USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 2
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Of the ancestors of Mr. Miner, Savage, Vol. III .. page 216, says, (2) Thomas Miner came to this country in 1632. He was son of (1) William Miner of Chew Magna. Summerset- shire, England; was in Charlestown, Mass., in 1632; was one of the founders of the church there; was made a freeman March 4th, 1634 ; removed to New London in 1645. He was a very valuable man, was several times chosen representative. and died in 1690, aged 83 years. He was therefore bom in 1607.
The records of the family in New London further say that he came to this country in 1630, with Governor Winthrop and family. That he was married at Rehoboth in 1634 to Grace Palmer, eldest daughter of Walter Palmer : moved to Water- town, then Charlestown and finally came to Conncetient with young Winthrop and settled in Saybrook. In 1643 he settled in New London, and in 1645 moved to Quiambog, where he died in 1690. He had twelve children. His son (3) Manassah was born in New London April 28th. 1647, and was the first born white male child in New London. He married Mrs. Lydia Moore for his first wife; had five children, and died August 22nd. 1728 ; (4) Elnathan, the first child of Manassah, was born December 20th, 1671. He had three wives He married his second wife, widow Prudence Hallam, March 17th, 1703. By this wife. (5) Richardson, the subject of this sketch, was born.
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Four years after his graduation, Richardson Miner makes the first entry, or "account," as he calls it, in the records of the Church of Christ at Unity. It is as follows: "November ye 18th, 1730, there was a ehnreh gathered and settled at Unity, and the same day was ordained there the Rev'd Rich- ardson Miner, by Presbyters the Rev'd Messrs. Joseph Webb, of Fairfield ; Samuel Cook. of Stratfield : Hezekiah Goold, of Stratford, and Mr. Jedediah Mills, of Ripton. Mr. Cook preached: Mr. Webb made the first prayer ; Mr. Cook gave the charge ; Mr. Goold gave the right-hand of fellowship, and Mr. Mills made the last prayer." Such is the record of the ordination of Mr. Miner to the charge of the Church of Christ at Unity. Of Hezekiah Goold, spoken of in the records by Mr. Miner, the following incidents are related by Dr. Beards- ley. But in order to more fully appreciate them we must bear in mind the great excitement eaused in religious cireles by the extravaganeies of Whitefield during this time. " Mr. Goold in one of his sermons pronounced Dr. Johnson and all his people unconverted, and not only so but intruders and workers of all manner of mischief. The following is quoted as being well authenticated, that Dr. Johnson. meeting one of his parishioners one day, was enquired of by him whether his church was inereasing. . Yes,' replied Johnson, 'it is increas- ing. I am a feeble instrument in the hands of God, but thanks be to him. He has placed my left-handed brother Goold here who makes six churchmen while I can make one.""
The Society at Unity was very prosperous under the charge of Mr. Miner. During the fourteen years of his pastorate there were added to the church one hundred and four mem- bers. Thirty eight of whom signed on the day of his ordina- tion and the remaining sixty-six at subsequent times. He joined in marriage thirty eight couples and baptized one hun- dred and eighty one persons, the most of whom were infants less than two days old, and in one ease of a " son Reuben. to Daniel Sherwood and Ann his wife, baptized Sept. 3rd, 1732," and adds in a postscript, "born an hour and a half before baptism." There can be no doubt but what the doctrine of infant baptism was fully indorsed by Mr. Miner's people.
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* Richardson Miner was married May 16th, 1725, to Eliza- beth, daughter of Theopholns Munson. She was born Sep- tember 20th, 1751. Theopholus Munson was son of Samnel, who was baptized August 7th. 1643, who was son of Thomas Munson. Thomas Munson first settled in Hartford and soon removed to New Haven, which he represented in the General Assembly twenty-four sessions, from 1660 to 1683. Elizabeth Munson was a New Haven lady, and as fatal to the single blessedness of our young graduate as so many of the ladies for whose beauty New Haven is yet renowned, are to the graduates of to-day.
Mr. Miner had a child named Henrietta, born in New Haven July 5th, 1728, which was baptized by Rev. Joseph Noyes. In November. 1729. we find him in Stratford, where the Rev. Hezekiah Goold baptized another child, named Pru- dence, which was born November 18th, 1729. Just one year after. i. e, November 1Sth, 1730, as stated above, he took his first, which, so unfortunately, turned out to be his last pastoral charge.
While at Unity. Mr. Miner lived about a quarter of a mile above the " meeting house," on the same side of the way, in a house which stood in the lot opposite the residenee of Isaac Booth, Esq. The "meeting house" stood near where the barn of Jolin Booth, Esq., now stands, on the corner opposite the residence of the late Dr. Dyer.
In the records we find the account of the births and bap- tisms of the remaining eight children. viz. :
Esther, born March 4th, 1731. Baptized by her father.
Isabella. Jan. Ist, 1732.
Elizabeth, March 7th, 1734.
.6 06
..
Martha, 66 1735. .. ..
died 12th, 1735.
Richardson, born March 5th, 1736. Baptized by his father.
Martha, Feb. 13th, 1737. .
" her ..
Rebeccah, Oct. 16th, 1738.
.. ..
William, Nov. 21th, 1739.
.. " his 66
died March 22nd. 1740.
*Trowbridge faunly records in New Haven.
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Of the home life of Richardson Miner we have no particular record. But we do know that he led a busy life. By refer- ence to the biographies of the New England Clergy of the earlier times, it is I believe true that those who came over in the first migrations and the generation following them usually combined the professions of ministry and medicine. For example. Rev. John Bulkley, 1635-1689; Rev. John Allen, 1637-1680; Rev. Joshua Hobart. 1629-1717; Rev. Charles Channcy, 1654, and Rev. Israel Chauncy, 1665-1703, the latter of Stratford. I might mention many others, but this will suffice to show that it was not uncommon for the minister and the doctor to be one and the same person. But in the time of Richardson Miner, I think it was more exceptional than it had been for several generations previous, and I do not doubt but that the practice was growing unusual. We know that with many clergy in the time of Mr. Miner it was customary to mingle their clerical duties with those of farming and often as has been so aptly said by Oliver Wendell Holmes, in speak- ing of New England clergy of that period, "they toiled like day laborers teasing lean harvests out of their small enelos- ures of land, for the New England soil is not one that laughs when tickled with a hoe, but rather one that sulks when an- pealed to with that persuasive implement."
Mr. Miner was an exception to this rule, for he not only combined medicine with his duties as a pastor, but was a physician with a large and lucrative practice. His visits were not only about Unity but extended into Fairfield, New Strat- ford, Tashna. Ripton and Stratford. The fact of his being a physician undoubtedly accounts for the very tender age in which many infants were brought to baptism. A child in deli- cate health, as the record shows, was often baptized the same day of its birth.
By the fact of his having a large practice, we must not allow ourselves to come to the conclusion that Mr. Miner was well to do in worldly goods. He was reared by parents of wealth, for those days, and had undoubtedly always lived. well caring for his bodily wants, in fact it has been said of Mr. Miner that he was a high liver and that he was quite particular as to his
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personal appearance. That this was true I do not doubt. But it cannot be said that there was fault in this, for if there was any fault at all, it was in his early training. Then too when we consider his large family living in the same style we can easily conceive that although his practice might be quite Incrative, still there would not be much for the traditional "rainy day." It is also said by one of his descendants that (Eli Walker, Esq., grandson of Mr. Miner, and died May 29th, 1879, aged 96), he had calls to preach in other parishes but that he would not accept them because he could not afford to give up his established practice.
He often visited Stratford and there saw Dr. Samuel John- son, rector of Christ Church, (Episcopal.) who spoke of him in glowing terms of praise. He described Mr. Miner as being of fine gentlemanly appearance and bearing. We can imagine him as being apt in the gentle courtesies which seemed inborn to a gentleman of that fine old school.
That he was a man of high culture and education : a man deeply imbued with a fine sense of honor and accuracy, I have no doubt, as we can determine the workman by his chips so can we determine a considerable of the accuracy ; of the openness of character : the culture ; and the education of Mr. Miner from the record of fourteen years, made during his so- journ at Unity. He wrote in a beautiful round hand, which shows both in the nerved inflexibility of lines and definitely finished letters, not only that he was a prompt ready writer. but that he was open in character and accurate in finish. Here too he leaves the best of testimony concerning his culture and education in the ever accurate use of letters, words and sen- tences, showing that he did not mistake the varied use and signification, but that with the skill of a scholar he framed the long covenants with a dexterous vividness of meaning.
The seed of Episcopacy had for some time been sown in the fertile soil of Connecticut. Cutler, the President or Rector of Yale, Johnson, Brown, Beach, and several other well known Congregational divines, had espoused the cause. Could it be that young Miner, too, was already interested in the all im- portant subject of the day ? Perhaps so. The subject was
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largely discussed. In a letter to England, written June 11th, 1724, Dr. Johnson speaks, of going to New London and of holding services there. Perhaps it was then that our young friend first met that eminent divine.
Dr. Samuel Johnson and Mr. Miner were on terms of inti- macy, and undoubtedly many of the views entertained by Mr. Miner found genial nourishment in the cultured society of his friend, and it was without much doubt in the quiet study in the old Johnson mansion in Stratford that Mr. Miner be- came convinced that it was his duty to openly stand before the world in the true light of his Episcopal beliefs.
There are rumors that Mr. Miner left the Congregational faith for the gratification of personal ambition ; that his edu- cation, gentlemanly appearance and superior abilities had so attracted the leaders of the doctrines of the Church of Eng- land in the colony that large inducements were held out per- suading him to seek ordination from the Bishops in England. That Dr. Johnson was represented as saying, upon hearing of Mr. Miner's death in England. that had he lived he would have been foremost among the candidates for consecration as the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America. At the ordination of the Rev. James Beebe over the new society called together May 6th. 1747, at North Stratford, and com- prising the remaining one-third portion of the old society at Unity, which did not join the Episcopal Church upon the dis- charge of Mr. Miner three years before. i. e. March 21st, 1744, if any conclusion can be formed from the text chosen by the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge of Unity, which was from 1st Timothy, 3:1: "This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work." I would conclude that some of these rumors had reached the ears of Mr. Woodbridge.
Whether there was any foundation for these reports, I know not, but I prefer to believe that even if such rumors were afloat, that Richardson Miner left the Puritan faith ont of pure conscientiousness on the point of duty, and that that conscientiousness, if augmented at all by any influence outside of his own mind, was angmented by what was then considered the extravagancies of Whitefield.
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Richardson Miner in leaving the doctrines of the Church of Unity must have encountered numerous difficulties. In order to realize more fully the situation. we must place ourselves among those with whom he was working. We must imagine the trials, the discomforts, the hardships, not only of a poor young minister in a young and struggling parish, but of one reared by some tender hands, of one who had spent his boy- hood days in the society of a cultured mother, must have met in a parish situated in a back settlement of a new country.
The society at Unity one hundred and fifty years ago com- prised what is now known as Trumbull. It was settled by a rough and hardy class of people. Not by the men who fifty and one hundred years before had landed from England and used the little fortunes they had brought with them in the purchase of uncleared lands lying in indefinitely large tracks back in the country. Not by these same men who erected the mansions of imported materials in the settlements upon our coast towns, many of which still remain, records oftentimes of the folly of those who thought that in a new country wealth untold would come to their empty coffers at the bidding. for- getful that a sure foundation and first step must exist to the ladder leading to wealth as well as to any other height. But the congregations which gathered in the little " meeting house" at the foot of the street at Unity to listen to the sermons of Mr. Miner were the children and grand-children of those who having spent their living, left as a heritage the rough and rocky acres. It was then that the struggle began. It was not with the well-to-do settler who lived by his comfortable fireside in his mansion house in Stratford and Fairfiel that Mr. Miner labored, but with earnest struggling men and women having little or no education, for in that struggle for existence there was little or no time or money, for schools of learning. Here, among these people he had made his home for fourteen years, during which time what a terrible struggle must have been going on in his mind. Among poor people and with his large family, let his practice in medicine be what it might, he could barely have eked ont an existence. How then could he think of leaving his family without support for
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a time sufficient for the journey to England and return, to say nothing of the expense of such a journey ? It must have been a question of stern duty with him, that he was led to make such a sacrifice.
After leaving his charge at Unity, March 21st, 1744, he went to Stratford, where he and his wife caused their names to be entered upon the records of Christ Church, Episcopal, as communicants of that church. . Then he officiated in Stam- ford as lay rector until he embarked upon his fatal voyage to England for Holy Orders.
Dr. Beardsley speaks of the voyage as follows: "The Episco- palians in Stamford and vicinity with a view of having him as their minister exerted themselves to the utmost of their abili- ties to assist him to go to England for Holy Orders. - Accord- ingly he embarked with Joseph Lampson. afterwards the faith- ful missionary at Fairfield, but the vessel was taken upon its passage by the French. After he and his companions were released from confinement, and while on their way from Port Louis. in France to London. Mr. Miner died, at the age of forty, in the same year 1744, of a fever at Salisbury, to the great sorrow of his waiting flock and dependant family." He had not reached the point of his destination and therefore had not been ordained in the Church of England when smitten down with death. Dr. Johnson in alluding to the event ex- claimed, "would to God we had a bishop to ordain here which would prevent such unhappy disasters." Rev. Daniel Brown only a few years previous had died while on the same mission, and now Richardson Miner's name is added to the list of those who left home, friends and a dependant family to seek Holy Orders in England, braving the perils of the sea, to say noth- ing of the small-pox, which then was most terrible in its rav- ages. It was not with Miner as with Brown, for the latter had been ordained and had once lifted his voice as a minister of the church for which he had periled so much. But with Mr. Miner it was different, Death, that servant of God sent only to bear the soul to its home. had come on its mysterious mission, and the comparatively insignificant plans of man were unfulfilled.
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Granted, that Richardson Miner's name has no place in the roll of eminent divines ; granted, that his powers as a progeni- tor of the Church of England in Connecticut have become traditional. Do you know that the most essential part of a building is always under ground ? That the fairest islands of the South Seas are based upon the results of labors carried on for generations beneath the level of the waves ? And that to use the words of Emerson "every revolution was once a thought in one man's mind," who is not less its author though all trace of the original impulse vanishes ere it is reached? I say that much of the strength of to-day of the Episcopal church in what was the original limits of the old town of Strat- ford owes its existence through the labors of Richardson Miner. That he was essentially one of the pioneers of that church in these parts of Fairfield county.
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WALL ST
3
BANK ST
STREET
STREET
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MAIN
WATER
STATE ST
2:4
UNION ST DIAGRAM OF THE "GREAT FIRE OF 1845."
HARBOR
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On the preceding page is shown a diagram of what has been known by the older inhabitants of Bridgeport as the "Great Fire of 1845."
The diagram also gives a good illustration of the then busi- ness portion of the city, and it will be seen that the burnt dis- triet comprised the principal business houses of the place.
The fire was first discovered about half-past one o'clock of the morning of December 12th, 1845, in a large wooden build- ing on the south side of Bank street, near Water, occupied by George A. Wells (A) as a boarding house and oyster saloon. It originated in the cellar where there was a quantity of shav- ings and wood stored for fuel. It had made considerable progress before it was discovered, and it spread so rapidly that the family of Mr. Wells had time only to save themselves and a few articles of furniture near at hand. One young lady an inmate of the family, was rescued by a neighbor from the burning building, she having become confused in the excite- ment of the alarm, The weather was bitter cold with a light breeze from the north and northwest. The alarm being given. the firemen responded as quickly as possible, but their facili- ties for extinguishing a fire were very limited at the best, and they were in this instance virtually powerless, the tide be- ing low in the harbor they were unable to obtain any water. In the meantime, the fire spread with great rapidity to an adjoining building corner of Bank and Water streets, owned by Silvanns Sterling and occupied by L & L. B. Sterling ( B) as a house furnishing and stove store, and occupied above by two families, one of whom was named MeAdams. The building ad joining (C), occupied by A. Gordon and others as a dwelling. took fire about the same time. On the opposite side of Bank street a building (U) owned by C. B. Hubbell was occupied by Philip Conrad as a meat market and dwelling, which was en- tirely consumed, together with most of the stock and furniture Adjoining this at the east (O) was a building occupied by Messrs. Hubbell & Thompson as a carpet room, their prinei- pal store being on Water street (2). The corner building (D) was occupied by Olmstead & Keeler. This firm succeeded in saving most of their stock. The remaining building on Bank
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street (9) was owned by B. Brooks and occupied by F. Lock- wood as a cabinet shop. Most of the stock was got out. Nearly opposite stood the residence of C. B. Hubbell, Esq., which escaped the flames, and at the west. on the site of the post-office building, stood the old residence of William Peet, which also checked the spread of the flames in that direction. Had the latter house eanght fire the probabilities are that the flames would have spread into Main street and destroyed every building on the block.
The building was only saved by the most strenuous exer- tions, the hanging of carpets on the east side and keeping them wet with water drawn from a well on the premises. Of the buildings on the west side of Water street, above Bank, were Lockwood & Zane (F). hardware and stove dealers. They saved a portion of their stock. The building was owned by D. B. Nichols. Adjoining was the dry good store of Hubbell & Thompson, who saved the most of their stock. The next (W) was occupied by G. Forbes as a clothing store, who also saved nearly all his stock. The building was owned by T. & W. Hawley. Adjoining (T) was the drug store of the late Joseph Thompson, and the npper portion occupied as a dwell- ing. Mr. Thompson succeeded in saving a portion of his stock. Rodney Curtis (shoe store adjoining) (X), saved most of his stock. The building was of small value, and was owned by I. H. Whiting. The adjoining store (2) was also owned by I. H. Whiting, and occupied by Jolm H. Whiting, grocer. The building (Y) owned by D. Hatch and occupied by Schny- ler Seeley as a shoe store, was pulled down and the fire checked from further spreading in that direction.
Below Bank street, on the west side of Water. (E) was oc cupied by O. & W. Sherman, grocers ; (G) by George A. Wells as a grocery. This and the adjoining building (I) was ocen- pied by Henry Hall as a grocery store, and owned by Mrs. T. Hubbell. The goods in these stores were partially saved.
On the north side of State street (23) was occupied in the lower part by William A. Whiting as an oyster saloon, and above as a dwelling. It was owned by Mrs. S. Sherman. The buildings, I, 2. 3. 4, 5, were a row owned by Benjamin Wheeler
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and occupied below as shops and stores, and above as dwell- ings. Their value was small and not insured. Adjoining (6) was the grocery store and billiard room of G. G. Wheeler ; 7 was the cabinet wareroom of F. Lockwood. and & occupied by Samuel Hodges as a shoe store
On the opposite side of the street (22) was an old rookery known as the " Flat Iron," occupied by a number of colored families, owned by Benjamin Wheeler. The four buildings east (18, 19, 20 and 21) were owned by D. B. Nichols, the heirs of Jesse Sterling, the Misses Lacey and E. Thompson. In 18 was 500 bushels of wheat belonging to Ryan & Thorp of Weston. The upper portion was occupied as a dwelling ; 19 was a tailor shop and dwelling, and 20 and 21 were also dwell- ings. The corner of State and Water streets (15) was-occu- pied by E. Thompson as a grocery. 16 by Palmer as an eating and boarding house, and 17 was the temperence house kept by A. A. McNeil. The fire, fortunately, was stopped here, as there was a large lumber yard on the opposite side of the way and several dwellings below, which would have been destroyed.
On the opposite side, 11, 12 and 13 were owned by David Perry and occupied principally for storage, with one or two dwellings above; 14 was the old store of A. Hawley & Co. ; 10 was occupied by Hall & Burroughs as a wholesale grocery with dwelling above. It was owned by I. Burroughs. The goods were mostly saved. The next store above, owned by I. & W. DeForest, was occupied by T. Ranson & Co., whole- sale grocers, and contained a large and valuable stock. A small portion only was saved The adjoining store (R) was owned and occupied by Mathew Curtis as a paint store. The next (N) was occupied by Morford, Northrop & Co., wholesale grocers. The building was owned by Philo Hurd. who also occupied an office on the second floor as an insurance office. Henry Burroughs owned and occupied the next one (MI) as a flour and fish store. The goods from this and Mathew Curtis's store were removed to the wharf for safety, but the fire over- took and destroyed the greater portion before they could be rescued. Charles DeForest occupied the store next adjoining (L) as a wholesale grocery, and the upper portion by L. & L.
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B. Sterling as a stove depot. The building belonged to the heirs of S. Burroughs. Edwards & Whiting oeenpied the building (K) as a fish market. Adjoining (J, was occupied by Niles, Thorp & Co., wholesale grocers. The building was owned by C. B. Hubbell. Their books and papers were partially destroyed. the iron safe proving worthless. The brig Joseph Gorham was lying in the rear of this store when the fire reached it, and in attempting to move her she ran aground and was only saved by the greatest efforts. The next store (H) had been used as a hide and leather store by Morris & Marvin. Sherwood Sterling occupied the next store (P) as a cordage and iron store. The next store (V) occupied by Lockwood & Zane as a stove depot, and owned by Sherwood Sterling. The fire was checked here by the liberal use of salt water, and the adjoining store of Munson Hawley saved, although somewhat scorched.
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