Connecticut Historical Collections

The house in which Dr. Johnson i-esldud is siill standing, about 40 rods northwest of the E|)lscopai chmch. Mr. \\'iiis!ow succeeded Dr. Johnson in the ministry, then Mr. Iviicelaiid, who was succeeded by Mr. Sayre. The Jlev. Ashbel lialduin was the next minister: ho connnenced his labors here in 1792, and continued ix'Ctor of this cdiurch thirty nine years. Mr. Baldwin, who is still living, was born in I. itch- field, in 1757, and was educated at Vale College. He was onlaiiied deacon at IMiddletown, August 3d, 1785, by Hishop Sealniry. He, with fotir others, were ordained at the same time, being tlie first l^ot- estant Episcopal ordination in this country. Gen. David JVoostcr was a native of this town, and was born in 1711. He was a brave and good ofllcer, an ardent patriot, and in his variotis public and private relations, sustained a character distinguished for integrity, benevolence, and virtue. He was mortally woutided in a skirmish with the liritish troops, at the time of their incursion to Dan- bury, in 1777. The following notice of Gen. AVooster, is from the Connecticut Journal of May 14lh, 1777, " Major General Woosler was born in Stratford, in this slate, on llic 'Jd of Mar.]), A. D. 1710— 11 ; was e.liicat.'d at Yafe College, where he was giadii.iicd in ilic year 1738. Soon after the Spanish war broke out in 173f), he was eni|!l(ivcil, hist as iicii- tenant, and iheii as captain, of the armed vessel laiilt by this rokiny fur a (iii.irila Coasta. Aftei I Ins, he engaged in the military service of tins coi)iiiiy,"aiid was a cap- tain in Col. Burr's regiment, in the expedition against Louishiirg, in 1715. Ki'\i:v ihe reduction of that place, he was sent to France, with a part of the prisoners taken there, and from thence went to England," where he received tJie honor of a captaincy on the V. 403 T R U M H U L I- . establishment, in Sir "William Peppeiell's regiment. During llie peace wliich soon followed, he received his half pay, antl was chiefly employed ia his jirivate aflairs. When the war with Fiance was .renewed in 1755, he was soon thought ol' as a gen- tleman qualified for a higher sphere of command, and served his country as colonel, and commandant of a brigade to the end of the war. "Fiom the first rise of ihe present controversy with Great Britain, in 17Gt, though his interest as a half pay oliicer, might have apo!ogi<ied lor liim, if he had observed a perfect neutrality ; yet so fully convinced was he of the ruinous measures of the Brit- ish court, and so jealous was he for his country's rights, that regardless of his private interests, he took an open and decisive part, and avowedly espuused the cau-^e of Ame- rica, and persisted in that line of conduct to the day of his death. As soon as hostili- ties were commenced in the Lexington battle, the General Assembly of this colony set about raising an army, and Col. Wooster, from his apprt)ve(l abilities, well known courage, and great experience, was appointed to the chicfcommand. The same sum- mer he was appointed a brigadier general in the continental service. Llonoied with these commissions, he first commandeil the troops sent to guard New York, where il was expected that a part of the British army which came over in 1775 would land. In the latter part of that campaign, he, with his troops, went intoCanada, and assisted much in the reiluetion ol St. John's, Abmtreal, &c. ami after Gen. Alontgomery's death, had the chief command in that |)iiiviiice. He rclurned home in the summer of 177b, and not long alter was appointed fust major general of the militia of this state. He had been out the whole of the last winter, at the head of a body of men raised by this state I'or its own security, and was but lately returned ; when on Satur- day, the :;2()th ult. he received the news that the enemy, in a laige budy, had landed at Compo. He immediately set off lor Faiilield; leaving ordeis for the militia to be mustered and sent forward as fast as possible. When he arrived at Fairfield, lindiiig Gen. Silliman had marched in jjursuit of the enemy with the troops then collected, he followed on with all I'xpcilition, and at Heading overtook Gen. Silliman, with the small body of militia with him, of which he of course look the command, and pro- ceeded that same eveiuiig to the village of Ccthel. Here it was determined to divide the troops, and part wric sent oil' under Geneials Arnold and Silliman, the rest remained with General Wooster, and them he led by the route of Danbury, in pursuit of the enemy, whom he overtook on the Sabbath, about '1 o'clock, neai Ridgefield. Observing a jiart of the enemy who seemed to be delaelied from the luain body, he determined to attack them, though the number of his men was less than two hundred; he accordingly led them on himself with great spirit and resolution, ordering them to follow him. But being unL'Xperience<l militia, and the enemy having several held pieces, our men, after doing considerable execution, were broken and gave way. The General was rallying them to renew the atlarlc, when he received the fata! wound. A musket ball, fr(jm the distance of 50 rods, look him obli(juely in the back, broke his back bone. Iodised within him, and never could he found. He was removed from the field, had his woimd dressed by Docl. Turner, and was then conveyed back to Danburv, where all posMfb- caie was taken of him. The snu-eons were from the fust sensible nf the danger ot the case, and infuinicd the Llciicial of their apprchcn- Mons, which he lieaid with the greatest eonipoMire. " The dani;er soon became more appareni, his w hole lower parts became insensible, and a moitification, it is though!, be;,'aii very early. However, he lived till Friday, the 2(1 of May, and then with gieat composure and resignation, exju'reil. It was de- signed to bring his remains to New Haven, to be interred lieie, but this was found im- possible, and therefore they were interred at Danbury." TRUMBULL. Trumbull, forifiierly North Stratford, originally belonged to Strat- ford. It was incorporated as a town in 1793. It is bounded north by Monroe, east by Iluiitingtoti and Stratford, soiitli by Bridgeport, and west by Weston. Its averttgo length* is aliout five miles, and its breadth may average four and a half miles. '^I'lie central par^ of the town is about five miles north from the city tjf Bridgeport. The township is uneven, diversified with hills and valleys, and the prevailing character of the soil is a gravelly loam, which is considerably WESTON. . 409 productive. The lands are tolerably well adapted to the culture of grass, and to grazing. The township is centrally intersected by the Pe- quannock, a small stream, which discharges its waters into Bridgeport harbor. There are 4 houses of worship in the town, 2 Episcopal, 1 Congregational, and 1 Methodist. The inhabitants are generally far- mers. The population in 1810 was 1,241 ; in 1830, it was 1,242. In the north part of Trumbull, there is an elevated hill, called Tam- tashua Hill: it is the first land seen from the ocean when on this part of the coast. [Fro7)i the Cunnecticid Journal, No. 517.] North Stratford, Aug. 28th, 1777. On the 25th instant died in this place, Mrs. Hannah Henman, aged 1)9 years. JShe was a person of good understanding, strict religion, solid piety, and maintained a firm and unshaken hope in the merits of Christ to the end. And what is reinarUable concerning her exit out of the world, she died the very day on which she was 99 years of age, of which she had a premonition near 20 years before her death, in a dream or vision ; a venerable comely person, whom she afterwards used to call her guardian an- gel, and whom she had seen once before, appeared to her, and asked her age; she told liim : upon which he replied, you will not live to an hundred years, but almost ; you M'lll live to be 99, and then die. She often mentioned this to her friends and neigh- bois, and was so confidently persuaded of the truth of it, that she would frequently count upon it how many years she had to live. And there are scores of persons now living in the parish, who have often heard her say, that she should die at 99, on her biilh day, old style. About a fortnight before her decease, she enquired of her son, landlord John Henman, at whose house she died, the day of the month ; and again repeated lo the family tlial she had just so many days to live, which accordingly liap- pcned on her very birili day, as it is called. The great age this person arrived to, to- gether with those circumstances respecting the time of her death, are so very extraor- dinary, that it was thought jiroper to communicate them to the public. VV E S T O N . Weston, originally the parishes of Norfield and North Fairfield in the town of Fairfield, was incorporated as a town in 1787. The town appears to have been first settled in 1738. It is bounded n. by Read- ing, E. by Trumbull and JMonroe, s. by Fairfield and Westport, and w. by Wilton. It averages upwards of 8 miles in length from east to west, and 5 in breadth. The surface of the township is tmeven and hilly, and the soil a gravelly loam. Agriculture is the principal busi- ness of the inhabitants. The following is a southwestern view of the Congregational church, (erected in 1835,) and the Academy, which is possessed of a fund that renders it a free school. For this the town is indebted to Mv. Samuel Staples, who also gave a nutnber of acres of land in the vicinity for the benefit of the school. This place is the eastern part of Weston, nine miles from Bridgeport. There are 5 houses of worship in the town, 2 Congregational, I Baptist, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Methodist. The first Methodist church built in New England was erected in'this town. The first Methodist society in New England was formed by the Rev. Jesse Lee, Sept. 26th, 1789, it is believed at Bridgeport. The church men- tioned above, uas known by the name of " I^ee's Chapel." 52 410 W E S T P O U T . CongngiUionul Clturc/t anil the Acudc/zii/, U'talun.