USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > The history of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the settlement of the town in 1639 to 1818, Vol. II > Part 30
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Judge Ebenezer Silliman appears to have been one of the four Judges who administered the Stamp Act oath to Governor Fitch, as from this date he was deprived of his office as an Assistant of the General Assembly, as well as that of one of the Judges of the Superior Court of the colony. His fellow-townsmen, believing that he had acted from conscientious
* No record is found of the Rev. Mr. Buckingham's marriage or children.
+ It appears that in March, 1760, a pamphlet was issued by Governor Fitch, giving " some reasons which influenced the Governor to take and the Councillors to administer the Oath required by the Act of Parliament, commonly called the Stamp Act oath. Humbly submitted to the con- sideration of the public "; "which did not have the effect of securing the re-election of himself or the four assistants by whom the oath was administered to him."-Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, p. 451.
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motives, however mistaken they may have been, yearly elected him to rep resent Fairfield in the General Assembly. He had filled his public offices with great honor. The people of Fairfield were proud of him, and were resolved that the town should not be wholly deprived of his valuable services. Although his name for some years was presented for election as an Assistant, the Senate did not confirm his nomination.
Mr. Lothrop Lewis and Colonel John Read were present at this Assembly as deputies from Fairfield. Mr. David Rowland was made one of the Judges of the County Court of Fairfield and of the Probate Court of the district.
Mr. Henry Lyon was appointed captain, and Mr. David Hill lieu- tenant of the train-band in the east division of the parish of Reading, in the Fourth Regiment .*
The Assembly requested Governor Pitkin to " prepare an humble. dutiful & loyal address to the King expressive of the filial duty, grati- tude & satisfaction of the Governor & Company of the Colony on the happy occasion of the beneficial repeal of the Stamp Act "; with other letters addressed " to all those who have distinguished themselves as the friends & advocates of the British Colonies in America, on this important occasion, whether as Members of the British Parliament or in other ways." The Governor was also requested to issue a proclamation appointing a day of public Thanksgiving, "to be religiously observed throughout the colony, on the happy occasion of the beneficial repeal of the late Stamp Act." +
The Assembly met at New Haven on the second Thursday in Octo- ber, when Fairfield was represented by Captain David Burr and Judge Ebenezer Silliman.
A most solemn oath of allegiance to King George III. was taken at this time, rejecting the pretensions of James III. and against all other pretenders whatsoever, limiting the succession to the crown " to the Prin- cess Sophia, Electress & Duchess-Dowager of Hanover & her heirs being Protestants." They expressed their abhorrence of the Popes, " excom- munications of princes, transubstantiation of the Sacrament, absolution by priests; & that no foreign prince, person or prelate, state or potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence as authority ecclesiastical or spiritual within the realm of Great Britain."+
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, p. 459. + Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, pp. 466. 467. # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, p. 495.
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The sum allowed for the encouragement of schools having proved insufficient, an act was passed that from January, 1767, the sum of twenty shillings lawful money should be levied upon every thousand pounds of the taxable list of each town & society, instead of ten shillings. Each district in the towns was allowed its proportion of this money, as well as all other public moneys.
An act was also passed for preserving oysters and clams in Fairfield, and all other towns bordering on the sea, sound or rivers. Each town was given authority in their town meetings to make rules and ordinances for preserving such shell fish, " & to lay such restrictions against taking them in improper seasons, provided such penalty should not exceed the sum of five pounds in money."
Mr. Abel Seeley was established lieutenant, and Mr. Hezekiah Hub- bell ensign of the Stratfield train-band of the Fourth Regiment.
The taxable estates of Fairfield this year were £62,326 18s. IId.
In October the clergy of the Church of England in Connecticut and from New York met in convention at Stratford, and on the eighth of that month petitioned the Lord Bishop of London " to procure a worthy Protestant Bishop in some of the colonies: especially since the Roman Catholics are so happy as to be indulged with a popish one, & the Mora- vians with theirs, & the Presbyterians, &c., have the full enjoyment of their way of government & discipline; while the poor Church of England is considered by them with contempt, that she cannot enjoy hers; nor indeed, so much as a shadow of anything that can be called Ecclesiastical Government." This petition was signed by Samuel Johnson, President of the Convention, and by the Reverends Samuel Auchmutz, John Beach, Joseph Lawson, Jere'h Leaming, Solomon Palmer, Christopher Newton, James Scovil, Sam'l Andrews, John Beardsley, Roger Viets and Bela Hubbard .*
1767. The General Assembly met at Hartford, on the 29th of January, to take into consideration a letter which had been received from General Gage, the commander-in-chief of his Majesty's forces in America, in re- gard to quartering one hundred and eighty-eight recruits, just arrived in a vessel from Germany for his Majesty's two battalions of the Royal Regiment in Fairfield, Stamford and Norwalk during the winter season. The Assembly granted General Gage's request to quarter the troops in
* Hist. Prot. Episcopal Church, etc., by Bishop Hawkes and William Stevens Perry, Vol. 2, p. 102.
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the colony, but they notified him, " that as Fairfield & the neighboring towns had hitherto been burdened with his Majesty's forces, quartered & billeted upon them, during two winters, they had been encouraged to believe they should not be burdened with more, until some other towns had done the like service." New Haven, Wallingford and Branford were suggested as fitting places for the troops, with better justice to Fairfield and the other sea-coast towns, unless General Gage should give orders to the contrary. Regulations were also made raising the rate of quartering the forces above the sum formerly allowed, so as to make it five shillings a week for each soldier, to be paid out of the colony treasury. *
The General Assembly met again on the second Thursday in May. at Hartford, when Judge Ebenezer Silliman and Captain David Burr were present as deputies from Fairfield. Mr. David Rowland was ap pointed one of the Judges of the County and of the District Probate Court of Fairfield.
Mr. Abraham Gold was established captain, and Mr. Elijah Abel lieu tenant of the first train-band, and Mr. Hezekiah Sturges lieutenant, and John Whitear ensign of the second train-band in Fairfield; Mr. Gideon Hurlburt lieutenant, and Mr. John Andrews ensign of the train-band in the west parish of Fairfield : Mr. Simon Couch ensign in the east Reading train-band; Mr. Stephen Mead captain, and Mr. Zalmon Read lieutenant in the west division of Reading parish, and Mr. Henry Sommers ensign in the train-band of North Fairfield and partly of North Stratford, in the Fourth Regiment. +
A further increase of money was made for the encouragement of schools. Forty shillings were granted upon every thousand pounds to the several towns in the colony, instead of the twenty shillings on each thousand pounds, granted in the October session of the Assembly for the maintenance of schools.
The inhabitants of Reading petitioned the Assembly to be made a town. Their petition was granted, and the parish of Reading was made " a distinct town by itself, with all the liberties, privileges and immunities which by law the other towns in the colony have & do enjoy; & that said new constituted town shall hereafter be called by the name of the Town of Redding; with this limitation & restriction, that but one Representative shall at any time attend the General Assembly."+
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, pp. 541-544. + Cot. Rec. Conn., Vol. X11. pp. 555, 557. 55 ) # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, p. 550.
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[1768
At the October Assembly the act for quartering his Majesty's regular forces in the colony was extended to October of the following year.
An important act was passed, making it the duty of the selectmen in each town "to erect & heap up stones at least two foot high, near the side of the common travelling & post road, marked with the distances from the county town of the county, where such town lyes, according to the mensuration lately made by public order."*
The taxable estates of Fairfield were valued at £50,134 Is. 5d.
1768. The Rev. Mr. Lamson of Fairfield, writing to the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, informed them that the war- dens and vestry of the Church of England in Fairfield had purchased nine acres of glebe-land with part of the money given them by Mr. George Talbot, a deed of which, after being recorded at Fairfield, should be sent to the Honorable S. P. G. in England.t The Rev. Mr. John Beach of Redding wrote: "The more zealous Churchmen they are, by so much stronger is the affection they discover for King & Parliament."
The General Assembly met at Hartford on the second Thursday in May, and continued by several adjournments until the 10th day of June. Judge Ebenezer Silliman and Captain David Burr were present as depu- ties from Fairfield.
Mr. Nathan Morehouse was established lieutenant, Mr. David Coley captain and Mr. Jeremiah Sturges, Jr., ensign of the society of Norfield. Mr. Samuel Wakeman lieutenant, and Mr. Reuben Bradly ensign of the parish of North Fairfield in the Fourth Regiment. #
Daniel Morris was appointed guardian of the Golden Hill Indians. His duty was to report yearly, in June, to the Court of Probate at Fair- field, an account of the use, profit and improvement made on the Indian reservation, as well as all disbursements made by him to the Indians. §
It was enacted that a duty of five pounds " should be paid on every hundred pounds worth of goods, wares & merchandise, except timber. brought into the colony either by water or land carriage, by all & every person not inhabitants within the same."
The relief and joy afforded the American colonies at the repeal of the Stamp Act was of short duration. The act accompanying this repeal giving Parliament power to tax the colonies had given much disquietude
* See Post Roads, Appendix A. Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XII, p. 608.
+ Hawkes and Perry's Hist Prot. Episcopal Church in America, Vol. 2, p. 121.
# Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII, pp. 12, 15. § Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII, p. 65.
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to many thoughtful minds. In less than two years Charles Town hend. Chancellor of the Exchequer, resolved, in the depleted condition of the English revenues, to lay a tax on tea, glass, paper and painters' colors sent into America, which would amount to about £40,000 a year. Ih- death soon after made a change in the ministry, and a new office for a colonial secretary was established and given to the Earl of Hillsborough. Upon the arrival of the ill-advised tax of Townshend, a still greater de gree of indignation prevailed in the American colonies than that caused by the Stamp Act. Riots prevailed everywhere, especially in Boston. James Otis. John and Samuel Adams and John Hancock of Massachu setts, Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut, John Dickinson of Pennsyl- vania, Patrick Henry and R. H. Lee of Virginia, Gadsden and Rutledge of South Carolina, with Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who had lived several years in London as agent for several of the colonies, and where his opinion was of great weight, all raised their voices against taxation with- out representation. James Otis had first contended that the revenue bill, under the form of regulations of trade, violated the rights of the colonists as much as direct taxation. In this opinion he was sustained by the other colonies. The tax levied was not so large, but by yieldling to it a direct principle was at stake. Executive combinations were formed to avoid the use of the taxed articles, and as far as possible all other British importations. Non-importation was resorted to as the most direct and legal way to escape from the offensive tax. This so depleted the profits of the British merchants that they petitioned for a repeal of the odious tax law. To further their interests, their petition was granted ; "but Parliament obstinately sustained its pretended right to tax the colonies by retaining a tax of three pence on the pound on tea, which was even at a lower price than it had been formerly." \ war of opinions and pamphlets upon the subject were issued both in America and Great Britain. Whispers of full liberty were heard. Riots followed in Boston: and while Connecticut and the other colonies were not so violent, strong opposition was manifested by many. Associations calling themselves "Sons of Liberty & Daughters of Liberty " were formed to enter into agreements of non-importation and to give up the use of tea.
The colonists generally recognized that not one iota of their just rights should be yielded, knowing full well that other impositions would soon follow. In Great Britain this firmness on the part of the American colonies was regarded as high-headed independence and most disloyal.
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[176S
Dr. Franklin wrote: " every man in England seemed to consider himself as a piece of sovereign over America; seems to jostle himself into the throne of the King, & talks of ' our subjects in the colonies.'" The King, with his clouded intellect, entertaining high ideas of his prerogative, ob- stinately adhered to his mistaken opinions. The colonies which but a few years before had boasted with pride and affection of the mother country, were fast becoming alienated. Even Connecticut, which had boasted of having been more devoted to the interests and requirements of the King and parliament than any other colony, regarded with deep regret and sorrow the unwise and unjust acts of oppression.
In the May Assembly it was agreed that Governor Pitkin should reply to a letter which he had received from the Earl of Hillsborough.
The Governor first congratulated Earl Hillsborough upon his new office of Colonial Secretary, and "assured him that the royal recommendations had never been neglected in Connecticut ; & that as soon as possible his lordship's requests should be answered. He then laid before Earl Hillsborough the oppressive acts of the British Parliament, " for allowing a drawback of the duties of customs upon the exportation from this kingdom of coffee & cocoa-nuts of the produce of the said Colonies or Plantations; for discontinuing the drawback payable on china earthenware exported to America; & for more effectually preventing the clandestine running of goods in the said Colonies & Plantations;" of the great burdens, charges & expenses of the last war, which had become almost insupportable ; that a still greater grievance was the duties imposed by Parliament upon America for the sole purpose of raising a revenue in America, "by which they regarded themselves stripped of their constitutional rights as English subjects; that the royal charter granted by King Charles Second to the Connecticut Governor & Company & to their heirs & successors, gave them all the liberties & annuities of free & natural born subjects of England, & as such the consequences ought to be clear & convincing to his lordship that we ought not to be taxed without our consent & without representation in Parliament;" that it was "with grief of heart to reflect that the Parliament should dispose of our property without our consent, after having so cheerfully & valiantly contributed & defended the King's domin- ions against all attempts & annoyances from foreign & domestic enemies ; that the product of our labor & trade naturally & necessarily centered in Great Britain; that the people of Connecticut prided themselves in their connection with the British government ; & that our affection & interest cemented them so strongly as to prevent them from entertaining the most distant wish of being separated from the protection of the mother state; that our ancestors, the first settlers of Connecticut, purchased & obained the greater part of their lands for great & valuable considerations ; & some of it by conquest & with much difficulty & expense subdued & improved the same; that for more than a century the colony had enjoyed the privileges granted them under their charter, & were thereby blessed with the constitutional rights of Englishmen, the principle of which is that of being taxed only by representatives of their own free election, in consequence of which the representatives of the Colony, as subjects of Great Britain, in the General Assembly, had on all occasions granted & levied reasonable assessments, rates & taxes, & disposed of them for his Ma- jesty's service & for the security of his rights & territories in America."
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To the Colony agent, Mr. Jackson, Governor Pitkin addressed letters, urging him to give his utmost attention to the opposition in the colonies against this unjust taxation, etc., and wrote :
It is painful to hear the colonies compared to Ireland, who were subjects by con- quest, & by their conduct had forfeited the immunities we are justly entitled to; that the principles & arguments relative to the Charter ought to be conclusive to every impartial & judicious mind; but the principle of taxation without representation contradicted the essential rights contained therein. Such explaining away liberty & prosperity of a free & loyal people, contrary to plain words & intentions, draws a prodigious gloom over their minds, & hardly leaves room to rejoice in Freedom even in imagination; that he would see by a letter from the Assembly, as well as one addressed to the King, the deep concern & great anxiety the good people of this Colony are thrown into. As to the manufactories & the fisheries, which had been made an object of attention in the last Parliament, " it would be well if the jealousies exhibited had no existence but in idea." *
Zebulon West, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, ad- dressed a reply to a letter received from the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, "praising the laudable spirit of the Massa- chusetts people: & stating that no constitutional measure proper for re- lief should be neglected by any ; that the colonies ought to cultivate the strictest friendship, utmost candor & harmony towards each other; as all the sister colonies by the acts of Parliament must thereby be involved in great difficulties, which are perhaps a prelude to still greater."
On the 30th of August David Rowland, Esq., died in the fifty-fourth year of his age. He had been prominent in the political events of the colony, and filled many offices of high trust and importance with honor and credit. He was buried in the old Burial Hill Cemetery of Fairfield. Over his grave his tombstone still stands, near those of his two wives and daughter. His death was a sad loss to Fairfield, as such men were needed in the trying ordeal the country had entered upon. +
It was about this time that a noted prisoner by the name of Frazer, thinking to escape, set fire to the jail in Fairfield where he was confined. He also burned the court-house. It was voted at a town meeting. April 25th, that the County of Fairfield should erect a new court-house on the Meeting-house Green, " a little north-westerly of the new school-house." It was also voted that the county should erect a new prison, and a house for the jail-keeper on the westerly part of the Meeting-house Green, north-westerly of the pond, as well as a garden for the jail-keeper, "the westerly extension of said garden to be five rod distant from Mr. Thad-
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII. pp. $4, 90. + Appendix-Genealogical.
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[1769
deus Burr's home-lot."* On this spot the jail and the school-house, or Academy, were rebuilt after the Revolution.
On the 25th of October a memorial was presented to the Assembly by a number of the residents of Green's Farms, that they might be al- lowed to drain the salt meadows in that parish; " part of which meadows are adjoining the beach where the tide ebbs & flows; & that there is a dam across a certain creek, running through said meadows at a place called Gallop's Gap, which beach & dam had been broken down." The committee requested to be paid " for building said dam-railing, the beach & draining the tide out of the meadows." Cornelius Hall and John Hide were appointed commissioners to attend this service.
The Rev. Mr. Lamson informed the Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts " that the wardens & Vestry of the Church of England in Fairfield had purchased nine acres of land for a Glebe, with part of the money given by Mr. George Talbot."
1769. By order of Governor Pitkin the General Assembly met on January 5th, and continued, after several adjournments, until the 27th day of the month.
A memorial had been presented to the Assembly October 3, 1768, " by John Hubbell & others, of the towns of Fairfield & Redding, begging the westerly part of the Fourth Regiment of militia in the colony might be made a separate troop of horse." This petition was granted at the sittting of the Assembly. +
The Assembly met as usual on the second Thursday in May, and con- tinued by adjournments until June 8th. Judge Ebenezer Silliman and Captain David Burr were present as deputies.
The Governor's oath, required by act of Parliament, was made and passed in the fourth year of the reign of George III., entitled, “ An Act for granting certain duties in the British Colonies & Plantations in America," etc., and said oath was in due form administered to Governor Pitkin. #
Mr. Gold Sellick Silliman was established captain, Mr. John Hubbell lieutenant, Mr. Jabez Hill cornet, and Mr. Samuel Sherwood, Jr., quar- termaster of the second troop of horse $ in the Fourth Regiment in the colony.
It appears that after the burning of the court-house and jail at Fair-
* Fairfield Town Records.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII, p. 154.
# Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII, p. 170.
§ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. XIII, p. 177.
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field, the towns of Stamford, Ridgefield, Danbury and Redding peti tioned the General Assembly in 1768 to remove the court house and jail to Norwalk. This petition was granted by the lower house, "but the upper house resolved in the negative." The petition was renewed in January of this year, and was joined by other towns, representing that Norwalk was a much more desirable place for a court-house and jail in every way; but this petition also received a negative vote .*
The old method of Bland's Exercise, used by the military of the colony, now out of date, " being too prolix, with many useless motions," the Assembly passed a vote to adopt the Norfolk Militia Exercise, as " more convenient & expeditious."
The General Assembly met at New Haven the second Thursday in October, and continued by several adjournments until the 3d of Novem- ber. Meanwhile, Governor Pitkin had died, October Ist, aged seventy years. Both houses proceeded without delay to elect Jonathan Trum- bull, who, since the mistake of Governor Fitch, had acted as deputy governor of the colony.
The House of Representatives passed the following resolutions :
" Resolved, That this House do highly approve the conduct of the merchants of the Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, & all the other Colonies who, in these critical times, have made so noble a stand to save the liberties of this country by refusing to import several British manufactures until the revenue laws are repealed ; thereby sacrificing their private fortunes to the cause of liberty from such truly patriotic views as ought to transmit their memories with distinguished honor to the latest posterity. & ordered that the clerk of the House be directed to cause a copy of this resolve to be published in the several newspapers in this Colony." t
Mr. David Burr was appointed one of the auditors of the colony treasury.
Mr. Gideon Hurlburt was established captain, Mr. John Andrews lieutenant, and Mr. Stephen Wakeman ensign of the train-band in the society of Greens Farms, in the Fourth Regiment.
Governor Trumbull, with Colonel George Wyllys, were appointed a committee " to search after all deeds of conveyance relative to the titles of lands granted by the Crown to this Colony by the Royal Charter; & if not found in America, to write the Agent of this Colony in Great Britain, to make diligent search for the aforesaid deeds; & also the grant
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