USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 29
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 29
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Stephen Stow voluntarily left his family to relieve these suffering men, he contracted disease from them, died and was buried with them. He had already given four sons to serve in the War for Independence. To commemorate his self-sacrificing devotion to his country and to humanity, the Legislature of Con- necticut resolved that his name should be inscribed
Upon this Monument.
The graves of these men and of Captain Stow are in the southern part of the cemetery, near the monument, but are otherwise un- marked.
Names of soldiers, 1861-5, buried at Milford: Augustus Clark, 15th C.V .; George Prince, 15th C.V .; Hezekiah E. Smith, 27th C.V .; George Van Horn, 1st Light Battery: Henry A. Downs, 10th C. V .; Treat A. Mark, 27th C. V .; George H. Glenney, 10th C. V .; Samuel C. Glenney, 1st Heavy Artillery; Chauncey S. Baldwin, 15th C. V .; William D. Trowbridge, 23d N. Y. V .; Sidney H. Plumb, 27th C. V .; Charles E. Cornwall, 27th C. V .; Lewis W. Nettleton, 15th C. V .; DeWitt Bald- win, N. Y. V .; Theodore M. Clark, 15th C. V .; Noyes A. Treat, 10th C.
* Barber's Historical Col., p. 583.
16
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
V .; Thomas Tuthill, 6th N. Y. V .; Elliott W. Nettleton, 20th C. V .; Luke Stowe, 1st C. Heavy Artillery; William A. Northrop, 13th C. V .; Charles Robinson, 1st N. J. V .; Chester Peck, 13th C. V .; Thomas Wil- liams, 9th N. V. V .; George W. Hine, 27th C. V .; William H. Harris, 12th C. V .; Sidney Stowe, 93d Ohio V .; William L. Graham, 1st Light Battery; Wallace W. Graham, 27th C. V .; Brainard Smith, 10th C. V .; George T. Peck, 10th C. V .; Smith Canfield, 12th C. V .; John H. Bald- win, 164th Ohio V .: Dwight A. Rallis, 29th C. V .; Charles H. R. Botts- ford, 15th C. V .; Thomas Haley, 15th C. V .; Marcus Higby, 17th C.V .; John G. Clark, 27th C. V .; Russell Whitcomb, regiment unknown.
In the South are interred the following Milford soldiers: Elliott WV. Beach, 10th C. V .; Samuel Clark, 27th C. V .; George W. Manville, 15th C. V .; Joseph Wilson, U. S. Regulars; James McGuiness, 15th C. V .; Carl Michael, 27th C. V .; Erasmus Oviatt, 10th C. V .; Horace Law- den, unknown; Levi Summers, unknown; Victor Woods, unknown.
The early inhabitants of the town took an especial interest in edu- cation, and that inatter was held to be of importance next to the church. Jasper Gunn, one of the first settlers and the first physician, was also the first teacher. Previous to 1656 Richard Bryan also instructed the youth of the Milford planters. A Latin school was early maintained, and it appears that more attention was paid to higher education in schools than to primary instruction, which most likely was imparted at home. In December, 1696, the town voted that a school should be kept a whole year, and that the selectmen were to provide an "able teacher." To carry out this purpose £30 was appropriated. Evidently the school was a success, for in 1697 it was voted " there should be thirty-five pounds allowed out of the town treasury to maintain a Latin school, the honorable Governor and the Rev. Samuel Andrew to at- tend to the business." The town also ordered " that the Selectmen should see that the school is attended by such scholars as need learn- ing." Reverend Samuel Andrew was one of the most earnest patrons of education in the colony, and largely through his efforts Yale Col- lege was established. When he was rector of that institution he had the senior class at Milford several years.
In 1699 the town voted 640 for the support of schools. Of this sum £12 were to be used to keep up a winter school at the West End, and liberty was granted to the inhabitants of that part of the town to build a school or town house. The school at the East End was now kept up all the year. Fifty years later, in 1750, a school tax of 40 shillings was levied on every £1,000 in the grand levy, and amounts paid by the inhabitants of the Amity Society, Bryan's Farm, Wheeler's Farm and Burwell's Farm were to be returned to them, so that schools could be set up in their own localities. This was done, and about that period the town had at least six schools.
In November, 1797, the town was formed into a school society, and officers were appointed to receive the moneys accruing to the town
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IHISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
from the sale of Western lands belonging to the state. Of this board Stephen Gunn was the treasurer, and Gideon Buckingham the clerk.
The school in the village was usually kept in the town house,* and even to this day the school building and the town hall are practically under one roof. But in addition to the public schools, select instruc- tion was imparted, and in 1810 the Milford Academy was erected. This was a frame house which stood on the hillside on the east of the Wepawaug, between the two meeting houses. From its opening in 1810, to 1825, Elijah Bryan was the good bnt stern teacher. Later, Oliver H. Hammond and Jonas French taught there acceptably. Af- ter the public schools were elevated to a higher standard it was no longer kept up. In this period Reverend Bezaleel Pinneo had a num- ber of private students, fitting some thirty boys for college between 1800 and 1845.
On the first of April, 1875, all the school districts of the town were abolished and a new district formed of the consolidated schools, ordi- nary schools to be held in Nos. 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11, and a graded school to be established at Milford village. A board of education was cho- sen, composed of twelve members, one from each of the former dis- tricts. The town house was ordered to be enlarged, and Isaac T. Rogers, Nathan C. Tomlinson, C. F. Bosworth, James A. Smith, Sam- uel N. Beecher, Albert A. Baldwin and Nathan E. Smith were appointed a building committee. They reported December 27th, 1875, that their work was finished and that the cost of the building and the furnishing of the same was $15,934.53. More recently the building has been enlarged and improved, and is now commodious and attractive. Six schools are tanght in this building, and from the high school half a dozen pupils are graduated yearly. About 450 pu- pils are registered annually, and the schools are maintained at an out- lay of more than $5,000 per year, more than three-fifths of which is drawn from the town treasury.
As adjuncts of the schools and the churches libraries were estab- lished at different periods, and some of them were long successfully maintained. The Milford Library was formed in 1745 by the First Church Society, and had a good collection of books, most of them treating on theological subjects. It was kept up about one hundred years, but in its latter existence did not have many books, in conse- quence of the relaxed vigilance in keeping up the library.
The Associate Library was established in March, 1761, mainly by members of the Second Society. It had fewer books than the older library, but they covered a wider range of subjects. After about sixty years of usefulness it was dissolved.
In later years a number of libraries have been formed, but which were, after the lapse of a few years, allowed to go down. The Milford Lyceum Library has recently been incorporated. It has a good selec- tion of books and the promise of a successful future.
* See Town Houses, etc.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
The citizens of Milford claim, with a reasonable degree of pride, that an unusual proportion of its inhabitants were men of liberal edu- cation, who graduated from some of the leading colleges of the Union, by far the greatest proportion from Yale. The subjoined list gives the names of many who took degrees in institutions of learning, like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Trinity and Oberlin, in periods of time from 1668 to the present. Most of these names have been taken from the Reverend Erastus Scranton's MSS .: Samuel Andrew, Samuel An- drew, Jr., Reverend Thomas Buckingham, Reverend Daniel Bucking- ham, Reverend Stephen Buckingham, Gideon Buckingham, Benedict Bull, William Bryan, David Baldwin, Joseph Bryan, Isaac Baldwin, William Bristol, Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin, D. W. Baldwin, Rev- erend John Gunn Baird, George William Baird, Dennis Beach, Doctor Ferdinand Beach, Walter Beach, Henry Baldwin, Reverend Cornelius Bristol, Doctor George L. Beardsley, Doctor William Beardsley, Rev- erend Thomas Canfield, Doctor Edward Carrington, Thomas Clark, John Camp, Joseph Clark, Nicholas Camp, George Clark, Jr., Samuel Carrington, Abijah Carrington, John Clark, Gamaliel Clark, John Churchill, Reverend John Eells, Nathaniel Eells, John Eells, Colonel Benjamin Fenn, Phineas Fisk, Benjamin Fisk, Nathan Fenn, Daniel Fannon, Nathaniel Farrand, Daniel Farrand, Franklin H. Fowler, Reverend Joseph Fowler, W. H. N. Ford, Nathaniel Gunn, George Miles Gunn, Doctor John Herpin, John Herpin, Jr., Reverend Jona- than Ingersoll, Jared Ingersoll, David Ingersoll, David Ingersoll 2d, David B. Ingersoll, Jonathan Law, Richard Law, John Law, Reverend N. T. Merwin, Reverend Henry G. Marshall, D. P. Merwin, Colonel Roger Newton, Christopher Newton, Reverend John Prudden, Job Prudden, Nehemiah Prudden, Timothy Pinneo, Otis Pinneo, Ebenezer Pinneo, John Plumb, Joseph Platt, Charles H. Pond, Henry Platt, Robert T. Platt, Ephraim Strong, Joseph Smith, Reverend Samuel Treat, Robert Trcat, Esq., Reverend Solomon Treat, Robert Treat, Jr., Esq .; Reverend Richard Treat, Charles Treat, Richard Treat, D. D., Samuel Treat, Bethuel Treat, Abner L. Train, Zachariah Whitman, 1st, Elnathan Whitman, Zachariah Whitman, Reverend Samuel Whittle- sey, Samuel Whittlesey. Esq., Reverend Daniel Welch, Reverend Whitman Welch, Gideon Woodruff, Reverend Joseph Whiting.
In addition to these were others highly educated, as Captain John Astwood, who had a classical education. He was one of the first judges. Going to London on business for the colony, he died there about 1653. Reverend John Sherman also had a superior education. From him, in line of descent, came Roger Sherman; and from George Clark came Abraham Clark, of New Jersey, another of the signers of the declaration of independence.
Three of the foregoing were governors of the state. Robert Treat, the first, came with Mr. Prudden to Milford. At the first meeting of the planters he was chosen to assist in surveying and laying out the
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
township. He was one of the five judges, and in 1661 was chosen a magistrate of the New Haven colony, and continued in that office four years. In 1664, through his influence and that of Benjamin Fenn, Milford was induced to break off from the New Haven colony and join the Connecticut colony, and soon the union of all the colonies was effected. He served in King Philip's war as a major of Connecticut troops. In 1683 he was elected governor of the colony and served 15 years. He was a man of superior parts, and lived to be more than 88 years of age, dying in 1710.
The second governor from this town was Jonathan Law, son of Jonathan and Sarah (Clark) Law, of this town. He was born in 1674 and graduated from Harvard in 1695. Three years later he commenced the practice of law at Milford, and acquired a good reputation as a counsellor. He was chosen a deputy governor, in which office Robert Treat had also served, and was elected to the office of governor in 1741, and annually thereafter until his death in November, 1750. Charles H. Pond was elected lieutenant governor in April, 1853, and upon the resignation of Governor Thomas Seymour, served as governor for eleven months. He died in 1860.
Captain Samuel Eells was an attorney in the town, and was an im- portant man in its affairs. Gideon Buckingham was also a man of note, whose counsel was much sought, and the memory of the pious Roger Newton still continues. He was judge of the court of common pleas 33 years, and until his death, in 1771, in the 87th year of his age. It was said. of him that "Newton, as steel inflexible from right, in Faith, in Law, in Equity, in Fight." Others of the foregoing were counsellors at law, and in 1890 those in that profession at Milford were: George M. Gunn, Henry C. Platt, William B. Stoddard, Henry Stod- dard and Frederick W. Babcock.
Notwithstanding Milford is a remarkably healthy town, and has been exempt from epidemic diseases to an unusual degree, it has always had its full quota of physicians. Among the first settlers was Doctor Jasper Gunn, who was also a planter and the school teacher. Doctor John Durand also practiced here in the seventeenth century, then re- moved to Derby. Doctor John Fisk was here soon after. Doctor John Herpin, a native of France, was here for 50 years, until his death in November, 1765, at the age of 74 years. "He practiced physick and surgery in this place with distinguished reputation," if the inscription on his tombstone can be believed. He evidently prospered, for in 1725, ten years after his location, he purchased the Richard Bryan place, which was owned by the Herpins until 1785, when it became the property of Captain Charles Pond, a ship master, who was the father of Governor Charles H. Pond. It was known as the Pond Mansion until about 1860, and was one of the historic houses of the place.
Other physicians have been: Doctors Ezekiel Newton, Zebulon Gillett, James Clark, Elias Carrington, Samuel Whittlesey, Caleb Aus-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
tin, John Rossiter, Abraham Tomlinson, John Carrington, Charles Beardsley, Elijah F. Bryan, Andrew French, Joseph Tomlinson, Lucius N. Beardsley, Thomas A. Dutton, Hull Allen. The latter still lives in the town, very aged, but has not been in active practice for some years. Doctor W. H. Andrews, who died in January, 1890, practiced here 16 years as an allopath. Others at present at Milford, in the practice of the same school of medicine, are Doctor E. B. Heady, Doc- tor Edwin C. Beach and Doctor F. Bayard Jackman. Doctor W. L. Putney is the homeopath; and others of that school were Doctors Reed, E. P. Gregory, Charles Sterling and Charles Bray.
From 1712 to 1720 Doctor Andrew Warner was a botanic physician, and was called the " Indian doctor," because he used herbs only.
In 1836 Doctor Edwin Woodruff, a Thompsonian, had a large prac- tice in Milford.
Milford was founded as a religious community. Many of its early settlers had, in the old country, been the parishioners of the first min- ister of the town, and came with him or followed him to the new world. They were bound to him and to one another by the ties of association and some by family connections, which were so strong that they cheerfully accepted the privations which awaited them if they could remain under the leadership of their beloved minister. Rever- end Peter Prudden was a worthy leader in such a movement. His judgment had been matured by age, and he was also well educated. He had, before his coming, wealth, influence and position in England, and among his hearers in Herefordshire were many persons of dis- tinction and wealth. His was an animated and fervent nature, which would naturally attract and hold genial friends as warm personal fol- lowers. Hence, when because of his " non-conformity," he was driven from his station by persecution, whence he fled to New England, a devoted band went with him, and others later followed. Being desir- able citizens, they were besought to remain in Massachusetts, and the records of Dedham show that land was there apportioned to Mr. Prud- den and 15 of his followers, which they did not accept. They decided to cast their lot farther to the westward, and joined Eaton and his asso- ciates in the search for a new home in what is now New Haven county. Thus we find them, April 18th, 1638, with Mr. Davenport and his ad- herents, observing their first Sabbath in their chosen territory by worshipping God under the spreading branches of a friendly oak at New Haven. In the morning Mr. Davenport preached, and in the af- ternoon, at the same place, Mr. Prudden discoursed from the text Matt. 3:3: " The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of Lord and make His paths straight."
Until a permanent place could be gotten for the Prudden colony, they abode at New Haven, keeping themselves distinct, in that part known as the Herefordshire Quarter. Mr. Prudden, meantime, was preaching for the church at Wethersfield, where he also so warmly
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
attached some of the principal settlers of that place that when he left they followed him, "that they might enjoy his pious and fervent med- itations." "It was thus that Gov. Robert Treat, John Astwood, Jasper Gunn, the Rev. John Sherman and others came to Milford." The number at New Haven was also augmented by new arrivals from Es- sex and York counties.
The selection and purchase of a home for the Herefordshire people (which was consummated in the latter part of February, 1639), and the discussion of the best methods of church and civil government, had earnestly engaged the attention of the people at New Haven in the intervening period. Grave questions were to be considered and decided. It was desired that justice should be done to all who had as- sumed or should assume a part in this project of founding a new gov- ernment and a new church, but it had already become apparent that there should also be a restricting qualification before a full voice in all the affairs should be granted. Most were disposed to limit voting and office holding to those who were approved in matters of personal piety, i. e., church members, but Reverend Samuel Eaton stood for the prin- ciple that all proprietors should have a vote. Davenport, and it is be- lieved, Prudden, stood for the former qualification, and their views prevailed. Davenport held that as they had come as reformers they should go to the full length of their convictions; that hardly any reformation went beyond where it was left by the original reformers; and that those coming after them might not be able to carry out the measures which they conceived were right, but which, through motives of policy, brought about by the circumstances of settlement, etc., they were asked to modify.
This vexed question being out of the way, as finally decided at the meeting, June 4th, 1639, at the "great barn" of Robert Newman, in which all the free planters of New Haven, Guilford and Milford par- ticipated, and where other important matters were also considered, the way was opened for the formation of a church society. A pre- liminary step was the selection of seven of the best and most tried men, as a basis upon which the membership should be built. Upon these "seven pillars " rested all the care and responsibility of exam- ining and passing on the fitness of the succeeding members. A cove- nant, embodying the principles of belief as expressed in the prelimi- nary meeting, was also prepared, and the 22d day of August, 1639, se- lected as the time for organizing both Mr. Davenport's and Mr. Prud- den's churches.
The council called for this occasion embraced the neighboring churches, and was also held in Mr. Newman's " mighty barn," in New Haven. The " seven pillars " selected for each church now appeared before the council and congregation, and after giving their religious experience and belief and reciting the covenant, were taken by the
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
hand by members of the council, as a sign of fellowship, and the or- ganization was complete.
Mr. Prudden's church became known as the First Church of Christ, at Milford, of which it is recorded : " The Church of Christ at Milford was first gathered at New Haven uppon Aug. 22, 1639. The persons first joyning in the formation were those whose names are next under mentioned. Peter Prudden, Zachariah Whitman, William Fowler, John Astwood, Edmond Tapp, Thomas Buckingham, Thomas Welsh."
To these "seven pillars" other members were added from time to time, six at New Haven before the removal to Milford. At the latter place William East was the first received, March 8th, 1640 .*
It is probable that the Reverend Peter Prudden occasionally preached before the removal to Milford, the following March, but he was not formally ordained as the pastor until April 18th, 1640. His own record of the event is in the following words: "At Milford, I, Peter Prudden was called to ye office of a Pastour in this church, and or- dayned at New Haven, by Zachariah Whitman, William Fowler, Ed- mond Tapp, designed by ye church for that work; Zach. Whitman being ye moderator for that meeting in a day of solmn humiliation, upon ye 3d Saturday in April, being, I remember, ye 18th day of ye month, 1640."
The ordination took place at New Haven, probably for the con- venience of the clergymen who wished to attend-Reverends John Davenport, Samuel Eaton, Ezekiel Cheever and others.
A pastor having been secured, a teacher, or assistant pastor, was next called. This office was tendered Reverend John Sherman, but he declined it for fear that local jealousies might arise. The call was not extended to any one else, and the office in Milford became extinct. In 1645 Mr. Sherman was connected with the Branford settlement.
In the early history of the church it had ruling elders, the first ordained to that office being one of the "seven pillars" --- Zachariah Whitman, on the 26th of January, 1645. He probably served until his death, in 1666. Two others were ordained to the same office in 1673: John Clark, who died the following year, and Daniel Buckingham, whose death occurred in 1712, after which the office was no longer filled.
It is probable that the church had an acting deacon from the time of its organization, but no election to fill that office is recorded prior to the one held July 3d, 1645, when ten men were placed in nomina- tion, and George Clark, Jr., and Benjamin Fenn elected. But so care- ful was the church of the character of those called that they were not ordained for two years, when, on account of family matters, Mr. Clark was excused and Mr. Fenn only ordained. Six years later George Clark, Sr., was chosen and ordained the second deacon. The church was now fully officered, and under Mr. Prudden's ministry was quiet and
* Reverend J. A. Biddle's sermon.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
prosperous to the extent warranted by his prudent nature. " He was fervid and earnest as a preacher, but owing to his desire to keep the church free from unworthy members, only 100 were received by him into church fellowship. At his death the church numbered about 94 members in a population of about 500." The pastorate of Mr. Prud- den continued 16 years, and was terminated by his death, in July, 1656. A fine tablet in the present house of worship appropriately com- memorates his worth.
One of the first acts of the planters of the town was to order the building of a meeting house. The five judges were directed, Novem- ber 24th, 1640, "to lay out a meeting house 30 feet square, after such a manner as they should judge most convenient for the public good." It is believed that this house was like the one at New Haven. "It was two stories high, had a sharp roof (a four-sided peaked roof), on the top of which was a turret, where sentry could stand and look out for In- dians, and where a drum was beat to call people together Sabbaths and town meeting days, &c."
This house, though so plain, was not finished for several years. As the town grew and the population demanded more room, the accom- modations were expanded by putting galleries in it. In 1697 a gal- lery was placed across the west end of the house, which stood facing west, where was one door as an entrance. In 1707 one was built across the north end, and in 1709 another on the south side. Still it was necessary to husband all the room, and in the latter year the town voted "that whoever needlessly sat out of his seat should forfeit five shillings."
The pulpit occupied an elevated position on the east side of the house, and near the door were several seats for "the use of the armed men who were expected to come to the Sabbath worship with muskets fully prepared to repel any sudden attack from Indians. These were at times troublesome and dangerous. In their outbreaks they would rush up to the palisades, deride the settlers as cowards for keeping themselves in a pen, challenge them to come out and fight like brave men, boasting that they kept the English 'shut up all one as pigs.' In 1646 there was such alarm the entire 'train band' went to meeting on Sabbaths and Lecture days, sentinels were placed on the palisades a few rods apart, the people even went to their fields in armed com- panies."
As late as 1700 there was so much fear of Indians that houses were fortified at different ends of the town, yet there is no account of any Milford man being killed by Indians.
A new meeting house was voted in 1727. It was 80 by 65 feet, and three stories high, having two galleries, an upper one for slaves and other blacks, who had become numerous then. There were three entrances to this house, one south, another east and another west. The pulpit was on the north side. This house had a steeple 95
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