History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

The sit;" of St. Paul's church is identical with that of the old county jail, wliere among criminals were incarcerated men who could not ]iay money oweil their fellow-men, and from wdience certain offenders were led to the wdiippiug-post on the ailjaccnt green to receive lashes "well laid on" that the stern justice of the period inflicted. It was here that a new jail was being built, wdien, luckily for the rural as well as spiritual beauty of the village, the county offices were ajipropriated by Bridgeport, and the grounil, together with jiartially-built side-walls for the new pri.son, off'(!red for sale. They were purchased by the parish for the nominal sum of one thousand dollars. Again might it have been said, "The work of the church in Fairfield goes on apace," for presently these prison-walls were converted into a sanctuary of Him who came not to bind, but to unloose, — a change, too, that had the remarkalde precedent recorded in the fiftci'uth chapter of Acts, where the prison at Phil- ippi, in JIacedonia, was suddenly transfjrmed into fiod's tenqilc, and trembling men fell down before St. Paul, crying, "What shall we do to be sav<>d?" It was this scriptural scene that by its coincidence gave the present edifice its name. It was a day of rare beauty — Tuesday, May 20, l.s,-)(i— that the Right Kev. Bishop Williams conse- crated the building to the Ijeauty of holiness; when, instead of iron-clamped doors giving emphasis to the " rarity of human charity," portals were thrown wide in honor <d' One who never put forth His hand to scourge, save in the one instance at' the money- changers, and whose precept, "Owe no num any- thing," was supplemented with the prayer, " Forgive ns our debts, as we forgive our debtors." The consecration sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Ilallam, from the appropriate text, "He lovetli our nation and buildeth us a synagogue." Seventeen clergymen, in their surplices, were present, besides till' liishop, the church was crowded to overflowing, and a lil)eral oflering was made to the funds of the new parish. The clergy dine<l at the house of Mr. John Clover; other hosjiitable homes were opened I to friends wdio had eome from far and near to share the glin-ics of the day. Rev. C. S. Leflingwell was installed as rector, and the parish increased and pros- pered tinder his kindly supervision. He was called to a larg(>r fielil, and his place filleil in bsdlt by Rev. J^cvi P>. Stimson, who remained for eleven years. Rev. Frederick S. Hyde was the next successor, and on his resignation, at Easter, 1871, Rev. Andrew Mackie, Jr., entered upon the duties, and on June 1, 1878, was called to a Western parish. July 13, 1873, the charge of the parish was accorded to the present rector, Re\'. .Tames K. Lonibanl. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTHPORT.'S From about the year 180.5 to 1820, Methodist meet- ings were held at Green's Farms in the houses of Peter Jeiiniiigs and Noah Osboni, and in the school- house. ( ireen's Farms formed part of an extended cir- cuit, and was visited by the Conference preacher once a month. In the absence of the preacher, Bradford Crolt, a local preacher, supplied for them. Ebenezer Washburn was the first preacher appointed by Con- ference ; Samuel Croft was the first class-leader. He and I'radford Croft and Joshua and Peter Wakeman were among the first official membeis of the church. The Crofts and their wives, Mrs. Wakeman, and Mr. Straiten were among the first niembei-s of the church. In 1820, when the Grecn'.s Farms church was built, there were about forty members. They worsliiped in ^- Contributed I'j' Kev. .lusepli Smitli. 356 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. that church till 1845, when the present church was built at f^duthport, largely by the liberality of Capt. Davis, a noble, jienerous, and faitlil'ul C'liristian, who is still living. The determination to build the pres- ent church was made during the ministry of Rev. Zachariah Davenport, still living and greatly re- spected; he i)rcaclicd on the circuit that included tirccn's Farms during the years 1843—44. In 1845 it was dedicated. The following is the list of preachers v.'ho have been apj)ointed to Southport since the erection of the pres- ent church: Charles C. Keys, 1845; Charles Bartlett, 1840; .lames H.Perry, 1847-48; G. Gilbert, 1849- 50; Levis. Weed, 1851; William McAllister, 1852- .5.^; Reuben II. Loomis, 1854; George Hollis, 1855- .5(); Samuel A. Seaman, 1857-58; Seymour Landon, 1859-GO; David Osborn, 1861-62; Charles Kclsey, 1863; W. Smith, 1864-65; G. Gilbert, 1866; David Nash, 1867-69; AVilliam Stebbiiis, 1870-72; L. W. Abbott, 187.3-75; William Brown, 1876; Henry A. Van Dalscm, 1877-78; .Joseph Smith, 1879-80. The inesent official members of the church arc : Stewards, Bra<lley Goodsell, Sr., Benjamin N. Haw- kens, Andrew W. Jennings, Lewis B. Jennings, Wil- liam F. Northrop, George E. Northro)>, George F. :McKcel, A. P. Jennings, Elijah Gray ; Trustees, B. N. Ilawkens, A. W. Jennings, L. B. .Jennings, Brad- ley (tocxlsell, Elijah CJray, .Josiab Hawkens, William F. Northrop, A. P. .Jennings, and George E. Northrop. The present number of members is one hundred and twelve.* ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, FAIRFIELD. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Thomas was consecrated about 1854, under charge of Rev. Father Thomas J. Synnot, of Bridgei>ort, and has been a distinct parisli about four years. Within a few years tlie house, with a list of owners, among whom were Rev. N. E. Cornwall, Capt. Rufus Knaj)]}, lost at sea, on board the " Leviathan," was purchased by the j>arish of St. Thonui.s' Church for a parsonage, and the church itself was removed on to these iiremises, and, being rcmodeleil in ])art, was re-dedicated in No- vember, 1880. C H .V P T E \l XXXI V. FAIRFIELD (Continued^ CIVIL AND MILITAUV. Bogor I.tiillow nnil tlit* ncconls— fieloclmen In IGOl — List of Roprcaentar tlVM from 1070 to I8SU— MlliUir]' IlUlory— List of SoliUon. It ha-s been stated in varioiis historical works that when Roger Lu<llow left Fairfield he carrieil with him the town records, but such, it seems, is not the case. * Tlio 4li;iltcnllon uf tlir litiiUiliK kliiiwn as tho uM MpttMHllst church ill Fnirfloia, Nut. 0, IH4:i, is rmiMol in Slim Snnili Wliili-'s J<.iinml. It wns (lisiisMl fur eoTunil yiMini ft.r Inck of sii|)iH>rt, imt fur a liitu {Htrioil it has tuul service* held in it by the culuruil |ieti|)lc. No mentii.ii i^ lual.- in any book of records to this effect, either liei-e or at Hartford, as Book A is still in the archives of the town, and was filled with grants, etc., four years before his departure. If he had car- ried away the records, as has been claimed, in all hu- man probaVility Book A would have been among tlic number. Furthermore, there was no reason for an act of this kind. He held no enmity against the town which he had founded, and where he had ])a.ssed so many eventful years. His feeling of resentment could only have been aimed at the General Court. Certain it is, however, that its ancient records are missing, but it is stated by the old inhabitants that some time prior to the Itevolution an Englishman was employed to copy the records, and upon the comple- tion of his work, the charges made were deemed ex- orbitant and payment refu.sed, whereupon he left for the West Indies, taking the books with liim. Fur- thermore, the ancient documents not destroyed by fire have been restored to the town, which exculpates Roger Ludlow from censure. In 1661, Mr. Gold, William Hill, John Burr, A. Knowles, Jehu Burr, William Ward, and .lolin Banks w'ere townsmen. In the vestibule of the town-hou3e at Fairfield is the following tablet: BUILT A. n. 1720. DKSTHOVICII ) ^ „ J..JJ BY TllK liUITISIl/' ' iti:mn,T a. d. I7n4. UKJIOiiELEI) A. 1). 1870. The following is a record of a number of the early births, etc. : "Mnry Turny, tlie (laiigiitor of Ujl>c:-t Tnriiy ami Itiith Tiiniy, was Iwrn tlic nth Dec, 107.1." ** Miirtliii Tnniy, the dunghtcr of Rolioit Tiiniy, wiis boni tlio f,lh of June, liiTG." '* Beiijiiinin Turny, tlio soun of Iloltort Turny, was Utriic liie " "Benj. Turny liiiirycil Roliecii Keder tlio IGtIl of Nov , 1C71." **$iinili MiddletKHik, daiiglitor of Joseph 3liddlch<iok, was born tlie I2tli of Nov., lC7r>." " Ilaiiiuili Sliildlcliook, the dauglitcr of Joseph Middieliook, was liorn tlio 'J.*i June, 11177." "John Head, till' sun of Will" Head, won l«ni the Will of .Tan'y, 1070." "Daniel Itiirr, the son of Oiiiiiel lliirr, was Inirli tlie:toth of July, 1070," "Joseph Middleliuok, Ihu son of JosupU Middieliook, Jr., was liurn yo 15 April, 1080." LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FRO.M 1070 TO ISSCf 1G70, .lehu Burr, John Burr; 1071, William Hill, J<diii Burr. John Wheeler; 1072, .t.lin lluir. John Wheeler; 107:1. Jehu Burr, .lohn Baiikus \l 1074, Jeliu llnrr, John Burr, John BiiiikLv, John Wheeler ; lil7:>-70. Jehu llnrr, Joliu Biiiikes, Lieut. Corn. Hull; 1077, John llankra, John Wheeler, Corn. Hull; 1078, Jehu Burr, Richanl lluh- hell, John Diinkes, John Wheeler; 1079, John Bonkes, Ili'lianl Hub- Ix'li.Jehu Burr, Jidin Buiicks; lr>8ii,Jnliu Burr, John lluiieks; 1081, Jiihn Wheeler, Itiehanl Unldiell, .lomph Lxkwood; lOS.', Jehu Burr, John Baneket, l.leiit. John B;inki-.s, Ser^l. John Wheeler ; lus:!, Jehu Burr, .l.din llaukes; |ii.M. Jehu Burr, John Tyler, .lohn JVhceler; 108.',, Jehu Burr, Thomas Juanes, John Burr, StTKt. John Wheeler; 1080, Jehu Burr, John Burr; 1087, .lohu Wlie. ler, John Bnrr; 1688, no Statu rwords ; 1089,JohnIltirr, John Wieeler, James + "Coninienres with vol. iii. of ths Colonial Beconis, the llrst that can he found. — SB*;RrTART or State." J Secretary of State. FAIRFIELD. 357