Fairfield, ancient and modern; a brief account, historic and descriptive, of a famous Connecticut town, Part 5

Author: Child, Frank Samuel, 1854-1922. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: [Fairfield, Conn.] Fairfield Historical Society
Number of Pages: 216


USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > Fairfield, ancient and modern; a brief account, historic and descriptive, of a famous Connecticut town > Part 5


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


The library is free-supported by the gifts of friends and pa- trons. It is open six days of the week. The assembly room on the second floor is given to the uses of the Fairfield Historical Society for their collections, and is also used for lectures and public meetings.


FAIRFIELD BEACH AND THE BATHING PAVILION.


DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION President, Oliver G. Jennings Secretary and Treasurer, H. Edwards Rowland Edward W. Harral, Frederick Sturges, Samuel H. Wheeler.


This beach has been a favorite resort of pleasure for genera- tions. The Beach Association was organized 1886. A convenient and commodious club house was erected and members of the association enjoyed its privileges. In response to public wishes the building has been enlarged and a second house added to the plant.


The assembly room on the second floor of the large pavilion affords facilities for dances, suppers, concerts and amateur dra- matic performances.


L


64


.


PEQUOT LIBRARY, SOUTHPORT


Founded 1894


PRESIDENT Hon. John H. Perry


VICE-PRESIDENT


George Bulkley


SECRETARY C. O. Jelliff TREASURER


R. P. Curtis LIBRARIAN Miss Josephine Heydrick ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN


Miss Frances D. Gleason


In 1894 this library, built and equipped by the munificent gen- erosity of Mrs. Elbert B. Monroe, was opened to the public. Named in commemoration of the Pequot fight, which waged in sight of the spot on which the edifice stands, it has become a treasure house of precious books which have to do with Ameri- can history. A rare and unique collection has been gathered at a great expenditure of money and service-one of the most valu- able and illuminative along certain lines which the country affords. The library contains more than 34,000 volumes. The building standing in the midst of a generous and beautiful lawn- the former homestead of the late Frederick Marquand and the former home of his niece, Mrs. Monroe-is a splendid adorn- ment to the town. The library is free to all citizens, admirably conducted, and a great educative force. "Fortunate, even among New England towns," observes Judge Perry, "is this of ours, and, I am persuaded, also worthy. It only remains for us to show appreciation and an increasing wide-spread intellectual blessing is assured."


PEQUOT LIBRARY, SOUTHPORT


65


SASQUANAUG ASSOCIATION, SOUTHPORT


Organized 1887


PRESIDENT Mrs. John H. Perry FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Miss Frances Wakeman SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Roderick Curtis SECRETARY Mrs. Wilbur C. Jennings TREASURER Mrs. H. H. Perry


This association has for its object the improvement of South- port. During the years of its service the society has been a most loyal contributor to the health, safety and attractiveness of the village. It has raised large sums of money which have been ex- pended in laying pavements throughout the village and in light- ing its streets, draining portions of the town, adorning various sections and rendering the place more healthful and beautiful.


'The association holds a considerable sum of money given by living donors or left by will for its good purposes. It has also built for its members and patrons a large bathing pavilion on the Southport beach.


THE VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY, FAIRFIELD


Organized 1901 PRESIDENT . Benjamin Betts VICE-PRESIDENT Miss Mary B. Kippen SECRETARY Rev. Allen E. Beeman TREASURER Miss S. E. Betts This Society has been a helpful agent in fostering various good


66


works. The chaste, substantial fountain near the Memorial Library, is one of the valuable contributions made by the Society.


The sprinkling of the main street during summer, and the placing of lights where they were especially needed, has also been done under the direction of this association.


The work of village improvement was inaugurated many years ago under the efficient leadership of several prominent citizens. Through the generosity of Mr. Frederick Sturges a very import- ant task in drainage was done and much accomplished for the better sanitation of the village, Mr. Sturges also constructed several miles of excellent macadam road which he continues to keep in fine condition. The late Frederick Bronson was likewise a benefactor-macadamizing the highway between Southport and Greenfield Hill. Mr. Oliver G. Jennings is a third contributor to this form of public progress-macadamizing the highway be- tween Osborn Hill and the main street-a kind of service and benefit which appeals to all classes of men and wins universal praise. The town owes a great debt to her public-spirited citi- zens who have given freely their abundant means and their per- sonal interest and devotion in behalf of numerous helpful works. The macadam road between Ash Creek and Southport was built largely by private subscription. The East Cemetery, recently enclosed by a substantial stone wall and fence and made attractive by macadam roads and patriotic watch-care, bears witness to this prevailing loyal impulse.


THE COUNTRY CLUB, GREENFIELD HILL Incorporated Feb. 22d, 1902.


--


PRESIDENT Nellis H. Sherwood


SECRETARY Mrs. D. B. Adams TREASURER J. Nelson Hutchinson


This organization has enjoyed a remarkable prosperity, start- ing in a modest way and expanding in its usefulness until it has become one of the most popular and profitable institutions in the


THE FAIRFIELD FOUNTAIN


67


town. The development of a pleasant, healthful social life, the encouragement of legitimate sport, the fostering of agricultural and horticultural interests and the general uplift of rural life- these are the chief ends in view. The founders and supporters of the Club have achieved their aim. One of the delightful fea- tures of each autumn is the Fair conducted by this organization on their grounds-an event which has come to be regarded as important to a wide extent of territory-an event which draws together the largest number of people accustomed to assemble in any part of this region.


THE GRANGE, GREENFIELD HILL


MASTER Simeon Pease


LECTURER Frank H. Whiting SECRETARY D. Frank Brown


TREASURER John P. Morehouse


THE CONSUMERS' LEAGUE PRESIDENT Mrs. William B. Glover


FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Miss Annie B. Jennings SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Samuel H. Wheeler


SECRETARY Miss Bessie L. Child TREASURER Mr. J. Elting Deyo AUDITOR Mr. William A. Wheatley


ASSOCIATED WITH THE OFFICERS AS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD


Rev. Allen E. Beeman Rev. Frank S. Child, D.D.


Mrs. James O. Wright Mrs. W. H. Hinckley


68


AUDUBON SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT For the Preservation of Birds Founded at Fairfield, Jan. 28th, 1898 PRESIDENT Mrs. James Osborne Wright ( Mabel Osgood Wright), Fairfield VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Edward Livingston Wells, Southport


Rev. Allen E. Beeman, Fairfield Mrs. Morris F. Tyler, New Haven HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS


Mr. John H. Sage, Portland Mr. Chas. S. DeForest, New Haven


Mrs. Nathaniel Wheeler, Bridgeport Mrs. E. Livingston Wells, Southport


Mrs W. D. Bishop, Jr.,


Rev. Edmund Guilbert, D.D., "


Hon. Morris B. Beardsley,


Mr. Charles M. Gilman,


Mr. Chas. K. Averill, "'


Hon. Jolin H. Perry,


Charles C. Godfrey, M.D.,


Miss C. M. Milbank, Greenfield Hill


Geo. L. Porter, M.D.,


Mr. Jonas B. Kissam, ١٠


Mr. David F. Read,


Mrs. Thomas K. Noble, Norwalk


Mrs. Oliver G. Jennings, Fairfield Hon. E. J. Hill,


Mrs. Henry C. Sturges,


Mrs. Melbert B. Carey, Ridgefield


Mr. Samuel H. Wheeler,


Hon. P. C. Lounsbury ١١


Mr. Henry S. Glover.


Mrs. E. L. Scofield, Stamford


Rev. Frank S. Child, D.D.,


Miss Maria W. Averill, Danbury


Mrs. Nehemiah Perry,


Mrs. J. L. Fanton,


Miss Laura G. Jones, Hartford Hon. F. J. Kingsbury, Waterbury SECRETARY


Mrs. William B. Glover, Fairfield ASSISTANT SECRETARY Miss Fanny B. Hinckley, Fairfield SCHOOL SECRETARY Miss F. A. Hurd, South Norwalk TREASURER Miss Mary B. Kippen, Fairfield EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


Mrs. Samuel H. Wheeler, Fairfield Mrs. E. L. Wells, Southport


Miss Mary B. Kippen,


Mrs. Morris P. Tyler, New Haven


Mrs. James O. Wright,


Mr. Willard G. Van Name, "


Mrs. W. B. Glover,


Mrs. C. K. Averill, Bridgeport


Mrs. H C. Sturges, Miss Grace R. Moody, "


Miss Fanny B. Hinckley Mr. Howard H. Knapp, "


Rev. Allen E. Beeman, Mrs. Catherine M. Spaulding, B'port


Miss Lottie A. Lacey, Southport Mrs. Walter M. Smith, Stamford


Mrs. Edmund Guilbert, Miss Katharine A. Wilcox, Westport


Mrs. Howard N. Wakeman, S'port Mrs. Chester H. Brush, Danbury


Mrs. W. H. Holman, Miss F. A. Hurd, South Norwalk Mr. William Smith, South Norwalk


THE GOULD HOMESTEAD


69


This is a State organization, but Fairfield has been its home and headquarters from the inception. Many of its officers and active workers live in the town. The splendid work which the Society has done in the matter of general nature study is well known as well as for bird protection. By means of lectures, pic- tures, pamphlets, traveling libraries, public meetings and untir- ing officials it has proved to be a royal friend to birds and men.


THE GOULD HOMESTEAD-SUMMER HOME FOR WOMEN


The daughters of the Hon. John Gould bequeathed their Homestead and the inajor portion of their estate to Charles B. Jennings, Rev. Frank S. Child, Hamilton S. Shelton and Samuel M. Garlick in trust for the purpose of maintaining "a free Sum- mer Home for white, unmarried Protestant females, between the ages of eighteen and fifty years, who may be wholly dependent upon their own labor for support and residing in the County of Fairfield."


This Home-which commemorates the distinguished services of a family connected with the history of town and colony since the years of first immigration to Connecticut-continues in char- acteristic way the generous ministry of this eminent line of public benefactors.


FAIRFIELD HISTORICAL SOCIETY


MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT


Frank Samuel Child, D.D. VICE-PRESIDENT


Henry Cady Sturges, Esq. SECRETARY Rev. Allen Everett Beeman TREASURER Samuel Hickox Wheeler


. William Hanford Burr John Hoyt Perry


Winthrop Hoyt Perry


Oliver Gould Jennings Milton Silliman Lacey Amory Edwards Rowland


70


This Society was organized at a meeting held in the historic Sherman mansion on June 17th, 1902-the one hundred and twenty-seventh anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill. Its object is to foster a spirit of local and national patriotism by pub- lic meetings, historical research, the marking of interesting sites, the publication of papers and documents, and the collection and preservation of old letters, journals, books, furniture, garments and heirlooms handed down from an honorable ancestry.


One of its first tasks was the copying of "Volume A" of the Land Records belonging to the town. This book was rapidly disintegrating. At an expense of $350 a copy of the ancient book was made, an index was prepared and the completed work presented to the town at the annual meeting Monday, October 2nd, 1905.


Another work of importance which has engaged the Society is the platting of the town. The history of each homestead lot- the names of successive owners-the character of the building located upon the property and other interesting details-such is the work of platting the town.


The initiative has been taken in erecting a monument to the memory of Roger Ludlow the founder of Fairfield.


The Society has issued seven publications-its regular Annual Reports, the Commemoration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Fairfield Academy and a Hand-Book of Local History.


A museum of antiquities has already been established in the second story of the Memorial Library where the Society holds its public meetings. Numerous valuable and suggestive gifts have been received. Friends are cordially invited to co-operate in the work.


The Society has a membership of more than two hundred citi- zens and well wishers. The need of a separate, fire-proof build- ing, devoted exclusively to its purposes, is to-day imperative. An endowment for the support of such an institution has been started by the generous bequests of three deceased friends. The Society promises to become one of the most important educational factors in the life of this rich, historic section of New England.


MILL, RIVER FORD


.


71


BIBLIOGRAPHY.


Colonial Records of Connecticut.


Town Records of Fairfield.


Records of the Prime Ancient Society.


Schenck's-History of Fairfield.


Guilbert's-Annals of An Old Parish.


Address on the Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of Pub lic Worship in Fairfield.


Hobart's-First and Second Address to the Members of the Episcopal Separation in New England.


Todd's-Life of Joel Barlow.


Todd's-In Olde Connecticut.


Centennial Commemoration of the Burning of Fairfield


Historical Sermons of Hewit, Humphrey, Atwater, Rankin and Child.


Fisher's-Life of Prof. Benjamin Silliman.


Davis'-Memoirs of Aaron Burr.


Dwight's-Travels in New England and New York.


Barber's-Historical Collection.


Trumbull's-History of Connecticut.


Hollister's-History of Connecticut.


Lossing's-Field Book of the American Revolution.


Todd's-Genealogy of the Burr Family.


Wakeman's-Genealogy of the Wakeman Family.


Child's-An Old New England Town.


A Colonial Witch. A Puritan Wooing.


An Unknown Patriot.


Friend or Foe.


The House with Sixty Closets.


Wright's-The Friendship of Nature (Pictures of Fairfield Scenery).


Wright's-Flowers and Ferns in their Haunts (Descriptive of Fairfield Flora).


Beers'-John Jones. Beers'-Judge Roger M. Sherman.


72


Perry's-The Great Swamp Fight in Fairfield. Perry's-Andrew Ward, An Historical Sketch


Child's-Ministers in the Prime Ancient Society. Centennial of the Fairfield Academy.


Annual Reports of the Fairfield Historical Society.


Unveiling of the Andrew Ward Monument.


Laying of the Corner Stone of Fairfield Memorial Library.


Dedication of Memorial Library, 1903.


Report of the Fairfield Fresh Air Home.


Report of the Fairfield Fresh Air Hospital for Convalescent Soldiers.


The Sixth Sanctuary.


Mrs. Kate E. Perry's-The Old Burying Ground of Fairfield.


Town's-Detail of the American Revolution.


Taylor's-Roger Ludlow, The Colonial Lawmaker.


History of the Pequot War-Contemporary Accounts of Mason, Underhill, Vincent and Gardener-Reprinted from the Collec- tions of the Massachusetts Historical Society.


Memoirs of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge, prepared by Himself.


Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of Connecticut.


Beardsley's-History of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.


Hinman's-Connecticut in the American Revolution.


Bulkley's-Mill River, Southport, Reminiscences of the Past. Higgings'-Dorothy Q. Hancock.


Beers'-Major Nathan Gold.


Mill's-Manuscript Notes on Fairfield.


Mill's-Notes for Meeting of Colonial Dames at "Mailands," Oct. 12th, 1905.


Child's-Major Nathan Gold.


Memorial of Nathaniel Hewit, D.D.


Memorial of Heman Humphrey, D.D.


Atwater's-Address on Judge Roger M. Sherman.


Auxiliary, No. 29-American National Red Cross Relief Com- mittee.


Sturges'-Social and Intellectual Life in Old Fairfield.


Todd's-History of Redding.


الـ


SAVED FROM THE BURNING, 1779


73


Hurd's. History of Fairfield County. 1 The Fairfield Gazette (1787).


Child's-"A Church of the Established Religion in Connecti- cut"-"Being an Historical Sketch of the First Church of Christ and the Prime Ancient Society of Fairfield," Commem- orating the Two Hundred and Seventieth Anniversary of Public Worship in Town.


The Southport Chronicle.


The Fairfield Record.


The Weekly Times.


Manuscripts-Genealogical, Descriptive and Historical-belong- ing to the Fairfield Historical Society.


Osborne's-Captain Samuel Smedley.


74.


. THE REV. ANDREW ELIOT, A. M., TO HIS FATHER, THE REV. ANDREW ELIOT, D. D.


"FAIRFIELD, MAY 21St, 1778 Rev. and Hon'd Sir :


Can you think it? On Monday Evening in Election Week-In Hartford, the Capital of the State-in the Court House-the place where the Fathers of the Senate meet-at the most public time, and in the most public manner, was acted Tancred and Sigismunda, by the Junior Sophister Class of Yale College, who had been forbidden to act the same at Glastonbury (where they have lately studied) and who embraced the opportunity of vacation and secured the Court House for the purpose. To this succeeded a farce of their own composing in which Gen'ls Burgoyne and Prescot were intro- duced. To keep up the characters of these Generals, especially Prescot, they were obliged (I believe not to their sorrow), to indulge in very indecent and profane language.


The audience consisted of the Gentry of Hartford and the vicinity, and a number of strangers, among whom were Dr. Rodgers and Mr. Tennent. These Rev'd Gentlemen were much offended at the profane language introduced. What adds to the illegality of the affair is that the actors were not only dressed agreeable to the characters they assumed as Men, but female apparel and ornaments were put on some, contrary to an express statute. Besides it cost the lads sixty pounds ster- ling to prepare for the exhibition."


MILL, PLAIN GREEN


75


.


"THE BURNING OF FAIRFIELD." BY TIMOTHY DWIGHT.


"On yon bright plain, with beauty gay,"


" Where waters wind and cattle play,"


" Where gardens, groves and orchards bloom,"


"Unconscious of her coming doom,"


"Once Fairfield smiled. The tidy dome,"


"Of pleasure and of peace, the home,"


"There rose ; and there the glittering spire,"


"Secure from sacrilegious fire."


"And now no scenes had brighter smiled,"


"No skies, with purer splendor mild,"


"No greener wreath had crowned the spring,"


"Nor sweeter breezes spread the wing,"


"Nor streams through gayer margins rolled,"


"Nor harvests waved with richer gold,"


"Nor flocks on brighter hillocks played,"


"Nor groves intwined a safer shade."


"But o'er her plains, infernal war"


" Has whirled the terrors of his car,"


" The vengeance poured of wasting flame,"


"And blackened man with endless shame."


F84616.158


5990H





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.