The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-08
THE HOME OF HiLLECk.
.suiiferd-His Of Its Early Settlers
Where HaiIec,s Lived--A Monument Tor
the rset-Its Dedication.
GUILFORD, COun., JCIy 3, 1863.
Such Graves as bis are pilgrim shrines.


such graves his pilgrim shrines.
FitZ Greece Halleck on more than one occasion
painfully boosted 80 the writer that there we're
but gentlemen in his native town, and It's early big
tory shows, whatever may be the character OF the
Guillord people Of the present day, that the town
was certainly settled by very superior class OF
young men, collected IN England, chiefly from the
counties Of Kent and Sussex, with few from Hun
ungdOn and Cambrideeshire All were educated
and several were graduates of oxford anu Cam
bridge They embarked for the New World in com
pany with the Rev. Henry WITHHELD who mad been
Il clergyman OF the Church of England, accompany
ing the eloquent preacher from feeling Of
attachment 80 him and his teaching He
was younger Of an eminent lawyer OF
the courts OF Westminster, and alter graduating
at oxford was first fitted for the bar nj the Inns Of
Court at London. His own predictions, however,
induced HIN to become clergyman and he obtained
the rch living of ockey, in Surrey, where he ociated
Tor twenty years He became the friend and associate
of such men as Cotton, Goodwin, Hooker and Dayen-
port which led TO his being cited before the Court OF
star Chamber and Bishop Laud, SO that eventually
he became a Congregationalist and found it conve.
nent, II not necessary, to depart hastily for New
England. He had formed an acquaintance with
number of young gentlemen, who mad become at
tacbed 10 his minisratons and they organized a
north shore of Long Island Sound, in connection with
George Fenwick's company. They assembled al
London in MAY, 1859, and sailed together in vessel
of $50 tons for New Haven. in company with Gov
ernor Fenwick and his newly married wife, the
widow of Lord Boteler. While ON sh1pboard, on the
lst OF June 1882 Whitfield drew up and signed their
| plantation covenant, which IS still preserved.
After a long voyage, they arrived ut New Haven,
and in August Whitfield and his company purchased
| of the Indians the lands comprising the present
town OF Guilford. The contract was dated August
| 20, and the deed was signed september 80, 1853.
| These papers, with map made by the Indians, OF
the territory sold and the coast adjoining are pre-
served by the Massachusetts, Historical Society. Mir.
| Whitfield and ms company commenced the settle
| meDt Immediately, and soon after the Rev. John Hig
ginson-who became ms SON in-law-Joined the new
settlement; and IN the organization OF the church
ne was constituted one OF the seven pillars on which
| II was founded The other five were:-Samuel Du-
borrow the magistrate and afterwards the famous
graduate Of Cambridge and grandfather OF Arch
bishop John Iloadey, OF Armagh, and Bishop Benla-
| min lioadey; Rev. John Messham the friend and
| relative OF Governor George Fenwck; Rev. William
| Leete afterwards Governor, first OF the New Haven
| Colony and next OF the Connecticut Colony; Rev.
Jacob Sheafe afterwards the weaifhiest merchant
| This was June 10, 1els Whitfield returned to
England November, 1850. his son.ln-law succeeding
| him and remaining as pastor OF the flock for ten
years. when he went 10 Salem, Mass The Rev.
| Joseph Eliot, son OF the famous "Apostie to the
| Indians" aud the ancestor Of the poet, succeeded
Higgpson and remained IN Guiliord until his death
IN the year 1894.
|
| when the hold Of the Dissenters was broken from
the mother country, so that they settled the place
| an independent republic. They drew up their con-
! stltuton, which IL on record III the handwriting OF
| Duborow, and entirely independent Of any other
! Power whatever. This beautiful document is COM
plete In all It's parts. providing FOR It's executive
legislative and judiciary departments, the order OF
its courts manner OF holding meetings, provisions
| Tor eeclorship NC.
The same spirit of local independence has survived
so the present day and characterized the inhabitants
during all the past and appears in the writings OF
Halleck OF which striking instance is the fragment
| connecticut which Is more particularly q de-
| scrlptlon OF the characteristics OF Guiliord. the
pOet az It s wen KNOWN spent the last twenty years
Of his qulet and uneyentfui IN his native town.
| AMI It was here IA the AlderbucE Cemetery on the
| I'D day Of November, 1867, that bls remains were
| latd teudcily away by those VINO loved INN best.
Last year his friend and biographer, General wilson,
| collected among the poets troops OF New York
friends and admirers a sufficient sum 10 erect a
noble monument over his grave and on The
oth instant that monuuient-a beautiful obe,tsk OF
granite eighteen feet IN heighr--ls TO be formally
dedicated. IL Is the first monument ever erected an
American pOet Dy MS friends To use ilalleck's own
words ln one OF his immortal poems, ''Such graves
! u MS are pilgrim shrnes.n ann H. Ia fittmg tnat q
,1ken OF grateful appreciation should marx his rest
| ing place.
'iAC efficient committee who have charge OF the
! dedication ceremonies nave Issued the fOuowing;--
Programme for the formal dedication OF the Hseck ouu
| meut. 10 Guilf,rl, Coma, July 3, 1852.
ffersses viii commence at Two O'Clock +. NJ. Mr.. s. B
! Chi.tenIen VII preside
Eeiung of "lalecss Tdnes burns" by General Jsmo
Grant Wilson.
Poem wrien for ibe occasion by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes
M Btnf
Te escc.c w terminate IN sa.5a or vsljrs to TAX,
| Tie s'tefna,a trllns for New Yqrk and Boston.
LEWIS Il. ELLlor co,,i,,..
WM. ", BALDWIN f'O"'''''''''