USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > This is Fairfield, 1639-1940 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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Voted yt Major Elijah Abell, Mr. Sam'll Odell, Doctor Eben'r Jesup, Capt. David Hubbell, Messrs. Dan'll Duncan and David Silliman be a Committee of Inspection the present year.
Voted yt Andw. Rowland, Jonth. Sturges and Thads. Burr, Esqrs. be a Committee to draw a nar- rative of the proceedings of General William Tryon on the destruction of this Town and also point out his Treatment of the Inhabitants that tarried in the Town, and the Instances wherein he violated his own Proclamation: and Cause the same to be Entered on the Town Records.
Some eye witness reports of the burning of Fairfield follow.
A letter from the Reverend Andrew Eliot to the Reverend John Eliot of Boston is to be found in the Massachusetts Historical Collection:
Fairfield, July 15, 1779
Dear Brother:
I sit down to write to you some account of the sad and awful scene which has been exhibited in this once pleasant & delightful town, now, alas! a heap of ruins, a sad spectacle of desolation & woe!
It was in the beginning of wheat harvest, a sea- son of extraordinary labor & festivity; a season which promised the greatest plenty that had been known for many years, if within the memory of man. Never did our fields bear so ponderous a load; never were our prospects, with regard to sustenance, so bright.
The British fleet & army, with the American ref- ugees that had possessed and plundered New Haven, set sail for that distressed place on the 6th instant.
About four o'clock the next morning, the ap- proach of the fleet was announced by the firing of a gun from a small fort we have on Grover's Hill, contiguous to the Sound. They seemed, however, to be passing by. And about seven o'clock we with pleasure beheld them all to the westward of us steering, as we thought, to New York. A thick fog came on, which entirely deprived us of the sight of them, till between the hours of nine & ten, when the mist clearing away, we beheld the whole fleet under our western shore, & some of them close to Kensie's Point. They presently came to anchor; & lay till about four in the afternoon, when they began to land their troops a little to the east of Kensie's Point, at a place called the Pines. From thence the troops marched along the beach until they came to a lane opposite the centre of the town, through which they proceeded; & in about an hour paraded in their di- vision on the green, between the meeting-house and court-house. From thence they detached their guards, & divided into small parties, proceeded to their infernal business. Their commanding officer was Sir George Collier by sea, & Generals Tryon and Garth by land. The approach of the fleet was so sud- den, that but few men could be collected, though the alarm gun was fired immediately on the dissipation of the fog. There was no thought of opposing their landing, as our force was nothing to theirs. Our little party, however, posted themselves so as to annoy them to the best advantage, expecting they would
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land at the point. When our people found them land- ing on the left, & marching in the rear to take pos- session of the town, they immediately retreated to the courthouse; & as the enemy advanced from the Beach lane, they gave them such a warm reception with a field piece which threw both round & grape shot, & with their musketry, as quite disconcerted them for some time. The column, however, quickly recovered its solidity, & advancing rapidly, forced our small body to retreat to the heights, back of the town, where they were joined by numbers coming in from the country. The enemy were also galled very much as they turned from the beach to the lane, by the cannon which played from Grover's Hill.
The town was almost cleared of inhabitants. A few women, some of whom were of the most respectable families & characters, tarried with a view of saving their property. They imagined their sex & character would avail to such a purpose. They put some confi- dence in the generosity of an enemy who were once famed for generosity & politeness; & thought that kind treatment & submissive behaviour would secure them against harsh treatment and rough usage. Alas! they were miserably mistaken & bitterly re- gretted their confidence & presumption.
The Hessians were first let loose to rapine & plun- der. They entered houses, attacked the persons of Whig & Tory indiscriminately; breaking open desks, trunks, closets, & taking away everything of value. They robbed women of their buckles, rings, bonnets, aprons & handkerchiefs. They abused them with the foulest and most profane language, threatened their lives without the least regard to the most earnest cries & entreaties. Looking glasses, china and all kinds of furniture, were dashed to pieces.
Another party that came on were American ref- ugees, who, in revenge for their confiscated estates, carried on the same direful business. They were not, however, so abusive to the women as on the former, but appeared very furious against the town & county. The Britons, by what I could learn, were the least inveterate: some of the officers seemed to pity the misfortunes of the country, but in excuse said that they had no other way to gain their authority over us. Individuals among the British troops were, how- ever, exceedingly abusive, especially to women. Some were forced to submit to the most indelicate & rough treatment in defense of their virtue, & now bear the bruises of horrid conflict.
About an hour before sunset the conflagration be- gan at the house of Mr. Isaac Jennings, which was consumed, with the neighboring buildings. In the evening the house of Elijah Abel, Esq., was con- sumed with a few others. In the night several build- ings in the main street. General Tryon was in vari- ous parts of the town plot, with the good women begging & entreating him to spare their houses. Mr. Sayre, the Church of England missionary, a gentle- man firmly & zealously engaged in the British inter- est, & who had suffered considerably in their cause, joined with them in their entreaties; he begged the General to spare the town, but was denied. He then begged that some few houses might be spared, as a shelter for those who could provide habitations no where else. This was denied also. At length Mr. Try-
on consented to save the buildings of Mr. Burr and the writer of this epistle. Both had been plundered ere this. He said likewise that the houses of public worship should be spared. He was far from being in a good temper during the whole affair. General Garth at the other end of the town, treated the in- habitants with as much humanity as his errand would admit.
At sunrise some considerable part of the town was standing; but in about two hours the flames be- came general. The burning parties carried on their business with horrid alacrity, headed by one or two persons who were born & bred in the neighboring towns. All the town from the bridge by Colonel Gold's to the Mill River, a few houses excepted es- caped, was a heap of ruins.
About eight o'clock the enemy sounded a retreat. We had some satisfaction, amidst our sorrow & distress, to see that the meeting-house and a few other buildings remained. But the rear guard, con- sisting of a banditti, the vilest that was ever let loose among men, set fire to everything which Gen- eral Tryon had left; the large & elegant meeting- house, the minister's houses, Mr. Burr's and several other houses, which had received protection. They tore the protection to pieces, damned Tryon, abused the women most shamefully, & then ran off in a most disgraceful manner. Happily our people came in & extinguished the flames of several houses; so that we are not entirely destitute.
The rear guard which behaved in so scandalous a manner were chiefly German troops, called Yagers. They carry a small rifle gun, & fire in a skulking manner, like our Indians. They may be properly called sons of plunder & devastation.
Our people on the height back of the town were joined by numbers, but not equal to the numbers of the enemy. They were skirmishing all the evening, part of the night, & the next morning. The enemy were several times disconcerted & driven from their outposts. Had they continued longer in the town it must have been fatal to them, for the militia were collecting from all parts.
Our fort yet stands. The enemy sent a row-gallery to silence it, & there was constant firing between them all night. One or two attempts were made to take it by parties of troops, but it was most bravely & obstinately defended by Lieutenant Isaac Jarvis of the town, who had but twenty-three men besides himself.
The militia followed these bloody incendiaries to the place of embarkation, & galled them consider- ably. The embarkation took place about twelve o'clock, & they set sail for Long Island about two or three in the afternoon.
Many were killed on both sides. The number can- not be ascertained. They carried off some prisoners, but no person of distinction.
One particular I would mention. After Tryon had begun to burn, he sent out the proclamation which you have in the Hartford paper. In the midst of hostilities, while the flames were raging & bullets flying, who should come out with the flag but Mr. Sayre. A spirited answer was sent in; & the people were so enraged that hostilities should be going on
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out over neck the of Inhabitants of y town 4. that Define to have there, provided y there shall rons have any more in Them above sia aires for a family and a much ley cr. please provide cho y! all such fand as is taken att Ro Down to y Comen it.]
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a bout their field, which it is under y improvement, and then eg lay it down att In often yours, they are to legit Imer von it with hay seed and fany shall not fence proportions and when y neighbours Joe; they shall and ppata Pret in Price shall have y besafe for my tto y' are not fit for improvement shall be termins por although it be within 4 fence also it is agreed to meg That Fran las for " place where they shall tyo in yo pa The Bank and yokle Bour are appointed to lay out of field of field, and to measure out Every man's feveral proportion of and Such as take up 4 and is to pay Ty- wages; and have berly for one work after this is
w. production of land they defire, moviece it be not ala. aover a year if any will afery y a wo pul in aboxey. weed following they may have iberly to to Lath an hundred .
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First Page of available Town Meeting Minutes. January 3, 1661
Pot Hole-Samp Mortar Rock
Indian Caves, Samp Mortar Rock
Main Street, Fairfield-1790 ( fireplace panel at the Fairfield Historical Society )
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Franklin Milestone-in front of Sherman Parsonage-now home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles O. C. Sloane, Jr.
THE GREAT SWAMP FIGHT HERE ENDED THE PEQUOT WAR JULY 13,1637
Swamp Fight Memorial Monument-Southport
White's Rock, Southport
Fairfield County Court House until 1853 (Fairfield Town House) or Town Hall now. Built 1720. Destroyed by the British 1779. Rebuilt 1794. Remodeled 1870.
Harbor Road-Southport-1870
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Town Hall as it appeared in 1870 after being remodeled
Southport Fire Department First Apparatus
Snake Hill Road-now Burr Street (was a popular spot for hill climbs)
New Roller-Early Road Equipment
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JOURNAL
BW- HAVEN: Printed by THOMAS & SAMUEL GREEN.
THURSDAY, July 12, 1752. [No. 768.]
Sold at the Printing, Office, New- Hiven. wcalling Books
N Otice is hereby given, That a Ma- ritime Court will be holden at the flate-houfe in New-Haven, in New-Ha- ven county, on the first day of Anguft * o'clock P. M. by Samuel Bith-
The Old Powder House-1814 Stands today at the rear of Roger Ludlowe High School
A Maritime Court will be holden at Fairfield, in and for Fairfield Coun- ty, on the zal day of July next, at ten o'clock forenoon, to try the truth of the. facts alledged in the Libel of Ebenezer quorum, and Ti- Jones, againft two fchooners, one of fe- within and venty tons burthen, & the other fifteen tons burthen, and a fmall two-maft open boat and their cargoes, and feveral fmall boats, having on board goods, wares and merchandize, and the produce of this State, taken inLong-Idland-Sound. Alfo to try the truth of the facts alledged in the libel of Ifaac Jones, &c. againft the (chooner Starks, feventy-five tons bur- then, and her cargo on board, confifting of wood, and two fmall boats having on board Britith goods, wares and merchan- dize; and one fmall boat having on board feveral fheep, all taken in Long- Inand-Sound. Alfo, to try the truth of the facts alledged in the libel of Stephen Mattin, and Reynold Finch, againft a (mall iloop, and two fchooners, and the'r cargoes on board, & feveral fmall boats, and their cargoes, takenas it is faid, in carrying on illicit trade in Long-Ifland Sound. Alfo to try the truth of the facts alleged in the libel of Ebenezer Dayton, and Ifaac Jones, againlt the floop Theo- dofia, about fifty tons burthen, Benjamin Bigelow, late mafter, loaded with lum- ber, paffing, as it is faid to fome place in the power of the enemy. This public notice is given to all concerned. Dated at Fairfeld, June 29th 1782. By order of the Judy DAVID BURR, Regifter.
Maritime Court Notice-to be holden July 23, 1782
LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE MEETING !!
Meetings of the Fairfield Law and Order League will be held on 3 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1885, as follows:
In FAIRFIELD, at the Town House, at 3:30 o'clock, P. M., and
In SOUTHPORT, at Washington Hall, at 7:30 o'clock, P. M.,
All, both ladies and gentlemen, who are in- terested in keeping our villages quiet, orderly and law-abiding, whether members of the League or not, are invited to be present. '
J. T. McALPINE, Secretary.
Hand bill of Fairfield's Law and Order League
in the time of negotiation, & that Mr. Sayre should be the bearer of such an insulting proclamation, & at such a time, that the said gentleman was obliged to quit the town when the enemy left it. His whole family were obliged to go with him, leaving the greatest part of their substance behind, which be- came fuel for the flames, indiscriminately scattered by the rear guards. The reply which General Tryon made to Mr. Sayre when he asked to go with him was, 'You may go on board the ship, sir, but I can- not promise you any help or assistance.'
The Church of England building was consumed, but by whom, or at what time, I am unable to say.
Unconnected with them, unsolicited on my part, through the intercession of Mr. Sayre, my house & property, received a protection in General Tryon's own handwriting. A sentinel was placed there some part of the time. But sad experience convinced me to how little purpose all this was. My property was plundered, my house and furniture all consumed, though a lady was so kind as to show them the pro- tection, which, like others, was torn in pieces by the Yagers.
Our friend Joseph Bartram was shot through the breast; old Mr. Solomon Sturgis, an Irish servant of Mr. Penfield, & a negro man belonging to Mr. Lewis, were put to death by the bayonet.
The distress of the poor was inexpressible. A most pleasant and delightful town in flames! What a scene did the 8th of July present!
But I must forbear. Everything I have written you may depend upon as fact; my pen has not been guided by prejudice whatever my feelings are; & should you publish this letter, every reader may be assured that there was not the least diversion from what actually took place upon this melancholy oc- casion.
Yours, &c., Andrew Elliott.
The letter which follows was written by Pris- cilla (Lothrop) Burr of Fairfield, Connecticut, wife of Gershom Burr, to her sister-in-law Helen (Hobart) Lothrop of Plymouth, Massachusetts, wife of Dr. Nathaniel Lothrop. It was presented to the Society in 1932 by Sarah and Joanna Williams of Yonkers, New York, great-great- granddaughters of Mrs. Burr. The fact that the letter fills both sides of the leaf upon which it is written, that it is not signed and that it bears no address leads to the conclusion that it is incom- plete and that a second leaf carrying signature and address is missing.
Fairfield August 10th, 1779
My Dear Sister :
We this morning received a letter from Mr. Beadle, with one inclosed from my Brother and yourself, wherein we find your anxiety to be very great on our account. I am in hopes before this you have a letter from my Brother which will show you that we escaped from the hands of those cruel mon- sters. We were in a great alarm on Sunday the day the enemy passed us on their way to New Haven, as
they came very near our Shore but went by about 9 o'clock that Night. On Monday we heard they were landed at New Haven but seemed to be the general opinion amongst us that their next object would be New London. On Tuesday forenoon Cap- tain Grenell came in to see us as he commonly did, and advised me to send directly for a team, and get some of our most valuable effects out of the way. I sent Dolphin directly to Norfield (for you must know this was in the midst of Harvest) Mr. Smith who lives upon our lower farm came down that Night, stayed in town and in the morning took with him, two beds and all the best of our clothing with considerable of bedding, but before he left town 1/2 an hour we were all in the greatest confusion that is possible, found that the fleet was making for us with all speed. The evening before we spent very agreeably at my Brother's, at a Harvest feast, heard there that they were embarked from New Haven. Still could not think they would visit us, thought we were not of importance enough, to command the at- tention of so large a fleet, that instead of coming this way they would go eastward, altho I can't say but I felt very uneasy, for I was very confident that I heard cannon the greater Part of the Night, but our People laughed at me and said it was thunder, and so it passed till after breakfast but had it have been a clear morning, we should have had them upon us by three o'clock, but happy for us it was very foggy, and by that means they stretched by the town as far as Greens Farms. We left the town by ten o'clock, except the Servants with Mrs. Hughes who stayed behind until they had landed, in order to Secret things in the house, as we had not the least thought of their making such desolation, as they did not burn any at New Haven except stores, and some at West Haven. We went in the first Place to Mr. H. Bradley's, and there stayed till the cannonading began, and then set out for Parson Sherwood's where we arrived before sun down, and found a house full of Refugees from Greenfield and Greens Farms, but it is impossible for me to describe to you the trials of that Shocking Night, altho we were 10 miles out yet we could see the flames very plain, and the house we were in appeared all of a blaze. Mill River was burnt directly after we got out of the chaise, and not more than an hour from that, we began to see the town on fire, but my Distress for Property was nothing, compared to that for my Sis- ter for I know her determination before I left home which was very much against the inclination of her friends, but what did she not Suffer. The day after the town was destroyed (we) went down to see the ruins, and will you believe me when I tell you that I should scarcely have known her. She was treated very rudely indeed, and the first words that she heard before she knew they were in the house were that this was a fine place for Plunder, they then proceeded directly into her bedroom where she her- self was, and fell to stripping and tearing her cur- tains in pieces, and then with their bayonets cut and slashed her dressing glass, with the Bureau Table. She desired them not to behave in such a manner, the draws were not locked, if they wanted any thing there to open the Draws. They Damned her, and bid
65
her open them her self. They then robbed her of her buckles and searched her pockets, took her sleeve buttons and everything she had about her, for they so often came to search her, that she at last took her pockets off and gave them up to them the captain of the fire company, was that little infamous Tom Chapman of Stratford, he was kind enough to place a couple of sentinels at my Sister, after he saw how She was used, as he often had been there in company with the Magistrate. He expressed great surprise to find Mrs. Burr in town, but said he would do everything in his power to protect her as She had stayed. He went out and brought Governor Try- on in with him, who demanded all my Brother's papers. Mrs. Burr told him there were Papers of no consequence to him as they only concerned Mr. Burr's own private affairs, such as deeds of his own estate. His answer was that them was just what he wanted, for he intended to have the Estates before long. He then left her for some time, and came back to the house again about day light. He then asked her for a pen and ink set down & wrote a Protec- tion for her house, the meeting house, & church. And also the Reverend Eliot's house by the over persuasion of Mr. Sayre, our church Priest. My Sis- ter then thought her house Secure, till between 8 & 9 o'clock which was the time the main body left the town, but they left a detachment of 400 Hessians and Tories behind them, who came to her house, abused her most shamefully, by insulting her, told her She had a gold watch, and then went to search- ing her again, ordered her if she had a mind to save anything, to do it, in so many minutes, for her house was to be fired directly. She told them She had Protection from G. Tryon. They Damned her and tore it to pieces out of her hand, and instantly set fire to her house, & swore to her if she offered to put it out they would stab her to the heart, and stayed till it was so far gone as twas impossible to do any- thing to save it, & at that Same time, the other Building, that the Sham Protection was giving for, were all consumed. Our Tories was treated with no more respect than other People & as for Mrs. Row- land, and Mrs. Spaulding, they were used most shockingly. They abused old Mrs. Rowland very much, dragged her about by the hair of her head, tore her clothes off and swore they would kill her. The poor old lady stayed by the over Persuasion of Mrs. Spalding who thought it in her Power, to save the town if She pleased, they murdered old Mr. S. Sturgis & old Mr. J. Gold in a most inhuman man- ner. Poor Fairfield, how does She Sit Solitary with heaps of naked Chimneys Seemingly left as monu- ments to bewail the Loss of those Pleasant habita- tions which once was there Support.
Taken from-Bulletin of the Connecticut Historical Society- August, 1936.
Reports from Frank Moore's Diary of the Revolution-New London Gazette, August 4, 1779 and from William Wheeler's Journal (Black Rock). Reverend Timothy Dwight in his "Travels" also reported on the destruction. These accounts follow:
From The New London Gazette :-
While the British were advancing on the town the militia gathered their small forces as quickly as pos- sible on the hills above the green. 'Here, with a small field piece & their muskets, for awhile they annoyed the advancing enemy with round & grape- shot, but the latter formed & quickly advanced, while the Fairfield militia retired to an eminence commanding Beach-lane & the Green, where, joined by a number from the surrounding country, they continued to assail the invaders, who were also con- siderably galled by the cannon from Fort Black Rock on Grover's Hill. Parties of women & children fled to Greenfield Hill, but a few women remained to protect their houses & valuables. Hessians in small companies were first let loose to plunder & for rap- ine. Every house was entered, desks, trunks, chests & closets were opened, & everything of value taken. Women were robbed of their buckles, rings, bonnets & aprons. Looking glasses, china & furniture were slashed & broken to pieces, & women insulted with the foulest language, their lives threatened & bayo- nets presented to their breasts.
A party of refugees, in revenge for their confis- cated estates, plundered & destroyed whatever they could find, but were not so abusive to the women.
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