USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stamford > History of Stamford, Connecticut : from its settlement in 1641, to the present time, including Darien, which was one of its parishes until 1820 > Part 21
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
Fifty years after the war, when there was now no longer any bar to free intercourse between the exiles and the friends they had left behind, an occurrence took place in that part of the town which had already been incorporated as Darien, showing how strong were the sentiments of country and family still, among those who had been forced by the strife to leave. In 1838, Walter and Augustus Bates, who were among the ban- ished loyalists, returned to the home of their childhood. Though honored and much esteemed in the home of their adoption, they still retained their youthful love for the one they had lost. By the kindness of Mrs. Seeley, of Darien, I am allowed to use the following extracts from a brief " Jubilee" which the former of those returned exiles penned, as expressive of their feelings on that joyful occasion. Doubtless many others of the refugees, retained to their death, their early love of the place and asso- ciations of their youth.
"Our two oldest brothers being dead, the remaining family eight in num- ber were thus singularly separated-two only remained in our native town, two settled in different towns within the United States, two in the province
260
HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
of New Brunswick and two in Upper Canada, where we remained twelve hundred miles from each other and six hundred from our native place, un- til the eldest had arrived at the age of eighty and the youngest to the sixty- second year of hia age. After the full term of fifty years, guided and pro- tected by a kind Providence, we are permitted to visit our native home, the town and place of our birth, here to celebrate our jubilee with praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for his special providence, permitting us at this time and place, to meet together, praising God in communion with our remaining relations and friends, in the same church wherein we were in infancy, by baptism, first dedicated to God by our parents.
At first view of our native town, the neatnesa of the village appeared as if all things had become new. The former meeting-house, of ancient ar- chitecture, pulled down and a new one in its place ; the church had under- gone a change for improvement ; new dwelling honsea, store housea, and public offices erected ; and sloops and steamboats in the center of the town by a canal. On our further view we saw with regret the few old dwelling houses that remained, unrepaired, and mouldering into decay and ruin ; the public burying-ground, where lay concealed the powdered remains of the deceased for more than a century past, totally demolished ; a new Me- thodist meeting-bouse erected upon the consecrated ground and the ancient monumenta of the tombs converted into stepping-stones. Should those monuments be thus converted ?
We gaze on these objects, timus changed, with sadness and sighing ; and hasten away leat their present state should weaken the images which our memory had preserved. . *
* * Feasting on our anticipationa we at length reach the object of our fondest wishes, the house and place of our nativity. We found the same house, but like every other object it had un- dergone a visible change, one part having been pulled down and improved with a chamber over it. The first appearance of the house struck our hearts with awe. * * * Melancholy gloom peryaded our memory in every part of the house ; all those kind visitors who were once the free guests and
¥ * fond companions of our youth started fresh to our remembrance. .
What unspeakable pleasure did we enjoy, whenever we had the happiness to behold the countenance of one of those few known companions who still survive ; with what eagerness did we embrace them ; with what affection did weaddresa them."
An incident of our revolutionary period is still preserved among us, well attested, which shows how even the tory women of that day were in no wise behind their husbands and sons in loyal courage. Mrs. Robert Nichols, who still has many de- scendants among our citizens, was then living on the western
261
LOYAL ELEMENT OF THE WAR.
frontiers of the town and not far from the military lines separat- ing the two belligerent forces. One evening she had occasion to go on an errand to a neighbor's, and as it was a time of con- siderable military activity, she felt the need of acting the man- ly, and if need be, the martial part. She accordingly donned an immense hat and overcoat which had been wont to do her absent husband good service, and with a heavy cane, also ser- viceable on occasions of surprize, she started on her errand. She had not gone far, before she caught a glimpse of a man's form, evidently bent on a mischievous raid over the lines into the domains of the still faithful loyalists.
He had come so near that retreat was now impossible; and with a woman's ready instinct, she took the advantage of the first charge. With as heavy voice as she could summon to her help, she hails the unknown stranger. "Who comes there ?" " A friend," is the prompt reply. " A friend to whom ?" con- tinues the gruff voice of the would-be martial respondent. " To George Washington and the patriot cause." "Ground your arms and give the countersign," was the thundering charge, which instantly followed, and which was as promptly obeyed. A moment more, and the patriotic lieutenant, Josiah Smith, dis- armed, stood a prisoner, before his life-long neighbor, Madam Rober Nichols-a valiant man, ontwitted and now in the power of a plucky and still loyal woman.
But, thanks to the patient and heroic endurance of the patri- ots of those trying days, and the wisdom and energy and hope- fulness of their leader, Washington, a truce was at length reached to these neighborhood estrangements and hostilities. As in our last chapter we reported the soldiers engaged in sus- taining the war to its favorable end; in our next, we shall as faithfully catalogue those, who in their loyal zeal, defended, to the last, the cause of their acknowledged king.
CHAPTER XVII.
LIST OF STAMFORD LOYALISTS.
The following list embraces the names of all whom I have found reported as loyalists. For the list as here submitted I am indebted to our original manuscripts in the State Library, to the American Archives, and to Sabine's History of the Loyal- ists. For some of the later facts appended to several of the names, I am indebted to the notes of our townsman, the late Wm. H. Holly, Esq., who while passing a few months in 1822, in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, visited several of their de- scendants.
Bates, John.
Bates, Walter, son of John and Sarah (Bostwick), and was born March 14, 1760, in the eastern part of Stamford, now Da- rien. In '83 he went in the Union to St. John, New Bruns- wick. He was for many years sheriff of King's County. He died at Kingston in 1842, aged 82 years. A sister of his, Lavinia married another loyalist, Thomas Gilbert, junr., of Berkley, Mass., who was banished after the war, and died at Gagetown on the St. John's river, New Brunswick.
Bates, William, brother of Walter, born May 1, 1758, was under Cornwallis at Yorktown; and after the surrender, he went to New Brunswick and still later to Canada.
Beebe, Samuel.
Briggs, Stephen, a farmer living out in the Farms district. His farm was confiscated, and though after the war he returned to the neighborhood, he never recovered his title to it. Yet his
263
STAMFORD LOYALISTS.
widow by a little cunning, secured a pension for his services.
Crissy, Samuel.
Dan, Nathaniel.
Dibble, Frederic. This name is spelled Diblee by Sabine. He was son of Rev. Ebenezer and Joanna Dibble of this town where he was born in 1753. He graduated at King's College, now Co- lumbia, in New York. He removed to New Brunswick after the war and was made rector of the Episcopal church in Wood- stock. He was a most estimable gentleman and much beloved by his parishioners. He had a large and interesting family of seven sons and six daughters. IIe died at Woodstock, in 1826, at the age of seventy-three. ITis widow, Nancy, died in the same place in 1838, aged eighty-three years.
Dibble, Fyler, born Jan. 18, 1741-2, was a practicing attor- ney here when the war opened. We have already reported him as captain of the first militia company of the town in 1775. It seems that in violation of his pledge then given, he went over to Long Island and entered the service of the British. Here he was captured with other loyalists in '78, and his property in Stamford confiscated. In '83 he was a deputy agent in trans- porting loyalists from New York to Nova Scotia. In April of this year he went with his wife, five children and two servants to St. John's, New Brunswick, when in 1784 he was granted two city lots ; and where some years later he put an end to his own life. His wife was Polly, sister of Seymour Jarvis of this town. They were married here June 18, 1763, and the follow- ing children are recorded to them; Walter, born Feb. 7, 1764 ; William, born Jan. 14, 1766; Peggy, born Nov. 28, 1767, and Ralph, born Oct. 22, 1769.
Dibble, Walter, son of Fyler, born as above. After the war he went in 1783, to St. John in New Brunswick. He died in Sussex Vale, in 1817, aged fifty-three.
Dibble, William, brother of Walter, went also to New Bruns- wick in 1783.
De Mill, Anthony.
264
IHISTORY OF STAMFORD.
Ferris, Joseph, became one of our most active loyalists, throwing himself with all his heart into the service of his king. He raised a company, joined colonel Butler's rangers and re- ceived a captain's commission. Once during the war he was captured by his own brother-in-law but escaped. After the war he settled in New Brunswick. During the war when the Brit- ish held, temporarily, Eastport in Maine, he made it his home, but on its surrender to the United States again, he returned to New Brunswick. He died at Indian Island, New Brunswick, in 1836, aged ninety-two years.
Freeze, Renben, a notorious cow-boy who hung around Heth Stevens, and was quite officious in annoying the revolutionists.
Hanford, Thomas was a hatter, here, before the war. At the close of the war he went to St. John's, New Brunswick, where he became a prominent merchant, and where he died in 1826, aged seventy-three. His widow died there, aiso, at the age of seventy-eight.
Howes, James, deserted.
Holly, Increase. Holly, Ebenezer.
Holly, Elnathan, in 1776, at the age of nineteen, went over to the British and served in their army until 1782.
Holly, John Wm. at fourteen years of age was put under the protection of the British, as before recorded.
Holly, Samuel met our men retiring from Norwalk and wish- ed them success, supposing them to be British. They rode him on a rail, to record his pertinacions loyalty.
Hoyt, David.
Hoyt, James with Uriah, below, were exchanged for Peter Waterbury who had been captured here, Sept. 8, by the British.
Hoyt, Samuel 3rd. Hoyt, Stephen. Hoyt, Uriah. Howes, Prince.
265
LOYAL ELEMENT OF THE WAR.
Jarvis, Samuel was carried to Long Island and went thence to New York where he died Sept. 1, 1780. Martha his widow, died Dec. 1, 18 -. Their children sympathized with them in their loyalty and removed to the British provinces to the north. Our records have their death reported in full as follows; Mar- tha King, died in Halifax, N. S., in 1784, in the 36th year of her age ; William, died in York, U. C., Aug. 13, 1817, in the 61st year of his age; Munson, died in St. John, N. B., Oct. 7, 1825, in the 83rd year of his age; Polly Dibble, died in New Brunswick, May, 1826, in the 80th year of her age; Hannah In- gersoll, died in New York, April 23, 1829, in the 71st year of her age ; Levina Todd, died in Stamford, Oct. 26, 1841, in the 81st year of her age and Seymour died in Stamford, Oct. 4, 1843, in the 75th year of his age.
Jarvis, Munson, born in Stamford in 1742. In 1783 he went to St. John, New Brunswick, when he became a prominent citi- zen. He was was once a member of the provincial assembly. He died in St. John in 1825, aged 83. One of his sons, Edward James, became a member of the council of New Brunswick and Chief-Justice of the Colony of Prince Edward's Island.
Jarvis, John went to Kingston, New Brunswick, where he was living in 1822.
Leeds, Carey petitions the legislature, Jan. 4, 1779, for the clemency of the state. In his plea he calls himself " one of those unhappy persons who has been over to the enemy and been in their service, and by his folly is brought into a most disagree- able and miserable situation." He claims that he could not at the opening of the contest decide what his duty was, and deeid- ed to take a neutral course, which he did, to the best of his ability. On the 20th of December, 1775, he went over to Long Island, was taken up and forced into the British service, from which he escaped Sept. 28, 1776, and found his way home again. Here he was arrested and imprisoned in Fairfield County Jail- and he now " acknowledges the great offense " he committed
34
266
HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
and hopes for merciful treatment. He also promises to be a "faithful member of the United States." The legislature would not release him.
Leeds, Gideon, a brother of Carey.
Lewis, Jonathan.
Loder, Jacob, son of Daniel and Margaret, born in Stamford, Aug. 13, 1734, and went to New Brunswick where he died at Sheffield in 1817.
Lounsbury, Gideon, arrested in 1775, on suspicion of favoring the British. Makes a humble apology and promises "to my utmost to exert myself in opposition to the ministerial troops."
Merrit, Shubael, a " cowboy " who was shot, over in Green - wich.
Mills, Jesse, had rendered himself so offensive to the patriots of the north part of the town that, he was pursued into his sis- ter's house, which stood near where Isaac L. Jones' store now stands, on Highridge, and was wounded by a shot. He escaped from his pursuers and went to Nova Scotia.
Newman, Joshua.
Pieket, David went with his wife and seven children to St. John, New Brunswick in 1783. lle was a magistrate of the colony and a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas of King's County, where he died in 1826.
Rodgers, Fitch went with four brothers to St. John, New Brunswick, but returned to Stamford where he died.
Quintard, Isaac, had command of the first company of militia in Stamford, in 1775.
Scofield, James, junr.
Scofield, Josiah 3rd.
Scofield, Ezra, a brother of the patriot Captain Reuben, went to St. John, N. B., and became a prominent man.
Selleck, Daniel.
Selleck, John.
Seeley, Obadiah.
267
LOYAL ELEMENT OF TIIE WAR.
Seely, Seth, father and son, of whom the latter was a successful privateer in the war of 1812.
Smith, Joseph seems to have been one of the most active and mischievous of the " cowboys" in the vicinity of Stamford. He was without mercy, whenever he found one of the king's rebel- lions subjects. He felt himself justified in killing rebels any- where and had the reputation of frequent success. He is reported ' as wounding Sally Dibble of Darien in the church, when the congregation were captured, because she screened a boy under her seat. She carried a handkerchief filled with the holes which his bayonet made as it pierced through it into her breast. Ile was himself seriously wounded, near the house of Nathaniel Weed in Darien. He managed to escape his pursuers until he reached Daniel Gorman's; and when overtaken, the rage of his captors was such that they were determined to kill him at once. On the intercession of Mr. Gorman, and on his promise that as soon as he was sufficiently recovered from the wound he had re- ceived, he should be delivered over to them for trial. But he was next heard of in Nova Scotia.
Slason, Jedidiah, went to St. John's in 1783, and afterwards to Frederictown. He was a man of considerable distinction, having been a member of the provincial parliament. He died in 1844, aged 79 years. He was quite wealthy.
Stone, William.
Stevens, Admer.
Stevens, Heth, kept a rendezvous for tories on Highridge. One loyalist was shot there.
Stephens, Henry claimed that he was over persuaded to join the enemy, went over to Lloyd's Neek and was forced into the British army, and in September 1781, deserted, reached New London and gave himself up to the authorities and got a pass to go to Stamford, where he was at liberty for four weeks. Then the grand juror had him confined in Litehfield jail. He acknowledged his guilt, petitioned for release which was grant- ed, when the Stamford authorities permitted it.
268
HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
Tucker, Solomon, according to Sabine, was from Stamford, and went with his wife and four children to St. John, New Brunswick, in the ship Union, in the spring of 1783.
Thorpe, Edward, was " with the enemies of his country," May 15, 1781, as James Nichols, administrator on his confiscated estate testifies.
Waterbury, David, brother of Nathaniel of Middlesex parish. He went to St. John, New Brunswick, where he became a man of some distinction, and where he died in 1833, aged seventy- five years.
Waterbury, John, was with "the enemies of his country," March 15, 1781, as appears from the testimony of James Nichols the administrator on his confiscated estate. He went to St. John, New Brunswick, and was one of the original gran- tees of that town. He was a military man in the province at the close of the last century. He died in St. John, in 1817, at the age of 68 years. His widow was living at Mahogany, in 1822.
Whitney, Sylvanus, son of Eliaseph and Mary, born Feb. 3, 1748, was here in 1775, as our reeord will show. He went to St. John, New Brunswick, where he became an alderman and one of the colonial magistrates. He died in 1827, aged 79 years.
Weed, Abijah, had served in the old French and Indian war, but soon after the opening of the revolution, he deserted and went to Canada.
-
CHAPTER XVIII.
BIOGRAPHY.
This chapter embraces sketches of those prominent citizens of the town, who were in active life, mainly, in the first century of our history. Others, doubtless, were worthy of a place on this list, but the materials were wanting for sketches of them, other than such as has already been given in our first and second chapters on the settlers of the town.
BISHOP, REV. JOHN, was probably educated in England. Savage says he was in Taunton in 1640, but does not mention his business. The manner of his coming to Stamford from Bos- ton, has been already given, in our chapter on the early ecclesias- tical history of the town; and both the long continued ministry of Mr. Bishop and the affection shown him in his old age by the people, are in evidence of his success in the office which he held. While here he married 1st Rebecca - ", and by her had four sons and one daughter and perhaps more. The sons mentioned in the will are Stephen, Joseph, Ebenezer, Benjamin and Whit- ing. The daughter, Mary, died here on the 25th day of fifth month 1658. He married for his second wife, Joanna, (Boyse), who had been the widow, first of Rev. Peter Prudden of Milford, and second, of Capt. Thomas Willet of Swanzey, who had died, as Savage tells us, on the third, though the grave-stone says, on the fourth of Aug. 1674.
The only specimen of the scholarship of Mr. Bishop, now ex- isting, is probably that epistle of the Rev. Richard Mather of
-
270
HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
Dorchester, written in latin, and published in the Magnalia, Vol. 1, page 458, edition of 1855.
Mr. Bishop died here in 1694, and was buried in the first bury- ing lot, where our west park is now. The old stone which indi- cated the place of his grave, was removed in 1866, to a suitable base prepared for it in the Episcopal lot near St. Andrew's chapel, by the affectionate veneration of his great, great grand- son Edwin Bishop, Esq.
DAVENPORT, REV. JOHN was born in Boston, Feb. 28, 1669, and was the son of John Davenport, Esq., the only son of Rev. John Davenport, the ecclesiastieal founder of New Haven. He graduated at Harvard in 1687, and commenced preaching in 1690.
Our chapter on ecclesiastical matters will give a full account of his eall and settlement in Stamford. The records of the town for the time he lived here, are full of testimonials to the esteem in which he was held. While here he married Martha Gould, the widow of John Selleek. They had seven children ; Abigail, who became the wife of Rev. Stephen Williams, D. D., of Springfield, and the mother of an illustrious family ; John of New Canaan; Martha, the wife of Rev. Thomas Goodsell, of Branford; Sarah, who married first Capt. William Maltbie, of New Haven, and second Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, D. D., the founder and first president of Dartmouth College, and became the ancestress of a talented and noble lineage; Theodore, who died early; Dea. Deodate of East Haven; and Elizabeth the wife of Rev. William Gaylord, of Wilton, Conn. His wife died Dec. 1, 1712 ; and that her death was deemed no ordinary event is attested by the extraordinary record of it found in Book 1, page 110, town records.
"That eminently Pious and very virtuous, Grave and worthi- ly much Lamented Matron, Mrs. Martha Davenport, Late wife to the Reverend Mr. Jno .; Davenport Pastor to ye Church of Christ in Stamford Laid down or exchanged Her mortal or temporall Life to putt on Immortality and to be Crowned with
DAVENPORT RIDGE -- STAMFORD, CONN.
THE SUMMER RESIDENCE OF A. BENEDICT DAVENPORT.
-
271
BIOGRAPHIY.
Immortal Glory : on ye 1st Day of Decemb 1712." He mar. ried for his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Maltby, 'daughter of John Morris, by whom he had two children; Hon. Abraham, and Rev. James, biographical sketches of both of whom will follow.
Mr. Davenport was a prominent man in his profession. He had been thoroughly educated and inherited many traits which would give him a special fitness for the work of the ministry. But few Connecticut pastors of that day had such qualifications for the sacred office. While especially eminent in the pulpit, he seems never to have lacked discretion out of it. He was equal- ly wise in his public official administrations, and in his private influence among his people. He died here, Feb. 5, 1731. The Rev. Samuel Cooke, of Bridgeport, preached his funeral sermon, which was printed. The sermon, from the text " My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof," contains these testimonials to his eminence and worth.
" The person whose exit now calls for our deep lamentation and mourning, was both our crown and our bulwark, our glory and our defense. Our crown is fallen from our heads, and our defense is departed. We have our chariot and horsemen taken away. Wo unto us that we have sinned. It was many years since looked upon by the serious and judicious as a special favor of divine Providence, that a person of such distinction as we have now lost, was seated so near to the western limits of New England as a bulwark against any irruptions of corrupt doc- trines and manners. Wo to us, our hedgewall in that respect is broken down. * He was proof against the temptations of the smiles or frowns of others, to turn him out of the way to the right hand or to the left."
Dr. Bacon in that admirable historical discourse, delivered before the general association of Connecticut at their one hun- dred and fiftieth anniversary in Norwich, says of him, while characterizing the members of that memorable body of divines who met at Saybrook, in 1708, and drew up the Say brook Plat-
272
HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
form, "John Davenport pastor of the church in Stamford, was not inferior in ability to any other member of the Synod. In his own church and town, and among the ministers and churches of that county he had a commanding influence."
DENTON, REV. RICHARD .- His name will be found among the pioneers in the settlement of Stamford. His position among them and his eminence as a Christian preacher and minister, de- serves a fuller notice than was then taken of him.
Mather, in his Magnalia, has given him a high rank among the great lights of that day. With some deduction for the highly figurative language used by the Magnalia, the portrait of him by Mather is doubtless very just. He introduces him as " our pious and learned Mr. Richard Denton, a Yorkshire man, who having watered Halifax in England with his fruitful ministry, was by a tempest then hurried into New England ; where, first at Wethersfield and then at Stamford, his doctrine dropt as the rain, his speech distilled as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, as the showers upon the grass." He then gives us this quaint description of the man. We probably are indebted to it for all we can ever learn of his personal ap- pearance; and perhaps our utmost research will add nothing to its estimate of his piety and scholarship.
"Though he were a little man, yet he had a great soul ; his well accomplished mind in his lesser body, was an Iliad in a nut shell. I think he was blind of one eye; nevertheless, he was not the least among the seers of our Israel; he saw a very con. siderable proportion of those things which 'eye hath not seen.'
" He was far from cloudy in his conception and principles of divinity, whereof he wrote a system, entitled "Soliloquium Sacra" -so accurately considering the fourfold state of man in his " Created Purity ;" "contracted deformity ;" "restored beau- ty" and "celestial glory," that judicious persons, who have seen it, very much lament the churches being so much deprived of it."
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.