The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-14
Richard Mansfield

''''N
Richard Mansfield, one of the original
settlers of New Haven colony and an
cestor of nearly all of the Mansfields
in this region and many in other States,
came from Exeter, England, and set
tied in Quinnipiac Gas New Haven was
then called in the year 1889.
In the first grant of land divided
among the settlers, one of his tracts or
farms commenced at a point where Is
now the southwest corner of Church
and ELM streets, and running thence
northerly and westerly to points not
clearly defined and which descended to
his children for several generations My
mother could remember seeing Mans
field cows with their heads over the
fence at this corner, gazing wistfully
perhaps at luxuriant grass growing on
the site of our present City Hall. From
the first winter in his new abiding
place to shield himself from billiards.
and wild beasts, Mr. Mansfield built for
himself a habtation (after designs of
Robinson Crusoe) or the site of the
gent.
Another grant of land to Richard
Mansfield was on the Neck, 80 called"
being that portion of the settlement sit
uated between the Mill and Quinnipiac
rivers. Ut was on this grant Of land
that the writer first saw the glory Of
the sun, the splendor of the moon. the
twinkling of the stars, learned to eat
green apples NOT far advanced from
the blossom state, and consequently
took his first dose of soothing syrup
In the year 1889 a Mansfield son was
born on this tract and when this child
arrived at the proper age he was taken
to the meeting house on the green to
be baptized The only way of reaching
the center at that time was by way of
Ferry path. and the ferry at now Neck
bridge. AS the baptismal party We're
crossing this ferry the mothers foot
slipped on the last stepping stone and
she and the child were precipitated in
to the cat tails or bullrushes on the
west bank of the river They were res
cued from this dilemma in a somewhat
disheveled condition. and it was decd-
ed then and there to call the child
Moses. This Moses Mansfield became a
citizen of credit and renown. He held
the title of major then the highest
existing military rank. and the town of
Mansfield in this State was named for
him on account of his having conduct
ed a successful raid on the Indians who
were troublesome in that region at the
time OF King Philips war. He was the
ri firms of 10
Hopkins Grammar school and his name
appears conspicuously in the early
town records. He resided for many
years on the Sargent corner. inherited
from his father.
On the LIST of October, 1928, a grand
son was born to Richard Mansfield,
bearing the same name. This Richard
Mansfield entered college at the age of
fourteen and shortly after his gradua-
ton was placed in charge of the Hop
kins Grammar school, and while thus
engaged he studied for the ministry,
having adopted the Episcopal faith. He
went to old England to be ordained,
there then being no bishop in New
England to perform the ceremony. At
ter his return he accepted a call to the
parish in Derby with several adjoining
townships and remained as rector Of
this parish for the unprecedented term
of seventy-two years, he being ninety
six years old at the time of his death.
During all these years in visiting
through his wide field of parish duties.
he journeyed on horseback as the
roads much Of the time were in too
poor condition to admit of his riding in
a zone boss shay" He is said to have
been a very graceful "Caballero," his
tall and manly figure sitting his horse
with the suggestion of military hero.
1t is nowhere recorded that he was
anything of a jockey and perhaps it
is irreverent to even suggest such