Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-05-28
NORTH HAVEN ANNALS.

NORTH HAVEN ANNALS.
In sho Days OF tho RovoIusIon-Aow
the Colonial Armies Wore Made
Up-A long Muster Roll OF Revolu-
tionnry Patriots - Tho Army Not
without ITS Dcserters - Presbyteri- I
ans as Rebels and Eplscopalians a.
Tories. N
No one native of the town can but reflect |
with pride on the long muater roll OF revolu-
tionary patriots as presented in these pages.
Out of this large number of known enlfst1
ments there is but one recorded case OF de-
sertion (1), fact which, in view of the pecu-
lisrly trying times in which they served,
speaks we'll for the parish boys. But this
tide Of loyalty, of which we are so proud, did
not rise 80 high as to food the entire COM
munity. Here, as elsewhere, were men con-
tented with the rule of the mother country. |
They could not see In devastated states, |
sacked towns, pillaged homes, impoverished
families, dead men, an advantage which |
would warrant bringing such horrors on
themselves. While they regretted the
pressure of the hand of England was
laying on them the more conscientious re-
membered the low estate from which they
had grown. and that they were but colonies
and dependencies Of hers, and as such hers
to discipline and govern. Others did not
believe her shackles could be broken but
that every attempt to do go would but rivet
them closer. Thus not every one stood
boldly on his feet to catch the blessed wind
of liberty blowing across the land, but either
sat silent in his place or secretly rendered
aid and encouragement to the enemies of his
country.
Such persons were called 'tories." Ninety
years later men of their stamp were known
as TRAITORS" The interval Of time did not
improve the breed, nay it degenerated 1t:
To-day men bear with the tory, but spit
upon the traitor.
When the news of the battle Of Lexington
reached this parish choice of government
had to be made by its people at once. Man
for man, we have not their individual
records, but we know where Benjamin Trun-
bull stood aud those of his parishioners who
marched away to Canada with him. Scarce
~ had the sound of their footsteps died out
| in the distance, when the royalists began to
show their hands. Chief among them was
one whose utterances, because of his official
position, attracted the attention of the gen
( eral assembly at the May session, ITO. We
quote Rev. War 1-39S-400.
Abraham Blakesley of New Haven captain of a
military company in the Second regiment In this
government ard the privileges thereof establish
measurss taken By the General Assembly Tor main
tanning the same and threatened to act in his office
contrary to the duties Of his office:
Therefore. Resolved, By this Assembly, that the
and cashiered from his said office, and that the
colonel Of said regiment lead said company to the
choice Of captain in the room Of said Blakesley."
| This startling action of the authorities was
not without its lesson. In other parts of the
/ oto To In a faup inc nita1 IN
appear at the bar of the general assembly to
answer for seditious conduct, but SO far as
known the preceding case stands isolated in
| the colony as an instance thus early In the
struggle of a militia officer being stripped Of
his rank for such cause.
At the time of this unfortunate occurrence
Captain Blakeslee was the senior warden of
st. Johns church. 1t was thought by his
friends and neighbors that the punishment
was excessive, but 1t was replied that he had
threatened force to prevent the execution of
the laws and that such characterization,
whether intended or not, could not be over
looked. His church rallied around him and
continued him as its leading official until his
death ten years thereafter.
By and by the effects of the struggle began
to be apparent in the two churches. Cam
dor oompels it to be said that each came to
be the exponent of widely diverse political
ideas. The "church on the hill" stood for
the crown, the "church on the green" stood
for the freeman. The constituency of each
was being thoroughly sifted. Some changes
In membership occurred, the Church of Eng
land receiving few accessions it is supposed
from DR.. Trumbull's church. As the war
progressed with It's varying fortunes, men
became more radical in their beliefs and
| outspoken in their opinions. There came at
length to be no hesitancy on either eide in
openly declaring the Presbyterians as "reb-
IL Al
1t arose that at no time before or since oc-
CURED 80 wide q gap in the history of the
two churches as during the period of the
revolutionary war.
Such feeling was Unavoidable; everything
nourished II. Men could not march away
unsolicitous for those left behind. For them
selves In the field confronted with English
guns they had no fear, but for their families
face to face with toryism at home they were
often disquieted. As they returned from
time to time from their campaigns filled with
larger spirit of liberty and hot with deep
er hate Of monarchical tyranny, It is current
that they gave their tongues such unusual
license as to drive for time at least some of
the more bitter enemies Of freedom from the
parish. Among those who could not brave
the wrath showered upon them were, 1t ia
said, Philemon Blakeslee, Abraham Seeley.
DR.. Clarke, Joshua Chandler.
/
after the war to the parish. The former
came to be held in high respect by his towns
men, although In after years it was suspected
with strong probability that he was engaged
during his absence in supplying the British
army with supplies from within our lines.
Seeley was IN Englishmau and the FIRST brick
manufacturer within the parish limits (see
future mention). Clarke was do.well,
whose beginning, career and end is alike in
volved in obscurity, save that in Guar Brad
ley, then living on the present Fri Bradley
place, he had boon companion and tory
friend, and as the legend goes, the twain
were won't to meet weekly to drink cider,
chew tobacco and swear at the state of the
country. BY and by Bradley was apprehend
ed for disloyalty and portion Of his farm
cOnfscated and sold. 1t was bought by
Daniel Bassett and has remained in the latter
family ever since, being now owned by Jared
Bassett, esq.
Chandler Jared much worse than his ssso
ciates. He lived, as has been stated, on the
Bella Goodyear estate. He proved to be
tory of the rsnkest kind. His son William
an officer in the British army, is said by
Barber (2) to have guided Try on's forces to
the invasion of New Haven in 1779. II
1880 Joshua Chandler's pew In DR.. Trum-
bulls meeting house was torn up THAT the
singers might have proper seats.". In 1871
his whole property was confiscated by the
government. "Charles Chauney was ap.
pointed administrator on the estate OF
Joshua Chandler, now gone over to and
Joined the enemies or the United States OF
America" The inventory of his possessions
embracing his New Haven property amount
cd to f3, 752 and his debts to ca, 459 Good.
rich (3) says Chandler and his family went
away with Tryon's forces; eventually they re.
moved to Nova Scotia and In journeying be.
tween two points on that coast by sea, were
wrecked and all miserably perished.
or these men, Bradley, Seeley and Blakes
lee belonged to the Church of England. The
cry began to be raised of persecution and
prescription of this religious body in thu
parish. The charge was untrue. Toward
the church itself there was no animosity, bu
when II was seen that within Its sacred en-
closure were found not only the open bu
many secret enemies of the new born nation
II could hardly hope to escape criticism. II
support Of this 10 submitted the following
document most strangely preserved through
the years, and whose authenticity cannot b.
questioned:
To his honor, John Martin,
Commiesary general at New York.
/ With npeed.