USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Ridgefield > The history of Ridgefield, Conn. : from its first settlement to the present time > Part 4
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COLONIAL HISTORY.
said Joseph Keeler Ebenezer Smith Daniel Olmsted and the rest of the Proprietors of the common and undivided Land in the Town of Ridge- field aforesaid, to them their heirs and assigns forever-To hold of His Majesty, His heirs and successors according to the Tenour of his Majestie's Manor of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, in the Kingdom of England, in free and common Soccage, and not in Capitee or Knight Service, Yealding and paying therefor, unto our Lord & King, his Heirs and Successors forever, Only the fifth part of all the Gold or Silver which from time to time, and at all times hereafter, shall be there gotten, Or obtained in Lieu of all service, Duties and demands Whatsoever according to Charter. In Witness Whereof, we have caused the Seal of the said Colony to be hereunto affixed this first day of June AD 1731, and in the fourth Year of ye Reign of our Sov- ereign Lord George the Second King &c.
" By Order of the Governor and Company of his Majesties English Colony of Connecticut in New England, in America.
" HEZ: WYLLYS Secratary.
"J. TALCOTT Governor."
" June Ist 1731, Received and Entered upon the Records of the Col- ony of Connecticut, Lib 5 fol 248-9.
" Per HEZ: WYLLYS Secratary."
" Received to Record and Recorded this 8th day of June AD 1731. " Per Me, THOMAS HAULEY Register."
" At a General Assembly Holden At Hartford in His Majesties Eng- lish Colony of Connecticutt in New England in America, on Thursday the IIth Day of May, Anno Regni Regis Georgii 2ª, Magna Britannia &c., 5to Annoque Dom 1732.
" Whereas this Assembly in May last, granted unto Joseph Keeler, Ebenezer Smith, Daniel Olmstead, and the rest of the proprietors of Ridgefield in the county of Fairfield, a certain tract of land bounded south by said Ridgefield, East by Danbury, north by New Fairfield, west by the Colony line, which tract of land this Assembly do now annex to the town of Ridgefield, and to be taken and accounted a part thereof."
In the year 1728 the town of Ridgefield was in- cluded in the Probate district of Stamford.
In 1746 it was transferred from Stamford to the Probate district of Danbury.
40
HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
It was not until 1841 that Ridgefield became a dis- tinct Probate district.
The following minutes from the records show that at an early day the town was interested in establishing a military company, and applied to General Assembly to have its nominations approved :
" The General Assembly in session at Hartford, A.D. 1727.
" This Assembly do establish and confirm Mr. Samuel St John of Ridgefield to (be) Captain of the company of trainband in the town of Ridgefield aforseaid, and order that he be commissioned accordingly."
" This Assembly do establish and confirm Mr. Benjamin Benedict of Ridgefield to (be) Lieutenant of the company or trainband in the town of Ridgefield aforesaid, and order that he be commissioned accordingly."
"In 1732 General Assembly, then in session at New Haven did establish and confirm Mr. Benjamin Benedict to be captain of the company or trainband in the town of Ridgefield, and Mr. James Ben- edict, Lieutenant and Mr. Daniel Olmstead, Ensign.
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield March 14th 1735, Whereas by a Special Warrent from Maj'r Burr ye Townsmen are directed Forthwith to procure ye Town stock of powder, Bulletts, and Flints, according to law. We do therefore desire ye Townmen Speedily to procure ye same and do hereby oblige ourselves to Fulfill and answer such obligations, and pay such Debts as they Shall make in order thereto.
" Test THOS. HAWLEY Regist' r."
As early as the year 1748 the Colonies were dis- turbed by the contentions between Great Britain and France, with reference to the actual boundaries of their respective possessions in America. It was the low, muttering thunder of the approaching storm, which burst in its fury upon the Colonies in 1754, and which is known in history as the French and Indian war.
We find this town participating in the struggle, with
41
COLONIAL HISTORY.
the bravery and the liberality which have ever charac- terized it, contributing its full share, both of money and men.
At a general town meeting held on September 20th, 1748,
" It was voted by a major vote that the powder and lead that was taken up by the Soldiers, that went for us, to guard the upper towns, the present year, should be paid in a town way, amounting to the sum of £6. old tenure."
James Resseguie and Vivus Dauchy died in this war. The burial-places of the town were selected and ap- propriated at an early day.
" At a Proprietors Meeting held in Ridgefield, Jan. ye 27th 1735/6. By their major vote, Timothy Keeler was chosen Proprietor's Clerk, or Register for ye year ensuing, and sworn according to Law before James Benedict, Justice of ye peace" Jan. ye 27th 1735/6.
" Att ye Meeting above s'd the Proprietors by their Major Vote do grant, and by their order do appoint for ye town's use a certain Spot or piece of land for their burying place or yard ; s'd spot or parcell of Land Lying a little Southward of that lott or homestead that Milford Sam'l Smith bought of Drinkwaters, and Northward of ye Cart-path or Rhode that comes over Titticus river."
This is the old part of the present cemetery. Pre- vious to this, the burying-ground used was situated immediately west of where Mr. William Edward Bene- dict now resides. Two stones are still to be seen : one a freestone, the other a common granite ; one marks the grave of Sarah, wife of Richard Osborn, Esq., and the other of Captain Matthew Benedict. Mrs. Osborn's is the oldest stone now standing in town.
The cemetery at Ridgebury was first appropriated for that purpose, December 17th, 1743, as the following action of the town will show :
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HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
" The town by their major vote, do allow and order ye spot of land lying at ye North-east corner of Joseph Northrops home lot, in ye New Patent, shall be a burying place for ye people of ye New Patent to bury their dead therein."
The reason for the meagreness of the library, now owned by the town, is found in the following vote passed at a town meeting April 10th, 1786 :
"Voted, that the State Law-books belonging at present to this Town, shall be sold at public Vendue."
It is much to be regretted that such action should ever have been taken by the town.
Had these books been allowed to remain and been carefully preserved, we should have had (together with later contributions) a very respectable town li- brary, instead of the few books we now possess.
The first town-house was built in 1743, and stood in the south-west corner of Mrs. Irad Hawley's yard, im- mediately in front of the present Congregational Lec- ture-room. It was in the following year removed to a point "south of the Pound," which was probably south of Mrs. Nathan Smith's present residence.
This continued to be used both as a school-house and a town-house until 1776, when the old house was given to the proprietors of the Independent School- house, to be used in finishing that house, "provided that the said Independent School-house shall be used for town and society meetings."
After the Independent School-house had been re- moved, the town had no regular place for its meet- ings, but made use of the churches.
It may be proper to state in this connection, al- though not properly a matter of colonial history, that in 1830 the town purchased the under part of the
5
:: 1:
· TOWN HOUSE, ERECTED 1876.
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COLONIAL HISTORY.
Masonic Hall, which had previously been used for a store, and fitted it up for town meetings. This con- tinued to be used until the erection of the present town-house, which was in 1876.
There is a striking contrast between the first and the last town-houses, as will be seen by reference to the fol- lowing vote of the town passed December, 1743-the first cost £79 17s., the last about $6000 :
" The House, voted to be built for ye use of ye Town, is to be con- structed in the manner following-viz-to be one Story high, 26 feet long, 18 feet wide, and a chimney at one end, quite across ye house- to be covered with good cedar shingles-3 feet long, if laid upon sawed lath-and if ye shingles be 18 inches or 2 feet-if laid on sawed boards ·- to be well closed with clapboards and door-two good floors,-to be well ceield with white wood boards-with three Windows-one of the said windows to be on ye back side of ye house-20 in wide, and two feet long,-ye other two windows, each to have 3 feet and one half of glass,-and the casement to run into ye wall,-a good hearth-a well fastened bench raised within side of ye house-a good lock and key to ye door,-to be well underpined-ye jambs and ye top of ye chimney to be well painted-
" The above said house, Gamaliel Northrop hath made an offer to build ye same, according to ye description above mentioned-for 79£ I7s old tenure, and to be finished by ye first day of December next- To being paid 50€ by ye first of April next, and ye said Gamaliel Northrop do promise .- In witness my hand, this 29 day of December I743.
GAMALIEL NORTHROP.
" In presence of
TIMOTHY KEELER
JOSEPH FOLLIOT."
The first Pound in the village street was probably built on the church green, a little north of the first town- house. This Pound was in existence as early as 1727, when Joseph Lee was appointed key-keeper.
" Dec. 24th, 1753-at a Town Meeting, It was voted 'that there shall be a New Pound built in ye lane Northward of where David
44
HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
Scott lives-and to be 30 ft. in length, and 25 feet in Breadth,-and to Consist or be built with 4 Sills, 4 Plates, and four new Posts, and Eight Braces-all of good Sound White oak timber, hewn Square and well framed together and to be 5 feet between ye sills and plates."
This Pound was located near the present blacksmith- shop of Mr. James Walsh.
"Annual Town Meeting legally Warned and holden in Ridgefield on ye 14th day of December A.D. 1795. Voted, that a Pound be built ye South side the Rocks, in the Street, on ye west side the Path near Samuel Stebbins Dwelling House not to contain more ground in it, than is equal to Forty feet Square."
This, the third Pound, was located in front, and a little to the south of Mr. William Lee's house ; it occupied the exact ground on which General Arnold's horse was shot from under him.
The fourth Pound is the present one north of Mr. William Lee's house.
CHAPTER V.
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY-TRYON'S INVASION.
THE coming on of the Revolutionary struggle was like the approach of every great crisis in the history of a nation. Men did not, at first, take in the grand pro- portions which it ultimately assumed. They did not discover in the growing dislike of taxation without representation the foundation of what would inevita- bly prove a partition wall between two distinct nations. Therefore, they were not prepared, at once, to occupy the independent position which they were finally forced to take.
We are consequently not disappointed to find that this town, with others, was slow to take the one step which should decide its future destiny ; nor are we surprised that, having once reached this decision, it stood firm and unyielding through all the days of dark- ness which preceded the birth of constitutional liber- ty in America.
The following extracts from our town records are in- teresting as indicating these progressive steps :
" First. Whereas application hath been made to the Select Men of the Town of Ridgefield in Connecticut Colony by several of the inhabi- tants of sd Town, to call a Special Town Meeting in order to take into consideration the Resolution Entered into by the Late Continental Congress ; and the Inhabitants being accordingly met the 30th day of January AD 1775 Mr. Nathan Olmstead was chosen Moderator. The Meeting then proceeded to take into Consideration the said Resolu- tions, and after mature Deliberation in said meeting the question was
46
HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
put, Whether this Town will adopt and Conform to the Resolves con- tained in ye association of the Continental Congress or not. Resolved in the Negative 9 Desent.
" Second. Resolved N C D That we do acknowledge his Most Sacred Majesty King George the 3d to be our rightfull Sovereign and do hereby publickly avow our allegiance to him & his Lawfull successors -And that we will to the utmost of our power, Support his throne & Dignity against Evry Combination in the Universe.
" Third. Resolved N C D, That we do acknowledge that the three branches of ye Legislation (to wit) the King, the House of Lords and the House of Commons Convening and acting togather have a consti- tutional Right of Goverment over the whole and Every part of the British Empire.
" Fourth. Resolved N C D that the Governour Council and Repre- sentatives of this Colony being Indulged with and having an Estab- lished Right of Legislation (tho' restricted) in and over this Colony, We do hereby acknowledge & avow their Right of Goverment and Legislation in and over this Colony And are confident that they are the Rightfull & Constitutional Rulers, Directors and Guardians of our persons, properties Rights Liberties and privilidges, and We desire no other political Guides or Guardians than Said Assembly and the Officers Constitutionally appointed by them, to keep the peace & Order of ye Colony and to Superintend the Execution of the Colony Laws.
" Fifth. Resolved N C D That it would be dangerous and hurtfull to the Inhabitants of this Town to adopt the said Congress measures ; and we do hereby publickly disapprove of and protest against said Congress and the measures by them directed to as unconstitutional- as subversive of our real Liberties-and as countenancing Licencious- ness Resolved N C D That the Town Clerk be directed to make out a true copy of ye above s'd votes & transmit them to one or more of the printers in New York, that they may be published to the world.
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
"At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield by adjournment April 10th 1775 from March 7 1775.
"The Question was put Wheither ye Town will Explain their re- solves of the 30th of January Lasts, Resolved in the Negative, The above Meeting is dismissed. " Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
"Town Meeting Dec 17 1775.
"On Motion Made Wheither Said Meeting, upon Reconsideration do disannul the resolves April Ioth entered into and passed on the 30th
47
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
Jany 1775, And adopt and approve of the Continental Congress and the measures Directed to in their association, for securing and De- fending the Rights and Liberties of ye United American Colonies.
" Resolved in the Affirmative Nem Con.
" Said Meeting voted that the Town Clerk make out a Copy of the above, Resolve and transmit the same to one of the printers in New York, in Order that the same may be made public in the News Papers.
" Question put Wheither sd Meeting will choose of a Committee of Inspections agreeably to the IIth article of ye association of the Con- tinental Congress.
" Resolved in the Affirmative.
" And Samuel Olmsted Esq" Co1 Philip Burr Bradley Daniel Coley Esqr Jacob Jones Stephen Smith Timothy Keeler, Capt Jonah Foster Nathan Olmsted William Forester John Benedict James Scott, Ebenezer Jones Abraham Betts Matthew Keeler, Timothy Benedict Nathan Stevens Samuel Gates David Platt Bartholomew Weed John Jones Daniel Smith, Ichabod Doolittle Abraham Gray Abraham Nash, Silas Hall and Azor Hurlbut were chosen Committee as abovesaid.
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield April 4th 1777 Timothy Keeler was chosen Moderator of Said Meeting Said Meeting by a Major Vote is adjourned to the Meeting House.
· "Said Meeting Pursuant to a request and Resolve of the Governor and his Committee of Safety, Chose James Scott Matthew Keeler, Tim- othy Benedict & Samuel Gates, a Committee to provide for the families of such soldiers as shall enlist into the Continental Army with neces- saries at the prices stated by Law.
" Voted also that this Town will Give to each man that shall Inlist as a Soldier into the Continental Service (for three years or during the war being an Inhabitant of this Town, till the Quota of the Town to fill the Continental Army be Compleated) Six pounds Lawfull money for every Year they are in said Service, to be paid as follows viz Six pounds at the time of their Inlistment.
" The next Six pounds to be paid within the second year & so on Yearly During their Continuance in Service.
"And those that engage, that have families, if they die in Service by Sickness or ye Sword to be paid to their Widows or Children one year after their Death.
" Also the Town by their Major Vote do agree to adhere to the Law of this State, Regulating the prices of the Necessaries of Life.
"Voted that the Select Men procure Money in Loan or Otherwise, on the Town Credit or in the Towns behalf for the purpose of Encourag-
48
HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
ing Soldiers to Enlist into the Continental army And when the sum necessary for that purpose is known, said Meeting vote, agree and grant a Tax on the polls & Rateable Estate of the Inhabitants of this Town, on the List of 1776, in order to repay the money that is or may be so procured and Laid Out and either of the Select Men for the time being, or any other person, that the Select Men shall nominate & De- pute, Shall be fully Authorized to collect the said tax &c and the same apply to the use aforesaid.
"Said Meeting is Dismissed.
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
The following is a copy of a muster-roll of Captain Gamaliel Northrop's Company, A.D. 1776-in all proba- bility the first company formed in the town to take part in the war of the Revolution :
Gamaliel Northrup Capt™
Levi Keeler
James Betts Ist Lieut
Uriah Keeler
John St John 2ª Lieut
· David Lavake
Ebenezer Olmsted Ensign
Jeremiah Mead
Thaddeus Keeler Sergt
Matthew Mead
Aaron Comstock Sergt
Nathaniel Northrop
Gamaliel Osborn Sergt
James Nichols
Enoch Olmsted
Salmon Hubbell Sergt Benajah Northrop Corp1 Alvin Hyatt Corp1 John Thomas Corp1
Isaac Olmsted Bartholomew Persons
William Lee Corp1
Stephen Remington
John Joyce Drummer Samuel De Forest Fifer Seth Baker John Bennett
Phineas Sherwood Albert Stuart Asa Scribner
Abraham Betts
Stephen Beers
William Scott
Dennis Collins
Joseph Trowbridge
Ammon Craw
Peter Tuttle
Arthur Forester
Hezekiah Whitlock
Moses Gilbert
Eleazer Waterous
Jared Hine
Thomas Woodbridge
David Hall
Israel White
Newton Hine
Jabez Keeler
Jeremiah Olmsted
Silas Rockwell
Nathaniel Sterling
ALÉMING
PHOTO ENG LENS
RESIDENCE OF DR. D. L. ADAMS .- LATE RESIDENCE OF COL. PHILIP B. BRADLEY.
49
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
David Hoyt
Trowbridge Bennett
Joseph Jackson
Josiah Taylor
Thomas Jervis
Gamaliel Benedict
Reuben Jackson Lockwood Keeler
Barnabas Haglin
Ezekiel Whitney
Elijah Kellogg
Seth Hubbell
Aaron Keeler
Samuel Holmes -64
The following is a copy of the commission of Philip Burr Bradley, Esq., as Colonel of the Fifth Connecti- cut Regiment, in the regular army :
"THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.
"To Philip B. Bradley Esquire. Greeting. We, Reposing especial trust and confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, Conduct, and Fidelity DO by these presents constitute and appoint you to be 'Colonel ' of the fifth Connecticut Regiment in the Army of the United States, to take rank as such from the first day of January A.D. 1777 ; You are therefor carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of 'Colonel ' by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers, under your command, to be obedient to your orders, as Colonel. And you are to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as you shall receive from this, or a future Congress of the United States, or Committee of Congress for that purpose appointed, a Com- mittee of the States, or Commander in Chief for the time being of the Army of the United States, or any other your Superior Officer, accord- ing to the rules and discipline of War, in pursuance of the trust re- posed in you. This Commission to continue in force until revoked by this, or a future Congress, the Committee of Congress before men- tioned, or a Committee of the States.
SEAL
Witness His Excellency John Jay Esquire Pres- ident of the Congress of the United States of America at Philadelphia the sixteenth day of March 1779 and in the third year of our Independ- ence. JOHN JAY.
"Entered in the War Office and examined by the Board.
" Attest E. SCULL, Secretary of the Board of War."
Colonel Bradley graduated at Yale College in A.D.
50
HISTORY OF RIDGEFIELD.
1758. He was Justice of the Peace under George III. in 1770. He was also Marshal of the District of Con- necticut during the first terms of Washington as Presi- dent and also during the administration of John Adams.
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield Nov 17th 1777 Capt Jonah Foster was chosen Moderator of s'd meeting.
"Said Meeting by their Major Vote Chose David Olmstead, Samuel Olmsted 3rd, Timothy Keeler 2ª, Ebenezer Jones, John Waterous, Silas Hull, Ichabod Doolittle, Daniel Rockwell, Bartholomew Weed to be a Committee to procure Cloathing, for the Soldiers in the Continental Army (that the Assembly of this State, hath Required the Town to provide for).
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
"At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield January 8th 1778, Lieut Nathan Olmsted was chosen Moderator of said Meeting.
"The Question was put in said Meeting, Wheither the Articles of confederation and perpetual Union, Drawn up and published by the Honourable, Continental Congress be approved. Resolved in the Affirmative.
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield March 3ª 1778 Samuel Olm- stead Esq' was chosen Moderator of said Meeting.
" By a Major Vote said Meeting made choice of John Benedict Esq" and Timothy Keeler 2ª to be a Committee to distribute the Salt, be- longing to this Town as follows viz One Quart thereof to each person of the several families of the men or that are Inhabitants of this town that have taken the Oath of fidelity to the State of Connecticut, and likewise to each person of the families of the Widows in this Town that are accounted friendly to the United States of America, and likewise to each person of the families of those men in this Town that are in the Continental Army ; and said Committee are to take 6d Law- full money per Quart for the same, of the persons they deliver the salt to ; and that said Committee attend upon ye business of Delivering the salt, on the afternoon of each Thursday and Monday in this month till the whole be delivered out, and also Keep and Render true acounts of their doings in the premises to the Select Men by the first of April next.
"Voted also that the Committee appointed to take care and provide for the families of the Men in the Continental Army, Receive or draw
5I
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
out of the town Treasury £6. os. od agreeable to the Vote of the Town and lay the same out for the use and benefit of the Widow and family of Elisha Gilbert deceased.
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield 9 Aug 1779 Samuel Olmsted Esq' was chosen Moderator of said meeting. Said meeting was ad- journed from the Town House to the Meeting House.
"Samuel Olmsted Esq' and Mr Robert Edmond were chosen Dele- gates for the Town in order to meet in County Convention at Redding on the Ioth Instant at the Dwelling House of Lieut Stephen Betts at 8 O'clock in the morning in order to consult and adopt suitable measures to prevent the further Depreceiation of the paper Currency and Raise its value.
" In said Meeting the Question was put Wheither any person that was an inhabitant in this Town, and hath Absconded and gone over to or joined the Enemy of the United States (and hath returned or shall re- turn unto the Town) be admitted to dwell in the Town, without the Liberty & approbation of the Town first had and obtained by such person or persons. Resolved in the negative.
" Test STEPHEN SMITH Register."
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgfield June 29 1780.
" Daniel Coley Esqr was chosen Moderator of said meeting.
" Said Meeting Granted a Tax of six pence Lawfull money on the pound on the Town List of 1779 to be collected by the first day of August next and put into the Town Treasury.
"Said Meeting granted to each able bodied effective man that shall voluntarily, Inlist or hath lately been detach'd to fill up this Towns quota in the Continental Army thirty Shillings Lawfull money per month during the time they are in said service. Also to each Soldier that shall or hath lately been Detach'd for this state service (as a soldier) Thirty Shillings Lawfull money per month for all the time they shall be in said service over and above one month and the money to be drawn out of the Town Treasury and paid to them respectively. Daniel Coley Esq' and David Scott was by said meeting appointed a Committee for that purpose."
" At a Town Meeting held in Ridgefield Aug 23ª 1780.
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