USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > New Canaan > Readings in New Canaan history > Part 3
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The occupations of the early inhabitants of New Canaan were purely agricultural, with artizans enough barely to supply their own wants. The tailors and mantua-makers and even shoe-makers were accustomed to circulate through the town semi-annually making up the requisite wardrobes of the families. The farmers were exceedingly patient, hard working men; their farms required clearing not only of trees and bushes, but of the numerous stones, which in this diluvial soil, almost covered the face of the earth. To dispose of these stones, they built walls enclosing small fields. They raised wheat, (until the Hessian fly destroyed that crop) rye, corn, oats and potatoes. Timo- thy or herds-grass was introduced at a comparatively late period. Their hay consisted of the harsh low meadow-grass, and the natural
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A History of Canaan Parish and of New Canaan
grasses of the uplands near their barns. The great problem with them was, how to winter their stock. They supplemented their slender supply of hay with cornstalks and husks and oat-straw. Their cattle in the spring were emaciated and many of them died of "horn dis- temper," which generally meant "starvation." The old wooden plough was a rough, heavy, clumsy instrument and I remember hear- ing discussions among the workmen on the probability of the introduction of an iron plough which was then in use, in the west of that day, (that is Central and Western New York.) I rejoice in having lived to see the toils of the husbandmen relieved by the steel plough, the tooth harrow, the horse rake, the mower and reaper and other machines, which not only lighten labor, but make it more efficient. Nor will we forget the spinning jennies, power-looms and sewing machines which relieve the women of the present day from that incessant hard labor, which in the case of their grandmothers together with the inevitable care of the household, crushed their physical energies, and suppressed every rising aspiration for intel- lectual and aesthetic culture. Let the spinning-wheels large and small go to grace the elegant parlors of New York, and I would they were gifted with speech, to portray the scenes of unrepining toil enacted at their sides in days gone by - and perhaps gentlemen might profit by a plough or flail of the olden times in their offices.
But there came a time when the enterprise of New Canaan was turned in the direction of manufacturing boots and shoes. The town was dotted over with little shops and ranked among the foremost in that manufacture. I have not been able to obtain any reliable statis- tics of this business when it was most extensive. Niles' Register giving an account of the town in 1818, states that 50,000 pairs were annually sent out.
At this day we have no conception of the difficulties connected with travel in the early period of our history. For many years, all travel was on foot or horseback, and the introduction of pleasure carriages dates within the present century. When persons wished to go to New York City they resorted to the sloops from Five Mile River, or Rings' End landing. A daily mail stage route from Boston on the turnpike, passing through Norwalk and Stamford, was estab- lished in 1818. In 1825 the steamboat "Oliver Wolcott," began run- ning from Stamford to New York, down on one day and returning
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the next. During the summer of that year a four-horse stage coach came from Ridgefield to Stamford, through this town - and soon after, travel to the city was by steamboat from Norwalk touching at Stamford, Greenwich and New Rochelle. Early in 1849, the New York and New Haven Railroad was completed and the great marvel accomplished of three trains daily, the whole way and back again. When the Danbury Railroad was in contemplation a route was sur- veyed through New Canaan, but our citizens were either indifferent or distinctly opposed to it. After a time, however, it was perceived that the only way to save our town from insignificance and business extinction was to build a railroad connecting with the New Haven Road and tide water communication for heavy freight. The New Canaan R. R. was opened July 4, 1868, and if it has not accomplished all that its earnest advocates expected of it, it has had a determining influence in shaping the future of the town. A post-office with a weekly mail was established in 1817, afterwards two mails a week, the mail being carried on horseback to Stamford, which was then a distributing office. During the past thirteen years two mails daily have been distributed from the office here. A telegraph line was established in 1860, which is still working.
The New Canaan Savings Bank was organized in 1859. Samuel A. Weed, President, until '63; Watts Comstock, President, from '63 to '72; Stephen Hoyt, from '72 to present time.
The First National Bank, of New Canaan, was organized in 1865. Watts Comstock was President from the date of organization until his death, when Stephen Hoyt was elected to fill the vacancy.
Probably few of my auditors have ever reflected upon the fact, that we have had slaves in New Canaan, until within a few years. Very many families here in the last century, had one or more slaves, and when the State passed its Emancipation Act, it exempted only those born after a certain date, leaving the others still in slavery. So far as I can learn, they were not subjected to any harsher usage than if they had been free, still that their bones and sinews were not their own, must have been galling to the slightest spark of sensibility. The whipping-post and stocks, we are happy to say, have passed away forever. The whipping-post stood at the angle of the road south-east of us, (a few feet north of the present lamp post) - and in my boy- hood I witnessed the whipping of two men for petty thieving. The
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A History of Canaan Parish and of New Canaan
physical infliction was trifling, but the moral degradation was truly pitiable. The post remained there for many years but its name was changed to sign-post. Public notices were posted upon it.
I must not omit to notice the two great festivals - training Day and Thanksgiving - the former derived from the still lingering spirit of the Revolution a decidedly martial character. The first Mondays of May and September were by statute training-days, and every able- bodied man of a certain age was required to appear for inspection and drill. At 10 o'clock they assembled on the "parade ground" which was an open field given to the town for this purpose. The command- ing officer sent his compliments to the minister, with a request that he would favor them with his presence, which he did, and opened the exercises with prayer. Soon after they adjourned for dinner. There were two companies, one uniformed, called the grenadiers, the other the militia. The music was fife and drum, and when after wondrous evolutions, they marched down the ridge to the meeting-house hill, the martial ardor of the boys was at boiling point. The Thanksgivings were much like those of the present day except that the House of God was well-filled, and the Thanksgiving anthem fell upon enchanted ears. The public exercises began with the reading of the Governor's proclamation. (It had been read two successive Sundays before.) It was an awe inspiring document, especially as it closed with the omi- nous injunction: "All servile labor and vain recreation, are, on said day, by law forbidden." After the service the reunited families gathered round tables loaded with a bewildering multiplicity of dishes, among which roast turkey and pumpkin pie held their long- established pre-eminence. There amid representatives of three or perhaps four generations, this family festival held high carnival. Long may it keep its power to recall the sons and daughters of New England to the old homesteads.
1190362
While we review our past history and recollect what we have been, and what we are, the duties of this day were but ill-performed if we stopped here; if turning from the past, and entering on a new century of our political existence we gave no heed to the voice of experience and dwelt not, with thoughts of earnest solicitude, on the future. Let us search the history of our forefathers for those principles which enabled them to establish our prosperity on its present basis - discerning their errors as well as their merits - not always doing as
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they did, but as we know from their principles they would have us do, in our circumstances so widely differing from theirs. Among the prominent features of their truest glory is that system of public instruction, which they instituted by law, and to which New England owes more of its character and its prosperity than to all other causes. If this system be not altogether without example in the history of other nations, it is still an extraordinary instance of wise legislation and worthy of the most profound statesman of any age, and this was done by them when they had just made their first lodge- ment in the wilderness, when they had scarcely found leisure to build comfortable homes for themselves. This system has never thus far been broken in upon. Under its benign influence our youth have grown up. It has taught them the first great lesson of human improve- ment, that knowledge is power - and made the last great lesson of human experience felt, that without virtue there is neither happiness nor safety. Never let this glorious institution be abandoned or betrayed by the weakness of friends, or the power of its adversaries.
Let us cherish our history. It is a great and distinctive advantage that we have behind us the beginning and growth of an orderly histo- ry. Let us honor our fathers' memory by preserving and exemplifying their principles. We who are now assembled here gathering up the influences of this occasion, must soon be numbered with the con- gregation of other days. The time of our departure is at hand to make way for our successors in the theatre of life. It may be that our pos- terity will assemble here to review their past. Shall it be amid joy or sorrow? The answer is in part left to us. May he, who, at the distance of another century, shall stand here to celebrate this day, still look around upon a free, happy and virtuous people; and may the God of our fathers give us grace to administer the trust committed to us, that our record shall enable the historian to rank us with them, as having been faithful to the principles which they established.
AN HISTORICAL ADDRESS
By THE RT. REV. STEPHEN E. KEELER, D.D. BISHOP OF MINNESOTA
This address was delivered at St. Mark's, New Canaan, on Sunday, May 13, 1934, on the occasion of the centennial of the consecration of the present church. It was originally published in "The Lion of St. Mark's" and later in "Canaan Parish" and is now reprinted with permission of the author.
Bishop Keeler, a graduate of Yale University in the class of 1910 and of the General Theological Seminary, New York, is a descendent of several of New Canaan's oldest families and since his boyhood on the Keeler farm on Smith Ridge has been actively interested in New Canaan's history. He was elected Bishop Coadjutor, Protestant Episcopal Church, Diocese of Minnesota, in 1931, became Bishop in charge of Hawaiian Islands in 1943 and Bishop of Minnesota in 1944. He is nowa resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
T HE History of St. Mark's parish begins with the founding of St. Paul's parish, Norwalk, organized in 17371 and of St. John's parish, Stamford, organized in 1742.2 In reality St. Mark's has two spiritual mothers and while in popular anecdote and generally accepted tradition St. Paul's, Norwalk, is given principal place, a close study of early records and history cannot but recognize our debt to St. John's, Stamford.
1 The proprietors of Norwalk had granted land - Feb. 11, 1733 or 1734 (the present site of St. Paul's, Norwalk) - to "professors of the Church of England provided they build a church on any part of it." The parish however was not organized until 1737. Hall's - "Norwalk," p. 122.
2 December 2, 1742.
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Readings In New Canaan History
CANAAN PARISH, A PART OF THE LUDLOW PURCHASE PROJECT OF 1640
In all the early records of both the Norwalk and Stamford parishes and townships - the present New Canaan was known as Canaan Parish. The Congregational parish was so called. On April 3, 17323 the "proprietors of Norwalk by major vote granted to the inhabitants of Canaan parish all ye common land where their meeting house standeth."4 When this town was incorporated in 1801 it was named New Canaan to distinguish it from Canaan in the northern part of the State, which had been first settled in 1738 and incorporated in 1739.5 In reality Canaan parish was a part of the purchase project of Nor- walk from the Indians by Roger Ludlow in 1640, and while the real settlement of Norwalk did not begin until 1650 apparently there were a few scattered inhabitants within the limits of the Ludlow purchase soon after 1640.6 By 165 1 the settlement was well under way7 for on February 15, 165 1 the Indian Runckinheage and other chieftains deeded territory to the "planters of Norwalk" listing fourteen of them by name. In 1680 there were Haits (Hoyts), Car- ters, Keelers and Sentions (St. John's) holding land on Clapboard Hills8 while a few years later there were Hanfords9 in White Oak Shade, Davenports10 on Ponus Ridge and Weeds11 near the present Weed Street. When these early dates of pioneer settlements are definitely known it is not too much to claim for Canaan parish a real share in Roger Ludlow's purchase project of 1640, and certainly before any settlement of Canaan in the northern part of the State was under way a whole generation of pioneers from Norwalk and Stamford were living on the ridges of Canaan parish.
3 Hall's - "Norwalk," p. 122.
4 This meeting house had been erected in 1731.
5 Barber - "Connecticut Historical Collections," p. 463.
6 Hall - "Norwalk," p. 14, and Trumbull - "Connecticut" Volume I, p. 115.
7 Hall - "Norwalk," p. 35.
8 Granted - to Thomas Hait and Capt. Sam'l Keeler for their services as soldiers in "Direful Swamp Fight," 1675.
9 Elnathan Hanford received thirty acres of land in White Oak Shade from estate of his father Rev. Thomas Hanford who died in 1693.
10 By 1721 farmer John Davenport, son of the Rev. John Davenport of Stamford, Davenport Ridge. This house is referred to in the will of Rev. John Davenport dated Jan. 6, 1729.
11 Abraham Weed had come from Stamford with his father and built a house on Frogtown Road, near Weed Street, about 1727.
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There is a growing regret that the town incorporators in 1801 did not see the quaintness and uniqueness of "Canaan Parish" as a name for this town. In view of the early settlement and history outlined above let us hope that before long the authorities of this New Canaan, in memory of the hardihood and fortitude of the pioneers of 200-250 years ago will rename the town "Canaan Parish."
FIRST "PROFESSORS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND" IN CANAAN PARISH, AND THEIR CONNECTION WITH NORWALK AND STAMFORD
Canaan parish, comprising the territory covered by the present township limits was made up of land ceded by both Norwalk and Stamford and organized as a parish in 1731. From 1731 until the building of the first church of the "Episcopal Society" in 1764 the early settlers, who were "professors of the Church of England," if they attended service anywhere else than in the meeting house, went either to St. Paul's, Norwalk or St. John's, Stamford. The Silver Mine, White Oak Shade, Clapboard Hill, Canoe Hill and Smith Ridge settlers naturally turned toward Norwalk while those living on the Stamford side of Canaan parish, Talmadge Hill, Weed Street and Ponus Ridge districts were more attracted to Stamford.
The ministers of St. Paul's, Norwalk and St. John's, Stamford fulfilled duties in Canaan parish for a consideration. The early records of St. Paul's, Norwalk will reveal the appointment of a col- lector for the "Canaan side of the Norwalk parish" and sometimes a special committee was delegated by St. Paul's, Norwalk "to collect arrears in Canaan parish."12 Apparently, then as now, some church obligations were hard to collect.
The two men most prominently associated with "professors of the Church of England" as spiritual pastors during these early days were the Rev. Jeremiah Leaming, D.D., Rector of St. Paul's, Nor- walk and the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble of St. John's, Stamford. Dr. Leaming, born in Middletown, Conn., was a graduate of Yale College in 1745. He sailed for England and was ordained there in 1748. From 1758 until driven from the town in 1779 he was Rector of St. Paul's, Norwalk. His Royalist convictions were described as follows by two who knew him. "He was as big a Tory as ever there
12 From St. Paul's, Norwalk - Parish Records.
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Readings In New Canaan History
could be on earth."13 "He continued to pray for the king as long as he dared to."14 Dr. Leaming left with the British after the burning of Norwalk.15
Dr. Ebenezer Dibble was as familiar a figure in the Stamford side of Canaan parish as was Dr. Leaming in that of Norwalk. He was born in Danbury, and a graduate of Yale in 1734. He, like Leaming, secured ordination in England in 1748. In 1748 he began his work in Stamford and for a long time he labored, too, in Ridgefield and parts of Westchester County. Living in Stamford, a greatly beloved figure, until his death in 1799,16 he was able to survive the Revolution with- out harm either to his person or his property although he constantly referred to it "as an unjustifiable rebellion." His personal popularity was probably his defence.17 These two men will evidence the fact that even in the early days, churchmen in Canaan parish enjoyed the inspiration of men thoroughly trained in theology, strong in their political convictions and of real missionary and pastoral enthusiasm.
THE FIRST CHURCH FRAME RAISED MAY 13, 1764
The first date of local interest to churchmen in Canaan parish is that of May 13, 1764, just exactly 170 years ago this very day when the frame of the first Episcopal Church was raised on land, later deeded by Mr. James Hait, about three quarters of a mile northwest from this present Church. This building was erected on the north central portion of what is now known as the "Old Church burying ground." There had been considerable discussion regarding its loca- tion on or near the old militia "parade ground."18 At this time upper Haines Ridge was thought of as the probable center of the town as it might grow.19 It is my conviction that the gift of the property
13 Mrs. Nathanael Raymond - Recollections in Hall's, "Norwalk," p. 179.
14 Mrs. William St. John - Recollections in Hall's "Norwalk," p. 180.
15 July 11, 1779.
Bolton - "Westchester County."
17 Huntington - "History of Stamford," p. 390.
18 This "Parade Ground," finally bought by inhabitants of Canaan parish in 1778 for 14 pounds current money. From an old deed.
19 Upper Haines Ridge (present Oenoke Avenue) at the "old parade ground" was almost the exact center of Canaan parish and there was quite a "cluster of early houses" there. St. John - "Historical Address of July 4, 1876."
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An Historical Address
determined the location. Dr. St. John,20 the Rev. David Ogden and others in historical addresses insist that the property was originally given by a Mr. Husted and apparently later deeded by Mr. Hait. His deed refers to a site "whereon the frame of a church now stands." St. John, Ogden and others also state that the church was raised May 13, 1762. Their authority for this exact date probably never will be known. Selleck's "Norwalk" discusses the question and attributes the real gift of land as from Capt. John Alexander of New York.21 There was a complicated real estate transaction as between Mr. Hait (Hoyt), Capt. Alexander and Mr. Jonathan Husted. In any event the entire matter was settled by a deed dated July 18, 1764 and recorded in Stamford. This old deed representing the first property held by churchmen for religious purposes in Canaan parish is one of the real treasures in possession of the parish. It is of interest to note that it is recorded in Stamford with a copy of the deed also in Norwalk while the deed of gift to the Congregational Society is recorded only in Norwalk.22 This indicates that the line dividing the Norwalk and Stamford sides of Canaan parish was assumed to run somewhere between the sites of the two churches.23
At the time of the giving of this deed by Mr. Hait there was no corporation entitled to hold this real estate, but that seems to have bothered no one.
"This first church building though so far completed as to be fit for public worship, remained for many years in an unfinished state. It is the general belief that it was never consecrated to the worship of God, though Bishops Seabury, Jarvis and Brownell24 often visited here and held confirmation." 25
Since there was no settled minister for this first Church, services
20 Prof. Samuel St. John "Historical Address," p. 25.
21 Selleck's "Norwalk," p. 355 (footnote.)
22 Granted by proprietors of Norwalk, April 3, 1732.
23 The Noroton River was the line and whether the Hait land was on the Stamford or Norwalk side of Canaan parish depends on what can be determined to have been the source of the Noroton River, whether it was the marsh back of the present Rush Taggart place or an old marsh back of the Dr. Nathan Greene house. The latter source is now pretty thoroughly drained.
24 The dates of these three Episcopates are - Seabury, 1784-1796; Jarvis, 1797-1813; Brownell, 1819-1865.
25 Extract from Historical Sermon - June 2, 1839, by Rev. David Ogden.
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were held in it for only about a quarter of the Sundays of the year. During this time the more faithful of the "professors of the Church of England," in Canaan parish, attended services in Stamford and Norwalk. That meant a difficult journey of from seven to ten miles on horseback, in ox carts or in lumber box wagons without springs, over roads hardly more than cleared wood roads. Jonathan Abbott and his wife Jammia (Ruscoe) Abbott26 were known in Norwalk as the parishioners coming the longest distance to church. They attended St. Paul's journeying there on horseback, a good eight miles, from the Abbott homestead a half mile above Smith Ridge.27 In those days people took their Sabbath responsibilities very seriously. All of Sunday was spent at the Church and in a sense it was the only real community center.
You are the successors of these first "professors of the Church of England" in old Canaan parish and it is of great present interest that on next Sunday, May 20th, you are to hold a memorial service in this old church hill cemetery where 170 years ago this day our spiritual forebears erected the frame of their first church. That old church yard is hallowed by the dust of many worthy sons and daughters of the church - "witnesses of the faith once delivered to the Saints."
THE DIFFICULT PERIOD BETWEEN 1762 AND 1791
There are only meagre records of the doings of "Churchmen" in Canaan parish between 1764 and 1791. They had a church building but no resident minister and no parochial organization. Depending upon which side of Canaan Parish they lived, the "professors" paid a rate for the support of the Norwalk and Stamford "Old Societies."28 It was the period of "The Revolution" during which the "professors" were not held in high esteem. Many of the clergy of the Church of England throughout the colonies were royalists. While the land given to the "professors" for church purposes came by grant from the town authorities, the clergy, ordained in England, were under the canonical authority of the Bishop of London. It is important, too, to remember that funds for the support of "the Church" in the
26 Grandparents of the Rev. Charles R. Abbott who wrote the historical address, delivered Nov. 13, 1891.
27 Selleck's "Centennial of St. Paul's Church" and St. Paul's parish records.
28 Norwalk and Stamford parish records and Dr. St. John, p. 26.
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colonies came from the greatest of missionary societies "The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign parts." 29 Many of these Episcopal clergymen were heroic figures and underwent real suffering for the courage of their convictions. Deriving their eco- nomical authority as priests from the Bishop of London and their sup- port as missionaries from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel they were in a very difficult position.30 However, many ardent "lay professors of the Church of England" were loyal patriots of the colonial cause. Certainly two churchmen, Capt. Stephen Betts and Capt. Isaac Keeler played important roles as military leaders of local colonial forces. In 1791 and 1794 they were vigorous leaders in the formation of an independent "Episcopal Society" in Canaan parish. No one can question their patriotism in 1776 nor their churchmanship in 1791 and 1794.
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