Connecticut Historical Collections

The above is a south view of the two Congrcjj;ational cliurches in Miirord ; they are but a few rods apart, separated by the Wepawani^, a mill stream passing through the center of the vihage. A small but beautiful mill pond is directly south of these churches, and adds very much to'lhe variegated, pleasant, and interesting scenery in the imme- diate vicinity. Tlio Episcopal and IJapiist churches, and the town house, are about forty rods south of the churches seen in tlie engraving. The fust canst; ol thm; being two societies in ibis place was owing to the selllement of ihe Jicv. Mr. Wliilllc^ey as [laslor, about the year 1710. The Uev. Samuel Andrew (wiio lur a long period was the minister in this town) became through age and many inljrmities imablo to perform the labor of the ministry ; i\lr. ^Vliittlesey was invited to preach and settle in the place as colleague pastor; this occasioned a division among the people. Although there was a muiority for Mv. Whittlesey, yet there was a strong and respectable minority in opposi- tion to his settlement ; it arose on account of his arlopting in some measure Arminian sentiments. An ecclesiastical council was held, in which Dr. Trumbull says he was informed " bv one of the elders, who was one of the council, that the debate w as with so much passion, that fists were doubled on the occasion.^' All attempts at union having failed, the disaftected \)avt of the society withdrew and erected a house of worship for themselves in 1712, and placed themselves under the presbytery of New Brunswick. The Episcopal society was formed in January, 17G I. The church was raised in 1771, anil consecrated by llie name ol' St. (Jeorge's chm-cli, in March, 1775. They also suffered mncli opiit, ;iiifin, and uere con- M 1 1, F n u n . 2^7} sidorcd by many as akin to the rliuirli of Rome. Rut old prcjudiees have in a measure sulisidod, and ihe church at present is in a (lourishiiii; state. There is a small but respectable Raplist church in the town, which owes its orii^dn to the Rev. James 11. J^insley, of Stratford. In IGl'l, IMilford united with the New Haven jurisdiction, wdiich then consisted of New Haven, Slamford, Cniilford and Southold, L. 1. They met w ith some dilliculty in ^^ainini^r admission, on account of having " for- merly taken in as free hur<,f(sses, six |)Ianters who were not in church fellowship," but were received on coiiLJition that these six men should " never be chosen deputies, or into any public tiust for the combination, nor be allowed to vole at any time in the election of man;isirates, and that none shoidd afterwards be admitted fieemcn butcliurch members." The town, under this jurisdiction, bad two magistrates, and sent two deputies to the general court at ^■ew Haven. William Fowler and Edmond Tapp, were the fust magistrates, after the union, and John Astwood and John Sherman, first deputies. In JMay, 1685, the town received a patent from the general court; afterwards, making further purchases of the Indians, they petitioned for a new one, which might comprehend all their territory. Accordingly the governor and company granted them another, which is dated the i2-2d day of iMay, A. 1^. 17];{. It appears by this patent, that at that time there were 235 lieeliolders in tlie town. The Indians, at the settlement of the town, were numerous. They bad four considerable villages, viz. one on the side of the Wepawaug river, ne;u' the church; one at thc])oint; another aljout half a mile north of ^Vashington bridge, and another at Tmkey Hill. Here they bad a strong fortress, with flankers at the fum* coriieis, which was de- signed as a defense against the Mohawks. At the settlement of the lOnglish, the Indians in the center of the place retired to Indian point, lying between East river and the S(jmiil. Here they lived for 20 \-ears. l-'or secunity against the Indians, the planters enclosed the town jdot with palisadoes, so thickly set that a n)an could not crowd between them. This enclosure was nearly a mile square, and was on both sides of the We])awaug river. It even- tually proved fortunate for the English that this was done. For in the years 1615 and 'dG, the Indians were hostile and very troublesome, so much so that the planleis, for their nmtual safety, kept guard night and day. i^ach soldier stood as sentinel every lifth day, and was relieved at sunset by dium beat. On their " Sabbath ami lecture days," they went armed to meeting, and when in the fields, their muskets were kept near at band. About this time the Indians set the adjacent country on fire, and it was supposed they meant to bmn the to\\'n ; but the planters were so fortunate as to arrest the jiro'iress of the flames at the swamj) on the west and nonh ol" the setileuient, before they reached the palisadoes, and thus saved their buildings. Rut the fire did much damage; most of the limber was destrojed, and a number of ])ieces of good natural meadow was so burnt that they became sunken swamps. 236 i\i 1 1, F o 11 n . Tlie Iiulians were agn'm troublesome in 1G53, and the people were under tlie appreliension of a sudden and general massacre. Tiiey were greatly hindered in their fanning avocations, and worn down with inces- sant watching. In the sj)ring of 1700, so much danger was apprehen- ded I'roni the natives, that two houses were ordered to be fortified, (one on the east side of the river, and one at the west end,) for the security of women and children, the aged and decrepid, in case of surprise. All ])ersons over IG years of age were ordered forthwith to work until the lorlifications were completed. This was a time of general alaiin, for 4 or 5 years, throughout the country. But there is nothing on I'ccord to show that any English person was ever killed by the Indians in JNlilford. About 1648, there was a famous battle fought between the Milford Indians and the Mohawks. . The latter had secreted themselves in a swamj), nearly a mile east of the lijriy, intending to surpiise the In- dians in the foit that night. The English accidentally discovering them, notified the Millbrd Indians, who, setting np the war whoo[), soon raised .such numbers, that they ventured to attack the invaders. The iMo- liawks were defeated, and several of them taken. One of their lidlen chiefs they buried on a hillock in the swamp. A stout captive was stripped and tied by the IMilford Indians in the gieat meadows, for the musquiloes to eat and torment to death. Jjut he was discovered and relieved by one Thomas Mine. I\Iany of the Wepawaug Indians eventually went off to the west and joined with the Six Nations, wdiile some few rdmained about the town; hut they have now all disappeareil. Ill all ilie vvaiij in wliicli llic country lias been <'ngnKCii, Milford lias I'tunislieJ its prupujiiun ufmoney and suliliers. lu Kini^ l^hilipV war, and in the two French wars, the tuu'u \i^l a good number of men, who died ui' sicklK■^.s in the camp or tell in Ijai- tle. In the l^'reiich and Indian war, conipanie.i of ihe IJiiuMi tioops (jiiniieieil in the place during llie winlers of 1757 and 1758 al the tow n's expense. The last winter, in a revel, ihey burnt ihe town house, upon which the ^'nvei nnienl sent over jCot) towards the erection of a new one. In— — a number of men (luia the tuwn aii-umpanied ticn. I'ninain in llic expediiidu in Cwba. At the eommenreineni uf the KfMiliiiinii, the mhabiiiuiiv wcie llllaninl^n^h■ opjic^s- cd to the (lppres^ive meiisures of the l!i itish man.sii \', and u|>eni d ;i >ub-ii i|jIimii ■■ lor the relief and support of su(di pool iiihabit;inls of Jloitun as were imniediiae siilfeiers by the Port Dill/' In 1770, a battery was built at West P(jiiit, on the west side of the lunlior, for ihe defense of the town; men were stationed at BurweU's linm, and at thi' roint, and a Minute Post kept in readiness in ease of emergency. The .town liiini-hrd a liiU (p.iotu of men for tlie army, who marched under the eoinmand of ('apt. SuiihilI t'cck. 'J'he select men were directed to " furnish guns, bayuneis and provisions Jor such as were called tbrtli ibrthe defense of the Liukktv or Amkiu., \." A premium of £l(iw;is otlered per head for men to enlist during the war. This town sulfercd eompar;iiively little (luring the war from the incursions of llie British. There were in. buildings burnt and but one house pluiulered, (that of iNliKs Merwin at I'ond romt.) lint much jiroperty was h.-t by biirving, and bye.\|niMiie to the weather in the wood^. The inhabitants contributed liberally for the leli.'f of t'Lnrfield, Danbury and .Nor- wallc. There were but lew tones in the town durum- tle-.^c nines, and those f.-w weic eomi.elled tojceep close to their houses. Of the soldieis of the revi-lulioii, there aie but a few renmining m the town. This town has givi n to (.'oiiiiei ticut i\> o i-oveinois, VIZ. Robert 'I'reai, and Jonathan Law, f.sq.-,., both ol whom were eino,eni MiiLaiien. Robert Tieat and his brother Richard came to IS'ew l-aighind with Sir Rirhaid Raltoiistall, and were among the hrst .--eitleis of Wethcrsfield. Robeii bit thai settle- ment and came to Millbrd with Mr. I'ruddeii. At the lii-t meeting; of the I'lanters, he was chosen to ai>sist in surveying and laying out the township, lie w ;is soon cho- sen one of the live Judges, and in iLiGl was elected a ruagi-lrale uf the colony, in 61 I L F O U D . '■M t