USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 54
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 54
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8 Conn. Private Acts, First Series, i. 590.
610
History of Stratford.
New Foundland, in charge of Captain E. Doane, but the com pany was not particularly successful.9
The Bridgeport Steamboat Company was incorpo- rated in May, 1824; the persons named being: Daniel Ster- ling, Enoch Foote, Ransom C. Canfield, Isaac Sherman, Thomas C. Wordin and Wilson Hawley, with a capital stock not to exceed thirty thousand dollars. Wilson Hawley, Daniel Sterling, Thomas C. Wordin, Reuben Tweedy and Isaac Sherman were the first directors of this company.10
Only two companies had been previously incorporated in this State for the purpose of navigation by steam ; the first was secured in October, 1818, and named "The Connecticut Steamboat Company ;" the second, The Connecticut River Steamboat Company, in May, 1823.
3 Log-Book of Ship Atlantic
On her third voyage to the south Atlantic and Indian Oceans, whaling, during the years 1837-8 and 9 ; having departed from Bridgeport, Conn., on July 22d, 1837, returning on April 12th, 1839.
Master, WM. POST.
Ist Mate, JOB BABCOCK.
2d JOHN LEWIS.
3d 66 EDWARD HOWEL.
Recapitulation.
The voyage has occupied 629 days. The ship has been at sea 567 days. According to calculations made at the end of each day the whole distance sailed is 46,640 miles. The whole number of whales seen, making no allowance for the same ones seen at different times, is 901, of which 165 are sperm. The total num- ber struck is 75. The number of whales taken, including one found dead, is 34, of which ten were females. The whole number of pleasant days (tolerable whaling weather), is 462, as may be seen by the following table, where the pleasant or whaling days, whales seen, whales struck, and whales obtained, are arranged against the several days of the week.
Pleasant.
Whales seen.
Whales struck. Whales obtained.
Sundays,
70
170
I5
9
Mondays,
64
ISI
6
4
Tuesdays,
66
114
I3
6
Wednesdays, 69
127
IS
5
Thursdays, 65
123
IO
4
Fridays, 65
86
8
5
Saturdays,
63
JO6
5
I
-
-
162
907
75
34
10 Conn. Private Acts, First Series, ii. 1106.
611
Bridgeport.
The following charters were granted by the Connecticut General Assembly with and following that of Bridgeport :
The Bridgeport Steamboat Company, May, 1824.
The Hartford Steamboat Company, May, 1824.
The New Haven Steamboat Company, May, 1824.
The Norwalk and New York Steamboat Association, May, 1 824.
The Ousatonic Steamboat Company, May, 1825. This com- pany was to run steamboats between Derby and New York, and their boat "Ousatonic" was running on that line the next year.
The Stamford Steamboat Company, May, 1825.
The Steam Navigation Company, May, 1825.
By a letter to Roger M. Sherman dated January 8, 1838, it is seen that the boat named Fairfield was running on the Bridgeport line, but had then discontinued her trips for the winter. The steamboat Nimrod, Captain John Brooks, was on this line quite a number of years, and is still remembered by many individuals.
The number of men who " followed the sea" from Bridge- port as well as Stratford, would make a long list, and com- prise many who were in their day well known to the mer- chants of New York. A few illustrations are here given at length as affording more interest than the list, if that could be obtained.
The grave-stone inscriptions of this region reveal the sad fate of many who sailed from these ports never to return. The probate records show that fathers and brothers, remem- bering the perils of the great deep, recorded their wills as a settlement of all earthly estates, before passing out of these harbors on their long journeys.
In addition to the illustrations here following, a list of sea captains, from fifty to one hundred, who were raised in the territory of old Stratford, might be obtained, who sailed, not as far away, but by many perils, successes and disasters, like those whose records are given.
612
History of Stratford.
Capt. Ezekiel Hubbell," of Bridgeport, son of John and Eleanor (Burr) Hubbell, was born in Fairfield, Conn., April 5, 1768. After enjoying all the advantages of an early education, at the age of fourteen he was employed as clerk on board of vessels belonging to Richard and Amos Hubbell, well-known merchants trading between Newfield (Bridgeport) and the West Indies. Soon manifesting great confidence in himself, he not only took charge of the cargo and business of the concern, but also the command of the vessel as a merchant navigator, called in those days captain and supercargo, both positions being filled by the same person. In 1797, owing to his industry and perseverance, he became managing owner of two fine vessels, the brig Caroline and the ship Sally and Betsey, and became also interested in other vessels of smaller capacity. Next he took command of the armed ship Citizen, of New York city, which carried sixteen guns and was manned with a crew of fifty men, and in her he made several voyages to Havana. The New York " Commercial Adver- tiser" of July 15, 1798, says : "Ship Citizen, Hubbell, master, off Newfield, Thursday last, via Halafax, where she had been taken by an English cruiser, and after a close examination of the crew and papers, was released." The same paper of December 6, 1798, says: "This day came up the armed ship Citizen, Capt. E. Hubbell, sixteen guns, nineteen days from Havana. Came out with eighteen vessels under convoy, and parted with them on the coast. Left a French privateer lying off Havana, but she did not seem inclined to come out. Flour, $612 ; sugars, 68 to 78 cwt. Cotton goods pro- hibeted."
Early in 1799 he ventured in the same ship (Citizen) to Vera Cruz, in the Gulf of Mexico, and endeavored to open a trade and dispose of the investment he had on board, adapted to the wants of the inhabitants of the city of Mexico. Disap- pointed in gaining permission to land his goods, he proceeded to Honduras, thence to Havana and New York.
The information Captain Hubbell obtained at Vera Cruz of the vast wealth of the Spaniards in their South American
11 History of the Burr Family, 96.
Bridgeport. 613
States on the Pacific coast, and the fabulous reports of the demand for certain descriptions of goods, enabled him, on returning home, to plan an important and enterprising ven- ture to those countries. Being a man of great prudence yet indomitable energy, he at once enlisted the confidence of his friends, purchased the ship Enterprise, of 250 tons, and joined capital with Isaac Moses and Son, and Hoyt and Tom, each owning one-third of the ship and cargo. After taking on board an invoice of costly goods, of little bulk, adapted to the wants of the Spaniards in Chili and Peru, and in addition, to guard against possible failure and disappointment, as at Vera Cruz, shipping a quantity of goods suited for traffic with the Indians on the northwest coast of America, he sailed from New York in October, 1799, with intelligent officers and a reliable crew, numbering thirty men and boys. Mak- ing slow progress in crossing the equator and coming into the high southern latitudes with lengthening days, they decided to seek a harbor on the east coast of Patagonia, which they effected in the latitude of about 45° south, where they cleaned the ship of barnacles and sea grass, for further and swifter progress. Passing Cape Horn early in February, after a stormy and tempestuous time, they were favored in the Pacific Ocean with fine southerly breezes, which carried them along the coast of Patagonia and southern Chili, and about the first of March, 1800, anchored in the harbor of Valparaiso.
As many of the crew were suffering with scurvy for the want of vegetables, of which they had been without for many months, the governor granted permission for the ship to remain in port for a reasonable time, but as no vessels except those bearing the Spanish flag were allowed to enter the port for purposes of trade, the Enterprise was closely watched and guarded by revenue officers. During this stay Captain Hubbell obtained a passport to visit the capital, Santiago de Chili, ninety miles in the interior, and was the first citizen of the United States allowed to visit that city. He was espe- cially noticed by the Viceroy, General O'Higgins, upon whom he called, and requested to land and sell his cargo under any restrictions His Excellency might see fit to enjoin.
40
614
History of Stratford.
While permission was refused, yet the beautiful city was shown to him and he returned to his vessel. Lingering at Valparaiso for ten days he succeeded in making a conditional sale for the greater portion of his cargo to the governor, deliverable at Conception, a bay about three hundred miles south of Valparaiso. After arranging the terms an agent was placed on board the vessel, who, after it had sailed, examined the cargo, and following instructions, they ap- proached Conception Bay, where a payment of 150,000 Span- ish dollars was to be made on board, in advance of the deliv- ery of the goods. The morning was fair, the scenery mag- nificent, a beautiful bay and harbor could be seen, overtopped by the snow-capped Cordilleras in the distance, as the ship glided to her haven. The agent landed and proceeded tow- ards a thicket at a short distance, but instead of finding friends to answer his countersign, he was surprised by a squad of cavalry in ambush. Seeing at once the treachery of the officers and his own defeat, he sprang for his life towards the boat, into which the crew took refuge also, he barely escaping the coils of a lasso as they pushed off for the ship, which was reached in safety except a wound received by one of the officers from the ambush. Some years after- wards it was learned that the governor's friends betrayed him and the silver coin sent to Conception Bay was seized by the viceroy and confiscated.
Captain Hubbell then sailed toward the northwest coast of America, and approaching the coast of New Spain he stood into the harbor of San Blas, with the hope of landing the Spanish agent, but being fired upon from the forts he continued his course northerly to Nootka Sound. At this place and the adjacent coasts he traded such suitable goods as he had with the Indians for their valuable furs, and pro- ceeded to China, calling at the Sandwich Islands and the Russian settlements near Kamtschatka, where he sold them at a great price, with which he purchased a large portion of a cargo of cheap Bohea tea and other goods. Sailing in January he arrived off Bridgeport, in Long Island Sound, June 27, 1802, one hundred and forty days from Canton on his way to New York City. Being the first navigator of the
615
Bridgeport.
globe from New York, his arrival caused much excitement. Many of his friends had mourned for him as lost for he had not been heard from during his absence of nearly three years.12
In the spring of 1803 Captain Hubbell purchased an interest in the Catharine Ray, a fine vessel of about 200 tons, and took command of her as captain and supercargo, on a voyage to China, with a view to an important investment in silks, which voyage was performed in regular course, return- ing to New York in the spring of 1804. Under a similar arrangement with the same owners he made a second voyage to China, returning home in the spring of 1805, when the vessel was sold.
In May, 1805, he resumed the command of his old ship, Citizen, under the auspices of the firm of Hoyt and Tom, and fitted her for a voyage to China, which was performed by investing $150,000 in Spanish coin in the purchase of silks, he receiving only his commission, and returned to New York in May, 1806. In October, 1807, he sailed on another voyage to China, in the ship Augustus, owned by Isaac Moses and Son, Hoyt and Tom, and himself, stopping on his way at the Isle of France, where he purchased a cargo of cotton. Disposing of his cotton at Canton he, after some unexpected delays and difficulties, shipped a cargo of tea, upon the recommendation of Houqua, the senior Hong merchant, to whom, in want of sufficient funds, he gave the following note :
CANTON, CHINA, January 15, 1808. "$103,000. Twelve months after date, for value received, I promise to pay to the order of Houqua, Hong merchant, one hundred and three thousand dollars for cargo of tea per ship Augustus, with interest at 12 per cent. per anum.
EZEKIEL HUBBELL."
Leaving Canton he sailed for Amsterdam, Holland, for the sale of his tea, but on arriving at Plymouth, in the Eng- lish Channel, found that in consequence of war between England and Holland the port of Amsterdam was blockaded. After consulting London merchants he proceeded on his
12 It is stated that another vessel from New York had been around the globe, completing the voyage in 1799.
616
History of Stratford.
voyage through the North Sea, where, after some delay, lying in sight of the blockading squadron, he ran the block- ade in the night. The sun rose brightly the next morning and found the good ship Augustus embeded in the sandy beach, near the main channel to Amsterdam, fully protected by the fortifications, while in the distant offing the British fleet was seen powerless to reach her. Permission being obtained from Louis Bonaparte, then King of Holland, the cargo was soon landed in the king's warehouses at Amster- dam, from which it was afterwards disposed of through the aid of London merchants, and Captain Hubbell returned to New York, arriving in December, 1808. After enormous expenses the result, still, was a large profit, leaving Captain Hubbell, for those days, not only independent, but rich. He paid his note, which was receipted as follows: " Received pay in full, with interest, as adjusted, $119,000. HOUQUA."
Under this Captain Hubbell wrote: " Paid, thank God ! E. H."
From 1809 until 1812 Captain Hubbell resided at his country home in Bridgeport, where he occupied his time in gratifying his tastes and assisting his friends in their various pursuits in life. In 1813 he entered into an extensive specula- tion by purchasing large tracts of woodlands near West Point, on the Hudson river, with the object of furnishing ship tim- ber, but the enterprise proved a losing investment. This, with other losses in consequence of the war, led him again to project foreign adventure.
In 1817, after nine years spent mostly in retirement, he planned a voyage to the eastern world, and in combination with his friends Hoyt and Tom and others, sailed in his old ship, Citizen, as captain and supercargo, with ample means in Spanish dollars, for Manila. There he loaded with sugars and indigo, and returned to New York, realizing but moder- ate returns on the expenditures and risks. Retaining his interest in the Citizen, she was despatched again to Manila in the spring of 1819, under the command of Captain Loring, with Captain Hubbell's son George William, then twenty- three years of age, on board as supercargo in charge of the business of the ship. She loaded at Manila for Hamburg, where she arrived in May, 1820. His son, after dispatching
617
Bridgeport.
the ship from Hamburg back to Manila, in charge of Captain Loring as master and supercargo, returned to New York, where he arrived in February, 1821.
Captain Hubbell continued to reside at his home in Bridgeport from the spring of 1818 until 1821, when he embarked in the ship Ajax, a new vessel in which he was interested, and the building of which he superintended. His two sons, George William and Henry Wilson, the former twenty-five and the latter sixteen years of age, were passen- gers on this voyage, and had in view the establishing of a mercantile house in Manila. The Ajax sailed from New York April 21, 1821, and arrived at Manila the following August, after 120 days passage. She loaded and returned to New York, arriving in May, 1822, leaving his sons at Manila, who during the year prepared a cargo for the Ajax on her return as a regular trader in the monsoon season. Captain Hubbell made four voyages in the Ajax, taking out valuable investments of English and French manufactures adapted to the wants of that people. The Ajax was finally sold, and within four months afterwards, in August, 1825, foundered in crossing the Atlantic on a voyage to England.
In June, 1825, he took command of the ship Sabina, and proceeded to Manila, where he loaded and arrived home April 22, 1826, bringing with him his younger son.
On December 26, 1826, he sailed on a voyage in the ship Sabina to Rio Janeiro and Valparaiso (where he landed under very different circumstances from those encountered on his former visit to Chili in 1801), thence to Lima and Pata in Peru, Guayaquil, in Ecuador, thence to the Sandwich Islands, and thence to Manila. At the latter place he loaded his ship from proceeds of treasure which was taken over in the ship from Lima, together with returns from cocoa shipped from Guayaquil, and sandal wood from the Sandwich Islands. After an absence of fifteen months and eighteen days he arrived at New York April 14, 1828, in a passage of one hundred and eighteen days from Manila. His son, Henry Wilson, in the capacity of supercargo, was with him through- out the voyage. This was Captain Hubbell's last voyage.
The following extract is from a letter written by Capt. Hubbell under date Dec. 7, 1833 :
618
History of Stratford.
" I have retired from going to sea, some five or six years, but to give you some idea of my travels, I have traveled 245,000 geographical miles since I passed my fourteenth year, which distance was made up in eight voyages to the Indies, which average over 30,000 miles each voyage. I am 65 years of age-now set myself down in this village enjoying the fruits of my travels and for passtime accepted the Presidency of the Connecticut Bank, which has been in operation two years very successfully thus far."
Capt. Hubbell was a member of the First Congregational Church in Bridgeport, to which he was strongly attached. He died from the effects of an influenza April 1, 1834.
George William Hubbell and Henry Wilson Hubbell, sons of Capt. Ezekiel Hubbell, were captains, supercargos and merchantmen, and followed the sea most of their lives. George William, after traveling round the globe many times, performing efficient and successful service as a merchant, died at Manila, Philippine Islands, May 3, 1831, aged 35 years. Henry Wilson continued to follow the sea as a mer- chant more than twenty years after the decease of his brother, and his voyages in distance sailed sums up to over 370,000 miles.18
Two other illustrations of Bridgeport sea captains are given in "A Centennial History" of 1876, by Major W. B. Hincks, in some sketches of men of the Revolution.
" Early in the war Capt. David Hawley, of Stratfield, sailed to the West Indies for a cargo of gunpowder, which, upon his return, was divided between the towns of Stratford and Fairfield, a part of it being stored for a time in Nichols' tavern on the old county road. In March, 1776, he sailed again from Stratford in command of a privateer sloop, but was captured, when four days out, by a British man of war, Bellona. Large inducements were offered him by his captors to change his allegiance and act as a pilot to the British fleet, but these were firmly declined. He was taken to Halifax, but after a captivity of only two weeks made his escape with eight companions in a small boat, and at length found his way back home. In August, 1776, he was commissioned by
13 See History of the Hubbell Family, 144.
619
Bridgeport.
the legislature to raise a naval detachment for service upon Lake Champlain, and a few months later he took part in the disastrous action fought upon this lake between the British and American flotillas. After this, Long Island Sound was his cruising ground, and besides capturing Judge Jones we find him in May, 1777, and again in August of the same year, bringing a number of prizes into Black Rock harbor. After the war he resided in Bridgeport until his decease in 1807. He built on the corner of Water and Gilbert streets the first brick house erected within the city limits."
"Capt. Samuel Smedley sailed upon the Atlantic as commander of the brig Defense, perhaps the most successful vessel in the Colonial Navy. He captured many prizes, among them the British ship Cyrus, mounting eighteen guns and laden with a cargo that sold for about £20,000, one of the most valuable captures made during the revolution. After the war Capt. Smedley was for many years collector of Cus- toms for this district, residing and having his office at Fairfield."
Capt. Isaac Burroughs, son of Stephen Burroughs, born in Bridgeport or Newfield, Conn., in 1778, and died at his residence in Bridgeport, Conn., January 8, 1861, was also a sea captain. Like his father before him, he was exten- sively engaged in navigation and owned a large number of vessels, which plied between Boston, New York and nearly all the southern ports, besides visiting many of the islands of the sea. He was a large owner of real estate in this city, and a director in the old Bridgeport bank. He was a life-long Whig and Republican, and as such represented his town in the State Legislature. He was a warden for several years of St. John's Episcopal Church, and one of its most liberal sup- porters. He married Rebecca, daughter of Andrew Hurd, of Old Mill, Conn. Their children were six in number, all of whom are deceased. Catharine A. married A. A. Pettingill, an accomplished gentleman and scholar, of Bridgeport. She gave in her will the elegant building known as the Burroughs Block, to the Bridgeport Public Library for a perpetual library building.14
14 See Bridgeport Public Library and Reading Room.
CHAPTER XX.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
EWFIELD village people, both Congrega- tional and Episcopal, went to Stratfield, a distance of one mile or more, about twenty- five years, to church, but as soon as the bor- ough was organized in 1800 movements began to bring these churches into the borough, where then were located the post office and stores.
The Episcopal people were the first to build a church edifice here.
St. John's Church, Bridgeport.
The first edifice built as a house of wor- ship for this church in Stratfield was erected in the summer of 1748, as indicated by the following record :1 " I have formerly mentioned a Church built at Stratfield, in which they are very urgent to have me officiate every third Sunday, because we have large congregations when I preach there. The people living in the town and westward are very much against it, because Mr. Caner used to keep steadily to the Church in town, but then there was neither Church nor Congregation at Stratfield."
Mr. Caner resigned his pastorate in Fairfield and re- moved to Boston in the year 1747, and Mr. Lamson was his successor as missionary pastor at Fairfield, and he says there was "neither Church nor congregation at Stratfield," under
1 Church Documents of Connecticut, vol. i, page 246, letter of Joseph Lamson, dated Fairfield, Nov. 10, 1748.
621
Bridgeport.
Mr. Caner, and hence the interest in establishing a church in this locality must have taken form and the church been built after Mr. Lamson came and in the year 1748, and Mr. Lamson held services in it that year. It was called St. John's Church and was a frame building with a steeple, and stood on the corner of Church Lane (now Wood avenue, of Bridgeport). Among the contributors for its erection were Col. John Burr, John Holburton, Timothy Wheeler, Joseph Seeley, John Nichols, Richard Hall and Samuel Beardslee. For some years the Rev. Joseph Lamson officiated, dividing his labors so as to minister here and in other localities, and was suc- ceeded by the Rev. John Sayre.
Tradition says Mr. Lamson was engaged to marry Abi- gail Rumsey, of Fairfield, that she went to Stratford to visit friends, was taken very ill, and being attended by her parents and Mr. Lamson in her illness, she directed just before her decease, that a string of gold beads which she wore should be taken from her neck and placed on his, which was done and he wore them as long as he lived. The following is the tomb- stone inscription memorial of the young lady : "Abigail Rum- sey, Daughter of Mr. Benjmn & Mrs. Rebecka Rumsey of Fairfield, Who Died Octb" 14, 1743, Aged 16 years & 7 months."2
Although there was neither church nor congregation at Stratfield, there were communicants of the Episcopal Church residing here while Mr. Caner preached at Fairfield, for the following vote is recorded in the Stratfield society's book : " December 24, 1746. Voted a tax or rate on all the polls and ratable estate of the Society, of nine pence on the pound to defray the ministerial charges in the society, Professed Churchmen exempted." This vote, however, to exempt the churchmen was rescinded at a society meeting the next Feb- ruary.
It is certain that some of these men who contributed to build this Episcopal Church were prominent persons in the Congregational society until the great stir made soon after Whitefield's visit to Stratford and Fairfield in October, 1740.
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