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THE LIBRARY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO, UTAH
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174.6 132
HISTORY
OF
WINDHAM COUNTY,
CONNECTICUT.
BY ELLEN D. LARNED.
" If, when we lay down our pen, we cannot say in the sight of God, 'upon strict examination, I have not knowingly written anything that is not true ' . . . . then study and literature render us unrighteous and sinful."-Niebuhr.
VOLUME I. 1600-1760.
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1874.
221514
WORCESTER, MASS .: PRINTED BY CHARLES HAMILTON, PALLADIUM OFFICE. MDCCCLXXIV.
١
PREFACE.
Town, church and court records, the archives of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, standard histories, the collec- tions of many Historical Societies, unpublished manuscripts, private diaries and letters, and such local traditions as could be substantiated, have furnished the material for this work. The genealogical investigations of Mr. William L. Weaver of Willi- mantic, the ecclesiastical researches of Rev. Robert C. Learned, and general facts, gathered and preserved by Rev. Daniel Hunt of Pomfret-former residents of Windham County, all now deceased-have been of great service. Aboriginal items and translations of Indian names have been kindly given by Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull. No pains have been spared in sifting, collating and arranging this mass of material. Statements con- flicting with those in previous histories, have been very carefully considered, and are only made upon positive evidence.
The numerous extracts from records and ancient documents are believed to be faithful transcripts of the originals, save corrections in spelling and the occasional supply of words when needful. Dates are copied as written. Those prior to Sep- tember, 1752, are therefore in old style, and it will be necessary to add eleven days to any date to bring it in correspondence with the same day of the month at the present time. Celebra- tors of coming bicentennials will need to pay especial heed to this point.
The map of Ancient Windham includes all the territory ever
vi
PREFACE.
pertaining to Windham County, and original bounds and land- grants, so far as they could be identified. The plat of the Mashamoquet is a fac-simile of the original, which is preserved among the town records of Pomfret. The reader will observe that it reverses the points of compass.
The history of towns afterward incorporated into other coun- ties, is not here given. A second volume, to be published, it is hoped, within two years, will bring the History of Windham County to the latest date.
THOMPSON, Nov. 20, 1874. E. D. L.
SEE INSIDE BACK COVER FOR MAP.
CONTENTS.
Page
ABORIGINAL GLEANINGS
1
.
BOOK I. 1676-1726.
I.
Massachusetts Boundary Line. Nipmuck and Mohegan Land Transfers . 13
II.
Roxbury's Colony
18
III.
New Roxbury
IV.
Woodstock
31
V.
Indian Troubles
38
VI.
Important Changes. Final Division of Roxbury's Half of Woodstock . . 43
VII.
Uneasiness with Mr. Dwight. Second Meeting-house
51
VIII.
Ministerial Troubles.
Indian Alarms.
Death of Acquitamaug.
Land
Division.
Dismissal of Mr. Dwight .
IX.
56
Joshua's Tract
X.
Windham
69
XI.
Ponde-town Controversy. Church Organization 76
XII.
Addition of Territory. Scotland Settlement. Town Division
83
XIII.
Growth. Improvements. Second Meeting-house
88
Canada Parish
XIV.
94
63
23
viii
CONTENTS.
XV.
General Advancement. Religious Revival. Death of Mr. Whiting. Settle- ment of Mr. Clap
. 101
XVI. The Quinebaug Country. Peagscomsuck .. XVII.
105
Plainfield Agreements. Quinebaug Land Investigation . 112
XVIII.
Division of Township. Distribution of Land.
Irruption from Norwich . 118
XIX.
Quinebaug Land Settlement.
Various Improvements
. 124
XX.
Boundary Quarrels. New Meeting-house. Mortality 133
XXI.
Canterbury
. 143
XXII.
Major Fitch. Division of Land. General Progress 150
XXIII.
Aspinock. Killingly
. 159
XXIV.
Land-tax. Chestnut Hill. Church Organization. Settlement of South
Killingly
XXV.
Quinnatisset
. 173
XXVI.
Masliamoquet. Mortlake
XXVII.
Progress. Petitions.
Pomfret
XXVIII.
Blackwell's Tract. Adams's Tract. Sale and Settlement of Mortlake. 102
Expulsion of Mary Utter
XXIX. Church Organization in Pomfret. Second
Minister and Meeting-liouse.
Land-division .
XXX.
New Inhabitants. Improvements. South Addition to Pomfret. Peter . 205
Davison
XXXI.
Ashford. Land Purchase. Settlement. Town Organization. Minister Secured
. 214
XXXII.
Land Controversies. Church Formed
. 220
XXXIII.
Land Settlement. Various Improvements.
Unhappy Accident
. 226
XXXIV.
Suffrage Dispute. Schools. New Inhabitants. Famine in Ashford. . 232
Chandler's and Corbin's Claim .
. 166
181
. 187
199
CONTENTS. ix
XXXV.
The Volunteer's Land. Division. Occupation XXXVI.
239
Organization of Voluntown. Meeting-house Site. Interrupted Ordination. Church Formed .
XXXVII. . 245
Boundary Quarrels. Meeting-house Site . . 252
XXXVIII.
Erection of Windham County.
General Summary.
Association of Minis-
ters
. 259
BOOK II. 1726-46. 1
I.
Windham Courts Constituted. Jail and Court-house Ordered. Affairs in Windham Town. Outbreaks
266
II.
Third Society Set Off. Scotland Parish 273
III.
Canada Parish. Death of Mr. Billings. Changes in Windham's First Society. First Execution in Windham County IV.
280
Changes in Canterbury. New Ministers and Meeting-house. Controversy with Windham. Dismissal of Mr. Wadsworth 289
V.
Plainfield Affairs. Growth in Voluntown 298
VI.
Second Society in Killingly. Thompson Parish. Church Organization.
Ordination of Mr. Cabot
. 305
VII.
Land Disputes. School Quarters Distributed. Meeting-house Completed. Controversy with Samuel Morris .. . 313
VIII.
Roads Laid Out. New Inhabitants. Thompson-Land Controversy . . . 322
Affairs in Killingly. Dismissal of Mr. Fisk. IX.
Society Division X.
Breakneck Controversy. . 329
Pomfret and Mortlake. Petition for Township. Ministerial Perplexities. Society Organized Between Pomfret and Canterbury 341
XI.
Mortlake Society. Second Church of Pomfret. Ordination of Mr. Ephraim Avery. Changes in Pomfret . 348
XII.
United Library Association. Pomfret Wolf-hunt.
A Pomfret Legend . . 355
B
X
CONTENTS.
XIII.
New Minister in Woodstock. Worcester County Erected. Death of Mr. Throop. Quarrel with Colonel John Chandler. Settlement of Mr. Stiles
. 364
XIV.
West Woodstock Settled. Precinct Organized. Meeting-house Built. Church Formed. Uneasiness with Mr. Stiles. Death of Colonel . 373
Chandler .
XV.
Town and Church Affairs in Ashford. Death of Mr. Hale. Settlement of Mr. Bass. Windham County Association .385
BOOK III. THE SEPARATE MOVEMENT. 1740-60.
I.
General Condition of the Churches. Great Revival. Great Excesses . . 393 II.
Wheelock's Tour. Revival in Canterbury. Legislative Act. Disturbances. Imprisonment of Elisha Paine . · III.
. 396 .
Recognition of Cambridge Platform, Attempts to Choose a Minister. Re- jection of Mr. Adams. Meetings of Consociation and Council .
.
. 402
IV.
Call of Mr. James Cogswell. Disaffection. Withdrawal of Majority. Im- prisonment of Elisha Paine. Conflict Between Church and Society . 411 V.
Windham Association Aroused. Collision with Yale College. Clevelands
Arraigned and Censured. Consociation at Canterbury. Cogswell
Ordained. Church Divided VI. . 417
Revival in Plainfield. Recovery of Mercy Wheeler. Disturbances in Ash-
ford. Revival in Canada Parish. Mansfield Separate Church . 427
VII.
Canterbury Separate Church. Renewal of Covenent. Petitions. Ordina- tion of Solomon Paine
VIII.
Jangles in Mortlake Parislı. Secession from the Church. Separate
Church in South Killingly
IX. . 444
437
Plainfield Separate Church. Ordinations of Thomas Stevens and David Separation in Voluntown . . 451
Rowland. Contentions.
Y.
Separate Churches in Windham and Scotland. Six-Principle Baptist Churches in Thompson, Chestnut Hill and Woodstock 458
XI.
Mistakes in the Separate Movement. Persecution. Failure . 468
xi
CONTENTS.
BOOK IV. I.
1745-60.
Woodstock's Revolt. Contest Between Massachusetts and Connecticut . 487 II.
Various Town Matters. Controversy with Mr. Stiles. First Church of . 495
Woodstock Divided .
III.
Abington Society Set Off. Contest with Pomfret. Church Organization . 508 IV.
Mortlake Disinstated. Brooklyn Confirmed. Troubles in Pomfret. Settle- ment of Mr. Putnamn. General Progress . . 517
V. Progress in Killingly. Affairs in Middle, South and North Societies . . . 528 VI.
Plainfield. Voluntown. Canterbury . 535
VII.
Dismissal of Mr. Bass. Disturbances in Ashford . 544
VIII.
First, Second and Third Societies of Windham. Formation of the Susque- hanna Company . IX. . 550
Windham's Frog Fright. French and Indian War. Statistical Summary. 560
ABORIGINAL GLEANINGS.
TN 1726, ten towns in the northeast corner of Connecticut, previously included in the counties of. Hartford and New London, were erected into the, County of Windham. Union and Woodstock were subsequently added ; Mansfield, Coventry, Lebanon, Union and Colum- bia taken away; and several of the original towns divided. Sixteen towns-Woodstock, Thompson, Putnam, Pomfret, Brooklyn, Kil- lingly, Sterling, Plainfield, Canterbury, Eastford, Ashford, Chaplin, Hampton, Windham, Scotland and Voluntown-form the present WINDHAM COUNTY. 'Its average length is about twenty-six miles; its breadth, nearly nineteen. Its area comprises a little less than five hundred and fifty-three square miles.
The greater part of this tract of country, prior to the settlement of New England, was included in Nipnet-" the fresh water country,"- the inland region between the Atlantic coast and the Connecticut River. Its inhabitants were known collectively as Nipmucks or Nip- nets-" pond or fresh-water Indians,"-in distinction from river and shore Indians. One of their favorite resorts was the great lake, Chaubunnagunggamaug, or Chabanakongkomuch,-"the boundary fishing-place,"-the " bound-mark" between Nipmuck and Nar- raganset territory. This lake lies a few rods north of the present northern boundary line of Windham County, and the Nipmucks claimed land some eighteen or twenty miles south of it. The tract west of the Quinebaug River, north of a line running northwesterly from the junction of the Quinebaug and Assawaga Rivers, was Wabbaquasset-"the mat-producing country "-so called from some marsh or meadow that furnished reeds for mats and baskets, and its inhabitants were known as Wabbaquassets. A quarry of rock, valued for its sharpening properties, gave its name to a strip of land east of the Quinebaug. Manhumsqueeg or Mahmunsqueeg, "the spot resorted to for whetstones," was near the mouth of a branch of the Assawaga, still known as Whetstone Brook in central Killingly, and a range of land northward and southward was thence
1
2
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
designated Mahmunsqueeg, the Whetstone Country. The land south of Wabbaquasset and Mahmunsqueeg, now included in the towns of Plainfield and Canterbury, was the Quinebaug Country, inhabited by Quinebaugs. The Narragansets claimed rights east of the Quine- baug, and fiercely contested its jurisdiction with the Nipmucks ; the Wabbaquassets were subject to Nipmuck chieftains. Some twenty or thirty years before the settlement of Connecticut by white men, a band of Pequots, " apparently of the same race with the Mohicans, Mohigans or Mohicandas, who lived on the banks of the Hudson River," invaded the territory east of the Connecticut, established their head-quarters at the mouth of "the Great River," now known as Thames, drove away the Narragansets, conquered the Quinebangs and Wabbaquassets, and assumed jurisdiction over all the land now pertaining to Windham County.
These few facts comprise all that can be gathered of the condition of this region previous to the settlement of Connecticut. Of its Indian inhabitants, whether few or numerous, only one has escaped oblivion. A Boston News-Letter chronicles the name and services of Acquitti- maug, of Wabbaquasset, now Woodstock. Soon after the arrival of Winthrop's colony in Massachusetts, in 1630, tidings reached the dis- tant Wabbaquassets that a company of Englishmen had come to the Bay, were in great want of corn and would pay a good price for it. The fertile hills of Wabbaquasset were famous even then for their bountiful yield of corn. Acquittimaug's father filled large sacks with the precious commodity, and with his son and other Indians bore the heavy burdens on their backs through the wilderness to the infant settlement at Boston, " when there was but one cellar in the place, and that near the Common." Acquittimaug lived to see the Englishmen in possession of all Nipnet as well as his native Wabbaquasset, and when, in extreme old age, he visited the thriving town of Boston, was welcomed and entertained by the chief dignitaries of the Massachusetts Colony.
The Windham County territory became known to the English at the first settlement of Connecticut in 1635-6. It lay directly in the route from Massachusetts to the Connecticut River, a part of that " hideous and trackless wilderness " traversed by the first colonists. Tradition reports their encampment on Pine Hill in Ashford. A rude track, called the Connecticut Path, obliquely crossing the Wabba- quasset Country, became the main thoroughfare of travel between the two colonies. Hundreds of families toiled over it to new homes in the wilderness. The fathers of Hartford and New Haven, ministers and governors, captains and commissioners, government officials and land speculators, crossed and recrossed it. Civilization passed over it to
3
ABORIGINAL GLEANINGS.
regions beyond, but made no halting place upon the way for more than half a century.
Of the condition of the future Windham during this period we have little definite knowledge. The general features of the country were the same as at present-a broken, rock-strewn surface, with many lakes and rivers. Wild, craggy forests, miry swamps and sandy barrens were relieved by fertile valleys and pleasant openings. Large tracts of the best land were burned over by the Indians, and kept open to furnish pasture for deer. Game and fish abounded in wood, lake and river. The principal rivers, lakes and hills bore the same names that now distinguish them. The Quinebaug, Shetucket, Willimantic, Na- chaug, Pachaug, Moosup and Mashamoquet Rivers ; Egunk, Wanun- gatuck, Owbesatuck, Tatnick, Mashentuck and Quinnatisset Hills ; Mashapaug and Pawcatuck Lakes-all received their names from their aboriginal proprietors. Our Five-mile River was their Assawaga ; Little River, their Appaquage; Blackwell's Brook, the Cowisick. An Indian trail, known as Nipmuck Path, ran south from Wabbaquasset to the sea shore. The Greenwich Path crossed eastward from the Quinebaug to Narraganset.
Of the Indians, we know little more than of their country. They were subject clans of little spirit or destinctive character. Their num- ber was small. A few families occupied the favorable localities, while large sections were left vacant and desolate. Their dwellings were poor, their weapons and utensils rude and scanty. They raised corn and beans, and wove mats and baskets. Their lives were spent chiefly in hunting, fishing, idling and squabbling. A few rude forts were built and maintained in various localities.
After the overthrow of the Pequots their lands, by Indian law, lapsed to their conquerors. Uncas, the restless chief of a small band of Mohegans, who had revolted from the great Pequot chieftain Sassacus, and fought with the English against him, now claimed his land on the ground of relationship, and as his power increased assumed jurisdiction over it. The mild and timid Wabbaquasets readily acknowledged him as their master, " and paid him homage and obli- gations and yearly tribute of white deer-skins, bear-skins, and black wolf-skins." With the Quinebaugs Uncas was less successful. His right to their allegiance was disputed by the Narragansets. Pessacus (alias Moosup), brother and successor to Miantonomo, asserted his claim to the Quinebaug Country, affixing his name to the largest branch of the Quinebaug. Uncas denied his right, and extorted tribute when possible. For many years the land was in contention ; the distracted Quinebaugs yielding homage to whichever rival chieftain chanced to be in ascendency. For a time "they had no resident sachem and went
4
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
as they pleased," but consented to receive Allumps (alias Hyems), Massashowett and Aguntus, renegade Narragansets who had become obnoxious to their own government, and were allowed by Uncas to dwell in Quinebaug, and exercise authority over its wavering inhabi- tants. They were wild, lawless savages, ambitious and quarrelsome. They built a fort at Egunk Hill, another near. Greenwich Path, and a third at Wanungatuck Hill,* west of the Quinebaug. where they were compelled to dwell a year for fear of the Narragansets.
The Whetstone Country was also in conflict. Uncas claimed that his northern bound extended to the quarry, and his followers were accustomed to resort thither for whetstones, but its Nipmuck inhabi- tants "turned off to the Narragansets." Nemo and Azzogut. who built a fort at Acquiunk. a point at the junction of the Quinebaug and Assawago Rivers, now in Danielsonville, "carried presents sometimes to Uncas, sometimes to Pessacus." This fort was eleven rods fifteen inches in circumference, four or five feet in height, and was occupied by four families.
Acquiunk and its vicinity is also memorable as a traditional Indian battle-field, the scene of the only aboriginal rencontre reported with any distinctness. An interchange of social festivities led to this bloody outbreak. The Narragansets invited their Nipmuck tributaries to visit them at the shore and partake of a feast of shell-fish ; the Nipmucks returned the civility by inviting their guests to a banquet of lamprey eels. The shell-fish were greatly relished by the Nipmucks, but the eels, for lack of dressing, were distasteful to the Narragansets. Glum looks and untasted food roused the ire of the Nipmucks. Taunts and retorts soon led to blows. A free fight followed, disastrous to the unarmed Narragansets, of whom but two escaped to carry home the news of the massacre.
A body of warriors was at once dispatched to avenge their slaugh- tered clansmen. Reaching Acquiunk, they found the Nipmucks intrenched east of the Quinebaug. Unable to cross, they threw up embankments, and for three days waged war across the stream. Many were slain on both sides, but the Nipmucks were again triumphant and forced their assailants to retire, leaving their dead behind them. The bodies of the slain Nipmucks were interred in deep pits on the battle- field, which was ever after known as the Indian Burying Ground. Numerous bones and trinkets found on that spot give some credibility to this legend, which aged Indians delighted to relate to the first settlers of Killingly.
* The name applied to this hill, signifying " bent river," originally designated the great bend in the adjacent Quinebaug.
5
ABORIGINAL GLEANINGS.
The first transfer of land in Windham County territory from its Indian proprietors occurred in 1653. The first English purchaser was John Winthrop of New London, (afterwards governor of Connecticut Colony), who received the subjoined deeds from Hyems alias James, and his associates :-
" Know all men by these presents, That I, James, sachem of Quinebaug, in consideration of the great friendship formerly from Mr. Winthrop, sometime governor of Massachusetts, and desirous of continuance of the same with his son, now residing at Pequot. And, considering that he hath erected a saw- mill at Pequot, a work very useful both to the English and Indians; for the supply whereof, I consider, I have swamps of timber very convenient, and for divers other good reasons and considerations, me thereunto moving-I the said James, do of mine own free and voluntary will and motion, give, grant, bargain and sell to Mr. John Winthrop, of Pequot, all my land at Pautuxett,* upon the river that runneth from Quinebaug and runneth down towards Mohigan and towards the plantation of Pequot unto the sea; the bounds thereof to be from the present plot of the Indians' planting-ground at Quinebaug, where James, his fort is, on a hill at the said Pautuxett, and so down towards Shan- tuxkett so farr as the right of the said James doth reach or any of his men; so farr on both sides the river as ye right of ve said James doth [reach] or any of his men, with all the swamps of cedar, pine, spruce or any other timber and wood whatever together with them to the said John Winthrop and his heirs.
Witnesses,
RICHARD SMITH, SAMUEL SMITII,
Nov. 2, 1653. T. B., mark of THOMAS BAYLEY."
" Know all men by these presents, That 'I, Massashowitt, brother of James, doo, upon the consideration mentioned on the other side of this paper by my brother, doo likewise for myself give, grant, bargain and sell and by these presents confirm unto the said John Winthrop of Pequot all that land at Pautuxett, as is on the other side of the paper and in that deed made over by my brother James to the said John Winthrop And we the said James and Massashowitt do hereby testify that this we do by the full and free consent of Aguntus Pumquanon, Massitiarno, brother of Aguntus, also Moas and all the rest of the chief men of these parts about and at Quinebaug, and in their name having all consented thereto. In witness whereof we have hereunto sett-this 25th of November, 1653.
JOIIN GALLOP, JAMES AVERY, Witnesses. na 08 the mark of JAMES.
the mark of MASSASHIOWITT."
Mark of WILLIAM WELOMA,
T. B., Mark of THOMAS BAYLEY.
* The general name for all Falls, here referring to those at Acquiunk.
t
6
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
The validity of this conveyance is extremely doubtful. The grantors were neither by English or American law vested in the land conveyed. Aguntus himself, at first " blamed Hyems for selling land that was not his," and made him, in the presence of Winthrop, pull off a coat he had received in payment. " A roll of trucking-cloth, two rolls of red cotton wampum, stockings, tobacco pipes and tobacco," secured his consent and confirmation. Robin Cassaminon, a well known Pequot, acted as interpreter in this transaction.
Governor Winthrop took great pains to secure legal confirmation of his Quinebaug purchase. The Narragansets were precluded from prosecuting their ancient claim to this territory by an especial clause in the agreement made by himself and John Clarke, as agents for Connecti - cut and Rhode Island, concerning the dividing line between their governments, providing, That, " if any part of that purchase at Quine- baug doth lie along upon the east side of that river, that goeth down by New London, within six miles of the said river, then it shall wholly belong to Connecticut Colony, as well as the rest which lieth on the western side of the aforesaid river." The General Court of Connecti- cut, October, 1671, allowed the Governor his Indian purchase at Quinebaug, and gave him liberty to erect thereon a plantation, but none was attempted. According to Trumbull, " there was a small number of [white] families on the lands at the time of the purchase," but no trace of them has been recovered. An Englishman attempted to settle in Quinebaug about 1650, but was driven off by Hyems' threat "to bury him alive unless he went away."
The Wabbaquassets during these years patiently submitted to the authority of Uncas, and when his eldest sou, Owaneco, was grown up, received him as their sachem, "their own chief men ruling in his absence." About 1670, a new light dawned upon them. The influence of the faithful , Indian apostle, Eliot, reached this benighted region. Young Indians trained at Natick, as in " a seminary of virtue and piety," went out into the Nipmuck wilderness, and gathered the wild natives into " new praying towns " and churches. Of seven churches thus gathered three were within Windham County territory. Joseph and Sampson, only sons of Petavit, sachem of Hamannesset-now Grafton,-" hopeful, pious and active young men," came as Christian missionaries to Wabbaquasset, and for four years labored and preached faithfully throughout this region. The simple and tractable Wabba- quassets hearkened willingly unto the Gospel thus preached, and many were persuaded to unite in church estate and assume some of the habits of civilization. They observed the Sabbath ; they cultivated their land ; they gathered into villages. The largest village, comprising some thirty families, was called Wabbaquasset. Its exact locality has
7
ABORIGINAL GLEANINGS.
not been identified, but it is known to be included in the present town of Woodstock, either on Woodstock Hill or in its vicinity. The teacher Sampson had his residence here, and under his oversight wig- wams were built, the like of which were seen in no other part of the country. Another church and village were gathered some miles north ward, at Myanexet, on the Quinebaug-then called the Mohegan River; and a third east of the Quinebaug, among the Nipmucks at Quinnatisset *- now Thompson Hill. These villages and their inhabit- ants were under the care and guidance of the faithful Sampson, who held religious services statedly, and endeavored to civilize and elevate them.
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