Historical Address
DELIVERED IX THE
CONGREGATIONAL. CHURCH,
OF
NE^V CANAAN, CONN.,
JULY 4th, 1876.
Sy ftoi. ^lxI^Xld ^t. jolni.
WITH AN APPENDIX OF VALUABLE HISTORICAL INFORMATION COMPRISING A LIST
OF THE TOWN CLERKS, THE SEI,ECTMEN, THE .POSTMASTERS. THE REPRE-
SENTATIVES, FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN IN J HOI. ALSO A
LIST OF SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION. AND
AN OBITUARY OF PROF. ST. .lOHN. RESOLUTIONS. ETC.
1876 :
NEW CANAAN, CONN.
WM. W. GILLESPIE \- CO.
PRINTERS.
STAMFORD. CONN.
PREFACE.
Sometime in the month of March last, several gen-
tlemen addressed the following letter to Professor St.
John :
Dear Sir:
The undersigned, your neighbors and friends, tirmly
believing there are many incidents connected with the organization
and history of our town and its inhabitants, that deserve to be
gathered up and preserved in some permanent form, and that this
Centennial year of om- Country's History is pre-eminently the time
for it to be done ; and, furthermore, that you are of all others, the
proper person to perform this duty, do earnestly ask you to under-
take the task, and deliver the same in a public address on the 4th
of July next, or at any other time if more convenient to yourself,
with a view to its publication afterwards.
Very RespectfuDy,
WATTS COMSTOCK,
STEPHEN HOYT,
EBENEZER J RICHARDS,
SAME. K. LOCKWOOD,
JAMES M. CARROLL,
A. S. COMSTOCK,
and others.
The above letter was first suggested by the Presi-
dent's proclamation which was issued previously, recom-
mending that some suitable history be written of each
town in the United States during the Centennial year.
And at tlio session of the Legislature of our own
State, in ATay, the foHowino- resolution was adopted :
Jit'.'ioln'(f III/ (his .issciiihli/, That the jjeople of the several towns
in this State, be earnestly recommended to make immediate ar-
raii^eiiu'iits foi-. and to properly celebrate the coming" Centennial
Foiu'th of July in their several towns, and to take action at that
time in regard to the prej^aration of statistics of revolutionary and
Centennial HistoiT, as suggested in the Governor's Message .
Xo man nun-e truly desired that these suo-o-ostions
should be carried out, so far as New Canaan Ayas concern-
ed, than Prof. St. John, but with that modesty so char-
acteristic of the man, for some time he hesitated to under-
take the matter himself, for fear he should be interfer-
ing with the prerogative of some other man or men. and
only after the most positive assurance that no othei-
name but his had been suggested by anybody, and tliat
no other person would attempt tlie duty if he would
consent, he gave liis promise to com]»ly.
How well and faitldully he performed that duty, the
unanimous apj)r()val of the multitude Avho thronged
around him on the day of its deliveiy. and the contents
of the following pages fully attest.
It was to jiim most emphatically a labor of love : his
devotion to the best interests of his native town was
unbounded, and the manner in wliich lie has attested
that love during the last twenty years of his life, is
known and read of all men.
He has given fully and bountifuny of his best intellec-
tual efforts for our instruction and mental delight, he has
given as freely, and bountifully of his time and sub-
stance to pi'omote our material interests, by night and by
day, in season and out of season, at the expense of life
and health even, he has most truly "done what he
(3ould.'"
It would be hard to find any man who has more truly
exemplified the life of Him. who while on earth, "went
about doing good."
May we emulate his virtues and treasure his memo-
ry as a sacred shrine.
ADDRESS.
Fellow Citizens :
In accordance with the recommendation of our Na-
tional and State authorities, we are assembled to cele-
brate the anniversary of our Nation's birth ; and also to
garner up the scattered memorials of our early local
history. Of memorable events, few awaken a more
lively curiosity than the origin of communities. Whence
we sprung, at what period, under what circumstances,
and for what object, are inquiries so natural that they
rise almost spontaneously in our minds ; and scarcely
less so in the humblest than in the most exalted of so-
ciety. They are intimately connected with our charac-
ter, our hopes and our destiny. Nor is this strong pro-
pensity of our nature attributable to the indulgence of
mere personal vanity. It has a nobler origin ; it is
closely interwoven with that reverence and affection,
with which we regard our parents and the patriarchs of
our own times ; with that gratitude with which we follow
the benefactors of our race, and with that sympathy
which links our fate with that of past and future gener-
ations. Let us strive then, to gather up the fragments
8
of our local history, as records or tradition liave preser-
ved them, and extract from remote events that instruc-
tion which the vicissitudes of human life is ever press-
ing home upon us. The toils and trials incident to in-
fant settlements, the slow progress of even successful
efforts ; the patience, fortitude and sagacity by wliich
obstacles are overcome, the causes which quicken oi-
retard their growth, these all tend to instruct the wise
and warn tho rash and impi'cn'ident.
Trumbull, in liis History of Connecticut. (Vol.T. page
115,) says that in 1640, 'Mr. Ludlow made a purchase
of the eastern ])art of Xorwalk :'" "Capt. Patrick
bought the middle part of tlie town." and tliat "' a
few families seem to have })lante<l themselves in the
town about the time of these purchases." The name
Norwalk is that of the Indians — " Norw^alk Indians " —
from whom Mr. Ludlow made the purchase, and the
land is described as lying between the two i-ivers, the
one called the Norwalk and the other the Soakatuck.
In pronouncing it, the "w" was probably silent, as in
War?<?ick. in England, at the ])resent day. and th(> old
people in our boyhood, retained tlie ancient ))ronnn('ia-
tion, "Xorruck." The first town records date Ironi
1658. and are coniijlctc from that time. There apjiears
to be no complete list of original settlers, but a "Table
of Estates ot" Lands and Accomodations."" in IGSo, con-
tains many family iianics which have still I'epresenta-
9
tives among us, as Abbot, Benedict, Bowton, Fitch,
Hanford, Keeler. Richards, Sention, (8t. John,) Smith,
Taylor, etc.
The original title to the land was derived from the
Indians, b}^ three distinct deeds, which are given in full,
together with fac-similes of the marks of the Indians,
as their signatures, in " Hall's Ancient Historical Record
ofN'orwalk," published in 1847. The first deed was
given 26th of February. 1640, and is as follows, "An
agreement between the Indians of Norwalk and Roger
Ludlow. It is agreed that the Indians of Norwalk, for.
and in consideration of eight fathom of wampum, six
coates, tenn hatchets, tenn hoes, tenn knives, tenn
scissors, tenn jewes-harps, tenn fathom Tobackoe, three
kettles of sixe hands about, tenn looking glasses, have
granted all the lands, meadows, pasturings, trees, what-
soever there is, and grounds, between the two rivers,
the one called Norwalk, the other Soakatuck, to the
middle of said rivers, from the sea, a day's walk into
the country, to the said Roger Ludlow, his heirs or
assigns for ever — and that no Indian or other shall
challenge or claim any ground within the said rivers or
limits, nor disturb the said Roger, his heirs or assigns
within the precincts aforesaid. In witness whereof, the
parties thereunto have interchangeably sett their hands.
Roger Ludlow, Tomakergo, Tokaneke. Mahachemo.
Adam Prosewamenos."
10
This deed was recorded in the hook of Deeds ot'Xor-
walk. ill the year 1672. A secoiul deed dated 20th of
A})i-il. 1040. for similar consideration of wainpimi, hatch-
etts, hoes, glasses, pipes, knives, drills and needles, con-
veyed to Daniel Patrick, the title from three Indians,
owners, "'the lands lying on the west side of Norwalk
river as far n\) in the country as an Indian can go hi a
day. from sun-rising to sun-setting — and for the peace-
able possession of wliicli Mahacemill doth promise and
undertake to silence all opposers of the purchase. And
finally, Runckingheage, and fifteen other Indians, by in-
denture made 15th February. IGol. conveyed to Richard
AVeb and thirteen others, planters of Norwalk. for the
use and behalfe of said town, for the consideration of
thirty fathom of wampum. 10 kettles. 15 coates, 10
payr of stockings, 10 knives, 10 hookes. 20 pipes. 10
muckes. 10 needles, all their lands known by the name
of Runckingheage, Rooaton. bounded on the east by
land pui'chased of Capt. Patrick, on the west by the
brook called Pampaskeshanke. on the north, the Moe-
hakes country, and on the south by the sea."" This
conveyance covered the site of Xew Canaan, except
what was derived from Stamford. Subsequently the
title of ('apt. Patrick of Greenwich, to the lands on
the west side of Norwalk river, was. on the 1st of July,
1650. confirmed to him by the surviving Indians, orig-
inal proprietors of the land. This was in consequence
11
of the non-payment of part of the original considera-
tion, the receipt of which, in full, was now acknowl-
edged. On the 13th April, 1654, Mr. Roger Ludlow,
of Fairfield, who had made the first purchase of the
Indians, assigned to Nathaniel Eli and the rest of the
inhabitants of Xorwalk all his title, interest and claim to
the plantation of Norwalk and every part thereof.
The township of Stamford was purchased, July 1st,
1640, for the white settlers, of the Indians, for consider-
ations similar to those given by the proprietors of Nor-
walk, and embraced a tract of land, extending from the
Rowalton, (Five Mile River) to the Myanos, and
running back into the country 16 miles. This cov-
ered what is now Stamford. Darien, a part of New Ca-
naan, Poundridge, North Castle and Bedford, In this
tract were traces of fom- distinct tribes or clans. In the
west, Myano. deemed the most savage of all : farther
east was Wascussue. Sagamore of Shippan. and still
further east was Pianickin, the Sagamore of Roaton,
who was also one of the grantors to the Norwalk pur-
chasers. North of these was Ponus, Sagamore of To-
quams, who had received from his ancestors the wooded
hills and vales stretching far away to the northward
until they merge in the forests, which even the red
men did not claim. Stamford was called Rippowam,
and the harbor Toq nam. Still later, about 1700, these
grants of land to the English were confirmed in an in-
12
strument attested by fifteen Indians' signatures. The
Stamford Tn<lians seem, however, to have caused consider-
able annoyance and anxiety to the white settlers, in' con-
sequence, probably, of the provocations offered the Indi-
ans by the Dutch traders, wlio resided not far west of
Stamford. The Norwalk Indians appear to have been
remiss in laying out the northern bounds of their con-
veyance, twelve miles from the sea, and required some
additional stimulus, by way of proffer of four addition-
al coats when tliat should have been performed. A
considerable nuni])er of Indians continued to reside in
Norwalk, and were subject to the town authorities, ex-
hibiting the characteristic lack of indus'try and thrift
belonging to the race, but neither the records nor tra-
dition impute to them any savage conduct. Rev. Mr.
lianlbiil. the first minister of Norwalk, appears to have
evoked the kindly regards of at Iwist one of their nuni-
])ei'. for in 1G90, "Winnipauk." Indian Sagamore of
Xoi'Widk. conveyed by deed, liis • Island lying against
Kowerlon." <'ontaining twenty acres which he affirms
he liad never bv deed of gift or snle made over to any,
■ but now by this my deed, I do give it fi'eely to my
belove(l friend Thomas Hanford. senior minister of Nor-
walk, to possess and improve, to him and his heirs for
ever."
At the time of the earliest settlements in what is now
New Canaan, the Indians had almost entirely disap-
13
peared from this part of the country. In the burying
ground near to the old meeting-house were two graves
marked by phiin headstones, which tradition assigned
to Indians. These, together with the ''Indian Rocks,"
(nearly two miles nortliof us,) in which are excavations
used by the tribes for pounding their corn, are the only
relics — (so far as I can learn) of the forest races who
once dwelt here. Tliey have perished. The small-pox
desolated whole tribes of them in New England, but a
mightier power, a moral contagion, which the toucli of
the white man seems to communicate, has betrayed them
into a lingering ruin. The feeble remnants of these pow-
erful tribes driven beyond the Mississippi, are crossing
tlie flanks of the Rocky Mountains. They have but one
more remove to make, that is to the burial-place of their
race. It is a consolation to us to know, that our imme-
diate ancestors did not forcibly displace the Indians, but
respecting their claim to the soil, purchased the lands,
for what was then considered an adequate consideration.
The settlement of Stamford by the English was be-
gun in ] (j40. by a company of men who had become
dissatisfied with their circumstances at Wethersfield,
Ct., and by advice of Rev. Mr. Davenport, obtained
from the New Haven Colony the tract of land (before
described) lying west of Norwalk, which the Colony
through their agent, Capt. Nathaniel Turner, had just
purchased from the Indians. The list of pioneers at
14
tlie end of l(»l'2 einbracos 50 names, heads of families,
amoni:- wliich we recognize several which were repre-
sented hy the early settlers of Xew Canaan. In the
first company of 28. who came to Stamford, we find
"Matthew Mitchell. ■■ the ancestor of Rev. Justus
Mitchell, who was pastor of the Cono-regational C'hiuch
in New Canaan, from 1783 to his death in 1806.
The Stamford settlement was under the jurisdiction
of the Xew Haven Colony, whose Capital was New Ha-
ven where their General Court, or Legislature, was
held, and to which Stamford sent Representatives.
This Colony was a rival of the Connecticut Colony
whose capital was Hartford. The people of Stamford
were dissatisfied with the New Haven government from
an early period, and continued to have dissensions among
themselves respecting the two Jurisdictions, but in 1044
the New Haven Colony submitted, accepted the Char-
ter, and acknowledged the supremacy of the Connecti-
cut government. There appears to have been at one
time, a serious difference between the people of Stam-
ford and Norwalk respecting the town boundary at Five
Mile River, due })robably to vagueness in the convey-
ance of the Indian Pianickin. In the town meeting at
Norwalk. August 26. 1666, it was voted and agreed,
" that such men of our inhabitants as do go to cut hay on
the other side. Five Mile River, the town will stand by
them in the action to (hd'cnd them and to bear an equal
15
proportion of the damage they shall sustain on that
account ; and if they shall be affronted by Stamford men
the town will take as speedy a course as they can to
prosecute them by law, to recover their just rights
touching their lands in controversy : and also they
have chosen and deputed Mr. Thomas Fitch to go with
the said men, when they go to cut or fetch away, to
make answer for and in behalf of the town and the rest
to be silent." Two years later they directed their Rep-
resentatives in the Legislature to endeavor to have
their differences settled and to notify the Stamford
people of their intentions. This does not appear to
have been successful. But in June 1670, the town of
Norwalk "voted and agreed that Mr. Fitch and Lieut.
Omstead and Daniel Kellogg, are chosen a committee
to go to Stamford to treat with the inhabitants there, to
see if they and we can come to a loving and neighborly
issue and agreement about the division of bounds be-
twixt them and us, and the said com.mittee is to make
these propositions to the men of Stamford, either to
divide betwixt Five Mile River and Pine Brook, that is
to say, in the middle between both, or else to divide
in the middle between Saketuk river and the bouiuls
between Stamford and Greenwich."
The earliest settlers were prone to seek their resi-
dences along the coasts, hence Norwalk and Stamford
sites along the Sound shore were first taken up. As
populalion iiicri^is(Ml and uv\x lioinrs were to ho luado.
the soUlers naturally tbllowod the water courses pre-
sentino- the more sheltered and aeressible situations.
Hence from Xorwalk. the settlements were along the
slopes on either si(h' of the Kowalton or Five Mile
Rivei-. parallel to the course taken by the settlers of
Wilton and Kiducfield along the Xorwalk river. Among
the eai'liest huilt houses in New Canaan, were a cluster
on •' Clapboard Hills."* One of those is still standing, the
residence of Mr. .lames Tournier. Two others in that
innnetliate vicinity have been destroyed by hre within
the recollection of many of us. At Canoe-hill also woe
several (^f th*^ older houses. Following more closely the
western slope of the river, a cluster of houses was built
on the upper part of Haines' Ridge, among which were
the old residences of Col. Enoch St. John. Elnathaii Lock-
wood. Mr. Moses Comstock. Mr. I'l-iah Reed, and Mr.
Aaron Comstock. Three of these have been demolish-
ed, one so remodeled as not to appear like an old house,
while one remains essentially unchanged in aspect.
The settlers from Stamford, followed similarly the
course of the Xoroton river, as also, still farther west,
that of ^rill River. A single style of architecture was
almost nnivei'sal. not only here, hut throughout New
Eno-land. in those davs. The house was of two stories
in front, presenting two eligible chambers, while the
• ^ IT
rear roof sloped oft' to the height of seven or eight feet
from the ground. A massive stone chimney was in tlie
center, with its huge fire-place, admitting back-logs and
fore-sticks four feet long, and still furnishiiig warming
room within its jambs for all the children. Here was
the* ponderous crane with its assortment of trammels of
varying lengths for pots and kettles, the iron andirons,
tongs and peel with its handle four feet long, termina-
ting in a large hemispherical knob ; (this was used
for cleaning out the coals from the brick oven which
occupied a part of the deep recesses of the old chinniey :)
the spider, the skillett, the griddle ; all over the open
fire. No prosaic, economical cooking-stove or rans-e
had yet made its appearance. The rooms of these old
time houses were ranged around the chimney. The
keeping room and parlor, on either side, in front, the
latter with its beaufet displaying the glittering pew-
ter plates and platters, and a slender assortment of china
cups and saucei-s ; the kitchen in the rear — with bed
rooms on either side — the hall in front, with winding
stairs leading to chambers above ; these all communi-
cated by doors, so that on festal occasions, in families
moulded not according to the strictest sect of the Puritans,
this arrangement furnished ample scope for merry games
and dancing. But I must leave the garret, with its fes-
toons of dried apples and peaches, its bunches of bone-
set, may- weed and other medicinal herbs, its revolu-
18
tionary guns, bayonets and swords, lo the tender recol-
lections of the more mature, and the hvely imagination
of the younger of my auditors or history will he saeri-
liced to topograi)hy and domestic economy.
To return to our settlers of New Canaan, whom we
have traced to their abodes liere : they had gradually
spread through the valleys and over the ridges, and in-
creased to such a degree, that they felt the want of some
organization for the development of their social and
})ubli(' relations. This led to the incorporation of " Ca-
naan Parish "" The first notice of it on the Stamford
Records, is dated December 8th. 1730, when 'John
Bouton and others, ask libei-ty of moving out of town,
to join with a })art of Nor walk in order to ])e a socie-
ty.'" The town voted in the negative. Still, the next
year, we find the town of Stamford appointing John
Bouton and Ebenezer Seelye. tything men, for the new
Societv and designating theii- field of service Canaan
parish. Two years after, "the town agree that there
shall be a committee chosen to agree with those men that
have land lying where it may be thought needful for a
highway for the conveniency of Canaan parish to go to
meeting. " Of the twenty-foiu' members constituting
the first church, eleven were from Stamford, and two
of these. John Bouton and Thomas Talmadge were its
first deacons. . There seems to have been no objection
to the ni'W parish on the ])art of Xorwalk. April 3d.
19
1732, the proprietors " by major vote, grant to the In-
habitants of Canaan parish all the common land where
their meeting-house standeth." The parish was incor-
porated by the Legislature in 1731. The first Society's
meeting was held July 1st. 1731, and" the record of
their acts is complete, in legible handwriting and in
good preservation. The next year there were forty-
seven members, thirty on the Norwalk and seventeen
on the Stamford side. The first question discussed by
them, was the expediency of building a meeting-house
for the public worship of Grod. Decided in the affirm-
ative, twenty-four to one. They were unable to agree
upon the place where the building should be erected —
and they appointed a suitable person to represent them
in the general court to be held in October, to request
the Hon. Assembly to appoint a committee to fix a
place for the house. It w^as decided that the house
should be built at the lower end of Haines' Ridge, the
house to ])e thirty feet square, and of a height suitable
for one tier of galleries. A building committee was ap-
pointed who were either to let out the w^ork. " by the
great,'' or hire men by the day. They levied a tax of
ten pence on the pound in the List. Then follows a
list of members with their assessments. In February
1732, the}^ appointed a Committee to make application
to the Rev. Elders of the county for advice and direc-
tion in order to the calling and settlement of a minister.
20
^riiev wore directed tu Pvev.dohii T'ell.^. of'Milford. who
preached among them nine months on })rol)ati()n. and
ill June, 1733, was settled among them as then- niiiiis-
ter, residing on Clapboard Hills. After this time, the
Society's meetings were devoted to such business as de-
volves upon it at tlie present day. with several items
wliich are now managed by the town, such as taking
charge of the scliools. laying out highways, etc. Then*
meetings were connnonly "warned to be held at "'siui
two hours liigli at night." Clocks and watches were
probably not common, and we find an appropriation of
two shillings-nine pence to buy an liour-glass. At this
time, all inhabitants of the parisli were members, and
-were taxed for its support : it is not strange that some
should have been restive and sought release. One
member petitioned the legislature to that effect, but
met there a committee from the Society, who success-
fully opposed the petition. Tliey assessed themselves
as higli as nineteen jicnce on the pouml and collected
it by "stress." if necessary. The building of the meet-
ing-houst' was a severe draught on their slender re-
sources. As the expenses of the Society were defrayed
by tax, the seats were common property, but the Socie-
ty was accustomed to "seat the meeting house." as it
\vas termed, according to " rate and dignity." By vote,
they gave Rev. Mi\ Eells the seat next to the pulpit,
on the woman's side. Similar seating of the meeting
21
houses, appear in the records of Stamford and Norwalk.
It was the custom to appoint some person to "set the
psalm." And in 1739 they voted to "sing by rule, or
that which is called the new luay in the congregation."
Huntington says, "this change from the old to the new
way of singing had been introduced in 1721. The
eight or nine tunes brought over by the pioneers " had
become barbarously perverted," and the Rev. Thomas
Walter, of Roxbury, Mass., composer, in that year pub-
lished, " The Grounds and Rules of Music Explained, or
an Introduction to the Art of Singing by Note." The
book contained twenty-four tunes harmonized in three
parts.
After six years " experience " (as it was termed) with
Mr. Eells, some began to be dissatisGed, and in 1740.
the Society appointed a committee to acquaint Mr. Eells
and see if he would give his consent to have a vote
tried to see who is easy and who is uneasy, with him.
The test showed twenty-four uneasy. In 1741, Mr.
Eells, was dismissed. Tradition assigns to him, ability,
learning and piety, together with certain eccentricities
deemed inconsistent in a minister of the Gospel. He
continued to reside here until his death, in 1785. The
Society proceeded promptly to fill his place. The Rev.
Robert Silliman was ordained February, 1742. During
his ministry, there was such increase in the Congrega-
tion as to require an addition to the meeting-house,
09
eleven I'eot on each end and twelve feet on tlie sontli
side. Tliey also built a ;^ociety house north of tlie
meeting-house twenty-one by sixteen feet, with seven
foot posts. This was probably to accommodate those
who came to meeting from a distance, and w^as furnish-
ed with a fire-place, where they might spend the time
between services, the meeting house being without any
device for heating. In 1750, the Society resolves to
build a new meeting-house fifty feet by forty, with one
tier of galleries and turret (belfty.) This structure was
so far advanced as to be deemed fit for use in 1752,
thoufirh the sralleries Avere not made until 1787. In
'97, the turret was completed and the first bell obtained,
which was to be rung, not only on the Sabbath, but
also at nine o'clock every evening except Saturday.
The new house was built a short distance north of the
old one and about 150 feet south east of the present
buildins:. For ninetv vears it was in constant use as a
place of worship. Every Sabbath, Thanksgiving and Fast
day its courts were well filled with devout worshippers,
and by many of us now assembled in this, its comely
successor, the memory of the old meeting-house will
ever be hallowed. It was built in the style quite com-
mon in that day, precisely like the one then in Stam-
ford, except that the latter had a spire that rose from
the ground. Opening the double doors, on the south
side, we entered an area of small square pews, whose
MLl}^ -\
THE OLD CONCiKEUATIONAL MEETING HOUSE, ERECTED IT.VJ
23
floors were elevated about eight inches above the floor
of the central portion of the room. This latter was at
first filled with slips on each side of the center or broad
aisle, leading up to the pulpit. A narrow aisle passed
cjuite around these slips furnishing access to the pews
which occupied the entire walls except where the doors,
on the east, the south and the west sides ; the stairs
leading to the galleries at the corners, and the pulpit at
the center of the north side occupied the space. The
slips in the center were afterwards, (in 1808) converted
into square pews. The galleries were deep, filled with
square pews along the south wall, and elsewhere with
the long slips. The choir was ranged along the front
and sometimes extended nearly the entire length of the
galleries, the base on the west, the treble on the east
and the tenor or "'counter," with the leader on the
south. The pulpit was an hexagonal structure, placed
upon a pillar, about eight feet above the floor, and
reached by a flight of stairs, was neatly finished and
painted white ; above it was suspended a canopy or
sounding-board, hexagonal in shape, about seven feet
above the floor of the pulpit, with a screw at the top of
the iron rod supporting it, so that its height might be
adjusted to the proper distance for reflection of the
sound. The arrangement was indeed stiff and awk-
ward, and was often severely criticized. I remember
hearing one clergyman — a man of large size — remark.
24
tliat lie would ;is soon livt into a liouslicail aii<l ])r('acli
from tlie Ituuii,-. Tlie (leacon's seat was (Jircctly l)t'ii('atli
the puljtit. aeeess to it being- lia<l tlii'ouoh the minis-
ter's pew. To resume the history of the parisli : when
their minister, Mr. SilHman, had served them a quarter
of a century, some iineasiness began to manifest itself.
A vote in April 1768. showed 46 " easy " and 37 " un-
easy "" with him — but not h)nu- after they voted 24 to
15 that thev wouUl emph)y Mr. SiHiman no longer.
Mr. Silliman app(^aled to the Greneral Assembly at Hart-
ford, and the Society appeared there by their represen-
tative. The Legislature sent a eommittee to see how
peace could be restored, who advised Mr. Silliman to
ask for a dimissal, and in June 1772, he was dismissed.
In the succeeding winter, Mr. William Drummond, born
and educated in Scotland, was settled as minister. He
remained five years, and was succeeded by Rev. Justus
Mitchell, who by his scholarship and devotion to his
calling and to the cause of education, secured tlie |)ros-
perity of the entire community, and gave the parish a
desirable fame throughout the state. A spirit of toler-
ation manifested itself, and the Records show many in-
stances of the release of persons, who preferred other
modes of worship, from their responsibilities to this
Society. The pews were rented to defray expenses and
relieve from taxation. Mr. Mitchell died in 1806, and
was buried by his sorr(nving congregation, on the brow^
26
of the hill in front of us, and many will remember his
grave, enclosed with a jjicket fence and overhung by a
w^eeping willow.
We have now come to the period when a more com-
plete separation of civil and ecclesiastical matters was
made. The Town of New Canaan was incorporated in
1801, occupying the same territory over which "Canaan
parish " had held jurisdiction. The Congregational
Society henceforth devoted itself solely to the care of
the temporal affiiirs of the Church with which it was con-
nected, while the town managed the schools, the high-
ways and similar matters. Briefly to complete the his-
tory of this Society. After Mr. Mitchell's death, the
Rev. William Bonney was settled here from 1 808 to
1831, was succeeded by Rev. Theophilus Smith. Dur-
his minist-ry the present edifice was built, and it was
dedicated in 1843. Mr. Smith died in 1853, after a
ministry of 22 years. The successive ministers were :
Rev. Frederick G. Williams, from 1854 to 1859.
Rev. Ralph Smith, from 1860 to 1863.
Rev. Benjamin L. Swan, from 1864 to 1866.
The present pastor, Rev. Joseph Greenleaf, was set-
tled in March 1871.
The frame of the first Episcopal Church in Canaan,
was raised May 13, 1762, on land obtained from Mr.
Husted, about three-quarters of a mile northwest from
the present Church edifice. There had been a discussion
26
respecting its location on or adjoininti- the Parade
ground. The Ijuildiner was soon rendered fit for use,
l»ut was not completed for man}- 3^ears, and for that
reason probably was never consecrated. At this time,
the Church people here, were accustomed to attend ser-
vice at Norwalk and Stamford, and the rates which
were collected of Churchmen in this parish, were paid
over to the rectors of those churches. In 1791, they
organized themselves into a distinct parish. From that
time, there have been regular records kept. The first
wardens were Stephen Belts and Dunlap Coggshall, and
there were thirty-four heads of families who considered
themselves as belonging to the Church and contributed
to its support. Services were held about one-fifth of
the Sabbaths, but the Church languished until the pro-
ject was conceived and executed of building a new
church edifice nearer the village. The lot whereon the
present building stands was purchased of ^fr. Richard
Fayerweather. The building committee were Samuel
Raymond, Edward Nash, David S. Knight. The building
was finished and consecrated. May 6, 1834. The
old one had been taken down the year before. At
this time the Rev. Charles Todd was rector, dividing
his time equally between this Church and tlie one in
Ridorefield. He resigned his charo-e in 1835. an<l was
followed by R^v. Jacob L. Clark, who also had tho care
of both churches. After his resignation in 1837, Rev.
27
David Ogden was called to give his undivided attention
to this Church. In 1842 ill-health compelled him to
give up his parish, and he died in 1845. The succeed-
ing rectors were :
Rev. William Everett, from 1845 to 1846.
Rev. Dr. Short, from 1846 to 1852.
Rev. William Long, from 1852 to 1855.
Rev. William H. Williams, from 1855 to 1858.
Rev. William Cook, from 1858 to 1863.
Rev. William A. DesBrisay, from 1864 to 1874.
The present rector. Rev. Isaac W. Hallam, began his
services at Easter, 1875. The church edifice was re-
modeled and the spire erected during the pastorate of
Rev. William H. Williams, and re-opened. May, 1858.
In the winter of 1873-4, the interior was frescoed and
two windows placed in the Chancel. The Sunday
School was organized in 1853 under the superinten-
dence of Miss Esther Belts.
The first mention of Methodist preaching in this town
is found in a book by Rev. William C. Hoyt, of Stam-
ford, wherein is recorded a Methodist sermon preached
in the parish of Canaan by Rev. Cornelius Cook,
in the year 1787. From 1816 until 1833, New Canaan
formed a part of the Stamford circuit (which is the old-
est in New England.) Services were held at the house
of Holly Seymour, in White Oak Shade District, and
frequently at the residence of Capt. Crofut in Silver
Mine. The iirst Methodist preaching in the village was
in the Town Hall then standing near the Episcopal
Church and since converted into the present Congre-
gational parsonage. In October 1833, the first Metho-
dist house of worship, which is the present Town Hall,
was dedicated. From 1833 to 1836. New Canaan was
united to Xorwalk in a circuit under the pastorate of
two ministers. These were :
1833, Rev. Klijah Hibbard, Rev. Abram S. Francis.
1834, Rev. Luther Mead, Rev. Abram S. Francis.
1835, Rev. David Stocking, Rev. John Crawford.
In 1836. New Canaan was set oft' by itself, as a sta-
tion under the pastorate of a single minister. This de-
nomination of Christians has made, within the recollec-
tion of most of us, rapid progress, endeavoring faith-
fully to do the work of a true church of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The present house was dedicated in 1854.
Dec. 21st. The following are the successive pastors of
the Methodist Church and their terms of service :
Revs. J. Crawford, 1836: Clark Fuller. 1837: S.
W. King, 1838-9 : J. W. Selleck, 1840-1 : Chas. F.
Pelton. 1842: Jesse Hunt. 1843: Jas.»H. Romer,
1844-5 : A. H. Ferguson. 1846-7 : J. D. Marshall.
1848-9 ; Jacob Shaw. 1850-1 ; L. D. Nickerson,
1852-3 ; Harvey Husted, 1854-5 ; Mark Staple. 1856-
7 : J. L. Cxilder, 1858-9 ; C. B. Ford. 1860-1 ; A. H.
Mead, 1862 ; \Vm. T. Hill. 1863 : J. M. Carroll. 1864-
29
5-6 : Wm. F. Collins, 1867 : S. M. Hammoiul 1868-9-
70 ; B. T. Abbott, 1871-2-3 : I. M. OaiToll, 1874-5-6.
The first person in New Canaan professing faith in
Christ, through baptism by immersion, was baptized by
Rev. John Gano of New York City, in the year 1772.
Soon after as Elder .Gano was baptizing in Stamford,
where a Baptist Church was organized in 1773. Baptist
meetings were held in New Canaan, and have been
held at varjdng intervals to the present time. The re-
cords of the Canaan parish have several votes exempt-
ing Baptists from paying society rates so long as they
remain of the persuasion. Nov. 4, 1871, the First Bap-
tist Society of New Canaan was incorporated. Their
house of worship was opened February 6th. 1773 ; the
service of recognition being held in that liouse the 13th
day of March following. Their pastor is the Bev. Eben
S. Raymond.
Universalist preaching began in the town in 1832.
Mr. Hillyer, and aftei'wards Mr. Hitchcock officiating.
During the last five years Rev. J. H. Shepard has
preached here semi-monthly. They have no separate
«
organization.
Services according to the Roman Catholic forms of
worship were first held here in a hall in the village,
subsequently in the Town Hall. Their church was
built in 1863. Clergymen from Norwalk. principally
30
Fathers Mulligan niul Smitli. have ministered to those
of this faith.
The patriotism of New (^maan citizens has hecn well
attested in the three wars in which our country has
been engaged. In the war of the Revolution, however,
they appear as citizens of Xorwalk and Stamford and
share their glorious record. Our soil has never been
invaded by a foreign foe. Xorwalk was twice burned,
and some of our friends shared the catastrophe, but the
British troops when on theii" expedition to desti'oy the
military stores at Danbury, passed eastward of us, both
on their approach, and return to their boats at Compo
Bay, eastof Norwalk, and thence to their head-quarters
on Long Island. Some of our immediate ancestors
were at Middlesex (now Darien.) on Sunday, July 22d.
1781. when an unarmed worshipping congregation, were
in the most dastardly way seized and subjected to in-
dignity. The leaders in that sacreligious foray were
from among the tories of the town, and their deprecia-
tions and captures were practiced upon theii- ibrnuM-
neighbors and friends. During the night preceding
they had crossed the Sound from Lloyd's Neck, and se-
creted themselves in a swam}) a few rods south of the
meeting house, awaiting the ixathering of the congrega-
tion for their usual worship. The service had begun.
Dr. Mather was in the pul})it which he had occupied
for forty years, and it was und()ul)tedly his earnest pat-
31
riotism, and that of some members of his church, which
liad led to this attiick. Its object was to capture that
fearless preacher and the leaders of his people. Sud-
denly the house was surrounded and the summons to
surrender was issued in the well-known voice of their
neighbor, Capt Frost. Now commenced in earnest the
work of tory revenge. With derisive jeers, the vener-
able pastor was called down from the pulpit to lead his
congregation in a very different service.
The men of the congregation wei-e drawn up two and
two in marching order and tied arm to arm. The pastor
was ordered to the front to lead the march. The val-
uable articles found on both men and women were
stripped from them. Every horse needed for the inva-
ding band was taken, and the women and children con-
signed to the care of the rear-guard, until the captors
with their prisoners and spoil should be well under
.way. Forty-eight men were thus hurried away to the
boats, and thence taken over to Long Island. Twenty-
four were released to return home on parole. The re-
mainder were taken on board of a brig and confined
below decks. They were thus conveyed to the Provost
Prison, N. Y. City, where they suffered every possible
indignity. Here they were kept until the following
December, when those who survived were exchanged.
In the war witli Great Britain in 1812-15, a few of
our citizens were in tlie service, but engaged in no battle.
32
But in the last wnr-^-the war to maintain the Union
and preserve the country, whose Centenary we this day
celebrate. New Canaan citizens cheerfully entered the
Cnion armies, leaving the pursuits of peaceful life to
engage in the multitudinous l)attles of the greatest
civil war in history. Some of these fell on distant
fields. With others, life languished away in hospital or
prison. The remains of some rest in our own cemete-
ries — while the happy survivors witness this day the
glory of the nation they aided in the time of its dire
necessity — the (xovernment, whose stability and per-
petuity they have helped to secure.
Among the early settlers of Xew Canaan were very
few men of literary culture. Neither the tempestuous
times which had engrossed their earliest attention, nor
their slender pecuniary resources had allowed them
the advantages of any scholastic training. But the New
England Fathers, (and our pioneers were among them.)
saw that the only way to establish here, and perpetuate
a Society which could satisfy their hopes, would be by
means of a careful, thorough and general education of
their children. The fundamental laws of the Colony
required, under severe penalties, every town to provide
means for the early instruction of their childi-en. The
statute reads : '' The Selectmen of every town shall
have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors,
to see, first, that none of them shall suffer so much bar-
33
barisra in any of their families, as not to endeavor to
teach, by themselves or others, their children and ap-
prentices, so nmcli learning as may enable them per-
fectly to read the English tongue and knowledge of the
capital laws, upon penalty of twenty shillings for each
neglect therein." It was still further provided, that '
"every town having fifty houseliolders in it should,
forthwith, appoint one within the town to teach all such
children as shall resoi-t to him, to write and read,
whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or mas-
ters of such children, or by the inhabitants in general."
Among the earliest functions discharged by Canaan
parish, is the appointment of seliool committees.
Where the first school-house was built and when, cannot
now be ascertained. It was doul)tless like their first
meeting-house, exceedingly plain with no needless
room in it. and no useless expensive adorning. At tiiis
day we can have no adequate concejjtion of the extreme
difficulty attending those early educational measures,
but their influence on succeeding generations has been
incalculable. For a more extended education, than
that furnished by the common, or. as it is now tei'med.
district school, no provision was made for many
years. Rev. Justus Mitchell, who was settled in the
ministry here in 1783, kept a select school during a
considerable time. Eight young men from Xew Canaan,
and a large number from other places were fitted for col-
34
lege with him. l''Hphalot ^^^t. John, Esq., who graduated
at Yale College in 1701. devoted himself to teaching at
his residence on Brushy Ridge, and though the school
consisted mainly of young men from New York fitting
themselves for business, still some citizens of New Ca-
naan and adjoining towns, availed themselves of tlie
advantages oftliis seliool. The New Canaan Academy
was established in 1815. and the building erected in
ISIG. The teachers were, successively :
Rev. Herman Daggett ; Rev. James H. Linsley ;
Rev. John Smith : Dr. Samuel W. Belden ; Rev. Dr.
Milton Badger : Rev. Theophilus Smith ; Hon. David
L. Seymour ; Pres. Julian M. Sturtevant ; Rev. Dr.
Flavel Bascom : Rev. Dr. Alfred Newton ; Rev. John
C. Hart : Rev. Wm. B. Lewis ; Prof. Ebenezer A.
Johnson.
This Academy, about 1834. was converted into a pri-
vate boarding school, and was owned and taught suc-
cessively by Messrs. Silas Davenport, David S. Rock-
well and Rev. J. L. Gilder. The Academy was revived
in 1859, taught by Rev. J. C. Wyckoflf. for several
years, afterwards by Mr. Thomas Pease, and was bro-
ken up during the last year of the civil war. Twenty-
five persons have graduated at Yale College from this
town, a majority of whom, would have not enjoyed
the privilege of a collegiate education had not the
Academv enabled tliem to fit tliemselves here. Besides
35
these graduates a much larger number of young men
were fitted for busuiess. Young ladies also enjoyed
in the Academy the advantages of a thorough course
of study. It ranked second only to tlie churches in el-
evating the standard of moral and intellectual cul-
ture in the town.
The occupations of the early inhabitants of New Ca-
naan were purely agricultural, with artizans enough
barely to supply their own wants. The tailors and
mantua-makers and even shoe-makers were accustomed
to circulate through the town semi-annually making up
the requisite wardrobes of the families. The farmers
were exceedingly patient, hard working men ; their
farms required clearing not only of trees and bushes,
but of the numerous stones, which in this diluvial soil,
almost covered the face of the earth. To dispose of
these stones, they built walls enclosing small fields.
They raised wheat, (until the Hessian fly destroyed
that crop) rye, corn, oats and potatoes. Timothy or
herds-grass was introduced at a comparatively late
period. Their hay consisted of the harsh low meadow-
grass, and the natural grasses of the uplands near their
barns. The great problem with them was, how to win-
ter their stock. They supplemented their slender sup-
ply of hay with cornstalks and husks and oat-straw.
Their cattle in the spring were emaciated and many of
them died of "horn distemper,'' which generally meant
3(3
"starvation." Tlio old wooden i)loui;li was a rough,
heavy, chnnsy iiistnuiieiit and 1 reinein])er hearing dis-
cussions among the workmen on the probabiUty of the
inti-oduction of an iron j)lough whieh was then in use,
in the west of tliat ihiy. (tliat is Central and Western
New York.) 1 rejoiee in h.aving Hved to see the toils
of the husbandman relieved by the steel plough, the
tooth harrow, the horse rake, the mower and reaper
and other machines, which not only lighten labor, but
make it more efficient, Noi- will we forget the spin-
ning jennies, power-looms and sewing-machines which
relieve the women of the present day from that inces-
sant hard labor, which in the case of their grandmothers
together with the inevitable care of the household,
crushed their physical energies, and suppressed every
rising aspiration for intellectual and a'sthetic culture.
Let the sj)inning-wheels large and small go to grace the
elegant parlors of New York, and 1 would that they
were gifted with speech, to })ortray the scenes of unre-
pining toil enacted at their sides in days gone by — and
perhaps gentlemen might proht by a plough or Hail of
the olden time in their offices.
J^ut there came a time when the enterpi-ise of New
Canaan was turned in the direction of maiudacturing
bootsand shoes. The town was dotted over with little
shops and ranked among the foremost in that manufac-
ture. 1 have not been able* to obtain anv reliable sta-
37
tistics of this business when it was most extensive.
Niles' Register giving an account of the town in 1818,
states that 50,000 pairs were annually sent out.
At this day we have no conception of the difficulties
connected with travel in the early period of our history.
For many years, all travel was on foot or horseback,
and the introduction of pleasure carriages dates within
the present century. When persons wished to go to
New York City they resorted to the sloops from Five
Mile River, or Rings' End landings. A daily mail
stage route from Boston on the turnpike, passing
through Norwalk and Stamford, was established in 1 818.
In 1825 the steamboat " Oliver Wolcott," began run-
ning from Stamford to New York, down on one day
and returning the next. During the summer of that
year a four-horse stage coach came from Ridgefield to
Stamford, through this town — and soon after travel to
the city was by steamboat from Norwalk touching at
Stamford, Greenwich and New Rochelle. Early in
1849, the New York and New Haven Railroad was
completed and the great marvel accomplished of three
trains daily ^ the whole way and back again. When
the Danbury Railroad was in contemplation a route
was surveyed through New Canaan, but our citizens
were either indiflerent or distinctly opposed to it. Af-
ter a time, however, it was perceived that the only way
to save our town from insignificance and business ex-
38
tinction was to build a Railroad connecting with the
Xew Haven Road and tide water communication for
heavy freight. The New Canaan R. R. was opened
July -Ith. 18GS, and if it has not accomplished all that
its earnest advocates expected of it, it lias had a deter-
mining influence in shaping the futui'e of the town. A
post-office with a weekly mail was established in 1817,
afterwards two mails a week, the mail being carried on
horseback to Stamford, which was then a distributing
office. Diu'ing. the past 13 3ears two mails daily have
been distributed from the office here. A telegraph line
was established in 1860, which is still working.
The New Canaan Savings Rank was oi'ganized in
1859. Samuel 'A. Weed, President, until '63 ; Watts
Comstock, President, from "63 to 72 ; Stephen Hoyt,
from "72 to present time.
The First National Rank, of New Canaan, was or-
ganized in 1865. Watts Comstock was President from
the date of organization until his death, when Stephen
Hoyt was elected to fdl the vacancy.
Probably few of my auditors have ever reflected up-
on the fact, that we have had slaves in New Canaan,
until within a few years. Very many families here in
the last century, had one or more slaves, and when the
State passed its Emancipation Act, it exempted only
those born after a certain date, leaving the othei's still
in slavery, So far as I can learn, thev were not sub-
39
jected to any harsher usage than if they had been free,
still that their bones and sinews were not their own,
must have been galling to the slightest spark of sensi-
bility. The Whipping-post and Stocks, we are happy
to say, have passed away forever. The whipping-post
stood at the angle of the road south-east of us. (a few
feet north of the present lamp post) — and in my boy-
hood I witnessed the whipping of two men for petty
thieving. The physical infliction was trifling, but the
moral degradation was truly pitiable. The post remain-
ed there many j^ears but its name was changed to sign-
post. Public notices were posted upon it.
I must not omit to notice the two great festivals —
Training Day and Thanksgiving — the former deriving
from the still lingering spirit of the Revolution a de-
cidedly martial character. The first Mondays of May
and September were by statute training days, and every
able-bodied man of a certain age was required to appear
for inspection and drill. At 10 o'clock they assembled
on the " parade ground" which was an open field given
to the town for this purpose. The commanding officer
sent his compliments to the minister, with a request
that he would favor them with his presence, which he
did, and opened the exercises with prayer. Soon after
they adjourned for dinner. There were two companies,
one uniformed, called the grenadiers, the other the
militia. The music was fife and drum, and when after
40
wondrous evolutions, they marched down tlie ridge to
the meeting-house hill, the martial ardor of the boys
was at boiling point. The Thanksgivings were much
like those of the present day except that the House of
God was well-filled, and the Thanksgiving anthem fell
upon enchanted ears. The public exercises began with
the reading of the Governor's proclamation. (It had
been read two successive Sundays before.) It was an
awe inspiring document, especially as it closed with the
ominous injunction : " All servile laboi' and vain recre-
ation, are, on said day, by law forbidden.*' After the
service the reunited families gathered round tables
loaded with a bewildering multiplicity of dishes, among
which roast turkey and pumpkin pie held their long-
established pre-eminence. There amid representatives
of three or perhaps four generations, this family festival
held high carnival. Long may it keep its power to re-
call the sons and daughters of New England to the old
homesteads.
While we review our past history and recollect what
we have been, and what we are, the duties of this day
were but ill-performed if we stopped here ; if turning
from the past, and entering on a new century of our
political existence we gave no heed to the voice of ex-
perience and dwelt not, with thougiits of earnest solici-
tude on the future. Let us search the history of our
forefathers, for those principles which enabled them to
41
establish our prosperity on its present basis — discerning
their errors as well as their merits — not always doing
as they did, but as we know from their principles they
would have us do, in our circumstances so widely diff-
ering from theirs. Among the prominent features of
their truest glory is that system of public instruction,
which they instituted by law, and to which New Eng-
land owes more of its character and its prosperity than
to all other causes. If this system be not altogether with-
out example in the history of other nations, it is still an
extraordinary instance of wise legislation and worthy of
the most profound statesman of any age, and this was
done by them when they had just made their first
lodgement in the wilderness, when they had scarcely
found leisure to build comfortable homes for themselves.
This system has never thus far been broken in upon.
Under its benign influence our youth have grown up.
It has taught them the first great lesson of human im-
provement, that knowledge is power — and made the
last great lesson of human experience felt, that without
virtue there is neither happiness nor safety. Never let
this glorious institution be abandoned or betrayed
by the weakness of its friends, or the power of its ad-
versaries. Let us cherish our history. It is a great
and distinctive advantage that we have behind us the be-
ginning and growth of an orderly history. Let us hon-
or our fathers' memory by preserving and exemplifying
42
their principles. We who are now assembled here
gathering up the influences of this occasion, must soon
be numbered with the congregation of other days. The
time of our departiu'e is at hand to make way for our
successors in the theatre of life. It may be that our pos-
terity will assemble here to review their past. Shall it
be amid joy or sorrow ? The answer is in part left to
us. May he, who, at the distance of another centu-
ry, shall stand here to celebrate this day, still look
around upon a free, happy and virtuous people ; and
may the God of our fathers give us grace so to admin-
ister the trust committed to us, that our record shall
enable the historian to rank us with them, as having
been faithful to the principles which they established.
[Dr. St. John could scarcely have chosen more fitting-
words with which to close his address, had he known
that they were to be the last of his public utterance.
At the request of his townsmen, he had prepared this
brief historical record of his native place, and although
the necessary work of reading and searching authorities
was much greater than would seem probable, he took
much pleasure in it, so keen was his interest in every
thing concerning the subject. His reading of the pa-
per, on the Fourth of July, was his final service to the
friends and fellow-citizens with whom his sympathies
were so close, his interests so united. But two short
months, and the "time of his departure'' came. Could
he have spoken a farewell to the audience, which gave
43
him such kindly, sympathetic hearing on that day, it
must still have been such words, as yet linger in their
memories, reminding them that "knowledge is pow-
er ;" that " without virtue there is neither safety nor
happiness," and that relying upon Divine help, they
should ever live faithful to right principles and true
deeds.]
APPKNDIX.
TOWN CLERKS OF NEW CANAAN.
Samuel St. John, June 31st, 1801, continued to 1824.
Edward Nash, January 1826. Continued to 1835.
Joseph Sillinian, April 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839.
Samuel C. Silliman, Jr., 1840, 1841, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847,
1849, 1850, 1851, 1852.
David S. RockweU, 1842.
John B. Lambert, 1848, resigned in Feb. 1849, and Samuel C.
Silliman, Jr., appointed in his place.
Lucius M. Monroe, 1854, 1855.
Noah W. Hoyt, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869,
1870, 1771, 1872, resigned March 4th 1873, and S. Y. St. John ap-
pointed.
SeUeck Y. St. John, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1873,
1874, 1875.
Augustus S. Dann, 1876.
TOWN TREASURERS OF NEW CANAAN,
Samuel St. John, June 1801. Continued to 1825.
Isaac Richards, January, 1825.
Stephen Hoyt, Jr., 1826, continued to 1839.
Charles Raymond, 1840, continued to 1852, except the year 1845.
Wm. E. Raymond, 1845.
Benjamin Hoyt, 1853, continued to 1875.
Auofustus S. Dann, 1876.
4(5
NEW CANAAN INCORPORATED AT THE MAY SESSION
1801.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Oct. 1801, Joseph Silliman. Oct. 1808, Joseph Silliman.
May 1802, " " May 1809, Samuel St. John.
Oct. 18U2, " " Oct. 1809,
May 1803, " " May 1 8 1 0, Joseph Silliman.
Oct. 1803, " " Oct. 1810, Samuel St. John.
May 1804, " " May 1811, ,"
Oct. 1804, " " Oct. 1811,
May 1805, " " May 1812,
Oct.' 1805, " " Oct. 1812,
May 1806, " " May 1813,
Oct. 1806, Isaac Richards. Oct. 1813,
May 1807, " " May 1814,
Oct. 1807, , " " Oct. 1814,
May 1808, Joseph SiUiman.
A special session was called by the Governor. John Cotton
Smith, on the 4:th Wednesday of January 1815, to consider a mem-
orial from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode
Island to protect the j^etitioners against improper legislation by
Congress. Delegate to the Convention, Samiiel St. John.
May 1815. Samuel St. John. May 1817, Nathan Seely.
Oct. 1815, " " Oct. 1817,
May 1816, " " May 1818,
Oct 1816. " " Oct. 1818.
A Constitutional Convention was held in 181 8, which discontin
ued the October Session of the General Assembly. Delegate to
the Convention, Nathan Seelv.
47
May 1819, Isaac Eicliards.
1820, Nathan Seely.
1821, Stephen Hojt.
1822, Samuel Eaymond.
1823,
1821,
1825,
1826,
1827,
1828,
1829, Watts Comstock.
1830, Samuel Raymond.
1831,
1832,
1833,
1834, Edward Nash.
1835, Joseph SiUimau.
1836, Stephen Hoyt, Jr.
1837, Samuel Raymond.
1838, Watts Comstock.
1839,
1840, Stephen Hoyt, Jr.
1841, Samuel Raymond.
1842, No choice.
1843, "
1844, "
1845, "
1846, Hanford Carter.
1847,
Constitution am3nded making
Jan. 1877, WiUiam E. Husted.
May 1848, Burhng D. Purdy.
1849, Timothy E. Raymond.
1850, Joseph SiUiman.
1851, George Gearheart.
1852, Carlisle Lockwood.
1853, Samuel K. Lockwood.
1854, Benjamin N. Heath.
1855, Samuel K. Lockwood.
1856, Benjamin Hoyt.
1857, Noah W. Ho;)'t,
1858, "
1859, Wm. E. Raymond.
1860, Benjamin N. Heath.
1861,
1862, Benjamin Hoyt.
1863, Ebenezer J. Richards.
1864, Stephen H. Pardee.
1865, ApoUos Comstock.
1866, Caleb S. Benedict.
1867, Charles Raymond.
1868, Ebenezer J. Richards.
1869, Francis L. Aiken,
1870, Mark Staples.
1871, "
1872, Caleb S. Benedict.
1873, Bm-hng D. Purdy.
1874, "
1875, Justus F. Hoyt.
1876, Burhng D. Purdy.
January Session.
48
NEW CANAAN POSTMASTERS.
Post Office DEPAR'niENT,
Appointmexi" Office,
Washington, D. C. Jily 5th, 1870.
iV. ir IToiit. Esq.. P. M.. Xeic Canaan, Ct.
Sm:
In compliance with the request contained in your note of the
30th of June, I take pleasure in lui'nishing you with the date of the
establishment of the Post Office at New Canaan, and also the names
and date of appointment of the several Postmasters up to the pres-
ent time, to wit :
Office at New Canaan, established Jan. lllth 1818.
Samuel St. John, appointed Postmaster, Jan. 19th, 1818.
Edward Nash, " " Jan. 2oth, 1825.
Erastus Seely, " " Mar. 8th, 1833.
Thomas S. Husted, " " Nov. 23d, 1833.
Charles Raymond, " " Mar. 26th, 1839.
Thomas S. Husted, " " July 3d, 1841.
Charles Raymond, " " Sept. 4th, 1844.
Benjamin Hoyt, " " Dec. 12th, 1849.
Sam'l C. Silliman, Jr " " June 23d, 1853.
Henry B. Hoyt, " " Sept. 3d, 1853.
Noah W. Hoyt, " " Apr. 26th, 1861.
Stephen H. Pardee,* " " Aug. 24th, 1866.
Noah W. Hoyt, " " Mar. 22d, 1869.
Noah AV. Hoyt, Re-appointed, Dec 11th, 1872.
Who is the present incumbent.
The foregoing embraces the entire history of the office, as found
on the books of the Department, and which is believed to be cor-
rect. I am sir, respectfully. Your ob't serv't,
ja:mes h. marr.
Acting First Ass't. P. M. General.
•Mr. Pardee was appointed Postmaster by President Johnson, but never
entered npon the duties of the oflBce.
49
LIST OF SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN THE WAR FOR
THE UNION.
FIRST REGIMENT HEAVY ARTILLERY, C. V.
Francis M. Jennings, mustered out.
John Walsh, mustered out.
Alfred Howard, deserted.
Warren S. Palmer, mustered out.
Albin J. B. Sims, mustered out.
Patrick Welch, deserted, Augu.st 10th, 18G5.
SECOND CONNECTICUT ARTILLERY,
John J. Abbott, died of wounds.
Chauncey E. Brown, mustered out.
George W. Brown, wounded, died.
Enos S. Benedict, wounded.
Orange S. Brown, wounded, Feb. 6, 1865.
Thomas Milnes, mustered out.
Erastus Ruscoe, wounded, mustered out.
Charles Ruscoe, mustered out.
Frederick D. Painter, killed.
Samuel B. Ferris, killed.
WiUiam B. Shaw, mustered out.
THIRD REGIMENT, C. V.
Charles A. Seymour.
Charles Doulens.
Edward D. Arnold.
Peter Bennett.
John T. Fancher.
Charles Hunnewell.
Charles H. Harting.
Enos Kellogg.
William H. Laire.
Henry Marrs.
WiUiam H. Offen.
George Sherwood.
George J. Stevens.
50
"NVilliam H. Seeley,
"Walter H. AVoneil.
Robert Wilson.
FIRST REGIMENT CAVALRY.
"Weston Ferris.
George Youngs.
George Weed.
FIFTH REGniEKT INFANTRY. C. V.
Lewis Slauson, discharged.
Isaac Vailein, re-enlisted veteran.
Henry Heaton. killed.
SIXTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.
Shevelose Arnold, mustered out.
Andrew P. Bai-tow, discharged.
John ^lertins. mustered out.
Joseph Jones, died.
John Seely, died.
Edward M. Hariiug, killed.
Samuel Bouton, mvistered out.
^Matthew !Murphy. mustered out.
Alanson Monroe, wounded, mustered out.
John Wagner, mustered out.
SE^■ENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.
John H. Bishop, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Robeii; L. Keith, mustered out.
Frederick Reel, mustered out.
Watson Goodwell, mustered oxit.
EIGHTH REGIMENT INFANTRY.
James Conly, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Robert N. Hoy, mustered out.
Herbert Vivian, deserted, substitute.
Barney Connor, transferred to V. S. N.
Aaron G. Sherwood, discharged.
William M. Sloan, discharged.
Samuel A. Weed, transferred to invalid eorpa
51
William King;, substitute, deserted.
TENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY. C. V.
Charles H. Hardino-, mustered out.
George W. Smith, 1st. Lieut, resigned.
Bradley S. Keith, mustered out.
Jolin M. 1 Benedict, deserted.
Oliver L. Ayres, discharged, disablity.
Frederick Banzhaf, discharged, term expired.
John Barber, discharged, term expired.
Samuel R. Barker, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out,
James W. Benedict, mustered out.
Isaac Bowe, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Alfred L. Brower, died.
John J. Brown, discharged,
Joseph M. Brown, died.
Eli Burchard, died.
George W. Burtis, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
John Buxton, discharged.
John Darrah, discharged.
Edgar Davis, term exj^ired.
Robert Dunn, died.
John Hagle, re-enhsted veteran, mustered out.
Patrick Hannaberg, term expired.
Charles L. James, discharged.
Andrew F. Jones, re-enlisted veteran, wounded, mustered out.
George Kellogg, discharged.
Alfred Kellogg, re-enlisted veteran, died Oct. 1864.
Sidney R. Lounsbuiy, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Albert M. Mahoney, re-enlisted vet., wounded, mustered out.
John MePherson, re-enh.sted veteran, mustered out.
George Muii^hy, term exjjired.
Bernard Murphy, discharged.
WilUam H. Oflfen, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Henry F. Pennoyer, term expired.
Samuel S. Rubey, discharged, Dee. 18, 1861.
George Scott, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
John E. Seeley, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
52
"William P. Smallhom, term expired.
Orrin H. Stephens, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Marcus Smith, discharged.
Christal "Wagner, re-cnUsted veteran, died.
Andrew "Wakeman, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Charles "SVeed, discharged, Dec. 19, 18G1.
"Wm. A. "Wood, 2d, captured, mustered out.
Leonard W. Fancher, discharged 1865.
Isaac L. Tucker, mustered out.
Henry Tucker, mustered out.
Joseph E. Wells, discharged 18G5. ,
Walter H. VVorrell, mustered out.
George Johnson, 2d, substitute, deserted.
John Wilson, substitute, mustered out.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. BECRUTTS.
Charles Fisher, substitute, mustered out.
John Harris, substitute, mustered out.
Peter O'Brien, wounded, discharged.
TWELFTH REGIMENT.
Alonzo p. Abbott, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out
George .Alden,
James J. Everson, " " "
Joseph H. Everett,
Patrick Furmen, discharged, disability.
John Welsh, re-enhsted veteran, mustered out,
Patrick Fitzpatrick, discharged.
George Howard, substitute mustered out.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
Apollos Comstock, Capt., wounded, mustered out.
Wm. E. Bradley, 1st. Lieut., honorably discharged.
Jonathan Austin, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Aaron Benedict, died.
John W. Brown, wounded, discharged 18G5,
Eli Dann, discharged.
"Wilber F. Gilder, discharged.
53
William W. Jones, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Edward A. Lapman, discharged.
Edwin Monroe, term expired.
William H. Monroe, discharged.
Charles Nichols, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
William H. Seele}', discharged.
Francis E. Weed, re-enlisted veteran, mustered out.
Israel Wood, discharged.
Linus Wood, discharged.
FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
Jean Paul, sub. mustered July 'Ibth, deserted Aug. 14th, 1804.
John Stevens, substitute, transferred.
Charles J. Hanford, substitute, died.
Andon Menke, substitute, deserted.
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.
Elias Buttery, died.
James L. Dyer, discharged, disability.
G-eorge F. Olmsted, mustered out.
Joseph H. Lockwood, mustered out.
Andrew Scofield, mustered out.
Hezekiah Wood, mustered out,
Patrick Norton, mustered out.
Sylvester Albin, mustered out.
Rufus S. Benedict, mustered out.
-Tesse W. Tucker, mustered out.
Enos Kellogg, Capt. mustered out.
J. Irvmg Benedict. 1st Lieut. ^ resigned.
James H. A\Tes, 2d, Lieut., mustered out.
Francis M. Bliss, Sergeant, resigned.
Isaac N. Crissey, woimded, transferred to Invalid Corps.
Warren S. Palmer, discharged, disabihty.
Samuel Comstock, died,
Peter Bennett, discharged, disability.
George J. Stevens, mustered out.
Levi St. John Weed, mustered out.
Joseph F. Seeley, discharged, disability.
Norbei*t Bossa, mustered out.
54
Isaac B. Brown, mustered out.
Charles^A. Weed, died.
Miles O. Jones, transfered veteran reserve corps.
James L. Hodges, mustered out,
Da-snd M. Avery, wounded, mustered out.
Jolm Acker, mustered out.
\V illiam L. Brown, discharged, disability.
Andrew B. Benedict, mustered out.
John George Banzliof, mustered out.
Robert Bishop, discliarged, disabihty.
Loiin W. Britto, mustered out.
John L. B\-ington, discharged.
Le-svis B . Benedict, discharged, disabihty.
Frank Britto, discharged, disabihty.
William C. Bell, mustered out.
David C. Conistock, .Ir., discharged.
Andrew Crabb, mustered out.
Stephen Comstock, mustered out.
Lyman W. Crabb, mustered out.
Levi Dixon, discharged, disability.
William H. DeFoirest, discharged, disability,
Thomas Driscoll, discharged, disability.
Samuel E. DeForrest, mustered out.
Maxim'n DeFisheur, discharged, disability.
Christian Faber, mustered out.
Samuel W. Fox, mustered out.
John Greenewald, mustered out.
Augustus (lanning, discharged, disabihiy.
Samuel Gray, mustered out.
Oirin Harrison, mustered out.
John S. Haas, mustered out.
WiUiam Hariung, died.
John Kaiser, mustered out.
Ehphalet ^lead, killed.
Alanson F. Monroe, discharged, disability.
Orson C. Ogden, discharged, disabihty.
Samuel S. Osborn, discharged, disability-.
55
Christopher S. Olmstead, died.
Henry Peatt, discharged, disability.
George H. Potts, discharged, disability.
Ebenezer J. Pattenden, mustered out.
George Patterson, died.
George E. Purdy, mustered out.
Seth Remington, mustered out.
John W. Raymond, discharged, disability.
Arza Raymond, mustered out.
CyiTis Raymond, mustered out.
C. Edward Raymond, discharged, disability.
Edward Richards, died.
DeWitt C. Ruscoe, mustered out.
Lewis Randle, died.
Chauncey Raymond, discharged, disability.
Floyd S. Ruscoe, mustered out.
Justus M. SiUiman, mustered out.
Charles E. Seely, mustered out.
James A. Smallhorn, mustered out.
George H. Wood, died.
Francis Weinberg, mustered out.
William Wilson, mustered out.
Martin W^assing, discharged, disability.
Squire A. Waterbury, discharged, disabihty.
George E. Waterbury, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps.
Harry Waterbury, mustered out.
George W. Weed, mustered out.
Charles L. Bartow, mustered out.
John Birdsall, died.
Charles Crofoot, mustered out.
William S. Fitch, mustered out.
Patrick Innis, mustered out.
Charles Vitenheimer, mustered out.
William Wright.
TWENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
Joseph C. Cronk, mustered out.
56
TWENTY-XrNTH REGIMENT
Joseph Thomsou, mustered out.
Joseph Adams, mustered out.
Daniel Wakeman, discharged, disabihty.
Nelson R. Copes, mustered out.
George "\V. Thomson, mustered out.
William Jeflerson, mustered out.
Perry Wilhams, mustered out.
SELECTMEN OF NEW CANAAN.
Isaac Richards, June 1801, (time of organization) to December
1801, continued to 1810, 1819, 1820. October, 1821, 1822.
Joseph Seely, June 1801. December 1801, continued to 1804.
Isaac Benedict, December 1805, continued to 1813, except 1811,
re-elected 1812 and continued to 1817.
Jesse Richards, December 1805, continued to 1807.
Enos Weed. 1808, continued to 1811.
Nathan Seely, 1811.
Samuel Boult. 1811.
David Stevens, 1812, continued to 181G.
James T. Ells, 1814.
Jonathan B. Benedict, 1815, 1816, 1810, 1820. October 1821,
continued to 182(5, 1882, 1833, 1834.
Aaron Comstock, 1817, 1818.
Ebenezer Hanford, 1817, 1818.
Ebenezer Crofut, 1817, 1818.
Stephen Hoyi, 1819, 1820, October 1821 continued to 1831.
Seth Weed, 1823, continued to 1831.
Eliphalet St. John, 1820.
Holly Hanford, 1827, continued to 1832.
Joseph SiUiman, 1832.
Hezekiah St. John, 1833, continued to 1839.
Hanford Davenj^oi-t. 1833, 1834.
57
Watts Comstock, 1835, continued to 1843, 1845, 1848.
Hauford ^Carter, 1835, continued to 1841, 1843, 1844, 1846, to
1848.
Daniel Bostwick, 1840, continued to 1842.
Samuel Hoyt, 1842.
John Raymond, 1843, 1844.
James Pattison, 1844.
Hezrou L. Ayres, 1845, 1846.
Charles Raymond, 1845, 1847, 1857, 1858.
Alfred Raymond, 1846, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855.
Caleb S. Benedict, 1847.
Andrew Benedict, 1848, continued to 1852.
Thomas Raymond, 1849.
Uzal Husted, 1849.
Sylvanus Seely,.1850.
John Warren, 1850.
Burling D. Purdy, 1851, 1871, 1872, 1874, 1875, 1876.
Stephen Hoyt, 1851.
Peter Smith, 1852, contimied to 1860.
William L. Waring, 1853, continued to 1876.
Samuel C. Silliman, Jr., 1856.
Nehemiah E.Weed, 1859, continued to 1863.
David B. Hoyt, 1861.
George Lockwood, 1862.
Ira P. Davis, 1863.
Benjamin Hoyt, 1864, continued to 1870.
Andrew K. Comstock, 1864, continued 1867.
Samuel K. Lockwood, 1868, continued to 1875.
Joseph F. SiUiman, 1873.
Thomas M. Faii-tv. 1876.
OBITUARY.
In accordance with the wish of some of the citizens of New Ca-
naan, an editorial, from the Stamford Advocate, embodying the
formal expression of the public sentiment in regard to the death of
Prof. St. John, resolutions adopted, etc., has been included in this
pamphlet :
NEW CANAAN'S IRREPAKABLE LOSS.
DEATH OF ONE OF HER FOREMOST CITIZENS AND BEST BELOVED SONS —
PROF. SAMUEL ST. JOHN NO MORE PEACEFUL END OF A NOBLE AND
BEAUTIFUL LIFE PUBLIC DEMONSTATIONS OF RESPECT AND SORROW.
Verv rarely does the loss of a citizen occasion such a deep and
heartful sorrow— such a wide-spread and universal sense of be-
reavement in any community as the death of Prof. Samuel St. John
does in the town of New Canaan. It is another proof that real
goodness— real nobiUty of character— will compel a recognition in
every class of society, and when such a man is taken away there is
no exception to the general sorrow, and the humble, the proud, the
poor, the rich, the vulgar, the refined, the reckless and the thought-
ful—all unite, for a time at least, in one common bond of mutual
grief. WeU is it for those on whom the lesson makes a permanent
impression— who are able to grasp the full meaning of such a life,
and who resolve to make it a model for their own. Dr. St. John
was loved in New Canaan as few men are loved in any community.
Born a native of the village, he ever regarded New Canaan as his
home no matter how far away circumstances led him in the active
labors of his life. New Canaan was the scene of his childish and
youthful memories, and in his riper years, when circumstances per-
mitted, New Canaan was his chosen and permanent home. He
was known and beloved by everybody in the town, young and old
ahke. He was a warm friend of every project having for its object
the good of the town, and devoted his time, talents and means to
promote its interests. He was a true patriot, loving his country
60
and her institutions with all loyal afiection, but his scholarly and
philosoi)hical mind — his broad intellectual culture, " rich ^^'ith the
spoils of time," and with the results of his own keen obsei*vation
and orij:;inal research in the domain of science and learning —
made him more than wilhng to keep aloof from active connection
with the management of pai-tizan stmggles.
We cannot, however, here and now give anything like a compre-
hensive analysis, or pay an adequate tribute to the character of one
who for his profound learning, useful life labors, and noble exam-
ple of unseltishness and integiity was an honor, not only to New
Canaan but to the state of Connecticut, which has lost many better
kno^vn citizens in the last ten years, but none of more solid attain-
ments or more real worth. We must jjroceed to give a brief
sketch of his history fi-om the too scanty data we have been able to
obtain. Samuel St. John was born in New Canaan, ]March 29,
1813, and was therefore in his 68d year at the time of his death.
He graduated at Yale college in the class of 1834. In 1838 he ac-
cepted an appointment as Professor of Chemistry, Minerology and
Geology in the "Western Resel'^•e college, at Hudson, Ohio, in which
office he remained until 1851. He was Princii:»al of the Cleveland
Seminary for young ladies, fi-orn 1852 till 185(5, and dm'ing this
time was Professor of Chemistry and Medical Jurispiaidence in the
Cleveland Medical College. In 185{) he was ajipointed Professor
of Chemistry and Medical Jurisprudence in the college of Physi-
cians and Surgeons in New York city. This position he held until
his death. "When appointed to the New York college he made his
home in his native \Tillage, and continued to take an active interest
in all enterprises undertaken for the benefit of the place. He was
one of the first and best friends of the New Canaan raih-oad. He
became president of the company, and to him is gi'eatly due the
success of the entei'prise. One of his last conspicuous pubhc ser-
vices was the writing of a "Histoiy of New Canaan," which he read
at the celebration of the centennial Fourth of July, and which, when
printed, will be an endumig memorial of his interest in New
Canaan and its people as well as of his literary skill. In 1835, Dr.
St. John visited Europe in company with Dr. Parker. He went to
Eiirope a second time, and once more, in 1873, visited the Vienna
61
Exposition in company with his son and daughter. His last sick-
ness began about three weeks ago, and was the cvilmination of a
kidney disease which had long troubled him. His death took
place at half past six o'clock, on Saturday morning, September 9th.
PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF SORROW — THE FUNERAX.
As soon as the death was announced to the public the flags in the
village were placed at half-mast. The locomotive and cars of the
New Canaan railroad were draj)ed in mourning. A pubhc meet-
ing was called on Monday morning in the Congregational chm-ch,
to give some formal expression to the 2:)ublic sentiment. Mr. N.
W. Hoyt was chairman, and Hon. W. E. Kaymond, secretary.
On motion of VViUard Parker, Jr., a committee was appointed to
draft resolutions suitable to the occasion. This committee consis-
ted of Messrs. WiUard Parker, Seymour Comstock, D. S. Rockwell,
W. L. Waring and Rev. Joseph Greenleaf. Dr. Willard Parker
addressed the meeting, giving a succinct history of his acquain-
tance with the deceased, and paying a just tribute to his memory.
In the course of his remarks he said . "I don't say I have never
seen a greater man in the jirofession, but taking him all and aU I
have never known a greater and better man than Samuel St. John."
The committee reported the following resolutions, which were
adopted unanimously:
Whereai<, We have learned with sincere sorrow of the death of
our late citizen. Professor Samuel St. John ; and
Whereai^, In all that related to the welfare of this town he was
ever a zealous co-worker, giving liberally not only of his means,
but of the best labors of his life ; and
WhereciK, From his readiness to impart to others of his unusual-
ly extensive and varied store of scientific knowledge, he has done
much to elevate the standard of education among us ; and
Whereas, From his high sense of right, active benevolence, and
strict regard for all that was honorable, he has set an example of
Christian living well worth imitation ; therefore be it
Resolved, That in his death this town has lost a devoted and
honored citizen.
Resolved, That as a tribute to his memor}-, we recommend that
the various places of business be closed at the hour of his funeral
and that the bells of the churches be tolled.
62
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family,
and published in the STA>rFORD Advocate and Xokwalk Gazette, and
also that the Town Clerk be requested to place a copy of them
among the records of the town.
W1L1.ARD Parker, Jk., Chairman.
Seymour Co:\istock, |
D. S. KOCKWELL, I /-. i.
T r^ - Committee.
Jos. CtREENLEAF, ]
Wm. L. Waking. J
In seconding the resolutions Mr. O. E. Bright made a brief ad-
dress which was recognized as both timely and touching by all
present. His remarks were substantially as follows :
Mr. Chairman : — I could not add am-thing to Dr. Parker's touch-
ing tribute ; but my intercuui'se with Dr. St. John during the past
four years, and the testimony which I have heard from those who
have always known him. lead me, with your permission, to say a
few words.
The people of New Canaan could not fail to take special notice
of the death of Dr. St. John, for they have lost not only a valued
and respected neighbor, but a citizen who Avas an ornament alike
to his profession, and to the state, and to society.
He was distinguished as a physician and he excelled in science,
and our pride in him for these things would prompt us to com-
memorate his life. But I take it that the sense of a great loss,
which pervades the community, springs principally trom our ap-
preciation of his character. It is his persontil qualities, developed
and exliibited in his life here, that we now recall, and that we shall
ever regard as our peculiar treasure.
AYhen we recognize integTity we consciously regard its possessor
with very high respect. But when we speak of Dr. St. John's in-
tegrity, we think of it as one of the strong traits of his nature that
must have commenced its development with his earliest intelli-
gence, and that grew with his intellectual strength through all the
yeai"s of his life, and gave direction and tone to eveiT action. He
exhibited at idl times the humihty of tme moral greatness, and yet
we could obsene in him a noble pride springing from the habitual
integrity of his purposes.
\V ho is there in this community that has not at some time been
benetitted and guided by his wise and gentle counsel V In personal
matters, in social aftau's, in pubhc measvu-es, his inliuence was al-
ways beneficent and strong.
He was remarkable as a teacher. By patient and clear exposi-
tion and illustration he imparted knowledge to his fellow men.
He unfolded the wonders of astronomy and the secrets of chemis-
63
try ; and what is best of all, he helped to make the great truths of
science serviceable to men in theii* daily avocations. "We cannot
overestimate the value — the greatness of the office of a teacher.
This was part of the mission of the Divine Master in His days up-
on earth, and how reverently men speak of Him as the Great
Teacher.
Dr. St. John felt a deep interest in the welfare and history of
New Canaan, and when a social or a family occasion, or a public
commemoration, needed the pen and the voice of a gTaceful histori-
an. Dr. St. John came to every one's thought. And how clear and
just was his narrative, and how beautiful and tender were his remi-
nisences.
In every relation his influence was for good. The constant im-
pulses of his nature were towax'ds truth and \*irtue and culture,
and we all felt, and will gratefully remember, that he was in the
highest and best sense of the term a scholar and a gentleman.
It is impossible to contemplate his death without sadness. He
has been removed from a wide sphere of usefulness, and family ties
of singular strength and tenderness have been broken. But with
this painful reflection comes the thought of the endless joys in the
future life of which his truth and his purity and his faith were the
sure pledge.
Let us remember, too, how precious in all the future history of
New Canaan will be the memory of his life and example — the mem-
ory of a life spent in the sincere discharge of duty to God and to
men .
The funeral services took place in St. Mark's Episcopal church,
(of which deceased was a member and Warden of the Vestry,) on
Monday, and brought out the largest attendance ever known at a
funeral in New Canaan. The services were conducted by the rec-
tor, Kev. Mr. HaUam, assisted by Rev. Chas. Selleck, of Norwalk,
and a young minister from the city. During the ceremony the
stores and factories in the \Tllage were closed and business entire-
ly suspended. The church was beautifully and elaborately draped
with appropriate emblems. The employees of the raih'oad sent a
broken column made of flowers, and the members of Mr. St. John's
Sunday school class contributed a beautiful wreath surrounding
the motto : "Our Teacher." The list of pallbearers was as follows :
Dr. Parker, S. Y. St. John, N. W. Hoyt, A. K. Comstock, Stephen
Hoji;, W. G. Webb, A. S. Comstock, F. E. Chichester, S. E. Keeler,
A. F. Jones, B. D. Purdy and F. E. Weed.
64
At a meeting of the Vestry of St . Mark's Church, held Sept. DO,
1870, the following i-esolutions were unamimously adopted :
liesolcrd, That we, the Kector, Warden and Vestry of St. Mark's
Chiu-ch, having heard with profound sorrow of tlie death of Prof.
Samuel St. John of this jilace, on tlie 9th of Sept. ISTO, and having
united in the public demonstrations of respect to his memory, avail
ourselves of the first convenient opportunity to express our recog-
nition of the great loss to this church, of which he was a member
and Junior Warden, and to whose interest he was zealously devo-
ted, and while we can no more have his presence in the house of
prayer, or nis counsel in business meetings, we have in his faithfvd
discharge of his christian and official duties, an example worthy of
imitation.
The clerk is requested to send a copy of this resolution to the
members of his family, with the assvu'ance of oiu" deep sympathy
with them in theu* bereavement.
Resolved, That the Clerk of this boai-d and the Clerk of the Par-
ish be requested to enter the foregoing upon their respective re-
cords.
A true copy as appears of record,
NOAH W. HOYT, Clerk.