By Florence Goodman

In this month's article I will share the stories of the lives of three more soldiers from Farmingbury settlement who volunteered to serve in the fight for our country's freedom. Two of these men were brothers who grew up in our town and the third soldier had a famous son. They all served their town well.

Samuel Byington was born March 21, 1751. His parents were Daniel and Sarah (Butler) Byington. He had a brother Daniel born in 1738 and a sister Sarah born in 1742. Samuel kept a tavern and inn on the green in Farmingbury. He was a prominent member of the Farmingbury parish church and many of the church business meetings were held at his house. Samuel married Olive Warren on March 17, 1775, in Farmington. They had two children. Samuel joined the Colonists in the summer of 1776, serving as a Private in his brother Lt. Daniel Byington's Company, with Colonel Gay's Regiment. He also served under General Horatio Gates in the 1777 "To the Northward" the northern campaign (1775-1781) which was critical to the American Revolution. The exact date that Samuel returned home to Farmingbury is not available. In about 1790 records show that Samuel and Olive were living in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, but they later returned to Wolcott. In 1796 Samuel built a home on 47 acres of farmland on Bound Line Road across from the town green. It was referred to as the "Publick House" and Samuel was the innkeeper. Adjoining the inn were the blacksmith and wheelwright shop. In 1797 Samuel sold the property. The new owner, Abijah Fenn built a store next to the inn on the corner of Center Street and Bound Line Road. Fenn maintained the inn, blacksmith shop and wheelwright shop for many years, but the exact date is unavailable. Land records show that in 1844 David Bailey built a new house on the property where the inn once stood. Today it is referred to as the David Bailey House and is located at 335 Bound Line Road. Samuel died on December 17, 1823, and is buried in Southwick Cemetery, Southwick, Massachusetts.

Daniel Byington II or Jr. was born in Branford on June 4, 1738. His parents were Daniel and Sarah (Butler) Byington. Daniel had a sister, Sarah born in 1742 and a brother, Samuel who is researched above. Daniel married Elizabeth Hall on December 29, 1762. They had eleven children. His father, Daniel Senior, was one of the leading men in organizing the parish of Farmingbury. Daniel's father was chosen clerk of the Society at the first meeting held in October 1770 and held the office for the next year, after which Daniel took over the position serving as clerk for approximately 26 years. He also served in other town affairs during that time. Daniel's father was a mechanic and had a shop for building and repairing various wooden articles used in those days. Daniel followed in his father's footsteps making great wheels for spinning wool and little wheels for spinning flax. His son, Daniel III also worked in the shop along with him. Daniel II held a Lieutenant's commission under George III in the French and Indian War (1761), and during that time the Byington name was changed from Boynton to Boyington. When the Revolution broke out Daniel joined the Colonists serving as a 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Company, Colonel Charles Webb's Regiment. Daniel died on May 8, 1824, and is buried in Edgewood Cemetery.

Our third soldier James Thomas was a cooper by trade who was born in Scotland in October 1747 and settled in Farmingbury. James married Martha Barnes on March 3, 1773. They had seven children. He built a one and a half story Cape Cod style, post, and beam home in 1775 on Spindle Hill. Seth Thomas, famous clockmaker was their fifth child born in the house in 1785 and lived there until about 1810. James served in the Revolution in the 13th Company, 15th Militia Regiment, but the exact dates of his time served were not found. He died on May 14, 1796, and is also buried in Edgewood Cemetery. The Thomas House is located at 36 Peterson Lane. Seth built many of his first clocks in Wolcott and provided jobs to the Spindle Hill residents during this time.

These are three of the nine Revolutionary soldiers who will be included in our Patriots' Day Scavenger Hunt to be held on April 18th from noon to 2:00. Be on the lookout for posters around town or on our Wolcott Historical Society website (wolcotthistory.org) to register for this event. There is a QR code on the poster which when scanned will allow you to register.

Interested in visiting our Center School History Museum or the Stone Schoolhouse Museum? Call me at 203-879-9818 to make an appointment or go to our website to email me there.

(Information for this article was taken from two brochures: one from the Wolcott Historical Society titled, "WOLCOTT In The French and Indian Wars, The Revolutionary War and The War Of The Rebellion," and the second "The Journal of Josiah Atkins of Waterbury Farmingbury Society In Ye State of Connecticut N. England 1781" printed by the Mattatuck Historical Society, Waterbury, Number 21. October 1954; 1986 Historic Resources Inventory by J.P.Loether Associates; History of the Town of Wolcott (Connecticut) from 1731 to 1874 by Samuel Orcutt; and hours of research by Deb DuBois on Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and other online research sites; a talk given by Florence Goodman, for Patriots' Day 2017; The Journal of Judah Frisbie, A Soldier of the Revolution by Judah Frisbie and compiled by The Mattatuck Historical Society, 1943; Woodtick Cemetery records)

In 1797, Samuel sold his property. The ad says 90 acres, but other sources say 47 acres. It was a lot of land for sure.

This is the David Bailey House that was built in 1844 on Samuel's original property. It is located on the green at 335 Bound Line Road and is owned by John and Rose Ann Olsen.

Daniel Byington's tombstone is in the historic section of Edgewood Cemetery.

Not far from the Byington stone in Edgewood Cemetery you will find the tombstone of James Thomas.

The James Thomas house built 1775 is located on Peterson Lane.

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