USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Torrington > History of Torrington, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1737, with biographies and genealogies > Part 1
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Gc 974.602 T630 1180181
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 7511
.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoftorring00orcu_0
Pulvert Lith.Co.
Detroit . Mic!
Samuel Hadware
HISTORY
OF
TORRINGTON.
CONNECTICUT,
FROM
ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IN 1737,
WITH
BIOGRAPHIES AND GENEALOGIES.
BY
REV. SAMUEL ORCUTT,
Author of the History of Wolcott, Ct.
ALBANY : J. MUNSELL, PRINTER. 1878.
TO THE
MEMORY
OF THE
FIRST SETTLERS OF TORRINGTON
This Work is Inscribed
BY THE AUTHOR.
1180181
"' Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield ; Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke ; How jocund did they drive their team a-field ! How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
For them, no more the blaxing hearth shall burn, Or busy housewife ply her evening care ; Nor children run to lisp their sire's return, Or climb his knee, the envied kiss to share."
Southern Book Co-7/2.
0
PREFACE.
In presenting this work to the public the author has no apology to make except the pleasure he takes in collecting and putting the ma- terial in form as a kind of memorial of those who have gone to the land from which none ever return.
History is but the record of the experiences of the past, and ex- perience is a teacher to which it is wise to listen.
The person who is indifferent to the past would be indifferent to the well being of those who are gone, if they were living; for those who recognize no obligation to father nor mother, nor those gone before, are too selfish to properly respect the living, while those who recognize such obligation will always delight in the memory of the past, and will welcome that which revives such memory.
As to the completeness of the work it may be said, that, had there been a prospect of a small remuneration, six months more of time would have been given to it, by which the author could have satisfied himself, at least, more fully than is the case at present ; although he is well assured that the amount of information here recorded is greater than that of most books of the kind published in this country.
The biographical part of the work was undertaken with a defi- nite intention to set forth somewhat the work done by Torrington people in other parts of the world as well as in their native town, and also to avoid somewhat the complaint frequently urged against the dry details of history.
vi
PREFACE.
The biography of John Brown, after some progress had been made on it, was delivered to F. B. Sanborn Esq., of Concord, Massa- chusetts, who being familiar with the subject, and possessing favor- able opportunities for the work, has done great honor to the old Hero, and to the town where he was born, and given to the world a just and faithful memorial of one whose fame will be celebrated as long as American history shall live. The biographies of Samuel J. Mills, and his son Samuel J. Mills Jr., are placed in abbreviated forms to what was intended, but as they are, they contain as full a tribute as was consistent, in view of the many of whom it was pur- posed to make some mention.
The crowded form of the genealogies made it necessary to drop out much of the descriptive matter which had been prepared ; and they are not quite as full as was intended, for soon after the printing began it became evident that the material already collected was more than abundant, and though in some few items satisfaction had not been obtained yet it became necessary to drop at once all further efforts and close the record.
The Author hereby tenders his most sincere gratitude to all the people, who without exception have seemed anxious to aid the work, and delighted in the prospect of its completion.
It is but justice to say, that but for the prompt encouragement at a certain time, by substantial aid, by one of the citizens of the town, although some collections for the work had been previously made, the further prosecution would not have been attempted, and the book would not have been written by the present author. It is also true that but for the very generous price paid for one of the books by the Town, the amount of matter printed must have been far less or the price of the book considerably increased.
Thus has been done as much as could be in the brief time allotted and the work is sent on its intended mission of reviving the memory
vii
PREFACE.
of those gone beyond the veil, and strengthening the heart for the future toils of the present life.
In thus closing all that the author expects to do in making the history of Torrington, either as a citizen or writer, the shadows gather, as at the close of day, and but for the hope of the future, the memory of the work done and the characters which have passed under review would leave a sadness, like the low plaintive sound of music from afar, or as if waiting the return of those who have long been absent, and whose coming, if permitted, would be a joy unspeakable.
THE AUTHOR.
1
ILLUSTRATIONS.
STEEL.
COE BRASS CO.,
101
ISRAEL COE,
425
LYMAN W. COE,
426
HENRY MIGEON,
522
ELISHA TURNER,
613
REUBEN COOK,
679
LITHOGRAPH.
Dr. SAMUEL WOODWARD, 1
JOHN BROWN, -315
MILO BURR, - 662
PHOTO ENGRAVINGS.
UNION MANUFACTURING Co., 99
EXCELSIOR NEEDLE CO , 107
M. E. CHURCH, - 113
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,
121
NAUGATUCK R. R. DEPOT,
186
JOHN BROWN HOUSE,
318
Dr. R. M. FOWLER,
439
Capt. STEPHEN FYLER,
446
Mrs. STEPHEN FYLER,
450
Dr. E. D. HUDSON, 500
510
Dr. JAMES O. POND,
570
FOWLER HOMESTEAD, 691
HUDSON HOMESTEAD,
724
WOOD.
FALLS AT TORRINGTON HOLLOW, -
79
WOLCOTTVILLE, 92
HARPER'S FERRY, 400
ENGINE HOUSE, -
401
ORRIN L. HOPSON, -
487
FREDERICK J. SEYMOUR,
601
HAYSTACK MONUMENT,
557
Capt. URI TAYLOR,
611
Mrs. URI TAYLOR,
770
JOHN N. WHITING,
-
-
-
785
Mrs. E. D. HUDSON,
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
CHAPTER I.
THE WINDSOR COMPANY.
LARGE proportion of the early settlers in Tor- rington, came from Windsor, Connecticut, and were de- scended from one of the noblest companies of Puritan pilgrims that came to America. It had been formed mostly from the western counties of England- Devonshire, Dor- setshire, and Somersetshire,' early in the spring of 1629, by the ex- ertions of the Rev. John White, of Dorchester, whose zeal and la- bors fairly entitled him to the appellation of the "great patron of New England emigration."
" Great pains were taken," says the historian,2 "to construct this company of such material as should compose a well ordered settle- ment, containing all the elements of our independent community. Two devoted ministers, Messrs. Warham 3 and Maverick,4 were se- lected, not only with a view to the spiritual welfare of the plantation, but especially that their efforts might bring the Indians to the know- ledge of the gospel. Two members of the government, chosen by the freemen or the stockholders of the company in London, assistants or directors, Messrs. Rosseter and Ludlow, men of character and education, were joined to the association, that their counsel and judg- ment might aid in preserving order, and founding the social structure upon the surest basis. Several gentlemen, past middle life, with adult families and good estates, were added. Henry Wolcott, Thomas Ford, George Dyer, William Gaylord, William Rockwell,
I Trumbull.
2 History of the Town of Dorchester, Mass. History of Windsor, Conn.
3 Rev. John Warham had been an eminent minister in Exeter, England.
4 Rev. John Maverick was a minister of the Established Church, and resided about forty miles from Exeter, England.
1
2
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
and William Phelps, were of this class. But a large portion of act- ive, well-trained young men, either just married or without families, such as Israel Stoughton, Roger Clap, George Minor, George Hall, Richard Collicott, Nathaniel Dunham, and many others of their age, were the persons upon whom the more severe trials of a new settlement were expected to devolve. Three persons of some military ex- perience, viz : Captain John Mason, Captain Richard Southcote, and Quarter Master John Smith, were selected as a suitable appen- dage, as forcible resistance from the Indians might render the skill and discipline which these gentlemen had acquired under De Vere, in the campaign of the palatinate, on the continent, an element of safety essential to the enterprise."
" These godly people," says Roger Clap, one of their number,1 " resolved to live together, and therefore as they had made choice of those two Rev. servants of God, Mr. John Warham and Mr. John Maverick, to be their ministers, so they kept a solemn day of fast- ing in the New Hospital in Plymouth, in England ; spending it in preaching and praying, where that worthy man of God, Mr. John White of Dorchester, in Dorsetshire, was present and preached unto us in the fore part of the day, and in the latter part of the day, as the people did solemnly make choice of, and call these godly ministers to be their officers, so also the Rev. Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick did accept thereof and expressed the same."
This company of 140 persons sailed from Plymouth in England, on the 20th day of March 1630, in the ship Mary and John of 400 tons burden, Captain Squeb commanding. "So we came," says Mr. Clap, " by the hand of God, through the deeps comfortably ; having preaching or expounding of the Word of God, every day for ten weeks together, by our ministers. On the Lord's day, May the 30, 1630, their good ship came to anchor, on the New England coast." The original destination was the Charles river, but an un- fortunate misunderstanding which arose between the captain and his passengers, resulted in the latter being summarily put ashore at Nantasket, where they were obliged to seek comfort for themselves as best they could. After being so discourteously landed by the cap- tain, they obtained a boat and proceeded up Charles river, to a place since called Watertown where they disembarked but soon after re-
1 Roger Clap's Memoirs. History of Windsor.
3
THE WINDSOR COMPANY.
moved to Mattapan and began a settlement which they named Dor- chester in honor of the Rev. Mr. White of Dorchester, England.
The fore-thought and provision for the sustenance of such a com- pany in the new world had been very deficient, and hence much suffering followed. Roger Clap's picturing of it is very forcible.
" Oh, the hunger that many suffered and saw no hope in the eye of reason to be supplied, only by clams and muscles and fish. We did quietly build boats and some went fishing, but bread was, with many, a scarce thing, and flesh of all kinds scarce. And in those days in our straits, though I cannot say, God sent us a raven to feed us as he did the prophet Elijah, yet this I can say to the praise of God's glory, that he sent not only poor ravenous Indians which came with their baskets of corn on their backs to trade with us, which was a good supply unto many, but also ships from Holland and from Ireland with provisions, and Indian corn from Virginia, to supply the wants of his dear servants in the wilderness, both for food and rai- ment. And when the people's wants were great, not only in one town but in divers towns, such was the godly wisdom, care and pru- dence (not selfishness but self-denial), of our Governor Winthrop and his assistants, that when a ship came laden with provisions, they did order that the whole cargo should be bought for a general stock ; and so accordingly it was, and distribution was made to every town, and to every person in each town as every man had need. Thus God was pleased to care for his people in times of straits, and to fill his servants with food and gladness. Then did all the servants of God bless His holy name, and love one another with pure hearts fervently."
This people remained at Dorchester five years, when, in the au- tumn of 1635, they determined to remove to Matianuck, afterwards Windsor, on the Connecticut river.
On the fifteenth day of October (1635), the main body of the emi- gration, about sixty men, women and children, set forth from Dor- chester driving their cattle and swine before them on their long and toilsome journey to the valley of the Connecticut. Their house- hold furniture, bedding, and winter provisions were sent around by water, and it is probable that some of the families also took this means of conveyance. "Never before had the forests of America witnessed such a scene as this." The compass their only guide through the bewildering mazes of the unbroken forests, commencing and ending each day's march with songs of praise, and heartfelt
4
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
utterances of prayer, which sounded strangely amid these solitudes, they pursued their hazardous undertaking. After a wearisome jour- ney of two weeks, through swamps and thick forests, over mountains and hills, across rivers and many streams of water which were passed often with great difficulty and peril, they reached their place of des- tination, the Connecticut river ; but before all the company and their cattle could be transported across the river, the winter closed upon them. Winter setting in unusually early, the river was closed on the fifteenth of November, and as yet the vessel containing their household goods and provisions had not arrived, nor were there any tidings of it. The rude shelter and accommodations, which had been provided for themselves and their cattle, proved to be quite in- sufficient to protect them against the extreme inclemency of the season. They were able to get only a part of their cattle across the river, the remainder were left to winter themselves as best they could, on the browse of the trees, acorns and roots of the forest.
At this time (Nov. 26) a party of thirteen, driven by hunger and distress, attempted to return to Massachusetts, through the woods. One of their number fell through the ice and was drowned and the remainder would have perished " but that by God's pro- vidence, they lighted on an Indian wigwam."I As it was, they were ten days in reaching the bay. By the first of December the condition of the infant colonies on the river was perilous in the extreme. Many were destitute of provisions, those who were not, were unable permanently to relieve their neighbors, and the only alternative was to reach their vessel, which was supposed to be fast in the ice below. A company of seventy, of all ages and both sex, now set out in search, intending doubtless to winter on board the vessel. Shelterless and scantily supplied with food, they toiled on, day after day, through snows and storms, hoping at every turn of the stream to discover the wished for relief. Who can picture the sufferings of that painful march, or their inexpressible dis- appointment as they approached the sea, in not finding the vessel for which they were so anxiously looking. But God, in whom they trusted, was not unmindful of His suffering ones. A small vessel, the Rebecca, of sixty tons, which had attempted to ascend the river, to trade, before the winter set in, had become entangled in the ice, twenty miles from the river's mouth. Fortunately, a storm of rain
" Winthrop's Journal.
5
THE WINDSOR COMPANY.
came, which, though it drenched the sufferers, released the vessel, which came to their relief, and in five days they reached Boston. The few who remained in Connecticut through this fearful winter, suffered much, as did their cattle also, from insufficiency of both food and shelter. They literally lived on acorns, malt, and grains, with what food they could gain by hunting, and such as was given them by the Indians. Their losses were very heavy, that of the Dor- chester people being as much as £2000 in cattle alone.I
In the month of March, 1636, Connecticut was set apart as a colony, under a commission, granted by the general court of Massa- chusetts, " to several persons to govern the people of Connecticut for the space of a year next coming." The commissioners named were Roger Ludlow and William Phelps of Windsor ; John Steel, William Westwood and Andrew Ward of Hartford; William Pyncheon of Springfield ; and William Swain and Henry Smith of Wethersfield.
With the first dawn of spring, April 16, 1636, those brave hearts' who had survived the toils and exposures of the previous winter, again turned undauntedly their footsteps towards Connecticut. They comprised the largest part of the Dorchester church, with, as some say, their surviving pastor, Mr. Warham.2 Their settlement, at Matianuck, was named Dorchester, in honor of the plantation from which they had emigrated, which name they retained until 1650 when it was changed to Windsor.
About the same time also, Mr. Pyncheon and others from Rox- bury, Mass., settled at Agawam, now the city of Springfield. And in June following, came the venerable Hooker, with his companions from Cambridge, Mass., who settled at Suckiaug, now the beautiful city of Hartford, where a few settlers had " made a goodly beginning a little before." Wethersfield had been precariously settled in 1634, by a few who " managed to live " through the trying scenes of 1635-6.3
Such were the trials, exposures, hardships, and sufferings through which the first settlers of Windsor, the ancestors of many of the
* Winthrop says that those cattle which could not be put over the river, fared well, all winter without hay.
2 See note on page 25, Windsor History.
3 H. R. Stiles's History of Windsor, Conn. Trumbull. History of Dorchester. Win- throp's Journal.
6
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
Torrington people, passed, before they found permanent homes in America. A like honor is attached to the descendants of nearly all the early settlers of New England.
A little more than one hundred years after the settlement of Windsor, like trials, privations, and hardships began to be endured in Torrington, by its first settlers.
·
CHAPTER II.
THE WINDSOR PATENT.
HE general court of Connecticut made, in 1686, a grant of lands commonly called Western lands, to the towns of Hartford and Windsor. These lands were said to lie " on the north of Woodbury and Mattatok, and on the west of Farmington and Simsbury, to the Massachusetts line north, and to run west to Housatunock or Stratford river (pro- vided it be not, or part of it, formerly granted to any particular per- sons), to make a plantation or village thereon." I
The title to those lands was in dispute until May, 1726,2 when the territory was divided, and that part confirmed to Hartford and Windsor, embraced the towns of Colebrook, Hartland, Winchester, Barkhamsted, Torrington, New Hartford, and Harwinton, making an area of 291,806 acres. The territory reserved to the colony embraced the towns of Canaan, Norfolk, Cornwall, Goshen, Warren, and about two-thirds of Kent, making not far from 120,000 acres.
In February, 1732, the towns of Hartford and Windsor made a division of their lands by which the towns of Hartland, Winchester, New Hartford, and the eastern half of Harwinton were conceded to Hartford, and the towns of Colebrook, Barkhamsted, Torrington, and the western half of Harwinton, to Windsor.
An act of the general assembly in May, 1732, authorized the Windsor Company to divide their lands to the individual owners according to their tax list of that year, and this list was the basis for all divisions of land made in the town of Torrington.
THE NAME OF THE TOWN.
Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court Assembled, and by the Authority of the same :
" That the first parcel of land mentioned in said instrument of partition containing 20,924 acres, and bounded, south, partly on
I Colonial Records, vol. 3, 225.
2 Colonial Records, VII, 44.
8
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
Litchfield and partly on land belonging to said patentees in Windsor, called the Half Township ; east and north, by land belonging to the governor and company of the colony of Connecticut, is hereby named, and shall ever hereafter be called and named Torrington."1
The other three parcels were Barkhamsted, containing 20,531 acres, Colebrook 18,199 acres, and the west half of Harwinton 9,560 acres.
In 1732 the taxable inhabitants of Windsor were divided into seven companies, each owning a township, taking their company names after the towns they owned. The Torrington company are specified as " Matthew Allyn, Roger Wolcott and Samuel Mather, Esq's, and others, of the town of Windsor, patentees of Torrington." The number of these persons was one hundred and thirty-six, and their names and tax list were as follows :
s.
d.
Matthew Allen, Esq.,
74 06
O
Isaac Davice,
30
00 0
Roger Wolcott,
123
00
6 Joseph Elmor,
48
09
Capt. Thomas Stoughton, 155
00 O Joseph Elsworth,
21 00 O
Alexander Allyn,
47
19 6
Joseph Elgar,
26 00
Benedict Alford,
35 05 C
Thomas Egelston, Jr., .
18 00
Abiel Abot,
41
00 o
Abigail Eno,
25
07 O
Daniel Bissell, Jr.,
32
16 0 John Egelston, 77
00 O
David Bissell, 115
IO O Mr. John Elliot,
28 IO O
Nathaniel Barber,
37
12 0
Benjamin Egelston, Jun.,
37
16 O
Josiah Barber,
124
06 O
Joseph Elsworth, 24
15
6
Joseph Barber, .
82
08 0
James Egelston, 07
00 0
Nicholas Buckland,
61
07 0
Mr. John Fyler,
77
07
6
Ephraim Bancroft, Jr.,
66
00 O
Samuel Fitch,
18
00 0
Benjamin Barber,
43
18
Thomas Fyler,
67
02
6
Nathaniel Barber,
21
00 o
Stephen Fyler,
52
02
6
Benoni Bissel,
37
12
Ebenez'r Fitch, O
41
06 o
Jeremiah Birge,
47
II
O
Matthew Grant,
180
IO
Jonathan Bissel,
41
00 o Josiah Gaylord,
52
14
John C. Cross,
53
05 9 Jonathan Gillet,
38
00
William Cook,
34
00 o
Isaac Gillet, ..
27
00
Nathaniel Cook,
55
OI
o
Francis Griswold,
52
00
John Cook, Jr.,
59
19 O
Daniel Griswold,
82
05
Mary Clark, .
32
00 o John Grayham,
47
IO
Edward Chapman,
06
00
0 Samuel Gibbs,
30
00
Jacob Drake, Jr.,
03
00
O
Nathaniel Gaylord,
53
Abraham Dibble,
38
I6 O Henry Gibbs,
23
00
Joseph Drake,
81
IO
o Joseph Griswold,
119
IO
s.
o
I Torrington was a hamlet on the hill called Cookbury Black, in the southern part of Devonshire, the southernmost county in England. It was also the name of a village on the Torridge river, a few miles north of Cookbury Black.
THE WINDSOR PATENT.
9
d.
s.
Eleazer Gaylord,
36
15
o
Samuel Osborn, Jun'r.,
00
o
Thomas Grant's Heirs,
3º
00
o
John Porter,
04
14
6
Thomas Grant,
19 04 o William Phelps,
91 I2 0
John Griswold,
52 05 0
Joseph Porter, 98
Samuel Pinney, .
50
IO 0
Benjamin Gibbs,
45 05 o
John Phelps, Sen'r.,
Thomas Hoskins,
40 05 o
Nathanael Pinney,
Hez. Porter, .
91
00 O
Ebenezer Haydon,
63
I5
O
David Phelps,
26
00
Mary Hoskins,
37
05
O
Joseph Phelps,
87
00
Elezer Hill, .
II
00 o Sergt. Isaac Pinney,
29
07
William Haydon,
I6
IO o
Thomas Phelps,
45
I5
Martha Holcomb,
3º
05
Hannah Porter,
06
15
Daniel Haydon,
100
IO
00
o Jonathan Pasco, .
2I
00
Ichabod Loomis,
39
I5
o
Samuel Rockwell,
75
18
Zachariah Long,
41
05
Nathanael Stoughton, 02
00 O
Timothy Loomis,
51
00
Ebenezer Styles,
23
00
Stephen Loomis,
38
08
o
Jacob Strong,
79
I5
Joshua Loomis,
46
00
Remembrance Sheldon, 51
I3 o
Isaac Loomis,
29
00
0
Thomas Stoughton, Jun'r.,
30
00 O
Moses Loomis, Jun'r.,
26
00
0 Mary Stedman,
03
IO 0
Job Loomis, .
72
08
John Styles,
22
I5 0
Abraham Loomis,
23
02 O
Isaac Skinner,
40
00 O
Rebekah Loomis,
72
04 O
Samuel Strong,
46
I3 2
Jonathan Loomis,
3I
00
O
Henry Styles,
71
I2
6
Dea. Thomas Marshel,
100
C7
6 Elizabeth Thrall,
16
00 O
Mr. Eliakim Marshel,
94
12
o
Ammi Trumble,
39
00 O
John Mansfield,
41
I2
o
John Thrall,
125
I5
John Morton,
24
04
o
Simon Wolcott, Jr.,
21
00
Edward Moore,
55
02
o Jed. Watson,
72
00
Josiah Moore,
54
I7
0 Stephen Winchel,
04
00
David Marshel,
43
OI
0
John Wolcott,
81 00
Mr. Will'm Mitchel,
74
00
o
John Winchel,
53
IO
Nathanael Moore,
24
00
0 Robert Westland,
5I
IO
Hannah Newberry,
3º
00
o Samuel Wilson,
29
09
Benjamin Newberry,
25
05
o John Wood,
36
00
Ruth Newberry,
07
00 O John Williams,
36
I4
Joseph Newberry,
71
05 0 Ebenezer Watson,
72
IO
Jacob Osborn,
44 IO
John Wilson,
56
00
0
Benjamin Osborn,
21
IO
O
" Recorded, March the 4th, Anno. Dom., 1733-4, by me, TIMOTHY LOOMIS'I clerk for sd. Torrington proprietors.
The sum total of Torrington list is ££6431, 9s, 5d."
05 O
Nathan Gillet, Jun'r., 18 00 o
II 00
107
IO
Anthony Hoskins,
40
00 o
James Pasco, . ..
24
00 C
Zebulon Hoskins,
26
5.
€ 71
I This Timothy Loomis was an elegant writer, as the Records show. It is a pleasure to peruse records 144 years old, that can be read as easily as the best printing.
2
IO
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
THE DIVISIONS.
The vote to lay out a proportionate amount of land to each pro- prietor, was passed on the 10th of September, 1732, and on the 18th of the same month, the committee, appointed for the purpose, pro- ceeded to draw the lots for the proprietors, it being supposed that this method was the most equitable of any, and that each proprietor should be content with what fell to his lot, whether it should be .rocks or soil.
An alphabetic list of the proprietor's names was made as given above. One hundred and thirty-six numbers written on slips of paper were placed in a hat ; I then the first name on the list called and a number taken from the hat and placed to the name called, and thus on until the one hundred and thirty-six numbers were taken and assigned to the names of the list. This done, another list was made in harmony with the order of the number of each lot, one, two, three, four, and thus to the last number, and the survey was made accord- ing to this second list. The lots were laid half a mile in length, and therefore every rod in width made one acre of land. In the first and second divisions there was appropriated one acre to the pound of each owner's list ; in the third, there was not quite that amount.
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