Lafayette in Branford

Saturday, August 21^st, 1824, 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Lafayette passed through the town of Branford in the late afternoon on Saturday. The New York Commercial Advertiser reported very simply that “his reception was very gratifying, the people being assembled from all quarters to receive him.” Perhaps more could have been said about the General’s time in Branford, but it seems that the press was not covering the tour at this point, but instead was relying on the word of mouth from those traveling along with Lafayette. 

Although we don’t know exactly what happened in Branford when Lafayette came to town, one story which was passed down through a local family probably has a bit of truth and gives us a clue to what happened that day. In almost every town where Lafayette stopped, elderly veterans of the Revolutionary War were brought forward to be presented to the General. According to the descendants of Daniel Averill, he was probably one of those veterans who had the opportunity to share a few private moments of conversation with the hero.  

Daniel Averill lived in New Preston, Connecticut, when in 1778, at age fifteen or sixteen, he enlisted in the Continental Army as a private and fifer. He served for the next three years and fought in the Battle of Monmouth and other engagements. At the time of Lafayette’s visit, Averill was living in Branford and his descendants claim that when he was presented to Lafayette, the General greeted him with the words, “one of my old soldiers.” While it is true that Lafayette and Averill were both at the Battle of Monmouth, most likely they did not know each other personally. The fife belonging to Daniel Averill is on display at the Harrison House Museum in Branford.

But where in Branford would Lafayette have been presented to Daniel Averill? As in other small towns along the route, the residents were probably alerted in advance as to when Lafayette would be passing and where to congregate to greet him. Usually, the designated place of gathering was the town green or another public place, such as in front of a tavern. In Branford, two different locations are claimed by local traditions as the stopping place of Lafayette in 1824. The Totoket Hotel, a large three-story brick building, stood on the Boston Post Road in the center of Branford near the village green. According to the descendants of Daniel Averill, this is the place where their ancestor met with General Lafayette. 

However, another Branford family has a different story. The Towner Tavern which stood on the Boston Post Road equidistant between Branford and Guilford was also known as the “Halfway House.” The tavern, run by David Towner and his family, was in operation when Lafayette passed through Branford in 1824. An etched “flip” glass, which descended in the Towner family, was said to have been used by Lafayette at the tavern. The glass was later donated to the Branford Historical Society by David Towner’s g-granddaughter where it can be seen at the Harrison House Museum in Branford. 

Of course, it is possible that Lafayette stopped at both locations, but this is something we will probably never know for sure.