USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 5
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people as to be called their father. Intellectually the inferior of Ludlowe, he was more reliable, and had better balance ; perhaps he was blessed with one of those equitable tempera- ments that always seems to enable its happy possessor to do the right thing at the right moment, a temperament that the almost great Ludlowe did not possess. All the same, it is dangerous to excuse the lapses of public men on the ground of temperament ; as an analytie writer recently well puts it : "The savage lurks so near the surface in every man that a constant watch must be kept upon the passions and impulses or he leaps out in his war-paint, and the poor integument of civilization that held him, is flung aside like a useless gar- ment."
So little is known of the individuality of Major Gold, that even an abstract of one of his orders to his sentries, when war-like troubles with the Dutch were imminent, seems worthy of record: "The charge to the watch is that in his Ma'tie's name you faythfully attende by watching in such places where you may best discouver danger of an enemie, or of fire, which you are to give notyce of by cryeing Fire ! Fire ! or Arms! Arms! ; you are also to examine all such personnes as you meet unseasonably, command them to Stand! twice, and the third time to Stand ! upon their peril! ! , but if they will not stand, or ilye from you, you may shoot at them, but to shoot low, unless you judge them to be an enemie, and then you are to shoot them as directly as may be."
It is perhaps as well to remark here that, although the fleet which was dispatched from Holland did sail up the Sound, not a gun was fired toward Connecticut lines; but whether or no the war-like inhabitants of Fairfield were dis- appointed at having thereby lost an opportunity for open . rupture with New Netherlands, history remains silent.
History tells with much emphasis, however, that the colony received but little notice from the mother country until peace was proclaimed and ended all prospects of war between the English and Dutch on either side of the Atlantic.
But the Restoration brought about a most important change. Charles, with an eye to fresh sources of revenue,
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began to take lively interest in his American colonies, and, with more zeal than intelligence, despatched his brother, the Duke of York, with a brand new grant of territory. The fresh patent proved so elastic as to stretch over not only New Netherlands, but pretty much the whole of Connecticut ori- ginally granted by the charter of King James.
The Duke's commission was accompanied by a fleet which got within easy range of the not very formidable Fort Am- sterdam; and again the English changed its name to Fort James. Brave old Stuyvesant was at first determined to fight, but finally yielded to solicitations of both Dutch and English residents and stumped out with the historic remark : "I would much rather be carried out dead." He was the last of the Dutch governors and on the whole far from a bad one. Indeed, it is pleasant to recall that he had many ad- mirable qualities, and, according to later historians, seems to have given our fathers as little trouble as the peculiar times and situation would permit. He was the revered ancestor of a long line of prominent men, whose personality and influence touches with no light hand the life and thought of our own time.
It is familiar history that, although the Dutch recaptured the fort in 1672 and reasserted their claims, they gave no special trouble to early Connecticut : and two years later, by the treaty of Westminster, Holland cceded the province she had discovered, peopled and governed with much wisdom and order for sixty years.
It is true that New Amsterdam changed hands several times during the period, being alternately under Dutch and English rule ; and it is a very significant and novel bit of his- tory that records the equally good order that prevailed who- ever was in power.
The original setlers became largely sprinkled with English, and the two nationalities, so antagonistic in the Connecticut valley, assimilated quite readily at Manhattan, which fact partly accounts for the cosmopolitan character of New York to-day.
In conclusion, it seems to be the verdict of rewritten his-
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tory that Sir Edmund Andross, acting for the Duke of York, gave our sires more real trouble than ever did the Dutch. It scarcely need be repeated here that our charter escaped his arbitary clutches by little short of a miracle.
But almost the last vestige of the sapling, that beginning its marvellous life in the wilds of ancient Windsor, finally spread its protecting arms over our capital city of Hartford, has passed away, and with it pretty much all the prejudices of early Connecticut.
Many descendants of the Dutch colonists-may St. Nicholas ever watch over them-are respected rulers in high places or live among us in a common brotherhood, rejoicing in and helping on our prosperity and peace-no longer troublesome neighbors.
NoTE .- The author desires to say, that in the rather hasty preparation of this paper. he had not the benefit of some facts brought out by Rev. Samuel Orcutt, in his Old Straiford History, pagas 256 and 260, which must modify the generally received opinion of the part taken by Roger Ludowe in these matters.
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The President then read the following interesting extracts from a letter addressed to him by Elias S. Hawley, Esq., of Buffalo, N. Y.
LETTER FROM MR. HAWLEY.
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Fairfield County is "sacred turf" to me. When we think it over what strange and weird reflections arise. Contrast 1639 with 1885. Imagine the status of " Old Stratford " and "Old Fairfield," the father and mother of Strat-field, named from both parents. How the bantling has grown into the great city of Bridgeyort. "Port " with "bridges " across it. I suppose.
Think of the old names-Sherman, Wilcoxson, Curtis, Mi- nor, Fairchild and many more " fit to conjure with."
What, for instance, would Joseph Hawley, Ist, of Stratford, think were he to-day to stand on your docks. He built the first vessel that sailed out of Stratford and the Housatonic.
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He named her the "Mary and John," after two of his chil- dren and put his son John in command, who thence and thereby became for all time "Captain John." It is not stated that Mary went as cook, perhaps she did. Nor is the tonage of said "vessel " registered nor whether she were schooner, sloop, periauger or clam-boat. If you ask me to prove all this I am silent. Tradition, about the most unreliable of all authorities, is accountable for the untruth, if it be one. Now, Mr. Joseph Hawley, standing on the busy docks at Bridgeport and looking off to the harbor and the Sound, what do you quietly remark to your old land-partner, Mr. John Minor, whom I see standing at your elbow ? Do I hear you say-" Friend Minor, this beats my boy John's 'Mary and John' all out of sight !" -- eli ?
What a stupid young stick I was when in 1834 (was it ?) I used to trot down of a Saturday afternoon from Weston (now Easton) academy [Staples' Free School which lost a large portion of its endowment by failure of a New Haven Bank ?] to Bridgeport to purchase a little writing paper or a book and pass almost within a stone's throw of that grand old burying ground now well cared for, without knowing it was there, and doubtless not caring if I had known.
Your county is full of good points for historieal study. I should like to hear, for instance, a full paper on "The King's Highway," where it commeneed-where it ended-its width and location-when and by whom " laid out "-how kept in repair-how the title to much of it has happened to pass into private hands, and all about it.
Should like to hear or read an exhaustive paper on " Golden Hill," another on "Greenfield Hill." This paper might men- tion the orgin of the names and give the locations of the "Hills of Fairfield Co."-as Break-Neck Hill, Three Story Hill, Gad's Hill, etc.
By the way, our Buffalo Young Men's Association has in course of construction a large, commodious and beautiful building-fire-proof-which, when it is completed, is intend- ed to be a permanent Home, not only for its own library and collections, but also for our Natural Science Society and its
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Museum, our Art Gallery, and our Historical Society with its mannscripts, archives and portraits of early settlers and citi- zens. This building will cost $200,000 (besides the land), of which $117,000 has been subscribed by our citizens, and the balance is to be borrowed by the association on property it holds outside the new buiding and from which it receives a large rental with which to meet interest, taxes, etc. And this reminds me that it would be just a splendid thing to do if some of the wealthy and liberal citizens of your city and county would club and endow The Fairfield County Historical Society. No money could find a better investment as a per- manent means of education and improvement, or as a source of pure and high pleasure to thousands for all time. History is being made constantly, and no method for its authentic preservation is so sure, as a permanent and living Historical Society.
The other day a very intelligent and wealthy lady of this city found that she had no means at hand, of establishing the date of the death of a sister who died young, many years ago. I heard of her perplexity, and dropping in to our His- torical Rooms, in ten minutes found the required date. We have a continuous record of marriages and deaths from A. D. 1811 to the present times, numbering, I think, over 17,000. Old Mortality with his mallet and chisel is "nowhere" in comparison with an industrious and conscientious and pains- taking Historical Society.
Yours, respectfully,
ELIAS S. HAWLEY.
APPENDIX.
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M.gor Aaron Hawley. Old Red House.
Well.
GOLD STREET. Laid out about 1800.
Weaver's
Baup.
Barn.
Dwelling.
Samuel Porter.
MIDDLE STREET. Laid out about 1800.
PEQUONNOCK RIVER.
MAIN STREET, Widened and improved 1757.
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Slaughter House.
PEQUONNOCK RIVER.
Salt Works, 1025.
Old Fort. Porter's Rocks.
HISTORY OF THE PORTER PROPERTY.
PAPER READ BEFORE THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY By R. B. LACEY, Esq., June 12th, 1885.
There is much of interesting and sng- gestive history connected with premises No. 532 Main street and the house recently demolished to make room for a block of stores. The territory, - nearly seven acres, on the east side of high- way ( Main street ) from a point at or near Golden Hill street to Congress, bounded easterly by the creek or harbor, was pur- chased by Samuel Porter. Sen., from Zieba- ariah Hawley Feb, 5, 1759. I have the pleas- ure of presenting in this connection a plot of the premises copied from the original made by Wolcott Hawley, surveyor, found among the Porter papers and now in my possession. The following is the interesting portion of the original deed of the above dite:
on the west side of the highway (Main street) the site of the present wooden block of Mr. N. Wheeler, was among the very first resi- dences of a good class erected upon the New- field. as Bridgeport was then called. James and Zachariah Hawley were sons of Gideon and third in deseent from the original Joseph Hawley of Stratford, through first Ephraim and Sarah Wells, and second Gideon and Ann Bennett. They were pioneers here. The Hawley family were large land owners. James seems to have settled on the west side of the highway. Ilis sou, Deacon Elijah, was a house carpenter. He occupied and probably built the old red house. Isaac Sherman, Esq., says of him: He removed to the West very early, and died in Ohio in To all persons, &e., Greeting. Know ye that I Zikry Hawley of Stratford & County of Fairfield & Colony of Connectient in New England For the Consideration of One Hun- dred and two pounds York money by me in 1325, aged 84 years. He had a son by the name of Jesse, who was born in the old red house. Said Jesse removed to the state of New York in early life and died there in 1843 at the age of 70 years. It is said that he hand received to my full satisfaction of Sam- ; (Jesse Hawley) was the projector of the Erie
uel Porter of Stratford & County & Colony firm nuto the Said Samuel Porter & to his heirs and assigns forever my Dwelling house & Land whereon it stands on Golden Hill, called ye old fort, and is Bounded South on Deacon Joseph Booth's Lind Easterly and Northerly on ye creek & West on highway -- the Sd house & Land with all the appurte- - nanees thereunto Belonging for him the said Samuel Porter forever. To have and to hold, &e. ennal. He communicated his idris to Gov- aforesaid do give grant bargain sell and con- : ernor De Witt Clinton, which resulted in the construction of that great work. Major Aaron Hiwley, a brother of Deacon Elijah. appears to have been the owner of the old red house in 1787, at which perio l 'the "up- right highway" ( Main street) was widened and the site of the famous well in front, which stood its width upon the street, was excepted and liberty was given to fence around it. The same well exists to-day cov- ered by the sidewalk stone. Zachariah Haw- ley married Bethia Austin of Suffield, Ct., and probably removed to Massachusetts. None of his descendants appear in this part - of Connecticut. L. S.
Witness my Hand and Seal the 5th day of Feb. in the 32d year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Second of Great Britain, ete., King Annoque Domini, 1750.
Signed ZACHARIA HAWLEY.
Signed and sealedetc., in presence of
THEOPHOLIS NICHOLS, JOSEPH NICHOLS.
It appears there was a dwelling house on the plot in 1759, probably not the one which has just been taken down. The latter was probably erected by Mr. Samuel Porter, Sen., soon after the close of the Revolutionary war und with the " Old Red house" which stood
Samuel Porter, Sen., died"September 15, 1795.
The Porter purchase remained intact as field land during his life, except at the south end he gave a house lot as an advancement to his daughter Mary, who married lewis Sturges. The old house, now a portion of the Elisha Hubbell property at the northeast corner of Main and Golden Hill streets, was the residence of I-ane Sturges, son of Lewis. Ilis other son, Joseph P. Sturges ( commonly called Porter Sturges), had his residence a
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little south. The original house stands, bnt it has a brick front and has been raised an extra story. The main building is occupied by Cohen (millinery ) and Bain (tea and coffee store). It was a double honse, with hall way and kitchen wings both on the north and the south. Porter Sturges oceupied the south house and Henry Coty and the late Thomas Hutchins successively rented and ocenpied the north part for many years. there was a vacant lot between the two Sturges houses through which Golden Hill street was ex- tended in 1847 from Main street easterly, leaving a strip of land on the south side of the street which was leased by the city and an engine house for the original No. 5 hand- engine, was erected thereon. The same build- ing is now occupied as a bakery, &c., by Mr. A. Brennan.
The original survey from which the fore- going diagram was taken was made by Wol- rott Hawley, surveyor, a brother of Major Aaron and. Deacon Elijah Hawley, October 20, 1795, to aid the distribution of the estate of Samuel Porter, Sen. Theoriginal plotting has the dotted lines showing the tracts and quantities set out to the two heirs, to wit : Samuel Porter, Jr., who had a double por tion of the real estate, and his sister Mary Sturges.
Lewis and Isaac Sturges with their families went West about 1820. and later were settle.] in Wisconsin. Rev. Albert Sturges. the vete- ran missionary of the "American Board" iu Micronesia, is from this family.
They sold their interest in the remnant of this property on the death of Samnel Porter, Jr, who died without issue September 9, 1842. Rev. Thomas B. Sturges, of Green- field Hill ( Fairfield ), Ct , is the only son aud heir of Joseph P. Sturges. Hc inherited the undivided oue- halt of the old Porter house and lot, No. 532 Main street, and came iuto possession on the death of the widow of Samuel Porter, Jr .. April 12, 1867. Recently there has been a division by which he has acquired sole ownership of the entire Main street front, and is putting it to use by erect- ing the one-story block of stores now in progress. The location is a fine oue aud worthy of more substantial buildings.
Having traced the connection of the Porter and Sturges families with the land embraced in the dingran it remains to gather up the interesting points of history in respect to the nse that has been made of it. It is referred to in the Ancient deed printed above -as located "ou Goblen Hill" showing that the Golden Hill land as then designated extended to the Creek or Pequonnosk River. And further it was "called Ye Old Fort." Referring to the diagram, on the right hand side, bor.tering the creck at the extreme point "Ye Old Fort" is located. These are the ouly allusions to a fort here, now known and its previous existence must have been tradi- tionary in 1735. it could hardly have been built by the English settlers, or there would | foster a spirit of enterprise, and educate and
have been some record of, or in connection with its erection and use. It follows then, that it must have been an Indian fortification which had gone into disuse at the date of the deed 1759. The location was a rocky pro- monotory jntting out into the creek from a beautiful plateau which extended back to the Highway-Main street. Liter, for three- quarters of a century it was universally known as "Porter's Rocks." It retained nearly its pristine beauty until 1838 aud was a favorite resort for sports and bath- iny, by the young meu aud boys of the period, a few of whom survive to-day. There was the round rock and the flat rock-both ex- tending out so as to afford at their base con- silerable depth of water at high tide: the latter was at the extreme point aud was a favorite place for fishing, especially for frost- fish in their season. A short distance from the point on the northeru bank was the round rock, from which the bathers took their leap head foremost into the briny waters. The bank here was skirted by cedars, which af- forded a good cover for this sport.
As has been said the entire Porter property remained intact, and was used as field land until after 1795. About this period-just before the commencement of the present century, a new spirit of enterprise was awakened here. Previous to the Revolution- ary war the parish of Stratfield was a quiet agricultural settlement of no special import- auce. Nothing had been doue to develop business at the Newtields or Bridgeport. Long Island Sound had indeed become a highway of commerce. The thon frequent disturb.mu- ees in the political atmosphere of the Old World, were soon felt here, and the infant Settlements, unprotected as they were, aud their trading vessels especially, were a tempt- ing and an ensy prey to the privateers, which s varmed on the American coast.
The harbers and settlements lying close upon the Sound were most exposed. l'e- qnonnock river or creek, however, was ex- ceptionally safe. There was fully as much depth of water above the neck, now the site of Berkshire bridge, as ou the bar outside, and plenty of space also. The wooded bluffs of the shore, some of them jutting out into bold promentories shut out this portion from the open harbor and Sound, affording a safe retreat-almost a hiding place. Under the then existing state of things, it is no wonder that the first connuerce was developed from this point. Theopholis Nichols and his sou Philip had their store abu. wharf at the ex. treme head of navigation, near what is now known as the Phmub place. They built and sailed vessels from there, ag dil also Capt. Stephen Burroughs, Sen. The shore oppo- site the old red brick house on North avenue, Was long known and designated is the "ship- yard." The commercial and triliug interests to this period, with Bostou, New York, &c., were not large, yet were suthicicut to
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prepare the more enterprising young men to | Capt. Gershom E. Hubbell located. Next to embrace their opportunities. The es- tablishment and recognition of our
national independence, not only in- fased new life, but brought greater security to our coast and coasting trade. The back country naturally center- ing here was rich in agricultural resources. Boston, New York, South Atlantic States. and the West Indies, were the markets. Water street had been laid out from the present Fairfield avenue, three rods wide, to Wells' Tongue. Wharves and stores now began to be built on it. Men and families that had lived one to two miles interior settled ou the shore and entered vigorously into trade aud commerce. Among these may be mentioned the Nichols, Hawleys, Hubbells, Shermans, Burroughs, Sterlings aud Summers. The nd- vantages of our location and harbor appear to have been appreciated then as now and an en- terprising and valuable element enmein, from the surrounding towns more or less distaut. Esq. Isaac Sherman mentions by name not less than forty men who came from abroad and settled here from 1790 to 1506. who either brought families or soon became heads of families and most of them prominent as successful business meu. *
In 1800, the borough of Bridgeport was chartered. The bridge across the harbor had just been built, and many new streets had been laid out. These were now recognized and named. Among them, Gold street WAS laid out, two rods wide, froin Main street to the harbor, and Middle street, extending from Wall street to Gold. Mr. Nathaniel Wade, a watch maker by trade, from Norwich, Conn .. (afterward merchant, ) bought land of )Ir. Porter, and erected his house, the same now standing on the southeast corner of Main and Gold streets. Philo and De. Luzern DeForest Neenred the northeast corner, and erected the house now standing there, so long owned und ocenpied by Isaac Sherman, Esq., aud now by his descendants. Captain Joseph Ster- ling Elwards, from Trumbull, Conu., bought and built on the south side of Gold street, from Middle street to Water street. His wid- ow left this with other property, at her death to her brother, Isaac Burroughs. E-y., which has served to swell the Pettengill estate, from which such munificent public benefitctions Hre now being realized. Mr.
Jesse Sterling, also from Trum- bull, merchant, purchased the site on the north side of Gold stre-t at the head of Water street and erected the house more re- cently owned and occupied by Mr. Abel Drew. The same was removed in 1-70 for the extension of Water street. Liter, on Main street, next north of Isaac Sherman,
. this list appears in full in the history of Bridge- port. now in preparation by Mr Oreutt, and em- braces most of the old Beadgeport names and promi- Dent families among the original settlers of the idace. It shows the places from whenre they came so Bridgeport and how the surrounding towns con- tributed to build up the new and enterprising city.
him was Mr. George Smith and last, on the plot was Capt. William Goodsell, who had bis slaughter house on the bank of the creek in the rear of the dwellings.
Isaac Sherman sold a part of his Main : street front to Capt. Joseph H. Hand from Long Island-the same property now owned by Jacob Sutter and occupied by C. P. Coe's wholesale and retail grocery.
WEAVER SHOP.
Referring to the diagram, you observe northerly of the dwelling house of Samuel Porter, standing back from the highway, is a building designated as a Weaver's shop. Both Samuel Porter, Seu., and his sou of the same name were weavers by trade, and snp- plied the settlement with their elegant or plain woolen bed coverlets (specimens of which are still extant in the old families), woolen cloth and blankets, damask and plain licen, &c.
So far as appears, this building was the first specially devoted to manufacture in the limits of Bridgeport, and contrasts strongly with the splendid and extensive structures of the present day.
SALT WORKS.
For some reason which does not now ap- ' pear, after the close of the second war with Great Britain, somewhere about 1818-20, it was deemed a wise measure to secure salt of home manufacture, and so prudent and sagacious a mau as the late Isaac Shermin was persuaded it was safe to invest capital and labor in it. The beautiful plattean north of Gold street, the property of his brother- in-law, Samuel Porter, Jun., was selected as the site for the operations. The location of the evaporating vats are shown on the din- gram. The salt water was pumped from the bay or creek into the vats, by means of a wind mill stationed at or near the Point. No statistics are extant as to the quantity or quality of the product. but merchantable salt was made. One mistake as to location became apparent, that the water of the creek at this point was too much diluted with the fresh water of its tributaries. This and in- creased facilities for procuring the West India product, both conspired to render the enterprise uuprofitable. The "Salt Works," as they were called, were mentioned in the will of Samuel Porter, Jun., written in 1-28. The unused vats were admirably adapted to, and much used for the game of "bule and seek." The writer remembers themu abont 1830 They disappeared soon after this date.
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