USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 57
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LIEUT. DAVID ANDREWS was the son of John and Elizabeth (Orvice) Andrews, and born June 20, 1723. He married, Sept. 6, 1744, Mary Wilcox, who died July 20, 1745, when he married, Dec. 22, 1749, Mary Miles. He enlisted, March 15, 1762, as Lieutenant in Capt. Pat- terson's company of the 1st Regiment, and went with Gen. Putnam in the expedition against the French in Canada. He also went the same year in the expedition against Havana, but was taken with yellow fever and returned to New York, where he died Nov. 30, 1762. His wife sent a memorial to the General Court of Connecticut, praying that the expenses of his sickness and burial might be paid, and the sum of £28 17s. 6d. allowed her. .
EZEKIEL ANDREWS served for four months, and afterwards removed to Kinderhook, N. Y.
JONATHAN ANDREWS, son of Jonathan and Susanna (Richards) An- drews, was born May 28, 1756, and married Ruth Deming (of Elisha) May 16, 1782. During the Revolution he was a "minute-man," and was at the burning of Fairfield, Conn., and had a horse shot under him during the retreat. He lived on the place now occupied by Austin Gridley, near Shuttle Meadow Lake. He died Dec. 27, 1806.
ICHABOD ANDREWS, son of Gideon and Abigail (Potter) Andrews, was born July 15, 1745, and married, Nov. 17, 1763, Lydia Smith. He entered the army as drummer in the 3d company of the 8th regi- ment, where he remained five months. Afterward he joined another company, and served about two years. He lived on the place north of the town house, and lately owned by Samuel Miller. About 1781 he removed to Burlington.
OZIAS ANDREWS, son of Jonathan and Susanna (Richards) Andrews, was born March 20, 1742, and married Dec. 28, 1768. Nothing is known beyond the fact that he was in the army for a time, probably in 1779.
AMBROSE SLOPER had enlisted as a private, and was appointed a captain in December, 1776.
DANIEL SLOPER served in the army and became a captain. He lived where David P. Ackart now does. He arose one night for a drink, and accidentally fell down the cellar stairs. His negro servant hearing him, struck a light and ran to his rescue. "Take that light away,"
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said Sloper. "Don't you want a light ?" said the servant. " No," said Sloper, "I will lie here until the great light doth appear; " and so he did, until the sun rose. He was very eccentric.
STEPHEN BARNES was the same who kept tavern on the Kensington road. His service was brief.
ASIIBEL GRIDLEY was a " minute man, " and when he entered New Haven he saw two men on the wav-side who had been killed by the British.
CAPT. BARNEY OGDEN came to Southington from New Jersey; had been a member of Yale College, but expelled for misconduct. He lived in Marion district. He said he did not want a man to enlist with him who was afraid to die. One Sunday he was out attending to some enlistments, when a tithing man undertook to interfere with his work, and arrested him for violating the Sabbath. Ogden dis- mounted, seized the intruding official, and flung him over the fence. He lived in the old house on or near the site of where James Upson now lives.
NATHAN BARNES.
JACOB TYLER was fife major.
CHAUNCEY ADKINS enlisted when twenty years old, for a year, and afterward served for six months in 1780.
AMOS BEECHER was from Wolcott Mountain, and enlisted young. In the army he became acquainted with Dr. Root, which led to his studying medicine with hin. [See Biog. sketch. ]
COL. ASA BRAY, son of John and Lydia Bray, of North Haven. was at the surrender of Burgoyne. After returning to this town, he lived on the place now owned by Adna Neal, on East street. He was collector of taxes of the town, and certain charges of peculation were preferred that led to a protracted trouble. It is said that the tune called Bray in our collections of sacred music was altered from a German composition, and this' name given by the author of the new arrangement to it from personal friendship to Col. Bray. He was chorister of the Congregational church for a time.
THOMAS COWLES, a Lieutenant in the service.
JOSIAH COWLES appears on the pay rolls.
CHARLES ADKINS was in service a year or two, and finally enlisted again in 1780, for four months.
BENJAMIN CHAPMAN, JR., son of Rev. Benjamin, was in service for 5 months and 23 days.
1 So stated by Chester Hart.
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JOHN and STEPHEN CARTER served each for about five months.
AMOS WOODRUFF is on the records as serving for a little more than five months, for which he received £21 11s. 3d. He lived on East street, the site of his house being that of the late residence of Tru- man E. Barnes.
CHAUNCEY MERRIMAN enlisted in 1780.
MANSFIELD MERRIMAN enlisted in 1780.
NOAH WOODRUFF Was in the service a few months. He lived on East street. The town paid him for service in the army, £24 10s.
SOLOMON FISK, son of Ebenezer, lived on his father's place at South End. He finally secured the rank of captain. Several anecdotes are told of him. His Colonel once told him to take his place on a certain review. He replied, "Captain Fisk knows his place and holds it now. Let Colonel take and keep his place." It seems the Colonel had become confused by strong drink. It is also said that this same Colonel tried to annoy him, and told him once to prepare for parade the following day. " At what time ?" asked Fisk. The Colo- nel said, "At the blowing of the bugle." Fisk suspected a trick. Just after twelve o'clock at night the bugle sounded. Captain Fisk sprang from his bed, seized his sword, and was first on the ground. The Colonel seeing him asked why he appeared thus. The reply was, "Captain Fisk is always in his place when duty calls him." After the war Captain Fisk became addicted to intemperance. Once he had attended a "raising " on the old Sloper place, and returned home late at night, a friend accompanying him. Coming to the large rock now called "Captain Fisk's tavern," on the left of the road, between George Bishop's and Clark Farms, he stopped, supposing it a house. He knocked for admission, and receiving no answer, angrily said he would "stave in the door" unless it was opened, and drawing back his fist, struck with such force that his hand bore the scar of the wound until his death.
BENJAMIN BARNES served in 1780, for nearly six months, and after- ward removed to Southampton, Mass.
JOSEPH DUTTON, JR., served for about six months.
HORACE DAY was a shoemaker, and acted in this capacity in the army.
ICHABOD CULPEPPER FRISBIE was born just as his mother heard of his father's death in the French war-hence his name. (See 1 Samuel 4. 21.) He is said to have been a devoted patriot.
GILES LANGDON was at Horseneck.
REV. LEVI LANGTON. (See Biog. sketch.)
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ASAHEL LANGDON enlisted when only 16, but did not remain long enough to draw a pension. He was stationed near New Haven, and one night some comrades were out, and desired him to climb a fence and steal peaches. Thinking of his early training, and feeling it to be wrong he refused. The others went over, when Asahel rattled a board which frightened the others, who supposed the owner was close at hand.
DANIEL LANGDON Was in the army for a time, and was also a " min- ute man." When the rumor1 flew up this valley that the British were marching up from New Haven, he seized his gun and mounting his horse started for the front. At Cheshire he became more alarmed at what he heard, so that he rode back home and hid the "pewter " and other household valuables in the river, and then went back to meet his company. The " valuables " were never recovered from the river. and it is supposed that some one saw them placed there and stole them.
JASON HITCHCOCK was at Stony Point. A large reward was offered the man who should take the flag of the enemy in that assault. He was the first at the staff, but having lost his knife, the cord was cut by another, but the reward was divided between them.
SAMUEL HITCHCOCK was at Stony Point, and even after the surren- der, a British soldier undertook to bayonet him, when his brother Jason averted the musket, and killed the soldier on the spot.
CHAUNCEY LEWIS was at taking of Stony Point-was in the detail of 30 men first sent out to lay the foundation of Fort Putnam, West Point-is said to have been in the boat sent to overtake Arnold. He was in the service six years and a half, enlisting when 15.
CAPT. REUBEN HART, son of Dea. Thomas, was born Sept. 5, 1729, and married, Dec. 21, 1759, Rhoda Peck (of Moses). He was ap- pointed by the General Assembly, in 1777, Ensign to the third com- pany of the Alarm Lists, 15th Regt. He had a Captain's commission signed by Gov. Trumbull, and dated May 23, 1778. He was active in the town in raising supplies for the army, and served for a time as quarter-master in the field, but is not known to have been in any engagement. His home was where Deming Lewis now lives.
BLISS HART was son of Simeon and Sarah (Sloper) Hart, and born Mar. 10, 1761. He enlisted in the army at fifteen years of age, and weighed only seventy pounds. Complaining of the heavy musket,
1 One Eunice Buck, an eccentric woman living with the Langdon's, seized her jug of cider of which she was fond, and fled with it across the mountain to Shuttle Meadow, exclaiming as she deposited the jug-" There, the Britishers shant have this cider."
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and revealing musical talent, he was appointed "fifer," and as such became quite famous. Not having the physical strength for army life, he was discharged when eighteen years old. With his parents he removed to Burlington, which town he represented several times in the General Assembly. He died March 6, 1831.
JOEL HART entered the army, and died at Hackensack, N. J., Sept. 22, 1776, aged 23.
THOMAS HART, son of Thomas and Sarah (Thomas) Hart, was born Jan. 4, 1755. He joined the army, was taken prisoner, and died of starvation in the British prison, New York, 1777.
JASON HART, brother of the above, was born May 13, 1757, joined the army, and died in service, Dec. 27, 1777. Both of these young men are traditionally spoken of as moved by ardent patriotism.
LEMUEL HART (of Amos) was born Aug. 24, 1759; m. Rosanna Winstone. He entered the Continental army toward the close of the war. He was a teacher at Hillsdale, Columbia Co., N. Y., and when about sixty years old he lost the use of one hand by paralysis. He died May 2, 1822, at Burlington, Conn.
Two GRANNIS brothers lie in Burying Ground Hill Cemetery, who were in the army; both in cavalry service. One was chased by a British dragoon, and spurred his horse, but knowing that he would soon be overtaken, he slackened his speed, and then turning suddenly, beheaded his pursuer.
DAVID HITCHCOCK was a " minute man," and also served for a few months as a private. When the British fleet entered New Haven har- bor, minute guns were fired to alarm the neighboring towns. The soldiers of Southington, mindful of the signal, at once seized their muskets and knapsacks and left for the scene of action. David Hitch- cock was cutting rye. Hearing the guns, he left his cradle in the swath and went over into another field to a Mr. Lewis, and asked him if they were not the "minute guns." They both listened and concluded they were. Going to their homes, they were soon ready and on the way to New Haven. Hitchcock said to his wife, as he entered the house, " Wife, get my knapsack." To his daughters he said, " Martha, get a chunk of pork;" " Hannah, get a loaf of bread." They were joined by other neighbors, and were all soon in New Haven.
SAMUEL PARDEE. The following commission was given him :
"To Samuel Pardy, in the First Co. of the second regiment of New Levys raised by Proclamation of the Honourable Governor Trumbull, to join the Continental Army at N. Y., under the command of General Washington-Greeting. I do by these Presents constitute and appoint you, the said Samuel Pardy, to be first Sargeant in the company aforesaid, and I do hereby authorize and Impower you to exercise your
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said office in a Dne Discharge of the Duties thereof which you are carefully and Diligently to attend as a Sargeant for which this is your sufficient Warrant. Given under my hand and seal in Camp, at Harlem, this 16th day of October, Anno domine, 1776.
"EDWARD MOTT, Maj., &c."
DANIEL PARDEE; nothing known of him.
CALEB RAY belonged to the artillery section of the army, and was at Monmouth. At this battle Washington rode up, and said to the officer commanding battery, "I don't care about noise, I want execution." He is said to have been a thoughtless, reckless man, after returning from the army.
ELIJAH RICE or ROYCE came to this town from Cheshire, and enlisted here. Col. Asa Bray, Dec. 26, 1783, was appointed a committee by this town to examine the Farmington Records, "and see if his claim for bounty is good." It seems that he did not receive the bounty, for April 9, 1792, another committee was appointed "to examine into the pretended claims of Elijah Rice on the town, &c."
PRATT ROYCE, lived at South End.
ASAHEL GRIDLEY, the grandfather of Dea. Joseph Gridley, and lived where Washburn Dunham does, at North End. He received £23 13s. 8d. from the town for service for five months and twenty-three days. He had enlisted for brief periods before.
LEMUEL LEWIS, son of Nathan, lived a little south of the old Merri- man burying-ground. He served two or three times for periods of six months. The last time in 1780, and the town paid him £24 10s.
NATHANIEL TALMADGE lived on Wolcott mountain, and was a brother of Rev. Asa Talmadge. He had enlisted for three years, and his term expired in 1780. But he again enlisted that year, and served nearly six months, the town paying him £23 13s. 8d.
PHILOLOGOS WEBSTER, son of John, and lived at South End. He served at least five months, as he received £21 for this service.
VALENTINE WIGHTMAN, son of Rev. John, and lived on West Moun- tain road, where he had a farm and tavern. He was a minute man, and served only for brief periods at a time.
ELISHA CLARK was in Col. Wyllys's regiment. He was at Danbury three days after the British destroyed the stores there in 1777, and stated that "in places the fat from the pork was over shoe in the streets." He claimed, also, to have seen Andre hung. He was a wheelwright, and acted in this capacity in the army.
ELIHU CARTER, the father of Hopkins, and of Mrs. Timothy Higgins, was with the army a number of years as a shoe-maker; had small pox, and suffered much.
NATHANIEL and JASON CRITTENDEN, of whom nothing is known.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
TIMOTHY CLARK served for a time, and afterwards was captain of the town militia. He was a deacon of the Congregational Church.
RUSSELL RIGGS CHAPMAN, son of Rev. Benjamin, enlisted, and died at Westchester, N. Y., Sept. 5, 1776. He was a young man of fine talents, and greatly respected in the town.
JOEL CLARK enlisted, and became Lieut. Colonel in a regiment of which Jedadiah Huntington, of Norwich, was Colonel. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island, September, 1776, and died two months after, in prison.
NOAH COGSWELL was at Horseneck under Putnam, and was in the first platoon sent forward to meet the British.
REUBEN CLARK was in Col. Wyllys's regiment.
AMOS HITCHCOCK, son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Mansfield) Hitch- cock, was born 1738, at East Haven, and came to Southington with his parents in 1743. He enlisted in the army in the company of Capt. Gad Stanley, of New Britain, and was connected with the regiment of Col. Jedadiah Huntington, of Norwich. At the battle of Long Island he narrowly escaped being taken a prisoner. Together with his sons Jason and Samuel, he was with "Mad Anthony " Wayne, at Stoney Point, when that important position was taken, July 15, 1779. In the first "forlorn hope " called for he was the second to step forth. When the company was filled it was ordered that if any felt unwilling to go forward they might yet retire. Mr. Hitchcock said that one man step- ped back, and was met "with such yells of contempt" that even if others desired to do so they were deterred from it. He said that in some way they had learned the enemy's countersign, and were thus enabled to execute so successfully the venture.
The following is a letter 1 he wrote to his wife while in the service :
NEW YORK, August 30th, 1776.
Loving Wife,-I take this opportunity to write to you to let you know that through the divine goodness of God I am well, as I hope these lines will find you also. The news we have here is more than I am able to inform you in one sheet of paper, the twenty-second day of this week the King's troops landed down at the Narrows upon Long Island, and marelied up about five miles and they are in camp, and a tuesday of this week they came out against us and got round ns before we knew anything of it, their light horse came in front and we fit upon a retreat. Back to our forts which was about four miles they got round us two or three times but through the goodness of God Capt. Stanley's Company all escaped safe, although many others did not, there is not but about seventy men left in Colonel Hunting's Regiment, six out of our place, Namely- Colonel Clark, Eusign Gillett, Sargent Hungerford, Gad Fuller, John Dutton, Isaac Potter, killed or took, a thursday night about midnight orders came to us to leave Long Island and go over to York, and now Long Island is in the hands of the Buchers and I believe that New York will be vary soon, by what I can larn there is something
1 Unfortunately a large number of "Revolutionary " letters and notes known to save existed until within a few years has been sold as waste paper.
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at the Bottom but what I cannot tell God only knows. So I subscribe my-self your Husband.
AMOS HITCHCOCK.
P. S. Send every opportunety. I reseaved your letter and tobacco and was glad of them, and I was vary glad to understand Ambros does well-get the Beef of Mr. Dunham, get tallow, get that is good. Jason is well and Harty.
JOB WINCHELL! was a man of education, and taught in this town (probably on East street). He served in the revolution (as is supposed) in the capacity of Quarter-master or Paymaster. He was taken prisoner and confined in the famous prison ship Jersey, where he suffered the fate of many of his comrades.
DAN WINCHELL was born Nov. 20, 1736. He (and some say his two sons also) marched to the relief of Boston in 1775, with the "hundred men from Farmington." His name is associated with those of Sam Andrus, Chauncy Lewis, and other Revolutionary heroes of this town. Before his death (in 1810) he was often at the center mingling in con- vivial scenes with his former comrades.
IRA WINCHELL was son of Dan, and born Dec. 22, 1759. He is said to have gone with his father to the relief of Boston, and afterwards enlisted in the Continental army. He was under Gen. Putnam at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was killed in the early part of the engage- ment.
WILLIAM WINCHELL was also son of Dan, and born Nov. 3, 1762. Enlisting in the army, he was with Gen. Putnam in a number of engagements. He was very young when he enlisted, being only sixteen or seventeen. After the war he married (Dec. 9, 1784,) Elvira Morse, of this town.
JOHN MERRIMAN was the son of John, and grandson of Rev. John Merriman, the first Baptist minister of the town.
Nothing is known of the time when he enlisted, or how long he served in the army. He seems first to have been a " minute man," and was engaged in service when the British burned Danbury. Fragments of a diary of his are still preserved in which he makes the following entry.
" April 28 (1777), I was in pursuit after the regulars."
" April 29 I was employed in Ditto."
" April 30 I returned home from the scout."
The British began to land at a point between Fairfield and Norwalk, April 25, 1777, and at once messengers flew in all directions carrying the intelligence. On Saturday afternoon, 26th, word had reached this town, and in less than two hours a company was on the way to Danbury, where it was known large stores had accumulated. The British having destroyed the stores and fired the town, retreated before daylight,
1 Some of those Winchells are claimed for Kensington, but they were all within the limits of the town, as appcars from court and other records.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
Sunday, 27th. The men from Southington were not in time to join in the pursuit, and hence returned home.
May 22d, of the same year, is the following entry, "I sot out for the Fish Kills " -- "June 26th I returned from the Shivvocks " (chevaux de frise ?). For what purpose he went to Fishkill does not appear. It may 1 have been for the purpose of visiting friends in the army in that vicinity, or to see the obstructions thrown across the Hudson at West Point.
A year later he is found in the service, and tradition says that in a retreat he became overheated and died a few days after.
JESSE FROST, afterwards Rev. Jesse Frost and pastor of the Baptist church in Waterbury, was drafted and served two years and nine months. The latter portion of the time he was teamster, and carried the baggage of Gen. Washington and staff.
MOSES WHITE, JR.
He was a descendant of Elder John White, one of the first settlers of Cambridge, Hartford, and Hadley. Among the sons of Elder John was Captain Nathaniel, who was seven years old when his father left Cambridge and removed to Hartford. When about twenty-one this Nathaniel settled in Middletown and became a very prominent man. He had a son Daniel who also became a leading man of the town; and Daniel had a son Isaac who inherited the good traits of his ancestors, and became a deacon of the church. The eldest son of Isaac was Moses, " a hatter by trade," spending "the greater part of his life in his native place." The fourth child of Moses was Moses Jr., the subject of this sketch, who was born in 1757. In early life he came to Southington, but what his occupation was I cannot learn. His name appears upon some old papers without heading or date, which indicate that he taught school. The tradition, as given by his family, is, "that he joined the American Army during the Revolutionary war, marched to Canada, and was there taken prisoner by the British. He was treated very humanely by Gen. Guy Carleton, who liberated him." He returned to Southington, and soon after married a daughter of Dr. Porter [see Gen. Table]. For the next three years there are traces of him in the town, which shows that he did not re-enter the army during this time. Jan. 22, 1783, he sailed from New Haven in a vessel, but whether in the public service or on business is unknown, and was taken prisoner. He was carried to Tortola, W. I., where he was set at liberty. He then went to St. Thomas, thence to Santa Cruz, and thence to Cape Francis, Hispaniola, where he died about the last of November, 1783, aged 26 years.
1 As his journal ends June 29th, it is not improbable that he had enlisted.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
WAR OF 1812.
CHAUNCEY WOODRUFF, son of Jason and Mary (Newell) Woodruff, was born Apr. 21, 1789. He enlisted in the war of 1812, and died on the Canada frontier.
ISAAC H. WHALEY became a resident of the town in the beginning of the century. He was a comb-maker by trade, and worked in a shop that stood just south of the Bradley House stables. He enlisted, and died of camp fever on the Canada frontier.
LIEUT. JAMES SMITH was son of James and Lydia (Webster) Smith. He was commissioned Lieutenant, and was assigned to recruiting duty for the regular army. It is not known that he was in any engage- ment.
ROSWELL BRADLEY was in the public service for several months.
A company was drafted in Southington, which was assigned to duty at New London, but it was ordered back in a few weeks, and the members discharged.
SHERMAN HART (son of Chauncey) early enlisted and served during the war.
- BRADY of Plantsville killed at battle of Fort Erie, Aug. 15, 1814.
WYLLYS HART entered the army, and was stationed at Flatbush, N. Y., from whence he deserted for the third time. He was tried by Court Martial and shot. It was discovered however that he was afflicted with a malady often developing in temporary insanity. No doubt he was unjustly condemned.
MEXICAN WAR.
1 can not learn that our town was represented in this war beyond the following persons:
GAD ELY UPSON.
He was the son of Asahel Upson, of Marion district, and born June 3, 1823. Like all his family he was fond of reading and study, and found this town too narrow for his sphere. When twenty years of age he went to Jackson, Miss., with his brother James, and with him engaged in the tinning and stove business. At this time the question of annexing Texas was prominent before the country, and particularly the South. When war was declared against Mexico, Mr. Upson enlisted in a company that belonged to the celebrated Jeff Davis Regiment, and with this regiment he served during the war. Returning to Jackson, he resumed his business, and continued here until 1850, when he went to New Orleans, and joined the Lopez ex- pedition against Cuba. Landing upon the Island, Gen. Lopez found
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