USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 59
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disgrace and contempt. The court was evidently constituted for this end. The president of the court, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the armies, was deeply interested in the conviction of General Hull. He had made a serious and (for Hull) a fatal blunder in concluding an armistice with Sir George Prevost without including the Army of the North west, or even advising its commander of the omission. If Hull should be acquitted, the president of the court might be compelled to appear before a similar tribunal on a charge of neglect of duty. It is a significant fact to be remembered that the president was called from very important military duties at that time to preside over a trial that lasted eighty days, when there were other peers of the accused not nearly as much engaged as the Commander-in-Chief. The principal witnesses against the accused were allowed extraordinary latitude. They were permitted to give their opinions concerning military move- ments. which were admitted as evidence ; a thing unheard of in a court, except in case of medical or other experts. Chiefly upon such kind of testimony the unfortunate General was condemned. Some militia officers, who had never been under fire, testified that because of the peculiar appearance of the General's face during the cannonade of the fort, it was their opinion that he was moved by fear ; whilst others, who had been in battle, attributed his appearance to the real cause-exhaust- ing fatigue of mind and body, for neither had enjoyed any rest scarcely for several days and nights.
"The charge of treason was withdrawn at the beginning of the trial in a manner most injurious to the accused, namely, that the court had no jurisdiction ; but when the trial was over, they saw the necessity of saying in their verdict : 'The evidence on the subject having been publicly given, the court deem it proper, in justice to the accused, to say that they do not believe, from anything that has appeared before them, that General Hull has committed treason against the United
--- States.' Why this show of ' justice to the accused ?' The reason is obvious.
" The principal fact on which the charge of treason was based was the sending of the baggage, intrenching tools and sick, by water past a British fort after war was declared. Because of the neglect of the Secretary of War to send an early notice to Hull of that declaration, the latter was ignorant of the important act until after his schooner had sailed. He might have received the notice some days before she sailed, had the Secretary not been remiss in his duty. That fact, and the proof which appeared that the British at Malden had received a notice of the declaration of war before Hull's vessel sailed, in a letter franked by the Secretary of the Treasury (in consequence of which the British were
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enabled to send an armed vessel out of Malden to capture Hull's schooner), were likely to be damaging to the administration ; so the court, more ready to serve the government than to do justice, dismissed the charge of treason, and made a forced acknowledgement of the General's innocence of that crime. But upon the strength of the extra- ordinary testimony alluded to, they found the veteran soldier guilty of the second and third charges, and sentenced him to be shot dead ! On account of his Revolutionary services, as the court alleged, they earnestly recommended him to the mercy of the President. Madison approved the sentence, but pardoned the alleged offender. By this act justice and mercy, in the public estimation, were satisfied ; the administration was absolved from its sins, by sacrificing upon the altar of its selfishness the character (which was to him dearer than life) of the innocent victim, and history was allowed to unconsciously defile her pen by writing falsely of the immolated patriot. What a relief to the administration from crushing responsibility was this unjust sentence ! The Secretary of War, conscious of his own errors, expected to feel the public wrath, and had written to General Dearborn : . Fortunately for you, the want of success which has attended the campaign will be attributed to the Secretary of War.'
" General Hull lived under a cloud of unmerited reproach, and was compelled to keep silent for the want of access to the facts to establish his innocence. His papers were burned while on their way from Detroit to Buffalo, after the surrender ; and during two administrations he was denied the privilege of obtaining copies of papers in the War Department at Washington that might vindicate his character. When John C. Calhoun became Secretary of War, he generously gave Hull permission to copy any paper he wished. With the material so obtained the General began the preparation of a vindication, which was published in a series of letters in a Boston paper (American Statesman) in 1824, when he was past three-score and ten years of age. He lived long enough after publishing that vindication to perceive unmistakable signs of sympathy in the partially disabused public mind, which prophesied of future awards of justice.
" The conception of the campaign against Canada was a huge blun- der, Hull saw it and protested against it. The failure to put in vigorous motion for his support auxiliary and co-operative forces was criminal neglect. When the result was found to be a failure and humiliation, the administration perceived it and sought a refuge. Public indigna- tion must be appeased; the lightning of the public wrath must be averted. I repeat it-General Hull was made a chosen victim for the peace offering-the sin bearing scapegoat-and on his head the fiery
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thunderbolts were hurled. The case of General Hull illustrates the force of Shakespeare's words :
" ' 'Tis strange how many unimagined charges Can swarm upon a man when once the lid Of the Pandora box of contumely Is opened o'er his head.'"
REV. DANIEL HUMPHREYS
Is said to have been born in Simsbury ; was graduated at Yale College in 1732, ordained at Derby in 1733, and died in 1787, just one hundred years after the death of the first pastor, Mr. Bowers. Some account of his labors and peculiar church views is given in the first part of chapter five, showing him to have been a progressive and spirited man in religious opinions ; but after twenty years as pastor we find him practicing church dis- cipline after the Saybrook order.
He married April 18, 1739, Sarah, widow of John Bowers, and daughter of Captain John Riggs. She was a very efficient, worthy, elegant woman, called always Lady Humphreys. The family were polished in their manners, whether on the farm or elsewhere.
The following record is given to show how good people thought it right to obtain all the law would give them :
" Derby, May 25, 1874. Then by virtue of the within execution of the plaintiff, I took possession as follows : one log dwelling house, two log barracks. Test, David Hitchcock, constable."
In 1784 Rev. Daniel Humphreys and Sarah his wife, brought a suit against Samuel Hazelton of Derby for " the sum of £2, lawful money, damages, and for the sum of £35 14s, lawful money, cost of suit," to which one shilling and sixpence was added for the writ, and sufficient to pay other expenses. Upon this a writ was sent to the constable and he attached the above houses, and the appraisers appraised them thus :
" One dwelling-house, £3. The south barrack, 15 shillings ; the north barrack Io shillings. Appraiser's fee, 7s 6d ; officer's fee £1 2s 6d. Recorded June 3, 1784. John Humphreys, clerk."
For a certainty the house and barracks were all the man had, else more would have been taken. The transaction stripped Mr. Hazelton of his only house (so far as appears) and left Mr. Humphreys to pay over £30 costs ; all for " £2 damages."
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From the records still preserved of Mr. Humphreys's work, he was evidently a diligent, faithful, earnest minister and pastor, and served his day and generation very acceptably according to the style of the times.
As to slavery the following is recorded : " December 31, 1781. Voted that the selectmen are desired to give the Rev. Mr. Dan- iel Humphreys a certificate of liberty to manumit his servants, Cambridge and Cale his wife."
The following statement was recorded by John Humphreys, the town clerk at the time, and is probably a very faithful, as it is a very interesting, sketch of the character and life of his father.
" The Rev. Daniel Humphreys died at Derby on Lord's day morn- ing, the second day of September, A. D. 1787.
" For more than half a century he was the established minister of the First society in said town. His funeral was attended on Tuesday, when, the corpse being carried into the meeting-house, the Rev Dr Edwards began divine service with prayer, which was succeeded by singing a favorite psalm of the deceased, the seventy.first. Then the Rev. Mr. Leavenworth preached a sermon from 2 Tim., iv. 6-8, to a numer- ous and mournful auditory. After which was sung an anthem taken from the seventh chapter of Job. The procession then moved to the grave and performed the interment with every mark of affectionate re- spect for so pious and venerable a character.
" The Rev. Mr. Humphreys having received a liberal education at Yale College, and devoted his future days to books and contemplation, his mind was embellished with human literature, but the study of theology was his favorite employment. He was possessed of a masculine under- standing, particularly calculated to reason and distinguish. His man- ner, instead of being tinctured with the austere gloom of superstition, exhibited that hilarity which made him the delight of his acquaintances. A consciousness of intentional rectitude was productive of cheerfulness and serenity , a desire of making others happy was the effect of philan- thropy and religion. This conspired to give him a peculiar facility and dignity of behavior on every occasion. The honorable discharge of all the duties of the domestic, the social, the sacred functions, and the un- deviating practice of unaffected piety through a long life will be the best comment on his creed and complete his character.
" Mrs. Sarah Humphreys, the affectionate wife of his youth and the tender companion of his advanced age, died the Lord's day, July 29, 1787 A. D. ; five weeks before him."
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LADY HUMPHREYS.
Sarah Riggs, daughter of Capt. John and Elizabeth (Tomlinson) Riggs, was born in 1711, and married John Bowers in 1732, and had three children before his death, which occurred in 1738. In 1739 she married the Rev. Daniel Humphreys, and continued a noble and much honored minister's wife until her death, July 29, 1787, only two months before the death of her husband. During forty-eight years she was known as "Lady Humphreys," and a more perfect ornament to that title was probably not known in the community. Elegant in personal appearance, refined in educa- tion and manners, she became, through President Stiles of Yale College, celebrated for her intelligence and knowledge of Derby history. It was at her great grandfather's house that the Judges were sheltered from the English officers, fifty years before her birth, and yet she was quite familiar, when over fifty years of age, with the minute details of the friendship rendered to the Judges, and with the early history of Derby. Her elegance of personal appearance and style of manners descended from her and her husband to the third generation at least, illustrating the most ancient teachings in a highly creditable manner. Nor was this all. There exist a number of prominent evidences that the family, among themselves, were warm in their attachments, sympathetic and true hearted, and the outside style was not an appearance put on, but that it sprung from a true, generous nature. These statements apply not only to General Hum- phreys in his life-long familiarity with society, but equally if not more emphatically to the other members of the family. There was one minister's family that did not, by far, produce the worst boys in the community.
GEN. DAVID HUMPHREYS14
Was born in Derby July 10, 1752, and was the son of the Rev. Daniel Humphreys. When a boy he was passionately fond of books, and his father, after giving him the preparatory course, sent him to Yale College at the early age of fifteen, where he
14This portrait of General Humphreys is from an engraving in Herring's Portrait Gallery, from the original by Gilbert Stuart, now in the Art Gallery of Yale College.
BIOGRAPHIES.
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was graduated with distinguished honors in 1771. After which he resided a short period in the family of Colonel Philips of Philips Manor, N. Y., and returned to New Haven where he was when the Revolution began. He became 'noted for his poetical tastes during his college course, and, with two others, was denominated " the young bards of Yale," and during the-
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GEN. DAVID HUMPHREYS.
war, but specially afterward, he made good and honorable use of this talent.
On entering the army he was commissioned captain, and soon after appointed aid-de-camp to General Putnam, with whom he became familiarly acquainted, and after the war wrote a history of the general's life.
In the following lines from his poem on the " Happiness of
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America," it appears that he was also aid for a time to General Greene :
"I too, perhaps, should Heaven prolong my date, The oft-repeated tale shall oft relate ; Shall tell the feelings in the first alarms, Of some bold enterprise the unequaled charms, Shall tell from whom I learnt the martial art,
With what high chiefs I played my early part; With Parsons first, whose eye with piercing ken
Reads through their hearts the characters of men ;
Then how I aided in the following scene,
Death-daring Putnam-then immortal Greene-
Then how great Washington my youth approved."
Early in 1780, by the recommendation of Gen. William Hull, he received the appointment of aid and secretary to General Washington, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and soon after joined the General's family, with whom he constantly resided until the close of the war, "enjoying," says Burton, " his full confidence and friendship, and sharing in the toils of his arduous duties."
It was just after this appointment as aid that Colonel Hum- phreys went to Boston, and on his return in the spring of the year met with various mishaps, which he celebrated in a poem consid- erably amusing, entitled "Sleighing Adventures."
On the staff of General Washington he proved himself an efficient and worthy officer, and especially at the siege of York- town, where he held a separate command. When Lord Corn- wallis surrendered, with his army, to the American forces, Colonel Humphreys had the distinguished honor of receiving the English colors, and, as a mark of approbation, bearing them from the Commander-in-Chief to Congress, with copies of the returns of prisoners, arms, ordnance, and twenty-five stands of colors surrendered, with a letter from Washington warmly commending the bearer to the consideration of the government. In the following November he was voted an elegant sword in the " name of the United States in Congress assembled," and in 1786, it was presented by General Knox, then Secretary of War, with imposing ceremonies. Congress also commissioned him lieutenant colonel, dating his commission back to his ap- pointment as aid to Washington.
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By the United States in Congress assembled, November 7, 1781 :
Resolved, That an elegant sword be presented, in the name of the United States in Congress assembled. to Colonel Humphreys, aid de- camp to General Washington, to whose care the standards taken under the capitulation of Yorktown were committed, as a testimony of their opinion of his fidelity and ability ; and that the Board of War take order therein.
Extract from the minutes.
CHAS. THOMPSON, Secretary.
At the close of the war he accompanied Washington, at his special request, to his home in Virginia, where he made his resi- dence, until appointed in 1784 secretary of legation at Paris under Jefferson, then minister to the court of Portugal. He was accompanied in this mission by Kosciusko, between whom and himself a strong friendship was matured.
Revisiting his native town in 1786, he was elected to the Leg- islature, and soon after appointed to command a regiment raised for the Western Reserve. During this period he resided at Hartford, and with Hopkins, Barlow and Trumbull, published the Anarchiad. On the reduction of his regiment in 1788, he repaired to Mount Vernon, remaining with Washington until appointed in 1790, minister to Portugal. Revisiting America in 1794, he was after returning to Lisbon appointed in 1797 minister to Spain, continuing in that station until 1802; and concluding treaties with Tripoli and Algiers.
During his residence in Spain he carried into execution a project which resulted in great benefit to his country : the intro- duction of merino sheep into the United States.
In an essay, on the subject of the improvement of sheep in this country, addressed to the Massachusetts Society for Pro- moting Agriculture, at their request he gives some account of this importation.
" Many circumstances concurred to favor the importation, some of which may not be expected to unite again : the season was the best that could have been chosen for a safe and easy passage ; the conclu- sion of a general peace rendered the transportation less exposed to embarrassments than it had been for several years ; and the diminution of the freighting business made it less difficult than it otherwise would have been to engage a convenient vessel for transporting a greater number of sheep than probably ever before crossed the Atlantic together.
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HISTORY OF DERBY.
My acquaintance in the capitals of Spain and Portugal, as well as with the officers commanding on the frontiers, afforded me greater facilities for the extraction than any stranger could be supposed to possess.
" The race of merinos, probably first imported from Barbary to Europe, are believed to have become superior to the original stock, or at least to the sheep that now exist on the opposite coast of the Mediterranean Climate and culture have both an influence in the formation and con- stitution of animals . .. Convinced that this race of sheep, of which I believe not one had been brought to the United States until the importation by myself might be introduced with great benefit to the country, I contracted with a person of the most respectable character, to deliver to me at Lisbon, one hundred. composed of twenty-five rams and seventy-five ewes from one to two years old. They were conducted with proper passports across the country of Portugal by three Spanish shepherds and escorted by a small guard of Portuguese soldiers. On the 10th of April last (1802) they were embarked in the Tagus on board the ship Perseverance, of 250 tons. Caleb Coggeshall, master. In about fifty days twenty-one rams and seventy ewes were landed at Derby in Connecticut ; they having been shifted at New York on board of a sloop destined to that river. The nine which died were principally killed in consequence of bruises received by the violent rolling of the vessel on the banks of Newfoundland.
" If the project of introducing this breed of sheep should be attended with the desired success, our country will be principally benefited by it. In case of failure no one can be the sufferer but myself. The trouble and expense have been considerable for an individual to incur, but a consciousness of the patriotic motives by which I was actuated, and the anticipation that some national good might be produced by the attempt, have furnished no inconsiderable compensation."
A LETTER FROM REV. DOCTOR PARKER.
BOSTON, December 15. 1802.
Hon. David Humphreys, Esq .:
SIR :- The Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture, at their meeting, held October 29, 1802, voted that a gold medal be presented to you by said society, for your patriotic exertions in introducing into New England one hundred of the Spanish merino breed of sheep ; and appointed me a committee to procure and trans- mit the same to you.
It is with pleasure I have executed this commission, and now trans- mit to you the medal accompanying this; and, in the name of the
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trustees, request your acceptance of the same, as a small testimony of the high sense they entertain of your merit in accomplishing this arduous enterprise.
I have the honor to be.
With sentiments of the highest esteem and respect, Your most obedient and very humble servant,
S. PARKER, Corresponding Secretary."
These sheep, when landed on the dock at Derby, attracted as much curiosity as if they had been so many elephants, and thousands of persons flocked to witness their advent into the town. They were driven from Derby Narrows into an inclo- sure at Squabble Hole, where they were kept some weeks.
General Humphreys, in all this enterprise, did not seek to advance his own private interests in the introduction of these sheep. A favorable opportunity presented itself for that pur- pose, but he scorned to speculate in an enterprise, which, if suc- cessful, he designed for the benefit of his country. In fact, in every way he discouraged speculation as subversive of the great object to be gained. He sold a part of his flock judici- ously, distributing them among the most enterprising farmers for the improvement of their sheep at one hundred dollars per head, a price, it is said, less than they cost. When the market price rose to four hundred a head he refused to sell, declaring his opinion that such sales would prove a ruinous speculation ; but his advice and entreaties were unheeded, for soon the price of a Humphreys merino buck went up to from $1,500 to $2,000, and that of ewes from $1,000, to $1,500. A few were sold as high as $2,500, and $3,000. Many honest and well meaning men suffered great loss in the operation. John Bassett of Derby, overjoyed at the birth of a full-blooded merino ewe lamb, and being offered for it by Philo Bassett $1,000, refused to sell it for less than $1,500. A day or two after this tempting offer, the lamb, with the flock, being turned into an inclosure, a fox, seeming to know its great value, seized it for his prey and dragged it dead nearly to his hole in the mountain. About this time two young farmers together bought a buck to improve their flocks for which they paid $1,500, but in less than an hour after the purchase they had the great mortification of seeing him die in attempting to swallow an apple. These mishaps
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though they dampened the faith of many in the fortunes of merino sheep, did not materially put a stop to a ruinous specu- lation, which was not confined to Derby. When the merino sheep mania was at its height, -- Doctor Ives of New Haven is responsible for the story,-a woman in Humphreysville actually knocked her child in the head that she might raise a merino lamb in its stead.
Soon after the introduction of the merino sheep the General purchased the fulling mills at the Falls on the Naugatuck and arranged to produce fine broadcloths, in which he succeeded so well that in 1808 he had the reputation of producing the best quality of that kind of goods of any one in America, and Thomas Jefferson procured of him a sufficient quantity for a suit to wear on his inauguration as President.15
After some effort in making broadcloths the General went to Europe and obtained the partnership of John Winterbotham, a man bred to the trade, who came to this country and took full charge of the woolen mill and continued its manager until the General died.
General Humphreys was particularly philanthropic as to the education and moral training of the operatives in his factory, devoting much thought and effort in their behalf.16
At the opening of the war of 1812, he took command of the militia of Connecticut, was appointed general, and as a mem- ber of the Legislature was active in organizing for the local defense.
He married an English lady of great wealth, whose annual income was £30,000. Her residence in this country was in Boston.
General Humphreys died February 21, 1818, and was buried in the New Haven cemetery where his monument still stands.
After his decease the people of Derby, in town meeting assembled, took the following action : " April 13, 1818. Voted that we appoint a committee to prepare resolutions expressive of the sense entertained by this town of the distinguished character and services of our fellow citizen, General David
15See New Haven Hist. Society Papers Vol. I. 143.
16 See chapter xv.
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Humphreys, comprising a biographical sketch of his life, and report to this meeting, to be held by adjournment on the 27th inst. at one o'clock, afternoon, and that John L. Tomlinson, Truman Carr and Dr. Crafts be the committee."
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