The Newtown bee., 1891-04-10
FAIRFIELD.
THE CONSOLIDATED-M
TROUBLE.

TROUBLE.
Some time ago, the Consolidated road
bought of Lawyer. John l.. Morehouse,
or his mother, three acres of land near
the French crossing, paying $1,000 an
acre. When the deeds were sent to Mrs
Morehouse for signature, she discovered
that the tract was bounded on the west
by land of Charles French. Inserting the
name of John l.. Morehouse, she sent it
to New Haven for correction. The 0ffic-
ials of the road ridiculed this idea and de-
clared that Mr. Morehouse didn't own
land there; they had bought him out en-
tirely. AS he maintained his position,
they sent Lawyer w. Il. Haviland of Stod-
dard, Bishop & Haviland to Fairfield to
search the records. After weeks of la
Dor, Mr. Haviland was forced to acknowl-
edge that Mr. Morehouse held a clear title
to bit of land there, the title being
proven as far back as 1866. This being
granted, the company tried to buy the
land, but could not agree on the terms
and brought it before the railroad COM
missioners, in whose decision each side
can claim partial victory. 1t appears
from the town records that, at the point
where Mr. Warehouses; land strikes the
tracks, there was a public highway from
about 1866, 40 years after the landing of
the Pilgrims, until few years ago. For
nearly two centuries, it was the main
highway from the inland town to tide
water at Black Rock harbor. In the sos
the Black Rock turnpike was built and
soon afterward became a town road.
This took the place of the old road which
gradually fell into disuse and, when the
bridge over Ash creek, below the rail-
road, was swept away, it was not re-
built. The old road was still used by
people who owned land south of the
tracks and private crossing was kept
planked When the stone ballast was
put on, about four years ago, the planks
were taken up and the road refused to
lay them again. This cut Mr. Morehouse
off from about three acres of woodland
and salt meadow. Expostulations were
vain and Mr. Morehouse submitted. The
road now refuses to give him access to
this land and even tried to claim that he
didn't own it, but found this claim refut-
ed by facts. The road was willing to
have the old highway discontinued by
the town, but Mr. MorehOuse and others
proved that it was their only access to
Fox island, tract of 30 or 40 acres and
that he owned IA small strip there besides.
A new road to Fox island will be built by
the company and there will probably be
no difficulty in inducing the town to dis
continue the old road. as not of common
convenience and necessity. But Mr. More
house will not sell triangular strip of
land he owns, with private interest in
the old highway, unless he is given en-
trance to his land south of the track, or
it is bought at fair price. If some set
Element is not reached soon, he will sue
the company to compel them to provide
crossing.
a rusted cannon ball was found in the
excavations for the foundations of the
new Congregational church. The ball,
found about three feet below the surface,
near the southeast corner of the lot, was
of cast iron and weighed about 0pounds.
Philo l.. Fox, foreman for Builder A. w.
Burritt, has it carefully laid away at his
Bridgeport home. This cannon ball was
evidently one fired during the burning of
Fairfield in the Summer of 1779, when
Hessians and Tories, under the lead of
that arch Tory, Gov Tryon, landed at
Fairfield beach and proceeded to the CEN
ter of the village, meeting with but little
resistance. No determined stand was
made by the townspeople, who were too
few in number and too poorly armed to
offer any serious obstacle to the progress
of the enemy; but they gathered at fort
on Round hill and bOmbarded the village
with such cannon as they had. An I'M
verified tradition of the town says that
one or more Hessians were slain by this
bombardment and that their bodies were
hastily buried in the yard back of the
church. Tryon's headquarters were at
the Buckley inn which stood on the cor
ner back of the town house, now occu-
pied by the residence of II. S. Glover.
The Bulkleys, who were direct ancestors
of several of the Fairfield families of to-
day, were hearty sympathizers with the
cause of the Tories. For this reason, the
inn, which stood somewhat nearer the
street than Mr. Glover's house, was not
burned with the rest of the village, al
though neither church nor town house
were spared. The four houses still stand
ing on the opposite side of the street
were left undisturbed and are the oldest
houses in Fairfield village. That occu-
pied by Judge Glover is said to antedate
the others. Besides the two houses he
owns, Town Treasurer Edmund Hobart
owns one and Mr. Hobart and Miss Han
nah Hobart the other. Mr. Hobart's
house was fired by sparks during the con-
Migration, but was saved, though a small
hole burned in the timbers remains to
this day. The roof and walls of Judge
Glover's house are popularity supposed to
contain number of British bullets.
Mrs A. Fl. Beers has visited her sister
at City Island.
John Dalling occupies the house lately
used by Mrs j. B. Clemens of Mill Plain.