History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 24

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 24

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Eighteen vessels, of the capacity of one thousand four hundred and fourteeu tons, were owned here, and were engaged in the West India or the coasting-trade. The principal exports were live-stock, wheat and rye flour, and Indian meal, corn, rye, oats, flaxseed, pork, beef, butter, lard, cider, and cider-brandy. Among the articles manufactured in the place were beaver hats, rope, saddles and saddletrees, boots and shoes, cabinet-work, and carriages. There were two tan- neries, three printing-offices, two weekly newspapers, one pottery, and forty-three stores.

During the war of 1812, New London was block- aded for a number of months by a British fleet, while the coasting-trade of Long Island Sound was for a long time almost entirely suspended owing to the presence of the fleet and the activity of several pri- vateers fitted out in the British provinces. One of these, known as the "Liverpool Packet," and hailing from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, picked up, among other prizes, two sloops running as packets between Bridge- port and New York.

One afternoon in 1814 she was seen in pursuit of two coasters, a sloop and a schooner, the latter owucd in Derby, and commanded by Capt. Hart, of that place. Both vessels spread every sail iu the attempt to escape, but, finding their efforts in vain and that their enemy was gaining upon them, they bore up for Bridgeport Harbor, which the sloop succeeded in reaching safely, while the schooner grounded on the outer bar. She was soon boarded by a boat's crew from the Nova Scotiaman, who, finding their prize immovable, would have set her on fire, but it was be-

fore the day of matches, and Capt. Hart had taken the precaution to throw overboard the tinder-box as soon as his vessel struck. . The captors now rum- maged cabin and hold, taking whatever suited their fancy, and some of them had even commenced to cut with their sheath-knives strips of duck from the sails to mend their canvas trousers with, when a cannon- ball from the shore coming inconveniently near, caused them to tumble precipitately into the boat and return to their own ship, which soon bore away up the Souud. At the next tide the stranded schooner floated again, and was brought up to the dock and discharged her cargo here. The pursuit and capture and subsequent relinquishment of the prize were witnessed by hun- dreds of excited spectators on shore, and the artillery- fire which drove off the privateersman was partly from the single gun of the Bridgeport Artillery Com- pany, under command of Capt. Samuel Hawley, and partly from the little fort on the "Tongue," from which Capt. James Allen fired twenty-four shots at the enemy.

As there were no railroads at that time and the British had entire control of the Sound, great incon- venience resulted from this practical blockade of our ports. Most of the commerce carried on between them and New York had to be by means of whale- boats, which, being of exceedingly light draught, could closely hug the shore, and if pursued put up into some little creek or inlet for safety ; but this mnode of conveyance was both inconvenient and costly, and it is not surprising that a plan to cap- ture some of the detested privatcers was much dis- cussed. It was proposed to put out from Bridgeport Harbor with an old sloop gotten up very much on the plan of the celebrated Trojan horse, with two or three venerable fishermen of simple demeanor on deck, and half a hundred well-armed athletic young fellows concealed below in the hold. When captured, as they were sure to be, they would lie to very close to their captors,-if possible alongside, -- and then at the proper time would turn the tables in a most surpris- ing manner, capture the British privateer, and bring her into port amid the ringing of bells, the firing of cannon, and the applause of the populace. I am told that this remarkable plan would actually have been attempted but for the opposition of Joseph Backus, already mentioned as an attorney and a leading man in the place at that time.

Early in the war a company of State militia, com- manded by Lieuts. Curtis and Bellamy, was stationed here for a time. It was quartered in an old bakery on Water Street, opposite Union Street, on the ground now occupied by the Housatonic Railroad building, and details were sent down daily to mount guard in an earthwork upon the peninsula known as the "Tongue." . Another detachment occupied "Fort Union," upon Grover's Hill, Black Rock.

Some time after this company had been ordered elsewhere, probably during the year 1814, the com-

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munity was startled one afternoon by the sight of two British men-of-war coming to anchor opposite the town. These vessels belonged to the fleet which, under the command of Sir Thomas Hardy, the friend and companion of the illustrious Nelson, was block- ading Decatur at New London. Their port-holes were raised, as if it was intended to shell the town, and by the aid of a spy-glass it could be seen that their decks were swarming with men. People re- called to mind the fate of Fairfield and Norwalk in the Revolution, and, though the sun went down and darkness came on without the firing of a gun or any attempt being made to land, the excitement on shore was very great, and continued to increase throughout the night. No one slept, the church-bells were rung, the money and valuable papers belonging to the Bridgeport Bank were removed into the country for security, and not a few of the people, taking with them their most portable property, sought safety upon the summit of Toilsome Hill. Of course the militia were called out and made ready to welcome the invaders "with hospitable hands to bloody graves," and Gen. Enoch Foote sent messengers for reinforcements to all the neighboring towns, some of which responded, while others did not.

To the great relief of all, when morning dawned not a trace of the British ships could be seen. They had sailed during the night, having only anchored here to procure a supply of fresh provisions, which, under cover of darkness, were purchased from certain parties on shore. A man named Garlick, who was proprietor of the Johnson tide-mill, in West Stratford, carried on contraband traffic of this kind quite ex- tensively, buying many sheep and cattle and selling them again at such times to the officers of the British fleet. The enemy never made any attempt to land here, but their vessels were frequently in sight, and caused much alarm to the timid.

One evening the sentinel stationed upon the shore, near where the Soldiers' Monument now stands, rode furiously up town shouting at the top of his voice, "The British have landed !" Two parties were seut down in different directions to meet the supposed in- vaders, and in the darkness fired upon each other, causing great excitement for some time, but, for- tunately, no lives were sacrificed.

The news of the treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain was received in New York, Feb. 11, 1815, and was welcomed with an illumina- tion. A public celebration in honor of the event was held in Bridgeport, February 22d. There was firing of cannon and ringing of bells at daybreak, and in the forenoon a procession headed by a band of music marched through the streets to the North church, where the President's proclamation was read, Rev. Messrs. Shelton and Watermau offered prayer, and J. A. Crocker pronounced an oration. After the ex- ercises in the church were concluded there was a public dinner at Knapp's Hotel, and a ball in the

evening. At Fairfield an ox was barbecued on the publie green.

On the night of Aug. 20, 1824, Gen. Lafayette and suite, while on a journey from New York to Boston, put up in Bridgeport at Knapp's Hotel, on the corner of Wall and Water Streets. Preparations had been made for an escort to meet the party in Fairfield and eonduct it in triumph to the hotel, but these were disconcerted by the latencss of the hour-past eleven o'clock-of the general's arrival, nearly every one having given up expecting him and retired to rest.

An eye-witness* gives the following account of his reception next morning :

" At five in the morning the bells began ringing and the cannon firing. Lafayette had arrived and slept se- curely through the night at Knapp's. A few minutes later the street before the hotel was thronged with men, and the walk before the brick stores was filled with ladies. Lafayette and his suite inade their ap- pearance upon the balcony between Mr. Hubbell and Mr. Lockwood. The people welcomed Lafayette with three cheers. He replied, 'I am very happy to re- ceive your kind welcome.' Afterwards, placing his hand upon the balustrade, he exclaimed, not in a loud voice, but with much feeling, 'Happy, happy people!' The ladies now formed in line in front of the men, and, going up one by one, shook hands with him. The men did the same, and I grasped the hand of La- fayette."

After breakfast Lafayette resumned his jouruey east- ward, and was accompanied by a disorderly procession of the townspeople, some on horseback, others in vehicles of various descriptions. At Washingtou Bridge, Gen. Enoch Foote made brief farewell re- marks "in behalf of the citizens of Bridgeport," but a few of the escort kept on as far as Milford.

In the year 1819, thinking that Bridgeport was fully capable of managing its own affairs; and feeling the inconvenience of being compelled to go to Stratford to vote at every election, the people of this place pe- titioned the Legislature to be set off into a separate town. Their petition was defeated by the opposition of the Stratford representatives. In 1821 the attempt was renewed, and this time was successful, no oppo- sitiou beiug offered ou the part of Stratford. In fact, finding that the Bridgeport men were very decided and could outvote them at town-meetings, the people of Stratford favored the division of their town, but were careful to have the boundary-line established to suit their own interests and not those of Bridgeport. This is the reason why our towuship, down to the year 1870, was so extremely narrow, and why the eastern shore of our harbor still remains under auother jurisdiction.

At the time of the setting off, Bridgeport is reported to have contained about seventeen huudred inhabit- ants and two hundred and eighteen dwelling houses.

* Rev. Edward W. Peet, D.D.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

There were also within its limits two flouring-mills, and seventy-three stores and manufactories. The num- ber of the taxable polls was two hundred and thirty- five, and the valuation of property, according to the returns made by the assessors for that year, was twenty-four thousand seven hundred and one dollars.

Division Street, now Park Avenue, continued to be the western boundary of the township until 1870, when that portion of Fairfield lying east of Ash Crcek was annexed by act of the Legislature.

The city of Bridgeport was incorporated in May, 1836. At the first city meeting Isaac Sherman, Jr., was elected mayor, and Ira Sherman city clerk. In the year 1839, owing to the financial troubles result- ing from the issue of city bonds to the Housatonic Railroad Company, East Bridgeport petitioned the Assembly to be set off from the city. Their request was granted, and for twenty-five years our neighbors upon the east side of the river, while belonging to the town, had no voice in city affairs. In 1864, however, the eastern district was reunited to the city, of which it has since formed a very important part.

The charter of Bridgeport has been so frequently amended that to give an exact account of its succes- sive changes would require the pen of a historian like Hallam.

Following is a list of the mayors of the city from its first incorporation to the present time : Isaac Sher- man, 1836; Daniel Sterling, 1837 ; Alanson Hamlin, 1838; Charles Foote, 1839; Charles Bostwick, 1840; William P. Burrall, 1841; James C. Loomis, 1843; Henry K. Harral, 1844; Sherwood Sterling, 1847; Henry K. Harral, 1849; John Brooks, Jr., 1851; Henry K. Harral, 1852; Charles B. Hubbell, 1853; John Brooks, Jr., 1854; P. C. Calhoun, 1855; Silas C. Booth, 1858; D. H. Sterling, 1860; Clapp Spooner, 1863; Jarratt Morford, 1864; Stillman S. Clapp, 1865; Monson Hawley, 1866; Jarratt Morford, 1868; Mon- son Hawley, 1869; Jarratt Morford, 1870; E. B. Good- sell, 1871; Robert T. Clarke, 1874; P. T. Barnum, 1875; Jarratt Morford, 1876-77 ; Robert E. De Forest, 1878; Jolin L. Wessels, 1879; Daniel N. Morgan, 1880.

CHAPTER XI. BRIDGEPORT (Continued).

Growth of the City-Its Population increased more than sevenfold in less than half a Century-Description of Bridgeport in 1837-The Whale-Fishery attempted-The Railroad Epoch-Sketch of Alfred Bishop-Opening of the Housatonic, New York and New Haven, and Naugatuck Railroads-Financial Embarrassments-Development of East Bridgeport-The Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company -Bridgeport during the War of the Rebellion-Great War-Meetings -Departure of Troops for the Front-The Ladies' Relief and Soldiers' Aid Societies-Return of the Regiments-Seaside Park established 1865-Dedication of Soldiers' Monument-Celebration of the Centen- nial Fourth of July, 1876.

BRIDGEPORT has changed wonderfully in almost every respect within the memory of many persons

now living. One well-known citizen tells the writer that he can recollect the time when Main Street was bordered with common rail-fences for almost its en- tire length, and it was necessary to let down a pair of bars before going up upon Golden Hill. Another speaks of the time when he rented a broad tract fronting upon the river and extending as far back as Lafayette Street, to be used as a cow-pasture, for the sum of seven dollars per year. In 1824 a map of Bridgeport was published by H. L. Barnum, a print of which, though upon a smaller scale, forms one of the illustrations of this work and will repay care- ful examination. Even since the incorporation of the place as a city, in 1836, it has increased in popu- lation more than sevenfold. The article upon Bridge- port in Barber's "Historical Collection of Connecti- cut," written in the following year,-1837,-is worth reading in this connection, and, as copies of the work are now scarce, the greater part of it is herewith reproduced :

"Bridgeport was incorporated as a town in 1821. It was formerly that part of the parish of Stratfield lying in the town of Stratford. It is of a triangular shape, averaging four miles in length from north to south and over two miles in breadth, containing per- haps about ten square miles. It is bounded north by Trumbull; east by Stratford; south by the waters of Long Island Sound; and west by Fairfield. The township is generally level, and has a strong, fertile soil.

"The city of Bridgeport was incorporated in 1836. It is mostly built on the west side of an arm of the sea, seventeen miles southwest from New Haven, sixty-two miles from New York, and four from Fair- field. The harbor extends about three miles inland to the head of tide-water, where it meets Pequonnock River, a considerable mill-stream. The average width of the harbor at high water is eighty rods. At low water inost of it is bare, leaving a channel about a dozen rods wide; common tides rise seven feet,- spring tides, nine. The depth of water on the bar at high water is about thirteen feet; within the bar the water is much deeper, having a muddy bottom. The bridge across the harbor is about one mile and a half from its mouth, seventy-five rods in length, built on trestles, with a draw for vessels to proceed above. The surface on which the town is principally built is a plain about twelve feet above high-water mark. There is, however, a rise called Golden Hill, commen- cing about one hundred rods northwest of the centre of the present buildings, which after a gradual ascent of about twenty rods, in which the perpendicular elevation is fifty feet, presents a surface of half a mile square, forming a delightful situation for an upper town; from this elevation is a fine prospect of the Sound and surrounding scenery. Though situated within three miles of Stratford and four of Fairfield, both among the earliest settlements in the State at the close of the Revolutionary war, there were but

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ten or twelve houses on the site where Bridgeport is now built. In 1790 there were but one hundred and ten inhabitants. In 1830 there were upwards of eighteen hundred in the borough. The number of inhabitants at this time (1837) in the city is three thousand four hundred and sixteen.

"The original name of the village (now city) was Newfield, which in 1800 was incorporated as a borough and called Bridgeport.

"There are five churches in the limits of the city,- one Episcopal, erected in 1801, now (1837) used by the Baptists; two Congregational : the first Congre- gational church was erected in 1803 (?) by the society formerly worshiping in Stratfield, the other in 1830; the Methodist, erected in 1822; and the present Epis- copal church, now building. The ancient meeting- house of the parish of Stratfield stood about one mile and a half northwest of the central part of the city, on the Line Road between Fairfield and Bridgeport. It was taken down a year or two since.

"The first newspaper printed in the village was in 1795, and edited by Lazarus Beach. The first bridge was erected across the harbor in 1783 (?). There are two banks in this place,-the Bridgeport and Connec- ticut Banks, the former incorporated in 1806, the lat- ter in 1831. The number of inhabitants within the limits of the town is estimated at upwards of four thousand. A daily line of steamboats between Bridge- port and New York was established in July, 1834. Among the principal articles manufactured in this place are saddlery and carriages. The whale-fishery of late has received considerable attention. Bridge- port at this time is rapidly increasing in wealth and population. A charter was granted in 1836 for a rail- road, called the Housatonic Railroad, following the valley of the Housatonic about eighty-five miles to West Stockbridge, Mass."

Allusion has been made to the prosecution of the whaling-business from this port. In May, 1833, Eben Fairchild, Daniel Tomlinson, David Perry, Samuel F. Hurd, and David P. Minot were incorporated under the name of "The Bridgeport Whaling Company ;" the capital stock of the company was one hundred thousand dollars, and the object of its formation was "to prosecute the whale and other fisheries in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." The company owned four ships, called the " Atlantic," "Hamilton," " Har- vest," and "Stieglitz."

When the news was received that one of the whale- ships was outside great crowds of people used to as- semble at the water's edge, usually at Stephen Haw- ley's lumber-yard, where the docks of the Housatonie Railroad Company now are, to welcome the mariners home from their long voyage. The boat's crew would bend to their oars until it seemed as if they would snap them, and the final pull as the boat nearcd the wharf would make it almost leap from the water. Then a great shout of joy would go up as the adven-

turers landed, and each would be surrounded with a throng of friends and relatives eager to bid him wel- come. These vessels made quite a number of voyages with varying success, but, upon the whole, the busi- ness was not profitable, and after a few years it was discontinued. The late Deacon Sherwood Sterling was the last secretary of the company.

THE RAILROAD EPOCH.

Bridgeport, from its geographical position, is the natural depot for the products of the valleys of the Housatonic and the Naugatuck, and it was in order to secure the trade of Litchfield County that the New- town turnpike was chartered, in 1801. Efforts were made from time to time, however, to divert this trade from Bridgeport to other ports, such as Black Rock and Norwalk. New roads were opened for this pur- pose, and in 1827 a company was chartered by the Legislature with power to build a canal from the Hous- atonic River at New Milford to tide-water at Sauga- tuck Harbor. The desire to counteract such plans was one reason why the people of Bridgeport were inclined to take an active interest in the project of a railroad running northward to the Massachusetts line when that measure was first proposed.

Others may have originally suggested the idea of such a railroad, but to the late Alfred Bishop belongs the credit of first taking steps to carry it into practi- cal effect, and to him, as the author of its complete system of railway communication, Bridgeport is cer- tainly much indebted, and owes no small degree of its . present prosperity.

Mr. Bishop was born in Stamford, Conn., Dec. 21, 1798, but in early manhood removed to New Jersey, where he engaged in farming. Upon his farın he made numcrous personal experiments with pickaxe, shovel, and wheelbarrow, obtaining in this way exact estimates of the cost of moving masses of earth to a distance, which he afterwards turned to good account in his business as a railroad contractor. Before leav- ing New Jersey he had already become known as the builder of the Morris Canal and the bridge over the Raritan at New Brunswick. In 1836, Mr. Bishop re- moved to Bridgeport, where lie built the residence upon Golden Hill Street until recently occupied by his widow. His connection with the Housatonic, New York and New Haven, and the Naugatuck Railroads is related clsewhere. Had his life been spared, it was his intention to present to Bridgeport a tract of land in the centre of the city for a public park, but on the 11th of June, 1849, at the comparatively early age of fifty-one years, he died, at Saratoga, whither he had gone for much-needed rest.

At the funeral, which was on June 13th, his pastor, Rev. Dr. Hewit, preached the sermon, and the Com- mon Council, which had previously passed resolutions of respect, attended in a body.

Mr. Bishop left a large estate to his family, and in his will, besides an annuity to the Rev. Dr. Hewit,

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

was a legacy of eight thousand dollars to the American Bible Society, and another of five thousand dollars to the Ladies' Charitable Society of this city, the in- come of which is still applied to benevolent purposes.

In March, 1836, a little gathering of gentlemen met in the parlors of the old Sterling Hotel, to discuss the need of a railroad from Bridgeport to the northern line of the State. Eventually, they thought, this road would not only bring to Bridgeport the trade of the Housatonic valley, but would be extended from its southern terminus to New York, and thus become the great medium of freight and passenger communica- tion between that city and Albany during the winter season, when the Hudson River was closed by ice.

Railroads were then in their infancy, it being but seven years since the first locomotive in the country was imported, and but two years since the Boston and Albany-the pioneer road of New England-was opened for travel, but Mr. Bishop succeeded in infus- ing some of his own enthusiasm into the gentlemen present, and before the meeting adjourned a petition for the proposed road had been signed by nearly all of them. Two months later Enoch Foote, William Peet, W. C. Sterling, and their successors, were incor- porated by the Legislature of Connecticut under the name of "The Housatonic Railroad Company," with authority to build a road from Sheffield, Mass., to Brookfield, Conn., and from thence to tide-water at Bridgeport, or such other point as might be deemed expedient.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 24

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