Program Looks At Newtown In The Revolution

Town Historian Daniel Cruson will speak about Newtown In The Revolution at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, March 25, in the Meeting Room of the C.H. Booth Library.

Newtown has long been seen as a Tory/Loyalist town, and it did indeed have a large percentage of its population remain loyal to the Crown. There were, however, a large number of patriots who actively fought for independence and distinguished themselves in many of the Revolution’s greatest battles and conflicts. In addition, Newtown contributed to the cause of Independence in many other ways. Mr Cruson’s slide illustrated presentation will focus on the many ways in which Newtown contributed to and was affected by the war.

Newtown first felt the war in the fall of 1775, when a troop of militia under Ichabod Lewis marched into town to disarm a large group of Torys who were planning an armed uprising to hold Fairfield County for the Crown. Mr Cruson will share with the audience the exciting eye-witness account of the brutality of this invasion along with an account of the raid’s aftermath.

Although the Danbury raid did not effect the town directly, many of its militia members went to Ridgefield to oppose the retreat of the British soldiers from Danbury. One of these was Newtown’s famous William Edmond, who was not only a figure of state and national importance, but was also a hero of the Battle of Ridgefield. Hear how this strong willed man lay wounded on the battlefield for more than 24 hours, operated on himself, and endured a pronounced limp for the rest of his life.

The winter encampment of 1778–1779 and that of the following winter, which was located on Newtown’s western border, again did not directly effect the town. For several of Newtown’s young ladies, such as Betsey Foote, however, their lives were changed forever by these two winter camps. Mr Cruson will present the romance and tragedy of these young women whose stories, until recently, were an unsung part of the Revolution.

Newtown actually had a execution during the Revolution, just as they did on Gallows Hill in Redding. Hear the story of Newtown resident Robert Thompson, who was recruiting his neighbors for the British, when he was caught with incriminating evidence. That evidence will actually be read and an account of his demise will also be shared with the audience.

Mr Cruson will present all this and more on March 25 as he shares 25 years of research on the effects of the Revolution on central Fairfield County and especially on Newtown.