USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Connecticut > Part 6
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At a town meeting held Dec. 28, 1778, it was voted "to give to each soldier in the Continental Army that counts for the Town of Derby, Ten Pounds money in lew ( sic) of the linnin overhauls, linnin shirts, and shoes that was voted to them as a bounty" and a town tax for that purpose was laid of one shilling nine pence on the pound.
In December 1778, a committee was appointed to provide clothing for the soldiers, consisting of: Saml Hull, David De Forest, Abraham Beecher, Capt. John Tomlinson, Capt. Timothy Baldwin, Capt John Riggs, Lieut. Samuel Wheeler, Saml Basit, Danl Holbrook, Jun, Capt Joseph Riggs, Ruben Tucker, Capt Nathaniel Johnson, Jos. Russell, Noah Tomlinson, Thomas Clark Esq., John Howd, Capt John Holbrook, Edward Howd, Thadeus Baldwin, and others. Of these, the following were from the Oxford District: Capt John Riggs, Lieut. Samuel Wheeler, Noah Tomlinson, Samuel Baset and possibly others.
June 27, 1780 a rate of sixpence was voted "to pay the bounty to the Continental soldiers and to defray town charges," and Capt. John Riggs, Capt. Daniel Holbrook and Capt. Bradford Steel were "appointed a comtte to enlist continental soldiers and to pay them their bounty." It was also voted "that the town shall give each man that shall enlist himself as a soldier into the Continental Army during the war shall receive of the town as a bounty the sum of £ 20, to be paid in bills of credit of this state at the time of the muster, and £20 at the commencement of the second year of their service, and £ 20 at the commencement of the 3d year of their service. And all such as shall list for three years into the Continental Army shall receive in bills of credit of this state £20 at the time of passing muster, and £15 at the commencement of the 3rd year of their service. And also
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all such persons as have or shall inlist into the Continental service for one year and seven months from the date of these presents shall re- ceive £10 at passing muster and £5 at the commencement of the 2nd campaign."
As usual, war gave a false stimulation to business, and transporta- tion of goods on Connecticut highways became such a problem, that by 1778, Governmental Supervision of it became necessary, and the Court passed the following law:
"Feb. 1778 - An Act for Regulating the Transportation of private property by Ox Teams.
Whereas the transporting of private property or the goods and effects of particular persons from place to place through the State has greatly increased, and employs so great a number of Oxen as threatens to lessen agriculture and the raising of grain and provi- sions for the use of the people and shortens the supply of beef for the use of the United States ARMY: be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, That from and after the first day of April next, no private property -shall be transported --- on any waggons, cars, carts or carriages drawn by -- more than one pair of oxen."
Graham, the Traitor.
A man named Alexander Graham, who had deserted the American cause was commissioned by Gen. Howe to enlist soldiers for the British army. In March 1780, with a party of men he attacked and robbed the house of Capt. Ebenezer Dayton in Bethany, who at the time of the robbery was away in Boston, leaving only Mrs. Dayton, the children and servants in the house.
Capt. Dayton had previously lived in Brookfield, L. I. where he had a mercantile business, and had carried on privateering on Long Island Sound against the enemy. Because of his zeal for the patriot cause, on one occasion in East Hampton, L. I. he was mobbed and carried out of town, though ill with the measles at the time. To avoid further bad treatment he had moved from Brookfield to Bethany.
After robbing the Dayton house of £ 450 in cash and large bun- dles of silk goods, they set off for Gunntown and on the way met a young lad named Chauncey Judd who was known by some of the rob- bers. Graham wanted to have Judd killed, to prevent him betraying them, but was prevented from doing so by the lad's friends. The rob- bers had many narrow escapes from pursuing officers and a vigilance committee and finally hid in a barn on the Oxford road about one mile and one half above what is now Seymour, to wait for the passing of a severe snow storm, and were almost famished. They tried to get food from Capt. John Wooster's tavern on Oxford and Park Roads but were unable to do so, and they therefore started through the deep snow in the night, over Great Hill to Derby.
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Upon arriving at Derby, they escaped in a whale boat across the Sound to Brookhaven. But an old sea captain in Stratford had gone up into the belfry of the church there, and had watched their course. This becoming known to the Derby patriots, a party of thirty of them, led by Capt. Bradford Steele gathered at Derby, and in two well armed whale boats rowed down the Housatonic River and across the Sound, and captured all the robbers but one, all being found in a deep sleep.
After returning to Derby with their prisoners, they turned them over to the army for trial. Graham, being a deserter from the American cause was found guilty of treason and was executed in Morristown, N. J. Two were allowed to turn State's Evidence and the others suffered fines, or imprisonment or both. Three were sentenced to four years imprisonment in Newgate state prison. The young lad, Chauncey Judd received $4000. for his injuries, his hands having been frozen, and he was crippled for life. Capt. Dayton received compensation for damages.
This is about the only warlike action to have taken within the con- fines of Oxford. The story was made into a novel by Israel Warren, entitled "Chauncey Judd."
The tradition of the following event has been handed down to Miss Bernice Hull of Oxford from her Grandmother Hull who lived on a farm on Bowers Hill thought to have been owned by John Hyde and at which the event occurred. Miss Hull says that while this tradition has no hard and fast facts to back it up, she feels confident that it is true, and there appears to be nothing to show that it is otherwise. No date is given for the happening.
John Salem Hyde was baptized in the Oxford Congregational Church Nov. 2, 1775, but how old he was at the time is unknown. He was ad- mitted as a Freeman Sep. 21, 1801, twenty six years after his baptism, but again his age is not mentioned. It is known that the Continental Army was short of soldiers in 1780, offering a bounty to any man en- listing, so it seems likely that this incident may have occurred in that year. The account seems to indicate that he was young, strong and athletic. Assuming therefore that he was fifteen at the time, it would make the date of his birth 1765, and his age at baptism 10 years and at his admission as a Freeman 36, all entirely possible. Miss Hull's story follows:
"In the town of Oxford on Bowers Hill in Revolutionary days, there stood a farmhouse owned and occupied by Mr. John Hyde. The chimney of this house was probably ten feet square and it boasted five fireplaces as well as a large brick oven where the family baking was done. Mr. Hyde had a son named John Salem Hyde. As the American army was seriously depleted, it be- came necessary to secure raw recruits, but John did not wish to enlist in the army. Armed and equipped with the required papers, the officers started out to secure him.
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One can easily imagine the family seated in the long kitchen before the fireplace, quietly chatting about the news of the day, when their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of horses' hoofs. Someone exclaimed, "It's the officers after John!" The officers asked in vain, for John had vanished like a spirit. After calling him, they began a search of the house from attic to cellar. The hunt became more exciting as members of the family joined in the search.
Angered at their defeat, the officers went to the barn to con- tinue their pursuit, but no trace of John did they find. Despairing of capturing him alive, they ran their bayonets into the hay mows, hoping at least to secure his body. The mother, growing frantic called again and again to her son to give himself up. It was all in vain. With oaths and curses the officers finally mounted their horses and rode away.
The great mental strain was more than the mother could bear, and she could only moan, "Have you seen anything of John Salem Hyde today, Have you seen anything of John Salem Hyde ?" After the officers had departed, and quiet had once more been restored, John appeared to tell his story.
When the officers were announced, unnoticed by anyone, he mounted the large open chimney and, securing a foothold on one of the cross sections, had remained there unseen and unheard until the officers were miles away.
His mother never regained her reason. Quiet as usual, she went about her daily tasks, but to everyone she saw she asked the same questions, "Have you seen anything of John Salem Hyde; have you seen anything of John Salem Hyde today ?"
The old house was bought by John Hull, was burned about 1897, and a new one erected on the same site. The old latch which was on the outside door and lifted by the officers in search of John, was rescued after the fire. It is now in the Mansfield House in Ansonia. The same old barn where the haymows were pierced by the officers' bayonets is still standing (1957) as a lone sentinel on Bowers Hill.
OXFORD MEN WHO SERVED IN THE REVOLUTION
When we consider that the parish of Oxford during the Revolution did not have over eight hundred inhabitants, with probably not more than one hundred and fifty men of sufficient age to be called on for service in the armed forces, it is not surprising to find that the total number of soldiers recorded as being Oxford men is small. Again we are confronted with the difficulty of separating them out of the total of soldiers from Derby, which then still included the parish of Oxford.
The complete list of Connecticut men who served in the
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Revolution is contained in the book published in 1889 by authority of the General Assembly, entitled "Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution", but the only separation of men from Oxford that is given is in the census of pensioners made in 1840, as follows:
1. Edward Bassett, age 84
2. Prudence Lounsbury, age 76
3. Samuel Candee, age 87
4. Phineas Johnson, age 79
5. Timothy Johnson, age 82
6. Job Candee, age 80
7. Uri Scott
"The History of Derby" lists seven men which it says were soldiers from Oxford and drew pensions afterwards, # 3, 4, 5, 6 as above, and
8. David Peck
9. Jeremiah Kelley
10. Isaac Chatfield
Combining the two lists, we get the following record of ten men:
1. Edward Bassett:
He served in the First Regiment (Gen. Wooster's 1775) which marched with Capt. Thomas Clark in the 3d company from the Town of Derby for the relief of Boston in the Lexington Alarm, enlisting May 16, 1775 and being discharged Dec. 20th of that year. In the next Spring, he enlisted June 25, 1776 in Col. Couch's company of Col. Bradley's Battalion, Gen, Wadsworth's Brigade, and was discharged Jan. 11, 1777. He then enlisted May 19, 1777 in the second Troop of Sheldon's Light Dragoons and "served for the duration of the war". Despite the last statement he is also listed among the levies from the State of Connecticut that served in the 2d Regiment of Artillery in the year 1780, enlisting July 15th and discharged Dec 22d.
2. Prudence Lousnbury:
The only record of him is in the list of pensioners in 1840, with no account of his service.
3. Samuel Candee:
No record other than being a pensioner in 1840, but a Samuel Candey (possibly the same man) was in Capt. Jabez Thompson's 3d company of Gen. Wooster's First Regiment at the Siege of Boston, as a Corporal, enlisting May 18, 1775 and discharged Dec. 20th in the same year.
4. and 5, Phineas and Timothy Johnson:
Phineas Johnson is recorded in Capt. Hicock's company, at New York in 1776, arriving in Camp Aug, 16, 1776 and discharged Sep 9, 1776. Timothy is listed in Capt. Rogers company from Cornwall in Col. Gay's Second Battalion, Wadsworth's Brigade 1776. They also are recorded as enlisting again from Milford in
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Capt. Charles Pond's Company of the Sixth Regiment, "Connecticut Line" May 25, 1777, enlisting for the duration of the war. They are said to have served under Gen. Anthony Wayne, in his assault on Ticonderoga. This is an obvious error, as Wayne was not at Ticonderoga. They however, were with Wayne at the storming of Stony Point, on the Hudson River, July 15, 1779 in the 6th Regi- ment. They served also in the 4th Regiment, "Connecticut Line", being paid from Jan. 1, 1781 to Dec. 31, 1781. Phineas was made a Corporal Apr. 20, 1781. They are also listed as being in "Capt. Barber's Light Infantry Company of the 4th Connecticut Regiment under the command of the Marquis de la Fayette at the Southward 1781" as privates.
6. Job Candee:
Job Candee served in Capt. Bradley's Company of Matrosses (Artillery) raised for the defence of New Haven and was stationed partly in the town and partly at East Haven and West Haven at the time of Tryon's Invasion. Enlisted Feb. 9, 1779, discharged Feb. 8, 1780. He was also in Capt. Bradley's Company of Artillery Guards, in the Connecticut Militia, enlisting Apr. 3, 1780 and discharged Jan. 1, 1781. Then he was in Col. Canfield's Militia Regiment at West Point, Sept. 1781. He is listed in 1832 as a pensioner from the New Haven County.
7. Uri Scott:
He is included in the list of pensioners from Oxford in 1840, but no other record is given in the "Record of Connecticut Men in the Revolution".
8. David Peck:
He was in the Ninth Regiment of Militia at New York 1776 in Capt. Green's Company, marching Aug. 8th and discharged Sep. 20th also, in Capt. Green's company Nov. 1, 1776 to Jan. 11, 1777 at the Westchester border. He was in Col. Manning's company of the Second Regiment, "Connecticut Line", formation 1777- 1781. He enlisted Apr. 14, 1778 for 3 years, just after the winter at Valley Forge, was present at the battle of Monmouth etc. Dis- charged Apr 14, 1780. Again he is listed in Capt. Bulkley's com - pany of the Third Regiment "Connecticut Line", Formation of 1781-1783, and paid from Jan 1, 1781 to Dec. 31. 1781. He is recorded in the 1818 list of Connecticut Pensioners residing in New York.
9. Jeremiah M. Kelley:
In the list of pensioners residing in New Haven County in 1832, his name is given as Jeremiah M. Kelee. No other record.
10. Isaac Chatfield:
He is listed in Capt. Pendleton's Company in Col. Jeduthan
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Baldwin's Regiment of Artificers. The men were largely carpen- ters, builders, tentmakers, tailors etc. He enlisted Oct. 1, 1777 and was discharged March 20, 1780. The regiment was at Brandy- wine, Germantown, Monmouth and other fields. He is listed in the 1818 pensioners.
One of the veterans of the Revolutionary War who is buried in the South Burying Grounds (Hillside Cemetery) is Elijah Harger, but he was not living in Oxford at the time of his enlistment June 1, 1780, but in Hartland, Connecticut. He applied for a pension July 25, 1832, his residence then being in Oxford. An added interest is that he was on guard when Maj. Andre was captured. He was in service but six months, as a private, and his application for a pension makes no men- tion of any battles in which he was engaged.
By 1781, the whole town of Derby seems to have been solidly be- hind the American cause, for on Jan. 15th of that year, it was "voted that the town will classify the inhabitants into forty-one classes to procure clothing for the soldiers, and Eliphalet Hotchkiss is appointed to classify accordingly. It is probable that each class was required to furnish the material and make the clothes; or if the cloth was fur- nished by the general Committee, still they must have appointed cer - tain persons to the spinning and weaving of the same before they could furnish it to the makers of the clothes, as there were no manufac- turers then to take contracts, all such work being done in the homes. The whole town of Derby became a manufacturing shop with twelve districts, each with its regularly appointed overseer, and the general overseer of all these different portions of the town was Deacon Eliphat Hotchkiss, the master house builder of the town."
In March, 1782, some who had been called on for service in the Army were released on payment of fifty pounds and the required num- ber of soldiers for one year was obtained by the offer of bounties, and a tax of two pence on the pound was laid to pay these bounties. Those who could best leave home had freely volunteered early in the contest, and now those who remained, as freely contributed of their scanty means to fill the quota needed. Abraham Beecher was appointed col- lector in Oxford society and Ebenezer Riggs was associated with him as enlisting committee.
While the English, under Cornwallis, surrendered October 19th, 1781 and the active war was over, the final treaty of peace was not signed until Sep. 3, 1783.
CHAPTER 10
THE INCORPORATION OF OXFORD
About 1789, (the year George Washington was made President), the people of Oxford began to favor the incorporation of Oxford parish as a town, separate from Derby. In that year, at a town meeting held December 28, 1789: Doctor Edward Carrington and Mr. Shadrac Osborn were appointed a committee to take into consideration all the circumstances respecting Oxford being made into a town. On Feb. 4, 1793, a committee (who had been appointed to draw up an agreement and fix the boundaries of the proposed new town) reported to a Derby town meeting as follows:
(The following is a copy of a report relative to the incorporation of the town of Oxford accepted in a town meeting held Feb. 4th, 1793. Pages 203-204, Derby Records.)
"To the inhabitants of the town of Derby to be assembled in a meeting of sd town at the town house in sd Derby, on Monday, the 4th day of Feby instant-we the subscribers, comtte appointed at a meeting of sd town on Monday the 7th day of Jany last, to go out and view the circumstances and situation of sd town respecting a division thereof, and to ascertain certain boundaries and lines for sd division, and also to take into consideration the expense or burden of said town and all matters relating to sd division and to report our opinion thereon, beg leave to report; - That we have attended to sd business and mutually agreed on the following boundaries and lines of a division of sd town, viz .- beginning fifty rods above the mouth of Eight-Mile Brook by Ousatonic River, from thence running north easterly to the bend in Five Mile Brook at the foot of the hill, from thence running by sd Brook to the bridge over sd Brook in Woodbury old road, from thence to the southeast corner of Timothy Johnson's-formerly Abner Johnson's-dwelling house, from thence a due east course to the Little River, from thence by said River to the mouth where it empties into Naugatuck River, from thence crossing sd Nauga- tuck River to the eastern shore, from thence running up by said river on the east side of sd River to the mouth of the brook at the lower end of old Rimmon Plain, from thence to the end of the hill on the northeasterly side of sd brook at the lower end of sd Plain called Pessemires Hill, from thence on the ridge of sd Rock to the upper end of sd brook, from thence a due east course
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to the Woodbridge line. Also agreed that all land on either side of sd line where lands are divided by sd lines shall be put into the list in either of the towns where the owner thereof resides so long as the present owners shall possess the same.
And it is further agreed that Oxford or the new proposed town shall support one half of the Falls Bridge, so long as the present bridge shall stand; and when this present bridge will not answer to repair and it is necessary that a new bridge to be built; then Oxford or the sd new town shall at their own expense, build a good and sufficient new bridge where sd bridge now stands, to the acceptance of sd town of Derby. And it is further agreed that any persons living near said lines on either side where the line divided their land shall have their choice in which town they will belong, provided they make their choice in one year after sd division, and shall belong where they enter their List the first year after sd division. And it is further agreed that when a division of sd town shall be completed, the poor of sd town of Derby shall be divided to each town, and all other burdens which may arise in consequence of any existing circumstances, shall be equally borne by each of said towns if divided according to the List of each town. All of which is submitted by your most humble servants.
Sam' Hull Daniel Holbrook Thomas Clark Caleb Candee Josiah Strong Leman Strong Dated, Derby, Febr 4th, A.D., 1793"
= Comtte
The State Assembly, however, did not confirm this agreement and Derby, while ostensibly agreeing to the separation, apparently would not take the necessary action and the matter dragged on, for several years.
In a town meeting held Sep. 21, 1795, it was voted that to facilitate the division of the town, Derby would divide its representation with Oxford, if set off, each to have one representative.
In April 1798, John Riggs, Caleb Candee and Charles Bunnell on the part of the parish of Oxford, and James Lewis, David Hitchcock and Canfield Gillett on the part of "the old town", as a joint commit- tee, reported in addition to previous arrangements that Oxford should pay £170 to the old town in three annual installments, as a condi- tion of the division of the town.
Finally, in October of 1798, the Oxford people resorted to a strata- gem to bring about the desired result. In that year, the Derby Town Meeting was set for a day in October, beginning at 9 A.M .. This was the regular hour for Town Meetings, but it had become customary not
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to actually start proceedings until one o'clock in the afternoon. Some bright mind in Oxford recognized that this gave the Oxford people a chance to force the Derby people into action, before the inhabitants of Derby proper arrived.
To this end, practically all of the voters residing in Oxford gathered together at Oxford Center early in the morning prepared for a long walk (some eight miles) to Derby. They took with them the Rev. David Bronson, the Congregational minister of Oxford. ("The History of the Town of Derby" says it was the Rev. Wm. Bronson, but this seems an error.) They reached the meeting place in Derby promptly at nine o'clock and opened the meeting immediately, and before the Derby voters could be assembled, the meeting had voted that the town meet- ings should be held one half the time at Oxford. As a result, Derby withdrew its objection to the separation and the Assembly made the grant of incorporation, Oct. 20, 1798, with the following action:
(a) "At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut holden at New haven on the 2 thursday of Oct. 1798. (Oct 20)
Upon the petition of the inhabitants of the parish of Oxford & the rest of the inhabitants of Derby in the county of New haven, showing to this assembly, that sd town is 13 miles in length & the town house stands about 2 miles from the south east corner of Sd town; and that the inhabitants living in the north part & within the limits described in sd petition are conveniently situated for a town; and that sd town of Derby have agreed to divide representa- tion &c; Praying that those who live within the limits described in sd petition may be incorporated into a town as pr memorial on file.
It appearing in a full hearing & enquiry that the facts in sd pe- tition are truly stated & that sd town of Derby have agreed to di- vide representation.
Resolved by this assembly that the inhabitants living within the following limits be & they are hereby incorporated into a separate & distinct town by the name of Oxford to wit- beginning at the mouth of Kettletown brook, thence running southerly on Ousatonack river to a heap of stones a little north of the late dwelling house of Noah Tomlinson now deceased thence running north easterly to the bend in five mile brook at the foot of the hill; from thence running by sd brook to the bridge over sd brook in Woodbury old road; from thence to the south east corner of the lat (sic) dwell- ing house of Timothy Johnson now decd, from thence a due east course to Naugatuck River; from thence crossing sd river to the eastern shore; from thence running up sd river on the east side thereof to the mouth of the brook at the lower end of old Rimmon plain; from thence to the end of the hill on the northerly side of
(a) Oxford Town Meeting Book No 1 P 1.
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said brook at the lower end of Rock Rimmon; from thence on the ridge of sd rock to the upper end of said rock; from thence a due east course to Woodbridge line; from thence on the dividing line between Woodbridge & Derby till it meets Waterbury line; thence on the dividing line between Waterbury & Derby or Oxford till it meets Southbury; thence on the dividing line between Southbury & Derby or Oxford till it meets the first mentioned bounds; and the afore said boundaries & limits are hereby fixed declared and es- tablished to be the boundaries & limits of sd town of Oxford and the same is hereby constituted a town by the aforesd corporate name and shall have retain & enjoy all the privileges & immuni- ties belonging & incident to any other town in this state; except only that sd town of Oxford shall at no time choose & return more than one representative to the general assembly; - And represen- tation is hereby divided between sd towns of Derby & Oxford & sd town of Derby & sd town of Oxford, shall hereafter have liberty to choose & return each one but one representative to the General Assembly of this state.
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