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Gc 974.602 St22w 1470879
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01151 5043
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Stamford's War Memorial, St. John's Park.
STAMFORD, COM HISTORICAL SKETCHES
BY ALFRED GRANT WALTON
Copyright, 1922 BY ALFRED GRANT WALTON
CUNNINGHAM PRESS STAMFORD, CONN.
1470879
PREFACE
STAMFORD is one of the oldest towns in the commonwealth of Connecticut. Twenty-one years after the Pilgrims plied the dangerous seas to establish homes in America, settlers came to this place and established a new community. Associated with the many decades of Stamford's development are historic events, quaint legends and unusual inci- dents, which furnish a charming and pic- turesque background for the Stamford of today. Interesting histories of the town have been written, which are of permanent value to the community, but some do not find time to read them, and for others they are not easily accessible. The purpose of this little booklet is not to give a complete historical record, but to furnish the reader with brief sketches dealing with some of the outstanding events and traditions associated with the town. By means of this simple compen- dium, one should be able to glimpse, without too much effort, something of the life of Stamford in the long ago.
The writer has used freely all avail- able sources of information and grate-
fully acknowledges the assistance of many friends who have helped to make this booklet possible.
If these sketches make the residents of Stamford more conscious of their herit- age from the past, and more interested in their community today, or if they re- veal to the stranger the charm of this old New England town, they will have ac- complished their purpose.
A. G. W.
CONTENTS
The Legend of Laddin Rock - - 9
The Purchase of Stamford from the Indians - - - 13
How Stamford was Named
19
The First Meeting House _ 22 The Second Meeting House-Decided by Casting a Lot - - - - - 26 -
The Old Webb Tavern and the Stamford Tea Party - - - -
30 Major Tallmadge and His Exploits at Shippan - - - -
General David Waterbury -
- 34 38
Abraham Davenport and the Dark Day, May 19th, 1780 - - - - 42
A British Invasion of Stamford and an Attack on the Church at Middlesex (Darien) - - 45
The Desecration of Stamford's Oldest Burial Ground - - 49
Going to Church in Stamford One Hun- dred Years Ago - -
53
The Visit of Lafayette to Stamford _ 58 An Adventure in Education at Shippan- 1828 61
Stamford's Oldest Business Institution - The Miller Excitement _ 68
64
The Coming of the Railroad to Stam- ford
72
Central Park and How It Was Saved for the People - -
- 75
The Stamford Churches
78
Maritime Life of Stamford 85
History of the Seal of Stamford 88 Stamford's Record in War _ 90 Interesting Dates in Stamford's History - 96
THE LEGEND OF LADDIN'S ROCK
IDDEN away in a wooded plot of unusual beauty, immediately west- ward of Stamford, is a rough prom- ontory known as Laddin's Rock. An air of subtle charm pervades the place and bespeaks the long ago when the wood- land quiet was broken only by the song of birds, the rustling noises of the forest denizens, or the occasional sound of the settler's ax as he felled the timber for his primitive home. Here stand age-old oaks that sway with stately dignity; clear, beautiful waters reflect the sky above ; mosses and lichens grow riotous- ly over the broken rocks, while wild- flowers peek mischievously above the grass. With this enchanted spot, still suggestive of the virginal beauty of the primeval wood, there is associated the oldest legend of Stamford's environs.
Shortly after Peter Minuit and his company of Dutch settlers bought Man- hattan from the Indians, another group of Dutchmen made their way along the waters of the Sound and built a settle- ment not far from the shore, in a seques- tered spot among the adjacent hills. One of these adventurers was a man named
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Cornelius Laddin, who came to this lonely place with his wife and daughter. The traders carried on extensive barter- ings with the Indians, giving knives, hatchets, trinkets and rum in exchange for fine peltries. Sometimes the white men took advantage of their savage neighbors, driving hard bargains and often cheating them. One day a band of Indians, incensed by the greediness of the invaders, determined to exterminate the little colony in which Laddin lived. Was this the massacre of 1643 which in- volved the settlement west of Stamford, in which fifteen were killed and others driven from their homes? It is uncer- tain, but at any rate, the attack came. Laddin was working in the field, when, suddenly, as he lifted his eyes, he saw some of the cabins in flames. Instinc- tively he thought of his wife and daugh- ter and ran home to protect them. His horse was tethered at the rear of the cot- tage. Rushing in, he hastily barred the windows and doors, and seizing his old flintlock, prepared for action. He did not have to wait long. Indian after In- dian approached his cabin, bearing flam- ing torches, but from his position of van- tage he shot them down. Maddened by
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 11
the resistance, they decided on collective effort. A group seized a log and ad- vanced together, determined to batter down the door. The situation was be- coming precarious. Laddin's ammuni- tion was giving out and he could not resist much longer. What was to be done? "Fly, husband, fly," cried his wife frantically, "they will surely re- spect our sex. I will open the door in the rear, and you can ride away on the horse. Perhaps you can bring assistance." The grim settler hesitated for a moment, en- deavoring to decide his course, but spurred on by his wife, he finally un- barred the door and plunged into the open. That very moment the front door gave way, and the Indians rushed in. Down crashed the tomahawks with sick- ening thud, and the two women lay si- lent on the floor. Laddin glimpsed the gruesome sight for one brief moment, then turned in flight. But he was not to get away, for the savages followed in hot pursuit. Seeing that escape was im- possible, he turned his horse toward the top of the rocky cliff. The shouts of the enemy spurred on his affrighted animal till the edge of the ledge was reached. Then there was a moment's hesitation,
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an ominous silence, a resounding crash, and horse and rider dashed to their death on the rocks below. Laddin had pre- ferred to take his own life and not allow it to be taken by the savages.
And this is the legend of Laddin's Rock.
THE PURCHASE OF STAMFORD FROM THE INDIANS
HE tract of land which now com- prises Stamford belonged original- ly to the remnants of four distinct tribes. These natives were savages of a low type, and did not possess the virility of the stronger tribes on the New Eng- land coast. Here they roamed the hills and valleys at their pleasure, hunted the wild turkey and the deer, and at night sat by the fire and exchanged tales of the hunt and the chase. In 1640, Captain Nathaniel Turner, a representative of the New Haven colony, which had been founded two years before by the Rev. John Davenport and others, negotiated with the representatives of these tribes for the purchase of their land. An agree- ment was made between them to which representatives of both parties sub- scribed.
The transaction read as follows:
"Bought of Ponus, sagamore of To- quams, and of Wascussue, sagamore of Shippan, by mee, Nathaniel Turner, of Quenepiocke, all the ground that belongs to both the above said sagamores except a piece of ground which the above said
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sagamore of Toquams reserved for him and the rest of said Indians to plant on -- all of which grounds being expressed by meadows, upland, grass, with the rivers and trees ; and in consideration hereof, I, the said Nathaniel Turner, amm to give and bring, or send to the above said sag- amores, within the space of one month, twelve coats, twelve howes, twelve hatchets, twelve glasses, twelve knives, four kettles, four fathom of white wam- pum; all of which lands bothe we, the said sagamores, do promise faithfully to perform, both for ourselves, heirs, exec- utors or assigns, and hereunto we have sett our marks in the presence of many of the said Indians, they fully consent- ing thereto."
The document was signed by William Wilkes and James -, as wit- nesses for Captain Turner, and by Owenoke, sagamore, Ponus' son, and another sagamore, whose name is not legible, as witnesses for the Indians. The marks used by the Indians are suggestive of terror and power. The mark of Ponus is like a streak of lightning, as is also the mark of his son; that of Wascussee is a bow and arrow, and the mark of the fourth represents a war club.
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 15
The tract of land involved in this purchase extended from Rowayton on the east to Mianus on the west, and reached inland a distance of about six- teen miles. It included the present towns of Stamford and Darien, some parts of New Canaan and Greenwich, and the southern part of Pound Ridge. The por- tion reserved for Ponus and his Indians to plant on was the beautiful headland now known as Wallack's Point.
Other deeds were given at a later date which explained and confirmed the origi- nal one. The Indians claimed that they did not fully understand the first agree- ment, and that "the inhabitants en- croached upon their rights." They com- plained "that they did not expect the purchasers were to settle houses on the land," and also objected strenuously to the Englishmen's hogs, which destroyed their corn.
The consideration paid to the Indians was valued at thirty-three pounds, or approximately one hundred and fifty dollars. The present value of this real estate would reach fully two hundred and fifty millions of dollars.
When the majority of dissatisfied church members in Wethersfield decided
16 STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES
to emigrate from that place with the minority of the settlers and form a new settlement, their agents obtained from the New Haven colony the right to all the land purchased by Captain Turner from the Indians. The following condi- tions were imposed :
(a) The Wethersfield men were to give the price paid to the Indians for the land.
(b) A fifth part of the land was to be reserved, to be disposed of by the court to such settlers as they saw fit.
(c) The settlers were to join the New Haven colony in the form of govern- ment they adopted.
Twenty Wethersfield men signed an agreement to commence a settlement in the new location before May 16th, 1641, and agreed to bring the rest of their families by the last of November of the same year. In accordance with that agreement the settlement was founded, twenty-eight men coming in the spring and others coming later. By the end of 1641, thirty or forty families were estab- lished here.
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 17
The names of the original land owners of Stamford are as follows:
Math. Mitchell Thurston Rainer Richard Denton Andrew Ward Robert Coe Richard Gildersleve Richard Law John Reynolds
John Whitmore
Robert Bates
Jeffry Ferris
Richard Crabb
Samuel Sherman Daniel Finch Jonas Wood, H. John Northend Jeremy Jagger Edmond Wood Jonas Wood, O. Samuel Clark Francis Bell Thomas Morehouse Jeremiah Wood Thomas Weeks
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John Seaman Robert Fisher Joseph Jessup Henry Smith Vincent Simkins
Joseph Jessup was not in the first group of twenty-eight men who arrived here in the spring of 1641, but he came shortly afterwards, and should be in- cluded among the first settlers.
Many of the names included in this list are still to be found in Stamford.
How STAMFORD WAS NAMED
TAMFORD was originally called Rippowam, and the small stream which flows near the center of the town is still given that name. Rippo- wam is an Indian word, but it is impos- sible to discover its origin or meaning. It probably conveyed an idea associated with this particular location, and was coined definitely for that purpose. This practice was quite common among the Indians. The western border of the ori- ginal purchase was at Mianus, and that place was named after Chief Myanos, who lived there. Noroton, which was a part of Stamford until 1820, derived its name from the Indian word "Noro-tan," meaning North Star.
It is generally conceded that Stam- ford received its name through some as- sociation with one of the old Stamfords in England. There are three Stamfords in the mother-land, Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, Stamford of Worcestershire, and Stamford of Lincolnshire. It is im- possible to determine with absolute cer- tainty with which of these places Stam- ford is to be associated, although it seems very likely that it is the quaint old
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town in Lincolnshire. It was from that section of England that Cromwell re- cruited a large number of his followers, to which over eighty per cent of the ori- ginal settlers of New England could trace their ancestry, and which gave more English names to places in Amer- ica than all other sections of the mother- land combined.
There is an old legend of questionable character to the effect that the people of the early settlement here decided upon a novel method to determine a name for their new habitation. There was a di- vision among them whether the place should be called Ayrshire or Stamford. Some of the sporting element in the com- munity secured two fighting cocks, and bestowed the debated names upon them. A cock-pit was built in front of the meet- ing house and a battle was fought to the finish. Stamford was victorious and the debated subject was settled.
The original Stamford in England is located on the Welland River, about ninety miles from London. In ancient times it was called Stanford from the Anglo-Saxon words "stan," meaning stone, and "ford." Some of the first records of the present Stamford give the
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 21
name as Stanford. The original Latin name was "Durobrevia," which means a hard, shelfy, crossing place or ford. During the reign of Charles II, this old place suffered persecution because of Puritan principles, and among the num- ber who fled to America were doubtless some who finally settled in this ancient colony on the banks of the Rippowam.
At the general court of New Haven which met in the spring of 1642, the change of name from Rippowam to Stamford was confirmed.
STAMFORD'S FIRST MEETING HOUSE
NE of the first tasks to which the settlers gave themselves was the building of a meeting house. They considered it quite as important to pro- vide a house of worship as to build homes for themselves. The simple struc- ture, which they erected almost imme- diately after their arrival, was located on a knoll of ground near the steps of the present Town Hall. Palisades ex- tended around the four sides of the building to furnish protection against the attacks of the hostile Indians. Dur- ing the services, a sentry kept watch on the outside. The meeting house itself was square and low. Its posts were twelve feet in height, and its roof was pointed, the four sides meeting about thirty feet above the ground. There was only one entrance leading to the barren interior, which consisted of a single room. Hard, rough benches extended on three sides, facing the minister's desk. The windows were plain and a movable screen was shifted about to protect the worshippers from the burning rays, which poured in upon them. The build- ing was not heated, and in the winter
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the members of the congregation had to use hand or foot stoves to keep them- selves warm. Every Sunday, when the hour for service had arrived, a drummer would beat the call to worship, and, at the sound of this signal, the sturdy pio- neers would leave their primitive homes along paths which led directly to the church. Every person in the settlement was required to attend.
There is an ancient tradition con- nected with this first meeting house, which is considered authentic, and which is particularly significant. When the building had advanced sufficiently, it was necessary for some one to mount to the top of the roof and insert the key pin in the heavy beams holding the roof to- gether. The son of a prominent member of the colony volunteered for the task. He climbed nimbly to the pinnacle, and then became frightened. "Which of the holes shall I put the pin in?" he called to his father, with trembling voice. He had hardly spoken the words when he turned, toppled over, and fell headlong to his death. Thus did a little child con- secrate, with his life, that simple build- ing, which expressed and symbolized the community's highest ideal.
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The first pastor in this meeting house was the Rev. Richard Denton. He was a gifted minister in Halifax, England, and was in the small group which emi- grated from Wethersfield. He remained with his people for three years, but, be- coming dissatisfied with the restriction of the New Haven colony which gave the right of suffrage only to church mem- bers, moved to Long Island, with one- third of the settlers, where many of them located in Hempstead. Cotton Mather gives a quaint description of Mr. Denton, as follows:
"Our pious and learned Mr. Richard Denton, a Yorkshire man, who, having watered Halifax, in England, with his fruitful ministry, was, by a tempest, then hurried into New England, where, first at Wethersfield and then at Stam- ford, his doctrine dropped as the rain, and his speech distilled as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb and as a shower upon the grass. Though he were a little man, yet he had a great soul; his well accomplished mind in his lesser body was an Iliad in a nut-shell. I think he was blind of an eye; never- theless, he was not the least among the seers of our Israel; he saw a consider-
!
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 25
able portion of those things which eye hath not seen. He was far from cloudy in his conceptions and principles of Di- vinity ; whereof he wrote a system, en- titled Soliliquia Sacra; so accurately considering the four-fold state of man, Ist, in his created Purity; 2nd, con- tracted Deformity; 3d, restored Beauty ; 4th, celestial Glory, that judicious per- sons, who have seen it, very much la- ment the churches being so deprived of it. At length he got into heaven, beyond clouds, and so, beyond storms, waiting the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven, when he will have his reward among the saints."
STAMFORD'S SECOND MEETING HOUSE -BUILT BY CASTING A LOT
HE second meeting house is unique because of the unusual method fol- lowed in determining what kind of a building should be erected. The first crude structure, erected on the knoll in the center of the little settlement, had served for thirty years, and the sturdy pioneers found that a larger and more commodious building was necessary. A committee was appointed, consisting of Mr. Law, Goodman Holly, Goodman Webb, Goodman Ambler and Joshua Hoyt, to build a meeting house of stone, "and, if they cannot get a house built with stone, they have liberty to get it done with timber." They were in- structed to build it "with as much speed as they can with convenience." When the committee sought to carry out these orders a pronounced difference of opin- ion arose whether the building should be rectangular or square. Some wanted a structure thirty-five feet square, while others favored a larger building, forty- five feet in length and thirty-five feet in breadth. Being unable to reach an agreement, the devout pioneers deter-
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mined to seek divine assistance. A copy of the town vote found in the ancient records is as follows:
"April 4, 1671. At a town meeting, duly warned, per vote, it was agreed that the final decision and difference respect- ing the form and figure of the new meet- ing house, is to be done by a solemn ordinance of God, by the casting of lots, and the reason of this way is, because the town cannot possibly decide it for want of a casting vote."
Before the vote was taken, it was agreed that, in the event the decision should be for a square meeting house, the building would be "thirty and eight" feet square, instead of thirty-five feet, as originally planned. A later record reads: "The solemn ordinance being as above ordered the lott carried it for a square meeting house."
The new building was placed on the spot now known as Central Park, its front door being near the location of the present flagstaff. Its roof rose by two contracted steps, and was surmounted by a cupola, giving the whole a pyramidal appearance. From the cupola the drum was sounded to give signal in case of danger, and to summon the people to
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worship or to town meetings. This build- ing stood for a period of thirty-five years.
A curious stipulation concerning the method of seating the inhabitants in church is brought out in the following enactment pertaining thereto:
"The town order that the inhabitants shall be seated in the meeting house by the following rules, viz., dignity, agge and estate in this present list of estate ; and a committee shall be chosen to at- tend to it forthwith: the committee, Captain Jonathan Selleck, Lieut. Fra. Bell, Lieut. Jona'th Bell, Joseph Theale and Joseph Garnsy, who have full power to seat the inhabitants as above."
Another committee was appointed to seat the women in the meeting house.
When this church was erected, the pastor was the Rev. John Bishop. After the departure of Mr. Denton, in 1644, two of the most important members of the church, Lieut. Francis Bell and George Slauson, started for Boston on foot to procure a new minister, in order that "this people might not be scattered and suffered to sin against the ordinances of God." They secured Mr. Bishop, who walked back with them, bringing
STAMFORD HISTORICAL SKETCHES 29
nothing with him but his staff in one hand and his Bible in the other. Mr. Bishop was paid a salary of sixty pounds per year, but, as money was scarce, the amount was paid in current and staple commodities. A record of 1680 reads : "The town doth grant unto ye ministry 60 pounds for the present year, one-third part in wheat, one-third part in pork, one-third part in Indian corn; winter wheat five shillings per bushel, summer wheat four shillings, six pence, and pork at three and a quarter pence per pound, all good and merchantable, and Indian corn two shillings, six pence, per bushel."
Mr. Bishop passed away in 1694, af- ter a continuous ministry of fifty years in this community.
THE OLD WEBB TAVERN AND THE STAMFORD TEA PARTY
NE of the historic places in Stam- ford during Revolutionary days was the old Webb tavern, which stood on the plot of ground at the cor- ner of Main and Bank streets, now oc- cupied by the Washington building. Its large, inviting rooms and its homelike atmosphere made it an attractive stop- ping place for distinguished travelers going back and forth on the Post Road. General Lee and General Putnam must have been guests there, and it is com- monly believed that George Washington stayed there on his journey through Connecticut to Massachusetts to take charge of the Revolutionary troops in that commonwealth. Because of the dis- tinction of housing the great military leader, the name of the hostelry was later changed to the Washington House, which name was kept until the destruc- tion of the old structure in 1868. The present Washington Building perpetu- ates these associations in its name.
An interesting event occurred in front of this old hotel in 1775, which reveals the patriotic spirit of the town. A cer-
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tain Sylvanus Whitney purchased a stock of contraband tea, which the col- onists had determined to reject because of the principle that there should be no taxation without representation. Two years previous, the famous Boston tea party had made clear the sentiments of the people in that city on this important issue, and, when Mr. Whitney offered his tea for sale in Stamford, public indigna- tion rose high against him. A committee assumed charge of the affair, and brought such pressure to bear on the of- fender that he signed a public statement as follows: "Whereas, I, the subscriber, have been guilty of buying and selling Bohae tea since the first of March last past, whereby I have been guilty of a breach of the association entered into by the Continental Congress; and sensible of my misconduct, do in this public man- ner confess my crime and humbly re- quest the favor of the public to overlook this my transgression, promising for the future to conduct myself as a true friend of my country, and in testimony of my sincerity I do now deliver up the tea I have on hand unto the said committee of inspection to be by them committed to the flames."
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That night the town had a big cele- bration. A gallows was erected in front of the Webb tavern, and the townspeo- ple and the soldiers, who were quartered here, assembled for a procession. Two unarmed soldiers carried a long pole, from which was suspended the forbid- den tea. A group of armed soldiers under two captains surrounded the tea, lest the unfortunate "victim" should get away. These were followed by the citizens' committee who had discovered the tea and the culprit who was selling it. Then came a group of spectators, beating drums, blowing fifes, and making every conceivable noise. The procession moved in and out the streets and terminated at the tavern, where a public executioner suspended the tea from the gallows to the great delight of every one. A fire was built beneath the dangling "victim," and soon the contraband article was re- duced to ashes. After the obsequies were over the crowd joined in three mighty cheers, and then disbanded. The "Amer- ican Archives," which records the event, adds the significant words: "The owner of the tea attended during the execution, and behaved himself as well as could be expected under the circumstances."
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