USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Newtown > Newtown's bicentennial : an account of the celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the purchase from the Indians of the land of the town of Newtown, Connecticut, held August fifth, 1905 > Part 7
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During the Revolutionary war Newtown was free from any and all raids of the enemy. A large percentage of the
ST. ROSE'S CHURCH.
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population was in complete sympathy with the mother country, so much so that they were tories in name and deed, and in some cases their property was confiscated and reverted to the colony, the Probate records showing in- stances to the point. One man, Robert Thompson, of New- town was hanged in June, 1777, as a spy, the order of his execution being given by Brig. Gen. Samuel H. Parsons, and returns were made that the execution had been duly per- formed.
All through the war period our town records abound with doings of frequent town meetings when provision was made for meeting the conditions called for by the colony in raising the town's quota of men and its proportion of food products for the forces in the field, and providing for families of soldiers enlisted in the service from Newtown. In the state archives we find among the names of Newtown's honor roll, John Chandler, Colonel of the 8th Regiment, formed in 1777, afterward Superintendent of the Conn. Line, and after the war Brigadier General of the state militia. Col. Chandler of the 8th Regiment was in the battles of Long Island and White Plains.
In the 8th Company, Fifth Regiment, we find the names Joseph Smith, Captain, Jabez Botsford, Lieutenant, enlisted in 1775, and Ephraim Kimberly Ist Lieutenant.
In Sheldon's Dragoons we find the names of William Whitby and Ezekiel Bennett, each enlisted for three years from March 1781. Capt. Ephraim Kimberly in the Society of the Cincinnati, and Fitch Kimberly in the Regi- ment of Artificers, enlisted for three years, and Thomas Brooks enlisted in 1777 for the war.
In the 16th Regiment of the Conn. Militia was Capt. Caleb Baldwin, promoted to Major in 1778, and Samuel Brooks, who served in Col. Lamb's artillery from April 1777 to 1781.
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At a town meeting held in February, 1778, it was voted
"that the salt belonging to this Town purchased by the State shall be transported from Bedford in Boston state to this place at the expense of the town, and that in a manner that the selectmen shall think most expedient and safe, either by land or water."
Also voted
"that the selectmen shall take care of the pig iron allowed to this Town by the state that it is forwarded in the best manner to the most convenient forge, and procure the same wrought into bar iron and then brought into the town at the town's expense and divide the same to the inhabitants according to the list in the several school districts."
In January, 1778, at a meeting called to consider upon, and if agreeable to their minds, to assent to the Articles of Confederation drawn up and sent by Congress to the several states agreeable to a requisition of His Excellency the Governor, it was voted,
"Having particularly considered every article by itself we unani- mously approve of every article of confederation as sent by Congress to the several states. Resolved that the Representatives of this town transmitt the votes of this meeting to the Gen. Assembly of this state approving of every article of Confederation of the United States in Congress as the sense of this town that the Delegates of this state be improwered by said Assembly to Ratify and confirm the same in Congress."
Maj. Caleb Baldwin, Capt. Joseph Smith and Henry Peck were Newtown's representatives to the General Assembly for that year.
In July 1779 the town voted
"that the Committee appointed for supplying the officers and soldiers' families now in Continental service agreeable to a resolve of the General Assembly May 1779 make and adjust each man's proportion (obliged by law to pay rates in Newtown) of the sum of 108 pounds and that they call on the inhabitants of the town to return to them immediately or at a convenient season said dividend
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for the use of said families. Also voted that this meeting has no objection to the wives and families of Ephraim Betts and Elias Skidmore repairing to Long Island there to tarry with their husbands going under the direction and Authority of the Selectmen."
Some insubordination existed in Newtown in 1778, as is shown by this act passed by the General Assembly.
"Upon a representation made to this Assembly that the three alarm list companies formed within the limits of the first society of New- town in the 16th regiment having sometime since made choice of persons for their officers inimical to this and the other United States of America, who for that reason were refused commissions, and also that the officers of the third military company of said regiment in said town have either given in their commissions or wholly neglect and refuse to execute their offices whereby all the said companies are destitute of officers and by that means not in a condition to be called upon to perform military duty for the defence of the country. Resolved by this Assembly that the colonel or chief officer of said regiment be directed and he is hereby ordered and directed to cause legal warning to be given said companies as soon as may be, to meet for the purpose of choosing commission officers and lead or order them to be led to such choice for their respective companies, and in case they neglect or refuse to elect such persons as are qualified according to the laws of this state to execute such offices that then the civil authority in, and selectmen of Newtown, with the advice of said colonel or chief officer are hereby impowered and directed forthwith to nominate such officers as may be necessary, which choice or nomi- nation shall by said colonel or chief officer be returned to this Assembly or in the recess thereof to his Excellency the Governor, who is desired to commissionate them accordingly; which officers shall immediately proceed to detach their quota of men for the Continental army as soon as the field officers of said regiment have proportioned them to the respective companies, which they are hereby directed to do."
At the meeting of the Governor and Council of Safety at Hartford in October, 1779, it was resolved
"That the selectmen of the town of Newtown receive from Joseph Hopkin, Esq., of Waterbury ten fire arms belonging to this state, 150 pounds of gun powder from the keeper of powder belonging to
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this state in Ripton, and also 300 flints of Capt George Smith of Hartford, they passing their receipt therefore, said selectmen to be accountable."
"Per order of Major Caleb Baldwin, Also upon the memorial of Samuel Hazzard a refugee from the city of New York now resident in town of Newtown showing that when he left New York, he left with some of his friends on Long Island considerable effects belong- ing to himself and family, and praying to have liberty to go on to said island and bring off his said effects. Resolved that the said Samuel Hazzard have liberty and liberty is hereby granted to him to go on to Long Island for the purpose of bringing away said effects, he conforming himself to the directions of Thaddeus Betts, Esqr., of Norwalk, under whose care and inspection he is to conduct in the affair.
Permit of Col Chandler."
At a town meeting held in December, 1779, it was voted concerning unfriendly persons taking the oath of fidelity,
"that the selectmen for the time being, lay before the next General Assembly of the state of Connecticut either by memorial or some other manner, the circumstances and true situation of this town in regard to those unfriendly persons in said town together with the reasons of the friends to the libertys of America in this town casting their protest against the Town Clerk entering those unfriendly per- sons names in the list of those that have taken the oath of fidelity."
In 1780
"voted that Abraham Bennett shall be committee to supply the family of Lieut Ephraim Kimberly the year ensuing as a soldier in the Continental service; also that Lieut Amos Terrill be committee to supply the family of Elijah Foote a soldier in the Continental ser- vice; also Eli Dunning be committee for the purpose of putting up flour in this town for continental use, and that Capt Jabez Botsford shall be committee for the purpose of providing barrels and putting up the beef and pork required by law for continental use. Voted that David Botsford shall be committee of cloathing for the Con- tinental soldiers. In 1781 voted, in order to raise the eight men required for the year's service to defend the Post at Horseneck we proceed in the same manner as is directed for the continental soldiers."
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Enough has been quoted from records to show that the inhabitants of the town were kept busy in meeting the state's demand for men and means to help prosecute the war, and although there was a marked sentiment of disloyalty in the community, yet as a town, Newtown did her full share with- out drafting during the Revolutionary period and some of its foremost men have their names on Connecticut's honor roll; as Col. John Chandler, 8th Regiment, Hon. William Edmond, who was in the fight at Ridgefield when Col. Wooster was killed, and received a bullet wound that lamed him for life; Lieutenant Jabez Botsford, Lieutenant Eph- raim Kimberly, and Captain Caleb Baldwin promoted to major. The military records of the state show that as late as the year 1800 there were eight Revolutionary pensioners living in Newtown: Mary Botsford aged 82, Abigail Davis 78, Jerusha Crittenden 80, Sarah Colburn 77, Kellog Berry 77, and Eunice Taylor 82 years of age.
In 1774 Newtown's population was 2229; 1782, 2404; 1790, 2764 ; 1800, 2903.
Newtown had no representation at the General Court in 1776. The Public Records of the state of Connecticut, in the list of names of representatives from the several towns, has the name Newtown with a blank before it.
History does not tell us whether there was no election, or whether, if so, those elected refused to take the oath of office.
The assembly met in October. It was a solemn as well as a serious time. Questions of great import were likely to come up, that would call for drastic action. On the pre- vious fourth of July the Declaration of Independence had been signed.
The first resolution passed by the assembly when they met in New Haven in October following was-
"That we approve of the Declaration of Independence published by said Congress, and that this Colony is and of right ought to be, a
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free and Independent state, and the inhabitants thereof, are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and all political connections between them and the king of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved."
At this same session an act was passed for prescribing and enjoining an oath of fidelity to the state, and in order that we may fully understand what the act meant in its entirety, we give in full the prelude and the law as enacted by the Gen- eral Court.
"Whereas the King of Great Britain hath abdicated the govern- ment of this and the other United States of America by putting them out of his protection, and unjustly levying war against them, and the said United States by their representatives in General Con- gress assembled, by a Declaration bearing date the fourth day of July one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, for the reasons therein mentioned solemnly declared that the united Colonies of North America are and of right ought to be free and independent states and that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved, which Declara- tion is approved by this Assembly. Wherefore it is expedient for the security of this State that an oath of fidelity be taken by the freemen and officers thereof."
The oath is as follows :
"Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same-That all the members of the General Assembly and other officers civil and military, and freemen within the State of Connecticut, shall take the following oath: viz, You A.B. do swear by the ever living God that you will truly and faithfully adhere to and maintain the government established in this State under the Authority of the people, Agreeable to the laws in force within the same; and that you believe in your conscience that the King of Great Britain hath not, nor of right ought to have, any authority or dominion in or over this State; and that you do not hold yourself bound to yield any allegiance or obedience to him within the same; and that you will, to the utmost of your power, maintain and defend the freedom, in- dependence and privileges of this State against all open enemies
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or traitorous conspiracies whatsoever-So help you God. And no person shall have authority to execute any of the offices aforesaid after the first day of January next until he hath taken said oath: and all persons who hereafter shall be appointed to any of said offices shall take said oath before they enter on the execution of their offices. And no freeman within this State shall be allowed to vote in the election of any of the officers of government until he hath taken the aforesaid oath in the open freeman's meeting in the town where he dwells; and the names of all the freemen who take said oath shall be inrolled by the town clerk in the records of the town, which oath shall be administered by a magistrate or justice of the peace."
The above enactment went into effect January 1, 1777. The General Assembly of Connecticut met annually in May and October.
At the May session of 1777, Newtown was not repre- sented in the Legislature, as no one in Newtown had, up to that time, taken the oath of fidelity, and we have only to open the records to find that the freemen of Newtown were slow in conforming to the requirements of the law. Let us not be too severe at this distant day in denouncing those who delayed or refused, as being traitorous at heart in the mean- ing of that word in its broadest sense. Let us rather be charitable, and think, that as a rule, each one was governed by the dictates of his conscience doing as he thought right, as God gave him to see the right.
The records show that between August 25, 1777, and April 12, 1790, when the record closes, only 337 of New- town's freemen took the oath of fidelity. It cannot help but be interesting to the historian, as well as to our own town's- people, to have the list given in full; interesting too, to see how many of the old family names of almost two hundred years ago are still household words with us. Notice the record under each date as the months went by, and see how the tide ebbed and flowed as men struggled with conscience in marking out the path of duty.
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"Newtown August 25 1777 Personally appeared and took the oath of fidelity before me, Jabez Botsford Justice of the Peace"- "Caleb Baldwin Junr, the Town Clerk."
A noble example of one of Newtown's foremost men, who always dared to lead where any dared to follow. Draw on our imagination all we will, who of us, at this distant day, can realize the dignity, the solemnity, of the scene when the first little band of eight freemen stood before the gallant leader they had in the Town Clerk, and with uplifted hand, swore before the ever living God to uphold, and defend if need be with their lives, the cause espoused as set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
Dates when taken, and names of those who took the oath of fidelity in Newtown before Caleb Baldwin Justice of the Peace, as well as Town Clerk.
August 25, 1777-Jabez Botsford Esqr, George Terrill, Lieut. Ben- jamin Summers, Richard Fairman, James Fairchild Junr, Fitch Kim- berly, Moses Shepherd, Elijah Botsford.
August 26-Lieut. Nathanael Brisco, John Botsford, Lieut. Henry Fairman.
August 27-Nathanael Barnum, September I-Eleazer Burritt, Matthew Curtis, Joshua Northrop, Josiah Bardslee, Abel Baldwine, Capt. Jonathan Northrop, Amos Burritt, Elijah Fott, Eli Dunning, Henry Wood, David Baldwin, Gideon Botsford, Silas Hubbell, Oliver Fairchild.
September 4-Matthew Curtiss Junr, Jeptha Hubbell, Henry Peck Esqr, Ephraim Sherman, Abraham Bennitt Junr, Jared Botsford, Asa Cogswell, James Fairchild, Capt. Benjamin Dunning, Deacon Abraham Bennitt, Samuel Brown, Matthew Baldwin, Ezra Peck, Capt. Joseph Wheeler, Abraham Botsford, Lieut. Amos Terrill, Jared Dunning, Joshua Hatch, Capt. Joseph Smith, Nathan Sherman, Moses Platt, Silas Fairchild, Ebenezer Fairchild, Ebenezer Smith, Enos Northrop, Doctor James Sanford, Josiah Platt, Jonathan Beardslee, Abraham Baldwin, David Terrill, Capt. Richard Smith, Nirum Summers.
October 4-Levy Bostwick, Ephraim Jackson, Job Bunnill, Ger- shum Jackson, Samuel Hawley, David Jackson Junr, Ezra Birch, James Prindle, Ezra Dunning, Abraham Kimberly, Clement Bots-
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ford, Thomas Sharp, David Jackson, Joseph Gunn, John Keeler, Abel Smith, David Peck, Abraham Lewes, Abel Gunn, Isaac Hawley, Isaac Hawley Junr, Rev. Mr. Thomas Brooks, Nathan Burritt, Amos Northrop, Capt. Abel Botsford, Gamaliel French, Thomas Ford, John Skidmur, Nathan Washbon, James Glover, Eleazer Lacy, David Curtiss, Daniel Sherman, Nathaniel Bunnill, Daniel Morriss, Roger Hendryx, Col. John Chandler, Reuben Dunning, Reuben Taylor, Silas Hepburn, John Johnson, Abel Johnson, Joseph Bots- ford, Edward Foot, John Bostwick, Andrew Northrop, David Jud- `son, Nathan Camp, David Botsford, Capt. Joseph Hepburn, Samuel Beardslee Junr, Elijah Hard, John Bassitt, Amos Shepherd, Doctor Preserve Wood, George Northrop, Eli Wheeler, Gideon Botsford Junr, Elijah Stillson, Joseph Hard, Birdsy Glover, Andrew Beers, Joseph Stillson, Gideon Dunning, George Shepard, George Northrop, Josiah Hays.
1778-Daniel Glover, Capt. Joseph Prindle, Lazarus Prindle, David Meeker, Cyrus Prindle, Jabez Baldwin, Abraham Baldwin, William Allin, John Smith.
1779-John Hard, George Foot Junr, Theophilus Nichols, William Edmond, Livinus Peck, John Beach, Josiah Beardslee Junr, Jotham Sherman, James Shepard, Joel Prindle, Abiel Booth, Thomas Wheeler, Birdsey Glover, Zalmon Peck, John Hard, Andrew Stillson, Joshua Peck, David Hinman, Matthew Hall.
1781-Nehemiah Strong.
1782-Amos Bennitt, Abel Foot, Reuben Terrill, Hezekiah Dayton, John Summers, John Blackman Junr, Josiah Fairchild, Abel Skid- more, Amos Sherman, Nehemiah Curtiss, Abijah Curtiss, Stephen Crofoot, Francis Peirce, Benjamin Curtiss.
In 1783 there seems to have been a great change of sentiment as 93 took the oath of fidelity, viz .:
John Fabrique, Jehosaphat Prindle, Ezra Sherman, George Sample, Hezekiah Booth, Capt. Peter Nichols, Capt. John Glover, Junr. Zalmon Booth, Cyrus Beers, Cyrenius Hard, Amos Hard, Nirum Hard, Rueben Booth Solomon Glover, Ichabod Fairman, Joseph Foot, Henry Glover Junr. Elisha Wooster, Zalmon Tousey Junr. Salmon Curtiss, Stephen Burwell Jr., James Thomas, Anson Hard, Levi Peck, Job Crawford, John Beach Jr., Truman Blackman, Caleb Bennitt, Theophilus Botsford, Salmon Glover, Roger Terrill, Nathaniel Peck, Daniel Terrill, Elijah Peck, Alpheus Fairchild, Curtis Hard, Andrew Griffin, Abel Winton, Abraham
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Wheeler, Truman Sherman, Reuben Curtiss, James Foot, Elias Beardslee, Philo Parmalee, Timothy Treadwell, Eli Peck, Nirom Curtiss, Abraham Booth, Nathaneal Judson, Amos Griffin, Isaac Tousey, Samuel Beers, Nathaniel Northrop, Daniel Clark Sanford, Daniel Humphrey, Capt. Ephraim Kimberly, William Hall, Josiah Blackman, Jonathan Booth, Capt. John Blackman, Capt. Henry Glover, James Bennitt, Zachariah Clark, Isaac Trowbridge, Abel Ferris, Heth Griffin,
1784-Abel Booth, Peter Lake, Ephraim Lake, Joseph Bristol, Seth Fairchild, Philo Tousey, William Burwell, Philo Fairchild, Abraham Beers, Abel Prindle, Asa Chambers, Abel Tousey, John Walker, Jabez Peck, Philo Curtis, Samuel Sanford, Elias Glover, William Northrop, Ebenezer Booth, Luther Harris, Wait Northrop, Drake Northrop, Benjamin Hawley, Noadiah Warner, Samuel French, Amial Peck, Samuel Peck.
1785-Theophilus Hurd, John Beers Junr, Benjamin Stillson, Elijah Nichols, Thomas Stillson, Philo Norton, George Peck, Enos Johnson, Obadiah Wheeler, Elias Beers, Joseph Bennitt Wheeler, Moses Botsford, Curtis Wainwright, Nathaneal Briscoe Junr. Peter Clark Hull, Abijah Hard.
1787-Daniel Baldwin, Robert Summers, Gold Curtiss, Zenas Washburn, Daniel Botsford, Vine Botsford, William Birch Junr. Eldad Jenny, James Hendryx, Jabez Beers, Samuel Trowbridge. 1788-Donald Tousey, David Tousey.
1789-Zadock Fairchild, Jonathan Fairchild, David Booth.
1790-John Winthrop Chandler, Moses Kent Botsford, Clement Fairchild, Ezekiel Fairchild.
When by order of Congress a loan office was established in each of the United States to receive such monies as might be offered for loan, and commissioners were appointed in the respective towns to receive loans, for which they should deliver over to the lenders loan certificates bearing four per cent. interest and payable in three years, Caleb Baldwin, Esq., was appointed Commissioner for Newtown, and our town records show that there were a few loans made to help furnish the Continential army with the needed sinews of war, as the following receipts given by the Commissioner will show :
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"Newtown June 23, 1778-Received of Mr. Aaron McGregory for Continental Loan office the sum of seventy dollars."
"Newtown July 6 1778 Received of Thomas Brooks Junr. for Continental Loan office the sum of thirty eight Pounds ten shillings."
"Newtown August 10 1778 Received of Mr Josiah Beardslee for Continental Loan office the sum of one hundred pounds money."
"Newtown October 26 1778 Received of Mrs Mary Judson for Continental Loan office the sum of fifty seven dollars and two thirds of a dollar.
(Mrs Judson was widow of Rev. David Judson.)"
"Newtown December 8 1778 Received of Mr Jonathan Fairchild for Continental Loan office the sum of six hundred dollars."
"Newtown April 21 1779 Received of Mrs. Sarah Baldwin for Continental Loan office the sum of 100 dollars."
"Newtown April 28 1779 Received of Mrs Mary Robson for Con- tinental Loan office the sum of one hundred dollars."
"Newtown May 31 1779 Received of Mr Caleb Baldwin Junr. State Certificate Containing one hundred and seventy seven dollars property of Capt. Joseph Smith, and of Certificate Estates two Hundred dollars, and of school money, seventy five dollars, and of Mr Caleb Baldwin Sixty three dollars.
Abel Botsford."
In all, there are nine loans recorded on our town records, two of which were made by women.
In the campaign of 1781 Count de Rochambeau marched his army from Providence, R. I., to Bedford, N. Y., in the month of June. He was on his way to join Gen. Washing- ton in his operations against Lord Cornwallis. They encamped at Woodbury on the night of June 27 and reached Newtown on the 28th and remained until Sunday, July I, when they broke camp and proceeding through Ridgebury reached Bedford, N. Y., Monday, July 2, ready to join their forces with the main army. The army marched in regi- ments until reaching Newtown, following one another at intervals of a day's march or at a distance of about 15 miles. Their stay in Newtown was cut short by urgent orders from Gen. Washington to hasten toward the Hudson river. There was no rest except what was imperatively necessary
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and some of the French officers set the example of walking the whole distance at the head of their regiments. The officers wore coats of white broadcloth trimmed with green, white under dress and hats with two corners instead of three like the cocked hats worn by the American officers, paid all their expenses in hard money, committed no depre- dations and treated the inhabitants with great civility and propriety .- "History of the Catholic Church in the New England States."
According to the Magazine of American History the army numbered 600 artillery, 600 cavalry and 3600 infantry, 4800 men in all. While they were in Newtown five men deserted from their ranks. Their encampment was on the plain and hillside near Mrs. Philo Clark's, southwest of our village. Esquire Lamson Birch, who died some 50 years ago and who lived upon that plain, remembered many inci- dents connected with Revolutionary times and he confirmed the statement that there was an encampment of French soldiers near his father's house, as did also Aunt Ann Foote, who in Revolutionary days lived in a house that stood where Mrs. Barney Kelly now lives. There were two divisions of the French army passed through Newtown at different times. Aunt Mary Ann Glover, as every one called her, born in 1776 and dying in 1878 aged 102 years, claimed to remember distinctly an encampment of French soldiers on this plain east of the village where we now are, and she also remembers the celebration of the proclamation of peace when an ox was roasted whole at the head of Newtown street. The second passage of a French army through the town was under Gen. LaFayette marching from the Hudson river across to Boston, when they encamped in Newtown over night. One needs only to bear in mind that Newtown lies on the direct inland course from Hartford to the Hudson river at Peekskill to see, that of necessity the moving of troops in either direction, from the eastern coast to the Hudson river or from the Hudson river to
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