USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Redding > The history of Redding, Connecticut : from its first settlement to the present time > Part 9
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
He remained in the militia service after the war and rose to be Lt .- Col. of the 4th Conn. Mil. He was a pensioner.
SALMON, GERSHOM-In the 5th Regt. Conn. Line in the Northern. Campaign. Later served as private in the 4th Conn. Mil., Fishkill Cam- paign.
SANFORD, AARON-Served in the 5th Regt. Conn. Line in the North- ern Campaign, 1775, and in the 4th Conn. Mil. in the Fishkill Campaign, 1777.
SANFORD, DAVID-A private in the 4th Conn. Mil. at the defense of New York in June, 1776, and fought at White Plains October 28 of that year, and was furloughed on account of sickness. Was in the Danbury Raid and in the action at Ridgefield ; was also in the Fishkill Campaign and in several "alarms" at Fairfield and Norwalk. d. June 15, 1787.
SANFORD, EBENEZER-In 1779 was in the coast guard at Green's Farms, and in various alarms. In 1780 enlisted in the Regt. of State troops commanded by Col. Bezaleel Beebe, and served 9 mos.
SANFORD, EZEKIEL-Com. Lieut. in 5th Regt. Conn. Line for the Northern Campaign, 1775. Was Ist Lieut. in Wadsworth's Brig. in the defense of New York, 1776. In 1777, appointed Capt. in the 5th Regt. Conn. Cont. Line; resigned Mch. 17, 1778. January, 1780, appointed Capt. in the 2d Regt. then being raised to defend the State, but declined. He served on various town committees during the war. Was a pensioner. d. Mch. 8, 1808.
SANFORD, EZRA-Private, 4th Conn. Mil., Fishkill Campaign, 1777.
SANFORD, JAMES-Served throughout the war, first as a teamster. In 1779-80-81, he was drafted for service in the coast guard at various times and performed his duties acceptably. He was a pensioner.
SANFORD, SETH-Ensign in the 4th Conn. Mil. in the Fishkill Cam- paign, 1777. Was much in public life, holding various town offices.
SHERWOOD, JEHIEL-Ensign 4th Conn. Mil., January, 1780.
SHERWOOD, NEHEMIAH-Served in various alarms under different commanders. Pensioned in 1832.
SHERWOOD, THOMAS-Private, 4th Conn. Mil., in the Fishkill Cam- paign, 1777.
SMITH, ERASTUS-A soldier in the 4th Regt. Conn. Mil .; was haled before the County Court at Fairfield in 1779, for refusing to march with his regiment to the North River, and fined the costs, £22, 16s., though the Court found him not guilty of the charge.
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
SPRINGER, JOHN-Enlisted from Redding for £30 bounty, but desert- ed June 26, 1781.
SPRINGER, WHALA-Enlisted from Feb. 7, 1781, for bounty of £30. Served acceptably and was disc. 1784.
STURGES, DAVID-In 5th Conn. Regt. in the Northern Campaign, 1775, and in the 4th Conn. Mil. in the Fishkill Campaign, 1777.
THOMPSON, JAMES-Enlisted from Redding, 1781, for £30 bounty.
THORP, LYMAN-In Col. Baldwin's Regt. of Artificers for 3 years.
WEEKS, MICAJAH-Entered the Cont. service in 1776. Served in various commands and had a somewhat remarkable career as a fighting man. He fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point and Yorktown, acquitting himself creditably in each. Served five years. Was a pensioner. Rem. to Delaware Co., N. Y., and d. Mch. 27, 1826.
WHEELER, EPHRAIM-Enlisted, May 12, 1777, for the war and was assigned to the 5th Regt. Conn. Cont. Line; he deserted Nov. 23, 1777; rejoined the ranks, Apr., 1779, and again deserted, Feb. 10, 1780.
WHITE CHARLES-Was in the 5th Conn. Regt. in the Northern Cam- paign, 1775, and afterward served in the militia.
WILLIAMS, JABEZ-Enlisted in the 5th Regt. Conn. Cont. Line, Dec. 16, 1776. Rem. to New Milford, Vt., about 1784.
WILSON, ISAAC-Enlisted for the war Mch. 7, 1779.
YOUNGS, CHRISTOPHER-Enlistd, 1781-2, for a bounty of £30.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Redding Loyalist Association and the Loyalists.
For many years after the Revolution the term "Tory" was one of reproach, of approbrium; it conveyed not only reprobation, but detesta- tion and contempt. Within the past few years, however, since the close of our own civil war, a kindlier feeling toward the men who were loyal to their king and country and did their duty as they saw it has obtained. As a rule the loyalists were men of culture, wealth, refinement, and leaders in their respective communities. In Redding at the outbreak of the struggle, they were very numerous, so many indeed, and of so much ability that they formed a "Reading Loyalist Association," and drew up
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
a series of "Resolutions," which they sent to James Rivington's Gazet- teer, the government organ in New York City, with a preamble as fol- lows :
"Mr. Rivington: In the present critical situation of publick affairs, we, the subscribers, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the town of Read- ing and the adjoining parts in the County of Fairfield, and Colony of Connecticut, think it necessary (through the columns of your paper) to assure the publick that we are open enemies to any change in the present happy Constitution, and highly disapprove of all measures in any degree calculated to promote confusion and disorder; for which purpose and in order to avoid the general censure, incurred by a great part of this colony from the mode of conduct here adopted for the purpose of oppos- ing the British Government, we have entered into the following resolves and agreements, viz :
First. Resolved, That while we enjoy the privileges and immunities of the British Constitution we will render all due obedience to his most Gracious Majesty King George the Third, and that a firm dependence on the Mother Country is essential to our political safety and happiness.
· Second. Resolved, That the privileges and immunities of this Con- stitution are yet (in a good degree) continued to all his Majesty's American subjects, except those who, we conceive, have justly forfeited their right thereto.
Third. Resolved, That we supposed the Continental Congress was constituted for the purpose of restoring harmony between Great Britain and her colonies and removing the displeasure of his Majesty toward his American subjects, whereas on the contrary some of their resolutions appear to us immediately calculated to widen the present unhappy breach, counteract the first principles of civil society, and in a great degree abridge the privileges of their constituents.
Fourth. Resolved, That notwithstanding we will in all circumstances conduct with prudence and moderation we consider it an indispensable duty we owe to our King and Constitution, our Country and posterity, to defend, maintain and preserve at the risk of our lives and properties the prerogatives of the Crown, and the privileges of the subject from all attacks by any rebellious body of men, any Committees of Inspection, Correspondence, &c.
("Signed by one hundred and forty-one Inhabitants whose names are to be seen at the Printer's."-adds Rivington.)
The effect of this document on the patriots of Redding was like that of a red flag on a bull. They at once set to work to discover its signers
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
and presently made public in a circular the entire list so far as they be- longed in Redding. It was given out by the Committee of Observation under this preamble :
"WHEREAS, There was a certain number of resolves published-and whereas said Resolves are injurious to the rights of this Colony, and breathe a spirit of enmity and opposition to the rights and liberties of all America and are in direct opposition to the Association of the Con- tinental Congress: and notwithstanding said resolutions were come into with a (seeming) view to secure the said signers some extraordinary privileges and immunities, yet either through negligence in the printer or upon design of the subscribers, said signed names are not made pub- lick-and now if there be any advantage in adopting those principles we are willing they should be entitled there to; and for which end and for the more effectual carrying into execution said Association we have taken some pains and by the assistance of him who carried said resolves to said Printer we have obtained the whole of said names. But as we mean not to publish the names of any except those who belong to said Reading, their names are as follows:
DAVID KNAP,
DANIEL MOREHOUSE,
JONATHAN MEEKER,
ANDREW KNAP,
EPHRAIM DEFOREST,
SAMUEL HAWLEY,
DANIEL LYON,
LAZARUS BEACH,
JONATHAN MALLERY, JR.
NEHEMIAH SEELYE, JR. SETH HULL,
JOHN SEYMOUR,
STEPHEN LACY,
HEZEKIAH PLATT,
JESSE BEARSELE,
JAMES ADAMS,
ZEBULON PLATT,
DARLING GYER,
ZACCHEUS MOREHOUSE, TIMOTHY PLATT,
EBENEZER WILLIAMS,
EPHRAIM WHITLOCK,
LAZARUS WHEELER,
PAUL BARTRAM,
JABEZ LYON,
JOSHUA HALL,
JOHN GYER,
PRINCE HAWSE,
JONATHAN KNAP,
ABEL BURR,
ANDREW PATCHEN,
JAMES GRAY,
SHUBAEL BENNETT,
EZEKIEL HILL,
PETER LYON,
JOHN PICKET,
DAVID MANROW,
JOHN DREW,
JOHN PICKET, JR.,
OBED HENDRIX,
JOHN LYON,
JAMES MORGAN,
ISAAC PLATT,
JOHN MALLERY,
NATHANIEL GYER,
ENOS LEE,
JOHN RAYMOND,
ASA NORTON,
JOHN LEE,
ELI LYON, ENOS WHEELER, .
ISAAC BUNNELL,
ASAEL PATCHEN,
DAVID CROWFOOT,
THADDEUS MANROW,
BENJAMIN STURGIS,
JOSEPH GYER,
EBENEZER STURGIS, WILLIAM LEE,
THOMAS MUNSON, NEHEMIAH SEELY, CHARLES MCNEIL,
JOHN SHERWOOD,
SETH BANKS, DAVID TURNEY,
STEPHEN BETTS,
SIMEON MUNGER, JOSEPH BURR.
JOHN SANFORD,
EPHRAIM MEEKER, JOHN LAYNE,
ELEAZUR OLMSTEAD,
NATHANIEL BARLOW,
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
The Committee adds :
"There are only forty-two Freeholders in the above number. There are several minors, &c., to make the above number of seventy-four that belong to said Reading, and we hereby hold them up to the publick as opposers to the Association of said Congress.
Signed by order of the Committee of Observation for said town of Reading,
EBENEZER COUCH,
Chairman."
The "Association" met this by publishing the entire list of signers, one hundred and forty-two in all, and the war began in earnest. Not all of those who had signed were ardent adherents to the British cause, and a little "pressure," which the Whigs well knew how to apply, soon won them over to the patriot cause. Others were loyalists from innate conviction, and these were treated with such severity that they fled into the forests and caves of the earth, whence, wherever possible, they made their way into the British lines. The story of the suffering and sacrifices of a few of them may properly find a place in these annals.
Their most trusted and beloved leader was no doubt the Rev. John Beach, Rector of Christ Episcopal Church on Redding Ridge .* Obe- dience to his king was to him as obligatory as obedience to his God, and neither threats nor persecution could move him from the path of duty. He was not active; he signed an agreement not to take up arms for the British cause; also one not to discourage enlistments in the American army (a paper signed by many of the loyalists in the fall of 1775) ; but in the use of the Liturgy in the church service he steadfastly refused to omit the prayers for the king, a position which soon brought upon him the active persecution of the Whigs. In 1888 there was found among the papers of Charles Beach, great grandson of the stern preacher, the following letter, which speaks for itself :
" REDDING, Feb. 12th, 1778.
"Dear Sir: We have no disposition to restrain or limit you or others in matters of conscience. But understanding that you, in your Public Worship, still continue to pray that the King of Great Britain may be strengthened to vanquish and overcome all his enemies, which manner of praying must be thought to be a great insult upon the Laws, Authority, and People of this State, as you and others can but know that the King of England has put the People of these United States from under his protection, Declared them Rebels, and is now at open war with said States, and consequently we are his enemies.
*See Chapter x.
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
"Likewise you must have understood that the American States have declared themselves independent of any Foreign Power-Now Sir, in order that we may have peace and quietness at home among ourselves, we desire that for the future you would omit praying in Public that King George the third or any other foreign Prince, or Power, may vanquish, etc., the People of this Land.
"Your compliance herewith may prevent you trouble.
"We are, Rev. Sir, with due Respect, your obedient humble servants. "To the Revd. John Beach.
LEM'L SANFORD, WM. HAWLEY,
Justices. HEZEKIAH SANFORD,
SETH SANFORD,
THAD. BENEDICT,
JOHN GREY,
WM. HERON,
Selectmen of Redding." *
Mr. Beach, however, continued to read the prayers for the King, and tradition says that one Sabbath while so engaged a zealous partisan fired at him through the open door, the bullet imbedding itself in the sounding-board behind him. Years after, when that sounding-board was taken down, the bullet was discovered, taken out and kept in her work basket for many years by Mrs. James Sanford of Redding, a grand-daughter of the divine. When the tablet to the memory of Mr. Beach was placed in the present church edifice on Redding Ridge, the bullet, at the suggestion of the Rev. Mr. Wilkins, then Rector, was placed in the tablet, where it now remains. On another occasion a party of soldiers entered his church at Newtown and threatened to fire on him if he read the prayers for the king. This statement is on the authority of the late Bishop Williams, who related the anecdote to the clergy in Dr. Marble's study in Newtown, after the service at the opening of the present Trinity Church in Newtown, and afterward wrote it out at the request of the late Rev. Dr. Beardsley, as follows :
"Stopping for the night at an inn in the neighborhood of Schuylers- ville (N. Y.), perhaps in the place itself, I met an aged man, the father, I think, of the innkeeper, who told me that he was born and passed his early life in Newtown, Conn. He also told me that he perfectly re- membered being in the church at Newtown when soldiers entered, ser- vice being then in progress, and threatened to shoot the officiating minis- ter, the Rev. John Beach, if he read the prayers for the king and the
*From Miss Rebecca D. Beach's "Beach-Sanford Genealogy," p. 115.
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
royal family. Mr. Beach, he said, went on as usual, with no change or even tremor in his voice, and read the obnoxious prayers. My in- formant added that he believed (his recollection on this point was not quite positive) that they, struck with the quiet courage of Mr. Beach, stacked their muskets and remained through the service."
It is also told of him, that he was taken once from his house by an armed squad and escorted to the foot of the hill near by and there com- manded to kneel down and pray, as they were about to shoot him. He knelt and prayed, not for himself, but for them, and with such fervor and power that, dismayed and conscience smitten, they silently withdrew, leaving him unharmed.
Mr. Beach continued in his policy of passive resistance, but did not live to see the defeat of his cause, as he died March 19, 1782, at the ripe old age of eighty-two .*
Lazarus Beach, son of Rev. John Beach, followed in the footsteps of his father, and was a thorn in the flesh of the patriots of Redding. The following extracts from the minutes of the Governor and Council show the manner of proceeding adopted by the Whigs in disciplining their Tory neighbors :
"Lazarus Beach, Andrew Fairchild, Nathan Lee, Enos Lee, Abel Burr, of Reading, and Thomas Allen, of Newtown, in the county of Fairfield, being Tory convicts and sent by order of law to be confined in the town of Mansfield to prevent any mischievous practices of theirs, having made their escape and being taken up and remanded back to his Honor the Governor and this Council, to be dealt with, &c.
"Resolved, and ordered by the Governor and his Council aforesaid, that the said Lazarus Beach (&c.) be committed to the keeper of the goal in Windham, within said prison to be safely kept untill they come out thence by due order of the General Assembly, or the Governor and his Council of Safety, and that they pay cost of their being apprehended and being remanded, etc., allowed to be £25, 3s, od. Mittimus granted Jan'y 28, 1777."
On Feb. 10, 1777, by another order of the Governor and Council the same persons were ordered discharged from the goal on their parole, on their paying all the costs of commitment and all costs that had since arisen. Beach, Burr, Fairchild and Allen were ordered to return to Mansfield and there abide under the direction of the Committee of In- spection of that town, while the two Lees were permitted to return home on their giving bonds for their good behavior. Mr. Beach probably saw the error of his ways as the war progressed, for after it closed he was
*For a further account of Mr. Beach, see Chapter X.
,
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
permitted to reside on his ample estate in Redding and there died Jan. 20, 1800.
The case of Dr. Nehemiah Clarke of Hartford, was as sad and pa- thetic as is to be found in any of the annals of self-sacrifice, or the lives of the martyrs. When the war broke out he was living in Hartford with an interesting family, a lucrative practice, and a comfortable home. No man's prospects in the capital city were more flattering. Yet con- science made him an adherent of the Crown, and so obnoxious to the Whigs was he that early in 1774 he removed to Redding, probably be- cause of the influential colony of tories there. In an evil hour, in February of that year, he returned to Hartford to adjust some business affairs there, was seized by a mob and so maltreated that his life was despaired of. Managing to escape he returned to Redding, but the patriot arm was long enough to reach thither, and soon after his arrival there he was again seized by a "numerous banditti," to use his own words, and thrown into the guard house, from which he could only effect his release by signing a bond of f1000 not to go over to the enemy. This did not afford entire protection, however, for on the 10th of May, probably because of indiscreet acts or words on his part, he was forced again to flee to the woods for safety and remained there, leading the life of a hunted animal until the December following, when he succeeded in reaching the British lines, leaving his wife and five children in the hands of his enemies without any means of support. He served through the war as a surgeon in the British army and on the concluding of a treaty of peace removed, with other loyalists, to the wilds of New Brunswick and was one of the grantees of the present beautiful city of St. John, capital of that province.
The following extracts from court records will show the legal pro- cess employed in the confiscation of Tories' estates. Such extreme meas- ures were not usually adopted unless the person had actually gone over to the enemy :
"On information of the selectmen of the town of Redding, in Fair- field County, showing to the Special County Court, held at Fairfield in and for said county on the 6th day of August, 1777, That there is Real Estate Lying in said Redding which Belongs to Joseph Burr, of said Redding, who has put and continues to hold and screen himself under the Protection of the Ministerial Army, &c. A writ was issued by Or- der of said court, dated August 7th, 1777, to seize and to hold said estate and to be dealt with according to law. The said Burr was called at this Court and made Default of Appearance. Thereupon this Court have now Considered the Evidence Relative to said Burr's screening himself as aforesaid, Do order that the Real Estate of said Burr, According to
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
the Officers' Return on said Writ, be Leafed out for the use and benefit of this State-and for that purpose this Court has Appointed Thad's Benedict, Esq., of Redding."
His goods and chattels were taken under another instrument, as fol- lows :
FAIRFIELD, Adj'd County Court, 2d Tuesday, Decembr., 1777.
"On Information of the selectmen of the Town of Redding in Fair- field County, Showing to Lemuel Sanford, Esq., Justice of the Peace for said County, That there is Goods, Chattles and effects in said Redding which Belongs to Joseph Burr, of said Redding, who had put and con- tinues to hold and screen himself under the protection of the Ministerial Army, &c. Said Justice issued out a Writ, dated Aug'st 14, 1777, to seize and to hold said Estate and to be dealt with according to Law. The said Burr was called at this Court-made Default of Appearance- This Court, having considered the evidences Relative to said Burr's screening himself as aforesaid, do order that the Goods and effects, ac- cording to the Officer's Return on said Writ of said Burr, be Forfeited to the Use and Benefit of this State, and that they be sold according to law, and that execution be Granted, &c."
In December of the same year the real estate of the unfortunate exile, which had been ordered leased in August, was ordered sold, as appears by the following :
"Whereas, the selectmen of the Town of Redding in Fairfield Coun- ty, did inform John Read, Esqr., Justice of the Peace for said County, that there is estate in Redding and Fairfield, in said county, that Belongs to Joseph Burr, late of said Redding, who has gone over to, Joined with and Screened himself under the protection of the Ministerial Army, &c .; said Burr was Summoned to appear at this Court to show reason why said Estate should not be Declared Forfeit, &c., as per Writ on file, dated October 15th, 1778. Said Burr was called at this Court and made De- fault of Appearance. Thereupon this Court, having considered the evi- dence Relative to said Burr's Screening himself as aforesaid, Do order that the Estate of said Burr be and the same is hereby Forfeited to and for the use and Benefit of this State, and that the same be Further Dealt with According to Law."
Isaac Drew, Ephraim DeForest, John, Joseph and Peter Lyon, and Daniel Read, were among those whose lands were confiscated by regu- lar Court proceedings. Many others were fined for refusing to perform military duty. But at last peace came-the Whigs were triumphant. What now was to be done with the men who had gone over to the enemy and fought against their old friends and neighbors? Manifestly
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Redding Centre.
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
there was no place for them in the new Commonwealth. Lucifer among the heavenly hosts would not have been more out of place. Banishment was the stern decree, and the Whigs of Redding were by no means back- ward in carrying it out. They called a town meeting Aug. 11, 1783, and "Put to voute," "whether it is the minds of this Meeting that ye selectmen of this Town be desired to remove out of this Town all those Persons that have been over to and Joined the Enemy and returned into this Town, and that they pursue the business as fast as they conveniently can according to Law. Passed in the Affirmative."
A few who had prominent kindred among the Whigs, or who had not rendered themselves particularly obnoxious, were spared, but most of them were driven into exile. The British Government granted them lands in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where they made new homes wonderfully like to those they left behind, as the traveler along the beautiful shores of the Bay of Fundy can but note.
CHAPTER IX.
The Congregational Church, 1729-1906.
THE Congregational church was the first religious body organized in the town. Deeply impressed as were our Puritan forefathers with the value of religion to the soul, they were equally impressed with its value to the state, and were careful to rear, side by side with their civil struc- ture, the Church, in which, as they believed, the pure Gospel of Christ was preached, and the soundest principles of morality inculcated. Proof of their pious care in this respect is to be found in the history of Redding, as in that of almost every New England town. As early as August, 1729, but three months after they had wrung a reluctant consent from the mother town to assume parish privileges, we find them providing for the settlement of a minister among them in the following manner :
"At a Society Meeting held in the Society of Redding, Deacon George Hull chosen Moderator. It was voited that s'd Society would give for the settlement of a minister in s'd society the sum of seventy pounds, and a house, and his wood, and bring it up, and the next year eighty pounds, and raise five pounds a year till it comes to one hundred pounds a year. It was voted, that Edmond Luis, esquire, shall decide
1
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HISTORY OF REDDING.
the matter as to seting the meeting hous, it was voited that s'd Mr. Luis should come the first week in October to decide the matter afores'd."
No minister was settled, however, until 1733; the first church edifice was erected early in 1732. It stood a few yards west of the present Methodist church, and nearly in the centre of the public square or com- mon .* A photograph or rough sketch even, of this first church in Red- ding, would be invaluable to men of the present day; we are certain, however, that it was a much more elegant and finished edifice than was common in the new settlements. It was two stories high, as we shall see, and of quite respectable dimensions. It was also lathed and plas- tered, and furnished with galleries, and windows of imported glass, but further details are lacking. All that is to be found in the church records concerning the building is contained in the following extracts :
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