LIST OF MEMBERS OF REDDING ASSOCIATION

Adams-James and Jabez.

Bailey-Jonathan, Joseph, Oliver, and Samuel.

Betts-Stephen, about whom there has been some disagreement. Mr. Todd, in his history of Redding, says, in speaking of Tryon's march through the place,-"A posse of them entered the house of brave old Stephen Betts and carried him off a prisoner." Posse is a good word, but "brave old Stephen" knew the roads thereabouts pretty well, and made an excellent guide.

There is another Betts on the MS. list in the State Library, and I do not give my honored old Tory on this list, as his name does not so appear.

DeForest-Ephraim. He, in the spring of 1783, went with his wife and three children to St. John's.

Fairchild-Peter, called "a noted Tory." An Andrew appears in the

state records, thus: "Lazarus Beach, Andrew Fairchild, Nathan and Enos Lee, and Abel Burr of Redding, and Thomas Allen of Newtown, of the county of Fairfield, being tory convicts and sent by order of the Law to be confined in the town of Fairfield," etc., etc. They escaped and were remanded. Gray-James, and James, Jr. Griffin-Silas.

Gyer-Of this name, five are given here, and two more in Sabine: John, Joseph, Darling, Thaddeus, and Nathaniel; and Nathan and Lazarus. There is also mention of a "John Guyer" on the account book of Mr. Andrew Lane, then of Redding, thus: "Ap. 13, 1787-Lazarus Beach, Dr. For taking John Guyer and committing him to prison, cost of assistance, expenses, and fees upon execution, 2. 12. 0!"

Hawley-Samuel.

Hill-Erksine.

Hoyt James. Went to St. John's in 1783; became a merchant; was a member of the Loyal Artillery in 1795; died in Kings County in 1803.

Hull-Seth. Was of the line of that citizen of worth and distinction (so spoken of by Mr. Stiles), George, of much official memory in two commonwealths. His son Jonathan married Eunice Beach, and their son, the Rev. Lemuel Beach Hull, succeeded in his generation to the ministry of Christ Church, which he held next longest to that of its founder and his great-grandfather, the Rev. John Beach.

Jackson-Peter.

Judd-Samuel and his three sons, Samuel, Jonathan, and William.
Kane-Captain Barnard, of the New York Volunteers.

Kellogg-Ezra.

Knapp-Moses, Jonathan, and David.

Lacy-Stephen.

Lee-Enos, John, William, Nathaniel, and Silas.

Loder Jacob Loder (who is on the MS. List), died at Sheffield in 1817, at the age of 71. Lyon-Eleven members: Lieutenants Peter and Daniel, Jabez, Eli, John, Joseph, Jonathan, Thomas, Jesse, Ebenezer, and Gershom of New York. Three more, Aaron and Ezekiel of Redding, and Daniel 3d, fled to Long Island in 1776. A number of Connecticut Lyons settled in New Brunswick. John, John, Jr., Reuben, and Joseph arrived in 1783, and Hezekiah was a grantee of the city. John was accompanied by his wife and five children. John, Jr., died in Kingston in 1845, aged 83, leaving many descendants.

Meeker-Jonathan and Ephraim.

McNeil-Charles and Neil.

Morgan-Captain James.

Morehouse John and Daniel.

John settled in Nova Scotia, and at his death was one of the oldest magistrates in the colony; died at Digby Neck in 1839, aged 78. Daniel became an officer in the Queen's Rangers; retired on half pay; went to New Brunswick, where he was a magistrate and major in the militia; died in 1835, aged 77.

Munger-Simeon.

Munson-Thomas.
Norton-Dr. Asa.

Olmstead-Nathan of Ridgefield. In January, 1775, he was chairman of a meeting called to consider whether the town should "adopt and conform to the Resolves contained in the Association of the

Continental Congress." About two hundred were present and expressed themselves to the effect that it would be "dangerous" to do so, and they “publicly disapprove of and protest against said Congress and the measures by them directed, as unconstitutional, subversive of our real liberties and as countenancing

licentiousness."

Patchen Andrew and Asael.

Percy-Ezra of Fairfield.

Pickett*-Nathaniel, John, and John, Jr. John was grantee of St. John's in 1783, and Lewis went there in that year also, in the "Union." Platt-Six signers: Abel, Joseph, Josiah of Fairfield; Isaac, Hezekiah, and Timothy of Redding; Obadiah Platt of Fairfield must have been of the church militant, for in 1775 we find the Whig Committee of Inspection pronouncing that all "connexions, commerce and dealings ought to be withdrawn from him by every friend of his country, for a breach of the Association of the Continental Congress."

*There is no Peters on this list, although that family were strong Loyalists and lived not far away.

Raymond-There were three of his name in Norwalk; also Silas and White, who went out in the "Union" in 1783, but are not on the list. Robbins--Ephraim.

Rowell-James, Fairfield.

Rowland-Israel, Fairfield.

San (d) ford-John, Redding. The eldest son of Ephraim and Elizabeth (Mix) Sanford. "An order was given to the committee of prisoners at Mansfield to take a bond of John Sanford (a person confined in Mansfield, an enemy to this country) for 1000 pounds, conditioned that, where-as the said John Sanford is found guilty of being inimical and dangerous to this and the rest of the United States of Ama, Ordered, to be removed and sent to the Governor and Committee of Safety to have his place of residence assigned, and hath for some time resided in Mansfield according to said order, and now moving for liberty to return to Reading for the settlement of his Mother's estate, and promising his good behavior, now if the said John Sanford shall well and truly return to Reading, dwell and abide within and not depart from out of the limits of said Town, and shall do nor say nothing in prejudice of the interests or rights of this or any other of the rest of the United States of Ama or any of the measures pursuing by them for their defense, and shall not hold any correspondence with or give any intelligence to the enemies of said States, and shall repair to any place assigned by the Governor and Committee of Safety of this State upon requisition, then the foregoing bond to be void, else, to remain in full force and virtue, and upon his executing said bond, to give said John Sanford a permit to returne to Reading without molestation e/c e/c."

Let not your present patriotism condemn that of your forefather who was thus faithful to his oath and King.

His son James Sanford turned an honest penny, when still a lad, by first becoming teamster for the other side, when the encampment demanded local service; and he afterward accompanied the troops to Green Farms and elsewhere. I was shown a sort of combination letter and affidavit corroborating this statement. It is without punctuation, and reads:

"Morristown. Oct. 16. 1837

"I now set myself Down to write a few lines to you According to your Request in your letter to me respecting my knowing of your being in the service in the Revolutionary War I Distinctly Remember your being at Blackrock under the Command of Captn. Isaac Jarvis at the fort in the time Thomas Langley Colyer was taken on the water in Company with James Derby by Captn Brewster & brought to the Fort & sent to Fishkill & Tryed for his life there was a petition Signed by a great body of the Inhabitants to save Colyer Life I Distinctly Remember seeing

you at fort about the time I Likewise Remember your Being
in the Service at Greensfarms under Captn Thomas H nash with
whom I was well Acquainted he acted in that Capacity through
the war you Remember well as I Do that we was frequently
Harrised in that Quarter you Requested that I should send my
Deposition our Justice is Gone from Home & I being so Decreppit
with the Rheumatism cou'd not go Abroad As for my memory it
holds Good as Ever it was Also my Hearing I Can Distinctly
Remember most of the transactions in the revolution
I hope
you can make out to read this for I have not wrote so much
as this in twelve months before I Retain full possession of my
Eye sight. and never wanted Glasses to Read Ever so fine a
Print & Can Read a hundred chapters in a day & not Tire my
eyes I am seventy eight Years Old I think you are a Year Older
than I am This with respect

Seymour-John.

Seelye Nehemiah, Sr. and Jr.

Sherwood-John.

Yours e/c

Jarvis Platt

Sturgis Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Jr., and Benjamin.

Thorne-Peter of Fairfield, died at Wilmot, Nova Scotia, 1844, at 87.

Turney-David. There is a Thomas, Jr., of Fairfield, who fled to Long Island in 1776. He died at Burton, N. B., in 1840, at 87, leaving thirteen children.

Wheeler-Calvin, Enos and Lazarus.

Whitlock-Four of this name, Hezekiah, Nehemiah and Ebenezer, and Ephraim of Redding. In the Queen's Rangers there was a Lieut. Whitlock who was probably one of these, since he had a perfect knowledge of the country about Norwalk, and proposed to burn the whale boats harbored there.

Williams Benjamin and Ebenezer.

This completes the list-so far as I could find-of the Redding Association in this part of the state. There were, however, a number of tory residents who probably belonged to this organization in heart, and were known to be available for any purpose. Men were careful in those days about putting their names on paper and the missionaries of the Church of England never did so. For instance, there was a Rev. Mr. Ephraim Avery of Pomfret a graduate of Yale and King's-minister of Rye in 1765 of whom Mr. Sabine gives the following rather curiously worded note: "Gen. Israel Putnam was one of the husbands of his mother-she died in the Highlands in 1777— and was deposited in Beverly Robinson's tomb."

A leading part was taken by Ensign Glover in the capture of General Silliman the night of the first of May, 1779. Glover was put in charge of eight men and ordered by General Clinton to row across Long Island Sound to the General's residence. This was quickly done and he was easily captured. On returning, Colonel Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers cried out, “Have you got him?" "Yes!" "Lost any men?" "No!" "That's well! Your Sillimans are not worth a man, nor your Washingtons!"

The incident may also be recalled of the seizure of the great and good Dr. Johnson, when, having yielded to the prayers of the frightened Fairfieldians, he tried to change the hearts of the advancing forces, or to at least prevail on them to make war gently.

The first action of the town in regard to the war is reported in the town meeting of April 2, 1777, when there is a committee appointed consisting of William Hawley, Zalmon Read, Thad3 Benedict, David Jackson, Gershom Morehouse, Stephen Betts, Jr., Wm. Heron, and Daniel Mallory, "to hire a number of soldiers to serve in the Continental Army," and another committee to see to the levying of a rate bill on each person according to his belongings, for the support of these nine soldiers and their families. In February of 1781 they voted "not to abate such assessments on Enos Lee, James Morgan, Hey Platt, Daniel Lyon, Abigail Lyon, Sarah Phinney, David Knapp, James Gray, Abigail Morehouse, Ezekiel Hill, Andrew Fairchild, and Sarah Burr, who have each of them a son or sons, or a son or sons-in-law, gone over to the enemies of the United States." And in the August of 1783, the selectmen of the town are ordered "to move out of this town all those persons that have been over and joined the enemy, and have returned unto this town, and that they pursue the business as fast as they conveniently can, according to law." The selectmen upon whom this responsibility fell were Seth Sanford, James Rogers, Stephen Betts, Hezekiah Sanford, and John Gray.