USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > The romance of Norwalk > Part 5
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According to the map, the road at the foot of Strawberry hill, which branched off the Stamford-Fairfield path, led to Stoney Hill and to Saugatuck Playne, a choice strip of arable land. Farther on was Duck Pond, Stephen's Island and Great Marsh. The map shows also, in its lower left hand corner, where the ancient Indian fort was situated; and in its upper right, the site of the second meeting house, 1660. Almost directly across Towne st., from the first meeting house, on the corner of Fitch st., and East ave., was the spot where the first settlers made their last stop. This spot has been marked by the D. A. R. founders' stone, as pre- viously explained.
EARLY PROBLEMS
CHAPTER V
Norwalk Discouraging Wilderness-Game and Fish Here -Log and Frame Dwellings-Dress and Character of Settlers-First Town Records-Ludlow Sells Norwalk Holdings to Residents and Quits Country.
THE most primitive of problems confronted our Norwalk ancestors, when they first arrived here, problems, all of which centered around the very serious business of just plain liv- ing; where to sleep, how to get food, how to obtain clothing, how to keep warm and comfortable. If we go back a few hundred years and take a look at these forefathers we will find out what they discovered here, what they ate, what they lived in, what they wore, what sort of characters and disposi- tions they had, and finally, just how they managed to solve their many and complex problems.
Norwalk may have been a wilderness in the early 1650's, but it was a fertile wilderness. Plenty of wild game was found here : moose, deer, bears, wild turkeys more swift than Indians and of. incredible size, and nearly as numerous as the fallen logs under which they hatched their young; shy, fat geese, partridges, quail, ducks, cranes, coons, rabbits, squirrels, pigeons so plentiful that they darkened the sky when they rose from the ground according to one of the early writings; dozens of species of ducks, and fox, mink,. muskrats, wolves, otters and beavers. A number of fur bearing animals will be seen in this list and from their backs the settlers shortly replaced their worn out English clothing. In the sea, the men found eels, bluefish, smelt, bass, white fish so plentiful they could be used for fertilizers, sturgeons, porpoises and whales. Oysters, clams, lobsters and other
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
shellfish were here in profusion. The varieties of trees in- cluded chestnut, oak, many kinds of pine; walnut, cedar, wild cherry, giant maple, beech, birch, white and red ash, butter- nut, buttonball, poplar, hemlock, spruce, elms and sassafras.
FIRST HOMES
From the great oaks, the early Norwalkers built their first homes, partly because this kind of tree was strong and sturdy, partly because it was there in great plenty, and partly because it was a wood with which they were already familiar. Great logs cut from the green trees were laid one above the other and the cracks filled with a clay or ground oyster shell mix- ture. Some of the first houses boasted log roofs also, while it is thought that many of them had thatched tops. All were one story high, built close to the ground. Inside was an earthen floor or perhaps one of split logs, as smooth as ax could hew. Tiny windows paned with linseed oil greased paper allowed a dull light to seep into the one room of the house. A great heavy door with oak bar behind, kept out all unwelcome customers and heavy storms alike. It is believed that the very first log houses were quickly followed by oak framed dwellings, one, one and a half or even two stories high, with a protective covering of split oak clapboards to take the place of the clay or the "cob". This last soft mixture might be all right for England's gentle rains but it was found impractical for the strain of American storms.
The second Norwalk dwellings which might be called the first "real" homes, for the log cabins preceding them were only used as temporary shelters, again showed the English influence. They were low, in spite of their usual story and a half, built close to the ground and they boasted chimney stacks either in the middle of the house or at the one end, of unusual size in relation to the general plan. Roofs were slanting and of common rafters with horizontal boarding; first glass windows were of the casement type, or else set in, diamond shape; doors were of batten style or else they were
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EARLY PROBLEMS
made of two thicknesses of boards nailed together at right angles to each other; hearths were laid and faced with clay and stone.
Inside, these early homes, though not luxurious, were cozy and comfortable except in dead winter. Then they were like arctic ice igloos. A peep inside one of the homes gives a fair idea of how these pioneers lived. At the farther end of the main room was a great stone chimney, boasting a high mantel topped by the family heirloom candlesticks. Often there were silver candlesticks, but no candles, for tallow was scarce and hard to get. It is thought that for illuminating purposes the early colonists used pine knots or fish oil. Above the mantle swayed a crude "payre of scales." To the side of the hearth stood the necessary shovel, poker and bellows, and on the crane on the hearth hung a great copper "kettel," filled with bean soup or hasty corn pudding.
A .wainscot settle, one of the stiff, high backed, cut out box effects, really a bench with back convertible into a table top, usually stood on one side of the hearth, with the wood- box, a couple of "stooles" or rush bottom "chayer" on the other. A child's wooden rocker cradle, several rude seats, rows of decorated platters on shelves, and the usual great oak chest in which all the family treasures were kept, com- pleted the furnishings. A great batten door provided the only entrance and exit to the home. Floors were wide- boarded and often sanded. Wood or curtain partitions di- vided the rooms.
In the second section of the house, the chamber, was the "bedde" with flock "beddinge", or perhaps a mattress of wool or turkey feathers or even cat tails, resting on ropes or sacking bottom; and a "Phisick chest with druggs in."
CHARACTERISTICS OF NORWALKERS
Simple and practical, though certainly not unlovely, were the furnishings of the first Norwalk homes, and simple and practical with a certain engaging dignity, were the costumes
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of the first Norwalkers. The Norwalk women, it is believed, wore not only the "sad gray" of the Pilgrims, but also warm tones of brown, purple, "deere" color and russet. In style the skirt of the gown was turned under and looped back, showing the petticoats of homespun or linsey woolsey. Over this was worn a large white apron. The kerchief, which was put over the shoulders upon going out, may have been checked, spotted or even flowered. The hood, a part of the outdoor costume was generally of dark silk or camlet, a mixture of silk, wool and hair or it may have been also of homespun. Woolen stockings and stout shoes with wooden heels completed the woman's costume.
Cloth or leather doublet and breeches, stockings or hose of dark grey or green wool, fastened to the knee breeches by points of black gallon or ribbon, a long white collar or "playne band", turned back cuffs of Holland linen, and broad brimmed hat of black felt, featured the clothing styles for men of that period. Shoes were 13 inches long with square toes. On such sturdy bases was Norwalk founded.
Of what sort of young man does the average girl of today think when she dreams of her ideal? Someone who is tall and handsome, generous, kind, goodhearted, courageous, brave, rich, a good sport and a good dancer, perhaps. Of what sort of young man did the average girl of 1650 dream? We are not sure, but we do know what she got, and the pic- ture isn't any too alluring. Romance and the softer, gentler characteristics, seemed to be entirely lacking from her hus- band's makeup. At least, they were omitted by those who wrote of the early Norwalk fathers. Witness some of the qualities which were hung about the sturdy necks of the lat- ter. They were called stern, unyielding, frugal but fair; courageous, sensible, serviceable, full of principle, veracity and purpose; plain mannered, unflinching, men of convic- tion; constant, impartial, of zealous impulses.
It was said of the Norwalkers that they had a keen ap- preciation of obligation, unswerving faith and genuine piety; an appreciation of education and a love of freedom. One
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EARLY PROBLEMS
writer says that they were distinguished by their "frugality, simplicity and religion." Another, that they "hungered and thirsted after righteousness," had the land hunger also, and were willing to work for both together in the wilderness.
Little mention is made of the women's characteristics. However, they must have been strong minded for they not only had to endure all the hardships that the Pilgrim fathers endured, but they had to endure the Pilgrim fathers as well.
Giving the Norwalk fathers the benefit of the doubt, we will say that they were not quite as bad as might at first appear. When one stops to consider there would seem to have been little room for sentiment in the harsh life with which our ancestors battled. Be that as it may, courting and quite romantic courting existed in Norwalk, even as in other corners of the earth. What is more, the early settlers here even flirted! There is more than one' law on the old books advocating fines and imprisonment for those who did "inveigle the affections" of some maid or mistress; more than one notice in early records of irate fathers who had youths hailed into court for besieging their daughters with .offers of marriage without first obtaining parental consent !
When the early Norwalk mother was not busy keeping house, playing nursemaid or tending to the garden, she could always get another meal ready, for her men folk were con- tinual and hearty eaters. The men were very busy. In ad- dition to building the homes, finding the firewood, hunting and fishing for food and working in the fields, they had their town meetings to manage.
These meetings took up no small part of their time; in fact they were often five hours in length. Sometimes they commenced in the afternoon, especially during the winter when the weather was bad and little work could be done out of doors. Besides, in the winter, it was more economical to hold meetings in the daylight, because the short cold days demanded so much of the precious tallow and oil for lighting purposes. One would have thought that these early town meetings were of such vast importance that their records
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
would have been kept intact down through the years. On the contrary, many of them have been lost and of those which remain with us, parts have long since been effaced.
FIRST TOWN RECORD
The first of the town records of Norwalk saved for pos- terity, concerned itself with the problem of swine in the planting field and read as follows :
"At a meetinge, 9th of May, 1653, it is agreed and or- dered, that if there shall be found any swine in the and planting field without youkes on, such have been
agreed upon formally, that it shall
lawful for any
inhabitant to kill any of such aforesaid swine being found in the above said woods, after the date hereof, provided the person killing any such swine shall immediately endeavor to informe the owners of such swine, that they may take them and make meate of them; and this order to continue untill the companie shall repeale it."
The dots stand for portions of the records long since obliterated.
There are no records of other town meetings during the year 1653 until December 18, when the villagers evidently had a great deal of business to discuss and decide. The first item on the calendar was the Rev. Thomas Hanford's house. That there was some argument and disagreement in town meeting over the size of the house to be built in the early Norwalk settlement for the Rev. Thomas Hanford, is evi- dent from the fact that the length and breadth of the build- ing was changed from 26 by 16 feet at the beginning of the meeting record, to 31 by 18, at the close. Perhaps the nat- urally big hearts of the settlers got the better of their neces- sary frugality.
Rev. Hanford was formally ordained in Norwalk in 1654, about two years after he arrived here, though it is presumed he did a good deal of preaching before his ordination. In addition, he taught the children of the little settlement. There
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EARLY PROBLEMS
was no regular school or teacher in Norwalk when he ar- rived, in fact, no mention of either is made in the town rec- ords, until 27 years after the colonists came here. Since the Rev. Hanford had done some school teaching before coming to Connecticut, he was probably more capable than anyone else in Norwalk to take over the task of training the young minds. Whether or not he labored without pay, for the good of humanity for the first four years after his arrival is not known. The first mention of any sort of salary is contained in a town record dated 1656, at which time it was agreed that :
"Mr. Hanford shall have three score pounds allowed for the yere insuing, by them for his rate, and he is to be paid as followeth : 30 pounds in wheat, and pease, and barley, at the prices, 4 shillings per bushell for wheat and barley, and for pease, 3 shilling per bushell. The other 30 pounds is to be payed, 8 pounds in . . . . . and the other 22 pounds is to be payed in beefe and pork at the common currint prise that it brings, when it is dew."
In the second town meeting record, which concerned the new home of the Rev. Hanford, other matters were taken up, including the erection of a cattle pound, the felling of the town timber, and the burning of the woods. The towns- men were to decide on the place for the "good and sufficient pound or pinnefold erected and sett up as soon as the season will permitt," and the pound was to be 30 feet square, six feet high with six rails in every length, the said rails to be I I feet long and the posts about 10 inches square. Nathaniel and Matthew Camfield, Nathaniel Richards and Thomas Fitch finally agreed to do the work for the sum of two pounds. In this enclosure, the settlement's first cattle were kept.
On the 13th of April, 1654, Thomas Fitch and Goodman Moore were chosen as "townsmen" for the "insuen yere." Nathaniel Ely was named constable. Now the position of constable was a very important one. Of him it was said : "He was the arm of the law and the embodiment of His
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
Majesty. From the date of his appearance, the town be- came a valid incorporation subject to taxation and entitled to representation."
At each session of the General Court, and once every year, in some public meeting, constables were required to read or cause to be read, all such laws as were then in force. Many duties had the constable, duties of great dignity and consequence, among them being that in case of court trials he always led in the jury. In addition, he was required on all public occasions, to appear before the court with his long pole, surmounted with the British emblems of royalty. There is no record of brass buttons or a night stick; on the other hand, much pomp attended every appearance of the con- stable. He was an important man in the community. No wonder then that the settlers considered long and carefully before making the appointment. And they made good choice in Ely for he was a man of experience, having been a con- stable in Hartford, before coming to Norwalk.
LUDLOW LEAVES NORWALK
It was about this time in the little town's history, that Roger Ludlow, founder, gave up all his Norwalk holdings, took unhappy leave of Connecticut, went to Virginia and later fled the country. When the home plots here were first laid out, Ludlow reserved a choice lot in Norwalk property for his sons, which it is thought was on the east side of Town st., and in the rear of what are now the Oscar W. Raymond and the Mary G. Rider homesteads on East ave. The settlers called it the 200 pound lot, as that was its sup- posed value. This would seem a very high rating in view of the fact that Ludlow sold his original holdings to the planters for fifteen pounds. But, the latter price may have been merely a nominal one.
In the year 1654, in Fairfield where he was then living, Ludlow, headstrong as always, took up arms against the Dutch. There was a reason. For some time there had been
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EARLY PROBLEMS
rumors of trouble from the Dutch and the Indians. The Fairfield residents appealed to the General Court at Hart- ford for aid, which was promptly refused. This refusal may seem very unreasonable on the face of it, but the Court at that time had its hands full with one Thomas Baxter and his associates who were traveling about the country inciting the settlers to insurrection against the Dutch and the Indians. The General Court wished no more warfare, so it took the attitude of shutting its eyes to Fairfield's trouble, rather than give permission for the arming of soldiers, to the pos- sible antagonism of the Dutch.
Of course, Ludlow had nothing to do with this band of insurgents but he did have something to do with the events which followed. There suddenly appeared off the shores of Fairfield one afternoon, an armed vessel from the "Man- hadoes." It contained about 100 Dutchmen.
Now Ludlow who had been made commander in chief of the militia by the freemen in Fairfield, immediately headed his troops and made preparations to protect the town. There was nothing wrong in the fact that the free- men named Ludlow commander; they had the right to name their own officers. There was nothing wrong in the fact that Ludlow prepared to defend his town; that was his business. But his warlike attitude antagonized the General Court and he was reprimanded, not very severely, but enough to hurt his feelings. This was the second time that the General Court had seen fit to criticize Ludlow's actions, for it will be remembered that he had been quite severely reprimanded a few years before, for founding a settlement at Fairfield, when he was ordered to form one in what is now Bridgeport.
Ludlow keenly felt his humiliation. He also was plainly disgusted over the attitude of the General Court in the Fair- field trouble. To add to his distress of mind, he was at that time being sued by one Thomas Staples of Fairfield, for call- ing Mrs. Staples a witch and averring that she lied. It is felt now, that there was no foundation for the censuring of Lud- low. However, the great lawyer was unhappy. With two
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
reprimands from the General Court, and a slander suit hanging over his head, he felt that he had incurred the dis- pleasure of the colony, that he had passed the meridian of his popularity and was losing prestige. In other words, he was "done for" in Connecticut. So he decided to quit the place before permanent disgrace blackened his name and his sons' names.
Before going, however, on April 13, 1654, Ludlow as- signed to the inhabitants here, all his holdings in the settle- ment as follows :
"Memorandum. That the sayed Roger Ludlowe, doth by these pressentes, assigne and sett over unto Nathaniell Eli and the rest of the Inhabitants of Norwalke, all my title, in- terest, claims and demands whatsoever, to the plantation of Norwalke and every part thereof, and doe acknowledge my selfe satisfied for the same, Witness my hand the day and year above."
Rd. Ludlowe.
His last act before quitting the colony, was to leave the affidavits, prepared by friends, concerning his slander suit, in the hands of Attorney Alexander Bryan of Milford. It was not until a good deal later that the suit reached court in New Haven, at which time, Ludlow, who had left the colony a month previous, was fined several pounds.
From Fairfield, Ludlow went to Milford where he char- tered a ship from Captain John Manning, to take him, his family and his effects to Virginia. More trouble followed. Just as the ship was about to set sail it was seized and Man- ning held for previous illegal trading. Ludlow exasperated, finally arranged through his lawyer in Milford to leave one hundred pounds as security that Manning would appear be- fore the authorities in England by October 22 of the same year to answer charges.
A second time the ship was about to sail when the men mutinied, Manning was arrested, charged with inciting his men to mutiny and Ludlow was once more without a ship.
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EARLY PROBLEMS
April 26, Ludlow succeeded in getting safely aboard a ves- sel in New Haven. From here he sailed to Virginia. He resided there for a short time with his junior brother George. But, dissatisfied, unhappy, he could not stay and a few years later, abruptly left America for the old country. Ludlow went to England, visited his ancestral castle in Salop County, and then took boat for Ireland, where he commenced the practice of law again. He died in Wales.
LUDLOW A BENEFACTOR
Ludlow has many times been accused of being selfish, am- bitious, headstrong and conceited. He may have been all of these ; he probably was. But in addition he was generous, kind-hearted, a great worker, brave and courageous, saga- cious, fair-minded, very intelligent and extremely capable. Where the Norwalk settlers were concerned, he certainly showed no greediness, giving far more than he ever received; acting always the part of counselor, adviser and gentle direc- tor, and imposing upon them only such laws as were best for their welfare.
Ludlow was the first lawyer who ever came to the colonies and probably one of the most gifted men who lived in early America. Besides being the founder of Norwalk, which title is sometimes disputed, but to which none had better right, considering he was designer, beginner and originator of the settlement, he was also the framer of the first consti- tution of Connecticut. In the year 1639 he drew up "Lud- low's Code" or "Fundamental Orders" for the government of the colony. This continued in force with hardly an alter- ation for 180 years and historians are unanimous in calling it "the first written constitution known to history which cre- ated a government," and which made Connecticut absolutely a state.
It was said that "it embodied all the essential features of subsequent states and gave to Connecticut a pre-eminent place in Constitutional history." It was in the mind of Rev.
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
Thomas Hooker of Hartford, that the idea first germinated, but it was in the brilliant legal mind of Roger Ludlow, that the idea took form and shape and it was the latter who made it the masterly piece of work which it turned out to be.
Connecticut forced Ludlow's banishment, Ludlow who had done so much for the struggling colony. Until time with- out end, the country should remain indebted to this intrepid pioneer, for his 20 years of service.
In memory of the founder and his descendants, Mrs. W. K. James caused to be erected in Dec. 19, 1895, the Ludlow stone in East Norwalk on a parcel of ground, given for the purpose by Josiah R. and William E. Marvin at the junction of Gregory Boulevard, Fifth street and Marvin street.
This handsome monument of Quincy granite bears the following words :
"This stone, erected December, 1895, commemorates the purchase from the aboriginal inhabitants, made Feb. 26, 1640, by Roger Ludlow, deputy governor of the colony of Connecticut, framer of its first code of laws and founder of Norwalk, of all the lands, meadows, pasturings, trees, what- soever there is and grounds between two rivers, the one called Norwalk and the other Soaketuck, to the middle of sayed rivers, from the sea, a day's walk into the country."
GROWTH OF TOWN
CHAPTER VI
Drains Made Through Lots-Corn Mill Built-Indians Looked After-Cockenoe the Convert-First Meeting House Erected-Used for Town and Church Purposes- Father of All Barnums in Country Lived Here.
DURING the next ten years, 1654 to 1664, many things occupied the attention of the Norwalk settlers. Drains were made through all the lots, a corn mill which had proved un- satisfactory was discarded and a second built, provisions were made for minding the town herd, ladders were erected against all chimneys, two townsmen were appointed to look after the Indians, and the first meeting house was built.
The corn mill in question, which had been erected almost immediately, was found to be unsatisfactory and was ordered in 1654 to be discontinued and "Leeiftenant Swaine," who had been running it, was reimbursed for his trouble. For the next three years all corn was taken to the Stamford grist mill, or else pounded by hand at home. Then in 1657 Jona- than Marsh "does ingage to build a corne mill." He later sold it to Nathaniel Richards. This mill answered for a while, at least until July 24, 1665 when "Henry Whitney hath agreed and ingaged with the Towne, to make, build, and erect a good and sufficient ground corne mill, and that at the mouth of Norwake River by the falles." Selleck is of the opinion that the moving of the corn mill from East Nor- walk waters, where the first and second were built, up to Norwalk waters, had a great deal to do with the moving of the center of activity from East Norwalk to Norwalk. He believed that the mill was a sort of magnet, i. e., the
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