USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > The story of Bridgeport > Part 4
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Michael lived in this cave for a year, his wife tak- ing him brown bread, meat and other provisions, and leaving these at some convenient place so he might get them after dark.
The cave, known for many years as Tory's cave, is located, according to Miss Harrison, half a stone's throw from the right side of Reservoir Avenue and about 200 feet this side of what is called Mud Bridge. Later generations have called this hideaway, "Devil's Cave," and it has been the scene of many a picnic party in past years.
DIDN'T PAINT HOUSES
In Revolutionary days, most of the houses fronted on the Boston Post Stage Road, now North Avenue, or else along Park Avenue to a point far up the slopes of Toilsome hill. The houses were of un- painted clapboards of riven oak, with sloping roofs that descended nearly to the ground in the rear and windows of diamond glass, set in leaden frames and swinging on hinges. Frequently the upper story overhung the lower. The homes were heated by huge chimneys often twelve feet square.
The men were either engaged in agriculture or seafaring. But there were also millers, blacksmiths and tanners. Manufacturers and mechanics were almost unknown. Sheep raising was important and there were broad fields of flax on all sides of the town.
The spinning wheel and the loom were indis- pensable articles of furniture and with these the women of each family produced all the clothing and the linens needed for the family. Negro slavery was common and almost every family of means had two or three.
Besides the churches and the schoolhouse, the only other public building in Stratfield was the tavern, kept by John Nichols, where on week days and in the evening the men assembled to talk politics and discuss the news of the day, as obtained from some passing traveler or read aloud from the columns of the "Con- necticut Journal and Post Boy", a weekly newspaper published in New Haven.
Nichols was a blacksmith by day and an innkeeper by night and the little tavern which he managed, although built in 1726, is still standing. In its ori- ginal state it was a small saltbox house, on the site of the present 2354 North Avenue. It is now the home of Colonel Tracy B. Warren.
Opposite the site, there is still standing one of the milestones erected by Benjamin Franklin before the Revolution, when he was colonial postmaster general. He measured the old country stage road from Phila- delphia to Boston by an ingenious device, affixed to his carriage, which marked the miles as he traveled. At the end of each mile he caused a stone to be erected and the number of miles from one important place to another to be cut on each stone.
To this tavern came George Washington and his retinue "and took refreshments there occupying the southwest corner room as their parlor," according to one of the older histories.
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It is not unlikely that Washington did actually stop in Stratfield, as the little town was on the main road, old King's Highway, between New York and Boston, and since traveling was slow and difficult, frequent overnight stops were necessary.
Some believe he stopped here in 1775 when on his way to Boston (or Cambridge) to take charge of the Continental army. Others maintain it was in 1781 when he was on his way to meet Lafayette (or Count Rochambeau) in Rhode Island.
SMALLPOX SEARS TOWN
In 1777, smallpox broke out in Stratfield. It was believed that the infection was communicated by an exchange of prisoners of war, which took place under a flag of truce at Stratford Point.
The disease raced through the community and terror reigned. Before many weeks had passed, 600 in the Stratford township were sick. Those who contracted it were shunned by friends and neighbors. People were afraid to travel on the highway past dwellings where the red flag showed the presence of the dreaded infection.
Whole families died and still the Grim Spectre, relentless, unsatisfied, claimed more dead. The people were desperate, hysterical. They threatened to pull down the infected houses and to shoot the sufferers.
At length, the General Assembly at Hartford took the matter in hand and under the direction of Gen- eral Silliman of Fairfield, who instituted sanitary and quarantine measures, the course of the epidemic was stayed.
When all was over, the community set about to count its losses. Those who had survived the di- sease, carried with them the rest of their lives the hideous pits of smallpox. For many years after- wards, travelers passing through the little community, noted that "almost every other face was pock- marked."
In those days, little was done to prevent smallpox, for vaccination was unknown. When the disease struck, it struck with terrific force, killing as it went and continuing its destruction until it wore itself out, for want of further victims.
"The colonists of New England were brought in contact with smallpox from two sources," according to Dr. Howard W. Haggard in his book, "Devils, Drugs and Doctors." "In the early part of the six- teenth century the Spaniards introduced the disease into Mexico. Within a short period thereafter, three and a half million people there died of the disease.
"It spread to the American Indians and one half of them are said to have died of it in a short time. The Indian tribes along the New England coast were greatly weakened by an epidemic of the disease which occurred a short time before the Pilgrims of the 'May- flower' landed. In the words of Cotton Mather, who saw good for his people in evil to others: 'The Indians in these Parts had newly, even about a year or two before, been visited with such a prodigious pestilence, as carried away not one-tenth but nine parts of ten (Yea 'tis Nineteen of Twenty) among them; so that the woods were almost clear of these pernicious creatures to make room for a better growth'.
"The disease of the Indians spread to the Colonists. During the next century six epidemics occurred in Boston. The last of these started from a case brought into Boston in 1721 on the English ship, 'The Sea Horse' sailing from the Barbados. More than one- half of the population of Boston, then about 11,000 took the disease. It was during this epidemic that the practice of inoculation was used in America for the first time."
Before vaccination was introduced, inoculation was the only known measure of prevention against
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smallpox. In this instance, a small wound was in- fected with pus taken from a smallpox sore. There followed a mild case of smallpox in the person so in- oculated and, of course, immunity. When there was a smallpox scare, it was not uncommon for whole communities to decide to submit to the inoculation experiment and to that end "inoculation parties" were held, at which 10 or 15 persons would gather in one house to go through the preliminary stages of the disease together.
"INOCULATION PARTIES"
That such parties were not uncommon in this community we know from the diary of William Wheeler, resident of Black Rock from 1762-1845. During a smallpox epidemic here in 1793, large groups of persons were inoculated together, for the faithful Wheeler records:
"1793, Feb. 18. Selectmen gave liberty for in- oculation at Sam Sherwoods for 20 persons.
"March 1. Selectmen met and gave liberty for 28, making 50 more to be inoculated at Jeremiah Jennings.
"March 5. Vote for inoculation to commence to- day and last till the first of April and to begin again October 1st and last till the Annual Town Meeting. (Whole Town inoculated-11 died of the inocula- tion.)
"March .7. I was inoculated-, in 6 days felt the symptoms shivering and headache and low spirits, the 9th day a dozen pock break out-head- ache, very dull, and finished breaking out the twelfth day. They turned successively and I had 70 pock in all. Walked out every day but one (a stormy day). Employed no doctor.
"March 27. People had the symptoms unusually severe, some for 5 days-some had hard symptoms and but few pock. A sore arm was generally a sign of few Pock. Some few had sore arms 3 inches in diameter.
"All kinds of experiments in diet were tried- bacon, flip, (ed. note: A very popular American drink made of two thirds strong beer, sweetened with sugar, molasses or dried pumpkin and flavored with a gill of New England rum.) Wine, bitters, saffron, etc. were employed in many inoculations.
"Those without physicians proceeded as well as those with. Good nurses the most essential point.
"Inoculation almost universal in the Old Society in almost every house, a very few excepted, 10, 12 and 17 in a family at once, very general in Green Farms, Greenfield, and Stratfield about half. Doctor's fees reduced from 2 to 1 dollar by the favour of Dr. Holbert. People in general had it pretty moderate. Those without salt the easiest."
"Caught the Small Pox the natural way-5-of which but one lived."
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ADOLESCENT BRIDGEPORT
CHAPTER SIX
B RIDGEPORT experienced all the growing pains of a healthy young stripling during its adolescent years from the close of the Revolutionary War until the year 1836, when it "became of age."
Main Street blossomed forth, a public ferry appeared on the Pequonnock River, the first bridge made its debut as did the first newspaper, a whole new community sprouted in what is now the south- ern section of Bridgeport, the war of 1812 blockaded the coast. Lafayette came to town and, last but not least, Bridgeport after successfully surviving the try-
E
LEFT WELL IN MID STREET For considerations, Aaron Hawley was allowed to leave his well jutting out into Main Street.
ing stages as a village, then a town, then a borough, became a city in 1836.
Main Street, known as "the road at the foot of Golden Hill", was formally laid out in 1787. Major Aaron Hawley, who resided on the corner of Main and Chapel Streets, was allowed to leave his well sitting out in the middle of the road and to put a fence around it, even though such a procedure some- what hampered the speedy horse traffic of the times. The well was used by the public and, for that reason, special privileges were allowed Mr. Hawley.
It is believed that the Hawley house was located where the Stratfield hotel stands today and that the well is under the sidewalk in front of the hotel.
This was not the only house owned by Aaron Hawley. As a matter of fact, he had previously owned a homestead at Union and Main Streets, the property fronting on the river. This estate figured in the story of the first ferry, as will be seen a little later.
The major came into possession of the Main and Chapel Street homestead, sometime before 1787. It had previously been occupied by his brother, Deacon Elijah Hawley, and the latter's son, Jesse.
The settlement in the vicinity of Main Street had grown and pros- pered. It was known by the name of "Village of Newfield" and to- gether with the "Village of Strat- field", formed a thriving commun- ity. Both villages still belonged to the town of Stratford.
Newfield was important, at least important enough for the General Assembly in May, 1787 to give Stratford permission to "keep and maintain a ferry in said town across the creek or harbor called Newfield harbor from the point of land called New Pasture Point (that point of land between Pequonnock River and Yellow Mill pond at the lower end of east Bridgeport) below Toby's wharf to the opposite shore of said harbor or creek and onto the land of Aaron Hawley, about ten rods south of said Hawley's dwelling house and that two sufficient boats shall be constantly kept-one on each side, plying from shore to shore as the occasion may require."
In this case, the Hawley house mentioned was the homestead on the corner of Union and Main Streets. One might ask how the major could be living in the Chapel and Main house in 1787, when Main Street was widened, and at the same time, 1787, be a resi-
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dent of the Union and Main Street house when the ferry service was inaugurated. It is believed the years during which he owned the two houses over- lapped.
NEGRO MADE FREEMAN
Aaron Hawley was an important man in the com- munity. He had interests in the Boston and West India coasting trade, was a big land owner here and ran an extensive household. One of his slaves, Nero, was made a freeman because he fought with General Washington at Valley Forge.
The ferry wasn't enough to satisfy the ambitions of the expanding community and so a few years later wc find the settlement again petitioning the General Assembly-this time for a bridge across the Pequon- nock River.
The petition was granted in May, 1791, and Stratford was authorized to build a bridge. Robert Walker and others of Stratford were given permis- sion to raise money by establishing a lottery, a very common method in those days of gaining funds for public enterprises.
The bridge, with its western terminus in the vicin- ity of Wall Street, was known as the "Lottery Bridge at Newfield." It had a draw, parting in the middle and raised by pulleys on either side, but must have been very poorly built as within three years it needed repairing. In 1804 there were further repairs, after which the whole structure gave way and fell into the water where it remained a melancholy ruin for a good many years, the townspeople being too dis- gusted to bother with it.
It was not until 1807 that a new bridge was built, and this one was located about where the present bridge stands, joining Fairfield and Stratford Avenues.
FIRST NEWSPAPER
With a ferry, a bridge and a brand new Main Street, it was not unseemly that the community felt it was time to pass the news around. One Lazarus Beach, formerly of Redding, who carried on the business of printer, bookseller and stationer at the corner of Wall and Water Streets, opposite the old Washington hotel, was heartily in accord with the idea. Forthwith he founded a newspaper, "The American Telegraphe and Fairfield County Gazette" in the year 1795,-the first in the community. The paper was printed on what would now be fair wrap-
ping paper and was published weekly. Subscriptions sold for $1.50 a year. Some 800 copies were dis- tributed through the county by post riders on horse- back.
Two more churches were erected within the little community during the next few years, the Methodist Episcopal in 1797 and St. John's Episcopal in 1801.
Under the direction of Jesse Lee, later presiding elder of the Fairfield Methodist Episcopal circuit, a class was organized September 26, 1789, in Stratfield, at the home of one of the followers on Toilsome Hill road. In 1797 a little building was erected at the junction of Toilsome Hill Road and Park Avenue, this building serving until 1815, when the "Old Con- gregational Meeting House" at Stratfield was pur- chased for use by the Methodists.
In 1801, the members of St. John's Episcopal parish voted to pull down the old church on the northeast corner of North and Wood Avenues and to build another one down in Newfield, Bridgeport. The new edifice was erected on the southeast corner of State and Broad Streets and continued to be occupied by the Society until 1835, when it was sold to the Baptists. St. John's was the first church within the limits of the new Ncwfield community.
BRIDGEPORT'S "PERIODS"
In order to avoid confusion by constant reference to "Newfield" community, "Stratfield" community and the like and to keep clearly in mind the successive stages through which Bridgeport passed before it at- tained its "majority" as a city, the following outline is offered:
1. The little community which grew up along the old King's Highway, from the nucleus at the corner of Park and North Avenues, was first known as the Village of Pequonnock.
2. In 1694 the name was changed to Fairfield Village.
3. In 1701 it was again changed, this time to Stratfield Village.
4. In 1798 the "Village of Newfield", which had grown up along the seaboard from the nucleus at State and Main Streets and was really the business section of the whole community, was formally recog- nized by the General Assembly at Hartford, when it was granted the right to maintain a fire engine company. At this point it should be remembered that both the village of Stratfield and the village of
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Newfield, still belonged to Stratford and thither the Newfielders and the Stratfielders still had to go for their town meetings.
5. In 1800 the Borough of Bridgeport (formerly Newfield) was formally incorporated.
6. In 1821, the town of Bridgeport, (including both the old village of Stratfield and the new Borough of Bridgeport) was formally incorporated and resi- dents of this community were no longer required to go to Stratford for town meetings. They held their own.
7. In 1836, Bridgeport became a city.
But to return to Newfield. There was a particular reason why the little community wanted to be in- corporated a borough. It needed fire protection and needed it badly. There were within the business district 200 or more wood- en houses and stores. Devastating fires and lack of water combined to ruin many a pro- gressive merchant.
The community decided it needed a fire engine and to that end com- menced taking up individual subscrip- tions. When $377.33 had been collected, the vil- lagers petitioned the General Assembly for the right to a fire department.
In May, 1798, the General Assembly really created the "Village of Newfield" by recognizing its right to such a fire department.
At the same time, the Assembly set the boundary limits of the new "Village of Newfield" as follows: eastern boundary commenced at Welles Tongue (so named from the people who once inhabited it, in- cluding one John Welles. The "Tongue" was that strip of land to the northeast of Seaside Park which now supports the old Locomobile plant.)
The eastern boundary was to continue north along the west banks of the Pequonnock River as far as what is now Meadow Street. The northern bound-
ary followed, approximately, Washington Avenue, westward, to a point near the junction of Park Avenue and State Street. Here the western bound- ary began. But, instead of following a course due south, the line suddenly veered southeast across the fields, to a point where the boundary line began at Welles Tongue. This boundary cut off several prominent homeowners notably Captain William Wordin.
The first meeting of the new Village of Newfield was held in June, 1798 "in the brick schoolhouse on the Fairfield road which stood on the present site of 200-2 State Street." At a later meeting a fire com- pany was actually formed and a "bucket brigade" organized.
For two years all was quiet on the Newfield front. At the end of that time, in the year 1800, the resi- dents of the Village of Newfield, appealed once more to the General Assembly at Hartford, asking to be incorporated a borough.
As usual, there was a particular and pressing rea- son. Newfield was three miles from the center of Stratford and the latter took little interest in this community. Little of the money used for town im- provements in the Stratford area, trickled down to Newfield. And Newfield needed improvements, for the roads were poor and were insufficient both in width and number.
BOROUGH OF BRIDGEPORT
The Assembly agreed that the Village of Newfield was of sufficient size and importance, at least to take care of its own streets, and forthwith Newfield was incorporated under the name of the Borough of Bridgeport and granted most of the privileges usually conferred on cities, except representation in the General Assembly and the right of voting at town and state elections, for which purpose the inhabitants of the Borough still had to go to Stratford. The act of incorporation was stated to be "on second Thurs- day of October, A.D. 1800." However, Joseph Backus, the last village clerk, noted that the incor- poration occurred on October 28th.
It was this same Backus, a lawyer, who drafted the borough charter, purported to be the first of its kind in the state and the one on which all other Con- necticut borough charters were founded.
The new Borough of Bridgeport's boundaries were similar to the Village of Newfield's boundaries, with
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the exception of the western line. This no longer cut sharply to the southeast from Park Avenue at State, but rather followed on down the present Park Avenue to Seaside Park.
The annual borough election was to be "holden in November at such time and place as the by-laws of said borough shall direct," and it was directed that there should be chosen a warden, six burgesses, a clerk, treasurer and bailiff by ballot.
The borough was also, in "legal meeting assembled, empowered to lay taxes on the polls and ratable estates within the limits of said borough for such pur- poses as said borough shall deem proper."
A collector could be chosen to collect these taxes. The bailiff had powers very similar to that of a constable. The warden and burgesses had full power to transact business relative to the improvement of the borough, making of public ordinances and settling all difficulties. All new ordinances had to be sub- mitted to the freemen at a borough meeting.
The first legal meeting of the freemen of the borough was held at the brick schoolhouse November 12, 1800, with Abijah Sterling, Esq., presiding. Amos Hubbell was warden and Josiah Lacy the first burgess.
Incidentally, the first official business of the borough, after election, was the purchase of a record book by the clerk, Joseph Backus from Lazarus Beach for five shillings and sixpence.
During the next few years, a tax of two cents on the dollar was levied on the list of polls and ratable estates of 1801; the warden and burgesses laid out public highways in the borough; and the Bridgeport bank, the first in the community, was chartered by the legislature with a capital of $200,000. (1806)
After several meetings at the homes of members, the warden and burgesses met at the brick school- house January 16, 1810 and approved the first by- laws of the borough. One of the most interesting was this:
"By-law for restraining swine from going at large within the limits of this borough."
Anyone could impound a stray porker and the owner, if he wished to retrieve his bacon, would have to pay $.50 for the release of the animal. The borough got $.25, the impounder $.20 and the pound keeper $.05.
Borough officials were not particularly active in
the government of their community. It is noted that in 1818 a tax was laid, of seven mills on the dollar.
In 1810, the census of the borough, which up to this date had always been included with that of the town of Stratford, was taken separately and showed:
No less than 222 persons on the point; 867 on the west side of the Pequonnock River; 1089 altogether; one bank; two churches, one Episcopal and one Con- gregational; 123 houses, 31 of which were on the point and most of which were two stories high and painted white.
There were 18 sailing vessels engaged in West India and coastwise trading and exports from this little community included: livestock, wheat and rye flour, Indian meal, corn, rye, oats, flaxseed, pork, butter, lard, cider and cider brandy.
Manufactured articles included : beaver hats, rope, saddles, saddle trees, boots and shoes, cabinet work and carriages. There were two tanneries, three printing offices, two weekly newspapers, one pottery and 43 stores.
WAR OF 1812
The progress of the little community received a temporary setback during the war of 1812 when all trade was at a standstill. Bridgeport was not in sympathy with the war, looked upon it as a useless expense, and fretted and fumed because it interfered with shipping and coastwise trade. This attitude was not uncommon among the New England colonies.
During the British blockade of New London, scarce a ship left the Pequonnock River, for fear of seizure. The "Liverpool Packet" hailing from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, was one of enemy vessels which cruised up and down the Sound, pouncing on any and all small boats which tried to run the blockade. Two sloops, engaged as packets between Bridgeport and New York, were seized by the British "Packet".
One afternoon in 1814, the "Liverpool Packet" was sighted off the shores of this community in pur- suit of two coasters, a sloop and a schooner, the latter owned in Derby. Both vessels made for Bridgeport harbor. The sloop got in but the schooner grounded on the outer bar. The crew of the British packet boarded her and would have set the boat on fire, but Captain Hart had taken the precaution to throw overboard the tinder box as soon as the vessel struck. And this was before the day of matches!
The British started to rummage the boat, but
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Bridgeport cannon balls from the single gun of the Bridgeport Artillery Co., under the command of Capt. Samuel Hawley and from the little fort on the "Tongue" (Welles Tongue), from which Captain James Allen fired 24 shots, stopped this.
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