History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 201

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 201

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The sixth pastor was Rev. Daniel C. Curtis, a native of Meriden, Conn. He graduated from Yale in 1836, and was ordained and installed in Green's Farms in 1840, and was installed pastor in Brookfield, where he labored fifteen years. In 1855 he was settled in Fort Atkinson, Wis., afterwards was pastor in Fort Howard, of the same State. After he left Green's Farms, Rev. Lewis Pennel was stated supply for a year. He is now (1880) at Green's Farms, superan- nuated, yet attends various meetings in the Councils, reviving histories of former days.

Rev. Giles M. Porter was the seventh ,pastor. His father was Rev. Dr. Porter, of Farmington, Conn. He graduated from Yale in 1836; he was licensed by the New London Association to preach in 1841, and was ordained and installed pastor in Green's Farms in 1844. His faithful discharge closed here by his dismissal in 1850. He was pastor in Unionville, Conn., from 1852 till 1856. After that he had a charge in Garnaville, Iowa, where he was laboring in 1865.

The eighth pastor was the Rev. Charles Bentley, a graduate of Amherst College in 1824; was ordained and installed pastor in Middle Haddam, 1826, and dismissed, 1833. He was settled in Granby till 1839; from there he went to Harwenton, where he was ex- ceedingly successful. He left here in 1850, where he was a faithful pastor till 1850. He was laboring in the ministry in Wellington, Conn., in 1865.

Rev. R. S. Eggleston sneceedell Mr. Bentley as stated supply for two years. He was an honored and suc- cessful pastor in Knowlsville, N. Y., in 1865.

The ninth pastor is the Rev. B. J. Relyea, who was installed pastor in Green's Farms, Dee. 4, 1861, and has been a beloved and efficient pastor there up to date (1880).

On Oct. 26, 1865, his parish held the celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the for- mation of the church in Green's Farmis. He gave an elaborate history of Green's Farms, which was de- servedly popular. The present structure is the fourth

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

church which has been used by this congregation, and this has been remodeled and rededicated in Mr. Relyea's day.

At the anniversary Edward J. Taylor called the meeting to order. The late Hon. James C. Loomis, of Bridgeport, was president ofthe day. Rev. Nathaniel Hewit, D.D., Maj .- Gen. Couch, the late Dr. William B. Nash, and Hezekiah W. Ripley, Esq., were vice- presidents. Daniel Burr was chief marshal. Among the speakers of the day were Hon. James C. Loomis, Rev. Mr. McLean, of Fairfield, David Ripley, grand- son of the late Dr. Ripley, Dr. Noyes, of New Canaan, Rev. Dr. Hewit, of Bridgeport, Maj .- Gen. Couch, Prof. William B. Clark, of Yale, Rev. William J. Jennings, Rev. Mr. Elwood, and Rev. Enoch Burr.

The whole was a fine affair at the termination of so successful a parish for one hundred and fifty years.

Mr. Relyea has a son, Albert Relyea, a lawyer, who has represented Westport in the Legislature.

When Fairfield ceded the portion extending from Sasco to Saugatuck River to Westport she lost the parish of Green's Farms and three burial-grounds, besides a valuable tract of farms and an enviable, aristocratic, independent community. The burying- ground reputed to be the oldest is on Mosquito Hill, west of Phipp's Beach. It contains no stones with in- scriptions, the ground being used at the period pre- vious to the age of tombstones. The lower Green's Farms ground and the Pequonnock ground, now in Bridgeport, lately ceded to it by Fairfield, contains Fairfield's people for the next period. This old Green's Farms ground is a curiosity ; most of the stones are low, of granite, and completely moss-covered. In 1701, Capt. Thomas Nash came here from New Haven. He, with others, had to go several miles to church, probably walking that distance, which was too much for the captain, so he, in common with six others, started the Green's Farms church about 1715, which was called Fairfield West parish, and he was made deacon in it. The tombstone over him in the lower ground men- tions his being "deacon of the Fairfield West parish." He accumulated a large property. His son, Thomas Nash (2d), succeeded him as dcacon in the same church. His son, Thomas Nash (3d), also succeeded him as deacon in the church, and was an efficient officer in the Revolution, capturing several prisoners, and saving portions of the town from devastation. He married Mary, daughter of William Burr, of Strat- field. She died about one hundred years ago, aged thirty-four. Some of her china is yet among her de- scendants in Westport and Fairfield, which proves china makes good heirlooms, being imperishable by time, moth, or rust. This Thomas Nash (3d) was at one time reputed to be the wealthiest man in Connec- ticut. He had one tract of land containing over one thousand acres. He and Capt. Simon Couch pur- chased a large tract in Redding.

He owned a hundred sheep, which were grazing near Compo when the British landed when they

crossed the country to burn Danbury. His wife sent one of the slaves, of whom they had several, down to bring a sheep for dinner. The British then had landed ; they yelled at the slave, frightening him so that he dropped the sheep and ran. The British took the whole flock. When the new church was to be built, Thomas Nash (3d) gave the site to the so- ciety. A burial-ground is located near by, to the eastward.

Of the descendants of Thomas Nash and Mary Burr, they number about four hundred. Of the first Nash settler in this country, there were between three and four thousand up to 1851. The family were un- dispersed here for more than one hundred years. Thomas Nash (3d), the Revolutionary hero, was father to the late Dr. William B. Nash, who died in Bridgeport, 1872, almost a nonagenarian. Some of Capt. Nash's grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren-the seventh genera- tion from the founder of this church-are regular wor- shipers there. One of the fifth generation, Mary Burr Hedenberg, is the owner of the home of the father of Chancellor Kent, in Compo. This Chan- cellor Kent was the Blackstone of America, and is responsible for the rule for computing partial pay- ments in Connecticut. His home was purchased by Stephen Thorp, who was a sufferer from the Fairfield conflagration, in 1779. His son, Capt. Burr Thorp, married Rebecca Nash. They had several children ; the eldest, Eleanor, married Stephen Bennett, of Greenfield: They both died, aged more than four- score, in Brooklyn, during the last decade ; the next, Mary Burr, married Francis S. Hedenberg, of Swed- ish origin, the only family, except his brother's, of that name in the United States. At his death, in 1876, he was a stove-dealer and inventor. He put up the first base-burner (stove below, register above) in this country. About forty-four years ago he bought out the heirs to this Kent estate, and there he spent his later years; he formerly had an extensive business in New York City.

His widow, hale and hearty, born 1800, attends unassisted to the domestic duties of the family. An- other sister, Sarah, married Capt. Charles Allen, of Westport. He is a descendant of another old Fair- field family. Some of their grandchildren are scat- tered in Bridgeport, Black Rock, and Westport. The youngest of the Thorp daughters married E. A. Wil- liams, a shoe-dealer in Westport. He has now retired from business, and they reside with their daughter, Charlotte, wife of Wesley Lyon, Esq., a lawyer, brother of F. S. Lyon, editor of Norwalk Connecticut Republican, and descendants of the Lyon colonial house, in Fairfield.

To continue with the Nashes. They have scattered from the old plantation, owing to the reverse of for- tune with Capt. Thomas (3d). He invested largely in Continental currency, which, when repudiated, im- poverished many. He met with various other losses,

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WESTPORT.

so that he was greatly reduced, and his children had to set out for themselves.

There are descendants of the name in the town, but they are more associated with the presses. One had a newspaper-press in Westport; another* a eider-press, with other mills, on the stream west of Westport vil- lage. Thomas Nash (3d) had a daughter, Charity, who married, first, Samuel Cable, who died at sea while on a journey for his health. They had three children, one of whom, absenting himself from his family twenty years, was an American "Enoeh Ar- den." His family reside in Mystie, Conn. Another son was drowned in Saugatuck River. The daughter was burned to death, her clothes taking fire in her mother's absenee, and, the servant being so flustered, the ehild ran till she was fatally injured. Charity married, seeond, Capt. Thomas Saunders, of a Nor- walk family. They are of long standing in this country. The house of this family was not burned by the British, in Norwalk, in the general conflagration, as the wife was sick in bed; so the building was not fired. One of this family, Stephen Saunders, preached several years, and died in his parish, at South Salem, N. Y., and is always spoken of very respectfully and tenderly. Thomas Saunders married, first, a Blatch- ley, from Long Island, and had four children. One, Capt. Thomas, owned quite a tract of land not far from the depot in Norwalk. He died in the present decade aged over eighty. A sister is the widow of David Fancher, deacon of the Congregational Church of Lansingburg. Capt. Thomas and his wife, Charity, occupied the place opposite the Kent grounds. They have been greatly improved by the various owners, of whom were Barretts and Coekrofts. Capt. Thomas Saunders, in his later years, started a business which now is a source of great revenue, but was not eonsid- ered respectable in his day,-the placing of sea-food- oysters, clams, escallops, and crabs-in the market and finding sale for them. After he died the place was disposed of, but, owing to some illegal proceedings on the part of the agent, a good title has never been given.

Owing to the size of the Saugatuck River the low- est fordable place on the king's highway from New York to Boston was two and a half miles from its mouth, which made it trying to parties living on op- posite banks, who had to go five miles to reach a point but a few rods away. If the railroad had not been built, a foot-bridge being on one side, the people might possibly have accomplished the building of a carriage-bridge in much less time than one hundred years, although the scenes were ludicrous that oc- curred for want of means of transit. The parties along the banks had boats, but often when needed they were on directly opposite shores. Strangers often were vexed to find some extra weary miles must be taken to accomplish a few rods, therefore amuse-

ment, adventure, and romance were the order of the day. Harriet Saunders, a brave maiden, rowed a boat across the waters when rough with a couple of boards, to accommodate a young man. He so adinired her pluck he sought her acquaintance, and in time bore her away to his home in a neighboring State.

The Thorps have had a name known long in town in common with other towns.

William, the ancestor of the first Thorp, lived in New Haven in 1647. Of his children we record of Nathan, Eliphalet, John, Samuel, and Eleanor, whose baptisms were recorded between 1640 and 1648. Samuel Thorp appears to have been the ancestor of the line in the next generation, whose children, Abi- gail, Samuel, David, Gershom, Anna, Jeremiah were recorded from 1709 to 1721. David was the father of Stephen, who lost his house in the Fairfield conflagra- tion. Eliphalet, whose family record is in Capt. John Gould's family from 1761 to 1776.

Stephen Thorp purchased the home belonging to Moss Kent (written sometimes Moses), the Chancel- lor James Kent's father. Stephen Thorp's son, Burr, tore down the old house, and built on the same site the present building about 1790. His seven children were born here between the years 1792 and 1809.

Capt. Burr Thorp brought here his bride, Rebecca Nash, Jan. 16, 1791. The same night word came to him that he must board his vessel immediately to save his property. He had a deck-load of horses to be taken to the West Indies. For some cause some of them jumped overboard. In a few hours the ship started for its destination, and he was absent many weeks from his bride. Sueh was the way the honey- moon was spent in those days,-" business first, pleas- ure afterwards." Capt. Burr Thorp was a wide-awake maritime man, full of business and adventure, so mueh so that it was an aeeepted saying, "Capt. Thorp would go to sea in a tea-kettle." On a trip South with his father he, with another young man, were washed overboard. After a long and unsuccessful search his father gave them up for lost, and proceeded up the James River. Having opportunity, he sent tidings home of the loss of his son, and had prayers offered in church for his safety. These young men, being good swimmers, had reached the shore, but the ship's offieers received no intimation of their safety. They subsisted the best they could, but kept watch for the boat to return with its freight exchanged.

Capt. Thorp on his way back saw some men on shore waving to him to stop, and at last heard the voice which he would have thought was his son's had he not supposed he was drowned. He sent ont a boat, and to his great joy found both men safe.

Capt. Burr Thorp followed the sea forty years. As he was once coming from England he perceived a large sea-monster near. With the spirit of adventure, after the custom of the time, he brought out his har- poon, which he threw with such force he fell over- board into the sea, but he held on to the rope. Boats

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

were let down and search was made for him, but, being unsuccessful, all on board, both crew and pas- sengers, lamented sorely the loss of the captain. One man on board persisted in walking the deck and watching for him. At last he was rewarded by seeing something shine on the water like a glass bottle. Soou it appeared like a man's head. The boat was lowered again and went to the rescue.

It proved to be the captain, who met with the loss of one boat. The animal was also captured. At the time of the accident the ship was going at eleven knots an hour.

Capt. Burr Thorp had a son Henry, who was also captain. He had a new sailing-vessel out on her first trip, on a Southern voyage. It was captured by the English in 1812. They boarded her, took off all the men and provisions, but left the captain on board and towed him off one night. He thought at one time he would cut loose from the moorings, but then, having no men nor provisions on board, such a course would be only death to him. A long night of anxiety followed. In the morning he made known to his captors, by the usual signs, that he was a Mason, so they spared his life, and set him on shore at Norfolk, Va., after having burut his vessel to the water's edge. He walked from there to New York, begging his way along, but his exposure was such he coutracted a malarial disease which ended his days, Aug. 13, 1818.

Green's Farms has contributed nobly to the world in furnishing it with representative men and women who are worthy of honor through the land. Between thirty and forty of her sons have been graduates of college, mostly of Yale. Several have occupied pulpits of no mean degree, and has furnished one theologian, through his maternal ancestry, of notoriety,-Moses Stuart, of Andover. Professors' chairs have been filled ; the American bar has been enriched; Con- gress has been witness to the ability of her sons ; Den- mark knew of this country through a plenipotentiary from Green's Farms. The bench, the medical profes- sion, the mercantile world, the high seas, and the civil service have been well represented here. Green's Farms' daughters have blessed mankind as being among the honorable and useful womeu of the land, adding their brilliancy and virtues to the lot of a Governor, missionary, ministers, and other profes- sionals. A large history could be written of Green's Farms alone, but enough is given to show it is worthy of a separate chapter.

SAUGATUCK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.

In 1831 measures were taken to organize and build a church in the village of Saugatuck (which was in- corporated in May, 1835, into Westport). A meeting was held Dec. 24, 1832, in the academy, to perfect the organization of the church; and the following officers were chosen : Lewis Raymond, Moderator; Levi T. Downs, Secretary ; Samuel Jackson, Treasurer ; Eben-

ezer Jesup, Samuel B. Sherwood, Dan Taylor, Sam- uel Avery, Sullivan Moulton, Parish Committee.

June, 1832, the following persons, many of them members of the Green's Farms parish, having signi- fied their desire to unite with the new church, received letters of dismission, and the following mouth organ- ized the church. The names of the original mem- bers were Eliphalet Swift, Wm. Richards, Wm. Bradly and Sarah his wife, Benj. Bradly, Walter Thorp and Betsy his wife, Samuel Wood, Caroline Wood, Eleathea Wood, Jesse B. Scribner and Sally his wife, Stephen Morehouse and Esther his wife, George W. Comstock, Charles Jesup and Abby his wife, David Richmond and Lydia his wife, Eliza Richmond, Mary Riley, Eliza Wiuton, Frances Nash, Amelia Nash, Eleathea Andrews, Mary Andrews, Abby J. Swift, Charlotte Jesup, Deborah Sherwood, wife of Samuel Sherwood, Janette M. Brush, Maria, wife of John Q. Wilson, Elizabeth Buntle, Samuel Jackson and Esther his wife, Mollie Bennett, Sally Platt.

CHURCH ORGANIZED AND DEDICATED.

July 5, 1832, the following clergymen were invited to assist in organizing the church : Rev. Samuel Mer- win, of Wilton, Rev. Joel Maun, of Greenwich, and Rev. Edwin Hall, of Norwalk. Rev. Mr. Mann was chairman and Rev. Mr. Hall scribe. William Rich- ards and Nathaniel L. Hill were ordained deacons.

Rev. Charles A. Boardman was the first pastor, and in February, 1833, was installed at a salary of seven hundred dollars. He resigned his pastorate Dec. 19, 1836. During four years the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Mr. Weed (afterwards settled in Norwalk) and others.

In January, 1840, Rev. Henry Benedict was called to the pastorate, and supplied the pulpit until March, 1852, at a salary of seven hundred dollars. During his pastorate Eliphalet Swift and Edward Hyde were elected and ordained deacons.

March 10, 1853, Rev. Joseph D. Strong was called, at a salary of seven hundred dollars, and resigned Jan. 19, 1856. During his pastorate Edmund W. Taylor and Elnathan Wheeler were elected and ordained deacons.

Jan. 1, 1850, Rev. Timothy Atkinson was called, at a salary of nine hundred dollars, and resigned March 17,1864.

July, 1865, Rev. Andrew J. Hetrich was called, at a salary of twelve hundred dollars. During his pasto- rate George Taylor and Charles S. Wakeman were ordained deacons. Resigned May 25, 1872.

Dec. 30, 1872, Rev. Joseph Sanderson, D.D., was called, at a salary of two thousand dollars, and was dismissed May 13, 1878.

Dec. 19, 1879, Rev. William Hart was called, at a salary of twelve hundred dollars.

Present number of male members, sixty-nine; fe- male, one hundred and thirty-four. Clerk, Elnathan Wheeler; Treasurer, Charles S. Wakeman.

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MEMORIAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY. WESTPORT CONN . BEGUN IN 1860 BY HON RICHARD HENRY WINSLOW, AND COMPLETED IN 1862 BY. MARY FITCH WINSLOW.

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WESTPORT.

REMINISCENCES.

July 18, 1836, the first musical instrument-a bass- viol, eosting twenty-five dollars-was purchased for use in the church by Levi T. Downs and Andrew Comstock, aeting as agents for the society.

March 4, 1836, the society's committee were em- powered to purchase a burying-ground of Steplien Morehouse, consisting of one aere, more or less, pay- ing therefor three hundred dollars.

Nov. 1, 1836, it was voted to put blinds on the win- dows of the church.

Mareh 15, 1847, a meeting was held to advise about the sum of five hundred dollars, a sum left in will to the society by Thomas F. Roland, Esq.

1850 .- An organ was pureliased for the church, the priee of which was five hundred dollars.

April 7,'1857 .- Voted to enlarge the ehureh and modify the pews. Jonas H. Phelps, John N. Betts, Elnathan Wheeler, Gershom B. Bradley, Morris Ketchum, Committee.

Sept. 25, 1865 .- A meeting of the society was ealled to consider the erecting of a new Sunday-school room. A building was ereeted connecting with the church, costing about three thousand dollars.

1878 .- The old bell eraeked and gave ont, and a new one was purchased, eosting two hundred and fifty dollars.

July 14, 1879 .- The ladies laid out on improve- ments inside and outside the church about five hun- dred dollars. The pulpit platform was enlarged, and the organ moved from the gallery to the recess back of the pulpit.

May 3, 1880 .- New hymn-books, "Songs of Sane- tuary," were introduced.

Present offieers of society : Thos. R. Lees, H. H. Belden, Wm. H. Burr, Society's Committee; B. L. Woodworth, Treasurer; Joseph T. Hull, Secretary ; Theodore Taylor, Chas. S. Wakeman, Tithingmen ; Joseph Wakeman, Frederick Bradley, Ushers.

The Sabbath-school numbers one hundred and fifty ; teaeliers, twenty. Rufus Wakeman, Superin- tendent; Wm. H. Burr, Assistant Superintendent; Wm. H. Saxton, Secretary ; Frederick Bradley, Treas- urer ; James E. Hubbell, Librarian ; Harry Wood- worth, Assistant Librarian. Number of volumes in library, six hundred and fifty.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The construction of the present church was eom- meneed in the year 1851. Rev. Z. Davenport, now living at Saugatnek, Conn., was at that time the preacher in charge. Services were held in the old Universalist chnreh for about two years, and until the Methodist Episcopal church was completed.

The first board of trustees were Edward Farrell, F. C. Foote, Allen Renoud, B. V. Russell, and S. W. Meeker. The first board of stewards were F. C. Foote, G. Lloyd, S. Geurnsey, Aaron Bennett. The first elass-leaders were F. C. Foote, George Lloyd.

The record of membership was at this time kept mostly by class-leaders, whose books show a member- ship of forty, and the number has increased until in 1880 there are one hundred and fourteen.

The original members were mostly persons who had in former years belonged to the same denomination and had worshiped at a church about two miles north of Westport village, at Poplar Plains.

The first Methodist sermon preached within the limits of this town was at Poplar Plain, in 1790, by Jesse Lee, in a house standing a few rods west of the now old church. Some few years after this regular preaching services were held in a ball-room of a tavern near by, and until the meeting-house was built, about the year 1817, slabs upon legs being used for about forty years before the room was regularly seated. The old ehureh is still standing, and is oc- casionally nsed upon some funeral occasion, the members having mostly died, the others having joined with some other Methodist society.

The trustees of the present Westport Methodist Episcopal Church are D. A. Salmon, J. Goodsell (3d), A. Bennett, J. B. Goodsell, J. Raymond, H. B. Coley, Isaae Allen, William H. Wells, Levi Coley. The stewards are William H. Allen, Sylv. Harris, W. M. Harris, William E. Nash, F. M. Raymond, J. B. Mills, J. Goodsell, H. Lyon, and A. W. Bradley. Ministers and date of apportionment: 1850-51, 'Z. Davenport; 1852-53, F. A. Craft; 1854-55, L. P. Perry ; 1856-57, C. B. Ford; 1858-59, H. D. Latham; 1860-61, A. B. Pulling; 1862-63, D. Nash; 1864, George Hollis; 1865-67, Josephi Vinton ; 1868-69, T. D. Littlewood ; 1870-71, W. J. Robinson ; 1872, J. S. Haugh; 1873-74, F. Brown; 1875, S. H. Smith; 1876, W. H. Stebbins; 1877-78, D. Nash ; 1879-80, William Platts.

SAUGATUCK METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

This ehureh was built in 1852 by Morris Ketehnm, Sidney G. Miller, Horace Staples, Francis Burrett, and others. It was dedieated the same year, and pre- sented to the society free of debt. Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Bond, of New York, then editor of the Christian Advocate and Journal, assisted by Dr. Asa Hill, of Norwalk, conducted the dedication service. Rev. Z. Davenport supplied the pulpit for a period of four years, after which it was placed under the pastoral charge of. Westport Church. Several years ago it separated from Westport charge, and has been sup- plied from Conference by the following ministers: Revs. Miles N. Olmstead, D. L. Lonnsbury, R. S. Eldredge, A. B. Sanford, W. Robertson, and David Osborn (present pastor). The trustees are William H. Allen, George B. Smith, George Hale, Frank God- frey, Joseph Warnock, and C. O. Jelleff.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

The following - named gentlemen -viz .. R. H. Winslow, J. Morse, D. J. Townsend, N. Cleaveland, : M. L. Mason, J. E. Perring, James Gardner, E. M.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 201

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