USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Danbury > History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896 > Part 5
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" After the dismission of the Rev. Mr. White the first church and society were destitute of a stated minister till February 13th, 1765, when Mr. Noadiah Warner was ordained their pastor. The Rev. Mr. Warner was regularly dismissed from his pastoral charge February 23d, 1768. The people remained destitute about two years and a half. The Rev. Ebenezer Baldwin was ordained September 19th, 1770. He officiated with great repu- tation to the ministry, till a sudden death terminated his labors, October 1st, 1776, aged 31 years ; a man of great talents and learning, a constant student, grave in his manners, a constant and able supporter of the sound doctrines of the Gospel. He
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left a legacy of about £300 to the society, which is carefully appropriated to the support of the Gospel. From that time there was no settled minister in the society till the Rev. Timothy Langdon, who was ordained August 31st, 1786. The Rev. Ebenezer White died September 11th, 1779, aged 70. The deacons of this church have been in the following order : Samuel Benedict, James Beebe, John Gregory, Richard Barnum, Joseph Gregory, James Beebe, James Benedict, John Benedict, Nathan- iel Gregory, Joseph Peck, Daniel Benedict, Thomas Benedict, Joshua Knapp, succeeded by those now in office. The present meeting-house, which is sixty feet in length and forty-five in breadth, with a steeple one hundred and thirty feet in height, was raised October, 1785; it was enclosed the summer follow- ing.
" The society of Bethel built their meeting-house in the year 1760. The Rev. Noah Wetmore, their first minister, was ordain- ed November 25th of the same year ; at the same time a church was organized by the ordaining council. Mr. Wetmore was regu- larly dismissed from his pastoral charge November 30th, 1761. In the society of Newbury, the Rev. Thomas Brooks, their first minister, was ordained September 28th, 1758; a church was gathered at the same time. In May, 1788, the society of New- bury was incorporated a town by the name of Brookfield. Mrs. Abigail Knapp, now living, aged 75, widow of the late Deacon Joshua Knapp, was the first English child born within the limits of Brookfield. The Rev. Samuel Camp, the first and present minister of Ridgebury, was ordained January 18th, 1769. The church in that society was organized on the day of the ordi- nation.
" There were a few professors in this town of the mode of the Church of England as early as the year 1750. They built a meeting-house whose dimensions are forty-eight feet by thirty- six in the year 1763. In September, 1784, they were constituted a regular Episcopalian society. Sixty-six persons, the most of whom belonged to this town, were then considered as belonging to the society. The society have had occasional preaching, but no minister has been settled over them. There were a number of professors of the denomination of Baptists about the year 1783. A Baptist church was constituted in the northwest part of the town, November, 1785. The year following they built a
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
meeting-house, which is now standing. Mr. Nathaniel Finch was their minister for several years ; their present minister, Mr. Nathan Bulkley, was ordained the 8th of last May. A second Baptist church was constituted in the western part of the town in the year 1788. The members who survive are now mostly connected with other churches.
" I shall now close with a few general remarks. The present number of schools in town is seventeen, twelve in the first society and five in Bethel. Much more attention is now paid in the education of youth than formerly, though it is conceived there might be still more to great profit. For many years there was but one military company in town ; at present there are three of infantry, one of cavalry, and one of artillery, which for accuracy in evolutions, military spirit and appearance may vie with any military companies whatever. There have been but few remarkable instances of longevity in this town, though it was formerly remarked there was a great many old people ; that is not the case at present. Mr. William Hamilton, born in Scot- land, who lived many years in this town, died in the year 1749, aged 102 ; Mr. John Cornwall died in the year 1753, aged 101. Those two are the only persons known to have lived in town over 100 years of age. Mr. David Hoyt, who lived longer than any person ever born and living in town, died in April last, aged 97. The family of Mr. Thomas Taylor, one of the first settlers as a family, was remarkable for longevity. He had ten chil- dren. The whole amount of his age and theirs is 947 years, the average of which is 86 years, but three of them saw less than 90 years. The increase of this town, in a number of years past, has not been great, owing to very great emigration, which has been the case with this in common with all the towns in this State. The general occupation of the people of this town has been farming. Within a few years considerable manufactories have been established. In the manufacture of hats this town much exceeds any one in the United States. More than twenty thousand hats, mostly of fur, are made annually for exporta- tion. The manufacture of shoes is also carried on to a consider- able extent. At a low computation fifteen thousand pairs of boots and shoes are annually exported from this town. A paper mill was erected in the town in the year 1792, in which about fifteen hundred reams of paper are manufactured annually. A
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considerable number of saddles are also made yearly for ex- portation.
" The people in this town have generally been very free from litigation. Within a few years it has considerably increased, though it is not yet great. A spirit of litigation is one of the greatest evils which can befall any community.
" In our revolutionary war the people in this town generally warmly espoused the American cause. Notwithstanding all that is said by the enemies of our government, to show that its supporters were enemies to the revolution, the people in this town, though they were great sufferers in the war, are almost unanimously firm friends of the present Government of the United States.
" The list of the town is not to be obtained but for a few years past. In the year 1788, the first year after Brookfield was made a town, it was upward of $66,000 ; in the year 1799 it exceeded $81,000.
" We have thus given a sketch of the history of this town from its first settlement to the present time. It is not pretended that some important facts have not been omitted, but from the materials which can be obtained this is the best that I have been able to collect. In the review of these things we witness the fading nature of all earthly scenes. How applicable are the words of inspiration, 'Your fathers, where are they ? and the prophets, do they live forever ?' While it is our lot to be placed on the stage of human action, let it be our constant solicitude to seek an interest in that kingdom 'whose builder and maker is God.' To act our parts worthily in the vicissitudes of human life, that, through grace, we may be approved when called upon to pass in review before the intellectual world, that when the chief Shepherd shall appear we may appear with Him in glory."
This closes Mr. Robbins's sermon. That it was a remarkable production in the eyes of the people who sat and listened to it, our readers can well understand. That it is a valuable produc- tion in any case becomes patent enough when we consider that it is all we have on record of the doings of our people in the first century of the town. Mr. Robbins's intelligent perseverance in research has imposed upon this community a very large debt of gratitude.
CHAPTER VI.
WHEN DANBURY WAS MADE A TOWN.
THERE is no doubt at all that Danbury was first occupied by white people in 1684. The eight " originals" came here in the spring of that year. The families of a part came with them and remained here. The others returned to their homes and came back to Danbury with their families in the spring following. This is according to Mr. Robbins and other authorities ; but Mr. Robbins was in error in believing that the first survey of the town was in 1693, and the first patent granted in 1702.
Hon. Lyman D. Brewster, of this city, in 1886 made a careful study of the Colonial Records, and reported the result in the News, his report showing conclusively that Danbury was con- stituted a town in 1687.
We quote the following from Judge Brewster's article :
" There was, to be sure, a survey of Danbury made by order of the General Court (i.e., Assembly) in 1693, but it was a re- survey, not the original survey of the town." (See Colonial Records, 1689-1706, pages 67 and 385.)
In 1692 the General Assembly " enlarged" the town, changing its length from six to eight miles, and at the same time ordered a new survey, which was returned to the General Court in 1693 and confirmed by the court in 1702.
As to the " patent," the granting of it in 1702 had nothing to do with the original formation, organization, or constitution of the town. It came about in this way. At the May session, in 1685, the General Court (i.e., General Assembly) ordered every township to take out "patents" and also " the like course for all farmes granted to any person."
The purport and object of this " patent" is stated on page 177, with all the learned exactness of an ancient legal document- viz .:
"For the holding of such tracts of land as have formerly or
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shall be hereafter granted to them [i.e., the proprietors or farmers] by this court, and to their heirs and successors, and assignes firme and sure ; according to the tenour of our charter in free and common soccage, and not in capitte, nor by knight service, which patent shall be sealed," etc. Thereupon a patent was forthwith granted to Hartford, which had then been a full- fledged town for many years.
Between the time when, according to the Colonial Records, Danbury was constituted a town by the General Assembly, in 1687, and the granting of its patent-or rather a patent to its proprietors in 1702-it is repeatedly referred to and treated as a town in the Colonial Records.
These facts conclusively show that the date of 1687 is the right and true date when Danbury was first made, or-as the old records say-constituted a town. As to the time of year and month when the act was passed and Danbury became a town, we learn from the State Librarian that all important acts were, in the early colonial days, sure to be passed the first week of the session ; and as the session of 1687 began on October 13th, our "incorporation," so to speak, " was undoubtedly between the 13th and 20th of that month."
Other extracts from the Colonial Records, volumes 1678-1689, contain the following reference to the settlement of this town :
" John Bur, Thomas Benedict, and Thomas Fitch, by this court [May session of General Assembly, 1684], were appointed and empowered a committee for to order the planting of a towne above Norwalke or Fayrefield, and to receive in inhabitants to plant there, and what they or any three of them shall doe in the premises shall be good to all intents and purposes for the plant- ing of Paquioge."
The next is from page 166 :
"This court [General Assembly, October term, 1684] orders that those of Norwalke who were removing to Paquag and have left out their persons and sundry of their cattell out of the list of estates shall pay the one half of rates due according to law from the estate left out."
The third entry is from page 240 :
" This court [session of 1687, commencing October 13th] named the new towne at Paquag, Danbury, and granted them a freedom from country rates for fower yeares from this date ; and this
Know all men by these presente That I Joseph Day ton of Danbury in Frainfiel County of Colony of Connecticut mi New England for the Consideration of twenty five pound, Lawful money Received to my full fullfunction of Lent Noll Benefit of S Danbury Do Give Grant Bargain & Lek unto him the Noble Benedict Mis heim, and alligus for Ever my Magro Boy Named Nimrod ayer a bout four years ayaglad To serve him the Benedict his being th olliging as Long as Negro Bath Live here by with the Bends his heim and ogigny that I have your Right to Bargain and fill the & Negro Boy Mantar ay above and that
the @ Negro Band und the Body in Witness where off . have. here linto get my hand I feel. this 26th Day of April
Joseph Taylor Ligne iralf Delivered? presence of Eli lly gatt Benjamin Stars?
DEED OF SLAVE, SOLD, 1765.
HOMER PETERS.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
court grants that the bounds of the sayd towne of Danbury shall be six mile square, provided it doe not prejudice any former grant to any particular person made by this court."
To this last passage the following note is appended :
" A petition was presented in behalf of the plantation of Pahquioque, that the same may be constituted to be a towne, and to be named Swamfeild, their south bounds to be by the north bounds of Faierfeild and Norwalke, the north bounds to be halfe way to Weantinache, the east bounds halfe way to Stratford river, the west bounds by York line."
The petition, dated October 6th, is signed by Thomas Fitch, John Bur, and Thomas Bennydick. They state that " there are twentie families inhabitating at Pahquioque, and more desirable persons a-cominge." Samuel Hayes, of Norwalk, was deputed to present the petition to the court.
CHAPTER VII.
COPY OF THE TOWN PATENT.
As has been stated, a patent was granted to the town of Dan- bury in 1702 by the General Assembly of the State, agreeable to the survey made in 1693. It read as follows :
" Whereas, The General Court of Conn. have formerly granted unto the proprietors, inhabitants of Danbury, a certain tract of land commonly known as Pahquioque, said tract containing eight miles from the north to the south line, and from the east to the west line six miles, bounded at the northeast corner with a rock five or six feet high, with several small stones laid thereon. Bounded at the southeast corner with another rock with several stones laid thereon and several twos marked thereby ; Bounded at the southwest corner with a Rock, several stones lying upon it and several trees marked by it; Bounded at the northwest corner with a white Ash tree with several stones laid thereto and several trees marked near to a pond. The whole tract being, as before said, in length eight miles from the south to the north line, and in Breadth, from the east to the west line, six miles. The foresaid tract of land having been by purchase or otherwise lawfully obtained of Indian Proprietors by the proprietors, in- habitants of Danbury aforesaid, and whereas the inhabitants of Danbury aforesaid, and whereas the inhabitants of Danbury in the Colony of Connecticut, in New England, have made applica- tion to the governor and company of the said Colony of Con- necticut, assembled in court the fourteenth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and two, that they move a patent for confirmation of the aforesaid land as it is bounded unto the present Proprietors of the township of Danbury, of which tract the said town have stood seized and quietly possessed for some years without interruption.
"Now, for a more full confirmation, know ye that the Gov-
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
ernor and Company assembled in General Court, according to the command and by virtue of the power granted to them by our late souverein Lord, King Charles the Second of blessed mem- ory, in the late patent, bearing date of the twenty-third of April, in the fourteenth year of his majesty's reign, have given and granted, and by these presents give and grant, ratified and con- firmed, unto James Beebe, Thomas Taylor,-Samuel Benedict, -James Benedict, -John Haite sen'r, -Mr. Josiah Starr, and unto the rest of the present proprietors of the township of Dan- bury and their heirs and assignes for ever, and to each of them in such proportion as they have already agreed upon for the division of the same, all of the aforesaid tract or parsels of land, as it is bounded and purchased, together with all the woods upon lands, arable lands, meadows, pastures, ponds, waters, rivers, islands, fishings, huntings, fowlings, mines, mineral quarries, and precious stones upon or within the said tract of land, with all other profits and commodities thereto appertaining, and do also grant to the forenamed Mr. James Beebe, Mr. Thomas Taylor, John Haite, Sr., Samuel Benedict, James Benedict, Josiah Starr, and the rest of the present proprietors, inhabitants of Danbury alias Pahquioque, to them, their heirs or assignes forever, tract of land shall be forever hereafter deemed, reputed and to be an entire township of itself, to have and to hold the said tract of land and premises with all and singular the appoint- ments together with the privileges, immunities, and franchises herein given and granted to the said Mr. James Beebe, Mr. Thomas Taylor, -John Haite-Samuel Benedict, James Benedict, Josias Starr, and the other present proprietors, inhabitants of Danbury alias Pahquioque, their heirs and assignes forever, according to the tenour of his Majesty's manner of East Green- wich and the County of Kent, in the Kingdom of England, in free and common socage and not in capp'to or Knight's service, they yealding and paying therefore to our Souverein Lord the King, his Heirs and successors, only the fifth part of all the ore, gold and silver which, from time to time and at all time, shall hereafter be gotten there, had, or obtained in lieu of all Rents, services, Dues, and demands whatsoever, according to charter. In witness whereof we have caused the Seal of the Colony to be attached hereto this twentieth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and two, and in the fourteenth year of our Souverein
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Lord, King William the third, by the grace of God, of England, King Defender of the faith.
" By his Honor's command,
" S. KIMBERLY, Sec. "J. WINTHROP, Governor."
In 1640 Roger Ludlow made the first purchase of Indian lands within the bounds of the present town of Norwalk. A little later the central portion of the town was purchased by Captain Daniel Patrick. The western portion was not bought until 1651. At this time the inhabitants consisted of about twenty families. Among the list of names of the original owners of " Estates of Lands and Accomodations," in 1655, we find those of Griggorie and Haite.
In the table of nome-lots for 1656 we find the names of Bene- dict, Bushnel, Greggorie, and Taylor. Thomas Barnum, of Fairfield, had a grant of land before 1663. On the list of orig- inal " grants of home-lots to pioneers," we find the name of James Beebe.
Of the " original eight," Thomas Benedict, Sr., was a lineal descendant of William Benedict, who resided in Nottingham, England, in 1500. Thomas, of Norwalk, of the fourth genera- tion from William, was also born in Nottingham in 1617 ; came to New England in 1638 ; settled in Massachusetts ; removed to Southold, L. I., and in 1665 settled in Norwalk.
Francis Bushnell was a carpenter, who came to America in 1635, when twenty-six years of age, bringing with him his wife and one child, aged one year. [The name of Francis Bushnell appears among the first planters of Guilford, Conn., in 1650.] He arrived in Norwalk in 1653, and in October, 1675, married, for his second wife, Hannah, the daughter of Thomas Seamer.
Benjamin, Alexander, and Thomas Griggorie came from Eng- land before 1635. John, another brother, came later. The date of his arrival is not known, but he was one of the original in- habitants of Norwalk, and Judah, one of the first settlers of Danbury, was his son.
The Hoyt family are probably descended from one of that name in Ilminster or Curry-Rivel, Somerset County, England. " On the Court roll of this place, 4 and 5 Henry V .- 1417 and 1418-appears the name of John Hoyt," which is the earliest
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
mention of the name as yet found. In 1640 Walter Hoyt was living with his wife and three children in Windsor, later in Hart- ford, then Fairfield, and settled in Norwalk about 1653.
James Beebe, son of John, of Broughton, Northamptonshire, England, settled first in Hadley, Mass., next in Norwalk, and finally came as one of the original eight to Danbury.
Thomas Taylor was the son of John, who came from Warwick- shire, England, in 1639, and settled in Windsor, where Thomas was born in 1643. John Taylor made his will in 1645, and sailed for England in the Phantom Ship, which left New Haven in January, 1647. Nothing was ever heard of this ship, but in the following June, after a severe thunderstorm, "about an hour before sunset, a ship of like dimensions with the aforesaid, with her canvass and colours abroad (though the wind northernly), appeared in the air coming up from our harbour's mouth, which lyes southward from the town, seemingly with her sails filled under a fresh gale, holding her course north, and continuing under observation sailing against the wind for the space of half an hour. Many were drawn to behold this great work of God ; yea, the very children cryed out, There's a brave ship! .. . Mr. Davenport also in publick declared to this effect : That God had condescended for the quieting of their afflicted spirits, this extraordinary account of his sovreign disposal of those for whom so many fervant prayer were made continually."* A
statement made by Rev. Nathaniel Taylor, born in New Milford, 1772, and found in one of the volumes of Professor Stiles's manu- scripts in the Yale Library, says that "the widow of John Taylor married and moved to Norwalk with sons Thomas, and John and Jeremiah, twins." But his will only mentions " daughters-in-law," doubtless children of his wife, and " wife and two sons," with no names given.
* From a letter written by the Rev. James Pierpont, found in Mather's " Mag- nalia."
CHAPTER VIII.
RECORD OF MARRIAGES OF THE FIRST SETTLERS, AND BIRTHS OF THEIR CHILDREN.
SAMUEL, James, and Daniel Benedict were the sons of Thomas, born in Nottinghamshire, England, 1617 ; came to New England in 1638 ; was of Southold, L. I., where his nine children were born, and settled in Norwalk, Conn., where he died about 1689. He married Mary Bridgum, and their children were : Thomas, John, Samuel, James, Daniel, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, and Rebecca.
1. Samuel Benedict, son of Thomas, born 164- ; married, first -- (unknown), by whom he had Joanna and Samuel. He mar- ried, second, July 7th, 1678, Rebecca, daughter of Thomas An- drews, of Fairfield, Conn., by whom he had five children, the last two born in Danbury. His children were : Joanna, born October 22d, 1673 ; Samuel, born March 5th, 1674-75 ; Thomas, born March 27th, 1679 ; Nathaniel ; Abraham, born June 21st, 1681 ; Rebecca, married June 18th, 1712, Samuel Platt ; Esther.
Samuel and Rebecca (Benedict) Platt had a daughter Rebecca, born April 19th, 1713. Samuel Platt departed this life Decem- ber 4th, 1718. Isaac Benedict, who was his grandson, died in 1803.
2. James Benedict, son of Thomas, born at Southold, L. I. ; married May 10th, 1676, Sarah, daughter of John and Sarah Gregory, of Norwalk. Their children were : Sarah, born June 16th, 1677. Rebecca, born 1679 ; married January 17th, 1704- 1705, Samuel Keeler, of Norwalk, Conn .; died March 20th, 1709. Phebe, born 1682 ; married Thomas Taylor. James, born 1685, first white male child born in Danbury. John, born October, 1689. Thomas, born November 9th, 1694 ; died July 4th, 1776. Elizabeth, born July, 1696 ; married Daniel Taylor.
[Thomas, born in 1694 ; married Abigail Hoyt, daughter of
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
John, one of the original eight. He was fifth justice of the peace, appointed May, 1738, and first judge of the district, and held both offices until his death. He was a member of the Connecti- cut Legislature for thirty-one sessions, between May, 1737, and October, 1766, inclusive.]
Benedict Genealogy.
3. Judah Gregory, son of John, who first settled in Norwalk in 1655 ; married Hannah, daughter of Walter Hoyt, October 20th, 1664. Their children were : Hannah, born September 24th, 1665 ; John, born March 17th, 1668 ; Percie, born February 11th, 1671 ; Joseph, born July 16th, 1674 ; Lydia, born January 9th, 1676 ; Josiah, born July 13, 1679 ; Benjamin, born March 26th, 1682. His last grandson was Samuel Gregory, who died in 1783.
4. James Beebe, of Hadley, Norwalk, and Danbury, son of John of Broughton, England, was born in 1641, and married Mary Boltwood, October 24th, 1667. His second wife was Sarah, daughter of Thomas Benedict, whom he married December 19th, 1679. He was justice of the peace, first captain of the troop, and for many years representative of the town. He died April 22d, 1728, aged 87 years. His children by his first wife were : Mary, born August 18th, 1668; James, born and died in 1669 ; Rebecca, born 1670 ; Samuel, born 1672 ; removed to New Mil- ford and Litchfield. Children by second wife : Sarah, born November 13th, 1680. James, born in Norwalk, 1682 ; married Abigail, daughter of Samuel Sherman, Jr., December 22d, 1708. He was deacon of the church in Danbury for a long time, and followed in the footsteps of his father in that he was captain of the troop [chosen upon the resignation of his father], justice of the peace, and representative of the town for many years. He died in Danbury, 1750. His children were : Lemuel, James, Joseph, David, Jonathan, Sarah, and Abigail.
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