Seymour, Seth, c.1763-1849
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-11-04
Seth Seymour (c.1763-1849) was a resident of Old Well (now South Norwalk) in Norwalk, Connecticut. He notes that he was in the Coast Guard during the Revolutionary War, and that Uriah Raymond commanded a militia company that acted as the Coast Guard in Norwalk. Seymour mentions a few other incidents that took place in Fairfield County during the war, including the capture of Colonel Stephen St. John of the Connecticut Militia, a whaleboat fight off the Norwalk Islands, the killing of a man named Richards in the Darien burying ground, and the burning of Norwalk.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 606 -
Novr. 4th Seth Seymour, of Old Well: “I was in the Coast guard during the Revolutionary war. Uriah Raymond, a militia captain commanded the Coast guard for Norwalk, or rather a militia company that acted as the Coast guard. When the Refugees took Colonel St. John, they landed at Raymond’s Point and came up, guided by William Saunders, son of old Mr. Saunders of Norwalk. They took supper at old Mr. Saunders’s before they took Mr. St. John. Young Saunders went to Nova Scotia and never returned. [Is this Lieut. Saunders of the Refugees?]
- Hufeland Index Page 607 -
I think Ozias Marvin commanded the Coast Guard at Compo, being then a Captain. He was afterwards a Colonel. The whaleboat fight between Hughes (?) and Brewster, took place off the Norwalk Islands. Before they took off the Darien Congregation (a year or two before) a young man named Richards was killed in Darien burying ground. He belonged to a patrol that was crossing the Burying ground and the Refugees who were in ambush shot him dead, and afterwards took off cattle. &c. Colonel St. John was from Norwalk and was the grandfather of the sheriff, Mr. Charles Isaacs. The British let him go soon on parole. When the British took and burnt Norwalk, the fighting was all north of the village, and east of Norwalk river.