S. Western View of the Borough of Stamford.

The view of this place was taken from a rocky eminence to the south west, which rises almost immediately from the mill stream seen in the engraving, passing to the south. The iron foundery, which is very extensive, is seen on the left. The spire seen near the center of the print is that of the Congregational church; that seen on the extreme right, is that of the Episcopal church. Besides these two churches, there are two others in the borough, one for the Baptists, the other for the Methodists. Between the Congregational and Episcopal churches, is seen the mast of a sloop. A canal from the sea was excavated to this point in 1834. This canal is 180 rods in length, thirty feet in width, and seven in depth; the expense of its construction, including three buildings for stores, was 7,000 dollars. There are in the limits of the borough 10 or 12 stores, I iron foundery, one rolling mill, one wire factory, and two large boot and shoe manufactories; a bank with a capital of 100,000 dollars, chartered in 1834. The post office in this place is a distributing office. It is 8 miles westward of Norwalk, 8 from Sawpits, and 5 from Horseneck church in Greenwich. The number of inhabitants in the borough is about seven hundred.

The harbor at the mouth of Mill River has, at ordinary tides, upwards of eight feet of water. There are two uncommonly interesting spots bordering the harbor; that on the western side is called the South Field, a rich and beautiful farm; the other is Shipan Point. This is an elegant and fertile piece of ground. The surface slopes in every direction, and is encircled by a collection of fine scenery.

Hartford, May 24th, 1798.

[From the Connecticut Courant, No. 1596.] As a report unfavorable to the citizens of Stamford has for some days past been in circulation, we publish the following extract of a letter from a respectable gentleman in that town, to a member of the legislature, now in session in this city, dated the 18th inst., in order that the public may have a true statement of the nefarious business.

"The present ferment in Stamford, caused by some unlucky boys firing a cannon, and making a bonfire, in North Stamford, I suppose will reach Hartford; and that, perhaps, in an aggravated point of light. The truth of the matter is this: some young chaps, on fast day morning, collected and burnt the President in effigy, as some say; but as the fracas took place about sun rise, no one can tell what was burnt: the perpetrations, however, were committed by persons not inhabitants of Stamford."

The Hon. Abraham Davenport, for a long period one of the Councillors of the colony, and afterwards of the State of Connecticut, was a resident of this town. He was the son of the Rev. John Davenport, the second minister of Stamford, and grandson of the Rev. John Davenport, the father of New Haven colony. He was distinguished for a vigorous understanding, uncommon firmness of mind, and Christian integrity of character. Two instances (says Dr. Dwight) of Colonel Davenport's firmness of mind deserve to be mentioned.

"The 19th of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses; the birds were silent and disappeared, and the fowls retired to roost. The legislature of Connecticut was then in session at Hartford. A very general opinion prevailed, that the day of judgment was at hand. The House of Representatives, being unable to transact their business, adjourned. A proposal to adjourn the Council was under consideration. When the opinion of Colonel Davenport was asked, he answered, 'I am against an adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment: if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore that candles may be brought.''

"The other instance took place at Danbury, at the Court of Common Pleas, of which he was Chief Justice. This venerable man after he was struck with death heard a considerable part of a trial, gave the charge to the jury, and took notice of an article in the testimony which had escaped the attention of the council on both sides. He then retired from the bench, and was soon after found dead in his bed."

The ancient burying ground in Stamford was formerly in the center of the place. The monuments are now removed to a yard northward of the village. The following is copied from a tabular monument, one of those that were removed.

The Rev. IOHN DAVENPORT, departed this life on the 5th of February,
A. D. 1730-1, and in the 36th year of his ministry.

STRATFORD.

THE original Indian name of Stratford was Cupheag. It was pur chased by Mr. Fairchild in 1639, and settlements were commenced the same time. Mr. Fairchild came directly from England, and was the first person vested with civil authority in the town. The first principal persons in the town were John and William Eustice, and Samuel Hawley, who were from Roxbury, and Joseph Judson and Timothy Wilcoxson, who were from Concord, Massachusetts. A few years from the commencement of the settlement, Mr. John Birdsey removed from Milford and became a man of eminence both in the town and church. There were also several of the chief planters from Boston, and a number by the name of Welles, from Wethersfield. Adam Blackman, who had been Episcopally ordained in England, and a preacher of some note, first at Leicester and afterwards at Derbyshire, was their minister, and one of the first planters. It is said that he was followed by a number of the faithful, into this country, to whom he was so dear that they said unto him, in the language of Ruth, ‘Intreat us not to leave thee, for whither thou goest we will go, thy people shall be our people, and thy God our God.'"

"Mr.

The first settlers appear to have located themselves about 150 rods south of the Episcopal church, the first chimney being erected near this spot it was taken down about two years since. The first burying ground was near this spot. Mr. William Judson, one of the first settlers, came into Stratford in 1638. He lived at the S. W. corner of Meeting house hill or green, in a house constructed of stone. Mr. Abner Judson, his descendant, lives on the same spot, in a house which has stood 113 years, and is still in good repair.

The whole township, which formerly was quite extensive, was purchased of the natives. The purchase was however not completed till 1672. There was a reservation of good lands for the improvement of the Indians, at Pughquonnuck or Pequannoc, Golden hill, and at a place called Coram, in Huntington.

Stratford is now much circumscribed in limits. Its average length being about six miles from north to south, and its breadth from east to west is between two and three miles. It is bounded north by Huntington, west by Trumbull and Bridgeport, east by the Housatonic, dividing it from Milford, and south by Long Island Sound. The central part of the town is 13 miles S. W. from New Haven. The township is mostly level and free from stone, and a very rich alluvial tract of meadows on the river and harbor. The principal street in the town is one mile in length, running north and south parallel to the Housatonic; it is level, pleasant, and ornamented with shade trees. On this street, and others in the immediate vicinity, there are about 200 dwelling houses, and four houses for public worship, viz. 1 Congregationalist, 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, and 1 Universalist now erecting. The latitude of the place as determined by the Rev. James H. Linsley, is 41° 11' 7", longitude 73° 8′ 45′′.

S. W. view of the Episcopal Church, Stratford.

The above is a south western view of the Episcopal church and the Academy, situated in the central part of the village. This church was erected more than 90 years since, and is the oldest Episcopal church now standing in the state. The Academy is seen on the right of the print, in the distance. It stands on a gentle elevation of ground called Meeting house hill, and is surrounded by a row of poplars. The Episcopal society in this town is the oldest in the state. The following account of its establishment is from Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut.

"During the term of about seventy years from the settlement of Connecticut, the Congregational had been the only mode of worship, in the colony. But the society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, in 1704, fixed the Reverend Mr. Muirson as a missionary at Rye. Some of the people at Stratford had been educated in the church of England mode of worship and administering of the ordinances, and others were not pleased with the rigid doctrines and discipline of the New England churches, and they made an earnest application to Mr. Muirson to make a visit at Stratford, and preach and baptize among them. About the year 1706, upon their invitation, he came to Stratford, accompanied with Colonel Heathcote, a gentleman zealously engaged in promoting the Episcopal church. The ministers and people in that, and the adjacent towns, it seems, were alarmed at his coming, and took pains to prevent their neighbors and families from hearing him. However, the novelty of the affair, and other circumstances, brought together a considerable assembly: and Mr. Muirson baptized five and twenty persons, principally adults. This was the first step towards introducing the church worship into this colony. In April, 1707, he made another visit to Stratford. Colonel Heathcote was pleased to honor him with his company, as he had done before. He preached, at this time, at Fairfield as well as Stratford; and in both towns baptized a number of children and adult persons. Both the magistrates and ministers opposed the introduction of Episcopacy, and advised the people not to attend the preaching of the church missionaries; but the opposition only increased the zeal of the church people. Mr. Muirson, after this, made several journies to Connecticut, and itinerated among the people. But there was no missionary, from the society, fixed in Connecticut, until the year 1722, when Mr. Pigot was appointed missionary, at Stratford. The churchmen at first, in that town, consisted of about fifteen famílies,

The Congregational church stood on this elevation till it was struck by lightning, and burnt down.

among whom were a few husbandmen, but much the greatest number were tradesmen, who had been born in England, and came and settled there. Some of their neighbors joined them, so that Mr. Pigot had twenty communicants and about a hundred and fifty hearers. In 1723 CHRIST Church in Stratford was founded, and the Rev. Mr. Johnson, afterwards Dr. Johnson, was appointed to succeed Mr. Pigot."

"The Rev. Dr. Johnson," says Dr. Dwight, "may be considered as the father of Episcopacy in Connecticut, and perhaps, as the most distinguished clergyman of that description, who has been settled within its limits. This gentleman was born at Guilford in 1696; was educated at Yale College, and received the degree of A. B. in 1714. In 1716 he was chosen tutor, and continued in that office three years. In 1720, he was ordained minister of the Presbyterian church in West Haven. In 1723, he was Episcopally ordained in London; and was afterwards settled at Stratford. In 1754, he was chosen President of King's College in the city of New York, and continued in this office for nine years. In 1763, he resigned the Presidency, and returning to Stratford, resumed the charge of his congregation. He died in 1772, at the age of seventy six. Dr. Johnson was a man of talents and learning, of dignified manners and high reputation. He published a Hebrew grammar, a compendium of logic, and another of ethics. The University of Oxford, conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. His life was written by Dr. Chandler, the Episcopal minister of Elizabethtown."

The following is the inscription on his monument in the Episcopal burying ground, a few rods north east of the church.

M. S. Samuelis Johnson, D. D. Collegii Regalis Novi Eboraci PRESIDIS primi et hujus Ecclesiæ nuper Rectoris. Natus Die 14to. Octob. 1696, Obit. 6to. Jan. 1772.

If decent dignity and modest mien,

The cheerful heart, and countenance serene;

If pure religion and unsullied truth,

His age's solace, and his search in youth;

If piety in all the paths he trod,

Still rising vigorous to his LORD and GOD;
If charity thro' all the race he ran,
Still willing well, and doing good to man;
If LEARNING, free from pedantry and pride;
If FAITH and virtue, walking side by side;
If well to mark his being's aim and end,
To shine thro' life a HUSBAND, FATHER, FRIEND;
If these ambition in thy soul can raise,
Excite thy reverence or demand thy praise;
Reader, ere yet thou quit this earthly scene,
Revere his name, and be what he has been.
MYLES COOPER.

The house in which Dr. Johnson resided, is still standing about 40 rods N. W. of the Episcopal church. Mr. Winslow succeeded Dr. Johnson in the ministry, then Mr. Kneeland, who was succeeded by Mr. Sayre. The Rev. Ashbel Baldwin was the next minister: he commenced his labors here in 1792, and continued Rector of this church thirty nine years. Mr. Baldwin, who is still living, was born in Litchfield, in 1757, and was educated at Yale College. He was ordained Deacon at Middletown, August 3d, 1785, by Bishop Seabury. He, with four others, were ordained at the same time, being the first Protestant Episcopal ordination in this country.