History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 117

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 117

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).

S. Tully's diary contiuned:

"-August 11th 1779 .- Ship Trumbull went over the bar."

"January 3d 1780 .- A most terrible storm of snow, with the hardest gale of wind ever known here, and high- est tide. Water was a foot deep on the causeway oppo- site the windmill."

" January 21st .- A sleigh drawn by two horses, and 4 persons therein crossed on the ice at the Ferry, and came down and landed between Tully's and Dickinson's wharves."

"January 23d .- Mr. Lynde tells me there is no water visible in the Sound this morning, it being frozen."

" 27th .- It is reported that a dog was seen to cross the Sound on the ice a few days ago."

"31st .- Scarely any water to be seen in the Sound. People pass from Groton to Fisher's Island on the ice."

From Hinman's "Revolutionary War," among extracts from papers, are the following:

"New London Aug. 23, 1776 Last Lord's day, che ship of war owned by the State, built at Saybrook, com- manded by Capt. Wm. Coit, came out of the river, being the largest vessel that had ever been over Saybrook bar (piloted by James Harris).

At the May session of the Assembly, 1776, " Liberty was given by the Legislature, to the inhabitants of Say- brook to build a battery at the place where the old fort stood in said town, so that it should be well constructed, to contain six carriage guns for the defence of the town and harbor; and to encourage them in so doing, 20 men (then stationed at New London) were sent to aid the in- habitants to build said fort, and to guard the same so long as the Governor and Council of Safety should think proper. And the said fort was directed to be furnished with three good carriage guns, in addition to those be- fore there, and all mounted on proper carriages, and furnished with powder and ball, and all other necessary implements for the fort and guns, as soon as might be, at the expense of the colony."

" Samuel Lord and William Shipman of Saybrook, had manufactured a quantity of saltpetre for the use of the Colony, which had been destroyed by fire; for which loss the Assembly allowed them £60."

The Eighth company of the Fourth Battalion, of which Samuel Selden was colonel, was from Saybrook, and was officered as follows: Captain, Elisha Chapman; Ist lieu- tenant, John Hart; 2d lieutenant, Job Wright; ensign, Nathaniel Jones jr. At December session, 1776, Martin Kirtland was appointed Ist lieutenant of the artillery company stationed at New London, and Lee Lay was appointed lieutenant, to command at Saybrook. At the May session, 1777, John Ely was appointed colonel of a battalion, John Shipman one of the first lieutenants, and Richard and Joseph Chapman second lieutenants. In January 1778, the Legislature directed that, " One com- pany of 20 men, including one sergeant, I corporal, under a Lieutenant, should be stationed at Saybrook." July 3d 1776, Martin Kirtland was appointed captain of a company at New London, in the room of Captain Ely; Daniel Platts, Ist lieutenant; Adriel Ely, 2d lieutenant; Daniel Kirtland, ensign .* July 31st 1776, Azariah Whit- telsey, of Saybrook, was appointed master of the colony ship, under Captain Coit. April 3d 1777, John Shipman

* This apparently conflicts with his appointment as lieutenant of ar- tillery, at a later date. Both were taken from proceedings of Legisla- lature. Hinman, pp. 259, 365.

469

OLD SAYBROOK-REVOLUTION-WAR OF 1812.

was appointed lieutenant and commandant of the fort at Saybrook, in place of Lee Lay, resigned.

" July 7th 1777. A letter was sent to Capt. Cockran at Saybrook to purchase flour and meat in the best manner he could, and to apply to the pay table for moneys." March 28th 1778, John Shipman jr. was appointed Lieu- tenant of the company of 24 men, ordered, raised, and stationed at Saybrook, by the General Assembly for 1778. The following letter was written in 1841, by Joseph Hill, of Essex, to Mr. Hinman:

" In answer to your inquiries, according to the best information I have been able to obtain, the enemy during the revolutionary war, did not land in Saybrook to do much damage; they drove several small vessels ashore, and some were set on fire. They landed on Duck Island which is opposite Westbrook, and burnt the buildings; I believe it was in 1781. A guard consisting of about 20, commanded by a lieutenant, was kept in Saybrook fort; at night one of the whale boats was sent out of the mouth of the river to reconnoitre, and did not return until they could see by daylight, that the coast was clear. The first company, which was enlisted in the spring of 1775, and soon after marched to near Boston, was com- manded by John Ely, captain; Abraham Waterhouse, Ist lieutenant: Elisha Lee of Lyme, 2d lieutenant; Dan. Platts, ensign. Some of the company belonged in Lyme. The uniform of said company was, hats bound with yel- low; many of them used white tow cloth, colored with peach tree bark. In the fore part of the summer, another company was raised in Saybrook, and marched for the camp near Boston. I believe said company was com- manded by Capt. Martin Kirtland.

" During the whole of the war (a large number from said town were in the service) the uniform of the com- pany was a red knott on one shoulder. The following persons were taken in the armed ship Blaze Castle, and carried to Halifax: Aaron Platts, William Carter, Abisha Chapman, Abner Stannard Jr, Josiah Wolcott, Jeremiah Lay, Daniel Jones, and John Stannard Jr,- all died but D. Jones and J. Stannard Jr, and all were from Saybrook. Those killed at Groton fort belonging to Saybrook, were John Whittlesey, Stephen Whittlesey, William Comstock, Daniel Williams, Jonathan Butler, and several wounded. It is well known that the American Turtle was invented and built in Saybrook by David Bushnell Esq. He died at an advanced age, in the State of Georgia, a few years since, after acquiring a handsome property, which was brought on by his friend and delivered to the children of his deceased brother Ezra, together with some curious machinery, partly built, which had been viewed by several gentle- men, none of whom I believe, have been able to. deter- mine what it would have been if it had been completed."

On the 8th of January 1778, Samuel Shipman, of Say- brook, agent for said town, stated to the General Assembly that since the commencement of the war with England to December 31st 1777, they had kept, by order of the town authority, at the harbor, and on the sea coast, in said town, a guard for their protection, at

the cost (computing six shillings per day for each man, including provisions, ammunition, etc.), of £246:11:10 lawful money, which sum was allowed and voted by said town to be paid; and stated that said guards were kept for the security of the State at large, as well as the town, and that said expense should be paid by the State, and prayed the Assembly to allow and pay the same; which petition was negatived .* Among the soldiers who went from Saybrook were Captain Benoni Shipman, who was present at the execution of Andre, having command of the guard at the scaffold; Samuel Clark, James Clark, Elias Tully, and William Lord, were among those who were in camp at Roxbury in the early part of the war; Elias Tully, who was an intimate friend of David Bushnell, afterward assisted him in navigating his tor- pedo, which with his other services procured him a pension. He died in 1848, aged 96. Samuel Clark, grandfather of William J. Clark, was lost at sea after the war.

SAYBROOK IN THE WAR OF 1812.

During the war of 1812, the people of Saybrook were alarmed and disturbed by the enemy even more than they had been during the Revolution. The following extracts are from the diary of Samuel Tully which was kept during this war as well as during the Revolution:

" May 28th 1813 .- The frigates Macedonian, United States, and Hornet, Com. Decatur, are now lying off the river's mouth bound on a cruise.".

" June 9th .- Several sloops driven ashiore near the lighthouse. Two of them were set on fire by three barges sent from the British ships near New London. One sloop was taken by them in the river. The fire was quenched by our people, but not without great damage to the sloops. Three of the barge men were killed by our men."

It has often been related by those who participated in this affair, how the farmers left their work, crossed the cove in boats, armed with their muskets, and without any officers, lay behind the beach, west of the light house, and drove the British from the vessels they had captured by the fire of musketry alone.

These barges each carried a small cannon mounted on the bow, with which they tried to drive our men off the the beach, but were not successful. One ball fell into the pond, and another on the land near the farm house. This last was picked up by the tenant on the farm, who found that it weighed just six pounds. There were no casualties on our side.

"June roth .- The barges stood into the river, and again set fire to one of the vessels quenched yesterday, but the fire was again put out. There were five barges. Two or three of them afterwards landed on Griswold's Point."

" June 12th .- A Company of artillery arrived from Lyme with a field piece, and went to the Fort."

"June 29th .- Five barges with more than 100 men came into the river after vessels, and fired two cannon

* Hinman.

470

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

shot which passed over the fort, and did no damage. About 100 assembled to oppose them, and firing from the fort, they soon nioved off."

" July 5th .- Six British barges filled with men came into the river as soon as five o'clock. The militia and people mustered and went to the Point and the Neck. The boats landed on the beach and took in some ballast and steered for Long Island."

" July 12th .- Boys ordered to New London, Marched only to the ferry."

" July 15th. Four or five barges appeared back of the Neck. Two ships went up sound and anchored off Kill- ingworth."

" 18th. Boys marched with their company to New London."

" July 22d. A number of vessels were taken by British boats, one near Wilcox's loaded with flour was set on fire, but the fire was quenched."

" July 31st. Four British boats east of the river, took one or two vessels."

"April 8th 1814. Fast day. Last night about mid. night six barges or boats from a British ship and brig, came up the river and went to Potapoug Point and burnt about twenty-five vessels, consisting of ships, brigs, &c., as well those on the water as those on the stocks,-and returned on board, and it is believed altogether unhurt."

When the British came in the night before, they landed at the light house, but found no one there, as the light was not kept burning during the war. They also landed at the fort, there being no guard there, and cut down the flag staff. During the day, while the vessels were burning at Essex, the whole surrounding country was alarmed, and the militia poured in from all quarters. The artillery company mounted their guns upon the fort which was garrisoned by 200 or 300 men, and waited the return of the enemy. At Ferry Point a temporary earth- work was thrown up, and a cannon mounted. Troops from New London were at Lyme. Capt. Samuel Dick. inson, of the Point, was on the fort that day, and just before he left home he told his oldest son, Samuel B., a boy of 14, to take his mother and the other children to their grandfather's at Oyster River, in the wagon. This did not suit him at all, so after his father had gone, he got his ducking gun and set off for the fort. As soon as his father saw him, he took his gun from him, and drove him off the fort with many severe blows with a stick, for his disobedience of orders. Thus are the fires of patriotism rudely quenched. About 9 o'clock the British came down the river, being saluted along by a fire of musketry and cannon, appar- ently without effect. The night was intensely dark, which was favorable for the enemy, as they were not dis- covered till they were opposite the fort, so that there were but few shots fired. Had it been ebb tide instead of flood, they might have escaped unhurt; as it was, several were killed, but how many was never certainly known. It is reported that after the war, 12 or 15 graves were shown, at Plumb Island, as those of the British killed in this affair. One of the guns on the fort was

served by Samuel M. Tully, one of the gunners of the artillery company. The men who belonged in town went home before midnight, much chagrined at the escape of the enemy. Mrs. George H. Chapman and her sister, afterward Mrs. S. Selden Warner, of Hadlyme, went to the Point, to the house of their sister, Mrs. Asa Kirtland, and with the family of Mr. John Kirtland, who lived in part of the same house, now known as the Chapin house, spent the day in cooking and feeding the hungry militia from out of town, who came in haste, and without provisions. The next day, Mr. Samuel Kirtland found a bearskin cap on the flats, that from its appearance had been knocked from the head of a British soldier by a ball. The cockade was in exist- ence a few years since.

"April 28th 1814, A British barge took a small sloop, lying near the shore, a little below the fort, and the wind being favorable, took her immediately off."

"May 9th, A sloop back of the Neck taken this P. M." " Sabbath, May 22d 1814, Last night at 8 o'clock we were alarmed by three British barges at the mouth of the river, who were supposed to aim at the destruction of the vessels at the Point 20 or 30 in number, but they missed their aim, being discovered."

"24th, A fleet of 13 gunboats anchored off the mouth of the river, and at about 4 o'clock they weighed anchor, conveying 32 coasting vessels to the eastward, when a severe cannonading ensued lasting from 5:30 P. M. till 9, between said boats and the British vessels." 27th "Gun- boats returned up sound. A number of ships and other armed vessels followed them, but all escaped,-they then returned and anchored back of the Neck and off the river's mouth."

" Sabbath 29th .- Ships lying in same position as yester- day. People greatly alarmed this evening by ships and boats."

"June 2d .- About 11 A. M. two ships and a brig joined those lying off the river's mouth, with a schooner and 8 sloops, but did not anchor, - the whole soon moved off and disappeared."

" July 9th 1814 .- The English in two or three barges took a vessel out of Pochaug, and put a midshipman and two other men on board to take her down to their Sta- tion, but the wind being very light, Stannard one of the owners of the vessel went to the fort, when about 12 men in two boats, of the State troops stationed there, pursued the vessel and very fortunately retook her, with the said three men on board, and brought her into the river, without the loss of a man on either side."

"August 12th .- Many cannon fired this morning, at Newport I think,-but it proves to be Stonington which the English battered severely, burning several houses &c."

"Sabbath September 11th .- People alarmed this morning by a ship and brig with six or eight boats full of men seeming to be preparing to land on the back of the neck, but went off without doing anything, two or three hundred men being assembled on the shore."

On this occasion the men formed behind a round hil-

471

OLD SAYBROOK-FIRST CHURCH.

lock, a little west of where the road to Fenwick touches the shore at Willard's Bay. During all these troubles, no American belonging to Saybrook was killed, except Mr. Charles Dolph, who, with others, went off in a boat from the Point to retake a sloop that had been captured by a boat from the privateer Boxer, of Lisbon. Lieut. Cyphe- nas Cowles, of the privateer, was killed, and five of the crew were captured.

"February 30th .-- Last Monday January 30th had news of peace between Britain and the United States." " March 8th .-- Firing cannon on acc't of peace."

OLD SAYBROOK IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.

Old Saybrook, in common with other towns, bore its part in the burdens and losses of the Civil war of 1861-5. Under the first call for troops for three months, no volun- teers were credited to Old Saybrook, but several who had been residents of the town and were then living in other places, were among those that went. The first action taken by the town in regard to enlistments, was at a special meeting held July 24th 1862, when it was voted to pay a bounty of $75 to all who should enlist for three years or during the war. At another meeting, held August 22d 1862, a bounty of $100 was offered for vol- unteers to fill the call for nine months' men. At a third meeting, December 8th 1864, it was voted to pay any person who, since September 19th 1864, had or there- after should furnish a substitute to be credited to the town, $300. Several meetings of citizens, not town meetings, were held to discuss the matter of filling the quota of the town. Several men who belonged to the town of Old Saybrook were lost by being credited to Say- brook. At one of these meetings, December 4th 1863, a recruiting agent was appointed, and at the next, meet- ing, a week later, it was reported that about $700 had been raised, and that there was a prospect of getting the men. The last meeting of the citizens was December 30th, and it was then reported that the quota of the town had been filled without expense to them, by enlistments of colored troops, who were credited to the town, by Colonel Almy, the agent of Connecticut, in New York.

Mr. G. F. Ward, of this town, who was in business in New York, at the time, in 1862, sent a check for $500 to John Allen, of Saybrook, to be divided among ten men who should enlist to fill the quota of this town under a recent call for three years' men. Under the next call, for 300,000 nine months' men, Mr. John Allen paid, on the 13th of September, from his own pocket, a bounty of $50 each to seven men enlisting from the town of Old Saybrook.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The first minister who preached the gospel to the peo- ple of Saybrook Point, was Rev. John Higginson. He came with his father, Rev. Francis Higginson, from Lei- cester, in England, in 1629, to Salem, Massachusetts, where his father settled. He probably came to Say brook with Mr. Winthrop, in the fall of 1635, or perhaps the spring of 1636. In Gardiner's narrative, it is said that |

he was there in the spring of 1637. During his stay at Saybrook, it is probable that services were held in the " great hall " of the fort. There is no record of the building of the first church, which was probably a prim- itive and barn-like structure. In 1643, he removed from Saybrook.

Cotton Mather said of Mr. Higginson:

" This reverend person has been always valued for his useful preaching and his holy living; besides his constant labors in the pulpit, whereby his own flock has been edi- fied, the whole country has by the press enjoyed some of his composures, and by his hand the composures of others also, passing through the press, have been accom- panied."

He wrote the Attestation to the Magnalia, and among other compositions which he published was a volume of sermons dedicated to the people of Saybrook, Guilford, and Salem, to whom he had ministered at different periods.

Mr. Higginson was succeeded the same year (1643) by Rev. Thomas Peters, brother of the celebrated Hugh Peters, who was once the minister of Salem, Massachu- setts, and who was executed by Charles II., in 1660. Mr. Peters was an ejected puritan clergyman from Cornwall, England, and carried on the work of the ministry at Say- brook till 1645, when he went to Pequot with Governor Winthrop, and assisted in founding New London.

Mr. Peters was succeeded in 1646 by Rev. James Fitch, who came over from England at the age of 16, in com- pany with 13 other young men, who were designed for the ministry. He spent seven years in Hartford in theologi- cal studies under Messrs. Hooker and Stone, and this is all that is known of him previous to his ordination in Saybrook, in 1646. He was born at Boking, in the county of Essex, England, December 24th 1622. At his ordination Mr. Hooker was present, but the imposition of hands was by two of the brethren appointed by the church to that office. Mr. Hooker had himself been or- dained in the same manner at Cambridge. This was a Congregational ordination in the strictest sense of the term. Unfortunately all church records prior to 1741 are lost, and consequently the knowledge of these early pastors is very meagre. It is probable that the first church was built about this time. It stood on a sandy knoll, about a quarter of a mile northwest of the fort, and near the eastern center of the Point. It was north of the middle road, now called Church street, and stood near where Mrs. Mary Burger's barn now stands. After a ministry of 14 years he removed with the major part of his church to Norwich. Rev. Dr. Lee, of Lisbon, in his half century sermon, says, that "he hesitated till a majority of his church removed-he then thought it his duty to comply." Miss Calkins, in her history of Nor- wich, says: " When a part of Mr. Fitch's church decided, in 1660. to remove to Norwich, it was a subject of some contention between the two parties whether he should go or remain. He was greatly beloved by all and each side claimed him. After solemn prayer, and long deliberation, Mr. Fitch decided that it was his duty to keep with the majority, and so he went to Norwich."

472

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

As a pastor Mr. Fitch was zealous and indefatigable. In addition to other labors, he trained several young men for the ministry, as he himself had been trained by Mr. Hooker. In May 1656, while he was living at Saybrook, the General Court granted him " a compitent farme con. teining bet: 2 & 300 Acres at Manunketeseck."

Rev. Thomas Buckingham, the next regularly ordained pastor, was the youngest child of Thomas and Hannah Buckingham, of Milford, and was probably born in the early part of 1646. His mother died, according to the church records, June 28th 1646, and he was baptized November 28th the same year. Where he was educated is not certainly known. He began to preach in Saybrook, a little before he was 19, quite early in 1665, immediately after the town had settled their difficulties with his pre- decessor, Rev. Jeremiah Peck, who succeeded Rev. James Fitch. The earliest entries in the first volume of town records are made in 1661. The following entry dates February 18th 1661 .- " Journey to Guilford for Mr. Peck." Also, May 5th 1662, " providing for Mr. Peck's supply for the year ensueing." August 20th 1662 .-- "Granted to Mr. Peck an hundred pound accommodation, both upland and meadow." The records also show that he bought eight acres of land in the town plat, and built a house thereon, and certain privileges were granted to him, on condition of his remaining five years. It appears that soon after this arrangement, a difficulty arose be- tween him and the town, which finally resulted in his resig- nation. In "Styles' Itinerary," consisting of three manu- script volumes in the archives of Yale College, is the follow- ing entry: January 30th 1665 .- " Controversy with Mr. Peck settled. The town confirm and give him full pos- session of his accommodation." And immediately after: "Agreement to Mr. Thomas Buckingham, February 14, 1665. Settlement by Mr. Peck's house, estimated £95 sterling, and give him £60 of it; said Buckingam pay £35. Salary £60 per annum in provisions; confirmed by the town, 5th of March, 1665; and at same meeting, Lyme separated, having competency of land for 30 fami- lies." According to the first volume of town acts of Saybrook, Mr. Buckingham was not ordained and in- stalied pastor of the church, until the spring or summer of 1670, a little over five years from the time he com- menced the regular supply of the pulpit. There were probably two reasons for this: his youth, and the difficul- ties encountered with Mr. Peck, which led them to give the candidate for settlement a thorough trial.

By an entry in the Oyster River Quarter records, March 20th 1666-7. " The committee grants to Mr. Thomas Buckingham the homake that lyeth at the mouth of Oyster River." At at town meeting, March 16th 1670, " it was voted that every hundred pound estate shall yearly carry to Mr. Buckingham, a load of good wood."

In the old cemetery on Saybrook Point, and a few rods from the site of the college in which he took such an in- terest, is a small crumbling slab of slate, which bears this inscription:

HERE LYES YE BODY OF THE REV'D MR. THOMAS BUCKINGHAM PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF

CHRIST IN SAYBROOK DEC'D APRIL YE 1st 1709 IN THE 63d YEAR OF HIS AGE.

"Feb. 7, 1675, At a town meeting it was agreed with Mr. Robert Nicholls for the sweeping the meeting house for the year ensueing, for which the town are to give him six and twenty shillings for his paines."

It was during the pastorate of Mr. Buckingham, that the second church building was erected. The town had it in contemplation for several years, as will be seen by ex- tracts from the records. In January 1676, it was voted that the meeting house should be built of stone " & shall bee 50 and 30 foot within the walls."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 117

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818