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 27
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" By land some of the principal grains, especially our wheat & our peas, fell under an unaccountable blast, for which we are not even unto this day delivered ; & besides that constant frown of Heaven upon our husbandry, recurring every year, few years have passed wherein either worms or droughts, or some consuming disasters, have not befallen the labors of the husbandmen. By sea, we are visited with multitudes of shipwrecks, enemies preyed on our vessels and sailors, and the affairs of the merchants were clogged with losses abroad, or fires breaking forth in the chief seats of trade at home, wasted their substance with yet more costly desolations."*
Owing to these calamities, upon recommendation of the commissioners of the united colonies in 1678, the General Court ordered that all the churches throughout New England should unite in humble prayer and supplication, that the Almighty would remove his anger from them. "The Synod convened at Boston Sept. 10. 1679 choosing Mr. John Shermon and Mr. Urian Oakes for joint moderators, during the biggest part of the sea- son." "The Assembly kept a day of fasting & prayer," after which
* Magnalia, Vol. II., B. V., p. 4.
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several days were spent in discussing the two questions which were offered for consideration, viz. :
"What are the provoking evils of New England ? & what is to be done that so those provoking evils may be reformed ?"
Thirteen evils were enumerated in reply to the first question. Answers were made to these questions, setting forth the way by which the provok- ing evils of the times might be overcome. Ministers were emboldened to preach against the sins of the people. "But of all the effects that followed upon the synod, there was none more comprehensive & significant than the renewal of the covenant." The renewal of the covenant varied only in words in different churches, but the substance was in all points essentially the same .*
On account of many persons sojourning in some of the towns in the colony, who not only voted illegally but intermeddled with the laws of the towns and colony, a law was passed, " that none be admitted an inhabi- tant, or householder but a man of sober conversation, with at least fifty shillings freehold estate in the common list besides his person, should vote in the choice of town or county affairs, provided he had not been made a freeman, under a penalty of 20$. fine."
At the October session of the General Assembly, John Banks was appointed one of a committee to settle the boundary line between Milford and Derby. A general thanksgiving was appointed for the first Wednes- day of November throughout the colony. Special thanks were requested to be offered for the deliverance of the king and his people from the Popish plot ; as well as their own " preservation, notwithstanding the plots & machinations of evil minded men." One of the chief causes for dis- quietude at this time was, that if Andros succeeded in becoming governor of New England, he would make the Church of England the established church of the colonies. Great fears were also entertained that the Roman Catholics would gain strong foothold in New York.
On the 25th of October the Sasco Indians agreed to make an exchange of their lands in the Sasco fields for other lands belonging to the town.
* Mather's Magnalia, Vol. II , B. V., p. 283.
I4
CHAPTER V
1680-1690
THE DECADE OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION
Claim of John Wampus .- First prison on Meeting-house green .- Magistrates of 1680 .- Trade and Navigation .- Indian troubles .- Fairfield troops .- Bedford .- Edward Randolph, deputy for New England .- Henry Wakeley .- Branding .- Ship building .- Purchase of Old Indian Field .- Court of admiralty .- Fairfield estates .- Meeting-house repairs .- Military colors .- Blight of crops, and great sickness .- Sign post .- Non-residents .- Pirates .- Silver coins .- Connecticut boundary-line .-- Major Gold sent to New York .- Danbury .- Death of Charles II .- James II. proclaimed King .- Fairfield patent .- Royal letters .- Writs of Quo War- ranto .- Edward Randolph .- Highway across Golden-hill .- Petition to the King .- Governor Dongan .- Sir Edmund Andros .- Boundary between Fairfield and Norwalk .- Nathan Gold, Jehu Burr and John Banks disfranchised .- William Whiting .- Danbury made a town .- Governor Andros assumes command of Connecticut .- The Charter Oak .- Governor Andros' Council .- John Perry, postman .- French and Indians .- Major Gold and Jehu Burr reinstated. -Oppressive laws of Andros. - Andros' proclamation .- Rev. Increase Mather .- Abdication of James II .- William and Mary .- Andros imprisoned .- Connecticut magistrates restored to office .- William and Mary proclaimed in New England towns .- Address to the King and Queen .- Major Gold ambassador to New York .- Connecticut troops sent to New York .- French and Indian depredations .- Rev. Increase Mather's success in England .- Preparation for war with the Canadians and Indians.
THE laborious and valuable services rendered by Fairfield during Philip's war, added greatly to the luster of her fame. Nobly had her sons borne a heavy share of the hardships and sacrifices of this war; and by their spirit and bravery deservingly won the name of heroes. Never did women deserve greater praise than the mothers and daughters of Fairfield, for their constant industry and helpfulness in sustaining the life of the colo- nies at this critical time.
Scarcely, however, had peace settled over her borders than a fresh dis- quietude arose. The planters had for some time believed themselves, or claimed to be, the lawful possessors of the last six miles square of lands purchased of the Aspetuck Indians in 1670; but their claim was now dis- puted by John Wampus, alias White, by virtue of his marriage to Prasque, the daughter of Romanock, chief sachem of the Aspetuck and Sasquan- nock Indians. Romanock had died during the latter part of the previous decade, and Wampus' claim was based upon a deed of Aspetuck given to Prasque by her father, dated September 11, 1660. He visited the chief magistrates of Fairfield, and before them asserted his claim to be a just and lawful one. So persistently did he push the matter, and demand that
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THE DECADE OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION
1680]
his lands should be bounded out to him, that he incurred the displeasure of the magistrates, who ordered his imprisonment. He then employed Richard Thayer, a lawyer of Milford, not only to apply to the General Assembly, but also to address a letter to the Lords of the King's Council, to which he received the following reply :
" From the Lords of the Council to the Governor and Magistrate :
After our hearty commendations. Whereas John Wampus, alias Whites, has, by petitions humbly represented unto his Majesty, that he is, by marriage of Anna, the daughter of Romanock, late sachem of Aspetuck & Sasquanaugh, upon the death of said sachem, become sole proprietor of those tracts of land where the town of Fairfield, in the colony of Connecticut, is built ; that the petitioner's said father-in-law did, about nineteen years since, deliver up the possession of the said land to the petitioner, who sometime after sold part thereof to Capt. Denison, Amos Richardson & others of Connecticut Col- ony, for the sum of three hundred & fifty pounds, or thereabouts; & that by the evil practices of Major Nathan Gould, & other inhabitants of Fairfield, he is not only kept out of his just rights, but was also imprisoned by them in May last, when he went to demand possession of his estate ; withall complaining of the great hardships & miseries he & other native Indians are subject unto by the laws of that colony. His Majesty taking into con- sideration the miserable condition of the petitioner, & declaring his royal pleasure that not only the petitioner, but all such Indians of New England as are his subjects, & sub- mit peaceably & quietly to his Majesty's government, shall likewise participate of his royal protection, we do by his Majesty's express commands signify the same unto you, requir- ing you to do the petitioner such justice as his case may deserve; & for the future to proceed in such manner as his Majesty's subjects may not be forced to undertake so long & dangerous voiages for obtaining justice, which his Majesty expects shall be speedily & impartially administered unto them upon the place. And so not doubting of your ready compliance herein, we bid you heartily farewell. From the Council Chamber in White- hall, the 28th day of March, 1679.
Your loving friends,
Anglesley, Ailesbury,
Clarendon,
J. Brickenwater,
Falconberg,
J. Erule,
John Nichols.
To our Loving Friends, the Governor & Magistrate of his Majesty's Colony of Con- necticut, in New England.
Rec'd May 17, 1680." *
Meanwhile, the authorities of the town had strictly forbidden Wampus to draw division lines within the township, and proceeded to obtain, if possible, a general deed from all the Indian sachems of whom they had purchased lands. At a town meeting in February, it was voted that a small piece of land on the green should be granted to build a prison, with a dwelling-house thereon, also a garden plot and yard plot.
* Col. Rec. Conn., III., 281.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1680
During the spring the people of Mill-plain expressing dissatisfaction on account of some of the planters having so far encroached upon the high- way that it was lost, Jehu Burr and Samuel Morehouse were appointed a committee to settle the boundaries of the trespassers, and to lay out the highway to a place called Applegate's Landing. At the May election Major Gold was re-elected an assistant; John Banks and Jehu Burr deputies ; and Jehu and John Burr commissioners. John Banks was made one of a committee to audit the colonial treasurer's account. He was also appointed one of a committee to examine the plantation of Wood- bury, and to settle the division lines between Woodbury, Derby and Waterbury. Jehu Burr was made one of a committee with Major Treat, John Talcott, and the Rev. James Fitch, to hear and settle all quarrels between the English and Indians, and all Indian quarrels. He was also appointed with Mr. William Fowler, of Stratford, to settle the bounds of one hundred acres of land upon Corum hill to Ackenach, sachem of Mil- ford and Derby.
The acts of trade and navigation had for many years become so offen- sive to the colonists, and so contrary to their chartered liberties, that they were openly opposed by many ; but, as the king had ordered that the governor in each colony should take the oath of trade and navigation, it was administered to Governor Leete in the presence of this assembly .*
A series of twenty-seven questions from a committee of the king's privy council was also read, and an answer voted to be returned by the governor, and as many of the assistants and council as could be present, to draw up suitable answers. A synopsis of the replies to these questions gives a very interesting idea of many things bearing upon the history of the town of Fairfield, and is as follows :
I. Answer. We have two annual General Courts, according to his Majestie's charter.
(2) We have two Courts of Assistants, consisting of the governor & six assistants, with a jury, for the trial of capital offences, & for appeals.
(3) The colony is divided into four counties, each county holding two courts annually, consisting of magistrates with a jury, for actions of debts, slander, & criminal matters of less importance.
(4) In special matters the Governor with his assistants, holds extra courts between the two annual sessions of the General Court.
* By the king's proclamation of November 24, 1675, all other but English vessels were pro- hibited from importing to the colonies commodities from Europe not laden in England. The governor of each colony was required to make returns of all vessels laden with plantation com- modities in his colony, and all bonds taken by him. On the 19th of May, 1680, William Brath- wayt, Esq., was granted a commission by the king, as surveyor and auditor general of all revenues arising in America, with power to appoint deputies and under officers .- Col. Rec. of Conn., I., 307.
4
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THE DECADE OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION
1680]
2. Answ. Having but little traffic abroad, the Court of Assistants decide cases need- ing attention.
3 Answ. The Legislative power rests in the General Court, & the execution in the regular appointed courts.
4. Answ. Having sent you one of the new law books, particular attention is directed to the fact, that we had been careful not to make any laws repugnant to the statute laws of England.
5. Answ. The troops of the colony consists of but one regular body ; but three more companies could be raised consisting of forty horse each. The other forces are train bands. One Major in each county commands the militia of the county, subject to the orders of the governor; the latter being the general of all the forces in the colony. The number of the whole body of trained soldiers is 2507-Hartford county 835. New Haven county 623. New London county 509. Fairfield county 540.
The arms of troopers are pistols & carbines, & of foot soldiers, muskets & pikes. In the late war with the Indians, dragoons proving most useful, about 300 were employed in the service with good success.
6 Answ. We have one small fort in the colony not over strong, at the mouth of the Connecticut river, called Saybrooke, easily supplied with provisions from the towns about it. There are other good harbors, specially one at New London needing fortifications & artillery.
7 Answ. Few privateers or pirates venture to enter the harbors of our dangerous coasts.
8 Answ. We have about 500 fighting Indians. We are strangers to the French, & have no knowledge of their commerce.
Our chief trade is with Boston, where clothing is purchased & paid for with what pro- visions we raise.
The trade with the Indians since the war is worth nothing.
9 Answ. We have neighborly correspondence with Plymouth ; indifferent with Massa- chusetts ; but none of good account with Rhode Island. On account of the " demands he makes upon our limits, & ill titles he lays upon us," our correspondence with Sir Edmond Andros is not what it was with his predecessors.
IO Answ. "Our boundaries are expressed in our charter. The number of acres of settled or unsettled lands we cannot guess, the country being mountainous, full of rocks, swamps, hills & vales. Most of that fit for planting is taken up. What remains must be subdued, & gained out of fire, as it were, by hard blows, & and for small recompense."
II. Answ. "Our principal towns are Hartford upon the Connecticut river ; New London upon the Pequot river ; New Haven & Fairfield by the sea side : in which towns is managed the principal trade of the colony. Our buildings are generally of wood ; some of them are of stone & brick ; many of them of good strength & comlynesse for a wilderness ; both those of wood, stone & brick : [many forty feet long & twenty foot broad & some larger] ; three & four stories high."*
12 Answ. There are twenty-six settled towns in the colony.
13 Answ. Between the Narragansett river on the east bounds, & the Mamaroneck rivulet on the west, are the following rivers.
(1) The Connecticut, with ten or twelve feet of water at its entrance. Vessels of 60,
* " Crossed Out."
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1680
& 80 tons go six miles up the river to Hartford : but by reason of flats & falls cannot go more than six miles above Hartford.
(2) The New London or Pequot river permits ships of 500 tons to go up to the town. Vessels of thirty tons go above New London to Norwich.
(3) At New Haven & Fairfield, vessels of 300 tons or larger can enter their harbors.
(4) Vessels of 30 or 40 tons enter the rivers of Guilford, Milford, Norwalk, Stratford, Stamford & Rye .- all these rivers having good tide harbors.
14 Answ. "The commodities of the country are wheat, rye, barley, Indian corn, pork, beef, wool, hemp, flax, cider, perry, tar, deal-boards, pipe-staves, & horses;" but to say the yearly value of what is exported, or spent upon the place, we cannot. Small quantities of exports sent to Jamaica & other Carribian Islands, & bartered for sugar, cot- ton, wool & rum, & some money; rarely a vessel laden with staves, peas, pork, flour for Maderia & Fayall, & bartered for wine. No need of trade with Virginia, on account of raising as much tobacco in the colony as the planters need. Great loss has been sustained by blasting of the wheat & peas by worms & mildew, seriously affecting trade.
(2) Good oak timber, pine & spruce is used for masts; oak & pine boards, tar, pitch & hemp for vessels.
(3) Possibly 8 or 9000 pounds of commodities imported annually.
15. Answ. No salt-peter raised in the colony, nor have we any knowledge of the right materials for raising it.
16. Answ. About twenty petty merchants trading on the coast from New Foundland to New York. Few foreign merchants ever come to trade with us.
Men from 16 to 60 form our train bands.
There are but few servants among us, & less slaves, not more than thirty in the colony. 17. Answ. So few English, Scotch & Irish come into the colony, that it would be hard to give an account of them. Some years none ; sometimes a family or two in a year ; three or four blacks perhaps in a year from Barbadoes, which are usually sold at 22£. apiece, according to an agreement made with the masters of vessels or merchants that bring them.
18. Answ. No definite account of whites or blacks born in the colony to be obtained ; but few blacks, & but two blacks christened that we know of.
19. Answ. We can give no perfect account of the marriages for the last seven years.
20. Answ. We can give no account of the deaths within seven years, but as to the increase of the population, it is about as follows :
In the year 71 our number of men were 2050
76
2303
77 2365 78 2490 79 2507
21. Answ. The estates of merchants, we make no guess of : but the estates of the corporation in general amount to 110788 lbs.
22. Answ. Very seldom other vessels than those from Boston or New York come to trade with us. The number of our vessels amount to 4 ships, & 24 pincks, ketches, & barks ; the combined weight of which amounts to about 1000 tons.
23. Answ. The obstructions we find to trade & navigation, are, want of men of estates to venture ; of money at home for managing trade, & the high rates of labor.
24. Answ. If Hartford, New London, New Haven & Fairfield could be made free
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THE DECADE OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION
1680]
ports for 20 or 15 years, it would be the means of increasing navigation & the wealth & trade of the colony.
25. Answ. No duties are taken by us either in export or imports, except in wine & liquor, which is small, & used towards the maintenance of free schools.
26. Answ. Our people are generally strict Congregationalists, others more liberal Congregationalists, & some moderate Presbyterians. There are also about 4 or 5 Seven- day men, & so many Quakers.
27. Answ. Great care is taken to instruct the people in the Christian religion by min- isters catechising them & preaching to them twice every Sabbath day, and on Lecture days ; and by masters of families according to our laws, instructing & catechising their children & servants.
(2) In our 26 towns we have one & twenty churches.
(3) In every settled town in the colony there is a settled minister, except in two towns lately begun, who are seeking for ministers.
(4) The ministers are supported by taxes, at the rate in some places of 100 lb per annum, some 90 lb, some 601b ; but in no place less than 50 1b.
(5) Every town provides for its own poor & impotent people. Seldom any want relief, labor being dear, viz : 2s. & sometimes 25., 6d. for a day laborer. Provision is cheap viz : wheat 4$. a bushel, Winchester measure, peas 3$; Indian corn 2$., 6d ; pork 3d., pr. lb. beef 2gd pr. lb ; butter 6d. pr. 1b.
Beggars & vagabonds are not suffered ; but as soon as discovered bound out to service .*
More particular instructions were sent with the king's letter of May 24, " for the enforcement of the laws relating to the trade & navigation of the colonies. With these letters came also inclosed copies of the acts, a book of rates, & copies of the proclamation of 1675, which prohibited the importation to the colonies of any commodities of Europe not laden in England, blank bonds of returns, &c., impressions of the several cus- tomers or patent collectors & comptrollers, both in the port of London & the outer ports." Fairfield, and all the neighboring towns west of New Haven, had cause at this time for serious apprehensions in regard to their Indians. Since Philip's war, the Mohawks had attacked and killed many of the friendly Indians within the limits of Massachusetts ; and it was now rumored that " all the Western Indians beyond New Haven, were joined with the Mohawks in plotting against the English."
Whether it was on account of this rumor, or, as was most probable, to be prepared to resist the ambitious schemes of Randolph and Andros, or the encroachments of Massachusetts on their eastern boundaries, the General Assembly took occasion to place their troops and militia in fight- ing order. They declared, that hereafter, "if any attempt should be made in a forcible or hostile manner upon his Majesty's colony, or any part thereof, within the bounds granted by his Majesty's charter, either by
* These Answers are dated Hartford, July 15, 1680 .- Col. Rec. of Conn., III., 292-300.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1680
natives or any others, upon any pretense whatsoever," the sergeant-major and the military officers in the several counties and plantations of the colony, after first demanding a surrender and being refused, should seize and bring such offenders to justice, or by force resist and repel such enemies. All civil and military troops and train-bands of each town were required to aid and assist in quelling such invasions. Three shillings fine was levied upon any refusing or neglecting training duties. All disorderly firing after training days was prohibited, after the shutting in of the even- ing, by a fine of five shillings. Each plantation was recommended to procure one or two great pieces of artillery. Supplies of ammunition were ordered to be procured with all speed. All commissions already granted to military officers were to remain in force until other orders were issued. An oath was prepared and exacted from every commissioned officer, that he should faithfully discharge his duty according to the laws of the General Court, Governor and Council of Connecticut, made and established in their behalf.
The third Wednesday in June was appointed a day of fasting and humiliation to secure the smile of God's mercy upon the colony.
The magistrates of Fairfield lost no time in preparing for the approach- ing crisis in their affairs. To secure their lands and make good their pur- chase of them from the Indians, was now an all-important step to be taken. The next was to have no undivided lands within the boundaries of the township, which would give a foothold to Andros or any other claimant. Accordingly the Indian sachems of Fairfield, or their descend- ants, of whom the English had purchased the several parcels of lands from time to time, were assembled on the sixth of October before the magistrates of the town, to sign and witness a new deed of the sale of their lands to the planters. By this deed all the lands within the deed of March 20, 1656, March 21, 1661, and January 19, 1670, were included. The Indians reserved their Sasco, Pequonnock, Uncowa, Old Indian Field, Wolves Pit Plain and Aspetuck reservations. They acknowledged that they had lawfully sold their lands to the English ; that they had previ- ously received full recompense for them, and agreed to make no further demands. This deed bears the names of the principal sachems of the town, and those of Norwalk who claimed an interest in the lands east of the Saugatuck River .* Having completed this amicable settlement with the Indians, the town committee proceeded without delay to bound and stake out the long lots, highways, etc., for a final dividend of all undivided lands. At the October term of the General Assembly, John Banks was
* See Appendix.
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I681]
made one of a committee to examine the lands north of Stamford, with a view of forming a new plantation, and to make a report of the same to the next Assembly. This was afterwards called Bedford. He was also appointed one on a committee to audit the colony and Hartford county accounts.
Notwithstanding the many grievances which filled the hearts of the planters with fear and trembling for their liberties and prosperity, the third Wednesday in November was appointed a day of general thanks- giving, for the mercies still continued to them. At a town meeting held on the 2Ist of December, an article of agreement was drawn in behalf of the town by John Burr, Lieutenant John Banks, Sergeant George Squire, John Wheeler and William Hill, to make over by a formal deed the old mill site on Mill river, to Richard Ogden ; he agreeing to maintain a sufficient corn-mill on said stream forever .*
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