USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 25
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 25
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Serreno H. Scranton was born in Madison, March 1st, 1811. His father, Jonathan, married Roxana Crampton, daughter of Ashville. He received his education in the common schools and at Lee's Acad- emy. His career has been quite eventful and interesting. His first occupation was that of farming, but being ambitious, he invested his small capital in a sea vessel. For 14 years he followed the sea, mak- ing his business a financial success. He was president of the Shore Line railroad 14 years; also general manager of the New Orleans, Mo- bile & Texas railroad for some time. He has been representative three times, and was senator in 1870. In 1833 he married Susan Dowd, daughter of William. They had nine children: Roxana R., Jonathan S .. Edward S., Jonathan S., William D., Charles W., Catharine L., George C. and Alice.
George A. Shelley, son of Julius Shelley, was born in Madison in 1827. He has followed the marble business since 1847 in his native town. He was married to Georgiana Field in 1849, who died in 1883. Their first son, Charles Henry, died in 1856, in the fifth year of his age. Charles Elliott, their second son, died in Weber, Utah, in 1884, aged 27, supposed to have been murdered on his way home from Cali- fornia. His body was found the year following and brought home and buried. George A. was married again in 1886 to Kate E. Smith, his present wife, who was born in Madison in 1847.
J. Willis Tucker, born in Madison in 1818, is a son of James W., who was born in North Madison. His mother was from Middlefield, Conn. She died at the age of 44 and left 11 children. J. Willis is the only member of the family living in Madison. He has been married twice; first to Sarah Wilcox, of Madison, by whom he had four chil- dren. For his second wife he married Mrs. Clarissa Dudley, of Madi- son. He has been grand juror a number of years, is a member of the First Ecclesiastical society, and he has been treasurer of the minis- terial fund 21 years. Mr. Tucker is a farmer and a large land holder. For the last six years he has been engaged in ship building. He was one-third loser in two vessels that burned June 2d, 1890, at Mad- ison.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Doctor Daniel Meigs Webb was born in Madison April 6th, 1822, and is a son of Doctor Reynolds Webb, born in Chester, Conn. Daniel M. was graduated from the academic department of Yale in 1846, and from the medical department in 1849. He began the practice of med- icine in 1849 in Madison. His father practiced medicine in the same town. His grandfather, also named Reynold Webb, served in the revolutionary war, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. Doctor Daniel M. Webb is a member of the State Medical Society. He is a member of Madison Lodge, No. 87, F. & A. M., of Franklin Chapter, R. A. M., No. 2; Harmony Council, R. & S. M., No. 8, and of New Haven Commandery, No. 2, K. T.
John A. Willard, born in Madison in 1820, is a son of James and Susan Claning Willard. James was a native of Madison and his wife was born in Newport, R. I. The father of James, Hile Willard. was also a native of Madison, and a member of one of the pioneer families of the town. John A. married Ellen Wellman, of Clinton, in 1845. They have two children: Edward N. and Nellie L., who married Charles B. Upston, of Bristol, Conn., and has one daughter. Edward married Nellie Graves, of Madison, and has one daughter. John A. is a member of the F. & A. M. of Madison. He owns Sea View farm, near the village of Madison, on which he was born, and which has re- mained in the possession of the family ever since.
Alva O. Wilcox was many years a prominent man in Madison. For many years he had the contract with the United States govern- ment for carrying the mails between New Haven and New London. He established the first stage route between these two cities, and later was active in building the Shore Line railroad, thus connecting by "Shore route" New York with Boston. His son, William M. Wilcox, at the time of his death in 1874, was superintendent of the Shore Line railroad. William M. married a daughter of Talcott Bradley. Mr. Bradley was one of the four leading abolitionists that year after year had the courage to cast their votes for the abolition of slavery. Three of his sons-Lieutenant John, William and Henry-served in the war of the rebellion. Lieutenant John and William Bradley lost their lives in defense of their country. Henry served until the close of the war, was twice wounded and once taken prisoner. Doctor Ashabel Bradley, father of Talcott, was a soldier in the revolutionary war, in Colonel Wolcott's Regiment, from 1777 to 1783.
George A. Wilcox, born in Madison, is a son of Jonathan S., whose father, Jonathan, was a son of Thomas, who settled in Madison in 1743, and was a descendant of John, who was one of the original pro- prietors of Hartford, Conn. (1637). George A. Wilcox is an attorney- at-law, and has an office at Detroit, Mich., where he resides a part of the time. His mother was Chloe, daughter of Daniel Hand, a descend- ant of Joseph Hand, one of the first settlers of the Hammonassett dis- trict, a part of the town of Madison. He settled here about 1660, and
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
was a son of John Hand, emigrant, from Kent, England, first to Lynn, Mass. (about 1640), thence to Southampton and East Hampton, L. 1.
Henry Beals Wilcox, born in Madison, February 1st, 1821, is the son of Abel and grandson of Joseph. He is a member of one of the pioneer families, and his ancestry can be traced back to the earliest settlement in Connecticut in bothi lines. His mother's name was Anna Field, daughter of Timothy, son of David. Our subject's education began in the common schools, and was completed at Lee's Academy. When twenty years of age he commenced teaching school, and taught 25 seasons: one year in Iowa, one and a half years in Kentucky, and the rest of the time in Connecticut. In 1862 he enlisted in the 27th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, and was wounded during the en- gagement at Fredericksburg, December 13th, 1862, a minie ball pass- ing through his right lung, and for some time no one thought he would live. In October, 1863, he was elected town clerk; in 1864 justice of the peace; and in 1869 judge of the probate court for the district of Madison, and held these offices up to January, 1891, when he became 70 years of age and consequently disqualified. He was, also, during the aforesaid time, for 15 years a member of the board of education. January 1st, 1851, he married Lucetta Woodruff, and together they lived over 40 years, she dying February 9th, 1891. He had two chil- dren: Henry Clifford, a graduate of Union College, 1874, died in 1882; and Dwight Woodruff, married, and has two children, now living in Kansas. Mr. Wilcox is a member of the Congregational church, a member of Madison Lodge, No. 87, F. & A. M., also of the G. A. R. Post at Guilford.
Manfred A. Wilcox, son of Abel, was born in Madison, May 15th, 1830. His mother's name was Anna Field, daughter of Timothy. He received his education at the common schools, and has made farming his occupation. His first marriage was to Nancy S. Smith, daughter of Reuben, June 27th, 1852. By her he had one child, Nancy S., born March 24th, 1857. Mrs. Wilcox died April 4th, 1857. He next mar- ried Jeannette L. Snow, daughter of Arthur, October 16th, 1864. They have four children: Blanche E., born September 2d, 1866, died March 4tl1, 1867; Edward A., born July 31st, 1869; Jessie L., born May 4th, 1872; and Walter A., born March 5th, 1874. Mr. Wilcox has held several town offices, including justice of the peace and clerk of pro- bate court.
14
CHAPTER V.
THE TOWN OF MILFORD.
Geographical and Descriptive .- The Indians .- The Early Settlers .- Civil Government. -Roads, Ferries and Bridges .- Shipbuilding, Commerce and Trade .- Milford Vil- lage .- Woodmont .- Wheeler's Farm .- Public Houses .- Manufacturing Interests .- Banks .- Newspapers .- Post Office .- Fire Company. - Agricultural Society .- Secret Orders .- Soldiers' Monuments .- Educational and Professional .- Churches .- Ceme- teries .- Military Affairs .- 250th Anniversary .- Biographical Sketches.
T HE town of Milford, dating from its settlement, in 1639, is, next to New Haven, the oldest in the county, and one of the oldest in the state. When purchased of the Indians, and for several years later, this territory was called Wepawaug,* but since November 24th, 1640, the formal name has been Milford. The town occupies the southwestern corner of the county, being bounded on the south by Long Island sound, on the west by the Housatonic river, and northeast by the town of Orange, its area having a triangular shape, the apex being at Poconoc point. The general surface is level, there being no high hills and only a limited amount of broken land. In some local- ities the rock crops out and the ground is covered with boulders. In the eastern part of the town is a considerable deposit of fine serpen- tine marble, discovered in 1811, and later developed to some extent. Limestone may be obtained in the northern part of the town, flagging stone in the western part, and shale rock in other parts. Hence, the soil is also variable, and is usually fairly fertile. By skillful cultiva- tion it has been made productive enoughi to make agriculture, which has been made the leading occupation of the inhabitants, remunera- tive. There are in the town considerable areas of alluvial lands, some of which are scarcely above the water level, and bear evidence that in periods not very remote they were submerged. Among these tracts are the Great and New Meadows, along the Housatonic, and the French and Indian River meadows. Along the sound inlets are tidal lands, and in other parts of the town are swamps of considerable extent, the chief ones being called Dreadful, Great and Mohawk swamps.
The streams of the town are not large, but afford fair drainage. The Wepawaug or Mill river is a little more than a dozen miles long from its source in Woodbridge through its course in Orange and the central part of this town to its mouth at Milford harbor. It affords
*Also spelled Wepawage.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
a number of good mill seats. The Indian river also rises in Wood- bridge, but in the eastern part, and flowing southwest finds an out- let in Indian gulf or Milford gulf, whose waters pour into the sound near those of Milford harbor. In the extreme east is the Oyster river, separating the coast parts of Milford and Orange. The West End brook is in the western part of the village of Milford and flows into the harbor, below the village. Beaver brook is in the western part of the town, flowing southwest, and emptying into the Housatonic. At the mouth of this river, which is here about one mile wide, a long, sandy beach has been formed by the contra action of the waves on the sound and those flowing into the river, which is called Poconoc or Milford Point. It has for hundreds of years been a favorite resort of fishermen, and was once improved for a seaside resort. Eastward along the sound is next a point of land called Meadow's End, east of which are salt meadows. Extending thence eastward to the harbor is Burn's Point, a high, dry point of land, which has been improved for summer residences. A small beach permits bathing. Off this shore and about three-fourths of a mile from it is Charles or Milford island. It is pleasantly shaped, and contains about ten acres of land, much of which was formerly timbered. The Indians called it Poqua- paug, and it was a place where they delighted to resort in the summer. It is said that the sachem, Ansantawae, here had his " big wigwam." The bar between the island and the shore is bare about half of the time, and formerly afforded excellent clamming, fine ones being found there.
" On the 17th of March, 1657, the town granted liberty to Charles Deal, a tobacco planter, to purchase and enjoy the island for a to- bacco plantation, provided he would not use the buildings for any other purpose than as a tobacco house, and that he would not trade with the Dutch or the Indians, or suffer disorderly seamen to make it a place of resort." From his ownership the name Charles' island is derived. In 1835 it was purchased by John Harris, of New York, who fitted it up for a country seat. Later it was used as a day re- sort by excursionists, brought thither by steamers from New Haven and Bridgeport. Since that time the island has been denuded of everything except some small trees and bushes, and is now a com- parative waste.
East of the harbor are Indian Neck and Welch's Point, so named for Thomas Welch, an early owner. This has a good beach, and fine summer residences have been erected on the high lands over- looking the sound. Next eastward is Pond Point, named for Charles Pond, the owner of a large tract of land in that locality; and Mer- win's Point, still further to the eastward, took its name from Miles Merwin, the original settler. Burwell's Farm, or the newly developed section of Woodmont Beach, is the last point of land in the town, which has become a favorite resort on account of its bathing priv-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
ileges afforded by this shore. All along the sound to Indian Neck are a number of sightly places, some of which have been improved for beautiful homės.
In the records of Milford appear more than 80 names of localities in the town, some of which have long since become obsolete, by reason of the changes in the topography of the country. Other old names have been displaced by new ones, some more and others less appro- priate than the original titles.
When the whites prospected this country they found it in the pos- session of a strong tribe of Paugasuck Indians, who called this section Wepawaug. From this fact these aborigines were sometimes called Wepawang, and later, Milford Indians. Their sachem was Ansanta- way or Ansantawae, whose "big wigwam" was on Charles' island. They appear to have been kindly disposed toward the whites, but lived in dread of the Mohawks and other Indians. They were super- stitious and indulged much in pow-wows. Their incantations were wild and fantastic in the extreme. On such occasions, led on by their priests, they would dance around a camp fire in the most excitable manner, and often hurled their choicest treasures in it, in the belief that such an act would appease the spirits.
These Indians lived in four principal villages: on the Wepawang, near where is now the Episcopal church, where also lived at times the sachem, Ansantawae; another near Washington bridge, near which place they had a fortress for defense against the Mohawks; a third at Turkey hill, where was one of their principal places of burial, and where Indians were buried as late as 1794. A fourth village was at Poconoc Point, and smaller ones at Oronoque and Burwell's Farm. Their principal planting grounds were on Mill Neck and along the Housatonic. They subsisted largely in fishing, and often exchanged their sea food for the game brought hither by the Indians from the in- terior. Their wampum were black and white perforated shells, three of the former and six of the latter passing current for an English penny.
Ansantawae's tribe claimed all the land from the Oyster river to the Housatonic, and from the sound north to Beacon Hill brook, a dis- tance of about twenty miles, where it joined the Mattatuck country. The first purchase by the whites was made February 12th, 1639, and comprised about two miles of land at Milford village. The sale was made with "twig and turf," indicating that the Indians were willing to surrender the soil and all that grew upon it. The deed in trust for the planters was given to William Fowler, Edmund Tapp, Zachariah Whitman, Benjamin Fenn and Alexander Bryan. The consideration was "6 coats, 10 blankets, 1 kettle, besides a number of hoes, knives, hatchets and glasses (small mirrors)." Ansantawae and other princi- pal Indians signed the instrument. At different times, later, other purchases were made of land along the Housatonic in 1656, and of the
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Indian Neck in 1660. In the latter tract 20 acres were reserved for planting purposes. Afterward, this too was sold, apparently reluctant- ly, for they demanded a proviso that in case of danger Ansantawae, his wife and sons might have " liberty to sit down for shelter in some place near the town, where the townsmen should think most fit." The central and northern parts of the Indian domains were purchased in 1685, 1700 and 1702, the last purchase being of lands along the Beacon brook, in what are now the towns of Bethany and Beacon Falls.
After the lower lands had been sold, the Indians complained that they had nowhere to live, when the town set aside one hundred acres on Turkey hill, upon which, under restrictions, the Indians might find homes. This land was under the care of a committee appointed for that purpose, and which in 1777 was composed of Captain Benjamin Hine, Stephen Gunn, Esq., and Lieutenant Benjamin Fenn. It is said that Ansantawae died here about 1676, but some of his descendants remained as long as 1820. The decay of the Indians was rapid. In 1731, when Con-que-po-ta-na, the sachem of the Milford Indians, died in Derby, he had but 60 men under him. Gradually the number be- came less, and most of the remaining members removed to the West, where they became a part of the Six Nations .* A few stragglers only remained until their death. Some of the Indians who removed, or their descendants, occasionally visited the town, and as late as 1831 a band of thirty persons came hither from the Lake Champlain region to visit Poconoc Point. They remained a few days, and it was learned that they had a tradition that their ancestors were from this region. "They had come for the last time to visit the hunting ground of their fathers."+
Although the Indians appeared friendly toward the whites, the planters, soon after settlement, provided a means of safety and defense by erecting a palisade nearly a mile square around the village, enclos- ing land on both sides of the Wepawaug. The trunks of trees twelve feet long were taken, and so closely set together that a man could not crowd through the line. In times of danger sentinels were posted every few rods, who were relieved at sunset by drum beat from the top of the meeting house Each planter, as a member of the " train band," was required to do guard duty every fifth day. On the Sabbath and "lecture days" armed men went to the meeting house, and the mus- kets were also kept close at hand while working in the fields. In 1645 -6 there was such a feeling of unrest among the Indians that a guard was kept day and night. About this time the Indians set fire to the adjacent country, but the settlers fortunately arrested the flames be- fore they reached the palisade. But much damage was done to the timber in the swamps north and west of the village.
A few years later, in 1648, occurred in the town a severe battle be- tween the Wepawang and Mohawk Indians. The latter, with a view
* Lambert. + Baldwin.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
of surprising the Wepawangs in their fort, on the Housatonic, had se- creted themselves in a swamp about a mile from Washington bridge. They were discovered by some whites, who reported their presence to the Wepawaugs, who arose in such number and attacked the Mohawks that the invaders were defeated-some being killed and others taken captive. A stout Mohawk prisoner was stripped naked and tied to a tree in the swamp, to be tortured by mosquitoes. Here he was dis- covered by Thomas Hine, one of the early settlers, who released him, and after caring for his wants, permitted him to return to his own coun- try. This humane act pleased the Indians, who ever after revered the Hine family and pledged their protection to them. They used to say of the Hines, " they did not die like other pale faces, but went to the West, where the Great Spirit took them into his big wigwam and made them great men."
The Indians were again troublesome in 1653, and up to 1656, and the town threatened to impose a penalty for harboring them. Soon after a good deal of prejudice existed against the Indians, who really were harmless enough, and in 1671 some young men of the town de- stroyed their fort on the Housatonic. But whether this wasdone from hatred of the Indians or from a spirit of adventure is not very clear. They went at the dead of night, and working with the utmost secresy, razed the fort to the ground. This very much angered the Indians, but instead of seeking revenge they complained to Benjamin Fenn and Robert Treat, seeking redress through them. As a consequence the ten young men implicated were cited to appear before the court at New Haven, when they were properly fined £10. This satisfied the Indians, who now rebuilt the fort.
In the spring of 1700 danger was again apprehended, and the palis- ade having been removed, to guard against Indian attack it was ordered that Mr. Prudden's house, on the east side of the Wepawaug, and the house of George Clark, at the " West End," should be fortified as places of refuge for the infirm, the women and the children. That the work might speedily be done, all able-bodied male persons over 16 years of age were ordered forthwith to assist in the undertaking. Lib- erty was also granted to the inhabitants of Burwell's Farm to erect some measure of defense. For several years there was a general alarm in the town and surrounding country, but so far as known not a single English inhabitant of Milford lost his life at the hands of an Indian in this town. In King Philip's war some of the inhabitants were en- gaged, and in the later French and Indian wars several of the inhab- tants lost their lives, some falling in battle and others dying from sick- nesses contracted in camp.
Through apprehension that Milford might be an objective point of attack some British troops were quartered in the town in the winter of 1757-8, and in a revel the town hall was burned. The Crown subsequently remitted £50 to assist in defraying this damage.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
It is said that in these later troubles some of the inhabitants of the town accompanied General Putnam in an expedition to Cuba,* and there was no full sense of security until the war had closed.
Most of the pioneer settlers of Milford came from Essex, Hereford and York counties, in England, and rendezvoused in New Haven in 1638 and 1639, preparatory to taking up their abode in the Wepawaug country. After the purchase of the lands, in the spring of the latter year, active preparations were made to occupy and improve them. The material for " the common house " and their household utensils were put on board a vessel which sailed for Milford harbor, in the fall of 1639, and was probably the first to land there. The body of planters moved by land from New Haven, following the Indian foot paths, driving their domestic animals before them. Sergeant Thomas Tibbals piloted the company through the woods to the place of destination, " lie hav- ing been there a number of times before." For this service the town, in 1670, voted him as a free gift two parcels of land lying in Westfield, " both parcels containing ten measured acres." The planters and their goods arrived safe at the head of Milford harbor, where the " common house " was set up, probably near where are now Baldwin's straw and matting works; and a few temporary houses were also built for imme- diate occupation, and until the planters could each build his home upon a lot properly assigned. Matters had so far progressed by November 20th, 1639, that a meeting for civil organization and regulation was held, when 44 persons, by reason of being accepted church members, were recognized as free planters, having a full voice in the town's affairs. Ten others, it appears, were with the company or came soon after, but not yet having been received into the church, were not free- ment at the time named.
The first list of freemen or pioneer planters embraced the follow- ing 44 men: Zachariah Whitman, died in 1666; Thomas Welch, 1681; Thomas Wheeler, 1675; Edmond Tapp, 1653; Thomas Buckingham, 1657; Richard Miles, 1667; Richard Platt, 1671; Thomas Tapping, 1684; Mr. Peter Prudden, 1656; William Fowler, 1660; John Astwood, 1654; Richard Baldwin, 1665; Benjamin Fenn, 1662; Samuel Coley, 1684; John Babcock, removed in 1651; Henry Stonhill, 1651; Nathaniel Baldwin, died in 1692; James Prudden, 1648; Thomas Baker, removed in 1650; George Clark, Sr., died in 1690; George Hubbard, removed in 1650; Doctor Jasper Gunn, died in 1670; John Fletcher. 1662; Alexan- der Bryan, 1679; Francis Bolt, 1649; Micah Tompkins, 1649: John Bird- sey, removed in 1649; Edmund Harvey, died in 1648; John Lane, 1669; William East, 1681; Thomas Lawrence, 1648; Thomas Sandford, 1681; Timothy Baldwin, 1664; George Clark, Jr., 1690; John Burwell, 1649; Henry Bottsford, 1686; Joseph Baldwin, 1690; Philip Hatley, removed in 1649; Nicholas Camp, died in 1706; John Rogers, 1684; Thomas Uffat, 1691; Nathaniel Brisco, 1683; Thomas Tibbals, 1703; John Sherman, *Lambert. tSee account of the First Church.
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