History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Eaton's Xeek, Long Island, in a snow-stoi'in, Feb. 4"', lK4.'i, Aged 2.^1 yeais, '1 ino., .t: 14 UAY.S. " He's gone and left ine here below To mourn his loss with grief and wo. lint God is just: may I he still. .sinr-e 'tis my lieavenly Fathei's will." .Vnother stone in the same ground contains "To the meliiory of Aaron I. Hubbell, Born Fi-lp. 22nd, IMlT, and came to his death by the Mel.nicholy loss of llie schooner * Reeside,' which was wrecked in tlie severe siu>w-storiil of Fkb. Tilt: 4th, l.S4.">. on Eaton's Neck, Long Island. Aged 37 yeare, 11 mo., & 12 Days. This stone cotnnieniorate.i the affectionate regard of the bereaved mother of him whoso oaithly remains repose beneath. May he rest in peace !" Among the cpittiidis in the East ground arc " Died in the hopes of the Gospel, Eul■etti^ wife of •Tereniiah T. Denison, M.I>., the 7"' of Febrnary, 1>^4, In the :!.-! year of her age. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord " Another : " Here rests in hojie of a glorious immortality the mortal reniains of Leander M. Siuiimis, who died Nov. 5, Ifoil, 3^. 25 yrs., 0 Dlo., & ti d's. 340 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY CONNECTICUT. "Unvai! lliy Iwsom, faitUfiil tomb; Tiiko tliid new treasure to lliy trust, Ami give those wu'refi roUcs room To sliimlwr in the silent dunt. So Jesus slept. God's djing Son, PuasM thro* tlio pravo Sc Idost the bed. Rest liere, blest satnt, till from his throne The morning break and pierce the shade." Another: *' Copt. Rufus Knapp, son of John & Esther Knapp, Born In Fairfield, Doc. 7, 1813. Snilod from Now York for Liverpool in tho Ship * Leviathan,* Nov. 24, 1853. We waited, watched, and hoped, but no tidings ever came. **Sad, dark, mysterious thy fate and hard to bear, yet pleasant remem- brances crowd the memory, and like a halo of light relievo the endncsa and best bespeak thy worth." There are more ci)itaphs and odd inscriptions in Greenfield jiround than in all the other grounds in Fairfield. Here arc a few specimens : *' In Memorj* of Cap* Ebenezer Hill, Son of Deoeo Joseph Hill, who departed this Life March 21^, 1798, in the 51^*^ year of his age. lie was virtuous in Life, and resignc<l in Death." The next stone contains: "In Memory of Marul, wife of Capt. Eben» Ilill, who died Oct. 26, 1820, in lier 75 year. "Sho was tho mother of si-v sons and thrco Daughters. " In life she was industrious, c<|uinomical, and virtuous, and in Death happy." Another : "In Memory of Uriah Durr, wlio died Oct' 12, 1813, .^.27. " Learn, ye who view the silont tomb, And round its liordcrs tread, I was cut down in perfect bloom And numtH>r'd with the dead. '* As you ore now. so once was I, With ynith and health adorned; Anil s^K>n like me you here must Uo, A hclplc(« prey for worms. "Then seize, oh seize, tho transiont hour, Make niro your peace with God ; Youth, like the morning flower. Is blasted in the bud.** Another : "In memory of Elijah Itanks, who died April 12, 1840, in the 50"> year- of his age. 'The beloved iMirtner of my heart. Which Heaven so lately gave, 'Tis called witli earth for Heaven to port And left nie hero to grieve. But soon, ah ! soon, wc*ll meet again; In Hfcnvon wo hope to dwell, Free from all care and toil and pain : Then, dearest one, Farewell !" Another: Another : "Francis Samuel Ilnlkley, Born at Dlack Hock, Ct., June :i, 1811. Died in New York Morrh 3i>. 1K55. ' IVath tear ho9 ffcavy h^«w>ns harti to bear, And nio«t it teachos ns what wo have lust lu losing thoio who lovod us." "A * in glory, Henry B. Banks, Died July 20, 1854. JE. 32 Y'rfl^4 mo. " Yes, again wc hope to meet thco. Where no farewell tours are shed; Jesus' precious blood bath bought thee, And thou speakest ail-though dead. '■ lie being dead, yet spuakcth. — Heb. 17 : 4." Another: " Sacred To tho nieniorj' of Abbey Bradley, wife of Silas Wakcmnn, & Daughter of Nathan & Cbirine "Wheeler, Who Died June 19, 1842, aged 34 year & 8 nK>8. " Farewell, my partner & children dear ; IVeparo for death while I sleep hero." Here is a memento of the late war : '* Ahor Patri.b DrciT. Francis B. Morwin, Co. I, 23<> Reg* C. v.. Died in the servico of his Country at Lafouiche. La., Apr. 17^, 18C3, Agc<l 23 yrs. All mo. Erected by his young associates, A lost sail tribute of their affection and esteem for their deported comrade.** Another : " Sacred to the memory of Hosea HultTrl, M D.. who dejtarled thin life April 5, A.n. 1825, in Iho SO*" year of his age. Quiescat in paco." Kc built the hou:*e occupied Ity Mr. Henry Bradley, and resided tliere. He was an antagonist in j»racticc to Dr. Rogers. St. Thomas' ground is a new one, and in conse- quence has had but few burials in it. It is a neat little ground, belonging to the Catholic church. FAIRFIELD. 341 There are some fine stones and monuments lu>re. ( )f tlje latter one large one bears this : j " Rev. Tliomas Mullen, OUit Aug. 0, 1877. ^tat 33. Keipiiescat in Pace." He was greatly beloved by his people, and resjieeted : by all. He died under these trying circumstances : There was some unj)leasantness existing between John Conklin and George Allen, whereni>on the latter shot the former, the wound proving fatal. Rev. Mr. Mullen attended him faithfully as long as life was spared, but, being troubled with the heart- disease, the excitement was so great that he fell down dead. Allen was sent to prison for life. There are several very sensible inscriptions in this ground ; then, again, there are sentiment and ei)i- taphs. Here is one : " Martha Ann, liangliter of Gamaliel & Jane Smith, Died Nov. 17. 1,S70. JE. 0 j'rs, 10 D's. May lior .fuul re.'it in jieace ! Amen. "W"e love"! licr! Oh. no tungue <'an toll IIow nmeli \ve loveil her or how well : Goci lovi'.l her too, and thought it hest T'.' take her home with liini to rest." Another : " Father I Michael Kincella, ilieil Sept. HI, 1872. JE. 44 .vrs. May Itis .soul rest in peace! We miss thee." As an introduction to the records of the (.)ak Jjtiwn Cemetery, Mr. (). H. I'erry wrote therein an elaborate and excellent history of the burying-grounds of the town, wdiich has suggested many items in this ])ai>er. Associating the present " colonial" houses with Fair- field old and the Greenfield bni-ying-grounds, a good idea of the colonial times maj' be evolved into an in- teresting history. The East and West grounds will, with the homes erected in the early part of the cen- tury, liring that history down seventy-five yetirs later; while the historian in the next century will look to the extension of the Ea.st ground and Oak Lawn for the people of to-day. There are, however, owing to the conflagration of 1779, many names of note, the bearers of which neither lived in "colonials" nor had they odd in- scriptions; neither does space give them "special" history, but a worthy mention is due them. They arc those of Allen, Barlow, Thorp, Lewis, Brewster (of whom was C'apt. Caleb, wdio died in 1827, aged seventy- nine years, and " was a brave and active officer of the Revolution :" so says his tomb.stone), Fowler, Knap, Whitehead, Bartram, Benedict, Rev. Joseph Webb . (one of the founders of Yale College), Ely, Trubee, and Squire. The only ground kept now under any system is the Oak Lawn, which has a perfect directory. Up to date there have been four humlrcd and thirty-five burials in it. There is a directory of the other grounds now being coin])iled for public use. For information on the suliject of burying-grounds credit is due to Mr. Samuel Wilson (gunsmith), Mr. Charles M. Johnson, Mr. Elienezer Burr, Mr. David Banks, Mr. Oliver Perry, Capt. Julius Bike, and Miss Annie R. Jennings. THE BOROUGH OF 80UTIIP0HT.« The charter of the borough of Southport was granted May 26, 1831, and the fii'st liorough-meeting was held July 4, 18.31. At this meeting the following officers were chosen; Jonatlian Bulkeley, Warden; Ebenezer Dimon, First Burgess ; Charles Perry, Sec- ond Burgess ; Andrew Bulkeley, Third Burgess ; Jus- tus Sherwood, Fourth Burgess; Jesuj) Alvord, Fifth Burgess; Wakeman B. Meeker, Sixth Burgess; Simon Sherwood, Treasurer; Julius Pike, Baililf. The last borough-meeting was held Dec. 30, LS.'il. THE SOUTHPORT NATIONAL I5ANK.* This bank was chartered as a liraiich of the Con- necticut Bank of Bridgeport, January, l.s;{2, and called "The Connecticut Branch Bank," with Jere- miah Stuj-ges president, Jonathan Bulkeley cashier. Francis D. Perry was elected cashier Dec. 20, 1830, in |dace of Jonathan Bulkeley, resigned. In 1844, Jesup Alvord was elected president, to succeed Jere- miah Sturges, deceased. In ] 847, Wyllis Atwater was elected cashier, to succeed Francis D. Perry, resigned. In July, 18.j1, the connection with the Connecticut l!ank ceased. The bank obtained an independent chiirter, and was known as "The Southport Bank," with Jcsuj) Alvord president, and Wyllis Atwater cashier. In 1852, Wyllis Atwater resigned as cashier, and Francis D. Perry was elected instead. Jan. 2, 181).'), the bank adopted the national bank- ing system, and was known as "The Southport Na- tional Bank." In February, 18()0, Francis D. Perry resigned as cashier, and E. C. Sherwood was chosen to fill the vacancy. June 10, 18G5, Jesup Alvord re- signed as president, and Francis D. Perry was chosen. The capital of the bank has been one hundred thtni- sand didlars from the organization as a branch to the l)resent time. The surplus at present is twenty -.seven thousand dollars. THE SOUTHPORT SAVINGS-BANK.* The Southport Savings-Bank was chartered by the (tencral Assembly at its May session of 1854. It was organized in September, 1854, by the election of the fiiUowing board of managers : President, Frederick ]Mar(iuand ; Vice-Presidents, William W. Wakeman, Edwin Sherwood, Augustus Jennings ; Trustees, .lesup Alvord, Moses Bulkeley, George Bulkeley, Oliver H. Perry, Ebenezer Jesup, Simon Sherwood, William * By vari lus rontiilutois. 342 HISTORY OF FAIE FIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.