USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 45
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John R. Hull, Artificer, Ist (. Lt. Bat. Samuel S. Hunter.
John Holzer. George Heisler. John P. Jaquith, Corp. Co. C, 131st Ohio V. Oris S. Jennings, Corp. Co. A, Sth C. V.
Silas D. Johnson, Corp. Co. F, 14th R. I. H. A. Wm. M. Jones, Band, 17th C. V.
Henry Jaquet. Jnn. U. Kable, Co. K, 17th C. V. George W. Keeler, Co. D, 17th C. V. John Keppy, Ist Serg. Co. C, 23d C. V. Fred C. Keller, Artificer, Co. B, Ist U. S. Artil., and Co. H, 6th C. V. Thomas Knablin, Co. D, oth C. V. Julius W. Knowlton, 2d Lt. Co -, 14th C. V. Rudolph Kost, 2d Lt. Co. H. 6th C. V. Christian Kohlus, Co. H, 6th C. V. Michael Kelly, Byt. Major 2d C. H. A. William H. Lacey, Capt. Co. D, 17th C. V. William H. Lattimer, U. S. N. Robert Lauder, Corp. Co. K, 11th R. I. V. Patrick Layden, Co. B, gth C. V. Charles P. Lewis, Co. I, 7th C. V. George M. Lewis, Co. I, 5th C. V.
David B. Lockwood, Serg. 2d C. I.t. Bat. Lewis G. Logan. Ist Lt. Co. I, Ist C. H. A. George W. Lovejoy, Corp. Co. M, Ist C. H. A. Wm. H. Longdon, Co. A, 5th C. V.
John A. 1.eonard, Co. E, 95th N. Y. V.
John A. Ludford, Corp. Co. K, 2d C. H. A.
William H. Lyon, Serg. Co. D, 27th Penn. V. George W. Lawmaster.
Joseph Lavoy.
Edward W. Marsh, Capt. Co. M, ed C. H. A. Wm. H. Maby, Co. D, 17th C. V.
Barney Marshall, Co. D, 17th C. V. John Marshall, Ist Lt. roth U. S. C. A.
Albert Mertius, Co. B, Ist C. V.
Moses M. Mills, Co. I, 9th C. V. Frank Miller, Co. I, Ist.C. H. A.
Wm. U. Mitchell, Mus. Co. A, 52d Mass. V.
Philo A. Morris, Co. E, Ist C. H. A.
Charles E. Moore, Ist Serg. Co. B, 6tlI C. V. Michael McCormick, Serg. Co. G. 6th N. Y. H. A. Chas. T. Moody, Drummer, Co. H, 5th N. H. V. W'm. H. McNeill. Byron W. Munsen, Com. Surg. Co. G, Ist C. Cav. George Munger, Ist Lt. 2d C. Lt. Bat.
Joseph Mott, Co. D, 17th C. V. Fred C. Nicholas, Co. C, 22d C. V. Sylvester Nichols, 2d C. Lt. Bat. Chas. H. Nichols, Capt. Co. D. 6th C. V.
John Nunheimer, Serg. Co. A, 103d Battery, N. Y. V.
Henry North, Ist Lt. Co. D, 17th C. V. Wm. H. Nordaby, Co. K, 14th N. Y. V.
Wm. H. Noble, Col. 17th C. V., Bvt. Brig. Gen.
Terrance O'Brien, Corp. Co. I, Ioth C. V. Thomas W. Oatley, Co. F, 2d R. I. V.
John O'Conner, Co. I, 27th Mass. V. Charles O'Neil, Co. E, 2d Mass. V. Albert W. Overton, Co. MI, Ist C. H. A.
William R. Palmer, 2d C. Lt. Bat.
Stephen T. Palmer, Co. C, 5th C. V. William C. Peck, Seaman, U. S. N. Edward Peet, Corp. Co. 1, 12th C. V. George 1 .. Porter, Ass't Surgeon, U. S. A.
Warren W. Porter, Ist Lt. Co. L, 7th Ill. Cav.
Michael Pickett, Co. K, 17th C. V.
Edward M. Presbrey, Co. A, 13th C. V.
Granville Platt, Co. I, 6th C. V. Horace Plumb, Co. D, 17th C. V.
W. E. Parker. John H. Porter, Serg. Co. K, 17th C. V. Charles W. Phipps.
Lyman L. Rose, Serg. Co. E, 46 Mass. V. Benj. F. Remington, Co. F, Ioth Mass. V. Charles Rohrback, Corp. Co. B, Ist C. V. Wm. H. Robertson, Co. A, Ist Cal. Michael Rock, Co. C, 7th C. V. Elbert Ruggles. Harlan P. Rugg, Capt. Co. I, 5th C. V.
£
£
485
Physicians of Bridgeport.
William Ryan, Co. 1, 23d C. V. L. H. Russell.
Charles H. Russell, Major, ist Md. Cav.
James Reddy.
Walter L. Savage, 2d Lt. roth C. V. Fred'k O. Seeley, 2d C. Lt. Bat.
Henry J. Seeley, 10th Indep. Lt. Bat.
George A. Staples, Ist Serg. Co. I, C. V.
Henry W. Stevens, Co. C, 14th C. V.
Henry G. Stevens, Co. E, 31st N. Y. V. Charles W. Stevens, Ist Serg. Co. I, 7th C. V. Henry Stephens, Cn. H, 25th N. Y. V. Win. W. Stevens, Corp. 2d C. Lt. Bat,
George C. Stewart, Co. C, 2d C. H. A. Joseph Strasburger, Co. I, 23d C. V.
Henry Shadt, Serg. Co. G, 2d C. H. A. John S. Selden, Co. B, 6th Mass. V. Charles E. Shelton, Corp. Co. I, 23d C. V.
John M. Speidel, Lt. Col. Ist and 6th C. V. John H. Sweet, Co. G, 7th C. V.
Barnum Slocum, Ist Serg. Co. G, N. Y. V. Samuel B. Sumner, Lt. Col. 49th Mass. V. Henry Stagg.
James H. Smith, Ist Lt. Co. H, 43d N. Y. V. Frederick Smith. Co. K, 6th C. V.
James P. Smith, Co. K, 15th C. V. Henry H. Smith, Corp. Co. I, 27th C. V. Charles L. Smith, Co. F, 17th C. V.
Thomas P. Smith, Co. D. 192d N. Y. V. Seaman Hicks, Mus. Co. C, 2d C. H. A.
Samuel Thorpe, Serg. Co. K. 17th C. V. Joseph Tyler, ist Serg. Co. A, roth C. V. Frank B. Taylor, Co. E, N. Y. V.
Lyman M. Turney, Serg. U. S. Marines.
1 Frederick D. Tomlinson, Co. E, ist C. H. A. Elam M. Tongue. Jno. W. Thompson. Horace Treat.
Geo. S. Thompson. . John L. Thomas.
Edmund Thompson, Corp. 2d C. Lt. Bat.
Frederick Uschman, Serg. Co. B, 68th N. Y. V.
William Van Gasbeck, Co. D, 23d C. V. George C. Waldo, Co. E, 20 C. V.
Patrick Wade, Jr., Serg. Co. K, 17th C. V.
Fred L. Warren, Co. A, 23d C. V.
Frank J. Warner, Corp. Co. HI, 2d C. Il. A.
Henry E. Waite, Co. K, 17th C. V.
Eugene Ward, Lt. Co. B, Louisiana Engineers.
W'm. N. Walsh, Co. K, 14th Mass. V.
Frank M. Welch, Ist Lt. Co. F. 54th Mass. V.
Will H. Weicht, Co. L, 3d Pa. Cav.
Osmer B. Wells.
Wm. Wellington, Artificer, 34th Indep. Battery, N. Y. V.
Frank H. Whiting, Ist Lt 2d C. Lt. Bat.
Wm. H. Whiting.
Chas. E. Williams, Com. Serg. 2d N. Y. Cav.
Geo. E. Williams, Co. A, 2d C. V.
Stephen H. Wright, Co. B, 75th N. Y. V.
Daniel Worcester.
Myron H. White, Corp. 2d C. Lt. Bat. L. Whittaker.
Wm. H. Wheeler. Sylvanus Wordin, Co. C, Ioth N. Y. V. Wm. B. Wilcoxson. Frank J. Young, A. A. Surgeon, U. S. N.
List of Physicians in Bridgeport.
Daniel Clifford, was drowned June, 1781. James Eaton Beach, 1778, d. 1838. Dr. Tisdale.
| J. R. Cumming. Elijah Gregory.
G. Ohnesorg. A. E. Barber. H. L. W. Burritt. George L. Beers. L. H. Norton.
Brown. Henry H. Davidson. C. E. Sanford. Curtis H. Bill. Francis J. Young.
Thomas Holman. 62
Samuel Simons.
William B. Nash.
Ed. W. Winslow.
N. E. Wordin. Charles W. Sheffrey.
Samuel Beach. David H. Nash.
G. F. Lewis. A. H. Abernethy. Seth Hill. William H. Hine.
A. A. Holmes. George M. Teeple.
Frederick J, Judson.
Hanford N. Bennett.
Robert Hubbard.
A. J. Smith. Richard W. Bull.
Sidney Bishop. Stanley P. Warren.
Edward T. Ward.
Joseph S. French.
Robert Lauder. George L. Porter.
62 Doctor Holman, the first missionary physician to the Sandwich Islands, returned to Bridgeport in 1822 and died here in 1826.
486
History of Bridgeport.
Martin J. Buesch.
Mary J. Rising.
A. M. Lyons.
Byron W. Munson.
W. B. Beebe.
A. N. Phillips.
F. M. Wilson.
W. H. Bunnell. Jacob May.
Jolın Becker.
J. W. Wright.
C. C. Godfrey.
William J. Wakeman.
F. B. Downs.
W. H. Donaldson.
T. F. Martin.
C. S. Hoag.
Samuel Garlick.
J. W. King.
W. C. Bowers.
Andrew Gilroy.
F. A. Rice.
H. P. Cole.
Henry Blodget.
B. F. Bronson.
W. T. Delamater.
John E. Kelly.
List of the Lawyers who have practiced in Bridgeport, with the date of their admittance to the bar, so far as could be ascertained, at the time.
Thaddeus Benedict, Stratford, 1797; ; died here Oct. 6, 1799.
Henry T. Blake, 1851, Fairfield Co .; Hartford Co. 1850.
Benjamin Hall.
John A. Boughton.
Pierrepont Edwards, New Haven about 1771.63
Charles Winton.
Joseph Backus.
Alanson Hamlin.
Joseph Wood.
Fitch Wheeler.
Frank M. Canfield.
Mark Moore.
Frederick Chittenden.
Henry Dutton.
John C. Chamberlain, Olmstead Co., Minn., 1874 ; Fairfield Co., 1876.
James C. Loomis, 1832.
Elisha S. Abernethy.
James H. Cooney.
Richard C. Ambler, 1878.
Joseph H. Collins.
Oswald P. Backus, 1883.
William H. Comley, ISS4.
Frank E. Baldwin.
Howard J. Curtis, 1883.
Sidney B. Beardsley, 1843.
Daniel Davenport, 1875.
Morris B. Beardsley, 1872.
Robert E. DeForest. N. H. Co., 1869.
Alfred B. Beers, 1871.
Charles A. Doten, 1872.
William D. Bishop, 1875.
...
Theodore W. Downs, Litchfield Co. to Fairfield Co., 1874.
William D. Bishop, Jr., 1886.
Stephen S. Blake, N. H. Co., IS72.
Ebenezer Burr, 1874, N. H. Co .; 1874, Fairfield Co.
Israel M. Bullock, 1866; died Oct., 1879. Charles S. Canfield, 1875.
63 Judge Pierrepont Edwards, son of the metaphysician, born at Northampton, Mass., April 8, 1750 : died at Bridgeport, Conn., April 14. 1826, was graduated at Princeton College in 1768. His father being a missionary to the Stockbridge Indians, his youth was passed among them, and he acquired their language per- fectly. He commenced the practice of law in New Haven in 1771 ; took an early and efficient part in the councils of Connecticut in favor of Independence ; served in the Revolutionary army, and was in two hard fought battles, including that of Danbury. He was a member of the old Congress, 1787-8, and an able advocate for the Constitution of the United States, in the convention held to ratify it. He was judge of the United States district court of Connecticut at the time of his decease. He was the founder of the "Toleration party" in Connecticut, and by his ability and perseverance drew upon himself the animosity of the Calvinists. He was the first Grand Master of Masons in Connecticut, and was the father of H. W. and Ogden Edwards.
Lawyers of Bridgeport. 487
Frederick J. Fox.
VanRensselaer C. Giddings, Litchfield Co., 1861 ; Fairfield Co., 1869. Louis K. Gould, 1882. Frederick B. Hall, 1871. Edwin F. Hall, ISSI.
William T. Haviland, 1882.
David F. Hollister, 1851, Litchfield Co .; Fairfield Co., 1854.
Gideon H. Hollister.
Henry Hugins.
William H. Kelsey, 1880.
Frank L. Holt, 1877.
Sherman H. Hubbard, 1881. Frank J. Hughes.
Francis Ives, 1848.
Joseph A. Joyce, 1873.
Bernard Keating, 1880. Jacob B. Klein, 1883. Howard H. Knapp.
Isaac M. Sturges, 1837.
E. Stewart Summer, 1878.
Frank G. Lewis.
David B. Lockwood, 1851.
Michael C. McGuinness, 1878. Hugh D. McGee.
Edward F. Meeker, 1877.
Louis N. Middlebrook.
Eugene Morehouse, 1882.
Morris Tuttle.
Dwight Morris, 1841.
George W. Warner, 1848.
Levi Warner. George W. Wheeler, Jr., 1883.
William H. Noble. Frank P. Norman, 1879. Wilfred E. Norton, N. H. Co., 1867. J. Wilbur Parrott. Eugene B. Peck, 1875. John J. Phelan, 1878. Charles Bostwick. 64
Patrick Phelan, 1886.
Frank L. Rodgers, 1881.
Joseph J. Rose, 1885. Henry S. Sanford, Litchfield Co., 1854.
William K. Seeley, 1852.
Morris W. Seymour.
Edward W. Seymour, 1856; Fairfield Co., 1876. Cyrus M. Shelton, 1886.
Henry T. Shelton, Jr.
William R. Shelton, 1872. Charles Sherwood, 1875.
Lucius M. Slade, N. Lond Co., 1861 ; Fairfield Co., 1863.
Friend W. Smith, Jr., 1882.
Ernest L. Staples, 1883.
William H. Stevenson, 1878.
Goodwin Stoddard, 1868.
Samuel B. Sumner, Mass., 1852 ; Fair- field Co., 1863.
Albert M. Tallmadge, 1877.
Curtis Thompson, Middlesex Co., 1864 ; Fairfield Co., 1864. Amos S. Treat, 1843 ; died 1886.
Mark D. Wilbur, Fairfield Co., 1877. William C. Wildman. Jaines A. Wilson, 1865 ; N. H., 1874. Albert M. Wooster, 1883.
64 Hon. Charles Bostwick was graduated at Yale College in 1796, studied law under Judge Reeve at Litchfield, Conn., and was admitted to the bar of Fairfield county in 1799. He continued in the practice of the law at Bridge- port until 1810, when he removed to the city of New York, where he was exten- sively engaged in mercantile business until 1837, when he retired from business and resumed his residence at Bridgeport.
In 1840 he was elected mayor of the city and chief judge of the City Court.
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS
62
788.490
[A sermon, written in 1799, by the Rev. Philo Shelton.]
"A History of the Church of Fairfield."
On the 26th day of August, 1722, the Rev. Mr. Picket,? from Stratford, came to Fairfield and preached at the house of Mr. Thomas Hanford to about six families. This was the first time that divine service was performed in the town agreeable to the rites and usages of the Church of England. After this the people met and read prayers among themselves, and the Rev. Mr. Johnson, from Stratford, occasionally preached for them. On the 22d of June, 1725, a church was raised at Fairfield about one and a half miles west from the meeting house, and on the ioth of November following, it being a public thanksgiving day, the Rev. Doctor Johnson opened the new church with a sermon suitable to the occasion.
Somewhere about this time there was a law obliging people of all denominations to be taxed for the support of the Presbyterian worship. This the Episcopalians looked upon as a great grievance, and some had the resolution to refuse paying this tax and were committed to gaol. Of this number were Mr. Ward, of Fairfield, Glover and Hard, of Newtown.3 Upon this a memorial was presented to the General Assembly, signed by the church wardens, of Fair- field, viz: praying to be excused from supporting worship in which they did not believe nor profess. Their prayer was
1 This is intended to be a literal copy of Mr. Shelton's sermon, except the abbreviated words in the original are here spelled at length.
? This was the Rev. George Piggot.
3 It may be seen from these statements that but one person is named of Fair- field and two of Newtown as sent to jail, although there may have been others, and these all, probably, attended the church at Fairfield. The language " had the resolution to refuse paying this tax," and " upon this a memoriai was presented to the General Assembly," suggests that they went to jail for the purpose of making a case in order to appeal to the Assembly with greater force, and thus secure a change in the law, which was the final result.
491
493
History of Bridgeport.
heard and the taxes of the Episcopalians might in future be applied to the support of their own profession in obliging them to be taxed in the same proportion by the Presbyterian committee and collected by their collectors and then paid over to the church clergyman or to the wardens, which law continued in existence until the American Independence.
The church people at Fairfield increasing some, they were very desirous to have a clergyman settled among theni. They purchased a lot of land, about half an acre, with a house, for his accommodation and sent the deed by the hands of a certain Mr. Henry Canner to the society in England, praying that he might be clothed with Priest's Orders and settled over them. Their petition was heard and the Rev. Mr. Canner received to Fairfield in October, 1727, with a salary of fifty pounds sterling, per annum, and the people were very happy in his admistrations and the church flourished under his ministry. The principal people that composed the church were Messrs. Ward, Adams, Wilson, Hanford, Jinnings, Lyon, Barlow, Beers, Sturges and others. The church that was first built was small, not sufficient now to contain the numbers. On the 9th of August, 1738, they raised another of fifty-four feet by thirty-six, with a steeple, and with the charitable donations from New York and the society in England, the house was finished very decently with a bell. The Rev. Mr. Canner continued at Fairfield as their minister until the year 1744. He was then, by the Missionaries' Society, removed to Boston, to the great grief of the Episcopalians of Fairfield, he being a man of eminent talents, a great preacher and an able defender of the doctrines of the church, and a very agreeable, engaging companion and neighbor. While he was at Fair- field the church flourished, her numbers increased, and all appeared to be happy. He was born in England, came to America in his youth, was educated at Yale College, studied divinity under Doctor Johnson, married a Miss Mckinsey, daughter of Mr. - Mckinsey. He continued a preacher in the church at Boston until the war broke out between Great Britain and America. When the British troops came there he left the town and returned to England and lived to be a very aged man, and finally died in peace and was gath-
493
Church of Fairfield.
ered to his Fathers, the Lord having prospered him in his work of the ministry, by which many souls were converted from the error of their ways, established in the faith, and rested in hope.
In the year 1745 the Rev. Mr. Joseph Lamson was ordained to the ministry and placed by the society in the church at Fairfield vacated by the Rev. Mr. Canner, with a salary equal to his predecessor. The members of the church having increased considerably, those who resided in the parish of Stratfield thought it too far to attend at Fairfield, exerted themselves, and in the year 1748 raised a church in the parish, and the next year it was opened and dedicated by the Rev. Doct. Johnson. The principal proprietors in building this church were Col. John Burr, Messrs. John Holberton, Timothy Wheeler, Joseph Seeley, John Nichols, Richard Hall, Samuel Beardsley, and others. This Colonel Burr was a man of singular abilities, of large property and a warm advocate for the church, having received his education in the Presbyterian profession, but when he arrived to mature age, he changed his profession. About this time Whitfield, Tenant, and other zealous preachers came through the country, fired the people with enthusiasm and an over-heated zeal for religion, which the Colonel looked upon as incon- sistent with the true spirit of the gospel, which teaches order and good government to her children. He turned his atten- tion to the study of the gospel and embraced the Church of England as being the most agreeable to the rules of our Blessed Saviour and his apostles. He spent the remainder of his days in the church and died in a good old age.
By this time the church people in the parishes of North- fairfield and Northfield having increased considerably and being at the distance of eight or ten miles from Fairfield church, they thought it best to build a church to accommodate those two societies. They accordingly in the year 1762 erected a frame and closed it, but soon after this, the Rev. Mr. Lamson being in a poor state of health, unable to officiate much in the out parishes, the church was not finished before the American war commenced, which seemed to stagnate all business. In the year 1773 Mr. Lamson sickened and died. He was born
494
History of Bridgeport.
at Stratford, educated at Yale College, conformed to the Church of England in the time of the Whitfieldian stir. He supported an honorable character, was much improved' and esteemed as a physician as well as a divine. He left at his death a widow and five children-three daughters and two sons. In the time of his ministry, the liberal Mr. Talbart, of New York, made a visit to Fairfield and left as a benefit for the church a very handsome present, to the amount of at least one hundred pounds L. M. With some of this money the trustees of the church purchased a piece of land at a place called the Round Hill, about nine acres. One hundred dol- lars was put out to use in the hands of Mr. Jonathan Coley, which since has been collected and applied to the building of the new church, and another hundred dollars was put to use in the hands of Filer Dibble, who in the troublesome Ameri- can war went to Novascotia, forfeited his estate and the church lost the debt. Mr. Talbart also furnished the Com- munion table with a set of plate, which in the time of the burning of the town by the British was either consumed or plundered, the latter I think is most probable.
In the year 1774 the Rev. Mr. John Sayre, from Freder- icksburgh, was invited by the parish to take charge of the churches. He wrote to the society, acquainted them of the death of their missionary, Mr. Lamson, and informed them of the invitation of the people and should wait their approbation of acceptance. The society appointed him, agreeable to the request of the people, and fixed his salary at twenty-five pounds sterling per annum. Mr. Sayre was a man of supe- rior abilities, a great preacher. He was rather inclining to the Calvinistic principles, but a high Tory. Soon after he settled at Fairfield the colonies revolted from Great Britain, which produced a bloody war, and in the contest in the year 1779, a party of the King's troops, under the command of Governor Tryon, came to Fairfield, took possession of the town, plundered it and then burnt it, without any distinction to friend or foe. In the general conflagration the church was consumed and the parsonage house, together with the library,
4 This means he was much called for as a minister.
5 L. M .- lawful money.
4
£
495
Church of Fairfield. .
which was kept in the parsonage. The library contained some hundreds of volumes. The church records shared the same fate. This was a most fatal blow to the Episcopal society of Fairfield-losing the church, the parsonage, the library, the plate ; and at this time Mr. Sayre with his family left the town and never returned again, together with a num- ber of the principal inhabitants.
The remainder thought it not best to hang their harps upon the willows and give up the church for lost, but relying on the promises of God that the church should never be extinct, they called a meeting of the three several churches, viz: Fairfield, Stratfield and Northfairfield, to take into con- sideration what was best to be done. They were unanimously of opinion that it was their duty to keep the church together and have divine service performed among them until they could be supplied with a clergyman. They appointed a committee to look out for some candidate to read prayers for them, and upon inquiry they heard of Mr. Philo Shelton, of Ripton, to whom they applied and he engaged to open church for them until they should be otherwise supplied. He con- tinued their reader until Bishop Seabury returned from Europe clothed with Episcopal authority to ordain and govern the church, and in August, 1785, Mr. Shelton was admitted to the order of Deacon in Christ Church, Middle- town, by the Right Rev. Bishop Seabury, and to Priest's Orders in Trinity Church, New Haven, in September fol- lowing, by the same prelate, and settled over the churches of Fairfield, Stratfield and Weston, with a living of one hundred pounds L. M. per annum, with the use of what lands belonged to said church.
In the year 1790 the Episcopalians thought it best to exert their abilities and see if they could not get them another house. They went to work and in June raised a frame of fifty-six feet by thirty-four, with a steeple, and by September following they closed it so as we were able to meet in it. The church stands about one mile west from where the last stood, at a place called Millplain.
There is belonging to this church a piece of land laying at Round Hill about two miles from the State house, also the
£
496
History of Bridgeport.
half acre where the parsonage house formerly stood, both of which pieces are in the possession of the present incumbent. There is no other property belonging to either of the three churches.
The church at Stratfield was not finished until the year 1789, and then it was consecrated by the Right Rev. Doctor Seabury. The one at Fairfield was consecrated by the Right Rev. Doctor Jarvis, the 18th of October, 1798.
The number of families belonging to the three churches is about 200; communicants, 150 (only one of color). All those of proper age have been confirmed. There have been baptized by the Rev. Mr. Shelton since August, 1785, until February, 1799, Soo souls, 25 of which, adults.
The borough at Stratfield populating much faster than the other parts of the parish, the greatest number of Episco- palians living in that part of the society, it was thought best by many that the church should be placed there. A meeting was called to take the minds of the members and it was thought advisable to pull the old church down and build a new one out of the materials, as far as they would go. The vote was taken and [was] almost unanimous so to do, and in March, 1801, the church was razede to the ground, and on the 2d of July following another frame was erected in the bor- ough at Bridgeport, 58 feet by 38, closed, glazed and floored, so as to meet in on the 29th of November following. While the church was in building they met sometimes in the school house and sometimes in the meeting house, where they were invited by the Presbyterians."
Bridgeport Ladies' Charitable Society .- In the year 1813 a voluntary association was formed in Bridgeport under the name of the Bridgeport Female Benevolent Society, for the purpose of assisting persons and families needing aid; and consequently it has been actively engaged in its charita- ble work for about seventy-three years. The name of the association was afterwards changed to the Bridgeport Ladies' Charitable Society.
" This word is not Mr. Shelton's ; some one has erased the original, which, apparently, was another word.
£
£
Ladies' Charitable Society. 497
At the January session of the General Assembly of 1884, a charter was granted authorizing it to hold property, real and personal, free from taxation, not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, to have and use a common seal, to adopt constitution and by-laws, and to do and perform all acts proper and neces- sary to accomplish the objects of the association.
At the time of the organization of this society in 1813, there was want and poverty among families whose husbands were in the war, and great destitution among those Indians who still hung around their old hunting and fishing grounds. Several ladies meeting with Mrs. Capt. Abijah Hawley to sew and make garments for these poor people, it was sug- gested to form a society, and Mrs. Polly Hawley was chosen president. Rev. Elijah Waterman, at that time pastor of the North Congregational Church, wrote the constitution, the same as in use to-day, the only written record we have of the society until the past twenty years. Mrs. S. B. Furgeson, who died in 1886, was eighteen years of age when this society was organized, and she was in some way connected with it until her death. The names following were the first man- agers : Mrs. Abijah Hawley, Mrs. William Peet, Mrs. Isaac Hinman, Mrs. Sylvanus Sterling, Mrs. Isaac Burroughs, Mrs. Reuben Tweedy, Mrs. Capt. Daniel Sterling. They worked earnestly, made over old garments, and with membership fees bought new cloth for sheets and pillow cases, lent them to the sick and poor as circumstances required, and when the emergency was over gathered the soiled linen, cleansed it by washing, for next applicant. Mrs. Hawley was president for a number of years, it then had monthly meetings, as now, with sociability, and it is a remarkable fact, that to the pres- ent time they have been of nearly regular occurrence. The following persons have filled successively the office of presi- dent : Mrs. William Peet, Mrs. Isaac Hinman, Mrs. Sylvanus Sterling, then her sister, Mrs. Ira Sherman, Mrs. Capt. David Sterling, Mrs. S. B. Furgeson, Mrs. P. T. Barnum, Mrs. Gasford Sterling, Mrs. D. B. Nichols, Mrs. Q. H. Whiting (who is still a manager), Mrs. H. L. Sturdevant, who filled the office for about twenty years, with the exception of one year, when Mrs. E. A. Lewis filled the office; Mrs. Sturde-
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