USA > Connecticut > A gazetteer of the states of Connecticut and Rhode-Island : written with care and impartiality, from original and authentic materials : consisting of two parts : with an accurate and improved map of each state > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
The largest stream within the town is Piper's river ; in addition to which, there are numerous brooks which intersect and water the different sections of the town.
On Connecticut river, there are several shad fisheries, and fre- quently large quantities of shad are taken. Alewives are also taken in abundance, and put up for ex- portation.
The business of navigation has received considerable attention in this town, and it possesses conside- rable tonnage. Ship building also has frequently been carried on, but the commercial and maritime interests of the town have not increased for some years past.
The civil divisions of Wethers- field are three Congregational Sq- cieties, and 12 School districts.
In the first Society, there is a pleasant village, containing a brick Congregational Church, a Post-of- fice, several Mercantile Stores, & a number of neat and handsome dwelling houses.
At Rocky hill, in the Society of Stepney. there is a small but plea-
12
90
WINDSOR.
sant village. There are 12 prima- ry Schools, one in each district, two academical Schools, and three Social Libraries.
The population of Wethersfield in 1810, was 3931, and there are now 500 Electors, 300 militia, and about 600 dwelling-houses. There are 5 Distilleries, 4 Tanneries, 3 Grain Mills, 2 Saw-Mills, 3 Ful- ing Mills, 2 Carding Machines, 15 Mercantile Stores, and one Rope- walk. The list of the town, in 1817, was $67,627. The assessment of the U. S. in 1816 was $1,324,178. Thatof 1799, 636,452.
Wethersfield was one of the first settled towns in the State. In 1634, some of the people at New- town, in the colony of Massachu- setts, having visited the country upon Connecticut river, and be- ingpleased with its beautiful mea- dows, were anxious to remove and commence a settlement there. The subject having been submitted to the Governor and Council, at the autumnal session of the General Court, it was debated at great length, and with great warmth ;
and notwithstanding the great in- fluence of Mr. Hooker and others, who favoured the enterprise, it was decided to be inexpedient to at- tempt a settlement upon Connec- ticut river. But notwithstanding this opposition of the Court, the spring following, 1635, a number of persons engaged in the enterprise, set out for Connecticut, and arri -. ved there in July, and erected a few huts at Pyquag, within the town of Wethersfield, and made out to subsist through the winter. The year after, the General Court having granted permission, a num- ber of families arrived from New- town and Dorchester, a part of which settled here, and a part at Hartford, where a settlement had also been began by John Steel and his associates, the same year with that at Pyquag.
BIOGRAPHY. The Rev. Eli- sha Williams was settled in the gos- pel ministry in this town .- He was made President of Yale College, in 1726. He was a man of energy and enterprise, and had a vigor- ous understanding.
WINDSOR.
.
WINDSOR, one of the first set- tled towns in the State, is situated on the west side of Connecticut river, north of Hartford ; the Post- Office in Windsor being seven miles north from the city of Hartford, 'and 41 miles from New-Haven. The town was settled by emigrants from Dorchester, in the colony of Massachusetts, in the spring of 1636. Mr. Warham, their clergy- man, removed in October follow- ing. There is, however, some rea- son to believe, that some of the Dorchester people commenced tlie settlement the year before. Wind-
sor originally comprised an exten- sive tract of country, extending far back upon both sides of the river, which at this time forms a number of townships. The town now com- prises an area of 50 square miles, or 32,000 acres; being eight and a half miles in length from north to south, and averaging about six miles in breadth, from east to west. It is bounded north by Suffield, west by Farmington, Simsbury and Granby, south by Hartford, and east by Connecticut river, which separates it from East-Wind- Isor. The town is intersected into
91
WINDSOR.
nearly two equal sections, by Far- mington or Tunxis river, the lar- gest tributary stream of the Con- necticut. This is a delightful riv- er, of about 100 yards in width, the borders of which are fertile, pleasant and diversified. In the spring of the year it annually over- flows its banks, and transcending its ordinary bounds, assumes the appearance of a large stream : the alluvial tracts that it affords, which are of considerable extent, are thus enriched and fertilized. But the river is by no means rapid, being navigable for flat bottomed boats for about seven miles from its 'mouth, and for sloops nearly the same distance, in the spring sea- son. Above the boatable waters, there are numerous sites for mills and other hydraulic works, many of which are advantageously occu- pied. There are two considera- ble bridges erected across this stream, on the two branches of the great northern road which runs through the town. Windsor is ge- nerally of a level surface, having some extensive tracts of plains, and the other parts are of an un- dulating character. The soil is very various ; there being a conside- rable quantity of alluvial, both up- on the Connecticut and Tunxis riv- ers ; large tracts of plains, which are light,dry,and inclining to a sand; but are healthy, feasible, and consider- ably fertile ; and in the west part of the town there is a portion of the lands that are low, flat, and in- clining to be wet and marshy ; but the more prevailing character of the soil is a sandy or gravelly loam. It is free from stone, and, with few exceptions, from clay. Its natural growth is oak, walnut, maple, elm,
chesnut, butternut, cherry, thorn, horn-beam, bass, birch, spruce, hemlock, yellow and white pine. The lands, in a cultivated state, produce wheat, rye, Indian corn, oats, barley, hemp, flax, beans, grass, the various esculent roots, and tobacco. Rye and In- dian corn are the principal grains which are cultivated. There are a considerable portion of the im- proved lands, excepting the plains, that are under a grass culture, to which they are well adapted.
There are extensive orchards in the town, and cider is an important agricultural interest with the in- habitants. It is manufactured into spiritous liquor, called cider bran- dy, for which purpose almost eve- ry respectable farmer has a small distillery upon his own premises. This is a source of profit to the in- habitants, and the orchards, from whence it is derived, add greatly to the value of the lands, and at the same time give them the most charming and interesting appear- ance, exhibiting fields, having a canopy of verdure, and studded over with art.
Windsor is divided into three Ecclesiastical Societies, and six- teen School Districts. These So- cieties are well settled, and form considerable villages.
The first Society, in its central section, has a spacious and hand- some street, containing many well built houses ; and being intersect- ed by the river, having a beautiful grove upon its banks, which are connected by a bridge, it has a ro- mantic and pleasing appearance. Upon the north side of the river, upon an elevated site, stands a large Congregational Church, con-
92
WINDSOR.
tiguous to which are a number of Stores and handsome Dwelling Houses.
The Society of Poquonock, be- ing farther back upon the Tunxis, is a delightful situation, almost un- rivalled for its conveniences, and its rural scenery and objects. The road runs for several miles nearly parallel with the river, having a beautiful declivity to the meadows which line its borders to the east, and a gentle rise of land upon the west, extending back to the forests and plains. In the centre, for near a mile, there is a " purling brook," that courses along by the road, whose limpid treasures, not yield- ing to the severest droughts, are a grateful tribute both to man and beast. There are in this Society, both upon this stream and the riv- er, numerous water privileges, and sites for hydraulic works. The Society of Wintonbury is situated in the southwest part of the town ; it contains numerous roads, and many handsome and well built hou- ses. There is a Post-office in this Society.
STATISTICS. There were in Windsor in 1810, 2868 inhabitants. There are 400 Dwelling Houses, 5 Churches, 3 belonging to the loca- ted Societies, but 1 which of is not Congregational, and 2 for Baptists ; 3 companies of Infantry, and part of a company of Cavalry, of mili- tia, and 500 freemen or Electors.
There are 4 Gin Distilleries, 5 Grain Mills, 9 Tanneries, 1 Cot- ton Factory, 1 Tin-ware Manufac- tory, 5 Mercantile Stores, 3 Cloth- iers' Works, and 3 Carding Ma- chincs.
There are in Windsor, 12 Tav- erns, or Public Inns, 16 District
Schools, and one Grammar School, having a public fund, but it is not flourishing, 4 small Social Libra- ries, 4 Clergymen, 5 Physicians, and 3 Attornies.
The general list of the town, in 1817, was $57,068 14, there being 302 polls, 341 Horses, 394 oxen, 885 cows, heifers and steers, 3135 acres of plow land, 4153 acres of mowing and clear pasture, 7453 acres of pasture lands, 9589 acres of uninclosed land. The valuation or assessment of the lands and houses of the town, in 1816, was $1,449,908, 47. In 1799, it was $620,261, 13.
BIOGRAPHY. The late Hon. Oliver Ellsworth was a native and a resident of Windsor. His em- inent talents and distinguished public services are well known. He was one of the first and most eminent lawyers in Connecticut, and contributed essentially towards the establishment of our judicial system, being for several years a judge of the superior court. He was a member of Congress, both in the house of representatives and the senate, for several years ; but was most distinguished for his ar- duous services in the judiciary of the United States, both in its or- ganization and as one of the judg- es of the supreme court; which of- fice he held for a considerable time, and succeeded Mr. Jay, as chief justice of this court. Whilst in this office, he was appointed minister to France, with William Davey and Mr. Murray, who were commissioned to negotiate a trea- ty of peace between the United States and the French Republic, which they succeeded in accom- phishing. He died in Nov. 1807.
NEW-HAVEN
COUNTY.
NEW-HAVEN COUNTY is situated in the southern central section of the State, on Long-Isl- and Sound. It is bounded on the north by Litchfield and Hartford counties, on the east by Middlesex county, on the south by Long-Island Sound, and on the west principally by the Ousatonick river, which se-|
parates it from the county of Fair- field, and in part by Litchfield coun- ty. The county has an irregular form, and has an average length from east to west of about 26 miles, with a medium breadth from north to south of about 21 miles, and comprises an area of more than 540 square miles, or 345,600 acres.
The following TOPOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL TABLE exhibits a . compendious view of the several towns in the county ; their situa- tion, with relation to New-Haven ; population, according to the cen- sus of 1810 ; dwelling-houses ; religious societies ; school districts, and post-offices.
Towns.
Post- Popu- Dwelling Religious School Distance from
offices. lation.
houses. societies. districts. N. Haven.
New-Haven. 1
6967
1050
7
25
Branford.
2
1932
280
5
15
8 m. E.
Cheshire.
1 2288
370
3
12
13 m. N.
Derby.
2
2051
300
5
9
9 m. N. W.
East-Haven.
1209
200
2
5
4 m. E.
Guilford.
2
3845
550
7
19
15 m. E.
Hamden.
1716
260
4
9
5 m. N.
Meriden.
1
1249
200
3
7
17 m. N.
Middlebury.
847
125
2
6
22 m. N. W.
Milford.
1
2674
380
4
11
9 m. W.
North-Haven.
1239
200
3
8
8 m. N.
Oxford.
1
1453
220
3
13
14 m. N. W.
Southbury.
1
1413
230
3
8
20 m. N. W.
Wallingford.
1
2325
340
5
11
13 m. N. E.
Waterbury.
1
2814
400
4
19
20 m. N. W.
Woodbridge.
2080
300
4
10
7 m. N.
Wolcott.
952
150
2
7
22 m. N. W.
94
NEW-HAVEN COUNTY.
The local situation and advanta- ges of the county of New-Haven are important. Lying upon Long- Island Sound, it has a very exten- sive maritime border, indented with numerous bays and inlets, af- fording important facilities to na- vigation and commerce. The face of the country and soil are various, corresponding with the geological character of its different sections. It is intersected by several moun- tainous ranges, which pass through it in a northerly direction. All the important ranges of mountains in the state, terminate in this coun- ty, and at no very considerable dis- tance from each other. The most important of these is the great Greenstone range, consisting of two branches, one of which termi- nates at East Rock, and the other at West Rock, and which pass thro' nearly the centre of the county. East of these, the Middletown greenstone range extends in nearly a parallel direction ; it passes thro' the eastern section of this county, for some distance, and more north- wardly forms the boundary be- tween this county and Middlesex. Eastwardly of this, & near the east border of the county, commence the granite hills, which extend northcasterly through Guilford and Haddam, and rising upon the east side of Connecticut river, form the extensive granitic range that passes through the castern section of the State. The west- ern section of the county compris- cs the termination of the granitic range, which extends through the western part of the State. The soil, in the greenstone district, is generally fertile, consisting of a gravelly and argillaceous loam. In
the granitic district, both in the eas- tern and western section of the county, it is less fertile, and the lands are rough and stony. Upon the borders of the sound, there is some good land, and numerous and extensive tracts of marine al- luvial. There are some considera- ble tracts of silicious sand, and light sandy loam, which, in gene- ral, are lean and sterile. The county does not possess a great proportion of first quality of land, but a considerable section of it is adapted to a grain culture, and the western part is excellent for graz ing.
The agricultural interest of the county has been considerably neg- lected; and there is evidently great want of agricultural enterprise and intelligence, and much room for im- provement. The force of establish- ed habits, the influence of preju- dice, and a dread of innovation, have as sensible and injurious an operation upon the interests and prosperity of agriculture, as upon any other objects. But, although the farmers of this county, in com- mon with those of most other parts of the State, may be wanting in enterprise, they are remarkable for their habits of industry and econo- my, and, in general, for the rural simplicity and plainness of their style of living.
The waters of the county, ex- clusive of Long Island sound, which washes its southern border for more than thirty miles, consist of the Ousatonick river, which wash- es its western border, and the She- paug, Pomperaug, and Naugatuck, that discharge themselves into the former, which water its western section ; the Wopowaug, the West
93
NEW-HAVEN. :
river, the Quinipiack, Mill river, Branford, Menuncatuck, and the Hammonasett rivers, fertilize the eastern section of the coun- ty, and discharge their waters into Long-Island Sound. The latter forms its eastern boundary for some distance There are nu- merous bays and inlets, and se- veral safe and convenient harbours; the principal of which are Guilford harbour, Sachem's head, Branford, New-Haven and Milford. Upon the Ousatonick river, the principal harbour is at Derby landing. From the maritime situation of the coun- ty, its advantages for commerce are very essential ; and its commercial interests are more extensive and important than those of any other section of the State. Connected with the interests of navigation, is that of ship-building, which re- ceives considerable attention, par- ticularly in the eastern section. The manufacturing establishments of the county are not numerous ; yet there are some very important, and upon a large scale ; and there are various mechanical employ- ments, or certain kinds of manu- factures, that are very respectable, and carried on considerably exten- sively. Of the former, the exten- sive Gun Factory in Hamden,
[and the large Woolen and Cotton Factories in Derby, are most de- serving of notice. Of the latter, the manufacture of Tin Ware, But- tons, and Clocks, which is carried on extensively in the northern part of the county, and the manufacture of shoes, which receives considera- ble attention in several towns up- on the Sound, are most important.
There are, in the county of New- Haven, 1 Forge, 1 Furnace, 1 ex- tensive Gun Factory, alluded to above, probably the largest private establishment in the United States, 1 Powder Mill, 3 Oil Mills, 4 Pa- per Mills, 2 Cotton Factories, 5 Woolen Factories, 33 Fulling Mills, and Cloth Dressing Esta- blishments, 30 Carding Machines, and 54 Grain Mills. The county contains 30 School Societies, each of which is divided into a con- venient number of School Dis- tricts, the limits of a single school, of which there are in all 193. There are also 66 Religious Socie- ties, 28 Social Libraries, and about 210 Mercantile Stores. The ag- gregate population of the county, according to the census of 1810, was 37,064 ; and the amount of taxable property, including polls, as rated in making up lists in 1817, was $770,518
NEW-HAVEN.
NEW-HAVEN, the seat of jus- tice of the county, and semi-capi- tal of the State, is situated at the head of the bay of the same name, upon Long-Island sound, in 41º 18 north lat. and 72° 56' west lon. 34 miles southwest from Hartford,!
and 76 northeast of New-York. - It is bounded on the north by Woodbridge and Hamden, on the east by the Quinipiack river, which separates it from East-Haven, on the south by New-Haven bay and Long-Island sound, and on the 52 miles west from New-London, west by Milford ; comprising an
96
NEW-HAVEN.
area, exclusive of the bay, of about eighteen square miles, having a mean length of nearly five miles, with a medium breadth of more than three and a half miles.
Surface, soil and geology. A considerable section of this town- ship is an alluvial plain. This plain is of secondary, and appa- rently of recent formation ; its ge- ological structure consists of strata of siliceous sand and gravel, which may be regarded as ma- rine deposits. The sand is con- siderably ferruginous, and affords no important minerals, and no stones or rock formation, except the occasional occurrence of a fri- able sand stone; evidently of a recent formation, and which is lit- tle more than an induration of masses of the sand and gravel composing the soil. This plain extends eastwardly to the Quini- piack, and is circumscribed north- easterly and northwardly by east rock and west rock, and several hills which are spurs of them, giv- ing it a novel and interesting ap- pearance. East rock is a bold bluff, or nearly a perpendicular eminence, and is the termination of the east range of the greenstone mountain ; it is detached and insu- lated ; this range for several miles being broken, or interrupted, and presenting a succession of eminen- ces. It exhibits a naked rock in broken and disordered fragments, forming bold mural precipices. The geological character of the strata is greenstone, being a sec- ondary formation. This eminen- ce is partly in this town, and part- ly in Hamden. Contiguous to this is mill rock, of a similar de- scription, and a spur of it. East
rock is about two miles northeast from the city of New-Haven ; its height is from 350 to 370 feet. West rock is about two miles west from east rock, and about the same distance northwest from the city. This is the termination of the west branch of the greenstone mountain, and presents very similar features to the other ; this range, however, is more continuous, especially for several miles from its termination. West rock is also a bold perpen- dicular precipice, naked and bare. It is of about the same height as east rock. Contiguous to this also, there are several spurs, or smaller eminences, the largest of which is called Pine Rock, and runs off at right angles from it in an easterly direction. These several eminen- ces, from their peculiarly bold and characteristic features, give to the scenery of New-Haven an appear- ance of novelty, grandeur and in- terest, surpassing that of almost any other town in the United States. The stones of these moun- tains are very valuable for build- ing, and have latterly been used extensively for that object, in New- Haven. A considereble propor- tion of the long wharf is construct- ed of them. The western section of the town, beyond the plain, consists of a waving tract of land, being the commencement of a succession of hills, extending west- wardly into Milford, and which are commonly called Milford hills. These hills are of a similar geolo- gical character ; their structure consisting of greenstone strata. This section of the township is nearly five miles in length from north to south, and more than two- from cast to west. The soil of
97
NEW-HAVEN.
this section is a gravelly loam ; but | moderately fertile, and parts of it are lean and sterile. That of the alluvial plain is a sandy loam, light, warm, and dry. It is generally thin, and rather barren and sterile, in its natural state ; but has suffi- cient basis to sustain manure, and is susceptible of improvement. Upon the border of the sound, it has been enriched by white fish, which are found to be a very valu- able manure ; and, in the interior, by barn-yard and other manures, which the town affords. Upon the borders of West riyer, there are extensive tracts of salt marsh, which produce very large quanti- ties of salt hay. Attempts have been made, with some success, to improve these lands by means of draining and diking. Of what is called West Meadow, there is a tract of more than one hundred acres, that lies above, or north of the bridge across the river. An attempt was made in 1769, to pre- vent the galt water from overflow- ing this tract, by means of a dike, constructed across the meadow, having a gate at the bridge, which was shut by the tide and opened by the river, when the tide rece- ded. When this dike was con- structed, the whole of this tract was a salt marsh ; and soon after the salt grass died, and was suc- ceeded, upon about half of the tract, by white grass, as it is call- ed ; and upon the other half by spear grass and clover. A part of this tract has been plowed, and has carried good crops of corn : upon some sections of it also are seve- ral valuable orchards ; & it has been remarked, that the canker-worm has never attacked these trees.
Natural and Agricultural Pro- ductions .- Upon the alluvial plain, there were never any forests, ex- cepting those upon Mount Pleas- ant, an interesting eminence, com- prising about 400 acres, which ap- pears to have obtruded itself into its present situation. Upon this plain, the original growth appears to have been shrub oak. In the western section of the town, there are numerous forests. The natural growth of trees consists of oak, chesnut, hickory, elm, maple, ash, butternut, white and yellow pine, birch, thorn, red cedar, bass, wild cherry, and various shrubs or trees of small growth. But the forests within the town afford but a small proportion of the fuel which is an- nually consumed. Wood is bro't to New-Haven market, for more than ten miles, by land carriage. And it is estimated that about one third of the fuel consumed is brought here by water conveyance from Long-Island, the borders of the sound, and the Ousatonick ri- ver. In the year ending June 1806, it was estimated that about 2,500 cords of wood were imported in- to New-Haven. And, considering this but one third part of the whole quantity brought to this market, the aggregate consumption that year must have been 7,500 cords being ten cords to a house ; not taking into consideration mercan- tile stores, mechanics' shops, &c. The pine timber used in building is imported from the Connecticut and Hudson rivers, some from the southern states, but principally from the District of Maine.
AGRICULTURE. The agri- culture of this town comprises the varions objects of husbandry com.
13
98
NEW-HAVEN.
mon to this State. Wheat, rye, corn, barley, oats, flax and grass, are the principal products. The lands, although not naturally very ·fertile, are sucsceptible of exten- sive improvement. The soil is naturally very dry, and rather in- clining to be hard. Wood-ashes answer an excellent purpose as a manure upon the plain, their effi- cacy continuing much longer than stable manure ; and they tend to correct the dryness of the soil, and also to ameliorate it, by giving it more body and consistence. White fish also are found to be an excellent manure. They are us- ed both with and without under- going a previous process of de- composition. When in the former mode, they are thrown into a pile, consisting of a layer of fish, and one of earth, alternately ; which, when suitably decomposed, is ap- plied to the soil ; when in the lat- ter mode, they are spread upon the land and plowed in, and thus dissolved and decomposed. The number of these fish with which 'an acre is usually dressed, is from ten to twelve thousand. They frequent the shores upon the sound in the month of June, in large shoals, and arc, taken with great facility. They are efficacious up- on all soils, and for almost every kind of vegetation. The land in this town is in general better adapted to tillage than to grazing. It is also well adapted to the vari- ous objects of horticulture, which in general receive great attention ; there being, it is believed, as many good culinary gardens in this, as in any other town in the State. The various vegetables, roots and fruits, which, as objects of horti-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.