USA > Connecticut > New London County > Norwich > A historical discourse delivered in Norwich, Connecticut, September 7, 1859, at the bi-centennial celebration of the settlement of the town > Part 7
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Mr. Foster closed his remarks with a reference to the character of the petitioner. At a later day the prayer of the petition was granted.
NOTE O.
THE OPENING OF THE REVOLUTION IN NORWICHI.
The following documents are sufficiently explained in the text. They form, connectedly, a good illustration of the state of feeling which was prevalent in Eastern Connecticut at the opening of the war of Independence.
CALL FOR A TOWN MEETING.
(The original is in the possession of Mr. Wm. C. Gilman, New York.)
The Inhabitants of the Town of Norwich by Law Qualified to Vote in Town Meeting are hereby Warned to Meet at the Town house in Said
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Norwich on the first Monday of June Next at two of the Clock in the Afternoon to take into Consideration the Melancholly Situation of our Civil Constitutional Liberties Rights and Privileges which are Threatened with Destruction by the Enemies of his Majesty's Happy Reign & Government over the American Colonies and to Do Whatsoever Shall be thought Expedient to Manifest our Loyalty to the King and faithful Endeavours to Promote the Hearty Affection which Every Good Subject hath for the General Good of the British Empire which is in the Most Happy Condition when Every Individual is Secure in the possession of his Person, Family, Property & Privileges under the Paternal Protection of a Most Gracious & Pious Prince, as also to take into Consideration some Memorials for High- way, Praid for in Said Town and also to Act any Thing Else that may be fairly offered.
SAMUEL TRACY, BENJ. HUNTINGTON, Select
BARNABAS HUNTINGTON, Men.
ELIJAH BREWSTER,
Norwich, May 30th, 1774.
RECORD OF THE TOWN MEETING, JUNE 6, 1774. (From the Town Records.)
At a very full meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Norwich, legally warned and convened in the Town house, in said Norwich, on the 6th day of June, A. D. 1774, the Honorable Jabez Huntington, Esqr., Moderator,
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to the meeting house, and there immediately opened, that more convenient room may be had for the num- ber of the people now assembled. The meeting was opened at the meeting house accordingly, where the following resolves were passed almost unani- mously :
Voted, That Samuel Huntington, Esq., Mr. Isaac Tracy, Capt. Jedediah Huntington, Christopher Leffingwell, Esq., Elisha Fitch, Esq., Simon Tracy, Jun., Esq., Capt. Joseph Trumbull, Benj. Huntington, Esq .. and Capt. Zabdiel Rogers, be a committee to draw up some sentiments proper to be adopted and resolutions to be come into in this alarming crisis of affairs, Relative to the Natural Rights & Privileges of the People, and to lay the same before this meeting.
On the same day, on receiving the report of the Committee -
Voted, That we will, to the utmost of our abilities, assert & defend the Liberties and immunities of British America ; and that we will Co-operate with our Brethren in this and the other Colonies in such reasonable meas- ures as shall in General Congress, or otherwise, be judged most proper to Relieve ns from Burthens we now feel, and secure us from greater evils we fear will follow from the Principles adopted by the British Parliament, Respecting the town of Boston.
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Voted, That Capt. Jedediah Huntington, Christopher Leffingwell. Esq., Doct. Theophilus Rogers, Capt. William Hubbard, and Capt. Joseph Trum- bull, be a standing Committee for keeping up a Correspondence with the Towns in this and the neighboring Colonies, and that they transmit a Copy of these Votes to the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston.
LETTER FROM THE NORWICH COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE TO THE BOSTON COMMITTEE.
(The autograph is in Mrs. A. R. Street's possession.)
NORWICH, 6th June, 1774.
GENT" : Your Letter of the 13th ult. addressed to Christ Leffingwell Esq' has been this day communicated to this Town, in a very full meeting & the Contents of it seriously attended to and canvassed ; whereupon they came to the Votes, - an authentick Copy of which, we here Inclose you according to order.
We most Sensibly feel for the Sufferings of the Town of Boston, & con- sider ourselves as deeply Interested therein, as we doubt not the Idea of Administration is, to adopt the old Latin Maxim divide et impera. You are the first to be Sacrificed, we must follow in our turn. You are called by Providence to stand foremost, in the Contests for those Liberties where- with God and Nature have made us free. Stand firm therefore in your Lots, and from the Apparent Temper of our People, we may assure you of every Support in the Power of this Town to afford you in the glorious Struggle. The firmness of the Town of Boston heretofore Exerted, leaves us no room to doubt it, at this alarming Crisis. Surely it never was more needed, than on the present trying Occasion.
We are with great Truth and Regard, Gentlemen, your Sympathizing Friends & Countrymen. Signed by order and on behalf of the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Norwich.
JOS. TRUMBULL.
FROM SAMUEL ADAMS, OF BOSTON, TO THE NORWICH COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
(From the original in possession of Mrs. A. R. Street.)
BOSTON, July 11, 1774.
GENTLEMEN : Your obliging Letter directed to the Committee of Cor- respondence for the Town of Boston, came just now to my handl ; and as the Gentleman who brought it is in haste to return, I take the liberty to writing you my own Sentiments in Answer, not doubting but they are concurrent with those of my Brethren. I can venture to assure you that the valuable Donation of the worthy Town of Norwich will be received by this Community with the Warmest Gratitude & dispos'd of according to the true Intent of the Generous Donors. The Liberality of the Sister Colonies will I trust support and Comfort the Inhabitants
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under the Pressure of enormous Power, and enable them to endure Affliction with that Dignity, which becomes those who are called to suffer in the Cause of Liberty and Truth. The Manner of transmitting the Donation will be left to your Discretion ; and that it may be conducted according to the Inclination of the Town, I beg leave to propose, that it be directed to some one Gentleman [say William Phillips Esq' ] to be dispos'd of " for the Employment or Relief of such Inhabitants of the Town of Boston as may become Sufferers by means of an act of the British Par- liament called the Boston Port bill, at the Discretion of the Overseers of the Poor of said Town joyn'd with a Committee appointed to consider of Ways and Means for the Employment of such Poor." The Part which the Town of Norwich takes in this Struggle for American Liberty is truly noble ; and this Town rejoyces with you in the Harmony Modera- tion & Vigor which prevails throughout the United Colonies.
You may rely upon it that there is no Foundation for the Report that " the Opposition gains ground upon us." The Emissaries of a Party, which is now reduced to a very small number of men, a Creat Part of whom are in Reality Expectants from & in Connection with the Revenue, are daily going out with such idle Stories; but whoever reads the Accounts of the Proceedings of the Town Meetings, which I can assure you have been truly stated in the News Papers under the hand of the Town Clerk, will see that no Credit is due to such Reports.
I shall lay your Letter before the Committee of Correspondence who will write to you pr. first opportunity. In the mean time I am in Sincerity, Your obliged Friend & Fellow Countryman, SAMI ADAMS.
JEDH HUNTINGTON, CHRISR LEFFINGWELL, Esqrs.
THEOPH. ROGERS,
REPLY OF C. LEFFINGWELL, ESQ., TO THE FOREGOING LETTER OF SAMUEL ADAMS.
(From the Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. Fourth Series. Vol. IV., page 45.)
NORWICH. August, 1774.
GENTLEMEN : We received your kind favor of 11th ult., subscribed by S. Adams, in your behalf, in answer to ours, respecting the small dona- tion proposed by the inhabitants of this Town, for the employment or relief of such inhabitants of the Town of Boston as may become sufferers by means of the Boston Port Bill, part of which we now forward you per Messrs. Bishop, Call, Leflingwell and Bishop, being two hundred and ninety-one sheep, which [we] wish safe to hand. What other collections may be made, shall forward hereafter. We should be glad to know, as nearly as may be, the true state of affairs with you, (especially) if any thing materially different from what we see published in the weekly papers;
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and that you would write us per return of the gentlemen who drive the sheep.
We are, with much esteem, Gentlemen, your assured friends and fellow- countrymen, in behalf of the Committee,
CHRISTO. LEFFINGWELL.
To WM. PHILLIPS, Esq., merchant, Boston.
LETTER FROM JOSEPH WARREN, OF BOSTON,
ACKNOWLEDGING THE RECEPTION OF 201 SHEEP, SENT BY NORWICH TO THE RELIEF OF BOSTON.
(The original is in the possession of Mrs. A. R. Street.)
BOSTON, August 27th, 1774.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter, with the two hundred and ninety-one sheep, were received safely, and met with a very hearty welcome. We have good reason to think that our oppressors begin to see their mistake, and that they will ere long find that Americans are not to be fritted or wheedled out of their rights. The arm of a tyrant is never supported by justice, and there- fore must fall. Mr. Gage is executing the late Acts of Parliament, in their several branches, to the best of his ability. He is furnished with a council, who will be careful (as their existence depends on the will of his master) to study his inclination, and to act every thing in conformity to his pleasure. We don't expect justice from them, and have no hopes that they will be guided by the laws of equity, or the dietates of conscience. Certainly men who will serve such an administration as the present, and suffer themselves to be promoted at the expense of the charter of their country, must be destitute of every idea of right, and ready instruments to introduce abject slavery. Mr. Gage may issue his precepts, and his council may sanctify them, his juries may give verdicts, and an unconstitutional and venal bench may pass judgments, but what will this avail, unless the people will acquiesce in them? If the people think them unconstitutional, of what importance are their determinations ? Salus populi suprema lex esto, is a precious old maxim. The ministry have forgot it, but the people are determined to remember it.
We consider a suspension of trade through the continent with Great Britain, Ireland and the West Indies, as the grand machine that will deliver us. If this should fail, we must then have recourse to the last resort. As yet, we have been preserved from action with the soldiery, and we shall endeavor to avoid it, until we see that it is necessary, and a settled plan is fixed on for that purpose. The late Acts of Parliament are such gross infringements on us, that our consciences forbid us to submit to them. We think it is better to put up with some inconvenience, and pursue with patience the plan of commercial opposition, as it will be more for the honor and interest of the continent, as well as more consistent with the principle of humanity and religion.
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Mr. Gage finds himself very unequal to the task that is set him, and is at a loss for measures. He sees and is astonished at the spirit of the people. He forbids their town meetings, and they meet in counties. If he prevents county meetings, we must call provincial meetings, and, if he forbids these, we trust that our worthy brethren on the continent, and especially of the Town of Norwich, in Connecticut, will lend us their helping arms in time of danger, and will be no less conspicuous for their fortitude than they now are for their generosity.
We have nothing important to inform you of besides what you see in the public papers. Should any thing worthy your notice take place, we shall gladly communicate it to you.
We are, Gentlemen,
Your grateful friends and humble servants,
JOSEPH WARREN, Per order the Committee
of Donations.
To the Gentlemen, the Committee of the
Town of Norwichi.
CIRCULAR TO THE CITIZENS OF NORWICH.
(From the original autograph in Mrs. Street's collection.)
The Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Norwich in Compli- ance with the Recommendation of the House of Representatives, of this Colony convened at New Haven in March inst .; - & taking into our Serions consideration, the Distressed Condition of the Industrious Poor of the Suffering Town of Boston of the Continued operation of the Cruel Act of Parliament, blocking up their Port ; - also being Informed of the great probability of the Spread of the Small Pox in sd Town, in addition to their other distresses - Do most earnestly recomend it to and desire the Gentle- men whose Names are underwritten, to Sollicit, the further Charitable Contributions of the Humane, & Sympathizing Inhabitants of the Town. for Relieving & Alleviating the Distresses of the Poor of that Devoted Town :- & make return of their doings & collectings, at a meeting of the sd Gentle- men & others to be holden at the Court House in this Town on the third Tuesday of April next - when a Plan will be settled for receiving & transmitting such Collections to Boston. Norwich, March 30th, 1775. We are, Gentlemen,
Your & the Public's Humble Seryts.
JED. HUNTINGTON,
CHRISTI LEFFINGWELL, THEOPH. ROGERS,
Committee of Correspondence.
JOS. TRUMBULL, Wm HUBBARD,
[The above is addressed to about fifty Norwich citizens.]
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ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON.
(From a manuscript in MIrs. Street's collection, addressed to Christopher Leffingwell, and endorsed " First Alarm, April, 1775.")
WATERTOWN, Wednesday Morning, near 10 o'Clock.
To all the Friends of American Liberty. Be it known that this Morning before breake of Day a Brigade consisting of about 1000 or 1200 Men landed at Phip's Farm at Cambridge and marched to Lexington where they found a Company of our Colony Militia in Arms, upon whom they fired without any Provocation and killed 6 Men and wounded 4 others. By an Express from Boston this Moment, we find another Brigade are now upon their March from Boston suposed to be about 1000. The bearer Mr. Israel Bissell is charged to alarm the County quite to Connecticut and all Persons are desired to furnish him with Fresh Horses as they may be needed. I have spoken with several Persons who have seen the Dead and Wounded. Pray let the Delegates from this Colony to Connecticut see this they know
J. PALMER, one of the Committee of S-y.
Col. Foster of Brookfield, one of the Delegates. A True Coppy taken from the original. pr Order of Committee of Correspondence for Worcester. Attest. Nathan Balding T. Clerk.
Worcester, April ye 19th, 1775.
Brooklyne, Thursday, 11 o'Clock. the above is a true Coppy as recd Here pr Express forwarded from Worcester.
Test. (Signed) DANIEL TYLER, Jr.
(Re-print of the "Norwich Packet " Extra.) INTERESTING INTELLIGENCE,
NORWICH, APRIL 22, 1775, 10 O'CLOCK, P. M.
Potior visa est Periculosa Libertas quieto servitio .- SALLUST.
Yesterday Morning, the following was brought by an Express, to Col. Jedediah Huntington, of this Town, Dated at Pomfret on [Thursday] the 20th Inst., 3 o'clock, P. M.
SIR : I am this Moment informed, by an Express from Woodstock, taken from the Mouth of the Express that arrived there, 2 o'Clock this Afternoon, that the Contest between the first Brigade that marched to Concord, was still continuing this Morning, at the Town of Lexington, to which said Brigade had retreated. That another Brigade, said to be the second, mentioned in the Letter of this morning, had landed with a Quantity of Artillery, at the Place where the first Troops did ; the Provincials were determined to prevent the two Brigades from joining their Strength, if possible, and remain still in the greatest need of Succours.
N. B. The Regulars, when at Concord, burnt the Court-House, took two Pieces of Cannon, which they rendered Useless, and began to take up
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Concord Bridge, on which Capt. - , who with many, on both Sides, were killed, then made an Attack upon the King's Troops, on which they retreated to Lexington.
In haste, I am, Sir, Your humble Servant, EBENEZER WILLIAMS.
To Col. OBADIAH JOHNSON, Canterbury.
P. S. Mr. Mc. Farling, of Plainfield, merchant, has just now returned from Boston, by Way of Providence, who conversed with an Express from Lexington, who farther informns, that about 4000 of our People had sur- rounded the first Brigade above-mentioned, who were on a hill in Lexing- ton ; that the Action Continued, and that there were about 50 of our People killed and 150 of the Regulars, as near as they could determine, when the Express came away.
NORWICH, April 22.
This evening, a little after 7 o'Clock, Mr. David Nevins, who Yesterday Forenoon, went Express, from this Town, to obtain Intelligence, returned from Providence, with the following important Advices.
On Wednesday Evening last, Advice was received here from Boston - that a Detachment of the King's Troops had fired upon and killed a Num- ber of the Inhabitants of Lexington, about Twelve Miles from Boston ; in Consequence of which an Engagement had happened.
Upon receiving this alarming Intelligence, the Inhabitants of Providence immediately assembled the Officers of the Independent Companies and Militia, with a Number of Gentlemen of the Town, had a meeting, and two Expresses were dispatched for Lexington to obtain authentic Accounts while others were sent to different parts of this Colony and Connecticut.
The Expresses that went to Lexington returned Yesterday Morning, and relate in Substance the following.
[Here follows a more extended account. ]
NOTE P.
The work of Rev. Dr. Sprague of Albany, "The Annals of the American Pulpit," six volumes of which have already been printed. contains biographical sketches of several distinguished clergymen who were born in Norwich, as well as of those who were settled at different times over the several churches of this place. To that great thesaurus, which will ever remain a monument to the industry, thoroughness, and discrimination of the author, the reader is referred for more particulars than can possibly be given in this place. The following sketches are
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condensed from that work, except that of Rev. Mr. Tyler, which is re-printed entire : -
REV. JOSEPH STRONG, D. D.
Rev. Joseph Strong, a younger brother of Nathan Strong, D. D., of Hartford, was son of Rev. Nathan Strong of Coventry. He was gradu- ated at Yale College in 1772; and was settled as colleague of Rev. Dr. Lord, March 18, 1778. His wife was Mary, daughter of Hon. Jabez Huntington. He died Dec. 18, 1834, aged 81, in the 57th year of his ministry. He received the degree of D. D. from the College of New Jersey in 1807 ; and was a member of the corporation of Yale College from 1808 till 1826. (Sprague's Annals, vol. 1.)
REV. WALTER KING.
Rev. Walter King, a native of Wilbraham, Mass., graduated at Yale College in 1782, and was ordained pastor of the church in Chelsea, May 24, 1787, and was dismissed in August, 1811. He was afterward settled in Williamstown, Mass., where he died of apoplexy, Dec. 4, 1815, aged 57. (Sprague's Annals, vol. 1.)
REV. ALFRED MITCHELL.
Rev. Alfred Mitchell, youngest son of Hon. Stephen M. Mitchell, chief justice of Connecticut, was born in Wethersfield, May 22, 1790. His mother was Hannah, daughter of Donald Grant, from whom his son, Donald G. Mitchell, the distinguished author, derived his name. He was graduated at Yale College in 1809. He commenced the study of theology with Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Porter ; and on his appointment as professor at Andover Theological Institution, went with him to that insti- tution. He preached for a short time in Bridgewater, Mass. ; and after supplying the pulpit in Norwich for six months, received a unanimous invitation to become the pastor, and was ordained in October, 1814. After a successful ministry of 17 years, he died Dec. 19, 1831, in his 42d year. He married, in 1814, Lucretia, daughter of Nathaniel S. Woodbridge of Salem, Ct. (Sprague's Annals, vol. 1.)
REV. JOHN TYLER.
Rev. Jolin Tyler was a native of Wallingford, Conn., and was graduated at Yale College in 1765. He was educated a Congregationalist, but having embraced the doctrines of the Church of England, prepared for Holy
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Orders, under the care of Dr. Johnson, at Stratford. In 1768 he went to England to receive ordination, with a view to becoming Rector of Christ Church, Chelsea, Norwich, Conn. ; and having accomplished this object, he returned the next year, and entered on the duties of his office. For three years, during the Revolution, - owing to the popular excitement which prevailed against Episcopaey in New England, it being regarded as almost synonymous with Toryism, - Mr. Tyler's church was closed, and, from April, 1776, to April, 1779, not an entry was made on its Records. He, however, during this time, held divine service in his own house, and was never molested in the performance of it. At one time, he was afraid to drink the water of his own well. And yet he was regarded as a man of great benevolence and liberality. As an evidence of the kindly feel- ing which both he and his church maintained towards their Congrega- tional neighbors, it may be mentioned that when the Congregationalists, in 1794, lost their place of worship by fire, the Episcopalians at once proffered them the use of theirs, on the following condition : - " The Rev. John Tyler, our present pastor, to perform divine service one half the day on each Sabbath, and the Rev. Walter King, pastor of said Presbyterian congregation, to perform divine service on the other half of said Sabbath, alternately performing on the first part of the day." The offer was gratefully accepted, and this amicable arrangement continued for three months. Mr. Tyler died January 20, 1823, in the eighty-first year of his age. He published a sermon at the opening of Trinity Church, in Pomfret, 1771, and a sermon preached at Norwich, on the Continental Thanksgiving, 1795.
Mrs. Sigourney writes thus concerning him : - " He was an interesting preacher ; his voice sweet and solemn, and his eloquence persuasive. The benevolence of his heart was manifested in daily acts of courtesy and charity to those around him. He studied medicine in order to benefit the poor, and to find out remedies for some of those peculiar diseases to which no common specifics seemed to apply. During the latter years of his life, he was so infirm as to need assistance in the per- formance of his functions." (Sprague's Annals, vol. 5.)
Want of space alone prevents us from making in this connection, several other biographical notices of the ministers of Norwich.
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NOTE Q.
LIST OF COLLEGE GRADUATES.
The following list is intended to include the names of those graduates in the various colleges of the country whose birthplace or whose home at the time of their college course, was within the bounds of old Norwich.
Special acknowledgment is due to Chancellor Walworth, Dr. A. Wood- ward, Rev. E. B. Huntington and C. J. Hoadly, Esq., for aid in pre- paring the list.
HARVARD.
Year of grad. Year of death.
1694 Rev. Jabez Fitch, Tutor and Fellow of Harvard College. . . 1746
1763 Hon. Jedediah Huntington, Brigadier General in the army of the Revolution 1818
1827 Right Rev. Alfred Lee, D. D., Bishop of Delaware
1843 Elisha Winslow Tracy Rev. Eliphalet Birchard 1854
1850 (LL.B.) William Bond
Total -6.
YALE.
1718 Joseph Backus
1721 William Hyde 1738
Rev. William Gager 1739
1724 Rev. Simon Backus 1746
1725 James Calking 1756
1727 Dr. Joseph Perkins 1782
1794
1733 Dr. Daniel Lathrop Daniel Huntington. 1753
1735 Benajah Bushnell.
1738 Dr. Elisha Tracy
1783
1741 Hon. Jabez Huntington, Major General in the army of the Revolution 1786 Simon Huntington
1743 Dr. Joshua Lathrop. 1801
1807
1744 Hezekiah Huntington 1747 Samuel Tracy . .
1802 1749 Rev. Elijah Lathrop
1797
1753 Joseph Lord. . 1762
1754 Rev. Joseph Lathrop, D. D., elected Professor of Divinity in Yale College. 1820
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Year of grad. Year of death.
1757 Gurdon Huntington. 1767
1759 Rev. Simon Backus 1823
1760 Elijah Abel . 1809
1761 Hon. Benjamin Huntington, LL.D., Mayor of Norwich, M. C., Judge of Superior Court of Connecticut, Fellow of Yale College. 1800
1763 Rev. Ebenezer Baldwin, Tutor in Yale College 1776
Sanford Kingsbury 1833
1765 Rev. Aaron Kinne 1824
1767 Jonathan Kingsbury. 1833
1768 Hon. John M'Clarren Breed, Mayor of Norwich 1798 Dr. Thomas Huntington . 1835
1769 Rev. Charles Backus, D. D., elected Professor of Divinity in Yale College 1803
1771 Abiel Cheny
1771
? John Hart 1828
1774 Peabody Clement. 1820
1775 Hon. Ebenezer Huntington, M. C., Colonel in the army of the Revolution, afterward Brigadier General 1834
1776 Dr. Eliphaz Perkins 1828
Rev. Simeon Hyde. 1783
1777 Elijah Backus. 1811
Jolın Barker, M. D.
1813
Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, D. D., Tutor in Yale College, first President of Williams College 1833
Daniel Tracy 1782
1778 Shubael Breed. 1840
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