USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Danbury > History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896 > Part 16
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Never yet a sight of sorrow I would see its flush again.
Raise the curtain for me, brother, Who can tell if yet there be, On life's highway such another Blessed sight for me to see. Yes ; I'll mark with joy unfailing All its golden tints unfold, For the shadows graveward trailing Tell me I am growing old.
In quite another vein are the next verses, evidently written out of the fulness of his heart :
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THAT AWFUL OLD HAT. ADDRESSED TO AN EXCELLENT LADY. I've had such a blowing, dear Mary ! I never Had one so astounding and fearful ; that's flat : 'Tis plain I must eschew the ladies forever, Or wear a more trim and respectable hat- A hat that is newer, and holes in it fewer, A more prepossessing and elegant hat.
In vain to the pleadings I stuck a rejoinder, " I'd no thought of walking so far," and all that ; In the place of a blessing I got a side winder, In walking abroad in that ugly old hat, With brim that was shattered and crown sadly battered, That awful old, dreadful old plug of a hat.
"If you can't appear better when out with the ladies, If you haven't a little pride left about dress, You'd better ship off to Sahara or Cadiz, And dwell among Arabs or pagan Chinese ;" And plainly thus speaking, I got a sound breaking Of wearing abroad such a wretched old hat.
I'd no thought of hurting an animate being, Or care if the nation knew what I was at, But this didn't hinder a sharp eye from seeing I'd gone through the gate in that rusty old hat, Which to wear was a pity, with friends from the city, A shame to be seen in that nasty old hat.
No cow of a cooper was ever more honest Than I was in even suspecting a spat, But now I can see I was very near non est In acting the beau in that terrible hat- That mildewed and musted, begrimed and bedusted, That clownish and awful distressed old hat.
Let this, then, be wrote in a book of instruction To husbands who walk out for sociable chat, How little they think what a startling deduction Their angels can make of an old-fashioned hat ; And sunny or shady, to walk with a lady, Beware how they sport in a shocking bad hat.
And now if I'm ever again with you going, So long as I stay above Res-qui-es-cat, In plain daily costume, to save me a blowing, Do make some objections-at least to the hat ; Or else with a squinting, be openly hinting, You can't walk beside so outlandish a hat. 1858.
J. W. NICHOLS.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
H. B. Wildman, also of Great Plain, wrote the following ode, which was sung at the dedication of the Wooster Monument :
ODE FOR THE WOOSTER MONUMENT CELEBRATION, APRIL 27, 1854. Air, " BONAPARTE'S GRAVE."
Awake ! Freemen, wake ! Lo, the bright star of glory Is melting the shades of oblivion's gloom ; The fame of our Wooster, so matchless in story, Is bidding us rouse like a voice from the tomb. His spirit hath gone, and his soul hath ascended, His form now lies low in the dust of the plain ; " He sleeps his last sleep and his battles are ended, No sound can awake him to glory again."
Oh, soldier immortal ! how brave was thy daring ; No tyrant could bind thee, no slave could defy ; With the spirit of Washington, never despairing, Thy voice was for freedom-to conquer or die. " But never again will the loud cannon's rattle" Awake thee, to guard us from Tyranny's chain ;
" Thou sleepest thy last sleep, thou hast fought thy last battle, No sound can awake thee to glory again."
Thou hast left us a name in a chivalric nation, Which Freedom forever will guard in her might ; A star in the midst of a bright constellation, Which empires in infancy hail with delight. Thou hast gone to thy rest, and thy fame hath ascended, No slave can oppress thee with Tyranny's reign ; " Thou sleep'st thy last sleep, all thy battles are ended, No sound can awake thee to glory again."
FROM "SHADOWS OF THE EVERGREENS."
BY JAMES WALLACE PINE (1858), A- COLORED CITIZEN OF DANBURY.
Bless the Lord for that brilliant light which has illuminated the tomb some hundreds of years ago.
Those trees that guard each long-lost friend To us are ever dear, They firmly stand, yet gently bend And shed their dew-drop tear.
The beautiful, the old, the young Are low beneath these trees, Their harps which were harmonious strung Now sound along the breeze.
And till the sun shall cease to set And close those splendid scenes, Bright o'er our friends we'll ne'er forget The true, the evergreens.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE EARLY MERCHANTS AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF DANBURY.
IN 1790 Danbury had a population of 3000, and yet there were issues of the Farmers' Journal, the weekly paper, in which not a single event of local happening was recorded. Death could not have been much of a change to the newspaper men of that time.
In looking over a file of these papers we find lottery advertise- ments prominent. One of these schemes was to establish a glass works at Hartford, another to advance the financial interests of a church in Greenwich, and a third to help something in New Haven. Tickets were on sale at the office of the Journal.
Although lacking local news items, the names of the men who did business here then, and many of whom were the ancestors of families now among us, are subjects of interest.
The merchants of that time advertised to take country produce in exchange for goods. The produce they sent to New York for market. Taylor & Cook announce that they have stores in both Danbury and Brookfield. They say they have a large stock of European and West India goods, but do not explain what they are.
The general or country stores of that period did all kinds of business, from clothing to tinware. One of them, which was advertised in the Journal, was located in Great Plain. Does it seem possible that the district had in 1790 a large general store, when now it has none of any kind ? But such was the fact, and it is such an unexpected fact that we print what its owners, Nichols & Dibble, advertised to sell. Here is their advertise- ment in full :
"NICHOLS & DIBBLE
" Have just received at their store at Great Plain and are now selling exceeding cheap for ready pay the following articles, viz .: " Blue, bottle-green, London smoke, scarlet and mixt broad- cloth. Coatings, frizes, velvets, satinets, chintzes, calicoes,
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wildboars, camblers, calimanco, stuffs, baizes, flannels, shalloons, muslin, lawn, gauze, silk handkerchiefs, cotton do., shawls, worsted hose, modes, sarcenets, laces, ribbons, ostrich feathers, silk and twist, coat and vest buttons. A complete assortment of hardware and crockery, rum, wine, Geneva, brown sugar, loaf sugar, lump sugar, tea, chocolate, raisins, allspice, pepper, in- digo, snuff, alum, copperas, soap, redwood, logwood, Spanish brown, 6x8 glass, German steel, etc.
" All kinds of country produce will be received in payment, and every favor gratefully acknowledged. Good rock salt ex- changed for flax seed, or rye, even."
The above is a sample of the line of grade of goods kept by the merchant in those days. But the "etc." of Nichols & Dibble embraces much more than the casual observer would think. It includes shoes, confectionery, agricultural imple- ments, stationery, and about everything that now is distributed into a dozen or so of specialties.
Other Danbury advertisers in the Journal are Foot & Pickett, who were " tailors and lady's habit makers." A hundred years ago ready-made clothing was not in the market.
Chapell & White advertised to pay a good price for cherry- tree boards.
Eliakim Peck ran an axe factory. His shop was near the Episcopal church, which stood at the foot of Main Street.
Isaac Trowbridge advertised for a quantity of otter, fox, cat, and muskrat skins.
Abijah Peck was a blacksmith. He advertised his shop as being " about 30 rods north of Burr & White's store." There were several probate notices, and three to debtors warning against further delinquency in settling up.
Mathias Nicoll, of Stratford, advertised that he had for sale " 20 puncheons of excellent Demara Rum."
Spinning-wheels were a prominent factor in domestic economy in those days, and we find in the Journal the advertisements of several wheelwrights who made and sold spinning-wheels. One of these was Jacob Judd, whose shop was in Danbury, "two miles from the Meeting House, on the middle road to New Fair- field." In announcing that he will take produce for pay, he says : " or even cash, that undervalued article, if offered and urged will not be refused."
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One of the advertisements was the offer of a reward of $10 for the recovery of a runaway negro slave, by John Lloyd, of Long Island.
Two North Salem farmers offer rewards for the recovery of horses stolen from their barns.
One hat factory has an advertisement. It was owned by O. Burr & Co. They advertised to pay cash for all kinds of furs. One part of their advertisement reads :
" All kinds of hats to be sold by the wholesale and retail, at the lowest rates, equal in beauty to any imported, and a general assortment of English and India goods. One shilling and six- pence is paid in dry goods for woollen yarn, at twopence per pound or under, and seven pence for linen yarn of any fine- ness. N.B. Saddle cloths of green or red stripe to be sold by the ten yards or piece as low as can be had in New York."
"Twenty years time of a likely negro boy aged five years" is offered for sale by the printers.
Joseph Clark advertised to make clocks and silverware for the Danbury people.
People at that time were conspicuous for their moderation. Jeremiah Ryan was then a farmer in New Fairfield. In July, 1789, two of his sheep strayed away. In the paper of January 25th, 1791, eighteen months after, he notified the public of his loss. He had fully made up his mind that it was time some- thing was said about it.
In a number of the advertisements appear calls for apprentices to the various trades. All are particular, of course, that only good boys apply. One long-headed manufacturer advertises for a " son of reputable parents" to be his apprentice.
The terms of apprenticeship a century ago were strict. The boy who signed the paper of indenture signed away all his lib- erty until he became of age. He became the property of the master, and was treated like other property. If he ran away he was publicly advertised, his person described, and a reward offered for his return. In one of the papers before us David Bunce, of New Haven, advertises the running away of his apprentice. He describes the boy as being eighteen years of age, goes on with particulars of his features, his dress, etc., describing every article he wore and took with him, and then says : " Whoever will take up said boy and return him, or secure
HI. B. WILDMAN, POET.
WILDMAN HOMESTEAD.
EBENEZER NICHOLS.
JAMES W. NICHOLS, POET.
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him in any jail and give information shall be reasonably re- warded. N.B .- All persons are forbid harboring said runaway."
Joseph Moss White advertises for a package which he "lost on the road between Danbury and Hartford."
Joshua Benedict, who carried on the saddle-making business " a little south of the church," advertises to " pay cash for hog skins in the parchments."
One hundred years ago Ezra Starr offered a dwelling-house and store with about five acres of land " near the meeting-house." As none of the cross streets were developed then, this property must have been on Main Street in the vicinity of the present City Hall. There are no five-acre plots of ground for sale in that neighborhood now.
In one number of the Journal, under the head of Danbury, is a weather item from Newtown. There are fourteen lines in the item, and every letter of it is in italic. This shows that the weather was a very important subject as long ago as 1790. It says at sunrising on the day of the report, the thermometer stood at zero, and a colder day rarely ever happens. In the number of January 4th, 1791, there were three items of local interest. One of these gave the particulars of the burning of the Danbury jail, the second wished the readers a Happy New Year, and the third told of the death of a former resident. The burning of the jail was set forth in these glowing terms :
" Last Tuesday morning about 6 o'clock the public jail in this town was discovered to be on fire, which in a short time rendered it to ashes."
Three times this space is given to wishing the readers a Happy New Year. We wonder now if 1791 was a happy new year to them. We are inclined to think, on the whole, that we are taking more interest in the subject than they did.
The man who made the wish, the man who printed it, and the people who read it have long since passed away ; but the paper itself is here in Danbury, in this year of our Lord 1895.
The death item gave information of the demise in Cornwall of Mrs. Hannah Pearce, wife of Joshua Pearce, of Cornwall, who was in her eighty-third year. The item goes on to say that "she was the daughter of the Rev. Seth Shove, the first Pres- byterian minister settled in this town. She had four husbands, viz .: Comfort Starr, of this town, Thomas Hill, of Fairfield,
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Peter Lockwood, of Wilton, and the above-mentioned Mr. Pearce." The editor says, "She was a woman of unbounded affection and charity, and possessed, in an eminent degree, the esteem of her acquaintances."
In the next paper is recorded another fire. The harrowing particulars of the destruction of a public building are thus set forth :
" Last Tuesday night the public school house at the north part of this town was consumed by fire."
The editorial comment on these fires is as follows :
" The two alarming instances of fire which we have lately been witness to suggests loudly to the inhabitants of this growing town the necessity of forming some regulations for the extin- guishing of fires. The usefulness of Engines is plainly seen in the late fire in Hartford where a barn was saved although but twelve inches distant from one that was burned to ashes."
In this issue there is another bulletin from Newtown, which appears to have the bulge on the weather business. It says the thermometer was down five degrees below zero at sunrising one day that week.
In the following issue of the Journal there is a communication from-A Taxpayer ? Oh, no ; but from " An Individual." As this communication is a splendid piece of chromatic language, as well as a sort of revelation of the conditions of society in that day, we copy it entire.
" To the Inhabitants of the Town of Danbury.
" Permit me to address you on a subject in which you are all interested. Property is liable in so many ways to be destroyed, that we need your united exertions as a defence. We in this town, like larger societies, have common dangers to guard against, and common interests to protect. But among the num- ber of dangers, which are always threatening, none are at present more alarming than the ruin of property by fire ; nor do any of our interests need at present the protecting hand of one and all, so much as our buildings. Scarcely a single paper comes from the press without announcing the ravages of fire among public or private buildings. Of which there have been recent instances among us : The gaol and school house, two public buildings, have fallen a sacrifice to the merciless flames. As thickly settled
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
as some parts of the town street is, we must know our houses, barns, &c., will be imminently exposed, should a fire break out ; yet we are in a most defenceless situation-not one house to twenty being furnished even with a ladder. Were not the people obliged to go near half a mile to procure one, when the gaol was on fire ? What surprising and melancholy inattention to danger ! Although the town is not the most compact, yet we might be under very great advantages to extinguish fire. Very easily might we procure a FIRE ENGINE. This would be useful indeed. Nothing is so well calculated to put out fire, or prevent its spreading. Witness the late instance in Hartford, when a barn was saved which stood only twelve inches from the one con- sumed. [See Farmers' Journal, No. 44.] Its advantages are too many and too public to need an enumeration. Its price can be no substantial objection : as it must be very inconsiderable when compared with its utility. The spirited and united exer- tions of the people in the most populous parts of this town, would soon and very easily procure one. But my fellow citizens, if there have not yet been buildings enough burnt, to awaken in you a sense of danger, and excite your exertions-if you must yet be the unhappy spectators of some still more unhappy fam- ilies, alarmed in the night by fire, and flying naked from their houses, into the inclement air, to see their buildings, their furni- ture, their bread, and their ALL, consumed in a moment-if you must yet live to hear the shrieks of a beloved child, involved in the flame, answered only by the unavailing tears, and broken sighs of its fond parents, before you will either be at the expense of procuring an Engine, or at the trouble of putting yourself into a state of defence ; then are you insensible of danger, or too covetous to purchase your own safety. There are various meas- ures that would be advantageous, if only adopted. Form into two companies or fire clubs, chuse your officers, agree to certain articles, and let every man be furnished with two leather buckets, to be kept in good order .- Then if a fire breaks out, let every man repair to the place, thus furnished, and be directed by the officers. Much might be accomplished in this way. But as we now are, destitute of buckets, of fire hooks and ladders, what can we do ? Probably as we have done heretofore .- If in the night, some would never know there had been a fire, till morn- ing, although not ten rods distant. Others would assemble and
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remain in perfect confusion till they dispersed. If one directed any thing to be done, some would contradict, and others be offended because they were urged to do something ; while not a few would stand, and look and yawn at the fire, as stupid as asses, till the building was consumed. In our present circum- stances, Fortune must do more for us than we shall do for our- selves, or every building which takes fire will most assuredly burn down. Consider, then, and adopt such measures as our purses will permit, and our circumstances render expedient.
" AN INDIVIDUAL."
In the number of the Journal of January 25th there are two items of interest. One is a call to the brethren of Union Lodge to meet in the lodge-room on Thursday at 2 P.M. to attend upon the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, to be held in the house of Brother James Clark. The other is an advertisement of a com- ing show. This is the only announcement of a show to be found in the file, which goes to show that travelling shows were not numerous in those days. There was no opera house nor public hall in Danbury at that time. We herewith present the adver- tisement, believing it will interest our readers.
" TO THE CURIOUS !
" On Wednesday and Thursday evenings next will be exhibited at the house of Major Frederic J. Whiting by a gentleman from New York, a number of curious and entertaining performances by the SLIGHT of HAND each being of a nature so surprising that they cannot fail of giving general satisfaction to the specta- tors. At the same time will be exhibited a most surprising feat, by cutting off a man's head and laying it a yard from his body, in presence of the spectators ; afterward putting it on again and restoring him to life.
"The exhibition will begin at candle lighting. Tickets may be had at the place of performance. Price one shilling."
The only matter of local interest in the number of February 1st, 1791, is an account of the wreck of the brig Sally off Eaton's Neck, L. I. The brig was commanded by Captain Benjamin Keeler, of Ridgefield. All on board (twelve persons) were drowned. Captain Keeler's body was taken to Ridgefield and
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buried. The account says he was twenty-nine years old, " the only son of his mother, and she a widow."
In the next number of the Journal somebody in Redding appears with a letter from Rev. John Bloodgood, who writes from Redding to a sister Wigton, in Hudson, N. Y., detailing the persecution he suffers at the hands of the unregenerate. Mr. Bloodgood says in his letter :
" They have saluted us with firing of cannon, with the sound of violin, the blowing of horns, and their powdered candles would burst by us when preaching. It is hard work to make Methodists here. If they do not kill some of us before long it will do."
The Redding man who sent this letter to the printer prefaces it with this rather vigorous introduction : " It is desired you pub- lish the enclosed verbatim in your next issue to show the igno- rance, ingratitude, and deception of these itinerant preachers, who, while they are treated with the greatest civility and feasted with the best fare the country affords, strive to make their friends in the profession believe they are in danger of their lives."
Early in the present century Zalmon and Seymour Wildman established a hat store in Charleston, S. C., which was continued under the name until 1815 ; after that until 1845 under the name of Wildman & Starr.
During the War of 1812 Gilbert Cleland also had a hat store in Charleston. In the autumn of 1815 Russell and Eli T. Hoyt established a hat store in Charleston, which was continued under various names for over thirty years ; and Benedict & Clark also had a hat store in that city. At that time Charleston was much the largest city on the Southern coast, and did a large wholesale business, drawing its trade from North and South Carolina as well as Georgia. Hats were sent from New York in large Penn- sylvania wagons, and eight weeks were required for the jour- ney.
There was one barber's shop here in 1790, James Seil propri- etor. It was opposite the drug-store of Colonel Eli Mygatt, and stood about on the site of the present Danbury Savings Bank building. He advertised himself as " a lady's and gentlemen's hair dresser," and announced that his shop would be open all days but Sundays.
In the books of Town Record we find the following : "James.
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Seil, from the Town of Belfast in Ireland married Anne, Daughter of Solomon Perry of Ridgefield, Nov. 1st, 1787."
His estate was inventoried in May, 1797, and settled in 1798. The inventory shows him to have been, in addition to hair- dressing, a general merchant, and probably of a literary turn of mind, as the last item in the inventory is "A right in the Franklin Library."
There were two brokers in Danbury then who bought and sold securities, John Dodd and Isaac Trowbridge. The publishers of the paper took space to announce that they would soon publish two volumes. The first volume was on etiquette, and appeared to be designed for schools. The second was an almanac, pre- pared by Joseph Leland, and " calculated for the meridian of Danbury, . .. but may serve indifferently for any of the adjacent States."
There are but two local items in the paper. One of these re- lates that Joseph White had an ear of Indian corn which con- tained thirty-two rows, in which were ten hundred and fifteen kernels. There are feet in Danbury now that have about that number of corns.
Timothy Taylor, of the firm of Cooke & Taylor, advertised for a few tons of good English hay. Was hay an article of import ? Douglass & Ely, the printers, announced to sell "twenty years time of a likely negro boy," then five years old. That was a long, long time ago, and the negro boy has passed to manhood and on to the grave many years ago, one would think ; and yet we have two or three citizens who were five years old ninety years ago,* when that youngster was offered for sale, and he to-day may be alive somewhere in the character of a body ser- vant of the late lamented Washington.
Joseph Clark was watchmaker and jeweller in those days. The location of his shop was not given. He made clocks as well as watches, and bought old silver, copper, and brass.
Preserved Taylor, of Redding, advertised for sale "a lot of ground fronting the Main street in Danbury, opposite the meet- ing house, being upwards of nine rods in front, and containing about three acres." The advertisement further says : "It is, without exceptions, as commodious a building spot as any on the street." If Mr. Taylor had been Preserved until now he
* Written in 1880.
No. 482
THIS is to Certify that Oluruz ar Michals of the Town of Danbury -- in the County of Fairfield, in the second Collection
District of Connecticut, has paid the Duty of tue - Dollars, for the years anding the 102D any food . 18/14
for and upon a -live wheel Carriage for the conveyance of persons un wooden frags called a owned by Ebeneza Michals
This Certificate to be of no avail any longer than the aforesaid Carriage shall be owned by the said unless said Certificate shall be produced to the Collector, by whom it was granted, and an entry made thereon, specifying the name of the then owner of said Carriage, and the time when he or she became possessed thereof.
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