Among the reports of
Independence celebrations that greet you, I think that Ridgefield in
Brookhaven Town, deserves notice. Ridgefield is the Eastern village
on the middle or old Post road, and extends to the west line of
Riverhead Town. The school district includes Longwood, the residence
of Hon. Wm. Sidney Smith, and his seven thousand acres of land, as
his share in the Patent lands of his ancestor.
The people have
recently erected a neat and very convenient School House, in which
beside the usual school of the week, meetings and Sabbath schools
are held, and the Reverend John Woodruff, Presbyterian minister of
the Parish of Middletown, which includes the several villages of
Coram, Coram mills, Swezeytown, Middle Island, Longwood, and
Ridgefield, attends at the latter place alternate Sabbaths.
The celebration of
the 4th of July was agreed on, and preparations were made
freely by the people. An invitation to attend and aid was sent to
Rev. Mr. Woodruff and Benjamin T. Hutchinson, Town Clerk, who
cheerfully responded. Capt. Henry M. Randall arrived home from sea,
bring numerous flags and signals which decorated the grove, where
the long tables were loaded by the generous and patriotic ladies
with substantials and luxuries of our land and from the sunny South.
The ceremonies were opened by Mr. Hutchinson by a short address,
referring to the days and Patriots of ’76, and impressively stating
the object of the celebration was to keep up the spirit of
patriotism in the people and especially to imbue the rising
generation with the love of our whole country that they, with the
like patriotic spirit of our Fathers of 76, may ever keep our Union
the “Land of the Free and the home of the brave.” He then read the
Declaration of Independence.
Rev. Mr. Woodruff
followed with an appropriate address.Captain Henry M. Randall
followed with a short but well written oration hastily prepared,
after his arrival home.
Mr. Hutchinson then
gave a cordial welcome to the feast, to all who love our country,
whether accidentally born on our land because their forefathers came
here or born in other lands and proving their great love of ours by
leaving the homes of their youth and coming to the land of Liberty;
all were welcome on this our National Sabbath, where sects and
parties are not known – but those from Prussia, Erin, Old England,
that twice fought against us – Sunny France that aided us and now
enjoys a free government – and Spain, long a war nation now
following our example of an elective free government.
Rev. Mr. Woodruff
rendered due praise and the people about eighty partook of the feast
with general joy and thanks giving.
After the feast, by
special request of Mrs. Smith, Mr. Hutchinson read his poetic
address to Sabbath School scholars of forty stanzas, heretofore
published. He then repeated a jubilee hymn purporting to come from
the seven sons of Mr. and Mrs. Smith who came from California,
Wisconsin, and other states bringing their wives and children to
hold the fiftieth anniversary of their union on May 7th.
Mr. Smith and family who were present, were much affected by the
repetition of its sweetness