USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Greenwich > A history of the town of Greenwich, Fairfield County, Conn., with many important statistics > Part 6
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by the colonies until the force should reach Jamaica. Dr. Trumbull says,-
Connecticut engaged with cheerfulness and expe- dition in his Majesty's measures. A special Assem- bly was convoked in July, 1740, and it was enacted, that " Whereas his majesty has thought fit to declare war against Spain, and hath appointed an expedi- tion against the Catholic King in the West Indies, and has given his orders and instructions, under his royal sign manual, now laid before this assem- bly by his honor, the governor, for the raising of such troops in the colony as shall voluntarily enlist in the said service, to join the Brittish troops in a general rendezvous in the West Indies : and whereas, it appears by said instructions that it is his majesties expectations, that the assembly will provide victuals, transports and all necessaries for the said troops, to be raised in this colony, except their clothes, tents, arms, ammunition and pay, until they arrive at the general place of the general rendezvous, which important affair this general assembly, feeling most willing to exert themselves to promote by a cheerful conformity to his majesty's instructions, therefore be it enacted,-That there shall be provided victuals, transports, and all other necessaries for said troops, &c., until their arrival in the West Indies."
Committees were appointed to carry these meas- ures into immediate effect.
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Proclamation to carry out the king's com- mand had already been made, and calls for volunteers had been issued. The committee appointed by the Assembly set themselves thoroughly at work. Prominent and influential men set themselves at work in each of the counties to beat up volunteers. Though this expedition fail, yet the colonies had raised their four regiments, and Connecticut had fur- nished her quota. At the same meeting of the Assembly, large appropriations were made for the defense of the coast of Connecticut, and a small sloop-of-war prepared for the bet- ter protection of the seamen in and about the sound.
As was to be expected afterwards, on the 4th day of March, 1744, France declared war against England. This brought the active fighting to the northern frontier. The Indians were excited to hostilities by the French, and much trouble threatened the colonies. Con- necticut exerted herself to the utmost. On the 17th of June, 1745, the city of Louisburg and the island of Cape Breton were delivered up to his Britannic Majesty. "Towards the close of the year [1747] the war languished, and a general inactivity appeared among the
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belligerents, indicating that they were nearly exhausted, and verging to a general pacifica- tion."
In the following April (April the 30th, 1748), both nations being heartily tired of a war arising and maintained merely for na- tional spite and hatred, preliminaries to peace were signed at Aix-la-Chapelle; and in a few days a cessation of hostilities was proclaimed. The final treaty was settled upon and com- pleted on the 7th of October of the same year. All prisoners and conquests were mutually to be given up. The reasons for which either nation entered into this war, are almost a mys- tery. National jealousy and hostility may be considered as the whole cause; and for pure spite on the part of the old countries, the colo- nies of each were subjected to great expense and privation.
The peace which resulted from this treaty was but of short duration. The French re- newed their claim to a great portion of that territory which had been ceded to Great Britain by the twelfth article of the treaty of Utrecht, and which had been confirmed by all succeeding treaties. Their encroachments had been commenced almost as soon as the first
6*
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war had been ended, and in 1749 were fast ad- vancing towards Ticonderoga. They were, also, fast extending their line of forts from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi, and even encroached upon the borders of Virginia. Settling Virginians were driven from the Ohio, and English trading merchants were plundered and killed by the Indians, at the instigation of the French. Active hostilities may be said to have commenced in 1755, and on the 18th of May, 1756, Great Britain de- clared war against France, which was recipro- cated by France in a similar declaration, early in the following June. This is termed the second French war. Connecticut was largely drawn upon for troops. Young men were pressed into the service. As Greenwich, in the early part of the war, had no volunteer company, several of the inhabitants of Green- wich were pressed. James Green, now long since dead, used to relate that while a com- pany of young people, himself among the num- ber, were quietly enjoying themselves at the tavern (then kept by one Mead, but now occupied as a dwelling-house by Epenetus Sniffin, Esq.), they were surprised by a press- gang, and several of them forced into the ser-
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vice, while he with a few others escaped from a window. After this time, a regular volun- teer company was raised. This company seems to have marched directly to Ticonde- roga in 1759, and joined the 3d Connecticut regiment. One of the company, a Mr. Coit, residing in King street, was mounted upon a rather sorry nag, which by the time the com- pany had reached Nine Partners, in Dutchess County, had become quite leg-weary. And Coit, thinking perhaps that all is fair in time of war, took a noble horse from a pasturage and turned his own there instead, without any whys or wherefores with the real owner. His new horse did him good service during the company's stay at Ticonderoga, which was but little more than a month; and on his return the company halted, that Coit might deliver the horse to his owner. "So well pleased was the latter with the boldness of Coit, that he made the whole company stop for the night at his house, free of expense. After the war, Mr. Coit went to Vermont and settled there permanently ; several years after, having be- come wealthy, he came to Greenwich in his carriage, and visited all his old comrades of the volunteer company.
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In 1755, Connecticut had furnished a thou- sand men, at the commencement of the cam- paign; and after the contest at Lake George, they sent as a reinforcement to the army, one thousand more. In 1756, this colony raised over two thousand five hundred men. This was much more than her quota, and double the number required by the king's commander- in-chief. In the following year, Connecticut . had more than six thousand men in actual service. But on the 8th of March, 1759, it was resolved by the Assembly :-
That the number of men raised last year was greater than the colony could conveniently furnish ; that many had died, and others had been disabled and rendered unfit for service, in the last campaign ; that numbers had enlisted as recruits into his ma- jesty's regiments ; and that others were employed in the batteaux and carrying service, by which means the number of the colony were diminished. Yet that the salutary designs of his majesty might as far as possible be answered, it was resolved, firmly relying on his majesty's royal and most gracious encouragement, that three thousand six hundred men should be raised in this colony, consisting of four regiments of ten companies in each .- (Trum- bull's Hist.)
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Phineas Lyman was made the commanding officer of the 1st Regiment ; Nathan Whiting, of the 2d; David Wooster, of the 3d; and Eleazer Fitch, of the 4th. All between the ages of sixteen and sixty, were then compelled to bear arms. The inhabitants gave of their substance for the support of this war, and the ladies of the various towns formed associa- tions for the clothing of the soldiers. Mrs. Abraham Todd was the president of such an association in Greenwich.
Ticonderoga, against which the Connecticut regiments were especially engaged, was evac- uated by the French, after blowing up their magazine, on the 27th of July, 1759. The city of Quebec surrendered on the 18th of September following. On March 12th, 1760, it was resolved by Connecticut again to raise five thousand men; and they went into the field, commanded by the same officers. On September 8th, 1760, Montreal and the whole of Canada were given up to the kingdom of Great Britain ; and peace followed as a natural consequence.
An ancient powder-horn is still preserved by Col. Thomas A. Mead, upon which is al- most perfectly delineated, the relative posi-
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tions and forts of the hostile armies while at Ticonderoga. This work was done by Dr. Amos Mead, who was surgeon of the Third Connecticut Regiment, while at Ticonderoga. The horn beside this chart, has engraven upon it this inscription :-
Amos Mead Surgn of ye 3d Conn Reg Ticonderoga October 1759
At a town meeting March the 2d, 1756, it was "Furthermore voted that Mr. Nehemiah Mead should have liberty to sell the Town stock of Powder as soon as he can conven- iently to ye Towns best advantage and lay out all the money that he shall sell said pow- der for, in powder that is good and put the same into Town stock as soon as he conven- iently can."
1757, December the 3d, Monday, " Voted to Mr. Edmund Brown and associates liberty to build a saw mill on Horseneck brook at Hangroot." By this agreement, Brown and his associates were to build and keep in repair the bridge at Hangroot, and be responsible for damages that might thereby occur by accident to any person.
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In 1758, the following record, taken with other similar extracts, shows that the town meetings were held alternately in all the places of worship in the town: " At a Town meeting of the Inhabitants of the town of Greenwich, legally warned and attended at the House Built by the Professors of the Church of England in the Society of Horse- neck on the top of the great hill on the Third Monday of December A. D. 1758 being ye 18th day of said month, &c., &c."
But on the fifteenth day of December 1760, it was "Further Voted to Build a Town House and leave it to the authority and select men how large it shall be and where it shall stand." " Further voted that the Rate for building the Town House shall be paid by the first day of September next."
In 1762, we have the first mention of a fund belonging to the town ; which is supposed in some way to have resulted in the present fund of the old Second School Society. A committee was then appointed, consisting of John Clapp, Silas Betts and Peter Mead, "To take charge of one certain Bond of £158.0s.0d, and to divide the money equally according to the Design of the Assembly for the use of the
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schools." This bond is afterward mentioned upon the record each year, in connection with a committee to secure and distribute the avails of it. In 1767, it is spoken of as being se- cured at Norfolk in the following manner: " And whereas there are certain lands con- veyed to the committee of the Town of Green- wich and to their successors by Ezra Knapp of Norfolk, which lands are lying in said Nor- folk and are Designed for the use of schools in Greenwich and as it appears Necessary that some proper persons be appointed to Lease or sell said land for the purpose aforesaid for and in behalf of sd Town and to account for the sales or profits thereof," a committee was appointed for the purpose. The bond, therefore, seems to have become worth as much or more than the land on which it had been secured, and to have been given up in consideration of the land. Before given up, the land at Norfolk subject to the mort- gage was conveyed to Epenetus Holmes, also of Norfolk. In discharge of the bond Mr. Holmes conveyed some land in Greenwich, to the town, together with his sloop. Hence- At a town meeting, &c., Holden in Greenwich, on October ye 17th, 1774, The Town per vote do ap-
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point the Present Select men for said Town their Committee to sell the sloop and lands and outlands conveyed to said Town by Epenetus Holmes ; said sale to be accounted for to said town, for the use of the schools ; and the select men are appointed to sell said House and lands, Either together or separate, as may best suit ye purchaser or purchasers, on the day of the next annual Town Meeting, at 12 o'the clock, noon, at the Town House at Horseneck, by way of Public Vendue. Resolved in the affirma- tive, and that selectmen or any one of them, notify Mr. Epenetus Holmes by letter that the town expect the interest Due on his mortgage, or if not, he may expect, &c.
In 1767, the following petition was pre- sented at town meeting, relating to the dock at Coscob.
To the benevolent inhabitants of the Town of Greenwich, in Fairfield County, the petition of Na- thaniel Close, of said Greenwich, Humbly showeth, that your Petr. being under a necessity of a store. house, as his performing a weekly Pauquet or stage boat from here to New York lays both him and the inhabitants under a great disadvantage, in Respect he hath no proper place to store the effects of his Freighters, nor for them to store what effects and produce they severally bring when his vessel is not there to Receive it ; which Disadvantage hath been sensibly Felt during the last summer. He there-
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fore Prays Liberty of this meeting, that he may be permitted to build a store-house of 26 feet by 30, adjoining the Bank, between the Dwelling house of Mr. John Bush and the Gristmill of David Bush, so as to leave about sixteen feet from said mill to sd store, for a cartway, if need be, & that he may build it by the bank adjoining thereto, & to sd mill Pond ; and as your Petr. conceives a House so built would Incommode no particular Person, but be a General profit to the inhabitants, as well as your Petr. He therefore hopes that you, gentlemen, in your Pru- dence will grant his Request, and your Petr. as in duty bound shall ever pray.
NATHANIEL CLOSE.
December 21st, 1767.
The above was passed, the acting select- men were appointed a committee to select the exact site of the building, which was after- ward erected.
At a Town meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Greenwich, legally warned and holden on the 5th day of May, 1768, this question is put to vote, whether this town, in conjunction with the Town of Norwalk, in the County of Fairfield, 'will send their agent to the next ensuing Assembly to prefer a memorial to sd Assembly, that the Court House and Goal in said county of Fairfield may be built at said Norwalk. Resolved in the affirmative.
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Afterwards, in the following October, after the session of the Assembly, in reference to the same subject the town voted, that,
Whereas, the Town of Norwalk, in conjunction with several other towns in the County of Fairfield, Preferred a memorial to the General Assembly, held at New Haven, in October last, and now lyes before said Assembly to be heard at the adjourn- ment, in January next, praying that the said Town of Norwalk may be the Head or county town, &c .; and whereas Mr. David Bush signed the same as agent, for and in behalf of said Town. It is there- fore now voted and agreed that this Town allows and approves of the said David Bush's signing said Memorial as agent for this Town, and he is hereby fully Impowered and authorised in the name and behalf of this town to appear and Prefer sd Memo- rial to a Final determination in the General As- sembly, and that it is the earnest Request and Desire of the Inhabitants of this town, that the General Assembly would take the matters contained in said memorial unto their wise consideration, and Grant the Prayer thereof, and that a copy of this vote may be used in the Tryal of sd memorial, in order to signifye the minds of the inhabitants of this town in the premises.
In 1773,-
Further voted, the Town in sd meeting Grant Liberty unto David Bush, upon his Petition for
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building a mill upon sticklin's brook Sticklin's brook under the overseeing of a Committee by sd Town appointed to grind for Town Inhabitants, and not to put them by for strangers. Voted in the affirmative.
Edward Brush, Nehemiah Mead, and Deliverance Mead, Jabez Mead, jun., Nathaniel Finch and Caleb Mead, enters their protest on ye proceedings of sd meeting in sd vote.
In 1773, occurred the death of the Rev. Abraham Todd, until which time he was pas- tor. of the church in the West Society of Greenwich. For a period of more than forty years he had enjoyed the confidence of his people, adding many to his flock. Many laugh- able ditties are related concerning him, which only show a warm heart and an innocent life. Unambitious and unpresuming, none of his people would seem to have disliked him.
At a Town meeting, legally warned and holden in sd Greenwich, on the 3d Monday of March, being the 21st of said month, at the Town House of said Greenwich, Anno Dom. 1774.
This Towne, Takeing into serious consideration the Distressed Situation and alarming Prospect That may occur, and in all human probability will occur, by Entering Into a Controversy with Mr. Penne and his brothers, as Joint Proprietors of the Province of
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Pennsylvania, for a certain claim of Lands on or Near ye Susquehannah River, claimed by a com- pany of Purchasers, commonly called ye Susque- hannah Purchasers, &c., &c .; which claim having never yet been prosecuted before the King in Council. (which we apprehend to be the only proper place of Decision.) We, the said Inhabi- tants, &c., assembled as above, are of opinion that the Prosecuting said claims to said lands will be Tedious and expensive, and of a Dangerous Ten- dency to this Colony ; Not only subjecting the Colony considered as such to pay the Expenses of a litigation of a suit with Mr. Penn, but will or may mediately Tend to a forfeiture of those Invaluable Privelledges whereof we (as a Colony) are now pos- sess'd. It is therefore voted by this meeting, That Doct. Amos Mead and John Mead Esq. be and They are hereby appointed to Go to Middletown in Con- necticut, & on the last Wednesday of March In- stant, and there to confer with the Delegates of the other towns in this Colony, what is most proper to be done and acted in this most interesting affair.
And further, this meeting is adjourned to the Day of the Freemen's meeting, in April next, and their Delegates now appointed are then to make report to their Constituents of the Doings of said Congress, and this meeting is accordingly adjourned to said Day, at 7 o'the clock, Forenoon, to the usual place where Town meetings are held.
This claim to lands west of the settlement or colony of New York, was prosecuted be-
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fore the king. And the convention composed of delegates like the above, sent Eliphalet Dyer as their agent to England, where he ob- tained the opinion of four of the most promi- nent lawyers of Great Britain in favor of the claim. They were Thurlow, Wedderburn, Richard Jackson, and J. Dunning. After hav- ing received this favorable report, the legisla- ture appointed and commissioned Eliphalet Dyer, Dr. Johnson, and J. Strong, to consult and agree with William Penn, whether they, with Mr. Penn or his agents should make an amicable agreement, or submit the whole matter to the king. The commissioners went to Mr. Penn at Philadelphia ; but he would consent to nothing. The colony of Connecti- cut itself was divided in respect to the matter, and thus matters stood when the war com- menced. It is fortunate that Connecticut did so assert her right, which Congress afterwards recognized, and furnished her with those lands from the sale of which our School Fund arose. 1
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
In our account of this war, so destructive to the property and happiness of the people of the town of Greenwich, we shall first transfer
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to our pages every fact pertaining, to be found upon the record books of the town, and then relate such facts and incidents as may have come to our knowledge by reliable tradition.
At a Town meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Greenwich, legally warned and Holden on Teusday, the 11th day of October, Anno Dom. 1774, A Letter is Read from the Honorable Elipha- let Dyer and Roger Sherman, Esq., from ye Conti- nental Congress, at Philadelphia. It is proposed to this meeting whether there shall be a committee ap- pointed to Draw a set of Resolves and an answer to said letter from said Congress, and to lay the same before the next meeting of this town for their ap- probation. Resolved in the affirmative, and DOCTOR AMOS MEAD, MESSRS. JOHN MACKAY, JESSE PARSONS.
are per vote appointed a committee for the purpose aforesaid, on which the town per vote adjourned their meeting to the 17th day of Instant October, to the place where their annual Town meetings are held in said Town,
At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Greenwich, in the County of Fairfield, & Colony of Connecticut, holden on the 17th day of October, 1774.
This Meeting takeing into their Serious consider- ation the alarming State of American Liberty, do
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unanimously approve of and adopt as the Senti- ments of the Inhabitants of this Town the Resolves of the Honorable House of Representatives of this Colony, passed in their sessions at Hartford, in May last.
And whereas Certain Acts of the British Parlia- ment have appeared since the above resolves were entered into ; Particularly an act for altering ye Government of Massachusetts Bay, and another for Establishing the Roman Catholic religion in Canada, &c.
Resolved by this meeting, that those acts are re- pugnant to the free principles of the English Con- stitution, and in a High Degree Dangerous to the Civil and Religious Liberty of both Brittish and American Protestant subjects, and that notwith- standing the Torrent of False and malicious asper- sions pour'd forth by designing men, We believe and declare the Contrivers and Devisors of these and all such unconstitutional acts, Their Dupes and Emissaries, to be the only enemies to our Gracious Sovereign, and the Illustrious House of Hanover, that we know of in his majesty's dominions.
Resolved, that this meeting hereby approve of the Honorable Congress of Delegates from the several American Colonies, and will acquiesce and abide by their final determination.
Resolved, that as the Province of Massachusetts Bay, especially the Town of Boston, is now suffer- ing under the Iron Hand of Despotic Power and
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ministerial Influence, it is the Indispensable duty of this town, in Imitation of ye noble Examples set up by most of the Colony to contribute to the relief of the oppressed and suffering Poor in said Town of Boston, and that Messrs.
DAVID BUSH, JOHN MACKAY, BENJAMIN MEAD, Jr., DANIEL MERRITT, JAMES FERRIS, NATHANIEL MEAD, Jr., JOSEPH HOBBY, Jr.,
be a Committee to receive and keep an exact account of all donations that shall be Given by the Inhabitants of this town, and Transmit the same to the Select men of the Town of Boston, to be by them appropriated for the purpose aforesaid.
Ordered by this meeting, that
DOCTOR AMOS MEAD, MESSRS. JOHN MACKAY, JESSE PARSONS,
be Desired to write to the Honorable members of Congress for this Colony an answer to theirs of the 19th ultimo, Inclosing a Copy of the Present Doings of this meeting, and transmit another copy thereof to the Printer, at New Haven, in order to be published.
Recorded by me,
JESSE PARSONS, Town Clerk.
7
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Copy of the letter to the Delegates.
Gentlemen,
We acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 19th ult., inclosing the Resolutions of the Honor- able Congress, and with the Highest grattitude re- ceive the assurance of the earliest intelligence of the proceedings of your Honorable Board, as soon as they shall be made Public. We have called a meeting, and communicated to them your letter and those proceedings, and do now inclose their resolu- tions thereon.
. We are, Gentlemen, your most obedient, Humble servants.
AMOS MEAD, JOHN MACKAY, JESSE PARSONS.
P. S. Upon enquiry into the Present State of the magazine of this Town, the Inhabitants are much surprised to find that the price of that most necessary article for our defence, viz., Gunpowder, is now doubled, which we are Desired to mention as worthy the notice of your Honorable Board.
The Honorable
ELIPHALIT DYER and
ROGER SHERMAN, Esqs.
At the same meeting it was further voted that " As the Town Stock of ammunition wants a supply, there be a Committee appoint-
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ed to examine the state of the Town Stock of Powder, Lead, &c. and the Selectmen are ap- pointed a committee for that purpose and to take care to supply what is wanting at the expense of the Town."
On the 8th of February 1775, it was " Pro- posed to this meeting whether they will send Delegates to attend a County Congress at Fairfield on the 19th of February instant pur- suant to a letter from Fairfield Committee agreeable to the Association of the Continen- tal Congress, entered into and adopted by the Honorable House of Representatives of this Colony and said Committee to attend on their own expenses. Resolved in the affirmative, and that
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