General history of the town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. from its first settlement

Chapter XIII 110—163 Biographical Notices — Family Sketches, Genealologies, Etc

Appendix A 165—166

Form of Deeds Given by the Government's Committee to the Purchasers of Rights to the Common Land in Sharon.

Appendix B 167—170

Patent of the Town of Sharon.

Appendix C 171—174

Rev. Cotton Mather Smith's Reply to Rev. Dr. Trumbull's Circular.

Appendix D 175—176

Copy of the Deed by which the Indians Conveyed Away their Last Claim of Title to Lands in Sharon.

Appendix E 177—

List of Names of Soldiers of the Revolution, belonging to the Town of Sharon, who served in 1776, taken from the Controller's Books, in Hartford.

history of the town op sharon. 9

Appendix F 178—181

Narrative of Adonijah Maxam.

Appendix G 182—183

Graduates of Yale College who have been Citizens of Sharon.

Appendix H 184—

Names of the Children of the Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, with the dates of their decease.

Appendix I 185—190

Roll of the Representatives from the Town of Sharon to the General Assembly.

Appendix J 191—193

Town Officers.

Appendix K 194—

Hymn composed by the Hon. John Cotton Smith, and sung at the Celebration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the First Town Meeting.

Appendix L 195—198

History and Dedication of the Soldiers' Monument.

Appendix M 199—302

The Hotchkiss Library.

Appendix N 203—204

The Catholic Church in Sharon.

Preface To First Edition

The Author of the following pages was requested by his fellow citizens of the town of Sharon to prepare an address to be delivered at the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of their first town meeting, on the 22d day of December, 1839. This request was complied with, but the short period in which it was prepared rendered it, necessarily, in many respects imperfect, and in some inaccurate. By the advice of many friends he has been induced to embody the facts connected with the History of the Town in the form here presented, and to commit the work to the press for the benefit of the inhabitants of liis adopted town. The labor of making the researches has necessarily occupied much time, and no effort has been spared to make the work accurate in its details. In preparing sketches of the many citizens of the town who are brought to notice in the last chapter, the personal history of more than two hundred individuals, many of whom have been dead for a half century, has been investigated, and many names which had long since gone into forgetfulness are brought to liglit. It is not unlikely that in this part of the work some errors may have intervened, but it is believed that in almost every instance accuracy has been attained.

If the work shall prove interesting or useful to the citizens of the town, the labor incurred in its preparation will be well repaid.

Sharon, March 1842,

Preface To Second Edition

It is now thirty-five years since the author published a His - tory of the Town of Sharon. He was appointed by his fellow townsmen to prepare an address to be delivered on the one hundredth anniversary of the first town meeting of the town. This led him to a partial but by no means thorough investigation of facts connected with the history of the town. Very little aid was obtained from public documents, other than the records of the town, and the principal reUance for items of history was upon the traditions handed down from the early settlers. Under these circumstances the work was committed to the press. The consequence was that in regard to the early history of the town, it was very defective, owing to the uncertainties of traditions and the barrenness of documentary proof. Since the book was published, the study into the history of local corporations has become very general, and the success which has in some cases attended such pursuits has encouraged the author to make more minute investigations into the facts relating to the early history of Sharon. In prosecuting this purpose he was greatly aided by the late Nathaniel Goodwin, Esq., of Hartford, who was an antiquarian of most scrupulous accuracy, and who delighted to extend his aid in the difl'usion of historical knowledge. Many of the documents thus obtained have been copied into this work, that the men of those times may give in their own language a history of their trials and success.

When the first book was pubUshed some were living who were acquainted with some of the early settlers of the town, and whose recollections extended back to the preaching of Whitfield and to the exciting times preceding the war of the Revolution. Many others then survived who took an active part in that war. The late Alpheus Jewett, Esq., was one of the party which was organized in Sharon, vrhich broke up and scattered a large body of tories who had gathered at Washington Hollow, N. Y., in 1777, to welcome the coming of the British General, Burgoyne, then on his way with a large army from Canada. He was also in the battle at Compo in Fairfield, where Lieut. Samuel Elmer, Jun., was killed, and furnished the particulars of that battle as given in the body of this work. He had a remarkably retentive memory, and the aid which he furnished the author in gathering up the incidents in the history of the town is gratefully remembered. The same acknowledgment is due to the memory of the late Calvin Gay, Esq., from whom the author derived much aid in the preparation of the notices of individuals noticed in the last chapter.

These worthies of the olden time have all gone to their rest, but their statement of historical events occurring during their time furnish the only authentic information of many incidents in the annals of the town.

It is only of late that the Author has been persuaded to prepare and publish this edition of the work. The strong interest expressed by the prominent citizens of Sharon for the embodiment of such additional facts as might be brought to light by further investigations into another edition of the work, has persuaded him to engage in the undertaking. If in any degree it answers the expectations of those who have urged the publication, he will feel much gratified.

CHARLES F. SEDGWICK.