A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 22

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930

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During the past four years more new members have been received by the church than were on its roll in 1916 and the many children and young people

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at the services give promise for the future. While the usual diversions of a modern factory village are at hand, there is still for the young people-as of old-a distinct social life which centers about the church and its activities. Still on Sunday morning the worshippers pass through Ithiel Towne's beauti- ful doorway into Plainfield's "stone meeting-house" as they did a hundred years ago; a ceaseless procession in which new faces ever replace those who, through portals, everlasting, have entered the "house not made with hands eternal in the heavens."

PLAINFIELD IN PUBLIC LIFE

Among residents of Plainfield who have been prominent in public life dur- ing the past sixty years may be mentioned especially the Hon. David Gallup, a man of sterling qualities and sound common sense whose counsel was greatly valued. He was member of the house of representatives, 1862-66, and again in 1877; Speaker of the House in 1866; member of State Senate in 1869, and chosen president pro tem of that body ; in 1879-81 was elected lieutenant-governor.

The Hon. Joseph Hutchins was member of the House in 1875, and state senator in 1877; Dr. Wm. H. Coggswell was state senator in 1860; William A. Lewis, in 1880-81; Edwin H. Milner, 1893-94; John W. Atwood, 1905-06; Ses- sions L. Adams, 1916-20.

John J. Penrose was state's attorney for Windham County for about twenty years, 1873-94.

Several Plainfield physicians have served as chairman of the Windham County Medical Society, including the following: William H. Coggswell, in 1862; William A. Lewis, in 1878; also Doctor Lewis later in 1885-86, when he was in Moosup; Charles W. Allen of Moosup, 1891; E. H. Davis, in 1893-94; James L. Gardner of Central Village, secretary and treasurer from 1901-10; vice president in 1911, and president in 1912. Dr. A. A. Chase is vice presi- dent for 1919-1920.

Representatives in the General Assembly from Plainfield, 1859 to date, have been as follows: 1859, Darius Wood, Elisha P. Hale; 1860, William Shepherd, Caleb Tillinghast; 1861, Charles Hinckley, Caleb Bennett; 1862, James S. At- wood, David Gallup; 1863-66, David Gallup; 1863, Jeremiah M. Shepherd ; 1864, Joseph S. Gladding; 1865, Joseph P. Brown; 1866, Albert Austin; 1867, Arnold Fenner, Frank S. Burgess; 1868, J. S. Atwood, M. Olin; 1869, Isaac K. Cutler, David Geer; 1870, Henry S. Newton, John D. Rood; 1871, John L. Chapman, William S. Babcock; 1872, Asher R. Herrick, Jr., Ephraim Brown- ing ; 1873, William A. Lewis, Edwin A. Atkins; 1874, Henry C. Starkweather, Elisha P. Hale; 1875, Joseph Hutchins, George A. Rouse; 1876, Albert C. Greene, Gurdon Cady ; 1877, David Gallup, Richard H. Ward; 1878, Reuben Weaver, Silenus H. Fellows; 1879, Walter Palmer, Merrill A. Ladd; 1880, George Loring, John S. French; 1881, William S. Simmons, Roswell Ensworth ; 1882, Henry F. Newton, Havilah M. Prior; 1883, Albert B. Sprague, Willis D. Rouse; 1884, David Emerson, Edward E. Hill; 1885, Phillip Mathewson, Joseph Hutchins; 1886, James M. Wilcox, Walter L. Palmer; 1887-88, Edwin Milner, Edward G. Bugbee; 1889-90, Sessions L. Adams, Milton J. Kingsley ; 1891-92, Edward Milner, George T. Sanger; 1893-94, Frank H. Tillinghast, George T. Sanger; 1895-96, Amasa P. Taber, Lucius B. Morgan; 1897-98, Charles E. Barber, Walter Kingsley; 1899-1900, John W. Atwood, Moses A. Linnell; 1901-02, Waldo Tillinghast, Edward W. Lillibridge; 1903-04,. Floyd

THE FLOYD CRANSKA COMPANY'S PLANT, MOOSUP

Vol. 1-12

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Cranska, John W. Atwood; 1905-06, Floyd Cranska, William S. Simmons; 1907-08, H. Beecher Brown, Telley E. Babcock; 1909-10, Benjamin R. Briggs, Urgele LaFrance; 1911-12, Urgele LaFrance, Caleb T. Bishop; 1913-14, Brad- ford W. Danielson, Ernest L. French; 1915-16, Sessions L. Adams, Edward Hall; 1917-18, Charles H. Williams, W. Franklin Sheldon; 1919-20, Leon N. Mercier, Henry Dorrance.

The following have been probate judges, 1859 to date: 1859-69, David Gallup; 1870, Jeremiah Starkweather; 1871, Waldo Tillinghast; 1872, Charles Hinckley; also 1873; 1874, Walter Palmer; 1875, John S. French; 1876-1902, Waldo Tillinghast; 1903-18, John E. Prior; 1919-20, Joseph P. Smith, present incumbent.

BEGINNINGS OF THE WOOLEN INDUSTRY IN THE TOWN OF PLAINFIELD

By Charles E. Bragg

During the first half of the nineteenth century the woolen industry was established in the Town of Plainfield. In the early days of its history the manufacture of woolens was accomplished entirely in the home. The hand card, the spinning wheel and the hand loom were sufficient to produce cloth for the immediate needs of the family. This was of necessity a slow and cum- bersome process and when improved power-driven machines were brought over from England home manufacture was slowly superseded by the factory system. At first the carding and spinning processes were taken over.

The earliest building in the town, of which we have record, used for this purpose was a small single storied affair erected about 1820 by William Almy of Providence, R. I. It is still standing, now used as a dwelling house and is near the present site of the American Woolen Company's, Moosup Mill. This first mill was started and operated by Darius Lawton. It was equipped with two sets of woolen cards. In 1826 another story was added and looms were introduced for the manufacture of fine broadcloths. Upon the death of Mr. Lawton the management of the mill was assumed by Sampson Almy who oper- ated the mill for ten years. From that time the mill was owned by the Almy family and rented to other operators, until it was burned in 1875. The prop- erty then passed into the hands of the Norwich Savings Society of Norwich, Conn. It remained untouched until 1879 when it was purchased by David L. Aldrich and Edwin Milner of Hope Valley, R. I. A stone mill was erected with an equipment of eight sets of cards and forty looms. In the year 1880 the use of steam as an auxiliary power was introduced. In 1886 electricity was used for the first time in the town for the lighting of the plant. At the death of Mr. Aldrich, in 1889, Mr. Edwin Milner, John Milner and Charles Bragg took over the plant. Various improvements were introduced from time to time. In 1890 the Milner Company erected a worsted mill at Glen Falls, con- taining five sets of cards and five combs, for the purpose of making fine worsted yarn. The Milner Company continued to operate the two plants until 1899 when the property was sold to The American Woolen Company.

The next mill for the manufacture of woolens was erected at Central Vil- lage on the site of the old Levens Company Cotton Mill. The company was known as The Plainfield Woolen Company and was incorporated by Mr. Edwin Milner, Mr. Charles Bragg and Mr. John Murdock. The new mill contained

LAWTON MILLS, PLAINFIELD

SIEE

PLAINFIELD WOOLEN CO. FACTORY, CENTRAL VILLAGE.

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five sets of cards and forty looms. In 1905 Mr. Milner retired from active business life and the plant was sold to Joseph E. Fletcher, Providence, R. I. The plant continued operation under his direction until 1918 when it was sold to The Farnsworth-Pinney Company, the name Plainfield Woolen Company being dropped.

After the sale of the Plainfield Woolen Company in 1905, Mr. Bragg in- terested local capital in the formation of a new company for the manufacture of fine worsteds. The new firm known as The Central Worsted Company was incorporated in 1906 and a twenty loom mill was erected in Central Village. This mill has continued to the present and has been enlarged from time to time until it now operates fifty-two looms.

PLAINFIELD ACADEMY By Ruth E. B. Devolve

The old Plainfield Academy was founded in 1770. The first brick build- ing stood near where Grange Hall (the old brick schoolhouse) now stands and some of the original bricks are in the present building. Ebenezer Pemberton was the first principal and only English branches were taught.

In 1782 "New Hall," now the tenement block across Academy Street from Grange Hall was erected for the classical department. "White Hall," a mile south of the other buildings was erected the same year and was used for the English studies, while the brick building accommodated the mathematical de- partment.

The Plainfield Academy was widely known as a remarkable institution in its day and has sent out many pupils who have been and are distinguished citi. zens of the country in many walks of life.

Both White Hall and Brick Hall served as district schools until the schools were consolidated in 1891, when White Hall was changed into a cottage. The outside is still much the same as before. The old stone academy of today was built in 1825 and has been used as one of the grammar school buildings since 1891. At the present time there are two rooms used-one in charge of Miss Agnes Burleigh Allen, whose grandfather, Rev. Lucien Burleigh was principal of the academy from 1855-1860 and whose great-uncle was in charge during the time that the Chickasaw Indians were pupils.

OLD SCHOOLHOUSES

The old brick schoolhouse at Central Village is now used as a dwelling and stands on the corner just west of the present school building. The old school- house at Moosup stood near the cemetery and was later moved to the Hall home- stead near the Baptist Church, where Mr. Hall kept a private school. The building is still standing.

As far back as 1800 and probably before, a schoolhouse stood on the old trail from Dow Road to the Locke Road, about half a mile east of the North Road. It stood in the lot with the Tripp house and the doorstep was still there thirty- five years ago. There was in the olden days a schoolhouse where the present Flat Rock schoolhouse stands. This school stood until 1826.

There has been a school on Bradford Hill-Stone Hill for over seventy-five years.

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PLAINFIELD'S BI-CENTENNIAL

One of the most notable celebrations in Windham County history was that of Plainfield's Bi-Centennial on Thursday, August 31, 1899. The day was ideal, and it was estimated that 7,000 people were in attendance. Governor Lounsbury and staff were present and reviewed the parade. The affair was in charge of the Town Committee of Fifteen, as follows: Hon. Joseph Hutchins, chairman; Fred T. Johnson, clerk; F. H. Tillinghast, treasurer ; Joel M. Hunt, Floyd Cranska, Judge Waldo Tillinghast, M. A. Linnell, Charles E. Barber, James L. Gardner, M. D., Henry C. Starkweather, Jerry Doyle, Jason P. Lath- rop, A. B. Mathewson, W. H. Browning, Frank Miller, Rev. John Oldham.

The Rev. S. H. Fellowes of Wauregan was president of the day. The his- torical address was by Miss Larned; Judge Daniel W. Bond of Waltham, Mass., was orator; there were poems by Henry M. Witter of Worcester, Mass. (read by his granddaughter, Mary Witter Flint), and by George S. Burleigh, of Providence (read by his grandniece, Agnes Burleigh Allen) ; addresses by Governor Lounsbury, Congressman Charles A. Russell, Rev. J. P. Brown of New London, C. E. Tillinghast of New York, Judge E. M. Warner of Putnam, Rev. Charles H. Spalding of Boston. There was singing by a local chorus. soloists were Mrs. W. W. Adams and Mrs. N. G. Ladd, and Reeve's American Band of Providence rendered several selections.

Miss Larned's subject was "Plainfield Beginnings," and in most entertain- ing fashion, she reviewed the history of the founding of the town as in her "History of Windham County," and with many new touches of human interest concerning the early struggles. Referring the present-day reader to her pains- taking and invaluable volumes for the formal record, we may recall her sketches of the daily life of the pioneers. We quote: "We leave the legal points of this famous land case for our friend, Judge Bond, to elucidate. Personally I may say that I do not see how those renegade Narragansetts could convey a legal title to land, which, according to one of their own people, they did not possess. Roger Williams in 1668 reports that the Narragansetts had for a long time given up their claim to the Nipmuck country. Our Indian authority, the late J. Hammond Trumbull, was of opinion that the Winthrop claim was not ten- able. You must not be surprised, however, if our judge reverses this verdict. No two people are expected to agree upon this Quinebaug land muddle. And as both Great Britain and Connecticut shirked decision, we cannot be expected to settle it."

"With all Plainfield's difficulties and obstructions it should be noted that her meeting-house was the first ready for service within Windham County territory, six months even in advance of that of Windham."

"Tempting rewards were needed to keep certain small enemies from dam- age. A penny a head for blackbirds and six pence a crow's head was allowed during the month of May; two pence for a rattlesnake's tail 'with some of the flesh on it.' Indians Jeremy and David having killed two wolves 'were each allowed 10s for the encouragement of such work.' "

Persons who think that our daily life is somewhat disturbed by the aftermath of the World war should ponder the following :

"A state of chronic border ruffianism existed for many years. The Cedar Swamp, which by terms of agreement was left free to both towns, became a bone of contention. Major Fitch, Elisha Paine and other prominent Canter-

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bury citizens were indicted for stealing loads of hay and other misdemeanors. Innumerable lawsuits were carried on between contending parties. Plainfield's arraignment of Canterbury's offenses in her final plea before the General Court in 1721 surpassed all her previous efforts in that line, and called out some concessions that modified the situation. In justice to Plainfield we must consider that land-grabbing was the peculiar vice of the age, in point of fact there was nothing else to grab. There was no public treasury to draw upon ; no fat jobs or offices to secure. Then, too, in the nature of the case, all their attempted grabs and squabblings were open to public view. They could not get the land without petition or overt seizure, nor skip off to Rhode Island with their loads of grain and cedar rails. We may be confident that we know all the bad things about them and that under the peculiar circumstances they did no worse than others of their generation."

"And yet we know all the same that the whole life of the period was not expressed in land-fights and town-meetings. There were a hundred homes scat- tered throughout this fair Quinebaug country, each with its own family life, its social and neighborhood interests. Of the wives and mothers who ordered these homes, we indeed catch no glimpses except by dates of birth, death and marriages. Their voices were not heard in public nor even in church meetings, but we may well believe that they bore their share in maintaining these homes and forwarding the growth of the town.

"Of the children growing up in these homes we catch one snapshot from the town records-we see Joseph Lawrence perched up in the gallery of that new meeting-house-for what? To keep a sharp lookout upon the boys and girls sitting in the rear of the body seats below-the girls on the women's side; the boys on the men's side. And if any of these naughty young people did damage to the meeting-house 'by opening the windows, or anywise damni- fying the glass, and if any (him or her) did profane the Sabbath by laughing or behaving unseemly, he should call him or her by name and so reprove them therefor.' And so we know that these first boys and girls growing up in Plain- field were as bright, merry and saucy as these of 1899.

"And in the very hindmost seat back of the boys and girls sat the negroes- 'male negroes behind the boys; female negroes behind the girls.' There were social distinctions in those days. Such worthies as our reverend minister and Justices Pierce and Williams lived in colonial style and owned slaves for body and house servants. These light-hearted, chatty Africans contrasted oddly with the surviving Aborigines-those somber Quinebaugs, stalking in single file from house to house, demanding food and cider-wandering Mohegans, still claiming rights in woods and streams, adding a picturesque element; dwelling for months in the hunting season in boats beside the rivers.

"And there was feasting and frolicing, huskings and trainings in which these young people took a part, and much scurrying to and fro over those pub- lic roads maintained at such cost and care, and over the Quinebaug in canoe and ferry boat. A constant stream of travel passed through the town from Norwich and New London to Providence and Boston. A brisk trade was car- ried on with Providence, surplus produce finding there a market; and Plain- field youth finding employment and sometimes wives there. And hard as it was for the townsmen to carry on their own institutions, they were ready to assist in 'carrying on the ministry of the Gospel' in that destitute town and in building an orthodox house of worship there."

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Mr. Witter's poem was also a recital of the daily life and trials and triumphs of the pioneer days :

"Full oft the promised harvest failed And famine pressed them sore, And many a strong man's spirit quailed Which never quailed before.

But still their faith did not abate, Nor did their ardor cool; They kept those pillars of the state- The Church and Common School.

They built a simple school-house, where They turned the virgin sod ; And near it raised, in faith and prayer, A temple to their God.

Who can recall, without a thrill, That place of praise and prayer ; The old Stone Church upon the hill, And those who worshipped there ?

Who can compute the priceless worth, The measure or extent, Of that good influence on the earth, Those earnest followers lent ?

Who stands unmoved beside the stones Which hold in sacred trust The names of the departed ones Who slumber in the dust ?

These are the lives and memories To which we tribute pay. Theirs are the bloodless victories We celebrate today."

Judge Bond's oration was a very able review of the earlier history from the legal standpoint, and a learned study of the institutions established by the founders. In closing he expressed the spirit of New England in these mem- orable words :

"The early settlers of the New England towns not only removed from the soil some obstructions to its cultivation, but they removed from society some of the hindrances to human progress. It was demonstrated in the townships that it was not necessary to have any order of nobility established by law from which to select certain officers of the government; it was demonstrated that the only order of nobility necessary was that founded on nobility of character and conduct. By the maintenance of public schools and the means of education within the reach of all, it was made possible for a young man by industry and perseverance to acquire a knowledge and discipline sufficient to enable him to fill any position-made it possible for a young man from the humblest walks of life to become the wisest and best chief magistrate of our nation.

"The more I learn of the early history of New England towns, the more I

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learn of the people who took part in the early settlement of New England, and of their trials and self-denial, the better I understand how much of what the people of this generation are and enjoy is due to the character and exertions of the early settlers. I know it can be said of them, as we look back now, after a period of 200 years, that some of their beliefs were erroneous and that some of their conduct, based on such beliefs, was wrong. I hope that 200 years hence the people of that time will be able to see wherein some of our beliefs are erroneous and that some of our conduct, based on such beliefs, is wrong; not because I want the people of our day to be wrong, but because I believe in human progress, because I do not believe that mankind has reached perfec- tion, and because I hope that the people 200 years hence will be wiser than we are today. If it can be said of this generation, as we can say of the genera- tion of 200 years ago, making all due allowance for their education and sur- roundings, they endeavored to do right as they understood what was right, it is as favorable a judgment as we can hope to have any future generation pass upon our beliefs and our conduct."

Governor Lounsbury glorified the spirit and significance of the New Eng- land town as the integral unit of the state and said :

"I hope that our Connecticut House of Representatives will never be made up of men who are members from a district. I trust that our town representa- tion, as a principle and as a system, will stand forever. But from time to time there will be need of some constitutional amendment to mitigate those inequal- ities which change in locality and in population brings. You will recognize this need and act upon it, but you will see that every such amendment is adopted in the manner provided by the constitution itself."

The Rev. Dr. Spalding paid worthy tribute to the high quality of Plain- field's civic influence and said :

"Plainfield may have no tradition like the 'Frogs of Windham,' no fas- cinating story like 'Putnam and the Wolf Den,' but it has its unwritten idyls of noble men and women in all the walks of life. In the autobiography of Dr. John G. Paton, the great missionary, he says, 'The only aristocracy worth anything is the aristocracy of brains and character. The people of my village were keen debaters in all matters of church and state. On the way to the smithy or to the kiln, in knots on the green, and coming from the kirk, the great questions which were shaking the outside world were fought over again with amazing passion and a bright intelligence.' When I read that sentence, O what a burst of memory rolled in upon me, a memory of dear old Plainfield !

"The first political shibboleth I ever remember was 'Tippe-canoe and Tyler, too!' The old Plainfield Glee Club, with Harry Wilson as a leader, has sung more politics into my life than has come into it through all the open avenues of later years. To my childish fancy this was the town which made and un- made presidents. I used to imagine that Windham County was the arch upon which rested the fabric of the republic, and the keystone in that arch was Plain- field. Celia Thaxter says she used to look out from her lighthouse home on Appledore Island and see the mainland, and ask her little brother if he 'sup- posed the land so near them was as big as Appledore.' I am looking at Plain- field today through the eyes of childhood, and instead of making me feel less like a man it makes me feel more like a man. The orator of the day, who was my schoolmate in the academy and whom it is a pleasure to greet in Boston day by day, Judge Bond, who has so faithfully drawn the picture of our earlier

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history, knows well whereof he speaks in the personages he cites and the prin- ciples for which they stood. Prof. George Shepard, D. D., for so many years the president of Bangor Theological Seminary, has left his exalted and endur- ing impression upon the religious thought of the century just closing. It was a pride to his townspeople to have him come home occasionally and preach in the old church. In literature the name of William H. Burleigh is written on the scroll of eminence. In the heroic chapter of anti-slavery reform whose annals are so brilliant with notable achievements, no two figures stand out with more unique and conspicuous purpose and power than our own Charles and George Burleigh. We felt the tingle of just pride in our veins when Connecti- cut made Hon. David Gallup lieutenant governor, who dignified his official life with rare good sense and practical virtues.

"It was my pleasure a year ago to be passing a quiet Sunday at Baden- Baden. At our hotel was a group of people, and one of the ladies, I was told, was the wife of our United States Consul at Amsterdam. Before the day closed I was introduced to her, and it was our mutual pleasure to find that we were both from Plainfield, and that her husband was G. I. Corey, a boy of this town. Thus strange and happy are the coincidences of foreign travel !

"Rev. Andrew Dunning was the first minister I remember, and his beauti- ful bearing and pulpit attitude are an ineffaceable portrait on my heart. To my teacher, Lucian Burleigh, I owe a debt of gratitude which I should be recreant not to pay this day. When I read Elizabeth Stuart Phelps' charming book, 'The Madonna of the Tubs,' I thought of old Aunt Pendar, the quiet and faithful, the patient and gentle Negro washerwoman and nurse, whose house was on the lonely hillside to the northeast of our village, and among others of notability and renown, it does my heart good to mention her, and I know some of you will say, Amen ! I could not miss this day. It will sanctify the shorter period of my pilgrimage yet to run. I stand with you trembling between the 'Pleasures of Memory' and the 'Pleasures of Hope.'"

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 22

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930