Norwalk

Sloop and schooner passsenger traffic gradually fell off when steam superceded the wind as a motive power. John Fitch's great-grandfather resided for a short time (1652) in Norwalk, but the great inventor himself launched the original steam-propelled vessel in the world on " Collect Pond," Smith's Valley, now Center Street, New York. Some thirty-six years after Fulton's Clermont, Henry Betts of Norwalk, assisted by two or three citizens of means, constructed a small engine, and planting it in a modest craft, prepared for the "trial." The start upon the maiden trip was made and "Oyster Shell Point " arrived at when the vessel was blown up, thus putting a period to Norwalk river steam navigation until the appearance in the harbor, in the spring of 1824, of the pioneer steamboat Gen. LAFAYETTE, which plied between Norwalk and New York until supple- mented later in the season by the John Mashall, Capt. Pennoyer, afterward Capt. John Brooks, an enterprise for which Henry Belden, first president of the Fairfield County Bank, stood responsible. The Marshall made three trips each way every week, and lay, in Norwalk, at Uriah Selleck's dock (neighborhood of Charles T. Leonard's present coal yard), whatever shore "office" the boat had being in the same Selleck's country store on the dock. In the spring of 1829 the BALTIMORE was put upon the route by Cornelius Vanderbilt' as an "opposition boat." This gave place in 1830-1 to the Citizen, which succeeded in "running off " the JOHN MARSHALL. The Flushing Peck's now appeared upon the scene, who being associated with Charles Hoyt and having purchased the Citizen- from Vanderbilt, ran the same while the Fairfield was building by Lawrence & Smeeden near rCighth Street, New York. When the Fairfield was completed and had proven a success the XlMROD5 was started, and when finished, put in commission in about 1836. Previous to the latter's arrival the WESTCHESTER' ran for a brief period, in opposition. The NlMROD being ready, the two distinguished Sound commanders, 'Called at that time " the proprietor of Long Island Sound." 2The N im rod was at first a disappointment. The boat's stern lines had been imperfectly drawn and the vessel "dragged water.'' A false stern was added which remedied the trouble. 3This boat was put upon the route during the cholera season. As so many fled the city at that time the fare to and from Norwalk had been raised to seventy-five cents. The Vanderbilt owner of the Westchester lowered the fare to twelve and one-half cenls, which created fierce opposition and aroused an intense interest. The first boats came to "the bridge" and their arrival was the signal for the discharge of a cannon from Town House Hill and the gathering of multitudes at that point and at Bessey's Hill. The Westchester was withdrawn from the Nor- walk route to be placed on the Hudson river as one of NOR WALK. John Brooks and Curtis Peck, confronted each other. The Pecks disposed of the Citizen to the Hoyts, who ran the same to Norwalk "bridge" as a steam packet, commanded by Captain Munson Hoyt. Not long after this it was sold for excursion and then towing pur- poses, and finally came to an end by a boiler explosion. The FAIRFIELD and Nimrod did a prosperous business, and stages from as far north as Danbury and east as Bridgeport, connected with them. At this juncture of Xorwalk steamboat success the NAPOLEON was put upon the route, and the climax of enthusiasm was reached. The boat was denominated "Peck's get-up" and the evening of its arrival at "Old Well" was a memorable one. At the close of the trip the captain appeared and made a five minutes' bright speech, ending with "be true to the Napoleon" and she will be true to you." The multitude was then invited aboard and taken up to the "bridge; " the people still clung to the boat and were carried back to "Old Well" (where the vessel was to remain over night) and walked home again. A good business season followed. Eventually Captains Peck and Brooks came to an agreement, that the boats, one week the Fairfield and the next the Nimrod, should run through to Bridgeport. This arrangement continued until the building of the Ilousatonic Railroad, when Captain Brooks gave up the Norwalk route altogether, leaving everything in Peck's hands. The Croton was now put on the line, then the Cricket, Cataline, Curtis Peck and Hero. The St. NICHOLAS, a tentative boat, from time to time ran in opposition, but the Peck's were masters of the position, and they so continued until the opening of the N. Y. and X. H. R. R. Lawrence M. Stevens, in 1849. put the Norwalk in service, and in 1852 Stephen Olmstead, Stiles Curtis and Edward C. Bissell adventured the PACIFIC, Capt. Jos- eph Byxbee (largely freight), which boat's passage through the "draw" at South Xorwalk, on May 6, 1853, was followed by the terrible railway calamity of that date. The John Hart (Confidence), George Law, Americus, Nellv White, John Romer, Pe- gasus, Cape Charles and the Adelphi [Cits of Albany) are the names of the Nor- walk steam craft of modern times.' .he maiden boats of the thereafter famous "People s thirty dollars per acre of Blackwell's Island's one Line." This line was, it is possible, actually born in Norwalk. Alanson P. and Edward St. John, Philip Cannon and Gordon Coles were, largely, the iriaugn- hundred acres. Little dreaming that the busily and somewhat larger Ward's Island, w hich they as often steamed by, would in 1892 be sold to the same city at rs u t le new enterprise. j between ten and twelve thousand dollars per acre, the Lmkrald and the Fanny, also the Sln and | The dangerous rocks of " Ucldt Gate" and the per, turbed current beneath which the sunken Huzmr and its "rich chest" of treasures have since the Revolution had a grave were, at prodigious outlay, to be shattered and quieted by dynamite and electricity. Avenues bordered by pretentious villas were destined to course the craggy beach and rear-country above Hailett's Cove, and splendid private mansions to adorn that same wild spot, (now Astoria) purchased, in 1640, for a barrel of beef and a few trinkets. Rik- Oliv^r Woi-cOTT were names of boats which seem to have been at times in the Norwalk service. 'Wonderful changes have taken place along the East River since the earliest days of Norwalk steam- boating. There was but little shipping at that time above Grand Street. The city hospital at the foot of Twenty-seventh Street was quite out of town and the old shot tower still further remote. The young Captains Brooks and Richard and Curtis Peck might as „u,v pas.,, it, have told of the city purchase at | er s and "the Brother's" lonely islands were to be- NORWALK. LOCK WOOD- DEFOREST SUPPLEMENT. The DeForest blood, which is Nonvalk Lockwood vein-communicated, proceeds from David DeForest2''- and his brother Samuel,'5'- who were sons (see page 2781 of David'*1- and Martha (Blagge) DeForest, of Stratford. Lemuel, son of David DeForest, 2d- had a daughter Abigail, who married, Nov. 9, 1774, James, son of Job and Rachel Lock- wood, while Samuel DeForest""- had a son Nehemiah. who married Dec. 20, 1769, Mary, daughter of Peter and Abigail Lockwood. Both DavidJd and Samuel'*'- DeForest had a brother Benjamin,"'- who married Esther Beardsley, of Stratford. Benjamin'51- and Esther DeForest had a son Benjamin, 2d- born Dec. 28, 1749, who married Mehitable, daughter of Benjamin Curtis, of Stratford. Benj.2'1- and Mehitable DeForest had a son David DeFor- est, who was the noted New Haven " Don DeForest " of some seventy or so years ago. "Don DeForest" lived handsomely on the New Haven Green. His Spanish name-prefix "Don," was a title. He was Consul-general, 1818 to 1822, from the Republic of La Plata to this country. In early life he had been a military man, but quitting the U. S. Army service he became a merchantman, and established himself at Buenos Ay res, where he re- mained until 1818. He then came back, as Consul, to this country, and resided, facing the College Green, finally in New Haven. He had one son Carlos, and several daughters. Mrs. Nehemiah DeForest (daughter of Peter and Abigail Lockwood, of Norwalk,) died at the age of forty-five, and was buried at Monroe, Conn. Her son William, who was a youth of seventeen when he lost his Norwalk mother, married twice. He lived about where the present Main Street. Bridgeport, makes a turn towards Fairfield. The spot at that time was in the town of Fairfield, and the DeForest homestead was a portion of that ancient level-sweep of which the estate of John Burr (the founder of the Burr family) was a part. It is to-day a beautiful part of the Park City. Here William De- Forest brought up his daughter Mary A., the future second wife of Deacon George St. come valuable corporation sites and Hunt's Point. Throng's Neck, Willett's Point, Cow Neck anti Kidd's Rock summer homes and thronged summer haunts. City Island still retains its pilot reputation, and its Mortons of Norwalk relationship if not pedigree, and some of them of Norwalk education, still live, but from the time of the primitive United States io that of the palatial Puritan and Pilgkim, these old East river guides have witnessed marvelous surprises. The United States plied (1825) between New York and New Haven. So timid were some, at that early day of steam navigation, that one family having arrived in New York en route to leave a young member at school in New Haven sent beforehand a messenger to ascertain whether the Elm City boat had copper or iron boilers. The full name of the barque Polly, referred to on page 303, a vessel which carried large quantities