Читать книгу The History of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut: From the Settlement of the Town in 1639 to 1818: Volume 2 - Elizabeth Hubbell Schenck - Страница 5

WAR WITH THE FRENCH AND INDIANS

1700. The dawn of the eighteenth century was pregnant with great events for the American colonies. The struggle for political and religious liberty, which had made rapid progress within the last decades of the past century, now breathed a spirit of bolder resolution. Out of the dreams and ambitions of the past, the light of intelligence was framing for the American people a republic, which was destined to become the greatest nation of the world. With such wisdom, patient endurance and conscientious zeal had the attainment of this end been conducted by the General Court and Council of Connecticut, that already they had begun to realize the day was not far distant when this republic should be firmly established. In no town was this aim more zealously pursued than in Fairfield; and, alas, no town was destined to suffer more in consequence.

Capt. Nathan Gold, who at this time was an assistant of the General Court, was made judge of the Fairfield County Court, and Samuel Squire and Nathaniel Burr deputies. Capt. Jonathan Selleck was made surveyor of Fairfield County. Free grammar schools were ordered to be kept in the four counties of Hartford, New Haven, New London and Fairfield. Every town of seventy families was taxed towards the support of a common school, at the rate of forty shillings upon every thousand pounds. In case any town neglected this order this tax was to be paid to the public treasury.

Active measures were being carried on in Fairfield towards the establishment of a college within the colony. In 1698 ten of the leading members in Connecticut were appointed to " stand as trustees to found, erect and govern a college," of which the Rev. Joseph Webb of Fairfield was one. These gentlemen met at New Haven about this time and formed themselves into a society of eleven ministers and a rector to found a college. Each minister present laid upon a table several books, which they in words " donated, for the founding of a college in this colony." Forty volumes were given, which were entrusted to the care of Mr. Russell of Bramford. Donations of other books and money followed, so that the trustees were greatly encouraged with the hope that they would soon have a college for the education of young men nearer home than Cambridge College. Application was at once made to the General Assembly for a charter which should make legal this undertaking. The Hon. James Fitch of Norwich " donated sixteen hundred acres of land in Killingly, & all the glass & nails which should be necessary to build a college house & hall."

1701. The following October the General Assembly granted these gentlemen " full liberty, right & privilege to erect, form, order, establish & improve " all suitable ways and means to maintain such a collegiate school. The trustees were not to exceed eleven, and not less than seven in number. They were to be above forty years of age, and chosen from the established or Congregational Church of the colony. An annual tax of one hundred and twenty pounds was granted out of the public treasury towards the support of this college. The trustees met in November at Saybrook and chose the Rev. Abraham Pierson of Killingworth rector of the college. They also fixed upon Saybrook as the most convenient place to locate the institution for the time being; but until the rector could remove thither, it was agreed that the scholars should be instructed at or near Killingworth. The library was removed from Branford to his house. Various attempts were made to induce Mr. Pierson to remove to Saybrook, but his people were wholly unwilling that he should leave them, and in consequence the students were kept at Killingworth during his life. The first commencement was held at Saybrook September 13.

1702. The use of a house and land was given by Mr. Nathaniel Lynde at Saybrook, while the college should continue there. The following year,

1703, a contribution was made throughout the colony towards erecting a college.

Captain Nathan Gold was made an Assistant of the General Assembly, and Mr. Peter Burr and Lieutenant James Bennet deputies. Mr. Peter Burr was chosen Speaker of the House.

An act was passed by which the General Assembly, hitherto held at Hartford, should be held in May at Hartford, and in October at New Haven.

The western boundary line of Fairfield Village was fixed, and the name changed to that of Stratfield. It was given this name from being formed out of a part of the east parish of Fairfield and of the west parish of Stratford, taking a part of the former and latter names to form the new parish of Stratfield.

A copy of the new commission for Justices of the Peace in each county was ordered to be sent to the several towns in colony.

The Rev. Mr. Webb of Fairfield and the Rev. Charles Chauncey of Stratfield received the thanks of the General Assembly for preaching election sermons.

In a journal left by the Rev. Mr. Webb, he relates that on the 23rd day of May, 1700, about three o'clock in the afternoon, " a prodigious tempest of wind, thunder, rain and hail, occurred; the hail stones were as large as hen's eggs, houses were unroofed, the rain fell in such abundance that it was driven by the wind under the eves & through the chimneys & roofs into the houses; blew down fences & overturned & destroyed twenty barns. The full force of the wind of this tornado, and the damage it did, lasted but three minutes, but the storm continued much longer."

1702. King William died at Hampton Court on the 8th of March, and his wife. Queen Anne, was at once proclaimed Queen of England, and crowned in Westminster Abbey on the 23rd of April.

Captain Nathan Gold was chosen an Assistant and Lieutenant James Bennet and Mr. Samuel Squire deputies to the General Assembly.

By an act of the Assembly every seaport town was ordered to have a house set apart for smallpox patients, and no captain of a vessel was from this time allowed to enter within a half mile of any harbor without license from the Governor, Commander-in-Chief or from two Justices of the Peace. Fairfield was numbered one of eight lawful ports of the colony. An act was passed for entering and clearing ships and other vessels, and an officer appointed, called the Naval Officer, to attend to this business.

In order to prevent persons who owned slaves from setting them at liberty when they were too old to take care of themselves, an act was passed causing such owners to support their slaves during their old age.

The five assistants or judges of the counties of New Haven and Fairfield were appointed to hold the Court of Assistants at New Haven in October, and any three of them Avere to constitute a quorum, the eldest assistant to preside.

The constables of Fairfield and Stratford were ordered to pay a lawful portion out of the annual school tax to the school in Stratfield. Captain Nathan Gold, Lieutenant Jolin Wakeman and Mr. Peter Burr, or any two of them, were appointed to lay out six hundred acres of land in the town of Fairfield. for the benefit of a grammar school.

In response to a letter of the Privy Council announcing the death of King William, in which the Queen expressed her good will to her subjects in Connecticut, it was ordered that an address should be drawn up and sent to the Queen, " to congratulate her upon her majestie's happy accession to the crown, with thanks for her majestie's grace & favor manifested to us." Soon after (May 4th) Queen Anne, the Emperor of Germany and the States General declared war against France and Spain. Thus the colonies were again involved in a French and Indian war.

A tax of two pence half-penny was laid on taxable estates in every town for the maintenance of schools. The town clerks were ordered to keep a list of the freemen of each town, and to call each freeman's name at every freeman's meeting, and if any of them was absent without good cause a fine of two shillings was imposed.

Dougal McKensey received from the town a grant of land on the extreme end of Sasco Hill, now known as Kensey's Point. About the same time the town granted John Barlow a point of land on the opposite side of Mill River, called the Indian Sasco Neck field.

Captain Nathan Gold and Peter Burr, Esq., were chosen Assistants and Lieutenant John Wakeman and Mr. Samuel Squire deputies from Fairfield to the General Assembly.

1703. The farmers at Maxumux were given liberty to erect a schoolhouse on the green about where the present school-house now stands. Thomas Whitney was granted liberty to build a mill upon Compo Creek.

Forty foot of land by a town vote was granted John Edwards at Fairfield in front of his house, once the homestead of the Rev. John Jones. In this way this place was extended out into the Meeting-house Green towards the pond.

A portion of the school long-lot was granted to Joseph Bradley in exchange for other land in the Mile of Common (towards maintaining a school at Greenfield Hill). Land called Rocky Neck, lying west of the creek which puts in from Mill River, was also re-purchased of the Indians.

The hill known as Clapboard Hill, and occupied as an Indian reservation, was now ordered to be purchased for the use of the town. John Burr and Moses Dimond were granted liberty to erect a saw-mill on Mill River. John Edwards and John Sturges were given liberty to build a wharf on the Uncoway River, where the Penfield Mills afterwards stood.

Mr. Peter Burr of Fairfield was made an Assistant of the General Court at this time. Captain Nathan Gold was appointed to be Judge of the Court of Assistants at New Haven.

Soldiers in the fall were sent against the Eastern and Western Indians. A Committee of War was organized to send troops to Massachusetts and the frontier towns. Each township was confirmed in its patent rights.

1704. A special Assembly was holden in Hartford on the 15th of March, when the civil and military commissioned officers were required to care for the friendly Indians, and to set them their limits, that none of them should harbor or be exposed to the influence of unfriendly Indians. A premium of ten pounds was offered to anyone who should deliver up an unfriendly Indian. Suitable houses were ordered to be fortified in each town. Sixty men were to be sent to garrison the County of Hampshire, sixteen of whom were to be sent from Fairfield County. Mr. John Burr, Jr., son of Major John Burr, was appointed a Commissary for the County of Fairfield. At the meeting of the General Assembly at Hartford May 11th, Captain Nathan Gold and Mr. Peter Burr were chosen Assistants, Ensign John Osborn and Sergeant John Burr deputies for Fairfield. Captain Nathan Gold, Mr. Peter Burr and Captain John Wakeman of Fairfield were appointed on a committee of public safety for Fairfield County. The frontier towns in the colony were ordered not to be broken up, as they were to be properly guarded. No male person from sixteen years old and upward was allowed to leave any of the towns, under a penalty of ten pounds. The selectmen in every town in the colony were ordered to provide a sufficient number of knapsacks and hatchets, with strong belts for them, for every sixth man in each trainband; snow-shoes were also to be provided, and the troops held in readiness to march in summer or winter. Encouragement was offered to friendly Indians to enlist as volunteers. Drums were ordered to be beaten for raising volunteers. A rate of a half-penny was levied on all the inhabitants of the colony. Ensign John Osborn was appointed captain and Sergeant John Hawley lieutenant for the soldiers raised in Fairfield County.

Captain Nathan Gold was made Judge of the County Court and Probate Court of Fairfield.

It was also made a law that in every county " a sober, discreet & religious person should be appointed by the County Court, called the Queen's Attorney, to suppress vice & immorality."

1705. The chartered rights of the Connecticut Colony were still threatened by the ambitious intrigues of Governor Dudley of Massachusetts and Lord Cornbury, then governor of New York. Both hoped by their influence in England and by their representations to parliament of the necessity and value of uniting all the English colonies under one government, to thus deprive the colonies of their charters and the land holders of their chartered landed estates from the General Courts. But our wise forefathers appointed Sir Henry Ashurst, a firm friend of the colonies, their agent to protect and plead with the court party of England for their chartered privileges. In the latter part of King William's reign a bill to unite all the colonies was prepared, and upon the accession of Queen Anne it was presented to parliament. But so earnestly and impressively did Sir Henry Ashurst plead the chartered rights of the colonies before the Lords, spiritual and temporal, May 3, 1701, that it could not be carried through the House. Again, in 1704, Governors Dudley and Cornbury made a direct declaration that Connecticut, " while not guilty of mal-administration, piracy, or any illegal trade, yet she had illegally & fraudulently possessed herself of large tracts of lands belonging to gentlemen residing in & out of the colony, & to Owaneco a Mohegan chief." In an article of complaints other grave charges were brought against Connecticut.

The Assembly appointed Governor John Winthrop, Captain Nathan Gold and Mr. Peter Burr, with four other gentlemen, to be a committee to consider the complaints laid against the colony in England, and to furnish their agent in England with directions and information, in order to answer said complaints. They were also instructed to inquire into the complaints of Owaneco. Before the Queen had heard from the Connecticut agent, she appointed Governor Dudley and eleven others to examine into and determine the whole affair. These men soon after gave judgment against the colony.

Sir Henry Ashurst meanwhile had not been idle, and the following year appealed to her Majesty's Council, and so ably and skillfully presented the facts of the situation that in consequence her Majesty appointed a commission of review. For seventy years this matter remained unsettled; but the first decision of King George III. in Council was in favor of Connecticut. During all these years Connecticut continued to flourish and in the wise and even tenor of her ways to act under her chartered liberties, and in confirming her chartered privileges to the planters of each town.

1705. Captain Nathan Gold and Peter Burr, Esq., were made Assistants, and Lieutenant John Wakeman and Mr. John Burr deputies for Fairfield to the General Assembly. The town was visited with a sad calamity this year in the burning of Richard Ogden's mill, which was afterwards rebuilt. To burn a mill in those days was a serious matter to the inhabitants of any town.

Captain Nathan Gold was again appointed Judge of the County and Probate Courts of Fairfield.

Captain John Wakeman, Lieutenant Joseph Wakeman and Samuel Squire were appointed officers of the train-band for the east end of the town of Fairfield; and Captain John Osborn, Lieutenant John "Barlow and Ensign Theophilus Hull officers for the company at the west end of the town. Messrs. Peter Burr, Sergeant Richard Hubbell and Lieutenant John Barlow were appointed to make a list of the freemen of Fairfield.

Byan act of parliament the colonies were ordered to supply her Majesty with masts and stores for her navy and other shipping. Captain Nathan Gold was appointed one of a company of thirty to supply this demand. Thus our fine forest trees were hewn, and the colony forced to support the English navy and shipping interests.

During this year a distinguished French gentleman named Anthony Nougier settled at Fairfield, who became an honored and useful resident of the town.

1706. Captain Nathan Gold and Mr. Peter Burr were again elected Assistants, and Captain John Wakeman and Mr. John Edwards deputies from Fairfield to the General Assembly. The law against heretics, so far as it respected Quakers, was repealed. Hitherto Quakers had not been allowed to remain in the colony under a penalty of five pounds against any town that entertained them. They were fined and imprisoned if they remained in the colony. " Any person who should unnecessarily discourse with them " was made liable to a fine of 20 shillings. A fine was imposed upon masters of ships who landed them in the colony, and also upon anyone who read their books. The repeal of this law was made through the influence of Sir Henry Ashurst, the Governors of Massachusetts and New York having entered this law against the Quakers in their bill of complaints to the English government.

The last Thursday in May was appointed a day of fasting and prayer.

In the October sitting of the General Assembly at New Haven all ministers and their families were made exempt from paying taxes of any kind. Several other acts of importance were passed.

Drunkenness, " whereby a man was bereaved or disabled in his understanding, speech or gesture," was fined ten shillings. All public and private tippling was forbidden under a penalty of forty shillings against the heads of families where it took place. If the offenders had not means to pay fines, then they were to be " set in the stocks not more than three hours & not less than one hour." Every town in the colony was ordered " to maintain at their own expense a good pair of stocks with lock & key to secure offenders," under a penalty of ten shillings a month against selectmen who failed to comply with this law.

Captain Nathan Gold and Mr. Peter Burr were appointed to lay out to the Rev. Samuel Wakeman two hundred acres of land granted to him May 8, 1703, as well as to lay out to Richard Osborn of Fairfield eighty acres of land for his good services in the Pequot War.

The town appointed a committee to renew the highways between the Long lots, and to survey them as exact as possible, according to their first laying out, and make a report to the town.

The towns throughout the colony were greatly pleased at this time to receive assurances from Sir Henry Ashurst that, in spite of all the demands, expense and impositions practised upon them by Governors Dudley and Cornbury, " they had a clear right to command their own militia; & that the governors of the neighboring colonies had no right to demand their men or money, nor were they under any obligations to them beyond furnishing such quotas as her Majesty required."

This was joyous news for the colony of Connecticut, which had been put to great expense by the ill-disposed methods in which Dudley and Cornbury had drained them of men and resources. To such expenses had the colony been reduced by these extortions, that the General Assembly was forced at this time " to levy a tax of more than two shillings on the pound, on the whole taxable list of the colony," li of which Fairfield bore her proportion. These taxes, says Mr. Trumbull, " were laid & collected on grain, pork & beef & other articles of produce; & were taken to Boston & shipped for the West Indies, from the sale of which money & bills of exchange were made to pay the bills drawn upon the colony in England, & to discharge its debts at home."

Since the opening of this century a new religious element had arisen, which threatened secession from the long Established Church of the colony. From its beginning Connecticut had allowed only the Congregational mode of worship. We have, therefore, now reached a very interesting epoch in the ecclesiastical affairs of the town of Fairfield. In the year 1701 a society was established by the Church of England for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. One special object of this society was to instruct the American Indians and African slaves in the doctrines of the Christian religion. It appears that several missionaries from this society were sent to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey before one was sent to Connecticut. The Rev. Mr. Muirson of Rye, in the province of New York, where the Church of England was the established church, was the first clergyman who introduced the service of the Church of England to the people of Fairfield. It appears that he had been invited by a few English families at Stratford, who had removed there from New York, to visit and preach in that town. Mr. Trumbull says: "The ministers & people in that & the adjacent towns, it seems were alarmed at his coming, & took pains to prevent their neighbors & families from hearing him. However, the novelty of the affair & other circumstances brought together a considerable assembly, & Mr. Muirson baptized five & twenty persons, principally adults." Colonel Heathcote of New York accompanied him to Stratford upon this occasion. ¹

1707. A special Council of War, of which Mr. Peter Burr was a member, was held at Hartford on the 6th of February, to take into consideration a letter sent to them from Deputy-Governor Treat; and also a letter from Colonel Schuyler, informing the Council he had information that the French and their Indian allies were about to make a descent upon the frontier towns of New England. The Photatuck and Owiantonuck Indians were also reported to be in league with them. The Council at once resolved to send Captain John Minor and Mr. John Sherman of Woodbury with all convenient speed to " remove the said Indians to Fairfield & Stratford." But if sickness prevailed among them, then to take some of their principal persons and convey them to Fairfield, to be kept safely as hostages to secure the fidelity of those that remained in those inland places. The frontier towns of Symsbury, Waterbury, Woodbury and Danbury were ordered to fortify themselves immediately, and to send out scouts daily to watch the enemy.

At a special meeting of the General Assembly holden in Hartford April 2nd, by order of Governor John Winthrop, he informed those present that the occasion of calling them together was on account of receiving a letter from Governor Dudley requesting forces to be sent from Connecticut to assist him in an expedition against the French and Indians in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On the 3rd of April Assistant Nathan Gold was made one of a committee to consider and prepare a letter in reply to Governor Dudley's. A letter was drawn up, presented and approved by both houses, in which it was stated: " They did not consider it their duty to comply with his request, & therefore for divers reasons do decline the same; & what may be further expected of like nature do altogether discourage from joining in any such enterprises."

The Assembly met again May 8th, and held its session until the 22nd. Mr. Jonathan Sturges was present as one of the deputies from Fairfield. An addition was made to the law entitled:

"Inhabitants & whom to admit, That if any transient person should take up his or her abode in any town, contrary to the established law of the colony, without the authority of the select-men, said person should pay twenty shillings for the use of the poor; & if after due warning to depart, he refused to leave & had no estate to satisfy a fine, then such person after the expiration of ten days was ordered, " to be whipt on the naked body, not exceeding ten stripes."

One Samuel Carter of Deerfield, who had been attacked by the French and Indians, who had rifled his house, destroyed his cattle, killed his wife and three children, and had four other children taken into captivity, one of whom was redeemed by paying twenty-five pounds, was recommended by the Governor and Council to the charity of New Haven and Milford and to the several towns in the County of Fairfield.

At the October session of the Assembly, held in New Haven on the 9th, a petition was offered by Captain Nathan Gold, Mr. Peter Burr, Captain John Wakeman, John Edwards, Jonathan Sturgis, John Barlow, Gideon Allyn, Samuel Wilson, Samuel Jennings, Moses Dimon and Joseph Wakeman, all inhabitants of Fairfield, for a certain tract of land lying north of Danbury, to be laid out for a township, the boundaries of which were: " Southerly by Danbury, running north fourteen miles; easterly by New Milford & westerly by the colony line." This petition was granted, the regulations of which were to be subject to the judgment of the Assembly. This tract was afterwards called New Fairfield. It was not. however, settled for some time, on account of the war with the French and Indians.

The death of Governor John Winthrop was the cause of calling the Assembly together at New Haven, December 17th, to elect a new governor. Mr. Gurdon Saltonstall was elected by a majority of both houses, and Captain Nathan Gold was made one of a committee to announce to Mr. Saltonstall that he had been chosen governor. The governor's oath was administered to him January 1, 1708.

The Church of England services were this year again held in a private family at Fairfield by the Rev. Mr. Muirson, where he baptized a number of adults and children. He was accompanied by Colonel Heathcote, " to whose prudence & the eminence of his station, as he was a man of great consequence among" them," Mr. Muirson attributed his success. The excitement caused by this effort to establish the Church of England in Connecticut was very great.

Among those of the New England colonists who were ranked under the name of Puritans there were many who had not separated from the Church of England, but had differed from that body in regard to certain errors which, from time to time, had crept in, or had been thrust upon them by the Church of Rome. They, too, had been subject to the same persecutions which the Congregationalists, Presbyterians and all other dissenting churches had endured; but when the Mother Church, purified from these errors, was presented to them by her missionaries, they welcomed her services with tears of joy. How touching and beautiful must her prayers, the Gloria in Excelsis, the grand Te Deum and the Benedicite. have sounded to them on this side of the Atlantic! Not all, however, who appeared pleased with the introduction of the Church of England in the colonies were honest by any means. Some were attracted by novelty; others thought to escape being taxed for the support of religion; while there were others who were from that leaven of evil which since time immemorial, from an inherent love of opposition and mischief-making, as natural to them as the air they breathe, have existed in all Christian bodies, and who are classed by our Saviour under the head of tares. Those, however, who professed to favor the Church of England were but few in number when compared with the multitude belonging to the Congregational or the Established Church of the Colony.

From an account given at this time by Colonel Heathcote to the Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, it is shown how our forefathers were, many of them, greatly opposed to the introduction of the Church of England in Fairfield. He wrote:

" It would be absolutely necessary for the better & more easy effecting this great & good work, that an order be procured from her Majesty, requiring the government of that Colony not to force any of her subjects to pay for the maintenance of the minister settled by their laws, & to repeal that act whereby they pretend to refuse liberty of conscience to those of the Established Church. If these grievances were re-dressed, which in itself is very reasonable & proper, & not much more than hath been granted the Quakers, on their petition against the same government, it would be of greater service to the Church than can at first sight be imagined."

In the same letter he recalls some mention having been made in a previous letter:

—of a very ingenious gentleman at Stratford, one Mr. Reed, the Minister of that place, who is very inclinable to the Church, & if the charge can be dispensed with, he is well worth the gaining, being much the most ingenious man they have amongst them, & would be very capable to serve the Church. By reason of the good inclination he shows for the Church, he has undergone persecution by his people, who do all in their power to starve him; & being countenanced & encouraged therein by all the ministers round them, they have very near affected him; so that if any proposal could be made for his coming over for ordination, his family, which is pretty large, must be taken care of in his absence."

In a letter from Mr. Muirson to the Secretary, dated April 4, 1707, which was written about two months after Colonel Heathcote's communication, he relates his experience with the magistrates of Stratford, and says:

" One of the magistrates came to my lodging on Saturday evening. & read a long paper in the hearing of Col. Heathcote, & a great many people; the meaning of it was to let me know that theirs was a chartered government; that I had done an illegal thing in coming among 'em to establish a new way of worship, & to forewarn me from preaching anymore."

The law was also read to him, and he goes on to say:

" I was lately invited to preach & baptize some children in a town called Fairfield; upon which, I sent a letter to the minister & magistrates of said town, entreating the use of their meeting-house, supposing they would really grant it, being on a week day; but they refused it, & told me they would discountenance such new ways. A gentleman was so kind as to invite me to his house, where, notwithstanding all the stratagems they used to hinder the people from coming, I had a large congregation; but so cruelly was the Independent party set against us, that they railed & scoffed at the Church, making her as idolatrous as Rome, & denied us the liberty of ringing the bell, or beating a drum to give the people notice."

Mr. Muirson was accompanied on this missionary visit to Stratford and Fairfield by the Rev. Mr. Evans, another missionary of the Society, who reported that they " found a considerable number of people in a ready disposition to be received into the Church, flexible to invitations, & only wanting occasions of instruction."

A letter from Colonel Heathcote to the Secretary, dated .April 14, 1707, relates that Mr. Reed was turned out of his church on account of his tendencies to the Church of England. He calls the Rev. Mr. Evans " an extraordinary good man, & one that hath done very great service to the Church, not only in Philadelphia, but in other neighboring towns."

1708. On the 5th of January the Assembly passed a law that the governor should be chosen by the people instead of by the magistrates in nomination as had been previously the case.

On the 13th of May the General Assembly and Court of Election were held at Hartford, where Nathan Gold and Peter Burr were chosen Assistants, and Ensign Theophilus Hull and Mr. John Burr as deputies to the General Assembly. Gurdon Saltonstall, Esq., was chosen governor for the ensuing year. Captain Nathan Gold was chosen deputy governor.

The inhabitants of the west farms of Fairfield petitioned that they might be granted liberty to settle among them an orthodox minister of the gospel. The matter was recommended to the consideration of the reverend elders in the County of Fairfield, and to make their report at the October session of the Assembly.

It was decided at this time " that the major part of the inhabitants of a town who were entitled to vote, & were in full communion with the Church, should have full power to call & settle a minister, any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. And that all agreements made by them respecting the settlement & maintenance of a minister, should be binding upon the whole of said town or society."

As concerning Dissenters from the lawful way of worship, " That if any such persons should qualify themselves according to an act made in the first year of the late King William & Queen Anne, granting liberty to worship God in a way separate & apart from that which is by law established, they shall enjoy the same liberty & privilege within the colony without any let or hindrance or molestation whatever. Provided always, that nothing herein shall be construed to the prejudice of the rights & privileges of the churches by law established in this government, or to the excusing any person from paying any such minister or town dues as are now or shall hereafter be due them."

Owing to misunderstandings in regard to the government of the Congregational Church, and for a nearer union among the churches, it was advised that the ministers of the several counties in the colony should meet together in their county towns, on the last Monday in June, with messengers from each church, to agree upon more definite rules for the management of ecclesiastical affairs. At the time of their meeting two or more or their number were to be appointed to meet at Saybrook at the next college commencement, for the purpose of devising a form of ecclesiastical discipline to be presented to the fall term of the General Assembly.

The Synod met May 13th, and the messengers chosen from Fairfield County were the Rev. Charles Chauncey of Stratfield and Rev. John Davenport of Stamford. The time appointed for meeting was at Saybrook, September 9th, when the Savoy Confession of Faith, with only a few alterations, was accepted. It was called the Saybrook Platform of Faith. This platform was approved of by the fall Assembly, and adopted as the instrument by which the established church and college of the colony should be governed.

It was made a law that the regular Council appointed to assist the Governor in maintaining the affairs of the colony according to their charter were not to raise men or money to send out of the colony, unless in case of exigency.

The elders of the County of Fairfield were appointed to meet at Fairfield the last Monday in June to invite and call some special person to settle in their ministry; and whoever they saw fit to call should be maintained and supported until they agreed to settle a minister among them.

A home impost was levied on all liquors towards defraying the expenses of the colony, at the rate of fourpence a gallon on wine, rum, brandy and distilled liquors, twelve pence on each barrel of cider and two pence per gallon on metheglin. Every public and private house was subject to this fine, under a penalty of forfeiture, if not duly reported to the authorities. A duty was also levied on all imported liquors, at the rate of fifty shillings for a pipe of wine, rum or brandy, or other distilled liquors. A custom-house officer was ordered to be appointed in each county to collect these customs, and to employ as many officers under him as he should need to assist him in collecting said duties. He was authorized to seize all 'home liquors not reported, as well as such as should be landed without paying duty. The delinquents were subject to arrest and trial before each county court, and to be prosecuted from court to court till the case was ended. Black Rock was made the port for collecting these custom for Fairfield.

The ministers in the several towns were directed to preach an annual sermon proper for direction in the choice of civil rulers, on the day of election. This appears to have been the origin of town election sermons.

Peter Burr, Esq., was appointed Judge of the County Court of Fairfield, and Deputy Governor Nathan Gold Judge of the Probate Court.

At the fall session of the Assembly, holden at New Haven, only one constable was appointed in each town, society or village, to make up and collect the annual taxes, with the treasurer of the town, etc.

The second Wednesday in November was appointed a day of public thanksgiving throughout the colony, and " all unnecessary servile labor " was forbidden.

The selectmen of each town were ordered to supply " a stock of ammunition, & a stock, also, of arms for the poor if need be."

Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was granted forty pounds salary for the year.

" Seven pence on the pound was levied on all ratable estates to pay the public expense, viz.: wheat at six shillings a bushel, rye three shillings a bushel, six pence on Indian corn a bushel; pork three pounds fifteen shillings a barrel; beef forty-five shillings a barrel; or if any person was disposed to pay his or her taxes in money at fifteen pennyweight for six shillings, it should be accepted at two-thirds."

All persons above the age of forty-five were released from serving in the train-bands, but not from keeping arms and ammunition, nor from voting in the choice of their commissioned officers. Every sentinel was ordered to appear complete in his arms on the regular training days, or pay a fine of five shillings.

The tax upon cider and metheglin was repealed. The constables and treasurers of the County of Fairfield were required to make all their tax collections on or before the first week in June.

Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was ordered to take charge of " one barrel of powder with lead & flints " for the use of the soldiers in the county. He was also given authority to erect two garrisons at Woodbury, Danbury and Oweantenuck, and support them with men and provisions at the expense of the colony.

Fifty pounds was allowed for bringing up and maintaining dogs tor the northern frontier towns, to hunt after the Indian enemies, to be always ready for the service of the colony.

A severe penalty was inflicted upon those who sold guns or ammunition to the Indians.

Mr. Peter Burr was appointed major of the Fairfield County militia regiment.

The introduction of the services of the Church of England into Fairfield do not seem to have met with much success this year; on the contrary, they met with great opposition. In a letter written by the Rev. Mr. Muirson to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, he says:

"They call the Church of England the sister of Rome." On the 9th of January, 1708, he writes to the Secretary: "And though every Churchman pay his rates for the building & repairing their meeting-houses, yet they are so maliciously set against us, that they deny us the use of them, though on week days. They tell our people that they will not suffer the house of God to be defiled with idolatrous worship. They say the sign of the cross is the mark of the beast, & the sign of the Devil. & those who receive it are given to the Devil."

It seems that in 1707 several gentlemen in Stratford formed themselves into a Church of England Society and petitioned the Queen that they might be allowed to enjoy the freedom of the services of that Church, and also to be made exempt from paying taxes towards the support of the Congregational Society. Before they received a reply to their petition the Rev. Mr. Muirson was taken from them, he having died in October of this year. The Rev. John Talbot wrote, February 14, 1708, of the Rev. Mr. Muirson: " The people of Norwalk and Fairfield are reach to break open their meeting-house doors & let him in if he would suffer them." They had hoped to enjoy the regular services of Mr. Muirson in their society and to unite with Fairfield in his maintenance. His death was a great blow to them, and their past efforts to establish the Church now seemed almost hopeless. For some years the churchmen of Stratford and Fairfield were visited only occasionally by missionaries stationed at New York and New Jersey, among whom were the Rev. Messrs. Talbot, Sharpe and Bridge. Mr. Sharpe upon one of his visits spent a month at Stratford, and baptized a number of people both in Stratford and Fairfield.

1709. At the meeting of the General Assembly at Hartford, May 12th. Nathan Gold was re-elected Deputy Governor, Peter Burr an Assistant and Captain John Osborn and Mr. James Bennet deputies from Fairfield.

A letter from Queen Anne, dated March 2. 1709. to Governor Saltonstall, requiring the assistance of her subjects in the colony in an expedition to be immediately made against the French in Canada. Acadia and New Foundland, was laid before the Assembly. Connecticut was directed to raise three hundred and fifty men to be sent on the expedition.

Anxious to be freed from the common enemies of the colonies, who had constantly harassed, murdered and plundered their frontier towns, and burned and laid waste their homes and plantations, the .Assembly without hesitation granted to arm and equip the number of troops required. All the towns in the colony were to send their quota of men, and thirteen men w-ere to be sent from Fairfield.

This expedition was, by the advice of the Earl of Sunderland to her Majesty, to be dispatched from Boston by the middle of May, with five regiments of regular troops. Twelve hundred of these troops were to be sent from the towns east of Connecticut, thoroughly equipped and prepared with " transports, fiat-bottomed boats, pilots & provisions for three months," to make an attack upon Quebec. Fifteen hundred men were to be raised and sent from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and the southern colonies. They were to proceed by way of the lakes and make an attack upon Montreal.

Colonel William Whiting was given the command of the Connecticut troops.

Ex-Lieutenant Governor Nichols of New York was appointed to command the troops by land as far as Wood Creek, and there await the arrival of the English fleet at Boston. " More than a hundred batteaux & an equal number of birch canoes were constructed for crossing the lakes. Three forts, block houses & stores for provisions were erected." But the fleet from En'land did not arrive, on account of the defeat of the Portuguese, which caused the fleet destined for America to be sent to Portugal. The troops of the colonies returned home in the fall, greatly disheartened and chagrined at the failure of the expedition. Many of them had died, and Connecticut lost about ninety of her men. But it was resolved not to give up the undertaking, but to await the opening of spring, when, with the friendly assistance of the Five Nations, they hoped to continue the war. Governor Saltonstall visited New York for the purpose of holding a consultation with the governors of the other provinces as to the best mode to prosecute the war.

Moses Dimon was appointed lieutenant and Mr. John Wheeler ensign of the train-band of Fairfield. Lieutenant John Wheeler of Stratfield was appointed surgeon and physician to go with the expedition to Canada.

On the 8th day of June a special Assembly was convened by order of the Governor and Council at New Haven. Governor Saltonstall laid before the Assembly the result of his visit to New York, and that the governors of New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania were thoroughly in favor of another expedition. All necessary arrangements were made to further this agreement, as the colonics were inspired with the hope that their French and Indian enemies would be brought into subjection.

To such straits had the colony been reduced by the drain upon its treasury that the first paper money in Connecticut was issued by this Assembly, consisting of bills of credit upon the colony from two shillings to five pounds, the whole sum to amount to eight thousand pounds. These bills were to be taken and accepted in payment for the public debts at the advance of 12d. on the pound. Bills to the amount of four thousand pounds were to be first signed and issued, the remaining four thousand to be left unsigned until further orders. For the repayment and drawing in of these bills of credit and for defraying any further charges of the colony a rate of tenpence on the pound was granted to be paid into the treasury, one-half to be levied against the heads of the next list of public taxes, to be paid into the treasury before or by May 1, 1710, and the other half on or before May 1, 1711. The planters were to pay this tax either in bills of credit, silver money or in pork at fifty shillings per barrel, or beef at thirty shillings per barrel, winter wheat at four shillings per bushel, rye at two shillings fourpence per bushel and Indian corn at two shillings per bushel." all to be in good order and signed with the packer's mark. This issue with all others up to 1740 were called old tenor bills.

The following note gives a correct description of the three shilling bill issued at this time:

CONNECTICUT.

No. 1237 3s.

THIS INDENTED BILL OF THREE SHILLINGS

Due from the Colony of Connecticut in New England to the Possessor thereof shall be in value equal to Money. And shall be accordingly accepted by the Treasurer and Receiver subordinate to him; for any stock at any time in ye Treasury. Hartford, July the twelfth, .Anno Dnm.: 1709. By order of ye General Court.

John Eliot, John Haynes, John Chester Committee

On the left of the committee signatures was the seal of the Colony of Connecticut with the grape-vines and our motto, " Qui Transtulit Sustinet." (He who transplanted still sustains.)

The list of estates at Fairfield this year were valued at £16,708 16s.

Governor Saltonstall was appointed by the Assembly to visit England and to present to the Queen and her Council for the well-being of the colonies the absolute necessity of prosecuting this war against the French and Indians. At the October session of the Assembly Captain Theophilus Hull, Lieutenant Samuel Couch and Ensign John Osborn were confirmed as officers of the west train-band of Fairfield; and Captain David Hubbell, Lieutenant Samuel Hubbell and Ensign Richard Hubbell for the village of Stratfield.

It appears that Colonel Whiting's Connecticut troops were some of them ill and in a sad condition at Albany. The Assembly ordered that the sick should be conveyed home by water and provided with every comfort, and that those able to move should march as speedily as possible, and Colonel Whiting was ordered to have his officers to disband their men when they reached home.

Laws for the improvement of militia companies were passed, and for calling out troops for her Majesty's service. Major Peter Burr, Captain Joseph Wakeman and Captain Theophilus Hull of Fairfield, with Mr. Joseph Curtis of Stratford, were appointed a committee of war for Fairfield County, to care for and defend the Connecticut frontier towns against the enemy.

An act was passed to prevent young people from meeting in the evenings of the Sabbath Day; and if any sojourner, or any young person under the government of parents or masters, should meet in the streets, or elsewhere, or on the Sabbath or any public fast day or lecture day, they should be taken before a Justice of the Peace, and, if convicted, " pay a fine of five shillings to the public treasury, or be set in the stocks not more than two hours; provided this act should not be construed to hinder the meeting of young persons upon religious occasions.

In no town in the colony were the inhabitants more energetic and responsive to the call of the Governor and the General Assembly in raising men and money for the furtherance of the expedition against the French and Indians than Fairfield. Deputy Governor Nathan Gold was constantly active in all the duties of his various offices. Major Peter Burr, the Captains Burr, Hubbell and Wakeman, with other officers, were busy in drilling and equipping their men for any emergency, either for the protection of the frontier towns near them or for the expeditions by land or water against the enemy. The town clerk and treasurer were constantly occupied in collecting the revenue, town and colony taxes. The mothers and daughters of Fairfield were equally busy in preparing clothing, stockings and bread for their fathers and sons, for everything was home made in those days. The spinning-wheel and the flax-looms were in constant use. and many a garment was wet with tears, lest their loved ones should never return. In all these undertakings, privations and hardships our forefathers struggled for the independence of our beloved country.

Footnotes:

1 "Colonel Heathcote was Judge of Westchester, and Colonel of its militia all his life; first Mayor of the borough of Westchester; a counsellor of the Province; Mayor of New York for three years; for a time Commander of the Colony's forces, and from 1715 to the time of his death Receiver General of the Customs in North America. He was also one of the founders of Trinity Church, New York." Bolton's Church in Westchester County. He resided at Mamaroneck and was very zealous in spreading the influence of the Church of England wherever he found an opportunity.

In 1679 a number of Episcopalians living in Boston petitioned King Charles that they might be allowed to exercise the rights and usages of the Church of England. The petition was granted and they soon after erected King's Chapel. — In a letter written "To the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London and all others, the Honorable Members of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, by the Rev. Mr. Keith, dated Nov. 20, 1702, he gives an interesting account of his mission, ary works after his arrival in Boston June 11, of the same year. He says: "In divers places in New England where we travelled, we found many well affected to the Church, not only the people but several Presbyterian ministers in New England, who received us as brethren, and requested us to preach in their congregations, as accordingly we did. These were Mr. John Cotton (a grandson of old John Cotton) the Presbyterian minister at Hampton, where I preached twice, and Mr. Talcot once, having very great auditories; Mr. Gushing, a Presbyterian minister at Salisbury, eight miles distant from Hampton westward, where we both preached on a Sunday, and I had a great auditory; Mr. Gordon Saltonstall at New London, fifty miles westward from the Narragansetts, where we both preached on a Sunday; the people generally well affected, and those three ministers aforesaid, all worthy gentlemen, who declared their owning the Church of England, and that if they were in England, they would join in external communion with her; and were there a bishop in America, we doubt not but several would receive ordination from him."

Among the churches enumerated in New England in 1696 in Cotton Mather's Magnalia (Chapt. 8, B. I.) he states that in the County of Suffolk, Mass.: " There is a small congregation that worship God with the ceremonies of the Church of England; served generally by a change of persons, occasionally visiting these parts of the world." Altogether the county of Suffolk seems to have been an independency of itself, for Mather again states, that in that town there was, "also another small congregation of Antipede Baptists, " with a settled minister named Mr. Emblin. And a French congregation of Protestant Refugees, under the pastorate of Monsieur Daille."