Connecticut Historical Collections

" Roger Grisivohl, the second governor of that name, was the son of the fornier governor. He was horn at Lyme, jNlay 21, 1762, and edu- cated at Yale College, where he graduated in 1780. In 1783, he commenced the practice of the law, and soon became extensively en- gaged in professional business, and acijuired a high reputation as a pro- found lawyer and advocate. In 17.^9, when he was but thirty two years of age, he was ren.oved from a hicrative and extensive practice to the councils of the nation, being elected a re[)resenlalive Irom this State to the Congress of the United Slates. " In 1801, at the close of Tresident Adams' administration, he was nominated to be secretary of war, but declined to ;icc( pi the olilre. In 1807, he was appointed a judge of the superior conn; and in lc-()9, he was elected lieutenant governor, wbich oflice he held until the sjiring ol 1811, when the freemen elected him governor. This |)eriud, eml)ra- cing the hrst five months after the declaration of the late war with Great Britain, was one of peculiar excitement and difliculty, and during which he was subject to an occasional severe intlisjiosition. "He was a member of Congress for ten years, embracing a part of the administration of Washington, the whole of that of the elder Adams, and a part of that of Jefferson. This was a very important and inter- esting period, not only front the political events of this country, but from the great convulsions which agitated all Europe; and it was during this period, while in Congres'^, that l^oger Griswold was most distinguished. During a considerable part of ibis tin\e, he ranked among the fust of his party, and was ecpially tlistinguished fir his |tmverful lalenls in debate, and the independence and decision of his coniiuct. He remained but a short time on the bench of the superior court, and still shorter in the seat of chief magistrate. "Few men in Connecticut have heen more distinguished as lawyers and statesmen than lioger Griswold; and few have been more univer- sally esteemed and beloved. He lived in a critical and eventful period of our political existence, and pre-eminenily ' acted well his part,' de- serving and receiving the highest honors his native state could confer upon iiirn. He died at Norwich, in October, 1812, and his remains were conveyed to Lyme for interment. An eulogy upon his character was delivered before both houses of the legislature, at New Haven, by Hon. David Daggett."* The following is from a monument in a kind of family burying ground, in the vicinity of Black Hall. This monument is erected lo tlic memory of his Excellency Pvoser Griswold, LIj. D. late Governor of this Siale. He was born at Lyme, May ^r)ili, 17tJ'J, and died at New England Review. 333 Norwicli, Oct. IGtli, 181Q. lie was ilic mhi of his Excellency Matlhuw GtiswolJ, who had been Cliiel' Justice u\' the Su|)eiiiir Court, Lieut. Governor an<l Governor. His mother wa.s daughter of Rot.':er Wolcolt, F-aq. of Windsor, wlio was lor many years (Governor of tiiis State. Gov. Griswold ^naduated at Yale College in 17hO, and in 1783 entered upon the jiiofession of law. At tlie ay;e of 31, he was elected into the Council of the United States. Jn 1807 he was niipointed a Judge of the Superior Court. In 180'.» he was appointed Lieutenant Governor, and in 1811 was elected Gov- *>i'nrif TTridji nil lliiit.;!-* I'mitiont wl '» I Imiiw 1i*» /'r hi ((> rri^H iti<rn»J\r n rwt llMtwir ni^it 1ij^.< -ityandpr^, , ^... _„ ■•■n- ,• viewetl liitn \\ iih virtuous pi iilr, hi> na(i\'e state \\ iih honest iriuinji- _ _ iionors were the just leu am,-, ol Hdtile actions, and of a lite devuieu tn his coiintr)-. He w;ls endcareil to his family hy lidiiiiy mid alli'Clion. to his neighbors by fiankness iiiid benev(den<.-e. His memory isembalmid in ihe hearts of surviving relatives and of a grateful people. Wlieii this tiidiuuncnt ^llnll have decayed, his name will be en- rolled with honor among the great, the wise, and the good. The following are from monuments in the grave yard east from the church in South Lyme. Sacred to the memory ui Mr. John McCurdy, the younger, who died 21st Decemr. 1700, in the 21ih yeai- of his age. fond man, the vision of a moment made, Hreain of a dream and shadtiw df a shade, This tiiith how ceilam, n hen this lil,/ IS o'er, Man dies to live, and lives td die no more. The following singular inscripiioii is on Deacon Marvin's monument. This Deacon aged b8 : Is free.l on eaiih iioiii serving May for a croun no lonjer wait: Lyme's Captain IIkmh.o M.ihvin. On the foot stone, R. M. Oct. IS, 1737. Deacon ^Marvin ajipcars (o have been remarkable for his eccentricity In ahnost all his transactions in life. His courtship, it is said, was as follows : — Having one dtty mounlcil his horse, with only a sheep-skin for u saddle, he rotle in front of the house where Sarah or Betty Ja'C liveil, and without dismounting, requested Betty to come to him ; on her com- ing, he told her that the Lord had sent him there to marry her. With- out much hesitation, she replied, the Lord's will be done. J)uring his whole life, he profe.ssed to be governed nmch by divine communications that were maile to him. Once he said, that the Lord had directed him to distribute his cows among liis poor neighbors. After the distribution liad been going on for some time, a certain man, fearing that none might fiiU to himself, went to the deacon, and told him that he had received a communication from the Lord, saying that the Lord had directed him to the deacon for a cow. Well, says the deacon, you shall receive it. AVhat cow did the Lord say should be given you, a new milch or fay row ? Anew milch cow, was the reply. Well, says the deacon, yo)flr conmiunication could not be from the Lord, for 1 have already given away all my new milch cows. He was, it is said, the greatest land pro- prietor of any man in the vicinity, and ofregular standing in the church, being remarkably exemplary. He was also a military captain, as stated in his epitaph. K 334 M 0 N T V I L I. I- . Lijinc, M.irch 17, IT7I. Yesterday, one William Larnson, of Martha's Vineyard, came to this town with a bag of tea, (about li»0 \vt.) un horseback, wiiich he was peddlin? about the couulry. It appeared that he was about business wliich he i^upposed would render him obnox- ious to the people, which gave reason to suspect that he had some of the detestable tea lately landed at Cape Cod ; and upon examination it appeared to the saii^faciion of all present, to be part of tiiat very tea, (though he declared tiiathe i)ujT.ha.sed it of two gentlemen in Newport; one of them 'tis said is a custom hou>e oriicer, and the other Captain of the fort.) Whereupon a number of the sons of liberty assembled in the eveninj^, kindled a fire, and committed its contents to the llames, where it was all con- sumed and the ashes buried on the spot, in testimony of their utter abhorrence of all tea subject to a duty loi the purpose ui' raising a revenue in America— a laudable ex- ample for our brethren in Coniieelicut.— d/ni. J.mr. .\Jii,ck Jj, 177-1. Lijmc, Ike. G, 1781. Last Friday, a guard under the command of Ensign Andrew Griswold, stationed at Lyme, discovered a whale boat in a tresh pond near Black Point; and suspecting it came from Long Islainl, they set a guard of live men over, tlie boat; and the night alter four others of the guard with luisign Ciiswold, went towards the h<juse of the noted Elisha Beckwiih ; one of the party named Noah Lester, advanced faster than the rest, and was challenged by lieckwith's wile, who was near the house; this alarmed ten men who were in the house, well armetl, and thcv immediately seized upon and made prisoner of Lester, ami carried liim into the iiousc. fcoon alter the other four of the guard came to the lioiise, (not kntnving Lester was a prisoner.) and went directly in ; where they discovered the ten persons in arms : a sculile immeiiialely ensued between litem; and after some lime the gutird secured six ol' tlie party, ainonu' whom uas Eli- sha Beckwiih: tlic other four made their escai>e iiilo the woods, but tiiey all except one were taken the next day. Tliey came in the above boat from Long' Island, and were under the commaiid of Thomas Smith, formerly of Middletown, who had a Captain's commission under the British king, lillisha Beckwiih went oil' with the enemy the 6th Sept. last, wlien they made their descent on this place. Tlie above cul- prits are secured iti INoi wieh gard. M O N T V 1 L L E . MoNTViLLE oiii^inally belon^cil to New London. It was incor- porated as a distinct town in 173G. It is bounded noitli by Bo/,rah ami INoru'ich, we.st by Salem and Lyme, ea^i by the river Thames, and south by Waterford. Its length Irom east to west is about eii,du miles, and itsbreaiith averages about five miles. This townshij) is em- braced within the granitic district, bordering on the sea coast, and is uneven, being hilly and stony. * The soil is a coarse, dry, gravelly loanj, considerably strong and fertile, ailbrding good grazing. The road from JNew London to Norwich passes through this town ; it is a turnpike, and is said to be the first wliich was ever made in the United States. " The former road was perfectly fitted to force ui)on the public mind the utility of turnpike roads. As New London is the port of entry for Norwich, the merchants of Norwich must often visit it upon business ; and the convenience of dis]iatch in cases of business I need not explain. Yet few persons formerly attempted to go from one of these places to the other, and return the same day. Pleasure carriages on this road were scarcely used at all. The new road is smooth and good ; and the journey is now easily performed in little more than two hours. These towns, therefore, may be regarded as having been brought nearer to each other more than half a day's journey." M O N T V 1 I. L E . 335