James Penfield b Feb. 24, 1761 m. Dec 24, 1786 d Dec 11, 1842 apoplexy, age: 81
James Penfield pension
&
Mary Tucker b Sept 18 1766 d.22 Sep 1854, age: 88 m. 12/24/1786
Both bur. Fairfield East Cemetery
W26298
On March 25 1843 Mary Penfield of Fairfield age 77 personally appeared before Probate, making a declaration
to obtain benefit under Pension Act of July 7, 1838 granting half pay to certain widows.
She [Mary] was married to the said James Penfield on Dec 24th 1786. That her husband James Penfield died at Fairfield Dec 11, 1842. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1794 at the town above stated [Fairfield]. That said James Penfield drew a pension of $40 per Annum the balance of which from Sept 4 1842 to December 11th 1842 she has drawn as his widow and that she still remains his widow.
Smith Turney, Judge
Mark [?] Moore Clerk
Isaac Sherman is a Justice of the Peace
that Samuel A. Nichols is a Justice of the Peace
March 7th 1843 that I am the regular Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Fairfield, Connecticut and, as such the records of said church are in my custody; and that in the first volume of said records there is a writing the words and figures following to wit. "James Penfield Jun-r and Mary Tucker were married 24th Dec-r 1786 --
P-r Andrew Eliot VDM ...
[Verbi Dei minister (Minister of the Word of God), also verbi divini minister (Minister of the Divine Word), is a Latin religious title abbreviated V.D.M.. The term is typically appended as a name suffix to a person's full name to denote his status (sometimes self-determined) as a Christian minister.[1] The title is mostly used by Protestant preachers and pastors.
This is generally the preferred title of Calvinist ministers, because they have worked for the extensive de-clericalisation of the church and it is felt to refute any claim or suggestion that the pastor has a more elevated status than the rest of the congregation, in accordance with the doctrine of universal priesthood.]
Lyman H. Atwater Pastor of the First Congregational Church Fairfield subscribed before me Samuel A. Nichols Justice of Peace
A Brief History of
First Church Congregational
of Fairfield, Connecticut
The Reverend Andrew Eliot was called to be the Pastor in 1773 and through his preaching and oratory created significant support for independence throughout the colony of Connecticut. His courageous support of rebellion against the King resulted in an attack on Fairfield in July 1779. British ships landed troops on Fairfield’s beaches that marched up Beach Road and burned First Church and its parsonage, the Anglican Church, schoolhouses, the courthouse (Fairfield was the county seat), nearly fifty shops and stores, and almost 100 houses, and laid waste to scores of farms, livestock and barns. Fairfield and First Church were devastated by this raid and by the time the town was rebuilt, it had lost much of its normal business, as well as prestige, to neighboring Newfield (now Bridgeport). The fourth Meeting House was modeled after the one destroyed in 1779, but it was forty-two years before it was properly finished. The congregation worshiped in it for the first time in 1786, a fact which suggests the slow recovery from the devastation and losses of the War of Independence.
William L Peet of Bridgeport 53 years of age deposes and Saith that Mary Penfield of Fairfield in sd County is the mother of deponents wife [Hannah Penfield Peet] and that her husband was James Penfield late of said Fairfield and that said James Penfield was a pensioner of the United States on the Rolls of the Connecticut Army and that said James Penfield died in said town of Fairfield as I [? verily/ verify?] believe on this 11th Day of December 1842
I was present at the funeral but did not see see him die but have no doubt of the fact that he died on the day aforesaid and I further testify and say that his widow the said Mary still remains the widow of of s-d James Penfield.
W L Peet
William L Peet personal appeared before me
Isaac Sherman, Justice of the Peace
James Penfield and Mary Tucker were married
Mary Penfield her mark Apparently Mary could not write her name OR could no longer write her name at the age of 77.
