Connecticut Historical Collections

Soon my trembling heait find resi, jAViUiam T. Shcpani died March 2Gih, Kinder arms th.in th'ine n'ceive me, | IH'^li, aged '27 ye;irs. riolier pillow than thy breast. \ Through this calm and holy dawning, I Silent glides my jiarling breath, Albert Sheiiard died at Ihi.lgcpi.rt, Feb. To an e\-erlasiing uiorniiig, 5ili, Ih-Jt;, aged L!2. | Gently close my eyes in death. Yei to leave thee surrowint.'' nnds me, | Though again his voice 1 hear, NOinVALK. The eastern and middle parts of Norwalk appear to have been pur- chased of the natives about the year 1G40 ;* yet, for ten years, there were but a few scattering inhabitants within its limits. In 1()49, upon the petition of Nathan I'-^ly and Richartl Ohiistead, the Court gave liber- ty for its settlement, and ordained that it should be a town by the name of Norwalk, At this period, the inhabitants consisted of about twenty * Norwalk originally included part of the present towns of New Canaan and Wil- ton, and part of SVesl|iort. In the ancient records, the bound.s are stated to be " frora Norw alk river to Saahauick i iver, from sea, Indian one day walk inlo the country." For this tract the following ai tides were f^iven, viz. " 8 fathom wampum, G coats, 10 hatchets, 10 hoes, 10 knives, 10 scizers, 10 juseharps, 10 fathom tobacco, 3 kettles, 3 hands-about, and 10 looking glasses." The I'ollowing articles were given to the In- dians for the tract, " from Nuiwulk river to F'lve mile river, from sea, Indian one day in country," vi/.. " 10 fathom wampum, 3 hatchets, 3 hoes when ships come, 6 glasses, 12 tobacco pipes, 3 knives, 10 drillers, 10 needles." The name of Norwalk is derived from the above bargain, viz. the northern bounds of the lands purchased were to ex- tend from the sea one day's " north walk" into the country. 390 N U 11 W .V L K families. About four years after, the General Court vested them wiili town privileges. The town is bounded northwest by New Canaan and Wilton, west by Darieii, ea^t by Westport, and south by Long Island sound. Its length from north to south is about five miles; its breadth may average about four. The soil is excellent. The surface of the town is une- ven, being pleasantly diversified with hills and valleys. On the border of the Sound the hills are generally moderate, and in the interior more elevated. SoutJi view of the Borougli of JS'orwalk. "The valley which lies along JXorwalk river, and in which the town is built, is beautiful, h'ow richer |irospcc(s of ihc same extent can be found, than that which i^ prc^tiiltHJ rmiii the iii'i'j,hl)i)ring eminences of this grounil ; the t(jwn bmlt in its hosom, wiih its cheerful spires; the river llowing through the middle ; the (arms on the bordering hills ; the ricl) plain that skirts the Sound, and a train of islands fronting the mouth of the river, and extending eastward five or six miles; together with an mdimited view of the Sound, and the Long Island shore." Norwalk contains two consideraijle and fiourishing villages, Norwalk borough, and the village of Old Well. Norwalk borough, (constituted as such in 1S3G,) is a village of upwards of 100 houses, ^IG mercantile stores, 2 churches, 1 Congregational and I Episcopal, 1 bank, (the Fair- field County bank,) and 1 extensive pottery. There are two newspa- pers printed in the borough. Norwalk is a place of considerable activ- ity and business, being a commercial depot and market for the northern part of the county ; a considerable proportion of the staple products being brought here for sale, or to be freighted for New York. This place is 32 miles from New Haven, 48 n. e. from New York, and 22 south of Danbury. N O R AV A L 391 The village is built on both sides of a small river or creek, which is much contracted in width at the bridge which connects the two parts of the village, and the buildings on each side of the stream are so near each other, that the passage of the river from the north is not readily j)erceived at a short distance. Vessels drawing six feet of water can get up to the bridge, in the most compact part of the village. On the extreme right of the engraving is seen a small conical hill or elevation, on which are a number of poplars, perliaps 10 or 15 rods east of the road which passes on the east side of the creek. This elevation is called Grnmiiioit^s Hill ; it is celebrated as being the head-(juarters of Gov. Tr)'on, who, sealed in a chair on its summit, beheld tlie confla- gration of this ])lace in 1779, it is believed, uith pleasure. Tlie build- ing before which a flag-stall' is standing, is the old town house, north- east from which are seen the spires of the Congregational and Episco- pal churches. Southern vit w of Xunrall: 'L'otrn Iluttsc. The above is a representation of the new town house, which is con- structed of brick, erected in 183G. The old town house was pulled down in July, 1835. It had been long in a ruinous state, and nmch disfigured the appearance of the place. Some persons in the town, who took upon themselves the responsibility of regulating things of this nature about the town, being impatient of the " law's delay," took ad- vantage of the daikness of night, pulled down the obnoxious building, and piled up the lubbish by tlie side of the road. On the 11th of July, 1779, Norwalk was burnt by the British and tories, under Gov. Tryon. Eighty dwelling houses, '2 churches, 87 barns, 17 shops, 4 mills, and 5 vessels, were consumed. The loss of property sustained by the inhabitants, was estimated by a connniltee, a|)pointed by the General Assembly for the purpose, at <^'11G,'238 66. The following account of the burning of this place was obtainetl from Mr. Betts, an aged and respectable inhabitant of this town, who was an eye witness to most of the facts related : — Gov. Tryon and Brigadier General Garth having laid Eairfield in ashes, crossed the Sound to Huntington bay, where they remained till 39'2 N o n \V A L K. the 11th of July. They then sailed over to Nonvalk, and landed in the nij^ht, between 8 and 9 o'clock, on the plain which lies on the east side of the river. On learning tliis fact, the inhabitants generally lied, during the night; many of them went to Beklen's hill, about five miles distant. Next morning, between 7 and 8 o'clock, Tryon arrived at Grummon's hill, which he made his head-quarters. Little opposition was made to the British troops, excepting by a company of continen- tal soldiers, about fifty in number, commanded by Captain Stephen Belts, who was soon, however, obliged to llee from the overwhelming force of Tryon, with the loss of four of his men killed. These men were buried in a lot in the northwestern part of the |)lace, then owned by Mrs. Cannon. The first building was buint about sunrise ; it stood near where the steand)oat wharf is now constructed. Both the churches in the place, one the Congregational, the other the Episcopal, were consumed. The Congregational church was seventy feet by fifty three, and three stories in height, and had just been put in good repair ; it was situated thirty or forty rods south of Grummon's hill. The Epis- copal church stood on the same foundation on which the present church is built. The present building is built in the same form of the one burnt. Six houses only were left uudcstroyed by the enemy; four on the east, and two on the west side of the river. One of these was saved by the intercession of a maiden lady, who j)ersonally applied to Tryon, in order to save the house. Tiie argument which she made use of was, " that the owner of the house was a friend to his majesty king Geoi'ge." The other five houses were probably spared from the same considera- tions. The British began their retreat about noon ; the Episcopal cler- gyman, and several other persons disallected to the American cause, went oil' with them. The fiourishing village of Old Well* is situated about lA miles south of the central |)arl of rsOrwalk boinuLih, on the ue^t sitle of the creek, JNorwalk river being so called up as I'ar as the bridge. The view shows the ap])earance of the village from the eastern side of the creek, ou the elevated bank which rises above the flats, opposite the village. There are at present in the village 0 or 7 hat factories, 3 potteries, and a car- riage making establishment. This is the princi|)al landing place for steamboats, for IVorwalk and the vicinity, there being a daily line from and to New York. A boat leaves Norwalk bridge every other day for New York. There are two churches in Old AVell, a Congregational in the center, and a Methodist in the northern part of the place. There is a cotton factory, and a factory for manufacturing carpets, in the town. This establishment, called the " Patent Carpet Company," was commenced in 1834. Their carpeting, of which they manufacture at this time about 200 yards daily, is made without spinning or weav- ing, being made of felting, the material of which hats are composed. Messrs. Arnold &t liishop are the proprietors of this eslahlishmont, which promises to be one of nuich importance. ♦ This place, il is believi.-d, received ils name fioin an eld veil, I'loin which, in au- cieni times, vessels engaged 'u the West India trade, took their supplies ot water. N 0 U W A I. K . 31)3 J^astcriL view of the village of Old Jl'cll, Nonvalk. Tlic following is Cnpt. Belts' account of the skirmish with the enc ly at JXorwalk, (in the secretary of state's oflice, Hartford.) Fiiirjkld county, Nurxcalk, Juli/ ^Oth, 1771). The following is from Gen. Tryon's onicinl account, piiblislietl in the London Gazette, relative to the bnrning of Norwalk.