USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stamford > Stamford historical sketches > Part 4
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MARITIME LIFE OF STAMFORD
HE life of Stamford has always been closely associated with the waters of Long Island Sound. Be- fore the coming of the white man to these parts, Wascussue, lord of Shippan; Piamikin, sagamore of Roatan, and Chief Myanos built their camps close to the sea, and their dark-skinned followers used the bays and the inlets of the Sound as their fishing grounds.
As early as 1642, Captain John Underhill, the erratic military genius and mortal foe of the dreaded Indians, sailed into the Stamford harbor after a dangerous ride from Boston in his small two-masted vessel. Navigation was a much more difficult undertaking in those days than it is now, and his trip was regarded as a memorable one.
The first steamboat to enter the Stam- ford harbor was the Oliver Wolcott, and it arrived in 1825. An eye-witness describes the impressions which it made upon him as a boy. "The Oliver Wol- cott came up into the harbor and landed a little above Captain Lockwood's wharf. The whole population of men and boys were there. A great crowd
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stepped on board as soon as she had made fast, and one boy at least had a mortal fear of going near the boiler. In a moment the steam was let off, and such a fearful scream it made to our unac- customed ears! We concluded at once that she had burst her boiler, or was boiling her buster, we didn't know then which it was, and with our hands over our ears, we rushed ashore, to be laughed at by some of the more knowing ones."
A pronounced forward step was taken in 1833, when it was decided to build a canal into the heart of the town. Alfred Bishop was the leading spirit in the new movement. Prominent men of the town gathered their followers about them, and took up the work. The canal was 180 rods in length, 30 feet in width and 7 feet in depth, and the cost of building it, including three stores erected on it, was seven thousand dollars. The first sloop to enter the canal was called the "Mayflower," and was manned by Cap- tain Rufus Wardwell. Two years after the completion of the Canal the "Sen- tinel" records: "Through the persever- ance of a single individual, a ship channel has been opened and the enter-
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prising Messrs. William and R. Hoyt and Co. have despatched the schooner James Star with a full freight for the West Indies. The value of this canal to this vicinity is not yet fully realized, but every day unfolds to the skeptic new evidences of its utility." The canal terminated on Main Street where the Quintard Block now stands, and often boats were anchored within one hundred feet from our present Atlantic Park.
Many small sloops plied between Stamford and New York, taking the vegetables grown on the adjoining farms to the markets of the city.
Commodore James D. Smith did more than any other man to stimulate an in- terest in yachting in Stamford. He was keenly interested in the sport himself and established a reputation as an inter- national yachtsman. He was one of the original directors of the Stamford Yacht Club, organized in 1891, which club has been the chief factor in fostering an interest in this sport during the last thirty years.
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SEAL OF THE TOWN OF STAMFORD
T the annual meeting of the Town of Stamford, held on October 14th, 1915, the following resolu- tion was adopted :
"Resolved, That the following seal be adopted as the seal of the town of Stamford, to wit, a shield divided into
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1641
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CONNECTICUT
four quarters ; the first quarter represent- ing the coat of arms of Stamford in Lincolnshire, England, the second quar- ter representing in peaceful profile the Indian and the settler, the third quarter representing an old grist mill and field
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of grain, the fourth quarter representing two crossed keys, one of ancient and one of modern design; above the shield an ancient ship and below the shield, in a scroll, the words 'Stamford, Connecti- cut,' and between the scroll and the shield, the figures-1641."
The meaning of these symbols is ap- parent. The ship is suggestive of the journey across the sea made by the origi- nal settlers; the coat of arms of Stam- ford in England is used because it was from this old town that Stamford received her name; the settler and the Indian remind us of these two groups, brought together at the time of the origi- nal settlement; the grist mill represents Stamford's first industry, built in 1641 near the present location of the bridge on Main Street which crosses the Rippo- wam River, an industry which had a con- tinuous existence for 158 years; and the two crossed keys symbolize Stam- ford's present largest industry, the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co.
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STAMFORD'S RECORD IN WAR
TAMFORD has established an enviable record for herself in war, and one of which the citizens may be justly proud. There has never been a struggle in which the country has been involved to which her sons have not responded freely and courageously. When it was necessary to lift arms against the Indians, the men of the an- cient settlement responded quickly, and under the leadership of such men as Captain John Underhill, Captain Jona- than Sellick and Sergeant Daniel Wes- cott, helped to drive back the dark- skinned enemy.
During Revolutionary days, the sen- timent of the community was distinctly in favor of the colonies. While there were some loyalists here, as elsewhere, who did not approve of the conflict and who caused trouble for the others, the majority entered earnestly into the fight for Independence. Immediately after the battle of Lexington and Concord, when it was thought that New York might be invaded, Joseph Hoyt enlisted a com- pany of thirty men to go to the help of that city. The defense proved unneces-
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sary, and the little company returned after eight days' service, having the distinction, however, of being the first group in Stamford to take up arms in the memorable conflict. Subsequently Captain Hoyt organized another com- pany and a third was formed later under Col. David Waterbury. Col. Waterbury later became a general in the colonial army, and his name stands out as one of the brilliant military leaders of his time.
Usual Knapp of North Stamford de- serves special recognition in connection with the Revolution. He was one of the personal life guards of General Wash- ington during the war and enjoyed his special favor. He was buried at Wash- ington's headquarters, at Newburgh, N. Y., with special military honors.
The sentiment of Stamford during the Civil War was absolutely unified. Over one-tenth of the entire population of the village responded to the call to arms for the defense of the Union. After Lincoln's call for volunteers, a mass meeting was held in Stamford and thirty young men, headed by Theodore Miller and Theodore Delacroix, signed up for service. Stamford's first com-
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pany was organized under Captain Albert Stevens, and shortly after an- other company was formed by Captain Lorenzo Meeker. A large number of the Stamford recruits became members of the 28th regiment, which saw active service in the siege and assault of Port Hudson in 1863. Charles A. Hobbie, captain of one of the companies organ- ized in Stamford, was one of a family which contributed six brothers to the war and which has given the name to a local post of the G. A. R.
Stamford's participation in the World War is so well known as to need little emphasis. Her representatives were found in every branch of the service, and also in the ranks of the various organizations doing auxiliary work for the troops. There were three companies of the National Guard in Stamford at the beginning of the war. All of these companies were enrolled in the Federal service, and all of them participated in actual fighting.
Battery F, Field Artillery, had re- turned to Stamford from service on the · Mexican border only two weeks before declaration of war with Germany. The unit immediately entered the Federal
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service and became a part of the 103d Field Artillery of the 26th division. The men embarked for France in Octo- ber, and saw actual service for the first time on February 14th, 1918, near the little village of Ostelt. They partici- pated in the fighting at Chateau Thierry and helped win the second battle of the Marne. At the signing of the armistice they were actively engaged between Verdun and Metz.
Battery D, 56th Artillery, Connecti- cut Artillery Corps, contained many young men from the Seventh Company, Connecticut Artillery Corps, Connecti- cut National Guard, which was located in Stamford. The battery left New York for France on March 28th, 1918, and after considerable moving about, were finally able to participate in actual fighting starting first at Lhuys. The battery was engaged in the Argonne offensive when the signing of the armis- tice put an end to the struggle. The battery shared in two major offensives, in the Fismes and the Argonne-Meuse sectors.
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The Ninth Company, Connecticut Artillery Corps, Connecticut National Guard, entered Federal service on August 4th, and subsequently became a part of Battery E, 56th Artillery. This battery had its baptism of fire on August 15th, near Fismes. It also participated in the Argonne offensive and was en- gaged in that sector at the signing of the armistice.
Stamford lost thirty-eight men during the World War. Her citizens subscribed over thirteen millions of dollars to the five government loans, in each drive over-subscribing the quota by a generous amount. In the Red Cross drives Stam- ford was united with Darien and New Canaan, and these groups gave $147,- 312.83 in the first campaign and $166,059.43 in the second. These towns raised $29,170.72 for the Y. M. C. A. war fund and $132,920.70 for the United War Work fund.
Statistics of the actual number of par- ticipants from Stamford in the various wars in which the country has engaged are difficult to compile, but according to the records prepared for the Soldiers'
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Memorial, erected in St. John's Park, the number is as follows:
Colonial and Indian Wars
278
Revolutionary War
493
War of 1812
191
Mexican War
7
Civil War
700
Spanish-American War
142
World War
2637
INTERESTING DATES IN STAMFORD'S HISTORY
1635-1700
1635-Church organized at Wethersfield, Conn. The majority of members in this church moved to Stamford in 1641, with a minority of the planters, continuing their ecclesiastical organi- zation here. It is now known as the First Congregational Church.
1640-July 1st. Original plot of land com- prising Stamford, purchased from the Indians by Nathaniel Turner, repre- sentative of the New Haven colony.
1641-First settlers arrived in Stamford in the spring of the year.
1685-May 26th. Town of Stamford incor- porated.
1700-1800
1706-April 4th. First record of services of the Episcopal Church held in Stam- ford.
1731-Separation of civil and ecclesiastical affairs of the town.
1743-Corner stone laid of the first building of St. John's Episcopal Church.
1744-Congregational Church of Middlesex (Darien) organized.
1758-Captain (later General) David Water- bury and men share in assault on Fort Ticonderoga.
1773-November 1st. First Baptist Church founded.
1779-March 26th. General Putnam rode to Stamford from Greenwich to get help to repulse the British.
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1779-Sept. 5th. Major (later Colonel) Benjamin Tallmadge and 130 men, starting from Shippan, attacked a band of Tories at Lloyd's Neck, bringing back 131 prisoners.
1781-July 22nd. Church at Middlesex (Darien) attacked by Tories, and the Rev. Moses Mather and members of the congregation led away prisoners. 1788-First Methodist Episcopal Church founded.
1800-1900
1825-The "Oliver Wolcott," first steamboat to enter Stamford harbor, arrived at Capt. Augustus Lockwood's wharf.
1829-Stamford's first newspaper, "The Intel- ligencer," founded.
1830-February 16th. "The Sentinel," fore- runner of "The Advocate," founded. 1830-Stamford incorporated as a borough. Population 663, including two slaves.
1830-Darien incorporated.
1834-Stamford's first bank incorporated. John W. Leeds was chosen president.
1838-Charles Hawley elected Lieutenant Governor, only Stamford citizen ever holding this office.
1841-Universalist Church founded. 1841-December 22nd. Stamford's second centennial celebrated. Historical ad- dress by Rev. John W. Alvord.
1842-Sept. 1st. Roman Catholic services first held in Stamford.
1843-Famous Miller controversy.
1845-Rippowam Fire Co. No. 1, Stamford's first fire department, organized.
1848-December. First railroad train entered Stamford.
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1849-July 4th. Ground broken for first Roman Catholic Church in Stamford, erected on Meadow Street.
1853-February 25th. First Presbyterian Church organized.
1855-Stamford Female Seminary founded. Forerunner of the Katherine Aiken School.
1855-William T. Minor elected Governor, only Stamford citizen ever holding this office.
1861-April 20th. First Civil War meeting held in Stamford.
1861-May 8th. St. Andrew's Church conse- crated.
1866-June 20th and 21st. Hoyt family meeting held in the Congregational Church.
1868-Ground broken for first building of Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. Factory commenced operations in March, 1869. 1870-July 2nd. President Grant visited Stamford.
1871-Sept. 1st. Old Town Hall completed. 1881-November. Ferguson Library first opened to the public.
1881-Hobbie Post, No. 23, G. A. R., organ- ized.
1882-August 8th. Presbyterian Church struck by lightning, and burned to the ground.
1886-June 8th. Woolen mills burned.
1887-January 31st. Horse-drawn street cars operated between stables on Woodside Street and depot.
1888-March 12th. Beginning of the famous "Blizzard of '88."
1888-Stamford Oratorio Society founded. Alfred Hallam, conductor.
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1889-July 3d. President Harrison visited Stamford.
1892-April 4th. "The Advocate" com- menced publication as a daily news- paper.
1892-October 19th. 250th anniversary of Stamford. George H. Hoyt, chairman of General Committee. Address by. Rev. R. P. H. Vail, D. D.
1893-Charter granted to the Stamford Hospital.
1893-Borough of Stamford incorporated as a city.
1896-June 11th. Union Memorial Church organized.
1900-1922
1904-February 4th. Old Town Hall burned. 1906-October 31st. Board of Appropriation approved purchase of Halloween Park. 1907-August. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church organized.
1907-October 5th. Inauguration of electric train service between Stamford and New York.
1908-January 22nd. Betts Academy burned. 1909-Stamford's new Y. M. C. A. building opened.
1913-September 20th. Stamford Hospital dedicated.
1914-May 16th. First observance of Settler's day.
1916- June 11th. 275th anniversary of Stamford. Robert Whittaker, chair- man of the General Committee. His- torical address by Judge Charles Davenport Lockwood.
1917-June 5th. 4450 registered for the selective draft.
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1918-September 12th. Five thousand eight hundred and thirteen registered under the selective draft law.
1919-March 12th. Opening of Nurses' Home of Stamford Hospital, presented by C. O. Miller.
1920-May 30th. Laying of cornerstone for War Monument in St. John's Park.
1920-Nov. 11th. Dedication of War Monu- ment in St. John's Park.
1922-July 27th. Stamford's bathing pavil- ion opened to the public.
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