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 5
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An act was passed to prevent young people from meeting in the evenings of the Sabbath Day; and if any sojourner, or any young person under the government of parents or masters, should meet in the streets, or elsewhere, or on the Sabbath or any public fast day or lecture day, they should be taken before a Justice of the Peace, and, if convicted, " pay a fine of five shillings to the public treasury, or be set in the stocks not more than two hours; provided this act should not be construed to hinder the meeting of young persons upon religious occasions.
In no town in the colony were the inhabitants more energetic and responsive to the call of the Governor and the General Assembly in rais- ing men and money for the furtherance of the expedition against the French and Indians than Fairfield. Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was constantly active in all the duties of his various offices. Major Peter
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 123. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 130.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1709
Burr, the Captains Burr, Hubbell and Wakeman, with other officers, were busy in drilling and equipping their men for any emergency, either for the protection of the frontier towns near them or for the expeditions by land or water against the enemy. The town clerk and treasurer were constantly occupied in collecting the revenue, town and colony taxes. The mothers and daughters of Fairfield were equally busy in preparing clothing, stockings and bread for their fathers and sons, for everything was home made in those days. The spinning-wheel and the flax-looms were in constant use, and many a garment was wet with tears, lest their loved ones should never return. In all these undertakings, privations and hardships our forefathers struggled for the independence of our beloved country.
CHAPTER VIII
1710-1720
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
Election of officers .- Bills of credit .- Counterfeiting .- Council of War .- Efforts to capture Canada .- Queen Anne's letter .- Response to the Queen's letter .- Troops ordered out .- Ships and transports .- Officers of Expedition .- Capture of Port Royal .- Military officers of Green's Farms .- Tax for the Expedition .- Parish petition of Green's Farms .- Connecticut and New York boundary line .- Major Burr's soldiers .- New Fairfield .- Expedition against Canada .- Green's Farm a parish .- Educational interests .- Bills of credit and taxes .- Smallpox hos- pitals .- County Courts .- Superior Courts .- Expedition against Canada .- Punishment of deserters .- Army supplies from Connecticut .- Dr. James Laborie and Dr. Copp .- Troops. supplies, and drums from Fairfield .- Army and Navy leave for Canada .- Failure of the expe- dition .- Connecticut garrison in frontier forts .- Land grant to heirs of Major Nathan Gold .- Renewed efforts against Canada .- Green's Farms boundary .- Laws for tavern-keepers .- Post fees .- Assembly at Fairfield of an Ecclesiastical Court .- Church attendance obligatory .- Public land to be sold for erecting a court-house .- Taxes .- Schools .- Vale college fees .- Grant of land to Green's Farms minister, to Rev. Mr. Webb and Rev. Charles Chauncey .- Perry's grist mill .- Laws for vicious persons .- New issue of bills of credit 1713 .- Taxes on imports. - Reward for wolves and panthers. - Peace of Utrecht .- Great expense of Connecticut in the French and English war .- Charters in danger .- Indian deed of Clapboard Hill. - Highways between Long-lots .- County officers .- Preservation of forests .- Duties on wood exports .- Strict religious laws .- Bibles in families required .- Decline of religion .- Custom house at Black Rock. - A long drought .- Death of Queen Anne .- Accession of George 1 .- Green's Farms allowed to embody in a society .- Schools .- New mills .- Rev. Daniel Chapman called to Green's Farms .- Death of Rev. Charles Chauncey .- Fairweather Island .- Trustees of school lands .- Temperance laws .- Train-band officers of Green's Farms and Greenfield- Chief Justice Nathan Gold .- Regulations for vessels on Sabbath days .- Parish laws for Sab- bath worship, teaching, and for good morals .- Thanksgiving .- Fast day .- Greens Farms opens its Church and ordains Rev. Mr. Chapman .- Individual land grants to be secured .- Train-band officers for county troops .- Election sermon .- Schools .- Private persons not to purchase lands of Indians .- Taxes on imports, and on peddlers and non-residents of the colony .- Cattle pound laws .- Evangelizing the Indians .- Saw mill on Aspetuck River .- Dr. James Laborie a resident of Fairfield .- Land grant to the heirs of Captain Nathaniel Seeley. County cavalry officers .- Drainage of Pine creek meadow. - Yale college .- Vagrancy not per- mitted .- Taxes for bills of credit .- Bills of credit issued .- Mr. Timothy Green of New London the engraver of bills of credit .- Bounds of parsonage lands .- Rev. Samuel Cook minister of Stratfield parish .- Value of estates of Fairfield 1719 .- Fast day.
1710. At the Court of Election holden at Hartford, May 11th, Nathan Gold was chosen Deputy Governor, Peter Burr an Assistant, Captain John Wakeman and Colonel John Burr representatives from Fairfield to
24
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
the General Assembly. Nathan Gold was appointed Judge of the Court of Probate of Fairfield, and Peter Burr Judge of Fairfield County Court.
Judge Peter Burr and Moses Dimon were appointed to take charge of the arms, etc., of the soldiers of the County of Fairfield on the late expedition to Wood Creek, and to sell and dispose of them to the best advantage for the colony.
Dr. James Laborie was granted three shillings and fourpence per day for his services at Wood Creek as doctor and surgeon.
A provision was made that the fund to be raised for securing the re- payment of the public bills of credit should be paid either in bullion at the rate of eight shillings an ounce Troy, or in bills of public credit, and in no other manner. And that all taxes levied for the payment of the public debts should be collected and paid into the colony treasury before the last day of June, 1715.
A law was enacted against counterfeiting the bills of credit under a penalty of six months' imprisonment, and such other penalty and cor- poral punishment as the Assembly should see fit to inflict .*
Peter Burr was made one of the treasury auditors at a court to be held in New Haven in October, to consider the debts of the colony and the value of the bills of credit remaining in the treasury.
It was made a law that the Council to assist the Governor, or in his absence the Deputy Governor, in the intervals of the General Assembly, should consist of two assistants and four able, judicious freemen, to man- age the public affairs; but not to send men out of the colony, nor to raise money unless in case of emergency. t
The failure of the expedition against Canada by no means discouraged New York or the New England colonies. It was believed that if Eng- land would send out an armament of sufficient size to join the troops of the colonies and their Indian allies Canada would soon be taken from the French. Accordingly, Colonel Schuyler of New York, at his own private expense, sailed for England, and took with him five sachems of the Five Nations. The sachems were introduced to the Queen. They made an address to her, setting forth their disappointment and grief at the failure of the late expedition against Canada, and entreated her to. send out an armament to assist her Majesty's colonies in America to join them and her loyal Indian subjects to accomplish this most desirable
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 158. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, 159.
25
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
1710
undertaking, which, they represented, would not only bring peace to her subjects, but gladden the hearts of their tribes. Other efforts had been made to further this end, which proved to be for the subjection of Port Royal and Nova Scotia instead of Canada .*
A letter from Queen Anne, requiring the assistance of her subjects in America on this expedition, led to a special Assembly convening at New Haven August 4th, which continued, after several adjournments, until August IIth.t
Owing to the defenseless situation of the frontier towns of the colony, and the numbers of men required for their protection, as well as great loss of men in the late expedition, the Governor and Council could only agree to send three hundred men from Connecticut to join in the new enterprise.
It was also agreed to procure sailors, vessels, provisions, etc., towards furthering the expedition. Each train-band was required yearly, in Sep- tember, to send in an exact account of the number of its officers and men to the major of each regiment, who should make a report of the same to the General Assembly the following October.+
General Nicholson was put in command of this expedition. Colonel William Whiting was commissioned to command the Connecticut forces. Captain John Burr of Fairfield was chosen major, and Dr. James Laborie surgeon.§ Everything was immediately made ready, and on the 18th of September a fleet of thirty ships set sail from Nantasket for Port Royal. The officers and soldiers landed without opposition on the 24th; and on the 22d of October the French commander, Monsieur Subercase, capitulated and surrendered the fort to Great Britain. After leaving a garrison to protect it under Colonel Vetch, who had been appointed Governor of the country, Geenral Nicholson returned triumphantly home with the remainder of his forces. From this time this port received the name of Annapolis Royal. .
The General Assembly met on the 12th of October, when Mr. James Bennet and Mr. Samuel Couch represented Fairfield. Mr. Samuel Couch was confirmed captain, Mr. John Osborn lieutenant and Mr. Benjamin Rumsey ensign of Green's Farms train-band.
Samuel Morehouse, Jr., of Stratfield, having embarked with Major
* Trumbull's Hist. Conn., I, 460. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 163.
# Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 164, 165. § Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 167, 168. | Trumbull's IIist. Conn., I, 462.
26
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1710
John Burr from New Haven on the expedition against Port Royal, and by an accident in firing a gun lost his right hand, was granted ten poun ls, and afterwards a yearly pension of five pounds .*
The sum of seven shillings a week or one shilling a day was ordered to be paid to all private sentinels of the Port Royal expedition.
Bills of credit in sums of two shillings to five pounds, amounting to five thousand pounds, of the same tenor and date of June 8, 1709, were ordered to be printed, stamped and indented towards the payment of the public debts of the colony, "and accepted at an advance of twelve pence on the pound more."
A tax of five thousand two hundred and fifty pounds was ordered to be levied on all the poll and ratable estates of the towns in the colony and paid into the public treasury on or before August, 1718, to meet the payment of the outstanding bills of credit. t
Mr. Samuel Couch, on behalf of himself and the inhabitants of the western farms of the town of Fairfield, petitioned the Assembly that they should have liberty granted them to provide and settle an orthodox minister among them; and also be freed from paying towards the main- tenance of the minister of the first society of the town. This privilege was ordered to be granted in full, at the May session of the Assembly, provided the town of Fairfield was notified four days previously, so as to give them an opportunity to show canse why this application should not be granted.+
The salary allowed Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was fifty pounds for the year.
Hon. Nathan Gold and Judge Peter Burr, with Joseph Curtis, Esq., were appointed to apply to Governor Robert Hunter of New York to settle the boundary line between that province and Connecticut.
An act was passed at this time for the year ensuing that all ministers', town and school taxes should be paid in wheat, rye, Indian corn, pork and beef, according to their fixed valuation by the General Assembly.
The custom passed May 13, 1708, of collecting a tax laid upon all the churches in the colony with the town taxes for the support of the Congregational ministers was repealed.
At a meeting of the General Court, November 3d, at New London, Major John Burr was allowed a bill of charges for the support of him-
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 176. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 182. # Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p.183.
27
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
[1710
self and twenty-eight of his company in the late expedition from Plymouth to Stonington .*
In the month of May, Ensign John Mitchell of Woodbury, acting as attorney for the Indians in the sale of their lands for the town of New Fairfield, conveyed deeds through John Minor to the following gentle- men residing at Fairfield, viz. : Captain Nathan Gold, Mr. Peter Burr. Ensign John Reed, John Edwards, Jonathan Sturges, John Barlow, Gideon Allen, Samuel Wilson, Samnel Jennings, Captain John Wakeman, Moses Dimon and Lieutenant Joseph Wakeman. The price agreed upon for the purchase of this land was twenty pounds. This deed was recorded May 19, 1710.+
1711. Encouraged by the success of the expedition against Port Royal and Nova Scotia, General Nicholson in June of this year made a voyage to England, with the hope of fitting out another expedition against Canada, in which all her Majesty's colonies in America should join. Ile was so successful in his appeal to the Crown that a fleet was immediately prepared to sail for Boston, there to be joined by the forces of the colonies.
The General Assembly and Court of Election met at Hartford May roth, and continued at intervals until the 3Ist of the month. Nathan Gold was again chosen Deputy Governor of the colony, Judge Peter Burr an Assistant and Major John Burr and Captain Joseph Wakeman repre- sentatives for Fairfield.
Captain Samuel Conch, on behalf of himself and the inhabitants of the West Farms of Fairfield, again presented their petition for liberty to settle an orthodox minister of the gospel among them. Major Peter Burr, Captain Joseph Wakeman and Major John Burr, in behalf of Fair- field, opposed the petition; but the General Assembly saw fit to grant it. and freed the western farmers from paying towards the support of the minister of Fairfield, and that " they should have full power; as if they were a distinct town, to order all affairs relating to the support of the ministry among them: & for leasing & improving any land or estate formerly given to the support of the ministry, or of the school in the said town of Fairfield and that the lands which shall fall within the said parish of the West Farmers, & not belonging to any inhabitants within the parish, shall not be rated or assessed to any charges or duties arising within the said parish." Judge Joseph Curtis of Stratford, Joseph
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 189. + Fairfield Town Records.
28
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[I]II
Platt and John Copp of Norwalk were appointed a committee to survey and lay out the lands of the said western parish, and make a report of the same to the next Assembly .*
The long and distressing wars in the reign of Queen Anne, which made many sad hearts and desolate homes in Fairfield and throughout the colony, had brought about a train of social demoralization. The Governor and General Court resolved to elevate the tone of society by being more rigid in the maintenance of public schools; and, owing to a general neglect throughout Connecticut in payment of forty shillings upon every thousand pounds, allowed for the support of grammar schools, the Assembly ordered that this sum should be paid out of the colony treasury and by the treasurer in bills of credit, " two thirds that sum as money."+
A patent of six hundred acres of land was ordered to be confirmed to Fairfield, near Danbury, which had been previously granted in 1672, for the maintenance of a grammar school. }
One hundred acres of this land had been previously granted to Mr. George Hull of Fairfield, which the Assembly took care to reserve to him. Particular mention is made of this land in the grant made to the Rev. Mr. Webb and the Rev. Samuel Wakeman, which included in all one thousand acres.§
At the same time, upon the petition of Captain John Wakeman, two hundred acres of land, previously granted to the Rev. Samuel Wakeman, deceased, near Danbury, was confirmed to his heirs. An Indian deed of which was recorded at Fairfield October 25, 1710.
An Indian deed of one hundred and fifty acres of land to Dr. Isaac Hall, Jr., Francis and John Hall, sons of the late Dr. Isaac Hall, lying near this land was confirmed to them and recorded 22d April, 1709.
Four thousand bills of credit were ordered forthwith to be printed, indented and stamped of the same tenor and date of June 8, 1709, and after being duly signed by the committee, to be delivered to the treasurer of the colony and used toward paying the public debts. A tax of four thousand five hundred pounds was levied on all polls and taxable estates within the colony, as a fund of security for the repayment of these bills
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 209. t Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1706-1716, p. 213.
# Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1706-1716, p. 215.
§ Indian Deed of this land, Fairfield Town Records, Vol. 2, pp. 326, 240.
| Col. Rec. Conn., Vol, 1706-1716, p. 1I, 215.
1711]
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
29
1
of credit, to be paid into the colony treasury before the last of May in 1720 .*
Separate houses in each town were ordered to be set apart for small- pox and contagious diseases. The officers of the towns were authorized to provide a house, lodgings, nurses, attendants and other necessities for the accommodation of the sick. Ship officers and seamen were not al- lowed to land if any contagious disease existed on board their vessel, and if they landed " they were to be immediately sent on board again." Nor was any person from the port permitted to go on board. Nurses caring for any person suffering from a contagious disease were not al- lowed to expose themselves to others in health under a heavy fine. f
Negro, mulatto or Spanish Indian slaves, who had been set at liberty by their owners in the colony, and who failed to support themselves, the former owners and their heirs were held responsible for their mainten- ance.+
An act was passed for establishing Superior Courts and altering the time of holding County or Inferior Courts, by which one chief judge and four other judges, or any three of them, should hold court in each County town in the months of March and September of each year. This Court was ordered to be held for the County of Fairfield, at Fairfield, on the first Tuesdays of March and September. The Inferior Courts were ordered to be holden on the third Tuesday in April and the first Tuesday in November. The Governor, or in his absence the Deputy Governor. was made Chief Judge of the Superior Court. Judge Peter Burr, in the absence of the Governor or Deputy Governor, was made Chief Judge for the year. Commissions from the General Assembly were ordered to be given to each of the Superior Court Judges and Justices of the Peace, signed by the Governor and stamped with the seal of the colony ...
Upon the receipt of a letter from General Nicholson that a fleet from England would soon reach Boston for the reduction of Canada, the Gov- ernor and Council of War met on the roth of June at New London to consider ways and means to assist in the undertaking. It was agreed that an immediate issue of six thousand pounds in bills of credit should be printed in advance of the meeting of the General Assembly, to fit out the Connecticut quota for the expedition.
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 228, 229. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 231. $ Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 238.
# Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 233.
[[ Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 244.
30
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[I]II
A special General Assembly was convened at New London June 19th. Judge Peter Burr, Major John Burr and Captain John Wakeman of Fairfield were present. A letter was addressed to Queen Anne, in which, after representing the danger and frequent murders which the colonists had suffered from the French and their Indian allies, they pledged them- selves to do all in their power to carry out her will and requests in the new expedition against Canada. They thanked the Queen most gra- ciously, for the clothing, arms and ammunition she had sent them for their quota, which had animated the soldiers to a just sense of their duty to her.
Three hundred and sixty men were ordered to be equipped and made ready to join the expedition, of which sixty of them were to be Indians placed under the command of English officers. A suitable vessel to ac- company the fleet was ordered to be made ready to carry supplies for our troops after they reached Canada, and to bring back the sick and wounded. Provisions for a four months' campaign were ordered to be made ready, part of which was to be sent by land by way of Albany and the remainder by the vessel which was to join the fleet. Two chaplains and three surgeons and physicians with suitable stores of medicines were ordered to go with the expedition. The troops were to be mustered as quickly as possible at New Haven and proceed to Albany.
A law was passed that deserters from the land or sea forces should be punished by a fine of twenty pounds, or six months' imprisonment.
The General Council of War having asked Governor Saltonstall to send a supply of beef and sheep, he at once forwarded to Colonel Hunter at Albany two hundred beeves and six hundred sheep. Ten ship car- penters were ordered to be sent to Albany to assist in making canoes and batteaux for the troops .*
Dr. James Laborie, with Dr. Copp of Norwalk, were the only avail- able surgeons to accompany the Connecticut troops, in consequence of which they were allowed to select two suitable persons to assist them. t
Troops and supplies were sent from Fairfield, and Captain Moses Dimon and John Blackman were paid forty shillings each for two drums for the band.#
Everything was made ready in about a month's time; and on the 30th of July a fleet of fifty men-of-war, fifteen of which were from Eng- land, forty transports and six storeships " set sail from Boston for Canada.
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 245-251. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 260. # Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 267-269.
31
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
1711]
There were on board five regiments from England & Flanders, & two regiments from Massachusetts, Rhode Island & New Hampshire. The fleet was commanded by Admiral Hovenden Walker, & the army by Brigadier General Hill."*
On the same day that the fleet sailed General Nicholson set out on his march for Albany at the head of four thousand men. The Connecticut forces were commanded by Colonel William Whiting, those of New Jersey and New York by Colonels Schuyler and Ingoldsby.
Admiral Walker's fleet reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence on the 14th of August, and put into the bay of Gaspee to await the arrival of the transports. Here he remained until the 20th, when he set sail for Canada. On the 22d his fleet encountered a severe storm, and they were enveloped in a dense fog. The pilots advised sailing southward. but the Admiral, without having proper soundings or a true knowledge of the coast, ordered them to sail northward. In consequence he soon afterwards found his ships among breakers on all sides. Eight or nine of the English transports were wrecked, and out of seventeen hun- dred English officers and soldiers eight hundred and eighty-five were lost. Admiral Walker and General Ilill only saved themselves by an- choring their ships. Admiral Walker as soon as the storm abated sailed for Spanish River Bay. Eight days passed before the remainder of the fleet arrived, when a council of war was held, and it was decided that the undertaking should be given up, and that English ships should return to England. General Nicholson had only the alternative left to retrace his steps. +
The failure of this expedition was a bitter disappointment to the colonists, upon whom the English officers laid all the blame of its mis- carriage. They also blamed the French pilots, but they disclaimed all such charges, having early warned Admiral Walker of his danger. Learning of the fate of the fleet. General Nicholson returned with his army, as he deemed it at that time unsafe to cross the lake.
Fortunately not one of the colonial soldiers was lost, and only one small transport wrecked. But the failure of the expedition caused great alarm lest the French and their Indian allies should take advantage of the situation to harass and destroy the border settlements.
Meanwhile the Canadians, aware of the contemplated attack upon
* Trumbull's Hist. Conn., Vol. I, p. 464.
+ Trumbull's and Hollister's Hist. of Conn. Col. Rec. Conn., 1705-1716, pp. 243-274
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