THE LIFE OF REAR-ADMIRAL ANDREW HULL FOOTE, U.S.N. CHAPTER I. BIRTH, FAMILY, AND EARLY DAYS. ANDREW HULL FOOTE was born in what is known as the "Buddington House," on the corner of Union and Cherry Streets, in New Haven, Connecticut, Sept. 12, 1806. Though the blood of the "De Veres, the Bohuns, and the Bigods" did not run in his veins, he was descended from good New England stock of God-fearing Puritans, whose first American ancestor, from whom he was removed about eight generations, was Nathaniel Foote, who came from England to Watertown, Mass., in 1630, and in 1635 was one of the company of emigrants of whom Trumbull, in his history of Connecticut, says they were fourteen days in the wilderness on their journey from Watertown and vicinity to begin settlements on the Connecticut River, at Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor. Nathaniel Foote settled at Wethersfield, and belonged to the original proprietors of that town, where he died in 1644. His son Robert, from whom Admiral Foote is directly descended, emigrated to Branford, Connecticut, and was among the early settlers of that town. Wethersfield, Hadley, Branford, and Cheshire numbered among their earliest and best citizens the descendants of Nathaniel Foote; and in all the trials and marked events of New England history-in pioneer labors, the witchcraft delusion, Indian conflicts and captivities, the colonial wars and the war of the Revolution-this well-known and widely spread family bore its full share, some of its members having shed their blood and given their lives on the battle-field for their country. They were chiefly agriculturists; but filled every responsible position in social and civil life, and by their sturdy worth and intelligence helped to build up the good old commonwealth of Connecticut. The grandfather of Andrew was John Foote, a native of North Branford, who was a graduate of Yale College in 1765, and for about fifty years was pastor of the church in Cheshire, Connecticut, where he died in 1813. He was one of the oldfashioned New England ministers, who were settled over their parishes for life, and whose life formed an integral part of the history of the town itself. For nearly a hundred years the grandfather and great-grandfather of the Admiral were the pastors of the village church, the one succeeding the other.* * The following incident respecting Lucinda Foote, daughter of Rev. John Foote, which has been recently revived in the public prints, shows that that reverend gentleman was not of the opinion of Aaron Burr, who thought that one tongue was enough for a woman. At the age of twelve years Lucinda Foote was fitted to enter Yale College, as appears from the following copy of a translation of a certificate in Latin, written upon parchment, given to her by President Stiles, and also inserted by him in his diary on the same date: "The President of Yale College to all to whom these presents shall come.-Greeting: Be it known to you that I have examined Miss Lucinda Foote, twelve years old, and have found that in the learned languagesthe Latin and the Greek-she has made commendable progress, giving the true meaning of passages in the Æneid of Virgil, the Select Orations of Cicero, and in the Greek Testament; and that she is fully qualified, except in regard to sex, to be received as a pupil in the Freshman Class in Yale University. Given in the College Library, the 22d of December, EZRA STILES, President." 1783. Though kept out of college, Miss Foote pursued a full course of college studies, and also studied Hebrew with President Stiles. She married at eighteen, and died at the age of sixty-two, having been the mother of ten children. |