USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of the Colony of New Haven, Before and After the Union with Connecticut: Containing a. > Part 13
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The planters early enclosed their town plot with palisades, ten or twelve feet in height, and so thickly set that a man could not crowd between them. This enclosure was nearly a
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mile square, and was on both sides of the Wepowage river .* It eventually proved fortunate for the English that this was done; for in the years 1645 and '46, the Indians were hos- tile and very troublesome, and there seems to have been a combination among them throughout the country, to extermin- ate the English. For their mutual safety they kept guard night and day. Sentinels were placed every few rods along the whole line of the palisades Each soldier stood as sentinel, every fifth day, and was relieved at sun-set by drum beat, when the watch was changed. According to tradition, the Indians would sometimes come up to the palisades and de- ride the English for being shut up in a pen, and challenge them to come out and fight like brave men; and they boasted that they kept the English "shut up all one as pigs." At a general court, May 18th, 1646, it was ordered, that all house lots given and accepted should find one watchman every fifth night. On their " Sabbath and lecture days," a considerable part of the "train band" went armed to meeting. There were seats appropriated for them in the meeting house, called guard seats. During the service, sentinels were stationed on different sides of the house to watch. When the planters worked in the fields, they went in companies, and their mus- kets were kept near at hand.
About 1645, the Indians set the adjacent country on fire, and it was supposed they meant to burn the town ; but the planters were so fortunate as to arrest the progress of the flames, at the swamps on the west and north of the settlements, before they reached the palisades, and thus saved the build- ings. But the fire did much damage; most of the timber was destroyed, and some pieces of good natural meadow were so burnt that they became sunken swamps. By ditching in Fresh meadow, charred logs are frequently thrown up. It appears by some votes of the town, in the years 1655 and 1660, prohibiting the exportation of "cooper's stuff, shingles, timber for ships, and pump logs," that there was danger of tim- ber becoming scarce, " so much having been destroyed by the Indians."
The Indians were again troublesome in 1653, and the people were under the apprehension of a sudden and general
* The first person who settled without the palisades, was George Clark, at the place where Jonathan Clark, Esq., now lives, and the town, as a reward for his courage, gave him 40 acres of land in Westfield.
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massacre. They were greatly hindered in their farming avocations, and worn down with incessant watchings. In 1656, it was "ordered that no particular man without the con- sent of a magistrate should grant any licence or liberty to any Indian or Indians, whether of the town or strangers, to abide any considerable time (or over night) in ye town, and that no person should harbour or keep an Indian over night on penalty of 5s. for every such default."
In the spring of 1700, so much danger was apprehended · from the natives, that two houses were ordered to be fortified, (one on the east side of the river, and one at the West End,) for the security of women and children, the aged and decrepid, in case of surprise. The people of Burwell's farm had "liberty to fortify a place among themselves." All over 16 years of age, were "ordered forthwith to work until the fortifications were completed." The two houses fortified in the town, were Mr. Prudden's, on the east side of the river, and George Clark's, at the West End. It was a time of general alarm, for four or five years, throughout the country. But there is nothing on record to show that any English person was ever killed by the Indians, in Milford.
About 1648, there was a famous battle fought between the Milford Indians and the Mohawks. The latter had secreted themselves in a swamp, nearly a mile east of the ferry, intend- ing to surprise the Indians in the fort,* that night. The English accidentally discovering them, notified the Milford Indians, who setting up the war-whoop, soon raised such numbers, that they ventured to attack the invaders. The Mohawks were defeated, and several of them taken prisoners. One of their fallen chiefs, they buried on a hillock in the swamp. A stout captive was stripped and tied by the Milford Indians in the great meadows, for the musquetoes to eat and torment to death. But he was discovered and relieved by one Thomas Hine, who took him home, fed him, and after keeping him two days, assisted him to make his escape to his own country. For this act of humanity, the family of Hine's were ever after revered by the Indians, by foes as well as friends of the Mohawks. The Indians always said that the Hine's 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.
* Old fort, north of the bridge.
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This Indian fort, which the Mohawks meant to take by sur- prise, was eventually destroyed by some young men of the town, in 1671. These were Samuel Clark, George Clark, James Brisco, Joseph Northrop, Thomas Tibbals, John Fow- ler, Jonathan Fowler, Joseph Platt, Edward Camp, John Smith, Jr., and Edward Wilkinson. It was done, according to the record, " with the utmost secrecy, at dead of night," and probably it was vacant at the time. What their object was in destroying it, does not appear. This much exasperated the Indians, who complained to Mr. Benjamin Fenn and Robert Treat, Esq., whereupon civil process was issued against them, and they were tried before the general court at New Haven, and fined £10. The Indians, by this were ap- peased, and afterwards rebuilt their fort.
After the lapse of years the Indians complained that they had sold their land and had nowhere to live, and prayed the town to assign them some place on the river, where they might live, and freely hunt and fish. Accordingly, about a hundred acres of land was laid out at Turkey Hill, and re- served for their use and benefit. In 1671, "Ephraim Strong, Esq., Joseph Woodruff, Esq., and Col. Benjamin Fenn, were appointed a committee to take care of the Indian land." In 1767, the committee were instructed to prosecute in due form, any person who had or should cut timber, or wood, or carry any off, or should fence in any of the land, or any way tres- pass upon it. In 1777, the committee of the Indian land was Capt. Benjamin Hine, Stephen Gunn, Esq., and Lieut. Benja- min Fenn. This land was lastly under the care of an over- seer, appointed by the county court.
The Potatuck, or Newtown Indians, formerly came to Mil- ford annually in the summer season, to fish and to take oysters and clams. They appear to have been descended from the Milford Indians, or were perhaps some who had left the town after the settlement of the English, and located themselves at Potatuck. The Scatticook Indians, above New Milford, often visited the town. Their regular visits were not discontinued till after the revolutionary war .*
* In the spring of 1831, a company of Indians, consisting of about 30 men, women, and children, from the shores of lake Champlain, came to the point and encamped for a number of days, (perhaps 15.) They were led by an old patriarch or chieftain, " of eighty winters," whom they appearcd to obey and reverence. They conversed in the Indian tongue, and some of them knew but little of the Eng-
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Ansantaway, the sachem of whom Milford was purchased, died about 1676. Conquepotana, sachem of Milford, Derby, and Stratford Indians, died at his residence in Derby, in 1731. He had sixty men under him at the time of his death. Many of the Wepowage Indians joined the Potatucks, some event- ually went off to the west and joined with the Six Nations, while a few remained about the town. But they have now all disappeared. In the language of Ossian,
"The chiefs of other times are departed. They have gone without their fame. Another race has arisen. The people are like the waves of the ocean; like the leaves of woody Morven ; they pass away in the rustling blast, and other leaves lift their green heads on high."
A company of militia was very early organized. The unceasing troubles, and the necessity of a constant system of military discipline, made our forefathers a martial people. In 1640, a company was formed under the command of Capt. John Astwood. William Fowler was lieutenant, Alexander Bryan, ensign, and William East, sergeant. This company probably comprehended all the planters of the town. The military, in former times, were much larger in proportion to the people, than at present, every person from 16 years of age to 60 being obliged by law to bear arms. . Concerning the early military arrangements of the town, the following is gleaned from the records :
March 10th, 1639-40. It is ordered that all the souldger within this towne, shall be trained six times every yeare, once in each of these months, viz. March, April, May, Sept. Oct. & Nov. and oftener in times of danger by the appointment of the Captain and chief offi- cers.
It is ordered that the time of their meeting together shall be at 8 of ye clock in ye morning, and whosoever shall be absent after ye houre appoynted, or shall not continue ye whole time, shall forfeit ye summe of 2s. 6d. for every such default, except they are licenced by a magistrate to be absent. The Clarke of ye train band is to dis- train ye forfeiture within 14 days, whereof he shall have 6d. for his services and ye remainder shall go to mayntain drums & collors, &c. Ye Clarke is to call ye roll in ye morning.
It is ordered yt every male in ye town above ye age of 16 yeares, whether magistrates, ministers or any other (though exempted from training, watching and warding) shall always be provided with, and have in readiness by them a pound of powder and two pounds of bulletts or shott, and two fathoms of match, for a match lock, on
lish. They had a tradition that some of their ancestors lived at Poconoc point, and said they had come for the last time to the hunt ing-ground of their fathers.
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penalty of 5s. a month for such default, in case ye ammunition is to be bad from ye town magazine.
It is ordered yt ye Clarke of ye train band shall twise every yeare view ye arms and ammunition of each person in ye band, to see if there bee any defect, and if defect be found he shall give notice yrof to some of ye magistrates, who shall punish defects according to ye nature of ye same.
Previous to 1699, there were two military companies in the town, as appears by the following vote :
March 27th, 1699. Voted that 15l. be allowed from ye towne treasury to purchase for ye companies of ye trainbands, Colours, drums, halberds and other things needed, and yt Joseph Guernsey and William Wheeler, ye two clarks, shall receive ye money and lay it out in ye market to ye best advantage.
At this time, the captains of the two companies were Roger Newton, Esq., (son of the pastor,) and Joseph Woodruff .*
It was formerly customary on training days, to fire at target, and also to have sham-fights. Sometimes a part, or the whole of a company, would dress in Indian style, and fight after their manner. The leader on such occasions, would personify some Indian chief, for instance, Sassicus, Miantinomah, or Metacomet, (King Philip.) These were generally scenes of hilarity and great excitement, and it is questionable whether any good ever resulted from them. There are at present in the town, two military companies, the militia and artillery. The last was formed in 1830, from a company of light infantry, which was then disbanded. The present commanders of these companies are Jason Bristol, of the militia, and John Smith, of the artillery.
In all the wars in which the country has been engaged, Milford has furnished its proportion of money and soldiers. In King Philip's war, and the two French wars, the town lost a good number of men, who died of sickness in the camp, or fell in battle. In 1752, a number of men from the town ac- companied General Putnam in the expedition to Cuba. In the French and Indian war, companies of the British troops quartered in the place during the winters of 1757 and 1758, at the town expense. Relating to this war, are the following votes on record :
December 13th, 1756. Voted to have the great guns fixed upon carriages, and fit for service if required. Nov. 29, 1757. Voted
* Capt. Woodruff married Susanna Newton, daughter of Roger Newton.
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by the town to have two houses provided for the King's troops if they should be wanted, and that a rate of 2d. on the pound be levied for that purpose. April 26, 1758. Voted that those who kept the King's troops with all necessaries the winter past shall receive 2s. pr. week for each private. Nov. 24, 1728. Voted to provide a guard room and a house for a hospital and to furnish it with proper bedding and also to provide wood and candles for said guard room and hospital. The selectmen are to make the above provision.
Accordingly, the town house was fitted up for the purpose, which the soldiers burnt, as already stated.
At the commencement of the revolution, the inhabitants were unanimously opposed to the oppressive measures of the British ministry. They held a town meeting, on the 29th of November, 1774, (agreeable to the recommendations of the continental congress, held at Philadelphia, in September pre- vious, and of the general assembly of the colony,) of which Col. Edward Allyr. was moderator. The inhabitants at this meeting " resolved that they highly approved of, and would strictly abide by the articles of Association as agreed upon by the Delegates assembled in General Continental Congress ;" and a committee of fifteen persons were chosen from the sev- eral societies of the town for purposes mentioned in the 11th article of association .* A committee of correspondence of seven persons was also appointed. At this meeting "it was unanimously resolved, that a subscription should be forthwith opened for the relief and support of such poor inhabitants of Boston as were immediate sufferers by the Port Bill, t and a committee of 12 persons were appointed to receive donations and contributions for that purpose."
On the 1st of May, 1775, it was "voted that the Great Guns be mounted and made ready for use, and that the select- men provide powder and balls at the town expense." A min- ute post was established and kept in readiness in case of emergency, under the direction of Capt. Isaac Miles. In the spring of 1776, a battery was built at West Point, on the west
* " To observe if any violate the articles of association, and if so to publish the case in the Gazette, to the end that all foes to the rights of British America may be publicly known, so that they be shunned and contemned as the enemies of American Liberty."
t In March, 1774, the subject of the destruction of the tea was brought before parliament, when the bill called the Boston Port Bill was passed, by which the said port was precluded the privilege of landing and discharging, or of loading and shipping goods, wares, and merchandise, after the 1st of June following. The government and public offices were also removed to Salem.
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side of the harbor, for the defense of the town .* It was erect- ed at the town expense, assisted by a small grant from the assembly. An efficient guard was kept there during the war, supported at the expense of the colony. Companies of sol- diers were also kept stationed at Burwell's Farm, and at Poconoc Point. The town furnished a full quota of men for the army, who were marched under the command of Capt. Samuel Peck. The selectmen were directed "to furnish guns, bayonets, and provisions, for such as were called forth for the defense of the LIBERTY OF AMERICA." In 1777, a premium of £10 per head was offered for men who would enlist for three years, or during the war. The number re- quired of the town that year, by the governor's proclamation, was seventy-two. The names of the persons obtained may be found in Book of Extracts, in the town records, page 52d. On the 11th of July, 1780, it was voted that the town would give £30 for each able recruit, who would enlist during the war, and £6 for each one who would enlist for six months, in the service of the United States, either in the militia or troop of horse. At the same time 20s. per month was voted to the men of the militia alarm list, or of the troop of horse that had been, or might go to serve on tours out of town. In Decem- ber, of the same year, Capt. Enoch Woodruff, Lieut. John Fowler, and Ensign Henry Bull, were appointed a committee, again to raise troops for the continental army, and also to procure the town's quota of a regiment to be raised for the defense of the state. A tax of from 4d. to 6d. on the pound, was annually laid, to defray the expenses of the war, "payable in money, or provisions to be put up for the use of the state."
Committees were annually appointed, agreeable to the di- rections of the governor and council of safety, to furnish pro- visions at the prices stated by law, for the families of those persons engaged in the continental service, said persons lodg- ing or remitting money for that purpose. In 1777, it was " voted that the selectmen be a committee to provide clothing for the continental soldiers," and in April, the next year, the selectmen were directed " to dispose of the salt belonging to the town, to such persons as would procure clothing for the soldiers ; no one family, however, was to have more than a peck." In January, 1778, "the articles of confederation of the United States, sent by the governor, being read, it was voted by the town, that they fully approved of the said articles."
* This fortification was named Fort Trumbull.
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Gunpowder being scarce at the time of the war, the town passed the following vote :
February 22, 1776. Voted, that whereas, at a time when our sea coasts are threatened with invasion by our enemies, a misuse of powder may prove very prejudicial, not only to the public in gene- ral, but to the Town, therefore, Resolved, that no person or persons whatsoever, shall, by sporting or fowling, fire away any of that ne- cessary article, within the limits of the town, upon the penalty of ll. lawful money for each offence. The half of the said sum to be- long to the person who prosecutes to effect, the other half to the Treasury of the town.
The town suffered comparatively little during the war, from the incursions of the British or their emissaries. In 1779, twenty transport ships lay off against the town for a number of days, which occasioned a constant alarm, the inhabitants hourly expecting an attack. But only a few soldiers landed at Pond Point, and plundered one house, that of Mr. Miles Merwin. The house was closed at the time, the family being in town. The Cow Boys,* so called, who were mostly refu- gees, sometimes made excursions across from Long Island, and took off cattle and sheep to sell to the British. These, however, were but trifling losses, and the inhabitants considered themselves fortunate, that the town escaped a conflagration. But much property was lost by burying, and by exposure to the weather in the woods ard swamps, it having been thus disposed of for security, in case the town should have fallen into the hands of the enemy. The inhabitants contributed liberally for the relief of Fairfield, Norwalk, and Danbury.
Many Long Island people came and resided in Milford during the war, and among others the Bryans and Smiths, from. Huntington. There were but few tories in the town during these times, and those few were obliged to keep close to their houses. On the 14th of December, 1778, it was voted by the town that no person or persons whatever, who have heretofore voluntarily gone over to join with, and screen- ed themselves under the protection of the enemies of the United States of America, or who shall hereafter go over, join with, or screen themselves under said enemy, shall be suffered or allowed to reside or dwell in this town, on any pretense whatever. Accordingly, at the close of the war a
* A company of twelve Cow Boys was captured, in 1780, on an island in the Housatonnuc, against Turkey Hill.
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few refugees from the town went to Nova Scotia, while a few persons who were loyalists from principle, on account of hav- ing taken the oath of allegiance to the king before the war, and who, having maintained a strict neutrality during the contest, were allowed to remain in the town, and keep posses- sion of their estates.
On Wednesday, the 1st of January, 1777, a flag of truce vessel arrived at Milford, from New York, having on board 200 American prisoners. 'They had been for some time con- fined in a prison ship. More than half of them were sick at the time they were landed, and many of these but just alive. Twenty had died on the passage from New York. The town made comfortable provision for them, but before the first of February, 46 of those who were landed alive had died. These soldiers were all buried in a line near the south corner of the grave yard. Would it be more than justice requires, if the town should erect a monument to the memory of these men, whose lives were sacrificed for the cause of the " liberty in America ?" The list of names of these 46, may be seen on my Book of Extracts, in the town record, page 52d.
Of the soldiers of the revolution there are but few remain- ing in the town. These few are, the most of them, the recip- ients of their country's gratitude, to the amount of eight dollars per month.
In the last war with Great Britain a guard was kept at the fort, and a few men were drafted to serve on tours to the east- ward. But being opposed to the war, as were most of the people of New England, the inhabitants of the town had as little to do with the contest as possible.
Milford, compared with other towns, has had its full pro- portion of eminent men. Capt. John Astwood was a man of note and influence in the colony, and appears to have had a classical education. Others of the first settlers were liberally educated. Of these were William Fowler, Benjamin Fenn, Alexander Bryan, Jasper Gunn, Peter Prudden, John Sher- man, and Robert Treat. The town has given to Connecticut two governors, viz. : Robert Treat and Jonathan Law, Esq., both of whom were eminent statesmen.
Robert Treat and his brother Richard* came to New Eng- land with Sir Richard Saltonstall, and were among the first
* Richard Treat was one of the patentees of Connecticut, and his posterity about Wethersfield are now numerous.
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settlers of Wethersfield. Robert left that settlement and came to Milford with Mr. Prudden. He was at the time about 18 years of age. At the first meeting of the planters he was chosen to assist in surveying and laying out the township. He was soon chosen one of the five judges, and, in 1661, was elected a magistrate of the colony, in which office he was con- tinued four years, until he refused to take the oath prescribed by law, he being in favor of the union of the colony with Con- necticut. In 1664, the town, by his influence and that of Mr. Benjamin Fenn, was induced to break off from New Haven colony, and it was by his influence particularly, that the union was so soon effected. He was appointed major of : . the Connecticut troops, in 1670, and colonel, in 1674. In Philip's war, at the attack of Springfield by the Indians, in 1665, then captain, he marched to its relief, and drove them from the town; and in their assault upon Hadley, he put them completely to flight. The same year, in December, he per- formed a distinguished part in the destruction of the Indians at fort Narragansett. On the 14th of October, 1675, the general court returned him public thanks for his good conduct in defending the colony and the towns on Long Island against the Dutch, and for his subsequent services. In 1676, he was elected deputy-governor, and, in 1683, governor of Connecticut, to which last office he was annually re-elected for fifteen years, till he declined serving. In 1660, the town, to express their sense of the eminent services which he had rendered them, and the public generally, gave him as a free gift, without reference to any division, 15 acres of land, rate free, lying on Middle, or Cow Hill, Indian side. The general court of Connecticut, October 8th, 1696, as an acknowledgment for the services he had done his country, gave him 300 acres of land at Asponac, near the boundary line between Walling- ford and Farmington .*
His wife was Jane, only daughter of Edmond Tapp, Esq. Concerning this match there is the following traditionary an- ecdote. Being in at Mr. Tapp's, he took the girl upon his knee and commenced trotting her. "Robert," said she, "be still that, I had rather be Treated than trotted ;" upon which he proposed marriage, which was immediately consented to by all concerned. They had four sons, viz. : Samuel, born
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