The Romance of Norwalk

Having complained about the bridge, the tavern, the inn¬ keeper, the building and the people, the lady traveled on to the next town. It is evident she did not enjoy her stay here very much, nor did she think much of us. king philip’s war After a few years of comparative peace and mental rest, Norwalk was again thrown into consternation by the advent of the Indian War with King Philip in 1675, and Massa¬ chusetts, Plymouth and Connecticut combined their military forces. Norwalk contributed its proportion. At that time 82 ROMANCE OF NORWALK there were about 50 men in the town and eleven of them took part in the Indian War. Of the terror which spread through Connecticut like a sheet of flame and put each and every village on its guard, one historian says : “By 1675 the danger from the Indians had become uni¬ versal and the fear of the scalp knife and the fire brand kept the villagers on the constant outlook. Indians hid in the woods, lurked in the barns and in the tall fields and con¬ cealed themselves even behind the meeting houses, bent on the destruction of each and every paleface. “Women and children kept to the log cabins as much as possible and feared to stir without the men. Many a cruel blow with bloody tomahawk struck down a mother or child in the garden. Nor were the homes safe. More than one good wife looked up from her stewing deer meat on the cheerful hearth, to see an evil face, hideous in war paint, staring in the window. “In many towns, the meeting houses were turned into forts and those who attended there on a Sabbath went there armed to the teeth. Grim pictures they made in that dread¬ ful winter following, tramping across the frozen, snow-cov¬ ered ground, single file, the women and the children in the center of the line, the men at either end, musket in right hand, Bible in left.” During the war, there took place deep in a tangled and boggy wood at North Kingston, southern Rhode Island, a so called “direful swamp fight.” In deep snow the battle wras fought and although the English were successful, they lost many men. Captain Seeley of Stratford lost his life in this engagement. Norwalkers who fought under him during the battle were: John Roach, Daniel Benedict, Sam¬ uel Keeler and Jonathan Stevenson. Others who fought in the Indian war against Philip were: Thomas Gregory, Thomas Hyatt, Joseph Platt, Jonathan Abbott, John Cramp- ton, James Jupp and John Belding. In grateful appreciation of their services, Norwalkers at FIRST INN— FIRST SCHOOL 83 a town meeting held January 12, 1676, ordered: “that the Towne in consideration of the good service that the souldiers sent out of the towne ingaged and performed by them in the Indian warr, out of respect and thankfulnesse to the sayed souldiers, doe with one consent and freely, give and grant unto so many souldiers as were in the service at the direful swamp fight, twelve acors of land; and eight acors of land to so many souldiers as were in the next considerable service; and fowre acors to those souldiers as were in the next considerable service.” At a town meeting November 9, 1677, it was agreed that “ye watch should be laied down, until such time as there is more danger apering; and that we will stand by ye con¬ stable if any trubble should arise upon that account.” Evi- dentally the Norwalkers decided it would no longer be necessary to keep constant vigil; but that they would be prepared, in an emergency, immediately to come to the aid of the constable. As far as is known, there is no record of any Indian in Norwalk taking part in the war against the English. BUSY TIMES HERE The years from the end of the war with King Philip in 1676 to the close of the 17th century, were very busy times in Norwalk. Outstanding events included: 1677, First saw mill, grant given to Richard Holmes on Five Mile River. 1678, Voted to hire the first schoolmaster. 1678, Town agreed to build new meeting house. 1679, Voted to mark all colts. 1683, Old meeting house sold. 1686, Voted to hire school master for quarter of year. 1686, Deputy sent to General Court. 1689, John Gregory gave deed to Fort Point to son, Thomas. 1693, Rev. Hanford died. 1694, Voted to procure another minister. 84 ROMANCE OF NORWALK 1695, Lot and house provided for minister. 1699, Voted to build a schoolhouse. In the year 1678 it was voted to hire a schoolmaster for the children in the town, he to be Mr. Cornish. The idea of spending as little money as possible for education evi¬ dently prevailed in those days, even as in these, when con¬ tinual complaint about the cost of education is heard and school teachers are paid as little as possible. Then it was decided to “hier him (the teacher) upon as reasonable terms as they can.” It is a significant fact that 27 years passed from the time the town was first settled, before the matter of hiring a schoolmaster even came before the town meet¬ ing. Perhaps the elders had no time for such things before. At the time of the passing of the first act calling for the hiring of a schoolmaster the following number of children were listed: John Gregory, jr., had three “childring”; John Gregory Sr., one; Nathaniel Hays, 7; Thomas Lupton, 2; Richard Holms, 2; John Ruscoe, 5; Mr. Hanford, 6; Thomas Bennydick, Sr., 6; John Bouton, 5 ; John Hayte, 1 ; Thomas Betts, 8; Ephraim Lockwood, 3; John Platt, 3; Samuell Sension, 2 ; Robbart Steward, 5 ; Thomas Benny¬ dick, Jr., 2; Daniel Kellogg, 6; Mathew Marvin, jr., 6; George Abbot, 7; Mathew Sension, 7; Keilers, 3; Samuel Hayes, 1; Jachin Gregory, 2; Thomas Taylor, 2; Judah Gregory, 3; Samuel Camfield, 1; Thomas Fitch, jr., 4; Thomas Seamer, 7; John Raymond, 1 ; Edward Nash, 2. The first white child born in Norwalk was said to have been John Nash, son of Edward Nash who settled in Nor¬ walk two years after its purchase. The building of the second meeting house seemed to have caused no end of trouble. In fact no less than eleven town meetings were held before the problem was anywhere near settlement. December 17, 1678 at the first meeting on the matter, a heated squabble arose as to the site of the build¬ ing and it was decided to leave the problem in the hands of “three honest, indifferent, judisious Men,” “the honered dep¬ uty Governor, the honered Major Goold, with the Reverend FIRST INN— FIRST SCHOOL 85 Elder Buckingham.” The building was not to be very large, just forty feet square, but it was to have a roof like that which adorned the Fairfield meeting house. Even in the mat¬ ter of a roof, Norwalk was not to be outdone. January 31, 1679 a committee consisting of Mr. Fitch senr., Thos. Bennydick senr., Nathaniel Hays, John Bouton, John Platt, Thos. Fitch junr., was appointed to oversee the work of construction of the meeting house. Later, Daniel Kellogg, Mr. Haite and Robert Stewart were added to the committee. June 2, 1680 it was announced that the General Court approved of the site of the new meeting house. The house was to be erected on East ave., about one block away from the old building. During the various other meetings held to decide certain matters pertaining to the town house, it was voted to put cedar shingles on the building provided they didn’t cost too- much; to* put more comfortable seats in the new house of worship; to settle the matter of correct seating once and for all; to fortify the place against war; and to erect a gallery in the back part of the meeting house. Work on this was to be rushed in order that it might be completed before the ordination of Norwalk’s second minister, Rev. Stephen Buckingham. The matter of correct seating in the meeting house took some time to iron out. At length it was decided that those who had paid the most in the building of the place of wor¬ ship should have the choice seats. The seat or pew under the pulpit however, was to be kept for the deacons. Other seats in the congregation were assigned according to rank, age or wealth. The “honorable women” followed in this respect the rank of their husbands. Great care was neces¬ sary in the seating, so that “no person shall be degraded or brought lower than they are now seated.” In 1702 John Gregory and Matthew Marvin were given liberty to sit in the Deacon’s seat, a great honor. As late as 1754, when the governor came to town and was permitted to choose his own seat, the matter was still one of paramount 86 ROMANCE OF NORWALK importance. In one of the later notes on town records, is a short piece which might give the reader the impression that in the early days a man’s character was judged according to the price he paid for his pew. There was for instance David Boult. “David Boult of pew 27 was a man, who, it is inferred, could be counted upon. There were 18 who paid more, and 49 who paid less for their pews than he; which seems ^to indicate his parish status straight through.” The gathering held to decide about the gallery in the building was the eleventh called for the purpose of deciding some question about the second meeting house, before 1700. After that date several more were called for one thing or another concerning the same building. Only four meetings were necessary for the erection and completion of the first house of worship, but as the town grew in importance, so did its inhabitants grow in importance and they became more and more particular about details as time went on. REV. HANFORD DIES The beloved Rev. Thomas Hanford, first minister in Nor¬ walk, died December 26, 1693, at the rTe °ld age of 73, after a pastorate of more than 40 years. When he died, he left to his wife the largest estate in the town of Norwalk. The pastor had a large following. One of the pioneers in the settlement, he had been faithful, hard working, loyal and honest and at his death he was sincerely mourned by the congregation. The next business on hand was the securing of a new min¬ ister. Rev. Mr. Stone arrived in town in 1694 but remained here only six months. The following year, the Rev. Stephen Buckingham, of whose diversions from the straight and nar¬ row path of sobriety we shall hear more later, came to Nor¬ walk.