History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Much of this property in this section (" Jennings' Woods," properly " Jennings' Farms") was owned by Joshua Jennings, who settled in Fairfield in IGoo. From .Tosliua Jennings, who died in 1716, have s|irung the many .Jennings who have done much to- wards pojiulating Fairfield, extending commerce and civilization, and enacting our laws. Joshua Jennings and his wife, Mary, left .seven sons and two daughters. Some report the marriage of Joshua in 1647 in Hartford, but it has not been fully authenticated. Tlicir numerous descendants are traced down through the Proliate and church records. The house occupied by Burr Lyon, deceased, was owned and occupied by Isaac Jennings, and was the first house burnt by Tryon. Jennings' wife was sister to Col. Abraham Gould, who was killed while defend- ing Ridgefidd. Interesting records of the family were obtained, through necessity, of each connecting with Joshua, to .secure his individual share of the immense fortune reported to be left to his posterity in America. In 1846 a preliminary meeting was held in South- port, and steps taken for a general meeting, which wits held in Fairfield town-hall. A committee of five was ap])ointed, — William Sherw(jod, of Fairfield ; David Coley, of Wcst|)iirt ; Gould Jennings, of Norwalk ; , of Bridgeport ; and Augustus Jennings, of Southport. The last named was secretary. They were instructed to raise funds to investigate the rumors by examining records in England as well as in this country. William Sherwood, 1".- 1. .-. « N... ;- , \i.i- intrusted with the duty of proceeding to England, and with the counsel of the Hon. David Holfman, the United States Jlinister, and others he obtained records from the Tower of London, the British Museum, the Doc- tors' Commons, and church records at Acton Place, where the great millionaire, William .Jennings, was buried. He obtained a mass of information concern- ing the English family, but did not show any connec- tion to Joshua Jennings of 16.56. The efforts made here enabled the family to interest the different brandies, so that each were enabled to show their connection with one of the seven sons of the first Joshua. These records are ]>rescrved, with those ob- tained from England, by Judge William Sherwood. Many of the descendants of Joshua are occupying the land set to him when the long lots were laid out. Green's Farms, which was formerly Fairfield West Parish, is composed largely of peoi)le of that name ; still, there is a large number of them in the township of Fairfield. There is not a burying-gronnd but has its old freestone of a hundred years ago and the white marble of to-day to the memory of a Jennings, among whom were Deacon Moses Jennings (Congregation- alist), who died in 1813, aged seventy-nine; Dr. Seth Jennings, who died years ago ; Cajit. Abraham Gould Jennings, who visited all ports and dealt in the East India trade. Deacon U. B. Jennings and Capt. Isaac (member of the Connecticut Legislature), of Fairfield, and Mr. Augusttis Jennings, of Southport, are three brothers in the Japan ]>apcr-ware business. The late Capt. Jo. Jennings, of Southport, and his sons wer« more or less engaged in commercial business. One, however, M. J. Fred Jennings, is a Southport druggist. The Jen- nings name is associated with thrift and prosperity. No. 43. In the family Bible in this house is the record, " Daniel Willson was born July 26th, in ye year 1747, and w;is married to Sarah Squier in ye year 1769," when this house was built. Their son David was .second owner. David Willson, Jr., next in the genealogical line, hcired it. He dying, his sister, Eliza Willson, is the owner and occupant. She is a lady of intelligence, and her mind is replete with Revolutionary reminis- cences. Her mother was but six and a half years old when Fairfield was burnt, and the family escaped to the hills for safety. They lost everything, but were timnkful that no one of their family was among the missing. Their house was opposite the Burr Belts place, in Fairfield, and was occupied later as a bel- lows-factory. After the conflagration the Willsons built farther back. Capt. Daniel Willson's, of Black Rock, was raised in the foreno<m, and this Daniel Willson's in the afternoon, of the same day. In this latter house may be found some rare old books. Among them are to be seen Josephus, in four volumes, printed by Shober & Loudon for John M. Gibbons and Robert Hodge (MDCCLXXV.). On I FAIRFIELD. 313 the fly-leaf is the iuiti)y:ra|>h of "(}. S. Silliinaii, 177o." The Ixidks were ol)taineil at an auction lield for tlie disposal of (ien. 8illinian's [iroperty. No. 44. This property is located on Holland Hill. A title was given l>y Robert f^illinian to Ebcnezer Silliinan, Jan. 7, 1740. " Daniel Sillinian, the first of the name who settled in Fairfield, was understood, in the traditions of the fanuly, to have been an emigrant from Holland." " The Sillimans of I''airfield were settled from the be- ginning upon an eminence about two nules from the village of that name, and ealle<l — in consc(iuence, probably, of the reputed origin of Daniel Sillinian — Holland Hill."- The first Daniel SiUiman, who died in ICIMI, had three sons, — Daniel, Thomas, and Ivobert. The father, dying in l(ji)0, left iniincnndiered an estate amounting to two hundred and one pounds. Thomas died in 1092; his brothers were his administrators. He ajiparently left no children. Daniel, Jr., died in 1697, leaving six children, of whcnu John was a mer- chant and had a large estate. He married Ann Burr. Robert married Sarah Hull, probably the grand- daughter of Rev. John Jones. He (Robert) died in 1748, leaving three son.s — Robert, Jr., Nathaniel, and Eljenezer — and four daughters, — Ann, Sarah, JIartha, and Rebecca. Ebenezer nuirried Abigail Selliek, daughter of Abigail Selliek, in 172S. Their chihlren were Gold Selliek, born 17;)2; Ebcnezer, born 1734; Amelia, 1730 ; Hezekiah, 1739 ; Jonathan, 1742 ; Abi- gail, 174S ; Deodate, 1749. He was called " Date." The father of this family lies in Fairfield cemetery, and his resting-place is marked by a freestone slab containing this inscription : " III Blemory of the HouWe EbeneziT .Sillinifin, Esq'. For ni.iny years succL'Ssivfly a iiiemhcr of the Council ami one of the .Iiiilges of the Sii- IHtioiir Court, in the Colony of CouneetiL-iit. lUstinguiished with a clear unilenstantUnjj^, a sedate niintl, aiul dignity of iIelK>rttnent, well versed in Jurisprudence, learned in the Law, and relijiiously iiprij,'ht, he sn.stainM those high TituST.-* (and acted in other important Itelatious) with Houoiu- to hitn«elf, to his Family, and to his Country. " And having served his generation, hy the w ill of Ood fell asleep, in the OMth Year of his age, on the ll'l' Oct', 177."). " ' I have said ye are gods, but ye shall die like men." " His wife's resting-place is thus marked : "In Memory of Sirs. Abigail .Siltiniau, Late A'lialdc- Consort of the Ilointnrable Ebenezer Sillimatt, Ksi|. She died March 10 a.I). 1772, Aged 05 Years one month, wanting one day. IIow lov'd, how valu'd once avails thee not; To whom related or by whom begot: A heap of dust alone remains of thee, 'Tis all thou art, and all the proud sh'll be." This Ebcnezer Silliman was a graduate of Yale College in 1727. He was the proprietor of a large landed estate, and an influential man in public aftairs. In the Congregational Church records it is found that Mr. Ebcnezer Silliman was admitted as member un- der Rev. Joseph Webb, Dee. 24, 1727. At a meeting held in Fairfield, "ye 5th Day of Jan'y, A.li. 173-;, Ebcnezer Silliman was chosen Scribe," when they voted whether a choice be made of "ye Ri'v' Jlr. Noah Hobart for ye head and pastor" of stiid church. Later we find that " in 170.S Ebcnezer Silliman and Dr. John Allen were apjiointed a committee to take an account of the church stock," showing that he held a pliice in Church as well as in State. Of his children, (told Selliek was a graduate of Yale College in 1752. "At a clinrili meeting, Apiil L'.'., 177(1: " I o/e</. That Messis. Ileodate Silliman. Peter Hendrick, Samuel Sturges, David .Vllen, IVter Jennings, James IVntield, Israel liibbins, Jeremiah Jennings, and any others of the church or society who are skilled in psalmody, be <Iesired to sit together in the gallery on the Loid's day :lnd le.ad the congregation in that part of diviin_' worship, they to agree among tliemselves as to the person wlio is to pilch tlie lniie.'"f Amelia's h.istory is found on a tombstone in the Fairfield cemetery : "This niunmnent was erected by oribi of William lluri in commemora- tion of his honored mother, .\melia, who lived the partner and widiiw of El>enezer Burr, sou of Sanniel and Eliziibeth Ituir, late of Fairtield, deceased. Also lived tlie Jiartner and died the widow of Abel Coubl, son of Samuel Gould, late of Failtielil, deceased. Was diUlghter of Elieue- zer Silliman, Ksii-. late of Fairtield, deceitsed ; was burn in New Y'olk, 17:ir., and died iii the ye:ir t7'.l4, aged .")S yeais." This " colonial" passed from Ebcnezer Silliman to Joseph Noyes, a lawyer, known as " 'Siiuire Xoyes," and stepson of (Jen. Sillinian's. Mr. Noyes, in 1799, disposed of it to Daniel Wil.-*in, who transferred it to his mother, Sarah Wilson. From her it Ciime to a son, .lohn S. Wilson, in 18<>3. Distribution was made in 1870 from the estate of John S. Wilson to William 8. Wilson, who is the present owner anil occupant. J. A. Wilson, the son of the latter, is principal of the Mill Plain graded school, — a position he has successfully occupied three years and has entered on his fourth. The Wilsons, too, belong to Fairfield's early .settlers, as the tombstones testify. A few inscrijitions are here given : " llele lies Unried the body of Mrs. Sarah Willson, Second wife of Mr. Nathaniel Willson, and daughter of Mr. Uobert Silliman, who was born IVJnmrij 17, 1728, ami departed this Life July 2:1, 179."j, Aged 07 yeai-s 4 nnuiths and 20 days." " Here lyes Buried y Body r»f Mrs. Maiy ■Wills Wife to M' Nathaniel Willson, Jun% Who Iteparteii this life Octi>' lllth.l74fl, in ye 25th Year of Her Age." 21 ■ From Fisher's Life of Benjamin Silliman.