USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Cornwall > Historical records of the town of Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut; > Part 31
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Philo Sedgwick, son of Benjamin, of the seventh generation, married Eliza, daughter of William Adams of Canaan, Oct. 2, 1833, and had children : William, b. Nov. 7, 1834, d. March 12, 1835; Ada Louise, b. March 16, 1836, d. Dec. 2, 1866; John Benja- min, b. Jan. 25, 1840, d. Oct. 18, 1867; Emily, b. April, 1842; Harry, b. May 6, 1848.
Philo Sedgwick was a lawyer, and resided for many years at Harrisburg, Pa., but afterwards returned to Cornwall. He died Nov. 20, 1868. Of his children, John B. m. Catherine, dau. of Noah Rogers, and had two children: Emily m. Harlan Page Tracy of Elmwood, Ill., June 16, 1869, and have one son, John Sedgwick, b. Sept. 19, 1872; Harry m. Katharine M., dau. of Newton Reed of Amenia, N. Y., Jan. 1, 1869, and have children: Emily Irene, b. Nov. 13, 1870, d. Dec. 23, 1870; Benjamin,* b. July 3, 1872; Clara Benton, b. Jan. 25, 1874, and John, b. March 17, 1876.
Major-General John Sedgwick was killed at Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 9, 1864. His record is given elsewhere. The following extract from a letter written when he was a lieutenant, to Dr. S. W. Gold, is here given as part of his history:
* At the semi-centennial at North Cornwall, July 19, 1876, James Douglas Gold, Benjamin Sedgwick, and Dwight Rogers were appointed a committee of arrangements for the next semi-centennial, 1926.
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
CITY OF MEXICO, November 28, 1847.
MY DEAR DOCTOR :
My last letter from home was dated July 8th, and but one opportunity has occurred of sending letters from here since, with any certainty of their reaching their destination. This necessary grievance has now been remedied by the occupation of the dangerous passes with our troops, and we now anticipate the pleasure of hearing from home at least once a month. The important political events that transpire in the States, are brought here either by the English courier or Mexican mails ; the Mexi- can government being much better and sooner informed of the numbers and destinations of all reinforcements that General Scott receives than he is himself-the first, and very often the only, information that he receives of the arrival of troops is through the Mexican government. You have no doubt seen more fully the details of the battles fought here in the Valley, than I could give you in a short letter. . Allow me to relate a little incident, which, I think, reflects much credit on my regi- ment. During the severe battle of Cherubusco, an aide-de-camp of our brigade went to General Worth to report the progress ; but before he could speak, General Worth says: "How is this, sir; I hear that your brigade has given back ?" The aide said : "No, sir, I have just left the advance, where the Second Artillery are warmly engaged with the enemy ; not a man has fallen back, and what is more, they will drive the enemy from their position in fifteen minutes." This was done, although not in the time he mentioned. This was told me by Lieut. Thorne, the aide, who is the son of Colonel Thorne that has resided many years in Paris,
and of whom you have no doubt heard. In the action above mentioned, the color-bearer was shot down, and the colors taken by a sergeant of my company. Just before we reached the breast-work of the enemy, and when the balls were flying the thickest, the sergeant said to me : " Lieutenant, shall I shake out the colors, to let the Mexicans know who are after them ? " so confident was every soldier in the result. This same sergeant, in the battle of the 13th-the day we entered the city-was stricken down by a grape-shot, by my side. In falling, he said : " Push on, Lieutenant, and get out of this fire; they have got me at last;" but what was my surprise, in two hours, to see the sergeant join the com- pany, cheering the men on, as if nothing had happened. The ball had struck his shoulder, depriving him for a time of his breath, but not proving a serious wound. This was the most serious place I was ever in. Seven men nearest me were struck with this discharge. You can imagine something how serious ; we were advancing down the street, with houses on one side and an aqueduct on the other, and across this street was placed three twelve-pounders, pouring a terrible fire of grape-shot. But we had the satisfaction of taking those guns, and sleeping that night, for the first time, in the great city of the Aztecs. For this night, and the two previous ones, I had slept out, without a blanket to cover me, or anything but a erust of hard bread to eat. You may imagine I was very much exhausted, but add to this, that when we lay down, there was every prospect that the battle would be renewed the next morning. Although we knew we were inside the gates of the city, and that nothing could prevent our taking it, yet we did not believe that they would give it up without one more effort. Such, however, was the case. About midnight a deputation arrived from the city, saying that the troops were leaving, and wanted to make some terms of surrender. Gen- eral Scott told them it was immaterial to him whether the troops left or not; that at 10 o'clock in the morning he would be in the Palace, and there he would dictate terms to them. Early the next morning (day- light) the troops were all under farms, General Worth's division in
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advance, when a shout came from the rear that could be heard for miles, each regiment taking it up, and presently General Scott rode up, in full uniform, with his staff, speaking a few words as he passed the different regiments. Here General Quitman's division passed ours, and marched to the main Plaza, and had the honor to first plant their colors in the Halls of the Montezumas. There was, however, a good deal of firing from the houses all day, but with little execution. Thus has ended the second fall of the City of Mexico, and if so many gallant achievements have not been performed as were by the cavaliers under Cortez, the result is the same. Our loss has been terrible since we first entered the Valley. All that left Puebla were capable of undergoing almost any fatigue. Of fifty-two men that I brought from Puebla, twenty-six have been killed or wounded. Thank God, I have yet been spared, and I trust that He will still keep me to visit again all my friends. I have enjoyed most excellent health since I entered the Valley ; the weather is as mild as May with you, but at all seasons can you look in all directions and see the snow-capped mountains. The most famous of them is Popocatapet] ; from this the smoke is frequently seen, and lava and ashes running down its side. There are others, the most perfect craters you can imagine- some where the second eruption has taken place, making a perfect cone on the shoulders of the first.
Sincerely yours, J. S.
THE SHEPARD FAMILY.
Allen Shepard came to Cornwall from Newtown, with his family, in 1798. His son Eliphalet H. Shepard was born in New- town, 1789; m. July 7, 1813, Mary, dau. of Judah Kellogg, d. Aug. 12, 1865, leaving four children: George H., Charles N., who resided in Brooklyn, N. Y., and died unmarried at West Cornwall, July 23, 1876, Elbert, and Harriett.
Elbert, b. May 2, 1824, m. May 31, 1846, Cynthia L., dau. of George Wheaton, and has one son, George W., b. December 25, 1854.
Mr. Shepard is a farmer, residing at West Cornwall at this time, 1878, represents the town in the General Assembly, and has held many offices of trust. He is a Methodist, and a prominent sup- porter of that denomination, but his generous donation to the chapel at West Cornwall, and especially the gift from himself and his family of the location, will ever remain as a testimonial of their liberal Christian spirit.
Eliphalet Shepard was a Methodist, an earnest worker in that denomination; a man pure and peaceable, and much respected by his fellow-citizens.
George H. Shepard resides in Brooklyn, N. Y., and married first wife, Hannah Woolsey, June 3, 1840, by which marriage he had one daughter, Phebe. Hannah d. June 20, 1844, and he m. second wife, Oct. 7, 1847, and had children: Charles Edward, Jessie Wool- sey, Elizabeth Silliman, Mary Cynthia, and George 'Augustus.
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Harriett married Morris Tuttle, Oct. 14, 1867; resides in Goshen, and has no children.
THE NORTH FAMILY.
Dr. Joseph North resided north of the Carrington Todd place, and practiced medicine for many years. He died September 22, 1848, aged 76. He had children: Ethel, who went West, had a family, and died there ; Dr. Burritt B. (d. July 18, 1876, æ. 72), m. Maria L. Pierce, and had children, George, William, Paschal, Alice, Roland; Dr. Loomis went to Bethlem, m. Miss Bird, removed to New Britain, where he died; had one son Edward, and one daughter Jennie; Joseph (d. 1877) m. Mary Miner, and had children; Dr. Hammond of Goshen, Mary, George, William, Min- nie, and Ella ; Mary m. Chester Birge, and lived in New Britain.
THE WEBB FAMILY.
Darius Webb came from Warren in 1832, as agent of the Corn- wall Bridge Furnace, where he remained about twenty years. He then went to Wyandotte, Mich., where he established a successful furnace. His son, J. J. Webb, in 1835 went to Rahway, N. J., and in 1844 engaged as a trader to Santa Fé. At that time, Inde- pendence, Missouri, was the starting-point for transporting goods across the plains to Mexico. The teams employed were mostly oxen, sometimes mules; load about three tons, twenty-five teams of six yoke each, and about fifty men in each train. His first pas- sage required seventy days; the second, eighty-three. He followed this business for fourteen years, when, returning to Connecticut, Mr. Webb purchased a farm in Hamden. His success as a farmer is well known, and his testimony that "Connecticut is a good place for a farmer," is the more valuable from his wide experience and familiarity with the broad fields of the West.
JOHN T. ANDREW,
a native of the county of New Haven, was born July 19, 1811, graduated at Yale, 1839; studied theology in the Yale Theological Seminary, and graduated in 1842 with the highest honors of his class. Prevented from entering upon his chosen profession by bronchial disease, after waiting two years, spent partly in teaching a select school in Cornwall, and finding little improvement of his voice, he turned his attention to agriculture, and, in 1847, pur- chased a farm near West Cornwall, and engaged in his new calling with great enthusiasm and success. He has written occasional articles for the press on subjects chiefly agricultural; has been an active member of various local, and vice-president of the National
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Agricultural Society. In 1861 he retired to the village of Corn- wall, where he has since resided. His fellow-citizens have employed his leisure time in various services requiring intelligence, learning, and taste. He has been deeply interested in the cause of education, long a member, and during several years chairman of the Board of School Visitors. He has been among the most active in all village improvements, and has contributed liberally to works of benevolence and philanthropy. He became in early youth a member of the Christian church, and spent the best years of his life in preparation for its ministry. That early hope he has long since relinquished, but has never forgotten his early consecration to the elevation of man through the general prevalence of learning and good morals, based on a pure Christianity.
The marriage of Mr. Andrew was on the 9th of September, 1839, to Jane Ann, the daughter of Caleb Jones of Cornwall, mentioned elsewhere in this record. They have had no children.
The family of Mr. Andrew is found among the earliest which came to this country. William and Mary, the first family now known in this genealogy, cotemporaneous with Shakspeare, came to this country and died at Cambridge, Mass., A. D. 1639.
Samuel, their son, b. 1621, m. Elizabeth White, dau. of John White, England, 1652, and d. in Cambridge, Mass., 1701.
Samuel, second son of Samuel and Elizabeth, was born in Cam- bridge in 1655; graduated at Harvard in 1675; settled as pastor in Milford, Conn., 1685, and died there in 1738.
Jonathan, son of Samuel, 2d, b. at Milford, 1701, m. 1723, and left among other children, Jonathan, 2d, b. 1730.
Jonathan, 2d, had children, the eldest of which, John, left two sons, Jonathan and Munson, the former of whom was father to John T., the subject of this sketch. Of the generations of the family now known, he is the eighth, thus:
1. William, b. 15-, d. 1639.
2. Samuel, b. 1621, d. 1701.
3. Samuel, 2d, b. 1655, d. 1737.
4. Jonathan, b. 1701, d. 1740.
5. Jonathan, 2d, b. 1730.
6. John.
7. Jonathan.
8. John T., b. 1811.
Among the names in this line more or less distinguished, was
41
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
that of Samuel in the second generation, living from 1621 to 1701. The inscription on his monument in the old burial ground in Cam- bridge, as quoted in Harris' Book of Epitaphs, is as follows: " Here lies buried ye body of Samuel Andrew, aged about 80 years-died June 21, 1701, son of Mr. William Andrew, deceased, and his wife Mary, who died Jan. 19th, 1639, O. S. He was a member of the church, and married Elizabeth White (whose father, John White, had lived in England), Sept. 22, 1652. Town Clerk and Treasurer, 1691, 1694, 1696, and Selectman from 1681 to 1693, inclusive."
Governor John A. Andrew of Massachusetts, was of the Salem branch of the family. His brilliant career as the war Governor of Massachusetts during the late war is within the memory of the present generation, and needs no record here.
The man who has done most to honor the name of Andrew, was Samuel, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth, and grandson of William and Mary of Cambridge. His talents, thorough culture, and usefulness, especially in his relation to Yale College, have raised his name above those of his kindred, and placed it among those of the great benefactors of mankind.
He was b. at Cambridge 1655, graduated at Harvard 1675, studied at the College as resident graduate four years, and in 1679 was chosen Fellow, and was engaged during the six succeed- ing years as an associate of the Faculty in both the instruction and government of the College. The whole period of his con- nection with the College was as student and instructor fourteen years. He thus acquired that thorough scholarship and educa- tional skill which so eminently qualified him for the founding and superintending a new institution destined to become the glory of the State. As a student he had been faithful and thorough ; as a member of the Faculty his ability and efficiency were recognized by the Corporation by repeated votes of praise, and frequent additions to his salary. In 1681 he was honored by admission to the freedom of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. In the year 1685 he was called from Harvard to become pastor of the First Congregational Church in Milford, Conn. At the time of his settlement he was perhaps the most thoroughly educated and one of the most learned and able men in the Colony. His attention was soon directed to the fact that there was nothing like a college in the State. Having associated with himself the Rev. Mr. Pier- pont of New Haven, and the Rev. Mr. Russell of Branford,
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these three, says President Clap in his Annals, became the "most forward and active " in founding a new college. So forward and active were they, that friends gathered about and encouraged them, and the work went on so rapidly, that fifteen years after his settlement, viz., 1700, the college was founded, and the next year received the Charter of the State. Prof. Kingsley says: "Mr. Andrew was considered one of the best scholars of his time, was one of the principal founders of the college, and deserves to be considered one of its greatest as well as earliest benefactors. He was twice chosen rector pro tem. of the college, presided at com- mencements and conferred the degrees in 1724, 1725, and 1726." The historian Lambert says: "Mr. Andrew was a hard student, very retiring in his habits, a patron of education, one of the first projectors of Yale College, and was more forward and active for its establishment than any other person." The same historian adds: " After the death of Rector Pierson, Mr. Andrew was chosen rector pro tem., and for a number of years had the Senior Class under his instruction at Milford." With the exception of the brief rec- torships of Pierson and Dr. Cutler, the son-in-law of Mr. Andrew, that of the former terminated by death, and that of the latter by his defection from the faith, Mr. Andrew performed the duties of President, was chief in the board of instruction consisting at that time of himself and two assistant tutors, and had the chief care of the college during the first quarter of a century of its existence, that is, from 1700 to the election of Rector Williams, 1726. He continued an active member of the Corporation until the time of his death.
In other relations of life Mr. Andrew was no less happy than in his connection with the College.
His pastorate at Milford of more than half a century in dura- tion, was peaceful and beneficent. By his brethren in the ministry he was held in the highest honor for learning, piety, and ability. He was elected a delegate to the famous council at Saybrook, 1708, which adopted the well-known and long-revered "Confes- sion of Faith, Heads of Agreement, and Rules of Discipline," called the Saybrook Platform.
In his domestic relations he was equally blessed. He had several children, seven of whom are still known. His eldest son Samuel graduated at Yale, and took his degree A. B. in 1711, and in 1714 A. M., at both Yale and Harvard. His grandson Samuel also graduated at Yale in 1739. The epitaph of this grandson in the
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old burying-ground at Milford, translated from the Latin, is as follows :
"Samuel Andrew, A. M .. well skilled in law, upright in life, pure from offense, died October 15, 1760, 38 years of age." The family relations of Rector Andrew gave him the highest social position and extensive influence in the affairs of the State.
His wife was daughter of Gov. Treat. His eldest daughter was the wife of Gov. Law. His daughter Elizabeth was the wife of President Cutler of Yale College. The widow of his son was the fifth wife of Gov. Law.
Gov. Treat, the father of Rector Andrew's wife, was a member of Mr. Andrew's church, and through the influence of the pastor, with the Governor and other leading men in the State, frequent and valuable aid came to the infant college.
It is not often that Providence assigns to one man the oppor- tunity of doing so much for his race as was done by Samuel Andrew, the chief among the founders of Yale College.
Among the ancient relics of Rector Andrew which have been preserved, are several manuscripts, chiefly notes taken while he was associated with Presidents Rogers and Increase Mather, in the Faculty of Harvard College, which are now almost two hund- red years old. There is also an old and very curious article of furniture, side-board or bureau, of material and fashion unknown in this country. The wood of which it is made is entirely of solid English oak. It has not a particle of either the soft or ornamental wood of America in its composition. It is presumed that it was brought over to this country and descended to him from his ancestors. It was brought by him from Cambridge, Mass., to Milford, Conn., in 1685. It is probably not less, and may be much more, than three hundred years old. So far as is known, this is the oldest article of furniture in this country. These articles have come down to the present time, and are in the possession of John T. Andrew of Cornwall. The following beau- tiful tribute to the memory of Rector Andrew is from his mon- ument in Milford cemetery:
" Here lies ye body of ye Reverend and Learned Mr. Samuel Andrew, Pastor of ye church of Christ in this place for above 50 years. Formerly a Fellow of Harvard College and more lately Rector of Yale College-a singular ornament and blessing in every capacity & relation,-of unwearied labors, modest, cour- teous, & beneficent, never fond of this world, earnestly pursuing
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RECOLLECTIONS OF REV. WM. B. CLARKE.
and recommending a better, greatly esteemed in life, and lamented at death, which was Jan. 24, 1737-8 lacking five days to complete 82 years of life."
Letter from Rev. Wm. B. Clarke, former pastor of the church at North Cornwall :
HON. T. S. GOLD : GRISWOLD, CONN., October 24, 1877.
My dear Friend,-The suggestion that I should give you some recol- lections of North Cornwall in the days when it was so important and so clear to me, has awakened many a pleasant memory. I came as a young man to this, which was my earliest, pastorate. My first acquaintance was with the family of Mr. D. L. Rogers (Uncle Leete, as I became accustomed to hear him called), where I stayed during casual visits that preceded my settlement. Later, my home was with his brother, Mr. Noah Rogers. Highly as I valued these men at that time, my experience since has even enhanced my estimate of their worth. They were very free from small prejudices, and could be relied on to do their part liberally when any good cause required. I remember one instance which will serve to show how well they had maintained a generous spirit amid the enforced frugality of a farmer's life. A Mr. Smith, a man of small means, had a factory for tanning skins, which Mr. John Beers, now of South Cornwall, worked up into gloves and mittens. The tannery took fire one night, and burned to the ground. A company of us rode down the next morning to the scene of the disaster. After a few expressions of con- dolence, Mr. Beers drew up a subscription paper, and headed it with his own name for $100. This was quite proper, as Mr. Beers' own business was largely dependent on the factory. He turned then to " Uncle Leete," with the question: "What will you do?" The answer came in his deliberate, solid way : " You may copy those figures for me." Mr. Noah Rogers also subscribed $50. A few moments secured the success of the movement, and Mr. Smith was comforted.
I have often wondered whether three such old men could be found anywhere else as were members of the church in North Cornwall when I came there. The story of Father Howe, you will doubtless have told ; it is part of the history of the town. He was still living in extreme old age. Though infirm and very deaf, he had still his faculties in fair preservation. I might have thought him a true-hearted, but simple and rather illiterate old man ; but before we left, upon my first visit, we invited him to lead us in prayer, and thus we saw him as he was when most at home, and most himself. Such a prayer! I have never heard its equal for simple, child-like pleading with God. "Do, dear Father, grant us this blessing; do give us this thing we need." Even more remarkable were the alternating higher strains of praise. He spoke of patriarchs, prophets, kings, the glorious preparation for God's more glori- ous gift of His Son-the impression was that of strains from some grand old liturgy ; and I think nothing ever gave me such a sense of the power of religion to ennoble the common mind.
The second of my old men worthy, and beloved, was Deacon Hart. For sixty years a member of the church in North Cornwall, and for nearly forty an officer in that church, he had represented it upon scores of coun- cils, and it had become a part of his very being. Sweet-souled he must have been to have won the love of a young man. How many a time he
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has called for me with his old horse (or I for him with my young one), and we have spent the day making parish calls together. I remember his saying to me, very gravely, upon one of those rides, "I understand, Mr. Clarke, that you got the boys and girls into a great frolic the other evening, sliding down hill?" "Yes, sir." "And it was on your way home from the young folks' meeting ?" "Yes, sir." "I have heard that some of the good people were quite disturbed about it." "I believe they were." "Well," turning to me with a pleasant smile, " I am glad you did ; I hope you will do it again." I love to think of this dear old man as I saw him last, some years later, seated, but with his staff in hand, as though ready at a moment's notice to start on the last long journey.
The remaining one of the three was Squire Sedgwick, and I wish there were more such men. His noble frame seemed the fitting accompa- niment of so broad a mind, so large and true a heart. I think of him as seated in his great arm-chair-for he was already blind when I knew him-his children and his children's children gathered, as it were, under his wings. No one of the dead in the great war of the Rebellion is more honored, and justly, by this nation than the son of this old man, Major- General John Sedgwick ; but the father stands, and will always stand with me, as the type of the very noblest manhood.
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