USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History and antiquities of New Haven, Conn. : from its earliest settlement to the present time, with biographical sketches and statistical information of the public institutions, &c., &c., 3rd ed. > Part 8
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Atwater, Isaac, Farmer.
Dickerman, John, Clothier.
Atwater, Ja., Shoemaker.
Dickerman, Jo's, Farmer.
Atwater, Mary.
Dickerman, J., Farmer.
Atwater, Jon., Farmer.
Dinslow, Wm., Laborer.
Allen, Ste., Mariner.
Dunbar, Farmer.
Allen, Th.
Day, Aaron, Merchant.
Allen, Sa., Shoemaker.
Darling, Sa., Attorney.
Alling, Widow.
Doolittle, Isaac, Clock Maker.
Andrew, Abigal.
English, Ben., Cooper.
Brown, Eleaz'r, Farmer.
Eliot, Jno., Merchant.
Brown, Elea., Jr., Tailor.
Eyres, Simon.
Brown, Jn.
Ford, Matthew, Wheelwright.
Brown, Tim., Smith.
Gorham, Hez., Smith.
Brown, Sa.
Gorham, Tim.
Bradley, Jn., Clothier.
Gilbert, Dav., Tanner.
Bradley, A., Farmer
Gilbert, Dav. Jr., Tanner.
Bradley, Currier.
Greenough, Wm., Ship Carpenter.
Beecher, Nath., Smith.
Hotchkiss, Joshua, Farmer.
Bishop, Job., Weaver.
Hotchkiss, Neh., Farmer.
Bishop, Sa., Farmer.
Hotchkiss, Hez., Clockmaker.
Blakeslee, Widow.
Hotchkiss, Caleb, Farmer.
Bonticou, Tim., Silversmith.
Howell, T., Merchant.
Ball, Ste., Hatter.
Boroughs, Jo., Hatter. Crawford.
Hubbard, L., Physician.
Chatterton. Wm., Mason.
Chatterton, Sa., Shoemaker. Chidsey, Dinah.
Cook, Jed., Mariner.
Cook, Sa., Innkeeper.
Howell, Ste., Merchant.
Hubbard, Jn., Physician.
Hitchcock, Jo., Farmer.
Holt, J., Farmer.
Hall, Jn., Farmer. Harris, Sarah,
Ingraham, Ship Carpenter.
Diodate, Wm., Merchant.
Andrews.
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Ingersoll, Jared, Lawyer. Johnson, Jn., Farmer. Jones, Tim., Merchant. Jethro, (a black man,) Farmer. Kimberly, Zuriel, Shoemaker. Leek, Jn. Lyon, Wm., Merchant. Lyon, Widow.
Mansfield, Sa., Merchant.
Russel, Dan., Joiner.
Mansfield, Nathan, Farmer.
Rexfird, Philip, Joiner.
Mansfield, Jon., Farmer.
Sherman, J , Tailor.
Sabin, Hez., Merchant.
Sacket, Jn., Farmer.
Scott, Wm., Barber.
Smith, Israel.
Tuttle, Enos, Miller.
Tuttle, Ab., Sexton.
Mix, Caleb, Farmer.
Tuttle, Widow.
Mix, Sa., Schoolmaster.
Tuttle, Ja., Sexton.
Munson, Sa., Shoemaker.
Tuttle, Noah.
Munson, Widow. Munson.
Talmadge, Ro., Farmer.
Munson, Ben., Schoolmaster.
Talmadge, Jno., Mariner.
Munson, Israel, Innkeeper.
Talmadge, R., Mariner.
Munson, Th., Smith.
Talmadge, Ja., Joiner.
Miles, Jon., Shoemaker.
Thomas, Ha., Farmer. Thomas, Caleb, Farmer.
Miles, Jno., Cooper.
Thompson, Josiah, Joiner.
Miles, Sa., Mariner.
Thompson, Ja., Merchant. Thompson, Jno.
Macumber, Jn., Farmer.
Trowbridge, Dan.
Nevins. Nesbit.
Trowbridge, Jo., Mariner.
Noyes, Jo., Priest.
Todd, Jo., Shoemaker.
Osborn, J.
Todd, Michael, Merchant.
Potter, Noah.
Townsend, Ju., Barber.
Thorp.
Wilmot, T., Joiner.
White, J., Farmer.
Pierce, Widow.
White, Jn., Mariner.
Wooster, Da., Merchant.
Parmallee, He., Shoemaker. Prout, Jno., Gent.
Whiting, Jn., Gent.
JOHN DAVENPORT. THEOPHILUS EATON.
JOHN DAVENPORT Was born in 1597, in Coventry, Eng., of which city his father was the mayor. He was educated at the University of Oxford. He took orders in the established Church, at the age of nineteen, and preached in St. Stephen's Church, Colman-street, London His early friend, Eaton, was one of his parishioners.
8*
Peck, Ja., Innkeeper Peck, Ro., Saddler. Peck, Ste., Block Maker.
Perkins, Farmer.
Potter, Joel, Shoemaker. Pomeroy, Tailor. Pierpont, Ja., Gent. Row, Jn., Mariner.
Mansfield, Mo., Schoolmaster. Mansfield, Ste., Mariner. Mix, Tim., Physician. Mix, Nath., Farmer. Mix, T., Farmer. Mix, Innkeeper.
Tuttle.
Miles, Jo., Farmer.
Morrison, Th.
Trowbridge, Ste., Joiner.
Punchard, Wm., Mariner. Punderson. Punderson.
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John Dalenporte. Theoph : Caron.
Fac-simile of the signatures of Davenport and Eaton.
About the year 1630, he united with Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibs, and others, in a design of purchasing impropriations, and, with the profits of them, to provide for poor and destitute congregations. Bishop Laud, being apprehensive that this project would promote the in- terests of non-conformity, caused the company to be dissolved and the money confiscated to the use of the king.
Mr. Davenport, having become a conscientious non-conformist was exposed to such persecution, that he retired to Holland at the close of 1633. After a reg- dence in that country of about three years, he returned to London, to unite with his friends in removing to America. Having received a favorable account of the country from Mr. Cotton, Mr. Davenport, Mr. Eaton, and others, sailed for Bos- ton, where they arrived June 3d, 1637. They were received with great respect. On the 30th of March, 1638, Messrs. Eaton, Davenport. and their associates, sailed from Bo: ton for Quinnipiac, where, in about a fortnight, they arrived in safety.
Mr. Wilson, pastor of the First Church in Boston, having died in 1667, Mr. Da- venport was invited to succeed him. The next year, in accordance with their wishes, he removed to that town. His labors here were, however, of short dura- tion, as he died of an apoplexy, March 11th, 1670 and was buried in the tomb of his friend, John Cotton. " He was a distinguished scholar, an admirable preacher, and a inan of exemplary piety and virtue." He was also distinguished for his zeal in promoting the interests of education in the new settlements.
THEOPHILUS EATON was born at Stony Stratford, Oxfordshire, En- gland, about 1592. His father was the minister of that place, and afterwards of Coventry. He was bred a merchant, and was for several years agent of the King of England at the court of Den- mark; and after his return, prosecuted his business in London, with high reputation. He accompanied Mr. Davenport to New England, and was one of the principal founders of New Haven. Mr. Eaton and Mr. Davenport may be considered as the " Moses and Aaron" of the colony. For nineteen successive years, till his death, on Jan. 7th, 1658, he was annually elected Governor.
Gov. Eaton was twice married ; his second wife being the widow of David Yale. Esq, and daughter of the Bishop of Chester. After his death his widow returned to England with her little grandson, Elihu Yale, whose benefactions in later life to the Collegiate School in his native town will transmit his name to coming generations.
Gov. Eaton was buried just behind the Center Church. A sand stone tabular monument was erected to his memory at the expense of the Colony, in token of public gratitude, having the following inscription :
"THEOPHILUS EATON, ESQ., Gov., deceased Jan. 7th, 1657 [8.]
" Eaton, so fam'd, so wise, so meek, so just, The Phoenix of our world, he hides his dust, This name forget, New England never must."
AN ACCOUNT OF GENERALS
GOFF, WHALLEY, AND COL. DIXWELL.
COMMONLY CALLED
THE REGICIDES.
AFTER the death of Oliver Cromwell, and at the pe riod of the restoration of monarchy in England, many of the Judges who had condemned King Charles I. to death were apprehended ; thirty were condemned, and ten were executed. Others of the Judges made their es- cape. Three of the number, Generals Goff and Whal- ley, and Col. Dixwell, found a refuge in New England.
Er. Whalley Helligof John Dixwell
Signatures of Gens. Goff, Whalley, and Col. Dixwell.
Copied from a fac-simile of the death-warrant for the execution of Charles I., in the Trumbull Gallery, Yale College, New Haven. Th. seals affixed to each signature are nearly obliterated.]
The most authentic account we have of Goff and Whalley, after their arrival here, is from Gov. Hutchin- son's History of Massachusetts, first printed in 1764. The Governor derived his facts from Goff's journal, or
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diary, for seven years from his departure from London in 1660, to 1667. It consisted of several pocket volumes, in Goff's hand writing, which were preserved in Dr. Cotton Mather's library in Boston. Dr. Stiles, in his " History of the Judges," says he saw one of these little . manuscript volumes, from which he made several extracts. These volumes, with Governor Hutchinson's other valu- able papers. were either destroyed or carried off by the mob who rifled his house in 1765.
WILLIAM GOFF, Esq., was a son of the Rev. Stephen Goff, a Puritan divine, Rector of Stanmer, in Sussex. He lived with Mr. Vaughan. a dry salter in London, a great partisan of the Parliament, and a zealous Presby- terian. Dis iking trade, and the war opening, he repaired to the Parliament army, where his merit raised him to be a Quartermaster, and then a Colonel of foot, and af. terwards a General. He rendered the Protector great service, in assisting Colonel White in purging the Parlia- ment. Forthis and other services, he received Lambert's post of Major General of foot. He was returned from Great Yarmouth in the Parliament of 1654; and for the County of Southampton in 1656. Last of all, he was called up into the Protector's House of Lords. At the Restoration, he left the kingdom with Whalley, whose daughter he married, and came with him to New England.
Goff's Journal, after his arrival in New England, ac- cording to Governor Hutchinson, contained every little occurrence in the town and neighborhood, of places which they (Goff and Whalley) visited. They had very constant and exact intelligence of every thing which passed in England, and were unwilling to give up all hopes of deliverance. They had no doubt that the exe- cution of the Judges was the slaying of the witnesses foretold in the Book of Revelations. They were disap- pointed when the year 1666 had passed without any re- markable event, but flattered themselves that the Chris- tian era might be erroneous. After the second year of his sojourn, Goff wrote to his wife, under the name of Walter Goldsmith, calling her Francis Goldsmith, and the correspondence is carried on as between a mother and son : his daughters he calls his sisters.
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EDWARD WHALLEY descended from a family of great antiquity, and was a relative of Oliver Cromwell. He was a second son, and brought up to merchandise. No sooner did the contest between King Charles and his Parliament blaze out, than he (though in the middle age of his life) took up arms in defence of the liberties of the subject ; and this in oppositton to the sentiments of his nearest relations. Probably his religious opinions deter- mined him more than any other consideration. And
though the use of arms must have been new to him, yet he early distinguished himself in the Parliament service, in many sieges and battles ; but in none more than in the battle of Naseby, in 1645 ; in which he charged and de- feated two divisions of Langdale's horse, though sup- ported by Prince Rupert, who commanded the reserve ; for which Parliament, January 21st, 1645-6, voted him to be a Colonel of Horse ; and, May 9th, the following year, they gave him the thanks of the House, and &100, to purchase two horses, for his brilliant action at Banbury, which he took by storm; and afterwards marched to Worcester ; which city surrendered to him July 23d following.
Cromwell confided so much in him, that he committed the person of the King to his care. The loyalists have charged him with severity to his royal prisoner; but the monarch himself, in a letter he left behind him, when he made his escape, fully exculpates him from that charge.
He was one of the commissioners appointed and au- thorized by Parliament as the High Court of Justice, and sat in that august tribunal, which had the intrepid- ity and fortitude to pass judgment on a King, one of whose judges he was, and the warrant for whose execution he signed.
At the battle of Dunbar, September 3d, 1650, he, with Monk, commanded the foot, and greatly contributed to the complete defeat of the Scotch army. Cromwell left him in Scotland, with the rank of Commissary General, and gave him the command of four regiments of horse, with which he performed many actions that gained him great honor.
He continued a steady friend to his cousin Oliver, after
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he had raised himself to the sovereignty, and was intrust- ed by him with the government of the counties of Lin- coln, Nottingham, Derby, Warwick, and Leicester, by the name of Major General. He was one of the Repre- sentatives of Nottinghamshire, in the Parliament held in 1654 and 1656. The Protector made him Commissary General for Scotland, and called him up to his other House.
Gen. Whalley is supposed to have died at Hadley, Mass., at the house of the Rev. Mr. Russel, and was bu- ried somewhere on his premises, before the year 1680. According to a letter written by Goff to his wife in 1674, Whalley's mind appears to be somewhat impaired be- fore his decease, as is seen in the following extract :
" Your old friend, Mr. R. [Gen. Whalley] is yet living, but con- tinues in that weak condition of which I formerly have given you account, and have not much to add. He is scarce capable of any rational discourse, his memory and speech doth so much fail him, and seems not to take much notice of any thing that is either done or said, but patiently bears all things. and never complains of any thing. The common and very frequent question is to know how he doth, and his answer, for the most part, is, ' Very well, I praise God,' which he utters with a very low and weak voice. When he wants any thing he cannot speak well for it, because he forgets the name of it, and sometimes asks for one thing when he means another, so that his eye or finger is oftentimes a better interpreter of his mind than his tongue.
He has not been able of a long time to dress or undress himself; nor to feed. orderly without help, and it is a great mercy that he hath a friend that takes pleasuro in being helpful to him ; and I bless the Lord that gives me such an opportunity, and a heart to use it in so good and necessary work."
The two Judges, Goff and Whalley, arrived at Boston from England, the 27th of July, 1660, and took up their residence in Cambridge ; but finding it unsafe to remain any longer, they left that place, and arrived at New Ha- ven the 7th of March, 1661. They were well treated by the minister and magistrates, and for some days thought themselves entirely out of danger. But the news of the king's proclamation being brought to New Haven, they were obliged to abscond. The 27th of March they re- turned, and lay concealed in the house of Mr. Davenport,
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the minister, until the 30th of April. Mr. Davenport was threatened with being called to an account, for con- cealing and comforting traitors ; but the judges, who had before removed from Mr. D.'s house upon intimation of his danger, generously resolved to deliver themselves up to the authorities of New Haven. They accordingly let the Deputy Governor, Mr. Leete, know where they were ; but he took no measures to secure them, and the next day some of their friends came to them and advised them not to surrender. Having publicly shown themselves at New Haven, they had cleared Mr. Davenport from the suspi- cion of concealing them ; after which, they returned to their cave, which still goes by the name of the Judges' Cave. It is situated near the top of West Rock about half a mile from the southern extremity. It is a place well chosen for observing any approach to the mountain ; likewise, any vessel coming into the harbor, can from this rock be easily seen. The cave is formed on a base of perhaps forty feet square, by huge broad pillars of stone, fifteen or twenty feet high, standing erect and elevated above the surrounding superficies of the mountain, sur- rounded with trees, which then concealed it from obser- vation. The apertures being closed with branches of trees, or otherwise, a well covered and convenient lodg- ment might be formed, as these rocks, being contiguous at the top, furnished space below large enough to con- tain bedding, and two or three persons. Mr. Richard Sperry, who lived on the west side of the Rock, about a mile from this cave, supplied them with daily food, some- times carrying it himself, and at other times sending it by his boys, tied up in a cloth, with directions to leave in on a certain stump, from which the Judges would take it.
The incident which caused them to leave the cave was this : the mountain being a haunt for wild animals, one night, as the Judges lay in bed, a panther or catamount, putting his head into the aperture of the cave, blazed his eye-balls in such a frightful manner upon them, as greatly terrified them. One of them took to his heels, and fled down to Sperry's house for safety. Considering this situation too dangerous to remain any longer, they quitted it. )
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South view of the Judges' Cave.
A
C
C
F
View from the top of the Judges' Cave.
A, East Haven Church. B, New Haven. C, Long Island, D, Southern extremity of the West Rock. E, Top of the Cave or Rock.
On the perpendicular rock shown in the engraving was formerly very legibly engraved, " Opposition to Tyrants is Obedience to God." The first time the Judges lodged in the aperture formed by these iso- lated rocks appeared to have been, according to Goff's Journal, on the fifteenth of May, 1661.
WESTVILLE , & W. ROCK In New Haven .
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" Another place of their abode, in the vicinity of New Haven, was at a spot called The Lodge. It was situated at a spring, in a valley, about three miles west, or a little north-west, from the last mentioned residence. North of it was an eminence, called the Fort, to this day, from which there was a full view of the harbor, to the south- east, seven miles off. There were several other places on and about the West Rock which were used by them for places of concealment. The two mentioned were their principal places, however."-Stiles' Hist Judges.
Among the many traditionary anecdotes and stories concerning the events which took place at and about the time the Judges' pursuers were at New Haven, are the following :
1. The day they were expected, the Judges walked out towards the Neck Bridge, the road the pursuers must enter the town. At some distance from the bridge, the sheriff, who was then Mr. Kimberly, overtook them with a warrant for their apprehension, and endeavored to take them. The Judges stood upon their defence, and planted themselves behind a tree ; being expert at fencing, they defended themselves with their cudgels, and repelled the officer, who went into town to obtain assistance, and upon his return, found they had escaped into the woods beyond his reach.
2. That immediately after this, during the same day, the Judges hid themselves under the Neck Bridge, where they lay concealed while the pursuivants rode over it, and passed into town; and that the Judges returned to New ilaven that night, and lodged at the house of Mr. Jones. All this, tradition says, was a preconcerted and contrived business, to show that the magistrates at New Haven had used their endeavors to apprehend them be- fore the arrival of the pursuers.
3. That when the pursuers were searching the town, the Judges, in shifting their situations, happened by acci- dent or design at the house of a Mrs. Eyers, a respecta- ble lady. She, seeing the pursuivants coming, ushered her guests out at the back door, who after walking a short distance, instantly returned to the house, and were con- cealed by her in one of the apartments, The pursuers,
9
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coming in, inquired whether the regicides were at her house. She answered, they had been there, but were just gone away, and pointed out the course they went into the woods and fields. By her polite and artful address, she diverted their attention from the house, and putting them upon a false scent, thereby secured her friends.
4. That while the Judges were at the house of Mr. Richard Sperry, they were surprised with an unexpected visit from their pursuers, whom they espied at a distance ; as the causeway to the house lay through a morass, on each side of which was an impassible swamp. They were seen by the Judges when several rods from the house, who therefore had time to make their escape to the mountain.
5. At or about the time the pursuers came to New Haven, and perhaps a little before, to prepare the minds of the people for their reception, the Rev. Mr. Daven- port preached publicly from this text-ISAIAH xvi, 3, 4 : " Take counsel, execute judgment, make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday ; hide the outcasts, betray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab ; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoil- er." This, doubtless, had its effect, and put the whole town upon their guard, and united the people in caution and concealment.
To show the dexterity of the Judges at fencing, the following story is told : That while at Boston, there ap- peared a fencing master, who, on a stage erected for the purpose, walked it for several days, challenging and de- fying any one to play with him at swords. At length one of the Judges, disguised in a rustic dress, holding in one hand a cheese, wrapped in a napkin, for a shield, with a broom-stick, whose mop he had besmeared with dirty puddle water as he passed along : thus equipped, he mounted the stage. The fencing master railed at him for his impudence, asked what business he had there, and bid him begone. The Judge stood his ground ; upon which the gladiator made a pass at him with his sword, to drive him off-a rencounter ensued-the Judge received the sword into the cheese, and held it until he drew the mop of the broom gently over his mouth, and gave the gentle-
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man a pair of whiskers. He made another pass, and plunging his sword a second time, it was caught and held in the cheese, whilst the mop was drawn gently over his eyes. At a third lunge, it was again caught and held in the cheese, until the Judge had rubbed the broom all over his face. Upon this, the gentleman let fall his small sword, and took up the broad sword. The Judge then said, " Stop, sir : hitherto, you see, I have only played with you, and not attempted to harm you ; but if you come at me now with the broad sword, know that I will certainly take your life." The firmness with which he spoke struck the master, who, desisting, exclaimed, " Who can you be ? You must be either Goff, Whalley, or the Devil, for there was no other man in England that could beat me."
On the 13th of October, 1664, they left New Haven, and arrived at Hadley the latter part of the same month. During their abode at Hadley, the famous Indian war, called " King Philip's War," took place. The pious congregation of Hadley were observing a Fast on the occasion of this war ; and being at public worship in the meeting house, September 1st, 1675, were suddenly sur- rounded by a body of Indians. It was customary in the frontier towns, and even at New Haven, in these Indian wars, for a select number of the congregation to go armed to public worship. It was so at Hadley at this time. The people immediately took to their arms, but were thrown into great confusion. Had Hadley been taken, the discovery of the Judges would have been unavoidable. Suddenly, and in the midst of the people, there appeared a man of very venerable aspect, and different from the inhabitants in his apparel, who took the command, ar- ranged and ordered them in the best military manner. Under his direction, they repelled and routed the enemy, and thereby saved the town. He immediately vanished, and the inhabitants could account for the phenomenon in no other way, but by considering that person as an angel sent of God upon that special occasion for their deliver- ance ; and for some time after, said and believed that they had been saved by an angel. Nor did they know otherwise till fifteen or twenty years after, when at length
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it became known at Hadley that the two Judges had been secreted there. The angel was Goff, for Whalley was superannuated in 1675. The last letter from Goff of which we have any knowledge is dated April 2. 1679; it is dated " Ebenezer." the name given to his different places of abode. One tradition is, that after the death of Whalley, his father-in-law, Goff left Hadley and went to Hartford, and afterwards to New Haven. Here he visited his friend Dixwell ; but being fearful of discovery, he wandered about and lived in secret places, and died some- where in, or near New Haven, where he was buried secretly. The correctness of this tradition is somewhat HEAD STONE. 1 foot broad, 10 inches high. confirmed by a monument still re- maining behind the Center Church, at the N.E. angle of Dixwell's new monument, nearly covered up by 80 the earth. The annexed engraving shows its shape, and the inscription upon it. The M. is so engraved M. G. that it may be taken for an inverted W, and thus W. G. read for William Goff, which seems more probable, as a deep, strong line is cut under- neath the M., evidently intentional. The figures 80, over these initials, probably refer to 1680, the year of his death.
The object of having obscure or indefinite inscriptions over the remains of the Judges, was evidently to prevent a discovery of their burial places by their enemies. It was justly feared that if in their power to have obtained their bodies, they would have treated them with every indignity.
A Royalist historian, in speaking of Goff, thus remarks : "In 1660, a little before the restoration of King Charles II., he betook himself to his heels to save his neck, with- out any regard had to his majesty's proclamation ; wan- dered about, fearing every one that he met should slay him ; and was living at Lausanna in 1664, with Edward Ludlow, Edward Whalley, and other regicides, when John Lisle, another of that number, was there by cer- tain generous royalists dispatched. He afterwards lived
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