Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV, Part 49

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Clement, E. H. (Edward Henry), 1843- joint ed. cn; Hart, Samuel, 1845-1917, joint ed; Talcott, Mary Kingsbury, 1847-1917, joint ed; Bostwick, Frederick, 1852- , joint ed; Stearns, Ezra Scollay, 1838-1915, joint ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1178

USA > Connecticut > Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV > Part 49

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).

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costing my life, and it was some time before I re- covered. In December our captain resigned for a more important charge, and under command of an- other, we sailed for the West Indies. Through the winter we cruised about the islands, captured four prizes, which safely arrived at the several ports to which they were sent. In the following spring we returned to New Bedford, when I and a num- ber of others applied for a discharge. Some time after this the Defense was ordered to Boston to be ent in two and lengthened. We were discharged and in the early summer I returned to my parents after an absence of thirteen months, and for the services rendered in the Defense' at this early age 1 am now receiving a pension. After remaining at home three or four months I found a number of my associates were joining a company in Fairfield to go to New London to a privateer that was being fitted out. and I resolved at once to go. I knew my parents would not willingly give their consent to my going, so one evening I bundled un a few clothes and threw them to the ground from the chamber window. mingled again with the family. and as opportunity offered walked out. took up my bun- dle of clothes and went to Fairfield. where I joined the company and repaired to Black Rock. thence to New London. We soon went to sea, and as we fell in with no vessels, concluded to repair to the Western Islands and intercept vessels bound for Quebec. Shortly after we captured a British ves- sel bound for this port, and ordered her back to New Bedford. I was one of the crew put op board. It was thirty-nine days before we made land. and for thirteen days were in want of provisions, sub- sisting mostly on English damaged biscuit boiled in beer. ( The arrival of the brig safely seemed almost a miracle. after passing by all the British ports, and not meeting with a single British sail.) Shortly after this I took passage in a privateer sloop for New London. Having arrived here. and ashamed to go home, having earned nothing. I en- listed in the Brig 'Nancy' and sailed. on the first of November for the West Indies. After cruising for some time without success we sailed for Cay- enne. on the Surinam coast. Much time was spent here. We, however, resumed the cruise on the first of January. Off Antigua we were run down by what we supposed was a British vessel, but which proved to be the American privateer 'Bunker Holl,' from Boston. This unlucky mistake broke up our cruise and we bore up for home, arriving at New London in about fifteen days, after a cruise of five months. Here we found the Defense,' bound for Fairfield, and I with a number of our crew took passage in her for Black Rock, not, however, to reach the latter place in this vessel, fur we went back to New London. The ship brought up on a reef and was lost. and again I started for home in a galley. Arriving at Black Rock I gathered up my clothes and started for home. with a full deter- mination to follow in the future some other husi- ness beside privateering. I was joyinily welcomed. notwithstanding my last two years had given my parents so much trouble and anxiety. My time now was mostly employed in going to school and taking vacancies to keep guard. At the beginning of the year 1779 I enlisted with a company of forty men under command of Captain E. Thorp. The guard was stationed close to the beach on the east side of Kinsey's Point; night only required close watch. But on the 7th of July, standing alone on the place now occupied by Oliver Perry. Esq., I saw two hun- dred British land on the hill opposite. They at once commenced the burning of Fairfield. At the

opening of the year 17So my time expired, and for this land service I am receiving a pension ( :841) which, with my year's sea service, is termed a full pension. On April, 1780, I sailed for Nantucket with Captain Stephen Thorp, where I with his con- sent enlisted for a cruise to the West Indies. At Providence we found our vessel ready for sea. We sailed the 20th of April for the island of Cuba. About the middle of May, when approaching our destination, the ship came suddenly on a sunken reef, but by the captain's strategem was saved, and we again made sail for Ilispamola. entering in two or three days the harbor of St. Francis. Here we repaired damages. This incessant labor caused much sickness. 1 was brought very low with inter- mittent fever. Captain Gardiner was very kind to me. showing a father's solicitude for me. I still grew weaker and all hopes of recovery were given up. I thought if I could be at home 1 should die content. but the idea of breathing my last in a for- eign land, was most painful. A physician brought on board by the captain left a vial with my attend- ant. telling him to give me a few drops in water every half hour. Upon taking the first spoonful it seemed to me like fire through my whole system, giving new life and animation, and I recovered slowly from that very hour, and in two or three weeks could walk about deck with assistance. On the first of July we sailed for Philadelphia. and on the morning of the fifteenth arrived off Cape Hen- lopen. All were in high spirits, expecting to be in Philadelphia that night. While waiting for a pilot we were boarded and taken possession of by two schooners of New York. The captors offered our crew their liberty if they would assist in getting the "Saily" afloat (for she had been aground on a place called the Sheer), they gladly accepted the proposal. Being still feeble, Ilay in my berth. One of the refugees ordered me on deck; as I was as- cending the companion way slowly the ruffian aimed a blow at me with a lynch staff which just grazed my side. Ahour sun down I, with the rest of the sick, were put in a boat and shoved off from the "Sally" and landed on Cape Henlopen beach; draz- ging our boat across the beach into Lewiston creek, we rowed pp to Lewiston, where we arrived at 10 o'clock at night. In the morning a sailor kindly gave me a straw hat, which was very acceptable. as I had nothing to screen my head from the scorching sun. I went across the street to an emmence to see if I could discover any signs of the "Sally" and her captors ; not one of them was to be seen. I learned afterwards that after getting the "Sally" afloat the refugees violated their promise to aberate the crew. confined them in a prison ship in New York, where nearly all of them died. As I stood upon the Fil! looking for my lost comrades my feelings can be better imagined than described. It was a beautiful morning. about wheat harvest, the level fields cov- ered with grain as far as the eye could reach. the birds singing, the quails whistling. and all nature seemed joyons; I alone was miserable, enfeebled by my long sickness, without friends or money, far from home. my shipmates all gone. despair overcame me, and I burst into tears. Recovering my spirits niter a while. I returned to the village: the land- lody gave me a bowl of bread and milk, the first food I had tasted since leaving the ship. The pilot who brought us ashore took me with him to Cape May, where was his home, and brought me to the Pilots' Hotel, kept by Mr. Buck, making known to him my circumstances. Mr. Buck weic mid me with much kindness, telling me to stay with him til I was fully recovered. I remained with him nearly

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three weeks, and being now quite well again, I de- termined to return to Philadelphia. On taking leave of Mr. Buck and his family. I expressed ny fears that I might never be able to make hum any return for his kindness and attention to me. He re- plied, 'You may yet become a useful member of society ; if you do. and you meet a person in dis- tress, relieve him, and in that way you will recom- pense me.' Some months afterwards I bought in St. Thomas a set of china as a present for Mrs. Buck. I sent it by one of our crew who proved to be a thief and never delivered it. While in Phila- delphia I agreed to go with Capt. Matthews in his market boat, and made three trips with him. When being fully recovered in health. I shipped in brig "Joanna" for St. Thomas. for So the run. After a short passage we arrived at St. Thomas. Our re- turn cargo was salt: each of the crew had the privilege of 4 bags (8 bushels) to be sold for their benefit in Pluladelphia. After a passage of six or seven weeks we reached Philadelphia, and on dis- charging the cargo my bags of salt were missing. This was a serious loss to ine, as it cost little, and then sold for four dollars a bushel. I .afterwards learned that the same rascal to whom I entrusted the set of china for Mrs. Buck had stolen my bags of salt and sold them in the night. I received the wages for my last voyage. deducting the physician's hill at St. Thomas, and after a few days shipped on a brig for Havana. With what I had saved and a month's advance. I laid out Sto for flour, cheese, and apples, on my own account. In 15 days we anchored at Havana. Our cargo was in great de- mand, flour $20 per barrel. cheese 75 cents a pound, and other articles in proportion. I bought from a boat having such articles for sale, a powder-horn made in 'Moro Castle.' on which was a representa- tion of the Spanish Crown. the Castle, and the ves- sels going in and out of the harhor of Havana, which I gave to my granddaughter. Mary Josephine Bulkley. in 184t, having owned it myself sixty years. We sailed from Havana, and on the 20th of Feb- ruary, after an absence of three months, arrived in Philadelphia. On settling up my voyage I found myself in possession of over Sioo. After providing myself with necessary clothing. still having $80 mn silver. I turned my thoughts homewards. At Kings Ferry, fifty miles above New York, on my way home. I met an old acquaintance. Gershom Bulk- ley, whom I accompanied to Mill River, arriving at home on the first of April. after an absence of a year. Remaining two weeks at home, I went to Boston with Capt. Peters, discharged cargo, and re- turned to Middletown. when I took my discharge and walked to Black Rock in one day. Through the summer of 178: I was engaged on a small brig owned by the inhabitants of Mill River. Early in 1782 I went with Capt. Stephen Thorp to Rhode Island, and continued in the same vessel through the summer. In the autumn I visited my uncle Moses Bulkley, who lived back in the country, and bought of him the land on which I now ( 1811 ) live. for fifty dollars. In December I joined one of the boats from Fairfield, in a projected expedition to take some British forts on Long Island. From this time until peace was declared in the following spring. I was engaged in no affair of partienlar moment. In April, 1783, news of peace arrived, which caused great rejoicing. Everybody was anxions to visit New York, which had heen in possession of the enemy seven years. I went in April. While there I engaged to go to New Providence in a small sloop owned by George Brown. We arrived safely

in New Providence, disposed of our cargo, took in a return cargo, and started again for New York. I was now put in charge of the sloop. and sailed for Nova Scotia, taking with me Capt. Brown and wife. and a number of his friends. A part of my passen- gers and himself and wife landed at Granville and put up temporary houses. Afterwards Capt. Brown laid out a town at Beaver's Harbor, and urged me to take a lot. I declined at first. but he insisting, I ac- cepted one, and gave James Tucker a power of at- torney with ten dollars to take care of it for me. but 1 never went there again to claim it. In Septem- ber we sailed for Boston. remained there a few days, and in October sailed again for Nova Scotia. Here the sloop was laid up for the winter, but thinking it would not do to be idle long. I made a voyage to Boston, returning to Nova Scotia in 1784. the beginning of the year. I remained three months, visiting the families I had brought here. May fol- lowing made a voyage to Boston, and in July one to New York. In August, after a monthly visit in the Bay. I sailed again for New York. taking with me Capt. Brown and his family, who had sold out in Nova Scotia. We arrived in October. We sailed the same month for Jamaica; a few days out experienced severe weather. Coming up with Turks Island, as I was asleep in the cabin, I dreamed that I saw land and reefs of rocks ahead. Waking sud- denly, visibly impressed with my dream. I hurried on deck, and found the vessel running directly for the land and reefs just as they had appeared in my dream. She would undoubtedly have run ashore in a few minutes had [ not in this singular manner been warned of our danger. Arriving safely at Kingston, we discharged our cargo in three weeks, and in November cleared for New York, arriving there the 5th of January, 1785. On settling with the owners for my services there was due me for the last nineteen months $200, which Capi. Brown paid me in gold, one of which pieces I have always retained. I now returned home. where I remaine 1 six weeks, but not contented to remain longer idie. I engaged as mate with Capt. Joseph Bartram, and made a voyage in a sloop to North Carolina; re- turned home in April. I was now solicited by Miah Perry to take part of a vessel with him, which I concluded to do. On one occasion when Mr. Perry and I were in Marblehead with a cargo of flax, we were swindled out of about Stoo worth of it by one whom we thought would help us sell it. We felt quite sore at our loss, as it was the commencement of our coasting business. I continued in the same business during the summer of 1785. between Mill River. New York, and New Haven. In the autumn of this year I was married to Mary Ogden, daughter of Jonathan Ogden, who died in 1775. when she was only five years old. He would often call her to him and say, 'My poor Polly, what will become of you?' In the spring of 1,86 [ built a house, which is still standing near where I now live. In the autumn Mr. Perry and I dissolved all further connection in the way of business. Unaccustomed to idle habits. I went as mate in a brig to Point Peter. about sixty miles from Cape Francis We lay here three months, returning to Black Rock in April, 1-8- In the spring of this year I bought out Mian Perry's part of the sloop, and cortinged in the coasting trade the next year: sold out soon after. and bought part of another vessel. Continuing this business for a time I increased my vessel property as means would allow, and as my sons grew up placed them in business with myself, and so have continued, father and sons being equally united."

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The shipping firm of E. Bulkley & Sons, of New York, founded in this way. in 1788. continues until the present time. He died February 5, 1843, a man known for his kind heart and goodness, his active mind and lively interest in the welfare of his country. Chil- dren: Jonathan, born November 26, 1780; Andrew, mentioned below: Lot. July 13, 1794; Moses, September 18, 1796; George, February 2, 1800 : Charles, January 5. 1804.

(VI) Andrew, son of Eleazer Bulkley, was born at Southport, Connecticut, May 23. 1789. and died March 18, 1867. He married, Au- gust 11, 1815, Sally Dimon, of Southport, who died December 28. 1868, aged 86. He was representative of his town in state legis- lature three times, and always showed great interest in public affairs. He was associated with his brothers in commercial business. Children : 1. Edwin, mentioned below : Julia Perry, died young: Mary Josephine. born 1819; Lewis Dimon and Louisa Dimon (twins), 1821.

(VII) Edwin, son of Andrew Bulkley, was born December 2. 1817, in Southport. He married, July 7. 1846, Helen, daughter of Gurdon Perry, of Southport, Connecticut. He was a prominent paper manufacturer. having mills in New York and Massachusetts. firm of Bulkley & Company. He died in 1881, in Southport. Children: 1. Helena Perry, born July, 1849. 2. Andrew, baptized September 15. 1850. 3. Moses, born 1852. 4. Theodora. 1854. 5. Sarah Camillia. 1858. 6. Jonathan, 1860, resides in New York City. 7. Grace Alice, married Fred Moss. 8. Estella. de- ceased.

(II) Simon (2) Hunt- HUNTINGTON ington, son of Simon ( 1) Huntington (q. v.), was born in England about 1630 and came to America' on the ill-fated voyage with his mother in 1633. He settled in Norwich and was a member of Mr. Fitch's church there. He was a deacon of the church until 1696, when his son succeeded him. He was mem- ber of the general assembly in 1674, had a grant of land in 1686, was townsman in 1600- 94. In 1694 he was on a committee to search out and report the deficiencies in the public records. He served on the committee to seat the meeting house, 1697, and in 1700 was on a committee to give deeds and fix titles of lands in dispute or with defective title. He married, October, 1653. Sarah. daughter of Joseph Clark, of Windsor, Connecticut. She died 1721. aged eighty-eight. He died at Norwich, June 28, 1706, aged seventy-seven. Children: 1. Sarah, born at Saybrook. An-

gust, 1654, married Dr. Solomon Tracy. 2. Mary, born at Saybrook, August, 1657, mar- ried Forbes, of Preston. 3. Simon, born at Saybrook, February, 1659, succeeded his father as deacon. 4. Joseph, born Sep- tember, 1661, mentioned below. 5. Elizabeth, born at Norwich, February, 1664, died young. 6. Samuel, born at Norwich, March 1, 1665. 7. Elizabeth, born at Norwich. October 6, 1666, married Joseph Backus. 8. Nathaniel, horn at Norwich, July 10, 1672, died young. 9. Daniel, born at Norwich, March 13, 1675- 76

( III) Joseph, son of Simon (2) Hunting- ton, was born at Norwich, in September, 1661, died at Windham, December 29. 1747. In 1687 he went to Windham, Connecticut. and built his house, materials from which were used in the construction of the house now on his old farm. He was elected deacon in Wind- ham Church in 1729. He owned land in Wil- limantic and in Windham. He married. No- vember 28. 1787, Rebecca. daughter of Dea- con Thomas Adgate. Children: I. Deacon Joseph. born at Norwich. August 29, 1688, married, July 6, 1719, Elizabeth Ripley. 2. Nathaniel, born at Norwich. September 1, 1691, mentioned below. Born at Windham: 3. Jonathan, born October 7. 1595, married (first) November 7, 1734, Elizabeth Rock- well: (second) August 7, 1754. Sarah Nor- ton. 4. David. born December 6, 1697. mar- ried, June 30, 1725, Mary Mason, born Au- gust 31. 1707. 5. Solomon, born February 6. 1700, married, October 31. 1727. Mary Buckingham. 6. Rebecca, born doubtless 1702, married. January 24, 1734. John Crane. 7. Sarah, born May 25. 1706, married, March 28, 1728. Ebenezer Wright. 8. Mary, born August 4. 1707. married Theophilus Fitch .. of Canterbury.

(IV) Nathaniel, son of Joseph Huntington. was born at Norwich. September 1. 1691. died at Scotland, Windham county, Connecticut. December 2, 176 ;. He went to Windham when very young and settled in that part of the town set off as Scotland. He was a farm- er and clothier. He married, February 28. 1723, Mehitable Thurston. of Bristol. Rhode Island. born June 8. 1700, died October 4. 1,81. Children, born at Windham: 1. Na- thaniel. born November 25. 1724. graduate of Yale College in 1747. settled at Ellington. 1749. died April 28. 1756: married Jerusha Ellsworth. 2. Abigail, born June 27. 1727, married, November 7. 1750. Richard Kimbail. Jr., of Scotland. 3. Mehitable, born August 8. 1729. married. November 24. 1748, Zebu- lon Webb. 4. Samuel, born July 3. 1731. a very prominent man. governor of Connecticut.

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5. Jonathan, born June 17, 1733. 6. Joseph, born May 5, 1735, mentioned below. 7. Eli- phalet, born April 24, 1737, married, Novem- ber II, 1762, Dinah Rudd. 8. Enoch, born December 15, 1739, graduate of Yale College in 1759, minister of the First Church at Mid- dletown, Connecticut, ordained January 6, 1762, a life-long pastorate ; married, at Wind- ham. July 17, 1764, Mary Gray. 9. Sybbel, born October 22, 1742, married, June 29, 1763, Rev. John Eels, of Glastonbury. 10. Elijah, born February 7, 1,46, died October 22, 1753. -

(V) Rev. Dr. Joseph (2) Huntington, son of Nathaniel Huntington, was born at Wind- ham, May 5, 1735, died December 25, 1794. He graduated from Yale College in 1762. His father attempted to make him a clothier, much against the wishes of the son, who was ambitious for a professional career. Encour- aged by his pastor, Rev. Mr. Devotion, he fit- ted for college and upon graduating was called to the First Church of Coventry, Connecticut. He was installed as pastor, June 29, 1763, and continued there as long as he lived. At the outset conditions were very unfavorable. The meeting house had fallen into decay and re- ligion itself was out of favor. He set to work to restore the church to its proper status. He raised a fund of $5,000 and built one of the finest structures in the province at that time. He united his people and kept the parish in a prosperous state. He grew in reputation year by year and was sought for president of Dart- mouth College to succeed President Wheelock, though the plans of his supporters were not carried out. In 1780 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Dartmouth and in the same year was elected an overseer of Yale College and continued in that office until 1788. He had a call to the parish at Huntington, Long Island, in 1792, but after some consid- eration declined it. He was attractive physi- cally as well as mentally, of fine proportions, graceful in walk and gesture, of ready wit. He possessed great stores of anecdotes and had a marvelous facility in relating them. His rare social gifts made him a most agreeable companion, a dear friend and a revered pas- tor.

Dr. Abbott, of Petersborough, New Hamp- shire, said of him :

"Dr. Huntington was a man of fine personal ap- pearance and of engaging manners. His intellectual adornments also were much above mediocre. His perception was quick, his memory retentive, his wit ready, exuberant and agreeable. He was much re- spected and exerted a very considerable influence in the community at large. Dr. Huntington was undoubtedly one of the most popular preachers of the day. He spoke extemporaneously, seldom writ-

ing more than a skeleton of the principal topics of a discourse. During the greater part of his life his reputation was very high."

Another said :

"Ile seemed to have an instinctive desire to make everybody around him happy."

In his views he was far in advance of his generation, but though tolerant and liberal in his faith, he was tactful in expression. In- deed, it has been said that he preached Uni- versalism for twenty years and was never sus- pected except by those who relished it. He made a declaration of his beliefs. however, in a pamphlet published after his death and of- fended the orthodox element greatly. He knew that he was a century in advance of the religious thought of his day. The pamphlet "Calvinism Improved" would meet with little criticism in his denomination, if published to- day. He preached the election sermon in 1784 and that and various other sermons were printed.

He married (first) in 1764, Hannah, daugh- ter of Rev. Ebenezer Devotion. She died Sep- tember 25, 1771, aged twenty-six years. He married (second) Elizachth Hall, who died in 1806, aged fifty-eight. Children: 1. Joseph, born September 13, 1767, mentioned below. 2. Sammuel, October 4. 1765, lawyer at Pains- ville, Ohio. 3. Frances, September 15, 1769, married Rev. D. E. D. Griffin. 4. Septimus, June 17. 1773. 5. Elizabeth, August 22, 1,74, inarried Amasa Jones. 6. George W., April 18, 1776. 7. Septimus G., April 14, 1778. 8. Hannah. December 22. 1779. 9. Henry. Au- gust 20, 1781. 10. Lucretia, September 29, 1783. 11. Penelope. April 21, 1788. 12. James, November 9. 1,90.

(VI) Joseph (3), son of Rev. Dr. Joseph (2) Huntington, was born at Coventry, Con- necticut. September 13. 1767, died August 19, 1794. He graduated from Dartmouth College and was admitted to the bar in Tolland county, Connecticut. He went to Washington county, Georgia, and began to practice his profession there. In April. 1,94. hie removed to Charles- ton. South Carolina, and was killed in a duel. Ile married, at 1;88, Mirza Dorr, sister of the famous Rev. Lorenzo Dorr. an itinerant Meth- odist preacher. traveler and writer. She died at Coventry, January 30, 1855. Children: I. Flavius Josephus, born at Coventry. May 13, 1789. 2. Edward Gay, mentioned below.

(VII) Edward Guy, son of Joseph (3) Huntington, was born in Washington county. Georgia. October 22, 1792, died at Coventry, Connecticut. September 15, 1857. He was a farmer at South Coventry. a prominent citi- zen, deacon of the First Congregational

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Church. He married (first) December S. 1814, Nancy Loomis, who died in 1827. He married (second) January 27, 1831, Eliza, daugliter of John Clark, a native of Lebanon, Connecticut, soldier in the revolution, farmer of Coventry, died there January 5. 1847, aged ninety-five: married Lucy Hammond. Chil- dren of Edward G. and Nancy ( Loomis ) Huntington, born at South Coventry. I. Joseph, January 9. 1818, died September 12, 1818. 2. Lonisa P., July 12, 1821, died De- cember 13, 1828. 3. Samuel. March 6, 1824: married Mary Ruggles. Children of Edward G. and Eliza (Clark ) Huntington : 4. James, mentioned below. 5. Edward Griffin, Septem- ber 17, 1837. died October 10, 1838. 6. Maria, October 22, 1843, resided at Coventry.

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