USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Danbury > History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896 > Part 15
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Next came the place of Ezra Gregory, grandfather of Mr. L. P. Hoyt. He lived where Mrs. C. H. Reed now does, and had a small tannery in the rear of his house. He was a shoe- maker.
Next to him was the home of Uncle Matthew Gregory, now occupied by the family of the late Ephraim Gregory. He was a farmer. Between the two places is now New Street. This street was opened mainly through the exertions of Thomas T. Whittlesey, and it was named after him, but the name was sub- sequently changed by a borough meeting.
Nathan Gregory lived where is now the large double house owned by the estate of Charles Benedict. He was a fuller of cloth, and the buildings used for that purpose stood on the premises. The manufacture of cloth in those days was strictly a domestic industry. The wool or flax (linen) was bought of the stores. The housewife spun it into threads on her spinning- wheels. It was then woven into cloth, and after that taken to the fuller, who dressed and colored it. The process was some- thing similar to the making of rag carpets in a later day. There are fine linen sheets preserved in Danbury to-day which were made from the flax ninety years ago.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Rev. Israel Ward owned the place occupied by the late Ira Dibble. He was the pastor of the First Congregational Church, and lies buried in the Wooster Cemetery. He died in 1810. After his death the house, which was built before the Revolu- tion, passed into the possession of Samuel Dibble, whose grand- daughters occupy it to-day. He was a miller, and his first mill was on Main Street. His second and last mill stood where is now White's fur factory, on Beaver Street. Mr. Dibble was "always noted for taking honest toll." In those days people got their flour principally from the mills, buying or raising the grain and giving a portion of it to the miller for grinding. Rye flour was the staple, although corn meal was considerably used. Benjamin Knapp, who figured as a caterer to several of Tryon's officers, was remarkably fond of Indian meal, and it was said of him that a pudding of that meal graced his dinner-table every day in the year. Wheat was not a common grain then, and its flour was used principally for pie-crust and the finer grades of pastry.
The remaining house on that side of the street was occupied by Caleb Starr, grandfather of Charles F. Starr and Mrs. F. S. Wildman. His house stood just west of Harmony Street, on West. He was a farmer, and owned a great deal of land.
SOUTH SIDE.
Colonel Taylor, merchant, lived where stands the residence of the late F. S. Wildman in a story and a half house, of double pattern, with a long, sloping roof. Subsequently the house passed into the possession of Seymour Wildman, uncle of Frederick. The latter tore it down in 1842 and built the present place. Before this the old house was occupied by several families. Judge Reuben Booth lived there at one time, and Miss Eunice Seeley kept a school there for young women. She subsequently moved to Rochester, where she died.
There was no other house until that of Andrew Beers was reached, which stood on the site of the present residence of Mrs. Charles Hull. Mr. Beers was a delver in astronomy and a prom- inent cultivator of weather. For several years he prepared an acceptable almanac, which had a circulation throughout the United States. "Andrew Beers (Philom.)" was a familiar address to many families. His almanac was the origin of the " Middle-
CALEB STARR HOMESTEAD, WEST ST. IRA DIBBLE.
DIBBLE HOMESTEAD, WEST ST. BUILT BEFORE THE REVOLUTION.
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brooks." A remark attributed to him and in general currency seventy years ago was that " grass wouldn't start to grow until thunder shook the earth."
Mr. Beers lies buried in the old Episcopal churchyard in South Street. The following inscription is on his headstone :
"IN MEMORY OF
ANDREW BEERS, EsQ.,
Born in Newtown, August 10, 1749, Died in Danbury, Sept. 20, 1824, 75 years, 1 month.
" ' Life and the grave Two different lessons give- Life teaches how to die, Death how to live.' "'
The next house was that of Joseph Benedict, who was a tailor. It was moved back on George Street, where it still stands.
Next came the dwelling of Joseph Hoyt Gregory, who was a hatter, and had his factory by his house. He moved to Indiana in 1830, and there died.
Farther on, and where now stands the homestead of the late L. Wildman, lived Abial Phillips. Samuel Dibble lived there before he bought the Ward place. The house was removed years ago. Division Street was then an open road, containing no dwellings.
The last house on West Street stands there now, close to the pond. Sixty years ago it was occupied by Ezra Boughton. It now belongs to Mr. A. M. White. Mr. Boughton was a dresser of cloth, and had his works by his home.
The only house in the entire length of Deer Hill was occupied by Munson Gregory. It stood where E. A. Housman now lives, and was torn down some years ago. Rev. William Andrews lived here during his pastorate of the First Church.
Wooster Street was not considered a street, but a road. It had no house until that of Eli Jarvis was reached. Nearly opposite lived Eli Wildman, a farmer.
Lovers' Lane contained one house, a small one. It stood near
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
to where is now Beach Wilson's place. Lovers' Lane was a popular name for this road many years ago, and everybody in Danbury knew of it. As late as twenty years ago a good part of it was shaded by overhanging branches. It is not now a walk for the sentimental, and perhaps not more than half of our citizens know where it is.
The house now owned by Mrs. B. Crofut, on the Mountain- ville Road, was in that day occupied by Benjamin Griffin.
There were but three houses on White Street, and no dwell- ings on the north side of the street, unless we count the place of Mr. Knapp, corner of Main Street. On the south side the first house was owned by Abel B. Gregory, who was a farmer.
Next came the large house of Noah Knapp, son of Benjamin Knapp. It is supposed to have been built on the close of the war, if not before it. Noah was a farmer.
There was no other dwelling on the road until where is now Nursery Avenue. A large dwelling, the property of Zalmon Wildman, father of Frederick S., stood there.
ELM STREET.
At the east end of this street, on the north side, the first house was the dwelling of Zelotes Robinson. He was a butcher, and began the peddling business with a wheelbarrow. He was among the first peddlers of meat in Danbury. Alvin Hurd also lived there. He was a hat manufacturer. Mr. Hurd's factory stood on the river.
On the corner of River Street was the next house. It was occupied by Dorastus Green, a laborer.
On the south side there were but two buildings. One of these was the dwelling of Rory Starr, father of the late George Starr. The other was his shop, and is now Daniel Starr's box shop. Mr. Starr was a builder, and a very extensive one, too. He did most of the building in those days, when houses with their gable ends to the street began to make their appearance here. Many of our older substantial residences were constructed by Mr. Starr, the most conspicuous being the residence of Fred- erick S. Wildman, which we believe was the last he put up. Mr. Starr was elected to the Legislature, serving in both the House and Senate. He was a Methodist, and an active member of the local church.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
ELM STREET.
That portion of Elm Street which runs over Rabbit Hill con- tained but four houses. These were small, and it is not known who occupied them. Two of them were tenements belonging to Colonel Russell White.
In one of these houses lived a man who was noted in the vil- lage as shiftless and improvident. He was a wagoner by profes- sion, but scarcely by practice. His wife was entirely opposite in nature. She was both industrious and frugal, and, like such people, had an ambition. Hers was to have a home of her own, or a homestead, as she termed it. Her want was frequently, if not daily, presented to her husband. Finally, becoming im- patient with her demand, he told her one day, "My dear, I would get you a homestead in a minute if I had anywhere to put it." This covered the subject completely, and the poor woman never again put in her petition for a homestead.
Rabbit Hill was thus called because its gravel pits and clumps of brush were the home of that animal. Gallows Hill is the mass of rock at the head of the street, near the pond.
RIVER STREET.
The classical name of River Street in the early days of the town's history was Pumpkin Ground. The hill which skirts its west side was in spots devoted to the culture of that plain-look- ing but excellent vegetable.
River Street was a mere lane, and ran to the east of its present location. Dorastus Green's house, which stood on the corner of Elm, had a well within eight feet of the front door. The present roadway now covers the well. Rabbit Hill was so steep in that day that a half cord of wood was about all a team could haul up it. Mr. Green's house sat perched upon a high bank. The street was opened by Colonel Russell White for the convenience of his factory business. A good part of the hill on the west side belonged to Rory Starr.
Richard Lovelace, who was a miller, lived opposite S. C. Holly & Co.'s factory. The house still stands.
Next to him lived William Earle. His place also remains. There were but two more houses. One of them was occupied by Jonathan Leggett, a fur-cutter. The other was the dwelling of
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Sergeant Joseph Moore. Both yet remain. At the farther end of the street, near White's factories, lived Anthony Buxton.
BEAVER STREET.
There were but two houses on this street (which is popularly known as Rose Hill). One of these was occupied by Ephraim Benedict.
Lower down the hill lived Samuel Curtis. His house has been gone for years. He was for a long time sexton of the First Church, and was known to the young and old of his day as simply "Sam."
NORTH STREET.
There were but two houses on North Street eighty years ago. One of these was the property of Ezra Barnum, a farmer. The second house was a small building, since removed, which stood on Mrs. Benedict's lot. At a later day, seventy years ago or thereabouts, there was a hat factory on the street. It stood near the bridge, on the north side.
FRANKLIN STREET.
There was but one house on the north side of this now pretty, well-built-up street. This was the dwelling of Stephen Gregory. On the south side the first house was that on the corner of Rose Street ; in the rear stood the Methodist meeting-house of that day. George Lovelace lived next. The third and last house on that side was occupied by Darius Barnum.
CHAPTER XXVII.
FROM 1820 TO 1840.
IN 1822 the first Universalist service was held in this town at the house of one of that faith in the district of Great Plain.
In 1824 the bank now known as the Danbury National Bank was established. It was organized under the laws of the State.
In 1829 the first fire companies were organized. This was the beginning of the Danbury Fire Department. Previous to this fires were fought by a bucket brigade. A line of citizens was formed extending from the nearest water supply to the fire, and a filled bucket was passed from one citizen to another along the line until it reached the fire, when it was thrown thereon. One bucket followed another in rapid succession, the empty buckets being passed back by a second line of men.
At the census of 1830 Danbury showed a population of 4311. In this year a project to build a canal from tide-water at West- port to Danbury was agitated, and a survey was made, but the project failed.
In 1834 pipe-water was first introduced in Danbury. The supply came from Tweedy's Spring, in the hill-side at the north end of Main Street. This was a private enterprise, called the Wooster Water Company.
In 1835 a second attempt to get closer communication with tide-water was made. This scheme was to build a horse rail- road from Danbury to Norwalk ; but, like the canal enterprise, it failed to carry. A survey was made following somewhat the line of the present steam railway.
In 1838 the first Catholic church service was held in Danbury.
Prior to the incorporation of the borough of Danbury, the township of Danbury was divided into and governed by two ecclesiastical societies. One was called the "old"' society. This embraced in its territory that portion of the township now known as the town of Danbury. The other was called the
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
" new" society, and took in the territory now called Bethel. Both were under the same town government. In 1855 the mem- bers of the latter society petitioned the legislature to be set off from Danbury as a separate town. The petition was granted.
In 1869 the upper portion of what is called Grassy Plain Street, in the southern part of this town, was set off to the town of Bethel.
In the last century slavery existed in this county, and there were slaves in Danbury. It will be remembered by the reader that one of the killed in the British raid upon this place was a negro slave. In the papers printed here between 1790 and 1800 occasional advertisements appear offering rewards for the recov- ery of runaway slaves, and on several occasions a slave was offered for sale.
Along in 1830 began the anti-slavery or abolition crusade in organized form. In the autumn of 1838 there was quite an ex- citement in this part of the county in consequence of the effort made to organize anti-slavery societies. Dr. Erastus Hudson and Rev. Nathaniel Colver were appointed agents by the Con- necticut Anti-Slavery Society to evangelize the State, and in October came into this county on that mission. They lectured in many towns, in most of which their meetings were disturbed, and in some cases broken up by mob violence.
In Danbury their meetings were held in the Baptist church, then standing on West Wooster Street, near Deer Hill Avenue. Danbury at that time was largely engaged in the Southern hat trade, and we can easily see why there was so much opposition against the efforts made to form anti-slavery, or, as they were usually denominated, abolition societies here. It would not answer to have our Southern brethren know that societies were forming here to act against their " divine institution."
While Mr. Colver was delivering his lecture, an attack was made upon the church, stones were freely thrown, windows broken, and Mr. Colver narrowly escaped personal injury.
From persons present at that affair we gather the following information : About the hour for the commencement of the lec- ture the sound of a trumpet was heard near the Court House, when immediately the streets were filled with men coming from every direction, who proceeded at once to the Baptist church and interrupted the service, but Mr. Colver proceeded and fin-
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
ished his lecture. After the services were concluded the speaker was escorted by two constables to a wagon and taken to the house of Rev. E. C. Ambler. The house was surrounded by a noisy crowd, but no violence was offered.
April 10th, 1839, the Society met in the Court House at Dan- bury, and was called to order by Isaac Crofut, vice-president. Delegates were present from Brookfield, Danbury, New Fair- field, Newtown, Sherman, Weston, and the Zoar Societies. Sev- eral strong resolutions were read, debated, and adopted. The convention provided for the publication of its proceedings in the Charter Oak, of Hartford, and the Danbury Times, and appointed Charles Fairman as a delegate to the anniversary of the American Anti-Slavery Society to be held in New York City.
FROM 1840 TO 1860.
At the taking of the census in 1840 the population was shown to be 4504.
Municipally the chief event in the two decades was the intro- duction of illuminating gas, the organization of a hook and ladder company, and the inception of the project to introduce public water. Other important events were the dedication of the Wooster Monument, organization of the Wooster Cemetery Association, establishment of the Danbury Savings Bank, com- pletion of the Danbury and Norwalk Railway, establishment of the Pahquioque Bank, organization of the Wooster Light Guards (the first company in the State to respond to the call for troops to fight the Rebellion), and the building of churches-viz., the Disciples, Second Congregational, Episcopalian, Baptist, Uni- versalist, Methodist, and First Congregational. These latter are treated at length in the chapters devoted to the histories of the several societies.
Illuminating gas was introduced in 1857 by a stock company. There was considerable work done before the proposition took with our people who had money to invest, but once fairly started, investors came in, and the company was organized. The Danbury Times, under date of March 10th, 1857, says of the enterprise :
" Within the past week, without any extra effort, the stock of the 'Danbury Gas Light Company' has all been taken, and
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
the success of the project seems to be placed beyond the shade of a doubt. The energy which has thus far characterized this movement encourages the belief that we have entered upon an era destined to be marked by a more speedy realization of ideas of a practical character than has hitherto been the case.
" The spirit and activity displayed by our mercantile com- munity, in availing themselves of every facility to render this a most desirable and profitable market to the purchaser, will re- ceive a new impulse by the introduction of gaslight, under which the taste and liberality exhibited in the selection of their wares may be seen and appreciated ; but their necessities in this respect are not alone to be taken into consideration.
" In connection with the call for more light from our manu- factories, the efforts which have recently been made to secure a safe and permanent light from lesser expedients, in private resi- dences, indicates that the 'Gas Company ' should commence operations at as early a day as possible, that the period between anticipation and reality may be endured with some degree of composure."
It will be noted that nothing is said in the above of street lighting as a need of the hour and a source of revenue to the company. It is likely the incorporators had this in view ; but it was three years later before the borough voted to use gas to light the streets.
The incorporators of the enterprise were Frederick L. Wild- man, George W. Ives, E. S. Tweedy, Henry Benedict, Nelson L. White, George Hull, D. P. Nichols, William R. White, William H. Clark, Augustus Wildman, I. W. Ives.
Henry Benedict was chosen president, and I. W. Ives clerk and treasurer. The names in italics are those who were made directors.
In the fall of 1860 twelve street gas-lamps were ordered by the borough. They were located as follows : Corner of North and Main streets ; corner Franklin and Main ; corner White and Main ; corner Main and Liberty ; north end of the park, south end of the park ; corner Deer Hill and West ; corner Elm and River ; corner of Liberty and Railroad Avenue ; front of the resi- dence of Mrs. Botsford (now J. W. Bacon's) ; lower end of gas main ; on Main, equal distance between Elm and Franklin.
On April 13th, 1887, the Legislature passed an act changing
1
PAHQUIOQUE HOTEL.
LIMAN KEELER. WOOSTER HOUSE.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
the name of the company to the Danbury and Bethel Gas and Electric Light Company. In December of the same year the capital of the company was increased to $200,000. In May, 1888, the company purchased the plant of the Danbury Schuyler Electric Light Company, and in the latter part of the same year changed the process of making gas to the one now in use. There are one hundred and nineteen street electric lights in the city of to-day.
In the fall of 1854 E. B. Stevens, then a well-known citizen of Danbury, removed to Illinois. He was born and reared in Pem- broke District. In his early manhood he was associated with Peter Rowan in the mason business. The foundation of the Wooster House and that of the Danbury and Norwalk railway station were laid by them, also the foundation for the Wooster Monument in the Wooster Cemetery. The stone for the monu- ment was received at the station on April 17th in a snow-storm, which continued the next day, and was so severe that the work upon the foundation was delayed for several days.
At the time Mr. Stevens left Danbury, North Street, from the residence of the late Peter Rowan to the corner of Main Street, contained but two dwellings ; from the corner of Main and North streets to Patch Street there were but three houses, one on the east side and two on the west. From Patch Street to " Addis's Store" there were three houses on the east side and two on the west. On the corner of Franklin Street was a hat shop, then known as Tweedy's finishing shop.
Messrs. Stebbins & Wildman, hatters, occupied a shop on Elm Street, corner of River. William Montgomery carried on hatting in a shop at the corner of Montgomery and West streets. White's fur shop was in operation at the present site on Beaver Street, but on a much smaller scale. Starr & Crofut were millers, and occupied a mill where now stands the factory of Peter Rob- inson & Sons.
The old Pahquioque Hotel was doing duty, and was considered the place, though the Turner and Wooster Houses somewhat eclipsed its glory and took a share of the patronage.
White Street was then known as Barren Plain Road. Where now the substantial iron bridge spans the river was then a low, wooden structure, by the side of which was a crossing where people were accustomed to drive to water their horses or oxen.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Alders bordered the river, fishing was fair, and it was a fine place for boys to bathe.
The old Bell place, removed to make place for the lumber yard of Osborn Brothers, was the first house east of Main Street.
The Osbornite church stood nearly opposite the New England Hotel. The Methodist church was on the site of the present Disciples' church on Liberty Street. The Universalist church was at the corner of Main and Wooster streets. The First Con- gregational church stood where now is the Soldiers' Monument. The Baptist church until 1848 was on the corner of Deer Hill Avenue and Wooster Street.
On the Barren Plain Road there were but two houses from the Osbornite church to Beaver Brook, the residence of Deacon John Beard and the old Sturdevant place. Only two or three houses were located on Town Hill. On South Street, east from Main, there were but three dwellings. On West Street, from Main Street to the river, were not more than a half dozen houses.
Where now are Balmforth and Maple avenues, with their many beautiful residences, there was but meadow and pasture-land, seldom visited except on "training days."
The business centre of the town was then considered to lie between West Street and the Court House. All has been changed, and but few old landmarks are recognized.
It may not be amiss to mention here two local poets of Dan- bury, whose writings are found scattered along through the files of the Danbury Times from 1840 to 1860 and still later. These were James W. Nichols and H. B. Wildman, both of Great Plain District.
James White Nichols, son of Ebenezer Nichols, was born October 15th, 1809, in the same room in which he died on Sep- tember 17th, 1875.
The following is taken from his note-book, now in possession of his widow :
December 20, 1863.
During the past autumn I received a visit from my dear and only brother, William Nichols, of Cooperstown, N. Y. On re- tiring to rest, as I accompanied him into his room, he said to
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
me, " James, draw up the curtain of the east window, so that I can see the sun rise as I used to in the days of my boyhood. I always loved to see it, and I want to behold it again on the morrow." I accordingly drew up the curtain to the upper panes and retired. The following morning the sun rose clear and beautiful, and my brother expressed great satisfaction at the sight, saying he enjoyed it greatly. Upon his simple request I wrote the following lines. My brother was then in his seventy- seventh year.
RAISE THE CURTAIN FOR ME, BROTHER.
Raise the curtain for me, brother, Let my eyes have one more feast, And my heart enjoy another Sunrise in the golden east. In the room with infant wonder Where I first beheld the light, I would once more gaze and ponder On the glad and glorious sight.
Raise the curtain for me, brother, Let me look to-morrow morn From this parlor where my mother Always told me I was born. 'Twas to me a heartfelt pleasure When in youth's outgushing thrill, Now 'tis age's unfading treasure To behold that glory still.
Raise the curtain for me, brother, Shut out from the inner sight Every gleam from every other, But let this be clear and bright- Daylight of the coming morrow, Trembling through each crystal pane-
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