History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 49

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 49

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).

and make good snch losses, or suffer the severe penal- ties of the law.

"We have mentioned the death of a young man named Barnnm in the Sugar-Honse prison, in New York. His father, Col. Joseph Barnum, was serionsly affected by the deplorable fate of his boy, and became so full of the spirit of vengeance that on the next day after getting the news he loaded his gun and started ont to avenge himself on sympathizers with the British. Seeing a Tory at work in a field the half- crazed father fired at him, wonnding him severely. 'He had previously been a professedly pions man, but frequently after the loss of his son concluded his devotions in his family by invoking a cnrse npon "old King George and his hellish crew."'

"Several writers say that Nehemiah Dibble, who occupied the old mansion which entertained Gen. Tryon and received the dying breath of Wooster, did not escape punishment for his Tory sympathies. They tell that shortly after the retreat of the British a number of yonng men took hold npon Dibble, and, carrying him to Still River, near where is now the railroad, immersed him several times in the water, giving him what they called a 'thorough dncking.'

"In the record of the General Assembly, May ses- sion, 1777, there are the following interesting entries :

"'Thaddeus Benedict, of Danbury, represented to the Assembly that the British troops, when in Danbury, burned his dwelling-house aud several other houses kept for public entertainment, and stated that he had provided a convenient house in the centre of said town, and asked for a license to keep a public house, which was granted by said Assembly.

"' Mary Hoyt, the wife of Isaac Hoyt, then late of Danbury, showed to the Assembly that she had ever been a good Whig and a true friend to the rights of her country, and that her husband, when the enemy entered said Danbury, being an enemy to his country, went off aud joined the British, by which he had justly forfeited all his estate, both real and personal, and that the selectmen had seized upon all the per- sonal estate of her husband, hy means of which she was deprived of the necessaries of life, and asked the Assembly to order that one-third part of all the clear movable estate should be given to her, and the use of one- third part of all the real estate, for her natural life, for her support. The Assembly ordered that said Mary Hoyt should have and enjoy one-third part of the personal and real estate during the pleasure of the Assembly.'

" At an adjonrned session of the same body in Feb- ruary, 1778, occurred the following :

"'John Marsh, of Danbury, stated to the Assembly that when the British troops went into Danbury he through surprise joined them and went away with them, but soon made his escape and returned home, and was committed to gaol, aud prayed pardon for the offeuse, which was granted him, by his taking the oath of fidelity, and paying the cost of prosecution.'

"It appears from an item in the report of the Gen- eral Assembly that an attack on Danbury was antici- pated several weeks before from the Hudson River direction. Two weeks before the attack the Governor sent a letter to Gen. Silliman instructing him to keep a strict watch upon the enemy, who were preparing. in New York to go up the North River, with a view, undonbtedly, to destroy the stores at Danbury. On the night of the 27th the General Assembly received word that there were alarming symptoms from the North River, and almost immediately after that Dan- bnry was bnrned.

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DANBURY.

"In the Mareh (1778) session of the Assembly oc- eurs the following :

"' Hannah Church, of Danbury, tho wifo of Asa Church, (then) lato of said Danbury, shewed the Governor and council that her husband had joined the British army and was then in New York, and that sho had no estate to support her, and prayed for liberty to go to New York to her husband. The Governor and council gave her liberty to go to New York, with such necessary apparel as the committee of inspection of said Dan- bury shall think proper. And Gen. Silliman was directed to grant a flag, or passport, to the said Hannah accordingly.'

" The following-named are the prisoners taken from Danbury at the time of the raid: John Bartram, Na- than Benediet, Benjamin Sperry, John Porter, Jona- than Starr, William Roberts, Jacob Gray, and Aaron Gray Knapp.

"In the May (1777) session is the following record :

"' Ruth Peck, the widow of Jesse Peck, (then) late of Danbury, stated to the General Assembly that her husband, with three sons, in the spring of 1776 enlisted in the service of the State, and all went through the fatigue of the campaign. Two of the sons were taken prisoners at Fort Washington and suffered the hardships of captivity in New York ; ono son had the smallpox in the worst manner possible, in the most scarce time of gold, the (then) last winter at New York, who started for home and froze his feet, so that he became a cripple. Another son was sent home by the British about the Ist of January, 1777, infected with the smallpox, of which ho soon died, after his arrival; the husband, who had arrived home a short time previous to his son, took the disease, and also died after a long confinement. One other son also took said disease, who by the goodness of God recovered; whereby said Ruth was griev- ously afflicted, and the town of Danbury expended the sum of twenty- six pounds twelve shillings and six pence in their sickness, and hield a claim upon the small estate her husband had left for the payment of it, and, if paid by her, would leave her with a family of small children, and needy indeed ; and praycd the Assembly to pay the sum aforesaid.'

" In the January (1778) session were given the fol- lowing depositions regarding the negro who was killed in Maj. Starr's house, and who, we should judge, was a slave whose owner was seeking remuner- ation. Here are the entries :

"'Ebenezer White, of Danbury, of lawful age, testifies and says that on or about the 26th day of April, 1777, at evening, there being a num- ber of gentlemen at his houso belonging to the British army, amongst which was one whom he understood was the Earl of Falk land's son, who told him (the deponent) that he was the first that entered Maj. Starr's house, and found a number of men in the house, among whom were two negroes, all of whom they instantly killed, and set fire to the house, and gave this for a reason why they did so,-that it was their constant prac- tice, where they found people shut up in a honse and firing upon them, to kill them and to burn the house; and further the deponent saith that the said young gentleman told him that one of the negroes, after he had run him through, rose up and attempted to shoot him, and that he the said Earl of Falkland's son cut his head off himself; which negro, the deponent understood since, was the property of Mr. Samuel Smith, of Reading ; and further the depouent saithi not.

"' DANBURY, Jan. 26, 1778.

"' The Rev. Mr. Ebenezer White, the deponent, personally appearing, made oath to the truth of the above written deposition.

"' Sworn to before me, Thaddeus Benedict, Justice of the Peace.

"' Ebenezer Weed, of Danbury, of lawful age, testifies and says that on or about the 26th day of April, 1777, he being at home across the road opposite to Maj. Daniel Starr's house, he saw a negro at the honso, which he knew to be the property of Mr. Sanmel Smith, of Reading, about a. half hour, as near as he can judge, before the British troops came to said house; and further the deponent saith that in the evening of said day he heard a man belonging to the British army say that they had killed one dam'd black with the whites, in said Starr's house; and further tho deponent saitlı not.

"' DANBURY, Jan. 26, 1778.

"' Sworn before Thaddeus Benedict, Justice of the Peace.

"' Auna Weed, of Danbury, of lawful age, testifies and says that on or about tho 26th day of April, 1777, she being at home across the road opposite to Maj. Starr's house, she saw a negro at said house, which she understood was the property of Mr. Samuel Smith, of Reading, but a short time before the British troops came up to the house; and further the deponent saith she heard one of the British soldiers say " Here is a dam'd black in the house; what shall we do with him ?" Another an- swered, " Damn bim, kill him," and immediately the house was in flames; and further the deponent saith not.

"' DANBURY, Jan, 26, 1778.

"'Sworn to before Thaddeus Benedict, Justice of the Peace.'"

ROLL OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.

"It will be remembered that in Mr. Robbins' ser- mon he spoke of a company of one hundred men being raised in Danbury and ordered to the Northern army, at Lake Champlain. He said that they went away leaving their friends to believe that perhaps they might never return, but they came back safely, while during their absence an epidemic raged in the village and carried off many of their friends.

"The company was raised by Noble Benedict, who was made eaptain. The men were recruited in May, 1775. It is the only organization contributed by Dan- bury to the war. It joined the Sixteenth Regiment, commanded by Col. David Waterbury. The follow- ing is the list of the company :

" Captain, Noble Benedict.

" Lieutenants, James Clark, Ezra Stephens.

"Ensign, Daniel Heacock.

"Sergeants, John Trowbridge, Eliph Barnum, Eli- jah Hoit, Nathan Taylor, John Ambler.

"Corporals, Aaron Stone, Jonah Benediet, David Weed, Moses Veal.

"Musicians, Joseph Hamilton, drummer; Russel Bartlett, Nathaniel Peek, fifers.

"Privates, Seth Barnum, Eleaz Benediet, John Barnum, Eli Barnum, James Boughton, Josiah Bur- chard, Samuel Bennet, Lazarns Barnum, Hez Ben- ediet, Gilbert Benediet, Wm. Benedict, David Bishop, Eben Barnum, Abram Barns, Joseph Bough- ton, John Comstock, Enoch Crosby, Samuel Curtiss, Wm. Combs, Isaae Coller, Thomas Campbell, James Clements, Samuel Cook, Miles Canty, Henry Covel, John Chapman, Elnathan Edy, Eliph Ferry, John Guthrie, Wm. Griffin, Drake Hoit, Thaddeus Hoit, Joshua Hinekley, Jonathan Hayes, John Holeomb, Wm. Hawkins, Franeis Jackson, Thomas Judd, John Johnson, Benjamin Gorham, John Green, Henry Knapp, Elisha Lincoln, John Linly, James Lineoln, Nathan Lee, Thomas Morehouse, Thaddeus More- house, Done Merrick, John Morehouse, Sylvanus Nelson, Isaae Northrop, Wilson Northrop, Joshua Porter, Wm. Porter, Elkanah Peck, Farrel Picket, Caleb Speneer, Samuel Spencer, Eli Stephens, Samnel Sturdivant, Daniel Segar, Levi Starr, John Stephens, Jabez Starr, James Seovel, Stephen Scovel, Peter Stringham, Isaac Smith, Thomas Starr, Ephraim Smith, Levi Stone, Stephen Townsend, Samnel Townsend, Stephen Trowbridge, Joshua Taylor. Thomas Weed, Sammel C. Warren (or Warden),

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Major Warren, Thomas Wheaton, Jonas Weed, David Sturdivant.

"The captain of the above company was father of the late Archibald Benedict, and lie lived in the house now occupied by the venerable widow of Arch- ibald, on North Main Street. The captain was a stutterer, and many anecdotes based on this infirmity are related of him. We give one of them. When he was at Lake Champlain with his company the countersign in use one night was the word 'Ticon- deroga.' The captain came across a sentry, who, halting him, demanded the countersign. 'T' was a bad letter for the captain to overcome, and in his mad efforts to clutch it he lost all memory of the word itself. In this dilemma he shouted to the sentry : 'S-s-s-s-say the word, and I c-c-c-c-can tell it.' His- tory does not tell what the sentry did, but, as the cap- tain returned safely to Danbury, it is presumed the matter was compromised satisfactorily.

"James Clark, first lieutenant, lived on South Main Street. His wife, on the coming of the British, sunk her silver-ware and some other articles in the well, and fled with her family to a more congenial lati- tude.

" Ezra Stevens, the second lieutenant, lived in Pem- broke District. He was great-grandfather of Erastus Stevens. His son Eli was in the company as a pri- vate.

"First Sergt. John Trowbridge lived at the upper end of Main Street ; he was a grandfather of Truman Trowbridge. Second Sergt. Eliph Barnum lived at the south end of the village. Third Sergt. Elijah Hoyt lived where now stands the residence of Charles H. Merritt, on Main Street.

"Corp. Jonah Benedict has already been treated of as far as our information goes. Corp. David Weed lived in King Street District, near to where Aaron Pearce now lives.

"Joseph Hamilton, the drummer, lived in Pem- broke District, and a very patriotic portion of this town it appears to have been.

" Private Seth Barnum lived in King Street, oppo- site the Baptist church. John Barnum and Eli Bar- num lived in the same district. Samuel Curtis lived near to where Ezra Mallory & Co.'s hat-factory stands. He was once sexton of the First Church. Drake Hoyt and Thaddeus Hoyt lived in Pembroke District. Thaddeus for a number of ycars kept the town-poor on contract, as was then the custom. Thomas Judd lived in Great Plain District, his house standing where now Granville Taylor lives. Benja- min Gorham lived in Miry Brook District. John Green lived at the junction of Elm and River Strcets. John Lindley lived in King Street District. Thad- deus Morehouse lived on Main Street in a house now owned by George E. Cowperthwait, and standing next north to his residence. Stephen Trowbridge lived, we are told, on the corner of Main and Liberty Streets, where is now Benedict & Nichols' Block.

Levi Stone belonged in the Middle River District. Joshua Porter came home from the Northern cam- paign all right, but lost his life by Tryon's troops in Maj. Starr's house. John Ambler, the fifth ser- geant, was a great-grandfather of Rev. E. C. Ambler, and was at that time a man of advanced age. The grandfather of Rev. Mr. Ambler, Peter Ambler, and two of Peter's brothers, Stephen and Squire Ambler, were in the war, but not in this company. The family lived in Miry Brook District.

"Ensign Daniel Heacock was a grandfather of Col. Samuel Gregory. He lived in Bethel. His home is still standing, being near A. B. Blackman's house. Col. Gregory has in his possession the powder-horn which Henry Knapp, private, carried in the com- pany's campaign. Mr. Knapp lived in the Westville District. Jabez Starr kept the tavern which stood on property adjoining The News office. David Weed lived in Westville District, where Mr. Anson Com- stock's house now stands. Daniel Segar lived on the Mill Plain road. Stephen Townsend lived near the New York State line.

" Young Lockwood, who went to meet the British on their approach to Danbury to learn their strength, and was captured on Hoyt's Hill, was left there on the flight of the British. It is said that while living in Norwalk, some time before this, he did a favor for . Governor Tryon, on the occasion of an accident to the Governor's carriage when he was driving through Norwalk. The Governor was writing a parole for him when the alarm of the approach of the Ameri- cans under Wooster came upon him, and the paper was dropped ..

"It must not be understood, however, that these men were all that Danbury gave to the war, but the company was the only organization going from here of which there is any record. On a previous page it was stated that two sons of Aaron Gunu, living at the upper end of Main Street, were drafted into the army during the war of 1812-14. Previous to the draft they enlisted and served for several months at New Lon- don. When drafted they were assigned to duty at the same place. Uncle Amos Morris and the late Frederick White were drafted at the same time. At New London the command had the choice of mess- ing inside or outside the fort. The Gunn party of Danbury boys chose the outside, and boarded with a widow-woman who gave them a bed and cooked their rations daily for the sum of six cents each. No mess in New London fared so well as the Danbury mess, thanks to the knowledge of the country gained by the two Gunn boys during their previous location in the place.

"One day an officer of the regiment visited their quarters at dinner-time, and was amazed at the sight of their table. One prominent dish thereon was new potatoes, and that before the same were scarcely in the market and totally unknown to the commissary.

"'Why, boys, how's this ?' he exclaimed. 'Here

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DANBURY.

you've got new potatoes ! Why, there's not another mess in the command with new potatoes. We can draw nothing but old potatoes. How is it that you draw new ones ?'

"'I'll tell you, major, how we draw them,' spoke up White, in a confidential tone: 'we draw them by the tops.'"'

CHAPTER XVIII. DANBURY (Continued).

VIEW OF DANBURY IN 1815-20.

IN the following chapter, taken from the Danbury News, will be found located all the dwellings and stores which, in 1815-20, stood upon the present site of the village.

MAIN STREET.

"It is likely that, with few exceptions, the picture was the same at the beginning of the century. Main Street was then as now the principal thoroughfare. Running from it on the east was North, White, and Liberty Streets; ou the west, Franklin, Elm, West, aud Wooster Streets; South Street at the foot. The other streets were River and Town Hill. Deer Hill Avenue was then but a lane, chiefly used for the transfer of farm products.

" East Side .- The first house, on coming into Main Street at the north, on the east side of the street, was occupied by Aaron Gunn. It was washed away by the Kohanza disaster in 1869. Mr. Gunn had two sons who were drafted in the war of 1812, and entered the army at New London.

"The next house stood on the corner of North Street. It was oceupied by Benjamin Barnum, and was a large, roomy building. Some years ago it was moved north on Maiu Street, and still stands there.

"Ou the opposite eorner, where is uow the Porter estate, lived Noah Hubbell, grandfather of Mrs. John Carpenter. Between there and what is now Patch Street there was but one house. It was oeeu- pied by William Patch, Jr., father-in-law of its present occupant, Oliver P. Clark.

" Next to him was a small tenement owned by Mary Daniels, an aunt of the late W. A. Daniels, and was then occupied by a family named Barnum.

" John Gregory's house came next. None of his descendants are living here.

" Where Wildman's Lane or Court now is were two houses, since gone. One of these was oceupied by Benjamin Cozier and the other by William Patch, father of the William living above, and grandfather of. Mrs. A. P. Tweedy and Mrs. G. D. Foote.

"The next premises were those of John Niekerson, a lay preacher in the Methodist church. Nickerson was an active man, and consequently well known to his fellow-eitizens.

"Then came another tenant-house, which was occu- pied by Zar Patch.

" Following the tenement was the home of Archi- bald Benedict, now occupied by his venerable widow. He was a son of Capt. Noble Benedict, our Revolu- tionary hero.

"The residence now occupied by Harrison Flint was then the home of the late Enoch Moore. It was built by Amos Stevens.

"Next in order came the home of Abel Gregory, now owned by Mrs. Henry Benedict, and after this a school-house. It stood on the north line of what is now the grounds of E. T. Hoyt's home. Many years ago it was removed to Franklin Street, where it con- tinued to be used as a school until about fifteen years ago, when it was turned into a tenement.

"Deaeon Joseph Platt Cook, son of the Revolu- tionary colonel of the same name who was in com- mand of Danbury when Tryon came, occupied the next house. It stood on nearly the same ground at present oceupied by the residenee of William Jabine.

"Russel Hoyt lived next to Deacon Cook, in the house now occupied by his son Granville.

" Just south of the house was a store where Daniel B. Cook sold shoes, shirting, sugar, and other gro- ceries. The building was subsequently removed to White Street, and is now occupied by Avery Ray- mond's market.

"Next eame the home of Col. Russel White, which stood on the site of the present residence of his son, William R. White. Col. White was a prominent hat- manufacturer.

"Nirum Wildman lived next, in the house now occupied by his grandson, John W. Wildman.

" Where the residence of Giles M. Hoyt now stands stood the home of Rev. Ebenezer R. White, grand- father of William R. White and Ebenezer R. Whit- tlesey. Between and partly in front of these two houses stood a small building once the store of Burr & White, but at this time occupied by the worshipers in the Sandemanian Church. Previously dissension had arisen in the body because of the second marriage of an elder, and the congregation divided.

"Next came the hat-manufactory of White Brothers & Co. It stood near the banks of the Still River, its site not at present being occupied.

" Across the river, and on the corner of White Street, stood the giant old home of Benjamin Knapp. " West Side .- Going back to the north end of the street and returning on the west side, the first house was the home of Stephen Ambler, the husband of Miss Munson. He was the grandfather of Mrs. A. A. Heath and O. P. and W. H. Clark. He did active work in the war. It is said that he and five brothers, lying down on a thirty-six foot stick of timber, would just cover its length. His house stood under the hill, next to the graveyard, and was long since torn down.

"The graveyard itself was then there. It was not only opened to relieve the Wooster Street grounds,

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

but to accommodate the districts of Middle River, King Street, and Pembroke, which then, being spar- ingly settled, had no burial-place in their district.

" Andrew Akin occupied the house now owned by George Downs.

"Next to it was the home of Mary Daniels, who owned property on the other side of the street. The place is now occupied by V. E. Barnum.

"John Foot, father of Mrs. Ezra Abbott, lived in the next house.

" Where Abijah Knapp's home is stood Capt. Foot's hat-shop.

" Adjoining this was a tenement, now owned by Harmon Knapp.

"Following came the home of Asa Hodge, now occupied by George W. Hoyt.

"Thaddeus Morehouse lived next north of where now stands the home of G. E. Cowperthwait.

" Adjoining was a small tenement, which closed its existence in a summary and tragic manner. We do not know who occupied it at the time. It perished in 1836. It was at the time that a strong anti-slave feeling was exhibited in the North. Au Abolitionist address in the Baptist church called forth a mob, who stoned the church, breaking the windows, and threat- ened the life of the speaker, Rev. Mr. Colver, who was visiting here. Danbury's trade was then largely in the South, and it was natural its people should be in sympathy with that section and averse to anything calculated to disturb its peace. The family occupy- ing the tenement were strong anti-slavery people, and had given shelter to runaway slaves. This coming to the knowledge of our citizens, a number of them made a descent upon the house in the night-time and leveled it to the ground. The family escaped.

"The next house was occupied by Knapp Bough- ton, who distinguished himself by winning for a wife the young woman Parson Robbins wanted. He was father of L. H. Boughton. His place was removed to make room for the spacious residence of S. H. Rundle.

"Mrs. Boughton, mother of Knapp, occupied a house adjoining his. It was afterwards owned by Nathaniel Bishop, and was removed. On the south- east corner of this lot was a brick building occupied by Knapp Boughton as a store. It was removed a long time ago.

" Mrs. Elias Boughton occupied a place where now stands George C. White's residence.

" The next building stood on the corner of Frank- lin Street, where Burr Roland now lives. It was occupied as a hat-finishing shop by Russell and Eli T. Hoyt.

"On the opposite corner stood the residence of Wil- liam Cook, who was a prominent member of the Masonic order. Mrs. William D. Morris' dwelling now occupies its site. Mr. Cook's house was removed to Patch Street.

"Next to Mr. Cook lived Starr Nichols, grand-

father of Mr. John Nichols, of Nichols & Hine. He was a large hat-manufacturer, and an active man in all enterprises.

"Following this was a tenement. It was taken down, and the present residence of Judge Lyman D. Brewster occupies its place.

"Next came the residence of Samuel and William Tweedy, father and son. Samuel was the grandfather of Edgar S. Tweedy. They were cutters off of fur, and their shop stood north and in rear of their home.

" Adjoining their house was the place of Gershom Nichols.

" Where Charles H. Merritt's residence now is stood the house of Capt. Elijah Hoyt, grandfather of Wil- liam and Albert Hoyt.

"Daniel B. Cook, son of Col. Joseph Platt Cook, the soldier of the Revolution, lived where does now L. P. Hoyt.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 49

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