USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 40
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 40
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Newfield M. E. Church in West Stratford."
On the second Sunday of May, 1871, D. W. Currier and Theodore Courtright called on the neighbors of Newfield School District, and gave notice that they would open a Sunday-school on the following Sunday afternoon in the barn of Nirum Hawley. At the appointed time two children met, and the next Sunday there were fifteen present. Mr. Court- right was elected superintendent. The school increased in numbers and interest until the barn became too small, when they removed to a more commodious place in a store building owned by John French.
In the mean time a society was established, and a Sunday- school organized on Sunday, September 24, 1871, called a Union Sunday-school. This school met in the district school house until the completion of a chapel, which was erected and ready for use on the 3d day of March, 1872.
These two schools united in one, August 18, 1872, and the whole was turned over to the Rev. A. C. Eggleston, pas- tor of the Washington Park M. E. Church.
This organization was called the Newfield Methodist Episcopal Society, which assumed all debts and purchased the property, securing the chapel and the site.
The following spring, 1873, they applied to the Confer- ence, and the Rev. R. S. Eldridge was sent to them as their pastor, who labored successfully one year. The next year the Rev. E. A. Blake was appointed as their pastor, who served one year. Since that time the church has had no reg- ular pastor, but has been supplied from other churches.
Schools in Stratford.
Teaching children to read and write was attended to in the families by the first settlers. Very soon the Colony made some provisions for educating children.
The town of Stratford gave carly attention to providing schooling for the children in it.
17 From Fairfield County History, page 766.
446
History of Stratford.
In October, 1678, the town voted twenty pounds of money " for maintainance of a school master, the rest of the money to be levied upon the children privileged by the school." In December of the same year they voted a school master " to teach small children to read and write."
A special provision was made by the town as follows :
"October 31, 1687. Also it was voted at the same meet- ing that what land the town hath at or near the ferry, upland and meadow now in the possession of Moses Wheeler, sen"., that the produce and benefit thereof shall henceforth forever be paid and improved for and towards the maintaining of a publique school for and in the town of Stratford."
This was land the use of which was granted to Moses Wheeler twenty-one years, gratuitously in view of his main- taining a ferry across the Housatonic river, and his twenty- one years having expired they thenceforward devoted the income to the support of "a publique school." That is, it was so much towards a free school, which is the earliest pro- vision of the kind seen on record by the author of this work.
So far as seen there was but one school in the town until December 13, 1715, when it was voted that "our neighbors north of Tanner's Brook, may set up a school house at the north end of the town, they doing it at their own expense."
The next year there were two schools in the village, and in January, 1716-17, they voted that "the farmers at Long hill, Oronock, Putnee, Mohegin hills, Trapfalls, Fairchilds, and Nichol's Lakes and Pambrook, shall have the use of their part of the 40 shillings pr. thousand allowed by law for seven years ensuing, provided they educate their children accord- ing to law," and Sergt. John Hurd and Sergt. Andrew Pat- terson were chosen a committee for Pembroke.
This shows that there were forty shillings drawn from the Colony upon each one thousand pounds on the town list for schools.
In 1722, Capt. Josiah Curtiss, Samuel Uffoot and Abel Birdsey were the committee for the South School, and Thomas Welles, James Judson and Ephraim Clark for the North School. Hence, Thomas Welles was living within this district, and possibly on what is now the Elias Welles
447
Schools in Stratford.
place, where the great elm tree stands; and that tree was in all probability set there about twenty years later.
In 1740, the schools being under the care of the Ecclesi- astical Society, were named the South School, North School, Pembrook School and Putnee School. In 1741, the names were a little changed and they were called the South End School, the North End School, Oronoke and Putnec and Pembrook School.
After this period schools increased, new districts were organized until the whole town was under a thorough system of common school education. Those young men who desired to go to college were prepared in their education by the parish ministers, until the erection of the Academy.
The Stratford Academy.
"Town Meeting December 17, 1804. Whereas, Samuel W. Johnson, Ezekiel Lovejoy and other inhabitants of this town have subscribed one thousand dollars for the building of a school house or academy for the education of youth, and have applied to this town for liberty to erect the same on the public square called the Meetinghouse Hill.
" Voted, that the applicants have liberty to erect a house for the purpose aforesaid on the Meetinghouse Hill, where the old meetinghouse formerly stood, with the privilege of enclosing the same with a fence suitable for ornament and convenience not exceeding three rods from each side of said house.
Test, AARON BENJAMIN, Town Clerk."
In May, 1806, the proprietors were made a corporate body, by the following declaration : " Resolved by this Assem- bly, That Samuel Wm. Johnson, Jabez H. Tomlinson, Stephen W. Stebbins, Ashbel Baldwin, Robert Fairchild, Roswell Judson and Solomon Curtis, the present trustees of said Academy, and others who now or hereafter may be proprie- tors of said Academy, be, and they are hereby created and made a body corporate, by the name of " The Proprietors of the Stratford Academy."
448
History of Stratford.
In 1836, this Academy was still standing, and the hill had become known as Academy Hill, which name is still fre- quently used.
Stratford Union School.
The year 1883 marks a new era in educational enterprise, spirit and accomplishments, for in that year a union of four districts was formed ; and a new, two-story brick school house was built in 1884-85, at a cost of $20,000, and the school was opened in it with a full complement of teachers, September 14, 1885.
The following was the first School Committee after the consolidation ; George H. Spall, Howard J. Curtis and Chas. B. Curtis ; and Edwin F. Hall, Clerk, and Albert Wilcoxson, Treasurer.
The following are the names of the Building Committee : Robert H. Russell, Rufus W. Bunnell, Charles B. Curtis, Charles D. Curtiss, and David W. Judson.
The school opened with the following list of teachers : Mr. Wilfred M. Peck, Principal ; Miss Addie T. Gilman, Miss Mary E. Cable, Miss H. Lina Lobdell, Miss Eleanor A. Peck, and Miss Minnie Judson.
Samuel Fulsom came from Windham, Conn., to Strat- ford, probably in the spring of 1743, he having then a wife Ann, and two children. His descendants have the tradition that he came specially to do the iron work on the Episcopal Church then to be built, he being a blacksmith. It is also said that he brought other blacksmiths with him to work, and who did work in his shop.
He became a communicant in the Episcopal Church here in 1743, and purchased his first land in Stratford in 1745, it being the corner where now Mrs. Hudson's dwelling stands. This lot of one acre had been owned some years by John Moss, who had died, leaving it with a house and barn on it, to his two children Joseph and Mary Moss. After Mary's part was taken off, Joseph sold his right to John Benjamin and Samuel Fulsom, who afterwards divided it, Mr. Fulsom retaining the corner. On this homestead lived the Fulsom family, the father continuing many years the work of a black- smith.
449
History and not Fiction.
Glorianna Fulsom, the last but one of this family of nine children, was born December 24, 1753, and grew to be a very beautiful young lady at the age of sixteen years, the charming companion of many like her in Stratford at that day, only she is said to have been more beautiful than any other. She possessed light brown hair, bright, sparkling blue eyes, a fine personal figure with a lively, entertaining manner, and all the modest culture of those frugal days.
In the autumn of the year 1770, when the beauty of the country was all aglow with preparations for the coming win- ter, there came into Stratford a stranger, of rather remarkable appearance, who stopped at Benjamin's tavern, then located where the dwelling of Mr. Frederick A. Benjamin now stands. He was John Sterling, from Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of a Baronet, and he had been sent out by his father on a visiting tour to America, going first to Canada and thence to New York. By what fatality he came to Stratford is not known, nor can it be guessed unless it was to find the very cradle of liberty, which it has always been understood he did find, both in politics and marriage. His manner was pleasant and enter- taining, but he seemed to be a person without any object of worldly or religious business, and therefore was viewed as a suspicious character.
He saw the beautiful Glorianna in church, he saw her in singing-school ; he went wherever he could see her, became acquainted with her, and sought her in marriage. This prop- osition all opposed except the father and "sweet sixteen." The mother imposed every opposition, so did Anna, the eld- est sister, but Johnny won the race, and came out Mr. Sterling with Mrs. Glorianna Sterling as mate, March 10, 1771.
He then tarried in Stratford, and after a time wrote home for money. The father sent some, and wrote him to return home, but he wrote that he was married and could not comc, so say the descendants of the Fulsom family ; others say, he did not write home, which is improbable, but that his father heard of his son's marriage and the beauty of his wife, by some mariners, who were there from Stratford.
When funds ran low again, Mr. Sterling, like a true Yankee, engaged in teaching school, "in the old Pendleton house," where he continued several months, if not more than a year.
450
History of Stratford.
In December, 1771, the daughter Mary Glorianna was baptized, and a pupil was taken in charge, to board in the family.
In the autumn of 1772, the Baronet in Edinburgh, became impatient at the stay of his son in America and wrote a per- emptory requirement for his son to come home and bring his wife with him, but this latter seemed impossible then, and he departed alone, assuring her he would send for her as soon as possible.
When he had departed, the whole town was musical with whisperings, suspicions and reports that the great Mr. Ster- ling had deserted his wife and that she would see and hear no more of him.
On March 14, 1773, another daughter, named Maria Jane was baptized in Stratford.
Soon a letter came from Mr. Sterling that a ship, fitted for her special comfort, would be in New York at a certain time, to convey her to Scotland in the best style possible ; that he had sent her a quantity of goods, of elegant material, which she must have made in New York, and that he had sent servants to attend to the necessary work and preparations for her journey. Her relatives in Stratford have pieces of the silk for the dress which she was to wear at her reception when she should arrive at her home in Scotland, which though now changed in color was originally white embossed silk, with colored flowers in small boquets scattered sparsely over it.
After making her wardrobe as complete as possible, Mrs. Sterling sailed for Europe with her two children and two ser- vants, a nurse and maid, who had been sent out to attend her. Mr. Sterling sent an invitation to his sister-in-law Anna Ful- som to accompany his wife, and goods for her outfit, but her mother would not give her consent, although it was much to Anna's regret, saying, it was enough to bury one, for she should never see Glorianna again, and she could not bury two. Mrs. Sterling wrote back that when she arrived in Scotland there were so many carriages on the wharf that she was at a great loss to know what it meant, but found they were all there to meet her.
451
History and not Fiction.
After her arrival she had governesses in the house to teach her the accomplishments befitting the future Lady of Sterling Castle. She never returned to America, although she always intended to do so, but she kept up a continued correspondence with her family, often sending them valuable presents, especially to her mother and her sister Anna. Quite a number of these articles are still preserved in Strat- ford ; also a razor case left by Mr. Sterling, and the remains of what was once a very beautiful doll, which was sent with a complete doll's outfit to her little niece, the six-year old daughter of her sister Anna, who had become the second wife of Abraham Tomlinson, the father of Miss Huldah and Miss Polly Tomlinson. Their mother, the first wife, was a daugh- ter of parson Gold.
During the Revolution Mrs. Sterling had very little communication with her friends in America, but as soon as peace was declared correspondence was resumed and she sent presents of various kinds. There is still preserved quite a good sized box that came from her filled with presents.
She was very anxious that members of her family should visit her, and was much delighted when her brother, Nathan Fulsom wrote that he would go and see her. She directed him where to go when he arrived in Liverpool and have an outfit made at her expense. He went, and after remaining some months he returned, bringing glowing accounts of the grandeur with which his sister was surrounded.
Her husband, upon the decease of his father, in 1791, suc- ceeded to the office of a Baronet, which he held to his death, and the Baronness, although so widely separated from her family in America, kept up a most cordial intercourse with them as long as she lived, sending several of her children to visit them. Her youngest brother, John Fulsom, visited at her home after his brother Nathan had been there.
In Playfair's Baronctage of Scotland it is stated that Sir John and Glorianna Sterling had nineteen children in the first eighteen years of their marriage. It is said by the descend- ants of her relatives here that she was the mother of twenty- two children. The Baronetage of Scotland shows that one of her sons succeeded his father in that office and that her descendants held the office in 1879.
452
History of Stratford.
It may be seen by the above dates which are taken from Stratford town records and those of the Episcopal Church, that the story which connects Sir John Sterling with the American Revolution cannot be correct, since he was married and he and his wife Glorianna and their children were at home in Scotland before the war in America began. Then, also, the above dates correspond and confirm all the leading facts of the story as given by Misses Elizabeth and Maria Peck, still living in Stratford, whose mother was the daughter of Anna Fulsom, the eldest sister of Glorianna. These ladies well remember their grandmother, and heard her as well as their own mother narrate the story, often, in their early years, and their mother many times in later years ; and they are au- thority for the above plain statement of facts. It is very pleasant to the author of this work, that by the assistance of several persons of Stratford, the above true, straightforward and agreeable history has been obtained, since a variety of versions have been heretofore given to it.
St. John's Lodge, No. 8, of Free and Accepted Masons.
The following history of St. John's Lodge has been col- lected and arranged by Mr. Nathan B. Wells, from a historical address by the Rev. C. H. W. Stocking in 1866, and the Manuel of the lodge and other records :
" The original charter of St. John's Lodge, Stratford, was granted by the R. W. George Harrison, Provincial Grand Master of the Colony of New York, dated April 22, 1766. On the 7th of May following, a preliminary meeting to the formal opening of the lodge was held, and Monday, the 12th day of May, designated as the day for organizing.
" On the appointed evening there were present Joseph Clark, W. M .; James Dunn, S. W .; John Harpin, J. W., pro tem., and ' visitant ' Brother Lemuel Brooks. The lodge hav- ing been 'opened in due form and cloathed with all their honors, after having dedicated the same to the Holy St. John, they proceeded to raise the following Brethren to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, to wit: Brother Henry Van Dyck,
The Masonic Lodge. 453
Brother Ephraim Peet, Brother Abijah Beach, Brother Wil- liam McIntosh.'
" On the 15th of the same month 'the four new brethren were appointed to the subordinate offices. Henry Van Dyck, S. W .; Ephraim Peet, J. W .; Abijah Beach, Treas .; James Dunn, Sec.
" The element of discipline early entered into the work- ings of the lodge. Refusal to obey the Master's gavel was punished by a fine of two shillings, to be paid immediately, or suffer expulsion. Obscenity paid a fine of one shilling ; talking, one shilling ; profanity, two shillings. Initiation fees were £3, to the box, and three shillings to the Tyler.
" Twelve successive times Samuel Benjamin represented the lodge at the annual communication of the Grand Lodge, walking the distance with glad though weary feet, that so his candlestick should not be removed. Matthias Nicoll, Benja- min Fairchild and Rev. Ashbel Baldwin appear as frequently representing their lodge at the grand communications in honest discharge of their Masonic obligations.
" This lodge worked under its old colonial charter as St. John's, No. 1, until October 9, 1792. It then came in under another charter from the newly formed Grand Lodge of the State, as St. John's, No. 8. The Nicolls, the Benjamins, the Fairchilds, the Johnsons, and others who might be mentioned, appear among their fellows as zealous craftsmen who knew their work and wrought it well.
" The following are the names of the Past Masters of this lodge, with their terms of office : 1766-68, Joseph Clarke ; 1768-69, Henry Van Dyke ; 1769-70, Joseph Clarke ; 1770-73, Stiles Lewis ; 1773-79, Joseph Clarke; 1779-80, Stiles Lewis; 1780-84, John Thatcher; 1784-86, Peter Nicoll; 1786-88, Matthias Nicoll; 1788-90, John Thatcher; 1790-95, J. L. Wooster; 1795-96, John Thompson ; 1796-97, Matthias Nicoll ; 1797-98, Ashbel Baldwin ; 1798-1804, Matthias Nicoll ; 1804-7, John Thompson ; 1807-8, Nathaniel Kennedy ; 1808- II, Ashbel Baldwin; 1811-12, George Smith ; 1812-15, Mat- thias Nicoll; 1815-21, William T. Shelton ; 1821-27, Matthias Nicoll; 1827-33, Samuel Benjamin ; 1833-36, Benjamin Fair- child ; 1836-40, John Goulding; 1860-62, A. B. Judd; 1862-
30
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History of Stratford.
63, Nathan B. Wells; 1863-66, George Jewell ; 1867-68, Ezra Whiting ; 1868-70, William A. Lewis; 1870-72, Walter J. Bristol ; 1872-73, Melville J. Curtis; 1873-75, Henry G. B. Cuzner ; 1875-77, Lasper K. Whitney ; 1877-79, Samuel A. Patterson ; 1880-81, Nathan F. Wilcoxson ; 1882-3, John W. Beach ; 1884, Henry F. Mechan.
The officers for the year 1885, are: Nelson E. Dorman, W. M .; George W. Cradduck, S. W .; Daniel C. Wood, J. W .; Samuel A. Patterson, Secretary ; Ezra Whiting, Treasurer. John W. Beach, George H. Zink and Henry P. Stagg, Trustees ; Charles F. Judson, S. D .; Frederick P. Welles, J. D .; Bernard H. Merrick, S. S .; Charles E. Lovell, J. S .; Lasper K. Whiting, Marshall; Rev. Thomas J. Watt, Chap- lain ; George W. Lampson and George H. Spall, Auditors ; and Joseph W. Dufour, Tyler.
The number of members at present is about one hundred and thirty.
" Oronoque Lodge, No. 90, I. O. O. F.18
This lodge was instituted by Grand Master A. W. Phelps, in the old Masonic Hall. The first officers installed were : J. W. Dufow, N. G .; G. T. Lewis, V. G .; Charles D. Curtis, Treas .; H. A. Sutton, Sec.
" Charter members : Joseph W. Dufow, George T. Lewis, Francis S. Avery, Lucius E. Hendric, H. A. Sutton, John Cradduck, Charles D. Curtis, William Shilston, Perry Beardsley, C. Lester Young, Laspore K. Whitman, Lewis S. Hubbell, Abram T. Peck.
" The following is a list of Noble Grands from the organ- ization to 1881 : Joseph W. Dufow, George T. Lewis, John Cradduck, Francis S. Avery, Laspore K. Whitney, John Kug- ler, Charles E. Curtis, A. S. Allen, D. W. Judson, A. C. Ellis, William Young, Lewis S. Hubbell, A. C. Ellis, A. McEwen, George Cradduck, William Blaney."
18 Fairfield County History, 768.
455
The Public Greens.
The Borough of West Stratford.
West Stratford, as a borough was organized July 3, 1873. The officers for 1873 and 1874, were: A. W. Lewis, Warden; Alfred Beers, James Bounds, E. B. Peck, John French, William H. Bunnell, and Harvey Birdsey, Burgesses ; Charles H. Hinman, Clerk; H. B. Drew, Treasurer ; D. C. Wood, Collector ; H. T. Quire, Bailiff; J. R. Lockwood, and Frank Bacon, Registrars of Voters.
This is a rapidly growing borough, and will without doubt, soon become a part of the city of Bridgeport.
The Bridgeport Hospital is located within its boundaries. There are two school houses ; the one in the lower district has four teachers and about 290 scholars, and in the upper district 200 scholars.
The Public Greens of Stratford Village.
It has been represented that these greens were always the property of the town, but the records show quite the contrary.
In 1745, Hezekiah Gold, Joshua Judson, Joseph Booth, Ebenezer Beech, David Judson, John Wilcoxson, Abram Curtis and Daniel Curtis, gave four pieces of land to the town for public greens; three of them constituted the green at Academy Hill in the rear of the Episcopal Church, and one of them the Uptown Green. The deed is to be found in the records of the Town Acts, Book No. 5, page 153.
From the Revolution to 1850, there were in Stratford about fifty men of noted prominence, as indicated in the list of Representatives,19 of whom it would be a satisfaction and pleasure to make biographical sketches, if time and space in this book would allow, but as the facts are, these must be left for the genealogies and a future historian.
19 The list of Representatives will be found in the Appendix to this book.
456
History of Stratford.
Besides the following sketches of descendants of the older families, space is allowed for brief notices of two or three persons who with their families, became residents of this town more recently, and whose literary productions and beneficent public labors call for the notice and space here cor- dially given.
The Benjamin Family of Connecticut.
From the manuscripts of Governors Eaton and Winthrop are obtained the following account of the first settler in this country of the family of Benjamin.
" John Benjamin, Esqr., Gentleman, was the first of that name who came to this country. His ancestors were Welch and were among the first of the landed Gentry of England. He came in company with Governor Winthrop to the Massachusetts colony in July, 1630, and settled in Water- town of the same colony [adjoining the present Cambridge] and died in that town, June, 1645. His house, accidentally destroyed by fire, was unsurpassed in elegance and comfort by any in the vicinity. It was the mansion of intelligence, refinement, religion and hospitality : visited by the clergy of all denominations and by the literati from far and near. He called his eldest son John and after the father's death the family removed to Connecticut."
Col. John Benjamin, the third in descent from John Benjamin, Gent., of Gov. Winthrop's colonists, was born in Stratford, Conn., in 1731. He was married to Lucretia Backus, of Windham, Conn., daughter of Dr. Backus, an eminent physician of that place. He is described as a man of comely person and strong mental powers, of philosophic tastes and studies, of which honorable mention was made by President Stiles of Yale College. He was an earnest and energetic patriot of '76. He took part in the battle of Ridgefield, and received a ball in the shoulder on that occasion which he car- ried to the end of his life. He died in Stratford, Conn., Sept. 14, 1796. He left four daughters, one of whom married Josiah Meigs and was the mother of the late Dr. Chas. Meigs, of
457
Biographical Sketches.
Philadelphia, and of Mrs. John Forsyth, wife of the Secretary of State, in the administrations of Jackson and Van Buren. He also left six sons, one of whom,
Col. Aaron Benjamin, was the hero of that genera- tion of the family. Col. Aaron Benjamin was born in Strat- ford, Conn., Aug. 17, 1757. He entered the Revolutionary army in July, 1775, when not quite 18 years of age, and re- mained with it in active duty till the peace of 1783. He was in nearly all of the principal battles of that memorable war. Among his experiences were Montgomery's expedition to Canada, the battles of White Plains, Princeton, Monmouth, Germantown, Fort Mifflin, Stony Point, the winter at Valley Forge, innumerable encounters with the enemy, which have no record in history, hand to hand fights as perilous as " the imminent and deadly breach."
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