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HISTORICAL NOTICES
OF
CONNECTICUT;
Published under the patronage of the
CONNECTICUT HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
To. 1;
CONTAINING
HARTFORD IN
I
t
SETTLEMENTS ; PURCHASE - Indian Deed ; ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS AND SETTLERS ; ORGANIZATION - Town Officers - Town Book - Prices of Labor -- Strangers - Shade Trees ; ORIGINAL STREETS - Names and Locations ; ORIGINAL HOUSE LOTS ; LOCATIONS OF FIRST SETTLERS ; GENEALOGIES OF FAMILIES. .
BY WILLIAM S. PORTER, Member Connecticut Historical Society.
HARTFORD, APRIL, 1842. ELIHU GEER'S PRESS.
là Sheets Periodical.
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FINA
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326 2603
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF HARTFORD.
AFTER the settlements of Plymouth and Massachu- setts Bay, the violent persecution of the Puritans in England, made great numbers look towards America as the only safe retreat from the impending storin.
In 1630, Rev. Thomas Hooker, a man of great learning and abilities and a famous preacher, at Chelmsford, Essex, England, was silenced for non- conformity. To escape fines and imprisonment, he fled to Holland. He was held in such high and uni- versal esteem among his acquaintance, that forty- seven ministers in his vicinity, and all conformists, petitioned the bishop of London in his favor. They witnessed for Mr. Hooker, that they esteemed him, and knew him "to be, for doctrine orthodox, for life and conversation honest, for disposition peaceable, and no wise turbulent or factious." However, as he was a non-conformist, no personal or acquired excel- lencies, no testimonials of his good conduct, nor prayers of his friends, could save him from prosecu- tion and deposition. He was so esteemed as a preacher, that not only his own people, but others from all parts of the country, flocked to hear him. The noble earl of Warwick, though he resided at av great distance from Chelmsford, was so delighted with his public performances, that he frequently attended them. Great numbers who attended his ministry, and experienced its salutary effects, were willing to emigrate to any part of the world, to enjoy the happiness of such a pastor.
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HARTFORD.
No sooner, therefore, was Mr. Hooker driven from them, than they turned their eyes towards New Eng- land. They hoped that if comfortable settlements could be made in this part of America, they might obtain him for their pastor. Therefore in 1632, a large body of them came over, and settled at New- town, since called Cambridge, in Massachusetts. Those who before had arrived and commenced a settlement at Weymouth, all removed to Newtown and settled with their brethren.
They had expressed their earnest desires to Mr. Hooker, that he would come over into New England and take the pastoral charge of them. At their desire he left Holland, and having obtained Mr. Samuel Stone, a lecturer at Towcester, Northamptonshire, for an assistant in the ministry, took his passage for New England, and arrived in Boston, September 4th, 1633. With him came the famous Mr. John Cotton, Mr. John Haynes, afterwards governor of Connecticut, Mr. Goff, and two hundred other passengers of im- portance to the colony .__ Mr. Hooker proceeded to Newtown, where he found himself in the midst of a joyful and affectionate people, and was himself filled with joy. He embraced them with open arms, say- ing in the language of the apostle, " Now I live, if ye stand fast in the Lord." He was soon chosen pastor and Mr. Stone teacher. The church was gathered at Newtown, October 11th ; and after solemn fasting and prayer, the pastor and teacher were ordained to their respective offices. This was the pious band who afterwards transported themselves in their associated capacity to Hartford, which they first named Newtown.
Jn 1634, by the continued emigration to New Eug- land, the people at Watertown, Dorchester and New- town began to be much straitened ; and receiving from those who had been to Connecticut, intelligence of the excellent meadows upon the river, they deter- mined to remove thither, and once more brave the dangers and hardships of making settlements in a dreary wilderness. This occasioned great excitement
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SETTLEMENT.
and opposition in Massachusetts. But after a pro- tracted discussion, the General Court, in 1635, finally granted permission to remove thither. A commence- ment of the settlement was made in 1635. Their sufferings and trials while on their journey through the wilderness, and during the long and severe winter which followed, are well known. In 1636, Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Stone, and a company of one hundred men, women and children, took their departure from Cam- bridge, and traveled more than a hundred miles, through a hideous and trackless wilderness to Hart- ford. They had no guide but their compass; and made their way over mountains, through swamps, thickets and rivers, which were passable with great difficulty. They had no cover but the heavens, and no lodgings but such as nature afforded them. They drove with them one hundred and sixty head of cattle, and subsisted by the way on the milk of their cows. Mrs. Hooker was borne through the wilderness on a litter. The people generally carried their packs, arms and some utensils. They were nearly a fortnight on their journey. This adventure was the more remark- able, as many of this company were persons of figure, who in England had lived in honor, affluence and delicacy, and were strangers to fatigue and danger. Gov. Haynes and some others did not appear in the colony until 1637.
PURCHASE OF HARTFORD.
The Indian name of Hartford was Suckiage. The settlers first named it Newtown from the place of their residence in Massachusetts ; but in February, 1637, they gave it the present name of Hartford. The place was originally purchased by Mr. Stone, Mr. William Goodwin and others, for the proprietors, of Sunckquasson, the Indian chief and proprietor of the soil. The original treaty was lost or carried away, and was renewed by his heirs and successors in 1670. The following is a true copy from the records :
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INDIAN TREATY.
" Whereas our predecessor Sunckquasson, sachem of Suckiage, alias Hartford, did about the yeare six- teen hundred thirty six, by a writeing under his hand, pass over unto Mr. Samuel Stone and Mr. Wm. Goodwin, in the behalfe of the present proprietors and owners of the lands belonging to the township of Hartford, all that part of his country from a tree marked N. F. which is the divident between Hartford and Wethersfield-we say from the afoarsayd tree on the south, till it meet with Windsor bounds on the nortlı, and from the great river on the east, the whole bredth to run into the wilderness towards the west full six miles, which is to the place where Hartford and Farmington bounds meet ; which grant of Sunck- quasson, as occasion hath been, was by him renewed to the honoured John Haines, Esgr. and other the first magistrates of this place, and enlarged to the west- " ward so far as his country went ; which enlargement as well as his former grant was made in presence of many of the natives of the place and English inhabit- ants ; and severall yeares after, about the time of the planting of Farmington in the yeare one thousand six hundred and forty, in a writeing made between the English and Pethus the sachem or gentleman of that place, there is a full mention of the afoarsayd Sunck- quasson his grant of his country to the magistrates of this place, which grant we are privy too; and we being the onely successors of Sunckquasson and pro- prietors (before the forementioned sale) of the lands belonging to the township of Hartford on the west side of the great river, being desired to confirm and pass over all our right and interest in the afoarsayd lands to the present possessors of them, they informe- ing us that those writeings made by Sunckquasson before recited are at present out of the way, knowing what our predecessor hath done, and what considera- tion he hath received for the same,-
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INDIAN TREATY.
We, Massceckeup and William squa in behalf of ourselves and Wawarme the sister and onely heire of Sunckquasson, and Keepequam, Seacutt, Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa and Seacunck squa, the onely inhabitants that are surviveing of the afoar- sayd lands, doe by these presents owne, acknowledge and declare, that Sunckquasson whoe was the sachem of Suckiage alias Hartford, and grand proprietor of the lands adjacent, did with the consent of those of us whoe were of age to declare our consent, and with the consent of the rest of the inhabitants of this place, about the year 1636, pass over unto Mr. Samuel Stone and Mr. Win. Goodwine, in behalfe and for the use of themselves and their company, all the land from Wethersfield bounds on the south, to Windsor bounds on the north, and the whole bredth from Conecticutt river on the east six large miles into the wilderness on the west, which sayd grant was afterwards upon further consideration renewed and enlarged by the sayd Sunckquasson, upon the desire of the honoured Mr. Haines and the rest of the magistrates of this place : but we being informed that on the removeall of some of the gentlemen afcarmentioned, the papers and writeings before specifyed are out of the way, and haveing now received of Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards, a farther grattification of near the value the land was esteemed at before the English came into these parts-to prevent all farther trouble between ourselves and the inhabitants of Hartford, we the sayd Masseeckcup, Wm squa as afoarsayd, and Sea- cutt, Keepequam, Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehas- satuck squa and Seacunck squa, upon the considera- tion forementioned, by these presents have and doe fully, clearly and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoffe and confirme unto Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. John Allyn, and Mr. James Richards, in behalfe of the rest of the proprietors of the land belonging to the township of Hartford, their heires and assignes forever, all that parcell of land from a tree marked N. F. being a boundary between
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Wethersfield and Hartford on the south, to Windsor bounds on the north, and the whole bredth of land from Wethersfield to Windsor bounds from the great river on the east to runn into the wilderness westward full six miles, which is to the place where Hartford and Farmington bounds meet,-To have and to hold all the afoarsayd parcell of land as it is bounded, with all the meadowes, pastures, woodes, underwood, stones, quarries, brookes, ponds, rivers, profitts, comodities and appurtenances whatsoever belonging thereto, unto the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. James Richards and Mr. John Allyn, in behalfe of themselves and the rest of the inhabitants of the towne of Hartford, whoe are stated proprietors in the undivided lands, their heires and assignes, to the onely proper use and behoofe of the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards as afoarsayd, their heires and assignes forever ; and the sayd Massecup and Wm squa in behalf of themselves and Wawarme the sister of Sunckquasson and Seacutt, Keepequam, Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa, and Secunek squa, doe covenant to and with the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Mr. John Talcott, Mr. James Richards and Mr. John Allyn, that after and next unto the afoarsavd Sunck- quasson, they the said Masseeckeup, Wm squa, Seacutt, Keepequam, &c. have onely full power, good right, and lawfull authority to grant, bargain, sell and convey all and singular the before hereby granted or mentioned to be granted premises with their and every of their appurtenances, unto the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Mr. John Tallcott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards as afoarsayd, their heires and assignes forever, and that they the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Mr. John Tallcott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards, and the rest of the proprie- tors of the undivided lands within the bounds of the township of Hartford, their heiros and assignes, shall and may by force and vertue of these presents, from time to time and all times forever hereafter, lawfully bave, receive and take the rents issues and profitts
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INDIAN TREATY.
thereof to their owne proper use and behooffe forever, without any lett, suit, trouble or disturbance whatso- ever of the heires of Sunckquasson or of us the sayd Massecup, Wm Squa, Scacutt, Keepequam, Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa, and Sea- cunck squa, our heires or assignes, or of any other person or persons whatsoever clayming by, froin or under us or any of us or by our meaues, act, consent, priority or procurement, and that free and clear and freely and clearly acquitted, exonerated and dis- charged or otherwise from time to time, well and sufficiently saved and kept harmless by the sayd Massecup, William-squa, Seacutt and Keepequam, &c. their heires, executors and administrators from all former and other grants, guifts, bargains, sales, titles, troubles, demands, and incumbrances whatso- ever had, made, committed, suffered or done by the afoarsayd Massecup, William squa, Keepequam, Sea- cutt, &c.
"In witness whereof, they have signed, sealed and delivered this writeing with their own hands, this fifth of July, one thousand six hundred and seventy.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of Arramamatt, his mark,
Mamanto, his mark, SEACUNCK Squa's mark, I. S.
N'schegen, his mark,
CURRECOMBE, his mark, . s.
Altumtoha, his mark,
KREPEQUAM, his mark, I. S.
Wennos, his mark,
WILLIAM squa's mark, L. S.
Will. Wadsworth,
WEHASSATUCK squa's mark, I. S.
John Adams,
John Strickland,
Giles Hamlin.
MASSERCKCUP, his mark, I. S. SEACUTT, his mark, I. S.
JACK SPINER, his mark, L. S.
Nesacanelt gives consent to this grant and bargain, as he witness- eth by subscribing NESACANETT, his mark, L. S.
The original marks or signatures of the Indians are singular and grotesque. Some represent implements of war, some wild beasts, &c.
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HARTFORD.
ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS AND SETTLERS.
The following list of names is found in connection with two divisions of lands distributed to the said pro- prietors, in the proportions of the number or numbers annexed to each. The orthography is that of John Allyn who transcribed the names from the old Town Book on to the Records in 1665. The true orthogra- phy will be found on the subsequent pages. John Allyn's entry is as follows :
" The proprietors of the undivided lands in Hart- ford, with each of their proportions in one division as followeth, according to which proportions they payd for the purchass of sayd lands :"
[The ' Mr.' prefixed to the names was a high honor, and was only bestowed on clergymen and men of the highest distinction.]
-Mr. John Haines, 200, Mr. George Willis, 200,
Mr. Thomas Wells, 100, Mr. John Webster, 100, Mr. Thomas Hooker, SO, Mr. Samuel Stone, 40,
William Lewis, 40, 38, William Spencer, 30, 40,
Mr. Edward Hopkins, 120, William Andrewes, 33, 30,
Steven Heart, 40,
Bartholomew Greene, for- feited and settled by the town on
-Mr. Wm. Goodwine, 56, John Crow, 40, 20,
Mr. Wm. Whittinge, 100, John Moodey, 40,
Mr. Mathew Allyn, 110, Mr. John Tallcott, 90, James Olmsteed, 75, 70,
- William Westwood, 80,
William Pantrey, 85, 80, Andrew Warner, 84,
V John Steele, 50, 48,
Nathaniel Warde, 56, 60, John White, 50,
William Wadsworth, 52, Richard Goodman, 26,
Thomas Hosmore, 58, 60, Nathaniel Elly, 20, 18,
Thomas Scott, 42,
Thomas Standley, 42,
Timothy Standley, 36, 32,
Edward Stebbing, 28, 24,
Andrew Bacon, 28, John Bernard, 24,
Gregory Winterton, 28,
Samuel Wakeman, 35, 30, William Gibbons, 22, 20, John Pratt, 26,
William Ruscoe, 35, 32,
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PROPRIETORS AND SETTLERS.
James Ensigne, 24, John Hopkins, 26, 24, V George Steele, 26, Steven Post, 30, 24, Thomas Judd, 25, 20, Thomas Birchwood, 26, John Clarke, 28, 22,
Thomas Bull, 14, 12, George Stocking, 20, William Heyden, 14, Nicholas Clarke, 13, 12, v Thomas Stanton, 16, 14, Thomas Hales, 10, Zachary Field, 10,
Mathew Marvill, 30, 2S, , Thomas Roote, 8, 6,
William Parker, 13, 12,
William Butler, 28, Thomas Lord, 28, John Skinner, 22, 10, John Stone, removed or Samuel Hales, S, died, and left to John Marsh, 24, 12, Richard Lord, 18, Richard Webb, 30, John Maynard; 14, William Kellsey, 16, Jeramy Addams, 30, this includes the share of
Sam. Greenhill, deceased, William Holton, 12, Robert Daye, 14, Robert Bartlett, 8, Thomas Spencer, 15, 14, Edward Elmer, 14, 12, Nathaniel Richards, 26, Richard Lyman, 30, Joseph Mygatt, 20, William Blumfield, 16. Richard Butter, 16, George Graves, 24, Arthur Smith, 14, William Hill, 20, Thomas Olcok, 32, S, James Coale, 12, 10, John Arnold, 16,
Jonathan Ince, died in Bos- ton, and his right settled by the town on John Cullick, 58, 30, John Willcox, 36, 13, John Higginson, 12, not a settler, Clement Chapling, 20, Dorothy Chester, probably did not settle in Hartford, Or soon removed.
There was another large class of original settlers, who were not original purchasers. They had shares in some of the undivided lands, by votes of the original proprietors, according to the proportions indicated by the figures annexed to their names. Mr. Allyn's entry is as follows :
y Seth Grant, 14, William Pratt, 8, 6,
Richard Olmsteed, 10, S, John Baysey, 14. Joseph Easton, 10, Thomas Selden, 6, Francis Andrews, 10, 12, Richard Church, 20, 12, William Hide, 20, 18, 7 Richard Wrisley, S,
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"The names of such inhabitants as were granted lotts to have onely at the towne's courtesie, with liberty to fetch woode and keepe swine or cowes on the Common."
Y John Brunson, 10, 3,
- John Warner, 6, William Cornwell, S, Thomas Woodford, S, 6, John Biddell, 6, 4, Ralph Keylor, 6,
Thomas Lord, Jun. 6, John Hallaway, 6, Nathaniel Kellog, 6, 4,
Thomas Barnes, 6, Richard Seymore, John Purcasse, 6,
William Phillips, S, 6,
Nicholas Disbroe, 6,
William Westley, 8, 6,
Benjamin Burre, 6,
Hosea Goodwin, 10, 6, Robert Wade, 6, 4,
John Olmsteed, 4, 3,
Benjamin Munn, S, Daniel Garwood, 6, John Hall, 6,
Thomas Bunce, 13,
William Watts, 4.
In addition to the above, the following persons had been owners of lots previous to 1639, and had either sold them, or forfeited them to the town, by not settling or removing, contrary to the conditions of their grant.
Thomas Beale, 3,
Reynold Marvin,
Thomas Fisher,
Thomas Munson,
John Friend,
Abram Pratt,
Thomas Goodfellow,
Samuel Whitehead.
Thomas Hongerfortt,
John Morrice, S, 6, Nathaniel Barding, 6,
John Ginnings, 6, Paul Pecke, 8, George Hubbard, 6,
Thomas Blisse, 6,
Thomas Blisse, Jun. 4,
Edward Lav, 6,
Thomas Gridley, 6,
John Sables, 6,
John Pierce, 4, 3,
Giles Smith, S,
Richard Watts, S, 6,
Thomas Richards, S,
Henry Walkeley, 6, 4,
James Walkeley, 4, Thomas Upson, 4
Widdoe Betts, 4,
The names of subsequent settlers we shall give in future numbers.
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ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
No sooner had the first settlers arrived in 1635, V than they united themselves in a corporate capacity ; or perhaps continued the previous organization which they had in Massachusetts. The following are the first votes on record :
" Hartford, 1635."
" It is ordered, that whoesoever hath a lott granted in this towne, and removes from the same to dwell, within fower years after the granting of such lotts, then the sayd lott or lotts is to returne unto the hands of the towne agayne, they paying for the worth of the v labor done upon it : or if any person shall desire to sell his lott or lotts within that tyme, they shall first offer the same unto the towne, whoe shall either give \ the worth of the labor done upon it, or else have liberty to sell it to any other that the towne shall approve of, for the same value: and for default thereon, to return to the towne.
"It is ordered, that for anny tyme hereafter, untill it bee restreyned, the towne shall have liberty to lay out any highwayes through any men's ground, if it be found needfull, provided they give the party resonable satisfaction.
" It is ordered, that whoesoever doth not improve his house lott, by building upon it in twelve months after it is granted, then sayd lott to returne to the towne agayne.
"Upon these three condycions, all the land that is given in the towne, is granted upon."
'The next order required every householder to have x a ladder or tree to reach within two feet of the top of the house.
" It is ordered that there shall be a guard of men to attend with their arms fixed, and 2 shote of powder and shott at least, upon every publique meet- v ing for religious use, with two seriants to oversee the
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same, and keepe out one of them sentenall every meet- ing ; and the sayd guard to be free from wardings, and to have seats provided near the meeting-house door; and the seriants to repayre to the magistrate for a warrant for due execution thereof."
TOWN BOOK. No regular records of town votes, N &c. were kept until 1639, when the above orders appear to have been recorded. From that time for- ward, the records are regular and pretty full and complete. They appear to have been kept by the townsmen themselves, and not by the Register or the legal officer who made the entries of lands and any other important matters which he was instructed to record. The entries on the Town Book are in a great variety of hand writing, more like a memorandum book than an authorized record. The book is much worn and V defaced, and much of the writing obliterated, or torn or worn off the edges.
The original organization of the town was purely democratic ; all were not only permitted but required to take a part in all public proceedings. The only limitation resulted from the fundamental principle of their organization, that no one could reside among them who had not been admitted an inhabitant ; and no one could be admitted an inhabitant, except by a public vote of the freemen
TOWN OFFICERS. The first town officers were constables and townsmen. The constables were representatives of the executive power, and as such were greatly feared and reverenced. The townsmen had similar powers to those of our select-men. The following were their duties, as they were voted at a general meeting, January 1, 1638, or 1639 as we now reckon, they commencing their year in March.
"January 1, 1638."
" It is agreed that the townsmen for the time being shall have the power of the whole town, to order the common occasions of the town, except in the cases following.
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TOWN OFFICERS.
1. That they receive no new inhabitant into the town without approbation of the body.
2. That they make no levies except it be for charges expended or to be expended about guarding or order- ing off cattle.
3. That they neither give nor grant any lands be- longing to the town, except an acre or two at most, to any inhabitant, and that in case of present necessity.
4. That they do not alter any highway already / settled and laid out.
5. Although they may, according to the liberty given them by the body, at a public meeting, call out the persons and cattle belonging to any inhabitant for the service of the whole, and increase the wages of any above the ordinary rates allowed in the town, as they shall sec just cause, provided they exceed not y 6d. a day to any, yet they shall not require, by virtue of said order, the cattle of any to be employed in any service belonging to the whole, without the liberties of the town, except they undertake in the name of the body to return the cattle so employed in safety to the owner, besides a reasonable allowance for the hire of the same.
6. The townsmen shall not be longer than fourteen v days at most, without a set and joint meeting of them altogether, to consider of and order the occasions of the town committed to them, and to agree upon a time or times to call the body together to consult, and con- clude of other cases that shall occur, not left within their power; and if any of them fail to meet at the time appointed, he shall not refuse to pay two shillings six pence for every such default.
7. No one townsman shall require the service of any person or cattle, without the knowledge and con- v sent of some of the rest."
The preceding are all the votes of the town preserved on record previous to the fall of 1639 ; during which year, the government of Connecticut was constituted and organized, and an act passed by them, authorizing the towns to organize themselves in a corporate capa- city, and requiring them to choose registers and enter 2
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their lands and record important votes. From this time the records are regular and full.
: At the first regular meeting of the town, November 16, 1639, John Steele was chosen register or town clerk, which office he held until 1651, when he removed to Farmington. Some of the doings at this annual meeting are as follows :
" At a general meeting of the whole town, the 23d of December, 1639,
" There was then chosen to order the affairs of the town for one year, William Westwood, William Spencer, Nathaniel Ward, John Moody. There was also chosen constables, Nathaniel Ely, Thomas Hos- mer.
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