USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 4
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History of Bridgeport.
a picture of this bridge on its walls, painted in water colors, showing a condition of the surroundings now most thor- oughly changed.
When the present Center bridge was constructed in 1869, the western terminus was changed to Congress street, crossing the railroad at grade. Middle street was soon after ex- tended thereto in a direct line and Bridge street was discon- tinued. In November, 1864, the city purchased this bridge and appurtenances with the other bridges across the harbor, and in the adjustment of property interests affected by these changes, and the extension of Middle street, the city obtained the site of the present No. 5 engine house.
Previous to the extension of Congress street for the west- ern terminus of the Center bridge, in 1869, the mud flats and low ground on the west side of the Housatonic railroad track from the Porter property to Lumber street, was flooded through a water way at the old mill located near the line of Lumber street and the face of the wharf at that point. The water was changed and purified each flood tide, but the gate in the water way retained enough to give at all times a depth of several feet in the southern portion near this property.
Previous to the introduction of the present water supply of the city, much dependence was placed upon the salt water of the harbor for extinguishing fires. This vicinity was practically shut off from the water front, especially at low tide, and to remedy this, Mrs. Ellen Porter deeded to the city an addition to the Bridge street highway, May 19, 1859, and opened a way to the water above described, where the city constructed a platform sufficient to accommodate one of the hand engines of that period and its company in actual service.
About 1846, the Housatonic Railroad Company removed their depot both for passengers and freight from near Fairfield avenue southerly, nearly to the present elevator. A few years afterwards, having filled and made solid ground of the mud flats still further south they put up there a round house, and other necessary shops and buildings. The old engine house and the long car house remained in their places on the Porter property many years ; also a blacksmith business by several parties. The veteran blacksmith, Mr. Joseph C. Bar-
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Stratfield Society.
num, had his shop there for many years until his decease, February 25, 1883, aged So years.
The Bridgeport Boiler Works commenced operations in 1869, on this (Porter's) point, utilizing some of the old build- ings, and erecting others. This company embraced the fol- lowing names : Humphrey, Watson, Farrel, and Chatfield.
In IS70, Farrel and Chatfield retired, and the business was continued by Humphrey and Watson, until 1872, when Mr. William Lowe took the place of Mr. Humphrey. Messrs. Lowe and Watson continued the making of steam boilers suc- cessfully for ten years, until they were burned out, April 24, 1882. As they were unable to obtain a lease of the premises for a term of years, they secured a location of Mr. William H. Perry, adjoining the Housatonic railroad track, farther north.
The late Mr. Hanford Lyon purchased the water front of a portion of this property, and improved it, in connection with that which he previously owned, adjoining it on the south. This has been occupied as a coal yard by C. M. Noble and Company, and by Courtland Kelsey, and is now a part of the extensive yards of Messrs. Miller and Strickland.
Mr. Julius Hawley purchased of the Burroughs family, the Edwards property, on the south side of Gold street, ex- tending to the channel of the harbor, which he has improved, and upon which is located the extensive lumber yards and steam saw-mill of the Bridgeport Lumber Company.
Messrs. Henry N. and Alonzo J. Beardsley purchased the water front of Mr. Abel Drew, which carried one-half of the width of Gold street from the east side of the tracks of the Consolidated railroads to the channel, which they are leis- urely filling, and which will become a very valuable property.
The Housatonic Railroad Company have here a fine property, partly mud flats, which they will no doubt fill to the harbor line at no distant day. This done, it will afford room for the return to this point of their engine houses, thus relieving the crowded condition in the present locality of their buildings, and facilitating the removal of the tracks of the Consolidated road from lower Water street, an object most earnestly to be desired.
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History of Bridgeport.
The whole plot, much of it forty years ago so quiet and so pleasant for family homes of the best sort, is now almost wholly given over to business.
The following list of names of householders, found on a separate sheet, with the date partly torn off, in the handwrit- ing of the Rev. Samuel Cooke, the second pastor of the Strat- field Church, was preserved by the late Isaac Sherman, Esqr., and pasted upon a leaf of the manuscript book of his " Rec- ollections." From the names found upon it, and others well known which are omitted, the date is known to have been 1733 or 1734. The list contains the names of heads of families then residing in the parish of Stratfield, and upon an estimate of five persons to each family there were about seven hundred persons in the parish.
"A List of the Householders in Stratfield Anno Domini, 17-, Disposed Alphabetically.
James Bennitt, Sen", Isaac Bennitt,
William Bennitt,
James Bennitt, Jun", Stephen Bennitt,
John Edwards, Sen', Thomas Edwards, John Edwards, Jun', Sarah Fayerweather, John Fayerweather,
Richard Hubbell, Sent, James Hubbell, John Hubbell,
Daniel Hubbell,
William Beardsle, Sen', Daniel Beardsle,
Abigail Fayerweather, Deborah Fairchild, James Fairchild,
David Hubbell,
John Beardsle, Sent,
Joseph Hubbell,
Nathan Beardsle,
Samuel French's widow,
Ebenezer Hubbell, Zechariah Hubbell,
Ebenezer Beardsle,
Ebenezer French,
Richard Hubbell, Jun', Andrew Hubbell,
David Beardsle. John Beardsle, Jun', Obadiah Beardsle, Joseph Booth,
Samuel Gregory, Benjamin Gregory.
Nathan Hurd,
Ebenezer Gregory,
Moses Jackson,
John Burr, Sen',
Enock Gregory,
Gabriel Jackson,
John Burr, Jun',
Francis Hall, Sen',
John Jackson,
Charles Burrett,
John Hall, Samuel Hall,
David Jackson, Sen',
Stephen Burrows,
David Jackson, Jun",
Samuel Cable,
Burgess Hall,
John Jones,
Israel Chauncey,
Francis Hall. Jun',
Edward Lacy,
Robert Chauncey, Caleb Cole,
Richard Hall,
John Lacy, Ebenezer Lacy,
Daniel Comestock,
Ebenezer Hawley,
Zechariah Lawrence,
Samuel Cooke,
Matthew McHard,
Elijah Crane,
John Mallet, Sen',
Jonah Curtiss,
James Hawley, William Hodgden, Matthew Horn,
Stephen Hubbell,
William Beardsle, Jun',
Samuel French,
Thaddeus Gregory,
John Jackson's widow,
Elnathan Hall,
David Mallet, Jun',
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John Man, Samuel Martin, Nicholas Masters, Zechariah Mead, John Middlebrook, Noah Morehouse, John Odell,
David Sherman, Sen', David Sherman, Jun', Enos Sherman, John Sherwood,
Nathaniel Sherwood, Matthew Sherwood, William Smith, Sen', William Smith, Jun', John Smith's widow,
Zechariah Tredwell, Hezekiah Tredwell, Samuel Tredwell, Jacob Tredwell,
Samuel Trowbridge, Sen',
Samuel Trowbridge, Jun',
Jonah Turny,
Samuel Odell's widow, William Odell,
Hezekiah Odell,
Jacob Starling,
Henry Wakely,
Samuel Odell,
Henry Stevens,
Joseph Wakely,
Samuel Patchen, Benjamin Phippeny, John Porter,
Thomas Stoddard, Samuel Summer's widow,
Jonathan Wakely, Jun',
Valentine Rowell, Henry Rowland, Zechariah Sanford, Ezekiel Sanford,
Henry Summers, John Summers,
Samuel Well's widow, Samuel Wells,
John Wheeler,
Nathan Summers,
Timothy Wheeler,
Edward Tredwell,
Isaac Wheeler,
Deborah Tredwell,
Ebenezer Wheeler,
Benjamin Tredwell,
Richard Whitny."
Thomas Sanford, James Seelye's widow, Joseph Seelye,
Peter Stevens,
Robert Turny, Jonathan Wakely, Sen',
Israel Wakely,
Nathaniel Wakely,
David Summers,
CHAPTER II.
EARLY SETTLERS.
OCATING the homes of the early settlers is a work costing much time for research and study, and but for the manuscript book of Dea. Isaac Sherman, no attempt would have been made, either to provide the accom- panying map, or to prepare the following biographical sketches. But, since that book was in existence, largely by the forethought and perseverance of Dea. Rowland B. Lacey in fixing Deacon Sherman's attention to it, before he died, this list became possible, and has been completed with a considerable de- gree of accuracy, so far as it goes. It is not claimed that the list includes all the early settlers, nor all that could be said of them, because Deacon Sherman gave only his recollections of what he had heard and known personally, and there could not be taken time sufficient to search the records so thoroughly as to perfect the work, although much that is given by Deacon Sherman has been confirmed by the town and society books.1
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Recollections of Isaac Sherman.
The long life of Isaac Sherman in this community and his extensive personal acquaintance, his familiarity with the church and parish records, his respect for his own ancestry and his genealogical studies, his intercourse with and fondness for elderly people, his extensive business associations, his investigations for the estab- lishment of pension claims, his experience in connection with the settlement and distribution of estates, all contributed to furnish his observant and retentive mind with a fund of information in regard to the early settlement and history of Stratfield and Bridgeport. He could give the exact location of the old families and much about their descendants, the settlement of the Newfields-now the city of Bridge- port-the rise and progress of business, and business firms, how composed, where
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Stratfield Society.
No. 1. Isaac Wheeler, son of Ephraim, one of the first settlers in Fairfield, in 1644, was a farmer and a large land- holder, for his mother in 1681, paid tax on 706 acres of land, Isaac having received his proportion before his father's death in 1670.
He was one of the nine male members of the first Strat- field Church at its organization under Rev. Charles Chauncey, June 13, 1695; which Church is now located in Bridgeport, called the First Congregational Church.
No. 2. Samuel Welles was a farmer with a good farm, Welles' Tongue being a small part of it. He was the son of John Welles, and grandson of Governor Thomas Welles, and this land or farm was first laid out to John Welles and given in his will to this son Samuel. He had one son, named David Wakeman Welles.
No. 3. John Mallett was a Frenchman and a farmer. Lewis Mallett who resided on the old place was a descendant. All the Malletts at Tashua are descendants of said John Mallett.
No. 4. Benjamin Hubbell was a farmer. He mar- ried a half sister of Doct. Stephen Middlebrook, of Trumbull. They had one son, John Hubbell, who married Betty, daugh- ter of Joseph Brothwell, and had five daughters : Betsey, who married Timothy Risley ; Polly, who married Yale E. Hough ; Anna, who married Zalmon Hawley. Zalmon Hawley had Maria, who married Capt. John Brooks, Jr .; Marietta, who married Capt. Burr Knapp; and one son John, who died young.
located, and whether successful or not. No one had attempted to cover the field, and no one living could do it as he could, and, unless by himself committed to paper, before his decease, it was certain that very much would be inevitably lost.
This consideration was frequently urged upon him for years without success. After his retirement from public business, his consent to enter upon the work was gained, the plan as laid out for him pursued, with success, and the result is mani- fest in these sketches, numbered in regular order for reference to the accompany- ing map.
· To the labors of Esquire Sherman, Dea. Rowland B. Lacey has added about forty sketches, upon much careful enquiry and research, and the whole forms a valuable portion of the history of Bridgeport.
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History of Bridgeport.
No. 5. Benjamin Wheeler was a farmer, and was a grandson of Isaac Wheeler .? Said Benjamin was the father of Timothy, and grandfather of Benjamin, Ezra and Hannah.
No. 6. Samuel Odell, a farmer, was justice of the peace, and an active member of the church and society. One of his daughters is now [1856] living, and is over 90 years of age. She is the widow of Samuel Wheeler. Her name is Julia Wheeler, and she draws a pension for the services of said Samuel in the Revolution. Samuel Odell had one son by the name of Maline Odell, who was lost at sea about the year 1800, in a clipper built schooner, com- manded by Capt. Benjamin Wheeler, a descendant of Isaac, who with all his crew was lost in said schooner, for they were never heard from after they sailed from New York. Said Capt. Benjamin Wheeler left a wife and the following child- ren : Ira B .; Daniel Odell ; Sally, who married Moses Platt ; Betsey, who married David Ufford, and Marrietta, who mar- ried Gideon Thompson.
No. 7. Capt. Abel Wakelee, a sailor, was lost at sea in the brig Julius Caesar on a voyage from the West Indies bound to Bridgeport with a load of salt. The crew and offi- cers were all saved in the long boat when the brig sunk, ex- cept Abel and a colored man named Ned, who was a slave to Capt. Amos Hubbell, the owner of the brig.
Capt. Abel Wakelee's descendants were Charles and Walker, who have died leaving no children. His widow's name was Grace.
No. 8. William Rose, a Frenchman, was one of the little colony of Frenchmen in Nova Scotia, at the time Canada was taken from the French by the English when the colony was broken up by the order of the English Government be- fore the Revolution, and distributed among the different thirteen states. Mr. Rose was landed in this parish and Dr. Fogg, also, was one of said neutral French who settled il Fairfield. Mr. Rose was a gardener, and he married Jennette Mann. His children were : Peter, Mabel, Charity and Polly.
? This is doubtful. See Wheeler Genealogy.
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Stratfield Society.
Doctor Fogg was settled in Fairfield and was an accept- able physician. He died since the Revolution.
William Rose used to fish at a fishweir in Bridgeport harbor, in a boat alone, accompanied by his faithful dog, Lyon. On one of the fishing days he had the misfortune to fall over- board and was near being drowned when the dog swam to him and he clasped the dog's tail and directed him to swim for the shore. When the dog had towed his master almost to the shore he turned about to swim off, when Mr. Rose in his broken French, called, "tudder way, Lyon," and, obeying his master, drew him to the shore. William Rose died April 21, 1812, aged 90 years.
No. 9. Hezekiah Wheeler, a tailor by trade, was em- ployed in making buckskin breeches, which were in his day the common wear for men and boys, and were used in some families as late as the year 1800. He had one son, a sailor, named Wilson, who was lost at sea. Hezekiah Wheeler, and his son now living in New York, are descendants of said Isaac Wheeler.
No. A. Bridgeport and Stratfield Burying Ground. From the earliest settlement up to 1812, the "Old Stratfield Burial Ground" was made the resting place of the dead in Stratfield Parish. At this period, even with the addition of 1772, the old ground had become too strait, and, upon petition of James E. Beach and others, to the October session of the General Assembly of 1811, showing that they had purchased a piece of land bounded north on Silas Sherman ; east on highway (Division street), south and west on Abijah Hawley's land, the said proprietors and their associates were duly incorporated to be known by the name of "The Bridgeport and Stratfield Burying Ground Associa- tion." Lambert Lockwood was named as the first clerk, and it was especially provided that "said burying ground shall forever remain and be used as and for a burying ground, and for that purpose only." Provision was made for its layout into lots and the proprietor of a lot became a legal member of the Corporation, and he, his heirs, successors, or assigns, entitled to one vote for every lot he or they possessed. A son of Mr. Ezra Wheeler was the first child and Mr. Elijah
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History of Bridgeport.
Burr was the first adult buried in this ground in 1812. Upon petition to the General Assembly at the May session, 1835, an addition was made at the west end.
Here nearly two generations were laid from 1812 to 1850, about 4,000 interments.
For some years the immediate vicinity had become so thickly settled that it had become an unsuitable place for a cemetery, and in 1849 Mountain Grove Cemetery was inau- gurated. About 1860, special efforts began to be made to get a vote in this association for removal to Mountain Grove or some other point, but met with most decided opposition, as did repeated efforts.
The agitation of the subject for a general removal made many proprietors timid in respect to the permanency of their tenure, and numerous voluntary removals were made to Mountain Grove and elsewhere. The vacated and unused lots were bought up by parties desiring removal until they held a majority, and under an Act or Resolution of the Gen- eral Assembly of May, 1873, the removal was consummated during the years 1873 and 1874, under commissioners named in said Act. Hon. P. T. Barnum became the purchaser of the entire territory through David W. Sherwood, his agent, and the removals were made largely under supervision of George Poole to the westerly side of the grounds in Moun- tain Grove Cemetery, numbering in all over three thousand. The site on the westerly side of Park avenue is now, in 1885, mostly covered by streets and cottages, and no vestige of its former use appears.
No. 10. William Hubbell was by occupation a house painter. His children were David, and Grizell, and other daughters.
Justin Smith, a native of Springfield, Mass., was a stone-cutter, specially skilled in working the brown stone of the Chatham, now Portland, quarries in Connecticut. In 1789, he embarked from that place with a vessel load of the Chatham stone, his family and household goods destined for Mill river at Fairfield, but his load was not consigned.
" This name is not located on the map.
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Stratfield Society.
In a stress of weather he ran his vessel into Bridgeport harbor, where, while weather bound, he made some acquaint- ance, through which some of the leading men learned who he was, what his cargo, and his skill as a stone-cutter, and per- suaded him to unload the vessel and establish himself and business here.
The many fine brown stone tablets and head-stones in the old Stratfield burying-ground and many others that were put up in the Division Street (Stratfield and Bridgeport) ceme- tery, and removed thence to Mountain Grove Cemetery, attest his skill and industry. His residence was on the site now occupied by the dwelling of Mr. F. W. Marsh, No. 240 Park avenue, and he was a most excellent Christian man. He died March 17, 1835, aged 81 years. His wife was Mary Fox, of Chatham. She survived her husband fourteen years and died May 21, 1849, at the great age of 92 years.
Their children were Abner and Justin, who both died · young, and Sophia, Mary and Mehitable. Sophia married Robert Treadwell, son of David, and removed to Southbury. Mary married Agur Beach, of Trumbull, and Mehitable mar- ried Eli Gilman and lived in Hartford.
Mary (Smith) Beach still survives and lacks but a few days of 93 years of age -- bright and well, although a little lame,-and is anticipating great pleasure in celebrating her 93d birth-day, on the 24th of September, 1885.
Her husband, Agur, was the son of Everett Beach and his wife Rebecca, daughter of the Rev. James Beebe, of North Stratford. He died of fever in New York city, where he was in business, October 7, 1822, aged 31 years, leaving a widow and two young daughters with slender means.
On the death of her father she established herself at the parental homestead and took the entire care of her aged mother while she lived.
For many years, each season has brought out a store of her handiwork in knitted articles of personal wear and of bed quilts, nicely pieced for quilting, for the Home Missionary boxes. With the completion of the pair of hose now nearly done, she will have knitted for and donated one hundred pair of stockings to the Home of the Friendless in New York
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History of Bridgeport.
City, besides her numerous gifts in her more immediate vicinity.
She is probably the oldest person living in the town of Bridgeport, at least the oldest native born, and seems likely to become a centenarian.
No. 11. Capt. Samuel Wakelee, a shipmaster, em- ployed before the Revolution in transporting passengers from Europe. He was a brother of Zebulon Wakelee. On one of his voyages his provisions failed and he and the crew were reduced to a state of starvation before they obtained relief.
No. 12. Capt. William Worden was a farmer and house carpenter. He was captain of a militia company, called Householders, in the Revolution. The company was raised in the parish, and they were not liable to do ordinary military duty.
He was a tall, spare built, leading man in the town and society, and was quite aged at the time of his death. He came here from an eastern town, and was a strong Whig, as most of the inhabitants were at the time of the Revolution. He had sons Samuel and William, and grandsons Thomas Cook, William, Levi, Abijah and Daniel. Capt. William Worden married a daughter of Samuel Odell, Esqr.
No. 13. Justus Burr was a farmer, and son of Col. John Burr. His children were, John, Aaron, Comfort, and two other daughters.
Justus Burr was killed in his own barn, when he was drawing in a load of hay. being crushed by the oxen running through a small door.
No. 14. Esra Kirtland was a blacksmith by trade. He came to this place before the Revolution, from Walling- ford. He owned a farm on the old Golden Hill road, now called Washington avenue, which contained a part of the land on which the village of the Pequonnock Indians was located at the first settlement of the parish. The Kirtland family appear to have owned all the land south of Washington ave. as far east as the spring lot beyond Courtland street and south to the present line of Fairfield avenue. He was the ancestor
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Stratfield Society.
of all the Kirtlands of this parish. He married a daughter of Zebulon Wakelee and had two sons-Zebulon and Ezra. Zebulon, Jr., married Betty Cook, a grand-daughter of the Rev. Samuel Cook, and Ezra married Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Wheeler.
No. 15. Capt. Joseph Knapp, Sen., was for many years master of a coasting vessel employed in carrying grain and other products for the farmers, from this place to Boston, which coasting trade was profitable from the first settlement of the parish down to about the year 1835.
Before the Revolution there were four or five vessels employed in this trade, but after the war there was an average number of about ten.
The first merchants in Bridgeport purchased their goods in Boston until about the year 1790, after which they pur- chased in New York.
He was a thin, spare man about five feet nine inches ; was prominent in the town and society and lived to be quite aged. He had three children: Joseph, Jr., Patience and Ruth. Joseph, Jr., was recently killed by the fall of a tree when he was about So years of age. He was a shoemaker by trade and occupied the same house his father did.
No. 16. Thaddeus Gregory was a merchant and house joiner. On being chosen to some military office he came out in front of the company with his hat off to make his acknowledgments, but when he had proceeded so far in a speech as to say, "fellow soldiers," he gave up in despair, and putting his hand on his breast exclaimed, " it is in here but I cannot get it out." He and his wife were both mem- bers of the church in 1731. He died in 1777 aged 77 years.
No. 17. Zebulon Wakelee, a farmer, lived on the east side of Division street on old Meeting-house Hill, nearly oppo- site where the first meeting-house was built.
He had one daughter, named Olive, who married Ezra Kirtland, Sen. Zebulon Wakelee died in 1767, aged 55 years.
No. 18. The old first Congregational meeting-house in the wilderness on Meeting-house Hill was built about the
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History of Bridgeport.
year 1693. The church was gathered, June 13, 1695, and the Rev. Charles Chauncey, a son of the Rev. Israel Chauncey of Stratford, was ordained their pastor.
The first settlers were called together by the beat of the drum, and carried arms to defend the congregation from an attack by Indians.
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