Connecticut Historical Collections

" In 1795, he was appointed by President Washington consul at Algiers, with pow- ers to negotiate a treaty with the Dey, and to redeem all American pri.soncrs held in slavery by any of the Barbary powers. He immediately set out upon this mission, and, crossing through Spain, arrived at Algiers, where he soon su(:ceeded in negotiating a treaty with the Dey, although surrounded with numerous (iilticulties. Early the .suc- ceeding year, he negotiated a similar treaty with Tripoli, and liberated all the Amer- ican prisoners held in captivity. In 1797, he resigncil liis consulship and returned to Paris; and having engaged in some commercial pursuits or speculations, was very successful, and accumulated a handsome fortune. In the rupture which took place between France and the United States, Barlow exerted his iniluencc and talents to promote an amicable adjustment ; for which entl he addressed a letter to the people of the Uniied States, upon the measures of the ))arly then in )iower. I'liis was soon fol- lowed by another, which was more abstract, ami examined, in that clear and forcible uianner peculiar to its author, various political topics, and |)arti(ularly certain esliib- lished piiiicioles of maritime law and the rights of neutrals, liis views were novel and bold, and founded upon the principles of abstract right, which he regarded as the only true policy. In 1805, after an absence of seventeen years I'mm his native coun- try, Barlow resolved upon revisiting the scenes of his youth. He accordingly sold his real estate in France, which he had regarded as his adopted country, as long as it continued the country of liberty. After visiting dillerent parts of the country, he purchased hiin a delightful situation in the vicinity of Georgetown, within the limits of the district of Columbia. Whilst in this situation, he enjoyed the society, friend- ship and esteem of Mr. Jetferson, then President of the Uniied Slates; and of the other important functionaries, and characters of distinction, who were residents, or engaged in public employments at the seat of government. In 1806, he published a prospectus of a national institulion, or university : to establish which, a bill was in- troduced into the Senate; it met with considerable opposition ; was referre<l to a select committee, who never reported, and thus this great national object ended. He now devoted his attention to the revrsion and iuipioveineut of his lavoiiie poem ; and in 18l»8, the C'ohimbiad made lis ;i)ipcarance, in the inosl magnificent volume which ever issued Irom an American ))ress. The high price of this edition prevented its ciicu- lation ; and the subsequent year, it was reprinted in two volumes. The same year, it was republished in London, in an elegant royal 8vo. The Columbiad has been at- tacked in the severest manner, by critics of every rank ; but Barlow, relying upon the solid merits of the poem, and the impartial reward of posterity, either treated them wiih neglect or contempt. The Columbiad is an epic poem, abounding in philosophi- cal discussion, ami in enlarged political and national views. It was expanded from the Vision of Columbu.";, which it comprises, and is the oflspring of the labor of half a life. It is a great national work, and cannot fail of going down to posterity, to the latest generation. The name of Barlow will long be known and revered, wlien all those who have attempted to asperse it will be forgotten. Afier the publication of his Columbiad, he was employed in collecting materials for fi general history of the Uni- ted States, a work which he had long meditated; but whilst thus occupied, in 1811, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to the French government; whereupon he soon embarked again for France, clothed with authority and distinguished honors. He applied himself with great diligence to the duties of his new station, and made every exertion to effect the negotiation of a treaty of commerce, and indemnity for spoliation. In October, 1812, he was invited to a conference with the Emperor at Wilna. He immediately set olf upon this mission, and traveled day and night, ex- posed to the severe weather of a northern climate; subject to great fatigue, and ac- commodations at the public inns being the most wretched, scarcely being able to obtain a wholesome meal, his constitution was unable to withstand these severe trials; he sunk into a state of debility, from which he never recovered. He died Deceniber '22d, 1812, at Zarnawica, au obscure village of Poland, in the neighborhood of Cra- niDGEFIELD. 399 COW. America has produced few men, more jiusUy deserving of immortality tlmn Barlow ; and none, it is believed, who have made their title to it more sure, lie lived in an eventful period, and acted a conspicuous part in both hemispheres; and as a fioet, a man of science, a politician, a philosopher and phiianthrophist, his name will ong be revered by the friends of civil liberty and of science, throughout the civili/.ed world." RIDGEFIELD. Tpie tract of land now Ridgefield, was called by the Indians Cau- datowa, a word signifying high land, from its elevated situation alibrd- ing a prospect of Long Island for forty miles. In 170S, John Belden, Samuel Keeler, Matthew Seymour, Matthias St. John, and other in- habitants of Norwalk, to the number of twenty five, purchased a large tract between that town and Danbury. The purchase was made of Catoonah, the chief sachem, and other Indians. The deed is dated the 30th of September, 170S, and at the ensuing session of the General Assembly, it was incorpoaated as a town, by the name of Ridgefield. This township is of an oblong shape, about 13 miles in length from north to south, with an average hreadth of about three miles. It is boun- ded north by New Fairfield, west by the state of New York, east by Danbury and Reading, and south by Wilton. The face of the town- ship is characterized by a succession of ridges and valleys, I'unning north- erly and southerly towards Long Island sound. On some of these ridges the observer has a fine prospect of the Sound, although situated at a distance of fourteen miles; likewise the East and West Rocks, in New Haven, and the Highlands on the Hudson. The soil of the township is good for grain and grass. There are two societies or parishes, Ridge- field and Ridgebury. Ridgebttry comprises the north part of the town. In the first society, (Ridgefield,) there is a pleasant village on one street, within the limits of about a mile, of about GO dwelling houses, 3 churches, 1 Congregational, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Methodist. There is an extensive carriage factory in the village ; also one for manufacturing cabinet furniture. There are some beds of limestone in the town. Ridgebury society is a very long but narrow tract of land, gradually di- minishing in width to the north, the extreme end of which is but about .half a mile in width. The Rev. Samuel Camp, the first minister in Ridgebury, was ordained in January, 1769, the church being organized at the same time. The place represented in the view on the next page is perhaps 80 rods north of the Episcopal church in Ridgefield, at the north end of the vil- lage, on the road to Danbury. It was at this spot that the Americans, under Gen. Arnold, made a stand against the British forces, as they came down from Danbury. The house standing on the right, and fronting the south, is upwards of one hundred years old. At the settlement of the town, the proprietors gave Mr. Stebbins, the ancestor of the late Mr, Stebbins, who occupied the house, half an acre of land, in order to in- duce him to build upon it. This house has remained in possession of the family ever since. 400 RIDGEFIEI. D. View in llidgrfield. In order to stop the advance of the British, a barricade was thrown across tlie street Iroin Mr. Slebbins' house, extending to the place where tlie house opposite is now built. The place where G'en. Ar- nold's horse was shot, and where he killed the Jiritish soldier who was advancing towards him, is seen on the left of the engraving; the man and boy are seen standing on the precise spot. Many of the dead and wounded were carried into the house of Mr. Stebbins, and the floors were literally covered with blood ; a number of the wounded died in the house. Fifteen of the British and tifteen Americans were buried near the first house now standing south of i\lr. Stebbins'. Gen. Woos- ter received his mortal wound about one mile and a half north, and Col. Gould was killed about eighty rods east of the house ; his body was carried to Fairfield. The British encamped over night on the high ground, nearly a mile south of the Congregational church, and when they left the place in the morning, they fired a house near by, which was supposed to be a signal for their shipping, lying on the coast near the Norwalk islands. Sarah Bishop, the hermitess, resided just over the boundary line of Ridgefield, in the state of New York. She lived ou Long Island at the time of the Revolutionary war. Iler father's house was burnt by the British, and she was cruelly treated by a British officer. She then left society and wandered among the mountains near this part of the state; she found a kind of cave near Ridgefield, where she resided till about the time of her death, which took place in 1810. She some- times came down to Ridgefield to attend public worship on the Sab- bath. It is said that the wild animals were so accustomed to sec her, that they were not afraid of her presence. The following account of a visit to this hermitess, is taken from a newspaper printed at Pough- keepsie, in 1804. S H E R M A N . 401