USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the diocese of Hartford > Part 8
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Lane and Murfe (Murphy) are familiar names, and there should be no difficulty in establishing their origin.
1 Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. of N. Y., Vol. IV.
2 Caulkins' Hist. of New London.
3 Council Journal of Conn., 1710, pp. 191-192.
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
The minutes of the meeting of the Council in New London, February 17, 1710, contain this interesting item :
"Two Frenchmen, with six attendants, who came from Canada, in company with Major Levingstone, with a message from the Governour of Canada to the Governour of Massachusetts, came to this place the last night ; for whom it was ordered that eight horses be provided at the Colony's charge, to carry them into the government of Rhoad Island, and that their necessary charges while they are in this place and upon the road, until they get into the government of Rhoad Island be also defrayed by the Colony." 1
The two envoys, Messrs. Dupius and Rouville, one of whom was proba- bly a priest, 2 and retinue, were Catholics. Their itinerary included also Hartford and Colchester. The expenses incurred by their sojourn were borne by the Colony of Connecticut, as we gather from the records :
" Ordered, that the treasurer pay out of Colony's money unto Captain John Prentts the sum of nine pounds thirteen shillings, which is granted him upon the account of the French messengers from the Governour of Canada, their entertainment at his house.3
The visit of the envoys to Hartford entailed expense as follows :
"March 19th, 1710-II.
"To Thomas Jiggels of New London, for the bearing and paying the charge of him- self, John Plumb, and the ten horses they came hither with on the 11th instant to bring the French gentlemen, viz., their charges in going back to New London, {o. 12. 00." +
In 1717, René Cossitt,5 or Cossit, or Cossette, a Frenchman, settled at Granby, Connecticut. He was born in France, about the year 1690, in the Place Vendome, it is said, and was educated at the University of Paris. After a visit to Three Rivers, in Canada, he reached New Haven, where he inet Ruth Porter, whom he subsequently married. She accepted Cossitt on the condition that he would never return to France. He was educated a Catholic, but after his marriage united with the Protestant Episcopal Church. Cossitt purchased land in Simsbury in 1725. His death occurred August II, 1752.6
At this distance of time it is idle to speculate as to the causes that led to René Cossitt's defection from the faith of his ancestors. The absence of priests, the dearth of Catholic neighbors, the total lack of Catholic influ- ences and the spirit of hostility to Catholics then prevalent, as exemplified in vicious legislation, were, no doubt, among the causes that led inany, at least into material apostasy. The anti-Catholic spirit was particularly active in Cossitt's home. In December, 1741, it was voted at Simsbury "that any orthodox minister who has a right to preach the gospel, may, upon the desire of any considerable number of persons, with the consent of two of the Society's
1 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," 1706-1716, p. 197.
2 It was customary with the government of Canada to appoint a priest on all enibas- sies of importance.
3 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," 1706-1716, p. 198.
A " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," 1706-1716, 1. 202.
5 " The Cossitt Family," by Pearl S. Cossitt, pp. 6, 7.
6 Phelps' "History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton," from 1642 to 1845, makes 110 allusion whatever to Cossitt.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
Committee, have liberty to preach in the meeting house on any day, not dis- turbing any other religious meeting otherwise orderly established." At a subsequent meeting "popish priests " were excluded from this license. 1
In the case of René Cossitt there was the additional cause of perversion in his marriage with a member of a hostile church conditional upon the complete severance of the ties that bound hin to the tender and sacred influ- ences and scenes of his youth, where, no doubt, like other French children of his age, he had received his first Holy Communion and had been enrolled among the soldiers of Jesus Christ in Confirmation by the venerable Cardinal de Noailles, Archbishop of Paris.
An interesting entry is found in the marriage records of New London :
" Allan Mullins 2 chirurgeon (surgeon) son of Doctor Alexander Mullins of Galway Ireland, was married to Abigail, daughter of John Butler, of New London, April 8th, 1725."
There are reasons to believe that the parties to this marriage were Catlio- lics, or, at least, of Catholic descent.
About three miles from New London, in a southwesterly direction, lies the town of Waterford, whose first settlers were Thomas and John Butler, about 1681. The name of Waterford was, no doubt, given to their new home in honor of the old, the beautiful city on the banks of the Suir. As the pop- ulation of the Irish city was then, as now, overwhelmingly Catholic, it is not unreasonable to infer that the founders of the Connecticut Waterford were Irish Catholics. Thomas Butler died December 20, 1701, aged 59 years ; John Butler died March 26, 1733, aged 80 years. "Very few of the descend- ants of Thomas and John Butler are now (1852) found in the vicinity ; but the hills and crags have been charged to keep their name, and they have hitherto been faithful to their trust. In the western part of Waterford is a sterile, hard-favored district, with abrupt hills, and more stone and rock than soil, which is locally called Butler-Town, a name derived from this ancient family of Butlers." 3
CHAPTER XI.
FRENCH PRISONERS IN CONNECTICUT.
HE wars waged by the English against the French were instrumental in increasing the Catholic population of Connecticut. The victors returned with many of the vanquished. The conquered were to wit- ness no generosity ; experience no magnanimity from their conquerors. Their cup of humiliation was full ; they must drain its very dregs.
When Cape Breton, which now forms part of Nova Scotia, was taken by the English in 1745, a number of French prisoners fell into the hands of the Connecticut troops, and were subsequently brought into the State. They
1 Phelps' "History of Simsbury," p. 167.
2 Mullins' name appears afterwards as Master in the "Bartlett School " of New London for the year 1734. " Hist. of New London."
3 " Hist. of New London."
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
were domiciled at New Haven in July, 1745, in the custody of Samuel Miles, captain of one of the Colony's transports. As no provisions had been made for the support or disposal of prisoners of war, the General Assembly in July, 1745, directed Miles to transfer the prisoners to the custody of Joseph Whit- ing, Esq., who was empowered to bind out to service such of the prisoners as were willing to labor at such places and with such persons as would seem to him proper. The prisoners, however, who were unwilling or unable to go out to service were to be confined in the common jail at New Haven at the expense of the Colony.
It was further provided that when any prisoner was ordered out to ser- vice by Whiting, the person taking liim was to give a bond to the Governor and Company of the Colony-the amount to be named by Whiting-to the effect that as long as the prisoner remained at service the government was exempt from all expense in maintaining him, and that such prisoner should be returned to be exchanged or otherwise disposed of as soon as an order to this effect was received from the Governor. In the event of the prisoner effecting his escape, his master was to notify the Governor immediately.
In anticipation of the arrival in future of French and Spanish prisoners from Cape Breton and other places, provision was made, July, 1745, for their safe keeping and disposal as follows :
" Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives in General Court Assembled, and by the authority of the same,
"That when and so often as any French or Spanish prisoners shall be brought into any port or harbor in this colony, the master of the ship or vessel in which such prisoners shall be brought shall forthwith inform the Governor of the colony, for the time being, thereof ; and his Honor, the Governor, is hereby desired and fully impowered to make such orders as he shall think proper, either for confining such prisoners in gaol or order- ing him out into service in this colony." 1
The number of prisoners brought to New Haven from Cape Breton is not known. No doubt, it was a numerous band, and as Whiting had authority to bind them out at will to service, they were, probably, distributed in tlie various sections of the State. In 1748 we find them in Hartford, New Haven, New London, Fairfield and Windham counties in numbers sufficiently strong to call forth a proclamation from King George II., wherein he forbade liis subjects in the Colonies to engage in trade and commerce with the subjects of the King of France "during the time of open war." The royal proclama- tion was forwarded to the sheriffs of the above-named counties, "so liis Majesty's subjects may be made acquainted thierewitlı." 2
In 1756 war was again declared between France and England. In this struggle Connecticut furnished 5,000 men. At the fall of Fort Niagara in 1759, a number of French prisoners were captured by our forces, brought into Connecticut, and immured in his Majesty's gaols at Hartford and New Haven. They were kept in confinement until early in 1761.3 The keeper of the Hartford prison bore a familiar name, Jolın Coleman.
1 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. IX., p. 152. 2 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. IX., p. 360. 3 Ibid, Vol. XI., p. 558.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
About this time another contingent of French prisoners was brought into New London by a vessel which violated the laws regulating the control and disposal of prisoners of war.1 To prevent them from roaming at large they were incarcerated in the common gaol of New London county.2
The prisoners captured in both wars with the French, and who were imprisoned or bound out to service at Hartford, New Haven, New London and elsewhere, were undoubtedly Catholics, and, we are privileged to believe, loyal to the church of whose holy ministrations they were deprived. Under other and inore favorable circuinstances the advent at that time of so many Catholics, who, no doubt, were competent to give a reason for the faith that was in them, would liave exercised a mellowing influence upon the stern and uncompromising subjects of his British Majesty ; but the influence that envi- roned them as captives were not favorable to tlie dissemination of Catholic ideas. What became of them is not known. Some of them were probably exchanged, while others served long terms of imprisonment or remained bound out to service, until, under the influence of time and environment they became resigned to their lot, intermarried with women of the prevailing creed and gradually drifted away from the faith into which they had been baptized. We know that many of them were the wards of the government from 1759 to 1761. During that period were they faithful to the salutary teachings of mother, priest and church? Deprived of the consolations and graces of the Mass and sacraments were they in their hours of trial and humiliation possessed with the desire to be nourished and strengthened by these channels of divine grace? God alone knows. We would fain hope that tried in the crucible of suffering they were purified and remained in inti- mate union with God; that, faithful in adversity they received after death the crown of a blessed immortality.
CHAPTER XII. AN UNHAPPY EVENT-KIDNAPPING.
T N November, 1752, "an unliappy event3 took place, dishonorable to the Colony, injurious to foreigners, and which occasioned a great and general uneasiness and many unfriendly suspicions and imputations, with respect to some of the principal characters of the Colony." A Spanish vessel, the "St. Joseph and St. Helena," of which Don Joseph Miguel de St. Juan was supercargo, bound from Havana to Cadiz, being in distress, put into the port of New London. On entering the harbor the ship struck upon a reef of rocks and became so badly damaged that it became necessary to unload lier. She carried a crew of forty inen. Her cargo consisted of indigo and other tropical products, besides a large quantity of gold and silver in coin and bullion; when the vessel was relieved of her cargo, forty chests of money were consigned to
1 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. IX., p. 152. 2 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. XI., p. 504. $ Trumbell's " Hist. of Conn.," Vol. I., p. 250.
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DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
the care of Colonel Saltonstall and the remainder was entrusted to Joseph Hull, collector of the port. When ready to sail in the following spring Don Miguel discovered that much of his cargo, but particularly the money con- signed to Saltonstall, could not be found. After months of vain endeavor to recover his missing property or obtain compensation therefor, he addressed a memorial to the General Assembly, October 16, 1753, praying "for remedy and relief."1 Here also he was doomed to disappointment. Failing to obtain redress Don Miguel officially notified the King of Spain of his grievances. The Spanish government lodged a complaint at the English Court against the representatives of the English Crown at New London. A British man- of-war, the "Triton," carrying forty guns, was despatched to New London to be ready for any emergency. Prior to the arrival of this vessel the General Assembly enacted the following :
" Resolved by this Assembly, That his Honour the Governor be, and he is hereby, desired to prepare a representation of the case relating to the Spanish ship St. Joseph and St. Helena, which came in to the harbor of New London in distress in November, 1752, with the necessary evidences relating thereto. And in case a ship of war be sent hither on that occasion, Jonathan Trumble and Roger Wolcott, Jun., Esqrs., are appointed to repair to New London with such instructions from his Honour the Governor as shall appear to him necessary to be given for the conduct of the affair; and the above men- tioned representation and evidences to be properly delivered to the captain of the ship, to be transmitted to his Majesty's Secretary of State, to be laid before his Majesty, with such other matters and things as shall appear needful on receipt of such letters as may be sent on the occasion." 2
The result of the Commissioners' labors was the sailing from New Lon- don in a vessel secured by the Spaniards themselves with the remainder of their cargo in January, 1755.3
" It was generally known that the Spaniards had been robbed ; or, at least, that an important part of a rich and very valuable cargo had been stolen, embezzled, or, by some means, lost, or kept back from the owners ; and it occasioned a great ferment through the colony." 4
The nationality of this vessel, and especially its name, are direct evidences that its officers and crew were Catholics. Being a merchantman, it is not probable it carried a chaplain ; nevertheless we are satisfied that the Sundays and principal feasts of the year were duly observed with religious exercises during their two years' enforced residence at New London. If faithful to the customs of their native land, we feel assured that the "St. Joseph and St. Helena" was the scene of fervent Catholic devotions on the feast of St. James, the patron of Spain.5
It occasionally happened that ship masters with an eye more to pecuniary profit than consideration for sentiment or common honesty indulged in the vicious practice of kidnapping youths when in distant ports and bringing them
1 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. X., p. 235. 2 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vol. X., pp. 485-486. 3 " Hist. of New London." 4 Trumbell's " Hist. of Conn.," Vol. I., p. 251. 6 July 25th.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
home to sell as slaves. Sometimes the victims brought their grievances before the colonial authorities, which resulted in the severe but just punish- ment of the offender. An instance occurred in 1755, which well illustrated the avarice of the shipowner and the justice of tlie General Assembly.1
In this memorial to the Assembly Joseph D'Ming (or Demink) declared that he was a native and free-born subject of the King of Portugal, and an inhabitant of the island of Bravo, one of the Cape de Verde Islands ; that being on the island of Bonavista, another of the Cape de Verde Islands, in March, 1755, and having spent some time there, was desirous of returning to his home on the island of Bravo. At Bonavista he met one Phineas Cook, of Wallingford, who informed him that, as his vessel was bound for the Bar- badoes, he would put in at Bravo and land D'Ming. The captain offered him a free passage which the unsuspecting Portuguese accepted. Cook, however, refused to land D'Ming at Bravo, but brought him to Wallingford, where he was sold as a slave. In February, 1757, D'Ming petitioned the Assembly for redress. The Assembly promptly acceded to his request by appointing one Captain Thomas Seymour of Hartford, to take D'Ming into his care and keeping, and to secure him from any violence or ill-usage at the hands of Cook until the next meeting of the Assembly. Cook was ordered to appear before said Assembly to plead to the charges preferred against him.
The Assembly convened in May of the same year. Having fully heard the allegations and pleadings of both parties, the Assembly judged that D'Ming was cruelly deceived and treated with outrage. It was, therefore, ordered that Cook pay over to D'Ming twenty pounds for dainages, a fine of fifteen pounds to the treasurer of the Colony for his misdemeanor, as well as the cost of the prosecution, amounting to £7. 13s. 4d, lawful money. Cap- tain Seymour, before mentioned, was appointed D'Ming's guardian-as he was a minor-to take care of his person and possessions, and in a reasonable time to procure for him a passage home.
Let us hope that the unfortunate youth who put his trust in honeyed words was soon again in the fond einbrace of his sorrow-stricken parents, and that, consoled by their presence and strengthened by the practice of his reli- gious duties, the memory of liis captivity gradually faded or gave place to fervent prayers for the conversion of his captor.
CHAPTER XIII. EARLY CATHOLICS IN NEW LONDON.
B EING a port of entry and the centre of considerable maritime activity, New London at all times had a larger proportion of foreign residents within its borders than other towns in Connecticut. Many sailors who came to exchange their cargoes for what New London could give in return, settled there permanently, and became identified with the commercial interests of the town. Ships of war of France and England frequently put into port, where for various reasons they often remained for a
1 " Pub. Rec. of Conn.," Vols. X. and XI., Feb'y and May.
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1
DIOCESE OF HARTFORD.
considerable period of time. There is strong probability that the major part of these foreign residents were Catholics. The Spaniards certainly were. Among the French population there were a few Huguenots, but the greater number were, no doubt, members of the Catholic church. Ireland's contribu- tions to the population were, with, perhaps, a few exceptions, children of St. Patrick.
In 1767-68, the British war-ship "Cygnet," wintering at New London, lost its purser. He was the owner of the unmistakably Irish name of John Sullivan. Preferring the peaceful pursuits of civil life and captivated by the gay society of the port, he married Elizabeth Chapman and made New Lon- don his home.1
Among the notable characters of New London in the last quarter of the eighteenth century was a Thomas Allen, proprietor of a public inn known as the "City Coffee House," the rendezvous for those convivially inclined. A feature of his business that secured for him considerable patronage was his "Marine List," which appeared at regular intervals in Green's Gazette. The List was not a dry recital of sailing dates, arrivals and departures. With devotional maxims intended for the spiritual benefit of seamen, it was enlivened with bright flashes of wit and humor, inter- spersed with other matter wholly irrelevant to maritime intelligence. The List first appeared in 1770. It is probable that Allen was an Irishman, and some of the reasons for this belief are : the manner in which he advertises in his List the sailing of the Brig, "Patty," for "Dear Ireland: " his print- ing on March 17th, "ST. PATRICK'S DAY," in capitals ; his deep hostility to the English. On one occasion, he, with others, forcibly took a minister of the Church of England from his pulpit and expelled him from the church for praying for King George; from the manner in which he printed the name of Bishop Carroll, who visited New London in 1791:
"Sailed, Monday, June 20, Packet Hull for New York, with whom went passenger the Right REV. FATHER IN GOD, JOHN, Bishop of the United States of America." 2
Furthermore, there was a tradition current at New London for many years that Allen was an Irishman from the Island of Antigua. At the time of which we write he was a communicant of the Episcopal faith and one of the wardens of St. James' church. If Thomas Allen was always a Protest- ant, his manner of speaking of Bishop Carroll is the more surprising. Such acts of courtesy to Catholic clergymen were rarely witnessed in that period of our history. Indeed, it would be a source of surprise even in these days of greater liberality of religious views to liear a non-catholic speak of a Catholic bishop in the terms used by Thomas Allen.
From very early times the French were represented at New London by respectable numbers. With the probable exception of the Irish, they main- tained their supremacy in numbers over other foreign elements. They came as sailors in merchant vessels and in ships of war. We infer they
1 " Hist. of New London."
2 Connecticut Gazette.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND.
were numerous from Thomas Allen's standing advertisement of his inn, translated into French, inviting them to partake of his hospitality. De- sertions from the vessels in the harbor were frequent, and when they occurred, the Connecticut Gazette was employed to assist in the capture of the culprits. In 1778, a French man-of-war, the "Lyon," commanded by Captain Michel, entered the port and remained about three months. Concerning this ship, this advertisement appeared in the Gazette, May 28, 1778 :
" Deserted from the French Ship, " Lion " (or Lyon), in the Harbor of New London, Labe (L'Abbe) Galand, who was under the character of a Priest on Board, and has taken with him a quantity of silver and gold and paper currency, not his own. He has been missing about three weeks ; is a short, thick, well-built man, of light Complexion, large black Eyes, short strait black Hair, looks like a Jew. Speaks very little English. Can speak French, German, and Latin, has a good notion of Slight of hand, rode a small black Horse, had on when he went away, a brown Coat, black Jacket and Breeches, and blue Great Coat ; has a small gold watch with a small bell to the chain, which he is very fond of showing. Whosoever shall apprehend said pretended priest and return hini on board said Ship shall have a reward of Two HUNDRED DOLLARS paid by me.
"J. MICHEL,
"NEW LONDON, May 28, 1778.
"Commander of said Ship."
Was Galand a priest, or a pretended priest, as the advertisement seems to insinuate? It would be interesting to know what became of him. To return to France would incur the danger of arrest and imprisonment. If a true priest, did he perform any sacerdotal functions in the colony ? Or, if a pretended priest, did he continue the deception to the detriment of his own and the souls of unsuspecting victims ? There is no record that he was ever apprehended and punished for his crime. The ship "Lyon" sailed from New London, June 14, 1778, for Virginia. On her return voyage to France she was captured by a British inan-of-war.1
Previous to and during the years (1789-1794) when France experienced the awful horrors of the Revolution ; when she suffered the bloody atrocities of men frenzied with the spirit of infidelity, many of her citizens fled and sought an asylum in the new world, some of whom settled at New London. Here they built up new homes, and accumulated new fortunes, secure from the insensate fury of their kinsmen across the sea. As the priesthood of France was the special object of the Revolution's hatred, it may be that some of its members found a refuge in Connecticut, as they did in other sections of New England. John de Cheverus, who became the first Bishop of Boston, and his saintly co-laborer in the same -field, Francis Matignon, .D.D .; Am- brose Marechal, who was consecrated Archbishop of Baltimore in 1817; Gabriel Richards, of western fame; and Francis Ciquard, missionary to the Indians on the Penobscot, are but a few of the victims of that politi- cal cataclysm, who came hither to spend themselves for the salvation of souls.
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