $6  a  hundred. 
Shad  of  fair  size  were  retailed  from  10  to  15  cents  each.  I  once  saw  a 
shad  which  weighed  7^  pounds,  and  heard  the  proprietor  of  the  seine 
remark:  '  That  shad  ought  bring  a  quarter  of  a  dollar.' 

"  A  vile  young  man  by  the  name  of  David  Cain  stole  poultry  from 
Captain  William  Thompson  and  was  sentenced  to  be  publicly  whipped, 
which  was  done  in  Derby  Narrows,  near  the  Mansion  House.  He 
was  stripped  of  all  clothing  down  to  his  waist,  and  while  the  lash  was 
being  laid  on  to  his  bare  back  Captain  Thompson  stood  by  singing 
out:  '  Lay  it  on  well,  Mr.  Sheriff,  lay  it  well.  But  tell  it  not  in  Gath, 
publish  it  not  in  the  streets  of  Askelon  that  the  pole  he  was  forced  to 
hug  was  the  liberty  pole  with  the  cap  of  liberty  at  its  top.' 

"  The  old  town  house  stood  '  Uptown,'  nearly  opposite  the  home 
of  the  late  Joseph  H.  Remer,  and  near  by  were  the  stocks  where 
criminals  were  confined  for  a  short  time,  usually  with  both  feet 
through  the  holes,  when  they  were  unmercifully  pelted  with  eggs, 
rotten  or  otherwise,  by  a  mob  of  young  men.  A  culprit  was  here  once 
confined,  but  only  by  one  foot,  when  he  was  so  pelted  that  he  became 
frantic,  and  rising  on  one  knee,  seized  a  large  stone  with  both  hands, 
dashed  it  with  all  his  might  upon  the  lock,  broke  it  to  pieces,  lifted 
the  plank,  took  out  his  foot  and  ran  like  a  frightened  deer,  with  the 
whole  pack  of  tormentors  at  his  heels,  but  he  outran  them  all  and 
escaped. 

"  A  tremendous  gale  passed  over  all  this  part  of  the  country  Sep- 
tember 4th,  1822.  No  other  gale  in  these  parts  has  equaled  it  since. 
The  wind  was  from  the  south,  and  so  strong  that  the  windows  facing 
the  south  were  washed  more  or  less  by  water  blown  from  Long  Island 
sound,  and  the  salt  was  found  dried  to  the  glass  next  day. 

"  In  the  country  tailors  and  shoemakers  came  to  the  homes  of  the 
farmers  and  made  up  the  shoes  and  boots  for  the  whole  family  and 
clothes  for  the  men,  the  farmers  furnishing  the  leather  and  cloth. 
Women  taught  the  schools  in  summer  and  men  in  winter.  All  the 
teachers  '  boarded  round.'  On  very  old  houses  a  horseshoe  would  be 
found  nailed  to  the  house  as  a  protection  against  witches.  Many  old 
men  wore  queues.  Long  flowing  beards  were  not  tolerated,  and  were  in 
those  days  not  seen  unless  worn  by  strangers,  wrho  at  that  time  were 
usually  shysters.  The  old  gentlemen  when  in  their  best  dress  wore  a 
cutaway  blue  coat  with  brass  buttons,  a  buff  colored  vest,  short 
breeches  with  knee  buckles,  white  top  boots  and  long  worsted  or  silk 
stockings  reaching  above  the  knees,  so  as  to  cover  the  limbs  between 


38G  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

the  top  of  the  boots  and  the  pants;  with  powdered  hair.  It  was  a 
most  elegant  dress  when  worn  by  men  fully  developed." 

The  principal  shoe  shops  spoken  of  by  Mr.  Osborne  were  at  "  Up- 
town "  and  were  carried  on  by  the  Remer  Brothers,  Lewis  and  Abram. 
George  Blakeman  was  also  a  shoe  manufacturer  and  a  merchant,  being 
for  a  long  time  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Blakeman  &  Downes.  The 
principal  cooperages  were  those  of  Willis  and  Levi  Hotchkiss  and 
Isaac  Thompson,  at  the  Narrows;  and  on  Sugar  street  were  John  Car- 
rington  and  Alva  Bunnell.  It  is  said  of  the  latter  that  in  a  single 
season  he  manufactured  1,000  casks  for  the  New  Orleans  market. 
After  the  development  of  Birmingham  as  a  manufacturing  center  these 
interests  gave  place  to  other  industries,  employing  power  machinery. 

The  first  machinery  in  Derby  operated  by  water  power  was  in  the 
small  grist  mill,  whose  construction  was  ordered  by  the  inhabitants  at 
a  meeting  held  in  the  summer  of  1681.  It  was  agreed  to  build  the 
dam  and  pay  £20  to  some  suitable  man  who  should  undertake  the  work. 
Doctor  John  Hull  engaged  to  do  this,  and  the  mill  was  built  on  Beaver 
brook,  half  a  mile  east  from  Cliff  street,  in  Ansonia.  It  may  have  been 
operated  more  than  a  score  of  years,  when  larger  facilities  being  re- 
quired, a  new  mill  site  was  improved,  on  the  Naugatuck,  where  is  now 
the  dam  of  the  Birmingham  Power  Company,  on  the  "  Old  river,"  so 
called.  It  was  probably  built  by  Captain  Joseph  Hull  sometime  in 
1706,  and  with  the  additions  made  to  it,  became  widely  known  as 
Samuel  Hull's  mills.  But  more  generally  they  were  called  the  "  Yellow 
mills."  Besides  the  machinery  for  grinding  grain,  there  were  also  saw 
and  oil  mills.  The  latter  was  in  full  operation,  more  than  a  century 
and  a  half  ago,  much  oil  being  shipped  in  1745;  and  the  shipment  of 
linseed  oil  and  kiln  dried  corn  meal  from  these  mills,  for  many  years 
thereafter  constituted  a  considerable  interest.  While  the  property  of 
John  Lewis,  he  endeavored  to  build  a  canal  to  the  mills  so  that  boats 
could  load  directly  at  that  point.  At  this  place  wool  was  also  carded 
and  cloth  fulled  until  after  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  From 
Lewis  these  interests  passed  to  Sheldon  Smith,  of  New  York,  who  re- 
moved them  when  his  Birmingham  enterprises  were  inaugurated. 

Nearly  a  hundred  years  ago  another  oil  mill  was  built  on  Two  Mile 
brook.  This  remained,  but  was  converted  to  other  uses.  It  was  long 
known  as  the  Hitchcock  mill.  In  later  years  it  was  used  as  a  turning 
shop.  On  this  stream  other  important  improvements  were  made,  the 
sash  and  blind  factory  of  David  Bradley  &  Son  having  a  capacity  for 
turning  out  large  quantities  of  work.  Much  of  the  material  used  in 
the  first  buildings  of  Birmingham  was  there  prepared.  On  a  less 
extensive  scale  the  mills  are  still  continued.  On  this  brook  was  also 
the  Gilbert  Plane  Factory;  and  at  other  points  in  the  town  small  in- 
dustries were  established,  but  ceased  to  exist  after  a  few  years. 

At  the  Landing  the  principal  manufactories  in  the  present  century 
have  been,  aside  from  the  ship-building,  the  tannery  of  Isaac  J.Gilbert, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  387 

later  carried  on  by  his  son,  A.  H.  Gilbert,  and  the  mills  of  the  Derby- 
Building  &  Lumber  Company.  The  latter  business  was  established  in 
1836,  by  Willis  and  Lewis  Hotchkiss,whohad  the  mill  at  Birmingham. 
In  1840  other  members  were  added  and  the  firm  became  Hotchkiss, 
Clark  &  Co.  In  1S50  they  consolidated  with  Lindley  &  Johnson,  of 
Ansonia,  when  the  above  company  was  formed  with  a  capital  of  $55,000. 
The  plant  at  Derby  Landing  was  then  established.  In  1868  the  mills 
were  swept  away  by  fire,  but  more  spacious  ones  were  erected  in  their 
stead,  which  have  since  been  occupied.  Steam  power  is  used  and  a 
large  business  is  transacted,  employment  heing  given  to  half  a  hundred 
men.  In  1890  W.  E.  Downes  was  the  president  of  the  company,  but 
its  general  manager  was  Clark  N.  Rogers. 

Burtville  is  the  name  applied  to  a  small  village,  below  the  Landing 
or  Narrows,  and  extending  along  the  road  to  Turkey  hill.  There  are 
several  hundred  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  find  occupation  elsewhere, 
the  place  having  no  business  of  its  own.  In  addition  to  the  several 
dozen  residences  there  is  a  mission  chapel,  which  was  occupied  in  July, 
1879.  The  site  was  donated  by  Mrs.  Almon  Ticknor  and  the  house 
was  built  under  the  direction  of  a  committee  composed  of  Lewis  Young, 
Almon  Ticknor  and  David  Bradley.  In  this  building  a  Sabbath  school 
is  regularly  maintained  and  other  religious  meetings  are  also  occa- 
sionally held. 

The  flourishing  borough  of  Birmingham  occupies  the  point  of  land 
lying  between  the  Housatonic  and  Naugatuck  rivers,  at  the  place  of 
their  junction.  The  most  of  this  area  is  elevated,  giving  the  village 
an  attractive  and  picturesque  location,  and  having  good  natural  drain- 
age, tends  to  the  healthfulness  of  the  place.  In  scenic  surroundings, 
but  few  villages  in  the  state  surpass  Birmingham.  The  Housatonic  is 
here  already  characterized  by  some  of  the  features  which  higher  up 
that  stream  have  given  it  character  as  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
rivers  in  the  Union.  On  the  east,  standing  in  bold  relief,  is  fine  old 
Sentinel  hill,  whose  lawn  like  fields  make  it  look  still  more  attractive; 
and  on  the  north  are  the  Naugatuck  hills,  with  their  varied  forms, 
stretching  beyond  West  Ansonia  until  they  culminate  in  Great  hill, 
half  a  dozen  miles  distant.  These  features,  coupled  with  its  prosperity 
as  a  manufacturing  center,  have  conduced  to  make  the  village  a  place 
of  many  handsome  homes,  elegant  business  blocks  and  attractive 
public  improvements,  which  also  indicate  the  thrift  and  prosperity  of 
the  inhabitants.  It  became  a  borough  in  1S51  and  the  population  in 
1890  was  about  5,000.  There  are  all  the  improvements  of  a  progres- 
sive American  town,  national  and  savings  banks,  daily  and  weekly 
papers,  a  score  of  manufacturing  establishments,  four  fine  churches, 
an  elegant  school  building,  and  other  interests  noted  in  detail  in  the 
following  pages. 

Although  at  Hawkins'  point,  on  the  Housatonic,  had  been  estab- 
lished the  first  trading  post  in  all  the  valley,  several  hundred  years  ago, 


388  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

business  had  been  diverted  to  Derby  Landing;  and  sixty  years  ago 
the  village  site  was  nothing,  practically,  but  a  farm. 

The  founder  of  Birmingham  was  Sheldon  Smith,  of  New  York.  He 
was  a  native  of  Derby,  being  born  here  March  16th,  1791.  Removing 
to  New  York,  his  energy  and  perseverance  enabled  him  to  acquire 
considerable  means  in  that  city  and  Newark.  He  now  returned  to 
his  native  place  and  determined  to  build  up  a  manufacturing  village. 
To  this  end  he  bought  the  old  "  yellow  mills  "  property,  the  Smith 
farm  and  the  Hawkins  Point  property.  The  old  dam  was  thoroughly 
rebuilt  and  the  mill  site  being  vacated,  a  long  raceway  was  dug  along 
the  side  hill  to  a  reservoir  at  Birmingham.  A  head  and  fall  of  14  feet 
was  secured  by  this  system  and  many  new  sites  were  afforded.  On 
these  improvements  work  was  commenced  September  1st,  1833,  and 
the  following  year  they  were  completed.  The  same  season  the  first 
wheel  in  Birmingham  was  turned,  being  in  the  grist  mill  built  on  the 
raceway  west  of  the  reservoir.  It  was  built  by  Fitch  Smith,  a  brother 
of  Sheldon,  and  contained  some  of  the  old  "  yellow  mills  "  machinery. 
The  building  afterward  become  a  part  of  the  Shelton  Tack  Company's 
property  and  still  remains  a  humble  pioneer  of  the  many  large  factory 
buildings  afterward  erected. 

In  carrying  out  these  plans  Sheldon  Smith  expended  large  sums 
of  money,  much  of  it  being  lost  in  the  vain  effort  to  redeem  his  prom- 
ise that  the  new  village  should  be  connected  with  New  York  by  a 
steamboat  line.  He  built  a  wharf  at  Hawkins'  point  and  constructed 
a  costly  dyke  so  that  boats  could  reach  it  more  safely,  all  to  no  purpose, 
for  in  1837  that  scheme  was  abandoned  as  impracticable. 

Not  long  after  these  improvements  had  been  begun  Sheldon  Smith 
had  enlisted  the  interest  of  Anson  G.  Phelps,  a  copper  merchant  in 
New  York,  in  this  project,  with  the  result  of  securing  him  as  a  partner. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Phelps  was  dissolved 
and  the  work  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Phelps  alone,  who,  when  the  suc- 
cess of  this  village  was  assured,  founded  Ansonia.  Sheldon  Smith's 
real  estate  interests  passed  to  his  brother,  Fitch.  Disappointed  in  the 
realization  of  his  hopes,  he  returned  to  New  York  city,  where  he  died 
in  1863. 

Until  the  spring  of  1836  the  village  on  the  point  was  known  by  the 
name  of  Smithville,  but,  in  May,  1836,  the  name  of  Birmingham  was 
adopted  as  being  more  appropriate  for  a  manufacturing  town.  The 
subsequent  events  have  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  making  this 
change.  Of  this  place,  J.  W.  Barber  said,  July,  1836:  "  The  village 
was  commenced  in  1834.  There  are  at  present  about  twenty  dwelling 
houses  and  three  mercantile  stores;  there  is  in,  and  about  to  be  put 
in  operation,  one  factory  for  making  sheet  copper  and  copper  wire; 
one  for  making  augers;  one  for  making  carriage  springs  and  axles; 
one  for  making  nails  or  tacks;  one  for  flannels  and  satinets,  with  some 
other  minor  manufacturing  establishments.     The  water  by  which  the 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  389 

mills  and  factories  are  put  in  operation  is  taken  from  the  Naugatuck 
by  a  canal  which  extends  upward  of  a  mile  and  a  half  northward  of 
the  village.  A  steamboat  is  about  to  commence  running  between  this 
place  and  New  York.  *  *  *  A  small  round  structure  forms  a 
reservoir  from  which  water  is  supplied  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  village. 
It  is  raised  fifty  feet  from  a  well,  under  the  grist  mill,  on  the  canal 
below." 

Considering  that  the  first  house  was  built  in  1835  this  growth  was 
quite  rapid.  For  the  first  six  years  John  Clous,  an  Englishman,  was 
the  agent  of  the  proprietors  and  had  staked  off  the  first  streets,  graded 
them  and  planted  trees  along  their  sides.  The  first  lots  were  sold  on 
the  promise  that  they  would  be  improved  within  a  year's  time,  so  as 
to  discourage  undue  speculation.  This  had  the  effect  of  encouraging 
a  permanent  growth,  which  was  but  little  affected  by  the  stringent 
times  of  1837,  and  much  capital  and  enterprise  were  drawn  to 
Birmingham.  For  the  next  score  of  years  manufacturing  was  so 
popular  an  occupation  in  the  Naugatuck  valley,  that  many  new  in- 
dustries were  projected  in  Birmingham.  Some  of  these  were  ill-timed, 
and,  consequently,  short-lived.  Others  outgrew  the  capacity  of  their 
original  quarters  and  were  transferred  to  more  spacious  plants  else- 
where, where,  in  most  instances  they  continued  to  prosper.  In  this 
era  was  developed  much  inventive  and  mechanical  skill,  whose  use  in 
the  establishments  of  Birmingham  and  Ansonia  has  given  their  prod- 
ucts good  reputation. 

The  Phelps  Copper  Mills  were,  next  to  the  grist  mill  of  Fitch 
Smith,  one  of  the  earliest  industries  in  Birmingham.  They  were 
commenced  early  in  1830  on  the  lowest  power  of  the  raceway,  near  the 
old  wharf,  by  Anson  G.  Phelps  &  Co.  Peter  Phelps  was  the  agent  at 
Birmingham;  Almon  Farrel  was  the  millwright.  The  building  was 
so  spacious  that  it  was  called  the  "big  copper  mill."  It  had  chilled 
rolls  and  other  machinery  brought  from  England,  this  being  one  of 
the  pioneer  industries  of  the  kind  in  America.  Many  of  the  workmen 
were  Welsh  and  English,  about  100  persons  being  employed.  In  the 
fall  of  1S38  the  mill  was  burned,  but  a  one-story  stone  factory  immedi- 
ately took  its  place  the  same  season.  Business  was  now  more  actively 
carried  on  than  ever  until  1854,  when  the  interest  was  removed  to  An- 
sonia and  merged  with  the  copper  mill  at  that  place.  Several  years 
later  the  building  was  occupied  by  the  Hawkins  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  after  1865  became  the  property  of  the  present  owners,  A. 
H.  &  C.  B.  Ailing,  the  site  being  occupied  by  their  hosiery  mill. 

The  interest  which  became  known  as  the  Shelton  Tack  Company 
was  contemporary  with  the  above.  It  was  founded  in  the  spring  of 
1836  by  Edward  N.  Shelton  and  Nathan  C.  Sanford.  The}'  were  per- 
sons of  means,  and  at  once  warmly  identified  themselves  with  the  new 
village,  building  a  factory  on  the  north  side  of  Main  street.  The 
business  prospered,  but  in    June,  1841,  Mr.  Sanford  died,  universally 


390  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

lamented.  Soon  after  the  firm  became  E.  N.  Shelton.  In  1854  the 
Shelton  Company  was  formed,  with  a  capital  of  $80,000,  which  has 
been  increased  to  $100,000.  The  plant  at  Birmingham  being  too 
small,  a  branch  factory  was  operated  in  Shelton,  to  which  place  the 
entire  business  has  in  later  years  been  transferred.  Fine  small  bolts, 
tacks  and  small  nails  are  manufactured,  and  half  a  dozen  buildings 
are  occupied.  More  than  100  men  are  employed,  and  the  company, 
under  the  management  of  E.  N.  Shelton,  George  Blakeman  and  E.  De 
Forest  Shelton,  continues  to  be  one  of  the  leading  industries  of  this 
locality. 

The  Plumb  &  Beach  Woolen  Factory  was  also  built  in  1836.  The 
principal  mill,  which  was  a  stone  building,  stood  on  the  north  side  of 
Main  street,  near  the  above  factory.  It  was  carried  on  successfully 
about  10  years  by  David  W.  Plumb  and  Benjamin  B.  Beach  in  the 
manufacture  of  woolen  goods,  such  as  flannels,  beavers  and  cassi- 
meres.  Blankets  were  also  made.  At  the  end  of  the  period  named, 
Mr.  Plumb  removed  to  Ansonia,  and  the  factory  was  soon  after  de- 
voted to  other  uses.  Upon  the  site  of  the  stone  mill  E.  N.  Shelton 
erected  a  large  brick  block,  a  part  of  which  is  now  occupied  by  minor 
manufacturers. 

David  Bassett's  Auger  Shop  was  started,  in  the  fall  of  1836,  on  the 
raceway  near  the  Housatonic.  In  1842  the  property  passed  to  his  son, 
Robert  N.  Bassett,  who  added  the  manufacture  of  galvanized  pump 
chains  to  the  former  manufactures.  Since  1859  the  products  have 
been  mainly  hoop  skirt  wires  and  metal  corset  material.  The  original 
plant  has  been  much  enlarged  by  Mr.  Bassett. 

On  the  lower  part  of  the  same  street  a  planing  mill  was  put  up  in 
1836,  by  Willis  and  Lewis  Hotchkiss,  which  was  operated  about  14 
years,  when  the  interest  was  merged  with  the  Derby  Building  Com- 
pany, at  the  Landing.  The  site  was  next  occupied  by  the  Globe 
Carriage  Company,  which  did  a  large  business  for  a  few  years.  Later, 
A.  H.  and  C.  B.  Ailing  there  manufactured  stockinet  goods.  The 
building  was  burned,  and  with  it  a  Mr.  Cooper,  in  January,  1864. 

Upon  part  of  the  above  site  a  corset  factory  was  built,  in  1888,  by 
Cyrus  Brewster.  It  is  a  large,  three-story  brick  building,  and  100  peo- 
ple are  employed,  under  the  superintendence  of  W.  H.  Smith.  This 
industry  was  begun  several  years  earlier  by  Joseph  Tomlinson  and 
Cyrus  Brewster,  in  the  Sheldon  Block. 

On  the  site  opposite  was,  in  early  times,  the  mill  of  Colonel  Jack- 
son, where  later  George  T.  Bushnell  and  Deacon  Lyman  Osborne  had 
a  wood-turning  establishment  for  the  manufacture  of  novelties.  Still 
later  L.  and  C.  H.  De  Forest  there  made  plane  woods  and  spirit  level 
frames,  occupying  the  place  from  1857  to  1860.  From  Robert  N. 
Bassett  the  property  passed  to  Henry  S.  Sawyer,  and  it  has  been  con- 
verted to  its  original  use — a  feed  mill. 

Another  of  the  pioneer  manufacturers  of  Birmingham  was  Charles 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN  COUNTY.  391 

Atwood.  He  was  a  native  of  Hardwick,  Mass.,  where  he  was  born  in 
1801.  After  learning  the  art  of  manufacturing  woolen  goods,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  inventions,  and  discovered  a  way  of  making 
steel  pens  which  was  entirely  different  from  the  methods  then  in  use. 
Coming  to  Birmingham,  he  built  what  became  known  as  the  Atwood 
Factory,  in  which  he  manufactured  pens  and  German  silver  ware, 
mostly  spoons.  He  invented  a  hook  and  eye  machine,  and  the  pro- 
cess for  fastening  them  upon  cards.  The  patent  for  this  method  he 
sold  to  a  Waterbury  company  for  $20,000.  He  next  invented  a  simple 
machine  for  making  jack  chains,  well  chains,  etc.  He  also  invented 
a  pin-making  machine,  which  has  been  perfected  and  is  still  known  as 
the  "Atwood  Machine."  The  foregoing  articles  were  manufactured 
here  by  Mr.  Atwood,  S.  and  S.  M.  Colburn  and  others  prior  to  1854. 
Later  his  step-son,  George  Kellogg  (father  of  the  prima  donna,  Clara 
Louise  Kellogg)  and  Henry  Kellogg  made  surgical  instruments  at 
that  place,  but  moved  to  New  York.  In  1858  Stephen  N.  Summers 
and  L.  C.  Lewis,  as  Summers  &  Lewis,  purchased  this  factory  and  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  furniture,  which  is  still  carried  on  at  that 
place  by  George  C.  Bedient.  Summers  was  a  pioneer  in  the  latter  in- 
dustry, at  Birmingham,  engaging  in  that  trade  in  1836.  Mr.  Atwood 
died  in  1854,  greatly  lamented.  Not  long  after  the  Atwood  factory 
was  built,  the  basement  was  occupied  by  Thomas  Wallace,  who  with 
his  sons,  John,  Thomas  and  William,  was  there  engaged  in  wire 
drawing.  They  removed  from  here  to  Ansonia,  where  they  became 
distinguished   manufacturers. 

On  the  same  raceway,  south  of  the  Atwood  factory,  George  W. 
Shelton  and  Lyman  Osborne  had  a  factory  in  which  wooden  novelties 
were  made  by  them,  until  about  1854,  when  as  the  Shelton  &  Osborne 
Manufacturing  Company,  they  there  engaged  extensively  in  the  manu- 
facture of  hoop  skirts,  being  among  the  first  in  that  industry  in  the 
place.  Novelties  in  wood  work  were  also  there  made  by  Henry  Sum- 
mers and  Isaac  Howe  and  still  later  George  G.  Shelton  &  Brothers 
there  manufactured  baby  carriages.  In  recent  years  the  building  was 
converted  into  a  tenement. 

The  Hawkins  brothers,  Abram  and  William,  in  1837  began  the 
manufacture  of  carriage  springs  and  axles,  in  a  part  of  the  Beach  & 
Plumb  factory,  but  two  years  later  built  for  themselves,  on  the  south 
side  of  Main  street,  a  place  which  later  became  known  as  the  Sharon 
Bassett  factory.  Here  they  prospered  and  in  1845  they  took  in  part- 
nership Henry  Atwater,  of  New  Haven,  who  proved  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  manufacturers  of  the  village  and  for  16  years  was  foremost 
in  advancing  the  general  prosperity  of  the  place.  He  died  in  1862, 
aged  43  years.  In  1847  the  firm  moved  to  a  new  plant,  on  the  north 
side  of  the  street,  where  the  business  was  incorporated  in  1850  as 

The  Birmingham  Iron  and  Steel  Works,  which  became  one  of  the 
largest  industries  in  the  place.     Extensive  buildings  were  erected  and 


392  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

when  the  business  was  most  prosperous  200  hands  were  employed. 
When  this  corporation  was  formed,  in  1850,  William  Hawkins  with- 
drew from  the  firm,  whose  business  was  carried  on  mainly  by  A. 
Hawkins  and  Henry  Atwater.  After  1862  Thomas  Elmes  was  at  the 
head  of  the  works.  In  the  course  of  years  the  interest  declined  and, 
sometime  about  1878,  while  the  property  of  a  new  local  company,  only 
half  a  hundred  men  were  employed.  The  works  finally  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Peck,  Stow  &  Wilcox  Company,  of  Southington,  and 
were  by  them  discontinued.  Some  of  the  buildings  were  burned  in 
1886;  others  have  been  demolished.  A  part  of  the  office  building  was 
for  a  time  occupied  by  Cornell  &  Shelton,  manufacturers  of  patent  fold- 
ing paper  boxes,  until  their  removal  to  Shelton. 

The  old  factory  building,  south  of  Main  street  was,  after  the  removal 
of  Hawkins  &  Atwater,  occupied  by  Sharon  Bassett.  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  carriage  bolts,  etc.  In  1872  that  interest  was  transferred  to 
Shelton,  where  it  is  still  carried  on  by  D.  M.  Bassett  and  others. 

After  withdrawing  from  the  old  firm  in  1850,  William  Hawkins 
continued  the  manufacture  of  carriage  axles  and  springs,  having  others 
associated  with  him,  as  the  Hawkins  Manufacturing  Company.  The 
old  Plumb  factory  was  occupied  until  1859,  when  larger  quarters  were 
found  in  the  old  copper  mill.  An  extensive  plant  was  maintained 
until  the  dissolution  of  the  company  in  1865.  Subsequently  William 
Hawkins  and  Robert  Gibson  had  a  skate  factory,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  reservoir.  Augers  and  bits  were  later  made  there.  Robinson  & 
Cook  followed  and  they,  in  turn,  were  succeeded  by  the  Excelsior 
Manufacturing  Company,  incorporated  in  1880,  manufacturers  of  boring 
tools  and  general  hardware.    In  1888  the  company  removed  to  Shelton. 

In  the  period  when  the  manufacture  of  carriage  goods  was  so 
popular.  Smith  &  Osborne  also  made  axles  in  a  factory  near  the  old 
grist  mill,  and  at  the  next  power  below  Nelson  H.  Downs  &  Co. 
manufactured  stump  joints.  The  latter  industry  was  transferred  to 
another  place  and  in  1890  the  site  was  occupied  for  the  manufacture 
of  files. 

The  Birmingham  Iron  Foundry  is  the  most  important  iron  manu- 
facturing interest  the  borough  has  had  for  many  years.  The  business 
was  here  established  in  1836  by  the  twin  brothers,  Sylvester  and  Sul- 
livan M.  Colburn,  who  had  previously  carried  on  a  small  foundry  at 
Westville.  A  site  east  of  the  reservoir  was  occupied,  and  the  business 
prospered  from  the  beginning.  In  1838  their  brother,  Doctor  Josiah 
M.  Colburn,  came  from  Orange  and  engaged  with  them  as  a  partner. 
Still  later  Sheldon  Bassett  became  a  member  of  the  firm.  In  1850 
the  Colburns  retired  from  this  firm  to  engage  in  enterprises  at  An- 
sonia,  when  a  stock  company  was  formed  with  the  above  title,  and  a 
capital  of  $100,000.  Of  this  corporation  Sheldon  Bassett  was  the  presi- 
dent until  his  death  in  1865,  when  his  son,  Royal  M.  Bassett,  was 
chosen  to  that  office,  which  he   has  since  filled.     Another  son,  Theo- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  393 

dore  S.,  has  long  been  treasurer  of  the  concern;  and  H.  F.  Wanning, 
the  secretary.  The  first  castings  in  the  foundry  were  made  by  Henry 
Whipple,  who  continued  in  that  department  several  scores  of  years. 
Many  other  skilled  workmen  have  long  been  in  the  service  of  the 
company.  More  than  200  workmen  are  employed  in  the  various  de- 
partments at  this  plant,  which  covers  an  area  of  more  than  half  a 
dozen  acres.  The  output  yearly  is  very  large,  and  embraces  every 
variety  of  heavy  machinery  for  nearly  all  kinds  of  manufactures  or 
milling  purposes.  Many  of  the  articles  produced  are  peculiar  to  this 
establishment,  whose  reputation  extends  throughout  the  entire  Union. 

In  extending  its  plant  these  works  have  absorbed  several  other 
privileges  on  the  reservoir,  one  of  them  being  the  shops  of  the  De 
Forest  Manufacturing  Company,  which  was  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  horse  nails,  etc.  The  outgrowth  of  this  industry  was  trans- 
ferred to  Shelton. 

The  manufacture  of  pins  has  for  more  than  50  years  been  a  most 
important  industry  at  Birmingham.  The  pin  factory  of  the  Howe 
Manufacturing  Company,  on  the  west  side  of  the  reservoir,  is  also  one 
of  the  pioneer  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  Union.  The  com- 
pany was  formed  in  New  York,  in  1S35,  to  manufacture  pins  by  means 
of  Doctor  John  I.  Howe's  machines,  and  he  was  placed  in  charge  of 
the  enterprise,  managing  the  manufacturing  department  more  than 
30  years.  Doctor  Howe  was  an  inventor  of  no  mean  note,  having  ob- 
tained a  patent  on  rubber  compounds  in  1828,  but  the  inventions  of 
Charles  Goodyear  had  already  occupied  that  field,  which  caused  him 
to  turn  his  attention  to  pin-making.  He  completed  a  satisfactory  ma- 
chine in  1832,  and  a  second  one  the  following  year.  Associating  his 
brothers-in-law,  James  Brush  and  Edward  Cook,  with  him,  the  manu- 
facture was  begun  in  New  York.  But  in  April,  1838,  the  interest  was 
transferred  to  Birmingham,  where  it  has  since  been  very  successfully 
carried  on.  Doctor  Howe  here  perfected  his  machinery,  and  so  judici- 
ously managed  the  affairs  of  the  company,  that  its  capital  stock  of  $60,- 
()()()  became  very  profitable.  Large  brick  buildings  are  occupied,  and 
several  scores  of  people  are  given  employment.  In  1890  the  president 
and  the  secretary  of  the  company  were  William  E.  Downes  and  Charles 
E.  Atwater. 

Doctor  Howe  died  suddenly,  September  10th,  1876,  in  the  84th  year 
of  his  age,  but  his  worth  is  still  keenly  remembered.  He  was  a  strong 
Union  man  in  the  late  civil  war,  contributing  several  thousand  dollars 
in  Derby  to  further  the  cause. 

Pins  were  also  made  in  the  old  Atwood  factory. 

The  Star  Pin  Company  was  organized  in  1S67,  with  a  capital  of 
$40,000,  and  operations  were  begun  at  Wells'  Hollow,  in  Huntington 
township.  George  H.  Peck  was  elected  president.  In  1875  he  became 
the  secretary,  treasurer  and  general  manager  of  the  company,  suc- 
ceeding J.  Tomlinson.     D.  W   Plumb  was  elected  president,  and  both 


394  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

have  since  continued,  making  the  "  Star  "  one  of  the  most  successful 
pin  companies  in  the  state.  The  same  year  a  large  brick  factory  was 
erected  in  Shelton,  whose  capacity  has  been  further  enlarged,  so  that, 
in  1890,  about  100  persons  found  employment  therein.  The  products 
are  brass  and  adamantine  pins,  hair  pins  and  hooks  and  eyes,  which 
have  an  excellent  reputation. 

On  smaller  scales  other  pin  manufactories  have  been  carried  on  in 
Derby  by  Charles  H.  Johnson  and  others.  Closely  allied  with  this  in- 
dustry has  been  the  production  of  hoop  skirts  and  corsets.  The  manu- 
facture of  the  former  article  was  very  popular  from  1854  for  about  10 
years,  among  those  engaged  in  it  being  Downs  &  Bassett,  Edwin 
Wooster  and  Osborne  &  Cheesman.  The  latter  began  in  1858,  but 
the  following  year  moved  to  Ansonia.  Nelson  H.  Downs  and  Edwin 
Wooster  were  among  the  first  manufacturers  to  become  interested  in 
the  Shelton  improvements,  the  former  building  the  first  factory  there 
in  1S71;  the  latter  completing  one  in  1872.  He  had,  at  Birmingham, 
occupied  a  factory  on  the  east  side  of  the  reservoir.  On  the  20th  of 
April,  1876,  the  community  was  startled  and  pained  by  his  accidental 
drowning  at  the  Housatonic  dam,  which  he  had  helped  to  build  at  the 
sacrifice  of  time  and  means. 

After  the  demand  for  hoop  skirts  had  diminished,  the  manufacture 
of  corsets  became  an  important  industry.  The  Birmingham  Corset 
Company,  with  works  at  Shelton,  and  composed  of  I.  W.  Birdseye, 
Richard  Hubbell  and  others,  is  a  flourishing  concern,  employing 
skilled  labor  and  modern  machinery. 

The  corset  factory  of  Lyman  L.  Loomer  &  Sons,  at  Birmingham,  is 
another  flourishing  establishment,  in  which  the  yearly  output  is  sev- 
eral hundred  thousand  dollars.  A  fine  four-story  building,  on  Main 
street,  is  occupied,  and  a  large  number  of -people  are  employed.  In 
the  factories  of  Cyrus  Brewster,  on  Caroline  street,  and  L.  Kraus  & 
Co.,  on  .Sugar  street,  immense  quantities  of  corset  goods  are  made,  and 
several  hundred  more  people  are  employed  in  these  factories. 

The  Paugassett  Mills  of  A.  H.  &  C.  B.  Ailing,  on  First  street, 
Birmingham,  are  the  most  important  textile  factories  since  the  Plumb 
&  Beach  Mills.  The  business  was  established  by  the  Ailing  family, 
in  Orange,  in  1845.  In  1858  they  purchased  the  old  Globe  carriage 
factory,  and  operated  there  until  January,  1864,  when  the  buildings 
were  destroyed  by  fire.  The  following  year  the  old  copper  mills 
property  was  purchased,  and  the  present  plant  begun.  Several  three 
and  five-story  buildings  are  occupied,  which  are  supplied  with  ma- 
chinery for  producing  first-class  hosiery  and  underwear.  Over  300 
hands  are  employed.  The  Ailing  Brothers  are  not  only  enterprising 
manufacturers,  but  have  erected  a  dozen  of  the  finest  business  blocks 
in  the  borough,  some  of  which  would  be  creditable  to  a  large  city. 

In  Shelton  the  hosiery  mills  of  the  Radcliffe  Brothers,  built  in 
1874,  and  the  extensive  Derby  Cotton  Mills  of  Robert  Adams,  are  in- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  395 

dustries  whose  output  approximates  half  a  million  dollars,  and  which 
employ  hundreds  of  people. 

The  Sterling  Company  has  an  extensive  plant  on  the  east  side  of 
the  reservoir,  in  Birmingham.  There  are  a  number  of  attractive 
buildings,  aggregating  more  than  a  thousand  feet  in  length,  and  both 
water  and  steam  power  are  used.  Many  hundred  skilled  workmen 
are  employed  in  the  production  of  a  great  variety  of  reed  organs  and 
pianos,  whose  excellence  is  generally  acknowledged.  This  industry 
was  here  begun,  in  1868,  by  the  Page  &  Potter  Organ  Company,  which 
previously  built  musical  instruments  in  Ansonia.  In  June,  1869,  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  Birmingham  Organ  Company,  a  corporation 
which  embraced  some  of  the  members  of  the  old  company.  In  July, 
1871,  the  last  company  gave  place  to  the  Charles  A.Sterling  Organ 
Company,  and  in  1886  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Sterling  Com- 
pany.    The  capital  has  also  been  increased  from  $30,000  to  $210,000. 

In  1875  the  works  were  destroyed  by  fire,  but  were  at  once  rebuilt, 
and  have  been  enlarged  a  number  of  different  times.  Charles  A. 
Sterling  was  for  many  years  the  president  of  the  company,  and  R.  W. 
Blake  the  general  manager  since  1873,  serving  also  as  president  in 
1890.  James  R.  Mason  is  the  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  Charles  H. 
Hubbell  the  general  superintendent. 

The  water  power  for  the  foregoing  factories  originally  belonged 
to  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Phelps,  falling  into  the  hands  of  Anson  G. 
Phelps  sometime  in  the  forties.  In  1869  it  became  the  property  of 
the  present  proprietors — the  Birmingham  Water  Power  Company, 
composed  mainly  of  the  Bartholomew  family,  of  Ansonia.  Although 
this  was  one  the  first  improvements  of  the  kind  in  the  Naugatuck 
valley,  it  remains  substantially  as  at  first  constructed,  and  is  still  a 
valuable  privilege. 

It  is  said  that  when  Sheldon  Smith  first  contemplated  his  enter- 
prise in  Derby,  he  purposed  getting  his  water  power  from  the  Housa- 
tonic,  but  abandoned  the  project  on  account  of  its  appearing  too 
formidable.  In  1839  the  legislature  authorized  an  improvement  of 
the  power  at  Birmingham  and  Shelton,  but  would  not  allow  a  dam  to 
be  built.  Hence  the  matter  was  allowed  to  rest  until  a  more  liberal 
charter  could  be  secured.  This  was  granted  in  1864,  and  two  years 
later  the  Ousatonic  Water  Company  was  organized  under  its  provis- 
ions. By  this  company,  which  embraced  among  its  members  the 
leading  manufacturers  of  Birmingham,  the  dam  at  Shelton  was  built, 
though  not  until  some  had  become  disheartened,  because  so  many  ob- 
stacles beset  the  undertaking.  Others  persevered  and  were  richly 
rewarded  in  the  ownership  of  one  of  the  finest  water  powers  in  the 
state. 

The  Housatonic  (also  called  the  Ousatonic)  is,  next  to  the  Connec- 
ticut and  Merrimac,  the  most  powerful  river  in  New  England,  drain- 
ing about  2,000  square  miles  of  land,  in  which  are  many  mountain 


396  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

lakes  and  springs,  having  a  constant  flow.  It  is  estimated  that,  in 
consequence  of  these  conditions,  the  average  flow  at  Birmingham,  at 
lowest  water,  yields  2,500  horse  power  for  12  hours  per  day.  The 
curbing  of  such  a  vast  volume  of  water  was  an  effort  of  no  small  mag- 
nitude, but  it  was  successfully  accomplished  by  the  supervising  en- 
gineer, Henry  T.  Potter,  after  three  years  of  painstaking  labor.  He 
began  the  construction  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  the  first  mason 
work  being  done  July  17th,  1867;  and  the  last  capstone  was  laid  Oc- 
tober 5th,  1870.  The  dam  is  a  solid  mass  of  masonry,  huge  blocks  of 
rock  being  carefully  laid  in  water  cement,  and  is  capped  with  granite 
from  Maine.  It  presents  a  fine  appearance,  and  has  an  entire  length 
of  800  feet.  Of  this  distance  637  feet  are  in  the  river  proper.  The 
breast  of  the  dam  is  22  feet  high,  and  so  level  that  the  water  falls  over 
in  an  unbroken  mass.  The  reservoir  formed  by  this  dam  is  about  five 
miles  long,  and  is  confined  between  high  hills  most  of  the  distance. 

On  the  22d  day  of  January,  1891,  an  unusual  flood  in  the  Housatonic 
caused  a  break  in  the  dam  150  feet  long,  and  involving  a  loss  of  about 
$300,000.  But  little  other  property  was  destroyed,  and  no  lives  were 
lost. 

From  each  side  of  the  dam  canals  lead  down  the  banks  of  the 
river,  affording  a  large  number  of  manufacturing  sites.  Each  of  the 
factory  lots  faces  on  the  river,  which  gives  them  transportation  facili- 
ties, the  dam  being  at  the  head  of  tide  water  navigation  on  the  Hous- 
atonic. The  dam  and  the  attendant  property  are  valued  at  $1,000,000. 
The  directory  of  the  company,  in  1890,  embraced:  E.  N.  Shelton,  presi- 
dent; D.  S.  Brinsmade,  David  W.  Plumb,  W.  E.  Downes,  E.  De  F. 
Shelton,  A.  B.  Ruggles,  A.  H.  Ailing,  T.  L.  Cornell  and  David  Tor- 
rance. 

Mr.  E.  N.  Shelton  has  been  identified  with  this  enterprise  from  the 
beginning.  From  him  the  growing  manufacturing  village  of  Shelton, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  took  its  name.  Although  it  is  in  Fair- 
field county,  the  place  has  such  a  close  connection  with  Birmingham, 
that  the  interests  are  difficult  to  separate,  and  the  village  has  had  its 
beginning  in  the  interest  transferred  to  it  from  Derby,  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Housatonic  dam.  In  1890  there  were  a  score  of  manu- 
facturing establishments  in  Shelton,  there  being,  besides  those  already 
noted,  the  Birmingham  Plane  Company,  the  Cornell  &  Shelton  Com- 
pany, the  Derby  Rubber  Company,  the  Derby  Silver  Company,  the 
Silver  Plate  Cutlery  Company,  and  the  Whitlock  Machine  Company. 
The  latter  corporation  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  business  of  Sturges 
Whitlock,  a  builder  of  printing  presses  and  printing  machinery  and 
which  had  been  carried  on  in  Birmingham  about  a  dozen  years  prior 
to  its  removal.  The  Whitlocks  became  noted  as  being  ingenious 
mechanics. 

At  Shelton  the  manufacture  of  paper  has  been  an  important 
industry    since    1871,  and    the    manufacture    the   past  few   years  has 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  397 

included  the  United  States  postal  cards.  The  Derby  Gas  Company 
has  its  gas  house  in  Shelton  and  its  electric  light  plant  in  Birming- 
ham, taking  power  from  the  canal  on  the  east  side  of  the  dam.  The 
two  villages  are  connected  by  a  centrally  located  bridge,  and  have 
many  interests  in  common. 

The  increase  of  manufactures  stimulated  the  mercantile  and  other 
interests  in  the  town,  and  many  business  places  were  opened.  Besides 
the  principal  merchants  already  noted  in  the  foregoing  pages,  Thad- 
deus  and  Ephraim  Birdseye  were  merchants  from  1836  to  1840.  J. 
W.  Osborne  opened  a  store  in  Birmingham  in  1843,  in  which  he  en- 
gaged in  general  merchandising,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Water 
streets.  In  1845  he  formed  a  partnership  with  George  W.  Cheesman, 
when  they  moved  into  the  "  stone  store  "  built  by  Donald  Judson  in 
1836.  As  Osborne  &  Cheesman  the  firm  transacted  a  large  business 
until  1859,  when  they  disposed  of  their  interests  to  engage  in  manu- 
facturing at  Ansonia.  In  the  same  period  Sheldon  Bassett,  Edwin 
Wooster,  P.  McEnerney  and  George  C.  Allis  were  among  the  leading 
merchants.  The  latter  has  been  in  the  book,  jewelry  and  notion 
trade  since  1852,  when  he  established  himself  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years.  In  1856  he  founded  a  circulating  library,  which  contained  in 
1890  more  than  3,500  volumes.  Sidney  Downs  was  also  one  of  the 
first  merchants,  and  traded  nearly  40  years,  when  the  business  passed 
to  E.  S.  Gibbons.  Lucius  Blackman  engaged  in  trade  in  1845,  and 
the  business  he  established  is  still  continued.  Edwin  C.  Johnson 
was  for  many  years  associated  with  him.  In  1850  F.  Hallock  began 
merchandising,  associating  E.  Hallock  with  him  in  1803,  and  they 
have  since  traded  at  Birmingham.  In  the  latter  year  George  H.  Peck 
engaged  in  the  drug  trade;  and  the  dry  goods  house  of  H.  B.  Curtiss 
was  established  in  1S68.  J.  H.  Brewster  became  a  merchant  here 
about  the  same  time,  and  the  extensive  dry  goods  business  of  E.  R. 
Howard  and  G.  E.  Barber  was  begun  many  years  ago  by  Samuel  H. 
Brush,  the  present  firm  dating  from  1884.  Its  business  is  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  valley.  G.  &  D.  Curtiss  were  here  about  the  same  time, 
and  H.  Somers  came  a  little  later.  In  1890  every  branch  of  trade  had 
from  three  to  ten  representatives. 

The  town  has  had  many  public  houses,  inns  and  hotels.  In  1675 
Colonel  Ebenezer  Johnson  was  licensed  to  keep  an  ordinary  or  tavern 
at  his  farm  on  the  south  of  Sentinel  hill.  In  1704  Abel  Holbrook  and 
Samuel  Nichols  were  licensed  as  keepers  of  ordinaries.  The  latter 
lived  in  the  locality  which  was  afterward  called  Baldwin's  Corners, 
where,  in  1716,  John  Pringle  was  the  tavern  keeper.  Coming  down 
to  more  recent  times,  Joseph  Wheeler  was  a  popular  innkeeper  at  the 
Narrows,  his  house  standing  nearly  on  the  same  site  as  the  present 
Mansion  House.  In  the  same  locality  Ithiel  Keeney  had  a  tavern 
about  1800.  At  Birmingham  the  Preston  P.  Warner  tavern  at  the  east 
end  of  the  Housatonic  bridge,  was  a  very  popular  hotel  from  1845,  for 


398  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

about  20  years.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  the  Leavenworth 
Hotel  was  known  favorably,  near  and  far.  Of  the  modern  hotels  the 
Birmingham  House  was  opened  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago;  the  Globe 
Inn  but  recently,  and  the  widely  known  Bassett  House  has  been  a 
popular  home  for  the  traveling  public  about  a  score  of  years.  It  has 
a  very  pleasant  location,  and  under  the  management  of  William  G. 
White  has  achieved  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  finest  hostelries  in  the 
Naugatuck  valley.  His  immediate  successor  was  William  Kellogg, 
also  a  popular  host,  who  died  here  in  the  early  part  of  1888.  Aside 
from  these,  the  present  town  of  Derby  has  half  a  dozen  more  public 
houses,  all  of  which  are  in  striking  contrast  with  the  primitive  inns  of 
two  centuries  ago. 

The  first  monetary  institution  in  the  town  was  established  in  1809 
in  connection  with  the  Derby  Fishing  Company.  This  was  chartered 
in  1806,  and  had  as  officers:  Canfield  Gillett,  president,  and  James  I. 
Andrews,  secretary.  Others  interested  were:  James  Lewis,  Leman 
Stone  and  Philo  Bassett.  The  capital  stock  was  fixed  at  a  minimum  of 
$50,000,  and  the  shares  were  mostly  held  by  the  people  of  Derby.  The 
main  object  was  to  engage  in  the  cod  fishery,  and  for  that  purpose 
they  built  and  fitted  out  vessels,  among  which  were  the  "  Eliza,"  com- 
manded by  Captain  Clarke  Elliott,  which  was  captured  by  the  French 
after  several  successful  voyages  to  the  West  Indies  had  been  made; 
the  "  Ousatonic  "  and  the  "  Naugatuck,"  also  built  by  the  company  and 
launched  near  Baldwin's  old  cider  distillery,  at  Derby  Narrows.  The 
business  was  successful  until  the  war  of  1812  broke  out  and  interrupted 
it,  and  speculative  enterprise  added  to  the  financial  ruin  already 
brought  on  by  the  loss  of  valuable  cargoes  at  sea,  several  vessels  being 
captured  and  confiscated  by  the  French.  As  showing  the  decline  of 
its  affairs,  it  is  said  that  on  commencing  business  the  president  of  the 
company  received  a  salary  of  $1,500  per  year,  but  after  1812  his  salary 
was  barely  nominal,  only  GJ  cents  being  voted  him  yearly.  By  act  of 
the  general  assembly  in  1815  the  office  of  the  company  was  trans- 
ferred to  New  Haven,  and  soon  after  its  affairs  were  wound  up  by  a 
receiver. 

In  connection  with  the  above  company  the  Derby  Bank  was  estab- 
lished in  1809,  and  was  controlled  mainly  by  the  Fishing  Company.  A 
banking  office  wras  opened  in  a  brick  building  on  a  back  street  at 
Derby  Narrows,  and  for  a  time  a  prosperous  business  was  done  in  con- 
nection with  the  Fishing  Company,  which  was  also  the  principal 
patron.  William  Leffingwell,  of  New  Haven,  was  the  president  and 
John  Fitch  the  cashier  of  the  bank.  It  closed  an  unsuccessful  busi- 
ness soon  after  the  discontinuance  of  the  Fishing  Company,  but  to  the 
credit  of  the  managers  it  is  said  "  no  man  lost  a  dollar  by  its  suspen- 
sion.    It  paid  in  full  before  stopping  business."* 

The  charter  of  the  bank,  after  lying  dormant  until  1824,  was  re- 

*  Beardsley's  History,  p.  276. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY,  399 

vived  by  the  Canfield  brothers,  of  New  York,  and  others  of  Derby,  and 
the  banking  business  was  again  established.  By  the  terms  of  the 
charter  a  capital  of  $200,000  was  authorized,  the  bank  being  permitted 
to  begin  business  when  a  certain  part  was  paid  in.  The  Fulton  Bank 
of  New  York  was  made  the  place  for  the  redemption  of  the  notes  of 
issue,  and  the  impression  was  conveyed  that  the  two  institutions  were 
in  a  measure  connected.  This  had  the  effect  of  inspiring  confidence, 
which  was  farther  increased  by  the  selection  of  John  L.  Tomlinson  as 
president  of  the  bank  and  Edward  Crofts  as  cashier.  Both  were  citi- 
zens of  worth,  highly  esteemed  by  those  who  knew  them.  A  large 
sum  of  money  was  deposited  with  the  Fulton  Bank,  and  the  notes  of 
the  Derby  Bank  were  issued  to  the  extent  of  the  authorized  capital 
and  widely  circulated  at  home  and  abroad.  Having  done  this  the 
managers  withdrew  their  deposit  in  the  New  York  bank  and  devoted 
it  to  their  private  uses,  the  public  all  the  time  believing  that  the  bank 
was  upon  a  thoroughly  sound  financial  basis.  As  a  natural  conse- 
quence the  failure  of  the  Derby  Bank  soon  followed  amidst  the  most 
intense  excitement,  causing  in  more  than  one  instance  financial  dis- 
tress. The  president  was  summoned  before  the  general  assembly  in 
1825  to  explain  his  connection  with  the  affair,  when,  although  he  could 
not  make  a  clear  statement,  it  did  not  appear  that  he  had  profitted  by 
their  vicious  schemes,  but  had  been  duped  by  the  wily  New  Yorkers. 
But  the  assembly  promptly  revoked  the  charter  of  the  bank. 

For  many  years  the  feeling  against  those  connected  with  the  bank 
was  most  intense  at  home,  and  abroad  a  stigma  attached  which  re- 
flected against  the  good  name  of  the  town.  There  was  also  created  a 
prejudice  against  banks  at  Derby,  which  awakened  much  opposition 
when  application  was  made  to  the  general  assembly  for  that  privi- 
lege. However,  that  body,  in  1848,  chartered  the  Manufacturers'  Bank 
of  Birmingham,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000  and  with  authority  to 
increase  the  same  to  $300,000.  This  bank  was  organized  the  same 
year,  with  Edward  N.  Shelton  as  president,  James  M.  Lewis  as  cashier, 
and  J.  I.  Howe,  Lewis  Downs,  Fitch  Smith,  William  Guthrie,  Thomas 
Burlock,  Edward  Lewis,  Sidney  A.  Downes  and  H.  S.  Nichols  as  direc- 
tors. Nearly  all  of  the  foregoing  were  active  manufacturers,  and  as 
the  bank  proved  a  great  convenience  in  their  business,  it  became 
necessary  in  1851  to  increase  the  capital  stock  to  the  full  amount 
authorized.  This  was  paid  in  the  course  of  the  next  two  years,  and 
the  capital  has  since  remained  $300,000.  In  1853  the  cashier,  James 
M.  Lewis,  left  to  become  the  president  of  a  bank  in  New  York  city, 
and  Joseph  Arnold,  of  the  Meriden  Bank,  became  the  cashier,  most 
acceptably  filling  that  position  until  his  death  in  January,  1884.  At 
that  time  the  present  cashier,  Charles  E.  Clark,  was  elected.  From 
1866  up  to  that  period  he  was  the  teller  of  the  bank,  a  position  now 
filled  by  Edwin  T.  Swift.  Another  old  employe  of  the  bank  is  William 
T.  Browne,  the  book-keeper  since  1854.     The  bank  has  had  but  one 


400  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

president,  Edward  N.  Shelton  being  the  only  one  who  was  elected  to 
that  office. 

In  1S65  the  bank  was  reorganized  under  the  national  banking  laws 
as  the  Birmingham  National  Bank,  the  capital  and  officers  remaining 
the  same  as  those  of  the  old  bank.  The  first  place  of  business  was  in  a 
small  room  over  the  Shelton  Tack  Factory,  but  in  1850  a  brick  banking 
house  was  built  on  Main  street  opposite  the  old  steel  works.  This  was 
abandoned  in  1857,  on  account  of  the  low  nature  of  the  ground,  and 
the  present  bank,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Caroline,  occupied.  It  is 
substantial  and  has  been  made  very  attractive. 

The  affairs  of  the  bank  have  been  most  successfully  conducted, 
there  being  in  the  fall  of  1890  a  surplus  of  $150,000,  with  undivided 
profits  amounting  to  §60,000.  The  deposits  are  about  $300,000.  The 
present  board  of  directors  is  composed  of  E.  N.  Shelton,  D.  W.  Plumb, 
Merritt  Clark,  William  E.  Downes,  Charles  H.  Nettleton,  C.  E.  Clark, 
C.  H.  Ailing,  William  C.  Atwater  and  H.  F.  Wanning. 

The  Derby  Savings  Bank  was  chartered  in  May,  1846,  the  corpora- 
tors named  being  John  I.  Howe,  Donald  Judson,  Thomas  Burlock, 
David  W.  Plumb,  George  W.  Shelton,  Fitch  Smith,  David  Bassett, 
George  Kellogg,  Thomas  Wallace,  Samuel  French,  George  Blakeman, 
S.  M.  Colburn,  Henry  Atwater,  S.  N.  Summers,  Isaac  J.  Gilbert,  Ed- 
ward Lewis,  Sheldon  Bassett,  Henry  Hubbard,  Sheldon  Smith,  Jr., 
John  W.  Davis  and  Sidney  A.  Downes,  all  of  whom  were  prominent 
and  active  business  men  of  that  pericd. 

Doctor  John  I.  Howe  was  chosen  president,  Edward  N.  Shelton, 
vice-president,  and  Joseph  P.  Canfield,  seci-etary.  The  bank  at  once 
entered  upon  a  career  of  prosperity,  having  at  the  end  of  16  years, 
when  Mr.  Canfield  resigned,  deposits  amounting  to  $187,103.50,  with  a 
surplus  fund  of  $5,337.  In  1862  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye  became  the 
secretary,  and  successfully  carried  out  a  policy  which  placed  the  bank 
amongst  the  foremost  savings  institutions  in  New  England.  So  much 
money  was  offered  that  the  deposits  were  limited  as  to  amounts,  and 
later  the  depositors  were  confined  to  wage  earners.  For  many  years 
the  deposits  exceeded  a  million  of  dollars,  upon  which  a  dividend  of  5 
per  cent,  has  been  paid.  In  October,  1890,  the  deposits  amounted  to 
$1,774,521.96,  and  there  was  a  fixed  surplus  of  $60,000.  The  business 
of  the  bank  being  conducted  on  a  basis  of  regarding  the  securities  at 
their  par  instead  of  their  market  values,  the  surplus  does  not  appear  as 
large  as  it  really  is,  many  securities  commanding  larger  premiums.  At 
this  time  the  depositors  numbered  5,125.  The  place  of  business  is 
in  the  banking  house  of  the  Birmingham  National  Bank. 

In  1880,  upon  the  death  of  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye,  he  was  succeeded 
in  the  office  of  secretary  by  his  son,  Thomas  S.  Birdseye,  who  has 
since  so  served.  Doctor  Howe  was  succeeded  as  president  by  Joseph 
Arnold,  and  since  January,  1884,  William  E.  Downes  has  been  the 
president.     His  associate  directors  in  1890  were  David  Torrance,  vice- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  401 

president;  E.  N.  Shelton,  Clark  N.  Rogers,  Charles  H.  Nettleton, 
Henry  A.  Nettleton,  George  W.  Beardsley,  Benjamin  Nichols  and 
George  B.  Clark. 

The  Derby  Journal 'was  the  first  newspaper  published  in  the  town. 
It  was  started  in  December,  1846,  by  Thomas  M.  Newson  and  John  B. 
Hotchkiss,  two  young  newspaper  men  from  New  Haven.  The  former 
was  the  editor,  and,  being  talented  and  energetic,  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing a  live  paper.  In  the  course  of  ten  years  he  attempted  a  daily  pa- 
per, which  failed  on  account  of  the  sparseness  of  the  population  at 
that  period.  Later  he  sold  out  his  interest  and  removed  to  Minneap- 
olis, Minn.,  where  he  became  the  successful  proprietor  of  an  illustrated 
magazine.  A  number  of  changes  now  took  place,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  the  Valley  Messenger  and  still  later  to  the  Derby  Transcript. 
In  1868  the  printing  establishment  passed  to  William  T.  Bacon,  with 
whom  his  son,  Daniel  H.,  and  others  were  associated  as  the  Derby 
Printing  Company,  an  unchartered  body,  but  which  was  incorporated 
by  the  legislature  in  February,  1889.  Of  this  company  Daniel  H. 
Bacon  was  the  head,  and  although  the  organization  is  no  longer  kept 
up  he  retains  control  of  the  printing  house,  which  is  a  well  equipped 
establishment. 

December  1st,  1888,  a  daily  edition  of  the  Transcript  was  begun, 
with  D.  H.  Bacon  as  the  editor.  In  that  position  he  was  succeeded  in 
April,  1889,  by  Henry  I.  Hazeltine,  who  served  a  little  more  than  a 
year.  On  the  3d  of  March,  1890,  the  daily  and  weekly  Transcript  were 
sold  to  Charles  E.  Meservey,  of  Rockland,  Maine,  who  has  since  suc- 
cessfully conducted  them.  Both  editions  are  growing  in  popularity 
and  patronage — a  support  which  is  well  merited. 

The  Derby  post  office  was  one  of  the  first  established  in  the  county 
— April  1st,  1798 — and  Joel  Atwater  was  appointed  the  postmaster.  A 
wide  area  of  country  was  supplied,  but  the  business  of  the  office,  owing 
to  the  high  rates  of  postage,  was  small.  The  subsequent  appointees 
of  the  old  Derby  office  were  the  following:  Samuel  J.  Andrews,  1790; 
Russell  Hitchcock,  1816;  Thomas  Durham,  1828;  Russell  Hitchcock, 
1832:  Robert  Gates,  1833;  Henry  Whitney,  1849;  Robert  Gates,  Jr., 
1853;  Henry  Atwater,  1853;  Thomas  Shelton,  1S54;  Thaddeus  G. 
Birdseye,*  1860;  Robert  C.  Narramore,  1861;  Ezra  Sprague,  1874. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1876,  the  name  of  the  office  was  changed  from 
Derby  to  Birmingham,  and  Ezra  Sprague  was  reappointed  as  the  first 
postmaster.  He  held  the  office  until  1S80,  when  William  J.  Clark  was 
appointed,  and  he  in  turn  was  succeeded  in  1888  by  Theodore  S.  Bas- 
sett.  Since  1885  the  deputy  postmaster  has  been  William  L.  Brown. 
In  May,  1869,  the  post  office  was  placed  in  a  building  on  the  raceway, 
on  the  north  side  of  Main  street,  in  Birmingham,  where  it  remained 
until  1885,  when  the  present  fine  office  in  the  A.  H.  &  C.  B.  Ailing 
building,  on  West  Main  street,  was  occupied.  This  was  handsomely 
*  He  was  the  first  presidential  appointee. 
26 


402  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

fitted  up  for  that  purpose.  On  the  1st  of  July,  1887.  the  free  carrier 
system  went  into  effect  at  this  office,  extending  to  Birmingham,  old 
Derby  and  Shelton  villages,  the  revived  Derby  office,  held  by  A.  F. 
Sherwood,  now  being  discontinued.  Starting  with  four  carriers,  the 
number  has  been  increased  to  five,  two  of  whom  are  mounted.  Col- 
lections are  made  from  36  street  boxes.  The  business  of  the  office  in- 
creases at  the  rate  of  ^bout  $500  per  year,  amounting  in  1890  to  about 
$14,000. 

Derby  has  had  many  professional  men,  who  can  here  be  only 
briefly  noted.  Doctor  John  Hull  was  the  first  physician.  He  came  in 
1674  and  remained  until  1689,  when  he  removed  to  Wallingford. 
While  in  Derby  he  was  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  and  built  the 
first  mill.  Doctor  John  Durand  was  here  next,  30  or  more  years.  He 
lived  at  "  Uptown."  His  son,  Noah,  was  also  a  physician  a  short 
time.  Contemporary  with  the  former  was  Doctor  Josiah  Baldwin,  who 
was  encouraged  by  the  town,  in  1696,  to  locate  in  Derby.  To  eke  out 
his  living  the  town  voted,  in  1703,  to  pay  him  for  beating  the  public 
drum,  when  the  meetings  were  to  be  warned.  He  remained  in  prac- 
tice several  scores  of  years.  Doctor  Silas  Baldwin  was,  later,  several 
years  in  practice  in  Derby.  In  this  period,  about  1712,  Doctor  James 
Pierson  was  also  in  Derby  a  short  time,  but  removed  to  Wethersfield. 

Doctor  Samuel  Canfield,  a  native  of  the  town,  was  the  physician 
from  about  1750  until  his  death  in  1766.  His  brother,  Doctor  Josiah, 
had  just  begun  practicing,  and  continued  several  years.  At  the  same 
time  Doctor  Leverett  Hubbard  was  here.  Probably  Doctor  Edward 
Crafts  was  the  next  settled  physician  in  this  part  of  Derby.  He  came 
about  the  time  of  the  revolution  and  continued  until  his  death  in 
March,  1821,  aged  69  years.  His  son,  Doctor  Pearl,  began  practice 
sometime  about  1812,  and  may  have  continued  a  dozen  years,  dying 
young.  Both  lived  in  the  village  of  Derby.  In  the  same  locality  and 
about  the  same  time  Doctor  Liberty  Kimberley  was  in  practice.  In 
the  northern  part  of  Derby  (the  present  town  of  Seymour)  Doctor 
Samuel  Sanford  was  located  as  the  first  physician,  and  after  his  death 
Doctor  Abiram  Stoddard  located  there  in  1804.  He  died  in  1855.  He 
was  a  popular  doctor,  although  eccentric,  and  his  practice  extended  to 
what  is  now  Derby. 

Before  the  death  of  Doctor  Pearl  Crafts,  a  Doctor  Isaac  Jennings 
located  here  in  1820,  and  continued  until  1837,  when  he  sold  his  office 
to  Doctor  Ambrose  Beardsley.  Two  years  later  he  removed  to  Ober- 
lin,  Ohio.  He  was  highly  educated  and  had  at  first  a  large  practice, 
but  after  a  time  discarded  the  use  of  medicine  and  adopted  the 
"  theory  of  the  remedial  powers  of  nature  as  more  curative  in  diseased 
action  than  pills  or  powders."  This  theory  he  promulgated  and  de- 
fended in  several  able  books.  But  the  reforms  he  advocated  were  not 
popular,  and  he  failed  to  obtain  the  pecuniary  benefits  to  which  he 
was  entitled  by  his  talents.  He  died  in  Ohio,  in  1874,  at  the  ripe  age 
of  85  years. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  403 

Doctor  A.  Beardsley's  practice  was  one  of  the  longest  continued  in 
the  town,  extending  from  the  time  of  his  settlement  in  1837,  until  his 
death,  November  1st,  1884,  aged  about  73  years.  Besides  being  a 
skillful  practitioner  he  was  an  orator  of  reputation  and  a  popular 
writer.  His  "  History  of  Derby  "  is  a  work  of  much  merit,  from  which 
much  of  the  data  in  this  sketch  have  been  gleaned. 

Among  many  other  physicians  who  practiced  in  Derby,  at  the  time 
when  it  was  first  developed  by  manufacturing,  were  Doctor  Josiah  H. 
Whiting,  a  few  years  after  1845,  when  he  removed  to  New  Haven; 
and  Doctor  S.  P.  Church  was  in  practice  from  1850  to  1857,  when  he 
removed  to  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  About  the  same  time  Doctor  A.  H. 
Carrington  located  in  town,  but  remained  only  a  few  years.  In  1857 
Doctor  W.  B.  De  Forest  became  one  of  Derby's  physicians,  but  after 
three  years  removed  to  New  Haven.  A  little  earlier  Doctor  Paul 
Skiff  came,  but  after  a  few  years'  practice  removed  to  the  same  city. 
Doctor  Charles  Case  came  about  1858,  and  after  several  years'  practice 
he  removed  to  Detroit.  Two  years  later,  in  1860,  Doctor  Stephen  Hill 
located  to  practice,  but  soon  removed. 

Doctor  H.  Bowen,  a  homeopathic  physician,  was  in  Derby  1861-2; 
Doctor  D.  S.  Lessey  located  in  Derby  in  1873,  and  died  the  following 
year.  In  1874  Doctor  S.  C.  Sanger  located  as  a  physician,  and  died  in 
1876.     Near  this  time  Doctor  Frederick  Hall  was  here  as  a  physician. 

Since  1853  Doctor  Charles  H.  Pinney  has  been  a  practitioner  in 
Derby,  while  his  son,  Royal  W.,  has  but  recently  located  here  in  the 
same  profession,  both  residing  in  Derby  village.  Since  the  civil  war, 
in  which  he  served,  Doctor  A.  W.  Phillips  *  has  been  a  successful 
homeopathic  physician  at  Birmingham;  and  not  long  after,  in  1869, 
Doctor  G.  A.  Shelton  began  an  extensive  practice  in  Shelton,  which 
extends  to  Derby.  Later  Doctor  Thomas  B.  Jewett  became  associated 
with  Doctor  A.  Beardsley. 

Doctor  George  L.  Beardsley  has  been  one  of  Birmingham's  fore- 
most physicians  since  1874,  having  as  contemporaries  in  later  and 
more  recent  years  Doctor  William  S.  Randall,  Doctor  Thomas  J. 
O'Sullivau  and  Doctor  C.  T.  Baldwin. 

Jesse  Beach  was  probably  the  first  lawyer  in  the  town,  living  here  a 
dozen  years  after  1792.  In  the  same  period  came  Josiah  Dudley,  as 
the  first  regularly  educated  attorney.  In  the  time  of  Derby's  first 
commercial  prosperity  he  had  an  extensive  practice,  but  as  he  suffered 
from  ill  health  it  was  not  long  continued.  John  L.  Tomlinson,  a  native 
of  the  town,  was  a  student  in  his  office,  and  followed  as  the  next  law- 
yer. He  was  an  able  man,  but  a  poor  advocate  at  the  bar.  Becoming 
the  president  of  the  old  Derby  Bank,  he  was  unwittingly  duped  by  his 
associate  officers  in  New  York,  who  basely  manipulated  the  affairs  of 
the  bank,  and  his  reputation  suffered  in  consequence.  In  1832  he  left 
the  town,  and  as  a  Congregational  minister  in  the  West  his  work  was 

*  See  Biographical  Sketch. 


404  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

crowned  with  success.  Ira  L.  Ufford  studied  law  with  Tomlinson,  and 
after  being  admitted  to  the  bar,  practiced  in  Derby.  In  1836  he  opened 
an  office  in'  Birmingham,  and  was  the  first  resident  attorney  in  the 
place.  In  1845  William  E.  Downes  graduated  from  the  law  depart- 
ment of  Yale  College  and  practiced  law  until  1863,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  devoted  to  other  pursuits  in  Birmingham  and  Derby. 

The  oldest  attorney  in  the  town  is  Colonel  William  B.  Wooster. 
Extended  biographical  sketches  of  the  members  of  the  law  firm  of 
Wooster,  Williams  &  Gager  and  of  Judge  David  Torrance  are  given  in 
Chapter  X.,  this  volume. 

Charles  Lindley  was  an  attorney  at  Birmingham  from  1844  until 
his  removal  to  California,  in  1849.  Daniel  E.  McMahon  and  William 
S.  Downes  have  been  attorneys  in  Derby  since  1879.  The  former 
practiced  first  at  Ansonia,  but  for  the  past  year  has  been  at  Birming- 
ham; the  latter  studied  with  Samuel  M.  Gardner,  who  had  an  office  at 
Birmingham  in  that  period.  Since  being  admitted,  in  June,  1879,  he 
has  practiced  in  Birmingham.  Andrew  J.  Ewen  has  been  here  since 
his  admission  to  the  New  Haven  County  Bar,  June  24th,  1885.  Other 
attorneys  at  Birmingham  in  1890  were  Seabury  B.  Piatt,  C.  W.  Shelton, 
and  C.  B.  Whitcomb  in  Derby.  A  number  of  other  attorneys  were  in 
the  town  for  short  periods,  and  some  of  the  citizens  of  Derby  became 
distinguished  attorneys  elsewhere. 

Birmingham  Borough  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  general 
assembly,  which  was  ratified  by  the  voters  of  the  village  June  30th, 
1851.  The  following  were  then  chosen  as  the  first  officers:  Warden, 
Thomas  Wallace;  burgesses,  John  I.  Howe,  Edward  N.  Shelton,  George 
Kellogg,  Charles  Atwood,  S.  N.  Summers;  clerk,  Augustus  Tomlinson. 

Edward  N.  Shelton,  George  W.  Shelton,  Horatio  N.  Hawkins  and 
Fitch  Smith  were  appointed  to  draft  the  by-laws  for  the  new  corpora- 
tion. 

Since  the  first  set  of  officers  the  following  have  been  in  service  as 
wardens:  1852,  Thomas  Wallace;  1853-5,  Abraham  Hawkins;  1856, 
John  I.  Howe;  1857-9,  Henry  Atwater;  1860-2,  R.  M.  Bassett;  1863, 
L.  L.  Loonier;  1864,  Thomas  Elmes;  1865,  William  Hawkins;  1866,  S. 
Bassett;  1867-71,  Henry  Whipple;  1872-80,  Ambrose  Beardsley;  1881, 
R.  M.  Bassett;  18S2-5,  Henry  Whipple;  1886,  Patrick  McManus;  1887-8, 
George  S.Arnold;  1889,  Patrick  McManus;  1890,  Sheldon  H.  Bassett. 
The  clerks  have  been:  1852-3,  A.  Tomlinson;  1854-5,  H.  A.  Nettleton; 
1856-69,  J.  H.  Barlow;  1870-1,  John  C.  Reilley;  1872,  lohn  W.  Storrs; 
1873-6,  John  C.  Reilley;  1877,  H.  A.  Nettleton;  1878-81,  John  C. 
Reilley;  1882,  D.  L.  Brinsmade;  1883-5,  William  Sidney  Downes;  1886, 
Joseph  W.  Fitzpatrick;  1887-8,  C.  E.  Bunnell;  1889-90,  Andrew  J. 
Ewen. 

The  area  of  the  borough  of  Birmingham,  as  incorporated,  was 
small  and  the  corporate  powers  limited.  Hence  it  has  been  found 
necessary,  in  keeping  pace  with  the  rapidly  increasing  population, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  405 

that  the  charter  should  be  several  times  amended  in  order  that  the  im- 
provements of  a  well  ordered  community  might  be  secured.  It  was 
amended  in  1S79,  again  in  1S85,  and  still  further  in  recent  years.  In 
1880  systematic  grades  for  the  streets  were  established  and  their  more 
substantial  improvement  begun.  The  construction  of  sewers  was  also 
begun  with  good  results,  and  both  have  been  advantageously  con- 
tinued. About  $25,000  was  thus  expended  in  the  next  six  years.  In 
1887  the  outlay  upon  the  streets  was  much  greater,  on  account  of  the 
opening  of  new  streets  and  building  street  railways  and  improvements 
being  made.  The  location  of  the  principal  part  of  the  borough  is  un- 
favorable to  the  easy  care  of  the  streets,  as  many  are  readily  affected 
by  heavy  rains.  The  need  of  more  substantial  paving  being  urgent, 
the  use  of  Belgian  blocks  was  begun  in  18S9,  with  the  hope  of  securing 
permanent  results.  In  this  manner  Main  street  from  the  Housatonic 
railroad  to  Sugar  street  has  been  paved.  In  late  years  the  sidewalks 
have  also  been  greatly  improved,  many  miles  of  fine  concrete  walks 
being  constructed  all  over  the  borough. 

The  improvement  of  the  public  park  or  green  received  a  great 
deal  of  attention  in  1883,  and  since  that  time,  each  year,  until  it  has 
become  one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  in  the  place. 

Facing;  the  green,  at  the  southwest  corner,  is  the  handsome  Borousrh 
Budding,  an  edifice  which  is  in  every  way  a  fit  exponent  of  the  enter- 
prise and  public  spirit  of  this  community.  The  matter  of  building 
was  determined  April  7th,  1887,  and  George  S.  Arnold,  Thomas  J. 
O'Sullivan  and  Almon  B.  Glover  were  appointed  a  committee  to  carry 
out  the  project.  A  suitable  lot  was  bought  for  $6,000,  on  which  the 
edifice  was  built,  after  plans  prepared  by  H.  E.  Ficken,  of  New  York. 
It  is  an  imposing  brick  structure  with  accommodations  for  the  hook 
and  ladder  company,  police  station  house,  warden's  office,  court  room, 
offices  for  judge  of  probate  and  town  clerk,  and  contains  also  a  fine 
public  hall,  seating  1,000  people.  The  entire  cost  was  about  $45,000. 
The  Beardsley  Building  Company  was  the  contractor.  The  offices  of 
the  building  were  occupied  January,  18S9.  The  hall,  which  received 
the  name  of  the  "  Sterling  Opera  House,"  was  opened  April  2d,  1889, 
when  the  domestic  drama,  "  Drifting  Apart,"  was  produced  before  900 
people.  It  has  since  become  a  popular  place  of  amusement,  and  the 
building  itself  proves  a  profitable  investment. 

About  the  same  time  the  Borough  Building  was  being  erected,  the 
telegraph  fire  alarm  system  was  established  in  Birmingham,  at  a  cost 
of  more  than  $3,500.  The  large  fire  bell  was  placed  in  a  tower,  on  an 
elevation  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  village,  but  its  removal  to  a 
belfry,  on  the  Borough  Building,  is  contemplated.  There  are  about  a 
dozen  alarm  boxes  connected  with  the  system,  which  has  proven  to  be 
effective  and  helpful. 

The  Birmingham  Fire  Department  embraces  three  companies. 
One  of  these,  Storm  No.  2,  was  formed  in  1854,  becoming  a  chartered 


4UG  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

body  on  the  19th  of  July  that  year.  It  then  had  60  members.  Ad- 
ditional apparatus  was  purchased  in  1855.  The  R.  M.  Bassett  Hook  & 
Ladder  Company  was  formed  several  years  later.  In  1878,  after  the 
companies  had  been  reorganized,  on  account  of  the  extended  system  of 
water  works,  Hotchkiss  Hose,  No.  1,  had  31  members;  Storm,  No.  2, 
35  members,  and  the  R.  M.  Bassett  Hook  &  Ladder  Company,  22 
members.  In  equipments  Storm,  No.  2,  had  new  apparatus,  part  of 
which  was  secured  by  trading  off  the  old  engine,  which  had  practically 
been  out  of  service  for  20  years.  In  1889  these  three  companies  had 
an  aggregate  membership  of  more  than  100  men.  Each  company  had 
comfortable  quarters,  some  being  attractive  in  their  arrangements. 
The  engine  house  of  Storm,  No.  2,  was  remodelled  in  1888,  and  the 
property  is  reported  worth  $3,000.  The  Hotchkiss  property  is  valued 
at  $1,500. 

The  entire  real  estate  of  the  borough  is  valued  at  $55,000.  The 
indebtedness  is  somewhat  larger,  but  the  affairs  of  the  borough  are  in 
a  very  satisfactory  condition.  Many  substantial  benefits  have  been 
derived  since  the  village  has  been  incorporated,  Birmingham  having 
become  one  of  the  most  desirable  places  of  residence  in  this  part  of 
the  state. 

The  Birmingham  Water  Company,  through  the  efforts  of  Colonel 
William  B.  Wooster  and  William  E.  Downes,  was  incorporated  in  1859, 
and  organized  the  following  year.  A  reservoir  v/as  constructed  the 
same  year  on  the  old  Holbrook  farm,  on  Sentinel  or  Derby  hill,  about 
a  mile  distant  from  the  central  part  of  Birmingham.  The  original 
plant  has  been  much  improved,  an  additional  reservoir  being  con- 
structed, and  in  1890  the  entire  storage  capacity  was  150,000,000  gal- 
lons. The  flow  is  by  gravity,  and  the  elevation  being  nearly  200  feet, 
a  pressure  of  91  pounds  to  the  square  inch  is  afforded  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Elizabeth  streets.  There  are  eight  miles  of  street  mains, 
and  63  fire  hydrants.  The  water  is  of  superior  quality  and  ample  for 
all  needs.  The  original  capital  of  the  company  has  been  much  in- 
creased, being  $100,000  in  1890.  The  officers  of  the  company  were: 
William  B.  Wooster,  president;  David  Torrance,  secretary,  and  Charles 
H.  Nettleton,  treasurer  and  superintendent.  In  the  latter  capacity 
the  last-named  has  served  since  1874. 

An  earlier  system  of  water  works,  for  use  in  case  of  fires,  consisted 
of  a  small  reservoir  on  Caroline  street,  into  which  water  was  pumped 
by  means  of  a  force  pump  at  the  grist  mill  of  Fitch  Smith,  on  the 
canal,  near  Main  street.  This  was  abandoned  when  the  present  sys- 
tem came  into  use. 

The  Derby  Gas  Company  was  chartered  in  1860,  but  no  organiza- 
tion was  effected  until  1871.  Gas  works  were  then  established  in 
Shelton,  on  a  lot  having  tide  water  privileges,  permitting  the  receipt 
of  coal  by  boat.  The  public  use  of  gas  began  the  foollowing  year  and 
has  since  been  extended  through  the  villages  of  Shelton,  Birmingham, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  407 

Derby  and  Ansonia.  In  1890  there  were  about  IS  miles  of  mains. 
The  works  have  been  enlarged  to  meet  the  demands  upon  them,  the 
present  capacity  being  150,000  cubic  feet  of  gas,  which  is  stored  in  two 
gasometers. 

In  1885  the  company  added  electricity  as  an  illuminating  agent, 
using  the  Thomson-Houston  system.  Its  use  soon  became  quite  gen- 
eral and  has  continued  to  increase.  The  streets  of  the  village  were 
first  lighted  by  this  means  in  January,  1886,  and  in  October,  1890,  86 
arc  lights  were  in  use.  The  plant  in  Shelton  had  become  too  small, 
and  a  new  one  at  the  head  of  Sugar  street,  in  Birmingham,  was  nearly 
ready  for  occupancy.  The  power,  to  be  drawn  from  the  Housatonic 
dam,  will  be  of  400  horse  power  capacity,  and  will  be  the  first  used 
on  the  Birmingham  side  from  that  source.  The  machinery  in  use  is 
capacitated  to  illuminate  190  arc  and  600  incandescent  lights,  and  will 
be  improved  to  adapt  it  to  the  new  plant,  which  will  be  one  of  the 
most  extensive  in  the  county. 

The  capital  of  the  company  is  $180,000.  William  B.  Wooster  is 
the  president,  and  Charles  H.  Nettleton  the  secretary  and  treasurer. 
All  the  principal  streets  of  the  four  villages  are  well  lighted. 

The  Derby  Street  Railway  Company  is  the  outgrowth  of  several 
corporations  formed  to  construct  and  operate  horse  street  railways  in 
the  towns  of  Derby  and  Ansonia.  The  oldest  of  these  was  the  Bir- 
mingham &  Ansonia  Horse  Railroad  Company,  incorporated  in  1876, 
with  an  authorized  capital  of  $25,000.  But  the  company  was  not  or- 
ganized until  some  years  later,  when  it  constructed  a  line  from  the 
Derby  depot  to  Ansonia,  via  Main  and  Elizabeth  streets  and  Atwater 
avenue,  in  Birmingham,  through  West  Ansonia,  across  the  upper 
bridge,  in  Ansonia,  and  over  the  principal  parts  of  Main  street,  in  that 
village.  A  part  of  this  road  was  not  built  until  the  fall  of  1887,  and 
the  company  continued  operations  about  two  years  from  that  time.  It 
had  its  stables  in  West  Ansonia,  and  six  cars  were  run.  It  operated 
under  discouraging  circumstances,  but  had  an  encouraging  patronage. 
The  rolling  stock  has  been  shipped  to  other  points,  and  most  of  the 
track  material  passed  into  the  hands  of  its  competitor.  In  1890  its 
affairs  were  in  the  hands  of  a  receiver.  The  younger  corporation,  the 
Derby  Horse  Railway  Company,  was  incorporated  in  1885,  with  a  cap- 
ital stock  of  $50,000.  It  was  organized  early  in  1887,  with  John  B. 
Wallace  as  president,  William  J.  Clark,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
following  year  a  new  set  of  officers  was  chosen,  namely:  President, 
H.  Holton  Wood;  vice-president,  Charles  F.  Bliss;  secretary,  George 
O.  Schneller;  treasurer,  Charles  E.  Clark.  These  officers  managed  the 
affairs  of  the  company  in  1890,  at  which  time  the  road  was  accounted 
one  of  the  most  successful  of  the  kind  in  the  country. 

By  this  company  the  work  of  construction  was  commenced  in  May, 
1887,  the  line  first  extending  from  State  street,  in  Ansonia,  via  Main 
street  and  Derby  avenue  to  Derby  Landing,  and  thence  to  Binning- 


408  HISTORY,  OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ham  via  Main  street  to  Peck's  Corner.  The  entire  length  was  a  little 
more  than  three  and  a  half  miles.  Before  the  road  was  equipped  it 
was  determined  to  employ  electricity  as  the  motive  power,  and  the 
charter  was  modified  to  permit  the  use  of  that  agent.  Another  princi- 
pal feature  was  to  operate  the  road  mainly  for  freight  purposes,  in 
connection  with  a  line  of  boats  plying  from  Derby  Landing.  For  this 
purpose  the  company  equipped  its  road  with  five  freight  cars,  which 
were  operated  by  the  Van  Depoel  system,  the  electric  plant  being  lo- 
cated at  Derby  Docks.  Passengers  were  also  carried,  but  for  more 
than  a  year  the  transportation  of  freight  from  Ansonia  to  tidewater 
formed  the  principal  business  of  the  company.  The  first  electric  car 
was  run  April  30th,  1888,  and  the  following  day  operations  were  be- 
gun on  a  regular  schedule.  On  the  first  of  October,  1889,  the  steam- 
boat company  running  in  connection  with  this  road  went  out  of 
service,  when  the  freight  department  was  discontinued,  and  since  that 
time  the  passenger  traffic  has  almost  exclusively  engaged  the  attention 
of  the  company.  In  October,  1S90,  the  number  of  passengers  carried 
averaged  1,500  per  day. 

In  November,  1889,  the  equipment  of  the  road  was  changed  to 
conform  to  the  system  of  the  Thomson-Houston  Company,  a  single 
trolley  being  used.  The  company  is  thus  enabled  to  cover  the  dis- 
tance between  the  termini  in  Ansonia  and  Birmingham — more  than 
three  miles — in  less  than  20  minutes.  There  are  in  use  five  motor 
trucks,  each  being  supplied  with  two  ten  horse  power  motors  adjusted 
to  both  axles  of  the  car.  The  carrying  capacity  of  each  car  is  from 
50  to  80  passengers.  The  plant  at  Derby  Landing  is  well  equipped 
and  a  repair  shop  is  maintained  at  Ansonia.  Eighteen  men  are  em- 
ployed and  B.  W.  Porter  has  been  the  superintendent  of  the  company 
since  its  organization. 

The  Derby  Driving  Park  was  opened  in  October,  1886.  It  has  a 
fine  location  on  the  meadows  about  midway  between  Ansonia  and 
Birmingham  and  is  much  patronized.  The  park  was  improved  and  is 
controlled  by  the  Derby  Agricultural  and  Driving  Company,  which 
was  incorporated  in  May,  1886,  with  a  capital  of  $7,000.  Of  this  body 
R.  O.  Gates  is  the  president. 

To  better  promote  the  prosperity  of  Birmingham,  Ansonia,  Derby 
and  Shelton,  a  board  of  trade  for  these  villages  was  organized  in  No- 
vember,  1889,  which  had  the  following  officers:  President,  H.  Holton 
Wood;  first  vice-president,  Charles  H.Nettleton;  second  vice-president. 
Royal  M.  Bassett;  secretary,  F.  W.  Simmons;  treasurer,  Charles  E. 
Clark.  Efforts  are  being  made  to  give  the  advantages  of  the  above 
places  a  proper  representation,  so  as  to  induce  their  further  and  speedy 
development. 

Among  the  many  secret  and  social  societies  organized  in  the  town 
of  Derby,  none  is  more  important,  by  reason  of  its  age  and  widely 
extended  influence,  than   King   Hiram  Lodge,  No.  12,  F.  &  A.  M.     It 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  409 

was  instituted  under  a  charter  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Massa- 
chusetts, January  3d,  1783,  upon  the  petition  of  the  following:  Charles 
Whittlesey,  Elijah  Humphreys,  Henry  Whitney,  Benajah  Strong, 
Henry  Tomlinson,  Jr..  Ebenezer  Gracey,  James  Manville,  Charles 
Pond,  Richard  Mansfield,  Jr.,  Micha  Poole,  John  Lawrence,  David 
Lawrence,  David  Sackelt,  Reuben  Lamb,  Thomas  Horsey,  John 
Smith,  Nathan  Davis,  John  Harpin,  William  Grinnell,  Ebenezer 
Keeney,  Jonas  Green,  John  Fowler,  Joseph  Hull,  Abijah  Hyde,  Wil- 
liam Nott,  Bowers  Washburn. 

When  the  Lodge  was  formally  organized  at  Derby  Narrows,  March 
11th,  1783,  Charles  Whittlesey  was  chosen  the  master.  The  Lodge 
met  at  the  house  of  Ebenezer  Gracey.  Under  the  Massachusetts  char- 
ter the  meetings  were  held  until  May  12th,  1792,  when  the  Lodge 
passed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Connecticut  State  Lodge.  In  1793 
the  meetings  were  transferred  to  the  public  house  of  Joseph  Wheeler, 
also  a  member,  but  in  March,  1796,  it  was  voted  that  £100  be  applied 
to  the  building  of  a  hall,  20  by  42  feet,  one  story  of  which  should  be  a 
Lodge  room,  the  other  to  be  used  for  school  purposes.  The  following 
year  the  corner  stone  was  laid,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  the  founda- 
tion walls,  and  the  hall  was  dedicated  June  26th,  1797.  After  the  15th 
of  July,  1797,  the  regular  meetings  of  the  Lodge  were  held  in  this  hall 
until  1827,  when  the  meetings  were  divided  and  were  held  in  this  hall 
and  Humphreysville,  where  many  of  the  members  resided.  In  1841 
the  Lodge's  interest  in  the  hall  was  sold  to  the  school  district,  and  not 
long  thereafter  the  building  was  demolished.  But  the  Masons  of 
Derby  have  preserved  the  inscribed  corner  stone  and  it  is  still  shown 
as  a  relic. 

After  1829  King  Hiram  Lodge  held  its  meetings  mainly  at  Hum- 
phreysville, and  for  several  years  its  membership  increased.  But  the 
Lodge  did  not  escape  the  virulent  abuse  and  misrepresentation  which 
attended  the  anti-Masonic  agitation  in  the  early  part  of  the  thirties, 
which,  however,  did  not  swerve  it  from  its  faith.  Firmly  believing  in 
their  order,  the  Lodge  signed,  with  great  unanimity,  on  the  11th  of 
June,  1832,  the  declaration  of  Masonic  principles  as  promulgated  by  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  state.  This  paper  bore  the  names  of  the  following: 
Newell  Johnson,  James  S.  Greene,  Ebenezer  Fisher,  Josiah  Nettle- 
ton,  Hiram  Upson,  Anthony  H.  Stoddard,  Samuel  French,  Noah  Kel- 
sey,  W.  H.  Fowler,  Nehemiah  Bristol,  Bennett  Lum,  James  Smith, 
Sheldon  Canfield,  Edmund  Leavenworth,  Orville  C.  Morse,  C.  D.  Fris- 
bie,  David  M.  Nettleton,  Moody  M.  Brown,  John  C.  Humphreys,  Will- 
iam Lewis,  John  S.  Moshier,  Henry  La  Forge,  David  Hitchcock,  Freder- 
ick Bradley,  Elias  Tibballs,  Samuel  Daniels,  Andrew  French,  Isaac 
Dickerson,  Nathan  B.  Church,  Russell  Hitchcock,  Abijah  Wilcoxson, 
George  Blakeman,  Henry  Wooster,  John  Martin,  Oliver  H.  Stoddard, 
J.  H.  De  Forest,  Isaac  White,  John  L.  Daniels,  J.  M.  G.  Corey,  David 
Sanford,  Samuel  B.   Hine,  Samuel  W.   Dickinson,  Leman    Chatfield, 


410  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Robert  Gates,  Stephen  Jewett,  Rivinton  Martin,  Chester  Jones,  Josiah 
Merrick,  Ephraim  Peck,  William  Gnrney,  Jeremiah  French,  Levi  Hull, 
Abram  Smith,  Gipson  Lum,  Joseph  Connor,  Jason  Bassett. 

Only  one  of  these  signers  was  living  at  the  time  of  this  writing, 
viz.:  George  Blakeman,  who  survived  at  an  extreme  old  age.  While 
this  address  had  the  effect  of  assuring  the  community  that  Masonry 
was  not  antagonistic  to  the  civil  and  the  religious  interests  of  the 
country,  there  were  not,  for  many  years,  any  noteworthy  additions  to 
the  membership  and  but  slow  progress  was  made.  From  1836  until 
1843  the  meetings  were  held  at  Humphreysville.  in  what  was  known  as 
Masonic  Hall,  owned  by  E.  Gilbert,  and  thereafter,  for  several  years, 
the  Lodge  met  in  various  places.  In  1848  the  Lodge  was  moved  to- 
Birmingham,  but  the  meetings  were  soon  after  alternately  held  at 
Ansonia,  so  continuing  until  March  2d,  1853,  when  it  was  voted  to  hold 
all  meetings  at  Birmingham,  in  Odd  Fellows  Hall. 

The  following  year  the  Lodge  was  rent  by  contention,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  imprudent  use  of  the  black-ball  when  voting  on  the  ap- 
plication of  candidates  for  Masonic  privileges,  which  resulted  in  the 
arrest  of  the  charter  September  30th,  1854.  It  was  restored  in  May, 
1857,  and  since  that  time  the  life  of  the  Lodge  has  been  peaceful  and 
harmonious.  But  meantime  a  movement  for  a  Masonic  Lodge  had 
been  made,  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  June  15th,  1855,  of 
Friendship  Lodge,  No.  81,  U.  D.  Of  this  body  Robert  C.  Narramore 
was  the  master;  Henry  Whipple,  senior  warden;  Warren  S.  Water- 
bury,  junior  warden;  and  William  Whitney,  secretary.  In  all  57  com- 
munications were  held,  and  the  degrees  of  Masonry  were  conferred 
upon  25  persons,  when  its  meetings  were  suspended  on  account  of  the 
refusal  of  the  Grand  Lodge  to  fully  charter  it.  Although  contributing 
so  largely  to  the  formation  of  other  Lodges  within  its  original  juris- 
diction, King  Hiram  has  had  an  aggregate  membership  of  more  than 
800,  numbering  among  those  who  attended  its  communications  men 
in  every  avocation  of  life,  its  members  being  representative  citizens 
of  an  intelligent  community. 

In  1802  the  Lodge  devoted  $100  toward  the  formation  of  a  library, 
which  had,  in  1812,  96  volumes  of  historical  and  standard  books.  In 
1878  the  Lodge  united  with  the  Odd  Fellows  in  furnishing  a  new  hall 
in  the  Tower  Block,  expending  $500  for  that  purpose.  This  was  swept 
away  by  fire  January  12th,  1879,  in  which  most  of  the  property  of  the 
Lodge  was  destroyed.  A  new  room  was  secured  the  same  year,  which 
has  afforded  an  attractive  home  for  the  order,  and  the  Lodge  has  there 
proportionately  prospered. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1883,  the  Lodge  celebrated  its  first  centen- 
nial, on  which  occasion  an  exhaustive  historical  discourse  was  delivered 
by  John  H.  Barlow,  from  whose  account  this  sketch  has  been  compiled. 

The  masters  of  the  Lodge  from  the  time  of  institution  to  the  pres- 
ent have  been   the  following:  1783,  Charles  Whittlesey;  1784-5,  John 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  411 

Fowler;  1786*,  Webb  Tomlinson;  1792,Elihu  Sanford;  1793-8,  Samuel 

B.  Marshall;  1799-1 800,  Sheldon  Curtiss;  1801-2,  Francis  French;  1803, 
Josiah  Dudley;  1804,  Abijah  Wilcoxson;  1805,  Francis  French;  1806-8, 
Sheldon  Curtiss;  1809,  Jesse  Beach;  1810,  Francis  French;  1811-14, 
Robert  Gates;  1815,  Abijah  Wilcoxson;  1816,  Francis  French;  1817, 
John  L.  Tomlinson;  1818,  Jeremiah  French;  1819,  Abijah  Wilcoxson; 
1820,  Pearl  Crafts;  1821-4,  Jeremiah  French;  1825-6,  Harvey  Downs; 
1S27,  George  Blakeman;  1828,  Titus  C.  Pratt;  1829-31,  William  Lum; 
1832,  Newell  Johnson;  1833,  William  Lum;  1S34,  Hiram  Upson; 
1835-7,  John  L.  Daniels;  1838-9,  Hiram  Upson;  1840-3,  John  L. 
Daniels;  1844,  Ebenezer  Fisher;  1845-7,  John  L.  Daniels;  1848,  Eben- 
ezer  Fisher;  1849,  Samuel  French;  1850-1,  Foster  P.  Abbott;  1852 
-3,  John  W.  Flowers;  1S54-6,   Hiram  W.   Hubbard;   1857-8,  Robert 

C.  Narramore;  1859,  Henry  Whipple;  1860,  George  A.  Peck;  1861-2, 
Henry  Whipple;  1863,  Charles  Rood;  1864,  Nathan  C.  Treat;  1865-6, 
John  H.  Barlow;  1867,  David  W.  Boyd;  1868,  Hyland  W.  Granger; 
1869-72,  Robert  C.  Narramore;  1873,  Charles  A.  Sprague;  1874,  Albert 
F.  Sherwood;  1875,  Edward  M.  Piatt;  1876,  Clark  N.  Rogers;  1877, 
Arthur  R.  Blakeslee;  187S,  Henry  N.  Beardsley;  1879-80,  Clark  N. 
Rogers;  1881,  Leonard  Jacobs;  1882,  William  T.  Gillett;  1883,  H. 
Stacy  Whipple;  1884-5,  Fred  V.  Bowman;  1886-7,  Lucius  P.  French; 
1888^  Andrew  E.  Burke;  1889,  J.  Frank  Terew;  1890,  Charles  H. 
Beecher. 

The  first  treasurer  of  the  Lodge  was  Henry  Whitney.  Ithiel 
Keeney  served  about  a  dozen  years  in  the  same  office  after  1800. 
Ransom  Tomlinson  was  the  treasurer  a  number  of  years  after  1839, 
and  in  1861  William  M.  Hull  was  elected  to  that  office,  which  he  has 
since  filled. 

The  first  secretary  of  the  Lodge  was  Richard  Mansfield,  Jr.,  who 
served  several  years;  in  the  same  office  was  Edward  C.  Remer,  six 
successive  years  after  1858;  and  since  1866  John  H.  Barlow  has  most 
efficiently  filled  that  office. 

Solomon  Chapter,  No.  3,  R.  A.  M.,  was  instituted  at  Derby  July 
16th,  1795,  under  a  warrant  issued  by  Washington  Chapter  of  New 
York  city.  The  members  present  at  the  first  meeting  were:  Jesse 
Beach,  H.  P.;  John  Beers,  K.;  Reverend  Edward  Blakeslee,  the  S.; 
Pierre  Brandin,  the  R.  A.  C;  Francis  French,  the  Z.;  and  Abel  Hall, 
Charles  Munson,  William  Morris,  Benjamin  Stiles.  Other  members 
who  belonged  prior  to  1S00  were  the  following: 

Abel  Allis,  James  Beard,  Reverend  Ashbel  Baldwin,  Henry  Beard- 
lee,  David  Burrell,  Abijah  Bradley,  Roswell  Beardslee,  David  Beard, 
Levi  Beardslee,  Curtiss  Sheldon,  Jonathan  Courzon,  Doctor  Edward 
Crafts,  Medad  Candee,  Levi  Candee,  Watrous  Clark,  Henry  Cooleigh, 
Moses  Candee,  Josiah  Dudley,  David  C.  De  Forest,  Joseph  French, 
James   Flagg,  Joseph   Fabrique,  Francis  Forgue,  Ebenezer    Gracey, 

*No  record  from  1787  to  1792. 


412  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Nathaniel  Gage,  Sheldon  Gracey,  Uriah  M.  Gregory,  Reverend  Alex- 
ander V.  Griswold,  Daniel  Holbrook,  Nathaniel  Holbrook,  Daniel 
Holbrook,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Hall,  William  Herron,  Joseph  Hull,  Sylves- 
ter Higby,  Lemuel  Judson,  Christopher  Johnson,  Leverett  Judd,  Isaac 
Judson,  Chester  Jones,  Samuel  Judd,  Jasper  D.  Jones,  Liberty  Kim- 
berly,  Reuben  Lum,  Ezra  Lewis,  Edward  Leavenworth,  William 
Leavenworth,  Samuel  R.  Marshall,  Josiah  Masters,  James  Masters, 
William  McNeal,  Giles  Mardenborough,  John  Nobles,  Silas  Nichols, 
Roger  Perkins,  Josiah  Prindle,  Stephen  Porter,  Lemuel  Porter,  Heze- 
kiah  Sperry,  Samuel  Sanford,  James  Sperry,  James  Smith,  Daniel 
Tomlinson,  Henry  Tomlinson,  Reverend  Ambrose  Todd,  Joseph 
Wheeler,  Abijah  Wilcoxson,  Henry  Whitney. 

Not  all  of  these  lived  in  Derby,  but  many  were  residents  of  Milford, 
Waterbury,  Woodbury  and  other  nearby  towns,  but  in  every  com- 
munity were  among  the  leading  citizens.  There  has  always  been  a 
large  membership,  the  number  belonging  in  1890  being  130. 

The  following  have  been  the  high  priests  of  the  Chapter,  being 
elected  in  the  order  of  their  names,  some  serving  a  number  of  terms: 
Jesse  Beach,  Reverend  Edward  Blakeslee,  Daniel  Holbrook,  Francis 
French,  Reverend  Menzies  Rayner,  D.  B.  Newton,  Jeremiah  French, 
Merritt  Bradley,  J.  W.  Flowers,  H.  W.  Hubbard,  J.  A.  Bunnell,  Ran- 
som Matthews,  Henry  Whipple,  E.  C.  Remer,  John  H.  Barlow,  Arthur 
R.  Blakeslee,  A.  F.  Sherwood,  Henry  Bradley,  Henry  N.  Beardsley, 
E.  M.  Piatt,  C.  A.  Sprague,  George  C.  Bedient,  Leonard  Jacobs,  John 
L.  Beardsley,  Frank  W.  Beardsley.  The  secretary  since  1869  has  been 
Arthur  R.  Blakeslee. 

Union  Council,  No.  27,  R.  &  S.  M.,  was  instituted  January  22d,  1860, 
with  the  following  members:  Henry  Atwater,  George  Baird,  John  C. 
Barlow,  Charles  L.  Bassett,  George  Blakeman,  Willett  Bradley,  Joseph 
A.  Bunnell,  John  Carroll,  George  Hall,  William  M.  Hull,  William  W. 
Lee,  John  Lindley,  Edward  C.  Remer,  Truman  B.  Smith,  Martin 
WTarner,  Henry  Whipple,  John  D.  Wymbs.  The  aggregate  member- 
ship has  been  very  large  for  a  place  the  size  of  Birmingham,  where 
the  stated  assembly  of  the  Council  is  held,  118  persons  belonging  in 
October,  1890.  Arthur  B.  Blakeslee,  John  H.  Barlow  and  Frank  G. 
Bassett,  of  this  Council,  have  served  as  grand  masters  of  the  Grand 
Council  of  the  state. 

The  Odd  Fellows  have  several  well  established  organizations  in 
Derby,  numbering  hundreds  of  members  and  having  a  wide  influence. 
The  oldest  body  is  Ousatonic  Lodge,  No.  6,  which  was  instituted  Oc- 
tober 13th,  1841,  under  a  dispensation  granted  to  five  persons:  Sheldon 
Bassett,  Robert  Gates,  Peter  Phelps,  Richard  Evans  and  Robert  R. 
Wood.  The  meeting  was  held  in  a  small  room  at  Derby  Narrows,  and 
but  eight  persons  were  at  that  time  initiated.  As  the  order  was  pop- 
ular the  Lodge  had,  in  the  course  of  a  dozen  years,  168  members  and 
a  benefit  fund  of  $2,000.    Then  came  a  season  of  apathy  and  declining 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  413 

interest,  which  affected  all  the  Odd  Fellow  Lodges  in  the  state,  reduc- 
ing the  number  from  60  to  20,  and  the  membership  from  5,000  to 
about  1,600.  Only  68  of  the  members  of  the  Ousatonic  Lodge  re- 
mained faithful  to  the  principles  of  the  order,  but  these  steadfastly 
persevered  until  the  Lodge  was  again  revived  and  was  placed  on  a 
better  footing  than  before.  In  this  condition  it  was  when  the  great 
fire  of  January  12th,  1879,  destroyed  its  Lodge  room  and  most  of  the 
property,  including  a  library  of  600  choice  books.  The  same  year  a 
more  elegant  hall  was  provided,  and  since  that  time  the  Lodge  has  had 
renewed  prosperity.  A  large  library  for  the  free  use  of  the  members 
has  been  furnished,  and  the  surplus  fund  exceeds  $5,000.  In  the  his- 
tory of  the  Lodge  about  $28,000  has  been  disbursed  for  charitable  pur- 
poses. More  than  500  persons  have  been  members  of  the  Lodge,  the 
number  belonging  in  1890  exceeding  two  hundred.  Of  the  entire 
membership  78  have  presided  over  the  meetings  of  the  Lodge,  the 
first  noble  grand  being  Sheldon  Bassett.  Other  pioneer  presiding 
officers  were  Robert  Gates,  Edward  T.  Stanley,  Robert  R.  Wood,  Sid- 
ney Ailing,  Simon  Tomlinson,  Lewis  Hotchkiss,  Eli  Burritt,  Horatio 
N.  Hawkins,  William  N.  Priestley,  George  Bristol,  Charles  Smith, 
Matthew  Donnelly,  Nelson  M.  Beach,  Abijah  Hawkins,  L.  R.  Sperry, 
Edward  Bradley,  John  Lindley,  Chipman  S.  Jackson,  Charles  C.  Jack- 
son, John  Wallace,  William  B.  Ashley,  William  Baldwin,  Charles  B. 
Johnson  and  Philo  Curtiss,  all  prior  to  1S50. 

Excelsior  Encampment,  No.  18,  was  instituted  September  25th, 
1850,  its  first  officers  being:  C.  P.,  Sheldon  Bassett;  H.  P.,  John  Wal- 
lace; S.  W.,  Charles  C.  Jackson;  scribe,  Henry  Atwater;  treasurer, 
Thomas  Elmes.  The  chief  patriarchs  prior  to  the  war  were:  Sheldon 
Bassett,  R.  R.  Wood,  Matthew  Donnelly,  Hiram  W.  Hubbard,  David 
R.  Cook,  Nathaniel  Jones,  H.  N.  Sherman,  Wales  Terrill,  William  S. 
Downes,  James  H.  Beatty,  J.  H.  Barlow,  Charles  C.  Jackson,  Chipman 
S.  Jackson,  David  W.  Boyd.  H.  M.  Jackson,  Charles  L.  Russell,  Will- 
iam Baldwin,  Eli  B.  Stevens,  Hobart  Sperry,  William  E.  Hine,  D.  T. 
Johnson,  Joseph  A.  Bunnell.  J.  H.  Barlow  has  been  the  past  scribe 
since  January,  1863.  He  was  also  in  1864  the  grand  patriarch  of  the 
Grand  Encampment  of  Connecticut,  a  position  which  was  likewise 
filled  by  John  Wallace  in  1856,  Charles  C.  Jackson  in  1855,  David  M. 
Boyd  in  1863  and  Matthew  Donnelly  in  1875. 

The  Encampment  suffered  the  same  loss  of  property  by  the  fire 
of  January  12th,  1879,  as  Ousatonic  Lodge,  and  as  the  records  were 
burned  no  extended  account  can  be  given.  Since  that  time  the  organ- 
ization has  grown  to  fine  proportions  and  is  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Valley  Lodge,  No.  14,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted  March  4th,  1870,  with 
about  30  charter  members,  a  few  only  continuing  until  the  fall  of  1890, 
when  there  was  reported  an  entire  membership  of  148.  The  Lodge 
has  a  good  hall  on  Main  street,  Birmingham,  and  a  beneficiary  fund  of 
$13,000.    In  common  with  other  Lodges,  it  lost  its  records  in  the  great 


414  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

fire  of  January  12th,  1879,  when  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  was  burned.  Henry 
A.  Warren  has  been  the  master  of  exchequer  a  number  of  years,  and 
J.  A.  Fenwick  the  keeper  of  the  records.  Charles  Buckingham,  George 
E.  Munson,  Henry  L.  Smith  and  Otto  Marshall  are  among  the  oldest 
members. 

Endowment  Rank,  Section  No.  163,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted  April 
16th,  1S78,  of  members  of  the  above  Lodge,  and  has  held  its  meetings 
annually  since  that  time.  In  1890  its  officers  were:  Charles  Bucking- 
ham, president;  George  E.  Munson,  vice-president;  C.  B.  Wooster, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  Doctor  William  S.  Randall,  medical  ex- 
aminer. 

Gould  Division,  No.  9,  Uniform  Rank,  K.  of  P.,  was  formed  in  1889, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  year  had  32  members.  The  Division  has  be- 
come quite  proficient,  having  a  fine  reputation  among  similar  bodies. 
Its  officers  in  1890  were:  S.  R.  captain,  E.  C.  Johnson;  S.  R.  lieutenant, 
James  E.  Sherwood;  S.  R.  herald,  John  Young;  S.  R.  recorder,  W. 
W.  Bemis;  S.  R.  treasurer,  C.  B.  Wooster;  S.  R.  guard,  Will.  H. 
Fourtin;  S.  R.  sentinel,  F.  I.  De  Forest. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  societies  are  a  number  of  others  con- 
nected with  the  minor  orders,  which  are  equally  important  in  their 
respective  spheres,  among  them  being  Derby  Lodge,  No.  2,302,  Knights 
of  Honor,  which  meets  at  Birmingham  and  is  reported  prosperous; 
Paugassett  Council,  No.  28,  Knights  of  Columbus,  meeting  at  the  same 
place  and  having  a  liberal  support  from  Irish  citizens;  Court  Housa- 
tonic,  No.  6,859,  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  another  successful  bene- 
ficiary organization,  which  has  its  membership  largely  from  citizens 
of  foreign  birth;  Woodsworth  Lodge,  No.  2,  United  Workmen,  insti- 
tuted in  1880,  which  had,  in  October,  1890,  71  members;  Arnold  Lodge, 
No.  88,  N.  E.  O.  of  P.,  is  a  prosperous  beneficiary  order;  as  is  also 
Pootatuck  Tribe,  No.  8,  I.  O.  of  R.  M.,  which  has  a  large  membership. 

Among  the  temperance  organizations  Birmingham  Division,  No.  6, 
Sons  of  Temperance,  holds  a  deserving  place.  There  are  also  several 
temperance  societies  connected  with  the  Catholic  church,  the  Young 
Men's  Temperance  Association  having  a  large  membership,  as  has  also 
the  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic  Total  Abstinence  Society.  Both  have 
done  good  service  for  the  cause  to  which  they  are  devoted.  The  St. 
Vincent  de  Paul  Society  is  more  of  a  beneficiary  body,  its  object  being 
to  raise  and  disburse  charities  to  the  poor. 

Among  the  societies  whose  principal  object  is  the  cultivation  of 
the  social  feelings,  the  Pequot  Club  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  pop- 
ular. It  was  established  many  years  ago  through  the  instrumentality' 
of  Doctor  Thomas  A.  Dutton,  and  its  membership  is  limited  to  25  kin- 
dred spirits.  Among  the  conspicuous  features  of  the  club  are  an  an- 
nual hunt  or  feast  at  the  seaside  and  a  masquerade  assembly,  at  which 
the  members  appear  arrayed  in  Indian  costume.  The  first  sachem  of 
this  tribe  or  club  was  William  C.  Beecher ;  the  present  is  Robert  O. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  415 

Gates.    The  club  room  is  handsomely  fitted  up  and  is  centrally  located 
at  Birmingham. 

The  Nous  Club,  of  Birmingham,  was  for  a  number  of  years  a  pop- 
ular society,  whose  members  were  persons  of  literary  tastes.  Many 
of  the  best  citizens  belonged  to  it,  and  its  intellectual  entertainments 
were  pleasant  features  of  the  social  life  of  the  village. 

The  Derby  Choral  Union  indicates  the  object  for  which  this  society 
was  organized,  but  interest  in  it  abated  after  a  useful  existence. 

Kellogg  Post,  No.  26,  G.  A.  R.,  was  instituted  at  Birmingham  July 
30th,  1868,  with  64  charter  members.  David  Torrance  was  the  first 
post-commander.  This  position  has  also  been  held  by  the  following: 
Daniel  W.  Boardman,  William  H.  Farrell,  Selah  G.  Blakeman,  Sanford 
E.  Chaffee,  Lewis  H.  Monroe,  David  F.  Chadeayne,  William  H. 
Thyther,  Andrew  Dean,  Samuel  Miller,  George  H.  Croak,  Freeland 
Brazie,  L.  P.  French,  O.  F.  Lathrop,  O.  W.  Cornish,  Thomas  H.  Gil- 
bert and  Ezra  Sprague.  The  Post  has  suffered  the  loss  of  its  rec- 
ords, which  prevents  a  full  account  of  its  history.  In  October,  1890, 
there  were  98  members,  with  L.  P.  French  as  the  commander  and 
Charles  E.  Hauxhurst  as  the  adjutant.  The  Post  aided  largely  in  the 
building  of  the  soldiers'  monument,  on  the  public  green  at  Birming- 
ham, and  in  a  general  way  has  promoted  the  interests  of  the  survivors 
of  the  late  war.     Under  its  encouragement 

Charles  L.  Russell  Camp,  No.  26,  Sons  of  Veterans,  was  organized 
a  few  years  ago  at  Birmingham  and  has  succeeded  in  fully  establish- 
ing itself  among  the  numerous  societies  of  the  community.  The 
latter  organization  is  also  prosperous  and  has  a  growing  membership. 

The  Soldiers'  Monument  was  completed  in  1883.  The  matter  of 
building  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  the  soldiers  of  the  late  civil 
war  was  agitated  as  early  as  1875,  by  members  of  the  G.  A.  R.  and 
other  patriotic  citizens,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  begin  the 
work.  In  1878  the  base  for  such  a  monument  was  laid,  near  the  cen- 
ter of  the  park  at  Birmingham,  when,  for  want  of  means  to  carry  on 
the  work,  it  was  allowed  to  rest  several  years.  In  1883  the  project 
was  again  taken  up,  and  about  $3,000  was  raised  to  carry  it  to  comple- 
tion. The  base  was  removed  to  its  present  site,  on  the  northeast 
■corner  of  the  park,  and  the  contract  for  the  bronze  work  awarded  to 
M.  J.  Power,  of  New  York.  The  local  committee  was  composed  of 
William  B.  Wooster,  William  E.  Downes,  R.  M.  Bassett,  Charles  E. 
Clark,  S.  E.  Chaffee,  George  H.  Peck,  William  Wilkinson,  F.  D.  Jack- 
son, William  Ford,  David  Chadeayne  and  J.  W.  Storrs.  The  monu- 
ment was  completed  and  dedicated  July  4th,  1883.  It  is  composed  of 
granite  bases  and  die,  with  metal  tablets  and  a  bronze  figure  of  an  in- 
fantry soldier  at  rest  surmounting  the  pile,  the  entire  height  being  21 
feet.  On  the  base  are  in  large  relief  letters  the  names  of  Gettysburg, 
Newbern,  Atlanta  and  Chancellorsville.  On  one  of  the  metal  tablets 
above  is  inscribed: 


416  "    HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In 

Memory  of  the 

Men  of  Derby  and  Huntington 

who  fell 

in  the  service  of  their  Country 

In  the 

War  of  the  Rebellion, 

1861-1865, 

as 

Defenders  of  Liberty  and  Nationality. 

On  the  tablet  on  the  reverse  side: 

Erected 

by  the 

People  of  Derby  and  Huntington, 

A.  D.  1883, 

In  honor  of  all  who  fought 

In  the  Service  of  their  Country, 

That  the  Government  of  the  people 

By  the  people  and  for  the  people 

Should  not  perish  from  the  Earth. 

On  the  north  and  the  south  side  tablets  are  the  names  of  the  hon- 
ored soldiers;  29  killed  in  battle,  14  died  of  wounds,  and  40  from  other 
causes  while  in  the  service.  Guarding  the  approaches  to  the  monu- 
ment are  four  pieces  of  artillery,  which  were  donated  by  the  govern- 
ment on  the  request  of  surviving  Union  soldiers  of  this  locality.  The 
monument  is  a  most  attractive  object,  and  gives  ample  evidence  of 
money  wisely  appropriated. 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    TOWN    OF    DERBY   (Concluded). 


Educational  Interests. — Early  Religions  Interests. — First  Congregational  Church  in 
Derby. — Birmingham  Congregational  Church. — Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
— Episcopal  Churches. — The  Methodist  Episcopal  Denomination. — Union  Chapels. — 
African  M.  E.  Church. — Roman  Catholic  Church. — Cemeteries.  —  Biographical 
Sketches. 


NO  reference  to  public  schools  is  found  in  the  meager  records  of 
the  town,  prior  to  the  fall  of  1701.  But  it  is  altogether  prob- 
able that  some  kind  of  schools  were  kept  in  the  town  earlier 
than  that  date.  In  December  of  the  year  named  the  selectmen,  Cap- 
tain Ebenezer  Johnson,  Ensign  Samuel  Riggs,  Isaac  Nichols  and  Ser- 
geant Samuel  Brinsmade,  being  authorized  to  provide  a  school  "  ac- 
cording as  the  law  in  that  matter  requireth,"  secured  the  services  of 
the  minister,  Reverend  John  James,  and  so  far  as  known  he  was,  so 
to  speak,  the  first  public  school  teacher  in  the  town.  It  was  arranged 
that  he  should  teach  "  reading  and  writing  to  such  of  the  town  as 
shall  come  to  that  end,"  during  the  winter  months  from  December  to 
the  following  April.  His  compensation  appears  to  us  a  mere  pittance, 
but  that  was  "  in  the  days  of  small  things,"  and  it  required  some  sac- 
rifice to  raise  even  those  meager  amounts.  Yet  the  need  of  instruc- 
tion was  great,  especially  in  writing.  Many  of  the  men  were  deficient 
in  that  useful  art,  and  it  was  quite  the  usual  thing  for  the  women  to 
make  their  mark  in  signing  deeds.  The  general  court  had  long  be- 
fore this  time  recognized  the  necessity  for  such  instruction,  and  had 
passed  laws  commanding  or  encouraging  the  object.  But  the  inhabi- 
tants of  sparsely  settled  sections  found  it  difficult  to  comply  with 
them.  Yet,  now  that  schools  were  established,  at  public  expense, 
thej7  appear  to  have  been  regularly  maintained,  with  apparent  good 
results.  As  illustrating  the  advance  in  this  matter,  in  the  short  space 
of  a  single  decade,  it  was  recorded  in  1711  that  the  inhabitants  were 
willing  to  further  tax  themselves,  in  addition  to  the  expenditure  of 
the  money  provided  by  law;  it  was  also  arranged  that  night  schools 
should  be  taught  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  could  not  attend  in  day 
time.  These  schools  were  usually  kept  at  the  houses  of  those  who 
could  provide  the  necessary  room. 

In  the  course  of  years  the  town  was  divided  into  nine  districts,  in 
which  lived  more  than  1,000  people.     These  districts  were  in  the  cen- 
27 


418  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ters  of  population,  in  which  are  now  the  towns  of  Derby,  Ansonia,  Sey- 
mour and  Oxford,  and  some  of  them  were  divided  about  the  time  of 
the  revolution.  The  first  and  the  second  districts  were  in  what  is  now 
Derby  and  the  lower  part  of  Ansonia,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  In 
the  latter  a  school  house  had  been  built  in  1711,  but  no  record  of  a 
school  house  in  the  former  appears  until  1781.  It  is  probable  that 
most  schools  were  long  taught  in  private  houses.  A  part  of  the  so- 
called  town  houses  were  also  used  for  school  purposes,  and  in  1745 
mention  is  made  of  the  Cankwood  Plain  school,  in  the  town  house  at 
that  place.  The  school  house  on  Great  hill  also  antedated  the  revolu- 
tion. 

The  rearrangement  of  the  districts  after  the  revolution  necessitated 
the  buildine  of  new  houses  in  some  localities.  Hence  when  it  was 
proposed,  in  1785,  to  build  a  new  school  house  in  the  old  part  of  what 
is  now  Derby  village,  a  proposition  was  made  which  resulted  in  the 
building  of  an  academy  in  1786.  It  was  put  up  by  a  school  house  com- 
pany at  a  cost  of  a  little  more  than  .£240,  and  was  a  two-story  building, 
the  lower  part  being  used  for  common  schools,  the  upper  part  for  a 
school  of  a  higher  grade.  The  house  had  an  oblong  appearance,  and 
standing  on  an  elevation,  which  is  still  called  Academy  hill,  it  was 
a  conspicuous  object  in  the  early  history  of  Derby.  The  building  was 
supplied  with  a  belfry,  in  which  was  placed  a  bell  which  was  purchased, 
and  for  a  long  time  jointly  used  by  the  Congregational  and  Episcopal 
societies.  After  the  abandonment  of  the  academy  there  was  consider- 
able contention  as  to  the  ownership  of  the  bell,  and  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  the  figure  this  harmless  object  cut  in  Derby's  affairs  is  given 
in  Beardsley's  History  of  Derby.* 

The  usefulness  of  the  academy  was  ended  more  than  half  a  century 
ago,  but  in  its  day  it  served  a  most  benign  purpose.  Doctor  Beards- 
ley  is  also  authority  for  the  statement  that  the  academy  had  but  seven 
teachers,  viz.:  a  Mr.  Kerkson,  Charles  Whittlesey,  Doctor  Pearl  Crafts, 
Shelden  Curtis,  Josiah  Holbrook,  Truman  Coe  and  John  D.  Smith. 
Some  of  these  were  very  successful  teachers,  and  while  they  were  at 
the  head  of  the  academy  gave  it  a  reputation  which  extended  far  be- 
yond the  limits  of  the  town.  Many  young  men  here  received  the 
rudiments  of  a  classical  education.  After  the  academy  was  discon- 
tinued the  building  was  devoted  to  private  uses. 

Two  of  the  foregoing  teachers,  Josiah  Holbrook  and  Truman  Coe, 
established  another  school  in  Derby  which  here  deserves  mention, 
for,  most  likely,  it  was  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  Union.  In  1824  they 
founded,  at  the  old  Holbrook  farm  on  Sentinel  hill,  an  agricultural 
seminary,  which  aimed  to  afford  the  youth  of  those  times  a  system  of 
education,  on  a  practical  basis, like  that  on  which  many  of  our  modern 
institutions  so  successfully  rest.  The  course  of  study  was  not  only 
practical,  but  comprehensive,  and  these  enterprising  educators  were 
*  See  account  of  Academy  Bell. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  419 

■undoubtedly  well  qualified  for  that  kind  of  work;  but  insufficient  pa- 
tronage compelled  the  abandonment  of  the  project  in  the  fall  of  1825. 
An  old  citizen  of  the  town  said  of  this  school,  "  that  it  was  an  attract- 
ive and  a  pleasant  one,  and  those  who  were  so  disposed  made  good 
progress  in  useful  learning.  There  were  in  the  summer  of  1824  about 
sixty  pupils  of  both  sexes,  to  whom  Mr.  Coe  gave  especial  instruction 
in  practical  or  applied  mathematics;  and  Mr.  Holbrook  taught  natural 
history  and  the  allied  subjects,  leading  his  boys  over  hills  and  through 
forests  in  the  course  of  their  study,  seeking  the  object  treated  in  their 
text  books."  Several  boys  earned  a  part  of  their  expenses  by  working 
on  the  farm.  Of  these  teachers,  k  may  be  said  that  Truman  Coe,  born 
on  Sentinel  hill,  December  9th,  1788,  obtained  his  education  under 
great  difficulties,  and  mostly  in  a  shoe  shop,  where  he  always  kept  a 
book  before  him  while  working  on  the  bench,  and  mastered  a  single 
subject  at  a  time.  Becoming  a  school  teacher,  he  was  successful  in 
that  profession,  but  about  1828  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Congre- 
gational church.  He  was  ahead  of  his  time  in  classical  learning,  and 
became  a  logical  and  entertaining  preacher,  in  the  state  of  Ohio. 

Josiah  Holbrook,  also  a  native  of  Derby,  was  born  the  same  year, 
but  received  a  regular  college  education,  graduating  from  Yale  in 
1810.  After  teaching  in  the  old  academy  he  engaged  in  other  lines  of 
educational  work,  in  many  of  which  he  was  the  pioneer.  He  may 
thus  be  credited  with  attempting  the  first  agricultural  college,  the 
lyceum  system  of  popular  education,  and  the  manufacture  of  philo- 
sophical apparatus  for  common  schools,  in  Boston,  in  1826.  His  active 
and  useful  life  was  terminated  by  his  accidental  drowning  at  Lynch- 
burg, Va.,  May  24th,  1854. 

Since  the  discontinuance  of  this  academy  the  public  schools  of  the 
town  have  been  advanced  to  a  very  high  standard,  three  of  the  four 
districts  having  graded  systems  of  instruction.  In  each  of  the  dis- 
tricts a  public  school  library  is  maintained,  the  aggregate  number 
of  books  in  1890  being  more  than  1,200,  and  the  value  about  $1,500. 
The  expenditures  on  account  of  the  schools  the  past  year  approxi- 
mates $18,000.  In  all,  27  teachers  are  employed,  15  being  connected 
with  the  Birmingham  school,  which,  under  the  principalship  of  John 
W.  Peck,  is  enjoying  a  most  excellent  reputation.  Large  classes  are 
graduated  annually,  and  the  interest  of  the  public  in  the  schools  of  the 
town  is  highly  commended.  For  a  number  of  years  George  L. 
Beardsley  has  been  the  acting  school  visitor. 

In  nearly  every  district  excellent  school  buildings  have  been  pro- 
vided, the  one  at  Birmingham  being  especially  a  fine  edifice.  It  was 
erected  in  1869,  under  the  direction  of  Joseph  Arnold,  Royal  M.  Bas- 
sett  and  Father  O'Dwyer  as  a  building  committee,  and  cost  about 
$40,000.  It  is  a  noble  looking  structure,  of  brick,  stone  and  slate,  four 
stories  high  with  the  basement,  and  contains  twelve  separate  di- 
visions. 


420  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  early  inhabitants  of  Derby  were  long  deprived  of  church 
privileges  in  the  midst  of  their  new  homes.  More  than  twenty  years 
had  passed  after  the  coming  of  the  first  settler  before  a  church  organi- 
zation was  effected.  So  discouraging  were  the  circumstances  attending 
the  settlement  of  the  town  that  in  1659  the  general  court  ordered  that 
the  place  "  should  be  deserted  with  reference  to  settled  habitation" 
within  one  year,  unless  its  prospects  improved.  One  of  the  reasons 
given  for  this  order  was  that  the  court  could  see  no  likelihood  that  the 
inhabitants  would  attend  to  their  duty  in  regard  to  the  Sabbath,  being 
at  such  a  distance  from  the  means.  They  were  at  this  time  obliged 
to  attend  meetings  at  Milford,  which  required  a  long  journey  through 
a  roadless  region;  and  thus  being  cut  off  from  what  was  deemed  most 
essential  in  a  new  plantation,  their  numbers  increased  very  slowly. 
For  a  number  of  years  they  were  practically  without  either  church  or 
state  privileges.  Desiring  the  enjoyment  of  both  of  these  privileges 
an  effort  was  made  in  1671,  in  spite  of  the  manifest  poverty,  to  demon- 
strate the  ability,  or  at  least  to  show  the  willingness,  to  conform  to  the 
existing  conditions.  Hence,  in  that  year,  Reverend  John  Bowers,  a 
Congregational  minister  of  Guilford,  was  invited  to  settle  among  them 
and  twelve  acres  of  land  were  set  aside  for  his  use.  After  preaching 
in  Branford  in  1672,  he  decided  to  cast  his  lot  among  this  people,  and 
November  18th,  1673,  they  agreed  to  build  a  house  for  him,  and  he,  on 
his  part,  agreed  to  preach  the  following  year  and  "  to  take  what  the 
inhabitants  would  voluntarily  give  as  they  are  at  great  expense  in 
building."  This  house  stood  near  where  the  first  meeting  house  was 
afterward  built  and  his  lot  adjoined  the  lands  of  the  pioneer  settlers, 
Francis  French,  Samuel  Riggs  and  Jeremiah  Johnson,  who  were  nat- 
urally anxious  to  have  the  first  minister  reside  in  their  locality. 

The  support  of  a  minister  at  this  time  was  no  easy  matter  for  the 
12  resident  and  11  non-resident  planters,  for  none  of  them  were  in 
affluent  circumstances.  But  in  addition  to  the  above  considerations, 
which  encouraged  them  to  persevere,  they  were  actuated  by  a  pious 
zeal  and  their  faith  sustained  them.  In  a  few  years  both  a  town  and 
a  church  were  secured.  In  1675  the  general  court  established  the  Plan- 
tation of  Derby,  and  the  act  carried  with  it  the  powers  and  privileges 
of  an  ecclesiastical  society  without  the  order  of  a  separate  organiza- 
tion. But  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs,  in  consequence  of  the  Indian 
troubles,  prevented  the  immediate  realization  of  their  hopes.  A  fur- 
ther hindrance  was  found  in  the  unwillingness  of  Milford  to  release 
the  planters  from  the  payment  of  their  rates,  so  that  for  a  few  years  a 
double  tax  was  imposed  upon  these  planters  for  the  support  of  the 
Gospel. 

In  the  early  part  of  1677  the  town  of  Derby  with  great  unanimity 
determined  upon  the  organization  of  a  church,  and  the  general  court 
was  petitioned  May  6th,  1678,  by  John  Bowers,  John  Hulls  and  Joseph 
Hawkins  for  the  sanction  of  the  colony  upon  this  measure.  This  was 
granted  May  9th,  1678. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  421 

The  accounts  of  that  period  are  somewhat  vague,  but  there  is  rea- 
son to  think  that  the  First  church  in  Derby  (Congregational)  was 
organized  in  1678,  and  that  for  several  years  its  meetings  were  held 
in  private  houses.  But  a  meeting  house  must  be  built,  and  November 
22d,  1680,  the  town  voted  on  the  question  of  a  site,  with  the  following 
result:  Those  favoring  the  localitv  which  afterward  became  known  as 
"  Squabble  Hole"  were  John  Bowers,  Edward  Wooster,  Joseph  Haw- 
kins, William  Tomlinson,  Samuel  Riggs,  Ephraim  Smith,  Abel  Gunn, 
Francis  French,  Samuel  Nichols,  Thomas  Wooster,  John  Beach — 11. 
Opposed  were  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Philip  Denman,  Stephen  Pierson, 
John  Tibbals — 4.  Absent  from  the  meeting  were  John  Hulls,  Jabez 
Harger,  George  Beaman,  David  Wooster,  Ebenezer  Johnson,  Abel 
Holbrook,  Isaac  Nichols,  Samuel  Brinsmade,  Jonathan  Nichols  and 
Jonas  Tomlinson — 10.  It  will  be  seen  that  of  the  25  planters  but  11 
were  committed  to  a  definite  site.  The  matter  was  now  allowed  to 
rest  a  year,  when  the  former  site,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  present 
meeting  house,  was  confirmed,  the  point  being  "  near  the  tree  where 
the  town  met  and  sat  down,  shall  be  the  place  where  the  meeting 
house  shall  stand,  without  any  more  trouble."  Sergeant  John  Hull, 
Joseph  Hawkins,  Abel  Gunn  and  Philip  Denman  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  town.  The  house  was  a  plain 
frame,  20  by  28  feet,  with  four  windows  in  the  sides  and  one  at  each 
end,  and  was  mainly  built  by  the  labor  of  the  inhabitants,  each  man 
according  to  the  value  of  his  estate.  In  1707  it  was  seated  after  the 
manner  of  those  times,  having  first  been  enlarged  and  repaired,  and 
was  used  until  about  1722  in  that  condition. 

The  town  in  16S1  voted  that  the  minister,  John  Bowers,  should  have 
88  loads  of  wood,  and  in  1683  voted  him  a  salary  of  ,£50  in  "  good, 
merchantable  pay."  This  sum  was  assessed  upon  26  persons,  com- 
prising, at  that  time,  the  inhabitants  of  Derby.  In  1684  he  was  very 
ill,  and  it  is  thought  that  he  ceased  preaching  here  in  1686.  He  died 
in  1687,  and  is  buried  in  the  old  cemetery.  From  1690  to  1693  Joseph 
Webb  was  the  minister,  and  in  the  former  year  a  parsonage  was  built, 
under  the  direction  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Johnson,  Isaac  Nichols  and 
Philip  Denman.  In  the  spring  of  1694  Reverend  John  James  was  set- 
tled as  the  pastor,  and  remained  until  1706,  being  also,  after  1700,  the 
schoolmaster,  and,  like  Mr.  Webb,  serving  as  town  clerk  part  of  the 
time. 

Reverend  Joseph  Moss  having  preached  here  in  1706,  was,  in  the 
spring  of  1707,  installed  as  the  pastor  of  the  "  Church  of  Christ  in 
Derby,"  as  it  was  for  many  years  called.  He  was  a  popular  preacher, 
and  appears  to  have  been  better  liked  than  his  predecessor.  He  spent 
his  entire  ministerial  life  here,  dying  in  his  53d  year,  in  1731,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Uptown  cemetery. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  of  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Moss  was 
the  building  of  the  new  meeting  house  in  1721-2.     This  was  ordered 


422  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

at  a  town  meeting  held  in  December,  1719,  when  it  was  voted  "  that 
the  town  will  build  a  new  meeting  house,  and  that  it  shall  be  set  in 
some  convenient  place,  near  where  the  old  meeting  house  now  stands, 
and  that  the  dimensions  shall  be  as  followeth,  viz.:  Forty  feet  long 
and  thirty-two  wide,  and  twenty  feet  posts."  A  six-penny  rate  was 
laid,  and  every  man  was  given  the  privilege  of  working  out  his  tax, 
provided  he  could  labor  in  any  way  to  advantage  on  the  building. 
Colonel  Ebenezer  Johnson,  Captain  Joseph  Hull  and  Lieutenant  John 
Riggs  were  the  building  committee.  The  house  was  raised  in  the 
spring  of  1721,  and  was  what  was  called  in  those  times  a  two-story 
church  edifice,  having  galleries  on  all  but  the  pulpit  side.  Mr.  Moss 
was  given  liberty  to  build  a  pew  six  feet'square,  joining  to  the  pulpit 
stairs,  for  his  wife  and  family;  and  the  rest  of  the  meeting  house  was 
seated  "  by  such  rules  as  followeth:  Col.  Ebenezer  Johnson,  Ens.  Sam- 
uel Riggs,  John  Tibbals,  Stephen  Pierson,  Ens.  Nichols  shall  sit  on 
the  first  seat  next  to  the  pulpit;  Doctor  Durand,  Mr.  Samuel  Bowers 
and  Jeremiah  Johnson  shall  sit  in  the  second  seat  of  the  square  next 
the  pulpit;  John  Pringle,  Sergeant  Brinsmade,  John  Chatfield,  Senr., 
shall  sit  in  a  short  seat  by  Mr.  Moss'  pew."  The  remainder  of  the  in- 
habitants were  seated  according  to  the  list. 

"  Sabba-day  houses  "  were  first  built  in  1725,  and  a  rather  better 
building  of  that  nature  was  permitted  to  be  built  on  the  common  in 
1728  by  Jonathan  Lum,  Gideon  Johnson  and  John  Smith.  This,  when 
not  used  by  them  as  a  "  Sabba-day  house,"  was  used  as  a  school  house. 
It  was  the  first  building  of  the  kind  in  the  town,  and  its  site  was  after- 
ward used  for  a  building  wholly  devoted  to  school  purposes.  "  Sabba- 
day  houses  "  and  "  horse  houses,"  on  both  sides  of  the  highways,  were 
authorized  in  1764. 

The  meeting  house,  though  roomy,  appears  to  have  been  devoid  of 
all  comforts,  and  is  remembered  as  a  musty,  huge,  barn-like  structure. 
It  was  occupied  nearly  a  hundred  years,  but  before  its  abandonment, 
in  1821,  it  became  totally  unfitted  for  its  purpose. 

The  building  of  the  third  meeting  house  was  not  accomplished  un- 
til there  had  been  much  controversy  in  regard  to  the  site,  which 
caused  some  of  the  members  to  withdraw  permanently  from  the  so- 
ciety. But  the  more  rapid  growth  of  the  south  part  of  the  town  de- 
manded that  the  new  house  should  be  built  southward,  and  in  March, 
1820,  the  present  site  was  selected.  In  July  of  the  same  year  the  con- 
tract for  building  was  awarded,  and  the  present  meeting  house  was  in 
due  time  built.  But  this  entailed  such  a  heavy  burden  upon  the 
society  that  its  usefulness  in  other  spheres  was  crippled  a  number  of 
years.  In  1873  a  lecture  room  was  built,  and  the  meeting  house  re- 
modelled and  refurnished.  Since  that  time  the  church  property  has 
been  kept  in  good  repair,  and  both  the  church  and  the  parsonage  pre- 
sented a  substantial  appearance,  in  the  fall  of  1890. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Moss,  in   1731,  the  church  was  without  a 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  423 

settled  pastor  several  years,  when  Reverend  Daniel  Humphreys  was, 
on  March  6th,  1733,  ordained.  He  had  graduated  from  Yale  the  pre- 
vious year  and  was  a  bold  and  spirited  man  in  religious  opinions,  and 
his  views  were  not  accepted  by  all  his  parishioners,  who  seemed  to  be 
divided  on  the  then  prevailing  questions,  some  favoring  the  "  old 
light  "  and  others  the  "  new  light  "  doctrines.  Mr.  Humphreys  was 
inclined  to  the  "  new  light  "  theories,  and  had  made  himself  liable  to 
the  censure  of  the  Consociation  several  times  in  the  early  years  of  his 
ministry.  But  after  the  lapse  of  20  years  he  practiced  church  discip- 
line in  consonance  with  the  Saybrook  principles. 

This  inharmonious  feeling  in  the  town,  on  matters  of  such  vital  in- 
terest, conduced  to  the  easy  establishment  of  the  Episcopal  church  in 
Derby.  It  was  also  an  incentive  to  the  formation  of  other  ecclesiasti- 
cal societies  of  the  established  church  in  the  town.  Of  these  the  So- 
ciety of  Oxford,  formed  after  1733,  made  the  first  demand  upon  the 
membership  of  the  First  church;  Great  Hill,  in  1775,  the  second; 
Bladen's  Brook  (called  Humphreysville  and  Seymour  later),  in  1789, 
the  third,  when  26  members  withdrew.  Later  the  church  contributed 
to  the  formation  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  January  4th,  1846,  60 
persons  left  in  a  body  to  form  the  Birmingham  Congregational  church. 
In  1850  four  members  left  to  aid  in  the  formation  of  the  Ansonia 
church. 

In  1787  the  church  had  43  male  and  53  female  members,  which 
was  probably  the  maximum  strength  in  the  last  century.  In  later 
periods  in  the  main  the  church  has  prospered,  and  has  been  a  most 
beneficent  moral  agent  in  the  community.  In  1890  there  were  about 
180  members,  and  the  following  official  board:  Pastor  and  clerk,  Rev- 
erend Dorrall  Lee;  deacons,  George  T.  Bushnell,  N.  J.  Bailey  and  T. 
B.  Minor;  society's  committee,  F.  N.  Bradley,  E.  Hallock,  W.  N. 
Sperry;  superintendent  of  Sabbath  school,  E.  W.  Parmalee.  The 
school  has  a  membership  of  about  200. 

The  pastorate  of  Reverend  Daniel  Humphreys  was  long  continued, 
extending  through  the  troublous  times  of  the  revolution.  He  died 
September  2d,  1787.  just  about  100  years  after  the  death  of  John 
Bowers,  the  first  minister.  He  was  a  stately,  cultured  gentleman, 
and  his  wife,  Sarah  Riggs,  who  had  been  the  former  wife  of  John 
Bowers,  and  whom  as  a  widow  he  married  in  1739,  had  such  an  elegant 
personal  appearance,  and  was  so  refined  in  education  and  manners, 
that  she  became  widely  known  as  "  Lady  Humphreys."  She  was 
greatly  beloved,  and  thoroughly  dignified  the  title  so  long  bestowed 
upon  her.  They  were  the  parents  of  General  David  Humphreys,  who 
was  born  in  Derby,  July  10th,  1752.  His  distinguished  service  in  the 
revolution,  and  his  connection  with  the  manufacturing  interests  of 
Seymour  are  elsewhere  noted.  In  the  last  four  years  of  Mr.  Humph- 
rey's pastorate  he  had  as  a  colleague  Reverend  Martin  Tuller,  who  was 


424  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ordained  July  1st,  1783.     From  1787  until  December  29th,  1795,  he  was 
the  pastor  of  the  church.     He  died  in  1813. 

The  subsequent  pastors  were  the  following:  Reverend  Amasa  Por- 
ter, graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1793,  settled  in  Derby  in  1797,  dis- 
missed March  20th,  1805  (He  was  a  man  of  rare  piety,  and  was  long 
remembered  with  affection  by  his  people);  Thomas  Ruggles,  1809-12; 
Zephaniah  Swift,  settled  1813  (His  pastorate  was  a  long  and  successful 
one;  in  fact,  it  was  the  most  eventful  pastorate  in  the  history  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Swift  remained  senior  pastor  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  February  7th,  1848);  Lewis  D.  Howell,  installed  April,  1836.  dis- 
missed May  19th,  1838;  Hollis  Reed,  installed  November  21st,  1838, 
dismissed  in  1843;  George  Thatcher,  installed  November  20th,  1843, 
dismissed  October  10th,  184S;  J.  Guernsey,  called  October  8th,  1849, 
dismissed  August  22d,  1853;  R.  P.  Stanton,  settled  November  2d,  1853, 
dismissed  January,  1856;  C.  C.  Tiffany,  called  July  15th,  1857,  dis- 
missed January  20th,  1864;  W.  E.  Brooks  was  engaged  as  supply  in 
1865,  and  remained  until  1867;  Thomas  M.  Gray,  installed  December, 
1867,  dismissed  in  1871;  C.  B.  Whitcomb,  called  January,  1872,  re- 
mained with  the  church  one  year  from  the  1st  of  April  following;  H. 
T.  Staats,  1873,  until  the  autumn  of  1874;  J.  H.  Vorce,  called  in  April, 
1875,  resigned  in  1879;  J.  B.  Thrall,  called  in  January,  1880,  resigned 
in  1884;  O.  G.  Mclntire,  supplied  the  pulpit  from  January  1st,  1885,  to 
April  1st,  1886;  Dorrall  Lee,  called  October  1st,  18S6,  the  present  pas- 
tor of  the  church. 

The  church,  during  its  history,  has  sent  out  the  following  minis- 
ters: Reverends  Amos  Bassett,  D.D.,  Daniel  Thompson,  Charles  Nichols, 
Isaac  Jennings,  Daniel  S.  Dickinson,  Archibald  Bassett,  John  L.  Tom- 
linson,  Truman  Coe,  Wales  Coe,  William  E.  Bassett,  George  F. 
Prentiss. 

The  Birmingham  Congregational  church  was  formally  recognized 
by  a  council  called  for  that  purpose,  February  25th,  1846.  The  con- 
stituent members  were  mainly  the  60  persons  who  had  withdrawn 
from  the  First  Derby  church,  January  4th,  1846,  and  who  had  organ- 
ized with  the  above  name  February  13th,  1846.  The  Congregational 
or  Ecclesiastical  society  had  been  formed  the  previous  year,  when  the 
following  persons  thus  associated  themselves  July  30th,  1S45:  David 
Bassett,  George  W.  Shelton,  Josiah  Smith,  2d,  Asa  Bassett,  G.  Smith, 
David  Nathans.  F.  T.  Frost,  Edward  Kirby,  Samuel  P.  Tomlinson  and 
Ephraim  Birdseye.  The  latter  was  the  first  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the 
society  and  the  three  first  named  its  first  committee. 

The  same  year  the  society  began  the  erection  of  a  church  on  the 
lot  donated  by  Anson  G.  Phelps,  on  the  west  side  of  the  green.  It 
originally  cost  about  $6,000  and  was  dedicated  January  2Sth,  1846, 
Reverend  Joel  Parker,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  preaching  the  sermon.  In 
the  summer  of  1859  the  building  was  extended  in  the  rear  17  feet  and 
otherwise  improved  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  In  1871  the  interior  of  the 
church  was  changed,  and  since  that  time  repairs  and  improvements 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  425 

have  made  the  church  quite  comfortable.  The  parsonage  was  built 
in  1866. 

On  the  Oth  of  March,  1846,  Reverend  E.  W.  Cook  became  the  first 
minister  of  the  church,  serving  for  six  months.  But  Reverend  Charles 
Dickinson  was  installed  as  the  first  pastor  in  September,  1846,  and 
served  until  his  death  in  1854. 

Reverend  Zachary  Eddy  was  next  installed,  December  19th,  1855, 
and  at  his  own  request  was  dismissed  February  11th,  185S.  The  pul- 
pit was  now  supplied  about  three  years,  but  February  13th,  1861,  Rev- 
erend C.  C.  Carpenter  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate,  in  which  he  served 
until  his  resignation,  June  27th,  1865.  After  an  interval  of  more  than 
a  year,  Reverend  Stephen  S.  Mershon  was  installed  pastor,  and  at  his 
own  request  was  relieved  March  17th,  1869.  Again  there  was  a  va- 
cancy of  several  years,  Reverend  John  Willard  acting  pastor,  when 
Reverend  Charles  F.  Bradley  was  inducted  to  the  pastoral  office  De- 
cember 30th,  1873,  in  which  he  continued  until  January  25th,  1885. 
The  services  of  Reverend  Charles  Ware  Park,  the  present  pastor,  be- 
gan April  1st,  1885.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1870  and  has 
here  served  very  acceptably.  In  1890  the  parish  contained  160  fam- 
ilies and  the  members  numbered  225.  Connected  with  the  church  is  a 
Sunday  school  of  nearly  200  members,  whose  first  superintendent, 
George  W.  Shelton,  was  appointed  February  13th,  1846.  This  position 
was  held  in  1890  by  D.  H.  Bacon. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  and  the  years  of  their  election  and  ser- 
vice have  been  as  follows:  Josiah  Smith,  1846-9;  David  Bassett,  1846- 
72;  Truman  Gilbert,  1850-6;  E.  G.  Atwood,  1856-63;  G.  W.  Shelton, 
1863-77  and  1880-2;  Henry  Somers,  1867-71  and  1883-9;  J.  R.  Hawley, 
1871-6;  S.  M.  Gardner,  1871-6  and  1879-80;  Joseph  Tomlinson,  1878- 
82;  E.  C.  Maltby,  1881-2;  N.  A.  Howd,  1882-4;  James  Ewen,  1884-90;  S. 
S.  Wilcox,  1884-5;  Robert  May,  1884-90;  Lewis  W.  Booth,  1S88-90. 

In  1890  the  clerk  of  the  parish  was  D.  S.  Brinsmade;  the  society's 
committee,  D.  M.  Bassett,  L.  W.  Booth  and  J.  D.  Dayton. 

Derby,  Birmingham  and  Shelton  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  organized  May 
6th,  1889,  when  the  following  board  of  directors  was  chosen:  D.  L.  Du- 
rand,  president;  Charles  E.  Clark  and  E.  N.  Barrett,  vice-presideuts; 
N.  J.  Bailey,  recording  secretary;  George  H.  Peck,  George  W.  Beards- 
ley,  T.  J.  Chadeayne,  H.  B.  Curtiss,  David  Torrance,  J.  H.  Barlow, 
Edward  Hallock,  J.  D.  Dayton,  E.  W.  Peck,  Sylvester  Rounds  and  C. 
R.  Howard,  representing  the  several  Protestant  churches  in  the  above 
places.  In  1S90  the  officers  were:  E.  W.  Peck,  president;  G.  H.  Peck, 
vice-president;  H.  B.  Curtiss,  treasurer;  and  N.  J.  Bailey,  secretary. 
The  association  has  enrolled  many  active  members  and  about  $5,000 
has  been  expended  in  the  prosecution  of  its  work.  In  the  fall  of  1889 
the  second  and  the  third  stories  of  the  Henry  Somers  building  on  Main 
street,  Birmingham,  were  fitted  up  for  association  uses.  These  em- 
brace parlors,  reading  room  and  library,  school  and  assembly  rooms 


426  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  a  gymnasium.  November  1st,  1889,  the  practical  work  was  placed 
in  charge  of  R.  F.  True,  as  general  secretary,  who  was  succeeded,  Aug- 
ust 1st,  1S90,  by  N.  B.  Prindle. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  after  the  ministry  of  Reverend  Joseph 
Moss,  in  1731 ,  there  was  so  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  proper 
church  order  in  the  town  of  Derby  that  the  way  was  opened  for  the 
formation  of  other  religious  societies.  In  this  period  the  Church  of 
England  commended  itself  to  those  who  were  inclined  to  reject  the 
views  of  Reverend  Daniel  Humphreys,  the  new  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational church.  The  visit  of  Reverend  George  Whitefield  and  his 
preaching  in  Derby  added  to  the  religious  unrest  and  awoke  a  spirit 
of  inquiry  as  to  what  methods  or  church  practices  most  nearly  con- 
formed to  the  Scriptural  requirements.  Among  the  first  in  the  town 
to  incline  to  the  worship  of  God  after  the  manner  and  discipline  of  the 
Church  of  England  were  John  Holbrook  and  half  a  dozen  others, 
among  whom  Episcopal  gatherings  were  frequently  held. 

Reverend  Jonathan  Arnold,  of  West  Haven,  an  itinerant  mission- 
ary of  the  London  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  For- 
eign Parts,  conducted  the  first  stated  services  in  the  town,  the  meet- 
ings  being  held  in  private  houses  until  a  central  place  of  worship 
could  be  provided,  after  1737.  Determined  to  build,  it  was  proposed 
to  set  the  church  upon  a  corner  of  the  common  in  "  Uptown."  But  in 
that  they  were  disappointed,  the  town  forbidding  its  use  for  any  such 
purpose.  Yet,  wishing  to  be  as  near  the  center  of  the  town's  affairs 
as  possible,  a  lot  was  secured  directly  opposite  the  residence  of  Pastor 
Humphreys.  It  was  deeded  to  Reverend  Jonathan  Arnold,  in  trust 
for  the  Episcopal  church,  November  7th,  1738,  by  John  Holbrook  and 
his  wife,  Abigail,  and  comprised  42  rods  of  land,  to  be  used  for  church 
and  cemetery  purposes.  The  latter  use  is  continued,  the  place  being 
still  known  as  the  old  Episcopal  Cemetery.  Upon  this  lot  there  had 
already  been  raised  the  frame  of  a  church,  whose  timbers  had  been 
hewed  the  previous  year  by  John  Holbrook  and  his  associates,  Abel 
Gunn  and  half  a  dozen  others. 

By  these  eight  men  the  entire  expense  was  borne,  and  as  none 
were  rich  the  work  was  done  piecemeal,  so  that  the  house  was  not 
completed  until  1746.  The  architecture  of  the  building  was  plain,  but 
was  an  improvement  on  the  first  meeting  house  of  the  Congregational 
society,  its  appearance  distinctly  indicating  its  use.  To  the  credit  of 
the  members  of  the  latter  society  be  it  said  that  they  were  more  lib- 
eral toward  the  churchmen  than  their  brethren  in  some  other  towns, 
voting  in  1739  to  exempt  them  from  paying  toward  the  support  of  the 
Congregational  ministers.  The  building,  being  ready  for  the  purpose 
of  worship,  it  was  called  "  Christ's  Church."  "  Here  in  this  little 
barn-like  structure,  with  its  raftered  walls,  the  worshippers  for  half  a 
century  went  in  and  out  to  their  morning  and  evening  devotions,  lov- 
ing the  church  as  the  apple  of  their  eye."* 
*  History  of  Derby,  p.  152. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  427 

The  next  step  was  to  provide  a  home  for  the  rector.  To  that  end, 
in  1747,  John  Holbrook,  Jonas  Smith,  Thomas  Wooster,  Abel  Gunn 
and  others,  in  behalf  of  the  new  parish,  bought  several  parcels  of  land 
for  a  glebe.  One  of  them  contained  three  acres,  and  on  it  were  an  or- 
chard and  a  barn,  and  as  the  land  was  near  the  church  it  was  improved 
for  the  home  of  the  ministers.  Reverend  Richard  Mansfield  was 
probably  the  first  to  occupy  it,  and  he  lived  in  it  until  his  death.  He 
was  the  fourth  missionary  of  the  London  Society  to  visit  this  people,, 
the  second  being  Reverend  Theophilus  Morris,  who  preached  about 
three  years,  and  the  third  Reverend  James  Lyon,  who  labored  here 
about  the  time  the  church  was  completed. 

The  pastorate  of  Reverend  Mr.  Mansfield  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  in  the  history  of  the  old  parish.  He  was  a  man  of  marked  ability, 
giving  such  abundant  evidence  of  his  intellectual  powers  in  early 
youth  that,  at  the  early  age  of  11,  he  was  prepared  to  enter  college, 
but  by  its  rules  could  not  do  so  until  he  was  14.  In  1741  he  graduated 
with  the  first  honors  of  his  class,  in  Yale,  which  in  after  life  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  D.D.  In  1748  he  went  to  England,  where  he 
was  admitted  to  the  Holy  orders  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  return- 
ing to  America,  placed  himself  under  the  tutelage  of  Doctor  Johnson, 
of  Stratford,  which  still  better  fitted  him  for  the  work  he  was  about  to 
undertake  as  a  missionary  of  the  venerable  "  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,"  and  in  whose  service  he  remained 
until  after  the  revolution.  This  fact  had  much  to  do  with  his  position 
in  the  struggle  for  American  independence,  when  he  remained  a  firm, 
but  not  offensive  loyalist.  But  so  well  were  his  patriotic  neighbors 
convinced  of  his  sincerity  in  this  matter  that  he  remained  with  this 
people  until  his  death,  August  12th,  1820. 

When  Doctor  Mansfield  began  his  ministry  here  the  parish  in- 
cluded the  present  towns  of  Derby,  Orange,  Woodbridge,  Seymour, 
Oxford,  Southbury,  Naugatuck  and  Waterbury,  but  after  1755  his 
labors  were  limited  mostly  to  Derby  and  Oxford.  Of  the  former 
church  he  was  the  rector  72  years  without  a  break — a  most  unusual 
instance  in  the  history  of  any  church  in  this  country.  In  the  discharge 
of  his  duties  he  was  most  industrious,  teaching  from  house  to  house, 
and  was  particularly  tender  toward  the  young,  who  loved  and  sin- 
cerely venerated  him,  his  personal  appearance  greatly  conducing  to 
this  feeling.  He  was  tall,  of  spare  habits,  and  wore  a  white,  large 
wig.  He  generally  traveled  on  horseback  and  was  a  familiar  object 
to  all  the  people.  On  the  10th  of  November,  1751,  he  was  married  to 
Sarah  Anna,  eldest  daughter  of  Joseph  Hull,  2d,  of  Derby.  Although 
so  busy  in  his  ministerial  life,  he  found  time  to  cultivate  his  lands,  in 
which  he  took  particular  pride.  The  children  of  Doctor  Mansfield  and 
their  descendants  attained  honorable  distinction,  and  the  name  abroad, 
as  well  as  at  home,  commanded  esteem.  In  the  later  years  of  his  rec- 
torship he  was  assisted  by  Reverend  Calvin  White,  an  able  preacher 


428  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  a  popular  man.  On  the  death  of  Doctor  Mansfield  he  was  buried 
in  the  old  Episcopal  graveyard.  An  imposing  monument  has,  in  re- 
cent years,  been  erected  over  his  grave.  A  fine  memorial  window  in 
his  memory  has  also  been  placed  in  Christ's  Episcopal  church  in  An- 
sonia.     A  like  token  has  been  placed  in  St.  James'  church. 

After  the  revolution  and  the  return  of  an  era  of  better  feeling, 
which  caused  nearly  all  former  prejudices  to  be  forgotten,  Christ's 
church  had  a  largely  augmented  growth.  It  partook,  to  a  great  de- 
gree, of  the  prosperity  which  lower  Derby  at  that  time  enjoyed,  whose 
height  was  attained  about  1800.  These  conditions  called  for  a  new 
or  more  commodious  house  of  worship,  and  as  the  center  of  population 
had  now  shifted  from  "Uptown"  to  the  "Narrows,"  it  was  deemed  ad- 
visable to  have  the  church  follow  it.  Hence,  the  parish  voted  to  move 
the  church  southward  and  locate  it  on  a  commanding  site  on  the  road 
to  the  "  Narrows."  The  corner  stone  of  the  new  edifice  was  laid  in 
1797,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  the  spacious  and  more  comfort- 
able building  was  occupied.  After  its  completion  the  members  of  the 
parish  resolved  to  change  the  name  of  Christ's  to  that  of  St.  James' 
Church  and  Parish,  by  which  title  they  were  designated  when  the 
•church  was  consecrated,  in  1799,  by  Bishop  Jafvis.  The  new  site  and 
new  church  fitly  met  the  wants  of  the  community,  and  the  parish  con- 
tinued to  prosper  under  the  rectorship  of  the  successors  of  Reverends 
Mansfield  and  White,  who  were,  in  the  order  named,  Reverends 
Blakeslee,  Stephen  Jewett,  with  Reverend  Bradley  as  an  assistant,  and 
Reverend  Joseph  Scott. 

While  Mr.  Scott  was  the  rector  the  village  of  Birmingham  had  its 
first  spurt  of  growth,  and  drew  to  itself  many  of  the  members  of  St. 
James'  church.  These  found  it  inconvenient  to  attend  church  in 
Derby,  and  the  question  of  a  new  site  for  the  church  edifice  was  forced 
upon  the  parish.  Hence,  May  5th,  1841,  Reverend  Joseph  Scott,  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  of  his  parishioners,  reported  that  the  old 
church  was  poorly  located,  and  the  prosperity  and  permanent  welfare 
of  the  parish  made  the  question  of  selecting  a  more  central  site  one  of 
vital  importance.  E.  N.  Shelton,  Benjamin  Hodge  and  Levi  Hotch- 
kiss,  representing  various  parts  of  the  parish,  were  now  appointed  a 
committee  on  a  new  site.  As  a  result  of  their  labors  and  the  expres- 
sion of  the  will  of  a  majority  of  the  parish  they  reported,  May  26th, 

1841,  in  favor  of  Birmingham.  A  very  desirable  lot,  on  the  east  side 
of  the  public  park,  was  donated  by  the  proprietors,  Smith  &  Phelps, 
and  the  work  of  raising  funds  was  begun.  So  encouraging  was  the 
support  tendered  that  it  was  decided  to  erect  the  substantial  stone  edi- 
fice which   now  graces  the  ground.     The  corner  stone  was  laid    in 

1842,  and  after  about  a  year's  work  the  present  St.  James'  church  was 
consecrated,  April  11th,  1843,  by  Bishop  Brownell.  The  wooden 
tower  on  the  church  was  subsequently  displaced  and  a  fine  stone 
tower  was  erected,  in  which  a  chime  of  bells   has  been  placed.     The 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  429 

church  was  also  enlarged,  and  has  since  been  much  improved,  being 
greatly  beautified  by  the  eight  handsome  memorial  windows  recently 
placed  in  it.  A  comfortable  rectory  stands  on  an  adjoining  lot,  and 
the  property  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  town.  The  church 
has  650  sittings. 

The  area  of  the  parish  has  been  much  reduced  by  the  formation  of 
Christ  Parish  at  Ansonia,  and  in  1890  embraced  properly  only  the  vil- 
lages of  Birmingham,  Derby  and  Shelton.  In  this  territory  were  315 
Episcopal  families,  having  1,400  individual  members.  The  registered 
communicants  numbered  365.  The  parish  has  an  endowment  fund 
of  more  than  $4,000,  and  raises  about  $5,000  per  year  for  all  purposes 
of  church  work. 

The  rectors  following  Reverend  Joseph  Scott  were:  Reverends 
Ashley,  Guion,  Flagg,  Coxe,  Fuller,  Brainard,  Chamberlain,  Baldwin, 
Witherspoon,  and,  since  February,  1887,  Reverend  George  Hickman 
Buck.  Most  of  the  pastorates  were  short,  the  longest  continued  being 
that  of  Reverend  Joseph  Scott,  at  the  building  of  the  new  church, 
eight  years;  John  Brainard,  1856-63;  Leonidas  B.  Baldwin,  1870- 
80;  Orlando  Witherspoon,  1880-86.  He  died  suddenly,  at  Birming- 
ham, April  14th,  1886,  two  weeks  after  he  had  relinquished  the  rector- 
ship. 

•Among  the  later  wardens,  E.  N.  Shelton  and  George  H.  Peck  de- 
serve mention  for  the  long  and  faithful  service  they  have  given  the 
parish.  The  latter  has  served  in  that  office  continuously  since  1866. 
Edward  Lewis  is  the  clerk  of  the  parish,  and  Charles  H.  Nettleton 
the  treasurer. 

Connected  with  the  parish  are  a  fine  Sunday  school  of  274  mem- 
bers; a  chapter  of  St.  Andrew's  Brotherhood,  organized  in  1889,  which 
is  doing  most  excellent  work;  and  a  Ladies'  Benevolent  Society, 
which  is  one  of  the  mainstays  of  the  church.  It  has  about  50  active 
members. 

The  following  account  of  Methodism  in  Derby  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  Birmingham  was  prepared  from  data  furnished 
by  John  W.  Osborne.  In  the  year  1789  Reverend  Jesse  Lee  came 
through  Derby  and  preached  his  first  sermon  here,  probably  under  a 
tree  in  that  part  of  Derby  since  known  as  Uptown.  Among  his  audi- 
tors were  John  Coe  and  his  wife  Ruth,  by  whom  the  preacher  was  in- 
vited to  make  their  house  his  home  on  his  next  visit  to  the  place.  In 
about  a  month  after  he  came  again  and  preached  in  Mr.  Coe's  house. 
Reverend  John  Allyn  was  his  colleague.  He  subsequently  preached 
in  the  house  of  Philo  Hinman  and  at  other  places. 

The  first  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  Derby,  according  to  the 
record  of  the  church,  was  organized  in  the  year  1793  by  Reverend 
Jesse  Lee.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Bishop  Asbury  held  services 
here,  and  soon  after  the  appointment  was  connected  with  Middletown. 


430  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

circuit;  and  the  preachers  traveling  it  prior  to  1800  were  Reverends 
Daniel  Ostrander,  Evan  Rogers,  Joel  Ketchum,  Peter  Choate  and 
James  Coleman.  In  the  year  last  named  a  revival  took  place  at  Derby 
Neck,  where  meetings  were  now  held,  and  it  is  said  that  30  persons 
united  with  the  church,  constituting  for  many  years  a  class  at  that 
point.  They  met  to  hear  preaching  once  a  month,  and  for  prayer, 
praise,  testimony  and  exhortation  once  or  twice  a  week  in  the  "  old 
red  school  house  "  at  Derby  Neck,  where  Sheldon  and  Davis  Smith, 
Samuel  and  David  Durand,  John  Allyn  Coe  and  Agur  Curtiss,  with 
their  families  and  many  others,  worshipped. 

For  many  years  the  eloquent  preaching  of  Nathan  and  Heman 
Bangs  and  of  Laban  Clark  was  cherished  as  wonderful  exhibitions  of 
pulpit  power,  which  resulted  in  many  conversions.  The  work  had 
taken  so  firm  a  held  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  this  section  that 
"  Derby  Circuit  "  was  established,  embracing  under  that  name  many 
appointments  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  county.  In  the  dozen 
years  following,  from  1820  to  1832,  the  itinerant  preachers  were  Bel- 
den  Smith,  James  Coleman,  Laban  Clark,  J.  Nixon,  F.  W.  Sizer,  Julius 
Field,  S.  D.  Ferguson,  W.  Beach,  E.  Barnes,  N.  Kellogg,  H.  Banks 
and  R.  Francis. 

About  1830  the  services  at  Derby  Neck  were  discontinued,  and 
preaching  was  established  at  Derby  Narrows,  in  the  old  Masonic  Hall, 
which  was  rented  by  I.  J.  Gilbert  and  others  for  that  purpose. 

In  the  spring  of  1835  Reverends  Josiah  Bowen  and  Oliver  Sykes 
were  appointed  to  the  Derby  circuit,  and  soon  after  was  set  on  foot  a 
movement  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  church  at  Bir- 
mingham, which,  as  a  village,  was  then  in  its  infancy.  A  few  houses 
only,  scattered  here  and  there,  occupied  the  beautiful  site  of  the  pres- 
ent borough.  The  late  Sheldon  Smith,  of  New  York,  proprietor  of  the 
land,  with  a  large  generosity  offered  to  the  Methodist  society  of  Derby 
a  building  lot  for  a  church  and  all  the  stone  required  for  its  foundation 
and  basement  walls,  and  $200  in  cash  toward  the  erection  of  the  build- 
ing.    This  generous  offer  was  gratefully  accepted. 

The  society  subsequently  bought  the  lots  east  and  west  of  the 
church  at  an  outlay  of  $1,500.  October  5th,  1835,  the  following  were 
appointed  the  first  board  of  trustees  and  the  building  committee: 
Sheldon  Smith,  Samuel  Durand,  David  Durand,  Stephen  Booth,  Isaac 
J.  Gilbert,  Agur  Curtiss,  Albert  Hotchkiss  and  John  E.  Brush.  It  was 
completed  for  dedication  August  17th,  1837,  and  was  the  first  church 
building  in  Birmingham.  The  cost  was  about  $3,000,  about  half  the 
sum  remaining  as  a  debt.  Regular  preaching  was  now  held,  the  ser- 
vices being  conducted  by  Reverend  Thomas  Ellis,  a  local  preacher 
from  Seymour,  in  the  absence  of  the  circuit  appointee.  Birmingham 
circuit  was  soon  after  formed,  and  the  first  stationed  ministers  were 
Reverend  Orlando  Starr  and  Reverend  J.  B.  Beach,  the  latter  being 
here  in  1840. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  431 

In  1841-2  the  preacher  was  Reverend  Nathaniel  Mead,  and  under 
his  pastoral  care  the  church  more  than  doubled  her  membership,  and 
subscriptions  of  over  $1,000  were  taken  to  liquidate,  in  part,  the  debt 
upon  the  church,  which  debt  was  cleared  off  in  1S49. 

In  1850  Reverend  John  M.  Reid  was  appointed  pastor  of  the  Bir- 
mingham church.  Under  his  supervision  the  front  of  the  church  was 
enlarged  and  built  anew  and  a  high  steeple  added,  but  before  it  was 
thoroughly  secured  at  the  base  a  strong  gale  of  wind  brought  it  to 
the  ground  a  complete  wreck.  Then  the  present  steeple  was  put  up 
a  few  feet  higher  at  the  option  of  the  builders,  as  the  word  was  freely 
passed  around  when  the  other  fell  that  "  the  society  built  their  steeple 
higher  than  they  owned." 

The  church  was  rededicated  in  June,  1851,  by  Reverend  Joseph 
Hagany.  A  series  of  meetings  were  commenced  in  the  fall  and  con- 
tinued through  the  winter,  and  the  membership  of  the  church  was 
increased  by  100  additions. 

In  1859  and  1860  Reverend  Reuben  H.  Loomis  was  the  pastor,  and 
during  his  administration  25  feet  were  added  to  the  rear  of  the  church 
and  lecture  room,  at  an  expense  of  about  $3,000. 

From  1866  to  1868  Reverend  Ichabod  Simmons  was  the  pastor. 
During  his  term  of  service  the  present  parsonage  was  built,  and  an 
organ  costing  $4,000  placed  in  the  church.  In  1886  the  debt  of  the 
church,  amounting  to  $2,550,  was  paid,  and  the  society  is  now  free 
from  debt. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  churches  in  Ansonia  and  Shelton  are 
both  offshoots  from  the  church  in  Birmingham,  causing  a  large  loss  in 
the  membership  of  the  home  church,  which,  notwithstanding,  has  now 
within  her  fold  nearly  400  members.  These  form  classes,  led  in  1890 
by  G.  W.  Cheesman,  J.  W.  Osborne,  J.  P.  Curtiss  and  S.  H.  Lessley. 
The  former  was  also  the  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  school,  which 
had  about  375  members.  This  valuable  aid  of  the  church  was  or- 
ganized previous  to  the  dedication  of  the  church  building  in  1S37, 
and  has  since  been  regularly  continued. 

The  entire  church  property  is  valued  at  nearly  $25,000,  and  in 
1890  was  in  charge  of  the  following  trustees:  C.  B.  Ailing,  H.  B. 
Curtiss,  E.  W.  Peck,  E.  D.  Beebe,  A.  H.  Gilbert,  G.  H.  Crook,  W.  A. 
Dibble  and  A.  H.  Ailing. 

The  pastors  of  the  Birmingham  church  since  the  time  of  Rev- 
erend Mead  have  been  appointed  as  follows:  1843,  Reverend 
J.  B.  Wakeley;  1844,  C.  C.  Keys;  1845,  J.  D.  Marshall;  1846,  F.  W. 
Smith;  1848,  W.  Gothard;  1849-50,  J.  M.  Reid;  1851-2,  T.  G.  Osborn; 
1853-4,  C.  Fletcher;  1855-6,  G.  A.  Hubbell;  1857-8,  F.  Bottome;  1859-60, 
R.  H.  Loomis;  1861-2,  W.  T.  Hill;  1863,  J.  S.  Inskip;  1864-5,  J.  W. 
Home;  1866-8,  Ichabod  Simmons;  1S69-71,  J.  S.  Breckenridge;  1872-3, 
C.  S.  Williams;  1874-5,  J.  Pullman;  1876-8,  William  McAllister; 
1879-80,  J.   L.  Peck;  1881-2,  H.   E.  Burnes;    1883,  G.   L.  Thompson; 


432  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

1884-6,   A.   C.   Eggleston;    18S7-S,   J.    H.   Lightbourne;   1889,  W.   A. 
Richard. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  there  are  union  chapels  for  the  use  of 
Protestant  worshippers  at  Burtville,  and  on  Jewett  street,  in  Derby  vil- 
lage. These  command  the  support  of  many  active  workers  of  various 
denominations,  and  are  especially  useful  for  Sunday  school  purposes, 
which  are  regularly  held  in  them. 

In  Derby  village  is  also  a  house  of  worship  for  the  African  Metho- 
dists, which  is  occupied  by  the  "  Zion  church  "  organization,  of  which 
George  A.  Given  was  the  pastor  in  1889.  This  body  also  maintains  a 
Sabbath  school. 

St.  Mary's  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  (Roman  Catholic) 
is  most  desirably  located  at  Birmingham.  The  present  stately  church 
edifice  was  commenced  in  March,  1882.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  on 
the  25th  of  June,  the  same  year,  by  Bishop  McMahon.  On  the  21st  of 
November,  1883,  he  and  Bishop  O'Reily  dedicated  the  church,  which 
was  at  that  time  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  church  buildings  in  the 
state  belonging  to  this  denomination.  The  edifice  is  impressive  by 
its  massive  and  substantial  appearance,  being  built  in  the  best  style  of 
architecture,  of  brick  and  stone,  and  it  has  a  beautiful  interior,  being 
embellished  with  fine  paintings  and  three  attractive  altars.  The  main 
one  is  composed  of  1,000  different  pieces,  marble,  onyx  and  other  val- 
uable minerals  entering  into  its  construction.  The  body  of  the  church 
has  a  seating  capacity  for  1,058  persons.  In  the  tower  is  a  very  heavy 
and  finely  toned  bell.  Adjoining  is  the  fine  parsonage  and  other  church 
property,  the  entire  value  being  about  $125,000.  More  than  $100,000- 
of  this  has  been  amassed  since  1878,  when  the  present  priest,  Rever- 
end Father  P.  M.  Kennedy,  became  connected  with  the  affairs  of  the 
parish.  He  has  not  only  been  energetic,  but  most  devoted  in  his 
efforts  to  advance  the  well-being  of  the  parish,  which  numbered  in 
October,  1890,  about  3,500  souls.  In  his  work  he  had  the  assistance  of 
curates  Reverends  Thomas  Finn  and  Michael  Barry.  In  the  manage- 
ment of  the  temporalities  he  has  the  cooperation  of  Lay  Trustees  Wil- 
liam Barry  and  John  Dockery,  the  latter  being  also  the  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday  school. 

It  appears  that  there  were  no  resident  Catholics  in  what  is  now  the 
flourishing  parish  of  Birmingham  until  the  fall  of  1833,  when  John 
Phalan,  William  Foley,  John  O'Conners  and  Matthew  Kellady  took  up 
their  abode  here.  They  were  soon  joined  by  Michael  Stokes,  Patrick 
Quinn,  John  Regan,  Farrel  Reily  and  others,  and  not  long  after  they 
were  visited  by  Catholic  missionaries.  In  1845  the  number  had  in- 
creased so  much  that  a  small  church  was  built,  a  spacious  lot  being 
donated  for  this  purpose  by  Anson  G.  Phelps.  This  building  was  after- 
ward enlarged  and  was  used  until  displaced  by  the  present  church. 
Among  the  priests,  prior  to  the  settlement  of  Father  Kennedy,  were 
Fathers  McDermont,  Smith,  O'Neal,  James  Lynch,  John  Lynch,  Sher- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  433 

idan  and  P.  J.  O'Dwyer,  who  was  transferred  to  Ansonia  as  the  first 
resident  priest  in  that  village. 

The  town's  first  places  of  burial  were  on  the  hill,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Naugatuck,  in  the  old  Uptown  locality.  Several  yards  are  still 
kept  up  in  that  locality,  although  no  longer  much  used.  At  first  the 
dead  from  every  part  of  the  old  town  were  brought  here,  and  there 
are  numerous  graves,  many  of  them  being  neglected.  In  1683  George 
Beaman  is  spoken  of  as  the  first  appointed  grave  digger.  The  town 
has  generally  cared  for  these  places  of  interment. 

The  beautiful  Birmingham  cemetery  is  on  the  banks  of  the  Hous- 
atonic,  below  the  dam.  It  has  a  commanding  location  and  embraces 
about  15  acres,  which  have  been  tastefully  improved.  It  is  controlled 
by  the  Birmingham  Cemetery  Association,  organized  in  1844  and  re- 
organized in  1864.  For  many  years  Robert  O.  Gates  has  been  the 
president  and  Charles  H.  Coe  the  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  ceme- 
tery contains  many  handsome  monuments. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Amos  H.  Ailing,  born  in  Orange,  Conn.,  January  3d,  1823,  is  a  son 
of  Charles  W.  and  Lucy  (Booth)  Ailing,  the  former  born  in  New  Haven 
in  1793,  and  the  latter  born  in  Woodbridge,  Conn.,  in  1798.  They  had 
seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  of  Charles  W. 
Ailing  was  Amos,  whose  father,  Silas,  was  a  son  of  Daniel,  whose 
father,  Samuel,  2d,  was  a  son  of  Samuel  the  1st,  who  was  a  son  of 
Roger,  who  came  from  England,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
New  Haven  colony.  Amos  H.and  his  brother,  Charles  B.,  commenced 
the  manufacture  of  woolen  cloths  in  Orange  in  1845,  and  continued 
until  1858,  when  they  removed  to  Birmingham  and  established  the 
manufacture  of  knit  woolen  goods,  which  they  have  continued  to  the 
present  time.  Amos  H. married  Sarah  E.  Prudden,  of  Orange,  in  1847. 
They  have  had  three  daughters,  two  of  whom  are  living:  Louisa  M., 
wife  of  Doctor  Beardsley,  of  Birmingham,  and  Carrie  E.  Mr.  Ailing 
was  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1865,  and  has  been  selectman  sev- 
eral terms. 

Charles  B.  Alling,  manufacturer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born 
in  Orange,  Conn.,  June  20th,  1824.  The  topographical  formation  of 
Birmingham  and  vicinity  is  a  very  interesting  study  from  the  geolo- 
gist's point  of  view.  He  is  carried  back  to  the  glacial  period  for  his  ex- 
planation of  the  land  formation.  Here  are  found  the  tumuli  distinctly 
marked,  and  one  of  them  a  little  toward  the  west  side  of  the  village  is 
bounded  by  streets  of  the  borough,  Olivia  and  Fourth  streets,  on  two 
sides.  This  tumulus  occupies  nearly  a  whole  borough  square;  and 
this  well  cultivated  mound,  set  here  and  there  with  large  trees,  has 
upon  its  summit  the  spacious  and  richly  furnished  residence  of  Mr. 
Charles  B.  Ailing.  Mr.  Alling  is  now  a  woolen  manufacturer.  He 
and  his  brother  are  partners  under  the  firm  style  of  A.  H.  &  C.  B. 
28 


434  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

Ailing.  His  mill  covers  a  large  plot  of  ground  near  the  junction  of 
the  Naugatuck  and  Housatonic  rivers.  The  waters  of  the  Naugatuck 
borne  in  a  canal  furnish  only  a  part  of  the  motive  force,  and  must  be 
aided  by  a  very  powerful  steam  engine  to  run  the  entire  machinery. 
The  floor  space  of  the  mill  is  multiplied  by  several  stories  in  height. 
About  350  hands  compose  the  full  working  force,  and  the  product  of 
stockings  and  underwear  is  correspondingly  large. 

It  is  not  a  little  interesting  to  trace  along  the  business  growth  of  a 
great  manufacturer  like  Mr.  Ailing.  He  belongs  to  a  family  of  six 
children,  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  In  this  family  are  represented 
the  professional,  the  manufacturing  and  the  home  phases  of  society. 
One  of  the  brothers  is  a  distinguished  lawyer  of  New  Haven,  John  W. 
Allingf,  the  other  three  brothers  are  manufacturers,  while  the  two 
sisters  represent  the  thrifty,  hospitable,  high-minded  women  of  New 
England. 

This  family  of  children  was  born  and  brought  up  in  the  town  of 
Orange,  and  illustrates  well  the  truth  that  the  ablest  and  most  suc- 
cessful men  of  the  cities  and  business  centers  of  the  land  have  come 
from  the  country.  The  Ailing  family  here  alluded  to,  has  an  honor- 
able and  extended  lineage,  and  traces  its  name  back  to  Roger  Ailing, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  New  Haven  colony. 

The  father  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Ailing  was  Charles  W.  Ailing,  born  in  Or- 
ange. His  mother  was  Lucy  (Booth)  Ailing,  daughter  of  Walter  Booth, 
of  Woodbridge,  a  revolutionary  soldier.  Charles  W.  Ailing  began  in 
Orange  the  manufacture  of  woolen  cloth  in  a  small  way.  Despite  the 
hindrances  of  which  the  farmers  of  Connecticut  now  complain,  the 
farmers  of  those  days  kept  large  flocks  of  sheep.  The  spinning  of  the 
yarn  was  done  at  home,  and  then  the  farmers  patronized  the  mill  for 
manufacturing  the  yarn  into  cloth  and  dressing  it.  But  the  processes 
of  manufacture  were  rapidly  changing,  and  not  many  years  passed 
before  all  the  work  of  manufacture  of  the  large  wool-growing  district, 
in  which  the  Ailing  mill  of  Orange  stood,  was  done  at  the  mill. 

And  now  while  yet  a  boy,  and  his  school  days  hardly  over,  C.  B. 
Ailing  gathered  wool  from  the  farmers,  and  so  furnished  his  father's 
mill  with  raw  material.  But  at  17  years  of  age  he  took  charge  of  the 
manufacture,  for  the  farmer  customers — the  wool  carding,  and  spin- 
ning, and  weaving  and  finishing  of  the  cloth. 

Mr.  Ailing  continued  in  charge  of  his  father's  mill  until  he  was  21 
years  of  age,  and  then  in  1845  began  business  for  himself,  renting 
from  his  father  the  Orange  mill.  Still  he  had  not  a  dollar  of  capital, 
but  by  his  economical  management  and  sagacious  methods,  he  was 
able  not  only  to  continue  business,  but  to  increase  it.  The  Orange 
mill  was  run  by  water,  and  contained  only  one  set  of  machinery. 

But  business  increased  more  and  more  in  Orange,  and  as  the  times 
demanded,  changed  in  form.  The  custom  manufacture  of  cloth  for 
the  farmers  now  decreased  in  demand,  and,  following  a  business  fore- 


•m 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  435 

sight,  Mr.  Ailing  turned  his  attention  to  yarn  and  hosier)',  and  in  after 
years  to  hosiery  and  underwear.  Orange  became  too  strait  for  the 
manufacture.  The  location  must  be  changed,  and  Birmingham  was 
sought  out  as  offering  an  excellent  water  privilege,  and  easy  means  of 
transportation.  Here  the  Paugassett  Mills  have  grown  to  the  dimen- 
sions already  suggested;  and  to  the  progress  of  the  industry  Mr.  C.  B. 
Ailing  has  devoted  his  personal  energies  and  direction  from  year  to 
year. 

Mr.  Ailing  is  one  of  the  typical  business  men  of  New  England. 
Whatever  it  may  be  needful  to  do,  can  be  done,  is  one  of  his  principles 
of  action;  and  if  it  be  along  the  line  of  the  manufacture  in  which  he 
is  engaged,  he  can  do  it.  His  business  foresight  is  remarked  upon  by 
his  neighbors,  and  to  him  they  often  go  for  counsel.  His  own  success 
in  life  is  proof  of  business  ability  of  the  first  order. 

In  person  Mr.  Ailing  is  pleasing,  possessing  a  quick  intelligence, 
and  quiet,  home-like  manners.  His  kindness  of  nature  is  known  among 
all  his  acquaintances,  and  so  marked  a  trait  is  it  that  young  people  and 
children  are  drawn  to  him  as  to  a  father.  It  is  not  thought  that  he 
could  do  anything  wrong,  and  is  the  soul  of  goodness  itself.  Hence, 
he  is  beloved  among  his  acquaintances  everywhere. 

Mr.  Ailing  is  decidedly  a  public-spirited  man.  To  him,  more  than 
to  any  other  citizen,  the  borough  of  Birmingham  is  indebted  for  its 
finest  blocks  of  buildings  on  its  main  street.  In  them  he  provided 
halls  for  societies,  rooms  for  the  Board  of  Trade,  fine  post  office  accom- 
modations, and  advantages  to  the  business  and  social  community. 
He  was  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the  great  Ousatonic  dam  and 
canal,  upon  which  so  much  of  the  life  and  growth  of  Shelton  and  Bir- 
mingham depend. 

Mr.  Ailing  has  shrunk  away  from  all  political  emoluments,  and  has 
denied  to  himself  positions  on  boards  and  directorates  to  which  his 
fellow  business  men  have  urgently  invited  him. 

Many  years  since  a  severe  illness  left  him  so  deaf  that  he  cannot 
hear  the  conversations  of  people,  or  the  services  in  his  church,  except 
with  a  speaking-tube.  Hence  he  has  shrunk  away  from  those  asso- 
ciations, whether  in  business  or  society,  where  good  hearing  is  a 
qualification  for  ready  efficiency.  And  to  the  deep  regret  of  his  fel- 
low business  men,  they  have  seen  him  draw  away  from  those  associa- 
tions where  his  presence  and  counsel  would  have  been  so  satisfying  to 
them. 

On  May  10th,  1853,  he  married  Miss  Julia  M.  Prudden,  a  lady  of 
much  grace  of  manner  and  of  heart,  of  whom  her  husband  was  ex- 
ceedingly fond.  Her  fortitude  of  nature  was  equalled  only  by  her 
cheerfulness  in  sharing  with  her  husband  the  self-denials  of  earlier 
married  life,  and  then  just  as  gracefully  did  she  pass  with  him  to  the 
amenity  of  wealth,  and  the  prerogatives  it  gives.  She  was  greatly  be- 
loved in  the  community  for  her  gentle,  winning  graces,  and  foremost 


436  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

also  in  society,  the  favor  in  which  she  stood  by  very  force  carrying  her 
there.  There  were  no  natures  so  unhappily  compounded  but  that  fell 
in  love  with  her.  She  was  proverbially  right  in  whatever  she  did, 
and  it  was  the  maxim  among  her  children  as  of  her  husband  that 
whatever  she  might  do  was  necessarily  right.  She  died  August  12th, 
1889,  leaving  the  choicest  memories  of  love  and  honor  to  him  who 
wedded  her,  and  to  her  family. 

Two  children  were  born  to  them,  Charles  H.  and  Susie.  The  son 
married  Miss  Josephine  Slade  Hill,  of  Ansonia,  February  22d,  1886. 
Their  children  are  Kenneth  Slade,  born  April  23d,  1887,  and  Charles 
Booth,  born  August  4th,  1888.  Their  father  died  March  20th,  1890. 
The  daughter  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Ailing,  Susie,  married  Doctor  Charles  T. 
Baldwin,  of  Birmingham,  September  14th,  1887.  Their  son,  Harold 
Ailing,  was  born  in  Rome,  Italy,  January  31st,  1890.  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Baldwin  resided  in  the  Italian  capital  three  years.  A  highly  lucrative 
practice  was  won  there,  but  the  death  of  Mrs.  Ailing  summoned  them 
home  to  minister  to  and  comfort,  as  a  daughter  only  can,  her  father 
bereft  of  her  mother. 

Mr.  C.  B.  Ailing  is  a  Methodist  in  religious  faith,  and  holds  the 
leading  truths  of  the  New  Testament  with  all  the  grasp  of  undying 
hope.  He  is  liberal  toward  his  church,  and  every  good  cause,  and  is 
held  in  high  respect  wherever  known. 

George  E.  Barber,  the  junior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Howard  &  Bar- 
ber, was  born  in  Illinois  in  1859,  but  came  to  New  Hampshire  with  his 
parents  when  three  years  of  age.  His  mercantile  life  commenced  in 
Canaan,  N.  H.,  at  the  age  of  16  years.  Three  years  later  he  went  to 
Milford,  N.  H.,  in  the  employ  of  his  brother,  H.  H.  Barber,  who  had 
bought  out  a  dry  goods  and  carpet  store  there,  and  here  he  mastered 
the  details  of  the  business,  remaining  until  the  formation  of  the  pres- 
ent firm.  Mr.  Barber  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  is  a  P.  G.  in 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  a  P.  G.  Commander  of  the  state  of  Connecticut  in 
the  U.  O.  G.  C.  The  store  of  this  concern  at  268  and  270  Main  street, 
occupying  two  floors,  38  by  85  feet,  is  the  largest  and  best  lighted  in 
the  Naugatuck  valley.  They  carry  a  stock  of  dry  goods,  millinery, 
carpets  and  wall  papers  that  for  quality  and  variety  can  hardly  be 
surpassed.  By  close  application  and  constant  attention  to  every  detail 
of  the  many  departments,  and  by  the  broad  and  liberal  policy  uni- 
formly pursued,  these  gentlemen  have  had  the  satisfaction  of  a  con- 
stantly increasing  trade.  The  firm  are  about  to  enlarge  their  business 
by  the  occupation  of  the  fine  new  block,  just  erected,  adjoining  their 
present  store.  Four  floors,  or  nearly  12,000  square  feet  of  floor  space, 
will  be  used  for  the  display  and  sale  of  first-class  furniture. 

Robert  N.  Bassett,  manufacturer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born 
in  the  town  of  Derby  August  8th,  1821,  and  is  the  son  of  David  Bas- 
sett, who  is  remembered  with  honor  by  his  townsmen.  He  was  a  dis- 
tinguished citizen,  who  carried  out  the  golden  rule  as  closely  as  illus- 


>™&    0s&     I 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  437 

trations  are  found  in  human  life.  His  son,  Robert  N.,  has  inherited 
in  large  measure  the  qualities  of  his  father,  and  is  held  in  the  commu- 
nity in  like  esteem.  He  succeeded  to  the  business  of  his  father,  that 
of  auger  making,  but  the  demands  of  trade  brought  about  changes, 
and  now  he  manufactures  corset  clasps,  bone  wire  and  skirt  wire. 

His  manufacturing  plant  is  located  on  the  bank  of  the  Housa- 
tonic  river,  and  covers  a  plot  of  ground  85  by  368  feet.  A  large  force 
of  workmen  is  constantly  employed  turning  out  the  products  of  the 
factory.  Some  of  the  workmen  have  been  in  Mr.  Bassett's  employ 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  So  unusually  kind  and  confiding  is 
the  relation  of  all  the  employees  to  the  employer  that  no  workman  has 
anything  but  love  and  esteem  to  express  toward  the  generous  em- 
ployer. Mr.  Bassett  is  very  generous  in  his  treatment  of  all,  very  con- 
siderate of  their  well-being,  and  seems  never  to  forget  what  he  would 
like  if  he  were  in  their  place.  Hence  there  is  no  danger  of  a  strike 
in  Mr.  Bassett's  factory.  This  mutual  trust  and  consideration  has  cre- 
ated a  very  pleasant  feeling  throughout  the  factory,  especially  between 
the  employer  and  those  who  have  been  longest  in  his  employ;  so  that 
the  situation  in  this  respect  is  as  nearly  ideally  perfect  as  either  the 
labor  agitator  or  Christianity  can  hope  to  create 

The  manner  of  life  which  has  made  Mr.  Bassett  so  much  a  favorite 
in  his  factory  has  made  him  a  favorite  in  the  town  where  he  lives.  A 
little  incident  illustrates  the  general  feeling.  One  of  the  sick  whom  he 
visited  was  a  little  boy.  When  the  lad  was  recovering  Mr.  Bassett  took 
him  to  ride  in  his  carriage.  In  after  years  he  was  heard  to  say,  "  he 
wished  he  had  a  million;  he  would  give  half  of  it  to  Mr.  Bassett."  Mr. 
Bassett's  wealth,  family  history  and  social  position  give  him  promi- 
nence where  they  should,  but  the  poor,  as  the  rich,  speak  of  him  in 
terms  of  neighborly  love  and  honor.  He  is  affable  to  all,  he  is  gener- 
ous to  every  good  object,  subscribing  a  leading  sum  often,  and  clean 
of  character  as  he  is  honest  of  purpose.  A  large  business  has  brought 
him  into  contact  with  many  prominent  business  men,  while  his  hearty, 
generous  nature  has  made  him  foremost  in  many  of  the  best  enter- 
prises of  his  generation.  The  soldiers  found  him  to  be  their  friend  in 
need,  and  when  Governor  Buckingham  called  a  conference  upon 
military  matters  of  Connecticut  representative  men  during  the  dark 
days  of  the  rebellion,  Mr.  Bassett  was  invited  from  Derby.  It  is  proper 
to  say  just  here  that  the  material  for  this  sketch,  as  the  material  for  so 
many  others,  came  from  the  neighbors  of  the  subject.  A  character 
becomes  measured  quite  accurately  by  life-long  neighbors,  and  in  the 
community  where  he  has  lived. 

Of  business  positions  besides  his  own  manufactory,  Mr.  Bassett  has 
been  president  of  the  Derby  .Savings  Bank,  director  of  the  Birmingham 
National  Bank,  president  of  the  Derby  Rubber  Company,  director  of 
the  Ousatonic  Water  Company  for  several  years  and  president  of  the 
Derby  Comb  Company. 


438  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

He  has  steadily  and  quite  persistently  refused  political  honor,  but 
in  1863  allowed  his  townsmen  to  elect  him  to  the  legislature,  and  some 
local  responsibilities  have  been  thrust  upon  him  which  he  could  not 
turn  aside.  His  religious  faith  is  that  of  his  family  history,  the  Con- 
gregationalism and  he  has  been  an  officeholder  for  the  society  for 
many  years. 

He  married  October  5th,  1842,  Miss  Elizabeth  S.  Downs,  of  Derby, 
and  his  family  includes  two  daughters,  Miss  Mary  E.  Bassett  and  Mrs. 
Jennie  B.  Sawyer,  of  Derby. 

Royal  M.  Bassett,  manufacturer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born 
in  Derby,  Conn.,  October  22d,  1828.  His  ancestry  is  easily  traced  back- 
ward to  John  Basset,  of  New  Haven.  The  colonial  records  speak  of 
him  in  1647,  and  give  his  death  as  occurring  in  February,  1653.  His 
son,  Robert,  located  in  Stratford,  where  he  married  his  wife.  The 
settlement  of  the  Bassett  family  now  showed  a  tendency  to  move  up 
the  Housatonic  and  Naugatuck  rivers.  Sergeant  Robert,  son  of  Rob- 
ert Bassett,  purchased  land  in  Derby,  and  presented  it  to  his  second 
son,  Samuel  Bassett.  Samuel  came  to  Derby  when  he  was  only  17 
years  of  age.  The  land  given  him  by  his  father  embraced  several 
parcels,  and  one  of  them  was  at  the  foot  of  Great  hill,  known  now  as 
the  "Old  Bassett  Place  ";  and  others  were  on  Great  hill.  There  lived 
Ebenezer,  son  of  Samuel;  and  James,  son  of  Ebenezer,  the  great- 
grandfather of  Royal  M.  But  William,  son  of  James  and  grandfather 
of  Royal  M.,  was  not  born  for  farming  so  much  as  for  trading.  He 
acquired  an  early  discipline  in  a  country  store  up  the  Housatonic 
river.  A  thrifty  nature  made  him  saving  of  his  earnings  and  am- 
bitious to  enlarge  upon  them.  In  time  he  was  able  to  open  a  country 
store  for  himself,  and  chose  Derby  as  the  location.  Derby  had  been 
a  town  of  considerable  commercial  importance  both  because  of  its 
West  India  and  coastwise  shipping,  and  it  was  still  showing  the  evi- 
dences of  its  fortune  in  having  a  large  trade.  Bridgeport  by  the  turn- 
pike northward  into  western  Connecticut  had  sapped  considerable  of 
the  business  life  of  Derby,  for  Bridgeport  was  an  open  port  all  the 
year  round,  while  the  Housatonic  river  was  closed  to  shipping  a  part 
of  the  year;  still  Derby  was  the  port  for  a  considerable  trade.  Mr. 
Bassett  grasped  "  the  skirts  of  happy  chance." 

One  child  was  born  to  him  and  his  wife,  Lucy  Smith — Sheldon 
Bassett.  He  was  carefully  trained  under  the  loving  eye  of  a  judicious 
mother.  But  manners  and  morals  were  given  strict  attention  to,  for 
Mrs.  Bassett  was  a  model  of  propriety  and  grace,  and  strictly  religious 
in  all  her  habits.  Having  such  a  mother,  Sheldon  could  not  fail  to  be 
the  admirable  character  he  was.  His  father  spared  no  pains  to  give 
the  lad  all  the  advantages  of  schooling  and  social  life  within  reach  of 
the  home.  Gradually  Sheldon  Bassett  was  introduced  to  the  mysteries 
of  successful  trading,  and  became  the  partner  of  his  father  in  the 
store.     And  when  the  partnership  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent, 


u& 


£^%B> 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  439 

Sheldon  Bassett  opened  a  store  in  Birmingham.  As  a  reason  for  the 
removal  it  may  be  said  that  the  commercial  status  of  Derby  Center 
was  now  changing.  Business  was  shifting  its  greater  volume  to  the 
new  location.  Because  of  its  superior  opportunities  for  manufactur- 
ing, Birmingham,  though  contiguous  to  Derby  Center,  was  outstrip- 
ping her  neighbor.  As  manufacturing  was  coming  into  the  town,  the 
thoughts  of  the  more  ambitious  young  men  were  widening  with  the 
expanding  business  life.  The  Colburns,  of  Westville.  had  established 
their  foundry  in  Derby  in  1836,  and  Sheldon  Bassett  perceiving  a  busi- 
ness opportunity  of  much  promise,  became  a  partner  in  the  new 
concern. 

His  prominence  in  town  matters  was  evidenced  before  this  date, 
for  he  had  already  been  town  clerk  and  justice  of  the  peace,  and  had 
established  a  reputation  for  public  and  administrative  virtue.  And 
the  evidence  of  his  business  career  only  widened  his  influence  in  the 
town . 

In  1850  the  foundry  was  made  a  joint  stock  corporation  under  the 
name  of  "The  Birmingham  Iron  Foundry,"  and  Sheldon  Bassett  be- 
came more  and  more  a  controlling  factor,  until  the  management 
passed  into  his  hands. 

But  Mr.  Bassett  held  other  business  relations  in  town.  He  was  one 
of  the  original  incorporators  of  the  Derby  Savings  Bank,  and  touched 
the  business  life  of  the  town  at  many  points.  He  was  a  good  counsel- 
lor, and  his  opinion  was  often  sought  for  as  valuable  on  the  questions 
affecting  the  welfare  of  his  neighbors  and  his  town.  He  married  Miss 
Harriett  Hull,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Samuel  Hull,  one  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  revolutionary  army.  She  was  a  woman  of  fine  spirit,  of 
earnest  purpose  and  pure  religious  character — the  well-suited  coun- 
terpart of  her  husband.  Her  children  have  called  her  "blessed" 
since  they  were  able  to  appreciate  the  value  of  the  example  she  gave 
them. 

To  Sheldon  Bassett  and  his  wife,  Harriet  Hull,  were  born  six  chil- 
dren: William  H.,  Royal  M.,  Mrs.  Ellen  S.  Norton,  Mrs.  Lavinia  De 
Forrest,  Mrs.  Lucy  P.  Colt  and  Theodore  S.  Of  this  family  of  children 
only  two  are  living:  Royal  M.,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this  history, 
and  Theodore  S.,  one  of  the  business  men  of  Birmingham.  Upon  the 
death  of  Sheldon  Bassett,  in  1864,  his  son.  Royal  M.,  succeeded  to  the 
presidency  of  the  Birmingham  Iron  Foundry,  and  his  other  son,  Theo- 
dore S.,  was  chosen  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
company,  which  was  originally  $32,000,  has  since  been  increased  to 
$100,000;  and  under  the  management  of  these  two  brothers,  the  busi- 
ness has  been  very  prosperous. 

Royal  M.  Bassett  obtained  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
his  native  town,  and  in  academies  in  New  Haven  and  in  Haddam. 
The  fortune  he  inherited  was  only  slender,  and,  like  many  of  his  social 
peers,  he  must  make  his  own  business  career.     He  was  endowed  with 


440  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

executive  ability  of  the  first  order,  and  his  gift  of  administration  was 
presided  over  by  high  moral  purpose  and  social  qualities,  which  won 
confidence  and  often  love.  Hence  he  became  the  companion  of  hon- 
orable men,  among  whom  he  maintained  the  distinction  of  wise  fore- 
sight and  virtue  in  all  his  transactions.  If  his  business  judgment 
sometimes  failed,  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that  oftener  it  led  him  aright, 
and  his  accumulations  of  wealth  are  visible  to  all  observers.  Mr.  Bas- 
sett  was  one  of  the  principal  promoters  of  the  Ousatonic  Water  Com- 
pany, which  has  made  the  great  mills  of  Shelton  a  reality,  giving  to 
the  enterprise  the  strength  of  his  influence,  and  investing  capital  in 
its  stock.  He  was  also  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Derby  Gas 
Company.  Besides,  his  interest  in  popular  education  has  made  him 
an  ardent  friend  of  the  public  schools,  and  the  splendid  school  build- 
ing in  the  Sixth  district  of  Birmingham  is  largely  a  monument  of  his 
wise  persistent  efforts. 

But  Derby  and  its  affairs  were  not  large  enough  to  compass  the 
breadth  of  his  spirit.  He  is  seen  outside  of  his  state,  along  the  line  of 
the  Pacific  railroad,  building  an  expensive  rolling  mill,  and  preparing 
the  iron  rails  for  the  rolling  stock  of  the  trans-continental  highway. 
He  is  also  seen  in  Utah  as  president  of  the  Northern  railroad,  and 
again  as  trusteee  of  the  Utah  Western  railroad,  and  later,  when  that 
railroad  was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Utah  Nevada,  he  was 
appointed  president.  He  is  also  vice-president  and  secretary  of  the 
Rubber  Reclaiming  Company,  having  an  office  in  New  York  but  em- 
bracing five  factories  in  different  manufacturing  centers.  And  though 
his  investments  are  held  at  many  points,  they  are  so  appointed  and 
controlled  that  he  has  abundant  leisure  for  what  recreation  or  travel 
he  may  care  to  enter  upon. 

On  November  9th,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Frances  J.  Stratton,  of 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  a  lady  of  kindred  tastes,  shown  both  within  and 
without  their  home;  but  she  died  February  14th,  1876.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them;  Lucy  L.  Bassett,  who  died  at  the  age  of  19 
years,  February  4th,  1879;  Royal  E.  Bassett,  about  4  years  of  age,  who 
died  January  9th,  1865,  and  Sheldon  H.  Bassett,  born  April  11th,  1867, 
now  of  New  York. 

Doctor  George  L.  Beardsley,  son  of  Doctor  Lucius  N.  Beardsley,  of 
Milford,  Conn.,  was  born  May  12th,  1848.  He  received  his  prelimi- 
nary education  at  the  Milford  High  School,  and  subsequently  was 
graduated  at  the  Hopkins  Grammar  School,  New  Haven.  He  gradu- 
ated from  Yale  College  in  1870.  He  was  a  high  stand  man,  and  by 
virtue  of  his  scholarship,  became  a  member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
Society.  In  1873  the  degree  of  A.  M.  was  given  him.  He  attended 
the  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  New  York,  receiving  the  degree 
of  M.  D.  in  1873.  Subsequently  he  was  appointed  surgeon  in  charge 
of  the  out  door  department  for  the  surgical  relief  of  the  poor,  remain- 
ing till  the  fall  of  1874.     In  February,  1875,  he  commenced  practice  in 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  441 

Birmingham,  Conn.  Doctor  Beardsley  has  held  several  prominent 
positions,  serving  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Second  Regiment, 
C.  N.  G.,  for  five  years,  a  member  for  twelve  years  of  the  board  of 
education,  and  acting  school  visitor  for  the  past  three  years.  He  is  the 
medical  examiner  for  Derby,  having  been  appointed  five  years  ago. 
Doctor  Beardsley  is  a  literary  man  in  medicine,  as  well  as  a  surgeon, 
and  a  contributor  occasionally  to  the  leading  medical  journals.  In 
1874  he  married  the  eldest  daughter  of  A.  H.  Ailing,  a  leading  manu- 
facturer of  Birmingham.  He  has  a  son,  13  years  old,  and  a  daughter 
four  years  old. 

William  D.  Billerwell  was  born  in  Westport,  Conn.,  in  1851,  and 
came  to  Birmingham  May  15th,  1870.  He  had  previously  been  en- 
gaged in  New  York  as  machinist.  He  entered  the  employ  of  the  Bir- 
mingham Iron  Foundry  Company  in  1870,  and  was  made  foreman  in 
1882.  He  was  master  mechanic  at  one  time,  but  resigned  the  position. 
He  now  has  charge  of  the  light  machinery  department.  He  married 
Flora  Burt,  of  Hillsboro,  N.  H.,  in  1883.  He  is  a  member  of  Birming- 
ham Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Ansonia  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.;  also  the 
Pequot  Tribe  of  Birmingham. 

Thomas  S.  Birdseye,  of  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born  in  Hunt- 
ington, Conn.,  October  11th,  1840,  and  removed  to  Birmingham  the 
following  spring.  The  Birdseye  family  of  Connecticut  is  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  honorable  in  the  list  of  notable  families.  Its  numeri- 
cal strength  is  equaled  only  by  the  generally  high  character  of  the 
family  name.  The  descendants  are  now  found  in  most  of  the  states 
and  territories  of  the  Union.  The  first  ancestor  of  this  family  known 
in  Connecticut  was  John  Birdseye,  who  came  from  Reading,  in  Berk- 
shire, England,  in  the  year  1636.  It  is  stated  in  history  that  he  came 
first  to  New  Haven,  thence  to  Milford  in  1639,  but  soon  removed  to 
Stratford.  He  was  the  first  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
that  town,  and  in  those  days  the  diaconate  was  an  institution  of  great 
power  and  dignity — a  conspicuous  person — second  only  to  the  parish 
minister  of  the  established  church.  Of  the  only  two  grandsons  bear- 
ing the  name,  the  eldest,  Abel,  located  near  Middletown,  Conn.,  and 
dropped  the  final  "e"  of  the  name;  but  Joseph,  who  remained  in  Strat- 
ford, retained  the  name  in  its  original  form. 

Although  a  representation  of  the  "coat  of  arms"  was  until  recently 
known  to  be  in  Stratford,  that  branch  of  the  family  might  have  felt 
the  significance  of  their  name,  had  they  also  known  that  in  "  The 
Register  of  the  Book  of  Heraldry"  of  the  English  Nobility  the  follow- 
ing account  of  the  origin  of  the  name  is  given:  "  During  the  reign  of 
one  of  the  Edwards,  Utopha,  a  maid  of  honor  to  the  Queen,  was  hunt- 
ing with  her  hawk.  The  hawk  was  disappointed  in  seizing  its  ex- 
pected prey,  turned  in  a  rage  of  passion  and  directed  its  maddening 
flight  towards  its  mistress,  for  the  purpose  of  injuring  her,  when,  on 
■the  spur  of  the  moment,  one  of  the  attendant  cavaliers,  Eldred  by 


442  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

name,  shot  an  arrow  from  his  bow,  piercing  the  bird  through  its  eyes, 
thus  saving  his  mistress  from  all  harm."  For  this  service  and  his  skill 
at  archery,  Eld  red  was  knighted  with  the  name  of  "  Sir  Birdseye." 
His  "Coat  of  Arms"  was  a  hawk,  with  both  eyes  pierced  by  an  arrow. 
The  motto  on  the  shield  was  in  Latin,  rendered  in  English,  "Held  the 
bird  by  sight." 

There  were  eminent  men  in  the  line  of  descent,  among  whom  were 
Reverend  Nathan  Birdseye,  his  children  and  grandchildren,  who 
became  noted  in  many  professions — as  soldiers,  as  statesmen,  as  col- 
lege professors  and  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Reverend  Nathan  Birds- 
eye  was  born  in  Stratford  in  the  year  1714,  and  lived  to  be  more  than 
103  years  of  age.  He  was  college  bred  and  took  his  degree  from  Yale 
University  in  1736,  and  became  pastor  of  the  West  Haven  Congrega- 
tional church  in  1742;  preached  there  16  years  and  then  moved  to  his 
patrimonial  estate  in  Stratford,  where  he  lived  until  his  death.  His 
descendants  were  very  numerous,  and  seven  of  the  fifth  generation 
had  been  born  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  About  100  of  his  own  de- 
scendants composed  a  part  of  the  great  concourse  who  attended  his 
obsequies.  He  retained  his  mental  faculties  in  remarkable  vigor  until 
his  death.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  great  faith,  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  When  100  years  of  age  he  ascended 
the  pulpit  stairs  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  blind  and  tottering 
as  he  was,  preached  an  acceptable  sermon  at  the  ordination  of  his 
grandson  to  the  ministry,  and  offered  prayer  with  old-time  fervor. 
At  the  age  of  103,  a  short  time  before  his  death,  the  venerable  preacher 
again  prayed  in  the  church. 

It  is  not  purposed  to  now  trace  the  lineage  of  the  Birdseye  family — 
a  task  which  could  only  be  embraced  by  a  large  volume.  A  writer  of 
an  article,  published  in  "  Lippincott's  Magazine,"  July,  1879,  says  "  the 
Birdseye  pedigree  is  the  central  stem  of  all  Stratford  genealogies." 

In  the  present  day  the  Birdseye  family  is  represented  in  Birming- 
ham by  Thomas  S.  Birdseye.  His  father,  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye,  was 
born  at  the  family  homestead,  a  farm  only  a  few  miles  from  Birming- 
ham, in  the  town  of  Huntington.  There  is  in  the  home  of  his  son  a 
large  oil  painting  of  great  value,  reproducing  minutely  the  old  home- 
stead. There  is  the  ancient  house,  the  well  sweep,  the  servants,  the 
horse,  and  the  other  buildings,  all  speaking  of  the  home  life  of  those 
early  settlers.  There  Thaddeus  G.  Birdseye  was  born  September  9th, 
1810,  and  lived,  until  as  clerk  with  a  New  York  wholesale  grocery 
house,  he  began  his  business  life.  Soon  after  he  entered  the  post 
office  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  some  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1836  he  moved  to  Birmingham,  and  he  was  engaged  succes- 
sively in  the  grocery  and  dry  goods  trades.  He  became  postmaster  as 
the  successor  of  Henry  Atwater,  and  held  the  office  eight  years;  he 
was  town  clerk  also  four  years,  and  was  then  chosen  secretary  and 


yi&JiLc  ^3 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  443 

treasurer  of  the  Derby  Savings  Bank,  a  position  he  filled  for  20  years, 
until  his  death  at  70  years  of  age,  August  loth,  1880. 

Mr.  Birdseye  is  described  as  a  quiet,  unobtrusive,  genial  man,  one 
who  always  minded  his  own  business,  a  devoted  member  of  the  Epis- 
copal church,  a  faithful  official,  who  gave  great  satisfaction  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  financial  duties,  a  tried  and  trusted  friend  of  the  poor. 
There  is  an  inner  history  here,  beautiful  as  rare.  There  are  many  in 
every  community  who  have  but  little  of  this  world's  goods  and  who 
are  in  need  cf  a  faithful,  wise,  loving  counselor  and  friend,  one  who 
will  kindly  and  discreetly  help  them,  invest  their  money,  counsel  in 
its  outlay,  devise,  make  and  be  custodians  of  their  wills,  perhaps  be- 
come administrators  of  their  estates;  and  Mr.  Birdseye  was  the  rare 
person  to  whom  this  considerable  class  turned  for  that  brotherly  aid 
they  needed.  Without  remuneration  he  did  for  the  love  of  man  all 
the  helpful  things  that  only  those  who  so  received  can  appreciate,  and 
their  numbers  were  amazingly  large.  He  married  Miss  MaryA.  Shel- 
ton,  daughter  of  Alfred  and  Ruth  B.  Shelton,  of  Huntington,  July 
25th,  1839.  Their  children  are  Thomas  Shelton  and  Mary  Louisa 
Birdseye. 

The  same  general  and  many  of  the  special  traits  of  the  father  ap- 
pear in  the  character  of  his  only  son,  Thomas  S.  Birdseye.  He  en- 
tered the  Birmingham  post  office  and  served  as  assistant  for  eight 
years,  and  later  acted  as  assistant  town  clerk  during  his  father's  in- 
cumbency. After  the  death  of  his  father,  in  1880,  he  was  chosen  his 
successor  as  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Derby  Savings  Bank,  a 
position  he  fills  with  all  the  efficiency,  fidelity  and  popularity  of  his 
honored  predecessor.  Cautious,  wise,  faithful,  loving,  he  has  suc- 
ceeded to  all  the  respect  and  esteem  in  society  which  his  father  held. 
The  widow,  the  orphan  and  the  aged  all  trust  him  and  seek  his  coun- 
sel and  his  friendly  service,  and  advice  is  given  willingly  and  gra- 
tuitously to  all.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  a  man  of  such  character  is 
held  in  high  esteem  and  loving  respect.  The  very  gold  of  worth  has 
been  shown  in  the  hearts  of  both  father  and  son. 

He  married  Miss  MaryA.,  daughter  of  William  and  Eleanor  Smith, 
of  Birmingham,  Conn.  Their  children  are:  Bessie  Rebecca,  Henry 
Shelton  (teller  in  the  Derby  Savings  Bank),  Eleanor  Louise  and  Mary 
Anna. 

Rufus  W.  Blake  was  born  in  Norfolk,  Mass.,  May  3d,  1841.  The 
careers  of  some  of  the  typical  self-made  and  prosperous  business  men 
of  New  England  have  a  dramatic  interest  attaching  to  them,  and  all 
the  more  so  since  the  dramatic  element  is  enacted  in  real  life  rather 
than  in  the  imagination  of  the  playwright.  Mr.  Blake  furnishes  an 
excellent  illustration  of  the  self-made  and  properous  business  man. 
He  was  helped  forward  at  the  beginning  by  no  favored  birth  or  in- 
heritance of  wealth.  He  was  the  son  of  a  farmer,  but  did  not  take  to 
farming  as  though  he  was  born   for  it.     Nor  was  he  satisfied,  when 


444  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

first  he  began  work,  with  being  a  bobbin  boy  in  a  cotton  factory,  nor 
yet  with  the  painter's  trade,  which  he  afterward  learned.  And  yet 
the  painter's  trade  seems  now  to  have  been  genius  seeking  out  its 
calling.  He  next  learned  the  art  of  cabinet  making,  and  this  art  in- 
troduced him  to  the  employ  of  Taylor  &  Farley,  of  Worcester,  Mass., 
manufacturers  of  melodeons.  The  smallness  of  that  enterprise  in 
1863  demanded  an  all-around  fitness  in  the  employees,  and  they  each 
and  all  became  familiar  and  really  expert  in  all  parts  of  organ  build- 
ing and  finishing. 

Four  years  later  (1867)  Mr.  Blake  formed  a  partnership  with  J.  W. 
Loring,  under  the  firm  style  of  Loring  &  Blake,  for  the  manufacture 
of  organs.  But  six  years  later  (1873)  the  Sterling  Organ  Company,  of 
Derby,  Conn.,  needed  an  infusion  of  new  life,  and  Mr.  Blake  was 
offered  the  position  of  manager.  The  financial  structure  on  which 
the  company  then  rested  was  weak.  To  those  who  knew  that  struc- 
ture it  is  indeed  surprising  that  the  storm  which  centered  in  Black 
Friday,  a  date  only  a  few  months  later  than  Mr.  Blake's  entrance  into 
the  company,  did  not  sweep  it  away.  But  the  manager's  ability  and 
indefatigable  energy  kept  it  intact  in  all  those  terrible  stormy  days. 

Again,  its  recuperative  energy  was  sorely  tried  in  1875,  for  fire 
swept  away  the  entire  plant,  except  what  could  not  burn,  and  de- 
stroyed much  of  that.  As  fast  as  the  factory  could  be  restored  it  was, 
and  organs  were  built  as  before.  But  in  1887  another  disaster  befell 
the  company  in  the  failure  of  a  great  musical  house  of  New  York,  and 
a  loss  of  $75,000  to  the  company  seemed  inevitable.  But  by  methods 
carefully  worked,  which  it  seems  no  other  than  he  could  have  devised, 
and  at  the  same  time  worked  them,  the  indebtedness  to  the  company 
was  paid.  Since  that  time  the  company  has  been  very  prosperous, 
losing  nothing  and  greatly  increasing  its  product. 

In  1885  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  add  piano  making  to  the  indus- 
try. Enlargement  of  the  factory  followed,  until  now  it  is  one  of  the 
largest  establishments  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  having  more  than 
150,000  feet  of  floor  space.  As  an  indication  of  its  growth,  the  statis- 
tics show  an  output  in  the  new  factory,  following  the  fire  of  1876,  of 
100  organs  per  month,  but  in  1878  1,200  per  month.  And  from  the 
piano  department  have  been  sold  more  than  12,000  pianos  since  1885. 
At  the  annual  meeting,  in  August,  1890,  the  capital  stock  was  in- 
creased to  $210,000. 

The  credit  of  this  great  growth  and  thrift  has  been  attributed 
chiefly  to  Mr.  Blake,  who  was  secretary  and  treasurer  from  1874  until 
1887,  and,  since  that  time,  the  president  of  the  company. 

An  analysis  of  Mr.  Blake's  habits  as  a  business  man,  places  his  suc- 
cess in  life  in  three  particulars. 

1.  A  thrifty  management  of  the  factory  lie  controls.  He  is  the  personal 
supervisor  of  the  factory.  Knowing  by  wide  and  long  experience  in 
organ  building  how  every  part  can  be   most  economically  and  rapidly 


/pr  ^^^— 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  445 

made,  he  also  knows  at  a  glance  when  the  workmen  are  best  serving 
the  factory's  output.  And  trained  himself,  he  can  select  trained  men, 
and  put  them,  only,  in  every  department.  There  is  no  concealment 
under  his  eye,  and  the  employees  strive  for  the  best  results.  Skilled 
in  designing  as  well  as  construction,  Mr.  Blake  exhibits  an  elegance 
in  his  organs  and  pianos  which  attracts  public  notice  and  makes  his 
instruments  popular. 

2.  Thrift  in  the  outside  management  of  the  company  s  pnrcliases  and 
sales.  The  materials  to  be  worked  up  into  organs  and  pianos  are  pur- 
chased with  keen  foresight  of  the  best  interests  of  the  company's 
treasury;  while  the  completed  goods  of  the  factory  are  laid,  by  wide, 
judicious  advertising,  in  sight,  if  possible,  of  the  people  of  all  lands. 

3.  Conscientiousness,  or  high  quality  in  manufacture  and  the  scrupulous 
keeping  of  all  business  engagements  and  contracts.  The  instruments 
offered  to  the  public  are  found  to  have  character  in  them,  and  to  be 
void  of  disappointment,  while  the  money  centers  where  the  company's 
financial  transactions  are  done  are  inspired  with  perfect  confidence  in 
the  pledges  of  the  factory.  The  inner  history  of  saving  to  the  com- 
pany the  impending  loss  occasioned  by  the  New  York  failure  already 
referred  to,  is  a  striking  proof  how  fully  the  word  and  character  of 
the  company's  president  can  be  relied  upon  in  business  circles. 

These  three  elements  of  business  manhood  have  given  Mr.  Blake 
a  very  high  standing  as  a  business  man.  He  has  sought  to  be  noth- 
ing else  than  equal  to  the  most  worthy  of  business  men.  Politics  have 
not  allured  him  from  his  industry,  though  his  townsmen  have  insisted 
that  he  should  serve  them  as  one  of  the  burgesses  of  the  borough  of 
Birmingham. 

Mr.  Blake's  religious  affiliations  are  Baptist.  December  29th,  1865, 
he  married  Miss  Hannah  Marsh,  of  Worcester,  Mass.  His  residence, 
on  Elizabeth  street,  both  within  and  without,  exhibits  everywhere  the 
evidence  of  cultured  taste  and  manners  of  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blake 
are  much  enjoyed  by  their  friends  for  their  domestic  and  social  vir- 
tues and  graces. 

George  Blakem  ax,  born  in  Derby  October  10th,  1799,  was  the  son  of 
Gideon  Blakeman,  carpenter  and  builder.  At  that  early  date  the  school 
advantages  were  limited  as  compared  with  those  of  the  present  time; 
yet  Derby  could  boast  of  an  academy,  situated  on  what  is  now  known 
as  Academy  hill.  Mr.  Blakeman  attended  school  there  until  he  was 
14  years  of  age,  then  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaking,  and  became 
master  of  his  time  at  17  years  of  age. 

A  few  years  were  spent  as  journeyman,  and  then,  at  about  21  years 
of  age,  he  began  business  for  himself,  employing  men  to  manufacture 
shoes  and  boots  and  selling  the  surplus  product  in  New  York.  He 
conducted  this  business  until  1837,  and  then  went  into  partnership 
with  a  well  known  Derby  citizen  for  the  sale  of  dry  goods  and  grocer- 
ies.    But  in  1S46  he  entered  as  manager  the  joint  stock  enterprise  of 


446  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

the  Ansonia  Boot  &  Shoe  Company.  But  the  term  of  service  lasted 
only  four  years,  when  he  became  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  An- 
sonia Clothing  Company.  He  then  went  to  Birmingham,  and  at  the 
organization  of  the  Shelton  Company — a  company  manufacturing 
tacks,  all  kinds  of  small  nails  and  all  sorts  of  bolts — Mr.  Blakeman  be- 
came secretary  and  treasurer.  Here  he  continued  until  December, 
1889,  when  failing  eyesight,  at  the  age  of  90  years,  seemed  to  counsel 
him  to  put  the  work  in  charge  of  younger  men. 

A  glance  only  at  this  long  business  life  suffices  for  the  conclusion 
that  Mr.  Blakeman  has  been  a  man  of  remarkable  vitality.  And  now 
with  intellectual  power  but  slightly,  if  at  all,  impaired,  he  might  go 
on  casting  up  accounts  and  managing  finances.  His  memory  is  vig- 
orous and  quite  ready,  and  his  nerves  are  steady  as  those  of  much 
younger  men.  His  powers  of  conversation  are  entertaining,  and  the 
past  is  a  vivid  panorama  which  he  takes  pleasure  in  reviewing  by  ex- 
planation and  recital. 

All  this  is  the  more  remarkable  since,  in  youth  and  early  manhood, 
he  was  so  sickly  and  feeble  it  was  thought  he  could  live  but  a  very 
short  time.  In  fevers  and  sickness,  in  pain  and  suffering,  he  was 
given  over  to  die,  and  for  more  than  30  years  was  little  better  physi- 
cally than  an  invalid.  But  he  had  immense  energy  that  could  not  be 
curbed  into  quietness,  and  hence  he  kept  at  business  or  work  until  his 
infirmities  passed  by,  and  now  for  50  years  has  been  comparatively 
rugged  in  health. 

Mr.  Blakeman  attributes  his  long  life  and  gradual  physical  im- 
provement to  his  total  abstinence  from  all  medicines  whatever,  and 
he  desires  to  commend  his  habit  to  people  in  general.  Not  since 
earlier  than  his  twenty-first  year  has  he  taken  any  medicine  whatever, 
believing  that  nature  is  the  great  healer,  nor  has  he  employed  a  physi- 
cian, however  sick  he  might  be,  believing  that  drugs  are  poisons 
rather  than  aids  to  the  enfeebled  body.  He  has  aimed  to  select  food, 
such  as  nature,  in  normal  condition,  craves,  and  has  not  drunk  tea  or 
coffee  since  1833. 

Mr.  Blakeman  has,  at  different  times,  held  positions  of  trust  out- 
side of  his  own  office  work,  as  director  of  the  Birmingham  National 
Bank,  and  of  the  Derby  Savings  Bank;  but  has  now  resigned  all  these 
to  other  hands.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  and  in  religion  casts 
his  allegiance  to  the  faith  of  his  ancestors  and  of  his  family,  who  are 
Congregationalists. 

Mr.  Blakeman  has  been  twice  married;  first  in  February,  1824,  to 
Miss  Julia  Ann  Tomlinson,  of  Derby,  who  died  i\pril  21st,  1879.  He 
was  married  again  April  14th,  1880,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Johnson,  of 
Orange,  N.  J.  Mr.  Blakeman's  residence  is  on  Broad  street,  Derby, 
overlooking  a  picturesque  portion  of  Birmingham  and  Shelton.  And 
now  retired  from  active  business  life,  he  occupies  his  time  attending 
to  his  estate  and  family  and  entertaining  friends.     For  amusement  he 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  447 

plays  the  organ,  of  which  he  is  fond,  and  takes  photographic  views 
with  his  camera,  of  beautiful  scenes  in  Derby  and  vicinity. 

Frederick  N.  Bradley,  born  in  Derby  in  188.*),  is  descended  from 
David,  born  1803;  Abijah,  born  1769;  Enos,  born  1726;  Enos,  born  1699; 
John,  born  1674;  Abraham,  born  1650,  and  William.  The  last  named 
came  to  Saybrook  from  England  in  1637,  and  was  made  a  freeman  in 
1644.  Enos,  the  second,  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come  to  Derby 
in  1746.  He  had  11  children.  One  of  his  sons  was  killed  in  the  revo- 
lutionary war,  at  New  Haven.  David  Bradley  married  Susan  C.Clark, 
of  Milford,  in  1834.  Their  children  are:  Frederick  N.  and  Sarah  F. 
Frederick  N.  married  Louise  G.  Hooper,  of  Ansonia,  in  1873.  David 
Bradley  died  in  1885.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  sash  and  blind  fac- 
tory, situated  in  the  southeast  part  of  Derby  on  Two-mile  brook,  in 
1832.  Agur  Gilbert  was  in  company  with  him  for  a  time.  He  retired 
and  Mr.  Bradley's  son,  Frederick  N.,  became  a  partner.  The  business 
is  still  carried  on  by  the  latter,  under  the  firm  name  of  D.  Bradley  & 
Son 

Charles  S.  Chaffee,  machinist,  Derby,  Conn.,  was  born  in  Wind- 
sor Locks,  Conn.,  January  25th,  1836.  His  parents,  Anson  and  Sally 
M.  (Whipple)  Chaffee,  moved  to  Derby  when  he  was  quite  young,  and 
placed  him  early  in  the  district  school.  But  it  was  not  his  good  for- 
tune to  continue  there  longer  than  his  tenth  year  of  age.  He  then 
went  out  from  home  to  work  on  a  farm  in  Stratford.  Four  years  passed 
by  and  he  returned  to  Derby  to  work  with  his  father  in  the  rolling 
mill.  But  at  17  years  of  age  he  went  to  Meriden  to  learn  the  trade  of 
machinist,  and  remained  there  until  1858.  He  then  returned  to  Derby 
again,  and  after  a  few  years  found  employment  in  the  factory  of  R. 
N.  Bassett,  where  he  has  been  a  trusted,  efficient,  superior  workman 
ever  since. 

In  this  long  period  of  service  in  a  single  factory,  Mr.  Chaffee  has 
won  to  himself  the  good  name  which  is  better  than  riches.  His  towns- 
men know  they  can  relyupon  two  qualities,  his  good  judgment  and 
his  integrity,  and  hence  they  have  chosen  him  to  responsible  public 
positions.  He  was  made  justice  of  the  peace,  and  before  his  court, 
during  his  two  years  of  office,  many  cases  came.  He  did  not  have  the 
technical  legal  education,  but  he  made  of  purpose  the  law  of  right  be- 
tween man  and  man  his  guide,  supplemented  by  what  legal  lore  a 
private  and  diligent  study  of  the  statutes  of  the  state  might  afford,  and 
his  court  acquired  the  reputation  of  impartial  justice,  tempered  by 
humanity. 

It  was  the  year  1886.  Labor  agitation  had  made  the  choice  of  a 
representative  of  the  working  classes  desirable,  and  Mr.  Chaffee,  as 
an  intelligent,  upright  citizen,  trustworthy  in  the  highest  sense,  was 
chosen  by  the  people  at  the  polls  for  representative  to  the  general  as- 
sembly. In  the  "House"  he  was  made  a  member  of  the  labor  commit- 
tee.    Again,  in  1888,  the  choice  of  the  people   rested  on  him  for  the 


484  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

same  office,  by  an  increased  majority.  And  when  his  term  of  service 
at  the  capitol  expired,  he  was  chosen  first  selectman  of  the  town  of 
Derby  for  two  successive  years,  a  position  he  held  in  1891. 

His  political  status  is  that  of  moderate  democracy,  and  he  has  so 
fully  the  confidence  of  his  townsmen  that,  though  he  cannot  command 
the  patronage  which  wealth  naturally  bestows,  numbers  of  the  oppos- 
ing party  have  voted  for  him  at  different  times.  The  tax-payer 
knows  that  while  his  administration  may  not  be  distinguished  as  bril- 
liant in  new  schemes,  it  is  yet  judicious  and  thoroughly  honest  and 
abreast  of  the  times. 

Mr.  Chaffee  is  president  of  the  Up-Town  Burying  Association  and 
member  of  the  school  committee.  He  is  also  treasurer  of  the  North 
American  Endowment  Association,  a  member  of  the  Pequots,  and  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  of  the  United  Friends.  His  re- 
lations to  the  G.  A.  R.  are  most  cordial,  and  while  he  was  never  on 
the  field  with  the.  veterans,  his  father  and  four  brothers  served  in  the 
Union  army. 

September  2d,  1858,  he  married  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Polly  Chalker,  of  Durham,  Conn.  One  daughter  has  been  born  in  the 
family,  May  3d,  1859—  Mrs.  Ida  May  Hubbard,  wife  of  Frank  C.  Hub- 
bard, of  Middletown,  Conn.  They  were  married  November  16th,  1881. 
Two  daughters  have  been  born  to  them — Ruth  and  Julia. 

Captain  Sanford  E.  Chaffee,  born  in  East  Windsor,  Conn.,  in  1833,  is 
a  son  of  Anson  Chaffee.  With  his  father  and. one  brother,  James  W., 
he  enlisted  April  19th,  1861,  in  Company  D,  2d  Regiment,  Connecticut 
Volunteers,  for  three  months.  They  were  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull 
Run.  Sanford  E.  was  then  first  lieutenant.  At  the  expiration  of  the 
term  the  father,  Anson,  reenlisted  in  the  ]Oth  Regiment  as  mu- 
sician. Another  son,  Harvey,  enlisted  as  private  in  the  same  regi- 
ment, and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war.  James  W.  reenlisted  in  the 
1st  Regiment  Cavalry  for  three  years,  and  was  promoted  to  orderly 
sergeant  of  Company  B.  Sanford  E.  raised  a  company  of  140,  re- 
ceived his  commission  as  captain,  and  joined  the  20th  Regiment.  He 
was  in  all  the  battles  with  this  regiment  until  after  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  when  he  was  sent  to  the  Baltimore  Hospital.  He  after- 
ward rejoined  his  regiment,  and  was  transferred  to  the  Southwest,, 
under  General  Hooker.  He  remained  in  the  service  until  after  the 
battle  of  Chattanooga,  when  on  account  of  the  injuries  he  had  received, 
he  resigned,  and  was  appointed  by  the  governor  of  the  state  as  re- 
cruiting officer,  serving  as  such  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then 
removed  to  Virginia,  and  took  part  in  the  reconstruction  of  the  state 
as  superintendent  of  registry  of  votes  under  the  reconstruction  act. 
He  remained  in  Virginia  till  1872,  when  he  returned  to  Birmingham 
and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Derby  Railroad  Company  as  depot 
agent,  which  position  he  still  holds.     He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 


«sZ^ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  449 

legislature   in   1886.     He   has   always   taken  a  deep  interest  in   the 
G.  A.  R.,  and  has  been  post  commander  two  terms. 

Charles  E.  Clark  was  born  March  18th,  1850,  in  Derby,  Conn. 
In  the  first  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  town  of  Orange  was 
peopled  by  many  families  by  the  name  of  Clark.  One  of  those  fami- 
lies was  the  ancestor  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  His  grandparents 
were  Nehemiah  and  Sarah  Clark,  well-to-do  and  excellent  farming 
people.  In  the  year  1820  they  both  died,  stricken  with  the  same  fever, 
and  passed  away  each  within  a  few  days  of  the  other. 

Their  son,  Merritt  Clark,  and  father  of  Charles  E.,  was  born  in 
1815,  and  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  tender  age  of  five  years.  But  a 
favoring  Providence  watched  over  him,  and  when  he  had  grown  to 
sufficient  age  he  entered  as  an  apprentice  to  the  trade  of  carpenter. 
Having  learned  the  trade  he  did  joiner  work  for  a  few  years  in  New 
Haven,  and  then  came  to  Derby  in  December,  1839.  Here  he  carried 
on  the  business  of  builder  and  contractor,  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
Willis  P.  Sperry,  and  later,  in  1842,  under  the  firm  name  of  Hotchkiss, 
Clark  &  Co.  This  company  was  afterward  merged  in  the  Derby  Build- 
ing &  Lumber  Company,  in  existence  at  this  writing.  It  is  remem- 
bered of  him  that  during  his  career  as  a  builder  in  1845,  he  built  the 
first  house  in  Ansonia.  He  remained  with  the  Derby  Building  & 
Lumber  Company  until  1861,  when  he  retired  to  enter  the  coal  trade. 
But  in  1877  he  turned  over  his  coal  interests  to  two  of  his  sons, 
George  B.  and  William  J.  Claak. 

He  was  married  October  27th,  1841,  to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Benja- 
min and  Anne  Hodge  of  Derby,  a  woman  of  great  motherly  goodness 
and  piety,  whose  instructions  are  not  departed  from  by  her  large 
family.  She  died  November  27th,  1889.  Their  children  were:  Emily, 
Mary  E.,  wife  of  Edson  L.  Bryant,  of  Ansonia;  George  B.,  Julia  V.,  wife 
of  William  R.  Steele,  of  Ansonia;  Charles  E.  and  William  J.  All  of 
this  large  family  are  living  at  this  writing,  and  it  is  a  very  happy 
feature  of  the  family  life  that  all  are  settled  near  home.  The  three 
sons  have  built  residences  close  to  the  homestead  for  the  purpose  of 
living  as  near  as  possible  to  the  parents  who  gave  them  training  and 
love  for  so  many  years.  The  family  associations  and  life  of  these  chil- 
dren, with  their  parents  in  the  center,  were  of  the  most  delightful 
kind.  Possessing  natures  of  great  affability,  these  children  worked 
steadily  for  the  happiness  of  each  other,  and  found  their  highest 
earthly  joy  within  the  family  circle.  And  when  the  circle  was  broken 
in  1889  by  the  death  of  the  mother,  the  common  pleasure  was  only 
chastened  into  the  greater  fondness  for  each  other. 

Mr.  Merritt  Clark  is  a  man  of  sterling  virtue  and  character.  He 
has  lived  a  life  of  every  day  usefulness  in  the  community  in  which  he 
has  so  long  had  his  home.  His  reputation  for  sound  judgment  and 
business  ability  is  of  the  best,  his  keen  perception  and  untiring  in- 
dustry having  brought  him  success  in  all  his  business  undertakings. 
29 


450  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

It  is  a  tribute  to  his  business  standing  that  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury he  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Birming- 
ham National  Bank.  He  is  now  passing  the  evening  of  his  life  greatly- 
respected  and  loved,  and  the  more  so  where  he  is  known  best,  and 
though  he  has  retired  out  of  the  active  business  community  to  live 
principally  in  the  circle  of  his  special  friends,  he  has  left  the  good 
name  which  will  not  die  in  the  wider  world. 

The  second  son  of  Merritt  Clark  is  Charles  E.  His  early  fortune 
did  not  favor  him  with  an  extended  period  of  school  life,  for  at  14 
years  of  age  he  went  from  the  school  to  a  clerkship  in  the  Birmingham 
post  office.  This  position  he  held  for  only  two  years,  when  at  the  age 
of  16  years  he  was  chosen  teller  of  the  Birmingham  National  Bank, 
February  12th,  1866.  So  well  did  he  discharge  the  duties  of  this 
position  that  he  was  certainly  in  the  line  of  promotion,  and  was  made 
assistant  cashier  June  22d,  1880.  Scarcely  four  years  passed  by  when 
Mr.  Joseph  Arnold,  who  had  served  as  cashier  with  distinguished 
ability  for  more  than  30  years,  died,  and  Mr.  Clark  was  unanimously 
chosen  his  successor  January  15th,  1884. 

The  able  president  of  the  bank  is  Mr.  Edward  N.  Shelton,  of  Bir- 
mingham, but  outside  business  matters  have  rightfully  absorbed  much 
of  his  attention,  and  the  internal  management  of  the  bank  has  fallen 
largely  upon  the  cashier. 

Mr.  Clark's  long  acquaintance  with  the  business  men  and  business 
condition  of  Birmingham  and  vicinity,  gave  him  the  ground  work  for  a 
successful  administration.  His  own  good  judgment  and  affability  in 
all  circles,  whether  business  or  social,  have  made  him  a  competent 
and  popular  officer,  with  whom  the  business  community  has  ever  been 
in  the  most  cordial  relations.  The  high  standing  of  the  Birmingham 
National  Bank  has  not  only  been  fully  kept  up,  but  advanced  under 
Mr.  Clark's  administration.  His  wide  acquaintance  in  Derby  and 
elsewhere  has  been  gained  in  part  by  his  genial  manners.  Any  one 
can  approach  him,  and  may  be  sure  of  coming  from  the  interview  with 
that  feeling  which  great  good  nature  inspires  in  one  meeting  another 
who  has  it.  And  this  quality,  united  with  unsullied  business  integrity 
and  dispatch,  has  made  him  one  of  the  most  trusted  and  popular  of 
officers. 

Mr.  Clark's  banking  duties  have  given  little  time  for  other  matters, 
but  he  has  been  called  to  serve  in  many  directorships,  treasurerships, 
etc.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Ousatonic  Water  Company,  the  Derby 
Silver  Company,  the  Derby  Gas  Company  and  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  and  has  been  the  treasurer  of  the  town  of 
Derby  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  also  treasurer  of  the  Derby  and 
Shelton  Board  of  Trade.  He  has  been  a  member  of  Ousatonic  Lodee, 
No.  6,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  for  some  15  years,  and  an  active  supporter  of  the 
purposes  of  the  order,  and  is  the  treasurer  of  the  Lodge.  He  has  re- 
cently become  a  member  of  King  Hiram   Lodge,  No.  12,  F.  &  A.  M. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  451 

He  has  from  his  youth  been  a  member  of  St.  James  Episcopal  church, 
Birmingham,  and  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  vestry.  He  is  a 
broad  churchman. 

There  are  only  two  questions  respecting  a  matter,  and  upon  the 
answer  his  cooperation  hinges.  Is  the  matter  in  question  a  positive 
good  in  itself?  and  secondly,  will  it  advance  either  the  material,  social 
or  moral  welfare  of  the  community?  If  these  questions  are  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  he  becomes  at  once  a  friend,  and  his  friendship  is 
not  cool  or  sluggish,  but  ardent  and  active. 

He  married  October  21st,  1874,  Miss  Lillie  Hawkins,  daughter  of 
Moses  H.  and  Eunice  E.  Hawkins,  of  New  Haven.  Their  children 
are:  Frank  M.,  born  August  11th,  1877;  Emma  A.,  born  August  25th, 
1879,  and  Ralph  H.,  born  April  24th,  1888.  Mr.  Clark  lives  on  Academy 
hill,  Uptown  Derby,  the  oldest  and  one  of  the  most  pleasant  portions 
of  the  town.  There  the  friends  and  acquaintances  of  the  family  meet 
a  cordial  welcome,  which  makes  them  desire  to  come  again. 

Josiah  M.  Colburn,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Stafford,  Conn.,  Decem- 
ber 20th,  1799.  Doctor  Colburn's  ancestors  are  easily  traced  backward 
a  little  way  to  Daniel  Colburn.  Trumbull,  in  his  "  History  of  Connec- 
ticut," says  that  the  town  of  Stafford  was  surveyed  in  171S,  and  that 
the  settlement  of  the  town  began  the  next  spring,  1719.  And  one  of 
the  few  pioneer  settlers  whose  name  he  records,  was  Daniel  Colburn. 
It  is  the  tradition  of  him  preserved  in  the  family  that  he  owned  a 
large  tract  of  land  in  the  town,  and  by  division  of  it  was  able  to  fur- 
nish his  several  sons  with  farms.  He  is  described  as  a  man  of  many 
ideas  and  enterprises.  In  addition  to  farming  he  manufactured  potash 
and  bricks.  He  built  a  saw  mill  and  grist  mill  for  their  several  uses. 
He  was  a  man  of  very  generous  nature,  so  that  the  amount  of  his  own 
estate  was  several  times  lessened  by  reason  of  his  endorsements  of  his 
neighbors'  financial  paper.  Certain  it  is  that  the  family  stock  has 
been  thrifty  in  all  worldly  affairs.  So  marked  has  this  quality  been 
that  there  was  such  a  thing  recognized  as  "  Colburn  luck,"  and  fre- 
quently referred  to.  From  the  precision  of  many  counting  houses, 
the  place  of  storing  securities  and  vouchers,  often,  indeed  quite  con- 
stantly used,  does  not  seem  to  be  as  safe  as  it  was  handy,  but  what  if 
the  hat  worn  from  day  to  day  should  be  half  hill  of  valuable  papers 
they  seemed  to  be  safe  enough,  while  also  "  Colburn  luck  "  attended 
the  daily  business. 

There  was  in  the  family  stock  a  vein  of  wit  and  pleasantry  which 
would  even  turn  an  occasional  misfortune  into  an  occasion  of  merri- 
ment. So  everything  was  made  to  go  well  and  not  ill;  and  the  Col- 
burns  shared  to  an  unusual  degree  the  pleasant  side  of  life.  They 
were  hearty  in  manner,  humorous,  happy,  and  sometimes  apparently 
careless,  yet  always  fortunate  in  the  outcome  of  events. 

Doctor  Josiah  M.  Colburn  sprang  from  this  stock.  He  lived  in  his 
native  town  in  early  boyhood,  and  while  yet   a  boy  of  only  14  sum- 


452  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mers  walked  to  New  Haven,  for  the  purpose  of  entering  a  lawyer's 
office  there  as  office  boy.  As  soon  as  he  could  he  undertook  the  man- 
agement and  tuition  of  district  schools  in  the  suburbs  of  New  Haven, 
and  afterward  he  moved  within  the  city  to  be  instructor  in  a  private 
school.  In  these  years  of  opening  manhood  he  gathered  the  means 
for  a  course  of  medical  training  at  Yale  University. 

He  commenced  the  practice  of  a  physician  in  Orange  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1822.  His  patients  were  not  numerous  for  the  few  first  years, 
for  the  young  physician  must  have  time  to  win  the  confidence  and 
patronage  of  the  community;  but  his  patrons  multiplied  with  every 
year,  until  they  spread  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  town,  and  espe- 
cially into  Derby  and  vicinity.  Doctor  Colburn  now  felt  the  need  of 
being  in  the  midst  of  a  larger  population;  hence  in  1840  he  moved  to 
Derby,  taking  up  his  residence  nearly  opposite  the  Congregational 
church.  Here  a  large  practice  demanded  his  attention;  but  after  a 
few  years  failing  health  made  him  less  able  to  care  for  his  patients. 
But  his  interest  in  them  did  not  allow  him  to  deny  to  them  his  ser- 
vices so  much  desired,  until  he  was  absolutely  obliged  to.  In  1849  he 
gave  up  his  practice,  and  attended,  as  he  was  able,  other  matters 
which  claimed  his  attention. 

As  a  physician  Doctor  Colburn  was  painstaking  and  self-sacrificing. 
Whatever  he  might  do,  he  threw  all  his  energy  and  power  into.  His 
temperament  was  so  sympathetic,  that  he  bore  his  patients  as  a  con- 
stant anxiety  on  his  heart,  often  losing  sleep  in  wakeful  thought  of 
them.  And  no  sacrifice  was  too  great  to  be  made,  if  only  by  making 
it  he  could  give  his  patients  relief  from  suffering. 

But  Doctor  Colburn's  tastes  led  him  outside  of  his  special  profes- 
sion. He  possessed  the  practical  judicial  mind,  and  but  few  people 
were  better  equipped  than  he,  by  mental  poise,  to  be  arbitrator,  or 
referee,  or  judge,  in  matters  of  difference  between  man  and  man, 
while  his  sense  of  right  made  him  unswerving  and  unbiased.  His 
fellow  townsmen  perceived  these  qualities  in  him,  and  chose  him  to 
be  justice  of  the  peace.  Very  naturally  then  a  large  volume  of  busi- 
ness drifted  to  him;  and  not  a  little  of  his  time  was  occupied  in  busi- 
ness of  a  legal  nature. 

It  should  be  said,  too,  that  the  Colburn's  proverbially  thrifty  in- 
stincts in  worldly  affairs  enabled  him  to  gather  property.  He  made 
investments  wisely  and  nurtured  dividends,  and  multiplied  them  m 
new  investments.  He  held  a  number  of  important  positions  in  busi- 
ness. At  one  time  he  was  president  of  the  Ansonia  National  Bank. 
He  was  also  United  States  assistant  assessor,  besides  being  selectman 
of  his  town. 

In  matters  of  religion  and  piety,  Doctor  Colburn  bore  a  likeness  to 
the  old-time  Congregational  physician.  His  Christianity  was  not  so 
emotional  as  practical.  It  consisted  more  in  good  living  than  in  the 
lively  singing  of  hymns.     In  his  opinion  the  old  forms  of  faith  and 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  453 

long  recognized  institutions  of  religion  were  true  and  steadfast,  and 
must  be  observed  for  peace  of  mind  and  virtue  in  society.  Hence  he 
was  a  strict  observer  of  the  quietness  and  restfulness,  as  of  the  wor- 
ship, of  the  Christian  Lord's  day.  The  recreative  manners  of  Sabbath 
observance  wounded  his  feelings,  for  he  believed  that  the  purpose  of 
the  day  did  not  make  it  a  holiday,  but  a  holy  day. 

Doctor  Colburn's  partner  in  life  was  Miss  Susan  Clark,  of  Orange, 
Conn.  They  were  married  September  18th,  1825.  Mrs.  Colburn  is  a 
lady  of  fine  tastes  and  cultivated  manners.  Her  kindness  of  heart  has 
made  her  always  a  very  valuable  friend,  while  her  genial  nature  has 
made  her  a  very  agreeable  companion. 

Five  children  were  born  in  Doctor  Colburn's  family,  three  of  whom 
lived  to  adult  years  and  two  passed  away  in  infancy.  But  the  father 
and  the  mother  outlived  their  children,  and  an  untold  pathos  in  their 
bereavements  is  felt  here.  Doctor  Colburn  was  very  domestic  in  his 
habits  and  loves,  and  the  life  of  his  family  was  one  continuous  sum- 
mer day,  except  as  clouded  so  dark  by  the  death  of  every  one  of  his 
children.  One  by  one  his  grown  daughter  and  two  sons  passed  away, 
and  he  lived  to  bury  them  all.  Then  the  father,  too,  passed  out  of 
sight,  March  19th,  1882,  leaving  the  wife  and  mother,  whose  evening 
of  life  already  referred  to,  is  beautiful. 

The  children  were:  Susan  M.,  wife  of  Doctor  William  J.  Whiting, 
died  March  29th,  1874  (Doctor  Whiting  died  August,  1889);  Benjamin 
Colburn,  manufacturer,  Bridgeport,  died  June  25th,  1860;  Addell  Col- 
burn, died  in  infancy,  March  6th,  1837;  Howard  Colburn,  manufacturer, 
Bridgeport,  died  February  4th,  1872;  and  Charlotte  Colburn,  who  died 
in  infancy  August  14th,  1849.  The  grandchildren  and  great-grand- 
children of  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Colburn  are  now  living,  and  any  of  them 
who  knew  him  cherish  the  fondest  love  of  him,  and  honor  his  mem- 
ory for  the  noble  qualities  he  possessed.  In  these  memories,  and  in 
the  traditions  of  him  which  linger  in  the  family,  as  inspiration  and 
example,  he  still  lives  in  the  higher  life  of  his  descendants. 

Edward  J.  Condon  was  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1848,  and 
came  to  Birmingham  in  1859.  He  first  engaged  in  manufacturing 
hoop-skirts  in  1866.  He  was  engaged  with  the  Birmingham  Iron  Foun- 
dry as  apprentice  boy  and  was  made  foreman  of  the  foundry  depart- 
ment in  1880.  He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  F.  of  Birmingham.  He 
married  Bridget  McMahon,of  Derby,  in  1870.  They  have  three  sons 
and  four  daughters. 

Martin  Fennelly,  born  in  Ireland  in  1841,  came  to  America  when 
nine  years  old.  He  came  to  Birmingham  and  learned  the  machinist 
trade  here  with  the  Birmingham  Iron  &  Steel  Company,  remaining 
with  them  from  1858  to  1874.  Since  the  latter  year  he  has  been  in 
the  employ  of  the  Whitlock  Machine  Company,  and  has  been  foreman 
since  1880.  He  has  about  60  men  under  his  charge.  He  was  married 
in  1868  to  Mary  A.  Commerford,  of  Boston,  Mass.  They  have  three 
children. 


454  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Edwin  B.  Gager,  lawyer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land, Conn.,  August  30th,  1852.  It  was  his  fortune  to  be  a  farmer's 
boy,  son  of  Lewis  and  Harriet  Gager,  and  to  gather  from  farm  life  as 
from  inheritance,  a  good  stock  of  health  and  of  practical  sense  for  use 
in  after  years.  Like  most  farmer's  boys,  he  worked  in  the  summer 
and  attended  school  in  winter  until  he  was  17  years  of  age.  Then, 
perceiving  the  advantages  of  a  college  education,  he  began  to  prepare 
for  college  at  the  Natchaug  School,  Willimantic,  Conn.  Among  the 
first  lessons  he  learned  was  that  of  self-reliance,  for  to  gain  the  funds 
for  further  study  he  taught  school  in  Hampton  and  Abington,  Conn., 
and  after  completing  his  preparation  he  taught  school  in  East  Hamp- 
ton, Conn.,  for  one  year.  He  then  entered  the  Academic  Department 
of  Yale  University,  class  of  1877,  and  during  his  academic  life  at  Yale 
taught  school  two  terms.  In  the  university  he  so  distinguished  him- 
self that  he  received  several  of  the  honors  open  to  students.  He  was 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Yale  Couraut,  one  of  the  Townsend  speakers, 
and  the  class  orator  of  the  class  of  1877.  He  was  one  of  the  competi- 
tors for  prizes  in  English  composition  in  both  the  sophomore  and 
senior  years,  and  won  highest  honors  in  both  years. 

After  graduation,  and  in  the  fall  of  1877,  he  accepted  the  position 
of  principal  of  the  Ansonia,  Conn.,  public  schools,  and  held  it  for  four 
years.  In  the  first  of  those  four  years  he  pursued  post-graduate  studies 
in  history  at  Yale,  and  in  the  remaining  three,  law  studies  under  the 
direction  of  Wooster  &  Torrance,  of  Birmingham.  In  the  second  year 
of  public  duty  in  the  schools,  Mr.  Gager  determined  to  study  law,  and 
applied  for  counsel  to  Judge  Torrance,  of  Birmingham.  The  result 
of  the  conference  was  the  selection  of  elementary  law  books,  and 
Judge  Torrance  entered  him  in  the  firm  of  Wooster  &  Torrance  as  a 
student  at  law,  little  thinking  of  the  close  business  relation  which 
would  exist  between  them  before  many  years  had  passed. 

Mr.  Gager  entered  the  office  of  Wooster  &  Torrance  in  July,  1881, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Connecticut  in  October,  1881.  He  be- 
came a  partner  in  the  old  and  established  firm  in  which  he  had  been 
a  law  student,  and  the  firm  name  of  "Wooster  &  Torrance"  was  made 
to  read  "Wooster,  Torrance  &  Gager,"  January  1st,  1882.  After  three 
years  of  prosperous  law  business  had  been  conducted,  in  1885  the  firm 
was  dissolved  because  of  the  appointment  of  Judge  Torrance  to  the 
bench  of  the  superior  court.  On  April  1st  of  that  year  Mr.  Gager  en- 
tered into  the  new  law  partnership  of  "  Wooster,  Williams  &  Gager," 
and  since  then  has  continued  in  the  active  practice  of  the  law. 

Mr.  Gager's  interest  in  education  has  not  died  out,  and  he  has 
served  on  the  school  board  of  the  town  of  Derby.  He  became  judge 
of  the  town  court  of  Derby  in  May,  1889.  He  is  a  republican  in  poli- 
tics, though  never  a  seeker  for  political  preferment.  In  June,  1890,  he 
■was  appointed  by  the  superior  court  one  of  the  "  Examining  Com- 
mittee for  Admission  to  the  Bar  "  of  Connecticut.     This  is  a  distinction 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  455 

worthy  of  notice,  since  it  was  the  first  state  committee  appointed  for 
that  purpose,  and  Mr.  Gager  is  the  only  appointee  from  the  bar  of 
New  Haven  county,  other  than  three  of  the  professors  of  the  Yale 
Law  School. 

Mr.  Gager  has  literary  tastes  of  a  high  order.  His  English  is  pure 
and  chaste,  idiomatic  and  expressive.  He  is  an  excellent  literary 
critic.  His  speeches  are  sought  for  at  local  banquets  and  public  meet- 
ings both  in  his  town  and  elsewhere;  and  they  always  exhibit  the 
thought  and  taste  of  the  scholar.  His  law  papers,  so  far  as  they  betray 
the  sources  whence  they  come,  are  manifestly  drawn  as  to  form  and 
literary  style,  from  a  scholarly  mind  and  a  cultured  taste.  He  is  fond 
of  the  work  being  done  week  by  week  by  the  Nous  Club,  of  which  he 
is  a  member,  and  follows  the  line  of  philosophical  inquiry  with  keen 
relish.  He  has  shown  his  interest  not  merely  in  the  weekly  discus- 
sions, but  on  the  anniversary  occasions,  when  his  poems  and  addresses 
are  among  the  exquisite  parts  of  the  programme. 

Mr.  Gager  was  married  in  October,  1885,  to  Miss  Nellie  A.  Cotter, 
daughter  of  Samuel  A.  Cotter,  who  was  for  many  years  superintendent 
of  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company.  He  continued  his  residence 
in  Ansonia  until  the  spring  of  1889,  when  he  moved  to  his  present 
residence  on  Atwater  avenue,  Birmingham.  There  himself  and  wife 
make  their  home  delightful,  not  only  to  themselves,  but  for  all  their 
numerous  friends.  One  son.  Edwin  B.,  Jr.,  was  born  to  them  July 
15th,  1889. 

Sidney  E.  Gesner,  born  in  East  Haven  in  1852,  is  a  son  of  John  E. 
and  Maria  N.  (Knapp)  Gesner,  and  grandson  of  William  H.  Gesner. 
John  E.  died  in  July,  1858,  when  Sidney  was  six  years  old.  Six  years 
later  he  came  to  Birmingham  with  his  mother.  He  had  one  brother, 
Eugene  N.,  who  died  in  1876,  and  one  sister,  Araminta  S.  Sidney  E. 
commenced  to  learn  the  carpenter  trade  when  he  was  18  years  old, 
with  the  Beardsley  Building  Company,  and  finished  when  he  was  21 
years  old.  He  has  since  followed  his  trade.  He  became  a  contractor 
and  builder,  and  has  built  some  of  the  finest  structures  in  Ansonia,  in- 
cluding the  houses  of  Franklin  Farrel,  Thomas  Wallace,  Jr.,  and  R.  H. 
Tucker,  and  the  Colburn  Block,  Ansonia,  and  many  in  Birmingham, 
including  the  residences  of  Frederick  Hull,  Henry  Haugh,  H.  B.  Peck 
and  D.  E.  McMahon.  He  employs  about  15  men.  Mr.  Gesner  is  also 
gaining  quite  a  reputation  as  an  architect,  and  is  doing  a  large  amount 
of  work.  He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman  and  member  of  the  town 
committee  of  Derby.  He  married  in  1872,  Frances  Beardsley,  of  Derby, 
and  they  have  two  children:    Ada  M.  and  Edwin  S. 

Agur  Gilbert  was  born  in  Huntington,  Conn.,  in  1807,  and  came  to 
Derby  in  1828.  He  learned  the  joiner's  trade,  and  was  at  one  time  in 
company  with  David  Bradley,  in  the  manufacture  of  sash  and  blinds. 
Afterward,  with  his  three  sons,  he  built  the  turning  factory  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  town  of  Derby,  on  the  Two-mile  brook,  in  1866. 


456  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

He  married  Mary  L.  Johnson,  of  Orange.  They  had  two  daughters 
and  three  sons:  David  J.,  died  1872;  William  F.,  and  Alfred  L.  The 
father  died  in  1887,  and  since  this  time  the  business  has  been  con- 
ducted by  the  sons,  William  F.  and  Alfred  L.  The  daughters  are: 
Susan  M.  and  Mary  E.  William  F.  married  Sarah  B.  Clark,  of  Milford, 
Conn.,  in  1877.  Alfred  L.  married  Harriet  E.  Williams,  of  Milford,  in 
1880,  and  has  one  son,  Harry  F.,  born  in  1887. 

Patrick  Gorman,  born  in  Ireland  in  1849,  came  to  this  country  in 
1869,  and  settled  in  Derby.  He  was  baggage  master  at  the  Derby 
depot  of  the  Naugatuck  railroad  for  eight  years,  then  resigned  that 
position  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  of  Mrs.  P.  McEnerney 
three  years.  He  married  Mrs.  P.  McEnerney  in  1883,  engaged  in  the 
coal  trade  at  Derby  in  1884,  and  succeeded  the  Scully  Brothers  after 
being  in  company  with  them  one  year.  He  is  still  in  the  same  busi- 
ness. He  was  elected  representative  to  represent  Derby  with  G.  H. 
Peck  for  two  years,  commencing  January  7th,  1891.  He  has  one 
brother,  Timothy,  and  two  sisters  living  in  this  country. 

Edwin  Hallock'  is  a  son  of  Zephaniah"  (William5,  born  1764, 
died  1817;  William4,  born  1722,  died  1782;  John3,  died  1737;  William5, 
died  1684;  Peter').  Prominent  in  the  history  of  Derby  are  the  names 
of  two  brothers,  Zephaniah  and  Israel  Hallock.  They  came  to  Derby 
from  Stony  Brook,  Long  Island,  in  1816,  and  engaged  in  ship-building 
at  what  is  called  Sugar  street,  near  the  Ousatonic  Water  Company's 
dam,  in  Birmingham. 

The  Hallocks,  as  are  nearly  all  who  bear  that  name  in  this  country, 
are  the  descendants  of  Peter  Hallock,  one  of  thirteen  pilgrim  fathers 
who  landed  at  the  colony  of  New  Haven  in  1640,  removing  the  same 
year  to  Long  Island.  A  portion  of  land  near  Orient,  Long  Island,  bears 
the  name  of  "Hallock 's  Neck,"  and  marks  the  original  location  of  the 
name  on  the  island. 

The  grandfather  and  father  of  Zephaniah  and  Israel  Hallock, 
both  named  William,  served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  The  father 
was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  by  the  British  in  the  famous  old 
Sugar  House  in  New  York,  and  his  son,  Zephaniah,  was  a  pensioner  of 
the  war  of  1812. 

The  two  brothers,  Zephaniah  and  Israel,  carried  on  ship-building 
at  Sugar  street  in  Birmingham  from  1816  to  1824.  At  that  date  it  was 
evident  Derby  needed  more  docks  for  the  loading  and  unloading  of 
the  increasing  ship  trade,  of  which  the  Housatonic  river  was  the  nat- 
ural channel.  The  Hallock  brothers,  discovering  the  most  favored 
spot  for  the  location  of  docks,  purchased  it.  A  distillery  was  already 
there,  but  the  new  owners  at  once  ordered  the  business  carried  on  in 
it  stopped,  in  obedience  to  their  strict  temperance  principles.  New 
docks  were  built,  and  the  ship-building  interest  at  Sugar  street  moved 
to  the  vicinity  of  the  new  landing,  known  since  as  the  Derby  Land- 
ing.    Here  ship-building  was  carried  on  extensively,  and  came  to  its 


(2?disiw  (^r&6£tr&A^ 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  457 

ending  only  in  1868.  The  firm  of  Hallock  Brothers  bore  on  excellent 
name,  and  was  successful  from  a  business  point  of  view.  It  aided 
materially  in  establishing  the  business  reputation  of  Derby  in  the 
state,  besides  the  incidental  advantages  accruing  to  the  town  itself. 
It  gave  employment  to  a  large  force  of  workmen  during  the  54  years 
of  its  existence.  The  Hallock  brothers  were  men  of  strict  integrity, 
and  were  in  some  respects  radical  reformers.  They  were  strong  apos- 
tles of  anti-slavery  and  of  total  abstinence,  at  a  time  when  the  advo- 
cacy of  these  measures  was  less  popular  than  they  are  at  present. 

Israel  Hallock  married  Rosanah  Easton,  of  New  Haven,  Novem- 
ber 1st,  1826,  and  died  September  5th,  1864,  aged  69,  leaving  no  chil- 
dren. Zephaniah  Hallock  married  Miss  Sarah  Hall,  of  Cairo,  N.  Y.,at 
Oxford,  Conn.,  November  12th,  1823.  Five  children  were  born  to 
them,  as  follows:  William  Henry,  who  died  October  6th,  1861;  Frank- 
lin, who  died  May  6th,  1890;  Frederick,  who  died  August  2d,  1833;  Mrs. 
Ann  Augusta  Viets,  and  Edwin. 

Franklin  was  engaged  for  a  period  of  40  years  in  the  wholesale  and 
retail  hardware  trade  in  Birmingham,  first  in  1850  as  clerk  for  the  firm 
of  Downs  &  Sanford,  then  as  partner  under  the  firm  name  of  Downs, 
Sanford  &  Co.,  and  in  J865  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Edwin, 
who  bought  out  the  other  owners  in  the  business,  under  the  firm  name 
of  F.  Hallock  &  Co. 

Franklin  Hallock  died  May  6th,  1890,  aged  62  years,  after  an  ill- 
ness of  a  few  days.  His  long  business  associations  in  Birmingham, 
his  integrity  and  social  qualities  made  his  death  deeply  regretted  by 
the  whole  community.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Sherwood  Hallock, 
and  two  children,  F.  William  and  Edith  May,  survive  him.  F.  Will- 
iam Hallock  married  Miss  Minnie  Adams,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb- 
ruary 18th,  1885,  and  to  them  was  born  Donald  Adams  Hallock,  Aug- 
ust 28th,  1889.  Edith  May  Hallock  married  Robert  S.  Gardner,  of 
Birmingham,  May  29th,  1890. 

Edwin  Hallock,  the  surviving  partner  of  F.  Hallock  &  Co.,  con- 
tinues the  business,  and  is  the  personal  manager.  Mr.  Hallock  was 
born  in  Derby,  Conn.,  August  16th,  1840,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Derby;  and  by  the  maintenance  of  the  good  princi- 
ples taught  him  and  imbibed  in  early  life,  he  has  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  the  community.  He  is  a  strong  advocate  of  social  reforms, 
as  temperance,  and  earnestly  promotes  all  measures  which  work  for 
the  well-being  of  society.  He  has  never  entered  the  political  arena, 
but  has  given  his  attention  closely  and  almost  exclusively  to  the  large 
and  many-sided  business  in  which  he  is  engaged. 

Merritt  L.  Hotchkiss,  born  in  Derby  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  Merritt, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  Derby.  Merritt  L.  began  work  for  Robert 
N.  Bassett  in  his  factory  in  1857,  and  was  made  superintendent  in 
1869.  He  is  a  member  of  Ousatonic  Lodge,  No.  6,  I.  O.  O.  F.  He 
married  Ellen  C.  Smith,  of  Orange,  Conn.,  in  1862.  They  have  three 
children:  Jennie  A.,  Harriet  S.  and  William  M. 


458  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

C.  R.  Howard  was  born  among  the  rock-ribbed  hills  of  New 
Hampshire  at  Amherst,  in  1851.  Graduating-  from  the  Milford  Nor- 
mal Academy  at  the  age  of  18  years,  he  at  once  entered  upon  his  busi- 
ness career  as  clerk  in  the  largest  dry  goods  store  in  the  last  named 
town.  He  remained  in  this  town  as  clerk,  and  later  as  proprietor- 
(with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent  in  the  West)  until  shortly  be- 
fore the  formation  of  the  present  partnership  of  Howard  &  Barber  in 
January,  1884.  Mr.  Howard  is  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  principles  of 
Odd  Fellowship,  and  has  filled  the  chairs  in  both  the  subordinate  and 
encampment  branches  of  the  order.  He  was  also  chosen  by  his 
brethren  as  their  representative  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

Isaac  P.  Howe  is  manager  of  The  Wilcox  &  Howe  Company  of 
Shelton,  manufacturers  of  carriage  hardware.  The  business  was 
established  on  a  modest  scale  by  Messrs.  Terrill  &  Wilcox  in  1866, 
who  be°;an  making  fifth  wheels  in  Ansonia.  Mr.  Wilcox  removed  to 
Birmingham  in  1869,  and  in  1885  Mr.  Howe  bought  one-half  interest 
in  the  business.  Both  are  natives  of  New  York,  and  are  practical 
business  men.  Mr.  Wilcox  retired  from  the  firm  in  March,  1890,  and 
is  now  president  of  the  D.  Wilcox  Manufacturing  Company,  Howard, 
Centre  county,  Pa.  A  stock  company  was  organized  January  1st, 
1891,  under  the  name  of  The  Wilcox  &  Howe  Company,  with  Mr.  Howe 
as  manager. 

Lyman  L.  Loomer,  born  in  South  Hadley,  Mass.,  in  1S14,  removed 
to  Collinsville  when  18  years  old,  and  two  years  later  went  to  Sey- 
mour, where  he  learned  the  trade  of  auger  maker  with  Wheeler  & 
French  of  that  town.  In  1836,  he  came  to  Birmingham,  and  worked 
at  his  trade  for  David  Bassett.  A  few  years  later  he  engaged  in  the 
butcher  and  market  business  in  Birmingham,  and  continued  six  years. 
He  then  ran  a  stage  route  from  Birmingham  to  Bridgeport,  six  years 
before  the  Naugatuck  railroad  was  built.  Afterward  he  ran  a  stage 
from  Seymour  to  Woodbury,  and  carried  the  mails  from  Litchfield  to 
Newtown.  This  was  about  1850.  He  returned  to  Birmingham,  and 
was  again  engaged  in  the  butcher  and  market  business  for  14  years. 
In  1865  he  engaged  in  manufacturing  corsets  with  his  sons.  In  1880 
he  retired,  and  since  that  time  the  firm  has  been  L.  L.  Loomer's  Sons. 
Mr.  Loomer  was  married,  in  1836,  to  Lucy  Ann  Sperry,  of  Woodbridge. 
They  have  had  four  sons  and  six  daughters.  Mrs.  Loomer  died 
August  30th,  1890. 

George  Hobart  Peck,  manufacturer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  traces 
back  his  family  pedigree  to  Joseph  Peck,  of  Milford,  Conn.  Ephraim 
Birdsey  Peck,  of  the  sixth  generation,  the  father  of  George  H..  moved 
to  Woodbury,  Conn.,  in  1792.  The  mother  was  Mrs.  Betsey  (Porter) 
Peck.  The  father  is  described  as  "  a  Christian  gentleman  in  faith 
and  manners,  in  walk  and  conversation  ;"  the  mother  as  a  woman  of 
deep  piety  and  earnest  devotion  to  duty.     They  gave  a  combination 


£^§w 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  459 

of   these  qualities  as  an  inheritance  to  their  son,  George   H.  Peck, 
which  has  been  a  benediction  to  him  all  his  life. 

In  his  early  years  he  attended  the  district  school,  and  when  old 
enough  to  be  of  real  service,  worked  on  the  farm  in  summer.  Wood- 
bury was  favored  in  those  days  with  having  an  academy  excellently 
managed  and  taught  by  its  founder,  and  named  for  him  Thompson's 
Academy.  There  Master  Peck  pursued  the  ordinary  academic  studies. 
At  his  19th  year,  and  afterward  for  four  winters  he  taught  school,  but 
went  back  upon  the  farm  in  summer  to  aid  his  parents,  and  later 
gave  all  his  attention  to  the  homestead  farm. 

But  his  marriage  was  a  turning  point  in  his  life.  It  took  him  to 
Tecumseh,  Michigan,  and  there  he  married  Miss  Maria  P.  Stillson, 
December  25th,  1S56.  He  now  saw  the  growing  West,  and  was  cap- 
tivated by  its  promise.  In  1858  himself  and  wife  moved  to  Tecumseh, 
and  he  entered  into  the  drug  business.  But  in  1860  he  returned  to 
Woodbury  and  purchased  the  drug  store  and  good  will,  of  George  P. 
Allen. 

And  now  after  nearly  four  years  more  spent  in  the  town  of  his 
boyhood,  he  was  ready  for  a  larger  field  still,  and  came  to  Birmingham 
in  November,  1863,  and  purchased  the  business  and  good  will  of  the 
drug  store  located  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Minerva  streets.  Here 
he  remained  the  active  manager  of  the  business  until  1875.  But  in 
1866  events  were  visibly  forming  for  a  life  of  less  detail,  more  activity, 
and  for  business  on  a  more  extended  scale.  The  Star  Pin  Company, 
of  Shelton,  was  organizing,  and  Mr.  Peck  was  one  of  the  principal 
stockholders,  and  was  made  its  first  president.  He  continued  in  this 
official  relation  until  1875,  and  then  bought  a  larger  interest  and  took 
the  entire  management  of  the  company,  and  has  held  it  ever  since. 

The  Star  Pin  Company  is  one  of  the  substantial  enterprises  of 
Shelton,  Conn.  From  small  beginnings  it  has  developed  to  strength 
under  Mr.  Peck's  administration.  It  manufactures  not  only  pins,  but 
hooks  and  eyes  and  hair  pins.  It  makes  its  own  boxes  and  does  its 
own  printing.  It  has  no  occasion  to  ask  for  credit  in  any  quarter.  It 
carries  a  considerable  surplus  capital.  About  120  hands  are  employed 
in  the  factory,  and  a  common  interest  in  the  profitableness  of  the 
business  seems  to  pervade  the  workmen.  This  spirit  is  no  doubt  due 
in  chief  part  to  the  truly  kindly  bearing  of  Mr.  Peck  toward  all  in  his 
employ. 

Mr.  Peck  has  been  the  recipient  of  honors  at  the  hands  of  his 
townsmen.  He  was  judge  of  the  probate  court  of  Derby  for  several 
years,  and  in  1873  and  1891  was  elected  representative  to  the  general 
assembly.  He  has  served  the  borough  of  Birmingham  as  burgess  for 
several  years,  and  for  15  years  was  on  the  board  of  school  visitors. 

No  higher  testimonial  to  the  common  regard  for  their  neighbor 
could  be  given  than  in  the  petition  presented  to  him  May  4th,  1889, 
by  67  of  the  prominent  men  of  Derby,  requesting  him  to  allow  him- 


460  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

self  to  be  elected  first  selectman  for  the  town  of  Derby.  He  very  re- 
luctantly consented  to  stand  as  a  candidate,  and  was  chosen  without 
opposition,  and  when  his  term  of  office  expired  the  public  press  of  the 
town  spoke  in  highest  terms  of  the  administration  of  himself  and  his 
partners,  and  commended  it  as  the  example  for  future  selectmen  to 
follow. 

But  even  more  in  the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member  than  in  the 
town,  is  Mr.  Peck  esteemed.  He  has  been  senior  warden  ofjSt.  James 
Episcopal  church,  Birmingham,  for  25  years.  His  devotion  to  his 
church  is  shown  not  only  in  the  length  of  service,  but  in  the  variety, 
for  there  are  but  few  services  in  either  parish  or  church  he  has  not 
rendered,  for  very  love  of  what  the  church  is  and  stands  for.  In  all 
those  years  he  has  had  a  co-worker  in  his  wife,  quite  equal  to  him- 
self. He  has  been  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  for  many 
years,  and  the  children  have  loved  him  with  a  fondness  remarkable 
and  equalled  only  by  his  own  love  for  the  young  people  and  the  chil- 
dren. Mrs.  Peck  is  known  beyond  her  household  for  Christian  graces 
and  character,  which  have  made  her  greatly  beloved.  The  poor  call 
her  blessed,  and  her  neighbors  are  blessed  in  her  example. 

Their  family  has  consisted  of  five  children,  three  of  jwhom  have 
died:  Ina  Gertrude,  September  6th,  1884,  28  years  of  age;  Julia  and 
Bessie,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  two  sons  living  are  Irving  H.  and 
Howard  B. 

Albert  W.  Phillips,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Marcellus,  N.  Y.,  July  26th, 
1888.  His  parents  were  George  and  Betsey  (Cleg)  Phillips,  of  Mar- 
cellus. Doctor  Phillips  spent  his  early  years  on  the  farm  of  his  father 
and  in  attending  school.  The  latest  years  of  his  life  at  home  were 
occupied  in  part  by  teaching  the  district  school,  or  by  employment 
with  a  physician.  It  was  during  this  service  that  the  purpose  of  be- 
coming a  physician  was  fully  formed.  Then  at  18  years  of  age  he 
began  the  regular  study  of  medicine  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1861 
graduated  from  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College,  Chicago,  111. 

He  was  then  invited  by  two  of  his  former  preceptors  in  succession,  at 
Syracuse,  to  become  partners  with  them  in  the  practice  of  medicine. 
But  just  then  President  Lincoln  issued  his  famous  first  call  for  troops 
to  suppress  the  rebellion,  and  the  young  physician,  not  counting  the 
pursuance  of  his  profession  of  so  much  moment  as  the  suppression  of 
the  rebellion,  volunteered  his  services,  enlisting  as  private  in  Com- 
pany A,  12th  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry.  But  on  June  1st,  1861, 
he  was  appointed  hospital  steward  of  the  regiment  of  which  his  com- 
pany formed  a  part.  In  this  office  he  had  charge  of  the  medical  sup- 
plies, general  care  of  the  hospital,  and  supervision  of  the  nurses.  His 
efficiency  in  office  and  his  physician's  training  kept  him  well  in  the 
line  of  promotion.  Hence  he  remained  hospital  steward  only  until 
October,  1862,  when  he  was  promoted  to  be  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
149th  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  461 

Thus  far  he  was  connected  with  the  army  of  the  Potomac.  But  the 
federal  forces  were  meeting  some  reverses  in  Tennessee.  General 
Rosecrans  had  fallen  back  from  Chickamaugua  to  Chattanooga  and 
needed  reinforcements.  The  11th  and  12th  Corps  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  were  now  transferred  to  General  Rosecrans'  assistance,  and 
Doctor  Phillips  with  the  12th.  But  on  November  1st,  1863,  he  resigned 
his  commission  in  the  army,  and  in  the  following  spring  came  to  Bir- 
mingham, Conn.,  to  pursue  the  profession  he  had  chosen  in  1856. 

Some  of  Doctor  Phillips'  Grand  Army  friends  remember  his  service 
with  them  in  the  army  of  the  Cumberland.  Doctor  Kendall,  who  was 
acting  as  brigade  surgeon,  says  that  he  saw  him  at  a  distance  before 
the  young  physician  had  reported  for  orders,  and  said  to  himself: 
"  What  boy  have  they  sent  me  for  an  assistant  ? "  But  it  did  not  take 
long  to  discover  that  a  trained  and  able  physician  had  come  in  the 
hearty,  robust,  young  man. 

Nor  did  Doctor  Phillips'  official  dignity  swell  with  pride  of  manner 
in  the  presence  of  the  soldiers.  If  need  be,  he  marched  with  them, 
carrying  his  medicines  in  his  pockets.  When  the  battle  was  on  he 
kept  near  to  wait  upon  the  wounded,  and  his  strong  shoulders  often 
bore  the  gun  or  knapsack  of  a  weary  soldier.  At  Gettysburg,  as  the 
terrible  struggle  of  Culp's  Hill  was  coming  on,  he  worked  harder 
building  breastworks  than  many  of  the  soldiers  who  were  in  special 
need  of  them.  Another  of  his  comrades,  reporting  from  the  field  in 
1863,  says  of  him:  "He  is  an  intelligent  gentleman,  a  jovial  companion 
and  a  brave  and  fearless  soldier."  Doctor  Phillips'  army  life  is  re- 
membered by  him  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  chapters,  and  no 
associations  of  the  present  time  are  more  agreeable  to  him  than  those 
of  the  Grand  Army.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  member  of  Kellogg  Post, 
No.  26. 

Doctor  Phillips  has  allied  himself  with  the  chief  social  orders.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Ousatonic  Lodge,  No.  6,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  also  of  King 
Hiram  Lodge,  No.  12,  F.  &  A.  M.;  of  Solomon  Chapter,  No.  3,  R.  A.  M.; 
of  Union  Council,  No.  27,  R.&  S.M.;  of  New  Haven  Commandery,  No. 
2,  K.  T.;  and  is  a  32d  degree  Mason  of  Cerneau  Consistory,  No.  1,  New 
York. 

There  is  one  room  of  Doctor  Phillips'  house  which  illustrates  cer- 
tain phases  of  his  individuality.  It  is  devoted  chiefly  to  mementoes 
and  souvenirs  of  his  army  life,  and  of  the  social  orders  of  which  he  is 
a  member,  and  whose  anniversaries  he  has  attended.  Upon  entering 
the  visitor  is  struck  with  the  number  and  variety  of  them,  and  the 
amount  of  travel  done  to  obtain  them.  This  is  indeed  the  work  of  an 
enthusiastic  comrade  of  the  army,  and  of  one  who  delights  in  the 
friendship  and  society  of  the  social  orders.  Nearly  every  object  in 
the  room  has  a  history.  Doctor  Phillips  is  familiar  with  it,  and  in 
relating  it  the  glow  of  enthusiasm  betrays  the  ardor  of  his  nature, 
whether  as  companion  or  friend.     Hence  his  popularity  at  home,  and 


462  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

his  untiring'  agreeableness  while  traveling,  or  in  the  woods  and  beside 
the  lakes  in  a  vacation  outing. 

In  addition  to  a  large  practice  in  Birmingham,  Doctor  Phillips  has 
taken  great  interest  in  the  borough;  and  though  he  has  had  no  desire 
for  office  of  any  kind,  his  fellow-citizens  have  insisted  that  he  shall  not 
go  free.  He  has  been  a  burgess  of  the  borough  by  their  choice  for 
nine  years,  and  for  a  term  held  the  office  of  registrar  of  vital  sta- 
tistics. 

Doctor  Phillips  married,  October  16th,  1862,  Miss  Nancy  P.  Owen, 
of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Harry 
Bowdish,  born  December  28th,  1864,  died  November  1st,  1865;  Ellen 
Pauline,  born  May  23d,  1869;  and  Albert  W.,  born  September  22d, 
1870,  died  November  13th,  1876. 

Doctor  Phillips  resides  in  his  own  house  on  Caroline  street,  Birming- 
ham. A  visit  to  it  discovers  a  home  tastily  and  richly  appointed,  where 
friends  and  guests  receive  cordial  attention  from  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Phillips. 

David  W.  Plumb,  born  October  13th,  1808,  in  Trumbull,  Conn.,  is  of 
English  ancestry,  Robert  Plumb,  on  the  paternal  side,  having  been 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Milford  in  1639,  and  Thomas  Welles,  on  the 
maternal  side,  was  governor  of  the  state  in  1655  and  held  other  offices 
as  early  as  1641.  The  family  removed  to  what  is  now  the  city  of 
Bridgeport,  then  a  part  of  the  town  of  Stratford,  when  he  was  five 
years  old.  He  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  of  the  day,  with  a 
few  terms  at  academies  and  select  schools.  He  was  employed  on  the 
farm  until  1831,  when  he  started  a  small  country  store  at  the  factory 
village  in  the  north  part  of  Bridgeport.  He  removed  from  there  to 
Birmingham  in  1836,  and  engaged  in  woolen  manufacturing  on  the 
then  new  water  power  there,  with  B.  B.  Beach.  In  1848  he  removed  to 
Ansonia,  and  built  a  new  mill  on  the  new  water  power  which  Anson 
G.  Phelps  had  established  there,  the  partnership  with  Mr.  Beach  hav- 
ing been  dissolved  some  years  before.  In  1865  he  sold  out  this  busi- 
ness to  the  Slade  Manufacturing  Company,  and  in  1868  he  removed  to 
the  new  village  of  Shelton,  where  the  Ousatonic  Water  Company  had 
brought  the  water  of  the  Housatonic  river  into  use,  and  in  which  en- 
terprise he  had  engaged  at  its  organization,  having  been  one  of  its 
directors  and  its  vice-president  from  that  time  to  the  present.  Since 
he  sold  his  manufacturing  business,  in  1865,  he  has  not  engaged  act- 
ively in  any  similar  business,  though  he  is  a  stockholder  in  several 
companies  and  an  officer  of  some. 

He  is  still  active  and  busy  with  matters  that  concern  himself  and 
the  public.  He  represented  the  town  of  Derby  in  the  Connecticut  leg- 
islature in  1838,  1852,  1860,1862  and  1864,  and  the  Fifth  senatorial  dis- 
trict in  1841.  During  this  time  charters  were  obtained  for  the  borough 
of  Ansonia,  the  savings  bank  of  Ansonia  and  the  Ousatonic  Water 
Company  and  the  removal  of  the  Bank  of  North  America  from  Sey- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  463 

mour  to  Ansonia,  and  change  of  title  to  the  Ansonia  Bank  was  accom- 
plished. He  was  the  treasurer  of  the  Ansonia  Savings  Bank  during 
its  existence,  was  president  of  the  Ansonia  Bank  until  he  resigned, 
and  is  now  vice-president  of  the  Birmingham  National  Bank.  He  was 
the  first  warden  of  the  borough  of  Ansonia.  He  has  devoted  much 
time  and  attention  and  some  means  to  the  development  of  "  River- 
view  Park,"  a  beautiful  place  in  the  borough  of  Shelton,  dedicated  to 
the  public  use  for  recreation,  enjoyment  and  health,  and  of  which  he 
is  one  of  the  commissioners.  He  has  participated  earnestly  in  politi- 
cal excitements,  especially  in  his  earlier  life,  and  when  temperance 
and  slavery  were  important  elements  in  politics,  having  been  strongly 
in  favor  of  temperance  and  opposed  to  slavery  and  in  favor  of  the  free 
soil  movement. 

He  married,  in  1841,  Miss  Clarissa  Allen.  She  died  in  1865.  In 
1875  he  married  Miss  Louise  Wakelee,  who  still  survives.  He  has  no 
children. 

Doctor  William  S.  Randall,  born  in  Brookfield,  Conn.,  August  5th, 
1861,  is  a  son  of  the  late  Charles  W.  Randall,  a  native  of  Bridgewater, 
Conn.  Doctor  Randall  received  his  preliminary  education  at  the  Bir- 
mingham High  School,  and  entered  the  scientific  department  of  Yale 
College  in  1880,  taking  the  biological  course.  Graduating  in  1883,  he 
attended  Yale  Medical  School,  then  attended  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  of  New  York  city.  He  graduated  from  the  latter  insti- 
tution in  1885,  then  returned  to  New  Haven  and  spent  one  year  as 
house  physician  and  surgeon  in  the  New  Haven  Hospital.  He  came 
to  Birmingham  in  November,  1886,  and  has  practiced  here  since.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  State  and  Ousatonic  Medical  Societies.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1887,  Hattie  L.  Beers,  of  New  Milford.  They  have  one  son, 
Harold  B.,  born  March  12th,  1889. 

Luzon  Rowell,  born  in  Monroe,  Conn.,  in  1820,  is  a  son  of  David 
and  Sarah  (Blakeman)  Rowell,  and  grandson  of  Jacob,  who  came  from 
Scotland  and  settled  in  Fairfield  county  before  the  revolutionary  war. 
Both  David  and  Sarah  were  born  the  same  day  in  1780.  Luzon  came 
to  Derby  in  1846,  and  settled  near  where  he  now  lives.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  ship  carpenter,  and  followed  it  until  1861.  Since  that 
time  he  has  been  engaged  in  repairing  mills,  moving  buildings,  etc. 
He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman  seven  years,  and  has  been  assessor 
and  collector  of  taxes.  He  married  Phebe  A  Fairweather,  of  Monroe, 
Conn.,  March  7th,  1841.  They  have  had  six  children.  Two  enlisted 
in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  David  B.  and  Charles  B.  David  B.  was 
killed  in  battle  at  Tracy  City,  Tenn.,  January  21st,  1864.  Charles  B. 
resides  in  Aiken,  S.  C.  The  other  children  are:  George  B.,  Carrie  L. 
(died  1873),  Ella  M.  and  Ida  J. 

Edward  Nelson  Shelton,  of  Birmingham,  Conn.,  is  a  descendant 
of  Daniel  Shelton,  who  came  from  England  to  Stratford,  Conn.,  in 
1686.     He    married,   in    1692,    Elizabeth    Welles,    granddaughter   of 


464  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

Thomas  Welles,  one  of  the  early  governors  of  Connecticut.  Mr. 
Daniel  Shelton  finally  retired  from  business  in  Stratford  and  resided 
on  his  farm  in  Huntington  (then  a  part  of  Stratford),  about  two  miles 
south  of  the  present  village  of  Shelton. 

Mr.  Edward  Nelson  Shelton  is  of  the  fourth  generation  in  descent 
from  Daniel  Shelton.  He  was  born  in  the  home  of  his  ancestors  Sep- 
tember 4th,  1812.  He  had  the  benefit  of  the  educational  advantages 
of  his  native  town,  and  of  the  more  important  academy  at  Derby;  and 
also  of  Captain  Partridge's  Scientific  School  at  Middletown  and  lec- 
tures at  Yale  College.  He  commenced  business  at  Birmingham  in 
1836,  manufacturing  tacks,  in  connection  with  Mr.  N.  C.  Sanford,  un- 
der the  name  of  Sanford  &  Shelton.  Mr.  Sanford  died  in  1841,  and 
the  business  was  continued  under  the  name  of  E.  N.  Shelton  until 
1854,  when  it  was  organized  as  the  Shelton  Company. 

Mr.  vShelton  has  been  president  of  the  Birmingham  National  Bank 
since  its  organization  in  1848.  It  is  principally  due  to  Mr.  Shelton 
that  the  thriving  village  of  Shelton,  named  in  honor  of  him,  with  a 
business  capital  rated  at  $2,000,000,  and  employing  2,000  hands,  exists. 
He  was  able  in  1867  to  see  the  first  work  done  toward  the  construction 
of  the  great  dam  across  the  Housatonic,  which  was  to  develop  the 
largest  water  power  in  the  state,  and  one  of  the  largest  in  New  Eng- 
land. His  long  cherished  project  was  brought  to  a  successful  comple- 
tion in  1870,  resulting  in  the  founding  and  satisfactory  growth  of  the 
village  of  Shelton.  He  has  been  the  president  of  the  Ousatonic  Water 
Company,  which  built  the  dam,  since  its  organization  in  1866. 

Though  a  member  of  the  state  senate  in  1869.  Mr.  Shelton  has  not 
cared  for  political  life  or  office.  His  interest  has  been  principally  in 
the  development  and  growth  of  the  two  villages,  Birmingham  and 
.Shelton.  His  public  spirit  and  desire  that  whatever  is  best  for  the 
benefit  of  the  many  should  be  accomplished  have  always  been  marked 
characteristics,  as  well  as  his  unquestioned  honor  and  integrity.  His 
energy,  perseverance  and  business  ability  have  been  proved  in  various 
enterprises  in  his  own  town  and  elsewhere,  and  much  success  for 
others  as  well  as  himself  is  due  to  his  keen  business  foresight.  He  has 
always  been  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  Episcopal  church,  as  his  fore- 
fathers were. 

Samuel  Sherwood  and  his  son,  Oliver  B.,  settled  on  Sentinel  hill  in 
the  town  of  Derby  in  1816.  Oliver  was  born  in  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  in 
1799,  married  Charlotte  Fowler,  of  Milford,  in  1837,  and  had  two  sons 
and  two  daughters.  One  son,  William  O.,  lives  in  New  York.  The 
other,  Albert  F.,  lives  on  the  old  homestead  where  his  father  and 
mother  are  still  living;  the  former  is  92  years  old,  and  the  latter  81. 
Albert  F.  married  Emeline  Chatfield,  of  Derby,  in  1866.  They  have 
two  sons:  Charles  G.  and  Joseph  B.  Charles  G.  married  Alice  Tucker, 
of  Seymour,  Conn.,  in  1887,  and  has  two  daughters:  Grace  E.  and 
Helen  G.     These  four  generations  all  live  under  one  roof  on  the  old 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  465 

homestead.  Albert  F.  was  postmaster  of  Derby  eight  years,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  drug  trade  there  many  years.  He  is  deputy  sheriff, 
and  is  engaged  in  the  settlement  of  estates. 

David  Torrance,  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors  of  Connec- 
ticut, was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  March  3d,  1840.  No  better 
illustration  of  merit  and  ability  winning  its  way  from  unpromising 
beginnings  to  the  most  honorable  position  in  society  can  be  given  than 
a  truthful  sketch  of  the  eminent  judge  whose  life  is  here  outlined  in 
tracery  all  too  rude.  He  came  from  Scotland  to  this  country  with  his 
widowed  mother,  when  he  was  only  nine  years  old.  The  family  came 
to  Norwich,  Conn.,  for  residence,  and  there  Master  Torrance  attended 
the  common  schools,  but  only  for  five  years.  Then  it  fell  to  his  lot, 
though  a  mere  lad,  to  work  in  a  cotton  mill.  When  15  years  of  age  he 
went  into  the  Chelsea  Paper  Mills,  Greenville,  Norwich,  to  learn  to 
make  paper.  And  there  he  worked  until  the  call  for  volunteers  for 
service  in  the  army  became  so  loud  he  must  heed  it.  The  18th  Regi- 
ment Connecticut  Volunteer  Infantry  was  now  making  up.  Company 
A  was  forming,  and  in  June  of  1862  he  enlisted,  and  was  chosen  sec- 
ond sergeant  of  the  company.  The  fortunes  of  the  regiment  were  his, 
until  he  was  captured  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  Va.,  by  the  enemy, 
and  sent  to  suffer  the  horrors  of  Libby  Prison  and  afterward  Belle 
Island.  But  in  July,  1863,  he  was  paroled.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
he  was  appointed  to  a  captaincy  of  a  colored  regiment,  the  29th  Con- 
necticut Volunteers.  Subsequently  he  was  advanced  to  the  position  of 
major,  and  then  of  lieutenant-colonel, serving  in  this  position  until  the 
regiment  was  mustered  out,  in  October,  1865. 

The  war  being  over,  he  came  home  with  Colonel  William  B.  Woos- 
ter,  under  whose  superior  command  much  of  his  army  life  had  been 
spent,  and  entered  Colonel  Wooster's  law  office  in  Birmingham,  Conn., 
January,  1866,  as  a  student.  Before  entering  the  army  he  had  cher- 
ished the  purpose  of  pursuing  legal  studies,  and  now  found  a  helpful 
counsellor  and  friend  in  the  brave,  incorruptible  officer  who  had  given - 
him  orders  on  the  field.  While  waiting  somewhat  impatiently  for  the 
disbanding  of  the  regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Torrance  began  the 
study  of  law  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Wooster,  and  now  in  Col- 
onel Wooster's  office  in  Birmingham,  only  continued  what  he  had  al- 
ready begun.  So  rapidly  did  the  student  familiarize  himself  with  the 
prescribed  curriculum  that  he  applied  for  examination,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1868,  for  the  practice  of  law  in  all  the  courts  of 
the  commonwealth.  He  soon  entered  into  partnership  with  Colonel 
Wooster,  under  the  firm  name  of  Wooster  &  Torrance. 

The  firm  now  bore  a  magnificent  title  with  which  to  go  before  the 
people  of  Birmingham  for  patronage.  Colonel  Wooster  was  already 
known  and  eminent  as  a  counsellor,  and  his  partner  won  decided  re- 
spect for  his  ability  wherever  he  conducted  cases  in  court.  Both  were 
army  men,  and  brought  to  their  office  the  prestige  of  brave  leadership 
30 


466  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

in  the  army;  both  possessed  those  manly  graces  which  win  favor  from 
the  public  and  secure  popularity;  and  both  were  known  to  be  honest 
men,  tried  and  true,  whom  their  clients  could  trust  to  the  farthest  ex- 
treme.    A  large  and  lucrative  practice  was  the  logical  result. 

In  1871  Judge  Torrance  was  chosen  representative  for  the  town  of 
Derby  in  the  general  assembly,  and  again  in  1872.  His  presence  in 
the  assembly  was  a  recognized  element  of  strength  for  legislation.  A 
certain  positive  and  clear  vein  of  Scotch  sense  and  intellectuality 
appeared  in  all  his  committee  work  and  in  his  addresses  on  the 
floor  of  the  house.  And  when  his  party  nominated  him  for  secre- 
tary of  state  in  the  fall  of  1878  his  name  added  weight  to  the  general 
excellence  of  the  party  ticket.  He  held  the  office  of  secretary  of  state 
for  two  years.  In  1881  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  court  of  com- 
mon pleas  of  New  Haven  county,  which  held  its  sittings  in  New 
Haven;  and  in  1885  he  was  reappointed  judge  of  the  same  court,  but 
before  entering  upon  his  second  term  he  was  made  judge  of  the  su- 
perior court  of  the  state;  and  in  1890  he  was  advanced  to  the  highest 
judicial  tribunal  of  the  state,  the  supreme  court  of  errors. 

It  is  apparent  at  once  that  the  career  just  sketched  is  unique,  if  not 
phenomenal,  and  the  inquiry  at  once  arises,  what  were  the  elements 
and  traits  composing  this  noteworthy  life.  Nothing  more  than  sug- 
gestions of  them  is  here  attempted.  Judge  Torrance  is  wholly  a  self- 
made  man.  The  colleges  cannot  claim  him,  though  Yale  University 
has  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary  A.  M.  The  law  schools  cannot 
declare  that  they  gave  him  his  sustained  intellectual  power  and  logi- 
cal acumen.  His  education  has  been  his  own  work,  and  the  curricu- 
lum of  his  studies,  his  own  planning,  and  the  zeal  with  which  he  has 
pursued  them  has  been  determined  by  his  own  tastes.  He  was  by 
nature  liberally  supplied  with  good  Scotch  sense,  and  with  the  meta- 
physical tendency  of  the  Scotch  mind.  The  world  is  not  all  one-sided 
to  him,  but  every  pro  has  a  con,  and  without  effort  both  of  those  will 
appear  at  the  same  time  in  his  mind,  each  to  be  weighed  and  credited 
with  its  value.  And  then,  when  the  balance  is  struck,  it  does  not  need 
revision. 

The  trend  of  his  mind  has  an  illustration  in  a  matter  somewhat 
private,  and  yet  not  exclusively  so.  For  many  years  a  club  composed 
of  a  few  of  the  citizens  of  Birmingham,  drawn  together  by  kindred 
tastes  for  philosophical  studies,  has  held  weekly  meetings.  Its  name 
is  taken  from  the  Greek  word  for  mind,  and  hence  it  is  called  the 
"Nous  Club."  Judge  Torrance  has  been  the  leader  in  its  discussions, 
though  his  modesty  would  forbid  him  from  claiming  to  be  more  than 
a  peer  among  equals.  All  the  members  are  en  rapport  with  the  objects 
of  the  club.  The  latest  subject  of  investigation  in  metaphysics  has 
been  "Kant's  Critique  of  Pure  Reason."  Such  subjects  as  that  are  both 
informing  and  recreative  to  this  inquiring  company,  and  no  one  takes 
more  pleasure  in  these  analytic,  acute  and  logical  excursions  into  the 


Oc^t^t, 


&C^      c/c/ 


Clry-  cc^i 


e_-«^ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  467 

realm  of  pure  and  applied  reasoning  than  Judge  Torrance.  He  is  an 
independent  thinker,  and  wherever  truth  may  lead  he  will  follow, 
whoever  may  keep  him  company.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  such  a  mind 
naturally  gravitates  to  the  judge's  bench. 

But  with  this  Scotch  metaphysical  intellectuality  is  united  an  affa- 
bility of  manner  which  can  state  an  independent  judgment  frankly, 
and  even  vigorously,  and  yet  not  give  offense  in  any  quarter.'  He  has 
that  quality  of  agreeable  genuineness  which  wins  a  liking  from  its 
very  frank  sincerity;  and  hence  few  men  have  created  fewer  antagon- 
isms than  he  in  all  the  walks  of  life — hence,  too,  his  popularity  wher- 
ever he  is  known. 

Judge  Torrance  is  in  demand,  too,  in  a  social  way,  and  his  speeches 
at  dinners  and  anniversaries  are  features  of  the  occasions.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Club  of  Connecticut.  He  never 
allows  himself  to  forget  his  old  comrades  in  arms;  and  when  he  is  not 
sitting  on  the  tribunal  of  justice,  makes  himself  as  one  of  his  many 
friends. 

During  his  army  life  he  came  home  on  furlough,  and  while  in  Nor- 
wich, Conn.,  the  city  of  his  boyhood,  was  married  to  Miss  Annie 
France,  also  of  that  city,  February  12th,  1864.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  them:  Margaret  G.,  Walter  S.  and  James  F.  The  whole 
family  are  parishioners  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Birmingham, 
as  well  as  prominent  constituents  of  Birmingham  society. 

Thomas  Wallace,  Sr.,  manufacturer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was 
born  in  Manchester,  England,  November  15th,  1797.  Mr.  Andrew 
Carnegie,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  his  work  entitled  "Triumphant  Democ- 
racy," quotes  Lowthian  Bell  as  remarking  upon  the  numerous  inven- 
tions made  by  Americans  and  their  wonderful  aptitude  in  manufac- 
turing by  means  of  inventions,  but  he  discovered  after  all  that  Britons 
had  done  a  large  part  of  what  he  remarked  upon.  Mr.  Carnegie 
found  the  statements  corroborated  by  the  horseshoe  machines  of  Mr. 
Burden,  a  sturdy  Scot;  the  smelting  of  pig-iron  with  anthracite  coal 
by  Mr.  Thomas,  a  Welshman;  the  steel  rail  and  steel  wire  mills  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  created  by  Mr.  Chisholm,  of  Dumfermlme,  Scotland; 
the  weaving  of  tapestry  in  Philadelphia,  by  Isaac  Stead,  an  enterpris- 
ing Englishman;  and  the  founding  of  the  famous  brass  mill  at  An- 
sonia,  Conn.,  by  Mr.  Wallace.  The  reference  is  to  Mr.  Thomas  Wal- 
lace, Sr.,  who  died  April  30th,  1875. 

Mr.  Wallace's  parents  died  while  he  was  yet  young,  his  father 
when  he  was  seven  years  of  age,  and  his  mother  when  he  was  eleven. 
But  the  impress  of  his  mother,  Elizabeth  Chapman  Wallace,  abode  on 
his  heait  as  long  as  he  lived.  There  is  now  in  the  keeping  of  one  of 
his  daughters,  Mrs.  R.  R.  Wood,  of  Ansonia,  the  old  Bible,  substan- 
tially bound,  but  revealing  age  and  use,  of  his  mother,  which  he  car- 
ried by  her  side  to  and  from  church,  and  the  Sunday  school,  which 


468  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

she  organized.  Sunday  schools  were  very  rare  in  those  days,  and  to 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Chapman  Wallace  is  to  be  credited  the  special  and 
lasting  honor  of  opening  the  first  Sunday  school  in  the  city  of  Man- 
chester, England.  Her  little  son,  Thomas,  was  one  of  her  regular 
pupils,  and  the  old  Bible  belonging  to  her  and  borne  by  him  for  her 
sake,  was  a  life-long  treasure  to  him. 

But  left  an  orphan  at  11  years  of  age,  be  passed  to  the  care  of  his 
eldest  sister.  She  sent  him  on  to  London,  and  though  robbed  on  the 
way  of  the  few  pounds  she  gave  him,  he  pressed  on,  hoping  to  find 
employment  in  the  store  of  a  confectioner.  His  hope  was  fulfilled. 
Here  his  natural  taste  for  reading  developed.  It  was  his  duty  to  carry 
the  delicacies  of  the  confectioner  to  the  residences  of  gentlemen  and 
ladies  of  wealth.  He  was  soon  desired  to  bring  along  with  him  news- 
papers, and  for  this  service  he  was  rewarded  with  the  gift  of  pennies. 
But  "  Tommy,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  did  not  lay  out  his  pen- 
nies for  the  delicacies  of  the  palate,  but  for  those  of  the  mind.  The 
lad  had  heard  of  America,  and  dreamed  of  America,  and  his  pennies 
were  laid  out  for  American  newspapers.  He  read  them  when  he 
could,  not  infrequently  by  the  light  of  the  fire,  while  he  lay  on  his 
back  on  the  floor.  In  this  way  an  American  fire  was  kindled  in  his 
heart,  which  never  died  out. 

A  little  later  in  his  life  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of 
pin-wire  drawing  to  a  firm  in  Manchester,  and  from  the  work  room 
he  passed  to  the  office,  where  he  remained,  until  he,  with  his  wife  and 
children,  came  to  America,  entering  the  harbor  at  New  York,  July  4th, 
1832. 

From  this  point  it  is  interesting  to  observe  the  education  which 
indirectly  came  to  him  from  the  English  life  about  him,  in  all  these 
years  of  young  manhood.  He  was  a  lad  of  work,  and  a  young  man  of 
work,  and  his  daily  associations  made  him  familiar  with  the  life  of 
the  working  people.  He  shared  their  hardships  with  them,  and  being 
a  gifted  mind  and  an  independent  thinker,  he  was  necessarily  prom- 
inent among  his  peers  in  that  troublous  period  of  English  history.  It 
was  the  period  when  the  labor  agitations  of  all  succeeding  years  had 
their  birth,  and  Manchester  was  the  particular  nursery  of  the  potent 
ideas  which  have  since  developed  into  the  future  comparative  pros- 
perity of  the  laboring  man  in  England.  The  social  condition  of  Eng- 
land during  that  period  could  hardly  have  been  worse  for  the  poor 
man,  seen  from  whatever  point  of  view  may  be  taken.  The  laws  of 
the  land  were  exceedingly  oppressive.  Many  were  starving,  work 
was  scarce,  bread  was  high,  prisons  were  crowded,  the  criminal  courts 
were  active,  the  penal  code  was  terribly  severe,  misery  abounded,  and 
the  groans  of  the  people  found  no  redress. 

Mr.  Wallace's  naturally  strong,  independent  mind  drank  all  this 
in,  and  his  sympathies  were  with  the  down-trodden  people  among 
whom  he  classed   himself.     He  was  readv  for  great  action,  but  too 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  469 

wise  to  forestall  the  natural  order  of  events,  and  enact  the  Harper's 
Ferry  disaster  in  the  history  of  American  liberty.  He  uttered  his  po- 
litical and  social  faith,  but  so  discreetly  as  not  to  center  upon  himself 
the  malignity  of  the  aristocratic  power.  And  yet  he  was  several 
times  on  the  verge  of  imprisonment  or  transportation  for  his  active, 
outspoken  sympathy  for  reform  and  his  laudation  of  American  liberty. 
It  is  remembered  now  that  when  his  eldest  daughter  was  only  seven 
years  of  age,  her  father  was  absent,  and  it  was  said  he  was  in  the 
"  bread  riot  "  occurring  in  the  streets.  But  he  was  so  popular  with 
some  of  the  officers,  that  it  is  known  one  of  them  saved  him  once  by 
saying:  "  Tom,  follow  me,  and  act  as  though  you  were  on  our  side,  and 
will  lead  you  out." 

Mr.  Wallace,  Sr.,  was  a  democrat  by  nature,  and  could  ill  brook 
the  social  tyranny  of  the  titled  or  the  wealthy.  Why  should  his  wife 
and  daughter  per  right  courtesy  to  the  passing  aristocrat  ?  Why 
should  the  church  bailiff  be  empowered  to  knock  off  his  hat  in  the 
church  doorway  ?  A  little  while  before  coming  to  America,  at  the 
church  door  he  was  a  little  too  spry  in  the  removal  of  his  hat  to  allow 
the  gesture  of  the  bailiff  to  take  effect,  but  not  so  spry  as  to  forestall 
the  gesture.  He  reported  the  event  of  the  bailiff's  effrontery  to  his 
family,  and  said:  "  Never  occur  to  me  again,  we  will  go  to  America." 
More  and  more  he  was  working  into  action  in  behalf  of  the  working 
people,  at  the  same  time  he  was  extolling  America.  His  own  judg- 
ment counselled  him  and  his  friends  advised  him  to  go  to  America 
before  he  should  become  an  object  of  aristocratic  hatred. 

The  early  Manchester  reformers  were  his  dear  friends.  A  little 
old  album  of  that  date  has  in  it  the  photograph  of  Richard  Cobden, 
and  written  by  his  own  hand  under  it,  "  My  most  intimate  friend." 
In  that  same  album  are  other  pictures  of  his  choice  Manchester  friends, 
Abel  Hey  wood,  Thomas  S.  Woodcock,  John  Hey  wood,  Robert  Dale 
Owen.  The  annotations  of  Mr.  Wallace  to  these  photographs  are  evi- 
dence how  true  the  friendship  was. 

Upon  coming  to  America,  in  1832,  he  expected  to  form  a  partner- 
ship in  Providence,  R.  I.,  for  the  manufacture  of  wire,  but  the  plans 
miscarried.     Attempts  were  made  up  the  Hudson  and  in  New  Jersey. 

An  incident  which  occurred  in  Annsville  will  show  one  phase  of 
the  noble  Briton.  In  his  factory  there  were  eight  apprentices,  and 
three  evenings  of  the  week  he  gathered  them  about  a  large  table  in 
his  own  house  and  taught  them  penmanship,  and  had  them  read  to- 
gether some  of  the  master  works  of  English  literature,  closing  with  a 
familiar  talk  on  some  interesting  topic. 

But  not  till  1841  did  he  become  settled  in  Birmingham,  Conn.,  and 
without  detaining  the  narrative  by  dates,  it  is  enough  to  say  that  the 
magnificent  corporation  of  Wallace  &  Sons  in  Ansonia  is  the  direct 
outgrowth  of  the  industry  founded  by  the  really  great  and  noble 
character  whose  name  stands  first  in  the  corporate  title,  "  Wallace  & 
Sons." 


470  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Mr.  Wallace  brought  with  him  to  America  his  whole  self.  Fond 
of  America  before  he  ever  stepped  upon  her  shores,  he  became  most 
loyal  and  patriotic.  His  freedom  of  thought  came  with  him,  his  grace 
and  courtliness  of  manner,  his  pity  for  the  slave,  his  love  of  temper- 
ance, his  hate  of  tobacco  using,  his  orderliness,  his  gentlemanliness, 
his  kindness,  his  love  of  right,  and  his  ability  to  stand  for  conscience 
and  freedom  and  liberty  unto  the  very  last,  and  all  alone  if  need  be,  his 
power  of  keeping  friendships  in  the  midst  of  all  differences  of  opinion, 
and  his  fine  face.  All  these  came  with  him  to  America,  and  so  dis- 
tinguished him  in  the  town  of  Derby  as  to  make  him  one  of  the  most 
honored  and  popular  citizens. 

He  had  a  natural  taste  for  education,  as  he  was  intellectual  in  his 
cast  of  mind.  He  was  fond  of  schools,  and  took  great  interest  in  those 
of  Birmingham.  It  delighted  him  to  see  young  men  and  women  as- 
piring to  knowledge,  and  in  some  cases  he  aided  those  who  hungered 
for  it  and  could  not  of  themselves  attain  it.  There  is  an  unwritten 
history  here  of  great  beauty.  As  showing  his  own  literary  tastes,  it 
may  be  said  that  it  was  his  sustained  habit,  when  the  business  of  the 
day  was  over,  to  take  a  bath,  then  sit  at  his  table  in  his  library  reading 
a  book,  making  annotations  such  as  adorn  the  pages  of  his  volume  of 
"  Ecce  Homo,"  or  writing  a  newspaper  article,  perhaps  for  the  Liberator, 
of  his  great  friend,  William  Lloyd  Garrison. 

He  chose  for  his  marital  partner,  while  yet  in  England,  a  true  and 
typical  English  woman,  Miss  Agnes  Lord,  born  April  24th,  1797, 
daughter  of  a  physician.  She  was  a  woman  of  great  energy  and 
character,  often  proving  to  be  a  motive  force,  and  often  a  guide  to  her 
husband.  If  there  were  excelling  on  either  side,  it  is  only  true  to  say 
that  she  was  not  less  in  her  sphere  than  he  in  his.  They  were  mar- 
ried, and  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  in  Birmingham  December 
7th,  1868. 

As  a  testimonial  given  by  the  employees  on  that  occasion,  there  is 
now  in  the  possession  of  one  of  the  sons,  Thomas  Wallace,  a  case 
properly  inscribed,  containing  50  gold  dollars.  Congratulations  and 
tokens  of  esteem  sent  to  them  or  presented  in  person  on  that  occasion 
were  very  numerous.  Their  children  are:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wood,  John 
(deceased);  William  and  Thomas  (the  two  sons  now  in  the  corporation 
of  •'  Wallace  &  Sons)";  Mrs.  Agnes  Jackson,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Wooster  and 
Mrs.  Margaret  E.  Hayes.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Wallace  were  among 
the  first  citizens  of  Birmingham,  and  gave  to  their  children  an  inherit- 
ance of  noble  worth,  better  than  the  wealth  bestowed.  They  live  in 
the  hearts  of  their  children  and  their  neighbors. 

Sturges  Whitlock,  born  in  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  in  1844,  is  a  son  of 
John  Whitlock,  who  was  born  in  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  in  1821,  and  grand- 
son of  Thaddeus,  whose  father  was  Jonathan.  Three  brothers  came 
from  England;  one  settled  in  New  York,  one  in  New  Jersey,  and  one 
in  Connecticut.     John  Whitlock  came  to  Birmingham  and  founded  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  471 

Whitlock  Machine  Company.     His  son,  Sturges,  moved  the  business 
to  Shelton,  and  organized  a  stock  company,  of  which  he  is  president. 

William  H.  Williams,  lawyer,  Birmingham,  Conn.,  was  born  in 
Bethany,  Conn.,  June  7th,  1850.  There  were  no  special  advantages  of 
wealth  or  society  clustering  about  his  birth.  Hence  from  the  first  he 
must  win  for  himself  whatever  of  position  or  influence  he  might  gain 
in  the  world.  His  earliest  schooling  was  had  in  Durham,  Conn.,  in 
the  district  school,  and  then  only  for  a  brief  year  or  two,  for  at  seven 
years  of  age  he  left  home  for  the  varied  fortunes  of  a  farmer's  boy, 
working  on  the  farm  in  the  summer  and  perhaps  attending  school  for 
a  few  weeks  in  the  winter.  He  then  worked  in  a  woolen  mill  or  a 
grist  mill  or  sold  goods  from  a  peddler's  wagon,  as  the  exigencies  of 
the  time  might  determine. 

But  a  date  may  be  fixed,  September  12th,  1870,  as  indicating  the 
future  of  Mr.  Williams.  He  then  went  to  live  with  the  late  Judge 
Harris  P.  Munson,  of  Seymour,  under  conditions  which  admitted  of  his 
studying  law  in  the  judge's  office  and  under  his  direction.  For  the 
first  two  years  about  half  of  the  time  was  spent  in  farm  work,  and  the 
other  half  diligently  improved  in  conning  the  principles  of  jurispru- 
dence and  their  application.  The  third  year  was  devoted  assiduously 
to  legal  studies  and  to  those  preliminary  attempts  at  legal  practice  al- 
lowed to  law  students  before  justices  of  the  peace.  He  was  now  ready 
for  examination  for  admission  to  the  bar,  and  applied  in  September, 
1873,  to  be  admitted.  The  examining  committee  could  not  be  assem- 
bled until  after  the  fall  term  of  the  superior  court  had  adjourned.  The 
examiners  met  in  November,  and  the  candidate  successfully  passed 
their  scrutiny.  The  next  term  of  the  superior  court  opened  at  New 
Haven  in  January,  1874,  with  Judge  Pardee,  of  Hartford,  on  the  bench. 
At  the  opening  of  that  court  January  6th,  Mr.  Williams  was  admitted 
to  practice  the  profession  of  law  in  all  the  courts  of  the  state. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  he  already  had  some  experience  in  the 
trial  of  petty  cases,  and  that  preliminary  work  was  a  favorable  intro- 
duction to  the  larger  arena  which  he  had  now  entered.  He  continued 
with  judge  Munson,  and  his  relations  to  the  judge  brought  him  into 
acquaintance  with  the  judge's  daughter — an  acquaintance  which  ri- 
pened into  fondness.  For  on  May  5th,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Iris  E.  Munson.  The  union  was  delightful,  for  they  were  of  kindred 
tastes,  only  it  was  broken  in  upon  so  soon  by  death.  The  fall  and  winter 
of  that  year  she  spent  in  the  warm  climate  of  Florida,  but  consumption 
had  fastened  its  fatal  grip  upon  her,  and  in  September  of  1876  she  died. 

Returning  a  little  now,  it  is  fitting  to  allude  to  an  experience  in 
Mr.  Williams'  early  practice  which  many,  accustomed  to  observe  the 
public  life  of  Connecticut  men,  will  call  to  mind.  And  it  will  be  re- 
membered all  the  more  pleasantly  in  respect  of  Mr.  Williams,  for  in 
the  judgment  of  men  of  high  virtue  he  bore  himself  so  honorably 
throughout  it,  and  won  a  good  name   in  all  the  state.     He  was   ap- 


472  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

pointed  prosecuting  agent  under  the  new  liquor  law  of  1874,  and  came 
under  obligation  to  the  state  to  administer  the  law  faithfully.  Its  spirit 
and  intent  were  manifest,  its  language  was  plain,  and  it  threw  on  the 
prosecuting  attorney  an  onerous  responsibility,  especially  in  those 
towns  which  refused  to  grant  licenses.  Liquor  men  in  some  of  those 
towns  were  defiant  and  sought  in  various  ways  to  intimidate  the  pros- 
ecuting attorney,  and  failing  to  quiet  him,  then  to  remove  him  from 
office.  But  in  all  the  long  struggle  Mr.  Williams  retained  the  support 
of  the  moral  and  law-abiding  forces  of  the  commonwealth  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  vindicate  completely  his  course  as  a  faithful  protector  of 
the  public  good.  He  issued  from  the  struggle  bearing  the  confidence 
and  honor  of  the  best  portions  of  society,  and  really  laid  the  founda- 
tions for  rising  to  higher  distinctions  than  he  had  yet  attained  to. 

In  1878,  June  17th,  he  again  married  a  Seymour  lady — his  present 
wife,  Miss  Nellie  A.  Johnson,  and  the  happiness  of  home  life  with 
another  genial  spirit,  both  like  and  unlike  that  held  in  sacred  memory, 
was  renewed.  Like  the  former  wife,  the  present  Mrs.  Williams  is  an 
Episcopalian,  and  the  family  sittings  are  under  the  Episcopalian  min- 
istry. 

On  April  1st,  1880,  Mr.  Williams  opened  a  branch  office  in  Bir- 
mingham, where  the  late  I.  M.  Gardner,  who  had  just  died,  had  prac- 
ticed law,  and  in  the  spring  of  1882  he  moved  his  family  to  Birming- 
ham. In  1887-8  he  built  his  present  elegant  residence,  115  At  water 
avenue,  overlooking  a  large  part  of  Ansonia. 

Three  years  only  passed  by,  and  Judge  David  Torrance  had  been 
appointed  to  the  bench  of  the  superior  court.  A  vacancy  was  thus 
created  in  the  law  firm  of  Wooster,  Torrance  &  Gager,  and  it  was  de- 
sired that  it  should  be  filled.  The  remaining  members  of  the  firm,  in 
conference  with  Judge  Torrance,  looked  about  for  the  available  law- 
yer, and  found  the  qualities  and  standing  desired  in  Mr.  Williams, 
who  was  invited  to  enter  the  copartnership,  and  he  did  so  April  1st, 
1885. 

Mr.  Williams  shares  in  the  social  distinctions  of  his  town,  being  a 
member  of  New  Haven  Commandery.No.  2,  K.  T.,and  also  a  member 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Looking  back  now  over  this  sketch,  we  observe  what  native  worth 
and  steady  industry,  with  the  upward  gaze,  may  accomplish.  Given 
the  aspiring  mind  and  heart,  and  the  patient  toil  of  years,  and  the 
young  man  thrown  upon  the  world  with  no  resources  but  himself  may 
come  to  eminence  in  the  professions,  and  to  equal  esteem  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  lives. 

Colonel  William  B.  Wooster,  born  in  Oxford,  Conn.,  August 
22d,  1821,  was  the  son  of  Russel  and  Avis  (Burr)  Wooster,  of  that 
town.  His  birthplace  suggests  that  the  occupation  of  his  father  was 
agricultural,  and  that  the  son  shared  in  the  experiences  of  farm  life. 
His  education  was  pursued  in  the  district  school  and  the  academy,  and 
at  19  years  of  age  he  began  to  teach. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  473 

He  now  seemed  to  himself,  as  he  did  to  others,  to  be  born  for  a 
larger  sphere  of  operation,  and  after  a  few  years  entered  the  law  school 
at  New  Haven,  and  graduated  at  Yale  University  in  1846,  bearing  a 
diploma  signed  by  President  Day.  Judge  William  L.  Storrs  had  been 
his  instructor,  and  took  such  pride  in  his  pupil  as  to  give  him  counsel 
which  determined  the  graduate's  future.  It  had  been  the  dream  of 
the  student  to  cast  his  fortunes  into  the  great  West,  whither  so  many 
were  tending,  but  Judge  Storrs  said,  "I  want  to  give  you  unsolicited 
advice.  I  know  you  and  I  know  this  locality.  Don't  you  leave  Con- 
necticut. Don't  leave  New  Haven  county,  and  come  here  as  soon  as 
you  can."  Birmingham  was  quite  near  New  Haven.  In  Mr.  Woos- 
ter's  horoscope  of  the  future  there  appeared  what  has  since  come  to 
pass  in  fact;  a  growing  borough  with  suburbs  which  might  become 
populous,  and  he  carried  out  the  advice  of  his  eminent  legal  instructor 
by  establishing  himself  for  the  practice  of  law  in  Birmingham,  Conn., 
•October  1st,  1846. 

There  was  another  item  in  the  advice  of  Judge  Storrs  which  is  not 
recorded  above,  and  it  was  that  the  young  lawyer  should  let  politics 
alone,  and  give  himself  wholly  to  the  practice  of  his  profession.  This 
he  did,  and  was  first  successfully  tempted  into  the  political  arena  in 
1858,  when  he  had  given  12  years  closely  to  professional  pursuits.  He 
was  then  chosen  representative  to  the  general  assembly  from  the  town 
of  Derby,  and  in  1859  was  elected  senator  from  the  Fifth  district,  and 
again  in  1861  went  to  the  house. 

His  most  conspicuous  service  in  the  state  government  was  per- 
formed on  the  military  committee,  and  the  splendid  manner  in  which 
Connecticut  bore  her  part  in  the  volunteer  service  of  the  army,  and 
took  care  of  the  soldiers'  families,  is  to  be  credited  largely  to  his 
■efforts.  He  drew  many  of  the  acts  and  resolves  which  make  up  Con- 
necticut's legislative  war  record,  and  supported  them  in  their  passage 
through  that  busy  session  of  the  general  assembly. 

At  the  same  time  and  later,  he  was  actively  engaged  in  enlisting 
volunteers,  making  patriotic  and  war  speeches,  even  to  the  neglect  of 
his  own  professional  business.  And  when  President  Lincoln  issued 
his  famous  "call"  for  300,000  volunteers,  Colonel  Wooster  felt  it  to  be 
a  call  to  him  personally,  and  his  sense  of  duty  led  him  to  act.  He  was 
commissioned,  August  22d,  1862,  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  20th  Con- 
necticut Volunteer  Infantry.  The  battle  of  Chancellorsville  followed 
the  next  May,  and  for  distinguished  gallantry  on  the  field  he  was  made 
colonel  by  brevet.  His  command  held  the  ground  against  bold  and 
fierce  assaults,  and  only  when  the  federal  line  on  both  sides  of  him 
had  given  way,  did  he  order  a  retreat.  His  forces  filed  out  along  the 
base  of  the  hill,  and  to  escape  he  mounted  two  stray  horses  in  succes- 
sion, but  both  of  them  were  shot  under  him.  He  soon  found  that  the 
enemy  had  closed  behind  him.  He  was  captured,  his  sword  taken  from 
him,  and  he  was  marched  in  the  direction  of  Libby  Prison  to  undergo 
its  terrible  ordeal. 


474  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

How  strangely  interesting  are  some  of  the  happenings  in  life  ! 
The  colonel  now  has  the  sword  taken  from  him  on  the  field  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  and  the  old  hat  put  in  place  of  his  own,  taken  from  him  a 
few  hours  after,  while  he  was  sleeping  on  the  ground,  under  rebel 
guard,  in  front  of  General  Maury's  quarters.  The  sword  he  prized  for 
association's  sake.  It  was  the  gift  to  him  of  some  of  his  townsmen, 
Wallace  &  Sons,  and  was  properly  inscribed.  He  received  it  as  he  left 
home  to  take  his  command  in  1862.  In  a  battle  on  the  Weldon  rail- 
road, in  August,  1864,  our  forces,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Finnicum  of  the 
7th  Wisconsin  Volunteers  commanding,  captured  an  officer  of  a  Miss- 
issippi regiment  carrying  this  sword.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Finnicum 
returned  it  to  its  owner. 

On  release  from  Libby  Prison  and  exchange,  Colonel  Wooster 
hastened  to  join  his  regiment,  and  led  his  command  at  Gettysburg. 
His  regiment  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  his  own  particular 
command  was  at  the  very  front,  led  in  person,  in  the  terrible  conflict 
on  Culp's  hill,  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day  of  battle,  when  his 
command  with  other  forces  made  the  attack.  No  detail  of  his  event- 
ful army  experience  is  here  attempted.  It  is  sufficient  to  allude  to 
two  or  three  items  of  it,  only  to  suggest  the  personal  quality  and 
career  of  the  man  so  widely  and  highly  esteemed  in  Connecticut. 

In  March.  1864,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  a  colored  regfi- 
ment  and  made  colonel  of  it,  the  29th  Connecticut  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  henceforth  his  fortunes  in  the  war  were  identical  with  the  fortunes 
of  that  brave  regiment.  It  is  an  item  of  special  interest  that  his  com- 
mand was  the  first  to  enter  Richmond  upon  its  evacuation  by  the 
rebel  troops;  and  Colonel  Wooster  was  detailed  judge  under  martial 
law  in  the  city,  a  position  for  which  his  past  legal  life  eminently  quali- 
fied him. 

But  the  enumeration  of  these  army  events  do  not  sketch  the  man 
as  the  soldiers  under  him  knew  him,  or  as  his  neighbors  at  home,  by 
long  acquaintance,  knew  him,  and  have  known  him  since.  His  bravery 
and  calmness  in  the  peril  of  battle  could  not  be  improved  upon.  His 
care  of  the  soldiers  under  him  was  constant,  painstaking,  self-sacri- 
ficing. He  could  take  no  rest  himself  unless  his  soldiers  were  pro- 
vided with  the  food  and  clothing  and  accoutrements  they  were  entitled 
to;  and  if  need  be,  he  would  jeopardize  his  popularity  in  certain  quar- 
ters by  complaints  at  headquarters,  if  the  supplies  were  not  forthcom- 
ing. His  bravery  and  ability  of  command,  and  his  devotion  to  the 
well  being  of  his  men,  made  them  confide  in  him  to  the  fullest  extent 
and  love  him.  Hence  they  were  ambitious  to  acquit  themselves  in  the 
best  manner,  and  would  follow  him  anywhere.  While  he  was  the  im- 
personation of  bravery,  and  if  needful,  his  nerve  was  equal  to  any  ten- 
sion, he  was  yet  tender-hearted  and  kind.  After  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville,  and  he  was  a  prisoner,  he  induced  the  rebel  commander  to 
allow  him  to  go  under  guard  back  over  the  field  that  he  might  see  who 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  475 

of  his  men  were  killed  and  gather  up  messages  and  mementoes  from 
the  wounded  and  dying  to  send  back  home  to  their  friends  and 
families.     So  full  of  loving  tenderness  is  his  nature. 

The  war  being  over,  Colonel  Wooster  returned  and  opened  his  law 
office  once  more  in  Birmingham.  The  tide  of  business  set  toward  him 
again,  and  his  clients  multiplied.  They  gave  the  verdict  of  having 
found  a  perfectly  honest  lawyer,  considerate,  able,  a  very  safe  coun- 
sellor and  a  successful  advocate.  Colonel  Wooster  is  naturally  a  man 
of  affairs — eminently  a  man  of  action  rather  than  of  theory.  He  is 
a  born  leader  of  men,  whether  on  the  field  of  battle  or  in  civil  mat- 
ters; and  so  transparent  is  his  sincerity,  so  frank  is  his  manner,  so 
open  his  utterance,  that  the  shadow  of  deceit  is  impossible  to  him,  and 
men  trust  him  and  his  neighbors  honor  and  love  him. 

He  was  married  October  11th,  1870,  to  Miss  Wallace,  of  Birming- 
ham, the  daughter  of  Thomas  Wallace,  of  whom  Andrew  Carnegie 
speaks  in  his  "  Triumphant  Democracy  "  :  "  Mr.  Wallace  was  one  of 
the  great  Britons  in  America  who  founded  one  of  the  greatest  indus- 
tries in  this  land."  Colonel  Wooster's  residence  is  situated  on  Clifton 
avenue,  Ansonia,  and  is  a  model  of  elegance  throughout.  There  he 
lives  a  retired  life,  surrounded  with  luxury. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THE    TOWN    OF    ANSONIA. 


Location  and  Description. — Civil  Government. — The  Borough  of  Ansonia. — West  An- 
sonia. — Manufacturing  Interests. — Banks. — Post  Office. — The  Press. — Opera  House. 
— Water  Companies. — Physicians  and  Lawyers. — Lodges  and  Societies. — Soldiers' 
Monument. — Congregational  Church. — Christ  Church. — Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation.— Emanuel  Free  Church. — Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — Baptist  Church. 
— Second  (Colored)  Baptist  Church. — Roman  Catholic  Church.— Schools. — Biograph- 
ical Sketches. 


ANSONIA  is  the  youngest  town  in  the  county.  It  was  set  off  from 
Derby  in  the  spring  of  1889,  and  lies  north  of  that  town  and 
south  of  Seymour.  The  area  is  not  large,  and  the  principal  in- 
terests of  the  town  are  confined  to  the  valleys  of  the  Naugatuck  river 
and  Beaver  brook.  The  latter  is  a  small  stream  flowing  from  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  town  and  empties  into  the  river  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  borough  of  Ansonia.  This  angle  of  land  was  early 
called  the  "  Little  Neck,"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  larger  or  "  Derby 
Neck,"  along  the  Housatonic,  where  is  now  the  northwestern  part  of 
Birmingham.  The  low  lands  in  this  "  Little  Neck,"  near  the  mouth 
of  the  brook,  were  early  called  Plum  Meadows,  and  were  probably  the 
first  farmed  in  the  old  town  of  Derby.  In  1654-5  Edward  Wooster 
improved  some  of  them  for  a  hop  garden,  whose  products  most  likely 
were  used  in  the  brew  house  at  Milford.  In  1680  his  son,  Thomas, 
was  granted  one-half  of  Plum  Meadows,  and  he  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  within  the  present  limits  of  Ansonia.  He  built  a  house  some 
distance  north  of  his  father's,  at  "  Uptown,"  in  Derby,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death,  in  1713.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  substantial,  suc- 
cessful farmer. 

Higher  up  Beaver  brook  were  also  farming  lands,  less  fertile,  at  a 
point  on  that  stream,  half  a  mile  east  from  Cliff  street,  in  the  borough 
of  Ansonia,  and  at  what  was  called  the  upper  end  of  Plum  Meadows  the 
first  grist  mill  in  old  Derby  was  built,  in  1681,  by  Doctor  John  Hull. 
This  naturally  caused  a  small  settlement  to  spring  up  at  that  place. 
In  October,  1684,  the  town  granted  to  Doctor  John  Hull  and  John 
Griffin  "  each  of  them  a  home  lot  in  the  Little  Neck,  near  the  ponds." 
No  doubt  this  referred  to  the  ponds  made  by  the  mill  dam.  Doctor 
Hull  removed  to  Wallino-ford  five  vears  later,  but  members  of  his 
family  remained  at  the  mill,  which  was  here  discontinued  sometime 
about  1700.  and  the  interest  transferred  to  a  power  on  the  Naugatuck, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  477 

in  the  lower  part  of  the  town.  Thereafter  the  power  was  probably  de- 
voted to  lesser  use,  Doctor  Beardsley  being  of  the  opinion  that  many 
years  later  James  Humphreys  had  a  hat  shop  at  that  place,  which  he 
removed  to  Humphreysville. 

In  1682  an  allotment  of  land  at  Plum  Meadows  was  made  to  Sam- 
uel Griffin,  the  first  blacksmith  in  the  settlement,  and  it  is  probable 
that  he  had  his  shop  at  the  mill.  It  appears  that  he  was  also  a  farmer, 
and  in  1685  entered  his  ear-mark  for  cattle  and  swine — "  a  hapeny  cut 
out  of  the  under  side  of  the  offer  eare,  or  right  eare."  John  Griffin 
probably  settled  here  in  the  year  last  named,  and  was  a  farmer.  David 
Wooster,  John  and  Joseph  Hull,  Jr.,  also  lived  in  this  locality,  which 
became  known  as  the  "  North  End,"  on  account  of  its  being  the  north 
part  of  the  original  Derby  village  settlement,  and  after  the  removal  of 
the  mills  this  was  almost  wholly  a  farming  community. 

Along  the  Naugatuck,  north  of  the  meadows,  the  land  was  of  the 
nature  of  a  sandy  plain,  and  not  adapted  for  the  uses  of  agriculture. 
But  the  hills,  though  high  and  not  free  from  rocks,  were  to  some  ex- 
tent utilized  for  farming  purposes.  On  the  west  side  were  the  Samuel 
Durand  and  the  Bassett  farms,  each  having  a  generous  acreage.  They 
have  long  since  been  devoted  to  suburban  uses,  Ansonia  having  be- 
come distinctively  a  manufacturing  town,  which  was  called  into  exist- 
ence less  than  half  a  century  ago.  Its  most  interesting  history  conse- 
quently is  confined  to  the  present  population,  accounts  of  which  are 
given  in  the  following  pages. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1888,  1,100  inhabitants  of  the  upper 
part  of  Derby  petitioned  the  general  assembly,  asking  that  they 
might  become  a  separate  town  corporation.  After  a  full  consideration 
of  the  matter  by  that  body,  in  which  the  lower  part  of  Derby  pre- 
sented counter  petitions,  the  prayer  was  granted  April  17th,  1889,  and 
the  town  of  Ansonia  was,  by  legislative  enactment,  at  that  time  cre- 
ated. The  old  Derby  Neck  and  Town  roads  and  Clark  avenue  were 
made  the  lines  of  division  between  the  two  towns.  The  bridge  across 
the  Naugatuck  was  held  to  belong  to  the  towns  in  common,  and  the 
almshouse  and  poor  farm  of  Derby,  falling  within  the  limits  of  Anso- 
nia, were  assumed  by  this  town,  at  a  valuation  of  $5,907.  The  debts 
of  the  old  town  were  divided  on  a  basis  of  the  list  of  1888,  and  by  these 
arrangements  Ansonia  began  its  civil  existence  with  an  indebtedness 
of  $51,347.49. 

Under  this  act  the  first  town  meeting  was  warned  by  Egbert  Bart- 
lett,  to  be  held  at  Ansonia  Hall,  April  29th,  1889,  when  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  Selectmen,  Erwin  W.  Webster,  Eli  H.  Wakelee, 
Samuel  Scott;  town  clerk  and  registrar,  Reuben  H.  Tucker;  assessors, 
William  B.  Bristol,  George  E.  Lindley,  Egbert  Bartlet.t;  treasurer, 
Hobart  Sperry;  board  of  relief,  Benjamin  Nichols,  Jacob  A.  Fiske, 
Henry  C.  Spencer;  auditors,  Joseph  G.  Redshaw,  Lockwood  Hotchkiss; 
grand  jurors,  William  H.  Barnes,  Jeremiah  Flahaven,  Nicholas  F.  Mc- 


478  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Laughlin,  John  W.  Schumacker,  Peter  Larkin,  Samuel  B.  Bronson; 
school  visitors,  Albert  S.  Terry,  Morgan  J.  Flaherty,  Frederick  W. 
Holden,  Edward  L.  Smith,  Herbert  A.  Willard,  Thomas  J.  Kelley,  M. 
Gaylord  Bullock,  Albert  Phelps,  J.  Mead  Whittacoe. 

At  the  town  meeting  in  1889  the  selectmen  reported  that  the  high- 
ways of  the  town  were  in  bad  condition  and  in  need  of  repairs;  and 
with  the  streets  in  the  borough  of  Ansonia  their  improvement  would 
cause  a  great  burden.  Of  the  bridges  across  the  Naugatuck,  some 
were  pronounced  unsafe  and  all  needed  attention.  In  1889-90  the 
town  expended,  on  account  of  the  bridges,  $5,552.24;  and  for  highways, 
$7,504.93.  Not  only  were  the  highway  bridges  put  in  good  order,  but 
a  new  foot-bridge  across  the  Naugatuck  was  built,  at  an  outlay  of 
more  than  $1,000.  This  proved  a  great  convenience  for  the  work- 
men in  the  upper  factories  of  Ansonia  living  in  West  Ansonia.  The 
expenditures  of  the  town  that  year  for  all  purposes  were  $62,851.37. 

The  principal  town  officers  elected  for  1890  were  the  following: 
Selectmen,  Jonah  C.  Piatt,  Samuel  Scott,  Erwin  W.  Webster;  clerk  and 
registrar,  Reuben  H.  Tucker;  treasurer,  Frederick  M.  Drew;  auditors, 
Joseph  G.  Redshaw,  Morgan  J.  Flaherty;  school  visitors,  Herbert  A. 
Willard,  Charles  H.  Vandercoock,  Thomas  J.  Kelley. 

As  nearly  all  the  interests  of  the  town  are  centered  in  the  borough 
of  Ansonia  and  West  Ansonia,  a  movement  has  been  set  on  foot  to 
simplify  the  forms  of  government  and  make  them  more  effective  and 
advantageous  by  having  the  entire  town  incorporated  as  a  city.  This 
will  probably  be  accomplished  in  the  near  future. 

The  borough  of  Ansonia  contains  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
population  of  the  town.  It  is,  next  to  Waterbury,  the  most  important 
place  in  the  Naugatuck  valley,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
in  the  state.  Here  is  the  terminus  of  a  branch  of  the  Housatonic  rail- 
road, 11  miles  from  New  Haven.  It  is  also  an  important  station  on 
the  Naugatuck  Valley  Division  of  the  Consolidated  system,  16  miles 
from  Bridgeport.  For  the  accommodation  of  these  roads  a  fine  station, 
with  modern  conveniences,  has  lately  been  built.  Along  the  railroad 
and  the  river  are  grouped  many  manufacturing  establishments,  whose 
magnitude  gives  evidence  of  the  importance  of  this  place  as  an  indus- 
trial center,  while  on  every  hand  may  be  seen  the  signs  of  wealth  and 
prosperity.  On  the  hills,  overlooking  the  works,  are  many  attractive 
and  costly  residences,  and  hundreds  of  plainer  but  neat  homes,  whose 
appearance  indicates  the  industry  and  frugality  of  their  owners.  The 
business  houses  are  large  and  well  stocked  with  goods,  and  the  public 
buildings  are  commodious  and  inviting.  There  are  a  large  opera 
house,  Catholic,  Episcopal,  Congregational,  Methodist  and  Baptist 
churches,  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  daily  and  weekly 
newspapers,  banks,  a  good  system  of  drainage  and  public  water  works, 
gas  and  electric  lighting,  an  electric  street  railway,  a  fine  fire  depart- 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  479 

ment,  splendid  schools,  lodges  and  social  privileges,  and  other  acces- 
sories of  a  live,  progressive  town  having  a  population  of  10,342. 

Ansonia  was  founded  by   Anson  G.  Phelps  for  a  manufacturing 
village,  and  derived  its  title  from  his  given  name — Anson,  with  the 
letters  ia  added  to  make  it  more  euphonious.     Anson  Green  Phelps 
was  born  at  Simsbury.Conn.,  in  March,  1781.    His  father  died  when  he 
was  an  infant  and  his  mother  when  he  was  but  11  years  of  age.    After 
spending  seven  years  in  learning  the  saddlers'  trade,  he  engaged  in 
merchandising,  having  a  store  in  South  Carolina.     In  1815  he  located 
in  New  York,  where  he  became  a  large  and  successful    importer  of 
copper,  tin,  brass,  iron  and  other  goods,  amassing  a  large  fortune.    He 
now   turned    his   attention   to  manufacturing,  and    in    1836   Sheldon 
Smith  succeeded  in  enlisting  him  in  his  Birmingham  enterprises.     Of 
these  he  not  long  after  became  the  principal  owner,  and  by  his  skill- 
ful management  greatly  promoted  the  early  prosperity  of  that  place. 
While  thus  engaged  he  conceived  the  idea  of  extending  the  village  of 
Birmingham  north  several  miles,  making  another  improvement  of  the 
power  of  the  Naugatuck,  by  a  system  of  reservoir  and  raceway  on  the 
west  side,  the  land  being  admirably  adapted  for  that  purpose.     With 
this  view  he  purchased  large  tracts  of  land  on  the  west  side,  but  failed 
in  securing  the  old  Bassett  farm,  at  that  time  owned  by  Squire  Booth. 
The  latter  set  such  a  high  value  upon  it  that  the  persuasions  of  Mr. 
Phelps  and  of  prominent  citizens  of  Birmingham  who  were  interested 
in  the  welfare  of  the  village,  failed  to  induce  him  to  sell  unless  he  could 
get  six-fold  the  value  of  the  farm.     Booth  felt  sure  that  Phelps  must 
own  his  farm  in  order  to  carry  out  his  plans,  and  when,  finally,  $15,000 
was  offered  him,  declined  to  sell,  and  the  result  was  the  abandonment 
of  the  scheme  to  extend  Birmingham  northward,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Naugatuck,  and  the  founding  of  a  new  village  on  the  east  side  of 
that  stream.     The  greed  and  obstinacy  of   Booth  not  only  prevented 
Birmingham  from  becoming  one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  villages 
of  the  state,  but  it  was  also  the  primary  cause  which  brought  into  ex- 
istence its  wide-awake  competitor,  Ansonia. 

"  The  first  survey  of  the  grounds  now  teeming  with  the  busy  life 
of  Ansonia  was  made  by  John  Clouse,  Anson  G.  Phelps,  Almon  Far- 
rel  and  other  gentlemen.  After  nearly  a  day's  tramp  around  the  lots 
Clouse  planted  himself  upon  a  high  rock,  near  where  the  Congrega- 
tional church  now  stands,  and  casting  his  eyes  around,  said:  '  Mr. 
Phelps,  this  is  one  of  the  finest  places  for  a  village  in  this  Western 
world.  I  would  be  content  here  to  live  and  die,  and  be  buried  near 
this  very  spot,  with  no  other  monument  to  my  name  than  this  rock  and 
the  memory  of  those  who  may  come  after  me.'  "  * 

Acting  on  this  opinion  of  the  old   surveyor,  Phelps  secured  large 
tracts  of  lands  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.     In  December,  1844,  he 
also  purchased  the  improvements  and  privileges  of  Raymond  French, 
*  Orcutt  and  Beardsley's  "History  of  Derby,"  p.  416. 


480  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

who  had  that  year  built  a  dam  at  "  Kinneytown,"  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  a  mile  above  Ansonia,  .so  as  to  make  possible  the  construc- 
tion of  a  grand  system  of  water  power  along  the  base  of  the  hills  on 
the  east  side.  In  the  spring  of  1845  a  large  force  of  men  was  put  to 
work  upon  the  embankment  of  the  reservoir,  which  was  built  a  mile 
and  a  half  long.  It  was  completed  the  following  year  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Almon  Farrel  and  Abraham  Hubbell,  two  of  Ansonia's  pio- 
neers. At  the  same  time  the  building  of  the  village  was  begun,  and 
the  growth  of  the  place  and  the  development  of  the  manufacturing  in- 
terests have  been  intimately  connected  ever  since.  The  vigorous 
spirit  exhibited  in  making  the  first  improvements  soon  attracted  many 
energetic  citizens.  A  number  engaged  in  manufacturing  and  others 
entered  upon  general  business.  In  the  line  of  the  latter  was  erected, 
in  1846,  the  Ansonia  Hotel,  by  Lindley  &  Johnson,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  buildings  in  the  place.  It  is,  in  an  enlarged  condition,  still 
continued  as  a  public  house,  and  while  under  the  management  of  A. 
H.  Dayton  became  widely  known,  and  retains  his  name.  In  recent 
years  several  modern  hotels  have  been  erected,  there  being  half  a 
dozen  hostelries  in  1890. 

Eleazer  Peck  built  the  first  store  in  Ansonia,  and  was  in  the  dry 
goods  trade  until  1870,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Robert  Peck.  The 
former  died  in  1878,  aged  70  years.  John  Lindley,  who  came  to  An- 
sonia in  1845  as  a  carpenter  and  builder,  putting  up  some  of  the  first 
factories,  etc.,  established  a  furniture  and  carpet  trade  in  1858,  which 
is  still  continued  by  members  of  his  family. 

Egbert  Bartlett  here  became  a  hardware  mercant  in  1852,  and  in 
1867  retired  from  a  business  since  carried  on  by  Lockwood  Hotchkiss. 
H.  C.  Spencer  opened  a  store  in  the  same  line  of  trade,  about  six  years 
later,  which  in  1861  passed  to  T.  P.  Terry,  one  of  the  veteran  mer- 
chants of  the  place.  In  1882  his  son,  Frank  T.,  was  associated  with 
him,  and  the  firm  continues  on  a  large  scale  as  T.  P.  Terry  &  Son. 
The  hardware  business  of  W.  B.  Blackman  and  Charles  M.  Piatt  was 
established  in  1879.  Nathan  Johnson  was  in  trade  before  the  war,  at 
the  stand  of  Hobart  Sperry,  who  is  also  one  of  the  oldest  merchants 
in  the  place.  H.  C.  Miles  has  for  many  years  been  a  contemporary. 
Merritt  Clark  engaged  in  the  coal  trade  in  1861,  which  interest  is  still 
carried  on  by  his  sons.  Willis  and  Lewis  Hotchkiss  were  extensive 
pioneer  builders,  and  in  1883  W.  R.  Mott  and  C.  Y.  Woodruff  suc- 
ceeded to  the  building  business  of  F.  A.  Lines  &  Co.  In  all  there  are 
more  than  a  hundred  business  firms. 

Ansonia  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  by  an  act  of  the  May,  1864, 
general  assembly,  but  its  original  charter  was  much  amended  in  1871 
and  subsequently.  The  limits  were  restricted  to  the  village  proper, 
north  of  Beaver  brook  and  east  of  the  Naugatuck  river.  The  first 
election  of  borough  officers  was  held  August  1st,  1864,  the  meeting  be- 
ing called  by  J.  H.  Bartholomew.     The  following  were  then  chosen  as 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  481 

the  first  board  of  officers:  Warden,  D.  W.  Plumb;  burgesses,  William 
B.  Bristol,  J.  H.  Bartholomew,  Robert  Hoadley,  William  Wallace,  John 
Lindley,  M.  P.  Wilson;  treasurer,  William  B.  Bristol;  clerk,  A.  J. 
Hine;  bailiff,  D.  F.  Hoadley. 

The  successive  wardens  have  been  the  following:  1866-9,  William 
B.Bristol;  1870-1,  Egbert  Bartlett;  1872,  Robert  Peck;  1873,  Charles 
F.  Williams;  1874,  M.  J.  Walsh;  1875,  Henry  B.  Whiting;  1876-7,  D. 

F.  Hoadley;  1878,  J.  B.  Quillinan;  1879-80,  Henry  A.  Shipman;  1881- 
2,  John  B.  Quillinan;  1883-4,  John  B.  Gardner;  1885-7,  Reuben  H. 
Tucker;  1888-9,  John  M.  Wheeler.  In  the  latter  year  the  burgesses 
were:    Morris  Drew,  A.  B.  Clemens,  Thomas  A.  Nelson,  A.  S.  Terry,  J. 

G.  Redshaw,  John  E.  Lowden  and  William  Lapthorn;  B.  A.  Bradley 
was  the  clerk;  Fred.  M.  Drew,  the  treasurer;  John  E.  Lewis,  the  audi- 
tor, and  Thomas  S.  Ellis,  the  bailiff. 

From  the  records  the  following  interesting  facts  pertaining  to  the 
borough  have  been  gleaned: 

In  1874  a  map  of  the  streets  was  made  by  George  O.  Schneller. 

October  24th,  1879,  extensive  by-laws  upon  all  matters  of  borough 
rule  were  passed  and  adopted  for  the  government  of  Ansonia. 

August  25th,  1884,  J.  Herbert  Shedd,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  reported 
his  survey  for  a  sewerage  system,  and  soon  after  the  work  of  laying 
street  sewers  was  begun  by  Contractor  M.  S.  Austin. 

In  1885  the  grade  lines  of  many  streets  were  definitely  fixed.  In 
the  fall  of  1887  many  yards  of  street  sewers  were  laid,  the  cost  aggre- 
gating more  than  $16,000.  During  the  year  more  than  $23,000  was 
expended  for  that  purpose.  In  1888-90  about  $30,000  more  was  ex- 
pended to  still  further  extend  the  system. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1888,  it  was  ordered  that  Main  street  from 
State  street  to  Bridge  street  should  be  paved  with  Belgian  blocks,  and 
appropriations  to  that  end  were  made.  Main  street  north  has  been 
paved  with  these  blocks,  as  well  as  the  principal  cross  streets  from 
Main  to  the  river,  on  the  west.  On  the  1st  of  October,  1890,  about 
4,300  feet  of  streets  had  been  thus  paved,  and  the  outlay  for  that  pur- 
pose had  been  about  $35,000.  In  consequence  of  these  liberal  expen- 
ditures and  an  annual  outlay  of  about  $4,000  upon  the  highways  of 
the  borough,  the  healthfulness  and  appearance  of  Ansonia  were  supe- 
rior to  most  places  of  like  nature  and  size. 

The  streets  of  Ansonia  are  lighted  by  gas  and  electricity  furnished 
by  the  Derby  Gas  Company,  the  expense  for  this  purpose  being  about 
$2,000  per  year. 

Water  for  use  in  case  of  fires,  etc.,  is  supplied  by  the  Ansonia 
Water  Company,  there  being  about  60  public  hydrants,  and  the  cost 
of  maintaining  them  is  about  $1,700  per  year. 

In  connection  with  this  system  of  water  works  is  the  Ansonia  Fire 
Department,  whose  marshals  in  1890  were  Joseph  F.  Gilpin  and  Will- 
iam O.  Wallace.  The  only  fire  company  in  the  department  in  the 
31 


482  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

borough  is  the  Eagle  Hose  and  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  No.  6, 
which  was  organized  August  21st,  1871,  with  29  charter  members.  In 
1890  the  number  belonging  was  75.  The  company  is  well  supplied  with 
effective  apparatus,  and  its  quarters  are  centrally  located  on  Main 
street,  near  the  Farrel  foundries.  They  were  opened  for  the  use  of 
company  in  1879.  Outside  the  limits  of  the  borough,  but  within  easy 
distance  for  active  cooperation,  is  Fountain  Hose  Company,  of  West 
Ansonia,  and  the  two  companies  working  harmoniously  together,  have 
succeeded  in  reducing  the  losses  to  very  small  amounts.  Both  fire 
districts  are  equipped  with  a  fire  alarm  telegraph,  which  system  was 
introduced  in  the  early  part  of  1889.  From  six  hundred  to  a  thousand 
dollars  are  expended  annually  in  the  maintenance  of  the  department. 

Aside  from  special  disbursements  in  the  way  of  these  progressive 
betterments  the  corporation  expenses  are  about  $15,000  per  year,  but 
the  results  of  this  outlay  are  plainly  apparent  in  the  orderly,  well-kept 
and  substantial  appearance  of  the  borough. 

West  Ansonia  has  a  beautiful  location  on  the  hills  west  of  the 
Naugatuck  river,  which  separates  it  from  the  borough  of  Ansonia.  A 
number  of  bridges  span  the  stream,  affording  easy  communication  be- 
tween the  two  places.  For  many  years  the  village  sustained  a  suburb- 
an relation  to  the  borough,  being  almost  wholly  given  over  to  residence 
purposes.  In  more  recent  years  a  number  of  mercantile  businesses 
have  been  established,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  village  begins  to  as- 
sume the  appearance  of  a  trading  point.  There  are  more  than  a  dozen 
stores  and  shops,  several  public  and  private  halls,  good  school  houses, 
a  church,  public  waterworks,  a  hose  company,  and  the  principal  streets 
are  lighted  by  electricity. 

The  village  contains  many  handsome  residences  on  spacious  and 
well  kept  grounds.  There  are  also  hundreds  of  less  costly  but  neat  and 
attractive  homes,  owned  by  the  industrial  classes  of  the  town.  The  in- 
habitants number  several  thousand.  The  streets  are  in  good  condi- 
tion and  are  being  constantly  improved,  giving  the  place  a  prosperous 
appearance. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  village,  at  the  base  of  the  higher  hills,  are 
the  Roman  Catholic  and  Evergreen  cemeteries.  Both  are  neatly  kept 
and  contain  handsome  memorials  to  the  dead.  In  the  latter  is  also 
Ansonia's  Soldiers'  Monument,  a  chaste  token  of  the  esteem  to  the 
memory  of  those  who  lost  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  Union. 

Ansonia  became  distinctly  a  manufacturing  town  with  the  building 
of  Phelps'  reservoir.  But  the  capacity  of  the  water  power  has  long 
since  been  outgrown,  and  steam  is  extensively  used  as  a  principal  or 
supplemental  motor;  still  its  water  remains  an  important  factor  in  the 
affairs  of  the  town.  Upon  the  death  of  Anson  G.  Phelps,  in  New  York 
in  1853,  his  interests  were  placed  in  charge  of  representatives,  who 
have  still  further  developed  and  extended  them.  In  1869  the  power 
and  real  estate  at  this  place  passed  under  the  management  of  the  An- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  483 

sonia  Land  and  Water  Power  Company,  of  which  D.  Willis  James  and 
George  P.  and  A.  A.  Cowles,of  New  York,  have  been  principal  officers 
a  number  of  years.  The  real  estate  of  the  company,  which  was  com- 
pletely worthless  in  1845,  has  become  very  valuable. 

Almon  Farrel,  a  native  of  Waterbury,  where  he  learned  the  trade 
of  a  millwright  of  his  father,  and  who  subsequently  became  one  of  the 
leading  machinists  and  contractor  of  factory  buildings  in  the  Nauga- 
tuck  valley,  was  one  of  the  principal  spirits  in  the  pioneer  industrial 
history  of  Ansonia.  Many  of  the  first  improvements  were  made  under 
his  direction.  He  was  the  father  of  Franklin  Farrel,  now  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  successful  manufacturers  of  the  town.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  May,  1857,  but  the  works  of  his  handicraft  still  remain. 
Edwin  Ells,  who  died  in  1881,  built  the  first  wheel  that  was  put  in 
motion  in  Ansonia.  TheColburn  brothers,  Sylvester  and  Sullivan  M., 
who  have  also  passed  away,  were  among  the  first  who  here  ventured 
to  establish  new  industries;  and  David  W.  Plumb  was  one  of  the  most 
active  manufacturers  and  business  men,  from  1848  until  1868,  when 
he  removed  to  Shelton  to  help  develop  that  village.  The  Wallaces, 
Farrels  and  Durands  remain,  and  are  pillars  of  strength  in  the  indus- 
trial life  of  Ansonia. 

The  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company,  popularly  called  the  "A., 
B.  &  C.  Co.,"  is  the  successor  to  the  oldest  manufacturing  business  in 
the  town.  The  copper  mills  of  Ansonia  were  the  first  industrial  works. 
Their  foundation  was  laid  in  the  fall  of  1844  by  Almon  Farrel,  upon 
which  Harvey  Johnson  erected  a  superstructure  the  following  year. 
This  was  occupied  by  the  Ansonia  Manufacturing  Company,  incorpo- 
rated May  12th,  1845,  with  a  capital  of  $50,000.  Donald  Judson  was 
the  president,  and  Sheldon  Bassett  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
company.  In  1854  the  Birmingham  Copper  mills  were  removed  to 
Ansonia,  and  the  two  concerns,  in  both  of  which  Anson  G.  Phelps  had 
been  interested,  were  consolidated.  The  business  was  now  success- 
fully conducted  by  the  Phelps  management,  and  in  1869  the  formation 
of  the  present  corporation  followed.  Its  capital  stock  has  been  in- 
creased with  the  expansion  of  business,  being  now  $1,500,000.  The 
old  buildings  have  also  been  displaced  by  more  substantial,  commodi- 
ous structures.  At  Ansonia  three  vast  plants  are  occupied,  which  are 
known  as  the  brass  and  copper  mills,  the  wire  mills  and  the  factories 
on  Main  street.  In  the  latter  large  quantities  of  brass  and  copper 
goods  in  a  great  variety  of  manufacture  are  produced,  giving  employ- 
ment to  much  skilled  labor.  The  annual  output  aggregates  several 
millions  of  dollars,  and  the  company  here  has  in  its  service  hundreds 
of  men,  this  being  one  of  the  most  extensive  industries  in  the  place. 
The  principal  stockholders  and  officers  reside  in  New  York.  The  of- 
ficers were,  in  1890;  W.  E.  Dodge,  president,  and  A.  A.  Cowles,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer. 

The  Farrel  Foundry  and  Machine  Company  also  ranks  as  a  leading 


484  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

industrial  institution,  which  was  founded  in  the  pioneer  period  of 
Ansonia.  It  was  started  by  the  Colburn  brothers — Sylvester,  Sullivan 
and  Josiah  M. — and  Almon  Farrel.  The  capital  and  the  business  were 
at  first  small,  but  increased  from  the  time  of  commencing  operations 
in  1848.  Two  years  later  the  business  was  changed  to  an  incorporated 
company,  called  the  Farrel  Foundry.  Almon  Farrel  was  the  presi- 
dent, continuing  until  his  death,  in  1857.  In  September  of  that  year 
the  former  corporation  gave  place  to  the  present  one.  Of  this  com- 
pany Franklin  Farrel  has  since  been  the  president  and  the  leading 
spirit,  increasing  the  value  of  the  nominal  capital  of  $100,000  until  its 
market  value  is  half  a  million  dollars.  In  1890  his  associate  officers 
were:  F.  E.  Hoadley,  secretary;  E.  C.  Lewis,  treasurer,  and  C.  F. 
Bliss,  agent. 

From  its  humble  beginning  at  Ansonia  the  plant  has  been  ex- 
tended until  it  covers  between  four  and  five  acres,  upon  which  are 
capacious  buildings,  equipped  with  improved  machinery  for  expedi- 
tiously carrying  on  the  work  of  the  corporation.  An  additional  plant 
is  also  maintained  at  Waterbury,  and  more  than  half  a  thousand  men 
are  employed.  The  products  consist  of  a  great  variety  of  heavy  man- 
ufactures, a  specialty  being  made  of  chilled  rolls  for  every  kind  of 
mills;  much  of  the  products  being  exported  to  foreign  countries.  It 
is  said  that  this  establishment  has  manufactured  some  of  the  heaviest 
sugar  mill  machinery  in  the  world.  Several  years  ago  these  works 
shipped  to  Cuba  the  machinery  for  a  couple  of  sugar  mills,  each 
weighing  320  tons.  The  chilled  rolls  were  44  inches  in  diameter  and 
7  feet  long  on  the  face.  The  company  also  manufactures  on  an  ex- 
tensive scale  rolls  for  flouring  mills,  which  have  no  superior  in  this 
country;  and  their  patent  ore  crushers  are  reputed  among  the  best 
machinery  of  that  kind  made.  The  excellence  of  their  many  other 
products  has  made  the  name  of  the  corporation  and  of  Ansonia 
widely  known. 

Contemporary  with  the  foregoing  enterprises  was  the  establish- 
ment, in  1848,  of  a  woolen  mill  by  David  W.  Plumb.  He  had  engaged 
in  the  same  line  of  manufacturing  at  Birmingham  in  1836,  and  came 
from  that  place  in  the  year  named.  A  large  factory  was  built  in  the 
upper  part  of  Ansonia,  in  which  he  successfully  manufactured  woolens, 
having  an  especially  profitable  business  during  the  war.  In  1865  he 
sold  out  to  William  R.  Slade,  who  organized  the  Slade  Woolen  Com- 
pany the  same  year.  This  corporation  operated  with  a  capital  of 
$100,000,  and  had  an  annual  output  of  half  a  million  dollars  worth  of 
cassimers,  beavers,  doeskins  and  other  woolen  goods.  It  occupied  a 
four-story  building  50  by  160  feet,  and  used  water  and  steam  as  motors. 
In  1883  a  part  of  the  building  was  occupied  by  the  Hill  Knitting  Com- 
pany, incorporated  that  year  with  a  capital  of  $25,000,  for  the  manu- 
facture of  knit  underwear.  Charles  L.  Hill  was  the  president  of  the 
company,  and  about  50  operatives  were  employed.     Since  1887  this  in- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  485 

dustry  has  been  known  as  the  Ansonia  Knitting  Mills,  and  has  been 
carried  on  under  the  proprietorship  of  R.  W.  Lewis  &  Son  (E.  H. 
Lewis),  in  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of  woolen  knit  goods.  They 
run  three  sets  of  cards,  1,100  spindles,  10  knitting  machines,  and  em- 
ploy about  80  hands. 

Another  industry  established  at  Ansonia  in  that  period  is  the  brass 
and  copper  manufacturing  business  of  Wallace  &  Sons,  who  have, 
since  1853,  been  a  corporate  body  with  that  name.  This  has  also  been 
developed  from  a  meager  beginning  to  an  establishment  of  collossal 
proportions.  The  buildings  are  among  the  largest  and  best  equipped 
in  the  town,  the  entire  plant  covering  about  five  acres.  An  especial 
feature  for  some  years  has  been  a  chimney  200  feet  high,  containing 
at  the  height  of  80  feet  above  the  ground  a  fine  Seth  Thomas  town 
clock.  A  new  office,  erected  in  1889,  is  in  size,  beauty  of  architecture 
and  elegance  of  appointment  surpassed  by  few  others  in  the  county. 
The  interests  of  Wallace  &  Sons  are  among  the  foremost  in  the  place. 
They  produce  not  only  the  raw  brass  and  copper  in  varied  forms,  but 
re-manufacture  an  astonishing  variety  of  goods  of  the  metals  named, 
and  employ  a  force  of  men  which  approximates  1,000  in  number. 
Their  goods  also  have  a  fine  reputation  at  home  and  abroad,  and  al- 
though the  output  exceeds  several  millions  of  dollars  worth  per  year, 
it  is  being  steadily  increased  by  the  enlargement  of  the  plant  and  the 
perfection  of  the  machinery  used. 

The  founder  of  this  business  was  Thomas  Wallace.  He  was  born 
in  Manchester,  England,  in  1797,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age 
learned  the  trade  of  a  wire  drawer  for  pin-making.  In  1832  he  came 
to  America,  and  to  Birmingham  in  1841.  He  there  engaged  as  wire 
drawer  for  the  Howe  Pin  Company,  occupying  the  basement  of  the 
old  Bassett  factory,  and  continued  about  half  a  dozen  years,  having 
the  help  of  his  sons,  John,  Thomas  and  William,  who  also  became 
skilled  in  the  business.  In  1848  they  removed  to  Ansonia,  where  they 
began  the  brass  business  in  a  moderate  way,  on  their  own  account, 
adding  various  lines  of  manufactures  from  time  to  time.  Thomas 
Wallace  died  in  1875,  but  the  business  has  since  been  carried  on  with 
untiring  energy  by  his  sons  and  grandsons,  who  also  became  skillful 
mechanics.  The  officers  of  the  corporation  are:  President,  William 
Wallace;*  secretary,  John  B.  Wallace;  treasurer  and  general  manager, 
Thomas  Wallace;  superintendent,  William  O  Wallace. 

Keeping  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  times,  the  Wallaces  have 
manufactured  many  lines  of  goods  pertaining  to  the  arts  into  which 
electricity  enters,  and  in  1880  members  of  the  above  firm  and  others 
formed  the  Electrical  Supply  Company,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $48,000. 
Thomas  Wallace  has  served  as  president;  Thomas  Wallace,  Jr.,  secre- 
tary, and  Thomas  W.  Bryant  and  L.  F.  Anschutz,  treasurer.  A  large 
plant  on  Main  street,  near  the  lower  end  of  the  reservoir,  has  been 
*See  biographical  sketches  of  William  and  Thomas  Wallace  in  this  chapter. 


4S6  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

equipped,  and  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  complete  in 
this  county.  The  output  includes  the  latest  and  most  useful  inven- 
tions and  improvements  in  the  vast  domains  of  electrical  science,  in- 
cluding the  telegraph,  telephone,  electric  light,  etc.,  etc.  About  100 
skillful  workmen  are  employed,  and  with  the  improved  machinery  in 
use  large  quantities  of  work  are  produced.  At  this  establishment  are 
manufactured  many  of  the  goods  used  by  the  Edison  Electric  Light 
companies,  in  different  parts  of  the  Union;  and  some  of  the  earliest 
inventions  in  electric  lighting  were  made  by  members  of  the  Wallace 
family. 

But  not  all  the  pioneer  manufacturers  at  Ansonia  prospered.  Some 
industries  were  established  which  were  here  for  a  short  duration,  and 
in  1852  a  destructive  fire  swept  away  some  factories,  at  a  loss  of  $75,- 
000.  Two  years  later  the  but  recently  located  Ansonia  Clock  Com- 
pany was  burned  out,  at  a  loss  of  $120,000.  Their  main  factory  build- 
ing stood  where  is  now  the  Osborne  &  Cheesman  factory,  on  Main 
street.  This  was  a  heavy  blow  at  the  prosperity  of  a  village  as  young 
as  Ansonia  was  at  that  time.  Subsequently  the  business  of  the  clock 
company  was  conducted  at  Ansonia  by  the  management  of  the  Brass 
&  Copper  Company,  and  was  here  continued  until  about  ten  years 
ago,  when  it  was  removed  and  consolidated  with  the  company's  fac- 
tor)7 at  Brooklyn,  N.Y.  At  the  latter  place  time  pieces  are  still  pro- 
duced as  "Ansonia"  clocks.  But  in  this  line  of  industry  are  now  at 
Ansonia  John  B.  Gardner  &  Son  and  Phelps  &  Bartholomew  Com- 
pany. 

John  B.  Gardner*  &  Son,  manufacturers  of  clock  dials  and  clock 
parts,  date  their  business  from  1857.  In  that  year  the  senior  Gardner, 
who  had  invented  a  sunken  dial,  began  their  manufacture,  soon  put- 
ting his  business  upon  a  successful  basis.  The  original  factory  on 
Main  street  was  enlarged  from  time  to  time,  until  it  has  become  one 
of  the  principal  plants  in  the  borough.  Other  lines  of  fancy  work  have 
been  added,  until  the  firm  gives  employment  to  about  100  men.  In 
1880  Mr.  Gardner  associated  his  son,  Sturges  B.,  with  him,  since  which 
time  increasing  prosperity  has  attended  their  efforts. 

The  Phelps  &  Bartholomew!  Company  became  a  corporate  body  in 
1886.  But  the  firm  of  Albert  Phelps  and  A.  H.  Bartholomew,  as  co- 
partners for  the  manufacture  of  clock  movements,  was  established  in 
1881.  In  1890  the  four-story  building  known  as  the  Savings  Bank 
property,  on  the  east  side  of  Main  street,  was  purchased,  and  the 
business  transferred  to  the  new  and  spacious  quarters.  The  clocks  of 
this  company  are  very  popular. 

The  Osborne  &  Cheesman  Company  was  organized  in  1866.  For  a 
number  of  years  the  firm  of  John  W.  Osborne  and  George  W.  Chees- 
man merchandised  in  Birmingham.  In  1858  they  also  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing hoop  skirts.     The  following  year  they  sold  their  mercantile 

*See  sketch  of  John  B.  Gardner.       fSee  sketch  of  A.  H.  Bartholomew. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  487 

business  and  removed  to  Ansonia  to  devote  themselves  exclusively  to 
manufacturing.  In  1861  they  built  their  main  factory  building,  on  the 
site  of  the  burned  Ansonia  Clock  Works.  Subsequently  the  building 
was  enlarged,  and  the  line  of  manufacture  largely  increased  to  include 
web  goods,  suspenders  and  wire  woven  tape  for  skirts.  A  shop  on 
metalic  goods  was  also  run.  In  1866  the  above  company  was  organ- 
ized, as  a  joint  stock  corporation,  with  a  capital  of  $120,000.  John  W. 
Osborne  was  the  first  president;  Charles  Durand,  the  secretary,  and 
George  W.  Cheesman,  the  treasurer.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  Mr. 
Osborne  retired  from  the  company,  and  Charles  Durand  became  the 
president,  serving  until  1875.  The  officers  in  later  j'ears  and  in  1890 
were:  Wilbur  F.  Osborne,  president;  Charles  D.  Cheesman,  secretary; 
George  W.  Cheesman,  treasurer. 

The  S.  O.  &  C.  Co.,  which  was  incorporated  in  1882,  with  a  capital 
of  $40,000,  is  an  offshoot  of  the  Osborne  &  Cheesman  Company.  The 
business  of  this  company  was  begun  several  years  earlier  by  an 
ingenious  and  skillful  young  German  mechanic — George  O.  Schnel- 
ler.*  He  invented  and  constructed  eyeletting  machinery  which 
revolutionized  that  branch  of  manufacturing,  and  which  is  used 
in  the  plant  of  this  company.  Other  devices,  equally  labor-saving 
and  ingenious,  have  been  produced  by  him,  and  are  here  success- 
fully used.  The  company  also  manufactures  metal  goods  of  various 
kinds,  and  has  a  growing  business.  Its  plant  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  borough  is  one  of  the  best  located  in  the  town. 

The  Union  Fabric  Company  was  incorporated  in  1887,  to  cover 
steel  and  other  wires  for  use  in  skirts,  bustles,  etc.  The  industry  is 
new  but  is  prospering.  Of  this  company  W.  F.  Osborne  is  the  presi- 
dent, and  the  other  offices  are  filled  by  George  O.  Schneller. 

The  Sperry  Manufacturing  Company  are  manufacturers  of  fifth 
wheels  and  other  carriage  hardware  in  great  variety.  Their  plant  is 
on  Beaver  brook,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  borough,  where  this  indus- 
try was  established  about  1870  by  Wales  Terrell  &  Co.  The  present 
corporation,  whose  capital  is  $50,000,  was  formed  in  1882.  Charles  H. 
Pine  is  the  president,  and  E.  F.  Sperry  the  secretary  and  treasurer. 
Several  dozen  men  are  employed,  and  steam  is  the  motive  power. 

In  the  same  locality  were  the  works  of  the  Derby  Bit  Company, 
incorporated  in  1881.  For  several  years  a  successful  business  was 
there  carried  on  in  the  manufacture  of  augers,  bits,  etc.,  patented  by 
W.  L.  Parmalee. 

Among  the  successful  minor  industries  are  the  brass  foundry  of 
Edward  Carter  &  Son,  at  Slade's  Woolen  Mill,  since  1882,  and  in  An- 
sonia since  1858;  Henry  C.  Cook,  manufacturer  of  presses,  dies,  etc., 
in  Gardner's  Block,  and  established  in  1882;  the  paper  box  manufac- 
tory of  S.  G.  Redshaw,  in  the  same  block,  and  carried  on  by  him  since 
1878,  but  established  earlier  by  Hendrix  &  Bartholomew,  and  for  some 

*  See  Biographical  Sketch. 


488  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

time  the  buckle  factory  of  B.  Goodman,  at  the  same  place,  each  em- 
ploying from  five  to  thirty  hands. 

The  carriage  manufactory  of  F.  B.  Pope  &  Sons,  composed  of  F.  B., 
Fred.  J.,  Homer  N.  and  Ernest  L.  Pope,  was  established  in  187(5  by 
the  senior  member,  the  present  firm  succeeding  to  the  business  in  1886. 
A  factory  building,  70  by  80  feet,  is  occupied. 

Many  other  small  interests  were  for  short  periods  carried  on,  but 
no  detailed  account  is  here  possible.  New  industries  are  yearly  begun, 
some  failing  of  a  successful  establishment. 

The  Ansonia  National  Bank  is  the  oldest  monetary  institution  in 
the  town.  This  was  originally  organized  as  the  Bank  of  North 
America,  and  its  place  of  business  was  Seymour.  Having  suffered 
great  losses  at  that  place,  its  charter  was  amended  to  permit  the  re- 
moval of  the  bank  to  Ansonia,  to  which  place  it  was  transferred  in 
July,  1861,  and  the  name  changed  to  that  of  the  Ansonia  Bank.  The 
capital  stock  was  $100,000,  but  the  growing  business  soon  made  it 
necessary  to  increase  it  to  $200,000,  at  which  amount  it  still  remains. 
In  1865  the  bank  was  nationalized.  In  the  fall  of  1890  there  was  a 
surplus  fund  of  $80,000,  and  the  deposits  reached  $450,000. 

The  first  president  was  Josiah  M.  Colburn,  who  was  succeeded,  in 
January,  1875,  by  the  Hon.  Thomas  Wallace,  and  the  latter,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1886,  by  the  present  incumbent,  Charles  H.  Pine,  who  had  served 
as  cashier  from  August,  1873,  to  the  time  of  his  accession  as  president, 
and  was  succeeded  in  his  former  office  by  Frederick  M.  Drew,  the 
present  cashier.  At  this  time  the  board  of  directors  is  composed  of 
Thomas  Wallace,  Franklin  Farrel,  William  Powe,  W.  B.  Bristol,  A.  H. 
Bartholomew,  C.  H.  Pine  and  Charles  E.  Bristol,  the  latter  being  vice- 
president. 

The  banking  house  on  Main  street  has  been  occupied  many  years, 
and  while  it  has  a  plain  exterior  it  was  thoroughly  refitted  inside  in 
1889,  and  was  made  very  attractive. 

The  Savings  Bank  of  Ansonia  was  incorporated  in  1862.  The 
charter  was  granted  to  George  P.  Cowles,  J.  H.  Bartholomew,  Abra- 
ham Hubbell.  Egbert  Bartlett,  Albert  Hotchkiss,  William  B.  Bristol, 
Sylvester  Barbour,  Richard  M.  Johnson,  Eleazer  Peck,  John  Lindley, 
J.  M.  Colburn,  Thomas  Whitney,  Nathan  S.Johnson,  Thomas  Wallace, 
Jr.,  David  W.  Plumb,  Jonah  C.  Piatt,  Eli  Hotchkiss,  Willet  Bradley. 
The  bank  was  opened  in  the  law  office  of  Sylvester  Barbour,  who  was 
the  first  secretary  and  treasurer.  Not  long  after  Egbert  Bartlett  was 
elected  to  the  latter  office,  in  which  he  served  until  1888,  when  Frank- 
lin Burton  became  the  secretary  and  treasurer.  William  B.  Bristol 
has  been  the  only  president  of  the  bank,  and  the  Hon.  Thomas  Wal- 
lace has  long  been  the  vice-president. 

In  1890  the  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  the  following:  J.  C. 
Piatt,  H.  J.  Smith,  James  Swan,  Franklin  Burton,  Hobart  Sperry, 
Lockwood  Hotchkiss,  George  E.  Lindley  Hervey  Hotchkiss,  Charles  F. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  489 

Bliss.  The  bank  is  very  prosperous,  and  its  business  has  steadily  in- 
creased. In  March,  1880,  the  deposits  amounted  to  $367,865.31;  Octo- 
ber 1st,  1890,  they  were  $991,503.95,  and  the  number  of  depositors  was 
3,720.  The  savings  bank  occupies  offices  in  the  second  story  of  the 
national  bank  building. 

The  citizens  of  the  upper  part  of  old  Derby  were  given  better  pos- 
tal privileges  in  June,  1846,  when  the  Anson ia  office  was  established, 
with  George  Bristol  as  the  postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  in  January, 
1858.  by  John  Lindley,  and  he  in  turn  by  George  Bristol,  in  April, 
1861.  Charles  E.  Bristol  was  appointed  in  August,  1869,  and  served 
until  March,  1885,  when  John  L.  Lindley  became  his  successor.  The 
present  postmaster,  Morris  Drew,  was  appointed  February  14th,  1890. 
D.  S.  Parsons  is  the  deputy  postmaster.  The  office  is  in  a  spacious, 
well-appointed  room  in  the  Opera  House  Block,  where  it  has  been 
kept  the  past  ten  years.  Since  July,  1887,  the  free  carrier  system  has 
been  in  operation,  the  public  being  served  by  five  carriers.  Thirty- 
three  street  boxes  are  maintained  in  Ansonia  and  West  Ansonia,  which 
is  the  area  of  the  distribution. 

The  press  of  Ansonia  has  an  able  and  enterprising  representative 
in  the  daily  and  weekly  Sentinel.  This  journal  was  the  pioneer  paper 
in  the  borough,  and  was  founded  November  9th,  1871,  by  Jerome  & 
Carpenter,  as  the  Naugatuck  Valley  Sentinel,  a  small  local  weekly.  In 
April,  1872,  Reverend  Edward  M.  Jerome  became  the  sole  editor  and 
proprietor,  continuing  until  August,  1876,  when  the  paper  was  pur- 
chased by  the  present  owner,  J.  M.  Emerson,  who  has  had  for  short 
periods  other  parties  associated  with  him.  In  1879  the  paper  was  en- 
larged to  a  sheet  29  by  46,  nine  columns  to  a  page,  and  its  form  since 
that  time  has  been  changed  and  improved.  The  paper  has  become 
more  distinctly  the  exponent  of  Ansonia's  interests,  and  appropriately 
has  had  the  name  changed  to  that  of  The  Ansonia  Sentinel. 

In  the  spring  of  1883  a  daily  issue  of  the  Sentinel  was  begun,  which 
has  been  successfully  continued,  separate  editions  being  issued  for 
some  of  the  neighboring  villages.  The  circulation  has  steadily  in- 
creased, the  aggregate  issues  being  about  8,000  copies  per  week. 

The  Sentinel  occupies  its  own  printing  establishment,  which  was 
completed  for  use  in  April,  1882.  It  is  a  fine  three-story  brick  build- 
ing, and  is  equipped  with  all  the  appliances  of  a  modern  printing 
house.     The  Sentinel  is  republican  in  politics. 

In  June,  1885,  the  Ansonia  Journal,  devoted  to  democratic  princi- 
ples, was  established  by  J.  H.  Whiting.  It  was  discontinued  the  fol- 
lowing September  for  lack  of  patronage. 

The  Ansonia  Opera  House  was  erected  in  1S70  by  the  Ansonia 
Hall  Company,  organized  for  this  purpose  in  1869.  It  is  a  substantial 
and  attractive  brick  structure,  45  by  103  feet,  and  four  stories  high, 
and  cost  to  build  about  $40,000.  The  opera  house  proper  is  one  of  the 
finest  halls  in  the  county,  seating  900  people.     Its  stage  is  30  by  35 


490  HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

feet  and  is  well  supplied  with  fine  scenery.  For  a  number  of  years 
the  property  has  belonged  to  the  Bartholomew  family  and  has  been 
managed  by  Dana  Bartholomew.  This  was  the  first  spacious  hall  in 
Ansonia.  Prior  to  its  use  the  public  hall  was  Colburn's,  or  the  old 
Military  Hall,  having  a  small  capacity.  Other  public  rooms  more  re- 
cently opened  are  the  Temple  of  Honor  Hall  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Hall, 
both  centrally  located  on  Main  street,  the  latter  being  in  Gardner's 
Block. 

The  Ansonia  Water  Company  is  a  corporation  with  a  capital  of 
$30,750,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  borough  with 
pure  water  for  domestic  use.  Its  first  president  was  J.  S.  Bartholo- 
mew, and  Sylvester  Barbour  was  the  secretary  and  treasurer.  These 
offices  have  been  filled  the  past  ten  years  by  Thomas  Wallace  and 
Dana  Bartholomew,  who,  with  William  Wallace,  A.  H.  Bartholomew, 
Theodore  P.  Terry  and  F.  T.  Terry,  constituted  the  board  of  directors 
in  the  fall  of  1890.  The  company  constructed  its  water  works  in  1868, 
building  a  large  reservoir  on  Beaver  brook,  about  two  miles  from  the 
central  part  of  the  village,  and  several  hundred  feet  above  the  plain 
along  the  Naugatuck.  Since  that  time  additional  reservoirs  have  been 
built,  giving  a  storage  capacity  of  about  33,000,000  gallons.  The  water 
is  carried  to  the  village  by  gravitation  through  12-inch  mains  and 
thoroughly  distributed  by  smaller  pipes.  At  appropriate  points  are 
55  hydrants  for  use  in  case  of  fire.  At  the  highest  points  a  pressure 
of  90  pounds  is  afforded,  being  sufficient,  without  the  use  of  an  engine, 
to  extinguish  ordinary  fires.  For  drinking  purposes  the  quality  of 
the  water  is  most  excellent. 

West  Ansonia  has  its  supply  of  water  for  domestic  use  from  an- 
other source.  It  is  furnished  by  the  Fountain  Water  Company,  whose 
capital  is  $20,000  and  which  was  organized  in  1872.  The  works,  estab- 
lished at  a  lake  among  the  western  hills,  which  is  filled  by  living 
streams,  afford  a  bountiful  supply.  The  mains  are  being  much  ex- 
tended to  keep  pace  with  this  growing  but  widely  scattered  suburb, 
and  provision  for  its  use  in  case  of  fire  has  also  been  made  by  the 
erection  of  street  hydrants.  In  1890  David  Torrance  was  the  presi- 
dent of  the  company  and  J.  A.  Fiske  treasurer  and  superintendent. 

In  connection  with  the  above  system  was  organized  Fountain  Hose 
Company  No.  1,  of  West  Ansonia,  and  supplied  with  proper  appar- 
atus. A  hose  house  for  the  use  of  this  company  is  maintained  in  a 
central  locality,  and  the  fire  alarm  telegraph  has  also  been  extended 
to  this  village,  there  being  in  1890  half  a  dozen  boxes. 

One  of  the  first  resident  physicians  of  Ansonia,  although  not  in 
active  practice,  being  more  devoted  to  manufacturing,  was  Doctor 
Josiah  M.  Colburn.*  After  graduating  at  Yale  in  1822  he  located  at 
Orange,  where  he  practiced  until  1839,  when  he  removed  to  Derby, 
where  he  actively  followed  his  profession  a  few  years  longer,  then  en- 

*See  sketch,  Chapter  X. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  491 

gaged  in  business  with  his  brothers,  S.  &  S.  M.,  following  them  to 
Ansonia  from  Birmingham,  soon  after  the  former  village  was  started. 
Doctor  William  Terry  located  here  in  1860.  In  the  war  for  the 
Union  he  served  as  a  surgeon  in  the  military  hospital  at  Alexandria, 
Va.  Returning  to  Ansonia,  he  resumed  his  practice,  and  is  still  so 
engaged  in  the  town.  Doctor  Charles  W.  Sheffrey.  who  had  also  been 
a  surgeon  in  the  war,  became  a  practitioner  at  this  place  in  1866,  but 
in  1871  removed  to  Bridgeport. 

Doctor  Frederick  P.  Blodgett  was  born  in  East  Windsor,  Conn., 
January  6th,  1847.  He  prepared  for  college  at  Ellington  and  Hart- 
ford, and  graduated  from  the  Yale  Medical  College  in  January,  1871. 
He  came  to  Ansonia  in  September,  1871,  where  he  has  since  practiced. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Yale  Medical  Society.  He  was  recorder  of 
births,  deaths  and  marriages  for  the  town  of  Derby  for  two  years.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  medical  examiner  for 
the  order.  Doctor  Blodgett  was  married  to  Martha  J.  Bill,  of  New 
Haven,  in  1872. 

Doctor  Louis  E.  Cooper  was  born  in  Ansonia,  March  15th,  1862.  re- 
ceived his  preliminary  education  at  Ansonia,  and  at  Hopkins'  Gram- 
mar School,  New  Haven,  graduated  from  Sheffield  Scientific  School  in 
1884,  and  from  Yale  Medical  School  in  18S6.  After  spending  a  year 
in  the  New  Haven  Hospital,  he  came  to  Ansonia,  practiced  with  Doc- 
tor Welch  one  year,  then  practiced  in  Seymour  18  months.  July  1st, 
1890,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Doctor  Welch,  and  returned  to 
Ansonia.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New  Haven  Medical  Society.  Doc- 
tor Cooper  married  Isabel  Smith,  of  Buckingham,  Pa.,  June  25th, 
1890. 

Doctor  William  H.  Conklin  was  born  in  Fairfield,  Conn.,  in  1860, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  Conklin.  He  received  his  preliminary  education 
in  the  schools  of  Fairfield,  and  graduated  from  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York  in  18S2.  He  then  traveled  through  Ireland  and 
practiced  medicine  in  the  Hospital  of  Dublin  six  months,  and  spent  six 
months  in  London  hospitals.  He  returned  to  this  country  in  June, 
1883,  and  opened  an  office  in  Ansonia,  where  he  has  since  practiced. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  New  Haven  County  and  the  Ousatonic  Medical 
Societies.  He  is  medical  examiner  for  the  town  of  Ansonia.  In  1888 
he  married  Mary  A.  Walsh,  of  Ansonia,  and  has  one  son,  Cornelius, 
born  in  1889. 

In  1872  Doctor  William  Johnson  began  a  practice  at  Ansonia 
which  continued  a  number  of  years.  In  1876  Doctor  Norman  R. 
Bailey  came  from  Seymour,  but  after  a  brief  period  moved  to  New 
York  state. 

Doctor  Scott  R.  Baker  studied  medicine  with  Doctor  A.  Beardsley, 
of  Birmingham,  and  after  graduating  from  Yale  in  1879,  located  at  An- 
sonia, where  he  has  since  been  professionally  engaged.  Contemporary 
with  him,  in  active  practice,  were  Doctors  William  C.  Welch  and  R. 
Y.  Downs, 


492  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

As  homeopathists  Doctors  A.  and  W.  H.  Pulford  have  for  some  time 
been  in  practice.  A  number  of  other  physicians  located  here  but  re- 
mained only  short  periods. 

The  Ousatonic  Medical  Society,  composed  of  the  physicians  of  An- 
sonia and  the  neighboring  towns,  was  organized  a  few  years  ago.  In 
1890  its  officers  were:  President,  Doctor  George  L.  Beardsley,  of  Bir- 
mingham; vice-president,  Doctor  R.  E.  Warner,  of  Seymour;  secretary 
and  treasurer,  Doctor  S.  R.  Baker,  of  Ansonia;  executive  committee, 
Doctors  William  H.  Conklin,  of  Ansonia,  R.  E.  Warner,  of  Seymour, 
and  G.  A.  Shelton,  of  Shelton.  Its  meetings  have  been  instrumental 
in  promoting  the  interests  of  the  profession. 

In  the  legal  profession  Sylvester  Barbour  was  one  of  the  first  to 
locate  permanently  at  Ansonia.  He  was  admitted  in  Hartford  county 
in  1856,  and  in  December,  1S61,  opened  an  office  in  the  borough.  His 
practice  continued  here  until  1875,  when  he  returned  to  Hartford. 
While  at  Ansonia  he  was  also  active  in  business  affairs,  and  held  vari- 
ous offices. 

Verrenice  Hunger,  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  in  1847,  is  a  son  of 
Rufus  E.  Munger.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Derby 
and  Naugatuck,  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  1866  with  William 
Cothren,  of  Woodbury,  and  afterward  studied  with  George  Hine,  of 
Naugatuck.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1868,  practiced  in  Nauga- 
tuck until  1873,  when  he  came  to  Ansonia.  He  was  elected  judge  of 
the  probate  court  for  Derby  in  1874,  and  held  the  office  four  years. 
He  is  at  present  judge  of  the  town  court  of  Ansonia.  He  was  mar- 
ried, August  15th,  1872,  to  Jennie  C,  daughter  of  Lawrence  S.  Lewis, 
of  Naugatuck.     They  have  one  son  and  one  daughter. 

John  D.  Ballou  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  in  Tolland 
county  in  1869,  and  began  his  professional  career  the  same  year  at  An- 
sonia. In  1872  he  removed  to  the  West,  but  returned  in  1878,  and  has 
here  since  been  an  attorney,  although  not  in  active  practice  in  1890. 

Frederick  W.  Holden  was  born  at  White  River  Junction,  Vermont, 
July  28th,  1858.  His  earliest  recollections  are  of  Philadelphia  and  then 
of  Windsor,  Vermont,  until  at  the  age  of  12  years  he  went  with  his 
parents  to  reside  at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  His  education  was 
obtained  in  public  and  private  schools,  supplemented  by  private 
tuition. 

In  October,  1879,  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Charles  A.  Doten.of  Bridgeport,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  March, 
1883.  During  the  time  he  was  pursuing  his  legal  studies,  in  1881,  he 
was  appointed  principal  of  the  West  Ansonia  public  schools,  which 
position  he  held  until  July,  18S5,  when  he  resigned  to  enter  upon  the 
practice  of  law  at  Ansonia,  in  partnership  with  Judge  V.  Munger. 
This  partnership  continued  until  January,  1S89;  it  was  then  dissolved 
by  mutual  consent,  and  Mr.  Holden  continued  the  business  at  the  old 
•offices. 


; 


X^^^*^ — • 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  493 

Mr.  Holden  is  a  democrat  of  the  Jeffersonian  type,  and  since  his 
residence  in  town  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics.  In  1888  he 
was  elected  to  represent  the  town  of  Derby  in  the  general  assembly. 
In  that  legislature  Mr.  Holden  served  as  a  member  of  the  committee 
on  incorporations,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  debates  upon  the  floor 
of  the  house  and  in  the  work  of  the  committee.  In  that  session  he 
worked  earnestly  for  the  passage  of  the  secret  ballot  law. 

The  way  was  now  opened  for  further  political  promotion.  The 
Seventh  senatorial  district  of  Connecticut  is  strongly  republican  and 
has  been  so  for  many  years.  It  was  almost  a  forlorn  hope  for  the 
democratic  party  to  carry  a  nominee  to  the  state  senate,  but  Mr.  Hol- 
den was  almost  unanimously  nominated  in  the  democratic  convention 
of  1890,  and  after  a  spirited  campaign  was  elected  by  87  plurality.  He 
was  the  youngest  member  of  the  senate  of  1891,  and  commanded  the 
close  attention  of  the  body  when  he  had  the  floor. 

Mr.  Holden  fills  positions  of  honor  in  general  society  of  Ansonia. 
His  church  relations  are  with  the  Episcopal  church.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of  other  local  bodies,  and  has  held  a 
variety  of  the  minor  offices  in  the  gift  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  school  visitors  for  Derby  and  An- 
sonia;  he  has  been  also  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  now  holds  the  posi- 
tion of  clerk  of  the  town  court  of  Ansonia. 

The  record  thus  far  made  is  an  exceptional  one  and  at  once  sug- 
gests an  aptitude  to  success,  whether  as  teacher,  lawyer  or  legislator. 
During  his  term  as  principal  of  the  schools  of  West  Ansonia  he  won 
the  esteem  of  both  the  scholars  and  the  public,  and  no  sooner  was  he 
prepared  for  the  practice  of  law  than  patronage  came  to  him  and  the 
qualities  of  an  able  advocate  appeared.  So,  too,  as  a  legislator,  he  has 
commended  himself  to  the  judgment  and  favor  of  his  constituents  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  future  will  probably  record  still  higher  pro- 
motion and  honor  for  him. 

Charles  Reed  came  in  1875,  and  was  in  practice  a  number  of  years. 
Daniel  E.  McMahon  was  admitted  June  13th,  1877,  and  practiced  here 
until  two  years  ago,  when  he  removed  to  Birmingham,  where  he  serves 
as  judge  of  the  Derby  probate  court. 

Dennis  T.  Walsh  has  been  an  attorney  at  Ansonia  more  than  a 
dozen  years,  and  contemporary  with  him  is,  in  addition  to  those 
already  named,  Carlos  H.  Storrs,  who  also  maintains  an  office  at  Sey- 
mour. 

Soon  after  the  village  of  Ansonia  was  founded  several  Lodges  were 
organized,  whose  meetings  have  since  been  regularly  held.  Subse- 
quently other  societies  were  instituted,  which  declined  and  were  dis- 
continued after  a  brief  existence;  and  in  more  recent  years  there  has 
scarcely  been  a  limit  to  the  organizations  which  have  been  here 
effected,  nearly  every  popular  or  new  order  having  a  society  repre- 
sentation in  Ansonia.  A  brief  account  of  the  principal  bodies  is  here 
given. 


494  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

George  Washington  Lodge,  No.  82,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  instituted  un- 
der  a  dispensation  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state,  bearing  date 
November  25th,  1856.  Its  charter  from  the  same  body  is  dated  May 
18th,  1857.  The  first  principal  officers  were  the  following:  W.  M., 
Joseph  A.  Bunnell;  S.  W.,  John  Wallace;  J.  W.,  Joseph  S.  Riggs; 
treasurer,  Samuel  A.  Cotter;  secretary,  Thomas  Wallace,  Jr.  The  Lodge 
being  organized  at  a  time  when  King  Hiram,  of  Birmingham,  was  in 
suspense,  naturally  at  once  entered  upon  a  vigorous  growth,  which  has 
not  been  much  interrupted.  In  1890  there  were  about  160  members 
in  good  standing,  and  the  place  of  meeting  was  in  Masonic  Hall,  a  well 
ordered  room  on  Main  street. 

In  the  same  room  are  held  the  convocations  of  the  Mt.  Vernon 
Chapter,  No.  35,  R.  A.  M.,  which  was  chartered  in  May,  1872,  and  in- 
stituted by  the  grand  high  priest,  William  Wallace  Lee,  on  the  25th  of 
June  following,  with  the  following  principal  officers:  High  priest,  J. 
H.  Whiting;  king,  J.  E.  Remer;  scribe,  John  Lindley;  treasurer,  N. 
Sperry;  secretary,  George  O.  Schneller.  The  chapter  has  had  a  rea- 
sonable degree  of  prosperity,  numbering  among  its  members  many  of 
the  leading  Masons  of  Ansonia  and  Seymour.  Among  others  active 
in  its  affairs,  as  officers,  have  been  D.  F.  Hoadley,  Charles  T.  Beards- 
ley,  F.  G.  Bassett,  J.  H.  Redshaw,  J.  W.  Willis,  Samuel  D.  Redshaw, 
William  L.  Parmalee,  L.  F.  Anschutz,  O.  L.  Dibble  and  A.  C.  Peck. 

Naugatuck  Lodge,  No.  63,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  March  16th, 
1849,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Robert  R.  Wood,  Charles 
Cooper,  Timothy  E.  Miller,  Charles  Root,  Abijah  Hawkins,  William 
B.  Bristol,  Hiram  Lyman,  Richard  M.  Johnson,  A.  N.  Prindle,  John 
Lindley,  Edward  Root,  David  T.  Johnson,  Jonah  Clark,  Hiram  N. 
Hubbard,  Julius  R.  Pond,  John  R.  Johnson,  Giles  B.  Allen,  H.  Skinner. 
The  first  meetings  were  held  in  Creamer's  Hall,  but  since  that  time  a 
number  of  other  rooms  have  been  occupied,  the  increasing  member- 
ship demanding  larger  accommodations.  In  1890  the  hall  was  on 
Main  street,  in  the  Hotchkiss  Block,  which  has  been  the  home  of 
Ansonia's  Odd  Fellows  for  a  number  of  years.  Robert  R.  Wood  was 
the  first  noble  grand,  which  office  has  since  been  filled  by  more  than 
60  other  members.  The  aggregate  membership  has  exceeded  several 
hundred,  and  the  Lodge  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  Its  property 
the  past  few  years  has  been  in  charge  of  trustees,  J.  A.  Bristol,  A.  H. 
Bartholomew  and  A.  S.  Terry. 

In  the  same  room  are  also  held  the  meetings  of  Hope  Encampment, 
No.  26,  which  has  a  large  and  active  membership;  and  also  the 
monthly  meetings  of  Canton  Totoket  (Patriarchs  Militant),  composed 
of  Odd  Fellows  of  this  and  the  adjoining  towns. 

Ansonia  Lodge,  No.  24,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted  December  9th,  1870, 
with  but  11  members,  but  in  the  course  of  two  years  had  70  members 
in  good  standing.  Later  it  took  rank  as  the  banner  lodge  of  the  order 
in  the  state,  and  its  high  reputation  is  still  maintained.     It  has  a  finely 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  495 

furnished  hall  and  a  good  library  and  cash  fund.  Robert  Peck  was 
the  first  presiding  office.  For  many  years  Homer  A.  Peck  has  been 
the  keeper  of  the  records  and  seal.  The  membership  is  large  and  in- 
creasing. 

Endowment  Rank,  Section  No.  131,  K.  of  P.,  is  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  the  above,  and  has  a  fine  reputation  in  the  order  for  the  extent 
of  its  beneficiary  work. 

Among  the  orders  at  Ansonia  are  several  prosperous  temperance 
organizations,  Garnet  Temple  of  Honor,  No.  24,  T.  O.  H.  &  T.,  being 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  successful.  It  was  instituted  December 
17th,  1877,  with  18  charter  members.  It  soon  drew  to  itself  an  active 
membership,  and  the  meetings  of  the  Temple  were  occasions  of  great 
interest.  After  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  dozen  years  the  standing  of 
the  society  is  well  maintained.  In  April,  1879,  Ruby  Social,  No.  13, 
was  established  as  a  female  branch  of  the  above,  and  its  meetings 
were  held  in  the  same  hall. 

Another  noteworthy  temperance  society  is  Ansonia  Division,  No. 
31,  Sons  of  Temperance,  whose  meetings  are  also  held  in  the  Temple 
of  Honor  Hall.     It  is  reported  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Connected  with  the  Catholic  church  are  the  Y.  M.  R.  C.  T.  A.  &  B. 
Association,  the  St.  Aloysius  Cadets  and  the  Father  Matthew  T.  A.  B. 
Society,  all  of  them  being  useful  in  their  several  spheres.  The  first 
and  the  last  hold  monthly  meetings  in  Military  Hall. 

Conspicuous  among  the  more  important  minor  societies  are  the 
following:  Union  Lodge,  No.  2,S35,  Knights  of  Honor,  which  holds 
semi-monthly  meetings  and  has  a  good  membership;  Friendship 
Lodge,  No.  34,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  organized  in  September,  1888,  but  which 
is  already  well  established;  Valley  Council,  No.  23,  K.  of  C,  which  has 
a  liberal  support  given  by  Irishmen;  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick, 
organized  in  1862,  and  still  supported  with  unabated  interest;  Lord 
Nelson  Lodge,  No.  137,  Sons  of  St.  George,  a  young  but  vigorous  body; 
Court  Anson  G.  Phelps,  Foresters;  Tent  No.  5,  Knights  of  Maccabees; 
Wepawaug  Tribe,  No.  7,  I.  O.  of  R.  M.;  Hermann  Lodge,  No.  400,  D. 
O.  H.;  Naugatuck  Valley  Lodge,  No.  70,  D.  O.  H.;  Ansonia  Council, 
No.  113,  and  Schiller  Council.  No.  234,  Order  of  United  Friends,  are 
all  young  and  vigorous  beneficiary  orders. 

The  Ansonia  Club,  the  Independent  Social  Club  and  the  German 
Turn  Verein  are  social  organizations  which  are  well  supported. 

Thomas  M.  Redshaw  Post,  No.  75,  G.  A.  R.,  was  instituted  at  An- 
sonia December  8th,  1884.  There  were  37  charter  members  and  the 
following  principal  officers:  B  A.  Cramer,  P.  C;  Charles  French,  S.V.; 
Joseph  Killingbeck,  J.  V.;  Julius  A.  Bristol,  Q.M.;  Austin  P.  Kirkham, 
adjutant;  Charles  M.  Piatt,  S.  M.  At  the  first  meeting  only  eight  mem- 
bers were  mustered,  but  the  others  were  soon  added,  and  in  all  136 
comrades  were  mustered  up  to  October,  1890.  At  the  same  time  the 
number  belonging  to  the  Post  was  106.     Those  elected  post  command- 


496  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ere  were  as  follows:  1884-5,  B.  A.  Cramer;  1886,  Charles  French;  1887, 
J.  A.  Bristol;  1888,  George  Goodsell;  1889,  S.  M.  Blair;  1890,  Austin  P. 
Kirkham.  The  latter,  as  the  first  adjutant  of  the  post,  served  until 
1886,  when  C.  M.  Piatt  filled  that  position  one  year.  Charles  French 
served  in  1887-8,  and  C.  M.  Piatt  since  that  time. 

In  connection  with  the  Post  a  Woman's  Relief  Corps  was  organized 
May  12th,  1887,  with  22  members.  The  number  has  been  largely  in- 
creased, and  the  Corps  has  become  a  valuable  auxiliary.  In  the  same 
well  furnished  hall  are  held  the  meetings  of 

The  William  B.  Wooster  Camp,  No.  25,  Sons  of  Veterans,  which 
was  organized  in  1888.  This  is  also  a  prosperous  body,  having  a  con- 
stantly increasing  membership. 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  Redshaw  Post,  there  was  at  Ansonia 
a  Veteran  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Association,  whose  object  was  benev- 
olent, and  which  especially  provided  for  the  care  of  the  graves  of 
deceased  comrades.  It  had  a  membership  of  more  than  50,  among 
those  most  actively  interested  being  Wakeman  R.  Mott,  Julius  A. 
Bristol  and  Charles  Stowell,  who  served  for  some  years  as  the  execu- 
tive committee. 

The  Soldiers'  Monument,  in  the  Evergreen  Cemetery  at  West  An- 
sonia, was  erected  more  than  a  dozen  years  ago.  It  consists  of  heavy 
bases  and  a  die,  all  of  granite,  surmounted  by  a  bronze  life-size  figure 
of  a  soldier  in  the  artillery  service,  executed  by  M.  J.  Power,  of  New 
York.  On  the  upper  base  are  cut,  on  the  four  sides,  the  names  of  An- 
tietam,  Mobile,  Malvern  Hill  and  Gettysburg.  The  south  side  of  the 
die  is  inscribed  as  follows: 

Ansonia's  Tribute 

To  the  Memory  of  Her  Sons 

Who  gave  their  lives 

To  their  Country 

In  the  Rebellion  of 

1861—1865. 

The  monument  stands  on  a  green  grass  plat,  whose  appearance  is 
made  more  impressive  by  four  large  cannon  resting  on  the  angles  of 
the  same.  The  pile  is  plain  and  unpretentious,  but  is  very  substan- 
tial and  fitly  serves  its  purpose. 

Prior  to  the  founding  of  the  village  of  Ansonia,  the  histories  of 
schools  and  churches  of  this  section  were  the  same  as  that  of  Derby. 
One  of  the  oldest  religious  bodies  is  the  Congregational  church  of  An- 
sonia. This  was  temporarily  organized  in  1848  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  such  members  of  the  old  Derby  church  and  others  as  had 
moved  to  this  locality.  The  pastor  of  that  church  occasionally 
preached,  and  prayer  meetings  were  regularly  held.  In  the  winter  of 
1848-9  stated  services  were  held  every  Sabbath,  but  during  the  sum- 
mer months  they  were  remitted.  The  following  winter  they  were 
again  resumed,  and  from  that  time  regular  services  have  been  main- 
tained. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  497 

This  encouraging  interest  led  to  the  formal  organization  of  the 
church,  April  17th,  1850,  when  31  persons  entered  into  covenant  rela- 
tions. 

The  congregation  held  its  meetings  in  Colburn's  Hall,  on  Main 
street,  having  the  Reverend  J.  R.  Mershon  as  the  stated  supply.  In 
the  winter  of  1850-1  a  most  extensive  work  of  grace  in  the  community 
took  place,  when  44  persons  united  with  the  church  on  their  profession 
of  faith.  A  frame  church  edifice  was  being  built,  meantime,  which 
was  dedicated  July  1st,  1852.  It  served  as  a  place  of  worship  until  Oc- 
tober, 1865,  when  it  was  burned,  having  taken  fire  from  the  flue  of  the 
furnace,  while  some  women  were  cleaning  the  church.  A  new  stone 
edifice  was  at  once  erected,  on  the  fine  lot,  on  South  Cliff  street,  which 
was  dedicated  May  25th,  the  following  year.  Improvements  and  re- 
pairs since  that  time  have  made  it  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most  in- 
viting places  of  worship  in  the  borough.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street  is  the  home  of  the  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  Reverend  Owen  Street  was  the  first  settled  pastor.  He  was 
installed  September  1st,  1852,  and  dismissed  in  May,  1857.  In  the 
next  three  years  the  church  was  supplied  mainly  by  Reverends  Chaun- 
cey  Goodrich,  Moses  Smith  and  S.  L.  Thompson.  March  22d,  I860, 
Reverend  A.  L.  Frisbie  was  ordained  as  the  pastor,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  until  July  11th,  1865.  Again  the  church  was  without  a  pas- 
tor about  three  years,  in  which  period  Reverends  William  S.  Adam- 
son  and  James  T.  Hyde  preached.  Reverend  Charles  J.  Hill  was  next 
installed  as  the  pastor,  in  September,  1872,  and  continued  until  Octo- 
ber, 1875.  In  December  of  the  same  year,  Reverend  Edward  P.  Pay- 
son  was  inducted  into  the  pastoral  office,  where  he  remained  about  a 
dozen  years.  In  October,  1887,  Reverend  Miles  G.  Bullock,  D.D.,  here 
began  his  pastoral  labors,  which  continued  three  years,  the  church  in 
October,  1890,  being  without  a  settled  minister.  At  this  time  there 
were  274  members,  and  the  Congregational  families  in  the  parish  num- 
bered 258.  The  Sabbath  school  had  about  350  members,  and  John  B. 
Davidson  was  the  superintendent.  Dana  Bartholomew  was  the  clerk 
of  the  church,  and  Burnet  A.  Cramer  the  treasurer.  Other  official 
members  were:  Deacons,  John  Jackson,  Robert  Coe,  J.  H.  Steinman, 
S.  B.  Bronson  and  Charles  Thomas;  society's  committee,  T.  P.  Terry, 
A.  S.  Terry,  F.  E.  Hoadley;  parish  clerk,  W.  P.  Judson;  treasurer,  H. 
W.  Case;  collector,  S.  B.  Bronson.  The  parish  is  one  of  the  wealthiest 
in  the  lower  Naugatuck  valley,  and  is  yearly  increasing  in  impor- 
tance. 

Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  was  organized  November 
27th,  1849,  as  the  Trinity  church  and  parish  of  Ansonia,  the  following 
persons  associating  themselves  for  that  purpose:  Samuel  French, 
Charles  Cooper,  Eleazer  Peck,  Samuel  P.  Church,  Charles  Gale,  Will- 
iam B.  Bristol,  Lorenzo  Kinney,  John  Gray,  E.  B.  Gillett,  H.  S.  Hill, 
R.  M.  Johnson,  John  Lindley,  H.  L.  Smith  and  L.  A.  Clinton.  The 
32 


498  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

rector  of  St.  James'  church,  of  Birmingham,  Reverend  Thomas  Guion, 
presided  at  these  preliminary  meetings,  and  aided  in  the  organization. 
On  the  28th  of  January,  1850,  the  first  officers  of  the  parish  were 
chosen,  namely:  Samuel  French,  senior  warden;  Eleazer  Peck,  junior 
warden;  R.  M.  Johnson,  John  Lindley,  H.  S.  Hill,  John  Gray,  Charles 
Gale  and  H.  L.  Smith,  vestrymen.  This  being  done,  measures  were 
taken  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  on  a  lot  centrally  located,  on  Main 
street.  The  building  was  enlarged  in  1864,  at  an  outlay  of  $2,000,  and 
in  that  shape  was  used  nearly  a  dozen  years.  Larger  accommodations 
being  demanded,  they  were  secured  in  a  new  edifice,  erected  in  1875, 
at  a  cost  of  $12,000.  In  this  were  placed  beautiful  memorial  windows, 
commemorative  of  the  services  of  the  early  rectors  of  the  Episcopal 
church  in  old  Derby — the  Reverends  Mansfield,  Jeweit  and  others. 
In  1883  the  church  was  further  beautified  and  enlarged  by  the  addition 
of  a  Sunday  school  room,  and  the  same  year  the  rectory  was  repaired. 

But  the  continued  growth  of  the  parish  has  necessitated  the  use  of 
a  still  larger  edifice,  and,  April  7th,  1890,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  capa- 
cious and  substantial  new  church  as  soon  as  a  suitable  site  could  be 
secured;  and  a  fund  for  this  purpose  has  been  started. 

Reverend  Henry  Olmstead  was  settled  as  the  first  rector  of  Trinity 
parish,  and  first  held  his  services  in  two  places — in  what  was  locally 
called  "  Up  Town  "  and  in  Ansonia.  In  the  former  locality,  after  the 
removal  of  St.  James  church  to  Birmingham  in  1841,  there  still  re- 
mained a  few  Episcopal  families  who  desired  the  continuance  of  ser- 
vices in  that  neighborhood,  and  held  them  in  the  school  house.  En- 
couraged to  believe  that  a  regular  church  could  be  established,  they 
applied  to  the  diocese  for  organization  as  a  parish,  and  in  1844  were 
admitted  by  that  body,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  action:  "Voted, 
that  the  parish  in  Derby,  organized  on  the  first  day  of  June,  184H, 
under  the  name  of  St.  James  Parish,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  admit- 
ted as  a  new  parish  into  the  union  of  this  convention,  by  the  name  of 
Christ  Church,  Derby."  After  being  thus  officially  recognized,  the 
old  parish  of  St.  James,  at  Birmingham,  relinquished  its  interest  in 
the  old  church  property  in  favor  of  Christ  parish.  The  old  church 
was  now  reopened  and  services  held  in  it  by  Reverend  N.  S.  Richard- 
son, the  rector.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  Reverend  Mr.  Putnam 
succeeded  him,  and  for  a  time  he  and  Reverend  Henry  Olmstead,  of 
the  Trinity  parish,  labored  conjointly.  This  had  the  effect  of  demon- 
strating the  wisdom  of  a  closer  union  of  the  two  parishes,  which  was 
consummated  April  21st,  1851,  when  Trinity  parish  dropped  its  name, 
and  the  consolidated  parishes  took  the  name  of  Christ  Church  and 
Parish.  The  "  Up  Town"  church  was  vacated,  and  thenceforth  all 
attended  services  at  Ansonia.  The  rector  of  the  two  parishes  having 
resigned  in  order  to  bring  about  this  change,  the  united  parishes  called 
Reverend  P.  M.  Stryker  as  their  rector,  in  which  office  he  served^one 
year. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  499 

The  subsequent  rectors  of  Christ  church  have  been  the  following: 
Reverends  D.  F.  Lumsden,  one  year;  Samuel  G.  Appleton,  two  years; 
John  Milton  Peck,  ten  months;  Louis  French,  six  years,  leaving  in 
1863;  Julius  H.  Ward,  a  little  more  than  a  year;  Charles  H.  W.  Stock- 
ing, three  years;  J.  E.  Pratt,  from  October,  1869,  to  June,  1872;  Samuel 
R.  Fuller,  two  years;  Sheldon  Davis,  acting  rector,  thirteen  months 
prior  to  December,  1875,  when  Reverend  S.  B.  Duffield  became  the 
rector,  and  so  continued  until  March,  187S;  in  April  following  Rever- 
end H.  J.  Widdemer  became  rector,  and  continued  until  April,  1882; 
the  same  month  Reverend  Walter  C.  Roberts  followed  him,  and  re- 
mained until  April,  1888.  He  had  the  help  of  assistant  rectors,  Rever- 
end Robert  G.  Osborn,  in  1885,  and  Reverend  C.  H.  Proctor,  in  1886. 
Since  April,  1888,  the  rector  of  the  parish  has  been  Reverend  C.  E. 
Woodcock,  and  under  his  ministrations  there  has  been  a  continuance 
of  the  unity  and  prosperity  which  attended  the  labors  of  his  prede- 
cessors. 

Among  the  more  salient  features  of  the  later  history  of  the  church 
was  the  complete  wiping  out  of  the  parish  debt  in  1886.  The  amount 
was  about  $3,300,  which  was  mainly  raised  by  Senior  Warden  John 
Lindley,  one  of  the  most  active  members  of  the  church,  who  died  in 
September,  1SS7. 

In  May,  1887,  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  to  increase  the  perma- 
nent fund  of  the  church,  and  in  April,  1888,  the  Alton  Farrel  Memo- 
rial Fund  was  started,  and  the  church  officers  appointed  trustees  of  the 
same.     He,  also,  was  a  devoted  churchman. 

March  3d,1889,  Bishop  Williams  visited  the  parish  and  confirmed 
39  persons,  which  was  one  of  the  largest  confirmations  in  the  history 
of  the  parish. 

In  the  old  Episcopal  church  Abel  Gunn  and  John  Holbrook  were 
the  first  wardens.  Of  Christ  church  the  senior  wardens  have  been, 
since  1850:  Samuel  French,  George  Bristol,  T.  C.  Scroop,  Eleazer  Peck, 
Peter  Tomlinson,  J.  H.  Doolittle,  John  Lindley,  for  many  years,  and 
after  his  death,  in  1887,  Franklin  Farrel,  who  had  for  some  years 
previous  been  junior  warden.  He  was  succeeded  by  Edson  L.  Bryant 
in  that  office. 

In  1890  the  parish  embraced  350  families,  the  whole  number  of  in- 
dividuals being  1,200.  The  registered  communicants  numbered  462. 
In  the  Sunday  school  were  360  members.  The  total  amount  of  money 
raised  in  the  parish  for  all  purposes  of  church  work  was  $6,887.16. 
William  T.  Lyman  was  the  parish  clerk,  a  position  which  had  long 
been  held  by  Alton  Farrel,  who  had  also  been  treasurer  of  the  parish. 
In  1890  S.  W.  Smith  held  that  office. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  had  its  origin  in  a  meeting 
held  March  12th,  1866,  and  the  constitution  which  was  adopted  that 
year  was  signed  by  28  of  the  leading  young  men  of  the  village.  John 
J.  Jackson   was   elected   president;  Samuel    B.   Blair,  vice-president; 


500  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Charles  E.  Page,  secretary.  The  latter  office  was  filled  in  1S68  by 
Charles  H.  Pine  and  by  Dana  Bartholomew  in  1869.  In  the  latter 
year  a  popular  course  of  lectures  under  the  auspices  of  the  association 
added  to  the  interest  of  the  movement.  In  1873  the  members  num- 
bered 37,  increasing  steadily  the  following  years,  twelve  being  added 
in  1876.  In  the  latter  year  the  eleventh  annual  convention  of  the 
State  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  held  at  Ansonia.  But  the  interest  in  the  good 
work  declined  a  few  years  later,  and  from  1878  until  1881,  only  a 
nominal  organization  was  maintained.  In  September  of  the  latter 
year  a  meeting  was  held  to  revive  the  association,  when  W.  F.  Page 
was  elected  president,  V.  Munger,  vice-president,  and  W.  H.  Fielding, 
secretary.  In  February,  1882,  many  members  were  proposed,  and 
an  active  existence  was  begun.  In  the  fall  of  1883  the  services  of  a 
general  secretary  were  secured,  W.  A.  Fiske  being  called  to  that  office; 
and  since  that  time  the  association  has  been  an  aggressive  factor  in 
the  community.  In  1885  the  expenditures  of  the  association  were 
about  $2,100,  $600  of  which  was  paid  for  the  rent  of  five  spacious 
rooms,  fitted  up  for  this  especial  purpose  in  the  Gardner  Block. 

In  January,  1886,  the  association  became  an  incorporated  body,  and 
the  growth  since  that  time  has  been  constant  and  substantial.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1S90,  there  were  103  active  and  117  associate  members,  and  the 
association  maintained  regular  religious  meetings  in  its  lecture  room. 
Rooms  had  also  been  fitted  up  for  a  regular  course  of  instruction  in 
many  branches  in  evening  schools.  There  is  a  fine  gymnasium,  in 
which  systematic  instruction  in  physical  culture  is  imparted.  The 
reading  room  contains  many  of  the  current  periodicals,  and  there 
is  a  library  of  about  1,000  volumes.  Besides  these  there  are  recep- 
tion rooms  and  parlors,  invitingly  arranged,  about  $2,500  being  ex- 
pended yearly  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  association. 

In  December,  1885,  Porter  W.  Hill  became  the  general  secretary, 
serving  until  July,  1887.  He  was  then  succeeded  by  Starr  Cadwalla- 
der,  who  remained  until  October  8th,  1888,  when  the  present  general 
secretary,  Charles  M.  Bryant,  assumed  the  care  of  the  affairs  of  the 
association. 

Emanuel  Free  Church  is  located  at  West  Ansonia,  and  was  erected 
to  afford  the  inhabitants  of  that  locality  a  convenient  place  of  worship, 
this  being  the  only  church  edifice  in  that  section.  The  prime  mover 
in  this  laudable  work  was  Reverend  Sheldon  Davis,  a  retired  minister 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  With  this  purpose  in  view  he 
purchased  a  lot,  in  1881,  upon  which  the  work  of  building  was  com- 
menced April  8th,  1S82.  The  plans  of  the  house  were  prepared  by 
Mr.  Davis  for  a  gothic  frame  structure,  35  by  65  feet,  and  several  years 
were  consumed  in  its  erection.  It  was  opened  for  the  first  public 
service  April  3d,  1887,  when  Reverend  Mr.  Davis  and  others  preached. 
The  church  has  300  sittings,  and  cost  about  $3,600.  During  the  life- 
time of  Reverend  Sheldon  Davis  it  remains  in  his  control,  but  upon 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  501 

his  death  becomes  the  absolute  property  of  the  Episcopal  Diocese,  to 
which  it  has  been  devised  by  him. 

Since  the  1st  of  November,  1887,  Reverend  Merritt  H.  Wellman,  of 
the  Episcopal  church,  has,  with  the  consent  of  the  bishop,  maintained 
free  services  in  the  building,  the  people  of  this  locality  assisting  by 
their  free  will  offerings  and  increasing  attendance.  In  October,  1890, 
there  were  in  this  congregation  30  communicant  members;  and,  con- 
nected with  it,  was  a  Sunday  school  of  six  teachers  and  60  scholars. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  became  a  separate  organization  in 
1851.  The  church  was  founded  by  Reverend  David  Osborn,  in  con- 
nection with  his  charge  at  Seymour,  at  which  place  he  resided.  But 
prior  to  that  time  Methodist  meetings  had  been  held  in  this  com- 
munity in  connection  with  the  above  church  or  the  society  at  Bir- 
mingham. Regular  preaching  was  first  held  in  Colburn's  Hall,  on 
Main  street,  and  the  society  had  many  struggles  and  discouraging 
obstacles  to  overcome  before  it  secured  its  own  house  of  worship.  In 
1865  the  commodious  frame  church  on  Main  street,  near  the  upper 
bridge,  was  erected,  and  has  since  been  kept  in  proper  repair.  It  has 
about  600  sittings,  and  from  its  central  location  accommodates  large 
congregations.  In  1890  there  were  about  300  members,  forming 
classes  led  by  S.  N.  Roberts,  C.  D.  Evans,  J.  H.  Bowes,  R.  Johnson 
and  J.  J.  Allingham.  The  Sabbath  school,  having  325  members,  is  a 
most  useful  factor  in  the  work  of  the  church,  and  is  ably  superin- 
tended by  John  E.  Lewis.  The  church  property  is  valued  at  $20,000. 
The  relation  of  exhorter  is  sustained  by  W.  F.  Page,  and  the  past  few 
years  the  pastor  has  been  Reverend  R.  S.  Putney.  Other  ministers 
have  been  the  following:  1852,  Reverend  J.  L.  Peck;  1853,  E.  S.  Heb- 
bard;  1854-5,  J.  Pegg,  Jr.;  1856-7,  J.  J.  Wooley;  1858,  W.  Portens  and 
William  Tracy;  1859,  W.  Silverthorne;  1860-61,  W.  Howard;  1862-3, 
A.  B.  Pulling;  1864-5,  C.  T.  Mallory;  1866-7,  W.  H.  Wardell;  1868-70, 
C.  S.  Wing;  1871-2,  G.  P.  Mains;  1873-4,  S.  H.  Smith;  1875-6,  L. 
Parker  and  Reverend  Lindsay;  1877,  J.  M.  Carroll;  1878,  I.  E.  Smith; 
1879-81,  R.  H.  Loomis;  1882-3,  E.  Cunningham;  1884,  G.  A.  Hubbell; 
1885-7,  S.  M.  Hammond;  1888-90,  R.  S.  Putney. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Ausonia  was  established  in  1874.  After  the 
discontinuance  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Seymour  there  remained  no 
organization  of  that  faith  in  the  lower  Naugatuck  valley.  But  occa- 
sional meetings  held  at  Ansonia  led  to  the  desire  for  a  Baptist  church 
in  that  community,  and  in  consequence  one  was  organized  June  22d, 
1874,  under  the  direction  of  Doctor  Turnbull,  the  secretary  of  the  State 
Baptist  Association.  On  that  day  39  persons  were  enrolled  as  mem- 
bers, but  the  number  soon  increased,  and  the  church  and  the  society 
have,  in  the  main,  prospered  since  that  time.  In  1890  the  church  had 
255  members. 

After  the  ministry  of  Doctor  Turnbull,  Reverend  E.  M.  Jerome 
preached,  holding  meetings  in  the  Opera  House,  but  soon  secured  a 


502  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

more  desirable  room  in  the  Hotchkiss  Block.  Meanwhile  a  church 
edifice  was  building,  which  was  completed  in  April,  1877,  and  cost 
about  $15,000.  Mr.  Jerome  occupied  it  as  the  first  pastor  of  the  church, 
which  at  that  time  numbered  75  members.  He  resigned  his  pastorate 
April  1st,  1879,  and  for  nearly  a  year  there  was  no  settled  minister, 
when  in  February,  1880,  Reverend  F.  B.Dickinson  became  the  pastor. 
In  1884  Reverend  W.  D.  McKinney  assumed  the  pastorate,  and  con- 
tinued in  1890.  The  church  property  is  valued  at  $21,000,  and  the 
parish  is  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

A  most  important  auxiliary  of  the  church  has  been  the  Sabbath 
school,  which  was  formed  by  Doctor  Turnbull  with  34  scholars.  Dea- 
con Sharon  Y.  Beach,  of  Seymour,  became  the  first  superintendent, 
energetically  serving  until  1879,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Doctor  B. 
F.  Leach,  under  whose  care  the  school  continued  to  prosper.  In  the 
course  of  half  a  dozen  years  the  membership  was  increased  to  120. 
Later,  Filmore  M.  Watrous  was  the  superintendent,  and  in  1890  John 
A.  Starkweather.     It  numbered  at  this  time  about  300  members. 

The  church  has  long  had  the  services  as  deacons  of  William  Spen- 
cer, Sharon  Y.  Beach,  H.  C.  Cook  and  David  Somers,  all  but  the  first 
named  continuing  in  office.  B.  Whiting  is  the  treasurer  and  W.  H. 
Fielding  the  clerk. 

The  Second  Baptist  Church  (colored)  has  lately  been  organized  in 
Ansonia,  and  in  1890  the  place  of  worship  was  on  North  Main  street. 
Reverend  Edward  Johnson  was  reported  as  the  pastor,  and  Moses 
Diggs,  Noah  James  and  Henry  Matthews  as  the  deacons. 

The  Church  of  the  Assumption  (Roman  Catholic)  is  the  largest 
church  organization  in  the  town.  The  services  of  the  Catholic  church 
were  introduced  into  Ansonia  not  many  years  after  it  became  a  village, 
many  of  the  laborers  on  the  public  works  professing  that  faith.  At 
first  a  mission  relation  to  Birmingham  was  sustained,  but  in  1866  the 
parish  of  Ansonia  was  organized.  The  following  year,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  first  resident  priest,  Reverend  P.  J.  O'Dwyer, 
the  frame  church  edifice  was  built,  but  has  at  different  times  since 
been  improved.  Becoming  too  small  for  the  use  of  the  parish,  it  was 
determined  to  erect  a  more  commodious  place  of  worship,  this  having 
become  by  far  the  largest  church  organization  in  the  town.  Accord- 
ingly, a  most  eligible  lot  on  North  Main  and  North  Cliff  streets  was 
purchased  on  which  to  erect  the  new  edifice,  which  will  be  one  of  the 
finest  church  buildings  in  the  county.  Ground  was  broken  April  4th, 
1890.  Work  on  the  building  has  since  been  pushed  rapidly  forward. 
The  walls  will  be  constructed  of  granite,  and  will  be  more  than  46 
feet  high.  The  length  is  168  feet,  the  front  width  96  feet  and  the  rear 
width  138  feet.  The  tower  is  to  be  156  feet  high.  The  estimated  cost 
is  $160,000.  The  audience  room  in  the  main  building  will  accommo- 
date 1,200  people,  and  the  room  in  the  basement  will  hold  as  many 
more.     The  designs  for  this  imposing  structure  were  prepared   by 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  503 

Architect  B.  C.  Keeley,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  the  plans  were  laid 
out,  as  prepared  hy  him,  by  J.  M.  Wheeler,  of  Ansonia. 

Much  of  the  credit  for  the  inception  of  this  project  is  due  the  priest 
of  the  parish,  Reverend  J.  Synott,  and  his  assistants,  the  Reverends 
Thomas  J.  Kelley  and  M.  Cray;  but  they  have  been  heartily  seconded 
by  the  lay  trustees,  Patrick  McAuliffe  and  Matthew  Walsh,  and  the 
parish  in  general.     The  parish  embraces  about  4,000  souls. 

Reverend  P.  J.  O'Dwyer  was  the  first  pastor,  and  was  transferred 
from  this  parish  to  Norwalk.  He  was  succeeded  by  Reverend  H.  F. 
Brady,  and  he  in  turn,  a  few  years  ago,  by  the  present  incumbent, 
Father  J.  Synott. 

In  1879  the  parish  erected  a  spacious  parsonage  on  Main  street,  on 
which  a  large  school  building  has  also  been  provided.  A  Catholic 
cemetery  in  West  Ansonia  contains  the  graves  of  many  deceased 
members  of  the  parish.  Some  of  these  graves  are  marked  by  hand- 
some monuments. 

The  schools  of  Ansonia  are  among  the  best  in  the  Naugatuck  val- 
ley and  are  largely  attended.  In  1889  the  enrollment  was  over  1,500, 
the  high  school  of  District  No.  4  having  52  members,  of  which  20  were 
in  the  class  of  '91.  The  school  provides  two  courses  of  study,  the 
Latin  and  scientific  taking  four  years  to  complete,  and  the  commercial 
two  years.  The  successful  principal  for  many  years  was  E.  S.  Gordy, 
who  was  instrumental  in  enlarging  the  library  by  the  addition  of 
$2,000  worth  of  books.  He  was  succeeded  by  W.  H.  Angleton.  The 
high  school  building  will  be  enlarged  to  accommodate  the  increasing 
attendance,  and  when  completed  after  the  plans  proposed,  will  be  an 
attractive  edifice.  In  other  districts  of  the  town  the  accommodations 
have  also  lately  been  enlarged,  and  the  town  appropriation  for  schools 
is  about  $9,000  per  year,  in  addition  to  about  $5,000  received  from  the 
state  annually. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

William  Adams  was  born  in  England  in  1855,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  metal  rolling  there,  commencing  when  he  was  11  years  old. 
He  came  to  America  in  May,  1881,  and  settled  at  Ansonia.  He  was 
with  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company  six  years,  then  went  to 
Rome,  N.  Y.,  as  superintendent  of  the  Rome  Iron  Works.  He  came 
back  to  Ansonia  in  1888  and  engaged  with  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Cop- 
per Company  as  superintendent  in  charge  of  the  rolling  and  casting 
department.  He  is  at  present  with  the  Manhattan  Brass  Company, 
New  York  city.  Mr.  Adams  married,  in  1882,  Mary  A.  Greatorex,  and 
has  three  children.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a  member  of  the  order 
of  Sons  of  St.  George. 

Dana  Bartholomew  was  born  in  Torrington,  formerly  called 
Wolcottville,  April  8th,  1847.  The  Bartholomew  family  is  a  large 
one  in  this  country,  and  can  trace  its  ancestry  to  remote  dates.     The 


504  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

most  numerous  and  conspicuous  branch  of  the  family  name  in  this 
country  grew  from  William  Bartholomew,  of  Ipswich,  Mass.  He  was 
born  in  1602-3.  But  little  is  known  of  his  early  life.  One  event  has 
so  much  of  historic  interest  attaching  to  it  that  it  has  been  perpetuated 
in  the  annals  of  the  family.  The  famous  Mrs.  Anne  Hutchinson  was 
entertained  at  his  London  house  prior  to  September,  1634.  In  that 
year  and  month  he  landed  in  Boston,  Mrs.  Hutchinson  and  other  per- 
sons of  note  being  among  the  emigrants. 

But  beyond  William  Bartholomew,  the  emigrant,  the  annals  of  the 
Bartholomew  family  run  away  into  the  depths  of  the  16th  century, 
until  they  are  lost  or  become  dimly  obscure,  in  John  Bartholomew,  of 
Warborough,  England,  who  was  married  there  November  22d,  1551. 

The  family  includes  many  persons  of  note  in  its  long  history,  and 
is  widely  spread  out  over  the  land.  At  great  pains  and  research  Mr. 
George  Wells  Bartholomew,  Jr.,  of  Austin,  Texas,  has  composed  a  large 
and  finely  constructed  volume  of  the  Bartholomew  pedigree,  and  has 
earned  to  himself  the  lasting  gratitude  of  his  family  name. 

Jeremiah  Hotchkiss  Bartholomew,  of  Ansonia,  the  father  of  Dana, 
was  in  the  seventh  generation  of  descent.  He  was  a  resident  of  Plain- 
ville,  Conn.,  and  brought  his  family  to  Ansonia  when  his  son,  Dana, 
was  only  a  year  old.  Here  he  was  distinguished  by  an  eminently  suc- 
cessful career,  managing  some  of  the  greatest  industries  of  the  town, 
prominent  in  railroad  enterprise,  possessing  himself  of  much  real  es- 
tate in  the  most  favorable  parts  of  Ansonia,  when  in  his  mind's  eye 
he  saw  what  would  be  the  growth  of  the  town;  and  so  laying  for  his 
family  an  honorable  and  fortunate  inheritance  in  time  to  come. 

Dana  was  his  eldest  son.  He  attended  the  district  school  until  he 
was  16  years  of  age,  and  then  in  keeping  with  his  father's  opinion 
that  the  best  school  for  a  business  life  is  the  business  life  itself,  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company.  For  14  years 
he  familiarized  himself  with  all  the  processes  of  brass  manufacture, 
and  became  assistant  manager  and  a  stockholder  of  the  company.  In 
1877  he  severed  his  managerial  connection  with  the  company,  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  A.  B.  Hendryx  for  the  manufacture  of 
wire  bird-cages.  This  business  venture  was  very  prosperous,  and  when 
the  business  was  moved  to  New  Haven,  Mr.  Bartholomew's  many  in- 
terests at  home  requiring  his  attention,  he  severed  his  connection  with 
this  company,  and  formed  another  for  the  manufacture,  under  patent, 
of  bits,  augers,  screw-drivers  and  braces;  but  in  1884  the  floods  swept 
the  entire  plant  away  by  the  breaking  of  the  dam  of  the  Ansonia 
Water  Company,  in  which  he  was  a  large  owner. 

Since  that  date  Mr.  Bartholomew  has  occupied  his  time  in  the  care 
of  his  invested  interests.  He  is  the  secretary,  treasurer  and  manager 
of  the  Ansonia  Water  Company,  which  supplies  the  town  of  Ansonia 
with  water  for  family  and  commercial  uses.  He  is  also  the  president, 
treasurer  and  agent  of  the  Ansonia  Hall  Company,  owning  the  princi- 


2^2^^ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  505 

pal  building  in  the  town  for  offices  and  hall.  He  is  a  director  of  the 
Ansonia  Savings  Bank,  and  of  the  Ansonia  Ice  Company,  a  director 
and  treasurer  of  the  Meriden  Ice  Company,  and  vice-president  of  the 
Mallett  Cattle  Company  of  Texas,  capital  stock  $200,000.  The  ranch 
is  about  40  miles  square,  and  supports  between  ten  and  eleven  thou- 
sand head  of  cattle.  Besides  he  is  a  stockholder  or  capitalist  in  many 
other  business  enterprises,  and  owns  considerable  real  estate. 

Mr.  Bartholomew  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  his  fellow-citizens 
have  recognized  his  ability  by  sending  him  to  the  legislature  of  1881, 
and  by  choosing  him  as  one  of  the  burgesses  of  the  borough  of  An- 
sonia. 

He  has  also  been  closely  identified  with  the  Christian  forces  of  the 
town  for  many  years.  In  the  Congregational  church,  of  which  his 
honored  father  was  a  principal  supporter,  he  served  in  the  office  of 
■deacon  for  many  years,  and  has  been  clerk  of  the  church  for  a  long 
term.  Like  his  father,  too,  he  has  been  one  of  the  foremost  members 
and  supporters  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  the  town, 
and  whenever  the  general  Christian  enterprises  of  the  town  have  been 
in  need  of  special  help,  their  appeals  to  him  have  not  gone  unheeded. 

Mr.  Bartholomew  has  been  twice  married— first  to  Miss  Nettie 
Wightman,  of  Southington,  September  17th,  1867.  Four  children 
were  born  to  them:  Nellie,  Dana,  Jr.,  Jeremiah  Hotchkiss,  and  Valen- 
tine, who  died  in  infancy.  But  the  happiness  of  his  elegant  home, 
where  everything  heart  could  wish  seemed  to  center,  was  broken  in 
"upon  by  death.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away,  after  an  illness  of 
several  months,  July  21st,  18S6.  The  present  Mrs.  Bartholomew  was 
Miss  Isabel  H.  Warner,  of  Springfield,  Mass. — a  daughter  of  one  of 
the  old  and  honored  families  of  Enfield,  Conn.  They  were  married 
March  17th,  1888.  Their  first  daughter,  Pauline,  died  in  infancy; 
their  second,  Helen  Gertrude,  was  born  November  25th,  1890. 

Mr.  Bartholomew's  home  on  South  Cliff  street  is  a  home  where 
wealth  has  set  its  adornments,  and  the  graces  of  culture  have  added 
their  refinements.  Both  Mr.  and  Airs.  Bartholomew  make  society 
agreeable  to  all  their  friends. 

Arthur  H.  Bartholomew  was  born  where  he  now  resides,  June 
3d,  1851,  and  was  one  of  six  children,  a  son  of  Jeremiah  H.  Bartholo- 
mew, of  Ansonia,  Conn.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Ansonia,  at  the  "  Gunnery,"  Washington,  Conn.,  and  at  Au- 
burndale,  Mass.  But  at  16  years  of  age  he  entered  upon  that  other 
schooling  which  has  given  him  prominence  in  the  business  and  manu- 
facturing world,  his  practical  and  executive  father  believing  that  a 
business  life  is  a  business  school  of  the  first  quality.  It  was  the  pur- 
pose of  his  father  to  train  him  for  the  superintendence  of  manufac- 
turing concerns,  anticipating  the  time  when  the  lad  might  surpass 
himself  in  those  responsibilities.  He  began  his  apprenticeship  for 
this  future,  under  the  most  favorable  opportunities,  with  the  Ansonia 


506  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Brass  &  Copper  Company.  There  he  was  employed  in  different  de- 
partments, and  became  familiar  with  all  the  working  and  manufacture 
of  brass  and  copper,  especially  with  the  manufacture  of  clocks.  He 
now  became  fitted  for  what  he  afterward  chose  to  make  the  leading 
industry  of  his  life,  the  manufacture  of  clock  movements  in  general, 
and  of  special  time  regulators  to  order. 

The  clock  department  of  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company 
was  removed  to  Brooklyn  in  1881.  It  was  the  signal  for  a  step  Mr. 
Bartholomew  and  his  future  business  partner  were  to  take.  They 
formed  a  partnership  for  the  manufacture  of  clocks  under  the  style  of 
Phelps  &  Bartholomew.  At  first  the  business  was  carried  on  in  nar- 
rower quarters  than  those  used  now,  but  it  proved  so  prosperous  that 
in  1886  it  was  incorporated,  and  in  1890  the  large,  four-story  stone 
building  known  as  the  Savings  Bank  property,  standing  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Main  street,  was  purchased,  and  the  manufacture  trans- 
ferred to  those  spacious  quarters.  They  were  at  once  found  to  be 
none  too  large.  Machinery  of  special  invention  is  in  use  for  both  deli- 
cate and  intricate  operations,  and  production  has  been  greatly  cheap- 
ened by  it,  while  the  work  done  is  exact  and  finished  as  the  most 
skillful  artisan  could  do  by  hand. 

But  Mr.  Bartholomew's  financial  interests,  while  centering  in  this 
leading  industry  of  which  he  has  been  treasurer  from  the  beginning, 
are  by  no  means  confined  to  it.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Ansonia  Na- 
tional Bank  and  has  served  the  Ansonia  Savings  Bank  in  a  like  relation; 
also  of  the  Ansonia  Water  Company,  and  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Birmingham  Water  Power  Company,  and  vice-president  of  the 
Pine  Grove  Cemetery  Association. 

But  besides  these  financial  trusts,  he  has  received  others  by  the 
suffrage  of  his  townsmen  in  one  form  or  another.  He  is  the  deputy 
warden  of  the  borough  of  Ansonia,  and  second  assistant  foreman  of 
the  Eagle  Hose  Company,  of  which  he  was  a  charter  member,  and 
member  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  Ansonia  Club,  of  which  he 
was  treasurer  for  four  years.  His  public  spirit  is  shown  also  in  the 
position  accorded  him  in  the  public  schools.  He  is  chairman  of  the 
school  committee,  and  has  held  the  position  for  the  past  four  years. 
He  began  this  service  appreciating  somewhat  the  value  of  the  public 
schools  to  the  public  welfare,  but  now  regards  them  equally  with  the 
great  industries  as  the  pride  of  the  borough. 

In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  and  represented  the  town  of  Derby  in 
1886  in  the  general  assembly.  In  that  legislature  he  was  chosen  clerk 
of  the  committee  on  cities  and  boroughs.  He  represented  his  town 
again  in  1887,  and  was  made  chairman  of  the  committee  on  corpora- 
tions. 

In  the  social  life  of  his  borough  he  has  been  prominent,  and  has 
been  advanced  to  most  honorable  positions  in  many  of  the  societies  of 
the  town.     He  ranks  as  past  grand  of  Naugatuck  Lodge,  No.  63,  I.  O. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  507 

O.  F.;  also  as  past  chief  patriarch  of  Hope  Encampment,  and  comman- 
der for  Totoket  Canton,  No.  7,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Patriarchs  Militant,  and  has 
been  trustee  of  Naugatuck  Lodge  for  several  years.  He  is  also  a  trus- 
tee of  George  Washington  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  member  of  Mount 
Vernon  Chapter  and  Union  Council,  and  New  Haven  Commandery, 
No.  2,  K.  T.,  besides  being  a  trustee  of  the  local  New  England  Order 
of  Protection  and  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Mr.  Bartholomew  believes  in  identifying  himself  with  the  social  as 
well  as  the  business  and  educational  life  of  the  town,  for  the  general 
improvement  of  the  town  gained  thereby.  The  completeness  and  pro- 
gressiveness  of  a  town  depends  on  social  institutions  as  well  as  corpo- 
rate and  industrial,  and  the  young  men  should  patronize  them  as  con- 
tributing to  the  general  good. 

But  Mr.  Bartholomew's  home,  on  Cliff  street,  is  the  garden  of  his 
life.  It  is  a  home  of  elegance  and  refinement  within  as  of  beauty 
without,  made  so  within  no  doubt  largely -by  the  grace  and  culture  of 
the  lady  chosen  to  be  his  wife,  Miss  Henrietta  E.  Cable,  of  Oxford, 
Conn.  They  were  married  January  14th,  1874.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Horace  Scott  Cable,  of  Oxford,  one  of  the  old,  wealthy  and  highly 
respected  families  of  the  town.  At  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartholomew's  resi- 
dence acquaintances  and  friends  are  welcomed  always,  and  the  hos- 
pitality is  full  of  sunshine.  Four  children  have  been  born  in  this 
home.  The  eldest,  Emma  C,  died  November  6th,  1876,  at  two  years 
of  age.     The  living  are:  Henrietta  C,  Eloise  and  Arthur  H.,  Jr. 

Mr.  Bartholomew  is  a  Congregationalist,  and  though  not  a  member 
of  the  church  of  his  boyhood,  is  yet  really  a  son  of  the  church,  for  as 
librarian,  usher,  clerk  of  society  or  organist,  he  has  worked  with  it, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  chief  financial  supporters,  having  an  excellent 
name  not  only  of  them  that  are  without  but  of  them  that  are  within. 

Egbert  Bartlett  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Conn.,  January  19th,  1819. 
His  father  was  of  Puritan  stock  and  came  from  Plimpton,  Mass.,  to 
settle  in  Salisbury,  Conn.  He  was  a  blacksmith  and  carriage  builder, 
and  at  the  same  time  carried  on  farming  in  the  town  of  Salisbury, 
where  he  was  familiarly  known  as  Colonel  Loring  Bartlett.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Phebe  Everest,  of  Salisbury,  a  woman  of  high  virtue,  de- 
voted to  the  church  she  loved,  and  distinguished  by  a  practical  turn 
for  all  domestic  matters.  Ten  children  were  born  to  them,  Egbert 
Bartlett  being  the  fourth  in  order. 

In  his  boyhood,  Egbert  Bartlett's  time  was  divided  between  the 
farm,  the  shop  and  the  school,  and  when  17  years  of  age  he  taught  in 
district  schools  in  the  winter  and  worked  on  the  farm  in  the  summer. 
But  his  thoughts  widened  with  the  "process  of  the  suns,"  as  Tenny- 
son says,  and  he  graduated  from  the  narrow  circle  of  Salisbury  life 
into  a  larger  sphere.  He  found  his  way  to  Poughkeepsie,  N.Y.,  where 
he  became  clerk  in  a  store,  and  later  to  New  York  city,  pursuing  the 
same  employment  in  several  mercantile  houses.    But  in  January,  1852, 


508  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

he  came  to  Ansonia  and  opened  a  store  for  the  sale  of  merchandise  in 
general,  but  principally  dry  goods  and  hardware.  Gradually  the  dry 
goods  department  gave  place  to  the  growing  hardware  trade,  and  Mr. 
Bartlett  was  settled  for  life  in  the  village  of  Ansonia.  In  the  one  store 
he  continued  for  16  years. 

During  this  time  he  not  only  became  familiar  with  town  affairs 
and  prominent  in  them,  but  was  entrusted  with  public  service  in  dif- 
ferent offices,  and  either  during  that  period  or  later  has  passed  through 
quite  all  the  positions  of  emolument  in  the  gift  of  the  town,  culminat- 
ing in  election  to  the  general  assembly  in  the  years  1866  and  1868,  as 
representative  of  the  town  of  Derby.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Pine 
Grove  Cemetery  Association,  and  compiled  the  well  arranged  and 
-complete  set  of  "Rules  and  Regulations"  of  the  association.  He  is  a 
republican  in  politics,  and  has  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  his- 
toric principles  of  his  party,  since  from  the  first  he  believed  them  to 
be  true. 

During  the  last  years  of  his  mercantile  pursuits,  he  added  fire  in- 
surance to  the  business  done,  so  that  upon  the  sale  of  the  hardware 
business  he  entered  naturally  into  insurance,  and  was  pursuing  it  suc- 
cessfully when  an  event  happened  which  drew  him  also  into  banking. 
He  had  been  one  of  the  original  incorporators  and  directors  of  the 
Savings  Bank  of  Ansonia.  The  affairs  of  the  bank  were  now  in  a  pre- 
carious condition.  It  had  lost  in  popularity  among  depositors,  the 
amount  of  deposits  having  waned  many  thousands  of  dollars  to  less 
than  $200,000.  At  the  same  time  an  impairment  of  the  strength  of 
the  bank  to  the  amount  of  $10,000  had  occurred,  by  reason  of  losses  in 
investments.  Mr.  Bartlett  was  solicited  by  the  directors  to  take  charge 
of  the  bank's  interests  as  secretary  and  treasurer.  At  the  same  time 
he  might  on  his  own  account  continue  his  private  interest  in  insur- 
ance. The  savings  bank  at  once  felt  the  profitableness  of  the  new  ar- 
rangement, and  as  a  result  of  14  years  of  administration  the  deposits 
were  increased  to  about  $900,000  and  a  surplus  of  about  $50,000  accu- 
mulated. 

Since  Mr.  Bartlett 's  connection  with  the  bank  closed  in  the  fall  of 
1888,  he  has  continued  his  business  of  insurance  and  brokerage  in  real 
estate,  making  investments  not  only  at  home,  but  in  the  West,  through 
the  Equitable  Mortgage  Company. 

The  honorable  position  which  Mr.  Bartlett  holds  in  the  opinion  of 
his  townsmen  may  be  inferred  from  the  choice  made  of  him,  whether 
by  the  courts  or  by  the  heirs,  to  settle  estates.  At  no  time  for  many 
years  has  he  been  without  a  number  of  these  responsibilities. 

Mr.  Bartlett  married  Adeline,  daughter  of  Henry  Terry,  of  Ply- 
mouth, February  25th,  1852.  The  name  at  once  suggests  the  horo- 
logical  occupation  of  her  ancestry.  She  was  the  granddaughter  of  Eli 
Terry,  of  clock  fame.     Two  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Frank 


■ 


tfb  l  t — (zM~  fa  c& '. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  509 

L.,  who  died  January  15th,  1864,  at  the  age  of  five  years;  and   Egbert 
Terry,  who  died  October  10th,  1879,  at  26  years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartlett  are  Congregationalists,  having  the  love  and 
esteem  of  the  church  of  which  they  have  long  been  members.  Their 
service  for  their  church  has  been  a  very  willing  and  happy  service, 
because  of  the  truths  and  virtues  for  which  the  church  stands,  and 
their  good  name  has  added  strength  and  given  impulse  to  every 
worthy  cause,  both  in  the  church  and  in  society  at  large. 

Charles  E.  Bristol,  of  the  Bristol  Drug  Company,  Ansonia,  Conn., 
was  born  in  Derby,  December  21st,  1847.  He  was  the  son  of  Charles 
Bristol  and  Harriet  Bradley,  both  of  Derby.  The  exigencies  of  early 
life  circumscribed  the  opportunities  of  their  son.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  only  nine  years  of  age.  He  had  the  advantages  of  the 
common  schools  during  the  winter  terms  until  he  was  16,  working  in 
the  factories  in  the  summer.  He  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in 
1864,  but  when  eight  months  had  passed  by  he  obtained  a  position 
with  Wallace  &  Sons,  of  Ansonia,  remaining  with  them  two  and  one- 
half  years,  and  then  returned  to  the  drug  business,  buying  one  half 
interest  in  the  store  in  which  he  first  started  as  clerk.  The  quality  of 
independent  action,  his  own  by  gift  of  birth,  quickly  developed.  He 
studied  assiduously  the  business  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  in 
February,  1869,  only  a  little  later  than  his  twenty-first  birthday,  pur- 
chased his  partners  interest  and  became  sole  proprietor.  This  busi- 
ness he  has  pursued  in  Ansonia  ever  since,  and  in  1888  it  was  incorpo- 
rated as  a  joint  stock  company  (the  Bristol  Drug  Company),  that  more 
time  might  be  at  his  command  to  give  to  other  interests  in  which  he 
is  engaged.  He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Ansonia  National  Bank 
and  also  its  vice-president.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Ansonia 
Club.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  members  of  the  Connecticut  Phar- 
maceutical Association,  his  membership  dating  from  February  20th, 
1877,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion, entering  there  on  October  20th,  1880. 

Soon  after  coming  into  possession  of  his  drug  business  in  Ansonia, 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  that  division  of  the  town  of  Derby, 
August,  1869.  His  administration  of  that  trust  was  distinguished  by 
the  same  punctilious  care  and  attention  to  details  manifest  in  every 
department  of  his  private  business.  It  is  spoken  of  only  with  praise 
by  his  townsmen.  He  continued  to  be  postmaster  nearly  16  years; 
he  resigned  in  March,  1885. 

Mr.  Bristol  is  a  positive  nature,  seeing  what  he  sees  so  clearly  that 
his  opinions,  though  they  may  be  tentatively  held  for  a  time,  are  yet 
strong  and  supported  by  reasons.  So,  too,  the  main  structure  of  his 
thinking  and  belief  rests  on  arguments  which  he  himself  has  outlined 
or  worked  out,  rather  than  received  from  another  ready-made.  He  is 
full  of  method  to  the  last  degree.  In  friendship  he  is  loyal  and  true, 
and  it  cannot  be  turned  away,  when  once  it  is  established,  by  a  slight- 


510  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ing  remark  or  a  temporary  misfortune.  Whatever  he  identifies  him- 
self with  has  an  earnest  and  able  supporter.  He  knows  how  to  gain  a 
point  and  hold  it,  and  at  the  same  time  to  show  a  generous  spirit 
toward  those  who  differ  from  him  in  method  or  opinion.  The  objects 
to  be  attained  are  pursued  indefatigably,  and  whether  in  business, 
society  or  politics  his  advice  carries  a  weight  that  makes  it  not  only 
respected,  but  often  followed.  In  all  his  plans  and  purposes,  which 
embrace  the  welfare  of  his  neighbor  or  his  town,  there  is  the  same 
high  aim,  the  same  critical  judgment,  and  the  same  executive  mastery. 
Hence  he  is  one  of  those  men  who  count  for  much  in  the  building  up 
of  a  community. 

Mr.  Bristol  is  an  ardent  friend  of  education,  taking  pride  in  the 
schools  of  his  own  town,  and  directing  his  children  upward  along  the 
pathway  of  the  academy  and  the  university.  He  believes  that  if  the 
alternative  were  an  inheritance  of  wealth,  and  an  education  in  the  best 
schools  of  the  land,  the  latter  is  to  be  preferred  by  great  odds  and 
sought  for  first  of  all  with  intense  ardor.  The  power,  the  greatness, 
the  splendor  of  a  nation  depend  more  upon  its  trained  intellect  than 
its  bank  vaults  or  its  mountains  of  ore.  Hence,  first  of  all,  he  purposes 
to  give  his  children  the  best  education  to  fit  them  for  efficient  service 
and  achievement  in  life;  and  already  his  eldest  son  is  midway  in  the 
course  at  Yale  University,  and  the  second  pursuing  a  preparatory 
course  in  one  of  the  foremost  academies,  with  a  view  to  the  uni- 
versity. 

Mr.  Bristol  was  married  in  September,  1867,  to  Miss  Frances  E. 
Bartholomew,  daughter  of  J.  H.  Bartholomew,  of  Ansonia.  His  chil- 
dren are:  Theodore  L.,  born  April  25th,  1870;  Charles  E.,  Jr.,  born 
October  17th,  1873;  Howard  B.,  born  September  1st,  1878,  died  April 
2d.  1880,  and  Ralph,  born  August  23d,  1881. 

Edward  B.  Bradley  was  born  in  Newtown,  Conn.,  in  1845.  Most  of 
his  life  has  been  spent  in  New  Haven  county.  He  ran  the  first  train 
over  the  New  Haven  &  Derby  railroad  in  1871,  and  has  been  conduc- 
tor on  that  line  ever  since.  He  resided  for  many  years  in  Seymour, 
removing  to  Ansonia  in  1882.  He  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Celeste 
Steele,  and  has  one  daughter,  Emma. 

Egbert  S.  Bronson  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Conn.,  in  1848,  and  came 
to  Ansonia  in  1866.  He  engaged  with  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper 
Company,  and  was  in  the  clock  department  10  years.  In  1881  he  went 
into  the  copper  refinery  department,  and  became  foreman  of  this  de- 
partment in  18S9.  His  parents  were  Spencer  and  Polly  (Hemingway) 
Bronson.  His  father  served  nine  months  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
in  Company  D,  27th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and  was  in  the  battle  of 
Fredericksburg.  Egbert  S.  also  enlisted  from  San  Francisco  in  1S65, 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
and  a  Mason.  He  married  Maggie  A.  Mathis,  of  Clinton,  N.  C,  in 
1869,  and  has  two  children,  Roscoe  E.  and  Bessie  A. 


-^^?L.<A 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  511 

George  S.  Bronson,  son  of  Abel  W.  Bronson,  born  in  Southbury, 
Conn.,  in  1S25,  came  to  Ansonia  in  1867,  and  settled  in  West  Ansonia  in 
1868,  on  the  site  of  the  old  stone  house  built  by  Harlow  Smith.  He  fol- 
lowed the  livery  business  on  the  east  side  one  year,  and  in  1869  com- 
menced keeping  a  livery  and  boarding  stable  in  West  Ansonia.  He 
drove  the  omnibus  between  Ansonia  and  Birmingham  for  three  years 
before  the  street  car  line  was  built.  He  abandoned  the  livery  busi- 
ness in  1888,  but  still  keeps  a  boarding  stable.  He  enlisted  in  the 
civil  war  April  26th,  1862,  from  Denver,  Colorado,  in  Company  D,  2d 
Colorado  Cavalry,  and  served  three  and  one-half  years.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  G.  A.  R.  of  Ansonia. 

Horatio  M.  Brown  was  born  in  Maine  in  1842.  He  removed  to 
Woodbridge,  Conn.,  March  1st,  1860,  and  engaged  in  the  manufactur- 
ing of  matches  for  William  A.  Clark.  He  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion  in  August,  1862,  in  Company  A,  10th  Connecticut  Volunteers, 
and  served  three  years.  He  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Kingston, 
N.  C,  December  14th,  1862,  receiving  a  gun  shot  in  his  left  shoulder. 
After  lying  in  the  Newbern  Hospital  two  months,  he  returned  to  his 
regiment  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C.  He  was  in  the  battle  of  Fort  Wag- 
ner, and  shortly  after  was  detailed  in  the  quartermaster's  department, 
loth  Army  Corps.  He  was  mustered  out  June  5th,  1865,  at  City  Point, 
Va.  On  his  return  he  worked  in  John  Whitlock's  shop,  in  Birming- 
ham, two  years,  then  was  with  Osborne  &  Cheesman,  in  Ansonia,  one 
year,  and  in  1869  entered  the  shop  of  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine 
Company,  as  machinist,  remaining  there  three  and  one-half  years. 
Since  that  time  he  has  been  foreman  in  the  light  machine  shop  of  this 
company.     He  is  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  of  Ansonia. 

Edson  L.  Bryant  was  born  in  Sheffield,  Mass.,  in  1842.  He  has 
been  connected  with  Wallace  &  Sons  since  1864,  as  superintendent  of 
the  burner  and  lamp  department  since  1872.  He  enlisted  in  the  23d 
Regiment  Connecticut  Volunteers  in  1862,  and  served  one  year.  He 
was  in  Banks'  division. 

Andrew  B.  Clemens  was  born  in  Stratford,  Conn.,  in  1824.  He 
learned  the  art  of  mechanical  drawing  in  Birmingham  about  1846, 
and  followed  that  occupation  in  Birmingham  and  Waterbury.  He 
came  to  Ansonia  in  1866.  He  engaged  with  the  Farrel  Foundry  Com- 
pany in  1852,  and  was  with  them  five  years,  then  was  with  the  Bir- 
mingham Iron  Foundry  eight  years.  In  1866  he  again  engaged  with 
the  Farrel  Company,  and  has  since  been  general  superintendent  of 
the  business.  He  drew  the  first  lathe  for  turning  chilled  rolls  in  their 
foundry  in  1866.  He  did  all  the  designing  and  drawing  for  the  com- 
pany for  many  years.  All  of  their  machinery  now  in  use  was  designed 
by  him.  Mr.  Clemens  married,  in  1845,  Catharine  Gerrard,  of  Port 
Jefferson,  Long  Island.     They  have  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Everett  R.  Corey,  born  in  Taunton,  Mass.,  in  1848,  went  to  New 
Haven  when  he  was  10  years  old,  and  was  educated  in  the  New  Haven 


512  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

High  School.  He  commenced  to  learned  the  trade  of  machinist  in 
1867,  attending  evening  school  meantime.  In  1870  he  began  work  in 
the  Birmingham  Iron  Foundry,  and  remained  there  17i  years  as  fore- 
man and  draughtsman.  In  1887  he  engaged  with  the  Ansonia  Brass 
&  Copper  Company  as  assistant  master  mechanic.  He  has  charge  of 
the  brass  mill  department.  He  married,  in  1871,  Ellen  A.  Cooper,  of 
New  Haven.  They  have  one  son  and  one  daughter.  Mr.  Corey  is  a 
Mason  and  an  Odd  Fellow. 

Thomas  Crane  was  born  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  September  4th,  1832. 
He  served  five  years  there  at  the  trade  of  rope  and  twine  spinner. 
July  3d,  1852,  he  came  to  Ansonia,  and  was  employed  by  the  Ansonia 
Rubber  Clothing  Company  three  years,  then  for  a  number  of  years 
was  with  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  18  years,  then  followed  the  wholesale 
and  retail  bakery  business  from  1879  to  1889.  December  14th  of  the 
latter  year  he  opened  a  new  market,  corner  of  North  Main  and  Fourth 
streets,  which  he  has  successfully  continued  to  the  present  time.  He 
married  Marion  W.  Brown,  of  New  York  city,  in  1853.  They  have  three 
children:  William  E.,  Emma  J.  and  Carrie  B.  Mr.  Crane  has  been 
burgess  and  school  committee  of  Ansonia  a  number  of  years,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  Ansonia. 

Morris  Drew  was  born  in  Huntington,  Conn.,  came  to  the  town  of 
Derby  in  1848,  and  to  Ansonia  in  1856.  He  was  in  the  mercantile 
trade  in  Ansonia  ten  years,  and  was  afterward  with  the  Farrel  Foun- 
dry Company.  He  is  the  present  postmaster  of  Ansonia,  having  been 
appointed  to  that  position  February  14th,  1890. 

Franklin  Farrel  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  February  17th, 
1828;  his  father.  Almon  Farrel,  was  a  thoroughly  business  man,  whose 
reputation  in  the  school  of  wisdom  in  engineering  was  widely  known 
throughout  the  surrounding  country.  His  wife,  Ruth  Emma  Warner 
Farrel,  was  a  true  mother,  was  earnestly  religious,  ordering  her  house- 
hold according  to  the  Scriptures,  of  which  she  was  a  faithful  reader. 
Their  home  was  open  to  the  clergy;  in  a  graceful  manner  she  could 
correct  the  divine  who  failed  to  give  correctly  the  quotation  from  the 
book  she  held  in  modest  veneration. 

Franklin,  their  only  son,  received  his  early  education  at  West 
Point,  leaving  his  studies  at  last  to  assist  his  father.  In  December, 
1844,  Almon  Farrel  came  to  Ansonia  as  the  adviser  of  Anson  G. 
Phelps,  respecting  contemplated  water  power.  Franklin  at  that  time 
interested  himself,  as  well,  in  locating  streets,  canals  and  business 
sites,  finally  making  a  permanent  home  in  the  little  village  which  has 
grown  to  such  large  proportions  under  his  and  other  helpful  hands. 

In  1848  the  concern  now  known  as  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine 
Company  was  organized  for  the  construction  of  whatever  machines 
were  generally  used  in  the  Naugatuck  valley.  Many  very  necessary  ar- 
ticles, such  as  sugar  mills,  chilled  rolls,  etc.,  are  shipped  to  different 


t/r  <&t*^fc/^    ,/^^^^^C 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  513 

parts  of  the  globe.  Castings  weighing  21  tons  have  been  made  in  the 
new  foundry,  which  is  300  feet  long  and  130  feet  wide.  The  special 
branch  of  manufacture  is  chilled  rolls,  which  have  given  the  company- 
fame  in  all  manufacturing  countries. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  brass  and  copper  industry  in  New  England 
the  rolls  were  imported  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  Franklin 
Farrel  drawing  plans  of  those  desired,  which  were  made  and  returned 
to  him  from  England.  The  expense  of  importation  was  great  and 
burdensome  to  the  struggling  industries  of  this  country,  and  soon  the 
Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company  undertook  the  manufacture  of 
chilled  rolls,  of  whatever  size.  The  attempt  proved  a  success  beyond 
expectation,  and  now  for  many  years  the  tide  of  importation  has 
changed  to  a  very  tidal  wave  of  exportation.  The  largest  rolls  of 
those  days  were  small  in  comparison  with  those  used  at  the  present 
time. 

Mr.  Farrel,  while  holding  for  many  years  the  position  of  president 
of  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  has  left  that  business 
largely  to  capable  men,  he  himself  having  inaugurated  other  money- 
making  investments,  giving  his  own  attention  to  them  until  they  are 
well  established  and  prosperous,  then  submitting  them  to  other  hands 
for  management,  looking  meanwhile  for  something  new.  Mr.  Farrel 
is  principal  owner  in  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  the 
Liverpool  Silver  &  Copper  Company,  Liverpool,  England;  Parrot  Sil- 
ver &  Copper  Company,  of  Butte,  Mont.;  the  Sugar  Estate,  Yingo, 
Porviner,  Macoris,  St.  Domingo;  the  Larger  Estate,  Santa  Teressa, 
Campechuela  Manyanillo,  Cuba;  the  Bridgeport  Copper  Works,  and 
others. 

While  Mr.  Farrel  is  the  impersonation  of  business  ability,  knowl- 
edge and  success,  he  has  agreeable  social  qualities,  is  a  genial  com- 
panion for  the  holiday  and  enjoys  his  foreign  journeys  to  Europe  and 
the  West.  The  gentleness  of  his  features  is  but  the  reflection  of  his 
heart,  which  is  true  and  ever  generous  in  the  extreme.  His  home  in 
Ansonia  is  one  of  wealth,  refinement  and  pleasure.  Mr.  Farrel  has 
been  twice  married:  first  to  Miss  Julia  Lockwood  Smith, of  Derby,  who 
died  leaving  two  children;  later  to  Miss  Lillian  Clark,  New  Haven, 
daughter  of  a  prominent  lawyer  of  that  city. 

Mr.  Farrel's  son,  Alton  Farrel,  his  father's  partner  and  second  self 
in  business,  passed  away  on  April  17th,  1885,  leaving  a  large  circle 
of  sorrowing  friends.  The  remaining  children  are :  May  Wells 
Farrel,  Florence  Adele  Farrel,  Alise  Marion  Farrel  and  Franklin 
Farrel,  Jr. 

In  politics  Mr.  Farrel  was  a  strict  republican.     He  is  a  churchman, 
being  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  Ansonia,  is  a  liberal  con- 
tributor to  its  treasury,  and   is  greatly  esteemed  in   the  community 
which  he  has  helped  to  build  and  where  he  now  resides. 
33 


514  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Eugene  R.  Fisher  was  born  in  Essex  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1855.  He 
was  employed  by  the  Helpmate  Sewing  Machine  Company  of  Pitts- 
burgh, N.  Y.,  as  case  hardener  for  three  years.  He  married  Dollie  E. 
Pardy,  of  that  place,  in  1875.  They  have  three  children:  Ida  M.,  Pearl 
and  Bertie  E.  Mr.  Fisher  came  to  Ansonia  in  1885,  and  was  employed 
by  Wallace  &  Sons  in  their  lamp  department,  becoming  foreman  of 
that  department  in  1886.  There  are  15  men  employed  in  this  depart- 
ment. 

William  Gaffney,  born  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  in  1856,  came  to 
Ansonia  with  his  parents  about  1859.  He  learned  the  plumber's  trade 
with  T.  P.  Terry,  of  Ansonia,  remaining  with  him  about  five  years. 
He  commenced  work  with  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company  in 
1880,  as  plumber,  and  was  made  foreman  of  their  plumbing  depart- 
ment in  1887.  He  is  a  member  of  the  T.  A.  B.  Association,  and  has 
filled  all  the  offices  in  this  society.  He  was  delegate  to  the  convention 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1889.  He  is  secretary  of  K.  of  C,  No.  23;  presi- 
dent of  the  C.  B.  L.,  No.  265,  of  Ansonia,  and  state  secretary  of  the 
C.  T.  A.  U.  of  Connecticut.  He  married,  in  1882,  Mary  A.  Keefe,  of 
Derby.     They  have  two  daughters  and  one  son. 

William  D.  Galpin  was  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  March  21st,  1838. 
He  came  to  Ansonia  in  1854,  and  entered  the  store  of  his  uncle,  Ros- 
well  L.  Johnson,  one  of  the  first  merchants  in  Ansonia.  After  the 
death  of  Mr.  Johnson,  in  1861,  his  son,  Nathan,  succeeded  him.  Mr. 
Galpin  remained  with  him  four  years,  when  the  business  was  sold  to 
Hobart  Sperry.  Mr.  Galpin  staid  with  him  two  years,  and  in  1867  en- 
gaged in  the  trade  of  men's  furnishing  goods  with  William  H.  Plum- 
mer.  The  business  was  sold  to  William  H.  Fellows  in  1886,  and 
Mr.  Galpin  retired  from  business.  He  was  married,  October  28th, 
1868,  to  Ellen  F.  Little,  of  Sheffield,  Mass.  They  have  two  children: 
Robert  Irving  and  Annie  Holmes.  Robert  is  in  the  employ  of  the 
Holmes  &  Edwards  Silver  Company,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

John  B.  Gardner  was  born  in  Anspach,  Bavaria,  Germany,  Sep- 
tember 7th,  1828,  and  died  January  25th,  1891.  With  his  parents  he 
came  to  America  when  he  was  about  14  years  of  age,  and  resided  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  But  after  a  few  years  he  found  his  way  to  the  manu- 
factory of  the  Jerome  Clock  Company,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.  Here 
his  future  business  life  began  to  outline  itself,  and  it  became  more  and 
more  a  fixed  certainty  that  his  business  pursuit  should  be  somewhere 
in  the  time-measuring  industry  of  the  world. 

It  was  in  1857  that  he  came  to  Ansonia,  purchased  property  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  clock  dials  of  all 
kinds,  clock  trimmings,  scale  dials,  etc.  And  in  1869  he  bought  the 
land  where  now  the  factory  stands,  and  in  that  and  the  succeeding 
year  put  up  the  main  building.  Additions  have  been  made  since  as 
they  were  needed,  until  now  the  factory  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
town  of  Ansonia. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  515 

During  all  the  early  years  of  manufacture  in  this  plant  Mr.  Gard- 
ner attended  closely  to  business,  putting  the  finest  dials  on  the  market 
both  in  form  and  finish,  and  hence  the  volume  of  his  business  rapidly 
increased  to  its  present  proportions. 

In  the  year  1880  he  took  his  eldest  son,  Sturges  G.,  into  partnership 
with  himself,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  B.  Gardner  &  Son.  He  now 
threw  much  of  the  detail  supervision  upon  the  younger  shoulders,  but 
by  no  means  relinquished  his  own  supreme  control  and  general  man- 
agement of  the  running  of  the  factory.  Even  if  he  was  absent  much 
of  the  time  at  his  farm,  he  yet  held  the  lines  of  manufacture  well  m 
hand. 

His  farming  was  more  in  the  nature  of  pleasant  recreation  than  of 
downright  industry.  He  was  fond  of  nature  and  of  fine  animals.  He 
took  pleasure  in  raising  the  largest  and  most  handsome  exhibits  of 
pears  or  fruits  at  agricultural  shows.  He  herded  the  finest  Jersey 
stock,  and  so  well  fed  and  groomed  were  his  cattle  that,  standing  on 
the  lawn,  they  won  the  admiration  of  the  passer-by.  It  was  not  farm- 
ing for  profit,  as  one  can  readily  see,  but  it  was  farming  thoroughly 
done,  even  if  expensive,  and  the  thoroughness  was  a  quality  of  the 
farmer. 

This  same  liking  for  the  domestic  animals  and  their  equipage 
appeared  also  in  the  equerry  of  Mr.  Gardner.  He  kept  his  stable  sup- 
plied with  nice  horses,  and  carriages  to  suit  them.  Indeed,  the  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  Gardner  and  its  surroundings  on  Clifton  avenue  show 
the  same  taste  and  elegance.  Every  part  is  only  part  of  the  complete 
whole. 

But  Mr.  Gardner  was  not  absorbed  wholly  in  his  private  concerns 
and  pleasures.  He  had  both  the  ability  and  the  spirit  for  public  affairs. 
This  is  evidenced  at  once  in  the  fact  that  for  three  terms  of  two  years 
each  he  had  by  popular  choice  served  the  towns  of  Derby  and  Anso- 
nia  as  associate  judge  of  the  town  court,  and  when  he  died  he  was 
serving  the  fourth  term.  As  a  public  officer  of  the  law  he  had  the 
fullest  confidence  of  the  community.  Justice  and  humanity,  amount- 
ing to  philanthropy,  were  singularly  united  in  him,  and  for  this  reason 
he  was  held  in  loving  esteem.  He  has  been  known  from  his  high 
sense  of  the  responsibility  of  guardian  of  the  public  welfare  to  impose 
the  proper  fine  upon  the  unfortunate  prisoner,  and  then  an  hour  after, 
when  he  had  stepped  down  from  the  judge's  bench  into  the  ranks  of 
private  citizens,  pay  the  fine,  give  the  unfortunate  culprit  freedom  and 
even  find  a  "  job  "  for  him  in  his  own  factory.  The  people  came  to 
feel  they  had  a  philanthropist's  heart  in  the  judge  when  he  was  on  the 
bench.  Justice  in  the  judge  was  tempered  by  mercy  in  the  private 
citizen,  and  people  honored  him,  both  for  his  uprightness  and  his 
kindness.  His  charities  were  given,  here  and  there,  quietly,  and 
without  design  on  his  part.  All  these  qualities  brought  him  the  good 
name  so  much  more  valuable  than  his  riches. 


516  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

But  his  domestic  virtues  were  even  greater  than  his  public.  He 
was  very  fond  of  his  home  and  his  family.  On  October  11th,  1854,  he 
married  Miss  Mary  J.  Gregory,  of  New  Preston,  Conn.  She  was  a 
lady  of  many  virtues  and  graces.  They  made  her  conspicuous  for 
many  years  in  society  and  church,  and  she  made  the  home  delightful. 
Never  was  home  happier  than  theirs.  There  was  nothing  wholesome 
or  good  desired  by  the  growing  family  which  was  not  furnished  them. 
It  was  Mr.  Gardner's  delight  to  fulfil  all  their  wishes,  and  when  busi- 
ness hours  were  over  he  could  be  found,  almost  without  exception,  at 
home  with  his  family  about  him.  He  was  very  fond  of  song,  having 
inherited  the  passion  of  his  native  land  for  it.  For  many  years  he 
had  been  the  chorister  of  Christ  church,  of  which  himself  and  wife 
were  parishioners. 

He  was  not  a  stranger  to  bereavement.  Two  sons  have  died — 
Horace  L.,  August  10th,  1862,  at  the  age  of  seven  years,  and  John  B., 
July  3d,  1882,  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  After  the  second  of  these  be- 
reavements, Mrs.  Gardner  gradually  withdrew  from  her  public  activi- 
ties into  the  heart  of  her  family,  and  on  August  27th,  1890,  after  a 
short  sickness,  passed  away,  the  husband  seeming  to  be  bereft  of 
his  greatest  comfort.  The  surviving  sons  and  daughters  are:  Sturges 
G.,  Louis  F.,  Annie  L.,  Mary  Christine  and  Charlotte  Gertrude. 

In  Mr.  Gardner's  death  the  borough  and  town  of  Ansonia  lost  a 
successful,  foremost  manufacturer,  and  the  public  a  citizen  of  high 
character  and  reputation. 

Joseph  F.  Gilpin  was  born  in  England  in  1837.  He  was  a  machin- 
ist in  Liverpool,  came  to  America  in  1862,  worked  in  New  York  city 
until  1865,  then  came  to  Ansonia.  He  worked  for  Franklin  Farrel 
from  January,  1865,  until  1866,  when  he  engaged  with  the  Ansonia 
Brass  &  Copper  Company,  and  has  been  with  them  since.  As  general 
superintendent  and  master  mechanic,  he  has  charge  of  all  machinery 
buildings,  water  gates  and  water  power  of  this  company.  He  is  fire 
marshal  of  Ansonia,  and  member  of  both  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fel- 
lows' orders. 

Edward  O.  Goodrich  was  born  in  South  Glastonbury,  Conn.,  in 
1855.  In  1876  he  began  work  for  the  Meriden  Malleable  Iron  Com- 
pany. He  came  to  Ansonia  in  1881,  and  engaged  as  time-keeper  with 
the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company.  He  steadily  worked  his  way 
up  until  in  January,  1889,  he  became  superintendent.  He  has  charge 
of  the  department  of  lamps  and  fixtures.  Mr.  Goodrich  is  a  member  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  Ansonia,  and  past  sachem  of  the 
Order.  He  is  also  a  member  of  George  Washington  Lodge,  No.  82, 
F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Mt.  Vernon  Chapter,  No.  35,  R.  A.  M. 

Charles  H.  Hayes,  born  in  Saugerties,  N.  Y.,  in  1833,  learned  the 
machinist  business  when  young,  and  has  followed  that  trade,  and  that 
of  electrician.  He  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  1st  Regiment 
of  Connecticut  Volunteers  in  1861,  and  served  three  months,  partici- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  517 

pating  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run.  After  his  discharge  he  was  em- 
ployed in  Colt's  Armory,  in  Hartford,  until  1863,  when  he  reenlisted 
in  the  1st  Connecticut  Cavalry,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  then  came  to  Ansonia,  and  has  been  connected  with  Wallace  & 
Sons  since.  He  has  charge  of  the  electrical  department.  He  married 
Margaret  E.,  widow  of  William  Bristol,  and  youngest  daughter  of  the 
late  Thomas  Wallace.  She  has  two  daughters:  Mary  C.  and  Carrie  A. 
Bristol.  Charles  H.  Hayes  is  a  member  of  the  George  Washington 
Lodge,  No.  82,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Mt.  Vernon  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  New 
Haven  Commandery,  K.  T.,  Union  Lodge,  K.  of  H.,  and  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

Joshua  Hibbert,  born  in  Ludworth,  Derbyshire,  England,  in  1855, 
came  with  his  parents  to  America  in  1863,  and  settled  in  Trenton,  N. 
J.,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  machinist  and  tool  maker.  He  came 
to  Ansonia  in  1879,  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Ansonia  Brass  & 
Copper  Company.  He  was  made  foreman  in  the  brass  mill  of  the  rod 
department  in  1888.  He  married,  in  1881,  Annie  L.  Singleton,  of  An- 
sonia, and  has  had  three  children.  Mr.  Hibbert  is  a  member  of  George 
Washington  Lodge,  No.  82,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  and  of  the  United  Friends. 

Doctor  Melville  C.  Hitchcock  was  born  in  Trumbull,  Conn.,  in  1855, 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Bridgeport,  and  Strong's  Com- 
mercial and  Military  Institute.  He  graduated  from  the  Pennsylvania 
College  of  Dental  Surgery  in  1877,  and  located  in  Ansonia  in  the 
spring  of  1878.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Valley  Dental  So- 
ciety. He  married,  in  1884,  Grace  B.  Espe,  of  Ansonia,  and  has  two 
children:  Melville  E.  and  Carl.  Doctor  Hitchcock  is  a  Knight  Tem- 
plar, and  an  active  member  of  several  secret  orders. 

Charles  C.  Jackson  was  born  in  Derby,  Conn.,  January  30th,  1823. 
Mr.  Jackson  was  the  son  of  a  farmer-mechanic,  Colonel  David  Jack- 
son, of  Derby,  who  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  earned  his  military 
title;  and  grandson  of  Jonathan  Jackson,  of  Derby,  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  the  town.  His  mother  was  Lydia  R.,  daughter  of  Levi  Pack- 
ard, of  Wilmington,  Vt.  Mr.  Packard  was  a  revolutionary  soldier,  and 
was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Bennington.  He  afterward  was  made  a 
pensioner  of  the  government  for  valiant  service  rendered.  So  that 
Mr.  Jackson  has  an  ancestry  which  bequeathed  to  him  an  inheritance 
of  loyalty  to  the  flag  of  his  country. 

But  his  parents  were  not  granted  to  him  for  a  long  period.  While 
yet  a  boy  he  must  make  his  way  in  the  world,  and  carve  out  his  own 
fortune.  He  undertook  it  bravely  by.  learning  the  trade  of  tack  mak- 
ing in  the  shop  of  E.  N.  Shelton,  of  Derby,  and  there  remained  until 
1858.  He  then  went  to  Ansonia  and  began  an  independent  business 
career.  But  only  about  a  year  passed  by,  when  he  was  desired  by  the 
great  manufacturing  company  of  Wallace  &  Sons  to  superintend  a  de- 
partment of  their  works.  He  accepted  the  position,  and  continued  in 
it  from  1859  to  1880. 


518  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

At  the  latter  date  his  health  failed,  and  his  friends  became  alarmed 
lest  he  might  not  recover  it.  He  retired  from  business  to  win  it  back 
again,  if  he  might,  by  diversions  of  various  kinds,  by  travel,  and  by 
residence  during  the  winter  months  in  the  South.  Several  of  his  win- 
ters since  have  been  spent  in  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  where  he  owns 
an  estate,  and  to  which  himself  and  family  now  go  as  the  cold  weather 
draws  on. 

But  his  life  as  thus  outlined,  from  a  business  point  of  view,  has 
been  filled  in  with  a  variety  of  social  and  political  activities.  It  might 
be  supposed  that  his  military  ancestry  would  give  him  a  liking  for 
military  associations,  and  so  it  did.  He  took  a  loyal  pride  in  his  coun- 
try and  its  defenders,  and  for  a  number  of  years,  in  his  earlier  man- 
hood, was  major  of  the  2d  Connecticut  Regiment. 

Mr.  Jackson  disclaims  prominence  in  politics,  and  yet  his  political 
associates  are  wont  to  declare  an  activity  on  his  part,  and  a  judgment 
in  management  which  were  efficient  elements  in  the  political  life  of 
his  town.  And  they  have  left  pleasantly  their  marks  in  the  positions 
of  trust  to  which  he  has  been  chosen  from  time  to  time,  as  town  asses- 
sor and  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  years. 

But  his  greater  pride  has  been  taken  in  the  social  order  of  Odd 
Fellowship,  and  to  that  order  he  gives  a  crowning  praise  for  having 
imparted  to  him  its  own  high  principles,  by  which  he  has  sought  to 
be  governed  all  his  life.  He  gained  admission  to  the  order  while  yet 
in  his  young  manhood,  became  embued  with  enthusiasm  for  the  train- 
ing it  furnished  in  all  the  virtues  and  qualities  of  noble  living,  and 
passed  on  up  through  the  various  grades  of  ascent  to  the  highest  hon- 
ors. He  filled  the  chairs  of  Grand  Master  and  Grand  Patriarch  of  the 
order  in  the  state  of  Connecticut.  He  was  also  chosen  to  be  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Grand  Encampment  for  two  years,  and- of  the  Grand 
Lodge  for  two  years  more,  to  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge. 

But  these  social  honors  have  not  eclipsed  what  Mr.  Jackson  has  re- 
garded as  more  important  still,  his  religious  faith  and  Christian  living, 
and  his  church  affiliations.  Both  himself  and  family  are  prominent 
members  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  Ansonia,  and  Mr.  Jackson  has 
been  vestryman,  treasurer  or  warden  nearly  all  the  period  of  his  resi- 
dence in  the  parish.  So  he  has  led  his  family  to  all  that  is  highest 
and  best  in  life.  He  bears  among  all  his  acquaintances  an  unsullied 
good  name,  and  is  widely  esteemed  for  kindly  nature,  for  probity  of 
character,  and  cooperation  in  good  public  measures. 

In  1847  he  married  Agnes,  daughter  of  Thomas  Wallace,  the 
founder  of  the  corporation  of  Wallace  &  Sons,  of  Ansonia.  Two  sons 
and  five  daughters  have  been  born  to  them:  Frederick  M.,  of  Wilming- 
ton, Del.;  Wallace  B.;  Mrs.  E.  V.  Clemens,  of  New  York;  Hattie  A.; 
Mrs.  E.  L.  Smith,  of  Monroe,  Conn.;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  and  Josie 
Wallace. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  519 

Joseph  Jackson  was  born  in  England  in  1840,  and  learned  the 
machinist  trade.  He  was  afterward  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of 
moulder,  and  finished  the  trade  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  coming  to  this 
country  in  1858.  In  1868  he  came  to  Ansonia  and  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  becoming  foreman  of  the 
foundry  in  1880.  He  was  married  in  1864  to  Susanna  Auld,  of  Prince 
Edward's  Island.     They  have  five  children. 

William  P.  Judson  was  born  in  Ansonia  in  1853.  He  was  freight 
agent  for  the  New  Haven  &  Derby  Railroad  Company  from  1877  until 
the  road  was  purchased  by  the  Housatonic  Railroad  Company,  and 
continues  in  the  same  capacity  for  the  latter  company.  July  28th, 
1891,  he  purchased  a  coal  business,  which  he  now  conducts.  He  mar- 
ried Katharine  J.  Hart,  of  New  Haven,  September  23d,  1890.  He  is  a 
member  of  several  secret  organizations. 

John  T.  Kent,  born  in  Meriden,  Conn.,  in  1851,  is  a  son  of  Timothy 
and  Ellen  Kent,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  He  was  educated  in  Ches- 
hire, and  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  there.  He  came  to  Ansonia 
in  1871,  engaged  at  his  trade  with  John  Dixbury,  afterward  with  D.  T. 
Johnson,  and  later  with  Lines,  Mott  &  Piatt.  In  1880  he  began  work 
for  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  and  became  their  boss 
carpenter  in  1882.  He  planned  and  built  the  wood  work  of  the  new 
foundry  building  and  the  new  roll  room,  and  set  up  the  machinery 
in  it. 

Austin  P.  Kirkham,  born  in  Middlefield,  Ohio,  December  25th, 
1837,  came  with  his  father,  Isaac  J.,  to  Connecticut  in  1844.  The  lat- 
ter was  born  in  Guilford,  and  died  in  1872.  With  his  four  sons  he  en- 
listed in  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  The  father,  with  two  sons,  Austin 
P.  and  Guilford  M.,  enlisted  April  19th,  1861,  and  served  three  months, 
taking  part  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run.  They  were  in  Company 
D,  2d  Connecticut  Infantry,  and  were  mustered  out  August  7th,  1861. 
Austin  P.  immediately  reenlisted  in  the  navy  as  master's  mate.  He 
was  in  the  engagements  of  Roanoke  Island,  Elizabeth  City,  Newbern, 
Plymouth  and  others.  He  resigned  from  the  navy  in  the  fall  of  1863, 
and  enlisted  in  the  2d  Connecticut  Heavy  Artillery,  served  with  that 
regiment  in  the  peninsular  campaign  under  Grant;  was  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  June  1st,  1864;  after  an  absence  of  44  days 
rejoined  his  regiment;  was  engaged  in  the  defense  of  Washington 
when  Early  made  his  raid;  was  wounded  again  at  Cedar  Creek,  Va., 
October  19th,  1864,  and  taken  prisoner;  was  released  in  March,  1865, 
and  rejoined  his  regiment  in  time  to  participate  in  the  closing  scenes  of 
the  war  at  Appomatox;  and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  Septem- 
ber 11th,  1865.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  and  was  mustered  out  as  a 
captain.  Isaac  J.,  the  father,  reenlisted  with  his  two  sons,  Guilford  and 
Leveritt,  in  Company  A,  10th  Connecticut  Volunteers.  Isaac  J.  and 
Guilford  enlisted  as  musicians.  Leveritt,  the  youngest  son,  took  part 
in  the  capture  of  Roanoke,  Elizabeth  City,  and  at  Newbern,  N.  C,  March 


520  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

12th,  1862,  where  he  was  wounded.  He  was  removed  to  the  hospital, 
and  was  discharged  the  following  December  in  consequence  of  wounds 
received  in  action.  Calvin  C,  the  eldest  son,  resided  in  New  Orleans 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  He  escaped  with  his  wife  and  infant  on 
the  last  steamer  (the  Ohio  Belle)  that  went  up  the  Mississippi  river. 
They  were  captured,  and  held  prisoners  six  weeks,  and  were  then 
paroled.  He  came  East,  leaving  his  family  at  East  Haven,  and  en- 
listed in  the  navy  as  paymaster's  clerk.  He  was  in  the  campaign  of 
the  Potomac  and  James  rivers,  on  the  U.  S.  steamer  "  Satellite,"  cov- 
ering the  retreat  of  McClellan.  He  was  promoted  to  acting  master, 
but  his  health  failed,  and  he  resigned. 

George  E.  Lindley  was  born  in  Ansonia  in  August,  1853.  His 
father,  John  Lindley,  was  born  in  Oxford  in  1816,  and  came  to  An- 
sonia in  the  "  forties."  He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  built 
some  of  the  first  houses  in  Ansonia.  In  1858  he  fpunded  a  furniture 
house,  which  he  continued  until  his  death,  in  1887.  This  is  the  oldest 
furniture  establishment  in  Ansonia.  He  was  the  first  undertaker  in 
Ansonia.  George  E.  became  a  partner  in  1878,  and  at  the  father's 
death  succeeded  to  the  business.  Mr.  Lindley  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried; first  to  Frances  E.,  daughter  of  William  Bassett,  of  Birmingham, 
in  1874.  .She  died  in  1880,  leaving  two  children  :  William  E.  and 
Hattie  E.  For  his  second  wife  he  married,  in  1882,  Nellie  C.  Whea- 
ton.  of  New  Milford,  Conn. 

John  L.  Lindley,  born  in  Ansonia  in  1850,  is  a  son  of  John  Lindley, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Ansonia.  John  L.  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Ansonia  and  Cheshire  Academy,  and  engaged  as  clerk  in 
Waterbury  three  years.  In  1872  he  returned  to  Ansonia  and  engaged 
in  the  insurance  business.  He  represents  the  leading  Hartford,  New 
York  and  English  companies,  such  as  the  Hartford  Fire,  Home,  Ger- 
man American,  Phcenix,  ^Etna,  Imperial  and  Traveler's  Life.  He  was 
appointed  postmaster  of  Ansonia  in  April,  1885,  and  served  until  Feb- 
ruary, 1890.  He  was  for  six  years  chairman  of  the  board  of  assessors 
of  the  town  of  Derby  and  is  the  present  auditor  of  Ansonia.  In  1875 
he  married  Cecile  Banks  of  Birmingham.  They  have  three  sons  liv- 
ing: Floyd,  born  1876;  John  L..  Jr.,  born  1878;  and  Cecil,  born  1889. 
One  son,  Victor,  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  W.  Lines  was  born  in  New  Milford,  Conn.,  and  came  to 
Ansonia  in  1884.  He  is  president  of  the  Ansonia  Flour  &  Grain 
Company,  dealers  in  grain,  flour,  drain  tile,  baled  hay,  straw  and  po- 
tatoes. 

Harvey  W.  Manville,  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1840,  is  a  son 
of  William  Manville,  of  that  town.  He  learned  the  trade  of  carriage 
painting  and  followed  it  three  or  four  years.  He  came  to  Ansonia  in 
1864  and  engaged  in  teaming.  In  1880  he  was  employed  by  the  Farrel 
Foundry  &  Machine  Company  as  teamster,  and  was  made  foreman  of 
their  yard  in  1882.     He  married,  in  1866,  Nettie  J.  Hubbell,  of  Hunt- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  521 

ington,  Conn.  They  have  one  child  living,  Harvey  Wesley,  and  have 
lost  one. 

George  E.  May  was  born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1852.  In  1874 
he  came  to  Ansonia,  and  was  clerk  for  C.  R.  Smith,  grocer,  until  July, 
1889,  when  he  purchased  the  business.  The  store  is  located  at  the 
■corner  of  High  and  Maple  streets,  West  Ansonia.  Mr.  May  married 
Mary  J.  Reede,  of  Bridgeport,  in  1871,  and  has  four  children.  He  is  a 
Mason  and  an  Odd  Fellow. 

J.  W.  Naramore  was  born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1827,  and  came 
to  Birmingham  in  1S38.  In  1840  he  began  learning  the  pin  trade  in 
Birmingham,  and  has  followed  that  business  ever  since.  In  1866  he 
•entered  the  employ  of  Wallace  &  Sons,  of  Ansonia,  and  has  for  many 
years  had  charge  of  the  pin  manufacturing  department  of  their 
business.  He  is  an  expert  in  the  business  of  pin  making,  and  has  in- 
vented several  valuable  machines  which  are  used  in  the  business. 

Thomas  A.  Nelson  was  born  in  Perth,  Scotland,  lived  several  years 
in  the  North  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  in  1849.  He  first  set- 
tled in  Fairfield  county,  came  to  Birmingham  in  1851,  and  now 
resides  in  Ansonia,  on  his  place  called  "Forestdale,"  which  occupies  a 
commanding  position  overlooking  the  borough  and  Naugatuck  river. 
His  farm  is  in  the  borough  limits  and  adjoins  the  Ansonia  reservoir, 
which  furnishes  power  for  the  various  manufacturing  interests  here. 
He  settled  on  this  place  in  1S84.  He  was  engaged  with  the  Downs  & 
Bassett  Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of  corsets  and  im- 
porters of  kid  gloves,  from  1859  to  1884.  Since  the  latter  year  Mr. 
Nelson  has  not  engaged  in  active  business,  simply  devoting  his  time 
to  his  private  interests  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  In  1865  he 
married  Clara  M.,  youngest  daughter  of  Abram  Hubbell,  of  Ansonia, 
in  the  place  where  they  now  live.  Their  children  are  :  Clara  H.,  Wil- 
liam A.  and  Susie  L.  Mr.  Nelson  is  a  member  of  King  Hiram  Lodge, 
No.  12,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Birmingham.  He  has  always  been  a  staunch 
republican,  but  takes  no  active  part  in  politics. 

William  Paul  was  born  in  Greenock,  Scotland,  in  1830.  He  early 
engaged  in  the  machine  business  as  a  practical  engineer,  either  build- 
ing or  running  engines.  He  came  to  America  in  1850  and  traveled 
through  several  of  the  states,  working  at  his  trade.  He  was  five  years 
in  Colts'  Armory,  Hartford,  in  charge  of  the  gauge  department.  Dur- 
ing the  war  he  had  charge  of  the  Whitney  Armory  at  New  Haven  three 
years.  He  came  to  Ansonia  in  1866,  and  has  since  been  in  the  employ 
•of  Wallace  &  Sons.  He  has  charge  of  the  machine  department,  manu- 
facturing and  repairing  their  machinery.  He  was  married  in  1855, 
and  has  had  six  children,  three  of  whom  are  living. 

Henry  Pettit  came  to  Derby  in  1840,  aad  settled  on  Kankwood  hill, 
now  in  the  town  of  Ansonia.  He  died  in  1862.  The  farm  is  now  oc- 
cupied by  his  widow,  Mrs.  Eleanor  Pettit,  and  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Baldwin.    The  familv  was  one  of  the  first  to  settle  in  Ansonia.    When 


522  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

they  came  to  Kankwood  hill  there  was  not  a  house  built  in  Ansonia 
and  only  a  few  in  Birmingham. 

Joseph  G.  Redshaw,  born  in  Ansonia  August  14th,  1854,  is  a  son  of 
John  M.  and  Sarah  Redshaw,  who  came  from  Leeds,  England,  to  the 
town  of  Derby  in  1847.  Joseph  G.  was  educated  in  Ansonia;  was  in 
the  Ansonia  National  Bank  eight  years,  afterward  was  with  Andrew 
B.  Hendricks  &  Co.  1£  years,  and  in  1878  engaged  in  the  clothing 
business  with  George  H.  Besse.  The  firm  continued  15  months,  when 
Mr.  Redshaw  sold  out  in  December,  1880,  and  the  following  March  he 
succeeded  V.A.Page  in  the  clothing  business,  which  he  has  continued 
since.  His  store  is  located  at  106  and  108  Main  street,  Ansonia.  Mr. 
Redshaw  was  town  auditor  for  Derby  11  years,  and  when  Ansonia 
became  a  town  was  elected  to  the  same  office  in  the  new  town.  He 
is  a  member  of  George  Washington  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Mt.  Vernon 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  of  the  New  Haven  Commandery,  K.  T.,  and  is 
an  Odd  Fellow.     He  is  a  vestryman  of  Christ  church,  Ansonia. 

David  E.  Roberts,  born  in  Wales  in  1840,  came  to  this  country  in 
1851.  He  served  his  time  in  the  Phenix  Foundry,  New  York  city,  as. 
machinist,  remaining  there  five  years,  then  spent  five  years  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  engaged  as  machinist  for  Captain  John  Ericsson,  was 
with  C.  H.  Delamater,  NewYork  city,  as  foreman  five  years,  and  with  the 
Albany  Street  Iron  Works  five  years.  In  September,  1868,  he  came  to- 
Ansonia  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Farrel  Foundry  Company, 
first  as  workman,  and  since  1875  has  been  foreman  of  the  machine 
shop.  He  was  married  in  New  York  city  in  1866,  and  has  four  daugh- 
ters.    He  is  a  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

George  O.  Schneller  was  born  in  Germany,  June  14th,  1843. 
His  father,  Henry  Schneller,  of  Germany,  was  a  government  civil  en- 
gineer and  architect,  as  was  also  his  grandfather.  His  older  brothers, 
too,  are  civil  engineers,  so  that  he  received  a  home  training  in  a  fam- 
ily of  scientific  culture.  He  was  educated  in  private  schools  and  in  a 
gymnasium  of  his  fatherland. 

But  while  his  brothers  went  on  through  the  full  university  course, 
George  Otto  came  to  America  and  entered  business.  He  was  in  the 
employ,  as  bookkeeper,  of  Osborne  &  Cheesman,  of  Ansonia,  when  he 
resolved,  in  1870,  to  return  to  Germany.  It  was  a  period  of  great  na- 
tional excitement,  for  the  German  people  had  just  entered  into  the 
struggle  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  Mr.  Schneller  passed  on  to  spend 
the  winter  in  Italy,  and  arrived  in  Rome  in  the  week  following  Victor 
Emmanuel's  occupation  of  the  city.  He  then  visited  Naples,  spending 
three  months  there,  and  remembers  as  not  the  least  interesting  of  his 
diversions  the  exploration  of  the  ruins  of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii. 

But  the  grand  review  of  the  German  army  in  Berlin  at  the  close  of 
the  war  with  France  was  soon  to  occur,  and  Mr.  Schneller  hastened 
from  Italy  to  the  capital  city  of  the  German  empire.  There  he  saw 
his  victorious  countrymen  march  for  several  miles  between  rows  of 
cannon  captured  from  the  French. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  523 

It  was  in  the  winter  of  1872  that  he  came  again  to  America  and 
began  a  manufacturing  business  in  Ansonia.  And  while  thus  em- 
ployed he  also  surveyed  and  mapped  out  Ansonia  in  detail  according 
to  the  German  system,  to  be  used  as  a  basis  for  all  public  works.  But 
in  1874  he  moved  to  the  West.  In  1876  he  returned  again  to  Ansonia, 
and  purchased  a  spectacle  factory.  Not  until  now  did  he  enter  the 
field  where  his  inventive  turn  of  mind  and  his  thorough  training  in 
the  engineering  schools  of  Germany  might  have  full  opportunity  for 
achievement.  Heat  once  improved  the  construction  of  the  machinery 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  spectacles,  and  was  able,  after  only  six 
months,  to  sell  his  recent  purchase  for  a  large  advance  upon  the  cost 
price. 

He  then  began  the  manufacture  of  eyelets  and  eyeletting  machin- 
ery and  of  a  variety  of  small  brass  goods.  And  again  his  inventive 
ability  came  into  play,  for  he  has  invented  not  only  the  machinery  to 
make  the  goods,  but  also  the  machinery  to  use  them  when  made.  His 
eyeletting  machinery  is  in  use  in  nearly  all  the  corset  manufactories 
of  this  country  and  of  Europe.  The  construction  is  simple,  and  by 
one  stroke  of  the  machine  the  operator  punches  the  holes  in  a  corset, 
inserts  the  eyelets  and  fastens  them.  An  operator  can  eyelet  more 
than  300  dozens  of  corsets  in  ten  hours.  The  button  fastening  device 
manufactured  by  the  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Waterbury, 
is  his  invention,  as  are  other  appliances  in  use  here  and  there  in  the 
manufacturing  world. 

In  1882  a  company  was  incorporated  with  the  name  of  The  S.  O.  & 
C.  Company,  for  the  manufacture  especially  of  eyelets  and  the  eyelet- 
ting machinery  controlled  by  his  patents.  The  company  was  organ- 
ized with  a  capital  of  $40,000,  the  late  Mr.  G.  W.  Cheesman,  of  Birming- 
ham, being  president  and  Mr.  Schneller  treasurer,  secretary  and  man- 
ager. The  company's  plant  is  located  favorably  for  manufacture,  and 
extensive  buildings  have  been  erected  to  afford  the  needed  facilities. 

Mr.  Schneller  is  a  practical  manufacturer,  not  by  means  of  long- 
continued  experiment,  but  by  taking  the  principles  of  mechanical  en- 
gineering in  which  he  was  thoroughly  schooled  and  applying  them  to 
manufacturing  uses.  Nor  does  he  confine  his  studies  to  the  realm  of 
mechanics  or  of  physics,  but  has  made  himself  familiar  with  other  de- 
partments of  knowledge.  Led  on  by  the  drift  of  the  age,  he  has  been 
a  student  of  social  philosophy. 

His  townsmen  have  recognized  his  ability,  and  though  he  does  not 
claim  to  be  a  politician,  he  is  yet  so  well  versed  in  political  science  as 
to  know  what  legislative  action  conserves  the  well  being  of  the  people 
at  large.  On  the  economic  question  of  the  tariff,  he  stands  for  reform; 
not  for  free  trade,  but  for  such  freedom  as  allows  every  man  the  larg- 
est return  for  his  labor.  For  the  years  1891-1893  he  is  the  representa- 
tive of  the  town  of  Ansonia  in  the  general  assembly  of  the  state.  His 
public  spirit  is  represented  in  the  construction  of  the  street  railway 


524  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

between  Ansonia  and  Birmingham,  of  which  he  was  the  most  promi- 
nent promoter. 

But  Mr.  Schneller  is  preeminently  domestic  in  his  tastes.  His  home 
is  his  earthly  heaven,  and  nothing  so  much  delights  him  as  to  be  there 
in  the  midst  of  his  family.  On  May  1st,  1873,  he  married  Miss  Clar- 
issa Ailing,  of  Ansonia.  Six  children  have  been  born  to  them  of  whom 
three  are  now  living — Elsie,  Otto  and  Clarissa  Bianca.  Two  died  in 
infancy — Sadie  in  July,  1883,  at  four  months  of  age,  and  Meta  in  Au- 
gust, 1886,  at  11  months  of  age.  Their  eldest,  Marea  Eloise,  was  fa- 
miliarly known  at  home  and  in  society  as  "  Birdie."  She  was  not  only 
the  companion  but  also  the  adviser  of  her  mother;  and  her  father  en- 
trusted her  with  responsibilities  in  business  matters  far  beyond  her 
years.  But  so  well  informed  was  she  and  mature  of  judgment,  that 
carrying  them  was  a  pleasant  diversion  more  than  labor.  She  was  al- 
ready in  the  last  year  of  her  high  school  course,  preparing  to  graduate 
in  a  few  weeks.  Unusually  bright  and  intellectual,  she  easily  carried 
off  the  honor  of  valedictory  of  her  class.  Never  in  the  history  of  the 
school  has  a  pupil  maintained  so  high  a  scholarship.  Her  physique 
seemed  also  to  be  as  fine  as  her  mind.  But  she  was  seized  with  ty- 
phoid fever,  which  developed  into  an  alarming  type,  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  February  17th,  1891,  she  passed  away,  beloved  by  the  com- 
munity in  which  she  lived,  and  especially  by  the  young  people  of  her 
acquaintance. 

On  graduation  day  the  class  historian,  Miss  Flora  Elizabeth  Billam, 
wove  the  following  beautiful  chaplet  to  her  memory: 

"  She  who  easily  won  first  honors  in  all  our  studies,  is  not  here  to 
give  that  farewell  address  which  first  honor  wins.  How  empty  after 
all,  are  earthly  honors.  The  sad  experience  of  that  early  death  will 
undoubtedly  remain  with  us  through  life.  That  Providence  which 
took  our  brightest  member  is  inscrutable.  We  who  knew  her  best 
oftimes  recall  her  pure  unselfishness,  her  winsome,  happy  disposition, 
her  lofty  ambition.  Birdie  Schneller  will  always  remain  in  the  mem- 
ory of  all  who  knew  her,  but  with  us  she  will  always  be  our  beloved 
classmate,  our  brilliant  valedictorian." 

William  A.  Shea  was  born  in  Seymour,  Conn.,  in  1862,  and  came  to 
Ansonia  in  1879.  He  learned  the  roll  business  with  the  Farrel  Foun- 
dry &  Machine  Company,  and  has  been  with  them  since.  He  married 
Mary  Stott,  of  Westerly,  R.  I.,  in  ]887. 

Frank  E.  Steele,  born  in  Seymour  in  1S47,  is  a  son  of  John  B., 
grandson  of  Edmund,  and  great-grandson  of  Captain  Bradford  Steele. 
Edmund  Steele  married  Annie  Tucker,  and  had  two  sons,  John  B.  and 
Albert.  They  were  residents  of  Humphreysville.  Albert  represented 
the  town  in  the  legislature.  John  B.  Steele  married  Emeline  A. 
Stewart,  and  had  two  children,  Frank  E.  and  Celeste.  Frank  E.  Steele 
was  selectman  in  Seymour  for  three  years.  He  married,  in  1881,  Miss 
Lillie  J.,  daughter  of  Clark  Chatfield,  of  Seymour.  He  is  at  present  a 
resident  of  Ansonia. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  525 

Joseph  H.  Steinman  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1836,  and 
learned  the  butcher's  trade  there.  He  then  enlisted  in  the  navy  and 
went  to  China  in  the  ship  "  Minnesota,"  with  Minister  Reede,  of  Phil- 
adelphia, and  was  abroad  two  years.  He  settled  in  Waterbury  in 
1858,  and  in  Ansonia  in  1859,  and  was  employed  by  George  Hotchkiss 
in  the  meat  business.  In  1862  he  again  enlisted  in  the  navy  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  reentered  the  employ  of 
George  Hotchkiss,  and  remained  until  1870,  when  he  began  business 
for  himself.  He  ranks  as  one  of  the  oldest  butchers  in  Ansonia, 
and  does  an  annual  business  of  $40,000.  He  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of 
P.,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  G.  A.  R.,  and  the  Naval  Veteran  Association.  He  was 
married,  in  1867,  to  Martha  J.  Brown,  of  Ansonia,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren: Ida  M.  and  Frank  H. 

Joseph  A.  Trempe,  born  in  Canada  in  1845,  learned  the  machinist 
trade  in  Sorel,  came  to  the  states  in  1870,  worked  five  years  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  came  to  Ansonia  in  1875,  and  engaged  with  the  Ansonia  Brass 
&  Copper  Company  as  superintendent.  Since  1881  he  has  worked  by 
contract.  He  has  charge  of  the  No.  7  mill,  where  standard  screw  wire 
for  boots  and  shoes  is  made  under  the  Mackie  patent.  He  has  the 
supervision  of  50  hands.  Mr.  Trempe  married  Emma  Gilles,  of  Can- 
ada.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Albert  N.  Tryon  was  born  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  in  1853.  He  was 
employed  by  the  Stiles  &  Parker  Press  Company  there  about  12  years. 
In  1888  he  came  to  Ansonia  and  engaged  with  the  Farrel  Foundry  & 
Machine  Company,  taking  charge  of  the  light  machine  department  of 
the  roll  room.  Mr.  Tryon  married  Clara  Chamberlain,  of  Middletown, 
in  1879,  and  has  two  children:  Elmer  E.  and  Edith. 

Eli  H.  Wakelee,  born  in  Ansonia  in  1829,  is  a  son  of  Watrous  C. 
and  Caroline  Wakelee  and  grandson  of  Freegift,  all  born  in  Ansonia. 
Wakelee  avenue  received  its  name  from  the  family.  They  are  one  of 
the  oldest  families  of  the  town,  and  settled  in  West  Ansonia,  where 
they  owned  a  large  tract  of  land.  Watrous  C.  had  four  sons;  two 
settled  in  Iowa,  and  Eli  and  Albert  in  Ansonia.  Eli  first  learned  the 
mason  trade,  and  built  several  houses  in  bpth  Derby  and  Ansonia  for 
himself  and  others.  He  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  in  1883  in  West 
Ansonia  He  married  Eunice  A.  Chatfield,  of  Bethany,  in  1852.  They 
have  one  son,  Frank  W.,  born  in  1854.  Eli  H.  has  held  several  town 
offices,  including  selectman,  collector,  assessor  and  member  of  the 
board  of  relief.  Frank  W.  married  Fannie  Piatt,  of  Milford,  and  has 
one  daughter,  Cora  A. 

William  Wallace  was  born  in  Manchester,  England.  March  16th, 
1825,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1832  with  his  parents,  Thomas 
and  Agnes  Wallace.  Several  years  passed  by  before  the  family  found 
a  permanent  location,  but  in  1841  came  to  Birmingham,  Conn.,  where 
the  father  and  his  three  sons  entered  the  employ  of  the  Howe  Pin 
Company.     A  few  years  only  went  by  before  the  father  began  the 


526  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

manufacture  of  brass  and  brass  wire  on  his  own  account,  and  in  1848 
took  his  three  sons,  John,  William  and  Thomas,  into  partnership  with 
himself,  forming  the  firm  of  Wallace  &  Sons. 

In  1S50  the  company  removed  from  Birmingham  to  Ansonia  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  water  for  power  from  the  new  canal  of  Anson  G. 
Phelps,  which  had  recently  been  builded.  It  was  thought  at  the  time 
that  a  single  foot  of  water  according  to  engineering  measurement, 
would  furnish  sufficient  power,  a  fact  not  a  little  curious  as  looked 
back  upon  from  the  great  plant  now  constructed  beside  the  canal.  At 
this  date  in  all  the  works  two  giant  steam  engines,  each  of  1,000  horse 
power,  aided  by  ten  other  engines  only  of  lesser  power,  furnish  none 
too  much  force  for  the  great  industry. 

In  1853  the  company  was  changed  from  a  partnership  to  a  corpora- 
tion under  the  same  name  of  Wallace  &  Sons,  and  has  so  remained 
until  the  present  time.  The  corporation  now  embraces  a  very  large 
plant  of  several  acres,  nor  has  it  ceased  to  grow  in  size,  for  extensive 
additions  are  making  at  this  date  of  writing,  1891. 

The  product  of  the  factory  embraces  copper  and  brass  goods  in 
large  variety.  In  the  rolling  mills  brass  and  copper  are  wrought  into 
the  different  forms  required  in  commerce.  The  principal  products 
are  sheet  brass  and  brass  wire,  sheet  copper  and  copper  wire,  copper 
rivets  and  burs,  metal  chains,  brass  escutcheon  pins,  brass  pins,  kero- 
sene burners,  lamps  and  chandeliers. 

The  officers  of  the  company  are:  President,  William  Wallace; 
treasurer  and  general  manager,  Thomas  Wallace;  secretary,  John  B. 
Wallace;  superintendent,  William  O.  Wallace. 

The  present  sketch  concerns  the  president  of  the  company,  the 
second  son  of  Thomas  Wallace,  Sr.,  now  deceased. 

The  habits  of  active  industry  formed  in  young  manhood  control 
the  every  day  life  of  Mr.  Wallace.  He  is  not  only  president  of  the 
company,  but  chooses  to  keep  under  his  personal  supervision,  as  he 
has  done  from  the  beginning,  the  entire  mechanical  oversight  and  ex- 
ecution of  the  great  plant.  A  genius  for  mechanics  and  mechanical 
industry  was  the  gift  of  nature  to  him.  The  factory  of  Wallace  & 
Sons  has  expanded  according  to  his  plans  in  orderly  consecutive  ar- 
rangement. He  himself  has  located  the  new  buildings,  mapped  out 
their  construction,  planned  their  peculiarities  and  conveniences  for 
doing  the  work  designed.  He  has  invented  much  of  the  machinery 
in  use,  and  determined  the  manifoldness  of  the  industry  on  all  the 
grounds. 

A  visit  to  the  factory  is  an  instructive  object  lesson  upon  the 
growing  ideas  and  energy  of  a  single  manufacturing  mind.  From  one 
room  the  visitor  may  be  excluded,  for  it  is  thought  to  be  more  eco- 
nomical to  work  the  machinery  there,  devised  by  Mr.  Wallace,  in  ob- 
scurity than  to  defend  patent  rights.  But  in  full  sight,  only  illustra- 
tive of  another  feature  of  the  one  expansive,  energetic  mind,  is  the 


■ 


-7 


HISTORY   OK   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  527 

great  chimney  for  the  brass  foundry,  the  largest  and  tallest  chimney 
in  the  state,  16  feet  square  at  the  base,  7^  feet  square  at  the  top,  202 
feet  5  inches  high  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  with  a  foundation 
of  masonry  19  feet  deep  in  the  earth.  On  the  the  broad  side  of  it,  60 
feet  high,  is  a  massive  clock  of  the  most  approved  construction,  keep- 
ing time  for  the  establishment. 

But  a  better  illustration  still  of  the  type  of  industrial  manhood 
Mr.  Wallace  is,  may  be  had  by  a  visit  to  his  laboratory,  a  large  room 
full  of  costly  devices  for  the  control  and  the  practical  and  diversive 
uses  of  electricity.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  electrical  science. 
First  is  noticed  the  art  embellishments  of  this  hall,  engravings  of  in- 
dustrial exhibitions  and  portraits  of  men  eminent  in  science.  Here 
came  Thomas  A.Edison  and  other  investigators  to  see  what  might  be 
seen,  and  there  is  shown  the  visitor  an  interesting  memento  of  one  of 
those  visits  of  the  electrician.  He  took  a  goblet  and  a  diamond,  lying 
near  by,  and  engraved  the  following  signature  on  it  in  letters  so  tiny 
they  can  be  read  only  by  keen  sight:  "  Thomas  A.  Edison,  Sept.  8th, 
1878,  under  the  electric  light."  And  in  striking  contrast  is  the  old 
trunk  which  Professor  S.  F.  B.  Morse,  of  telegraphic  fame,  carried 
over  Europe  with  him.  And  not  the  least  of  these  adornments  is  an 
autograph  letter  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  dated  "  Philadelphia,  July  5th, 
1775,"  of  striking  composition,  addressed  by  the  noble  philosopher  and 
patriot  to  Mr.  Strahan,  member  of  the  English  parliament. 

In  this  Laboratory  Hall  are  microscopes,  monocular  and  binocular, 
a  fine  telescope,  an  air  pump,  electrical  generators,  induction  coils, 
■dynamos,  electric  batteries,  and  among  them  one  of  those  used  in 
the  first  blast  of  rock  from  Hell  Gate;  electric  lamps,  electric  stereop- 
tican,  experimental  apparatus  for  illuminating  water  in  motion,  and  a 
multitude  of  other  appliances,  curious,  ingenious,  costly,  informing 
and  useful  to  the  informed  mind. 

Here  was  constructed  the  Wallace  Farmer  Dynamo,  and  the 
Wallace  Plate  Electric  Lamp.  Mr.  Wallace  was  the  first  to  con- 
struct dynamos  in  this  country,  and  the  "  wizard  of  Menlo  Park " 
did  all  of  his  first  experimenting  with  a  dynamo  of  Mr.  Wal- 
lace's make.  Mr.  Wallace  was  the  first  to  run  the  arc  light  in  se- 
ries, and  his  lamp  was  the  first  to  cast  an  electric  light  over  the 
Centennial  Exhibition  grounds  at  Philadelphia.  His  induction  coil 
has  produced  the  longest  spark  of  any  coil  yet  made  in  America,  the 
spark  leaping  a  distance  of  27  inches.  The  plan  of  winding  was  that 
of  Richie,  of  Boston.  There  are  in  the  secondary  coil  95  miles  of  No. 
36  Birmingham  wire-gauge  pure  copper  wire,  and  the  coil,  with  its 
condensers,  weighs  about  1,400  pounds. 

Mr.  Wallace  was  the  first  to  burn  more  than  one  pair  of  carbons  in 
a  lamp,  and  has  burned  24  pairs  in  one  lamp.  He  now  lights  his  lab- 
oratory with  a  multiple  carbon  lamp  of  six  pairs.  He  also  made  the 
first  round   pencil  carbon  ever  constructed   for  electric  lamps.     The 


528  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

great  electro-magnets,  as  that  at  the  Stevens  Institute,  Hoboken,  N.  J., 
and  that  at  West  Point,  N.  Y.,  able  to  raise  a  weight  of  5,000  pounds 
and  more,  are  his  devices  and  construction.  Mr.  Wallace  was  the  first 
manufacturer  in  this  country  to  apply  the  dynamo  to  the  industrial 
uses  of  electro-plating.  He  used  it  extensively  in  coating  steel  wire 
with  copper  for  telegraph  circuits. 

These  items  serve  to  indicate  the  scientific  and  mechanical  tastes 
and  culture  of  Mr.  Wallace;  nor  is  he  lacking  in  taste  and  appreciation 
of  fine  arts.  His  home  is  adorned  with  the  finest  products  of  the  pencil 
and  the  brush,  while  his  ear  is  most  sharply  critical  and  appreciative 
of  music,  orchestral,  instrumental  and  vocal.  He  is  familiar  with  most 
of  the  great  masterpieces  of  music,  and  takes  pains  to  hear  them  ren- 
dered by  the  noted  artists  of  his  time,  whether  in  America  or  in 
Europe. 

Mr.  Wallace's  wealth  is  represented  not  alone  in  the  great  industry 
over  which  he  presides,  but  in  other  corporations,  as  banks  and  mines. 
He  has  kept  aloof  from  the  political  entanglements  of  his  town,  and 
steadily  pursued  his  business  occupations,  yet  he  has  distinct  political 
opinions,  is  an  ardent  republican  and  friend  of  the  veteran  soldier. 
He  has  traveled  extensively  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  and  has 
known  how  to  gather  up  from  every  quarter  its  contribution  to  the 
fund  of  general  knowledge. 

Mr.  Wallace  married  Miss  Sarah  Mills,  of  Birmingham,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Mills,  September  15th,  1849.  A  son  and  a  daughter  have 
been  born  to  them:  Eloise  E.  and  William  O. 

Thomas  Wallace  was  born  in  Manchester,  England,  February 
7th,  1827.  The  great  corporation  of  Wallace  &  Sons  originally  in- 
cluded three  sons  in  the  second  part  of  the  corporation  title- — John, 
William  and  Thomas.  The  first  named  was  the  outside  manager  of 
the  great  interests  involved,  but  he  died  at  the  age  of  39  years,  and  a 
readjustment  of  management  was  now  essential;  Thomas  Wallace 
taking  the  financial  responsibility  of  the  corporation,  while  William 
Wallace,  the  president,  kept  charge,  as  before,  of  the  machinery  and 
manufacture  and  product  of  the  entire  plant.  The  reader  is  here  re- 
ferred to  the  other  sketches  concerning  the  industry  of  Wallace  & 
Sons  for  a  complete  picture  of  the  corporation  and  the  men  who  have 
made  it  what  it  is. 

Both  of  the  brothers,  Thomas  and  William,  are  eminently  mechan- 
ics by  nature,  but  still  of  different  turn  of  mind.  If  William  Wallace 
was  the  practical  manager  and  constructor  for  outside  and  factory 
work,  Thomas  Wallace  was  equally  eminent  for  inside  construction, 
having  the  financier's  ability;  hence,  when  at  the  death  of  his  brother 
John,  an  officer  of  equal  ability  was  needed  for  the  position,  Thomas 
Wallace  was  present  to  take  up  the  work  so  imperatively  laid  down 
by  his  brother  John.  Thomas  Wallace  was  made  treasurer  of  Wallace 
&  Sons,  and   has  since  held  the  position.     Mr.  Wallace  is  not  only  a 


; 


22-^L 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  529 

financier,  but  a  man  of  wide  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  the  world. 
He  is  a  persistent  reader  of  the  best  literature  and  has  a  vigorous 
memory;  his  library  is  stocked  with  many  of  the  best  books,  with  the 
writings  of  eminent  men  in  various  departments  of  learning,  and  his 
tables  are  laden  with  the  best  magazine  literature,  appearing  month 
by  month.  And  now  often  the  lights  may  be  seen  in  his  library, 
burning  late;  Mr.  Wallace  is  there  absorbing  a  magazine  article,  or 
deeply  exploring  the  contents  of  some  volume  from  his  library. 

The  allurements  of  pleasure  and  the  demands  of  business  have  also 
made  him  a  traveler  to  a  considerable  extent.  Associations  and  con- 
nections of  men  in  industries  similar  to  that  of  Wallace  &  Sons  have 
called  him  here  and  there  to  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  in 
those  gatherings  his  voice  has  carried  the  weight  of  both  a  great  and 
thoroughly-informed  manufacturer.  Often  the  exigencies  of  trade 
have  taken  him  far  from  home;  several  times  he  has  gone  to  Russia, 
and  while  there  interviewed  the  government  authorities  concerning 
contracts  furnished  them. 

To  a  visitor  the  ease  with  which  the  great  industry  of  Wallace 
&  Sons  runs  is  noticeable.  There  is  no  evidence  of  friction  in  any 
department.  The  large  office  runs  as  quietly  as  does  one  of  the 
great  engines  in  the  factory,  of  1,000  horse  power;  nor  is  the  treas- 
urer confined  at  all  to  his  duties.  So  perfect  is  the  system  and  control 
of  the  finances  that  leisure  is  at  the  treasurer's  command,  and  noth- 
ing pleases  him  more  than  to  mingle  with  his  family,  while  all  seek 
pleasure  in  recreation  or  short  journeys  here  and  there. 

Mr.  Wallace  is  not  only  treasurer  of  Wallace  &  Sons,  but  has 
been  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  Ansonia.  He  has  served 
three  terms  in  the  legislature,  the  years  1S77-79.  His  investments 
are  scattered  here  and  there. 

Mr.  Wallace  is  a  Congregationalist,  and  is  one  of  the  leading 
parishioners  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Ansonia.  His  family 
share  with  him  his  deep  interest  in  the  growth  of  the  church,  and 
in  the  devoted  honor  he  pays  to  the  truths  and  ordinances  of  re- 
ligion. 

He  has  been  twice  married — in  1853  to  Miss  Sarah  Maria  Slater, 
of  Birmingham;  but  the  union  was  broken  by  death  when  only  two 
years  had  passed  by.  He  was  married  again  in  December.  1856,  to 
Miss  Ellen  Bryant,  of  Sheffield,  Mass.  Their  children:  are  John  B., 
Thomas  H.,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  G.  Waller,  of  Chicago,  Frederick  William, 
Elinor  B.,  Ruth  M.,  Lucy  Bryant  and  Harold  Sedgwick. 

William  R.  Walton  was  born  in  London,  England,  in  1839.  He  re- 
sided in  London  until  13  years  of  age,  then  removed  to  Portsmouth 
and  was  apprenticed  in  the  navy  yard  to  the  trade  of  coppersmith. 
He  afterward  went  to  Birmingham,  England,  and  entered  the  employ 
of  James  Watt  &  Co.,  remaining  in  their  employ  seven  years.  He 
left  them  to  take  the  management  of  the  Birmingham  Patent  Tube 
34 


530  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Company,  was  with  that  company  until  its  dissolution,  then  came  to 
this  country  in  1881,  entered  the  employ  of  the  Ansonia  Brass  &  Cop- 
per Company,  where  he  still  remains.  He  holds  the  position  of  super- 
intendent of  their  brass  mills. 

Joel  M.  Wheeler,  born  in  Oxford,  Conn.,  in  1836,  is  a  son  of  Eras- 
tus  and  Lydia  A.  Wheeler,  grandson  of  Joel,  and  great-grandson  of 
Aden  Wheeler.  The  Wheelers  were  among  the  earlier  residents  of 
Southbury,  settling  at  a  place  called  Dark  Entry.  The  family  came 
from  England  at  an  early  date.  On  his  grandmother's  side,  Mr. 
Wheeler  is  descended  from  the  Candees.  Both  families  produced 
many  public  men.  One  of  them  assisted  in  surveying  and  building 
the  Erie  canal,  others  the  New  York  Central  railroad.  Several  of 
them  are  now  engaged  in  building  railroads  in  different  parts  of  the 
West.  One  of  them  obtained  a  grant  from  King  George  to  build  the 
first  grist  mill  in  Southbury.  This  grant  is  now  in  possession  of  the 
family.  Joel  M.  Wheeler  has  been  engaged  the  most  of  his  life  in 
civil  and  mechanical  engineering.  He  was  engaged  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion  from  1862  until  its  close.  He  assisted  in  building  the  moni- 
tors which  were  engaged  in  the  reduction  of  Forts  Fisher  and  Sumter 
and  at  Mobile,  New  Orleans  and  Vicksburg.  He  assisted  in  the  de- 
stoying  of  the  "Albemarle  "  in  1864.  After  his  return,  he  again  en- 
gaged in  civil  and  mechanical  engineering.  He  came  to  Ansonia  in 
1877.  He  was  burgess  of  Ansonia  four  years,  and  selectman  and  town 
agent  two  years.  In  1888  he  was  elected  warden  of  the  borough,  and 
has  continued  to  hold  that  position  to  the  present  time.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1868,  to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  John  Smith,  of  Oxford.  They 
have  adopted  Mr.  Wheeler's  brother's  daughter,  Grace  A.  Wheeler. 

Joseph  M.  Whitlock  was  born  in  Ridgefield,  Fairfield  county,  Conn., 
October  30th,  1832,  and  came  to  Ansonia  in  1871.  He  has  always  been 
engaged  in  the  railroad  business;  began  with  the  New  Haven  &  Derby 
railroad  in  1871,  and  was  connected  with  that  road  until  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Housatonic  Railroad  Company  in  1887.  He  estab- 
lished a  coal  business  in  Ansonia  in  1876,  and  still  continues  it.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Derby  14  years,  and 
was  chief  of  the  fire  department  of  West  Ansonia  13  years.  He  is  a 
member  of  King  Hiram  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Solomon  Chapter  and 
Union  Council,  of  Birmingham,  of  the  New  Haven  Commandery, 
K.  T.,  and  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  O.  U. 
A.  M.,  and  senior  ex-councilor  of  Ansonia  Council. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    TOWN    OF    OXFORD. 


Description. — Purchase  of  Lands  from  the  Indians. — Early  Settlers  and  Their  Descend- 
ants.— Civil  Organization. — Town  Officers. — Business  Interests. — Oxford  Village 
and  Its  Various  Interests. — Physicians. — Religious  and  Educational. — Sheldon  Clark. 
— Burial  Places. — Samuel  Candee. — Militia. — Biographical  Sketches. 


THIS  is  one  of  the  hill  towns  in  the  western  part  of  the  Nauga- 
tuck  valley,  and  bordering  on  the  Housatonic  on  the  south.  It 
is  about  fifteen  miles  northwest  of  New  Haven.  The  area  of 
the  original  town,  formed  out  of  Derby  in  1798,  has  been  greatly 
diminished  by  the  formation  of  Seymour  on  the  east,  in  1850,  and 
Beacon  Falls  on  the  northeast,  in  1871.  The  surface  is  very  uneven, 
being  diversified  by  many  hills  and  valleys,  in  some  of  which  are 
strong  and  fertile  lands.  The  prevailing  soil  is  gravelly  loam,  and 
agriculture  has  ever  been  the  chief  occupation  of  the  inhabitants.  In 
some  parts  of  the  town  were  formerly  fine  timber  lands,  most  of  which 
have  been  cleared  for  lumber  and  farming  purposes.  The  principal 
streams  are  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  flowing  south  into  the  Housatonic 
a  little  west  of  the  center,  and  the  Little  river,  having  a  general 
southeastern  flow  into  the  Naugatuck  from  its  source  northwest  of 
Oxford  village.  Their  water  power  has  been  improved,  and  several  of 
the  principal  highways  are  along  their  courses.  The  Oxford  turnpike, 
chartered  in  1795,  was  the  second  in  the  state,  and  it  was  for  many 
years  one  of  the  principal  thoroughfares  of  the  county.  In  1852  the 
Woodbury  &  Seymour  Plank  Road  Company  was  incorporated  to  build 
such  a  road  through  Oxford,  Southbury,  etc.,  and  until  recently  that 
highway  was  used  as  a  toll  road. 

The  lands  in  the  original  Oxford  were  purchased  of  the  Indians  in 
a  number  of  tracts,  more  than  a  dozen  deeds  being  given  therefor 
from  1678  until  1710.*  In  the  former  year  Major  Ebenezer  Johnson, 
Ensign  Samuel  Riggs,  Jeremiah  Johnson  and  a  few  others  purchased 
small  tracts  at  Rock  Rimmon,  or  near  what  is  now  called  Pine's  bridge, 
and  on  these  the  first  permanent  settlements  in  Oxford  were  made. 
Lower  down  the  Naugatuck,  and  south  of  Major  Johnson's  land, 
Thomas  and  David  Wooster  purchased  lands  in  1692,  and  not  many 
years  later  they  and  their  descendants  settled  on  the  same.  Ebenezer 
Riggs,  a  son  of  Ensign  Samuel  Riggs,  settled  here  some  time  after 

*  Orcutt's  History  of  Derby. 


532  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1708.  In  that  year  his  father  gave  him  200  acres  of  land,  with  houses 
and  other  improvements  thereon. 

The  Riggs  family  became  very  numerous  in  Oxford,  and  took  a 
prominent  part  in  its  public  affairs.  A  son  of  the  above  Ebenezer 
Riggs,  John,  reared  a  family  of  five  sons  and  as  many  daughters, 
whom  he  settled  on  a  road  on  which  his  own  house  stood,  and  from 
which  circumstance  Riggs  street,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town, 
took  its  name. 

A  little  later  than  the  settlement  on  the  Naugatuck,  probably  about 
1700,  settlements  were  made  at  what  was  then  called  and  has  since 
been  known  as  Quaker's  Farm,*  on  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  in  the 
western  central  part  of  the  town.  Just  when  and  for  what  reason  the 
name  was  applied  to  that  locality  is  uncertain.  It  appears  in  some 
treaty  documents  as  early  as  1683,  and  is  repeated  in  1687,  when  Jo- 
seph Hawley  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  the  Indians  at  that  place. 
The  following  year  (1688)  a  tract  of  170  acres  was  laid  to  Ebenezer 
Johnson  "at  the  place  commonly  called  the  Quaker's  Farm,"  &c.  In 
1692  Johnson  deeded  this  land  to  Doctor  John  Butler,  of  Stratford, 
who  occupied  it  several  years  later,  and  was  probably  the  first  perma- 
nent white  settler.  It  is  said  that  his  house  stood  about  40  rods  south 
of  the  old  Quaker's  Farm  burial  ground,  on  the  west  side  of  the  brook, 
and  under  the  hill.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  hermit  and  to  have 
subsisted  chiefly  by  hunting.  His  death  occurred  before  1707,  for  in 
that  year  his  administrators  sold  his  lands  in  Oxford  to  William  Raw- 
linson.  It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  Doctor  Butler  was  himself 
the  Quaker,  but  this  does  not  appear  to  be  sustained  by  the  facts.  He 
(the  Quaker)  was  probably  a  person  of  that  faith  who  had  here  tem- 
porarily lived  among  the  Indians,  and  had  gone  long  before  the  settle- 
ment by  the  whites.  From  the  records  of  Derby  it  appears  that  some 
time  about  1711  much  attention  was  directed  to  this  place,  and  the 
latter  year  a  committee  was  appointed  to  lay  out  all  the  lots  on  the  pur- 
chase, and  the  recorder  was  "  to  mark  them  at  each  man's  charge." 

In  1722  Abraham  Wooster,  father  of  General  David  Wooster,  pur- 
chased lands  at  Quaker's  Farm  and  came  on  to  live  and  improve  the 
same.  He  erected  a  mansion  house  and  also  had  a  saw  mill.  In  1733 
he  sold  this  property  to  Samuel  Wooster,  Jr.  Soon  after  the  settlement 
of  Abraham  Wooster,  the  Griffin,  Perry,  Hawkins,  Hyde,  Nichols  and 
other  families  settled  there.  In  the  Griffin  family  was  born  the  first 
English  child  at  Quaker's  Farm  in  1725,  which  grew  to  manhood  and 
became  known  as  Lieutenant  John  Griffin,  who  served  in  the  French 
war  and  was  with  Wolfe  at  Quebec.  He  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  96  years.  The  third  birth  at  Quaker's  Farm  was  in  the  Perry 
family,  and  the  child  became  the  well  known  Doctor  Joseph  Perry,  of 
Woodbury.  For  many  years  the  Perry  family  was  numerous  in  the 
town,  as  were  also  the  Hawkins  and  Nichols.  The  Woosters  also  be- 
*  Also  called  Quaker  Farms. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  533 

came  numerous,  and  although  originally  farmers,  some  of  the  younger 
members  became  noted  in  the  professions.  Joseph  Wooster,  who  lived 
on  Good  hill,  was  the  father  of  Russell  Wooster  and  Reverend  Henry 
Wooster,  a  Baptist  minister  of  culture  and  influence.  Russell  Wooster 
was  the  father  of  the  popular  soldier  and  attorney,  Colonel  W.  B. 
Wooster,  of  Birmingham.  Among  the  older  stock  of  Woosters  was 
Jacob,  a  rich  farmer,  and  who  owned  a  deer  park  of  several  hundred 
acres,  south  of  Quaker's  Farm,  which  was  protected  by  the  laws  of 
the  state.  This  was  the  scene  of  many  exciting  hunts  in  early  days. 
Another  Wooster,  Captain  Nathaniel,  was  a  blacksmith  who  attained 
an  age  but  little  short  of  90  years. 

About  the  close  of  the  revolution  David  Tomlinson  became  a  citi- 
zen of  this  part  of  the  town.  He  was  a  son-in-law  of  Jabez  Bacon,  of 
Woodbury,  and  became  an  equally  successful  business  man.  At  this 
place  he  began  merchandising  on  a  small  scale,  but  extended  his  busi- 
ness until  many  lines  of  trade  were  embraced.  He  also  became  a 
large  farmer,  steadily  increasing  his  estate  until  he  owned  1,500  acres 
of  land  and  was  one  of  the  most  widely  known  men  in  the  county. 
His  farms  were  celebrated  for  their  productiveness.  He  died  in 
March,  1822,  aged  60  years.  His  eldest  son,  Charles,  lived  more  than 
90  years.  Samuel  Meigs  married  into  his  family  and  merchandised  at 
the  Tomlinson  stand,  where  his  sons  were  afterward  in  trade.  At  one 
time  Mr.  Meigs  was  a  county  judge. 

Another  early  business  man  of  the  town  was  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Wheeler,  and  of  his  family  Judge  Abel  Wheeler  became  as  prominent 
as  any  citizen  of  the  town.  He  died  in  1830,  aged  65  years.  Caleb 
Candee*  was  the  first  of  that  name  in  Oxford,  and  came  from  West 
Haven.  He  reared  nine  sons,  and  they  and  their  descendants  were  all 
noted  for  their  longevity,  several  of  them  still  living  in  the  town  at 
advanced  ages.  Captain  Samuel  Candee  and  Captain  Job  Candee  both 
served  in  the  revolution.  The  Johnson  family  furnished  Timothy  and 
Phineas,  who  served  the  patriot  cause,  and  both  were  with  General 
Anthony  Wayne  in  his  assault  on  Ticonderoga.  Other  settlers  in  the 
town  who  served  in  the  revolution  were  David  Peck,  Edward  Bassett, 
Isaac  Chatfield  and  Jeremiah  M.  Kelley. 

Captain  John  Davis  was,  among  the  citizens  of  Oxford,  a  military 
man  of  distinction,  who  afterward  became  colonel  of  the  2d  Connecti- 
cut Regiment  of  Militia.  He  died  at  the  age  of  95  years.  A  son,  Bur- 
ritt  Davis,  remains  as  one  of  Oxford's  oldest  citizens.  Contemporary 
have  been  Thomas  Clarke,  Aurelius  Buckingham,  Josiah  Nettleton 
and,  later,  Nathan  J.  Wilcoxson,  Alfred  Harger  and  Robert  B.  Lim- 
burner. 

The  third  principal  settlement  in  the  town  was  made  near  the 
present  Middlebury  line,  and  from  the  number  of  families  of  that 
name  living  in  that  locality  it  was  long  known  as  Bristoltown.  But 
few  of  the  Bristols  remained. 

*Also  spelled  Cande. 


534  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  registered  freemen  in  the  town  at  the  time  of  its  incorporation 
in  1798  and  the  next  ten  years  following  were:  Thomas  Clarke,  Esq., 
John  Riggs,  Esq.,  Samuel  Wheeler,  Captain  Zachariah  Hawkins,  John 
Bassett,  Nathan  Buckingham,  John  Twitchell,  Ebenezer  Riggs,  Eben 
Wooster,  James  Wheeler,  Reverend  David  Bronson,  John  Wooster, 
Esq.,  Caleb  Cande,  James  Perry,  Zadock  Sanford,  Hosea  Dutton, 
David  Tomlinson,  Gideon  Perry,  Joel  Buckingham,  Chester  Smith, 
Ebenezer  Twitchell,  Roger  Perkins,  Joel  Perry,  Anson  Smith,  Jared 
Beardsley,  John  Bunnell,  Caleb  Tomlinson,  John  D.  Wooster,  Moses 
Sanford,  Truman  Bunnell,  Cyrus  Cande,  John  Fairchild,  Elijah 
Trant,  David  Bunnell,  Silas  Hawkins,  Peleg  Griffin,  Nathaniel  Woos- 
ter, Levi  Cande,  David  Wooden,  Enoch  Osborn,  Isaiah  Twitchell, 
Samuel  Twitchell,  Robert  Twitchell,  Josiah  Washburn,  Jr.,  James 
Wheeler,  Jr.,  Daniel  Finch,  Simeon  Gunn,  Elias  Clarke,  Isaiah  Riggs, 
David  Beecher,  John  S.  Hyde,  Gideon  Chatfield,  Jonah  Hine,  Samuel 
Bartis,  Jonathan  Bellamy,  Jared  Munson,  Truman  Bassett,  Abel 
Smith,  Timothy  Wheeler,  John  Smith,  Jeremiah  M.  Kelley,  James 
Perry,  Jr.,  William  Bunnell,  Abel  Waters,  Joseph  Clark,  Andrew  Wil- 
ton, James  Wheeler,  3d,  John  Towner,  Benjamin  Loveland,  Isaiah 
Nichols,  Jr.,  Isaiah  Smith,  Elisha  Oatman,  Joseph  Riggs,  Andrew 
Smith,  Lyman  Nichols,  Russell  Nichols,  John  Hinman,  David  Mal- 
lory,  Sylvester  Higgins,  Benajah  Chatfield,  Gilbert  Twitchell,  Cyrus 
Perry,  David  Dickerman,  Miles  Loveland,  Samuel  Mallory,  John 
Twitchell,  David  Wheeler,  Philo  Sanford,  Amos  Clark,  Ephraim  An- 
drews, Samuel  Heaton,  Isaiah  Cande,  Ebenezer  Bottsford,  Lee  Haw- 
kins, David  Perry,  Levi  Riggs,  Moses  Wheeler,  Joel  Finch,  Timothy 
Cande,  David  Tucker,  Reuben  Tucker,  Isaiah  Cable,  Ezra  Hubbell, 
James  Wooster,  Jr.,  Clement  English,  Eleazer  Lewis,  John  Beardsley, 
Salmon  Griffin,  Arnold  Loveland,  Bildad  Smith,  John  Hull,  James 
Wooster,  3d,  David  Smith,  Jr.,  David  Johnson,  Ambrose  Osborne, 
Elijah  Johnson,  Josiah  Garrett,  Sheldon  Clark,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Sher- 
man Clark,  Benjamin  Cande,  Amos  Cande,  Philander  Sharp,  George 
Bunnell,  William  Church,  David  Cande,  Joseph  Cone,  Elijah  Bennett, 
Truman  Davis,  Simeon  Towner. 

In  that  part  of  Oxford  which  formerly  belonged  to  Southbury  there 
lived,  about  1800,  taxables  as  follows:  Isaac  Burwell,  Enos  Ben  ham, 
Philo  R.  Bristol,  Justus  Bristol,  Enoch  Bristol,  Sheldon  Bristol,  Sam- 
uel Candee,  Justus  Candee,  Gideon  Camp,  John  Garrett,  Jacob  Hann, 
David  Morris,  Jehiel  Peet,  Daniel  Perkins,  Enoch  Perkins,  Moses 
Sperry,  John  Towner,  David  Towner,  Rachael  Towner,  Mercy  Towner, 
Walker  Wilmot,  Edward  Riggs. 

A  petition  for  the  setting  apart  of  what  is  now  Oxford  as  a  separate 
parish  was  made  to  the  general  assembly  in  May,  1740,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  the  prayer  was  granted.. 

It  appears  that  the  inhabitants  were  satisfied  with  parish  privileges 
until  the  latter  part  of  1789,  when  a  move  was  made  to  secure  its  in- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  535 

corporation  as  a  town,  and  there  was  a  committee  appointed  to  consid- 
er the  matter.  No  immediate  action  was  taken, and  other  committees 
acted  on  the  same  subject.  One  of  the  most  important  reports  was 
made  to  the  Derby  town  meeting,  February  4th,  1793,  in  which  it  ap- 
pears that  Derby's  objection  to  a  new  town  arose  from  the  fear  that 
the  burden  for  keeping  bridges  in  repair  would  be  too  heavy  if  she 
should  be  shorn  of  so  much  territory.  The  matter  was  finally  arranged 
on  the  joint  report,  made  in  April,  1798,  of  John  Riggs,  Caleb  Candee 
and  Charles  Bunnell,  on  the  part  of  Oxford,  and  James  Lewis,  David 
Hitchcock  and  Canfield  Gillett,  on  the  part  of  Derby,  which  imposed 
as  one  of  the  conditions  of  separation  that  Oxford  should  pay  the  old 
town  £170  in  three  annual  installments.  Hence,  at  the  October,  1798, 
session  of  the  general  assembly  the  parish  was  duly  incorporated  as  a 
town,  and  the  first  election  was  held  at  the  Congregational  meeting 
house  the  following  November.  John  Riggs,  Esq.,  moderated,  and 
those  elected  were:  Clerk,  John  Riggs;  selectmen,  Captain  Ebenezer 
Riggs,  John  Riggs,  David  Tomlinson,  Caleb  Candee  and  Charles  Bun- 
nell; constables,  Nathaniel  Bangman,  Nathan  Buckingham,  Charles 
Bunnell;  grand  jurors,  Gideon  Cande,  Abijah  Chatfield,  Elihu  Bates: 
surveyors  of  highways,  Asahel  Hyde,  Benjamin  Loveland,  Elijah 
Harger,  Moses  Candee,  Joel  Buckingham,  John  Hawkins,  Abel  Waters, 
Josiah  Washburn,  Samuel  Bates,  Joseph  Lines,  Daniel  Candee,  David 
Smith,  Jr.,  Nabeth  Osborn,  Job  Candee,  Hosea  Dutton,  William 
Church,  John  Fairchild,  Philo  Beecher,  Isaac  Riggs,  Nathan  Johnson. 

Those  who  have  served  as  town  clerks  of  Oxford  were  elected  to 
that  office  as  follows:  1799,  Ebenezer  Wooster;  1800-2,  Hosea  Dutton; 
1803,  Captain  Abel  Wheeler;  1804,  John  Riggs;  1805-11,  Captain  Abel 
Wheeler;  1812-25,  Hosea  Dutton;  1826-8,  Noah  Stone;  1829,  Thomas 
A.  Dutton;  1830-1,  Noah  Stone;  1832-45,  Nathan  J.  Wilcoxson;  1846- 
58,  Nathan  B.  Fairchild;  1859,  Lewis  Barnes;  1860-5,  Nathan  J.  Wil- 
coxson; 1866,  Burr  J.  Beecher;  1867,  Doctor  John  Lounsbury;  1868- 
90,  Doctor  Lewis  Barnes. 

Oxford  became  a  separate  probate  district  in  1842,  and  Nathan  J. 
Wilcoxson  was  the  first  judge.  Nathaniel  Walker  succeeded  him,  and 
since  1872  the  judge  has  been  Doctor  Lewis  Barnes. 

Since  the  settlement  of  the  town  small  saw  and  grist  mills  have 
been  carried  on,  the  streams  usually  supplying  ample  power.  Many 
of  these  have  passed  away,  but  enough  remain  to  do  the  required  local 
work.  In  addition  there  were  a  number  of  small  interests  which 
were  in  their  day  quite  important.  On  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  near  its 
mouth,  was  a  woolen  mill  where  stockings  were  later  woven.  This 
was  burned.  Higher  up  the  stream  a  man  named  Bidwell  and  others 
had  a  factory  for  making  iron  screws.  At  Quaker's  Farm  De  Forest 
&  Hine,  among  others,  had  a  satinet  factory,  which  employed  a  dozen 
hands.     It  was  discontinued  some  time  about  1850. 


536  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Along  Little  river  were  formerly  more  than  a  dozen  industries. 
At  Red  City  (so  called  from  the  color  of  many  of  the  buildings  at  that 
time)  daguerreotype  cases  were  made  by  David  Scott,  who  employed 
many  young  people,  and  occupied  several  buildings.  One  was  burned 
in  1855.  William  Tucker  next  here  made  wheels,  horse  rakes,  etc.: 
and  another  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  September,  1865.  A 
third  building,  used  in  manufacturing,  was  removed  to  Seymour. 
Near  this  place  was  a  saw  mill,  and,  later,  Elon  Beardsley  had  a  tan- 
nery, which  has  long  since  been  discontinued. 

Lower  down  the  stream,  below  the  village  of  Oxford,  Joel  Perry 
has  an  extensive  lumber  mill.  Below,  the  French  family  had  a  grist 
mill,  which  later  belonged  to  Eli  Carley,  and  which  is  now  owned  by 
S.  P.  Sanford.  The  power  operates  a  corn  mill,  and  in  connection 
with  it  a  fruit  distillery.  At  the  power  next  lower,  Norman  A.  Bid- 
well  had  a  clothing  shop  and  carding  mill.  A  tannery  by  Cyrus  Fenn 
was  next  on  the  site.  In  1856  this  passed  to  A.  B.  Hinman,  but  it  has 
long  since  been  abandoned.  At  the  next  power  Sheldon  Church  built 
a  saw  mill,  after  1852,  which,  in  1S90,  was  the  property  of  S.  P.  San- 
ford. A  turning  shop  was  at  the  next  power.  The  next  lower  power 
was  older.  Here  Samuel  Wire  and  others  manufactured  satinets  70 
years  ago.  Ormsby  and  others  more  recently  manufactured  stocking 
yarns.  The  buildings  are  in  ruins.  The  Wooster  saw  mill,  lower 
down,  was  extensively  operated  later  by  William  and  Sheldon  Church. 
The  owner  in  1890  was  Mark  Lounsbury,  and  the  lessee  Edward  F. 
Hoadley.     The  grist  mill  at  the  same  power  has  been  discontinued. 

On  Moose  hill,  in  this  locality,  the  Douglass  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany erected  a  large  storage  reservoir,  whose  banks  gave  way  in  June, 
1867,  and  the  flood  caused  much  damage.  The  dam  has  been  rebuilt, 
and  in  1890  it  was  the  property  of  James  Swan,  of  Seymour,  and  was 
used  supplementary  to  his  water  power  on  the  Little  river. 

About  40  years  ago  the  manufacture  of  kegs  and  casks  for  the  West 
Indies  trade  was  an  important  industry  in  the  town,  and  among  others 
who  had  cooperages  were  Willis  Smith,  William  Morris,  Harvey  Smith 
and  John  Limburner.  These  employed  many  men.  Shoe  shops  were 
also  numerous,  and  the  small  trades  gave  pleasant  occupation  to  many 
people. 

Oxford  Village  is  near  the  center  of  the  town,  and  is  the  principal 
place  of  business.  It  has  an  attractive  location  in  the  valley  of  the 
Little  river.  Its  nearest  railway  station  is  Towantic,  on  the  New 
England  railroad,  2±  miles  distant.  At  that  point  the  railway  bends 
south  into  Oxford  and  for  a  few  miles  passes  over  its  territory.  The 
village  of  Oxford  contains  two  stores,  a  hotel,  shops  and  Congrega- 
tional and  Episcopal  churches.  These  stand  on  the  sides  of  the  vil- 
lage green,  consisting  of  several  acres,  around  which  are  also  clustered 
the  principal  residences  of  the  village.  The  upper  part  of  the  green 
was  long  known  as  the  "  meeting  house  acre,"  and  was  set  aside  for 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  537 

that  purpose  by  John  Chatfield;  the  lower  end  was  added  from  the 
proprietors'  land,  and  was  secured  by  Charles  Bunnell,  a  public  spir- 
ited citizen,  who  lived  on  the  hill  south  of  the  village.  The  honor  of 
clearing  the  land  and  first  improving  it  for  public  purpose  is  given  by 
Judge  Wilcoxson  to  Colonel  John  Davis,  Lieutenant  Samuel  A.  Buck- 
ingham and  Ensign  Ebenezer  Fairchild.  On  the  lower  part  military 
trainings  were  held,  and  it  is  said  that  these  occasions  attracted  large 
crowds  to  Oxford. 

In  the  first  layout  of  the  village  the  public  road  was  east  of  the 
present  school  house,  being  what  is  now  Back  street,  and  on  which 
was  an  old-time  inn,  kept  by  Gideon  Tucker.  When  the  turnpike  was 
located,  in  1795,  these  conditions  were  changed  and  the  present  street 
became  the  main  highway.  In  that  year  part  of  the  present  Oxford 
House  was  built  by  Job  and  Daniel  Candee,  the  latter  becoming  the  inn- 
keeper and  also  the  postmaster  of  the  Oxford  office,  established  about 
that  time.  David  Candee  was  the  next  landlord  and  postmaster,  con- 
tinuing in  the  former  capacity  about  40  years.  As  postmaster  George 
N.  Candee  succeeded,  keeping  the  office  in  his  store.  Nathan  B.  Fair- 
child  was  a  later  merchant.  S.  P.  Sanford  and  C.  H.  Butler  were  in 
trade  in  1890,  the  latter  being  the  postrnaster.  A  daily  mail  is  sup- 
plied. Of  the  Zoar  Bridge  office  Richard  Herbert  is  the  postmaster, 
and  at  that  place  is  the  mail  supply  for  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
town. 

As  innkeepers  the  Lums  followed  the  Candees,  and  remodelled  the 
house.  Another  inn  was  kept  by  Daniel  Tucker,  who  had  a  store  and 
tavern  in  the  upper  part  of  the  village.  That  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire.     He  also  had  an  inn  at  where  is  now  Doctor  Barnes'  house. 

The  manufacture  of  hats  was  the  main  industry  in  the  village  for 
about  25  years,  after  1828,  giving  occupation  to  more  than  60  men. 
Seth  Crosby  had  the  principal  shops  and  turned  out  large  quantities 
of  fur  hats.  His  place  was  next  occupied  by  the  four  partners:  Garry 
Riggs>  George  Fuller,  Charles  Ransom  and  Agur  Cable.  They  dis- 
continued about  1851,  some  of  the  members  of  the  firm  going  to  Cali- 
fornia. Henry  Durham  was  the  last  principal  hatter,  and  the  build- 
ings have  long  since  been  converted  to  other  uses.  About  the  same 
time  the  hat  trade  flourished  David  M.  Clark  had  a  tailor  shop,  which 
made  clothing  for  the  southern  trade.  In  this  period  of  activity  a 
flourishing  Masonic  Lodge,  Morning  Star,  No.  47,  built  a  hall  in  the 
village,  where  its  meetings  were  held  until  1844,  when  the  removal  of 
many  members  caused  their  suspension.  In  1S51  the  Lodge  was  re- 
vived at  Seymour,  and  has  since  been  maintained  at  that  place. 

Doctor  Hosea  Dutton  was  probably  the  first  located  physician.  He 
came  from  Southington  about  the  time  of  the  revolution,  and  re- 
mained here  until  his  death  in  September,  1826.  He  was  self-educated, 
but  a  man  of  ability  and  culture  nevertheless,  whose  influence  in  the 
town  secured  him  many  positions  of  trust.     He  was  withal  eccentric 


538  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

and  bitterly  opposed  the  settlement  of  another  physician  in  the  town, 
even  when  there  was  a  demand  for  one  by  reason  of  the  increased 
population.  After  his  death  his  son,  Doctor  Thomas  A.,*  born  in  1802, 
succeeded  him,  and  was  in  practice  until  1845,  when  he  moved  to 
Newtown,  and  later  to  Birmingham. 

The  second  resident  physician  of  the  town  was  Doctor  Noah  Stone, 
who  came  from  Guilford  the  latter  part  of  1810,  and  was  here  until  his 
death  in  March,  1851,  aged  69  years.  He  was  a  fine  practitioner  and 
a  most  exemplary  man,  whose  memory  is  still  cherished.  He  was  the 
father  of  Reverend  A.  L.  Stone  and  of  David  M.  Stone,  the  editor  of 
the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce.  His  daughter,  Martha,  married 
Reverend  Stephen  Hubbell,  a  Congregational  minister,  in  1832,  and 
while  residing  in  Oxford  wrote  the  popular  book,  "  Shady  .Side,  "whose 
influence  on  clerical  life  in  New  England  was  far-reaching  and  benefi- 
cent. 

Contemporary  with  Doctor  Stone  in  the  last  years  of  his  practice 
was  Doctor  John  Lounsbury,  who  still  resides  at  Oxford,  at  an  extreme 
age,  and  is  no  longer  in  active  practice.  For  50  years  he  has  occupied 
the  same  home.  Doctor  Roswell  Bronson,  a  native  of  Middlebury, 
located  here  about  1850,  and  died  in  December,  1855,  aged  31  years. 

The  practitioner  at  Oxford  in  1890  was  Doctor  Lewis  Barnes.  He 
was  born  at  Southington  in  1825,  and  was  a  son  of  Doctor  Julius  S. 
Barnes,  who  located  at  that  place  in  1818.  After  graduating  from 
Yale  in  1847,  Doctor  Lewis  Barnes  studied  medicine  in  New  York  city, 
and  with  his  uncle,  Doctor  Josiah  Barnes,  at  Buffalo.  In  1851  he  grad- 
uated from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  that  city,  and 
returning  home,  located  at  Meriden  in  1854,  and  since  1856  has  been  in 
active  practice  in  Oxford. 

Stores  were  formerly  kept  at  Quaker's  Farm,  but  in  more  recent 
years  that  locality  has  been  strictly  a  farming  community. 

Having  been  incorporated  as  a  separate  parish  in  May,  1741,  the 
ecclesiastical  society  of  Oxford  held  its  first  meeting  at  the  house  of 
Samuel  Twitchell,  June  30th,  the  same  year.  Isaac  Knowles  was. 
chosen  moderator  and  Isaac  Trowbridge  clerk  of  the  society.  Caleb 
Perry,  John  Lum,  Ebenezer  Riggs,  John  Towner  and  Samuel  Wooster 
were  appointed  a  prudential  committee.  The  society  and  religious 
meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Twitchell  or  at  John  Twit- 
chell's,  but,  October  6th,  1741,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  meeting  house 
and  to  ask  for  a  legislative  committee  to  locate  a  site.  Captain  Isaac 
Dickerman,  James  Talmadge  and  John  Hitchcock  were  appointed  such 
a  committee,  and  they  selected  a  spot  on  the  south  slope  of  the  so- 
called  Jack's  hill,  near  the  highway  that  runs  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Little  river.  The  land  designated  belonged  to  Ephraim  Washburn. 
The  assembly  approved  the  choice. 

It  appears  that  the  meeting  house  was  several  years  in  building, 

*  Named  by  his  father  Thomas  Albert  Bonaparte  Jefferson. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  539 

as  the  first  record  of  its  occupancy  was  June  21st,  1743.  In  the  mean- 
time the  society's  meetings  had  been  held  in  private  houses,  the  notices 
for  which  bad  been  posted  at  the  houses  of  John  Lum,  Jonathan  Grif- 
fin, Joseph  Lewis,  Isaac  Knowles,  Joseph  Davis  and  Joseph  Wood, 
whose  places  may  be  regarded  as  having  been  centers  in  the  parish. 
Before  this  meeting  the  May,  1743,  general  assembly  had  been  peti- 
tioned by  Clerk  Isaac  Trowbridge  and  others  for  permission  to  "em- 
body into  a  church  estate,"  "and  to  settle  a  minister  according  to  the 
establishment  of  the  churches  in  this  government."  The  assembly 
granted  the  desired  liberty,  but  the  Congregational  Church  of  Oxford 
was  not  formally  organized  by  the  parish  until  January  9th,  1746. 

After  the  completion  of  the  meeting  house  the  society  took  steps  to 
secure  a  regular  minister,  and  in  June,  1745,  Mr.  Jonathan  Lyman  was 
called  on  a  four  weeks'  probation.  He  accepted  and  was  regularly 
ordained  October  4th,  1745.  several  months,  it  will  be  seen,  before  the 
church  was  organized.  After  a  pastorate  of  18  years,  he  was  accident- 
ally killed  in  1763  by  falling  from  his  horse  while  riding  on  a  mission 
to  visit  a  sick  person  in  the  western  part  of  the  parish.  Mr.  Lyman 
had  graduated  from  Yale  in  1742  and  was  a  capable  minister,  who  had 
won  the  esteem  of  the  community.  As  tokens  of  their  esteem  Samuel 
Wheeler  and  John  Lum,  active  members  of  the  church,  donated  him 
several  tracts  of  land  near  the  church,  in  1746  and  1747. 

The  Reverend  David  Bronson,  of  Milford,  was  next  ordained  to 
the  pastorate,  April  25th,  1764,  the  details  of  his  settlement  having 
been  arranged  by  Deacon  Ebenezer  Riggs,  John  Twitchell,  Thomas 
Clark,  Captain  Russell,  Lieutenant  Wheeler,  Captain  Hawkins  and 
Joseph  Osborn.  His  pastorate  extended  through  more  than  40  years, 
until  his  death  in  1806.  In  his  ministry  the  second  and  present  meet- 
ing house  of  the  Congregational  church  was  built. 

The  vote  to  erect  a  new  house  was  taken  January  3d,  1793,  and  it 
was  decided  to  place  it  on  the  meeting  house  acre,  near  the  old  build- 
ing, with  dimensions  40  by  56  feet.  December  23d,  1793,  Timothy 
Candee  entered  into  an  agreement  to  build  the  meeting  house  for 
£675,  and  it  was  probably  occupied  in  1795.  The  records  in  regard  to 
this  house  are  vague,  and  it  is  said  that  Mr.  Candee  was  not  properly 
compensated  for  his  work,  which  involved  a  greater  outlay  than  he 
had  anticipated.  The  house  has  several  times  been  improved  to  give 
it  modern  appearances  and  more  comfortable  accommodations,  the 
last  being  a  work  of  renovation  in  the  winter  of  1888-9,  when  new 
furniture  was  also  supplied. 

Since  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Bronson  there  have  been  many  changes 
in  the  ministerial  service  of  the  church,  but  few  pastorates  being  long 
continued.  From  June,  1809,  to  September,  1814,  the  minister  was 
Reverend  Nathaniel  Freeman,  when  for  16  years  the  pulpit  was  sup- 
plied. Among  the  ministers  thus  serving  was  Reverend  Zephaniah 
Swift,  who  was  highly  respected.*     June  2d,  1830,  Reverend  Abraham 

*  Judge  N.  J.  Wilcoxson's  account. 


540  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Brown  began  a  pastorate  which  ended  October  16th,  1838.  The  next 
regular  minister  was  Reverend  Stephen  Topliff,  who  began  April  21st, 
1841,  and  remained  until  1860.  Since  that  time  the  ministers  have 
been:  Reverend  Mr.  Barton,  one  year;  Strong  (installed),  two  and  one- 
half  years;  Chamberlain,  two  and  one-half  years;  John  Churchill, 
about  eight  years;  who  was  followed  by  the  Reverends  Snow,  Mohr 
and  Cleveland.  Since  July,  1888,  the  acting  pastor  has  been  Reverend 
H.  M.  Hazeltine,  who  came  to  this  place  from  the  Monroe  church. 

In  1890  the  parish  was  small,  containing  but  45  families  and  50 
communicant  members.  The  deacons  were:  Ebenezer  Buckingham, 
Robert  B.  Limburner  and  Amos  Treat. 

The  Oxford  church  raised  up  the  following  Congregational  minis- 
ters: Cyrus  Beecher  Bristol,  Charles  Fabrique,  John  Robinson  Free- 
man, Thomas  Riggs,  Burritt  Augustus  Smith,  Charles  Leete  Stone, 
D.  D.,  and  George  Edward  Stone. 

St.  Peter's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  is  also  located  in  Oxford 
village.  Among  the  early  settlers  of  Oxford  were  some  churchmen 
who,  in  1764,  were  gathered  together  as  the  above  church  by  Rever- 
end Richard  Mansfield,  the  rector  of  the  Derby  church,  who  also 
preached  here  until  about  1S03.  He  was  a  minister  of  great  force  of 
character  and  ability,  and  through  his  efforts  the  church  was  fully 
established.  Abel  Gunn  and  William  Bunnell  appear  to  have  been 
first  wardens,  and  to  them  was  conveyed,  in  1766,  for  the  use  of  the 
church,  a  tract  of  five  acres  of  land.  The  same  year  the  first  house  of 
worship  was  built  on  the  hill  near  the  Episcopal  cemetery,  which  was 
used  until  the  present  church,  on  the  south  side  of  the  green,  was  oc- 
cupied. This  was  built  in  1834,  and  consecrated  the  following  year  by 
Bishop  Brownell.  It  has  since  been  placed  in  a  good  condition  and 
well  serves  its  purpose,  being  both  attractive  and  comfortable.  In 
the  summer  of  1888  a  number  of  very  fine  memorial  windows  were 
placed  in  the  church  (each  costing  about  $130)  by  some  of  the  leading 
families  of  the  parish.  The  church  has  200  sittings.  In  1890  the 
parish  had  35  families  and  53  registered  communicants.  Its  wardens 
were:  Elijah  B.  Treat  and  Albert  Smith.  The  vestry  was  composed 
of  Henry  Williams,  R.  B.  Hinman,  A.  B.  Hinman,  George  Hubbell 
and  Franklin  Davis.     C.  H.  Butler  was  the  treasurer. 

After  Rector  Mansfield  no  longer  served  St.  Peter's  in  connection 
with  the  Derby  church,  there  was  no  regular  minister  until  1807,  when 
the  Reverend  Chauncey  Prindle,  a  native  of  Oxford,  became  the  first 
resident  rector,  and  served  the  church  until  1812.  He  afterward  lived 
upon  a  farm  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  until  his  death,  at  an 
advanced  age,  about  1832.  After  him  the  successive  ministers  were 
the  following:  Reverend  Aaron  Humphrey,  1814  to  1820;  W.  A.  Cur- 
tis, 1829  to  1830;  Ashbel  Baldwin,  1831  to  1834;  Charles  Smith,  1834  to 
1836;  Daniel  Burnham,  1836  to  1841;  Abel  Nichols,  1844  to  1845;  Henry 
Olmstead,  1845;  George  B.  Eastman,  1846;   David  P.  Sanford,  1S47  to 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  541 

1849;  Charles  J.  Todd,  1850  to  1854;  D.  W.  C.  Loop,  1854;  Edward  P. 
Gray,  3  months,  1855;  John  N  Marvin,  1855  to  185S;  Sylvester  Clarke, 
1859  to  1861;  A.  R.  Van  Antwerp,  1861  to  1863;  John  T.  Pearce,  1863 
to  1S65;  John  Anketell,  1872  to  1875;  George  Buck,  1875  to  1876;  Wil- 
liam Walker,  1876  to  1877;  Sheldon  Davis,  1877;  Walter  C.  Roberts 
(lay  reader),  1877;  George  P.  Torrence,  1878  to  1879;  Howard  T.  Wid- 
demer,  1879  to  1880;  William  E.  Potwine,  1881;  Samuel  R.  Bailey,  1882 
to  1885;  C.  H.  Proctor,  1885  to  1886;  and  since  July  3d,  1887,  the  rector 
of  St.  Peter's,  Christ  Church  at  Quaker's  Farm  and  the  Southford  Mis- 
sion has  been  the  Reverend  Lewis  F.  Morris. 

Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal)  is  at  Quaker's  Farm,  and  was 
first  known  as  a  chapel  of  St.  Peter's  parish.  The  movement  to  build 
this  chapel  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1811  by  the  people  of  this  locality, 
who  desired  a  place  of  worship  in  their  own  midst.  To  that  end  they 
freely  contributed  labor  and  material,  Cyrus  Perry  drawing  the  first 
stick  of  timber,  which  was  64  feet  long,  on  the  11th  of  October.  In 
the  fall  of  1812  the  chapel  was  raised,  the  building  committee  being 
David  Tomlinson,  Nathaniel  Wooster  and  Wells  Judson.  These  and 
Russell  Nichols  were  most  active  in  promoting  the  work,  so  that  the 
house  was  ready  for  occupancy  some  time  in  1814;  but  it  was  not  con- 
secrated until  September  3d,  1817,  Bishop  Hobart  officiating.  A  stove 
was  first  supplied  in  the  ministry  of  the  Reverend  Ashbel  Baldwin, 
1828  to  1834,  who  presented  it.  A  bell  weighing  600  pounds  was  pro- 
cured in  1836.  In  1S76  the  repairing  of  the  church  was  begun  and 
carried  through  several  years  by  the  efforts  of  Reverend  Sheldon 
Davis  and  generous  friends.  In  187S  a  fine  chancel  window  was  put 
in  as  a  memorial  to  David  Tomlinson  and  his  wife,  Laura,  who  were 
so  active  in  founding  the  church,  and  the  building  was  made  attrac- 
tive throughout. 

In  1826  Nathaniel  Wooster  and  others  succeeded  in  establishing 
the  chapel  as  a  separate  parish,  with  the  above  name;  and  one-third 
of  the  St.  Peter's  church  fund  (at  that  time  amounting  to  $660)  was  set 
aside  for  the  use  of  Christ's  church.  In  1846  this  was  augmented  by 
a  legacy  of  $200  from  the  estate  of  Mrs.  Ruth  Tyrrell,  and  subse- 
quently by  a  legacy  of  $100  from  the  estate  of  Ira  Hawkins.  In  Aug- 
ust, 1879,  a  new  permanent  fund  was  begun  for  the  support  of  the 
minister  in  charge,  and  Reverend  Sheldon  Davis  and  Stephen  S.  Mal- 
lett  each  gave  $1,000  to  establish  it.  In  1880  the  old  fund  above  noted 
was  raised  to  $1,000  by  Mrs.  Benjamin  Nichols,  Mrs.  S.  S.  Mallett  and 
others;  and  later  Mrs.  Marietta  Davis  added  $500  to  the  fund,  which 
now  amounted  to  $3,500,  and  by  this  the  support  of  a  minister  was 
made  more  possible,  especially  since  the  parish  is  served  in  connec- 
tion with  St.  Peter's. 

The  ministers  of  the  church  at  Quaker's  Farm  have  been  as  fol- 
lows: 1814,  Reverend  Aaron  Humphrey;  1826,  William  A.  Curtiss; 
1832,  Ashbel   Baldwin;  1837-42,  James    Sunderland,  Charles    Smith, 


542  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Daniel  Burnham;  1843,  Abel  Nichols;  1845,  George  B.  Eastman;  1847, 
David  P.  Sanford;  1850,  Charles  Jarvis  Todd;  1854,  D.  W.  C.  Loop; 
1855-6, 1.  N.  Marvin,  George  S.  Foote,  C.  T.  Woodruff,  George  R.  Davis; 
1858,  Sylvester  Clark;  1863,  A.  R.  Van  Antwerp;  1866,  John  T.  Pearce; 
1867,  H.  C.  Stowell;  1869,  Clayton  Eddy;  1871,  H.  Alanson  Walton; 
1876,  George  Buck. 

Since  the  latter  date  the  ministers  have  been  mainly  those  of  the 
St.  Peter's  church,  the  two  parishes  being  served  in  common.  In  1890 
the  parish  of  Christ  church  contained  26  families,  furnishing  32  regis- 
tered communicants.  The  wardens  were  C.  C.  Rider  and  George  S. 
Skidman;  and  the  vestrymen  were  S.  S.  Mallett,  Charles  Hawkins  and 
Charles  Davis.  The  present  Sunday  school  was  organized  in  1876, 
and  C.  C.  Rider  has  long  been  the  superintendent. 

At  Quaker's  Farm  there  was  a  Baptist  meeting  house  as  early  as 
1830,  but  the  society  using  it  did  not  keep  up  its  organization  more 
than  a  few  years. 

A  more  recent  organization  of  a  class  of  Methodists  was  effected  at 
Zoar  Bridge,  and  a  meeting  house  was  erected  in  that  locality,  which 
is  still  maintained.  The  membership  is  small,  and  the  ministerial 
service  is  in  connection  with  charges  in  Fairfield  county. 

The  Oxford  Circulating  Library  was  projected  December  5th,  1883, 
and  established  the  following  year  by  St.  Peter's  Guild.  Not  long 
after  it  passed  under  the  management  of  W.  W.  Hughes,  who  volun- 
tarily serves  as  the  librarian,  and  who  has  succeeded  in  making  the 
library  an  object  of  public  support.  One  hundred  and  fifty  persons 
have  been  interested  as  members.  The  library  contains  700  volumes, 
and  is  kept  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Hugrjes. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  Oxford  parish  several  schools  were 
established,  and  the  number  increased  with  the  expansion  of  the  set- 
tlements. Select  schools  were  taught  for  short  periods  in  different 
parts  of  the  town.  Under  the  public  school  system  13  districts  were 
organized,  only  11  of  which  maintained  schools  in  1890.  In  propor- 
tion to  the  population  the  attendance  is  good,  and  the  expense  of 
maintenance  approximates  $1,900  per  year.  A  number  of  the  natives 
of  Oxford  have  been  college  graduates.  Oscar  and  John  Harger,  of 
this  town,  became  distinguished  for  their  learning,  the  former  becom- 
ing a  professor  at  Yale. 

In  this  connection  a  brief  notice  of  Sheldon  Clark  appropriately 
follows.  He  was  born  in  Oxford,  January  31st,  1785,  and  died  April 
10th,  1840,  from  injuries  received  from  falling  from  his  hay  mow. 
Being  left  an  orphan  in  early  life,  his  grandfather,  Thomas  Clark, 
adopted  him,  and  with  him  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  1811.  Shel- 
don's earnest  desire  was  to  obtain  a  liberal  education,  but  his  grand- 
father looked  upon  that  plan  as  a  waste  of  money,  and  discouraged 
him.  He,  however,  stored  his  mind  as  best  he  could  by  reading  and 
studying  at  home,  and  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1811-12  attended  the 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  543 

lectures  of  Professor  Silliman  at  Yale.  He  now  became  imbued  with 
a  purpose  to  advance  the  cause  of  liberal  education,  hoarding  and  most 
persistently  striving  to  further  that  end.  He  never  married,  and  in 
his  life  as  a  farmer  he  not  only  labored  incessantly,  but  denied  him- 
self the  common  comforts  in  order  to  increase  his  means.  In  1822  he 
set  aside  $5,000  for  a  fund  to  create  the  Clark  professorship  in  Yale 
College,  and  two  years  later  gave  $1,000  for  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  scholarship.  In  1S29  he  presented  the  college  a  fine  telescope, 
costing  over  $1,000,  and  by  the  terms  of  his  will  bequeathed  that  institu- 
tion nearly  all  his  property,  amounting  in  all  to  many  thousand  dollars. 
He  thus  became  one  of  the  most  generous  patrons  of  the  college  in 
that  period,  and  his  example  worthily  stimulated  others  to  acts  of 
generosity.  The  farms  in  Oxford  he  willed  to  Yale  are  still  the 
property  of  that  corporation. 

There  are  several  places  of  burial  at  the  center,  one  at  Zoar  Bridge, 
another  at  Quaker's  Farm,  a  fifth  at  Southford,  and  many  of  the  in- 
habitants in  the  northeastern  part  were  interred  in  the  Pines  Bridge 
Cemetery.  In  consequence  of  this  diffusion  some  of  the  burial  places 
have  not  received  the  care  which  should  be  given  them.  In  the 
Southford  yard  are  the  graves  of  William  Burr,  Jesse  Smith  and  Cap- 
tain Samuel  Candee,  all  of  them  soldiers  of  the  revolution.  Respect- 
ing the  latter  the  Department  of  the  Interior  at  Washington  furnished 
the  following  to  John  D.  Candee,  of  Bridgeport,  March  15th,  1882: 

"  Sir:  In  accordance  with  your  request  for  information  of  the 
military  services  of  your  grandfather,  Samuel  Candee,  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  the  following  statements  are  furnished  from  his  declara- 
tion: 

"  He  entered  the  service  at  Derby  May  1st,  1775,  in  Lieut.  Bradford 
Steel's  company,  in  Colonel  Wooster's  Connecticut  regiment;  marched 
to  Boston,  and  was  immediately  appointed  sergeant,  the  warrant  being 
signed  by  Col.  Wooster,  but  is  lost.  He  remained  at  the  seige  of  that 
city  during  his  7  months  term  of  enlistment,  which  ended  January  1, 
1776,  but  he  was  persuaded  by  his  officers  to  remain  20  days  longer. 
In  July,  1776,  he  was  a  sergeant  in  a  company  of  Woodbridge  militia, 
then  a  part  of  New  Haven,  when  the  entire  company  was  called  out  to 
go  to  New  York  city,  and  they  left  Woodbridge  on  the  23d  of  July. 
On  their  arrival  they  were  ordered  to  Long  Island,  being  attached  to 
Col.  Thompson's  Connecticut  regiment,  where  the  company  was  en- 
gaged in  several  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  followed  by  the  retreat 
of  the  enemy  to  New  York,  and  the  evacuation  of  the  city. 

"  While  engaged  in  throwing  up  entrenchments,  the  British  sailed 
up  the  East  river,  landed  at  Turtle  Bay,  and  on  Sunday,  September 
15,  an  engagement  ensued,  and  the  enemy  retreated  to  New  York. 
Col.  Thompson's  regiment  was  the  last  to  retire  from  the  occupation 
of  the  City,  and  he  was  killed  in  one  of  the  battles  that  occurred  soon 
after.     Samuel  Candee  and  his  brother  Job,  who  was  in  Capt.  Beech- 


544  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

er's  Company,  and  Col.  Thompson's  Regiment,  were  both  standing 
near  him  when  he  was  killed,  and  but  a  minute  previously  had  been 
conversing  with  him. 

"  He  volunteered  as  sergeant  under  Capt.  John  Riggs,  of  Oxford, 
where  he  was  at  the  time,  for  service,  which  continued  6  weeks,  when 
the  British  invaded  New  Haven,  July  5th,  1779,  and  burned  Fairfield 
about  the  9th  of  the  same  month,  but  before  their  arrival  at  the  latter 
town,  the  place  was  destroyed,  and  the  British  were  on  their  retreat  to 
their  vessels,  but  they  were  stationed  as  a  guard  at  Fairfield,  Stratford 
and  New  Haven  during  the  remainder  of  the  time  they  were  held  to 
service,  on  account  of  the  apprehensive  danger  of  another  approach  of 
the  enemy. 

"  He  was  born  in  Derby,  December  15th,  1753,  and  his  decease  is 
on  the  records  of  this  office  as  January  3d,  1841.  His  residence  is  al- 
leged by  some  of  the  witnesses  as  of  Oxford,  but  when  enlisting  in 
1775-6  he  was  living  in  Derby  and  Woodbridge,  and  in  1779  in  Oxford, 
and  was  in  the  latter  town  in  1833,  when  the  above  statement  was  made. 
Since  the  war  he  has  resided  in  Derby  and  Oxford.  He  was  allowed 
a  pension  in  1833  of  $57.50  per  annum,  to  commence,  in  accordance 
with  the  act,  March  4th,  1831. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  Wji.  W.  Dudley,  Commissioner." 

Much  interest  was  taken  by  the  town  in  military  matters,  and  the 
training  days  on  the  green  were  usually  occasions  for  the  general 
gathering  of  the  people.  The  following  were  the  captains  of  the  1st 
Company  in  Oxford:  John  Lum,  Abel  Gunn,  Joseph  Davis,  1754;  Zach- 
ariah  Hawkins,  Joseph  Osborn,  John  Wooster,  Thomas  Clark,  Eben- 
ezer  Buckingham,  1775;  Abijah  Hyde,  John  Riggs,  Ebenezer  Riggs, 
David  Pierson,  Samuel  Candee,  Jehiel  Hine,  Job  Candee,  Asahel  Hyde, 
Colonel  John  Davis,  Andrew  Buckingham,  Lemuel  Beardsley,  Philo 
Beecher,  Gideon  Riggs,  Hiram  Candee,  Letson  Osborn,  1821;  William 
Osborn,  Sherman  Buckingham,  Lewis  Davis,  John  Beecher,  Ebenezer 
Riggs,  William  Hinman,  Moody  M.  Brown,  1835. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

James  H.  Bartlett,  born  in  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  October  7th, 
1829,  is  a  son  of  Joseph  Bartlett.  He  came  to  Oxford  in  1867.  He 
has  been  three  times  married;  first  to  Phebe  C.  Beach.  They  had 
three  children.  Two  daughters  are  living,  and  one  sou,  James,  died 
in  1865.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Bartlett  married  a  sister  of  the  first, 
Kate  C.  Beach,  who  bore  him  two  children,  twins,  and  died  in  1867. 
For  his  third  wife  he  married  Frances  J.  Flagg,  of  Oxford,  in  1869. 
They  have  one  daughter,  Annie  L.,  born  in  1870.  James  H.  Bartlett 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  New  York,  and  engaged  in 
farming.  He  afterward  went  to  the  city  of  New  York  as  clerk  in  a 
wholesale  grocery,  remaining  there  eight  years.      He  then  went  to 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  545 

Illinois  and  was  engaged  in  the  same  business  six  years.  He  was  a 
commissary  in  the  army  during  the  war,  and  was  engaged  for  a  short 
time  in  business  in  Corinth,  Miss.,  then  went  back  to  Illinois,  and  one 
year  later  removed  to  New  York  state.  In  1867  he  came  to  Oxford 
and  engaged  in  manufacturing  paper  in  Southbury  about  one  year. 
He  then  bought  the  farm  in  Oxford  near  Quaker's  Farm,  where  he 
now  resides.  He  has  been  selectman  of  Oxford  15  or  16  years,  and 
represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1879  and  1882. 

Glover  W.  Cable,  born  in  Oxford  in  1844,  is  a  sou  of  Rosewell 
and  Hannah  (Chatfield)  Cable,  and  grandson  of  Abner  Cable.  Rose- 
well  Cable  was  born  in  Monroe,  Conn.,  and  came  to  Oxford  about 
1818.  He  was  a  hatter  by  trade,  and  built  a  hat  factory  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  his  son,  Glover  W.  Rosewell  married,  in  1819,  Hannah 
Chatfield,  and  had  11  children.  Glover  W.  was  the  youngest.  He  is 
the  only  one  of  the  name  in  Oxford.  He  was  educated  at  the  common 
schools  and  at  the  high  school  of  Owego,  N.  Y.  He  learned  the  car- 
penter trade  when  young,  and  has  followed  it  through  life,  though  now 
engaged  on  his  farm.  He  married  Elizabeth  Hatch,  of  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  in  1873.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Chauncey  M.  and  Minerva 
J.  (Botsford)  Hatch.  They  have  eight  children:  Bessie  M.,  born  July 
15th,  1875;  Frederick  A.,  April  3d,  1877;  Henry  R.,  January  17th,  1879; 
Julia  G.,  September  17th,  1880;  Nelson  M.,  December  11th,  1882; 
Emma  J.,  February  1st,  1885;  Horace  S.,  August  12th,  1886,  and  Lill- 
ian C,  born  September  17th,  1888.  Mr.  Cable  was  elected  to  the  leg- 
islature in  1S87  and  1888,  and  is  a  selectman  and  justice  of  the  peace. 

William  H.  Clark,  born  in  New  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1832,  is  a  son  of 
John  Clark,  a  native  of  Oxford.  William  H.  came  to  Oxford  before 
the  war  of  the  rebellion.  His  grandfather  was  Abel  Clark,  also  of 
Oxford.  His  mother  was  a  Rogers,  of  New  Hartford,  Conn.  William 
H.  married  Eliza  Lum,  of  Oxford.  They  have  an  adopted  daughter, 
Nellie  Clark,  who  married  Joseph  Searles.  Mr.  Clark  was  elected  to 
the  legislature  from  Oxford  in  1859. 

Burritt  Davis  was  born  in  1806  in  Oxford,  on  the  farm  where  five 
generations  of  his  family  were  born.  His  father,  John  (died  aged  93) 
was  a  son  of  Joseph  Davis.  The  family  are  of  Welsh  descent.  Bur- 
ritt's  mother  was  a  Thomas,  of  Bethany.  Burritt  is  the  only  surviving 
member  of  a  family  of  14  children.  He  married  Sarah  E.  Osborn  in 
1828.  They  have  three  children  living:  B.  J.,  Sarah  E.  and  B.  H. 
B.  H.  Davis  lives  in  Oxford.  Burritt  Davis  has  a  great-grandchild  in 
New  York  state.  Mr.  Davis  was  a  selectman  nine  years,  and  assessor 
about  the  same  length  of  time.  He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature 
in  18.")S.  His  wife  died  January  4th,  1890.  He  has  always  been  en- 
gaged in  farming. 

Samuel  Hawkins,  born  in  Oxford  .September  30th,  1840,  is  a  son  of 
Asa  and  Hannah  Hawkins.     They  had  six  children  that  grew  up,  of 
whom  Samuel  is  the  youngest.     John  and  Lewis  are  living  in  Oxford. 
35 


546  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Samuel  lives  at  Quaker's  Farm,  on  Bowers  Hill,  on  the  old  homestead. 
He  was  married  in  1869  to  Celestia  W.  Stoddard,  of  Oxford.  They 
have  two  children:  George  A.,  born  in  1875,  and  Clara  J.,  born  in  1882. 
Mr.  Hawkins  is  a  farmer.     He  has  been  school  visitor  of  Oxford. 

Robert  Bruce  Limburner,  born  in  Oxford,  March  20th,  1821,  had 
a  Scottish  paternal  ancestry.  His  father,  John  Limburner  (originally 
Limeburner)  was  a  son  of  James  Limburner,  of  Kilmarnock,  Ayrshire, 
Scotland,  the  native  place  of  the  poet  Burns,*  and  was  born  in  1777. 
When  he  was  18  years  old,  in  1795,  he  came  to  America,  living  first  in 
New  York,  but  later  settled  at  New  Haven,  where  he  followed  his 
trade  as  a  cooper,  which  occupation  brought  him  to  Oxford  about  1797. 
He  carried  on  that  business  in  this  town  until  1829,  when  he  removed 
to  Derby,  and  from  that  place  to  Washington,  Conn.,  in  1846,  where 
he  died  in  1860.  He  was  a  very  energetic  mechanic  and  a  man  of 
many  excellent  parts.  Some  time  about  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century  he  married  Fanny,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Martin,  of  Wood- 
bridge,  who  died  in  Oxford  October  14th,  1830,  aged  50  years.  Their 
union  was  blessed  with  nine  children,  one  dying  in  youth,  the  others 
attaining  mature  years,  as  follows:  Janette,  born  July  5th,  1803,  died 
July  18th,  1812;  Mary,  born  May  8th,  1806,  married  John  Wooster,  of 
Oxford;  Jane,  born  May  12th,  1808,  living  in  this  town;  John,  born 
March  20th,  1810,  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  died;  Lydia,  born  Feb- 
ruary 18th,  1812,  married  Miles  Nichols,  of  Waterbury;  James  Wal- 
lace, born  February  9th,  1814,  living  at  South  Norwalk,  Conn.;  Janette, 
born  September  17th,  1816,  married  Henry  Wooding,  of  Cheshire; 
Harriet,  born  October  29th,  1818,  married  Alonzo  Rabe,  of  Waterbury, 
and  Robert  Bruce,  born  March  20th,  1821. 

When  the  latter  was  nine  years  old  his  mother  died,  leaving  him 
in  the  care  of  a  married  sister,  Mrs.  John  Wooster,  with  whom  he 
lived  on  the  farm  until  he  was  16  years  of  age,  attending,  meantime, 
the  common  schools  of  Oxford.  He  was  next  apprenticed  to  learn  the 
trade  of  a  blacksmith,  at  Washington,  Litchfield  county,  and  after 
serving  four  years  followed  that  occupation  three  years  as  a  journey- 
man. He  now  engaged  as  a  machinist  in  the  works  of  Herman  Bald- 
win, of  Washington,  Conn.,  remaining  seven  years,  and  becoming 
very  skillful  in  that  avocation.  The  next  four  years  he  carried  on  a 
foundry  and  machine  shop  in  his  own  name,  but  later,  for  a  number 
of  years,  was  the  proprietor  of  a  wood-turning  establishment,  which 
had  a  large  output.  In  1863  he  removed  from  Washington  to  South- 
ford,  in  this  county,  where  he  successfully  engaged  in  a  new  line  of 
manufacture,  making  straw  paper  boards  of  all  kinds.  In  this  ven- 
ture he  was  very  successful,  but  at  the  end  of  seven  years  sold  his  in- 

*  Burns  published  his  first  collection  of  poems  in  1786  to  1788.  John  Lim- 
burner was  then  a  lad  of  10  or  12  years.  He  became  familiar  with  the  scenes 
and  circumstances  described  by  the  poet,  and  read  his  works  with  interest  and 
pleasure.     Burns  was  born  January  25th,  1759. 


/?    ^U     3*/  "<-  S  n.^t^^ 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  547 

terests  to  White  &  Wells,  of  Waterbury,  who  built  the  new  mill  at 
that  place.  He  now,  in  1870,  retired  from  mechanical  pursuits,  re- 
moving to  his  present  home  near  Oxford  Center,  and  since  that  year 
much  of  his  time  has  been  devoted  to  the  public  affairs  of  his  native 
town. 

Few  citizens  of  Oxford  have  been  called  to  serve  in  more  capacities 
than  R.  B.  Limburner,  or  have  rendered  more  efficient  service  than  he 
in  the  church,  community  or  town,  his  principal  purpose  at  all  times 
being  to  promote  the  welfare  of  those  who  exalted  him  to  these  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  elected  first  selectman  of  Oxford 
twelve  times,  between  1870  and  1891,  and  held  many  other  town  offices. 
In  1860  he  was  elected  a  representative  from  the  town  of  Washington 
in  the  state  legislature,  and  in  1872  represented  Oxford  in  the  same 
body,  being  the  first  republican  thus  elected  for  21  years.  He  cast  his 
first  vote  for  president  for  Henry  Clay,  and  has  belonged  to  the  repub- 
lican party  since  its  organization,  but  has  never  allowed  himself  to  be 
swayed  by  motives  of  a  partisan  nature,  since  he  has  held  the  confi- 
dence of  the  public,  regardless  of  party  lines;  and  his  official  integrity 
has  never  been  questioned.  His  public  career,  as  well  as  his  private 
life,  has  been  free  from  taint  of  dishonor  or  questionable  motives. 
He  is  one  of  the  mainstays  of  the  Oxford  Congregational  church, 
serving  as  a  deacon  since  1886,  and  has  been  the  Sunday  school  super- 
intendent. 

Mr.  Limburner  was  married  in  1845  to  Emeline  Williams,  of  Wash- 
ington, Conn.,  who  died  in  1852,  leaving  a  daughter,  Josephine  E., 
born  in  1846,  and  who  died  in  1876.  as  the  wife  of  Samuel  W.  Bucking- 
ham, of  Oxford.  The  only  issue  was  a  son,  Robert  L.  For  his  second 
wife  Mr.  Limburner  married,  March  ISth,  1874,  Ellen  M.,  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  and  Betsy  (Sperry)  Buckingham,  of  Oxford.  Her  father  was 
a  lineal  descendant  of  Thomas  Buckingham,  who  was  one  of  the  New 
Haven  planters  in  1687,  coming  with  the  first  colonists  from  England. 

Charles  H.  Lum,  born  in  Oxford  in  1839,  is  a  son  of  George  Lum, 
who  married  Mary  Sherman,  of  Newtown,  Conn.,  and  had  three  chil- 
dren: Charles  H.,  Harpin  A.  and  Albert  J.  George  Lum  was  born  in 
Derby  in  1809,  came  to  Oxford  in  1825,  and  settled  on  Bowers  hill. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  Oxford  in  1865,  and  select- 
man two  years.  Charles  was  educated  at  the  select  school  of  River- 
side and  the  New  Britain  High  School.  He  married  Jane  L.  Bucking- 
ham, of  Oxford,  in  1861,  and  they  have  three  children:  Mary  E.,  Wil- 
liam H.  and  Jennie  J.  Mr.  Lum  lived  in  New  Britain  two  years, 
removed  in  1866  to  Middlebury,  and  remained  there  until  1SS4,  when 
he  came  back  to  Oxford.  He  was  selectman  in  Middlebury  several 
years  and  assessor  nine  years.  He  has  been  engaged  in  teaching 
school  a  number  of  years,  and  now  lives  on  the  farm  on  Bowers  hill. 
Harpin  A.  Lum  married  Mary  Northrop.  He  left  one  daughter,  Jessie 
M.     He  died  in  1882. 


548  HISTORY  OF   NEW  HAVEN  COUNTY. 

Orlando  C.  Osborn,  born  in  Oxford  March  23d,  1847,  is  a  son  of 
Joel  and  grandson  of  Hiram  Osborn.  Joel  was  born  February  1st, 
1821,  married  Catharine  S.  Washband,  of  Oxford,  and  had  one  son  and 
one  daughter,  Bessie,  born  April  4th,  1857,  died  October  21st,  1876. 
Joel  died  May  25th,  1871,  and  his  widow  died  February  2d,  1876.  The 
old  Osborn  homestead  was  built  about  120  years  ago  by  Samuel 
Wheeler,  maternal  great-grandfather  of  Orlando  C.  Orlando  C.  mar- 
ried Idella  J.,  daughter  of  Nehemiah  Andrew,  of  Oxford,  March  24th, 
1869.  They  have  four  children  living:  Katie  M.,  Sadie  E.,  Orlando  N. 
and  Arthur  G.  One  son  died  in  infancy,  named  Orlando  J.  Mr.  Os- 
born graduated  from  the  high  school,  and  chose  the  occupation  of  far- 
mer. He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  1876,  and  represented  the 
town  in  the  legislature  in  1883,  1889  and  1890.  His  father  and  grand- 
father were  both  members  of  the  legislature  from  Oxford. 

John  B.  Pope,  born  in  Roxbury,  Conn.,  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Nehe- 
miah, born  in  Oxford,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of  Thomas,  who 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  Stratford.  Nehemiah  went  to 
Michigan,  remaining  there  four  years,  then  returned  to  Roxbury; 
came  to  Oxford  in  1843,  and  lived  here  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He 
married  Eliza  A  Parker,  of  Washington,  Conn.  They  had  seven  chil- 
dren. John  B.,  the  youngest  son,  married  Jane  M.  Nichols,  of  Nauga- 
tuck,  in  1865.  They  have  five  sons  and  six  daughters.  Mr.  Pope  has 
been  first  selectman  of  Oxford  three  years,  second  selectman  one  year, 
and  was  in  the  legislature  in  1880  and  1881. 

David  C.  Riggs,  born  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Joel, 
who  was  a  native  of  Oxford,  and  grandson  of  David,  who  came  from 
Stratford  and  settled  in  Bethany,  and  afterward  came  to  Oxford.  David 
C.  came  to  Oxford  when  14  years  old,  and  has  remained  here  since, 
engaged  in  farming.  He  married  Esther  Twitchell,  of  Oxford,  in 
1855.  They  have  no  children.  Mr.  Riggs  has  one  brother  living  in 
Oxford,  Nathaniel  H.,  born  in  1852.  David  C.  Riggs  has  been  select- 
man and  assessor  several  times,  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  relief 
of  Oxford. 

James  Roberts,  born  in  England  in  1840,  came  to  this  country  with 
his  parents  when  four  years  old.  They  first  settled  in  North  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  and  from  there  removed  to  Willimantic,  Conn,  where  the 
father,  William  Roberts,  died  from  a  gun-shot  wound  received  in  the 
war  of  the  rebellion.  James  was  educated  in  North  Providence  and 
Willimantic,  learned  the  machinist  trade  and  worked  at  it  three  years, 
when  he  became  an  inventor.  He  has  received  several  patents  on  his 
inventions  in  this  country  and  Europe.  He  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion  in  1861,  in  the  5th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  and  served  until 
he  was  disabled  in  1863,  resigning  as  first  lieutenant.  After  leaving 
the  army  he  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  and 
Worcester,  Mass.  He  married  Ada  F.  Palmer,  of  New  York,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1878.     They  have  four  children,  and  one  daughter  by  a  former 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  549 

wife.  Mr.  Roberts  came  to  Oxford  in  1888,  and  is  engaged  in  breed- 
ing and  raising  fine  stock.  He  has  an  office  at  146  Broadway,  New- 
York,  with  the  Acme  Liquid  Fuel  Company. 

Samuel  Pierpont  Sanford,  one  of  Oxford's  most  active  and  suc- 
cessful business  men,  was  born  in  that  town  July  1st,  1827.  He  was 
a  son  of  Marcus  and  Harriet  (Perry)  Sanford,  being  the  oldest  of  their 
three  children,  there  being  a  younger  son,  George  P.,  also  a  citizen  of 
Oxford,  and  a  daughter,  Augusta  H.,  who  married  J.  M.  D.  Hendrick, 
of  New  Haven.  Both  parents  deceased  many  years  ago,  the  father 
dying  on  his  farm  on  Five  Mile  hill  when  he  was  about  48  years  of 
age.  He  was  a  son  of  Doctor  Samuel  Sanford,  a  native  of  Bethany, 
who  was  the  first  physician  at  Humphreysville,  where  he  died  Janu- 
ary 25th,  1803,  aged  38  years.  In  December,  1797,  he  was  given  per- 
mission to  build  a  smallpox  hospital  north  of  Castle  Rock  for  the  pur- 
pose of  inoculating  against  that  disease.  Another  son  of  Doctor 
Sanford,  Marvin,  was  a  cooper  and  joiner  at  Quakers'  Farm,  and  a 
third  son,  Samuel  P.,  after  living  in  the  South,  died  in  New  York. 

Samuel  Pierpont  Sanford,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  worked  on  his 
father's  farm  until  he  was  17  years  of  age,  attending  in  that  period 
for  a  short  time  the  common  schools  of  the  town.  He  was  now  ap- 
prenticed to  learn  the  carpenter  and  joiners'  trade,  which  he  followed 
five  years  after  he  had  obtained  his  freedom.  In  the  fall  of  1852  he 
turned  his  attention  to  mercantile  pursuits,  becoming  a  clerk  in  the 
store  of  Frederick  A.  Candee,  of  Oxford  Center.  After  five  years  of 
diligent  application  and  faithful  service,  he  succeeded  Mr.  Candee  in 
his  business  in  December,  1857,  and  since  that  time  has  been  almost 
continuously  in  trade  for  himself.  During  the  rebellion  the  post  office 
was  kept  at  his  store,  which  was  burned  down  in  1870.  The  store 
building  now  occupied  was  erected  in  1875.  Here  he  has  been  en- 
gaged not  only  as  a  general  merchant,  but  his  transactions  have 
extended  to  many  other  operations,  including  large  contracts  in  rail- 
way lumber. 

In  all  his  affairs  Mr.  Sanford  has  been  energetic  and  industrious, 
persevering  when  many  other  men  would  have  been  discouraged,  and 
has  been  rewarded  by  a  large  measure  of  business  success.  Although 
so  actively  devoted  to  his  own  affairs,  he  has  not  lost  his  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  his  native  town.  His  influence  in  the  furtherance  of 
necessary  public  improvements  is  frequently  felt,  but  he  has  always 
preferred  the  walks  of  private  life,  wherein  he  is  known  as  one  of  the 
plainest,  most  unassuming  citizens  of  the  town,  but  one  whose  advice 
on  business  matters  is  often  sought  and  safely  followed.  He  is  pru- 
dent in  his  own  affairs,  and  his  judgment  is  clear  and  positive. 

Mr.  Sanford  was  married  April  10th,  1863,  to  Julia  A.,  daughter  of 
Beecher  and  Augusta  (Sherman)  Fairchild,  of  Oxford,  and  five  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them:  Lewis  B.,  born  July  26th,  1864,  died  August 
29th,  1865;  Robert  I.,  born  September  18th,  1866;  Sherman,  born  Sep- 


550  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tember  22d,  1868;  Ruth,  born  August  31st,  1871;  Edward  F.,  bom 
August  23d,  1876.  All  the  members  of  the  family  remain  in  Oxford, 
the  elder  sons  being  engaged  with  their  father  in  business,  and  are 
active,  promising  young  men. 

Elijah  B.  Treat,  born  in  Oxford  November  13th,  1850,  is  a  son  of 
Atwater  and  Elizabeth  A.  Treat,  and  grandson  of  Elijah,  who  was  born 
in  Milford,  Conn.,  in  1774,  married  Esther  Rhodes  in  1794,  and  died 
in  1837.  His  wife  died  in  1850.  They  had  seven  children.  Atwater 
was  the  fifth  child,  was  born  September  4th,  1810,  married  Elizabeth 
Terrell,  of  Bethany,  in  1835,  and  died  February  7th,  1888.  He  had 
eight  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  Elijah  B.  is  the  only 
one  living  in  Oxford.  He  married,  April  23d,  1873,  Sarah  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  L.  and  Delia  Curtiss,  of  Monroe.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren: Jennie  M.,  born  April  20th,  1874;  Florence  L.,  November  6th, 
1877;  Mary  H.,  October  1st,  1881,  and  Atwater  C,  February  15th,  1883. 
Mr.  Treat  is  agent  of  town  deposit  fund,  assessor,  trial  justice  and 
member  of  the  board  of  education.  He  is  senior  warden  in  St.  Peter's 
church  of  Oxford. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE   TOWN   OF   SEYMOUR. 


Geographical  and  Descriptive.— The  Indians.— The  Settlers.— Civil  Organization.— 
Public  Thoroughfares. — Village  of  Seymour. — Hotels. — Merchants. — Post  Office. — 
Banks.— Physicians  and  Attorneys. — The  Press. — Libraries. — Lodges  and  Societies. 
— Manufacturing  Interests.  —  Schools.  —  Churches.  —  Cemeteries.  —  Biographical 
Sketches. 

THE  town  of  Seymour  lies  south  of  Oxford  and  Beacon  Falls,  west 
of  Bethany  and  Woodbridge,  north  of  Ansonia  and  east  of  the 
Housatonic  river  and  Oxford.  The  greater  part  of  this  area  is 
in  the  valley  of  the  Naugatuck,  which  extends  through  the  center  from 
north  to  south,  and  in  the  valleys  along  Bladen's  brook,  from  the  east, 
and  the  Little  river  from  the  northwest.  In  these  localities  are  some 
level  lands,  but  much  of  the  remainder  of  the  town  is  broken  and 
hilly.  The  principal  elevations  are  Rock  Rimmon  in  the  north,  In- 
dian hill  and  Castle  Rock  at  the  center,  and  Great  hill  in  the  southwest. 
The  latter  is  a  very  extensive  tract  of  elevated  lands,  whose  beauty 
and  utility,  compared  with  the  surrounding  country,  were  early  recog- 
nized, and  soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  town  some  choice  lots 
were  cleared  to  form  small  but  good  farms.  But  agriculture  has  long 
since  ceased  to  be  a  leading  industry,  the  chief  point  of  development 
being  the  water  power  of  the  Naugatuck,  at  Rimmon  falls.  At  this 
point  the  hills  bear  close  upon  the  river,  and  a  ledge  extends  two- 
thirds  across  the  stream  in  such  a  way  as  to  form  a  perfect  dam,  nearly 
20  feet  in  height.  The  remaining  distance  being  covered  with  an  arti- 
ficial dam,  this  forms  one  of  the  best  powers  in  the  county.  It  was 
early  known  by  the  name  of  Naugatuck,  or,  in  the  original  Indian, 
Amaug-suck,*  meaning  the  fishing  place,  where  the  waters  pour  down 
or  suck  up  rapidly.  It  is  believed  that  the  latter  is  the  original  term 
applied  by  the  Indians  to  this  place,  the  English  mistaking  the  word, 
as  it  was  pronounced  so  rapidly  in  the  Indian  tongue. 

When  the  second  purchase  of  lands  was  made  from  this  tribe,  in 
April,  1678,  "  the  fishing  place  at  Naugatuck  and  the  plains  and  the 
hill  next  the  river  at  the  fishing  place"  were  reserved  by  the  Indians, 
who  held  the  title  for  that  tract  more  than  100  years  longer.  The 
reservation  embraced  nearly  all  of  what  is  now  the  village  of  Sey- 
mour lying  east  of  the  Naugatuck.     The  lands  in  the  purchase  ex- 

*  Orcutt's  History  of  Derby. 


552  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

tended  from  the  reservation  as  far  east  as  into  Woodbridge,  and  from 
Bladen's  brook  south  several  miles.  The  first  purchase  of  Indian 
lands  had  been  made  two  months  earlier,  in  1678,  and  comprised  the 
tract  lying  between  Bladen's  and  Lebanon  brooks,  and  east  and  south- 
east of  Rock  Rimmon.  The  purchaser  was  Colonel  Ebenezer  John- 
son, of  Derby.  The  third  sale  of  Indian  lands  in  this  locality  was 
made  in  1692,  and  David  Wooster  was  the  purchaser.  The  tract  em- 
braced lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  opposite  the  foregoing,  and 
may  have  extended  from  Rock  Rimmon  southward.  North  from  this 
point  lands  were  purchased,  in  1700,  by  Ebenezer  Johnson  and  Samuel 
Riggs,  who  made  a  division  of  their  interests  in  1708. 

The  Indian  reservation  was  reduced  by  purchases  at  different 
times;  by  the  town  of  Derby,  in  1731,  when  all  of  the  reservation  was 
sold  "  except  the  plain  that  lieth  near  the  Falls  up  to  the  foot  of  the 
hill."  On  the  part  of  the  Indians  the  deed  was  signed  by  John  Cook- 
son,  John  Howd  and  others.  In  the  reduced  reservation  the  falls  and 
2i  acres  of  land  were  sold,  in  1763,  to  Ebenezer  Keeney,  John  Wooster 
and  Joseph  Hull,  Jr.,  Joseph  Chuse  and  John  Howd  signing  that  deed. 
The  children  of  the  latter  held  some  of  the  lands  until  1812-13,  when 
the  town  through  a  commission  sold  the  remaining  property  to  Gen- 
eral David  Humphreys. 

Of  the  Indians  who  lived  on  the  reservation  the  most  authentic 
accounts  pertain  to  Joe  Mau-we-hu.  He  was  a  son  of  Gideon  Mauwehu, 
a  Pequot,  who  was  a  sachem  of  the  Derby  tribe  of  Indians,  living  on 
the  state  reservation,  at  Scatacook,  in  Kent.  After  he  had  taken  his 
tribe  or  clan  thither  from  the  Naugatuck  country,  according  to  Barber, 
Gideon  had  a  desire  that  his  son,  Joe,  should  be  brought  up  among  the 
whites,  and  accordingly  placed  him  in  the  family  of  Agur  Tomlinson, 
of  Derby,  where  he  remained  during  his  minority.  On  attaining  man- 
hood he  preferred  to  remain  in  Derby,  and  his  father  gave  him  a  tract 
of  land  on  the  plain  at  the  falls,  which  was  called  the  Indian  Field. 
Here  he  established  himself  as  a  sort  of  a  sachem  of  the  few  Indians  re- 
maining in  this  locality,  building  his  cabin  on  the  south  border  of  the 
flat,  tilling  a  little  ground,  but  subsisting  mainly  on  hunting  and  fish- 
ing. He  had  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  whites,  and  for  a  few 
years  lived  among  them  on  Indian  hill.  He  was  known  mostly  by  the 
name  of  Chuse,  or  Cliuce,  it  is  said  from  his  manner  of  speaking  the 
word  choose.  The  locality  now  took  the  name  of  Chusetown,  being 
so  called  until  it  took  the  name  of  Humphreysville,  in  1803.  Other 
Indians  were  also  here  for  short  periods,  and  on  the  hill,  east  of  the 
plain,  they  had  a  burial  ground,  each  grave  being  designated  by  a 
heap  of  stones. 

It  was  customary  for  these  Indians  to  go  down  to  the  coast,  at  Mil- 
ford  Beach,  once  a  year,  "to  salt,"  as  they  termed  it.  They  usually  re- 
mained several  weeks,  gathering  oysters  and  clams,  often  drying  some 
of  the  latter,  which  they  strung  up  like  dried  apples  for  use  in  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  553 

winter.  Clams  so  cured  were  among  them  an  article  of  traffic,  which 
they  would  barter  with  the  Indians  of  the  interior  for  venison,  when 
they  would  make  their  annual  visits  to  this  locality. 

Chuse  was  a  large  man,  a  good  hunter,  and  appears  to  have  been 
well  liked.  He  had,  however,  too  great  a  fondness  for  strong  drink, 
and  De  Forest  relates  an  anecdote  which  shows  his  disposition  in  that 
respect:  "Gushing  from  the  hillside,  near  the  plain,  at  the  Falls,  was 
■a  spring  of  very  superior  water.  To  this  he  used  to  come  when 
thirsty,  and  having  drank  of  it,  would  sit  on  the  bank  near  by  and 
praise  the  water,  and  say  that  if  there  was  another  spring,  just  such  a 
spring,  of  rum  flowing  by  the  side  of  it,  he  would  ask  for  nothing 
more,  but  would  be  perfectly  happy."  After  living  in  this  locality 
more  than  40  years,  Chuse,  or  Joseph  Mauwehu.and  most  of  the  others 
■of  his  feeble  clan  removed  to  Scatacook  some  time  about  1780.  He 
died  there,  about  80  years  of  age.  In  his  family  of  eight  children  two 
were  sons  and  six  daughters,  one  of  whom  lived  until  1859,  when  she 
died,  104  years  old.  In  her  death  passed  away  one  of  the  last  of  the 
full-blooded  Derby  Indians,  as  well  as  one  who  by  birth  was  an  In- 
dian princess.  For  many  years  this  Eunice  Mauwehu,  more  commonly 
called  Old  Eunice,  was  a  familiar  object  at  the  falls,  and  her  accounts 
of  olden  times  were  very  interesting. 

Usually  the  relations  between  the  whites  and  the  Indians  were  of 
the  most  friendly  nature,  nothing  happening  to  disturb  the  serenity  of 
their  lives.  There  was  one  occasion,  however,  which  might  have  been 
made  a  pretext  for  hostile  attitude  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.*  Soon 
after  the  first  settlement  at  the  falls  a  white  man  by  the  name  of 
Noah  Durand  killed  an  Indian  named  John  Sunk  by  mistake.  They 
were  hunting  deer,  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  below  the  falls,  Durand 
being  on  the  west  side  and  Sunk  on  the  east  side  of  the  stream.  Du- 
rand, seeing  something  moving  among  the  bushes  on  the  east  side,  and 
thinking  it  was  a  deer,  fired,  when  the  Indian,  mortally  wounded,  cried 
out:  "You  have  killed  me."  Durand  waded  through  the  river  to  the 
Indian's  assistance,  who  begged  for  a  drink  of  water.  This  Durand 
brought  to  him  in  a  shoe,  when  Sunk,  after  drinking,  immediately 
died.  The  whites  and  the  Indians  arbitrated  the  matter  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  latter,  who  were  convinced  that  the  killing  was  uninten- 
tional. But  at  the  trial  one  of  the  Indians  present  remarked  "  that  he 
never  knew  of  deer  wearing  red  stockings  before,"  alluding  to  the 
common  Indian  dress.  The  Indians,  however,  remained  friendly 
toward  Mr.  Durand,  and  made  his  house  their  stopping  place  as  long 
as  they  came  to  this  part  of  the  country. 

Besides  the  name  of  Naugatuck,  other  Indian  names  are  perpetu- 
ated in  the  names  of  places  or  localities  in  the  town.  Squantuck  is 
still  frequently  applied  to  the  southwestern  section,  on  the  Housatonic; 
Hessekee  to  the  meadow  in  the  Great  Hill  section,  and  to  the  brook 

*  See  Barber's  Historical  Collections. 


554  HISTORV   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

between  Ansonia  and  Seymour;  Skokorat  to  the  ridge  a  mile  east  of 
the  Naugatuck  and  north  of  Bladen's  brook;  and  Nyumph  to  the  re- 
gion still  further  inward  from  the  Naugatuck.  Rimmon,  as  first  ap- 
plied to  the  hill  or  rock,  and  later  to  the  falls,  doubtless  was  derived 
from  a  Biblical  source.  Shrub  Oak,  the  name  long  given  to  that  part 
of  the  town  now  covered  by  the  village  of  Seymour,  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Naugatuck,  had  its  origin  in  the  trees  which  grew  in  that  local- 
ity; Castle  Rock,  south  of  the  village,  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  a 
castle,  etc. 

According  to  Sharpe,  in  his  excellent  account  of  Seymour,  the 
Johnson  brothers,  Benajah  and  Timothy,  were  the  first  settlers  in  this 
locality.  The  latter  located  in  what  is  now  Beacon  Falls,  near  the 
Pines  Bridge.  The  former  in  172S  married  the  widow  of  Joseph 
Hawkins,  Jr.,  who  lived  at  where  is  now  Birmingham,  and  soon  after 
settled  northeast  of  the  present  village  of  Seymour.  In  1750  they 
built  a  new  house,  which  remained  in  that  locality  more  than  a  hun- 
dred years.  Benajah  Johnson  died  April  13th,  1763,  aged  59  years, 
and  as  there  was  not  at  that  time  a  place  of  burial  in  this  locality,  his 
remains  were  carried  to  Derby  on  a  horse  litter  for  interment  in  the 
old  cemetery  at  that  place.  His  widow  survived  him  about  ten  years, 
deing  at  the  residence  of  her  daughter,  Zeviah,  who  was  married  to 
Abiel  Fairchild,  of  Beacon  Falls.  On  the  opposite  side  of  Rock  Rim- 
mon the  Riggs  and  Woosters  were  early  landowners.  In  1779  the  fol- 
lowing appear  to  have  resided  on  the  west  of  the  river,  between  Great 
hill  and  the  upper  part  of  the  Rimmon  region:  Bradford  Steele,  John 
Bottsford,  Ashbel  Steele,  Edward  Harger,  Hezekiah  Woodin,  Josiah 
Washburn,  Reuben  Perkins,  Abraham  Wooster,  Ranford  Whitney, 
Daniel  Davis,  Lewis  Riggs,  Benjamin  Davis,  John  Wooster,  Ebenezer 
Keeney,  James  Pritchard,  Jr.,  William  Keeney,  Samuel  Wooster,  The- 
odore Miles,  William  Gordon,  Jonathan  Miles. 

The  exact  residences  of  all  of  these  cannot  now  be  given,  but  a 
number  were  within  the  present  bounds  of  Seymour,  while  others 
were  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Oxford.  Among  others  who  early 
lived  on  the  Great  hill  were  Jonas,  David  and  Henry  Tomlinson,  Mi- 
cah  Poole,  William  Smith,  Joseph  Tomlinson,  Isaac  Bassett,  Isaac 
Bottsford,  Elliott  Bassett  and  Bennett  Lumm.  The  names  of  many 
other  residents  of  this  part  of  Old  Derby  appear  in  the  accounts  of  the 
various  church  organizations,  and  will  not  be  here  repeated. 

Seymour  was  incorporated  as  a  town  by  the  May,  1850,  session  of 
the  general  assembly,  upon  the  petition  of  Leman  Chatfield  and  others, 
to  embrace  all  that  part  of  the  town  of  Derby  lying  north  of  the  fol- 
lowing line:  "  Commencing  at  the  Housatonic  River,  thence  running 
easterly  in  a  straight  line,  touching  the  most  northerly  point  of  Martin 
B.  Bassett's  stone  building,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  said  river,  thence 
running  easterly  in  the  same  straight  line  to  the  north  side  of  the 
dwelling  house  now  occupied  by  said  Martin   B.  Bassett,  thence  in  a 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 


555 


straight  line  easterlv  to  the  stone  bridge  in  the  highway  about  twenty- 
five  rods  westerlv  of  the  house  occupied  by  Pearl  Carpenter,  thence 
from  said  bridge  following  down  the  brook  that  runs  under  said 
bridge  till  it  empties  into  the  Naugatuck  River;  thence  from  the 
mouth  of  said  brook  easterly,  in  a  straight  line  to  the  intersection  of 
the  line  dividing  the  town  of  Woodbridge  from  the  town  of  Derby, 
with  the  center  line  of  the  Rimmon  Falls  Turnpike  road;  with  all  the 
inhabitants  residing  therein,  be,  and  the  same  hereby  are,  incorporated 
into  a  distinct  town  by  the  name  of  Seymour." 

The   division   of  the  town   of  Derby  at  this  time  was  caused  and 
made  possible  by  local  contention,  in  which  the  northern  part,  which 
was  democratic,  was  sharply  arrayed  against  the  southern  part,  which 
was  whio-      The  Reverend  Sylvester  Smith,  a  democrat,  was  in  the 
assembly,  having  been  elected  from  Humphreysville,  and  he  had  the 
active  cooperation  of  Judge   H.   B.  Munson  of  the  same  village,  in 
urging  the  measure  upon  that  body.     So  earnestly  was  it  advocated 
that  much  to  the  surprise  of  those  opposed,  it  was  carried  by  a  small 
majority      As   originally  introduced  the  bill  provided  the  name  of 
Richmond  for  the  new  town,  but  for  diplomatic  reasons  that  title  was 
stricken  out  and  Sevmour  inserted,  in  compliment  to  the  Hon.  Thomas 
H  Seymour,  at  that  time  the  governor  of  the  state.     Judge  Munson 
reasoned  that  if  the  bill  would  come  to  the  executive  with  his  name 
he  would  not  veto  it,  no  matter  what  pressure  would  be  brought  to 
bear  on  him  to  do  so,  and  it  was  found  that  he  was  correct  in  his  con- 
clusions.    Seymour  it  became  and   so  remained,  in  spite  of  the  effort, 
in  1856  *  to  change  the  name  to  Humphreys,  which  would  naturally 
occur  as  the  most  suggestive  or  historically  appropriate  title  for  a  town 
in  a  section  with  which  General  Humphreys  was  so  closely  identified, 
as  he  was  with  what  is  now  Seymour.     In  1854  a  small  part  of  the 
town  of  Oxford  was  annexed  to  Seymour. 

Under  the  act  of  1850  the  first  town  election  was  held,  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  M.  E.  church,  June  24th,  1850.  Leman  Chatfield  moder- 
ated, and  among  the  officers  elected  were:  Selectmen,  Leman  Chat- 
field'  Daniel  L.  Holbrook,  Thomas  Cochran;  town  clerk,  Charles  B. 
Woo'ster;  town  treasurer,  Sylvester  Smith;  grand  jurors,  Burton  W. 
Smith,  Thomas  Stoddard,  George  L.  Hodge,  Abel  Holbrook,  Charles 
L  Hyde  Walter  B.  Clark;  tything  men,  Church  society,  Burton  W. 
Smith  Sheldon  Hurd,  Isaac  Lindley;  Methodist  society,  John  L. 
Hartson,  Jarvis  Polly;  Congregational  society,  Meda  K.  Tucker,  Will- 
iam H  Tuthill;  Baptist  society,  Sharon  Y.  Beach,  George  L.  Hodge; 
Great  Hill  Methodist  society,  William  C.  Smith,  Roswell  Humaston. 

The  last  set  of  tything  men  for  the  Baptist  society  was  elected  in 
1859     On  the  31st  of  March,  1851,  Bennett  Wooster  was  elected  the 
first  representative  of  the  town  of  Seymour  to  the  general  assembly. 
*  The  town  voted  117  to  81  against  change  of  name. 


556  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  town  clerks  of  Seymour  have  been:  1850-62,  Charles  B.  Woos- 
ter;  1863-5,  Burton  W.  Smith;  1866,  Edward  F.  Bassett;  1867,  William 
F.  Betts;  1868-S9,  Samuel  H.  Canfield.  Town  treasurers:  1850,  Syl- 
vester Smith;  1851-5,  Burton  W.  Smith;  1856,  Hiram  W.  Randall; 
1857-8,  Burton  W.  Smith;  1859-60,  Henry  S.  Johnson;  1861-3,  David 
Betts,  Jr.;  1864-5,  Cornelius  W.  James;  1866,  Nathan  R.  Wooster; 
1867-8,  Henry  Davis;  1869-89,  Samuel  H.  Canfield. 

The  town  has  made  generous  appropriations  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  various  interests  connected  with  its  government,  the  entire 
amount  in  1889  being  about  $23,000.  Of  this  sum  a  liberal  proportion 
was  for  the  location  and  betterment  of  the  highways. 

The  first  roads  through  what  is  now  Seymour  were  from  Derby 
northward  to  Waterbury,  there  being  three  principal  ways:  over  the 
hills,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Naugatuck;  along  the  river,  crossing  it 
whenever  the  nature  of  the  country  demanded,  and  the  third  was  over 
Great  hill.  The  latter  was  laid  out  previous  to  1745,  but  none  of  the 
roads  were  improved  in  the  sense  we  now  use  that  term.  They  were 
long  used  by  people  traveling  on  foot  or  horseback  only.  The  road  to 
Woodbury  from  Derby,  along  the  Housatonic,  was  laid  out  soon  after 
1782,  a  lottery  being  authorized  to  aid  in  its  improvement.  In  the 
year  named  Ashbel  Loveland  was  appointed  to  build  a  bridge  over  the 
Naugatuck,  below  the  falls,  at  Seymour.  The  turnpike  crossed  this 
bridge  after  1798,  and  in  1802  the  town  of  Derby  and  the  turnpike 
company  arranged  to  build  a  new  bridge  at  this  point.  In  the  same 
year  the  committee  for  the  "proprietors  of  the  Turnpike  Road  from 
Thompson's  Bridge,  in  New  Haven,  to  the  Falls  Bridge,  in  Chustown," 
bought  land-  of  Lydia  Keeney  to  extend  the  pike  in  a  straight  line 
from  Edwin  Page's  blacksmith  shop  to  the  bridge.  This  road  was 
also  called  the  "  Rimmon  Falls  Turnpike."  It  was  a  great  convenience 
to  the  people  of  this  section,  but  its  construction  was  at  first  much 
opposed  by  the  town  of  Derby.  On  the  west  side  of  the  bridge  the  road 
made  connection  with  the  Oxford  &  Woodbury  Turnpike.  The  road 
from  Shrub  Oak  to  Derby  Narrows  was  laid  out  in  1805.  The  road 
from  Blueville  to  Seymour,  along  Bladen's  Brook,  was  cut  through  in 
1844. 

In  January,  1852,  a  special  town  meeting  was  held  to  vote  on  build- 
ing a  new  bridge  over  the  Naugatuck  at  Moshier's  tavern.  Isaac  B. 
Davis,  Philo  Holbrook  and  Raymond  French  were  appointed  a  build- 
ing committee.  In  1883  an  iron  bridge,  124  feet  long,  with  16  feet 
approaches,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $6,000.  James  Swan, 
Carlos  French  and  Edwin  Smith  recommended  that  the  contract  be 
given  to  the  Berlin  Bridge  Company.  The  bridge  across  the  Nauga- 
tuck, above  the  falls  and  leading  off  from  Bank  street,  is  a  long 
wooden  structure. 

The  Humphreysville  &  Salem  Turnpike  Company  was  organized 
in  1825  to  build  a  turnpike  between   those  points  on   the  east  side  of 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  557 

the  river.  In  1856  the  charter  was  annulled,  and  the  road  has  since 
been  a  good  public  highway. 

Plank  roads  took  the  place  of  the  east  and  west  turnpikes  in  1852, 
in  which  year  the  New  Haven  &  Seymour  Plank  Road  Company  and 
the  Woodbury  &  Seymour  Plank  Road  Company  were  incorporated. 
The  former  extended  from  Seymour,  through  Bethany  and  Wood- 
bridge,  to  the  Westville  bridge.  The  latter  was  built  through  the 
towns  of  Oxford  and  Southbury,  and  was  kept  up  with  a  charge  for 
toll  until  about  ten  years  ago. 

In  1845  the  Naugatuck  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated.  The 
time  for  building  it  was  extended  in  1848,  and  the  capital  increased 
from  $600,000  ultimately  to  $2,000,000.  The  first  locomotive  ran  into 
Seymour  May  10th,  1849,  and  passenger  cars  four  days  later.  Decem- 
ber 14th,  1849,  a  locomotive  ran  over  William  B.  Watson's  stage,  break- 
ing it  up  and  killing  his  horse.  The  railroad  gave  a  great  impetus  to 
all  kinds  of  enterprises,  and  many  business  schemes  were  brought  out 
from  this  time  on,  until  the  stringent  period  of  1857. 

George  W.  Beach,  the  present  superintendent  of  the  road,  and 
serving  in  that  capacity  since  1868,  was  the  agent  at  Seymour  from 
1855  to  1857.  Later  agents  were  Philo  B.  Buckingham,  A.  Y.  Beach, 
H.  M.  Rogers,  Joseph  Ineson  and,  since  June,  1879,  Theodore  B.  Beach. 
In  that  period  the  volume  of  business  has  increased  60  per  cent.  The 
original  building  at  the  depot  has  been  improved,  but  new  buildings 
will  soon  be  erected  for  a  station. 

The  town  fire  department  was  authorized  by  a  vote  of  the  town, 
passed  December  23d,  1882,  and  rules  for  its  government  prepared  by 
F.  H.  Beecher,  H.  B.  Wooster  and  George  A.  James,  were  filed  Janu- 
ary 15th,  1883.  Moneys  were  appropriated  in  1884-5  to  buy  hose, 
build  a  reservoir  and  bell  tower,  and  to  procure  hooks  and  ladders. 
Headquarters  were  established  on  Factory  street,  on  which  an  engine 
house  and  bell  tower  were  erected.  In  1890  James  Swan  was  the  chief 
engineer  and  Cornelius  James  assistant.  The  Citizens'  Engine  & 
Hook  &  Ladder  Company,  No.  2,  was  organized  in  August,  1884,  and 
incorporated  in  March,  1886.  F.  H.  Beecher  has  been  the  foreman 
from  the  time  of  organization.  The  company  embraces  among  its 
members  most  of  the  leading  young  men  of  the  village.  The  depart- 
ment is  maintained  at  a  yearly  outlay  of  about  $700. 

The  thriving  village  of  Seymour  is  the  business  center  of  the  town 
and  contains  by  far  the  greater  proportion  of  its  population.  It  is  very 
pleasantly  located  on  the  Naugatuck  river  at  Rimmon  falls,  and  ex- 
tends on  both  sides  of  the  stream  along  the  vales  of  Bladen's  brook 
and  the  Little  river.  The  surrounding  hills  are  attractive  and  the  en- 
vironments are  among  the  most  pleasing  in  the  county.  It  is  also  an 
important  station  on  the  Naugatuck  railroad.  From  the  time  this 
locality  was  known  by  the  whites  until  1804,  it  was  variously  desig- 
nated as  Rimmon  Falls,  Chusetown  or   Falls  of  Naugatuck;  then  it 


558  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

bore  the  name  of  Humphreysville;  but  since  1850  the  present  title  has 
been  applied. 

It  is  the  seat  of  important  manufacturing  interests,  has  a  magnifi- 
cent Union  school  building,  four  church  edifices,  many  fine  business 
blocks,  and  a  large  proportion  of  substantial  homes,  giving  evidence 
of  the  thrift  and  refinement  of  their  occupants,  the  entire  population 
being  about  3,000.  There  are,  also,  an  excellent  local  newspaper — the 
Seymour  Record,  published  by  W.  C.  Sharpe,  whose  writings  on  local 
history  deserve  a  wide  circulation;  many  well-stocked  stores,  Lodges 
of  the  Masonic,  Odd  Fellows  and  other  reputable  orders,  and  other  in- 
terests briefly  sketched  in  the  following  pages. 

One  of  the  first  public  houses  in  this  locality  was  kept  during  the 
revolution  by  Turel  Whittemore.  It  was  on  the  bluff,  east  of  the  Nau- 
gatuck,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  falls  at  Seymour.  At  that 
time  Lemuel  Wooding  was  his  barkeeper.  This  place  became  widely 
known  on  account  of  its  having  been  selected  as  the  rendezvous  where 
the  tory  band  gathered  on  the  way  to  rob  the  house  of  Captain  Eben- 
ezer  Dayton,  in  Bethany,  March  14th,  1780.  The  building  was  en- 
larged, and  as  a  residence  it  has  stood  more  than  a  hundred  years. 
After  the  revolution  Captain  Dayton  was  himself  an  innkeeper  at 
Chusetown,  his  house  being  below  the  falls.  It  was  kept  until  after 
1800,  when  Dayton,  being  of  a  restless  disposition,  moved  to  Louisiana. 
Ezekiel  Gilbert  had  a  small  store  near  Squantuck  before  1S30,  when 
he  removed  to  Humphreysville  and  kept  the  tavern  on  Broad  street, 
near  the  bridge,  where  John  Moshier  had  previously  been,  and  where, 
after  two  years,  he  again  kept  the  inn,  continuing  until  his  death.  In 
1846  the  innkeepers  were  David  B.  Clark  and  John  S.  Moshier.  In  1849 
the  latter  and  John  J.  Rider  were  taverners.  The  Broad  street  place 
is  still  used  as  a  hotel,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  village  public  houses 
have  been  opened  and  kept  in  agreement  with  the  growth  of  the 
town. 

In  the  early  history  of  Humphreysville,  a  store  was  kept  in  the 
valley  and  another  on  the  hill,  near  the  present  Episcopal  church. 
None  of  the  early  merchants  remained  very  long  in  the  trade.  In 
1835-40  a  number  of  persons  were  in  trade,  among  them  being  Eze- 
kiel Gilbert,  Uri  Wakeman  and  Thomas  Stoddard,  Andrew  De  Forest, 
Harrison  Tomlinson  and  Robert  J.  Abbott,  the  latter  being  a  druggist. 
Albert  J.  Steele  had  a  furniture  business  soon  after,  which  in  1848  be- 
came the  property  of  E.  F.  Bassett,  who  was,  perhaps,  longer  in  trade 
than  any  other  citizen  of  the  place.  In  1852  a  cooperative  store  was 
here  established,  with  the  name  of  the  Union  Mercantile  Company. 
The  capital  was  $4,000,  in  shares  of  $25,  and  the  largest  stockholder 
owned  eight  shares.  In  all  there  were  64  stockholders.  B.  W.  Smith 
and  John  J.  Rider  were  among  the  early  presidents.  The  store  was 
west  of  the  falls  bridge,  on  the  north  side  of  Broad  street.  Humphrey 
&  Wooster,  Tuttle  &   Bassett  and  Downs  &  Sanford  were  also  mer- 


HISTORY    OK    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  559 

chandising  about  the  same  time.  James  Davis  was  another  druggist. 
David  Betts  was  a  later  druggist,  and  was  succeeded  in  1867  by  S.  H. 
Can  field.  A  year  later  his  store  was  moved  to  the  James  Block,  op- 
posite the  railway  station,  and  in  1887  to  the  new  Canfield  Block,  close 
at  hand,  also  on  Main  street.  Other  principal  blocks  and  business 
buildings  in  1890  were  those  bearing  the  names  of  Bassett  and  Beach, 
on  Bank  street;  Buckingham,  on  Broad  street;  Davis,  Dunham,  French, 
Hyde  and  Market,  on  Main  street.  The  Bassett  Block  was  damaged 
and  the  old  Beach  Block  destroyed  by  fire  December  23d,  1889,  involv- 
ing a  loss  of  $20,000.  Upon  its  site  a  splendid  new  block  of  brick, 
trimmed  with  stone,  was  erected  by  Sharon  Y.  Beach,  which  was  in 
1890  the  finest  business  building  in  the  town.  It  was  fitted  up  for 
stores,  offices  and  a  large  assembly  room,  known  as  Beach's  Hall. 
Other  public  halls  are  the  Concordia  and  Molan's,  also  on  Bank  street; 
Davis  Hall,  on  Main;  and  the  Tiugue  Opera  House,  in  connection  with 
the  Windsor  Hotel,  on  Second  street. 

Among  the  principal  merchants  of  later  periods  have  been  Henry 
Bradley,  S.  W.  Buckingham,  V.  Buckingham,  Henry  A.  Dunham, 
George  S.  Edwards,  S.  R.  Dean,  C.  W.  Storrs,  M.  M.  Randall,  J.  N. 
Popp,  C.  H.  Lounsbury,0.  D.  Sykes,  W.  L.  Ward  and  Henry  M.  Tay- 
lor. In  other  lines  of  business  Sharon  Y.  and  A.  Y.  Beach,  Thomas 
Sharpe  and  Henry  A.  Rider  have  long  been  identified  with  the  inter- 
ests of  Seymour,  and  have  helped  to  develop  it  from  a  small  village 
into  a  bustling  manufacturing  town. 

Among  the  postmasters  of  the  Humphreysville  (Seymour  after 
1850)  post  office  have  been  John  C.  Wheeler,  John  Smith,  B.W.Smith, 
John  W.  Storrs  and  David  Betts.  The  latter  was  succeeded  in  1861  by 
Samuel  H.  Canfield,  who  was  the  postmaster  for  25  years.  Since  April, 
1887,  David  Tucker  has  been  the  postmaster.  The  Seymour  office  is 
in  a  spacious  room,  fitted  up  with  modern  furniture,  containing  735 
boxes.  There  are  five  mails  per  day,  and  since  1871  this  has  been  a 
postal  money  order  office. 

The  town  had  no  bank  in  1890.  The  first  monetary  institution  was 
the  Bank  of  North  America,  which  was  incorporated  in  1851,  with  a 
capital  of  $100,000.  In  1854  double  that  amount  of  capital  was  author- 
ized. George  F.  DeForest  was  one  of  the  first  presidents.  The  bank 
was  first  at  the  corner  of  Maple  and  Main  streets,  but  a  new  banking 
house  was  especially  erected  for  its  use  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Bank 
streets.  This  later  became  the  residence  of  Sharon  Y.  Beach.  In 
June,  1859,  an  addition  of  $100,000  to  the  capital  stock  was  authorized. 
The  following  year  the  bank  was  moved  to  Ansonia,  by  permission  of 
the  general  assembly,  and  in  1861  the  name  was  changed  to  Ansonia 
Bank. 

In  1852  the  Young  Men's  Savings  Bank  and  Building  Association 
was  incorporated,  and  business  was  done  in  connection  with  the  above 
bank.     Sylvester  Smith  was  the  president  of  the  association,  which 


560  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

continued  only  a  few  years.     The  Seymour  Savings  Bank  was  author- 
ized later,  but  never  organized,  and  the  charter  was  annulled  in  1882. 

Doctor  Samuel  Sanford,  of  Bethany,  located  in  the  town  in  1793, 
as  the  first  permanent  physician.  He  lived  at  Chusetown,  and  in  1797 
received  liberty  from  the  town  of  Derby  to  "  inoculate  at  some  suit- 
able place."  He  established  a  small-pox  hospital  on  the  hill,  a  little 
north  of  Castle  Rock,  which  place  was  convenient  to  his  residence, 
at  the  corner  of  West  and  Church  streets.  He  died  January  25th, 
1808,  at  the  age  of  38  years. 

The  next  resident  practitioner  was  Abiram  Stoddard.  He  was 
born  in  Watertown,  in  1777,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1800,  and  located 
at  Humphreysville  in  1804.  He  had  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 
His  manner  was  somewhat  rough,  and  he  was  essentially  eccentric, 
but  he  was  skillful  and  had  the  confidence  of  his  patients.  He  died 
December  23d,  1855,  aged  79  years.  His  son,  Thomas,  who  was  a 
graduate  from  the  Yale  Medical  School,  first  began  practice  here  in 
1836,  but  was  not  active  in  the  profession  all  the  time  he  lived  at 
Seymour. 

In  1823  Doctor  Titus  C.  Pratt  located  at  Humphreysville,  but  after 
five  years'  practice  he  removed  to  the  northern  part  of  New  York. 

Doctor  Sheldon  C.  Johnson  settled  at  Humphreysville  in  1825.  He 
was  a  son-in-law  of  Doctor  Abiram  Stoddard,  and  also  received  his 
degree  of  M.  D.  from  Yale.  He  practiced  in  Seymour  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  time,  and  died  November  13th,  1887,  nearly  90  years  of 
age. 

Doctor  Joshua  Kendall  was  his  contemporary.  He  was  born  in 
Tioga  county,  Pa.,  in  1806,  and  was  a  son  of  Noadiah  and  Rhoda 
(Ballard)  Kendall,  and  grandson  of  Noadiah.  Doctor  Kendall  at  an 
early  age  removed  with  his  family  to  Granby,  Conn.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  Castleton,  Vt.,  graduating  in  1828  from  the  Castleton  Medical 
College.  In  1833  he  settled  in  Seymour,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  until  his  death,  January  17th,  1891 .  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church  and  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  & 
A.  M.  He  married,  in  1836,  Mrs.  Thirza  Humphrey.  They  had  two 
children:  Mary,  deceased,  and  Rhoda,  who  married  Allen  Clark. 

About  1849  J.  D.  A.  Yale  lived  at  Seymour  as  a  botanic  physician. 
Doctor  Norman  R.  Bailey  removed  from  Seymour  prior  to  1876,  going 
to  Ansonia,  and  thence  later  to  New  York. 

His  successor  at  Seymour  was  Randall  E.  Warner,  born  in  Thomas- 
ton,  Conn.,  December  25th,  1855,  a  son  of  Randall  A.  and  Elizabeth 
(Russell)  Warner.  His  grandfather  was  also  named  Randall.  Doctor 
Warner  was  educated  at  Thomaston  Academy,  and  studied  medicine 
with  Doctor  R.  S.  Goodwin,  of  Thomaston.  He  graduated  from  the 
Yale  Medical  School  in  1876,  and  locating  in  Seymour  the  same  year, 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  married  Delia  C.  Stout  in 
1883.     They  have  one  son,  Charles  R.,  and  one  daughter,  Helen  T> 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  561 

Doctor  Warner  is  a  member  of  the  Housatonic  Medical  Society,  and  a 
member  of  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  I.  O.  of  Red  Men  and 
A.  O.  U.  W. 

After  being  in  practice  at  Seymour  a  short  time  Doctor  Robert 
Hungerford  died  September  22d,  1888,  while  on  a  visit  to  Canada. 
Doctor  A.  R.  Vail,  a  homeopath,  died  here  in  1872. 

Doctor  Frederick  W.  Pulford,  born  in  Leeds,  Yorkshire,  England, 
August  21st,  1826,  came  to  America  in  1842,  and  settled  in  Ridgeville, 
Ohio.  He  was  educated  at  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College  of  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  receiving  his  diploma  in  1862.  He  practiced  for  a  short  time 
in  Ohio,  then  located  in  Massachusetts,  where  he  practiced  for  several 
years,  coming  to  Seymour  in  1876.  He  has  acquired  an  extensive 
practice.  He  was  married  in  1847  to  Sarah  Leonard.  Their  children 
are:  Rufus  A.,  born  May  25th,  1852;  Mary  E.,  born  September  29th, 
1855.  died  in  January,  1887;  Frederick  W.,  born  1857,  died  in  1867; 
Charles  H.,  born  December  18th,  1859;  William  E.,  born  June  21st, 
1862,  and  Arabella  E..  born  May  13th,  1866.  Rufus  A.  married  Sarah 
J.  Holmes;  Mary  E.  married  Frederick  Pierson;  Arabella  married  for 
her  first  husband  Frank  Leavenworth,  and  for  her  second,  Andrew  J. 
Miles;  William  E.  married  Harriet  Beers.  Charles  H.  Pulford  was 
educated  at  the  Hahnemann  Colleges  of  New  York  and  Chicago, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  18S8.  He  married  Harriet  E.  Humphrey 
in  1890.  He  is  associated  in  practice  with  his  father,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  State  Homeopathic  Society. 

Horace  M.  Shepard  was  one  of  the  first  attorneys  at  Humphreys- 
ville,  living  there  from  1830  until  1832.  In  the  spring  of  the  latter 
year  Alfred  Blackman  became  a  resident  of  the  village,  following  his 
profession  at  this  place  ten  years,  when  he  removed  to  Waterbury, 
and  later  to  New  Haven,  where  he  was  a  leader  at  the  bar  until  his 
retirement  in  1872. 

Judge  Harris  B.  Munson  was  for  the  longest  time  an  attorney  in 
Seymour.  He  was  born  in  Middlebury  in  1821,  and  in  his  early  life 
was  bound  out  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade.  Leaving  that,  he  studied 
law,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1846,  and  located  at  Seymour  soon 
after.  From  1852  to  1854  he  was  a  judge  of  the  county  court,  filling 
that  position  very  creditably.  He  also  held  legislative  offices.  He 
died  at  Seymour  February  2d,  1885. 

Judge  Luzon  B.  Morris  was  at  Seymour  before  his  removal  to  New 
Haven,  many  years  ago,  and  Judge  William  H.  Williams,  prior  to  his 
settlement  in  Birmingham,  in  more  recent  years. 

Clifford  J.  Atwater  came  to  Seymour  as.  an  attorney  in  November, 
1885,  having  just  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  Carlos  H.  Storrs,  who 
is  a  contemporary  attorney,  also  has  an  office  at  Ansonia. 

The  first  paper  devoted  to  the  interests  of  Seymour  was  an  edition 
of  the  Valley  Messenger,  printed  at  Birmingham  some  time  about  1855. 


562  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

J.  W.  Storrs  was  the  editor.     The  paper  was  not  well  sustained,  and 
the  publication  was  soon  discontinued. 

In  1869  a  printing  office  was  opened  in  the  village  by  W.  C.  Sharpe, 
and  two  years  later  he  commenced  the  publication  of  a  small  weekly 
paper,  The  Seymour  Record,  which  he  has  since  carried  on  as  editor  and 
proprietor.  As  the  town  grew  the  paper  was  enlarged,  and  has  fully 
kept  pace  with  its  development.  In  1890  it  was  an  eight-page  sheet, 
31  by  44,  and  was  wholly  printed  in  the  Record  office.  It  is  largely 
devoted  to  local  matters  and  has  frequently  published  illustrated 
sketches  of  the  various  improvements  and  enterprises  of  the  village. 
From  its  well  equipped  office  have  also  been  issued  a  number  of  local 
historical  publications,  which  were  prepared  by  its  editor,  W.  C.  Sharpe. 
He  was  born  in  Southbury  in  1839,  and  is  a  descendant  of  Thomas 
Sharpe,  one  of  the  38  proprietors  of  Newtown  in  1708,  and  is  a  grand- 
son of  Thomas  Sharpe,  3d,  a  revolutionary  soldier,  who  died  in  Oxford 
in  1805.  Since  1842  he  has  resided  at  Seymour,  except  when  at  school 
or  engaged  as  a  teacher.  His  last  experience  in  that  profession  was 
as  the  principal  of  the  Derby  graded  school  in  1868.  He  is  very  active 
in  all  matters  of  public  well-being,  and  has  made  the  Record  a  worthy 
exponent  of  the  best  interests  of  a  great  portion  of  the  Naugatuck 
valley. 

In  1885  the  Seymour  Times,  another  local  weekly  paper,  was  begun 
by  J.  H.  Whiting,  but  failed  to  attain  a  sound  financial  basis  or  a  pa- 
tronage which  would  permit  its  continuance.  It  was  suspended  in 
1888,  and  the  material  removed. 

The  culture  of  the  mind  was  not  neglected  by  the  early  settlers  of 
this  part  of  the  county.  Some  of  the  church  societies  *  maintained 
libraries.  After  the  mills  of  General  Humphreys  were  established  he 
gave  much  encouragement  to  social  and  literarv  culture,  and  the  en- 
tertainments  gotten  up  by  his  workmen  on  holiday  occasions  were 
always  looked  forward  to  with  a  keen  interest.  Later  a  lyceum  was 
established,  which  had  among  its  members  the  leading  young  men  of 
those  periods.  In  1848  the  name  of  the  society  was  changed  to  the 
Humphreysville  Literary  Association,  of  which  Luzon  P.  Morris  was 
the  president,  and  among  the  leading  members  were:  Joshua  Kendall, 
John  W.  vStorrs,  John  L.  Daniels,  Clement  A.  Sargent,  George  W. 
Divine  and  Henry  Russell.  The  meetings  were  usually  held  in  the 
basement  of  the  Congregational  church. 

The  Humphreysville  Library  Company  was  incorporated  in  1854, 
the  corporators  being  P.  B.  Buckingham,  B.  W.  Smith,  G.  H.  Mer- 
rick, Raymond  French,  Sylvester  Smith,  Samuel  Bassett,  Henry  S. 
Mygatt,  Ransom  Tomlinson,  Ashbel  Storrs,  L.  B.  Morris  and  Andrew 
Bassett.  The  company  was  authorized  to  hold  real  estate  to  the 
amount  of  $1,000  and  books  to  the  value  of  $5,000.     Owing  to  the 

*May  9th,  1817,  a  librarian  was  appointed  for  the  library  of  the  "Village 
Church  "  of  the  Congregational  Society. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  563 

many  changes  in  the  place  in  that  period  the  company  did  not  succeed 
in  accomplishing  its  purpose. 

The  Seymour  Public  Library  was  founded  in  the  summer  of  1885. 
A  library  of  36  volumes  was  opened  to  the  public  under  mild  restric- 
tions, and  placed  in  the  Grand  Army  Hall,  in  the  care  of  the  Good 
Templars  of  Seymour.  Soon  after  57  more  volumes  were  donated  by 
Senator  O.  H.  Piatt.  In  1890  the  library  contained  300  volumes,  which 
were  in  charge  of  W.  C.  Sharpe,  as  the  librarian,  and  it  was  well  pa- 
tronized. 

Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.,  clearly  antedates  in  point  of 
time  all  other  Lodges  established  at  Seymour.  It  was  instituted  in  the 
town  of  Oxford,  under  a  charter  bearing  date  October  18th,  1804. 
The  petitioners  were  20  in  number,  embracing  leading  citizens.  Abel 
Wheeler  was  chosen  the  master;  Levi  Candee,  the  senior  warden; 
and  William  Morris,  the  junior  warden.  The  Lodge  flourished,  and 
a  good  hall  for  its  use  was  built  at  Oxford  Center.  In  this  a  Chap- 
ter of  Masons  also  held  its  meetings  until  it  was  transferred  to  Water- 
bury.  In  the  course  of  30  years  the  Lodge  had  a  large  member- 
ship, but  in  the  anti-Masonic  times  the  principles  of  the  order  were 
here  bitterly  assailed,  and  misrepresented.  Accordingly,  in  1832  the 
Lodge  published  a  very  able  declaration  of  principles  of  the  order, 
which  was  circulated  in  this  part  of  the  county.  It  was  signed  by 
66  persons,  whose  names  alone  should  have  been  a  guarantee  that 
the  order  was  not  inimical  to  the  well-being  of  the  public,  and  that 
the  rectitude  of  their  intentions  should  not  be  questioned.  After 
this  the  meetings  were  continued  about  a  dozen  years  longer,  when 
there  was  such  a  low  period  of  interest  produced  by  removal  of 
some  of  the  leading  members,  and  other  causes,  so  that  in  1848 
they  were  suspended  at  Oxford. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1851,  the  Lodge  was  revived  and  the  place  of 
meeting  fixed  at  Seymour,  where  it  has  since  had  a  large  degree  of 
prosperity.  From  the  time  of  its  reinstitution,  at  Seymour,  June  18th, 
1851,  until  the  fall  of  1890,  there  were  over  300  admissions.  The 
present  membership  is  large  and  active.  The  meetings  at  Seymour 
were  held  in  the  hall  over  the  Union  Store,  but  a  later  home  was  se- 
cured in  the  Davis  Block.  This  has  recently  been  refitted  and  made 
very  comfortable.  The  trustees  of  the  property  in  1890  were:  S.  H. 
Canfield,  Henry  Bradley  and  John  Davis. 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing  was  established  Olive  Chapter, 
No.  26,  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  which  is  also  in  a  prosperous  con- 
dition. 

Mechanics'  Lodge,  No.  73,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  at  Seymour 
May  27th,  1851,  with  the  following  as  the  charter  members:  Horace 
A.  Radford,  H.  B.  Beecher,  John  Scott,  Julius  Bassett,  W.  W.  White, 
Martin  Kelley,  John  Hilton,  Charles  Newton,  John  Davis,  David  J. 
Putnam,  H.  P.  Davis,  John  L.  Hartson,  J.  A.  Stevens  and  W.  J.  Mer- 


564  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

rick.  From  the  first  the  Lodge  has  prospered,  and  has  had  a  large 
membership.  In  1890  the  number  belonging  was  174,  and  there  was  a 
fund  amounting  to  $5,900.     The  meetings  are  held  in  a  fine  hall. 

Wildley  Encampment,  No.  73,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  Novem- 
ber 16th,  1882,  and  its  charter  members  were:  F.  G.  Bassett,  H.  S.  Hal- 
ligan,  F.  H.  Wyant,  Charles  Edwards,  J.  E.  Buckley,  H.  A.  Hurd,  F. 
G.  Fisher,  C.  H.  Cooper,  J.  W.  Smith,  C.  H.  Guild,  Peter  Ward,  F.  H. 
Beecher,  G.  E.  Lester,  S.  B.  Gregory,  Robert  Healy,  David  Tucker. 
In  June,  1890,  there  were  73  members,  and  the  Encampment  was  in 
every  way  prosperous.  F.  G.  Barrett  and  H.  S.  Halligan  were  the 
chief  patriarchs  the  first  year,  and  T.  D.  Adams  presided  in  1890. 

Humphrey  Lodge,  No.  26,  K.  of  P.,"x"  was  instituted  February  8th, 
1871.  It  includes  among  its  members  some  of  the  most  respected 
citizens  of  the  town.  Of  the  charter  members  those  still  belonging 
are  M.  R.  Castle,  F.  H.  Beecher,  V.  H.  McEwen,  William  H.  Williams 
and  W.  C.  Sharpe.  The  Lodge  has  a  fund  of  about  $1,600,  deposited 
in  savings  banks,  which  can  be  used  for  relieving  members  in  case  of 
sickness;  but  up  to  this  time  the  receipts  from  regular  dues  have  been 
ample  to  pay  all  expenses,  and  the  fund  has  steadily  increased.  The 
past  chancellors  of  the  Lodge,  all  of  whom  are  entitled  to  seats  in  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  state,  are:  F.  H.  Beecher,  M.  R.  Castle,  H.  S. 
Chamberlain,  J.  H.  Benham,  T.  W.  Chadwick,  W.  S.  Cooper,  R.  J.  W. 
Emery,  T.  D.  Griffith,  D.  J.  Hill,  V.  H.  McEwen,  Fred.  O'Meara, 
George  E.  O'Meara,  Anthony  Otto,  F.  C.  Peck,  W.  C.  Sharpe,  William 
Smith,  Thomas  Thomas  and  William  H.  Williams.  The  last  named 
has  also  been  the  grand  chancellor  of  the  State  Lodge. 

Upson  Post,  No.  40,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  in  1873,  with  William 
S.  Cooper  as  commander,  and  Joseph  Ineson  adjutant,  but  sharing  the 
fate  of  many  other  Posts  in  this  state  soon  suspended  its  meetings.  A 
re-organization  took  place  February  16th,  1876,  and  better  fortune  has 
since  attended  it.  In  1890  34  members  belonged.  The  later  com- 
manders have  been:  1876,  Horatio  S.  Chamberlain;  1877,  James  E. 
Buckley;  1878,  Henry  R.  Chamberlain;  1879-81,  Wilbur  W.  Smith; 
1882-3,  William  S.  Cooper;  1884-5,  H.  S.  Chamberlain;  1886,  Robert 
Hurley;  1887,  J.  W.  De  Forest;  1888,  J.  H.  Riggs.  In  1890  the  adjutant 
was  R.  J.  Spencer. 

An  organization  of  Sons  of  Veterans — G.  L.  Wyant  Camp — has 
lately  been  formed,  and  has  a  growing  membership. 

A  number  of  purely  social  or  beneficial  societies  have  been  organ- 
ized in  the  town.  One  of  the  oldest  is  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick, 
formed  in  1872. 

Castle  Rock  Lodge,  No.  6,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  was  instituted  in  August, 
1881,  with  ten  charter  members.  It  has  since  that  time  prospered  to 
a  great  degree,  having  in  1890  84  members.  The  Lodge  has  suffered 
the  deaths  of  four  members:  W.  A.  Kane,  E.  J.   Davis,  Fred.  Colvin 

*  Data  by  W.  C.  Sharpe. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  565 

and  W.  H.  Chamberlain.  In  each  ease  the  heirs  of  the  deceased  re- 
ceived $2,000.  In  1890  the  trustees  of  the  Lodge  were:  T.  B.  Beach, 
C.  H.  Lounsbury  and  M.  B.  Ferrell.  A  local  auxiliary  was  organized 
in  March,  1887,  whose  object  it  is  to  provide  a  fund  for  use  where  im- 
mediate relief  is  demanded. 

Monawauk  Tribe,  No.  9,  I.  O.  R.  M.,  was  instituted  May  13th,  1887, 
and  had  80  charter  members.  To  this  number  a  large  addition  has 
been  made,  and  the  Tribe  prospers.  The  first  sachem  was  T.  S.  Ladd. 
Others  have  been  A.  E.  Clark,  A.  C.  Peck,  William  R.  Brixey  and  E. 

C.  Brown.  In  1890  the  trustees  were  S.  R.  Dean,  Charles  Fairchild 
and  A.  E.  Clark. 

Valley  Lodge,  No.  100,  N.  E.  O.  P.,  was  organized  June  20th,  1889, 
with  T.  B.  Beach,  past  warden;  R.  J.  Spencer,  warden;  William  E. 
Colt,  recording  secretary;  W.  C.  Sharpe,  financial  secretary,  and  L.  E. 
Cooper,  treasurer.  In  June,  1830,  there  were  44  members,  and  the 
Lodge  was  reported  prosperous.  There  has  been  one  death,  Henry 
Chamberlain,  in  the  spring  of  1890,  and  a  benefit  of  $3,000  followed. 

The  Provident  Aid  Society  of  Portland,  Maine,  established  a 
branch  at  Seymour  in    1888,  with  T.  B.   Beach  as  secretary,  and  S. 

D.  Beach  as  treasurer.  This  also  prospers.  One  member  has  died, 
Doctor  Robert  Hungerford,  in  the  fall  of  1888. 

Lyman  Grange,  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  meets  in  the  village  of 
Seymour,  and  is  a  useful  society  in  its  appointed  field. 

In  1847  the  subject  of  intemperance  was  very  much  agitated,  and 
the  Humphreysville  Total  Abstinence  Society  was  formed.  At  this 
time  Rock  Spring  Division,  No.  12,  Sons  of  Temperance,  was  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  A  hall  for  the  use  of  the  Division  was  built 
at  the  west  end  of  the  Falls  bridge,  which  was  dedicated  October 
16th,  1847.  George  W.  Bungay  was  the  principal  speaker  and  a 
suitable  poem  was  read  by  John  W.  Storrs.  Both  were  ardent  ad- 
vocates of  temperance,  the  one  as  an  orator,  the  other  as  a  writer 
of  force  and  a  composer  of  beautiful  poetry.  A  later  representative 
at  Seymour  in  the  latter  line  of  thought  and  work  is  Sharon  Y.  Beach, 
whose  fugitive  poems  on  the  drink  habit  have  been  widely  read. 
In  1849  a  society  of  Daughters  of  Temperance  was  instituted;  and  a 
number  of  temperance  organizations  since  that  time  have  aided  in 
promoting  the  morals  of  this  community. 

Seymour  owes  its  thrift  and  prosperity  almost  exclusively  to  its 
advantageous  location  as  a  manufacturing  center.  Its  superior  water 
power  early  attracted  an  active,  intelligent  class  of  people,  who  have 
wonderfully  developed  the  natural  facilities  afforded  by  Bladen's 
brook,  the  Little  river  and  the  Naugatuck,  until  but  few  other  towns 
of  the  same  size  in  the  state  surpass  it. 

From  contemporary  accounts  in  the  records  of  the  old  town  of 
Derby,  we  learn  that  the  power  of  Little  river  was  first  used  to  operate 
machinery,  being  employed  for  that  purpose  as  early  as  1747.     In  that 


566  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

year  "George  Abbott,  of  Derby,  sold  to  Stephen  Perkins,  of  New- 
Haven,  a  saw  mill,  grist  mill  and  dwelling  house,  on  Little  river,  above 
the  Falls."  Again,  in  1760,  the  town  granted  liberty  to  James  Prit- 
chard  to  use  that  stream  from  its  mouth  up  against  the  dwelling  of 
Fairchild  to  erect  and  keep  in  repair  thereon  a  corn  mill.  In  1791  the 
grist  mill  at  the  mouth  of  Little  river  was  owned  by  Isaac  Baldwin, 
who  not  long  thereafter  lost  his  life  by  the  sudden  starting  of  the  mill 
wheel  while  he  was  below,  trying  to  free  it  of  ice  which  had  gathered 
around  it.  A  few  years  later  Bradford  Steele  had  clothing  works  at 
that  place,  his  fulling  mill  being  on  the  stream  and  his  finishing  shop 
higher  up  on  the  hill.  Subsequently  many  other  interests  were  there 
carried  on,  the  site  belonging  in  1890  to  James  Swan.  A  hundred 
years  ago  fulling  mills  were  very  important  adjuncts,  as  in  nearly 
every  farm  house  spinning  and  weaving  were  carried  on.  Hence,  in 
1799,  another  fulling  mill  was  put  up  by  Titus  Beach  on  Bladen's 
brook,  where  are  now  the  Beach  paper  mills. 

Although  the  advantages  of  the  falls  of  Naugatuck  were  early  ap- 
preciated, no  attempt  was  made  to  use  the  power  until  the  country  was 
more  thickly  settled.  On  the  4th  of  October,  1763,  Ebenezer  Keeney, 
John  Wooster  and  Joseph  Hull,  Jr.,  of  Derby,  purchased  of  the  Indians 
2£  acres  of  land,  including  the  falls  and  sites  for  mills  and  roads  on 
their  reservation,  and  the  work  of  improvement  was  begun.  In  be- 
half of  the  Indians,  the  deed  was  signed  by  John  Howd  and  Joseph 
Chuse,  the  chief  men  of  their  clan,  and  from  the  latter  the  place  took 
the  name  of  Chusetown. 

This  company  put  up  a  saw  mill  and  also  had  a  fulling  mill  and  card- 
ing machinery  in  operation  before  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
tury. In  1785  John  Wooster  and  Bradford  Steele  leased  a  lot  at  that 
place,  having  a  30  foot  front  on  the  flume  from  the  falls,  on  which  to 
build  a  shop  for  blacksmithing,  "  to  contain  hammers  to  go  by  water 
for  the  purpose  of  scythe  making,  etc."  Another  early  shop  was  built 
on  the  proprietors'  land,  at  what  is  now  the  corner  of  Hill  and  Pearl 
streets,  which  stood  there  as  early  as  1798,  when  it  was  spoken  of  as 
Edmund  Page's  shop.  It  has  since  that  time  been  continued  as  one  of 
the  oldest  landmarks  in  the  place. 

Meantime  the  falls  property  had  been  undergoing  changes  both  in 
ownership  and  in  the  extent  of  its  industries.  Nathan  Stiles  had  come 
from  Southbury,  as  a  clothier,  and  secured  an  interest  which  later 
passed  to  the  Steele  family,  after  he  had  carried  on  his  shops  a  num- 
ber of  years.  The  Wooster  interest  was  also  purchased  by  Bradford 
Steele,  in  October,  1803.  In  December,  1803,  the  Stee'les  sold  out  to 
General  David  Humphreys  for  $2,647.92,  the  transfer  including  "all 
the  privileges,  together  with  the  saw  mill,  two  fulling  mills,  clothier's 
shop,  etc.,  on  said  land,  with  all  the  buildings  thereon  and  the  mill 
dam  across  said  Rimmon  Falls." 

This  sale  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  for  the  place,  which 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  567 

soon  after  took  the  name  of  Humphreysville,  in  compliment  to  the 
new  proprietor,  and  from  this  time  on  greater  activity  prevailed.  Gen- 
eral Humphreys,  on  his  visits  to  England  and  other  European  nations, 
had  become  deeply  interested  in  manufacturing,  and  was  especially 
anxious  to  introduce  some  of  the  better  features  of  making  woolen 
cloths  in  factories  into  this  country.  With  this  view  and  knowing  the 
value  of  having  finer  grades  of  wool  than  that  yielded  by  native  sheep, 
he  determined  to  import  a  number  of  select  Merino  sheep  from  Spain. 
He  purchased  25  rams  and  75  ewes,  from  one  to  two  years  of  age,  and 
had  them  shipped  from  Lisbon  April  10th,  1802.  After  a  voyage  of 
some  50  days,  part  of  which  was  so  rough  that  the  vessel  rolled  and 
nine  of  the  sheep  were  killed,  the  remainder  of  the  stock  was  safely 
landed  at  Derby.  Here  they  were  an  object  of  much  curiosity,  many 
hundreds  of  people  going  to  see  them.  By  this  act  General  Humphreys 
secured  the  honor  of  introducing  Merino  sheep  into  this  part  of  the 
Union,  and  the  attendant  benefits  which  have  resulted  therefrom  have 
been  very  great. 

An  incidental  feature  of  this  enterprise  was  the  wild  speculation 
which  attended  the  distribution  of  the  sheep  after  they  had  left  the 
hands  of  General  Humphreys.  Aiming  to  benefit  the  community,  he 
had  sold  many  of  his  sheep  to  enterprising  farmers  at  $100  per  head 
(less  than  the  cost,  it  is  said),  in  order  that  they  might  improve  their 
flocks.  But  so  great  became  the  desire  to  own  them  that  the  price  was 
advanced  by  some  farmers,  until  as  high  as  from  $1,500  to  $3,000  was 
paid  for  a  single  animal,  some  of  which  died,  inflicting  a  total  loss 
upon  the  purchasers.  This  rampant  speculation  extended  through 
many  parts  of  New  England,  and  had  the  effect  of  inducing  other  im- 
portations, so  that  in  the  course  of  time  the  business  assumed  a  nor- 
mal condition. 

In  order  that  General  Humphreys  might  better  carry  out  his  plans 
to  establish  an  extensive  manufacturing  plant  at  Rimmon  Falls,  he 
purchased  other  lands  in  1804,  until  he  was  the  owner  of  nearly  200 
acres  at  and  near  the  falls.  In  the  buildings  he  found  there  he  began 
his  operations,  the  weaving  being  done,  as  before,  in  families,  and  the 
cloth  finished  at  the  mills.  In  that  way  the  first  wool  from  his  Merino 
sheep  was  made  into  cloth.  Paper  and  grist  mills  were  now  gotten  in 
operation  and  other  buildings  put  up.  On  the  5th  and  6th  of  June, 
1806,  the  frame  of  his  woolen  factory  was  raised,  which  was  the  first 
built  in  the  United  States  for  the  weaving  of  woolen  cloth.  In  1808 
General  Humphreys  had  the  reputation  of  producing  the  best  quality 
of  that  kind  of  goods  in  America,  and  Thomas  Jefferson  procured  at 
these  mills  a  sufficient  quantity  for  a  suit  of  clothes  to  wear  on  his  in- 
auguration as  president  of  the  United  States.* 

While  these  improvements  of  General  Humphreys  were,  in  extent 
and  enterprise,  beyond  the  period  in  which  he  lived,  they  were  largely 

*New  Haven  Hist.  Soc.  Papers,  Vol.  I.,  p.  113. 


568  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

carried  out  by  others,  as  he  had  no  mechanical  skill  of  his  own  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  practical  work  in  a  woolen  factory.  After  an  un- 
successful effort  to  manufacture  broadcloth  he  went  to  England  and 
secured  the  services  of  some  expert  woolen  manufacturers,  among 
them  being  Thomas  Gilyard,  as  a  workman,  and  John  Winterbotham* 
as  a  partner  and  manager.  The  latter  took  complete  charge  of  the 
woolen  factory  and  continued  at  its  head  until  1818,  when  owing  to 
the  death  of  General  Humphreys,  the  firm  of  T.  Vose  &  Co.,  under 
which  name  operations  were  carried  on,  ceased  to  exist.  The  busi- 
ness interests  of  General  Humphreys  at  this  place  were  in  charge  of 
his  nephews,  John  and  William  Humphreys,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  great  prosperity  attended  them.  Some  of  his  manufacturing 
enterprises  were  of  the  first  of  the  kind  in  the  Union  in  which  the 
factory  system  was  exemplified,  and  as  much  complaint  had  been 
made  and  great  prejudice  existed  against  this  system,  as  found  in 
other  lands,  on  account  of  its  degrading  and  demoralizing  effects, 
naturally  much  attention  was  directed  toward  General  Humphreys' 
efforts,  and  many  distinguished  people  came  to  examine  their  opera- 
tions. Concerning  Humphreysville  and  its  interests,  as  he  found 
them  after  1811,  President  Dwight,  of  Yale  College,  wrote  as  follows: 

"  Within  the  limits  of  Derby,  four  miles  and  a  half  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Naugatuc,  is  a  settlement  named  by  the  legislature  Humphreys- 
ville, from  the  Hon.  David  Humphreys,  former  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary at  the  Court  of  Madrid.  At  this  place  a  ridge  of  rocks,  twenty 
feet  in  height,  crosses  the  river  and  forms  a  perfect  dam  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  distance.  The  remaining  third  is  closed  by  an  artificial 
dam.  The  stream  is  so  large  as  to  furnish  an  abundance  of  water  at 
all  times  for  any  works  which  will  probably  ever  be  erected  on  the 
spot.  Those  already  existing  are  a  grist  mill,  a  saw  mill,  a  paper  mill, 
a  woolen  manufactory  and  a  cotton  manufactory,  with  all  their  proper 
appendages,  and  a  considerable  number  of  other  buildings,  destined  to 
be  the  residence  of  the  manufacturers  and  for  various  other  purposes. 

"  A  strong  current  of  water  in  a  channel  cut  through  the  rock  on 
the  eastern  side,  sets  in  motion  all  the  machinery  employed  in  these 
buildings.  By  this  current  are  moved  the  grist  mill,  two  newly  in- 
vented shearing  machines,  a  breaker  and  finisher  for  carding  sheep's 
wool,  a  machine  for  making  ravellings,  two  jennies  for  spinning  sheep's 
wool,  under  the  roof  of  the  grist  mill;  the  works  in  the  paper  mill,  a 
picker,  two  more  carding  machines  for  sheep's  wool,  and  a  billy  with 
forty  spindles  in  a  third  building;  a  fulling  mill;  a  saw  mill,  employed 
to  cut  the  square  timber,  boards,  laths,  etc.,  for  the  different  edifices, 
and  to  shape  many  of  the  wooden  materials  for  the  machinery;  two 
more  fulling  mills  on  improved  principles,  immediately  connected 
with  the  clothier's  shop;  and  the  various  machinery  in  a  cotton  manu- 

*  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ann  S.  Stephens,  the  authoress,  whose  girlhood 
was  spent  at  this  place. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  569 

factory,  a  building  about  one  hundred  feet  long,  thirty-six  wide,  and 
of  four  stories,  capable  of  containing  two  thousand  spindles  with  all 
their  necessary  apparatus. 

"The  houses  can  accommodate  with  comfortable  residence  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  persons.  Ten  others  in  the  neighborhood  will 
furnish  comfortable  residences  for  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
more.  Gardens  on  a  beautiful  plat  in  the  rear  of  the  manufactories 
furnish  all  the  vegetables  necessary  for  the  establishment. 

"  The  institution  contains  four  broad  and  eight  narrow  looms  and 
eighteen  stocking  frames. 

"The  principal  part  of  the  labour  in  attending  the  machinery  in 
the  cotton  and  woolen  manufactories  is  done  by  women  and  children; 
the  former  hired  at  from  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  per  week;  the  latter, 
apprentices,  who  are  regularly  instructed  in  reading,  writing  and 
arithmetic. 

"  The  wages  of  the  men  are  from  five  to  twenty-one  dollars  per 
month. 

"  In  Europe  great  complaints  have  been  made  of  manufacturing 
establishments,  as  having  been  very  commonly  seats  of  vice  and 
disease.  General  Humphreys  began  this  with  a  determination  either 
to  prevent  these  evils,  or  if  this  could  not  be  done,  to  give  up  the 
design.  With  regard  to  the  health  of  his  people  it  is  sufficient  to 
observe  that  from  the  year  1804  to  the  year  1810  not  one  individual 
belonging  to  the  institution  died,  and  it  is  believed  that  among  no 
other  equal  number  of  persons  there  has  been  less  disease. 

"  With  respect  to  vice  it  may  be  remarked  that  every  person  who 
is  discovered  to  be  openly  immoral  is  discharged. 

"  At  the  commencement  of  the  institution  discreet  parents  were 
reluctant  to  place  their  children  in  it  from  unfavorable  apprehensions 
concerning  the  tendency  of  such  establishments.  Since  that  time  they 
have  been  offered  in  more  than  sufficient  numbers. 

"  The  manufactures  at  Humphreysville  are  esteemed  excellent. 
The  best  broadcloth  made  here  is  considered  as  inferior  to  none  which 
is  imported. 

"  Americans  make  all  the  machinery,  and  have  invented  several 
kinds  of  machines,  which  are  considered  as  superior  to  such  as  have 
been  devised  in  Europe  for  the  same  purposes. 

"  Most  of  the  weaving  has  been  done  in  private  families. 
"  The  scenery  of  this  spot  is  delightfully  romantic      The  Fall  is  a 
fine  object.     The  river,  the  buildings  belonging  to  the  institution,  the 
valley,  the   bordering   hills,  farms,    and    houses,  groves  and    forests 
united  form  a  landscape  in  a  high  degree  interesting. 

"  In  this  manufactory  General  Humphreys  has,  I  think,  fairly  es- 
tablished three  points  of  great  importance.  One  is,  that  these  man- 
ufactures can  be  carried  on  with  success;  another,  that  the  workmen 
can  be  preserved  in  good  health  as  that  enjoyed  by  any  other  class  of 


570  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

men  in  the  country;  and  the  third,  that  the  deterioration  of  morals  in 
such  institutions,  which  is  often  complained  of,  is  not  necessary,  but 
incidental,  not  inherent  in  the  institution  itself,  but  the  fault  of  the 
proprietor." 

It  is  said  of  General  Humphreys  that  he  was  particularly  philan- 
throphic  as  to  the  education  and  moral  training  of  the  operatives  in  his 
factory.  Many  of  them  had  been  indentured  to  him  by  the  public  in- 
stitutions of  the  land,  and  had  been  gotten  in  the  neighboring  villages. 
For  these  he  established  and  maintained,  at  considerable  expense, 
evening  schools,  and  provided  other  means  for  their  instruction  and 
amusement.  He  organized  the  boys  into  a  train  band  for  military  in- 
struction, provided  them  with  uniforms,  and  often  drilled  them  him- 
self. In  1810  Lady  Humphreys  presented  this  company  with  a  fine 
silk  flag,  which  was  beautifully  embroidered,  and  was  appropriately 
inscribed;  bearing  also  a  number  of  attractive  emblems.  This  inter- 
esting relic  of  that  period  is  now  the  property  of  the  Hon.  Carlos 
French. 

General  Humphreys  did  not  live  permanently  at  Humphreysville, 
but  maintained  a  suite  of  rooms  in  the  boarding  house  of  the  com- 
pany, which  he  occupied  when  visiting  the  place,  and  on  those  occa- 
sions there  was  always  a  lively  interest  in  his  presence.  In  all  his  in- 
tercourse with  his  employees  he  was  kindly  disposed,  courteous  and 
apparently  interested  in  every  one.  This  agreeable  relation  to  the 
village  and  its  industries  was  broken  by  his  death,  which  took  place 
at  New  Haven  February  21st,  1818,  when  he  was  65  years  of  age.* 

In  May,  1822,  the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company  was 
organized  with  a  capital  of  $50,000,  and  elected  as  its  first  president 
John  H.  De  Forest,  and  as  its  secretary,  J.  F.  Learning.     This  corpo- 

*  General  David  Humphreys  was  born  in  Derby  July  10th,  1752,  and  was  a  son 
of  the  Reverend  Daniel  Humphreys,  the  minister  of  the  church  of  that  town. 
When  but  15  years  old  he  entered  Yale  College,  graduating  in  1771,  and  while 
there  gave  evidence  of  so  much  poetic  taste  that  he  was  styled  the  "  young  bard 
of  Yale."  Soon  after  the  revolution  broke  out  he  entered  the  army,  holding  a 
captain's  commission.  In  1778  he  was  appointed  an  aid  to  General  Putnam,  with 
the  rank  of  major.  In  1780  he  was  appointed  an  aid  to  General  Washington, 
where  he  ranked  as  a  lieutenant  colonel,  and  became  a  valuable  member  of  the 
general's  staff.  At  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis,  at  Yorktown,  in  1781,  the  British 
colors  were  delivered  to  him.  For  his  service  in  the  war  Congress  voted  him  an 
elegant  sword,  which  was  presented  to  him  in  1786,  after  his  return  from  France 
as  secretary  of  the  legation  under  Thomas  Jefferson.  From  1788  to  1790  he  was 
an  inmate  of  General  Washington's  family,  at  Mt.  Vernon,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed minister  to  Portugal.  In  1797  he  was  appointed  minister  to  Spain,  where 
he  remained  until  1802,  when  he  returned  to  this  country  to  begin  the  activities 
above  noted.  In  the  war  of  1812  he  was  appointed  commander  of  the  Connecti- 
cut militia,  and  from  that  source  his  title  of  general  was  derived.  He  married  a 
very  wealthy  English  lady,  living  in  Boston,  and  had  a  cottage  at  Westville.  His 
death  was  very  sudden.  He  is  buried  at  New  Haven,  where  his  grave  is  marked 
by  a  monument  inscribed  to  his  rare  worth  and  honor  as  a  poet,  patriot,  states- 
man and  true  American  citizen. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN  COUNTY.  571 

ration  purchased  the  above  plant,  containing  16  acres  of  land,  with  all 
the  buildings  on  it,  and  the  water  privileges  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
as  far  as  affected  by  the  falls,  paying  for  the  same  $10,000.  The  dam 
was  soon  after  rebuilt  and  the  race  to  the  mills  widened,  so  as  to  per- 
mit greater  power.  The  factory  was  supplied  with  cotton  machinery, 
and  other  improvements  were  made.  Mr.  De  Forest  was  an  active 
business  man,  and  warmly  entered  upon  the  task  of  further  develop- 
ing the  interests  of  the  village.  He  built  the  large  mansion  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Factory  streets,  living  there  iintil  his  death  in  1839. 

The  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company  manufactured  very 
extensively  a  number  of  years,  but  was  affected  by  the  hard  times  of 
1837,  when  operations  were  reduced  to  a  very  small  scale.  In  1845  it 
sold  the  cotton  factory  to  William  Buffum,  and  by  his  name  it  was 
known  a  number  of  years.  In  1849  "  he  manufactured  500,000  yards  of 
cotton  shirtings,  used  50  tons  of  raw  cotton,  and  operated  54  looms. 
Forty-one  persons  were  employed."  Later  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
goods  at  this  place  declined,  and  other  fabrics  were  produced. 

In  1851  the  capital  stock  of  the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing 
Company  was  $300,000,  but  in  1859  it  was  reduced  to  one-half  that 
amount,  by  the  distribution  of  property  to  the  stockholders.  Gradu- 
ally the  interest  of  the  company  passed  into  other  hands,  and  its  or- 
ganization has  only  a  nominal  existence. 

On  the  site  of  the  company's  grist  and  paper  mills,  which  were 
taken  down  in  1850,  was  erected  the  Eagle  Silk  Mill  the  same  year. 
The  Eagle  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  June  27th,  1850, 
with  a  capital  of  $50,000.  In  the  fall  of  1852  George  F.  De  Forest  was 
at  the  head  of  the  corporation,  whose  capital  had  been  doubled.  The 
factory  was  built  to  operate  on  silk,  wool  and  cotton,  and  appears  to 
have  prospered  a  short  time,  when  heavy,  unexpected  losses  caused  its 
suspension.  Later  the  mills  were  known  by  the  name  of  "  Kalmia," 
and  were  operated  on  worsted  goods.  Prior  to  1869  operations  were 
very  brisk,  many  hands  being  employed.  In  the  year  named  the  busi- 
ness became  so  stagnant  that  but  little  was  done,  and  thereafter,  for 
ten  years,  the  capacity  was  not  fully  employed. 

In  1880  this  site  and  other  property  was  purchased  by  John  H. 
Tingue,  and  the  following  year  it  passed  to  the  Tingue  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  which  was  incorporated  May  30th,  1881,  and  organized 
•by  electing  John  H.  Tingue  president  and  treasurer;  and  Charles 
Coupland  as  general  manager.  On  the  death  of  the  former,  W.  J. 
Tingue  succeeded  to  the  presidency  of  the  corporation,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  extensive  in  the  town,  having  a  capital  of  $200,000,  and  is 
also  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  prosperous. 

The  company  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  mohair  pile  goods, 
being  one  of  the  first  in  the  country  to  engage  in  that  industry.  The 
raw  material  used,  with  the  exception  of  the  warp,  is  the  fleece  of  the 
Angora  goat,  and  is  imported  mostly  from  Asia  Minor.     It  is  famed 


572  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

for  its  fineness,  and  the  products  here  made  are  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  varied  nature,  embracing  plushes  for  dress  goods  and  rich  uphol- 
stering. The  fine  mill  buildings  are  supplied  with  rare  machinery, 
and  many  skilled  laborers  are  employed.  The  plant  also  embraces 
many  tenements  and  other  property  arranged  for  business  purposes. 

The  manufacture  of  paper  has  been  an  established  industry  at  Sey- 
mour more  than  80  years.  The  first  mill  was  built  in  1805  by  General 
Humphreys,  and  paper  was  there  made  by  hand,  after  the  manner  of 
those  times.  He  soon  sold  out  to  Worrull  &  Hudson,  who  disposed  of 
the  mill,  in  1816,  to  Ebenezer  Fisher  and  Henry  Le  Forge.  The  fol- 
lowing year  Samuel  Roselle  began  working  in  the  mill  and  later  had 
an  interest  in  it. 

In  1825  the  mill  was  enlarged,  and  paper  was  made  by  machinery. 
In  1831  it  was  sold  to  the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company, 
which  commenced  making  paper  in  May,  that  year,  with  four  hands, 
but  soon  increased  to  18.  Printing,  tissue  and  colored  papers  were 
made.  In  1843  the  mill  was  taken  by  George  L.  Hodge,  Samuel  Ro- 
selle and  Sharon  Y.  Beach,  who  continued  as  Hodge  &  Co.  two  years. 
In  1845  the  mill  and  a  five  years'  lease  of  the  site  was  sold  to  Ezekiel 
Gilbert,  Sharon  Y.  Beach  and  Samuel  Roselle,  who  manufactured  as 
Gilbert,  Beach  &  Co.,  and  produced  fine  printing  paper.  The  water 
lease  expiring  in  1850,  Sharon  Y.  Beach  purchased  the  interests  of  his 
partners,  and  secured  a  new  site  for  his  mill,  at  Blueville,  on  Bladen's 
brook,  a  mile  above  its  mouth.  Paper  making  was  discontinued  June 
15th,  1850,  the  mill  torn  down  and  rebuilt  at  the  new  site  to  permit 
work  in  it  September  2d,  1850.  Here  the  interest  has  since  been  car- 
ried on,  and  has  become  widely  known  as  the  Beach  Paper  Mill. 

This  site  had  been  improved  many  years  before  by  Titus  Beach, 
to  furnish  power  for  a  fulling  mill.  The  water  supply  was  increased 
by  building  larger  reservoirs,  and  the  mill  was  enlarged  in  1859  and 
at  later  periods.  In  1880  the  interest  passed  to  the  S.  Y.  Beach  Paper 
Company,  composed  of  Mr.  Beach  and  his  four  sons:  George  W.,  An- 
drew Y.,  Sharon  D.  and  Theodore  B.,  who  have  since  successfully  car- 
ried it  on.  In  1885  the  old  mill  was  burned,  when  a  substantial  brick 
building  was  at  once  erected  on  the  site.  The  stream  is  given  a  25 
foot  fall,  and  steam  power  is  also  used,  giving  the  mill  a  large  capacity, 
and  many  varieties  of  paper  are  produced. 

The  Smith  Paper  Mill,  near  the  mouth  of  Bladen's  brook,  is  more 
than  half  a  century  old.  The  privilege  at  that  place,  including  the 
next  power  above,  was  purchased  in  1831  by  John  S.  Moshier  and  John 
C.  Wheeler,  who  disposed  of  the  latter  to  Newell  Johnson.  He  put  up 
a  small  machine  shop,  and  later  Raymond  French  and  others  used  it 
for  an  auger  factory.  In  October,  1845,  they  sold  to  George  De  Forest 
and  George  L.  Hodge,  who  converted  it  into  another  paper  mill.  At 
the  lower  site  Moshier  got  the  paper  mill  in  operation  in  1832,  but  sold 
out  to  Wheeler  the  next  year,  who  leased  it  to  Daniel  White.     Sylves- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  573 

ter  Smith  and  Samuel  Bassett  were  among  his  employees.  In  1837 
they  formed  a  partnership  and  leased  the  mill,  which  they  bought  in 
1840.  On  taking  charge  they  made  wrapping  paper  out  of  straw,  this 
being  the  first  mill  in  the  state  where  that  kind  of  paper  was  made. 
The  building  was  burned  January  29th,  1847,  but  was  soon  rebuilt,  and 
the  business  prospered.  Some  time  in  1S51  they  also  purchased  the 
De  Forest  &  Hodge  paper  mill  (where  large  quantities  of  fine  printing 
paper  had  been  made),  and  operated  both  on  paper  and  cleaning  and 
grinding  rubber,  selling  the  latter  property  in  1854  to  Austin  G.  Day. 
Of  the  old  mill  Sylvester  Smith  became  the  sole  owner  in  1856,  re- 
tiring at  the  end  of  ten  years,  since  which  time  his  son,  W.  W.  Smith, 
has  been  at  the  head  of  the  business,  purchasing  the  property  in  1870. 
The  mill  was  burned  March  13th,  1863,  and  the  rebuilt  mill  was  sup- 
plied with  improved  machinery.  In  1867  it  was  enlarged  and  steam 
power  added.  For  a  third  time  the  mill  was  burned,  January  11th, 
1869,  the  loss  being  $30,000.  On  this  occasion  Amasa  Trowbridge  lost 
his  life  while  attempting  to  save  his  neighbor's  property.  In  1871 
water  power  from  the  Rimmon  pond  was  supplied,  and  November 
10th,  that  year,  the  mill  was  for  the  fourth  time  burned.  The  present 
mill,  on  the  old  site,  is  used  in  the  production  of  the  finer  grades  of 
manilla  paper. 

About  the  same  time  that  De  Forest  &  Hodge  began  pap*er  making 
on  Bladen's  brook  the  Rimmon  Paper  Company  was  formed,  Septem- 
ber 9th,  1846,  and  the  mill  at  the  mouth  of  Little  river  placed  in  charge 
of  Lewis  Bunce.  December  23d,  1848,  this  paper  mill  was  burned,  but 
was  restored  and  continued  under  the  management  of  Bunce.  In 
1849-50  he  manufactured  printing  paper  and  clothiers'  boards.  A  few 
years  later  the  property  passed  to  the  Douglass  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, for  use  in  producing  boring  tools. 

In  1887  a  part  of  the  latter  plant  was  used  by  the  American  Tin 
Zinc  Company  (Limited),  of  which  W.  J.  Wilder  was  the  superinten- 
dent. The  venture  did  not  succeed  at  this  place,  and  after  a  few  years 
was  removed. 

In  the  period  when  Smith  &  Bassett  were  most  active  in  paper 
making  they  used  a  part  of  this  power  in  grinding  and  cleaning  rub- 
ber, but  after  1855  the  rubber  business  became  a  separate  industry  at 
Seymour,  being  fully  established  here  that  year  by  the  Day  brothers. 

The  A.  G.  Day  Caoutchouc  Company  was  incorporated  April  24th, 
1855,  with  a  capital  of  $75,000,  to  manufacture  vulcanized  hard  rubber 
goods  under  the  Nelson  Goodyear  patent  of  May  6th,  1851.  Julius 
Day  was  the  president  of  the  company,  and  other  members  were  Aus- 
tin G.  Day,  Henry  P.  Day  and  Thomas  Sault.  The  old  De  Forest  & 
Hodge  paper  mill,  on  Bladen's  brook,  was  fitted  up  for  the  new  indus- 
try, and  the  site  has  since  been  occupied.  March  18th,  1864,  the  rub- 
ber mill  was  burned,  when  a  better,  more  commodious  factory  was 
erected  in  its  place,  which  has  been  finely  equipped.     In   1890  the  A. 


574  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

G.  Day  Company  was  here  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  Kerite  in- 
sulated wire  for  electric  uses,  with  W.  R.  Brixey  as  the  superintendent. 
At  the  same  place  was  also  the  firm  of  H.  P.  &  E.Day, engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  hard  rubber  stationery  goods  and  surgical  appliances. 
The  combined  interests  give  employment  to  many  men,  and  the  plant 
is  one  of  the  most  attractive  in  the  town. 

The  auger  and  edge  tool  interests  have  for  scores  of  years  been 
among  the  most  important  in  this  part  of  the  valley.  The  pioneer  tool 
manufacturer  at  this  place  was  Walter  French,  who  came  to  Seymour 
from  Mansfield.  He  made  augers  in  a  shop  at  the  corner  of  Hill  and 
Pearl  streets,  having  Colonel  Ira  Smith  as  an  associate.  He  next  had 
a  shop  on  West  street,  near  Swan's  upper  factory.  He  was  afterward 
superintendent  of  Clark  Wooster's  shops,  which  stood  on  the  river 
bank,  opposite  the  Swan  Works.  In  1844  he  removed  to  Westville, 
but  his  sons,  Wales  and  Warren,  continued  here  longer,  identified 
with  the  tool  business. 

In  1837  the  auger  makers  were  Walter  French,  at  his  West  street 
shop;  Gilbert  &  Wooster,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Hill  streets,  and 
Raymond  French,  where  is  now  the  Day  factory,  on  Bladen's  brook. 
The  latter  first  occupied  the  shop  put  up  by  Newell  Johnson,  after 
1832,  and  in  1839  and  later  had  Hiram  Upson  as  a  partner,  when  they 
purchased  the  property.  In  1841  the  French  auger  shops  were  burned, 
but  were  immediately  rebuilt.  Soon  after  John  Dwight  and  Timothy 
Dwight  were  associated  with  him,  the  firm  being  Raymond  French  & 
Co.  They  extensively  manufactured  augers,  chisels  and  plane  irons, 
and  finding  the  works  too  small,  sold  them  in  1845.  In  the  meantime 
the  firm  had  put  some  machinery  in  the  building  at  the  mouth  of 
Little  river,  and  with  a  view  of  securing  more  power,  Raymond  French 
had,  in  1844,  built  a  new  dam  on  the  Naugatuck  at  Kinneytown,  be- 
tween Seymour  and  Ansonia,  but  was  persuaded  to  sell  that  property 
to  Anson  G.  Phelps.  In  1847  French  &  Dwight  commenced  the  Rim- 
mon  pond,  building  the  west  wall  and  abutment.  More  work  was 
done  on  it  in  1849,  when  the  project  appears  to  have  been  abandoned. 
Later  the  dam  was  completed  by  the  Rimraon  Water  Company,  which 
was  incorporated  July  13th,  1866.  The  work  was  placed  in  charge  of 
Raymond  French,  who  so  vigorously  pushed  it  that  the  pond  was  com- 
pleted and  the  gates  closed  October  27th,  1867.  The  dam  has  an  over- 
flow plate  300  feet  long,  and  there  is  a  fall  of  19  feet.  The  entire  cost 
was  about  $65,000. 

In  this  period  of  preparing  new  sites,  the  works  of  French  &  Dwight 
were  located  in  a  large  frame  building  on  the  canal,  from  the  falls 
dam,  in  which  locality  they  remained  as  long  as  they  manufactured 
these  goods.  On  the  loth  of  March,  1849,  their  shop  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  when  the  brick  shops  in  that  locality  were  built  and  occupied  by 
the  firm.  In  this  year  (1849)  there  were  in  the  village  as  tool  manu- 
facturers, besides  the  above  firm,  three  establishments  on  Little  river 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  575 

— Hiram  Upson,  French,  Swift  &  Co.,  and  Clark  Wooster,  the  latter 
having  an  ax  factory  near  the  site  where  is  the  upper  James  Swan 
factory. 

At  the  lower  site  an  auger  shop  was  put  up  as  early  as  1837  by 
Timothy  Dwight,  and  was  occupied  by  various  firms,  besides  Upson. 
In  1852  it  was  the  property  of  H.  A.  Radford,  who  united  with  Hiram 
Upson  and  Lucius  Tuttle  in  forming  the  Upson  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany in  the  fall  of  that  year.  The  company  did  not  continue  more 
than  half  a  dozen  years,  and  in  1859  Charles  Douglass  became  the 
owner  of  the  property.  Since  1877  it  has  belonged  to  James  Swan,  the 
successor  of  the  Douglass  Manufacturing  Company,  which  was  estab- 
lished in  1856  for  the  manufacture  of  mechanics'  tools.  Two  factories 
were  used:  the  one  at  Seymour  on  boring  tools,  and  another  at  Arling- 
ton, Vt.,  on  edge  tools.  The  latter  was  also  transferred  to  Seymour 
in  1876.  The  works  of  the  company  were  sold  to  F.  L.  Ames  in  1860, 
who  soon  expanded  the  business.  He  had  secured  the  exclusive  right 
to  manufacture  Cook's  patent  boring  implements  and  he  found  the 
lower  factory  too  small  for  his  needs.  Accordingly  he  built  the  fac- 
tory on  Little  river,  next  above,  when  his  capacity  was  much  increased. 
In  1873  James  Swan's  upper  factory  was  consolidated  with  the  lower 
two,  and  since  that  time  the  three  factories  have  been  operated  under 
one  system.  Under  the  ownership  of  James  Swan  they  have  been 
much  improved  and  equipped  as  completely  as  any  other  similar  fac- 
tories in  the  country.  More  than  100  skilled  mechanics  are  employed, 
and  the  products  embrace  a  large  variety  of  goods,  many  of  them  being 
articles  invented  by  Mr.  Swan,  who  is  a  tool  maker  of  many  years'  ex- 
perience. 

F.  H.  Beecher's  auger  works  are  between  the  upper  and  the  lower 
Swan  shops.  They  were  established  in  1847  by  the  firm  of  French, 
Swift  &  Co.,  which  was  composed  of  six  practical  mechanics,  viz.: 
•Charles  Swift,  Warren  French,  John  F.  Marshall,  Lemuel  Bliss,  H.  B. 
Beecher  and  H.  A.  Radford.  These  were  usually  called  the  "six  part- 
ners," and  all  were  skilled  in  their  avocation.  They  began  business 
with  the  determination  to  produce  the  best  goods  possible  and  to  sell 
them  as  American  products,  fully  stamped  with  the  name  of  the  firm. 
In  a  few  years  they  had  not  only  overcome  the  prejudice  which  led  to 
a  preference  for  foreign  goods,  but  had  established  a  standard  of  ex- 
cellence for  their  wares  which  caused  them  to  be  greatly  in  demand. 
This  enviable  position  has  since  been  maintained,  these  works  produc- 
ing some  of  the  finest  goods  in  this  country.  In  1866  H.  B.  Beecher, 
as  the  only  surviving  "partner,"  became  the  sole  proprietor  of  the 
works.  In  1875  his  son,  F.  H.  Beecher,  became  the  manager,  and  after 
his  father's  death  in  1880,  the  owner  of  the  establishment,  which  he 
has  since  successfully  operated  on  the  original  line  of  goods. 

In  the  buildings  of  the  old  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, boring  tools  have  been  made  since  1875  by  a  firm  doing  business 


576  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

under  the  title  of  that  company.  Originally  there  were  four  members: 
George  H.  Robinson,  David  R.  Cook,  Norman  Sperry  and  Marcus 
Sperry,  the  two  last  named  alone  continuing  in  1890.  Several  large 
buildings  are  occupied,  and  there  are  three  forging  rooms.  The  best 
steel  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  quarter  bits  and  quarter  augers,  sev- 
eral thousands  being  produced  daily.  Several  score  of  men  are  em- 
ployed. 

At  the  same  place  are  Louis  E.  Garrett  and  Samuel  A.  Beach,  who 
formed  a  partnership  in  1876  for  the  manufacture  of  German  pattern 
bits,  electricians'  tools  and  goods  of  a  kindred  nature.  A  dozen  men 
are  employed. 

From  the  river  at  this  point  is  also  afforded  power  for  the  Tool  De- 
partment of  the  New  Haven  Copper  Company  A  building  60  by  125 
feet  is  occupied,  and  the  power  is  given  by  an  immense  breast  wheel. 
Large  quantities  of  augers  are  there  made,  many  men  being  employed 
by  the  company  on  that  line  of  work  since  1883. 

Several  other  corporations  were  for  short  periods  engaged  in  pro- 
ducing augers,  among  them  being  the  Seymour  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, incorporated  October,  1852.  Among  the  members  were  John 
L.  Hartson,  Charles  Spencer  and  F.  D.  Burns.  In  a  few  years  the 
company  passed  out  of  existence. 

The  New  Haven  Copper  Company,  as  the  successor  of  the  Hum- 
phreysville  Copper  Company,  dates  its  existence  from  1849.  In  that 
year  the  latter  corporation  was  formed  by  Raymond  French,  S.  C. 
Johnson,  J.  W.  Dwight,  Harrison  Tomlinson,  George  Rice,  Sheldon 
Kinney  and  others,  the  nominal  capital  being  $40,000.  In  1852  a  re- 
organization took  place,  the  capital,  which  had  previously  been  in- 
creased to  $100,000,  being  fixed  at  $200,000,  and  a  large  part  of  the 
stock  was  taken  in  Seymour.  The  works  on  the  canal  were  much  en- 
larged and  the  business,  which  had  been  very  lucrative  up  to  this  time, 
was  now  considerably  extended.  A  wharf  and  mill  were  built  at  East 
Haven,  and  in  1853  the  company  was  authorized  to  build  a  breakwater 
at  that  point  for  the  protection  of  its  vessels  when  lying  at  the  wharf. 
Soon  after  the  profits  of  the  company  decreased,  and  it  was  found 
necessary  to  increase  the  capital  stock  to  $400,000.  But  even  that 
amount  was  insufficient  to  tide  the  company  over  the  difficulties  which 
beset  it,  and  a  new  Humphreysville  Copper  Company  was  incorpor- 
ated in  1855,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $1,000,000.  This  was  not 
fully  organized,  but  instead  the  New  Haven  Copper  Company  was 
formed,  November  21st,  1855,  with  a  capital  of  $400,000,  and  succeeded 
to  the  business.  Among  those  interested  in  the  latter  corporation  were 
John  W.  Dwight,  George  R.  A.  Ricketts,  William  Cornwall,  George  F. 
De  Forest  and  William  W.  Goddard.  In  1857  assets  to  the  amount  of 
$615,000  were  claimed,  with  less  than  one-half  that  amount  of  liabili- 
ties, but  the  stringent  times  affected  the  company,  so  that  another  re- 
organization was  necessary.     In  1874  the  present  company  was  incor- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  577 

porated,  and  under  this  management  the  corporation  has  prospered. 
Thomas  James  was  elected  president  and  Franklin  Farrel  secretary. 
In  1890  the  company  had  a  capital  of  $200,000  and  the  following  direc- 
tors: Thomas  L.  James,  president;  C.  W.  James,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer; George  A.  James,  Lewis  A.  Camp  and  Franklin  Farrel. 

The  plant  at  Seymour  covers  about  three  acres  of  land,  well  cov- 
ered with  buildings,  some  being  erected  as  early  as  1849.  Nearly  all 
of  them  are  of  a  very  substantial  nature,  the  walls  being  of  granite  or 
brick,  and  the  roofs  of  metal.  The  main  rolling  mill  is  100  by  200 
feet,  and  has  ten  sets  of  rollers.  There  are  also  large  stamping,  forg- 
ing and  polishing  shops,  all  of  which  are  well  equipped  and  having 
water  and  steam  power — the  entire  establishment  to  the  aggregate  of 
nearly  600  horse  power. 

The  company  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  braziers'  and  sheath- 
ing copper,  finishing  and  polishing  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  this  es- 
tablishment, after  a  process  invented  by  Thomas  James  and  patented 
by  him  September  12th,  1876.  This  process  secures  a  permanent  pol- 
ish, which  has  given  the  products  of  the  company  a  wide  reputation. 
From  125  to  150  hands  are  employed. 

The  Seymour  Manufacturing  Company  was  incorporated  in  1880. 
The  business  of  this  extensive  corporation  was  established  in  1878  by 
H.  B.  and  W.  H.  H.  Wooster.  A  small  mill  was  put  up  below  Rim- 
mon  Dam,  in  which  about  half  a  ton  of  brass  goods  was  manufactured 
daily.  In  May,  1880,  this  business  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  above 
company,  which  organized  with  a  capital  of  $30,000,  Nathan  S.  John- 
son, president;  W.  H.  H.  Wooster,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  L.  T. 
Wooster,  superintendent.  The  latter  two  have  since  served  as  first 
elected,  and  under  their  management  the  company  has  greatly  pros- 
pered. In  1882  the  capital  was  increased  to  $75,000,  Carlos  French 
and  Edmund  Day  becoming  interested.  In  1886  a  further  increase 
was  made  to  $200,000;  and  in  April,  1890,  to  $250,000,  Charles  H. 
Pine  being  the  president  of  the  corporation. 

Under  the  direction  of  L.  T.  Wooster,  who  is  one  of  the  pioneer 
metal  workers  in  the  Naugatuck  valley,  and  who  has  devised  many 
useful  machines  in  this  line  of  manufactures,  the  capacity  of  the  works 
was  increased  to  eight  tons  per  day.  January  2d,  1887,  the  main  mill 
was  burned,  but  was  at  once  rebuilt.  The  new  mill  is  a  fine  brick  and 
iron  structure,  160  by  190  feet,  and  is  practically  fire-proof.  In  1885 
the  rolling  of  copper  goods  was  added,  and  structures  were  put  up  for 
that  industry,  a  building  30  by  150  feet  being  devoted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  brazed  tubing.  The  plant  has  600  horse  power  from  the 
river,  and  steam  to  the  extent  of  500  horse  power. 

The  company  makes  a  specialty  of  rolling  brass,  producing  about 
15,000  pounds  per  day,  and  the  mills  have  a  capacity  for  hot  rolling 
15  tons  daily;  but  immense  quantities  of  copper,  nickel,  silver  and 
37 


578  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

other  metals  are  also  produced.     Steady  employment  is  given  to  about 
200  hands. 

The  United  States  Pin  Company  is  located  at  Seymour.  The 
manufacture  of  pins,  by  machinery  invented  by  William  and  Thad- 
deus  Fowler,  was  begun  about  1858,  in  the  old  mill  of  Samuel  Maltby, 
at  Northford.  In  1860  the  interest  was  transferred  to  Seymour,  where 
a  place  was  found  for  it  in  the  old  machine  shop  of  the  abandoned  car 
works,  where  the  manufacture  was  carried  on  by  the  above  company. 
In  1861  its  first  report  at  Seymour  indicated  a  capital  of  $37,000, 
with  H.  Hotchkiss  as  president.  In  1890  Henry  L.  Hotchkiss  was  the 
president,  and  L.  H.  Bristol  the  secretary.  For  a  number  of  years 
John  Smith  and  Mark  Lounsbury  manufactured  pins  on  contract  for 
the  company,  the  latter  alone  operating  the  past  five  years.  The  fac- 
tory is  supplied  with  47  machines,  each  capable  of  producing  125  ada- 
mantine pins  per  minute. 

The  Fowler  Nail  Company  is  an  important  interest.  Thaddeus 
Fowler  was  a  very  ingenious  man,  inventing  among  other  contrivances, 
a  machine  for  making  horseshoe  nails.  This  became  the  property  of 
a  corporation,  organized  in  1866,  with  the  above  name,  which  had 
among  its  members,  at  Seymour,  Fowler  and  Carlos  French.  The 
latter  has  retained  an  interest  in  the  company,  and  for  many  years 
has  been  its  president.  Operations  were  first  begun  in  the  old  cotton 
mill,  but  after  half  a  dozen  years,  the  present  plant  below  Rimmon 
pond  was  occupied.  This  building  had  been  erected  for  the  manu- 
facture of  wire,  but  was  not  occupied  for  that  purpose.  The  capacity 
of  the  works  has  been  greatly  increased,  and  the  vulcanized  nails 
manufactured  have  become  a  staple  article.  From  75  to  100  men  are 
given  employment. 

The  American  Car  Company  was  organized  in  May,  1852,  and  had 
J.  H.  Lyman  as  its  president.  Timothy  Dwight,  Raymond  French 
and  J.  W.  Dwight  were  the  majority  of  the  directors  on  the  14th  of 
that  month, when  they  certified  that  the  capital  stock  was  $150,000.  In 
September  it  was  increased  to  $200,000,  the  additional  stock  being 
taken  mainly  by  the  Dwights  and  Lyman,  who  were  the  chief  pro- 
moters of  the  enterprise.  Five  large  frame  buildings  were  occupied, 
extending  from  the  raceway  near  the  old  cotton  factory  on  the  flat  to 
a  point  above  the  railway  depot.  The  lower  building,  which  was  the 
machine  shop,  is  still  standing,  being  used  as  the  pin  factory.  To 
most  of  the  other  buildings  tracks  extended,  and  the  cars,  which  were 
being  built  were  drawn  from  shop  to  shop  by  horses.  After  four  or 
five  years'  successful  operation,  which  gave  employment  to  many  men, 
the  company  transferred  its  interests  to  Illinois,  and  about  30  families 
removed  from  the  village  in  consequence. 

The  French  Railway  Splice  Company  was  organized  January  20th, 
1862,  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  railway  splices  and  other  de- 
vices pertaining  to  railroads.    Among  those  interested  were  Raymond 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  579 

and  Carlos  French  and  Franklin  Farrel.  The  company  was  not  long 
in  business  at  this  place,  but  for  a  number  of  years  afterward  Carlos 
French  successfully  manufactured  car  springs  of  his  own  invention, 
occupying  the  basement  of  the  old  cotton  factory.  That  industry  has 
also  been  discontinued. 

Raymond  French,  the  pioneer  manufacturer,  to  whom  Seymour 
owes  much  of  its  development  and  prosperity,  in  the  later  years  of  his 
life  occupied  a  part  of  the  stone  shops  erected  by  him  in  1840,  in  the 
manufacture  of  steel  plated  ox  shoes.     He  died  February  19th,  1886. 

The  Seymour  Electric  Light  Company  was  organized  October  1st, 
1889,  with  a  capital  of  $15,000  and  the  following  directors:  Edmund 
Day,  president;  F.  H.  Beecher,  treasurer;  Carlos  French,  A.  B.  Dun- 
ham, L.  T.  Wooster  and  S.  R.  Dean.  O.  L.  Dibble  was  appointed  sec- 
retary of  the  company.  An  electric  plant  for  the  Thomson-Houston 
system  was  located  at  the  mouth  of  Bladen's  brook,  taking  water  power 
from  the  Rimmou  dam  to  operate  it.  There  is  an  arc  light  dynamo  of 
thirty  1,200  candle-power  lights  and  one  for  650  incandescent  lights, 
of  16  candle  power  each.  A  large  circuit  was  established,  and  since 
March,  1890,  the  plant  has  been  in  successful  operation.  In  October, 
1889,  the  town  of  Seymour  voted  to  contract  with  the  company  for  10 
arc  and  34  incandescent  lights,  to  be  illuminated  from  the  first  of 
April,  1890,  25  nights  each  month,  for  the  space  of  three  years.  The 
village  was  well  lighted  in  the  summer  of  1890. 

The  oldest  school  district  in  the  town  of  Seymour  was  the  one  at 
Great  hill,  which  was  long  known  as  the  Eighth  district  in  Derby,  and 
after  the  organization  of  Seymour  as  the  First  district  in  that  town. 
The  earliest  records  bear  date  1767,  and  pertain  to  the  hiring  of  teach- 
ers for  both  summer  and  winter  schools.  Henry  Tomlinson  was  the 
district  committee  man,  and  Samuel  Bassett  the  collector  of  school 
rates.  In  1770  Henry  Wooster  was  the  teacher.  Among  the  patrons 
of  the  district  were:  Benjamin  Tomlinson,  Micah  Poole,  Jonathan 
Miles,  Samuel  Russell,  Joseph  Canfield,  George  Beard,  Captain  John 
Lum,  James  Manville,  Zachariah  Fairchild  and  John  Hawley. 

In  17S0  the  schoolmistress  was  paid  six  shillings  per  week,  or  a 
shilling  per  day.  In  1784  it  was  voted  to  build  a  school  house  on  the 
highway,  near  John  Hawley's.  The  following  year  a  tax  was  laid  to 
finish  the  building.  In  1801  the  summer  school  was  held  in  the  Great 
hill  meeting  house,  and  the  winter  session  in  the  school  house.  In 
1810  Jared  Mansfield  and  John  Smith  were  the  committee,  and  Captain 
J.  Nettleton  was  the  collector.  "Voted  that  wood  per  load  should  be 
84  cts.,  and  boarding  the  teacher  7  cts.  per  meal,  or  S7ic.  per  week." 

This  district  was  not  long  after  reduced  in  area,  and  since  being  a 
part  of  Seymour  has  been  further  subdivided.  In  the  present  district 
new  school  houses  were  built  in  1832  and  in  1877. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  river  and  below  Rock  Rimmon  a  district  was 
next  established.     A  site  for  a  house  was  deeded  in  1769  by  Joseph 


580  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Johnson,  and  the  building  put  upon  it  was  occupied  many  years.  In 
1799  this  district  was  known  by  the  name  of  Chusetown,  and  Calvin 
Lines  was  engaged  to  teach  at  $11  per  month.  The  school  house  was 
enlarged  and  repaired  in  1804,  the  building  being  painted  a  Spanish 
brown.  The  district  was  already  populous,  notwithstanding  it  had, 
like  the  one  on  the  west  side,  been  diminished  by  division.  In  1812 
two  schools  were  taught  in  the  district,  both  male  and  female  teachers 
being  employed.  Stiles  Johnson  was  elected  a  committeeman  "  to 
employ  a  school  Dame." 

In  1814  the  name  of  Humphreysville  first  appeared  in  the  school 
records,  and  measures  were  taken  about  this  time  to  build  new  houses. 
The  one  which  became  known  as  the  Bell  school  house  was  erected  by 
an  association  of  neighbors,  the  property  being  divided  into  100  shares  of 
stock,  which  were  held  in  1816  by  John  Wheeler,  Newell  Johnson,  Elias 
Gilbert,  Bradford  Steele,  John  Humphreys,  Jr.,  General  David  Hum- 
phreys, Chester  Jones,  Seba  Moulthrop,  Stiles  Johnson,  Jesse  Johnson, 
Edmund  Steele,  John  Riggs,  Silas  Baldwin,  Samuel  B.  Hine,  Joseph 
Johnson,  Josiah  Swift  and  David  Thompson.  In  1830  the  school  so- 
ciety purchased  the  house. 

The  first  demand  for  division  of  the  foregoing  districts,  in  old 
Derby,  was  made  in  1779,  when  a  district  was  formed  in  the  extreme 
northwest  part  of  the  town,  in  what  is  now  Beacon  Falls,  west  of  the 
Naugatuck  river.  An  intermediate  district  was  formed,  as  a  sub-dis- 
trict of  the  latter,  Great  Hill  and  the  Rimmon  or  East  Side  districts, 
on  a  petition  granted  in  town  meeting  on  December  27th,  1779.  In 
all  there  were  21  petitioners,  belonging  to  the  Steele,  Pritchard,  Riggs, 
Wooster,  Keeny,  Miles,  Washburn  and  other  families.  Later  this 
territory  was  included  in  the  Bungay  and  Shrub  Oak  districts.  Other 
districts  were  created  as  the  town  was  settled,  and  school  societies 
were  established.  The  districts  on  the  east  side  of  the  Naugatuck 
were  included  in  the  First  Society,  and  those  on  the  west  side  in  the 
Second  Society.  This  arrangement  continued  until  1851,  when  all 
the  districts  were  united  into  one  society.  In  October,  1868,  Seymour 
school  district  was  established,  all  the  schools  of  the  town  being  in- 
cluded, and  the  following  committee  was  elected:  Eli  Gillette,  C.  W. 
Storrs,  J.  W.  Bassett,  Joshua  Kendall,  C.  W.  James,  Harpin  Riggs, 
Joel  R.  Chatfield,  Peter  Worth  and  Henry  Davis.  The  latter  and 
Doctor  Kendall  were  appointed  school  visitors.  In  February,  1869, 
the  consolidated  district  bought  the  "  Pines"  lot  for  $700,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a  spacious  school  house  thereon,  but  objection  being 
raised  to  the  site  it  was  not  done.  In  18S9  the  town  voted  to  convert 
the  lot  into  a  public  park. 

In  this  year  (1889)  the  town  had  twelve  schools,  having  a  total  en- 
rollment of  643  pupils.  Outside  of  the  village  the  districts  were: 
Cedar  Ridge,  Bell,  Bungay  and  Great  Hill,  whose  schools  were  main- 
tained at  a  cost  of  $1,348.43.  The  village  schools  cost  $5,052.77  to- 
maintain. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  581 

The  first  opportunity  to  obtain  a  higher  education  at  home  was 
offered  by  the  Humphreysville  Academy.  This  was  established  in 
February,  1849,  and  the  principals  were  George  B.  Glendining,  A.  M., 
and  Mrs.  Nancy  H.  Glendining.  They  were  both  able  and  popular 
teachers,  and  their  efforts  soon  found  favor.  In  May,  that  year,  the 
attendance  was  already  47  pupils,  and  the  school  was  highly  com- 
mended. Its  success,  doubtless,  inspired  the  organization  of  the 
Humphreysville  High  School  Association,  in  1851.  The  incorporators 
were  leading  citizens,  and  well  calculated  to  carry  on  such  a  project, 
but  it  failed  of  its  purpose.  At  the  end  of  the  school  year,  in  1853, 
Professor  Glendining  removed,  and  in  August,  that  year.  Professor 
Gay  opened  an  academy  in  Glendining  Hall,  but  remained  only  a  few 
months.  Frederick  Durand  next  taught  a  select  school  for  two  years 
in  Union  Hall,  and  others  were  here  for  short  periods. 

The  establishment  of  a  Union  High  School  was  now  agitated,  but 
no  decisive  action  was  taken  until  October,  1864,  when  the  town 
authorized  such  a  school,  to  be  independent  of  the  school  society. 
Burton  W.  Smith,  Harvey  Hotchkiss  andG.  W.  Divine  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  establish  and  superintend  the  school.  Glendining 
Hall  was  leased  as  a  school  room,  and  a  Miss  Hermance  was  installed 
as  the  first  teacher. 

In  1869  the  managers  of  the  school  established  an  intermediate  de- 
partment, and  secured  a  room  in  another  building.  Still  another 
department  was  established  in  1878,  and  fourth  one  in  1880,  each  of 
which  was  in  a  separate  building.  The  erection  of  a  high  school 
building  was  now  strongly  urged,  and  March  15th,  1879,  it  was  voted, 
104  ayes  to  20  nays,  to  build  such  a  house  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed 
$8,000.  Some  objection  being  raised  against  this  vote,  another  meet- 
ing was  held,  April  19th,  1879,  when  the  former  sense  was  confirmed 
by  a  vote  of  122  against  38  nays.  But  no  action  was  taken  on  account 
of  disagreement  in  regard  to  the  site.  The  help  of  the  Derby  school 
visitors  was  invoked,  but  even  their  designation  of  the  "  Pines  "  lot, 
made  May  6th,  1879,  was  not  satisfactory,  the  majority  refusing  to  ac- 
cept it.  With  some  spasmodic  agitation  the  matter  rested  until  Jan- 
uary 16th,  1884,  when  the  town  voted  (149  to  44)  to  build  a  house  on 
the  Divine  lot,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Naugatuck,  and  north  of  Bank 
street.  This  contained  about  two  acres,  and  was  purchased  for  $3,000. 
A  month  later,  February  16th,  1884,  the  town  voted  to  appropriate 
$25,000  toward  the  erection  of  the  building,  which  sum  was  afterward 
increased  by  other  appropriations  until  the  entire  amount,  on  account 
of  the  buildings  and  grounds,  was  $39,500. 

Ground  was  broken  in  June,  1884,  for  a  building,  planned  by  Archi- 
tect L.  W.  Robinson,  of  New  Haven,  and  the  work  of  construction 
was  directed  by  a  building  committee  composed  of  James  Swan,  Ed- 
mund Day,  W.  H.  H.  Wooster,  Thomas  James  and  F.  H.  Beecher.  The 
latter  was  the  secretary  of  the  committee,  and  was  very  zealous  in  the 


582  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

prosecution  of  the  work.  The  building,  standing  on  its  spacious,  well- 
graded  lot,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  school  edifices  in  the  county.  It 
embraces  all  the  best  features  of  modern  architecture,  and  each  floor 
is  supplied  with  pure  water  by  pipes  from  a  spring  on  the  hill,  north, 
which  was  presented  to  the  school  by  James  Swan,  who  was  one  of 
the  building  committee.  The  edifice  is  65  by  72  feet,  of  brick,  trimmed 
with  stone,  resting  on  brown  sandstone  base  walls.  When  occupied, 
in  the  fall  of  1886,  seven  rooms,  having  a  capacity  for  380  pupils,  were 
furnished,  but  the  building  will  accommodate  several  hundred  more 
pupils  when  filled  to  its  capacity. 

The  first  principal  to  occupy  this  building  was  W.  H.  Angleton, 
who  was  succeeded,  in  April,  1890,  by  E.  G.  Stiles. 

The  early  settlers  of  this  locality  belonged  to  the  parish  of  Derby, 
and  were  long  taxed  for  the  support  of  the  established  church  at  that 
pjace.  But  in  the  fall  of  1789  steps  were  taken  to  form  a  provisionary 
society,  which  would  afford  them  more  convenient  means  of  worship. 
This  was  accomplished,  as  the  following  record  shows: 

"Derby,  November  3d,  A.  D.  1789. — This  may  certify  all  whom  it 
may  concern,  that  the  subscribers  have  joined  and  paid  towards  the 
support  of  the  Gospel  at  the  Congregational  Society,  in  Derby,  near 
Bladen  Brook,  and  mean  for  the  future  to  support  the  Gospel  there: 

"Capt.  Timothy  Baldwin,  Asahel  Johnson,  Gideon  Johnson,  Capt. 
Bradford  Steel,  Elisha  Steel,  Isaac  Baldwin,  Ebr.  Turel  Whitmore, 
Amos  Hine,  Bradford  Steel,  Jr.,  Medad  Keney,  Hezekiah  Woodin, 
John  Adze,  Ashbel  Loveland,  Truman  Loveland,  Ebenezer  Warner, 
Leverett  Pritchard,  Levi  Tomlinson,  John  Coe,  Ebenezer  Beecher 
Johnson,  Nathan  Wheler,  Bezalel  Peck,  Francis  Forque,  Joseph  Loines, 
Moses  Clark,  Philo  Hinman,  Thomas  Hotchkiss. 

"  Sertifyed  by  me, 

"  Levi  Tomlinson,  Society  Clerk."* 

A  meeting  house  was  built  on  the  hill,  half  a  mile  from  the  falls, 
on  land  belonging  to  Isaac  Johnson.  The  interior  was  divided  into 
rude  box  pews,  but  it  was  utterly  devoid  of  comforts.  Near  by  a  dwell- 
ing house  was  built  for  the  minister,  which  was  occupied  in  March, 
1790,  by  Reverend  Benjamin  Beach,  who  removed  to  this  place  from 
North  Haven.  After  preaching  to  this  people  15  years,  he  removed 
to  Milton  in  1805.  It  is  known  that  Captain  Timothy  Baldwin  and 
Levi  Tomlinson  were  deacons,  but  there  are  no  records  to  show  what 
was  accomplished  by  the  society.  For  a  time  it  appears  to  have  been 
unsupplied  with  preaching,  and  became  weak  and  distracted,  many  of 
the  former  members  connecting  themselves  with  the  Methodist  or 
Episcopal  societies.  Some  time  about  1812  Reverend  Zephaniah 
Swift,  who  had  become  pastor  of  the  Derby  church,  preached  here  oc- 
casionally, but  no  church  organization  was  then  attempted. 

But  the  growth  of  the  village  of  Humphreysville,  whose  diverse  in- 

*  In  the  foregoing  list  the  original  spelling  is  retained. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  583 

terests  attracted  many  people,  gave  encouragement  to  the  hope  that 
the  Congregational  church  would  soon  be  organized  in  this  commun- 
ity. Accordingly,  a  council  was  called  for  a  meeting  March  12th,  1817, 
to  consider  the  advisability  of  acting  on  such  a  proposition.  Having 
decided  to  organize,  the  following  nine  persons  were  associated  into 
church  fellowship:  Joel  Beebe  and  wife,  Bradford  Steele  and  wife,  Ira 
Smith  and  wife,  Louis  Holbrook,  Hannah  P.  Johnson  and  Sally 
Wheeler.  Soon  after,  March  30th,  1817,  Reverend  Zephaniah  Swift 
preached  here,  and  admitted  18  more  members;  and  later  Reverend 
Bela  Kellogg,  also  one  of  the  organizing  council,  admitted  others,  until 
34  persons  belonged,  who  began  actively  to  perpetuate  the  existence 
and  welfare  of  the  church.  As  an  essential  means  to  that  end,  it  was 
determined  to  erect  a  new  house  of  worship.  The  old  meeting  house 
was  sold  to  the  Methodists  September  22d,  1818,  and  a  new  one  at  a 
more  central  location  begun.  A  site  on  the  bluff  overlooking  the 
river,  where  is  now  the  Congregational  cemetery,  was  selected,  and 
the  building  was  made  ready  for  occupancy  as  soon  as  possible. 
Meantime  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  Bell  school  house.  The 
steeple  to  complete  the  new  house  was  not  built  until  1829.  After 
being  used  more  than  a  score  of  years,  it  was  found  that  the  so-called 
"village  church"  was  not  located  centrally  enough  to  properly  serve  its 
purpose,  and  it  was  determined  to  build  a  new  house.  A  site  on  the 
pine  flats,  below  the  falls,  was  chosen,  upon  which  the  present  edifice 
was  erected.  It  was  dedicated  April  20th,  1847,  the  pastor,  Reverend 
William  B.  Curtiss,  and  others  officiating.  Since  that  time  the  build- 
ing has  been  much  improved.  In  1890  it  was  thoroughly  repaired  at 
a  cost  of  $5,000,  and  a  new  organ  costing  $2,500  was  supplied.  A  par- 
sonage on  an  adjoining  lot  affords  a  comfortable  home  for  the  pastor. 
This  was  the  gift  of  Deacon  William  Kinney. 

After  the  organization  of  the  church,  Reverends  Zephaniah  Swift, 
Bela  Kellogg  and  other  ministers  from  the  neighboring  churches 
preached  occasionally,  until  a  regular  pastor  could  be  secured,  some 
time  about  1825,  when  Reverend  Ephraim  G.  Swift  served  in  that  re- 
lation several  years.  In  1828  Reverend  Amos  Pettengill  and  Rever- 
end Charles  Thompson  preached,  the  latter  being  installed  pastor  of 
the  church  in  April,  1830.  He  served  about  three  years  longer,  and 
from  1833  to  1834  Reverends  Rollin  S.  Stone  and  Zephaniah  Swift 
were  the  ministers,  each  alternating  between  this  church  and  the  one 
at  Derby. 

The  subsequent  ministers  were  the  following:  Reverend  John  E. 
Bray  from  September,  1834,  to  April,  1842.  Reverend  William  B. 
Curtiss  from  June,  1843,  until  October  15th,  1849.  His  successor  was 
Reverend  E.  B.  Chamberlain,  a  supply  until  April  29th,  1851,  when  he 
was  installed,  and  was  dismissed  on  account  of  ill  health,  May  20th, 
1852.  Reverend  J.  L.  Willard,  from  September  1st,  1852,  until  May 
1st,  1855,  after  which  he  was  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Westville  church. 


584  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  pulpit  being  vacant  some  time  and  the  interest  low,  on  account 
of  the  removal  of  members,  Reverend  Henry  D.  Northrop  came  as  a 
supply,  and  was  here  from  August,  1857,  nearly  to  the  end  of  1858. 
An  unusual  revival  attended  his  labors.  From  May,  1859,  to  May, 
1860,  Reverend  E.  C.  Baldwin  was  the  pastor,  and  until  1861  Reverend 
Sylvester  Hine.  Next  came  Reverend  J.  L.  Mills,  two  years;  Rever- 
end George  A.  Dickerman,  one  year;  and  A.  J.  Quick,  nearly  two  years 
and  a  half.  May  22d,  1868,  Reverend  Allen  Clark  was  ordained  in 
this  church  as  an  evangelist  and  labored  here  successfully  one  year. 
Another  evangelist,  £L  P.  Colin,  also  here  ordained,  followed  him,  when 
Reverend  J.  W.  Fitch  supplied  the  church  about  one  year,  closing  in 
the  spring  of  1872.  His  successor  was  Reverend  William  J.  Thomp- 
son, who,  after  being  here  about  two  years,  closed  his  labors  in  Octo- 
ber, 1874.  The  ministry  of  Reverend  S.  C.  Leonard  began  November 
15th,  1874,  and  continued  until  the  summer  of  1879,  when  he  removed 
to  supply  the  church  at  Naugatuck.  From  his  historical  account  of 
the  Seymour  church  this  sketch  is  gleaned.  His  successor  was  Rev- 
erend F.  S.  Root,  whose  pastoral  relations  were  dissolved  November 
18th,  1884.  In  February,  1885,  Reverend  F.  J.  Fairbanks  was  invited 
to  become  the  acting  pastor,  and  served  until  April,  1886.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1886,  Reverend  Thomas  E.  Davis  became  the  acting  pastor,  and 
has  since  so  continued.  In  May,  1890,  the  church  had  196  members, 
which  included  a  net  gain  of  17  persons  in  the  preceding  year;  and 
the  church  and  society  were  harmonious  and  prosperous.  The  church 
has  raised  up  as  a  minister  Reverend  Ira  Smith  and  Reverend  H.  A. 
De  Forest  as  a  missionary  to  Syria.  He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1832, 
and  labored  zealously  until  a  fatal  sickness  compelled  his  return  to 
this  country. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  church,  in  1817,  Bradford  Steele 
and  Nehemiah  Bottsford  were  appointed  deacons,  in  which  capacity 
they  served  many  years.  The  subsequent  deacons  were,  after  1840; 
Sheldon  Kinney,  Alfred  Hull,  Andrew  W.  De  Forest,  William  Kinney, 
Miles  Culver,  J.  L.  Spencer,  W.  M.  Tuttle,  Charles  Bradley,  David 
Johnson,  Levi  Lounsbury,  Joshua  Kendall,  W.  I.  Warren,  Robert 
Hungerford,  George  C.  O'Meara,  Edward  R.  Davis,  Henry  M.  Taylor, 

E.  A.  Lum  and  Thomas  Williams. 

The  Sunday  school  can  be  traced  back  to  1828,  and  has  been  a 
valuable  auxiliary  of  the  church.  In  1890  the  superintendent  was 
Clifford  J.  Atwater.  Others  who  have  served  in  that  capacity  have 
been  James  Swan,  A.  Y.  Beach,  Philo  B.  Buckingham,  Sharon  Y. 
Beach,  Andrew  De  Forest,  W.  M.  Tuttle,  George  E.  Lester  and  George 

F.  De  Forest.  Robert  C.  Bell,  a  former  superintendent,  afterward  en- 
tered the  ministry. 

An  Episcopal  Ecclesiastical  Society  was  formed  in  the  present 
town  of  Seymour,  February  20th,  1797,  in  accordance  with  a  proper 
warrant,  which  had  been  served  upon  the  following  persons,  profess- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  585 

ing  to  be  churchmen,  who  were  to  assemble  at  the  house  of  Doctor 
Samuel  Sanford,  viz.:  Reuben  Lum,  Nathan  Mansfield,  Benjamin  Haw- 
ley,  Martin  Beebe,  Ephraim  Wooster,  Jeremiah  Gillette,  Philo  Hol- 
brook,  Nathan  Stiles,  William  Church,  John  Griffin,  Bowers  Wash- 
band,  Timothy  Johnson,  Charles  French,  Moses  Riggs,  James  Man- 
ville,  William  Tucker,  Russell  Tomlinson,  Enos  G.  Nettleton,  Nathan- 
iel Holbrook,  Josiah  Nettleton,  Edward  Hayes,  Wilson  Hurd,  Abel 
Church,  Daniel  Davis,  Alexander  Johnson,  Joseph  Johnson,  Israel 
Bostwick,  John  White.  At  this  meeting  Benjamin  Davis  moderated, 
Samuel  Sanford  served  as  clerk,  and  Joel  Chatfield,  Israel  French  and 
Jonathan  Miles  were  appointed  the  society's  committee.  A  union 
with  the  parish  of  Great  Hill  being  effected,  it  was  decided  to  call  the 
new  organization  Union  church. 

A  week  later,  February  27th,  1797,  another  meeting  was  held,  when 
it  was  determined  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  at  Chusetown.  Benja- 
min Davis,  Edward  Hayes,  Nathaniel  Johnson  and  John  White  were 
appointed  to  furnish  material  for  the  building  of  the  house.  A  lot 
was  purchased  of  Leverett  Pritchard,  at  a  cost  of  $60,  March  23d,  1797, 
and  the  corner  stone  was  laid,  early  in  the  spring,  by  Reverend  Ed- 
ward Blakeslee,  assistant  rector  of  the  Derby  church.  By  winter  the 
building  was  entirely  enclosed,  but  the  funds  being  exhausted,  and 
the  parish  poor  and  not  exempt  from  the  payment  of  rates  for  the 
established  or  Congregational  church,  the  house  was  not  finished  for 
consecration  until  September  2d,  1817.  To  attain  this  end  $1,250  had 
been  subscribed  by  65  members  of  the  parish.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  by  Bishop  John  Henry  Hobart  of  the  diocese  of  New 
York. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1822,  the  steeple  of  the  church  was  damaged 
by  lightning,  to  the  extent  of  $182.88.  In  1828  it  was  first  supplied 
with  a  bell.  The  following  year  the  house  was  painted  and  a  stove, 
presented  by  Isaac  Kinney,  placed  in  the  audience  room.  Up  to  this 
time  the  church  had  not  been  warmed.  In  1831  an  organ  was  sup- 
plied, which  was  enlarged  and  improved  in  1850,  at  an  expense  of 
$505.  In  1841  the  high  pulpit  in  the  church  was  lowered  three  feet, 
and,  in  1845-6,  other  repairs  were  made. 

On  Easter  day,  1856,  the  name  of  the  parish  and  the  church  was 
changed  from  Union  to  Trinity.  A  year  later,  on  Easter,  1857,  it  was 
decided  to  thoroughly  repair  or  remodel  the  church.  The  last  service 
in  the  old  church  was  held  July  5th,  1857,  and  the  work  of  reconstruc- 
tion was  then  commenced.  But  little  more  than  the  old  frame  was  used 
in  the  rebuilt  edifice,  which  was  much  finer  and  more  capacious  than 
the  old  one.  The  number  of  slips  was  increased  from  42  to  70.  In 
the  prosecution  of  this  work,  an  outlay  of  $6,000  was  necessary.  The 
ladies  of  the  parish  raised  $800  to  furnish  the  building.  The  new 
church  was  consecrated  May  11th,  1858,  by  Bishop  Williams. 

In  1866  a  rectory  was  purchased,  but  which  was  sold  in  1873,  and  a 


586  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

fine  new  rectory  has  since  been  provided.  In  the  fall  of  1867  the  in- 
terior of  the  church  was  embellished.  It  was.  in  1890,  in  every  way 
comfortable  and  attractive,  and  the  entire  property,  including  the 
well-ordered  cemetery,  was  a  credit  to  the  parish. 

In  1890  there  were  in  the  parish  177  families,  in  which  were  285 
communicant  members.  Smith  Terrell  was  the  senior  warden; 
George  Edwards,  junior  warden;  Noah  Sperry,  parish  clerk,  a  position 
long  filled  by  Burton  W.  Smith,  from  whose  data  this  account  is 
gleaned.  The  Sunday  school,  which  was  established  in  1827,  had  a 
membership  of  150,  and  L.  A.  Camp  as  its  superintendent. 

The  church  has  had  many  officiating  ministers,  some  of  whom 
served  as  rectors  of  this  parish  exclusively,  while  others  were  here  on 
part  time  only,  on  account  of  the  inability  to  maintain  a  minister.  In 
1802  a  ministerial  fund,  or  as  it  was  denominated,  the  Union  Bank, 
was  established,  with  a  view  of  raising  permanent  support  for  the 
ministry.  Fifty-seven  persons  subscribed  about  $2,000,  but  the  plan 
was  not  without  its  objections,  and  becoming  a  matter  of  contention, 
the  fund  was  dissolved  in  1811.  Doctor  Richard  Mansfield,  of  the 
Derby  church,  was  the  first  minister  here,  and  preached  until  1802, 
but  drew  support  from  the  parish  until  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1820. 
The  next  ministers,  for  a  few  months  each,  were  Reverends  Solomon 
Blakeslee  and  Calvin  White.  Other  ministers  were  the  following: 
1805,  Ammi  Rodgers;  1807,  Ambrose  Todd;  1810-13,  Solomon  Blakes- 
lee; 1813,  James  Thompson;  1814,  Calvin  White;  1815,  Chauncey 
Prindle;  1817,  James  Thompson;  1819,  Aaron  Humphrey;  1822-32, 
Stephen  Jewett;  1833,  Charles  W.  Bradlew;  1834-45,  John  D.  Smith; 
1845-6,  John  Purvis;  1847,  Abel  Nichols;  1848-50,  William  F.  Walker; 
1851-2,  Charles  G.  Ackly;  1853-66,  O.  Evans  Shannon;  1867-75,  George 
Seabury;  1875-7,  J.  K.  Lessell;  1878-81,  James  H.  Van  Buren;  1881-8, 
James  D.  S.  Pardee;  1889,  E.  H.  Cleveland;  1890,  Joseph  B.  Shepherd. 

The  Great  Hill  Ecclesiastical  Society,  within  the  limits  of  the  First 
Society  of  Derby,  was  authorized  by  the  general  assembly  in  October, 
1775,  in  order  that  the  inhabitants  in  the  specified  territory  might 
make  provisions  for  four  month's  winter  preaching.  The  petitioners 
were  Timothy  Russell  and  others.  The  first  officers  of  the  society 
were:  Joseph  Canfield,  Joseph  Tomlinson  and  Noah  Tomlinson,  com- 
mittee; John  Bassett,  collector,  and  Samuel  Russell,  clerk.  A  rate  of 
\\  pence  on  the  pound  was  laid,  and  for  four  years  winter  meetings 
were  held  in  the  Great  Hill  school  house.  In  May,  1779,  Captain  John 
Holbrook  and  others  of  the  locality  prayed  that  the  Great  Hill  society 
might  be  made  a  distinct  body  with  all  the  privileges  of  other  ecclesi- 
astical societies.  This  being  granted,  the  society  was  organized  Sep- 
tember 20th,  1779,  and  was  the  third  one  in  Derby.  Captain  John 
Holbrook,  the  prime  mover  for  this  society,  was  a  man  of  great  wealth, 
and  having  a  large  tract  of  land  with  saw  mills  on  it,  practically  built 
the  meeting  house  with  his  own   means.     It  was  probably  put  up  in 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  587 

the  fall  of  1781,  as  there  is  a  record  showing  its  occupancy  in  March, 
1782.  He  was  elected  the  first  deacon  of  the  Great  Hill  Congrega- 
tional church,  and  was  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  its  welfare  most 
active.  In  1783  the  society  established  the  grave  yard  on  Great  hill, 
and  John  Holbrook,  Jr.,  Enoch  Smith  and  Benjamin  English  were  ap- 
pointed to  dig  the  graves.  Choristers  were  appointed,  and  a  system- 
atic course  of  instruction  in  music  was  begun,  which  resulted  in 
greatly  edifying  the  congregation. 

In  January,  1787,  Abner  Smith  began  to  preach,  holding  services 
at  long  intervals,  but  later  was  settled  on  a  regular  call,  and  served 
the  church  many  years.  The  society  purchased  a  tract  of  land  for  him 
on  Great  hill,  on  which  he  built  a  large  gambrel-roofed  house,  in  which 
he  lived  until  his  removal  to  the  West,  in  1829.  Congregational 
services  now  became  more  and  more  infrequent,  until  they  were 
almost  wholly  suspended.  The  meeting  house  was  used  for  school 
purposes  and  as  a  place  of  worship  by  the  Methodists  until  their  own 
church,  on  Great  hill,  was  dedicated,  October  25th,  1854.  In  this 
building,  in  more  recent  times,  Congregational  preaching  has  some- 
times been  held,  but  the  members  living  in  this  locality  have  never 
been  very  numerous.  The  old  meeting  house  was  taken  down  many 
years  ago. 

The  Great  Hill  M.  E.  Church  ranks  as  one  of  the  oldest  in  the 
county.  It  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  chief  appointments  on  the 
old  Derby  circuit,  and  in  more  recent  times  has  sustained  an  equally 
important  relation  to  the  Seymour  church,  with  which  it  has  long  since 
been  served,  and  with  which  its  history  is  closely  interwoven.  In  1820 
Presiding  Elder  Heman  Bangs  said  his  main  support  was  from  the 
Great  Hill  church.  Nevertheless,  the  membership  was  never  very 
large,  but  was  rather  characterized  by  the  zeal  which  inspired  it  to 
embrace  this  cause. 

Among  the  early  members  were  Captain  Isaac  Bassett,  his  wife,  one 
son  and  six  daughters;  Mrs.  David  Tomlinson.one  son  and  three  daugh- 
ters; James  Tomlinson  and  wife;  Anson  Gillette  and  wife,  five  sons 
and  two  daughters.  Gillette  was  one  of  the  pioneer  class  leaders. 
Later  pioneer  members  were  Samuel  and  David  Durand,  Cyrus  Botts- 
ford  and  Judson  English,  all  useful  and  devoted  to  the  cause.  The 
first  meetings  were  held  in  the  school  house  some  time  after  1791; 
later  ones  in  the  meeting  house  of  the  Great  Hill  society,  and  since 
the  fall  of  1854  in  a  building  put  up  and  controlled  by  the  Methodists. 

The  Seymour  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  a  prosperous  organi- 
zation. The  Reverend  Jesse  Lee  first  proclaimed  Methodism  in  this 
locality.  In  the  summer  of  1791  he  preached  in  a  grove  in  Derby, 
"Uptown,"  and  found  willing  hearers  in  John  and  Ruth  Coe  and  the 
family  of  a  Mr.  Hinman.  The  following  year  Middletown  circuit  was 
established,  embracing  as  part  of  its  territory  all  of  New  Haven 
county,  and  since  that  time  there  has  been  a  regular  service  of  the 


588  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Methodist  ministry  in  the  Naugatuck  valley.  In  1793  a  regular  so- 
ciety was  formed  in  Derby,  and  as  a  result  of  the  preaching  there  a 
class  was  organized  at  Chusetown  in  1797.  The  members  were  Jesse 
Johnson,  Isaac  Baldwin,  Esther  Baldwin,  Sarah  Baldwin  and  Eunice 
Baldwin.  Soon  there  were  added  George  Clark,  Lucy  Hitchcock,  Silas 
Johnson  and  Olive  Johnson.  Daniel  Rowe,  of  Derby,  was  the  leader. 
Preaching  services  were  now  established  in  this  place  in  private  houses, 
and  some  meetings,  after  the  custom  of  those  times,  were  held  in  the 
public  rooms  of  the  taverns.  In  thus  going  from  place  to  place  they 
aroused  some  prejudice,  which  resulted  in  petty  persecution.  Once 
when  a  meeting  was  held  at  Isaac  Baldwin's,  the  top  of  the  chimney 
was  so  much  stopped  up  that  the  smoke  drove  the  worshippers  out  of 
the  house.  In  1803  the  presiding  elder,  Freeborn  Garrettson,  visited 
Chusetown  and  held  the  first  quarterly  meeting  in  the  old  Congrega- 
tional meeting  house.  This  latter  became  the  first  Methodist  church 
building. 

In  1809,  as  the  fruits  of  a  revival,  when  70  persons  were  converted, 
in  the  Derby  Neck  school  house,  there  were  some  additions  to  the 
membership,  which  increased  from  this  time  on.  In  this  great  revival 
Moses  Osborn,  a  local  preacher  from  Southbury,  was  a  helpful  agent. 
In  1815  Walter  French,  of  Humphreysville,  was  licensed  to  exhort  and 
later  to  preach,  and  being  endowed  with  a  good  memory  and  a  ready 
utterance,  he  often  here  spoke  with  power  and  success.  He  liyed  to 
be  more  than  80  years  of  age,  dying  in  1865.  Jesse  Johnson  became  a 
local  preacher  later  than  Walter  French.  In  1828  Samuel  R.  Hicox,  a 
local  preacher  from  Southbury.  became  a  resident  of  Humphreysville, 
having  charge  of  the  grist  mill  at  the  falls.  In  1832  Sylvester  Smith, 
a  local  preacher  from  Westville,  moved  into  the  village,  and  from  that 
time  for  many  years  was  one  of  the  main  supports  of  the  church,  often 
assisting  the  itinerant  preachers  here  and  frequently  preaching  in  the 
adjoining  towns.  In  1829  Thomas  Ellis,  a  Welsh  spinner  in  the  cotton 
mill,  was  converted  and  joined  the  church.  He  was  a  great  singer  and 
proved  a  valuable  addition.  In  1833  he  received  license  to  preach,  and 
in  1838  he  joined  the  conference  as  an  itinerant.  He  died  in  1873,  aged 
68  years.  These  local  brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  some  zealous  lay 
members,  among  them  being  Stiles  Johnson  and  Thomas  Gilyard,  both 
of  whom  endowed  the  church  with  worldly  goods,  greatly  aided  in 
giving  it  a  permanent  place  among  the  religious  bodies  of  the  town. 
In  1817  the  society  numbered  56  members.  In  1819  there  were  three 
classes  connected  with  the  church,  led  by  Robert  Lees,  Timothy  Hitch- 
cock and  Orrin  Peck,  the  latter  being  in  the  town  of  Woodbridge,  but 
came  to  this  point  as  their  preaching  place.  After  this  the  church  had 
varying  fortunes,  some  yeai's  having  as  many  as  50  accessions  to  the 
membership,  and  at  other  times  suffering  a  diminished  membership 
on  account  of  removals.  In  1890  the  joint  charges  of  Great  Hill  and 
Seymour  had  about  250  members,  constituting  six  classes. 


HISTOFY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  589 

October  31st,  1817,  Stiles  Johnson,  Bezaleel  Peck,  Robert  Lees, 
Thomas  Gilyard  and  Timothy  Hitchcock  were  elected  trustees  of  the 
Methodist  society,  and  to  them,  on  the  22d  of  September,  1818,  was 
conveyed  the  old  Congregational  meeting  house  for  a  consideration  of 
$40.  The  same  year  Stiles  Johnson  bequeathed  to  the  society  the 
ground  on  which  the  building  stood  and  the  green  in  front  of  it,  with 
$134  to  repair  the  house  and  $200  as  a  fund  whose  income  was  to  be  ap- 
plied to  maintain  "regular  Sabbath  preaching."  The  old  house  was  soon 
after  converted  into  a  two-story  building,  but  was  wholly  barren  of 
paint.  In  1831  land  was  purchased  for  a  parsonage  at  the  corner  of 
Pearl  and  Grand  streets,  and  the  following  year  the  house  was  com- 
pleted. In  the  spring  of  1847  the  old  meeting  house  was  sold  for  $100, 
with  a  view  of  building  a  new  one  on  its  site.  The  corner  stone  for 
this  was  laid  June  19th,  1847,  Sylvester  Smith  depositing  the  case  un- 
der the  stone.  The  building  was  in  the  Gothic  style,  40  by  60  feet, 
with  a  basement  fitted  up  for  services.  It  was  handsomely  finished, 
and  in  the  tower  was  placed  a  good  bell,  weighing  1,150  pounds.  The 
entire  cost  was  $5,800.  The  church  was  dedicated  January  18th,  1848, 
by  Bishop  Janes.  The  following  season  the  elm  trees  in  front  of  the 
church  were  planted  by  Sylvester  Smith  and  his  son,  William  E.,  who 
was  killed  in  the  civil  war  September  1st,  1864.  In  1875  the  old  par- 
sonage was  sold  and  a  fine  new  one  erected  near  the  church,  by  a 
building  committee  composed  of  Lugrand  Sharpe,  Warren  French  and 
W.  C.  Sharpe.  It  cost  $2,630,  and  was  reputed  one  of  the  most  pleas- 
ant parsonages  in  the  Naugatuck  valley.  In  defraying  its  cost  a  leg- 
acy of  Mrs.  Kirtland  found  useful  application.  The  church  building 
was  renovated  in  1868  and  in  1877.  In  October,  1891,  was  begun  the 
erection  of  a  new  church  edifice,  which  will  cost  about  $12,000. 

The  church  has  had  numerous  conference  relations.  In  1813  the 
Middletown  circuit,  to  which  it  first  belonged,  was  divided,  and  this 
charge  assigned  to  the  Stratford  circuit.  The  formation  of  the  Derby 
circuit  took  place  next,  from  which  Birmingham  and  Waterbury  were 
set  off  as  separate  stations  in  1839,  leaving  only  Humphreysville,  Great 
Hill,  Pleasant  Vale  and  Pinesbridge  in  the  circuit.  Since  1847  the 
former  two  appointments  have  mainly  constituted  the  charge.  The 
appointees  by  the  several  conferences  for  Seymour  and  vicinity  were 
the  following:  1792,  Reverends  Richard  Swain,  Aaron  Hunt:  1793, 
Joshua  Taylor,  Benjamin  Fisler;  1794,  Menzies  Raynor,  Daniel  Ostran- 
der;  1795,  Evan  Rogers,  Joel  Ketchum;  1796,  Joshua  Taylor,  Lawrence 
McCombs;  1797,  Michael  Coate,  Peter  Jayne;  1798,  Augustus  Jocelyn; 
1799,  Ebenezer  Stevens;  1800,  James  Coleman,  Roger  Searle;  1801, 
Abijah  Bachelor,  Luman  Andrus;  1802,  Abner  Wood,  James  Annis: 
1803,  Abner  Wood,  Nathan  Emory;  1804,  Ebenezer  Washburn,  Nathan 
Emory;  1805,  Ebenezer  Washburn,  Luman  Andrus;  1806,  Luman  An- 
drus, Zalmon  Lyon;  1807,  William  Thatcher,  R.  Harris,  O.  Sykes;  1808, 
James  M.  Smith,   Phineas  Rice;  1809,  Noble  W.  Thomas,  Coles  Car- 


590  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

penter:  1810,  Oliver  Sykes,  Jonathan  Lyon;  1811,  Zalmon  Lyon,  Jesse 
Hunt;  1812,  Aaron  Hunt,  Arnold  Scholefield;  1813,  Ebenezer  Wash- 
burn, James  Coleman;  1814,  Elijah  Woolsey,  Henry  Ames;  1815,  Eli- 
jah Hebard,  Benoni  English. 

From  1816  to  1830  the  ministers  were  the  following:  Reverends 
Nathan  Emory,  Arnold  Scholefield,  Reuben  Harris,  Ezekiel  Canfield, 
Samuel  Bushnell,  Aaron  Pierce,  Beardsley  Northrop,  David  Miller, 
Bela  Smith,  James  Coleman,  Laban  Clark,  E.  Barnett,  John  Nixon,  Eli 
Denniston,  William  F.  Pease,  Julius  Field,  Samuel  D.  Ferguson,  Val- 
entine Buck,  John  Luckey,  Nathaniel  Kellogg,  Reuben  Harris,  John 
Lovejoy,  Laban  C.  Cheney. 

Since  1830  the  following  have  served:  1831,  Reverends  Daniel 
Smith,  William  Bates;  1832,  Daniel  Smith,  Robert  Travis;  1833, 
Thomas  Bainbridge,  Chester  W.  Turner;  1834,  Humphrey  Humphries, 
John  Crawford;  1835-6,  Josiah  Bowen;  1837-8,  David  Miller;  1839-40, 
Thomas  Sparks;  1842-3,  Ezra  Jagger;  1844,  Moses  Blydenburgh; 
1845-6,  George  L.  Fuller;  1847-8,  Charles  Stearns;  1849-50,  Seneca 
Howland;  1851-2,  David  Osborn;  1853-4,  Rufus  K.  Reynolds;  1855-6, 
William  T.  Hill;  1857-8,  Thomas  Stevenson:  1859-60,  L.  P.  Perry; 
1861,  Albert  Booth;  1862-3,  George  Lansing  Taylor;  1864-5,  A.  B. 
Pulling;  1866,  Sylvester  Smith;  1867-8,  Joseph  Pullman;  1S69-70,  Ben- 
nett T.  Abbott;  1871-3,  Joseph  Smith;  1874,  William  R.  Webster;  1875, 
E.  H.  Dutcher;  1876,  Charles  A.  Tibbals;  *  1877-9,  Joseph  Vinton; 
1880-2,  C.  W.  Lyon;  1883-4,  H.  Q.  Judd;  1885-7,  A.  McNicholl;  1888, 
C.  S.  Williams;  1889-90,  George  B.  Dusinberre. 

The  first  Methodist  Sunday  school  was  begun  about  1827  by  George 
Kirtland,  having  at  first  his  own  five  children  as  members.  At  the 
end  of  the  year  27  children  belonged.  After  half  a  dozen  years  the 
school  was  discontinued.  In  1841  Samuel  R.  Hicox  became  the  super- 
intendent, and  was  followed  in  1843  by  Lugrand  Sharpe.  In  1890  the 
superintendent  was  A.  C.  Butler  and  the  number  of  members  approxi- 
mated 200. 

The  Church  of  St.  Augustine  (Roman  Catholic)  was  erected  in 
1855-6.  When  the  services  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  were  estab- 
lished in  the  town  in  1844,  but  six  men  in  Humphreysville  professed 
that  faith.  They  were  Nicholas  and  David  Brockway,  Nicholas  Cass, 
Patrick  and  Thomas  Gaff ney  and  James  Qninlan.  The  first  three  are 
to-day  members  of  the  church.  Mass  was  first  celebrated  in  the  "old 
Long  House,"  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  fire  engine  house,  by 
Father  Smith,  who  came  from  New  Haven.  The  building  of  the  rail- 
road increased  the  Catholic  population  of  this  locality,  and  the  village 
was  made  a  mission  station  of  the  Waterbury  parish.  Later  the  same 
relation  was  sustained  to  Naugatuck  and  Birmingham,  Reverend  James 
Lynch  being  the  priest  in  charge.  To  him  was  deeded,  in  1851,  by 
Alfred  Blackman,  a  lot  for  a  Catholic  church  in  Seymour.     In  1855  the 

*  Resigned  in  November,  1876,  and  Reverend  A.  B.  Pulling  filled  the  vacancy. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  591 

building  was  begun,  and  in  the  fall  of  1856  the  church  was  completed 
and  dedicated  with  the  above  name.  This  building  is  still  standing 
near  the  new  edifice.  Amission  relation  to  neighboring  churches  was 
sustained  until  October,  1885,  when  Reverend  John  McMahon  became 
the  first  resident  pastor.  He  continued  in  that  capacity  until  May  1st, 
1886,  when  Reverend  Father  R.  C.  Gragan  was  appointed  to  the  pas- 
torate of  St.  Augustine  parish,  and  here  he  has  since  remained  as  the 
resident  priest.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1S46,  but  at  the  age  of 
three  years  came  to  America.  After  serving  as  a  mechanic,  he  was 
thoroughly  educated  for  the  priesthood,  to  which  he  was  ordained  in 
1880.  In  the  ministry  he  was  at  New  Haven  and  New  Britain  as  as- 
sistant pastor,  this  being  the  first  parish  placed  fully  in  his  charge. 
On  coming  to  Seymour  he  found  a  floating  debt  of  $1,000  and  the  old 
church  too  small  to  properly  accommodate  the  parishioners,  which 
numbered  700  in  1890. 

In  January,  1887,  Father  Gragan  began  his  efforts  to  build  a  new 
church,  in  which  he  was  much  encouraged  by  his  parishioners  and  the 
community  at  large.  Ground  was  broken  for  the  present  church  May 
4th,  1888.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  Bishop  L.  S.  McMahon 
July  15th,  1888,  and  December  25th,  1889,  the  church  was  for  the  first 
time  occupied  for  worship.  An  impressive  and  largely  attended  dedi- 
cation by  the  bishop  took  place  May  18th,  1890. 

The  edifice  is  of  wood,  53  by  101  feet,  and  there  is  a  spire  118  feet 
high,  which  has  been  fitted  to  receive  a  clock  and  bell.  The  church 
has  handsome,  large  stained  glass  windows,  elegant  furniture,  and  is  in 
every  respect  an  ornament  to  the  town.  It  has.  600  sittings  and  cost 
$13,000. 

The  Humphreysville  Baptist  Church  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  move- 
ment to  organize  a  society  of  this  faith  begun  in  the  latter  part  of  1847, 
and  perfected  in  the  following  January.  The  church,  with  the  above 
name,  was  formally  recognized  by  a  convention  called  for  that  pur- 
pose, March  15th,  1848.  Reverend  William  Denison  was  the  first  pas- 
tor, commencing  his  ministry  April  1st,  1848.  George  L.  Hodge  was 
chosen  the  first  deacon,  and  S.  Y.  Beach  the  clerk  and  treasurer,  filling 
those  offices  while  the  church  existed.  The  last  society  meeting  was 
held  September  29th,  1869.  In  1851  the  church  and  society  erected  a 
meeting  house  on  a  lot  donated  by  S.  Y.  Beach,  on  Bank  street  west  of 
the  railroad  depot,  which  cost  about  $3,300.  After  the  meetings  were 
discontinued  on  account  of  the  removal  of  the  members  who  composed 
the  organization,  the  building:  was  converted  into  a  business  house, 
known  as  the  Bassett  Block,  and  was  burglarized  and  burned  down 
April  18th,  1882. 

In  1890  a  German  Baptist  congregation,  but  recently  organized, 
held  its  meetings  in  Beach  Hall.  The  membership  was  small,  but 
gave  promise  of  increase. 

The  cemeteries  of  the  town  are  half  a  dozen  in  number,  most  of 


592  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

them  being  controlled  by  the  several  church  organizations.  One  of 
the  most  important,  the  Union  Cemetery,  is  under  the  care  of  the 
Humphreysville  Grave  Yard  Association,  organized  in  1842  under  the 
general  act  of  that  year.  Ninety-five  persons  associated  themselves  to 
establish  a  "village  grave  yard,"  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Orig- 
inally there  were  two  and  a  half  acres,  which  were  purchased  for  the 
association  by  Clark  Wooster,  Joshua  Kendall  and  Wales  French,  as  a 
committee  in  trust.  Curtis  Randall,  who  died  October  2d,  1842,  was 
the  first' person  there  interred.  Since  that  time  many  interments  have 
taken  place,  and  the  cemetery  has  been  properly  improved.  In  1889 
the  directors  were  John  W.  Bassett,  Martin  R.  Castle,  Andrew  Y. 
Beach,  W.  C.  Sharpe,  DeWitt  C.  Castle,  Benjamin  B.  Thayer  and 
James  Swan.  Some  of  the  first  interments  in  this  locality  were  made 
in  the  Rimmon  burying  ground,  on  a  bluff  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  The  interments  date  from  1768.  Earlier  burials  were  made  in 
Derby. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

Emery  E.  Adams,  born  in  Croton  Falls,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1850,  is  a  son  of  Edward  and  Sarah  J.  (Meade)  Adams,  and  grand- 
son of  David  Adams.  Mr.  Adams  settled  in  Seymour  in  1871,  and  un- 
til 1875  was  in  the  employ  of  H.  B.  Beecher,  auger  manufacturer. 
Since  1875  he  has  been  a  contractor  with  the  Humphreysville  Manu- 
facturing Company.  He  was  married  in  1875  to  Ella  J.,  daughter  of 
Frederick  Emery.  They  have  two  daughters,  Luella  E.  and  Beulah  A. 

Wilford  A.  Baldwin,  born  in  Birmingham,  Conn.,  in  1847,  is  a  son 
of  George,  grandson  of  Anson,  and  great-grandson  of  James  Baldwin, 
a  resident  of  Oxford,  Conn.,  and  a  revolutionary  soldier.  George  Bald- 
win married  Cynthia,  daughter  of  Hiram  Johnson,  and  their  children 
were:  Ida,  Hiram  and  Wilford  A.  Ida  married  John  Ashton.  Wilford 
A.  settled  in  Seymour  in  1885,  and  engaged  in  the  meat  and  market 
business.  He  married,  in  1872,  Ida  E.  Lewis.  They  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Edith.  Mr.  Baldwin  is  a  member  of  Shepherds'  Lodge,  No.  78,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  of  Alton  Chapter,  No.  39,  R.  A.  M.,  of  Naugatuck. 

Edward  F.  Bassett,  born  in  Woodbury,  Conn.,  in  1823,  is  a  son  of 
Zerah,  a  native  of  North  Haven,  born  October  11th,  1795.  His  grand- 
father was  Isaac  Bassett,  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war.  His  great- 
grandfather was  Abram  Bassett.  Zerah  was  a  carriage  maker,  and 
carried  on  business  in  Woodbury  for  upward  of  25  years.  He  settled 
in  Seymour  about  1836.  He  married  Miranda  Doolittle,  of  Walling- 
ford,  Conn.,  born  August  1st,  1795.  They  had  two  children,  Edward 
F.  and  Maria  L.  Zerah  Bassett  died  October  23d,  1839,  and  Miranda, 
his  wife,  died  January  21st,  1S67.  Maria  L.  Bassett  married  Isaac  H. 
Davis.  Edward  F.  married,  in  1849,  Laura  Linsley,  of  Woodbury, 
Conn.  They  have  one  daughter,  Jennie  L.  Mr.  Bassett  engaged  in 
the  furniture,  undertaking  and  house  furnishing  business  in  Seymour 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  593 

in  1847,  which  he  conducted  until  1889,  when  he  retired.  He  was 
town  clerk  for  one  year.  His  store  was  burned  with  all  its  contents  in 
1882,  but  he  rebuilt  and  continued  the  business. 

Sharon  Y.  Beach,  born  in  North  Haven  May  21st,  1809,  is  a  son  of 
Giles,  grandson  of  Benjamin,  and  great-grandson  of  Benjamin.  Giles 
Beach  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Captain  Jonathan  and  Mary  Dayton. 
Captain  Dayton  commanded  a  company  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and 
had  four  sons  in  the  same  company.  He  was  also  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  Benjamin  Beach,  father  of  Giles,  was  the  first  settled  minister 
in  Seymour,  then  called  Chusetown.  Sharon  Y.  Beach  came  from 
North  Haven  in  1830,  and  settled  in  Humphreysville,  and  for  several 
years  was  employed  in  a  cotton  mill  there.  In  1843  he  engaged  in 
paper  manufacturing,  which  has  since  been  his  business.  He  has  been 
selectman  several  terms,  and  has  held  other  town  offices.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  for  60  years,  and  a  member  and 
deacon  of  the  Ansonia  Baptist  church  since  its  organization.  He  was 
married  in  1832  to  Adaline,  daughter  of  Asa  Sperry.  Their  children 
were:  George  W.,  Andrew  Y.,  Emeline  E.,  Sharon  D.  and  Theodore 
B.  Mr.  Beach  married  for  his  second  wife,  in  1872,  Julia  D.,  daughter 
of  Andrew  P.  Hine. 

Sharon  D.  Beach,  born  in  Seymour  November  23d,  1849,  is  a  son  of 
Sharon  Y.  Beach.  He  was  married  in  1870  to  Mary  E.,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Rider,  of  Seymour.  Their  children  are:  Sharon  M.,  Ralph  S. 
and  J.  Mabel.  Mr.  Beach  is  treasurer  and  manager  of  the  S.  Y.  Beach 
Paper  Company. 

Theodore  B.  Beach,  born  in  Seymour  in  1855,  is  a  son  of  Sharon  Y. 
Beach.  He  has  been  agent  at  Seymour  for  the  Naugatuck  Railroad 
Company  since  1879.  For  five  years  prior  to  that  he  was  ticket  agent 
of  the  New  York  &  New  England  and  Naugatuck  railroads  at  Water- 
bury.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the  board  of  education  for  eight  years, 
and  is  secretary  of  the  S.  Y.  Beach  Paper  Company.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and 
the  Nonnawauk  Tribe  of  Red  Men.  Mr.  Beach  was  married  in  1879,  to 
Elizabeth  Lockwood.     They  have  two  children:  Harold  and  Olive. 

Hiram  Chatfield,  born  in  Seymour  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  Joel  R.,  he  a 
son  of  Joel,  he  a  son  of  Elnathan,  and  he  a  son  of  Edwin  Chatfield. 
Joel  Chatfield  married  Ruth  Stoddard,  and  their  children  were:  Isaac, 
Leman,  Almira,  Stoddard,  Thirza,  Joel  R.  and  Charlotte.  Joel  R. 
Chatfield  was  born  in  1804,  and  is  still  living.  He  has  been  twice 
married:  first  to  Lucinda  Hitchcock,  and  their  children  were  Clark 
and  Lucinda.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Tru- 
man Tomlinson,  and  their  children  were:  John,  Edwin,  Ransom,  Hi- 
ram, Mary  T.,  Charlotte  F.  and  Hattie  M. 

Charles  Coupland,  the  enterprising  and  successful  superintend- 
ent of  the  Tingue  Manufacturing  Company,  at  Seymour,  was  born  at 
Huddersfield,  in  Yorkshire,  England,  April  11th,  1840.      His  parents 


594  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

were  Robert  and  Mary  Coupland,  and  he  was  the  second  of  a  family 
of  nine  children.  His  father  was  a  small  woolen  manufacturer,  but 
thoroughly  skilled  in  his  occupation,  and  was  considered  an  ingenious 
man.  He  soon  needed  the  services  of  his  son,  and  when  Charles 
Coupland  was  but  seven  years  of  age  he  was  placed  at  work  in  the  fac- 
tory, where  he  labored  in  the  daytime,  and  what  little  education  he 
received  was  obtained  from  attendance  of  night  schools. 

But  he  learned,  in  the  twelve  years  that  included  his  apprenticeship 
in  his  father's  factory,  what  has  proved  of  immense  practical  benefit 
to  him,  every  detail  and  all  the  intricacies  and  fine  points  pertaining 
to  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods.  Having  obtained  this  mechani- 
cal knowledge  he  became,  at  the  age  of  19  years,  dissatisfied  with  his 
prospects  in  life,  and  resolved,  in  1860,  to  cast  his  lot  in  America. 
With  others  he  emigrated  to  this  country,  and  soon  found  work  in  the 
Windmere  mills,  at  Rockville,  Conn.  After  working  a  short  time  as 
a  second  man  in  the  carding  room,  he  was  given  charge  of  the  depart- 
ment, and  since  that  time  all  his  service  has  been  in  supervisory 
positions.  In  1865  he  went  to  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  he  was  given 
charge  of  the  carding  and  spinning  of  the  Baltic  Mills.  He  thence 
went  to  Union  Village,  Conn.,  where  he  owned  and  operated  a  custom 
woolen  mill  several  years.  A  year  later  he  removed  to  Burrville, 
Conn.,  where  he  was  also  engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account  in 
the  manufacture  of  woolen  flocks,  using  a  machine  invented  by  him- 
self, which  very  successfully  performed  that  operation,  doing  as  much 
work  as  five  other  machines  previously  used.  In  1869  he  sold  out  and 
went  to  Templeton,  Mass.,  to  take  charge  of  the  well  known  Otter 
River  blanket  mills,  going  from  there  to  the  woolen  mills  of  Berry  & 
Stanton,  at  Woodville,  R.  I.,  each  move  bringing  an  advance  in  posi- 
tion and  salary,  and  increasing  his  knowledge  of  manufacturing. 

In  1871  he  became  the  manager  and  part  owner  of  the  mill  at 
Thomaston,  Conn.,  operated  by  the  Plymouth  Woolen  Company, 
where  he  remained  until  the  mill  burned  down  in  the  fall  of  1873. 
The  corporation  now  determined  to  build  up  a  worsted  mill,  and  Mr. 
Coupland  was  urged  to  prepare  himself  to  take  charge  of  it.  His  ex- 
perience had  been  confined  to  woolen  goods,  whose  manufacture 
differed  from  worsted  goods,  which  necessitated  new  instruction,  but 
which  was  difficult  to  obtain,  as  every  mill  kept  a  close  guard  of  its 
secret  processes.  Determined  to  find  an  entrance  into  some  mill,  even 
if  he  would  have  to  do  ordinary  labor,  Mr.  Coupland  came  to  Seymour, 
where  he  applied  for  a  place  in  the  Kalmia  Mills,  at  that  time  run  on 
worsted  yarns  by  Schepper  Brothers,  of  Philadelphia,  with  Emil  Mar- 
tines  as  superintendent.  He  was  told  the  only  place  vacant  was  that 
of  engineer,  and  if  he  was  competent  he  could  take  that.  He  knew 
but  little  of  the  work  of  an  engineer,  but  accepted  the  place  at  $3  per 
day,  and  by  diligent  attention  to  his  work  soon  succeeded  in  running 
it  very  satisfactorily.     He  remained  nine  months,  and  in  that  period 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  595 

learned  to  know  about  worsteds  all  he  wanted.  In  the  meantime  the 
death  of  Lucius  P.  Porter,  of  the  Plymouth  Company,  had  disarranged 
the  plans  of  the  corporation,  which  decided  not  to  rebuild.  Mr.  Coup- 
land  now  sought  a  new  field  of  labor,  and  applied  to  A.  T.  Stewart  for 
the  position  of  general  superintendent  of  his  numerous  woolen  mills, 
receiving  the  appointment,  at  a  very  large  salary,  in  the  fall  of  1874. 
He  entered  upon  his  new  duties  to  the  great  surprise  of  his  acquaint- 
ances at  Seymour,  who  could  not  imagine  how  a  man  who  had  been  so 
recently  a  workman  in  an  engine  room  in  their  midst  could  possibly 
fill  that  place.  When  Mr.  Coupland  took  charge  of  the  Stewart  in- 
terests but  four  of  the  thirteen  woolen  mills  in  four  different  states 
were  running,  but  soon  every  mill  was  profitably  operated,  giving  em- 
ployment to  over  10,000  people.     In  this  service  he  remained  six  years. 

In  1880,  while  still  in  the  employ  of  A.  T.  Stewart,  Mr.  Coupland 
discovered  a  new  and  exceedingly  speedy  way  to  weave  mohair  pile 
goods,  which  he  determined  to  utilize  in  a  factory  of  his  own,  with  the 
aid  of  interested  capital.  At  this  time  he  was  introduced  to  John  H. 
Tingue,  a  wealthy  dry  goods  merchant,  of  New  York,  who  consented 
to  embark  with  him  in  this  new  enterprise,  Mr.  Coupland  agreeing  to 
devise,  construct  and  place  in  operation  all  the  necessary  machinery, 
Mr.  Tingue  to  see  that  there  was  no  lack  of  capital.  Looking  about 
for  a  suitable  site  for  the  factory  they  came  to  Seymour  and  bought 
the  Kalmia  or  old  Eagle  silk  mill,  in  1880,  and  the  work  of  building 
the  machinery  was  begun  by  Mr.  Coupland,  and  since  that  time  he 
has  been  the  genius  which  inspired  and  has  successfully  directed  the 
Tingue  Manufacturing  Company  at  Seymour.  The  corporation  was 
formed  in  1881,  and  the  same  year  the  work  of  manufacturing  plush 
goods  was  begun.--  The  process  was  a  radical  departure  from  all 
former  methods,  and  not  only  was  this  the  pioneer  mill  in  America 
in  this  line  of  industry,  but  for  five  years  was  the  sole  occupant  of  this 
especial  field. 

Of  this  mill  and  its  operations  the  American  Machinist  said  in  1884: 

"  I  had  the  pleasure,  a  few  weeks  ago,  of  looking  through  the  plush 
manufactory  at  Seymour,  Conn.,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  president 
of  the  company,  Mr.  J.  H.  Tingue,  and  under  the  guidance  of  Mr. 
Coupland,  the  superintendent,  whose  inventive  turn  of  mind,  backed 
up  by  his  indomitable  perseverance  and  exceptional  executive  ability, 
have  accomplished  wonders  in  the  last  four  year.  Indeed,  to  pass 
through  the  different  departments,  as  I  did,  and  listen  to  the  explana- 
tion of  differences  between  the  methods  and  machinery  employed  by 
the  Tingue  Company,  and  those  employed  by  manufacturers  of  similar 
goods  both  here  and  in  foreign  countries,  with  the  advantages  claimed 
both  in  quantity  and  quality  of  production,  and  be  told  that  the  ma- 
chinery had  been  invented,  designed  and  built  by  themselves,  while  to 
the  question,  '  How  long  has  it  taken  ?'  came  the  answer.  '  Four  years,' 

*  See  account  of  manufactures  in  foregoing  pages. 


596  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

was  to  me  a  genuine  surprise.  To  the  enterprise,  perseverance,  in- 
ventive and  mechanical  ability  which  have  left  their  imprint  all 
through  this  truly  model  establishment,  I  feel  that  I  have  no  words  in 
which  to  pay  a  fitting  tribute.  Through  the  successful  establishment 
of  this  industry — the  manufacture  of  mohair  plush — is  opened  up  a 
new  and  profitable  industry  in  the  raising  of  the  Angora  goat,  which 
has  already  been  found  to  be  a  sure  source  of  profit  in  some  parts  of 
the  Southern  States,  where  sheep-raising  has  proved  a  failure. 

"The  beautiful  silky  fleeces  of  these  animals,  with  a  fiber  of  six  or 
seven  to  nine  or  ten  inches  long,  and  in  extreme  cases,  I  am  told,  it  is 
found  eighteen  inches  in  length,  are,  by  the  ingenious  machinery  of 
the  Tingue  Company,  carried  from  one  stage  of  manufacture  to  an- 
other till  two  sheets  of  plush  in  one,  joined  by  the  pile  of  each,  await 
the  services  of  the  ingenious  splitting  machine  of  Mr.  Coupland,  who, 
with  the  inspiration  of  American  air,  for  the  past  score  of  years  could 
not  be  satisfied  with  the  old  way  in  use  abroad  of  weaving  over  wires, 
which,  by  withdrawing,  cut  the  pile  and  separated  the  two  sheets,  but 
has  invented  a  machine  the  office  of  which  is  to  split  in  the  most  accu- 
rate manner,  and  in  an  entirely  automatic  way,  any  width  or  length 
of  plush  goods. 

"  Not  only  is  the  operation  of  splitting  performed  automatically, 
but  the  knives  which  do  the  work  are  automatically  ground  while 
working,  and  so  kept  constantly  sharp.  Enough  might  be  said  of  this 
place  to  fill  a  volume,  but,  wishing  to  be  careful  not  to  violate  any 
confidence,  I  have  simply  to  say  I  am  truly  grateful,  while  I  feel — and 
I  think  that  every  American  citizen  should — that  many  thanks  are 
due  to  these  pioneers  in  an  industry  which  promises  to  become  one  of 
great  importance,  not  simply  in  a  manufacturing  sense,  but  to  the 
land-owner  in  a  large  section  of  the  country." 

Since  that  time  much  other  labor-saving  machinery  has  been  added 
by  Mr.  Coupland,  much  of  which  he  invented,  and  he  has  had  30  pat- 
ents awarded  him  for  machinery  to  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
plush  goods.  The  mill  and  the  entire  plant  superintended  by  him  is 
a  model  of  neatness,  order,  and  the  adaptation  of  the  best  means  to 
obtain  the  best  results,  showing  that  Mr.  Coupland  also  has  fine  ad- 
ministrative ability  as  well  as  inventive  talent,  which  have  given  him 
a  place  among  the  foremost  mill  men  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Coupland  has  not  neglected  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  being  pro- 
gressive and  public-spirited  in  his  relations  to  the  community,  hence 
he  yielded  his  consent  to  serve  in  several  offices  to  which  he  was 
elected  by  his  townsmen.  He  is  a  prominent  Free  Mason,  and  belongs 
to  the  Order  of  Elks.  Politically  he  has  given  his  adherence  to  the 
democratic  party,  but  is  in  no  sense  a  partisan  in  his  opinions  or  ac- 
tions. 

Alva  Goodrich  De  Wolfe  was  born  in  the  town  of  Morris,  in 
Litchfield  county,  August  25th,  1810.     He  was  the  youngest  of  the  five 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  597 

children  of  Levi  and  Hulda  (Stanley)  De  Wolfe,  and  is  the  only  sur- 
vivor of  their  family.  The  father  of  Hulda  Stanley  served  in  the  revo- 
lution, and  being  taken  a  prisoner,  died  while  confined  in  one  of  the 
New  York  prison  ships.  The  boyhood  of  Levi  De  Wolfe  was  full  of 
romance  and  stirring  incidents,  also  including  a  service  in  the  revolu- 
tion. He  was  born  May  9th,  1764,  on  the  then  frontier  of  Connecti- 
cut. When  four  years  old  he  was  carried  away  in  an  Indian  raid  and 
was  held  by  the  savages  several  years.  Upon  being  released  he  found 
a  home  in  the  family  of  Abiel  Booth,  of  Newtown,  a  farmer  and  black- 
smith. When  Levi  was  15  years  of  age  he  joined  the  patriot  forces  in 
their  struggle  for  independence,  and  served  until  the  end  of  the  war. 
The  last  two  years  he  was  a  sergeant  in  the  body-guard  of  General  La 
Fayette,  whom  he  held  in  the  greatest  esteem;  and  when  that  distin- 
guished officer  visited  New  Haven,  in  1825,  he  was  one  of  the  party  to 
extend  him  a  royal  welcome.  At  the  battle  of  Yorktown  Sergeant  De 
Wolfe  was  wounded,  and  was  discharged  from  the  hospital  after  the 
army  had  left  that  place.  Returning  home,  he  became  a  blacksmith  of 
skill  in  Litchfield  county,  where  he  died  January  15th,  1857,  more  than 
90  years  of  age. 

The  boyhood  of  A.  G.  De  Wolfe  was  spent  in  Morris,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  very  limited  common  school  education,  as  he  was  early  put  to 
work  in  his  father's  shop.  Here  he  gave  the  first  evidence  of  his 
strong  perceptive  faculties  and  great  mechanical  skill.  When  but  14 
years  of  age  he  built  a  lathe  without  having  one  to  pattern  after,  and 
had  become  very  skillful  in  mending  guns,  watches  and  other  machin- 
ery. In  May,  1826,  when  he  was  not  yet  16  years  old,  he  went  to 
Goshen,  where  he  engaged  to  build  a  set  of  clock  making  machinery, 
and  by  the  following  October  had  performed  that  work,  so  that  his  em- 
ployer, A.  Hart,  was  enabled  to  turn  out  5,000  clocks  per  year.  He 
next  went  to  Plymouth  Hollow,  the  same  fall,  where  he  was  engaged 
by  Eli  and  Henry  Terry,  at  that  time  making  wooden  clocks,  and  for 
five  years  was  their  tool  maker  and  general  machinist,  often  working 
15  hours  per  day.  In  this  period  the  making  of  wooden  clocks  was  at 
its  height  and  the  business  was  very  active. 

Having  attained  his  majority,  he  associated  himself,  in  the  fall  of 
1831,  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Dennison,  to  go  to  Havana,  Cuba,  to 
build  and  set  up  Jennings'  camphene  street  lamps.  They  sailed  on  a 
brig  from  New  York,  which  experienced  heavy  seas  off  Cape  Hatteras, 
which  damaged  the  vessel,  but  it  finally  reached  Charleston  harbor  in 
safety.  Here  their  plans  were  changed,  and  the  two  young  adventu- 
rers went  to  Georgetown,  S.  C,  where  De  Wolfe  worked  in  a  gun  shop. 
In  the  summer  of  1832  he  went  to  New  York,  where  he  was  employed 
in  the  shops  of  Pike,  the  philosophical  instrument  maker.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  worked  for  E.  &  G.  W.  Bunt,  makers  of  mathematical 
and  nautical  instruments,  of  the  same  city.  In  the  meantime  a  second 
sojourn  in  the  South,  the  previous  winter,  had  impaired  his  health  to 


598  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

such  an  extent  that  he  was  advised  to  take  an  extended  sea  voyage  to 
improve  it.  Accordingly,  he  and  a  companion  determined  to  join  a 
whaling  expedition.  In  the  fall  of  1834  they  shipped  from  New  Bed 
ford,  Mass.,  and  after  three  years,  three  months  and  twenty  days  re 
turned  home  in  rugged  health.  Much  of  this  time  De  Wolfe  served 
as  the  blacksmith  of  the  vessel,  without  having  any  previous  experi- 
ence in  that  work. 

In  1837  he  was  again  at  Thomaston,  where  he  arranged  the  ma- 
chinery in  the  Terry  shops  for  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods.  He 
next  built  machinery  for  Seth  Thomas,  of  the  same  place,  for  making 
brass  clocks,  and  remained  several  years  at  that  village.  In  1846  he 
moved  to  Springfield,  Mass.,  where  he  was  associated  with  others  as 
the  Wasson  Car  Works,  which  enterprise  was  for  a  time  very  success- 
ful. He  next  removed  to  Harlem,  in  1850,  where  he  carried  on  a  ma- 
chine shop,  and  there  began  his  work  as  a  builder  of  rubber  making 
machinery,  which  led  him  into  his  later  avocation,  in  which  he  attained 
distinguished  success,  and  wherein  he  holds  a  place  as  a  mechanical 
genius  of  more  than  ordinary  ability.  About  this  time  he  entered 
into  the  service  of  the  New  York  Toy  Company,  of  Staten  Island,  and 
in  1853  devised  a  method  of  pressing  into  shape  hard  rubber  goods 
out  of  rubber  dust,  scraps  or  plates,  which  was  successfully  applied  by 
the  Novelty  Rubber  Company  to  the  manufacture  of  rubber  buttons, 
etc.  That  industry  was  established  at  Beacon  Falls  in  1855,  with  ma- 
chinery arranged  by  A.  G.  De  Wolfe.  This  company  soon  removed 
to  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  where  he  also  went  for  a  short  time. 

In  these  years  Mr.  De  Wolfe  had  associated  with  Henry  B.  Good- 
year and  other  inventors  and  experimenters  of  rubber  goods,  and  had 
himself  become  an  expert  in  the  new  art.  As  such  he  went  to  Beacon 
Falls,  in  1856,  but  was  soon  after  engaged  by  Mr.  A.  G.  Day  to  come 
to  Seymour  in  the  same  capacity.  His  labors  as  a  rubber  expert,  and 
his  success  in  properly  cleaning  East  India  gum,  as  well  as  having 
greatly  improved  all  the  machinery  in  use,  soon  justified  the  wisdom 
of  Mr.  Day  in  selecting  him  for  that  position,  and  he  directed  those 
affairs  many  years,  to  the  manifest  advantage  of  the  works  at  Seymour. 

About  1860  Mr.  De  Wolfe  began  experimenting  upon  the  proper 
insulation  of  wire,  endeavoring  to  cover  the  same  with  machinery. 
These  processes  were  well  under  way  when  the  Day  factories  were 
burned  in  1864.  They  were  soon  rebuilt  and  supplied  with  better  ma- 
chinery, much  of  it  constructed  by  Mr.  De  Wolfe,  including  machinery 
to  properly  cover  wire  so  as  to  secure  perfect  insulation,  with  Kerite, 
a  compound  here  exclusively  used  since  1866,  under  his  superinten- 
dence. Mr.  De  Wolfe  has  been  an  incessant  worker,  applying  all  his 
mental  and  physical  energies  to  the  successful  solution  of  the  various 
problems  which  have  presented  themselves  in  his  sphere  of  action,  and 
as  a  consequent  result  has  devised  or  perfected  more  than  60  different 
articles.     Several  patents  have  been  awarded   him,  but  like  most  in- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  599 

ventive  geniuses  he  has  failed  of  receiving  proper  reward  from  them. 
He  has,  however,  through  his  skill  benefitted  mankind,  and  in  this  way- 
has  been  a  most  useful  citizen,  not  only  of  Seymour,  but  of  the  world 
at  large. 

Mr.  De  Wolfe  was  married,  in  1839,  to  Lucy  Ann  Hotchkiss,  of 
Watertown,  Conn.,  who  died  September  4th,  1857.  His  family  con- 
sists of  five  daughters,  all  living,  viz.:  Hulda,  single;  Elizabeth,  mar- 
ried Charles  Sears,  of  New  York;  Maria,  married  James  Barber,  de- 
ceased; Helen,  married  Joseph  Ineson,  deceased,  and  for  her  second 
husband,  John  Jackson;  Frances,  married  W.  R.  Brixey,  of  England, 
but  now  of  Seymour. 

William  W.  Dibble,  born  in  Brookfield.Conn.,  November  1st,  1828, 
is  a  son  of  Amon,  born  January  14th,  1796,  and  grandson  of  Levi,  born 
July  6th,  1770.  Levi  married  Charity  Wheeler,  in  1789,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  Isaac  W.,  Amon,  Eliza  L.,  Ezra  W.,  Horace  B.  and  Leah 
A.  Amon  Dibble  was  married,  November  17th,  181S,  to  Sarah,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Silleck.  Their  children  (living)  are:  William  W.  and 
Phebe.  William  W.  Dibble  was  married,  December  24th,  1848,  to 
Sarah  G.  Hawkins,  of  Derby.  Their  children  are:  Charles  E.,  Lillian 
I.,  William  A.,  Elizabeth,  Mary  F.,  Olin  L.,  Cora,  Clara,  Frederick  W. 
and  Florence.  Charles  died  in  1870.  William  W.  Dibble  came  to 
Seymour  about  1865,  and  since  that  time  has  been  in  the  employ  of 
A.  G.  Day,  rubber  manufacturer.  Olin  L.  Dibble  was  born  September 
22d,  1863.  He  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Fowler  Nail  Company 
since  1878,  as  shipping  clerk,  and  later  as  bookkeeper. 

Charles  E.  Fairchild,  born  in  Oxford  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  Ebenezer, 
born  July  30th,  1803,  and  grandson  of  Nathan  Fairchild.  The  chil- 
dren of  Nathan  Fairchild  were:  Nathan,  Ebenezer  and  Hanford. 
Ebenezer  Fairchild  was  a  carriage  maker.  He  came  to  Seymour  about 
1851,  and  carried  on  business  there  many  years.  He  was  married,  in 
1827,  to  Sarah,  daughter  of  Captain  Job  Candee,  who  was  in  the  revo- 
lutionary war,  and  a  descendant  of  Zacheus  Candee,  born  in  New 
Haven  in  1640.  The  family  were  French  Huguenots,  and  fled  from 
France  early  in  the  sixteenth  century  to  Scotland.  One  of  the  family 
afterward  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Connecticut.  The 
children  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  Fairchild  were:  Charles  E.,  Mary  J. 
and  Henry  L.  (deceased).  Mary  J.  married  Henry  Beecher.  Charles 
E.  Fairchild  has  been  twice  married:  to  Martha  Davidson  in  1861,  and 
to  Mrs.  Ida  Coffin  in  1887.  Ebenezer  Fairchild  died  February  20th, 
1880. 

Raymond  French  was  born  January  7th,  1805,  and  died  at  his  na- 
tive place,  Seymour,  February  19th,  1886.  He  was  a  pioneer  manu- 
facturer at  Humphreysville,  and  in  his  day  one  of  the  most  active  and 
energetic  men  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Naugatuck  valley.  His  ances- 
tors descended  from  William  French,  of  Essex,  England,  who,  with 
his  wife,  Elizabeth,  came  to  America  in  the  ship  "Defense"  in  1635,  and 


600  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

settled  at  Billerica,  Mass.,  18  miles  from  Boston.  One  of  his  sons, 
Francis,  in  1650  moved  to  Milford,  in  this  county,  where  he  perma- 
nently located,  and  from  this  branch  of  the  family  came  Raymond 
French.  His  great-grandfather,  Francis,  junior,  was  a  son  of  this 
Francis,  and  father  of  Israel  French,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
Humphreysville  section.  The  latter  was  married  to  Sarah  Loveland, 
and  one  of  their  children  was  a  son,  Charles,  the  father  of  Raymond. 
Charles  French  was  married  to  Anna  Woodcock,  of  Milford.  February 
25th,  1784,  and  died  in  1859.  She  also  became  very  aged,  deceasing 
when  87  years  old.  They  had  a  large  family,  Raymond  being  the 
eleventh  child. 

December  11th,  1833,  Raymond  French,  at  that  time  in  the  Isle  of 
Trinidad,  married  Olive  Curtiss,  of  Middlebury,  Conn.,  who  died  in 
1855,  aged  49  years.  Their  family  consisted  of  four  children:  Carlos, 
the  only  son;  Harriet,  married  Samuel  H.  Canfield,  of  Seymour;  Sarah, 
married  Judge  W.  B.  Stoddard,  of  New  Haven;  Ann,  married  Cor- 
nelius W.  James,  of  Seymour. 

Carlos  French  was  born  August  6th,  1835.  He  was  educated  at 
vSeymour,  and  for  four  years  was  a  member  of  General  Russell's  mili- 
tary school,  at  New  Haven.  He  then  assisted  in  his  father's  business 
until  1859,  and  has  since  been  a  manufacturer  on  his  own  account  at 
Seymour,  being  engaged,  first,  in  the  manufacture  of  a  car  spring  in- 
vented by  himself.  He  has  helped  materially  to  build  up  the  town 
erecting  in  1891  the  handsome  Humphreys  Block.  His  career  in  pub- 
lic life  embraced  elections  to  the  state  legislature  in  1860  and  in  1868, 
and  to  the  Fiftieth  congress  of  the  United  States.  He  served  with 
credit  in  those  bodies,  and  is  now  a  member  from  Connecticut  of  the 
democratic  national  committee. 

Carlos  French  was  married,  April  30th,  1863,  to  Julia  H.  Thomp- 
son, of  New  Milford,  and  the  children  by  this  union  were:  Carlotta, 
died  July  16th,  1890,  aged  22  years;  and  Raymond  T.,  born  February 
23d,  1S64.  The  latter  is  a  graduate  of  the  Yale  Scientific  School,  and 
was  married  October  1st,  1891,  to  Alice  R.  Hayden,  of  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Raymond  French  shared  the  lot  of  most  farmers'  sons  of  that  time, 
being  soon  put  to  work,  to  the  disadvantage  of  his  school  opportunities 
when  a  boy.  He  was  early  apprenticed  to  learn  the  blacksmith's 
trade  with  Isaac  Kinney,  whose  shop  was  near  where  is  the  Methodist 
church  at  Seymour.  There  he  made  himself  thoroughly  proficient  in 
a  trade  which  in  those  days  embraced  almost  everything  manufac- 
tured in  iron,  and  the  mastery  of  that  art  greatly  contributed  to  his 
future  success.  After  he  had  completed  his  apprenticeship  he  began 
working  in  an  auger  shop  in  his  native  village,  and  became  skillful  as 
a  tool  maker.  In  1828  he  was  induced  to  go  to  the  Isle  of  Trinidad, 
West  Indies,  where  for  six  years  he  was  engaged  in  fitting  up  sugar 
mills  with  machinery,  and  also  worked   in  the  shops  of  the  British 


"//'/  y///f//s/  ■  /';/■//'•// . 


HISTORY  OF   NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  601 

government.  In  1834  he  returned  to  America  and  permanently  lo- 
cated at  Seymour.  Soon  after  he  formed  a  copartnership  with  John 
C.  Wheeler  for  the  manufacture  of  augers,  but  in  1837  became  the 
sole  proprietor  of  the  shops,  having,  after  a  year  or  so,  Hiram  Up- 
son as  a  partner,  but  also  bought  out  his  interests  after  several  years. 

About  1843  he  joined  John  and  Timothy  Dwight  to  form  the  firm 
of  Dwights  &  French,  who  became  extensive  manufacturers  of  augers, 
bits,  plane  irons  and  other  tools.  A  larger  plant  was  soon  needed,  and 
with  a  view  of  providing  a  site  and  power  for  it,  Mr.  French  bought 
the  Kinneytown  property,  below  Seymour.  In  1844  he  built  the  fine 
dam  at  that  place,  selling  the  property  to  Anson  G.  Phelps  in  1845. 
The  same  year  he  bought  the  property  of  the  Humphreysville  Manu- 
facturing Company,  and  prepared  it  for  his  new  works.  His  already 
large  business  was  much  increased  in  1849,  when  two  more  members 
were  added  to  the  firm,  which  now  became  Dwights,  French  &  Co., 
and  the  manufacture  of  railway  cars  was  also  begun.  Soon  after  new 
buildings  were  added  to  the  already  large  plant,  and  their  industry 
became  the  most  important  in  the  place.  In  1852  the  interests  of  the 
firm  were  divided,  the  car  work  being  done  by  the  newly  formed 
American  Car  Company,  and  the  making  of  tools  being  continued  by 
the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company,  Raymond  French  being 
a  controlling  spirit  in  both  corporations.  In  1853  the  American  Car 
Company  also  built  large  works  in  Chicago,  but  in  1855  sold  them,  and 
they  eventually  became  the  property  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company.  The  same  year  the  company  disposed  of  its  interests  at 
Seymour  to  the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which 
Raymond  French  was  now  the  president,  and  served  until  the  disso- 
lution of  the  company  in  1870.  He  then  secured  a  third  interest  in 
the  factories  and  power  of  the  old  Humphreysville  company,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  ox  shoes,  which  industry  he  carried  on 
until  failing  health  compelled  him  to  retire  from  active  life.  In  this 
period  he  had  also  been  identified  with  many  other  interests  of  Sey- 
mour, such  as  the  Eagle  silk  mills,  the  Humphreysville  Copper  Com- 
pany, the  Bank  of  North  America,  etc.  He  built  the  present  dam  at 
the  lower  falls,  and  had  the  contract  for  constructing  the  Rimmon 
dam,  in  1866.  Few  public  enterprises  were  begun  without  receiving 
his  encouragement  or  support,  and  whatever  he  undertook  to  do  he  en- 
deavored to  push  to  a  successful  result. 

Mr.  French  was  a  man  of  strong  physique,  and  great  powers  of 
endurance.  He  was  energetic  and  industrious,  had  a  large  fund  of 
good  sense,  and  for  his  privileges  was  intelligent  to  a  marked  degree. 
His  mechanical  skill  was  great,  and  he  possessed  inventive  talents  of 
a  superior  order,  which  he  successfully  utilized.  Added  to  these 
qualities  were  his  plain  habits  of  life  and  speech,  his  integrity  and  in- 
terest in  those  associated  with  him  and  the  community  at  large,  which 
made  him  not  only  a  successful  man,  but  also  one  of  the  most  honored 
in  his  time  of  life. 


602  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Thomas  F.  Gilyard,  born  in  Seymour  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  William 
F.,  born  1816,  and  grandson  of  Thomas  Gilyard,  who  was  born  in 
Leeds,  England,  March  20th,  1786,  and  came  from  England  in  1807. 
He  settled  in  Humphreysville,  and  for  many  years  was  employed  in 
General  Humphreys'  woolen  factory  as  a  cloth  finisher.  He  married 
Lois  French,  of  Bethany.  He  died  in  1853.  William  F.  Gilyard  mar- 
ried Wealthy  A.  Hotchkiss,  and  their  children  were:  Mary  A.,  Thomas 
F.  and  Sarah  L.,  who  married  Ransom  Chatfield.  Mary  A.  (deceased) 
married  Henry  Buckingham.  Wealthy  A.  Gilyard  died  May  9th, 
1891.  Thomas  F.  Gilyard  has  been  twice  married;  first  in  1870,  to 
Antoinette  Bryant,  and  in  1880  to  Hattie  French.  They  have  two 
sons:  Arthur  T.  and  Raymond  E.     William  F.  Gilyard  died  in  1884. 

Robert  Healey,  born  in  London,  England,  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Rob- 
ert, who  came  to  this  country  in  1846,  and  to  Seymour  four  years  later. 
Robert  Healey,  Sr.,  was  in  the  United  States  navy  several  years  be- 
fore the  war.  When  the  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  the  1st  Ken- 
tucky Regiment,  was  soon  after  taken  prisoner,  and  for  14  months  was 
confined  in  Salisbury  prison.  Upon  his  release  he  enlisted  in  the 
navy.  He  died  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1867.  Robert  Healey,  Jr.,  enlisted 
in  the  22d  Indiana  Regiment  in  1861.  He  was  color  bearer  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  severely  wounded  at  Perryville, 
Ky.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  Seymour,  and  for  12  years 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  Douglass  Manufacturing  Company,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  served  the  town 
as  selectman  for  seven  years,  has  also  been  assessor  and  member  of 
the  board  of  education.  He  was  elected  representative  in  18S9.  He 
is  a  member  of  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Red  Men.  He  is  past  commander  of  Upson  Post,  No. 
40,  G.  A.  R.  He  married,  in  1866,  Alice  J.,  daughter  of  AmosBassett, 
of  Seymour. 

Edward  L.  Hoadley,  born  in  Naugatuck,  Conn.,  in  1886,  is  a  son  of 
Lewis  Hoadley.  He  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Randall,  daughter  of  Lever- 
ett  Pritchard,  of  Seymour.  Lewis  Hoadley  settled  in  Seymour  in  1S42, 
and  was  engaged  in  farming  and  dealing  in  lumber.  He  died  in  1866. 
Edward  L.  continues  the  business,  running  several  saw  mills,  and  gets 
out  from  300,000  to  400,000  feet  of  lumber  annually.  He  has  been 
selectman  several  times.  He  was  married  in  1857,  to  Martha  J.  Wheeler, 
of  Oxford. 

Charles  Hull,  born  in  Seymour  in  1835,  is  a  son  of  John  C.  and 
grandson  of  Alfred  Hull,  a  tanner  and  shoemaker  in  Humphreysville. 
His  mother  was  a  sister  of  Doctor  David  Hull,  of  Fairfield,  and  Gen- 
eral William  Hull,  of  revolutionary  fame.  John  C.  Hull  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  David  and  Sarah 
Tomlinson.  Their  children  were:  Charles,  De  Witt  C,  Mary  and 
Isaac,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mary  Hull  married  Egbert  Cogswell,  of 
New  Preston,   Conn.     De  Witt  C.  Hull  was  born  in  Seymour  in  1844, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  603 

and  is  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  married,  in  1865,  Juliet  Brown,  of 
Harwinton,  Conn.,  and  they  have  one  son,  Ernest  D.  Charles  Hnll  is 
also  a  carpenter.  He  was  married  in  1873,  to  Lillie  I.  Davis.  They 
have  three  children:  Afred,  Mary  and  John. 

Thomas  James,  who  was  for  several  scores  of  years  the  leading 
spirit  of  the  New  Haven  Copper  Company,  of  Seymour,  was  born  at 
Swansea,  Wales,  August  3d,  1817.  and  died  at  his  adopted  home  July 
4th,  1887.  He  was  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  James,  and  one 
of  a  family  of  ten  children.  His  parents  were  poor,  and  nearly  all  the 
education  he  obtained  in  the  early  years  of  his  life  was  from  attend- 
ance of  night  schools,  after  working  in  the  mills  all  day.  But  he  had 
an  inquiring  mind,  which  prompted  him  to  be  a  student  through  the 
greater  part  of  his  life,  thus  enabling  him  to  become  not  only  saga- 
cious in  his  business  affairs,  but  he  also  acquired  a  large  fund  of  in- 
formation on  many  other  topics. 

When  a  mere  lad  Thomas  James  began  his  life  work  as  an  artificer 
in  copper,  and  by  unremitted  toil  and  intelligent  application  became 
one  of  the  masters  of  his  art  in  this  country,  none  exceeding  him  in 
the  extent  of  his  practical  knowledge.  He  thoroughly  understood  the 
refining  of  metals  and  the  subsequent  processes,  and  instructed  his 
sons  in  every  detail  of  the  business.  His  own  experience  began  when, 
as  a  young  boy,  he  entered  one  of  the  mills  of  his  native  town  in 
Wales,  where  he  was  instructed  in  all  the  branches  of  copper  smelt- 
ing, his  father  and  his  grandfather  before  him  being  adepts  in  the 
same  business,  the  last  named  being  one  of  the  first  smelters  at  the 
"White  Rock"  smelting  works  in  Swansea,  which  works  were  com- 
pleted in  the  year  1744.  So  we  see  here,  in  a  direct  line,  four  success- 
ive generations  following  the  same  occupation.  At  their  establish- 
ment in  Seymour  the  men  in  charge  of  the  rolling  and  refining  pro- 
cesses are  also  Welshmen.  They  are  acknowledged  to-day,  as  they 
have  been  in  the  past,  to  stand  at  the  head  of  their  industry,  and  the 
Welsh  methods  are  adopted  by  the  principal  smelters  all  the  world 
over. 

Like  many  other  ambitious  young  men  of  the  old  world,  Thomas 
James  early  determined  to  cast  his  lot  in  this  country,  purposing  when 
he  was  21  years  of  age  to  join  an  uncle,  who  had  preceded  him  to 
America.  With  that  view  a  correspondence  was  kept  up,  and  he  left 
his  home  April  25th,  1838.  He  sailed  from  Liverpool  May  3d,  and 
after  a  very  tedious  voyage  he  landed  in  New  York  June  23d,  1838. 
He  there  learned  to  his  great  disappointment  that  the  relative  whom 
he  expected  to  meet,  thinking  that  he  would  not  come,  had  sailed  for 
Chili  the  preceding  day.  His  sorrows  were  further  increased  by  the 
knowledge  that  his  limited  means  were  about  exhausted,  his  total 
funds  being  only  about  one  shilling.  Fortunately  in  this  strait  he 
found  a  Welsh  family  from  Swansea,  which  offered  him  a  temporary 
home,  and  directed  him  to  a  source  of  employment  which  led  to  his 


604  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

becoming-  a  citizen  of  Connecticut  instead  of  Pennsylvania,  as  had 
been  the  original  purpose.  Thus  often  do  adverse  circumstances  tend 
to  our  future  destiny  and  welfare.  The  Jones  family,  knowing  that  he 
had  been  trained  as  a  copper  worker,  referred  him  to  Anson  G. 
Phelps,  who  had  but  recently  established  his  mill  at  Birmingham. 
He  was  promptly  engaged,  and  was  soon  at  work  as  a  roller  in  that 
new  mill.  When  the  works  were  transferred  to  Ansonia,  he  went 
with  the  working  force  and  remained  in  that  village  about  three  years. 
In  this  period  it  became  known  that  he  was  more  than  an  ordinary 
workman.  His  training  gave  him  a  knowledge  of  every  department 
of  the  works,  and  he  brought  to  the  attention  of  his  employers  several 
new  compounds,  which  he  thought  might  be  advantageously  manu- 
factured, among  them  being  yellow  metal,  which  was  first  made  by 
him  in  this  country. 

After  the  Humphreysville  Copper  Company  was  organized,  Ray- 
mond French  persuaded  Mr.  James  to  come  to  Seymour  in  1848  and 
take  charge  of  the  rolling  mill,  which  he  did,  performing  in  addition 
the  work  of  the  refiner,  until  he  had  some  one  properly  trained  for 
that  position.  Through  all  the  changes  which  attended  the  venture 
at  Humphreysville  he  remained  at  the  works,  doing  his  best  to  make 
a  success  of  the  enterprise.  His  energy  and  practical  knowledge 
made  him  a  valuable  man,  and  as  he  was  frugal  his  earnings  enabled 
him  to  purchase  an  interest  in  the  company,  whose  stock,  in  the 
course  of  years,  he  fully  controlled,  and  under  his  management  the 
industry  was  firmly  established. 

When  the  New  Haven  Copper  Company  was  organized,  in  1874, 
Thomas  James  became  its  president,  and  served  five  years,  when  his 
son,  Thomas  L.,  was  elected  to  that  office  and  has  since  filled  it.  The 
elder  James  was  next  the  treasurer  of  the  company  until  his  death, 
when  his  son,  Conelius  W.,  was  called  to  that  place. 

Thomas  James  was  a  very  methodical  man,  and  exacted  from  all 
those  associated  with  him  an  observance  of  system  and  order.  He 
had,  moreover,  great  executive  ability  as  well  as  a  genius  for  inven- 
tion and  a  knowledge  of  mechanism,  and  possessed  a  remarkably  well- 
balanced  mind.  These  traits  aided  him  materially  in  obtaining  great 
business  success.  In  his  nature  he  was  genial,  public-spirited  and 
especially  benevolent  toward  his  old  and  faithful  employees.  None, 
even  after  they  had  become  incapacitated  by  age,  were  permitted  to 
leave  his  service;  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  here  record  the  fact  that  his 
sons  have  honorably  preserved  that  custom.  Always  interested  in  the 
public  welfare,  and  encouraging  every  public  improvement,  he  con- 
fided the  trusts  and  honors  of  offices  to  others,  but  supported  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  republican  party.  In  his  religious  belief  he  was  an  Epis- 
copalian, and  was  one  of  the  most  liberal  supporters  of  the  interests 
of  Trinity  parish,  of  Seymour. 

Mr.  James  was  twice  married;  first,  November  17th,  1839,  to  Emily 


Y^f^^¥ 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  605 

H.  Abbott,  of  Danbury,  who  died  June  7th,  1841.  Her  only  child  was 
a  son,  Cornelius  W.,  born  April  14th,  1841,  who  married  Ann  B.  French 
in  November,  1864.  For  his  second  wife  Thomas  James  married 
Minerva  H.  Rowe,  of  Oxford,  June  19th,  1843,  and  she  still  survives. 
This  union  was  blessed  with  seven  children,  three  dying  in  infancy, 
and  four  growing  to  mature  years,  namely:  Thomas  L.,  born  May  7th, 
1846,  married  July  21st,  1870,  to  Julia  Du  Bois,  of  Fishkill,  New  York; 
Elizabeth  Emily,  born  March  16th,  1848,  married  October  2d,  1877,  to 
L.  A.  Camp;  George  A.,  born  August  25th,  1850,  married  May  25th, 
1875,  to  Sarah  M.  Riggs;  Louisa  Ellen,  born  December  18th,  1854, 
married  to  F.  A.  Rugg,  October  25th,  1876.  All  the  family  reside  at 
Seymour,  being  among  the  leading  citizens  of  the  town. 

John  King,  born  in  Manchester,  England,  in  1840,  came  to  America 
in  1863,  and  settled  in  Ansonia,  where  he  resided  until  1870,  then  set- 
tled in  the  town  of  Seymour.  From  1863  to  1880  he  was  in  the  me- 
chanical and  electrical  department  of  Wallace  &  Sons'  factory  at  An- 
sonia; from  1880  to  the  present  time  in  the  ice  business  in  Ansonia  and 
Seymour.  He  also  carries  on  a  saw  mill,  cider  mill  and  distillery,  and 
is  a  maker  of  cider  machinery.  He  married,  in  1862,  Annie  Potts. 
They  have  two  children  living:  Mary  A.  and  Alfred  H. 

Charles  Henry  Lounsbury,  one  of  the  leading  merchants  and 
business  men  of  Seymour,  was  born  in  the  western  part  of  Bethany, 
September  18th,  1848,  and  is  the  only  son  of  Ransom  and  Mary  (Joyce) 
Lounsbury,  now  residing  in  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls.  The  other 
members  of  their  family  were  two  sisters:  Eliza  Jane,  married  Her- 
bert Beers,  of  New  Haven,  deceased  in  the  spring  of  1890;  and  Ella 
B.,  married  to  Fred  Colvin,  who  was  drowned  at  Milford  Beach.  The 
father  is  a  son  of  Josiah  Lounsbury,  a  man  of  excellent  parts,  and 
much  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  The  latter  was  married  to 
Sally  Lines,  whose  father  held  a  commission  from  Governor  Jonathan 
Trumbull  in  the  revolutionary  service.  The  father  of  Josiah  Louns- 
bury and  great-grandfather  of  Charles  H.,  Linus  Lounsbury,  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  the  western  part  of  Bethany,  was  also  a  soldier  in 
the  revolution.  The  Lounsbury  paternal  home  is  still  owned  by  the 
family,  being  one  of  the  oldest  improved  places  in  the  eastern  section 
of  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1877,  when  he  was  about  29  years  of  age, 
Charles  H.  Lounsbury  married  Jennie,  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret 
(Alderson)  Titley,  at  that  time  residing  in  Beacon  Falls,  but  who  was 
born  in  North  Wales.  She  came  with  her  parents  to  America,  in  1854, 
when  she  was  but  two  years  of  age,  and  the  voyage  made  in  a  sailing 
vessel  consumed  six  weeks.  The  children  by  this  marriage  have  been: 
Jessie  May,  born  June,  1879,  died  August  15th,  1881;  Mary  E.,  born 
September  12th,  1881;  Charles  H.,  born  November  1st,  1883,  and  John 
Titley,  born  November  13th,  1890. 

All  the  ancestors  of  Charles  H.  Lounsbury  were  farmers,  and  to- 


606  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

that  occupation  he  was  also  reared,  having  privilege  in  these  years  to 
attend  the  district  school  of  his  locality  and  a  few  sessions  of  a  select 
school  taught  at  Beacon  Falls.  But  all  his  schooling  was  limited  to  a 
few  years'  attendance.  He  had,  however,  a  studious  disposition  which 
prompted  him  to  round  out  his  education  by  self-study  and  intelligent 
observation,  garnering  from  every  source  until  he  became  a  well- 
informed  man. 

In  July,  1878,  Mr.  Lounsbury  relinquished  his  farm  work  and  re- 
moved to  vSeymour,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Here  he  engaged  as 
a  clerk  in  the  general  store  of  M.  M.  Randall,  and  learned  the  art  of 
merchandising.  Having  thoroughly  mastered  that  pursuit  he  ven- 
tured in  trade  for  himself  in  March,  1881,  establishing  a  business 
which  under  his  prudent  management  has  grown  to  fine  proportions. 
His  integrity,  industry  and  perseverance  in  this  avocation  have  been 
properly  rewarded,  and  he  has  become  one  of  the  foremost  tradesmen 
of  this  part  of  the  Naugatuck  valley.  To  the  cares  of  his  private  busi- 
ness Mr.  Lounsbury  has  added,  at  different  periods,  the  responsibility 
of  public  trusts,  all  of  which  have  been  faithfully  and  efficiently  dis- 
charged, and  as  a  public  official  he  has  made  an  honorable  record. 
When  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls  was  organized,  in  1871,  he  was  one  of 
the  officers  first  chosen,  and  in  1877  was  elected  as  its  representative 
in  the  state  legislature.  In  Seymour  he  served  as  the  first  select- 
man and  town  agent  from  October,  1885,  until  October,  1890,  declining 
a  sixth  election  to  that  office.  In  this  period  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant public  improvements  in  the  town  were  made  under  his  direc- 
tion, and  have  reflected  credit  upon  his  judgment  and  executive 
ability. 

Mr.  Lounsbury  has  been  a  member  of  the  order  of  Odd  Fellows 
the  past  twenty  years,  belongs  to  Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  to  Castle  Rock  Lodge,  A.  O.  of  U.  W.,  and  the  order  of  the 
Eastern  Star.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  at  Seymour,  and  has  served  it  in  official  capacities. 

Michael  McNerney,  born  in  Orange,  Conn.,  April  15th,  1851,  is  a 
son  of  Michael  and  Mary  McNerney,  and  grandson  of  James  Mc- 
Nerney. The  children  of  Michael,  Sr.,  are:  James,  Margaret  (deceased), 
Katie,  Michael,  Stephen,  Andrew,  Mary,  Anne,  Peter  and  John. 
Michael  McNerney,  Jr.,  settled  in  Seymour  in  1877,  and  engaged  in 
blacksmithing.  He  is  a  trustee  and  member  of  St.  Augustine's  R.  C. 
church,  a  member  and  president  of  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick, 
Knights  of  Columbus,  and  A.  O.  H.  of  Ansonia.  He  was  married  in 
1881,  to  Mary  Callahan.  Their  children  are:  Michael,  Dennis,  John, 
Edward  (deceased)  and  William.  Mr.  McNerney  has  been  constable 
for  upward  of  12  years. 

Harris  B.  Munson,  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1821,  was  a  son 
of  Joseph  and  Lucinda  (Wooster)  Munson.  He  learned  the  joiner's 
trade,  but  becoming  dissatisfied  with  that,  he  took  up  the  study  of  law 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  607 

with  Judge  Charles  B.  Phelps,  of  Woodbury.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1845.  He  was  elected  county  judge  of  New  Haven  county  about 
1850.  He  settled  in  Seymour  about  1S46,  was  elected  to  the  legisla- 
ture in  1853  and  1854,  and  again  in  1863,  and  thereafter  for  four  con- 
secutive years.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  1S52,  which 
office  he  held  for  18  years.  He  was  a  member  of  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,of  Seymour,  and  the  Mt.  Vernon  Chapter,  R.  A.  M., 
of  Ansonia.  He  married  for  his  first  wife  Maria  Leavenworth.  Their 
children  were:  Ella,  Byron,  Sophia,  Iris,  Harris  and  Mary.  He  was 
married  the  second  time,  in  1878,  to  Mrs.  Harriet  Sperry,  widow  of 
Mark  Sperry.  Her  maiden  name  was  Elder.  Their  children  were: 
Iris  E.  and  Marion  H.     Judge  Munson  died  February  2d,  1885. 

Edward  Pritchard,  born  in  Humphreysville  (now  Seymour)  in 
1830,  is  a  son  of  Jabez  E.,  he  a  son  of  Leverett,  and  he  a  son  of  James, 
a  lieutenant  in  the  revolutionary  war.  Leverett  Pritchard  married 
Charlotte  Harger.  Jabez  E.,  son  of  Leverett,  married  Lucretia, 
daughter  of  Theophilus  Miles.  Edward  Pritchard  resides  on  the  old 
Miles  homestead,  which  was  settled  by  one  of  that  family  more  than 
150  years  ago.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  of  Seymour, 
the  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  been  master  of  the  Sey- 
mour Grange.  He  has  been  twice  married;  first  in  1852,  to  Martha  M. 
Daniels.  They  had  one  daughter,  Lizzie  M.,  who  married  Albert  U. 
Smith,  of  Seymour.  Mr.  Pritchard  was  married  the  second  time  in 
1884,  to  Mrs.  Martha  M.  Smith.  Her  father,  Hiram  Upson,  was  a  son 
of  Obed,  and  he  a  son  of  Samuel  Upson.  Samuel  married  Ruth  Coles. 
Obed  married  Sybil  Howe.  Hiram  Upson  was  an  auger  manufactur- 
er, beginning  the  business  about  1830  and  continuing  it  until  about 
1865.  He  married  Sarah  Harrison.  They  had  ten  children:  Harriet, 
Charles  N.,  William  A.,  Martha  M.,  Hiram,  George  F.,  Sarah,  Edwin, 
Henry  and  Esther. 

Horace  A.  Radford,  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1811,  is  a  son  of 
Beers  Radford,  who  married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Timothy  Higgins, 
who  was  a  major  in  the  revolutionary  war.  They  had  four  children: 
Lucius,  Horace  A.,  Augusta  and  Lizzie.  Lizzie  married  Charles  Ev- 
ans; Augusta  married  Julius  Bronson;  Horace  A.  was  married  in  1834 
to  Eliza  Boughton,  who  died  the  same  year.  He  married  for  his  sec- 
ond wife  Mrs.  Marcus  Lego,  and  in  1876  he  was  married  for  the  third 
time  to  Kate  C.  Burwell.  Mr.  Radford  came  to  Humphreysville  in  1832. 
He  was  assistant  auger  maker.  In  1847  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  French,  Swift  &  Co.,  auger  manufacturers,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  firm  for  several  years,  also  their  traveling  salesman  during  that 
time.  He  is  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Mechanics'  Lodge, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Seymour. 

Henry  A.  Rider,  born  in  Danbury,  Conn.,  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Ralph 
and  Harriet  (Chapman)  Rider.  He  came  to  Seymour  in  1853,  and  in 
1855  engaged  in  the  livery  business,  which  he  still  carries  on.      He  is 


60S  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

also  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  deals  in  real  estate.  He  is  a 
member  of  Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Seymour.  In  1S55  he 
married  Sophia  J.  Carter.  They  have  three  children:  Ada,  George  A. 
and  Nettie  S. 

Harpin  Riggs,  born  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Seymour,  Decem- 
ber 9th,  1813,  is  a  son  of  John  and  grandson  of  Captain  John  Riggs, 
who  was  a  resident  of  Oxford,  and  captain  in  the  revolutionary  war. 
Captain  Riggs  was  a  farmer  and  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Oxford. 
John  Riggs,  his  son,  was  one  of  ten  children,  five  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters. He  settled  near  Humphreysville  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  Beecher.  Harpin  Riggs  is  also  a  farmer  and  owns  and  occu- 
pies the  old  homestead.  He  has  been  selectman  for  several  years  and 
has  held  other  minor  offices.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
In  1840  he  was  married  to  Harriet,  daughter  of  Hiram  Upson.  They 
had  seven  children:  John,  Royal  and  Hiram;  Louise  B.,  Sarah  M., 
Hattie  I.  and  Mary.  All  are  living,  except  Hiram.  John  married 
Adella  Kennedy;  Royal  married  Mary  Reynolds;  Louise  B.  married 
Norman  Sperry;  Sarah  married  George  James;  Hattie  I.  married  Jo- 
seph G.  Redshaw,  and  Mary  married  Gilbert  E.  Osborne. 

Thomas  Sharpe  was  born  in  Southford,  Conn.,  October  28th,  1834. 
His  father,  Lu  Grand  Sharpe,  was  born  in  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  June  1st, 
1797,  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Sharpe,  Sr.  They  are  of  English  de- 
scent. Lu  Grand  Sharpe  married  Olive  M.  Boothe  in  1823.  Thomas 
Sharpe  came  to  Seymour  in  1841,  and  with  the  exception  of  six  years 
(1854  to  1860)  spent  in  Georgia,  has  resided  there  since.  He  is  a  lum- 
ber dealer  and  contractor  and  builder.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace 
four  years  and  has  held  various  other  offices  in  the  town,  as  assessor, 
etc.  He  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  church,  of  Seymour,  and  president 
of  its  board  of  trustees,  and  was  superintendent  of  its  Sunday  school 
for  several  years,  and  superintendent  of  Woodbridge  Mission  Sunday 
school. 

Edwin  .Smith,  born  in  Oxford,  Conn.,  in  1817,  is  a  son  of  John  and 
grandson  of  John  Smith.  John  Smith,  father  of  Edwin,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812,  holding  the  rank  of  corporal.  He  married  Grace 
Wooster  and  their  children  were:  Edwin,  Lucy,  Bennett,  Laura,  George 
and  Mary.  Edwin,  George  and  Mary  are  living.  Mary  married  Joel 
M.  Wheeler.  George  married  Esther  Moulthrop,  and  Edwin  married 
for  his  first  wife  Betsey  A.  Johnson,  of  Oxford,  in  1839,  and  they  had 
one  daughter,  Frances  A.,  who  married  Robert  N.  Smith.  For  his 
second  wife  Edwin  Smith  married  Sally  A.  Millard  in  1880.  Mr.  Smith 
settled  in  Seymour  in  1849.  He  is  a  mason  and  builder.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  selectman  several  terms,  is  a  member  of  the  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Seymour,  and  of  the  Chapter  at  Ansonia. 

James  M.  Smith,  born  in  Scotland  in  1838,  came  to  America  in  1848, 
and  after  a  residence  of  several  years  in  Syracuse  and  Utica,  N.  Y., 
settled  in  Seymour  in  1862,  and  for  several  years  had  charge  of  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  609 

bayonet  department  of  the  Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company. 
In  1873  he  engaged  in  the  machine  jobbing  business,  which  he  has 
conducted  to  the  present  time.  He  was  married  in  1864,  to  Martha 
Skeels.     Their  children  are:  Frank,  Augustus,  Agnes  and  Mabel. 

Norman  Sperry  was  born  in  Cheshire,  Conn.,  February  12th,  1842. 
His  father,  Albert,  was  born  in  Cheshire^  and  his  grandfather,  Job 
Sperry,  was  born  in  Bethany,  Conn.  His  mother,  Phebe  A.  Tuttle,  was 
born  in  New  York  state,  but  afterward  lived  in  Southington,  Conn- 
Norman  lived  at  home  on  the  farm,  attended  the  common  schools,  the 
Episcopal  Academy  at  Cheshire,  and  a  short  time  at  Lewis  Academy, 
Southington,  Conn.  In  1873  he  commenced  manufacturing  boring  im- 
plements, and  continues  the  same,  as  a  member  of  the  Humphreysville 
Manufacturing  Company.  From  1862  to  1875  he  worked  at  the  same 
business  for  H.  B.  Beecher,  Douglass  Manufacturing  Company  and 
Humphreysville  Manufacturing  Company.  He  has  been  representa- 
tive and  selectman,  and  clerk  and  vestryman  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
He  married  Louise  B.  Riggs  in  November,  1869. 

Ashbel  Storrs,  born  in  Humphreysville,  Conn.,  in  1822,  is  a  son  of 
Edmund  and  Eunice  (Loveland)  Storrs.  He  is  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
and  for  many  years  has  carried  on  an  extensive  business  as  a  contrac- 
tor and  builder.  He  has  been  assessor  for  several  years,  also  justice 
of  the  peace  and  president  of  the  board  of  health.  He  is  a  member  of 
Morning  Star  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  been  master  of  the  same. 
He  married,  in  1844,  Harriet  Terrell,  of  Naugatuck.  Their  children 
were:  Alice,  Marian,  Arthur  and  Ada.  Mr.  Storrs  married  for  his 
second  wife,  Elizabeth  Edwards,  in  1875. 

Carlos  Hotchkiss  Storrs  was  born  at  Seymour  July  4th,  1864. 
He  is  a  son  of  Charles  W.  and  Mary  L.  (Davis)  Storrs,  and  grandson 
of  John  Roger  Storrs,  a  shoe  manufacturer  at  Humphreysville,  where 
he  died  in  1844.  The  latter  was  also  the  father  of  another  son,  John 
Whiting  vStorrs,  the  gifted  and  respected  poet-editor,  who  died  at  Bir- 
mingham. John  Roger  Storrs  was  himself  "of  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence;  a  great  reader  of  history  and  fond  of  poetry."  His  wife, 
Sarah  G.  Clark,  was  a  granddaughter  of  Reverend  Mr.  Woodbridge, 
the  first  pastor  of  the  church  in  the  town  named  for  him,  and  who  was 
in  his  day  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  county.  Their  son,  Charles 
W.  Storrs,  was  born  March  5th,  1828,  and  died  at  Seymour  January 
26th,  1889.  For  more  than  50  years  he  was  one  of  the  principal  busi- 
ness men  of  the  town  and  was  esteemed  for  his  many  good  qualities 
as  a  citizen.  He  had  a  strong,  vigorous  mind,  and  was  very  indepen- 
dent in  his  opinions  and  actions,  but  ever  kept  in  view  the  public  wel- 
fare, warmly  supporting  such  measures  as  advanced  it.  In  1863  he 
was  married,  his  wife,  who  survives  him,  being  a  daughter  of  Lewis 
Davis,  of  Oxford,  who  was  a  son  of  the  well-known  Colonel  John  Davis 
of  that  town.  Two  children  were  born  to  them,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  and  another  son,  Louis,  who  died  when  four  years  of  age. 
39 


610  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  Storrs  ancestry  in  England  has  been  clearly  traced  from  the 
sixteenth  century  to  the  present  time,  and  for  more  than  two  centuries 
the  family  has  been  established  upon  American  soil.  Nearly  all  of 
the  name  of  Storrs  in  the  United  States  have  descended  from  Samuel 
Storrs,  fourth  child  of  Thomas  Storrs,  who  came  from  the  paternal 
home  in  Sutton  Cum  Lound,  in  Nottinghamshire,  England,  to  Barn- 
stable, Mass.,  about  1663.  In  about  1698  he  removed  to  Mansfield, 
Conn.,  where  he  died  April  30th,  1719.  The  family  in  this  county  de- 
scended from  Lemuel  Storrs,  the  sixth  son  of  Thomas  Storrs,  who  was 
the  second  son  of  the  above  Samuel.  Members  of  this  branch  of  the 
family  in  various  parts  of  the  country  became  quite  eminent. 

The  boyhood  of  Carlos  H.  Storrs  was  spent  at  Seymour,  where  he 
attended  the  common  schools.  But  his  parents  having  determined  to 
give  him  a  liberal  education,  he  was  sent  to  the  high  school  at  Bir- 
mingham when  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  three  years  later  he 
graduated  from  that  school.  He  now  entered  the  Wesleyan  Univer- 
sity at  Middletown,  where  he  completed  the  classical  course  in  1887 
and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  B.  A.  In  1890  that  institution  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of  M.  A.  In  the  meantime  he  had  en- 
tered the  Yale  Law  School,  in  1887,  graduating  two  years  later.  A 
practical  training  for  a  few  months,  the  same  year,  in  the  law  offices 
of  the  well-known  jurists,  Wooster,  Williams  &  Gager,  of  Birmingham, 
still  better  prepared  him  for  his  professional  life,  which  was  begun  at 
Ansonia  in  October,  1889,  and  which  has  been  successfully  continued 
at  that  place.  In  addition,  he  also  maintains  an  office  at  his  home  in 
Seymour.  Mr.  Storrs  has  made  a  specialty  of  probate  business,  prac- 
ticing in  the  probate  courts  of  Derby  and  New  Haven,  and  has  satis- 
factorily settled  a  number  of  important  estates.  He  is  intelligent, 
energetic,  of  temperate  habits  and  of  good  principles,  and  will  no 
doubt  attain  distinction  in  his  chosen  profession.  He  is,  moreover, 
progressive  and  public-spirited  and  has  aided  the  material  develop- 
ment of  his  town  by  erecting  a  number  of  buildings  and  encouraging 
public  improvements.  Following  the  example  of  his  parents,  Mr. 
Storrs  has  become  a  member  of  Trinity  Episcopal  church,  of  Seymour, 
whose  welfare  he  keeps  warmly  at  heart 

Politically,  Mr.  Storrs  is  a  democrat,  and  enthusiastically  advocates 
the  principles  of  that  part)'.  He  is  an  eloquent  speaker,  and  in  the 
campaign  of  1888  made  a  number  of  public  addresses,  which  were  fa- 
vorably received.  In  1890  he  was  elected  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the 
town,  which  he  has  also  served  in  other  capacities,  creditably  dis- 
charging every  trust  conferred  upon  him,  and  winning  the  esteem  of 
his  fellow-townsmen. 

James  Swan,  the  widely-known  tool  manufacturer,  of  Seymour, 
was  born  December  18th,  1833,  in  Dumfries,  Scotland,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (Beck)  Swan.  The  mother  was  a  sister  of  the 
father  of  the  late  Senator  James  B.  Beck,  of  Kentucky,  and  in  both 


td7 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  611 

parents  were  embodied  the  many  excellent  traits  of  the  sturdy  Scotch 
race.  The  son  was  given  a  good  common  school  education,  but  was 
early  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  millwrighting,  his  master  being 
one  of  the  most  skillful  workmen  in  that  craft,  and  his  trade  embraced 
work  in  both  wood  and  iron.  When  James  was  20  years  old  he  com- 
pleted his  apprenticeship,  having  obtained  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
an  art  which  contributed  materially  toward  his  future  success.  He  now 
determined  to  leave  the  paternal  home  and  seek  his  fortune  in  Amer- 
ica. Accordingly,  we  find  him,  in  the  latter  part  of  1853,  at  the  home 
of  his  uncle,  Ebenezer  Beck,  at  Wyoming,  N.  Y.,  a  youth  of  20  years, 
eager  to  begin  life's  battle.  Not  liking  that  part  of  the  country,  he 
came  to  Birmingham,  Conn.,  where  he  secured  employment  in  the 
Bassett  iron  works,  but  after  a  time  he  engaged  with  the  Farrel  Foun- 
dry &  Machine  Company,  at  Ansonia.  At  the  latter  works  he  was 
soon  placed  in  charge  of  a  shop,  which  he  superintended  about  eight 
years.  In  this  period  his  practical  knowledge  was  largely  increased, 
and  he  became  still  better  fitted  for  independent  action.  Meantime 
his  skill  as  a  workman  had  become  known,  and  in  1865  he  was  en- 
gaged to  come  to  Seymour  to  superintend  the  tool  manufacturing  in- 
terests of  Oliver  Ames  &  Son,  located  in  shops  which  later  became  a 
part  of  his  own  extensive  plant.* 

Since  the  latter  date  James  Swan  has  been  a  resident  of  Seymour, 
and  has  thoroughly  identified  himself  with  its  best  interests.  Few 
citizens  of  the  town  have  been  more  progressive  than  he,  or  have 
given  greater  material  aid  in  the  development  of  the  affairs  of  the 
village,  which  has  become  his  adopted  home.  For  numerous  public 
objects  he  freely  contributed  time  and  means,  taking  an  especial  in- 
terest in  those  two  important  factors  of  a  community,  the  schools  and 
churches.  Although  a  very  busy  man  with  his  own  affairs,  he  has 
felt  much  concern  in  the  welfare  of  the  schools,  serving  on  the  board 
of  education,  and  was  chairman  of  the  committee  which  erected  the 
handsome  high  school  edifice.  He  is  also  an  active  member  of  the 
Congregational  church,  warmly  supporting  its  several  interests,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  was  the  superintendent  of  its  Sunday  school. 
In  the  organization  of  the  town  fire  department  he  was  most  active, 
and  has  shown  his  interest  in  that  body  by  since  serving  as  the  chief 
engineer  In  the  improvement  of  his  own  large  property  he  has  set 
a  commendable  example,  and  has  aided  in  securing  some  of  the  most 
desirable  public  improvements  which  have  made  Seymour  attractive 
as  a  place  of  residence.  This  manifestation  of  public  spirit  has  caused 
his  townsmen  to  proffer  him  places  of  honor  and  trust,  most  of  which 
his  business  compelled  him  to  decline.  But  in  1872  he  had  the  honor 
of  being  elected  the  first  republican  representative  from  Seymour,  his 
personal  qualities  helping  to  overcome  a  naturally  large  democratic 
majority. 

In  1857  Mr.  Swan  was  married  to  Agnes,  a  daughter  of  William 

*See  account  of  manufactures. 


612  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Bell,  also  from  Dumfries,  Scotland.  Of  seven  children  born  to  them, 
three  sons  and  one  daughter  survive,  viz.:  William  Beck,  a  valuable 
assistant  in  his  father's  business,  a  skillful  mechanic,  and  also  pos- 
sessed of  superior  ability  as  an  intelligent  manufacturer;  John,  edu- 
cated at  Cheshire  Academy,  where  he  graduated  with  the  honors  of 
his  class,  and  also  now  engaged  in  manufacturing;  Albert,  a  student 
in  the  high  school  at  Seymour;  and  Mary  Jessie,  educated  at  Andover 
and  in  European  countries,  and  now  a  resident  of  Seymour. 

Mr.  Swan  remained  with  Oliver  Ames  &  Son  until  1S73,  when  their 
interest  was  sold  to  the  Douglas  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which 
he  was  a  director,  and  he  continued  to  superintend  the  business.  A 
number  of  changes  took  place  in  the  next  four  years,  but,  in  1877, 
through  the  financial  aid  tendered  by  the  well-known  tool  house  of 
Russell  &  Erwin,  who  have  since  acted  as  his  sales  agents  in  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  James  Swan  became  the  successor  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Douglas  Manufacturing  Company  at  Seymour,  and  has 
since  been  the  sole  owner.  The  plant  has  been  enlarged  to  embrace 
three  distinct  factories,  and  has  become  one  of  the  largest  concerns 
of  the  kind  in  this  country.  More  than  a  hundred  kinds  of  boring 
and  edge  tools  are  made,  and  the  products  find  ready  sale  in  most  of 
the  civilized  countries  of  the  world.  Many  of  the  tools  were  invented 
by  Mr.  Swan,  who  has  a  most  fertile  mechanical  brain,  and  it  is  with- 
in the  bounds  of  truth  to  say  that  he  has  designed  and  perfected  as 
many  labor-saving  devices  in  the  manufacturing  arts  as  any  other 
man  in  this  country.  He  has  an  honorable  career  as  a  manufacturer, 
and  by  unflagging  industry  and  persistent  application  has  attained 
great  success.  His  business  has  thus  not  only  become  very  extensive, 
but  the  goods  produced  by  him  have  a  conceded  superiority,  which 
has  been  publicly  acknowledged  by  the  award  of  first  prizes  at  all  the 
principal  expositions  in  the  world,  and  which  promise  to  secure  for 
his  works  a  permanent  place  among  the  industries  of  Seymour. 

Owen  D.  Sykes,  born  in  Woodstock,  Conn.,  in  1846,  is  a  son  of 
Joseph  and  Phillis  (Kenyon)  Sykes.  Joseph  came  from  Yorkshire, 
England,  about  1844,  and  settled  in  Woodstock,  Conn.  He  had  two 
children:  Ruth,  who  died  in  1848,  and  Owen  D.  Joseph  Sykes  was  a 
son  of  Joseph.  Owen  D.  settled  in  Seymour  in  1882,  and  engaged  in 
the  hardware  and  house  furnishing  business.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
following  societies  of  Seymour:  F.  &  A.  M.,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  I.  O.  R.  M. 
He  was  married  in  1867,  to  Nellie  E.  Moore. 

James  Willard  Tomlinson,  born  in  that  part  of  Derby  now  Seymour, 
January  11th,  1835,  is  a  son  of  James  C,  he  a  son  of  Russell,  and  he  a 
son  of  Isaac.  Russell  Tomlinson's  children  were:  Sarah,  Isaac,  Peter, 
Simon  and  James  C.  James  C.  Tomlinson  married  Laura,  daughter 
of  John  Tomlinson.  Their  children  were:  John  R.,  Elizabeth,  Mary 
A.,  Agnes  C.  (deceased),  James  W.,  Edward  D.,  Isaac  C,  and  Laura  C. 
(deceased).     James  C.  was  in  the  mill  and   lumber  business  for  many 


V 


^4*&&^g^0 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  613 

years.  James  W.  is  engaged  in  the  same  business.  He  was  married 
in  1863,  to  Frances  Wooster,  of  Oxford,  and  they  have  two  children: 
Arthur  R.  and  Laura  R. 

William  L.  Ward,  born  in  Naugatuck,  October  31st,  1858,  is  a  son 
of  James  B.  and  Jane  E.  (Hotchkiss)  Ward,  grandson  of  Lewis  and 
great-grandson  of  Richard  Ward.  The  children  of  James  and  Jane 
E.  Ward,  were:  William  L.  and  Elmer  J.  William  L.  resided  in  Nau- 
gatuck until  1889,  when  he  removed  to  Seymour  and  engaged  in  busi- 
ness as  a  dealer  in  furniture,  carpets,  crockery  and  undertaking.  He 
was  married,  in  1889,  to  Lulu  J.,  daughter  of  Isaac  Tolles,  of  Nau- 
gatuck. 

John  Weaver,  born  in  Overton,  North  Wales,  in  1809,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1851,  and  settled  in  Rome,  N.  Y.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming. 
He  married  Frances  Rogers,  and  their  children  were:  Lloyd,  Eliza- 
beth, John  (deceased),  Fannie,  Hardman,  Lazarus  G.  and  Charles. 
Lloyd  Weaver  came  to  Seymour  in  1866,  and  Lazarus  G.  and  Charles 
came  a  few  years  later.  Lloyd  Weaver  has  been  connected  with  the 
Fowler  Nail  Company  since  its  organization,  and  since  1870  has  been 
superintendent.  He  was  born  in  1840,  in  Overton,  North  Wales.  He 
was  married  in  1874  to  Jemima  Webster.  They  have  one  daughter, 
Lizzie.  Charles  Weaver  married,  in  1880,  Fannie  Beers.  He  is  over- 
seer in  the  Fowler  Nail  Company.  Lazarus  G.  was  born  in  North 
Wales,  March  19th,  1849.  He  is  a  contractor  with  the  Fowler  Nail 
Company.  He  was  married  in  1875  to  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Harvey 
Hotchkiss.  Their  children  are:  George  H.,  Harold  L.,  Augusta  S.  and 
Clifford  H. 

Captain  Henry  Wooster  was  born  in  Derby  (now  Seymour)  in  1802. 
He  was  a  son  of  Henry,  he  a  son  of  Henry  and  he  a  son  of  Henry,  resi- 
dents of  Derby.  Captain  Wooster  followed  the  sea,  sailing  between 
New  Haven  and  the  West  Indies.  He  married  Harriet,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Riggs,  of  Oxford.  Their  children  were:  Harriet,  Henry,  Olive, 
Cecilia  and  Leslie  B.  Henry  was  lost  at  sea,  and  Leslie  B.  met  his 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians  in  Arizona.  Olive  married  Rodney 
Clark.  Cecilia  married  Morris  Tuttle.  Harriet  is  unmarried  and  re- 
sides on  the  old  homestead,  which  was  settled  by  the  Woosters  more 
than  200  years  ago.  The  residence  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  as 
early  as  1700.  Captain  Wooster  died  in  1842.  His  wife  afterward  mar- 
ried Captain  Daniel  Moss.     She  died  in  1878. 

Nathan  R.  Wooster,  born  in  Oxford,  Conn.,  in  1809,  is  a  son  of  Na- 
thaniel and  Charity  (Plumb)  Wooster,  and  grandson  of  Samuel  Woos- 
ter. Mr.  Wooster  is  a  mason  by  trade.  He  came  to  Seymour  in  1848, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman  and 
was  town  treasurer  in  1866.  He  was  married  in  1839,  to  Antoinette 
Bassett. 

Leonard  Wyant,  born  in  Bavaria  in  1827,  came  to  America  in  1849, 
and  settled  in  Seymour,  and  was  employed  in  the  auger  works  of  Ray- 


6]  4  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mond  French  for  20  years.  From  1869  to  1886  he  was  in  the  milk 
business.  He  is  now  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Seymour.  He  was  married  in  1851,  to  Elizabeth  Graff. 
Their  children  are:  Katie,  deceased;  Libbie,  born  1854;  Henry,  born 
1856;  and  Fannie,  born  1869. 

Harvey  Hotchkiss,  born  in  Derby  in  1822,  is  a  son  of  Elipha,  he  a 
son  of  Levi,  he  a  son  of  Eliphalet.  Elipha,  Levi  and  Eliphalet  were 
joiners,  and  all  residents  of  Derby.  Elipha  married  Nancy  Fulsom, 
of  Stratford,  Conn.  Their  children  were:  William,  Albert,  Mary  A., 
Burr,  Harriet,  Eli,  John,  Phebe,  Samuel,  Jane,  Amelia  and  Harvey. 
Harriet  and  Harvey  are  living.  Harvey  was  in  the  butcher  business 
in  Ansonia  for  several  years.  For  nearly  20  years  he  resided  in  the 
town  of  Seymour,  and  was  engaged  in  farming.  He  held  the  office  of 
selectman  in  that  town  one  term  during  the  war.  Since  1880  he  has 
resided  in  Ansonia.  He  married  Augusta  Kimberly,  in  1849,  and  they 
had  one  daughter,  Mary  A.,  who  married  Lazarus  G.  Weaver. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  TOWN  OF  BEACON  FALLS. 


Location  and  Description.— Land  Purchases. — Settlement  and  Settlers.  — Civil  Organiza- 
tion.— Town  Officers. — Pines  Bridge. — Cemetery. — Industrial  Interests. — Societies. — 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — High  Rock  Grove.— Biographical  Sketches. 


BEACON  FALLS  is  one  of  the  smallest  towns  in  the  county,  and 
next  to  Ansonia  the  youngest.  It  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Nau- 
gatuck river,  south  of  Beacon  Hill  brook,  and  from  that  locality 
the  name  was  derived.  Bounding  it  are  the  towns  from  which  it  was 
formed,  in  1871,  namely:  Naugatuck  on  the  north,  Bethany  on  the  east 
and  southeast,  Seymour  on  the  south,  and  Oxford  on  the  west.  The 
greater  part  of  the  surface  is  mountainous,  but  along  the  brooks  are 
some  pleasantly  located  and  fertile  lands.  On  the  east  side  is  Hocka- 
num  brook,  flowing  south  into  Lebanon  brook,  a  mile  east  of  the  point 
where  the  latter  empties  into  the  Naugatuck,  in  the  southeastern  part 
of  the  town.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  are  Sherman's  brook, 
in  the  northwest,  and  Hemp  Swamp  brook  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  town.  These  streams  are  small,  but  in  a  few  localities  afford  lim- 
ited water  power. 

The  principal  elevations  on  the  west  side  are  Rimmon  hill,  in  the 
southwest,  and  Toby's  mountain  in  the  northwest,  one  of  whose  spurs 
is  High  Rock.  This  approximates  500  feet  in  height.  Opposite  Rim- 
mon hill  and  separated  from  it  by  the  river  is  a  bold,  craggy  and  al- 
most cone-shaped  mound,  more  than  400  feet  high,  called  Rimmon 
Rock.  The  name  of  the  hill  and  the  rock  may  have  been  derived 
from  the  fact  that  these  bore,  in  olden  times,  relative  to  the  country 
beyond,  a  resemblance  to  the  scriptural  Rimmon.*  The  plain  beyond 
their  northern  bases  was  early  called  Lopus  or  Loper's,  but  for  what 
reason"  has  not  been  clearly  determined.  The  western  and  northern 
bounds  of  this  plain  are  the  rocks  of  Toby's  mountain,  so  called  from 
once  having  been  the  property  of  an  Indian  named  Toby  or  Tobie,  who 
for  twelve  years  was  a  slave  in  the  family  of  Captain  Ebenezer  John- 
son.f  one  of  Derby's  prominent  men  and  the  principal  landholder  in 
this  town.  He  secured  him  in  New  London  in  1676,  when  the  Indian 
was  but  a  boy,  and  freed  him  in  1688.  In  1693,  through  the  influence 
of  Major  Johnson  and  for  a  consideration  of  £10  and  a  barrel  of  cider, 
the  Paugasuck  Indians,  who  were  the  owners  of  this  region,  sold  to 
*  See  Judges,  xx:45.     fAfterward  major,  and  still  later  colonel. 


616  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Toby  a  large  tract  of  land,  mostly  mountainous,  lying  in  the  northwest- 
ern part  of  the  town.  This  was  legally  confirmed  to  him  in  1713. 
Here  he  lived  until  his  death  in  1734,  when,  by  the  terms  of  his  will, 
the  land  became  the  property  of  white  men:  Timothy  Wooster,  Peter 
Johnson,  Ebenezer  Johnson  and  Timothy  Johnson,  all  but  the  first 
being  sons  of  Colonel  Johnson,  his  former  master. 

It  appears  singular  that  another  Indian  slave  of  Colonel  Johnson 
should  be  connected  with  a  land  purchase  in  Beacon  Falls,  but  such  is 
the  fact.  One  of  his  maid-servants  was  a  young  squaw,  Sarah,  who  was 
desired  by  an  Indian  for  his  wife,  and  she  was  sold  to  him  in  1709. 
This  dusky  lover  was  named  Chetrenasut,  and  he  secured  his  bride  for 
a  consideration  of  ,£3,  10s.  of  money  and  all  that  tract  of  land  "lying 
in  a  place  called  '  Nayumps,'  bounded  northerly  with  Beacon  Hill 
river,  easterly  with  Milford,  westerly  with  the  Naugatuck  river,  and 
south  with  Lebanon  river."  This  region  was  afterward  called  "  Ny- 
umps,"  and  was  the  northwestern  part  of  Bethany,  set  off  to  Beacon 
Falls  when  the  town  was  formed.  It  includes  the  main  part  of  the 
town,  and  on  which  are  now  its  most  costly  improvements. 

South  of  Toby's  land  and  the  Nyumph  purchase,  earlier  purchases 
had  been  made  by  Captain  Ebenezer  Johnson,  in  1678,  the  same  being 
in  three  small  parcels,  at  or  near  Rock  Rimmon,  running  up  to  Leba- 
non brook.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  south  of  Toby's  land  and 
running  down  to  lands  in  the  present  town  of  Seymour,  purchased  by 
David  Wooster,  in  1692,  Major  Ebenezer  Johnson  and  Ensign  Samuel 
Riggs  purchased  Indian  lands  in  1700;  and  eight  years  later  they 
divided  their  interests.  Ensign  Riggs  took  the  land  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Naugatuck,  lying  south  of  the  brook  at  Pines  Bridge,  and  Major 
Johnson  took  the  lands  north  of  the  brook  and  those  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river.  These  lands  at  Pines  Bridge  Colonel  Johnson  divided 
between  his  sons,  Charles  and  Timothy,  in  1721,  speaking  of  the  same 
as  "my  farm  at  Rimmon."  Before  this  time,  in  December,  1708,  En- 
sign Samuel  Riggs,  of  Derby,  had  given  to  his  son,  Ebenezer  Riggs, 
200  acres  of  the  choicest  lands  "  with  houses  and  all  appurtenances 
thereunto  pertaining."  On  these  lands  Ebenezer  Riggs  settled  soon 
after,  but  died  in  1712,  when  but  little  more  than  30  years  of  age. 

It  is  supposed  that  some  of  the  children  of  Colonel  Ebenezer  John- 
son settled  on  their  father's  land  soon  after  the  settlement  of  Ebene- 
zer Riggs,  and  that  they  lived  west  and  southeast  of  Rock  Rimmon. 
At  a  later  day  Timothy  Johnson,  who  was  married  to  Abigail  Brew- 
ster, in  172o,  settled  on  the  Naugatuck  a  short  distance  below  Pines 
Bridge.  In  the  same  locality  lived  their  son,  Alexander,  who  was 
born  in  1730  and  died  in  1817,  aged  87  years.  This  Captain  Alexander 
Johnson  had  a  son  Elijah,  who  occupied  the  homestead  until  his 
death,  in  1847,  at  the  age  of  75  years.  Sharpe,  in  his  "  History  of  Sey- 
mour," states  that  Timothy  Johnson  was  at  first  much  annoyed  "  by 
wild  animals,  especially  bears,  which   came  from   Rock  Rimmon  and 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  617 

destroyed  his  crops."  This  locality,  and  in  fact  other  parts  of  the  town, 
particularly  Nyumph,  were  also  much  troubled  by  snakes,  which  came 
out  from  the  crevices  of  the  rocks  and  often  crawled  into  the  houses 
of  the  early  settlers.  The  Johnsons  were  for  many  years  numerous 
at  Pines  Bridge  and  around  Rock  Rimmon,  in  what  is  now  Beacon 
Falls  and  Seymour.  In  the  latter  town  Benajah  Johnson  last  lived, 
until  1763,  in  the  locality  called  Skokorat.  A  daughter,  Zeviah,  born 
in  1739,  married  Abiel  Fairchild,  who  settled  not  quite  a  mile  north- 
west from  Pines  Bridge.  Fairchild  was  reputed  a  most  excellent 
man.  and  was  greatly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors. 

Nearer  Pines  Bridge,  on  the  Lopns  Plains,  the  first  settlers  were 
Zadoc  Sanford  and  Hezekiah  Clark.  The  latter  was  the  ancestor  of 
Sheldon  Clark,  the  benefactor  of  Yale  College,  and  who  left  also  a 
bequest  for  the  maintenance  of  Pines  Bridge. 

In  the  Nyumph  section  Samuel  Wheeler  probably  put  up  the  first 
house.  His  brothers,  Moses,  David  and  James,  settled  in  the  same 
locality,  but  Simeon  lived  nearer  Rimmon.  They  were  the  sons  of 
Captain  James  Wheeler,  who  lived  on  Turkey  hill,  in  Derby.  Their 
descendants  became  numerous  and  prominent  in  Bethany  and  Oxford. 
In  Nyumph  also  lived,  as  a  pioneer,  David  French  and  other  members 
of  that  family,  Moses  Clark  settling  there  later.  In  the  course  of 
years  the  population  decreased,  and  in  1880  all  the  inhabitants  num- 
bered only  379. 

The  name  of  Beacon  Falls  first  appeared  in  the  acts  of  the  assembly 
in  1864,  when  a  joint  school  district  with  that  title  was  formed  out  of 
Bethany  and  Oxford.  Not  long  thereafter  Beacon  Falls  was  incorpo- 
rated by  the  May,  1871,  assembly  out  of  portions  of  the  towns  of 
Bethany,  Naugatuck,  Seymour  and  Oxford,  with  the  following 
bounds: 

"  Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  old  highway  known  as  Blackberry 
hill  road,  in  the  town  of  Bethany,  which  is  intersected  by  a  straight 
line,  extending  and  running  on  and  in  the  northern  boundary  line  of 
the  homestead  farm  of  Norman  Peck,  in  Seymour,  and  thence  running 
northerly  on  said  old  highway  to  a  point  about  40  rods  east  of  the 
dwelling  house  known  as  the  Edward  Buckingham  house,  then  north 
14°  east  181£  rods  to  a  heap  of  stones,  on  Perkins'  land  (so-called), 
thence  north  3^°  east  422  rods,  thence  north  29°  west  to  a  point  on 
Beacon  hill  brook,  opposite  the  saw  mill  of  Amos  Hotchkiss,  to  a  heap 
of  stones,  thence  following  said  brook  westerly  to  the  Naugatuck 
river,  thence  following  said  river  southerly  to  the  mouth  of  Spruce 
brook,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  same,  thence  following  the  town  line 
northerly  to  a  heap  of  stones  which  marks  the  boundary  line  between 
Oxford  and  Naugatuck,  thence  running  southerly  to  a  large  oak 
stump  known  as  Oak  Tree  Corner,  about  80  rods  north  of  the  dwelling 
house  of  Stiles  Fairchild,  thence  in  a  straight  line  southwest  to  Hemp 
Swamp  bridge,  so  called,  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  a  heap  of  stones 


618  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

on  the  east  of  Diamond  rock,  so  called,  which  marks  the  boundary  be- 
tween Seymour  and  Oxford,  said  last  line  being  in  the  district  line  of 
the  Rimmon  district,  thence  easterly  and  northerly,  following  the  Sey- 
mour and  Oxford  town  line  to  a  point  on  Rock  Rimmon,  in  a  line  with 
the  said  northerly  boundary  line  of  the  home  farm  of  the  said  Norman 
Peck,  thence  following  in  said  line,  which  runs  a  little  south  of  east, 
in  a  straight  line  to  the  point  of  beginning." 

The  first  town  meeting  was  to  be  warned  by  Buel  Buckingham, 
June  28th,  1871,  and  on  the  first  Monday  in  July  following  the  first 
town  officers  were  elected.  S6  votes  being  polled. 

The  following  were  chosen  the  first  officers:  Town  clerk,  Julius  C. 
Coe:  selectmen,  Stiles  Clark,  James  L.  Wheeler,  Noyes  Wheeler;  reg- 
istrars, H.  B.  Perry,  Patrick  Eagan;  treasurer,  J.  C.  Coe;  assessors,  Her- 
bert C.  Baldwin,  Lucius  S.  Osborne;  board  of  relief,  George  A.  Twit- 
chell,  Eben  F.  Libby,  Anson  B.  Bice;  registrar  of  births,  etc.,  Charles 
H.  Lounsbury;  auditors,  John  A.  Coe,  Buel  Buckingham;  grand  jurors, 
John  C.  French,  John  Wolfe,  Albert  D.  Carrington,  Buel  Buckingham; 
constables,  H.  B.  Perry,  R.  H.  Griffing,  Harris  F.  Osborne,  Andrew  W. 
Culver,  Almon  L.  Switzer;  sealer  of  weights,  J.  E.  Johnson;  pound 
keepers,  Noyes  Wheeler,  Stiles  Clark,  James  L.  Wheeler,  Andrew  W. 
Culver,  Sidney  Baldwin;  fence  viewers,  George  A.  Twitchell,  H.  C. 
Baldwin,  Stiles  Clark.  Ransom  Lounsbury. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1871,  the  town  voted  to  levy  a  two  mill  tax 
for  county  purposes;  to  borrow  money  to  pay  current  expenses;  to  in- 
sure the  bridge  at  the  railway  depot,  and  to  paint  the  same. 

In  October,  1871,  settlement  was  made  with  the  mother  towns,  and 
from  the  grand  list  of  Naugatuck  there  was  set  to  Beacon  Falls  $11,- 
073;  from  the  list  of  Seymour,  $6,000;  and  from  the  list  of  Oxford, 
$53,319,  making  the  taxable  list  of  the  new  town  $70,392. 

Since  the  organization  of  Beacon  Falls  the  town  clerks  have  been: 
1871-8,  Julius  C.  Coe;  1879,  John  A.  Coe;  1880-5,  Julius  A.  Hart;  1886, 
Charles  C.  Tifft;  1887,  Emerson  J.  Terrell;  1888,  Julius  A.  Hart;  1889, 
Emery  L.  Terrell. 

In  the  same  period  the  selectmen  have  been:  1871-2,  Stiles  Clark, 
James  L.  Wheeler  and  Noyes  Wheeler;  1873,  Buel  Buckingham, 
Wheeler  and  Herbert  C.  Baldwin;  1874-6,  Buckingham,  Baldwin  and 
Ransom  Lounsbury;  1877,  Baldwin,  Charles  B.  Clark  and  Andrew  W. 
Culver;  1878,  Baldwin,  Ransom  Lounsbury  and  Noyes  Wheeler;  1879- 
80,  Baldwin,  Lounsbury  and  David  M.  French;  1881,  Baldwin,  French 
and  Noyes  Wheeler;  1882-3,  Baldwin,  Wheeler  and  Andrew  W.  Cul- 
ver; 1884-5,  Baldwin,  Cornelius  W.  Munson  and  Ransom  Lounsbury; 
1886,  Baldwin,  Munson  and  Daniel  J.  Carrington;  1887,  Baldwin,  Car- 
rington and  Homer  D.  Bronson;  1888,  Baldwin,  Ransom  Lounsbury 
and  Jerome  Andrews;  1889,  Baldwin,  Emerson  J.  Terrell,  and  George 
T.  Clark. 

By  the  terms  of  the  act  of  incorporation  the  Clark  Pines  Bridge 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  615> 

Fund  was  placed  under  the  control  of  Beacon  Falls.  This  fund  was 
bequeathed  to  the  town  of  Oxford  in  1827,  by  Sheldon  Clark,  for  the 
purpose  of  building  and  maintaining  a  bridge  at  the  locality  on  the 
Naugatuck  called  Pines  Bridge.  The  amount  of  the  bequest  was  £100. 
The  principal  is  to  be  intact,  and  the  interest  could  be  used  for  the 
designated  purpose  after  12  years.  From  the  avails  of  the  fund  an 
iron  bridge  was  built  at  that  place  in  1888.  At  the  village  a  fine  cov- 
ered wooden  bridge  spans  the  Naugatuck. 

The  town  cemetery  is  near  Pines  Bridge,  and  in  1883  it  was  voted 
to  enlarge  it.  This  was  done  under  the  direction  of  John  W.  Rogers, 
David  T.  Sanford  and  Clarence  J.  Bodfish.  In  the  old  part  are  the 
graves  of  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  section.  The  new  part 
has  been  platted  into  blocks,  and  many  lots  have  been  sold.     Herbert 

C.  Baldwin  has  for  many  years  had  the  care  of  the  cemetery.  The 
site  for  this  cemetery  was  chosen  and  given  by  Alexander  Johnson,  in 
1800,  and  was  the  second  burial  place  in  that  locality.  The  first  was 
on  the  hill  southwest  and  nearer  Seymour.  It  was  first  used  in  1768, 
and  was  abandoned  when  the  Pines  Bridge  place  was  opened.  It  has 
long  since  been  neglected,  and  is  overgrown  with  bushes.  Here  were 
buried  Benajah  and  Sarah  Johnson,  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  Rock 
Rimmon  locality. 

The  development  of  the  town  was  slow  and  the  industries  were  for 
many  years  limited.  Farms  were  opened  and  several  saw  mills  and 
tanneries  were  carried  on.  But  about  1836  the  possibility  of  improving 
the  water  power  of  the  Naugatuck  was  considered,  and  with  that  pur- 
pose in  view  William  De  Forest  secured  the  privilege  at  the  natural 
falls,  below  Beacon  hill.  He  soon  after  became  financially  embar- 
rassed, and  nothing  more  was  done  for  a  dozen  years.  In  1850  the 
privilege  passed  to  the   American   Hard  Rubber  Company,  of  which 

D.  N.  Ropes  was  the  secretary.  De  Forest  was  also  interested  with,, 
among  others,  G.  D.  and  John  S.  C.  Abbott.  A  good  dam  was  built 
on  the  Naugatuck,  below  High  Rock,  and  a  raceway  three-quarters  of 
a  mile  long  dug  to  a  site  for  the  works.  In  1853  the  buildings  of  the 
company  were  completed  for  occupancy  and  operations  began.  Vul- 
canized rubber  goods  were  manufactured,  after  the  process  of  Henry 
B.  Goodyear,  and  many  experiments  were  made.  Beacon  Falls  village 
was  thus  fairly  begun  when,  in  I860,  the  rubber  company  removed  to> 
College  Point,  Long  Island.  For  three  years  the  place  was  nearly  de- 
serted, only  the  Coe  tannery  being  carried  on  at  this  point. 

In  September,  1863,  the  Home  Woolen  Company  purchased  the 
plant,  consisting  of  water  power  privileges,  a  factory  three  stories 
hio-h  and  160  feet  long-,  about  30  houses  and  considerable  land.  The 
buildings  were  repaired  under  the  direction  of  John  Wolfe,  and  in  the 
winter  of  1863  gas  works  were  erected.  Eight  sets  of  machinery  were 
put  in,  and  40,000  yards  of  cloth  were  turned  out  per  month.  In  1864 
the  company  increased  its  capacity  and  commenced  the  manufacture 


620  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

of  woolen  shawls,  of  which  large  numbers  were  made.  In  1867  the 
mills  of  the  company  were  enlarged  to  double  the  former  size  and  new 
machinery  was  supplied.  In  1870  the  main  mill  was  330  feet  long, 
60  and  64  feet  wide,  3£  stories  high,  and  substantially  built  of  brick. 
There  were  5,640  spindles  and  70  looms.  Nearly  13,000  shawls  per 
month  were  manufactured  by  skilled  workmen,  John  Wolfe  being  the 
Beacon  Falls  agent  of  the  Home  Woolen  Company,  which  was  mainly 
a  Hartford  corporation.  This  prosperity  continued  until  December, 
1876,  when  work  was  suspended. 

In  1879  John  Wolfe  became  the  owner  of  some  of  the  machinery, 
30  tenements  and  200  acres  of  the  land  formerly  owned  by  the  corpo- 
ration. The  following  year  the  Home  Woolen  Company  was  reorgan- 
ized and  again  started  the  mills  upon  which,  in. all,  nearly  half  a  mill- 
ion dollars  had  been  expended.  Eighteen  sets  of  machinery  were  set 
in  motion  and  300  hands  were  employed  on  woolen  goods.  In  1884 
John  Wolfe  retired  as  agent,  and  was  succeeded  by  Clarence  J.  Bod- 
fish.  The  Home  Company  operated  until  July,  1887,  when,  for  nearly 
two  years,  the  mills  were  practically  idle. 

In  July,  1889,  the  Beacon  Falls  Power  &  Mill  Company,  of  Hart- 
ford, became  the  owner  of  this  plant,  which  is  reputed  one  of  the  finest 
and  best  appointed  in  the  state,  having  an  aggregate  water  power  of 
about  300  horse.  There  is  also  good  steam  power.  Many  buildings 
are  connected  with  the  plant.  About  the  same  time  the  mills  were 
leased  to  the  Standard  Woolen  Company,  composed  of  Henry  I.  But- 
try,  Fred.  Kitchen  and  Clarence  J.  Bodfish,  who  have  since  been  op- 
erating it.  Woolens  are  manufactured,  and  from  50  to  80  men  are 
employed. 

The  first  industry  on  the  site  of  the  woolen  mills,  at  Beacon  Falls 
village,  was  the  tannery  of  John  V.  Coe,  which  was  on  the  little  brook 
in  the  rear  of  the  large  building.  He  also  manufactured  shoes.  Sell- 
ing out  to  the  rubber  company,  he  moved  to  a  new  site  on  Lebanon 
brook,  about  half  a  mile  below  the  old  one.  Here  he  began  operations 
about  1856,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  sons,  John  A.  and  Julius  C. 
These  carried  on  rather  extensively  as  tanners  and  manufacturers  of 
leather  belting  and  laces  until  some  time  about  1876,  when  they  re- 
moved. In  1882  this  plant,  consisting  of  twelve  acres  of  land  and  a 
number  of  buildings,  became  the  property  of  John  F.  Bronson,  who 
transferred  to  this  place  his  brass  novelty  business,  which  had  been 
established  at  Waterbury  in  1839.  In  this  business  he  was  succeeded, 
in  February,  1884,  by  the  Homer  D.  Bronson  Company,  consisting  of 
John  F.  Bronson  and  his  three  sons,  all  skillful  workmen. 

Since  1S86  the  company  has  been  largely  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  bronze  piano  panels  and  art  goods  in  brass  and  other  metals, 
producing  many  choice  and  artistic  designs,  which  have  given  its  work 
a  fine  reputation.  The  motor  is  water  and  steam,  and  about  15  men 
are  employed. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  621 

The  village  of  Beacon  Falls  owes  its  existence  to  the  above  inter- 
ests, and  was  mainly  built  after  1853.  The  beginning  was  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  along  the  Seymour  turnpike,  and  about  four 
miles  north  of  that  village.  In  1867  the  Home  Woolen  Company, 
through  its  agent,  John  Wolfe,  laid  out  90  lots  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  but  a  small  part  only  of  these  have  been  improved.  The 
following  year  the  Naugatuck  Railroad  Company  opened  a  regular 
station,  and  since  December  21st,  1868,  Julius  A.  Hart  has  been  the 
agent.  In  the  village  are  also  several  small  shops,  stores  and  the 
Beacon  Falls  post  office,  of  which  John  Wolfe  is  the  postmaster. 
Stores  have  been  kept  by  V.  Buckingham,  C.  W.  Elkins  &  Co., 
Beecher  &  Percy,  May  &  Isbell  and  E.  J.  Terrell  &  Co.  At  the 
latter's  stand  is  kept  the  post  office,  which  has  several  mails  per 
day.  Small  stores  were  formerly  kept  at  Pines  Bridge.  In  1872  Pat- 
rick Eagan  was  appointed  a  "  taverner."  Small  public  houses  have 
since  been  kept. 

In  1874  Good  Will  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  had  a  flourishing  ex- 
istence at  this  place;  and  from  1869  to  1880  the  meetings  of  Rock  Rim- 
raon  Lodge,  No.  84,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  were  successfully  maintained.  At  one 
time  there  were  60  members,  and  in  1874  a  hall  was  formally  dedi- 
cated. The  suspension  of  work  at  the  woolen  mills  caused  the  re- 
moval of  many  members,  and  those  remaining  connected  themselves 
with  other  Lodges  in  neighboring  towns. 

In  addition  to  the  60  or  more  residences  and  the  school  house  in 
the  village,  there  is  also  a  neat  frame  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
which  is  the  only  house  of  worship  in  the  town.  It  was  erected  in 
1871  and  dedicated  January  11th,  1872.  The  size  is  35  by  60  feet,  and 
the  cost  was  about  $8,000.  There  are  350  sittings.  In  1890  the  trus- 
tees in  charge  of  the  building  were  John  Wolfe,  George  A.  Twitchell, 
Julius  A.  Hart,  David  T.  Sanford,  Jerome  Hubbell  and  John  W.  Rog- 
ers. The  Home  Woolen  Company  donated  the  lot  on  which  the  house 
stands,  and  also  aided  liberally  in  its  erection. 

The  first  Methodist  church  in  the  town  was  at  Pines  Bridge,  and 
was  built  through  the  efforts  of  John  Coe  and  others.  It  was  small 
and  plain,  but  was  used  until  after  1850.  The  meetings  were  then 
transferred  to  another  small  house  near  Lebanon  brook,  built  mainly 
by  the  Coe  familv.  This  was  used  until  the  present  house  was  occu- 
pied, in  1872. 

In  what  is  now  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls  lived  some  of  the  first 
Methodists  in  the  Naugatuck  valley.  Some  of  these  were  in  the  Ny- 
umph  section  and  others  were  at  the  Pines  Bridge.  Among  those  re- 
membered in  that  connection  were  Philo  Sanford,  Moses,  David,  Adoni- 
jah  and  Miles  French,  Timothy  Johnson  and  several  other  members 
of  that  family.  Later  the  Coe  family  was  active  in  supporting  the 
cause  of  Methodism.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  private  houses, 
and  the  ministers  were  the  same  as  those  at  Seymour  and  Great  Hill. 


<322  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Since  being  a  separate  charge  the  ministers  at  Beacon  Falls  have 
been  the  following:  1870-1.  Reverend  A.  V.  R.  Abbott;  1872,  D.  L. 
Lounsbury;  1873,  W.  S.  Morrison;  1881-2,  W.  R.  Rogers;  1883,  J.  J. 
Moffitt;  1884-5,  A.  S.  Hagarty;  1886,  J.  L.  Valle;  1887,  E.  R.  Foley; 
188S-9,  T.  J.  Chadeayne. 

In  connection  with  the  church  is  a  flourishing  Sunday  school  of  85 
members,  which  has  David  T.  Sanford  as  its  superintendent. 

The  rugged  Naugatuck  valley  is  nowhere  more  picturesque  and  at- 
tractive than  in  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls.  Entering  it  from  the  south 
one  is  charmed  by  the  impressive  beauty  of  Rock  Rimmon,  whose 
height  of  400  feet,  jutting  out  into  the  valley,  appears  to  bar  further 
progress.  On  passing  this  hill  there  is  a  pleasant  intervale,  several 
miles  in  extent,  when  the  valley  is  again  narrowed  into  a  defile  wide 
enough  only  for  the  passage  of  the  river  and  the  roadways  along  its 
banks.  About  a  mile  above  Beacon  Falls  station  the  hills  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river  rise  to  the  height  of  more  than  400  feet,  forming  a 
promontory  at  that  point  and  terminating  in  a  well-defined  elevation, 
which  appropriately  bears  the  name  of  High  Rock.  At  its  foot  and 
■on  the  bend  of  the  river  is  a  small  tract  of  fine  level  woodland,  which 
has  been  further  beautified  as  High  Rock  Grove.  The  improvement 
of  this  place  for  a  pleasure  resort  was  begun  in  1876  by  George  W. 
Beach,  superintendent  of  the  Naugatuck  Railroad  Company,  and  under 
his  direction  it  has  been  carried  on,  until  the  place  possesses  nearly 
every  requisite  of  a  complete  day  resort.  Among  the  attractions  are 
the  opportunities  for  boating  on  the  river,  the  dam  of  the  Beacon  Falls 
Company  here  affording  a  fine  expanse  of  water.  In  High  Rock 
Glen,  formerly  called  Sherman's  Gorge,  are  cool,  secluded  walks,  cosy 
nooks  and  many  turns,  abounding  with  picturesque  effects,  which  may 
be  enjoyed  to  the  music  of  gurgling  waters,  leaping  over  moss-covered 
rocks,  which  vainly  strive  to  confine  them  in  their  precipitous  course. 
On  High  Rock  is  Lookout  Point,  where  is  disclosed  a  view  of  sublime 
beauty.  Deep  forests,  stern,  rock-covered  hillsides  and  tilled  fields, 
with  every  shape  and  form  of  verdure,  may  there  be  seen. 

The  railway  has  provided  a  station  at  High  Rock  Grove,  and  the 
place  is  much  patronized  by  those  seeking  rest  and  enjoyment  of  syl- 
van retreats.  It  is  also  a  favorite  resort  of  picnic  parties  from  all 
points  in  the  valley. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

Herbert  C.  Baldwin,  born  in  that  part  of  Oxford  now  Beacon 
Falls,  in  1840,  is  a  son  of  Lucian,  and  he  a  son  of  Matthew  Baldwin, 
who  was  a  resident  of  Naugatuck.  Lucian  married  Aurelia  Tolles, 
settled  in  Oxford  and  engaged  in  farming,  and  for  many  years  taught 
school  winters.  Herbert  C.  Baldwin  enlisted  in  September,  1861,  in 
Company  K,  13th  Connecticut  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  mustered  in 
November  7th  of  the  same  year.     He  was  in  the  battles  of  Georgia 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  623 

Landing,  Irish  Bend.  Cane  River,  Mansuary  Plains  and  the  seige  of 
Port  Hudson.  He  was  also  through  the  Red  River  campaign.  He 
was  transferred  to  Virginia  in  1864,  and  under  Sheridan  was  in  the 
battles  of  Berryville,  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  where 
he  was  wounded.  He  was  commissioned  corporal  December  12th, 
1862;  sergeant,  August  27th,  1863;  first  sergeant,  November  1st,  1864; 
second  lieutenant,  January  11th,  1865,  and  brevetted  first  lieutenant  to 
date  from  March  13th.  1865,  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  at  Port 
Hudson.  He  is  a  member  of  Upson  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  No.  40,  of  Sey- 
mour. He  was  assessor  for  the  first  two  years  after  Beacon  Falls  was 
formed;  was  elected  selectman  in  1873,  and  continually  up  to  1890  in- 
clusive, and  chairman  of  the  board  with  the  exception  of  two  years; 
represented  the  town  in  1876, 1880, 1883  and  1891,  as  a  republican.  He 
was  married  in  1866,  to  Josephine  H.  Jones.  Their  children  are: 
Luciati  E.,  Alfred  C,  Hattie  M.,  Herbert  C,  Jr.,  Harold  T.,  Edward 
D.  and  William  A.     The  last  two  named  are  deceased. 

Clarence  J.  Bodfish,  born  in  Chicopee,  Mass.,  in  1854,  is  a  son  of 
Julius  F.  and  Henrietta  (Allen)  Bodfish,  and  grandson  of  Simeon 
Bodfish.  His  parents  removed  to  Ellington,  Conn.,  when  he  was 
three  years  old,  and  to  Rockville,  Conn.,  when  he  was  15.  He  was 
bookkeeper  for  the  Florence  Mills  Company  of  that  place  for  nine 
years.  In  1880  he  came  to  Beacon  Falls,  and  for  five  years  was  book- 
keeper for  the  Home  Woolen  Mills  Company,  and  was  then  made 
agent  and  manager  of  the  company,  which  position  he  held  until 
1887,  going  then  to  Lawrence,  Mass.,  as  assistant  superintendent  of 
the  Washington  Mills  Company  of  that  place.  Returning  to  Beacon 
Falls,  in  company  with  H.  I.  Buttry  and  Frederick  Kitchen,  he  or- 
ganized, in  July,  1889,  the  Standard  Woolen  Company,  with  a  capital 
of  $18,000,  with  H.  I.  Buttry,  president;  Frederick  Kitchen,  vice-presi- 
dent, and  C.  J.  Bodfish,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Leasing  the  mills  of 
the  Beacon  Falls  Manufacturing  Company,  they  engaged  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  woolen  goods  (kerseys,  cheviots  and  worsteds),  employing 
from  80  to  125  hands.  Mr.  Bodfish  was  married  in  1881,  to  Minnie  S., 
daughter  of  Eli  I.  and  Harriet  M.  Smith,  of  Rockville,  Conn.  They 
have  two  children:  Clarence  S.  and  Hattie  G. 

Albert  D.  Carrington,  born  in  Bethany  in  1826,  is  a  son  of  Daniel 
and  Rachael  (Dorman)  Carrington.  The  latter's  father  was  Edmund 
Dorman,  of  Hamden.  Albert  D.  Carrington's  grandparents  were 
David  Carrington  and  Thankful  Tolles.  Daniel  Carrington's  children 
were;  David,  Eliza,  Albert  D.,  Abram  E.,  Sarah  and  Emily.  David 
married  Elizabeth  C.  Robinson;  Eliza  married  Smith  Terrell;  Emily 
married  Howard  Chatfield;  Abram  E.  married  for  his  first  wife,  Sara 
Pritchard,  and  the  second  Mary  J.  Patterson.  Albert  D.  Carrington 
was  married,  in  1851,  to  Lucretia  M.  Wheeler.  Their  children  were: 
Daniel  J.,  married  Nellie  Hubbell,  of  Naugatuck;  and  Lyman  W., 
married  Flora  Curtis,  of  Woodbury.     Albert   D.  married  for  his  sec- 


624  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

ond  wife,  Sarah  F.  Buckingham,  in  1872.  They  have  three  children: 
Lula,  Jessie  and  Milton.  Mr.  Carrington  settled  in  Oxford  in  1852,  in 
that  portion  set  off  to  Bethany,  and  afterward  to  Beacon  Falls.  He 
held  the  office  of  selectman  while  a  resident  of  Oxford. 

George  T.  Clark,  born  in  Bethany,  is  a  son  of  Charles  F.  and  Anna 
(Perkins)  Clark.  Sheldon  Clark,  his  grandfather,  was  a  farmer. 
George  T.  has  been  registrar  of  voters,  assessor  and  school  visitor,  and 
was  elected  selectman  in  1889.  In  1886  he  married  Mary  Reffelt. 
They  have  one  son,  Frank  T. 

Julius  A.  Hart,  born  in  Hubbardton,  Vt.,  April  4th,  1846,  is  a  son 
of  Luther  Hart,  who  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Jesse  Howard. 
Julius  A.  Hart  came  to  Beacon  Falls  in  1867,  and  since  1868  has  been 
station  agent  here.  He  was  town  clerk  for  the  years  1880  to  1886,  and 
again  in  1889;  treasurer  in  1880,  '81,  '88  and  '89;  tax  collector  in  1882, 
'84,  '86,  '87  and  '89;  and  register  of  vital  statistics  several  years.  He 
is  a  member  of  Centennial  Lodge,  No.  100,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Naugatuck, 
and  the  Odd  Fellows'  Mutual  Aid  Association.  He  was  formerly  a 
member  of  Rock  Rimmon  Lodge,  No.  84,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Beacon  Falls. 
This  Lodge  was  organized  in  1869,  and  the  charter  was  surrendered 
in  1880.  He  married,  in  1869,  Lucy  I.  Benham,  and  for  his  second 
wife,  Sarah  A.  Mitchell,  in  1876.  Their  children  are:  Sadie  M.,  Fred 
L.  and  Clarence  J. 

Wales  F.  Sackett,  born  in  that  part  of  Oxford  now  included  in  Bea- 
con Falls,  in  1843,  is  a  son  of  Lucius,  grandson  of  Lewis,  and  great- 
grandson  of  John  Sackett.  Lucius  Sackett  was  born  February  15th, 
1821,  married  Emily  C,  daughter  of  James  Sherman.  She  was  born 
May  3d,  1821.  James  Sherman  was  a  lumber  dealer.  He  married 
Elizabeth  Johnson,  and  had  ten  children:  James  J.,  Nancy  E.,  Eliza- 
beth, Owen,  Flora,  Eliza,  Harriet,  Emily  C,  Charles  and  Delia.  The 
children  of  Lucius  and  Emily  C.  Sackett  were:  Wales  F.,  born  1843* 
and  Charles  S.,  born  1856,  a  brass  moulder  living  in  Waterbury.  He 
married  for  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Northrop,  of  Woodbridge,  and  his  sec- 
ond wife  was  Ida  Tomlinson,  of  Waterbury.  They  have  two  children: 
Edna  and  Inez.  Wales  F.  married  Sarah  J.  Burnham,  of  Bethany, 
November  14th,  1869.  They  have  one  son,  Sherman  B.  Sackett.  Pre- 
vious to  1875  Wales  F.  was  in  the  wood  business,  but  since  that  date 
has  been  engaged  in  the  florist  business  and  market  gardening.  Lu- 
cius Sackett  enlisted  in  Company  H,  20th  Regiment,  in  August,  1861, 
and  was  discharged  14  months  later  on  account  of  general  disability. 
He  died  in  1884. 

David  T.  Sanford,  born  in  Bethany  in  1844,  is  a  son  of  John,  and 
grandson  of  John,  who  married  Anna  French.  Her  paternal  grand- 
mother was  the  granddaughter  of  Reverend  Nathaniel  Brewster,  the 
grandson  of  Elder  William  Brewster,  who  came  from  England  in  the 
"  Mayflower  "  in  1620.  John  Sanford,  the  second,  was  married  to  Eliza 
French  in  1824.     They  had  two  sons:  David  T.  and  George.     George 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  625 

married  Anna  Johnson  in  1852.  David  T.  was  married,  in  1870,  to  Mrs. 
Sophia  Vickery.  Her  maiden  name  was  Wood.  Their  children  are: 
Anna  E.,  born  1873;  Grace  E.,  born  1877,  died  June  4th,  1879;  and 
Carleton  R.,  born  1878.  Mr.  Sanford  is  a  member  of  Beacon  Falls  M. 
E.  church,  and  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  school.  He  has  held  the 
offices  of  assessor,  grand  juror  and  member  of  board  of  education. 
He  represented  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls  in  the  legislature  in  1881. 

Emery  L.  Terrell,  born  in  Colebrook,  Conn.,  in  1866,  is  a  son  of 
Henry,  and  grandson  of  Josiah  Terrell.  In  1887  he  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  trade  at  Beacon  Falls  in  partnership  with  Emmerson  J. 
Terrell,  who  established  the  business  in  1880.  Emery  L.  Terrell  was 
elected  town  clerk  and  treasurer  in  1889.  Emmerson  J.  Terrell  is  a 
son  of  Lewis,  and  grandson  of  Josiah  Terrell.  He  represented  the 
town  in  the  state  legislature  in  1888,  and  in  1889  was  elected  first  se- 
lectman. In  1S87  he  was  appointed  town  clerk  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and 
elected  to  the  same  office  the  ensuing  year. 


40 


CHAPTER  XV. 


TOWN    AND    CITY    OF    WATERBURY. 

Location  and  Description. — Settlement  and  Early  Events. — Waterbury  City. — Other 
Business  Centers. — Civil  Organization  of  the  Town. — Probate  District. — Courts. — 
Waterbury  Borough. — First  City  Charter. — Charter  of  1867. — Mayors  and  Clerks. — 
City  Hall. — Police  Department. — Street  Improvement. — Fire  Department. — Water 
Works. — Gas  and  Electric  Lighting. — Parks. — Statistics.— Manufacturing  Enter- 
prises.— Banks. — Insurance  Company. — Horse  Railway  Company. — The  Periodical 
Press. — Post  Office. — Public  Houses. — Prominent  Merchants. — Physicians  and  Law- 
yers.— Lodges  and  Societies. — Educational  Matters. — Churches. — Hospital. — Ceme- 
teries.— Military  Matters  — Biographical  Sketches. 


WATERBURY  is  New  Haven's  most  northerly  town  in  the  Nau- 
gatuck valley,  and  borders  on  Litchfield  county,  touching  the 
towns  of  Plymouth  and  Watertown.  On  the  east  are  Wolcott 
and  Cheshire;  on  the  south  Prospect  and  Naugatuck;  and  on  the  west 
Middlebury.  All  these  towns  were  wholly  or  in  part  included  in  the 
Mattatuck  purchase  of  Indian  lands  made  by  the  Connecticut  colony 
committee  in  1674  to  1684,  and  which  was  in  extent  seventeen  miles 
from  north  to  south  and  about  nine  miles  from  east  to  west,  having 
an  area  of  85,000  acres.  The  name  of  Mattatuck,  as  applied  to  this  ex- 
tensive tract,  was  retained  until  May  13th,  1686,  when  it  was  incorpo- 
rated as  a  town,  with  the  name  of  Waterbury.  Most  of  the  present 
territory  consists  of  hilly  country,  there  being  only  small  tracts  of 
alluvial  and  sandy  lands  along  the  two  principal  streams,  the  Nauga- 
tuck and  Mad  rivers.  The  former  flows  through  the  town,  from  the 
north,  west  of  the  territorial  center;  the  latter  flows  from  Wolcott,  on 
the  east,  and  drops  its  waters  into  the  Naugatuck  at  the  city  of  Water- 
bury. Neither  stream  is  large,  but  being  fed  by  numerous  springs  the 
flow  is  quite  constant;  and  as  they  drain  large  areas  of  hilly  and  mount- 
ainous lands  they  are  subject  to  sudden  and  often  to  destructive  fresh- 
ets. Nevertheless,  these  streams  have  been  most  important  factors  in 
the  affairs  of  the  town,  their  water  powers  having  contributed  a  large 
proportion  of  the  present  wealth,  and  having  made  profitable  residence 
here  possible  by  giving  opportunities  for  manufacturing  when  the 
cultivation  of  these  elevated  lands  was  no  longer  remunerative. 

Waterbury  was  settled  under  the  direction  of  the  town  of  Farming- 
ton.  As  early  as  1657  some  of  its  inhabitants  obtained  an  Indian  deed 
for  lands  extending  south  of  the  settled  parts  of  Farmington,  and 
which  embraced  a  range  of  hills  in  which  it  was  thought  was  a  deposit 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN  COUNTY.  627 

of  black  lead,  and  which  caused  the  desire  for  possession.  Although 
they  were  disappointed  in  finding  that  mineral  in  paying  quantities, 
it  is  possible  that  the  search  for  it  led  ultimately  to  the  occupation  of 
this  land.  In  the  course  of  time  some  of  these  hunters  or  explorers 
from  Farmington  passed  down  the  Naugatuck  and  discovered  the  flats 
or  meadows  at  and  below  where  is  now  the  city  of  Waterbury.  The 
situation  pleased  them,  and  they  reported  so  favorably  upon  these 
lands  that  Farmington  petitioned  the  general  court,  in  1673,  for  per- 
mission to  plant  a  settlement  in  that  locality.  This  privilege  was 
promised  them,  provided  the  committee  appointed  by  the  court  should, 
after  investigation,  recommend  such  a  step.  In  due  season  the  follow- 
ing report  was  made: 

"  April  6,  7,  8,  9,  1674. 
"  We  whose  names  are  underwritten  (according  to  the  desire  and 
appointment  of  ye  honoured  court)  have  veiewed  ye  lands  upon  Mat- 
tatuck  river  in  order  to  a  plantation,  we  do  apprehend  that  there  is 
about  six  hundred  acres  of  meadow  and  plowing  land  lying  on  both 
sides  of  ye  river  besides  upland  convenient  for  a  towne  plot,  with  a 
suitable  out  let  into  ye  woods  on  ye  west  of  ye  river,  and  good  feeding 
lands  for  cattell.  The  meadow  and  plowing  land  above  written  a  con- 
siderable part  of  it  lyeth  in  two  peices  near  ye  towne  plot,  ye  rest  in 
smaller  parcels,  ye  farthest  of  which  we  judge  not  above  four  miles 
from  ye  towne  plot:  and  our  apprehensions  are  that  it  may  accommo- 
date thirty  families.  Thomas  Bull, 

Nicho:  Olmstkad, 
Robert  Webster." 
"  '  The  two  peices  near  ye  town  plot,'  alluded  to  in  the  above  report, 
are  probably  the  level  river  lands  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  after- 
wards called  Manhan,  or  Mohan,  Meadow,  near  which  a  final  settle- 
ment was  afterwards  made,  and  the  tract  of  meadow  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  near  Steele's  brook.  The  most  distant  piece  '  not  above 
four  miles  '  was  most  likely  the  tract  which  at  a  later  period  was  called 
Judd's  meadow,  now  a  part  of  Naugatuck.  These  natural  meadows 
were  looked  upon  with  much  favor  by  the  early  settlers,  and  were  re- 
garded not  only  as  convenient  but  necessary  to  the  existence  of  a 
new  plantation.  On  them  they  depended  for  fodder  for  their  '  cattell ' 
during  the  long  and  severe  winters."* 

The  committee  having  reported  favorably  upon  the  feasibility  of 
settling  Mattatuck,  the  general  court,  in  May,  1674,  appointed  the 
following  committee  to  order  the  settlement  and  manage  its  affairs: 
John  Talcot,  Robert  Webster,  Nicholas  Olmstead,  Samuel  Steele  and 
John  Wadsworth.  This  colony  committee  thereupon  immediatelv 
formulated  a  code  of  eight  articles,  which  were  required  to  be  signed 
by  all  intending  settlers,  and  which  also  provided,  among  other  things, 
that  every  accepted  inhabitant  should  have  eight  acres  for  a  home  lot; 
*  Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin. 


628  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

that  meadow  lands  should  be  distributed  on  a  basis  of  ,£100  allotment, 
which  was  the  maximum;  that  houses  of  specified  size  should  be  built 
on  the  home  lots,  within  a  certain  time,  and  be  occupied  for  a  certain 
period  in  order  to  properly  qualify  them  as  inhabitants  of  Mattatuck. 
The  following  30  persons  then  signed  the  agreement  to  form  the  set- 
ment:  Thomas  Judd,  Edmund  Scott,  John  Welton,  Abraham  Andruss, 
Isaac  Bronson,  John  Stanley,  Samuel  Hickox,  Thomas  Handcox,  John 
Warner,  Thomas  Richardson,  Joseph  Hickox,  John  Bronson,  Sr.,  Dan- 
iel Porter,  John  Carrington,  Obadiah  Richards,  Thomas  Newell,  John 
Stanley,  Sr.,  Daniel  Warner,  John  Warner,  Jr.,  John  Judd,  John 
Laughton,  John  Andrews,  Richard  Seymour,  Abraham  Bronson,  John 
Porter,  William  Higason,  Samuel  Gridley,  Thomas  Gridley,  Samuel 
Judd,  William  Judd. 

The  ten  named  last  afterward  declined  to  join  the  settlement,  when 
the  following  were  taken  in  their  stead:  John  Scovill,  Joseph  Gaylord, 
Benjamin  Barnes,  John  Hopkins,  John  Stanley,  Jr.,  Timothy  Stanley, 
Edmund  Scott,  Jr.,  Thomas  Warner. 

In  the  summer  of  1674  the  colony  committee  purchased  of  the 
native  Indians  some  of  the  lands  needed,  which  they  held  in  trust  for 
the  settlement.  This  land  bordered  on  both  sides  of  the  Naugatuck, 
about  ten  miles,  and  was  about  six  miles  wide.  It  included  all  of  the 
present  town. 

"  A  site  was  secured  for  a  village  on  elevated  ground  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river.  This  has  ever  since  been  known  as  Old  Town  Plat, 
or  Town  Plot.  Here,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  west  of  the  present  city, 
the  roads  were  laid  out;  the  one  running  north  and  south,  sixteen  rods 
wide.  This  was  cut  in  the  middle,  by  an  east  and  west  road,  running 
down  towards  the  river,  south  of  Sled  Hill  brook,  eight  rods  wide. 
The  home  lots,  eight  acres  in  each,  according-  to  the  articles  of  settle- 
ment,  were  ranged  along  the  north  and  south  street,  thirty-two  in 
number,  sixteen  on  each  side,  the  east  and  west  road,  already  referred 
to,  dividing  each  '  teer  "  in  the  middle,  leaving  eight  lots  on  either 
hand.  So  much  was  done  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1674  towards  the 
settlement  of  Mattatuck,  when  work  for  that  year  was  suspended.""- 

The  breaking  out  of  King  Philip's  war,  in  1675,  and  the  uncertainty 
and  distress  connected  with  it  not  only  prevented  the  settlers  from 
going  on  to  their  lands  that  year,  but  also  caused  them  to  modify  and 
change  their  plans  for  a  "  Town  Plot."  It  was  desirable  that  they 
should  be  in  easy  communication  with  Farmington,  and  also  live  as  near 
their  meadow  lands  as  possible.  Between  them  and  the  old  town  plot 
the  Naugatuck  intervened,  and  that  stream  was  often  difficult  to  ford 
and  costly  to  bridge  on  account  of  its  swollen  waters.f  Hence,  in  the 
spring  of  1677,  when  the  matter  of  settlement  was  again  taken  up,  a  new 

*  Reverend  E.  C.  Baldwin. 

fThe  first  bridge  across  the  Naugatuck,  on  the  road  to  Woodbury,  was  not 
built  until  1736. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  629 

movement  was  made.  The  committee  then  changed  the  town  center 
to  the  present  location.  It  was  low  and  swampy,  but  they  seemed 
anxious  to  settle  as  near  as  possible  to  the  lands  from  which  they  ex- 
pected to  draw  their  chief  sustenance. 

They  would  also  be  put  in  better  relation  to  Farmington,  in  case 
the  settlers  should  be  disturbed  by  the  Indians.  "A  few  temporary 
huts  were  therefore  erected  for  the  season,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Naugatuck,  near  'Sled  Hill,'  and  the  following  year  (1678)  streets  were 
laid  out  and  dwellings  erected  upon  the  present  site,  with  a  view  to  a 
permanent  settlement.  House  lots  of  from  one  and  a  half  to  four 
acres  were  set  off  to  each  individual,  according  to  eligibility  of  situa- 
tion and  the  extent  of  the  proprietor's  rights.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  some  of  the  settlers  moved  their  wives  and  families  into  their 
new  habitations.  In  one  of  these  humble  homes,  which  stood  on  the 
site  of  the  old  Judd  tavern,  was  born  the  first  English  child,  April  27th, 
1679,  which  received  the  name  of  Rebecca  Richardson.  The  first  male 
English  child  was  Richard,  son  of  John  and  Mary  Welton,  born  Sep- 
tember 27th,  1679,  in  a  house  nearly  opposite  the  above."* 

The  streets  of  the  new  town  plat  were  laid  out  around  Center 
square,  or  the  green,  very  much  as  they  are  now,  and  on  these,  for  the 
purpose  of  mutual  defense,  the  first  houses  were  built.  The  material 
was  logs  for  the  walls  and  split  logs  for  the  roofs  and  the  floors.  The 
need  of  saw  and  grist  mills  was  much  felt  by  the  early  settlers,  and 
their  only  resource  was  to  carry  their  corn  to  be  ground  to  Farming- 
ton,  twenty  miles  through  a  wilderness.  What  lumber  they  used  was 
brought  from  the  same  place.  The  colony  committee  early  sought  to 
relieve  them  in  this  matter  by  recommending,  in  November,  1679,  that 
a  mill  be  built,  and  offered  a  grant  of  30  acres  of  land  to  whoever 
would  build  it  and  keep  it  up.  This  offer  was  accepted  in  16S0  by 
Stephen  Hopkins,  of  Hartford,  who  built  a  mill  on  Mad  river  "for 
grinding  corn."  It  stood  on  the  site  used  since  that  time,  and  which 
is  now  occupied  by  the  rolling  mill  of  the  Scovill  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany. 

The  population  increased  slowly,  and  prior  to  168S  there  were  34 
proprietors,  who  had  become  settlers.  With  the  exception  of  four,  all 
were  from  Farmington.  Abraham  Andruss,  Sr.,  was  from  Fairfield, 
Joseph  Gaylord  from  Windsor,  John  Hopkins  from  Hartford,  and 
Benjamin  Jones  was  from  some  other  town  whose  name  was  not  re- 
corded. They  were  all  farmers,  but  in  addition  some  had  trades,  and 
there  were  no  wealthy  people  among  them.  Stephen  Upson,  Joseph 
Lewis,  Jonathan  Scott  and  Richard  Porter  were  among  the  later  set- 
tlers. Until  after  1713,  when  there  was  peace  with  the  French  and  In- 
dians, the  dwellings  of  all  the  inhabitants  were  restricted  to  the  town 
center,  from  which  the  men  went  into  the  meadows  and  places  near 
by,  in  day  time,  to  labor,  returning  to  the  town  at  night  to  seek  the 

*  From  Barber's  Historical  Collections. 


630  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

shelter  of  fortified  buildings  in  case  of  alarm.  Hence  much  of  the 
cultivated  lands  were  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  present  city. 

In  February,  1691,  the  small  band  of  settlers  were  visited  by  a  dire 
calamity  in  the  shape  of  a  severe  flood,*  which  nearly  ruined  the  allu- 
vial lands  of  the  Naugatuck.  The  river,  swollen  by  rains  and  melted 
snows,  rose  to  a  prodigious  height,  and  washed  away  the  soil  or  cov- 
ered it  so  completely  with  gravel  from  the  neighboring  hills  that  it 
was  unfitted  for  future  tillage.  "Many  were  so  much  discouraged  that 
they  abandoned  their  possessions  forever."  In  1709  there  were 
scarcely  as  many  inhabitants  as  there  were  before  the  great  floods. 
The  condition  of  Waterbury  in  1694,  as  described  by  Wadsworth,  was 
'•a  small  town,  though  very  compact.  It  contained  twenty-five  fam- 
ilies." 

The  enfeebled  settlement  next  suffered  from  the  menacing  atti- 
tude of  the  Indians,  which  kept  it  in  an  almost  perpetual  state  of 
alarm  from  1702  until  after  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  in  1713.  In  this  en- 
tire period  Waterbury,  as  a  frontier  town,  with  its  large,  exposed  ter- 
ritory, was  in  constant  danger.  It  was  required  to  keep  two  men  em- 
ployed as  scouts  "to  discover  the  designs  of  the  enemy  and  to  give  in- 
telligence should  they  make  their  appearance."  This  duty  was  per- 
formed in  rotation.  The  sentinels,  which  the  town  also  provided, 
were  placed  upon  high  points  of  land  overlooking  the  village,  where 
they  might  watch  for  the  safety  of  the  inhabitants.  The  town  also, 
as  early  as  April,  1700,  voted  to  fortify  several  houses,  and  required 
the  aid  of  all  the  men  and  boys  in  this  work.  In  spite  of  these  pre- 
cautions, the  Indians  made  a  descent  upon  the  settlement  in  1707,  and 
captured  Jonathan  Scott  and  his  two  sons,  who  were  at  work  in  Han- 
cock's meadow.  All  three  were  taken  to  Canada,  and  to  prevent  Mr. 
Scott  from  offering  resistance,  they  took  off  his  right  thumb.  He  and 
one  of  the  sons  were  afterward  ransomed  and  returned  home,  but  the 
youngest  son  adopted  the  life  of  the  savages  and  remained  with  them. 
The  town  now  made  greater  preparations  for  defense  than  before,  and 
was  aided  in  1708  by  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  which  gave  Water- 
bury £15  toward  the  construction  of  three  forts,  one  of  which  was 
built  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  Accordingly,  stockade  forts  were 
built  around  the  houses  of  Lieutenant  Timothy  Stanley,  John  Hopkins 
and  Reverend  Southmayd.  These  defenses  were,  as  we  now  look  at 
such  things,  frail,  but  they  gave  a  sense  of  security  the  settlement  had 
not  before  felt.  Another  Indian  incursion  was  made  in  1710,  when  a 
man  was  killed  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town. 

Scarcely  had  the  hope  that  the  troubles  with  the  Indians  would 
soon  be  at  an  end  cheered  the  hearts  of  the  settlers,  when  another  sore 
affliction  fell  upon  Waterbury. 

*Another  severe  flood  occurred  in  1709,  which  greatly  discouraged  the  in- 
habitants. Since  that  time  the  town  has  suffered  great  loss  from  that  caiise. 
Of  more  recent  freshets,  those  of  November  13th,  1853,  and  April  13th,  1854, 
were  especially  destructive. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  631 

"  In  October,  1712,  the  town  was  visited  by  a  great  and  mortal 
sickness  which  raged  without  abatement  until  September,  1713.  Dur- 
ing its  prevalence  the  number  of  well  persons  was  insufficient  to 
provide  for  and  attend  the  sick  and  bury  the  dead.  About  thirty  in- 
dividuals died  of  the  fever,  and  this  out  of  a  population  of  about  two 
hundred."  * 

Through  all  these  difficulties  and  adverse  circumstances,  dangers 
and  misfortunes,  most  of  the  settlers  persevered.  But  for  many  years 
there  was  a  low  condition  in  the  affairs  of  the  town.  The  value  of 
property  did  not  increase,  and  more  people  moved  away  than  came  in. 
Fearing  too  great  a  depopulation,  the  town  took  prompt  measure  to 
encourage  the  young  men  to  remain  by  giving  them  farms.  Up  to 
that  time,  lands  had  been  given  only  to  accepted  heads  of  families. 
This  action  and  the  allotment  of  fertile  and  choice  lands  in  other 
parts  of  the  town  had  the  effect  of  stimulating  the  growth  of  the  sev- 
eral settlements  in  the  various  parts  of  old  Waterbury,  which  now 
again  began  to  people. 

The  progress  of  the  town  can  be  seen  from  the  following  table  of 
population:  In  1688  there  were  about  ISO  inhabitants;  in  1694,  165;  in 
1713, 180;  in  1737,900;  in  1774,3,536;  in  1790f,  2,937;  in  1800,  3,256;  in 
1820,  2,822+;  in  1830,  3,070;  in  1840,  3,668;  in  1850,  5,137;  in  1860,  10,- 
004;  in  1880,  20,269;  in  1890,  33,202.  In  the  city  there  were,  in  1890, 
28,646  inhabitants. 

Nearly  four-fifths  of  the  wealth  and  population  are  now  centered 
in  the  city  of  Waterbury,  where  was  founded  the  first  settlement.  It 
is  located  in  a  valley  a  little  more  than  a  mile  wide,  the  Naugatuck 
river  washing  it  on  the  west,  and  the  Mad  river  on  the  east.  Beyond 
these  streams  and  north  of  the  main  part  of  the  city  hills  rise  to  con- 
siderable elevation,  upon  some  of  which  the  city  has  encroached.  The 
general  appearance  of  the  landscape  is  much  like  an  amphitheater,  the 
center  of  the  city  forming  the  arena,  to  which  several  of  the  hills' 
gradually  descend.  In  the  center  of  the  old  part  of  the  town  is  a  large 
green,  which  has  been  finely  improved  for  a  public  park.  Wide 
streets  run  around  this,  and  others  radiate  from  it,  as  a  central  point, 
to  the  principal  parts  of  the  city.  Some  of  these  streets  are  finely 
shaded,  and  on  them  are  found  many  handsome  and  costly  residences. 
In  other  parts  are  less  pretentious  but  exceedingly  neat  houses  of  hun- 
dreds of  skilled  artisans,  whose  labors  have  conduced  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  several  score  of  manufacturing  establishments,  located  in  the 
lower  parts  of  the  valley.  These  industries,  in  extent  of  buildings 
and  variety  of  operations,  rank  among  the  foremost  in  the  state. 
Their  vast  volume  of  business  has  practically  been  the  means  of  build- 
ing up  the  city  to  its  present  wide  and  attractive  proportions.     Al- 

*  J.  W.  Barber. 

t  Decreased  by  the  formation  of  new  towns. 

}  Decreased  by  immigration  to  the  West. 


632  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

though  the  main  business  of  the  city  is  manufacturing,  its  trade  is  not 
as  fluctuating  as  that  of  other  centers.  Most  of  its  interests  are  based 
upon  copper  products,  and  that  metal  itself  ranks  as  money,  in  intrin- 
sic value. 

For  a  number  of  years  Waterbury  has  been  the  greatest  brass 
goods  manufacturing  center,  not  only  of  the  East,  but  of  the  entire 
United  States,  furnishing  seven-tenths  of  the  brass  produced  in  this 
country.  Nearly  all  the  general  business  houses  and  public  buildings, 
which  are  numerous  and  costly,  are  located  on  the  Center  Square,  or 
within  a  short  distance  of  it.  It  is  the  most  important  station  on  the 
Naugatuck  Valley  railroad  (completed  to  this  place  in  1849),  32  miles 
from  Bridgeport,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  Hartford,  by  the 
New  York  &  New  England  railroad,  built  within  the  next  ten  years. 
The  recently  completed  railway  to  Cromwell,  on  the  Connecticut,  via 
Meriden,  also  gives  the  city  the  benefit  of  communication  by  water. 

The  business  prosperity  of  the  city  is  very  much  promoted  by  the 
Waterbury  Board  of  Trade,  organized  January  16th,  1889,  and  which 
has  several  hundred  members,  embracing  the  leading  business  and 
professional  men,  and  manufacturers.  In  1891  C.  M.  Upson  was  the 
president;  N.  R.  Bronson  the  secretary,  and  G.  S.  Parsons  the  treas- 
urer of  the  board.  Commodious  rooms  over  the  Manufacturers'  Na- 
tional Bank  are  occupied. 

At  present  a  limited  portion  only  of  the  town's  area  is  under  till- 
age, but  there  are  fine  and  productive  lands  in  the  eastern  or  Mill 
Plain  section.  Here  in  late  years  an  attractive  suburb  of  the  city  has 
been  built  up,  there  being  many  fine  cottages,  a  large  school  house,  a 
Union  chapel,  and  a  spacious  Grange  Hall.  In  other  parts  of  the 
town,  as  at  Plattsville,  Simonsville  and  Waterville,  small  manufactur- 
ing centers  have  been  created. 

After  the  determination  to  settle  in  Mattatuck,  in  1677,  the  colony 
committee  assigned  the  deeds  for  the  lands  they  had  purchased  of  the 
Indians  to  some  of  those  who  actually  became  inhabitants,  Thomas 
Judd,  John  Stanley,  and  others,  who  held  them  in  trust.  The  com- 
mittee continued  to  keep  a  general  oversight  of  affairs  and  transacted 
the  chief  public  business  of  Mattatuck  until  February,  1681.  In  that 
month  it  ordered  that  the  inhabitants  might  elect  whom  they  chose  of 
their  fellow-settlers  for  constables,  haywards,  surveyors,  etc.  In  1682 
the  inhabitants  were  further  empowered  to  regulate  their  own  affairs, 
giving  them  the  right  to  impound  cattle,  etc.  From  this  time  the  colony 
committee  had  but  little  to  do  with  the  affairs  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Mattatuck,  which  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  with  the  name  of  Water- 
bury, in  1686. 

Much  of  the  legislation  of  the  new  town  at  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth and  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  centuries  pertained  to  se- 
curing protection  against  the  Indians,  and  kindred  matters.  To  that 
end  the  colony  of  Connecticut  actively  cooperated.     The  town  also 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  633 

•early  provided  the  means  for  schools,  voting  in  1698  "  to  set  up  a 
school  four  months  or  more,  and  to  get  a  schoolmaster  to  teach  writ- 
ing as  well  as  reading."  Church  matters  were  wholly  controlled  by 
the  town  until  1738,  when  ecclesiastical  societies  were  organized  to 
take  charge  of  those  affairs. 

The  formation  of  new  towns  out  of  the  original  territory  had  the 
■effect  of  greatly  diminishing  the  business  of  the  dismembered  town, 
whose  affairs  were  in  consequence  comparatively  unimportant  until 
<ibout  fifty  years  ago.  Of  the  towns  wholly  formed  out  of  Waterbury, 
Watertown  was  set  off  in  1780,  and  Plymouth  in  1795:  and  the  towns 
formerly  belonging  to  Waterbury,  in  part,  were:  Middlebury,  formed 
in  1807;  Prospect,  in  1827;  and  Naugatuck,  in  1844.  To  these  and 
other  near-by  towns  Waterbury  has  always  been  a  natural  center,  and 
in  1871  an  effort  was  made  to  form  a  closer  bond  of  union  by  attempt- 
ing to  create  a  new  county,  with  Waterbury  as  the  shire  town.  On 
the  15th  of  April,  that  year,  a  special  town  meeting  was  held  in  the 
furtherance  of  that  purpose,  and  a  large  committee  was  appointed  to 
properly  advocate  the  project.  It  was  proposed  to  embrace  in  the  new 
-county  the  towns  of  Waterbury,  Middlebury,  Southbury,  Oxford,  Nau- 
gatuck, Prospect  and  Wolcott,  in  New  Haven  county,  and  Plymouth, 
Watertown,  Woodbury  and  Bethlehem,  in  Litchfield  county.  Water- 
bury tendered  the  use  of  the  new  city  hall  for  a  term  of  25  years,  at  a 
nominal  rent  of  one  dollar  per  year,  and  also  offered  to  build  a  jail. 
Before  these  plans  could  be  carried  out  New  Haven  provided  new 
•county  buildings,  and  the  project  subsequently  found  so  little  favor 
that  the  proposition  was  not  renewed. 

For  many  years  the  town  meetings  were  held  in  Gothic  Hall.  In 
1859  the  basement  of  the  Methodist  church  was  used,  and  since  1869 
the  City  Hall,  in  which  the  the  town  owns  a  half  interest,  has  been 
•occupied.  Among  other  public  property  of  the  town  is  the  almshouse, 
which,  however,  is  inadequate  for  the  wants  of  those  making  demands 
upon  it.  Many  of  the  buildings  are  old  and  dilapidated.  The  total 
town  expenditures  are  from  $80,000  to  $90,000  per  year.  The  entire 
town  debt  is  less  than  $50,000. 

The  selectmen  in  1892  were  E.  W.  Pinney,  George  A.  Boughton 
and  M.  F.  Carmody.  For  a  score  of  years,  from  1850,  Willard  Spencer 
was  the  first  selectman  and  town  agent,  disbursing  all  the  funds  of  the 
town  in  the  civil  war,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  his  townsmen. 

The  following  were  elected  to  the  office  of  town  clerk  of  Water- 
bury: 1696,  Thomas  Judd,  Jr.;  1709,  Deacon  Thomas  Judd;  1712,  John 
Hopkins;  1713,  John  Judd;  1717,  William  Judd;  1721,  John  Southmayd; 
1755,  Thomas  Clark;  1764,  Ezra  Bronson;  1782,  Michael  Bronson; 
1784,  Asahel  Clark;  1787,  William  Leavenworth;  1793,  John  Kings- 
bury; 1804,  Abner  Johnson;  1806,  Ashley  Scott;  1812,  John  Kingsbury; 
1817,  Ashley  Scott;  1831,  Elisha  S.  Abernathy;  1837,  Willard  Spencer; 
1839,  Charles  Scott;  1840,   Norton   J.    Buel;  1841,  Solomon   B.   Miner; 


634  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1847,  John  Kendrick;  1848,  Lucius  A.  Thompson;  1849,  Theodore  S. 
Buel;  1851,  W.  B.  Lounsbury;  1862,  Samuel  C.  Woodward;  1855,  Israel 
Holmes;  1856,  Nelson  J.  Welton;  1858,  Charles  W.  Gillette;  1859,  Nel- 
son J.  Welton;  1861,  Charles  W.  Gillette:  1863,  Franklin  L.  Welton; 
1869,  George  L.  Fields;  1871,  Charles  B.  Merrill;  1877,  Thomas  Dona- 
hue, 2d;  1S78,  James  C.  White;  1887,  James  J.  Madden. 

Waterbury  was  a  part  of  Hartford  county  until  1728.  Most  of  its 
probate  business  was  done  by  the  county  court  of  Hartford  until  Oc- 
tober, 1719,  when  the  Woodbury  district  was  formed  to  embrace  Water- 
bury.  Waterbury  district  was  formed  in  1779,  and  was  made  to  em- 
brace the  old  town  of  Waterbury,  and  consequently  the  towns  formed 
out  of  it — Middlebury,  Wolcott  and  Naugatuck,  until  the  latter  became 
a  separate  district  in  recent  years.  The  judges  of  the  Waterbury  dis- 
trict were  appointed  or  elected  as  follows:  1779,  Joseph  Hopkins;  1801, 
John  Kingsbury;  1830,  Joel  Hinman;  1S40,  Norton  J.  Buel;  1842,  John 
Peck;  1843,  Alfred  Blackman;  1844,  Norton  J.  Buel;  1846.  Willard  Spen- 
cer; 1847,  Norton  J.  Buel;  1849,  Elisha  Johnson;  1852,  John  W.  Web- 
ster; 1854,  Stephen  W.  Kellogg;  1857,  Robert  W.  Wright;  1858,  Stephen 
W.  Kellogg;  1859,  Nelson  J.  Welton;  1860,  John  W.  Webster;  1862,  Ste- 
phen W.  Kellogg;  1863,  John  W.  Webster;  1865,  Stephen  W.  Kellogg; 
1866,  L.  Sanford  Davis;  1868,  Henry  I.  Boughton;  1871,  Charles  W. 
Gillette:  1874,  Guernsey  S.  Parsons;  1875,  Elisha  Leavenworth;  1876, 
Charles  W.  Gillette;  1877,  Elisha  Leavenworth;  1879,  Charles  W.  Gil- 
lette; 1889,  Ellis  Phelan. 

Under  the  city  charter,  a  recorder's  court  was  organized  in  1853, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  Henry  I.  Boughton  was  the  recorder.  He 
served  in  that  capacity  until  June  29th,  1866,  when  the  city  and  police 
courts  were  established,  their  jurisdiction  being  confined  to  the  city 
limits.  In  1872  the  power  of  the  court  was  enlarged  and  the  jurisdic- 
tion was  extended  over  the  town  of  Waterbury  and  some  of  the  sur- 
rounding towns  in  cases  of  civil  action.  The  Waterbury  town  and 
city  court  was  continued  until  1881,  when  the  district  court  of  Water- 
bury was  established,  with  jurisdiction  in  both  civil  and  criminal  cases, 
in  the  territory  embraced  in  the  nine  towns  contiguous  to  Waterbury, 
in  the  counties  of  New  Haven  and  Litchfield.  The  judges  of  the  dis- 
trict court  also  preside  over  the  police  courts  of  Waterbury.  The 
judges  of  the  foregoing  courts  have  been  the  following:  1866-7,  Henry 
I.  Boughton;  1868-70,  C.  W.Gillette;  1871-4,  George  L.  Fields;  1875-6, 
Henry  I.  Boughton;  1877,  Henry  R.  Merrill;  1878-83,  George  H.  Cowell; 
1884-91,  Albert  P.  Bradstreet. 

The  deputy  judges  have  been:  1876,  Calvin  H.  Carter;  1877-80, 
George  L.  Fields;  1881-3,  Albert  P.  Bradstreet;  1884-6,  Edward  F.Cole; 
18S7-91,  George  H.  Cowell. 

Among  the  clerks  of  the  courts  have  been  Benjamin  R.  Hallas, 
George  E.  Terry,  Thomas  Donahue,  2d,  Daniel  F.  Webster. 

Waterbury  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  May,  1825,  and  its  first 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  635 

principal  officers  were:  Warden,  John  Kingsbury;  burgesses,  Joseph 
Puton,  Austin  Steele,  James  M.  L.  Scovill,  Joseph  Porter,  Mark  Leav- 
enworth, Bennett  Bronson;  clerk,  Joel  Hinman.  Borough  privileges 
were  enjoyed  27  years,  the  last  board  of  officers  in  1853  being:  War- 
den, Edward  B.  Cooke;  burgesses,  Edward  S.  Clarke,  Martin  S.  Isbell, 
David  B.  Hurd,  John  C.  Booth,  Julius  Hotchkiss,  Joseph  Hurlburt; 
clerk,  David  T.  Bishop. 

In  May,  1853,  a  city  charter  was  granted,  the  corporation  becoming 
known  as  the  "  Mayor,  Aldermen,  Common  Council  and  Freemen  of 
the  City  of  Waterbury."  Under  the  provisions  of  this  charter  the  fol- 
lowing were  first  elected:  Mayor,  Julius  Hotchkiss;  aldermen,  D.  B. 
Hurd,  John  Kendrick,  Willard  Spencer,  J.  M.  L.  Scovill;  common  coun- 
cil, William  Brown,  Richard  Welton,  T.  B.  Eldridge,  E.  B.  Cooke,  C. 
B.  Merriman,  J.  S.  Mitchell,  William  Lamb,  E.  L.  Frisbie,  Abraham 
Ives,  Elisha  Leavenworth,  Sherman  Hickox,  G.  H.  Welton.  S.  M.  Buck- 
ingham, Nelson  Hall,  C.  S.  Sperry,  Charles  Benedict,  J.  W.  Webster, 
M.  S.  Isbell,  James  Scarritt,  A.  E.  Rice. 

The  city  charter  was  amended  in  1S67,  to  permit  the  organization 
of  the  "Board  of  Water  Commissioners,"  which  has  since  managed  the 
water  department  of  the  city;  in  1868,  to  permit  the  city  to  take  charge 
of  the  Silas  Bronson  Fund  for  a  free  library,  and  in  1871  to  increase 
the  corporate  powers  in  many  ways,  under  the  new  title  of  the  "City 
of  Waterbury."  The  city  is  divided  into  four  wards,  each  having  one 
alderman  and  five  councilmen.  These  24  officials,  with  the  mayor  as 
president,  constitute  the  city's  "Court  of  Common  Council." 

The  following  have  served  the  city  as  mayors:  Julius  Hotchkiss, 
1853  to  1854;  David  T.  Bishop,  1854  to  1855;  George  W.  Benedict, 
1855  to  1856;  John  W.  Webster,  1856  to  1857;  Henry  F.  Fish,  1857  to 
1859;  Charles  Benedict,  1859  to  I860;  Aner  Bradley,  Jr.,  1860  to  1863; 
L.  Sanford  Davies,  1863  to  1864;  John  Kendrick,  1864  to  1866;  Philo 
G.  Rockwell,  1866  to  1S67;  Joseph  B.  Spencer,  1867  to  1868;  John  Ken- 
drick, 1868  to  1869;  Charles  B.  Merriman,  1S69  to  1870;  Isaac  E.  New- 
ton, 1870  to  1871;  George  B.  Thomas,  1871  to  1876;  Archibald  E.  Rice, 
1876  to  1878;  Henry  I.  Boughton,  1878  to  1880;  Guernsey  S.  Parsons, 
1880  to  1S82;  Greene  Kendrick,  1882  to  1884;  Henry  A.  Matthews, 
1884  to  1886;  Henry  I.  Boughton,  1886  to  1890;  Charles  R.  Baldwin, 
1890  to  1892;  Daniel  F.  Webster,  1892. 

Since  1871  the  city  clerks  have  been  Thomas  Donahue,  2d,  Greene 
Kendrick  and,  for  the  past  twelve  years,  Edward  G.  Kilduff. 

Waterbury 's  City  Hall  was  begun  in  1868,  and  completed  the  follow- 
ing year.  It  is  a  tall,  two-story  edifice,  substantially  constructed  of 
brick,  with  a  front  of  Portland  red  sandstone.  The  lower  story  is 
devoted  to  offices  for  the  use  of  the  city  and  the  town  and  chambers 
for  the  several  courts.  The  upper  story  forms  a  spacious  auditorium, 
having  sittings  for  1,300  people.  It  was  first  publicly  used  October 
28th,  1869,  by  the  Theodore  Thomas  Orchestra  Company,  which  gave 


636  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

an  entertainment  for  the  benefit  of  Riverside  Cemetery.  In  1889  a 
large  and  well  arranged  police  station  was  built  on  the  rear  end  of  the 
hall.  The  entire  cost  of  this  property  has  been  about  $160,000,  most 
of  which  was  defrayed  by  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  bonds  au- 
thorized in  1867  and  186S. 

The  police  department  consisted,  in  1890,  of  Chief  George  M.  Egan, 
a  lieutenant,  a  sergeant,  18  patrolmen  and  16  supernumeraries;  and  the 
force  was  claimed  to  be  one  of  the  most  efficient  in  the  state.  It  was 
maintained  at  an  outlay  of  $21,268.97. 

In  the  past  ten  years  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  streets,  and  about  $60,000  are  yearly  expended  upon  that 
object.  Since  1888  Exchange  place,  a  part  of  East  Main  street,  and 
Bank  street  have  been  paved  with  granite  dimension  blocks,  1  1-10 
miles  being  covered  with  that  article,  at  an  expense  of  nearly  $40,000. 
Other  streets  were  similarly  improved  in  1891  and  1892.  Some  of  the 
other  principal  streets  have  been  macadamized. 

In  1881  the  city  was  empowered  to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of 
$85,000  for  the  construction  of  sewers.  This  work  was  systematically 
begun  in  1883  under  the  direction  of  City  Engineer  F.  Floyd  Weld, 
who  was  at  the  head  of  this  department  until  his  death,  June  28th, 
1890.  He  made  Waterbury  famous  for  its  improved  sanitary  con- 
dition, and  many  engineers  from  other  cities  came  here  to  profit  by 
his  methods.  These  are  seen  not  only  in  the  city's  excellent  sewerage 
system,  but  also  in  other  public  improvements,  especially  in  the  streets, 
whose  betterment  first  became  noteworthy  in  the  period  named. 
When  he  took  hold  of  this  work,  in  June,  1883,  the  city  had  but  a  lit- 
tle more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  sewers;  now  it  has  more  than  21 
miles,  and  about  $20,000  are  yearly  paid  out  in  extending  the  system. 

The  city  has  a  well  organized  volunteer  fire  department,  which  is 
managed  by  a  board  of  fire  commissioners.  The  force  in  1891  was 
composed  of  the  chief  engineer  and  fire  marshal,  three  assistant  en- 
gineers and  278  officers  and  men,  belonging  to  seven  companies. 

In  recent  years  horses  have  been  purchased  for  the  use  of  Engine 
Companies  No.  1  and  2  and  the  hook  and  ladder  company,  with  an  ad- 
ditional horse  for  the  chief,  nine  animals  being  thus  used.  There  are 
nearly  10,000  feet  of  hose  used  by  the  different  companies. 

The  Gamewell  system  of  fire  alarm  telegraph,  introduced  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $7,500,  was  accepted  by  the  city  February  22d,  1883,  and  has 
since  been  satisfactorily  used.  The  entire  value  of  the  department 
property  is  more  than  $96,000,  and  much  of  it  was  acquired  during  the 
administration  of  the  present  chief  engineer,  Samuel  C.  Snagg.  He 
is  a  native  of  Westport,  Conn.,  but  since  1856  has  lived  in  Waterbury. 
After  being  connected  with  the  fire  companies  of  the  city  14  years,  he 
was,  in  February,  1882,  elected  to  the  position  which  he  has  since  held, 
and  has  developed  the  department  to  its  fine  and  effective  condition. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  637 

With  but  a  few  exceptions  the  city  has  in  this  period  been  exempt 
from  disastrous  fires. 

The  most  costly  fire  in  the  history  of  Waterbury  occurred  about  1 
o'clock  of  the  morning  of  January  13th,  1892,  when  the  main  mill  of 
the  Waterbury  Brass  Company,  with  all  its  valuable  contents,  was 
totally  destroyed.  The  entire  department  responded,  and  was  in  ser- 
vice four  and  a  half  hours,  confining  the  flames  to  the  one  building,  set 
on  fire  by  the  explosion  of  gas.     The  loss  was  about  $250,000. 

For  many  years  the  town  was  dependent  upon  very  crude  appar- 
atus for  protection  against  fire,  there  being,  at  first,  nothing  but  a  few 
troughs  and  buckets,  which  proved  of  little  service  when  most  needed. 
The  first  company  was  organized  in  March,  1828,  soon  after  the  Sco- 
vill  Button  Factory  was  burned.  It  had  21  members,  some  being 
prominent  young  business  men.  The  machine  used  was  of  the  churn 
pattern,  and  had  but  little  power,  but  the  company  was  an  improve- 
ment on  the  "  bucket  brigade."  It  was  in  service  when  the  old  Judd 
Tavern  was  burned,  February  25th,  1833,  when  three  lives  were  lost,  and 
that  was  the  most  important  fire  in  its  existence.  In  1839  there  was 
an  increased  interest  in  these  matters,  and  with  the  aid  of  Edward 
S.  Clark,  a  practical  fireman  from  New  York,  who  had  come  to  Water- 
bury to  live,  a  new  company  was  formed  and  placed  on  a  better  basis 
than  the  old  one.  It  embraced  many  of  the  old  firemen,  and  for  many 
years  Stephen  Harrison  was  the  secretary  of  the  company.     Ex-Mayor 

A.  Bradley  was  also  an  active  member.  A  second-hand  Smith  ma- 
chine, of  the  "goose  neck"  pattern,  was  purchased  in  New  York, 
which  was  painted  up  gaudily  and  a  figure  of  a  Mattatuck  Indian 
placed  on  it.  The  organization  was  appropriately  called  the  Matta- 
tuck Engine  Company,  and  for  a  dozen  years  cut  an  important  figure 
in  the  affairs  of  the  village.  Its  place  was  taken  by  Phcenix  Fire 
Company  No.  1,  which  was  first  organized  May  5th,  1S49.  The  borough 
procured  new  engines  the  following  year,  which  were  in  service  about 
ten  years.  In  May,  1859,  a  new  Button  &  Blake  engine  was  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  more  than  $1,175,  and  the  following  October  a  new  hose 
carriage  was  supplied.  In  December,  1869,  the  company  disbanded, 
but  after  two  weeks  it  was  reorganized,  with  William  Laird  as  fore- 
man, and  since  that  time  its  career  has  been  uninterrupted,  making 
this  the  oldest  fire  company  in  the  city.  The  other  companies  were 
organized  at  different  periods,  as  the  growth  of  the  city  demanded 
them,  and  all  have  been  useful  protective  agents. 

The  first  action  which  led  toward  securing  a  supply  of  city  water 
from  outside  sources,  was  taken  in  1856,  when  Doctor  P.  G.  Rockwell, 

B.  P.  Chatfield  and  Lyman  W.  Coe  were  appointed  a  committee  to  re- 
port upon  the  feasibility  of  a  system  which  would  relieve  the  needs  of 
the  city.  But  it  appears  that  no  fruitful  action  was  taken  until  1866, 
when  Doctor  P.  G.  Rockwell,  at  that  time  serving  as  mayor,  so  forcibly 
urged  the  matter  that  definite  results  were  reached  January  20th,  1867, 


638  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

when  the  committee,  appointed  for  that  purpose,  submitted  a  detailed 
report,  advising  the  construction  of  water  works.  A  meeting  was  held 
May  27th,  1867,  when,  on  the  question  of  bonding  the  city  for  the  sum 
of  $150,000  to  build  water  works,  879  freemen  voted  aye  and  256  voted 
nay.  Bonds  for  that  amount  were  issued  in  1867,  and  two  years  later 
an  issue  of  $40,000  more  was  authorized.  In  the  former  year  was  or- 
ganized the  first  board  of  water  commissioners,  composed  of  N.  J. 
Welton,  president;  F.  J.  Kingsbury,  J.  W.  Webster  and  A.  S.  Chase. 
The  president  of  this  board  was  also  the  engineer  in  charge,  and  drew 
up  plans  for  the  system  on  East  Mountain  brook.  Here  a  reservoir 
with  a  capacity  for  S, 000,000  gallons  of  water  was  begun  in  1868,  and 
was  first  used  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  It  is  located  2-|  miles 
southeast  from  Center  square,  in  the  town  of  Prospect,  and  has  an  ele- 
vation of  225  feet  above  the  city.  At  first  ten  miles  of  pipes  were  laid 
and  96  hydrants  erected.  Since  the  general  use  of  this  water,  in  1869, 
the  supply  has  been  increased  by  building  additional  reservoirs  on 
East  Mountain,  in  1880,  and  another  on  Cook  street,  soon  after.  Still 
later  a  pumping  station,  having  a  capacity  to  pump  1,500,000  gallons 
per  day,  was  erected  at  a  favorable  point  on  Mad  river.  The  com- 
bined capacity  of  the  system  is  200,000,000  gallons.  In  1890  the 
daily  consumption  was  about  2,000,000  gallons,  one-fifth  of  which  was 
used  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Its  use  for  domestic  purposes  has 
been  doubled  about  every  eight  years.  There  were  in  1890  3,339 
services,  of  which  7  were  for  watering  tanks  and  drinking  fountains 
in  various  parts  of  the  city,  212  public  and  36  private  fire  hydrants. 
In  all  there  are  about  38  miles  of  pipes  and  mains.  The  cost  of  the 
department  up  to  December  30th,  1890,  was  $520,011.04;  the  total  re- 
ceipts for  water  rents  to  same  time,  $553,698.35.  The  increase  of 
rents  is  about  $6,000  per  year.  Nelson  J.  Welton  is  still  at  the 
head  of  the  department,  and  F.  B.  Merriman  is_  the  secretary  of  the 
board  of  commissioners. 

New  surveys  for  the  extension  of  the  system  were  made  in  the 
fall  of  1891  by  Rudolph  Hering,  a  competent  civil  engineer  from 
abroad,  and  the  improvements,  when  completed,  will  greatly  increase 
the  water  supply  of  the  city. 

In  May,  1854,  the  Waterbury  Gas  Company  was  chartered,  and  was 
soon  after  organized  for  business.  Streets  were  lighted  by  this  com- 
pany many  years,  but  since  1884  the  method  of  lighting  has  been  by 
electricity,  only  eight  street  lamps  using  gas  being  in  service  in  1890. 
The  electric  light  is  furnished  by  the  Connecticut  Electric  Light  Com- 
pany, which  was  incorporated  November  24th,  1883,  with  a  capital  of 
$15,000.  This  has  since  been  increased  to  $150,000.  A.  O.  Shepard- 
son  has  been  the  manager  from  the  beginning.  The  first  public  use 
of  this  light  was  in  the  spring  of  1884.  In  1890  there  were  152  public 
arc  lamps,  and  the  city  expended  nearly  $20,000  for  the  illumination 
of  its  streets.     The  electric  light  company  also  furnishes  light  for  50 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  639 

arc  lamps  in  commercial  use.  Its  plant  has  a  capacity  for  300  Thom- 
son-Houston arc  lamps,  and  4,000  Edison  incandescent  lights.  There 
is  also  one  180  horse  power  generator  to  furnish  electrical  power, 
whose  use  began  in  the  summer  of  1891. 

The  park  system  of  Waterbury  is  limited,  but  an  extension  at  an 
early  day  is  contemplated.  The  chief  public  ground  is  Center  Square, 
or  the  old  town  green.  Originally  it  was  a  marshy  piece  of  ground; 
and  for  many  years  it  remained  in  that  condition.  In  recent  years 
fine  asphalt  walks  have  been  made  in  the  green,  and  it  now  bears  the 
appearance  of  a  fine  lawn,  making  it  the  most  attractive  spot  in  the 
city.  Its  natural  beauty  has  been  enhanced  by  the  soldiers'  monument, 
near  the  west  end,  and  the  elegant  public  drinking  fountain,  at  the 
eastern  end.  The  latter  was  erected  in  1888,  with  money  bequeathed 
for  that  purpose  by  the  late  Miss  Caroline  Josephine  Welton,  a  native 
of  Waterbury.  This  unfortunate  lady  lost  her  life  on  September  23d, 
1884,  while  attempting  to  scale  Long's  Peak,  Colorado.  Being  over- 
taken by  a  snow  storm,  she  lost  her  way  and  perished  before  she  could 
be  rescued.  Her  remains  lie  interred  in  Riverside  cemetery.  The 
cost  of  the  fountain  was  about  $7,000.  It  is  composed  of  granite  base 
and  bowls,  and  is  surmounted  by  a  life  size  bronze  figure  of  a  horse. 
The  model  was  after  a  favorite  animal  once  owned  by  Miss  Welton, 
and  the  artist  was  Karl  Gerhart,  of  Hartford.  The  fountain,  with  its 
varied  uses,  is  an  object  of  much  admiration. 

The  entire  city  property  is  worth  (including  school  property)  about 
a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars.  The  city's  debt  is  $520,495.36.  The 
annual  appropriation  for  all  objects  of  municipal  care  are  about  $250,- 
000,  and  the  rate  of  taxation  about  15  mills,  on  a  low  basis  of  valua- 
tion. The  assessed  value  of  the  real  estate  in  the  entire  town  was,  in 
1890,  86,699,323;  the  personal  estate  was  rated  at  $4,052,047.  It  was 
estimated  that  a  fair  valuation  would  be  at  least  $43,000,000.  The 
increase  of  the  grand  list  is  about  a  quarter  million  dollars  yearly. 
The  increase  of  population  has  been  proportionate  with  the  increase 
of  wealth.  The  inhabitants  of  the  entire  town  numbered,  in  1890, 
33,202. 

This  rapid  increase  in  wealth  and  population  is  due  almost  wholly 
to  the  manufacturing  enterprises  of  the  town.  Through  their  influence 
the  waste  places  have  been  made  to  rejoice  in  a  prosperity  which  even 
the  most  sanguine  pioneer  manufacturers  could  not  anticipate.  The 
beginning  of  manufacturing  in  Waterbury  was  in  a  very  humble  way. 

"  Lieut.  Ard  Welton  is  said  to  have  made  guns  by  hand-power  on 
Buck's  hill  *  during  the  revolutionary  war,  and  furnished  some  to  the 
government.  He  made  a  few  brass  muskets  also.  At  length  he  re- 
moved his  works  to  a  place  on  Mad  river.  About  1790  Jarvis  Harrison 
began  to  make  wooden  clocks  by  hand.  A  little  after  1S00  Harrison 
had  a  shop  on  the  south  side  of  North  Main  street.     In  1810  Mark 

*Buck's  Hill,  later  called  Westbury,  now  Watertown. 


640  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Leavenworth,  William  H.  Lawson  and  Anson  Sperry  began  making- 
wooden  clocks  near  the  beginning  of  the  Buck's  Hill  road.  In  1754 
Joseph  Hopkins  made  plated  knee  buckles  and  shoe  buckles,  silver 
sleeve  buttons,  vest  buttons,  and  other  silver  plated  ware.  Except 
this,  the  first  metal  buttons  made  there  were  by  Henry,  Samuel  and 
Silas  Grilley,  of  block  tin  or  pewter.  The  buttons  were  cast  in  moulds, 
the  eyes  being  at  first  of  the  same  material.  Soon  wire  eyes  were  in- 
troduced. The  making  of  gilt  buttons,  which  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  brass  and  copper  business,  was  begun  in  1802,  by  Abel  Porter, 
Daniel  Clark,  Silas  Grilley  and  Levi  Porter,  under  the  name  of  Abel 
Porter  &  Co.  It  took  18  months  to  get  started  in  the  business.  They 
employed  eight  or  nine  men,  and  made  buttons  of  various  forms,  the 
face  only  being  gilded.  Gold  was  used,  and  the  buttons  sold  for  ten 
or  twelve  dollars  a  gross.  They  were  much  in  demand  for  military 
clothing.  The  brass  ingots  were  taken  to  Bradlyville,  rolled  in  an  iron 
mill,  and  the  metal  brought  back  in  strips  that  were  very  rough.  It 
was  then  passed  between  steel  rollers,  two  inches  in  diameter,  moved 
by  horse  power,  and  thus  smoothed  and  finished  by  hand. 

"  In  September,  1808,  David  Hayden  became  a  partner,  and  the  com- 
pany bought  the  old  mill  place  and  began  to  use  water  power.  In 
August,  1809,  Mr.  Grilley  sold  out.  Two  years  later  the  firm  sold  out 
to  Leavenworth,  Hayden  &  Scovill.  The  brass  business  dates  from 
1811.  The  Benedicts  and  Scovill  were  then  in  business.  They  greatly 
lacked  skilled  labor.  A  Mr.  James  Croft,  from  Philadelphia,  was  sent 
to  England  by  Deacon  Benedict,  to  procure  labor  and  machinery.  He 
returned  with  Mr.  Sam  Forrest.  Mr.  Scovill  sent  Israel  Holmes  to- 
England  for  the  same  purpose.  From  this  time  the  business  grew 
rapidly,  and  has  assumed  astonishing  proportions."* 

In  1886,  according  to  J.  W.  Barber,  the  condition  of  these  interests 
was  as  follows:  "  The  manufacture  of  gilt  buttons  and  the  rolling  of 
brass  and  copper  metals  for  a  great  variety  of  uses  constitute  the 
greatest  business.  There  are  three  factories  of  this  kind  upon  an  ex- 
tensive scale,  two  in  the  village  and  one  about  two  miles  north,  con- 
nected with  which  is  a  gold  refinery.  There  are  likewise  two  factories 
of  gilt  buttons  upon  a  considerable  scale,  unconnected  with  rolling 
mills;  one  extensive  rolling  mill,  connected  with  brass  wire  and  tubing 
manufacture;  two  satinet  factories  and  one  woolen  factory,  besides  a 
great  number  of  minor  establishments  in  which  buttons  of  various 
kinds  and  other  articles  are  manufactured  to  a  considerable  extent. 
The  number  of  persons  in  the  village,  of  both  sexes,  who  are  em- 
ployed in  the  manufacturing  establishments  is  between  six  and  seven 
hundred.  It  is  not  known  precisely  what  amount  is  manufactured 
yearly,  but  it  has  been  estimated  by  good  judges  to  exceed  a  million 
of  dollars  and  is  upon  the  increase.  The  route  has  been  surveyed  by 
a  practical  engineer  for  constructing  a  canal  to  bring  the  Naugatuck 
*Reverend  Elijah  C.  Baldwin. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  041 

on  to  the  bank  at  the  west  end^  of  the  town,  which  will,  when  com- 
pleted, afford  a  supply  of  water  power  capable  of  employing  as  much 
or  more  capital  than  has  already  been  invested." 

The  expectations  of  benefits  from  these  water  powers  were  not  re- 
alized, and  steam  power  is  now  almost  wholly  used.  In  1800  there 
was  about  $750,000  invested  in  manufacturing;  the  amount  in  1801 
was  nearly  $9,000,000.  About  6,000  hands  were  employed,  who  re- 
ceived in  wages  nearly  $3,000,000  per  year.  The  principal  manufac- 
tures were  brass  goods,  and  from  that  fact  Waterbury  is  often  called 
the  "  Brass  City." 

In  1891  the  following  concerns  were  here  located,  and  their  prod- 
ucts were: 

Brass  goods:  American  Pin  Company,  American  Ring  Company, 
Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing  Company,  Blake,  Lamb  &  Co., 
Chapman  &  Armstrong  Manufacturing  Company,  Electrical  Appliance 
Manufacturing  Company,  Globe  Curtain  Pole  Company,  Harris,  F.  R.; 
Hartley,  George;  Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  Lane  Manufacturing 
Company,  Matthews  &  Willard  Manufacturing  Company,  Novelty 
Manufacturing  Company,  Plume  &  Atwood  Manufacturing  Company, 
Randolph  &  Clowes,  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company,  Smith  &  Griggs 
Manufacturing  Company,  Specialty  Manufacturing  Company,  Steele  & 
Johnson  Manufacturing  Company,  Tucker  Manufacturing  Company, 
Waterbury  Brass  Company,  Waterbury  Buckle  Company,  Waterbury 
Button  Company,  Waterbury  Manufacturing  Company,  Wells,  A.  H, 
&  Co. 

Sheet  brass  manufacturers:  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing 
Company,  Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  Plume  &  Atwood  Manufacturing 
Company,  Randolph  &  Clowes,  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company, 
Waterbury  Brass  Company. 

Copper  manufacturers:  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  Plume  &  Atwood  Manufacturing 
Company,  Randolph  &  Clowes,  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company.  The 
three  first  named  are  also  manufacturers  of  electrical  wire. 

Pin  manufacturers:  American  Pin  Company,  Benedict  &  Burnham 
Manufacturing  Company,  Blake  &  Johnson,  Oakville  Company,  Plume 
&  Atwood  Manufacturing  Company,  Warner,  L.  E.  (Oakville). 

Silver  plated  ware  manufacturers:  Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  Rog- 
ers &  Hamilton,  Rogers  &  Brother. 

Box  manufacturers:  American  Pin  Company,  R.  E.  Hitchcock  & 
Co.,  White  &  Wells. 

Besides  the  above  there  were:  Trott,  Lawton  &  Co.,  crackers;  H.  L. 
Wells  Hosiery  Company  (Waterville),  Piatt  Milling  Company  (Platts- 
ville),  Waterbury  Watch  Company,  Waterbury  Clock  Company,  Far- 
rel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  chilled  rolls  and  heavy  machinery. 
Six  establishments  manufactured  buckles;  nine,  buttons;  one,  bronze 
41 


642  HISTORY   OF   NEW    IIAVIiN   COUNTY. 

ornaments;  five,  German  silver  and  gilding  metal;  twelve,  hardware; 
and  nearly  the  same  number,  cutlery;  four,  lamps,  and  one  lanterns. 

There  are  about  60  incorporated  manufacturing  companies,  and 
their  products  are  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  globe.  Some  of  the  works 
here  liH'.-iiril  h.ivc  ;i  world-wide   reputation. 

The  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing  Company  is  one  of  the 
oldest  corporations,  and  was  the  successor  of  those  who  here  com- 
menced to  make  brass  and  brass  goods.  It  has  been  said  that  the 
prosperity  of  the  town  began  with  the  operations  of  this  firm  and  later 
company.  The  present  corporation  was  formed  in  1843,  with  a  capital 
of  $100,000,  In  1850  it  was  increased  to  $400,000.  But,  properly,  the 
business  was  established  in  1812,  by  Deacon  Aaron  Benedict,  who  was 
born  in  Middlebury  in  1795,  and  who  was  connected  with  the  interests 
of  the  city  until  his  death,  in  18715.  Gordon  W.  Burnham  died  in  1885, 
aged  82  years.  He  was  a  man  of  great  business  ability.  Under  their 
management  the  works  assumed  large  proportions.  Twelve  acres  are 
covered  with  buildings  and  8.00  hands  are  employed.  The  products  of 
this  establishment  are  not  only  extensive  and  varied,  but  several  other 
corporations  have  sprung  from  it,  viz.:  The  American  Pin  Company, 
in  1840,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  companies  of  the  kind  in  the  coun- 
try; the  Waterbury  Button  Company,  organized  in  1849;  and  the  Wat- 
erbury  Clock  Company,  organized  in  1857,  with  a  capital  of  $(50,000. 
Arad  Welton  was  the  president  of  the  last  corporation  until  1863,  when 
Charles  Benedict  so  served  until  his  death  in  1881.  The  establishment 
is  large  and  vast  quantities  of  time  pieces  are  made. 

Of  the  same  nature,  but  a  separate  corporation,  is  the  Waterbury 
_  Watch  Company,  incorporated  March  3d,  1880,  with  a  capital  of  $400,- 
000.     This  company  claims  to  manufacture  the  best  low-priced  watch 
in  the  world,  and  occupies  an  immense  plant. 

Silver  plating  was  begun  in  1858.  when  two  of  the  celebrated 
Rogers  Brothers— Asa  H.,  the  plater,  and  Simon  S.,  the  metal  worker 
—  came  to  Waterbury,  where  they  adopted  their  trade  mark,  "  Rogers 
&  Bro.  A  1,"  and  were  incorporated  as  Rogers  &  Brother.  The  fac- 
tory is  on  Mad  river,  U  miles  east  of  Center  square.  The  highest 
grades  of  flat  and  hollow  ware  are  made.  The  Rogers  &  Hamilton 
Company  arc  silver  platers  in  the  Brooklyn  or  west  of  the  Naugatuck 
part  of  the  city.     The  company  was  incorporated  in  1886. 

The  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company,  another  of  the  giant  corpora- 
tions of  the  city,  although  not  incorporated  with  the  present  name 
until  I860,  is  in  the  line  of  succession  of  the  business  established  in 
1811  by  James  M.  L.  .Scovill,  Frederick  Leavenworth  and  David  Hay- 
den,  who  first  made  gilt  and  brass  buttons.  The  latter  two  retired  in 
1837,  selling  to  William  1 1.  Scovill,  and  the  corporation  succeeded  to 
the  business  of  the  Scovills  in  the  year  named.  Lampson  Scovill  was 
a  pioneer  manufacturer.     He  was  born   in   1789,  and  died   May  16th, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  643 

1857.     The  oldest  water  power  in  the  town  is  used  by  this  company, 
whose  brass  goods  are  widely  used. 

The  third  brass  rolling  mill  in  Waterbury  was  built  in  1830  by 
Brown  &  Elton,  and  that  firm  made  the  first  hooks  and  eyes  in  the 
town,  in  April,  1836.  Deacon  James  Brown,  a  pioneer  manufacturer, 
died  in  1848,  but  his  sons,  Philo,  James,  William  and  Augustus,  con- 
tinued, and  became  the  controlling  owners  of  Brown  &  Brothers'  ex- 
tensive brass  goods  manufactory.  A  specialty  is  made  of  brass  tub- 
ing, and  seamless  tubes  of  brass  of  40  feet  have  here  been  drawn  out. 
Their  tube  drawing  machine  weighs  200,000  pounds,  and  is  the  largest 
in  this  county.     It  is  worked  by  hydraulic  pressure. 

Israel  Holmes  was  another  pioneer  manufacturer.  He  was  born  in 
Waterbury  December  19th,  1800,  and  was  for  some  time  in  the  employ 
of  the  Scovills.  In  1831  he  built  a  brass  mill,  and  in  1845  became  the 
president  of  the  Waterbury  Brass  Company,  which  was  organized  that 
year  and  has  become  one  of  the  largest  brass  producing  establishments 
in  the  city.  In  1880  the  company  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of 
$400,000.  The  plant  covers  about  20  acres  and  water  is  the  main  motive 
power.  The  corporation  is  also  the  owner  of  the  interests  of  the 
American  Flask  &  Cap  Company,  organized  in  1857  with  a  capital  of 
$125,000.  Hundreds  of  men  are  employed.  John  P.  Elton,  who  was 
connected  with  this  company,  died  in  1864. 

In  February,  1853,  Israel  Holmes,  John  C.  Booth,  Henry  H.  Hayden 
and  Hiram  W.  Hayden  organized  the  well  known  corporation  of 
Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  which  has  a  very  extensive  and  well  or- 
dered plant,  and  produces  a  great  variety  of  goods  in  brass  and  cop- 
per, as  well  as  plated  wares.  The  goods  produced  have  a  splendid  . 
reputation. 

The  Waterbury  Manufacturing  Company,  incorporated  in  1876,  is 
also  extensively  engaged  in  the  production  of  brass  goods,  etc.,  about 
600  hands  being  employed.  A.  S.  Chase  is  the  president  and  Henry 
S.  Chase  the  treasurer  of  the  company,  which  is  a  close  corporation. 

The  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company  was  organized  in  1857, 
but  in  1880  was  reorganized  with  the  name  of  the  Waterbury  Farrel 
P'oundry  &  Machine  Company,  to  more  fully  distinguish  it  from  the 
Ansonia  industries  of  the  same  name,  also  established  by  Almon  Far- 
rel. Since  the  last  date  E.  C.  Lewis  has  been  the  principal  owner  and 
president  of  the  company,  whose  already  extensive  works  were  much 
enlarged  in  lN'.M.  Chilled  rolls  and  heavy  milling  machinery  are 
manufactured  and  are  very  favorably  known. 

Heavy  and  special  machinery  is  made  by  Blake  &  Johnson,  organ- 
ized in  1852.  Small  hardware  is  also  made,  and  a  heavy  business  is 
transacted. 

The  manufacturing  business  of  the  Smith  &  Griggs  Company  was 
started  in  1866.  Sheet  metal  is  made  and  200  hands  are  employed  at 
the  works  at  Hopeville. 


644  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  Plume  &  Atwood  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  in 
1869,  and  now  has  a  capital  of  $400,000,  making  it  one  of  the  largest 
corporations  in  the  city.  Its  plant  is  also  one  of  the  finest.  David  S. 
Plume  is  the  treasurer,  and  L.  J.  Atwood  the  president  of  the  corpor- 
ation. 

The  Matthews  &  Willard  Company  was  organized  in  1870,  but  in 
1890  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of  $250,000.  It  is  a  large  and 
flourishing  corporation.  Metal  and  bronze  trimmings  of  all  kinds  are 
made.  The  principal  officers  are:  F.  L.  Curtiss,  C.  P.  Goss  and  George 
G.  Blakeslee. 

Another  old  and  successful  corporation  is  the  Waterbury  Buckle 
Company,  which  was  organized  in  1853,  and  whose  capital  was,  in 
1872,  placed  at  $100,000.  Buckles,  belts  and  steel  ornaments  are  made, 
and  250  hands  are  employed. 

The  American  Mills  Company,  incorporated  in  1881,  is  the  succes- 
sor of  the  American  Suspender  Company,  incorporated  in  1857,  to 
take  up  the  business  of  Hctchkiss  &  Merriam,  established  in  1843. 
Elastic  goods  are  woven.  A  number  of  textile  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments were  at  one  time  maintained  in  the  town,  but  that  industry 
has  been  largely  diverted  to  other  localities.  A  few  years  ago  the  H. 
L.  Welch  Hosiery  Company  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of  $80,- 
000,  with  Welch  as  the  president,  and  Lewis  Gates  as  the  manager. 
The  company  occupies  the  plant  formerly  used  by  the  Waterville 
Knitting  Works.  At  the  same  place  are  the  shops  of  the  Waterville 
Cutlery  Company,  incorporated  in  1890,  with  a  capital  of  $25,000. 
George  L.  Jenks  is  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company. 

The  Oakville  Company,  with  a  capital  of  $75,000,  was  organized  in 
1852,  to  manufacture  solid  headed  pins.  An  extensive  business  is  now 
carried  on. 

In  addition  to  those  named  in  the  foregoing  pages,  as  having  been 
identified  with  the  manufacturing  interests  of  Waterbury  and  aiding 
in  their  development,  creditable  mention  may  be  made  of  Doctor  A. 
Ives,  from  1837  until  his  death  in  1852;  Greene  Kendrick,  C.  S.  Sperry 
and  B.  F.  Leavenworth,  of  earlier  periods;  W.  R.  Hitchcock,  D.  B. 
Hurd,  E.  Robinson,  F.  M.  Perkins,  H.  A.  Matthews,  Henry  L.  Wade, 
George  B.  Scovill,  S.  B.  Lane,  H.  B.  Lane,  G.  W.  Tucker  and  C.  B. 
Woodruff,  of  more  recent  periods. 

The  Waterbury  Bank,  chartered  in  1848,  was  the  first  organized  in 
the  town.  It  began  business  in  1849  with  the  foregoing  name,  but  at 
the  time  of  its  reorganization,  under  the  United  States  laws,  in  1864, 
it  became  the  Waterbury  National  Bank.  The  authorized  capital  of 
$200,000  has  been  increased  to  $500,000.  The  original  officers  of  the 
bank  were:  Bennett  Bronson,  president;  Dyer  Ames,  cashier;  Aaron 
Benedict,  Philo  Brown,  Scovill  M.  Buckingham,  N.  J.  Buel,  John  P. 
Elton,  L.  W.  Coe  and  N.  B.  Smith,  directors.  Judge  Bronson  died 
December  11th,  1850,  when  John  P.  Elton  became  the  president.     On 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  645 

the  death  of  the  latter,  A.  S.  Chase  was  elected  president,  and  A.  M. 
Blakesley  cashier.  The  additional  directors  are  Homer  Hemingway, 
Nelson  J.  Welton,  Leman  W.  Cutler,  J.  M.  Burrall,  James  S.  Elton, 
Henry  L.  Wade  and  S.  T.  Dayton.  The  bank  has  a  surplus  fund  of 
$250,000,  and  has  declared  large  dividends.  Soon  after  business  was 
begun  a  plain  but  very  substantial  building  was  erected  for  the  use  of 
the  bank,  on  the  corner  of  Grand  and  Bank  streets,  which,  in  a  mod- 
ernized condition,  is  still  occupied. 

In  1858  the  Citizens'  Bank  was  established,  and  was  the  second  in 
the  city.  Business  was  begun  in  the  building  ever  since  used,  oppo- 
site the  northeast  corner  of  Center  Square.  In  January,  1865,  the 
bank  was  nationalized,  becoming  the  Citizens'  National  Bank.  The 
capital  was  also  increased  from  $100,000  to  $300,000.  Of  the  old  bank 
Abram  Ives  was  the  first  president,  and  Frederick  J.  Kingsbury  the 
cashier.  Later  Samuel  W.  Hall  became  the  president,  and  served  un- 
til 1868,  when  Mr.  Kingsbury  succeeded  him,  and  has  since  been  at  the 
head  of  the  bank,  F.  L.  Curtiss  being  the  cashier.  Other  directors  are 
Edward  Cowles,  David  E.  Sprague  and  Henry  H.  Peck.  In  1890  a 
surplus  fund  of  $95,000  was  reported,  and  the  bank  was  very  highly 
rated  in  commercial  circles. 

The  Manufacturers'  National  Bank  wras  organized  under  the  United 
States  banking  laws,  in  1880,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  To  this  has 
been  added  a  surplus  fund  of  $20,000,  besides  paying  a  yearly  8  per 
cent,  dividend  to  its  stockholders,  making  this  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  town.  Very  fine  banking  offices, 
in  a  handsome  block  recently  erected,  on  Bank  street,  are  occupied. 
The  original  president,  David  B.  Hamilton,  and  cashier,  Charles  R. 
Baldwin,  have  been  retained,  and  the  other  directors  are  Edward  C. 
Lewis,  C.  M.  Piatt,  George  W.  Beach,  Edward  L.  Frisbie  and  Henry 
S.  Chase. 

The  Fourth  National  Bank  was  organized  in  1887,  with  a  capital  of 
$100,000,  and  its  business  was  soon  very  prosperous.  Large  and  hand- 
some offices,  in  the  newly  erected  Masonic  Building,  are  occupied. 
The  officers  are  Edward  T.  Turner,  president;  Burton  G.  Bryan, 
cashier.  The  former  and  the  following  are  the  directors:  D.  S.  Plume, 
Edmund  Day,  L.  A.  Piatt,  George  E.  Terry,  N.  D.  Granniss,  J.  R. 
Smith. 

Several  private  banks  have  had  a  successful  existence  in  the  city. 
One  of  the  first  was  established  by  the  Elton  Banking  Company,  in 
1865,  which  was  discontinued  after  the  death  of  some  of  its  principals. 
Brown  &  Parsons  were  private  bankers  a  number  of  years,  and  that 
firm  was  succeeded  by  Israel  Holmes  and  G.  S.  Parsons,  as  Holmes  & 
Parsons,  who  are  now  in  business  on  North  Main  street. 

The  oldest  savings  institution,  the  Waterbury  Savings  Bank,  was 
chartered  in  1850,  and  began  business  the  same  year.  From  the  be- 
ginning F.  J.  Kingsbury  has  been  the  treasurer,  and  his  conservative 


646  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

management  has  placed  the  bank  upon  an  excellent  basis.  In  1891 
its  deposits  were  more  than  $3,000,000,  and  there  were  undivided 
profits  to  the  amount  of  nearly  $100,000.  The  bank  has  had  as  presi- 
dents: John  P.  Elton,  Nelson  Hall,  Samuel  W.  Hall,  Willard  Spencer, 
C.  B.  Merriman,  Nathan  Dikeman  and  E.  L.  Frisbie,  all  of  them  leading 
business  men  of  this  part  of  the  county.  The  latter  now  serves,  and 
his  associate  directors  are:  John  W.  Smith,  A.  S.  Chase,  F.  L.  Curtiss, 
John  M.  Burrall,  George  E.  Terry,  F.  J.  Kingsbury  and  James  S.  Elton. 
The  place  of  business  is  in  the  building  of  the  Citizens'  Bank. 

The  Dime  Savings  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1870,  and  began  busi- 
ness September  1st  that  year.  Elisha  Leavenworth  was  the  first  presi- 
dent, and  was  succeeded  by  H.  C.  Griggs,  who  gave  place  to  the  pres- 
ent incumbent,  Henry  H.  Peck.  The  only  treasurer  has  been  Guern- 
sey S.  Parsons.  Others  interested  in  directing  its  affairs  are:  Theo- 
dore I.  Driggs,  Edward  L.  Frisbie,  Sr.,  Charles  W.  Gillette,  E.  C. 
Lewis,  Norman  D.  Granniss  and  E.  M.  Burrall.  In  April,  1875,  the 
deposits  were  $412,705.99;  March  1st,  1885,  $1,130,736.86;  and  April 
1st,  1890,  $1,927,887.73.  The  surplus  fund  amounts  to  more  than 
$75,000.     A  banking  office  on  North  Main  street  is  occupied. 

The  West  Side  Savings  Bank  is  located  in  the  Brooklyn  part  of  the 
city.  It  was  incorporated  in  January,  1889,  and  began  business  the 
same  year.  George  H.  Cowell  was  elected  president;  Michael  Guil- 
foile,  secretary,  and  Gordon  B.  Lawrence  the  treasurer,  and  these  officers 
still  serve.  The  bank  has  been  well  patronized,  the  deposits  the  first 
year  being  about  $40,000. 

The  Connecticut  Indemnity  Association  was  organized  in  1883,  as  a 
natural  premium  life  insurance  company.  In  1887  it  was  duly  char- 
tered by  the  state,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $250,000,  which  has 
been  fully  subscribed.  The  association  has  its  home  office  in  the  fine 
new  Piatt  Building,  and  has  prospered  beyond  the  usual  run  of  new 
companies  of  that  nature.  It  furnishes  accident,  life  and  endowment  in- 
surance, and  has  written  more  than  8,000  policies,  representing  over 
$5,000,000  of  insurance  in  22  different  states.  V.  L.  Sawyer  is  the 
president  of  the  association;  E.  A.Wright,  secretary;  A.  M.  Blakesley, 
treasurer  of  the  reserve  fund,  and  H.  W.  Lake,  general  treasurer. 

The  Waterbury  Horse  Railway  Company  was  organized  in  the 
spring  of  1886.  In  July,  the  same  year,  the  work  of  construction  was 
begun,  and  on  the  3d  of  November  following  cars  first  commenced  to 
run.  The  system  embraces  three  lines,  each  two  miles  in  length.  All 
the  line's,  namely,  North  Main  and  Bank  streets,  South  Main  street, 
and  East  and  West  Main  streets,  center  at  Exchange  place.  The  com- 
pany has  15  closed  and  13  open  cars  and  uses  115  horses  in  their  ope- 
ration. E.  A.  Bradley  is  the  superintendent.  Electric  railways  to 
some  of  the  suburban  towns  are  also  projected. 

Waterbury  has  an  able  and  well  sustained  periodical  press.  The 
oldest  and  properly  the  pioneer  paper  is  the  Waterbury  American,  which 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  647 

was  established  as  a  weekly  in  November,  1844,  by  Joseph  Giles. 
After  seven  issues  the  paper  was  bought  by  E.  B.  Clark  &  Co.,  who 
were  the  publishers  for  23  years.  In  1868  the  American  Printing 
Company  was  formed,  with  E.  B.  Cooke  as  the  president.  He  was 
also  the  editor  of  the  paper,  and  so  served  until  his  death,  January 
17th,  1875.  At  that  time  he  was  one  of  the  oldest  successful  newspaper 
men  in  the  state,  and  was  very  widely  known  and  familiarly  called 
"  Father  Cooke."  No  other  editor  in  the  state  wielded  a  greater  in- 
fluence, nor  was  there  another,  in  his  day,  whose  writings  commanded 
more  attention.  Since  May,  1878,  Charles  F.  Chapin  has  been  the 
editor,  worthily  filling  the  place  so  long  occupied  by  Mr.  Cooke.  In 
the  same  period  A.  S.  Chase  has  been  the  president  of  the  American 
Company.  For  a  number  of  years  Charles  R.  Baldwin  was  the  busi- 
ness manager.  In  1878  the  company  occupied  its  fine  printing  house, 
on  Bank  street,  in  which  may  be  found  all  the  appliances  of  the  well 
directed  modern  newspaper.  The  issues  of  the  Weekly  American  have 
been  uninterruptedly  continued,  and  since  Tuesday,  May  2d,  1866,  the 
Daily  American  has  been  issued  on  every  week  day,  both  editions 
being  noteworthy  exponents  of  progressive  thought  and  liberal  views, 
favoring  independent  action  on  both  local  and  national  issues. 

The  Waterbury  Republican  was  established  in  October,  1881,  by  J. 
Henry  Morrow,  who  had  previously  been  connected  with  the  Brooklyn 
Union.  As  a  weekly  paper  the  Republican  was  so  successful  that  a 
daily  issue  was  begun  January  2d,  1884,  and  in  both  these  forms  it  has 
since  appeared.  It  is  the  recognized  organ  of  the  republican  party. 
In  the  fall  of  1883  a  fine  publishing  office  was  prepared  for  the  paper 
on  Bank  street,  which  has  since  been  its  home.  Mr.  Morrow's  connec- 
tion with  the  Republican  ceased  March  1st,  1890,  when  H.  S.  Chase  be- 
came the  proprietor,  with  P.  H.  Hampson  as  the  manager.  Since 
July,  1890,  the  printing  establishment  has  been  devoted  wholly  to 
newspaper  work. 

On  the  1st  of  August,  1880,  the  publication  of  the  Valley  Democrat 
was  begun  by  Messrs.  Maloney  &  Loughery,  and  it  was  published  by 
them  several  years.  In  the  spring  of  1883  the  ownership  passed  to 
Cornelius  and  Michael  T.  Maloney,  by  whom  it  is  still  published  as  a 
daily,  the  Waterbury  Evening  Democrat.  This  change  was  made  De- 
cember 5th,  1887,  after  the  paper  had  been  published,  since  January 
3d,  1886,  as  the  Sunday  Democrat,  which  was  then  discontinued.  The 
paper  supplies  a  popular  want,  and  is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the 
democratic  party. 

The  Waterbury  Sunday  Herald  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1888.  In 
the  summer  of  1891  its  printing  house  was  removed  to  Bridgeport,  an 
editorial  office  alone  being  maintained  in  Waterbury,  with  Fred.  R. 
Swift  in  charge. 

A  number  of  other  papers  were  begun  in  the  city,  but  had  only  a 
short  existence,  the  Valley  Index  being  one  of  the  longest  continued. 


648  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Several  papers  published  elsewhere  have  Waterbury  editions,  as 
the  Weekly  Examiner,  a  labor  organ;  the  Ncue  Zeitung,  a  German  publi- 
cation; and  the  Connecticut  Guardsman,  a  semi-monthly,  established  in 
May,  1890,  and  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  National  Guard  of  this 
and  adjoining  states. 

The  Waterbury  post  office,  now  so  important,  was  long  rated  as  a 
small  affair,  and  in  the  early  part  of  this  century  was  surpassed  by  the 
offices  in  some  of  the  neighboring  hill  towns.  In  1815  William  K. 
Lampson  was  the  postmaster,  and  was  succeeded  by  Doctor  Frederick 
Leavenworth,  who  was  postmaster  in  1829.  Elisha  Leavenworth  came 
next,  and  gave  place  to  David  S.  Law  in  1849.  At  that  time  a  daily 
mail  had  been  provided  and  the  salary  of  the  office  was  $854.  Elisha 
Leavenworth  was  again  appointed  in  1853,  and  the  office  was  kept  in 
the  Leavenworth  building,  near  Exchange  place.  In  the  first  term  of 
Lincoln,  Calvin  H.  Carter  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  was  followed 
by  Charles  W.  Gillette  and  George  W.  Beach.  For  several  months,  in 
1869,  John  J.  Jaques  was  the  postmaster,  giving  place,  July  12th,  1869, 
to  his  successor,  John  W.  Hill,  who  served  until  March  16th,  1886. 
Charles  C.  Commerford  was  the  Cleveland  appointee,  and  at  the  end  of 
his  term,  in  1890,  was  succeeded  by  the  present  incumbent,  Captain 
John  B.  Doherty.  He  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  September  10th,  1853, 
and  came  to  Waterbury  in  1865.  On  the  1st  of  July,  1889,  he  was 
elected  colonel  of  the  2d  Regiment,  Connecticut  National  Guards.  For 
a  number  of  years  Daniel  E.  Fitzpatrick  has  been  the  deputy  post- 
master. 

In  recent  years  the  business  of  the  office  has  become  very  exten- 
sive and  steadily  increases,  at  the  rate  of  about  $5,000  per  year.  It 
amounted  to  $46,500  for  the  year  ending  March  31st,  1891,  being  $25,- 
000  more  than  the  expenses  of  the  office.  October  1st,  1884,  the  car- 
rier system  of  mail  delivery  here  went  into  operation,  five  carriers 
being  employed.  That  number  has  since  been  increased  to  twelve, 
and  in  addition  nine  clerks  are  employed.  In  1872  the  office  was  lo- 
cated in  the  building  since  occupied,  which  has  become  too  small,  and 
a  new  public  edifice  is  urgently  needed  for  its  accommodation. 

Concerning  the  public  houses  of  the  city,  a  writer  in  a  recent  paper* 
said:  "On  West  Main,  where  the  Barlow  Brothers  now  live,  stood  the 
Judd  tavern,  and  where  Turner's  store  now  stands  was  another  tavern, 
kept  by  one  Burton.  The  stables  of  the  latter  stood  where  Miller  & 
Peck's  store  is  now,  and  Little  brook  babbled  out  and  uninterrupted 
alongside  the  stables.  Here  the  cattle  of  travelers  were  watered  and 
fed.  But  the  old  Judd  tavern  was  the  most  popular.  There  the  wits 
of  the  town  used  to  congregate  nightly;  there  soldiers  and  volunteers 
on  their  way  to  take  part  in  the  'so-called  patriot  war'  in  Canada  used 
to  stay  over  night,  and  song  and  jest  and  flowing  bowls  helped  to  pass 
the  time  until  morning.  Mr.  Judd  died  on  September  12th,  1825,  aged 
91  years. 

*  Waterbury  Sunday  Herald. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  649 

"A  public  well  was  dug  on  the  northwest  corner  of  West  Main 
street,  with  a  trough  to  hold  water,  to  be  used  for  fire  purposes  under- 
neath. 

"In  those  days  when  a  drunken  man  was  seen  on  the  streets  he  was 
seized  by  the  people  and  dropped  into  this  trough  until  he  was  com- 
pletely saturated,  and  this  method  of  punishment  had  as  much  effect 
as  $5  and  costs  has  nowadays." 

In  more  recent  times  the  tavern  on  the  site  of  Turner's  store  bore 
the  name  of  the  Mansion  House,  and  having  long  piazzas,  it  presented 
a  somewhat  stately  appearance  when  compared  with  the  surrounding 
buildings,  so  that  the  name  was  not  wholly  inappropriate.  On  the  4th 
of  July,  1849,  the  original  part  of  the  Scovill  House  was  opened  to  the 
public,  and  it  soon  became,  and  has  remained  to  the  present  time,  the 
most  popular  hostelry.  Subsequent  additions  have  very  much  in- 
creased its  capacity,  and  half  a  dozen  newer  hotel  buildings  help  to 
accommodate  the  traveling  public  of  the  city. 

The  firm  of  Miller  &  Peck  is  the  oldest  in  the  dry  goods  trade,  its 
existence  dating  from  1860.  A  few  years  ago  Henry  H.  Peck  retired 
from  the  firm,  and  since  that  time  the  extensive  business  has  been 
carried  on  by  Charles  Miller,  the  senior  member.  E.  T.  Turner  be- 
came a  merchant  in  Waterbury  in  1864,  and  occupied  the  above  place 
of  business  in  1875,  after  having  adapted  it  to  his  uses.  More  recent 
changes  have  made  it  a  fine  dry  goods  emporium,  conforming  to  the 
demands  of  modern  times.  Mr.  Turner  manifested  much  enterprise 
in  carrying  on  his  business,  and  was  the  first  in  the  city  to  introduce 
new  trade  features,  such  as  employing  female  help,  a  regular  cashier 
and  cash  boys.  He  was  a  man  of  great  decision  of  character,  and  was 
much  respected  by  all  classes  of  citizens.  He  died  in  December,  1891, 
aged  about  56  years,  and  the  business  is  now  carried  on  by  his  son 
Charles,  and  his  associates. 

The  extensive  dry  goods  firm  of  Hughes  &  Reid  was  established 
in  1889  by  George  F.  Hughes  and  Adam  Reid,  proprietors  of  a  similar 
place  in  Norwich,  from  which  city  they  came.  The  oldest  merchant 
tailor  and  clothier  was  John  Mullings,  who  began  in  1840,  and  his 
business  is  now  carried  on  by  his  son,  John  B.  Mullings. 

The  accounts  of  the  early  physicians  in  Waterbury  are  vague  and 
conflicting.  Those  first  in  practice  appear  not  to  have  been  bred  in 
the  profession,  and  were  engaged  in  it  not  as  a  regular  avocation,  but 
as  one  incidental  to  other  employment.  One  of  the  first  of  this  kind 
was  Daniel  Porter,  who  came  from  Farmington  some  time  about  1690, 
and  here  exercised  his  skill  as  a  "  bone  setter  "  half  a  dozen  or  more 
years.  Then  Daniel  Porter,  2d,  appears  to  have  taken  up  this  art, 
which  he  followed  until  his  death,  in  1726.  His  home  was  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  the  Scovill  House,  and  when  his  library  was  appraised 
it  was  found  to  consist  of  several  small  volumes  on  bone  setting,  valued 
at  two  shillings.     His  son,  Daniel  Porter,  Jr.,  succeeded  to  his  practice, 


650  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

and  was  a  doctor  in  the  town  until  his  death,  in  1772.  In  the  mean- 
time, about  1704,  Ephraim  Warner  was  here  as  a  physician,  and  was 
followed  a  dozen  years  later  by  Doctor  Benjamin  Warner,  whose  death 
also  occurred  in  1772. 

After  that  year,  for  some  time  to  come,  Doctors  Preserved  Porter 
and  Timothy  Porter  appear  to  have  been  the  principal  physicians. 
During  the  revolution  Doctor  Isaac  Baldwin,  who  had  been  a  surgeon 
in  the  American  army,  came  to  Waterbury,  where,  in  1782,  he  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Reverend  Mark  Leavenworth.  He  removed  from 
town  in  1797.  While  residing  here  members  of  the  Leavenworth 
family  were  his  medical  students,  and  Doctor  Edward  Field,  who  died 
in  Waterbury  about  1842,  was  his  son-in-law.  The  latter's  son,  Doctor 
Edward  Field,  became  a  physician  in  New  York.  Doctor  Nathan 
Leavenworth,  son  of  Reverend  Mark,  was  born  December  11th,  1761. 
He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1778.  In  1780  he  entered  the  army  as  a 
surgeon's  mate,  and  served  until  the  end  of  the  war.  He  then  removed 
to  South  Carolina,  where  he  lived  until  1793,  when  ill  health  compelled 
his  return  to  his  native  town,  where  he  died  January  9th,  1799.  Doctor 
Frederick  Leavenworth,  born  September  4th,  1766,  became  a  practi- 
tioner in  the  town,  and  was  a  contemporary  of  Doctors  Field  and  Jo- 
seph Porter.  A  part  of  this  time  Doctor  M.  Conkling  Leavenworth 
was  also  a  practitioner.  He  was  a  man  of  great  ability  not  only 
in  his  profession,  but  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  botanists  in  this 
country.  As  a  surgeon  in  the  regular  army  he  had  active  service,  and 
when  the  civil  war  broke  out  he  again  tendered  his  aid.  He  became 
an  assistant  surgeon  of  the  12th  Regiment,  and  died  November  16th, 
1862.  In  this  period  other  physicians  were:  Doctors  Daniel  Porter, 
David  Pritchard,  John  Deacon,  William  Porter,  Sturges  Buckley,  G. 
E.  Perkins,  M.  H.  Perkins,  Henry  Bronson,  Gideon  L.  Piatt,  Philo  G. 
Rockwell,  of  the  allopathic  school  of  practice;  W.  W.  Rodman,  of  the 
homeopathic;  E.  G.  Snow  and  John  J.  Jaques,  of  other  systems  of 
practice.     E.  C.  Knight,  another  homeopathist,  came  soon  after  1855. 

Of  the  above,  Philo  G.  Rockwell  was  a  physician  of  ability,  but  his 
health  failed  him  and  he  removed  to  Aiken,  S.  C,  where  he  established 
a  sanitarium.  He  died  at  that  place,  but  is  interred  in  Riverside  cem- 
etery. Doctor  Henry  Bronson,  after  practicing  a  number  of  years  in 
Waterbury,  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  removed  to  New  Haven,  where 
he  was  still  living  in  1892,  at  a  very  advanced  age.  He  wrote  an  ex- 
cellent history  of  his  native  town,  and  became  known  as  an  antiquarian. 
Doctor  Gideon  L.  Piatt  was  a  student  of  Doctor  Bronson  and  practi- 
cally succeeded  to  his  practice  after  his  removal.  He  was  a  man  of 
excellent  judgment,  skillful  and  successful  in  his  profession,  which  he 
followed  in  this  town  more  than  two  scores  of  years. 

In  1861  Doctor  Alfred  North  graduated  from  the  New  York  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  and  several  years  later  located  at  Water- 
bury, where  he  has  since  been  one  of  the  leading  physicians.     In  more 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  651 

recent  years  Doctor  Thomas  L.  Axtelle  has  been  associated  with  him, 
the  firm  being  Axtelle  &  North. 

In  1875  the  physicians  of  the  town  were:  Allopaths,  Doctors  S.  C. 
Bartlett,  John  Deacon,  Thomas  D.  Dougherty,  E.  L.  Griggs,  Alfred 
North,  George  E.  Perkins,  Gideon  L.  Piatt,  E.  W.  McDonald,  J.  R. 
Roberts,  F.  E.  Castle  (and  soon  after  came  J.  J.  M.  Neville  and  W.  L. 
Barber);  homeopaths,  E.  C.  Knight,  C.  S.  Rodman,  E.  A.  Towne  and  H. 
Wolcott;  eclectics,  John  J.  Jaques  and  Stephen  B.  Munn.  The  latter 
was  born  at  Southington,  Conn.,  September  8th,  1827.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  limited,  as  he  was  obliged  to  leave  his  home  when  11  years 
old  to  earn  his  own  livelihood.  When  15  years  old  he  commenced  to 
learn  the  blacksmith's  trade,  borrowing  at  the  same  time  books  to 
read  to  fit  himself  for  the  medical  profession.  In  1857  he  removed  to 
Pawling,  N.  Y.,  where,  in  1858,  he  was  licensed  to  practice  as  an  eclec- 
tic. In  1864  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  which  has  since  been  his 
home,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  in  the  town.  Since 
being  located  here  he  has  received  degrees  from  three  eclectic  col- 
leges as  an  honorary  graduate:  From  the  Georgia  Eclectic  Medical 
College,  in  1877;  the  United  States  Medical  College,  of  New  York,  in 
1880;  and  the  Bennett  College  of  Eclectic  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Chi- 
cago, in  1888.  He  is  a  member  of  the  National  Eclectic  Society,  and 
presided  over  the  meeting  held  at  Pittsburg  in  1878.  The  same  year 
he  was  one  of  the  curators  of  the  United  States  Medical  College,  of 
New  York. 

Doctor  Thomas  D.  Dougherty  came  as  an  Irish  boy  to  Waterbury, 
where  later  he  lived  as  one  of  the  foremost  physicians,  and  died  in 
this  city.  He  was  educated  at  St.  Mary's,  studied  medicine  at  New 
York  Medical  College,  then  located  at  New  Haven,  but  finally  settled 
here.  He  was  a  very  able  and  scholarly  man.  Doctor  Edward  L. 
Griggs  was  born  at  Windsor,  Conn.,  July  18th,  1838,  but  came  to 
Waterbury  when  he  was  six  years  old.  He  was  educated  in  the  old 
academy,  then  pursued  his  medical  studies  at  the  Long  Island  College 
Hospital,  at  Brooklyn,  graduating  in  1864.  Most  of  the  time  since 
then  he  has  been  a  practitioner  at  Waterbury.  Doctor  E.W.  McDonald 
was  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland,  in  March,  1845.  In  May,  1868,  he  came 
to  America,  settling  in  New  York  city.  There  he  studied  medicine  in 
the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  New  York,  graduating  in 
1871.  He  now  spent  another  year  at  St.  Vincent's  Hospital,  when  he 
located  permanently  in  Waterbury.  He  has  become  warmly  inter- 
ested in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  being  a  leading  citizen  as  well  as  a 
successful  physician.  In  1891  he  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  edu- 
cation. 

Doctor  Walter  Lewis  Barber  was  born  in  Litchfield  in  June,  1851, 
and  was  educated  at  the  Torrington  Academy.  In  1873  he  graduated 
from  the  New  York  Bellevue  Medical  Hospital,  when  he  became  the 
surgeon  of  the  99th  Street  Emergency  Hospital,  in   that  city,  serving 


652  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

one  year.  In  October,  1876,  he  removed  to  Norfolk,  where  he  was 
with  his  former  preceptor,  Doctor  William  W.  Welch,  but  since  June, 
1877,  he  has  been  an  active  and  successful  practitioner  at  Waterbury. 

Doctor  Frank  E.  Castle  was  born  in  Woodbridge  February  25th, 
1845,  and  was  a  son  of  Doctor  Andrew  Castle,  of  that  town,  and  grand- 
son of  Doctor  Jehiel  Castle,  of  Bethany.  He  read  medicine  with  T.  B. 
Townsend,  of  New  Haven,  and  graduated  from  the  medical  school  of 
Yale  College  in  1870,  when  he  located  at  Waterbury,  where  he  has  suc- 
cessfully continued. 

In  1885  there  were  in  practice,  in  addition  to  the  foregoing  and  not 
included  in  the  list  below  as  being  at  Waterbury  in  1891,  the  follow- 
ing: Doctors  E.  P.  Esterly,  J.  J.  M.  Neville,  Charles  H.  French,  James 
Ramsey,  O.  R.  Kelsey,  F.  M.  Court.  The  physicians  in  1891  were: 
Thomas  L.  Axtelle,*  Walter  L.  Barber*  J.  M.  Benedict,*  Frank  E.  Cas- 
tle,* Frederick  M.  Cannon,*  Caroline  R.  Conkey,*  Joseph  S.  Chagnon,* 
M.  J.  Donahue,*  G.  Dubuc,  George  A.  Faber,  C.  W.  S.  Frost,*  Henry 
F.  Gill,  E.  P.  Gregory,  horn.;  Edward  L.  Griggs,*  Charles  A.  Hamil- 
ton *  Nicholas  Hanlon,  Jr.,  J.  F.  Hayes,*  Walter  H.  Holmes,*  William 
Coe  Holmes.f  L.  Kimball,  C.  H.  Lafontaine,  Robert  J.  La  Fonzo, 
Ralph  Lopez,  Arthur  Lascomb,  hom.;  Edward  W.  McDonald,*  David 
W.  McFarland,  Carl  E.  Munger,*  Stephen  B.  Munn,  Alfred  North,* 
Bernard  A.  O'Hara*  Smith  H.  Piatt,  George  O.  Robbins,+  C.  S.  Rod- 
man,* M.  Florence  Taft,  E.  A.  Towne,  George  A.  Taber,  Charles  R. 
Upson,  C.  Art.  Ward,  Joseph  Werner,  Henry  S.  Wildman.* 

Doctor  J.  M.  Benedict  was  born  at  Bethel,  Conn.,  in  1852.  He 
graduated  from  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  1882,  and 
the  following  year  settled  in  Waterbury.  Since  July,  1889,  he  has 
been  the  surgeon  of  the  2d  Regiment,  C.  N.  G. 

Caroline  R.  Conkey,  M.  D.,  graduated  from  the  Woman's  Medical 
College,  of  the  New  York  Infirmary,  in  1881.  She  then  practiced  her 
profession  at  Watertown,  New  York,  until  1887,  when  she  came  to 
Waterbury.  She  is  a  member  of  the  County  Medical  Society,  and 
serves  on  the  staff  of  Waterbury  Hospital. 

Doctor  M.  Florence  Taft  graduated  from  the  Boston  University, 
School  of  Medicine,  in  1886.  After  serving  some  time  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Homeopathic  Hospital,  she  located  at  Middletown,  Conn., 
where  she  remained  as  a  practitioner  until  May,  1891,  since  when  she 
has  been  at  Waterbury.  She  is  an  active  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Homeopathic  Medical  Society. 

Doctor  C.  W.  S.  Frost  was  born  in  Waterbury  December  22d,  1857, 
and  was  educated  in  the  high  school  of  this  city.  After  studying  med- 
icine at  Yale  and  in  the  New  York  Medical  College,  he  graduated  from 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  New  York,  in  1880,  when 

♦Members  of  the  Connecticut  Medical  Society. 

t  Pennsylvania  Medical  Society. 

J  New  Hampshire  State  Medical  Society. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  653 

he  located  at  Waterbury.     Since  1887  he  has  been  a  health  officer  of 
the  town. 

Doctor  E.  P.  Gregory,  a  homeopathist,  was  born  in  Fairfield,  Conn., 
and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  this  state.  In  his  medical 
studies  he  graduated  from  the  University  of  New  York  in  1873,  and 
later  of  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia.  He  prac- 
ticed in  Milford  six  years,  and  since  1879  has  been  located  at  Water- 
bury. 

Doctor  John  F.  Hayes,  a  native  of  this  town,  was  born  in  1858  He 
received  a  high  school  and  classical  education,  when  he  entered  the 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1879. 
He  soon  after  went  abroad  and  studied  at  the  Rotunda  Hospital,  at 
Dublin,  eight  months,  receiving  the  degree  of  L.  M.;  was  three  months 
at  the  Royal  Infirmary  at  Edinburgh,  and  the  same  length  of  time  at 
St.  Bartholomew's  Hospital,  London.  In  1881  he  returned  to  Water- 
bury,  and  has  been  a  practitioner  here  ever  since. 

Doctor  C.  A.  Hamilton,  born  December  29th,  1848,  at  East  Windsor, 
Conn.,  took  a  course  of  study  at  Dartmouth  College,  when  he  entered 
the  University  of  Vermont,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1886.  In 
July,  the  same  year,  he  located  in  Waterbury. 

Doctor  C.  R.  Upson  is  a  native  of  Oxford,  where  he  was  born  in 
1847.  He  graduated  from  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  in  1870, 
after  which  he  located  in  Wallingford,  where  he  was  in  practice  two 
years.  He  was  next  at  New  Haven  four  years,  when  he  took  another 
special  course  at  Long  Island  Hospital,  after  which  he  became  one  of 
the  professors  at  St.  Joseph's  Hospital,  Atlanta,  Ga.  Since  1883  he  has 
been  a  specialist  at  Waterbury  in  the  treatment  of  nasal,  throat  and 
lung  diseases. 

Doctor  N.  J.  Hanlon  was  born  in  Waterbury  in  1862.  He  grad- 
uated from  the  Toronto  University  in  1885  and  the  Bellevue  Hospital. 
Since  January,  1891,  he  has  been  a  practitioner  at  Waterbury,  and  was 
appointed  a  town  health  officer  in  October,  1S91. 

Doctor  George  O.  Robbins,  a  native  of  Lee,  Mass.,  where  he  was 
born  in  1854,  came  to  Waterbury  in  his  youth.  He  was  educated  at 
Yale,  graduating  in  1879,  and  began  his  professional  career  at  Salmon 
Falls,  N.  H.  In  1883  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  where  he  has  since 
been  a  practitioner. 

D.  W.  McFarland,  M.  D.,  was  born  May  13th,  1858,  at  Portland. 
Conn.,  where  he  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  by  a  private 
tutor.  After  taking  one  medical  course  at  Burlington,  Vt.,  he  entered 
the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  New  York  City,  grad- 
uating from  that  institution  in  March,  1885.  He  then  had  hospital 
practice  in  that  city  and  the  Insane  Asylum  at  Morris  Plains,  N.  J. 
Then  he  was  professionally  located  one  year  at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  and 
since  May,  1S90,  has  been  a  practitioner  at  Waterbury. 

Doctor  Bernard  A.  O'Harra  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  was  born  in 


654  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

1859.  He  came  to  America  in  1877,  and  received  his  education  at  the 
Bellevue  Medical  Hospital,  from  which  he  graduated  in  March,  1882. 
After  being  an  assistant  to  Doctor  Jarvis,  in  the  dispensary  of  the 
New  York  University  Medical  College,  he  was  appointed  a  surgeon. 
Since  1884  he  has  been  a  practitioner  in  this  city,  and  was  appointed 
one  of  the  town's  health  officers  October,  1891. 

Doctor  M.  J.  Donahue,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  born   March  20th, 

1860,  and  three  years  later  came  to  America.  In  June,  1877,  he 
graduated  from  the  College  of  the  Holy  Cross,  at  Worcester,  Mass., 
with  the  degree  A.  B.,  and  later  was  awarded  the  degree  A.  M.  by  the 
same  institution.  He  now  studied  for  the  priest's  office  at  St.  Mary's 
Seminary,  in  Baltimore,  but  after  a  time  changed  to  medicine,  study- 
ing three  years  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  graduating 
with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1886.  The  following  year  he  located  at 
Waterbury,  and  has  since  been  an  active  practitioner  in  this  city. 

Doctor  Joseph  Werner  was  born  at  Griek,  Prussia,  in  1856.  After 
attending  the  common  schools,  he  studied  at  Strassburg,  Freiburg  and 
Marburg,  passing  his  first  professional  examination  at  the  latter  place. 
He  graduated  from  the  Wuerzburg  University  of  Medicine  in  1881. 
He  was  next  an  assistant  to  Professors  Gerhart  and  Scanzoni,  but  came 
to  America  in  1884  and  located  at  Waterbury. 

Doctor  J.  S.  Chagnon  is  a  native  of  Montreal,  Canada,  where  he  was 
born  in  1858.  He  was  educated  in  that  city,  and  graduated  from  Vic- 
toria College  in  1883.  He  practiced  medicine  at  Fall  River,  Mass., 
Willimantic,  Conn.,  and  since  October,  1885,  has  been  at  Waterbury. 

G.  Dubuc,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  the  province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  in 
1841.  He  was  a  student  in  the  schools  of  Quebec  and  Montreal,  grad- 
uating from  Bishop's  College  in  March,  1873.  After  practicing  medi- 
cine two  years  in  Montreal  city  he  came  to  the  states,  being  at  Bed- 
ford two  years,  Sutton  11  years,  and  at  Waterbury  since  1888. 

Doctor  C.  H.  Lafontaine  was  born  in  1860,  at  Chambly,  Canada. 
After  studying  at  Saint  Therese  College,  he  entered  Bishop's  College, 
Montreal,  graduating  in  1884.  He  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at 
Chambly,  where  his  father  has  been  a  practitioner  for  50  years,  but 
since  April,  1887,  has  been  located  at  Waterbury. 

Doctor  Ralph  Lopez  was  born  April  6th,  1S50,  at  Barcelona,  Spain. 
He  came  to  America  when  18  years  old,  locating  in  Lancaster,  Mass., 
where  he  attended  school.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1S76,  then 
went  to  England  for  one  year,  and  since  his  return  in  1878  has  prac- 
ticed medicine  in  Waterbury. 

Doctor  George  A.  Faber,  eclectic,  was  born  in  Waterbury  in  1866, 
and  received  his  preliminary  education  at  English  and  classical 
schools.  He  studied  with  Doctor  Munn,  attended  lectures  at  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  in  1885-6,  and  at  Chicago  in  1886-8.  After  his  return  he  remained 
with  Doctor  Munn  until  June,  1890,  and  since  then  has  practiced  alone. 
He  graduated  from   Bennett  Medical   Eclectic  College,  Chicago.     He 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  655 

is  a  member  of  the  State  Medical  Society  and  National  Eclectic  Medi- 
cal Association. 

A  number  of  promising  young  physicians  were  in  Waterbury  for 
short  periods,  when  they  removed  to  other  localities,  where  they  at- 
tained distinction.  Several  natives  of  the  town  became  eminent  physi- 
cians in  New  York. 

Doctor  Lemuel  Hopkins,  a  physician  of  great  skill  and  reputation 
in  his  day,  and  a  poet  of  more  than  local  fame,  was  also  a  native  of 
Waterbury.  He  was  born  in  this  place  June  19th,  1750,  and  died  in 
Hartford  in  1801.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Medical  Society 
of  Connecticut,  and  he  was  eminent  for  his  literary  ability,  and  his 
labors  and  time  were  divided  among  such  writers  as  Humphreys, 
Dwight,  Barlow,  Trumbull  and  others. 

The  city  has  a  local  medical  society,  and  here  is  also  located  the 
Connecticut  Veterinary  Medical  Association,  inaugurated  February 
13th,  1884,  and  incorporated  in  January,  1887.  The  original  charter 
members  were  Thomas  Bland,  William  J.  Sullivan,  Edward  C.  Ross, 
Julian  E.  Gardner  and  L.  G.  Knox.  Both  societies  are  fairly  pros- 
perous. 

In  the  last  century  there  was  but  little  legal  business  in  Waterbury, 
and  there  were  but  few  resident  attorneys.  John  Kingsbury  was  one 
of  the  few  to  maintain  an  office  any  period  of  time.  He  was  a  lawyer 
here  soon  after  1790,  and  was  elected  one  of  the  county  judges.  He  died 
in  1844.  Bennett  Bronson  was  a  contemporary,  being  here  as  a  lawer 
and  business  man  from  1803  until  his  death  in  1850.  Cyrus  Clark 
and  Lauren  Barnes  were  also  lawyers  in  this  town  in  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century,  some  time  before  1810.  Half  a  dozen  years 
later  came  Samuel  Frisbie  and  Le  Grand  Bancroft.  Not  long  after 
Joel  Hinman  located  here  and  was  also  called  to  serve  in  a  judicial 
capacity,  when  he  removed  to  New  Haven,  and  later  lived  in  Cheshire. 
Alfred  Blackman,  after  being  here  some  time,  also  removed  to  New 
Haven,  following  the  example  of  Robinson  S.  Hinman,  who  had  lived 
in  Salem  parish  of  Waterbury.  Elisha  S.  Abernathy  was  in  the  town 
as  a  lawyer  before  1835  and  preceded  Norton  J.  Buel.  The  latter  was 
born  at  Salisbury  September  6th,  1813,  and  located  at  Naugatuck  in 
1835.  Five  years  later  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  where  he  was  an 
attorney  until  the  fall  of  1863,  when  he  removed  to  New  Haven,  where 
he  died  March  6th,  1864.  Theodore  S.  Buel  was  not  here  as  early,  and 
about  the  close  of  the  war  he  left  the  practice  of  law  to  engage  in 
manufacturing. 

John  W.  Webster  was  born  at  West  Hartford,  Conn.,  January  19th, 
1817,  and  was  a  son  of  Charles  Webster,  who  was  a  brother  of  Noah 
Webster,  the  lexicographer.  He  was  educated  at  Westfield  and  Wil- 
braham  Academy,  leaving  the  latter  school  in  1842.  He  now  entered 
the  Yale  Law  School,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1844.  In  October 
of  that  year  he  located  at  Waterbury  as  an  attorney,  and  has  been  con- 


656  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

nected  with  the  bar  of  this  city  ever  since,  being-  now  its  oldest  mem- 
ber. A  few  years  after  the  location  of  Mr.  Webster,  Frederick  J. 
Kingsbury  opened  an  office  in  his  native  town,  but  was  in  active  prac- 
tice a  few  years  only,  devoting  thenceforth  his  energies  to  other  lines 
of  business.  Also,  about  1850,  Charles  E.  Moss  and  John  Kendrick 
were  attorneys.  Within  the  next  five  years  there  was  an  accession  to 
the  number  of  lawyers  in  the  town,  Stephen  W.  Kellogg  coming  from 
Naugatuck  and  here  beginning  a  practice,  which  has  placed  him  in 
the  foremost  ranks  of  the  lawyers  of  the  state.  For  a  time  Calvin  H. 
Carter  was  associated  with  him,  but  later  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
the  city  and  afterward  was  active  in  other  business.  He  was  a  man 
•of  great  worth,  liberal  and  public  spirited.  His  death  occurred  Sep- 
tember 18th,  1887.  Contemporary  with  the  two  foregoing  was  George 
L.  Fields,  a  man  of  very  excellent  judgment,  who  after  many  year*  re- 
moved to  the  West,  but  returned  to  Waterbury,  where  he  died  about 
a  dozen  years  ago.  Near  the  same  time  L.  Sanford  Davis  became  an 
attorney  of  Waterbury,  and  was  here  a  number  of  years.  S.  A.  Keeney 
remained  a  shorter  period  of  time.  In  1856  Charles  W.  Gillette  here 
began  a  professional  career,  which  he  still  continues.  He  was  born  in 
what  is  now  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls  in  1831,  and  after  having  studied 
law  with  J.  W.  Webster,  was  admitted  to  practice.  Within  the  next 
ten  years  two  other  lawyers  came,  and  the  first  has  also  remained: 
Henry  I.  Boughton  and  Thomas  Donahue. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  city  and  increase  of  corporation  business 
induced  many  others  to  locate  in  the  past  15  years,  but  a  number  did 
not  remain.  Of  this  class  may  be  named  Greene  Kendrick,  Henry  R. 
Merrill,  Martin  Myers,  A.  W.  Thomas,  William  R.  Mattison,  Edward 
P.  Nobbs  and  Augustus  H.  Fenn. 

In  1891  the  attorneys  of  Waterbury  were:  Henry  I.  Boughton, 
Lucien  F.  Burpee,  Nathaniel  R.  Bronson,  Florence  Clohessy,  Edward 

F.  Cole,  Charles  A.  Colley,  George  H.  Cowell,  Thomas  Donahue, 
Charles  W.  Gillette,  Charles  J.  Griggs,  Robert  E.  Hall,  S.  W.  Kellogg, 
J.  P.  Kellogg,  Robert  A.  Lowe,  Ellis  Phelan, Wilson  H.  Pierce,  Charles 

G.  Root,  James  E.  Russell,  B.  J.  Smith,  George  E.  Terry,  J.  W.  Web- 
ster, D.  F.  Webster,  Porter  L.  Wood  and  John  O'Neil. 

John  O'Neil  was  born  November  5th,  1841,  in  Goshen,  Conn.,  and 
in  1848  came  to  Waterbury,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  the  town.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  D.,  1st  Regiment 
Connecticut  Volunteer  Infantry,  April  1st,  1861,  and  was  engaged  at 
the  battle  of  Bull  Run.  Returning  home,  he  read  law  in  the  office  of 
J.  W.  Webster,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  New  Haven  county 
bar  March  10th,  1866,  and  has  since  here  been  a  practitioner.  In  1889- 
90  he  served  in  the  legislature  of  the  state,  where  he  introduced  sev- 
eral useful  measures.  He  prepared  and  secured  the  passage  of  the 
laws  imposing  taxes  on  collateral  inheritances,  on  investments  and  on 
the  mileage  of  telegraph  and  express  companies,  which  rank  among 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  657 

the  most  important  legislation  of  that  kind  in  the  state  in  this  century. 
For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  O'Neil  has  been  the  president  of  the  Bron- 
son  Library  Fund. 

George  E.  Terry,  a  son  of  Edward  Terry,  was  born  in  Bristol,  Sep- 
tember 15th,  1836.  He  read  law  with  John  Hooker  and  others  of 
Hartford  county,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  that 
county  in  March.  1858.  From  1859  to  1862  he  was  at  Plainville,  when 
he  went  to  the  army,  serving  as  a  private  in  the  25th  Regiment.  In 
September,  1863.  he  located  at  Waterbury,  and  was  associated  with  S. 
W.  Kellogg  until  1881,  as  Kellogg  &  Terry.  Since  January,  1885,  he 
has  been  the  senior  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Terry  &  Bronson,  his 
associate  being  Nathaniel  R  Bronson.  The  latter  is  a  native  of 
Waterbury,  and  is  a  son  of  Lucien  S.  Bronson.  He  was  born  July  3d, 
1860,  and  pursued  classical  studies  at  Yale,  graduating  in  1882.  Two 
years  later  he  graduated  from  the  Law  School  of  the  same  university. 
In  January,  1885,  he  became  associated  with  Charles  G.  Root,  one  of 
the  leading  attorneys  of  the  city,  and  so  continued  until  the  present 
firm  was  formed.  It  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  in  the  town.  Mr. 
Root  is  also  a  native  of  Waterbury,  where  he  has  practiced  law  since 
graduating  from  Yale  Law  School. 

George  H.  Cowell  was  born  in  Waterbury,  March  25th,  1840.  He 
was  fitted  for  college  at  Wilbraham  academy,  and  entering  Yale  he 
took  the  full  course,  graduating  in  1868.  He  now  became  a  student  of 
the  Columbia  Law  School  of  the  city  of  New  York,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1869,  and  the  following  year  opened  a  law  office  in  this 
city.  In  1875-6  he  was  the  chief  clerk  of  the  United  States  post  office 
department  at  Washington.  In  1877  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  city 
court  and  served  six  years.  He  has  since  been  a  practitioner  in  his 
native  town,  being  also  very  active  in  other  business  matters.  Edward 
F.  Cole  has  also  been  identified  with  the  bar  of  the  city  more  than  a 
dozen  years,  and  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  its  affairs.  He  was  a 
deputy  judge  from  1884  to  1886. 

Daniel  F.  Webster  was  born  in  Litchfield,  March  14th,  1853.  He 
prepared  for  college  at  Thomaston  Academy,  and  graduated  from 
Dartmouth  in  1874.  He  now  taught  the  Thomaston  High  School 
three  years,  at  the  same  time  being  a  law  student  of  Judge  A.  P.  Brad- 
street.  In  October,  1876,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Litchfield  county  bar, 
and  in  1877  came  to  Waterbury.  He  has  held  various  public  trusts, 
and  since  January,  1892,  has  been  the  mayor  of  the  city. 

Robert  A.  Lowe  born  in  Ireland  in  1847,  emigrated  to  America  in 
1864,  becoming  a  resident  of  Waterbury.  In  1880  he  graduated  from 
the  Yale  Law  School,  and  has  here  since  been  professionally  located. 

Lucien  F.  Burpee  was  born  at  Rockville,  Conn.,  October  12th,  1855, 

and  is  a  son  of  Colonel  Thomas  F.  Burpee.     He  graduated  from  Yale 

in  1879.  and  from  the  law  department  of  Hamilton  College  in  1880.     In 

September  of  that  year  he  came  to  this  city,  entering  the  law  offices  of 

■i2 


658  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Judge  S.  W.  Kellogg,  and  was  associated  with  him  and  his  son,  John 
P.,  from  1883  until  1889.  He  has  been  prosecuting  attorney  of  the 
town,  and  is  now  the  city  attorney. 

C.  J.  Griggs  was  born  in  Waterbury,  November  28th,  1864,  and  is  a 
son  of  Henry  C.  Griggs.  He  graduated  from  Yale  Academic  in  1886, 
and  from  the  Law  School  of  the  university  in  1888,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  New  Haven  bar  the  same  year.  After  being  in  the  law  office  of 
Gillette  &  Webster  a  year,  he  became  an  independent  practitioner,  and 
has  since  so  continued. 

Wilson  H.  Pierce,  a  son  of  Reverend  Asa  C.  and  Mary  (Wilson) 
Pierce,  was  born  at  Northford  in  1857.  He  received  his  education  at 
the  Connecticut  State  Normal  School,  at  the  old  Newtown  Academy, 
and  at  Yale,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1881.  After  serving  as  the 
principal  of  the  New  Milford  high  school,  he  entered  Yale  Law  School, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1885.  He  now  entered  the  law  offices  of 
Brewster,  Tweedy  &  Scott,  of  Danbury,  remained  one  year,  and  after 
being  in  New  York  some  time,  came  to  Waterbury  in  the  spring  of  1888, 
where  he  has  since  been  an  active  practitioner. 

Within  the  past  ten  years  Ellis  Phelan  has  become  an  attorney  in 
the  city,  and  since  1889  has  served  as  judge  of  the  probate  court  of 
the  Waterbury  district. 

Few,  if  any,  cities  of  its  size  surpass  Waterbury  in  the  number  of 
its  societies  of  secret,  social  or  beneficial  nature.  Nearly  every  order 
of  good  repute  has  a  representation  here,  and  many  societies  are  noted 
for  their  wealth  and  excellence,  their  character  being  known  abroad 
as  well  as  at  home.  The  Masons,  as  the  oldest  order,  have  a  Council, 
Commandery,  a  Chapter,  three  Blue  Lodges,  and  a  Chapter  of  the 
Eastern  Star.  The  new  Masonic  Temple  is  one  of  the  handsomest  in 
the  state.  The  Odd  Fellows  are  also  a  powerful  body  in  the  city,  hav- 
ing an  Encampment,  a  Canton,  three  subordinate  Lodges  and  an  aid 
association.  The  Knights  of  Pythias  have  three  Lodges,  an  Endow- 
ment Rank  and  a  Uniformed  Rank.  Other  minor  orders  are  numer- 
ously represented,  and  in  all  there  are  75  societies  in  the  town,  exclu- 
sive of  those  of  a  religious  nature.  Most  of  them  meet  in  finely  fur- 
nished halls,  and  many  are  important  factors  in  the  social  life  of  the 
city. 

Masonry  has  had  a  substantial  foothold  in  the  town  ever  since  be- 
fore the  revolution.  Under  the  authority  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Massachusetts,  the  first  Lodge  in  "  old  Waterbury "  was  chartered 
July  17th,  1765,  and  it  was  duly  organized  on  Christmas,  the  same 
year,  with  the  following  members:  John  Hotchkiss,  James  Reynolds, 
Isaac  Jones,  Eldred  Lewis,  Amos  Bull,  John  Lathrop,  Joseph  Perry, 
John  Webster,  Amos  Hitchcock,  Jesse  Leavenworth,  Robert  Kink- 
head,  Allen  Sage,  Hezekiah  Thompson,  Joel  Clark. 

The  place  of  meeting  where  the  Lodge  was  formed  was  at  the 
house  of  Captain  George  Nichols,  which  stood  on   East  Main  street. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  659 

But  little  more  is  known  of  this  Lodge  than  that  it  is  believed, 
from  the  fragmentary  records  which  have  come  to  hand,  that  John 
Hotchkiss  was  installed  as  the  first  master.  About  1775  it  was  re- 
moved to  Woodbury,  where  some  of  the  members  resided,  and  it 
was  made  the  basis  of  King  Solomon  Lodge,  No.  7,  of  that  place. 

In  1788  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  Connecticut  was  estab- 
lished, and  under  the  authority  granted  by  that  body  Harmony  Lodge, 
No.  42,  was  instituted  November  7th,  1797,  at  the  public  house  of 
Daniel  Beecher,  in  the  parish  of  Salem  (now  Naugatuck),  where  the 
first  meetings  were  held.  Most  of  the  subsequent  meetings  were 
alternately  held  at  Salem  and  Waterbury,  until  1841,  after  which  they 
were  held  at  the  latter  place  only.  Many  of  the  principal  citizens  of 
the  northwestern  part  of  the  county  have  been  members  of  this  old 
Lodge,  which  has  been  very  prosperous,  and  whose  detailed  history 
would  fill  a  small  volume. 

Out  of  Harmony  Lodge  have  been  formed  a  number  of  other 
thriving  subordinate  Lodges,  chief  among  which  is  Continental  Lodge, 
No.  76,  organized  in  1869.  It,  also,  has  become  a  prosperous  body, 
and  embraces  among  its  membership  many  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
the  town. 

Eureka  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  No.  22,  was  instituted  at  the  village  of 
Oxford,  October  12th,  1826.  The  shifting  of  business  interests  from 
the  hill  towns  to  the  villages  in  the  Naugatuck  valley  caused  the  de- 
cline of  Oxford  so  that  few  Masons  remained.  Hence  the  meetings 
of  the  Chapter  at  that  place  were  discontinued  in  1844,  and  for  several 
years  they  remained  suspended.  In  1847  the  Chapter  was  revived  at 
Waterbury,  where  it  has  since  been  creditably  maintained. 

Waterbury  Council,  No.  21,  was  instituted  March  21st,  1853,  with 
13  members.  About  250  companions  have  since  been  added.  Jona- 
than M.  Andrews  was  the  first  grand  master. 

Clark  Commandery,  No.  7,  was  organized,  under  a  dispensation 
granted  early  in  1865,  with  26  Sir  Knights,  and  Nathan  Dikeman  as 
the  first  commander.  Most  of  the  members  had  previously  belonged 
to  the  New  Haven  Commandery.  This  has  become  a  strong  and 
vigorous  organization,  having  many  earnest  and  devoted  members.  In 
the  foregoing  Masonic  bodies  the  membership  approximates  800.  For 
the  benefit  of  unfortunate  ones  a  board  of  relief  is  maintained,  and 
deceased  homeless  brethren  are  tenderly  laid  to  rest  in  the  Masonic 
plot  in  Riverside  Cemetery,  upon  which  the  order  has  erected  a  fine 
monument. 

After  meeting  in  various  public  places,  usually  in  the  halls  of  inns, 
a  distinctive  Masonic  hall  was  provided,  which  was  dedicated  Decem- 
ber 27th,  1853.  This  was  used  by  the  Masons  of  Waterbury  until 
November  16th,  1888,  when  the  fine  Masonic  Temple  was  occupied, 
and  has  since  been  the  home  of  all  the  Masonic  bodies,  except  of  a 
Lodge  of  colored  Masons,  lately  organized,  which  meets  in  Grand 


660  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Army  Hall.  Masonic  Temple  was  erected  by  an  association  formed 
for  that  purpose,  and  cost  to  complete  about  $60,000.  Ground  for  the 
building  was  broken  June  27th,  1887;  the  corner  stone  was  laid  Octo- 
ber 6th,  the  same  year,  and  about  twelve  months  later  the  edifice  was 
ready  for  use.. 

Vying  closely  with  the  Masons,  both  in  numbers  and  the  wealth 
of  good  works,  are  the  Odd  Fellows  of  Waterbury.  Their  oldest 
Lodge — Nosahogan,  No.  21— is  the  strongest  in  the  state,  having  550 
members.  It  was  instituted  July  1st,  1845,  and  its  meetings  have  since 
been  regularly  held.  For  many  years  the  Lodge  home  was  in  the  hall 
over  the  Waterbury  Bank,  but  since  1885  the  present  fine  quarters  in 
the  Hotchkiss  Building  have  been  occupied.  Besides  the  Lodge 
property  there  is  a  fund  of  more  than  $16,000.  An  aid  association  was 
formed  in  Nosahogan  Lodge,  May  2d,  1884,  which  has  proven  to  be 
one  of  the  most  useful  features  of  the  order.  Several  thousand  dol- 
lars have  been  expended  in  relief  and  benefits. 

Townsend  Lodge,  No.  89,  was  organized  January  1st,  1872.  It  now 
has  290  members  and  funds  to  the  amount  of  $7,000. 

Ansantawae  Encampment,  No.  20,  was  instituted  August  20th, 
1853,  with  the  following  charter  members:  G.  H.  Waters,  Jonathan  M. 
Andrews,  G.  W.  Benedict,  D.  S.  Law,  Charles  W.  Johnson,  D.  M. 
Wardwell,  C.  L.  Savage,  Charles  W.  Upton  and  W.  H.  Warner.  The 
first  named  was  the  only  survivor  in  1891.  The  Encampment  has  fur- 
nished the  following  grand  patriarchs:  J.  W.  Smith,  L.  I.  Munson, 
T.  I.  Driggs  and  T.  R.  Taylor.  It  has  prospered,  and  in  August, 
1891,  reported  280  members. 

Canton  Waterbury,  No.  14,  Patriarchs  Militant,  was  organized 
June  30th,  1863,  as  Ives  Uniformed  Division,  Camp  No.  9.  It  is  also 
flourishing,  having  80  members.  All  these  bodies  meet  in  Odd  Fel- 
lows Hall. 

Speedwell  Lodge,  No.  10,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized  in  Oc- 
tober, 1869,  with  35  members.  In  the  course  of  the  next  seven  years 
more  than  300  members  were  enrolled,,  when  the  interest  declined  so 
much  that  a  few  only  remained.  Since  1886  the  organization  has  again 
increased  and  there  are  now  more  than  200  members.  Comstock  Lodge, 
No.  13,  of  the  same  order,  was  organized  in  1887,  and  has  also  about 
200  members.  Freiderick  Wilhelm  Lodge,  No.  47,  composed  of  Ger- 
man Knights,  was  organized  in  1888.  It  now  numbers  about  fifty 
members.     These  Lodges  have  handsomely  furnished  rooms. 

E.  F.  Durand  Division,  No.  11,  U.  R.  K.  of  P.,  was  organized  in 
1890  by  the  brother  whose  name  the  Division  bears.  More  than  a  hun- 
dred persons  now  belong,  and  the  Division  has  become  one  of  the 
most  proficient  in  the  state. 

Section  24S,  Endowment  Rank,  K.  of  P.,  numbered  in  1891  about 
thirty  members. 

Some  of  the  beneficiary  orders  are  very  strong  in  the  city,  and  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  661 

Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  have  eight  societies  in  the  town.  The 
Workmen  also  have  a  good  representation,  and  the  Royal  Arcanum  is 
in  high  esteem. 

Wadhams  Post,  No.  49,  G.  A.  R.  *  was  instituted  August  14th,  1879, 
with  34  charter  members.  About  half  of  those  first  mustered  still  be- 
long to  the  Post,  which  had,  April  1st,  1891,  236  members  in  good 
standing.  In  all  25  members  have  died  since  the  organization  of  the 
Post.  The  name  of  the  Post  was  selected  in  honor  of  the  three  Wad- 
hams  brothers,  Edward,  Lieutenant  Henry  W.  and  Captain  Luman  W., 
all  killed  in  battles  in  the  spring  of  1864.  The  Post  had  its  first  public 
installation  January  2d,  1880,  in  its  new  quarters,  in  Johnson's  Hall. 
In  May,  the  same  year,  Memorial  day  was  here  first  observed  in  a  pub- 
lic manner  by  the  survivors  of  the  late  war,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Post,  and  the  custom  has  since  been  yearly  maintained,  the  community 
having  become  much  interested  in  this  exercise,  aud  warmly  coop- 
erates. 

In  1880  Post  Commander  George  Robbins  appointed  a  committee, 
composed  of  George  W.Tucker,  Fred.  A.  Spencer  and  D.  B.  Hamilton, 
to  solicit  funds  for  a  soldiers'  monument  and  to  attend  to  the  erection 
of  the  same.  All  of  these  comrades  had  been  officers  in  the  war,  and 
energetically  applied  themselves  to  the  work  assigned  them.  They 
completed  their  labors  in  1884.  The  Post  as  an  organized  body  con- 
tributed $2,637,  and  individual  members  gave  $1,983  more,  making  a 
total  of  $4,620  for  that  object.  When  the  monument  was  dedicated, 
October  23d,  1884,  the  Post  took  a  most  prominent  part  in  the  ceremo- 
nies. The  post  has  also  expended  about  $2,500  for  the  relief  of  suffering 
or  needy  comrades.  The  present  fine  and  spacious  hall  was  formally 
dedicated  January  1st,  1884.  The  fair  held  the  latter  part  of  the  month 
netted  $2,500  for  the  Soldiers'  Monument. 

The  Post  commanders  have  been  in  the  order  named:  Harrison 
Whitney,  George  Robbins  (2  years),  Fred.  A.  Spencer,  Daniel  Kiefer 
(2  years),  Oscar  W.  Cornish,  John  M.  Gallagher,  George  L.  Piatt,  James 
F.  Gaunt,  John  S.  Hayes  and  L.  W.  Holmes. 

Woman's  Relief  Corps,  No.  1,  auxiliary  to  this  Post,  was  organized 
November  16th,  1882.     It  has  ever  been  a  valuable  adjunct. 

Chatfield  Camp,  Sons  of  Veterans,  was  organized  September  23d, 
1884,  and  also  held  its  meetings  in  Grand  Army  Hall,  but  disbanded 
February  15th,  1890. 

The  Waterbury  Soldiers'  Monument  is  one  of  the  handsomest  in 
the  state.  The  design,  which  is  instructive  as  well  as  artistic  and 
pleasing,  was  prepared  by  George  Edwin  Bissell,  who  had  been  a 
member  of  the  23d  C.  V.  Regiment.  At  the  age  of  14  years  he  came 
to  Waterbury,  where  he  remained  until  his  enlistment,  August  20th, 
1862.  After  the  war  he  turned  his  attention  to  art  and  sculpture,  with 
eminent  success.  The  bronze  figures  on  the  monument  were  made 
under  his  direction  in  France. 

*  From  data  by  Comrade  George  Robbins. 


662  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  monument  stands  off  the  west  end  of  the  green,  on  a  circular 
mound,  40  feet  in  diameter,  which  is  held  in  place  by  a  granite  wall, 
two  feet  high.  At  the  corners  are  projecting  pedestals,  on  which  stand 
gas  lamps,  held  in  place  by  posts  made  of  bronzed  cannon  and  mus- 
kets. The  main  dies  are  composed  of  Quincy  granite,  and  are  sur- 
mounted by  a  bronze  figure  of  "  Victory,"  ten  feet  high.  This  heroic 
statue  faces  west.  In  her  right  hand  she  bears  a  wreath  for  the  vic- 
tors; in  her  left  a  bunch  of  olive  branches  for  the  defeated.  On  the 
west  side  of  the  main  die  is  a  figure,  showing  a  land  engagement,  and 
on  the  east  side  one  showing  a  naval  engagement.  The  north  and  the 
south  sides  bear  appropriate  inscriptions  from  the  ready  pen  of  Doctor 
Joseph  Anderson. 

The  pedestal  or  upper  die  is  relieved  by  four  fine  and  expressive 
bronze  figures  of  the  "  Farmer  "  and  the  "  Mechanic,"  responding  to 
the  call  of  their  country;  the  "  Veteran,"  returned  from  the  war  and 
meditating  on  the  change  from  soldiery  to  a  citizen's  life;  and  an  inci- 
dent illustrating  one  of  the  phases  of  "  Emancipation."  Each  one  af- 
fords a  rich  study. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  monument  was  erected  to  the  dead  and 
living  alike — their  patriotism  being  equally  brought  to  mind  by  this 
fine  memorial,  which  is  the  only  one  in  all  New  England  erected  solely 
by  the  means  secured  from  subscriptions  by  the  people  direct.  No 
town  or  municipal  aid  whatever  was  given.  The  entire  cost  was 
$30,623.46. 

The  colony  committee  and  the  proprietors  of  the  town  made  lib- 
eral grants  of  land  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  schools. 
But,  unfortunately,  these  allotments  of  land  were  not  judiciously  han- 
dled, so  that  much  less  was  realized  from  them  than  was  expected. 

In  1698  the  colony  passed  an  act  that  "  Each  town  having  a  less 
number  of  householders  than  seventy  shall  from  year  to  year  be  pro- 
vided of  a  sufficient  school  master,  to  teach  children  and  youth  to  read 
and  write  for  one  half  of  the  year,  and  that  each  town  shall  pay  forty 
shillings  for  every  thousand  pounds  in  their  respective  country  lists 
towards  the  maintenance  of  the  school  master  in  the  town." 

Under  this  rule  of  the  court  the  town  attempted  to  establish  a 
school,  in  December,  1698,  the  record  favoring  such  action  being:  "Ye 
town  granted  thirty  shillings  with  ye  last  year's  rent  of  ye  schooll 
land  for  ye  incuragment  of  a  scoal  for  four  months  or  longer,  if  it  can 
be  obtained." 

The  first  school  was  established  at  the  Center,  but  for  40  years  there 
was  only  a  small  house,  about  14  by  16  feet.  If  possible,  the  services 
of  a  schoolmaster  were  had  four  months  per  year,  in  the  winter,  and  a 
"school  dame"  often  taught  a  few  months  in  summer.  In  1709 
Thomas  Judd,  Jr.,  was  the  teacher.  New  schools  were  established  at 
Judd's  Meadow  (Naugatuck)  in  1730,  and  near  the  same  time  one  was 
opened  at  Wooster's  Swamp.  In  1743  a  new  school  house  was  built 
at  the  Center. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  663 

About  1785  an  academy  building,  standing  on  the  south  margin  of 
the  green,  was  occupied  by  Joseph  Badger  for  a  select  school,  and  not 
long  after  there  were  two  schools  kept  in  the  building,  one  for  each 
sex,  which  together  had  150  pupils.  The  house  was  two  stories  high 
and  had  a  gambrel  roof.  In  course  of  time  it  was  cut  down  to  one 
story  and  used  for  a  public  school.  Later  it  was  removed  and  con- 
verted into  a  residence  about  1835.  A  new  stone  academy  was  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  city  hall  in  1836,  which  was  used  more  than  a  score 
of  years. 

The  principal  interests  of  the  public  schools  of  the  town  are  in 
Center  district,  which  now  includes  all  the  city  of  Waterbury,  and  also 
a  large  portion  of  the  town  outside  of  the  city  limits.  As  at  present 
constituted,  it  was  organized  under  a  special  charter  granted  by  the 
legislature  in  1880.  But  the  original  Center  district  was  organized  in 
the  summer  of  1849,  and  after  that  year  school  houses  were  built  in 
the  several  sub-districts,  as  the  wants  of  the  district  demanded.  In 
1853  all  the  schools  of  the  Center  district  were  made  free  to  the  in- 
habitants residing  in  the  district. 

The  first  high  school  building  was  ready  for  use  in  February,  1868. 
It  accommodated  300  pupils.  All  the  other  school  buildings  in  the  dis- 
trict at  that  time  seated  1,425  pupils.  On  the  night  of  December  15th, 
1870,  the  high  school  building  was  burned,  and  the  hard  times  then 
prevailing  prevented  its  being  rebuilt  until  1873-4.  It  is  an  imposing 
building  with  10  rooms,  and  cost  nearly  $60,000.  In  other  parts  of  the 
district  fine  houses  have  been  erected  in  late  years,  the  one  on  West 
Bank  street  being  completed  in  1891.  It  is  one  of  the  most  handsome 
in  the  city.  The  foundation  is  of  granite  and  the  superstructure  is 
composed  of  pressed  brick,  with  white  and  red  sandstone  trimmings. 
In  the  tower  a  public  clock  has  been  placed  for  the  accommodation  of 
that  part  of  the  city.  It  is  also  the  largest  school  edifice  in  the  dis- 
trict, containing  12  rooms.  The  Clay  street  building,  but  recently 
completed,  is  also  very  fine  and  costly.  It  contains  eight  rooms.  In 
all  there  are  14  buildings  and  84  rooms.  The  value  of  the  public 
school  property  is  more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars,  and  since  the 
organization  of  the  district  about  one  and  a  half  million  dollars  have 
been  expended  for  all  school  purposes.  The  yearly  expenditure  is 
now  more  than  $150,000.  The  total  enumeration  of  children  of  school 
age  for  1891  was  7,545,  a  gain  of  more  than  500  over  the  preceding 
year.     There  are  six  evening  schools. 

For  a  score  of  years  M.  S.  Crosby  has  been  the  principal  of  the 
high  school,  and  also  serves  as  superintendent  of  public  schools. 
There  are,  besides,  employed  in  the  district  three  male  and  74  fe- 
male teachers. 

In  the  town,  outside  of  Center  district,  there  are  schools  at  Hope- 
ville,  East  Mountain,  Saw  Mill  Plains,  Buck's  Hill,  Oronoke,  East 
Farms,  Bunker  Hill,  Waterville  and  Town  Plot.     In  several  of  these 


664  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

districts  there  are  fine  modern  buildings.  The  one  at  Saw  Mill  Plains, 
erected  in  1884,  has  a  beautiful  location.  Between  $4,000  and  $5,000 
is  annually  expended  on  the  schools  outside  of  Center  district. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  there  are  in  the  city  two  splendid 
schools,  maintained  by  the  Roman  Catholics — the  Convent  of  Notre 
Dame,  a  branch  of  Ville  Maria  Convent  of  Montreal,  Canada,  and  St. 
Mary's  Parochial  school  ;*  the  Home  School,  the  Hillside  Avenue 
School,  the  Waterbury  Industrial  School  for  Girls,  and  St.  Margaret's 
Diocesan  School  of  Connecticut.  The  value  of  the  private  school  prop- 
erty approximates  $200,000. 

St.  Margaret's  School  for  girls  stands  on  a  spacious  and  elevated  lot 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  city.  The  edifice,  which  is  a  large  frame, 
was  erected  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  for  school  purposes  by  a  joint 
stock  company.  After  some  changes  the  Episcopalians  of  Waterbury 
purchased  and  presented  it  free  of  all  incumbrance  to  the  Diocese  of 
Connecticut,  in  1875,  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  successfully  con- 
ducted with  the  above  name.  As  many  as  150  students  have  been 
in  attendance  at  one  time.  For  a  number  of  years  Reverend  Francis 
T.  Russell  has  been  the  rector  and  Miss  Mary  R.  Hillard  the  lady 
principal,  assisted  by  a  large  corps  of  teachers. 

Hillside  Avenue  School  was  opened  in  1885  by  Miss  Mary  Abbott, 
a  graduate  of  Vassar,  as  principal.  She  still  stands  in  that  relation, 
having  the  services  of  half  a  dozen  teachers.  A  legal  corporation  was 
formed  in  1888  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  school. 

The  Waterbury  Industrial  School  for  Girls  is  a  worthy  and  meri- 
torious enterprise  which,  with  the  occupancy  in  1891  of  its  fine  new 
edifice,  on  Central  avenue,  has  become  fully  established.  The  school 
is  in  session  from  the  first  Saturday  of  October  to  the  last  Saturday  of 
April,  and  is  designed  to  teach  young  girls  the  useful  arts  of  domestic 
economy  and  household  life.  In  1891  the  principal  officers  were  : 
President,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Harrison  ;  vice-president,  Mrs.  A.  S.  Chase ;  sec- 
retary, Mrs.  Gilman  C.  Hill  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  L.  Peck  ;  superintend- 
ent, Mrs.  P.  B.  Norton  ;  assistant  superintentent,  Mrs.  Charles  Stock- 
ing ;  first  directress,  Mrs.  E.  H.  Shannon  ;  second  directress,  Mrs.  R. 
A.  Lowe. 

The  public  library  has  for  many  years  sustained  an  important  re- 
lation to  the  educational  life  of  Waterbury.  Near  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century  Union  Library  was  formed  and  after  a  period  of 
usefulness  gave  place  to  others — to  the  Waterbury  Library,  some  time 
about  1820  and  at  a  later  period  to  the  Young  Men's  Institute  Library. 
The  latter  body  was  organized  November  19th,  1852,  and  in  three  years 
had  accumulated  a  library  of  1,500  volumes.  Twelve  years  later  the 
books  numbered  3,000,  and  about  that  time  they  were  placed  at  the 
disposition  of  the  trustees  of  the  Bronson  Free  Library.  This  library 
is  one  of  the  noblest  objects  in  the  city  and  ranks  as  one  of  the  largest 

*See  account  of  Catholic  churches. 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  665. 

and  wealthiest  free  libraries  in  the  state  of  Connecticut.  It  was 
named  for  its  founder,  Silas  Bronson,  a  native  of  Middlebury,  but  who 
was  at  the  time  of  his  death  a  citizen  of  New  York.  In  his  will  he 
made  a  bequest  of  $200,000  to  the  city  of  Waterbury  to  be  employed 
and  expended  in  the  establishment  and  support  of  a  free  library  for 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town.  In  1868  the  charter  of  the  city  was 
amended  to  take  charge  of  the  "Silas  Bronson  Free  Library  Fund," 
which  was  placed  in  the  care  of  twelve  agents,  viz.:  Greene  Hendrick, 
Willard  Spencer,  T.  J.  Dougherty,  J.  W.  Webster,  N.  J.  Welton,  F.  J. 
Kingsbury,  S.  W.  Kellogg,  Theodore  I.  Driggs,  Nathan  Dikeman,  D. 
F.  Maltby,  William  Brown  and  Lucien  S.  Bronson.  This  board  pro- 
vided a  building  for  the  library,  which  was  opened  to  the  public  in 
April,  1870,  and  has  since  been  largely  patronized.  The  library  has 
attained  vast  proportions  and  has  outgrown  its  present  quarters.  A 
commodious  new  library  building  for  its  use  will,  in  the  near  future, 
be  erected  in  the  new  city  park,  formerly  the  old  town  burial  ground 
on  Grand  street,  which  will  afford  room  for  years  to  come.  The  affairs 
of  the  library  have  been  prudently  managed  and  the  fund  has  been 
increased  to  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dollars.  Some  of  the 
foregoing  agents  have  served  on  the  board  continuously,  since  their 
first  appointment,  F.  J.  Kingsbury  being  treasurer  of  the  fund  in  all 
that  period.  About  $12,000  is  expended  yearly  in  maintaining  the 
library,  which  now  has  more  than  45,000  volumes,  covering  almost 
ever}'  subject  of  thought.  All  the  most  valuable  books  are  purchased 
as  they  appear,  and  the  collection  of  reference  books  is  especially  large 
and  valuable.  The  reading  room  contains  most  of  the  current  stand- 
ard periodicals  and  is  visited  by  hundreds  of  persons  daily.  For  many 
years  Homer  F.  Bassett  has  been  the  efficient  librarian,  and  his  ser- 
vices have  made  this  one  of  the  best  regulated  libraries  in  the  country. 
Miss  Helen  Sperry  and  Miss  Cora  F.  Laird  are  among  the  principal 
assistants.  The  president  of  the  library  is  John  O'Neil,  the  secretary 
T.  I.  Driggs  ;  the  treasurer,  F.  J.  Kingsbury — all  of  them  being  on  the 
board  of  agents.  The  other  members  of  the  board  are:  E.  W.  Don- 
ald, D.  F.  Maltby,  S.  W.  Kellogg,  Charles  R.  Baldwin,  Lewis  A.  Piatt, 
Thomas  Donahue,  A.  S.Chase,  James  Horigan  and  Emanuel  Reardon. 
This  board  very  properly  represents  many  shades  of  opinions  and  be- 
liefs, but  cooperating  for  a  common  purpose,  they  have  made  the  library 
an  object  of  common  interest.  Its  influence  upon  the  community  has 
thus  been  very  marked  and  highly  beneficial  in  promoting  the  culture 
of  many  citizens. 

Another  educational  and  also  semi-religious  body  is  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  of  Waterbury,  which  was  organized  in 
October,  1883.  This  is  the  second  body  of  that  nature,  the  first  one 
having  passed  out  of  existence  after  keeping  up  its  organization  about 
ten  years.  The  present  association  continues  prosperous,  having  in 
1891  about  400  members.     Its  first  president  was  F.  J.  Kingsbury,  but 


666  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

since  1889  that  position  has  been  filled  by  L.  J.  Atwood.  The  general 
secretary  since  December  1st,  1886,  has  been  F.  L.  Willis.  A  board  of 
fifteen  directors,  composed  of  members  from  the  Protestant  churches 
of  the  city,  manages  the  affairs  of  the  organization  and  expends  about 
$2,700  yearly  in  carrying  on  its  work,  which  embraces  several  depart- 
ments of  charitable  and  Christian  effort.  The  home  of  the  association 
is  in  the  Lampson  Block,  on  Bank  street,  which  has  become  too  small 
to  accommodate  the  membership.  Funds  are  being  raised  to  erect  a 
building  especially  for  the  use  of  the  association,  north  of  the  public 
green,  which  will  not  only  be  capacious,  but  attractive  in  its  appear- 
ance. It  is  estimated  to  cost  $50,000,  and  $10,000  of  that  sum  has  been 
donated  by  Henry  W.  Scovill.  The  association  has  a  well  stocked 
reading  room,  and  imparts  a  regular  course  of  study  in  its  class  rooms. 
Since  the  fall  of  1888  a  gymnasium  has  also  been  maintained  for  the 
benefit  of  its  members. 

Although  most  of  the  first  settlers  of  Waterbury  had  been  trained 
in  the  religious  beliefs  of  those  days  and  were  members  of  the  church 
in  Farmington,a  number  of  circumstances  prevented  them  from  being 
from  the  beginning  a  religious  community  in  the  same  sense  as  the 
other  towns  of  the  county.  The  plantation  of  Mattatuck  was  "  remote 
in  one  corner  of  the  wilderness,"  which  made  the  task  of  building 
homes  and  protecting  them  against  savage  inroads  so  burdensome 
that  they  had  "much  charge,  pains  and  hardships,"  which  prevented 
them  from  having  the  full  enjoyment  of  privileges  which  were  so 
dear  to  other  colonists.  Nearly  a  dozen  years  elapsed  before  they 
had  a  minister  settled  among  them.  And  yet  the  planters  of  Matta- 
tuck had  early  made  provision  for  the  religious  wants  of  their  com- 
munity. By  one  of  the  requirements  of  their  original  articles  three 
"  propriaties,"  valued  at  £150  each,  were  set  aside  for  "  public  and 
pious  uses."  One  was  reserved  for  the  minister.  As  a  further  en- 
couragement they  added,  in  1679,  a  home  lot  of  two  acres  and  other 
lands,  until  the  aggregate  was  20  acres  to  "be  and  remain  for  the  occu- 
pation of  the  minister  of  said  town  forever."  Still  the  settlement  of 
a  minister  was  delayed,  and  save  occasional  preaching  the  settlers  had 
to  journey  to  Farmington  to  attend  religious  meetings  for  about  ten 
years.  Then  their  greater  numbers  and  prosperity  encouraged  them 
to  petition  for  a  minister  of  their  own,  which  favor  was  in  due  time 
granted  them.  Since  that  time  religious  development  has  kept  pace 
with  the  growth  of  the  town.  In  1891  there  were  in  the  town  the  fol- 
lowing churches,  nearly  all  of  them  being  in  the  city  of  Waterbury: 
2  Congregational,  2  Episcopal,  2  Baptist,  5  Methodist,  4  Roman  Catho- 
lic, 1  Advent,  1  German  Lutheran,  1  Swedish,  and  1  African,  in  addi- 
tion to  several  places  where  union  services  are  held. 

In  1689  the  planters  of  Mattatuck  extended  a  call  to  Reverend 
Jeremiah  Peck,  at  that  time  settled  over  the  Greenwich  church.  He 
was  a  man  of  learning  and  experience,  which  would  make  him  a  de- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  667 

sirable  member  of  their  community,  and  they  not  only  offered  him 
the  generous  allotments  provided,  but  also  held  out  inducements  to 
members  of  his  family,  giving  them  lands  and  other  privileges.  Aside 
from  this  his  salary  was  to  be  £60  per  year,  £50  to  be  paid  in  provi- 
sions and  the  balance,  £10,  in  wood.  He  accepted  the  call,  and  the 
same  year  or  early  the  next  became  the  first  settled  minister  in  Water- 
bury.  He  continued  his  official  duties  until  disabled  by  apoplexy, 
from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  not  long  after,  June  7th,  1699, 
aged  77  years.  According  to  Cotton  Mather,  Jeremiah  Peck  had 
graduated  from  Harvard  some  time  about  1653.  After  this  he  was 
the  master  of  the  colony  school  at  New  Haven,  later  was  the  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Saybrook,  removed  thence  to  New  Jersey,  and  from  that 
state  to  Greenwich.  His  son,  Jeremiah,  who  came  with  him  to  Water- 
bury,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  schoolmasters  of  this  town. 

About  a  year  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Peck,  a  movement  was 
made  to  organize  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  who  were  religiously 
inclined,  into  a  church.  Accordingly  in  May,  1691,  the  general  court 
was  petitioned  for  the  desired  liberty,  which  was  granted,  and  on 
the  26th  of  August,  1691,  the  present  First  Congregational  Church 
was  duly  formed.  At  the  same  time  Mr.  Peck  was  installed  as  the 
pastor. 

At  this  time  the  members  were  few  and  poor,  so  that  it  required 
much  self-denial  to  carry  on  the  work  they  had  assumed.  In  all  the 
town  there  were  but  30  families,  and  all  the  male  members  of  the 
church  were  embraced  in  the  seven  required,  after  the  manner  of 
those  times,  to  act  as  "pillars."  Even  as  late  as  1705  there  were 
only  twelve  male  members.  Among  them,  undoubtedly,  were: 
Thomas  Judd,  Sr.,  Isaac  Bronson,  John  Stanley,  Obadiah  Richards, 
Abraham  Andruss,  Joseph  Gaylord,  Thomas  Judd,  Jr.,  Benjamin 
Barnes  and  probably  John  Hopkins  and  Thomas  Judd,  son  of  William, 
who  had,  with  a  few  exceptions,  belonged  to  the  church  at  Far- 
mington. 

The  first  place  of  worship  was  probably  the  house  of  Mr.  Peck, 
which  had  been  built  for  him  before  he  came  to  Waterbury.  A  small 
meeting  house  was  begun  in  1694,  which  was  occupied  before  it  was 
completed.  There  were  no  glazed  windows  until  1716,  when  the  town 
voted  £15  to  complete  the  house,  and  in  the  condition  it  was  then 
placed  it  was  used  until  1729.  It  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  green, 
near  where  is  now  the  public  fountain. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1699  Mr.  John  Southmayd,  of  Middletown, 
was  called  as  the  successor  of  Mr.  Peck.  Owing  to  the  financial 
straits  of  the  settlers  from  their  losses  by  floods  and  the  expense  to 
which  they  had  been  put  to  protect  themselves  against  Indian  attack, 
he  was  not  installed  until  June  20th,  1705.  Mr.  Southmayd  had  grad- 
uated from  Harvard  in  1697.  After  serving  here  40  years  he  was 
dismissed  at  his  own    request,  in  1739,  but   remained  a  resident  of 


668  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

the  town  until  his  death,  November  14th,  1755,  in  the  80th  year  of 
his  age.  At  this  time  he  was  reputed  to  be  the  wealthiest  man  in 
the  town.  His  son,  Daniel,  who  died  in  1754,  was  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  young  men  the  town  ever  produced.  After  graduating 
from  Yale  College  he  became  a  business  man  at  Waterbury,  where 
he  was  so  universally  beloved  that  his  death  cast  a  gloom  over  the 
entire  community.  Mr.  Leavenworth  preached  an  eloquent  funeral 
sermon,  in  which  he  spoke  of  him  as  "the  pride  of  Waterbury."  In 
the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Southmayd  the  second  meeting  house  was  built, 
from  1727  to  1729.  This  house  was  50  by  40  feet,  and  as  the  entire 
population  of  the  town  was  only  300  souls,  much  effort  was  required 
to  complete  it.  In  1730  a  gallery  was  added.  This  house  was  used 
about  65  years, 

Until  the  latter  part  of  1738  the  town  managed  the  temporalities  of 
the  church,  which,  having  the  support  of  all  the  inhabitants,  was  now 
quite  prosperous.  The  division  of  the  broad  area  of  the  town's  ter- 
ritory into  other  parishes  soon  after  began,  and  as  the  First  church 
from  time  to  time  furnished  most  of  the  members  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  these  new  churches,  it  naturally  remained  weak  many  years. 
The  ecclesiastical  society  of  the  First  church  held  its  first  meeting 
November  16th,  1738.  The  other  churches  formed  within  the  limits 
of  the  ancient  parish,  and  with  material  or  membership  contributed 
by  it  were  as  follows:  Westbury  (Watertown),  1739;  Northbury  (Ply- 
mouth), 1740;  Oxford  (in  part),  1745;  Wolcott  (in  part),  1773;  Salem 
(Naugatuck),  1781;  Middlebury  (in  part),  1796;  Prospect  (in  part),  179S; 
Terryville  (in  part),  1838;  Waterbury,  Second,  1S52. 

In  addition,  there  were  formed  within  the  parish  limits  in  the  city, 
besides  the  above  Congregational  bodies  in  the  old  town,  the  Episcopal 
church,  in  1742;  the  Baptist  church,  in  1803;  and  the  Methodist  church 
soon  after.  Since  its  last  generous  offering  to  the  Second  Waterbury 
church  the  growth  of  the  First  society  has  been  remarkably  steadfast. 
It  now  has  about  400  members. 

The  third  minister  was  the  Reverend  Mark  Leavenworth.  He  was 
the  sixth  child  of  Deacon  Thomas  Leavenworth,  of  Stratford,  and  was 
born  on  the  Housatonic,  about  two  miles  north  of  the  village  of  Shel- 
ton.  He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1737,  and  was  ordained  at  Waterbury 
in  1740.  He  died  as  the  pastor  of  the  church,  August  20th,  1797,  aged  86 
years,  but  his  last  public  official  act  was  in  his  84th  year,  when,  in  1795, 
he  laid  the  corner  stone  for  the  third  meeting  house.  In  the  same  year 
Reverend  Edward  Porter  was  installed  as  a  colleague  pastor,  and  was 
dismissed  by  the  church  January  10th,  1798.  At  the  time  Mr.  Leaven- 
worth began  his  pastorate  this  parish  shared  with  other  localities  a 
fear  that  the  Church  of  England  would  absorb  its  minister.  Hence, 
he  was  required  to  give  bonds  to  the  amount  of  £500,  forfeitable  "  if  he 
should  within  20  years  become  a  Churchman,  or  by  immorality  or 
heresy  render  himself  unfit  for  a  Gospel  minister,  to  be  decided  by  a 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  669 

Council."  He  remained  faithful  to  his  church,  but  attached  himself 
to  the  progressive  elements  of  it,  thus  making  himself  subject  to  ec- 
clesiastical censure  as  a  "  new  light." 

Near  the  close  of  Mr.  Leavenworth's  pastorate  the  third  meeting 
house  was  built  on  the  east  side  of  the  green,  a  little  north  of  the  old 
one.  It  was  occupied  in  1796,  and  was  erected  for  the  society  by  Will- 
iam Leavenworth,  for  the  sum  of  £850.  It  was  42  by  60  feet,  and  had 
a  steeple  in  which  was  placed  the  first  church  bell  in  the  town.  A  new 
steeple  was  built  in  1811,  and  a  new  bell  was  placed  in  it  in  1S13.  In 
1825  J.  M.  L.  Scovill  removed  the  house  to  the  site  now  occupied  by 
the  Second  Congregational  church.  After  being  used  about  15  more 
years  it  was  sold  and  removed  to  a  lot  in  the  rear  of  the  old  one,  where 
some  time  after  1840  it  was  fitted  up  as  Gothic  Hall — a  place  for  gen- 
eral meetings  and  public  gatherings.  It  is  still  (1892)  standing,  and  is- 
now  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  in  the  city. 

A  fourth  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1840  on  a  beautiful  site, 
north  of  the  center  of  the  green,  where  now  stands  the  fifth  house — a 
very  handsome  and  commodious  structure,  whose  corner  stone  was 
laid  in  1873.  The  auditorium  of  this  building  was  dedicated  March 
25th,  1875.  It  has  1,000  sittings,  and  its  appointments  are  elegant  and 
comfortable.  In  the  rear  of  the  main  edifice  are  a  spacious  chapel  and 
other  rooms  for  the  use  of  the  parish.  All  the  buildings  are  of  brick, 
trimmed  with  sandstone,  in  the  Gothic  style  of  architecture. 

Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Leavenworth  the  ministers  of  the  First 
Church  have  been  the  following: 

Reverend  Holland  Weeks,  ordained  November  20th,  1799,  dis- 
missed December  10th,  1806,  for  want  of  support.  He  was  an  able 
man,  but  there  was  a  low  ebb  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  which  pre- 
vented the  proper  support  of  a  pastor.  There  was  no  settled  minister 
for  two  years,  when  Luke  Wood  was  ordained  November  30th,  1S0S, 
and  assumed  the  pastorate,  which  relation  was  sustained  until  Novem- 
ber 19th,  1817.  Most  of  the  time  he  was  in  poor  health  and,  in  1816, 
his  place  was  filled  by  Reverend  Nettleton,  an  evangelist  of  unusual 
power.  A  great  revival  attended  his  labors  and  up  to  June,  1817, 
more  than  100  persons  were  added  to  the  church.  The  pulpit  was  now 
supplied  several  years,  after  which  the  successive  pastors  were:  Rev- 
erend Daniel  Crane,  installed  July  3d,  1821,  dismissed  April  25th,  1825; 
Joel  R.  Arnold,  installed  January  26th,  1831,  dismissed  June  7th,  1836; 
Henry  N.  Day,  ordained  November  8th,  1836,  dismissed  October  13th, 
1840;  David  Root,  installed  July  7th,  1841,  dismissed  in  1844  ;  Henry 
B.  Elliott,  installed  December  10th,  1845,  dismissed  April,  1851 ;  W. 
W.  Woodworth,  installed  September  29th,  1852,  served  until  1858  ; 
George  Bushnell,  from  1859  until  1864. 

The  ministry  of  the  present  efficient  pastor,  Reverend  Joseph  An- 
derson,  D.  D.,  began  here  February  12th,  1S65,  and  has  been  among 
the  longest,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  successful,  in  the  history  of  the 


670  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

church.  He  was  born  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  December  16th, 
1836,  and  was  the  only  child  in  his  father's  family.  When  six  years 
old  he  came  with  his  parents  to  America,  living  with  them  in  various 
parts  of  the  state  of  New  York.  At  the  opening  of  the  College  of  the 
City  of  New  York  he  entered  that  institution,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated as  the  valedictorian  in  1856.  He  at  once  entered  the  Union  The- 
ological Seminary,  in  the  same  city.  He  was  ordained  in  1S58  by  the 
Third  Presbytery  of  New  York,  after  having  been  elected  pastor  of 
First  Congregational  church  of  Stamford.  In  April,  1861,  he  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Congregational  church  in  Norwalk, 
and  during  his  ministry  there  he  visited  his  native  land  and  spent  sev- 
eral months  in  England. 

In  1878  Doctor  Anderson  received  the  degree  of  S.  T.  D.  from  Yale 
College  and  in  1S84  was  elected  a  member  of  the  corporation  of  the 
university,  being  the  only  graduate  of  another  college  than  Yale  who 
is  now  a  "fellow"  of  that  institution.  He  has  a  ripe  scholarship  and  is 
a  member  of  many  learned  societies,  and  has  contributed  valuable  pa- 
pers upon  various  subjects.  His  contributions  to  the  newspaper  press 
have  also  been  numerous.  A  large  number  of  his  books  and  pam- 
phlets have  been  published,  a  list  of  titles  alone  filling  three  pages  of 
the  catalogue  of  the  American  Historical  Association. 

Doctor  Anderson  has  become  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading 
champions  of  broad  culture  in  the  Congregational  ministry  and  has 
been  much  honored  in  various  eclesiastical  bodies  of  which  he  was  a 
member.  He  was  twice  the  moderator  of  the  General  Association  of 
Connecticut  and  once  moderator  of  the  General  Conference.  In 
August,  1891,  he  was  one  of  the  American  delegates  to  the  interna- 
tional council  of  Congregational  churches,  held  in  London.  In  the 
summer  of  this  year  he  also  made  a  European  continental  tour. 

Thomas  Judd  was  chosen  a  deacon  when  the  church  was  organized 
and  was  the  only  one  in  that  office  more  than  30  years.  He  died  Jan- 
uary 4th,  1747,  at  the  age  of  79  years,  after  having  served  the  town  in 
man)'  civil  capacities  and  also  as  the  captain  of  its  militia.  Thirty- 
seven  more  deacons  were  ordained  and  served  as  follows: 

Thomas  Hickox,  1726-8;  Thomas  Clark,  1728-65;  Joseph  Lewis, 
1738-49;  Thomas  Bronson,  1750-77;  Thomas  Bronson,  Jr.,  1756-9;  An- 
drew Bronson,  1795 ;  Joseph  Hopkins,  1795 ;  Stephen  Bronson, 

1797-1809;  Daniel  Bronson,  1801-24;  Joseph  Bartholomew,  1801-4;  Gid- 
eon Piatt,  1809-18;  Stephen  Hotchkiss,  1809 ;  Lemuel  Porter,  1811- 

18;  Elijah  Hotchkiss,  1818-33;  James  Brown,  1818-48;  Daniel  Upson, 
1818-32;  Aaron  Benedict,  1832-73;  Horace  Hotchkiss,  1832-8;  Bennett 
Bronson,  1S38-43;  Nelson  Hall,  1846-52;  Preserve  W.  Carter,  1849-60; 
Josiah  A.  Blake,  1852-7;  Edward  L.  Bronson,  1857-90;  Robert  Crane, 
M.  D.,  1859-61;  John  M.  Stocking,  1859-73;  Jonathan  R.  Crampton, 
1867-74;  Gershom  C.  H.Gilbert,  M.  D.,  1867-71;  Anson  G.  Stocking, 
1873-80;  Eben  Hoadley,  1873-92;  George  W.  Beach,  1873-92;  William 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  671 

H.  Bush,  1883-92;  Silas  B.  Terry,  1883-9;  Edward  O.  Hovey,  Ph.D., 
1889-92;  Alexander  C.  Mintie,  1890-2. 

The  First  church  has  produced  many  ministers,  some  of  whom  at- 
tained eminent  places  in  their  profession,  and  one,  Samuel  Hopkins, 
D.  D.,  became  one  of  the  most  celebrated  divines  in  his  time  of  life. 
He  was  a  son  of  Timothy  Hopkins,  Esq.,  who  lived  where  is  now  the 
southeast  corner  of  Main  and  Brooks  streets,  and  was  born  September 
17th,  1721.  Twenty  years  later  he  graduated  from  Yale,  and  soon 
after  commenced  to  study  theology  under  Jonathan  Edwards.  In 
May,  1742,  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  was  ordained  as  pastor  of 
the  Great  Barrington,  Mass.,  church  December  28th,  1743.  He  became 
not  only  a  forcible  preacher  and  expounder  of  the  Gospel,  but  also  at- 
tained distinction  as  an  author.  He  lived  last  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  where 
he  died  December  20th,  1803. 

The  bi-centennial  of  the  First  church  was  appropriately  celebrated 
at  Waterbury  November  4th  and  5th,  1S91.  Interesting  exercises  and 
attendance  of  delegates  from  the  churches  formed  out  of  the  First 
parish,  who  also  participated,  made  the  occasion  memorable.  At  this 
time  a  memorial  hymn,  composed  by  Reverend  Joseph  Anderson, 
D.  D.,  was  sung. 

The  Sunday  school  of  the  church  has  long  been  noted  for  its  use- 
fulness, and  the  many  other  auxiliaries  of  the  parish  are  not  only  pros- 
perous in  their  own  spheres,  but  exert  a  beneficial  influence  upon  this 
community. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  of  Waterbury  was  organized 
April  4th,  1852,  with  50  members,  who  had  been  dismissed  from  the 
First  church  to  form  this  society,  there  being  a  feeling  that  two 
churches  were  needed  to  accommodate  the  increasing  population  of 
the  town.  This  opinion  was  well  sustained  by  the  success  which  at- 
tended the  new  church,  without  apparently  crippling  the  usefulness 
of  the  old  old  one.  In  1857  the  church  had  170  members.  In  1891 
there  were  825  members. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1852,  Reverend  S.  W.  Magill,  D.  D.,  was  in- 
stalled as  the  first  pastor,  and  remained  until  November  29th,  1864, 
when  Reverend  Elisha  Whittlesey  became  his  successor.  The  latter's 
pastorate  was  terminated  July  7th,  1870,  when  he  was  dismissed.  Rev- 
erend E.  G.  Beckwith,  D.  D.,  was  installed  as  the  third  pastor  July 
12th,  1871,  and  was  dismissed  May  23d,  1881.  The  present  pastor, 
Reverend  John  G.  Davenport,  was  installed  November  9th,  1881,  and 
since  May,  1890,  he  has  been  assisted  by  Reverend  A.  C.  Baker. 

The  first  deacons  of  the  church,  Nelson  Hall  and  Charles  Bene- 
dict, were  ordained  April  9th,  1852.  Subsequently  deacons  were  or- 
dained: E.  W.  Keeler  and  George  W.  Cooke,  in  1855;  D.  H.  Maltby* 
and  E.  A.  Lum,  in  1869;  Homer  W.  Keeler,*  John  Woodward,  Jona- 
than  Highmore  and  Augustus    M.  Blakesley,*  in  1878;  L.  S.  Davis* 

*  Serving  as  deacons  in  1891. 


672  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  W.  P.  Abernethy,  in  1882;  Franklin  Warren  and  Stephen  W. 
Kellogg,*  in  1887. 

The  first  church  edifice  was  completed  in  April,  1855,  and  afforded 
accommodations  for  1,000  people.  Originally  its  steeple  was  the  tall- 
est in  the  state,  but  in  February,  1857,  a  severe  storm  blew  it  down 
and  damaged  the  church  walls.  The  house  was  properly  repaired, 
but  the  steeple  was  not  rebuilt,  and  the  edifice  has,  in  consequence, 
ever  since  had  an  unfinished  appearance.  A  chapel  was  afterward  built 
in  the  rear  of  this  house.  Although  so  spacious,  larger  accommodations 
are  required,  and  a  new  church  edifice  will  soon  be  built  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  West  Main  and  Holmes  street,  for  which  $12,000  has 
been  paid.  All  the  church  auxiliaries  are  prosperous,  and  large  Sun- 
day schools  are  maintained  in  the  church  and  at  Oakdale. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  several  Churchmen,  but  for  many 
years  they  were  content  to  pay  the  rates  imposed  for  the  support  of 
the  established  church  and  to  worship  in  the  meeting  house  provided 
for  that  body.  It  was  not  until  1737  that  the  half  dozen  families  in- 
clined to  Episcopacy  had  services  in  accordance  with  the  usages  of  the 
Church  of  England.  In  that  year  they  were  visited  by  Jonathan 
Arnold,  a  missionary  of  the  London  Society,  who  preached  in  Water- 
bury  and  baptized  two  infants.  Other  missionaries  from  the  same 
society  followed,  and  the  Churchmen  increased  in  numbers.  In  1742 
they  applied  to  the  town  for  permission  to  build  their  own  church, 
and  asked  for  a  share  of  the  public  funds.  They  received  a  grant  of 
;£12,  and  were  given  the  desired  liberty,  provided  they  would  set  their 
house  on  lands  purchased  from  one  of  the  settlers,  and  not  place  it  on 
public  grounds.  The  town  was  less  generous  in  1744,  when  it  refused 
to  grant  them  parish  privileges,  as  it  was  opposed  to  the  division  into 
different  societies. 

Many  of  the  adherents  of  the  Church  of  England,  at  that  time  in 
Waterbury,  were  such  as  had  left  the  Congregational  church  on  account 
of  the  agitation  consequent  upon  the  discussion  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
"  old  lights  "  and  the  "  new  lights."  There  was  a  heated  controversy, 
and  but  little  charity  was  exercised  toward  those  who  dissented  from 
old  usages.  Even  the  minister,  Reverend  Mark  Leavenworth,  was 
not  exempt  from  unjust  aspersions.  He  was  a  man  of  liberal  views, 
and  his  ideas  of  justice  were  clearly  defined.  They  would  not  permit 
him  to  use  the  rates  levied  upon  the  Churchmen  for  his  support,  and 
his  convictions  also  led  him  to  become  a  "  new  light."  In  conse- 
quence of  this  profession  he  was  censured  and  suspended  from  the 
"Consociated  Communion."  Thus  strengthened  by  these  local  cir- 
cumstances, the  Episcopalians  commenced  the  work  of  building  their 
church.  The  house  was  set  on  the  corner  of  West  Main  and  North 
Willow  streets,  but  it  was  not  completed  until  1747.  It  had  galleries 
above  and  pews  below,  and  was  used  until  1795,  as  St.  James'  church. 

*  Serving  as  deacon  in  1891. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  673 

Soon  after  it  was  occupied  a  regular  minister  was  secured.  In  1749 
Reverend  Richard  Mansfield,  who  had  just  returned  from  England, 
where  he  had  gone  to  take  holy  orders,  was,  as  missionary  of  the  Lon- 
don Society,  placed  over  the  churches  at  West  Haven,  Derby  and 
Waterbury,  to  each  of  which  he  ministered  one-third  of  the  time.  He 
was  an  active  and  faithful  servant,  and  the  church  was  fully  established 
and  flourished  under  his  ministry.  In  1758  Waterbury  was  reported 
as  a  separate  mission,  and  the  minister  was  the  Reverend  James 
Scovill. 

The  troublous  times  of  the  revolution  soon  after  came  on  and 
alienated  the  fraternal  feelings  which  had  existed  between  the  two 
societies  at  Waterbury  and  interrupted  the  prosperity  of  St.  James' 
church.  Many  Churchmen  were  patriots,  but  others,  mainly  on  account 
of  their  loyalty  to  the  London  Society,  which  provided  them  spiritual 
comforts,  adhered  to  the  British  crown.  The  numerical  strength  of 
the  two  societies  was  about  the  same,  and  in  order  to  prevent  a  clash- 
ing of  interests  the  town  voted,  in  1775,  to  establish  two  school  dis- 
tricts, one  for  the  Presbyterians  and  the  other  for  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. This  preserved  for  a  time  the  amicable  relations,  but  later  oc- 
curred acts  of  violence  in  which  the  property  of  the  Churchmen  was 
made  to  suffer.  Interest  in  church  work  was  now  abated,  but  was  re- 
vived after  the  war.  In  October,  1786,  the  Episcopal  bishop  visited 
Waterbury  and  confirmed  a  large  number  of  persons. 

A  new  church  edifice  was  begun  in  1795,  and  was  consecrated  No- 
vember 1st,  1797,  by  Bishop  Jarvis,  as  St.  John's  church.  This  house 
was  used  until  1847,  when  it  was  sold  to  the  Catholics,  who  moved  it 
to  East  Main  street,  where,  on  the  site  of  St.  Patrick's  Hall,  it  served 
as  their  first  church  and  stood  many  years.  Meantime  the  Episco- 
palians had  increased  in  numbers  and  wealth,  and  a  fine  new  church 
edifice  was  built  in  1S46-7  on  a  more  central  site  west  of  the  green.  It 
was  of  stone,  and  at  that  time  ranked  as  one  of  the  finest  churches  in 
the  state.  On  the  12th  of  January,  184S,  this  second  St.  John's  church 
was  properly  dedicated.  It  was,  however,  doomed  to  misfortune.  A 
storm  in  February,  1857,  blew  down  the  steeple,  and  on  the  24th  of 
December,  1868,  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  loss  was  heavy,  but  the 
parish  was  not  discouraged.  A  temporary  chapel  was  provided  on 
State  and  West  Main  streets,  and  the  work  of  rebuilding  St.  John's 
church  on  the  same  foundations  was  begun  in  1870.  This  edifice  was 
consecrated  June  24th,  1873.  It  is  a  handsome  building,  in  the  English 
Gothic  style,  of  Quincy  and  Westerly  granite,  trimmed  with  Ohio  free- 
stone. A  fine  stone  tower  relieves  the  building  and  contains  a  chime 
of  bells.  The  interior  of  the  church  is  very  commodious  and  hand- 
somely finished.  A  fine  chapel  was  added  to  the  rear  of  the  main 
edifice.  In  1890  a  two-story  parish  house  was  built  on  the  same  lot- 
It  is  of  brick,  trimmed  with  sandstone.  Another  chapel  in  the  parish 
43 


674  HkSTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

has  been  built  at  Waterville.     On  a  lot  southeast  of  St.  John's  a  roomy 
and  attractive  new  rectory  was  built  in  1885. 

The  parish  when  created  had  very  generous  bounds.  These  have 
been  curtailed  by  the  formation  of  new  parishes  in  the  adjoining 
towns,  and  by  the  creation  of  Trinity  parish  in  Waterbury.  The  en- 
tire beeinningf  of  the  latter  was  within  this  church.  Nevertheless,  St. 
John's  still  has  in  its  own  parish  more  than  400  families  and  nearly 
700  registered  communicants.  It  yearly  raises  nearly  $10,000  for  all 
purposes  of  church  work,  and  maintains  an  excellent  Sunday  school, 
which  has  450  members. 

From  1805  to  1814  Reverend  Virgil  H.  Barber  was  the  rector  of 
St.  John's.  Later  Reverend  Allen  C.  Morgan  filled  that  position,  re- 
signing in  1836  to  become  the  principal  of  the  Episcopal  Academy  of 
Connecticut.  Then  came  as  the  rector  the  beloved  Reverend  Jacob 
L.  Clark,  whose  service  of  more  than  40  years  developed  the  present 
fine  condition  of  the  parish.  In  the  latter  years  of  his  service  he  was 
assisted  by  other  ministers,  among  them  being  Reverends  Francis  T. 
Russell,  M.  K.  Bailey  and  Joel  F.  Bingham.  The  latter  succeeded 
Doctor  Clark  as  rector,  and  served  the  parish  until  1880.  From  1881 
to  1883  Reverend  R.  R.  Converse  was  the  rector,  and  since  1884  Rev- 
erend Edmund  Rowland,  D.  D.,  has  ably  presided  over  the  affairs  of  the 
parish. 

.Scovill  M.  Buckingham  was  senior  warden  of  the  church  many 
years  until  his  death  in  April,  1889,  when  Nelson  J.  Welton,  who  had 
long  been  junior  warden,  was  advanced  to  that  office,  the  latter's  place 
being  filled  by  E.  R.  Lampson.  The  parish  has  had  a  number  of  lib- 
eral patrons:  Oliver  Welton,  Samuel  W.  Hall  and  others  being  grate- 
fully remembered  in  that  connection. 

Trinity  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  is  a  young  but  very  prosper- 
ous body.  The  meeting  to  form  a  new  parish  was  held  April  4th,  1877, 
and  on  May  22d  following  the  organization  was  legally  effected  by 
electing  Edward  T.  Root,  clerk;  R.  E.  Hitchcock,  senior  warden;  and 
John  W.  Smith,  junior  warden.  At  this  meeting  it  was  also  voted  that 
the  sittings  in  the  church  should  be  free  to  all.  A  house  of  worship 
on  Grand  street,  which  had  formerly  been  used  by  a  society  of  Uni- 
versalists,  was  leased  for  five  years  and  refitted  at  an  outlay  of  $3,000, 
and  in  it  the  first  services  were  held,  May  27th,  1877.  Until  a  regular 
minister  could  be  secured,  Reverend  Francis  T.  Russell  was  requested 
to  take  charge  of  the  parish.  On  the  15th  of  July,  1877,  Reverend 
Richard  W.  Micou,  of  Kitanning,  Pa.,  was  called  to  the  rectorship,  and 
accepted.  His  devoted  service  since  that  time  has  greatly  built  up  the 
parish.  In  1890  it  contained  440  families  and  about  1,700  individual 
members.     There  were  465  registered  communicants. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  1881,  the  parish  voted  to  build  a  church 
on  a  lot  bought  on  Prospect  street,  near  the  north  side  of  the  green. 
A  week  later  a  building  committee,  composed  of  R.  E.  Hitchcock,  E.  D. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  675 

Steele,  E.  C.  Lewis,  E.  L.  Frisbie  and  the  rector,  was  appointed,  and  under 
their  direction  the  handsome  edifice  now  occupied  was  erected.  The 
foundation  was  laid  in  the  fall  of  1882  and  the  corner  stone  was  placed 
in  position  May  21st,  1883.  The  following  year  the  church  was  com- 
pleted, and  the  first  service  in  it  was  held  May  18th,  18S4.  The 
entire  cost  of  the  property— site,  building-  and  furniture — was  $71,829. 
Generous  amounts  were  contributed  by  many  friends,  and  several 
memorial  funds  were  also  available  to  defray  this  cost.  On  the  death 
of  Samuel  W.  Hall,  March  5th,  1877,  he  left  a  fund  of  $15,000,  to  be 
used  in  a  memorial  to  his  wife,  Nancy  M.  Hall,  which  was  thus  ap- 
plied, as  was  also  the  gift  of  $10,000  by  Gordon  W.  Burnham,  in  mem- 
ory of  Mrs.  Burnham.  In  1886  the  parish  was  freed  from  all  debt,  and 
May  27th,  1887,  the  church  was  formally  consecrated.  It  has  600  sit- 
tings, and  few  churches  in  the  county  surpass  it  in  beauty  and  comfort. 

The  Waterbury  Baptist  Church  was  organized  November  10th, 
1803,  and  was  composed  first  of  29  members,  who  had  been  dismissed 
from  the  Wallinofford  church.  Amongf  them  were  Zenas  Brockett, 
David  Frost  and  Isaac  Terrell.  Elders  Samuel  Miller  and  Daniel 
Wildman  first  preached,  and  for  several  years  the  members  walked  to 
Wallingford  to  attend  communion  services.  In  1815  Samuel  Potter 
and  Jesse  Frost  were  ordained  as  co-pastors  of  the  church,  and  meet- 
ings were  more  frequently  held  at  the  houses  of  Enoch  Frost,  at  Saw- 
mill Plain;  Nathan  Piatt,  at  Plattsville;  Samuel  Potter,  at  Hopeville; 
and  John  Russell,  at  Prospect. 

In  1817  60  persons  were  dismissed  from  the  Waterbury  church  to 
form  the  churches  in  Salem  and  Bethany,  whose  organization  was 
kept  up  until  about  1840.  After  these  members  had  left,  in  1817,  the 
first  church  building  was  put  up  at  Sawmill  Plain,  beyond  where  is 
now  the  chapel  in  the  cemetery  in  that  locality.  It  was  a  simple  and 
even  rude  structure,  but  was  used  17  years,  and  in  it  the  first  Sunday 
school  was  organized  in  1825.  The  same  year  Elder  Jesse  Frost  died. 
The  following  year  Deacon  Timothy  Porter  was  licensed  to  preach, 
exercising  his  gift  until  1S35. 

In  the  latter  year  the  brick  church  edifice  on  South  Main  street  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  $6,500.  In  1859  it  was  reconstructed,  the  main  en- 
trance being  placed  on  Bank  street.  The  building  was  now  40  by  95 
feet,  and  had  a  spire  125  feet  high.  In  the  fall  of  1S76  the  house  was 
thoroughly  remodelled.  In  1882  this  building  was  sold  for  business 
purposes,  the  last  service  being  held  there  August  22d,1882.  Turner's 
Hall  was  now  occupied  while  the  new  edifice  was  building. 

Work  on  the  Grand  street  church  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1882, 
and  on  the  2d  of  August,  that  year,  the  corner  stone  was  laid.  The 
chapel  was  occupied  December  15th,  1882,  and  the  new  church  was 
dedicated  May  31st,  1883.  It  is  a  fine  and  commodious  edifice,  and  the 
entire  cost  of  that  property  was  $58,175.52. 

After   the    church    began  worshipping  in  the  South   Main  street 


676  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

building,  in  1835,  Elders  W.  Russell  and  E.  Savage  supplied  the  pulpit 
until  1838,  since  which  year  a  regular  ministry  has  usually  been  main- 
tained. The  pastors  were  as  follows:  1839,  Reverend  A.  D.  Watrous, 
who  baptized  81  persons;  1840,  Reverend  William  S.  Smith;  1841-3, 
no  pastor,  and  hard  times  in  consequence  of  the  panic  and  the  unset- 
tled church  debt;  1844,  Reverend  Allen  Darron;  1848,  Reverend  Ne- 
hemiah  Perkins:  1855-72,  Reverend  Joseph  A.  Bailey,  died  May  11th, 
1873,  aged  50  years;  1874-7,  Reverend  George  A.  Starkweather,  who 
established  the  mission  at  Simonsville,  which  has  partaken  of  the  gen- 
eral prosperity  of  the  church.  The  chapel  at  that  place  was  dedicated 
May  10th,  1876.  August  3d,  1877,  Reverend  G.  W.  Folwell  became  the 
pastor  and  served  until  August  15th,  1884;  February  27th,  1885,  Rever- 
end John  W.  Richardson  assumed  the  pastorate  and  continued  until 
December  9th,  1887.  His  ministry  greatly  increased  the  power  and 
usefulness  of  the  church.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor, 
Reverend  William  P.  Elsden,  May  4th,  1888. 

In  1890  the  church  reported  565  members.  John  T.  Trott  is  the 
treasurer  of  the  church,  and  Henry  F.  Sanford  the  clerk.  The  Sunday 
school  has  461  members,  and  the  one  at  Simonsville  has  138.  Of  the 
latter  R.  G.  Snagg  is  the  superintendent. 

The  Waterbury  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  dates  its  existence 
from  the  closing  years  of  the  last  century.  In  the  latter  part  of  Sep- 
tember, 1796,  Bishop  Asbury  preached  in  the  Separate  meeting  house, 
in  the  Columbia  district,  and  a  small  society  of  Methodists  was  formed 
there  soon  after.  Later,  this  faith  also  found  lodgment  at  East  Farms, 
where  a  class  was  formed  about  1800,  which  embraced  among  its  mem- 
bers some  who  had  previously  been  connected  with  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  The  class  never  became  strong  in  numbers,  but  the 
Methodists  have  remained  the  principal  religious  body  in  that  part  of 
the  town  and  maintain  worship  to  this  day. 

Another  Methodist  class  was  organized  at  Pine  Hole  (near  Water- 
ville)  in  1815,  and  from  these  sources  has  originated  the  present  pros- 
perous Methodist  church  in  the  city.  The  Waterville  class  had  at  first 
but  five  members,  and  never  became  strong  numerically,  but  those 
belonging  were  zealous  and  full  of  good  works.  Many  changes  in  its 
affairs  have  taken  place,  but  worship  is  now  statedly  held  in  a  build- 
ing worth  $2,500.  Samuel  R.  Hickox  was  the  first  class  leader  and 
afterward  became  a  local  preacher. 

The  main  place  of  these  Methodist  meetings  was  at  Waterville,  but 
prayer  meetings  were  often  held  at  the  house  of  one  of  the  members, 
Mother  Mary  Peck,  who  lived  in  a  small  red  house  in  the  village  of 
Waterbury.  Here,  later,  preaching  was  held  in  the  school  houses  and 
other  public  places.  Samuel  R.  Hickox  was  one  of  the  first  preachers 
to  regularly  proclaim  the  Gospel. 

In  1829  the  Methodists  of  Waterbury  received  a  valuable  accession 
in  the  family  of  William  Eaves,  who  were  ardent  Wesleyans,  and  who 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  677 

that  year  removed  to  Waterbury  from  England.  In  1831  a  revival, 
mainly  the  result  of  the  preaching  of  Heman  Bangs,  increased  the 
number  from  25  to  about  100,  and  private  houses  no  longer  accommo- 
dated the  worshippers.  It  was  now  resolved  to  build  a  church  in  the 
borough  of  Waterbury.  For  this  purpose  a  site  on  Union  square  was 
deeded,  May  26th,  1832,  to  trustees  William  Eaves,  Rufus  Patchen,  Ed- 
ward Perkins,  Jr.,  and  Ebenezer  Welton.  On  this  a  plain  frame  meet- 
ing house  was  built,  which  was  dedicated  April  27th,  1833.  This 
house  was  used  for  21  years,  much  of  the  time  with  a  debt  resting  on 
it.  The  members  of  the  Waterbury  church  were  poor  in  worldly 
goods,  but  they  increased  in  numbers  and  influence.  In  1850  there 
were  belonging  245  persons,  and  the  church  debt  had  been  fully  paid. 

The  building  of  a  new  church  more  centrally  located  was  begun  in 
1852,  and  March  1st,  1854,  it  was  dedicated.  This  was  a  plain,  com- 
modious brick  building,  and  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Piatt  Block,  on 
East  Main  street,  until  1887,  when  it  was  demolished.  Having  be- 
come too  small,  it  was  sold  to  the  Catholics  in  1876,  for  the  sum  of 
$25,000,  but  was  used  under  a  lease  until  the  present  church  could  be 
occupied. 

This  handsome,  roomy  and  well  arranged  church  edifice  is  on 
North  Main  street  and  Abbott  avenue.  The  lot  was  donated  by  Anson 
F.  Abbott,  in  September,  1876,  and  soon  thereafter  the  building  was 
begun.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  July  19th,  1877.  The  chapel  was 
occupied  in  January,  1878,  and  the  main  room  was  dedicated  May  22d, 
1878.  The  church  is  at  present  valued  at  $70,000.  A  fine  brick  par- 
sonage, adjoining  on  Abbott  avenue,  is  valued  at  $7,500. 

A  number  of  successful  missions  have  been  established  by  this 
church.  The  one  begun  on  Long  Hill  in  1886  has  become  St-Paul's 
church,  and  is  now  prosperous  as  an  independent  organization.  At 
Simonsville  a  church  was  built  in  18S9,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  and  it  has 
also  become  a  separate  appointment.  The  aggregate  membership  of 
the  foregoing  churches  is  about  1,000,  and  the  yearly  expense  of  carry- 
ing on  their  work  is  more  than  $6,000. 

In  1833  the  first  Sunday  school  was  organized  by  the  Methodists, 
who  now  have  half  a  dozen  schools  in  the  town.  The  one  connected 
with  the  First  church  has  more  than  600  members.  Anson  F.  Abbott 
was  the  superintendent  23  years,  ending  in  1883. 

The  colored  people  of  the  city  have  in  recent  years  organized  a 
church  of  the  Methodistic  belief,  which  is  also  prosperous"  and  promo- 
tive of  much  good  among  that  class  of  citizens. 

Also,  in  recent  years,  there  has  been  established  a  Second  Adventist 
church,  and  one  of  the  German  Baptist  persuasion. 

On  Bunker  Hill  a  Union  chapel  has  been  erected,  in  which  services 
are  held  by  various  ministers  of  the  foregoing  churches. 

In  1886  the  First  Congregational  church  organized  a  branch  so- 
ciety among  its  German   members.     In  1890  this  branch  voted  to  be- 


678  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

come  a  German  Lutheran  church,  and  as  such  it  was  fully  organized 
in  February,  1891.  A  chapel  on  Leavenworth  street  is  occupied,  and 
there  is  a  growing  membership,  with  Reverend  E.  G.  Julius  Richter 
as  the  pastor. 

The  Catholics  of  Waterbury  are  numerous,  progressive  and  influ- 
ential. They  constitute  about  one-third  of  the  population  and  their 
church  property  nearly  equals  in  value  that  of  all  the  other  churches 
combined.  This  vast  estate  has  been  accumulated  in  several  score  of 
years.  Scarcely  half  a  century  has  elapsed  since  Catholicism  has  had 
an  established  place  in  the  town.  Its  doctrines  were  here  first  preached 
by  the  Reverend  James  Fitton,  a  missionary  priest  coming  from  Bos- 
ton. In  his  visit  to  this  place  he  found  a  few  Catholics,  but  probably 
did  not  celebrate  mass.  That  form  of  worship  was  first  observed  in 
the  town  by  the  priest  who  followed  him,  Reverend  James  T.  McDer- 
mott,  who  came  from  New  Haven,  occasionally  until  1837,  when  he 
was  transferred  to  Lowell,  Mass.  He  held  his  meetings  at  the  house 
of  a  man  named  Donnelly,  at  the  West  End,  and  Michael  Neville  was 
one  of  those  who  was  regarded  as  a  leading  Catholic. 

The  next  priest  to  attend  Waterbury  was  Reverend  James  Smyth, 
of  St.  Mary's  parish,  New  Haven.  He  and  Father  John  Brady  were  at 
that  time  the  only  resident  priests  in  the  state.  His  services  here  ex- 
tended from  1837  until  the  fall  of  1848.  His  efforts  to  found  a  Catholic 
church  in  Waterbury  were  bitterly  opposed  and  in  1839  a  plan  was 
laid  to  drive  the  Irish  Catholics  out  of  town  by  the  use  of  violent 
means.  But  fortunately  these  base  designs  were  frustrated  through  the 
friendly  aid  of  John  P.  Elton,  a  Protestant  employer  of  many  of  the 
Catholic  workmen,  who  was  a  just  and  fair  minded  man,  and  the  rapid 
increase  of  the  Catholics  soon  after,  prevented  a  similar  attempt. 
Father  Smyth  continued  saying  mass  until  1845,  the  house  of  Michael 
Neville  being  used  as  the  place  of  meeting,  until  the  latter  year,  when 
Doctor  Jesse  Porter's  Washington  Hall  was  secured  and  was  used  un- 
til the  Catholics  had  their  own  church. 

In  1847  a  church  lot  was  secured  on  the  corner  of  East  Main  and 
Dublin  streets,  where  it  was  proposed  to  place  the  old  Episcopal  church 
which  had  been  purchased  by  the  Catholics.  Its  removal  from  West 
Main  street  was  begun,  but  when  the  building  reached  the  foot  of  the 
hill  on  East  Main  street,  the  contractor  became  satisfied  that  he  must 
abandon  the  undertaking  on  account  of  the  high  rising  ground.  The 
original  plan  was  now  abandoned  and  another  church  lot,  opposite 
where  the  building  rested  in  the  street,  where  is  now  St.  Patrick's  Hall, 
was  bought,  and  there  the  doors  of  the  first  Catholic  church  were 
opened  as  St.  Peter's. 

In  October,  1847,  the  Reverend  Michael  O'Neile  became  the  first 
resident  priest.  Up  to  that  time  many  of  the  church  rites  were  cele- 
brated in  New  Haven,  and  often  the  entire  Catholic  community,  about 
100  persons,  traveled  thither,  a  distance  of  22  miles.     Father  O'Niele 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  679 

first  offered  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  mass  in  St.  Peter's  church,  on 
Christmas  day,  1847.  He  was  young,  full  of  life,  and  being  zealous 
to  an  unusual  degree,  imparted  to  his  parishioners  much  of  the  same 
spirit.  Some  time  after  1850  he  purchased  the  property  on  which  is 
now  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  and  in  one  of  the 
.  houses  on  that  lot  he  lived  until  July,  1855,  when  he  was  transferred 
to  East  Bridgeport.  He  later  lived  at  New  Haven,  where  he  died 
February  25th,  1868,  aged  49  years.  A  monument  to  his  memory  has 
been  erected  in  St.  Joseph's  cemetery,  where  he  was  interred. 

Father  Thomas  F.  Hendricken,  the  second  resident  priest,  began 
his  labors  in  July,  1855,  and  his  ministry  was  remarkably  successful. 
The  fruits  of  his  good  works  are  still  manifest  on  every  hand.  Said 
a  later  worker  in  this  parish:* 

"  The  seed  sown  by  Father  Hendricken  is  now  bearing  rich  fruit.  It 
is  true  that  some  feared  he  was  in  advance  of  his  time,  and  that  a  few 
of  his  undertakings  were  more  or  less  hazardous  .  .  .  But  he  saw  into 
the  future  and  acted  according  to  the  light  vouchsafed  him.  And  the 
future  justified  his  actions.  The  name  of  Father  Hendricken  and  the 
parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  are  inseparable. 

"  He  built  the  present  church  and  parochial  residence,  established 
a  parochial  school  in  the  old  church,  purchased  the  property  of  the 
convent  De  Notre  Dame,  erected  the  Convent  hall,  and  bought  the 
magnificent  property  on  which  St.  Mary's  school  now  stands.  Though 
a  great  deal  of  that  property  has  been  sold  from  time  to  time,  it  is  at 
present,  unquestionably,  the  finest  school  lot  in  Connecticut." 

Soon  after  his  residence  here,  Father  Hendricken  devoted  his  en- 
ergies to  the  building  of  the  new  church.  The  corner  stone  was  laid 
July  5th,  1857,  and  on  the  19th  day  of  December  the  church  was  dedi- 
cated. The  architecture  is  purely  gothic.  It  presents  the  following 
dimensions:  extreme  length  162  feet,  extreme  breadth  65  feet,  in- 
terior height  60  feet,  height  of  spire  200  feet. 

After  17  years  of  incessant  labor  in  this  parish,  Doctor  Hendricken 
was  elevated  to  the  bishopric  of  Providence,  his  consecration  taking 
place  at  Providence  April  28th,  1872.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  that 
office  until  his  death  June  11th,  1886. 

Father  James  Lynch  began  his  labors  here  in  April,  1872,  and  re- 
mained until  his  elevation  to  the  vicar-generalship  of  St.  Patrick's  par- 
ish, New  Haven,  in  August,  1876.  He  died  in  that  city  in  December, 
the  same  year.  In  a  short  space  of  time  he  cleared  the  Waterbury 
parish  of  a  debt  of  $38,000  and  left  it  upon  a  sound  financial  basis. 

In  August,  1876,  Reverend  Lawrence  Walsh  was  called  to  the 
charge  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  remaining  until  July  29th,  1883, 
when  he  was  transferred  to  Westerly,  R.  I.  He  died  in  Boston,  Jan- 
uary 3d,  1884. 

Father  William  A.  Harty  began  his  ministry  in  Waterbury  August 

*Reverend  James  H.  O'Donnell. 


680  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

4th,  1883,  and  continued  it  until  January  1st.  1886.  In  this  brief  pas- 
torate he  thoroughly  renovated  the  church  edifice  at  a  cost  of  $15,000, 
without  leaving  a  debt.  It  was  reopened  September  28th,  1884.  He 
left  the  parish  to  become  the  rector  of  the  Cathedral  at  Hartford. 
During  his  pastorate  he  greatly  advanced  the  interests  of  the  parish, 
whose  work  has  been  successfully  continued  by  the  present  efficient 
priest,  Reverend  John  A.  Mulcahy,  the  pastor  since  January  1st,  1886. 
He  is  assisted  by  Reverends  J.  Flemming  and  J.  H.  O'Donnell.  In 
all  about  50  assistant  priests  have  aided  the  foregoing  rectors  in  carry- 
ing on  the  work  of  the  parish.  The  value  of  the  parish  property  is 
$150,000,  and  the  population  embraces  about  6,000  souls. 

Out  of  the  original  St.  Peter's  Church  at  Waterbury,  and  later  the 
parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  have  been  formed  three  other 
parishes,  viz.:  St.  Patrick's,  St.  Anne's  and  the  Church  of  the  Sacred 
Heart.  In  1876  the  Methodists  sold  their  church  building  on  East  Main 
street  to  the  Catholics,  who  in  1878  converted  it  into  St.  Patrick's 
chapel.  As  such  it  was  used  until  April,  1887,  when  it  was  sold  to 
I.  G.  Piatt,  who  removed  it  to  make  place  for  his  fine  block,  now  oc- 
cupying that  site.  In  this  chapel  most  of  the  foregoing  churches  were 
organized. 

St.  Patrick's,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Reverend  J.  H.  Duggan, 
sought  its  field  of  labor  on  the  west  or  Brooklyn  side  of  the  city.  A 
fine  church  lot,  extending  from  Bank  to  Charles  street,  was  purchased, 
upon  which  ground  was  broken  in  1880.  The  corner  stone  of  the 
edifice  was  laid  in  1881,  and  since  that  time  the  work  of  building  has 
been  carried  on.  The  church  when  completed  will  cost  $200,000,  and 
will  be  one  of  the  finest  and  most  commodious  in  the  county.  The 
lower  walls  of  the  building  are  massive  granite;  the  upper  part  is 
composed  of  hammered  copper  with  a  stone  finish.  In  1891  the  build- 
ing was  under  roof,  and  the  basement  part  had  for  several  years  been 
occupied.  Father  Duggan  has  continued  as  the  resident  priest,  and 
his  ceaseless  labors  have  augmented  the  natural  growth  of  the  parish, 
which  already  has  a  large  membership. 

In  February,  1885,  the  parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  was 
divided,  that  portion  lying  east  of  Welton  and  Dublin  streets,  having 
been  erected  into  a  new  parish  under  the  patronage  of  the  Sacred 
Heart,  with  Reverend  Hugh  Treanor  as  its  first  pastor.  He  still 
serves  in  that  connection.  In  the  summer  of  1885  the  corner  stone  of 
the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  was  laid,  and  after  several  years  the 
fine  and  substantial  edifice  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $80,000.  The 
church  is  located  on  East  Main  street  in  a  growing  section  of  the  city, 
and  the  outlook  for  the  parish  is  very  promising. 

St.  Anne's  Church,  for  the  use  of  the  French  Catholics,  is  a  frame 
edifice,  which  was  put  up  in  1888.  It  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city 
on  South  Main  street.  The  first  pastor  was  Reverend  Joseph  W.  Fones, 
appointed  April  15th,  1886.     The  first  service  was  May  2d,  1886,  in  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  681 

old  Universalist  society's  building.  The  new  church  was  occupied 
January  6th,  1889.  The  present  pastor,  Reverend  J.  E.  Bourret,  came 
April  15th,  1890.     The  assistant  pastor  is  Reverend  J.  E.  Senesac. 

The  entire  membership  of  all  these  Catholic  churches  is  more  than 
10,000  souls. 

For  more  than  a  dozen  years  the  Catholics  of  Waterbury  held  their 
funerals  in  New  Haven.  In  1847  a  burial  lot  on  Grand  street,  adjoin- 
ing the  city  cemetery,  was  purchased,  and  there  many  Catholics  were 
interred  in  the  next  ten  years.  In  1890  the  city  condemned  these 
•cemeteries  for  public  purposes,  and  the  following  year  they  were  fully 
vacated.  On  December  1st,  1857,  Father  Hendricken  bought  St.  Jo- 
seph's cemetery,  paying  for  the  same  $2,000.  Still  greater  cemetery 
privileges  were  obtained  when,  in  1884,  Father  Harty  purchased 
"  East  Farms  "  for  that  purpose.  Very  proper  care  for  the  memory  of 
the  dead  has  been  maintained,  and  many  fine  monuments  may  be  seen 
in  St.  Joseph's  cemetery. 

Of  the  parish  institutions  the  Convent  de  Notre  Dame  is  the  oldest. 
It  was  established  September  8th,  1869,  by  Father  Hendricken.  A 
week  later  the  school  was  opened  by  four  sisters  from  Notre  Dame, 
Montreal,  with  Mother  St.  Cecilia  as  the  superior.  In  1882  Mother  St. 
Gabriel  succeeded  her,  and  was  at  the  head  of  the  school  until  her 
death,  in  May,  1887.  Since  that  time  Mother  St.  Mary  has  been  the 
superior.  In  the  main  the  school  has  prospered  from  the  beginning, 
and  an  elegant  new  convent  for  its  use  has  lately  been  built.  Its 
dimensions  are  80  by  106  feet  and  it  is  four  stories  high.  In  the  fall 
of  1889  the  convent  was  leased  by  the  original  owners  to  the  sisters  of 
the  Congregation  de  Notre  Dame,  of  Montreal,  for  a  term  of  999  years, 
and  that  body  now  has  sole  control. 

St.  Mary's  school  was  one  of  the  first  great  works  inaugurated  by 
the  present  priest  of  the  parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception.  The 
corner  stone  of  the  building  was  laid  August  29th,  1886,  and  Septem- 
ber 3d,  1888,  the  school  was  solemnly  blessed  by  Bishop  Lawrence 
McMahon,  of  Hartford.  It  is  an  imposing  edifice,  containing  twelve 
rooms,  each  25  by  29  feet  in  size.  More  than  800  pupils  are  in  attend- 
ance. 

The  first  parochial  school  was  kept  in  the  old  St.  Peter's  church, 
which  was  demolished  in  May,  1888.  Upon  its  site  the  erection  of  St. 
Patrick's  Hall  was  begun,  the  design  being  to  make  this  building  sup- 
plementary to  the  church  and  school  edifices.  The  building  is  very 
ornate,  and  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  city.  It  contains  several 
fine  business  rooms,  a  Sunday  school  assembly  room,  library  and  read- 
ing rooms,  a  gymnasium  and  a  large  hall,  seating  900  persons,  for 
society  meetings  and  parish  entertainments. 

About  the  same  time  St.  Mary's  convent  was  erected  on  a  lot  ad- 
joining St.  Mary's   school.     It  was   ready  for   occupancy  November 


682  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

27th,  1889,  and  like  all  the  other  parish  buildings  has  a  chaste  and 
pleasing  appearance.     Its  entire  cost  was  about  $20,000. 

The  city  has  a  handsomely  located  and  well  endowed  hospital,  which 
has  been  in  use  since  January  28th,  1890.  But  the  need  for  such  an 
institution  was  felt  years  before  this  noble  charity  was  opened.  The 
editor  of  the  Republican,  J.  Henry  Morrow,  began  urging  the  building 
of  a  hospital  as  early  as  September  1st,  1882,  and  subsequently  em- 
phasizing his  faith  in  the  success  of  the  project  by  raising,  through 
his  paper,  a  large  popular  subscription.  The  people  having  become 
interested  in  this  matter,  Mr.  C.  H.  Carter,  at  that  time  in  the  legisla- 
ture, was  instructed  to  procure  a  charter  for  the  Waterbury  Hospital, 
which  was  approved  in  March,  1883.  The  hospital  corporation  was 
organized  December  15th,  1884,  when  the  following  directors  were 
chosen:  F.  J.  Kingsbury,  president;  A.  S.  Chase,  vice-president;  E.  L. 
Frisbie,  G.  W.  Beach,  H.  C.  Griggs,  executive  committee;  J.  S.  Elton, 
E.  C.  Lewis,  D.  S.  Plume  and  R.  E.  Hitchcock.  A  decided  effort  was 
next  made  to  collect  funds  to  purchase  the  Wilson  property,  on  the 
west  side,  as  a  site  for  a  hospital,  and  after  two  years  that  object  was 
accomplished.  The  property  was  bought  in  December,  1886,  for  $25,- 
000,  and  the  work  of  improving  it  for  the  present  purpose  was  soon 
after  begun.  Few  institutions  of  a  similar  nature  are  situated  more 
favorably  or  hold  a  more  popular  place  in  the  esteem  of  the  community 
where  they  are  located.  Interest  in  its  support  continues  unabated. 
All  classes  of  citizens  and  every  religious  denomination  bear  it  in  re- 
membrance. Since  the  movement  to  have  a  hospital  began  the  popu- 
lar contributions  have  been  about  $28,000,  and  systematic  collections 
are  now  carried  on  by  the  Waterbury  Hospital  Aid  Society,  which  was 
organized  September  13th,  1890. 

In  the  early  period  of  the  collections  an  unexpected  and  most  gen- 
erous gift  of  $25,000  was  received  from  Erastus  L.  De  Forest,  of  Water- 
town.  It  was  accepted  November  22d,  1886.  Thus  far  the  name  of 
Mr.  De  Forest  stands  as  the  largest  individual  benefactor.  On  the 
25th  of  April,  1887,  the  general  assembly  passed  an  act  directing  that 
$25,000  be  paid  to  the  hospital  from  the  state  treasury  as  soon  as  a 
fund  of  $50,000  had  been  received  from  other  sources.  This  appro- 
priation became  available  in  the  spring  of  1889.  On  the  19th  of  March 
that  year  the  hospital  also  received  a  gift  of  $10,000  from  a  former 
townsman,  Doctor  Henry  Bronson,  of  New  Haven,  for  a  "  perpetual 
fund  for  the  support  of  free  beds."  The  value  of  the  hospital  prop- 
erty is  now  about  $100,000. 

The  hospital  was  opened  with  Carrie  E.  Lewis  as  matron,  and  the 
admissions  from  January  28th  to  December  10th,  1890,  were  44  males 
and  41  females.     In  that  period  17  of  the  patients  died. 

For  many  years  the  old  burial  ground  on  Grand  street  was  the 
principal  one  in  the  town.  But  long  ago  it  became  evident  that  with 
the  growth  of  the  city  would  come  a  demand  to  have  it  vacated.     This 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  683 

was  fully  done  in  the  spring  of  1891,  when  the  grounds  were  graded 
for  a  public  park.  At  Sawmill  Plain  a  fine  cemetery  is  maintained, 
and  for  the  accommodation  of  those  using  it  an  attractive  Union 
chapel  has  been  erected  near  the  main  entrance.  The  Catholics  have 
a  fine  cemetery  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  city,  on  Dublin  street. 

The  most  prominent  place  of  burial  is  the  lovely  Riverside  Ceme- 
tery. This  is  located  on  the  right  hand  bank  of  the  Naugatuck  river, 
one-half  mile  south  of  Center  square.  It  embraces  nearly  40  acres,  ly- 
ing on  the  second  and  third  benches  of  that  section,  the  lowest  point 
being  84  feet  above  the  river.  A  number  of  wooded  hills  and  knolls 
in  the  cemetery  produce  a  pleasant  landscape,  whose  natural  beauty 
has  been  increased  by  the  skill  of  man. 

To  Doctor  Amos  Blake  is  given  the  credit  of  suggesting  the  open- 
ing of  a  new  cemetery.  In  1849  he  urged  the  matter  so  strongly  that 
an  association  was  organized  the  following  year,  and  a  part  of  the 
present  grounds  purchased.  Forty-six  persons  were  united  in  this 
purpose,  May  4th,  1850,  when  the  first  board  of  officers  was  chosen. 
The  grounds  were  laid  out  in  1852,  and  in  July,  1853,  the  choice  of 
lots  was  sold.  The  first  interment  was  made  July  14th,  1853,  when 
Harriet  Upson  was  here  laid  to  rest.  The  following  year  the  ground 
was  enclosed  with  a  wooden  fence,  but  in  1887-8  the  fine  iron  fence 
on  the  front  side  was  erected.  In  1884-5  the  Hall  Memorial  chapel 
was  erected  near  the  main  gateway,  and  is  one  of  the  most  marked 
objects  on  the  grounds.  Samuel  W.  Hall  was  born  July  5th,  1814,  and 
died  March  5th,  1877.  Among  his  other  bequests  was  one  of  $20,000 
to  build  this  chapel,  which  was  dedicated  to  its  present  use  June  11th, 
1885.  It  is  in  the  modern  style  of  Gothic  architecture,  the  walls  being 
of  Ashlar  stone  work.  A  granite  tower,  67  feet  high,  adds  to  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  building. 

Near  by  is  a  stone  indicating  that  the  cemetery  was  dedicated  Sep- 
tember 24th,  1853. 

Fine  and  costly  monuments  have  been  erected  in  many  parts  of 
the  cemetery,  some  of  them  being  of  very  attractive  designs.  Thus 
are  marked  the  graves  of  some  of  the  men  who  aided  in  making  the 
Waterbury  of  to-day. 

The  monument  of  Israel  Holmes  shows  that  he  was  born  Decem- 
ber 19th,  1800,  and  died  July  15th,  1874,  and  bears  this  tribute  to  his 
worth: 

"  Because  He  Was 
Our  City  Is." 

The  shaft  which  marks  the  grave  of  Aaron  Benedict,  another  of 
the  founders  of  the  city,  tells  the  visitor  that  this  public-spirited  man 
died  February  9th,  1873,  and  that  he  was  born  August  9th,  1785. 

On  a  high  point  of  land  is  the  Masonic  Block,  whose  bounds  are 
neatly  marked,  and  in  the  center  of  which  is  a  granite  and  bronze  me- 


684  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

morial.  On  this  lot  are  interred  more  than  20  members  of  the  frater- 
nity, each  grave  having  a  humble  marker. 

In  the  entire  cemetery  3.201  persons  were  interred  from  the  time 
it  was  opened  until  April  1st,  1889.  M.  Begnal  has  been  the  custodian 
of  the  cemetery  since  1853. 

A  brief  account  only  of  the  military  affairs  of  Waterbury  can  here 
find  place.  In  the  French  and  Indian  wars  five  persons  from  the  town 
served  as  officers,  Samuel  Hickox  being  a  captain  in  1745,  and  Eldad 
Lewis  in  1762.* 

"A  large  majority  of  the  people  living  in  Waterbury  at  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  revolutionary  war  were  firm  champions  of  colonial 
rights.  After  the  meeting  of  Congress  in  1774  a  resolution  was 
adopted  unanimously  at  a  town  meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  to  ad- 
here to  the  association  entered  into  by  Congress. 

"  During  the  war  Waterbury  furnished  more  men  for  the  conti- 
nental army  than  many  other  towns  in  the  state.f  The  eighth  com- 
pany of  the  first  regiment  of  Connecticut  troops  was  raised  in  Water- 
town.  Phineas  Porter  was  captain  of  this  company,  Stephen  Matthews, 
first  lieutenant;  Isaac  Bronson,  second  lieutenant;  and  David  Smith, 
ensign.  These  troops  were  enlisted  for  seven  months,  and  most  of 
them  reenlisted.  In  1776  Congress  made  a  requisition  on  Connecticut 
for  troops,  and  the  state  legislature  passed  an  act  to  raise  seven  regi- 
ments. Phineas  Porter  was  major  of  the  5th  Regiment,  and  the  sixth 
company  was  from  Waterbury.  The  officers  were:  John  Lewis,  Jr., 
captain;  Jas.  Warner,  first  lieutenant;  M.  Bronson,  second  lieutenant; 
J  as.  Beach,  Jr.,  ensign. 

"  In  November  of  1776  the  legislature  ordered  that  four  battalions 
should  be  raised.  The  officers  of  one  company  in  the  second  battalion, 
which  was  recruited  in  Waterbury,  were:  Benj.  Richards,  captain;  J. 
Bronson,  Jr.,  first  lieutenant;  Mr.  Law,  second  lieutenant;  Benj.  Fenn, 
Jr.,  ensign." 

"  The  main  east  and  west  road  was  the  highway  between  Hartford 
and  Fishkill,  and  was  much  used  during  the  war  for  passage  of  troops 
and  supplies.  In  the  fall  of  1777,  after  the  capture  of  Burgoyne,  a  de- 
tachment of  the  American  army,  with  the  enemy's  splendid  train  of 
artillery,  passed  over  the  road  to  the  eastward.  They  pitched  their 
tents  and  encamped  for  a  night  in  Manhan  Meadow,  just  over  the 
bridge. 

"  General  Lafayette,  once  during  the  war,  passed  through  Water- 
bury. He  lodged  at  the  house  of  Captain  Isaac  Bronson,  at  Breakneck. 
The  host  introduced  him  to  his  best  chamber,  in  which  was  his  best 
bed.  But  Lafayette  caused  the  feather  bed  to  be  removed,  saying: 
*  Straw  for  the  soldier,' and  made  the  straw  underbed  his  couch  for  the 
night.     General   Washington  passed  through   also.     He   dined  with 

*  From  Accounts  by  Bronson,  Baldwin  and  Burpee. 

t  It  is  claimed  250  in  all  capacities. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  685 

Esq.  Hopkins.  Mr.  Hopkins  made  many  inquiries,  and  at  last  became 
decidedly  inquisitive.  After  reflecting  a  little  on  his  last  question, 
Washington  said:  '  Mr.  Hopkins, can  you  keep  a  secret?'  '  I  can.'  '  So 
can  I,'  the  general  instantly  replied. 

"In  the  latter  part  of  June,  1781,  the  French  army,  under  Count 
Rochambeau.in  their  march  from  Newport  westward  and  south  to  join 
Washington  in  Virginia,  passed  through  Waterbury.  They  are  said 
to  have  marched  in  four  divisions,  and  to  have  encamped  for  a  night 
just  over  the  mountain  in  Southington,  at  a  place  since  called  French 
Hill.  After  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis,  or  in  October,  1782,  they  re- 
turned by  the  same  route.  They  are  said  to  have  marched  two  and 
two,  and  at  both  times  to  have  encamped  at  Breakneck  hill,  making 
Isaac  Bronson's  house  headquarters." 

The  town  was  not  especially  active  in  the  war  of  1812  or  the  Mexi- 
can war,  but  did  not  lack  in  patriotism  in  its  devotion  to  and  defense 
of  the  Union  cause  in  the  civil  war,  1861  to  1865.  It  is  claimed  that 
the  town  furnished  about  900  men,  55  of  whom  were  commissioned 
officers.  Many  of  them  rendered  brave  and  highly  meritorious  ser- 
vice. None  were  more  soldier-like  and  gallant  than  John  L.  Chatfield, 
who  went  out  as  a  major  in  April,  1861,  but  was  promoted  to  a  colo- 
nelcy in  the  summer  of  that  year.  He  was  fataily  wounded  at  Fort 
Wagner  in  July,  1863, and  died  at  his  home  in  Waterbury  August  9th, 
1863.  A  monument  to  his  memory  was  dedicated  in  Riverside  Ceme- 
tery September  13th,  1887. 

Waterbury  has  taken  a  warm  interest  in  the  Militia  and  National 
Guard  of  the  state,  and  several  of  its  citizens  have  held  high  offices  in 
that  soldiery.  S.  W.  Kellogg  has  been  a  major,  colonel  and  brigadier 
general;  John  B.  Doherty  has  been  major,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  is 
now  colonel  of  the  2d  Regiment,  and  Lucien  F.  Burpee  is  the  major. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

W.  C.  Bannon  was  born  in  Waterbury  in  1844,  and  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools.  In  1859  he  went  to  Marshallville,  Macon 
county,  Georgia  and  established  the  general  merchandise  business  un- 
der the  firm  name  of  Sperry  &  Bannon.  He  enlisted  in  the  12th 
Georgia  Regiment  in  1861,  serving  4  years  and  2  months;  was  sergeant 
major,  and  at  close  of  war  acting  adjutant.  He  was  wounded  at  An- 
tietam,  Wilderness  and  Gettysburg.  He  returned  to  Waterbury  in 
1870  and  established  the  grocery  business  with  his  brother,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Bannon  Brothers,  which  continued  until  1880.  He  then 
established  the  soda  bottling  business,  which  he  carried  on  about  five 
years.  Since  1885  he  has  been  in  the  restaurant  business  at  the  New 
York  &  New  England  depot.  He  was  chief  of  the  police  depart- 
ment for  two  years,  member  of  council  two  years  and  town  auditor 
three  years.  While  in  the  council  he  was  on  the  committee  of  public 
lands  and  building's. 


686  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

George  G.  Blakeslee  was  born  in  1851,  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  In  1857 
he  went  to  New  Haven  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  there. 
In  1864  he  came  to  Waterbury  and  worked  in  a  store  two  years,  and 
was  afterward  employed  with  the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing 
Company  for  24  years.  Since  April  26th,  1890,  he  has  been  secretary 
and  manager  of  the  Matthew  &  Willard  Manufacturing  Company.  He 
was  elected  quartermaster  of  the  2d  Regiment,  Conn.  N.  G.,  July  1st, 
1889. 

Ralph  N.  Blakeslee  was  born  in  Waterbury  in  1856.  He  has  car- 
ried on  the  teaming  busines  in  Waterbury  since  September,  1879. 
The  beginning  of  the  business  dates  from  the  time  when  Henry  Hotch- 
kiss  drew  freight  from  Waterbury  to  New  Haven  for  a  Mr.  Peck. 
After  the  railroad  was  built  the  firm  of  Hotchkiss  &  Hoadley  was 
formed,  and  they  carried  on  the  business  about  three  years.  After- 
ward C.  B.  Webster  ran  it  for  about  10  years,  and  later  L.  Beardsley 
conducted  it  15  years.  Then  Mr.  Blakeslee  took  the  business,  buying 
at  the  time  28  horses  and  now  has  over  100. 

Thomas  Bland,  veterinary  surgeon,  was  born  in  1856,  in  Boston, 
England,  where  he  was  educated,  and  graduated  from  Boston  Veter- 
inary Institute  in  1874.  He  came  to  this  country  at  the  age  of  20,  lo- 
cating first  in  New  York  city,  and  came  to  Waterbury  in  January,  1878, 
where  he  has  practiced  since.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Con- 
necticut Veterinary  Medical  Association,  organized  February  13th, 
1884,  and  incorporated  March  8th,  1887.  and  was  its  recording  secretary 
until  June,  1891,  when  he  was  elected  president.  He  is  vice-president 
of  the  Waterbury  Driving  company. 

Ralph  L.  Bronson,  mason  builder,  was  born  September  10th,  1828, 
in  Roxbury,  Conn.  He  learned  his  trade  with  Oliver  Smith,  of  Beek- 
man,  Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  came  to  Waterbury  in  the  fall  of  1848 
and  worked  for  George  Welton  five  years,  afterward  for  George  Gil- 
bert, and  in  1872  established  business  with  him  under  the  firm  name 
of  George  Gilbert  &  Co.,  and  later  Gilbert  &  Bronson.  Since  1888  he 
has  conducted  business  alone.     He  was  street  inspector  for  six  years. 

Thomas  F.  Butler  was  born  in  1856,  in  Ireland,  came  to  this  country 
in  1867,  and  located  in  Waterbury,  where  he  learned  his  trade.  He 
established  himself  in  business  in  1879.  He  did  the  plastering  on  the 
Cooley  House,  Franklin  House,  Bank  street  school,  Parochial  school, 
Windsor  Locks,  and  Booth  Block,  New  Britain. 

Samuel  A.  Chapman  was  born  in  Ellington,  Tolland  county,  Conn., 
in  1832.  He  came  from  Hartford  with  Rogers  &  Brother  as  a  con- 
tractor in  1858,  remaining  with  them  about  seven  years.  Afterward 
he  was  superintendent  for  Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens  for  18  years,  un- 
til, in  1883,  the  Chapman  &  Armstrong  Manufacturing  Company  was 
established,  with  Samuel  A.  Chapman,  president;  F.  Armstrong,  treas- 
urer; Charles  Armstrong,  secretary.  They  are  manufacturers  of 
goods  of  brass  and  other  metals.     Mr.  Chapman  is  also  president  of 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  687 

the  Hammond  Buckle  Companv,  of  Rockville,  Conn.,  established  in 
1889. 

W.  M.  Cottle  was  born  August  28th,  1841,  at  Martha's  Vineyard, 
Mass.,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  worked  for  three 
years  in  ship  yards  at  Mystic  and  Fair  Haven,  Conn.  He  learned  the 
trade  of  carpenter  around  New  Haven.  He  came  to  Waterbury  in 
1868,  worked  about  four  years  for  John  Fogg,  and  in  1871  established 
business  for  himself.  He  built  the  Waterbury  State  Armory,  the 
Waterbury  Rink  and  the  Commercial  Block  on  Bank  street. 

D.  E.  Cronin  was  born  in  1855  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  this  country 
with  his  parents  when  he  was  one  year  old.  They  located  in  Middle- 
town,  Conn.  He  was  educated  at  common  schools,  learned  his  trade  of 
mason  with  Chester  Sage,  went  to  work  for  James  Kane,  of  Meriden, 
and  afterward  was  in  business  with  him  for  one  year  under  firm  name 
of  Kane  &  Cronin.  In  May,  1879,  he  came  to  Waterbury,  and  in  1887 
established  business  with  James  F.  Gaffney  under  firm  name  of  Gaff- 
ney  &  Cronin,  which  continued  until  May,  1890,  when  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  John  W.  Gaffney  under  firm  name  of  John  W.  Gaff- 
ney &  Co.  They  built  the  Baptist  church  on  Grand  street,  Industrial 
school,  Lilley  Block,  St.  John's  parish  house  and  nearly  all  of  the  Water- 
bury Manufacturing  Company's  shops;  Catholic  church,  Torrington; 
parochial  school,  Windsor  Locks;  electric  light  works,  Stamford;  Booth 
Block,  New  Britain;  State  Armory,  New  London;  State  Armory,  South 
Norwalk;  County  Court  House,  Litchfield,  Conn.;  White  Dental 
Works,  Staten  Island. 

Thomas  Fitzsimons  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1838,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1848,  locating  in  New  York.  He  remained  there  one  year, 
and  in  1849  came  to  Waterbury.  He  was  superintendent  for  Steel  & 
Johnson  14  years,  and  then  with  Edwin  Putnam  and  W.  H.  Blake  or- 
ganized the  Novelty  Manufacturing  Company,  in  1872,  and  has  filled 
all  the  offices  in  the  company,  serving  15  years  as  secretary,  two  years 
as  treasurer,  and  since  1889  as  president. 

William  E.  Fulton  was  born  August  8th,  1852,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  New  York  city  and  at  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York.  He  came  to  Waterbury,  in  1873, 
and  was  first  employed  with  Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens,  as  clerk,  re- 
maining four  years.  In  1877  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Farrel 
Foundry  &  Machine  Company.  When  the  Waterbury  Farrel  Foundry 
&  Machine  Company  was  organized  he  was  made  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, which  offices  he  still  holds.  He  married  Ida  E.,  daughter  of  E.  C. 
Lewis,  of  Waterbury. 

James  F.  Gaffney  was  born  in  1861  in  Waterbury,  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools,  served  his  time  with  John  W.  Gaffney,  and  in 
1884  established  the  business  of  contracting  and  building  under  the 
firm  name  of  Gaffney  &  Cronin.     In  1888  he  bought  out  Mr.  Cronin's 


688  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

interest,  and  has  since  conducted  the  business  himself.     He  built  the 
Bank  street  school  house. 

John  W.  Gaffney,  contractor  and  builder,  was  born  in  Ireland  in 
1842.  His  parents  came  to  America  and  located  in  Wolcottville  for  a 
short  time,  then  came  to  Waterbury.  Mr.  Gaffney  learned  his  trade 
in  New  Haven  in  1859,  and  in  1864  established  business  in  Bridge- 
port, under  the  firm  name  of  Rutherford  &  Gaffney,  which  continued 
until  the  spring  of  1867,  when  he  established  business  in  Waterbury. 
He  is  also  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  He  married  Mary  A., 
daughter  of  George  Byrnes,  of  Waterbury,  in  1877. 

Michael  Guilfoile  was  born  in  1837,  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1863,  locating  for  a  short  time  in  Hartford,  then  came  to 
Waterbury,  and  soon  after  started  in  the  butcher  business,  and  later 
adding  the  grocery  business.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the  West  Side 
Savings  Bank  since  its  organization,  in  1889. 

J.  H.  Guernsey  was  born  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  in  1848,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  J.  and  Mary  J.  (Sehofield)  Guernsey.  He  was  brought  up  on  his 
father's  farm  and  educated  in  the  district  schools.  He  came  to  Water- 
bury in  1870,  and  for  four  years  kept  books  and  did  general  office  work- 
Afterward  he  entered  the  employ  of  D.  B.  Wilson,  as  salesman  in  the 
hardware  business,  remaining  10  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1885  es- 
tablished business  for  himself  in  Brown's  Block,  moving  in  1889  to 
his  present  store  in  the  Piatt  Building.  He  married  Alice  E.,  daugh- 
ter of  W.  L.  Wooding,  of  Waterbury.  He  was  elected  to  the  council 
in  1890,  serving  one  year,  and  was  elected  alderman  in  1891,  serving 
two  years.  He  is  vice-president  of  the  Connecticut  Indemnity  Associa- 
tion, and  has  been  connected  with  it  since  its  organization.  He  is  a 
member  of  Continental  Lodge,  No.  76,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Nosahogan 
Lodge,  No.  21,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Ansantawae  Encampment,  Canton  Water- 
bury, Valley  City  Lodge,  K.  of  H.,  Tunxis  Tribe,  I.  O.  R.  M.,  Seguses 
Council,  D.  of  P. 

W.  M.  Hurlburt  was  born  in  1848,  in  Washington,  Conn.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  carpenter  with  C.  M.  Rowley,  of  Woodbury,  came  to  Water- 
bury in  1869,  and  worked  for  John  Dutton  and  Tracy  &  Eldridge,  also 
followed  farming.     He  established  business  for  himself  in  1875. 

Stephen  W.Kellogg  was  born  in  the  town  of  Shelburne, Mass., April 
5th,  1822,  and  was  descended  from  revolutionary  stock;  his  great-grand- 
father was  first  lieutenant  in  a  company  raised  the  first  year  of  the 
struggle  for  independence  and  was  with  General  Arnold  in  that  won- 
derful winter  march  across  the  wilderness  of  Maine  to  Canada,  and 
died  before  the  walls  of  Quebec.  His  grandfather,  at  that  time  a  lad 
of  16,  served  in  the  American  army,  the  last  year  of  the  war. 

The  boyhood  of  Stephen  W.  Kellogg  was  spent  on  his  father's 
farm,  but  when  he  was  16  years  old  he  attended  school  at  the  Shel- 
burne Falls  Academy,  Reverend  John  Alden  being  the  principal.  After- 
ward he  attended,  for  a  short  time,  the  select  school  of  Alvin  Ander- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  689 

son,  at  the  same  place,  when  he  was  qualified  to  teach  district  school. 
He  taught  four  winters,  attending  school  himself,  at  the  Falls,  in  the 
spring,  and  in  the  summer  worked  on  his  fatheris  farm.  At  the  age  of 
20  he  entered  Amherst  College,  but  remained  only  two  terms,  when 
he  became  a  student  at  Yale  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1846, 
taking,  at  commencement,  one  of  the  first  three  honors  of  his  class. 
He  now  took  charge,  for  a  few  months,  of  an  academy  at  Wilbraham, 
Mass.,  when  he  entered  the  Yale  Law  School,  teaching,  at  the  same 
time,  the  Greek  classes,  in  the  classical  school  kept  by  Hon.  Aaron  N. 
Skinner,  at  New  Haven.  In  two  years  he  completed  his  law  studies 
and  was  admitted  to  the  New  Haven  county  bar,  in  June,  1S48.  Soon 
after  he  located  as  an  attorney  at  Naugatuck,  but  in  1854  he  removed 
to  Waterbury,  where  he  has  since  resided,  most  of  the  time  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession,  ranking  now  as  one  of  the  oldest  law- 
yers in  this  part  of  the  county.  Since  1884  his  son  John  P.,  has  been 
associated  with  him,  the  law  firm  being  Kellogg  &  Kellogg.  For  many 
years  he  has  held  a  very  prominent  position  in  his  profession,  which 
has  not  been  confined  to  this  locality  and  few  attorneys  in  the  county 
are  more  widely  or  more  favorably  known.  In  1854  he  was  appointed 
judge  of  the  New  Haven  county  court  and  for  seven  years  was  judge 
of  probate,  for  the  district  of  Waterbury,  filling  both  positions  with 
great  ability. 

Mr.  Kellogg  was  clerk  of  the  Conneticut  senate  in  1851,  a  member 
of  the  state  senate  from  the  Waterbury  district  in  1853,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Connecticut  house  of  representatives  in  1856.  He  was 
elected  to  the  congress  of  the  United  States  in  1869  and  was  reelected 
in  1871  and  1S73.  In  that  body  he  was  very  energetic  and  took  a  lead- 
ing part  in  its  affairs.  He  served  as  a  member  upon  the  several  com- 
mittees of  the  judiciary,  patents,  Pacific  railroads  and  war  claims,  and 
was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  naval  expenditures  in  the  42d  con- 
gress and  chairman  of  the  committee  on  civil  service  reform  in  the 
43d  congress.  He  succeeded  in  procuring  legislation  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  harbors  on  the  coast  of  Connecticut,  which  had  then  been 
long  neglected.  He  also  helped  to  shape  the  tariff  legislation  of  1870 
and  1872  so  that  the  interests  of  his  state  were  protected  and  his  suc- 
cess in  these  efforts  led  to  his  reelection  to  congress  twice  in  a  district 
having  2,500  or  more  political  majority  against  him.  During  the  43d 
congress  he  prepared  and  procured  the  passage  of  bills  reorganizing 
both  the  treasury  and  war  departments  at  Washington.  The  former 
department  at  that  time  had  not  been  reorganized  by  any  law  for  40 
years,  but  had  grown  to  its  immense  proportions,  by  accretion  as  it 
were,  by  means  of  appropriation  bills,  as  the  necessities  of  the  service 
required,  especially  during  the  civil  war.  That  department  is  still 
carried  on  under  the  law  as  prepared  by  Mr.  Kellogg.  Since  his  re- 
tirement from  congress  he  has  been  almost  wholly  devoted  to  the  prac- 
44 


690  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

tice  of  the  law,  but  maintains  to  an  unusual  degree  his  interest  in  pub- 
lic matters. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Kellogg  was  active  in  organizing  a  na- 
tional guard  to  take  the  place  of  the  state  militia  and  drew  the  bill  and 
procured  its  passage,  which  first  gave  the  name  national  guard  to  the 
active  militia  of  Connecticut.  That  name  was  subsequently  adopted 
by  a  large  number  of  other  states,  being  now  in  general  use.  He  was 
colonel  of  the  2d  Regiment,  Conn.  N.  G.,  for  three  years,  and  was  af- 
terward brigadier  general  of  the  guard,  resigning  that  position  while 
in  congress. 

Mr.  Kellogg  was  married  September  10th,  1851,  to  Lucia  Hosmer 
Andrews,  a  granddaughter  of  Chief  Justice  Hosmer,  who  for  30  years 
was  a  member  of  the  supreme  court  of  Connecticut.  Major-General 
Samuel  H.  Parsons,  of  the  American  army,  in  the  revolution,  was  her 
great-grandfather.  By  this  union  there  were  seven  children,  six  now 
living.  His  three  daughters  are  married  to  Frank  C.  Plume,  of  Water- 
bury;  E.  N.  English,  of  New  Haven;  and  Irving  H.  Chase,  of  Water- 
bury — all  active  young  business  men.  Of  the  three  sons  the  eldest, 
Frank  W.,  graduated  from  Annapolis  in  1879,  and  is  now  an  officer  in 
the  United  States  navy.  John  P.  graduated  from  Yale  in  1882,  was  in 
the  law  school  of  that  university  two  years,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
New  Haven  bar  in  1884.  He  is  now  associated  with  his  father.  The 
youngest  son,  Charles  P.,  graduated  from  Yale  in  June,  1890,  and  is 
now  in  its  law  school. 

Frederick  J.  Kingsbury,  a  sou  of  Charles  D.  and  Eliza  Kingsbury, 
was  born  in  Waterbury,  January  1st,  1823.  His  mother  was  a  daughter 
of  Frederick  Leavenworth,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  this 
part  of  the  county,  and  his  paternal  grandfather  was  John  Kingsbury, 
Esq.  He  was  a  native  of  Norwich,  Conn.,  and  entered  Yale  College  in 
1780,  but  soon  after  left  to  enlist  on  board  a  privateer,  and  helped  to 
capture  several  British  vessels.  At  the  close  of  the  revolution  he  re- 
turned to  Yale,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1786.  After  studying  law 
at  the  Litchfield  Law  School,  he  located  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Waterbury  in  1791,  where  he  died  in  September,  1844.  He  served 
as  judge  of  the  probate  court,  and  was  appointed  judge  of  the  New 
Haven  county  court  in  1801,  becoming  the  presiding  judge  in  1820. 
His  son,  Charles  D.,  was  born  November  7th,  1795,  and  was  trained 
from  youth  for  mercantile  pursuits,  in  which  he  engaged  and  con- 
tinued until  1838,  when,  by  reason  of  his  ill  health,  he  retired  from 
trade,  devoting  thereafter  his  attention  to  his  large  landed  interests. 
He. deceased  January  16th,  1890. 

Frederick  J.  Kingsbury  was  reared  in  Waterbury,  and  after  gradu- 
ating from  Yale  College,  in  1846,  he  pursued  law  studies  in  the  same 
institution.  He  next  entered  the  law  office  of  Hon.  Charles  G.  Loring, 
in  Boston,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  by  the  Suffolk  County  Bar, 
March  10th,  1848.     Soon  after  he  removed  to  Hartford,  where  for  six 


^L 


-7-&^c*<-<04  (/■ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  691 

months  he  was  in  the  office  of  Hon.  Thomas  C.  Perkins,  one  of  the 
foremost  attorneys  of  the  state.  In  the  spring  of  1849  Mr.  Kingsbury 
returned  to  his  native  town,  where  he  opened  a  law  office,  and  the 
following  year  was  elected  as  one  of  the  representatives  of  Waterbury 
in  the  state  legislature.  Twice  thereafter  he  was  elected  to  the  same 
body,  in  which  he  creditably  served.  In  his  first  term  he  secured  a 
charter  for  the  Waterbury  Savings  Bank,  which  he  helped  to  organize, 
in  1850,  and  was  elected  its  secretary  and  treasurer.  These  offices  he 
has  since  filled,  and  to  his  constant  services  much  of  the  splendid  suc- 
cess of  the  bank  may  be  attributed.  He  also  aided,  in  1853,  in  estab- 
lishing the  Citizens'  Bank,  of  which  he  was  chosen  the  first  cashier. 
In  1868  he  succeeded  Samuel  W.  Hall  as  president  of  that  institution, 
and  has  remained  identified  with  it  in  that  relation  ever  since.  The 
same  year  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Scovill  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  has  also  been  continuously  retained  as  the  head  of  that  cor-  ' 
poration,  which  he  had  previously  served  as  treasurer.  Besides  being 
interested  in  the  foregoing,  Mr.  Kingsbury  is  also  connected  as  trustee 
or  director  in  many  other  financial,  railway  or  manufacturing  corpor- 
ations. He  has  been  the  treasurer  of  the  Silas  Bronson  Free  Library 
since  it  was  opened,  in  1870,  and  serves  as  the  chairman  of  its  book 
committee. 

Although  so  active  in  these  pursuits,  Mr.  Kingsbury  has  found 
time  to  encourage  many  other  projects  for  the  material  development 
of  Waterbury,  or  whose  purpose  was  the  elevation  of  the  moral  tone 
of  this  community.  He  urgently  favored  the  construction  of  the  present 
system  of  water  works,  and  helped  to  establish  the  fine  Riverside 
Cemetery.  He  is  connected  with  various  charitable  and  religious  or- 
ganizations, serving  as  the  treasurer  of  the  Episcopal  Diocese  of  Con- 
necticut, and  was  a  member  of  the  general  convention  in  1877.  The 
interests  of  St.  John's  parish,  to  which  he  belongs,  have  his  warm 
support. 

Mr.  Kingsbury  is  a  gentleman  of  broad  culture,  having  had  a  wide 
range  of  reading  and  study,  and  is  also  a  writer  of  conceded  ability. 
He  published,  in  1856,  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  James  G.  Percival,  and  a 
sketch  of  Chicago;  and  in  1880  a  series  of  Social  Science  Papers.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Academy  of  Science,  and  was  elected 
a  Fellow  of  Yale  in  1881,  serving  since  as  an  active  member  of  that 
great  corporation. 

Gordon  B.  Lawrence  was  born  in  1850,  in  Waterbury,  and  is  a  son 
of  David  S.  and  Mary  C.  Lawrence.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Waterbury.  He  is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  which  he  followed 
until  1875,  then  was  foreman  for  the  Waterbury  Watch  Company  for 
five  years,  and  January  1st,  1881,  started  in  the  real  estate  business.  He 
drew  the  charter  for  the  West  Side  Savings  Bank,  carried  it  to  the 
legislature  and  lobbied  it  through.  He  has  been  treasurer  since 
its  organization  in  1889.     He  was  elected  assessor  of  the  town  in  1883 


692  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY. 

and  served  four  terms.     In  1891  he  was  elected  by    the  largest  ma- 
jority ever  given  any  assessor. 

Edward  C.  Lewis,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Lewis,  was  born  at 
Welsh  Pool,  North  Wales,  September  23d,  1826.  When  he  was  four 
years  of  age  he  came  to  America  with  his  parents,  who  settled  at 
Bridgeport,  Conn.  His  father  was  a  master  spinner  and  secured  work 
in  the  woolen  mills  of  Thatcher  &  Bunnell,  of  that  city,  where  in  the 
course  of  half  a  dozen  years  young  Lewis  was  also  employed,  having 
first  for  a  short  time  attended  the  common  schools  of  Bridgeport. 
At  the  age  of  18  years  he  left  the  woolen  factory  and  sought  other 
occupation,  entering  as  an  apprentice  the  Bridgeport  Iron  Works,  a 
concern  which  he  and  others  in  later  life  owned  and  operated. 
Here  he  served  his  time,  thoroughly  learning  the  founder's  trade 
and  becoming  a  master  iron  founder.  This  knowledge  subsequently 
paved  the  way  for  his  speedy  advancement. 

In  1847  he  went  to  Birmingham,  where  he  became  a  foreman 
in  the  foundry  of  Colburn  &  Bassett,  prominent  iron  workers  in  that 
day.  The  following  year  he  first  began  working  for  Almon  Far- 
rel,  and  superintended  the  starting  of  his  original  foundry  and  ma- 
chine shop  at  Ansonia,  from  which  has  grown  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  successful  concerns  of  the  kind  in  this  country.  In  this 
Mr.  Lewis,  also,  in  later  years,  secured  a  pecuniary  interest.  In  1849 
he  returned  to  the  Bridgeport  Iron  Works  where  he  was  about  a  year, 
when  for  a  short  time  he  had  charge  of  the  Birmingham  Iron  Foun- 
dry, but,  in  1852,  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  where  he  became  the 
foreman  of  the  Waterbury  Foundry  Company,  controlled  by  the 
Messrs.  Farrel,  of  Ansonia.  Here  he  soon  demonstrated  his  thorough 
fitness  for  his  position,  evincing,  also,  such  fine  executive  ability  in 
managing  the  business  that  his  employers  soon  recognized  his  work. 
By  the  simple  force  of  his  skill  and  character,  he  secured  an  interest 
in  the  business,  becoming  in  a  short  time  the  active  manager  and 
head  of  the  concern  in  Waterbury.  Mr.  Lewis  also  became  and  is 
at  present  the  treasurer  of  the  Farrel  Foundry  &  Machine  Company, 
at  Ansonia,  and  has  been  a  director  since  1857.  He  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  company  40  years  and  in  all  that  period  no  act  was 
done  or  unkind  word  spoken  by  any  of  the  principals  of  that  cor- 
poration, which  in  the  least  marred  the  pleasant  relations  which  have 
ever  existed  between  them.  In  these  times  of  self-assertion  and  in- 
tense rivalry  such  a  condition  is  so  unusual  that  the  record  of  it  by 
Mr.  Lewis  is  a  fine  testimony  to  the  excellent  worth  and  noble  char- 
acter of  the  Messrs.  Farrel — father,  son  and  grandson. 

The  interests  of  the  Ansonia  and  Waterbury  Farrel  Works  were 
united  until  1880,  when  Mr.  Lewis  wishing  to  stamp  the  business  of 
the  latter  with  more  of  his  individuality,  purchased  the  stock  of  his  as- 
sociates and  reorganized  the  Waterbury  company.  He  thus  became 
the  controlling bwner  and  president  of  the  company,  a  relation  since 


£.  G^Je^ 


foyt^1 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  693 

sustained.  At  that  time  he  took  in  as  stockholders  and  directors, 
William  E.  Fulton,  George  B.  Lamb  and  H.  W.  Curtiss,  energetic  and 
industrious  young  men,  upon  whom  the  cares  of  the  concern  have  to  a 
large  extent  fallen.  Mr.  Fulton  is  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
company  and  has  much  of  the  oversight  of  its  vast  business.  Besides 
his  large  interests  in  this  company,  Mr.  Lewis  is  connected  with  many 
other  manufacturing  corporations  in  this  and  other  towns  and  is  also 
a  director  of  several  financial  institutions.  He  is  the  president  of  the 
Oakville  Pin  Company;  president  of  the  Capewell  Horse  Nail  Company, 
of  Hartford;  and  director  of  the  Manufacturers'  National  and  Dime 
Savings  Banks,  of  Waterbury.  His  interests  are  yearly  becoming 
more  numerous  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  suc- 
cessful business  men  of  this  part  of  the  county. 

Although  Mr.  Lewis  is  in  all  essentials  a  self-made  man,  whose 
educational  privileges  were  very  limited,  his  habits  have  been  observ- 
ant and  studious,  so  that  he  has  become  a  person  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary intelligence,  and  he  has  accumulated  a  vast  fund  of  practical 
business  knowledge.  He  has  a  kind  disposition  and  many  good  social 
qualities,  which  cause  him  to  be  much  esteemed.  He  is  liberal,  pro- 
gressive, public  spirited  and  deservedly  popular  among  all  classes  of 
the  town's  citizens,  who  have  several  times  persuaded  him  to  serve 
them  in  public  capacities.  He  has  been  a  pronounced  republican 
since  the  organization  of  that  party,  but  in  1883  he  was  elected  a  rep- 
resentative to  the  state  legislature  from  democratic  Waterbury,  over 
an  able  political  opponent.  In  1888  he  was  the  republican  nominee 
for  congress  in  the  Second  Connecticut  district,  but  was  defeated  by 
Carlos  French,  a  popular  democrat,  also  of  the  Naugatuck  valley. 

Mr.  Lewis  was  married,  October  29th,  1850,  to  Harriet  M.  Phip- 
peny,  of  Hartford,  and  of  the  seven  children  born  to  them  four  are 
now  living,  namely,  two  sons:  Edward  F.,  born  August  10th,  1862, 
and  Truman  S.,  born  September  15th,  1866,  both  connected  with  the 
Waterbury  Machine  Works;  and  two  daughters:  Ida  E.,  married  to 
William  E.  Fulton;  Mary  S.,  married  to  William  J.  Schlegel,  both  be- 
ing active  young  business  men  of  Waterbury. 

John  J.  McCarthy  and  William  C.  Moore  are  soda  water  manufac- 
turers. The  business  was  established  by  John  J.  McCarthy,  who 
bought  out  Vandover  Brothers  in  April,  1887.  He  carried  on  the  bus- 
iness alone  until  March  1st,  1889,  when  William  C.  Moore  entered  the 
business,  which  has  since  been  conducted  under  the  firm  name,  Mc- 
Carthy &  Moore.  John  J.  McCarthy  was  born  in  Waterbury  April  3d, 
1858,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  William  C.  Moore 
was  born  August  2d,  1858,  in  Waterbury,  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  and  from  the  time  he  left  school  until  he  started  in  business 
was  in  the  employ  of  Benedict  &  Burnham,  and  a  number  of  years 
foreman  of  the  foundry  department. 

John  W.  McDonald  was  born  in  1847  in  Ireland,  and  came  with  his 


694  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mother  to  this  country  when  one  year  old,  locating  in  Waterbury.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  was  the  first  to  work  for  the 
Waterbury  Clock  Company  as  errand  boy.  Afterward  he  was  em- 
ployed with  Steel  &  Johnson,  and  later  with  the  Scovill  Manufactur- 
ing Company.  He  spent  some  six  or  seven  years  in  New  York  city, 
returning  to  Waterbury  in  1867.  He  joined  the  Phoenix  Fire  Com- 
pany in  1868,  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  organization. 
He  was  a  member  of  Company  D,  2d  Connecticut  Regiment,  under 
Captain  Cook,  served  two  years  on  the  police  force,  and  was  elected 
city  sheriff  in  October,  1879,  which  office  he  still  holds. 

James  J.  Madden  was  born  in  Ireland  June  4th,  1859,  came  to  this 
country  with  his  parents  in  1867,  locating  in  New  York  city,  and  in 
1875  moved  to  Albany,  N.  Y.  He  came  to  Waterbury  in  1879,  was 
engaged  with  the  Scovill  Manufacturing  Company,  and  afterward  with 
the  Waterbury  Manufacturing  Company.  He  was  elected  town  clerk 
in  1889,  1890  and  1891. 

John  Moriarty  was  born  in  1851 ,  in  England,  of  Irish  parents,  came 
to  this  country  when  a  boy  and  located  in  New  York,  remaining  there 
two  years.  He  then  moved  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  remained  there  nine 
years  and  came  to  Waterbury  in  1866.  After  working  a  year  in  the 
factories  he  learned  the  stone  cutting  trade,  and  followed  the  granite 
and  monumental  business  about  10  years.  He  worked  four  years  on 
the  war  and  navy  department  buildings,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  and  on 
the  New  York  post  office,  custom  house  and  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph Building,  New  York.  He  then  started  in  the  grocery  business 
in  Waterbury,  which  he  carried  on  about  one  year,  after  which  he  ran 
the  City  Hotel  for  five  years,  and  in  1883  established  the  Waterbury 
Furniture  &  Undertaking  Company  with  John  M.  Mulville,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Mulville  &  Moriarty.  In  1885  he  bought  out  Mr. 
Mulville's  interest,  and  has  since  conducted  the  business  alone.  He 
was  the  first  in  Waterbury  to  do  away  with  the  ice  box  and  start 
embalming. 

Henry  H.  Peck,  son  of  Selden  and  Lucy  (Hart)  Peck,  was  born  in 
Berlin,  Conn.,  December  25th,  1838.  His  father  was  a  farmer  in  that 
town,  and  was  a  son  of  Lemuel  Peck,  also  of  Hartford  county,  who 
descended  from  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  New  England.  The  boy- 
hood of  Henry  H.  Peck  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  17 
years  of  age,  when  he  entered  the  high  school  at  Meriden,  and  later 
attended  Kellogg's  Institute,  in  which  he  obtained  a  good  rudimentary 
education.  He  now  resolved  to  pay  his  attention  to  merchandising, 
and  for  that  purpose  accepted,  in  1857,  a  clerkship  in  the  store  of  D.  & 
N.  G.  Miller,  of  New  Britain,  where  he  remained  three  years,  acquir- 
ing in  that  time  a  good  knowledge  of  the  dry  goods  trade.  In  March, 
1860,  he  came  to  Waterbury,  where,  with  Charles  Miller,  of  Middle- 
town,  as  an  associate  partner,  they  established  the  dry  goods  firm  of 
Miller  &  Peck,  which  is  now  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  city  of  Water- 


7/// 2 


^ 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  695 

bury.  For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  same  business  house 
on  Exchange  place  has  been  occupied.  The  relations  of  the  firm  were 
profitably  continued  until  February  1st,  1887,  when  Mr.  Peck  retired 
from  the  management  of  the  business,  which  is  still  continued  by  Mr. 
Miller,  under  the  firm  name. 

When  these  young  men  here  began  trade  they  were  both  strangers 
to  the  citizens  of  this  part  of  the  country,  and  their  capital  was  very 
limited,  but  by  industry  and  intelligent  application  to  their  business 
they  prospered  until  they  ranked  among  the  most  successful  mer- 
chants of  New  Haven  county.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Peck  had  become 
interested  in  other  enterprises  which  were  benefitted  by  his  judgment 
and  business  experience.  Always  loyally  devoted  to  the  best  interests 
of  his  adopted  city,  he  has  encouraged  such  measures  as  have  had  in 
view  the  promotion  of  its  welfare,  and  helped  to  organize  the  Water- 
bury  Board  of  Trade.  This  purpose  also  led  him  to  identify  himself 
with  some  of  the  leading  industries  of  the  city  as  a  stockholder, 
and  he  became  a  director  of  several  corporations.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  has  been  a  trustee  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank,  and  since  1886 
has  been  the  president  of  that  successful  institution,  thus  being 
brought  into  prominence  as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the 
city. 

From  boyhood  Mr.  Peck  has  been  an  uncompromising  advocate 
and  adherent  of  the  principles  of  the  republican  party,  and  he  was 
elected  by  that  organization  and  others  of  his  fellow  citizens  as  one  of 
the  representatives  of  Waterbury  in  the  legislature  of  1886.  His  asso- 
ciate was  Henry  C.  Griggs,  and  he  was  given  a  place  on  several  im- 
portant committees,  serving  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  fisheries, 
which  recommended  some  valuable  legislation. 

Not  long  after  coming  to  Waterbury  Mr.  Peck  became  a  Mason, 
and  later  was  a  charter  member  of  Continental  Lodge.  No.  76.  He 
also  belongs  to  Clark  Commandery,  No.  ?,  and  has  taken  the  thirty- 
two  degrees  of  the  order,  whose  mysteries  and  teachings  have  made 
him  a  devoted  member.  He  is  also  a  vestryman  of  St.  John's  parish 
of  the  Epscopal  church,  and  generously  supports  not  only  the  measures 
of  that  organization,  but  freely  honors  other  demands  made  upon 
him  as  a  public-spirited  citizen. 

In  the  past  ten  years  Mr.  Peck  has  travelled  extensively  in  this  and 
foreign  countries,  and  being  an  intelligent  observer,  has  greatly 
profitted  by  that  diversion.  In  1883-4,  in  company  with  three  con- 
genial friends,  he  made  the  trip  around  the  world,  traveling  west- 
ward from  San  Francisco  to  China,  India,  Ceylon,  and  thence  by  the 
Isthmus  of  Suez  and  the  Mediterranean  to  the  Continent  of  Europe 
and  home  across  the  Atlantic.  The  entire  journey  was  prolific  with 
pleasures.  Mr.  Peck  has  resided  at  the  Scovill  House  32  years,  is 
widely  known  and  much  esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


696  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

E.  W.  Pinney  was  born  in  Hartford,  in  1847,  and  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Hartford  and  Wilbraham  Academy,  Mass.  He 
followed  farming  and  road  contracting  for  many  years,  was  superin- 
tendent of  almshouse  at  Hamden,  Conn.,  five  years,  and  in  1886  came 
to  Waterbury  as  superintendent  of  the  almshouse  there,  which  position 
he  held  for  two  years.  He  was  elected  first  selectman  in  1890,  and  re- 
elected in  1891. 

Alfred  Legrand  Platt. — This  well-known  business  man  of 
Waterbury,  is  a  lineal  descendent  of  Deacon  Richard  Platt,  who  came 
to  America  from  England  in  1638,  landing  at  New  Haven.  In  that 
plantation  he  was  allotted  84  acres  of  land,  but  in  the  fall  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  joined  the  Wepawaug  settlement,  being  made  a  free 
planter  of  Milford  in  1646,  and  thenceforth  took  an  active  part  in  the 
affairs  of  that  town.  In  1669  he  was  elected  a  deacon  of  the  Milford 
church.  He  died  in  1684,  leaving,  for  those  times,  a  large  estate,  the 
value  being  600  pounds,  sterling  money.  Of  his  family,  two  sons, 
Joseph  and  Josiah,  remained  in  Milford,  and  from  the  family  of  the 
latter  has  descended  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  His  grandson,  Josiah, 
whose  father  was  also  named  Josiah,  became  a  resident  of  Newtown, 
Conn.,  where  he  was  married  November  13th,  1758,  to  Sarah  Sanford, 
and  their  first  son,  Nathan,  born  March  3d,  1761,  was  the  grandfather 
of  A.  L.  Platt,  whose  portrait  here  appears. 

After  serving  as  a  soldier  in  the  revolution,  Nathan  Platt  mar- 
ried Ruby  Smith,  of  Newtown,  and  later  became  a  citizen  of  Water- 
bury, settling  in  the  locality  which  became  known  as  Piatt's  Mills, 
and  which  has  since  been  in  the  possession  of  his  family.  He  died 
in  Wallingford  in  1845,  but  was  buried  at  Waterbury.  His  second 
son,  Alfred,  born  April  2d,  1789,  was  married  to  Irene  Blackman,  of 
Brookfield,  in  1S14,  and,  locating  at  the  home  of  his  father,  founded 
the  hamlet  which  now  bears  the  name  of  Plattsville.  Here  he  was 
active  in  the  milling  business  and  other  pursuits.  His  death  oc- 
curred December  29th.  1872.  That  of  his  wife  was  earlier,  Novem- 
ber 2d,  1863,  at  the  age  of  72  years.  They  reared  a  family  of  six 
sons,  all  of  whom  became  successful  business  men,  namely:  Niram 
B.,  born  in  1818,  died  in  the  city  of  Waterbury,  October  14th,  1863; 
Charles  S.,  born  July  30th,  1820,  removed  to  West  Stockbridge,  Mass., 
where  he  built  the  Rockdale  mills;  William  S.,  born  January  27th, 
1822,  who.  with  his  next  younger  brother,  became  an  extensive  man- 
ufacturer at  Plattsville,  and  died  March  27th,  1886;  Clark  M.,  born 
January  1st,  1824,  engaged  as  above,  but  now  living  in  the  city  of 
Waterbury;  Alfred  Legrand,  born  June  1st,  1825;  Seabury  B.,  born 
October  5th,  1828,  and  after  being  an  attorney  at  Birmingham,  is  now 
now  a  resident  of  Lakeville,  Fla. 

The  fifth  of  these  sons,  Alfred  L.,  was  married  July  28th,  1847,  to 
Sarah  A.  Sherman,  of  Danbury,  Conn.,  and  they  reared  a  family  of 
two  children:  Sarah  Jane,  born  January  8th,  1849,  married  May  10th, 


/"V 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  697 

1870,  to  Jared  P.  King,  of  Waterbury,  and  has  one  son,  Rupert 
Vivian,  born  October  17th,  1882;  and  Alfred  S.,  born  November  12th, 
1854,  married  Eugenie  A.  Nettleton  December  18th,  1876,  and  has 
one  daughter,  Alice  E.,  born  October  7th,  1877.  This  son  also  resides 
at  Plattsville,  and  he  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business. 

The  boyhood  of  Alfred  L.  Piatt  was  spent  at  Piatt's  Mills,  where 
he  early  gave  evidence  of  those  traits  of  industr)'  and  frugality 
which  have  brought  him  business  success.  Desirous  of  earning  his 
own  livelihood,  he  received  his  father's  consent,  at  the  age  of  .15 
years,  to  work  for  a  neighboring  farmer,  so  that  he  might  obtain  means 
to  attend  school.  The  season's  work  netted  him  $45,  with  which, 
after  spending  one-fifth  for  clothing,  he  entered  Amos  Smith's  school, 
at  New  Haven.  He  remained  three  years,  supporting  himself  by 
working  out  of  school  hours  and  teaching  a  few  months,  leaving  the 
school  with  a  balance  of  $9  in  his  purse.  He  now  worked  in  a  button 
factory  at  Plattsville  until  he  was  21  years  of  age,  obtaining  a  knowl- 
edge of  that  business,  when  he  entered  the  grist  mill  to  learn  that 
trade.  But  after  three  years  he  concluded  to  remove  to  Newtown  and 
manufacture  horn  buttons.  He  there  carried  on  that  industry  six 
years,  when  he  went  to  Leominster,  Mass.,  where  he  operated  in  the 
same  business  a  like  period  of  time,  after  which  he  returned  to  Platts- 
ville, where  he  has  since  resided. 

He  was  first  engaged  with  his  father  in  carrying  on  Piatt's  Mills. 
In  1863  he  assumed  charge  of  the  distribution  of  the  mill  products  and 
worked  up  a  large  demand  for  them.  To  better  carry  on  this  increased 
business  he  organized  the  Piatt  Mill  Company  in  1876,  and  of  that 
body,  in  its  reorganized  form,  he  is  the  principal  owner  and  directing 
head.  In  1882  he  erected  an  elevator  in  Waterbury,  with  a  capacity 
for  60,000  bushels  of  grain,  which  has  remained  the  only  building  of 
that  kind  in  the  city.  A  store  house  is  also  maintained  in  Naugatuck. 
The  business  of  the  mill  company  at  the  three  points  named  has, 
through  the  energetic  efforts  of  Mr.  Piatt,  become  very  extensive,  and 
in  its  management  he  has  shown  qualities  of  a  high  order,  which  have 
properly  given  him  a  place  among  the  representative  men  of  the 
county. 

Mr.  Piatt  is  a  member  of  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42,  of  the  Masonic 
Order,  in  Waterbury,  and  belongs  to  Clark  Commandery,  of  the  same 
city,  taking  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  both  of  these  bodies. 

Floyd  B.  Smith  was  born  September  9th,  1842,  in  Middlebury, 
Conn.,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  He  came  to  Waterbnry 
to  learn  his  trade  in  the  spring  of  1859  with  Captain  Chester  Curtis, 
and  worked  for  him  until  the  spring  of  1865,  then  went  to  work  for 
John  Dutton,  and  in  1871  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Dutton,  who 
died  in  1874.  With  the  exception  of  two  years  that  J.  K.  Smith  was  a 
partner,  he  has  carried  on  the  business  of  contracting  and  building 
alone. 


698  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

John  C.  Thompson  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1852,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1869,  and  located  in  Waterbury.  He  was  first  employed 
with  the  Waterbury  Clock  Company  for  a  short  time,  afterward  with 
Benedict  &  Burnham,  then  with  the  American  Suspender  Company, 
and  later,  for  12  years,  with  Plume  &  Atwood.  He  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  almshouse  in  1889.  He  served  one  year  in  the 
council. 

George  Tracy  was  born  January  6th,  1847,  in  Morris,  Litchfield 
county,  Conn.,  and  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  and  at  the  Gun- 
nery, Washington,  Conn.  He  learned  the  carpenter  trade  in  Torring- 
ton  with  Hotchkiss  &  Son,  now  Hotchkiss  &  Bro.  In  1869  he  came  to 
Waterbury  to  work  for  John  Dutton.  In  1871  he  established  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Tracy  &  Eldridge,  which  continued  about  five 
years,  after  which  he  conducted  the  business  alone  until  1886,  when 
his  brother,  who  was  in  the  lumber  business,  became  a  member  of  the 
firm,  now  Tracy  Brothers.  They  burned  out  first  in  May,  1885,  re- 
built and  again  burned  out  in  December,  1891,  and  are  now  rebuild- 
ing. They  built  the  state  armories  at  New  London,  Bridgeport  and 
South  Norwalk,  and  many  other  large  buildings,  including  the  White 
Dental  Works  at  Staten  Island. 

Cornelius  Tracy  was  born  April  21st,  1853,  in  Morris,  Litchfield 
county,  Conn.,  and  was  educated  at  the  public  schools.  He  learned 
the  carpenter  trade  with  his  brother,  George,  followed  the  business 
for  six  years  in  Torrington,  Conn.,  then  established  the  lumber  busi- 
ness in  Waterbury,  which  he  carried  on  three  years,  and  in  1886 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother  in  the  building  and  lumber 
business,  since  carried  on  under  the  firm  name  of  Tracv  Brothers. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE    TOWN   OF    NAUGATUCK. 


Location  and  Description. — Allotment  of  Lands  and  Settlement. — Civil  Organization. — 
Town  Officers. — Probate  Court. — Town  Hall. — Town  Farm. — Roads  and  Bridges. — 
Manufacturing  Interests. — Straitsville. — Naugatuck  Village. — Savings  Bank  and 
Building  Association. — Naugatuck  National  Bank. — Electric  Light  Company. — Gas 
Company. — Water  Company. — Fire  Department. — Telephone  Company. — The  Peri- 
odical Press. — Post  Office. — Inns  and  Hotels. — Stores  and  Merchants. — Physicians. — 
Secret  and  Social  Orders. — Schools. — Libraries. — Congregational  Church. — St. 
Michael's  (Protestant  Episcopal). — Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Union  City  Mis- 
sion Chapel. — Swedish  Lutheran  Chapel. — Baptists. — St.  Francis  (R.  C.)  Church. — 
Soldiers'  Monument. — Cemeteries. — Biographical  Sketches. 


NAUGATUCK*  lies  south  of  Waterbury  and  north  of  Bethany 
and  Oxford.  The  latter  town  and  Middlebury  are  on  the  south- 
west, west  and  the  northwest;  on  the  east  is  the  town  of  Pros- 
pect. Its  shape  is  irregular,  the  boundary  lines  being  made  to  con- 
form to  the  outlying  hill  ranges,  but  it  is  about  five  miles  long  from 
east  to  west  and  about  four  miles  from  north  to  south.  The  Nauga- 
tuck river  divides  it  into  nearly  equal  parts  and  along  it  are  tracts  of 
level,  fertile  lands,  which  are  hemmed  in  by  high  hills.  The  highest 
and  most  prominent  of  these  is  Beacon  hill,  in  the  southeast,  which 
clearly  overtops  the  surrounding  country.  It  took  its  name  from  the 
early  settlers,  as  a  place  where  beacon  fires  were  kindled,  in  a  system 
of  communication  at  that  time  prevalent. 

Hopkins'  hill  is  along  the  Prospect  line,  and  Great  hill  is  on  the 
Waterbury  border  in  the  northeastern  part.  On  the  west  is  Hunting- 
ton hill,  and  the  so-called  Strait's  mountain  is  in  the  southwestern  part. 
There  are  a  number  of  hills  of  lesser  height  and  the  general  surface  is 
much  broken  by  these  local  elevations.  The  arable  lands  are  limited, 
and  are  confined  mainly  to  the  river  valley  and  to  the  intervales  formed 
by  the  tributary  streams. 

The  principal  affluents  are  Hop  brook,  in  the  northern  part,  flow- 
ing from  Middlebury;  Fulling  Mill  brook,  in  the  northeastern  part, 
flowing  from  Prospect;  Beacon  Hill  brook,  in  the  southeastern  part 
and  south  of  Hopkins'  hill;  Spruce  brook,  in  the  southwest;  and  a 
large  brook,  flowing  from  the  southern  part  of  Middlebury,  bisecting 
the  western  half  of  the  town  and  emptying  into  the  Naugatuck  river 

♦Much  of  the  matter  in  this  account  of  Naugatuck  is  from  data  furnished  by 
William  Ward,  of  whom  an  extended  biographical  sketch  appears  in  this  chapter. 


700  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN  COUNTY. 

at  the  village  of  Naugatuck.  This  bears  various  names,  as  Long 
Meadow,  Towantic  and  Scott  brook,  the  latter  name  being  derived 
from  an  earlY  landholder,  on  this  stream.  Nearly  all  these  brooks 
descend  from  the  high  lands  of  the  adjacent  towns  and  afford  powers 
whose  improvement  has  materially  increased  the  wealth  of  the  town. 

The  town  was  organized  in  1844  and  took  its  name  from  the  valley 
in  which  it  lies.  Doctor  Anderson  says  that  the  term  "Naugatuck 
was  originally  attached  not  to  the  river,  but  to  a  place  on  the  river;" 
and  that  there  was  plenty  of  evidence  to  show  that  Naugatuck,  or  the 
fishing  place,  was  at  Rimmon  Falls,  where  Seymour  now  stands.  The 
name  being  applied  to  the  river,  at  that  particular  place,  was  soon 
given  to  the  entire  length,  then  to  the  valley  and  finally  to  the  town. 

Of  the  northern  section  the  Indian  title  was  extinguished  by  pur- 
chase from  the  Farmington  Tribe  in  February,  1657.  The  southern 
part  was  claimed  by  the  Milford  Tribe  and  its  lands  were  conveyed  to 
Thomas  Judd  and  John  Stanley  February  28th,  1685.  In  all  there 
were  20  parcels,  9  on  the  east  side  and  11  on  the  west  of  the  river. 
The  former  comprised  the  lands  lying  north  of  Beacon  Hill  brook  and 
to  the  north  end  of  Judd's  Meadow,  called  by  the  name  of  Sqonk. 
Eastward  these  lands  extended  from  the  river  to  the  Wallingford  and 
New  Haven  bounds,  in  what  are  now  Prospect  and  Bethany.  The  lands 
west  of  the  river  extended  to  the  Cedar  swamp  and  the  Ouassepaug 
pond.  The  rich  meadows  in  the  southeastern  part  of  this  purchase 
early  attracted  the  attention  of  a  number  of  settlers  of  Waterbury, 
who  were  moved  with  a  desire  to  possess  them.  Accordingly  a  divi- 
sion of  lands,  by  allotment,  was  sought  and  made  as  early  as  1686. 
In  this  division  Edmund  Scott  and  others  received  lands  along 
Towantic  brook,  many  years  before  settlement  was  made.  At  the 
mouth  of  the  brook  and  extending;  northward  along-  the  river  was  the 
first  allotment  to  Deacon  Thomas  Judd.  It  consisted  of  eight  acres  of 
very  superior  level  land  and  for  more  than  100  years  it  was  known  as 
Judd's  Meadow.  As  a  later  allotment  Judd  received  lands  north  of 
what  is  now  Maple  street,  at  Naugatuck.  On  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
below  the  mouth  of  Fulling  Mill  brook,  ten  acres  were  set  aside  to 
Doctor  Daniel  Porter,  in  1686. 

South  of  Deacon  Judd's  meadow  lands  were  granted  to  Abraham 
Andrus,  in  1687,  6  acres;  to  Isaac  Bronson,  8  acres;  to  Thomas  Porter, 
8%  acres;  to  Edmund  Scott,  4-J-  acres,  all  before  1696.  Other  lands  were 
allotted  to  Joseph  Gaylord,  John  Scovill,  Thomas  Richardson,  John 
Hopkins,  etc.  About  the  same  time  allotments  were  made  on  what 
was  later  called  Gunn  hill,  to  Edmund  Scott,  60  acres,  on  the  east  side; 
and  to  John  Judd,  on  the  west  side.  Timothy  Stanley  was  given  six 
acres  on  the  brook.  -Allotments  were  here  made  as  late  as  1720,  when 
land  was  laid  out  for  Samuel  Warner. 

In  1687  an  allotment  was  made  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  John 
Warner  being  given  a  tract  north  of  what  is  now  Maple  street.     Next 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  701 

below,  Samuel  Hickox,  Sr.,  was  given  five  acres,  part  of  which  was  an 
island.  About  where  is  now  the  Naugatuck  Hotel,  Thomas  Judd,  Jr., 
was  given  four  acres  and  also  three  acres  north  of  the  Pine  Hill  grave 
yard.  On  Hop  brook,  Joseph  Gaylord,  Robert  Porter,  Abraham  An- 
drus  and  Edmund  Scott  were  given  lands  before  1697.  At  Union 
City  and  in  other  parts  of  the  town,  lands  were  taken  up  by  Thomas 
Hickox,  John  Hickox,  Jeremiah  and  John  Peck,  Samuel  Tolles,  the 
Warners  and  others. 

All  the  first  allotments  were  of  small  areas,  but  embraced  the  best 
lands,  selected  without  reference  to  shape.  The  later  allotments  com- 
prised from  20  to  60  acres  each,  and  the  land  was  taken  without  refer- 
ence to  quality,  the  ability  to  secure  a  large  quantity  often  determin- 
ing the  selection. 

The  settlement  of  the  town  was  not  begun  until  after  1700.  A 
short  time  before  that  date,  the  New  Haven  or  county  road  was  laid 
out  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  which  made  the  lands  taken  up  avail- 
able for  occupancy  and  made  their  improvement  easier.  An  addi- 
tional inducement  to  settlers  was  now  held  out  in  the  offer  of  grants 
of  lands  not  yet  allotted. 

Samuel  Hickox,  Jr.,  is  credited  with  being  the  first  settler.  He 
was  born  about  1669,  married  Elizabeth  Plumb,  of  Milford,  in  1690, 
and  lived  at  Waterbury  until  about  1703.  Doctor  Bronson,  in  his  his- 
tory of  that  town,  says  he  had  a  house  on  his  tract  of  land  as  early  as 
December  21st,  1702.  This  house  was  on  the  hill  east  of  the  river  and 
beyond  the  old  county  road,  a  short  distance  north  of  the  present  resi- 
dence of  B.  M.  Hotchkiss.  The  house  has  been  taken  away,  but  the 
old  well  is  still  there.  Samuel  Hickox  owned  not  only  the  lands 
around  his  house,  but  was  the  owner  of  a  tract  about  a  mile  north, 
which  had  been  allotted  to  other  members  of  the  Hickox  family,  who 
did  not  remove  here  from  Waterbury.  He  died  in  the  great  sickness 
in  1713  and  was  buried  in  the  Pine  Hill  Cemetery,  which  was  taken 
from  his  land  in  1709.  A  few  years  before  his  death  he  built  a  small 
carding  and  fulling  mill,  on  the  brook,  on  his  upper  tract  of  land,  from 
which  circumstance  the  stream  took  its  name — Fulling  Mill  brook — 
and  he  thus,  probably,  built  the  first  mill  of  the  kind  in  the  state.  His 
wife,  Elizabeth,  died  in  1749,  and  their  sons,  John  and  Gideon,  sur- 
vived them.  Remote  descendants  of  this  pioneer  family  still  remain 
in  Naugatuck,  in  families  bearing  the  names  of  Smith,  Hotchkiss,  Is- 
bell,  May,  Warner  and  others,  many  of  them  active  in  the  town's 
affairs. 

Daniel  Warner,  Jr.,  was  the  second  permanent  settler  in  the  town, 
his  house  being  near  the  old  county  road,  south  of  Fulling  Mill  brook. 
He  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Warner,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Mattatuck, 
whose  widow  continued  to  reside  in  Waterbury.  He  built  his  house 
prior  to  1708,  and  April  10th,  1709,  his  wife,  Mary  Andrus,  died,  being 
the  first  white  person  buried  in  the  town.     She  was  interred  at  Pine 


702  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Hill  April  11th,  1709.  He  died  in  September,  1713,  being  one  of  the 
last  victims  of  the  great  sickness  of  that  and  the  previous  year.  They 
had  sons  named  Samuel,  Ebenezer  and  Abraham,  who  became  early 
settlers  in  this  part  of  the  county.  In  1738  the  former  sold  the  old 
homestead,  and  there  have  since  been  man)'  owners  of  the  property. 
In  1783  it  was  owned  by  Lemuel  Hoadley. 

Joseph  Lewis,  who  came  to  Waterbury  from  Simsbury  about  1700, 
and  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Abraham  Andrus,  sister  of  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Warner,  Jr..  also  settled  in  what  is  now  Nau- 
gatuck,  coming  about  1713.  He  was  probably  the  first  settler  west  of 
the  river,  where  he  was  one  of  the  most  active  in  developing  that  part 
of  the  town.  Before  his  death  he  became  a  large  land  owner,  having 
in  all  about  900  acres.  His  descendants  became  very  numerous,  many 
•of  them  living  in  what  was  called  Lewistown.in  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  town.  Joseph  Lewis  was  a  cloth  weaver  b3'  trade,  and  was  one 
of  the  most  respected  and  substantial  men  in  the  town  of  Waterbury. 
About  1720  he  loaned  the  town  a  sum  of  money  to  settle  a  judgment 
against  it  in  favor  of  the  town  of  Wallingford,  and  for  that  favor  he 
was  granted  80  acres  of  land  on  Towantic  brook.  He  died  November 
29th,  1749,  and  his  oldest  son,  Joseph,  also  died  of  the  prevalent  sick- 
ness that  year.  Another  son,  Thomas,  born  in  1716,  graduated  at  Yale 
in  1741  and  became  a  Congregational  minister.  Samuel,  the  youngest 
son,  was  the  first  deacon  of  the  church  in  Salem,  and  was  a  justice  of 
the  peace  from  1771  to  1787.  In  1748  all  the  land  in  the  Lewis  neigh- 
borhood was  owned  by  Joseph  Lewis  and  his  sons,  John  and  Samuel. 
In  1S88  70  families  lived  in  that  locality,  not  one  of  which  bore  the 
name  of  Lewis. 

Among  others  who  came  about  the  same  time  as  the  foregoing  was 
John  Barnes,  who  bought  land  on  the  road  leading  from  Union  City 
to  the  New  England  railroad  depot  early  in  the  fall  of  1712,  and  set- 
tled there  the  following  year.  Later  he  owned  large  tracts  on  Hop 
brook.  Of  his  five  children  four  died  in  the  great  sickness  of  1749. 
He  died  in  L763.  His  surviving  child  married  Ebenezer  Johnson,  of 
Derby,  and  the  property  was  long  known  by  his  name.  In  1790  it 
passed  to  Reverend  Mr.  Fowler. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  town  Thomas  Richards  built  a  house 
about  1714,  on  land  which  he  had  acquired  half  a  dozen  years  earlier. 
He  died  in  1726,  and  20  years  later  the  property  passed  to  Amos 
Osborn. 

In  July,  1720,  James  Brown,  of  New  Haven,  bought  a  tract  of  land 
of  the  Samuel  Hickox  estate,  which  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  old 
county  road  and  south  of  the  present  B.  M.  Hotchkiss  place.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  was  appointed  the  first  tavern  keeper  in  the  town.  He 
was  also  the  first  churchman  in  Waterbury,  and  from  that  fact  and 
that  he  deemed  himself  a  man  of  some  importance,  he  was  derisively 
called  Bishop  Brown.  In  1737  he  sold  out  to  Josiah  Terrell,  of  Milford, 
and  removed  to  Westbury. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  703 

Ebenezer  Hickox,  one  of  the  sons  of  Samuel  Hickox,  the  first  set- 
tler, located  on  the  lot  which  later  became  the  May  place.  He  sold 
out  to  the  Rew  family  in  1732,  and  in  1744  Josiah  Terrel  also  became 
the  owner  of  this  property.  He  gave  it  to  his  son,  Moses,  who  was  the 
father  of  Irijah  Terrell.  The  latter  built  on  it  the  commodious  house 
which  became  a  tavern  and  which  was  used  as  an  inn  until  after  the 
building  of  the  Watertown  turnpike  along  the  river. 

Samuel,  Edmund  and  John  Scott,  sons  of  Edmund  Scott,  Jr.,  of  Wa- 
terbury,  who  had  been  allotted  lands  along  Scott's  or  Towantic  brook, 
were  among  the  early  prominent  settlers  of  that  region,  much  of  it  be- 
ing in  the  Millville  section.  Samuel  Scott  also  owned  land  on  the  side 
of  Strait's  mountain,  which  he  gave  to  his  son,  Gideon,  in  1752.  In 
1785  Gideon  Scott  had  a  house  where  is  now  the  intersection  of  Scott 
and  Cross  streets,  and  where,  in  1843,  George  Hoadley  erected  a  new 
dwelling,  using  the  old  cellar  wall.  For  many  years  this  Scott  family 
was  very  numerous  in  that  part  of  the  town. 

Obadiah  Scott,  of  another  family,  being  a  son  of  George  Scott,  was 
admitted  as  a  bachelor  proprietor  in  1713,  and  in  1716  he  had  a  house 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  town,  east  of  the  one  erected  by  Thomas 
Richards.  He  died  in  1735,  and  after  being  owned  by  his  sons,  most 
of  the  land  later  passed  to  Amos  Osborn,  whose  descendants  still  oc- 
cupy a  part  of  it. 

Another  early  settler  at  Judd's  Meadow  and  along  Towantic  brook 
was  Samuel  Warner,  who  here  received  a  bachelor's  lot  in  1712  and 
more  land  in  1715,  some  of  it  extending  up  Strait's  mountain.  Other 
lands  along  the  brook  made  this  one  of  the  largest  farms  in  those  days. 
He  died  in  1741.  From  this  family  descended  Stephen  Warner,  who 
was  well  known  in  Naugatuck  as  one  of  the  most  skillful  malleable 
iron  workers  of  his  time. 

Near  the  present  Millville  school  house  Daniel  Williams,  commonly 
called  "  Dan  "  Williams,  made  substantial  improvements  before  1740. 
He  died  in  1754,  and  his  son,  Daniel,  conveyed  some  of  the  land  to 
John  Lewis,  but  descendants  remained  in  that  part  of  the  town. 

In  the  southwestern  part  of  the  old  town  of  Waterbury  John  An- 
drus  settled  some  time  about  1724,  becoming  in  the  course  of  years  a 
large  land  owner.  He  built  a  substantial  house,  which  was  mentioned 
in  contemporary  writings  as  late  as  1S14.  Much  of  his  land  was  con- 
veyed to  Nathaniel  Gunn  in  1733,  and  Andrus  removed  to  Woodbury 
probably  not  long  thereafter.  In  the  same  locality  Joseph  Lewis,  Jr.,  son 
of  Deacon  Joseph  Lewis,  began  the  acquisition  of  land  in  1728,  and 
acquired  real  estate  for  twenty  or  more  years,  until  he  had  large  pos- 
sessions. He  owned,  among  other  tracts,  the  land  at  Bradley's  Corner, 
which  bore  for  a  time  the  name  of  Lewis'  hill. 

But  the  Gunns  were  for  a  number  of  years  relatively  more  important 
than  any  other  family  in  this  part  of  the  town.  To  such  an  extent 
had  they  absorbed  every  interest  that  the  locality  was  called  Gunn- 


704  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

town,  and  members  of  the  family  were  engaged  in  farming,  milling, 
distilling,  lumbering  and  merchandising.  Nathaniel  Gunn  was  the 
first  of  that  name  here.  He  purchased  land  of  John  Andrus  in  1733, 
near  Twelve  Mile  hill,  and  adjoining  lands  belonging  to  Ebenezer  War- 
ner, Joseph  Lewis,  Jr.,  Daniel  Williams,  John  Weed,  Jr.,  and  David 
Judson.  From  these  he  subsequently  purchased  lands  to  enlarge  his 
estate  until  he  had  more  than  600  acres  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in 
1769.  He  married  Sarah  Wheeler  in  1728,  and  among  their  sons  were: 
Abel,  Enos,  Nathaniel  and  Jobamah,  to  whom  was  given  a  goodly  es- 
tate, which  they  further  increased  until  they  were  accounted  very 
wealthy.  Jobamah,  especially,  became  a  large  land  owner,  so  that  in 
the  list  of  1791  he  had  563  acres,  part  of  which  was  used  as  a  deer  park. 
He  built  a  house  and  furnished  it  in  a  style  equalled  only  in  cities  of 
that  period. 

The  Gunns  were  churchmen  and  were  suspected  of  disloyalty  in 
the  revolution;  and  Jobamah  Gunn  was  charged  with  being  one  of  the 
parties  implicated  in  the  kidnapping  of  Chauncey  Judd.*  On  the  com- 
plaint of  housing  and  feeding  the  kidnapping  party  he  was  fined 
$1,800  in  gold.  Besides  having  fine  farm  buildings,  the  family  of 
Enos  Gunn,  near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  put  up  a  brick  store- 
house at  Gunntown,  in  which  Larmon  Townsend,  a  son-in-law,  mer- 
chandised many  years,  until  he  removed  to  Middlebury  Center,  after 
that  town  was  formed.  The  brick  building  was  demolished  and  some 
of  the  material  was  taken  to  Naugatuck  village,  where  it  was  used  in 
the  erection  of  a  hall.  The  Gunns,  though  once  so  numerous,  are  no 
longer  here  represented,  and  but  few  bearing  that  name  live  in  the 
town. 

In  the  extreme  southwestern  part  of  the  town,  on  the  summit  of 
the  beautiful  Twelve  Mile  hill  (formerly  so  called  because  it  was 
twelve  miles  from  Derby,  now  known  as  Huntington  hill),  which 
rises  900  feet  above  the  sea  and  about  600  feet  above  the  village  of 
Naugatuck,  a  boundary  stake  was  set  May  18th,  1680.  The  commit- 
tee on  the  part  of  Mattatuck  were:  William  Judd,  Thomas  Judd  and 
John  Stanley,  Jr.  The  latter  appears  to  have  been  impressed  with 
the  beauty  of  this  location,  for  about  1687  he  secured  a  grant  of 
twelve  acres  on  the  summit  of  the  hill.  A  tract  of  100  acres  was 
afterward  here  granted  to  Reverend  Joseph  Moss,  the  pastor  of  the 
Derby  church,  which  was  sold  by  his  heirs  in  1739  to  Thomas,  Joseph 
and  Amos  Osborn,  three  brothers,  of  New  Haven,  who  descended 
from  one  of  the  first  Osborns  of  that  place.  They  afterward  made 
division  of  the  Stanley  and  Moss  lands,  and  by  making  other  pur- 
chases became  large  land  owners. 

They,  also,  were  churchmen,  and  Thomas  Osborn  was,  in  1742  one 
of  the  subscribers  to  a  fund  to  erect  the  first  Episcopal  church  in 
Waterbury.       In  1753  Daniel  Osborn,   another  brother,  bought    the 

*  See  History  of  Bethany. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  705 

Jonas  Weed  place,  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  hill.  His  son,  Abra- 
ham, was  the  pioneer  settler  of  Osborntown,  buying  land  there  as  early 
as  1758,  and  later  secured  some  of  the  Edmund  Scott  lands,  allotted 
as  early  as  1723.  He  died  in  1813.  The  Osborns  had  many  descend- 
ants, some  still  remaining  in  that  locality. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  the  principal  landowner  and  settler 
was  Stephen  Hopkins.  He  bought  land  at  Judd's  Meadow  as  early  as 
1723,  but  most  of  his  future  purchases  were  on  the  elevated  tract  of 
land  which  is  known  to  this  day  as  Hopkins'  hill.  Here  Stephen  Hop- 
kins owned  a  tract  of  land,  in  1757,  which  embraced  more  than  959 
acres  and  extended  from  the  south  branch  of  Fulling  Mill  brook  south- 
ward, at  its  extreme  length,  one  and  seven-eighths  miles.  In  places 
it  was  more  than  a  mile  wide  and  had  a  very  irregular  shape,  there 
being  23  angles,  every  one  of  which  was  marked  with  the  letters  "S. 
H."  Before  his  death,  in  1769,  his  estate  in  what  is  now  Naugatuck 
was  more  than  1,000  acres. 

Stephen  Hopkins  was  the  grandson  of  John  Hopkins,  of  Hartford, 
where  he  settled  in  1636,  and  a  son  of  Stephen  Hopkins,  who  built  the 
first  mill  in  Waterbury  about  16S0.  He  was  a  brother  of  John  Hop- 
kins, the  miller  of  Mattatuck.  Stephen  Hopkins  was  born  in  1689  and 
in  1717  married  Susanna  Peck,  of  Wallingford.  Their  sons,  who  at- 
tained manhood,  were  John,  Stephen,  Joseph  and  David.  Their  daugh- 
ters married  into  the  Bronson,  Royce  and  Johnson  families.  Some  of 
the  descendants  of  Stephen  Hopkins'  family  attained  great  distinction 
in  the  professions  in  which  they  engaged.  A  grandson,  Samuel  Miles 
Hopkins,  born  in  the  Salem  Society  in  1772,  received  the  degree  of 
LL.D.  from  Yale  College  in  1828,  and  his  son,  also  Samuel  Miles,  be- 
came a  doctor  of  divinity,  by  a  degree  of  Amherst  College,  in  1854. 

Doctor  Lemuel  Hopkins,  the  third  son  of  Stephen,  was  born  in 
1750  and  before  his  death  in  1801,  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
physicians  of  the  state.  He  was  also  a  writer  of  great  force,  but  pub- 
lished very  little  over  his  own  name.  About  1784  he  removed  from 
Waterbury  to  Hartford.  Many  other  branches  of  the  Hopkins  fam- 
ilies were  noted  for  their  good  qualities  as  citizens  and  the  name  is 
one  of  the  most  honorable  in  the  town. 

Other  honored  and  early  prominent  settlers  were  the  Hoadleys, 
the  Wards  and  others,  whose  names  appear  in  accounts  elsewhere  given 
of  the  fathers  of  the  town's  history. 

Originally  Waterbury  extended  south  along  the  Naugatuck  to  the 
Derby  line.  From  the  north  of  that  town  Oxford  and  Bethany  were 
set  off,  but  the  Naugatuck  region  was  long  known  as  the  '-South 
Farms,"  and  the  inhabitants  traveled  many  miles  to  attend  meetings 
at  Waterbury.  Tiring  of  this  they  petitioned,  April  22d,  1765,  for 
liberty  for  four  months  winter  preaching.  Against  this  desire  of  46 
persons  Samuel  Porter,  living  in  what  later  became  Prospect,  protested 
May  15th,  1765,  because  a  division  would  make  the  old  society  too 
45 


706  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

weak  and  that  it  was  sinful  for  the  "South  Farmers"  to  shirk  their  ob- 
ligations to  attend  service  at  Waterbury.  His  scruples  were  respected 
and  when  the  district  line  was  run  for  winter  preaching  his  farm  was 
left  outside  of  the  limits.  This  provisional  or  winter  parish  was  four 
by  seven  miles  in  extent.  Having  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  self  rule  to 
this  extent,  a  movement  was  set  on  foot  to  form  a  permanent  parish 
which  should  embrace  four  by  six  miles  of  the  southern  part  of  old 
Waterbury.  Against  this  petition  of  November  13th,  1771,  39  of  the 
inhabitants  of  that  section,  which  later  became  Prospect,  set  them- 
selves in  opposition,  claiming  that  while  it  was  too  far  to  attend  meet- 
ings at  Waterbury,  they  could  no  better  be  accommodated  at  the 
"South  Farms,"  but  that  they  should  have  a  society  of  their  own.  The 
matter  was  referred  to  a  legislative  committee  which  reported,  and 
the  incorporation  of  Salem  Society  followed,  as  will  be  seen  by  this 
record: 

"  May,  1773,  upon  the  memorial  of  Gideon  Hicox,  of  Waterbury,  in 
the  county  of  New  Haven,  and  others  praying  for  society  privileges, 
Bushnell  Bostwick,  Thomas  Darling  and  James  Wadsworth  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  in  October  last,  who  have  reported  that  it  is  con- 
venient and  necessary  that  a  distinct  ecclesiastical  society  be  made  and 
constituted  within  the  following  limits:  Beginning  at  a  rock  near  the 
road  from  the  Town  Plat  at  Waterbury  to  New  Haven,  distant  from 
the  meeting  house  in  Waterbury  two  miles,  one-half  a  mile  and  sixty 
rods,  called  the  '  Mile  Rock  '  to  Wallingford  line;  thence  in  said  line 
to  the  tree  called  the  '  Three  Brothers;'  thence  south  to  the  Beacon 
Gap;  thence  to  the  southeast  corner  of  a  farm  formerly  be- 
longing to  James  Richards,  lying  on  Beech  Hill;  thence  west 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Spruce  Brook,  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Naugatuck  river;  thence  keeping  the  Brook  westwardly  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Brook  that  comes  off  from  Red  Oak  Hill;  thence  north- 
westwardly to  the  place  where  Moss  Road  crosses  Derby  line;  thence 
northwardly  in  said  road  to  Enos  Gunn's  dwelling  house;  thence  a 
north  line  so  far  as  to  intersect  a  west  line  from  said  '  Mile  Rock.' 

"  Which  report  is  accepted  and  approved.  Whereupon,  it  is  resolved 
by  the  Assembly  that  the  inhabitants  living  within  the  aforesaid  limits 
be  and  they  are  hereby  made  and  constituted  a  distinct  Ecclesiastical 
Society,  with  all  the  Privileges,  Powers  and  Immunities  to  such  Socie- 
ties usually  belonging  in  this  Colony,  and  shall  be  known  and  called  by 
the  name  of  Salem. 

"  Passed  in  the  Lower  House. 

Test.    W.  M.  Williams,  Clerk. 
Concurred  in  the  Upper  House. 

George  Willis,  Secretary." 
Under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Salem  ecclesiastical  society,  the  in- 
habitants of  this  region   lived  many  years,  and  later  were  parts  of 
Waterbury  and  other  adjoining  towns,  many  years  more,  when  sepa- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  707 

rate  town  privileges  were  prayed  for  and  obtained,  but  not  without 
opposition. 

The  old  Salem  Parish  was  incorporated  as  a  town  on  the  petition 
of  William  De  Forest  and  others,  dated  February  16th,  1844,  by  an  act 
of  the  May,  1844,  session  of  the  general  assembly,  to  include  "all  the 
parts  of  the  towns  of  Waterbury,  Bethany  and  Oxford  lying  within  the 
following  limits,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
Society  of  Salem,  in  the  town  of  Waterbury,  where  the  same  adjoins 
the  northwest  corner  of  Prospect,  and  thence  running  southerly  by  the 
line  of  the  said  Society  to  the  town  of  Bethany,  at  a  point  called  the 
'  Three  Brothers,'  thence  by  said  Society  line  southerly  to  the  south- 
east corner  of  said  Society,  at  a  point  in  Bethany  called  Beacon  Gap, 
and  thence  westerly  in  said  town  of  Bethany  in  a  straight  line  to 
Naugatuck  River,  at  the  mouth  of  Spruce  Brook;  thence  northwesterly, 
in  the  line  of  said  Society  in  the  town  of  Oxford  to  Burtis'  Corner, 
thence  northerly  in  the  line  of  the  said  Society  as  it  now  runs,  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  said  Society  to  the  place  of  beginning,  with  all 
the  inhabitants  residing  thereon,  be,  and  the  same  are  hereby  incor- 
porated into  a  distinct  town  by  the  name  of  Naugatuck." 

The  new  town  was  entitled  to  one  representative.  The  first  meet- 
ing was  held  on  the  public  green,  on  Church  street,  and  John  Peck 
moderated,  when  the  following  officers  were  chosen  :  Clerk,  Charles 
S.  Peck  ;  selectmen,  Ransom  Culver,  Enos  Osborne,  Burton  Sperry  : 
treasurer,  Isaac  S.  Johnson  ;  town  agent,  Charles  Nettleton  ;  treasurer 
of  deposit  fund,  Hiel  S.  Stevens ;  tything  men,  Francis  Webster, 
Orrin  Hotchkiss,  Monroe  Serrells,  Enos  Hopkins,  William  H.  Tomlin- 
son,  G.  O.  Hotchkiss  ;  surveyors  of  highways,  William  H.  Hine,  Sam- 
uel Osborne,  Enos  Hopkins,  Gideon  O.  Hotchkiss,  Jonathan  Scott, 
John  Hopkins,  Laurence  S.  Lewis,  Joseph  O.  Kane,  Bennett  Candee, 
Leverett  Osborne,  Bela  Atwater,  E.  M.  Payne. 

The  regular  election  in  October,  1844,  was  also  held  on  the  green, 
between  the  Episcopal  and  the  Congregational  churches,  and  the  first 
principal  officers  were  reelected.  A  tax  of  six  cents  on  the  dollar  was 
voted.  The  selectmen  were  to  be  allowed  one  dollar  per  day  for  their 
services,  and  a  building  for  the  use  of  the  town  was  leased  of  David- 
son &  Goodwin. 

From  the  organization  of  the  town  until  1889  the  clerks  have 
been  :  1844-6,  Charles  S.  Peck ;  1847-59,  Gustavus  Spencer ;  1860, 
Edwin  W.  Brainard  ;  1861,  E.  P.  Thompson  ;  1862-70,  Charles  M.  Clark  : 
1871-3,  George  D.  Bissell ;  1874-7,  Lauren  S.  Beardsley ;  1878-84,  J.  F. 
Garrison  ;  1885-6,  George  D.  Bissell ;  1887-8,  Henry  C.  Baldwin,  S.  S. 
Scott,  assistant  clerk ;  1889,  Arthur  W.  Kane,  James  E.  Sweeney, 
assistant  clerk. 

The  Naugatuck  Probate  District  was  created  in  1863.  David 
Smith  was  the  judge,  serving  six  years.  Samuel  Hopkins  was  the 
next  judge,  for  a  few  years,  when  David  Smith  served  again,  eight 


708  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

years.  In  1881,  George  D.  Bissell  was  elected  judge,  succeeded  the 
next  term  by  John  M.  Sweeney.  In  1885-6,  Samuel  Seeley  Scott  was 
the  judge,  his  successor  being  the  present  efficient  incumbent,  Judge 
John  M.  Sweeney. 

The  town  hall  was  built  in  1882.  The  agitation  of  the  matter 
which  led  to  the  erection  of  the  hall  was  begun  in  December,  1877, 
when  B.  B.  Tuttle,  .Samuel  Hopkins,  Hiel  S.  Stevens,  Patrick  Conran, 
G.  M.  Allerton,  James  S.  Lewis,  Patrick  Brennan,  William  O.  Lewis 
and  F.  B.  Tuttle  were  appointed  a  committee  to  report  on  this  subject. 
They  recommended,  January  7th,  1878,  that  a  two-story  hall,  58  by  93 
feet,  be  built  of  brick,  with  trimming's  of  granite  and  Ohio  sand- 
stone,  and  estimated  the  cost  of  the  building  at  $19,000.  The  report 
was  acted  on,  and  February  18th,  1878,  it  was  voted  to  purchase  the 
Lewis  &  Whittemore  lot,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Church  and  Maple 
streets.  A  delay  took  place  and  nothing  effective  was  done  until  June 
2Sth,  1880.  when  the  following  building  committee  was  authorized : 
Bronson  B.  Tuttle,  George  M.  Allerton,  Charles  A.  Ensign,  B.  M. 
Hotchkiss,  Homer  Twitchell,  Hiel  S.  Stevens,  Thomas  Conran  and 
Harry  S.  Hotchkiss.  Plans  prepared  by  Architect  L.  B.  Valk,  of 
New  York  city,  were  adopted  and  the  cost  was  estimated  at  $30,000. 
In  February,  1881,  the  lot  was  enlarged  by  the  purchase  on  the  north 
of  five  more  feet  of  land.  The  hall  was  completed  in  July,  1882,  at  a 
total  cost  of  $54,000.  The  lower  story  is  fitted  up  for  offices  and  a 
spacious  court  room,  while  the  main  part  of  the  upper  story  forms  an 
auditorium,  having  a  seating  capacity  for  850  people.  The  building 
has  a  private  water  supply  and  is  one  of  the  most  creditable  public 
buildings  in  the  county  for  the  cost. 

The  town  farm  is  one-half  a  mile  west  from  the  center,  on  the  Mill- 
ville  road,  and  consists  of  110  acres.  When  purchased,  in  1861,  there 
was  an  old  saw  mill  on  the  place.  It  is  maintained  at  an  expense  of 
about  $3,000  per  year,  and  the  receipts  from  the  farm  are  about  $1,800 
per  year.     More  than  30  inmates  are  admitted  annually. 

Among  the  thoroughfares  of  the  town,  the  '  Straits '  turnpike  long 
held  a  most  important  place.  It  took,  to  a  large  extent,  the  place  of 
the  old  County  or  New  Haven  road,  which  was  opened  about  1700, 
and  whose  general  course  was  on  high  or  hilly  ground.  The  turnpike 
was  built  about  100  years  later,  and  followed  the  course  of  the  old 
highway  only  where  it  was  advantageous  to  do  so.  Below  Salem 
bridge  it  left  the  hills  and,  crossing  the  river,  bore  to  the  northwest, 
to  Watertown.  On  the  east  side  of  the  river  the  Waterbury  turnpike 
was  built,  forming  a  junction  with  the  above  at  the  Salem  bridge,  and 
it  became  a  popular  road  which,  as  a  public  highway,  is  well  kept  up 
to  this  day.  The  Humphreysville  &  Salem  turnpike  was  built  in  1825 
and  vacated  in  1S53.  It  extended  along  the  east  side  of  the  river  from 
Seymour  to  its  intersection  with  the    Straits  turnpike,  below  Salem 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  709 

bridge.  This  road  is  also  well  kept  up,  and  the  entire  highway  along 
the  east  side  of  the  stream  forms  a  delightful  drive. 

The  first  bridge  at  Naugatuck  was  a  little  more  than  100  rods  above 
the  present  one,  being  somewhat  lower  than  the  present  dam.  On 
the  hill,  near  where  the  road  from  the  west  entered  it,  was  Daniel 
Beecher's  inn.  The  old  Salem  bridge  was  replaced  with  a  fine  iron 
structure,  completed  in  1883,  and  having  a  span  of  185  feet.  The 
cost  was  about  $15,000.  A  good  iron  bridge  was  authorized  to  be 
built  in  1891  at  Union  City,  in  place  of  the  old  wooden  structure. 

The  Naugatuck  railroad  was  built  through  the  town  in  1849  and 
stations  have  been  located  at  Naugatuck  and  Union  City.  At  the 
former  place  new  buildings  were  put  up  in  1890.  The  New  England 
railway,  built  through  the  northwest  part  of  the  town,  in  1881,  has  a 
way  station  in  Naugatuck. 

Naugatuck  owes  its  development  and  to  a  large  extent  its  exist- 
ence as  a  corporate  body  to  the  manifold  manufacturing  interests 
within  its  bounds.  These  have  changed  it  from  a  poor  agricultural 
section  to  one  of  the  richest,  most  active  parts  of  the  county.  Here 
have  been,  in  turn,  industries  which  have  caused  the  town  to  be 
the  center  of  those  interests,  as  button  making  and  cutlery  produc- 
tion; and  the  later  manufacture  of  rubber  goods  and  malleable  iron  ware 
has  given  Naugatuck  an  extended  reputation.  The  fine  water  power 
of  some  of  the  minor  streams  first  attracted  attention  from  the  ordi- 
nary pursuits,  and  their  successful  improvement  revealed  the  possi- 
bility of  making  the  town  a  manufacturing  point.  A  further  im- 
provement, after  modern  methods,  and  the  utilization  of  the  waters 
of  the  river  were  crowned  with  such  rich  results  that  the  destiny  of 
the  town  long  since  became  apparent.  This  was  further  assured  by 
the  building  of  the  railway,  in  1849,  and  the  liberal  employment  of 
the  power  of  steam,  which  have  enlarged  the  capabilities  of  a  natur- 
ally advantageous  location,  until  but  few  places  of  its  size  have  in- 
dustries already  so  important  and  which  are  being  still  further  ex- 
panded. 

The  first  improvement  of  this  nature  was  on  Fulling  Mill  brook, 
east  of  Union  City,  on  which  were  also  some  of  the  other  early  indus- 
tries. It  was  a  fulling  mill,  put  up  by  Samuel  Hickox,  soon  after  his 
settlement  in  1703.  It  appears  that  it  was  afterward  changed  into 
a  grist  mill,  and  as  such  it  was  conveyed  by  Ebenezer  Hickox  to 
Hezekiah  Rew,  in  1737.  James  Baldwin  was  a  later  owner,  who  dis- 
posed of  it  to  William  Hoadley,  of  Branford,  in  1752.  Besides  the 
mill,  there  was  a  tract  of  land  of  200  acres,  extending  down  the  river, 
as  far  as  Hillside  Cemetery.  Later  the  owners  were  Jared  Byington 
and  his  sons,  Jesse  and  Isaac,  who  had  then,  about  1800,  a  trip  ham- 
mer for  drawing  nail  iron,  having  a  shop  on  the  hill  near  by,  in  which 
half  a  dozen  men  were  employed  in  heading  them.  In  1808,  the  New 
Haven  &  Baltimore  Button  Company  secured  a  part  of  the  property 


710  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  carried  on  the  manufacture  of  metal  buttons.  Sometime  about 
1812,  Amasa  Goodyear,  who  had  been  with  the  above  company,  took 
the  shops  and  manufactured  round-tined  forks,  cast  buttons,  molasses 
gates,  etc.  He  was  very  ingenious  and  a  splendid  mechanic,  but  not 
a  practical  business  man,  hence  this  venture  did  not  continue  many 
years.  He  was  the  father  of  Charles  Goodyear,  the  inventor  of  vul- 
canized rubber.  About  this  time,  the  grist  mill  was  given  up,  and  the 
other  buildings  were  devoted  to  other  uses. 

About  1842,  Lampson  Isbell  and  Clark  Warner  removed  to  this 
place  frcm  Naugatuck  village,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacturing  of 
wool  carding  machinery,  being  succeeded,  in  1852,  by  the  Naugatuck 
Machine  Company,  a  corporation  which  embraced  Warner  and  Isbell. 
In  the  same  period,  Samuel  and  Nelson  Newell  used  part  of  the  build- 
ing in  the  manufacture  of  light  rubber  goods,  but  removed  to  Spring- 
field,  Mass.  The  Machine  Company  was  last  engaged  on  general 
work,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Isbell,  and  suffered  the  loss  of  its 
building  by  fire.  The  site  was  last  occupied  by  the  Shepard  Manu- 
facturing Company,  formed  in  1886,  to  build  engines,  pumps,  etc.  But 
after  a  year's  operation  the  machinery  was  removed  and  the  first  im- 
proved power  in  town  has  since  been  idle. 

The  second  improvement  was  at  Gunntown,  now  Millville,  soon 
after  the  revolution,  when  Jobamah  Gunn  there  put  up  mills  and  a 
small  iron  furnace,  getting  his  ore  from  the  western  part  of  the  state. 
He  also  forged  blooms  but  did  not  operate  long,  as  he  got  into  financial 
straits.  The  mill,  however,  was  kept  up,  and  the  power  was  used, 
later,  for  other  purposes.  In  1854,  the  Naugatuck  Wheel  Company 
was  established  here,  and  in  1867,  some  of  the  buildings  were  burned 
down.  Since  that  time  small  lumber  mills  and  wood  working  shops 
have  been  carried  on  in  this  locality. 

Near  the  same  time,  about  1786,  Samuel  Scott  built  a  mill  on  the 
brook  at  its  lowest  power,  which,  after  the  location  of  the  highway  by 
it,  in  1788,  became  an  important  interest,  for  those  times,  in  what  is 
now  the  village  of  Naugatuck.  Jesse  Wooster  was  a  later  owner,  and 
in  1825  he  made  an  exchange  of  it  with  William  De  Forest,  who  owned 
the  next  power  above,  for  that  site.  The  latter  had  been  improved, 
after  1810,  by  Enos  C.  Candee,  for  small  clothing  works,  which  were 
later  carried  on  by  Leverett  Candee,  his  son,  but  became  the  property 
of  William  De  Forest  in  1820,  who  had  Silas  Grilly  as  his  associate,  in 
1822.  Upon  the  removal  of  his  woolen  machinery,  the  buildings 
were  converted  into  shops  for  the  manufacture  of  eight-day  clocks,  by 
Jesse  Wooster,  Francis  Spencer,  Giles  Hotchkiss  and  others.  Later 
the  rubber  works  were  here  located  and  the  power  was  much 
improved. 

William  De  Forest  also  improved  the  lower  power  and  enlarged 
the  building  for  his  clothing  works,  in  which  woolen  and  satinet  goods 
were  made.     Becoming  embarrassed  De  Forest  sold  to  Thomas  Lewis, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  711 

who  built  a  new  mill  in  place  of  the  burned  one,  which,  in  turn,  was 
also  destroyed  by  fire.  The  stone  part  of  the  present  plant  was  now 
built  by  Lewis  and  others,  and  other  improvements  were  later  added 
by  them. 

In  the  summer  of  1880  the  plant  passed  to  the  Dunham  Hosiery 
Company,  organized  for  the  manufacture  of  hosiery,  stockinet,  worsted 
and  woolen  goods.  The  corporators  were  Austin  C.  Dunham  and 
seven  others,  all  living  in  Hartford  except  Dwight  P.  Mills,  the  resi- 
dent manager.  The  company  has  since  operated  the  mills  and  is  giv- 
ing employment  to  many  persons. 

On  the  Great  or  Fulling  Mill  brook  have  been  many  industries, 
some  very  important  in  their  day.  At  its  head,  at  Russell's  pond,  in 
Prospect,  the  Russell  family  made  bone  buttons,  and  the  next  power 
below,  in  Naugatuck,  was  used  in  the  same  way,  by  Amos  Ellis.  Later 
cloth  covered  buttons  were  made  there  by  Harris  and  Robert  Isbell, 
but  both  shops  have  long  been  closed. 

The  next  power  below  was  utilized  by  William  S.  Keely  and  others 
as  the  Union  Suspender  &  Scrof  Company,  organized  in  1867.  A  large 
stone  factory  was  built,  which  has  long  since  been  idle,  as  the  indus- 
try flourished  but  a  short  time. 

At  the  next  lower  power  many  industries  were  carried  on,  one  of 
the  first  being  wire  drawing,  in  a  shop  where  were  Wooster  &  Judd. 
Later  there  was  here  the  button  factory  of  Horace  Smith  and  Edwin 
Hopkins,  which  became  the  Smith  &  Hopkins  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, in  1848,  and  had,  as  later  owners,  Eldridge  Smith,  Enos  Hop- 
kins and  E.  S.  Wheeler.  They  made  cloth  covered  buttons  and  em- 
ployed from  50  to  80  hands.  In  1861  they  removed  to  Westport,  when 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Kirk  occupied  the  building  in  web  making. 
Later  James  Bird  here  made  a  patent  pulley  and  in  1890  the  plant  was 
used  by  John  Bird  and  the  Connecticut  Button  Works. 

The  power  next  below  was  also  improved  to  operate  a  button  shop, 
by  David  Hopkins  and  Rufus  Russell,  bone  buttons  being  made. 
Later  silk  twist  was  there  spun,  and  afterward  Matthew  Anderson 
made  stockinet  goods.  J.  K.  Godfrey  used  the  building  in  making 
brass  and  German  silver  thimbles,  in  which  industry  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  present  proprietors,  David  and  Herbert  Pratt.  They  are  Eng- 
lish manufacturers  of  experience  and  employ  automatic  machinery  in 
the  production  of  many  grades  of  fine  thimbles. 

Going  lower  down  the  stream  the  works  of  E.  F.  Smith  &  Son  are 
approached.  They  are  manufacturers  of  vegetable  and  ivory  buttons 
and  small  brass  goods.  Clark  Scott  was  an  early  occupant  of  this  site 
and  made  tin  buttons.  John  Bronson  was  there  later,  adding  the 
making  of  brass  buttons.  Asahel  Smith  succeeded,  in  1838,  in  here 
making  bone  buttons,  by  using  a  new  process.  Later  he  made  vege- 
table ivory  buttons,  in  a  small  way.  In  1861,  he  was  followed  by  his 
son,  E.  F.,  who  built  a  new  factory  in  1866,  30  by  100  feet  and  several 


712  HISTORY   OF   NEW    H'AVEN   COUNTY. 

stories  hio-h.     Steam  has  been  added  to  the  water  motor,  and  there  is 
a  power  of  more  than  50  horses.     From  30  to  40  hands  are  employed. 

Still  another  button  shop  was  established,  at  the  next  lower  power, 
where  Harry  Smith  made  composition  buttons,  some  time  about  1825, 
but  later  turned  them  out  of  real  ivory.  The  shop  burned  down,  when 
E.  C.  Tuttle  bought  the  property  and  improved  the  power  by  putting 
in  a  40  foot  overshot  wheel,  for  use  in  his  hoe  shop,  which  he  removed 
to  this  place  from  Prospect.  He  made  a  fine  quality  of  goods  and  in 
1851  he  increased  his  capacity  by  forming  the  Tuttle  Manufacturing 
Company,  composed  of  himself,  George  Benedict,  Thomas  Lewis  and 
others.  This  corporation  in  1877  had  a  capital  of  $100,000  and  real 
estate  valued  at  $38,000.  At  that  time  Calvin  H.  Carter  was  the  presi- 
dent and  George  D.  Bissell  the  secretary.  A  large  business  was  done 
for  many  years  in  the  manufacture  of  farming  tools  and  implements. 

After  a  time,  E.  C.  Tuttle  withdrew  and  formed  a  new  company, 
which  had  among  its  members  E.  C.  Tuttle,  L.  S.  Hinman,  Stephen 
Warner,  Enos  Hopkins,  Frank  Howard  and  J.  H.  Whittemore. 
Warner  was  a  practical  malleable  iron  maker,  coming  to  Naugatuck 
from  Straitsville.  The  goods  of  the  new  company  were  also  of  a 
superior  make,  and  the  Tuttle  brand  everywhere  commended  them. 
The  works  were  on  the  raceway  in  the  village  of  Naugatuck,  on  the 
site  of  the  lower  rubber  works.  From  that  enterprise  have  sprung 
the  extensive  malleable  iron  works  at  Union  City,  embracing  a 
number  of  very  large  and  well  arranged  brick  buildings  and  machin- 
ery moved  by  powerful  steam  engines.  Many  varieties  of  malleable 
goods  are  made,  and  hundreds  of  men  are  employed. 

The  Tuttle  &  Whittemore  Company  was  incorporated  in  1871.  Nine 
years  later  the  capital  was  increased  from  $30,000  to  $60,000,  and  in 
1887  to  $100,000.  The  principal  directors  for  years  have  been  J.  H. 
Whittemore,  B.  B.  Tuttle  and  Willard  Hopkins. 

The  old  plant  of  E.  C.  Tuttle,  on  Fulling  Mill  brook,  having  been 
unused  some  time,  was  occupied  by  the  Connecticut  Cutlery  Company, 
formed  in  1866  of  B.  B.  Tuttle,  J.  H.  Whittemore,  L.  D.  Warner, 
Homer  Twitchell  and  others,  the  two  last  named  being  the  manager 
and  superintendent.  Pocket  cutlery  and  shears  were  manufactured 
and  from  this  time  on,  for  a  number  of  years,  Naugatuck  was  a  great 
cutlery  center.  In  1869  the  interest  of  L.  B.  Taylor,  of  Chicopee,  was 
merged  with  that  of  the  company,  and  Taylor  became  the  manager. 
In  1877  the  principal  stockholders  were  Whittemore,  Tuttle,  Warner 
and  George  A.  Lewis.  At  one  time  150  cutlers  were  employed.  The 
company  discontinued  about  1880,  and  the  plant  was  soon  after  occu- 
pied by  the  Gifford  Manufacturing  Company,  organized  to  manufac- 
ture shears  and  edged  tools.  After  several  years  operation  the  busi- 
ness was  suspended  and  the  works  have  since  been  idle. 

Below  this  place,  on  the  same  brook,  were  the  works  of  the  Union 
Knife  Company,  organized  in  1851.     At  that  time  Enos  Hopkins  was 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  713 

the  principal  owner,  but  John  A.  Peck  later  held  a  majority  part  of 
the  stock  and  was  the  president.  In  1877  F.  H.  Harris  became  a  mem- 
ber and  was  elected  president.  Andrew  Hills  was  the  superintendent 
many  years.  Pocket  cutlery  only  was  made.  In  February,  1885,  the 
works  burned  down  and  have  not  been  rebuilt. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  interests,  on  Fulling  Mill  brook  were, 
as  early  as  1807,  the  button  shops  of  Samuel  Grilly,  on  the.  South 
branch.  Here,  later,  Horace  Smith  had  a  button  shop  in  which  a 
dozen  men  were  employed.  Near  the  lower  end  of  the  main  stream 
George  Smith  was  the  last  occupant  of  another  button  shop;  and  at 
the  lowest  power,  Letson  Terrell  had  another  button  and  thimble 
shop.  He  removed  the  latter  interest  to  the  Pratt  shops  and  in  1876 
Homer  Twitchell  became  the  owner  of  the  property,  which  he  im- 
proved for  the  manufacture  of  umbrella  and  parasol  trimmings.  In 
1880  the  manufacture  of  the  Linsley  Safety  Pin — an  all  wire  pin- 
was  added  and  large  quantities  are  produced.  Recently  Frank  M. 
Twitchell  has  been  associated,  the  firm  becoming  H.  Twitchell  &  Son. 
Fifty  persons  are  employed. 

The  power  of  the  Naugatuck  was  not  so  early  utilized.  In  1824 
Daniel  Beecher  sold  the  privilege  to  Chauncey  Lewis  and  Silas 
Grilley,  and  a  dam  was  built  whose  power  was  used  by  them  in  the 
manufacture  of  gilt  buttons.  Milo  Lewis  was  later  interested.  Syl- 
vester Clark  purchased  the  place  and  made  clocks  on  a  large  scale. 
He  sold  out  to  John  Tatlow,  a  machinist,  who  here  manufactured 
weaving  and  carding  machinery  and  later  that  interest  was  taken  by 
the  Naugatuck  Machine  Company  at  Union  City.  Lyman  Bradley  oc- 
cupied the  site,  later,  in  making  pocket  cutlery.  Other  interests  occu- 
pied the  powers  before  they  were  finally  taken  by  the  Rubber  Works. 
Among  these  were  carriage  works  and  the  Naugatuck  Wheel  Com- 
pany, incorporated  in  1878,  and  which  moved  to  Wallingford  in  1879. 
The  Allerton  Iron  Works  Manufacturing  Company,  organized  in 
186S,  after  a  few  years  operation,  removed  to  Norwalk,  Conn. 

The  lower  power  on  the  river  was  improved  by  Richard  Ward, 
who  built  a  small  dam  and  fitted  up  a  barn  for  a  clock  factory.  In 
1832  it  was  burned.  He  now  built  a  small  shop,  higher  up  the  stream, 
and  made  eight  day  brass  clocks,  having  as  an  associate  Sylvester 
Clark,  a  very  skillful  clock  maker.  They  were  succeeded  by  Lauren 
Ward,  who  invented  pin  and  tack  making  machinery.  In  1866  an- 
other son,  William,  was  associated  and  the  firm  has  since  been  L.  &  W. 
Ward,  manufacturers  of  novelty  goods. 

The  Naugatuck  Cutlery  Company  was  organized  in  1872  and  a  well 
ordered  plant  was  established  at  Cotton  Hollow,  on  Beacon  Hill  brook, 
where  operations  have  since  been  carried  on.  In  1877  the  company 
was  composed  of  G.  B.  Twitchell,  E.  B.  Mallette,  John  H.  Twitchell, 
Isaac  G.  and  Elton  E.  Hotchkiss.  The 'capital  was  $16,000  and  the 
company  had  real  estate  valued  at  $12,000.     Large  quantities  of  fine 


714  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

pocket  cutlery  were  made,  the  product  some  years  reaching  40,000 
knives.  In  1886  the  property  passed  to  Joseph  Schofield,  who  has 
since  operated  the  factor}',  which  has  a  yearly  output  of  $20,000  worth 
of  goods. 

In  March,  1886,  I.  L.  Trowbridge  established  a  paper  box  factory, 
at  Smith's  Lane,  Union  City,  which  has  been  moved  to  the  village  of 
Naugatuck.  In  the  winter  of  1888  it  was  sold  to  White  &  Wells,  the 
proprietors  in  1890.     Thirty  employees  are  given  occupation. 

The  Diamond  Laboratory  Company  was  organized  in  1SSS  and  com- 
menced operations  in  connection  with  the  Diamond  Bottling  Works, 
of  J.  O.  May,  established  in  1881.  A  large  building  near  Hop  brook 
is  occupied  and  a  full  line  of  marshmallow  preparations  are  made. 
J.  O.  May  is  the  manager  of  the  company,  which  employs  a  score  of 
persons. 

But  the  main  industry  of  the  town  for  many  years  has  been  the 
manufacture  of  rubber  goods,  under  license  of  the  Goodyear  patents. 
The  leading  companies  operating  here  have  been  very  successful  and 
have  established  plants  which  cover  many  acres,  and  in  which  are  em- 
ployed thousands  of  men.  In  the  main  part  of  the  village  much  of 
the  area  has  been  given  up  to  that  line  of  manufacture. 

The  Naugatuck  India  Rubber  Company,  incorporated  in  1844, 
was  the  pioneer  organization  ;  and  the  present  Goodyear  Metallic 
Rubber  Shoe  Company  has  become  one  of  the  largest  corporations  of 
the  kind  in  the  country.  Its  first  organization  was  effected  in  the 
month  of  January,  1845,  and  the  original  capital  was  $30,000.  In  1882 
it  was  reported  ten  fold  that  amount,  and  there  was  real  estate  valued 
at  $50,000.  In  1890  the  capital  stock  was  $1,000,000.  Samuel  J.  Lewis 
was  president  of  the  company  until  his  death,  in  1858,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  James  E.  English,  who  held  that  office  until  his  death, 
in  March,  1890.  After  that  time  the  directory  was  composed  of  George 
A.  Lewis,  E.  A.  Lewis,  Bronson  B.  Tuttle  and  Henry  F.  English. 

The  company's  original  works  were  on  Scott  brook,  in  the  western 
part  of  the  village,  but  it  has  expanded  until  three  separate  plants  are 
occupied,  two  in  that  locality  and  the  third  near  the  center  of  Nauga- 
tuck village.  This  fine  plant  was  erected  in  18S6.  Water  power  has 
been  supplemented  by  steam,  there  being  in  1890,  a  combined  power 
equal  to  2,000  horses.  Most  of  the  buildings  are  of  brick,  and  afford 
a  working  capacity  for  2,000  hands.  When  fully  operated,  the  daily 
product  is  25,000  pairs  of  boots  and  shoes. 

The  Goodyear  India  Rubber  Glove  Company  was  established  at 
Litchfield,  in  1844,  but  removed  to  Naugatuck  in  1847,  where  it  be- 
came a  corporate  body  with  the  above  name.  Brazilla  Arntz,  the 
founder  of  the  company,  was  chosen  president  and  Gustavus  and 
Francis  Spencer  were  also  interested.  The  capital  was  but  $5,000  and 
the  company  did  not  prosper  much.  For  the  first  two  years  the  oper- 
ations were  carried  on  in  a  building  on  Rubber  avenue,  when  a  small 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  715 

shop  was  secured  on  the  south  side  of  Maple  street.  Gloves,  mittens 
and  finger  cots  were  the  principal  products.  In  1852  the  foregoing 
sold  out  to  L.  T.  Bergen  and  others,  whose  capital  was  $25,000.  In 
1856  George  M.  Allerton  became  the  president  of  the  company  and  B. 
M.  Hotchkiss  the  superintendent,  and  under  their  direction  the  cor- 
poration attained  most  of  its  large  proportions.  The  former  died  in  De- 
cember, 1882,  when  J  D.  Vermeule,  the  present  president,  was  elected, 
and  also  serves  as  treasurer,  succeeding,  in  the  latter  office,  R.  G.  Al- 
lerton, the  treasurer  from  1860  until  his  death  in  1877.  Since  January, 
1883,  B.  M.  Hotchkiss  has  been  the  vice-president,  and  George  M.  Al- 
lerton, Jr.,  the  secretary.  F.  F.  Schaffer  is  the  superintendent,  serv- 
ing since  1885.  The  capital  of  the  company  has  been  increased  to 
$300,000. 

In  1S82  the  Goodyear  Rubber  Manufacturing  Company  was  organ- 
ized with  an  authorized  capital  of  $100,000,  and  having  substantially 
the  same  directory  as  the  foregoing  company,  its  interests  have  been 
identical.  In  the  same  year  these  corporations  purchased  the  plant 
on  the  north  side  of  Maple  street,  where  had  been  the  Union  Rubber 
Company,  composed  of  Charles  B.  Hotchkiss,  Thomas  Lewis,  Milo 
Lewis  and  others.  The  products  were  mostly  rubber  clothing.  In 
1859  the  works  were  burned  and  the  interest  was  transferred  to  Har- 
lem, N.  Y.  The  site  next  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Phcenix  Rub- 
ber Company,  organized  in  1862,  with  Warren  Ackerman  president, 
and  John  Sweet  superintendent,  and  that  company  erected  a  part  of 
the  brick  buildings  now  used.  During  the  war  operations  were  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  in  the  manufacture  of  army  goods,  but,  later,  bus- 
iness was  suspended.  The  plant  then  lay  idle  until  it  passed  to  the 
present  ownership.  The  buildings  have  been  much  enlarged  and  the 
entire  plant  has  been  well  equipped  for  its  various  uses.  Steam  and 
water  power,  to  an  aggregate  of  690  horse  power,  are  used. 

To  the  original  products  were  added  the  manufacture  of  many 
varieties  of  goods— blankets  in  1862,  horse  goods  in  1865,  boots  and 
shoes  in  187S  and  many  specialties  later.  These  are  manufactured  in 
three  departments,  devoted  to  boots  and  shoes,  clothing,  general  and 
druggists'  goods.  The  number  of  hands  employed  approximates  one 
thousand. 

The  Beacon  Valley  Rubber  Company  was  incorporated  in  July, 
1885,  to  manufacture  India  rubber  clothing.  The  capital  was  $20,000. 
E.  H.  Carrington  was  the  president  and  R.  M.  Smith  the  secretary  of 
the  company.  A  building  on  Beacon  Hill  brook  was  occupied  until 
business  was  suspended. 

Straitsville  is  a  hamlet  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  town,  on  the 
Beacon  Hill  brook,  where  the  Straitsville  turnpike  passes  along  its 
course.  Near  by  the  load  passes  through  a  gap  in  the  hills,  barely 
wide  enough  for  a  passageway  for  the  brook  and  the  road.  The  cliffs 
on  both  sides  are  lofty  and  one  point  projects  in  a  conspicuous  man- 


716  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

ner.  Fifty  years  ago  the  hamlet  was  a  lively  place  of  business,  and  on 
the  brook,  to  its  confluence  with  the  Naugatuck,  were  many  industries, 
nearly  all  of  which  have  passed  away.  The  Collins  tavern  at  Straits- 
ville  was  a  favorite  stopping  place  for  travelers  along  the  turnpike. 
About  1825  Collins  built  a  store  near  his  tavern,  and  in  it  the  Straits- 
ville  post  office  was  opened.  The  office  has  been  discontinued,  and 
the  store  was  destroyed  by  fire.  About  1874  a  Union  chapel  was  built 
in  the  hamlet,  which  has  since  been  used  by  various  denominations. 
There  are  also  some  mechanic  shops  and  a  school  house. 

The  Collins  family  put  up  a  grist  mill  on  Beacon  Hill  brook  about 
1824,  in  which  Edward  Benham  manufactured  plumbago  at  a  later  pe- 
riod, and  subsequently  the  building  was  used  by  the  Renz  Brothers, 
skillful  workers  in  steel,  as  their  shear  works.  It  was  burned  in  1875, 
the  loss  being  $10,000.  Also,  about  1825,  Milo  Hine  operated  a  trip- 
hammer on  hoes  and  forks,  employing  from  six  to  ten  men.  About 
1840  Eben  Tuttle  here  forged  the  iron  for  his  hoes,  which  he  finished 
at  his  shop  in  Prospect,  so  operating  until  his  removal  to  Union  City. 

In  1839  Colonel  Alvin  Sperry  and  others  started  small  mailable 
iron  works  at  Straitsville,  which  were  burned  in  1845.  At  that  place 
were  engaged  in  that  industry  Stephen  Warner  and  others,  skilled  in 
that  art,  whose  labors  were  later  made  more  effective  in  the  malleable 
works  at  Union  City. 

In  the  cooperage  of  Asa  Hine  many  persons  were  employed,  and 
there  was  also  a  small  carriage  spring  factory.  Collins,  Hine  &  Brad- 
ley had  a  clock  factory  prior  to  1828,  and  F.  B.  Hine  had  a  wood  carv- 
ing shop  to  prepare  clock  cases;  but  the  former  was  discontinued  about 
1835. 

On  the  old  county  road,  toward  Naugatuck,  Elihu  Benham  had  a 
tannery  about  1812,  and  in  1S28  Benham  &  Brown  opened  a  store  near 
the  same  place.  Not  far  from  this  place  Matthew  Baldwin  had  a  pio- 
neer linseed  oil  mill;  and  later,  near  the  same  place,  Richard  Ward, 
James  Sherman  and  Marshall  Baldwin  put  up  another  oil  mill,  about 
1820,  but  it  was  not  long  operated.  After  other  uses  Robert  Renz  im- 
proved the  privilege  after  his  shear  works  had  been  burned  at  Straits- 
ville, in  1875,  and  here  carried  on  that  industry  until^his  death,  about 
1880.  Five  years  later  the  Beacon  Valley  Rubber  Company  occupied 
the  place,  but  after  a  few  years  the  buildings  were  burned  and  the 
power  was  not  again  used.  Lower  down  the  brook,  in  1819,  Josiah 
Culver  used  an  old  school  house  as  a  novelty  factory,  but  that  power 
is  also  abandoned. 

At  Cotton  Hollow,  the  lowest  power  on  Beacon  Hill  brook,  a  paper 
mill  was  built  and  operated  by  Charles  Goodyear  and  Burr  Benham. 
In  1833  Milo  Lewis  converted  it  into  a  cotton  warp  factory,  and  as 
such  it  was  later  operated  by  Thomas  Lewis.  The  building  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  but  the  power  is  now  utilized  by  the  Naugatuck  Cut- 
lery Company. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  717 

Naugatuck  Village,  the  principal  business  center  of  the  town,  is  an 
important  station  on  the  Naugatuck  railroad.  It  is  pleasantly  located 
on  both  sides  of  the  Naugatuck  river,  and  with  Union  City,  a  mile 
further  up  the  stream,  forms  one  of  the  most  thriving  manufacturing 
places  in  the  state.  Its  growth  and  general  improvement,  the  past  few 
years  especially,  have  added  much  to  its  beauty  and  prosperity.  There 
are  many  fine  streets,  good  sidewalks,  handsome  public  buildings,  sub- 
stantial business  blocks,  a  number  of  elegant  residences  and  hundreds 
of  more  humble  homes,  built  in  modern  styles  of  architecture.  The 
population  is  several  thousand  and  is  steadily  increasing.  Most  of  the 
growth  has  been  since  the  era  of  manufactures,  and  since  the  place 
bears  the  name  of  Naugatuck.  For  a  hundred  years  prior  to  that  time 
the  locality  bore  the  name  of  Salem  Bridge.  The  following  are  the 
chief  interests,  aside  from  the  manufactories  before  named: 

The  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank  and  Building  Association  was  organ- 
ized in  1S53.  Its  officers  were  David  Smith,  president;  Enos  Hopkins, 
vice-president;  Gustavus  Spencer,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Homer 
Twitchell,  William  F.  Goulding,  Stephen  W.  Kellogg,  Hiel  S.  Stevens, 
Eli  Nichols,  Timothy  Langdon  and  George  H.  Hoadley,  directors. 
Unite  a  fair  amount  of  business  was  transacted,  when  the  legislature 
annulled  the  charter  in  1858,  and  the  affairs  of  the  association  were 
closed  up  by  George  Hine  and  John  A.  Peck,  as  commissioners. 

The  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank  was  next  organized  under  a  charter 
granted  in  1870,  with  J.  L.  Isbell,  president;  Francis  Spencer,  vice- 
president:  A.  J.  Pickett,  secretary  and  treasurer;  J.  H.  Whittemore, 
John  A.  Peck,  A.  J.  Pickett,  Luther  S.  Piatt  and  David  Smith,  trustees; 
L.  D.  Warner  and  George  A.  Lewis,  auditors.  Luther  S.  Piatt  suc- 
ceeded Pickett  as  treasurer,  and  the  bank  was  kept  at  his  office.  In 
July,  1885,  A.  H.  Dayton  was  elected  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  the 
bank  was  removed  to  its  present  office  in  the  town  hall.  April  1st, 
1890,  the  total  assets  of  the  bank  were  $409,822.38,  of  which  amount 
more  than  $15,000  was  in  the  surplus  and  undivided  profits.  The  offi- 
cers of  the  bank  in  1890  were:  President,  Hiel  S.  Stevens;  vice-presi- 
dents, Willard  Hopkins  and  L.  S.  Beardsley;  treasurer,  A.  H.  Dayton; 
trustees.  Homer  Twitchell,  J.  H.  Whittemore,  William  Ward,  D.  P. 
Mills,  L.  D.  Warner. 

The  Naugatuck  National  Bank  was  organized  .September  loth, 
1883,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  An  office  was  opened  in  the  Town 
Hall,  where  this  institution  has  since  maintained  a  prosperous  exist- 
ence. At  the  end  of  the  year  1889  the  bank  had  a  total  resource  of 
more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars,  and  its  surplus  fund  amounted  to 
$24,000.  Its  affairs  were  ably  managed  in  1890  by  a  board  of  directors, 
composed  of  George  A.  Lewis,  president:  F.  W.  Tolles,  vice-president; 
A.  H.  Dayton,  cashier;  Homer  Twitchell,  F.  B.  Tuttle,  E.'  H.  Carring- 
ton  and  D.  P.  Mills. 

The  Naugatuck  Electric  Light  Company  was  chartered  April  16th, 


718  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTV. 

1887,  with  a  capital  of  $15,000  and  the  following  directors:  L.  D. 
Warner,  president;  A.  H.  Dayton,  treasurer;  A.  M.  Young,  B.  B.  Tut- 
tle,  E.  H.  Carrington  and  F.  W.  Tolles.  A  plant  of  the  Thomson- 
Houston  system  was  established  in  the  rear  of  Meadow  street  and, 
June  1st,  1887,  the  first  arc  light  was  successfully  illuminated.  Since 
January,  1888,  L.  S.  Beardsley  has  been  the  secretary  and  manager  of 
the  company,  which  had,  in  the  summer  of  1890,  real  estate  of  the 
value  of  $20,000  and  lighted  20  arc  and  450  incandescent  lamps. 

An  earlier  attempt  at  public  lighting  was  made  by  the  Naugatuck 
Gas  Company,  which  was  organized  in  1862  and  whose  works  were 
established  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  After  some  changes  the 
property  passed  to  Frank  Longfellow,  but  the  enterprise  did  not  prove 
satisfactory  or  profitable.  Mains  were  laid  on  the  principal  streets, 
one  of  them  crossing  the  river.  The  gas  was  of  poor  quality,  and 
after  a  few  years  the  works  were  damaged  to  such  an  extent  by  a  flood 
in  the  river,  that  they  were  not  restored. 

The  Naugatuck  Water  Company  was  organized  in  1887,  with  an 
authorized  capital  of  $50,000.  The  first  president  of  the  company  was 
Homer  Twitchell,  who  was  succeeded,  in  1889,  by  L.  D.  Warner.  S. 
S.  Scott  has  been  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company  since 
its  organization.  In  June,  1890,  the  company  had  improvements  and 
property  valued  at  $83,157.85,  and  was  successfully  operating  a  system 
of  water  works  which  embraced  eleven  miles  of  10-inch  distributing 
mains,  on  which  were  56  public  hydrants,  and  supply  pipes  for  several 
hundred  services.     The  first  flow  of  water  was  in  September,  1889. 

The  works  were  located  and  constructed  under  the  direction  of 
Engineer  T.  H.  McKenzie.  A  fine  supply  of  pure,  soft  water  is  obtained 
from  a  point  on  Beacon  Hill  brook,  three  miles  from  the  center  of 
the  village,  where  a  storage  reservoir  was  constructed.  This  has  a 
capacity  for  more  than  seven  million  gallons  and  has  an  elevation 
255  feet  above  the  bridge,  giving  a  pressure  of  110  pounds  to  the 
square  inch. 

Consequent  upon  the  water  works  was  organized  the  Town  Fire 
Department,  under  the  general  laws  of  the  state,  the  same  being 
authorized  by  a  vote  of  the  town  May  14th,  1888.  On  the  first  of 
October,  the  same  year,  six  fire  commissioners  were  elected,  namely: 
George  H.  Carroll,  John  E.  Ryan,  Dan.  O.  Darnell,  E.  A.  Saunders,  F. 
F.  Schaffer  and  Patrick  Brennan,  who  direct  the  affairs  of  the  depart- 
ment. The  commissioners  have  been  authorized  to  purchase  the 
necessary  apparatus  for  the  department,  and  a  volunteer  fire  company 
has  been  formed  to  man  it.  The  erection  and  use  of  75  fire  hydrants 
has  also  been  authorized. 

The  Naugatuck  Telephone  Company  was  organized  in  1879,  by 
George  M.  Allerton  and  others,  to  build  a  telephone  line  from  Water- 
bury  to  Naugatuck. 

The  periodical  press  of  the  town  embraces  three  weekly  papers 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  719 

and  several  publications  of  occasional  issue.  The  oldest  of  the  former 
is  the  Naugatuck  Enterprise,  which  was  established  November  9th, 
1877,  by  Burton  A.  Peck,  and  it  has  since  been  conducted  by  him  as 
an  independent  local  paper.  Originally  it  was  a  four  page  paper  of  20 
columns,  but  March  5th,  1885,  it  was  enlarged  to  eight  pages.  In  1884 
the  office  of  the  Enterprise  was  burned,  but  the  paper  was  re-estab- 
lished in  a  new  office  on  North  Water  street,  which  is  also  devoted 
to  job  work. 

The  Naugatuck  Review  was  established  in  November,  1879,  by  J.  H. 
Beale  as  editor  and  proprietor,  being  a  28  column  folio.  Soon  after 
Fred.  Wilder  and  later  Henry  C.  Baldwin  became  associate  editors. 
On  the  4th  of  December,  1885,  Beale's  interest  passed  to  the  Nauga- 
tuck Printing  &  Publishing  Company,  whose  stockholders  were  L.  D. 
Warner,  A.  H.  Dayton,  E.  A.  Dorian  and  William  W.  Works,  and  the 
latter  two  became  the  managers.  In  a  few  months  Works  retired  and 
Dorian  alone  managed  the  publication,  the  editors  at  different  periods 
being  S.  M.  Stone,  C.  Collard  Adams,  William  C.  Shepard,  etc.  In 
April,  1889,  the  Review  was  consolidated  with  the  Agitator  but,  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1890,  it  was  re-established  as  an  eight  page,  independent  re- 
publican weekly. 

The  Naugatuck  Agitator  was  founded  in  January,  1886,  as  a  work  - 
ingman's  paper  and  was  published  on  the  co-operative  plan  by  the 
Knights  of  Labor,  having  D.  W.  White  as  the  editor.  Henry  C. 
Baldwin  succeeded  him  as  editor.  At  the  end  of  another  year,  D.  W. 
White  and  J.  W.  Gunn,  as  the  Agitator  Publishing  Company,  were 
the  editors  and  proprietors,  and  so  continued  two  years.  In  July, 
1888,  White  sold  his  interest  to  E.  "R.  Clyma,  the  firm  now  becoming 
J.  W.  Gunn  &  Co.  In  April,  1889,  Clyma  became  the  sole  owner  of 
the  Agitator  and  on  the  27th  of  that  month,  by  a  joint  arrangement, 
the  Review  was  consolidated  with  it  and  the  papers  were  published  as 
the  Naugatuck  Citizen.  After  September,  1889,  Clyma  was  the  sole 
publisher  of  the  Citizen,  and  January  1st,  1890,  the  Review  was  revived 
by  the  old  management.  The  Citizen  is  continued  by  E.  R.  Clyma  as 
a  weekly  labor  and  independent  local. 

The  Paris//  Bulletin  has  been  issued  since  the  fall  of  1886,  the  pub- 
lishers being  the  "  Parish  House  Association."  At  first  it  appeared 
monthly,  but  after  a  few  years  the  issues  were  less  frequent,  being  a 
quarterly  in  1890.  It  is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  Congregational 
church  at  Naugatuck,  and  the  pastor,  Reverend  W.  F.  Blackman,  is 
the  editor. 

The  post  office  was  established  with  the  name  of  Salem  Bridge  and 
continued  with  that  title  until  August  21st,  1834,  when  the  name  was 
changed  to  Naugatuck.  At  this  time  Robinson  S.  Hinman  was  the 
postmaster,  holding  that  position  until  he  removed  to  New  Haven,  a 
few  years  later.  Successive  postmasters  have  been  :  John  A.  Peck, 
L.  S.  Spencer,  Luther  S.  Piatt,  Alonzo  Ward,  G.  D.  Bissell  and,  since 


720  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

May,  1889,  L.  S.  Moulthrop.  There  is  a  fine  place  of  business  and  the 
office  has  many  mails  per  day,  with  a  constantly  increasing  patronage. 

Some  time  about  1721  James  Brown  kept  the  first  public  house  in 
this  locality.  It  was  a  small  building,  on  the  old  county  road,  near 
the  present  B.  M.  Hotchkiss  place,  southeast  of  the  village.  The  sec- 
ond tavern  was  farther  north  on  the  county  road,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  May  place.  It  was  built  by  Irijah  Terrell  and  was  a  well 
favored  house  until  the  county  road  gave  place  to  the  .Straits,  or  Water- 
town  turnpike,  which  was  built  at  the  base  of  the  hill  about  1800. 
.Several  years  later  Chauncey  Lewis  put  up  a  part  of  the  present  Nauga- 
tuck  Hotel,  at  the  east  end  of  the  new  Salem  bridge.  Here  many  land- 
lords have  entertained  the  public  and  the  house  has  several  times  been 
repaired  and  enlarged.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  on  the  present 
B.  B.  Tuttle  place,  was  the  popular  hostelry  of  Daniel  Beecher,  which 
he  kept  from  1797  until  about  1834.  He  was  a  large  farmer  and  also 
one  of  the  principal  men  of  the  community.  The  house  was  large 
and  for  those  days  fine,  and  a  good  sign  told  the  public  that  it  was 
"D.  Beecher's  Inn."  Baldwin  Beecher  succeeded  his  father  as  land- 
lord, but  after  the  railroad  was  built  the  inn  became  a  residence  and 
still  stands  near  the  old  site.  At  both  the  above  houses  popular  gath- 
erings were  held,  as  were  also  the  occasional  communications  of  the 
old  Harmony  Masonic  Lodge  of  Waterbury. 

On  the  "pike,"  above  Beecher's  Inn,  was  the  toll  gate  kept  by 
Francis  Fouge,  a  French  soldier  or  adherent  of  the  Bonapartist  cause, 
who  had  fled  to  this  country.  He  was  eccentric  and  had  singular  re- 
ligious views,  but  was  a  great  favorite  among  the  young  people.  Upon 
his  death  he  was  interred  in  the  Hillside  Cemetery,  the  band  playing 
dirges  in  place  of  having  the  customary  exercises.  John  Arndt  and 
John  D.  Grove  were  others  of  Napoleon's  soldiers  in  this  locality,  and 
both  died  in  the  town.  A  recent  movement  to  build  a  modern  hotel 
will  supply  a  want  which  has  long  been  felt  in  this  growing  town. 

The  three  corners  at  Maple  and  Main  streets  have  long  been  de- 
voted to  mercantile  purposes.  Here  have  traded,  among  others,  Josiah 
Culver,  being  in  trade  many  years;  Benjamin  Dayton  and  Ezra  Por- 
ter. The  first  store  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  was  built  about  1S34 
and  was  occupied  by  Henry  Spencer  and  Asahel  Lewis,  who  continued 
in  trade  about  eight  years.  The  firm  also  undertook  to  manufac- 
ture silk  from  native  cocoons.  Others  of  the  Spencer  family — Elihu, 
Stearns,  Frank  and  Gustavus — were  also  well  known  tradesmen,  the 
latter  removing  to  New  York.  Andrews  &  Smith  merchandised  many 
years.  Among  the  later  tradesmen  have  been,  E.  H.  Carrington,  John 
A.  Peck,  E.  E.  Barnum,  H.  H.  Patterson  and  F.  W.  Tolles,  a  number 
of  whom  have  continued  many  years.  Each  department  of  trade  has 
now  many  representatives  and  there  are  a  number  of  good  stores  in 
the  town. 

At  Union  City,  the  Union  Trading  Company  engaged  in  business 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  721 

in  1853,  L.  S.  Spencer  being  the  manager.  Since  that  time  stores  have 
been  kept  at  that  place  and  there  is  also  a  post  office,  these  interests 
being,  in  1890,  in  charge  of  Charles  H.  Smith. 

One  of  the  first  stores  in  this  town  was  at  Bradley's  corner,  beyond 
Millville,  on  the  road  leading  to  Gunntown  church  (so  called).  It  was 
kept  by  Larmon  Townsend  until  about  1807.  The  building  was  of 
brick  and  on  being  taken  down  some  of  the  bricks  were  carried  to 
Naugatuck  and  used  in  the  erection  of  Nichols'  Block.  In  later  years 
small  stores  have  again  been  kept  at  Millville. 

The  first  physician  of  whom  any  account  has  been  preserved  was 
Doctor  Daniel  Beekley,  who  lived  in  the  Salem  society  prior  to  1800, 
and  was  at  this  place  probably  a  score  of  years.  Doctor  Nimrod  Hull 
was  also  an  early  practitioner,  and  is  remembered  as  a  man  of  ability, 
but  was  so  stern  in  his  aspect  that  the  young  boys  shunned  his  pres- 
ence. He  died  in  the  town.  Doctor  Lucian  Spencer,  an  able,  popular 
man,  was  here  prior  to  1840,  when  he  moved  to  Bethany,  where  he  lost 
his  life  in  the  burning  of  his  house  in  February,  1844.  Doctor  Timo- 
thy Langdon  had  here  a  good  practice  until  his  removal  to  New  Haven, 
to  which  place  Doctor  Pierpont  also  removed.  Doctors  Norton,  Bart- 
lett  and  Brainard  were  located  for  short  periods  only.  Doctor  John  D. 
Meers  was  for  many  years  an  active  physician  at  Naugatuck,  and  died 
in  the  town.  His  son,  E.  S.  Meers,  was  also  a  physician,  who  removed 
to  the  West.  Doctor  John  D.  Brundage  also  removed.  Doctor  F.  B. 
Tuttle  has  been  here  many  years  and  is  one  of  the  leading  physicians 
of  this  part  of  the  county.  Contemporary  with  him,  in  1890,  were 
Doctors  Edward  Fitzgerald,  C.  E.  Scott,  Frederick  Spring,  A.  J.  Walsh 
and  W.  F.  Hinckley.  The  latter  is  also  a  druggist.  Others  having 
drug  stores  are  J.  O.  May  and  A.  W.  Kane. 

Robinson  S.  Hinman  was  among  the  first  located  attorneys,  coming 
from  Southbury  before  1830,  and  removing  to  New  Haven.  Morton  J. 
Buell  and  Stephen  W.  Kellogg  removed  to  Waterbury  after  having 
been  at  Naugatuck  for  several  years.  Charles  A.  Nettleton  and 
George  F.  Gardiner  removed  to  New  York  city,  where  the  former  be- 
came a  very  able  lawyer.  Others  remained  a  few  years  only.  George 
Hine  has  been  an  attorney  at  Naugatuck  since  1860;  Henry  C.  Bald- 
win since  1872;  Burton  A.  Peck  since  1873,  and  for  less  periods  Will- 
iam Kennedy  and  Judge  John  M.  Sweeney. 

Of  the  many  Lodges  and  societies  which  have  been  organized  in 
the  town,  Shepherd's  Lodge,  No.  78,  F.  &  A.  M.,  ranks  as  the  oldest  and 
relatively  as  one  of  the  most  important. ■■  It  was  instituted  in  1851,  with 
22  charter  members.  Since  1851  there  have  been  but  few  years  when 
there  were  less  than  ten  admissions  per  year,  and  the  aggregate  mem- 

*  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42.  was  organized  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Beecher,  at 
Salem  Bridge,  in    1797,  and  for  many  years  its  communications  were  alternately 
held  in  this  town.     The  Lodge  finally  became  permanent  in  Waterbury,  and  an 
account  of  it  is  given  in  the  history  of  that  town. 
46 


722  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

bership  has  been  very  large.  In  1889  the  number  in  active  fellowship 
was  reported  as  173.  The  Lodge  held  its  communications  for  many 
years  in  what  is  now  Foresters'  Hall,  but  for  more  than  a  dozen  years 
has  occupied  the  large  and  fine  Masonic  Hall  on  South  Water  street. 
The  masters  of  Good  Shepherd  since  its  organization  have  been:  Mar- 
shall Hoadley,  1851-2;  Timothy  Langdon,  1853-5;  John  A.  Peck,  1856; 
Robert  H.  Isbell,  1857;  David  Smith,  1858;  Eldridge  Smith,  1859;  Da- 
vid Smith,  1860;  Homer  Twitchell,  1861-2;  David  Smith,  1863;  John 
S.  Floury,  1864;  Dwight  W.Lewis,  1865;  David  Smith,  1866-7;  Hubert 
H.  Johnson,  1868-9;  E.  S.Terrell,  1870-2;  John  N.  Beebe,  1873;  Homer 
Twitchell,  1874;  John  N.  Beebe,  1875;  A.  H.  Brothers,  1876;  B.'A.  Treat, 
1877;  H.  S.  Hotchkiss,  1878*  Leon  M.  Woodford,  1879-80;  William  D. 
Middlebrook.  1881;  John  N.  Beebe,  1882;  M.  S.  Baldwin,  1883;  J.  F. 
Payne,  1884;  H.  E.  Baldwin,  1885-6;  William  E.  Schaffer,  1887-8;  T.J. 
Northrop,  1889-90. 

Allerton  Chapter,  No.  39,  R.  A.  M.,  was  instituted  September  4th, 
1876,  and  at  the  end  of  one  year  had  more  than  40  members.  In  the 
summer  of  1890  the  number  was  about  90.  Among  the  principal  offi- 
cers were:  Henry  E.  Baldwin,  H.  P.;  Thomas  J.  Northrup,  K.;  Charles 
F.  Landers,  E.  S.;  L.  B.  Hoadley,  T.;  William  E.  Schaffer,  S.;  John 
Wood,  P.  S. 

Centennial  Lodge,  No.  100,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  November 
22d,  1876,  with  10  charter  members.  Its  history  since  that  time  has 
been  one  of  growth  and  increasing  interest.  In  1890  about  100  persons 
claimed  membership,  and  at  its  head  were,  as  principal  officers:  A.  W. 
Smith,  N.  G.;  George  H.  Cowell,  V.  G.:  H.  H.  O'Donnell,  secretary;  F. 
W.  Tolles,  treasurer;  John  Kirk,  C.  F.  Hungerford,  F.  W.  Tolles,  trus- 
tees. The  Lodge  holds  its  meetings  in  the  Whittemore  Block,  corner 
of  Maple  and  Water  streets. 

Gavel  Lodge,  No.  10,  K.  of  P.,  was  organized  a  score  of  years  ago  at 
Naugatuck,  but  after  about  six  years  its  meetings  were  suspended.  But 
April  27th,  1887,  on  the  application  of  16  members,  the  Lodge  was  re- 
vived with  the  same  name  and  number  and  has  since  nourished.  In 
1890  there  were  75  members  who  met  statedly  in  Odd  Fellows  Hall. 

In  September,  1889,  Scott  Division,  No.  10,  of  the  First  Connecti- 
cut Regiment  Uniform  Rank,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized  of 
members  of  Gavel  Lodge,  and  No.  10  had  30  men  and  the  following 
officers  in  1890:  D.  D.  Gibbud,  Sir  K.  C;  Charles  Moss,  1st  lieutenant; 
Henry  Zooner,  2d  lieutenant;  S.  S.  Scott,  K.  secretary.  Reverend  f. 
W.  Ellsworth,  of  the  Gavel  Lodge,  is  chaplain  of  the  State  Lodge, 
entering  upon  that  office  in  1890.  The  assembly  of  the  Rank  is  in 
Barnum's  Hall,  on  Church  street. 

Isbell  Post,  No.  43,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  October  30th,  1874,  with 
34  charter  members.  There  has  been  a  membership  of  75,  but,  in 
1890,  the  number  belonging  was  only  42.  The  Post  was  instrumental 
in  the  erection  of  the  soldiers'  monument  and  statedly  decorates  the 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  723 

graves  of  deceased  comrades.  Its  place  of  meeting  is  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
low Block,  and  the  Post  commanders,  in  the  order  of  their  service, 
have  been:  George  D.  Squires,  William  H.  Vredenburgh,  Rufus  W. 
Lewis,  Henry  C.  Baldwin,  D.  D.  Gibbud,  R.  W.  Lewis,  Michael  P. 
Coen,  Henry  E.  Sears,  Horace  E.  Jones,  George  Cragg. 

In  the  same  hall  meets  General  Israel  Putnam  Camp,  No.  35,  Sons 
of  Veterans,  which  was  established  March  20th,  1889,  with  13  mem- 
bers. A  number  of  members  have  since  been  added  and  there  is  a 
growing  interest  in  the  order. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Knights  of  Labor  had  several  assemblies  in 
the  town  and  were  about  700  strong,  exerting  a  controlling  influence 
in  local  political  affairs.  But  this  interest  and  large  membership  was 
not  long  maintained,  but  few  having  an  active  membership  in  that 
order  in  1890. 

A  Division  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  was  instituted  at 
Naugatuck,  and  December  3d,  1875,  became  a  corporate  body,  with 
John  M.  Millidy,  president;  Thomas  Conran,  recording  secretary;  and 
11  charter  members.  At  one  time  there  were  60  members,  but  a  de- 
creasing interest  caused  the  Division  to  disband  half  a  dozen  years 
ago. 

Court  Unity,  No.  5990,  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  was  incorpor- 
ated February  14th,  1877,  with  17  charter  members.  Its  meetings  are 
held  in  the  hall  of  the  order  on  Main  street. 

At  Union  City  is  the  German  Eintracht  Lodge,  No.  524,  D.  O.  H., 
which  has  an  interested  membership.  At  the  same  place  the  German 
Maenorchor  Society  holds  its  meetings,  being  in  a  growing  condition. 

In  Masonic  Hall  are  held  the  meetings  of  Evergreen  Chapter, 
No.  22,  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  which  is  reported  flourishing  and 
having  an  increasing  membership. 

One  of  the  first  complete  reports  on  the  schools  of  the  town  is  that, 
of  1857,  from  which  the  following  statistics  are  gleaned : 

Center  District,  composed  of  the  old  Districts  Nos.  1  and  2,  had  43 
weeks  of  school  per  year,  maintained  at  an  expense  of  more  than 
$2,000.     Enrollment  230  pupils. 

Middle  District,  No.  3,  had  the  same  number  of  weeks,  and  there 
were  but  15  pupils. 

Millville,  No.  4,  had  36  weeks  of  school  for  its  35  pupils  and  the 
highest  wages  were  $18  per  month. 

Union  City,  No.  5,  had  34  weeks  of  school,  71  pupils  registered,  a 
repaired  and  enlarged  school  house,  and  the  total  expenses  were 
$1,222. 

Pond  Hill,  No.  6,  had  32  weeks  of  school,  40  children  in  attendance 
and  the  expenses  were  $157. 

Straitsville,  No.  7,  had  36  weeks  of  school  and  30  pupils  enrolled. 

In  the  entire  town  the  enrollment  for  winter  schools  was  403,  from 
which  an  average  attendance  of  390  pupils  was  secured.     The  cost  of 


724  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

maintenance  was  $3,737.43.     At  this  time  the  acting  school  visitors 
were  C.  S.  Thomas,  S.  H.  Smith  and  T.  G.  Carver. 

In  1860  the  high  school  of  District  No.  1  had  42  weeks  of  instruc- 
tion ;  there  was  an  attendance  of  193  pupils  and  four  teachers.  This 
school  cost  the  town  nearly  $2,000.  From  1863,  for  ten  years,  the 
principal  was  H.  H.  Johnson,  who  has  since  been  identified  with  the 
educational  interests  of  the  town.  His  successor  was  S.  C.  Minor,  and 
in  1875  E.  B.  Kellogg  became  the  principal. 

In  1876  another  department  was  added  to  those  already  connected 
with  the  Center  district,  making  seven  in  all,  and  the  studies  were 
graded  from  the  primary  to  the  higher  mathematics  and  the  classical 
languages.  The  Union  City  school  had  four  departments  and  re- 
ported a  new  school  house  erected.  The  children  enumerated  were 
872 ;  registered,  663  ;  and  in  attendance,  464.  The  entire  school  ex- 
pense of  the  town  was  $7,120.  The  examining  committee  this  year 
was  composed  of  Reverend  J.  L.  Scott,  Doctor  F.  B.  Tuttle  and  Pro- 
fessor H.  H.  Johnson. 

In  1877  Union  district,  at  the  Center,  began  its  records,  the  com- 
mittee being  composed  of  B.  A.  Treat,  J.  W.  Page  and  W.  P.  Coen. 

In  1881  the  town  had  six  districts,  nine  school  buildings,  having  16 
rooms  and  a  seating  capacity  for  753  pupils. 

In  1880  the  schools  of  the  town  occupied  20  rooms,  in  which  23 
teachers  were  employed.  There  were  sittings  for  919  pupils,  and 
from  the  1,252  pupils  registered,  there  was  secured  an  attendance, 
averaging  for  the  year,  723.  In  Union  Center  the  number  registered 
was  694,  and  in  Union  City,  395.  Of  the  latter  schools,  H.  H.  Johnson 
was  the  principal,  with  five  assisting  teachers.  The  total  expense  for 
all  the  schools  in  the  town  was  $11,356.21. 

In  the  Union  Center  district  there  were  12  teachers,  including  the 
principal,  W.  W.  Abbott,  who  has  filled  that  position  since  1888.  His 
predecessors  in  that  position  have  been  :  1877,  E.  B.  Kellogg  ;  1878-84, 
A.  P.  Mallory;  1885-7,  George  W.  Wilbur.  The  schools  are  well 
graded  and  the  scholarship  of  the  high  school  has  been  advanced  to  a 
fine  standard. 

In  1889  a  school  house  was  completed  on  Rubber  avenue,  on  the 
west  side,  at  a  cost  of  $12,980  ;  and  it  was  voted  to  expend  a  like  sum 
in  putting  up  a  suitable  building  on  the  east  side. 

In  addition  to  the  interest  and  support  of  the  public  schools,  there 
have  been  several  select  schools  of  good  character.  One  of  these  was 
taught  by  Gustavus  Spencer  about  1840,  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Beecher, 
and  it  was  attended  by  some  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  present 
time.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  and  was  reputed  a  good  teacher. 
He  married  one  of  Beecher's  daughters  and  afterward  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits  in  the  town. 

Akin  to  the  educational  interests  of  the  town  is  the  Young  Men's 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  725 

Catholic  Institute,  which  was  organized  in  1871.  In  the  main  the  in- 
stitute has  flourished  and  it  maintains  a  library  in  the  town  hall. 

The  first  public  collection  of  books  was  in  the  old  Salem  Library, 
which  was  probably  the  first  one  established  in  the  entire  Naugatuck 
valley.  From  fragmentary  records  it  appears  that  it  was  founded  in 
1783,  and  it  was  kept  first  in  a  small  way,  the  effort,  perhaps,  being 
confined  to  the  younger  members  of  the  community.  Later  it  re- 
ceived general  support  and  most  of  the  families  of  Salem  Bridge  com- 
munity subscribed  to  the  constitution  of  the  library  and  placed  them- 
selves under  bonds  of  .£5  each  to  observe  the  articles  of  the  same.  In 
this  way  it  was  a  noteworthy  institution  from  1789  to  1830. 

The  library  was  managed  by  a  committee  which,  in  October,  1789 , 
was  composed  of  Deacon  Elisha  Stevens,  Amos  Culver,  Israel  Terrel. 
Thomas  Porter  and  Doctor  Daniel  Beekley.  Usually  the  Congrega- 
tional minister  was  the  librarian,  but  when  the  church  had  no  pastor, 
some  prominent  citizen  served  as  librarian,  keeping  the  books  at  his 
home.  In  1830  the  old  Salem  Library  elected  its  last  board  of  officers, 
which  were :  Librarian,  Reverend  Amos  Pettengill;  clerk,  Thomas 
Porter;  treasurer,  Truman  Porter;  committee,  Josiah  Culver,  Abraham 
Hotchkiss,  Giles  Hotchkiss,  Reul  Sperry  and  Alfred  Stevens. 

The  Salem  Library  was  soon  after  merged  with  the  Juvenile  Li- 
brary, which  had  been  formed  a  few  years  previously  by  the  young 
people  of  Salem  Bridge.  This  library  was  made  up  mainly  of  books 
contributed  by  the  members  and  the  remnant  of  the  old  Salem  Li- 
brary, and  was  kept  at  the  parsonage  of  the  Congregational  church. 
It  appears  to  have  been  discontinued  before  1840,  and  its  books  were 
divided  among  the  members.  After  this  came  the  public  school  li- 
brary and  very  recently  the  fine  library  in  the  parish  house. 

The  first  settlers  attended  religious  meetings  at  Waterbury,  and 
belonged  for  many  years  to  the  parish  of  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  that  town.  In  the  course  of  time  the  privilege  to  hold 
winter  meetings  at  their  own  homes  was  desired  and  granted.  This 
privilege,  once  enjoyed,  led  to  the  further  desire  for  all  the  privileges 
of  a  separate  parish  which,  after  some  objection  on  the  part  of  Water- 
bury,  was  granted  and  the  formation  of  the  Salem  Society  ordered, 
viz.:  "  By  the  act  of  the  Governor  and  company,  convened  at  Hart- 
ford, upon  the  second  Thursday  in  May,  A.  D.  1773,  there  was  made  a 
distinct  society  for  society  privileges  of  that  part  of  Waterbury  called 
Judd's  Meadow,  and  part  of  Milford  and  Derby  adjoining." 

But  the  formation  of  a  church  did  not  follow  until  eight  years  had 
elapsed.  It  was  organized  February  22d,  1781,  with  the  name  of  the 
•'  Congregational  Church  of  .Salem."  The  constituent  members  were 
ten  males  and  six  females,  most  of  whom  had  been  connected  with 
the  Waterbury  church.  At  the  end  of  the  year  the  members  were: 
Gideon  Hickox,  Gideon  Hickox,  Jr.,  .Samuel  Hickox,  Gideon  Hotch- 
kiss, John  Lewis,  Samuel  Lewis,  Amos  Osborn,  Samuel  Porter,  Ashbel 


726  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Porter,  Enoch  Scott,  Samuel  Scott,  Elisha  Stevens,  Sarah  Hickox, 
Philena  Hickox,  Eunice  Lewis,  Elizabeth  Osborn,  Hannah  Porter, 
Sarah  Smith,  Susannah  Tirrill,  Sarah  Tirrill.  In  1785  the  church  had 
a  revival  and  14  persons  were  added  to  the  membership;  in  1787,33 
were  added;  in  1780,  11  were  added;  in  1800,  16;  and  1801,  15.  The 
church  had  in  1836,  150  members;  but  five  years  later  there  were  only 
117.  In  1860,  200  members  were  reported,  but  in  1872  the  number 
had  decreased  to  163.  Seven  years  later,  however,  the  members  again 
numbered  249.  In  1885  the  number  had  fallen  to  219,  but  a  revival 
that  year  increased  it  by  the  addition  of  54  persons,  This,  with  the 
single  exception  of  one  year,  was  the  largest  yearly  increase.  In  1818 
63  members  were  added.  In  June,  1891,  there  were  310  members, 
174  of  whom  had  been  added  during  the  pastorate  of  Reverend  W. 
F.  Blackman. 

For  twelve  years  after  the  formation  of  Salem  society  there  was 
no  regular  preacher,  and  a  number  of  persons  were  invited  to  settle. 
Medach  Rogers  preached  more  or  less  from  1781  to  1784,  but  Rever- 
end Abraham  Fowler  was  the  first  settled  minister.  His  pastorate 
extended  from  January,  1785,  to  March,  1799.  The  subsequent  minis- 
ters, pastors  and  stated  supplies  were  as  follows:  Noah  J.  Simmons, 
1799-1800;  Jabez  Chadwick,  1800-1803;  Matthiaz  Crozier,  1804;  Stephen 
Dodd,  1811-17;  Amos  Pettingill,  1823-30;  J.  B.  Richardson,  1832-4;  Seth 
Sacket,  1834-8;  Chauncey  G.  Lee,  1838-40;  H.  A.  Taylor,  1840-1;  Marshall 
Eames,  1842-3;  Charles  S.  Sherman,  1843-4;  Albert  K.  Teele,  1845-9; 
Charles  S.  Sherman,  1849-69;  C.  C.  Painter,  1869-72;  Fred'k  T.  Perkins, 
1872-5;  D.  A.  Easton,  1875-9;  S.  C.  Leonard,  1879-84.  W.  F.  Blackman 
began  work  January  1st,  installed  June  25th,  1885,  resigned  September 
13th,  1891,  to  become  pastor  of  the  church  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 

The  ministers  sent  out  by  this  parish  have  been:  John  H.  Pettin- 
gill, John  S.  Hull,  Thomas  Lewis  (Episcopalian^,  Edwin  S.  Lines 
(Episcopalian),  John  Scott. 

In  1781  the  parish  proceeded  to  build  its  first  meeting  house,  using 
the  proceeds  of  a  tax  of  a  shilling  an  acre  on  all  the  lands  in  the 
Salem  society.  It  was  placed  on  the  hill  east  of  the  village,  north 
of  the  B.  M.  Hotchkiss  place,  and  it  was  occupied  in  1782.  The 
site  was  selected  to  accommodate  those  living  the  Prospect  way, 
as  well  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley,  and  was  at  that  time 
more  central  than  in  later  years.  A  bell  was  placed  on  the  building 
after  1791 ,  but  a  stove  was  not  supplied  until  1827.  The  change  in 
the  village  caused  the  removal  of  the  frame  of  the  meeting  house 
to  the  site  now  occupied,  where  the  house  was  rebuilt  in  1831.  In 
1854  it  was  removed  to  make  place  for  the  present  edifice,  which  was 
dedicated  in  1855.  This  house  originally  cost  $16,000.  It  was  im- 
proved ten  years  ago  at  an  outlay  of  $3,000,  and  new  steam  heating 
apparatus  was  supplied  in  1890.  The  old  meeting  house  stands  op- 
posite the  Episcopal  rectory  and  has  been  converted  into  a  business 
building. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  727 

In  1810  a  residence  was  built  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  south  of 
Daniel  Beecher's  place,  for  use  as  a  parsonage.  But  the  first  parson- 
age proper  was  not  built  until  1845,  upon  the  coming  of  Pastor  Teele. 
Its  cost  was  not  quite  $2,000.  In  1883  the  present  parsonage  was  pur- 
chased, and  with  it  the  lots  of  land  which  no.w  constitute  the  fine 
real  estate  of  the  society. 

In  the  rear  of  the  parsonage  and  on  ground  extending  to  Meadow 
street  one  of  the  largest  and  most  attractive  parish  houses  in  the 
state  has  been  erected.  It  was  appropriately  dedicated  April  10th, 
1888.     The  building  cost  more  than  $26,000. 

The  Parish  House  Association  was  formed  December  10th,  1888, 
and  has  since  ably  carried  forward  its  chosen  work.  It  yearly  main- 
tains a  course  of  lectures  and  also  provides  instruction  in  special  studies. 
Many  of  the  most  active  of  the  members  of  the  parish  belong  to  it. 

In  this  house  are  kept  a  well-stocked  reading  room,  opened  Novem- 
ber 28th,  1888,  and  the  Howard  Whittemore  Memorial  Library  was 
opened  soon  after.  The  latter  is  supported  by  an  endowment  made 
October  24th,  1888,  when  J.  H.  Whittemore  set  aside  a  fund  of  $12,000 
for  that  purpose.  The  gift  is  in  memory  of  his  well-beloved  son,  J. 
Howard  Whittemore,  Jr.,  who  died  May  28th,  1888.  In  1891  the  library 
contained  1,800  volumes  and  was  being  enlarged  at  the  rate  of  several 
hundred  volumes  yearly. 

The  Sunday  school,  which  now  meets  in  the  parish  house,  was  first 
organized  as  early  as  1818.  It  has  ever  since  been  a  most  useful  ad- 
junct of  the  church,  and  is  now  in  a  very  prosperous  condition. 

The  names  of  the  deacons,  together  with  their  appointment  and 
removal,  since  the  first  organization  of  the  society,  are  as  follows:* 
Samuel  Lewis,  chosen  1783,  died  1788;  Gideon  Hotchkiss,  chosen  1783, 
died  1807;  Elisha  Stevens,  chosen  17S8,  died  1813;  Calvin  Spencer, 
chosen  1791,  died  1846;  Truman  Porter,  chosen  1813,  died  1838;  Thad- 
deus  Scott,  chosen  1813,  died  1832;  Lucian  F.  Lewis,  chosen  1834,  re- 
moved 1853;  Sheldon  Hoadley,  chosen  1838,  died  1858;  Samuel  Hop- 
kins, chosen  1853,  term  expired  1879;  David  R.  Stevens,  chosen  1858, 
removed  1863;  William  E.  Brown,  chosen  1858,  removed  1801;  Julius 
Tuttle,  chosen  1863,  removed  1867;  Lucian  D.  Warner,  chosen  1868, 
term  expired  1881;  Edward  P.  Thompson,  chosen  1868,  died  1868; 
Horace  Williams,  chosen  1876,  term  expired  18S3;  James  Smith,  cho- 
sen 1877,  term  expired  1885;  Samuel  Hopkins,  chosen  1879,  term  ex- 
pired 1887;  Lucian  D.  Warner,  chosen  1881,  term  expired  1889;  Wil- 
lard  Hopkins,  chosen  1883;  James  Smith,  chosen  1885,  now  in  office; 
Samuel  Hopkins,  chosen  1887,  died  1889;  Frank  Warren,  chosen  1889, 
now  in  office;  Lucian  D.  Warner,  chosen  1889,  now  in  office;  S.  F. 
Payne,  chosen  1891,  now  in  office. 

St.   Michael's  (Protestant   Episcopal)  parish  was  formed  in  1786. 
*  In  April,  1876,  the  church  changed  the  deacon's  term  of  office  from  life  to 
eight  years. 


72S  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

A  considerable  number  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  town  were  churchmen,  and  they  were  occasionally  visited  by 
missionaries  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  held  services  in  private 
houses.  In  1734  Reverend  Samuel  Johnson  came  from  Stratford  and 
celebrated  the  rite  of  baptism.  The  same  year  the  Church  Litany  was 
first  used  in  the  public  worship  conducted  by  Reverend  Mr.  Arnold,  of 
the  Foreign  Society.  After  this  period  occasional  services  were  held. 
In  1784,  a  project  to  establish  a  church  was  encouraged  by  AbelGunn, 
who  deeded  a  tract  of  land,  worth  £100  in  silver  coin,  to  help  pay 
rates,  etc.  The  formation  of  an  Episcopal  parish,  within  the  limits  of 
the  Salem  Society,  followed  February  16th,  17S6,  at  a  meeting  where 
17  persons  were  present.  Thomas  Osborn  moderated  and  Samuel 
Gunn  was  the  clerk.  In  1S03  the  parish  voted  to  build  a  church,  34 
by  40  feet,  and  to  add  a  steeple.  Jobamah  Gunn  furnished  a  site  on 
the  hill  near  his  residence,  at  Gunntown,  several  miles  southwest  of 
Naugatuck  village,  and  the  house  was  there  built.  It  was  a  plain 
frame.  A  bell  was  placed  in  the  steeple  about  1810.  About  the  same 
time  the  parish  in  Oxford  and  St.  Michael's  were  served  by  the  same 
rector,  Reverend  Chauncey  Prindle,  and  there  were  but  57  families  in 
both  parishes. 

In  1830  it  became  evident  that  the  center  of  population  would  shift 
from  the  hill  to  the  meadows  along  the  Naugatuck  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  remove  the  church  edifice  to  that  locality.  Daniel  Beecher 
donated  a  site  south  of  the  Congregational  meeting  house,  to  which 
the  frame  work  of  the  building  was  moved.  The  house  was  finished 
in  1S32  and  was  consecrated  the  same  year  by  Bishop  Brownell.  In  a 
repaired  condition  it  was  used  until  August  15th,  1875,  when  it  was 
sold  to  the  Naugatuck  school  board  and  was  removed  to  make  way 
for  the  new  church  edifice.  The  corner  stone  of  this  was  laid 
September  29th,  1875,  and  May  19th,  1876,  the  church  was  consecrated 
by  Bishop  Williams.  It  is  a  fine  edifice  of  brick,  trimmed  with  stone, 
in  the  modernized  style  of  Gothic  architecture,  and  cost  $20,000.  Much 
of  the  credit  for  its  erection  is  due  to  the  rector  at  that  period,  Rev- 
erend J.  L.  Scott,  whose  energies  in  this  direction  were  untiring  until 
the  heavy  task  was  accomplished. 

In  1860  a  rectory  was  built  on  an  adjoining  lot,  which  was  first  oc- 
cupied by  Reverend  C.  F.  Woodruff,  who  left  the  parish  to  become  a 
chaplain  in  the  Union  army,  in  the  civil  war.  July  19th,  1878,  the 
rectory  caught  fire  and  was  much  damaged,  but  has  been  enlarged 
and  repaired  to  afford  a  home  worthy  of  the  parish.  Soon  after  the 
removal  of  the  church  to  Naugatuck  there  were  only  20  communicants 
in  the  parish.  In  1890  the  number  was  275,  and  among  the  official 
members  were  John  M.  Page  and  William  Mitchell,  wardens;  F.  B. 
Tuttle,  F.  F.  Schaffer,  C.  F.  Hungerford,  John  Ward  and  others, 
vestrymen.     E.  E.  Hotchkiss  was  the  clerk  of  the  parish. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 


729 


Among  the  rectors  have  been:  1832,  Reverend  O.  Hopson;  1847, 
James  Mackay;  1850,  Joseph  Scott;  1857,  Thomas  G.  Carver;  1860-1, 
C.  F.  Woodruff;  1862,  Edwin  E.  Johnson;  1865,  William  T.  Fitch; 
1867-78,  James  L.  Scott;  1878,  Edward  R.  Brown;  1881,  Charles  R.  Tal- 
bott;  1881,  E.  C.Gardner;  1889,  J.  W.  Ellsworth,  the  latter  still  serving 
the  interests  of  the  parish. 

A  class  of  Methodists  was  organized  at  Naugatuck  about  50  years 
ago,  and  occasional  meetings  were  held  earlier  than  that  at  Union 
City  and  Straitsville.  In  the  village  private  houses  and  halls  were 
first  occupied.  July  30th,  1851,  a  site  for  a  meeting  house  was  pur- 
chased on  Water  street,  which  was  conveyed  to  trustees,  Henry  Good- 
win, Andrew  Hills,  Marshall  F.  Whitney,  Isaac  Schofield,  Fred  A. 
Bevins,  Leander  Hodge  and  Samuel  Porter,  who  also  were  among  the 
leading  members  of  that  period.  A  frame  church,  of  small  propor- 
tions, was  used  until  1S68,  when  the  second  church  building  was  oc- 
cupied. This  was  more  desirably  located,  occupying  the  southeast 
corner  of  Maple  and  Church  streets.  This  building  was  also  a  frame, 
plainly  furnished,  yet  well  served  its  purpose  until  April,  1887,  when 
it  was  sold  for  $7,500,  to  be  converted  to  business  purposes.  Mean- 
time, on  the  11th  of  October,  1886,  the  site  for  the  present  church 
building,  in  a  more  private  part  of  the  village,  had  been  purchased. 
Upon  this  an  edifice  of  wood,  40  by  70  feet,  with  a  main  tower.  14  by 
14  and  75  feet  high,  and  a  rear  extension  for  choir  and  parlor  pur- 
poses, was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $9,200.  The  house  is  in  the  Gothic 
style  and  is  completed  most  attractively.  It  was  dedicated  July  1st, 
1887,  by  Bishop  Foss.  In  1890  the  controlling  board  of  trustees  were 
S.  D.  Hill,  H.  N.  Williams,  John  Hollister,  Elton  Hotchkiss,  Stephen 
Johns,  W.  F.  Hinckley,  Goodell  Lines  and  John  Osborne. 

The  congregation  has  had  marked  seasons  of  growth  and  declining 
interest,  some  of  the  latter  very  much  affecting  the  membership, 
which  at  times  was  quite  small  ;  but  from  the  increased  population  of 
the  town  an  active,  progressive  membership  has  been  recruited. 

The  ministers  since  the  church  has  been  a  separate  charge  have 
been:  1851,  Reverend  W.  Gay;  1855-6,  A.  V.  R.  Abbott;  1857-8, 
S.  H.  Smith  ;  1859-60,  T.  B.  Chandler  ;  1861-2,  W.  Ross;  1863-4,  G.  H. 
McCoy ;  1865-6.  G.  H.  Goodsell ;  1867,  S.  J.  Stebbins  ;  1868,  W.  T.  Gil- 
bert ;  1869-71,  C.  W.  Church  ;  1872-4,  A.  P.  Chapman  ;  1875-7,  J.  W. 
Davis  ;  1878,  A.  O.  Abbott  ;  1879-80,  C.  Dixon  ;  1SS1-3,  N.  Edwards  ; 
1884-5,  B.  F.  Kidder  ;  1886-8,  A.  J.  Smith  ;  1889,  S.  K.  Smith. 

The  Union  City  Mission  chapel,  a  neat  Gothic  frame  building, 
holding  several  hundred  people,  was  erected  a  few  years  ago  at  a  cost 
of  about  $2,000.  The  ladies  of  Union  City  were  largely  instrumental 
in  furthering  this  work,  and  the  chapel  is  used  mainly  for  Sunday 
school  purposes.  For  several  years  W.  H.  K.  Godfrey  has  been 
the  superintendent.  Various  denominations  here  hold  preaching 
services. 


730  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  at  Union  City,  a  Swedish  Lutheran 
chapel  has  just  been  completed  through  the  liberality  of  John  H. 
Whittemore,  and  that  sect  statedly  occupies  it.  The  building  is  very 
neat  and  occupies  an  imposing  site. 

Among  the  citizens  living  in  the  Salem  Society,  soon  after  1800, 
were  a  number  of  Baptists,  who  first  worshipped  with  the  church  in 
Waterbury.  In  October,  1817,  60  persons  living  in  Salem,  Prospect 
and  Bethany,  were  set  off  from  the  Waterbury  society  to  organize  a 
new  church,  in  the  localities  indicated.  This  was  formed  October 
30th,  1817,  and  for  several  years  preaching  was  held  in  private  houses. 
Two  meeting  houses  were  now  built,  one  on  Fulling  Mill  brook,  occu- 
pied December  22d,  1819,  the  other,  three  miles  away,  in  the  Straits- 
ville  locality.  The  latter  was  first  used  March  11th,  1S21.  The  church 
soon  numbered  115  members.  Interest  declined  and  in  1823  only  88 
belonged.  Elder  Samuel  Potter,  their  preacher,  died  in  1833.  Ten 
years  later  the  church  became  extinct  and  the  houses  were  converted 
into  dwellings. 

St.  Francis'  Roman  Catholic  Parish  was  constituted  in  1866.  Some- 
time about  1850  the  first  mass  of  the  Catholic  church  in  this  town 
was  said  at  the  house  of  Patrick  Conran.  The  attendants  were  few  in 
number  but  devoted  to  the  faith  of  their  church,  and  each  succeed- 
ing meeting  produced  a  greater  interest.  A  mission  was  soon 
established  and  under  its  direction  a  small  frame  church  was  built,  on 
Water  street,  which  was  occupied  in  1857.  Priests  from  adjoining 
parishes  now  statedly  celebrated  the  rites  of  the  church,  and,  in  the 
course  of  nine  years,  the  members  of  the  mission  were  enough  in 
numbers  to  justify  the  formation  of  a  separate  parish.  It  was  con- 
stituted in  1866  and  Reverend  Father  Brady  became  the  first  resi- 
dent priest.  The  George  Hine  place,  on  Church  street,  was  purchased 
in  1868  as  the  site  for  the  future  church  property,  in  Naugatuck.  The 
residence  on  it  was  converted  into  a  rectory,  and  within  one  year's 
time  the  debt  accrued  on  account  of  this  purchase  was  paid.  The  zeal 
and  interest  manifested  caused  a  church  building  fund  to  be  begun, 
which,  in  the  course  of  a  dozen  years  amounted  to  $20,000. 

Accordingly,  with  this  promise  of  future  beneficence,  the  erection 
of  the  present  fine  church  edifice  was  begun.  Ground  was  broken 
April  7th,  1882,  Father  Fagan  himself  removing  the  first  shovelful  of 
earth.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  July  23d,  1882,  the  ceremonies  being 
witnessed  by  a  greater  throng  of  people  than  had  ever  before  been 
assembled  at  Naugatuck.  On  that  occasion  more  than  $5,000  was  col- 
lected for  the  building  of  the  church,  which  was  carried  toward  com- 
pletion as  the  means  permitted.  The  work  was  done  in  the  most  sub- 
stantial manner,  under  the  careful  direction  of  Father  Fagan,  and 
there  is  no  evidence  of  stint  anywhere.  The  spacious  chapel,  seat- 
ing 1,160  people,  was  first  finished  and  occupied  several  years  before 
the  auditorium  was  ready  for  use,  in  the  fall  of  1S90.  The  entire  cost 
was  about  $100,000. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   KAVEN   COUNTY.  731 

The  edifice  attracts  universal  attention.  It  is  purely  gothic  and 
of  a  cruciform  shape.  The  front  breadth  is  66  feet,  the  width  at  the 
transept  98  and  the  depth  is  141  feet.  The  rear  wall  is  expanded  in 
a  pentagon  shape,  forming  the  chancel,  and  to  the  right  is  an  addition 
to  be  used  as  a  vestry  and  a  chapel.  Beneath  is  a  large  boiler  to  heat 
the  building.  This  chapel  is  entered  from  a  vestibule,  which  com- 
municates also  with  the  church,  thus  allowing  communication  between 
the  body  of  the  church  and  the  vestry  without  passing  through  the 
chancel.  This  arrangement,  as  also  many  other  novelties  and  con- 
veniences, were  the  suggestions  of  Father  Fagan  to  the  architect, 
James  Murphy,  of  Providence.  On  the  right  hand  corner,  in  front,  is 
a  tower,  150  feet  high,  the  right  proportion  of  whose  dimensions  needs 
no  further  comment  than  that  it  is  modeled  after  the  tower  of  St. 
Gertrude  in  Louvain,  Belgium.  This  tower  will  contain  a  deep  sound- 
ing bell. 

The  basement  of  the  church  is  of  undressed  granite,  and  the  super- 
structure of  brick  with  granite  trimmings.  The  walls  are  massive 
and  are  flanked  by  buttresses,  capped  by  stone,  with  turrets  and  pin- 
nacles. The  front  of  the  building  resembles  the  Garfield  Memorial 
church  in  Washington,  but  it  is  not  copied  therefrom.  The  general 
appearance  is  very  pleasing  and  restful  to  the  eye.  It  must  be  seen 
on  all  sides  to  be  appreciated,  for  each  side  and  each  corner  has  its 
special  architectural  beauties,  enhanced  by  a  succession  of  broken 
lines,  which,  with  the  undressed  stone,  gives  the  effect  of  light  and 
shade. 

The  auditorium  seats  1,080  people  and  like  the  chapel  is  finished 
in  oak  and  walnut.  From  each  seat  is  afforded  an  unobstructed  view 
of  the  handsome  altar  and  the  celebrant.  Over  the  altars  are  elaborate- 
ly stained  glass  windows,  bearing  typical  and  figurative  emblems. 
From  the  chancel  the  eye  naturally  turns  to  the  beautiful  memorial 
windows  at  the  ends  and  sides  of  the  transepts.  On  leaving  the  church 
a  massive  window  in  the  front  wall,  having  a  sill  twenty  feet  long  and 
a  generous  arch,  shows  it  beauties.  The  lines  of  the  Gothic  arches 
within  the  church  are  perfect,  and  the  effect,  with  the  varied  colors  of 
the  upper  range  windows  and  of  the  frescoing,  is  surpassed  by  few 
churches  of  greater  pretensions.  It  may,  indeed,  serve  as  a  model  for 
churches  in  our  larger  cities,  both  in  exterior  appearance  and  its  in- 
terior arrangement. 

Reverend  James  Fagan,  the  honored  pastor  of  Saint  Francis' 
Church  (Roman  Catholic),  of  Naugatuck,  was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I., 
April  23d,  1842,  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  five  children.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Catherine  (Donnelly)  Fagan,  natives  of  County  Tyrone, 
Ireland,  who  came  to  America  about  1830.  His  father  was  a  man  of 
intelligence  for  his  opportunities,  being  a  skillful  wool  dyer,  but  de- 
ceased while  yet  a  comparatively  young  man.  The  mother  was  a 
woman  possessed  of  many  superior  qualities,  not  the  least  being  the 


732  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

great  piety  which  pervaded  her  life  and  which  made  her  earnestly  de- 
sire that  her  only  two  sons  might  be  consecrated  to  the  priesthood  in 
the  church  to  which  she  was  so  warmly  attached.  Her  elder  son,  John, 
was  the  first  native  ordained  as  a  priest  in  the  old  diocese  of  Hartford, 
and  became  a  distinguished  clergyman.  After  being  a  useful  pastor 
of  the  church  atCollinsville,  he  became  the  priest  of  St.  John's  church, 
Stamford,  where  he  died  December  5th,  1873,  before  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  37  years,  his  death  being  caused  by  overwork  in  his  large 
parish.  The  younger  son,  James,  was  also  carefully  educated  for  the 
office  which  he  has  for  twenty  years  acceptably  filled.  After  attend- 
ing the  public  and  parochial  schools  of  Providence,  he  pursued  a  class- 
ical course  at  the  Holy  Cross,  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  leaving  that  insti- 
tution in  1868.  He  now  entered  the  American  College  at  Louvain,  in 
Belgium,  where  for  four  years  he  studied  philosophy  and  theology, 
when,  on  the  25th  of  July,  1872,  he  was  ordained  to  the  holy  ministry, 
by  Archbishop  Cattani,  at  his  private  chapel  in  Brussels.  Returning 
to  America,  he  became  an  assistant  priest  to  the  Reverend  Father 
Hughes,  V.  G.,  of  Hartford,  remaining  there  two  years.  He  was  next 
appointed  an  assistant  to  the  Reverend  Doctor  Carmody,  of  St.  John's 
church,  New  Haven,  where  he  also  served  several  years.  His  next 
appointment  was  as  an  assistant  to  the  Reverend  James  Lynch,'  V.  G., 
of  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  of  Waterbury,  where  he 
labored  about  six  months.  In  this  period  the  Reverend  Richard 
O'Gorman  of  St.  Francis'  church,  Naugatuck,  died  and,  December 
17th,  1876,  the  Reverend  James  Fagan  was  transferred  to  the  vacant 
parish  as  its  resident  priest,  and  in  that  relation  has  since  served  with 
much  success.  How  faithful  and  efficient  have  been  his  labors  is  at- 
tested by  the  growth  of  the  parish  interests.  When  he  assumed 
charge  there  were  less  than  1,000  souls  and  the  temporalities  were 
valued  at  $10,000.  Now  the  parish  has  property  valued  at  $110,000, 
with  but  $15,000  debt,  and  there  are  500  Catholic  families,  yielding  a 
membership  of  3,000  souls.  His  zeal  and  energy  were  largely  mani- 
fested in  the  erection  of  the  new  St.  Francis  church,  which  is  a  grand 
and  imposing  monument  to  the  Catholic  faith  and  the  sacrificing  de- 
votion of  his  parishioners.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  edifices  in  this  dio- 
cese and  palatial  compared  with  the  little  church  which  he  found  when 
he  came  to  Naugatuck. 

Father  Fagan  is  warmly  interested  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  his 
parish,  which  are  constantly  calling  forth  his  best  efforts,  but  in  his 
relations  to  the  community  at  large  he  is  liberal  and  progressive. 
For  thirteen  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education 
of  the  village  of  Naugatuck,  being  secretary  of  that  body  three  years, 
and  is  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  best  measures  of  education.  He 
actively  aided  the  Grand  Arm}'  of  the  Republic  in  building  the  soldiers' 
monument  on  the  church  green,  and  delivered  the  reception  address 
when  it  was  dedicated  May  30th,  1885.     Many  other  public  improve- 


//^-.     ft 6^-"-<-o 


HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  733 

ments  have  received  his  favorable  support  or  consideration,  and  he 
has  thus  won  the  esteem  and  good-will  not  only  of  his  church,  but  also 
of  the  most  of  the  other  citizens  of  the  town,  regardless  of  religious 
belief  or  profession. 

The  Soldiers  Monument,  at  Naugatuck  village,  stands  on  a  beauti- 
ful site,  on  the  school  green,  about  midway  between  the  Congrega- 
tional and  Episcopal  churches.  It  is  of  the  best  quality  of  Ryegate, 
Vt.,  granite  and  is  31f  feet  in  height.  The  main  shaft  has  a  rough 
finish  and  bears  the  names  of  the  twelve  great  battles  of  the  war : 

Atlanta,  Antietam, 

Gettysburg,  Petersburg, 

Malvern  Hill,  Chancellorsville, 

Vicksburg,  Fort  Wagner, 

Cold  Harbor,  Wilderness, 

Fredericksburg,  Cedar  Mountain. 

It  is  surmounted  by  a  figure  eight  feet  in  height,  representing  a 
soldier  in  the  infantry  service,  standing  at  ease.  Above  the  solid  base 
of  the  monument  is  a  heavy  die,  plainly  inscribed  as  follows : 

East  side  : 

Erected  by  the  Citizens  of  Naugatuck,  A.  D.  1885,  in 
Memory  of  Her  Sons  who  Fought  to 
Maintain  the  Union. 
1861-1865. 

West  side  : 

The  Citizen  soldier. 

Fearless  in  War, 
Industrious  in  Peace. 

North  side  : 

May  the  God  of  Nations 

Preserve  Our  Country  in  the  Blessed  Bonds  of 

Peace  now  Established. 

South  side  : 

The  Deeds  of  Those 

Who  Died  in  Defense  of  the  Government 

Of  the  People  are  Immortal. 

Around  the  monument  is  a  heavy  granite  coping,  and  the  lot  has 
been  graded  and  sodded  in  a  fine  manner.  It  was  '  appropriately 
dedicated  May  30th,  18S5,  nearly  the  entire  community  and  many 
visiting  strangers  participating. 

The  movement  which  led  to  the  erection  of  the  monument  was  in- 
augurated by  Isbell  Post,  No.  43,  G.  A.  R.,  in  the  fall  of  1879,  and  was 
the  first  of  several  attempts  in  that  direction  which  led  to  fruitful  re- 
sults. That  body  appointed  three  of  its  members  —  Henry  C.  Bald- 
win, Rufus  W.  Lewis  and  William  H.  Vredenburgh  —  and  invited 
nine  other  citizens  of  the  town  — George  M.  Allerton,  Patrick  Bren- 
nan,  Reverend  James  Fagan,  George  A.  Lewis,  John  Page,  Robert  M. 
Smith,  Homer  Twitchell,  Bronson  B.  Tuttle  — to  be  constituted  a  com- 


734  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mittee  to  undertake  to  erect  a  suitable  monument.  It  was  organized 
October  4th,  1879,  and  the  duties  with  which  it  was  charged  were  be- 
gun. In  December,  1882,  George  M.  Allerton,  the  chairman,  died,  and 
Bronson  B.  Tuttle  was  placed  in  his  stead,  where  he  served  until  the 
work  was  ended,  T.  H.  Whittemore  having  been  added  to  fill  the 
vacancy  in  the  committee.  The  contract  for  the  monument  was 
placed  in  October,  1884,  with  the  Ryegate,  Vermont,  Granite  Com- 
pany, and  the  pile,  with  the  curbing,  cost  §3,885.  This  amount,  with 
the  incidental  expenses,  made  the  project  cost  $4,462.07.  Of  that 
sum  $2,000  was  appropriated  by  a  vote  of  the  town  December  4th, 
1882,  and  the  balance  was  secured  by  subscriptions  raised  mainly  by 
R.  W.  Lewis,  H.  C.  Baldwin  and  other  members  of  Isbell  Post,  who 
kept  the  matter  constantly  before  the  public  until  the  beautiful  monu- 
ment was  successfully  reared. 

The  cemetery  first  opened  in  the  town  is  called  the  Pine  Hill  or 
Ancient  burial  ground.  "April  11,  1709,  the  Selectmen  of  Water- 
bury,  with  the  presence  and  consent  of  Samuel  Hickox,  laid  out  and 
sequestered  A  A.  of  land  of  said  Hickox,  on  the  southard  end  of  an  hill, 
at  Judd's  Meadow,  called  the  Pine  Hill,  on  the  east  of  the  River  be- 
tween Thomas  Judd's,  his  land,  for  a  burying  for  that  part  of  said 
town  or  any  other  as  shall  see  cause  to  make  use  of  it,  and  there,  on 
said  day,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Warner  was  buried. ::' " 

Here  were  interred  the  dead  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  while 
the  western  part  made  burials  in  the  Gunntown  cemetery,  which 
was  opened  at  a  later  day.f  The  latter  is  still  used  to  some  extent. 
The  former,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  hundred  years,  fell  into  a 
neglected  condition  and  so  remained  a  long  time,  but  has  lately  re- 
ceived care  at  the  hands  of  the  proper  authorities.  In  it  are  some 
very  old  headstones. 

The  Hillside  Cemetery,  on  the  ridge  north  of  the  ancient  ground, 
was  opened  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century.  It  has  an  advantageous 
and  beautiful  location,  the  original  part  being  called  Walnut  Dale.  In 
1872  the  cemetery  was  enlarged  and  the  following  year  the  addition 
was  mapped  out  and  graded  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  There  were, 
however,  no  systematic  plans  or  rules  governing  the  cemetery  until 
1882,  when  F.  W.  Tolles  was  appointed  the  agent,  and  has  since  so 
served.  The  town  has  improved  the  cemetery,  but  several  costly  and 
extensive  improvements  were  made  at  the  expense  of  John  H.  Whitte- 
more, which  have  placed  this  among  the  many  attractive  cemeteries  of 
the  county. 

The  Catholic  Cemetery,  on  the  ridge  still  further  north,  has  also  a 
fine  location,  which  was  enhanced  by  the  grading  of  the  grounds  in 
1878.  The  area  is  smaller  than  that  of  Hillside,  but  both  contain 
many  fine  monuments. 

*  She  was  first  interred  at  that  place. 

fThe  cemetery  was  used  before  the  revolution  but  was  not  formally  con- 
veyed to  the  town  until  March  3d,  1860. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 


r35 


The  Grove  Cemetery  is  the  newest,  but  most  extensive  place  of 
burial  in  the  town.  It  embraces  22  acres,  located  on  the  hillside,  just 
east  of  the  river  and  about  one  mile  below  the  village.  Much  of  the 
area  is  covered  with  a  natural  growth  of  forest  trees,  which  suggested 
the  name.  Its  excellent  situation,  together  with  the  surroundings,  will 
permit  this  to  be  made  one  of  the  finest  cemeteries  in  the  county.  It 
is  controlled  by  the  Grove  Cemetery  Association,  which  organized  with 
a  capital  of  $6,000  November  8th,  1886.  The  following  January  the 
association  was  incorporated  by  the  legislature,  a  special  charter  being 
granted  for  that  purpose,  under  which  it  was  reorganized  June  6th, 
1887,  with  the  following  board  of  trustees:  B.  B.  Tuttle,  president;^  F. 
W.  Tolles,  secretary;  A.  H.  Dayton,  treasurer;  F.  B.  Tuttle,  L.  D.  War- 
ner, George  A.  Lewis  and  Willard  Hopkins. 

The  entire  tract  has  been  enclosed  and  all  the  drives  located  and 
graded,  after  the  plans  of  Schofield  &  Starr,  of  Bridgeport.  Three 
acres  have  been  plotted  into  burial  lots  and  prepared  for  interments, 
the  work  being  done  under  the  personal  direction  of  the  president. 

On  Sunday,  June  16th,  1889,  the  cemetery  was  formally  dedicated 
in  the  presence  of  400  people,  all  the  Protestant  clergymen  of  the  town 
participating.  But  the  first  interment  had  been  made  before  this  time. 
December  15th,  1886,  when  Mrs.  Juline  L.  Warner  was  here  inhumed. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

George  Milton  Allerton,  the  president  of  the  Goodyear  India 
Rubber  Glove  Manufacturing  Company,  whose  death  occurred  De- 
cember 2d,  1882,  was  one  of  the  best,  most  respected  and  useful  citi- 
zens that  ever  lived  in  the  town  of  Naugatuck.  His  worth  is  still 
cherished  and  he  is  remembered  as  a  man  of  the  highest  character, 
having  generous  and  noble  impulses,  hospitable  and  true-hearted,  fa- 
voring and  urging  everything  which  would  promote  the  welfare  of 
his  adopted  home.  Fitly  was  it  said  of  him  by  one  who  knew  him  in- 
timately: "  Earth  never  lost  a  truer,  manlier  soul,  nor  heaven  opened 
wide  its  gates  to  receive  a  kindlier,  gentler  spirit."  He  was  born  in 
Washington,  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  December  1st,  1831,  and 
was  therefore,  at  his  decease,  but  a  little  more  than  51  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  son  of  Milton  B.  Allerton,  who  was  born  at  Amenia,  New 
York,  August  21st,  1799,  where  his  father  was  engaged  as  a  country 
merchant  until  his  removal  to  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  also 
followed  mercantile  pursuits  until  his  death,  December  8th,  1866. 
Another  son,  Reuben  German,  who  also  died  in  New  York  city,  was 
widely  known  as  the  author  of  a  book  on  piscatorial  sports.  The 
father  of  Milton  B.  Allerton  was  Joshua  Allerton,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  in  his  day  of  the  citizens  of  the  Hudson  river  valley,  where 
the  family  is  still  favorably  known,  and  its  members  who  have  re- 
moved to  other  localities  have  in  many  instances  become  influential 
business  and  professional  men. 


736  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

The  ancestors  of  George  M.  Allerton  were  descendants  of  Isaac 
Allerton,  one  of  the  pilgrim  fathers,  he  being  in  the  eighth  generation 
of  that  lineage.  Isaac  Allerton  was  born  in  England  about  1583,  and 
removed  to  Holland  on  account  of  his  religious  principles  in  1609. 
Later  he  entered  into  the  project  to  remove  to  America,  and  he  and 
his  family  were  among  the  passengers  of  the  "  Mayflower,"  who  land- 
ed at  Plymouth  in  1620.  His  relative  importance  in  the  founding  of 
that  colony  appears  in  his  signature  to  the  compact,  his  name  being 
fifth  on  the  list,  those  signing  before  him  being  Carver,  Bradford, 
Winslow  and  Brewster.  Besides  being  a  man  of  wealth,  he  was  just 
and  fair-minded,  with  a  tendency  to  more  liberal  views  than  some 
of  his  compeers,  and  his  subsequent  course  in  public  matters  gave  of- 
fense to  these  colleagues.  He  also  suffered  financial  misfortunes,  and 
these  circumstances  led  to  his  withdrawal  from  the  Plymouth  colony 
and  to  his  settlement  in  New  Haven  about  1647.  There  he  was  occu- 
pied as  a  trader  and  shipmaster,  ranking  among  those  who  were  enti- 
tled to  the  prefix  Mister  in  connection  with  their  names.  He  built  "  a 
grand  house  on  the  creek,  with  Four  Porches,"  on  two  acres  of  land, 
located  where  is  now  Union  street,  in  the  city  of  New  Haven.  There 
he  died  about  the  beginning  of  1659,  his  estate  being  inventoried  in 
February  of  that  year.  He  was  twice  married  and  had  five  children, 
the  fifth  one  being  a  son,  Isaac,  the  only  child  by  his  second  wife,  Fear 
Brewster.  This  son  was  born  in  Plymouth  in  1630,  and  graduated 
from  Harvard  in  1650.  Like  his  father,  he  was  a  man  of  much  ability, 
and  became  prominent  in  business  affairs.  He,  also,  had  £  son  Isaac, 
born  in  New  Haven  in  1655,  whose  son,  John,  born  in  New  Haven  in 
1685,  had  a  son  Isaac,  in  the  fifth  generation,  born  in  1724,  at  Norwich, 
who  had  a  son,  Jonathan,  who  was  the  father  of  the  Joshua  named 
above,  and  who  was  the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch- 
Every  generation  of  this  branch  of  the  Allerton  family  has  had  mem- 
bers of  superior  qualities,  the  honored  name  of  Isaac  Allerton,  the 
Puritan,  being  thus  worthily  perpetuated. 

George  M.  Allerton's  family  consisted  of  five  children,  the  fruits 
of  two  marriages.  He  was  first  joined  in  wedlock  October  5th,  1858, 
to  Lois  Mabbett,  of  Dover,  New  York,  who  died  in  February,  1865, 
leaving  three  sons,  all  born  in  New  York  city,  namely:  George  Mil- 
ton, January  27th,  I860,  who  married  Josephine  D.,  daughter  of  Judge 
J.  W.  Webster,  of  Waterbury,  June  20th,  1883,  who  is  secretary  of  the 
rubber  company;  Charles  Goodyear,  September  9th.  1862;  and  Louis 
Mott,  February  11th,  1865.  The  second  wife,  now  the  surviving  widow, 
was  Mary  Alida,  daughter  of  Reuben  Leggett,  of  New  York  city,  to 
whom  he  was  married  January  24th,  1877,  at  Naugatuck,  where  their 
two  children  were  born:  Anna  Ogden,  October  14th,  1877;  and  Robert 
Wade,  August  14th,  1S82.  All  the  family  now  reside  in  Water- 
bury. 

The  recital  of  the  early  history  of  Mr.  Allerton's  life  differs  but  very 


^ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  737 

little  from  the  story  of  the  lives  of  most  of  our  successful  business 
men.  He  was  taught  to  work  in  his  boyhood  and  to  depend  upon  his 
own  efforts  for  a  living.  After  serving  as  a  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store, 
he  began  business  for  himself,  becoming  interested  in  the  sale  of  rub- 
ber goods.  He  had  no  capital  but  his  own  energy  and  a  natural  capac- 
ity for  affairs  where  prudence,  pluck  and  perseverance,  if  judiciously 
exercised,  are  bound  to  ensure  success.  After  having  charge  of  the 
company's  store  in  New  York,  he  assumed  the  management  of  its 
•  business  in  1856,  and  his  subsequent  career,  as  expressed  in  the  elo- 
quent language  of  his  friend,  Judge  S.  W.  Kellogg,  was  as  follows: 

"The  capital  was  then  small,  and  somewhat  impaired;  its  articles 
of  production  were  very  limited.  While  the  Goodyear  patent  existed, 
the  company's  manufacture  was  confined  pretty  much  to  the  articles 
indicated  by  its  original  name,  for  which  only  they  had  a  license.  For 
several  years  following  the  panic  of  1857,  it  was  a  continued  struggle 
of  the  company  for  existence.  Men  less  enthusiastic,  less  energetic 
than  Mr.  Allerton  would  have  given  it  up  and  sought  other  business. 
For  two  or  three  years  during  the  war,  the  company  was  almost  wholly 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  goods  for  the  army,  especially  for  hos- 
pital and  surgeon's  supplies.  The  company  sought  no  government 
contracts,  but  manufactured  largely  for  Philadelphia  and  other  con- 
tractors. When  the  war  closed  it  found  the  glove  company,  with  a 
large  force  of  help,  engaged  almost  entirely  in  the  making  of  army 
goods.  All  that  work  came  to  a  sudden  end.  Many  companies  in  the 
country  engaged  in  army  work,  like  those  making  woolen  blankets 
and  cloths,  were  forced  to  stop  for  want  of  orders.  It  was  then  that 
Mr.  Allerton's  happy  faculty  and  tact  as  a  business  man  stood  the  com- 
pany in  good  stead.  He  was  quick  to  foresee  some  new  thing  to  which 
the  use  of  rubber  could  be  applied,  some  new  article  or  some  improve- 
ment upon  an  old  one,  which  would  take  with  the  trade,  as  the  say- 
ing is,  and  find  a  ready  and  a  profitable  market.  The  old  Goodyear 
license  no  longer  confined  the  company  to  a  single  class  of  goods. 

"  I  think  it  was  one  great  element  in  Mr.  Allerton's  successful  man- 
agement of  the  business  in  those  years,  that  he  had  the  faculty  of  see- 
ing in  advance  what  new  things  could  be  manufactured  with  profit, 
which  would  command  a  ready  sale.  And  yet  he  was  always  modest 
in  his  own  claims  of  what  he  did,  giving  credit  to  those  associated 
with  him  for  much  of  the  company's  prosperity.  How  often  have  I 
heard  him  speak  of  the  invaluable  services  of  his  superintendent  all 
these  years,  Mr.  B.  M.  Hotchkiss,  of  Naugatuck.  How  often  have  I 
heard  him  speak  of  the  successful  management  of  the  affairs  of  the 
company  in  New  York  by  his  associate,  Mr.  J.  D.  Yermeule,  who  to- 
day takes  Mr.  Allerton's  place  in  the  company.  How  often  of  late 
years  have  I  heard  him  speak  in  high  commendation  of  younger  men 
who  have  come  in  with  their  assistance  as  the  business  has  grown,  in 
the  office  and  factories  and  the  stores  in  New  York. 
47 


73S  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

"  Mr.  Allerton  came  from  New  York  to  Naugatuck  in  the  year  1867, 
as  the  enlarged  business  of  the  company  seemed  to  require  his  resi- 
dence here.  It  needs  no  poor  words  of  mine  to  tell  the  people  of 
Naugatuck  how  valuable  a  citizen  they  have  lost.  He  came  as  a 
stranger  to  most  of  them,  but  he  speedily  identified  himself  with  all 
their  best  interests.  In  town,  school  and  all  matters  of  public  interest, 
he  lent  a  hearty  and  a  helping  hand.  With  a  load  of  business  as  heavy 
as  any  man  ought  to  bear,  he  took  in  addition  his  full  share  of  the 
public  burdens.  His  good  nature  was  such  that  he  allowed  his  friends 
to  impose  more  public  and  social  work  upon  him,  than  he  ever  ought 
to  have  taken  with  all  his  other  duties  and  cares. 

"Every  man  has  his  faults  and  imperfections.  Mr.  Allerton  had 
his,  but  his  faults  were  on  the  side  of  generosity  and  honest  impulse. 
He  was  nervous  and  impulsive,  and  ardent  in  espousing  the  side  of 
any  question  that  he  believed  to  be  right.  If  he  differed  with  a  man, 
it  was  a  good-natured  difference  on  his  part.  He  had  not  one  element 
of  meanness  or  malice  in  his  nature.  He  took  no  pleasure  in  speak- 
ing of  the  faults  of  another;  he  loved  to  talk  of  their  good  traits  of 
character.  He  was  full  of  generous  charity  wherever  it  was  deserv- 
ing; and  God  and  they  only  who  received  its  benefits,  knew  all  that 
he  did  to  help  others.  The  humblest  man  in  his  employment  could 
go  to  him  in  trouble  and  find  a  friend." 

Mr.  Allerton  was  buried  at  Dover  Plains,  N.  Y.,  his  native  village, 
in  which  he  had  never  lost  his  interest,  the  last  rites  being  performed 
by  the  Masonic  fraternity,  to  which  order  he  was  much  attached;  and 
for  him  Allerton  Chapter  of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  of  Naugatuck,  was 
named.  The  benediction  of  Brother  Kellogg  expresses  the  high  re- 
gard entertained  for  him  by  this  brotherhood: 

"  Peace  to  thy  ashes,  and  rest  to  thy  soul,  departed  brother;  and 
may  we  learn  by  thy  example  to  be  more  charitable  to  others,  to  do 
more  kindly  deeds  for  our  fellow-men,  and  to  be  more  tender,  loving 
and  true  to  family  and  friends  until  the  end." 

George  S.  Andrew  was  born  in  Orange,  Conn.,  in  1833,  and  mar- 
ried Harriet  L.  Scott,  sister  of  Seabury  Scott.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren: Emma  S.,  Samuel  J.,  George  W.,  Charles  B..  and  Bradford  S., 
now  living,  and  three  that  died  in  infancy.  Samuel  J.  is  in  business 
in  New  Haven  with  his  uncle,  F.  S.  Andrew.  Charles  B.  Andrew  is 
in  the  boot  and  shoe  business.  Emma  S.  married  J.  Alvin  Scott,  and 
resides  in  Everett,  near  Boston,  Mass.  The  rest  of  the  family  live  in 
Naugatuck.  Mr.  Andrew  died  in  1888.  He  carried  on  a  general  store 
in  Naugatuck  a  number  of  years,  and  afterward  was  in  the  coal,  wood 
and  lumber  business.  His  son,  George  W.,  succeeded  in  the  coal, 
wood  and  lumber  business,  in  the  spring  of  1888.  He  had  conducted 
the  business  five  years  prior  to  this  for  his  father.  George  S.  Andrew 
occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  affairs  of  Naugatuck.  He  was  post- 
master under  Buchanan's  administration,  and  held  several  town  offices. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  739 

George  W.  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Naugatuck,  and  took  a 
course  at  Yale  Business  College.  He  married  Mary  A.  Gillette,  of 
Prospect,  in  1SS3.  They  have  three  children:  Alvin  G.,  Leroy  S.  and 
Ruby. 

Samuel  N.  Andrew,  born  in  Orange,  Conn.,  September  27th,  1824, 
is  a  son  of  Samuel,  and  grandson  of  William  Andrew.  Samuel,  Sr., 
was  born  in  1800,  married  Salina  Smith  of  Orange,  Conn.,  and  settled 
there.  They  had  five  children:  Samuel  N.,  Caroline  A.,  Esther  L. 
(deceased),  George  S.  (deceased),  and  Frank  S.  The  father  moved  to 
Oxford,  Conn.,  when  Samuel  N.  was  14  years  old,  and  he  died  in  the 
village  of  Naugatuck  in  1875.  Samuel  N.  was  educated  at  the  com- 
mon schools  and  the  Naugatuck  High  School,  and  chose  the  business 
of  farming.  He  has  been  assessor,  justice  of  the  peace  and  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  relief.  He  has  been  twice  married:  first,  Octo- 
ber 26th,  1846,  to  Amelia  Thompson  of  Oxford,  by  whom  he  had 
five  children:  Ella  A.,  born  May  13th,  1848;  Floyd  L.,  born  June  8th, 
1849;  Noyes  T.,  born  July  10th,  1852;  Esther  L.,  born  March  26th, 
1858;  and  Frederick  S.,  bprn  December  18th,  1860.  His  wife,  Amelia, 
died  May  22d,  1885,  and  he  married  Adelaide  U.  Hall,  of  Waterbury, 
December  14th,  1886. 

Canfield  B.  Booth,  born  in  Roxbury,  Conn.,  in  1844,  is  a  son  of 
Captain  Ira  and  Louisa  (Bishop)  Booth.  He  came  to  Piatt's  Mills  in  1866, 
remained  there  until  1870,  then  came  to  Naugatuck.  Captain  IraBouth 
had  eight  children,  of  whom  Canfield  B.  was  next  to  the  youngest. 
He  was  twice  drafted  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  but  was  too  young  to 
serve.  He  had  three  brothers  that  served  in  that  war,  and  one  died 
at  Newbern,  N.  C.  Mr.  Booth  married  Catherine  E.  Roberts  of 
Waterbury.  and  they  have  five  children:  Charles  C,  Grace  L.,  Wil- 
liam H.,  Winfred  G.  and  Edith  M. 

Andrew  Brennan,  born  in  Ireland  December  15th,  1S33,  landed 
in  America  January  3d,  1855,  went  first  to  New  Jersey,  four  months 
later  removed  to  Hamden,  Conn.,  and  came  to  Union  City  in  1857. 
He  was  engaged  with  the  Malleable  Iron  Company  until  1877.  In 
1878  he  established  the  business  of  the  Union  City  Coal  Company. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Martin  of  Naugatuck,  May  16th,  1858.  She  is 
a  native  of  Ireland.     They  have  nine  children  living. 

Miles  S.  Clark  was  born  in  Prospect,  Conn.,  June  8th,  1824.  He 
commenced  to  learn  the  carpenter  trade  when  he  was  16  years  old, 
and  two  years  later  came  to  Naugatuck,  and  finished  his  trade  with 
Amos  Hotchkiss.  He  was  afterward  engaged  in  the  hoe  shop  of  E. 
C.  Tuttle.  In  1861  he  went  to  Canada  and  helped  Mr.  Tuttle  put  the 
machinery  in  a  shop  there.  Returning  to  Naugatuck  he  worked  at 
Piatt's  Mills  15  years,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  various  enter- 
prises pertaining  to  his  trade  of  builder  and  joiner.  He  moved  to 
Union  City  in  1882,  and  lives  in  the  old  Clark  Warner  house.  He 
married,  in  1872,  Adella  E.  Piatt  of  Waterbury.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren: Allerton  F.  L.  and  Ludella  S.  G. 


740  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Patrick  Con  ran  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Freshford,  Kilkenny- 
county,  in  Ireland,  on  St.  Patrick's  Day,  1827,  came  to  this  country  in 
1846,  and  finally  settled  in  Naugatuck  in  1849,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  is  the  oldest  foreign  born  citizen  in  this  town.  He  was 
the  first  one  to  collect  a  dollar  for  the  Catholic  church  here  in  1S57, 
and  before  that  he  subscribed  largely  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  the  first 
Catholic  churches  built  in  Waterbury  and  Birmingham,  Conn.  He  has 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  improvement  of  the  town,  and  has  been  a 
member  of  every  committee  appointed  by  the  town  since  he  resided 
here,  wherein  the  town  has  been  interested  in  making  public  im- 
provements. He  drove  a  team  from  Naugatuck  to  New  Haven  before 
the  railroad  was  built.  He  married  Julia  Purcell,  who  was  born  in  the 
same  county,  and  they  have  had  four  children  :  Thomas,  Katie  E.,  Mary 
A.  and  Lucy.  Thomas  has  been  selectman  for  11  years.  Mrs.  Conran 
died  in  1884.  Although  Mr.  Conran  has  been  a  dealer  in  liquor,  he 
has  never  tasted  a  drop  of  it  or  used  tobacco  in  his  life.  He  was  pres- 
ent at  the  first  funeral  of  a  Catholic  buried  in  Waterbury,  Conn., 
Christmas  Eve,  1847.  He  is  now  the  largest  individual  owner  of  real 
estate  in  Naugatuck,  and  the  fourth  largest  tax  payer.  In  politics  he 
has  always  been  a  democrat,  and  has  never  accepted  any  office,  although 
often  nominated. 

Amos  Culver,  born  in  Naugatuck,  April  2lst,  1841,  is  a  son  of  Josiah 
and  Melina  (Hotchkiss)  Culver.  She  was  the  youngest  daughter  of 
Major  Orin  Hotchkiss,  of  Naugatuck.  Josiah  Culver  was  born  in 
Naugatuck  in  1799.  His  father  was  Amos  Culver.  Josiah  died  at  the 
home  of  his  son,  Amos,  in  1888.  He  had  held  most  all  the  prominent 
offices  of  his  town,  and  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1863.  He 
was  a  life  long  democrat  and  a  self-made  man.  He  was  twice  mar- 
ried. His  first  wife  died,  and  in  1841  he  married  for  his  second  wife, 
Abigail  Hotchkiss.  By  his  first  wife  he  had  one  son,  Amos  ;  by  his 
last  marriage,  Josiah  R.,  who  died  in  1880.  Amos,  the  only  one  of  the 
family  living,  received  a  common  school  education  in  Naugatuck,  and 
first  engaged  in  farming.  For  five  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile trade  in  Naugatuck.  He  is  a  large  real  estate  owner.  He  has 
held  several  of  the  most  important  offices  in  his  town,  such  as  justice 
and  assessor,  but  his  private  business  has  prevented  him  from  accept- 
ing office  as  he  otherwise  would.  He  married  in  1872,  Julia,  daughter 
of  Henry  Church,  of  Seymour,  Conn.  He  is  at  present  building  one 
of  the  finest  blocks  in  Naugatuck,  on  the  site  where  his  father  kept 
store  for  20  years. 

Harvey  G.  Denniston  was  born  in  Blooming  Grove,  Orange  county, 
N.  Y.,  August  23d,  1829,  removed  to  Prattsburgh,  Steuben  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1857,  and  practiced  law  in  Penn  Yann,  N.  Y.,  until  1862.  In 
that  year  he  enlisted  as  private  in  Co.  G.,  107th  regiment,  N.  Y.  Vol., 
was  commissioned  as  second  lieutenant  in  1862,  and  as  first  lieutenant 
in  1S63.     He  was  in  the  battles  of  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Freder- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  741 

icksburgh,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburgh,  Falling  Water  and  Lookout 
Mountain.  He  resigned  April  4th,  1864,  and  was  mustered  as  captain 
in  the  188th  regiment,  N.  Y.  Vol.  He  served  in  the  battle  of  Hatcher's 
Run,  was  A.  A.  A.  general  of  the  2d  Brigade  1st  Division  of  the  5th 
Army  Corps,  and  fought  in  the  battles  of  Weldon  Railroad,  Dabney's 
Mills,  the  second  Hatcher's  Run,  Lewis  Farm,  Gravelly  Run  and  Five 
Forks.  After  the  last  battle  he  was  brevetted  lieutenant  colonel,  and 
colonel  and  brigadier  general.  He  was  in  the  Danville  fight  and  was 
at  Appomattox  at  the  surrender  of  Lee.  He  was  mustered  out  July 
1st,  1865.  He  practiced  law  in  Prattsburgh,  N.  Y.,  until  1872,  when 
he  removed  to  Connecticut.  In  1874  he  moved  to  Union  City,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  married,  in  1870,  Emogene  A.  Tuttle,  of 
Auburn,  N.  Y.  They  have  had  one  son,  Franklin  Tuttle,  born  October 
25th,  1882. 

William  J.  Freeman,  born  in  Naugatuck  March  9th,  1855,  is  a  son  of 
Pierce  and  Julia  Freeeman.  They  were  both  born  in  Ireland,  and 
came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  the  town  of  Naugatuck.  William's 
father  died  when  he  was  but  four  years  old,  and  he  lived  with  his 
mother  until  he  was  9  years  old,  then  went  to  work  in  a  woolen  fac- 
tory. He  next  worked  on  a  farm,  then  one  year  on  the  New  York  & 
New  England  railroad.  This  work  not  being  congenial  to  his  taste, 
he  went  to  work  for  L.  B.  Tucker,  a  butcher,  then  of  Middlebury,  Conn . 
He  had  never  had  the  opportunity  of  acquiring  an  education,  so  now 
he  hired  out  by  the  year,  with  a  chance  of  three  months  schooling,  for 
four  years,  which  he  greatly  improved.  He  purchased  the  business 
of  .his  former  employer,  and  removed  to  Naugatuck.  He  does  busi- 
ness in  both  Naugatuck  and  Millville.  He  was  elected  3d  selectman 
in  1889.  He  was  married  to  Mary  F.  Booth  of  Long  Island,  in  1876. 
They  have  one  daughter,  Nellie  E.,  born  in  1880. 

Billious  C.  Hall,  born  in  Wallingford,  Conn.,  in  1834,  is  a  son  of 
Edward  L.  and  Mary  K.  (Cook)  Hall,  and  grandson  of  Deacon  Josiah 
Hall.  The  Halls  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Wallingford, 
and  are  of  revolutionary  stock.  Mrs.  Edward  L.  Hall  is  still  living. 
Billious  C.  came  to  Naugatuck  in  1859.  He  has  been  twice  married; 
first  to  Grace,  daughter  of  Oliver  and  Harriet  Evans,  in  1859.  She 
died  in  1861,  and  in  1863  he  married  Addle,  daughter  of  Asahel  and 
Elizabeth  Smith  of  Naugatuck.  They  have  three  sons:  Clarence  D., 
Edward  C.  and  Louis  H.  Mr.  Hall  served  nine  months  during  the 
late  war,  in  Company  B,  27th  Regiment  Conn.  Vol.  He  was  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Fredericksburgh  and  Chancellorsville,  was  taken  prisoner  at  the 
latter  battle  and  sent  to  Libby  Prison,  remaining  there  about  10  days, 
when  he  was  paroled.     He  was  discharged  July  22d,  1863. 

Thomas  Hartle,  born  in  England  in  1S33,  came  to  this  country  in 
1852,  and  settled  in  Union  City.  He  was  employed  by  the  Union 
Knife  Company  until  they  burned  out,  and  is  now  engaged  in  caring 
for  his  real  este.     He  married  Mary  Drable,  born  in  England.     They 


742  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

have  five  children:  Sarah  Ann,  Emily,  Mary  Elizabeth,  Thomas  and 
Lillie.  They  were  all  born  in  this  country  except  Sarah  Ann,  who 
was  born  in  England. 

George  Hine,  son  of  Reuben  L.  Hine,  of  Middlebury,  Conn.,  was 
born  in  that  town  December  31st,  1825.  He  was  educated  at  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  afterward  studied  the  classics  with  N.  J.  Wilcoxson 
of  Oxford.  He  studied  surveying  and  after  teaching  school  eight 
years,  entered  a  store  in  Naugatuck,  where  he  worked  seven  years. 
Then  he  commenced  to  study  law,  in  1857,  with  George  F.  Gardiner, 
of  Naugatuck,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1860.  He  has  practiced 
law  in  several  different  states,  and  always  has  had  a  lucrative  practice. 
He  has  been  twice  married;  first  to  Louisa  P.  Brown  of  Sandisfield, 
Mass.,  in  1856.  They  had  one  son,  George  Hine,  Jr.  Mrs.  Hine  died 
in  1858,  and  Mr.  George  Hine,  Jr.,  died  January  24th,  1890.  Mr.  Hine 
married  for  his  second  wife,  Eliza  J.  Flynn,  July  4th,  1858.  They 
have  four  children:  Sadie,  Charles,  Eliza  J.  and  Don. 

Charles  B.  Hoadley  was  born  January  10th,  1832,  in  Waterbury, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Naugatuck.  His  pioneer  ancestor  was 
William  H.,  who  was  born  in  England  in  1630,  landed  in  Saybsook  in 
1663  ;  his  name  appears  on  the  new  Plantation  Covenant  book  January 
20th,  1667.  He  was  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  town  of  Bran- 
ford  for  nine  sessions.  He  was  the  father  of  William,  2d,  who  died 
May  2d,  1738.  The  latter  was  the  father  of  William,  3d,  born  1739, 
died  1825.  who  was  the  father  of  Jude.  The  latter  died  in  1822.  He 
was  the  father  of  Asa,  born  1772,  died  1805  ;  he  the  father  of  Erastus, 
and  Erastus  was  the  father  of  Charles  Burton  Hoadley,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  who  is  engaged  in  blacksmithing.  He  served  two  terms 
in  our  late  war  ;  enlisted  first  September  2d,  1862,  in  Co.  H,  23d  regi- 
ment, as  corporal,  and  was  discharged  August  1st,  1S63  ;  the  second 
time  in  the  3d  Independent  Battery  as  sergeant.  He  was  in  front  of 
Petersburg  from  November  25th,  till  April  14th  ;  also  received 
injuries  on  the  march,  for  which  he  gets  a  pension.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  of  the  I.  O.  G.  T.  He  married 
Lucinda  Wooding,  of  Cheshire,  December  14th,  1854.  They  have 
four  children :  Charles  W.,  Howard  B.,  Frank  L.  and  Carrie  A. 
Erastus  William  was  sometimes  called  Skipper  to  distinguish  him 
from  William,  the  son  of  William.  '  He  is  remembered  as  a  man  pos- 
sessing wonderful  ingenuity.  He  was  a  very  useful  man  to  repair  or 
improve  the  machinery  used  in  his  time.  The  gilt  button  burnishers 
employed  at  the  Benedict  shop  in  Waterbury  would  always  wait  for 
him  to  repair  their  lathes,  believing  that  he  could  do  it  better  than 
anyone  else.  It  is  said  that  he  made  a  valuable  improvement  for  mak- 
ing button  eyes.  It  is  also  said  that  on  one  occasion  he  appeared 
on  the  street  holding  in  his  arms  a  button  eye  machine  ;  on  one  arm 
he  carried  a  coil  of  wire,  he  working  with  vigor  his  machine  while  a 
stream  of  button  eyes  issued  and  fell  to  the  ground.     He  died   Feb- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 


743 


ruary  14th,  1836,  a  comparatively  young  man,  at  a  time  when  the  new 
era  of  invention  was  about  to  commence,  for  soon  after  his  death  there 
was  a  wonderful  revolution  in  constructing  new  machinery.  Had  he 
lived,  he  probably  would  have  been  foremost  in  the  planning  of  the 
new  machinery  made  about  that  time.  It  is  said  that  he  often  de- 
clared that  he 'could  send  signals  over  a  copper  wire,  but  was  laughed 
at,  no  one  believing  at  that  time  that  the  telegraph  would  ever  be  used. 
He  married  Abigail  B.,  daughter  of  Henry  Porter.  Their  children 
were  :  Caroline,  married  Robert  B.  Hine,  who  is  now  deceased  ;  and 
Charles  B. 

Lemuel  B.  Hoadley,  born  in  Naugatuck  August  5th,  1830,  is  a  son 
of  Marshal  and  grandson  of  William  Hoadley,  all  natives  of  Nauga- 
tuck. Marshal  married  Nancy  Judd.  They  had  seven  children. 
Lemuel  was  the  fourth  child.  One  brother,  John,  lives  in  Nauga- 
tuck. Lemuel  B.  was  first  engaged  in  business  in  Naugatuck  as  a  car- 
penter and  joiner,  and  followed  that  trade  until  1865,  when  he  engaged 
with  the  G.  M.  R.  Shoe  Company,  and  has  remained  with  them  since, 
first  in  the  mill  room,  and  since  1880  as  superintendent  of  the  repair- 
ing department.  He  has  been  twice  married.  His  second  wife  was 
Catharine  Adamson,  died  March  11th.  1891.  They  had  four  children: 
William  C.  Mary,  Nancy  and  David.  Mr.  Hoadley  was  selectman  of 
the  town  in  1888  and  1889. 

Burritt  M.  Hotchkiss  was  born  in  the  town  of  Cheshire,  Conn.,  in 
1821,  and  died  July  5th,  1891.  At  the  age  of  11  years,  he  went  to 
Ohio.  He  received  his  education  there,  and  engaged  in  farming.  In 
the  spring  of  1844,  he  came  East  and  settled  in  Naugatuck.  He  was 
employed  for  two  years  by  the  G.  M.  R.  Shoe  Company,  then  returned 
to  Ohio,  and  remained  there  two  years,  and  in  1848  came  again  to 
Naugatuck.  In  1849,  he  began  work  for  the  G.  I.  R.  G.  Company.  At 
this  time  there  were  only  two  other  men  at  work  in  -this  factory,  one 
of  them  was  the  president.  Mr.  Hotchkiss  was  connected  with  this 
company  from  1849  until  his  death.  In  1856,  he  took  charge  of  the 
factory,  at  which  time  the  company  employed  five  men  and  ten 
women.  They  now  employ  about  800  hands.  In  1882  Mr.  Hotchkiss 
was  chosen  vice-president  of  the  company.  He  was  twice  married  ; 
first  to  Adeline  M.  Hall,  of  New  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1844.  -They  had 
three  children:  Robert,  born  1849;  Frank,  born  1851;  and  Ella,  born 
1855,  died  1881.  Mrs.  Hotchkiss  died  in  1873.  His  second  wife  was 
Emily  J.  Smith,  of  Naugatuck.  His  sons  are  both  engaged  in  the  rub- 
ber business;  Robert  with  the  Boston  Rubber  Company  in  Massachu- 
eetts,  and  Frank  with  the  Fairfield   Rubber  Company  in  Fairfield, 

Conn. 

Harry  S.  Hotchkiss,  born  in  New  Haven,  October  27th,  1845,  is  a 
son  of  Lucius  E.  and  Harriet  L.  (Cooper)  Hotchkiss.  He  was  educa- 
ted in  Naugatuck,  and  at  a  boarding  school  in  New  Jersey.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  a  mason  from  his  father,  who  came  to  Naugatuck  in  1855, 


744  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  built  the  brick  part  of  the  Malleable  Iron  Works,  and  also  the 
masonry  of  the  Congregational  church.  Harry  S.  came  to  Naugatuck 
about  the  same  time,  and  has  lived  here  ever  since.  He  has  been  en- 
gaged in  mason  work  in  Naugatuck  and  other  towns  for  the  past  25 
years.  He  married  Miria  R.  Beach,  of  Winchester,  Conn.,  daughter 
of  Hezekiah  Beach.  They  have  a  daughter,  Cora  I.,  married  to  Harry 
A.  Bennett,  of  New  York  city.  Mr.  Hotchkiss  has  held  the  office  of 
first  selectman  one  year,  and  third  selectman  two  years,  and  has  been 
assessor  two  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  of  Naugatuck, 
has  taken  the  32d  degree,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine 
at  Bridgeport. 

Hooker  Hotchkiss,  born  in  Bethany,  Conn.,  in  1841,  is  a  son  of  Eber 
and  Thirza  (Driver)  Hotchkiss,  the  former  born  April  1st,  1797,  died 
1849,  and  the  latter  born  September  30th,  1802.  They  had  eight 
children:  Dillazon,  Gracia,  Samantha,  Jane,  Samuel,  Eliza,  Eber  and 
Hooker.  Hooker  moved  to  Naugatuck  about  1875  and  is  engaged  in 
farming  and  the  real  estate  business.  He  married  in  1888  Elizabeth 
Culver,  daughter  of  Henry  Hotchkiss  of  Cheshire. 

Charles  F.  Hungerford  was  born  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  in  1S57. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  that  town,  and  at  a  business 
college  in  New  Haven.  He  came  to  Naugatuck  in  1877  and  was  em- 
ployed as  bookkeeper  until  1887,  when  he  engaged  in  the  furniture 
and  undertaking  business  in  partnership  with  W.  F.  York.  The  lat- 
ter retired  in  July,  1889,  and  Mr.  Hungerford  has  since  conducted 
the  business  alone  as  the  Naugatuck  Furniture  Company.  He  was 
elected  town  clerk  in  1890.  He  was  married  in  1883,  to  Carrie, 
daughter  of  S.  Seabury  Scott,  of  Naugatuck.  They  have  one  son, 
Seabury  S. 

John  L.  Isbell  was  born  in  Roxbury,  Conn.,  in  1815,  removed  to 
Union  City  in  1832,  and  engaged  in  making  machinery  for  woolen 
and  cotton  mills.  He  died  in  1877.  He  was  twice  married;  first  to 
Eliza  Botsford,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  John  D.,  who  was  first  lieu- 
tenant of  the  ISth  Massachusetts  regiment  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
and  died  in  the  service;  and  one  daughter,  Frances  E.,  who  married 
John  B.  Yale.  Mrs.  Isbell  died  in  1861,  and  in  1863,  Mr.  Isbell  mar- 
ried Amy  S.  Curtiss,  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  daughter  of  William  Cur- 
tiss. .  By  this  marriage  he  had  three  children:  Howard  L.,  born 
1865;  Maud,  born  1870;  and  Arthur  C,  born  1876. 

Hubert  H.  Johnson  was  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1837  and  was  edu- 
cated at  the  high  school  of  Naugatuck.  He  is  a  brother  of  the  late 
Professor  E.  E.  Johnson,  of  Trinity  College,  and  rector  of  Trinity 
Parish,  Hartford.  Mr.  Johnson  has  been  principal  of  the  Union  City 
school  for  14  years;  prior  to  that  he  was  teacher  of  the  Naugatuck 
school  11  years.  He  married  Catherine  A.  Smith,  of  Naugatuck,  in 
September,  1858.     They  have  six  children. 

Andrew  Knapp  was  born  in  Newtown,  Conn.,  June  8th,  1844,  and 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  745 

came  to  Naugatuck  in  1873.  He  is  a  son  of  Andrew  Knapp,  who  was 
at  one  time  engaged  in  manufacturing  combs  at  Newtown.  Since  he 
came  to  Naugatuck  he  has  been  engaged  in  keeping  the  Knapp  Club 
House.  This  club  was  organized  by  him  in  June,  1875,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  30.  Doctor  F.  B.  Tuttle  was  president,  Andrew  Knapp, 
secretary,  and  J.  T.  Garrison,  treasurer.  This  club  now  has  a  mem- 
bership of  169,  with  E.  H.  Carrington,  president,  M.  H.  Lawless, 
secretary,  and  Andrew  Knapp,  treasurer.  Mr.  Knapp  has  always 
had  charge  of  the  club.  He  is  a  member  of  F.  &  A.  M.  Lodge  of 
Winsted,  of  the  Ansonia  Chapter,  and  of  the  Waterbury  Council. 

James  S.  Lewis,  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Selden, 
born  1791,  whose  father  Ezra,  born  1768,  was  a  son  of  John.  They 
all  lived  and  died  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  James  S.  Selden  had 
five  children:  Albert,  Burritt,  Amelia,  James  S.  and  John  E.,  all  living 
but  Albert,  who  died  in  1889.  Selden  died  in  1874.  James  S.  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Naugatuck  and  has  always  fol- 
lowed farming.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  selectman  and  assessor.  He 
was  married  in  1852,  to  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  Larmon  Osborn.  She 
was  born  in  1829.  They  have  one  daughter,  Jennie  E.,  who  is  mar- 
ried to  Noyes  T.  Andrews,  and  has  three  children:  Lewis  F.,  Alice 
T.  and  Mabel. 

James  O.  May,  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1853,  is  a  son  of  James  W. 
and  Abigail  P.  (Hotchkiss)  May,  who  was  born  in  Prospect,  Conn. 
The  father  of  James  W.  was  Calvin,  son  of  Luke,  whose  father  Wil- 
liam, was  a  son  of  Eleazer,  who  was  the  head  of  the  Pomfret  branch. 
James  W.  settled  in  Naugatuck  about  1844.  He  had  four  children: 
Martha  B.,  Calvin  S.,  Jenny  L.  and  James  O.,  who  married,  in  1876, 
Ida  E.  Judd,  daughter  of  Rufus  and  Louise  Judd,  of  Waterbury,  and 
has  one  child,  Pauline  L.,  born  in  1886.  Mr.  May  is  engaged  in  the 
drug  business,  and  is  manager  of  the  Diamond  Laboratory  Company 
of  Naugatuck.  One  Hickox,  an  ancestor  of  Mr.  May,  was  the  first  set- 
tler on  the  east  side  of  the  river  in  Naugatuck.  Mr.  May's  grand- 
father, Major  Orrin  Hotchkiss,  a  prominent  officer  in  the  war  of  1812' 
and  a  man  well  known  in  civil  authority  in  New  Haven  county,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Ohio.  His  farm  is  supposed  to  have  been 
where  is  now  Columbus,  Ohio,  the  state  capital. 

Enoch  Newton,  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1821,  is  a  son  of  John- and 
Sybil  (Thomas)  Newton.  John  Newton  was  born  in  1788,  and  died 
in  1866.  He  came  to  Naugatuck  with  his  wife  in  1810.  They  had  five 
children:  Thomas  H.,  Hannah  F.,  John,  Enoch  and  Harriet  M.  They 
were  all  born  in  Naugatuck.  The  mother  was  born  in  1789,  and  died 
in  1867.  Thomas  H.  has  been  twice  married;  first  to  Ellen  M.  Lewis 
of  Roxbury,  and  second,  to  Philura  C.  Gilbert.  Hannah  married  An- 
sel Spencer.  John  married  Eliza  Thomas.  Enoch  is  a  bachelor.  His 
grandfather,  Miles  Newton,  came  from  Milford  and  settled  in  Water- 
bury.    Enoch  owns  the  old  Newton  homestead  in  Naugatuck. 


746  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Frank  S.  Nichols  was  born  in  Naugatuck  October  28th,  1842.  His 
father,  Isaac  Nichols,  of  the  same  town,  was  born  in  1820,  and  died  in 
1882.  He  was  a  wheelwright  and  also  carried  on  the  grocery  business. 
He  served  nine  months  in  the  23d  Connecticut  Volunteers  in  the  re- 
bellion. Frank  S.  was  connected  with  the  Rubber  G.  M.  R.  G.  Com- 
pany seven  years,  then  went  into  the  oil  business,  but  finally  returned 
to  Naugatuck  in  1875,  where  he  bought  out  his  brother,  Fred.  O. 
Nichols'  grocery,  and  has  since  conducted  it.  He  was  educated  in 
Naugatuck  and  at  a  boarding  school  in  West  Haven.  He  enlisted  in 
the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  1861,  in  Company  K,  6th  Regiment,  Con- 
necticut Volunteers,  was  in  several  sharply  contested  battles,  and  be- 
fore Richmond  with  General  Butler,  and  was  discharged  in  1864.  He 
was  married  to  Maria  Camp,  of  Plymouth,  Conn.,  and  they  have  two 
children:  Lewis  F.  and  Emma  J.  Fred.  O.  Nichols  served  three  years 
in  the  1st  Connecticut  Heavy  Artillery. 

William  J.  Noble,  born  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  in  1857,  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Ann  Noble,  who  came  from  England  and  settled  in 
Pittsfield  in  1855.  They  had  ten  children,  six  now  living:  William  J., 
Henry  W.,  George,  Walter,  Wallace  and  Charles.  William  J.  came  to 
Naugatuck  in  1879,  and  was  with  the  Dunham  Hosiery  Company 
nearly  seven  years.  He  then  established  the  livery  business  which  is 
still  known  as  Noble's  Stable,  and  is  now  run  by  John  Breen.  In  1884 
he  married  Delia  Fallon,  of  New  York  state.  They  have  four  children: 
Frank  N.,  Alphonse,  May  and  Myron. 

John  A.  Peck,  born  in  Monroe,  Conn.,  May  6th,  1820,  is  a  son  of 
John,  and  grandson  of  Shadrach,  natives  of  Fairfield,  Conn.  John  A. 
and  his  father  came  to  Naugatuck  in  1840.  The  former  bought  the 
Naugatuck  Hotel  and  ran  it  for  eight  years.  He  remodelled  and  re- 
furnished it  and  sold  it  to  Stephen  H.  Nichols  in  1849.  He  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  of  Naugatuck  in  1844,  and  resigned  in  1S49.  He 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  pocket  cutlery,  as  president  of  a 
joint  stock  company  in  1850,  and  continued  the  business  over  30  years. 
He  temporarily  moved  to  Chicago  in  1879,  and  established  a  store 
there  in  connection  with  the  factory  here.  Five  years  later,  in  1885, 
he  returned  to  Naugatuck.  He  married,  in  1840,  Eunice,  daughter  of 
Enos  Candee,  of  Oxford.  They  have  three  children  living:  Mary  E., 
E.  Louise,  and  Lelia.  Mr.  Peck  served  in  the  legislature  from  Nau- 
gatuck in  1856  and  1869. 

Luther  S.  Piatt,  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  July  4th,  1820,  is  a  son 
of  Gideon,  and  his  ancestors  for  four  generations  have  borne  the  same 
name.  The  grandfather  of  Luther  came  from  that  part  of  the  town 
of  Milford  now  Orange  to  Waterbury,  now  Middlebury.  The  father 
of  Luther  married  Lydia  Sperry,  of  Waterbury.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Luther  was  the  youngest.  He  married,  in  1847,  Di- 
antha  Thompson,  of  Middlebury,  Conn.  They  have  one  son,  Freder- 
ick G.,  born  in  1848,  now  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  in  New  Britain, 


HISTOFY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  747 

Conn.  Luther  S.  was  first  selectman  of  the  town  of  Middlebury  14 
years,  and  served  in  all  the  offices  in  that  town,  except  town  clerk  and 
treasurer.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1861  and 
1868.  He  moved  to  Naugatuck  in  1872.  was  appointed  postmaster,  and 
held  this  office  11  years,  when  he  resigned  in  favor  of  A.  J.  Wood. 
Mr.  Piatt  was  treasurer  of  the  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank  eight  years« 
He  is  now  engaged  in  the  insurance  business  and  settling  estates.  He 
has  been  collector  and  trial  justice. 

Frederick  F.  Schaffer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  native  of 
Prussia.  He  was  born  June  12th,  1853,  a  son  of  William  E.  and 
Dorothy  Schaffer,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  America  when  he  was 
a  mere  child,  living  first  in  this  country  in  a  small  village  near  New 
Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  When  he  was  about  ten  years  old  his  parents 
removed  to  that  city,  where  Frederick  obtained  a  limited  common 
school  education,  being  deprived  of  these  advantages  when  he  was  13 
years  of  age,  when  he  began  to  earn  his  own  livelihood  in  one  of  the 
mills  of  the  New  Brunswick  Rubber  Company.  His  future  education 
was  wholly  self-acquired,  as  the  result  of  a  thoughtful,  inquiring  mind 
and  studious  habits,  which  have  greatly  aided  him  in  his  business  suc- 
cesses. 

After  serving  the  New  Brunswick  Company  six  years,  he  secured 
a  position  with  the  New  Jersey  Rubber  Company,  where  he  indus- 
triously applied  himself  and  learned  all  the  details  of  manufacturing 
rubber  boots  and  shoes,  becoming  very  proficient  in  that  business.  In 
November,  1876,  he  came  to  Naugatuck,  where  he  took  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  the  boot  and  shoe  department  of  the  Goodyear  India 
Rubber  Glove  Manufacturing  Company,  ably  serving  in  that  capacity 
until  the  spring  of  1885,  when  he  became  the  general  superintendent 
of  the  works  of  that  extensive  corporation,  continuing  as  such  to  the 
present  time.  Here  he  has  been  afforded  ample  opportunity  to  demon- 
strate his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  manifold  details  connected  with 
that  industry,  and  his  management  of  its  affairs  has  evinced  executive 
ability  of  a  high  order.  The  corporation  has  become  one  of  the  fore- 
most of  the  kind  in  this  country.  These  attributes  of  skill,  tact,  and 
good  judgment  have  also  been  exercised  by  Mr.  Schaffer  in  other  re- 
lations of  his  life,  and  being  reinforced  by  a  genial  disposition,  have 
deservedly  made  him  popular  in  this  community.  He  has  been  called 
to  fill  positions  of  honor  and  trust  and  in  1891  was  elected  as  the  first 
selectman  of  the  town,  in  spite  of  former  adverse  political  majorities. 
In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  but  he  has  never  allowed  partisan  feeling 
to  obscure  his  recognition  of  right  and  justice  outside  of  his  own 
party  lines. 

Mr.  Schaffer  is  a  member  of  the  Naugatuck  Episcopal  society  and 
serves  as  a  vestryman.  He  is  also  an  active  secret  society  man,  be- 
longing to  both  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  Lodges  of  this  town,  and 
takes  a  warm  interest  in  the  affairs   of  these    orders.     He  has   been 


748  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

twice  married:  first,  in  December,  1877,  to  Minnie  M.,  the  daughter 
of  Wales  Perkins,  of  Naugatuck,  who  deceased  March  7th,  1S88.  By 
this  union  there  were  three  children:  Frederick  W.,  born  December 
18th,  187S;  Winnabel  May,  born  October  20th,  1879,  and  Hazel  J.,  born 
July  13th,  1882.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  October  8th,  1889, 
Melicent  M.,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Almira  Nichols,  of  Litchfield, 
Conn.,  and  there  is  one  child,  Dorothy  A.,  born  April  10th,  1891.  All 
the  children  survive,  and  the  domestic  life  of  the  family  is  singularly 
happy  and  interesting,  Mr.  Schaffer  being  a  generous  husband  and 
a  kind  and  indulgent  father. 

Joseph  Schofield,  born  in  Sheffield,  England,  in  1830,  came  to  this 
country  in  1862,  and  worked  at  cutlery  making  in  Shelburne  Falls, 
Mass.,  at  New  Britain,  Conn.,  and  at  Waldon,  N.  Y.  He  then  came  to 
Naugatuck  and  worked  for  the  Naugatuck  Cutlery  Company  until  1886, 
when  he  bought  the  business  and  is  now  operating  the  factory.  He 
manufactures  all  kinds  of  pocket  cutlery,  and  his  reputation  for  fine 
and  durable  work  is  acknowledged  throughout  the  country.  The 
business  is  still  carried  on  under  the  name  of  the  Naugatuck  Cutlery 
Company.  He  employs  20  hands.  The  business  was  established 
about  1870.  Mr.  Schofield  was  married  in  England,  and  brought  his 
wife^and  five  children  with  him  to  this  country.  They  now  have  ten 
children. 

S.  Seabury  Scott,  born  in  Derby,  Conn.,  in  1838,  is  a  son  of  Rev- 
erend Joseph  Scott,  an  Episcopal  minister,  who  died  in  Naugatuck  in 
1S59.  S.  Seabury  came  to  Naugatuck  with  his  parents  in  1849,  and  has 
since  made  this  place  his  home.  He  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  hair  pins  until  1887.  He  served  as  judge  of  probate,  for  the  dis- 
trict comprising  Naugatuck  and  Beacon  Falls,  in  1885  and  1886.  He 
is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Naugatuck  Water  Works.  He  mar- 
ried Laura  Jacobs,  of  North  Haven,  in  1860.  They  have  one  daughter, 
wife  of  Charles  F.  Hungerford. 

Charles  Henry  Smith,  the  popular  merchant  and  postmaster  of 
Union  City,  was  the  third  child  of  Richard  Lewis  and  Lydia  Ann 
(Boughton)  Smith,  of  Milford.  The  father  was  the  oldest  child  of  Eb- 
enezer  Smith,  who  was  the  second  son  of  David  Smith,  a  descendant 
of  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Milford.  Like  his  ancestors  he  was 
a  farmer  and  was  esteemed  a  good  and  useful  man.  He  died 
November  24th,  1884.  The  mother  was  born  March  12th,  1814,  and 
was  the  eighth  of  the  ten  children  of  Jonas  and  Lydia  (Hine)  Bough- 
ton — an  old  and  honored  family  in  the  western  part  of  the  county. 
She  still  survives.  Jonas  Boughton  died  in  1859,  aged  80  years,  and 
his  wife  deceased  five  years  later,  aged  86  years.  Several  of  their 
children  have  also  become  octogenarians,  their  lives  being  full  of  hon- 
ors as  well  as  years. 

The  five  children  of  Richard  L.  and  Lydia  A.  Smith  were  :  Lewis 
Brainerd,  born  September  22d,  1840,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  Union 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  749 

army,  in  the  civil  war,  and  who  was  killed  April  2d,  1865,  at  Fort 
Gregg,  in  front  of  Richmond  ;  Charlotte  Ann,  born  October  26th,  1842, 
died  September  4th,  1844 ;  Charles  Henry,  born  December  16th,  1844 ; 
Emma  Eugenia,  born  July  6th,  1847,  became  the  wife  of  Otis  Street,  of 
Milford  ;  George  Franklin,  born  March  1st,  1852,  who  is  a  business 
man  in  New  York,  but  resides  in  Milford. 

The  boyhood  of  Charles  H.  Smith  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Milford,  attending  the  high  school  in  the  village  of  Milford,  where 
he  received  the  most  of  his  education.  After  this  he  was  engaged  as 
a  clerk  in  the  store  of  E.  T.  Turner,  in  Waterbury,  when  he  worked 
five  more  years  in  the  same  capacity  for  Wilcox,  Hall  &  Co.,  of  New 
Haven.  In  April,  1871,  he  came  to  Union  City  when,  in  partnership 
with  Floyd  L.  Andrew,  he  established  a  mercantile  business,  which  be- 
came, by  purchase,  his  own  in  1S77.  His  trade  has  been  successfully 
continued  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  oldest  merchants  in  the  town.  On 
the  18th  of  June,  1879,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  the  Union  City 
office  and  has  since  filled  that  position  in  connection  with  his  mercan- 
tile pursuits.  He  has  also  been  interested  in  manufacturing,  serving 
as  vice-president  of  the  Shepard  Manufacturing  Company  of  Union 
City,  from  1886  to  1889. 

Mr.  Smith  has  manifested  a  proper  interest  in  public  affairs  and 
was  elected  third  selectman  in  1889  and  second  selectman  in  1880.  He 
also  serves  as  treasurer  of  the  Union  City  school  district.  In  all  these 
relations  he  has  been  progressive  and  public  spirited.  He  has  taken 
an  active  interest  in  several  secret  orders,  being  a  member  of  Shepherd 
Masonic  Lodge,  of  Naugatuck,  and  of  the  Salem  Lodge,  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  Of  the  latter  body  he  was  the  past  master  in 
1889. 

In  politics  Mr.  Smith  is  a  republican,  and  gives  his  support  to  the 
Congregational  society  in  religious  matters.  He  was  married  October 
3d,  1871,  to  Ella  A.,  daughter  of  Samuel  Noyes  Andrew,  and  sister  of 
Floyd  L.  Andrew,  his  former  partner.  This  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  respected  in  Naugatuck.  Two  children  were  born  as  the  fruit 
of  that  union  :  a  daughter,  Madeline,  who  died  February  20th,  1890, 
at  the  age  of  seven  years;  and  a  son,  Brainerd  A.,  born  March  16th, 
1889.  Mr.  Smith  is  still  a  young  man,  but  by  his  industry  and  busi- 
ness capacity,  has  fairly  worked  out  a  place  for  himself  among  the 
foremost  citizens  of  the  town. 

James  Smith,  born  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  in  1815,  is  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Smith,  who  was  born  in  1793  and  died  in  1873.  The  latter 
had  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  The  father  of  William  H.  was  Eb- 
enezer,  and  his  grandfather  Ebenezer,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Mid- 
dlebury. James  Smith  was  the  eldest  son  of  William  H.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  New  Haven  for  about  five 
years,  then  resided  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  two  years,  after  which  he 
removed  to  Exeter,  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  engaged  in 


750  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

farming  for  11  j'ears.  He  then  moved  to  Waterbury,  from  there  to 
Southbury,  then  to  Middlebury,  and  in  1873  came  to  Naugatuck.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  Middlebury  in  1870.  He  was 
married  in  1841  to  Mary  W.  Curtiss,  of  Exeter,  N.  Y.  They  have  had 
nine  children,  seven  of  .whom  are  living:  Floyd  B.,  Mary  E.,  Sarah 
D.,  Julia  M.,  William  H.,  George  B.  (died  in  infancy),  Edward  C, 
Robert  M.  (died  at  the  age  of  six  years),  and  Frederick  A. 

Theodore  A.  Smith,  born  in  Naugatuck  March  12th,  1831,  is  a  son 
•of  Lewis  Smith  and  Clara  Nichols,  a  sister  of  Isaac  Nichols.  They 
had  two  children:  Theodore  A.  and  Eliza  J.,  who  married  Samuel 
Piatt,  of  West  Haven.  Theodore  married  Bertha  L.  Dennis,  of  Mid- 
dlebury, in  1864.  They  have  no  children.  His  grandfather  was  Eli- 
sha  Smith.  All  three  generations  were  blacksmiths.  Theodore  A. 
still  works  at  his  trade  in  Millville,  Naugatuck.  He  has  been  for 
seven  years  past,  justice  of  the  peace. 

Charles  Spencer  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  grandson  of  Deacon  Cal- 
vin Spencer,  all  born  in  what  is  now  Naugatuck.  In  early  life  Charles 
engaged  in  the  millwright  and  carpenter  business.  He  helped  build 
the  large  water  wheel  at  the  shoe  shop,  which  was  at  that  time  said  to 
be  the  largest  one  in  the  United  States.  Since  his  father's  death  he 
has  been  farming.  He  has  been  twice  married;  first  to  Charlotte  Pat- 
terson, who  had  one  son,  Charles,  born  in  1858.  Mrs.  Spencer  died 
in  1858.  His  second  wife  was  Emily,  widow  of  Charles  Patterson. 
She  had  one  daughter,  Mary  E.  Patterson,  who  married  Alvin  D. 
Ayres. 

Hiel  S.  Stevens,  born  in  Waterbury  in  1814,  is  a  son  of  David,  and 
grandson  of  Elisha  Stevens.  The  family  settled  early  in  Naugatuck 
and  has  been  identified  with  its  industries  for  nearly  a  century.  Hiel 
S.  Stevens  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  has  worked  at  it  nearly 
all  his  life,  and  has  helped  construct  a  large  number  of  buildings 
in  Naugatuck.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  town  treasurer  and  select- 
man, has  represented  the  town  three  terms  in  the  legislature  and  has 
twice  represented  the  district  as  senator.  He  married  Rebecca  Lines, 
of  Bethany,  February  14th,  1850.  They  haye  had  three  children: 
Alice  E.,  born  in  1850;  Emma  F.,  born  in  1852:  and  Edward  E.,  born 
in  1863.  Mrs.  Stevens  died  in  1874.  Edward  E.  is  the  only  survivor 
of  the  children. 

Edward  J.  Sweeney,  born  in  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  in  1857,  is  a  son 
of  Eugene  and  Mary  A.  (Webb)  Sweeney,  both  born  in  Ireland. 
They  had  six  children,  who  came  to  Naugatuck  with  their  parents 
in  1860.  One  son,  Eugene,  is  a  lawyer  in  New  York,  William  is  a 
banker  in  Montana,  Dennis  is  foreman  of  the  arctic  department 
Rubber  Company,  G.  M.  R.  Edward  J.  was  educated  in  Naugatuck, 
and  engaged  first  at  carpenter  work.  He  started  in  business  in  1884, 
as  an  art  dealer  and  picture  framer.  He  married  Ellen  Leary,  of 
New  York,  in  1882.       They  have  three  children:       Mary,  Nellie  and 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  751 

Eugene.  Mr.  Sweeney  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  For- 
resters. 

James  E.  Sweeney,  son  of  Edward  Sweeney,  was  born  in  Nauga- 
tuck  November  6th,  1856.  He  was  educated  at  the  high  school  of 
Naugatuck,  and  one  term  at  Cargill  Commercial  School,  New  Haven. 
He  was  employed  for  two  years  as  a  teacher  in  Naugatuck,  and  one 
year  in  Litchfield,  Litchfield  county.  He  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff 
in  1884,  was  reappointed  in  June,  1887,  and  again  in  1891  for  four 
years.  He  also  engaged  in  the  insurance  and  real  estate  business. 
He  married  Frank  E.,  daughter  of  Samuel  Piatt,  of  Naugatuck.  They 
have  one  son,  James  P.,  born  October  23d,  1888. 

Isaac  B.  Tolles,  born  in  Bethany  in  1816,  was  a  son  of  Daniel,  and 
grandson  of  Daniel,  both  natives  of  Bethany,  and  among  the  pioneers 
of  that  town.  Tared  Tolles,  an  uncle  of  Isaac's  father,  served  in  the 
revolutionary  war,  and  was  a  pensioner.  Isaac  B.  was  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  in  Bethany  until  1847,  when  he  came  to  Naugatuck 
and  engaged  in  business  in  a  general  store  one  year,  tie  then  re- 
turned to  Bethany  and  remained  there  four  years.  Moving  back  to 
Naugatuck  in  1852,  he  has  since  made  that  place  his  home.  He  con- 
tinued the  mercantile  business  until  1882,  then  retired,  and  has  since 
been  a  farmer.  He  married  Maria  W.  Buckingham  of  Middlebury,  in 
1843.  They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  Colonel  Fremont  W.  is  in  the 
furniture  and  undertaking  business  in  Naugatuck.  He  succeeded  David 
Smith  in  1874.  E.  F.  Bassett  established  the  business  in  1850.  Under 
Mr.  Tolles'  management  the  business  has  been  prosperous,  and  to- 
day six  men  finu  employment  in  this  establishment.  Fremont  W. 
Tolles  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  Naugatuck  in  1883,  fill- 
ing the  office  of  clerk  of  the  committee  on  banks.  He  has  been  elected 
town  treasurer  three  times;  is  an  incorporator  of  the  Naugatuck  Sav- 
ings Bank,  took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the  Naugatuck 
National  Bank,  and  is  director  and  vice-president  of  same;  is  agent 
of  Hillside  Cemetery  and  superintendent  and  secretary  of  the  Grove 
Cemetery  Association;  has  been  for  10  years  treasurer  of  Centennial 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  a  director  of  the  Odd  Fellows'  Mutual  Aid 
Association  of  Connecticut.  He  is  an  ardent  lover  of  the  gun  and 
rod,  and  although  one  of  Naugatuck's  busy  men,  annually  finds  time 
for  an  outing  in  the  woods  of  Maine  and  Canada,  and  takes  pride  in 
showing  his  friends  the  various  heads  he  has  taken  during  these  out- 
ings, which  include  moose,  caribou,  deer  and  bear. 

Bronson  B.  Tuttle,  born  in  Prospect,  Conn.,  December  28th,  1835, 
is  a  son  of  E.  C.  Tuttle,  who  is  well  known  as  the  manufacturer  of 
light  farming  tools,  of  the  Tuttle  Manufacturing  Company,  and  E.  C. 
Tuttle  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Naugatuck,  also  the  founder  of  the 
Auburn  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  The  early  life  of 
our  subject  was  spent  with  his  father  in  managing  the  business.  After 
his  father's  works  burned,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  J.  H.  Whitte- 


752  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

more  in  manufacturing  malleable  iron  castings,  not  only  in  his  own 
town,  but  also  in  Troy,  Cleveland,  Indianapolis  and  Chicago.  He  has 
been  connected  with  the  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank  and  Naugatuck 
National  Bank,  both  as  a  trustee  and  director.  He  has  been  elected 
as  senator  from  the  5th  district. 

Homer  Twitchell  was  born  in  Oxford,  Conn,  August  19th,  1826, 
his  parents  being  Isaac  and  Frances  (Smith)  Twitchell.  The  father 
was  a  son  of  Enoch  Twitchell,  also  of  Oxford,  who  was  in  the  sixth 
generation  in  descent  from  Jacob  Twitchell,  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Massachusetts.  Isaac  Twitchell  died  September  1st,  1849,  aged 
72^  years,  and  his  wife  deceased  April  2d,  1865,  at  the  age  of  83  years. 
Their  son,  Homer,  was  the  youngest  member  of  a  family  of  nine  sons 
and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  grew  to  mature  years,  and  was  the 
only  one  to  remain  continuously  in  the  county.  He  has  always  been 
identified  with  the  interests  of  the  Naugatuck  valley.  His  boyhood 
was  spent  on  his  father's  farm,  where  he  received  a  common  school 
education.  When  he  was  18  years  of  age  he  went  to  Waterbury  to 
learn  the  trade  of  a  pocket  cutler,  and  since  1844  he  has  followed  manu- 
facturing pursuits.  After  being  engaged  some  years  as  a  workman 
in  the  shops  of  the  Union  Knife  Company  and  other  establishments, 
he  became  the  superintendent  of  the  Connecticut  Cutlery  Company, 
being  connected  with  that  industry  until  1870.  In  that  year  he  began 
the  manufacture  of  umbrella  trimmings  at  Union  City,  adding  safety 
pins  in  1872.  These  specialties  he  has  since  successfully  produced, 
their  manufacture  constituting  an  extensive  and  lucrative  business. 
In  1879  his  son  became  an  associate  member  of  the  firm,  which  then 
became  Homer   Twitchell  &  Son,  and   as  such  has  been  continued. 

Besides  being  at  the  head  of  this  enterprise  Mr.  Twitchell  has  been 
actively  connected  with  the  advancement  of  other  industries,  identify- 
ing himself  with  such  projects  as  would,  in  his  opinion,  best  advance 
the  interests  of  his  adopted  town,  in  whose  welfare  he  has  always 
manifested  a  proper  concern.  He  was  active  in  forming  the  Nauga- 
tuck Water  Company,  and  was  first  president  of  that  corporation.  He 
was,  also,  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Naugatuck  Savings  and  Na- 
tional Banks,  serving  as  president  of  the  former  institution  until  1889 
and  since  as  a  trustee.     Of  the  latter  bank  he  is  a  director. 

Mr.  Twitchell  has  always  been  an  advocate  of  the  principles  of 
democracy,  and  has  been  elevated  by  that  party  and  others  of  his 
townsmen  to  many  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  in  all  of  which  he  has 
given  most  creditable  service.  His  later  preferments  were  unsought 
on  his  part,  the  nominations  being  freely  tendered  to  him,  and  his 
worth  and  popularity  easily  secured  his  election.  In  addition  to  fill- 
ing a  number  of  minor  offices  in  the  town,  he  was  the  first  selectman 
a  number  of  years.  In  1864  he  was  elected  the  representative  from 
Naugatuck  in  the  state  legislature.  Twenty  years  later,  in  1S84,  he 
was  a  delegate  to  the  national  democratic  convention,  which  nomi- 


■frn-'yisC^ 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  753 

nated  Grover  Cleveland  for  president.  In  1888  he  was  chosen  the 
state  senator  from  the  Fifth  Senatorial  district,  and  was  reelected  in 
1890.  In  these  bodies  he  was  active  and  influential,  bringing  to  bear 
upon  his  public  life  the  same  energy  and  good  judgment  which  he 
has  applied  to  his  business  ventures. 

Since  1845  Mr.  Twitchell  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order 
and  was  several  times  elected  as  master  of  the  Lodge  in  Naugatuck. 
Although  not  a  member  of  that  organization,  he  has  identified  himself 
with  the  Congregational  society  and  supports  its  measures. 

Senator  Twitchell  was  married  May  21st,  1855,  to  Lavinia,  daugh- 
ter of  Abner  Mason,  of  South  Coventry,  Conn.  By  this  union  there 
was  one  child,  Frank  Mason,  born  April  7th,  1856,  who  was  also  trained 
to  mechanical  pursuits,  and  is  now  a  successful  manufacturer  of  this 
town.  In  December,  1883,  he  was  married  to  Emma,  daughter  of  A. 
J.  Spencer,  of  Middletown,  Conn.  Both  father  and  son  are  properly 
classed  as  representative  men  of  this  community,  having  largely  con- 
tributed to  its  development  as  a  manufacturing  center  and  place  of 
industrial  thrift  and  prosperity. 

William  Ward,  one  of  the  oldest  native  manufacturers  of  Nauga- 
tuck, was  born  in  what  is  now  that  town  March  7th,  1825.  Until  he 
was  18  years  old  his  time  was  taking  up  working  on  a  farm,  in  a  comb 
shop,  the  woolen  mill  of  William  De  Forest  &  Co.,  and  attending  for  a 
short  period  the  common  schools  of  that  day,  his  educational  privileges 
being  limited  to  those  meager  opportunities.  In  the  spring  of  1843 
he  went  to  Washington,  Conn.,  to  learn  the  wagon  maker's  trade, 
which  occupation  he  followed  at  his  native  place  from  the  fall  of  1844, 
with  a  little  exception,  until  the  fall  of  1848.  He  now  removed  to 
New  Haven,  where  he  was  employed  by  the  carriage  making  firm  of 
Starr  &  Darrow,  located  at  the  foot  of  Wooster  street,  and  was  later  in 
the  employ,  for  a  number  of  years,  of  G.  D.  Cook  &  Co.,  carriage  build- 
ers, on  State  street,  in  the  same  city.  In  the  spring  of  lS64he  accom- 
panied George  Cook  to  Central  City,  Colorado,  where  he  was  connected 
with  the  Cook  &  Kimball  Mining  Company  more  than  a  year,  when,  in 
the  winter  of  1865-6,  he  returned  to  New  Haven,  crossing  with  a  mule 
team  the  northern  portion  of  what  was  then  called  the  Great  Ameri- 
can Desert. 

In  April,  1866,  he  removed  his  family  from  New  Haven  into  the 
old  homestead,  in  Naugatuck,  where  he  has  since  permanently  re- 
sided, engaging  the  following  year  with  his  elder  brother,  Lauren,  in 
a  manufacturing  business  which  has  been  successfully  carried  on  by 
them  as  L.  &  W.  Ward.  They  produce  a  full  line  of  brass  curtain, 
screw  and  ring  goods,  and  their  industry  is  well  supported.  The 
brothers  are  recognized  as  being  among  the  most  useful  citizens  of 
the  town. 

William  Ward  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  two  of  the  oldest  families 
in  the  state,  the  ancestry  of  both  being  clearly  traced  back  to  England. 
48 


754  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Andrew  Ward,  the  first  American  progenitor,  on  the  father's  side,  was 
a  son  of  Richard  Ward,  of  Suffolk,  England.  He  lived  in  Boston  as 
early  as  1634,  being  made  a  freeman  of  that  town  May  14th,  that  year. 
Two  years  later  he  settled  in  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  where  he  was  a 
member  of  the  first  church  in  the  state,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the 
first  court  in  Connecticut.  He  died  in  Fairfield,  Conn.,  in  1659,  leav- 
ing a  son,  Andrew  Ward,  Jr.,  born  in  1647,  who  settled  in  the  eastern 
part  of  this  county,  but  died  in  Killingworth.  One  of  his  sons,  Cap- 
tain William  Ward,  born  October  18th,  1678,  became  a  resident  of 
Wallingford,  where  his  son,  John  Ward,  a  druggist,  was  born  in  1714. 
Abel  Ward,  a  son  of  the  latter  and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  also  born  in  Wallingford,  July  1st,  1740.  He  removed  to 
Woodbridge,  where  he  had  married  Rachel  Hotchkiss,  September 
21st,  1787,  who  bore  him  one  son,  Richard,  the  father  of  William 
Ward. 

Richard  Ward  was  raised  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Bethany,  and 
was  married  December  15th,  1811,  to  Roxanna,  a  daughter  of  Culpeper 
Hoadley  (who  was  a  revolutionary  soldier),  and  Mollie  Lewis,  his  wife. 
She  was  a  granddaughter  of  Samuel  Lewis,  Esq.,  of  Lewistown,  Nauga- 
tuck,  who  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Lewis,  an  early  settler  of  the  southern 
part  of  old  Waterbury,  who  was  a  grandson  of  John  Lewis,  of  Kent, 
England,  who  sailed  in  the  ship  "  Hercules,"  for  New  England  in  the 
month  of  March,  1635.  The  children  of  Richard  and  Roxanna  Ward 
were  :  Lewis,  born  September  27th,  1812,  died  in  Naugatuck,  August 
3d,  1878;  Lauren,  born  December  27th,  1814,  now  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  L.  &  W.  Ward,  manufacturers,  Naugatuck  ;  Maria,  born  Feb- 
ruary 11th,  1819,  living  as  the  widow  of  Ralph  Smith  at  Bridgeport, 
Conn.;  Mary,  born  February  17th,  1823,  died  August  2d,  1842  ;  William, 
born  March  7th,  1825,  the  youngest  of  the  family. 

Richard  Ward  died  at  Naugatuck  March  2d,  1851,  his  widow  sur- 
viving him  until  February  6th,  1865.  He  was  a  man  of  many  excel- 
lent parts,  of  sterling  honesty,  industrious  in  his  habits  and  possessed 
more  than  ordinary  ingenuity  in  his  mechanical  pursuits.  By  trade 
he  was  a  millwright,  but  subsequently  he  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  wagon  spokes,  pumps  and  clocks.  In  the  latter  occupation 
he  invented  a  clock  which  was  practically  self-winding.  He  was  also  a 
pioneer  manufacturer  of  lead  pipe  for  hydraulic  purposes,  and  was  one 
of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to  draw  lead  pipe  of  continuous  lengths  in 
this  country.  He  was  one  of  the  principal  mechanics  in  his  day  and 
helped  to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  manufacturing  industries  of  this 
town,  which  have  given  it  such  a  favorable  position.  He  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 

William  Ward  was  married  May  2d,  1852,  to  Elizabeth  A.  Hine,  of 
Milford,  Conn.,  and  the  fruits  of  the  union  were  three  children:  Em- 
mie E.,  born  May  6th,  1853,  married  Walter  P.  Hatch,  May  20th,  1873, 
and  resides  in  Milwaukee,  Wis. ;  Alice  M.,  born  February  4th,  1856, 


v^Mc 


CCt^T^zJ 


a^u/y 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN  COUNTY.  755 

married  Charles  A.  Briggs,  of  Clermont,  New  Hampshire,  April  20th, 
1876,  now  living  in  Waterbury  ;  Josephine  B.,  born  October  27th,  1864, 
married  Clarence  C.  Isbell,  of  Milford,  September  10th,  1884,  and  now 
living  at  North  Adams,  Mass. 

Mr.  Ward  has,  since  the  organization  of  that  party,  been  an  active 
republican,  serving  a  number  of  years  as  chairman  of  the  Naugatuck 
town  committee.  But  while  taking  a  lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
his  town,  he  has  generally  refused  to  be  a  candidate  for  office.  He 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Grove  Cemetery  Association,  and 
has  been  for  several  years  a  trustee  of  the  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank, 
Few  public  improvements  have  been  made  without  his  favorable  sup- 
port. He  is  also  well  known  as  an  antiquarian  and  has  searched  the  old 
Waterbury  records  diligently  for  facts  relating  to  the  first  settlers  of 
what  is  now  the  town  of  Naugatuck.  The  genealogy  of  the  Ward  family 
has  greatly  interested  him,  and  he  has  extensively  traced  the  history  of 
his  ancestors,  gathering  a  large  fund  of  matter,  with  a  view  to  publica- 
tion, but  on  account  of  stress  of  other  business  duties,  has  been  com- 
pelled to  leave  to  others  the  completion  of  that  important  work. 

Charles  O.  Wedge,  born  in  Naugatuck,  May  27th,  1842,  is  a  son  of 
Chauncey  J.  and  Polly  S.  (Farrell)  Wedge.  They  had  nine  children: 
Jane  O.,  Adelia  A.,  Helen  M.,  Charles  O.,  Franklin  C,  Chester  J., 
Edwin  G.,  Lydia  P.,  and  Leva  S.,  of  whom  Charles  O.  was  the  eldest 
son.  Chauncey  J.  was  born  in  1812  while  his  father  was  in  the  war. 
He  was  a  carpenter  and  wheelwright,  and  was  engaged  in  this  occu- 
pation nearly  60  years,  building  many  large  manufactories  in  this  and 
other  states.  Charles  O.  and  Franklin  C.  are  the  only  children  that 
live  in  Naugatuck,  and  both  are  carpenters.  Charles  O.  commenced  to 
learn  the  carpenter  trade  when  12  years  of  age,  with  his  father,  and 
followed  this  calling  for  three  years.  In  1857,  at  the  age  of  15  years, 
he  engaged  with  Lyman  Bradley,  the  pioneer  knife  maker  of  the 
United  States,  in  the  manufacture  of  pocket  cutlery,  in  Middlebury, 
Conn.,  and  followed  that  occupation  until  1S78.  Since  that  time  he 
has  been  a  contractor  and  builder,  and  has  built  a  number  of  dwellings 
and  other  buildings  in  Naugatuck  and  adjacent  towns.  In  1865  he 
married  Delia  Palmer,  of  Sharon,  Conn.,  and  from  this  union  they 
have  three  daughters:  Delia  A.,  Lena  P.  and  Gertrude  J.  Delia  A. 
was  married  to  Henry  P.  Bird  in  November,  1888,  of  Shekomeko, 
N.  Y.,  and  resides  in  Danbury,  Conn. 

Noyes  S.  Wilmot,  son  of  John  and  grandson  of  Valentine  Wilmot, 
both  farmers,  was  born  in  Naugatuck  in  1830.  At  an  early  age  he 
began  work  as  a  moulder  for  Tuttle,  Whittemore  &  Co.,  and  was 
superintendent  of  their  shop  for  22  years.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
moulders  in  this  shop,  beginning  about  1852.  He  enlisted  August 
30th,  1862,  in  Company  H,  23d  Regiment  Conn.  Vol.,  was  taken  pris- 
oner at  the  battle  of  Brashear  City,  and  was  paroled  shortly  after. 
He  was  discharged  August  31st,  1863.     He  was  married   in  1859   to 


756  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Mary  A.  Breneiser,  of  Reading,  Pa.  They  have  seven  children:  Ed- 
mund B.,  Louisa  R.,  Frank  H.,  Charles  E.,  Louis  H.,  Benneville  N.  and 
Mary  T. 

Andrew  Wylie  was  born  in  Elderslie,  Scotland,  in  1851,  and  came 
to  this  country  in  1869.  He  first  went  to  Perry,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to 
Naugatuck  in  April,  1870,  where  he  worked  in  the  woolen  mills  six 
years  as  a  spinner.  Afterward  he  became  baggage  master  at  Nauga- 
tuck station,  and  finally  he  engaged  as  shipping  clerk  for  the  glove 
company,  where  he  has  since  been  employed.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Naugatuck.  He  was  married  in  1871  to  Sibley  Baxter, 
who  came  from  Port  William,  Scotland,  the  same  year  that  Mr.  Wylie 
did.  They  have  six  children  living:  Isabella  G.,  Sibley  D.,  Alexander 
J.,  Barbara  W.,  Andrew  B.  and  William  H.  They  have  lost  two:  Cath- 
erine J.,  aged  17,  and  Barbara,  aged  8. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


THE    TOWN    OF    MIDDLEBURY. 


Description  and  Natural  Features. — Settlement  and  Settlers. — Civil  Organization. — 
Town  Officers. — Roads  and  Bridges. — General  Interests. — Middlebury  Village.— 
Physicians. — Quassepaug  Lake. — Schools. — Religious  Interests. — Cemetery. — Bio- 
graphical Sketches. 


ORGANIZED  as  a  parish  in  1791  and  incorporated  a  town  in  1807, 
Middlebury  received  its  name  from  the  fact  that  it  occupies  a 
middle  position  between  Waterbury  and  Southbury,  from  which 
it  was  mainly  formed.  On  the  north  is  Watertown,  and  northwest 
Woodbury,  in  Litchfield  county;  south  and  southeast  are  Oxford  and 
Naugatuck.  The  town  is  small,  being  less  than  five  miles  square, 
with  greater  length  north  and  south.  The  surface  is  elevated  and 
broken  by  high  hills,  the  chief  ones  being  Mount  Fair,  on  the  east, 
Sandy  Hill,  on  the  south,  and  Breakneck  in  the  northwestern  part. 
The  latter,  tradition  says,  received  its  name  in  the  times  of  the  revo- 
lution, when  General  Lafayette,  with  his  command,  passed  over  it  on 
his  way  from  the  east  to  the  Hudson  river  country.  In  descending 
the  steep  hill,  one  of  the  oxen  used  in  transporting  goods,  fell  and 
broke  his  neck — hence  the  name.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  the  name 
Breakneck  was  applied  to  that  locality  many  years  before  the  revolu- 
tion,* and  was,  no  doubt,  suggested  by  its  perpendicular  appearance, 
as  viewed  from  some  directions.  Many  huge  rocks  are  scattered  over 
the  surface  of  the  town,  or  appear  in  ledges.  Most  of  them  are 
granite.  There  are  fine  lands  in  some  localities,  which  have  been 
well  improved.  In  other  parts  the  soil  is  not  susceptible  of  successful 
tillage,  being  rough  and  sterile,  but  has  been  used  for  grazing  pur- 
poses. 

Nearly  the  entire  drainage  is  into  the  Naugatuck  and  the  Housa- 
tonic.  Into  the  latter  stream  flows  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  being  the 
boundary  line  on  the  west  and  the  outlet  of  Quassepaug  lake  or  pond. 
This  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  with  pleasant  surroundings  which 
have  caused  it  to  become  a  place  of  resort.  Southeast  is  Kissawaug 
or  Long  Meadow  pond,  whose  outlet,  flowing  into  the  Naugatuck,  is 
Towantic  brook.  Hop  brook,  flowing  into  the  same  stream  several 
miles  farther  north,  drains  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town,  having 
*See  Cothren's  "  History  of  Woodbury." 


75S  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

as  affluents  a  number  of  small  brooks.     Numerous  springs  abound  in 
the  town. 

Nearly  all  the  present  territory  of  Middlebury  was  included  in  the 
Mattatuck  purchase  and  the  early  history  is  closely  connected  with 
that  of  Woodbury  and  Waterbury.  Settlements  were  not  made  as 
early  as  in  the  localities  along  the  Naugatuck  and  the  Pomperaug  and 
by  far  the  greatest  influx  was  after  the  revolution.  Among  those 
who  claim  pioneer  distinction  were  the  Bronsons,  in  the  Breakneck 
section,  where,  in  1707,  was  born  in  the  family  of  Isaac  Bronson,  the 
first  white  child.  This  also  received  the  name  of  Isaac,  who  became 
a  well-known  citizen  of  that  part  of  the  town  and  was  the  great-grand- 
father of  Julius  Bronson,  born  in  the  same  locality  in  1807,  and  who 
was,  in  1890,  one  of  the  few  surviving  old  men  in  the  town.  The 
Bronsons  were  numerous  and  influential;  but  few  have  remained  in 
Middlebury.  Here  the  Abbott  family  settled  later  and  descendants 
occupy  some  of  the  old  places  improved  many  years  ago.  The  Tyler 
family  lived  west  of  the  Bronsons,  in  what  is  to  this  day  called  the 
Tylertown  district.  Here  was  born  the  Reverend  Bennett  Tyler, 
D.  D.,  who  became  famous  as  one  of  the  old  school  theologians,  and 
was  president  of  Dartmouth  College. 

Ebenezer  Smith  was  nearer  the  outlet  of  the  Quassepaug,  locating 
there  about  1720.  He  had  sons  named  Ebenezer,  Samuel  and  Daniel, 
the  former  serving  in  the  revolution.  For  many  years  they  were  lead- 
ing men  in  that  part  of  the  town,  in  which  some  of  the  Tuttles  also 
settled  in  1740,  and  became  active  in  affairs  of  the  community. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  town  David  Wooster  settled  about  the 
same  time.  He  opened  a  good  farm  and  made  fine  improvements. 
The  Wooster  house,  built  before  the  revolution,  still  remains  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation.  Historic  interest  attaches  to  it  on  account  of 
the  fact  that  Chauncey  Judd  was  there  confined  several  days  after  the 
robbery  of  Captain  Dayton,  of  Bethany,*  in  the  revolution.  The  prop- 
erty still  belongs  to  the  Wooster  family. 

In  1800,  or  soon  after,  there  lived  in  Middlebury,  James  Tyler,  Ash- 
bel  Munson,  Abner  Munson,  Thaddeus  Bronson,  Elisha  Blackman, 
James  Porter,  Jonathan  Sanford,  Titus  Bronson,  Thomas  B.  Wooster, 
Philo  Bronson,  Gad  Bristol,  Anson  Tuttle,  Ephraim  Tuttle,  Jairus 
Bronson,  Roswell  Tyler,  Jacob  Hall,  Beers  Radford,  Job  Wheeler, 
Daniel  Abbott,  Eli  Thompson,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Jr.,  Daniel  Tyler,  Jr., 
Aaron  Benedict,  Ebenezer  Richardson,  David  Hine,  Adonijah  Scott, 
Samuel  Benham.  Jr.,  Daniel  Wooster,  Thomas  Mallory,  Ezekiel  Stone, 
John  Stone,  Phineas  Benham,  Eli  Hine,  David  Wooster,  Japhet  Ben- 
ham,  Amos  Benham,  Enos  Bradley,  David  Porter,  Alexander  Hine, 
Nathaniel  Richardson,  Simon  Manville,  Asahel  Bronson,  Augustus 
Peck,  Roswell  Bronson,  John  Bradley,  Truman  Stoddard,  Horace 
Bronson,  Daniel  Tyler,  Samuel  Porter,  Hezekiah  Clark,  Josiah  Porter, 
*See  account  of  Bethany. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  759 

John  Manville,  Enos  Gunn,  David  Mallory,  Gamaliel  Fenn,  Edward 
Smith,  Jr.,  Samuel  Merrill,  Jesse  Roberts,  Jonas  Bronson,  Marcus  Bron- 
son,  Caleb  Munson,  Lambert  Munson,  Seth  Bronson,  Benjamin  Hine, 
Larmon  Townsend,  Asa  Wheeler,  David  Abbott,  Jacob  Scott,  Samuel 
Fenn,  John  Northrup,  Uri  Manville,  Isaac  Bronson,  David  Mallory, 
Gideon  Piatt,  Thomas  Riggs,  Amos  Camp,  John  Gunn,  Asa  Fenn, 
David  Hungerford,  Mark  Mead,  William  Bassett,  A.  M.  Northrup, 
Stephen  Stone,  Agur  Bassett,  Andrew  Clark,  Hezekiah  Peck,  Anson 
Piatt,  Philo  Scott,  Miles  Newton,  Henry  Tyler,  Alvin  Tuttle,  Mark 
Stone,  Joseph  Munson,  Laban  Hine,  Nathan  Clark,  Caleb  Nettleton, 
Calvin  Camp,  Leonard  Bronson,  Manville  Scott,  William  H.  Smith, 
Erastus  Tyler,  Abraham  Osborne,  Azubah  Munson,  Larmon  G.  Town- 
send,  Charles  Townsend,  Anson  Piatt,  Henry  Townsend,  Horace  Man- 
ville, Ira  Mallory,  Garry  Scott,  Stephen  S.  Hawley,  Chester  Riggs,  Al- 
vin Hine,  Garry  Wooster,  Elihu  Baldwin  and  James  Williams. 

In  the  last  50  years  the  character  of  'the  population  has  been 
changed,  many  of  the  old  families  becoming  extinct  and  a  new  ele- 
ment coming  in.  The  inhabitants  are  also  less  in  number  than  50 
years  ago,  being  less  than  700. 

Middlebury  was  incorporated  as  a  town  by  an  act  of  the  October, 
1807,  general  assembly,  on  the  petition  of  Ebenezer  Smith  and  others 
of  the  Society  of  Middlebury,  in  the  towns  of  Waterbury,  Woodbury 
and  Southbury.  The  petition  was  filed  April  24th,  1807,  and  the  prayer 
was  that  the  bounds  of  the  town  should  be  the  same  as  those  of  the 
parish  of  Middlebury.  The  towns  of  Woodbury  and  Southbury  con- 
sented to  the  incorporation  without  protest,  but  Waterbury  objected, 
as  the  arrangement  would  deprive  it  of  some  of  its  best  citizens.  The 
question  of  the  relative  support  of  the  poor  and  the  maintenance  of  the 
bridges  on  division  lines  was  left  for  decision  to  a  commission  com- 
posed of  Andrew  Hull  and  Rufus  Hitchcock,  of  Cheshire:  Josiah  Dud- 
ley, of  Derby,  and  Mark  Harrison,  of  Wolcott.  This  committee  was 
to  meet  at  Beecher's  inn,  at  Naugatuck,  in  December,  1807. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  meeting  house  November 
16th,  1807,  and  those  elected  were  the  following:  Clerk,  Larmon  Town- 
send;  selectmen,  Eli  Bronson,  Aaron  Benedict,  Ephraim  Tuttle;  treas- 
urer, Larmon  Townsend;  constables,  Stiles  Thompson,  Amos  Benham; 
listers,  Nathaniel  Richardson,  Asahel  Bronson,  Isaac  Riggs,  Theophi- 
lus  Baldwin,  Ezekiel  Stone;  grand  jurors,  Adam  Tuttle,  Titus  Bronson, 
Ebenezer  Richardson;  tything  men,  Ezekiel  Stone,  Roswell  Tyler; 
surveyors  of  highways,  John  Bradley,  Hezekiah  Clark,  Daniel  .Smith, 
Isaac  Riggs,  Eli  Hine,  Job  Wheeler,  Roswell  Tyler,  Caleb  Munson, 
Jr.,  Eli  Thompson,  Dan  Sexton,  Philo  Bronson,  Abel  B.  Bronson, 
Daniel  Wooster,  Augustus  Peck. 

The  following  committee  was  appointed  to  settle  with  the  old  towns 
out  of  which  Middlebury  was  formed:  Ephraim  Tuttle,  Eli  Bronson, 
Aaron  Ben-edict,  John  Stone,  Simeon  Manville,  Daniel  Smith,  Eli 
Hine. 


760  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

On  the  11th  of  April,  1808,  the  town  voted,  by  67  to  none,  to  become 
a  part  of  New  Haven  county,  and  Captain  Isaac  Bronson  was  appointed 
to  convey  the  sense  of  the  meeting,  as  expressed  by  the  vote,  to  the 
proper  authorities. 

On  the  19th  of  September,  1808,  David  Thompson,  Esq.,  Eli  Bron- 
son,  Larmon  Townsend,  Roswell  Bronson  and  Aaron  Benedict  were 
appointed  to  memoralize  President  Thomas  Jefferson  in  regard  to  the 
privations  resulting  from  the  enforcement  of  the  embargo  laws,  which 
they  did  in  a  fine  paper. 

In  1818  Aaron  Benedict  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  constitutional 
convention,  and  when  the  town  voted  on  the  adoption  of  the  consti- 
tution, October  5th,  1818,  but  23  favored  it  and  76  were  opposed. 

The  town  clerks  of  Middlebury  have  been:  1807  to  1844,  Larmon 
Townsend;  1845  to  1852,  Albert  Crane;  1853,  George  B.  Parsons;  1853 
to  1857,  E.  S.  Smith:  and  from  1857,  continuously  to  1890,  Marcus  De 
Forest.  • 

Considering  the  small  population  of  Middlebury,  its  roads  are  usu- 
ally in  a  good  condition.  The  annual  outlay  for  their  maintenance 
approximates  $1,000,  including  repairs  on  bridges.  One  of  the  first 
bridges  built  by  the  town  was  at  the  outlet  of  Quassepaug  lake,  put 
up  in  1810.  It  stood  a  few  rods  above  Foot's  mill.  The  construction 
of  the  early  roads  was  a  vexatious  matter.  The  courses  were  often 
poorly  defined,  sometimes  in  dispute  and  frequently  modified,  as  the 
opening  of  new  farms  demanded.  Moreover,  the  means  were  limited 
and  labor  not  at  all  times  available.  Various  methods  for  keeping 
them  in  repair  were  tried,  sometimes  being  put  in  charge  of  many  su- 
pervisors, and  at  other  times  being  sold  to  lowest  bidder  to  keep  in 
repair.  In  1855  they  were  placed  in  charge  of  a  committee,  composed 
of  Luther  S.  Piatt,  Josiah  Hine,  James  D.  Wooster,  Lester  Bronson 
and  H.  F.  Johnson.  Ten  years  later  Robert  Camp  was  appointed  town 
inspector  of  roads. 

Since  1881  the  town  has  had  the  benefit  of  a  line  of  railway,  the 
New  England  railroad  passing  through  the  southeastern  part  and 
having  a  flag  station  at  Bradley's. 

Agriculture  affords  the  principal  occupation  of  the  people,  and 
there  are  a  number  of  rich,  productive  farms,  with  neat  and  well-kept 
buildings.  Until  50  years  ago  a  number  of  other  industries  gave 
profitable  occupation,  whose  pursuit  has  been  transferred  to  manufac- 
turing centers.  There  were  a  number  of  small  mills  and  shops  on  the 
brooks,  and  in  other  localities  were  cooperages,  hat  shops  and  fruit 
distilleries,  which  brought  large  sums  of  money  into  the  town. 
Among  the  hatters  were  the  Benhams  and  the  Tuttles,  the  former  be- 
ing half  a  mile  south  of  the  center.  But  little  has  been  done  in  distill- 
ing since  1878.  Among  those  who  formerly  carried  on  that  business 
were:  Nathaniel  Richardson,  Eli  Thompson,  William  Brown  and 
Henry  S.  Wheeler.     The  cooperages  were  engaged  in  making  casks 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  761 

for  the  West  Indies  trade,  and  those  who  had  large  shops  were:  Dan- 
iel Wooster,  Thomas  D.  Wooster,  Uri  Manville  and  Burritt  Manville. 

There  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  at  the.  outlet  of 
the  Quassepaug  lake  a  mill  known  asFoote's,  which  soon  after  became 
the  property  of  Michael  Bowers.  As  such  it  became  favorably  known. 
Near  the  same  place  George  Lewis  and  others  had  a  small  woolen 
mill,  and  at  a  later  day  satinets  were  made  in  that  locality.  All  have 
long  since  passed  away. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  town  Daniel  Abbott  and  others  manu- 
factured a  new  kind  of  pump,  discontinuing  about  1850.  At  one 
time  a  large  business  was  done.  In  the  same  part  of  town,  on  Hop 
brook,  Isaac  Bronson  built  a  saw  mill,  about  17S7.  This  was  owned 
by  the  Bronson  family  until  1856,  and  Levings  Abbott  has  since  been 
the  owner.  Lower  down  the  brook  were  the  Moses  mills,  one  of  them 
being  spoken  of  as  old  in  1808,  when  John  Moses,  of  Massachusetts, 
conveyed  them  to  Abraham  Moses.  Before  1820  Eli  Hine  was  the 
owner,  and  they  were  last  operated  as  corn  mills.  The  next  lower 
power  was  used,  from  1845  for  about  ten  years,  by  Leonard  Fenn,  who 
had  an  axe  factory.  He  was  a  skillful  workman.  Later  files  were 
there  made  by  Reagan  and  others.  The  building  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  Lower  down  the  stream  Otis  Ellis  improved  a  small  power, 
about  30  years  ago,  and  metal  buttons  were  there  made.  That  indus- 
try passed  away  many  years  ago. 

At  the  hamlet  of  Bradleyville,  on  Hop  brook,  near  the  east  line  of 
the  town,  Enos  Bradley  built  a  saw  mill  and  clothing  works  sometime 
after  1795.  He  was  a  fine  cloth  dresser,  and  rough  cloths  were  brought 
to  this  mill  from  all  parts  of  the  county.  After  his  death,  in  1845, 
Lyman  Bradley  manufactured  here,  making  wagon  wheels.  At  a  later 
period  he  made  pocket  cutlery  and  disposed  of  this  business  to  Samuel 
Root,  who  successfully  manufactured  pocket  cutlery  at  that  point.  He 
employed  a  number  of  skilled  English  workmen  and  produced  a  fine 
line  of  goods.  Operations  were  discontinued  in  1887,  and  many  build- 
ings at  Bradleyville,  in  consequence,  have  been  vacated.  In  other 
parts  of  the  town  Nathan  Newton  and  David  Wooster  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  wagons. 

North  of  Bradleyville  the  manufacture  of  brick  was  carried  on  ex- 
tensively by  Samuel  French,  who  there  erected  a  large  brick  mansion. 
Later  Roswell  Wheaton  had  a  brick  yard  at  the  same  place. 

Near  the  geographical  center  of  the  town  is  the  village  of  Middle- 
bury,  often  called  Middlebury  Center.  It  is  located  on  a  plateau  over- 
looking much  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  has  a  pleasant  and 
healthy  situation.  There  are  about  a  dozen  buildings,  grouped  around 
a  green  of  several  acres,  among  them  being  Congregational  and  Metho- 
dist churches,  and  a  two-story  school  building  which  was  erected  in 
1814  for  an  academy.  At  the  village  is  kept  the  Middlebury  post  office, 
which  has  a  daily  mail  supply  by  stage  from  Waterbury. 


762  HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

In  the  earlier  history  of  the  village,  whose  existence  began  with 
the  organization  of  the  town,  several  stores  and  public  houses  did  a 
large  local  business.  Larmon  Townsend  here  engaged  in  trade  about 
1S08,  coming  from  Gunntown,  and  successfully  continued  until  his 
death  about  1845.  His  store  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  green,  and 
his  residence  the  present  Wheaton  place.  Samuel  Smith  began  trad- 
ing near  the  same  period,  and  in  1841  James  Smith  &  Co.  were  mer- 
chants at  this  point.  In  later  years  but  little  merchandising  has  been 
done. 

Public  houses  also  have  become  things  of  the  past.  Amos  Camp 
had  an  inn  about  1820  and  later;  John  Bradley  kept  a  house  where  is 
now  the  Congregational  parsonage;  Mark  Stone  was  on  the  south  side 
of  the  square,  and  Harris  Smith  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
green. 

It  is  said  that  Doctor  Abel  Bronson  was  the  first  physician  in  the 
town.  Doctor  Stephen  S.  Hawley  located  a  mile  east  of  the  village 
before  1S00,  and  died  in  the  town.  Doctor  Marcus  DeForest  has  been 
a  practitioner  more  than  a  score  of  years.  Other  physicians  have  been 
Doctors  Foote,  Lindsley,  Norton  and  Crane. 

The  beautiful  Quassepaug  lake  is  on  the  northwestern  line  of  the 
town  and  lies  partly  in  Woodbury.  It  is  about  two  miles  long  and 
more  than  a  mile  in  width.  Its  waters  are  clear,  cool  and  in  parts 
very  deep.  The  lake  abounds  with  fish,  mostly  bass  and  pickerel,  and 
the  locality  has  always  been  a  favorite  resort  of  sportsmen.  The  out- 
let of  the  lake  is  Eight  Mile  brook,  which  was  early  utilized  to  oper- 
ate mills,  etc.,  but  in  more  recent  years  the  privilege  has  become  the 
property  of  the  Southford  Paper  Company,  which  uses  the  power  at  its 
mills,  and  the  intermediate  sites  have  been  abandoned. 

The  scenic  attractions  of  this  locality  are  numerous,  which  led  to 
the  selection  of  the  lake  as  a  place  for  pleasure  resort,  in  1874.  That 
year  Hiram  J.  Wallace  purchased  the  Uri  Manville  farm,  at  the  south 
end  of  the  lake,  and  began  his  improvements,  which  have  been  con- 
tinued from  year  to  year.  In  18S3  his  son,  George  W.,  was  associated 
with  him,  and  after  his  father's  death,  in  1888,  he  became  the  owner 
of  the  resort.  This  embraces  a  hotel,  a  number  of  attractive  build- 
ings, arranged  for  the  comfort  and  amusement  of  the  guests  who  so 
freely  patronize  it;  a  score  of  row  boats  and  the  steam  yacht  "White 
Deer,"  placed  on  the  lake  in  1888,  which  has  a  carrying  capacity  for  36 
persons.  The  Wallace  resort  is  connected  with  Waterbury  by  tele- 
phone. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  lake  is  another  resort,  called  Richardson's 
Grove,  consisting  of  16  acres.  Its  improvement  was  begun  in  1878  by 
Eben  E.  Richardson,  and  has  been  carried  on  by  him  until  it  has  be- 
come a  delightful  and  popular  resort.  Several  cottages  have  been 
provided  for  permanent  homes,  and  all  the  conveniences  for  a  day  re- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  763 

sort  have  been  attractively  arranged.  At  this  place  a  specialty  is  made 
of  shore  dinners,  which  are  largely  patronized. 

Schools  have  been  maintained  in  the  town  since  its  organic  exist- 
ence, and  soon  after  the  first  settlers  had  come,  efforts  to  educate 
the  youth  had  been  made.  In  the  principal  neighborhoods  school 
houses  had  been  built,  which  now  passed  under  district  control.  In 
the  main  these  districts  have  been  continued  as  the  Center,  Breakneck, 
Kissewaug  and  Hop  Swamp,  in  each  of  which  36  weeks  of  school  was 
maintained,  in  1889,  at  an  outlay  of  more  than  $1,100.  At  the  Center 
an  academy  or  select  school  was  successfully  taught  about  30  years,  in 
a  building  especially  erected  for  it,  about  1814.  It  has  long  been  used 
for  a  public  school  house  and  a  town  hall. 

In  1856  the  schools  of  Middlebury  were  placed  in  charge  of  aboard 
of  trustees,  composed  of  Jonathan  Judd,  Gilman  E.  Hill,  Marcus  De- 
Forest,  E.  S.  Smith,  Ebenezer  Smith  and  D.  M.  Beardsley.  In  1889  the 
school  visitors  were  G.  B.  Bristol,  H.  S.  Atwood,  L.  Abbott,  D.  M.  Fenn, 
G.  W.  Elliott  and  A.  S.  Clark. 

The  town  also  had  a  public  library,  which  has  been  allowed  to  go 
down,  although  some  of  the  books  still  remain  to  tell  of  its  former 
usefulness. 

The  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Middlebury  was  created  by  the  gen- 
eral assembly  December  29th,  1790,  and  the  new  parish  was  made  to 
embrace  parts  of  Woodbury,  Waterbury  and  Southbury.  The  meet- 
ing for  organization  was  held  January  27th,  1791,  and  arrangements 
were  soon  made  for  preaching  services.  Provision  was  also  made  for 
building  a  meeting  house.  A  frame  structure,  38  by  54  feet,  was  put 
up  in  1793,  and  was  used  early  the  following  year.  It  was  last  occu- 
pied May  5th,  1839,  when  it  was  taken  down  and  the  erection  of  the 
present  edifice  begun.  This  was  dedicated  April  29th,  1840,  and  cost, 
as  then  arranged,  $3,438.41.  It  was  at  that  time  regarded  as  a  fine 
place  of  worship,  but  subsequent  improvements  have  modernized  it 
and  made  it  more  attractive.  A  parsonage  on  an  adjoining  lot  af- 
fords a  comfortable  home. 

The  members  of  the  society  were  not  constituted  a  church  until 
February  10th,  1796,  when  the  following  12  persons  entered  into  cov- 
enant relations:  Josiah  Bronson,  Isaac  Bronson,  Thomas  Richardson, 
Nathan  Osborn,  Samuel  Chatfield,  Seth  Bronson,  James  Tyler,  Titus 
Bronson,  Elijah  Bronson,  Josiah  Bronson,  Jr.,  Eunice  Richardson, 
Elizabeth  Osborn. 

At  this  time  Josiah  Bronson  was  chosen  as  the  clerk  of  the  church. 
On  the  following  March  22d,  24  more  persons  were  added  to  the 
membership  of  the  church,  the  males  being  Daniel  Tyler,  John  Stone 
and  John  Thompson.  Among  the  females  were  the  wives  of  Isaac 
Bronson,  Josiah  Bronson,  James  Tyler,  James  Manville,  Samuel  Chat- 
field,  Seth  Bronson,  Elijah  Bronson,  Eli  Bronson,  Nathaniel  Richard- 
son, Thomas  Barnes,  Asa  Lyman,  Daniel  Tyler,  Eli  Thompson,  Amos 


764  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Curtis,  John  Thomson,  Josiah  Bronson,  Jr.,  Ezekiel  Tuttle,  Reuben 
Webb,  Roswell  Bronson.  The  deacons  appointed  this  year  were  Na- 
than Osborn  and  Seth  Bronson. 

In  1799  15  persons  were  enrolled  as  members,  and  in  1800,  37 
joined.  For  the  next  dozen  years,  but  a  few  joined  each  year,  but  in 
1814,  26  joined,  and  in  1817,  28.  A  like  number  were  added  in  1822. 
In  the  three  years  following  1830,  about  100  persons  entered  into  fel- 
lowship. In  1842  there  was  another  period  of  revival,  some  25  persons 
joining ;  about  the  same  number  were  added  in  1855,  and  nearly 
double  that  number  joined  in  1868.  In  1889  the  church  had  91  mem- 
bers, of  whom  30  were  reported  as  living  outside  of  the  bounds  of  the 
parish. 

The  church  had  no  regular  minister  until  the  Reverend  Ira  Hart 
was  ordained  and  installed  November  6th,  179S.  He  was  dismissed 
April  5th,  1809,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend  Mark  Mead,  or- 
dained and  installed  November  4th,  1809,  and  dismissed  March  30th, 
1830;  Jason  Atwater,  installed  October  20th,  1830,  and  dismissed 
October  15th,  1845;  George  P.  Prudden,  as  stated  supply,  from  Decem- 
ber, 1845,  to  March  30th,  1851;  Joel  R.  Arnold,  as  stated  supply,  from 
December  1st,  1851,  to  March,  1854;  R.  J.  Cone,  as  stated  supply,  from 
June  3d,  1854,  to  December  16th,  1855;  Jonathan  S.  Judd,  installed 
June  25th,  1856,  and  died  during  his  pastorate,  May  11th,  1864;  Clin- 
ton Clark,  as  stated  supply,  commencing  June  1st,  1865.  He  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill  September  23d,  1871,  and  died  on  the  highway  between 
the  farms  of  Eli  and  Jerad  Bronson. 

Reverend  David  Breed  began  preaching  in  May,1872,  and  was  install- 
ed October  17th,  the  same  year.  He  resigned  October  30th,  1876,  and  was 
the  last  regular  pastor.  The  ministers  since  that  time  have  been  stated 
supplies,  as  follows:  H.  G.  Marshall,  from  June  1st,  1877,  to  June  7th, 
1885;  William  J.  Murphy,  from  October  4th,  18S5,  to  November  6th, 
1887;  Myron  A.  Munson,  from  May  28th,  1888,  to  November  25th, 
same  year;  William  F.  Avery,  since  December  17th,  1888. 

Those  elected  to  the  office  of  deacon  were,  in  1796,  Nathan  Osborn 
and  Seth  Bronson,  the  latter  serving  until  his  death  in  1828;  John 
Stone,  1799-1834;  Ebenezer  Richardson,  1818-26;  Sherman  Curtis, 
1825-48;  Leonard  Bronson,  1833-50;  Daniel  Clark,  1833-6;  Giles  A. 
Gaylord,  1836-42;  Robert  H.  Bronson,  1845-52;  Joseph  P.  Piatt,  1852- 
63;  Marcus  Bronson,  1853-6;  Gillman  E.  Hill,  1856-79;*  Gould  S.  Clark, 
1864  to  present  time;  Lewis  B.  Tucker,  1872-6;  J.  C.  Scovill,  1877-87;* 
David  M.  Fenn,  1888  to  present  time;  Frederick  G.  Scott,  1888  to  pres- 
ent time. 

Doctor  M.  De  Forest  is  clerk  of  the  parish  and  treasurer  of  the 
several  funds  created  for  the  maintenance  of  the  church  work.  The 
oldest  of  these,  the  "Ministerial  Fund,"  was  begun  March  17th,  1790, 
and  was  raised  to  £1,086,  or  about  $3,621.     The  contributions  varied 

*Died  in  office. 


HISTORY  OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  765 

from  £1  to  ^105,  the  latter  being  given  by  Benjamin  Munson.  Josiah 
Bronson  was  the  treasurer  of  this  so-called  "Bank  for  the  support  of 
the  Gospel  in  Middlebury."  In  1890  this  fund  amounted  to  $3,725.  A 
second  or  new  fund  was  raised  by  "The  Middlebury  Fund  Company," 
organized  January  13th,  1814,  and  originally  amounted  to  $1,136.  Philo 
Bronson  was  clerk  of  this  fund  and  was  succeeded  by  Ebenezer  Smith, 
Robert  Camp  and  Doctor  De  Forest,  in  the  order  named. 

The  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  church  has  75  members  en- 
rolled, and  D.  M.  Fenn  is  the  superintendent. 

It  is  said  that  Jesse  Lee  visited  the  town  as  early  as  1790*  and 
preached  the  doctrines  of  Methodism;  that  eight  years  later  Peter  Van 
Ness  came,  and  was  followed,  in  1800,  by  James  Coleman;  by  Ebenezer 
Woodburn,  in  1803;  Phineas  Pierce,  in  1808;  Gad  Smith,  in  1812;  and 
Billy  Hibbard,  in  1815.  They  held  meetings  at  the  houses  of  Daniel 
and  David  Abbott;  in  a  barn  and  cider  mill,  near  Tylertown;  at  the 
Breakneck  school  house,  and  more  latterly  at  the  academy  at  the  Cen- 
ter. As  a  result  a  number  of  persons  were  converted  and  the  pres- 
ent Methodist  church  thus  early  had  its  beginning.  Among  the 
early  members  were:  at  the  first  period  named,  Daniel  Abbott;  in 
1806,  Thomas  B.  Wooster,  Jacob  Hall,  Ephraim  Tuttle,  Joseph  Mun- 
son, Lucinda  Wooster  Munson;  in  1810,  James  Wooster  and  Nancy 
his  wife,  the  former  a  very  pious  man  and  the  latter  also  abounding 
in  good  works  which  were  richly  attested  in  her  legacy  of  $1,500.  In 
1812  or  1813,  David  Abbott  and  Sarah  Tyler,  his  wife,  became  Meth- 
odists, the  latter  leaving  the  Congregational  church,  much  against  the 
will  of  her  parents  and  friends.  For  many  years  this  worthy  couple 
were  leading  Methodists,  and  their  son,  Ira,  was  a  minister  from  1839 
until  1875.  Another  son,  Alvin,  also  preached  a  short  time.  Four 
grandsons  followed  in  the  same  steps,  viz.:  Larmon  W.  Abbott,  Alvin 
V.  R.  Abbott  (son  of  Alvin  Abbott),  Bennett  F.  Abbott  (son  of  Ira 
Abbott)  and  Joseph  W.  Munson.  Daniel  Wooster  also  became  a  Meth- 
odist minister. 

In  1814,  among  the  additions  were  Daniel  Wooster,  Almira 
Wheeler,  Aunt  "Becky"  Buckley,  so  wonderfully  gifted  in  prayer, 
and  Aunt  "Becky"  Tuttle.  In  about  1818  the  additions  were  Ruth 
Mallory,  Anson  Tuttle,  Philo  Woodruff,  Eliza  and  Mary  Northrup 
Harriet  and  Lucy  Munson,  Susan  Tyler,  Willis  Treat,  Joseph  Wheeler, 
Joel  Atwood,  John  Northrup  and  Truman  Wooster. 

For  a  period  of  ten  years  the  growth  was  slow  and  some  members 
removed;  but  in  1831,  under  the  preaching  of  Heman  Bangs,  there  was 
a  renewed  interest  and  the  purpose  of  building  a  church  was  now 
formed.  In  1832  James  Wooster  leased  a  lot  of  land  at  the  Center 
on  which  to  build  the  house  of  worship.  On  this  lot  the  district 
school  house  stood  and  there  was  some  objection  to  the  Methodists 
occupying  it,  but  these  were  overruled.  The  school  house  was  moved 
♦From  account  by  Anson  F.  Abbott. 


766  HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  good  fellowship  with  the  opposing  Congregationalists  was  soon 
established.  The  building,  begun  in  1832,  was  not  completed  for  sev- 
eral years,  when  it  was  occupied  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  It  is  a  plain,  al- 
most square  structure,  having  a  two-story  appearance  so  as  to  afford 
gallery  room.  In  1878  it  was  thoroughly  improved  at  an  outlay  of 
about  $500,  and  a  parsonage,  near  by,  was  purchased  for  $1,000.  The 
principal  actors  in  this  movement  were  Nelson  J.  Hayes,  H.  W.  Mun- 
son,  Ira  Abbott,  Lewis  Tyrrell,  Levings  Abbott,  Harriet  L.  Gaylord 
and  Charity  S.  Fisher,  a  few  only  of  whom  lived  in  1890.  The  house 
has  a  most  beautiful  location  and  the  surroundings  are  fairly  well 
kept.     The  property  is  valued  at  $4,500. 

The  members  in  1890  numbered  60,  and  formed  a  class  led  by 
Spencer  Judd.  The  Sunday  school  had  E.  B.  Hoyt  as  its  superin- 
tendent. 

David  Wooster  was  for  more  than  40  years  a  local  minister  con- 
nected with  this  church. 

In  1832  Middlebury  and  Southbury  became  parts  of  the  Woodbury 
circuit,  and  the  ministers  for  the  next  seven  years  were  the  Reverends 
R.  Gilbert,  A.  S.  Hill,  H.  Hatfield,  and  E.  W.  Bales. 

Since  1839  Middlebury  has  sustained  an  independent  or  separate 
circuit  relation  to  the  conference,  and  the  appointees  have  been  the 
following  clergy: 

1840,  G.  L.  Fuller;  1843-4,  G.  Waterbury;  1847-8,  F.  W.  Sizer; 
1849-50,  W.  H.  Bangs;  1851,  W.  Gay;  1852-6,  E.  D.  Beers,  Joseph  Smith, 
L.  W.  Abbott,  James  R.  Sayres  and  other  supplies;  1857-8,  C.  W.  Lock- 
wood;  1859,  C.  W.  Powell;  1860,  B.  T.  Abbott;  1861,  J.  S.  Breckinridge; 
1862,  M.  Lyon;  1863,  G.  H.  McCoy;  1865,  G.  H.  Goodsell;  1866-7,  D. 
Osborn;  1868-9,  Ira  Abbott;  1870-1,  local  supplies;  1872,  L.  W.  Holmes; 
1873-4,  D.  F  Pierce;  1875-6,  local  supplies;  1877,  J.  B.  Shepherd; 
1878-80,  N.  L.  Porter;  1881-3,  W.  Wake;  1S84-5,  L.  W.  Holme*; 
1886-8,  S.  K.  Smith;  1889,  G.  A.  Graves. 

There  is  one  principal  cemetery  in  the  town,  which  is  located  near 
the  center.  In  other  parts  are  a  few  private  grounds.  The  town 
maintains  a  hearse,  and  has  also  provided  the  usual  appliances  of  a 
well-ordered  country  cemetery,  frequently  acting  on  this  matter.  In 
1810  Theophilus  Baldwin  and  Daniel  Smith  were  chosen  grave  dig- 
gers. In  1811  it  was  voted  to  ring  the  bell  on  the  meeting  house  at 
nine  o'clock  at  night  for  funerals,  the  town  to  pay  the  expense.  This 
custom,  with  some  variation  of  hour,  has  since  been  followed. 

In  1828  the  town  caused  the  burial  ground  to  be  laid  out  more  sys- 
tematically, and  arranged  the  lots  in  a  system  of  blocks.  This  work 
was  done  by  a  committee  of  leading  citizens:  Larmon  Townsend, 
Leonard  Bronson,  Erastus  Smith,  Daniel  Wooster,  Nathaniel  Richard- 
son, Horace  Bronson,  Ezekiel  Stone,  Eli  Thompson  and  Joseph  Mun- 
son.  At  this  time  there  were  91  lots,  63  of  them  occupied.  It  was 
recommended  that  a  highway  be  laid  out  to  the  cemetery.     In  1841  the 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  767 

grounds  were  enlarged  by  purchasing  land  at  the  rate  of  $100  per 
acre.  In  1870  the  cemetery  was  again  enlarged,  the  land  being  pur- 
chased of  Julius  Bronson.  In  more  recent  years  the  cemetery  has 
been  placed  in  the  care  of  an  agent,  appointed  by  the  town,  which  has 
resulted  in  improving  its  appearance.  The  supervising  committee  is 
composed  of  Levings  Abbott,  A.  S.  Clark  and  Marcus  De  Forest. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Levings  Abbott,  born  in  Middlebury  in  1832,  is  a  son  of  Reverend 
Ira  Abbott,  who  was  born  in  Middlebury  in  1811  and  died  in  the  same 
house  in  1883.  He  was  a  Methodist  minister,  and  after  44  years  of 
active  life  in  the  ministry,  retired  to  his  native  place,  performing  all 
the  duties  of  a  pastor  for  three  years  in  the  M.  E.  church  in  Middle- 
bury. His  wife  was  Lydia  Wooding,  of  Hamden.  They  had  three 
sons:  Levings,  Bennett  T.  and  Heman  B.  Bennett  T.  is  also  a  Meth- 
odist minister.  Levings  was  educated  at  Fair  Haven,  Easton  and 
Waterbury  academies.  In  his  youth  he  learned  the  trade  of  burnish- 
ing, and  followed  it  three  years  in  Waterbury.  He  came  to  Middle- 
bury in  1852  and  established  the  business  of  milling  and  built  a  saw 
and  grist  mill  on  Hop  brook.  In  1884  he  built  the  circular  saw  mill, 
taking  his  son  George  F.  into  partnership  with  him,  under  the  firm 
name  of  L.  Abbott  &  Son.  They  do  an  annual  business  of  $20,000. 
Mr.  Abbott  married,  in  1852,  Grace  C,  daughter  of  John  A.  Coe,  of 
Derby.  They  have  two  sons:  Wilbur  C.,in  Babylon,  N.  Y.,  and  George 
F.  Levings  Abbott  was  in  the  legislatures  of  1873  and  1874,and  has  been 
selectman  nearly  20  years. 

Heman  B.  Abbott,  born  in  Waterbury,  November  24th,  1850,  is  a 
son  of  Reverend  Ira  and  Lydia  Abbott.  He  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  at  Wesleyan  Academy,  Wilbraham,  Mass.  He  first 
settled  on  the  old  homestead,  where  his  father  was  born  and  died.  He- 
man  was  then  12  years  old.  He  then  came  to  his  present  residence, 
called  Lake  View  Farm.  He  and  Mrs.  Abbott  are  members  of  the 
M.  E.  church,  of  Middlebury.  He  married  Alice  E.  Turtle,  of  Middle- 
bury, daughter  of  Truman  Tuttle,  October  26th,  1870.  They  have  two 
sons  and  one  daughter:  Edmund  J.,  born  August  24th,  1872  ;  Edith 
V.,  born  March  4th,  1874,  and  Arthur  J.,  born  October  4th,  1876.  Mr. 
Abbott  is  a  member  of  the  Mad  River  Grange,  of  Waterbury. 

Henry  S.  Atwood,  born  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  in  1827,  is  a  son  of 
Joel  and  Nancy  (Guernsey)  Atwood.  He  was  educated  at  the  common 
schools  of  Watertown  and  Armenia.  He  came  to  this  town  in  1847, 
settled  on  a  farm  and  has  since  resided  there.  He  married  Maria, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Wheeler,  of  Southbury.  They  have  10  children. 
Only  two,  Dwight  M.  and  Sarah  A.,  live  at  home.  Mr.  Atwood  owns 
over  1,000  acres  of  land  in  Middlebury,  Southbury,  Woodbury,  Water- 
town  and  Waterbury.  He  takes  a  lively  interest  in  town  affairs,  is 
selectman,  and  member  of  the  board  of  education,  and  has  charge  of 


768  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

the  highways  of  the  town.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Atwood  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  church  of  Middlebury. 

Irving  E.  Baldwin  is  a  son  of  James  E.  and  Mary  E.  (Fenn)  Bald- 
win, the  latter  a  daughter  of  Miles  Fenn,  of  Middlebury.  James  E. 
was  married  in  1856,  and  had  three  children  :  Martha  C,  Ida  J.  and 
Irving  E.  James  E.  was  born  in  Middlebury  in  1833,  and  was  a  son 
of  Elihu  Baldwin,  who  came  from  old  Milford  to  Middlebury,  and  re- 
sided here  until  his  death.  Elihu  Baldwin  was  born  in  1787  and  died 
in  1867.  His  wife  was  Mary  Clark,  by  whom  he  had  two  children  : 
Merritt  C,  born  1823,  died  1852 ;  and  James  E.,  who  moved  to  South- 
bury  in  1888.     The  father,  Elihu,  came  to  Middlebury  about  1800. 

John  T.  Basham,  born  on  the  ocean  on  an  American  ship,  February 
24th,  1850,  is  a  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Basham,  who  were  both 
born  in  England,  came  to  this  country  in  1850,  and  settled  in  Bethany. 
They  came  to  Middlebury  in  1888.  They  had  six  children,  of  whom 
John  T.  was  the  eldest.  He  married  Martha  J.  Culver,  of  Middlebury, 
in  1874.  John  T.  Basham  came  to  Middlebury  in  1869,  purchased  the 
farm  of  L.  P.  Benham  in  1878,  and  has  resided  there  since.  He  has 
taken  an  active  part  in  town  affairs,  has  been  selectman,  assessor,  and 
is  now  justice  of  the  peace  and  collector  of  taxes. 

George  B.  Bristol,  born  in  Middlebury  in  1836,  is  a  son  of  George 
E.  and  Martha  (Porter)  Bristol.  The  father  of  George  E.  was  Gad, 
who  was  born  in  Southbury  and  died  in  Middlebury,  where  he  had 
lived  a  number  of  years.  His  father  was  Eliphalet,  son  of  one  of  three 
brothers  that  came  from  England  and  settled  in  Milford.  George  E. 
had  two  children:  George  B.  and  Julia  A.  Gad  Bristol  was  the  first  of 
the  name  in  Middlebury.  He  was  here  at  the  organization  of  the 
town.  George  E.  Bristol  was  born  in  1804  and  died  in  1872.  His  son, 
George  B.,  was  educated  at  Watertown  High  School.  He  married 
Jane  L.,  daughter  of  Joseph  Squires,  of  Woodbury,  Conn.,  in  1856.  She 
was  born  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  in  1835.  They  had  one  daughter,  Julia 
H.,  born  in  1861,  died  in  1878.  George  B.  Bristol  has  been  constable 
of  the  town  25  years  and  selectman  several  years.  He  had  charge  of 
the  highways  for  a  number  of  years,  and  very  many  of  the  improve- 
ments in  the  highways  were  made  by  him.  He  has  studied  medicine 
and  made  a  specialty  of  electricity,  and  has  treated  many  cases  of 
paralysis,  rarely  failing  to  give  relief. 

Robert  Camp,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prosperous  farmers  of 
Middlebury,  was  born  July  9th,  1811,  on  the  place  now  occupied  by 
him,  to  which  his  father  had  removed  from  Milford  about  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century.  His  parents  were  Amos  and  Mehitabel 
(Smith)  Camp,  both  descendants  of  two  of  the  oldest  families  of  their 
native  town.  The  immediate  ancestor  of  the  father  was  also  named 
Amos  Camp,  and  he  was  the  descendant  of  one  of  the  three  Camp 
brothers  who  first  located  in  this  state.  One  settled  on  the  Connecti- 
cut river  near  Middletown;  another  removed  to  the  western  part  of  the 


4?  &">fi- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  769 

state;  and  the  third  was  the  Milford  ancestor.  In  that  town  an  allot- 
ment of  six  acres  of  land,  on  Broad  street,  has  remained  in  the  name 
of  the  Camp  family  more  than  15C  years.  This  Amos  Camp,  grand- 
father of  Robert  Camp,  had  three  children:  Sarah,  who  married  Heze- 
kiah  Clark,  of  Milford;  Hannah,  who  married  Gideon  Camp,  of  New 
Milford;  and  Amos  (the  father  of  Robert),  who  was  born  in  Milford, 
in  1771,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Middlebury,  November  24th,  1881. 
His  wife,  Mehitabel,  died  August  30th,  1834,  aged  61  years. 

They  made  the  journey  to  Middlebury  on  horseback,  where  they 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  previously  owned  by  Amos  Bronson,  and 
where  he  had  kept  a  public  house,  Both  were  frugal  and  industrious 
and  prospered  in  their  occupation  as  farmers.  They  had  a  large 
family,  namely:  Lyman,  born  August  3d,  1798,  who  married  a 
daughter  of  Asahel  Bronson,  and  lived  in  Middlebury  until  his  death 
July  18th,  1848  (Their  son,  C.  B.  Camp,  resides  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.); 
Calvin,  born  August  21st,  1800,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Deacon 
John  Stone,  and  their  son,  Ellery,  is  a  merchant  in  New  Haven  (^Cal- 
vin died  in  Middlebury  in  April,  1884);  Mehitabel,  born  September; 
1803,  married  David  Stone,  and  resides  as  his  widow  in  New  York, 
Julia,  born  July  2d,  1805,  died  in  1808;  George,  born  January  3d,  1809, 
died  a  young  man  in  New  Haven  in  1824;  Robert,  born  July  9th,  1811; 
and  twin  sisters,  born  July  7th,  1813 — Clarissa  married  Dwight  North- 
rup  and  died  in  Bethlehem,  Conn.;  and  Julia,  who  married  Jerome 
Strong,  of  the  same  town,  also  deceased. 

The  boyhood  of  Robert  Camp  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  was  trained  to  those  habits  of  industry  and  thrift  which  have 
enabled  him  to  make  a  success  of  his  occupation.  Early  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources  and  having  only  his  energy  as  his  capital  stock  in 
trade,  he  applied  himself  so  diligently  to  the  work  of  carving  out  a 
place  for  himself  that  he  soon  won  the  confidence  and  credit  of  those 
who  could  assist  him,  which  credit  has  never  been  withdrawn,  nor  has 
the  confidence  been  diminished.  To  his  own  share  of  the  paternal 
homestead,  near  Middlebury  center,  he  added  by  purchase  the  shares 
of  other  heirs  until  he  now  owns  the  major  portion  of  it,  and  has  im- 
proved the  place  until  it  is  in  an  excellent  condition.  In  1S60  he  re- 
moved the  old  house  and  built  on  its  site  the  present  residence,  now 
occupied  by  himself  and  son's  family.  For  many  years  Mr. Camp  was 
a  successful  wool  buyer,  but  he  has  mainly  devoted  himself  to  the  work 
and  cares  of  the  farm,  which  he  has  so  prudently  managed  that  his  labors 
have  been  well  repaid.  His  success  demonstrates  what  may  be  accom- 
plished by  pluck,  perseverance  and  well-directed  efforts  even  in  this 
much-depreciated  avocation.  In  the  spring  of  1888  he  suffered  the  loss 
of  the  use  of  his  sight,  and  his  almost  total  blindness  has  incapacitated 
him  from  further  active  work  in  spite  of  his  being  vigorous  in  other 
respects. 

Robert   Camp  was    married   September   10th,  1834,  to   Olive   A.. 
■;9 


770  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

daughter  of  Truman  Judson,  of  North  Woodbury,  and  she  died  Novem- 
ber 9th,  1S69,  at  the  age  of  58  years.  Three  children  were  born  to 
them,  the  youngest,  Charles  J.,  dying  March  11th.,  1854,  at  the  age  of 
about  three  months.  A  daughter  and  a  son  survive.  Sarah  H.,  born 
November  1st,  1840,  married  Samuel  Fenn,  of  Middlebury,  and  they 
have  two  children:  Robert  Miles  and  Addie  Julia.  The  son,  George 
Pruden,  was  born  October  30th,  1846,  and  resides  on  his  father's  home- 
stead. He  married  October  28th,  1868,  Mary  Eunice,  daughter  of 
Darius  S.  Crosby,  of  New  York  city.  Their  children  are:  Gussey 
Wilson,  born  August  5th,  1869;  Carrie  Louise  Andrews,  born  April 
10th,  1871;  and  Harry  Crosby,  bornjune  24th,  1878. 

Robert  Camp  has  always  been  interested  in  the  affairs  of  his  native 
town,  serving  it  in  various  capacities,  being  also  a  selectman  in  1862. 
As  a  member  of  the  Congregational  society,  he  was  for  twenty  years 
the  treasurer  of  the  ministerial  fund.  He  has  also  served  as  a  director 
of  the  Ansonia  Bank,  and  is  interested  in  other  corporate  bodies  in  the 
Naugatuck  valley,  whose  cares  have  added  other  duties  to  those  of  his 
already  busy  life. 

Gould  S.  Clark,  born  in  Prospect  in  1814,  is  a  son  of  Merritt  Clark, 
of  Prospect,  who  came  from  Orange  to  Prospect  about  1S12,  and  had 
four  children:  Gould  S.,  Julia,  died  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  in  1836;  Em- 
ily, married  Henry  B.  Skilton,  former  husband  of  Julia;  and  Merritt, 
who  now  lives  in  Prospect,  on  the  old  farm.  Gould  S.  Clark  came  to 
Middlebury  in  1842,  and  settled  on  the  Tyler  farm  in  the  Tyler  school 
district.  He  united  with  the  Congregational  church  in  1842,  and  was 
chosen  deacon  of  the  church  of  Middlebury  in  1864.  He  represented 
the  town  in  the  legislature  in  1857,  1S71  and  1872.  In  1840  he  mar- 
ried Maria  H.  Skilton,  sister  of  Henry  B.  They  have  had  three  chil- 
dren: Julia  M.,  born  1842,  died  1860;  Emily  E.,  born  1843,  died  in  1891: 
and  Artison  S.,  born  1849,  married  Lilian  A.  Chamberlain,  of  Nauga- 
tuck, in  1875,  and  has  four  children. 

Erastus  S.  Curtiss,  born  in  Southbury,  Conn.,  in  1S25,  is  a  son  of 
William,  and  grandson  of  Joseph  Curtiss.  William  married  Hannah 
Peck,  of  Middlebury,  daughter  of  Augustus  Peck,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren: Dwight  D.,  M.  Elizabeth,  Harriet  M.  and  Erastus  S.  Dwight  D. 
died  in  1885.  Elizabeth  and  Erastus  live  in  Middlebury  with  their 
mother.  Harriet  M.  married  Charles  Yale,  of  this  town.  William, 
the  father,  died  in  1878.  Erastus  is  a  farmer,  and  has  been  grand  ju- 
ror of  the  town. 

David  M.  Fenn,  born  in  Middlebury  in  1837,  is  a  son  of  David  M. 
and  Tabitha  Fenn.  He  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  of  Mid- 
dlebury. He  is  a  bachelor  and  owns  the  old  homestead  where  his 
father  and  grandfather  lived  and  died,  near  Quassepaug  lake.  He  also 
owns  the  Captain  Ephraim  Tuttle  farm,  his  grandfather  on  his  moth- 
er's side.  The  old  house  built  by  Captain  Ephraim  Tuttle  is  still 
standing.     This  farm  was  in  the  Tuttle  family  about  200  years.     Mr. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  771 

Fenn  has  been  selectman,  was  elected  to  the  legislature  of  1884,  and 
was  on  the  committee  of  joint  rules. 

Samuel  S.  Fenn,  born  in  1841  in  Middlebury,  is  a  son  of  David  M. 
and  Tabitha  (Tuttle)  Fenn.  The  father  of  David  M.  was  Captain 
Samuel  Fenn,  born  1767,  died  1852.  David  M.  Fenn  was  born  in  1799, 
and  died  in  1862.  He  had  five  children:  Martha  C,  Mary  E.,  David  M., 
Samuel  S.  and  Harry  S.  Samuel  S.  was  married  in  1868,  to  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Robert  Camp,  of  this  town.  They  have  two  children: 
Robert  M.,  born  1870,  and  Addie  J.,  born  1872.  They  lost  one  daugh- 
ter, Ida  M.,  born  May  30th.  1871,  died  August  1st,  1871.  Samuel  S. 
was  educated  at  the  high  schools  of  Waterbury  and  Watertown,  and 
was  engaged  in  the  drug  business  about  four  years.  Since  that  time 
he  has  been  a  farmer.  He  lived  on  the  old  Fenn  homestead  19  years 
after  he  was  married;  and  in  1887  he  came  to  the  farm  he  now  occu- 
pies, just  north  of  Middlebury  Center,  known  as  the  Julius  Bronson 
farm. 

Edmund  B.  Hoyt  was  born  in  Bethel,  Conn.,  in  1831,  and  came  to 
Middlebury  in  1868.  He  married,  in  1855,  Betsey  L.,  daughter  of  John 
Fenn,  who  was  a  native  of  Middlebury,  and  lived  to  be  over  80  years 
old.  The  father  of  Edmund  B.  Hoyt,  now  89  years  old,  is  still  living 
in  Bethel.  Edmund  B.  and  Betsey  L.  Hoyt  have  two  sons:  Edmund 
F.  and  Starr  B.  Edmund  F.  lives  on  the  farm  with  his  father.  They 
have  a  dairy  farm,  and  are  successful  in  this  line,  which  is  butter 
making,  having  made  over  3,500  pounds  in  1889,  from  16  cows.  Mr. 
Hoyt  has  been  selectman  of  the  town,  and  was  in  the  legislature  of 
1885  and  1886. 

Silas  Tuttle,  born  in  Middlebury  June  26th,  1812,  was  the  youngest 
but  one  of  11  children,  all  deceased,  of  Aaron  and  Rebecca  Tuttle. 
The  father  of  Aaron  was  Ezekiel,  son  of  Ephraim,  whose  father,  Na- 
thaniel, was  a  son  of  William,  who  came  from  England  in  the  ship 
"  Planter,"  and  settled  in  Hartford  in  1636.  Ephraim  came  first  to 
Woodbury,  Conn.,  from  New  Haven.  His  son,  Ezekiel,  came  to  Mid- 
dlebury, and  was  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  town.  Aaron 
Tuttle  was  born  in  1760.  Silas  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of 
the  town,  and  married  Susan  Allen,  of  Woodbury,  in  1833.  They  had 
four  children  ;  Henry  A.,  born  in  1834  (Killed  by  oxen  in  1836. 
He  was  buried  the  same  day  as  his  grandfather,  Aaron  Tuttle.  This 
is  spoken  of  as  the  largest  funeral  ever  held  in  Middlebury) ;  Julia, 
born  in  1838 ;  Emily  A.,  born  in  1841,  has  been  an  invalid  for  the  past 
22  years ;  and  Mary  E.,  born  in  1851.  Silas  Tuttle  was  appointed  by 
the  governor  of  the  state  to  a  lieutenancy  in  the  12th  Regiment  of  Con- 
necticut Militia,  and  acted  as  captain  of  the  company  until  the  militia 
system  was  abolished.  He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  25  years, 
served  in  the  legislature  in  1875,  and  was  first  selectman  of  the  town 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  10th,  1890. 

William  Tyler,  born   in  Middlebury  in  1823,  is  a  son  of  Daniel, 


772  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

whose  father,  Daniel,  was  a  son  of  Daniel,  who  came  from  Branford  to 
Middlebury,  and  settled  near  Ouassepaug  lake.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  the  town.  Daniel  Tyler's  family  were  all  born  in  the  Tyler 
district.  He  had  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  Three  sons  and  one 
daughter  are  now  living.  William  is  the  only  member  of  the  family 
now  living  in  Middlebury.  He  moved  to  the  place  where  he  now  resides 
in  1860.  He  has  served  as  selectman  and  town  treasurer.  He  married 
Mary  A.  Hine,  of  Middlebury,  in  1859.  They  have  four  children  : 
Alvin  H.,  William  P.,  James  A.  and  Mary  L. 

George  W.  Wallace,  born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1861,  is  a  son  of 
Hiram  J.  Wallace,  who  came  to  this  town,  and  was  the  founder  of  the 
present  pleasure  resort  at  Ouassepaug  lake.  This  resort  was  started 
by  Hiram  J.  Wallace  in  1874,  and  has  been  enlarged  until  it  is  one  of 
the  finest  resorts  in  the  county.  Hiram  J.  came  from  Thomaston,  Conn. 
He  was  born  in  Bennington,  Vt.  He  died  in  September,  1888.  Since 
this  time  his  only  son,  George,  has  carried  on  the  place  alone,  having 
previously  been  in  company  with  his  father.  Mr.  Wallace  has  a  steam- 
boat with  a  capacity  for  carrying  36  persons,  22  row  and  sail  boats,  bil- 
liard room,  bowling  alley,  etc.  He  is  now  building  a  hotel,  and  will 
commence  the  season  of  1892  with  three  times  the  room  of  former 
years. 

Roswell  B.  Wheaton  was  born  in  Susquehanna,  Pa.,  January  31st, 
1815,  came  with  his  father,  Calvin  Wheaton,  to  Connecticut  in  1821, 
and  settled  in  Washington.  His  grandfather,  Roswell  Wheaton, 
served  seven  years  and  six  months  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  his 
maternal  grandfather,  Nathan  Phillips,  also  served  in  that  war  as 
lieutenant.  Mr.  Wheaton  has  the  sword  that  Lieutenant  Phillips  car- 
ried through  the  war.  In  his  younger  days,  Mr.  Wheaton  was  a  brick 
maker,  and  he  followed  the  business  for  42  years.  Brick  used  in  the 
culverts  upon  the  Erie  railroad  between  Binghamton  and  Great  Bend, 
N.  Y.,  as  well  as  the  Sterucca  Valley  viaduct,  were  made  at  his  yard. 
He  is  still  interested  in  a  large  yard  near  New  Britain,  Conn.  Mr. 
Wheaton  came  to  Middlebury  in  1872.  He  was  elected  to  the  legisla- 
ture iu  1876.  Since  residing  in  Middlebury,  he  has  done  much  in  the 
way  of  village  improvement,  laying  out  and  building  the  fine  park 
there.  He  married  Leve  Andrews,  of  Bristol,  Conn.  They  had  five 
children,  only  one  of  whom,  Bessie  (Mrs.  Eli  Bronson),  is  now 
living. 

Frank  H.  Wheeler,  born  in  August,  1843,  in  Southbury,  is  a  son  of 
John  L.  Wheeler,  of  the  same  town.  Frank  came  to  Middlebury  in 
1854,  and  lived  with  Henry  S.  Wheeler  until  he  was  22  years  old.  He 
was  educated  in  Middlebury  common  schools  and  at  the  Armenia 
Academy.  He  was  for  a  time  employed  in  a  shop  at  Waterbury,  from 
which  place  he  came  to  Middlebury,  and  has  since  followed  the  busi- 
ness of  farming.  He  owns  about  200  acres  of  land.  He  married  Sarah 
J.,  daughter  of  Lyman  P.  Smith,  of  Waterbury,  formerly  from  Pros- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  773 

pect,  in  April,  1866.  They  have  two  sons  :  Dwight  L.,  born  in  1867, 
and  Arthur  E.,  born  in  1876.  Frank  H.  Wheeler  was  in  the  legisla- 
ture in  1877. 

Sylvester  S.  Wooster  is  a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  in 
the  town  of  Middlebury.  Edward  Wooster  came  to  this  country  from 
England  in  1650,  and  settled  in  Derby.  General  Wooster  was  one  of 
his  descendants.  His  grandson,  David,  came  to  Middlebury  about 
1740.  He  had  three  sons:  David,  Daniel  and  James  D.  Daniel  was  a 
Methodist  minister.  The  farm  of  David  was  declared  forfeited  to  the 
state  on  account  of  his  friendly  feelings  toward  the  mother  country 
during  the  revolutionary  war,  but  was  restored  to  James  and  Daniel, 
his  sons,  about  1798.  The  only  family  of  this  name  now  living  in  the 
town  is  that  of  Ebenezer,  who  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  the  first  Ed- 
ward. Ebenezer  was  born  in  1816,  and  married  Abby  M.  Wheeler,  of 
Huntington,  January  20th,  1842.  They  have  one  son,  Sylvester  S. 
Wooster,  who  was  married  in  1881,  to  Mary  L.  Perkins,  of  Salisbury, 
Conn.  They  now  live  on  a  part  of  the  old  Wooster  place  that  has  been 
in  the  family  150  years.. 

Charles  T.  Yale,  born  in  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1836,  is  a  son 
of  Charles  Yale,  who  died  when  Charles  T.  was  10  years  old.  His 
father  had  nine  children,  Charles  T.  being  the  youngest  son.  He  was 
educated  at  Norfolk  and  Canaan  academies,  and  came  to  Middlebury 
in  1869.  He  married  Harriett  M.  Curtiss,  of  Middlebury,  and  they 
have  three  children:  Grace,  Gertrude  and  Irving  P.,  all  born  in  Middle- 
bury. Mr.  Yale  is  engaged  in  farming,  and  has  the  contract  for  car- 
rying the  mail  from  Middlebury  to  Waterbury.  He  has  been  select- 
man, justice  of  the  peace,  assessor  and  grand  juror. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  TOWN  OF  SOUTHBURY. 


Location  and  Description. — The  Pootatuck  Indians. — The  Early  Settlers. — Civil  Organ- 
ization.— Business  Interests. — South  Britain. — Southford  and  its  Various  Interests. 
— Physicians  and  Lawyers. — Religious  Interests. — Cemeteries. — Military  Affairs. — 
Biographical  Sketches. 


SOUTHBURY  is  the  most  extreme  western  town  in  the  county. 
For  many  years  it  was  a  part  of  Litchfield  county,  lying  south 
of  Roxbury  and  Woodbury.  On  the  southwest  is  the  Housa- 
tonic  river,  which  separates  it  from  Fairfield  county.  East  and  south- 
east are  Middlebury  and  Oxford,  in  New  Haven  county,  separated  in 
part  by  the  Eight  Mile  brook.  In  extent  from  east  to  west  Southbury 
is  about  eight  miles,  and  about  four  miles  wide.  The  surface  is  ele- 
vated and  broken  by  hills,  locally  known  as  Bullet,  Chestnut,  Ragland, 
John  Johnson's,  George's,  Pine,  Flat,  Tom's,  Horse  and  East  hills, 
nearly  all  of  which  are  tillable  on  their  summits.  The  sides  usually 
have  thin  soil,  covered  with  rocks  and  trees.  The  intervales  formed 
by  these  hills  and  streams,  of  which  the  chief  ones  are  the  Pomperaug 
and  Shepaug,  with  a  number  of  affluent  brooks,  have  fertile  lands  of 
a  sandy  loam  nature.  The  largest  tracts  of  tillable  land  are  in  the 
valley  of  the  Pomperaug,  where  are  some  well  cultivated  farms.  The 
lands  on  White  Oak  plains  are  especially  finely  located.  Agriculture 
is  the  chief  pursuit  of  the  town,  whose  population  has  in  consequence 
decreased,  being  attracted  to  manufacturing  centers. 

The  hills  and  streams  have  caused  a  number  of  localities,  to  which 
specific  names  have  been  applied.  Along  the  Housatonic  are  Union 
Bridge,  Bennett's  Bridge  and  the  Indian  Pootatuck  village.  For  many 
generations  this  has  been  the  property  of  the  Mitchell  family,  George 
W.  Mitchell  being  the  owner  in  1890.  Along  the  Eight  Mile  brook 
are  Strongtown  and  Southford,  and  southwest  of  the  latter  is  Kettle 
town.  On  the  Pomperaug  are  White  Oak,  Southbury  Center  and  South 
Britain.  North  of  the  latter  are  Pierce  Hollow,  Mulberry  Corners  and 
Transylvania.  Southeast  from  this  is  a  range  of  hill  lands,  called 
Poverty,  whose  derivation  is  not  so  clear  as  some  of  the  foregoing. 

A  little  more  than  a  mile  southeast  from  the  center  is  a  locality 
called  "  Pork  Hollow,"  which  received  its  name  from  the  fact  that  dur- 
ing the  revolution,  when  Shadrach  Osborn,  of  this  town,  was  a  commis- 
sary sergeant  or  quartermaster,  he  caused  several  hundred  barrels  of 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  775 

pork  to  be  stored  there  for  safety,  after  the  capture  of  Danbury.  The 
provisions  were  under  the  guard  of  Captain  Parsons  and  50  men  from 
Derby.  About  the  same  distance  southwest  from  Southbury  church, 
along  the  river,  a  large  quantity  of  beef  was  stored  until  it  could  be 
moved  elsewhere  with  safety. 

In  the  town  are  found  traces  of  minerals,  coal  being  clearly  shown 
in  several  localities.  Along  the  Pomperaug,  west  of  Southbury  Cen- 
ter, a  shaft  was  sunk  some  time  about  1830,  to  develop  that  mineral, 
but  after  reaching  a  depth  of  100  feet  it  was  abandoned.  In  1888  the 
work  of  boring  for  petroleum  or  natural  gas  was  begun  in  the  same 
locality  by  the  Southbury  Company,  and  a  well,  1,500  feet  deep,  was 
sunk  without  reaching  paying  results,  when  work  was  suspended  in 
1889,  but  resumed  in  1800.  At  South  Britain  a  fine  quality  of  red 
sandstone  for  building  purposes  can  be  quarried. 

The  original  owners  of  the  soil  in  the  present  town  of  Southbury 
were  a  clan  of  Indians,  called  Pootatucks  or  Potatucks.  They  were  a 
quiet  and  peaceful  people,  inclined  to  cultivate  friendship  with  the 
whites,  whose  settlement  among  them  was  not  attended  with  any  rup- 
ture; and  it  is  said  that  they  even  looked  with  favor  upon  the  ways 
of  the  whites,  permitting  some  of  their  children  to  attend  the  schools 
of  the  early  settlers.*  In  1639  Pomperaug  was  the  sachem  of  the 
Pootatucks,  and  from  him  the  principal  stream  in  the  town  took  its 
name.  The  main  seat  or  village  of  his  tribe  was  on  the  Housatonic 
river,  a  short  distance  above  Cockshure,  later  Hubbell's  island.  It 
occupied  a  plateau  of  land  several  hundred  feet  above  the  river,  which 
afforded  an  extended  and  attractive  view  of  the  country  south  and 
west.  At  and  near  this  village  the  Indians  had  made  improvements 
of  rather  a  substantial  nature,  having  corn  cribs  and  orchards  of  apple 
trees.  One  of  the  latter  belonged  to  a  chieftain  called  Tummasute, 
and  was  long  preserved,  a  few  trees  remaining  at  the  present  time. 
At  this  place  was  a  large  burying  ground,  and  some  skeletons  have 
been  exhumed  which  were  found  in  a  sitting  posture. 

The  Pootatucks  had  another  village,  in  the  present  town  of  Wood- 
bury, at  Nonnewaug,  and  a  trail  along  the  Pomperaug  creek  connected 
the  two  places.  Along  its  course  in  the  northern  part  of  Southbury, 
on  Stiles  brook,  was  another  burial  ground  and  near  this  place  was  lo- 
cated the  first  cemetery  of  the  whites.  Pomperaug  himself,  it  appears, 
was  buried  farther  north,  on  a  spot  on  a  trail  which  was  marked  by  a 
large  mound  of  stones,  each  Indian  in  passing  depositing  one  on  the 
grave  as  a  token  of  love  and  respect. 

On  the  occupancy  by  the  whites,  in  1673,  the  Pootatucks  in  this 
region  may  have  numbered  several  hundred  individuals,  but  Presi- 
dent Stiles,  of  Yale  College,  estimated  that  there  were  no  more  than 
40  in  1710,  and  their  numbers  gradually  decreased,  by  removal  or 
death,  until  but  a  few  remained.  One  of  these  was  Manquash,  a  sachem, 
*  Cothren's  Woodbury,  p.  85. 


776  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and  probably  the  last  ruler,  who  died  in  175S,  and  was  buried  under 
an  old  apple  tree,  a  short  distance  from  the  Eleazer  Mitchell  house. 
In  1761  all  the  Indians  had  gone  except  one  old  man  and  a  few  mem- 
bers of  broken  families,  who  lingered  as  if  they  would  gladly  be  laid 
near  the  graves  of  their  fathers. 

While  the  Pootatucks  were  willing  that  the  whites  should  settle 
among  them,  they  were  reluctant  to  yield  all  their  lands  at  once. 
Hence  a  number  of  purchases  were  made,  from  1673,  through  a  period 
of  70  years,  several  tracts  being  purchased  twice  and  oftener  of  differ- 
ent Indians  in  order  to  preserve  their  friendly  feeling.  A  part  of 
Southbury  and  what  is  now  Oxford  was  in  the  "Kettletown"  pur- 
chase of  1679,  paid  in  "corn  and  other  goods,"  the  second  time,  the 
consideration  the  first  time  time  having  been  a  brass  kettle,  from 
which  the  tract  in  question  took  its  name.  Other  Indians  claiming  it, 
the  tract  was  passed  through  the  formality  of  a  third  purchase  in  1705. 
A  year  later  other  lands  were  purchased  in  what  is  now  Southbury, 
but  in  that  tract  was  the  "Pootatuck  Reservation,"  which  embraced  a 
large  part  of  what  later  became  the  South  Britain  parish.  Three- 
fourths  of  the  reservation  were  sold  to  the  whites  in  1733  and  divided 
among  the  proprietors  of  Woodbury  before  1742.  The  committee 
charged  with  this  work,  Noah  Hinman,  Captain  Thomas  Knowles, 
Captain  Richard  Brownson,  Knell  Mitchell  and  Cornelius  Brownson, 
at  this  time  decided  to  lay  highways  through  the  tract,  "200  rods 
apart  over  hill  and  dale  without  regard  to  circumstances." 

In  May,  1759,  the  Pootatucks,  through  Shoran  or  Tom  Sherman, 
one  of  their  number,  sold  their  last  acre  of  land  in  the  town,  includ- 
ing the  village  site  of  Pootatuck,  and  soon  after  took  up  their  abode 
elsewhere. 

The  settlement  of  Southbury  was  caused  by  a  dissension  in  the 
church  at  Stratford,  consequent  upon  the  settlement  of  a  new  minister, 
the  congregation  dividing  into  adherents  of  Reverends  Chansey  and 
Walker.  The  latter  party  resolved  to  found  a  new  plantation  and  re- 
ceiving permission,  purchased  Pootatuck  Indian  lands  along  the  Hous- 
atonic  for  that  purpose.  In  pursuance  of  this  object,  liberty  was  fur- 
ther granted,  May  9th,  1672,  to  Mr.  Samuel  Sherman,  Lieutenant  Wil- 
liam Curtiss,  Ensign  Joseph  Judson,  John  Miner  and  their  associates 
to  erect  plantations  on  the  Pomperaug.  Early  in  the  spring  of  the  fol- 
lowing year,  15  male  members  of  the  Walker  congregation  started  for 
the  wilds  of  the  Pomperaug  country  to  locate  their  new  homes.  They 
had  been  directed  to  follow  up  the  Pootatuck  or  Great  river  (Housa- 
tonic),  until  they  should  come  to  a  large  river  flowing  into  it  from  the 
north,  which  they  were  to  ascend  eight  miles,  when  they  would  find 
a  fertile  plain  which  had  been  tilled  by  the  Indians,  where  new  farms 
could  readily  be  made.  Through  a  mistake  they  passed  on  to  theShe- 
paug.  They  followed  up  this  stream  and  soon  were  in  the  hilly 
lands  of  Roxbury.     Realizing  that  they  were  too  far  west  they  turned 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  777 

their  faces  to  the  eastward,  hoping  there  to  find  the  desired  plain 
lands.  After  a  wearisome  journey,  over  the  rugged  lands,  they  reached 
a  high  elevation,  from  the  summit  of  which  the  plain  in  all  its  beauty 
can  be  seen.  With  grateful  hearts  they  fall  on  their  knees  and  the 
summit  is  ever  thereafter  "Good  Hill"  to  them.  The  next  day  they 
descended  into  the  valley,  which  they  explored  and  eagerly  found 
the  lands  they  had  sought.  The  following  night  they  camped  under 
a  huge  white  oak  tree,  which  stood  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  pres- 
ent Southbury  Main  street,  and  80  rods  east  of  the  Pomperaug  river; 
and  from  that  circumstance  and  the  numerous  trees  of  the  same  kind, 
near  by,  this  locality  became  known  as  White  Oak,  which  name  has 
since  been  retained.  The  old  white  oak,  after  standing  more  than  a 
century  after  the  occupancy  of  the  country  by  the  whites,  fell  down, 
but  several  pieces  were  preserved  as  mementoes  by  the  venerable 
Shadrach  Osborn. 

In  this  locality  the  first  settlements  in  the  town  were  made  in 
April  or  May,  1673,  by  Israel  and  Joshua  Curtiss,  Samuel  Stiles,  Titus 
Hinman,  Moses  Johnson  and  a  few  others.  The  most  of  the  explor- 
ing company  of  15  and  those  who  came  soon  after  took  up  their  abode 
in  what  is  now  Woodbury.  This  term  was  applied  to  the  Pomper- 
aug section  by  the  general  court  at  Hartford  May  14th,  1674 ;  and  for 
more  than  a  century  the  affairs  of  Southbury  were  identified  with 
those  of  Woodbury.  In  the  first  settlement  it  is  said  that  the  design 
was  to  live  upon  the  river  flats,  but  that  a  freshet  soon  demonstrated 
that  the  place  was  unsuitable  and  new  locations  were  sought  along  the 
Indian  trail,  on  the  hillside  east,  and  the  brooks  in  that  locality,  where 
some  of  the  land  has  ever  since  remained  in  the  families  of  Stiles  and 
Hinman,  who  had  it  direct  from  the  Indians.  The  trail  through  South- 
bury, from  the  churches  north  to  Woodbury  line,  was  nearly  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Southbury  Main  street,  whose  course  was  laid  out  in 
1675  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  general  court,  consisting  of 
Captain  William  Curtiss,  Captain  John  Nash  and  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Munson.  The  highway  extended  to  Derby  and  at  the  latter  place  a 
ferry  was  that  year  authorized. 

Along  Southbury  Main  street  the  early  settlers  laid  out  their  home 
lots  with  narrow  fronts,  and  consisting  of  from  two  to  five  acres.  In 
the  rear  were  allotments  for  general  farming  purposes  of  four  times 
the  area  of  the  home  lots  with  which  they  were  connected.  The  dis- 
tinction in  rank  was  thus  recognized,  but  no  one  was  landless  and 
there  was  a  limit  to  the  possessions  of  the  richer  class.  There  were, 
also,  on  the  same  basis,  divisions  or  allotments  of  meadow  lands,  up- 
lands, wood  lots,  etc.,  in  the  different  purchases  until  all  the  land  was 
divided,  the  last  allotment  being  made  in  1782,  or  more  than  100  years 
after  the  first  selection  was  made.  Besides  those  who  were  first  as- 
signed lots  there  were,  prior  to  1682,  among  the  land  owners  in  South- 
bury,  Matthew  Mitchell,  John  Mitchell,   Samuel    Hinman,    Thomas 


778  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Drakely,  Joseph  Hicock,  Benjamin  Hicock,  Benjamin  Stiles,  Isaac 
Curtiss,  Edward  Hinman,  Jonathan  Squires,  John  Pierce,  the  Strongs, 
the  Smiths  and  others. 

The  settlements  increased  very  rapidly,  and  many  changes  in  the 
ownership  of  lands  took  place,  in  the  course  of  years,  so  that  it  would 
be  extremely  difficult  to  trace  the  chain  of  succession  of  even  the  oldest 
homesteads. 

The  names  of  many  early  settlers  of  the  town  can  be  found  in  the 
following  list  of  taxables  in  1787.  Those  assessed  in  Southbury  society 
were:  Oliver  Barrett,  Azariah  Bard,  Joseph  Benham,  Thomas  Brooks, 
Charles  Baldwin,  Hezekiah  Baldwin,  Park  Brown,  Anthony  Burritt, 
John  Bulford,  Elijah  Brownson,  Abraham  Brownson,  Ebenezer  Brown- 
son,  Ebenezer  Brownson,  2d,  Noah  Brownson,  Marsh  Brownson,  Ste- 
phen Bateman,  Elijah  Booth,  William  Burr,  Elias  Bates,  Nathan  Cur- 
tiss, Abijah  Curtiss,  Aaron  Curtiss,  Reuben  Curtiss,  Joseph  Curtiss,  Dan- 
iel Curtiss,  Wait  Curtiss,  Israel  Curtiss,  Israel  Curtiss,  2d,  Benjamin 
Curtiss,  Stephen  Curtiss,  Oliver  Chatfield,  John  Chilson,  Andrew  Coe, 
Amos  Coe,  Isaac  Demming,  John  Demming,  George  Dudley,  Samuel 
Drakely,  Daniel  Durkee,  Bartimas  Fabrique,  David  Fabrique,  William 
French,  Jacob  Glazier,  Jacob  Glazier,  2d,  Curtiss  Graham,  .Martha 
Graham,  Ebenezer  Guthrie,  John  Garrett,  Wait  Garrett,  Edward  Hin- 
man, Benjamin  Hinman,  Justus  Hinman,  Silas  Hinman,  David  Hin- 
man, Sherman  Hinman,  Aaron  Hinman,  Joel  Hinman,  Agur  Hinman, 
Jonas  Hinman,  Jonas  Hinman,  2d,  Adam  Hinman,  Truman  Hinman, 
John  Hinman,  Michael  Hann,  Benedict  Hann,  Andrew  Hurd,  William 
Hurd,  Elijah  Hine,  Amos  Hicock,  Benjamin  Hicock,  Joseph  Hicock, 
Joseph  Hicock,  Jr.,  Ithiel  Hicock,  Silas  Hicock,  Joseph  Holbrook,  David 
Johnson,  Asa  Johnson,  Hiram  Johnson,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Gideon 
Johnson,  Justus  Johnson,  Timothy  Johnson,  Solomon  Johnson,  Abra- 
ham Lines,  Jesse  Lambert,  Adam  Lum,  Abel  Leavenworth,  Gideon 
Leavenworth,  Jonathan  Mitchell,  David  Mitchell,  Matthew  Mitchell, 
Simeon  Mitchell,  Increase  Mosely,  Samuel  Munn,  Jedediah  Munn,  Asa 
Munn,  Shadrach  Osborn,  Timothy  Osborn,  Barnum  Osborn,  Abijah 
Peck,  Eliphalet  Pardee,  Stephen  Peet,  Elijah  Perkins,  Joseph  Rich- 
ards, Jonah  Summers,  Benjamin  Stiles,  Benjamin  Stiles,  2d,  David 
Stiles,  Ephraim  Stiles,  Truman  Stiles,  Nathan  Stiles,  Samuel  Stiles, 
Sarah  Stone,  John  Stone,  Adin  Strong,  Charles  Strong,  Benjamin 
Strong,  Ebenezer  Strong,  Samuel  Strong,  Selah  Strong,  Return  Strong, 
Thomas  Strong,  John  Squire,  Joseph  Sanford,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Eph- 
raim Skeels,  Nathaniel  Tuttle,  Edmund  Tompkins,  Esther  Thompson, 
Joseph  Trowbridge,  John  Wheeler,  Obadiah  Wheeler,  Obadiah 
Wheeler,  2d,  Adin  Wheeler,  Asa  Wheeler,  Bethiah  Wheeler,  Ebenezer 
Wheeler,  Jesse  Wheeler,  Adam  Wagner,  David  Wildman,  Sylvester 
Wooster. 

The  taxables  in  South  Britain  parish  were  :  Edward  Allen,  David 
Allen,   Gideon  Allen,  Jonah  Allen,   Phineas  Bowers,   Jabez  Barlow, 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  779 

Samuel  Bottsford,  Elijah  Baldwin,  Joseph  Baldwin,  Smith  Booth, 
Lemuel  Blackman,  Abel  Bennett,  Nathaniel  Cary  Clark,  Samuel 
Curtiss,  Ebenezer  Down,  Ebenezer  Down,  2d,  Moses  Down,  Aaron 
Down,  Benjamin  Down,  Truman  Down,  Nathan  Down,  Samuel  Dan- 
iels, James  Edmond,  George  Edmond,  John  Edmond,  Abijah  Fair- 
child,  John  Glover,  Oliver  Gibbs,  Morris  Gibbs,  Francis  Garrett, 
Daniel  Gorham,  Daniel  Hinman,  Jonathan  Hinman,  Asa  Hinman, 
Francis  Hinman,  Wait  Hinman,  Samuel  Hinman,  Bethuel  Hinman, 
Titus  Hinman,  Gideon  Hawley,  Milton  Hawley,  Richard  Hawley, 
Gideon  Hicock,  Justus  Hicock,  Asa  Hicock,  John  Hynes,  Amos 
Johnson,  John  Johnson,  John  Johnson,  2d,  Reuben  Jennings,  Thomas 
Kimberley,  Thomas  Kimberley,  2d,  Eleazer  Knowles,  Stephen 
Mix  Mitchell,  Eleazer  Mitchell,  Simeon  Mitchell,  John  Mallory, 
James  Masters,  Josiah  Osborn,  Simeon  Osborn,  Justus  Pearce, 
Titus  Pearce,  Elijah  Pearce,  Abraham  Pearce,  Eunice  Pearce,  Samuel 
Pearce,  Joseph  Pearce,  Benjamin  Pearce,  Joel  Pearce,  Nathan  Pearce, 
John  Parks,  John  Parks,  2d,  James  Parks,  Stephen  Piatt,  Stephen  Piatt, 
2d,  Joseph  Post,  Josiah  Page,  Benjamin  Russell,  Jared  Smith,  Ambrose 
Sperry,  Abijah  Squire,  Stephen  Squire,  David  Squire,  Jonathan  San- 
ford,  Solomon  Sanford,  Solomon  Seward,  Daniel  Sherman,  John  Skeels, 
James  Stanclift,  Cyrenus  Stoddard,  Zephaniah  Smith,  Bethuel  Treat, 
Malock  Ward,  Zenas  Ward,  Noadiah  WaYner,  Johnson  Wheeler,  Agur 
Wheeler,  Asa  Wheeler. 

In  that  part  which  was  afterward  set  off  to  Middlebury  lived,  in 
1787 :  Japheth  Benham,  Miles  Mallatt,  Eliphalet  Pardee,  Ebenezer 
Smith,  Ebenezer  Smith,  Jr.,  Daniel  Smith,  John  Stone,  Ezekiel  Stone, 
Mansfield  Stone,  Samuel  Scott,  Ebenezer  Scott,  Jesse  Wheeler. 

In  the  Oxford  Part  there  were  at  the  same  time  (1787) :  Eliphalet 
Bristol,  Riggs  Bristol,  Truman  Bristol,  Gad  Bristol,  Justus  Bristol, 
Isaac  Brisco,  Thomas  Bissell,  David  Candee,  Samuel  Candee,  Timothy 
Candee,  Jehiel  Peet,  Joseph  Towner,  Samuel  Wheeler,  Joanna  Wil- 
mot  and  Isaac  Munson. 

In  the  Southbury  Society  the  parish  list  amounted  to  £7,373,  14s. 
and  4d.;  in  the  South  Britain  Society,  £4,211,  14s.  and  6d.;  in  the  Mid- 
dlebury part,  £606,  18s.  and  6d.;  and  in  the  Oxford  part,  £684,  17s. 
and  9d.     The  whole  number  of  resident  taxables  was  more  than  280. 

Parjsh  privileges  were  claimed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  lower  part 
of  Woodbury  as  early  as  1718,  but  by  a  compromise  a  division  was 
postponed  until  12  years  later.  A  petition  was  presented  to  the  May, 
1730,  assemby,  by  Titus  Hinman,  Sr.,  Benjamin  Hicock  and  Andrew 
Hinman,  "in  behalf  of  the  Rest"  for  a  division  and  that  the  line  be  the 
same  as  that  which  divides  the  "Train  Bands."  The  petition  was 
answered  the  following  year,  when  the  Second  Ecclesiastical  Society 
in  Woodbury  was  incorporated,  May,  1731,  as  Southbury,  the  name 
being  suggested  by  the  geographical  relation  to  the  old  society  of  the 
newly  formed  parish.  Against  this  division  by  the  lines  of  the  "Train 


780  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Bands,"  33  inhabitants  in  the  north  part  and  30  in  the  south  part  pro- 
tested and  in  1732  a  new  line,  farther  south,  was  selected.  The  old 
society  paid  the  new  one  .£300  and  its  affairs  now  became,  so  far  as  its 
ecclesiastical  interests  were  concerned,  separate  and  distinct.  This 
original  parish  of  Southbury  was  sub-divided  in  May,  1766,  when  the 
parish  of  South  Britain  was  incorporated  to  embrace  all  that  part  of 
the  Southbury  parish  lying  west  of  the  divide  formed  by  the  hills 
along  the  Pomperaug,  in  the  central  part,  or  north  of  the  great  bend 
of  that  stream.  The  inhabitants  of  the  parishes  of  Southbury  and 
South  Britain  were  incorporated  as  a  town,  by  the  May,  1787,  general 
assembly.  The  first  meeting,was  held  in  the  Southbury  society,  June 
30th,  1787,  Edward  Hinman  moderating,  when  the  following  were 
chosen:  Clerk,  Increase  Mosely;  selectmen,  Shadrach  Osborn,  Ed- 
ward Hinman,  Amos  Johnson,  Nathan  Curtiss,  John  Edmond;  treas- 
urer, Aaron  Hinman;  collector,  Silas  Hicock;  constables,  Simeon  Mit- 
chell, Nathan  Down,  Titus  Pearce;  listers,  Sherman  Hinman,  John 
Bulford,  Titus  Pearce,  Moses  A.  Johnson,  Daniel  Hinman,  Nathan 
Down,  Jonathan  Mitchell,  Samuel  Cande,  Ebenezer  Strong;  grand 
jurors,  Daniel  Curtiss,  Elijah  Booth,  Simeon  Mitchell,  Jr.;  tything 
men,  Elijah  Hine,  Elnathan  Strong,  Elijah  Fairchild;  gauger,  Shad- 
rach Osborn;  sealer  of  weights  and  measures,  Jonah  Summers;  key 
keepers,  Abraham  Lines,  Mos'es  Downs;  surveyors  of  highways,  Eph- 
raim  Stiles,  David  Mitchell,  WaitGarritt,  Elnathan  Strong,  David  Hin- 
man, Jr.,  Joseph  Hicock,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Curtiss,  Selah  Strong,  Justus 
Bristol,  John  Mallory,  Samuel  Curtiss,  Nathan  Down,  Johnson  Wheel- 
er, Eleazer  Mitchell,  John  Edmond,  Asa  Hicock,  Solomon  Seward. 
Malock  Ward,  Eleazer  Hinman,  Adam  Lum,  Adam  Hinman,  Jr.,  Abra- 
ham Pearce,  Stephen  Squire,  Samuel  Cande,  David  Squire,  Benjamin 
Hicock. 

It  was  voted  that  a  tax  of  one  penny  on  |the  pound  be  levied,  pay- 
able February,  1788,  in  money,  or  rye  at  3  shillings  per  bushel;  Indian- 
corn  at  2  shillings  3  pence;  buckwheat  at  1  shilling  8  pence  per 
bushel,  or  flax  at  5  pence  per  pound. 

The  movement  to  create  a  new  county,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of 
Woodbury,  Waterbury,  Southbury,  New  Milford,  Washington,  etc., 
received  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  electors  in  1791,  and  it  was 
voted  to  favor  such  a  new  county,  "  provided  that  the  seat  be  fixed  in 
the  first  society  of  Woodbury;  and  further  provided  that  the  court- 
house and  jail  be  erected  without  taxing  the  inhabitants  of  the  new 
county."  Benjamin  Stiles,  Jr.,  Esq.,  Amos  Johnson  and  Aaron  Hin- 
man were  appointed  agents  to  the  convention  in  behalf  of  the  new 
county;  but  no  action  leading  to  the  formation  of  a  county  was  taken, 
and  Southbury  became  a  part  of  New  Haven  county. 

The  town  clerks  of  Woodbury  have  been:  1787-1804,  Colonel  In- 
crease Mosely;  1805-33,  John  Mosely;  1834-6,  Charles  C.  Hinman; 
1837-50,  Walter  Johnson;  1851-62,  Titus  Pierce;  1863-71,   Henry  W. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  781 

vScott;  1872-3,  William    T.  Gilbert;  1874-7,  Oliver    Mitchell;  1878-81,   . 
Granville  T.  Pierce;  18S2-6,  John  J.  Hinman:  1887,  Samuel  L.  Tuttle; 
1888,  John  J.  Hinman. 

In  early  times  the  means  of  communication  were  limited,  but  the 
construction  of  the  highways  received  proper  consideration.  The 
smaller  streams  were  usually  forded  and  the  larger  ones  crossed  by 
means  of  ferries.  On  the  Housatonic,  at  Cockshure's  island,  Peter 
Hubbell  was  granted  the  right  to  operate  a  ferry  May  13th,  1730,  and 
from  that  time  the  island  was  known  by  his  name.  Several  miles  be- 
low, the  right  was  granted  to  Wait  Hinman  in  1752,  and  the  same 
privilege  was  granted  to  his  son,  Samuel  Hinman,  in  1775.  At  this 
place  General  George  Washington  caused  a  bridge  to  be  built  while 
on  his  march,  in  177S.  It  was  damaged  and  repaired  in  1779,  and  more 
thoroughly  rebuilt  in  1780  by  moneys  raised  by  a  lottery. 

The  principal  highway  has  ever  been  Southbury  Main  street.  It 
closely  followed  the  old  Pomperaug  trail  and  was  laid  out  by  the  whites 
in  1675.  When  the  Woodbury  turnpike  was  located  in  1795  this  course 
was  selected,  when  it  became  a  still  more  popular  thoroughfare.  In 
many  places  it  is  from  eight  to  fifteen  rods  wide  and  has  several 
driveways,  along  which  grow  magnificent  oaks,  elms  and  maples, 
among  which  are  studded  many  comfortable  homes.  Near  the  Wood- 
bury line  are  several  fine  places.  One  is  known  as  the  Mitchell  Man- 
sion House  and  was  built  on  the  site  of  Reverend  Mr.  Graham's  resi- 
dence by  M.  S.  Mitchell,  about  1835,  for  a  superior  place  of  public  en- 
tertainment. At  that  time  and  for  many  years  it  had  no  equal  in  size 
and  beauty  of  finish  in  this  part  of  the  state.  It  was  sold  to  Sidney  B. 
Whitlock,  a  retired  sea  captain,  who  converted  it  into  a  country  resi- 
dence, in  which  way  it  was  used  in  1890  by  Henry  A.  Matthews.  Near 
by,  on  the  hillside,  is  a  substantial  brick  residence,  which  became  noted 
as  the  place  where  the  popular  and  genial  author,  Samuel  G.  Good- 
rich (Peter  Parley),  passed  the  last  days  of  his  life,  and  he  now  rests  in 
the  cemetery  near  by.  The  "  Peter  Parley  House  "  was  a  pleasant 
country  resort  in  1S90,  kept  by  Egbert  Warner. 

On  Southbury  Main  street  have  been  kept  the  principal  stores  and 
public  places  of  this  part  of  the  town.  At  White  Oak  Colonel  Increase 
Mosely  had  a  store  before  and  during  the  revolution,  and  at  that  place 
some  of  Lafayette's  troops  were  encamped  while  on  their  march  from 
the  east.  On  the  site  of  the  M.  E.  church  Captain  Truman  Hinman 
was  many  years  engaged  in  trade.  On  the  east  side  of  the  street  Colo- 
nel Tedediah  Hall,  and  later  Charles  H.  Hall,  merchandised  and  also 
kept  the  post  office.  Jackson  &  Hunt  were  the  last  in  trade  at  that 
place,  when  the  building  was  burned.  Farther  south  the  Osborns, 
Nathan  Mitchell  and  Nathan  Stiles  also  traded.  At  the  lower  end  of 
Main  street  George  and  Aaron  Shelton  had  a  place  of  business,  which 
was  burned  in  1847.  Farther  west,  on  the  site  of  the  present  "  Oak 
Tree  Inn,"  Jedediah  Hall  had  a  store  and  shops  for  the  manufacture 


782  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

of  leather  and  shoes.  Heth  P.  Jones  was  on  the  same  site  later. 
Higher  up  the  street  Henry  W.  Scott  had  a  public  house  for  many 
years,  after  1840,  which  has  been  converted  into  a  private  residence. 
On  this  end  of  the  street  the  Southbury  post  office  is  kept  by  Walter 
Hicock.  Other  recent  postmasters  have  been  Andrew  Perry,  S.  L. 
Tuttle  and  Benjamin  Hicock.  A.  A.  Stone  and  others  traded  here  in 
1890.  Stone  also  had  small  mills  operated  by  the  waters  of  Bullet 
brook,  whose  power  is  feeble.  Captain  Aaron  Hicock  and  the  Shel- 
tons  were  earlier  owners.  Higher  up  this  brook  improvements  were 
made  as  early  as  1712,  by  one  of  the  Strongs.  In  1740  the  Knowles, 
Strong  and  Hicock  families  united  and  put  up  a  saw  mill.  Later  a 
grist  mill  was  there  put  up,  which  was  operated  by  members  of  the 
Hicock  family,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  past  20  years 
the  power  has  been  utilized  by  Charles  Wakelee's  plow  factory. 
Nearly  west  of  the  Southbury  railway  station,  on  the  Pomperaug, 
Amos  Piatt  had  saw  and  grist  mills,  which  passed  to  Joseph  Olm- 
stead,  and  more  recently  to  William  W.  Olmstead. 

The  New  York  &  New  England  railroad  enters  the  town  of  South- 
bury from  the  northeast,  on  crossing  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  and  leaves 
it  to  the  west,  on  crossing  the  Housatonic  river — a  distance  of  about 
seven  miles.  The  first  survey  was  made  by  Engineer  Broadhead,  of 
Boston,  in  the  fall  of  1845.  The  application  to  take  land  was  made  in 
July,  1868,  under  the  name  of  the  Boston,  Hartford  &  Erie  Railroad 
Company,  and  work  was  commenced  the  following  November  and 
continued  till  February,  1870,  about  three  quarters  of  the  roadbed 
being  completed.  Suspension  then  became  a  necessity  on  account  of 
the  failure  of  the  company  to  provide  funds.  Work  was  resumed 
under  the  new  company  in  January,  1880;  the  track  was  laid  in  No- 
vember and  December,  and  the  road  ballasted  the  following  spring  and 
opened  for  travel  in  July,  1881.  There  are  two  stations  in  the  town; 
Pomperaug  Valley,  for  the  convenience  of  Southbury,  South  Britain 
and  Woodbury,  an  important  station  for  passengers,  freight  and  mails; 
and  Southford  station,  which  also  affords  facilities  for  the  western 
parts  of  Oxford  and  Quakers  Farm  and  the  southern  portions  of 
Middlebury. 

At  South  Britain  the  Pomperaug  affords  a  good  power,  which  early 
caused  a  small  village  to  spring  up,  at  that  place.  The  surroundings 
are  picturesque,  there  being  high  ledges  of  rock  along  the  stream, 
which  made  its  improvement  easy.  Saw  and  grist  mills  were  here 
operated,  before  the  revolution,  by  the  Hinmans,  Knowles  and  others. 
At  the  close  of  the  last  century  Nathaniel  Car}''  Clark  was  the  mill 
owner,  and  in  1798  he  sold  the  privileges  to  Simeon  Mitchell.  The 
Litchfield  county  road  had  been  laid  out  through  the  place  the  year 
before,  and  the  surrounding  country  was  being  improved.  At  that 
time  among  the  inhabitants  here  were  Justus  Johnson  (who  had  a 
small  store),  Patience  Sperry,  Moses  and  Benjamin  Downs.     Mitchell 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  783 

was  an  energetic  man  and  quickened  the  business  of  the  place.  After 
his  death,  in  1814,  his  son-in-law,  Burton  Canfield,  became  the  owner 
of  the  mill  interests  and  greatly  extended  the  business.  He  put 
up  a  large  three-story  mill  for  making  carpet  yarns,  for  weavers  of 
New  Haven,  which  was  carried  on  until  1845.  Canfield  also  had  a  tan- 
nery, shoe  shops,  comb  shops,  and  put  up  many  of  the  buildings  in  the 
village.  He  died  in  1849  and  much  of  his  property  passed  to  Lemuel 
M.  Canfield  and  others;  but  the  carpet  mill  was  not  steadily  used  and 
was  burned  in  1870.  The  site  has  since  been  used  for  lumber  and  grist 
mills.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  Anson  and  Ira  Bradley  had 
a  satinet  factory,  which  burned  down  at  an  earlier  period,  when  a  new 
woolen  mill  was  erected  farther  down  the  stream,  which  has  long  been 
operated  by  Bradley,  Hoyt  &  Co.  on  cloths  and  yarns,  but  was  idle  in 
1S90.  Below  this  plant  was  the  reservoir  of  the  South  Britain  Water 
Power  Company,  which  was  constructed  in  1S53  at  a  cost  of  $17,000. 
It  embraced  forty  acres,  and  there  was  a  fall  of  20  feet.  The  esti- 
mated power  was  300  horse,  and  the  water  was  supplied  by  the  Pom- 
peraug  and  Transylvania  brook.  Unfortunately  the  reservoir  was 
never  utilized,  and  the  waters  have  been  withdrawn,  leaving  only  the 
ruins  of  the  enterprise. 

Among  the  industries  at  South  Britain  were  a  number  of  hat  shops 
and  other  mechanic  pursuits,  which  have  passed  away,  leaving  only  the 
ordinary  avocations  in  the  mechanic  trades,  there  being  several  shops. 

In  mercantile  pursuits  Samuel  and  George  Smith  were  active,  occu- 
pying the  store  used  in  1890  by  Charles  T.  Downs.  Deacon  Elliott 
Beardsley  had  another  store  and  was  for  many  years  the  postmaster 
■of  the  South  Britain  office.  There  are  also  in  the  village  Congrega- 
tional and  Methodist  churches  and  about  25  residences.  Pomperaug, 
three  miles  distant,  is  the  railway  station. 

The  Southford  School  District-  comprises  the  third  in  Southbury 
and  the  ninth  in  Oxford,  annexed,  and  lies  to  the  east  of  Pomperaug 
Valley.  The  hill  where  the  first  school  house  was  built  is  the  highest 
elevation  in  New  Haven  county,  on  the  road  from  New  Haven  to 
Litchfield.  But  this  hill  is  encircled  by  an  inner  and  outer  circle  of 
hills,  some  of  which  are  of  higher  elevation.  The  principal  ones  are 
Osborn,  Mitchel,  Walnut  tree,  Buck  and  Horsehill,  of  the  inner  circle; 
of  the  outer,  Bullet,  Stiles,  Pressen,  Woodruff,  Jack's,  High  and  Hull's 
hill.  The  greater  part  of  the  territory  lying  within  this  outer  circle 
comprises  the  Southford  postal  district,  having  a  diameter  on  a  line 
north  and  south  of  about  five  miles  and  on  a  line  east  and  west  of  four 
miles. 

The  Woodbury  and  Derby  road,  which  was  laid  out  by  order  of  the 
general  court,  1675,  ran  through  this  place  on  a  line  running  north- 
west and  southeast,  crossing  the  Eight  Mile  brook  where  is  now  a 
private  bridge  near  the  paper  mill,  running  along  the  southern  slope 

*By  Jervis  Sommers,  Esq. 


784  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

of  the  hill  and  through  Quaker  Farms.  Quassepaug  was  the  third 
purchase  made  of  the  Indians  by  the  inhabitants  of  ancient  Woodbury 
and  was  obtained  October  30th,  1687.  It  embraced  all  the  territory 
lying  north  of  the  Woodbury  and  Derby  road,  east  of  the  Pomperaug 
purchase  to  Waterbury  line,  then  east  along  the  line  between  ancient 
Woodbury  and  Waterbury  to  Towantic,  then  southward  to  where  the 
Woodbury  and  Derby  road  crossed  the  Eight  Mile  brook.  A  part  of 
the  southern  portion  of  the  town  of  Middlebury  is  within  this  limit. 
That  part  of  Southford  which  lies  south  of  the  line  of  the  old  Wood- 
bury and  Derby  road  was  acquired  under  the  Kettletown  purchase. 

"Out  East"  was  the  name  given  by  the  early  settlers  to  this  local- 
ity. At  the  present,  its  undulating  surface,  studded  with  groves  of 
native  chestnut,  oak,  ash,  hickory,  birch  and  maple,  intermingled  with 
grassy  slopes  and  valleys,  presents  an  appearance  pleasing  to  the  eye; 
and  the  old  homesteads  on  and  under  the  hills,  breezy  in  the  shade  of 
the  maple,  are  inviting.  But  the  aspect  was  different  217  years  ago, 
when  the  settlers  from  the  parent  settlement,  Stratford,  passed  by  this 
place  for  the  richer  lands  in  the  Pomperaug  valley.  But  near  the 
close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  this  locality  was  selected  as  the  homes 
for  many  thriving  mechanics  and  almost  every  person  living  here 
followed  some  mechanic  trade.  In  the  plantation  of  Pomperaug,  the 
mechanic  was  the  lowest  in  rank  and  his  allotments  the  least.  Hence, 
when  he  had  opportunity  here  to  obtain  ten  acres  for  a  home  lot 
and  a  proportionate  quantity  of  meadow  and  woodland,  the  mechanic 
at  once  said  it  was  too  good  a  thing  not  to  be  appreciated.  Although 
the  soil  was  shallow  and  rocky,  they  made  meadows  of  the  lowland, 
when  cleared  of  its  dense  growth  of  underbrush  and  small  wood;  the 
tall  oaks,  chestnuts  and  whitewoods  growing  on  the  hills  furnished 
lumber  for  their  buildings,  while  the  maple,  ash,  walnut  and  birch 
afforded  ample  fuel  in  the  shape  of  back-logs  and  fore-sticks  for  their 
fire-places,  seven  feet  long  and  four  feet  high.  How  long  the  rule  of 
allotment  was  in  force,  or  at  what  time  the  mechanic  made  "Out  East" 
his  abode  from  choice  is  difficult  to  determine  at  this  late  day. 

A  peculiar  feature  of  the  old  time  shoemaker  was  that  he  went  to 
the  house  of  his  customer  to  do  his  work.  This  he  called  "whipping 
the  cat;"  and  so  it  was  with  the  tailor,  the  spinner  and  the  weaver; 
the  nail  maker  went  where  his  nails  were  wanted;  the  carpenter's  work 
included  everything  about  the  building,  often  selecting  the  timber  in 
the  woods  and  cutting  it,  hewing  the  frame,  rending  the  shingles  and 
the  clapboards,  planing  his  lumber  and  painting.  The  cabinetmaker 
was  called  a  shop-joiner;  the  outdoor  wood  workman  of  rougher  work, 
like  the  plane  he  used  for  coarse  work,  was  a  "jack;"  and  going,  or 
slapping  his  jack  from  place  to  place,  he  was  a  "Slapjack,"  and  the 
place  of  his  abode  was  so  designated  in  the  phraseology  of  his  time 
until  the  building  of  Union  church.  From  that  time  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  post  office  the  place  was  called  "Union  Village."     Then, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  785 

John  Peck,  with  the  assistance  of  Judge  Phelps,  of  Woodbury,  took 
the  first  syllable  of  Southbury  and  the  last  of  Oxford  to  make  South- 
ford. 

The  post  office  was  established  about  1840  on  the  line  of  the  New 
Haven  and  Litchfield  road.  The  mail  was  then  carried  in  a  four 
horse  coach,  making  three  trips  a  week,  leaving  Litchfield  Monday 
morning.  On  the  opening  of  the  Naugatuck  railroad  the  mail  was  de- 
livered by  the  Seymour  and  Hotchkissville  line.  Since  February 
24th,  1890,  the  mail  is  received  from  the  Boston  &  Hopewell  Junc- 
tion Railroad  post  office,  delivered  by  the  New  York  &  New  England 
Railroad  Company.  John  Peck  was  the  first  postmaster,  succeeded 
by  Cyrus  Hinman,  Enos  Foot,  H.  V.  Porter,  R.  B.  Curtis,  Horace  Oat- 
man,  W.  J.  Oatman  and  Jervis  Sommers.  The  last  named  received 
his  commission  in  January,  1890,  and  February  8th  moved  the  office 
from  the  old  store  where  it  had  been  kept  from  the  first,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  short  intervals,  to  the  store  of  C.  P.  Tappan,  opposite 
the  railroad  station. 

Among  the  prominent  settlers  of  Southford  was  Adin  Wheeler, 
son  of  Obadiah  Wheeler.  He  taught  school  when  a  young  man,  but 
later  engaged  in  milling,  He  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  his 
great-grandson,  T.  F.  Wheeler.  His  sons  were  Joel  Wheeler  (whose 
son  Theodore  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner),  Adin  and  Obadiah.  A 
daughter  married  Joel  F.  Benedict,  and  their  four  sons  became  well- 
known  lawyers  aud  business  men  of  New  York;  and  many  of  the  de- 
scendants of  the  Wheelers  became  distinguished  in  other  localities. 

The  Candees  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  New  Haven.  Caleb, 
a  son,  settled  in  Oxford,  on  Christian  street.  His  son,  Samuel,  lived 
at  Southford,  and  the  mansion  he  erected  is  still  standing.  He  was 
active  in  public  affairs,  and  his  descendants  also  became  prominent. 
One  of  them,  John  D.  Candee,  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1847, 
and  became  well  known  as  an  editor  in  Bridgeport.  None  remain  at 
Southford. 

The  descendants  of  Lieutenant  Samuel  Wheeler,  who  settled  in  the 
Quassepaug  section  in  1740,  became  numerous  and  prominent  and 
some  of  them  lived  in  the  Southford  section,  Moses  Wheeler  living 
half  a  mile  north,  on  the  Middlebury  road,  where  his  son,  Elisha,  after- 
ward lived,  and  died  at  the  age  of  61  years.  A  son,  Alfred  Newton, 
is  an  attorney  at  New  Haven. 

Samuel  Bronson,  who  married  Elizabeth  Tanner  in  1735,  was  the 
father  of  the  Bronsons  of  this  locality,  one  of  whom,  Harvey,  had  a 
rope  walk.  Noah  Bronson  was  a  cooper  and  also  a  rope  maker.  His 
son,  Aaron,  was  a  cordwainer  and  button  maker.  His  son,  Harvey, 
manufactured  clock  cord  extensively  for  the  clock  makers  of  Bristol 
and  Waterbury,  and  was  the  last  Brouson  thus  here  engaged.  Abel 
W.  Bronson,  the  second  son  of  Aaron,  became  a  well  known  black- 
50 


786  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

smith  and  gimlet  maker.     A  grandson   of   Aaron,  C.  W.  Bradley,  be- 
came a  well  known  railroad  man  in  New  York. 

The  descendants  of  Jeremiah  Johnson  were  also  among  the  early 
settlers  and  mechanics  of  Southford,  his  son,  Adin,  being  here  well 
known.  A  daughter  of  Jeremiah  married  George  Boult,  one  of  the 
best  builders  of  his  time  and  most  skillful  as  a  joiner. 

A  mile  northeast,  at  a  place  called  Bristol-town,  Gad  Bristol  was  a 
cooper;  and  two  of  his  sons  became  tailors.  Nearer  Southford  lived 
George  Chambers,  a  shoemaker. 

Asahel  Hurd  lived  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Southford  commu- 
nity; and  Aaron  Hinman  built  a  stone  house  on  his  land,  at  "Out 
East,"  to  which  he  removed  from  his  Main  street  home.  Harry 
Stiles  was  here  as  a  shoemaker.  Lugrand  Sharpe  moved  from  this 
place  to  Seymour  about  1840.  Here  also  lived  Austin  Hine,  William 
Hurd,  Erastus  Burr,  the  Munns,  the  Towners  and  the  Curtiss's.  De- 
scendants of  the  latter  became  school  teachers  and  other  professional 
and  business  men.  A  daughter  of  Israel  Curtiss  married  Stephen 
Bateman,  whose  family  became  well  known  and  married  into  the  lead- 
ing families  of  the  western  part  of  the  county. 

Jonah  Sommers,  who  lived  on  Main  street,  Southbury,  descended 
from  Henry  Summers,  of  Milford,  who  died  in  1717.  A  son,  Jervis, 
having  learned  the  cabinet  maker's  trade  at  White  Oak,  settled  at 
Southford  in  1816,  and  died  there  in  1833.  His  widow  (Rachel  Ward) 
survived  until  1880.     A  son,  Jervis,  is  the  postmaster  of  Southford. 

The  village  has  had  as  merchants,  from  1800  to  1890,  Robert  Fer- 
guson, Roswell  Sherwood,  John  Peck,  Hinman  &  Osborne,  Daniel  Ab- 
bott, Enos  Foot,  H.  V.  Porter,  Horace  Oatman,  E.  Pardee,  H.  S. 
Wheeler,  W.  J.  Oatman,  and  C.  P.  Tappan. 

In  the  period  of  time  when  the  turnpike  was  the  great  thorough- 
fare between  New  Haven  and  Litchfield,  Southford  being  20  miles 
from  the  former  place  and  25  miles  from  the  latter,  hotels  were  here 
kept  and  were  well  patronized.  The  Bartholomew  Hotel  kept  in  the 
old  long  one  story  house,  about  1800,  stood  a  little  to  the  east  of  where 
is  now  the  turnpike  bridge  over  the  railroad.  The  Sherwood  House 
was  subsequently  the  private  residence  of  Harry  Hinman.  The  hotel 
known  as  the  Oatman  House  for  35  years,  was  built  by  George  Thomp- 
son in  1806,  and  first  kept  by  him  and  then  by  his  brother-in-law,  Ben- 
jamin S.  Hurd,  followed  by  John  Peck.  Enos  Foot  was  the  landlord 
in  1845. 

Manufacturing  has  been  one  of  the  principal  occupations  of  the 
Southford  people.  Our  forefathers  raised  their  wool  and  their  flax. 
Our  mothers  made  the  wool  into  rolls  by  the  use  of  hand-cards,  spun 
the  rolls  into  yarn,  walking  backward  and  forward  by  the  side  of  their 
wheel,  and  then  wove  the  yarn  into  cloth  for  the  winter  garments  and 
bed  clothing  of  the  household.  Summer  wear  was  made  of  linen, 
the  spinning,  weaving  and  bleaching  done  by  the  women.     That  was 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  787 

the  age  when  the  girl  was  taught  to  lay  hands  to  the  spindle  and  foot 
to  the  treadle,  and,  on  arriving  at  maturity,  must  be  the  owner  of  a 
wheel.     In  the  course  of  time,  carding  was  done  by  machinery. 

The  little  stream,  the  outlet  of  Quassepaug  pond,  called  the  Eight 
Mile  brook— eight  miles  in  length— has  been  utilized  for  manufactur- 
ing from  the  seventeenth  century,  first  for  lumber  and  flour.  Moses 
Wheeler  had  a  sawmill  to  the  north  of  the  village,  and  Adin  Wheeler 
and  Doctor  Candee  to  the  south,  a  few  feet  above  Ephraim  Skeel's 
grist  mill.  Samuel  Candee*s  fulling  mill  was  where  now  stands  the 
paper  mill.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  below  was  Adam  Lumm's  trip  ham- 
mer shop.  A  little  further  on  was  the  T.  B.  Wheeler  paper  mill,  built 
in  1854,  the  water  taken  from  the  Eight  Mile  brook,  in  a  canal,  unit- 
ing with  the  water  of  the  small  stream  from  the  west.  There  Albert 
Ambler  had  a  saw  mill  and  foundry  in  1845.  Ebenezer  Booth's  cab- 
inet shop  and  turning  works  stood  on  this  stream  about  1825,  subse- 
quently occupied  by  William  Cutts  as  a  knife-shop. 

Amos  Piatt  became  the  successor  of  Wheeler  and  Candee  in  mill- 
ing; he  sold  to  Daniel  Abbott,  of  Middlebury,  who  took  possession  in 
1837.  Mr.  Abbott  erected  a  new  flour  and  feed  mill,  on  the  site  of 
the  old  one,  and  two  large  factories  used  for  manufacturing  of  various 
kinds.  About  1849  he  turned  his  attention  to  paper  making,  com- 
mencing in  the  old  fulling  mill,  on  a  small  scale,  drying  his  paper  on 
the  ground  in  the  sun.  Then  he  added  a  building  to  his  mill  and 
advanced  to  loft  and  steam  drying.  After  some  experimenting  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  loft  dried  paper  was  the  best,  so  in  1859 
he  erected  a  large  and  commodious  building  for  loft-drying,  the  best 
in  the  state  at  that  time,  and  entered  largely  into  the  manufacture  of 
straw  board.  Mr.  Abbott  died  before  the  mill  had  run  a  year.  His 
son,  S.  A.  Abbott,  bought  the  property  for  $12,000  and  ran  the  mill 
for  two  years  and  then  sold,  in  the  fall  of  1864,  to  R.  B.  Limburner 
for  $15,000.  That  was  the  time  of  the  civil  war,  and  the  clear  profits 
•on  a  ton  of  straw  board  were  greater  than  has  since  been  realized.  R. 
B.  Limburner  ran  the  mill  for  five  years,  selling  to  White  &  Wells,  of 
Waterbury,  for  $24,500. 

Paper  making  was  carried  on  for  twelve  years  by  the  Southford 
Manufacturing  Company,  F.  A.  Keeny,  foreman.  In  the  fall  of  1881 
the  mill  was  burned.  A  new  company  was  formed  by  the  name  of 
the  Southford  Paper  Company,  and  in  the  season  of  1882  a  mill  was 
built  of  brick,  with  a  slate  roof,  at  a  cost  of  $200,000,  including  ma- 
chinery of  the  latest  and  most  approved  patterns.  The  mill  was  run 
three  years,  when  the  company  went  into  bankruptcy. 

After  the  revolution,  a  soldier  of  that  war,  Captain  Candee,  manu- 
factured scythes  where  is  the  Bunnell  carriage  factory.  A  generation 
later  Asel  Towner  was  a  manufacturer  of  axes.  Noah  Shepard  made 
clocks  and  moved  from  this  place  to  Waterbury.  From  1830  to  1850 
women's  stock  shoes   were   manufactured   extensively;  Charles   and 


788  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Amasa  Smith,  George  and  Burton  Hinman,  Charles  Booth  and  others, 
were  in  that  line  of  work.  Joseph  Benham  worked  at  hatting,  where 
William  Johnson  lives,  for  several  years  and  was  here  in  1828.  Lewis 
Downs  moved  into  Southford  in  1847.  He  was  a  manufacturer  of  but- 
tons.    The  village  has  now  only  the  ordinary  mechanic  shops. 

The  first  school  house  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  old  Derby  and 
Woodbury  road,  about  ten  rods  to  the  east  of  the  residence  of  J. 
Sommers.  The  second  house  was  built  in  1800,  and  Union  church  was 
set  about  30  feet  from  it.  The  basement  of  this  church  was  used  for 
school  purposes  for  about  20  years,  the  district  at  one  time  numbering 
80  pupils,  with  a  daily  attendance  of  60.  The  present  school  house 
was  erected  in  1848. 

Buck  Hill  Seminary  was  a  boarding  school  for  boys,  which  was 
very  successfully  carried  on  by  Deacon  R.  R.  Curtiss  for  about  fifteen 
years,  between  1845  and  1860.  The  house  had  a  very  pleasant  location 
on  the  east  slope  of  the  hill,  a  mile  north  of  the  village,  and  had  ac- 
commodations for  thirty  boys.  It  was  usually  filled,  and  the  school 
had  a  good  reputation. 

Since  that  time  select  schools  have  been  taught  in  the  town  by 
Miss  E.  L.  Townsend  and  others. 

The  Union  Church  edifice  was  in  process  of  construction  in  1825.  It 
was  built  for  the  purpose  of  having  a  house  of  worship  that  could  be 
used  by  one  and  all.  The  contributors  were  Moses  Wheeler,  Aaron  Bron- 
son,  Austin  Hine,  Adin  Johnson,  Samuel  Candee,  Jervis  Sommers,  the 
Joel  Wheeler  family  and  others.  It  was  used  occasionally  by  the  Episco- 
palians, Congregationalists  and  Baptists.  From  1830  to  1845,  or  to  the 
time  the  Methodist  church  was  built  in  Southbury,  the  Methodists 
had  a  flourishing  society  here,  holding  regular  service,  supplied  by 
local  and  circuit  preachers.  Of  the  local  men  there  were  Wooster  and 
Treat  from  Middlebury.  The  celebrated  circuit  preacher,  Fuller,  was 
one  time  located  here.  Many  dated  their  conversion  from  the  great 
revival  of  the  decade  of  1830.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shelden  Bristol,  Joseph 
Wheeler,  Burton  Hinman,  Daniel  Abbott,  Lugrand  Sharp  and  Moses 
Tuttle,  were  members  of  that  church. 

The  house  was  repaired,  in  1863,  as  before  in  an  undenominational 
way.  More  recent  repairs  made  at  the  instance  of  Episcopal  ladies 
of  this  locality  have  made  the  house  fairly  comfortable.  Church  ser- 
vices have  been  held  with  considerable  regularity  since  1880,  first  in 
connection  with  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany,  of  Southbury,  and  later 
under  the  auspices  of  the  parishes  of  St.  Peter  and  Christ  in  Ox- 
ford. 

In  1882  the  place  became  a  part  of  regular  church  work  as  the 
"  Mission  of  the  Good  Shepherd,"  and  since  1886  the  rector  of  the  Ox- 
ford parishes  has  here  held  a  regular  Sunday  ministration.  The  re- 
moval of  many  persons,  consequent  upon  the  suspension  of  work  at  the 
paper  mill  in  1888,  has  left  the  number  of  communicants  very  small. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  789 

The  old  Southford  burying  ground  was  the  gift  of  Captain  Samuel 
Candee.  -The  first  interment  was  1821.  The  Southford  Burying 
Ground  Association  was  subsequently  organized  and  the  ground  en- 
larged and  fenced.  Samuel  Candee,  son  of  the  captain,  was  sexton 
and  treasurer,  and  Jason  Curtiss  clerk  for  a  number  of  years.  The 
ground  is  kept  clean;  is  on  an  elevation  from  the  road,  and  a  hedge  of 
evergreens  lines  the  front.  While  there  is  nothing  ostentatious,  it 
shows  the  respect  of  the  people  for  the  place  of  their  dead.  It  is  lo- 
cated in  the  town  of  Oxford  about  three  hundred  feet  from  the  line, 
and  serves  as  a  burial  place  for  the  adjacent  parts  of  Oxford  and 
Southbury. 

Among  the  physicians  who  have  practiced  in  town,  one  of  the  first 
was  Doctor  Andrew  Graham,  a  son  of  the  first  minister.  He  began 
about  1750,  living  in  the  White  Oak  section,  and  continued  in  town  until 
his  death  in  1785,  aged  57  years.  Contemporary  with  him  was  Doctor 
Lemuel  Wheeler,  who  was  a  surgeon  in  the  revolution,  and  died  in 
1782. 

Doctor  Anthony  Burritt,  born  in  1752,  in  Newtown,  studied  with 
Doctor  Perry,  of  Woodbury,  and  located  in  the  northern  part  of  South- 
bury  before  the  revolution,  in  which  he  did  duty  as  a  surgeon.  He 
was  taken  prisoner  on  Long  Island,  but  was  released  through  the  ef- 
forts of  his  friend,  Jabez  Bacon,  of  Woodbury.  In  Southbury  he  had 
a  large  and  successful  practice.  He  died  April  12th,  1839.  Before  his 
death  his  son,  Anthony  B.  Burritt,  born  June  12th,  1810,  and  gradu- 
ated from  Yale  Medical  school  in  1832,  was  here  in  practice,  which 
was  continued  more  than  half  a  century.  He  lived  on  Southbury 
Main  street  and  was  eminent  in  his  profession  until  his  death  April 
4th,  1886. 

In  1866  Doctor  A.  E.  Winchell  began  a  practice  which  was  soon 
after  ended  with  his  removal  to  New  Haven.  Earlier  by  30  years  was 
the  professional  life  in  the  town,  of  Doctor  Abraham  L.  Smith,  who 
died  in  Southbury  soon  after. 

Doctor  Myron  Lucius  Cooley,  the  present  physician,  was  born  in 
Cheshire  December  23d,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of  George  W.  Cooley.  He 
graduated  from  the  Buffalo  Medical  College  in  February,  1886,  after 
having  also  studied  in  Yale  Medical  School,  and  the  same  year  located 
in  Southbury,  having  offices  at  the  Center  and  at  South  Britain.  His 
practice  is  large  and  growing.    At  the  latter  place  is  also  Doctor  Rankin. 

At  South  Britain  have  been,  among  others,  as  physicians,  Doctors 
Joseph  Tomlinson,  who  removed  to  Milford  ;  Joseph  Trowbridge, 
Doctor  Northrup  and  Doctor  Nathan  C.  Baldwin,  who  died  there  after 
many  years'  practice. 

Benjamin  Stiles  was  probably  the  first  attorney  in  the  town,  where 
he  was  born'in  1720.  He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1740.  studied  law 
and  was  successful  in  his  profession.  His  son,  Benjamin  Stiles,  Jr., 
born  in  Southbury  in  1756,  also  graduated  from  Yale  at  the  age  of  20 


790  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

and   became  a  lawyer.     He  had  a  large  practice  until  his  ^death  in 
1817. 

Edward  Hinman,  born  in  17-44,  and  usually  known  as  "  Lawyer 
Ned,"  was  an  attorney  at  White  Oak.  He  was  a  plain  man,  very  corp- 
ulent, terse  in  his  speech,  but  successful  in  his  profession.  His  son,. 
Simeon,  commenced  to  practice  in  1793,  but  discontinued  in  1809.  He 
died  on  the  old  homestead  in  1825.  His  grandson,  Edward  Hinman,. 
was  also  an  attorney  and  became  a  county  judge. 

Royal  R.  Hinman,  a  native  of  Southbury,  became  a  prominent  law- 
yer in  New  York  city.  Robinson  S.  Hinman,  born  at  South  Britain  in 
1S01,  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1825.  Three  years  later  he  located 
at  Naugatuck,  where  he  was  postmaster  1830-1 ,  when  he  removed  to 
New  Haven,  where  he  became  one  of  its  prominent  citizens.  Joel 
Hinman  was  born  at  Southbury  in  1802  and  died  in  Cheshire  in  1870. 
He  was  an  attorney  of  note,  appointed  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court 
in  1842  and  chief  justice  in  1861. 

Warren  W.  Guthrie,  who  was  born  at  South  Britain,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1855.  In  1856  he  removed  to  Seymour,  and  a  year  later 
to  Atchison,  Kansas,  where  he  became  a  leading  lawyer.  William 
Edmond,  born  at  the  same  place  in  1755,  became  a  judge  in  Fairfield 
county.  Others,  natives  of  the  town,  who  became  lawyers  elsewhere, 
were:  John  A.  Graham,  LL.D.,  a  son  of  Doctor  Andrew  Graham,  be- 
came noted  in  New  York  city;  Amos  M.  Johnson;  John  G.  Mitchell, 
at  Salisbury;  Harris  B.  Munson,  at  Seymour;  George  R.  Shelton,  at 
Seymour;  Benjamin  Wheeler,  at  Salisbury;  and  Ralph  D.  Smith,  at 
Guilford. 

Reverend  George  E.  Pierce,  D.D.,  a  native  of  Southbury,  graduate 
of  Yale  in  1816,  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  elected  president  of 
the  Western  Reserve  College,  and  became  quite  distinguished  as  an 
educator. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  the  settlers  of  Southbury  worshipped 
in  Woodbury  church,  and  were  tributary  to  the  First  Ecclesiastical 
Society  of  that  town.  In  May,  1731,  the  Southbury  parish  was  incor- 
porated, and  November  29th,  1732,  this  society  voted  to  build  a  meet- 
ing house,  and  asked  the  assembly  for  a  committee  to  locate  a  site. 
In  May,  1733,  the  committee  selected  a  final  place,  "  setting  the  stake 
down  on  the  hill  between  Lt.  Andrew  Hinman's  and  the  house  that 
was  Elnathan  Strong's."  This  site  was  in  the  highway  nearly  in  front 
of  the  present  White  Oak  school  house.  The  building  was  a  plain 
frame,  35  by  45  feet,  with  23  foot  posts,  and  was  not  fully  completed 
for  20  years.  At  the  end  of  two  years,  October,  1735,  the  society  re- 
ported that  two  doors  had  been  put  in,  the  lower  floor  laid,  and  it  was 
reasonably  comfortable  to  attend  "  ye  worship  of  God  in."  Three 
years  later  there  were  only  28  families  in  the  parish,  as  formed  by  the 
new  line,   and   in   spite  of  the  payment  of  the  £300  by  the   First  or 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  791 

Woodbury  society,  the  means  were  so  scant  that  there  were  no  pulpit 
and  proper  seats. 

In  spite  of  this  lack  of  comforts  and  conveniences  the  house  had  been 
regularly  occupied  for  worship,  and  the  ministration  of  a  pastor  called 
November  29th,  1732.  On  that  date  it  was  voted  to  settle  Reverend 
John  Graham,  and  to  build  a  house  for  him  on  the  orchard  land  of 
Captain  Titus  Hinman,  and  one  acre  of  Wait  Hinman's  land  adjoin- 
ing, "  to  be  two  stories  high,  20  by  40  feet,  and  to  provide  the  same 
with  a  chimney."  His  salary  was  fixed  at  £100  per  year,  to  be  paid 
in  money  or  provisions,  at  market  prices,  exclusive  of  the  use  of  the 
parsonage  and  lands.  He  accepted  December  19th,  1732,  and  soon 
after  entered  upon  his  duties.  His  house  was  built  on  the  site  of  the 
Mitchell  Mansion,  where  he  lived  through  a  long  and  useful  pastorate, 
terminated  by  his  death,  December  11th,  1774,  in  the  81st  year  of  his 
age.  Mr.  Graham  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  had  been  educated  as 
a  physician,  but  relinquished  that  profession  to  become  a  clergyman. 
It  is  claimed  that  he  was  a  descendant  of  the  duke  of  Montrose,  and 
he  certainly  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  rank. 

The  organization  of  the  church  took  place  after  the  call  of  the 
minister,  on  January  17th,  1733,  and  the  following  were  the  original 
members:  Reverend  John  Graham,  Captain  Titus  Hinman,  Deacon 
Benjamin  Hicock,  Deacon  Noah  Hinman,  John  Pierce,  Nathaniel  San- 
ford,  Sr.,  Ephraim  Hinman,  Ebenezer  Squires,  Joseph  Hinman,  Rich- 
ard Brownson,  Lieutenant  Andrew  Hinman,  Titus  Hinman,  Jr.,  Solo- 
mon Johnson,  Stephen  Hicock,  Timothy  Brownson,  Thomas  Drakely, 
Roger  Carley,  Ebenezer  Down,  Nathaniel  Sanford,  Jr.,  Abijah  Brown- 
son, Harriet  Hicock,  Elizabeth  Hinman,  Abigail  Graham,  Mary  Hin- 
man, Maney  Hinman,  Sarah  Hinman,  Hester  Hinman,  Ann  Hinman, 
Eleanor  Squire,  Mary  Brownson,  Bethiah  Sanford,  Prudence  Johnson, 
Comfort  Pierce,  Dinah  Down,  Bethiah  Hicock,  Maney  Johnson,  Eunice 
Drakely,  Sarah  Porter,  Abigail  Brownson,  Lois  Hicock. 

In  1734  "Capt.  Andrew  Hinman  or,  in  his  stead,  Joseph  Hinman 
was  appointed  to  set  the  psalms  and  to  lead  in  the  public  praise  of 
God,  having  liberty  to  use  any  tune  on  lecture  days." 

Enfeebled  by  old  age,  Mr.  Graham  had  the  service  of  a  colleague 
pastor  eight  years  before  his  death,  in  the  person  of  Reverend  Benja- 
min Wildman,  who  was  appointed  August  18th,  1766.  He  entered 
upon  this  office  October  22d,  1766,  and  here  served  in  the  pastorate  un- 
til his  death  in  1812.  He  had  graduated  from  Yale  in  1753,  and  was 
well  qualified  to  succeed  Mr.  Graham.  In  disposition  he  was  jovial, 
but  was  nevertheless  a  sincere  Christian,  and  succeeded  in  keeping  up 
the  standard  of  the  church,  even  through  the  troublous  times  of  the 
revolution  and  the  controversy  attending  the  building  of  a  new  meet- 
ing house.  He  lived  in  a  residence  which  is  still  standing  as  the 
home  of  John  J.  Hinman. 

It  was  not  many  years  before  the  first  meeting  house  was  too  small 


792  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

to  accommodate  the  congregation,  and  a  new  house  was  demanded. 
As  in  the  first  instance,  the  question  of  site  proved  troublesome,  and 
it  was  several  years  before  an  agreement  could  be  reached.  Finally, 
after  four  years'  effort,  a  site  was  selected  on  Southbury  street,  south 
of  the  old  site,  on  which  was  begun  in  1764  one  of  the  largest  and 
finest  meeting  houses  in  this  part  of  the  state.  It  was  twelve  years 
before  it  was  fully  completed  and  was  a  noteworthy  object  many  miles 
around,  with  its  high  spire,  in  which  was  a  good  bell  and  also  a  clock. 
These  were  purchased  by  general  subscriptions  of  the  citizens  of  the 
town,  which  were  secured  in  December,  1773. 

The  meeting  house  stood  at  the  head  of  the  lane  leading  to  the 
middle  cemetery,  which  it  fronted,  and  was  used  until  the  present 
house  was  occupied  in  1844,  when  it  was  taken  down  and  the  material 
removed. 

The  location  of  the  present  meeting  house,  still  further  south,  on 
the  main  street,  also  disaffected  a  number  of  members,  some  of  whom 
withdrew  in  consequence  and  connected  themselves  with  other 
churches.  The  site  is,  however,  very  central,  and  no  doubt  was  ju- 
diciously selected.  The  building  committee,  appointed  in  February, 
1844,  consisted  of  Sherman  Tuttle,  Ira  Strong,  Benjamin  J.  Hinman, 
Jedediah  Hall  and  Thomas  Brown,  and  the  house  was  fully  completed 
in  the  fall  of  1845,  when  a  new  assignment  of  pews  was  made.  It  has 
since  been  kept  in  good  condition  by  repairs  and  has  been  renovated, 
so  as  to  have  a  very  attractive  interior.  Externally  it  is  a  frame  of 
pleasing  proportions. 

In  1813  Reverend  Elijah  Wood  became  the  pastor  and  remained 
until  his  death  in  June,  1815.  He  was  a  good  man  and  was  much  es- 
teemed by  his  parishioners.  Reverend  Daniel  A.  Clark  was  the  pastor 
from  1816  to  1819,  when  a  vacancy  of  about  seven  years  occurred,  in 
which  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Reverends  Smith,  Wilcox,  Payson 
and  others. 

In  the  fall  of  1815  a  permanent  church  fund  was  established  by 
members  contributing  from  $10  to  $300  each,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1818  a  parsonage  fund  of  $1,200  was  raised  in  the  same  manner,  the 
largest  contributor  being'  Nathan  Curtiss,  who  gave  $200.  A  home- 
like parsonage  in  the  lower  part  of  the  street  was  later  secured,  which 
is  still  the  property  of  the  society.  To  the  church  fund  have  been 
added  bequests  from  time  to  time  until  in  1890  it  amounted  to  $4,480.- 
95.  This  included  a  legacy  of  $500  by  Miss  Eliza  Hinman,  in  1855, 
and  a  bequest  of  $1,000  by  B.  T.  Brown,  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1872. 
The  Sunday  school  has  also  a  sustaining  fund,  $500  of  which  was  be- 
queathed by  Henry  W.  Scott,  Jr.,  who  died  December  6th,  1871,  just 
as  he  was  entering  upon  a  period  of  great  usefulness,  for  which  he 
had  been  fitted  by  a  thorough  education  at  home  and  abroad. 

While  there  was  such  a  commendable  interest  displayed  in  pro- 
viding permanent  support  for  the  church  from  1815  until  1825,  the 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  793 

same  period  was  characterized  by  quite  a  defection  of  members,  a  num- 
ber signing  off  to  free  themselves  from  the  society  rates. 

In  1826  Reverend  Thomas  L.  Shipman  became  the  pastor,  and  his 
ministry  of  ten  years  is  still  remembered  for  its  substantial  effects. 
In  1831  especially,  the  church  had  a  revival  of  unusual  interest,  re- 
sulting from  a  four  days'  meeting,  following  closely  upon  the  sad 
drowning  of  Miss  Hinman,  whose  untimely  death  caused  a  serious 
feeling  which  led  to  reflection  upon  religious  matters.  Many  were 
added  to  the  church,  whose  interest  in  its  work  has  continued  unabated 
until  this  day. 

In  November,  1836,  Reverend  W.  H.  Whittemore  became  the 
pastor  and  continued  until  1850.  Since  that  time  the  pastors  have 
been:  April,  1850,  to  1856,  Reverend  George  P.  Prudden,  stated  sup- 
ply; May,  1856,  to  July,  1859,  Reverend  Jason  Atwater,  stated  supply; 
January,  1860,  until  the  fall  of  1871,  Reverend  A.  B.  Smith,  acting 
pastor.  In  October,  1S71,  Reverend  John  Hartwell  began  his  labors 
and  a  year  later  he  was  installed  to  a  pastorate  which  was  terminated 
by  his  death  December  18th,  1879.  From  May,  1880,  until  January, 
1882,  the  stated  supply  was  Reverend  Howard  Billman,  who  was  fol- 
lowed by  Reverend  William  Miller,  acting  in  the  same  capacity,  until 
March,  1884.  Since  that  time  the  pulpit  has  been  supplied  by  Rever- 
end David  F.  Pierce. 

In  recent  years  the  membership  of  the  church  has  been  very  small, 
owing  to  deaths,  removals  and  changes  in  population,  being  at  present 
only  45. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  were  elected  as  follows:  1732,  Benjamin 
Hicock,  Noah  Hinman,  Benjamin  Hicock  and  Daniel  Curtiss;  1775, 
Timothy  Osborne  and  .Samuel  Strong;  1783,  Jonathan  Mitchell;  1813, 
Adin  Wheeler;  1818,  Marcus  D.  Mallory;  1823,  Noah  Kelsey;  1830, 
Nathan  Mitchell;  1833,  Frederick  Perry;  1833,  Jason  Curtiss;  1847,  Ira 
Strong;  1861,  Cyrus  G.  Bostwick  and  Sherman  Tuttle;*  1868,  David  M. 
Wheeler;  1884,  Andrew  A.  Stone;  1887,  Gidney  A.  Stiles.* 

The  clerks  of  the  society  for  many  years  were  the  following:  Wil- 
liam Hinman,  William  Mitchell,  Edward  Hinman,  Nathan  Mitchell; 
from  1 842  to  1884,  Sherman  Tuttle,  Gidney  A.  Stiles  and  Charles  A. 
Stone.  The  treasurer  of  the  society  and  fund  agent  is  Charles  S. 
Brown. 

The  South  Britain  Congregational  church  is  an  offshoot  of  the 
First  society.  The  purchase  of  the  Indian  reservation  in  1734  induced 
many  people  to  locate  in  what  is  now  the  western  part  of  the  town, 
and  these  soon  longed  for  church  privileges  more  convenient  than 
Southbury  street.  Accordingly,  in  1761.  a  request  was  made  for  four 
months  winter  preaching  in  each  year,  at  some  central  place,  in  the 
new  or  south  purchase.  Three  years  later  38  persons  united  in  a  pe- 
tition for  a  separate  parish,  and   prayed  for  a  division  line  along  the 

*  Deacons  in  lS'.K). 


794  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

mountains  separating  the  east  and  west  sections.  Against  this 
movement  was  presented  a  counter  petition,  signed  by  69  per- 
sons and  the  matter  was  deferred.  In  May,  1765,  the  petition 
was  renewed  and  the  matter  very  effectively  presented  by 
the  following  petitioners:  Wait  Hinman,  James  Edmond,  Ebene- 
zer  Hinman,  Samuel  Hinman,  Ebenezer  Squires,  John  Garrett, 
Ebenezer  Down,  Samuel  Wheeler,  John  Pearce,  Eleazer  Mitchell, 
Benjamin  Allen,  Aaron  Down,  Zebulon  Norton,  Robert  Edmond, 
Moses  Johnson,  Gideon  Curtiss,  Samuel  Curtiss,  Ichabod  Tuttle,  Tim- 
othy Allen,  Matthew  Hubbell,  Comfort  Hubbell,  Thomas  Tousey,  John 
Hobart,  Solomon  Johnson,  Silas  Hubbell,  James  Stanclift,  Joseph  Bald- 
win, Ebenezer  Down,  David  Pearce,  John  Mallory,  Abraham  Pearce, 
Michael  Hau,  Joseph  Darling,  John  Park,  Gideon  Booth,  Amos  Brown- 
son,  Samuel  Hicock,  Moses  Down,  John  Johnson,  James  Edmonds,  Jr., 
Russell  Franklin,  Joseph  Baldwin,  Jr.,  Elijah  Hinman,  Bethuel  Hin- 
man, Samuel  Pearce. 

In  addition  to  praying  for  a  separate  society,  they  asked  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  payment  of  a  tax  of  12  pence  on  the  pound,  which  had 
been  levied  to  build  a  meeting  house  in  the  old  society.  This  petition 
availed,  and  in  May,  1766,  the  South  Britain  society  was  incorporated 
and  those  within  its  bounds  were  released  from  paying  taxes  to  the 
old  society. 

The  South  Britain  society  was  organized  June  5th,  1766,  at  the 
house  of  Moses  Downs  (used  in  1890  as  the  Methodist  parsonage),. 
Wait  Hinman  moderating  and  Matthew  Hubbell  acting  as  clerk.  It 
was  here  voted  to  hold  meetings  for  two  months  at  the  house  of  Moses 
Downs.  In  September,  1766,  the  movement  to  build  a  meeting  house- 
was  begun,  but  three  years  elapsed  before  there  was  an  agreement  as. 
to  the  site,  which  was  in  the  present  village  of  South  Britain  and  in 
front  of  the  present  church  edifice.  In  December,  1770,  the  society 
reported  the  house  enclosed,  and  a  debt  of  £90  resting  upon  it.  A 
number  of  years  elapsed  before  it  was  fully  completed  and  repairs- 
were  soon  after  necessary.  In  January,  1825,  it  was  voted  to  build  a 
new  meeting  house,  a  short  distance  north  of  the  old  one,  and  after 
some  effort,  that  was  accomplished.  This  house  had  a  high  pulpit  be- 
tween the  doors,  box  pews  and  other  features  common  in  that  day. 
In  May,  1869,  the  work  of  remodeling  and  modernizing  the  meeting 
house  was  begun,  the  services  now  being  held  in  the  Methodist  church- 
There  was  an  outlay  of  $4,600,  and  on  the  25th  of  November,  1869, 
the  house  was  rededicated  by  Reverend  Amos  E.  Lawrence.  In  1890 
the  house  was  supplied  with  new  carpets  and  made  attractive  in  other 
ways,  being  now  in  good  condition  throughout. 

After  the  incorporation  of  the  parish  winter  meetings  were  held 
several  years  before  the  formal  organization  of  the  church,  which 
took  place  at  the  house  of  Moses  Downs,  June  29th,  1769,  when  36  per- 
sons united  in  fellowship.     John  Pearce  was  chosen  deacon  ;  Captain 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  795 

Downs  was  appointed  to  read  the  psalms  ;  and  John  Garrett.  Andrew 
Dunning,  Captain  Bassett  and  John  Skeel  were  chosen  choristers. 
Reverend  Jehu  Minor  had  already  been  installed  (May  24th,  1769, 
after  preaching  for  the  society  several  months)  and  was  now  continued 
as  the  first  pastor,  on  a  settlement  of  £200  and  an  annual  salary  of 
£70.  He  was  dismissed  June  1st,  1790,  after  some  little  difficulty  aris- 
ing from  a  charge  that  he  had  neglected  the  interests  of  his  parish- 
ioners in  paying  too  much  attention  to  his  own  affairs  as  a  farmer,  he 
having  become  a  large  landowner.  In  his  pastorate  109  persons  were 
added  to  the  church. 

Reverend  Matthias  Cazier  was  the  acting  pastor  from  August,  1799, 
till  1804,  and  Reverend  Thomas  Osgood  served  in  the  same  relation, 
in  parts  of  1806  and  1807.  In  the  fall  of  the  latter  year  Reverend  Ben- 
nett Tyler  preached.  He  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  April,  1808, 
and  ordained  and  installed  June  1st,  1808.  In  his  ministry  in  1812 
there  was  a  notable  revival,  which  resulted  in  an  addition  of  50  mem- 
bers. He  was  dismissed  March  6th,  1822,  to  become  the  president  of 
Dartmouth  College.  He  was  born  in  Middlebury,  near  Quassepaug 
lake,  in  1783,  and  graduated  from  Yale  in  1804.  In  1834  he  became 
the  president  of  the  Theological  Institute  of  Connecticut,  and  was  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  scholars  of  his  time. 

Reverend  Noah  Smith  was  installed  October,  1822,  and  died  Octo- 
ber 10th,  1830.  Reverend  Darius  Mead  was  the  acting  pastor  from 
February,  1833,  till  July,  1834.  In  his  ministry  41  were  added  to  the 
church.  Reverend  Oliver  B.  Butterfield  was  installed  June  27th,  1837, 
and  died  November  14th,  1849.  The  next  regular  minister  was  the 
Reverend  Amos  E.  Lawrence,  installed  December  10th,  1851,  and  dis- 
missed August  1st,  1860.  Reverend  John  M.  Wolcott  supplied  the 
pulpit  from  August,  1860,  until  his  installation  as  pastor  February 
20th,  1861.  He  was  dismissed  July  1st,  1865.  Reverend  Homer  S. 
Newcomb  was  the  acting  pastor  from  July  24th,  1865,  until  July  1st, 
1872.  Reverend  Charles  B.  Curtiss  was  ordained  and  installed  Octo- 
ber 29th,  1873,  and  dismissed  November  20th,  1874.  On  the  14th  of 
December,  1875,  Reverend  Samuel  J.  Bryant  was  called,  ordained  and 
installed  August  30th,  1876,  and  dismissed  by  council  July  1st,  1884. 
Reverend  Seneca  M.  Keeler  was  called  October  3d,  1884,  and  installed 
November  19th  the  same  year.  He  was  dismissed  as  pastor  June  3d, 
1890,  but  supplied  the  pulpit  until  August  the  same  year. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  were  appointed  to  that  office  as  follows: 
1769,  John  Pearce  and  Ebenezer  Downs;  years  not  given,  Eleazer 
Mitchell,  Stephen  Piatt,  Solomon  Seward  and  Joseph  Bassett;  1798, 
Isaac  Curtiss;  1801,  Warren  Mitchell;  1827,  Simeon  Piatt;  1835,  Anson 
Bradley  and  Elliott  Beardsley;  I860,  Nelson  Warren  Mitchell;  and 
1864,  George  A.  Hoyt,  the  latter  two  still  serving  in  1890. 

For  a  number  of  years  Averill  B.  Canfield  was  clerk  of  the  church, 
but  after  his  death,  in  April,  1890,  George  W.  Mitchell  was  appointed 


796  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

to  that  office;  Henry  P.  Dowries  was  the  treasurer;  Alfred  Piatt, clerk 
of  the  society;  and  the  standing  committee  were  E.  A.  Piatt,  William 
E.  Mitchell  and  Sidney  S.  Piatt. 

The  church  has  about  150  members,  and  a  Sabbath  school  of  about 
the  same  number  of  members  is  well  supported  and  ably  conducted. 
William  E.  Mitchell  is  the  superintendent. 

The  early  history  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  churches  is  somewhat 
obscure;  but  it  is  claimed  that  Methodist  preachers  visited  the  town 
and  held  meetings  at  private  houses  as  early  as  1798.  Soon  after  a 
class  was  formed  on  George's  hill,  which  had  among  its  early  mem- 
bers Newton  Tuttle,  Joseph  Pierce,  Daniel  Clark  and  their  wives; 
Eber  Griswold,  Anna  French  and  a  few  others.  Its  meetings  were 
held  in  the  school  house  in  that  locality,  which,  after  1815,  was  en- 
larged and  used  for  religious  meetings  only  about  17  years.  A  small 
grave  yard  was  opened  near  by,  which  is  also  disused.  The  increase 
of  membership  caused  the  society  to  erect  a  new  house  of  worship  in 
1832,  at  South  Britain,  which  afforded  a  more  central  location.  This 
building  was  much  enlarged  and  improved  in  1851,  and  further  trans- 
formed into  a  more  beautiful  place  by  more  recent  repairs,  the  last 
being  done  a  few  years  ago.  A  comfortable  parsonage  has  also  been 
provided  at  South  Britain. 

At  Southford  *  the  Methodists  were  organized  later  than  at  South 
Britain,  and  the  class  at  Southbury  street  was  not  formed  until  some 
time  about  1840.  Both  were  weak  in  numbers,  and  their  efforts  were 
united  to  hold  meetings  in  the  brick  school  house,  which  were  the 
means  of  awakening  considerable  interest.  About  this  time  Reverend 
Sylvester  Smith  was  the  regular  minister.  A  number  of  members 
joining  after  1844,  a  neat  frame  meeting  house  was  built  in  1847,  which 
has  since  been  kept  in  good  repair.  The  house  cost  about  $3,000.  It 
was  completed  October,  1847. 

The  church  at  South  Britain  has  about  30  members,  and  there  is  a 
Sunday  school  of  25  members,  which  has  S.  L.  Tuttle  as  its  superin- 
tendent; the  Southbury  church  has  about  the  same  number  of  mem- 
bers, and  its  Sunday  school  superintendent  is  Herman  Perry. 

The  following  have  been  the  ministers  who  have  served  the  circuit 
since  1847:  1848-9,  Reverend  S.  W.  Smith;  1850-1,  S.  D.  Nickerson; 
1852-3,  C.  P.  Mallory;  1854-5,  I.  Sanford;  1S56-7,  S.  J.  Stebbins;  1858, 
Ira  Abbott;  1860,  S.  Husted:  1861-2,  W.  T.  Gilbert;  1863-4,  J.  W. 
Simpson;  1865,  W.  H.  Stebbins;  1868,  S.  Johnson;  1869,  W.  T.  Gil- 
bert; 1870-2,  David  Osborne;  1873-4,  L.  S.  Stowe;  1875-6,  F.  F.  Jordan; 
1877,  W.  A  Munson;  1878-80,  W.  H.  Barton;  1881,  W.  J.  Robinson; 
1SS2-4,  H.  Schofield;  1885-6,  Otis  J.  Range:  1887-8,  George  L.Coburn; 
1889-90,  James  Robinson. 

From  the  town  have  gone  as  Methodist  ministers  Reverends  New- 
ton Tuttle,  Moses  Osborne,  Aaron  Pierce  and  Stephen  Bray. 

*  See  account  of  that  place. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  797 

The  following  sketch  of  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany  {Protestant 
Episcopal)  was  contributed  by  Jervis  Sommers: 

For  many  years  all  the  inhabitants  held  to  the  established  church, 
when  some  churchmen  settled  in  the  town  before  or  soon  after  the 
revolution.  Among  these  were  Doctor  Anthony  Burritt,  on  Southbury 
Main  street:  Jonah  Summers,  a  blacksmith,  and  Shadrach  Osborn.the 
merchant,  in  the  same  locality.  "Out  East"  was  Captain  Bartholo- 
mew, a  churchman  from  France.  After  1800  many  dissented  from  the 
established  church,  and  the  number  of  churchmen  increased.  At 
Southford  the  family  of  John  Peck  strengthened  the  church  feeling; 
and  the  wife  of  Amos  Candee  devised  some  property  to  the  First  Epis- 
copal church  of  the  town  about  1840.  There  being  no  such  body,  the 
churchmen  formed  themselves  into  a  church  estate  April  18th,  184:!, 
at  a  meeting  held  in  the  brick  school  house,  on  Main  street.  Reverend 
Abel  Nichols  presided,  when  a  constitution  was  drawn  up,  which  was 
signed  by  the  following:  William  Ward,  Johnson  Camp,  A.  Wildman, 
Israel  Bradley,  Ambrose  Ward,  John  Ward,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Adin 
Johnson,  Elisha  Wheeler,  Samuel  Candee,  William  Johnson,  Ephraim 
E.  Stiles,  Nathan  B.  Stiles,  Charles  B.  Hicock,  Lemuel  Ward.  Samuel 
Candee  was  elected  clerk  and  treasurer;  Adin  Johnson  and  William 
Ward,  wardens;  Elisha  Wheeler,  Israel  Bradley  and  Charles  B.  Hicock, 
vestrymen.  The  church  was  called  the  "  Church  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion," but  subsequently  was  changed  to  the  "  Epiphany."  The  parish 
was  the  town  of  Southbury.  Mr.  Candee  was  clerk  for  twenty  years, 
and  Adin  Johnson  warden  during  life. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  church,  on  the  Shadrach  Osborn  lot,  was 
laid  November  5th,  1863,  and  the  church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Williams  September  19th,  1867.  Reverend  Henry  Townsend,  of  New 
Haven,  had  charge  of  the  parish  in  1866,  C.  Collard  Adams  in  1867, 
Clayton  Edy  from  1868  to  1S70,  H.  A.  Welton  from  1871  to  1873.  Since 
that  time  clerical  services  have  been  rendered  by  divinity  students 
from  Berkeley  School,  Middletown.  The  church  is  an  attractive  stone 
edifice,  in  the  Gothic  style  of  architecture,  and  stands  on  a  beautifully 
located  lot.  It  has  been  but  little  used  the  past  few  years,  owing  to 
the  weakness  of  the  parish,  which  has  a  few  members  only. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Mission  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is  in  the  Pom- 
peraug  valley,  near  the  north  line  of  the  town.  Catholic  worship  was 
here  introduced  in  1862,  when  mass  was  first  said  by  Father  James 
Bowen.atthe  house  of  Francis  Grant.  At  that  time  about  a  dozen 
families  attended,  coming  from  all  parts  of  the  town.  Thereafter  mass 
was  quite  regularly  said,  about  once  per  month,  by  priests  coming  from 
New  Milford,  Waterbury,  Watertown  and  Naugatuck,  each  year  wit- 
nessing-an  increase  of  membership.  In  1884  there  were  about  40 
families  dependent  upon  this  means  of  worship,  and  Father  James 
O'Brien,  who  came  from  New  Milford,  began  the  building  of  a  church. 
Dennis  Hallahan  donated  a  lot  of  land  adjoining  the  White  Oak  school 


79S  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

house  and  near  where  had  been  built  the  first  meeting  house  in  the 
town.  Upon  this  a  neat  frame  chapel  was  completed  so  that  it  was 
used  for  mass  Christmas  day,  1884.  The  following  May  it  was  dedi- 
cated by  Bishop  McMahon,  and  has  since  been  used  every  fortnight. 

After  being  a  mission  of  the  parish  of  New  Milford  several  years 
Southbury  was  connected  with  Watertown,  and  the  past  three  years 
Father  James  Lancaster  of  that  parish  has  been  the  officiating  priest. 
In  the  spring  of  1890  half  an  acre  was  added  to  the  church  lot  for 
•burial  purposes,  and  the  mission  is  steadily  growing  into  a  parish. 

The  town  has  half  a  dozen  places  of  interment,  embracing  several 
well  kept  cemeteries.  The  one  at  White  Oak  contains  the  graves  of 
many  pioneers,  has  a  number  of  fine  monuments,  and  is  in  a  neat 
condition.  A  little  more  than  a  mile  southwest  is  the  second  cemetery 
of  the  Southbury  society,  whose  location  is  a  little  more  isolated  but 
it  is  not  unattractive.  The  Pine  Tree  Cemetery,  west  of  the  present 
Congregational  church,  is  newer.  It  is  spacious,  well  enclosed,  and  is 
controlled  by  a  cemetery  association.  The  South  Britain  Cemetery  is 
centrally  located,  contains  about  four  acres,  and  appears  attractive. 
More  than  a  mile  north,  in  Pierce  Hollow,  is  a  smaller  graveyard;  and 
there  are  fine  monuments  in  both  of  them.  The  Catholics  have  a 
place  of  burial  in  connection  with  their  church;  and  in  other  locali- 
ties are  small  graveyards,  now  seldom  used.  There  is  also  a  fine  place 
of  burial  at  Southford. 

Among  the  citizens  of  the  town  who  participated  actively  in  the 
wars  of  the  country,  in  official  capacity  were  Colonel  Benjamin  Hin- 
man,  Colonel  Increase  Mosely,  Shadrach  Osborn  and  Captain  Elisha 
Hinman.  The  latter  removed  about  1760,  but  during  the  revolution 
he  was  in  the  naval  service.  Colonel  Hinman  was  born  1720  and 
died  in  March,  1810,  about  90  years  of  age.  He  was  in  the  French  and 
Indian  wars  in  1755,  as  a  major,  and  in  1775  was  commissioned  colonel 
of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment  of  Connecticut  troops,  by  Governor  Jona- 
than Trumbull.  In  the  revolution  he  was  colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regi- 
ment and  was  at  Ticonderoga.  Ill  health  compelled  him  to  retire  and 
return  home  in  January,  1777.  He  was  a  leading  man  in  the  affairs 
of  the  town. 

Colonel  Increase  Mosely  moved  to  Southbury  in  1768  and  died  here 
in  1810,  aged  70  years.  He  obtained  his  rank  from  the  colonelcy  of 
the  Thirteenth  Regiment  after  Colonel  Hinman  entered  the  conti- 
nental service,  but  also  served  the  patriot  cause.  Shadrach  Osborn,  a 
son  of  Timothy,  was  born  in  1747.  He  also  marched  to  Ticonderoga 
as  a  commissary  and  was  soon  appointed  as  quartermaster.  While 
acting  in  that  capacity,  he  stored  provisions  in  Southbury  at  "Pork' 
Hollow  "  and  along  the  Pomperaug,  after  the  burning  of  Danbury. 
It  is  said  that  in  1778  George  Washington  paid  a  visit  to  the  town  and 
was  his  guest.     His  home  was  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Episco- 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  799 

pal  church,  on  Southbury  street,  where  he  lived   until   his  death  in 
August,  1838,  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age. 

In  the  war  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  1861-5,  Southbury 
was  keenly  alive  to  her  duty  and  responded  promptly  to  every  de- 
mand made  upon  her.  More  than  forty  men  were  supplied,  filling  the 
required  quotas,  and  the  total  war  expenses  in  money  were  about 
$12,000.  For  bounties  to  volunteers  and  pay  for  substitutes  about 
$S,050  was  expended. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

William  C.  Beecher,  born  in  Southbury  May  28th,  1828,  is  a  son  of 
Nathaniel  and  Hannah  (Peck)  Beecher,  and  grandson  of  Nathaniel. 
Nathaniel  and  Hannah  had  two  children  :  Elizabeth  and  William  C. 
Elizabeth  married  Horace  C.  Baldwin.  William  C.  married  Mary  E. 
Strong,  of  Woodbury,  April  4th,  1855.  They  have  six  children  :  Wil- 
liam S.,  born  1856,  married  Harriet  Beers  ;  Mary  E.,  1860 ;  Henry  W., 
1862  ;  Harriett  L.,  1866,  married  Homer  A.  Jones  ;  Seth  N.,  1867 ;  and 
Horace  B.,  born  1870.  Mrs.  Beecher  died  July  28th,  1884.  One  son, 
William  S.,  died  in  1888.  Mr.  Beecher  enlisted  in  1862,  in  Company 
B,  13th  Connecticut  Regiment,  as  second  lieutenant,  helping  to  recruit 
this  company,  he  being  the  only  commissioned  officer  from  Southbury. 
He  served  under  General  Butler,  participating  in  the  taking  of  New 
Orleans,  and  afterward  under  General  Banks.  He  was  discharged  on 
account  of  ill  health  February  5th,  1863,  and  returned  to  Southbury. 
After  regaining  his  health,  he  was  engaged  in  superintending  railroad 
-construction,  his  first  work  being  on  the  Hartford,  Providence  & 
Fishkill  road.  Twelve  years  later  he  assisted  in  the  completion  of  the 
same  line  under  the  name  of  the  New  York  &  New  England  railroad. 
He  also  assisted  in  building  the  Connecticut  Valley,  Providence  & 
Springfield  and  the  D.  L.  &  W.  railroads. 

Almon  B.  Downs,  born  in  Southbury  in  1824,  is  a  son  of  Erastus 
and  Betsey  (Burr)  Downs,  grandson  of  Wait  and  Phebe  (Hinman) 
Downs,  and  great-grandson  °f  Moses,  a  descendant  of  Deacon  Eben- 
ezer  Downs,  who  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Southbury.  He  set- 
tled in  South  Britain,  was  one  of  the  first  deacons  of  the  South  Britain 
Congregational  society,  organized  in  1769,  and  served  as  captain  in  the 
revolutionary  war.  He  died  in  1790.  Erastus  had  five  children  : 
Fanny,  Celina,  Almon  B.,  Julia  E.  and  Henry  W.  Almon  B.  Downs 
was  in  the  legislature  in  1S58  and  1862. 

David  M.  Mitchell,  born  in  Southbury  in  1842,  is  a  son  of  Elizur, 
grandson  of  Benjamin,  and  great-grandson  of  Eleazer,  who  was  the 
first  one  of  the  name  that  settled  in  Southbury,  where  he  was  a  large 
land  holder.  He  came  to  this  town  when  it  was  a  wilderness,  and  had 
no  neighbors  but  the  Indians.  He  was  called  Deacon  Eleazer.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  South  Britain  society.  He  was  born 
November  27th,  1732,  and  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  13  children. 


800  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

His  son,  Benjamin,  was  born  in  1777,  married  Hannah  Pierce,  and  had 
five  children.  Elizur,  his  son,  was  born  in  1S04,  married  Cornelia 
Mary  Ann  Merwin,  and  had  eight  children.  David  M.  is  the  only  one 
now  living  in  Southbury.  One  son,  Lawrence  Mitchell,  lives  in  Fair- 
field county,  Conn.  David  M.  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  of 
the  town  and  at  Hinman's  Academy,  of  Oxford.  He  married  Hattie 
I.  Lemmons,  of  Woodbury,  in  1869.  They  have  three  children  :  Ben- 
jamin M.,  born  1870  ;  John  L.,  born  1873  ;  and  Lottie  C,  born  1878. 

George  W.  Mitchell,  born  in  South  Britain,  Conn.,  1846,  is  a  son  of 
Amos  and  grandson  of  Benjamin  Mitchell.  He  mother  was  Thalia 
M.  Painter.  Amos  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  George  W. 
being  the  third  child.  The  Mitchell  family  is  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  Southbury.  George  W.  married  Julia  E.,  daughter  of 
Sidney  S.  Piatt,  of  Southbury,  in  1872.  They  have  three  children: 
Abbie  E.,  born  in  1874;  Susan  W.,  born  in  1877,  and  Hubert  A.,  born 
in  1881.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  interested  in  real  estate  in  Kansas,  and  is 
president  of  the  Goodrich  Cattle  Company  of  Kansas.  He  is  a  re- 
publican in  politics  and  represented  this  town  in  the  legislature  in 
1SS7  and  1888. 

Ezra  Pierce  was  born  in  1842.  The  first  of  the  name  to  settle 
in  this  town:  was  John,  who  came  from  England.  He  had  a  son, 
John,  who  settled  in  South  Britain  in  Pierce  Hollow,  and  had 
nine  children,  of  whom  Joseph  had  a  son,  Benjamin,  who  had  two 
sons,  Sterling  and  Edwin.  Edwin  married  Nancy  Mallory,  of  South- 
bury, and  had  four  children :  Susan,  Lucius,  Ezra  and  Charles 
B.  Susan  married  John  Bryan,  of  Waterbury;  Lucius  died  in  1889; 
Ezra  married  Matilda  Gates,  of  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt,  in  1877.  He  has 
always  been  a  farmer.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in  1S72,  and 
was  town  treasurer  in  1882.  Charles  B.  married  Alice  Butler  and  has 
four  children. 

Merritt  S.  Piatt,  born  in  Southbury  in  1825,  is  son  of  Stephen  S. 
and  Sally  Piatt,  and  grandson  of  Stephen.  .Stephen  and  Sally  Piatt 
had  seven  children,  of  whom  Merritt  S.  is  the  only  son.  He  married 
Maria,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Smith,  of  Middlebury,  in  1853.  They 
have  one  son,  Stephen  S.,  born  in  1858,  married  Edna  R.  Hine,  of 
Southbury,  in  1886,  and  has  two  children:  Mary  E.,  born  1888,  and 
Irving  Smith,  born  1889.  There  seem  to  have  been  four  brothers  of 
the  Piatt  family  that  came  to  this  town,  and  they  were  among  the  first 
settlers  in  Southbury,  locating  in  the  South  Britain  society.  The  elder 
Stephen  was  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  and  helped  organ- 
ize the  South  Britain  society.  Merritt  has  been  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  since  1842.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  board 
of  relief  of  the  town  six  years,  and  is  a  republican. 

Willis  E.  Piatt  is  a  son  of  Edward  A.  Piatt,  who  was  born  in  the 
house  where  he  now  lives,  in  1827.  He  is  a  son  of  Simeon,  grandson 
of  William  and  great-grandson  of  Stephen,  who  was  the  first  of  the 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  801 

name  to  settle  in  Southbury.  He  came  from  Milford  about  1750,  and 
settled  in  the  Purchase  district.  Stephen's  wife  was  Hannah  Wood- 
ruff. They  had  seven  children.  William,  the  youngest,  born  in  1765, 
married  Mercy  Pierce,  and  had  three  children:  Simeon,  born  1792; 
Currance,  1796;  and  Olive,  1799.  Simeon  married  Eliza  Blackman, 
and  had  five  children  that  grew  to  maturity:  Polly  B.,  born  1818; 
Maria,  1822;  Olive,  1S23;  Eliza  A.,  1825;  Edward  A.,  born  January 
17th,  1827;  and  William,  1835.  Edward  A.  settled  on  the  old  home- 
stead which  has  been  in  this  family  over  120  years.  The  house  was 
built  in  1806.  Edward  A.  married,  in  1853,  Ellen,  daughter  of  Ed- 
mund Barnes.  They  have  three  children;  Harriet,  born  1855;  Willis 
E.,  1857;  and  Jane  E.,  1861.  Willis  married,  in  1880,  Margaret  Burke, 
of  New  Haven,  and  has  three  children:  Eunice  E.,  born  1882;  Sarah 
E.,  1885,  and  Edward  A.,  1887.  Jane  E.  married  William  A.  Fenn,  and 
has  two  children.  Harriet  married  Franklin  D.  Bradley,  and  has  three 
children. 

Samuel  W.  Post,  born  in  Southbury  in  1827,  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
grandson  of  Joseph  Post.  Henry  was  born  in  1797,  and  was  twice 
married;  first  to  Lucinda  Shelton,  by  whom  he  had  three  children: 
Phebe,  Henry  M.  and  Lucinda.  She  died  April  13th,  1822,  and  he  was 
married  in  March,  1823,  to  Maria  Munn,  who  bore  him  seven  children, 
five  of  whom  are  living:  Benjamin,  born  in  1824;  Joseph,  1825;  Samuel 
W.,  1827;  Henry  M.,  1829;  and  Jane  A.,  1832.  Samuel  W.  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  Southbury,  and  has  been  engaged  in  various 
kinds  of  business — as  clerk,  speculator  and  farmer.  He  has  held 
nearly  all  the  town  offices  in  Southbury,  and  has  been  representative 
and  state  senator.  He'  married  Cythera  M.  Hollister  in  1854.  They 
have  two  children:  George  H.,  born  in  1858;  and  Lillian  J.,  born  in 
1860.  George  H.  married  Belle  Lewis,  of  Naugatuck,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Eloise  A.  Post. 

Eliott  Pulford,  born  in  Southbury,  April  22d,  1810,  was  a  son  of 
Abel,  a  native  of  Newtown,  Conn.,  who  settled  in  this  town.  Eliott 
Pulford  married  in  1834,  Maria,  daughter  of  Colonel  Joel  Hinman 
and  Sarah  Curtiss.  They  had  two  children,  Julia  M.  and  Grace  S. 
Mr.  Pulford  died  in  1887.  Miss  Grace  S.  Pulford  was  educated  in 
Southbury  and  at  West  Haven  High  School,  and,  ranks  high  as  a 
teacher.     She  has  taught  in  South  Britain,  Shelton  and  Southbury. 

Henry  B.  Russell,  born  in  Southbury,  August  16th,  1844,  is  a  son 
of  Bethuel  T.  and  Huldah  A.  Russell.  They  were  both  natives  of 
Southbury  and  had  four  children:  Henry  B.,  Charles  T.,  Mary  C.and 
George  B.  Henry  B.  was  educated  at  the  common  school,  and  at 
Thompson  school,  Woodbury,  and  Ocean  Port  Institute,  N.  J.  He  was 
married  March  2d,  1864,  to  Rachel  A.  Pierce,  of  Southbury.  They 
have  one  daughter,  Annie  A.,  born  December  26th,  1868.  Mr.  Rus- 
sell has  held  the  office  of  selectman  three  years,  was  elected  town 
treasurer  in  1883,  and  has  served  as  such  since,  and  represented 
51 


802  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

town  in  the  legislature  in  1886.  He  has  been  society  committee  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  chairman  eight  years  of  the  committee  of  the 
First  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  Southbury.  He  has  settled  several 
estates. 

Curtiss  H.  Smith,  born  in  Southbury,  in  1850,  is  a  son  of  Monroe 
and  Amanda  (Hulbert)  Smith.  The  latter  was  born  in  Roxbury  in 
1S20.  Monroe  Smith  was  born  in  1820,  in  Middlebury,  Conn.,  came  to 
this  town  in  1846,  and  died  in  1864.  He  had  five  children,  three  of 
whom  are  living:  Curtiss  H.,  born  in  1850;  Flora  E.,  born  in  1854;  and 
George  W.,  born  in  1856,  married  Miss  Ella  Allen,  of  South  Britain,  in 
1884.  Flora  E.  married  M.  S.  Page,  of  Middlebury,  who  is  now  a 
dentist  in  Mt.  Vernon,  N.  Y.  Curtiss  H.  was  educated  at  the  common 
school,  at  Parker's  Academy,  Woodbury,  and  at  Fort  Edward,  N.  Y. 
He  is  a  farmer  and  dealer  in  cattle.  He  was  elected  selectman  of 
Southbury  in  1886  and  1887,  first  selectman  in  1888,  and  second  in 
1889  and  1890.  Mrs.  Amanda  Smith  lives  on  the  homestead  with  Cur- 
tiss H. 

Jervis  Sommers,  born  in  Southbury  in  1833,  is  a  son  of  Jervis,  and 
a  grandson  of  Jonah  Sommers,  who  came  from  Newtown,  and  was  a 
descendant  of  Henry  Sommers,  who  settled  in  Stratfield,  now  Bridge- 
port, about  1666.  The  mother  of  Jervis  was  Rachel  Ward,  born  in 
Bethany,  Conn.,  whose  grandfather  died  on  board  of  a  British  prison 
ship  in  the  revolutionary  war.  Mr.  Sommers  received  a  commission 
as  postmaster  of  Southford  in  1890,  and  moved  the  office  to  the  store 
opposite  the  depot  February  8th,  1890.  He  married  Antoinette  Haw- 
ley,  of  Oxford,  in  1877.     She  died  in  1883. 

David  Judson  Stiles. — Few  men  of  the  town  of  Southbury  have 
been  more  prominent  than  David  J.  Stiles.  He  was  born  on  the  place 
still  owned  by  his  family  and  which,  since  the  time  of  the  settlement 
of  old  Woodbury,  had  been  the  property  of  his  ancestors,  October 
16th,  1795,  and  died  November  17th,  1881,  aged  a  little  more  than  86 
years.  His  death,  the  result  of  pneumonia,  occurred  at  New  Haven, 
while  he  was  on  business  to  that  place,  but  he  was  interred  in  the 
peaceful  Southbury  Cemetery,  near  the  place  of  his  nativity  and 
where  for  so  many  years  he  had  lived.  There  also  lie  the  remains 
of  many  former  generations  of  his  family,  among  the  very  first  set- 
tlers of  Southbury  being  the  Stiles's,  who  have,  in  every  generation, 
been  among  the  most  active  and  influential  citizens  of  the  town. 

David  J.  Stiles  was  the  eldest  of  four  children,  born  to  David  Stiles 
and  Olive  Pierce,  married  in  1784,  the  remainder  of  the  family  being 
Patty,  who  died  young;  Mary  Anna,  who  married  and  died  within  one 
year  afterward;  and  Benjamin,  who  removed  to  Yorkville,  South  Car- 
olina. The  father,  David,  born  September  10th,  1751,  was  a  son  of 
Benjamin  Stiles,  Esq.  (married  to  Ruth  Judson,  of  Stratford,  where 
also  had  first  lived,  in  Connecticut,  this  branch  of  the  Stiles  family), 
who  was  born  in  Southbury,  February  11th,   1720.     After  graduating 


^**£\ 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  803 

from  Yale  College  he  entered  the  legal  profession  and  was  the  first 
lawyer  in  the  then  town  of  Woodbury.  He  was  a  son  of  Lieuten- 
ant Francis  Stiles,  married  to  Mary  Johnson,  of  Stratford,  September 
21st,  1709,  who  settled  in  Southbury,  on  the  place  later  the  home  of 
his  great-grandson,  David  J.,  and  the  house  he  built  at  that  place  was 
for  many  years  a  noted  landmark.  He  died  in  1748.  His  father,  also 
Lieutenant  Francis  Stiles,  lived  in  Stratford  and  was  a  descendant  in 
the  second  generation  of  one  of  the  four  Stiles  brothers,  who  came 
from  England  to  America  in  1634.  The  descendants  of  another 
brother  settled  in  North  Haven,  embracing  among  their  members  the 
Reverend  Isaac  Stiles  and  the  honored  president  of  Yale  College, 
Ezra  Stiles.  In  this  part  of  the  county  the  family  was  intermar- 
ried with  the  oldest  and  most  respected  families — descendants  of 
early  prominent  settlers. 

David  J.  Stiles  was  married  October  10th,  1821,  to  Anna,  only  daugh- 
ter of  Bennett  French,  a  prominent  and  wealthy  citizen  of  the  South 
Britain  Society.  She  was  a  beautiful  young  woman,  of  lovely  dis- 
position, of  whom  it  was  eminently  true, 

"None  knew  her  but  to  love  her 
Nor  named  her  but  to  praise." 

They  spent  60  years  of  life  together,  she  surviving  him  less  than 
two  years.  Of  the  six  children  born  to  them,  three  grew  to  years  of 
manhood  and  womanhood  and  are  now  living  in  the  town:  Bennett 
F.,  at  South  Britain,  and  Anna  F.  and  Augusta  M.,  on  the  homestead. 
The  mother  died  July  3d,  1883,  in  her  86th  year. 

The  boyhood  and  almost  the  entire  life  of  David  J.  Stiles  was 
spent  in  Southbury.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of 
this  town  and  Woodbury,  but  throughout  his  entire  life  was  a  student. 
Even  at  the  extreme  age  of  80  years  he  purchased  a  set  of  encyclo- 
pedias, which  he  diligently  read,  thus  constantly  storing  his  mind 
with  knowledgde.  He  had  a  strong  taste  for  law,  inherited,  most  likely, 
from  his  grandfather,  Benjamin  Stiles,  Esq.,  and  was  self-instructed 
in  its  principles  and  rules  ;  and  having  an  acute  discernment  and  clear 
judgment,  he  was  often  consulted  upon  important  legal  points.  His 
mind  was  ever  active  and  alert,  and  few  men  in  this  part  of  the 
county  were  more  vigorous  in  that  respect  or  obtained  as  the  result  of 
their  study  and  energy  more  fruitful  results.  One  of  the  most  re- 
markable characteristics  of  his  nature  was  his  strong  tenacity  of  pur- 
pose. After  he  had  once  determined  to  do  anything,  he  persevered 
until  he  had  accomplished  his  object.  Whatever  he  conceived  to  be 
his  rights  he  sought  to  obtain  at  all  hazards  of  time  and  means,  per- 
sisting in  his  efforts  when  most  men  would  have  yielded  to  discourage- 
ment. This  trait  was  strikingly  shown  in  his  connection  with  the 
ownership  of  the  Mine  Hill  tract  of  about  549  acres  of  land,  in  Rox- 
bury,  nine  miles  from  his  home.  From  the  time  he  acquired  pos- 
session, in  1824,  for  more  than  30  years  his  title  was  disputed  in  the 


804  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

courts,  but  he  successfully  defended  it,  and  after  a  hotly  contested 
trial,  lasting  nine  days,  in  the  May,  1856,  court  held  at  New  Haven,  it 
was  finally  decided  that  he  was  the  rightful  owner.  In  this  important 
legal  struggle,  some  of  the  most  distinguished  lawyers  of  the  state 
were  opposed  to  him,  but  could  not  overcome  the  barriers  he  had  set 
up  in  the  details  of  the  case,  which  he  had  himself  arranged,  and  which 
old  jurists  pronounced  the  clearest  brief  they  had  ever  seen.  His  sa- 
gacity in  acquiring  this  property  and  so  pluckily  holding  possession 
of  it  were  rewarded  when,  a  few  years  later,  he  sold  it  for  $100,000. 
Besides  the  cares  of  this  estate,  Mr.  Stiles  had  other  large  business  in- 
terests which  engaged  his  time  and  prevented  his  participation  in  pub- 
lic matters  to  a  great  extent,  and  he  held  no  public  offices.  But  he 
was  esteemed  a  good  citizen  and  was  especially  warm  in  his  support 
of  schools,  and  other  matters  which  promoted  the  general  good  of  the 
town. 

Mr.  Stiles  had,  in  addition  to  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  law, 
studied  and  acquired  a  clear  understanding  of  the  principles  of  mechan- 
ics, and  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  had  invented  a  useful  appliance 
to  prevent  the  explosion  of  steam  boilers.  He  constructed  a  neat 
model  and  had  filed  the  necessary  papers  in  Washington,  but  died  be- 
fore he  could  obtain  a  patent  for  it.  Until  the  very  end  his  fertile 
brain  impelled  him  to  activity,  and  he  died  in  the  midst  of  business 
cares. 

Nathaniel  Tuttle  settled  in  Woodbury  about  1680,  and  from  him 
have  descended  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  name  now  residing  in  its  vicinity- 
Captain  Nathaniel,  his  grandson,  served  in  the  revolution.  His  son, 
Nathaniel,  was  born  in  1785,  married  May  9th,  1808,  Betsey  Fabrique. 
He  died  May  5th,  1850.  Mrs.  Tuttle  died  February  19th,  1868,  aged 
83  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  and  was 
very  much  loved  and  respected.  Their  children  were:  John  H.,  born 
February  16th,  1809,  a  merchant,  died  August  30th,  1831  ;  Nathaniel. 
born  February  1st,  1811,  kept  a  shoe  store  on  Chapel  street.  New 
Haven,  about  20  years,  and  died  October  18th,  1854 ;  Sherman  and  Ben- 
jamin N.  Sherman,  born  January  18th,  1813,  was  formerly  a  carpen- 
ter by  trade.  He  was  married  June  13th,  1860,  to  Emeline,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Blakely,  of  Roxbury.  Both  are  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  Mr.  Tuttle  joined  in  1832.  He  was  one  of  the  build- 
ing committee  and  helped  build  the  church  edifice  in  1844.  He  was 
clerk  of  the  society  40  years,  also  one  of  the  society's  committee 
some  48  years.  He  was  elected  deacon  of  the  church  January  11th, 
1861,  which  office  he  still  holds,  and  is  seldom  absent  from  the  church 
on  the  Sabbath,  unless  illness  prevents.  Benjamin  N.,  born  April 
11th,  1815,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  some  30  years  in  New  Haven. 
He  was  married  January  23d,  1848,  to  Francis  A.  Finch.  They  were 
both  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  they  took 
a  lively  interest.     Mrs.   Tuttle  died  March  5th,  1867,  aged  43.     Ben- 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  805 

jamin  died  March  14th,  1871.  The  ancient  house  formerly  occupied 
by  Captain  Nathaniel  Tuttle  and  his  descendants  for  a  century  or 
more,  was  situated  in  Southbury  on  Main  street,  near  the  churches. 
The  old  one  was  removed  in  1784,  and  a  new  one  was  erected  by  Sher- 
man Tuttle  on  the  same  ground,  where  he  now  resides. 

Elisha  Wheeler  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Moses  Wheeler,  who 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  New  Haven  about  1640.  Subse- 
quently he  removed  to  Stratford,  where  his  family  became  ver^ 
prominent  and  for  many  generations  ranked  among  the  most  influ- 
ential citizens.  Some  of  its  members  joined  the  colonists  who  left 
Stratford  to  form  new  settlements,  north  and  west  of  that  old  town, 
and  carried  with  them,  to  these  new  localities,  the  characteristics  of 
the  founder  of  the  family.  They  were  active,  intelligent,  progressive, 
and  were  soon  the  recognized  leaders  of  affairs  in  their  respective 
communities.  Lieutenant  Samuel  Wheeler  thus  left  Stratford,  about 
1740,  and  settled  in  the  extreme  southeastern  section  of  "Ancient  Wood- 
bury," now  comprised  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town  of  Oxford, 
where  he  reared  a  large  family,  among  his  children  being  Robert 
Wheeler,  the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  One  of  the 
latter's  sons  was  Moses  Wheeler,  born  in  1773,  who  was  the  pioneer 
of  the  family  in  Southbury.  In  1795  he  married  Betsey  Lovelandand 
soon  after  built  and  moved  into  the  house  where  he  died  in  1827,  and 
which  is  still  standing  and  is  now  occupied  by  the  family  of  one  of 
bis  sons,  Elisha.  Like  his  ancestors  he  was  a  man  of  unusual  promi- 
nence and  possessed  many  excellent  qualities.  He  was  also  a  Free 
Mason  of  high  degree  and  was  well  known  in  the  county  and  state. 

Of  the  ten  children  of  Moses  and  Betsey  Wheeler,  Elisha  was  born 
in  1S16  and  died  in  the  paternal  home,  in  Southbury,  January  1st, 
1877.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  town, 
and  upon  reaching  manhood  engaged  in  farming,  in  which  occupa- 
tion he  was  successful,  accumulating  a  comfortable  estate.  He  was 
industrious  and  thrifty,  and,  investing  his  savings  in  real  estate,  be- 
came one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in  the  town.  In  all  his  own  af- 
fairs he  was  judicious,  and  having  naturally  most  excellent  judgment, 
with  more  than  ordinary  knowledge  of  general  affairs,  he  was  fre- 
quently consulted  by  his  neighbors  on  business  matters,  and  had  the 
care  and  settlement  of  many  estates.  All  these  trusts  he  discharged 
with  care  and  fidelity,  winning  by  his  conscientious  life  the  esteem  of 
the  entire  community.  He  was  exact  and  just,  but  was  a  warm  friend 
and  a  good  neighbor.  The  welfare  of  his  native  town  was  ever  dear 
to  him,  and  through  his  interest  in  its  affairs  he  was  brought  into 
prominence  in  official  capacities.  For  many  years  he  served  as  the 
first  selectman,  discharging  the  duties  of  that  office,  in  the  period  of 
the  civil  war,  so  as  to  win  the  approbation  of  all  parties.  In  politics 
he  was  a  democrat,  but  he  was  a  staunch  Unionist  and  believed  in  the 
active  prosecution  of  the  war  and  the  liberal  care  of  the  families  of  the 


806  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

enlisted  men.  In  other  matters  he  was  foremost  in  town  enterprises 
and  progress.  In  the  affairs  of  the  state  he  also  earned  distinction. 
He  was  elected  to  the  general  assembly  as  a  representative  from 
Southbury  in  1855  and  1861,  and  was  a  state  senator  in  1863,  serving 
with  credit  in  both  bodies.  On  the  questions  of  public  issue  he  had 
strong  convictions,  but  was  not  radical  or  intemperate  in  his  speech  or 
actions.  He  was  regarded  a  safe  and  prudent  official,  and  was  hon- 
ored and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  In  his  relation  to  the  state, 
as  well  as  to  his  own  community,  he  was  justly  considered  a  most  use- 
ful and  excellent  man. 

Elisha  Wheeler  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Anna  M. 
Johnson,  whom  he  wedded  in  1836,  and  by  whom  he  had  one  child, 
James  L.,  who  lived  in  the  town  of  Beacon  Falls.  He  was  married  to 
Mary  A.  Curtis,  of  Newtown,  in  1863,  and  died  in  1875. 

For  his  second  wife  Elisha  Wheeler  married,  April  10th,  1838, 
Eliza  A.,  daughter  of  Calvin  Leavenworth,  of  Oxford,  who  survives  as 
his  widow.  In  her  early  life  Mrs.  Wheeler  was^a  school  teacher,  and 
has  retained  an  active  interest  in  the  intellectual  and  moral  life  of  the 
community  in  which  she  has  so  long  resided.  She  is  a  devoted  mem- 
ber of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  has  been  much  engaged  in  charitable 
and  benevolent  work.  Her  nature  is  very  refined,  and  having  a  most 
amiable  disposition,  she  is  living  at  a  ripe  old  age,  beloved  by  all  who 
know  her. 

The  union  of  Elisha  and  Eliza  A.  Wheeler  was  blessed  with  six 
children:  Frances  E.,born  in  1840,  married  Truman  E.  Hurd,  and  died 
in  1876,  leaving  three  children:  Martha  E.,  born  in  1842,  married,  in 
1883,  Reverend  Elihu  T.  Sanford,  of  New  Haven,  and  now  resides  at 
New  Milford,  Conn.:  Ralph  E.,  born  in  1844,  died  in  1858;  Mary  S., 
born  in  1846,  married  Charles  E.  Webster,  of  Mauch  Chunk,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  now  resides  at  South  Bethlehem,  in  that  state;  Henry  S. 
and  Alfred  N. 

Henry  S.  was  born  in  1848,  and  died  in  Southbury  July  14th,  1889. 
He  was  educated  at  the  Bridgeport  Business  College,  and  was  engaged 
in  business  at  Rockford,  111.,  and  in  New  Haven.  Returning  to  South- 
bury he  filled  various  offices  within  the  gift  of  his  townsmen,  serving  as 
a  member  of  the  board  of  education,  justice  of  the  peace  and  first  se- 
lectman. He  represented  the  town  of  Southbury  in  the  legislature 
for  two  terms,  and  was  his  party's  nominee  for  state  senator.  He  took 
an  active  interest  in  the  politics  of  his  party,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
democratic  state  central  committee  he  rendered  good  service.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  was  a  member  of  King  Solomon's  Lodge,  F.  &  A. 
M.,  of  Woodbury.  His  acquaintance  in  the  state  was  large  and  he  was 
favorably  known.  He  was  married  in  1877,  to  Hannah  A.,  daughter 
of  Frederick  A.  and  Louisa  (Tomlinson)  Candee,  of  Oxford,  and  their 
only  child  was  a  son,  Ralph  E.,  born  in  1883.  Henry  S.  Wheeler  had 
inherited  many  of  the  excellent  traits  of  his  father,  and  was  a  man  of 


2*e 


'Z^Ot^A 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  807 

genial   disposition   and  generous  heart,  universally  beloved,  and  died 
deeply  lamented. 

The  youngest  son  of  Elisha  and  Eliza  A.  Wheeler  is  Alfred  N.,  a 
practicing  attorney  and  public  man  of  the  city  of  New  Haven.  He 
was  born  in  1855  and  was  educated  at  General  Russell's  school,  at  New 
Haven,  and  at  Yale  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1875.  Two 
years  later  he  graduated  from  the  law  school  of  the  same  university, 
and  located  in  New  Haven  for  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  was 
elected  a  councilman  of  that  city  in  1881,  and  has  for  some  years 
been  a  member  of  the  city  board  of  health.  He  married  September 
30th,  1891,  Lillian  E.,  daughter  of  Elisha  and  Julia  B.  Wilson,  of  New 
Haven. 

Truman  B.  Wheeler,  born  in  Southbury  in  1819,  is  a  son  of  Tru- 
man, grandson  of  Truman,  and  great-grandson  of  Obadiah,  who  was 
a  son  of  John,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  land  contract  with  the  Pom- 
peraug  Indians  of  the  original  land  of  Woodbury.  He  settled  on 
the  same  farm  now  owned  by  Truman  B.  Wheeler.  The  latter  went 
to  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  and  was  there  until  the  close  of  the  rebellion, 
when  he  returned  to  the  home  of  his  fathers  and  has  since  resided 
here.  He  married  in  1870,  Catherine  L.  Webb,  of  Woodbury,  and  has 
three  children:  Lucy,  Truman  and  Charles. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    TOWN    OF    WOLCOTT. 

Settlement. — Civil  Organization. — First  Town  Meeting. — Town  Clerks. — Public  Green. 
— Public  Highways. — Schools.— Industrial  Interests. — Wolcott  Center. — Woodtick. 
— Physicians. — Religious  Matters. — Cemeteries. — Biographical  Sketches. 


THE  town  of  Wolcott  is  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  coun- 
ty and  on  the  line  separating  New  Haven  county  from  the 
towns  of  Bristol  and  Southington  in  Hartford  county,  and  the 
town  of  Plymouth,  in  Litchfield  county.  South  and  west  is  the  town 
of  Waterbury.  The  average  length  of  Wolcott,  from  north  to  south, 
is  about  six  miles;  the  breadth  is  a  little  more  than  three  miles.  The 
general  surface  is  hilly  and  mountainous.  In  all  the  territory  there  is 
only  one  distinct  valley — the  one  extending  from  Waterbury,  on  the 
west,  along  Mad  river.  Along  that  stream  and  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  town,  is  the  elevation  called  Spindle  hill,  whose  highest 
point  is  known  as  Clinton  hill.  It  is  claimed  that  this  is  one  of  the 
highest  points  of  land  in  this  part  of  the  state.  From  its  summit 
may  be  seen  Long  Island,  some  parts  of  Massachusetts,  and  nearly  a 
dozen  villages  and  cities  in  the  surrounding  towns.  Many  other  hills 
in  the  town  approximate  Clinton  hill  in  height.  Pike's  hill  in  the 
northeastern  part,  a  point  on  the  Southington  mountain,  is  but  a  little 
lower.  The  Southington  mountain  extends  from  the  southeastern 
part  of  the  town  along  the  east  line,  northward  for  more  than  two 
miles.  On  the  summit  the  land  is  comparatively  level  and  some  good 
farms  had  been  opened,  but  most  of  them  have  been  abandoned.  It 
takes  its  name  from  its  location  relative  to  Southington.  Some  of  the 
other  hills  were  named  for  those  who  first  lived  upon  them. 

Many  of  the  hill  ranges  consist  of  ledges  of  gray  rock,  having  the 
nature  of  granite,  the  town  being  contiguous  to  the  granite  district  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  the  state.  In  some  localities  these  ledges 
rise  above  the  surface,  from  five  to  twenty  feet.  In  other  parts  the 
soil  is  closely  filled  with  smaller  stones,  rendering  its  cultivation  diffi- 
cult. In  general  the  soil  is  a  hard,  coarse,  gravelly  loam,  and  is  in- 
clined to  be  sterile.  But  there  are  fertile  belts  of  small  areas  and 
much  of  the  land  may  be  used  for  grazing.  A  considerable  portion  is 
in  woodland  and  this  area  is  increasing,  many  abandoned  farms  being 
allowed  to  grow  up  with  birch,  chestnut,  oak  or  swamp  maple  trees. 


HISTOPY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  809 

Much  of  the  income  of  the  town  has  been  derived  from  the  sale  of 
wood. 

The  principal  water  course  is  Mad  river,  forming,  with  its  affluent 
"brooks,  a  stream  which  affords  several  water  powers.  Hence,  the 
lower  part  was  formerly  called  Mill  river.  At  its  source,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  town,  it  is  a  mere  brook.  Its  course  is  southwest  to 
the  city  of  Waterbury,  where  it  empties  into  the  Naugatuck.  Roar- 
ing and  Lily  brooks  are  the  other  principal  streams.  There  are  sev- 
eral swamps,  one,  Cedar  swamp,  being  in  the  northern  part.  This 
and  some  of  the  streams  have  been  utilized  by  Waterbury  manufac- 
turers for  water  storage  purposes.  Several  large  reservoirs  have  been 
built. 

The  land  in  Wolcott,  being  originally  in  the  towns  of  Waterbury 
and  Farmington,  was  "  taken  up  "  or  owned  by  the  people  of  those 
towns  a  number  of  years  before  any  one  came  here  to  live  as  an  actual 
settler.  The  Waterbury  part,  by  reason  of  its  greater  accessibility, 
the  old  Farmington  path  leading  through  the  upper  part,  was  first  set- 
tled. In  1731  John  Alcock  or  Alcox,*  at  that  time  an  energetic  young 
man  of  26  years,  came  from  New  Haven  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land, 
■consisting  of  117^  acres,  in  the  western  part  of  Wolcott.  He  increased 
his  purchase  until  he  owned  more  than  1,000  acres,  and  was  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  principal  as  well  as  the  first  settler  of  the  town.  At 
the  time  of  his  removal  here  he  had  been  married  about  15  months 
to  Deborah  Blakeslee,  of  North  Haven,  who  thus  became  the  queen 
bride  of  Wolcott.  Their  eldest  son,  Captain  John  Alcox,  was  born 
December  28th,  1731,  and  was  the  first  child  born  in  the  limits  of  the 
town.  Eleven  more  children  came  to  bless  their  home,  and  their  de- 
scendants became  numerous  and  influential.  In  direct  line  of  descent 
were  Amos  Bronson  Alcott  and  Doctor  William  A.  Alcott,  who  were 
honored  beyond  the  measure  allotted  to  most  men  on  account  of  the 
useful  lives  they  led.  The  daughters  of  Bronson  Alcott,  Louisa  A. 
and  May,  have  been  among  the  most  beloved  of  American  women. 
John  Alcox  died  January  6th,  1777,  nearly  72  years  of  age,  but  his 
wife  survived  him  until  January  7th,  1789. 

In  1732  Isaac  Hopkins  settled  in  the  valley  east  of  Chestnut  hill, 
residing  on  his  farm  until  his  death.  At  Wolcott  Center  Benjamin 
Harrison  lived  as  early  as  1739,  his  land  adjoining  that  of  Isaac  Hop- 
kins. Their  neighbors  later  in  the  valley  southwest  of  Wolcott  Center 
were:  Elijah  Frisbie,  Howard  Pritchard  and  Eldad  Mix,  before  1760; 
Joseph  Parker,  Joseph  Sutliff,  Gehulah  Grilley  and  Timothy  Scott, 
before  1770.  Thomas  Welton,  Eliakim  Welton  and  Shadrach  Benham 
settled  on  Spindle  hill  some  time  after  1732.  In  the  neighborhood  of 
Woodtick  were  as  early  settlers  Judah  Frisbie,  Amos  Seward  and  the 
Upsons.  Joseph  Atkins  came  to  the  Mad  River  valley  in  1758;  Wait 
Hotchkiss,  Abel  Curtiss,  Isaac  Twitchell  and  Joseph  Beach  came  to 

*The  modern  spelling  of  this  name  is  Alcott. 


810  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Wolcott  about  1765.  David  Norton  was  here  before  that  time.  Josiah 
Rogers  came  later.  "In  1770  there  were  at  the  Center  Aaron  Harri- 
son and  the  family  of  his  brother.  Benjamin  Harrison,  Abraham 
Wooster,  John  Barrett  and  the  family  of  James  Barrett,  Joseph  At- 
kins and  Josiah  Talmage,  and  soon  after  were  added  Daniel  Tuttle, 
Samuel  Bymgton  and  possibly  a  few  others.* 

In  the  Farmington  part  of  Wolcott  the  lands  were  allotted  to  the 
inhabitants  of  that  town,  which  furnished  most  of  the  early  settlers 
of  that  section,  a  few  families  coming  from  the  old  town  of  Walling- 
ford.  The  land  was  laid  out  in  three  tiers  of  "  long  lots,"  each  being 
a  mile  long,  and  some  possibly  extending  through  the  three  tiers.  The 
first  tier  was  on  the  bound  or  Waterbury  line;  the  second,  east;  and 
the  third  on  Southington  mountain.  They  were  numbered  from  north 
to  south.  Lieutenant  Heman  Hall  was  one  of  the  first  permanent 
settlers  in  that  locality,  living  on  "  long  lot  "  No.  56,  and  settling  there 
some  time  after  1750.  His  house  stood  on  the  twenty-rod  highway  on 
the  mountain,  and  was  built  by  Joseph  Preston,  who  sold  to  Lieuten- 
ant Hall,  March  12th,  1750.  Later  his  son,  Captain  Heman  Hall,  built 
a  gambrel  roofed  house  in  the  same  locality,  which  was  quite  a  land- 
mark many  years.  Jonathan  Mott  also  lived  on  the  mountain,  but 
sold  out  to  Hall.  James  Pike  and  sons,  Samuel  and  David,  resided  on 
Pike's  hill  as  early  as  1753.  Within  the  next  15  years  other  settlers 
in  that  part  of  the  town  were  Daniel  Mix,  Benjamin  Barnes,  John 
Bronson,  Justus  Peck,  Nathaniel  Lewis,  David  Frost,  the  Brocketts,  the 
Beechers  and  the  Hortons. 

The  military  company  of  Captain  John  Alcox  had  the  following 
members  in  1775,  the  list  indicating  the  names  of  the  settlers  at  that 
time  who  were  subject  to  that  duty:  Ezekiel  Upson,  Joseph  Benham, 
Amos  Hall,  James  Thomas,  David  Alcox,  Aaron  Welton,  Elkanah 
Smith,  Eliakim  Welton,  Jr.,  John  Talmage,  Abel  Curtiss,  Sr.,  Heman 
Hall,  James  Alcox,  Johnson  Cleaveland,  .Stephen  Miles,  Jr.,  Daniel  Al- 
cox, Samuel  Atkins,  Abraham  Tuttle,  Joseph  Beecher.Wait  Hotchkiss,. 
John  Bronson,  Jacob  Carter,  Jr.,  Noah  Neal,  Abel  Collins,  Jared  Har- 
rison, Charles  Upson,  Jeremiah  Smith,  Mark  Harrison,  Cyrus  Norton,. 
Abraham  Wooster,  Nathan  Seward,  Samuel  Harrison,  Dan  Tuttle, 
Aaron  Howe,  Curtiss  Hall,  Philip  Barrett,  John  Miles,  Nathaniel  Sut- 
liff,  John  Greeley,  David  Alcox,  Jr.,  Jeremiah  Selkrigs,  Philemon 
Bradley,  Isaac  Newell,  Moses  Pond. 

Like  most  of  the  hill  towns  Wolcott  had  its  most  numerous  popula- 
tion about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  the  town  had  its 
greatest  prosperity  between  1790  and  1820.  In  the  year  first  named 
there  were  about  900  inhabitants;  in  1800  they  numbered  948;  in  1810,. 
952;  in  1820,  943.  Now  began  the  decline,  which  has  continued  until 
less  than  50  per  cent,  remain.  In  1830  the  population  was  only  844; 
in  1840,  633;  in  1850,603;  in  1860,574;  in  1870,491.     Many  farms  were 

♦Reverend  Samuel  Orcutt. 


HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  811 

deserted,  and  it  is  claimed  that  even  in  1890,  when  the  population  had 
again  increased  to  522,  there  were  more  ruins  of  houses  in  the  town 
than  residences.  On  Southington  mountain  particularly,  where  were 
once  many  good  farms,  not  a  single  one  remains.  All  the  land  has- 
been  allowed  to  return  to  its  primeval  condition.  In  other  parts  may, 
however,  be  seen  pleasant,  comfortable  homes,  occupied  by  an  intelli- 
gent industrious  class  of  people. 

A  movement  for  a  town  organization  was  made  as  early  as  Decem- 
ber 7th,  1787,  when  the  Ecclesiastical  society  of  Farmingbury  unani- 
mously voted  that  "  we  are  willing  and  desirous  to  be  incorporated 
into  a  town."  "  Voted  that  it  is  our  mind  when  made  a  town  to  be 
connected  with  New  Haven  county."  Committees  were  now  ap- 
pointed to  confer  upon  the  propriety  of  this  step  with  the  towns  of 
Waterbury  and  Southington,  in  which  the  parish  was  located,  and  to 
memorialize  the  general  assembly  for  such  privileges.  Some  opposi- 
tion being  made,  the  matter  was  allowed  to  rest,  but  was  again  taken? 
up  in  1792.  It  was  not,  however,  until  May,  1796,  that  the  general  as- 
sembly passed  an  act  authorizing  the  incorporation,  as  per  petition 
presented  May  9th  that  year,  which  made  clear  that  the  towns  of 
Southington  and  Waterbury  had  withdrawn  all  objections  against  such 
action.  There  being  a  tie  vote  on  the  resolutions  Lieutenant-Gover- 
nor Oliver  Wolcott  cast  the  deciding  vote,  when  out  of  compliment 
for  this  act,  the  new  town  was  called  Wolcott. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  June  13th,  1796,  Deacon  Aaron 
Harrison  being  the  moderator.  It  resulted  in  the  choice  of  the 
following  principal  officers:  Town  clerk,  Isaac  Bronson;  treasurer,. 
Mark  Harrison;  selectmen,  Mark  Harrison,  Streat  Richards,  Jacob 
Carter;  tything  men,  John  Frisbie,  David  Harrison,  Solomon  Plumb,. 
William  Bailey.  Samuel  Upson,  Charles  Upson,  Streat  Richards, 
Jacob  Carter,  Mark  Harrison,  Calvin  Cowles,  Nathaniel  Lewis  and 
Daniel  Byington  were  appointed  a  committee  to  adjust  affairs  between 
the  new  and  the  old  towns,  and  to  divide  the  town  poor,  if  there  were 
any,  according  to  the  last  list,  etc.,  etc. 

Since  the  first  meeting  the  town  clerks  were  the  following:  1796- 
1814,  Isaac  Bronson;  1815-1838,  Archibald  Minor;  1839-40,  Levi  Moul- 
throp;  1841,  Isaac  Hough;  1842,  Ezra  S.  Hough;  1843-4,  Joseph  N_ 
Sperry;  1845,  Elihu  Moulthrop;  1846-7,  Joseph  Sperry;  1848-91,  Henry 
Minor. 

The  public  green  in  Wolcott  is  on  both  sides  of  the  highway,  run- 
ning east  and  west,  in  front  of  the  meeting  house.  The  part  north  of 
the  road  was  deeded  to  the  Farmingbury  ecclesiastical  society  in  1772, 
by  Joseph  Atkins.  On  the  eastern  part  of  it  a  whipping  post  was  set 
some  time  about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  It  appears  to 
have  been  last  used  in  1817,  when  Levi  Parker,  as  the  constable,  in- 
flicted punishment  upon  two  men  charged  with  stealing  a  cow.  The 
town  had  also  provided  some  "stocks,"  for  fastening  the  feet  of  evil- 


812  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

doers.  They  were  kept  in  the  meeting  house  shed,  "  but  no  one  re- 
members to  have  heard  of  any  use  to  which  they  were  put,  except  to 
look  at."* 

That  part  of  the  green  south  of  the  highway  was  procured  by  the 
town  in  1800,  1801  and  1808,  the  ground  being  included  in  three  pur- 
chases. The  green  has  not  received  the  care  it  merits,  and  it  could  be 
made  an  attractive  spot. 

The  first  road  through  Wolcott  was  the  old  Waterbury  path  from 
Farmington,  which  passed  through  the  northwest  section  to  the  pres- 
ent village  of  Waterville,  thence  down  the  stream  to  Waterbury.  It 
became  and  remained  for  many  years  the  principal  thoroughfare  be- 
tween the  two  towns.  In  1750  what  became  known  as  the  West 
Farmington  road  was  laid  out  across  Spindle  hill, passing  the  house  of 
John  Alcock,  who  had  settled  there  19  years  before  that  time.  In  1754 
another  road,  east  of  this,  was  laid  out,  between  the  above  two  points, 
and  became  known  as  the  East  Farmington  road.  It  was  properly  the 
first  road  through  Wolcott  Center.  About  the  same  time  a  road  20 
rods  wide  was  laid  out  on  Southington  mountain,  which  was  for  many 
years  a  principal  thoroughfare,  and  was  much  used  while  that  part  was 
inhabited.     In  recent  years  it  has  been  less  important. 

A  turnpike,  projected  from  Farmington  to  New  Haven,  was  en- 
couraged by  the  town,  but  was  not  built.  The  turnpike  from  Water- 
bury to  Marion  had  among  its  owners  citizens  of  Wolcott.  It  is  to  this 
day  one  of  the  main  thoroughfares  east  and  west.  A  highway  on  the 
line  between  the  old  towns  of  Waterbury  and  Farmington  has  for  a 
century  of  years  borne  the  unpoetic  name  of  "  Pudding  Street."  It 
is  said  that  this  name  was  applied  in  consequence  of  the  fact  that  one 
of  the  early  inhabitants  living  on  it,  north  of  the  Center,  was  so  fond 
of  boiled  pudding  that  he  had  that  article  for  nearly  every  dinner. 
Very  many  of  the  roads  of  the  town  have  been  well  improved  and  pre- 
sent a  creditable  appearance  for  a  hilly  country. 

Since  the  settlement  of  the  town,  agriculture  has  been  the  leading 
pursuit,  but  formerly  small  mills  and  shops  gave  occupation  to  some 
of  the  inhabitants.  The  privileges  of  Mad  river  were  early  improved; 
one  of  the  first  mills  in  the  town  being  put  up  at  the  Great  Falls  by 
Benjamin  Harrison,  sometime  about  1750.  A  clothing  mill  was  added 
to  the  saw  mill  before  1787,  in  which  year  they  became  the  property 
of  Abraham  Norton.  Afterward  a  grist  mill  was  put  up  in  that  local- 
ity, which  had  become  known  as  the  "  Mill  Place,"  and  John  Norton 
was  for  many  years  the  owner.  In  recent  years  a  small  lumber  mill 
only  has  been  kept  up. 

About  20  rods  below  that  place,  on  the  same  stream,  was  Jo- 
seph Atkin's  grist  mill,  put  up  about  1760  and  which  was  for  about 
a  score  of  years  the  only  one  in  the  society  of  Farmingbury.  Thomas 
Upson  and  Streat  Richards  were  later  owners,  the  property  passing 

*  Orcutt's  History,  p.  203. 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN    COUNTY.  813 

from  the  latter,  in  1800,  to  Isaac  Upson.  Still  later  the  mill  was  re- 
moved to  Woodtick  and  its  site  was  occupied  by  a  small  carding-  mill. 
This  was  discontinued  and  the  power  subsequently  was  used  solely 
by  a  saw  mill.  The  Mill  Place  afforded  many  natural  advantages  and, 
it  is  said,  that  had  Seth  Thomas  been  properly  encouraged  in  that  un- 
dertaking sometime  about  1800,  he  would  have  begun  the  enterprise 
which  transformed  Plymouth  Hollow  into  the  thriving  village  of 
Thomaston.  He  lived  in  Wolcott  about  that  time,  as  a  carpenter,  and 
was  noted  for  his  energy  and  persistence  of  purpose.  He  saw  clearly 
the  possibility  of  changing  these  quiet  vales  into  scenes  of  man- 
ufacturing activity,  but  could  not  sufficiently  impress  the  citizens  of 
Wolcott  with  the  idea  and  the  opportunity  passed  away,  not  again  to 
offer  itself. 

On  the  Mad  river,  at  Woodtick,  Judah  Frisbie  and  others  had  a  saw 
mill  as  early  as  1776,  and  after  1800  the  site  became  the  property  of 
the  Upsons,  and  the  power  was  later  used  to  operate  a  grist  mill, 
which  was  widely  known  as  Todd's.  Clocks  were  afterward  made  in 
that  building  by  Charles  Kirk,  but  in  1857  it  was  converted  into  a 
paper  mill,  which  was  operated  by  a  joint  stock  company.  After  a 
number  of  years  work  was  suspended  and  the  place  was  idle.  The 
property  now  passed  to  Gustave  Cornells,  who,  in  1885,  improved  it 
for  silver  plating  works.  These  were  successfully  carried  on  until 
December,  1890,  when  the  buildings  were  burned,  and  since  that  time 
the  town  has  again  been  without  any  manufacturing,  other  than  the 
operation  of  a  few  lumber  mills. 

Wolcott  Center  is  near  the  geographical  center  of  the  town,  on  an 
eminence  which  commands  a  view  several  miles  around.  There  are 
about  a  dozen  buildings,  including  a  store  and  post  office,  a  public 
hall,  a  school  house,  a  good  Congregational  meeting  house  and  an 
Episcopal  church,  the  latter  in  ruins.  The  hamlet  is  six  miles  from 
Waterbury,  and  is  less  important  than  formerly,  being  in  1800  to  1815 
a  place  of  considerable  business  activity.  In  that  period  it  contained 
more  buildings  than  at  present,  and  the  villagers  of  Waterbury  often 
traded  at  its  stores,  there  being  two  which  were  well  sustained.  There 
were  also  several  taverns.  The  first  public  house  was  that  of  Samuel 
Byington,  on  the  west  side  of  the  green,  where  he  also  carried  on  his 
trade  as  a  wheelwright.  After  1800  Joseph  Twitchell  was  the  land- 
lord. Colonel  Moses  Pond  was  a  well  known  tavern  keeper  at  the 
Center,  and  the  public  were  also  entertained  by  Pittman  Stowe  and 
Daniel  Alcox.     Both  houses  have  been  removed. 

Lucius  Tuttle  merchandised  here  before  1S00.  Samuel  Ben  ham 
later  became  a  partner,  and  the  firm  of  Benham  &  Tuttle  had  a  large 
trade.  A  number  of  others  followed,  Jason  Hotchkiss  being  the  last 
occupant  of  the  building,  which  was  taken  down  by  E.  Fenn  and  re- 
moved to  Terryville  after  Hotchkiss  had  lost  his  life  by  falling  out  of 
a  wagon.     Another  store,  put  up  by  Elihu  Moulthrop,  which  was  last 


-814  HISTORY   OF  NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

used  by  William  Welton,  was  converted  into  a  public  hall  about  20 
years  ago.  The  upper  story  was  handsomely  fitted  up  for  the  use  of 
a  Lodge  of  Good  Templars,  whose  meetings  have  long  since  been 
suspended. 

Adney  Whiting  was  the  first  postmaster  of  the  Wolcott  office,  which 
had  one  mail  per  week.  Lucius  Tuttle  and  Jason  Hotchkiss  followed, 
all  before  1840,  when  Isaac  Hough  was  the  postmaster.  William 
W^elton  held  the  office  after  1850,  and  then  for  many  years  Erastus  W. 
Warner  was  the  postmaster.  In  1886  he  sold  out  to  Charles  H.Carter, 
and  after  the  latter's  death,  William  H.  French  became  the  post- 
master, and  now  serves.  There  are  three  mails  per  week,  the  supply 
being  from  Waterbury. 

Woodtick  is  another  hamlet  in  the  town,  near  the  head  of  the 
valley  of  the  Mad  river,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Wolcott.  Its 
location  is  peculiarly  pleasant,  and  the  settlement  deserves  a  more  at- 
tractive name  than  the  one  which  it  bears,  which  was  given  to  this 
section  when  the  country  was  first  occupied,  in  consequence  of  the 
abundance  of  the  insect  woodtick.  There  is  a  good  water  power  on 
Mad  river.  The  hamlet  contains  an  attractive  chapel,  and  there  are 
half  a  dozen  comfortable  residences. 

Doctor  John  Potter  was  located  in  Wolcott  as  a  physician  as  early 
as  1780.  He  married  Lydia,  daughter  of  Deaon  Aaron  Harrison,  and 
one  of  their  sons,  Zephna,  born  in  1785,  also  became  a  physician.  In 
1808  Doctor  Ambrose  Ives  settled  in  the  town  as  a  physician,  much 
against  the  wishes  of  Doctor  Potter,  who  claimed  there  was  support 
for  but  one  practitioner.  The  latter  by  his  engaging  manners  soon 
had  a  fair  practice,  and  Doctor  Potter  removed  to  the  West  in  1820. 
Doctor  Ives  returned  to  Wallingford  in  1827,  but  subsequently  lived 
in  Waterbury  as  a  manufacturer.  He  died  in  1852,  quite  a  wealthy 
man. 

In  1826,  William  A.  Alcott,  born  in  Wolcott  August  6th,  1798,  re- 
ceived a  diploma  as  a  medical  practitioner,  and  followed  that  profes- 
sion in  Wolcott  until  1829.  He  gave  up  this  work  and  became  a  noted 
•educator  and  author.  He  published  in  all  108  volumes.  His  busy  life 
was  ended  at  Newton,  Mass.,  in  1859,  at  the  age  of  61  years. 

Doctor  Henry  Byington  was  the  last  regular  practitioner  in  the 
town,  there  being  no  settled  physician  the  past  20  years. 

About  the  time  the  inhabitants  received  permission  to  set  up  win- 
ter preaching  provision  was  made  for  the  support  of  schools,  the  rec- 
ords indicating  that  paid  instruction  was  given  in  the  "  winter  parish" 
as  early  as  1763.  These  schools  were  continued  until  the  Farming- 
bury  parish  was  formed  in  1770,  when  they  were  placed  in  charge  of 
a  school  committee  composed  of  David  Norton,  Seth  Bartholomew, 
Daniel  Alcox,  Amos  Beecher,  Joseph  Beecher,  Justus  Peck,  Captain 
Aaron  Harrison  and  Stephen  Barnes.  At  the  same  meeting,  Novem- 
ber 13th,  1770,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  divide  the  parish  into 


HISTORY    OF    NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  815 

districts.  It  appears  that  nine  districts  were  formed,  each  of  which 
was  placed  in  charge  of  a  committeeman  residing  in  the  district.  It 
was  also  directed  that  "  Each  school  committee  shall  collect  their  full 
rate,  each  one  in  his  district." 

Said  the  Reverend  Samuel  Orcutt,  in  regard  to  these  early  schools: 
<l  Until  the  town  was  organized  the  mimber  of  months  the  schools 
should  be  kept  was  decided  by  parish  vote,  and  usually  was  voted  to 
be  according  to  law,  but  sometimes  the  vote  was  to  '  keep  eleven 
months'  school.'  Wages  were,  for  a  man,  from  six  to  ten  dollars  a 
-month;  for  a  woman,  one  dollar  a  week." 

Through  the  agency  of  the  Addin  Lewis  Fund  of  $8,500,  left  for 
the  benefit  of  the  public  schools  of  Wolcott  (whose  income  is  about 
$500  per  year),  the  town  deposit  fund  and  the  appropriation  from  the 
state,  it  is  possible  to  maintain  schools  in  these  districts  without  mak- 
ing the  burden  too  heavy  for  the  town.  Schools  are  now  kept  in  six 
districts,  and  the  outlay  for  their  support  is  about  $1,200  per  year. 

Addin  Lewis  was  a  son  of  Captain  Nathaniel  Lewis,  who  settled  on 
Southington  mountain  about  1770  and  became  one  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  town.  He  died  in  1839,  aged  90  years,  and  on  his  grave  stone 
are  inscribed  the  words :  "  He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
town.  An  honest  man."  Addin  became  a  merchant  in  the  South  and 
was  elected  mayor  of  Mobile.  Amassing  considerable  wealth,  he  re- 
turned to  New  Haven,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in 
retired  life.  At  his  death  he  left  by  bequest  the  sum  of  $8,500  for  the 
support  of  schools  in  Wolcott  and  about  $15,000  for  an  academy  at 
Southington.  In  the  latter  bequest  was  the  provision  :  "And  all 
pupils  from  the  town  of  Wolcott,  not  exceeding  ten  at  any  one  time, 
who  may  wish  to  receive  instruction  in  said  institution,  shall  receive 
the  same  without  any  charge  for  tuition." 

Some  of  the  foremost  men  in  the  town  were  teachers  in  the  public 
schools  of  Wolcott.  Deacon  Isaac  Bronson  was  a  teacher  of  many 
years'  standing.  The  Alcotts,  A.  Bronson  and  Doctor  William  A., 
who  afterward  became  so  eminent  as  instructors,  also  taught  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  town. 

Several  schools  of  a  special  or  select  nature  were  also  taught  in 
the  town,  chiefly  by  the  Congregational  ministers.  Those  kept  by 
-  Reverend  Israel  B.  Woodward  from  1792  to  1810,  and  by  Reverend 
John  Keys  from  1814  until  1822,  had  a  good  patronage  from  outside  of 
town.  Many  young  persons  were  here  prepared  for  college,  and  sev- 
eral became  quite  prominent.  Among  these  may  be  named  Stephen 
Upson,  who  became  one  of  the  most  celebrated  lawyers  of  Georgia; 
William  Maxwell,  of  Virginia;  and  J.  G.  Percival,  another  "poet 
of  considerable  celebrity,"  all  of  whom  were  students  under  Mr. 
Woodward. 

As  early  as  1760  an  effort  was  made  by  the  people  living  in  what 
is  now  Wolcott  to  secure  the  privileges  of  a  distinct  society,  to  enable 


816  HISTORY   OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY. 

them  to  maintain  religious  worship  in  their  own  locality.  They  rep- 
resented to  the  general  assembly  that  they  "occupied  a  tract  of  land 
five  miles  square,  were  .£2,000  in  the  list,  and  lived  an  inconvenient 
distance  from  places  of  public  worship."  Owing  to  the  remonstrance 
of  the  old  societies  this  petition  was  rejected,  as  was  also  one  in  1762, 
which  bore  the  names  of  43  signers.  Nevertheless,  winter  preaching 
for  five  months  in  a  year  was  set  up  and  these  settlers  were,  for  these 
months,  exempt  from  paying  rates  to  the  old  society.  In  1767  the 
limits  of  the  proposed  parish  were  extended  to  embrace,  also,  parts  of 
the  town  of  Farmington,  and  the  petitioners  now  represented  that 
they  numbered  71  families  and  had  a  list  of  £3,872,  8s.  But  this 
prayer  and  another,  in  1768,  were  also  denied,  and  it  was  not  until 
October,  1770,  that  the  assembly  passed  an  act  authorizing  the  forma- 
tion of  an  ecclesiastical  society,  by  the  name  of  Farmingbury*,  of  parts 
of  the  towns  of  Farmington  and  Waterbury. 

The  first  society  meeting  was  held  November  15th,  1770;  Captain 
Aaron  Harrison  moderated;  Daniel  Byington  was  chosen  clerk;  Lieu- 
tenant Josiah  Rogers,  John  Alcox,  Stephen  Barnes,  John  Bronson 
and  Amos  Seward,  the  society's  committee.  A  rate  of  two  pence  was 
laid  on  the  list  of  1770  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  society. 

They  now  voted  to  procure  preaching  for  the  year  ensuing,  and 
secured  the  privilege  of  meeting  in  the  house  of  Joseph  Atkins  until 
May,  1771.  Jacob  Carter,  Levi  Bronson,  Jared  Harrison,  Stephen 
Barnes  and  David  Alcox,  were  chosen  choristers;  and  Captain  Aaron 
Harrison  and  Amos  Seward  were  appointed  to  read  the  psalms. 

At  this  meeting  it  was  voted  to  build  a  meeting  house,  and  Captain 
Enos  Brooks,  Captain  Enos  Atwater  and  Colonel  Hall  were  appointed 
a  committee  "  to  stick  the  stake  of  said  meeting  house." 

The  Hartford  county  court  confirmed  the  action  of  this  commit- 
tee when  the  members  reported  to  that  body,  in  January,  1771,  that 
they  had  acted  in  the  matter,  in  the  latter  part  of  last  November,  and 
had  selected  a  "  Place  in  said  society  and  erected  a  stake  thereon,  with 
stones  about  it,  viz.,  on  a  beautiful  eminence  on  the  line  dividing  be- 
tween the  towns  of  Waterbury  and  Farmington,  a  little  northerly  of 
Mr.  Abraham  Wooster's  dwelling  house  in  said  society,  near  where 
the  north  and  south  highways  cross  each  other,  etc. 

On  the  22d  of  April  next  the  society  appointed  a  meeting  house 
committee,  composed  of  Lieutenant  Josiah  Rogers,  Samuel  Upson, 
Stephen  Barnes,  Joseph  Beecher  and  Daniel  Alcox,  but  owing  to  some 
disagreement  in  regard  to  the  size  of  the  house,  the  frame  was  not 
raised  until  April,  1772.  Joseph  Atkins  gave  two  acres  of  ground  as 
a  site  for  the  meeting  house,  and  as  it  was  not  all  needed  for  that  pur- 
pose, a  part  of  it  was  devoted  to  public  use.  On  one  corner  the  town 
afterward  put  up  a  public  whipping  post.     The  meeting  house  stood 

*The  name  was  derived  by  taking  parts  of  the  names  of  the  old  societies— 
.Farming-ton  and  Water-fe//T. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW    HAVEN   COUNTY.  817 

on  the  north  side  of  the  green,  which  it  faced  and  its  main  entrance 
was  from  the  south.  It  was  occupied  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  1772. 
At  this  time  the  house  was  not  finished  inside  and  for  ten  years  the 
furnishing  was  of  the  simplest  kind.  In  the  fall  of  1784,  after  the 
house  had  been  supplied  with  pews,  the  society  "  voted  to  seat  the 
meeting  house  by  age,"  but  afterward  concluded  to  "  seat  by  age  and 
by  list."  It  was  also  voted  to  have  a  pew  built  over  the  stairs  for  the 
"  niggers."  In  the  summer  of  1795  this  meeting  house  was  repaired 
and  fully  completed,  and  was  now  appropriately  dedicated.  In  1815 
the  house  was  supplied  with  stoves.  They  were  set  aside  in  1829,  but 
new  ones  were  placed  in  the  meeting  house  in  November,  1839, 
in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  some  who  contended  against  this 
innovation. 

In  1831  a  cupola  was  built  on  the  meeting  house,  in  which  a  bell 
weighing  more  than  900  pounds  was  placed.  About  $750  were  ex- 
pended on  these  objects.  The  following  year  the  pews  were  rented 
to  the  hiehest  bidders  ;  but  in  1837  those  who  had  subscribed  for  the 
support  of  the  Gospel  were  again  seated  in  the  meeting  house  accord- 
ing to  age. 

In  the  ministry  of  the  Reverend  James  D.  Chapman,  which  began  in 
1837  and  ended  in  1840,  the  parish  was  much  agitated  by  ihe  discus- 
sion of  the  slavery  question.  And  as" Mr.  Chapman  was  a  pronounced 
anti-slavery  man,  he  provoked  the  ill  will  of  some  of  the  citizens  of 
the  town  to  such  an  extent  that  they  were  led  to  treat  his  property 
with  indignity.  His  horse  was  sheared,  mane  and  tail,  to  intimidate 
him  or  to  show  how  strongly  they  disapproved  of  his  course  ;  and  the 
property  of  some  of  the  members  of  the  church,  who  had  warmly 
commended  the  course  of  Mr.  Chapman,  was  also  subjected  to  this 
barbarous  treatment.  The  contest  went  on  until  it  culminated  in  the 
burning  of  the  meeting  house,  December  11th,  1839,  to  prevent,  it  is 
supposed,  an  anti-slavery  meeting,  which  had  been  announced  to  be 
held  in  it.  "The  evening  before  this  meeting  was  to  take  place,  a 
-quantity  of  powder  was  placed  in  the  stove  with  a  slow  match  attached, 
and  a  little  after  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  a  heavy  explosion  was 
felt  and  heard  by  the  people  residing  near  the  meetinghouse  ;  but  the 
cause  they  could  not  discover.  About  12  o'clock  in  the  night  they 
were  aroused  by  the  cry  of  fire  and  found  the  house  all  in  flames,  and 
it  was  soon  a  heap  of  ashes.  The  next  day  the  anti-slavery  meeting 
was  held  and  the  people  gathered  around  the  smouldering  ashes  to 
keep  warm  while  they  were  addressed  on  the  great  subject  of  free- 
dom. It  is  possible  that  the  intention  was  not  to  burn  the  meeting 
house  but  to  destroy  the  stove  and  thus  prevent  the  meeting.  It  is 
also  said  that  there  was  great  opposition  to  having  any  stove  in  the 
house,  and  for  this  reason  some  wanted  it  destroyed."  Hence  "it 
has  been  said  in  charity  that  the  burning  of  the  house  was  in  part 
accidental."  * 

*  Orcutt's  History  of  Wolcott,  pages  117  and  118. 


818  HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

Naturally  this  event  created  great  excitement,  and  some  persons 
were  arrested,  charged  with  the  crime.  But  when  the  trial  came,  it 
was  impossible  to  prove  the  act,  the  principal  witness  having 
left  Wolcott  and  never  afterward  returned.  In  the  course  of  time  the 
bitter  feeling  was  abated,  and  that  stirring  incident  in  the  history 
of  the  church  is  now  scarcely  remembered  with  any  degree  of  accu- 
racy. An  attendant  circumstance  was  the  withdrawal  from  the  society, 
at  the  annual  meeting,  April  26th,  1840,  of  17  of  the  anti-slavery  mem- 
bers, who,  with  others,  on  the  10th  of  July,  1840,  organized  themselves 
as  the  "  Second  Congregational  Society  of  Wolcott."  Fortunately, 
through  the  influence  of  the  Consociation,  to  which  the  church  be- 
longed, which  convened  a  council  in  Wolcott,  November  9th,  1840,  to 
adjust  these  matters,  the  way  was  thus  paved  for  a  union  of  the  two 
societies,  which  was  effected  not  long  afterward.  Mr.  Chapman  re- 
ceived an  honorable  dismission  and  the  parish  now  applied  itself  to 
the  work  of  rebuilding  both  its  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs. 

An  effort  to  secure  subscriptions  for  building  a  meeting  house  was 
so  successful  that  on  the  20th  of  June,  1840,  a  building  committee  was 
appointed,  composed  of  Joseph  M.  Sperry,  Marvin  Miner,  Ira  Hough, 
Ira  Frisbie  and  Levi  Moulthrop.  It  was  agreed  to  put  up  a  house  36 
by  46  feet,  with  posts  20  feet  high.  Several  years  were  consumed  in 
building,  the  house  being  dedicated  January  19th,  1843.  In  1846  a 
church  bell  was  procured,  the  molten  metal  of  the  old  one  being  ap- 
plied to  that  object.  In  1873,  the  second  year  of  Mr.  Orcutt's  ministry, 
the  meeting  house  was  improved,  the  repairs  making  it  much  more 
attractive.  Ten  years  later,  in  1883,  the  interior  of  the  house  was 
modernized,  and  it  is  now  very  attractive  and  comfortable.  In  1857 
the  house  built  by  Reverend  A.  C.  Beach  was  purchased  for  a  parson- 
age and  has  since  been  so  used. 

A  fewyears  ago  the  society  aided  in  building  a  chapel  at  Woodtick. 
It  well  graces  the  landscape  of  that  hamlet.  Occasional  services  are 
held  there  and  a  Sunday  school  is  regularly  maintained. 

Soon  after  the  society  was  formed  arrangements  were  made  for 
preaching  services,  and  a  Mr.  Jackson  served  them  statedly  as  the  min- 
ister. An  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  secure  him  as  the  pastor, 
followed  in  the  spring  of  1773  by  securing  Mr.  Alexander  Gillet  as  a 
preacher.  He  continued  acceptably  a  number  of  Sabbaths,  and  being 
invited  to  take  pastoral  charge  of  the  interests  of  the  society,  agreed 
to  do  so  after  a  church  had  been  formed.  Up  to  this  time  most  of  the 
inhabitants  held  their  connection  as  members  with  the  churches  in 
Waterbury,  Southington  or  Farmington. 

Accordingly,  on  the  18th  of  November,  1773,  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Farmingbury  was  formally  organized  of  the  following  41 
members':  Aaron  Harrison,  deacon,  and  Jerusha,  his  wife;  Josiah  Rog- 
ers, deacon,  and  Sarah,  his  wife;  Isaac  Hopkins  and  Mary,  his  wife; 
Joseph  Atkins  and  Abigail,  his  wife;  Thomas  Upson,  Joseph  Sutliff, 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  819 

Amos  Seward  and  Ruth,  his  wife;  David  Norton,  John  Alcox  and 
Mary,  his  wife;  Samuel  Upson,  Wait  Hotehkiss  and  Lydia,  his  wife; 
Nathaniel  Butler  and  Rebecca,  his  wife;  Elizabeth  Porter,  Daniel  Al- 
cox and  Elizabeth,  his  wife;  Joseph  Hotehkiss  and  Hannah,  his  wife; 
Judah  Frisbie,  Israel  Clark  and  Mahetable,  his  wife;  Daniel  Lane  and 
Jemima,  his  wife;  Stephen  Miles,  Stephen  Barnes  and  Sarah,  his  wife; 
Zadoc  Bronson  and  Eunice,  his  wife;  Lucy  Peck,  the  wife  of  Justus 
Peck;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Nathaniel  Hitchcock;  Esther  Barrett,  Joseph 
Ben  ham  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife;  Josiah  Barnes. 

One  month  later  four  more  persons  united  with  the  church,  and 
seven  more  were  added  in  January,  1774.  Over  this  church  Alexan- 
der Gillet  was  formally  ordained  December  29th,  1773,  as  the  first 
pastor.  The  organization  was  more  fully  completed  January  29th, 
1774,  when  Captain  Aaron  Harrison  was  elected  as  the  first  deacon, 
and  Lieutenant  Josiah  Rogers  as  the  second  deacon. 

Mr.  Gillet  had  graduated  from  Yale  in  September,  1770.  In  June, 
1773,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  began  his  ministerial  career  at 
Farmingbury.  His  pastorate  lasted  18  years,  in  which  time  about  a 
100  persons  were  added  to  the  church,  most  of  them  by  profession. 
Through  his  efforts,  which  were  always  in  the  direction  of  the  best 
welfare  of  the  community,  a  library  was  formed  November  5th,  1779, 
which  was  dissolved  about  1830.  It  was  not  large,  but  contained  many 
useful  books. 

Mr.  Gillet's  pastoral  relations  were  dissolved  November  10th,  1791, 
and  the  following  year  he  was  settled  in  Torrington,  where  he  labored 
as  pastor  34  years  and  until  his  death.  His  son,  Timothy  Phelps,  born 
in  Wolcott  July  23d,  1780,  became  the  beloved  pastor  of  the  Branford 
church,  where  he  served  more  than  50  years. 

The  successor  of  Mr.  Gillet,  Reverend  Israel  B.  Woodward,  began 
to  preach  for  the  society  as  a  candidate  in  February,  1792.  In  May, 
the  same  year,  he  accepted  a  call  to  settle,  and  the  following  June  he 
was  ordained.  He  found  here  about  100  church  members  and  a  con- 
gregation of  from  300  to  500  persons.  His  preaching  was  interesting 
and  attracted  many  who  did  not  attend  the  meetings  of  Mr.  Gillet,  and 
"  he  was  more  than  ordinarily  successful  as  a  preacher,  and  was  highly 
esteemed  as  a  neighbor  and  citizen.  .  .  .  Probably  no  minister  in 
the  parish  was  ever  loved  and  confided  in  as  a  minister  more  than  he, 
for  to  this  day  the  remark  of  the  people  as  to  all  they  ever  heard  of 
him  is  in  the  highest  tone  of  Christian  love."* 

At  this  time  the  town  enjoyed  the  greatest  prosperity,  its  decline 
beginning  with  the  present  century,  and  the  church,  to  a  large  extent, 
partook  of  this  prosperity.  An  effort  was  made  to  improve  the  sing- 
ing, and  the  expenditures  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel  were  more  lib- 
eral than  in  previous  years. 

In  the  last  ten  years  of  Mr.  Woodward's  ministry  "  the  meeting 

*  Orcutt's  History,  1874. 


820  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

house  was  so  filled  with  hearers  that  there  were  extra  committees 
appointed,  from  year  to  year,  to  seat  the  people  and  to  provide  seats 
for  those  who  should  become  regular  attendants."  His  pastorate 
was  suddenly  terminated  by  his  death,  November  17th,  1810,  when  he 
was  but  43  years  of  age.  He  lies  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Wolcott 
Center,  and  his  memory  is  cherished  to  this  day  for  his  worth  as  a 
minister  and  as  a  teacher.  For  many  years  he  here  successfully  taught 
a  select  school,  which  was  attended  by  students  from  different  parts  of 
the  county. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Woodward  some  difficulty  was  experienced 
in  securing  permanent  pastors,  and  since  that  time  the  pulpit  has  been 
filled  by  a  number  of  persons.  Among  these  have  been:  Reverend 
Lucas  Hart,  ordained  December  4th,  1811,  died  at  East  Haven  October 
16th,  1813;  Reverend  John  Keys,  installed  September  21st,  1814,  dis- 
missed December,  1822.  For  nearly  five  years  the  church  was  with- 
out a  pastor,  in  which  period  sermons  were  read  by  Deacon  Isaac 
Bronson.  As  is  the  natural  consequence  in  such  cases  the  interest 
declined,  and  for  some  time  the  spiritual  life  of  the  church  was  at 
a  low  ebb.  It  was  somewhat  revived  by  the  labors  of  Reverend 
Erastus  Scranton,  who  was  the  stated  supply  from  June  1st,  1827,  to 
August,  1829.  Reverend  Mr.  Wheelock  was  stated  supply  from  Sep- 
tember, 1829,  for  one  year,  Reverend  Nathan  Shaw,  nine  months,  from 
July  4th,  1831,  and  Reverend  Seth  Sackett  for  a  short  time.  He  was 
followed  by  Reverend  William  F.  Vail,  who  was  stated  supply  one 
year. 

Reverend  James  D.  Chapman  was  ordained  to  the  pastorate  Octo- 
ber 25th,  1837,  and  was  dismissed  in  November,  1840.  This  was,  as 
has  already  been  stated,  one  of  the  most  stirring  periods  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  church.  But  the  troublesome  events  of  his  pastorate  were 
not  without  some  use,  as  from  this  time  on  the  work  of  the  church 
was  again  in  a  measure  revived  and  placed  upon  a  substantial  basis. 
Reverend  Zephaiiiah  Swift  was  supply  for  one  year.  Reverend  Aaron 
C.  Beach,  ordained  June  22d,  1842,  served  as  pastor  15  years,  being 
dismissed  June  22d,  1857.  He  was  an  acceptable  and  beloved  min- 
ister, and  was  forced  to  leave  by  the  inability  of  the  parish  to  prop- 
erly support  him.  His  salary  for  a  number  of  years  was  raised  with 
difficulty,  owing  to  the  loss  of  population  by  immigration  to  the 
Western  states  or  to  towns  where  manufacturing  interests  invited 
residence.  He  was  succeeded  by  Reverend  Z.  B.  Burr,  who  acted  as 
stated  supply  a  short  time,  and  by  Reverend  Joseph  Smith,  who  was 
the  stated  supply  one  year.  Reverend  Stephen  Rogers  was  next  in- 
stalled as  the  pastor.  March  25th,  1859,  but  owing  to  ill  health  was 
dismissed  April  18th,  1863.  He  died  the  same  year  in  Woodbury, 
Conn.  Reverend  L.  S.  Hough  was  the  stated  supply  from  May,  1863, 
to  May,  1869.  In  the  same  way  Reverend  W.  C.  Fiske  served  the 
church  from  May,  1869,  till  June,  1872. 


HISTORY   OF  NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  821 

Reverend  Samuel  Orcutt  was  the  stated  supply  from  July  1st,  1872, 
to  May  17th,  1874.  Through  his  efforts  the  first  centennial  of  the 
formation  of  the  church  was  properly  celebrated  September  10th  and 
11th,  1873.  The  exercises  were  varied  and  interesting.  An  account 
of  them,  together  with  an  exhaustive  history  of  Wolcott  and  the 
genealogies  of  some  of  its  principal  families,  was  prepared  and 
published  by  Mr.  Orcutt,  and  from  it  have  been  gleaned  many  of 
the  facts  contained  in  this  sketch.  He  was  a  tireless  and  persistent 
toiler  in  these  departments  of  investigation  and  research,  as  well  as 
an  able  and  faithful  pastor.  Reverend  Francis  Dyer  was  installed 
November  18th,  1874,  and  was  dismissed  December  12th,  1877.  Rever- 
end Charles  E.  Upson  was  the  stated  supply  from  April  1st,  1878,  to- 
December  1st,  1879.  Reverend  Frank  G.  Woodworth  was  ordained 
and  installed  June  23d,  1880,  and  remained  until  September  11th,  1887.. 
Then  the  pulpit  was  supplied  for  three  years,  and  the  past  year  Rever- 
end Isaiah  P.  Smith  has  been  the  stated  supply. 

Considering  the  meager  population  of  the  town,  the  church  is  pros- 
perous, having  about  100  members. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  the  parish  in  the  summer  of 
1827,  Doctor  William  A.  Alcott  being  the  first  superintendent.  It 
consisted  of  a  few  classes  only,  but  Doctor  Alcott  at  that  early  day- 
supplied  them  with  books  to  read  during  the  week,  much  as  is  now 
done  by  the  Sunday  school  libraries.  This  school  was  not  continu- 
ously maintained,  but  much  of  the  time  a  Sabbath  school  has  been 
held.  It  has  now  about  50  members  in  regular  attendance,  and  Henry 
B.  Carter  and  E.  M.  Upson  are  the  superintendents. 

Among  the  ministers  raised  up  in  Wolcott  have  been:  Reverends" 
Timothy  P.  Gillet,  born  June  15th,  1780,  died  at  Branford  November 
5th,  1866;  Benoni  Upson,  D.  D.,  son  of  Thomas  Upson,  born  Febru- 
ary 14th,  1750,  died  November  13th,  1826;  Henry  E.  L.  Upson,  bom 
May  21st,  1831.  was  the  chaplain  of  the  13th  Regiment  in  the  civil 
war;  and  John  W.  Beach,  son  of  Reverend  A.  C.  Beach,  born  January 
5th,  1843,  graduated  from  Yale  in  1864. 

The  following  have  been  the  deacons  of  the  church  as  chosen  in 
the  years  first  given:  Aaron  Harrison,  1774,  died  1819;  Josiah  Rogers, 
1774,  died  1803;  Justus  Peck,  1784,  resigned  1812,  died  1813;  Joseph  At- 
kins, Jr.,1786,  removed  1805;  Isaac  Bronson,  1805,  died  1845;  James 
Bailey,  1812,  died  1834;  Irad  Bronson.1825,  removed  1834;  Harvey  Up- 
son, 1832,  died  1857;  Orrin  Hall,  1835;  Ansel  H.  Plumb,  1838,  died  1870;: 
Lyman  B.  Bronson,  1864,  died  1866;  Miles  S.  Upson,  1867,  died  1885; 
George  W.  Carter,  1870,  died  1884;  Henry  B.  Carter,  1884  and  con- 
tinues; Evelyn  M.  Upson,  1884  and  continues;  Benjamin  L.  Bronson. 
1885  and  continues. 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  what  is  now  the  town  of  Wolcott  were 
a  few  churchmen.     In  1779  there  were  so  many  families  of  that  faith 


822  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

in  the  Farmingbury  society  that  they  made  an  effort  to  form  them- 
selves into  an  Episcopal  parish.  But  the  movement  was  unsuccessful, 
and  probably  nothing  more  of  this  nature  was  done  until  after  the 
revolution.  Some  families  then  withdrew  from  the  Congregational 
church  in  favor  of  an  Episcopal  one.  It  was  not,  however,  until  No- 
vember 26th,  1811,  that  an  Episcopal  parish  was  successfully  organ- 
ized. Previous  to  that  time  25  families  had  "signed  off,"  and  about 
the  same  number  of  persons  had  united  in  a  call,  which  led  to  the  for- 
mation of  this  society.  Erastus  Welton  was  elected  clerk,  Moses  Wel- 
ton,  treasurer;  Daniel  Langdon  and  Thomas  Welton  were  chosen  as 
the  first  wardens.  Preaching  was  now  supplied  by  missionaries,  who 
visited  the  parish  about  once  per  month,  and  lay  services,  consisting 
of  prayers  and  sermons  read,  were  regularly  held,  among  the  readers 
for  the  next  ten  years  being:  Thomas  Welton,  Moses  Welton,  Elias 
Welton,  Erastus  Welton,  Eben  Welton,  Eliakim  Welton,  Ambrose 
Ives,  Levi  Parker,  John  J.  Kenea,  William  Alcox,  Willard  Plumb, 
Archibald  Minor,  Orrin  Plumb  and  Levi  Hall,  all  members  of  the  so- 
ciety. 

In  1817  the  meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Byington 
during  the  winter,  and  services  in  summer  were  held  in  school  houses. 
Steps  were  taken  in  1820  to  build  a  church,  and  some  favored  an  ap- 
plication to  the  general  assembly  for  permission  for  a  lottery  to  help 
raise  funds.  Nothing  resulting  from  this  movement,  the  matter  was 
now  agitated  for  the  next  ten  years  before  any  decisive  action  was 
taken.  In  the  meantime  some  of  the  meetings  were  held  in  one  of  the 
chambers  of  the  public  house  of  Moses  Pond,  at  Wolcott  Center. 
In  April,  1830,  the  town  granted  permission  to  the  society  to  build  its 
church  on  the  south  side  of  the  green,  and  in  the  summer  of  that 
year  the  frame  was  raised.  The  building  committee  were:  Levi 
Hall,  Archibald  Minor,  Thomas  H.  Welton  and  Orrin  Plumb,  who 
completed  their  work  and  were  discharged  in  April,  1833,  "from  any 
further  services  as  committee  aforesaid,  and  from  all  liabilities  in 
said  capacity."  Although  called  complete,  a  stove  was  not  supplied 
until  1836.  The  church  building  well  served  its  purposes  until  the 
society  became  too  weak  to  further  occupy  it,  some  twenty  years  ago, 
and  it  has  since  been  allowed  to  fall  into  ruins. 

On  Easter  day,  1834,  All  Saints'  church  was  formally  organized, 
of  some  of  those  who  had  been  interested  in  the  society,  and  for  about 
40  years  its  existence  was  maintained  with  greatly  varying  interest,  on 
account  of  the  small  membership  and  their  inability  to  support  a  rec- 
tor. From  1850  to  1855  Reverend  Collis  Ira  Potter  served  with  more 
regularity  than  those  who  preceded  him,  but  nearly  all  of  the  dozen 
or  more  ministers  who  preached  here  were  supplies  or  held  services 
at  long  intervals  only.  For  many  years  no  public  services  have  been 
held,  only  a  few  Epicopalians  remaining  in  the  town. 


HISTORY    OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY.  823 

The  wardens  of  the  church  have  been  the  following:  1811, 
Daniel  Langdon,  Thomas  Welton;  1812-15,  Eliakim  Welton, 
Thomas  Welton;  1816,  Thomas  Welton,  Eliakim  Welton,  Jr.;  1817-18, 
Eben  Welton,  Erastus  Welton;  1819-20,  Thomas  Welton,  Moses  Wel- 
ton; 1821-2,  Erastus  Welton,  Eben  Welton;  1823,  Moses  Welton, 
Thomas  Welton;  1824,  Hezekiah  Bradley,  Moses  Welton;  1829,  Levi 
Hall,  Lyman  Higgins;  1830-2,  Sammy  Nichols,  Hezekiah  Bradley; 
1833,  Lyman  Higgins,  Levi  Hall;  1835,  Sammy  Nichols,  Heman  Hall; 
1836-41,  Lyman  Higgins,  Heman  Hall;  1842-4,  Lyman  Higgins, 
Moses  Pond;  1848,  Levi  Hall,  Martin  Upson;  1849,  Lyman  Higgins, 
Levi  Hall;  1850-9,  Martin  Upson,  George  G.  Alcott;  1860,  Martin 
Upson,  Willis  Merrill. 

The  first  place  of  burial  in  Wolcott  was  authorized  by  the  town  of 
Waterbury  at  a  meeting  held  December  10th,  1764.  "At  the  same 
meeting  Captain  George  Nichols  and  Captain  Stephen  Upson,  Jr.,  were 
chosen  a  committee  to  go  out  eastward  near  Joseph  Atkins'  to  view 
and  purchase  half  an  acre  of  land,  upon  the  town  cost,  in  that  neigh- 
borhood, where  they  shall  think  it  most  convenient  for  a  burial 
ground."  John  Barrett  was  one  of  the  first  grave  diggers  appointed 
for  that  cemetery.  The  oldest  stone  there  is  the  one  which  marks  the 
grave  of  Heman  Hall,  and  bears  date  1769.  In  1797  the  cemetery  was 
claimed  as  the  property  of  William  Stevens,  but  the  town  arranged 
with  him  to  secure  proper  title,  and  enlarged  the  lot  to  three-fourths 
of  an  acre.  In  1870  the  yard  was  further  enlarged,  to  include  two 
acres.  It  contains  many  graves,  and  there  are  a  few  fine  monuments. 
It  has  always  been  the  principal  place  of  interment  in  the  town. 

In  March,  1772,  the  Farmingbury  society  appointed  a  committee 
"  to  fix  a  place  or  places  for  burying  grounds,"  and  soon  after  it  laid 
out  the  Southeast  Burying  Ground.  In  1776  David  Frost  was  ap- 
pointed the  grave  digger.  The  oldest  stone  in  it  marks  the  grave  of 
Archibald  Upson,  who  died  of  the  small-pox  January  1st,  1782.  The 
use  of  the  ground  is  limited  to  that  locality. 

In  1774  a  burial  ground  for  the  northeast  section  was  laid  out  on 
the  north  declivity  of  Pike's  hill.  Zadoc  Bronson  was  appointed  the 
grave  digger  in  1776.  On  the  28th  of  May  that  year  Matthew  Blakes- 
lee  died,  and  his  head-stone  is  the  oldest  in  that  ground.  This  plot 
was  used  until  1805,  when  a  more  desirable  cemetery  was  opened  east 
of  the  hill,  on  a  small  gravel  knoll.  In  it  have  since  been  interred  the 
dead  of  that  part  of  the  town.  A  number  of  the  dead  in  the  old 
ground,  on  Pike's  hill,  were  also  here  re-interred. 

The  fourth  burying  ground  was  opened  on  a  vote  of  the  town 
meeting  held  November  20th,  1807.  It  is  located  in  the  southwest 
part  of  Wolcott,  or  in  the  Woodtick  section.  The  committee  which 
selected  it  was  composed  of  Isaac  Bronson,  Mark  Harrison  and  Isaac 
Upson.  It  is  a  small  yard,  but  has  a  pleasant  location,  and  is  neatly 
kept. 


.824  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN   COUNTY. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 

Samuel  M.  Bailey,  born  in  Wolcott,  in  1831,  is  a  son  of  Luther  and 
grandson  of  James  Bailey,  who  served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution 
and  held  a  lieutenant's  commission.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
second  wife  being  Phebe  Pomeroy.  Their  son,  Luther,  married  for 
his  first  wife,  Henrietta  Brockett.  They  had  three  children:  Samuel 
M.,  Sarah  and  Hobart  L.,  who  enlisted  in  the  7th  Connecticut  Vol- 
unteers and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  Samuel  M. 
enlisted  in  the  20th  Regiment  in  1862  and  served  until  the  close 
-of  the  war.  Luther  Bailey  married  for  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Margaret 
Blakeslee.  Their  children  were:  Sarah  M.,  James  B.,  Minor  E.  and 
Abbie.  Samuel  M.  Bailey  previous  to  the  war  was  a  resident  of 
Southington  several  years,  and  after  the  close  of  the  war  resided  in 
Pennsylvania,  returning  to  Wolcott  about  1878.  He  has  been  select- 
man, treasurer  of  school  fund,  and  representative  in  1881  and  1882. 
He  married,  in  1864,  Martha  Elton. 

Benjamin  L.  Bronson,  born  in  Wolcott  in  1849,  is  a  son  of  Still- 
mian,  whose  father,  John,  was  a  son  of  John  (who  lived  to  be  103  years 
-and  4  months  old),  all  of  whom  were  residents  of  Wolcott,  and  far- 
mers. John,  the  second,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married 
Hannah  Root.  Their  children  were:  Jarvis  A.,  Sarah,  Stillman  and 
Pitkin.  Stillman  Bronson  was  born  in  1812  and  died  June  21st,  1891. 
He  married  Charlotte  Linsley.  Their  children  living  are:  Elliott, 
Lucy,  Edith  and  Benjamin  L.  Those  deceased  are:  Emmerson,  Bruce, 
Harriett  and  Esther.  Elliott  married  Margaret  Sanford.  Lucy  mar- 
ried B.  C.  Lum.  Edith  married  Cornelius  Tracy.  Benjamin  L.  Bron- 
son is  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman,  and 
represented  his  town  in  the  legislature. 

Henry  B.  Carter,  born  in  Wolcott  December  2d,  1839,  was  the  son 
•of  George  W.  and  Sarah  A.  (Bronson)  Carter.  His  father,  Deacon 
George  W.  Carter,  represented  the  town  in  the  legislature  of  the  state, 
also  the  Fifth  senatorial  district.  He  was  deacon  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  in  this  place,  and  held  many  offices  of  trust  within  the 
gift  of  the  town.  Henry  B.  was  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  six,  viz.: 
Henry  B.,  Mary  M.,  Sarah  S.,  Hannah  J.,  Frederick  W.  and  Walter  S., 
who  died  in  infancy.  Early  in  life  the  subject  of  this  sketch  married 
Mary  R.,  the  only  daughter  of  S.  L.  Hotchkiss,  of  Wolcott,  who  has 
been  for  many  years  a  local  correspondent  for  newspapers  and  is  at 
present  editor  of  the  Woman's  Department  of  the  Co?ifiecticitt  Farmer. 
Mr.  Carter  was  elected  to  represent  the  town  in  the  legislature  two 
consecutive  years,  has  served  as  chairman  of  the  town  committee  and 
chairman  of  the  board  of  education,  assessor  and  first  selectman.  He 
is  also  president  of  the  Wolcott  Agricultural  Society  and  master  of 
Mad  River  Grange,  No.  71.  He  has  served  on  the  committee  of  the 
Congregational  church,  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
for  a  term  of  years,  and  was  elected  deacon  after  the  death  of  his 


Oc^^^r7^- 


HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY.  825 

father  in  188-1.  His  only  child,  Charles  Hotchkiss,  died  in  1888,  at  the 
age  of  28  years.  Mr.  Carter  in  politics  is  a  stau'nch  republican.  His 
business  is  farming  and  heavy  and  light  teaming. 

Francis  E.  Cole  was  born  in  Beekman,  N.  Y.,  in  1868,  and  settled 
in  Wolcott  in  1884.  He  was  married  in  1888,  to  Martha  A.  Upson. 
They  have  two  daughters:  Martha  E.  and  Mary  A.  Mr.  Cole  is  a 
farmer. 

Gustave  Cornells  was  born  in  Belgium  in  1849,  came  to  America  in 
1872,  and  located  at  Winchester,  Conn.,  going  soon  after  to  Goshen, 
Conn.,  and  later  to  Waterbury,  where  he  learned  the  business  of  silver 
plating.  In  1883  he  settled  in  Wolcott  and  purchasing  the  plant  of 
the  Wolcott  Paper  Company,  engaged  in  the  business  of  rolled  plating 
gold  and  silver,  which  he  continued  until  the  works  were  destroyed  by 
fire  in  December  of  1890.  He  then  sold  out  the  business  to  New  Jersey 
parties,  and  turned  his  attention  to  horse  breeding.  He  married  in 
1875,  Julia  Bernier.     Their  children  are  Laura  and  Emily. 

David  L.  Frisbie,  born  in  Wolcott  in  1841,  is  a  son  of  David  B.,  he 
a  son  of  David,  he  a  son  of  Judah,  and  he  a  son  of  Elijah,  who  was  a 
son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Culpepper)  Frisbie,  who  came  from  Wales 
and  settled  in  Branford,  Conn.  Judah  Frisbie  was  a  soldier  in  the 
revolutionary  war.  David  B.  Frisbie  married  Charlotte  Hall,  of 
Cheshire.  They  had  one  son,  David  L.  He  enlisted  in  Company  C, 
14th  Connecticut  Volunteers,  in  1862,  and  served  three  years.  He 
married  in  1868,  AnnaC.  Downs.  They  have  two  sons:  Frank  D.  and 
Berkeley  L. 

Ransom  B.  Hall.— John  Hall,  an  emigrant,  came  to  America  prior 
to  1660,  locating  in  Boston  and  afterward  removing  to  New  Haven 
and  later  to  Wallingford.  He  had  a  son,  John,  who  had  a  son,  Nathan, 
a  resident  of  Wallingford.  His  son,  Lieutenant  Heman  Hall,  was  the 
first  of  the  family  to  settle  in  Wolcott.  He  had  a  son,  Captain  Heman, 
whose  son,  Sergeant  Heman  Hall,  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  town 
in  his  time.  His  son,  Deacon  Orrin  Hall,  was  born  in  Wolcott  in 
1797.  He  had  a  son,  Heman  Willsey  Hall,  born  in  1824,  who  was  the 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  married  Betsey  Ann,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Abigail  Sperry,  of  Wolcott.  Ransom  B.  Hall  was 
born  in  Wolcott,  July  12th,  1852.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  school  and  early  engaged  in  farming,  which  he  followed  with 
much  success.  He  was  one  of  the  influential  men  of  the  town, always 
taking  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Congregational  church  of  Wolcott,  and  was  honored  with  var- 
ious offices  in  the  town,  being  first  selectman  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  October  3d,  1889.  He  was  a  consistent  Christian,  liv- 
ing up  to  his  profession  in  all  his  dealings  with'  his  fellow  men.  He 
married  in  1874,  Miss  Anna  E.,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Mary  (Good- 
win) Root.  There  were  born  to  them  four  children  :  Nettie  J.,  George 
R.,  Daisy  M.  and  Robert  R.,  all  of  whom  are  living. 


826  HISTORY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  COUNTY. 

Henry  Minor  was  born  in  Wolcott,  December  17th,  1809.  His 
father,  Archibald,  was  a  son  of  Joseph,  whose  father,  Jedediah,  came 
from  Lyme,  Conn.,  and  settled  in  Wolcott,  being  among  its  early  set- 
tlers. Joseph  served  through  the  revolutionary  war.  Archibald 
Minor  was  one. of  the  prominent  men  of  the  town  in  his  time,  holding 
the  offices  of  town  clerk  and  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years  and 
also  that  of  representative  in  the  state  legislature.  He  married  Betsey 
Tuttle,  of  Plymouth,  Conn.  Their  only  son  was  Henry  Minor,  who 
has  been  prominently  connected  with  town  affairs  for  the  greater  part 
of  his  life,  being  elected  town  clerk  in  1848,  which  office  he  has  held 
continuously  since  that  time.  He  has  also  represented  the  town  four 
terms  in  the  general  assembly  and  held  many  minor  offices,  being  one 
of  the  selectmen  for  upwards  of  20  years.  He  married,  in  1837,  Sarah 
J.  Clark,  of  Waterbury.     They  have  one  son,  Theron  Minor. 

George  W.  Seymour  was  born  in  Carmel,  Putnam  county,  New 
York,  in  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Elijah  and  grandson  of  Jesse  Seymour. 
Elijah  married  Amanda  Farrington,  and  their  children  were :  Serena, 
Phebe,  Abbie  J.,  Alexander,  James  N.  and  George  W.  Mr.  Seymour 
came  to  Connecticut  about  1871,  and  for  the  last  16  years  has  lived  in 
Wolcott,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  He  married,  in  1857, 
Marguerite  J.  Leslie. 

John  R.  S.  Todd,  born  in  Wolcott  in  1846,  is  a  son  of  Robert  C, 
whose  father,  Street,  was  a  son  of  Hezekiah,  whose  father  also  bore 
the  same  name,  and  was  a  descendant  of  Christopher  Todd,  who  came 
from  England,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  New  Haven.  Robert 
C.  Todd  was  born  in  1820,  and  in  1843  married  Louisa  Barnes.  Their 
children  were:  Ellen  E.  (deceased),  John  R.  S.,  Emily  J.  (deceased), 
James  A.  and  Edwin  A.  John  R.  S.  Todd  has  been  selectman  several 
terms  and  has  held  other  town  offices.  He  was  married  in  1889,  to 
Edith  M.  Williams,  of  New  Haven.     They  have  one  child,  Ruth  Irene. 

Evelyn  M.  Upson. —  The  earliest  knowledge  of  this  family  dates 
back  to  Thomas  Upson,  who  was  one  of  the  early  residents  of  Hart- 
ford. He  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  and  settlers  of  Farming- 
ton.  He  married,  in  1646,  Elizabeth  Fuller.  Stephen,  their  son,  re- 
moved to  Waterbury  and  became  a  proprietor  in  1679.  He  married,  in 
1682,  Mary  Lee.  Thomas,  their  son,  had  a  son,  Timothy,  who  had  a  son, 
Selah,  whose  son,  Miles  S.,  was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy. He  was  a  deacon  in  the  Congregational  church  and  one  of  the 
representative  men  of  the  town.  He  married  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Ira 
Hough.  Their  children  were:  Emma  A.,  Mary  E.,  Evelyn  M.,  Eugenia 
L.  and  Martha  A.  Evelyn  M.  Upson,  one  of  Wolcott's  most  prom- 
inent citizens,  was  born  in  1S52.  He  is  engaged  in  farming,  and  to 
his  enterprise  and  untiring  industry  is  due  his  success.  His  political 
relations  are  with  the  republican  party,  which  has  honored  him  with 
all  of  the  offices  of  importance  in  the  gift  of  the  town,  including  select- 
man, town  treasurer,  assessor  and  justice  of  the  peace.     In  1887  he 


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HISTORY  OF   NEW    KAVEN   COUNTY.  827 

was  elected  to  the  state  legislature,  and  in  1891  was  again  elected  to 
the  same  office.  He  is  secretary  of  the  Wolcott  Agricultural  Society 
and  a  deacon  and  prominent  member  of  the  Wolcott  Congregational 
church.  In  1876  he  married  Elsie  S.,  daughter  of  Albert  N.  and  Melissa 
Lane,  of  Wolcott.  They  have  two  children  living :  Mabel  E.  and 
Florence  A. 

James  A.  Wakelee,  born  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  in  1850,  is  a  son  of 
John,  who  was  a  son  of  Almus,  he  a  son  of  David,  and  he  a  son  of 
Ebenezer,  who  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Wolcott.  The  farm  which 
he  owned  is  still  in  possession  of  the  family.  Almus  married  Eliza 
Bement.  Their  children  were  John  and  Hannah.  She  married  Wil- 
lis Upson.  John  married  Salinda  Hickok.  Their  children  were:  James 
A.,  Bement  T.,  Edward  and  David.  The  two  latter  died  voung-.  Be- 
ment  J.  died  in  early  manhood.  James  A.  Wakelee  has  always  been 
engaged  in  farming.  He  has  been  selectman  and  has  held  other  town 
offices.  He  married  in  1875,  Ella  J.  Rose.  Their  children  are:  John 
B.,  Harold  A.,  Florence  H.  and  Robert  A. 


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