The history of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the settlement of the town in 1639 to 1818. Vol. I, Part 12

Author: Schenck, Elizabeth Hubbell Godfrey, 1832-
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, The author
Number of Pages: 478


USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > The history of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the settlement of the town in 1639 to 1818. Vol. I > Part 12


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* A quarrel had existed between Uncas and Sequassen some years previous ; and Uncas becoming jealous of favors shown about this time to Sequassen by the English, appeared before the commissioners in September and demanded redress for past wror.gs. Ludlow was appointed to settle the affair between the two chiefs .- Col. Rec. Conn., I, 228.


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a commissioner of the united colonies. At a session of the General Court in October, William Hill of Fairfield was appointed to require of the inhabitants of Norwalk the reason why they had not sent deputies to the General Court; and that the court expected they would forth- with make and return to Ludlow a true and perfect list of the persons and estates in their town, that a due proportion of all common charges should be borne by them with the other towns in the jurisdiction of Connecticut.


One-half of the annual tax from the towns due to the colonial treasury, was ordered to be collected, one-third in wheat at four shillings, one-third in peas at three shillings, and one-third in Indian corn at two shillings six pence per bushel. Of this tax Fairfield bore her share according to her rateable list of £8,850 15s. od .*


It appears at this time that there was a scarcity of provisions in some of the plantations, in consequence of which a General Court was called in the month of February, and an order passed, that " no person in any of the plantations of Connecticut should ship or allow to be conveyed out of the colony, beef, pork, bacon, butter, cheese, wheat, rye, peas, Indian corn, malt, biscuit, or any other grain, meat, or drink, before the next session of the General Court, without a license from an appointed committee, under a penalty of double the value of the article thus exported." On account . of increasing troubles with the Dutch, great alarm prevailed in the New England towns on Long Island Sound. The victory of Van Tromp over the English (December 9, 1652) had given Governor Stuyvesant courage to revive the old claims of the Dutch in Connecticut. All the claims which he had renounced to the English by an agreement made with them in 1650 at Hartford, were renewed, and as by this agreement the east bor- ders of the Dutch province extended to the west side of Greenwich bay, a distance of about four miles from Stamford, great alarm prevailed at Stamford, Fairfield and the English towns east of them, upon a report having reached them, that the Dutch governor had entered into a con- spiracy with the Indians to massacre the English.


An extra session of the commissioners was called on the 17th of March and 19th of April at Boston. Ludlow was present on both occasions, and argued strongly that men and arms should be sent for the protection of Fairfield and the adjacent towns on the Sound. Upon investigation it was discovered that Ninigret, who had married his daughter to the brother of the Pequot chieftain Sassacus, with the hope of recovering the old territory of the Pequots, had spent the winter in New Amsterdam with


* Col. Rec. Conn., 1, 236.


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a view of joining Governor Stuyvesant against the English. "Nine Sachems who lived in the vicinity of the Danch, sent their united testi- mony by an agent to Stamford, to the effect,¡ Hat the Dutch governor had solicited them to cut off the English, by promising them guns, powder, swords, wampum, coats, & waistcoats. It was rumored that the time of the massacre was fixed upon the day of the public election, when the freemen would generally be from home." The state of alarm at Fair- field and the neighboring towns was so great that the usual spring plow- ing, sowing and planting were neglected .* Watch was kept night and day, until men were worn with watching and guarding, and the women and children with sleepless nights and anxious days. Great expense was occasioned by this constant vigilance.


Six of the commissioners believed the reports against Stuyvesant ; but before they commenced hostilities, it was decided to draw up a general declaration of grievances to be sent to him. In the mean time, Stuyve- sant sent letters to the united colonies, in which he absolutely denied any part in the plot with whic he was charged. He offered either to go or send to Boston to prove innocence, or to allow an appointed ambas- ahadoes to investigate these charges. Francis sador to be sent to the ™ Newman of New Haven Captain John Leverett (afterwards governor of Massachusetts), and Mr William Davis, were invested with plenary power to investigate the affai and to receive the proposals of the Dutch gov- ernor. The commissi ners were requested by the General Court not to leave Boston until t1 e messengers returned from the Manhadoes. It was also ordered that a speedy messenger be sent for a renewal of the commissions from Connecticut and New Haven wJunioa bad just expired, "that so if God call upon a war, there may b,) no interruption of busi- ness." +


During the absence of the ambassadors to the Dutch, it was decided in case of war, that five hundred men should be raised for the first expe- dition, and placed under the command of Captain John Leverett. It was also agreed that f war should take place, the commissioners should meet at New Haven for the purpose of ordering the military movements of the English tro ps. At a session of the General Court held at Hartford on the 14th of April, speedy supplies were ordered to be sent to Captain Mason, at the fort at Saybrook; " & whatever else should be thought meet by Mr. udlow & Mr. Cullick." It was advised that all the scat- tered families of Saybrook should be gathered into the town. It was


* Trumbull's Hist. of Conn., Vol. I., p. 213.


+ Mass. Col. Rec., Vol. I., p. 311.


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also ordered that a ju. proportion of all the military provisions, which had been sent from Eng nad for the protection of the united colonies, should be sent to Connec. _ at and New Haven for the defense of their towns .*


Fresh testimony of fidelity of the Indians was required, by giving up their arms, or they would be looked upon as enemies of the English, and that they should not shoot guns or walk in the night, unless to carry mes- sages, in which case, they were to go to the watchman, who, if they ran away was ordered to shoot them. Ludlow and Captain John Cullock were again appointed commissioners for the year ensuing, "& invested with full power to agitate such occasions as concern the United Colonies for Connecticut, according to their formeri commission." Sixty men were ordered to be pressed as the quota for Connecticut, to make up the five hundred to be prepared for war. Eight of these men were to be taken from Fairfield, to be made ready to march at a day's warning. Lieuten- ant Cook was made commander-in-chief. The other officers were Lieu- tenant Thomas Bull of Hartford, Lieutenfl fit, Thomas Wheeler of Fair- field, Sergeant Richard Olmstead of Norwald and Hugh Wells of Weth- ersfield, drummer.t William Hill of FairfiesN, was chosen one of a com- mittee to provide provisions suitable for ta sel nice of two months. The messengers sent to treat with Stuyvesant returned to Boston about the last of May, without having effected any satisfactory communications with him. Further evidence was brought forward of the preparations the Dutch governor was making with the Indians for the extermination of the English. A long and unsatisfactory letter was read from Stuyvesant, in which he'nagrin + 'ed his claims against the Connecticut and New Haven colonies. "['his ' ter so exasperated the commissioners that all of them, except Mr. Bradstreet of Massachusetts, at once voted for a war against the Dutch. Massachusetts had instructed Bradstreet not to give his voice for war, but to use every possible endeavor to prevent open hos- tilities. In consequence of his opposition, the Bay colony was charged with a violation of the articles of union. Many in Massachusetts were displeased with the action of the General Court. They argued that if they " should neglect to engage in the war, it would be a declaration of


* The value of the arms and ammunition sent out by England at this time was estimated at £358 12s. 8d., and valued in the colonies at £478 3s. 4d. "For these upplies payment was to be made by such of the colonies as should receive their proportions, within two months there- after, and the amount received was to be appropriated for the use of the Indians, as the Commis- sioners of the United Colonies shall from time to time direct."-[Rec. of U. Colonies, May, 1653.] Col. Rec. of Conn.


+ Massachusetts ordered 333 ; Plymouth, 60, and New Haven, 42.


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their neutrality in the contest, & might be viewed in that light by the parliament, & be of great & general disservice to their interest." *


A committee of conference from the Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven colonies was chosen, to set before the court of Massachusetts the danger of the English settlements, and also to seek the advice of the elders of the Bay. Ludlow of Fairfield was one of this committee. A committee was also chosen from Massachusetts to meet them. A warm debate followed ; but after lengthy protestations on both sides, the vari- ous representations made were submitted to the grave judgment of the elders of the Bay, who, after weighing the situation carefully, counseled " that it would be safest for the colonies to forbear the use of the sword ; but advised to be in a posture of defence & readiness for action, until the mind of God should be more clearly known, either for a more settled peace, or manifest ground of war." This advice, however, did not change the views of the commissioners, with the exception of Bradstreet.


They sent warnings to the General Courts of each colony to prepare for war. Connecticut was ordered to raise sixty-five men, out of which number Fairfield was to send eight. Lieutenant Thomas Wheeler, of Fairfield, was chosen ensign of the company. Andrew Ward and William Hill were made commissaries, and appointed a committee to join with the constables of the town in impressing men for the service. The military officers of Stratford were ordered to await Ludlow's return from Massa- chusetts, before choosing other officers.t An extra session of the General Court of Connecticut was called on the 25th of June, when it was decided to press upon Massachusetts the necessity of a war with the Dutch ; and if she would not join the other colonies, that she would at least give them liberty to accept volunteers from among them to prosecute a war. Gov- ernor Haynes and Ludlow were appointed to confer with Governor Eaton, of New Haven, upon the subject : " also about a ship to transport troops, and to find out what encouragement they should send to the English & friendly Indians on Long Island." They found Governor Eaton eager to join them " in a just war upon a rebellious people, the measure of whose sins were then full." They declared " such a war to be like that of David against the children of Ammon, & the late war of England against Scot- land."# Articles were drawn asking Massachusetts that if she could not join them, to agree that the united colonies should meet in New Haven to conduct the war. New Haven agreed to join Connecticut in purchasing


* Trumbull's Hist. of Conn., Vol. I., p. 203.


+ Col. Rec. Conn., I., 243.


# Col. Rec., New Haven, I., 4-22.


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a frigate on the Connecticut river, and to fit her with ten guns and other necessary supplies, to coast up and down between the mouth of that river and Stamford, for the protection of the towns on the Sound. The result of these measures was another meeting of the commissioners at Boston on the IIth of September (Ludlow was present, having been commissioned on the IIth of August). After a stormy debate, which came near destroy- ing the union of the colonies, Massachusetts utterly declined to unite in a declaration of war against the Dutch. Connecticut and New Haven were therefore left to bear the brunt of their unhappy situation, without the assistance which they thought they ought to expect from the Bay state. Both colonies held a General Court in October, and agreed to appeal to England for redress. They also resolved to purchase, and man with forty men, the frigate before mentioned, to cruise up and down the Sound to prevent the alarming extent of piracy which existed ; to protect the Con- necticut and New Haven towns, and the English settlements belonging to those colonies on Long Island; as well as to intercept and prevent Nini- grate from forming an alliance with the Dutch and Indians of Long Island and New York.


Captain John Astwood was sent as a special agent from New Haven to Cromwell and the Parliament to solicit aid in reducing the Dutch. Letters were dispatched from Connecticut to Parliament, to General Worth and to Mr. Edward Hopkins, who was then in England.


An attack from the Dutch was expected at any moment, as it was known that they were awaiting a reinforcement from Holland. It was expected that when the Dutch ships should give a signal, the Indians would rise and begin their savage work by firing the English towns and massacring the inhabitants. Meanwhile Stuyvesant, as much alarmed as the English, made every preparation of defense at New Amsterdam ; and the people " for once agreed to submit to a tax for digging a ditch from the North to the East rivers, & the erection of a breast-work & palisadoe to secure the town from attack." The alarm of the Dutch at an impend- ing English and Indian invasion was most distressing, for they had every reason to believe that unless speedy succor was sent them from Holland, they would be overpowered by the English, who far exceeded them in numbers .* Great dissatisfaction prevailed at this time in New England with the rigor of the colonial laws. The Dutch were equally dissatisfied . with the tyrannical rule of Governor Stuyvesant. The mild policy of Connecticut stood out in strong relief, in comparison with that of the other colonial jurisdictions.


* Bryant's Hist. United States, I., 140-147.


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The turbulent state of affairs in England, after the death of Charles I., seriously affected the English colonies, and " the liberties of the people," were the daily theme of conversation. On the 16th of December, 1653, Oliver Cromwell was given the title of " His Highness the Lord Protector of England." He was intrusted with the authority of which they had deprived their king. Meanwhile Charles II., having escaped from England, found a safe refuge among his friends on the continent. Governor Sir William Berkeley, of Virginia, had sent an invitation to Prince Charles to come to Virginia and be their king, which awakened a great excitement in all the American plantations .* George Baxter, who had been the former English secretary, and James Hubbard, of Gravesend, L. I., made themselves con- spicuous, both in the Dutch and English colonies, by stirring up a feeling of rebellion against the Dutch governor, who not only expelled them from his jurisdiction, but obliged all the English under his authority to take the oath of allegiance to the Dutch province. Captain John Underhill, of Stam- ford, who had been of great service to the Dutch, hoisted the colors of Parliament at Flushing and Hempstead, and issued a manifesto setting forth the impositions practiced upon the liberties of the people by taxes ; appointing magistrates without the vote of the people; violation of con- science, and conspiring with the Indians to murder the English. He was seized and imprisoned, but the Dutch governor soon after released him. He then proceeded to Rhode Island, where he was made commander- in-chief of a band of volunteers, and without delay marched to the fort of Good Hope on the Connecticut ; but finding it empty he posted upon the door a notice, " Jo : Underhill [did] seaze upon this hous and lands thereunto belonging, as Dutch goods claymed by the West India Company in Amsterdam, enemies of the Commonwealth of England." He then disbanded his company of twenty volunteers, and sold out the fort and the Dutch land adjacent, on his own account, for twenty pounds sterling. About a month later he gave a second deed of the same lands to another party.


Instigated by Robert Basset and John Chapman of Stamford, the inhab- itants of Stamford exhibited great dissatisfaction with the government of


* " The Virginia colonists were staunch loyalists. Governor Berkeley ruled Virginia under a commission from Prince Charles, the exiled son of Charles I. The Republican Parliament of England was offended by the persistent attachment of the Virginians to royalty, & early in the spring of 1652 sent Sir George Ayscue with a powerful fleet to reduce them. Meanwhile Berke- ley & the Cavaliers or Royalists had resolved not to submit, & had sent a messenger to Breda, to invite Prince Charles to come over & be their king. He was preparing to come, when affairs took a turn in England, which foreshadowed a speedy restoration of monarchy there."-Student Hume, p. 768.


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New Haven. They complained of neglect, bad government and unreasona- ble taxes ; that the people were deprived of their liberties and denied just privileges. They assumed to set up for the government of England against that of the colony of New Haven. They demanded that New Haven should prosecute the war against the Dutch, and allow them to raise men in other towns; and that they were resolved to raise men for this purpose among themselves.


About the time that Governor Berkeley and the Virginia cavaliers invited Prince Charles to come over and be their king, a mariner by the name of Thomas Adams " (as he called himself), though in apparel & carriage he acted a part as if he had been the king of Scots or some great prince (though not willing to be known) & by some was called (King Tom)," came to Stamford .* He was entertained by Robert Basset, who pre- sented him with " guns at parting," being fully satisfied in his own mind, as he afterwards declared, that he was the king.


As Rhode Island was not recognized by the New England colonies, her inhabitants declared for Parliament, and took measures to subdue the Dutch on this side of the Atlantic. Captain Thomas Baxter, who is some- times confused with the above George Baxter, sailed from Rhode Island, and by virtue of a commission given him from that colony " under the commonwealth of England," captured without discrimination both Dutch and English vessels. Near the Manhadoes he seized a Dutch vessel belonging to a Mr. Mayhew, and brought her into Black Rock harbor. Without delay the Dutch prepared two war vessels with ammunition and cannon, and with one hundred men, who were dispatched to Connecticut, and " lay in the road near the opening of Fairfield harbor "-Black Rock. The appearance of these men-of-war caused great excitement at Fairfield. A public meeting was called, and it was voted by the townsmen that an army should be immediately prepared, not only for the protection of the town, but to make war upon the Dutch. Ludlow was appointed commander-in- chief. Firmly persuaded than an attack might be made upon the town at any moment, Ludlow accepted the office as one of military necessity, and at once began to drill the men and prepare for any emergency. He immediately wrote to Governor Eaton notifying him of his appointment. His letter was read before a General Court assembled at New Haven on the 22d of November, 1653.


After a long consultation held by Governor Eaton with the magistrates, deputies, and most of the elders in the New Haven colony, it was decided : " It being so near winter, & the want of suitable vessels & the like, they * New Haven Col. Rec., II., 60.


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did not see themselves called upon to vote for a present war, but to suspend a full issue till Connecticut jurisdiction be acquainted with it, & give notice what they will do ; but if they agree to carry it on now, then this court agrees to join with them, & to meete again to consider & order as the case may require."


About the Ist of March orders reached the New England colonies from Cromwell and the Parliament, that the Dutch were to be treated as the enemies of England. The General Court of Connecticut met on the 6th of March, and ordered that a special warrant should be granted Jonathan Gilbert to arrest Thomas Baxter of Fairfield, for disturbing the peace of the colony. . Stamford and Fairfield were each required to choose one man, and present their names to the next court of election, as assistants to the magistrates.


During the winter a sad calamity fell upon the colony, by which it was deprived of the wisdom and counsel of one of its most popular leaders. Governor John Haynes died on the Ist of March, 1654. He was a gentle- man of good family, and owned a fine estate called Copford Hall, in Essex, England. He was distinguished for his abilities, prudence and piety. He spent his money freely, and endured many hardships and perils for the advancement of the interests of the colony. He was associated with Ludlow in many important offices of trust, and warmly sympathized with him in his responsibilities at this critical time. The General Court assem- bled at Hartford on the 6th of March, when it was ordered that, " In respect of a sad breach God has made upon us by the sudden death of our late Governor, & the like mortality of our neighbors in the Bay, some eminent removals of others, & spreading opinions in the colonies, the condi- tion of our native country, the alienation of the Colonies in regard of the combination," the 15th of March should be set apart as a day of fasting and prayer throughout the jurisdiction.


On the 8th of March the General Court of New Haven ordered the arrest of Thomas Baxter and John Youngs, a son of the Rev. John Youngs of Southold, Long Island. The latter had been heard to say that he would procure sixty men at Uncoway to garrison Southold, to defend him against the power of New Haven. Upon leaving Southold he had been arrested and imprisoned by the Dutch, and a second order was given for his arrest from New Haven, as soon as he was released from confinement at the Manhadoes. Thomas Baxter was accused " of plundering, spoiling & robbing ; & of taking a vessel which belonged to the Plymouth Colony, to the great damage of sundrie persons." He was soon after arrested at Fairfield, and on the 10th of March was brought before the New Haven


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magistrates. He was charged with seizing Mr. Mayoe's vessel without a proper commission, and " with many miscarriages of a high nature at Fair- field." He was also accused of flourishing a flag and beating a drum at Stamford to call volunteers to go against the Dutch ; of threatening the constable there and those who opposed him ; of seizing a canoe belonging to one of the magistrates, and striking with a half-pike upon the head and shoulders the ward who attempted to detain it. It was charged that one of his men drew his cutlas and struck at the ward's hand, while the others stood with their guns cocked declaring they would shoot; and that he had detained a servant of Mr. Fowler's until he saw fit to send him home. To these charges he pleaded that he thought his commission from Rhode Island warranted him to seize any Dutch vessels while they were the enemies of the Commonwealth of England. Having heard him thus far, the magistrates of New Haven decided to send him to Connec- ticut to answer for what he had done in that jurisdiction. Two of his men, William Ellitt and Abraham Frost, of Stamford, were brought in as prisoners. It was also decided to send them to the General Court of Connecticut. John Odell of Pequonnock, being present, was then called upon by the marshal of Connecticut to testify in regard to the conduct of the prisoners, before sending them to be tried by the Connecticut court, which he did as follows :


" John Odell testifyeth under oath that as Baxter's men went up & down the streets of Fairfield, with their swords drawn in their hands, he heard William Ellitt sweare with a great oath (but knowes not the words) that with them hands of his, he would be avenged upon the blood of some of them, which had taken his Captain, & he supposed their was about a dozzen of them, which so runn with their swords drawn."


Lieutenant Cook and Goodman Lewis of Hartford, Edward Parker and Daniel Hopper, who were sent from New Haven to Fairfield to take Baxter and his men, were also brought before the court. They testified that upon the arrest of Baxter, Robert Basset ran after Lieutenant Cook and his men with high and offensive words. He demanded that Lieutenant Cook put up his sword; that they then seized and disarmed him and carried him with Baxter to the house where the latter was kept a prisoner; but that Basset soon went away without leave. They further testified that they thought Basset instigated the riot which followed, for he had been away but a short time, when a party of men assaulted the guard who had charge of Baxter. A skirmish took place, in which one of Baxter's men was killed, and one of Lieutenant Cook's men wounded. Soon after Basset returned and plead for the release of Baxter. Goodman Lewis testified that after Basset's arrest, 6




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