Connecticut Historical Collections

bushels of dirt, but some stone hindered his passage that way ; upon this disappoinf- menl, he changed his measures, and woikcd against the dour with so much sirenglh tiiat he dreu' six teiipeuny nails oui oC the wooden (iirjgesand keich ol'ilie iaicli. 'Tis supposed he did ihis by pulling his paws under the door and prying and pushing, by wliich means he got in" and earned olf tlie best of two calves, a great pan ol which was loiind in a swamp about half a mile from the house. 'Twas observed ihat the track ol the Bear was plain, bui no ap|:)earaine of liis ilragging ihe call along tlie ground, so thai he must iiave carried it on his back. While [leople weie looking for the calf, a favorite old dog, called Beaver, suddenly left his master and soon alter re- turned wounded, supposed in an engagement with the Bear. On a moining about a fortnight afterwards, the Bear was discovered eating a lamb about a mile and a half from ihe other place. After he was scared from ihence by dogs who lugged him, 'lis said ihai he was three limes driven from a Hock of sheep aboui tour miles Irom the last place. He ihen destroyed a hive of bees at another [dace. About four days after this performance he reiurned to the dwelling house near which he seized the calf, and at night unnailed the wooden bars which defended Ihe window ol a milk room, got in and feasted on a tray of milk', turned another over and spill it, then took up a punch bowl containing about three quarts of cream, carefullv carried it ihiough the window, near fifteen feet from the house, without spilling ; and after he had drunk or lapped it, genieelly turned the bowl bottom upu'ar.ls (as if he had drank a dish of lea for break- fast) anil left it whole. The noise occasioned by the B( ar's letiiiniiig out ol the win- dow (which to be sure mu-^i have bi'en greater than the noise occasioned by getting in) disturbed the man and his wife, who got up to discover the cause. They soon lounj where the robher got in ; and hulh together pulling their heads out at a window under which the bear happened to he, he rose up, like a lion ramjiant, and struck at ihem with his paws. The woman screamed, the man shuddeieil, giit his gun and loaded it. (f 'J'he Bear was then mounted mi the rails ol a leiice. The iiian shot, the Bear roared, and made otf. The man then sent an express for his brother (the authorot ihisslory) who soi.n appeared wiih a gooil gun and his young dog Drover. After hunting awhile, they discovered the Bear lying in a swamp. Dioverfw ho had never beforeseeu a Bear) made towards him with a' kind of half courage, as if unwilling to be thought a coward, at the same lime prudently deteimining to do nothing rashly. 'Twas now remarked that brave old Beaver instead of running at the Bear, attacked Drover and prevented him showing how much he dared to do. This uncommon and seemingly strange behaviot of Beaver (since it allowed their actions to speak louder than words) I was reasonably imputed lo a natural jealousy, lest Drover should have the htmor of disabling Bruin, which Beaver seemed sensible he had done bctbre, and therefore claimed and strove lo maintain ihe respect due to his meiit. Drover's niasier then shot, the Bear groaned hideously, and both dugs fell on him, who at last forced him to take shelter in a tree. 'J'liere he was sullered to remain till daylight, when another shot brought him lo'lhe ground. His carcass weighed l(i'2 lbs. and it appeared that six bullets had been shot ihiough at three ehaiges. Let it here be supjiosed that he was wounded uiice fur killing ihe calf, once lor t aliiig the lamh, and once for destroy- ing the bei- hive. I'or la|i|iing the milk, oveisclting ilie icst, stetilingihe cieani, aiid da'rnaging a maiden, he was worried by the duL's. Several piinishmenis for ditiercnt crimes, all oi which the same Bear wa.^ Judged guilty u\ . and thus sulleied for. His body was quartered, autl partly eaten at Bethany, and the remainder brought to th^s town as a rarity. B R A N F O R D . Branford was purclmsed by tlie New TIaven colonists in Decem- ber, 1G;3S, n few days alter lliey hail bou;,dii INew IIa\en, oriMoniaiigiiin, sachem of Qiiiiitii|)iac. The occasion of its hrst seiilenient was owinj^^ to a division among the people at Wethersfield. The members of the cburc.li at this place removed to Connecticut without their pastor, and h avin-.; no settled minister at first, full into unhappy contentions and ani- mosities. These continued for a numlier of years, and divided the in- habitants of the town, as well as the brethren of the church. They were the means of scalterinj^ the inhabitants, and of the formation of new settlements and churches in other placps. Great pains were taken R A N F O R D . 18 to compose their differences, but all attempts to effect this object wcr unsuccessful. ]\lr. Davenport and some of the brethren of the churci at New Haven were sent for, in order to effect a reconciliation. Tli. advice which Mr. Davenport and his brethren gave was, that if thei could not be united among themselves, it would be expedient for on* of the parties to remove and commence another settlement. This ad vice was ultimately followed. In 1611, a tract of land was sold by New Haven to IMr. Wllllan Swaim and others, for the accommodation of those persons in WetherS' field who wished to remove. The settlement of the town was imme- diately commenced.* At the same time, Mr. Abraham Plerson, with part of his church and congregation, from Southampton, on Long Island; removed and united with the people of Wethersfield in the settlement of the town. A regular church was soon formed, and Mr. Plerson was chosen pastor. The town was named Branford. Branford, (^centred -part.^ The above shows the appearance of the Congregational and Episco^ pal churches and the academy, from the west, as you pass the main road towards Guilford, 7 miles from New Haven. The Congregational church is seen on the right; the next building, with a cupola, is the academy. The Episcopal church is the building with three windows ♦ Sept. 5, IGIO.— The General Court, at New Ilaven, made a grant df IVitoketi to Mr. Samuel Eaton, brother of Gov. Eaton, upun the condition of iiis procuring a num- ber of his friends from England, to make a settlement in that tract of country. Mr. Eaton failed in fullilling the conditions.— Ahout three yeais after, the suhjecl u'as acted upon thus : " Tutokett, a place fit for a small planiation, betwixt New Haven and Guilford, and purchased from the Indians, wasgrantrd to Mr. Swayne and some oth- ers in Wetherslield, they repaying the charges, whicii are betwixt £12 and £13, and joining in one jurisdiction with New Haven and tlie forenamed plantations, upon the same fuudameiiial agreement settled in October, 1G13, which they duly considering accepted." — .Y. Ifaven records. 1 90 B R A N F O U D . in front. These buildings stand upon a large and open area, irregular in its form and uneven on its surface. The burying ground is situated a short distance eastward of the house seen on the extreme right. At tlie time of the union of the colony of JNew Haven with Connect- icut, all the towns uniler the jurisdiction of New^ Haven were satisfied with the union, except J5ranl"ord. Mr. Pieison and almost liis whole church and congregation were so disj)leased, that they soon removed to Newark, in New Jersey. They carried oil" the records of the church and tow^n, and after it had been settled about five and twenty years, left it almost without inhabitants. For more than twenty years from that time, there was not a church formed in the town. Peoj)le from various parts of the colony gradually moved into it, and purchased lanils of the first planters, so that in about twenty years it became resettled. In 1685, it was reinvested witli town i)rivilegcs.* Tlie townsliip is bounded n. by North JJranford, w. by East Haven, E. by Guilford, and s, by Long IslanrI somiil. Its average length from east to west is about 7 miles, and its Ineadih 1. The surface of the town is uneven, being composetl of hills and valleys; the soil is strong, but cold. When quickened with manure, it \ iehls rich crops. The inhabitants are principally farmers. Tliere is no considerable river in the town ; the largest stream discharges ilseli' into the harbor, which is small but convenient, admitting vessels from 10 to G(J tons. '^I'hcre is a cluster of small islands belonging to this town, called Thin)ble Isl- ands, and another cluster called Indian Islands. Various kinds of salt water fish are taken plentifully in almost every mouth in the year. There are 8 vessels belonging to this town, manned by about fifty bands, which are engaged in taking salmon in the river Kennebeck, in the slate of Maine. Tliis business is commenced about the Isl of April, and continued till the 1st of July. The inlrabiiants of l^ranford arc generally industrious, and pro[)erty is very much equalized. In 1835, they had but one town pauper. About the year 17^10 was a lime of great attention to the subject of religion in almost every pan of the country. 'J'lic religious part of the community were niosily divideil in two parties, the JS'civ Lights and the Old Lii^hts. The New Lights were active and zealous, in the discharge of every thing which they conceived to be their religious du- ty, and were in favor oi' ^Ir. Whitiield and others, itinerating through the country and stirring up the people to reform, foe. The Old Lights considered much of their zeal as wild-lire, and endeavored to suiipress it. In the year 1741, when the grand council met at Guilford, the association drew up several resolutions to be laid befjre tliat council ; among which was the following : " That, ibr a minister, to enter into ■ another minister's parish, and preach, or administer the seals of the cov- enant, without the consent of, or in opposition to the settled minister of the parish is disorderly, ls:c." A majoi'ily of the ministers being of the Old Light stamp, " they exi)elled liom the association, all the zealous Calvinistic preachers, or enthusiasts as they esteemed them, except J\Ir. Dr. T ruin bill BRANFORD. 191