Connecticut Historical Collections

in that town, to amcinbLMof (lie legislature, now in session in tiiis city, dated the I8ih inst., in order that the public inaj' have a true statement ol' the nelanou.s husiness. " The present fermeijl in Siainlbrd, caused by some unlucky boys firing a cannon, and making a bonfire, in North Stamford, I suppose will reach Harilout; and that, perhaps in an aggravated point of light. The tiuih of the matter is ihis: some young chaps, on fast-day morning, collected, and burnt the Presulen; in efligy, as some say ; but as the fracas took place about sunrise, no onocan tell what was burnt : the perpe- trations, however, were committed by persons not inhabitants of Staml'ord." The ancient burying ground in Stamford was formerly in the center of the place. The monuments are now removed to a yard northward of the village. The following is copied from a tabular monument, one of those that were removed. The Rev. Ioiin Davcnport, A.D. 1730-1, and in ll 1 ihis life on the oih February, nunistiy. distance kecj), the peaceful sleep Wisdom Religion, while he dwelt below, lis sacred iullueiice on him shed; Learning and Giace adorned his brow, And round their balmy odors spread. ITnfading liuiiors shall his inud) surround, To guard ami wan ihe I'loiihel's sleei'ing cl.iy, Till ihe last irumjiet rai.>e hmi Irom the ground, To join the liinmphs of ih' iinpui lant Day. STRATFORD The original Indian name of Stratford was Cupheag. It was pur- chased by Mr. Fairchild in 1G39, and settlements were commenced at the same lime. Mr. Fairchild came directly from England, and was the first person vested with civil authority in the town. The (Jrst prin- cipal persons in the town were John atid William Eustice, and Samuel Hawley, who were fiom Roxbnry, and Joseph Judson and Timothy Wilcoxson, who were from Concord, Massachusetts, A few years from the commencement of the settlernent, Mr. John Birdsey removed from Milford, and became a man of eminence, both in the town and church. There were also several of the chief planters from Boston, and a number by the name of Welles, from W^ethersfield, " Mr. Adam Blackman, who had been Episcopally ordained in England, and STRATFORD. 405 a preacher of some note, first at Leicester and afterwards at Derby- shire, was their minister, and one of the first planters. It is said tliat he was Ibllowed'by a number of the faithfid, into this connlry, to whom he was so dear tliat they said unto him, in the language of lluih, ' In- Ireat us not to leave tiiee, for whither thou goest we will go; thy peo- ple shall be our people, and thy God our God.' " The first settlers appear to liave located themselves about 150 rods south of the Episcopal church, the first chimney being erected near this spot; it was taken down about two years since. The first burying ground was near this spot. IMr. AVilliam Judson, one of the first set- tlers, cameinto Stratford in 1633. lie lived at the southwest corner of INleeting-liouse hill or green, in a house constructed of stone. Mr. Ab- ner Judson, his descendant, lives on the same spot, in a house which has stood 113 years, and is still in good repair. The whole township, which formerly was quite extensive, wqs pur- chased of the natives. The purchase was however not completed till 1672. There was a reservation of good lands for the improvement of the Indians, at Pughquonnuck or Pequannock, Golden hill, and at a place called Coram, in Huntington. Stratford is now much circumscribed in limits. Its average length is about six miles from north to south, and its breachh from east to west is between two and three miles. It is bounded north by Hunting- ton, west by Trund)ull and Bridgeport, east by the Ilousatonic, dividing it from MiUbrd, and south by Long Island sound. The central part of the town is 1.'3 miles s. w. fiom JNew Haven. The township is mostly level and free from stone, anil there is a \'ery rich alluvial ti'act of meadows on the river and harljor. The principal street in the town is one mile in length, running north and south, parallel to the Housa- tonic ; it is level, |)leasant, and ornamented with shade trees. On this street, and others, in the immediate vicinity, there are about '200 dwell- ing houses, and four houses for public worship, viz. 1 Congregational, 1 Episcopal, I JMethodist, 1 Baptist, and I Lhiiversalist now erecting. The latitude of the place, as detei'mined by the Rev. James H. Linsley, is 41° IV 1"; longitude, 73° 8' 45''. The following is a southwest view of the Episcopal church and the Academy, situated in the central part of the village. Tliis church was erected more than 90 years since, and is the oldest Episcopal church now standing in the stale. The Academy is seen on the right of the print, in the distance. It stands on a gentle elevation of ground, called Meeting-house hill,* and is surrounded by a row of poplars. The Episcopal society in this town is the oldest in the state. The follow- ing account of its establishment is fiom Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut. " During the term of about seventy years frnm the settlement of Connecliciit, the Congregalioniil had been the only nilnle of vvorship, in tlie colony. But liie sucieiy for propagMtin;? tlje gospel in (ureign parts, in 1701, lixed the Reverend Mr. Muirson as a missionary at Rye. Some of the people at Siratlord had been educated in the * The Congregational church s^ood on this elevation till it was struck by lighinin-j, and burnt down. 406 S T U A '1- f O 11 Suitlhivcxt i-iciv of the Rpiscopul C/ntrc/i, Slnitjord. church of RiiL,'hinil in-jih.' of wm ^hip ami ;Mliiiiiiisiri inu: of ilir (iidinancrs, ami utliiTS WL'icnoi phriNcJ Wilh the ii,-id duni m,.. aii.l diMaplim.- of ihc .\c\v I'li.i^laud cliuu'lics, and they made an camc-,1 aiiplicaliuii tu Mr. .\Iuiim)ii lo make a visit at tJiratlnrd, aiul preach and bapiizc amuu.u' lliem. About ihe year 1700, iip.ji) llieir iiivitaijon, lie cainu lo Stratford, aecompanicd with Colonel lleatheote, a ^'enileman zealou.sly eiigajjed in proinoliiij( liie Epi.scopal church. Tlje ministers and people, in that ami liie adja- cent towns, il seeins, were alarmed at his coining, and took pains lo prevent their neighbors and families from hearing him. However the iioveliy of tiie alfair, and other circumstances, brought logeliier a considerable assembly: and Mr. IMuirson baptized five and twenty peisons, principally adults. This was the first step towards introducing the church woiship into this colony. In April, 1707, he niaile anoiher visit to Stratford. Colonel lleatheote was pleased to honor him with his- company, as he had done before. lie preached, at this time, at P'airlield as well as Stratford ; and in both towns baptized a number of children and adult persons. Both the iiingi.s- iratesand ministers opposed the introdiieiiun of I'.inseopaey, and advised the people not lo attend the preaehiiig of the church mis.sionaries; but the ojiposition only in- creased the zeal of the eliiiieh people. Mr. Muir.>oii, alter this, iiuulc several joiiinevs to Connecticut, and itiiiciaicd among the people. Hut there was no missionary, from the society, fixed in Coniie.iiciii, until the year 17'J"2, when Mr. Pigot was appointed mi.ssionarv at Stratford. "^I'lie churchmen at Inst, in that town, consisted of about h(- teeii faiiiilies, among whom were a few husljandmen, but much the greatest number were tradesmen, who had bet-n born in England, and came and settled there. Some of their neighbors joined ihein, so that Mr. Pigot had tweiily communicants, and about a liundred and fifty hearers. In 17~'3, CtiuisT Chuich in Stratford was founded, and the Rev. Mr. Johnson, afterwards Dr. .Iohn.son, was appointed lo succeed Mr. Pigot." "The Rev. Dr. Johnson," says Dr. Dwii^ht, "may be consideied as the father of Episcopacy in Connecticut, and jierhaps, as the most distint;nished cler^fyman of that description, who has been settled within its limits. This i^entlcman was born at Guilford in 1()96 ; was educa- ted at Yale Colleii;e, and received the degree of A. B. in \1\A. In 17 1 G he was chosen tutor, and continueH in that ollice three years. In 17^0, he was ordained minister of the Presbyterian cluirch in West Haven. In 1723, he was Episcopally ordained in London; and was afterwards settled at Stratford. In 1754, he was chosen president of King's College in tlie city of New York, and continued in this office S T 11 A T F O it n . 4U7 for nine years. In 1763, he resiL^nicd ilie presidency, and retiMnini^ to Stratford, resumed the cliai'no of his congregation, lie died in 1772, at the age of seventy six. Dr. Johnson was a man of talents and learn- ing, of dignified manners and high reputation. He published a He- brew grammar, a compendium of logic, and another of ethics. The University of Oxford conferred oh him the degree of Doctor of Di- vinity. His life was written by Dr. Chandler, the Episcopal minister of Elizabethtoun." Tlie following is the inscription on his monument in the l\piscopal burying ground, a few rods nortlieast of the church. M. S. Samiielis Jolirisun, D. D. C()lki,Mi lle^'ali.s Novi Ebornci PuvKsidis primi cl luijiis Ecclebiiu niipcr Rucioiis. NaiUb- Die l-Uo. f^ciub. lOM, Ohii. Glo. Jan. 177:2. iriieceiii diifiiUij ixnd mode.-,! inein, Tlie clieeiiiil hciul, ami ijoiiniuuaijL-e serene; ir pure n7/^'i((?t and uiisiilliecl iriiili, His aj^c's solace, and liis .-searcli in youth; Il'/z/t/?/ in all llie pallis lie trod, Slili rising vij^'orous to his Loud and God; ICcharity thro' all the race he ran, Still willing well, and doin^' good to man ; If Lkauninc, free from pedaiurv and pride; If Faith and virtue, walking side by side; If well to mark his being's aim and end, To shine thro' life a iii;si!.\M), fathki!, nuKNo; If ^/tt'.sc ambition in thy .-joLil can raise, Excite thy reverence or demand lliy praise; Reader, ere yet thou (uiil this earthly scene, Revere his name, and be what he has been. Mvi.F.S CoOi'KR.