i t f ,' ". ■■ H ( ^^'TOuJZil HISTORY OK ^Ew Haven @)^unty, CONNECTICUT. Edited by J. L. ROCKEY, Assisted by a corps of writers. Ip hwo vokiiT)es, Illu^hrabed. VOLTJiVIE 11. New York : W. W. PRESTON & CO. 1892. TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER Ir THE TOWN OF BRANFORD. PAGE Settlement and Early History. — Civil Government. — Town Officers. — Town Buildings.— Branford Borough.— Probate District. — Public Highways. — General Industrial Interests. — Branford Village. — Beach and Shore Re- sorts.- Stony Creek Village.— Secret and Beneficial Orders.— The G. A. R. and the Soldiers' Monument. — Education. — Congregational Church and Society.— Trinity (P. E.) Church.— Baptist Church.— Methodist Church.— Lutheran Church.— St. Mary's (R. C.) Church.— Cemeteries. — Biographical Sketches 1 CHAPTER II. THE TOWN OF NORTH BRANFORD. Location and Description.— Settlement and Settlers. — Civil Organization. — General Industrial Interests. — Bare Plain. — North Branford Village. — Northford. — Masonic Lodge. — Patrons of Husbandry.— Educational Affairs. — North Branford Congregational Church. — Northford Congrega- tional Church.— The "Enrolled" Church.— Zion (Protestant Episcopal) Church.— Bare Plain Union Chapel. — Cemeteries.— Roster of Captain Eells Company in the Revolution. — Soldiers' Monument. — Biographical Sketches 72 CHAPTER III. THE TOWN OK GUILFORD, Location and Description. — Natural Features and Points of Interest. — The Pioneers. — Civil Government. — Probate District. — Magistrates and Jus- tices.— Town Buildings. — Cemeteries. — Roads and Bridges. — Industrial Pursuits.— Guilford Borough. — Lodges and Societies. — Religious Inter- ests.—Educational and Literary. — Some Distinguished Citizens. — Physi- cians and L-awyers. —Military Matters.— Soldiers' Monument.— Biographi- cal Sketches 108 CHAPTER IV. THE TOWN OF MADISON. Location and Description.— Settlement and Settlers.— Old Houses.— Civil Organization and Civil Officers. — Madison Green. — Highways.— Industrial Interests.— East River.— North Madison.— Madison \'illage.— The Beach. —Physicians.— Educational and Religious.— Lodges. — Cemeteries.— Mili- tary Affairs.— Biographical Sketches 183 2013201 IV TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. THE TOWN OF MILFORD. PAGE Geographical and Descriptive.— The Indians.— The Early Settlers.— Civil Government.— Roads, Ferries and Bridges.— Shipbuilding, Commerce and Trade.— Milford Village.— Woodmont.— Wheeler's Farm.— Public Houses.— Manufacturing Interests.— Banks.— Newspapers.— Post Office. —Fire Company.— Agricultural Society.— Secret Orders.— Soldiers' Monuments. — Educational and Professional.— Churches.— Cemeteries. —Military Aif airs.— 250th Anniversary.— Biographical Sketches 210- CHAPTER VI. THE TOWN OF WOODBRIDGE. Location and Natural Features.— Geology and Mineralogy.— Flora.— Indus- tries.— The Regicide Judges.— Amity Society.— Union Society.— Chapel. —Ministers.— Burial Grounds.— Prominent Citizens.— List of Early In- habitants.—First Town Meeting.— Town Officers.— Town House.— Roads.' —Physicians.— Biographical Sketches 382 CHAPTER VII. THE TOWN OF BETHANY. Location and Description. — Civil Organization. — Town Officers.— Business Interests.— Physicians.— Religious and Educational Interests.— Cemeter- ies.— Revolutionary Incident.— Biographical Sketches 311 CHAPTER VIII. THE TOWN OF ORANGE. Location and Natural Features. — Incorporation. — Civil List. — Highways. — West Haven Village and Its Various Interests. — The Village of Orange. — Tyler City. — Allingtown. — West Haven Congregational Church. — Christ Church (P. E.).— West Haven M. E. Church.— St. Lawrence Church (R. C). — Orange Congregational Church. — Orange Cemetery. — Biographical Sketches 330 CHAPTER IX. THE TOWN OF DERBY. Location.— The Indians.— Early Trading Post. — Purchase of Lands.— The Proprietors. — Civil Government. — Extracts from Town Records. — Fer- ries, Roads, Bridges, etc. — Early Commercial Interests and Shipbuilding. — Derby Village. — Burtville. — Birmingham and Its Manufacturing Inter- ests.—Merchants.— Hotels.— Banks.— The Press.— Post Office.— Physi- cians and Lawyers. — The Borough. — Fire Department. — Water Com- pany.— Gas Company. — Street Railways. — Driving Park. — Societies and Lodges. — Soldiers' Monument 36.5- CHAPTER X. ^ THE TOWN OF DERBY (CONCLUDED). Educational Interests. — Early Religious Interests. — First Congregational Church in Derby. — Birmingham Congregational Church. — Young Men's Christian Association. — Episcopal Churches. — The Methodist Episcopal Denomination. — Union Chapels.— African M. E. Church.— Roman Catho- lic Church.— Cemeteries. — Biographical Sketches 417 TABLE OF CONTENTS. V CHAPTER XI. THE TOWN OF ANSONIA. PAGE Location and Description. — Civil Government. — The Borough of Ansonia.- — West Ansonia. — Manufacturing Interests. — Banks. — Post Office. — The Press. — Opera House. — Water Companies. — Physicians and Lawyers. — Lodges and Societies. — Soldiers' Monument. — Congregational Church. — Christ Church. — Young Men's Christian Association. — Emanuel Free Church. — Methodist Episcopal Church. — Baptist Church. — Second (Col- ored) Baptist Church. — Roman Catholic Church. — Schools. — Biographical Sketches 476 CHAPTER XII. THE TOWN OF OXFORD. Description. — Purchase of Lands from the Indians. — Early Settlers and Their Descendants. — Civil Organization. — Town Officers. — Business Interests. — Oxford Village and Its Various Interests. — Physicians. — Religious and Educational. — Sheldon Clark. — Burial Places. — Samuel Candee. — Militia. — Biogpraphical Sketches 531 CHAPTER XIII. THE TOWN OF .SEYMOUR. Geographical and Descriptive. — The Indians. — The Settlers. — Civil Organi- zation.— Public Thoroughfares. — Village of Seymour. — Hotels. — Mer- chants.— Post Office. — Banks. — Physicians and Attorneys. — The Press. — Libraries. — Lodges and Societies. — Manufacturing Interests. — Schools. — Churches. — Cemeteries. — Biographical Sketches 551 CHAPTER XIV. THE TOWN OF ISEACON FALLS. Location and Description. — Land Purchases. — Settlement and Settlers. — Civil Organization. — Town Officers. — Pines Bridge. — Cemetery. — Indus- trial Interests. — Societies. — Methodist Episcopal Church. — High Rock Grove. — Biographical Sketches (>!■> CHAPTER XV. TOWN AND CITY OF WATERBURY. Location and Description. — Settlement and Early Events. — Waterbury City. — Other Business Centers. — Civil Organization of the Town. — Probate District. — Courts. — Waterbury Borough. — First City Charter. — Charter of 1867. — Mayors and Clerks. — City Hall. — Police Department. — Street Improvement. — Fire Department. — Water Works. — Gas and Electric Lighting. — Parks. — Statistics. — Manufacturing Enterprises. — Banks. — Insurance Company. — Horse Railway Company. — The Periodical Press. — Post Office. — Public Houses. — Prominent Merchants. — Physicians and Lawyers. — Lodges and Societies. — Educational Matters. — Churches. — Hospital. — Cemeteries. — Military Matters. — Biographical Sketches (>'3r> VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. THE TOWN OF NAUGATUCK. PAGE Location and Description. — Allotment of Lands and Settlement. — Civil Or- ganization.— Town OflScers. — Probate Court. — Town Hall, — Towm Farm. — Roads and Bridges. — Manufacturing Interests. — Straitsville. — Nauga- tuck \'illage. — Savings Bank and Building Association. — Naugatuck Na- tional Bank. — Electric Light Company. — Gas Company. — Water Com- pany.— Fire Companj-. — Telephone Company. — The Periodical Press. — Post OflBce. — Inns and Hotels. — Stores and Merchants. — Ph^'sicians. — Secret and Social Orders. — Schools. — Libraries. — Congregational Church. — St. Michael's (Protestant Episcopal) Church. — Methodist Episcopal Church. — Union Citj- Mission Chapel. — Swedish Lutheran Chapel. — Baptists. — St. Francis (R. C.) Courch. — Soldiers' Monument. — Cemeter- ies.— Biographical Sketches 699 CHAPTER XVII. THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBURV. Description and Natural Features.— Settlement and Settlers.— Civil Organi- zation.— Town Officers. — Roads and Bridges. — General Interests. — Mid- dlebury Village. — Physicians. — Quassepaug Lake. — Schools. — Religious Interests. — Cemeter}-. — Biographical Sketches 757 CHAPTER XVIII. THE TOWN OF SOUTHBURV. Location and Description. — The Pootatuck Indians. — The Early Settlers. — Ci\-il Organization. — Business Interests. — South Britain. — Southford and its Various Interests. — Ph3-sicians and La-ss-j'ers. — Religious Interests. — Cemeteries. — Military Affairs. — Biographical Sketches 774 CHAPTER XIX. THE TOWN OF WOLCOTT. Settlement. — Civil Organization. — First Town Meeting. — Town Clerks. —Pub- lic Green. — Public Highways. — Schools.— Industrial Interests. — Wolcott Center. — Woodtick. — Physicians. — Religious Matters. — Cemeteries. — Biogfraphical Sketches 808 PORTRAITS. Allerton, George M 736 Ailing, Charles B 434 Augur, Reuben N gg Bartholomew, Arthur H 506 Bartholomew, Dana 504 Bartlett. Egbert 508 Bassett, Robert N 436 Bassett, Roj'al M 438 Beattie, John 166 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll PAGE Birdseye, Thomas S 443 Blake, Rufus W 444 Blakeman, George 446 Bristol, Charles E 510 Camp, Robert 768 Chaffee, Charles S 448 Clark. Charles E 450 Colburn, James M 453 Coupland, Charles 594 De Wolfe, Alva G 598 Fagan, James 133 Parrel, Franklin . . ; 512 French, Raymond 600 Gager, Edwin B 454 Gardner, John B 514 Gaylord, Charles W 66 Hall, Ransom B 825 Hallock. Edwin 456 Hill, Alden H 102 Holden. Frederick W 493 Jackson, Charles C 518 James, Thomas 604 Kellogg, Stephen W 688 Kingsbury, Frederick J 690 Leete, Calvin M 178 Leete. Rufus N 176 Lewis, Edward C 692 Limburner, Robert B 546 Lines, John M 304 Lounsbury, Charles H 606 Maltby, WilHam H 104 Merwin, William M 373 Peck, George H 458 Peck, Henry H 694 Phillips, Albert W 460 Plant, Samuel 0 68 Piatt, Alfred L 696 Piatt, David 358 Plumb, David W 462 Rogers, Henry 70 Sanford, Samuel P 549 Schaffer, Frederick F ' 747 Schneller. George O 533 Shelton, Edward N : • 464 Smith, Charles H 748 Stevens, David S. , Jr 106 Stiles, David J 803 Storrs, Carlos H 610 Swan, James 613 Tomlinson, Charles A 378 Torrance, David 466 Tuttle, Joel 182 Twitchell, Homer 753 Vlll TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE Upson, Evelj-n M 836 Wallace, Thomas, Sr 468 Wallace, Thomas 528 Wallace, William '. '. 526 Ward, William 754 Wheeler, Elisha 806 Williams, William H 472 Wooster, William B 474 VIEW. ' ' Stillwood, " Residence of John M. Lines 305 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY VOLUIS/IE II. CHAPTER I. THE TOWN OF BRANFORD. Settlement and Early History. — Civil GoTernment. — Town Officers. — Town Buildings. — Branford Borough. — Probate District. — Public Highways. — General Industrial In- terests.— Branford Village. — Beach and Shore Resorts. — Stony Creek Village. — Secret and Beneficial Orders. — The G. A. R. and the Soldiers' Monument. — Educa- tion.— Congregational Church and Society. — Trinity (P. E.) Church. — Baptist Church. — Methodist Church. — Lutheran Church.— St. Mary's (R. C.) Church. — Cemeteries. — Biographical Sketches. BRANFORD is one of the shore towns of the county. It is be- tween seven and eight miles, along the sound, between Guil- ford on the east and East Haven on the west. From North Branford south to the coast line the distance is between four and five miles. The surface is uneven, there being in some localities high hills. Many of these having a smooth surface, are tillable to the sum- mit. In the western part some of the Branford hills attain consider- able elevation and are designated by local names. In the southeast outcroppings of granite are manifest and the soil is less fertile than in other localities. Along Stony creek that rock has been extensively quarried for building purposes. That stream empties into the sound at a cluster of numerous islands, several hundred in number, large and small, called Thimble islands. Farther west is still another clus- ter, called Indian islands. The streams are small, Branford river, flowing through the central part, being the most important. Near the sound its course is winding, and for several miles it is a tidal stream, admitting vessels of from 50 to 75 tons burden. In the vales and low- lands the soil is strong and very productive. It has been found, with proper fertilization, to be admirably adapted for garden crops, and a number of inhabitants have lately engaged in that pursuit. The up- lands are better for grazing and fruit. Agriculture is still a leading occupation of many citizens. Formerly property was much more equalized than at present, and in consequence the town was long ex- 1 2 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. empt from an indigent population. In 1835. according to J. W. Bar- ber, there wa.s but one town pauper. In the last half century this con- dition of things has been changed to a considerable extent by the in- troduction of new industries and the use of much of the area for suburban and summer residences. Concerning the early settlers of the locality first known asTotoket* there is much diversity of opinion. vSome writers insist that the town was depopulated by the going away of Mr. Pierson and his followers, and Doctor Trumbull says that for a long time no organic existence was maintained, Branford being reinvested with town privileges in 1685. These assertions do not appear to be sustained by the investi- gations of the Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin, whose account of early events is given in the following annals: '• In the month of December, 1638, the New Haven settlers bought an additional tract of land of the Indians. It was ten miles in length, north and south, and extended eight miles east of the Quinnipiac river. It was bought of ^lontowese, son of Sowheog, the sachem of Mattabeseck Indians. Sowheog was a powerful sachem. His fort •was at Middletown, on a hill, where, by means of his whistle, he could call around him 500 warriors very quickly. His dominion embraced a portion of this county. The Indians of Branford were governed by his son. The deed was signed by Montowese and Sausounck. Their tribe then was very small (ten men with their families). Montowese's signature was a bow and arrow. Sausouncks was a rude hatchet. This tract of land included the present territory of Branford. Its boundaries were Lake Saltonstall and the river on the west, Stony river (not Stony creek) on the east, the sound on the south, and a line ten miles back from the sound on the north. The boundaries have never varied much from these original lines. On the east, Guilford has a small tract that once belonged to the original Branford. This territory was then called Totoket, from the Indian name of a range of hills in the northern part. Its shores were a favorite resort for the Indians of the neighboring settlements, as well as of Totoket. Fish and clams were abundant. For some years after its purchase little use was made of it except for hunting. The Indians were allowed to hunt and plant also. A few squatters occasionally pushed in along the shore. Notable among these was a Thomas MuUiner, and he thus became a cause of considerable trouble to the early settlers. From him comes the name 'Mulliner's neck,' long applied to the region now" called 'Branford Point.' " September 3d, 1640, the general court at New Haven made a grant of Totoket to Mr. Samuel Eaton, brother of Governor The- *Some writers interpret Totoket to mean "The place of the Tidal River," i.e., Branford river; others say with equal positiveness that the name was derived from the range of mountains terminating in North Branford. The present name, Branford, is said to have been derived from Brentford, a village in England, where some of the early settlers lived before coming to America. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. S ophilus Eaton, upon the condition of his procuring a number of his friends from England to settle on its lands. Mr. Eaton failed to fulfill this condition. He went to England to procure settlers, but never returned. "In 1643 Totoket was granted to Mr. William vSwaine and others of Wethersfield. The record read thus: 'Totoket, a place fit for a small plantation, betwixt New Haven and Guilford, and purchased from the Indians, was granted to Mr.Swayne and some others of Weth- ersfield, they repaying the charge which is betwixt 12 and 13/, and joyning in one jurisdiction with New Haven and the forenamed plan- tations, upon the same fundamental agreement settled in October, 1643, which they duely considering, readjlye accepted.' " The removal from Wethersfield was the result of divisions in the church there. There were several ministers in the Wethersfield settlement. Each naturally desired to be t/ic minister, and each had his .special friends. They had not then learned the more modern pol- icy of leaving each faction to gather around its own choice and sup- port him as well as they could. They could support only one, but which .should he be ? "Advice being sought from Davenport, of New Haven, and others, a separation was advised. Some went to Stainford; others, and the larger number, came to Branford. "The men who had bought Totoket for a settlement came to oc- cupy their purchase early in 1644. Their names were: Samuel Swaine, William Swaine, Luther Bradfield, John Plum, Robert Abbott, John Robbins, William Palmer, Samuel Nettleton, Roger Betts, John Lins- ley, Robert Rose, John Morris, Michael Palmer, Francis Linsley, Thomas Whitehead, John Hill, Daniel Dod, Richard Harrison, Sigis- mond Richalls, Thomas Blachly, John Edwards, Robert Meaker, Rich- ard Mather, Jonathan Sargent, Richard Williams, Jonathan England, William Merchant, Edward Frisbie, John Horton, Samuel Pond, Thomas Lupton, Richard Richards, Edward Treadway, Samuel Plumb and Charles Taintor. These were mostly from Wethersfield. "Thomas Mulliner was already on hand. And from New Haven came Jasper Crane, Lawrence Ward, George Ward, Richard Lawrence and Reverend John Sherman. Several had their wives and children with them. The.se were the first year's inhabitants. "Coming early in the year 1644, they began to clear off the forests, build shelters for themselves and their cattle, prepare land for culti- vation, gather hay from the fertile meadows, and organize society. The abundance of shell fi-sh found along the shores no doubt made it comparatively easy to procure food. By the first of October they have a minister who resides with them and serves them regularly; this was Reverend John Sherman. He was born in Dedham, county of Essex, England, December 26th, 1613. He entered the LTniversity of Cam- bridge at an early age, but left college when ready for his degree, un- 4 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. der the character of a college puritan. In 1634-5 he came to New England. He preached his first sermon at Watertown, Mass., under a large tree. His preaching was much admired. One minister said: ' Brethren, we must look to ourselves and our ministry, for this young divine will outdo us all.' He spent at least one year in Totoket. He preached in several places. He also acted as judge and magistrate for the colony. He died August 8th, 1685. His great-grandson, Roger Sherman, was one of the signers of the declaration of inde- pendence. " The new inhabitants make their first division of lands in June, 1644. This is the first thing recorded upon the ancient records of the town. It reads thus: ' June 18th, 1644, this dai it is ordered that the meadow in this plantation shall be divided into 4 parts, and then divided by lott, viz.: all the meadow that lyeth on the right hand side of the town that is earliest .settled shall be in the first dividend, and all the meadow that lyeth by the river on the left side and all upwards from that place where it is considered a bridge must be, is for the 2d divi- dend; Also 3dly all the meadow that lyeth downe the river from the place where it was considered a bridge must be, and all that lyeth within the compass of that piece of ground called the plaine shall be in the Bd dividend. 4thly all the meadow left beside in the townethat is knowne shall be in the 4th dividend. This meadow is to be bounded and prized by Robert Rose, William Palmer, Samuel Swaine, John Horton, Richard Harrison, and Thomas Blachly, with all convenient speede,and then the lott to be cast.' " The people first settled along the river, mostly on the western and northern side. Indian Neck was left to the Indian inhabitants. The new settlers very soon had trouble with Mulliner. The court record is, ' 3d of Feb., 1644, Thos. Moulenor, sen'r, and Thomas Moulinor, his son, being charged with sundry miscarryages and breach of peace but nott issued. Itt was referred to another court and the meane time it was ordered that they shall both enter into a recognisance of each man 100 /, to keep the publique peace and be of the good behavior to- wards all people, and especially towards the inhabitants of Totoket.' "To show some of the vexations of that first year an instance is here given. November 11th, 1644, 'Upon complaint made by some of the planters of Totoket, that the Mohegin Indians have done much dam- age to them by setting their traps in the walke of their cattell, itt was ordered that the marshall shall goe with Thomas Whitway to warnne Uncus or his brother, or else Foxen,to come and speake with the Gov- ernor and the magistrates.' " This name Foxen shows the origin of the title given to a well- known section in the northwestern part of the town. " Among the first buildings which the settlers put up were a house for the minister, and a meeting house. The minister's house may have been near the present residence of William Russell. The meet- HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 5 ing house was built in the front part of the present burying yard. It was a kind of block-house, and was surrounded by pali.sades, as a de- fense against possible Indian attacks. During the hours of worship some one or more of the settlers stood guard near the entrance of the stockade. All carried their firearms when they went to meeting. They were not afraid of Totoket Indians, but of raiding bands of other tribes, who attacked Indians and whites alike in the town. It is a tra- dition that the Totoket Indians had to resist attacks of that kind in defense of their hunting and fishing grounds. A sort of fort was built by them near the present residence of William Bryan (of the Monto- wese Hotel), and once, at least, a sanguinary battle was fought there. " The houses first built by the settlers were rude and small, — the common houses of to-day are palaces in comparison, both in size and appearance, and furniture. The work for both men and women was hard. Their vigilance must be constant; their crops were meagre and uncertain; their methods of cultivating the soil were rude; their tools were few and clumsy. They also had to guard individuals from pur- chasing or receiving gifts of land from any Indian without the con- sent of the town. They also required all new-comers to agree to bear their proportion of expenses for sustaining a minister. " ' Samuel Swaine complayned of Mr. Mullyner for neglecting of traynings, watchings, and bringing of his arms when it was his turne on the Lord's Days.' Mr. M. makes acknowledgment and promises to do better. " During the second and third years of life in this new settlement a number of other families came in to join those already here. The most notable of the new-comers was the Reverend Abraham Pierson, from Southampton, Long Island. He came with his wife Abigail and at least two children, one of which was a son Abraham, afterward the first president of Yale College. Several other families came with him or soon afterwards, from the same place. Reverend Abraham Pierson was born in Yorkshire, England; he was graduated at the University of Cambridge in 1632; he was Episcopally ordained while in England; he preached for some years in his own country. He came to Boston in 1639 and joined the church there. For a time he preached at Lynn, Ma.ss., where he was again ordained. In 1640 a portion of the inhab- itants of Lynn, 'finding themselves straitened,' removed, with Mr. Pienson, to Long Island. They made an ineffective attempt to settle on the west end of the island. They then went to the east and settled Southampton. When they came to decide whether they would be un- der New Haven jurisdiction or that of Connecticut colony, the larger part chose the latter, because, in their view, more liberal. " Mr. Pierson and some others were dissatisfied, and, therefore, re- moved to Totoket, which was under New Haven jurisdiction. Sprague says, ' Mr. Pierson agreed with John Davenport in wishing to rest all civil as well as ecclesiastical power in the church, and to allow none 6 HISTORV OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. but church members to act in the choice of the officers of g-overnment- or to be eligible as such.' Accordingly, he desired to be under the New Haven jurisdiction, which sustained this view of civil govern- ment. Coming to Totoket he was chosen pastor. The people give him a liberal share of the land and provide otherwise for his support. This is seen by a record a little later. September 22d, 1650, ' It was ordered that the minister's pay shall be brought each half year. For every milch cow he shall have two pounds of butter, in part pay every year; for the rest, for the first half year in beef, or pork, or Indian corn, or ifanipum—iov the second half year in wheat and pease, good and marketable.' "1659. February 24th. 'At a town meeting it was granted by the consent of the town to Mr. Pierson that he shall have the use of the whole five hundred pound lot that he has formerly used which is the meadow of a two hundred pound lot that did not belong to his house when he bought it; that was granted to him for as long as he sh.-iU live in the town, and if he shall live in the town till his death then it is given to his wife and his children for their use forever.' This will show the requirements made upon new comers. " It is evident that new settlers were coming every year, as new names appear in the votes of the town and allotments of land. They were so careful to secure uniformity of action, and to have each meas- ure considered by all the people, they made strict rules concerning attendance upon all their meetings. They laid heavy fines upon such as neglected to attend when they were duly warned. " There was no bell to sound out the call to meeting. A man was therefore appointed to beat the drum as a call. One of the town charges in that day was 3 shillings for a pair of drum sticks. In those early days constant vigilance was required to guard against lawless men and wild beasts. " One of the town votes reads thus: 'June 24th, 1650, This day it is ordered that if any man or woman, young or old, shall be taken by the watch abroad in the night after ten of the clock, and cannot give a sufficient reason therefor to the watch of their being abroad, shall for every such fault pay 12 pence or other condine punishment as the court shall require. " During these first ten years of their history the settlers were dis- turbed by troubles with the Dutch. England was ruled by CromwelK There was war between England and Holland. The Dutch were push- ing their trading settlements all along the New England coast as well as in New York and down the Atlantic coast. Of course the English people here shared in the controversy. The Dutch made a short stop at Totoket, had a landing and are believed to have built a small trad- ing house. Their stay was sufficient to give the name ' Dutch house wharf ' to one of the river landings. The name is retained to this day. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 7 "The early settlers were much engaged in traveling by water. Coasters have always been a numerous and important class in Bran- ford. It is recorded that in 1651 fifty men from New Haven and To- toket. in attempting to settle their land at Delaware, were imprisoned by the Dutch governor. The people here instituted vigorous meas- ures to defend themselves from possible attacks from the Dutch. But so serious did this matter become that, in 1653, New Haven and Connecticut colonies united in an appeal to Cromwell for help against the Dutch." In spite of these apprehensions, it does not appear that the Dutch injured any one at Branford, and in the main the town was as fairly prosperous as any other community of like age in the country. The principles and practices of Mr. Pierson's community had been estab- lished, when the town was again agitated by the question of the union of the colonies, and before it was decided affairs in Branford were very much unsettled. How this matter affected the town is thus de- scribed by Mr. Baldwin: " From the first settlement of Connecticut by the English, in 1635, little oiificial correspondence pas.sed between the settlers and the Eng- lish government till 1661. Companies settled about where they chose. The most of attention on the part of the British government to the new colonies is ascribed to the civil troubles at home. King Charles I. was dethroned and executed in 1649. Oliver Cromwell was made protector in 1653; he died in 1658; his son Richard succeeded him, but resigned in 1659. Charles II. ascended the throne in 1661. Soon fol- lowed the dreadful revenges he took upon such as had been concerned in removing his father. This furnished the romantic episode of the long concealed regicides, Goffe, Whalley and Dixwell, .so intere,sting to all readers of our early history. " The colonies of Connecticut and New Haven were separate gov- ernments, though Connecticut claimed jurisdiction over the whole by virtue of their first patent; there had been .some talk between them about it, but nothing decisive occurred until a new charter was ob- tained from the new king. Then Connecticut purchased her claim of jurisdiction and the New Haven towns were constrained, though with sorrow, to submit. "The coming of royal commissioners from England, in 1664, to look after the king's interests here, hastened the union. There was danger, if they continued divided, that the Duke of York's grant would be purchased; this would have carried the boundary of New York to the Connecticut river, and so left our state very small indeed. A peaceable union saved the two colonies. But some could not be recon- ciled to this change; Mr. Pierson and his friends were especially grieved; they saw in this new jurisdiction the destruction of all their hopes; they did not believe there could be a good and safe government unless the voting and office holding were in the hands of professional 8 HISTORY OF XEW HAVEN COUNTY. Christian men. We can imagine the earnest and absorbing talk the subject'must have occasioned in these men's homes, both in week days and on the Sabbath. Having spent so much Libor in building houses, fences, etc.. having cleared the land, built bridges, mills, and so many needed helpers to comfortable living, it was a serious matter to think of leaving all, to go into another wilderness and begin again. The labors of twenty-three years meant a great deal, yet their consciences constrained them. They sent agents to examine and buy lands for them on the Passaic river in Xew Jersey. Some persons from Guil- ford and Milford shared in the proposed enterprise of a new settle- ment. " The agents having returned and made report of their commission, a large number of the people of Branford held a meeting on the 30th of October, 1666, which is thus noted: 'At a meeting touching the in- tended design of many of the inhabitants of Branford, the following was subscribed: Deut. 1. 1.3: Ex. xviii, 21: Deut. xvii. 15: Jer. xxxvi, 21. 1. That none shall be admitted free-men or free burgesses within our town upon Passaic River, in the Province of Xew Jersey, but such planters as are members of some or other of the Congregational churches, nor shall any but such be chosen to magistracy or to carry on any part of civil judicature, or as deputies or assistants to have power to vote in establishing laws, and making or repealing them, or to any chief military trust or office, nor shall any but such church members have anv vote in anv such elections; though all others ad- mitted to be planters have right to their proper inheritance, and do and shall enjoy all other civil liberties and privileges according to all laws, orders, grants which are, or shall hereafter be made for this town. 2. We shall, with care and diligence, provide for the mainten- ance of the purity of religion professed in the Congregational churches.' Whereunto .subscribed the inhabitants from Branford: Jasper Crane, Abra. Pierson, Samuel Swaine. Lawrence Ward, Thomas Blatchley, Samuel Plum, Josiah Ward, Samuel Rose, Thomas Pierson, John Ward, John Catling, Richard Harrison, Ebenezer Canfield, John Ward, Sen., Ed. Ball, John Harrison, John Crane, Thomas Wrentington, De- livered Crane, Aaron Blatchlej% Richard Lawrence, John Johnson, Thomas Lyon (his L. mark). — 23. " Most of these signers moved with Mr. Pierson to Newark (New- work). They comprised man}- of the most prominent inhabitants of Branford. They went by vessel down Long Island sound. This is the way most of the first settlers came to Branford. Those from Wethersfield came down the Connecticut river and along the shore; those from Southampton and New Haven also came b}^ water in most cases. The}- built and used small coasting vessels from the first. " We have evidence that Branford was by no means depopulated ; the town records were not removed; other settlers came in,buvingand HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 9 occupying the houses and lands of such as had removed. Some that had proposed to go, not making a favorable sale of their property, de- cided to remain. Mr. Pierson engaged the Reverend John Bowers to preach to those who remained, and he paid him to the end of the year 1666." Newark was the third colony Air. Pierson helped to plant. Now he sat down under a code of laws of his own choice, with his hopes realized, and remained with his people until his death, August 9th, 167S. " Though so many had removed, the rest showed they were not discouraged. June 2()th, 1667, they met and took vigorous measures to rally the planters to hope and courage. They voted and put on record this agreement: ' Forasmuch as that it appears that the under- taking and the settlement of this place of Branford was procured by and for men of Congregational principles, as to church order, accord- ing to the platform of discipline agreed on by the synod of 48, or thereabouts, drawn from the word of God in the main; we, that yet remain here, can say that we have found much peace and quietness, to our great comfort, for the which we desire to bless God; and that it may so remain to such as do continue their abode in this place, and to such as shall come in to fill up the rooms of those that are removed, and that do intend to remove from this place of Branford. We all do see cause now for to agree that an orthodox minister of that judgment shall be called to it and among us. The gathering of such a church shall be encouraged. The upholdment of such church officers shall not want our proportional supply of maintenance, according to rule. We will not in any wise encroach upon or disturb their liberties in so walking from time to time, and at all times: nor will we be in any ways injurious to them in civil or ecclesiastical respects. And this we freel}' and voluntarily engage ourselves unto, jointly and severally, so long as we remain inhabitants of this place, and this we bind our- selves unto by our subscription to this agreement. It is also agreed that whoever shall come for purchase or to be admitted or planted here, shall so subscribe before admittance or his bargain be valid in law among us.' Ja^sper Crane, Jonathan Rose, John Wilford, Thomas Blatchly, Samuel Plum, Michael Taintor, John Collins, Michael Pal- mer, John Ward, John Linsley, George Adams, John Whitehead, Samuel Ward, Edward Frisbie, Henry Gretwich, Matthew Biskatt, Thomas Harrison, Thomas Wheadon, John Robing, Robert Foote, George Page, Thomas Gutsill, Samuel Swaine, Samuel Pond, Isaac Bradley, William Rosewell, Peter Tyler, John Anams, Moses Blachly, John Frisbie, William Maltbie, Bartholomew Goodrich, Sigismond Richalls, George Seward, Edward Ball, William Hoadlej', Eleazer Stent, John Rogers, Samuel Bradfield, John Charles, Edward Barker, An- thony Hand, Thomas Sargent, Daniel Swaine, John Linsley, Jr., John Rose, John Taintor, Francis Linsley — 48. Six of the signers of this 10 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. agreement afterward went to Newark. John Wilford, Thomas Blatchly, John Collins and Michael Taintor are put forward as leaders. They are directed to buy Richard Harrison's house and lands for a minister. The people pledge themselves to pay for them. They re- quire all new-comers to do the same."* In addition to those who removed or remained, it is known that 26 persons died before 1666, which would indicate that while the popula- tion of Branford was not as great as that of some other towns, at that period, the improvements must have been of considerable importance. New and desirable settlers were added yearly, and under the more liberal policy of the united colonies, the work of development was car- ried forward. Of the new men who settled here was William Ro.se- well, a merchant in New Haven. December, 24th, 1672, the town gave him, " in consideration of his setting up a saw mill upon Beaver brook and .selling the people boards and timber at a specified price, the priv ilege of cutting the wood he needed for timber, etc., provided he cut none within a mile of the furnace pond. Mr. Rosewell built a house about where Mrs. Peggy Fowler now lives. He gave it to his wife, Catherine (Rus.sell) as a marriage portion. He continued to buy land of different parties until he owned a large estate. He was also en- gaged in trade between New England and Barbadoes. He probably had vessels built for his trade near Peggy Fowler's. He died July 19th, 1674. His widow died in 1698. Of their three children only one, a daughter, outlived the parents. " John and Noah Rogers came from Long Island, and were sons of William Rogers of Southampton and Hempstead; Eleazer Stent came from New Haven with his mother and sisters. His father was a Protestant minister who had sailed from England for Virginia. He died on the passage. His family afterward came to New Haven. His widow married Thomas Beaumond. She was again a widow when the family came to Branford. She again married Thomas Harrison, of Branford. Eleazer Stent was in Branford as early as 1667. He was a freeman in 1672; was granted six acres as a home lot. It was between the Russell place and ' fig lane,' going back to the river, not on the highway at first. He was soon made town clerk, to assist John Wil- ford. He continued after Wilford died, and for many years. In 1683 he was granted a small piece of land near ' Little Plain brook.' 1687, March 4th, he was granted ten acres at ' dirty swamp, along Guildford old road;' was chosen ' commissioner ' May 3d, 1688; same day was given six acres upon the hill west of Brushy plain, on condition of his giving up six acres of 'dirty swamp.' John Plant, to whom, 1683, February, the town gave six acres upon Mulliner's hill. His son, James, was born February 22d, 1685. February 4th, 1 688, the town gave John Plant six acres more on the ' half way hill,' that is half way to ' iron works.' * Baldwin. HISTORY OF NEW KAVEN COUNTY. 11 " Isaac Bradley, who came from New Haven and settled near Stony river, and was granted land. The ' Bradley farm,' near the Ea.st Haven line, .south of the main road, was long owned by his family. " John Collins, a shoemaker, came from Guilford. George Bald- win, a blacksmith, came from Milford. 1688, October 4th, the town gave him ' Sawpit's ' lot, also land at ' Cattholes,' also swamp between ' the narrow of dirty swamp and world's end path.' In 1091 the town gave him five or six acres below Brushy plain. In 1694, August 14th, he was also chosen con.stable, and to 'beat the drum ' for Sabbath and other meetings. He was paid thirty shillings for it. In 1697 he was chosen collector of taxes. " Richard Towner. His first grant near Canoe brook, 1690. April 8th, he changed his land ' near Bartholomew Goodrich, at the old mill brook.' 1692, November 2d, he was chosen to have the oversight of young people on vSabbath days. He gave name to ' Towner's hill.' William Bartholomew was here and agreed to build a corn mill. Thomas Gutsell was settled near Branford Point; from him came the name ' Goodsell's Point.' His wife Ruth (Butler) deserted him, going off to Providence, R. I., with Joseph Woodward. " During these years the town kept up a ' train band.' 1687, April 5th, town agreed to furnish a silk flag for the soldiers, paying Edward Johnson for work upon it. "John Blakiston came here soon after 1700; he was a mariner. He began to buy land near the present Blackstoneville, and continued, from year to year, until he was one of the largest landholders in the town. He is believed to have been the grandson or great-grandson of the William Blackstone who built the first house in Boston, Mass. He then owned much of the land upon which the present city of Boston is built. Boston preserves the name in one of her streets. He is also believed to have been a near relative of .Sir William Blackstone of England, a name so well known and honored. " This John Blackiston came over from Rhode Island. Tradition relates that his marriage was not agreeable to his friends, or his wife's friends, so the young people resolved to make a new home for them- selves in this town. All the Blackstones of Branford were and are his descendants. Much of the land originally purchased by the first John Blackiston, is still retained in the Blackstone family of to-day. Rhode Island and Massachusetts have their Blackstone river, Blackstone canal and town of Blackstone. This name has been closely identified with the important interests of Branford for 150 years. It has also sent out honored branches to other places." Near the .same time (1700), Reverend Gurdon Saltonstall came to Branford and married Elizabeth, daughter of William Rosewell, the trader and ship builder, and who had left a large estate in the town. In 1707 he was elected governor of the colony, and was reelected until his death, in 1725. Soon after being elected governor he built a large 12 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. mansion on the Rosewell property, near the Furnace pond, which he occupied most of the time, living at New London the remainder of the time, and was buried at the latter place. From the fact of his resi- dence here Saltonstall lake took its name. The house is still standing and was for many years one of the grandest on the shore, being fitted up in a style becoming the station of a governor. Nathaniel Johnson was another important settler after 1700. He was a merchant from the old country, and brought much wealth to the town, which he invested in lands. " He bought the two hundred acres that had been given to Thomas Mulliner, Jr., in the northwest cor- ner of the town. Mulliner and his wife moved to Westchester, N.Y., and the name ceased here. Air. Johnson is believed to have built the house that stood where Mrs. Peggy Fowler now lives. It was burned, with all the barns near it, about sixty years ago. It made so large and hot a fire the people had great difficulty in saving the other houses in the street. Samuel Barker was another wealthy man who came about the same time. His first purchase was 42 acres at ' Littleworth,' of Philip Pond in 1734. He gave the Reverend Mr. Robbins five acres the .same year. Mr. Barker is believed to have built the house still standing on Cherry hill. That house was finely finished and furnished for its day. It had pictured tiles around its fire places. Some of those tiles are still to be seen. Some are preserved by the family of James F. Morris, who once owned the place. The place was sold to Ralph Isaacs, a man of some considerable fame in this place during the war of the revolution. His daughter married an Ingersoll, and became the mother of the Ingersolls now so well known in New Haven. Another family of note coming here about the same time was the •Gould family. That familj' furnished the physicians for Branford for about 100 years. They are believed to have built the house that stood between the present Stedman and Robinson places on the Main street. Richard Gould, M. D., came to America from North Country, County Devon, parish of (3akhampton. He was born April 28th, 1662. He died March 9th, 1746, aged 84. " William Gould, his son, was born at the same place February 11th, 1693. He was a physician here July 2d, 1757. He had three wives and ten children. His son, William Gould, Jr., M.D., was born here Novem- ber 17th, 1727, and died July 29th, 1805. He had a son, Orchard Gould, M.D., who was born March 1st, 1764, and died February 4th, 1819. His brother, James Gould, was an eminent lawyer and judge for many years. His sister, Elizabeth, was the wife of Hon. Roger M. Sherman, of Fair- field. Mrs. Mary Daniels, who built the house where Mr. Henry Nich- ols now lives, was a daughter of Doctor Orchard Gould." James Gould was born in Branford December 5th, 1770; graduated from Yale in 1794, and received degree of LL.D. in 1819. He was one of the most learned men of his times, and his contributions to litera- ture are chaste and elegant to an unusual degree. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 13 " Richard Gould, M.D., must have practiced medicine here for a number of years. He was much esteemed, as is evident from his being^ elected tythingman in 1728. Only the most dignified and trusted men were chosen to this office in that day. William Gould, his son, pur- chased several tracts of land at Paved street and Hopyard plain. Some of that land is still owned by Elias Gould, the only male descendant of the name now living in Branford. " Another physician lived in Branford at that time — Isaac Barthol- omew, M.D. He became a large owner of land, buying a great deal at Hopyard plain. This name has been a prominent one in Branford since the first William Bartholomew, who built the fir.st dam and the first corn mill on the Branford river. It used to be pronounced ' Bot- tlemy,' or ' Barthlemy.' " John Guy and Orchard Guy are the first names of another some- what influential family. John Guy, in 1723, buys Eleazer Stent's place, near the town street. Orchard Guy, a little later, has a house near the place where Charles Wilford now lives. " October 10th, 1737, Andrew Beach, of Fairfield, buys an acre of land, a house and barn at Mill plain, of Archibald McNeil. The house was evidentl}' built by McNeil. The place is now owned and lived in by Timothy Palmer and family. " The land just north was owned by Roger Tyler. Mr. Jordan Rogers owned what Mr. Tiihothy Palmer's new house stands on. Mr. Andrew Beach is believed to be the ancestor of all the Branford Beaches. He was a ' cordwainer ' — what we now call a shoemaker. Archibald McNeil may have built that old house. He bought and sold several places, and is believed to have built several houses. He once owned a house that stood about between Hattie Hoadley's house and the Blackstone house. " In 1734 Ephraim Parish bought of Solomon Palmer five and a half acres of land and a new house-frame and a barn. Mr. Palmer had bought the land of Bezaleel Tyler. It is the place so long the home of Reverend Timothy O. Gillett and wife. Mr. Parish built the house; he had a son, Ephraim, and a grandson, Russell Parish. This Russell sold it to Reverend T. O. Gillett in 1811. Russell Parish had kept a hotel there for a number of years. "In 1733, William Barker sold a piece of his home lot to Reverend Philemon Robbins. It was on ' Pig lane,' or Barker's lane, and known as Foot's lot. That is probably the lot on which the Reverend Jvlr. Robbins built his house. This lane ran down to the meadows, both east and west of what is now the main road. It ran by the south side of William Averill's house, and south of the Catholic church on the west side of the street. There were houses on that lane, one supposed to be the first Stent house, down at the east end of the meadow; another half way to the road, believed by some to be the first Robert Foote house. 14 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. " There was a road in those early days which commenced back of Mrs. Peggy Foster's house, and ran along the meadow up to the main road, back of the Baptist church. There were at least three houses on that road — one close to the railroad, said to have been the first frame house in Branford; another about west of Captain William Averill's place: another west of Mr. John Foot's place. Another road turned west from this last, near the Stent lot, and followed the meadows round to Page's Point. " In December, 1736, .Samuel Stent died. He had been a public- spirited and useful man; he left money to the church and ;^10 to the town for the care of the poor. This sum was loaned on interest by the selectmen. As it ceased to appear in any reports after a few years, it was probably lost. During these years, from 1735 to the first years of the war of the revolution, Branford rapidly grew m population and wealth. The land was taken up and cleared and cultivated over a great part of its surface. Many vessels were built and quite a foreign trade grew up. A new wharf was built at the Dutch House landing, by Samuel Barker, in the year 1752. " The whole territory of Branford belonged to those who were pro- prietors at the time of obtaining the patent, and such as they sold to. When a new settler came and bought, he shared in whatever new di- visions of unappropriated lands were made. There were three divisions before the year 1700. There were four more before 1750. The greater part of all Branford territory was taken up between 1700 and 1740. The fourth division took up most of the present territory of North Branford. The fifth division took a great part of Stony Creek section. There were meetings of the proprietors separate from the town meet- ings. These continued even down to within the memory of some now living. Their records show to whom each parcel of laud was origi- nally given. In assigning land, they left places for roads to such land; these were the highwa3's, and they were few. Most of the roads now in u.se have been opened during the last sixty years. " In Branford, as in some of the other towns, slaver}^ was a recog- nized in.stitution, Indians and negroes being sold in bondage. The -more wealthy families had usually two or more colored men and women. These servants, as they were called, were often a very inter- esting part of the household." " Among the foregoing Richard Harrison came to Branford about 1650, and died in 1653. One of his sons, Richard, removed to New Jersey in 1666. It is supposed that the family came from Virginia and was connected with the Harrisons of that state. Thomas Harrison, another son of Richard, remained in the town. He had five sons, who left numerous descendants, among them being Governor Henry B. Harrison, Hon. Lynde Harrison and others. One of the five sons, Thomas, and his son, Nathaniel, and grandson, Nathaniel, Jr., were "very prominent men in their day, filling many positions of honor and HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 15 trust. The Harrison family is still numerously and honorably repre- sented in Branford and North Branford." Another settler of prominence was William Maltby, who for a long time was one of the iustices of the quorum and was usually called Judge Maltby. Samuel Maltby graduated from Yale, and also became prominent in affairs. Most of this family removed. Captain William Hoadley, born about 1630, and supposed to have been a brother of Reverend John Hoadley, of Guilford (who returned to England in 1650), was an early merchant of Branford. He left a large family, and from them have descended members who attained honorable di-stinction; as Governor George Hoadley of Ohio, Charles J. Hoadley, LL. D., state librarian; David Hoadley, the architect, and his son David, president of the Panama railroad, and others who were active in the town's affairs. Edward Barker was one of the leading men in the western part of the town. His son, Sainuel, graduated from Yale, and bore the title of Mister. One of his sons, Samuel vS., who graduated from Yale in 1772, was an officer in the revolution, resigning as major in 1782. Both he and his father removed to Beekman, N. Y., where he died in 181 U. Noah Rogers, another early prominent settler, also had a grandson. Captain Edward Rogers, who took an active part in the revolution. Removing to New York, his son, Edward, became a member of Con- gress after 1840. Colonel Edward Russell, a son of Mr. John Russell, one of the lead- ing public men in his time, was a captain in Colonel Douglass' regi- ment, in 1776, and the same year became a major in General Wooster's •command. In 1778 he received the rank of colonel and did much service in the war. An idea of the names of many of the citizens of Branford may be obtained from the following lists, which have been compiled from the town books, in the periods named, where they were registered as own- ers of ear marks for their cattle : 1747: Nathaniel Page, Benjamin Barnes, Ebenezer Harrison, John Parrish, Joel Parrish, Nathan Goodrich, Abraham Foote, Nathaniel Butler, Isaac Harrison, Daniel Hoadley, Nathaniel Frisbie. 1748: Samuel Barker, Thomas Rogers, William Barker, Benjamin Palmer, John Butler, John Potter, Josiah Harrison, Daniel Harrison, Wheeler Brown, Samuel Palmer, Aaron Baldwin, Enos Barnes, Joseph Page. 1749: Elisha Frisbie, Daniel Page, Noah Frisbie, Daniel Butler, Eliphalet Howd, James Barker, Samuel Rose, Isaac Hoadley, Daniel Otis. 1750: John Ford, Joseph Palmer, Abel Butler, Jo.siah Butler, Sam- uel Butler, Asa Eeete, David Leavitt, Eleazer .Stent, Samuel Stent, .Samuel Kirkham, Abraham Hoadley. 16 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 1751: Benjamin Bartholomew, Daniel Rogers, Joseph Bartholomew, Daniel Bradley, Samuel Russell, jehiel Whedon, Samuel !Maltbie, John Russell, Edward Russell, Joshua Dudley. 1752: Daniel Johnson, Timothy Harrison, Samuel Rose, Elnathan Beach, John Plant, Abraham Plant, Samuel Barker, Abraham Har- rison. 1753: Stephen Blackstone, Jacob Hoadley, Samuel Rogers. Josiah Fowler, Ebenezer Linsley, Edward Brockway, Silas Parker, David Tyler, Benjamin Plant, Richard Towner, Jonathan Plant, John Smith, Elisha Smith. Jonathan Russell, Jr.. Nathaniel Taintor, Thomas Gould. 1754: John Johnson, David Hudson. Ebenezer Russell, Jonathan Whedon, John Linsley, Jr.. .Stephen Harrison, Joseph Rogers, Eben- ezer Hoadley, Daniel Baldwin. Stephen Foote, Joseph Wilford, James Hoadle}'. 1756: James Baldwin, Daniel Palmer, Jacob Palmer. David Hudson. 1757: Phineas Baldwin, David Foote, Jr., William Gould, Ebenezer Foote. 1758: Joseph Finch, Reuben Whedon, Nathaniel Goodrich, Timothy Frisbie, Amos Seward, Josiah Parrish, Thomas Frisbie. 1759: John Barnes, Richard Baldwin, David Linsle^^ David Good- rich, John Welford, Joseph Tvler, Joseph Tyler. Jr.. Jonathan Good- sell. ' 1760: Samuel Barker, 2d, Isaac Palmer, Jeremiah Woolut, Nathan- iel Harrison, John Welford. Jr.. Abel Page, William Harrison. 1761: Papillon Barker, Edward Rogers, Samuel Baldwin. Abijah Hobart, Thomas Norton. 1762: Reverend Warham Williams. Jacob Linsley, Ephraim Foote, Samuel H. Torrey, Nathan Foote, Timothy Hoadley, Wilkinson Howd, Obadiah Winters, Abraham Rogers, John Blackiston, Jr. 1763: Ralph Hoadley, Isaac Linsley, Thomas Stent, Eli Rogers, John Rose, Solomon Rose. 1764: Isaac Foote, Obed Linsley, John Harrison, Rufus Palmer, Noah Baldwin, Jr. 1765: Ezekiel Hays, George Baldwin, Timothy Russell, Edward Barker, Timothy Palmer, Samuel Still, Othniel Stent, Jeremiah Scar- ritt, i\Iinor Merrick. 1766: Solomon Tyler, Benjamin Linsley, Ebenezer Truesdell, Thomas Russell, Jared Robinson, Peter Harrison, Bille Rose. 1767: Isaac Tyler, Stephen Potter, Zaccheus Baldwin, Bartholomew Goodrich, Timothy Goodrich, Samuel Russell, Jr.. Amos Harrison. 1768: Jonathan Linsley, Rufus Hoadley, Samuel Buel, Asa Foote, John Butler, 2d, Samuel Harrison, Jr., Orchard Guy, Samuel Maltbie, Jonathan Truesdell, Joseph Chidsey. 1769: Samuel Hoadley, Judah Howd, Ozias Tyler, John Negus, Joseph Page, Joel Rogers, John Stent. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 17 1770: Jared Barker, Roger Tyler, Samuel Ford, Josiah Harrison, Jonathan Tyler, Peter Tyler, Jason Rogers, Ephraim Beach, Jareb Palmer, Jabez Palmer, Rufus Palmer, Nicholas Palmer, William Good- rich. Bille Tyler, Samuel Byington, Elisha Barker, Reuben Page. 1771: Daniel Page, James Maltbie,Timothy Hoadley, Enoch Staples, Jonathan Maltbie, Bernard Lintot, Samuel Hand, Samuel Eells. 1772: Samuel Page. Jr., Edward ^lulford, Russell Barker, Rogers Tyler, Jairus Bunnell, Edward Stent, Benjamin Tyler, Samuel Whedon. 1773: Jonathan Beers, Freeman Crocker, Ebenezer Rogers, David Rose, John Johnson. 1774: Samuel Foote, David Harrison, Jr., Asahel Tyler, Obadiah Tyler, William Douglas, Jeremiah Johoson, John Monroe. 1775: Elihu Stone, John Harrington, Hezekiah Palmer, Abijah Rogers, Ammi Harrison, Peter Harrison, Ichabod Culpepper, Joseph Rogers, Jr., William Monroe. 1776: Jonathan Towner, Jonathan Bartholomew, Samuel Tyler, Ebenezer Beach, Matthew Butler, Isaac Hotchkiss, Benjamin Hoadley, Israel Baldwin, Israel Linsley, Elihu Linsley, Timothy Barker, Jr., Aaron Morris, Jesse Stent, Ransom B. Harlow, Solomon Goodrich, Samuel Howe, Samuel Howe, Jr., Solomon Talmadge, John Butler, 3d, Major Edward Russell, John Russell, Joseph Parmalee, Timothy Parmalee. 1777: Timothy Chidsey, Barnabas Palmer, Collins Page, Isaac In- graham, James Goodrich, E.stus Barker, Michael Taintor, Jr., Medad Taintor, Jonathan Towner, Ephraim Parrish, Lemuel Johnson, Cor- nelius Johnson, Samuel Griffing, Artemas Johnson. 1778: Elnathan Tyler, Arnaziah Rose, Gideon Goodrich, Jr., Ro.se- well Chidsey, Robert Olds, Hooker Frisbie, Benjamin Maltbie, Zaccheus Maltbie. 1779: Edwin Harrison, Rufus Linsley, Nathan Rose, Wooster Har- rison, Isaac Smith, Elihu Rogers, Oliver Lanfair, John Augur, Malachi Rogers, Benjamin Barker. 1780: William Scott, William McQueen, Captain Benjamin Baldwin, John Rogers, Captain Reuben Rose. Some doubt attaches to the early records of the town, and it is questioned whether they are complete. Certainly, on some points, the}' are obscure and imperfectly preserved. But it is not true, as is often said, that the early Branford records were carried to Newark, New Jersey, when Mr. Pierson and his adherents removed thither, in 1666-7. John Plum, the first clerk, died in Branford in 1658, and his successor gathered up his accounts and preserved them as well as he could, after he had copied them. These records of Eleazer Stent show nice care in the writing, but their orthography is in the peculiar style of two hundred years ago. Most of the early records pertain to affairs of the planters in relation to the allotment and disposition of lands, 18 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEX COUNTY. the care of the herds and flocks, and the support of a minister, as examples: " December 15th, 1645. This day it was ordered that Mr. vSher- man should be allowed a year, to begin from the 1st of October, 1644." " This day it was ordered by the inhabitants of this place (com- monly called Totokett), that John Plum shall keep the town books. It is ordered, also, that all the inhabitants shall give in their estate unto John Plum by the 25th of this month, and the second day of the week next following all the inhabitants are to meet at Mr. Sherman's house by eight of the clock, upon the penalty of losing of twelve pence." " December the 28th, 1645. It is ordered this day that Mr. Pal- mer, Mr. Swaine, Samuel Swaine and John Plum shall go to-morrow to New Haven to meet Mr. Mulliner at the Governor's, to agree upon a way both for Mr. Mulliner, the accommodating and voting, and any other difference that is between him and the town. It is ordered, also, that any one under a lOOth shall be accommodated according to that rule that Mr. Sherman, Mr. Swaine, Goodman, Rose, and John Plum did bring in. Those that have a 100.? bond accord- ing to the former order. Moreover, it is ordered that Mr. Palmer, in consideration of some former expense and also for the good serv- vices he has done the town, and also for the public business that he is to do the town for one year following as they call him thereunto, he is to have that piece of meadow which lyeth at the end or side of his lot to the neck, and also upland apportionable to it." This shows that Mr. Palmer was the first town agent chosen. " The 2nd month, the 10th day, 1646. This day it was agreed by the town and Francis Linsley that the said Francis shall keep the heard of cows and heifers from the 10th of this month to the 16th of the 9th, and he to call for them by the sun half an hour high in the morning and to bring them home at that time in the evening, and he must blow a horn, or make some other noise, before he come in the morning and also in the evening, that we may be ready to turn them out of our yards, and to return them in the evening." They further arrange that he is to have one Sabbath out of four. If any of the cat- tle get lost he is to look for them four days, with a man to help, at his own charge. Another important public measure was the surrounding the town or much of it by a strong fence. " The 16th of the 9th month, 1646. This dai it is ordered that there shall a fence be made from the sea, beginning near that neck where Thos. Mulliner sometime dwelt, to run about five miles to the sea near a place where the Indians now dwell. And four miles of this fence is to be done according as it .shall fall to men by lott. And the first lott HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 19 that shall be drawn is to begin within one-quarter of a mile next that part of the sea first mentioned, and so every one shall do his part ac- cording as he shall be drawn, as he that is drawn first shall make first, so every one severally .shall do it according as their name shall be drawn then following. And the rest that remains shall be done in generall. This fence is to be finished by the first of May next, and no man is to take any timber but right against his fence. And whoever defaults of not doing by the time appointed every one shall forfeit to the town two shillings per pound a rod or span or pole. And for every day after this it shall not be done every one that is defective shall pay sixpence a day for every rod or span or pole until it be made, and also pai the damages that shall come whoever defaults of not making. The fence is to be 4 feet 2 inches. It is to be a log fence." "The 27th of the 3d month 1647. This day it is agreed between the Townsmen of Totokett and John Edwards of Wethersfield, of Con- necticut, that the said John Edwards hath agreed to pay all the charges that have arose within the said Totokett from the beginning of the plantation unto this present day, with equal proportion with each man accordmg to estate he gave in both for himself and his son and that as well in respect of joyning the preaching of the word of God as all other common charges that have occurred to this planta- tion." Many domestic matters were very carefully regulated, the most explicit rules being adopted in the town meetings. If, for instance, a man wanted to own a gun, he had to secure the town's consent. De- cember 31st, 1718, " Charles Tyler asked for that liberty, but the town thought it would not be safe and voted in the negative." A demand having been created for various products of the town, their shipment was regulated. February 6th, 1717, the town votes that none should be allowed to cut staves on the town's land without special permission from the town. About this time (1717) the town had to regulate the gathering of " bayberries." These small, waxy balls, found on bushes, were useful in making wax. This wax entered into the manufacture of several very useful articles — especially of blacking and salve. It continued to be an article of trade in Branford down to within the last fifty years. In 1717 the town forbid the gath- ering of these berries on the highways and common before Septem- ber 16th. A fine of ten shillings was exacted for each violation of the law. A deed from the Indians for all the lands in Branford bounds was secured in 1685, and February 16th that year the town received its patent from the colony. It was signed by Governor Robert Treat, and was granted Mr. William Rosewell, Ensign Thomas Harrison, William Hoadley, Samuel Pond, Edward Barker, William Maltby, Lieutenant Eleazer Stent, John Frisby and John Tayntor, representing all the settlers. Both instruments were properly recorded July 13th, 1719. 20 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Since the war for the Union among the first selectmen have been: John Bishop, David Beach, Henry E. Towner, Thomas S. McDermott, John Plant, George H. Page, J. August Blackstone, Richard S. Bradley, William R. Foote and Daniel O. Brien. In the same period the town treasurers were: Elizur Rogers, Eli F. Rogers, and the past thirteen years, Henry H. vStedman. John Plum was the first town clerk, and left papers which Eleazer Stent afterward copied. None of Mr. Plum's writings have been found. He died in 1648, and John Wilford was chosen in his place. Succeeding him the town clerks served until the years set after their names: Eleazer Stent, to 1705; William Maltbie, 1710: John Russell, 1712; Nathaniel Harrison, 1714; John Rus.sell, 1721; Samuel Maltbie, 1746; John Russell, 1747; Israel Baldwin, 1748; John Russell, 1754; Nathaniel Harrison, 1758; Samuel Barker, 1775; William Monroe, 1776; Samuel Barker, 1781; Edward Russell, 1794; Samuel Gould, 1798; Orchard Gould, 1818; Samuel Frisbie, 1824: John Barker, 1825: Samuel Frisbie, 1839: William Tyler, 1841: William R. Frisbie, 1843: Wil- loughby L. Lay, 1847; Orrin D. Squire, 1858; Samuel Beach, 1861; J. E. Russell, 1866: A. M. Babcock, 1867; Elizur Rogers, 1870; Eli F. Rogers, 1876; Henry H. Stedman, 1891, deceased the same year and was succeeded by Walter Foote. The town hall at Branford is a large, two-story frame building, centrally located on the green. It was erected in 1857, thoroughly re- paired in 1869, and placed in good condition since that time. In 1875 a fine safe, manufactured at Branford by James E. Russell, was placed in the office of the town treasurer. The town prison or lockup was erected in the rear of the town hall in 1878-9. It is a small, strong stone building and cost §1,100. The town poor farm was purchased in 1874, at a cost of $3,200. It was thereafter greatly improved. By an act of the general assembly, January 15th, 1874, the town was divided into two voting districts — Branford and Stony Creek. In 1890 the latter had about one hundred voters, or about one-eighth of the whole number of polls cast. An act of the general assembly, July 25th, 1867, authorized the in- corporation of Branford village as a borough, and the matter of or- ganization was placed in the hands of John R. Holcomb, Samuel E. Linsley and Elizur Rogers. A board of officers was elected the fol- lowing September, but the organization was soon dropped. In 1883 the privileges of the act were revived and another election was or- dered to be called by Samuel E. Linsley and T. F. Hammer. But this, like the former movement in this direction, was also void of prac- tical results. The affairs of the town are carried on at a yearly outlay of about $17,000, about one-seventh of that amount being used for the mainte- nance of the poor. There was, in 1890, a debt of §31,470.97, $30,000 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 21 of which was bonded. The grand list of the previous year was $1,- 581,618, and the rate of taxation 12 mills. The Branford Probate District was e.stablished in 1850, when it was set off from the Guilford district. The first court was held July 8th, 1850, Levi S. Parsons being the judge, and Ebenezer B. Barker the clerk. The subsequent judges have been the following: 1853, O. D. Squire; 1854. John J. Bartholomew: 1863, J. E. Russell; 1869, Edward R. Landon, of Guilford, acting judge; 1870, Eli F. Rogers; 1879, Henry H. Stedman. It has been stated that when the proprietors laid out the land they usually made allowance for roads, but evidently there were no fenced roads for many years after the town was settled. Fences were gradu- ally made, as different persons found it needful to have them. They did not always conform to the highway, as laid out; they often en- croached, and thus much land is now held by individuals that really belongs to the town as highway. Most of the roads, before the year 1800, were only cart paths to peoples' houses and fields. In most in- stances they were called lanes, and often received some outlandish names. Many of the people of the town were opposed to the location of general highways, and it is said that the petition of the people of "North Parish," in 1741, for a road to connect them with Guilford, was pending several years before it was granted, and other roads to points outside of the town shared a like fate. The town has had no turnpikes, but the Shore road following, in a general way, the old "Totoket path" of the very first settlers, has gen- erally been improved to an easy condition. In the past thirty years nearly all the principal highways, whose courses in many places have been modified over the original layout, have been graded and made hard and smooth by covering them with paving material found in abiindance near Cherry hill. In the mam, all the principal roads are now well improved. The streams of the town being narrow, it has been a small item to maintain the bridges. One of the most important is the stone bridge at the foot of Montowese street, which was built in 1869 and provided with tide gates. In 1874 a part of it was swept away, but was sub- stantially repaired, and is now an attractive structure. The pile bridge, next below, was built in recent years. The railway through the town was got in operation in the summer of 1852. A station was first located at Branford village, later another at Stony Creek, and .still later, the third, at Pine Orchard. The first two have become important points on the Shore Line railroad. The wants of the early settlers were supplied by several mills, erected on the streams of the town, among the first improvements of the kind being a tide mill, near where is now the Branford Point bridge. Later the Bartholomews and others built a mill higher txp 22 HISTORY OF NEW KAVEN COUNTY. the Stream, at Mill Plain, and mills have been there continued until the present time. The town united with New Haven in granting liberty to set up iron works at Saltonstall lake, at that time called the Great pond, and later known as Furnace pond, voting aid to encourage the enterprise, from 1655 until 1658. These were the pioneer iron works in the state. The power has ever since operated some kind of machinery, a small feed mill being at present kept up. On Beaver brook, above this point, William Rosewell built a saw mill about 1672. On other small streams machinery was set up, as the wants of the town demanded, but the operations were on a small scale. The Branford Lock Works rank as one of the oldest and the lead- ing industry in the town. The}' are the outgrowth of small industries established in the early part of the century. About 1809 Orrin D. Squire became a resident of the village, and as a skillful blacksmith carried on a shop in the rear of the "Ha3'es Garden." Near the same time L. D. Ho.sley and Daniel Nichols had a small foundry on the brook, above the village. Thev united their interests and established a new plant, where are now the works, removing some of their old buildings to that place. At that time the " hollow" was a part of a wood lot, being full of trees and stumps. They engaged in a general foundry business and made fine castings and stoves, which had a good reputation. Subsequentl}' the variety of products was increased and changes of the firm occurred. In 1852 the business passed to the " Squire & Parsons Manufactur- ing Company," which had among its members Levi Parsons, Lyman Squire and William S. Kirkham, and the manufacture of locks was extensively begun. After several years the company failed, and in 1862 the property passed to Thomas Kennedy, a practical lock maker of Xew York. He brought to his assistance skilled labor and im- proved machinery, much of which he devised himself, and soon cre- ated a vast business, which in 1865 he placed under the management of the present corporation, which was organized with a capital of §150,000. Thomas Kennedy was elected president, and so served until his death, in 1880. John H. Royal was the first secretary, and was succeeded by E. F. Jones, who now serves in that capacity, and is also treasurer of the company. A. L. Runyan succeeded Kennedy as president; John J. Kennedy is the general superintendent and W. J. Powes the general agent of the works. The plant is valued at a quarter of a million of dollars and covers nearly five acres of land. Most of the buildings are brick, and afford a working capacity for 500 people. In addition, many of the operations are performed by machinery, peculiar to this establishment, making it possible to produce 500 dozen complete locks and knobs per day, some of them being very handsome in design and finish. About five HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 23 tons of iron, brass and nickel are consumed daily, and this industrj' has contributed very much to the prosperity of the town. The Branford Malleable Iron Fittings Company have extensive works opposite the railway depot, at Page's Point. The first improve- ment there was made after the building of the railroad, by Elizur Rogers, who built a dock and opened a coal yard, which are still con- tinued. On the west, and having the facilities of the railroad and Branford river, the manufacture of iron articles was soon after begun by the "Totoket Company," which was incorporated in October, 1854, with a capital of $16,000. Among the principal stockholders were William H. Perry, William S. Kirkham, F. Northrup, L. S. Parsons, John Plant, Samuel O. Plant, Henry L. Baldwin, William Blackstone, Gurdon Bradley, A. & E. Rogers, Eli F. Rogers, J. Henry Page, Henry Rogers, David Beach and William Wadsworth. Operations were begun in 1855, on malleable iron, brass and wrought iron goods. Two years later Henry Rogers was authorized to sell the property of the "Totoket Company," and for several years Elizur Rogers and B. H. Hadley, as Rogers & Hadley, carried on the business. In 1864 the present corporation took charge of the property and developed the business to its fine proportions. The plant is one of the largest in the Union, devoted to this line of manufactures, which embraces fittings of every nature. About four acres are covered with substantially constructed brick buildings, a number of them being several stories high, and the main structure is more than 200 feet long. One foundry is also 200 feet long and two others are of less length. There are two large annealing rooms and other spacious buildings, adapted for the uses of the company. Power is furnished by ponderous engines, and every department is equipped with labor-saving machinery, but the works give employment, aside from these devices, to nearly 300 persons. A specialty is made of the manufacture of goods from semi-steel, which have proved excellent substitutes for drop forgings and gun metals, and all goods are manu- factured on a basis of chemical analysis. The company has since 1865 been officered by J. J. Walworth, presi- dent; E. C. Hammer, secretary and treasurer; T. F. Hammer, general manager at Branford; and R. E. Hammer, general superintendent. Under the direction of the Messrs. Hammer the business has become very prosperous and is continually increasing. The manufacture of carriages was for many years an important industry at Branford, F. A. Holcomb & Sons being large builders, in the eastern part of the village, before their removal to New Haven. Another company had its works on Page's Point, where they were de- stroyed by fire and not rebuilt, when the business was wound up. At the old Dutch House wharf, in shops which are now idle, Alexander Van Wie at one time made carriage parts on an extensive scale. These 24 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. buildings were occupied in 1874-9 b}- James E. Russell and others in the manufacture of large and small safes, patented by Russell. Another abandoned interest is ship building, which, about eighty- years ago. gave occupation to scores of people, and yards were main- tained at various points on the Branford river, as high up as Mill Plain. At the latter place a vessel called the " Laura Hoadley " was built. The yard at Hubbard's bridge was occupied by various build- ers, and was used as late as 1875, when Captain Russell Pond built a small craft at that place. Here was built a vessel called the " Lottery," " which was cast away at Little Egg Harbor, and all her crew lost with her." At Page's Point a number of vessels were built, among them being the "Friendship." the "Ariel," and the "Mary Ann." The last was named for the daughter of Rosewell Sheldon, who presented the colors and a lookinsf elass when she was launched. This vessel was also ill-fated, and was lost on Oyster Pond Point. At Goodsell's Point Harvey Frisbie built small vessels, and had the conveniences for "grav- ing " vessels. In this period of vessel building coastwise commerce was quite active, but has been very limited since the era of railroads. Quite a trade was carried on with the upper New England states in shipping thither dried fruit and other farm products, and bringing back fish and ship timber. Man}' of the young men led a seafaring life, and the young women and boys found occupation on the farm, picking juniper berries and wax berries, or sewed buckskin gloves or bound shoes for parties outside of town. The spinning of twine for ship- ment to the fishing coasts was much followed at one time. The town also had some trade with foreign ports, and near the close of the last centur\' Branford was made a port of entry. The harbor master lived at Dutch House wharf, and the building used for the cus- toms service stood there many years after the port was abandoned. Some time after this Elnathan Linsley built a wharf at Branford Point, and that became the principal landing point. The water there at the highest is about 15 feet deep, and steamboats land there in summer. The place later became more important as a summer resort. Among the mariners of the town were members of the Blackstone, Harrison and Palmer families, who were also ship owners. Captain John Black- stone settled here after 1700, coming from Rhode Island. He pros- pered in his aft"airs and became a large landowner, at the place called " Blackstoneville," where some of the property is still held by de- scendants. Captain James Blackstone, of this family, became very aged, and had a long and varied experience as a seaman. Captain Farrington Harrison was in the West Indies trade, carrying cattle to those islands. He died in 1808. Captain Ammi Harrison was also a well-known mariner. Captain Edward Palmer was the owner of a good schooner, called the " Betsey." Only small vessels now ascend HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 25 this river, the traffic by this means being very limited. But few sea- men now reside in the town. For more than a century of years many of the inhabitants found much subsistence in the sea food afforded by the Branford coast, and for some years oysters were an article of commerce. This extraor- dinary demand upon the natural beds exhausted them, and regulations for their protection were early found necessary. In 1789 the town voted to regulate the catching of oysters; and it was provided that from April 1st to November 1st of each year no bivalves should be. taken, under a penalty of $7 for each offense. From November 1st to the following April permits might be obtained to take two bushels in the course of 48 hours, one permit only being issued to a family. For many years the natural beds afforded delicious oysters, and the Branford river and other inlets were much frequented by fi.shermen- " In Branford Harbor no oy.sters are raised to sell, and the outside oyster grounds in town jurisdiction are, as a rule, too shoal for safe cultivation."'^ In recent years the interest in this business has in- creased, and under a system of cultivation the oyster fisheries of Bran- ford have become important industries. There are about 1,000 acres under the jurisdiction of the town, and more than 1,300 acres con- trolled by the state. In 1890 the town had 13 oyster planters, among them being Lewis Shepard, E. B. Beach, N. H. Bishop, N. C. Frink, Henry Hall, Oliver Knowles, C. C. Smith, G. Smith & Sons, and the Stony Creek Oyster Company. The latter corporation was organized after the late civil war, and in 1868 reported a capital of $28,000, and a board of directors composed of Nathan C. Frink, H. Lynde Harri- son, William H. Holt, T. N. Parmalee, William Blackstone and F. A. Holcomb. Henry Rogers was the president. In 1890 the capital was reported at $42,000; real estate valued at $9,500; and had personal property to the amount of $7,500. W. J. Clark was the president of the company, and F. E. Smith, secretary. Nearly the entire oyster business has been centered at Stony Creek, where it gives employment to a number of men. Five vessels are -employed in the business. The oysters grown at Stony Creek are of superior quality, and are in demand beyond the supply. Even while yet confined to the natural beds they were much sought, and frequently parties from the interior would visit this place, encamping for several -days, until a supply of oysters had been obtained. On Indian Neck salt was made in limited quantities in the early part of the present century; and along Saltonstall lake an effort was made to manufacture peat fuel by a company organized for that pur- pose in 1871. The project was, however, abandoned before any satis- factory results were obtained. Near the same time the Pine Orchard Granite Company was organ- ized, with a capital of $50,000, to develop the granite deposits in that *Henry H. Stedman. 1890. 26 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. section, but that project was also abandoned. The granite quarries at Stony Creek have been more successfully operated, there being sev- eral which are carried on extensively. The quarry near the railway station was opened by B. N. Green, and the one farther east by John Beattie. From the quarry at '• Red Hill," on the north side of the railway, a stone is taken which closely resembles the red Scotch granite, and is susceptible of a very fine polish. These interests are more full}' noted in the account of Stony Creek. Branford Village, long called Branford Center, is about eight miles east of New Haven, on Branford river, several miles from the sound. It has a very pleasant location, the principal part being on a consider- able elevation, which also affords good natural drainage and sites for attractive homes. Until 25 years ago the village was less important that at present, much of its growth having been made in this latter period, in consequence of prosperous manufactories and the desirabil- ity of Branford as a summer resort. These circumstances have also- made Branford one of the most important stations on the Shore Line railroad, both the freight and passenger traffic for this point being heavy. When the road was completed, in 1S.')2, the station was located at the foot of Montowese street, where was also the village wharf. A few years later Elizur Rogers began his improvements at Page's Point, opening a new street to that place from Main street, in the old village, and the depot was soon after located west of the Page Point wharf. In 1887 a very spacious and handsome station for passenger use was erected and has since been occupied. It is of brick and is one of the finest structures of the kind in the county. The upper or older part of the village is built around the green — an irregular tract of land, nearlj^ three-fourths of a mile in length, and coming to an apex at the west end. The east end is about 30 rods wide. For a long time it was much neglected, but has been made at- tractive by planting it with elms and maples. Upon it stand three church edifices (Congregational, Episcopal and Baptist), the old acad- emy, the town hall and the soldiers' monument. On the north side is the principal business street of the village, which is also the main high- way from New Haven east. Formerly that thoroughfare was chiefly on the south side of the "Green," to jNIontowese street, down to Ho- bart's bridge, thence east to Stony creek. On these streets were built the first good homes of the early settlers, and some of the old build- ings still remain. The first house south of the cemetery, on the east side of Montowese street, was the Russell place, where were kept for several years the books which formed the nucleus of Yale library. Opposite was the Welford place. Lower down the street lived David Staples, father of Captain Enoch Staples, who is credited with com- manding a privateersman in the revolution, and it is said that he lost his life while attempting to board one of the enemy's vessels. The building on the other side of the street is the Bradley place and is one HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 27 of the oldest in the town. Nearer the river were the Hobart and the Captain Ammi Harrison places, both being well-known in their day. The railroad destroyed the former place. On North Main street lived another cluster of Harrisons: William having his residence on the hill, Jonathan on the lot where is now the school house, and Captain Farrington Harrison where now lives Henry G. Harrison. This house remains much as it was built, in 1757. Others of the old-time residences have been modernized and in Bran- ford, more than in some of the other shore towns, is seen the handi- work of the architects of the present time. Ezekiel Hayes, great-grandfather of the ex-president, built a house on the site of the present Totoket Hotel, in 1757. He was a toolmaker, having a shop on the brook in the rear of his garden. He there also made cow bells for the early settlers, in addition to his other work. In the course of time this house was taken and kept by Giles Barker as a tavern. He had previously kept a public house on the Nichols lot, which was burned down. Lorenzo Blackstone improved the Hayes house, enlarging it to a three-story biiildjng, and for some time the Totoket Hotel was favorably known. It is still kept as a public place, but with varying success. A mile or more east of the village the " Half Waj^ House " (mid- way between New Haven and Guilford) was kept many years by Da- vid Towner: and near the Guilford line Joseph Frisbie had another public house. Among the traders and principal merchants of the village, after 1800, was Mason Hobart, at the end of Meadow street. In the same locality Nathaniel Johnson was a merchant, large land-owner and ship- builder. He erected a large house on the site of the present Fowler place, which burned down about 80 years ago. On the hill on North Main street, Ro.sewell and Jephtha B. Shel- don and Timothy Johnson merchandised in the early part of this cen- tury, and the buildings they occupied still remain: Levi Bradley was on the other side of Main street and Phineas Bushnell was in the west- ern part of the village. Business now began to concentrate at the " hollow," where the proprietors of the foundry had stores. In 1825 Judah Frisbie built a store on what is known as the Rogers lot, where next traded Henry Taintor. Both removed, and in 1833 Eli F. Rog- ers there began merchandising and continued at that stand until 1868, when he built a business house on the north side of the street. In 1869 he was succeeded by Kimberley & Scranton, who removed to New Haven. This is now the J. Hutchinson & Co. stand. The village has a dozen other stores. The Branford post office was long kept by Jonathan Barker at his house, where is now the residence of H. D. Nichols. In 1827 O. D. Squire had the office in a small building near the lock works, and the income that year was $51.34, less than half the income of the Guilford 28 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. office the same year. Sometime about 1845 the office was removed to the brick store kept by the company, and Lyman Squire was the post- master. In 1849 Eli F. Rogers became the postmaster and continued until 1862. He was succeeded by Philo Hall, who served until 1886, when Henry D. Linsley was appointed and was the incumbent until Januar}' 13th, 1891, when B. B. Bunnell became the postmaster. Branford is now a postal money order office. Six mails are received dail}', and from this office is supplied the mail of the Short Beach post office, which was established in 1887, with Mrs. Ruth Clapp as the post- mistress. At Branford a new office has been occupied since April, 1891. A few newspapers have been published in the village, the first being- the Branford Weekly Gleayicr. It was published in 1878, and later by Philo Hall and others, when it was merged with the Shore Line Times, of New Haven. Another paper, also of short duration, was published by Willis Hopson. Neither publication received the sup- port it merited. It is probable that Doctor Richard Gould was the first permanent physician in the town, coming after 1700 and residing here until his •death, March 9th, 1746, 84 years of age. Contemporary in the latter years of his practice was his son. Doctor William Gould, who was also born at Oakhampton, England, in 1692, and who died in 1757. The lat- ter had also a son William, who was a physician in the town, and who was born here in 1727 and died in 1805. In 1787 he was given permission to "set up for the inoculation of small pox for the space of one year, under the direction and terms of the government." He was the father of Doctor William Gould, born in 1752, who died in 1809, and of Doc- tor Orchard Gould, the last of this famous famil}* of physicians to prac- tice here. Doctor Orchard Gould was born in 1764 and died in 1819. His home was on the hill where is now the Elizur Rogers place. All these physicians are interred in the old cemetery. About the time of the first Doctor Gould, Doctor Isaac Bartholo- mew was in practice some3'ears, but removed to Middletown. He was a son of William Bartholomew, the miller. Later a Doctor Herpin was a practitioner, coming from Milford. He probably remained only a short time. In the latter part of the last century Doctor Joel North- rup was in Branford, and lived where is now the Congregational par- sonage. Doctor Willoughby L. Laj- came from Lynn, Mass., and after many years of practice died in 1858. He lived in the house now occu- pied by his son, James W. Lay. His practice passed to Doctor H. V. C. Holcomb, who also died in the town some time about 1871. Doctor Newton B. Hall was a student of the latter, and after several 3'ears of practice in Branford also deceased. As early as 1872 Doctor C. W. Gaylord* located in the village and * See biographical sketch in this chapter. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 29 continues in active practice. Near the same time Doctor E. W. Brain- erd came from East Haven, and after some years was killed at Monto- wese street railway crossing, while on his way to Stony Creek. At the latter place the physicians have been Doctors G. P. Reynolds and E. C. M. Hall, none residing there in 1890. Doctor Isaac P. Leete, an eclectic practitioner, has been in Bran ford a score of years, and in the regular school of practice have been the past eight years, Doctor Walter H. Zink; and the past six years, Doctor A. J. Tenney. In 1890 the attorney resident at Branford was Edmund Zacher, who also maintained an ofBce in New Haven. In the same way Lynde Harrison lived in the village a number of years. Jay E. Russell was an attorney at Branford after the late war, but after several years re- moved to California. Edward H. Rogers removed to New York and William A. Wright to New Haven. The town has had but few resi- dent attorneys. Since the completion of the railroad, in 1852, the sea shore of Bran- ford has become very popular, and has been greatly improved for sum- mer visitors and residence purposes. Along nearly its entire length may be found attractive cottages, hotels or pleasure grounds, and the several localities, designated by the names of Short Beach, Double Beach, Lanfair's Cove, Branford Point, Pawson Park, Indian Neck, Blackstone's Cove, Pine Orchard, Point Pleasant and vStony Creek, all have advocates of their merits and claims iipon those who love sea-side attractions. In area Indian Neck is the most extensive of the above localities. As its name indicates, it was a natural home for the In- dians, and after the settlement of the whites they were encouraged to live there upon small tracts of land, some of which they cultivated, but subsisted mainly in fishing. Thus some of them lived on the "Neck" until a century after the coming of the whites. In the mean- time, the town had purchased these lands of the Indians and set them aside for the support of the church. A tract for that purpose was purchased as early as 1685, and the acquisition continued until the First Society practically controlled the lands in that section. In 1770 the society began leasing these lands for a term of seven years, the rental being about $200 per year, and continued that practice until 1860. After that period the rental was increased, and the lands netted the society about $400 per year. In 1867 Samuel Beach secured a lease of Indian Neck for 99 years, with the privilege' of sub-leasing, but under restrictions which strictly protect its morals; and from this time on the improvements for summer homes began. By the terms of the new lease, the First church society realizes about $900 per year. The extreme southwestern part of the " Neck " is known as " Jaf- frey's Point," from Indians who had their lands at that place, and who, in 1702, sold some of their po.ssessions to William Maltbie. East of this was the 34-acre farm of the Indian Pawson, some of which was high and attractive ground. This and other lands in that locality have "30 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. been improved as "Pawson Park" — a very pleasant and well regulated day resort and picnic grounds. On the main part of Indian Neck, EHas Pond made the first sub- stantial improvement, building an English house. On the shore the Taunton Seine Company had leased lands for fishing purposes, and from this circumstance were derived the names Taunton Beach and Taunton island, off shore from that place. In the same locality are Clam island and Shumake island, the latter being first owned by An- drew Beach, the first of that name in this locality. On another part of the coast William Frisbie had a small fishery. Near the same place Captain Lynde Frisbie built a small house for the entertainment of visitors, which, with enlargements, became known as the Indian Neck House — a hotel kept by Eli Goodrich and others. After 1866 William Br3'an built another summer hotel, called the Montowese House. Fine cottages were built soon after by Thomas R. Trowbridge, Thomas Gallaudet and many others, until the entire shore has been lined with artistic and pleasant cottages, owned b}?- people in all parts of the state, who were attracted not only by the scenic surroundings, but by the security against objectionable elements aft'orded by the provisions of the lease exacted by the society. At Short Beach the first house for summer entertainment was built about 1852, by Harrison Bristol, and at that time the place was a com- parative forest. Here are now cottages for several hundred people, many of them being permanent residents, and the place has a village- like appearance, having a small chapel, a school building, a post office and a few business places. At Branford Point Elnathan Linsley made the first improvements, which converted that locality into a public place. Others succeeded him and the present Branford Point House is owned by George T. Parker. It has enjoyed a large patronage. The groves at the point are pleasant, and there being a landing point for steamboats, the place is much visited some seasons. On the coast eastward is Pine Orchard, so-called on account of the fine grove of pines near the sandy beach. The locality has afforded good fishing and clamming, and has been visited for that purpose with much regularity the past hundred years. In later years many of those who went there were entertained by Jerre Sheldon, who lived on the road from Damascus to Stony Creek. Truman Sheldon, a son, suc- ceeded his father as a dispenser of public hospitality, and established a popular place, the fame of " Mother Sheldon " being widely known as a caterer. In still more recent years their sons, Edward and George Sheldon, established a very popular place, and Pine Orchard has be- come a favorably known resort. New roads have been constructed to this locality, and the railroad has established a station. A number of fine cottages have been built in recent years. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 31 Stony Creek village* is in the southeastern part of the town and off shore are the Thimble islands, having attractive beach surround- ings. Long before the settlement of the whites, these localities were famous resorts of the Indians, who here found fish and game in great abundance. In no other places on the Long Island shores were there found such immense beds of oyster and clam shells as were seen here on the coming of the first .settlers, showing that it must have taken aofes to accumulate them. The village derived its name from the creek in this locality, and the stream was .so called on account of the nature of the bed over which its waters course. The Thimble islands form a pleasant and interesting group, being scattered in a somewhat promiscuous manner, forming harbors and places of shelter from storms for pleasure boats and vessels in the coastwise trade. Tradi- tion has associated the name of Captain Kidd, the freebooter and pirate, with one of these harbors. It is said that toward the clo.se of the seventeenth century he made it a place of rendezvous and some- times came ashore for supplies. On one occasion some of the citizens went on board his ship, but not liking the looks of the craft, hastily ended their visit. Xot long after this a division of the common lands of the town was made, when the name of " Kidd's Harbour " was ap- plied to one of these localities. It is very probable, however, that Kidd's real rendezvous was at Gardner's island, 35 miles to the east- ward, and that he may have barely visited this place. The islands are about 25 in number and have been favorite pleas- ure resorts ever since there is any account of them, but in later years they have become more widely known. In 1847 Captain AVilliam Bnen purchased one of them, called Pot Rock island, and built on it a house for the entertainment of visiting parties and others who might claim its hospitalit}-. This house has since been enlarged and steamboats make two trips a day between this point and Nev.' Haven when the season is fairly under wa}-. About 50 cottages have been built on the different islands, some of them being very handsome. Most of them are occupied from May till October, but in July and August this sec- tion is most populous. In those months a steamboat also plies regu- larly between these islands and the mainland at Stony Creek. In 1874 the general assembly constituted Stony Creek the second voting district of the town of Branford. It was made to include about a mile and a half from east to west and, including the islands, about the same distance from north to south. The Stony Creek section was not early settled, on account of the rough and broken nature of the land, which made it less inviting than other parts of the town. " This region was comprised in the fifth division of Branford. This was made before 1700. The first allowance to any settler of land there was to Francis Norton, March 13th, 1671. The record says: ' His lott * From data by Henry Rogers. 32 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. is to be at Stony Creek, by the sea.' In 1673 William Leete, Esq., was granted lands somewhat east of Stony Creek. His grant was for a lease of twenty-one years, and he was required to build a house upon it to hold it. October 26th, 1680, Richard Butler obtained a farm there. He was allowed six acres more in 1686, if he would build a house within three years. Abraham and William Hoadley soon be- came owners there. Thus we have the name ' Hoadley's Xeck ' for the portion next to Guilford, by the sea. The Frisbies .soon after ap- pear as owners there. William Barker, Edward Barker, Jonathan Barker, Daniel Palmer, Abraham Howd, John Rogers and others .soon settled there. These persons mostly purchased of the heirs of the proprietors, who lived elsewhere, but who shared in every new division of land. Thus Dorcas Rosewell, of New Haven, sold to Edward Bar- ker 'land in the fifth division at Stony Creek, in 1716.' The s.irae family names are to be found on some of the same property to- day. Names of places in the old dee4s and boundaries are: • Brook Creek," 'Little Island,' 'Brushy Corner,' ' Wolf- Pitt Island,' 'Hog- Pound Hill,' ' Sea Hill,' and ' Chestnut Hill.' We first meet the name ' Thimble Islands ' in a deed of ' Shell Island ' to Isaac Cook, Novem- ber 3d, 1739. The first roads were laid out in 1710. " Stony Creek became a school district in 1788. On December 8th of that year the town of Branford granted to Pennock Howd, John Rogers, Jr., Timothy Barker, Abraham Rogers, Stewart Gaylord, Isaac Rogers, Barnabus Palmer, Demetrius Cook, Jr., Ebenezer Frisbie, Jr., Elias Pond, Daniel Jones, Uzziel Cook and Edward Frisbie their re- quest for a separate school district."* Most of these were young men, who, besides tilling their small farms, found occupation part of the time in the fishing business in the rivers of ]Maine, or coa.sting to New York with wood, which was at one time quite a considerable interest. A few also sailed from these shores to the West Indies. After the decline of the shipping busi- ness some of the older families removed. We have spoken of the abundance of sea food and how popular Stony Creek was among the Aborigines, who statedly visited these places. It became no less popular among the whites, and very early there was an influx of fishermen and others from abroad. Many of the latter were farmers who came here for a few days' diversion. Some of these visitors were not very careful as to their manner of living here, falling into customs so outlandish that the natives desig- nated this class as " Portugese." This lack of restraint also attracted a better class of people, whose recreations, though free, were less harmful. One of the latter class was Reverend Samuel Eells, a socia- ble man of much native wit. It is related of him that on one occasion when he and a genial company of friends had visited this place " he suggested to them (many being his parishioners), that if any were ♦Baldwin. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 33 officers they should leave their oaths under a juniper bush, above the large flat rock in the road; church members should leave their cove- nants there, and upon their return they might take them up and carry them back home unsullied by any improper conduct at the beach." But this, most likely, is also a mere tradition of a time removed and obscured by the lapse of a hundred years. The building of the Shore Line railroad, in 1850, very materially changed the life of Stony Creek, opening a new future for it. This enterprise was, to a considerable extent, the work of the president, secretary and treasurer of the old New Haven & New London Rail- road Company, Frederick R. Griffing and Ralph D. Smyth, of Guilford. At that time Stony Creek was very sparsely settled, but a .station was located, with the expectation that such a step would develop this coun- try. Looking at the improvements which have been made, no one can doubt the wisdom of their judgment in this matter. New life was transmitted to Stony Creek, and improvement after improvement has been made until the present fair condition has been attained. In 1853 the Stony Creek post office was established, with Timothy Barker as the po.stmaster, and it has steadily increased in importance. Soon after new roads were laid out, upon which a number of fine cot- tages have been constructed. Hotels and other business houses were opened to accommodate the .summer visitors, and the permanent pop- ulation has from year to year been augmented, as other interests were established, until a number of these business places have also become permanent. Theodore Howd has for many years been the principal merchant in the place, the post office being kept in his store. " All these businesses brought in more people, various other busi- nesses and much money. Enlargement and improvement have been seen in consequence on every hand. , " But, after all, the greatest charm of Stony Creek is its fitne.ss for a popular ' watering place.' This is becoming more and more its chief feature. " Twenty years ago Mr. Giles Baldwin and Mr. Timothy Barker used to have a few summer boarders at their pleasant homes. David Barber also had a few at his house, which was then farthest toward the sea. Mr. James Douglass came and carried on a hotel with good success for some years. Mr. Henry Rogers, Mr. John Russell, Mr. H. Bishop and some others received their friends as visitors or boarders. more or less, during the season. " None of these could really have foreseen the extent to which the business of entertaining visitors has since grown at Stony Creek. The multitudes who now find their way by cars or carriage or boat to Stony Creek and its Thimble Islands, can hardly understand from what small beginnings these places have grown in fifteen years. Besides the well known hotels of ' Brainard's," ' Frink's,' 'Barnes,' and the 'Flying 3 34 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Point House " of ' Xorthrop's," there are hundreds of residences and cottages covering the main land and the numerous islands. The progress is greater each year. This resort gains in favor with good people every season, and thousands now visit Stony Creek during the summer months to enjoy the beauty and rest afforded." In 1865 a fine new school house was built, and about ten years later it was found necessary to increase the capacity of the school room by building another house. In the old red school house Deacon Giles Baldwin started a mission Sunday school, in 1863, and two years later regular preaching services were established by Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin, of the First Society of Branford. Before that time occasional services had been held at the same place by Reverend Timothy P. Gillett and others. The in- creased interest encouraged the building of a small church upon a lot donated by Henry Rogers. It was dedicated July 8th, 1866, but in 1877 it became necessary to enlarge it. Abraham Baldwin aided much in securing an organ, and Timothy Barker, of San Francisco, gave a Sunday school library and bell. These provisions permitted the or- ganization of the Ston}' Creek Congregational church, January 16th, 1877, with 3-1 members. Reverend C. W. Hill was the first pastor, serving a }^ear, when he was followed by Reverend F. AI. Taylor. In IMay, 1888, Reverend Andrew Mclntyre became the pastor, and the church reported 75 members. Mission services are also held at Stony Creek by the Swedish Lutherans and the Roman Catholics. Soon after the building of the railroad an examination of the gran- ite ledges in this locality convinced quarrymen that they were very valuable. The stone is of fine grain and has several shades of color. In 1858 B. G. Green purchased a tract of land, upon which he opened a quarry soon after, in which he employed 50 men, and operated suc- cessfully about 15 years. In 1870 John Beattie, of Newport, R. I., purchased a tract at Hoad- ley's Neck, on the east side of the creek, where he opened extensive quarries. But in 1882 this part of the town was set off to Guilford. Mr. Beattie has operated very extensively, at times employing several hundred men. In the same locality, but on the opposite side of the creek, the Branford Granite Company secured a tract in 1889, which has been already developed to a considerable extent. The company is composed of Brooklyn capitalists, and from 100 to 150 men are em- ployed, in a well equipped quarry. Here are found bluish-grey and reddish colored granites, which are equal to any produced in this county. A quarry of red granite was opened a mile north of the railroad, by some New Yorkers, some time in 1875. It was not well equipped, but the quality of the granite was fine, and from it has been obtained the material for making some of the granite columns in the legislative chambers at Albany and Hartford. After some years Samuel Bab- HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 33 cock, of Middletown, secured the property and organized the vStonj'- Creek Red Granite Company to operate it. This quarry has also been well equipped and large shipments have been made. About 150 men are employed, and the company is engaged in filling large contracts. In 1888 the well known contractors, Norcross Brothers, of Worces- ter, Mass., purchased tracts of land adjoining the above, and opened an extensive quarry, which is supplied with all modern equipments, including a special railway connection with the Shore Line railroad. The capital stock of the company is $250,000. The quality of the prod- ucts is very stiperior. Still another quarry is operated by the Totoket Granite Company, in which 60 men are employed. The products are of a pinkish color and of a fine quality. In other localities are found fine deposits of granite, which, no doubt, will also be developed in the future, and which will add much to the prosperity of Stony Creek. Widow's Son Lodge, No. 66, F. & A. M., is the oldest secret organi- zation in the town. It was instituted September 27th, 1825, with the following charter members: John Polter, Joel Polter, John Foote, ]\Ier- ritt Foote.Calvin Frisbie, A.sa Norton, Orrin D. Squire, Lyman Frisbie, Edmund Palmer, Samuel Russell, James W. Fri.sbie, Judah Frisbie, Lorrin D. Hosley, Ruel Chid.sey, William Tyler, Ebenezer Linsley, William Bryan, Doctor Willoughby L. Lay. Of this body of men, William Bryan was the only survivor in 1890. Many additions to the membership were early made, but through some informality the charter of the Lodge was revoked in 1842. The following year it was restored, but after six years, in 1849, it was again revoked, and for five years the meetings of the Lodge were inter- mitted. Since the second restoration of the charter, in 1854, the Lodge has been prosperous to an unusual degree, considering the limited jurisdiction. In 1890 there were 126 members in good standing and the following principal officers: Trustees, E. Zacher, C. W. Covert, John Fades; W. M., W. N. Boynton; treasurer, C. F. Bradley; secre- tary, L. A. Merriam. Among the past masters have been: Orrin D. Squire, Merritt Foote, William Nash, H. V. C. Holcomb, H. F. Nichols. William D. Hendricks, N. B. Hall, Frank E. Welford, Herbert Jones, Harvey Beach, Henry H. Stedman, Jcseph F. Nettleton, Samuel A. Welford, Josiah Jones, George H. Newell, E. E. Isbell, W. Boynton, John Fades, Francis Clark and C. A. Hoadley. Woodland Lodge, No. 39, K. of P., was instituted February 26th, 1882, with twenty charter members and the following principal offi- cers: B. F. Hosley, past chancellor; W. H. Zink, M. D., chancellor com- mander; J. Curtis, vice commander. The Lodge has been very pros- perous, having in the fall of 1890 98 members. Its meetings are held in a finely furnished hall in the Armory Building, which is sub-let by this Lodge to six other societies. A number of sick and funeral bene- fits have been paid. At this time the principal officers were: C. H. 36 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Van Wie, past chancellor; George W. Hull, chancellor commander; H. B. Terhune, vice commander: W. H. Felker, keeper of records and seals. Endowment Rank, Section 891. K. of P., was started November 17th, 1888, with 15 members and $23,000 of insurance. In the fall of 1890 the members numbered 30, and the insurance amounted to $57,000. B. F. Hosley Division, No. 13, Uniform Rank, K. of P., was organ- ized June 9th, 1890, with 34 members in full uniform, and E. C. John- son, captain; George W. Hull, recorder. The membership of the divi- sion has been increased to 41, and all these branches of the Knights of Pythias are prosperous. The town has had a large number of purely beneficiary orders, a number of which have succeeded in establishing themselves so well that they continue prosperous. Among the oldest of these are the First Divi.sion of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which was incor- porated January 28th, 1878; and the Court Totoket, No. 7196, Ancient Order of Foresters of America, which was instituted November 7th, 1884, with 11 members. In the fall of 1890 the total belonging was 118, and George W. Hull was the chief ranger. It is duly incorpor- ated by an act of the general assembly. The court has property ta the amount of $1,000, besides having paid many sick and other bene- fits, on a basis of $9 dues per year. In the Second Degree of this order was instituted February 26th, 1886, Sanctuary Totoket, No. 7196, Ancient Order of Shepherds, with James Galligan, John Winthrop, George W. Hull, J. W. Cliffe and 11 other charter members. This has also increased its membership, there being in the fall of 1890 23 members. El Dorado Council, No. 10, K. of C.,was instituted in August, 1884, with 12 charter members. Its membership increased rapidly, there being in the fall of 1890 119 persons belonging, all of them in good standing. The principal officers were: Grand knight, John J. Buckley; deputy grand knight, John B. Reilley ; recording secretary, Luke Quinn; financial secretary, Thomas Scanlan; treasurer, Martin Burke. The Lodge has a sick benefit fund of $1,500, paying $5 per week to members who are awarded that kind of support. Totoket Lodge, No. 3019, Knights of Honor, was organized No- vember 20th, 1883, with the following charter members: C. F. Brad- ley, W. E. Beach, F. T. Bradley, John Fades, W. E. Fowler, Walter Foote, D. W. Goddard, C. W. Gaylord, W. W. Hawkes, B. F. Hosley, C. A. Hoadley, H. F. Jourdan, e' C. Johnson, G. H. Newell, L. F. Nich- ols, F. E. Peckham, A. B. Palmer, E. H. Parshley, W. T. Robinson, I. N. Spencer, Jr., J. C. Sharney, N. R. Terhune, W. A. Wright, S. A. Welford and Edmund Zacher. The membership in 1890 was 60, and H. C. Woodstock was the dictator. Those who had passed that office were: W. A. Wright, George Newell, E. Zacher, B. F. Hosley, H. N. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 37 Way, Henry Jourdan and Frank Jerald. Doctors C. W. Gaylord and A. J. Tenney were the medical examiners. Among the distinctively labor organizations were an assembly of Knights of Labor and a society in the Iron Moulders' Union, both of which had a good membership. In the domain of temperance societies has been St. Mary's Total Abstinence and Beneficial Society, which for nearly a score of years has been doing a good work among the young Catholic people of this town. Of more recent organization, and doing a similar work among the Protestant youth, were the Knights of the Golden Cross and Bran- ford Division, No. 16, Sons of Temperance, each having an increasing membership. Mason Rogers Post, No. 7, G. A. R., is a flourishing organization. It was instituted July 28th, 1881, with the following charter members: Isaac Van Benthusan, J. Edward Turner, Joseph Curtis, Edward D. Sheldon, Henry Z. Nichols, Elizur C. Johnson, James W. Lay, Obed Tyler, Michael Kinner, Joseph F. Nettleton, Samuel S. Cook, David Sliney, A. Judson Smith, Nicholas R. Terhune, Jerome Baldwin, Cal- vin L. Ely, Alvin M. Thayer, John Hutchinson, George Bliss,William Donahue, "Walter E. Fowler, Franklin Bradley, Burton T. Buel, Ammi B. Parmer and Ammi B. Barker. In 1890 the membership was but slightly greater, the number belonging being thirty. The post com- manders have been Calvin L. Ely, Henry Z. Nichols, Nicholas R. Ter- hune, Ammi B. Barker, Henry W. Hubbard, 'Walter E. Fowler, J. Ed- win Towner, Elizur C. Johnson and J. Atwood Linsley. This Post was instrumental in the building of the beautiful Soldiers' Monument, standing on Branford Green, between the middle and west end church edifices. It raised for that object $1,000, the town of Bran- ford gave $1,000, and the patriotic non-resident citizens of the town added $1,000 more— the total co,st of the pile being about $3,000. The monument was built by the Smith Granite Company of Westerly, R. I., and is wholly of the celebrated granite of that section. It consists of a large base, two semi-bases (the upper one being inscribed: G. A. R., 1885) and a large die, on the cap-.stone of which is the shaft, which is surmounted by the figure of a soldier, more than seven feet high, whose arms encircle a flag. The entire height is about thirty feet. The dedicatory inscription is on the north face of the die: Branford To Her Brave Sons Who Fought in the War OF THE Rebellion 1861—1865. One Country. One Flag. On the shaft are cut shields and engraven the principal battlefields in which Branford soldiers were engaged: 38 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Antietam. Fredericksburg. Shiloh. Gettysburg. ViCKSBURG. Port Hudson. New Berne. Chancellorsville. The town'.s monument committee was composed of John Hutchin- son, Samuel Beach, James W. Lay, T. F. Hammer, John P. Callahan, Joseph Curtis and Edward F. Jones, who also arranged for the dedi- cation, October 28th, 1885. The occasion was one of great interest and brought together a large concourse of people. Among those in attend- ance was the venerable Captain James Blackstone, 93 years of age: the governor of the state and other distinguished citizens. Reverend J. O. Peck was the orator of the occasion. The Second Platoon of Bat- tery A (Branford artillery company) fired a military salute, and thus was given to the public one of the most artistic and substantial monu- ments in the county. At Stony Creek a Lodge of the Sons of St. George has been estab- lished in recent years, which has been well maintained. The following account of early educational matters is from the pen of Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin: " The duty of properly educating children soon began to receive attention. May 21st, 1655, ' It is agreed by the consent of the whole to give toward the maintaining of a college at New Haven, to give our part of a rate of sixty poimds by the year, year after year.' " The same year laws were made for the whole colony by Gov- ernor Theophilus Eaton, and the next year these were the require- ments : " ' Whereas too many parents and masters, either through an over tender respect to their own occasions and businesse, or not duly con- sidering the good of their children and apprentices, have too much neglected dut}' m their education while they are young and capable of learning: // is ordered. That the deputies for the particular court in each plantation within this jurisdiction, for the time being, or where there is no such deputies the constable or other officer or officers in public trust, shall, from time to time, have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors, within the limit of the said plantation, that all parents and masters doe duly endeavor, either by their own ability and labour or by improving such schoolmaster or other helpers and means as the plantation afford, or the family may conveniently pro- vide, that all their children and apprentices, as they grow capable, may, through God's blessing, attain at least so much as to be able duly HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 39 to read the Scriptures and other good and profitable printed books in the English language, being their native language, and m some com- petent manner to understand the main grounds and principles of chris- tian religion necessary to salvation.' "Penalties were also provided for such as neglected their children's education. "Reverend Abraham Pierson, pastor of the church here, beside faithfully attending to his own people, was careful not to neglect the heathen families in the same territory. He regularly preached to the Indians. He prepared and had printed a catechism for them. He was versed in the Indian language, so that he could do this. His ac- quaintance with the Indian tongue was useful in other ways; he was frequently called to act as interpreter, especially before the court. J. Hammond Trumbull has given specimens of this catechism. A cita- tion will show the kind of meat set before these Indians ' in their buck- skin and war paint' : Question — ' How do you prove that there is but one God ?' Answer — ' Because the reason why singular things of the same kind are multiplied is not to be found in the nature of God, for the reason why such like things are multiplied is from the fruitfulness of their causes; but God hath no cause of his being, but is of himself ; therefore he is one. 2. Because singular things of the same kind, when they are multiplied, are differenced among themselves by their singular properties: but there can not be found another God different from this by any such like properties.' " Mr. Pierson had a regular salary for his labors among the In- dians; it was paid by a missionary society in England — ' The Commis- sioners for the United Colonies of New England.' This salary some- times amounted to $150 a year. To induce the Indians to attend upon his ministrations rewards were offered. "In the effort to secure the settlement and growth of the town after the Newark removal, education was neglected. For many years the .schools were few and far between. Several times, in the period, the people were fined for not having a school as the law required. There were a few teachers employed, as John Arnold, in 1678; Eleazur Stent, in 1680-1, and in several later years. Thomas Sargeant, in 1684; S. Mansfield, in 1691; Richard Wilfor'd, in 1700; Eleazur Stent again in 1701, at forty dollars a month. Again in 1702. Then John Collins, m 1703. These schools were only for a few months in the winter. The town paid part of the wages, the parents paid the rest. The effect of so little interest in schools was this. Nearly a whole generation grew up in ignorance. This is seen in the frequency with which both men and women ' make their mark ' in signing deeds and other docu- ments." In the early part of the present century, according to President Dwight, the interest in education was very feeble. There were at that time in the South Society five districts, each provided with a school 40 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN' COUNTY. house. The one at Stony Creek was provided in 17S9 upon the peti- tion of eleven inhabitants of that locality. In the meantime, what is now North Branford was far more active in promoting the cause of education, and a number of their youth were securing the benefits of academic instruction. At Branford village a select school was taught by Reverend Tim- othy P. Gillett, some time after the war of 1812, which there, also, awakened a desire for schools of a higher grade, and which led to the establishment of an academy, in 1820. Benjamin R. Fowler, Calvin Frisbie, Philemon Tyler, John Beach and others, aided by Mr. Gillett, were active in this movement, and secured the town's consent to erect the buildings on the south side of the green. A two-story frame house, with a belfry, was put up, which is still standing in that locality. For a number of years Branford Academy had a good reputation, and the stockholders were rewarded by having a school in their midst, which well served its purpose. The academy was continued with varying success until 1866, Miss Jane Hoadley being the last teacher. Others who are remembered as having taught there were: Reverend Gillett, Deacon Samuel Frisbie and Lynde Harrison. The latter was instru- mental in securing a school library of several hundred volumes. The upper story of the academy building has long been used as a Masonic hall. The usefulness of the academy was at an end after the consolida- tion of the public schools of the town. Gradually these were improved, and with the increase of wealth there was a demand for better build- ings. About the time of the late war this question was much agitated, but the unusual expense at that time prevented action. Finally the village school building was so poor that the public moneys were re- fused. After much effort, $3,500 was voted for a new school house, and soon after a public graded school was established in it. In 1881 it was enlarged, and it has since been fitted up in a very thorough manner, the property being an object of pride in the community. It is valued at about $8,000. In recent years very neat school buildings have been erected in some of the other districts of the town. As early as 1875 the high school at the village, under the princi- paLship of E. Zacher, was well sustained. In 1881 William E. Hatch became the principal in the new house. G. L. Faxon succeeded him in 1883, and under his direction the schools at the village were more properly graded. A course of three years was established for the high school, and ten grades outside of that. C. R. Stiles became the principal in 1885, and since 1887 H. S. Gulliver has been at the head of the schools at the village. Six rooms are occupied. The children here enumerated number 400, and in the entire town 773. The entire school expenses per year are about $8,000. For a number of years Doctors Walter H. Zink and C. W. Gaylord have been the acting school visitors, and have aided mucli in promoting the interest in popular education. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. . 41 Most of the early settlers of Bran ford were plain people, but were men of strict Puritan principles, " men of stern integrity and zealous for religious liberty, so far as its principles were then understood. The doctrines of their creed were Calvinistic, or those which were embodied shortly after in the Cambridge and Westminster Confes- sions of Faith. In church polity they were Congregationalists, hold- ing the doctrine of parity, or of one order in the ministry, and that all ministers are of equal official rank; and that each parochial church is an ecclesiastical body complete in itself, with power to elect its own pastors and deacons, to decide on the proper qualifications of those who offer themselves for admission to membership with them, and to receive, to discipline and exclude, as the majority shall judge to be agreeable to the laws of Christ, the only head, law-giver and king of the church. They further held to the propriety of asking advice from other churches, reserving the right to follow or reject such advice, ac- cording to their judgment of expediency. In common vi-ith other colonists of that age, they acted on the scheme of carrying the gospel and its ordinances, education and its advantages, with them, and hav- ing the church, the minister and the school coeval with their set- tlement."* Hence, before their organization into a church estate they built a log meeting house, and as early as October, 1644, had Mr. John Sher- man, one of the first settlers, preaching for them on a salary. He was a man of .superior talents, and ministered to them until 1646, when the settlement of the Reverend Abraham Pierson left him free to go to Watertown, where he was settled in the ministry, and where he died at the age of seventy-two years. The Reverend Abraham Pierson has been properly regarded as the first pastor of the church. Coming from South Hampton, L. I., with a part of his congregation from that place, and being a man of char- acter and influence, he was here also the controlling .spirit in all the affairs of the town until his removal to Newark, as has been stated. " Mr. Pienson preached in the log meeting house which stood in the old grave yard, near the willow tree now there. One of the orig- inal palisades which stood around that hou.se is now to be seen on Mr. William Ru.ssell's place. The Sabbath .services consisted of two ser- mons-, each an hour long, timed by the hour glass standing on the pul- pit. There was also a prayer, and two or three hymns were sung, but there was no scripture reading nor any musical instruments. " Men and women sat on opposite sides of the house, the boys sat by themselves, attended by a ' tithing man,' to keep order. Children were baptized in the meeting house, generally on the next Sabbath after their birth; sometimes on the day of their birth. Marriages were as often performed by some magistrate as by a minister. There were no public religious services at funerals; minister and people all *Reverend Timothy P. Gillett. 42 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. attended and assisted silently and solemnly until the remains were buried. The meeting house roof, and so, in fact, the roofs of all the houses, were thatched — sedgegrass was the material used. " A little before the Newark removal Robert Rose died — April 4th, 1665. He gave by will, six pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence to the church. This was probably the first legacy ever left to the Congregational church of Branford. The example thus early fur- nished has been followed by several others since."* When Mr. Pierson removed to Newark, in the summer of 1666, he employed John Bowers, of Guilford, to preach for those remaining until the end of the year, when the town engaged him, as is shown by the following record: January 6th, 1667. "This certifieth that the inhabitants of the town of Branford did engage themselves unto Mr. Bowers for to allow and pay unto him the sum of thirty pounds and the cutting and cart- ing of wood, and to be rent free in the house and lands that are bought for a minister, and he is to be free from all town rates for himself and his estate, for and in consideration that the said Mr. Bowers is for to carry on the work of the ministry one whole year here in Branford, and his time is for to begin the 9th Dec, 1666, and the town doth promise to bear his charges of diet till he come with his family." They renewed this arrangement from year to year until 1671, when he was invited to settle with them and carry on the work of the ministry. He accepted the invitation, but the call not being unani- mous, there was some trouble, which caused him to leave and settle over the Derby church, in 1672. " They now have ten years of candidating. March 12th, 1677, they call a Mr. Stowe, but he does not accept. October 24th, 1677, they wish a Mr. Wise to remain with them through the winter. He was a very large man and famous as a wrestler. They have a Reverend Daniel Russell for a few months. August 1st, 1678, they call Reverend John Harriman. A month later they call Reverend Samuel Mather, offer- ing him sixty pounds salary and the minister's house and lands. He stays a while; they build him a barn, paying for the work in land. " In 1679 they consider the question of building a new meeting house. They conclude to enlarge the old one to twice its size. Mr. Mather serves them, off and on, till 1681. With the hope of keeping him they agree to petition the general court for liberty ' to embody in a church estate." Men, not Christians, and those willing to support a religion that left them free to their chosen habits, had so far directed the policy of Branford since Pierson had left. Hence their difficulty in obtaining a minister, December 6th, 1681, they conclude to seek God's help; they invite the Reverend Mr. Eliot, of Guilford, to come and carry on ' a day of humiliation ' and prayer with them. April 1st, 1682, they call Reverend Jonah Fordham, but he refuses. Febru- *Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 43' ary 13th, 1683, they call a Mr. Oakes. Being doubtful of his accept- ance they concluded to let the minister's house and lands, as they record it, ' at an outcry by a piece of candle.' By this is meant a short piece of candle was lighted, at the time of the sale, and the auctioneer cried up the property until the candle burned out. He that bid high- est during that time obtained whatever was offered. Samuel Pond, for four pounds and six shillings, on this occasion, obtained the use of the property. He was to vacate it when they had a minister to need it; but that was not till three years later. Mr. Oakes proposing to go to • the Bay,' that is to Massachusetts, the town ' agreed to sit still and not be in motion to look out for other help ' until they hear from him. He never return.s. November 7th, 1683, they call a Mr. Younglove. January 7th, 1684, they call Reverend John Wilson. April 29th, 1684, they call Mr. Mather again. Then they try Reverend John Cotton, Jr., and a Mr. Woodruff and a Mr. Emerson. February 1st, 1686, Rev- erend Samuel Russell is introduced to Branford people. The now sufficiently humbled people are drawn to him. He is called, and comes. '" Having the Reverend Samuel Russell now living with them, they move to reorganize the church. June 7th, 1687, ' Whereas motion hath been made to Reverend Samuel Russell respecting his settlement or taking office in a church way, and having also applyed and solicited to the general court for liberty to embody, and being granted, as also it being moved to Mr. Russell, by those that are members of churches,' the town agreed to reserve their motion and desire, leaving it to a committee to prosecute the work as they and Mr. Russell shall agree. " March 7th. 1688, their affairs had .so progressed they were ready for an organized church. They then entered into and signed the fol- lowing covenant: " ' It having pleased God of his grace to call up to the visible pro- fession of religion, and being now by his providence called to unite together for the carrying on the ordinances of God amongst us, we do, therefore, with self-abasement and sorrow of our great unworthiness, yet in obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus, we do this day, be- fore God and his people, give up ourselves and ours first unto God and then one to another, to work together to attendance to all those duties and enjoyment of all those privileges of the covenant of grace that are to be attended and enjoyed in a particular visible church, mak- ing the Scriptures to be our rule. We do declare it to be our pur- pose, as God shall assist, both in our principles and practice in all .substantials to work in a consonance with the churches of Christ with whom we hold communion. Samuel Russell, John Frisby, Ebenezer Stent, Peter Tyler, Samuel Pond, Daniel vSwaine, Aaron Blatchly, Samuel Betts, Thomas Sergeant, Elizabeth Barker, Hamot Maltby, Saroi Blatchley, Miriam Pond, Dorcas Taintor, Elizabeth Stent, Hamot Wheadon, Elizabeth Pamer, Hamot Frisbie, Deliver- 44 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. ance Rose, Mary Betts, Ruth Frisby, Saroi Page, Saroi Gutsil, Jane Tyler.' " In April others signed, as: John Rose. Francis Tyler, Abigail Russell. Elizabeth Rose, Wid. Linsley. Wid. Nash, Esther Wheadon. " In November others still, as: Jonathan Frisby, Jono. Maltby, Thomas Topping."* This may be regarded as the beginning of the church organiza- tion proper. The town and the society thereafter became distinct, the latter managing, in a measure, its own affairs. They had begun, in 1685, the acquisition of the lands on Indian Neck for the support of the minister, and during this pastorate much of the land now owned was acquired. Reverend Samuel Russell was a son of Reverend John Russell, of Hadley, and was a graduate of Cambridge College. His salary was j£60 and the society gave him as a settlement the town house and lands connected with it, and he lived at that place as early as 1686. "The years that follow show increase and prosperity in church and town. They soon add to the minister's salary and occasionally grant him more land, until he becomes about the largest land-holder in the place. " January- 2d, 1692, they give Mr. Russell a deed of the parsonage property which was built in 1690. " April oth, 1697. they grant to Mr. Russell and others the privilege of setting up a saw mill. The next year they grant Mr. Ru.s.sell the use of the grass in the burying yard for ten years, if he will fence it in. Then it is probable the old cedar palisades were used by Mr. Rus- sell in making this fence, the first fence around the graveyard." The Russell parsonage remained substantially as built until about 182.T, when it was modernized. It became noted as being the building in which the meeting was held which led to the formation of Yale Col- lege, and for several years the library of the new in.stitution was kept there. In 1687 •' the town agreed to white-lime the meeting hou.se, but September 28th, 1699, it was unanimously agreed to build a new meet- ing house, ' the form of it to be about forty foot square, an upright wall from the ground to the plate.' Appointed Mr. William Maltbie, Mr. Edward Barker and Mr. William Hoadley, Eleazur Stent, Lt. Sam- uel Pond, Ensign Thomas Harrison, Jr., and Searg. John Rose, or any five of them, to be a committee to manage the work from time to time. " November 30th, 1699. ' Whereas it hath been agreed upon by the town to build a new meeting house, and there being different notions respecting the form — some being for a square house and others for a long brick house with lean-to — it is agreed by the town that a lott shall •be drawn to decide the matter, and it is agreed that Benj. Harrington ♦Reverend E. C. Baldwin. HISTORY OF .NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 45- shall draw the lott." The lot being drawn fell for a square meeting house. The form of the tower and turret was left to the committee. The inhabitants agreed to work out their proportions of expense as near as the}' can in such work as the committee judge them capable. The committee were to deduct from wages of those who come late or are negligent. They sell the new part of the old house to help pay joiners for work on the new house. They sell the old part of the old house to Richard Wilford for teaching .school. This new hou.se stood on the common, about in front of the town hall. "June 27th, 1701. ' It is agreed that the congregation in Branford do meet together to worship in the old meeting house next Lord's Day, and that the next following we meet in the new house.' " They gave several men liberty to put pews for themselves in the church there, to be for their families ever after, for a reasonable rent. This house stood till 1744. In 1738 they voted to build anew meeting- house, just west of the old one. When it was done, they pulled down the old one." Mr. Rus.seirs ministry closed with his life, June 25th, 1731, when he was 71 years of age. His pastorate was continued a little more than 43 years, but in the last six years he was not able, on account of bodily ailments, to preach much, and by mutual arrangement the pulpit was supplied by Reverend Samuel Sherman and others. Until 1725 the entire original town attended services at the meet- ing house on Branford green, but this year the inhabitants were divided into two parishes, those living on the North Farms becoming the North Branford Society, and the original society became the old or South Society. The church was also divided, and the town assisted in building the two meeting houses required. Mr. Russell has been styled " the second father of Branford." He was a talented man, and by the ministers of his time was looked upon as a leader. Including those who joined when the church was or- ganized, he added 300 to the membership of the church. He was a warm friend of Yale College, serving as a trustee from 1701 to 1731. He contributed to its support liberally himself, and induced his people to do the same. Four of his sons were graduated from that institu- tion, viz.: John, Samuel, Daniel and Ebenezer. His other sons were Jonathan and Ithiel, and their descendants became worthy and hon- orable citizens. Efforts were made after the death of Mr. Russell to secure Rev- erends Samuel Sherman and Ebenezer wSilliman as pastors. Both had preached on calls, but failed to settle. The church was now without a pastor until 1733, when Reverend Philemon Robbins was secured. In the summer of 1732 he came with a classmate of Harvard, from which college they had just graduated, to attend the commencement of Yale. " While Mr. Robbins was at New Haven a person came from Bran- 46 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. ford to procure some one to preach as a candidate; and he, being recommended as a suitable person, consented to go in that capacity. The people are pleased with him, and, September 18th, 1732, ask him to come four weeks on probation. October 9th, 1732, they give him a call to settle, offering ;£'4.00 as a settlement, to be paid in two years; also ^130 per annum for the first four years, and after that ^140 per year and his firewood." He accepted the call, and began his ministry with the following: " October 9th, 1732. I had an invitation to settle in the work of the ministry in the South Society in Branford, Connecticut, Dec. 27th, 1732. I accepted the call. Feb. 7th, 1733, I was ordained to the pas- toral office in Branford South Society. Philemon Robbins." "Mr. Robbins found here a church of 125 members — 43 males and 82 females. There were 218 additions during his ministry of 47 years. In the first years the gains were niimerous. In the years of opposition and trouble the gains were few. In the first year the church chose Captain John Russell as deacon. " December 24th, 1736, Mr. Robbins married Hannah Foot, the daughter of Isaac and Rebecca Foot, of Branford. Then the people helped their minister to build a house. That house is still standing, perhaps the second oldest house in Branford. It is owned and occu- pied by Mr. Michael Harding. The original house has been added to and much improved by the present owner. Mr. Robbins spent his married life in it, and his nine children were born there." In the ministry of Mr. Robbins occurred some of the most import- ant and stirring events in the history of the town. About 1740 here, as well as elsewhere in the New England states, much attention was paid to the subject of religion, the minds of the people being espec- ially awakened by the preaching of evangelists, who went from town to town on this mission. Mr. Robbins believed in these special efforts to quicken the spiritual life of the church, and insisted on "spiritual growth as evidence of conversion. He adopted measures to promote such life. In addition to the usual meetings he encouraged prayer and conference meetings. He at times had extra preaching services. He was ready to encourage revival efforts everywhere. It seems strange to Chri.stians now that any one should object. Yet many did, even ministers. So much objection was made, in a number of towns, divisions occurred, and new churches were formed. The more actively inclined felt compelled to the .step by the opposition they met in the old church. Of course Mr. Robbins and those like him were jealou.sly regarded by such as differed from them. Perhaps he, rather more than others, because he had come in from Massachusetts, where they did not so highl}- esteem the Sa3'brook Platform. " At this time Reverend Jonathan Merick was the minister at North Branford, and Reverend Warham Williams was minister at Northford, Reverend Thomas Ruggles. Jr., was at Guilford, and Reverend .Samuel HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 47 Whittlesey at Wallingford, Jacob Hemingway at East Haven, and Reverend Isaac Stiles at North Haven, and young Samuel Russell at North Guilford. "■•■■■ At this time the "great revival preacher, George Whitfield, had been making his remarkable tour through our country. He met great op- position in New England. Many Connecticut ministers were espec- ially hostile. Mr. Robbins favored him, and so, with a few others, bore the stigma of ' new lights.' They were looked upon with great dis- favor by the other pastors. ' One special cause of complaint grew up from the desire of many people in various towns to have the ' new lights ' ministers preach for them. Some of the earnest preachers were willing to do so. Rever- end Mr. Humphreys, of Derby, consented to preach to a Baptist church; he was expelled for it. Reverend Timothy Allen, of West Haven, was also expelled. He had been heard to say, ' That the read- ing of the Scriptures, without the Spirit's aid, will no more convert a sinner than reading an old almanack.' He was a devoted minister, but he was too spiritual for his church. Mr. Lee, of Salisbury; Leaven- worth, of Waterbury, and Todd, of Northbury, were also expelled for similar faults. Mr. Robbins' turn came next." The opportunity for prosecuting him presented itself very soon in the violation of the rules of the Consociation, adopted at Guilford, the latter part of 1741. One of its acts was to vote " That for a minister to enter into another minister's parish, and preach or administer the Seals of the Covenant, without the consent of or in opposition to the settled minister of the parish is disorderly. Notwithstanding, if a considerable number of people in the parish are desirous to hear an- other minister preach, provided the same be orthodox and .sound in the Faith, and not notoriously faulty in censuring other persons, or guilty of any other scandal. We think it ordinarily advisable for the minister of the parish to gratify them by giving his consent upon their suitable application to him for it, unless neighboring ministers should advise again.st it." " Not satisfied with this, these ministers went to the general assembly and got a law passed which was an outrage to every principle of justice. One provision was this: ' 8. If any minis- ter, or ministers, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, shall presume to preach in any parish, not under his immediate care and charge, the minister of the parish where he shall so offend, or the civil authority, or any of the committee of said parish, shall give in- formation thereof, in meeting, under their hands to the clerk of the society or parish where such offending minister doth belong, which clerk shall receive such information and lodge and keep the same on file in his office, and no assistant or justice of the peace in this colony, shall sign any warrant for collecting any minister's rate, without first receiving a certificate from the clerk of the society or parish where *Reverend Elijah Baldwin. 48 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. such rate is to be collected, that no such information as is above men- tioned, hath been received by him or lodged in his ofEce.' This was an example of what cruel wrongs may be done by professed good men in the name of religion. In their eager desire to carry certain ends the}' deemed for the good of Zion, they violated every principle of justice, and forgot every Christian virtue. Of course their efforts only increased the evils they hoped to destroy. The records of them are another monument of the folly of doing evil that good may come. "Some time in the early part of December, 1741, Mr. Robbins had an invitation to preach at the Baptist church in Wallingford. These Baptists lived within the bounds of the First Society or parish in Wal- lingford. They were formerly in the Congregational church, but had gone off, and professing Baptist principles had set up by themselves. Some years before Mr. Robbins came to Connecticut they had em- ployed a Separate minister, Mr. John Merriman, who was ordained their pastor. By the advice of the governor, no rates had been col- lected from them by the First Society for several years. " Mr. Robbins returned no positive answer to the first overture. Soon after he received the following letter : " ' To Mr. Robbins, Branford. " Sir: — After suitable respects to yourself, this note is to inform you that Mr. Bellamy has been with us at Wallingford, and preached in our Baptist's society to very good satisfaction and success on sev- eral persons both of our people, and also those of your denomination with whom we desire to join heartily in the internals of religion,, though we can't in form; so that it seems to be the desire of both de- nominations here, that yourself would oblige us with a sermon or two- as soon as you can after the next week; and please to send me when. This is also my desire for the good of souls and the glory of God. "Sir. yours in good affection, John Merriman, Elder. '• Wallingford, Dec. 23d. 1741.' " Mr. Robbins accepted the invitation and agreed to go on January 6th, 1742. The day before he was to preach he was handed a note from two of the members of the Congregational church of Walling- ford, requesting him not to preach for the Baptists. But he could see no reason why he should break his engagement. There were many reasons why he should keep it. He accordingly went and preached twice to full congregations. " Mr. Robbins had preached in Wallingford on January 6th. 1742. The Consociation met at New Haven February 9th, 1742. Mr. The- ophilus Yale, a member of the Consociation, messenger from Walling- ford church, exhibited a complaint against Mr. Robbins in the form of HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 49 an indictment. Mr. Robbins could never get a copy for himself, but it ran like this : " 'The subscriber, do certify, in way of complaint, to this reverend Consociation, that on the 6th day of January last past, the Rev. Mr. Philemon Robbins did enter into the First Society of Wallingford, and preached in a disorderly manner, in contempt of the authority of this Consociation, without the consent of the Rev. Mr. Whittlesey, pastor of said society; contrary to the act of the Guilford Council; contrary to an act of this Consociation, and contrary to the desire of his neigh- boring ministers, and a great number of church members in Walling- ford. " Theophilus Yale.' " " Mr. Robbins, who was present, observed that there was nothing said in the complaint of its being contrary to the law of God. ' We know not how to answer for preaching any more than for praying, unless they would tell him wherein was the crime of it. They told him it was expressed in the complaint as contrary to the act of the Guilford Council, etc' Mr. Robbins said he did not know what were the acts of the Guilford Council when he preached at Wallingford. Whatever they were they had not even then been read to or accepted by the Consociation. Where there was no lawthere could be no trans- gression. As it being contrary to the desire of two neighboring min- isters and a great many church members, there was no rule in the word of God or Saybrook Platform that obliged one to attend such desire in preaching. They referred him to the vote of the Consocia- tion to any act of that Consociation instructing their delegates to the Guilford Council. He answered that .such a vote did not bind the Consociation to any act of that council ; that he was not guilty even under that vote, because he had not been into another man's parish to preach. The Baptists were a church gathered by themselves. They had a minister ordained over them. He had preached for them at their'minister's desire. The collector of Mr. Whittlesey's society had been advised by the governor not to require taxes of these Baptists. He had. moreover, sent to them proclamation for fa.sts and thanksgiv- ings as to other churches. But they claimed that the Baptists were not by the letter of the law a legal society, so decided his preaching to be disorderly. They required him to make confession, and gave him over night to think of it. But he declined to do what they re- quired. They then passed judgment on him as follows: 'At a meet- ing of the Convocation of Xew Haven County, convened by and ac- cording to adjournment at New Haven, February 9th, 1741-2. A complaint being given in by Theophilus Yale, Esq., a member of the First church in Wallingford, against the Rev. Philemon Robbins, pas- tor of the First church in Branford, within this county, that the said Mr. Philemon Robbins has preached in said First society in Walling- i 50 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. ford, in a disorderly and offensive manner, as by said complaint is set forth and laid before this Consociation: " ' Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Robbins so preaching was disor- derly. " ' Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Philemon Robbins should not sit as a member of this council for his disorderly preaching.' "This judgment being read, Mr. Robbins took leave, went home and made this memorandum: ' The crime is preaching to the Bap- tists, and the punishment is being secluded from the Consociation.' •■ But, unexpectedly, the punishment is turned into a crime, and becomes the burden of more serious complaints. At the next meet- ing of the association he found a complaint against him from some of his own people. Everything seemed to be managed in the greatest secrec}', for he only learned of it at the last moment. The association sent him this notice: " ' The Association of the County of New Haven convened at New Cheshire May 31st, 1743. To the Rev. Mr. Philemon Robbins, Pastor of the First Church in Branford. Reverend Sir, and dear Brother; By a paper, given into this association by one of the members of your church, and signed by six members of the same, we are given to un- derstand that there is an uneasiness among a number of j'our people, with 3'our conduct and management in sundry particulars: and, hoping that it may be of good service, we have desired a number of our body, viz.: the Rev. Messrs. Jacob Hemingway, Samuel Russell, vSamuel Hall, Isaac Stiles and Jonathan Merrick, to repair to Branford on the second Tuesda)' of June next, to make inquir}' into the difiBculties among your people, and shall rejoice if they may be instrumental of good and peace among you: and hoping 3'ou will take this in good part, and treat the motion candidly, we heartily wish xou M'ell. ' Test, Thom.\s Ruggles, Scribe. ' By order of Association.' " When he found who of his people had petitioned for this, he was much surprised. One was an old non compos mentis man, unable to at- tend church; others were persons who had never given him an}' reason to believe they were uneasy. Three were persons who had annoyed him before, and who had evidently moved against him at the instiga- tion and advice of some of the ministers. He could never get a copy of the things complained of; but, as near as he could learn by diligent inquiry, they were these: " 1st. That Mr. Robbins has set up lectures, without a vote of the church for it. "2d. That he denies the platform. "3d. That he has baptized a child at New Haven. " 4th. That he is a promoter of divisions and separations. "6th. That he admits members of the separate church at New Haven to the Communion." HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 61 The number and nature of these charges showed very plainly that these members had been instigated by some of the ministers of the Consociation. Mr. Robbins soon quieted the apprehensions of his parishioners and even made everything satisfactory to the five mem- bers who had complained of him. But his opponents were not satis- fied. New complaints were lodged, at the instance of the opposing ministers, and nothing Mr. Robbins could say or do would satisfy them. After a protracted trial of two years and much agitation, the Con- sociation formally deposed him from the ministry. " His church and people now took the case in their own hands. In- stead of using the liberty which the law of the legislature gave them, they paid their minister's salary with more cheerfulness and punctu- ality than before. Instead of admitting the charges of error filed against him before Consociation, the church, nciii. con., met and rebut- ted them thus: ' We are of opinion that what is contained in the arti- cles against the pastor of this church, respecting doctrines and princi- ples, is very wrongfully and injuriously charged, and disagreeable,' contrary to 'the known cour.se and tenor of his preaching. We think Mr. Robbins preaches the doctrines of grace more clearly than in some of the first years of his ministry among us; and yet we have too much reason to fear that our uneasy brethren and neighbours, especially some of the principal of them, are dissatisfied on account of those doc- trines: which doctrines, for our part, we think are clearly revealed in the word of God, and adhered to by the reformed churches, as appears by their confessions of faith and catechisms; and we trust God has and will implant them in our hearts, and enable us to maintain them as long as we live.' No very pleasant decision for such men as Whittle- sey and Stiles, who had ordained and given the right hand of fellow- ship to young Robbins, and whose new light was now so brilliant as to give pain to their visual organs. He was ecclesiastically silenced and deposed. His flock would not submit. They voluntarily with- drew from the compact into which they had entered with the neigh- boring churches about 38 years before. They retained their minister and loved him the more for his trials and his increased soundness in the faith. His opponents appealed to the assembly for aid to quell or to awe this rebellious spirit. The assembly, in May, 1748, cited the society to appear before them and answer to the complaint. The soci- ety appointed John Russell, E.sq., and Samuel Barker to be their agents or attorneys, to appear before the assembly and show reasons why the prayer of said petition should not be granted. The assembly, after hearing the parties, appointed a council of seven ministers from dif- ferent parts of the colony, requesting them to repair to Branford and hear the parties, and endeavor to make peace in the society. On hear- ing the decision of the assembly, the society here voted to request and entreat the ministers so appointed by the assembly, together with messengers from their respective churches, to meet at Branford, on 62 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Wednesday, the 29th of June, 17-18. But the council never met. Though requested again in Jul}', that they would be pleased to come and attend to the business of their appointment, they came not. Being let alone, the difficulties died out. The days of Mr. Robbins were thenceforth spent in peace with his people — in the love and confidence of his church and of the whole community. Without any formal act of restoration, he was called gradually into the councils and associa- tions of his brethren."* Being received into the Consociation and the association, Mr. Rob- bins remained an honored and trusted member until his death, August 13th, 1781. He preached the preceding day with unusual animation,^ closing his sermon with the words " Glory! glory!" After dinner, on the day of his death, he sat down in his arm chair and was soon ap- parently asleep, but, as it proved, went quietly out of this life into the next. Two of his sons became eminent as ministers. His later de- scendants, also, have honored the name. Not long after the settlement of Mr. Robbins it was determined to build a new meeting house. " March loth, 1738, the Society moves to build a new meeting house. October 11th. 1738, they decide to build it west of the old one, and 64 feet long by 44 feet wide, with 24 foot posts, but nearly two years pass away before they really get to work at the new house." It was occupied in 1744. and was in the st\-le of that day, a two-story house without a spire. In 1803 a steeple was built to the house and a clock placed in the spire. With other repairs this meeting house was used until 1843. when it was removed and a part of the present brick edifice was occupied, in the pastorate of the Rev- erend T. P. Gillett. This house was practically rebuilt in 1868-9, in Mr. Baldwin's pastorate. A new front, with tower and steeple, was built, and the rear was lengthened 15 feet, making the building very commodious. It was also thoroughly refitted and a new organ pro- vided. The entire outlay was about §26,000. It has since been re- paired. In 1889 a very fine parsonage, costing §7,000, was erected on the old Frisbie lot, in the rear of the church edifice. All the property is in good condition. After the death of Mr. Robbins the pulpit was vacant several years, when Reverend Jason Atwater was secured as the next pastor. He was a native of Hamden, Conn., and a graduate of -Yale College. He was ordained by the Consociation, March 10th, 1784. He died of con- sumption, June 10th, 1794. His pastorate was ten years and three months. The society gave him ^300 settlement, and £'100 salary, with the privilege of cutting firewood from the society's lands. During his ministry 96 were added to the church; the baptisms were 187, of which number 19 were adults; marriages, 96. The next pastor. Reverend 'Lynde Huntington, was a native of Norwich, and a graduate of Yale. He was ordained the 28th of Oc- * Reverend T. P. Gillett. HISTCJBV OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 53 tober, 1795, and died of consumption, September 20th, 1804. The so- ciety gave him as a settlement ^300, and ^^'95 salary, " with the priv- ilege of cutting wood sufficient for his own fires from the Society's lands, so long as he shall continue to preach in said Society." The additions to the church under his ministry were 50; the baptisms 121, adults 2; marriages, 50. Reverend Timothy P. Gillett, son of Reverend Alexander Gillett, of Torrington, was settled as the next pastor. He was ordained June 15th, 1808. The society gave him a " a salary of S500, to be paid an- nually, until from continued ill health and infirmity he is no longer able to perform the duties of the gospel ministry among them," with the privilege of cutting his firewood from the society's land. His salary was not increased, remaining as fixed until he ceased to be the active pastor. But so frugal was he, without being mean or miserly, that, without engaging in any speculations, his estate in 1S81 amounted to $80,000, some of which was given to benevolent objects. During his pastorate many additions were made to the membership of the church, the last years of his life being the most fruitful. He continued as pastor emeritus until the fall of 1866. His health having failed. Reverend Jacob G. Miller was appointed colleague pastor in 1859, and so served until 1864. The following year Reverend Elijah C. Baldwin was settled in a like relation, and after Mr. Gillett's death became the pastor. He continued until 1878. He was an able and conscientious minister and the last to remain a term of years. Since his departure the acting pastors have been: 1878-80, Reverend C. W. Hill: 1880-84, Cyrus ROsborne; 1885-88, Henry Pearson Bake; 1888,Thomas Bickford. On the 1st of January, 1889, the latter was .settled as the pastor. He was ordained to the ministry in 1875. His labors here the past year have been successful, about fifty members being added, making the present (1890) membership 340, contributed by 190 families in the parish. In addition to its labors at home the church has encouraged mission services at Short Beach, and aided in establishing the church at Stony Creek. The church maintains a well equipped Sabbath school of several hundred members, having Horace B. Meigs as superintendent, and has also a number of aid societies connected with it. The following have been the deacons and the years of their elec- tion: Lawrence Ward, uncertain: John Rose, uncertain; George Bald- win, uncertain; Samuel Harrington, after 1689; Samuel Rose, after 1689; John Russell, 1733; Edward Barker, 1757; Nathaniel Foot, 1763; El- nathan Beach, 1763; Stephen Smith, 1771; Daniel Maltbie, 1771; Samuel Rogers, 1777; Zaccheus Baldwin, 1795; Samuel Tyler, 1800; Samuel Frisbie, 1809: Eli Fowler, 1816; Harvey Page, 1851; Jeremiah Russell, 1852; -"William Linsley, 1857; John Plant, ; -Austin M.Babcock,1869. Of the foregoing, John Russell, who was a son of Reverend Samuel Russell, was, in his day, one of the most distinguished civilians in town. *Now in office. 54 HISTORY OK .NEW HAVEN COUNTY. The following Congregational ministers have been raised up in the town of Branford: Reverends Joseph Barker, John Tyler Benedict, Thomas Wells Bray, Andrew Bartholomew, Samuel Barker, Thomas Canfield, John Cornwall, John Foote, Levi Frisbie, Josiah Frisbie, Dana Goodsell, George Justus Harrison, Jared Harrison, Roger Har- rison, L. I. Hoadlev, Lewis F. Morris, Solomon Palmer, Abraham Pier- son, Ammi R. Robbins, Chandler Robbins, D.D., Samuel Russell, Ebenezer Russell, Lemuel Tyler and Samuel Whiting. Trinity Church (Protestant Episcopal)* had its origin in the dissent- ing minority of the First Society, or those who were avowed opponents of Mr. Robbins after he had become a " new light." In 1748 these opponents of Mr. Robbins petitioned the general court for aid in car- rying into effect the decree of the New Haven Consociation, debarring him from ministerial duties, and to the obeyance of which he paid no heed. The petitioners were Nathaniel Harrison, Nathaniel Johnson, Joseph Frisbie, Noali Rogers, Joint Rogers, John Rogers, Jr., John Linsley, JonatJian Hoadley, John Hoadley, Nathaniel Hoadley, Benjamin Palmer, Demetrius Cook, Ebenezer Frisbie, Orchard Guy, Daniel Palmer, Samuel Maltby, Nathaniel Butler, Joseph Bishop, Samuel Frisbie, Mielia Palmer, yr., Noah Baldwin, Abraham Palmer, Ebenezer Linsley, Uzal Cook, Nathan- iel Frisbie, Isaac Cook, Abijah Hobart, Daniel Frisbie, Jonathan Good- sell. The names in italics represent the families which probably em- braced Episcopacy, though it is by no means certain that every per- son so indicated became a churchman. Many of the foregoing remained Congregationalists, forgetting, in the course of a few years, their dis- affection with the " new light " doctrines. In September, 1748, Reverend IMatthew Graves, missionary from New London, and Doctor Samuel John.son, from Stratford, held Epis- copal services in the town, and thereafter they were continued with some regularity, so that the church properly had its beginning in that year. A few j'ears later the society was more fully organized and un- der its direction regular missionaries served it : Reverend Matthew Graves in 1748; Samuel Johnson, D.D., in 1748, 1752 and 1766; Eben- ezer Punderson, 1752-61; Solomon Palmer, 1763-6; Bela Hubbard. D. D., 1767-84. During the revolution the feeling against the Episcopal church was very strong and but little advance was made. The society had, in these latter years, only a nommal existence, and in June, 1784, steps were taken to reorganize and to found the present parish. This act was consummated November 29th, 1784, when the following were elected as the first parish officers: Mr. Ebenezer Linsley and Captain Samuel Russell, church wardens; Captain John Russell, Obed Linsley, Thomas Frisbie, John Rogers, Jr., Papillian Barker, Captain Ebenezer Barker and Edward Barker, vestrymen; William Monro, clerk of the church and .society. ♦From data by Reverend M. K. Bailey, Eli F. Rogers, Esq., and others. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 55 At the same meeting a vote was passed with the intention of pro- curing- Mr. Sayre as their minister, and he probably was in charge while the church was building. The next step was the formal notice of organization given to the First Society, so as to secure exemption from paying rates. This no- tice was signed by the following: 'Ebenezer Linsley Jonathan Hoadley Ralph Isaacs Isaac Rogers Jonathan Hoadley jur Samuel Russell Thomas Frisbie Ebenezer Barker Abraham Rogers Ebenezer Frisbie John Garrett Nathaniel Palmer Thomas Barker Peter Grant Samuel Whedon John Rogers jur Pennock Houd Stewart Gaylord Ebenezer Frisbie jur Timothy Barker Elias Pond Richard Spink Andrew Morris Edmund Morris Papillian Barker Archelaus Barker Daniel Frisbie jur Barnabas Palmer Obed Linsley William Monro John Russell Allen Smith George Cook Oliver Landfair jur Roswell Chidsey George Friend Sarah Johnson Martha Olds John Cory Jacob Rogers Thomas Rose John Potter jur Daniel Jones Abel Frisbie Jonathan Barker Benjamin Barker Obediah Tyler Ebenezer Linsley 3d John Butler Samuel Russell jur Moses Stork Samuel Palmer jur John Rogers Ebenezer Linsley jur — " By order of said Episcopal Church or Congregation in legal meet- ing assembled, holden in said Branford first society on the 11th day of December A.D. 1784. WiLLM Monro Clerk — Ebenezer Linsley Samuel Russell Samuel Whedon John Russell ^ Committee- Obed Linsley Thomas Frisbie Papillian Barker John Rogers jur 66 • HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. " We whose names are in the foregoing, beg leave to address the first society, and to assure them that we wish them peace in Jesus Christ; and they witli us may enjo}' every blessing this world can afford, and eternal happiness in the World to come — By Order of the Episco- pal Church or Congregation in the first society in Brauford." After some little delay and consideration the matter was settled by a decision that the Episcopal society should be exempt from the payment of all rates for the benefit of the First society, after Decem- ber 13th, 1784, since which time Trinity parish has had a recognized independent existence. The next step was to build a church, but here, as in many other places in the county, the selection of a site was attended with some difficulties. " It was voted, December 28th, 1784, to build a church not to ex- ceed 50 feet by 38, and John Russell, William Monro, Captain Samuel Russell, Obed Linsley, Abraham Rogers, Papillian Barker and Eben- ezer Barker were appointed a committee to receive subscriptions, transact all business of building, and to search the First society's rec- ords to see whether liberty had formerly been granted to build a church, and in case it had not, to make application for it. William Monro and Captain John Russell were also appointed to see an attor- ney about the rates, and to petition the county court for liberty to build a church. Neither of these committees seem to have gotten much satisfaction, for March 7th, 1785, Samuel Russell, John Russell, Ebenezer Barker, John Rogers, Jr., Abraham Rogers, Obed Linsley and William Monro were appointed to determine where the church should be built. This committee examined two sites — ' the hill where the timber now lies, likewise the ground near the school house hol- low.' March 25th, it was voted to build on this hill, which was called Baldwin's hill, if a title coiild be had. Where Baldwin's hill was can- not be decided, but probabilities indicate a site near the residence of Mr. Philander Hopson. This did not prove satisfactory, and the place selected was ' the ground near the school house hollow.' The de- cision was referred to Jonathan IngersoU, Esq., of New Haven, and he fixed it. " Meanwhile the subscription paper had been started. The first copy was drawn up December 28th, 1784, without doubt at the parish meeting. In this list several names appear which are not among the founders, one of them heingCaiiibrig Pritiins, probably a slave or f reed- man, who subscribed six shillings. A second list, showing amounts subscribed, paid and due, gives the sum total as ;^300— 10 — 0. The tax list of forty-three members of the parish in 1786 aggregated .£'1,533 — 10 — 3. A part of the subscriptions were paid in labor and goods. " The timber was drawn in February of 1785, the work on the frame was probably done in June and July. August 12th a contract HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 57 -was given to Jacob Tyler, of Southington, to complete the church which was then raised. It was for £50, one-third to be paid in cattle and cash, and two-thirds in West India rum and dry goods, the rum being valued at three shillings or fifty cents per gallon. In December men were still working at the pillars. The first parish meeting in the church was warned for the first Monday in May, 1786. In the period between December and May, then, the church was occupied. '■ Three names appear in the documents of the time as most promi- nent— those of Samuel Russell. Ebenezer Linsley and Ralph Isaacs. They did a great deal of work for the parish, and were liberal in their -contributions. The parish meetings were frequently held at the houses of the former two. Captain Russell and Ralph Isaacs made frequent journeys on parish business. The latter lived in the old farm house at Cherry hill. He entertained the clergy, and his contributions in money were larger than those of anyone else. "At this point of the parish history we find the old church stand- ing northwest of the present edifice, where a line of the foundation stones still appears through the turf. It was unpretentious, being built somewhat after the school house model. But it represented much perseverance and toil. There was no recessed chancel, but a semi-circular rail enclosed the altar and the chancel space. The whole .Sunday school used to gather about the rail to be catechised at the visit of the bishop. The pulpit was very high and stood against the wall, having a small dark robing room under it. It was afterward moved forward, and a convenient robing room placed behind it, the chancel was made square, reduced in size, and pews were added. The altar at first stood directly in front of the pulpit — afterward near the chancel rail, with a space behind it. Over the entrance was a semi- circular gallery, the ends extending about half the length of the church. The pillars were a conspicuous feature of the interior, and seem to have cost considerable labor. At one time it was intended to erect a spire, and the timber was drawn to the church. It was, how- ever, sold, and formed the spire of the Congregational church preced- ing the present one. It was pulled over, at the demolition of that edi- fice, and people who saw it fall remember how it quivered in the air like a serpent before it came down. " For about forty years there was no way of heating the old church. A stove for burning wood was put in about 1825, the pipe being put through a window. Another was added a dozen years later. The seats were free, and the men and boys sat on one side, the women and •children on the other." With some minor repairs the church was used as built until 1840, when the old gallery was replaced by a new one. In 1845 the rectory property, which had been secured by a stock company after 1840, was transferred to the parish, and near the same time a pipe organ was placed in the church. A new church edifice being deemed necessary, 58 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. funds were raised in 1850, and Harry Barker, Isaac H. Palmer, Levi S. Parsons, David Averill and Benjamin Rogers were appointed a building committee. A plan which was deemed quite advanced for the times was selected, and the corner stone of the building was laid in April, 1851. The church was consecrated by Bishop Brownell Jan- uary 27th, 1852. Four years later the improved parsonage and the church were fully paid, leaving the parish free from debt. The parish has been the recipient of a number of generous gifts, among them being, in 1859, the sum of $524 from Abraham Rogers; in 1867, bonds from General Schuyler Hamilton, who was for a num- ber of years a devoted member of the church, to the amount of §il,()(K); in 1867, $404 from Captain David Barker, to provide free sittings in the church; in 1872, $500 from the estate of Mrs. Mary Daniels; in 1880. the Chapel of Grace, from Isaac H. Brown and his friends; in 1882, a bequest from Eli Goodrich, amounting to about $9,500. The parish is prosperous financially and in numbers of members, having 140 families and 213 registered communicants. Its total yearly contributions are about $2,000. The senior wardens of the church have been as follows: 1784-6, Ebenezer Linsley; 1787-1804, Samuel Russell; 1805, Isaac Hoadley; 1806-7, Samuel Russell; 1808-12, Andrew Morris; 1813-14, Ebenezer Linsley, Jr.; 1815, Timothy Johnson; 1816-18, Ebenezer Linsley; 1819, Timothy Johnson; 1820, Ebenezer Linsley; 1821-2, Timothy Johnson; 1823-4, Ebenezer Linsley; 1825-8, Abraham Rogers, Jr.; 1829-30, Tim- othy Johnson; 1831-2, Abraham Rogers; 1833, Timothy Johnson; 1834, Abraham Rogers; 1835, Timothy Johnson; 1836, Edward Linsley; 1837-43, Timothy Johnson; 1844-8, Edward Linsley; 1849-54, Isaac H. Palmer; 1855, Orrin Hoadley; 1856-7, Isaac H.Valmer; 1858-63, Orrin Hoadley; 1864-88, Isaac H. Palmer; 1889—, Walter E. Fowler. The clergymen who have served the parish have been the follow- ing: Reverend Samuel Johnson, D.D., 1748, occasional services; Mat- thew Graves, 1748, occasional services; Ebenezer Punderson, 1752-61, stated services part of the time; Solomon Palmer, 1763-6, stated serv- ices part of the time; Bela Hubbard, D.D., 1767-83, probably occasional services; James Sayre, 1784-6, probably resident minister, church built; John Bowden, D.D., 1785, one visit known; Jeremiah Leaming, D.D., 1787, one visit known; Edward Blakeslee, 1788-90, probably stated services part of the time; Tillotson Bronson, D.D., 1789, one visit known; Ambrose Hull, 1790-91, resident minister; Manoah Smith Miles, 1795-7, resident minister; Ammi Rogers, 1801-04, stated serv- ices part of the time; Virgil H. Barber, 1806, one visit known; Charles Seabury, 1808, one visit known; Benjamin Benham, 1809, two visits known, probably in charge; J. D. Jones, 1809-11, without doubt in charge of cure; Elijah G. Plumb, 1811-18, resident minister; Ashbel Baldwin, 1816, one visit recorded; Origen P. Holcomb, 1820-3, resi- dent minister; Joseph Perry, 1821, also in 1819; John M. Garfield,. HISTORY OF NEW KAVEN COUNTY. 59 1823-8, Stated services; James Keeler, 1828-9, resident minister: Wil- liam T. Potter, 1830, stated services; Edward J. Ives, 1831-2, stated services; David Baldwin, 1834-8, stated services; Levi H. Carson, 1838- 40, entire services; Pascal P. Kidder, 1840-3, resident rector; Frederick Miller, 1844-9, resident minister; William H. Rees, 1850, resident rec- tor; Henry Olmstead, Jr., 1851-62, resident rector; Clayton Eddy, 1862- 4, resident rector; Frederick D. Lewin, 1864, resident rector; David Bishop, 1866-9, resident rector; George C. Griswold, 1870-2, resident rector; Henry Olmstead, D.D., 1872-82, resident rector; Charles H. Plummer, 1882-3, one year; Melville K. Bailey, 1885-91, resident rec- tor; F. B. Whitcomb, since June, 1891. The longest ministry was that of Reverend Henry Olmstead, who died in the service of the church October 30th, 1882. An appropriate tablet, commemorating the 21 years of .service which he gave the par- ish, has been placed in the church. His age was 64 years. In his ministry the Chapel of Grace, at Branford Point, built mainly by Isaac H. Brown and his friends, of Grace church. New York, was donated to the parish. Another well-beloved pastor was Frederick Miller, who died as rector of this church October 3d, 1849, aged 39 years. Both are buried beneath the chancel of the church. In the ministry of Reverend John M. Garfield the Sunday .school was founded, about 1826, and soon had 50 members. After a few years it went down, and in 1834 it was reorganized by Isaac H. Tuttle. Eli F. Rogers became the superintendent and acted continuously until 1865. Samuel E. Linsley then became the .superintendent and served until his death, September 22d, 1883. Since 1834 Eli F. Rogers has been an officer of the Sunday school, which has about 160 members. The Branford Baptist Church was constituted in 1838. In the year 1836 Mrs. Nicholas Andrews, a devout member of the Wallingford Baptist church, lived in Branford, and at her request her pastor. Rev- erend Simeon Shailer, visited the town and preached. He was fol- lowed, in 1837, by Reverend Amos D. Watrous, whose services at- tracted many, but also awakened some hostile feeling and acts of violence towards him and his property. Not disheartened. Reverend David T. Shailer came next, beginning regular Sabbath services in the old Academy building, in December, 1837. The following spring a large chamber in the Andrews house was fitted up as a place of worship, and April 8th, 1838, occurred the first public baptism in the village. Woodward Page and Abigail Johnson being immersed in the river, near the Neck bridge, in the presence of a great throng of peo- ple. The same season were also baptized Charles Hopson, George W. Johnson, Betsy Beers, Nicholas Andrews, Nelson J. Linsley, James Barker and wife, Mary Ann Goodrich, Irene Page, Maria Ru.ssell, Char- lotte Covert, Mary Beers and Nancy Hopson. These and ten others were, on the 19th of December. 1838, constituted as the foregoing church. •60 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. A larger place for meetings having become necessary, the town yielded its consent that a house should be built on the site of the old whipping post on the " green," and the members gave materials and labor toward building the house, Mr. vShailer himself helping to hew some of the timbers. Nelson J. Linsley supervised the work of build- ing. The church edifice was dedicated July 11th, 1840, but not free from debt. It was more or less a burden on the society for twenty years, being finally lifted by the Ladies" Aid Society, of which Mrs. Martha Barker was the president. In 1859, in the pastorate of the Reverend P. G. Wightman, the house was remodelled, the interior es- pecially being much changed. In 1866 the work of bettering the church building was still further carried on at an outlay of §1,800. A baptistery was built in 1888 and more repairs were made at an outlay of §1,000. The property is worth §3,500, and the church has 300 sit- tings. In 1876 a fine parsonage was built on Rogers street, which is valued at $3,000, $1,500 being contributed by Ara Baldwin and Mrs. James Barker. The church has been reasonably prosperous, having now about 150 members. It has had but two clerks — James Barker, from 1838 until 1882, and James Fowler since that time. Those elected as deacons were: in 1838, Nicholas Andrews: 1843. James Barker. Nelson J. Linsley; 1853, Samuel D. Linsley, Giles T. Baldwin; 1868, James Palmer; 1874, Philander Hopson;* 1879, Har- vey Beach, Henry W. Hubbard,* Elizur Johnson.* For many years Giles Baldwin had a Sabbath school at Stony Creek, and after 1874 Deacon Philander Hopson continued the good work a number of years at both Branford and Stony Creek. Of the former school H.W. Hubbard was the superintendent in 1889, and the scholars niimbered about 100. The ministers of the church have been the following: Reverend D. T. Shailer until April, 1844, when the church had 62 members; A. C. Wheat, 1845, for three and a half years; Calvin Topliff, one year; Lucius Atwater, 1850-4; R. H. Bolles, 1855-6; D. T. Shailer, supply, 1857; P. G. Wightman, 18.58-63; A. H. Simons, 1864-7; Curtis Keeney, ■eight months; Henry A. Wildridge, eight months; Warren Mason, 1870-3; five supplies in 1874-7; Melville Thwing, first to occupy the parsonage; C. C. Smith, July, 1877, to May, 1885; J. A. Bailey, supply li years; P. G. Wightman, .supph' from October, 1886, to April, 1887, and pastor since that time. From his historical sermon, preached on the .50th anniversary of the founding of the church, in 1888, this ac- count has been compiled. Attempts were made by the Methodists as early as 1836 and since to establish a church at Branford, but for many years without success. In 1875 the eflfort was renewed, and a small congregation was organ- *Present deacons. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 61 ized, which built a house of worship on the street on the south side of the green. Unfortunately the organization of this society was not long continued, and in 1878 it disbanded. The building was later purchased by Doctor Gaylord, who converted it into a neat public hall. The Tabor Church (vSwedish Evangelical Lutheran) occupies a commanding location in the southern part of the village. It is a Gothic frame edifice, 40 by 58 feet, with a brick basement and hand- .some corner tower. The corner stone was laid October 20th, 1889, and the church was formally dedicated August 10th, 1890. The interior is handsomely finished, and the entire property cost $,5,152. It was built mainly by the efforts of the Swedes and Finlanders in this locality, the building committee being composed of P. A. R. Engquist, Gustaf Dahlgren, Joseph Mattson, Peter Palson, Herman Mickelson, H. Jacob- son. John Gulland, Charles Damberg. The congregation occupying this house was organized in the fall of 1887, with a few members. But there has been a steady and encouraging increase, there being now more than one hundred members belonging. The meetings were first held in the basement of the Congregational meeting house. Rev- erend Henr}^ Jacobson being the minister. St. Mary's Church (Roman Catholic i. The mass of the Catholic church was first said in Branford at the house of Francis Harding, in the summer of 1851. That family was one of the first professing the Catholic faith to take up its abode in the town, and a son, Michael Patrick Harding, who was born April loth, 1850, was the first native Irish-American of Branford. The officiating priest at this mass was the Reverend Father John Sheridan, who came from New Haven, and was followed by Father Matthew Hart, of St. Patrick's church of the same city, who opened the ground for the church, which was raised in 1855, while Father John Lynch was in charge of the mission, which was now here maintained by St. Patrick's parish. In 1861 Reverend James Bohen was assigned to the parish, composed of the shore towns east of New Haven, and in 1862 was followed by Reverend Thomas Quinn. Reverend James F. Campbell became the priest in 1865 and enlarged the church building. After three years he was followed by Reverend Thomas Mullen. Since vSeptember 1st, 1876, the resident priest has been Reverend Edward Martin. Branford became a dis- tinct parish in the spring of 1887, when Guilford was set off. It con- tained, in 1890, 177 families and 1,200 persons, and was growing in numbers and influence. Besides the church building the parish owns a fine priest's house and two places of interments. The old cemetery, in the northern part of the village, is well filled, and contains a number of handsome mon- uments. The new one of 14 acres is east of the village, and was pur- chased in 1889 for §2,500. Until the present century the town had but one public place of burial — the cemetery at Branford village. On the 30th of November, ■62 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 1810, the burial place at Mill Plain was occupied, young Ammi Beach being the first interred there. The area is small, but the ground is well enclosed and filled with graves, many being marked with head- stones. These indicate the burial at that place of members of the Beach. Baldwin, Bartholomew, Barker, Downs, Frisbie, Hoadley, Nor- ton, Tyler, Towner and Rogers families. The third place of burial was opened at Damascus, June 18th, 1812, and Mrs. Lucretia Day was the first person buried at that place. After the dates named the latter two places were used mainly by the inhabitants of the vStony Creek section until 1876, when the cemetery was opened in that locality. The Catholics have a place of burial at Branford village, and another east of Branford river, on the Guilford road. The old cemetery has been used from the time of settlement. It contains many graves, some of which are unmarked. The area has been increased from time to time, a large addition being made after 1850. Mrs. Sally Gillett gave $2,000 as a fund for the- care of the cem- etery, and that proper attention might be paid to the graves of her- self and consort. A brown sandstone monument marks this resting place in the new part of the cemetery, and the inscriptions are as follows: Rev. Timothy P. Gillett, Died Nov. 5, 1866. Aged 86 Yr's, A preacher of the Gospel 61 years, and pastor of the First Cong'l Church in Bran- ford 58 years. " I know in whom I have believed." Mrs. Sally Gillett, wife of Rev. Timothy P. Gillett, Died May 20, 1887, Aged 100 Years & 2 Months. In the old part of the cemetery, near the spot where stood the first meeting house, is the table monument to the memory of Reverend Samuel Russell and his wife. In the same part of the cemetery are the graves of Reverend George L. Russell, who died in 1844, and of Reverend Rutherford Russell, who died in 1876. In this cemetery is also the well marked grave of Reverend Philemon Robbins, who died August 13th, 1781. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Daniel Averill, born in 1817, is a son of David and Polly (Morris) Averill, and grandson of Daniel Averill, who was a drummer in the revolutionary war. Mr. Averill followed the sea in coasting and West India trade until 1877. He married Jane, daughter of Seth Bradley, of East Chatham, N. Y. They have two children: Delbert C. and La- verne S. Delbert married Estella Shepard, of Branford, and has one HISTORV OK NEW KAVEN COUNTY. 63 son, Roy Victor, born in 1880. Laverne married Samuel Hodgkinson of England, and has one son, Harold Daniel, born 1890. Henry W. Averill, born in 1851, is a son of Samuel and ]\Iyrtie (Fowler) Averill, and grandson of Daniel Averill. Mr. Averill is a farmer. He married Hattie, daughter of Albert C. Gardiner, of Rhode Island. John U. Baldwin, born in 1836 at Carmel,- N. Y., is a son of Arvah and Harriet (Carpenter) Baldwin. He came to Guilford with his parents when a boy, and after his marriage settled at his present home in Branford. He is a farmer and butcher. He married Mary E., daughter of Alva Kelsey. Their children are: A. Earle and Mel- vina C. Harvey R. Barker is the only son of James and Martha (Beach) Barker, and grandson of Captain Archilus Barker, who was a revolu- tionary soldier and sea captain. Mr. Barker is a farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of Richard Hubbard. They have three c;hi]dren: James, who is a farmer with his father; Elizabeth A., now Mrs. Fred Smith; and Susan J., now Mrs. E. R. Monroe. David Beach, born in 1817. is a son of John and Sally (Harrison) Beach, and grandson of John H. Beach. Mr. Beach is a farmer, though the two sons operate the farm at present. He married Sylvia Baldwin. Their children were: Betsey B., John H., who married Car- rie Linsley; Frank E., who married Alida Duncan; and two that died in infancy. John Bishop, son of Jonathan C. and Lydia (Tyler ) Bishop, and grandson of James Bishop, was born in 1818, and is the youngest of five children. Mr. Bishop is a farmer. For twelve years he was select- man of Branford. He married Thankful K., daughter of Elias Gould. They have two children living: Elias G. and Sarah E. (Mrs. William Whiting); and two died in infancy. John Augustus Blackstone is a son of Augustiis and Esther (Lins- ley; Blackstone, and grandson of John, whose father, John, was a son of John Blackstone, who died in 1785, and is supposed to be a grand- son of William Blackstone, who came to New England in the early part of the seventeenth century. Mr. Blackstone was born in 1829. He was married in 1855 to H. Minerva, daughter of Rewel Andrews. They have two sons: Charles A. and Ruel A., both married and fol- lowing the business of farming with their father. Mr. Blackstone has held the office of selectman eight successive years, also tax collector, assessor and town agent. Ralph Blackstone, born in 1825, is a sou of Ralph and Sally (Pond) Blackstone, and grandson of John, whose father,.John, was a son of John, a descendant of William Blackstone. Mr. Blackstone is a far- mer. He married Mary, daughter of Orrin Hoadley. She died, leav- ing two daughters, Valnette and Eraeline E. 64 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Richard Bradley, born in 1850, is a son of Gurdon and Ann M« (Spink) Bradley, and grandson of Timothy Bradley. Mr. Bradley is a contractor and builder, and has worked at cai-pentering for twenty years. He was selectman one year. He married Mary C, daughter of Leonard and Harriet E. (Yale) Smith. Their children are: Frank S., Harriet E. and Charles, who died in infancy. Frank E. Brainard, son of John W. and Esther L. (Bailey) Brain- ard, grandson of Deanthiuem Brainard. and great-grandson of Sylves- ter O. Brainard, was born in 1861. Mr. Brainard has been a merchant at Stony Creek since 1884. He married Anna, daughter of Ira M. Brown. They have one daughter, Florence. Terence Brannigan came from Ireland in 1868. He is an iron moulder by trade. He has lived in Branford since 1876, and since 1888 has kept a dry goods and clothing store. He married Catharine A. Winnithan. They have five children: Angeline, Daniel, Jeremiah, Terence and Catharine. Ebenezer J. Coe, who died in 1889, aged 72 years, came from Mid- dlefield to Stony Creek in 18/54. He married Phebe, daughter of John and Esther (Coe) Burdsey. Their children are: Ruth B. (Mrs. Els- worth Austin), John W. (of Meriden), Mattie R. (Mrs.W. C. Maynard), and Fannie R. (Mrs. W. Wallace). Mr. Coe kept the " Three Elms House" for several years prior to his death, and his widow and daugh- ter now keep it. Elbert H. Coe, born in 1820 in Middlefield, Conn., is a .son of Amos and Harriet (Johnson) Coe, and grandson of Seth Coe. Mr. Coe, in 1859, came f,rom Middlefield to Stony Creek, where he has since been a farmer. He married Loui.sa C, daughter of Alfred Bailey. Their children are: Ellen (Mrs. Joseph Howard), Harriet (Mrs. Lembert Chidsey), Timothy A., Phebe (Mrs. Walter Foote), and one daughter that died, Ida. Timothy A. Coe was born in 1857, and is a farmer and milkman. He married Martha, daughter of Bela Foote. Samuel S. Cook, born in 1825, is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Hobert) Cook, and grand.son of Joseph Cook. Mr. Cook was a shoe manufacturer until the war began. He was in the army in Company B, 27th Connecticut Volunteers, as sergeant nine months. He then followed the sea for twelve years, after which he was foreman of the packing department of the Malleable Iron Fittings Company for ten years. He married Caroline C, daughter of Chandler and Lucy Lor- etta (Collins) Page. They had four children : Alice E. (Mrs. L. J. Nichols), Anderson S., and two sons that died — Everett E. and Ever- ett A. Eckford Davis, born in 1836 in Killingworth, is a son of Lewis and Sally (Burr) Davis, and grandson of Peter Davis. Mr. Davis came from Killingworth to Branford in 1860, where he has been a farmer. He married Sarah E., daughter of Eber Beach, granddaughter of An- drew, and great-granddaughter of Ephraim, whose father, Andrew HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 65 Beach, in 1737, came to Branford and settled near where Mr. and Mrs. Davis now live. Their only daughter, Mary T., is now Mrs. Elon Bragg. C. Wilbur Field, son of Danforth C. and Lucretia (Griswold) Field, grandson of James E. and great-grandson of Samuel Field, was born in 1837. Mr. Field is a farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of George Bailey. Their children were: George W. (deceased), Charles M. (deceased), Minnie I.. Homer W. (deceased), Fannie E., James C, Wallace D., Elsie J. and Lillia L. George C. Field, son of Danforth and Lucretia (Griswold) Field, was born in 1836, and is a blacksmith and farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of George L. Dowd. They have an adopted son, George I. William R. Foote, oldest living son of Samuel and Sarah E. (Rus- sell) Foote, was born in 1848, and is a farmer. He was two years selectman, and has held other town offices. He married Nettie, daugh- ter of Samuel Averill. Their children are: Wallace H. and Mabel L., living; and Ada and Roland T., deceased. Charles Woodward Gaylord, M.D., was born in Wallingford, this county, August 28th, 1846, and his parents are still residents of that town. He was the eldest of three children born to David and Bertha (Bartholomew) Gaylord, the other members of the family being Wil- liam Bartholomew, who became a business man of Meriden, where he died in October, 1889, aged 40 years; and a daughter, Ida, who married Frank Brown, of Meriden. Charles W. Gaylord is grandson of John Gaylord, whose father, John, was one of three brothers — Elias, Nathan and John — who came from England and settled in Cheshire and Wal- lingford, in the locality long known as Gaylord hill. In the war of the revolution the grandfather, John, served in defense of the colony of Connecticut, having warmly espoused the patriot cause. Doctor Gaylord spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, until he was 18 years old, when he went to the Connecticut Literary Insti- tution at Suffield, where he was two years preparing for college. In the fall of 1866 he entered Yale, and graduated from that institution in 1870. He soon after began to qualify himself for the medical pro- fession, beginning his .studies in the Yale Medical School, and pursu- ing also a course in the Bellevue Hospital and the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons, in the city of New York. In the summer of 1872 he graduated from the Yale school, and for a few months assisted Doctor Benjamin Franklin Harrison, of Wallingford, in his practice. In November, 1872, he located at Branford, where he established an independent practice, which soon grew to large proportions, and which has been successfully continued in this and the adjoining towns. Although comparatively a young man. Doctor Gaylord ranks as one of the leading country practitioners in the coiinty. He is a member of the Connecticut State and New Haven County Medical Societies. Since the passage of the new coroner's law, he has served as medical examiner for the towns of Branford and North Branford. 66 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. On the 27th of Februar3% 1873, Doctor Gaylord was married to Miss Anna Rose, of Essex, Conn. Two sons and three daughters have come to bless this union, viz.: Lynde Vincent, January 31st, 1874; Bertha Rose, June 5th, 1876: Anna Evangeline, July 8th, 1884; Charles William, February 27th, 1889: Ruth Marguerite, March 21st, 1891. Doctor Gaj'lord is enterprising, progressive and public-spirited, and has warmly identified himself with the best interests of his adopted home. Fie was an active member of the Branford Village Im- provement Society as long as it existed, and to its efforts can be attrib- uted much of the changes wrought in the appearance of the place. He was also interested in the establishment and maintenance of a vil- lage lyceum, under whose auspices several instructive courses of lec- tures were held. In the furtherance of this purpose to provide for the entertainment and instruction of the community, he fitted up, in 1879, a public hall, which he has since made one of the most cosy little opera houses in smaller places. He has taken an unabated interest in schools, serving as chairman of the board of education, and for a num- ber of years was the acting school visitor. In this period the schools were greatly improved and are yearly advanced to a higher plane. Since being at Branford, Doctor Gaylord has been a member of the Congregational church, and gives it a warm support. His political preferences have allied him to the republican party, but he is in no sense a partisan when the interests of the town are at stake. In this relation he has endeavored, at all times, to conform his life to the best standard of true citizenship — to be energetic and progressive in his own affairs, but ever to be mindful of his obligations to his town and the state which protects his home. Charles H. Grannis, son of John and Sally Griffin Grannis, was born in 1851. His grandfather was Jared Grannis. Mr. Grannis has been twelve years in the meat business, and since November, 1888, has owned a market of his own. Michael P. Harding, son of Francis and Ellen Harding, was born in 1850, and was the first child born in Branford of Irish parentage. Mr. Harding succeeded his father in the mercantile trade in 1871, the latter dying in August of that year. He was representative in 1876 of general assembly. At present he stands the fifth highest taxpayer of the town taxes. He is vice-president of the Branford Savings Bank, and has held a number of different public offices in the town. Henry G. Harrison, born in 1831, is a son of John and Betsey Har- rison. He was married April llth, 1869, to Harriet L., daughter of Harry and Nancy (Towner) Rogers, and granddaughter of Jams Rogers. William H. Hartley, born in 1844, in New Haven, is a son of William and Sarah (White) Hartley, and grandson of William Hartley. Mr. Hartley is a farmer. In 1871 he bought the old Governor Salton- stall homestead, at the foot of Saltonstall lake, where he now lives. C.lf'.^au/^ol.?^^.^ HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 67 He married Mary Woods. They have six children: Mary A., vSarah G., Annie M., Theresa, Josephine and William. Benjamin A. Hosley, sonof LoringD. and Anna A. (Beach) Hosley, was born in 1823, and is a farmer. He was married in 1849 to Lois W., daughter of William Ward, of Vermont. Their children are: Benjamin F., Anna M. (Mrs. George W. Dory), John H., M. Carrie (Mrs. G. W. McClunie), William H., Edward K., and one that died— Judith E. Benjamin F. Hosley, eldest son of Benjamin A., was born in 18.')2, and is a contractor and builder. He married Idella, daughter of Russell and Lydia (Tyler) Pond. Henry W. Hubbard, born in 1833, in Hartford, is a son of Richard and Rebecca Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard is a blacksmith and wagon maker. He came from Middletowij, Conn., to Branford in 1850, and has worked at his trade since that time, with the exception of nine months, when he was in the civil war, in Company B, 27th Connecti- cut Volunteers. He married Emma P., daughter of James Linsley- They have three daughters: Ida P., Henrietta W. and Luella L. Frederick Jourdan, born in 1822, at Basel, Switzerland, came to Branford in 1850, where he was a butcher and farmer until 1876, when he began the lumber and coal business, which he and his son have since conducted. He married Fannie E., daughter of Edward Lins- ley. They have one son, Henry F. Mr. Jourdan has been a mem- ber of the school board for a number of years, and has held other town offices. George W. Lanfair, born in 1830, is a son of Oliver and Chloe (Steele) Lanfair, and grandson of Oliver Lanfair. Mr. Lanfair is a carriage maker by trade. He is now a farmer, owning and occupying the homestead of his father and grandfather, at Double Beach. His first wife was Emily Augur, who. died leaving four children: Charles, Edna, Nellie and Sadie. His present wife was Mattie, daughter of Sheldon Hitchcock. Peter A. Lundquist, born in Sweden in 1846, is the son of P. J. Lund- quist. He came to Connecticut in 1872, and to vStony Creek in 1878, where he has since been a stone mason. His wife was Sophia Johnson. Daniel O'Brien, born in 1845 in Ireland, is a son of John O'Brien. He came to Branford in 1854. He has been employed in the knob department of the Branford Lock Works since 1862, and since 1874 has been foreman of the department. He has been selectman three terms, and a member of the school board twelve years. He married Kate O'Donnell and has twelve children. Sidney V. Osborn, born March 10th, 1856, in Woodbury, Conn., is a son of Aaron and Polly (Bishop) 0.sborn, and grandson of Daniel Osborn. Mr. Osborn came to Branford May 7th, 1879, where he has since been a farmer. He was for one year assessor of the town, in 1889, and one of the board of selectmen in 1890 and 1891. He mar- 68 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. tied May 6th, 1879, Emma, daughter of Daniel and Alvira Tyler, of Middlebury, Xew'JHaven county. Conn., and granddaughter of Daniel T}der, of Middlebury. _^They have one son, Sidney V., Jr., born Janu- ary 23d, ]888. George Palmer, born in 1829, is a .son of Lauren and Polly (Butler) Palmer, and gi'andson of Jared Palmer. Mr. Palmer is a farmer, and has what are acknowledged to be the finest farm barns in the town. He has been for 25 years insurance agent, and for 30 years agent for farm implements. He married Ellen J., daughter of Hezekiah War- ner, of Wheeling, W. V. They have one daughter, Fannie, a school teacher. S.A.MUEL Orrin PL.A.NT was born in Branford, January 24th, 1815. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Frisbie) Plant, and was the young- est of their family of five children, namely: Anderson, deceased in Bran- ford, the father of Henry B. Plant, the president of the Plant sy.stem of Southern transportation companies; Sarah, married Judah Frisbie, a merchant of New Haven; John, a deacon of the church, and who died as a farmer at Plantsville; Mary R., deceased at the age of 17 years; and Samuel O. The father of this family was a son of Benjainin Plant, who de- scended from the Plant family which was among the earl}' settlers of Branford, and whose allotment of land was in the fertile little valley, a mile from the village, and bounded on the west by the Branford hills. Here for six generations have been the homes of the Plant fam- ily in Branford, and for many years the place bore the name of Plants- ville. At this place lived Samuel Plant, when he served as a coast guard in the war of 1812, and here he died in July, 1861, aged 90 years. Benjamin Plant, the grandfather of Samuel O., also rendered mili- tary service. In the revolution he and two of his sons were enlisted. One of them was with Washington in his perilous retreat across the Delaware; the other son, Timothy, was killed at the battle of German- town. The maternal grandfather, Jo.seph Frisbie, was also a patriot and there is a tradition that he was with the detachment of soldiers at the execution of Major Andre. Mr. Plant thus being of revolutionary stock, has become a member of the Connecticut Society of the vSons of the American Revolution. Samuel O. Plant was educated in the common schools of his native town, at the academy at Branford, and also attended the boys' school of General James N. Palmer, at New Haven, where he was a class- mate of General A. H. Terry. In February, 1841, he married Mary A., daughter of the venerable Captain James Blackstone, of Branford. By this union two children attained mature years: Ellen B. Plant, of Branford; and Sarah F., who became the wife of Judge Lynde Harri- son, of New Haven. Since his boyhood Mr. Plant has been a farmer, and to that occu- (Dfd^-n^- HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. • 69 pation has industriously confined his efforts, achieving well-merited success. Although limiting himself to the private walks of life, he is well-known and enjoys the respect and esteem of his townsmen as one of the leading citizens of Branford. Mr. Plant was a whig until that party ceased to exist, and has since been a republican. For the past fifty years he has been a member of the Branford Congregational church. Willis T. Robinson, born in 1847, is a son of John H. and Julia A. (Tyler) Robinson. He has been engaged in mercantile trade in Bran- ford for a number of years. He married Lucy F., daughter of Gilbert Gaylord. Their children are: James H., Oswin H., and one that died, John G. Mr. Robiuson was a member of the house of representatives in 1886. Henry Rogers, born at Branford July 31st, 1821, is a descendant of two of the oldest and most respected families in the county. He is a son of Abraham and Fanny (Fowler) Rogers, a grandson of Abraham Rogers, great-grandson of John Rogers, whose father, also John, was a son of Noah Rogers, the first of the family name to settle in Bran- ford. It is claimed on good authority that the latter's ancestor, William Rogers, was a son of Thomas Rogers, who came from England in the "Mayflower," in 1620. Some of his sons, according to Governor Brad- ford,* had been left in England, but followed their father to this country, and William was at Wethersfield as early as 1640. He prob- ably removed with Andrew Ward and his company to Stamford, Conn., about 1641, and later went with the company to Hempstead, L. I., where he was allotted some land. He afterward moved to Southampton, L. I., where he died about 1650, and his widow deceased at Huntington, L. I., about 1664. From the latter place, about three years later, the youngest son, Noah, removed to Branford. Here he married, April 8th, 1673, Elizabeth Taintor, and had a family of four sons and three daughters. Their son, John, married Lydia Frisbie, daughter of John Frisbie, January 17th, 1713. Of their family of four sons and the same number of daughters, John, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was one. He married Thankful, daugh- ter of Nathaniel Harrison, Jr., Esq., and one of their five children was Abraham Rogers, the grandfather. The wives of the foregoing Rogers' ancestors were daughters of some of the earliest and most prominent settlers of Branford. Lydia Frisbie was a granddaughter of Reverend John Bowers, one of the first ministers in Branford, and Michael Taintor, John Frisbie, Nathaniel Harrison and Nathaniel * History of Plymouth Plantation, 1656, p. 44ii. [Passengers in the "Mayflower."] " Thomas Rogers Joseph his sone his other children came afterwards." P. 543: " Thoinas Rogers dyed in the first sickness, but his son Joseph is still living and is Married and hath 6 children." "The rest of Thomas Rogers [children] came over and are married and have manv children." 70 ■ HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. Harrison, Jr., as well as Noah Rogers, were frequently, in their day- members of the general court. Abraham Rogers, senior, was married in Branford, March 11th, 1773, to Hannah, daughter of Benjamin Palmer, and of their family of six children there was but the one son, Abraham, the father of Henrj' Rogers. The elder Rogers removed to Stony Creek, where he died in 1827, being at that time one of the largest landowners of the town. Besides being a farmer he was in the coasting trade, and owned several vessels. He served in the revolution, being with the Connec- ticut militia in their retreat on Long Island, in the fall of 1776. On November 16th, 1809, Abraham Rogers, Jr., married Fanny, daughter of Eli Fowler, of Branford. They reared a family of four sons: Eli F., born July 15th, 1811; Abraham, born June 11th, 1813; Elizur, born November 2d, 1816; Henry, born July 31st, 1821. All settled in Branford, becoming useful and honored citizens. The father remained on the homestead, and for many years was a justice of the peace, besides holding other town offices. He died in 1870. In the war of 1812 he was first lieutenant in the 5th Company, 2d Regiment of state corps of troops. In 1814 the British, under Commander Hardy, blockaded the Long Island sound coasts, and threatened to make incursions into Connecticut. Troops were called out and the 5th Company, with Lieutenant Rogers in command, was in service from September 12th, 1814, until the following October 20th. Most of the service was at New Haven, in the regiment of Colonel Sanford. The maternal ancestry of Henry Rogers is equally important, the descent being from William Fowler, the magistrate, who came to America in 1637, and who was one of the leading settlers of ]SIilford. From that town John Fowler moved to Guilford in 1649, marrying Mary Hubbard, of Guilford (daughter of George Hubbard, formerly of Wethersfield), and in his new home became a man of note. His. son, Abraham, born in 1652, married in 1677, Elizabeth, daughter of Deacon George Bartlett. They were the parents of Abraham Fowler, Jr., born in 1683. The elder Abraham Fowler was one of the most important men of the town in his day, representing it in the general courts and serving as a justice until his death in 1720. The last eight years of ; his life i,he was a member of the governor's council. In 1720 his son, Abraham Fowler, Jr., married Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Hubbard, Jr., and their youngest child, Noah, was born in 1730. The latter married Deborah Pendleton, daughter of Joshua Pendleton, of Stonington, who was a descendant of Andrew Ward, one of the very first settlers of Connecticut, and who helped to found that plantation. She also descended from William Spencer, who was one of the depu- ties of the new colony in 1639. Noah FoM'ler became a large land owner, living on a part of his estate in Guilford, near the Branford line. His revolutionary service was very honorable. He marched with his company, as its captain, to the relief of Boston in 1775, served y^t^^^^Try?^ 'y- //i:^^^*'-G'^^th of August, 1650, for the consideration of £2^, paid in wheat." Other purchases were made of Indian claimants, the last being in 1686, when much of what is now North Guilford was bought of the Indian Nausup, for ^16 12s. For many years the great concern of the planters was the proper distribution of the foregoing land. Some of it was held in commons many years, and others were fenced as common meadows, common ox pastures and common young cattle pastures. Before 1666 two allot- ments of land had been made; the third took place in 1667: another, including North Guilford lands, in 1691. Subsequently other divisions were made, there being in all more than half a dozen allotments, and the business of the proprietors was not closed up until 1831. 116 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. It is known that there were forty planters in 1639, but owing to- the vagueness of the records their names cannot be given with any degree of certainty. In 1651 the following were the freevien of the town: Henry Whitfield, Jno. Higginson, George Hubbard, Air. Samuel Disborow. Mr. Robert Kitchell, Mr. William Chittenden, Mr. William Leete, Thomas Jordan, John Hoadley, John Scranton, George Bartlett, Jasper Stillwell, Alexander Chalker, John Stone, Thomas Jones, Wil- liam Hall, Thomas Betts, John Parmelin, Sr., Henry Kingsworth, Thomas Cook, Richard Bristow, John Parmelin, Jr., John Fowler, Wil- liam Dudley, Rtchard Gutteridge, Abraham Cruttenden, Sr., Edward Benton, John Evarts. The following were planters in Guilford before this period, 1652, but had not yet been admitted as freemen; or, in other words, they were not accepted church members: John Bishop, Sr., Thomas Chat- field, Francis Bu.shnell, Henry Dowd, Richard Hues, George Chatfield, William Stone, John Stevens, Benjamin Wright, John Linsley, John Johnson, John Sheader, vSamuel Blachley, Thomas French, Stephen Bishop, Thomas Stevens, William Boreman, Edward Sewers, George Highland, Abraham Cruttenden, Jr. Some of the original planters had died before this period, or had removed. Among these were John Coffinge and Thomas Norton. Thomas Mills died in 1648, John Mepham in 1649, John Jordan in 1649, William Somers in 1650, and Francis Austin in 1646; the last named being one of the drowned on the ill-fated Lamberton ship, which sailed from New Haven that year. Some of the foregoing planters did not come directly to Guilford, but were first located elsewhere. John Higginson came from vSalem, Mass., in 1641; John Fowler and Edward Benton came from Milford, and George Hubbard was first at Wethersfield and later at Milford.. Doctor Bryan Rossiter came in October, 1651, having purcha.sed the holdings of Samuel Desborough. William Seward came from England to New Haven and from the latter place to Guilford in 1651. He was the first tanner and was also captain of the train band. John Baldwin came from Milford in 1651; William Johnson from New Haven in 1653; John Hill, a carpenter, from England in 1654; John Graves from Hartford in 1657, and Thomas Clarke and Thomas Meacock came from Milford about 1659 or earlier. Richard Hubball was admitted a planter in 1654, and the same year John Hodgkin* came from Essex, England. In 1652 John Smith came from Fairfield as the blacksmith and took the oath of fidelity in 1654. A large tract of land was given him upon condition of his settlement, and that he follow his trade in the town five years. This he did, but for some cause did not remain much longer, removing, with others, to Killingworth in 1664. So urgent was the need for a smith that in 1675 Samuel Baldwin was invited to * This name was modified to Hotchkin and still later to Hotchkiss. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 117 •come from Fairfield and liberal inducements were held out for him to settle, b}' giving- him a site on the village green for his shop, and lands elsewhere. In 1657 the following were the freemen and the dates of their sub- sequent deaths: William Leete, removed to Hartford as governor, died April, 1688; Robert Kitchell. removed to Newark 1666, died October, 1671; William Chittenden, February, 1660; George Hubbard, January, 1683; Mr. Bryan Rossiter, September, 1672; Mr. John Bishop, January, 1661; Abraham Cruttenden, vSr., January, 1683; William Dudley, March, 1684; William Johnson, October, 1702; Benjamin Wright, vSr., March, 1677; William Stone, November, 1683; Thomas Cooke, December, 1692; John Stevens, September, 1670; John Fowler, September, 1676; John Hill, June, 1689; John Parmelin, Sr., November, 1659; John Evarts, May, 1669; Thomas French; William Seward, March, 1689; William Stevens, January, 1703; Henry Kingsworth, July, 1668; Richard Gutt- ridge. May, 1676; Henry Dowd, August, 1668; William Hall, May, 1669; John Scranton, August, 1671; Edward Benton, October, 1680; Daniel Benton, June, 1672; John Meigs, January, 1671; Richard Bristow, Sep- tember, 1683; John Johnson, November, 1681; John Sheader, June, 1670; Richard Hubball, 1692: John Parmelin, Jr., January, 1687; Abra- ham Cruttenden, Jr., September, 1694; John Gr.Hves, December, 1695; George Highland, January, 1692; John Rossiter, September, 1670; John Baldwin, removed to Norwich, 1661; Thomas Clark, died October, 1668; Richard Hughes, July, 16^8; John Stone, February, 1687; George Bartlett, August, 16(39: Henry Goldam, 1661; Nicholas Munger, Octo- ber, 1668; George Chatfield, June, 1671; John Bishop, Jr., October, 1683; Stephen Bishop, June, 1690. Of the freemen in the former list a number had removed and a few had died. Francis Bushnell removed to Saybrook; John Linsley and Edward Sewers removed to Bi'anford; a number removed to Killing- worth, and a few returned to England. But a number of new plant- ers and freemen were received into the town, so that in 1672, when the fourth division of land was made, the proprietors were more than a hirndred in number. The list of freemen of that period embraced the names of 63 persons. Among these were Joseph Clay, Josiah Wilcox, Obadiah Wilcoxon, Joseph Hand, Jonathan Hoyt and Thomas Meacock. Edward Lee came about 1675; James Hooker, the first judge of the probate court, came from Farmingham before 1700; Peter Tallman, about 1684; Thomas Griswold, 1695; John Bailey, John Sar- gent, Matthew Bellamy and Ephraim Darwin came earlier. The latter resided near the rocks, at the head of Fair street, and owned consider- able property at that place. Hence the name Ephraim Rocks. Another wealthy planter was Mr. Thomas Robinson, who bought the allotment of Thomas Coffinge, one of the original settlers. Along about 1700 among the admitted planters were Comfort Starr, Charles Caldwell, Abraham Kimberley, Jasper Griffing and Joseph Pynchon, all of 118 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. whom, and their descendants, became prominent in the affairs of the town. North Guilford was surveyed and divided in 1705. Soon after this was done some of the planters began to improve their allotments, goingr from their homes, in the First Society, on Monday and returning on Saturday. During the week they had a common habitation in the new section, from which circumstance the place was first called Cohabit. Their numbers increased so rapidh' that in 1719 they received liberty to organize as a separate society. This communit)^ has always been noted for its excellent class of citizens, many of whom were highly educated. A large proportion of the present inhabitants are the de- scendants of the following, who were among the early settlers of this locality, namely: Timothy and Nathaniel Baldwin, George and Daniel Bartlett, Ebenezer and Joseph Benton, Samuel and Ebenezer Bishop, Joseph Clark, Daniel and John Collins, William Dudley, Samuel and Joseph Fowler, William Hall, Samuel Hopson, John Hubbard, Ben- jamin Leete, Jonathan Robinson, Josiah and Joshua Stone, all of whom were from the lower part of the old town. Nathaniel Parks and Ed- ward Parks, the latter a tailor from the East Guilford Society, were also among the first at North Guilford, as was Theophilus Rossiter, from the same society. Later settlers in that section were Eben- ezer Talman and John Chidsey. In 1800 the official census gave the population of North Guilford as 540; and thirty years later it was only eight more. In 1850, or twenty years- later, the population was evea smaller, being only 495. In the same period the population of the First Society indicated a small but steady increase, being 1,629 in 1800, and 2,158 in 1850. About two-thirds lived in the borough, and in this society also the rural population has decreased. The inhabitants of Guilford have always been characterized for their conservative views and fixed purposes. These traits, continued from generation to generation, have been the means of keeping a large proportion of the estates of the original settlers in the family name, or in the hands of the descendants, who cheri.sh the traditions of the past. Hence, here a larger proportion of the old homesteads have been allowed to remain unchanged than in any other part of the county. There are in the town more than a hundred houses a century old, and at least thirty that are 150 years old. And so substantially have most of these been built that nearly all of them are in good re- pair. Some of them seem to have partaken of the nature of the occu- pants to change but very little, and are now substantially as they were a century ago. The quarto-millennial celebration of the settlement of Guilford was held in Madison and Guilford borough, September 8th, 9th and 10th, 1889. The exercises arranged for the occasion were highly in- teresting and instructive in the history of the town, and the attend- ance of citizens and visitors from abroad was in keeping with the im- portance of the event. HISTORY OF NEW KAVEN COUNTY. 119 It has been seen that the planters agreed that all public matters should be left in the hands of the six persons to whom the Indians deeded the land, to be held in trust until a church should be formed, when the management should be surrendered to that body. But in fact only four persons exercised the civil power until the church was organized, in 1643, viz.: Robert Kitchell, William Chittenden, John Bishop and William Leete. How they managed the affairs of the plantation in the interim, when Guilford was in reality an independent body, is not known, as no records of that period have been preserved. The church being formed they surrendered their trust, and that body now managed the affairs of the town. As Guilford became a part of the combination forming the New Haven colony in 1643, the inhabitants now adhered to the agreement made in the Newman barn, in all their affairs, civil and religious. " Their form of government was something singular. Like that of New Haven, it was a pure aristocracy, yet modeled and exercised in a peculiar way. They had one magistrate allowed them as part of the New Haven colony, of which he was one of the assistants and council, who was their head, and invested with the whole executive and judi- cial power. But the planters were allowed to choose annually three or four deputies to sit with him, in judging and awarding punishment in all civil ca.ses, in courts held by him, called general courts. The inhabitants were divided into two classes or orders, by the names of freemen and planters. The freemen consisted of all the church mem- bers who partook of the sacrament, and no others were admitted. They were all under oath agreeably to their plan of government. Out of their number were those deputies and all public officers chosen; and by them was managed all public business that was regarded either interesting or honorable. The second class included all the inhab- itants of the town, who composed their town meetings, which were styled, emphatically, general courts. It was, however, required that they should be of age (21 years) and have a certain estate to qualify them to act in said meetings. In these town meetings, or general courts, all divisions of land were limited and established, and all the by or peculiar laws, for the well ordering of the plantation, were made. And, in general, all transgressions of the town laws, relating to the buying or selling of lands, were punished, and fines and stripes were imposed and executed according to the nature of the offense by the judgment of said judicial court. Besides these general assemblies of the planters and the said magistrate's court, they appointed particular courts for the administration of justice, much like our justices' courts at present. These were held quarterly through the year. The magis- trate presided in these courts and deputies were annually chosen to sit in council with him in these courts; also, by the freemen. Like New Haven, they had no juries in any trial; their deputies in some meas- ure supplied that defect. From this court lay appeals, in allowed cases, 120 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. to the court of assistants at New Haven. Mr. .Samuel Desborow was the first magistrate who held the courts. In general, their judgment was final and decisive. Town officers were annually chosen, viz., marshals, a secretary, surveyors of the highways, etc., much as in the present manner. Military order and discipline were soon established, and watch and ward were kept, day and night, under a very strict charge; and the punishments for defaults in this duty were very severe and exactl}' executed."* The early assistants of Magistrate Samuel Desborough, chosen by the freemen of the town, were William Chittenden, William Leete, Robert Kitchell, John Bishop, John Jordan, George Hubbard and John Fowler. Upon the return of Judge Desborough to England in 1651, William Leete was chosen magistrate and continued in that office until the union of the colonies in 1665, and several years thereafter. A very good rule adopted by the planters of Guilford was that no man should put more than ^500 into the common stock for purchas- ing and settling the town and that no person should sell or purchase his rights without leave of the town. After the attendant expenses were paid, lots of land were assigned in proportion to the money ex- pended in the general purchase, and the number of members in his family. These rules prevented too great disparity in the circum- stances of the people, and put the poor upon somewhat near the same plane as the rich. Another good provision was that all the planters should be present at the meetings of the general court (town meetings), where the second class or planters could be heard as well as the free- men, provided none of them should "continue speech longer by im- pertinences, needle.ss repetitions or multiplication of words, which rather tends to darken than clear the truth or right of the matter." The representatives or deputies of Guilford — Samuel Desborough and William Leete — first attended the general court of the New Haven colony jurisdiction July 6th, 1643. in the records of which session first appears, officially, the present title of the town. At this meeting Guil- ford was ordered to pay a tax of ^5 " towards the charges about the combination." In this confederation Guilford took an important part and for many years furnished some of the principal officers. William Leete was the deputy governor from 1658 to 1660, and then governor until the colony ceased to exist. In 1656 the town was agitated in consequence of a fear that the Dutch would make an incursion into this region, and that year Crom- well made an offer to such of the colony as desired, to remove to Ja- maica, where he could better afford them protection. In answer to this proposition they said that, " for divers reasons they could not con- clude that God called them to a present remove thither." The union of Guilford with the Connecticut confederation was warmly advocated by some of the citizens of the town, especially by * Reverend Thomas Ruggles, Jr., inss. of Guilford, ITG'.l. HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 121 Doctor Bryan Rossiter and his son, John, but was as bitterly opposed by others. As early as December, 1662, the former tendered their allegiance to Connecticut, and being encouraged by commissions, re- turned to vex and annoy those who did not favor the movement. So the matter was agitated until May, 1665, when the union was perma- nently concluded. In the meantime. Doctor Rossiter, tiring of his troublesome life, had moved out of the jurisdiction of New Haven col- ony, going to Killingworth in 1664. He returned upon the announce- ment of the union, but the idea of subordinating the church to the extent of giving every voter an equal voice in the affairs of the colony was so repulsive to Robert Kitchell and others, that they removed with Mr. Pierson, of Brauford, to found the colony of Newark, N. J., upon the original New Haven idea. The town having acquired titles to their lands from the Indians, or arranged for the same, now proceeded, under the act of 1684, to secure a patent from the colony for the same. At a meeting held November 4th, 1685, it was voted to secure a patent, and the following twelve men were designated as patentees, in behalf of the then ninety pro- prietors: Andrew Leete, Esq., Mr. Josiah Rossiter, Lieutenant William Seward, Deacon William Johnson, Deacon John Grave.s, Mr. John Col- lins, Mr. John Stone, Mr. Stephen Bishop, Sergeant Daniel Hubbard, Mr. Abraham Cruttenden, Sergeant John Chittenden and Mr. John Meigs. The charter was granted December 7th, 1685, and by vote of the town placed in the keeping of "Andrew Leete, William Seward and Josiah Rossiter for the town's u.se." In 1688 the townsmen were empowered " to look after the town's bounds and to defend the town's rights against any that shall infringe them." In 1 722 the town ordered a saw mill built for the common good of the town. In 1724 the surplus funds of the mills were divided: £35 for a bell for Guilford; £8 for one for Madison; and £3 for one for North Guilford. The towns of Branford, Guilford, Durham, Killingworth and Say- brook, having been constituted a probate district in 1719, with the seat of the court at Guilford, attempts were made at five different times, from 1718 to 1753, to form a Guilford county. In every instance the bill, after passing the house, failed in the senate. In 1739 the town voted ii'lOO extra " for gaol and court house," if such a county should be ordered. As late as 1824 the ambition to be a shire town was cher- ished by Guilford, which was willing to be annexed to Middlesex county, if it could thus become a " half .shire town." Failing in that, the town consented to the formation of Madison, in 1826, after having combatted the idea since 1699. The action of the town upon other matters of public interest is detailed in the following pages. Before the formation of the county courts, in 1666, probate busi- 122 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. ness was done by particular courts, called for that purpose. Subse- quently the county courts had all the probate business, until the divi- sion of the count}' into probate districts. Guilford district was ordered in October, 1719, to embrace the towns of Guilford, Branford (except Northford, which belongs to Wallingford district), Killingworth and Saybrook. The latter two were set off in 1780 to form the district of Saybrook. Madison was created a separate district in 1834, and the Branfords were created another in 18.50, leaving the Guilford district as it now is, confined to the town of Guilford. The judges of the district, the years of their appointment and their places of residence have been the following: James Hooker, 1720, Guilford; Colonel Samuel Hill, 1740, Guilford; Colonel Timothy Stone, 1752, Guilford; Nathaniel Hill, 1765, Guilford; Aaron Elliott, 1772, Kil- lingworth; Samuel Barker, 1780, Branford; Colonel Edward Russell, 1782. Branford; Henry Hill, 1810, Guilford; Major Samuel Fowler, 1834, Guilford; Reuben Elliott, 1835, Guilford: Joel Tuttle, 1838, Guil- ford; George Griswold, 1842, Guilford; John R. Wilcox (acting), 1843, Madison; George Landon, 1843, Guilford: Ralph D. Smith, 1844, Guil- ford; George Landon, 1846, Guilford; Ralph D. Smith, 1847, Guilford: George Landon, 1850, Guilford; Edward R. Landon, 1854 to 1882; Ed- win C. Woodruff, 1882 to 1886; Henry H. Stedman, Branford (acting judge), Maj% 1886, to January, 1887; Charles H. Post, since January, 1887. Among those who served many j'ears as clerks were Colonel Sam- uel Hill, Henry Hill, Nathaniel Hill, John Elliott, William Todd, Ralph D. Smith, Edward R. Landon, Sj^lvanus Clark, William F. Isbell and George S. Davis, the latter serving in 1890. The magistrates and justices of Guilford the first two hundred years were as follows: 1644-51, Samuel Desborough ; 1644, Governor William Leete; 1670, George Hubbard; 1676. Andrew Leete; 1698, Jo- siah Rossiter: 1705, Abraham Fowler; 1712, James Hooker; 1734, Col- onel Samuel Hill; 1746, Captain Andrew Ward; 1748, Colonel Timothy Stone; 1752, Nathaniel Hill; 1753, Samuel Robinson and Doctor Nathan- iel Ruggles: 1772, Samuel Brown and Joseph Pynchon; 1774, John Burgis: 1778, General Andrew Ward; 1780, Thomas Burgis; 1781, Wil- liam Starr; 1792, Henry Hill; 1794, Abram Chittenden; 1800, Nathaniel Rossiter; 1802, Nathaniel GrifiSng and Colonel Samuel Robinson: 1807, Samuel Fowler; 1815, Joseph Elliott; 1818, William Todd, Esq.; 1819, Timothy Stone, Esq., Reuben Elliott, Abraham Coan, William Spen- cer and George Griswold; 1821, George Landon; 1830. Samuel Elliott; 1832, Comfort Starr; 1833, George Hart and Samuel Scranton; 1834, Colonel George A. Foote and Ralph D. Smith; 1835, Doctor Anson Foote, Henry Loper and Samuel C. Spencer: 1838, S. C. Johnson, Amos Seward, Doctor Joel Canfield and A. S. Fowler; 1840, John Burgis; 1841, Reuben Stone; 1842, Walter Osborn, Alvah B. Goldsmith, Elisha Hutchinson, Horace Norton and Daniel Chittenden: 1843, .S. A. Bar- HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 123 ker, William Kelsey and J. H. Bartlett; 1844, Samuel Robinson, Henry W. Chittenden, Edward R. Landon and Albert B. Wildman. The North Guilford magistrates and justices for the first one hun- dred years and the times of their appointment were: 1749, William Dudley and Theophilus Rossiter; 1750, Samuel Hopson; 1769, Deacon Simeon Chittenden; 1772, Oliver Dudley; 1779, General Augustus Col- lins; 1800, Nathan Chidsey; 1814, Thomas R. Bray; 1818, David S. Fowler; 1820, Jared Scranton and Henry Elliott; 1829, Colonel Abel Rossiter; 1830, Richard Fowler; 1832, Samuel W. Dudley; 1836,Wynys Elliott, Alfred Norton and Victor Fowler; 1839, William M. Dudley; 1840, Ammi Fowler; 1841, Benjamin Rossiter; 1845, John R. Rossiter; 1847, Augustus E. Bartlett and Whitney Elliott; 1848, Nathaniel Bart- lett and Timothy Rossiter; 1849, Edmund M. Field and Stephen Fow- ler; 1850, John G. Johnson. The town clerks of Guilford have been the following: 1639-62,Wil- liam Leete; 1662-5, George Bartlett; 1665-8, Samuel Kitchell; 1668-73, William John.son; 1673-85, John Graves; 1685-1706, Josiah Rossiter: 1706-7, Joseph Dudley; 1707-16, Josiah Rossiter; 1716-17, John French 1717-20, Samuel Hill; 1720-1, Andrew Ward; 1721-52, Samuel Hill 1752-71, Nathaniel Hill; 1771-6, Ebenezer Parmelee; 1776-99, Thomas Burgis, Jr.; 1799-1801, John H. Fowler; 1801-35, Samuel Fowler; 1835 -8, Reuben Stone; 1838-43, Joel Tuttle; 1843-8, Henry W. Chitten- den; 1848-83, Edward R. Landon; 1883-5, Edwin C. Woodruff; 1885- 6, Wallace G. Fowler: 1886 , Charles H. Post. For more than a hundred years the meetings of the town were held in the meeting houses of the First Society. In 1773 the matter of build- ing a town hall was discussed, but no definite action was taken. There- upon a public hall was begun by private enterprise, which in April, 1775, the town voted " to take the house which hath been begun and partly finished by a number of subscribers, and to complete it." The sum of i^90 had been expended, and the building was offered as a free donation, on condition that it be used for all public gatherings. It was not wholly completed until 1793. In 1801 the lower part was fitted up and leased for a " Store of dry and West India goods." In 1812 the upper part of the house was rearranged so as to hold more people, and Baptist and Methodist meetings were held there. In 1830 the hall was removed to its present site, where it still stands, antiquated and in a dilapidated condition. In 1852 and 1856 futile attempts were made. to build a new hall. A special meeting, in 1870, was also fruitless of action. In 1888 the matter was so far considered that Harvey W. Spencer, John W. Nor- ton and George W. Seward were appointed a committee on a town hall. They reported, June 1st, 1889, that a site on the east of the green could be secured, and that a suitable hall, with town offices, would cost $12,000 if built of brick, and $8,(K)0 if constructed of wood. In that condition the matter has since rested, although the town sadly needs a creditable hall. 124 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. The propriety of building an almshouse was considered as early as 1699, and liberty was given to set a small house on the green. But nothing further appears to have been done until 1790, when another unsuccessful attempt was made to put up such a building. Usually, in olden times, there were not many poor, and their care was generally sold to citizens of the town by the selectmen. As late as 1810 they were disposed of at public vendues "to whomever shall undertake to keep them the cheapest." In 1814 a poor house was secured in the western part of the borough, at an outlay of §2,080, in which from twenty to thirty persons were maintained annually until 1827. In the division of the town property, after Madison was set off, this property was awarded to that town, Guil- ford taking the town mill. In 1849 another almshouse, east of the vil- lage, was purchased and used until 1848, when it was sold and the present almshouse, near Jones bridge was secured. About $1-000 per year is paid for the support of the poor at that place, and as much more for the proper care of the indigent outside of the almshouse. The first interments in the town were made at Guilford village, and for more than 150 years the village green, in the rear of the meeting house, was the place of burial. These graves were neglected and un- enclosed until about 1800. For many years the dead were borne thither on hand biers. In 1691 the town chose Joseph Dudley " for the making of colKns on all occasions of death." Joseph Tustin was soon after chosen grave digger and compensated at the rate of four shillings per adult grave and " three shillings for lesser persons." In 1731 the town voted " that the palls or cloaths to cover the coffins of ye Dead, when carried to their graves, shall be purchased at town charge and paid for out of the earnings of the mill, and Each of the three Societies shall have the benefit of one cloath." In 1817-18 the burial places on the green were vacated, many of those lying there being reinterred in the East cemetery, often called the Alder Brook burying ground, about a mile east of the green: and others found a more quiet spot in the West burying ground, in Guil- ford, about the same distance on the opposite side of the green. Both places are of easy access and of appropriate .selection. The latter ground passed under the control of Joel Griffing, Joel Tuttle, Samuel Fowler, Friend Collins and others, as corporators, in October, 1818. In the fall of 1862 lands were bought of Bildad Bishop and Samuel C. Spencer to enlarge the cemetery; and at this time a new corporation was formed, which had among its members Doctor Alvan Talcott, John Hale, H. W. Chittenden and many others. In 1890 this cemetery pre- sented a well kept appearance and had considerable area. The Alder Brook or Guilford East cemetery also passed under the control of an a.ssociation, incorporated September 26th, 1866, which had among its members Fitz-Greene Halleck, Thomas R. Pynchon, George E. Kimberly, Doctor Henry Benton and nearly one hundred HISTORY OV NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 125 Others. It is not as large as the West cemetery, but contains more old stones, some of which are quaintly inscribed. These inscriptions, of an earlier date than 1800, and others of the town, in the same period, have been published by the Xew Haven County Historical Society. Here is the grave of the poet, Fitz-Greene Halleck, born in Guilford July 8th, 1790, and who died in the town November 19th, 1867. On the 8th of Jul}', 1869, a monument placed over his grave by loving friends and admirers, was dedicated. On that occasion his friend and brother poet, George Hill, read an original sonnet, and Bayard Taylor delivered an eulogistic oration. The monument is plain and unpre- tentious, but is much visited. The cemetery is substantially enclosed. A place of burial was opened on Moose hill, in 1801, and one on Nut plains, in 1817. Both are small and less used now than formerly. The cemetery at North Guilford, opened soon after the settlement of that part of the town, has a most beautiful location, on a hill near the church edifices, and commands a view of much of the surround- ing country. It contains several acres and is well kept. There are hundreds of headstones to the memory of many of the former inhabi- tants of this part of Guilford. Some have inscriptions which flavor of quaintness, while others are decidedly pathetic, as, for example: On a Friendly Visit Doc't. d.aniel lvman Died Sept. 28, 1795; IN THE 27 year OF HIS AGE. In his profession very judicious and useful. His early death is greatly la- mented. Thus pain and prospects pain our years, We meet to mingle groans and tears And bid the painful last farewell. Burials were made at Leete's Island at an early day by the people of that locality. With the increase of population more attention was paid to this place of interment, and it has recently been enlarged. In 1885 it passed under the control of an incorporated body, which has improved the appearance of the cemetery. The East river was ordered bridged in 1649, and since that time bridges have been maintained on the various roads where they cross the streams, which are small. The oldest road is the main thorough- fare from New Haven to Saybrook, and was used since the settlement of the town. It followed, m a general way, the shore trail of the In- dians. Although never improved as a turnpike, it has, in the main, always been good. In May, 1794, it was made a part of the great mail route of the states, from Maine to Georgia, and stages used this thor- oughfare until forty years ago. In 1818, the Pettipauge & Guilford Turnpike Company was authorized to build a road from the former place, in Saybrook, to the stage road in Guilford. 126 HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. The Guilford & Durham Turnpike Company was authorized in 1824. A road from Guilford green was built northward, 13|^ miles, to a point on the New Haven and Middletown road. From Guilford the road was extended to Sachems' Head harbor, four miles more. As this turnpike followed the intervales of the stream much of the way, it had a fine location, and for many years was much used. It has long since been a public highway. The New Haven & New London railway was chartered in 1848 to construct a road through the towns on the shore of the Long Island sound. The construction was commenced iu 1851, and the first pas- senger train was run over the road, from New Haven to the Connecti- cut river, July 1st, 1852. This road and eastern connections were re- organized as the Shore Line railroad; and as a division by that name it is now a part of the consolidated system of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. It was leased to the latter company in 1870. The train .service is very good. Stations are main- tained at Guilford village and Leete's Island. Nearly all the first inhabitants of the town were planters or far- mers, and it is said that for many years some of the mechanic arts were not carried on, which resulted in many inconveniences to the community. However, in time, most of the necessary tradesmen were secured, and thence for a century the town was almost exclusively de- voted to agriculture; and even to the present time that pursuit princi- pally occupies the attention of the inhabitants. Hence in Guilford, more than in any other town in the county, are found the customs and practices which years ago characterized rural New England, and which have been promotive of the full development of a sturdy, self-reliant and intelligent cla.ss of people. The usual grain and lumber mills were early provided, and have been continued to serve the wants of the people as confined to their local demands. In early times the cutting and shipment of cedar lum- ber was so actively carried on that the town issued an order of prohi- bition, lest that timber should be altogether exhausted. The first grain mill was commenced in 1648 and completed two years later. It was begun 'by Mr. Whitfield, on a contract to build and operate a tide mill for certain privileges, but was finished and first operated by Robert Kitchell. After vain attempts, several years, to make the tide mill work satisfactorily, the site was abandoned and a site on the lowest power of the West river sequestered by the town, on which the mill was built with better results. The town has retained the ownership of the property, and the mill has been rebuilt a number of times. The present frame was put up in 1854. The power is suffi- cient to operate three runs of burrs. Higher up this stream a site for clothiers' works was granted to Samuel Johnson in 1707. At first little else was done than fulling the cloth, but later weaving and dressing machinery was added. The HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY. 127 Johnsons carried it on until about fifty years ago, the last owner also being- a Samuel Johnson. Other mills and small works were established, so that in 1888 the town had four saw mills, three grain mills, three fulling mills and four tanneries. About this period, after the manner of those times, large quantities of shoes were made, in different parts of the town, and ship- ped to markets outside of the state. Previous to this time Daniel Hub- bard had in successful operation an extensive carriage-making estab- lishment, whose business declined, after 18157, and later that industry in the town was carried on in a limited manner only. In more recent years Cieorge A. Hull & .Son have been carrying on a hub and spoke factory on the West river, near the old fulling mill. Water and steam ]) iwer are used and half a dozen men are employed. In 1