History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 17

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 17


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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ment many days. In February, 1864, went with Ames' brigade to Jacksonville, Fla .; there put in command of brigade; at Jacksonville about a month and a half; assigned in April, 1864, to command of St. Augustine; placed in command of brigade and all the country east of the St. John's River; com- manded brigade at capture and destruction of Bald- win, Fla .; sent in command of cavalry, artillery, and five regiments South to Sand Lakes, and to cripple Cedar Keys Railroad; returned to Magnolia, on St. John's; in command of Fort Construction and post at Magnolia, and force there, and of the posts and forces east of the St. John's, including St. Augustine, August and September, 1864; sent during September, 1864, with cavalry, infantry, and artillery, per land and steamer, up the St. John's River and Duns Lake, Fla., to break up Confederate recruiting-station, cap-


turing a company and many disloyal Floridians; De- cember 24th captured by enemy's scouts while return- ing across country from court-martial as a witness, between Jacksonville and St. Augustine; taken to Baldwin; thence to Tallahassee, to Chattahoochee River, to Columbus, to Macon; at Macon under parole a month and a half at Camp Oglethorpe; thence to Andersonville for a month and a half; thence for exchange per rail and march across Geor- gia, Alabama, and Mississippi to Vicksburg; thence to St. Louis, in command of Eastern paroled Union men ; thence to Annapolis, May, 1865, in command of one thousand Union soldiers from rebel prisons to be mustered out; returned home and has suffered for many years from the malaria born of exposure in al! weathers and climates. Since the war he has devoted himself to the law, real estate, etc .; was brevetted brigadier-general, by recommendation of Gen. Grant, in June, 1865 .- EDITOR.


Our military history is closed. We have faithfully traced the history of the various regiments, and it has been our honest endeavor to place before the people of Fairfield County a truthful record of her gallant sons who risked their lives in the defense of their country. We have sought to deal justly with all and give deserving credit to cach and every regiment.


While the history is a record of many of the severest battles of the war, it is not in any particular over- drawn: it is a "plain, unvarnished tale." It has been impossible to sketch many individual acts of heroism, but these were not wanting.


Fairfield County may justly feel proud of the record of her soldiery, as no section of our country acted a more prominent or honorable rôle in the great tragedy.


Fifteen years have now elapsed since the close of the Rebellion, and we find our country a united and prosperous people. Sectional strife is rapidly passing away, and the same hand strews flowers alike on the graves of the Blue and the Gray.


" No more shall the war-cry sever, Or the winding rivers be red ; They banish our anger forever When they laurel the graves of our dead ! Under the sod and the dew, Waiting the judgment-day ;


Love and tears for the Blue, Tears and love for the Gray."


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i


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64


HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


CHAPTER VI. POPULATION AND SCHOOL STATISTICS. POPULATION.


1756.


1774.


1782.


1790.


1800.


1810.


1820.


1830.


1840.


1850.


1860.


1870.


1880.


TOWNS.


Whites.


Negroes.


Whites.


Blacks.


Whites.


Indians


Negroes.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Total.


Bridgeport


2,800 4,311


4,570 4,504


7,560 5,964


13,299


19,835


29,153


Danbury


1,509


18


2,473


53


2,967


50


-3,031


3,180


3,606


3,873


Bethel


1,711


2,311


2,726


Brookfield ....


1,018


1,010


1,037


1,159


1,255


1,359 1,454


1,705


1,808


1,902


Easton ..


1,350


1,288


1,145


Fairfield


4,195


260


319


5,003


273


4,009 *


3,735


4,125


4,151


4,226


3,654


3,614


4,379


5,645


+3,748


Greenwich.


2,021


122


2,530


93


3,047 2,792


2,770


2,805


1,371


1,326


1,301


1,477


1,527


2,504


Monroe ..


New Canaan ..


713


1,288


20


1.429


12


1,573


1,665


772


788


939


956


927


915


870


791


Newtown


1,230


23


2,168


61


2,354


50


2,764


2,903


2,834


2,879


3,09G


3,189


3,338


3,578


3,681


4,013


Norwalk


2,956


94


4,243


145


3.919


132


Yz


5,146


2,983


3,004


3,792


3,863


4,651


7,582


12,119


13,960


Redding.


1,189


45


1,257


53


1,503


1,632


1,717


1,678


1,686


1,674


1,754


1,652


1,624


1,540


Ridgefield


1,069


46


1,673


35


1,672


1,947


2,025


2,103


2,301


2,305


2,474


2,237


2,213


1,919


2,028


Stamford


2,648


120


3,503


60


3,756


78


4,352


4,440


3,284


3,707


3,516


5,000


7,185


9,714


11,417


Stratford


3,508


150


5,201


354


5,105


368


3,241


2,650


2,895


3,438


1,814


1,808


2,040


2,294


3,032


4,251


Trumbull


1,204


1,309


1,474


1.335


1,323


Weston.


2,469


2,680


2,618


2,767


2,997


2,561


1,056


1,117


1,054


918


Westport


1,803


2,651


3,293


3,361


3,477


Wilton ...


2,053


2,066


2,208


1,994


1,864


Totals.


19,849


711 28,936


1,214 29,722 1,134


36,239


38,108


40,950


42,739


46,950


49,917


59,775


77,476


95,276


112,155


Contin. Employed. Beginners.


Bridgeport ..


$11,979,850


1


13


66, 204.00


6,362


4,145


4,101


107


4,840


250 1,379


3,501


3


3


77


78 $146.66 $17.49


79


4


Danbury.


5,190,376


12


16


41


198.66


2,545


1,880


1,853


41


2,192


72


322


1,501


336


3


3


8


8


57.35


32.64


9


Brookfield ....


601,155


8


8


8 180.88


235


200


175


2


229


5


14


134


117


3


1


5


7 32.00


26.00


4


Darien


1,766,099


5


5


7 205.14


391


325


310


19


352


32


26


210


201


3


3


5


5 53.33


33.00


6


0


Easton.


458,948


8


8


8. 178.75


207


191


165


207


6


5


120


101


6


3


2


5


22.39


20.05


2


Fairfield


2,177,978


14


14


18 199.50


856


704


618


29


800


50


65


463


389


9


6


12


56.62


38.21


17


0


Greenwich


3,693,761


19


19


25 200.00


1,901


1,325


1,087


40


1,535


169


262


858


740


6


6 21


21


51.25


36.78


27


0


Huntington ...


919,480


12


12


7


249


198


181


10


238


13


8


128


107


3


1


4


6


27.25


22.60


4


4


New Canaan ..


1,279,981


11


11


14 201.14


620


541


524


33


594


25


36


334


313


5


4


10


11


38.78


26.67


3


New Fairfield


427,187


7


7, 173.14


178


165


140


21


191


0


13


100


75


5


1


2


G


32.04


23.93


2


Newtown.


1,813,529


21


24 200.00


1,094 3,141


2,262


1,920


55


2,575


139


502


1,723


1,445


113


5


4


5


6


27.00


25.09


1


Ridgefield


1,066,904


14


13


13 190.54


442


368


319


14


410


10


41


236


231


2


3


11


10


26.15


28.85


6


1


Sherman


361,885


6


6


6


155.00


144


138


111


21


164


0


5


72


58


3


0


3


6


27.67


22.38


2


1


Stamford


6,575,436


1


17


29 200 00


2,627


1,383


1,278


102


1,605


613


547


1,030


987


8


8


24


24


77.63


41.28


32


4


Stratford


1,709,385


9


9


15 199 33


854


628


581


19


763


44


69


457


417


4


4


11


11


68.75


29.45


15


0


Trumbull


663,468


6


6


6 200.00


272


220


218


9 242


18


23


139


98


8


361


276


8


7


4


5


51.04


26.61


11


2


Wilton


728,725


10


10


10, 197.00


428


334


350


6


415


5


22


225


206


4


3


6


7


25.57


23.62


4


0


23 Towns


$52,338,375


214


247 400 -197.30


-


25,088 17,816 16,540


637


20,551


1,691 3,595 13,070 11,926 116 83 312 346


$50.72 $36.86


364 41


1


* The population of Greenwich, Norwalk, and Stamford in 1790, in the aggregate, was 11,942. They are not given separately.


f In 1870 a part of Fairfield, containing a population of about 1900, was annexed to Bridgeport.


There was a census taken by order of the General Assembly in October, 1761, to be completed at or before Jan. 1, 1762. According to that census the population of the colony was, -- white, 141,000; blacks, 4590. The only details relative to Fairfield County which I can give are that the population of Greenwich was 2021 whites, 52 blacks,-that of Stamford 2746 whites, 86 blacks.


CHAS. G. HOADLEY.


E F


G


B


B


D


B


B


B


1


5,036


6,522


7,644


7.956


Huntington ...


1,522


1,351


1,442


1,382


1,226


1,157


1,599


1,689


1.830


2,217


2,600


2,771


2,497


2,674


Sherman


949


957


947


938


984


911


846


828


1,291


1,241


1,232


Schools.


In no


School.


W.


S.


W. S. W.


S.


Male.


male.


7


Betliel


876.493


G


G


11 195.45


606


509


528


17


558


15


54


359


305


283


4


2


11


13


42.56


28.77


13


1


Monroe ...


527,022


7


15 184 00


519


442


404


18


514


6


81


46


565


458


12


8


8


40


40


77.25


41.77


2


Redding.


890,753


10


10


10 194.00


376


254


202


4


285


16


7


151


3,331 1,531


5


5


37


37


70.16


37.40


38


Av. Attend.


Male.


Fe- male.


Wages, Month.


TOWNS.


Grand List, 1878.


No. of Districts.


No. of Schools.


Departments.


Average Length.


Registered.


Enum.


Jan. 1879.


W.


S


Over 16.


Reg.


Priv.


3,790


3,801


3,921


1,224


1,193


1,151


Darien


1,126


1,255 1,212


1,080


1,432


7,234


8,753


11,619


PRESENT CONDITION OF SCHOOLS.


SCHOLARS.


TEACHERS.


Diff'nt Schol.


Fe-


U


0


6


9


7


21


6


12


18


31.16


21


3


Norwalk.


6,034,499


11


12


G


6 180.33


197


163


139


7


193


0


15


Westport


2,165,940


10


11


11 200.99


844


527


452


42


647


122


117


130


2


0


4


6


32.00


31.78


2


1


Weston.


429,519


5


2


1


4


21.96


18.61


1


3


13 3


914


884


13


1,002


26.18


46


5


25


2,742


3,533


1,728


1,818


2,097


1,242


17


7 193.57


43 202 65


6


4,544 2,654


New Fairfield


P


8


and


65


BRIDGEPORT.


RECEIPTS.


EXPENSES.


TOWNS.


Town School Fund, etc. Deposit.


Local Funds.


Town Tax.


District Tax.


Total.


Teachers' Wages.


Fuel, etc. Repairs.


Other Objects.


Total.


Districts


Taving.


Bridgeport


$15,268.80


$431.49


$168.00


$41,952.95


$58,141.24


$41,594.62


$6,182.94 $2,369.14


$2,846.09


$$53,166.51


0


Danbury.


6,108.00


526.04


405.46


15,106.42


$337.70


23,262.06


17,596.90


2,465.82


842.63


3,142.94


*24,104.29


Bethel


1,454.40


185.03


12,54


3,025.88


204.61


5,002.63


4,1×6.07


495.12


228.45


134.50


$5,170.31


Brookfield,


564.00


193.37


28.18


1,358.93


2.154.4x


1,941.55


163.31


50.00


2,154.86


0


Darien


938.40


148.00


2,022.44


201.97


3,360.81


2,756.34


270.00


251.07


82.50


3,360.81


1


Easton.


496.80


139.38


1,277.27


1,925.45


1,741.14


127.56


57.00


1,925.70


0


Fairfield


2,054.40


504.00


270.72


6,323,32


237.27


9,413.36


7,560.90


1,021.18


361.01


462.27


9,408.36


1


Greenwich


4,562.40


516.61


54.60


6,714.12


3,329.25


15,447.19


10,990.00


768.71


1,055.07


533.41


*15,447.19


Huntington


1,245.60


211.27


2,7>4 74


3,312,42


7,585.63


4,433.95


247.51


131.00


515.71


*7.653.00


New Canaan.


1,488.00


310.98


20,31


3,151 83


5,119.97


4,459.08


439.71


194.49


5.093.28


0


New Fairfield.


427.20


144.00


1,300.73


1,871.93


1,680.35


116.72


98.00


1,895.07


0


Newtown


2,625.60


526.12


90.00


4,198.17


3,367.23


31,194.01


23,028.94


1,979.84


1,042.88


4,436.41


*30,556.84


3


Redding


902.40


259.81


20.01


1,936.01


3,691.17


3,268.13


302,87


84.00


*3,691.50


0


Sherman


345.60


144.00


723.63


1,213.23


1,102.38


78.85


32.00


1,213.23


C


Stamford


6,304 80


567.27


190.19


12,863.72


19,925.98


16,425 72


2,133.71


565.15


801.40


19,925.08


0


Stratford


2,049.60


279.55.


140.00


4,186.95


2,380.18


9,083.28


5,990.27


480.18


106.52


1,405.56


$8,006.53


2


Trumbull


652.80


191.39


39.10


1,258.21


2,215.88


1,959.90


147.40


169 43


40.00


2,316.73


()


Weston


472.80


179.92


95.97


491.26


1,239.95


1,120.59


80.86


38.50


1,239.95


0


Westport


2,025.60


336.00


3,126.00


200.00


5,687.60


4,996.03


31x,88


419.38


150.00


5,884.20


1


Wilton


1,027.20


323.15


1,374.05


423.88


3,289.28


2,406.50


250.51


19.27


140.14


*3,125.42


1


$60,211.20 $7,240.00 $1,747.08 $136,401.23 $13,994.51 $223,163.86 $170,393.05 $18,918.72 $7,561.90, $15,617.52 *$217,700.58


19


1


CHAPTER VII. BRIDGEPORT +


Preface-The Paugusset or Golden Hill Indians-Destruction of the Pe- quots-Indian Agriculture-Orders of the General Court-Religious Instruction-Precautions against Surprise during King Philip's War- Golden Hill set off as an Indian Reservation-Value of Real Estate in 1659-The Shepherd of Stratford severely Handled-Shillings and Chops acquitted of the Charge of Murder-Elder Sherwood's Wrest- ling-Match-Sale of part of Indian Reservation to Samuel Hawley- Deeds of Land on Golden Hill in 1700 and 1701-Encroachments by the Whites, and Sale of the remainder of Reservation-Extortion by an Indian Agent redressed by the General Court-List of Official Guardians of the Indians-Purchase of Turkey Hill Meadow-An In- dian sold into Slavery-Survivors of the Tribe in 1880-Financial Statement.


PREFACE.


THE following paper upon the history of Bridge- port has been compiled after a careful study of orig- inal documents, such as church and society records, contemporary newspapers and pamphlets, petitions, deeds, wills, etc. It undoubtedly contains some errors, but it is hoped that they will not be very numerous, and a number of mistakes made by me in previous publications are here corrected. Thanks are due to Mr. R. B. Lacey, from whose excellent "Municipal Register" I have made frequent quotations, to the Standard Association for the use of their files, and to all others who have kindly assisted me. If the article is found to be of service to the community, I shall feel well repaid for the time spent in its preparation.


WILLIAM B. HINCKS.


BRIDGEPORT, Oct. 1, 1880.


THE PAUGUSSET OR GOLDEN HILL INDIANS.


The Indians found in this vicinity by the first white settlers called themselves the Paugussets. Their neighbors upon the east were the Quinnipiaes, of New Haven; on the west the Uncawas, of Fairfield ; and upon the north the Potatucks, of Newtown and Woodbury. Their aequaintanee with the English be- gan in the summer of 1637, when the latter, under command of Capt. Mason and Lieut. Davenport, sur- rounded Saseo Swamp, in Fairfield, and killed or captured the remnant of the fierce Pequot tribe who had taken refuge there. From passages in the early records of the colony, it would appear that a fine or tribute was imposed upon the Indians of this vieinity for having harbored the Pequots.


In 1639 settlements were begun by the English at Stratford and at Fairfield. So far as known, the planters in every case purchased the land from the Indians, and upon the records of these two towns may still be seen partieulars of many such transactions. The terms "old field," and " old Indian field," fre- quently occurring in these records, are believed to re- fer to land which had been cleared by the Indians for cultivation before the arrival of the whites. These tracts were large,-a faet that would indicate that the Indians depended to a greater extent upon agriculture for their support than has generally been supposed.


The relations between the English and their wild neighbors at this early day are clearly shown by the orders passed by the General Court. It was forbidden to sell to an Indian, arms, ammunition, or liquor of any kind, or horses, or boats. Sachems were made answerable for the conduct of their tribes. Indiaus were forbidden by law to enter the houses of the set-


* Including money for new school-houses, and for libraries and appa- ratus.


t Copyright, 1880, by William B. Hincks.


7,439.89


6,759.90


501.99


200.00


7,461.89


0


Norwalk


7,53₺.40


472.62


212.00


18,191.53


3,118.23


2,791.68


206.55


120.00


3,118.23 0


Ridgefield


1,060.80


350.00


2,147.06


1,780,61


1,602.11


126.50


52.00


1,780.61


()


Monroe


597.60


300.00


883.01


2


23 Towns


66


HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


tlers, or to handle their fire-arms or other weapons, under penalty of a fine for disobedience, or retaliation in kind if any loss of life or limb was occasioned by their carelessness. It was not allowable for more than two or three Indians to come into a settlement together, and, in any case, they were to leave their weapons be- hind them; and if found prowling around the dwell- ings of the settlers after dark, it was lawful to shoot them.


At the same time they were treated, in the main, fairly. Injuries to them in person or property were severely punished, and some attempts to Christianize them were madc. The General Court passed resolu- tions instructing the Governor and other magistrates to endeavor to convey through suitable interpreters some knowledge of God and his word to " those poore lost, naked sonnes of Adam," and ordered that at least twice in every year a teaching elder and an in- terpreter should go among them and "endeavor to make known to them the counsels of the Lord." Jolın Blackleaclı, Sr., who kept the ferry over the Housatonic River between Stratford and Milford, deserves honorable mention in this connection. In 1669 he petitioned to be allowed to make known to the Indians, as he should have opportunity, "some- thing of the knowledge of God." The General Court granted his request, and expressed the hope that the divine blessing might accompany his labors. That at least a portion of them were in the habit of attend- ing church is evident from a vote passed at an early date in Stratford forbidding the Indians to enter the meeting-house during the prevalence of a contagious disease,-perhaps the smallpox, then raging among them.


The colonial records clearly show, however, that they were always regarded by the whites as dangerous neighbors. It was early enacted that, to prevent sud- den attacks upon the Sabbath or lecture days, one from each household should come to meeting fully armed and equipped,-a custom which had not en- tirely fallen into disuse in 1695, when the First Church of this city was gathered.


During the prolonged contest with the Eastern In- dians known as Philip's War, great anxiety was felt throughout the colony. The Governor and Assist- ants, in session at Hartford, July 1, 1675, caused orders to be sent to all the western plantations to put themselves in a state of defense, and a little later, " from a deep sense of the eminent danger" impend- ing, instructed them to provide places of refuge to which the women and children and other non-com- batants might repair in case of assault. It was also ordered that strong guards be stationed in each town from twilight to sunrise, and that all males between the ages of sixteen and seventy, excepting magis- trates, ministers, millers, physicians, and schoolmas- ters, should do their share of guard and other military duty. Patrols were to be sent out every day to keep open communication between the towns, and exposed


frontier settlements were broken up for the time and their inhabitants counseled to return to places of greater security. All persons working in the fields were to go and come in companies of not less than six, especially if necessity called them to go more than half a mile from the settlement. In Stratford a vote was passed to prevent false alarms and need- less waste of ammunition. It is dated Aug. 8, 1675, and reads as follows: "Voted: That there shall be no gun shot off in the town-plot, or within the field, or upon the common road to Fairfield, upon any oc- casion whatsoever, except upon defense or occasion against the enemy, under penalty of five shillings for every gun. This order to stand during the present trouble with the Indians." A similar order was issued by the colonial government Sept. 3, 1675.


In the same year Richard Hubbell, Sr., of Strat- field, being indebted to the town of Fairfield to the amount of sixteen pounds, the balance due for a tract of land purchased from the town, was ordered, in lieu of the cash, to turn into the public "maga- zeen" eight hundredweight of lead, to be used in casting bullets.


The whole colony was, in fact, placed for a time under martial law; but, happily, the precautions taken were so successful that even if an outbreak was meditated by the Connecticut Indians, none took place, nor were any of the frontier settlements sacked by the enemy.


In 1659, twenty years after the first settlement, the General Court granted the request of the Indians that Golden Hill might be set apart for them as a perma- nent dwelling-place, and instructed Mr. Canfield, Mr. Fitch, Richard Olmstead, and Nathaniel Ely, of Nor- walk, to lay out eighty acres for them upon said Golden Hill, "beginning at ye foot of ye hill where ye Wigwams stood, and so to run upward on the hill." As part of the Indians who were removed to the reser- vation were from Fairfield, and as the reservation was wholly in Stratford limits, the committee awarded damages to the latter place as follows : " Fairfield men shall pay to Stratford, for the 80 acres of land that the Indians do possess at Pequannock, twenty pounds, to be paid in beef, pork, wheat, and peas ; 2 barrels of beef, 2 barrels of pork, good and merchantable, which we value at £12, and £8 to be paid in wheat and peas : wheat 4s. 6d. the bushel, peas 3s. 6d. the bushel.


"May 2, 1660."*


Although at present real estate is not very active, eighty acres upon Golden Hill would be consid- ercd a bargain at the price specified in this appraisal. The Indians also agreed with Stratford to keep up a fence, so that the swine of either party might not "damnifye" the growing crops of the other.


After the year 1659, when their land was set off to them, these Indians were commonly known as the Golden Hill tribe, from the name of their reservation.


* Conn. Rec., i. 335, 348 ; Stratford Rec., i. 249, 250.


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BRIDGEPORT.


In the summer of 1725 the shepherd of the town flock in Stratford was set upon by a number of Indians en- gaged in a drunken- carousal, his face painted, his body stamped upon until he was breathless, when he was "buried as dead." The manner in which the charge is made, however, implies his subsequent resus- citation, and it is probable that Newtown and New Milford Iudians, and not those living upon Golden Hill, were guilty of the outrage. . About the same time David Lane, infant son of Alexander Lanc, of Strat- ford, was thought to have been murdered, and two Indians, bearing the euphonious names of Shillings and Chops, were tried for the crime before the Supe- rior Court at Fairfield, Aug. 30, 1726, but were ac- quitted. An entry upon the Stratford records shows that it was finally determined that the child was acci- dentally drowned.


A few years later occurred an incident which the late Deacon David Sherwood was fond of relating as illustrating the uncommon physical strength of his grandfather, John Sherwood, captain of the train- band and the founder and first elder of the Stratfield Baptist Church. On a certain training-day, among the spectators present was a party of Indians from the reservation on Golden Hill, who had been behaving rather insolently, and one of theni, a burly, athletic fellow, finally challenged the whites to choose their best man and he would defeat him iu a wrestling- match. None of the spectators, sturdy farmers though they were, felt able to cope with the Indian athlete, whose muscular frame plainly showed him to be a very formidable antagouist; yet all felt it to be importaut that his challenge should be accepted, and that he should be defeated, for the sake of the effect upon the other savages. After some deliberation it was decided that Capt. Sherwood was the only man capable of van- quishing him, but doubts were expressed whether he would be willing to engage in a wrestling-match now that he had become so active in religious matters. A deputation came to him as he was drilling his men upon the parade-ground, and after hearing their story he briefly answered that his present duty was to drill his company, but that afterwards he would attend to the matter. Accordingly, when the parade was over and he had laid aside his regimentals, he approached the Indian champion, who was naked to the waist and shining with grease, so that it would have beeu diffi- cult for another man to lay hold of him. But, bring- ing his right hand down upon the shoulder of the astonished savage, Elder Sherwood crumpled it up in his vise-like grasp, and then, throwing his left arm around him, he gave him such a hug and mighty fall as to leave him almost senseless upon the field, while the air rang with the plaudits of the spectators.


At some date unknown, but probably about the year 1700, the Golden Hill Indians sold half their reserva- tion to Samuel Hawley, of Stratford. Mr. Hawley subsequently conveyed one-half his purchase to Rich-


ard Blackleach, the phraseology of the deed, omitting legal verbiage, being as follows :


"Know all men By thes presents that I Sain" Haley, of Stratford In the conutey of fairfield and colony of Connecticut, have sold, alenated & confirmed. and Do by thes presents soll alienate set over and confirme unto Mr Richard Blacklidge of Stratford aforesaid his heirs &c the Juste & Equal halfe of a tract of Land which I have Bought of the Endens [Indian] proprietors.


" Lying and Beeing on a place comonly caled golding hill; the whole quantety Beeing fortey acres Bee it more or less: Bounded north with the Inden fence; westerly with Land of Jacob waclen ( Wakeley); South- erly with land of Jacob wachen, Capt Bardsley, and Sumers his land; Easterly with a Springing nedo & highway : I say I have for a valuable Consideration to mee In hand Recdd. sold alienated and confirmed the equall halfe of the sd. tract of Land to M' Richard Blacklidge of Stratford his heirs & assigns &c. for ever. . . . Witness my hand and seall this 5th day of June 1706 Sel.


" SAMI HALLEY Senr. O =


This deed was witnessed by Jacob Walker, and was duly acknowledged before Justice Matthew Sher- wood, but was not recorded until May 3, 1710. The amount of the valuable consideration paid for forty acres of land on Golden Hill is not stated, but, ten months afterwards, Mr. Blackleach sold sixteen acres in the same locality to Benjamin Fayerwcather for the sum of thirty-two pounds in provisions at market rates. The essential portions of the deed, abbrevi- ating as before, are as follows :


. "Know all men pr. thes presents that I Richard Blackledg Sr. for a valuable consideration to mee in hand allready contented & paid pr, Benj fayerweather of fayerfield Do pr these presents sell alinate, set over & coufirme to the sd Benja. faycrweather lis heirs &c. for ever ; sixteen acres of land, bee it more or less, situate within the limits of Stratford on Golding hill, commonly soo caled ; & is the oue halfe of a parcell of Land that Sam11 Haley Bought of the Indens Belonging to said golding lill, except a small parcell that Lies on the south side of the high way that runs acros sd Hill now In the ocupation of Elizer fayerchild containing about three acres. The sd. land I have sold to said fayerweather Is Bounded Southerly with the Land of henery Sumers & John Sumers; westerly with the Land of Jacob Waclen; northerly with the Land of sd Indens, or thomas Haley's Land which he now improves in right of above sd Sam" Haley his father, Beeing the Remainder of his above sd. purches: easterly with sd. Indens land or the highway. southeasterly with the highway and so ranging tell you com to Heuery Sumerses Laud as the highway Runs. . ..




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