History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 67

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 67

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).

Mr. Beard's principal business has been that of farming, but he has always taken an active interest in publie matters of his town, and has often been called to the position of selectman and several times elected justice of the peace.

When the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was pro- jected, to further the enterprise Mr. Beard took the contraet to build it entire. Owing to the immense amount of work of various kinds involved in the con- struction of a railroad, he found it necessary to take partners, in order that responsible heads might push the different departments of the work-bridge-build- ing, cutting, filling, etc .- at one and the same time, and although, financially, the enterprise was a losing one, which it is but justice to Mr. Beard to say was at- tributed to the want of integrity on the part of those he formed connections with to further the work, yet he had the satisfaction of handing over to the com- pany the road in complete running order to the driv- ing of the last bolt. This road has given communi- cation with the outer world to Danbury, which before its construction was an isolated inland town, and per- haps no one thing has contributed more to the devel- opment of the place. Mr. Beard was one of the originators of the Danbury Agricultural Society, the most prosperous society of the kind in the State, and for nine years its president. He was for two years a member of the State Board of Agriculture. In 1831

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he joined the First Congregational Church of Dan- bury, and the year following was made a deacon in the same, in which capacity he has acted till the pres- ent time, and for ten consecutive years was superin- tendent of its Sabbatlı-school. His wife and daughters, also, are members of the same church.

In politics, Mr. Beard has been a Whig, and since the formation of the Republican party has affiliated with it.

JAMES WHITE NICHOLS.

James White Nichols, son of Ebenezer Nichols and descendant of Samuel Nichols, a resident of Wood- bury in 1660, was born Oct. 15, 1809, in Danbury, in the room in which he died Sept. 17, 1875.

His father was a farmer on the old Nichols farm, occupying the house in which lis son lived his entire lifetime about the time of his first marriage. The Nichols family were extensive landholders in the early days of Danbury.

James W. Nichols was not a liberally educated man, although well up in the English branches, and when a young man taught school several terms in Danbury. He had no other occupation than farming. The deli- cate state of his health, however, permitting him to perform only the lighter work of his calling, he devoted much of his time to writing and other liter- ary pursuits, for which he had a decided predilection. He was married July 6, 1845, to Miss Phebe Hawley, of Danbury, who died Jan. 26, 1869. Mr. Nichols was married the second time to Miss Henrietta S., daughter of Daniel B. and Zemiah (Hays) Burton, of Woodbury. The issue of this union was a son, James H., born March 27, 1871.

From an article from the pen of H. B. Wild- man, schoolmate of deceased, published soon after Mr. Nichols' death, we make the following extracts: . . . "Mr. Nichols was a rare man, highly esteemed by his friends and neighbors, who often bestowed upon him offices of honor and trust. He had always a genial smile and kindly word for everybody. He was both poet and artist, and his song was like the rippling of a summer stream or like the murmur of the evening zepliyrs that fanned through the shades of his be- loved 'Oak Cottage' home. Contented in his situa- tion, he lived and breathed an atmosphere purely. his own. He cared not for the ambitious world around him, nor for the literary aspirants quarreling and toiling for fame and glory." Mr. Nichols wrote some of the sweetest poetry that ever emanated from un- pretentious bard, and it is matter of regret to us that we are not in timely receipt of specimens promised for this sketch, that they might become inscribed upon the page of enduring history.

"He was a faithful member of the Methodist Church, a devout worshiper and a true Christian, and was ready and willing to go when the summons

came. His patience and fortitude during his severe and painful illness was most conspicuous ; during all that trying time he was never known to make the slightest murmur of uneasiness or impatience." . . .

CHAPTER XXV. -

DARIEN.

Geographical-Topographical-Names of Pioneers-Revolutionary Inci- dent-The Capture of the Rev. Dr. Mather-Poetical Narrative-Old Documents-A Distribution Bill of 1724, etc .- Pioneer Merchants- The First Grist. Mill-The Pioneer Post-office.

DARIEN is located in the southwestern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north by New Canaan ; on the east by Norwalk; on the south by Long Island Sound; on the west by Stamford. The soil of the town is a rich, gravelly loam. The surface is undulating.

The town was settled contemporaneously with Stam- ford, of which it originally formed a part. The fol- lowing is believed to be a list of the pioneers who located in this town, taken from Huntington's " His- tory of Stamford :"

Aaron Andrews, or Andreas, bought land here in 1657, with Garret Rivis. He is called a Dutchman. The name Andrews and Andrus occurs often, and also interchangeably. Jeremiah Andrews is said to be of Bedford after 1687.

John Austin was one of the eleven Greenwich men who in 1656 acknowledged allegiance to the New Haven jurisdiction, to constitute part of the Stamford colony. The name is usually spelled Astin and Asten on the records. A son of his, Samuel, died here in 1657, the year, also, of his own death. His inventory, taken by Richard Law and Angell Husted, Sept. 5, 1657, was presented in court in Stamford by his widow " Katherine Astine," May 13, 1658. It amounted to £78 8s. 4d. Several of this name are reported on the land records during the first century of the town.

Francis Brown was here early. Savage tells us that he had been a servant of Henry Wolcott, of Windsor, and bought out the rest of his time in 1649 and was a small trader in 1651, and that lie bought and sold lands in Farmington in 1656. He seems to have been a pertinacious stickler for the largest liberty to the individual. In 1662 he headed a petition to the Gen- eral Court at New Haven respecting the franchise of all the citizens, respecting equalizing the rates of the several colonies then under the jurisdiction of New Haven, and respecting the colony school. The court rather curtly gave him to understand that "whatever liberties or privileges our laws do allow them, that they should have." He then desires a special court in Stamford for the settlement of these questions. In 1663 he is sworn a constable for the town of Stam- ford in the General Court of Connecticut, and in 1665, 1667, and 1669 he represented the town in the Gen-

L armed Mr. Nichols .

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DARIEN.

eral Assembly. He married, here, Martha, widow of John Chapman, and had one son, Joseph, to whom he gave land in 1683. In 1686 he is reported in a gift of land to his son Joseph as now of Rye.

John Dibble died in 1646, and his widow married, the next year, William Graves, of Stamford. The two sons, Samuel and Zachariah Dibble, probably came with their father. Zachariah married, May 10, 1666, Sarah Waterbury, and had a son, Zacharry, born in 1667. His wife obtained a divorce in 1672, and afterwards married Nicholas Webster.

John Green, who lost his wife Mary here in 1657. He was deelared frceman of the Connecticut colony in 1662, and represented the town in 1669. Joseph Green mortgaged lands here, in 1651, to Thomas Morehouse, and William Green appears on the rec- ords as landholder in 1650. His land was next to Daniel Seofield.

William Hill was here in 1650.

Francis Holmes was a resident here 1648, as ap- pears from the testimony against Robert Penoyer. His will, on record at Fairfield, dated Sept. 6, 1671, makes mention of his wife, Ann, and his children, Stephen, John, Richard, and Ann, wife of Samuel Dean. Stephen Holmes has lands assigned him by the town in 1667. Richard Holmes witnesses here June 17, 1658, the will of Henry Akerley. The name of John Holmes is on the land records often before 1660.

Cornelius Jones was evidently here in 1657. He married the widow of Thomas Hait, or Hyat, as is evident from the receipts which three of Thomas Hoyt's children gave him. On Dec. 17, 1657, there is a record made of the age of his children, probably by a former wife. There are six of them, aged, re- speetively, eleven, ten, eight, six, and three years, but the margin on which the names are written is gone. His will, found at Fairfield, is dated June 2, 1690, and mentions his son Joseph and his grand- child Ruth "Hyat," explaining also why he does not make bequeaths to his daughter, Mary Hyat.

Nicholas Knapp had land here in 1649, as appears from the land-records. His wife, Eleanor, died Aug. 16, 1658. Savage thinks he may have come in the fleet with Winthrop and Saltonstall in 1630. His children were Jonathan, born Dcc. 27, 1631; Timo- thy, Dec. 14, 1632; Joshua, Jan. 5, 1635; Caleb, Jan. 20, 1637; Sarah, Jan. 5, 1639; Ruth, Jan. 6, 1641 ; Hannah, March 6, 1643. After coming to Stamford he had probably Moses and Lydia. After the death of his wife, Eleanor, he married, March 9, 1659, Unity, widow of Peter Brown, who had also been the widow of Clement Buxton. He died in April, 1670, and his will, now in the Probate records of Fairfield, dated the 15th of that month, names the children in the fol- lowing order: Moses, Timothy, Caleb, Sarah Dis- brow, Hannah, Lidea, Ruth, and Sarah and Unica Buxton, daughters of Clement.

Edmund Lockwood, Oet. 14, 1650, sold all his right

and title in Stamford to Aun Akerley. How long he had been here at that date does not appear. He was probably a son of Edmund, of Cambridge. His chil- dren were: John, Daniel, Edmund, Mary, and Abigail. Under date of March 24, 1698-99, the town grants the children of Edmund Lockwood, deceased, liberty to take up as much land for their father's estate in the second " lotment" at Runkinheag as he had in the first division there, "his lotment in the first division being not to be found." He died here Jan. 31, 1692, as appears from inventory of his estate now on record (book 1st, page 119), amounting to three hundred and five pounds. This name has been numerous and prominent here to the present day. It now stands next to the Seofield name in numbers.

Jonathan Lockwood was here in 1659, as appears from his testimony in court, at Fairfield, February 24th of that year. He is reported as then twenty- four or twenty-five years of age. This corresponds with the presumption that he was son of Robert Lock- wood, of Fairfield, and that he is the son born in Watertown, Sept. 10, 1634. His children were Jona- than, Robert, Gershom, Joseph, and John. He sold his estate here in 1665, and was afterwards a promi- nent citizen of Greenwich, representing that town in the State Legislature for four years.

Joseph Lockwood went, in 1644, to Poundridge, where he had sons,-Joseph, James, Solomon, Israel, Reuben, and Nathaniel. His wife was Hannah, daughter of Solomon Close. His oldest son, Joseph, had two sons,-Major Ebenezer, of Poundridge, who lived until 1821 and was the father of the Hon. Ezra and Horatio Lockwood; and Joseph had also sons, among whose descendants are the Hon. Albert, of Sing Sing, N. Y., and Gen. Munson Loekwood, of White Plains.

Thomas Lyon was here as landholder in 1650, as appears from land-records of Daniel Scofield.

Joseph Mead, of Stamford, sells his house and land to John and Daniel Weed. From his testimony given in court at New Haven in 1660 it appears that he was born in 1630. He went to Greenwich, which town he represented in the Connecticut Legislature from 1669 to 1671.

Jonathan Mead sells land in 1650, and in 1659 also sells land to Henry Smitlı.

Obadiah Seeley was early a resident here, as ser- eral entries in the records show. In 1651 he acknowl- edged payment of a debt due him from John Lare- son. He died in 1667, and his inventory, taken in 1665 by William Newman and Robert Usher, men- tions his widow, Mary, and his sons, Obadiah, Corne- lins, and Jonas. His widow, Mary, had been the widow also of John Miller, of Stamford. He was probably a son of Robert Seeley, of Watertown, who settled afterwards in Wethersfield and became quite famous as a lieutenant in the Pequot war, and still later of the New Haven force under Sedgwick and Leverett against the New Netherlands. This name

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

has been well represented in all its generations in the town.

Thomas Stevens died here in 1658. He had been a landholder as early as 1649, as appears from the land-records. His will and inventory of estate are on record, dated Nov. 30, 1658. His property was bequeathed to his wife for the children; but if she should marry, she was to have hier third and the rest to be divided,-the oldest son, if deserving and of godly carriage, to have a double portion; if not, to share equally with the rest.

John Waterbury came here soon after the settle- ment, and had land recorded to him in 1650. He died in 1658. Hc had lands herc as early as 1650, as appears from assignment of lands of that date. His inventory bcars date in April, 1659, amounting to £185 12s. His sons were John, Jonathan, and David, and possibly still others. Those three make over to their father-in-law, Joseph Garnsey, in 1674, a parcel of land then in possession of John Miller. His widow had married Joseph Garnsey, in May, 1661, when she attested his will. This is one of the most numerous as well as respectable of the Stamford names, down to the present day.

Richard Webb probably came to Stamford from Norwalk about 1654. The "Mill" in Norwalk was that year abandoned as worthless, and we find Mr. Webb here, soon after, engaged in the Stamford " Mill." He was probably a son of Richard, of Nor- walk, though he is not mentioned in his father's will, of date 1655. Mr. Webb was a man of some estate and note, representing the town in the Connecticut General Court as early as 1667. The will of Richard Webb, Sen., of Stamford, is on record in Fairfield, having date 7, 1, 1675-76, and the death of Richard Webb is on our town records as occurring March 15, 1675-76, eight days after the will. The inventory of his estate bears date April 29, 1676. His legatees were his wife, Margery; Joseph, who took the mill in Stamford, but who was to run it jointly with the widow ; Richard, who had the uplands at Wescott's; Joshua, who took lands in Newfield, and the tools, which were in Huntington, L. I .; Caleb and Samuel, whose legacy was to be in the care of their mother ; and Sarah. In a deposition of Richard Webb, made Nov. 22, 1667, he is said to be "aged forty-four years or thereabout." Joseph Webb died here in 1684, leaving children,-Joseph, Mary, Hannah, Saralı, and Margery. His inventory, dated March 8, 1684, makes his wife's name Hannah. This name is among the most numerous and reputable names on the Stamford list.

John Clock, William Crissy, George Gorum, Daniel Gray, John Hobby, John How, Josiah Hull, Richard Lonensburg, Samuel Palmer, John Reed, Samuel Richards, David St. John, Selleck, Thomas Talmadge, Michael Waring, William Wardwell, Eliaseph Whit- ncy, Gilbert Woolsey, Rev. Moses Mather are also names of early settlers.

REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT.

During the Revolution a large number of the inhab- itants of this district werc Tories. Dr. Moses Mather was preaching in the Congregational church on Sun- day, July 22, 1781, when a party of Tories completely surrounded the church and took most of the people prisoners, only a few young men escaping through the windows. Two shots were fired at these; but they dared fire no more, as thrce guns was the well- known signal of alarm in this part of the country. All the males were then tied two and two and led out of the church, with the venerable Dr. Mather at their head. The Tories also carried off some forty horses belonging to the congregation which had assembled, and marched the prisoners to the Sound shore, where they were embarked for Lloyd's Neck, on Long Island. From thence they were taken to New York and confined in the Provost prison, where they un- derwent the most severe treatment. The following contains a portion of a poem entitled

" A Poetical Relation of the Capture of the Congregation at Middlesex, with an Account of their Sufferings, etc., while in captivity ; by Peter St. John.

"Now to relate 'tis my intent A sad and tragical event. On what I write you may rely, As I've the history lying by. July the twenty-second day, Where Christians meet to sing and pray, In seventeen hundred and eighty-one, An horrid action was begun. While to the Lord they sing and pray, The Tories, who in ambush lay, Beset the house with brazen face ;

At Middlesex it was the place.

A guard was placed the house before, Likewise behind and at each door. Then, void of shame, those men of sin The sacred temple entered in. The Rev. Mather closed his book : How did the congregation look ? The reverend priest, the man of God. Severely felt the smarting rod,- Not by a whip do I pretend, But by abuses from those friends. How must he feel to see his sheep Thus worried, whilst they silence keep!

Those demons plundered what they could, Either in silver or in gold. The silver buckles, which we use Both at the knees and on the shoes, These caitiffs took them; in their rage Had no respect for sex or age. And as they all were searching round, They several silver watches found. They who were placed as guards without, Like raging devils ranged about, Took forty horses to the shore,- Not many either less or more, -- With bridles, saddles, pillions, on: In a few minutes all was done. The men which hence they took away, Upon this sacred awful day, Was forty-eight, besides two more They chanced to find upon the shore. When to the shore they were conveyed, The orders given they obeyed. On board the shipping they were sent, But greatly feared the sad event,

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As well they might, because they know Their captors wero tho Devil's crew. They hoisted sail, tho Sound they cross'd, And near Lloyd's Neck they anchorod first. Then evory man must toll his name; A list they took, and kept tho same. Now twenty-four of fifty nien Were ordered home again ; The twenty-six who stay'd behind, Most cruelly were they confinod; On board tho brig wore ordered quick, And wore confined beneath the dock .- A nasty hole, with filth besmear'd,- But 'twas no more than what they fear'd.

But to return whenco I loft off, They at our misory mnade a scoff,- Like raging devils tore about, Swearing they'd tear onr vitals ont; That they'd no quarter ever give, Nor let a cursed rebel live ; But would their joints in pioces cut ; Then round tho deck like devils strut. Oh, human nature, how depraved ! Can any mortal e'er be saved,

So void of good, so full of evil, And wholly bent to serve the Devil? July the four and twentieth day, We all were sent to Oyster Bay. * *

* * We to the ferry camo at last, View'd by spectators as we past :

The gazing rabble, Tory throng, Would curse us as we passed along. Ten thousand curses round us rnng ;

But some would laugh, and some would sneer, And some would grin, and some would leer. A mixed mob, a medley crew,

I guess, as e'er the Devil knew.

To the provost we then were haul'd,

Though we of war were prisoners called ; Our irons now were ordered off,- The standers-by would swear and scoff. But oh, what company wo found ! With great surprise wo looked around ! I must conclude that in this place We found the worst of Adam's race ; Thieves, murderers, and pickpockets too, And everything that's bad they do. One of our men found, to his cost, Three pounds of York money he had lost,- His pockets picked, I guess, before We had been there one single hour. * * % * *

Full eighteen days, or something more, We fairly were exchang'd before; Of the exchange they let us know, Or from that place of bondage go. That of the number twenty-five, But just nineteen were left alive ; Four days before December's gone. In seventeen hundred eighty-one."

OLD DOCUMENTS.

The following are given as being interesting old documents :

A DISTRIBUTION BILL OF 1724.

A Distribution Bill to Ruth Scofield, wife to Joshua Scofield and daughter to Jolın Young, late of Stamford, dec'd, for her part or por- tion, as follows:

To particulars rec'd at marriage, 22. 10.

To a bever hat, 3. 6.

To warming pan, 6.

To a wodden mortar, 6. A knife, 6.

A great Lille.

A parcel of old books.

An almanac, a basket, and whetstone.

A grindstone to a tree,

A tob.

A Raiser, 6 Sisers.

Pa mittens.

A piece of land upon ye east side of Noroton Neck, south of ye country road, being twenty-one rods in breadth at ye north end of highway. Two shillings and one penney of John Dean's bill.

Two pad locks.

Tho above distribution made by us distributors under oath this 4 day of Feby, 1724.

SAMUEL WEED, JONAS WEED.

AN EARLY DEED.

Whereas, the Town of Stamford in their Annual Meeting In Decr 1723 being lawfully warned and convened, voted as follows, viz 4 town dld vote, the Town do impower the townsinen, or any three of them to agree with Joshua Scofield & to exchange that piece of land which Mr. Elisha Holly sequestered to the nso of the Town, on the East sido of Stony Brook, as also a pieco of salt marshi on the East side of Richard Scofield's Mill Pond for the convenience of a Highway down to Scofield's Mill or any other way be for the best benefit of the Town And agrecally to the above vote the Selectmen agreed with me the ª Joshua Scofield of Stam- ford to exchange the land which now makes the Highway from the country road to the @ mill for the above d seqnestered land And whereas I the d Joshua Scofield on my part gave to tho Town a well executed Deed for @ Highway, but they neglecting on their part to give mo a con- veyance for the d scquestered land, the same remains yet my due There- fore, To all persons to whom theso Presents shall come Greeting, Know ye that I the d Joshua Scofield of Stamford in Fairfield County in Con- necticut State, for divers causes & considerations me thereunto moving, more especially for the Parental Affection Love and good will which I have & do bear towards my loving & dutiful grandson Gershom Scofield of Stamford aforead, do give grant convey & confirm unto him the d Ger- slom Scofield, & to his Heirs & assigns forever, all my right, Title & De- mands which I have to the d sequestered land, Bounded according to the Bill of laying ont as follows Easterly by Young's, his land westerly by Stony Brook, or the line granted by the Town of Stamford to the d Young's to set a fence, sontherly by the cove called Good wife's & north- erly by the country road laid out & sized to two Acres.

To have aud to hold the above Given & Granted right, Title, Demand to the above described Premises unto him my d grandson Gersliom Sco- field & to bis Ileirs & Assigns forever to his & their own proper use & bchoof as an Estate of Inheritance in fee simple, free & clear from all incumbrance whatsoever, in witness & confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the 16th day of August A.D. 1783

Signed Sealed & delivered in presence of

ABRM DAVENPORT JOSHUA SCOFIELD JR

JOSHUA SCOFIELD [L.S.]

State of Connecticut ss Stamford on the day of the date above Person- ally appeared Mr Joshua Scofield, Signer and Sealer of the above written Instrument & acknowledged tho same to be his free Act & Deed before me

ABRM DAVENPORT Assist

Gerslion Scofield's Deed of Gift from Joshua Scofield Rec to Record Decr 9th 1783 & Recorded in Book K, Page 70 by John Hart, Junt Town Clerk

EARLY MERCHANTS, ETC.

The first stores in this town were kept at "Ring's End," and among the first merchants are mentioned the names of Nathaniel Clock, Bell & Waterbury, and Jones & Jarvis.

The first merchant at Darien was Rufus Scofield. The first mereliant at Nosota was one Gorham.

The first grist-mill was built by Richard Scofield,

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un-

ing

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

and occupied the site of the mill now owned by Ben- jamin Fitch.

The first postmaster was Rufus Bell, in 1814. There was but one post-office in the town, and that was lo- cated in a building which stood nearly opposite the present parsonage of the Congregational church.

Among the first physicians were Warren Percival and Dr. Richmond. The present physicians are Samuel Sands and R. L. Bohannan.

CHAPTER XXVI. DARIEN (Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL, CIVIL, AND MILITARY HISTORY.

Congregational Church-Presbyterian Church-St. Luke's Church- Methodist Episcopal Church-Incorporation of the Parish-Organi- zation of the town-Selectmen from 1820 to 1881-List of Town Clerks -Representatives from 1820 to 1880-Darien in the War of the Re- bellion-List of Soldiers.

How early separate religious services were held in this town no existing records show. Probably for years before Dr. Mather was settled here, in 1744, there had been preaching, with more or less regu- larity.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 67

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