History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Joscpli Bulkeley lived in this house sixteen years. AccortUn<j to the Bulkeley Genealogy, he lived to be over one lumdrcd years, lie was the son of Daniel and Hann.ih Hill Bulkeley. When he first moved into the house lie-itrnbably routed it, us his son Uriah states he bought portions of the place as he could ob- tain them of the heirs. Ke said, " We all moved into the place Oct. 28, 1786, my mother riding on a bed in grandfather's cart, with my brother three weeks old, and all the furniture they liad at the time. My father taught school for about two years in the district school-house, on the southeast corner of the green. His business — keeping tavern — wiis so good that in 1787 he raised up the front of the house, put windows up-stairs in front, made a double piazza, with stairs to the ball-room, plastered the chambers, — which had not been done before, — took down the chimney to the lower floor and rebuilt in a better manner, with free- stone licarths," etc. In another place he says : " These houses [in Green- field] were all built on one plan, with back roofs de- scending to tlie height of the kitchen." The usual style was tf> have the well, with the old well-sweep, in front of the house, as was the hatchway-door. The roofs were, most of them, raised the same year except the old tavern. In 1788, Joseph Bulkeley bought of his father-in- law, John Hubbell, the store which stood on the cftrner where Ilejiry Gjodsell now lives. He hired men and teams to draw it on to his premises. Mr. Uriah Bulkeley further states: "It was done with much dilRculty, as the road at that time, and years after, was full of rocks. He at first left it the whole width on the green, west of the house, not connected, as there were some fruit-trees where it at last stood." In 17J)1, Joseph Bulkeley went to New York and bought a small assortment of goods and began store- keeping. He succeeded pretty well, and next year went to New York and took with him his son Uriali, ten yeai*s old. He describes this trip seventy-seven years later, showing the only method of going to New York except by private conveyance at that time: " Wo went tu Mill River (now SouUtport) nuiX to New York in a small (Ucip. WiiUor rorry, niiutor, liin brother David, Imnd, Joli IViTy (tliuso were Petor I'crry'd sons), my Tatlicr, inyseir, and one female, ivuiiiengors. Tlie b1ik>|i, only twenty tonn, mills and vessel old, wind fresli nt N. E. When uo gi>t to Xorwalk UlaiuU It ttUiit in so thick with enuw Uiat wo could hardly see the leugtli of the vessel, a heavy rolling sea, anil every ioul on board deailly sea-siL-k except the remalo. Could lianlly find any one to steer, but wc drifted along Itiruugh tlio Sound to Ilart Island, whrn it bn)kf away, and wont on lo KikorV (then Ilewlel's'l Island, and anrhored. Dent down next uiornhig, went into Burling Slip to tho lieai), and otir tvownprlt lay Itnlf-way arruMs I'eurl Street, then Queen Street, at tin- ftHit of Juhn Street, on the corner of which woa Rogora •£ Woolsey's hanlware-«tore, with a large gilt padlock for a sign, which waa my guide bark to the F^ltHfp, as I lived on board. " After al>out a week wo starteil for homo, wind S.E. In going through llell-GiMe, cK*e-hftuled on the wind. There was a large wiKwl-ttloop coming down iHifore the wind wltli no one forward to lotrk out Wo hnlb-i| them, but could make no one hear unlit cb«e on to us. Sho Ju»t grazed our side, and hur l>ow»prit caught into the aftor-leatrli of our mainsail and unHhi|ii>e4l our lioori^bruko the gaff in three pieces, and ti>ok the whole s»il olT her bowsprit; look off our boat which was tn tow. "We made out, as the tide was with ub, to get up, under our jib, agnimtt Kiker's Inland and anchored. The nloop anchored near whore the old Husjar frigate was sunk. Our boat Imd drifted ashore; they picked it up, and towed it back with the mitiuMail, and Helllud for the damages. Father and myself wont ashore and blept. There was a tre- mendous giile tliat ni{,'ht. "Next day waa pleasant. Mended and bent our sail, and started for home. Anived at tho dock nt daylight next morning, walked home, and commeiicod at Dr. Dwight's Academy to learn " ' Arma virumque cano.' " A smart boy for ten years ! The schools of to-day (1880) do no better in education than in 1792 unless Uriah Bulkeley was a grand exception its a pupil. He continues : " Tho store and tavcni, with its (*ign of a horse, which is no better than n cariL-aluro — did protty giKMl business that winter, — maybo pro- ducoil some jealuutty anmng the old storekoeiH-rs, who perhaps folt as if the store wos encn>aching on llieir rights. '* Father next spring brought a largo supply of goods, but within a few weeks after lil^ return some one (or more) bruke info the store and tofii; about one thousand dollars* wuith of drygtxxts and faricy articles, and left tho st'>ro bare and a amsidorablo debt due in New York. To show the sympathy of the world, next day after the loss wos known, us I was driving cows, a son of my fathor*s friend met mo and said, ' Well, your dad has lost his goods ! I guess you will liavo to come to *t now.* " I remained at school and father paid his debts notwithstauding.*' He further states: *' My father did not keep store in Greonflcld after his loss, but moved the store back to connect with the houBe at tho southwMt corner of the bar-room, and movo«l the ohl bar fnun the northwest corner, whoro it remained till William Shaw moved it away. Father used it for a dining- room when he had much com|iany.** Again he says (in 1869) : " I am pleased tosco tho old homo of my youthful days fitted up in such good style. The old tavern has had a great many customers of the noblest of tho laud and Toreign countries. I recollect Talleyrand, and the S|ianish minister plenipotentiary (Don Onis, or a similar name) dining there. The lawyers and jvidges of the court at Fairfleld fre- quently cumo up and spent Sunday, among whom I recollect Judges Iteeve, Kdmunds, Chapnuiu, Uriah Tracy, Gideon Gninger, Ephralm Kirby, Rostwick Whittlesey, Thaddeus Benedict, Pierp<uit EilwardK, Ditvel of Nor^N'alk, Dnggot, Nathan and Nathaniel Smith of New Haven, and nearly every* judge and lawyer that attended the court, Ilufus King, our minister to Kngland, Joel Barlow, minister to Fnince, Cun. Rufus Putnam, ono of tlie finttseltli'i-s in Ohio. I recollect him fur his having holster and pistols and a bearskin on hissaddle. I think there have l>een mon.' visitors in the old houRC of the best class than almost any other public-house in a country place, owing, probably, in part, to the great reputation of Dr. Dwight's academy nnd to tlie beautiful s.'enery on the hill, which cannot beHur|>asseil for beauty, if it is in grandeur." In connection with the hotel and Dr. Dwight's school he is quoted further: "Those were lively times at Greenflehl. Tho old house of 'entertain- ment* was full to overlbiwing. In the winter they would have a danco altout once a month, having Mo«4's Sturges to fiddle, wine and plum-cake. Dr. Dwight always came in, took a glass of wine and a plocoof cake, told Homo plunsant storj', and left within half an hour." Joseph Bulkeley moved to Black Hock, and .'iold the tavern in 1810 or 1812. His son Uriali married Jane Sayre,* of Fairfield ; she died in 1831. He died at Dobb's Ferry, X. Y., July 23, 1874, aged ninety- two. Dr. Dunham relates he saw him a few months before he died, when he stated he "did not wish to live to be an old man." He has one son, William Henry Bulkeley, a bookseller in Louisville, Ky., * Sec note to Eliot's letter. FAIRFIELD. 305 where lie resides. He lias one ilaushter, the wife of Henry ( lonlon Harrison, tlie arehiteet of Gan.len City. It is related of Uriah IJulkeley that when he was niairii'il everything was conducted in royal style, even the wood burnt in the fire-place was planed, and, gossiji now adds, " was gilded at both ends." 17) .Foseph Bulkeley, Jr., gave a warranty deed to Medad Bradley, Mareli 23, 1812; ccnisideration, six- teen hundred dollars. (S) Medad Bradley mortgaged this jiroperty to Gershoni Burr to secure the .sixteen hundred dollars, .^lareh 2S, 1812. (0) Gershom Burr quitelainied to Medad Bradley, April 3, 1817; consideration, sixteen hundred dollars. (10) Medad Bradley mortgaged to Thomas Bartram to secure twelve hundred dollars. May 7, 182"). (11) Thomas Bartram quitclaimed to Jledad Brad- ley, March 10, 1826 ; consideration, one dollar. (12) Medad Bradley gave a warranty deed Nov. 2, 1827, to Sturges Morehouse; consideration, eight hundred and fifty dollars. iXfi) Sturges Jlorehouse mortgaged to Isaac Banks, Oct. 27, 1.^38, to secure twelve hundred and seventy- five dollars. Isaac Banks, the mortgagee, died about .Ian. 1, 1841, leaving a will, in wdiicli William Nich- ols and Horace Banks were executors. (14) William Nichols and Horace Banks, executors on the estate of Isaac ]5anks, deceased, quitclaimed to Sturges Morehouse, March 12, 1841 ; consideration, one hundred dollars. (15) Sturges Morehouse gave warranty deed to Hezekiah Phillips, March 12, 1841 ; consideration, five thousand dollars. (IG) Ilez. Phillips gave warranty deed to D. Burr, March 17, 1845 ; consideration, fifteen hundred dollars. The property is now definitely described as " con- taining three acres more or less," as all transfers do after this date on this estate. (17) David Burr mortgaged to Nathan ]5ulkeley to secure three hundred dollars, April 17, 1845. (18) Nathan Bulkeley quitclaimed to David Burr, Sept. 11, 1847; consideration, three hundred dollars. (19) David Burr mortgaged to Samuel \. Nichols to secure six hundred dollars, Sept. 11, 1847. (20) David Burr also mortgaged to P. T. Barnum to secure one hundred and twenty-five dollars, April 21, 1849. The W(n'ld knows the showman's histiuy. (21) David Burr gave a warranty deed, subject to mortgage, for six hundred dollars, Dec. 13, ]S.')0, to Lewis Nichols ; consideration, three hundred and fifty- two dollars. (22) Lewis Nichols quit(daimcd to Eleanor B. P>urr, Dec. 13, 1850; consideration, three hundred and fifty- two dollars.