Morning journal and courier., 1889-08-27

The stone bridge and tower, built to com memorate the settlement of the town are very handsome. Such memorials, combin- ing utility with beauty, are eminently ssnsi- ble. For the same outlay it is not likely that Milford could have obtained an acceptable statue. The bridge and tower, then, are to be set down as happy thoughts. They are in complete harmony with their surround ings. Just north of the bridge dam holds back the waters of the Wepowage, forming pretty pond. The river tumbles over this dam in an amber sheet, and is broken into roaring chaos of foam. It goes swirling and leaping down under the bridge, and boils boisterously into Milford harbor through a narrow gorge whose perpendicular walls are overhung with dank vines. The bridge is of undressed granite, and spans the rapids in single round arch of massive con- struotion. There is not @ straight line in it. The gentle rise from either bank to its cen- ter and the long sweeping curve of the north ern parapet are lines of distinct grace. The round tower, tapsring slightly towards the top, and crowned by conical roof of Spanish tiles, is joined to the parapet at its western end, and has no look of incongruity. A but tress continues beyond it to the northwest, completing the curve of the parapet and dying away towards the ground until it ends with worn old millstone which serves as a seat on which is carved this device:
 "Mr. William Fowler, obit 1860, founder of this the first mill in the colony, in 1889, wherein he used this stone."
 The tower door has quaint knocker, taken from one of the old Milford houses. plate tells it's history. The hinges are arrow shaped. The fan shaped wrought iron grille above the door has the figures 1889. A street-lantern of wrought iron, of graceful form, hangs from a bracket fixed to the tower. Adjoining the entrance is large stone tablet bearing the inscription: "In memoriam, Robert Treat, for thirty years Governor and Deputy Gov. of the Colony of Connecticut. Obit 1710." On the other side of the tower door a stone is set commemorating the chief of the local tribe of Indians, the Wepowages, from whom the settlers bought the land for few blank cts, beads, mirrors, hatchets, etc. It reads thus: "Ansantaw@, his mark, 1639.n-his mark being a bow and an arrow. Then comes O. tablet with the inscription: "Ansan- taw@ Lodge, No. S9, F. and A. M. Organ- ized A. D. 1S59." On the side of the tower towards the river tablet bears the following words: Memorial Committee: 0. A. Tom. linson, P. 8. Bristol, w. c. Dursnd, N. G. Pond, O.. H. Trowbridge. Architect, w. M Grinnell. Builder, John Beattie. 1639- 1SS9."
 The bridge was built at the expense of the town at a cost of $3,000, but the tower and all the inscriptions were paid for by individ-
 
 The principal contributors are the descend ants of Affords founders, who were glad to take part in this unique tribute to their fathers. Among them are the widow of Judge Amos s. Treat of Bridgeport, (herself a descendant of the govsrner) Robert Treat Paine of Boston, Nathan A. Baldwin, Will liam M: Merwin. William E. Downes of New York. Dr. John s. Walker and Samuel s. White of Philadelphia, Mrs. Mar tha J. Beard, ex-Governor James E. English, Edwin P. Smith, exsSenator George NJ. Gum, Joseph Baldwin of New York, Anson Treat Downes of New York, Charles H. Pond, Winthrop Pond, General George H. Ford, Abner L. Train, Lieutenant Governor 8. E. Merwin, Alliston Gerry, Reginald An- thon Lawrence, Joseph Earle, c. H. Trow- O., Senator George N. Morse, w. B. Stod- dard, A. A. Baldwin, and many others.
 All traces of the graves of the men of 1889 having been oblitersted, each stone of the topmost courses in the machicolated parapets of the bridge forms Q memorial block on which is cut the name of one of the settlers, with the date of his death and the name of his wife. All of these men-John Baldwin, Joseph Northrup, John Burwell, Nathaniel Baldwin. Joseph Baldwin, Timothy Bald win, Robert Plumb, George Clark, Nioholas Camp, John Stream, Thomas Ford. Sergeant Thomas Camp6eid, Henry Botsford, James Rogers, Joseph Peck, John Smith, Edmund Tapp, Deacon Richard Platt, Richard Baldwin, Jasper Gum, Benjamin Fenn, Richard Miles, Alexander Bryan, Zachariah Whitman and William Fowler, second-were men of mark in their day, sturdy pillars of the church, merchants, mag istrates-a hardy band of oolonists. Hum drsds of their descendants still live in Milford, and thousands are scattered all over the country. Bryan's note of hand, says Lambert, passed current in Bos- ton as readily as bank bills of the present day. He was native of Aylesbury, Eng land, (16O2) and from 1868 to 1873, he was assistant governor of the colony of Conhecti- cut. Miles was a judge and a rich landown- CT. Fenn came over with Gov. Winthrop, 1630, in the ship Mary and John; he owHed large estates in Milford and in Aylesbury, England, and was assistant governor from 1865 to 1872. An unbroken line of ten Ben jamin Fenns can be traced in Milford. Gum came over in the ship Defence in 1885 he was the first physician in Mil ford; his descendants have in almost every generation represented Milford in the legisla | ture. The Baldwins, who appear to have | originated in the parish of Ashton Clinton | (Bucks), have always been prominent in Mil | ford. Richard was @ member of the General | Court, 1662-'64, and was one of the commit. | Connecticut and us, when the two colonies were joined in 1864. The Baldwin geneal ogy has been edited by Charles Candet Baldwin, judge of the Circuit court oi Ohio. Deacon Clark left @ large estate
 and his three sons were prominent His daughter Sarah was the mother
 of Governor Law. From Buckingham II Ilxx h hsa Buckingham, was member of the corpora.
 ton of Yale college, 1716-17s2, and the wal
 governor of the State descended from hii youngest son, Thomas. Among the de-
 scendants of Deacon Platt are Senator Thomas O. Platt of New York and Professor
 Johnson T. Platt of the Yale Law school
 The town of Plattsville, N. Y., was named
 for this family, and the office of deacon hal
 been held for many generations in the Firs
 church of Milford by the Platts. The Fowl
 CTS have for about seventy years been towI clerks of Milford. Whitman was judge
 and among his descendants is Charles W. Farnam of New Haven. Such were tn, | men of 1929. They marched down from New
 Haven to Milford through the forest, and on,
 of the first things they did on arriving wal
 to build high stookade all around the set Who guided them Is related by stone at tn,
 east end of the bridge: "In msmorian, Capt
 Thomas Tibbals, obit 1703. In oonsidera
 ton of his helpfulness at first coming to NH
 ford to show the first corners the pl ace. .,-
 Land Records"
 This Capt. Tibbals had been engaged 1T
 the Pequot war, and during the pursuit b
 the remnant of the tribe, which fled to tn,
 Fairfield swamps in 1888, he had noticed tn,
 river and the gorge, and the little cascade a
 Milford, which in after years excited the cd
 miration of President Washington on hi
 journey from New York to Boston. For hi
 services as guide the oolonists granted Tib bals land, and in the deed made his helpful | ness the consideration.
 On the keystone of the round arch whicl
 spans the river is carved the head of an In
 dian, in profile, with @ feather headdress
 Above this is the word "Wepowage" on on,
 of the stones of the parapet, over the thre,
 links of the Odd Fellows brotherhood. Or
 the top of the same stone is the inscription
 "Wepowaug River" and on it's side are tn,
 following words: "This tablet is placed tc perpetuate the name of the Wepowage Indi
 ans, by Wepowage lodge No. IA, I. O. o. F.
 instituted July II, 1S44." At the east enc
 of the northern parapet millstone is set up
 bearing the following inscription: .'In me moriam, Jonathan Law, Governour of thu Colony of Connections from 1742 to 1750 | This stone once his doorstep" This wa, the gift of Mrs. Mary S.. Beardsley