of the town, 25 retailing Mercantile Stores.

The population of Fairfield, in 1810, was 4135, and there are

ly, they were taken in abundance; but they have greatly declined, owing, it is thought, to their being taken before they have attained their full growth; which has pre-about 500 Electors, 3 Companies vented their increase. This evil of Infantry, part of a Company of might be avoided by suitable regu- Cavalry, and the principal part of lations, controlling the fishery. a Company of Artillery, of militia, The various kinds of fin fish found and about 550 Dwelling houses. in the sound are taken here; and, The aggregate list of the town, in the season, shad are taken in in 1817, was $86,872. the rivers, and various other fish. Shad are not taken extensively, nor is the fishing business of any description of importance, farther than to supply the demands of the inhabitants of the town.

The town is well accommodated with roads; the great turnpike leading to New-York passes thro' it. This road leads directly through the celebrated Pequot swamp, which is about two miles west of the Court-house.

The civil divisions of Fairfield consist of 3 located Congregational Societies or Parishes, Fairfield, Greenfield and Greensfarms; and 16 School Districts. A part of the Society of Stratfield is within the limits of this town. Besides the located Societies, there is a Society of Episcopalians, a Society of Baptists and a Society of Methodists. Each of these religious Societies is provided with a house for public worship. There are 4 The manufactures of this town Clergymen, 7 Attornies, and 5 are not extensive or important; Physicians. There are 16 primathe milling business, however, is ry Schools, one in each District, carried on to a considerable ex- and 3 Academies, which are well tent. There are 9 Grain Mills, established and respectable. There 4 of which are upon tide water, are 2 Social Libraries, one in the have several sets of stones each, Society of Fairfield, and one in and are employed principally in Greenfield, which contain a reflouring wheat, which is brought spectable collection of well selecfrom other States. Some of these ted books, and are flourishing. mills have kilns for drying Indian There are four villages within the corn, which is afterwards manufac-town; Fairfield, Greenfield Hill, tured into meal for the foreign | Saugatuck and Mill river. The markets. The other mills are ancient village of Fairfield is situaerected upon the streams of wa-ated upon the great stage road. It ter, and are employed in custom-has a very pleasant site, and is ers' business. There are 2 man-considerable of a settlement, alufacturing establishments of wool though it has never entirely recoand cotton, which flourished du-vered from the devastation which ring the war, but have since de-lit experienced during the revoluclined, 2 Fulling Mills and Clo- tion. It is built principally upthiers' works, and 5 Tanneries. on one street; in the centre of There are, in the different parts which is an interesting green,

tion, it acquired a high reputation, which has since been maintained, and it is now a flourishing semina

upon which the Court House is situated. Here there is a Post office, a Congregational Church, a flourishing Academy, the Coun-ry; and a more eligible situation for ty Gaol, and a number of hand-youth cannot well be selected. some Dwelling houses. The Custom-house for Fairfield

The village of Saugatuck, situated about two miles from the mouth of the river of the same name, has considerable trade, and is a flourishing and prosperous settlement; but during the winter, the harbour is obstructed by the ice.

Greenfield Hill is justly celebra-district is kept at this place. ted for its elevated, prospective Mill River is a flourishing maand beautiful situation. It stands ritime village. Its trade is greaton a commanding eminence, near-er than that of any other settlely in the centre of the township; ment in the town, and consists of being about three miles north-a coasting trade with New-York wardly from Long Island sound, of and the southern ports, which is which it affords a view as far as carried on extensively, and genethe eye can reach. On this emi- rally to advantage. It also has the nence, in the centre of a flourish-advantages of a considerably exing village, is a spacious court- tensive and fertile back country. yard or green, upon which stand It is the most wealthy village in a Congregational Church and an the town, and is not probably exAcademy. From the belfry of ceeded by any of its size in the the church, in this village, may be county. seen ten other churches. It is presumed that no other spot in Connecticut affords a prospect so extensive and delightful; the country upon the Ousatonick may be distinctly seen at the distance of ten miles; and, in every direction, the view is extensive, diversified and interesting; the surrounding country being thickly settled, in a HISTORY. The tract of counhigh state of cultivation, and in try which now forms the town of the summer months clothed with Fairfield was discovered by the the richest verdure. In this vil-pursuit of the Pequots, in the year lage, vessels are daily seen passing||1637, along the shore of Long Islup and down the sound, being in and sound, over the territory which full view; and, at times, nearly now comprises the towns of Kilone hundred sail of different des- lingworth, Guilford, Branford, Newcriptions, consisting of ships, brigs, Haven, Milford and Stratford, to schooners and sloops, including the the great swamp, which to this steam-boat, may be seen. Here day bears the name of that tribe, there are a number of neat and by Capt. Mason, who commanded handsome Dwelling houses, and a the troops of Connecticut and flourishing Academy, which was Massachusetts. This is the swamp established and maintained for where the great fight, took place, twelve years by the late President between the troops of Connecticut Dwight. Whilst under his direc-and Massachusetts, and the Pe

Here there is an Academy

and a Post office.

quots, in 1637; which terminated since been altered in many places. in the almost entire annihilation of As but a small part of this exthat once powerful and warlike || nation of savages.

tensive tract of land had been occupied, previously to the time when Sir Edmund Andross made his appearance in Connecticut, the inhabitants of this town adopted this plan of dividing their purchase, to prevent their wild lands back from being taken from them; supposing that, as they were actually in the occupation of the front of their lots, they might be considered as possessing the whole; so far as to render it private property, and not subject to the disposal of the British government. The lots were of different width; some being about ten rods wide, while others were fifty rods in width. Each propri

Having been greatly pleased with the appearance of this country, Mr. Ludlow, who was a magistrate in the colony of Connecticut, and had accompanied Capt. Mason, in order to assist him with his counsel, in the year 1639,|| with eight or ten families, removed from Windsor, and commenced the settlement of the present town of Fairfield. They were shortly afterwards joined by several persons from Watertown, and others from Concord; and the inhabitants soon became numerous, and formed themselves into a distinct township, under the juris-etor had set to him a lot, the diction of Connecticut. They came from these several towns about the same time; and soon afterwards purchased of the Indians that large tract of country which comprises the parishes of Fairfield,Greenfield, Greensfarms, and that part of Stratfield lying within the town of Fairfield, all the town of Weston, and a considerable part of the town of Reading. After Connecticut obtaned a charter, the General Assembly granted these people a patent.

Having obtained this patent, the proprietors soon after divided the territory purchased into lots, which run from near the shore of the sound, back about ten miles, reserving suitable highways, running parallel to and at right angles with these lots, the course of which was north, 28 degrees west. These highways were laid entirely straight for ten miles; but have

width of which was probably regulated by the amount of the money paid by such proprietor; as in measuring off these lots, regard was had to inches, which shows a precise arithmetical calculation. Each of these lots has to this day been called by the name of the first proprietor, although a very considerable proportion of them are owned by persons of different names. Nearly in the centre of this town was reserved a tract, one mile in extent, which was not divided, and was called the mile of common. Greenfield Hill is within the limits of this tract.

This town, at an early period, became wealthy and populous, and sent deputies to the General Assembly in Connecticut, at Hartford; while Stamford, west of it, was under the government of NewHaven.

Although the towns of Reading and Weston were formed from the

town of Fairfield, yet this town, owing to the fertility of its soil, and the numerous advantages with which it is favoured for commerce, has ever stood among the first towns in Connecticut, in point of wealth and population.

of Greenfield, were reduced to absolute want; but were there generously and humanely entertained for a considerable time.

The event took place on the 9th of July, 1779; a day which every honourable and feeling mind, nay, every mind not benumbed with brutal apathy, will recollect with

This town suffered very severely during the revolutionary war. Perhaps a more aggravated in-unutterable horror! stance of wanton barbarity cannot be found in the annals of civilized nations, than the burning of this place by the direction of Tryon. Tryon achieved the deed malign, "Tryon, the name for every sin; "Hells blackest fiends the flame survey'd,

The General Assembly, soon after the burning of this village, granted to the Presbyterian Society of Fairfield, 600 pounds out of the avails of the confiscated estates

"And smil'd to see destruction spread;

"While Satan, blushing deep, look'd

on,

"And infamy disown'd her son!"

of the tories, to assist that Society in re-building their meeting house.

In the year 1792, a grant of lands was made to the individuals

of this, and of other towns, who sustained losses during the war by the British troops; andthose who have not disposed of their lands will, by the rise of The part of the town which suf- them, undoubtedly realize the full fered by the plundering and burn-amount of their respective losses. ing of the British was the village The Episcopal Church, (which in the centre of the parish of Fair-was an elegant building,) and the field. Eighty-five dwelling houses were consumed; two churches, one elegant court house, several school houses, together with out houses, barns, &c. shared the same fate. These wretches plundered the church of a service of plate!

The distress occasioned by this event was extreme; many of the inhabitants having been compelled to flee for their lives to the parish

parsonage house, were burnt at the same time; but the Society to which they belonged, have never received any thing from the treasury of this State, on that account.

At the session of the General Assembly, in May 1818, a lottery was granted to the Episcopal Society in this town, as a remuneration for their loss.

DANBURY.

DANBURY, the semi-seat of the northwestern section of the justice of the county, and a flour-county, 58 miles southwest from ishing agricultural and manufactur-|Hartford, 35 northwest from Newing post township, is situated in Haven, and about 65 miles north

east from New-York; bounded on the north by New-Fairfield, on the east by Brookfield and Newtown, on the south by Reading, and on the west by Ridgefield. Its mean length is 8 and a half miles, and its mean breadth more than 6 miles; comprising an area of about 53 square miles.

Of the manufactures of the town, that of hats is the most important, and the business most extensively carried on. This is an important manufacturing interest, and employs a large portion of industry, and considerable capital. There are 28 Hat Factories in the town, some of which are upon an town-extensive scale. The products of these establishments form a respectable item of exportation; they being sent principally to the southern States for a market. Some are sent to New-York and elsewhere. Besides the manufactures of hats, there are 2 Woolen Factotories upon a large scale, 3 Fulling Mills and Cloth Dressing establish

This is a rich agricultural ship; its geological character being primitive; the rocks consisting of granite,gneiss, with some pri mitive limestone. The soil, or super stratum,is in general a gravelly loam, interspersed with some sections of sandy loam, and some of calcareous, and is warm, feasible and fertile. The face of the country is un-ments, 4 Carding Machines for cusdulating, and pleasantly diversified; being characterized by gentle hills and dales, with some moderate, ridges, running in a northerly and southerly direction. In the calcareous strata there are some appearances of marble, some quarries of which have been opened.

Of the waters of the town, Still river is the only considerable stream; it discharges itself into the Ousatonick. Upon this stream, which passes through the centre of the town, there are several manufacturing establishments.

The natural growth of timber consists of oak, walnut, chesnut and other species of hard wood. The agricultural interests embrace most of the staple productions, both of a system of grazing and of a grain culture. Of the latter, wheat, rye, Indian corn and oats; of the former, cattle, sheep, beef, cheese and butter are the principal.

tomers, 3 Grain Mills, 1 Paper Mill and 4 Tanneries. There are also several lime kilns, from which considerable quantities of lime are produced.

Danbury comprises two located Congregational Societies or Parishes, and 17 School Districts. Besides the located, there are 2 Societies of Baptists, 1 of Episcopalians, 1 of Methodists, and 1 of Sandemanians. In the first locatted Society, there is a large, flourishing and interesting village. It is built principally upon one street, which for more than a mile exhibits an almost continued range of buildings, consisting of Dwelling houses, Mercantile Stores, Hat Factories, Mechanics' Shops, &c. Within one mile and a quarter, there are more than 100 Dwelling houses, with a great proportion of other buildings. There are also a Court house, 2 Churches and a Post office in the village. The