USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 18
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tor, Ripton. Feb'y 22. 1768.' Adjourned till to-morrow morn- ing eleven o'clock. Met according to adjournment and pro- ceeded to the examination of the Candidates as to their Qualifications for the Work of the Ministry and then ad- journed until to-morrow morning eight o'clock. Met Feb. 24, 1768, according to adjournment, and proceeded to com- plete the examination of the aforementioned Candidates, as to their Abilities natural & acquired. their Knowledge, Doc- trinal and experimental, and finding them hopefully qualified for the work of the ministry: do accordingly License them to preach the Gospel. and recommend them to the Service of the Churches wheresoever God in his providence shall call them." Rev. Jedediah Mills, born 1697, was a son of Peter Mills, of Windsor, Conn., born 1668 ; he graduated at Yale, 1722. was pastor of Ripton Parish from 1723-4; a friend of Whitfield. who commemorates him in his journal as " a dear man of God." He died in 1776, greatly lamented, having retired from active service three years previously. His son Samuel, who was a classmate of Blackleach Burritt, was for some time pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Bedford, Westchester County. N. Y. Rev. Isaac Lewis, D. D., the other classmate referred to, who was a native of Ripton Parish, Stratford, was located many years at Wilton. was a Chaplain in the Continental Army, 1776 ; and after the Revolution, was settled over the Church at Old Greenwich, where Rev. Mr. Burritt, as will be seen, was for a time located. He died Aug. 27, 1840, in his ninety-fifth year.
And so Rev. Blackleach Burritt was regulary licensed to preach. He had previously married Martha Wells, daughter of Gideon and Eunice Wells, of Ripton Parish, at a date not known, but probably soon after graduating from College. as his second daughter was born Feb. 26, 1768. And as he not only so married a descendant of the distinguished Colonial Governor of Connecticut, Thomas Welles, but two of his daughters were afterwards also united with kindred of that name, it seems fitting to here give a brief lineage of that noted family.
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THE WELLES FAMILY
Is illustrious in the annals of this country, but as the head of one among the many different branches which here appeared at an early day, Thomas Welles, the distinguished Colonial Governor of Connecticut, stands out pre-eminent. It may be difficult to trace his direct connection with heraldic honors. or to those whose names were inscribed at Battle Abbey, by order of William the Conqueror. (the family tracings go back it is said to 794) but he was evidently of good family and so bore himself as to be well entitled to the kingly title of a man. Late investigations indicate that Thomas Welles was from Northamptonshire, where he was born in 1598. In the English Calendar of Colonial State Papers, is found, date of 1635, "Thomas Welles and Elizabeth his wife Recusant, (i. e. Non-Conformists) in Rothwell, Northamptonshire." Articles of accusation were drawn up against him and he was warned to appear in the Court of Star Chamber to answer charges. He was admonished to answer " plene " under pain of being taken pro confesso. Was then warned to appear next court day to receive final judgment. Feb. 12, 1635, he had been ordered sentenced. As he then disappeared from Rothwell, having lost all of his property by confiscation, he doubtless at that time entered the service of his kinsman, Lord Saye and Sele, who protected all of the Puritans to the best of his ability.
"In the year 1635, John Winthrop arrived at Boston with a commission from Lord Saye & Sele, Lord Brooks and other noblemen interested in the Conneetient Patent, to ereet a fort at the mouth of the Connecticut river. They sent men, amu- nitions and two thousand pounds sterling, (Winthrop's Jour- nal). Early in 1636. Lord Saye & Sele, with his Private See- retary Thomas Welles, came out to Saybrooke, but his Lord- ship discouraged by the gloomy aspect of everything about him. and not finding his golden dreams realized. returned to England. leaving his Secretary behind to encounter the dan- gers and difficulties of the then wilderness. Thomas Welles proceeded up the Connectient river with his company as far as Wethersfield and Hartford.
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Thomas Welles on his arrival in Connecticut, disclaimed " Arms," in compliance with the general custom, but that did not prevent his taking a prominent position at an early day in the affairs of the Colony, and from bravely counselling to take up arms against the warlike Pequots at that memorable Conrt of the Magistrates of whom he was one, held on the 7th day of May, 1637. He held the office of Magistrate for twenty-two years, and until his death. In 1639 was Treas- urer of the Colony : in 1641, Secretary : in 1649, a Commis- sioner of the United Colonies ; in 1654, Moderator of the General Court, and Deputy Governor ; in 1655, Governor : in 1656-57, Deputy Governor : 1658, Governor, and in 1659 again Deputy Governor. Was considered one of the best writers in the Colony and most of the laws of that period were drafted by him. Was a man of affairs, and one of the largest taxpayers. He died at Wethersfield, Jan. 14. 1660, leaving a widow and seven children, four sons and three daughters, besides one son deceased.
John Welles. the eldest son of Governor Welles. born in Northamptonshire, 1621, came to this country with his father iu 1636 : was made a Freeman at Hartford, April 1, 1645; removed shortly after to Stratford in which he received his father's interest ; was the Representative, 1656-7 ; Magistrate and Judge of Probate, in 1658. He died in 1659, aged thirty- eight years, leaving the following children : John, Thomas and Robert, (twins) Temperance, Samuel and Sarah. The widow, Elizabeth Welles, who was left by her husband's will "all that is due her in England and forty pounds to carry her there, if she chooses to go," married second, in 1663. John Willcockson, of Stratford.
Jolin Welles, Jr., called Captain Welles in the Stratford rec- ords, was born at Stratford, in 1648, and was married to Mary Hollister, daughter of John Hollister, of Wethersfield, 1669. There were eight children, viz. : Mary, Thomas and Sarah, (twins) John, Comfort, Joseph, Elizabeth and Robert, all born in Stratford. John Welles, Jr., died Nov. 24, 1714.
Thomas Welles, eldest son of John Welles, Jr., born Jan. 2, 1674, was married about 1710, to Sarah, daugliter of
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Ephraim Stiles, of Stratford. There were nine children, as follows :
Bathsheba. born April 30, 1711 ; Ephraim, born Nov. 7, 1712: Comfort. born Sep. 15, 1714; Thomas, born Aug. 20, 1717; Gideon, born Nov. 12, 1719: Daniel, born May 19, 1722 ; Gurdon, born Feb. 3, 1724 : Hezekiah, born Jnly. 1732.
Thomas Welles was commonly known as Deacon Welles, being the first of that name to hold that office in the old Stratford church.
Gideon Welles, son of Deacon Thomas, married Eunice ( -- ) and lived at Ripton Parish, in Stratford, where she died Jan. 8, 1805, aged eighty-five, and he died Oct. 19, 1805, aged eighty-six years. His will, probated Nov. 2, 1805, on file in the Bridgeport records, gives to his daughters Eunice Welles, who had married Simeon Hamilton, June 4, 1794 ;
Ruth Welles, who had married Timothy Hatch, Nov. 28, 1782 ;
Diantha Welles, who had married John Ayers, Dec I, 1782;
Blackleach Burritt, Jr., son of my daughter (deceased,) Martha Burritt :
Each five pounds : while the real estate was divided be- tween his sons, Stiles, Gideon, Jr., and Robert Welles, all of Ripton Parish. Robert Welles married Anna Wheeler. Dec. 9, 1779. The marriages of the other sons do not appear.
Hezekiah Welles, the youngest son of Deacon Thomas, was married at Stratford, about 1753, to Phebe Latin, and had five sons : David, Josiali, born about 1756, Gurdon, Abijah and Abner. She died at Ripton Parish, Jan. 2, 1912, aged ninety years. Hezekiah was a Sergt. in Capt. Edward Barnard's company in the French war, 1759. He is believed to have re- moved to New Milford. His son, Josiah, married Prudence Leavenworth, at Ripton Parish, Jan. 13, 1770, and had a son. James, born 1780, who married at DeRuyter, Madison Coun- ty, N. Y., Oet. 1802, Prudence, daughter of Rev. Blackleach Burritt.
Gurdon Welles, third son of Hezekiah, born Feb. 28, 1758. in Ripton Parish, was there married March 1, 1792. to Saralı, daughter of Rev. Blaekleach Burritt.
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The Fairfield East Association, which licensed Mr. Bur- ritt, recommended him to the church at Ridgebury, as a worthy and proper person, and the records show him to have been there for a short period, from April 8. 1768, the prede- eessor of Rev. Samuel Camp, who was ordained there in 1769. From then until 1772, there is no record of him. but he is be- lieved to have been at New Milford, Conn., where there were kindred of his wife's, and where there was a Separatist church, or at North Salem, Westchester, County, N. Y. As early as 1772, he appeared at Pound Ridge, in Westchester County, N. Y., and was the first recorded pastor of the Pres- byterian church at that place. The records of the old Dutch- ess County Presbytery, of which he became a member, at a meeting held May 4. 1774. recommended the Congregation at Pound Ridge, to give a call to the Rev. Blackleach Burritt to settle among them in the work of the ministry. Whereupon a formal eall was duly extended to him, and on June 15, 1774, an adjourned meeting of the Presbytery was held at that place for the purpose of bis ordination. On the day follow- ing, after account of some preliminary business, and the for- mal ordaining of Re .. Mr. Burritt, the following record ap- pears : " But inasmuch as there are certain difficulties sub- sisting in this Church and Congregation respecting Mr. Bur- ritt's being settled over them, the Presbytery does not think proper to give Mr. Burritt the particular charge of this Con- gregation, as their stated Pastor, but do ordain him with ref- erence to them, and appoint him to labor here in his Ministe- rial office for the space of one year." At the end of that year another remonstrance from aggrieved members of that con- gregation was presented to the Presbytery, but his friends were more powerful, and he was continued there for another year. A copy of the original protest is herewith presented, not only as a quaint and original document, but as giving occasion to show the trend of his religious thought.
To the Reverend Presbytery non Convened in Pound Ridge:
REV. SERS: We the subscribers beg leave to show before you the Reasons why we are not willing the Rev. Mr. Burritt should not be introduet into the work of the Gospel Ministry
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in this place, which are as followeth, viz; The first & great reason is Because we in our opinions Look upon his principals in matters of a Religious Nature not to be Agree- able to the Directions, Rules & Precepts of the Gospel, & so consequently contrary to the Dictates of our Consciences, & also contrary to the Peace & good order of this place as to Ecclesiastical Enjoyments, & notwithstanding the Desirable qualities & Endowments which are Discoverable in the gen- tleman in other respects. As Sundry of us have signed for Mr. Burret's Salery, we stand ready to give the reasons sev- erally when required. We desire to guard against a Party spirit, requesting the same of our fellow members of this community, humbly imploring Divine assistance that we may all be brought to such conclution in unity as in this important afare shall be most conducive to God's glory & the public weal of this Ecclesiastical communite, is the earnest request of your most obedient and Humble Servts, the subscribers.
Pound Ridge, June 14, 1774.
Eb C. Brown, Ebenezer Seymour,
David Fansher,
Nathaniel Fansher,
Amos Seofield,
Abraham Slason,
Enos Browu. William Garnsey,
Joseph Scofield,
Timothy Bowton,
Ebenezer Bouton, Jr.,
Joseph Fanshaw,
David Dart, Joseph Seymour.
To understand the causes of this protest it is only necessa- ry to recall the fact that Mr. Burritt had imbided the spirit of Whitfield's preaching while in College, and that he had studied Theology under Rev. Jedediah Mills, who was a friend of Whitfield, and in favor of revivals, the new light movement. and less restrictions of Church and State, as it then existed in the Colony. That was evidently the reason of his early migration over the borders and into the larger ecclesiastical liberty which then obtained in the State of New York ; but Pound Ridge being essentially a New England commitin- ity, offered some resistance to his theological thesis. The opposition also embraced all there was of incipient toryism
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there, which his stalwart patriotism was sure to antagonize.
Mr. Burritt's official relations with the Church at Pound Ridge elosed April 1, 1776, but his family appears to have re- mained a while longer. The well preserved tradition is, as stated by Rev. W. J. Cumming, in his History of the West- chester County Presbytery, that when Rev. Samuel Sackett, of Crompond, present Yorktown, N. Y., was so outspoken that he was obliged to seek safety in flight, Blackleach Burritt supplied his place. Miss Mary Lee, of a family long connect- ed with the Church at Crompond, has the well remembered tradition, and says, " He was thought very much of as a Min- ister of the Gospel by the people of that place." He was doubtless there and in that vicinity for some two years after severing his relations with his previous eharge.
MR. BURRITT'S CAPTURE.
As patriotism was a erowning glory to Rev. Mr. Burritt, so his capture was the dramatic event of his life. As already re- lated. he bravely held the post of danger when others retired, but the Federal lines having been forced baek so that it be- came desirable to use the Church and Parsonage at Crompond (present Yorktown) for military purposes, it became a neces- sity and duty to take his family to a place of greater safety. This probably occurred sometime in 1778. And then he and they seemed to disappear. His subsequent capture and in- carceration in the old Sugar House Prison, was indeed a well authenticated tradition in every branch of his family, but where and when did the capture oceur ? As to the time, no date was mentioned, and as to the place, there was a wide di- vergence, some claiming that it was at White Plains, West- chester County, and others that it was on Long Island. Long continued research disproved both of these theories, bnt negations prove nothing. And when was the capture ? Light unexpectedly flashed upon that query from a chance perusal of Washington Irving's biography, in which, in a quaint certificate to William Irving, testifying to his kindly interest in the welfare of patriot prisoners, and to which further reference will be made, he says that he was "prisoner in this city, (New York) as early in the war as June, 1779."
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There was a elue and it was carefully followed up.
Where was he captured ? That was the perplexing question. The search was continued as opportunity offered. The tradi- tionary account seemed to place the scene near some navi- gable body of water .- the river or the sea. The Sound line in Westchester County was devastated aud in the possession of the unrelenting loyalists-he certainly would not take his wife and children into the jaws of such a lion. Fairfield County only remained, but a careful seanning of its history gave no elue. Nothing in its recorded or unrecorded annals gave the first faint glimmer of light. But at last. patient waiting, patient looking, had its abundant reward, and the truth was made as elearly to appear as the sun in the heav- ens.
The following Tory account of Mr. Burritt's capture was found in Frank Moore's " Diary of the Revolution," eredited to the New Hampshire Gazette of the issue of July 13, 1779. and it was the first discovery of the long looked for event. It led up to others that follow :
"June 19 .- Yesterday morning about 4 o'clock 32 Refugees commanded by Capt. Bonnell and other officers landed at Greenwich, in Connecticut. A thick fog favored their en- trance, and they marelied through the town undiscovered ; but the Rebel guard being at length alarmed, and imagining the Refugees to be more numerous than in faet they were, fled with precipitation before them, and so elose was the pur- suit that some were overtaken and seeured. The inhabitants of the town refused to open their doors to the Refugees, and reduced them to the necessity of entering the windows ; notwithstanding which they plundered the houses of nothing but arms and ammunition, their principal object being horned cattle, of which they brought off 38, also 4 horses and 10 or 12 prisoners. Among the latter is a most pestiferons Rebel Priest and preacher of sedition, who when taken swore that there was no firearms in his house, but upon his being cau- tioned against equivocation and threatened with the conse- quences which would result from persisting in it, his timid spouse produced his firelock and a cartouch box with eighteen
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rounds in it. The Refugees proceeded about six miles into the country collecting cattle, &e. On their return they were attacked by a body of Rebels, supposed to consist of about 150, with two field pieces, but they kept at such a distance that only one loyalist was wounded by their fire. Before the Refugees embarked they landed a field piece, which was of great service, and after engaging the Rebels two hours, dur- ing which time they expended all their ammunition, they got safe on board, and arrived at Oyster Bay about noon, with their cattle and prisoners. They were obliged to leave a number of the former on the Rebel shore for want of boats to bring them off."
No doubt this " pestiferous Priest " was Rev. Mr. Burritt. as the following account of the same affair taken from the files of Rivington's Royal Gazette, date of June 23, 1779, abund- antly testifies :
"Some days ago a party of Rebels came over to Treadwell's farm, Long Island, conducted by Major Brush, and carried off Justice Hewlett and Capt. Young-since which the Refu- gees went over to Greenwich in Connecticut and returned with 13 prisoners, among whom is a Presbyterian Parson named Burritt, an egregious Rebel who has frequently taken arms, and is of great repute in the Colony ; 48 head of cattle, and 4 horses were brought in with the prisoners."
The following from the Connecticut Gazette of New Lon- don, issne of July 8, 1779, gives as will be seen, quite a differ- ent version of this Tory marauding expedition :
"New Haven, June 23 .- Wednesday night last a party of the enemy from Long Island, landed at Green's Farms in Fairfield and plundered the house of Dr. Jessup of all they couldl carry off. The next night, (Thursday, June 17), a considerable party landed at Stamford, who before the inhabitants could collect in force, made prisoners of 8 or 10 persons, among whom was a Mr. Blackleach Burritt, an unordained preacher, and took off' 30 or 40 head of cattle, which they got on board under cover of the fire of a privateer which landed close in under a point. They likewise plundered all they could lay their hands on, broke windows, &c., and committed many outrages."
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It was easy to make the error of locating the raid at nearby Stamford ; and as has already been noted, Mr. Burritt was a regulary ordained Minister of the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Joel Hateh, Jr., nephew of Ruth Wells Hatch, sister of Mrs. Rev. Burritt, in his history of Sherburne, N. Y., says : " He was a zealous Whig during the Revolutionary War, often carrying his patriotism into his pulpit. A party of British soldiers, guided by Tories, surrounded his house in the night, took him prisoner, and hurried him into their boat, not allow- ing time to put on his elothes until they had him safe on board. They sailed immediately for New York, where he was confined most of the time in what was known as the Sugar House Prison."
The following dramatic account of the capture is by Mrs. D. E. Sackett, widow of the late Rev. II. A. Sackett, now of Cranford, N. J., an aged lady of rare gifts and eulture, and a granddaughter of Mr. Burritt, as received from her mother, Diantha Burritt Gray, wife of John Gray, Jr, one of the orig- inal proprietors of Sherburne :
She says of Rev. Mr. Burritt that " He used often to take his mnsket into the pulpit for defenee, and, if need be, for ready joining in offensive warfare." Again, "At the seizure, some privates burst into the room. Grandmother sprang between the raised bayonets and her husband, holding them at bay, (heroic daughter of the Revolution, Patriot mother, wife :) till an officer ordered them to desist. As they did not then allow him time enough, or had not enough of human kindness to let him dress, his poor wife followed, clothes in hand, begging a chance for him to put some on, which finally they granted with rough oaths. She then followed to the water pleading for her two eows. With ' Let the -- Rebel minister's wife have one of them" she drove it back to her desolated home, grief for her lost husband and pity for her helpless children dividing her heart."
It is said that as Rev. Mr. Burritt, and the other prisoners were being hurried along toward the beach, the wives and children followed in the rear. When they had gone some dis-
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tanee an officer rode np to the little band, and urged them to turn back, saying that they were being pursued by the Colon- ists, and that if they failed to reach their boats before they were overtaken by them, the women and children would be between two tires : yet they followed on, and did not return, but stood in silent protest against the robbery of their homes though there were signs of battle near at hand. And so the marauders sailed away with their prisoners and pillage, leav- ing devastation in their track. And this was the spot, this the scene of the capture-Old Greenwich, modern Sea Beach. There is still the old burying ground near which the Church stood, and there in full view to the passing traveller, is the old building, then the parsonage and the home of Mr. Burritt and his family, from which he was so rudely taken. The re- cords of the old church are missing for the Revolutionary period, and the records of the Fairfield West Consociation do not show Mr. Burritt's appointment there for the reason that they were destroyed at the burning of Fairfield by the British early in that year, but the town records of Greenwich bear evidence to the fact that he was there, by his officiating at a marriage there, date of February 10, 1779.
Soon after the capture, the disconsolate family removed to Pound Ridge, Westchester County, N. Y., where they had friends and were eared for during Mr. Burritt's imprisonment, which was for a period of about fourteen months. The refer- ence to Mr. Burritt in Irving's biography may pertinentiy be here introduced. Mr. William Irving, the father of Washing- ton Irving, had remained in trade in the city of New York during the British occupation, and as the time for evacuation drew near, evidently feeling that his situation was some- what precarious, and fearing pro scription from the now victorious Patriots, he obtained from Rev. Mr. Burritt the following quaint certificate as a means of security :
" These may certify whom it may concern ; whether civil or military officers, that Deacon William Irving, merchant in this eity, appeared to be friendly inclined to the liberties of the United States & greatly lamented the egregious barbari- ties practiced by her enemies on the unhappy sons of Liberty
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that unhappily fell in their power-contributed largely to my relief (who was a prisoner in this city as early in the war as June, 1779), and was probably an instrument under God of the preservation of my life, and by credible accounts I have had from other prisoners, has been the means of the preser. vation of theirs also."
This document was signed " Blackleach Burritt, Minister of the Gospel in the Presbyterian Church," and bears date Nov. 15, 1783, just ten days before Washington and his army entered the city in triumph.
The story of Mr. Burritt's relations with Mr. William Irv- ing while in Prison are told by his granddaughter, Mrs. D. E. Sackett, as follows :
"He discovered Mr. Burritt very low with prison fever, in his miserable cell, and by personal influence had him given a suitable place and medical care, and when he rallied Mr. Irving looked after him each day in his convalescence. Mrs. Irving also sent him a good bowl of coffee, in the bottom of which was a cheering couplet painted ; and that grandfather said did him about as much good as the comforting, strength- ening beverage. And at last he rounded up his good deeds by securing a release for him through an exchange of pris- oners."
He used often to preach to his fellow prisoners, and was known among the British officers and soldiers as the " Rebel Priest." It is said that expecting to be released on a certain Monday he prepared a specially spicy sermon for the Sunday previous, which the officers in charge of the prison, knowing his spirit and independence, were determined to prevent his delivering, and accordingly released him on the Saturday night before, ordering him to leave at once, which to his regret, he was obliged to do."
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