Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-26
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Rank and HeritHGe-FeatuTes of Early l Colonial History.
 CONTINUED
 The following outline from Mir. .Townshend's l ketch of the Rev. Henry Whitfield we have been compelled to abridge, confning this ab- tract to that part which makes mention of | 1is family relations and connections, who | were among the most polished gentry in 1 England and largely interested in American ! settlement. |
 His father, Thomas Whitfield, Esq, of Mortlake, County Surrey*, was son of Rob- l ert Whitfield, of Worth, County Sussex, whose sister Margaret married Thomas Mays of Pashley, (and nearly allied to a family of the name often noticed in colonial history as promoters of settlements in the new world), and brother of John Whitfield, grandfather of Sir Ralph Whitfield, Kt., of Grays Inn and St. Giles Cripple Gate. Lon don, Kings sergeant-at-law, who in 1928 was one of the undertakers for the planta- tions in New England, and who had married Dorothy, daughter of Sir Henry SpeIman, of Cougham, Norfolk, one of the most learned antiquaries of his day, and who had sons Captain Henry Spelman, of Virginia, and Sir John Spelman, who had married Anne, sister of Sir Roger Townshend, of Rsynham. Norfolk. ''The Presbyterian baronet, Roger Townshend, [see an extended account in Mir. Townshends history of the Townshends of Lynn], in connection with his mother Jaw, the Lady Mary Veres, whose correspondence with the Rev. John Daven-
 ekao on1 L. ters of consolation to her on the death of Sir Roger, dated at Quinnipisc 28 July, 1889, mentions Colonel Fen wick and the Rev. Henry Whitfeld's arrival with his only son in 2 ship, which was the first one that had ever cast anchor in Quinnipiac(N New Haven harbor. ''The sight did so please the captain of the ship and all the passengers that he called New Haven harbor the Fayre Haven,'" and to this Cap tain Townshend makes lengthy comment, that 1t may have been then first suggested to Governor Eaton and company to nama Quin- nipiac, Fair Haven. But for some reason it was changed to New Haven. and nearly two centuries later the very prosperous east part of the town was called Fair Haven. It may first have been named from MT. Davenport's farm the original grant 600 acresl which covers part of this section, and is hanked by picturesque hills in the back ground, add ipg beauty to beautiful landscape, es- pecially in June (the month of the ships ar rival), when viewed from ships deck ward. This landscape cannot be surpassed, in the writer's opinion, by any Italian scenery yet pictured by those most skilled in the art.
 Mr. Whitfield was ''The Leader" of con- pany of twenty-five gentlemen and yeomen from the counties Kent, Surrey and Sussex. who fled from persecution in their native land to enjoy their own religious principles here in New England. They, after their arrival, bought of the Indians tract of land between Stony Creek and East River which comprises 8 part of the new town of Guilford, Connec- ticut. The Indians gave their consent, Sept. 29th, 1639, and these townships were named Guilford, after city lin Surrey, England, from the neighborhood of which most of these settlers came. They left London bound to Quinnipiac about May 25th, 1639 in ship of $50 tons (which was followed by one of about the same burthen) and soon after their departure plantation covenant (which Mir. T. thinks was Mir. Whitfeld's production), was drawn up bearing date June 1st, 1889, which was signed by all the planters and is as follows:
 @, WlO9e names are nGGeuuQ9H WT1bGoQ, intending by Gods gracious permission to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be in the southerly part, about Quin nipiack, do faithfully promise each to each for ourselves and families, and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us set down and join ourselves together in one entire plantation, and to bo helpful each to the other in every common work accord ing to every mans ability and as need shall require; and we promise not to desert or leave each other, or the plantation. exc ept with the consent of the rest or the greater part of the company who have entered into the engagement. As to our gathering to- gether in g church way, and the choice of officers and members to be joined together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in our plantation. In witness whereof we sub- scribe our hands the first day of June, 1639." The township, which wa0, soon after, under the jurisdiction of New Haven where it was represented at the court, was increased by a later purchase made by Mir. Whitfield of an Indian sachem named Weekwosk, September 3Oth, 1641, and which extended eastwsrdly along the Sound from East River to Taxis Pond.
 The history of Guilford tells us that Week wosk had no right to sell this land and that on the l7th of December following MT. Whitfield, Robert Mitchell, William Chitten- den, John Bishop, William Leete, John Caf- fnge, John Gordon, Abraham Cruttenden and the rest of the English planters of Men unkatuck, Guilford, made 8 purchase of Uncas, Sachem of the Mohicans, which cov- cred the land and extended northward through the township" Uncas claimed the land by right of conquest of the Pequots in 1887, when the last of their riors slain by Captain Stough- ton in the swamp at Fairfield This swamp, it is interesting to here mention, just east of the Westport bridge and north of the railroad, was few years ago pointed out to the writer by the Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon from one of the carriages of the New York and New Haven railroad while passing Dr. Bacon having in his youth been resi- dent for some time in this section and know ing well ''the lay of the land" The swamp is now under cultivation and laid down to meadow, which to this day shows its origin. This it shows notwithstanding two hundred and forty seven summers suns have assisted by evaporation the hands of the reclaimer. In the center is 8 small elevation covered with growth of cedars and evergreens and it was on this little island-like mound in the swamp and half 8 mile from Long Island Sound where lay Captain Stoughton's fleet that history tells us wiped out' the last remnant of the Pequots save those who es- capped to the Mohawks. It may be added here as follows: The defeat of the Pequots took place May 26th, 1887, by the English under Captain Mason and their allies, the Narragansett Indians, and a remnant took flight along the ''shore trail' of the Indians westward, pursued by few English under Captain Stoughton and Indians under Uncas. The English kept a reserve force on board their transports, which coasted along the shore, securing every inlet for detached bands of the retresting foe, as is often alluded to by historians, and were it not in connection with Guilford it would not be mentioned here. Casual mention is made of the execution of many of the captives from boats at the mouth of the Connecticut river. We will only finger for a moment on the tradition which gives name to that part of Guilford known as 'tSachem's Head.''
 When the land party under Stoughton and Uncas had reached this head-land projecting into the Sound Uncas, who knew Indian craft, left the trail and made thorough search of the point. A chief and several warriors were found. The refugees made effort to escape by swimming across the narrow part of the harbor and were captured as they landed. The Sachem was shot dead with an arrow by Urcas, who cut of his head and placed it between the limbs of an oak tree which grew around the skull, holding it firmly for years, and from this tragedy originated the namo ''Sachem's