USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of the Colony of New Haven, Before and After the Union with Connecticut: Containing a. > Part 14
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* This tract he gave his son-in-law, Samuel Mather, minister of Windsor.
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1648, John, in 1650, Robert, in 1654, and Joseph, in 1662 ; and four daughters, Jane, Mary, Anne, and Abigail. Sam- uel graduated at Harvard college, in 1669, and settled in the ministry, in 1672, at Eastham, Mass. He died March 18, 1717, leaving a numerous family. One of his daughters was the mother of Robert Treat Payne, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. John Treat appears to have died young. Robert and Joseph settled in Milford. They were both justices of the peace, and the youngest justice of the quorum. One of the daughters, Mary, married Mr. Sam- uel Mather, minister of Windsor, and the youngest, Abigail, "was wife of Mr. Andrew, pastor of the church. Jane Treat, the governor's wife, died April 8, 1703. He married again, October 22, 1705, the widow Elizabeth Bryan, who died the January following. Governor Treat died July 12, 1710, in the 89th year of his age. His descendants are numerous, but very much scattered, being more than a century ago settled in this state, in Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Governor Treat's residence was No. 35, of the house lots of the early planters. (See plan of Milford.)
Southwest view of Governor Treat's House.
The following is the fac-simile of his signature, and of the seal used by him:
Robert Creat
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Governor Law was the only son of Jonathan and Sarah Law, and grandson of Richard Law, one of the first settlers of Stamford, from Wethersfield. Jonathan Law, Senior, was named after his maternal grandfather, Jonathan Selleck, Esq., one of the planters of Stamford. He settled in Milford, about 1664; the circumstances attending which are given by tradi- tion as follows : His father, Richard Law, being a magistrate of Stamford, and going to New Haven on business pertaining to his office, took his son along with him. Returning, they put up with Governor Treat, over Sunday. Going to meeting on that day, Jonathan " beheld a fair maiden, and his heart was smitten with love." Inquiring the name of the girl of one of . the governor's sons, he was informed that it was a daughter of farmer George Clark. At the same time his informant proposed to introduce him, and to make her a visit that even- ing for the purpose. Accordingly they went, and Jonathan made such advances in the esteem of the fair Sarah, that when he took his leave that evening, she agreed to receive his ad- dresses if their parents consented. All the relatives approving of such an union, they were shortly married. This occurred on the first of June, 1664. Mr. Law purchased for his son a large farm in the town, and the magistrates consenting, Mr. Jonathan Law was admitted a citizen and freeman of Milford. Jonathan Law, Jun., was born August 6, 1674, and was ed- ucated at Harvard College, where he graduated, in 1695. He commenced the practice of law in his native town, in 1698, and acquired great reputation as a counsellor. In 1706, he was made a justice of the peace ; in 1710, a justice of the quorum ; in 1714, chiefjudge; in 1717, he was chosen an assistant, and in 1724, deputy-governor. In May, 1741, he was elected governor, and annually re-elected till his death, which was on the 6th of November, 1750. On the occasion of his death, President Stiles, of Yale College, then senior tu- tor, pronounced a pompous funeral oration, in Latin, in the College Hall. Governor Law had five wives. He first married Ann Eliott, December 20th, 1698. She died Nov. 16, 1703. His second wife was Abigail Arnold, married Feb. 14, 1705, died Dec. 14, the same year. His third wife was Abigail Andrew, daughter of the minister, and grand- daughter of Governor Treat, married August 2d, 1706. She died Sept. 25, 1724. His fourth wife was Sarah
of Fairfield, married in 1726, died Jan. 17, 1727. His fifth wife, who survived him, was Eunice, widow of Sam-
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uel Andrew, Esq., son of Mr. Andrew, pastor, formerly E. Hall,* of Wallingford, married in 1730.
Governor Law had seven sons, viz. : Jahleel, died Aug. 2, 1701 ; Jonathan, born Dec. 5, 1705, settled in his native town; Jahleel, born Feb. 15, 1707, settled in Cheshire ; Samuel, born June 3, 1711, lived in Milford; Richard, born July 8, 1713, died on the 12th of Sept. following. Richard, born March, 1732, settled in New London ; John, born 1735, died in the army, at the north, in the French war. Richard and John were in Yale College at the time of the death of their father. Richard graduated in 1751. He engaged in the practice of law, was chosen a member of congress, was judge of the superior court of the state, had the honorary degree of LL. D. conferred on him, and died mayor of the city of New London. Governor Law had a number of daughters; of these were Sarah, Ann, Abigail, and Eunice. The govern- or's decendants are now numerous and widely dispersed. Governor Law's residence was No. 15, of the house lots of the early planters. (See plan of Milford.)
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Southeast view of Governor Law's House.
The following is a fac-simile of Governor Law's signature, and his private seal, which, it may be seen, is a combination of the letters composing his name :
Jonathan Len
* She was aunt to Lyman Hall, one of the signers of the declara- tion of independence, from Georgia.
F
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The ancestors of two of the signers of the declaration of independence, were from Milford, viz. : those of Roger Sher- man, and Abraham Clark, of New Jersey. The ancestor of the first mentioned signer, was John Sherman, one of the first settlers of the town. He was born in Dedham, coun- ty of Essex, England, Dec. 6, 1613, entered the University of Cambridge, at an early age, but left college when ready for his degree, under the character of a college puritan. In 1634-5, he emigrated to New England. He preached his first sermon at Watertown, Mass., under a large tree, as an assistant to Mr. Philips. His performance was much admired by several ministers who were present. Soon after this ho removed to New Haven colony, and preached in sundry places. The church in Milford invited him to become their teaching elder; but he declined, and for a time altogether suspended his ministry, whereupon he was chosen one of the judges of the town, and a magistrate of the colony. Upon the death of Mr. Philips, of Watertown, Mass., he was invited to take the pastoral charge of the church in that place, and accordingly he removed there, in 1645, though much against the wishes of the people of New Haven and Milford. At the same time he was invited to settle in Bos- ton, and two churches in London tried to obtain him. Being in the vicinity of Cambridge, he was chosen one of the fellows of the college in that place. In the vicinity of the college he held a lecture once a fortnight, for 30 years, for the benefit of the students and others.
He was a man of superior intellectual endowments, was the best mathematician of the day, and he left voluminous manuscripts on the science of astronomy. He was esteemed an excellent counsellor, and was often sent to assist in adjust- ing church difficulties. He was twice married, and by his first wife, who died in New Haven, Sept. 8th, 1644, he had six children. His second wife was the daughter of a puritan gentleman, by the name of Launce, and her mother was a daughter of the Earl of Rivers. By her (on the authority of Dr. Mather) he had no less than twenty children. He died August 8th, 1685, aged 72.
The signer of the declaration, (a native of Newton, Mass,) was his great grandson, he being the second son of William, and grandson of John Sherman, Jr. His father died in 1741, leaving a numerous family in circumstances of dependence. The care of the family devolved upon Roger, his older brother
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having sometime before removed to New Milford, Conn. This was a serious charge for a young man of 19 years of age, but he engaged in the duties which devolved upon him with much cheerfulness and kindness. Toward his aged mother, who lived to a great age, he manifested the tenderest affection, and assisted two of his younger brothers to obtain a liberal educa- tion. These afterwards became ministers in Connecticut, one of whom settled in Milford.
" In June, 1743, the family removed from Massachusetts to New Milford, and Roger went into partnership with his elder brother in the business of a country merchant. At this time, his literary acquirements, though "self-taught," were above those of the mediocrity of college graduates. He soon became known throughout Litchfield county, as a man of superior talents, and unusual skill in the science of mathe- matics. In 1745, at the age of twenty-four, he was appointed to the office of county surveyor. In 1748, and for a number of succeeding years, he supplied the astronomical calculations for an almanac, published in New York. In 1749, he mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Hartwell, of Stoughton, Mass. After her death, in 1760, he married Miss Rebecca Prescott, of Danvers, in the same state. By these wives he had fifteen children, seven by the former, and eight by the latter. In 1754, Mr. Sherman was admitted as an attorney to the bar, and he soon became distinguished as a judicious counsellor, and was rap- idly promoted to offices of trust and responsibility.
In 1761, he became a resident of New Haven, of which town he was soon appointed a justice of the peace, and often represented it in the colonial assembly. In 1765, he was appointed a judge of the court of common pleas, and about the same time, treasurer of Yale College, which institution bestowed upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts. In 1766, he was elected by the freemen of the colony a member of the upper house, or an assistant. In the same year, he was appointed judge of the superior court. He was continued in the office of assistant, until 1785, and judge, until 1789, when he resigned on being elected to congress under the federal constitution. Of the celebrated congress of 1774, he was a conspicuous member. He was present at the opening of the session, and continued a member of that body for nineteen years, till his death. In 1776, he received the most flattering testimony of the high estimation in which he was held by congress, in being associated with Adams, Jef-
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ferson, Franklin, and Livingston, in the responsible duty of preparing the declaration of independence. Mr. Sherman was highly esteemed in Connecticut ; he belonged to the gov- ernor's council of safety, and from 1784 till his death, he was mayor of the city of New Haven. In 1783, he was ap- pointed, with the Hon. Richard Law, to revise and digest the statutes of the state, which was a laborious task. In that assemblage of patriots who formed the federal constitution, in 1787, Mr. Sherman was conspicuous, and he contributed much to the perfection of that instrument, under which the people of the United States have thus far enjoyed unexampled civil liberty and political prosperity. For the four last years of his life, he was a member of the United States senate. He died July 23d, 1793, aged 73.
The ancestor of the other mentioned signer of the decla- ration, who was from Milford, was Mr. Thomas Clark, son of Thomas, and grandson of George Clark, Sen. He was edu- cated at Harvard College, and graduated about 1670. A number of people from Milford about this time settling in New Jersey, he went with others, and located himself in Elizabeth- town. Abraham Clark, Esq., was his grandson, and the only son of Thomas Clark, Jun. He was born February 15th, 1726. He was often a member of the state legislature, and frequently represented New Jersey in the national councils. In whatever capacity he acted, he obtained the respect and admiration of the community, by his punctuality, integrity, and perseverance. He died in the autumn of 1794, (by a stroke of the sun, which ended his life in two hours,) aged 89. He was buried in the church-yard in Rahway.
Capt. Samuel Eells, Esq., and his son, Col. Samuel Eells, were men of importance in the colony. Samuel Eells, Sen., was an attorney, and a justice of the quorum, in 1687, and an assistant in 1709. He died in 1725. His eldest son, Col. Samuel Eells, was born September 2d, 1676. He was edu- cated a lawyer. It appears by the records, that he was a justice of the peace, in 1705, chief judge of the county court, from 1730 to '37, and an assistant from 1733 till near the time he died. He was a distinguished military officer, and took an active part in all the colonial wars of the day. He died in 1743, and left a number of children.
Col. Roger Newton was a very eminent man in Milford. He was son of Capt. Samuel Newton, and grandson of the
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minister. He was born in 1684, and educated at Harvard College. He distinguished himself as a military officer in "Queen Ann's war," in the expeditions of 1709 and '10. He was then a captain. At the capture of Louisburg, Nova Scotia, he performed important services, and had the command of the Connecticut troops. For many years he was colonel of the second regiment of militia,-was a judge of the County court in 1730, and chief judge from 1737 till his death. In 1736, he was chosen an assistant, and was continued in the office during life. He married Susannah Bryan, April 10th, 1712, by whom he had three children, viz. : Roger, Susannah, and Mary. He died January 15th, 1771, aged 87.
Gideon Buckingham, Esq., was another useful man in the town and colony. He was born June 22d, 1744. He grad- uated at Yale College in 1665. He was many times chosen representative to the assembly, was thirty-four years town clerk, and twenty-five years one of the justices of quorum for New Haven county. He died December 8th, 1809.
Besides these, the town has produced many other useful and eminent men, of whom the limits of this work will not admit a notice. About a hundred persons of the town have received collegiate educations, ten of whom, before 1700, were gradu- ates of Harvard College, the others of Yale. More than thirty of these have been preachers most of whom settled in New England. (A list of these may be found in Book of Extracts, page 72.)
The regicides, Whalley and Goffe, lived in the town from the 20th of August, 1661, for more than two years, till they went to Hadley. They were secreted by Mr. Tomkins, in the basement story of a shop standing near his dwelling, on house lot No. 15. (See map.) It is related, that Tomkins' daughters often spun in the shop, and sometimes would sing some poetry, which was composed about that time, concerning the martyrdom of King Charles I., (in which they were men- tioned,) which much amused the judges. The girls were unacquainted with their concealment.
The geological features of Milford are not very bold or striking. The township is principally of the secondary for- mation, and the soil is generally good and productive, and might be made much more so-there being no mountains, or very high hills, or much broken land, in the town.
There is a quarry of beautiful serpentine marble in the east
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part of the township, which was wrought to a considerable extent, about twenty years since, by a company entitled the Milford Marble Company ; but it is now neglected. It is hoped, however, the working of it will be resumed-a new com- pany having been formed for that purpose. The quarry was first discovered in 1811, by a student of Yale College, Mr. Solomon Baldwin, of Huntington. The predominant color of this marble is gray, or bluish gray, richly variegated with veins or clouds of white, green, or black. Some specimens are clouded with yellow, or orange; in others, the prevailing color is green, with black clouds of chromate and magnetic oxide of iron. Where this marble contains the green colors, it be- longs to the variety denominated the verd antique. There are four chimney pieces of this marble in the United States capitol at Washington, which cost from $300 to $500.
In the north part of the town, good lime stone abounds, and near Poconoc point is a locality of chlorite slate, which merits an examination, from the probability that it would work into tiles for roofing. A micaceous gneiss occurs at Washington bridge, which is suitable for flagging stone. A greenish slate rock prevails in the town, which makes, when quarried, very good foundation stone for building.
There are some alluvial tracts of considerable extent, as the Great meadows, New meadow, on the Housatonnuc, Fresh meadow, Indian river meadows, and others, which are smaller. These are all nearly of a water level, and doubtless in ancient times they were submerged. The soil is a deep vegetable deposite, in which trees are found imbedded. Doubtless, by proper draining, these tracts might be made valuable for agri- cultural purposes, and highly productive. The largest swamps in the town are Dreadful swamp, Great swamp, Old Field swamp, and Mohawk swamp. There are no considerable ponds ; previous to the settlement of the English, the beavers had made one, covering a number of acres of meadow, by making a dam across the stream, now known by the name of Beaver river. Here was a large settlement of these animals, which the Indians fostered with considerable care, killing only occasionally the older ones. In 1647, the town granted half of this meadow to Richard Baldwin and Thomas Tibbals, on condition that they should drain it.
The rivers in this town are small The Wepowage, the largest, takes its rise in Woodbridge, about twelve miles from its mouth, and runs through the center of the town. It fur- 13
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nishes a number of good mill seats. The Indian river rises in the southeast corner of Woodbridge, and empties into the . Sound at the Gulf, at a junction with the Wepowage. The others are the Beaver river, which originates mostly from a remarkable fountain, (in Newfield,) west of the town, and emp- ties into the Housatonnuc, a mile from its mouth; the West End brook, which empties into the harbor, and Stubby Plain brook, which empties into Indian river, near Great Bridge.
The Housatonnuc, the second river in size in Connecticut, empties into Long Island Sound, betweeen Milford and Strat- ford, the line between these towns being the middle of the river. Shad have been caught in abundance in this river ever since the settlement of the English. There are at pres- ent on the Milford side of the river, and belonging to the town, as many as fourteen seines. The fishing places are the pro- perty of individuals, and are some years very profitable to the owners. From ten to twelve thousand have been caught in a day, at one place. The season for taking these fish is in April, May, and June, when they enter the river to deposite their spawn.
At the mouth of the Housatonnuc river, is Poconoc, or Milford Point, which is the southwest extremity of the town. It is three fourths of a mile in length from the upland, and was formed and is preserved by the opposite action of the waters of Long Island Sound, and of the river. In the cove, the river side of this point, oysters are annually taken in large quanti- ties. It has been estimated, that some years five or six thousand bushels have been carried away; but for the last few years, they have not been as plenty as they were former- ly. The town annually pass a bye-law, to prevent their being taken only in the winter season. The first oyster act recorded, was laid in 1764. The forfeiture was £1, lawful money, for catching any oysters from April to September. About that time the business of catching oysters for sale appears to have commenced, there beginning then to be some call for them from the country. Previous to that, it is said, they were so plenty, that a person could load a two yoke team in a tide. 'T'he farmers would generally go in November, two or three days, and carry home and put in their cellars as many as they would want during the winter.
On the beach is a street containing about twenty-five huts, which are occupied by persons engaged in the clam and oyster business. From sixty to seventy-five individuals re-
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side in them during the winter months, and four or five men are located there, with their families. These habitations are from fifteen to twenty feet square, are covered on the outside with sea-weed, and have a novel appearance, but they are warm and comfortable within. The lower part of the point road was laid out "to the Oyster Banks," in 1752, (Town Re- cords, Lib. 13, page 144.) The Point House, as already stated, is kept by Benajah Thomson, Esq. The small island lying inside the point, is called Duck Island ; another between that and Washington Bridge, now known by the name of Nell's Island, was formerly called Fowler's Island. The island lying against Wheeler's farm was Wooster's Island.
Milford Island lies in the Sound, about three fourths of a mile from the shore, and contains about twelve acres of land. It was called Poquahaug, by the Indians, and was a favorite summer resort for those people. Ansantaway, the sachem, had a "big wigwam" upon it for his accommodation. After the settlement of the English, it was laid out to George Hub- bard, toward his share of a division of land. When he removed from the town, he sold it to Richard Bryan. At a town meeting, held on the 17th of March, 1657, Charles Deal, to- bacco planter, was granted liberty to purchase and enjoy the island for a tobacco plantation, provided he use the buildings for no other use than a tobacco house, and that he do not trade with the Dutch or Indians, or suffer any disorderly resort of seamen or others there. In 1835, it was purchased by John Harris, Esq., of New York, who erected a seat and fitted it up for a summer residence. Between the island and shore is a bar, which is bare half of the time. Good clams grow on this bar .*
* Connected with this island is the following legend : It being said that the notorious Kidd buried money on the south side of it, beside a rock, two or three persons went privately, on a moon light night, to dig for it. After much preparatory ceremony, such as drawing a circle round the rock, and reciting some words of incant- ation, they began to dig, and so far succeeded as to hit the lid of the iron box, when looking up into the air, they saw coming down di- rect upon them " the figure of a man without a head." They dropped their spades, and run as most others would have done, and escaped. Looking toward the spot they saw it enveloped in smoke and blue flame. Returning to the island the next day, their spades had disappeared, they found the ground smooth, and no tra- ces left of its having been dug. This and the Hog Rock legend, probably deserve the same degree of credit as the New Haven phan-
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The harbor of the town is not deep. It has been gradually filling up since the first settlement, at which time there was water enough to admit a large sea brig up to Fowler's mills. It is said, cattle were shipped for the West Indies from off the rocks by the said mills. Below Town Wharf, there is now only five feet of water in the channel at full tide. A break- water has been proposed to be built from Indian point towards the island, by which would be formed a most capacious, safe, and commodious harbor. It was estimated by a United States engineer, that such a break-water or mole as would be required, might be constructed for $550,000. Should con- gress make an appropriation for this object, it would be money expended for general public utility. Such a harbor is very much needed at this place, for coasting vessels passing up and down the Sound; and it would be the best situated of any in the state, for commerce. It would at all times be easy of access, and there would always be a sufficient depth of water for the largest ships. If such a break-water should ever be constructed, a city would be built on the Indian and Gulf Necks,* the best ground for building lots which there is in the town. The place could have a good share of country trade, as a rail-road might be constructed from Indian Point to in- tersect the Housatonnuc rail-road, and the already projected rail-road from New Haven to New York would pass through it. Should these necks be laid out into building lots, and wide roads opened and set out on the sides with forest trees, (wheth- er the pier is ever built or not,) it would be a profitable con- cern for the land holders, as there is little doubt but they would gradually be bought and built upon.
There are two small villages in this town, each about three miles from the center, viz. : Burwell's Farm and Wheeler's Farm. Burwell's Farm is the east corner of the township, and is pleasantly situated on the Sound. It received its name from Samuel and Nathan Burwell, sons of Lieut. Samuel Burwell, and grandsons of John Burwell, one of the first
tom ship. There is a tradition, that Kidd also buried money beside a rock on Welch's point. Admitting that he deposited his ill-gotten treasures, to use Humphrey's words, " at Nantucket, Cape Cod, and all along shore," this perhaps may be true. There is good evidence that Kidd landed at Milford, two or three times, and came up openly into the town.
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