Sanders to notify hidden tales on Feb. 10

Edward “Ned” Armstrong and his spouse, Betsy Armstrong, lived a tranquil, tricky-operating existence in Ridgebury in the 19th Century their tombstones are observed amid the ancient monuments in Ridgebury Cemetery.

They have been remembered in the title of the space where they lived: Ned’s Mountain, and Ned’s Lane, where it’s believed the family, comprising three generations, experienced a small compound. But there is a lot extra to the Armstrongs’ story, as effectively as the story of others who also lived on the mountain, than has been bundled in revealed histories of Ridgefield.

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m., Jack Sanders will share recent exploration that reveals that the Armstrongs not only operated a Ridgefield station on the Underground Railroad, but that reveals that their grandsons ended up among the the a lot of black troopers who fought and died in the Civil War. He will introduce other black people who lived on Ned’s Mountain and also sent sons to the 29th Regiment (Coloured) of Connecticut Volunteers. 

Newspaper article content, contemporaneous accounts, old maps, records of the Town of Ridgefield, census data and navy information all delivered items of this story of how Black Ridgefielders have been capable to aid the formerly enslaved on their journey north to security and how Black Ridgefielders also fought in the Civil War when the Point out of Connecticut at last permitted their service.

Mr. Sanders discovered a variety of surprises in his exploration, which he will discuss in the Feb. 10 webinar. Subsequent the hour-extensive presentation, there will be an possibility to question issues.

The plan is introduced by the Ridgefield Historic Society, with the RIdgefield Library, and Ridgebury Congregational Church. To sign-up, take a look at ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org a Zoom backlink will be offered a couple of times in advance of the application. The webinar is sponsored by CT Humanities and Fairfield County Lender.