USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Litchfield > Sketches and chronicles of the town of Litchfield, Connecticut : historical, biographical, and statistical : together with a complete official register of the town > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00075 1013
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/sketcheschronicl00kilb 0
Bing" Tallmadge
FROM A PENCIL SKETCH BY COL. TRUMBULL
SKETCHES AND CHRONICLES
OF THE
TOWN OF LITCHFIELD,
CONNECTICUT,
HISTORICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL, AND STATISTICAL;
TOGETHER WITH A
COMPLETE OFFICIAL REGISTER OF THE TOWN.
BY PAYNE KENYON KILBOURNE, M. A., SECRETARY OF THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY HISTORICAL AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY.
HARTFORD: PRESS OF CASE, LOCKWOOD AND COMPANY. 1859.
PREFACE.
1137008
THE Town of Litchfield was first settled by emigrants from Hartford, Windsor, Wethersfield, Farmington and Lebanon, in 1720-'21. In 1751, the County of Litch- field was incorporated and organized, and at the same time Litchfield was established as the county-seat, and such it still remains. The township is located near the centre of the county, which occupies the north-west corner of the State of Connecticut. It is agreeably diversified by hills, vallies, mountains, lakes, forests and cultivated fields ; and is inhabited, for the most part, by an industrious, thriving, intelligent and happy people.
Thus much for the information of the stranger whose eye may casually glance at this Preface.
It has been the design of the author of these pages, to trace the rise and progress of that little settlement in the wilderness, during the lapse of one hundred and forty years, to the present time. The history of many a town at the West, tells of a sudden and gigantic growth at which our fathers would have marveled. I have no such stories to relate. The early history of Litchfield is one of peril and privation-of patient industry, and slow development. Our fathers, the pioneers of this region, were earnest, hardy and fearless men, who, in addition to the labors of backwoods-men, found abundant oppor-
iv
PREFACE.
tunities for the display of their heroism in guarding their · humble fire-sides from the prowling wolf and stealthy savage. The annals of such a people, and their succes- sors, cannot be devoid of interest to any one ; and should especially be cherished with the liveliest satisfaction by those who are able to claim descent from them. I have long been engaged in collecting the records and tradi- tions possessing a local interest, with a view of ultimate- ly giving them to the public. My "labor of love" for the good old town that gave me birth, is at length con- cluded, for the present at least. I trust the reader will share, in some small degree, the pleasure which the au- thor has felt in gathering up and sending forth these Memorials of the Past. Much more of perhaps equal interest, still remains unpublished ; but it will be seen that I have already exceeded my promised limits. The Family Genealogies in my possession, and for which I had hoped to find room, would alone fill a volume of the size of this. In the latter part of the work, especially, the power of condensation has been thoroughly tested.
I take this opportunity to express my acknowledg- ments to those who have preceded me in my field of exploration, and whose footsteps I have sometimes found it convenient to follow. In 1818, a pamphlet by JAMES MORRIS, Esq., was published, entitled-" A Statis- tical Account of Several Towns in Litchfield County," which contains much valuable information relative to this town. In 1845, our fellow-townsman, GEORGE C. WOODRUFF, Esq., published a History of Litchfield in a pamphlet of sixty pages-an excellent work.
LITCHFIELD, CONN., June 15, 1859. P. K. K.
INDEX.
CHAPTER I.
EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT PRECEDING THE SETTLEMENT OF LITCHFIELD. BANTAM, &C .- Reference to the Old Patent of Con- necticut; the Constitution of 1639 ; Sir Edmund Andros ; the West- ern Lands conveyed away ; trouble arising therefrom ; a compromise effected ; earliest record relating to " the New Plantation ;" Indian Deed ; List of Original Proprietors ; confirming Act of the Assembly; the word Bantam ; Lichfield, in England ; derivation of the word.
CHAPTER II.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT .- First Town Meeting ; first list of Town Officers ; conditions annexed to the Deeds ; forfeit- ed Rights ; second list of Town Officers ; first meeting-house ; village streets ; choice of home-lots ; capture and escape of Captain Gris- wold ; President Dwight's account of the Restored Captive ; murder of Joseph Harris by the Indians.
CHAPTER III.
ALARMS AND MEASURES OF DEFENSE .- Litchfield in 1723; list of First Settlers ; Garrisons erected; soldiers sent to the relief of Litchfield ; Governor Talcott's memoranda ; Memorials of the settlers ; Acts concerning non-resident proprietors ; Bounty for killing Indians ; Samuel Beebe'e testimony ; Petition of Rose and others ; more sol- diers for the defense of Litchfield ; Petition for a Patent ; Copy of the Patent.
CHAPTER IV.
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS .- Condition of the settlers ; Roger Wol- cott ; guardianship of Hartford and Windsor ; Bantam Swamp ; Ed- ucation ; first School House ; lease of the School Right ; seating the meeting-house ; north and south Boundaries ; Davies Hollow set off to Washington ; South Farms, Northfield and Milton incorporated ; town of Goshen organized in Litchfield ; wild animals ; Litchfield in 1760-'78 ; the Fisheries of Bantam ; the Bantam Indians ; the Mo-
vi
INDEX.
hawks; Indian Relics ; carved Stone Image; Human Sacrifices ; Raumaug; Parson Boardman's Long Prayer ; location of the Gar- risons ; orthography ; the West Burying-Ground ; John Marsh and John Buel.
CHAPTER V.
EVENTS PRECEDING THE REVOLUTION .- Litchfield County or- ganized ; first County Officers ; opposition of Woodbury ; Sabbath- Day Houses ; the Acadians or French Neutrals ; French War ; Litchfield officers and soldiers ; Roll of Captain McNeile's company ; Colonel Beebe ; the Stamp Act ; proceedings of a meeting in Litch- field ; Revolutionary preparations ; indications of Progress; high- ways to Goshen and Cornwall laid out.
CHAPTER VI.
THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA .- Proceedings of a town meeting ; Committees of Inspection appointed ; Aaron Burr ; Ethan Allen ; Captain Beebe's company ; memoranda relating to them ; capture of Fort Washington ; terrible fate of the prisoners ; Lieut. Catlin's statement; the leaden statue of King George brought to Litchfield, and cast into bullets ; account current ; Litchfield officers and soldiers ; letters from Dr. Smith to General Wolcott; Paul Peck killed; pris- oners of war in Litchfield Jail ; Governor Franklin ; Mayor Mat- thews ; the Episcopalians and the Revolution.
CHAPTER VII.
THE REVOLUTIONARY ERA-CONTINUED .- Depots for military stores and provisions ; workshops for the army; team sent here with powder, shot, and lead ; General Wolcott; Sheriff Lord ; clothing and provisions for the army ; teams pass through Litchfield for the army : votes in town meetings ; committees appointed ; Father Champion's Prayer ; a Prussian General arrives in town ; Wash- ington visits Litchfield ; anecdotes and incidents ; desertions from the enemy ; the Morrises ; Gatta, the Hessian.
CHAPTER VIII.
MEN OF THE REVOLUTION .- Biographical Sketches of Ethan Allen, Elisha Sheldon, Oliver Wolcott, Andrew Adams, Bezaleel Beebe, Jedediah Strong, Benjamin Tallmadge, Tapping Reeve, Mo- ses Seymour, and Elisha Mason.
CHAPTER IX.
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT .- Pastimes of our ancestors ; the Stolen Bride ; the Law School, and the Litchfield Monitor ; anecdote of General Tracy ; opposition to Stoves in the old meeting-house ; modes of traveling ; the first Post Office in this town ; list of Letters ; Turnpikes and Stage-Coaches ; list of Postmasters.
vii
INDEX.
CHAPTER X.
ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS .- First Society. - Difficulties with Mr Collins ; votes relating thereto ; sketch of his history ; settlement of Mr Champion ; building of the second meeting-house ; first soci- ety organized ; votes at its meetings ; settlement of Messrs. Hunting- ton, Beecher and Carroll ; new house of worship erected ; settlement of Messrs. Hickok, Brace, Swan, and Bacon ; officers of the church and society. Episcopacy .- John Davies the first Episcopalian in the town ; first Episcopal society organized; lands given to the society ; church named St. Michael's ; the Davies family ; sketches of the early Rectors ; application for a Justice of the Peace denied ; form- ation of the 2d Episcopal society ; the West Church erected; Epis- copalians in Milton and Northfield. Methodism .- Visits of Garret- son and Asbury to Litchfield ; Litchfield Circuit formed ; list of min- isters on the circuit ; names of methodists in the town in 1805 ; church erected in this village in 1837 ; list of pastors. Baptists.
Biographical Notes, 188
APPENDIX.
Colonial and State Officers; Chief Justices and Judges of the Superior Court and Supreme Court of Errors ; Commissioners of the Superior Court ; Justices of the Peace for Litchfield ; Judges and Clerks of the Probate Court ; Judges of the County Court; U. S. Senators, members of Congress 'and members of the Council, from Litchfield county ; Senators from the 15th District; County Officers, Borough Officers, Town Officers; Prosecuting Attornies for the county ; Corporations, Societies and Institutions in Litchfield ; Roll of Representatives, List of Graduates, Physicians, &c. Miscellane- ous Articles. Biographical Addenda. 201
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
CHAPTER I.
EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT PRECEDING THE SETTLEMENT OF LITCH- FIELD. BANTAM, ETC.
In 1630, about ten years after the landing of the pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, the whole of the territory of the present State of Connecticut was conveyed by the Plymouth Company to Robert, Earl of Warwick. On the 19th of March of the suc- ceeding year, the Earl executed under his hand and seal the grant since known as the Old Patent of Connecticut, wherein he transferred the same tract to Viscount Say and Seal, Lord Brooke, John Hampden, John Pym, Sir Richard Saltonstall, and others. In the summer of 1635, the towns of Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor, on the Connecticut river, first began to be settled by cmigrants from the vicinity of Boston in Massachusetts. Still a year later, the Rev. Thomas Hooker and his congregation made their celebrated journey through the wilderness, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Hartford, where they took up their permanent residence. In 1637, the Pequot War was begun and terminated-resulting in the expulsion and almost total annihilation of the most formida- ble tribe of Indians in the colony.
The first Constitution adopted by the people of Connecticut bears date, January 15, 1638-'9. This continued to form the basis of our colonial government until the arrival of the Char- ter of Charles II., in 1662, when it was nominally superceded.
Alternate troubles with the Dutch and Indians kept the settlers, for many years, in a perpetual state of discipline and "arm. But while the political commotions in the old world ometimes agitated the other American colonies, the people of Connecticut had from the first felt that their civil rights were guaranteed to them beyond the reach of any contingency. The
3
18
HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
Royal Charter was but a confirmation of privileges which they had long enjoyed. No king-appointed Governor or Council annoyed them by their presence or oppressed them by their acts ; but the voters were left to choose their own rulers and enact their own laws. Indeed, the influence of the crown was for a long period scarcely felt in the colony. On the acces- sion of James II., however, in 1685, the whole aspect of affairs was changed. It was soon rumored that His Majesty had de- termined to revoke all the charters granted by his predecessors. The arrival of Sir Edmund Andros at Boston, in December 1686, bearing a commission as " Governor of New England," was an event not calculated to allay the apprehensions of the people of Connecticut. His reputation was that of a selfish, grasping despot, bent upon enriching himself and immediate friends at the expense of the colonists. At this time, the entire region now known as the County of Litchfield, (except a solitary settlement at Woodbury, on its southern frontier,) was an unexplored wilderness, denominated the Western Lands. To save these lands from the control and disposal of Andros, the Legislature granted them to the towns of Hart- ford and Windsor-at least so much of them as lay east of the Housatonic river. When the usurpations of Andros were over, and the charter had found its way back from the hollow of the oak to the Secretary's office, the Colonial Assembly at- tempted to resume its title to these lands; but the towns re- ferred to steadfastly resisted all such claims. The quarrel was long kept up, but no acts of hostility were committed un- til efforts were made to dispose of the tract. Collisions then became frequent. Explorers, agents and surveyors, of one party, were summarily arrested and expelled from the dispu-
ted territory by the contestants. On one occasion, several offenders belonging to the Hartford and Windsor party, were imprisoned by the colonial authorities. A mob assembled, broke open the jail, and set the prisoners at large. A com- promise followed, confirming to the towns and the claimants under them, the lands of Litchfield and a part of those of New Milford. The other portions of the territory were intended to be equally divided between the colony and the claiming
19
EXPLORATION AND PURCHASE OF THE TOWNSHIP.
towns. Thus Torrington, Barkhamsted, Colebrook, and a part of Harwinton, were appropriated to Windsor ; Hartland, Winchester, New Hartford, and the remaining portion of Har- winton, were given to Hartford; the other lands in dispute, now constituting the townships of Norfolk, Goshen, Canaan, Kent, Sharon and Salisbury, were retained by the colony. It should be added, that a small portion of the township of Litch- field was claimed by certain citizens of Farmington, by virtue of a deed of purchase from the Indians, dated August 11, 1714. On the 11th of June, 1718, the Farmington claimants relinquished their rights to Hartford and Windsor, and in lieu thereof received one-sixth of all the lands of the town in fee.
All business relating to the Western Lands was transacted by committees appointed by the claiming towns and by the General Court. In 1715, these towns (Hartford and Wind- sor,) took the initiatory steps toward exploring that portion of the western wilderness now embraced within our corporation limits, and purchasing whatever rights the natives possessed, or claimed to possess, to the soil. It would be interesting to know who was the first individual of the Anglo-Saxon race that ever visited the localities so cherished by us all. The earliest record-evidence on this point, is contained in an entry in the first Book of Records in our Town Clerk's office,* which is as follows :
" The Town of Hartford, Dr.
To John Marsh,
May 1715, For 5 days, man and horse, with expenses, in viewing the Land at the New Plantation, £200
The Town of Hartford, Dr. Jan. 22, 1715-'16, To 6 days journey to Woodbury, to treat with the Indians about the Western Lands, by Thomas Seymour, To expenses in the journey,
£ 1 40
1 14 9
£ 2 18 9
* The following is written on the first page of the book referred to-"This booke be- longing to the Towne of Hartford, into which we, the Committee for Managing the affairs of the Western Grants, have entered our proceedings relating thereto, in con- junction with the Committee for the Towne of Windsor-as also an account of our dis- bursements therein." Dated June 17, 1718.
20
HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
The Town of Hartford, Dr.
To Thomas Seymour, Committy,
May 1716, By 2 quarts of Rum,
Expenses at Farmington,
£0 2 6 4 9
Expenses at Waterbury,
1 7
Paid Thomas Miner towards the Indian purchase,
7 10 0
Expenses at Woodbury
2 11 0
Expenses for a Pilot and protection,
1 10 0
Fastening horse-shoes at Waterbury,
20
Expenses at Waterbury,
18
Expenses to Col. Whiting for writing 40 deeds, £ 1 10 0
to Capt. Cooke for acknowledging 18 deeds,
18 0
to Ensign Seymour,
1
00
66 at Arnold's, 1 7 0
" by sending to Windsor, 0 4 0
August 4, 1718 .- Sold 11 lots for
£49 10 0
Expenses for writing 20 deeds, to Mr. Fitch,
10 0
66 for making out a way,
2 0 0
66 at Arnold's,
11 o
66 at Arnold's, 1 0 4
Feb. 10, 1818 .- At a meeting of the Committees, then sold
16 lots reserved by Marsh for Hartford's part, 37 17 9 At same meeting, paid by John Marsh for expenses, 12 0
At same meeting, loss of money by mistake in acc't. 30 April 14, 1719 .- A meeting of the Committees, expenses, 60 April 27 .- At a meeting of the Committees, expenses, 7 ."
By the earliest of these entries, we learn that Mr. John Marsh was sent out from Hartford "to view the lands of the new plantation," in May, 1715. He may, therefore, be re- garded as emphatically the pioneer-explorer of this township. It is not improbable that an occasional hunter or adventurer had previously visited these hills, and carried hence an ac- count of our beautiful lake and the rich alluvial meadows on its banks; but there is extant no written or traditionary evi- dence pointing to such an event. Mr. Marsh became an ori- ginal proprietor and early settler of the town, and was one of its most important and useful men. He was the progenitor of all bearing his name in Litchfield-a numerous and respec- table family. Mr. Thomas Seymour, of Hartford, appears in the record as the next explorer, and as the agent " to treat with the Indians" relative to the purchase of these lands. The sub- sequent items, though unimportant in themselves, are never-
to Capt. Cooke for acknowledging deeds,
70
66 to Tho's Seymour for perambulating north line, 1 6 4
21
INDIAN DEED.
theless deemed worthy of preservation, as they embrace all the information contained in our Town Books touching the action of the Committees relative to the lands in question, previous to the settlement.
The negotiations resulted in purchasing from the Indians all the lands in the original township of Bantam or Litchfield. The sum paid therefor in behalf of the Committees, though seemingly small, was doubtless satisfactory to the natives. Their estimate of land was founded mainly upon its value to them for hunting ; and as they made a " reservation " for that purpose, the " fifteen pounds in hand received " was, we have reason to believe, to their " full satisfaction and contentment," as is expressed in the Deed-which was executed at Wood- bury, March 2d, 1715-'16 :
" To all People to whom these Presents shall come, GREETING :
KNOW YE that we, Chusquenoag, Corkscrew, Quiump, Mag- nash, Kehow, Sepunkum, Poni, Wonposet, Suckqunnokqueen, To- weecume, Mansumpansh, and Norkgnotonckquy, Indian Natives belonging to the Plantation of Potatuck within the Colony of Connec- ticut, for and in consideration of the sum of fifteen pounds money in hand received to our full satisfaction and contentment, have given, granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents do fully, freely and absolutely give, grant, bargain and confirm, unto Col. William Whiting, Mr. John Marsh and Mr. Thomas Seymour, a Committee for the town of Hartford ; and Mr. John Eliot, Mr. Daniel Griswold and Mr. Samuel Rockwell, a Committee for the town of Windsor, for themselves and in behalf of the rest of the Inhabitants of the towns of Hartford and Windsor, a certain tract of Land, situate and lying north of Waterbury bounds, abutting southerly, partly on Waterbury and partly on Woodbury ; from Waterbury River westward across a part of Waterbury bounds, and across at the north end of Waterbury bounds to Shepaug River, and so northerly in the middle of Shepaug River, to the sprains of Shepaug River below Mount Tom, thence running up the east branch of Shepaug River to a place where the said River runs out of Shepaug Pond, from thence to the north end of said Pond, then east to Waterbury River, then southerly as the River runs, to to the north end of Waterbury bounds upon the said River; which said Tract of Land thus described, To HAVE AND TO HOLD, to the said Col. William Whiting, Mr. John Marsh and Mr. Thomas Sey- mour, Mr. John Eliot, Mr. Daniel Griswold aud Mr. Samuel Rock- well, Committees of the Towns of Hartford and Windsor as aforesaid, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the Inhabitants of said Towns, to them, their heirs and assigns, to use, occupy and improve, as their own proper right of Inheritance, for their comfort forever; together with all the privileges, appurtenances and conditions to the same be
22
HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
longing, or in any wise appertaining. And Further, we, the said Chusquenoag, Corkscrew, Quiump, Magnash, Kehow, Sepunkum, Poni, Wonposet, Suckqunnokqueen, Toweecumo, Mansumpansh and Norkgnotonckquy, owners and proprietors of the above granted Land, do, for ourselves and our heirs, to and with the above said William Whiting, John Marsh, Thomas Seymour, John Eliot, Daniel Griswold and Samuel Rockwell, Committees as aforesaid, them, their heirs and assigns, covenant and engage, that we have good right and lawful authority to sell the above granted land; And Futher, at the desire and request of the aforesaid Committees, and at their own proper cost and charge, will give a more ample deed.
And for a more full confirmation hereof, we have set our hands and seals, this second day of March, in the second year of His Majesties Reign, A. D. 1715.
Memorandum .- Before the executing of this instrument, it is to be understood, that the grantors above named have reserved to themselves a piece of ground sufficient for their hunting houses, near a mountain called Mount Tom."
This document is subscribed by the Indians named in the beginning of the deed-the last one excepted. As the "un- couth scrawls" used by them for signatures, are meaningless, and were undoubtedly drawn quite at random by the aboriginal signers, no attempt will here be made to imitate them. The names of the witnesses subscribed to the deed are, Weroa- maug, Wognacug, Tonhocks, John Mitchell, and Joseph Minor. It was " acknowledged" before Mr. Minor, the Indian Inter- preter, as follows :
" The Indians that subscribed and sealed the above said deed, ap- peared personally in Woodbury, the day of the date thereof, and ack- nowledged the said deed to be their free and voluntary act and deed Before me, JOHN MINOR."
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