The Huntington Burial Grounds on Church Street has its share of Revolutionary War Patriots.
Forty-one men who served the American cause are buried there.
These Patriots were discovered by the Sarah Riggs Humphreys Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
On Flag Day the Chapter members placed flags at the various graves.
The Huntington Burial Grounds is next to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which is the oldest church building in Shelton. During the Revolution, St. Paul’s was forced to close because it would have had to swear loyalty to King George III.
After the war, all Anglican parishes were reorganized and remain in spiritual communion with the Church of England.
Results of the research went into a booklet which includes the names of the Patriots, who they served under and the campaigns they fought.
Much of the information includes first hand accounts found in the Revolutionary War Pension requests made by the Patriots themselves when they applied for a pension.
Barbara Wells, Regent of the Sarah Riggs Humphreys Chapter, recently presented the booklet to Rev. Janet Waggoner, Pastor of St. Paul’s Church.
Mrs. Wells noted that the month of July is the 230th Anniversary of the New Haven Alarm and the burning of Fairfield.
Most of the men buried at the Huntington Burial Grounds participated in defending Long Wharf Harbor in New Haven and in the battles at Fairfield and Norwalk.
She also said that the purpose of the DAR is to preserve history, perpetuate the unsung heroes of the American Revolution and to educate the public. What better way to celebrate our freedom than to discover those who served here at the Huntington Burial Grounds?
Rev. Waggoner, in receiving the booklet, expressed her thanks and said the information will be available to everyone.
She said Shelton has many unsung heroes for which the whole community can be proud.
For more information about St. Paul’s Church, go to http://www.stpaulsct.org/ or call (203) 929‑1722.
For more information on the Daughters of the American Revolution, call Mrs. Wells at (203) 550‑9643 or go online at www.sarahriggshumphreysdar.org.
