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 31
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Notwithstanding the new laws in regard to town meetings, on the 6th of April the town ordered that Pauls neck, the reedy ponds and swamp lying west of it, and the Half Mile of common, lying between the Build- ing Lots "so called, long since laid out ; " and two miles and a half in length of the Mile of common, should be forthwith laid out to the lawful dividers. If any others were admitted to this dividend, one lot was to be drawn for all said divisions, to begin on each division until the whole was finished. Isaac Hall not having been allowed his claim in the previous dividends, the town readily granted him the same, and appointed a com- mittee to lay out to him his just dividends. John and Jonathan More- house, John Whitlock, David Whitlock, James Newton, Henry Grey and Thomas Dickinson, were allowed an interest in these lands at the rate of twenty pounds estate.
Golden-hill having been claimed by the Stratford planters, who were over-eager to dispossess the Indians of this reservation, without adhering to the agreement made with Fairfield of May 19, 1659, application for redress was made at this time by the Indian owners to Governor Andros. Major Treat was appointed to look into the matter and report the true state of the claims of the English and Indians. On the 23d of May, he . reported to Andros, that the Stratford men were not to claim any of the grant secured to the Golden-hill Indians, unless the said Indians vacated
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their reservation of their own free will; in which case, the Stratford planters were to own the said reservation, upon paying the sum of twenty pounds to the Fairfield planters, " partly in line of their first title, & partly estimated to Stratford, & the care Fairfield had taken, in looking after the said Indians."
The ambition of Andros reached its most sanguine expectations when, on the 7th of April, he was commissioned by King James, governor of New England, New York, East and West Jersey, and all the English territories between 40° north latitude to the river St. Croix, Pennsyl- vania and Delaware only excepted .* The king hoped by thus uniting all his English subjects under one governor, " to make them a tower of iron.".
The annexation of Connecticut to the colonies under Andros in New England, was a keen disappointment to Governor Dongan, who vented his mortification upon Governor Treat. and Secretary Allyn. He wrote to the Earl of Sunderland, that the annexation of Connecticut, was " by ye fraud of the Governor & ye clerk unknown to the rest of the General Court." " & for one that wishes it as it is, there is a hundred in that Colony, that desyres it were annexed to ye Government of New York." But the advancement of Andros over him as governor of New York he felt to be a bitter injustice; and although offered the command of a regiment, with the title major-general of artillery in the British army, he refused to accept it, quietly retiring to his farm, to await further devel- opments in the government of the fickle king of England.
It was well known that the nobility of England were displeased with the oppressions, both civil and ecclesiastical, laid upon them by King James; and that in order to protect their rights, they were making secret overtures to William of Orange, who had married the king's daughter, Mary, to assume the reins of government. King James, at this time, was well advanced in years, and the people were weary of his tyrannical and oppressive course. He was without a son to succeed him, but the queen was happily expected soon to bear him another child. So eager were the king and queen, and the zealous Catholics of England and France, that this child should be a son, that " Vows were offered at almost every shrine for a male successor, & pilgrimages undertaken." + On the 19th of April, Governor Andros sent a proclamation from the king to Connecticut appointing a time of public thanksgiving and prayers for the queen; and ordering that it should be speedily made known and published in the
* Documents Relating to the Hist, of New York, III., 537-549
| Hume's Hist. Eng.
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counties of Hartford, New Haven, and Fairfield, that it might be duly observed and performed .*
With his enlargement of government, Andros waxed bold in oppress- ing the people. He declared that as the charters were either vacated or suspended, the title of the colonists to their lands were null and void; and that the Indian deeds were of no more value than " a scratch of a bear's paw." The purchasers and cultivators of the soil, after fifty or sixty years' improvement, were obliged to take out new patents for their estates. For these, in some instances, a fee of fifty pounds was demanded. Writs of intrusion were issued against persons of prominence " who would not sub- mit to such impositions, & their lands were patented to others." " Men were fined & imprisoned, & denied the benefit of the habeas corpus act. No person was suffered to go out of the country without leave from the Governor, lest complaint be carried to England against his administra- tion." " Confident of the King's favor, Andros & his dependents enriched themselves without restraint. Petitions of the most humble character could not be heard. Randolph boasted that they were as arbi- trary as the Great Turk." Massachusetts and Plymouth shared alike in the special oppression of Andros and his emissaries ; but Connecticut, being further removed from his seat of government, did not suffer as much as her two sister colonies.
Governor Treat and the other members of the council, while attentive to Andros' regulations, managed to carry on affairs in the old way as much as possible ; but despondency and insecurity prevailed on all sides.
On the 20th of August, Andros wrote Major Gold to give notice to all Indians near him of just punishment for any misdemeanor ; and to raise forces to protect the towns and country.
Meanwhile, the celebrated Rev. Increase Mather, waiving the formality of asking permission to leave the country, set sail for England, and deliv- ered the complaints of the people, which he carried with him, into his Majesty's hands. On the Ioth of June the queen gave birth to a son, who was baptized by the name of James. The Catholics were jubilant over this realization of their prayers and pilgrimages; but the Protestants questioned whether the babe was not a supposititious child, who might be educated in the Roman Catholic religion. Prince William of Orange sent over an envoy to congratulate the king upon the birth of a son, who returned with " entreaties from many of the great men in England to assist them in the recovery of their laws & liberties." Encouraged by these flattering marks of confidence, Prince William immediately set on
# Col. Rec. Conn., III., 443.
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foot an army of 20,000 men, and ordered the fleet to be increased. On the 5th of November, he landed at Torbay, in England, and published a declaration, in which he set forth, " that from his near relationship to the kingdom, he felt it was a duty imposed upon him to protect the civil & religious liberty of its people ; that he had no other object in view except to facilitate the calling of a free parliament, & inquiring into the birth of the prince of Wales." * On the IIth of December, James II. abdicated, and on the 13th of February, William and Mary of Orange ascended the throne of England.
Meanwhile a revolution was set on foot in New England. A Mr. Winslow, of Virginia, arrived in Boston on the 5th of April, bringing with him a copy of Prince William's orders for proclaiming their majesties in the several plantations. Governor Andros was so enraged and alarmed at the turn of events in the mother country, that he caused Mr. Winslow to be arrested and sent to jail for bringing a traitorous libel into the country. The troops and militia were called out to prevent the landing of any forces under Prince William within his jurisdiction. Among the people generally the wildest enthusiasm prevailed. The hope of liberty from the oppressions of Andros and his council kindled a fire of revolt, and on the 18th of April the inhabitants of Boston and the neighboring towns rose in arms, made themselves masters of the castle, seized Andros and his council, and reinstated the former governor and council.
Emboldened by the course pursued by Massachusetts, the magistrates of Connecticut assembled at Hartford on the 9th of May, and reorganized the General Assembly of 1687. Governor Treat once more occupied the governor's chair. Deputy-governor James Bishop, Assistant Major Gold, Deputies John Burr and John Wheeler of Fairfield, and all the other members of the court were present, with the exception of one or two who had died. Immediately after opening the court, the following resolution was passed :
" For the present peace & safety of this part of New England, called Conecticutt, the necessity of the circumstances it is now under so requireing, it was voted by the Freemen that they would re-establish the Government as it was before, & at the time when Sr Edmond Androsse tooke the Government, & so to have it proceed as it did before that time, according to charter, engageing themselves to submit to it accordingly, untill there shall be a legall establishment setled amongst vs.
Whereas this Court hath been interupted in the management of the Government in this Colony of Conecticutt, for neer eighteen months past, & or lawes & courts have been dis- used ; that there may no damage accrue to the public hereby, It is now enacted, ordered
* Hume's Hist. of England.
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& declared, that all the lawes of this Colony formerly made, according to Charter, & courts constituted in this Collony for administration of justice, as they were before the late interuption, shall be of full force & vertue for the future, & till this Court shall see cause to make farther & other alteration & provission according to charter. And this Court doe farther order, enact & declare, that all the present millitary officers throughout this Colony are hereby continued & established in their respective offices'according to law, untill there shall be farther order ; & all the souldiers in this Colony are hereby required to be obedient to theire respective officers, & to attend accordingly; & if there be any vacancies or want of any officers in any Band, or they be dissattisfyed with there present officers, they may nominate such others as they judg suitable in their places, at the next session of this Court, who may receive such establishment as shall be judged necessary." *
It was further voted, " that in case any occasion should come on in reference to our charter or government, it is their desire that the governor would call the General Court to consider & determine what is necessary to be done." Repairs were ordered to be made upon the fort at Saybrook, and that it should be stocked with ammunition " to be kept in readiness to defend the country." John and Jehu Burr were appointed justices of the peace for Fairfield. The fourth Wednesday in May was appointed a day of fasting and prayer throughout the colony.
A ship from England arrived at Boston on the 26th of May, bringing the glad tidings that William and Mary had been proclaimed king and queen of England. The news soon reached Connecticut. Governor Treat called a special Assembly on the 13 of June at Hartford; and on the same day William and Mary, Prince and Princess of Orange, were pro- claimed with great ceremony and joy. Orders were given that they should be proclaimed at Fairfield, and in all the county towns in the colony. Heralds on horseback started out from Hartford at Gilpin speed, announc- ing their approach to every town with jubilant trumpet notes ; and rushed through the streets proclaiming the welcome news. Men, women and children with tears, laughter and hearts filled with joy, caught up the her- ald's stentorian tones, and shouted the happy news. Bonfires, ringing of bells, firing of cannons, merry-making and feasting, filled the air with cheerfulness. Since the settlement of New England, such joy had never been known in the plantations. Their short term of oppression had ended, and the streets and houses resounded with merriment and exultation.
An address which had been prepared to send to William and Mary, was read to the General Assembly, accepted and ordered to be signed by the Governor and Secretary, in the name of the General Court. In this address their most heartfelt gratitude to the King of kings, and a loyal spirit to William and Mary were thus expressed :
* Col. Rec. Conn., III., 250-252.
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" Great Sr; Great was that day when ye Lord who sitteth upon ye floods, & sitteth King forever, did divide his & your adversaries from one another, like ye waters of Jordan forced to stand upon an heap, & did begin to magnifie you like Joshua in ye sight of all Israel, by those great actions that were so much for ye honour of God & ye great deliver- ance of ye English dominions from popery & slavery, & all this separated from those sor- rowes that usually attend ye introducing of a peaceable settlement in any troubled state; all which doth affect vs with a sense of our duty to return y highest praises unto ye King of Kings & Lord of Hosts, & blesse Him who hath delighted in you to set you on ye throne of His Israell, & to say, Because ye Lord loved Israell forever, therefore hath he made you King, to do Justice & Judgement ; & also humble & hearty acknowl- edgements for that great zeal that by your Majesty hath been expressed, in those hazards you have put your Royall Person to, & in ye expense of so great treasure in ye defense of ye Protestant interest : In ye consideration of all which, we your Majestie's dutifull & loyall subjects of your Sd Colony, are incouraged humbly to intimate that we with much favour obtained a Charter of King Charles ye 2d of happy memory, bearing date Aprill 23, 1662, in ye 14th year of his reign, granted to the Govern' & Company of his Majestie's Colony of Conecticot, ye advantages & priveledges whereof made us indeed a very happy people ; & by ye blessing of God upon our endeavours we have made a considerable improvement of your dominions here, which with ye defense of ourselves from ye force of both forraign & intestine enemies has cost vs much expence of treasure & blood."
They represented in glowing words the arts and intrigues of Andros and Randolph ; the quo warrantos; the misconstruction placed upon their last letter to King James of a resignation of their charter, which was never intended; the coming of Andros to Hartford with his court and grenadiers, dissolving their court, and assuming the reins of government ; the sorrowful submission of the magistrates and people ; the fears and per- plexities they had suffered from want of their old government and of being drawn into another war with the Indians through the French in Canada ; not receiving any orders or directions what methods to take for their security, they had been necessitated to put themselves into some form of government ; and as there was none so familiar to them as that of their charter, nor any which would so effectually gain the universal compliance of the people, and never having received any enrollment of that which was interpreted a resignation of their charter, they had on the 9th of May, by the consent of . the major part of the freemen resumed their former mode of government under their charter, until they received further orders. They entreated his Majesty to continue to them their former liberties and privileges, both civil and sacred, under their charter, with such ratifications and confirma- tions as might further insure it an inheritance to them and their posterity.
An impression or dread prevailed that King James might, through the assistance of the King of France, reclaim his throne, and the Roman Cath- olic religion gain an ascendency in England, through the infant James,
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whose mother would undoubtedly educate him in that faith. Although Governor Andros professed to belong to the Church of England, by . many he was believed to be a staunch Romanist ; but whether a Church- man or a Romanist, neither the Puritans of New England nor their neigh- bors in New York, had any idea of allowing the Church of Rome to gain a foothold among them.
The favor shown in the mother-country to the Romanists through the king's Declaration of Liberty of Conscience, produced a most unhappy state of affairs in England as well as in America. An absurd rumor was set on foot in New York, that the Romanists, who were very few in num- bers there, were about to massacre all the Dutch inhabitants; and " that Lieutenant-Governor Nicholson had threatened to burn the city." Captain Jacob Leisler took possession of the fort, and assumed temporarily the military government of the city. He was a coarse, illiterate man, and a bitter enemy to popery, kings, and the Church of England. The wildest excitement followed, in the midst of which a vessel from Barbadoes brought tidings of the abdication of James II .; and that William and Mary had taken possession of the throne of England.
Leisler received the news with apparent delight, and gave out word that he should hold the fort until proper authorities were sent from Eng- land to control the city. He wrote to some of the leading men of Con- necticut and Massachusetts. Major Gold wrote Leisler on the 5th of June, congratulating him upon his taking possession of the fort and city, for the preservation of the Protestant religion. Leisler replied on the 7th, and advised that a committee might be chosen, and " one trusted man sent to procure in England some privileges." He also expressed a wish that the people of New York might have part in the Connecticut charter, " being as he understood in the same latitude."
On the 13th of June the General Court addressed a letter to Captain Leisler, acknowledging his declaration made on the 31st of May, in which he claimed " to hold the fort in the defence of the city, the Protestant religion," &c. ; also a writing they had seen, in which he declared that upon the arrival of any order from the Prince of Orange, " he would deliver up the fort, with all the artillery, arms & ammunition belonging to it." In consideration of his action, the court advised Leisler to " suffer no Roman Catholic, to enter the same, armed or unarmed, or be suffered to keep arms within the government or city." In order to encourage him, they wrote that they had " appointed the Honored Major Nathan Gold & Captain James Fitch " to go to New York, and report to them what help should be offered from Connecticut.
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Major Gold and Captain Fitch very soon after, rode on horseback to New York. News of their coming had preceded them, and the mayor and aldermen of the city, who had remained passive during the confusion of Leisler's remarkable proceedings, resolved to seek an interview with them before they reached the city. Unfortunately they missed them at Westchester, they having taken another route; and arriving at the fort the same evening, presented Leisler with a printed copy of the proclama- tion of William and Mary, and with letters of encouragement from Con- necticut.
On the following morning William and Mary were formally proclaimed, first in the fort, and then from the City Hall. Meanwhile Major Gold and his companion were so blinded by the pretensions of Leisler, and his stories of "hellish designs," that they reported their " flesh trembled." The storm of invectives and the brutal conduct of Leisler and his adherents towards Major Van Cortland and the aldermen of the city, whom they accused of being Papists, with the cries of the ignorant crowd, "Seize the traitor ! & down with Popery!" that Major Gold and Captain Fitch returned to Connecticut, fully persuaded that half New York was filled with Papists, who were only waiting a favorable opportunity to rise and slay every Protestant in the city. This, however, was far from being the case, which was proved to the fathers of Connecticut in the course of time, when the ambitious Leisler's disgraceful intrigues came to be known.
Meanwhile William, the new king, who favored the dissenters, passed the bill known as the " Toleration Act" (May 24th), by which " all who took the oath of allegiance & supremacy, & made a declaration against transubstantiation, were thereby exempted from the penalties incurred by absenting themselves from church, or by frequenting unlawful conventi- cles." Dissenters were now restrained from meeting with locked doors, and penalties laid upon their congregations being disturbed. All Papists, however, and persons who denied the Trinity, were excluded from any share in the benefit to be derived from the new act. The opposition of the bishop of the Church of England, the primate, and about four hundred ministers to taking the oath of allegiance, resulted in their being deprived of their livings, and gave the king an opportunity to show his predilection for Presbyterians.
There is little doubt that the Toleration Act was a source of great departure from the early church regulations in the New England towns, and the vigorous efforts which had been made within the past few years, to compel an enforcement of the colony laws in regard to the duties of the
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Lord's Day. Scarcely had the joy of escaping from the tyrannical reign of Andros been experienced, than the colonies found themselves at war with the French and Indians. The eastern towns of New England had been subject to frequent depredations by the Indians, while the French and northern Indians were menacing the Canadian frontiers. A special General Court was assembled at Hartford on the 29th of August ; but there not being a sufficient number of the assistants present, it was resolved to call a second court on the 3d of September." Major Gold alone represented Fairfield. A letter of August 3d from Governor Brad- street of Massachusetts, complaining of the depredations of the eastern Indians, was read before the Assembly. He also informed them of the escape of Governor Andros from the castle ; and that he had issued orders for him to be searched for by water and land. Another letter of August 21st from Governor Bradstreet was read, renewing complaints of the incur- sions of the enemy on the frontier towns, murdering and taking captive the English and burning and destroying their houses ; and requesting that Captain Bull be sent from Connecticut to accompany their messengers to treat with the Maqueas or Mohawks.
Captain Bull having already gone upon his mission, it was agreed to send commissioners to treat with the Massachusetts, Plymouth and Rhode Island commissioners as to the best way to suppress the eastern Indians, and to right whatever wrongs they have sustained. If necessary, it was voted to raise an army, not exceeding two hundred men from Connecticut, to be sent to their relief. Commissions were issued to officers appointed for each county. Ebenezer Johnson was chosen captain for the counties of Fairfield and New Haven, with orders to impress men into the service, if sufficient volunteers could not be raised for the number agreed upon, as well as arms, ammunition and provisions. Colonels were appointed over sergeant-majors and all inferior officers. Two companies were organized and placed under the command of Captains George Dennison of New London, and Ebenezer Johnson of Stratford.
The governor or deputy-governor, and not less than four of the assist- ants, were appointed a committee to act in any speedy emergency with the Indians. An order was issued for a list to be made of persons and estates in the colony ratable by law, to be presented to the next General
* A severe epidemic of sore throat and fever prevailed throughout Connecticut at this time. Almost every town contained more or less victims of the disease. Several of the magistrates were prostrated by it, and the mortality in some towns was very great. Added to this affliction, the weather was unusually warm, "the like having not been known in the memory of man." Col. Rec. of Conn., IV., I. Caulkin's Hist. of New London, p. 198.
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Court. If any neglected to obey this order the listers were to rate them " will & doome."
The Iith of December was appointed a day of fasting and prayer throughout the colony, "to seek the Lord, to save the land for his own name's sake, by giving counsel & success to the endeavors of his people, in serving his holy providence, for the suppression of the cruel & crafty enemies of his people," and for the removal of sickness.
Meanwhile Andros had been captured in Rhode Island by Major San- ford. He was a dangerous enemy to be allowed his freedom at this time, and the leaders of the revolution had no idea of giving him this precious boon, until their cause was more definitely decided in England. Owing to certain clauses in their letter to the king and queen, Mr. Whiting had not presented it at court ; but both he and the Rev. Increase Mather were laboring for the restoration of their former privileges under their charters. In August Mr. Whiting wrote to Governor Treat, that an address by word of mouth had been made in their behalf, which was well received ; that a copy of their charter had been exhibited at the council board, where it was asserted that there was neither record of surrender or judgment against it, which was acknowledged by the late attorney-general and Mr. Blaythwait. He therefore supposed their charter to be good. Owing to his years and his want of a proper supply of money to further their interest, he recommended Sir Henry Ashurst as a proper attorney, and referred them for further information to Mr. Mather.
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