History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

It is thought this house Wius built prior to 1765. At Mr. Pomeroy's decease Capt. David Hubbell bought it and built a store there. The Rev. William Bclden purchased it in 1812 or thereabouts, and occu- pied it till 1821. He wua the la.st teacher of any note in the academy, which was built for Dr. Dwight in 1785 or 1786. Mr. Belden sold the house to Walter Perry (see " Colonial," 9), of Southport. The next owner wivs Joseph Nichols, who transferred it to George AVilson. It came to his wife, Ellen Bradley Wilson, who sold it to Mr. Sinclair, of tlie New York Tribune. He sold it to Mrs. Sophia Bulkelcy, widow of Hczekiah R. Bulkeley, who hjis occupied it since 1863. No. 16. Samuel Bradley (1st) had a son Hczekiah, who built the large gambrel-roofed house standing at the southwest corner of the green or parade-ground in 1755. He had a large farm, bred horses, and had more tlian twenty slaves. The second owner Wiis Hczekiah Bradley, Jr., the tiiird was Rufus Hoyt, who married a daughter of Capt. David Hubbell, neither of whom lived over a few montiis. The next owner was Mr. Charles Nichols, who pur- chased the house in 1822. He married Polly, daugh- ter of Jonatlian and Molly Wakeinan Banks. (See "Colonial," 32.) The Nichols arc an old family in Fairfield. The first settler of that name was William. He married Abigail Ward, and died young. She was the owner of one of the " long lota." Their bodies (arc supposed to) lie in P^iirfield old ground. His (William's) only child was Ignatious, born lfU)5; mar- ried Abigail Staples. They were tlie jiarent-^ of Na- than, Ignatious, Jr., Ephraim, Abigail, and Hester. Ignatious, .Tr., is buriiil in ( Irirnticld, under this inscription : "ll.'T.- lyiK l.iiri.'.l the l«i.ly of Jl r. Igniitiuiis NickolU; who Depnrtid tills Life l>ec. ye 17, KJd, in 73 year of kla b^." Ephraini Nichols wiis born in Greenfield, Conn., and married Rebecca, daughter of Onesimus Gould.* They were the parents of Ebenezer, Hczekiah, David, Peter, John, Jesse, and Ephraim, besides five daugh- ters. Ephraim died in 1782. His son, Ephraim, Jr., has a history on his tombstone in Greenfield burying- ground : "To the memory of Ephraim Nichols, who died January 23, .\.D. 1S52, aged 94 yearfl 0 months and 8 days. In Ills youth he took |)art in tho toils and stnlggled of the American Revolution. Many nolde qualities of miud and * heart adorned liis life and endeared him to liis family and friends. He ilieil in the Christian Faith, and in the hope of a blessed Immortality. I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner, As all my fathers were. Psahn ^xxix. 12." One Ebenezer lies in Greenfield, with this tribute: "In Memory of Ebenezer Nichols, who left this world Aug. 10, 1810, In the G91h year of hid age.'' One of his grandsons. Rev. George W. Nichols, A.M., in his " Fragments from the Study of a Pas- tor," states that his grandfather " enlisted as a com- mon soldier at the early age of nineteen years, and, joining the Continental army, proceeded to the city of New York, and was there at the memorable time of the declaration of independence. He was present when the soldiers demolished the statue of King Cteorge that stood in the Bowling Green, near the Battery, on Broadway. He was present also when the battle was fought at Flatbush, L. I., and saw the British take possession of the fortifications on Brook- lyn Heights alter they had been quietly abandoned by the Americans during the night of Aug. .30, 1776. He iu-wisted, likewise, in erecting the fortifications at Red Hook, which was done during the night, that our army might, if possible, take advantjige of the enemy, and while engaged in his trying duty at this period, sullering from exposure and hardshi|>, was visited with sickness, and spent some time in tlie city hos- pital. But, though sutl'ering much from sickness and exposure, being sometimes obliged to sleep out upon the ground, in consequence of the scarcity of beds and tents, yet did the old soldier still keep to his post of duty and sacrifice. He still continued with the army as they marched on through the county of Weat- che-ster, after the city had been evacuated by the Americans. When, shortly after, the famous battle was fought at White Plains, he was there, and stood amid the smoke of the cannon, while balls from Brit- • Sec " Special IIouBca." FAIRFIELD. 303 ish muskets flew on either side of liim. After tlie occurrence of tluit signal defeat, he still foUuwed on witli the army, eneam]jin}j; with them at Tarrytown and North Castle; and then, leaving the army, he retired to his native town, arriving there on Christmas day, 1776. Afterwards he enlisted again in the ser- vice, and set out from his home once more to join the army, which had already proceeded on its way for tlie purpose of taking Gen. Burgoyne. Cn arriving at Ridgefield news was received of the capture of Kiir- goyne. Thereupon he retraced his way towartls lionie. This was the last of his participation in the Revolutionary contest. He then came home, and soon after took up his abode upon a small farm of a few acres, which he purchased with the avails of his industry." Here he erected the "old homestead," where he spent his long life ; here he brought his youthful bride, Miriam Bradley; here he brouglit up his family, — William, Sauuicl, Charles, and Bradley. These Nichols were all blessed with large families. One of John's (brother to Ephraim, .Ir.) daughters, Mrs. Ruamah Nichols, wife of Samuel Merwin, now eighty-nine, cooks her dinner if necessary. She re- mendiers sixty first cousins. jMrs. Charlotte Banks, wife of Bradley Nichols, eighty-six years old, per- forms all her domestic duties and " runs the i'arm" herself. She has two daughters, — !Mrs. William Bradley (see "Colonial," 17) and Mrs. Zalmon Wake- man, both of Greenfield. Charles Nidiols married in 181') and I)uilt the liouse owned by EIi/.al)eth Bulkeley, in which he lived till he purchased tliis " colonial." Mrs. Mary Nicliols, wife of Isaac Milbank, inherited this property from her father. Mr. Milbank's father came from Essex County, England. His home there was a .stone dwelling, " Panfield Hall," which has stood eight hundred years. It still retains its old coaches and its old styles. This hoiLse ("colonial") has never been repaired; its lower roof has never been reshingled, even. The covering is shingle sides, with the large wrought nails, but is protected by an excellent coat of paint. A bay- window and a veranda have been added, and a few changes made inside ; otherwise it remains as built one hundred and twenty-five years ago. No. 17. The house opposite Mr. Milbank's was built by Samuel Bradley, Jr., somewhere between 17.")0 and 1760. He was a merchant, or, as they expressed it in old colonial times, "kept store;" he was also justice of the peace, and in consequence was called "'Sijuire." He had tliree sons: (1) Samuel (3d), who was a priva- teersman and died during the Revolution; (2) Zal- mon, who built the house known as the "Capt. Bald- win house," now owned by Mr. A. R. T. Nichols. Zalmon also was in the commercial business, and was engaged in the West India trade with Joseph Squire, of Fairfield, dealing largely in liecf and pork ; (3) Walter is associated with house No. 14. A man named Frazier broke into 'Squire Nichols' store, and was found guilty of theft, for wliicli he suffered the penalty of death, as he was hung on a gibbet erected on a knoll not far from the late Capt. John Gould's. Crimes met witli heavy penalties in those days. The store on this ground was in a greater danger from a meml)er of the family, Samuel (3d), who went into tlie roimi wdiere no tire was allowed at any time with a lighted candle in his hand and i)Ut it in a cask on the counter, wdrieh afterw'ards he found contained gunpowder. He went liack and took out the candle in safety, showing he had courage. The projierty ilescended to two sisters, Iliilduh and Lucy Bradley, and they willed it to Maj. William Bradley, who remodeled it in 1845. His three chil- dren being married, he and his wife are the sole occu- pants. No. 18. The first minister of the gospel on Green- field Hill was the Rev. .Tohn Goodsell, whose ashes repose in the Greenfield cemetery under the slab with this simple inscription : "Here lies Ituried tin* lioily •jf tlip l!ov. M' J.ilia Oixiilsell, who departed this life December SG"", 17t«, Agcil 57 yciirs." The Rev. John Goodsell'ss:)!! Lewis in 1772 built a house whicli was used as a tavern before and after the Revolutionary war. It has been a house of great resort, and became famous from its associations. Mr. Alexander T. Nichols has kindly loaned for this work a legal abstract prepared by John H. I'erry, a lawyer of note, containing the "transfers of property, j whether by Deed, Will, Distribution, or by way of Mortgage, arranged for the most part in tlieir chron- ological order." The historic parts are interlarded as they occurred. (1) The premises in question were owned by Lewis Goodsell in fee simple, and unincumbered in 1772. (2) Lewis Goodsell gave a warranty deed to Zal- mon Bradley, ,Iune lo, 1778, for the consideration of seventy pounds. (3) Zalmon Bradley gave a warranty deed to Eunice Goodsell, wife of Lewis Goodsell, June IS, 1778; con- sideration, seventy pounds. Eunice Gooilsell died sinne time between June 16, 1778, and Nov. 28, 1794, leaving heirs, — Peter Goodsell, Lewis Goodsell, Jr., Sarah Lyon, wife of Joseph Lyon, and probably two others, whose names are diflicult to be ascertained. There is no record of a will or of the granting of ad- ministration on her estate. i (4) Peter Goodsell ([uitclaimed his share to Lewis Goodsell, Jr., Nov. 28, 1794, for a consideration of four pounds and divers good causes, etc. (•■i) Joseph Lyon, Sarah Lyon, and Lewis Goodsell quitclaimed their shares to L'jwis (i,K)dsell, .Ir., April 23, 1796; consideration, ten jiounds. t (6) Lewis (ioodsell, Jr., gave a warranty deed to Joseph Bulkeley, Jr., April 23, 1796; consideration, fifteen pounils. 304 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.