History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

leaders would be at an end. The royalists of the province would rise in a body, blow up the maga- zines, take possession of the fortifications around New York, and welcome the royal forces with open arms, while the colonial troops, confu.sed, disheart- ened, and without a leader, would either disband and return to their homes or fall an easy prey to their powerftil and well-disciplined enemy. Thus in course of a few weeks the rebellion would be crushed, the king would have his own again, royalists like Tryon would be recompensed for all their trials I'rom the confiscated estates of enemies of the Crown, while noted rebels like Hancock, Samuel Adams, and others would be either compelled to flee the country, or else reap the just reward of their treason. Such were the dreams of the conspirators, nor did they omit to take measures to carry them into action. Mayor Mathews, whose country-se^t wiis at Flat- bush, near the anchorage of the " Asia," was the messenger through whom Tryon communicated with the Tories in New York, while two of the soldiers at Washington's headquarters had been corrupted, and had agreed to abduct or murder their distinguished leader as might be most convenient. Just as the i)lot was ripe for execution it was dis- covered, and all the principal parties concerned in it save Tryon were arrested and tried before a military commission. Thomas Hiekey, a member of Wash- ington's body-guard, was found guilty, and on the 28th <lay of June, 1776, was hung in the presence of several thousand spectators. It was the first military execution of the Kevolution, and the place where the gallows was erected Wiis a field in what were then the suburbs of New York, adjoining the camp of the bri- gade of Col. Huntington, of Connecticut. Mayor Mathews and twelve others were sent for safe keep- ing to Litchfield, Conn. Notwithstanding the serious nature of the accusation against him, his parole was taken, and he was allowed to re.side in the family of Major Moses Seymour, great-grandfather of Messrs. Edward W. and Morris W. Seymour, of this city. In the course of a few months Mathews violated his parole aii<l escaped to the British lines on Long Island, crossing the Sound by night, probably in a small boat putting out from this harbor. His e-scape led to the stationing of a guard at the harbor's nnmth, as already noted. The statement is sometimes made that Rev. Dr. Witlierspoon, of New Jersey, was the only clergy- man whose name was affixed to the Declaration of Independence, luit as residents of Bridgeport we imght to know that a nu'mber of the Continental Congress and a signer of that instrument wa.« in early life settled here in the work of the gospel min- istry. Lyman Hall, born at Wallingford, in this State, in 1724, and a graduate of Yale College in 1747, was on Sept. 27, 174il, ordained in Stratfield, and settled over the church in that place, now the BRIDGEPORT. 83 meeting-houso on North Avfime often ro-cohoed the sound of his voice, ami upon the ohurcli reeords may lie seen Ills autop-aph, — an t'xiwt farsiiiii/e of th-M aji- ]ien(led to the Declaration of Independence. .Mr. Hall remained iu Stratfield a litth' less than two years. He was dismissed June IS, 17ol, and |>roli:il>l> removtMl to Fairfield where, on the 2()th of May fol- lowing, he married Abigail, daughter of Thad<leus Burr, E.sq. Mrs. Hall died July S, IT'i:!. F(illowiiig is a copy of her epitaph : " Here liys buried the Body of Mrs. .\.big;iil Hall, wife of Lyman Hall, M. A., Daughter of Thaddeu.. Burr, E.-iq., died July 8th, 17S3, aged 24 years. Modest, yet free, with Innocence adorn'd, To ]de{ise and win by .\rt and Nature join'd. Benevolent and wise, in virtue firm. Constant in Friendship, in Iteligi<jn warm, A Partner tender, unafleeted kiml, .\ lovely form with a more lovely mind. The Scene of Life, tho' short, sli' improved so well. No charmers in human form cou'd more excell. t.'hrisfs Life her copy, His pure law her Guide, Eaeli pait she acted, perfected, and dy'd." Mr. Hall must htivo remained in Fairfield for some years after her detith, judging from several entries upon the town records, — viz.: " .\mos, a negro male cliild under care of Lyman Ilall, born June 7, 1755. Died December 8, 175G." " Primus, a negro child under care of Lyman ITalt, itc, born .tunc 7, 1757." The records of the County Court also show that Ly- man Hall, of Fairfield, as one of the executors of Thaddeus Burr, deceased, appeared as plaintift' in a hiwsuit, Feb. i;, 17.">S. Mr. Hall h;id many noble traits of character, and the hope expressed by the council in dismissing him from the ministry at Stratfield — that "a door of use- fulness might be opened to him elsewhere" — was sig- nally fulfilled. He emigrated to Georgia, and com- menced the practice of medicine in that remarkable New England culony which settled the parish of 8t. Johns. Early in the year 1775, impatient at the attitude of Georgia, which had for six months been hesitating anil vacillating whether to join the ntlier colonies iu the contest for liberty or to stand aloof, :ind had even refused to send representatives to the Continental Congress, the parish of St. Joliiis elected Dr. Lyman Hall as a delegate on its own account. He presented his credentials ;ind took his seat upon the l:itli >>( M:iy, so that "on that day Cougre.ss was composed nl the representatives of the twelve united colonies and Dr. Hall, the deputy for the parish of St. Johns." The patriotic spirit of this little community Iiad a salutary effect upon its neighbors, and in a .short time there were four representatives in Congress from Georgia, of whom Dr. Hall was one, and in this ca- jiacity in the following year he sidiscribed his name to the Declaration of Inde|>i'ndcni'e. ij] i-onnection with which it will go down to pi>sterity. His subsequent career can be summed u\> in a few worils. A reiiresentative in Congress until 17.S(», his property was confiscateil by the British when they occupied Georgia in 17S'-', and in the following year he was chosen Governnr of the State. He die<l in (')ctolier, 170O, aged about sixty-six, leaving a, gi>iid estate to his widow, his only s<in Intving died some time before. A few years ago the State of Gi'orgia erected a monument to his memory, and gave the handsome stone that had been ]ilaced over his grave soon after his decease, by hi- widow, to the town of Wallingford. Conn., where it now >tands. It bears the following inscription : " Beneath this stone rest the remains of THE UOXble LYMAN HALL, Formerly Governor of this St.-ite, Who departed tins life the 19th ..f October, 1790, In the 67th year of his age. To thee, so mourned in death, so loved in life. The childless parent and the widowed wife With tears inscribes this monumental stone That holds bis .-ishes and e.vpects her own." It is much to be regretted that a comi.ilete list of all the Kevolutionary s(ddiers from this place was not made at an earlier date, for the omission can now never be supplied. Below are mentioned what few names I have met with : FROM REl'ORllS OF FIRST CHURCH. Bennett, Thaddeus, captain, died .Ian. 21, 1777. >^ I'.nrronghs, Edward, lieutenant, died Sejit. U, 177(1, a't. 42. Fayerweathcr, Nathaniel, "died of smallpox in the army," December, 177S. French, Ichabod, died "in camp at New York," Sejitcmber, 177(!. Hawley, Maj. Aaron, .lied .Inly 2:'., lS(i:{. Lemon, George, "killed on idling Island," .Tilly, 1781. Odell, Isaac, sergeant, died Feb. 22, 1S2(;. Seeley, Nathan, lieutenant, died Sept. 2'.', 1777. Sherwood, David, died Aug. 81. 1S2(;, a't. 72. Wells, David, "died in Cdiitinciital army," Octo- ber, 1777. MUSTEK-EOLL OF lIARBi.iR GUARD. This company was stationed upon rjurroiighs' wharf, at the foot of Stiite Street, as already noted. Follow- ing is a copy of its muster-roll in the year 1781 : 0;;^'<^f7\s. — Lieutenant, William Hall; sergeant, Isaa<- I'atchin ; i-orporal, .loci Parish; clerk, Samuel I'^n'iudi. Enlhtcd Men. — IchalK.d !!( nrdsley, .losiali linrritt, Sherman liurritt, Seth Bulkley, 'I'homas (.'ooke, James Crawford, Elienezer Gregory, .Limes Greg(n-y, Wild- man Hall, Joseph Hawes, Ebenczer Hawdey, William Hubbidl, Lyman Knapp, .John Mclven/.ic, Salmon Patchen, John Fortcr. Denton Seeley, (iideon Wells, Zechariah Wheeler. 84 HISTORY OF FATRFIKLD COUNTY, CONXFCTTCUT. Another account mentions two additional members of this guard,— viz., Gideon Hawley and Elijah Peet. It is not likely that all of those who were members of the guard resided here except during their term of service. Some of them were uiidnuhtedly from other town.s. ADDITIOXAI. LIST. Most of the following are referred to incidentally in the valuable series of historical articles by the late Isaac Sherman, i)ublished in the Bridgeport Standard in April, 18()(). The names of some of the members of the "Householders," or home-guard, are included, though it is not likely that they saw much service: Beardsley, Abijah, ensign. Brothwell, Joseph, lieutenant in Householders. Rurroughs, Stcjihen, captain in Householders. Fairchild, Nathan. His wi(h)w was a i)ensioner. Gregory, Ezra, was a pensioner. Hamilton, James, lieutenant in Householders. Hawley, David, captain of privateer. Hubbell, Hezekiah, cajitain in Householders. Hubbell, Salmon, lieutenant; was at the battle of Stony Point, etc. Lacey, Daniel, cai>tain of coast-guards. Lacey, Josiah, captain in Continental army. Seeley, Nathan, lieutenant in Householders. Sherman, Isaac, died in tlie army, aged eigliteen. Sherman, David, member of Stratfield Train-Band. Sterling, .Vbijali, captain in Householders. Sterling, Stejdien, member of Stratlield Train-Baud. Strong, Joseph, clerk of Householders. AVordin, William, captain in Householders. EPITAPHS. {From the cfmetery on Park Arentte, tince removed to Mountain Grove C<*metery.) "Salmon llubbcU. Lieutenant 5tli Continontal Regiment, Borvod tlirougli tlie wliole Revolution. He Jied March 11, IKin, in lil» 7Cth year." "Justin Suiitli. Born, Springlield, Miuw., .June 21, 1755. Died lit Bridgeport Miircli 22, 1835, in tlio Sotii year of liift ngo. Ho wn« one of the few tluit periled nil in the cause of his country, through the