History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

"'Tlio bi'Il-c1 men of every town shiill haven vi;iilnnt eye over their brethren and neiKhUtrs to (•oe, fin>(, tliut none of them shall suffer so niuuli hurharit^ni in any of tluir funiiltef nn not to endeavor to teach, hy tlieiuhelve!* uv utliern, their childriMi and uppieiilice^i to much lenrning as may etiiilde ttn-in pi.rfeetly to read the Kuglirili tongue iind knowh^ilgi* of the capital laws, u|K)n penalty of twenty dliillingn for encli neglett therein.' "It Hod Ntill further provi«!i'd that *ever;}-tovn having flay liouso- holders in it HluMild forthnitli apiHjint one within the town tti teach nil Bueh children an Hlinll rt>!kirl lo him to wi lie and read, whorto wages shall Iw paid either hy the | nretitit or maalent i>r flurh children, or hy tlie in- haliiant.-i in gyneral.* Amutig the earlie.it functions diiH-harged hy Ca> nnnn parinh in the npiKiititmeiil of school comndllcirs. ir/icrc the flrst iiclioid-lu)U«te wan built and tr'fii amnut now be nncerlained. It was doublleM, like their flr^t nteelIng*houae, cxceeiUngly jlaln, with no neMllew room in it, and no Uftolotu excen^ivo adorning. At thU day wc can have no adeiiiwile cunreptiou of the extreme difltculty utlending IhtMie early educational nieaoureti, 1 ut their binuenco on succeeding gi^Memtlouf) hns been incalculable! Kor n more extended education than that furni»hc<l by U(« cummort— ur, am It is now termeil, dinttict— wtIkmiI no provision was mnde for nn*ny yearn. Ituv. Juotun 3Iitrliell, whi> was (•■'Itleil in the mtni^tiy hero In ITK), kept n select s.-IuhiI during a con- sldenible time. £lght young men fnim New t*nnnan and n large nund>er fn)m other places were flttod for college with him. Kliplmlet St. John, »<1., who gniilualiHl nt Yul4t)ollcge In 17UI, dovutud lihnsolf to teaching nt hi.4 ri'sidence on Ilrushy Itidgc, and though tlie school consisted nialidy of young men from New York fitting tbemscdvea for huslaeNi, stlU some citizoiiB of Now Canaan and adjoining towns availed them- selves of the advantagcit of thi^ school. "The New Caunan Academy was Cbtallished in l81o, and the building erected in 1810. The teachers were, enrccesively. Rev. Herman Paggett, Rev. James II. Linsloy, Rev, John Smith, Dr. Samuel W. Beldcii, Rev. Dr. Milton Badger, Rev. Thoophilua Smith, Hon. Pavld L. Seymour, I'rcsident Julian M. ?turlovant, Rev. Dr. Flavtd Bascom, Rev. Dr. Al- fred Newton, Rev. John C. llai-l. Rev. William B. Lewis, Prof. Ehenezer A. Johntion. "This academy a1>out 18.14 was converted into a private boarding- school, and was owned and taught successively by Mes.-trs. Silas Dnven- IK>rt. Daviil S. Rw^kwell, and Rev, .1. L. Gilder. Tho academy was re- vived in 1859, taught by Rev. J. C. Wyukoff for soveml yewrs, afterwards by Mr. Thomas rease, and wna broken up during the last year of tho civil war. Twenty-five persons have gmduated at Yale Cidlego from this town, a majority of whom would have not enjoyei) the privilege of a collegiate cducalion had not tho academy cnal leil them to fit tliem- Bclves here. Betides Ihet-e gntduntes, a nmch larger number of young men were fittcil for bur^ine^s ; young hiili^-s aliwi enjoyed in the academy the advantages of a thorough course of study. It raukc«d second only to the churches in elevating Iho liluudard of oioral and intellectual cul- ture in the town."* CHAPTER XLI V. NEW CANAAN (Continued). CIVIL A.\D JIILITAIIY.— LODGES, Etc. Organization of Town— The Firat Towu-Moi'ting— OIBconi Klcclcd — Scieclinen, Representatives, Town Clerks. an<l Treasurer!* from Or^n- izotlon of the Town tolSSO— Present Town Offlcials — Hormony Loilce , Xo. 07, K. and A. M.— Wooster Lcnlge, So. 37, 1. O. of 0. K.— Friemlsliip Division, No. 10, S. of T. — First National Bank — Xew Canaan Savinpt lliink— Doanl of Triidc— IVjstniafiteri^ from 1818 to the Present Time — Military' Uecord. The town of New C'iin:iiin was incorporated in ISOl, and embraces the same territory formerly within thi- bouiuls of " Canaan parish." THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING. The first town-meeting in New Canaan was lieM June 2i', ISOl , when the following officers were clio.sen : Samuel St. John, Town Clerk and Treasurer; I.saac Richards, Joseph Silliman, and Joseph Seeley, Select- men ; Aaron Comstock and Samuel Bolt, Constables ; Phineas Smith, Nathan Seeley, Selleck Scofield, Tliad- dcus Seymour, and Mutlliew Fitch f?regory. Listers; Seth llickok, Peter Bishop, and Israel .Slawson, (iraml .Turors; Nchemiah Lockwond, Seth Kellogg, Fence- Viewers; John llickok. Sealer of Leather: James Lockwood, Sealer of Measures; Nathaniel Fitch, Scaler of Weights; .\aron. Comstock, Keeper of the Pound; Claus Weed, Jr., Jesse llickok, Tything- nien. SELECTMEN FUOM 1801 TO ISSO. The following is a list of the selectmen from tlie organization of the town to 1S81 : Isaac Richanis, IWH-!), lsl!)-20-2i ; Ji«eph Seelev, 1801-4 ; I«ac n<ne- (11,1. IKV'.-IO, 1H12-15 ; Jewe IllcliunlK. lP0,'>-7 ; Kniw Wce.1, lSH-1" ; Nathan S.-ely, 1811 ; Saninel llimll, ISll ; Dartl Stevens, 18I;;-lj; Jiinn-. T 1-;<I«, 1M4 ; .loimllian n. IlentHliit, ISl.VHi, IH19-2I"., 18;l:;-34 : Aaron ConntttK-k, 1817-18; Kl'enezer IJanfunI, 1817-18; Kleiu-zt-r Croful, 1817-18 ; Stephen llo) t, 1819-UO ; Seth Weed, 1823-30 ; Ellplii.- • Tlis ahove (ketch nf tho aciiilcinjr wu t«kon ttom the excrllcnl od- drem delivere<l hy the Into Prof. Sniuncl St. John, July 4, 1870. NEW CANAAN. 443 let St. Jolm, 1S2« ; Holly .'fanforil, 1S27-31 ; Josepli Sillimiui, 18:i2 : Hczekiah .-it. Jnhn, 18:i;i-:W ; Ilaiifonl Davonpnrl, 1833-34; Wiilt.-i Oonistock, 1S35-38; llHutoril Carlcr, 1835-tS ; D:mu-\ li.nstwii-k, 1S40 ^1 ; .'inmiii-l H.iyt, 1K4J ; .lohii liiiym.iiiil, 1S43-44; Jiimcs 1'ntlis.iii, 1S44; Ili-zn.Ti L. Ayies, 184r)-4n ; (■l:iiil,'s Kayniuml, 1845-47.1807- S8;,\ltri-dIi:iyni,.iMl, I84i;-.W; Calcl.S. lleiiciliit, 1S47: Aiidn'W llcm- diot; 184S-.-11 ; Thi.luasliayin 1, IS4;l; Tzal llM>t.-.l, IS49; SvlvaTius Sooly. 1S,')(J; .lohn Warrc-ii, IS.'jil ; liurliiis D. rniily, 18,M, 1871-77; Stephen Ili.yt, I.-."il ; I'l-ti-r .Smith, l852-5',l ; William L. Waniii;, 1863-70 ; Siiiiiuel C. Silliiuali,.Tr., l.s.'.i;; Xilir-miah E. W.iil, ISOIMK; Pavi.l IS. Hiiyt, l.sill ; G.-nrge l„iclcn->....l, 181)2; Ira 1'. D.avia, 18(13; Benjamin Hiiyt, 18(:4-(;'.); .\ntlrr\v K. (VnnstiM-k, 18i"4-t;i;; Samuel K. I,c.d;\v,...(l, 180.8-74 ; Josepli F. Silliman, 187:1 ; Tlmjiia.s JI.Faiity, 18'ri;-7'.l. The present, ISSO, Uiwn officers are as follows: ]!. D. Purdy, Thomas .M. Fairly, William L. '\V;irin,u-, Seleetmcii ; Junius Beneiliet, Town Clerk :ui(l ilegis- trar; Thomas Kaymonil, Town Treasurer; J. Craw- ford, F. E. Chichester, S. N. Raymond, xVssessors ; Lewis K. Iloyt, Solomon Lockwood, Edwin lloyt, Board of Relief; (ieorgc S. Johnson, Isaac Lea, Henry (). Taylor, S. Henry Hoyt, ('onstaliles ; T. Hawlcy, il. Terrell, William Wardwell, John E. Whitney, firtind Jurors; Rurlinj;- I). I'urdy, .Ir., Rus- sell L. Hall, Registrars of Voters; Charles Raymond, I Samuel X. Riaymond, Auditors of Town Accounts; Joseph Greenleaf William E. Husted (1S,S(I), L. if. Monroe, Edwin Hoyt (1881), W. G. R.rownson, 1!. I). Purdy (188:i|, Board of Education; Thomas Ray- mond, Treasurer of Permanent School Fund ; Tlios. Raymond, Treasurer Town Di>posit Fund ; Joseph Lambert, Josei>h F. Sillimau, Thomas H. Borden, J. L. Raymond, Justices of the Peace. TOWN CLERKS. Sii fl St. .l"liri, 1801-24; E.lward Nash, l,S2(;-3r); .Joseph Silliman, 1835 -3D; .Samuel C. Silliman, .Jr., 18411-41, 1843-47, l84'.l-52; David S. Rockwell, 1842; John B, I.amhert, 1848;* Lucins .M. Monroe, 1854- 50; Noiih W. Iloyt, 180(1-58, 18(15-7.! ;t Sellerk Y. St. .hihn, 186U-04, 1873-75; Au5;n>t(is S. Dann, l,s7il-77; .Inniiis lien.^di. t, 1S78-7',|.J TOWN TREASrREU.S. Samuel St. J.din. .luuc, 1801-25 ; Isaac; IiiLliard.s 1825 ; Stephen Hoyt, .Ir., 182(i-3',l; ( 'hallos liaymoml, 1840-52 ;? William E. Kayjnond, 1845 ; Benjamin IloyI, 1.853-75 ; .Vngustus .S. Dann, 187(1. i| REPREiSENTATIVKS TO THE GENERAL A.S.SE.MBLY. 180I-OG, Joseph Sillinian; 1.8(j(;-o7, I..,iiac liieliarda; 180.8, Joseph Silli- man; 1800, Sauniel St. John; 181(1, Josejih Silliman; 1810-ll),<[ Samuel St. John; 1817-18,** JJathan Seely; 1810, Isaac Ilielratds; 1820, Nathan Seely; 1821, Stephen Hoyt; 1.S22-28, .Samuel Kay- lliond; ]S2'.(, Watts Comstock; 1830-33, .Samuel liayimmil ; 1834, Edward Nash; 1835, Joseijh Silliman; 1830, Stephen Iloyt, Jr.; 1837, Samuel liuyinond; 1838-39, Watts (Junistoek; 1840, Stephen • Resigned in Fehruary, 1840, and .Samuel C. Silliman, Jr., appointed in his place, t Resigned Mareli 4, 1873, and S. Y. St. Jolin appointed. {Present (I8Mi) incumhent. I E.\ceiit the year 1845. II Present (lS80) incumhent. If A special session was called l.y the Governor, John Cotton Smith, on j the fourth W-ednesday of January, 1815, to consider a memorial from Mnasachusetts, New H,impshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island to protect the petitioners against improper legislation by Congress. Delegate to the convention, Samuel St. John. i *• A Constitutional Cunvenlion was held in 1.818, whi.li disioiitinned the October session of the General Asseaiblv. Delegate to the conven- ^ tion, Nathan Seely. Hoyt, Jr.: 1841. Samuel liayin.nd: 1842-45, no choice; 184(1-47, Hanford Cader; 1.S48, Burling D. Purdy; 184:1, Timolliy E. I!ay- mond; 1850, Josepli Silliman ; 1851, (h-orge Gi^arln.art ; 1852, Carlisle Lockwood; 1.853, .Samuel K. I.o.kwood : ls54. llenjamiii N. Heath; 18.55, .Samitid K. I.ocUwoo.l; ls5(l, Iteiijamin Ibiyt; l>.57-58, Noali W. Iloyt; 1.8.-.0, William E. Ih(yruonfl; ISdO-lll, ltenj((niiii N. Ilealh; 18112, Benjamin ll.jyt; lS(;i, Ehenezer J. llichards; 18(11. si.-ph.Mi 11. Pardee; 18(;5, Apolhis Comstock; l.SIKl, Cali-I. S. Iie((ediil ; 18(17, Charles Raymond; 1808, Elienczer .1. Kirhaids; 18('0, Fiaiici^ I.. Aiken; 1870-71. Mark Stiiples; 1872, Caleb S. Benedict; l,s7:i-74'. Burling D. I'uidy; 187.5. Justus F. Il.iyl; ]87(l,tt Burliti- 11. I'urdy; 1.S77, William E. Husted; 1,878. S. Y. St. Jolm; l.s7'.l, Saniuel N. llaymoiid. rO.ST-dFEICE. The New Cauaiiii post-ofllcc was es(:dili.>lied .Ian. 1!', 1818, and Saimiel St. .rolm w;is ;ipp(jinte(l post- master. The followiiifi is :i list of incumliciits of the cilice from its e.staljlishnicnt to the ]ircscnt time: