USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > Centennial commemoration of the burning of Fairfield, Connecticut, by the British troops under Governor Tryon, July 8th, 1779 > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
I esteem it a pleasure that I was once a resident of that beautiful town and enjoyed the society of some of its esteemed and valued citizens.
I shall always cherish those pleasant memories, and rejoice in its continued attractions and prosperity.
Thanking you again for the extended invitation, and trusting that the occasion will be a pleasant one to all,
I remain, with much esteem,
Your sincere friend,
T. P. HANDY.
From Mrs. E. H. Schenck :
SOUTHPORT CONN., June, 26th, 1879.
MY DEAR DR. OSGOOD :- Since I saw you this afternoon I have thought of a few things in our family history which you may
94
perhaps like to know about, and which are interesting in the history of our town, and they are these :
My father's grandfather, Nathan Godfrey, was one of the earliest settlers of Greens Farm's, and was also one of fourteen to build the First Congregational "meeting house" at that place, of which the Rev. Mr. Relyea speaks in his centennial history of the settlement of Green's Farms.
My father represents the third generation of his family, and was named after his father, Jonathan Godfrey, the son of Nathan Godfrey.
My brother being dead, I, as the oldest of the family represent the fourth generation, and Charles Godfrey, (my nephew and the son of my eldest brother) represents the fifth generation of our family who have lived in this town, in this county, for over two hundred years.
Then, again, my mother's family were the old Hubbell family at Greenfield, who also date back to the settlement of Greenfield, My mother's mother was a Jennings of the old Jennings family that first settled Fairfield. And as my father's grandfather mar- ried a Jennings, no less than three of the early settlers head our family tree. In fact four families head our family tree, for my father's mother, who was a Whitehead, dates back to the first set- tlement of Green's Farms.
It cannot be often said that a family have lived so continuously in one place.
The old Bulkley family, of which mention is made in the history of the burning of Fairfield, are not the Bulkley family of Southport, but the one at Green's Farms of which Abraham Bulkley and Joel B. Bulkley are the descendants, I notice this because the Bulkleys of this place are confused with this family at Green's Farms. It was Abraham Bulkley, who opened his house to our church of England families after the little church near Mrs. Rowland's, was burned by the British, which house still stands on the East side of the Green, at Fairfield. Do you not think that this Joel B. Bulkley, who is now over eighty, should be invited to represent so loyal a family in church and state in the history of our town. They are highly respectable farmers. My mother has often told me that Abraham Bulkley, of revolutionary remembrance, was a man of education, and a gentleman in every way. A son of this Joel Bulkley often sings in our church at Fairfield with Mrs. Lom- bard.
95
Please pardon my long note, allowing me to say one thing more about my own family, which is that they were of French and English origin, our family motto being " Deus et libertas" or God and liberty-God and freedom, GODFREE-GODFREY.
Believe me, Truly yours, MRS. E. H. SCHENCK.
Joel B. Bulkey's address would be at Southport, as he lives on the border line at Sasco.
From Captain Isaac Jennings :
Captain Jennings sent us the following account of a Fairfield lady, who made the first American flag of the present pattern.
DEATH OF MRS. CAPTAIN REID.
We regret to announce the demise, at Wheeling, Virginia, on Sunday morning, the 19th inst., of Mrs. Reid, wife of Captain Samuel C. Reid, so distinguished in our naval records for his de- fence of the brig General Armstrong against the English squadron, at the port of Fayal, in 1814. Mrs. Reid was the daughter of Captain Nathan Jennings, of Fairfield, Connecticut, who shared the fatigues and glory of Trenton in the Continental Army, under George Washington.
Mrs. Reid was early distinguished for beauty and talent ; and when her husband's glory made her house the centre of much literary and patriotic attraction, her clear intellect and domestic virtues shed a charm and a grace worthy alike of her enviable position and that of her visitors, among whom were some of the most distinguished persons of the day, including Gov. Clinton, Gov. Tompkins, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Dr. Sam Mitchell, Judge Johnson, of the Supreme Court, with the Tones, Emmetts and McNevins, Dr. Francis, and others among the oldest of our citizens. In her devotion to a large family of children Mrs. Reid was unrivaled, and in her patriotic ardor she was alike worthy of her husband and her father. In 1818, with the assistance of some young ladies, she made the first flag of the Union, as adopted by the Congress of the United States in that year, and which was the design of Captain Reid. On the admission of Indiana into the Union, in 1816, the Hon. P. H. Wendover, of New York, sug- gested to Congress the expediency of altering the then flag.
96
Captain Reid undertook it, and on the 4th of April, 1818, a bill was passed "to establish the flag of the United States." The fol- lowing letter chronicles the date of its hoisting, and makes hon- orable mention' of the deceased lady.
WASHINGTON, April 13, 1818.
DEAR SIR : I have just arrived in time to inform you that the new flag of Congress Hall arrived here per mail this day, and was hoisted to replace the old one, at 2 o'clock, and has given much satisfaction to all that have seen it, as far as I have heard, I am pleased with its form, and have no doubt it will sat- isfy the public mind.
Mr. Clay (who was then speaker of the House), says it is wrong that there should be no charge in your bill for making the flag. If pay for that will be acceptable, on being informed, I will procure it. Do not understand me as in- tending to wound the feelings of Mrs. Reid, nor others who may have given aid in the business, and please accept my thanks to her and them and accept the same for yourself.
Yours in haste, with esteem, P. H. WENDOVER.
Mrs. Reid's name and those of the young ladies who assisted her were worked on this flag. The deceased was in the sixty-second year of her age, and had been on a visit to one of her sons in the West, whence she lately had gone to Wheeling, to superintend the erection of a monument over the grave of her eldest son there. . The deceased leaves a devoted family and a large circle of person- al freinds in this city, by whom she was deeply beloved.
We close this correspondence with communica- tions from Rev. Drs. Rankin and Osgood, one relating to the remuneration of the families who suffered loss by the burning of the town-the other giving important notes of its church history.
97
A list of the persons who suffered by the enemy in burning the town of Fairfield, on the 7th and 8th days of July, 1779, and had their taxes abated by the Committee appointed by the General Assembly for that purpose :
List, 1781.
List, 1782.
Anthony Annibil,
£20.
£20. 7. 6
David Annibil,
18. 34.12. 0
Elijah Abel,
30.12.
28.11. 6
George Allen, -
33. 7. 6
28.II. 6
David Allen,
56. 8. 3
77. 2. 6
Eben Bartram,
44.II
42.15
John Allen,
18. 6.
6.18
Nehemiah Buddington, 23.
21.
Andrew Bulkley,
20.
29.
James Bulkley,
20.
2I.
Walter Buddington,
23. 5.
24.15
Peter Burr,
76. 1. 6
81. 7
Samuel Beers,
55. 2. 6
60. 8. 6
Joseph Beers, -
31.19.
37.19. 0
Abigail Burr,
3.12.
3. 8.
David Burr,
22.10.
28. 6
William Buddington,
21.
Wakeman Burr,
25.
21.
Samuel Burr,
42.17. 6
44.17. 6
Job Bartram,
II.12. 7
6.11.19
Priscilla Burr,
24. 0. 6
32. 6. 6
Thaddeus Burr, -
145. 1. 4
167.16. 6
David Beers,
55. 2. 6
62. 2. 6
Ann Dimon,
26.19.
25.
William Dimon,
51. 6.
60. 2.
Elizabeth Gold, -
48. 8. 9
39. 1. 6
Peter Wendzich,
22. 8.
27. 8.
David Jennings, -
39. 6.
51.18.
Isaac Jarvis, -
43. 9.
22.66.
Moses Jennings,
70. 5.
62.18. 6
David Burr,
4. 4.
98
List, 1781.
List, 1782.
Abigail Jennings, -
- £4.
£2.14. 9 Stephen Jennings, 76. 2. 96.06.
Jeremiah Jennings, -
40. 5. 56.10.
Lathrop Lewis, -
40.10.
48.10.
Sturges Lewis, 72.19 .6
73. 7. 6
Jonathan Lewis, -
130.19. 6
132.12. 6
Hezekiah Nicholls, -
54.19. 6
60.11.
Thos. T. Nicholls,
20.15.
19. 3. 6
Eleazer Osborn, Jr.,
12. 5
Marble Osborn, -
30. 6. 6. 20. 2. 2
Daniel Osborn,
96. 5. 9.
74. 0. 6
John Parsons, -
18.
21.
Nathaniel Parsons,
19. 5
1. 5
John Parritt,
24.
23.
Samuel Penfield,
52. 8. 3.
54. 8. 3 39.
Samuel Rowland,
35. 13. 59.16. 3
Andrew Rowland,
48. 3. 91.16. 7
Samuel Squier,
18.
21.
John Smedley,
87.12
87.12.
Seth Sturges, -
44. 7. 6
51.IO. 6
Joseph Squier,
25.14. 35. I.
Thomas Staples,
74.16.
66. 4.
Ebenezer Sturges,
24.16.
John Squier, Jr.,
37. 5. 6
38.17
Judson Sturges, -
63. 1.
71. 2
Joseph Sturges (children),
31. 16.6
35.13. 6
Jonathan Sturges,
99. 2.
137.18.II
Samuel Squier, 85. 4.6
85.18.6
Hezekiah Sturges, 157. 4.
142. 5.
Samuel Sturges,
13. 4.
12. 6.
Samuel Smedley,
13.19.
13.19.
Joseph Smith,
40.14.6
40. 5. 6
Eliphalet Thorp,
30. 4.
31.14.
Ansel Truby, -
19.10. 18.
Isaac Tucker,
Stephen Thorp,
30. 4.
31.14.
John Turney,
61. 1.6 58. 2. 6
Eben Wakeman,
99.18. 67. 8. 6
28. o. I
John Robertson,
26.
99
List, 1781.
List, 1782.
Andrew Wakeman, £124 17.
£116. 4. 6
Jabez Thorp,
52.13.6
6. 8. 6
Isaac Turney, 34. 8. 37. 8.
Reuben Burr,
27. 2.
31. 3. 9
Wakeman Burrittt
85.II. O
John Williams, Jr.,
I. 4. 27. 5.
Wright White, -
4.
31.
John Mason,
25.10.
28. 8.
Thos. H. Wakeman,
6.17. 6
GREEN'S FARMS.
Sarah Andrews, - £ 8.10.
£ 7.14.
Abraham Andrews,
72. 0. 6
69. 0. 3
George Patterson
21.
21.
Walter Carson, 9.
13.18. I
Nathan Godfrey,
62. 8.6
93.15. 3
Ebenezer Jessup,
141. 3. 101.19. 9
Moss Kent,
161.
105. 8.
Eunice Morehouse,
95. 6. 6 84.
Eben Morehouse, III. 6. 6
91.17. 3
Gruman Morehouse, 21.14. 43.
Samuel Smith, -
21.
27. 2. 6
Gideon Morehouse,
45.66. 35.16. 6
Jesup Wakeman,
32. 5. 9
John Morehouse,
57.14.
64.18. 6
-Abated by the Assembly the sum of £4,088.12 in the year 1781. The sum of £4,088.12 to be apportioned to the sufferers of said town.
From Rev. Dr. Osgood :
ECCLESIASTICAL NOTES.
There are good materials for a history of the Church and Clergy of Fairfield, but these materials are very fragmentary, and they have never been brought together. Chief among the historical discourses are those by the Rev. Dr. Atwater, on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1839, and by the Rev. Dr. Ran- kin, on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1870, and by the Rev. N. E. Cornwall, on August 10, 1851. The Rev. B. J. Relyea, on the 26th of October, 1865, gave a valuable discourse upon the history of the Green's Farm Congregational Church, which seceeded from the old Fairfield Parish in 1715, and the Rev. Henry B. Smith delivered an elaborate historical sermon in 1876, on the 150th anniversary of the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, which was founded in 1726.
Dr. Atwater gives a careful account of the pastors of the old Church until his own ministry, who had then been eight in number, beginning with the Rev. John Jones, the minister who brought an Oxford education to this frontier settlement, and who had tried to find a home in Concord, Mass., but left that place for Fairfield with a considerable part of his congregation, on account of "the poverty and mean- ness of Concord, together with the badness and wetness of the meadows." His successors were as follows, after his death in 1664 :
IO2
REV. SAMUEL WAKEMAN, 1665-1692.
REV. JOSEPH WEBB, . 1692-1732.
REV, NOAH HOBART, 1732-1773.
REV. ANDREW ELIOT, 1774-1805.
REV. HEMAN HUMPHREY, 1807-1817.
REV. DR. HEWIT,
1818-1827.
REV. MR. HUNTER, 1828-1833.
Since Dr. Atwater's removal to Princeton, the old parish has had the services of Dr. Willis Lord, Rev. Alexander McLean and Rev. Dr. Rankin, whose coming retirement from his post is to take place in October.
The Episcopal Church in Fairfield has an honor- able history since the consecration of its first edifice, Nov. 10, 1725, with a discourse by the famous Dr. Samuel Johnson, afterwards President of King's College, New York City. In 1827, the Rev. Henry Caner was appointed missionary to Fairfield, and remained here till 1747, when he went to King's Chapel, Boston, where he was rector in 1776, when, with the British army, he left his post for Halifax, at the time of the evacuation of Boston. The second Episcopal Church edifice was burned in 1779, as stated by Dr. Rankin, and the third edifice that was built on Mill Plain in 1790, stood until the transfer of the services to the new Trinity Church edifice at Southport, where regular worship was begun by Rev. William Shelton in 1828. St. Paul's Church, now in Fairfield, began as a distinct parish in 1854, and it
103
is not the successor, except in its Episcopal order, of the old Trinity parish of 1725.
The ministers of St. Paul's Church have been the Rev. Messrs. Leffingwell, Stimson, Hyde, Mackie, and Rev. James K. Lombard, the present rector.
It is interesting to remember, that the Rev. Philo Shelton began his services as lay reader in Trinity Church, Fairfield, in 1779, and had been rector for forty years at the time of his death, February 27, 1825, aged seventy-one. He was ordained by Bishop Seabury, at Middletown, August 3, 1785, at the first ordination ever held by an American bishop. He was succeeded by his son, the Rev. William Shelton, who went to St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, 1829, where he is still rector. Thus it appears, as an intelligent lady remarked, that the Episcopal Church in America has been served one hundred years by father and son from the honored Shelton family.
It is worthy of note that there was close connection in early times between our Fairfield Churches and Boston and Cambridge culture. Several Fairfield ministers were graduates of Cambridge before and after Yale Callege came into being, and the brilliant Dr. Horace Holley, who made such a figure as the minister of Hollis Street Church, Boston, was for three years the eloquent and successful pastor of the Greenfield Hill Parish, from which he went to Boston in 1809, and was afterwards, for nine years, till 1827, President of Transylvania University, Kentucky.
104
It is a fact worth recording, that the first meeting of the old Congregational Parish, the Prime Ancient Society of Fairfield, distinct from town meeting, was held, according to the record, on December 19, 1727. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Thomas, was consecrated about 25 years ago, under charge of Rev. Thomas J. Synnot, of Bridgeport, and it has been a distinct parish about three years.
THE LAST WORD.
There is good hope of the awakening of public spirit in Fairfield as the consequence of the late Memorial occasions. The celebration of 1876 was followed by the establishment of the Fairfield Mem- orial Library, and this Commemoration has led to the formation of the Fairfield Village Improvement Society, for the health, ornament and general wel- fare of the charming old town.
University of Connecticut Libraries
BOUND BY
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.