On the Road with Haddam Historical Society: Who is Lt. Shubael Road Named After in Higganum?

Submitted by Elizabeth Malloy, Exec. Dir., HHS.

Who is Higganum’s Lt. Shubael Road named After?

After coming up blank with the last name of Shubael, we discovered that Shubael was a first name in the 18^th century and that it appears that Lt. Shubael Road was named for Shubael Brainerd a native of Haddam Neck and later resident of Higganum.

Brainerd was involved in the ship building concerns at Higganum Landing and made a living as a privateer. A privateer vessel was a privately owned ship authorized by the government to harass and seize enemy ships and confiscate supplies. A portion of the take was given to the government and the crew would split the remainder for a profit. Privateering was a lucrative venture and many Haddam men participated in capturing English ships for the Continental Army. They made money by selling confiscated cargoes including salt, rum and sugar.

Written histories note that Brainerd was a first lieutenant of the schooner Eagle, commander of the Freedom and later a crew member of the Samson (Sampson) which was captured by the English in 1782. He and other shipmates were imprisoned in the notorious prison ship Jersey in New York Harbor. His gravestone says he died on September 13, 1782 in New York. According to historian D. D. Field the imprisoned crew were poisoned with alcohol given to them by the enemy. Seven of the men died in June, but Brainerd did not die until September. Later written histories have the men being poisoned by the prison ship cook and only the master gunner survived because he did not like the flavoring used. It is likely we will never know the entire story, but Lt. Brainerd’s legacy lives on in Higganum.

Shubael is buried in the Old Higganum Cemetery with his son, William who died at age 15 in 1795 in Hispanola. His wife, Ruth remarried Captain Heman Brainerd and continued to live in Haddam.