USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 198
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188 | Part 189 | Part 190 | Part 191 | Part 192 | Part 193 | Part 194 | Part 195 | Part 196 | Part 197 | Part 198 | Part 199 | Part 200 | Part 201 | Part 202 | Part 203 | Part 204 | Part 205 | Part 206 | Part 207 | Part 208 | Part 209 | Part 210 | Part 211 | Part 212 | Part 213
Henry A Ogden
HENRY AUGUSTUS OGDEN was born in Westport, Conn., Sept. 28, 1831. His father, J. H. Ogden, an old citizen of Westport, is now living and engaged in farming. His mother was Abby G. Sherwood of the same town.
His early life was spent on the farm ; he had the ad- vantages of the district schools and the academy at Green's Farms. While quite young he taught in the district schools of the town, teaching in winter and farming in summer, with a year's experience in a country store. At the age of twenty-eight he took the position of. book-keeper at G. W. Bradley's Edge-Tool Manufactory, situated in Weston, Conn. With the interests of this long-established manufactory he has been identified for over twenty years, sometimes repre- senting it through Connecticut and Western Massachu- setts, and at others in managing its finances ; this is his present position, as he is its sole manager. These works have been established nearly fifty years. Their founder was the son of an axe-maker, and conducted the business four miles above. When the works were destroyed by an ice gorge some years ago they were re- constructed by Miles Bradley, and the business resumed under his oversight in association with Mr. Ogden.
Their business felt the depression of the war, and re- quired most judicious and prudent management to avoid disaster. The situation of the Bradley Edge-Tool Manu- factory is very picturesque, removed from the great routes of travel, in a rural district having excellent water-power.
Mr. M. Bradley died some three years since, when Mr. Ogden became manager. For the excellence of their wares they have obtained an enviable reputation. They have given employment to from eighty to one hundred men, though the present number is less, and these works are the most important manufacturing interest in the town
Mr. Ogden was married in 1860 to Abigail J. Coley, daughter of Lonson Colcy, of Westport. The Coley family, from which Mr. Ogden is descended on his mother's side, is one of the oldest families in Connecti- cut. He has no living children, his only son dying in infancy.
Mr. Ogden has been on the school committee of his town, and has always sympathized with the interests of educational and religious matters. He is a member of the Congregational Church at Green's Farms.
He affiliates with the Republican party, and is highly esteemed as a reliable business man and a good citizen.
e:
je of
biber, & all
IST.
her ET
ili-
the Mr. in ions
i be
himmel
809
WESTON.
Nathan Wheeler, Samuel Wakeman, Benjamin Dean, and William Prime; Treasurer, Samuel Wakeman; Constables, Josiah G. Leavitt and Benjamin Dean; Surveyors of Highways, Ephraim French, Alfred Lockwood, 'Squire Adams, John S. Andrews, Joseph Banks, Nehemiah Cable, Zebulon Fenton, Christopher Godfrey, Sceley Squier, Daniel Andrews, Jr., Jona- than Bradley, Seth Price, Abel Hull, Lloyd Wakeman, Robert Harris, Samuel Wakeman, and T. L. Collyer ; Keykeepers, Thankful Platt, Nathaniel Seeley, Ben- jamin Dean, and John L. Andrews.
It was voted that the warnings for town-meetings shall be put up, one on a birch-tree near Henry Sum- mers', one on the post in the society of North Fair- field, and one on the post in the society of Norfield.
It is evident that the government of Weston was started on an economical basis, and that the good people of the town, way back in 1787, were not at all disposed to bestow upon their public servants any re- muneration except the " sincere thanks of the town," as the following shows, which was voted at the first town-meeting: "WHEREAS, it often happens that large sums arise against towns for the services of the several town officers appointed by said towns, which to prevent we, the inhabitants of the town of Wes- ·ton, in town-meeting assembled, do vote that we will for the year ensuing transact and performn all our town business, which by law or reason is or ought to be required of us, for which the town must pay, with- out any fee or reward, and whoever shall be chosen to any town office in this town (grand jury men and tithingmen excepted) are hereby notified that he is to expect or receive no other reward for his services only the sincere thanks of the town, and if any person so chosen is not willing to serve as above described, they must make their objections to this meeting, and shall thereupon be excused."
REPRESENTATIVES FROM 1788 TO 1880.
1788, Capt. John Sherwood, Capt. David Coley; 1789, David Silliman, Samuel B. Sherwood; 1790, Nathan Wheeler, Samuel Wakeman ; 1791, Sammuel Sherwood, Nathaniel Secly ; 1792, Samuel Wakeman; 1793, Samnel Wakeman, Samuel B. Sherwood ; 1794, John Sherwood; 1795, John Sherwood, Samuel B. Sherwood; 1796, Nathan Wheeler; 1797, Samuel B. Sherwood, John Sherwood; 1798, Samuel B. Sher- wood ; 1799, Samuel Wakeman, Samuel B. Sherwood ; 1800-I, Nathan Wheeler, Samuel B. Sherwood; 1802, David Silliman, David Coley, Jr., Stephen Sherwood ; 1803, William Prince, David Silliman, Aviel Fenton ; 1804, David Silliman, Andrew Lyon, Eliphalet Coley, Jr .; 1805, Andrew Lyon, Cyrus Brinsmado, Joseph Beunet, Eliphalet Coley ; 1806, Stepheu Gregory, Joseph Bennett, Moses Godfrey; 1807, Stephen Wheeler, Jas. Gray ; 1808, Jos. Bennett, And. Lyon, Nath. Wheeler, Stephen Wheeler; 1809, Simeon Fanton,* S. Wheeler, Gershom Bradley ; 1810, Stephen Wheeler, Joshua Adams, Stephen Gregory, Stephen Fanton; 1811, Stephen Wheeler, Joseph Bennett, Walker Sherwood, Gershom Bradley ; 1812, Joseph Bennett, Stephen Jennings, Stephen Wheeler; 1813, Joseph Bennett, Jeremiah Osborn Stephen Gregory ; 1814, Jos. Bennett, Oliver C. Sanford, l'eter sini. man; 1815, Jos. Bennett, David Silliman, Jero. Osborn, Ela. Cooley ; 1816, Joseph Bennett, Eliphalet Coley, Andrew Lyon, Simeon Fan- ton ; 1817, Oliver C. Sanford, Calvin Wheeler, Jr., Joseph Bonuet, Eliphalet Coley ; 1818, Stephen Wheeler, Oliver C. Sanford, Joseph
Bennett, Eliphalet Coley; 1819-20, Oliver C. Sauford, Stephen Wheeler; 1821, Oliver C. Sanford, Abel Gregory ; 1x22, Davld Sher- wood, Eliphalet Coley ; 1823, James Prince, Alva Gray ; 1224, Joseph Bennett, Oliver (. Sanford; 1825-26, Oliver C. Sanford, Stephen Wheeler; 1827, Eli Adams, Levi Coley ; 1828-29, Walker Sherwood, Edmund Fanton ; 1830, Walker Sherwood, Oliver C. Sauford ; 1x31, Joseph Bennett, Edmund Fauton; 1832, Walker Sherwood, Woolsey Nichols; 1833-34, Jesso Wakeman, Oliver C. Sanford; 1835, Jesse Wakeman, David Patchen ; 1836, James Baldwin, David Patchen ; 1837, Sherwood Seeley, David Patchen; 1838, Edward HIII, Joseph Rowland; 1839, Ely Adams, David Patchen; 1840, Edward Ilils, Matthew Bulkley ; 1841, Eli Adams, David Patchen ; 1842, Sherwood Seeley, Matthew Bulkley; 1843, Edward 1lill, David Patchen; 1844, Samuel Jackson, Oliver C. Sanford; 1845, Aaron L. Sanford, Davi 1 l'atchen ; 1846, David Patchen ; 1847, Joseph Rowland; 1848, Sammel M. Banks; 1849, David Patchen; 1850, Moses B. Treadwell; 1851, John R. Sturges; 1852, Oliver C. Sanford ; 1853-54, David Patchen ; 1855, Moses D. Treadwell; 1856, Moses Bulkley; 1857, Elgar Seril- ner; 1858, David Patchen ; 1859, Matthew Bnlkley; 1>60, Joseph S. Godfrey ; 1861, Charles Rowland; 1862, M. V. B. Rowland; 1863, Wakeman Godfrey ; 1864-65, David D. Coley ; 1866, Charles Row- land; 1867, David D. Coley; 1868, Platt Keeler; 1869, Matthew Bulkley : 1870, Henry Robertson; 1871, David L. Coley ; 1872-73. 05- born Taylor; 1874, Jolm R. Sturgis; 1875-76, Edgar Scribner; 1877, Miah Perry ; 1878, Jeremiah R. Nichols; 1879, Alvan B. Sherwood ; 1880, James Sturges.
MILITARY RECORD, 1861-65. FIRST REGIMENT CAVALRY.
Company F.
De Carty, Michael, enl. July 7, 1863 ; pro. to captain May 18, 1864.
Company II. Seelye, George, enl. Dec. 7, 1863 ; must. ont Jan. 1, 1865.
Unassigned.
Baker, James, enl. Dee. 20, 1864; died Jan, 9, 1865. Clarke, James, enl. Sept. 10, 1864; not taken up on rolls. Doferty, Pat, enl. Dee. 20, 1864; not taken up on rolls. Ilickey, Jacob E., enl. Dee. 20, 1804 ; not taken up on rolls. Rose, William, enl. March 20, 1864; not taken up on rolls. Rourte, Juo., enl Dec. 30, 1864; not taken up on rolls.
SECOND LIGHT BATTERY.
Trowbridge, HIenry J., enl. Feb. 19, 1864; must. ont Aug. 9, 1865.
FIRST REGIMENT ARTILLERY. Company B.
Brown, llenry, enl. Jan. 22, 1862; re-enl. Feb. 5, 1864; must. out Sept. 25, 1865.
Company F.
Monroe, Benjamin, enl. June 5, 1864; must. out Sept. 25, 1865.
SECOND REGIMENT ARTILLERY. Company E.
Barrett, Sylvester, enl. Dec. 29, 1863 ; died July 22, 1864. l'erry, Nathan, enl. Dee. 29, 1863; wounded June 1, 1864; must. out Ang. 18, I865.
Company I.
Headdens, William, enl. Dec. 29, 1863.
Knopf, Andrew, enl. Dee. 26, 1863; must. out Ang IS, 1865. Lockwood, Theo., enl. Jan. 5, 1864 ; must. ont Ang. 18, 1865. Mecker, Hanford, eul. Dec. 29, 1863; must. ont Ang. 18. 1865. Meeker, Charles S., en1. Jan. 5, 1864; must. out Ang. IS, 1865. Olmsted, Stephen, enl. Dee. 26, 1863; must. out June 22, 1865.
Company M.
Morris, Samuel, enl. Dec. 21, 1864. Wilfong, James, enl. Dec. 21, 1864; must. ont Ang. 8, 1865.
FIFTH REGIMENT.
Company C.
Ilendrickson, Abraham, enl. Sept. 14, ISGI ; disch. Jan. 13, 1863.
* Joseph Bennett was probably by mistake sent to the next town in the list (above) in Trumbull.
52
810
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
Company E.
Buckbee, George W., enl. July 22, 1861; disch. July 26, 1865. Crofut, Jerome B., enl. July 22, 1861. Gray, David D., enl. July 22, 1861; disch. Dec. 17, 1862. McCann, George, enl. July 22, 1861; disch. Nov. 15, 1862. Pilkey, Peter, enl. July 22, 1861.
Company F.
Rowe, Henry, enl. July 22, 1861 ; died Feb. 10, 1862.
Van Vorst, William H., enl. July 22, 1861 ; re-eul. Dec. 21, 1863; must. out Aug. 11, 1865.
Company K.
Beers, Levi, enl. Feb. 17, 1862.
EIGHTH REGIMENT. Company H.
Lahey, Edward, enl. Sept. 23, 1861; re-enl. Dec. 24, 1863; must. out Dec. 2, 1865.
NINTH REGIMENT. Company B.
Ryan, John, eul. Jan. 23, 1864; must. out Aug. 3, 1865.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. Company B.
Burns, Thomas, enl. Feb. 22, 1864; must. out Dec. 21, 1865.
Company D.
Robinson, James, enl. March 15, 1864.
TWELFTH REGIMENT. Company E.
Brown, Charles H., enl. Nov. 22, 1861 ; died April 22, 1864. Mills, Burr, enl. March 10, 1864; must. ont Aug. 12, 1865.
Parketon, Eugene S., enl. March 10, 1864.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. Unassigned.
Johnson, Edward, enl. March 11, 1864; not taken up on rolls.
FIFTEENTII REGIMENT.
Company I.
Condon, Morris, enl. Aug. 29, 1864; trans. to 7th Conn. Vol .; must. out July 20, 1865.
Unassigned.
Paten. George, enl. Feb. 23, 1864; uot taken up on rolls. Sands, Frederick, enl. Feb. 23, 1864; not taken up on rolls.
SEVENTEENTII REGIMENT. Company E.
Carodus, Charles H., corporal ; enl. Aug. 4, 1862; must. out July 19, 1865. Crapo, Berothi B., en1. Aug. 4, 1862 ; must. out July 19, 1865. Clarkson, Charles H., enl. Aug. 9, 1862; must. out July 19, 1865. Dixon, Samuel, enl. Aug. 4, 1862 ; disch. for disability April 1, 1863. Ilaugh, James, enl. Ang. 4, 1862; must. out July 19, 1865. Sweeten, David, enl. Aug. 7, 1862; disch. for disability Aug. 21, 1863. Williams, William, enl. Aug. 8, 1862; disch. for disability Jan. 17, 1863. Banks, Horace A., enl. Dec. 30, 1863; must. out July 19, 1865. Banks, Wesley O., enl. Jan. 1, 1864; must. out July 19, 1865. Oakley, William, enl. Dec. 21, 1863 ; must. out July 19, 1865.
Company G.
Morris, John, enl. Sept. 7, 1864 ; must. out July 19, 1865.
Company H.
Strong, Francis M., enl. Aug. 20, 1862; disch. for disability April 30, 1863.
TWENTIETHI REGIMENT, Company B.
Conmer, Jerry, enl. March 11, 1864.
Company G.
Gould, Joseph, enl. March 11, 1864; must. out July 19, 1865.
TWENTY-TIHRD REGIMENT. Company E.
Northrop, Lewis, sergeant ; enl. Aug. 28, 1862; pro. to captain; hon. cisch. Aug. 31, 1863.
Andrews, Elias S., enl. Aug. 25, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Beers, Frederick, enl. Aug. 30, 1862 ; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Beers, William P., enl. Aug. 26, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Beers, Rufus, enl. Aug. 23, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Beers, William, enl. Aug. 25, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Betts, Jonathan, enl. Aug. 28, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Chase, Isaac, enl. Aug. 25, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Cole, George II., en1. Aug. 25, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Donnell, James O., enl. Aug. 25, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. IIamilton, Theodore, enl. Aug. 30, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Iloman, Henry, enl. Aug. 28, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Lockwood, Albert, enl. Aug. 30, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Mead, John M., enl. Aug. 25, 1862.
Rowland, Rufus K., en1. Aug. 25, 1862 ; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Seeley, John N., enl. Sept. 4, 1862.
Smith, William B., enl. Aug. 29, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Thorp, Isaac N., enl. Aug. 30, 1862; hon. disch. Aug. 31, 1863. Whitlock, Albert M., eul. Sept. 4, 1862.
Company F. Dowd, William L., enl. Aug. 27, 1862. Horan, Patrick, enl. Nov. 5, 1862.
TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT (COLORED). Company I. Pipers, Charles, enl. Dec. 23, 1864; must. out Oct. 24, 1865. THIRTIETH REGIMENT (COLORED). Company C. Johnson, Philip, enl. Feb. 22, 1864; must. out Nov. 7, 1865.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
DAVID D. COLEY.
David D. Coley was born Oet. 30, 1811, in Weston, Conn. His father was Eliphialet Coley, of the same town, and as far as is known was descended from the early settlers of this eounty. His mother was Priscilla Bradley, another old family name in Fairfield County.
His youth was sickly ; he did not until near his eighteenth year have ordinary good health ; he had, besides the advantages of the distriet school, the in- structions of Hawley Olmstead, a noted teacher of Wilton. When young Coley's health became estab- lished he found employment on his father's farm, and chose farming as his pursuit.
He married, in 1824, Mary E. Andrews, daughter of John Andrews, of Weston. Her mother was Mary Andrews. Mr. Coley worked at the home-farm some three years after his marriage. In 1840 or 1841 hc bought and removed to the farm on which he now resides, in the town of Weston; the place is situated on the high ground in the southerly part of the town, and commands an extensive view of the county soutlı, including a view of Long Island Sound, and the island itself across the Sound. This farm of good natural soil has been well cultivated and industriously farmed, and yielded a competency to its owner.
Mr. Coley has been a selectman of the town for many years, and during the entire civil war dis- charged the duty of this onerous office; it became their duty to secure the soldiers to fill the quota of the town; this was successfully accomplished to the satisfaction of the townspeople.
D. D. COLEY.
nd
ne he
ed
ra!
me
the
ed.
for
th. d
0,
he
T.
lis 1,
if
811
WESTPORT.
Mr. Coley has for three years represented his town in the Legislature of the State; has sympathized with the Demoeratie party all his life; is a strong Union man, and was a supporter of the Union in the late war.
Mr. Coley has had three sons, John B., James L., and Alphonso B., the last named alone surviving. John B. died at the age of twenty-four years; James L. died at twenty-nine years. Alphonso reeuperated his health by a trip to California, which entirely re- stored him.
Mrs. Coley died in 1872. For forty-eight years she was a faithful companion and an affectionate mother; she was a farmer's daughter, and became a help-meet to her industrious husband. Her monument is pointed out in the cemetery as one of its principal and most beautiful adornments. Mr. Coley for a man of his age is vigorous and strong. He is respected and trusted by his fellow-townsmen, and has before him the prospect of a comfortable old age, surrounded by all the comforts of life.
CHAPTER LXXXII.
WESTPORT.
Geographical-The First Settlements in 1645-The Pioneers and their Locations-The First Grist-Mill-The First School in 1740-The Revo- lutionary War-The Gallant Seventeen-Highways-Early Merchants -Taverns, Etc .- The Whipping-Post-Early Regulations-Slaves, Etc. -Early Customs-Physicians-Lawyers-Manufacturing - Commer- cial.
THE town of Westport lies in the southern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Wilton and Weston; on the east by Fairfield ; on the south by Long Island Sound; and on the west by Norwalk.
THE PIONEERS.
The first settlement was made by Thomas Newton, Daniel Frost, Henry Gray, John Green, and Francis Andrews, who ereeted their log huts in the neighbor- hood of the present Green's Farmns railroad depot. The ability, character, and disposition of Thomas Newton and his four contemporaries ean only be con- jeetured from some of their aets and doings, which frequently brought some of them before the General Court and became matters of reeord. From a perusal of these reeords it is seen that Thomas Newton was an enterprising, go-ahead man, with a strong pro- pensity for traffic and trade in anything that promised gain. His settlement in Maximus was not to elcar forest and raise wheat, but in some way to make a speculation. He was unfortunate in the many suits at law he had in the General Court for the time he was in this section of the country. At the October session, 1646, in a suit against him by Mr. Whitney, " the jury find for the plaintiff the Bill 5€ 108. 2d. damages and cost of court," and at the same court Edward Hopkins plaintiff and Thomas Newton de- fendant, "The jury find for the plaintiff; the defend-
ant is to pay 4£ 138. 4d., according to the Bill and 10s. damages and costs." Again, in June, 1647, he was "Bound in a recognizance of 160€ to the court to save the court and such debtors harmless from any damage that shall be recovered in the court, of Sep- peseger his debts in referance to an action commenced against Samuel Smith." Again, in 1648, in a suit of Jonas Wood against Thomas Newton, "The jury find, for the plaintiff that the defendant shall dis- charge or cause to be discharged the bond that the plaintiff, and his friends lye under at the Monatoes, which was to answer the defendants engagement there; and to pay unto him 30€ besides, and costs."
Again he was bound in a reeognizanee of €200, with John Green and Henry Gray as his security, to answer, truly perform, and discharge the verdict of the jury in the action between " Jonas Wood, plaintiff and him- self defendant at or before the 1st day of February next." Various other suits appear to have been tried, some resulting in his favor, but generally against hin, and among others a "fine of five pounds for selling one Philip White wine from his vessel when said White had enough already." He owned a vessel and probably traded with the Dutch at New Amsterdam (New York) and other places where profit could be made, and was independent of Custom House regula- tions.
The care of his vessel and his voyages very likely occupied most of his time until 1650, when, upon the information of one Goody Johnson, a woman in Fair- field, Newton was arrested and committed to jail, but, before trial, broke out and eseaped with his ves- sel to New Amsterdam, and never returned to Maxi- mus thereafter. The second in the list of first settlers was Daniel Frost, an altogether different character from Thomas Newton. He was a son of William Frost. From the will of William Frost, made in January, 1664, I infer that he, William, left England several years before the settlement of Fairfield, bring- ing with him his two sons, Daniel and Abraham, and daughters Elizabeth (wife of John Gray), Lydia (wife of Henry Gray), and Rebecca and Sarah Frost, un- married, and from the bequest in his will was a man of considerable means for the time, as in addition to the disposal of his estate here to his children and grandchildren he bequeaths to a daughter named Mary Rylie and her children all his goods and land left in Old England, and " ten pounds in good money towards building a meeting-house in Uneowa, one- half when the house is half done and the other half when it is completed." No mention of his wife is made in the wills, from which it might be supposed he was a widower, but in Fairfield records is found a bond of two hundred pounds obligating the said Daniel to pay his mother ten pounds annually, and other provisions for her support during life. The land upon which Daniel settled was east of the resi- dence of Mr. Phipps. The point of land known as Frost's Point was some of it. He was doubtless a quite
812
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
peaceable, respectable man. Of the forty-fonr free- men of Fairfield entitled to vote in town-meetings in October, 1669, Daniel Frost was one.
Henry Gray, the third on the list of first settlers, was between thirty and forty years of age at the commencement of the settlement. His wife was a daughter of William Frost, and had at least a family of three sons-Jacob, Henry and William-when they sat down at Bankside or Maximus. In early life he appears to have been an active, influential, and popular man, and represented the town of Un- cowa in 1643 in the General Conrt, but two years after the General Conrt passed a judgment upon him in the words following, to wit: " Henry Gray, for his many misdemeanors, is adjudged to be imprisoned at the discretion of the court, and to be fined ten pounds." . What the misdemeanors were, or how many, we are left to conjecture. The court record of the time, except in this case, uniformly gives the name and nature of the offense for which the punish- ment was inflicted. From this time forward, for near twenty years, he seems to have had a vexatious life, as in nearly every court his name appears as plaintiff or defendant, and at a session of the General Court, in May, 1850, he was "fined twenty shillings for abnsing the court." His principal opponent in law was the Jonas Wood of Long Island with whom Thomas Newton had many conflicts. These contin- uous lawsuits, as might be supposed, wasted his es- tate, and at his death, in 1672, the General Court, upon the petition of Maj. Nathan Gold and Mr. William Hill, empowered the administrators "to sell the said Gray's farm at Maximns as the most pru- dent conrse to save any estate for the children of said Gray." The Maximus farm was in the neighbor- hood of the land now owned by Mr. Phipps, and he had other land in Compo. He and his brother John, who also married a daughter of William Frost, were the progenitors of all the Grays in this section, branches of whom may be found in most of the States.
The name of John Green, the fourth on the list, is occasionally met on the first volume of records of the town of Fairfield, but nowhere in the town or colony record is found anything to his disparagement. In 1672 he was appointed by the General Conrt one of a committee of three "to view the township of Rye (then under the jurisdiction of Connecticut), and con- sider what highways may be necessary and requisite for the nse of the town and colony." He must have lived to an advanced age, for I find in 1699 an instru- ment recorded by which he manumits and grants freedom to his negro man Harry, upon condition that said Harry shall choose some good man to live with, and serve two years, and get twenty pounds to pay the board and education of a grandson. This instrn- ment was signed with a cross. The old man had prob- ably become too paralyzed to write his name. He had a son, John Green, Jr., who settled in Stamford,
and was one of the eight freemen, and was also con- stable of that town in 1669.
The parish of Green's Farms is supposed to have derived its name from John Green, who, in his day, was perhaps the largest and best farmer in the settle ment.
The last of the list of first settlers was Franeis An- drews. He was nndonbtedly a quiet, peaceable man, as his name is not to be found in the conrt records. The land upon which he settled was for three or fonr generations in the Andrews family. The An- drews of Westport and Redding are his descendants. How long after the first settlement before additions were made cannot now be ascertaincd. It is supposed that Simon Conch, by purchase or otherwise, suc- ceeded in the possession of the land of Thomas New- ton. The dispute about the west line of the town of Fairfield, the nncertainty of the title to the lands im- proved, and the war with the Narragansett Indians, probably tended to caution new settlers against set- ting down and making improvements where the risk of disturbance was so great, and it is doubtful whether more than three or four families were added before 1665.
The territory of the Compo District was debatable ground between Fairfield and Norwalk nntil 1686, and no settlements upon it were made before 1790. Among the first settlers were Henry Gray, Jr., John Shaw, Peter Disbrongh, or Disbrow, as now spelt, and -
- Bennett. At the building of the new school- house, 1801, there was but one Gray living in the dis- trict. The Shaw family had all left, but there were many of the Bennetts, Disbrows, and Allens. In 1750 the traveled road from Norwalk was to a ferry cross- ing Saugatuck River a little below the present rail- road bridge, called Disbrongh's Ferry. The fare at this ferry was for man, horse, and load, twopence half- penny; for led-horse, one penny; for footman, penn. halfpenny; for ox or other neat kine, threepence half penny ; for sheep, hog, or goat, halfpenny.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.