USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 8
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The hill towns have their beauty of scenery, and charm of tradition. Danbury, one of the initial points from which sprung the industrial pre-eminence of Connecticut, with her Sandemanian outgrowth in religion, her martyr fires of the Revolution and wealth of local incident, has a history worthy of preservation; so with Ridgefield, where the battle was fought ; and Redding, where the camp was erected, and which was later the theatre of some of the opening struggles of the anti-slavery reform; and Newtown and Trumbull with their legends and footprints of the Indians who lived along the Great River. The shore towns, however, are richer in historic material. Whoever shall set himself to unearth and put in order the annals of early Colonial privateering and piracy, the origin and full development of the whale-boat crews of the Sound and their bloody encounter with leviathan, of the West India trade, and of those adventurous captains of Stratford, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, and Stamford, who unfurled their flags in the farthest seas of the rich East, or of the secret service and illicit traffic of revolutionary days in which these same whale-boats figured prominently, would not only give to the historian hitherto concealed facts, but would furnish a Cooper or an Irving, with material for half a score of living romanecs. Again, in some of these old towns, notably in Fair- field, there exists material of the highest literary interest. In Fairfield, for instance, Copley and Stuart dreamed and painted, and Dwight, Humphreys and Barlow wrote and sung; to Fair- field Hancock and Adams fled from British proscription; there Hancock was married to the beautiful Miss Quincy, of Boston, and there Madam Hancock, his aunt and benefactress. died and was buried in the old Fairfield burying ground, where her tombstone may still be seen.
Lastly the southern shores of the county are washed by Long Island Sound. To many of us, no doubt, the Sound is only an avenue for the cheap, speedy transportation of our coals and manufactured products. To the imaginative mind it is a fountain of happy memories, a reservoir of stirring in- cident and weird, ghostly fancies. Whenever under the genial sun of public appreciation, some romancer or poet shall arise
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to fitly celebrate, it will become as storied and poetic as the Hudson or Horicon. Let us glance briefly at the materials ready to his hand. There are Indian loves, intrigues, and struggles for dominion ; Sagas of the Northmen whose adven- turous prows burst into its waters as early as the ninth cen- tury, and the story of Adrian Block, who came in his square- bowed, high-decked yacht the Restless, to lay claim to the fair lands of Connecticut for his Dutch masters at New Amster- dam. Capt. Kidd. too, and the other bold corsairs of that day whose spectral sails and low black hulls, old skippers seen even now flitting down the Sound in the wrack of departing storms. Then the whale boatmen and the smuggling, the forays and heady sea fights of the Revolution, when this strip of water became the theatre of internecine strife. We are thrilled at Thermopyla, and Marathon, and Hastings, and Marston Moor, but that fight off Fairfield between Captain Brewster's patriots and the Long Island tories was as thril- ling, and noble, and gallant a battle as ever men waged "for their altars and their fires and the green graves of their sires."
Thus very crudely, very superficially, I have indicated the field of historic research which lies before the Society. Four years have passed away since its organization and on this an- niversary occasion it is proper to inquire how deeply, thor- oughly, and skillfully it has entered this field, what have been its achievements, what does it need further in the way of equipment ?
The Society, as you are aware, aims to preserve and illus- trate history through the printed page, by the collection of old records, manuscripts, and relics. I will speak first of the publications of the Society, which form its most important contribution to history. These, with one exception, consist of papers read by members at its stated meetings, all local in subject though all possessing general interest to a marked degree. The first was Mr. R. C. Ambler's paper on the Rev. Richardson Miner, first pastor of the church in Unity. now Trumbull, issued in 1882. Next a paper on the Rev. James Beebe, by the same author in ISS2. Then in succession were
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published: The Rev. John Jones, of Fairfield, by Mr. W. A. Beers, in 1882; in the same year a paper on Roger Ludlow by the same author ; the Account of the Bridgeport Fire of 1845, with *diagram by R. B. Lacey, Esq., President of the Society: Sketches of Bridgeport Churches in 1835, by R. B. Lacey (1882); of the Rev. Gideon Hawley, by Dr. N. E. Wor- din; of Nathan Gold, father of the Deputy-Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, by W. A. Beers, (1882) ; of Roger Minot Sherman, by the same author (November, 1882); of the History of the Bridgeport Bank, by R. B. Lacey (1884), which in its sketch of Dr. Isaac Bronson, the friend and adviser of Hamilton, and with Roger M. Sherman, the author of the in- dependent treasury system which succeeded the collapse of the United States Bank during Jackson's administration, is a con- tribution to our financial history that would alone warrant the Society's being. The history of old Stratfield Baptist Church, by Mr. Lacey, and a history of the Stillwell Methodists, by Mr. Samuel Main, followed next on the list, with Mr. Beers' inter- esting lecture on the early Dutch troubles between New Neth- erlands and Connecticut, and Mr. Lacey's History of the Saddlery Business of Bridgeport, and lastly the Society's most important and noteworthy work, Mr. Orcutt's careful and painstaking History of Old Stratford and Bridgeport, four numbers of which, covering nearly one hundred and eighty pages each, have been issued, while a fifth is in print.
The collection of books and papers of Indian relies and of articles illustrating the social condition existing one and two centuries ago, is fast becoming extensive and important and will soon require a much larger and more secure depository for its preservation. Here are arrow and spear heads, toma- hawks, celts, wampum, and the like, once in use by the county Indians, ancient articles of furniture and dress, spinning wheels and unspun flax, rusty match-locks, ancient swords, flint, tinder, and the machinery for striking a light, time- stained commissions of county officials, old letters, Indian deeds, rare old books and quaint engravings. Many possess a general interest, some of which we will notice. There is a
* First published in (Bridgeport) FARMER
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cup made from the old oak under which Col. John Burr ratified that treaty with the Indians which extinguished their title to the Pequonnock openings in Fairfield. There is an old book, "The Returned Backslider," printed in 1638, once owned by Samuel Sherman, of Stratford, the ancestor of Gen. William T. and Senator Jolm Sherman-" Jackson's Nullification Proc- lamation," printed on floss silk, and a quaint old-time stained paper which takes us back to the days when Connecticut citi- zens were slave owners. It reads as if it dated longer ago than 1797:
"Whereas, Elisha Wilson, of Stratford, is the master and owner of a negro male slave named Cæsar, and is disposed to emancipate and make free such slave, and hath applied to us, the subscribing authorities to inquire into the health and age of said slave, and we having found upon examination that said slave Cæsar is in good health, and is not of greater age than forty-five years, or less than twenty-five years, and that said Cæsar is desirous of being made free, we the subscribing authority do certify the same according to the statute law of this State in that case made and provided."
Signed by one Seleetman and two Justices of the Peace of Stratford, February 24, 1797.
Of equal interest is an account of the old Carter mansion in New Canaan, the oldest dwelling in the town, perhaps in the county, said to have been built between 1724-26. "Man- sion House," it is called in the deeds of the period conveying it. In 1733 the house, barn, and the tract of land they stood on (S) acres) were deeded to Jolin Eells, on condition that he "do settle in said parish as minister of ye people therein." This Parson Eells seems to have been an eccentric person. In the "account" referred to, we have a story of a couple who came in a thunder-storm to be married. "It was late in the evening, and the minister had retired. From the window he asked who was there and what was wanted The man told his errand, and Mr. Eells said "Come around under this win- dow here and I'll marry you." This is the formula which he used :
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"Under this window in stormy weather, I join this man and woman together ; Let none but him who made the thunder. E'er part these married two asunder."
Tradition adds to this story that when the anxious couple came to the open summer window Parson Eells, about to per- form the ceremony remarked, "That it was customary on such occasions to make a prayer, but it was nothing essential ; also to sing a hymn, but it was nothing essential." Then direct- ing them to join hands, the ceremony was performed in the manner above indicated. The happy groom replied on leav- ing "that it was customary to pay a dollar, but it was nothing essential. Good night."
Among the relies is an old worn razor ease of leather with brass hinges, clasp and lock, and room within for six razors, a brush and comb. That case was once the property of Sir John Stirling, of Stirling Castle, Scotland, but if I am to tell how it comes to be reposing in our Historical collection in 1886, I must go back a century and more, and recall some his- torie facts, and in stating them I am well aware that Mr. Orcutt, the historian of Stratford is present, ready to correct any misstatement I may make, whether intentional or other- wise. However, I do not stand in much awe of him because all the material for this idyl was taken from his excellent and entertaining history of Stratford. The first statement is, that in 1770 Stratford contained more beautiful maidens than any other town in the county. The second, that the prettiest of these was Miss Gloriana Folsom, daughter of Samuel Folsom, the village blacksmith, and the third, that one mellow autum day in 1770, a gay, careless, handsome young stranger came riding into the town, and put up at the village inn. His dis- tinguished air, skill in the dance and with the violin, and hearty interest in the village gayeties, quite won the hearts of the maidens, while eliciting the stern condemnation of the elders.
In these three statements you have all the elements of the modern society novel-the beautiful maiden, the young stran- ger, gay and debonair, and the opposition of stern parents- and are ready to go on with me to the denonement which
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occurred March 10, 1771, in the marriage of the young stran- ger to the beautiful Gloriana. Before this, however, to re- move the mother's opposition, he had declared himself the son and heir of Sir John Stirling, of Stirling Castle, Scotland, which, indeed, proved to be the case. This marriage turned out much more happily than misalliances are wont to do. The pair resided more than a year in the village, the young husband, meantime, receiving frequent letters importuning him to return home. These, at length, became mandatory, and he sailed away in 1772, leaving behind wife and baby, and this ancient razor case, but promising as soon as possible to return and reclaim them. I need not detail the weary waiting of months: it is enough to say, that a vessel, specially fitted up for the lady and her babes, at length appeared and con- veyed them safely to Edinburgh, and that members of her family who subsequently visited her at the castle found her discharging the duties of her position with as queenly a grace as if she had not been born daughter of the blacksmith of Stratford.
It is a pleasant story, this suggested by an old razor case ; one that would be deemed highly improbable if read in a ro- manee. I cite it as an illustration of the material to be eagerly utilized by the future poet and romancer, to be unearthed, with proper effort, from the archives and legendary stories of these old towns.
It would be tedious were I to enumerate seriatim all the books, documents, and objects now in possession of the Society. It suffices to say that the collection is varied, extensive, inter- esting and valuable. The experience of five years has served to define the field and to demonstrate what can be gleaned from it. Perhaps in the future the attention of investigators might be turned with profit to the subjects suggested above, viz., Colonial privateering and piracy, the West India trade, its exports and imports, the whaling crews and their exploits before and during the Revolution.
The perplexity of the Society, to-day, lies not in securing these votive offerings, but in providing a proper shrine for them. Its greatest need is a fire-proof building secure as
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iron, brick and granite can make it for their proper custody. There are many superfluous millions held in Bridgeport and the other county towns, millions that only entail harrassing care and anxiety on their possessors. I have sometimes loved to fancy the possessor of one of these millions, ambitious of pro- viding himself an enduring monument, desirous of being em- balmed in the hearts of the people as a public benefactor, de- voting a tithe of one of those millions to the erection of a library building on one of your principal streets, such a build- ing as one may see in Northampton and Quiney, and in almost every Massachusetts town of half the pretensions of Bridge- port ; or such a building as that creeted by Enoch Pratt to hold his magnificent gift to the City of Baltimore, which I had the pleasure of inspecting a few months ago, and which with its treasures of books and its endowment represents a value of nearly a million of dollars. I can faney some one among us, I repeat, devoting to the city in which he has gained his fortune, a modicum for the public good. Such a building an architect would design with special reference to its use. It should be neat, chaste, ornate in design. On the first floor would be accommodations for the City's Free Library ; the second would afford ample space for the collections of the Historical Society and of the Scientific Society, and so with positive benefit to the giver and an inestimable boon to the public, this most perplexing problem of securing a storehouse for our treasures would be solved.
At the close of the reading it was voted to print Mr. Todd's paper with that of Mr. Beers', and the thanks of the Society were voted for the excellent paper.
Remarks on the Society and its work were made by Major L. N. Middlebrook. and other members, and at about ten o'clock the meeting adjourned after a most pleasant and prof- itable session.
HISTORICAL PAPERS.
The rooms of the Historical Society and the adjacent rooms were filled Friday evening at the regular monthly meeting of the Society, November 13, 1885. The bones recently found at Seaside Park formed the chief attraction undoubtedly, and the interest displayed was gratifying to the officers and mem- bers. The Secretary, Dr. N. E. Wordin, acknowledged the receipt of the following additions to the library and museum of the Society: " Magnal's Christi Americane." The Ecelesi- astical History of New England from its first planting in the year 1620 unto the year of 1698, in seven books, by the Rev- erend and learned Cotton Mather, D. D., London, printed by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap- side, 1762. Given by Miss Ellen L. Boardman. The Con- necticut Courier, August 1, 1821, to February 25, 1825, by R. B. Lacey, Esq.
Copy of the Republican Farmer, for February 6, 1814, by Seymour Wells.
The Descendants of Samuel Carter, of Deerfield, Mass., by Samuel Carter.
The Fairfield Gazette, for July 4, 1787, from R. B. Lacey, Esq.
An antique Connecticut plow, with wooden mold board, iron share, horn handle, etc., very interesting, old and valuable. From Alexander Hawley, Esq.
At the hour for opening the meeting, the regular business was, on motion dispensed with, and the President, R. B. Lacey, Esq . read a paper upon the Old Stratfield Baptist Church, the first of that denomination established in this vicinity. The paper was as follows:
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THE OLD STRATFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was first gathered in the dwelling house of Capt. John Sherwood, October, 1751. The organization occurred soon after the visit and preaching of Rev. George Whitefield in this country. The state of religion had become very low at this period in New England, and the results of Mr. Whitefield's awakening and effective preaching was what has sometimes been denominated the "New Light Stir." He did not preach in Stratfield, but did preach in Stratford and Fairfield, and it made its impression here. The pastor, Rev. Samuel Cooke, sympathized with Whitefield and his preaching, but there was a strong party in the church which did not. After the death of Mr. Cooke in 1747 a successor-Rev. Lyman Hall, was ealled and settled-who was opposed by some on account of his want of sympathy with or supposed opposition to the "new light" views. This agitation and the unsettled eondi- tion of the parish at the time, it is said, prepared the way for a "Separatist" movement which was not necessarily distinet- ively Baptist. The movement here took shape under the leadership of Capt. John Sherwood and the Rev. Joshua Moss (or Morse). The latter was a convert under the preaching of Mr. Whitefieldl in Rhode Island, and had adopted Baptist sen- timents in regard to baptism by immersion, elose communion, and preparation for the Gospel ministry. In regard to the latter it was held that a liberal education was unnecessary- the requisites being-the Divine Call-hallowed fire and promised spiritual enlightenment. It is said that Elder Moss began preaching very young, being licensed by the Baptist anthorities of Rhode Island. He was instrumental in gather- ing a church of his order in the north part of New London (now Montville), and was ordained there in May, 1751. Mr. Moss had repeatedly visited Stratfield and held meetings and thus prepared the way-so that on the second Lord's day in October, 1751-as the record is in substance-"being assem- bled at ye house of ye said John Sherwood, said Elder being present, he did minister to our edification, and at the close of said service the following persons eame forth, viz : Zechariah Mead, Nathaniel Seeley, Elihu Mash (Marsh), John Sherwood.
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Ebenezer Sanford, and Samuel Beardsley, six male members besides ye Elder, and which gave out a particular relation of the work of God upon their souls, in the presence of ye Elder and of each other, and in the presence of the assembly, and by solemn covenant united together in the fear of God and love of Christ, with a number of sisters in the same manner and form, namely : Elizabeth Seeley, Mary Sherwood, Sarah Beardsley, and Martha Jennings. After solemn dedication and prayer to Almighty God, Elder Moss proceeded and went on in the ordinance of baptism by plunging under water each particular member aforesaid, (except Martha Jennings, who had received that ordinance some time before), and to con- clude the day's solemnity he did also administer the other or- dinance, namely, the Lord's supper to each and every member, then standing, as we believe according to ye Gospel and order of Christ's house, a regular Gospel church, under ye watch and care of Elder Joshua Moss." Elder Moss gathered several - other Baptist churches in the eastern part of the State and his time seems to have been mostly taken up in the care of them. He visited Stratford and preached from time to time-how often is not known. After the organization of the church for six years there is not the slightest record extant, nor any data for its history.
Some friction occurred during this period between both Baptists and the adherents to the Church of England, and the Stratfield Society of the "standing order" about the collec- tion of ministerial rates. By Colonial as well as English law every person was required to pay according to his ability, for the support of publie worship and in default of payment was proceeded against in the same manner as for any other species of debt. Capt. John Sherwood and his Baptist associates, thought they should be exempted from payment of the eusto- mary rates, under the toleration acts of the General Assembly. (Tradition has it that Capt. John Sherwood allowed his assess- ment to be collected by distraint of his personal property).
The Stratfield Society was averse to their claims for exemp- tion perhaps for several reasons such as these, viz: that they had gone off' in an irregular manner and though dissenting
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were really members of the "standing order"-they were few in numbers-had no place for public worship and had no resident minister. At the annual meeting of the Stratfield Society, held December 26, 1753, "the question being put to ye Society whether they would exempt Capt. John Sherwood, Nathaniel Seeley, Zachariah Mead, Ebenezer Sanford and Samuel Beardslee, Jr., from paying anything towards defray- ing ye ministerial charges in the Society for ye year ensuing and voted in ye affirmative."
"December 30, 1754, question put to ye Society whether they would exempt the people among us called Baptists from pay- ing their rates to the defraying ye ministerial charges which was to be gathered by Daniel Summers collected in ye year 1753, and negatived."
In 1755, Capt. Sherwood brought suit to the County Court to recover sums collected from him by distraint-with what result does not now fully appear. It seems, however, to have hurried up the settlement of a resident pastor, which was effeeted in August, 1757, and at the annual meeting of the Stratfield Society, held December 29, 1757, the ministerial rates for John Sherwood, Nathaniel Seeley, Zachariah Mead, and Ebenezer Sanford, were remitted for the years 1756 and 1757, and it was also voted that they be exempt therefrom the ensuing year.
ELDER JOIN SHERWOOD.
On the fourth Tuesday in August, 1757, the Church met at the house of John Sherwood, Elder Joshua Moss (Morse) and Elder Daniel Whipple, being present. On taking the testi- mony of the members concerning a minister, it appeared evi- dent that Brother John Sherwood was ealled of God to be a witness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Accordingly on the third Tuesday in December, 1757, the elders and messengers of the churches in New London and Groton assembled with the "Baptized Church" of Christ in Strattield, and by solemn prayer and fasting did separate the aforesaid John Sherwood and ordain him to the work whereunto God had called him. The first baptism recorded after the organization of the
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church was in September, 1759, at services held in Ridgefield, when four women were the candidates. At the close of the first ten years sixteen had been received by baptism according to the record. and these had their residence in Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, and Newtown. One who came from Fair- field Society, when he was baptized, "also gave up his children to the watch and care of the church," and upon a "fast occa- sion" Mary Sherwood, wife of the elder, gave up three child- ren, viz: Rebecca, Anna (or Hannah), and Samuel, to the watch and care of the church; but there was no ceremony ealled baptism in the acts of consecration. It is said that in some places where the "new light" movement culminated in the formation of Baptist churches, what is called open communion was tried, but the plan did not work well, and in most cases was soon abandoned. The Stratfield church did not begin with that plan, the record says-and it suffered nothing by such experiments.
John Sherwood was so prominent a figure, and so influential in the movements just narrated, that it will be interesting to note something of his previous personal history. He was third in descent from Thomas Sherwood, of Fairfield about 1640, through : 1. Capt. Matthew, born 1643. 2d. Capt. Samuel born 1680. He (3d, John) was born 1705. His wife was Mary Walker. They had ten children, among them son Stephen (born 1748), who was thrice married. His second wife was Jerusha Savage, of Ballston, N. Y., but earlier from Middle- town upper houses (now Cromwell) Conn. The issue by this marriage was a son and a daughter. The son was David-the well-known Deacon David Sherwood who so many years lived on the south side of Fairfield avenue, at the point now the site of Clinton avenue, extended southerly-where he owned and held a farm of one hundred acres of land in one body to the time of his death in 1873, at the great age of ninety-four years.
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