History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

This (rershom Burr diet! in New York in 1.S2.S; he was a num of prominence in the State and was briga- dier-general of the militia from 1810 to 1824, when he resigned. Among his children are Jonatluin Sturges BiUT, born in Fairfield, but who went to New York City in l.S2.">, when there wa> unwonted activity in commerce owing to the ojrening of the Erie (Janal. Jlr. Burr found employment as book-kee])er with Hinton & Moore, ship-chamllers and dealers in paints and oils, wliieli position he occupied for years, then bcgtiii business on his own account. Subsequently he was a partner with two or three jicrsons, and tlien hi-i brolbers Arthur, Fredrriek, and himself formed the firm P>urr, Watei'man i*i: (_'o., in the manufacturing of patent blocks, which business became lucrative. Mr. .1. S. Burr w;is head and senior member from 1844 to 1877, when he witlidrew. In 1842 he removed to Williamsbiirgh, where he has been ideatilieil with the social, political, financial, and educational interests of the community, of which he has been n moilest but eonsjdcuims and influential member. He was elected to the Board of Finance, in wdiich he served with aliility iind fidelity. When the consolid.ition of Williamsburgh and Brooklyn occurred (in 18.5.')) Mr. Burr was api)ointcd a member of the Board of Education, of which he was one of the most useful men fiir twenty-three years. He is deeply interested in schools, and has devoted much time and energy to i.ublic service in this line. AVhen the "Williamsburgh Savings-Bank was estab- lished, Mr. Bitrr was one of the original trustees. It now has n capital of nearly fourteen million dollars, and enjoys the confidence of its depositors. He is now, and has been for years ])ast, one of the vice- presidents. When the Republican party was formed he wtis active in tlie councils of the local organiza- tions, and aided very mucli in the ]ir()st^eution of their particular objects. He h;is also been treasurer in the Refbrmed Church for more than thirty years. The following letter is from Mr. J. S. Burr, and ex- plains itself: " 17S S.)l Til Uth St., B1100KI.V.V, E. V. "Sept. 1, l.SSO. " Mas, BriiK Pkuuy : ''l>i:.\i{ Madam, — It gives me pleasure t.. comply with y<.nr request, an. I are.iriUngly j.roceed to furnish yon with such recoUeeti.uis of afiaii-8 rehitiiiK t.p the court an.l justicians of Faiifl.d.l as may come within tho scope of y..iii' plan. 1 am proud t.» ilaim a hiithlight in whatever con- cerns the gooil name and tamo of tho dear .d.l town, county, and State with which all my earliest associati.ilis in life were formeil, and tho memory of which had a.lded happiness to my rijKT yeais. '■ It is know 11 that the tow n of Fairliel.l was tor a l.mg wliile the capi- tal, so to sp.-ak, of the county. In it was the court-house, whore tho 324 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. judges of variuutj grades diHpcnficd the Justice which is the bulwark of siH-ii^ty. "Judges Tuppeu Reeve, cliief, with Mitchell and Edmonds, associates, formed,! believe, the li{jj;h court in my earlier boyhood. On the days the couit was to l»e in regular session it was the custom for the juilgos to meet in some place luisigned, and the juroi's in another, on opposite sides of the green, in the centre of which stood the court-house. On the hour for opening court the boll was well rung. Then presently the high slieri/T, Mr. Ebeuezer Dimon,* with his statT of office, issued forth fol- I iwe4l by the judges. Directly after came the jurymen, led by the town constable, Bfr. Niitlian BeiTS. .\s the pixicefwion entiMcil the courUnmm the sheiilT with i lear and distinct voice announced the approach of the judicial dignitaiies. Silence then fell on all; not a whisper was heard until the judges niirl jury had been duly seated. Judge Reeve then, leaiiitig forward <iver the desk, witli slow and measured speech, would say, ' Mr. Clerk, open this court.' That olllciitl — Col. Daviil Rurr, a portly l>ald.heuded nmn of fine presence and conmutnding dignity — then addressed the sheiilT: * Mr. Sheriff, nmke prochunatlon ;' whoreuiion the sheriff discliarg(«l the duty in form and manner following: '(Hi yes! Oh yes ! this Superior Court is now open. All persons having any cause or action pemlingulll take due notice thereof.' Then came the order from the liench ; ' Jlr. Clerk, call the jury.' That having been done, the parlies to the intnu'dtute case in hand were summoned to answer, or the calendar was followed. " The demeanor of all concerned in the administration of the law while the courts were in session was usually grave, and even reverential. Our ancestors were not without cheerfulness, but wheu they met t<i de- termine justice, punish the criminal, and protect the innocent, they were earnest and serious, as befitted the business ciimmitted to them. "Very truly yoni-s, "J. S. lilRH." The court must liavc been higlily imposing, with . the array of |)Owclerefl Iiair, ruffles, long stockings, etc. Of the IJurrs mentioned so far, they liave owned, or were born in, or lived on, the premises in considera- tion (No. 2, "Special"). A few weeks after the burning. Governor Hancock paid his frieixl ti visit, and wliile tliey were surveying the ruins he remarked to Mr. Hurr that he must re- build, and offered to furnish the glass needed, pro- vided he would build a house precisely like his own in Boston. Mr. Burr accepted the offer, and built a house the exact counterpart of Mr. Hancock's.t It was stated not long since to the histdrian that the frame wtts sent to Mr. Burr from Boston by Mr. Han- cock as a present, and was unloaded on the green in Fairfield. It was an exact reproduction, described a few pages back, but when Mr. O. W. Jones purcha.sed it, about fifty years ago, he remodeled it, to the regret of all, as he destmyed tlie dormer-windnws and gam- brel roof and mudernized it, so tliat the historic cast is gone. There would be no pardon if others of the Burr family were omittetl. Parton used the name of one Burr (.Varon) for the subject of two volumes, and, as his father is a native of Fairfield, Avhat .shall we say for several others who have been valuable in State or public service? Jchue, the first settler, was one who signed the deeds with the Indians in the colony, and .seems from the first to have taken a higli rank in Fairfield. He * High Sheriff £l>enozor Dtmoii resided whore J. J. Jonc« now doc«. lie was highly eiluciite<l, and sDoko several languages. French was fluent with bim as hi4 native todftln, vlciaili ami went West. tSeo Burr OoueoJogj'. JIo had two M>iis, who wore phy- represented Fairfield at the General Court, and was also commissioner on educational matters and grand juror. Jehue Burr, Jr., was born in England in 1625, died in Fairfield in l()!t2. In 1670 he wtis deputy from Fairfield, having John (his brother) for associate ; he was also lieutenant of tlte Fairfield train-band, also a member of the "standing council," which is similar to the committee of war of later years. He was also commissioner for Fairfield, a jiatron of learning, and one of the originators of the old school system of Connecticut. Jehue, Jr., had a brother. Col. John Burr, a man of great executive ability and prominent in the affairs of tlie colony. He was made freeman in 1664. Two years later he was chosen dei)uty, afterwards a com- missioner. In 1690 he was senator and magistrate of the colony. At this period the witchcraft delusion swept over the State. Col. Burr was caiitain in the train-band and commissary for Fairfield County in the French-and-Indian War. He was concerned in the origin of the town of Danbury. Nathaniel Burr had a son, also known as Col. John Burr. The limits of his farm and the site of his house, and the old Council Oak under which he bought his land of the Indians, are yet pointed out. In 1874 a great-granddaughter was living, who re- tained many recollections of him. He wiis born in 1673, and was commissary of the county in 1704. He had to see that " biskett" was provided for the sol- diers, keep the war accounts, and keep a stock of sup- plies on hand. He was ne.xt deputy from Fairfield. In 1723 he was Speaker of the House. He was audi- tor, justice of the peace and (Quorum, and judge of the County Court, al.so of Probate Court in place of Joseph Wakeman, deceased, which office he held seventeen consecutive years. He was several times commissioned in the military service of the colony. Ill 1710 he was major of the forces in the expedition to Nova Scotia. In 1733 he was appointed one of the judges in a court of Chancery. Col. Burr was one of the largest landholders in the State. He was one of the i>rincipal founders of the old North Church of [ Stratfield (now the First Congregational of Bridgc- jiort). He died in 17">0, leaving an estate of fifteen thoibsand two hundred and eighty-eight pounds. Col. .\iidrcw Burr, son of Jtdin anil grantlson of Maj. John Burr, was a lawyer by profession, an a.ssis- tant and magistrate of the colony, sewral times Speaker of the House, and wielded great influence In the councils of the colony, yet his chief di.stinetion was created by his numerous and varied military ser- vices. In 1731 he was lieutenant, then iiromoteil to be captain, then major. In 174-') he took part in the most brilliant of the colonial wars, — the Cape Breton expedition. He was commissioned colonel in 1750. He was deputy for Fairfield, a.^sistant of the Upper House, justice of the peace, judge of the County Court, clerk in the Lower House, Speaker also, and FAIRFIELD. 325 sheriff. He also assisted in rovisinir the hiws in 1740. His pnl)lic services were so varied and mnuerous tliat tlie reader is referred ■ to the Burr ( ieneahigy, by Charles 15urr Todd. Col. Andrew Burr's life was a jdeasant one. lie married (1), in 171!l, Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Sturges; they had thirteen ehildreu. He married (2), Sarah Stanly, of Hartford; they had one daugliter. ]Ie lies in the old Imrying-ground. A largo nioss- eovered stone, richly carved, nuirks his resting-place : "ircro lyes Bill k-il tin- Ii...l,v iif ("'()!" .Viiilrew Burr, Who .leiiiirte.l tliis life Nov ye Dth, A. D. lVS;i, in ye