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 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
32
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1712
them, had made every possible preparation for resistance. Governor de Vaudreuille concentrated the full strength of his forces at Montreal and Lake Champlain. He encamped at Chambly with a force of three thou- sand men to resist the advance of the English and colonists.
The General Assembly met the IIth of October at New Haven. Dep- uty Governor Nathan Gold, Judge Peter Burr, as Assistant, and Mr. John Edwards and Mr. Samuel Hubbell as deputies were present from Fairfield. Judge Peter Burr was appointed to assist in auditing the treasury accounts.
The taxable estates at Fairfield, at this time, were valued at £16,881.
It was agreed that Connecticut should assist in sending thirty or forty men, and in paying towards maintaining garrisons in the Indian forts of the Five Nations on the Connecticut, New York and Massa- chusetts frontiers, and to secure the influence of the Five Nations to assist the English in any designs the enemy might make against them .*
Judge Peter Burr and Dr. Copp of Norwalk were directed to lay out one hundred acres of land to the heirs of the late Major Gold, granted in 1687.+
Several councils of war were held in the fall to induce England to assist in continuing a war against Canada, and to send the pilots who served on board the men-of-war in the late expedition to England, and there make a true representation of the disastrous failure they had sus- tained. The pilots were sent, but an utter indifference was shown to anything they represented, or that any further effort should be made towards taking Canada.
1712. At the annual meeting of the General Assembly, holden at Hartford May 8th, Nathan Gold was elected Deputy Governor, Major John Burr Assistant, who was also a representative with Captain John Wakeman from Fairfield.
Ensign John Wheeler was appointed a lieutenant and Sergeant Gideon Allen ensign of the Stratfield train-band of Fairfield.
The committee appointed to lay out the boundary lines of Green's Farms having fixed the necessary bounds, made a return of the same to the Assembly. It was further shown by a petition dated May 9th, and signed by Joseph Lockwood, Simon Couch, John Lockwood and Christopher Sturgis, that they had erected and paid for a school-house. #
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 279. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 280. # Col. Rec. Colleges and Schools, Vol. I.
1712]
33
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
Three thousand pounds in bills of credit were ordered to be issued at the rate paid in 1711, " to pass out of the treasury at the advance of twelve pence on the pound more." A tax of three thousand three hun- dred pounds was levied on the polls and taxable estates of the colony to meet this demand, to be paid in or before the last day of May, 1720.
On the 28th of March, at a town meeting at Fairfield, it was voted, that Mr. John Meridith, the county surveyor, should renew the high- ways between the long lots as they were originally laid out. The build- ing lots north of the mile of common were also ordered to be laid out .*
Fairfield being the shire-town of the county, had several taverns and private places used for the accommodation of the assembling of the courts. It was also a seaport town. The following law was passed at this time for the well-being of all the towns in the colony. It was ordered that no inn or tavern keeper should entertain single person boarders or sojourners, or any young persons, or other inhabitant under the control of parents or masters, to meet together in their houses, or in the evening after the Sabbath, or public days of fast, or lecture days, under a penalty of fifty shillings cash. t
The postmen who carried the mails from town to town complained of the small amount paid them. It was agreed by the Assembly " that they should be allowed from April to November for themselves & horses three pence a mile, & from November to April three pence half-penny a mile in money."+
Judge Peter Burr was made one of the treasury auditors, and also Judge of the County Court, and Deputy Governor Nathan Gold Probate Judge of Fairfield.
Great care was taken at this time in regard to the good character, attainments and strict orthodox belief of the candidates of the Established Church of Connecticut. The General Association met at Fairfield on the 12th September, 1712, and agreed upon a series of rules for their examination.§
Persons neglecting to attend the public worship of God, " as the law directs & obliges them," were to suffer the full penalty of the law.
The Assembly nominated and appointed Deputy Governor Nathan
* Fairfield Town Records. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, P. 317.
# Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 318.
§ Trumbull's Hist. Conn., Vol. I, p. 516.
|| Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 323.
3
34
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1713
Gold Chief Judge of the Superior Court, and Judge Peter Burr one of his assistants .*
It was agreed to sell at a public vendue, to be held at Fairfield Meet- ing-house in August, all strips of land and all public land lying between Danbury and Fairfield, reserving highways. Judges Nathan Gold and Peter Burr were appointed to make the sale. The proceeds of this sale were to be appropriated towards erecting a public-house or houses for the use of the Assembly and other courts. The purchasers of this land were to be given patents for it, provided they purchased the native Indian right. +
All improved lands and home lots of three acres were valued at three pounds a lot; meadow lands, both salt and fresh at Fairfield, at ten shil- lings an acre and boggy land at seven shillings and sixpence per acre. #
The General Assembly met at Hartford on the 9th of October. Ill- ness prevented Deputy Governor Nathan Gold and Judge Peter Burr from being present. Captain Samuel Couch represented Fairfield.
It was decreed that every parish should have a school of its own, and that forty shillings on every thousand pounds should be paid out of the taxes of each parish towards its support; that the forty shillings on every thousand pounds for the maintenance of grammar schools in the county towns should be paid in money or bills of credit, and that the villages which should become offshoots of the county towns should receive forty shillings for school purposes.§
For maintaining a rector and tutor of the Collegiate School at Say- brook one hundred pounds was allowed out of the colony treasury in money or in bills of credit.
1713. At a town meeting held at Fairfield in April: "The town granted to the first gospel minister that should settle at Maxumux or the west parish in Fairfield six acres of land in some convenient place within the parish. It was also voted that a house should be built for the accommodation of the minister of the west farms, two & forty foot long, twenty foot wide, two stories high, with a cellar under one end, two chamber chimneys, & to cover it with four & a half shingles." An annual tax of sixpence on the pound was levied on the west farmers until the house should be paid for. "
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 332. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 333.
# Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 334. § Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, P. 353. " Fairfield Town Records.
35
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
1713]
Several acres of land were granted the Rev. Mr. Webb on the north- west side of Mill Hill, which was afterwards exchanged for other land. Mr. Webb was also granted " the sum of ninety pounds in the current money of the colony, as his standing salary, in lieu of one hundred & two pounds formerly paid him in county pay." He was also granted fire wood .*
Six acres of land was also granted to the Rev. Charles Chauncey of Stratfield, to be taken up within the limits of that parish, in some con- venient place in the town commons. A committee was appointed to lay out these grants of land to the several ministers.t
Joseph Perry was given permission to erect a grist mill near the place where the saw-mill stood.
At the meeting of the General Assembly at Hartford May 14th, Judge Nathan Gold was again elected Deputy Governor, Judge Peter Burr an Assistant and Captain Joseph Wakeman and Ensign Richard Hubbell representatives from Fairfield.
It was ordered that the Assembly should in the future meet in the fall at New Haven.
" For the Correcting & Restraining of Rogues & Vagabonds, & other Persons of Evil Name & Fame, for Rude & Profane Discourse-having proved a snare to youth, especially which tended to the detriment of religion & pernicious consequences," it was made a law that the jail of each county town should also be a house of correction; and that any delinquent should be lodged in jail until brought before a court, where, if proven guilty, " he should be chastised by a whipping on his naked back in the jail, & to be kept at such labor as he was capable of doing, provided such an offender should not suffer for one offence more than fifty stripes." The keepers of the jails were to be allowed their pay for caring for said offenders out of their estates or labor.#
The sum of £20,000 was ordered by the Assemby to be remitted and delivered to the colony treasurer, and to be the sum paid out by him for the public debts of the colony from time to time, according to the order given him. §
On account of counterfeiting the bills of credit. at a meeting of the Governor and Council held at New London, June 11th, Mr. Dummer of Boston, who had printed the bills, was ordered to reprint others, in
* Fairfield Town Records. + Fairfield Town Records.
# Col. Rec. Conn., Vol., 1706-1716, p. 382.
§ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1706-1716, p. 496.
36
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1713
the lower right-hand corner of each were to be, " on 2s. bills A Dove; 2s. 6d A Cock; 3s. A Squirrel; 5s. A Fox; Ios. colored green, A Lamb; 20s. in yellow, A Deer; 40s. in blue, A Horse; £5 in red, A Lyon; all dated May 1713." This new issue was in part to be exchanged for counterfeit and broken bills of credit .*
At the General Assembly held in New Haven, October 8th, Deputy Governor Nathan Gold, Judge Peter Burr, Major John Burr and Cap- tain Joseph Wakeman were present from Fairfield.
It was found necessary for protecting the financial welfare of the colony to lay a custom tax of five per cent. on all goods and liquors brought into the ports of the colony by persons of other colonies or places, and all such importers were to appear before the officers of each town, and after declaring the value of their goods or cargoes, to give bonds for the payment of said tax.
The Worshipful Peter Burr and Captain John Wakeman were com- missioned to join with the Honorable Jonathan Law in running a divi- sion line between Connecticut and the Province of New York. ·
A reward of forty shillings was ordered to be paid to any person who should kill a grown wolf, a catamount or panther, and ten shillings for every young wolf.
It was announced to this Assembly that the Treaty of Peace of Utrecht had been signed on the 30th of March. A letter of congratulation was forthwith ordered by the Assembly to be sent to the Queen.
By this treaty the Bay and Straits of Hudson, the Island of St. Chris- topher, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland were surrendered by the French. t
The restoration of peace between Great Britain and France was of great consequence to the American colonies. Connecticut had lost many of her soldiers and been at great expense to meet the demands of the Governors of Massachusetts and New York. In the attempts to take Canada, and in protecting her own frontier towns and those of New York and Massachusetts, she had shown a most liberal spirit.
At this time the planters of Connecticut were alarmed at a design on the part of ambitious Englishmen "to obtain a new modelling of the plantations, & to make alterations in the civil government." It was agreed after several meetings of the Governor and Council to invite a union of all the New England colonies, in an effort to preserve their chartered liberties.
* Col. Rec. Conn., pp. 387-389. + Hollister's Hist. Conn., Vol. I, p. 382.
37
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
1714]
Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was not able, from ill-health, to be present. Colonel Mathew Allen was sent in November to confer with him and with the Assistants at Fairfield as to the advisability of calling an immediate General Assembly. The reply was that they did not think it necessary .* Nevertheless, it was agreed by the Council to send Jere- miah Dummer of Boston to England, as an agent in behalf of Connecti- cut, and to place in his hands one thousand pounds sterling for this purpose.
At a town meeting held in Fairfield December 28th, Captain Sammel Couch, John Lockwood and Ensign Benjamin Rumsey were appointed a committee to lay to the west parish ten acres of land granted to the first gospel minister within their precincts. t
1714. On the 25th of March following, the town ordered that this grant should be laid out on Clapboard Hill in the west parish, lately purchased of the natives. In January of this year the Indians of the west farms gave a deed of Clapboard Hill to the town of Fairfield.+
The committee appointed to renew the highways between the long lots made the following report in May of this year :
" A record of the places & bounds of the highways renewed by the committee, appointed by the town, viz. : Lient. Cornelius Hull, Segt. John Thompson, & Sergt. Jolin Wakeman is as followeth, which highways are running up the Long Lots :
Ist. One highway running up between the widow Wheeler's Long Lot & Stratford line, six rods in breadth be it more or less.
2nd. An highway running up between Richard Hubbell's Long Lot & Henry Jackson's, four rods in breadth be it more or less.
3rd. An highway between Samuel Morehouse & Robt. Turney's Long Lots, five rods in breadth be it more or less.
4th. An highway between Hendrick & Jos. Middlebrook Sen., long lots, four rods in breadth, be it more or less.
5th. An highway between Nathaniel Burr Sen. & Daniel Burr Sr. long lots, four rods in breadth, be it more or less.
6th. The mile of common bounded on the east with the long lots of Thomas Barlow's children, & on the west with the long lots of Jacob Grey, the front of the east line of the said mile of common, within about ten rod of Daniel Burr's fence at an heap of stone with a walnut spire in the midst. & an heap of stone at a black oak tree on the west side near a path.
7tl1. An highway between Obe'h Gilbert Sen. & Esbond Wakeman's long lot, four rods in breadth be it more or less.
Sth. An highway between John Cabel. Sr., & Richard Osborn's long lot, six rods in breadth at the front, & at some distance from the front upward four rods in breadth.
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, pp. 410-422. # Fairfield Town Records. t Fairfield Town Votes.
38
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1714
9th. An highway between Francis Bradley & Nathaniel Finche's long lot, four rod in breadth be it more or less.
Ioth. An highway between John Sturges Sen., & John Cabel jun. long lots, four rods in breadth, be it more or less.
IIth. An highway between Eleazer Smith & Robt. Rumsie's long lots, four rod in breadth, be it more or less.
12th. An highway running near the road beyond Maxumux which goes to Saugatuck, bounded on the east with the long lot of Simon Couch, & on the west with Norwalk line, the south east side hath at the front a great oak tree betwen the said Couch, & said high- way with an heap of stones." *
It was upon these long lots that the descendants of the first settlers took up valuable and lucrative farms. The highways were wonderfully straight for miles back into the centre of Redding.
At the gathering of the General Assembly at Hartford, May 13th, Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was present, Judge Peter Burr as an Assistant, and Captain Joseph Wakeman and Major John Burr as repre- sentatives from Fairfield.
Judge Peter Burr was chosen one of a committee to audit the colony accounts.
Major John Burr was commissioned captain and Dr. James Laborie of Stratford lieutenant of the Fairfield County troops.
For preserving the forests of the colony, which had been an extensive source of revenue to many in the way of barrels, pipes, hogsheads and staves sent to the West Indies, it was enacted :
" That all barrel staves sent out of the colony to Massachusetts Bay, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island & New Hampshire, should pay to the naval officers in each port where the said staves were shipped from, twenty shillings per thousand; & all hogsheads, or pipe staves, thirty shillings per thousand; and that all captains of vessels should give bonds for the payment of this custom, in default of which, their cargoes should be for- feited, one-half of the sale paid to the informer & one-half to the colony treasury." +
It was ordered that no town officer in time of peace should be obliged to mount any guard or soldier on the Lord's Day, or on other days of public worship.
The General Assembly,
-" taking into their serious consideration the many evident tokens that the glory is de- parted from us, the providences of God are plainly telling us that our ways do not please him, & knowing the great obligations that we are under, not only for the suppressing of all profaneness & immorality that so greatly threatens the ruin of the land, but also to encourage piety & virtue, do pray the Honorable, the Governor, to recommend to the
* Fairfield Town Votes, 1714.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 434.
39
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAAR
1714]
reverend elders of the General Association, that the state of religion be strictly inquired into in every parish throughout this government ; & particularly how & whether catechi'.ng be duly attended, & whether there be a suitable number of Bibles in the various families in the respective parishes; & also if there be found in any of our parishes, any person that neglect attendance upon the public worship on Lord's days-to enquire what means hath been used with such persons to regain them to a compliance with their so necessary a duty that thereby the worship of God be duly encouraged, observed & attended both in families & parishes ; & likewise that there be a strict inquiry, which & what are the sins & evils that provoke the just Majesty of Heaven to walk contrary unto us in the ways of his provi dences, that thereby all possible means may be used for our healing & recovery from ou. degeneracy." *
Mr. John Edwards was appointed and commissioned the naval or custom-house officer of the port of Fairfield.+ Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was made Judge of Probate, Peter Burr Judge of the County Courts and Major John Burr, James Bennet and John Edwards justices of the peace and Quorum of Fairfield County.
On account of a long drought, the first day of September was ap- pointed " to be observed as a day of fasting & prayer throughout the colony."
At a meeting of the Governor and Council in New Haven, October 13th, a letter from Jeremiah Dummer, then acting as agent for Con- necticut in England, was read, announcing the death, August ist, at White Hall, of her most gracious Majesty Queen Anne of happy mem- ory, and that Prince George had been proclaimed king of Great Britain, France and Ireland. The Council ordered :
That the death of the Queen should be solemnized by firing minute guns on the following afternoon at three o'clock; and that the accession of King George 1. should be celebrated at noon by the assembling of the New Haven regiment, fully armed, before whom the proclamation of his accession should be read. Each soldier was allowed half a pound of powder, & also wine & biscuit to celebrate the occasion. To prevent disorders on so joyful an occasion, no bonfires or fireworks were allowed, " but instead of these, illumina- tions be used, as a much more honorable signal of joy." #
At the meeting of the General Assembly in October, Deputy Governor Nathan Gold, Judge Peter Burr. Captain Joseph Wakeman and Major John Burr were present from Fairfield. The Assembly ordered that an address of congratulation should be forthwith prepared and sent to King George upon his accession to the throne of Great Britain.
The Bankside or west farmers of Fairfield were made happy by a
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1706-1716, p. 436. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1700-1716, P. 437. # Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1706-1716, pp. 450, 451.
40
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD
[1715
decree that they should be allowed " to embody themselves into a church & state."*
For upholding and supporting good schools in every town and vil- lage in the colony, it was enacted: "That the selectmen of each town should visit & inspect its schools quarterly, & inquire into the qualifica- tions of the masters, their diligence in teaching, as well as the proficiency of the scholars, & to make a report of the same to the next Assembly."
Richard Whitney proposed to erect a grist mill, and Gershom Bulkley and Moses Ward a fulling mill on the Sasco River.
On the first of November the inhabitants of the west farms held a parish meeting, and by vote it was agreed that the Rev. Daniel Chapman should be installed as pastor of the church. One penny on the pound was levied in order to pay the expenses of his ordination and to put up the meeting-house for the occasion. His ordination did not take place until the next year. t
A committee was appointed "to convey the first six acres of land to the Rev. Mr. Chapman of the West-farms, granted to the first gospel minister who should settle there."#
The parish of Stratfield was deprived this year of its beloved and honored pastor, the Rev. Charles Chauncey, who died May 4th, leaving a widow and several children. His labors amang the Stratfield people had been crowned with marked success. His church and house were situated near the old Pequonock burial ground. §
It appears at one time that Mr. Chauncey owned what is now called Fairweather's Island, which he sold on the 24th of March, 1709, to Ben- jamin Fairweather of Stratfield for the sum of eight pounds and six shillings in money. [
1715. In February Captain Joseph Wakeman, Major Peter Burr and Captain Samuel Couch were appointed trustees by the town for the school lands, and particularly for the six hundred acres granted by the General Assembly to the town of Fairfield for the use of a grammar school.
At the meeting of the General Assembly held at Hartford, May 12th, the Hon. Nathan Gold was elected Deputy Governor, Judge Peter Burr
* Col. Rec. Conn .. Vol. 1706-1716, p. 454.
+ Green's Farms Records, by Rev. Mr. Chapman.
# Fairfield Town Records.
§ Appendix-Genealogical.
| Fairfield Town Records of Deeds.
1715]
41
CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
an Assistant and Captain Joseph Wakeman and Mr. Richard Hubbell representatives from Fairfield.
It was deemed necessary to make every possible effort to preserve the forests and to prevent hewing timber to be sent out of the colony.
Still more stringent laws " for the better regulating of taverns, & for preventing drunkenness & expense of precious time." Any one found guilty of " drinking strong drink, viz. : rum, cyder, metheglin or brandy (or mixt drink made with any of them) in any tavern, or house of public entertainment in the town in which he or they belonged, should be fined ten shillings in money. The tavern keeper for every breach of this act was fined thirty shillings." All money arising from such transgressions of this law was to be paid, " one half to the informer, & the other half towards the maintenance of the town poor." The constables and grand jurymen in each town were required to make diligent inquiry into any breach of this law.
Mr. John Osborn was confirmed captain, Jonathan Sturges lieutenant and Mr. Samuel Barlow ensign of the west end train-band of Fairfield. Mr. Thomas Nash was confirmed lieutenant and Mr. John Andrews en- sign of the west parish train-band in Green's Farms .*
Judge Peter Burr was made Judge of the County Courts and Deputy Governor Nathan Gold Judge of the Probate Court of Fairfield. The Hon. Nathan Gold and Judge Peter Burr were appointed Judges of the Superior Court, and Judge Gold was also made Chief Judge of the Supe- rior Court. + In case of his absence the five judges named in succession were to act for him.
In October the General Assembly met at New Haven, where Deputy Governor Nathan Gold, Judge Peter Burr, Captain Joseph Wakeman and Lieutenant Richard Hubbell were present.
The chartered liberties of the New England colonies were again en- dangered. There were parties in England who were strongly opposed to charter government, and who looked upon the New England colonies as too independent of the government of the mother country. A bill was therefore introduced into Parliament to repeal the charters which had been given to the colonists. Mr. Jeremiah Dummer of Boston used his utmost endeavors to show cause why this injustice should be allowed. Several years passed, however, before a favorable turn took place in the
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1706-1716, p. 504.
+ Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1716-1725, P. II.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.