Morning journal and courier., 1891-06-20
NORTH HAVEN ANNALS.

interesting Glean1ngs-That Great
and Memorable September Gale
And There were Tories once Upon
Time-List of Postmasters-The
Ancient Town Tax Rates.
Following is the concluding portion of
;he special paper begun yesterday:
THE SEPTEMBER GALE, 1898.
Among all the events of the first half of
5he present century the ''great gale of
1928" stands out clear and distinct in the
of the oldest Inhabitants of the
town. It was "training day" in North
Haven. The wind came up from the
southeast toward sunset, and before dark
blew so Gercely no one could stand before
it, No rain fell but the night was one of
intensest gloom. The air was filed with
salt spray from Long Island sound and
particles were carried twenty miles and
more inland. Iron work was deeply
corroded next morning; leaves and branch
es were stripped from the trees and many
of the latter blown down-crops were
levelled, buildings unroofed, windows de-
molished and fences scattered.
Cattle became frightened at the roaring
tduu were nervous 1OT W06kb Uu0T0d1 C0T.
The selectmen were in session at Jesse An
drew's tavern, but early adjourned, and
how they reached home some of them
could never tell. One MALTA man crawled
on his knees about half mile, minus hat
and coat never found. The stormed ceased
before daylight and general desolation was
apparent on all sides. A curious freak of
nature was the blossoming of Sundry sp-
pie trees in the following October.
ToRYIsM.
Tradition has always credited, among
others, Philemon Blakeslee with tory
record in the revolutionary war. Recent
inquiry has brought to light his version of
the affair which gave him that reputation
1t is story strange and unaccountable,
but has been well preserved from his lips
in the family history. It seems that dur
ing the war he was employed as sailor in
the West India trade. AS his vessel was
all hands but himself and boy being
ashore, the craft was suddenly boarded and
the matches fastened down upon them.
Sail was made and with the aid of row.
boat the vessel was pulled out and got
under way. No attention was paid
to the prisoners until late next
day. At this time they were
brought on deck and recognized
themselves as on the shore of Long Island
and near the British forces Both were
landed and separated The boy was never
heard of again. Blakeslee was command
ed on pain of being shot at sight by any
soldier to make himself useful in the camp
and their service. There was no way Of
escape and he was inhumanly treated by
his captors. Here he passed long time
in servitude. Ir the fall of 1779 be was
surprised to see in the camp one day Josh
ia Chandler, whom he had known in
North Haven. The recognition was mutual
Chandler promised to secure his release
and in due time he was taken to New York
and from thence to the American lines.
After many hardships on the way he
reached home after an absence of nearly
three years. His neighbors at once ac-
cused him of desertion and disloyalty,
though for what reason does not appear, I'M
less it was the sight of some English silver
pieces which he had in some way secured
and incontinently shown. In spite of his
story and his assertions, they surrounded
his house one night soon after his arrival
with the intention of mobbing him. (This
was at the Evelyn Blakeslee place.) He
escaped in the darkness and ran that night
to the house of relative in what is now
called Foxon. At this place he was
furnished with horse and by circuitous
route decided to ride to Wolcott to anoth-
er relative. He reached the place during
the next forenoon, and remained concealed
there until the war closed. Upon peace
being declared he returned home and ap-
parently was no further molested. Indeed
in later years he filled various responsible
Offices in the town.
The use of "midd1e names" at baptisms
began to come into use here 1880 to 1900.
LONG LEASES.
In 1919, the First Ecclesiastical society
owned real estate listed at a value of
1000. 1t consisted mainly of woodland
lying east of the village and north of the
present road to Ciintonville. On January
%, 1922, part of this tract, thirty eight
acres in extent, was divided into four
parts and leased at public vendue" for
the term of 900 years, as follows
Tract No. /, to Alling Ives for $a07.5O.
Tract No. 2, to Isaac Stiles for $500.
Tract No 3, to Roswell Todd for -.
Tract No 4, to jeremiah Bradley for $t26.
Agents of this society will do well to
keep bright lookout on this property in
the year 1891.
SECULAR BUSINESS IN THE MEETING HOUSE.
Previous to 1897 the Congregational
meeting house was the rallying point for
town meetings. In that year, September
II, vote was passed by the Ecclesiastical
society excluding from it all business ex-
cept such as directly concerned such church
and society. September 20, 1880, this
vote was repealed. In 1885 it was re-
enacted, but by some special permission
"high school exhibitions were allowed to
be held in it. In 1847 Hon. Henry D.
Smith, now of Plantsville, celebrated such
an event. In the following year Leander
Cook, a high school teacher, had like pos
session of it. The latter exhibition caused
much displeasure, and Immediately there
after it was voted "that the meeting
house be hereafter closed against
school exhibitions" At the enlargement
of the church edifce in 1878 other
legislation in the line Of publication was
agreed to as part of the consideration of
MIR. Alfred Linsley's gift of 81 900 toward
such remodeling. The spirit of this gift
was Christian and commendable Mr.
Linsley had the true int erests Of the church
at heart. He earnestly desired that the
custom prevalent everywhere of selling ar
ticles "by ticket" or "taking ,chances'' in
the same, be abolished. In this the society
heartily conceded with him, but by most
uulOrLuuhCe CHOICE OF WORDS IN LIE Bona
and Agreement" between the two parties
the society was made to say (and so convey
an impression in the distant future per-
haps which would have no foundation in
fact: "We will use all due diligence to
prevent any lottery or game of chance to
be hereafter played or carried on in said
building" This phrase, so wrong and
misleading, should never have been used.
POSTMASTERs
According to the Connecticut Register
the following persons have held appoint
ments as postmaster in the town. The
dates have not been verified by the U. S.
official record at North Haven Center:
William s. Hail. appointed 1s49 yearly sala-
ry, S5S; first years receipts $115.)
Rev. Ammi Lindsey, appointed 1852.
Hervey T. Dayton appointed 1855,
James T: Hall. appointed 1857.
Isaac B. Human appointed 1859.
Henry S. Lopez, appointed 1861.
Whitney Elliott, appointed 1868.
Isaac w. Stiles appointed 1865.
Nathan W. Brown, appointed 1867.
Philo Bronson, appointed 1869.
Isaac w. Stiles, appointed 1871.
Henry II. Stiles, appointed 1873.
Henry G. Hart. appointed 1877.
stephen G. Gilbert, appointed 1886.
Edward L. Goodyear, appointed 1882
AT MoNTowEsE.
Willard A. Robinson, 1872.
George FL Cooper, 1889.