The ancient historical records of Norwalk, Conn ... - Hay genealogy

174 NORWALK.
cattle, horses, and prisoners. Onesimus saw some
" Red-coats" stealing along up a creek, and gave the
alarm to Miss Phebe.
^'
We put on ; we had good
horses then, and we ran ; we did not go slow." They
escaped—gave the alarm at the Old Well— the guard
pursued, and took two " Red-coats" prisoners.
Phebe Comstock used to visit Mr. Hezekiah Hanford's
girls down town. At one time, old Mr. Hanford
said, *'Now, Phebe, I will take you to the spot where
the first of your ancestors used" to worship God, when
they first came to this country."
''
Pshaw !" said Mrs.
Hanford, *' what do you want to take the girl down
there for .?" " Because," said Mr. Hanford, " she takes
an interest in these things, and will remember. Our
people care nothing about it.''
He then led her down
to the place where the old meeting-house stood, near
Dennis Hanford's, and said, '' Here your fathers used to
worship God : and when the first old shanty became too
small, they built another house up there ;" pointing to
the spot where John Mallory since lived. She remembers
well the meeting-house that was burnt in the Revolution.
It was larger than the present house, and had
two tier
of galleries.
Often heard people speak of Mr. Buckingham ; he
was an excellent preacher, but it was said that he
drank too much ; and that was tha reason that he was
dismissed.
Thomas Benedict, aged 82, March 14, 1847. After
the burning of Fairfield, the enemy was expected here.
They came Saturday, while the people were harvesting.
While he was driving the team, John Saunders, one of
the tories, came along and said, " O, boys, you are too
late to harvest." Saunders had finished his harvest.