History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 106

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 106

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REMINISCENCES OF ONE HUNDRED YEARS IN MONROE."

The following excellent address is not taken entire. Some extracts not strictly historical have been elimn- inated :

" The flight of time, bearing with it all we have of possesslon, friend- ship, and life, is full of instruction, The past is the present as it was and is. It is all stern reality. In this sense, in the werds of Solomon, that which hath heen now is.

" Te-day, as a church and congregation, we record the passing away of 3,153,600,000 seconds, 51,560,000 minutes, 876,000 hours, 36,500 days, or ene hundred years of our religieus history. This history commenced in the erganization of this church, Dec. 14, 1764. Of the erder of exercises en that occasion, the place in which the persons by whom those exer- cises were conducted, the sentiments uttered, tbe emetiens expressed, the pertiens of Scripture read, the hymns sung, the prayers offered, the sermen preached, we have ne record. Tradition is sileut. Te my knewl- edge no one lives to tell us ef that day and that scene.

"Were it etherwise we might give reality te the enactments of that interesting hour by a sketch of the men, wemen, youth, and children who then entered into selemn cevenant with each other and with the Father, Sen, and Hely Ghest. Gathered amid joy and tears, auxieties and misgivings, and yet with hueyant and blessed hope to plant, en this then wilderness hill-top, a hranch ef the true vine, which to-day is and te-morrow and still to-merrew we trust will he, all who on that day wept and rejoiced areund this then new altar of the Lerd, this then new commuuien-table, have menldered hack te dust. Unknown to us hy name, in their werks they live, and by all that is dear in the past and grateful in the present ef eur existence as a church, they with the em- phasis ef 'a hundred years ago' greet us in leve to-day.

" We remember their deeds ef Christian heroism and leve, and, bid- ding them ' All hail "' we render thanks unto God and hless His hely name.

" In attempting te signalize the hallowed asseciatiens ef this honr, I shall netice some particulars connected with the early history ef our State and county, and seme as identified with individuals and incidents in our advance as a church and congregation.

"The settlement ef eur State commenced in 1635, or two hundred and twenty-nine years age; that of Stratferd,-which then embraced Newfield (now Bridgeport), North Stratferd (now Trumbull), New Strat- ferd (new Monroe), and Ripton (new Huntington),-in 1639.

" The Indians were numereus at that date in this section. Their number in the State was computed to be twenty thousand. Of these seme feur theusand were trained warriors; three hnudred of this class were in the limits ef Huntington. Seme ef these were friendly and greatly aided the first settlers by teaching them the mode of cultivating cern aud of securing other means ef subsistence. Others, not a few of them, were intensely hostile, and against them aud their depredations the settlers had constantly te watch and in steru battle array to fight. A yell ef an Indian at meruing, noon, or midnight was a doleful sound in the ears of fatbers and mothers and neighbors, exposed aud wholly unpretected as they were. Of all this we in eur quietude bave ne just conception.

" The Indians prepared the greund for eern with the clam-shell or a small piece ef wood sharpened for the purpose, and enltivated it with the same implements. They leveled large forest-trees such as they wished for their canees, some of which accommodated forty or fifty meu, by fire and their stoue axes.

" In 1639 it is stated there were not more than five plows in this State. The price of a cew was one huudred and fifty dollars, of a pair of oxen twe hundred dollars, and at one season that of corn was three dollars per hushel.

" In 1637 the snow lay from the 4th of November until the 23d of

* By T. T. Waterman. Delivered on Dec. 14, 1864, at the centennial celebration of the organization of the Congregational Church, Dec. 14, 1764.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

March, and was at times three or four feet deep. The whole inland of our State was a perfect wilderness,-no roads, no dwellings, no cultivated grounds. Wolves, bears, foxes, deer, moose, wild turkeys and fowl of various descriptions, and Indians were the tenants. Aside from these, all was solitude, silence, and gloom. Thus, too, was it for nearly oue hundred years from 1639.

"In the year 1713 thirty-eight towns bad beeu incorporated. Nine of these were in Fairfield County,-Stratford, Fairfield, Greenwich, Stam- ford, Norwalk, Woodbury, Danbury, Newtown, Ridgefield. The popu- lation of the State was theu seventeen thousand; one regiment of militia in each county, four regiments in the State. But one cloth-mill in the State, and all its operator could do was to full tbe cloth, which was worn unshorn and nnpressed.

"The first priuter in the State was Thomas Short, 1709. He settled in New London, in 1710 printed the Say-Brooke Platform, and soon died. The next printer was Timothy Green, of Cambridge, Mass., and son of Samuel Green, the first printer in North America. He settled in New London, 1714.

" During this period, near 1647, the use of tobacco was unfortunately introduced, and to prevent, if possible, its disgusting prevalence, no per- son under the age of twenty years was permitted to use it, unless under medical treatment. All persons over twenty years of age were prohibited using it in company, or when traveling with others, and but once a day. Had this wisely-desigued proscription of this noxious weed prevailed, tbe health, manners, and thrift of thousands would have been greatly pro- moted, the worse than useless expenditure of millions of dollars, and the melancholy fact that the cultivation of corn and substantial vegeta- ble crops is being supplanted by this impudent and rampant twenty-four- incli leafed aud vile worm-bearing narcotic, and this on our hest soil, would have been prevented. But then, as now, fleshly appetite proved itself a mighty spoiler of man's dignity, refinement, and peace. Not a few then, as now, could let decency and thrift and money go to make their tobacco-quids and their puffing sure! It was thought strange in 1647, and if possible is more strange in 1864, that an intelligent man could consent, by chewing it, to make a sink of his stomach, a sink- drain of his throat, and a sink-spout of his month, or by smoking it a fireplace of his mouth, a chimuey of his nose, and a smoke-house of his brain !

"In 1646 snch were the disappointments and sad forebodings of the set- tlers at New Haven that they formed a purpose to leave the country. They had invitations to Ireland aud to Jamaica, in the West Indies, and actually, it is said, entered iuto treaties for the city of Galloway as a place of settlement. They were providentially prevented from execut- ing their designs, and in 1864 wbat spot more attractive and beautiful and far famed than that then sad and gloomy and about to be forsaken New Haven ?

" At this time the settlements were almost exclusively on the line of the sea-sbore. All was labor, sacrifice, exposure, watchfulness, and war- fare. Every man must be drilled as a soldier,-a soldier when he stood in his door ; a soldier when he sat at his meals; a soldier when be went to his eorn-field ; a soldier when he entered the place of worship ; a soldier by day and by night. Those were days of uuconceived peril and en- durance, and thus for some one hundred and fifty years in our State. Ineidents surpassing fiction, and acts of heroism hy man and woman and ehild, characterize those eventful days. What was then attempted and accomplished for the sake of liberty and truth, home and country, and in preparing this our beautiful heritage for us and our children and children's children, is replete with instruction and counsel. All this may he forgotten by us and be unknown to our descendauts, but it will all live in our history and in the book of God's account.

"For holy faith, triumphant zeal, and beneficent design the record stauds unsurpassed in the aunals of man. If through party prejudice, sectarian zeal, or any other iufluenee any persons choose to be ignorant, so let them be; or if any choose to know only to prevent, divide, it may be denounce, so to let them do. May God enable us and ours to know and revere His name in these wonderful darings and doings of our fathers in this State from 1635 to 1776.

" In the midst of all this eudurance and heroism on the sea-shore, hunting and exploring expeditions into the interior were not infre- queut. The hills ahout us, as Bagburn and Barn aud Moore, attracted early notice, and were favorite spots, being at an early date partially cultivated and settled. In 1755, as tradition affirms, Mr. Samuel Lewis, with his family, moved from Stratford and settled on this then forest- covered and wild but beautiful hill; his residence was north aud west of the green, on the street running nortb. Mr. Frederick Lewis, tbe fatber of Mr. Henry Lewis, was then two years old. He died in 1825.

" The mother of Mr. Henry Lewis was the widow of the son of Deaeon

Henry Hawley, one of the first deacons of this ehureh. The family name of Mrs. Lewis was Scott; she was a member of this church.

"The landed estate of this early and enterprising settler, Mr. Samuel Lewis, or portious of it, are now in the possession of the respected repre- sentative of the third generation of this family, who is present to-day. Mr. Samuel Lewis gave distinetive proof of his interest in this ehurch and society by presenting the Rev. Mr. Rexford a lot of ground, on which he erected the tenemeut which is standing, a memorial of the first pastor of this church.

"Capt. and Deacon Henry Hawley, as we iufer, was from Stratford, and a direct descendant, if not son, of Mr. Samuel Hawley, one of the prominent first settlers of Stratford. The traditionary record of Deacon Hawley is highly commendatory. He was intelligent, industrious, patri- otic in the colonial service, evangelical and consisteut iu bis Christian profession. He resided near Mr. Samuel Lewis, north and west of the green; the ruins of his homestead still speak the place. He probably settled here as early as 1756, and was, we suppose, at the organization of the church, and then or soon after appointed its deacon. By name he is identified with a family of many influential brauehes, and which, in its public and private relations, bas been and is known and felt throughout this county. I cannot say that any of his immediate descendants remain in this town. The name frequently oceurs in our list of members from the commencement to the present time.

" Gideon Hawley and Elias Hawley were early and prominent settlers in the more western portion of the town. Their influence was felt as members of this society and cburch; they lived to he aged. Gen. Eli Hawley, who years past has done this society valuable service, and who is now eighty-seven years of age, is of this branch of the family.

"The wife of Deacon Henry Hawley-Ruth, I believe-was sister of Deacon John Judson, and, in the language of tradition, was mighty prim,-that is, as I take it, a smart, hright-eyed, neat, precise, well-to-do lady, one who in word aud deed eaused ber influence to be felt, if not feared. She was, I infer, a good wife for a deacon, as sbe certainly was the wife of a good deacon.

" The family of Deacon Judson, we suppose, was among the earlier settlers. He lived ou Elu Street, uearly opposite the residence of Mr. Hiram Beardslee. He is said to have been wealthy, a large landholder, and, as the phrase is, ' no fool.' As we infer from tradition, he was a man of strong common sense and firm adherence to right, just, and equal law. He was a justice of the peace or judge, and, as he wore his leatbern apron in court rather than silk and Freuch broadcloth and a wig, was called the ' Leathern-apron judge.'

" It is reported that some guilty of witchery were arraigned before him for various misdemeanors. As he was too honest to be bribed and too bold to be frightened by invisible things or by dead men, he proved himself too much for Beelzebub strategy, wizard legerdemain, and pro- fane hobgoblinism. As the record is, he put the criminals and witches through by law. He lived to be some eighty years of age, and was an influential and early deacon iu this church. His descendants still exist in New York,-none of them, I believe, in this town.

" It is given as an illustration of the influence of his decisions against the impudent elaims of spirit mediums and dealers with the unseen world, fortune-tellers, midnight wouder-doers, apparitions, voices, ghosts, aud the like harum-scarums, that among the inbabitants of this town there is little credit given to these absurd and consummately silly nerva eonpatoron wizzarda noponadas quas tuno dead man and womana ono poolaveon delusions.

"In one instance a young lady of one of the families we notice to-day was told, as a means of deterring her from a discharge of her duty, frightening her into the faith, in going alone to a eertain place in the evening that she would meet a man with his head eut off coming towards her. 'Ab, indeed !' said this Judge Judson heroine; 'I should be mueh more alarmed if I sbould ineet a mau with his head on !' That is noble womanbood! It is men with their heads on that we all, especially young women, have reason to fear.

"Capt. Joseph Moore, whose residenee was on the northeast corner of the green, on a lot now owned by Deacon N. Wheeler, has a reputation among the first settlers in this centre. He was a man of peeuniary means, and, iu the language of the day, ' head of the heap.' He is said to bave been very clever when he was pleased and had his owu way. He was a shrewd aud eomical genius. He at least had infinenee and gen- erosity.

"The original meeting-house, it seems, was at first located by a eom- mittee appointed for the purpose to be one-half mile west of this, near Mrs. William Beacher's residence. Capt. Moore and others were dissatis- fied, and proeured the appointment of another committee, who loeated it on this hill. Capt. Moore donated the land for its site, and also for our

429

MONROE.

present common or groen. Through thoughtlessness or to savo labor the beautiful turf and triangular form of this common has at times, and for highway purposes, been disfigured in a manner which we believe, could Capt. Moore bo present and witness tho samo, would call forth from him emphatic words and gestures. Happy is it for some who this err in working out their highway tax that the doctrine of spirit medinms is false; otherwise the spirit of tho old and stern gentleman to their sorrow might bo after then.

" A daughter of Capt. Mooro tradition signalizes as a noted belle, in personal eharms, attainments, and general attractiveness surpassing all other female youth in this section. Sho married tho Rov. Mr. Mon- son, a brother of Mrs. Rexford, who was pastor of a church in Lenox, Mass., and afterwards removed to this placo, and here died. Connections of this family still reside in this place, and aro members of the church. Mr. Monson, of New York, son of this lady, gave fifty dollars towards the ereetion of this honse of worship.

"Capt. Moore was appointed to superintend the building of tho meeting- house, which was raised on the 21st and 22d days of June, 1769, some five years after the organization of the church, It oeenpied ground a few feet in advaneo of this edifiee, eneroaching upon the green. The house, tradition states, was somo seventeen years in the process of com- pletion. This delay was the result, no donbt, of the difficulty of proeuring materials, and specially of seenring laborers, as the young men (many if not most of them) were in the ranks fighting the battles of our freedom.

"Capt. Moore, being a white-oak and persevering kind of man, held it on its course, and in 1786, as we judge, it was comploted and dedi- cated. The last religions serviee held within its walls was on June 13, 1847. This house, which happily succeeded it, was raised July 20, 1847, and was dedieated Dec. 15, 1847, seventeen years ago to-morrow.

" Previous to the erection of the regular meeting-house, there was a temporary building, in form like a barn, in which divine services were held. For a time the Rov. Jedediah Mills, of Ripton, who has honorable mention for energy, elognenee, and zeal in the history of this State, preached to the people here overy third Sabbath. Originally the settlers here attended meeting at Ripton, being, many of them, until 1764 tem- bors of that church.

Referenee is made to houses built with fireplaces and rooms conveni- ent to be oecnpied by persons from a distance during intermission on the Sabbath, and thus called ' Sabbath-day houses.' In the one noted in this place, or in a portion of it, an old Mrs. Tooley lived, sweeping and looking after the things of the meeting-house.

" Almost immediately on tho organization of tho church the Rev. Elisha Rexford was ordained its pastor. This happened on the 9th of January, 1665, twenty-six days aftor the event of organization. Wo infer from this that Mr. Rexford must have been with the church, prob- ably as a supply, previous to its formation. No doubt he was happily in- strumental in eonsummating the interesting event.

" Mr. Rexford, as I understand, was a graduate of Yalo Colloge, and married as his first wife a Miss Monson, of New Haven. In tradition he bears the reputation of a wise and good man, punetual, intelligent, and consistent iu his ministrations, sound in doctrine, correet in practice, economieal and frugal, loyal to his country and to freedom, acting as chaplain in the Rovolution, respected and beloved by his people, nntil his death, April 3, 1808, or for a period of forty-four years.

" In his pastoral relation ho numbered somo four thousand five hun- dred and seventy-six Sabbath services and many occasional weok-day ministrations. An interesting revival oeenrred during his ministry, which gladdened his own soul and greatly strengthened and refreshed the church. The influence going forth from a wise, thoughtful, kind aud trne-hearted man of God day by day, and week by week, and Sab- batlı by Sabbath, for forty-four years,-and such years as were thoso from 1765 to 1808,-and thus in his daily conversation, example, preaching, and counsel in seasons of bereavement and death, of marriage and of burial, may be silent with him in the gravo, nnthought of by us as tho moss-covered stone telling tho spot where his dust reposes; that influ- eneo was and still is iumensely great. Felt by those who with him have here worshiped and with him havo gone to their homo above, and felt by ns who here live and worship to-day,-ay, and will be felt along down sueeessive generations of those who will come after ns !

" Ho for a timo gave his attention to the subject of education, having had, as I understand, a select school for both sexes in this place.

"Mr. Rexford was soventy-one years of age when ho died, and must havo been twenty-seven whon he was ordained as pastor of this church.

" Tho letter of Mr. Rexford to this society in which he tenderod his resignation of his pastoral office is extant, and breathes a spirit of lovo to the truth and to the best good of this people worthy of his office and his age. It is dated Dcc. 29, 1807.

" Another fanilly of Infinence In the soclety and church bore the name Deforest. At an early perlod they settled in the south part of the parish, and removed here in or before the year 1776. Mr. Deforest ballt and kept a public-house and store on the west side of the green,-the first store opened in the centre, the trading previous to 1776 having passed to Ripton. This Mr. Deforest was father of Deacon William Deforest, of Bridgeport, and Lockwood Deforest, Esq., of New York. He was a wr cial and stirring old man, and a faithful overseer and tutor of the boys and their manners when rude and boisterons, and when throwing stones at the meeting-house or marking on the fences. lle entertained the oflicors of a French force of some five hundred men who during the Rev- olutionary war were quartered for a few weeks on this hill. He named his son De Lazon, after one of those officers.

" This family was, we infer, descended from the lIngnenots, and had a natural easo and gentility of address, and politeness of manner, -- matters which all Frenchnnen, if not all Americans, regard.

" The family left in the year 1800. They still exist and are influential in Bridgeport and in New York. Two of them, William and Lock wood, gave cael fifty dollars to aid in tho erection of this house. Que of these, Deaeon William Deforest, I remember as one prominent in the church in Bridgeport, of which my father was long pastor. lle was a gentleman of fine appearance and genial manner, kind, shrewd, and sympathetic. llis quiek-uttered words, expressivo smiles, and graceful gestures would intorest children and men in advanced life. He lived to a good old age, and died a few years since in the triumph of Christian faith.

" The memory of Capt. Nathan Booth, who resided in Ehn Street, is embahned in a donation of ten pounds made to the church to meet the expenses of the communion-table. This somewhat singular yet effective legacy increased, and was sufficient a few years since to furnish the neat silver set for our communion-table. It is still on interest as a fund in the treasury of the church.

" Mr. Booth is said to have been social, somewhat set in his ways, blunt, and facetious in his intercourso with others. lle was a great foe to eard-playing and gambling, the favorite employment of idlers and heedless oncs. Ile was plain-spoken on these topics, and has left a record which it would be well if many yonths and persons more ad- vanced would in this day heed. Ile was, moreover, fond of music, and, as I infer, a good siuger and leader of the choir in this elurch.

" The descendants of this somewhat noted man are still with us in the persons of Mr. William Booth, his great-grandson, and Elisha Booth, a great-great-grandson. To the one the society eredits a donntion of one hundred and ten dollars towards the erection of this church, and to the other the favor of acting chorister for a series of years. Of him, as in the fullness of his warm heart he proves himself full of song, it may be said he comes honestly by it. May he and his still live here to sing and pray and praise !

" There was another family of this name, Zeehariah Booth, noted for social infinence. They resided in Elm Street, and opposite to MIr. C. T. Crane's. This family, I believe, is not now represented in the place.

" Honorable mention is made of a Mr. James Jndson, who was father of Mr. Lovi Judson and Miss Betsey Judson. At an early date he settled here and built or occupied the honse next east of the Wakeman place. The family is still represented by membership of children and grand- children iu this church, and highly respectable branches of the same are in other towns. Miss Betsey Judson still lives, a constant attendant upon divine service here, and manifests a stroug love to the church and society. She has been connected with the church fifty-one years. Mr. Levi Judson, her brother, is some fonrscore years on, and in the sunset of his days.

"Special allusion, too, is made to the family of Beardslee, and particu- larly to an early settler on Bagburn Ilill, reported to me as old Capt. Beardslee,-captain, I suppose, in the colonial service, and a true patriot.

" Mr. Samuel B. Beardslee and Judgo Beardslee, Esq., once a promi- nent lawyer in this place, und Mr. Agur Beardslee, formerly a deacon of this clmreh, are descendants immediately or more remotely from him. This family, Mr. Samnel B. Beardslee, Mr. Elisha Beardslee, Col. Samuel Beardslee, and Dr. Edward M. Beardslee, is still prominent in this church and society.

" There must have been a good deal of power and much of the spirit of 1664 in that same old captain on Bagbarn Hill a hundred years ago. lle speaks, in a subscription of some six hundred and forty-two dollars by his grandchildren or great-great-grandchildren, in behalf of the erec- tion of this meeting-house. llo speaks from Sabbath to Sabbath in our sweet-toned and sweetly-touched melodeon, and in the alto notes of our choir, and in all our services to-day, and we trust will continue here thus to speak iu his children's children nntil time shall be no more.

"Capt. Robert Lewis and family are remembered and named with re-

d d

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

spect. He built the residence now occupied by the Misses Lewis, though an entirely distinct family. His sou, Lieut. Legrand Morse Lewis, is noticed as an intelligent, influential man. This family has, I believe, become extinct. They are nevertheless well remembered.

" A family of some note is named as the Carpenter family, and as having lived during or at the close of the Revolution in the Wakeman place. The father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. This is said to have been a talented family. A daughter, by her own energy and efforts, became noted as a teacher in New Haven, and afterwards at the Sonth. Mr. Carpenter was for some time mail-carrier between New Haven and New Milford,-an office of importance, aud even distinction, in those days. Then the news traveled on weary-footed horses, not, as now, on the breathings of steam or the wings of the lightning. Then, day by day, on wilderuess roads, 'mid cold, and sleet, and snow in winter, and burning heat in summer, the newsman must sound his horn on time at each expectant farm-rcsideuce or village-office. Welcome then was the sound of his voice or his horn as he came with tidings from near and afar. In all this Mr. Carpenter was a man who could and did well fulfill his trust. The family is gone, being now unknown here.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 106

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572