Misplaced Pages

#924075

37-543: The Unquowa School is a private K-8 school that was established in 1917 by a group of parents in Fairfield, Connecticut . This Connecticut -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fairfield, Connecticut Fairfield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut , United States. It borders the city of Bridgeport and towns of Trumbull , Easton , Weston , and Westport along

74-601: A Juvenile Review Board (JRB) for certain juvenile cases outlined by the Fairfield Police Department. Fairfield is represented in the Connecticut General Assembly by one Republican , Sen. Tony Hwang , and three Democrats , Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey , Rep. Jennifer Leeper , and Rep. Sarah Keitt . The Fairfield Police Department was created in 1926, approximately 287 years after the town

111-508: A few days before the authorities moved him on. On April 27, 1780, a boat which Mary had hired departed Black Rock Harbor with Judge Jones aboard to return him and bring Silliman back. By coincidence that very same day, Silliman’s New York captors had chosen to send him home, so both prisoners returned safely home. Following Gold Selleck Silliman’s death on July 21, 1789, his widow was left in considerable debt. She sold two of her enslaved workers, apparently timing their sale to take advantage of

148-539: A law being considered by the Connecticut Assembly that would have reduced their value. Despite financial troubles, she was determined to send her sons Selleck and Benjamin to Yale so that they could benefit from the same education as their brothers and father. Both sons studied law at New Haven. In April 1804, she and Dr. John Dickinson of Middletown were quietly married by her son James in Wallingford . After

185-783: A model of female independence. She married John Noyes, the son of the Rev. Joseph Noyes of the First Church in New Haven, on November 16, 1758. Her new husband was a former rector of the Hopkins Grammar School in New Haven who preached occasionally, engaged in modest dealings in the shipping trade, and suffered from epilepsy. Together, they lived in a house on Elm Street in New Haven and had three children who survived to adulthood: Joseph in 1761, John in 1762 and James in 1764. John Noyes senior died in

222-410: A series of illnesses and misfortunes, Mary Fish Noyes Silliman Dickinson died on July 2, 1818, aged 82. As her sons grew independent and had children of their own, Mary assumed the role of family matriarch , advising and nurturing her spreading family circle. Her son Benjamin described her as a "heroic woman". Ultimately, historians Joy Day Buel and Richard Buel Jr. describe Mary as “less a daughter of

259-478: A wealth of recreational opportunities, many of which stem from Fairfield's enviable location on the Long Island Sound. The town government consists of the three-member Board of Selectmen, a Representative Town Meeting (RTM), a Board of Finance, a Board of Education, a Town Planning and Zoning Commission (TPZ), and many other politically appointed commissions, boards, and committees. The current First Selectman

296-500: Is Bill Gerber ( D ). As of November 27, 2023 Democrat controlled 2–1 Democratic Supermajority 31–9 Democrat Controlled 5–4 *Special Election held in 2021 to replace the seat left vacant by Ed Bateson on 5/17/21 Democrat Controlled 5–4 The town has no criminal or civil court system, and all trials are handled by the Bridgeport Superior Court system. However, the town does also offer access to

333-883: Is on the shore of the Long Island Sound . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 31.3 square miles (81 km ), of which 30.0 square miles (78 km ) is land and 3.4 square kilometres (1.3 sq mi), or 4.15%, is water. Rivers flowing through Fairfield include Mill River , Rooster River , Ash Creek , Sasco Brook, and Aspetuck River . Fairfield consists of many neighborhoods. The best known are wealthy Southport , where General Electric Chief Executive Officer Jack Welch lived for many years, and Greenfield Hill , with its large green areas, famous dogwood trees, and picturesque green with its white-spired Congregational church. Other neighborhoods include Stratfield, Tunxis Hill,

370-559: The American Revolutionary War began in the 1770s, Fairfielders were caught in the crisis as much as, if not more than, the rest of their neighbors in Connecticut. In a predominantly Tory section of the colony, the people of Fairfield were early supporters of the cause for independence. Throughout the war, a constant battle was being fought across the Long Island Sound as Loyalists from British -controlled Long Island raided

407-637: The Gold Coast of Connecticut . As of 2020, the town had a population of 61,512. The town is part of the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region . In 1635, Puritans and Congregationalists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony , were dissatisfied with the rate of Anglican reform, and sought to establish an ecclesiastical society subject to their own rules and regulations. The Massachusetts General Court granted them permission to settle in

SECTION 10

#1732855218925

444-622: The Merritt Parkway . It has three Metro-North Railroad stations, Fairfield–Black Rock , Fairfield and Southport . The town is served by several public bus lines of the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority . Mary Silliman Mary Fish was born on May 30, 1736, in Stonington, Connecticut , to Joseph Fish and Mary (Pabodie) Fish. At the age of fifteen, she entered the school of Sarah Osborn, an accomplished woman and

481-482: The census of 2010, there were 59,404 people in the town, organized into 20,457 households and 14,846 families. The population density was 1,927 inhabitants per square mile (744/km ). There were 21,648 housing units at an average density of 703 per square mile (271/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 91.6% White , 3.7% Asian , 1.8% African American , 0.06% Native American , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 1.2% from other races , and 1.6% from two or more races. 5.0% of

518-575: The Assumption. A third Catholic primary school, Holy Family, was closed by the Diocese of Bridgeport at the end of the 2009–2010 academic year. Non-religious private schools include Fairfield Country Day School and the Unquowa School . Fairfield is also home to two post-secondary institutions, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University . Fairfield is traversed by U.S. 1 , Interstate 95 , and

555-735: The Patriots had no acceptable prisoner to exchange for Gold, some of his friends decided to take one. They chose Tory leader and Chief Justice Thomas Jones of Long Island. On November 6, with the consent of the Governor, Captain David Hawley of Stratford and Captain Samuel Lockwood of Norwalk captured both the Judge and a young man named Willett, whom they hoped to exchange for Billy. Jones was held in Mary's home for

592-567: The Pequannocke sachems – afterwards greatly enlarged by other purchases to the westward – and recalling the attractive region beyond (Unquowa), which he had personally seen on the second Pequot expedition, he also "set down" there, having purchased the territory embraced in the present town of Fairfield, to which he gave its name. Fairfield was one of the two principal settlements of the Connecticut Colony in southwestern Connecticut (the other

629-668: The Revolution than a child of the Puritans.” The Silliman Family Papers, housed at Yale University, include a wealth of Mary’s writing in the form of her journal, papers, and letters, and are a rich resource. The story of her experience during the American Revolution is depicted in the 1993 film Mary Silliman’s War , produced by Heritage Films. The film, based on the Buels' The Way of Duty , seeks to dramatize three major themes surrounding

666-453: The Silliman farm, entertained militia officers, housed refugees of war, managed the labor of several enslaved workers and her adult stepson, drew accounts, and collected rent on her late first husband’s farms, all while her husband led the state militia. On May 2, 1779, a band of Loyalists captured Gold and his son from a previous marriage, Billy, holding them prisoner on a Long Island farm. At

703-605: The University area, Grasmere, Mill Plain , Knapp's Village, Melville Village, Holland Hill, Murray , and the Fairfield Beach area, which has recently undergone a renaissance with the construction of many new homes by residents wishing to live in proximity to the beach and downtown. This has resulted in steadily rising property prices. Two shopping districts in town include the Post Road ( U.S. 1 ) and Black Rock Turnpike . As of

740-473: The coast in whaleboats and privateers . Gold Selleck Silliman , whose home still stands on Jennings Road, was put in charge of the coastal defenses. In the spring of 1779, Silliman was kidnapped from his home by Loyalist raiders in preparation for a British raid on Fairfield County. His wife, Mary Silliman watched from their home as, on the morning of July 7, 1779, approximately 2,000 British troops landed on Fairfield Beach near Pine Creek Point and invaded

777-457: The comforts of adequate food and clothing. Correspondence between husband and wife was sparse and delayed. On the morning of July 7, 1779, a British fleet arrived to mount a full-scale attack on Fairfield , and Mary evacuated her household to North Stratford. Throughout her husband’s captivity, she wrote letters to well-connected men, like Connecticut’s Governor Trumbull , in order to appeal for their help in securing an exchange for Gold. Because

SECTION 20

#1732855218925

814-514: The community since 1895. The Stratfield Volunteer Fire Department has several stations and has served the community since 1920. Fairfield has two public high schools , Fairfield Warde and Fairfield Ludlowe ; three public middle schools, Roger Ludlowe , Tomlinson, and Fairfield Woods Middle School ; and eleven public elementary schools. Fairfield has several Catholic schools, including two high schools, Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame , and two primary schools, St. Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of

851-525: The fall of 1767. He was intestate, and Mary became his executrix . All three sons went on to enter the ministry, following in the footsteps of their father and grandfathers. Mary and Colonel Gold Selleck Silliman , a lawyer and member of one of Fairfield County’s most influential families, were married on May 24, 1775, in Stonington following a courtship sustained by frequent letters. The new couple moved to Gold’s farm in Fairfield soon after. Their marriage

888-475: The land called Unquowa (presently called Fairfield), and established the name. The name "Fairfield" is commendatory. According to historian John M. Taylor: Early in 1639, the General Court granted a commission to Ludlowe to begin a plantation at Pequannocke. He was on that errand, with a few others from Windsor, afterwards joined by immigrants from Watertown and Concord . He stole a large tract of land from

925-570: The nearby Sikorsky Aircraft plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The opening of the Connecticut Turnpike in the 1950s brought another wave of development to Fairfield, and by the 1960s the town's residential, suburban character was firmly established. Fairfield became the home of the corporate headquarters of General Electric (GE), one of the world's largest companies, ca. 1970. On May 8, 2017, GE relocated to Boston, Massachusetts. The town

962-437: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 20,457 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

999-627: The poverty line. In May 2012, Moody's Investors Service revised the Town of Fairfield's $ 192 million general obligation bond debt from negative to stable. In June 2012, Moody's awarded Fairfield with an AAA bond rating, which it maintains to this date. In 2005, the mill rate of Fairfield was 16.67. The 2012–2013 taxes in Fairfield rose 4% to a mill rate of 23.37. The 2013–2014 mill rate which went into effect on July 1 for fiscal year 2013–2014 also increased by 2.38% to 23.93. Fairfield residents enjoy

1036-457: The time of their kidnapping, Mary was six months pregnant with their second child; the child Benjamin was born during his father's captivity. Money was a constant struggle, as the family assets suffered from Gold’s indefinite absence and General Washington ’s refusal to offer assistance to Gold who, though an officer, was not on active service at the time of his capture. Gold survived a bout of smallpox early in his captivity and often went without

1073-539: The town; the force proceeded to burn Fairfield due to the town's support for Patriot cause. A decade later, President George Washington noted that after traveling through Fairfield that "the destructive evidence of British cruelty are yet visible both in Norwalk and Fairfield; as there are the chimneys of many burnt houses standing in them yet". The First World War brought Fairfield out of its agrarian past by triggering an unprecedented economic boom in Bridgeport, which

1110-520: The towns of Windsor , Wethersfield , and Hartford which is an area now known as Connecticut . On January 14, 1639, a set of legal and administrative regulations called the Fundamental Orders was adopted and established Connecticut as a self-ruling entity. By 1639, these settlers had started new towns in the surrounding areas. Roger Ludlowe , framer of the Fundamental Orders, purchased

1147-511: The twenties. By the time of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 , the population had increased to 17,000 from the 6,000 it had been just before the war. Even during the Depression , the town kept expanding. The grounding of a barge with two crewmen on Penfield Reef in Fairfield during a gale led to the 1st civilian helicopter hoist rescue in history, on November 29, 1945. The helicopter flew from

Unquowa School - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-539: Was Stratford ). The town line with Stratford was set in May 1661 by John Banks, an early Fairfield settler, Richard Olmstead, and Lt. Joseph Judson , who were both appointed as a committee by the Colony of Connecticut. The town line with Norwalk was not set until May 1685. Over time, it gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following is a list of towns created from parts of Fairfield. When

1221-405: Was $ 117,705 (these figures had risen to $ 103,352 and $ 121,749 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $ 69,525 versus $ 44,837 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 55,733. 2.9% of the population and 1.8% of families were below the poverty line . Out of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and 3.6% of those 65 and older were living below

1258-420: Was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.19. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. The median household income (in 2013 dollars)

1295-722: Was founded. The town of Fairfield is protected by the 95 career firefighters of the Fairfield Fire Department (FFD), and volunteer firefighters of the Southport Volunteer Fire Department and Stratfield Volunteer Fire Department. The career Fairfield Fire Department operates five fire stations, located throughout the town, and uses a fire apparatus fleet of five engine companies, one ladder company, one rescue company, three fireboats, and 1 Shift Commander's Unit, as well as many special support, and reserve units. The Southport Volunteer Fire Department has served

1332-471: Was rooted in lasting friendship, deep affection, and mutual respect. Mary and Gold Silliman had two children together: Gold Selleck (born October 1777) and Benjamin (born August 1779). Knowing that military involvement in the American Revolutionary War could rob her of her second husband through absence or death, Mary learned the workings of his farm as well as knowledge of his financial affairs. Mary fell ill with dysentery in 1776 but upon recovery, ran

1369-420: Was the center of a large munitions industry at the time. The prosperity accompanied a temporary housing shortage in the city, and many of the workers looked to Fairfield to build their homes. The trolley and later the automobile made the countryside accessible to these newly rich members of the middle class, who brought with them new habits, new attitudes, and new modes of dress. The prosperity lasted throughout

#924075