A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 7

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

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The people also had their political and civic life which engendered discussion. Along political lines one great problem, felt to be national in character, seemed to overshadow all others. This was the Slavery question, together with various occurrences of which that was the primal cause. It was intensified in the '50s from the fact that all classes, particularly the large American element employed in the mills, were then reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin." But no one anticipated any serious upheaval. Other disputable questions had passed by without leaving any wreckage in their wake, so that it was generally taken for granted that in some way or other, even the Slavery question would find some kind of peaceable solution. Such in general was the immediate background of the Civil war period.

Had anyone averred during the spring or summer of 1860 that the nation was already on the verge of a tremendous conflict of arms, that the North and South would be arrayed against each other in civil strife, the sanity of such person very likely would have been doubted. During the political campaign in the following autumn, there were four presidential candidates in the field who had been nominated by different conventions, and naturally the situation elicited a great deal of discussion. What particularly engaged the attention of the public in these discussions, neighbor with neighbor, was the principles that each party candidate was presumed to represent and what might ensue in case any particular one of them should be elected. Finally public interest mainly simmered down to the two principal opposing candidates.

In the large towns the campaign took on an unusual visible aspect. The Lin- coln-Hamlin men organized for Saturday evening street parades, in companies with lettered transparencies and gleaming torches, headed by a leader and drums and fifes. The men were of the shops and mills and the companies were called "Wide Awakes." They were accoutered in black, glossy capes and hats, and bore tin lamps that swung slightly on pinions on the tops of trimmed sticks about four feet in length. Whale oil had become scarce, but a new illuminant had just arrived, later called kerosene. The large amount of this oil used in the lamps attracted attention, but the people had no name for it other than "rock oil." Election results, as reported by telegraph on the evening of November 6, 1860, evoked the deepest interest.

For the next five months, which included the entire winter following, the attention of the people was invited toward the South, mainly centering upon South Carolina. From time to time various occurrences, some of a hostile char- acter, occasionally transpired, and these were reported at length in the papers, keeping the people in wonderment and in a state of suspense as to what the ulti- mate outcome might be. The illusion was quite generally prevalent that there would be no war, or if war actually resulted, that it would be short. The villages on the line of the Norwich & Worcester Railroad, for news, mainly depended on the Norwich Morning Bulletin.

HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

The spring of 1861 opened pleasantly. Then in April came the news of the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter, which produced an effect comparable to an earthquake shock. Probably Windham County had not been so profoundly moved since the outbreak of the Revolution. The remainder of April and month of May were characterized by war meetings, enlistments, flag-raisings, and other demonstrations. A transient company of troops were enlisted along the line of the Norwich & Worcester Railroad and for some time were quartered in Union Hall at Danielson. They were fitted with gray uniforms by ladies' associations, but the quota of the first call for volunteers being otherwise filled, they were disbanded.

The line of the Norwich & Worcester Railroad, so called in those years, . chanced to form a central route for southern New England and was much used during the first year of the war for the transportation of troops and war materials. Long trains of passenger coaches loaded with troops, in response to later calls, traveled southward over this line, made up of men enlisted from the farms, towns and lumber camps of Maine, from the shops and mills of New Hampshire, the green hills and valleys of Vermont, and from northern Massa- chusetts.

The locomotives used were principally wood burners, and these had to stop every twenty-five miles, more or less, to wood up and take in water. This frequently occurred at Danielson where, day or evening, as the case might be, crowds gathered on the depot platform, having had some prior notice of the hour that any of these trains might be expected to arrive, and they talked with the soldiers at the open car windows. One of the soldiers said, during one of these halts at the station, "You see it takes twenty cars to take us to the front, but it will only take five to bring us home again."

One morning in the early part of August, it was reported that a regiment of soldiers who had gone out on the first call for troops as three-months' men, whose term of service had expired, would pass through town between 8 and 9 o'clock on their way home to be mustered out. A large crowd lined the depot platform and boys climbed to the tops of box cars on the siding opposite. But the train passed by without stop. As car after car went by at freight-train speed the crowd welcomed the return of the soldiers with loud cheering. Evidently the men had traveled all the preceding night for many of them were asleep in their seats and others leaning that way in the open car windows, but drowsily roused up on hearing the shouting. This was the celebrated Massachusetts Sixth Regiment, whose roughest service thus far had been with the mob in Baltimore on the anniversary of Lexington and Concord.

The Battle of Bull Run in July had dissipated the illusion that the war would be only of a few months' duration. In the first year of the war enlistments of Windham County men had been to help fill the quotas of various Connecticut regiments, hence no large number of men left at any given time any of the towns of the county, going as individuals rather than in groups. The case stood some- what different in respect to the Eighteenth Connecticut Regiment, recruited in July, 1862, mainly in New London and Windham counties. The townships in this county bordering the Quinebaug River were well represented. The places in the shops and mills that had been filled by the volunteers were largely occupied by newcomers from other localities. Along the Norwich & Worcester Railroad, when the day for departure came on August 5th, the men were gathered into a special train and taken to an encampment on the fair ground near Norwich. An

HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

excursion made up of friends and relatives of the enlisted men was advertised for the 20th of August. The day was fine and the long excursion train of some fifteen cars passed down the road during the morning hours, and was well filled with people, arriving at Norwich about 9 o'clock. The throng of visitors were taken out to the encampment on the plateau above the Thames valley in vehicles, where they did not walk. There were no demonstrations during the day, which was given over to quiet visiting. There was no singing crowd swaying about among the tents of the soldiers, as has been seen stated in print by the writer. The large enclosure was by no means crowded. Eatables could be procured at vendors' stands. About 5 o'clock P. M. leave takings were in progress for the train was scheduled to leave on its return trip at 6. On the 22d the regiment left Norwich for Fort McHenry near Baltimore. The raising and departure of this regiment, and its subsequent fortunes in the war, deeply influenced the lives . of Windham County citizens.

Later in the war period there was some drafting of men from various com- munities, but for the most part, the ordinary life of the people seemed to continue much the same as in the '50s, barring frequent discussions engendered by war measures and war topics. Influences upon social life, born of the war did not become readily apparent until after its close. The later years of the war did not engender that lively interest that had characterized its earlier stages, except when some great battle aroused temporary interest. In the churches the min- istry were called upon to exercise functions not known to them previously. Besides occasional sermons on striking phases of the war period, it fell to their lot to preach funeral sermons of soldiers who had been killed in battle or who had died of disease in the army or of wounds in army hospitals; also to visit and comfort bereaved relatives.

The cotton mills were run on shortened time and some of the help laid off at times. In the fall of 1864 the mills were stopped for some weeks. The end of the war in 1865 was a welcome event, though profoundly saddened by the assas- sination of President Lincoln for whom the ministry of the churches quite gen- erally preached memorial sermons. There was some apprehension felt that, when the soldiers were mustered out of service, various disorders would ensue, but this fear proved to be groundless. The returned soldiers quickly put aside their uniforms and again became a part of the civic and social life of the time, resum- ing their former avocation, or in many cases engaging in other kinds of employ- ment. Political, civic and even social life could never again be wholly like what it had been in the previous decade, since, as one result of over four years of bloody strife, another epoch had been born of the war, and new problems had arisen to engage public attention.

A few paragraphs may be devoted to the years that immediately followed the close of the war. We have spoken of the numerous small manufacturing estab- lishments in operation before the war. Many of them fell into disuse toward the close of war years, and a veritable havoc seemed to overtake the remainder, or most of them, soon afterwards. Among them were numerous little shoe shops where boots and shoes had been made by hand processes, but the introduction of machinery and large establishments drove the small shops out of existence. The small cotton mills, that had continued to co-exist with the larger establish- ments, were now being absorbed by capitalized corporations, who enlarged some of them and tore others of them down. The introduction of ready-made clothing

HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

also adversely affected the business of former numerous common tailors, though the fashionable tailor still continued his vocation.

Several years, characterized by a show of extravagance, followed in the wake of the war. The middle classes seemed to be seized with a mania for books, pictures, furniture and musical instruments, and the indifferent clothing of former years gave place to more costly apparel. The social manners of the peo- ple were also affected, the natural of former times becoming somewhat glossed over by the artificial, this change being quite perceptible. Had the bicycle then been introduced, the young men generally would not have rested content until they had become possessed of one; as matters stood, some bought a horse and buggy. At this time young men were beginning to assume charge of business concerns vacated by their retiring elders.

The close of the '60s was characteriezd in especial by a short era of lecturers with their popular addresses in village halls and churches. The people were becoming tired of Reconstruction problems and measures continually brought before them in the newspapers, and they desired something different to engage their thoughts and attention. It was then that a number of persons, some of them previously known by their writings, took to the lecture platform and enter- tained the people with topics that had no relation to matters growing out of the late conflict.

Enlargements of existing mills, the construction of some new plants of various kinds, also belonged to the period here under discussion, but building and the extravagant propensities of the people both received a check by reason of the financial crisis of 1873 and consequent business depression for the next several years.

CHAPTER IV GENERAL HISTORY

The first settlement in Windham County was made in 1686, and by 1726 Windham County was established with the county seat at Windham. Eight towns were organized in the new county at that time. Churches and schools had been built and each town had its military organization. Turnpikes con- nected the towns. Roads had been made, bridges built and the land cultivated. There were mills and tanneries. Probably no town, except Windham, had more than one hundred families. There were a few hundred Indians, and a small number of negro slaves. The people were for the most part poor. Money was scarce, although a few lived in luxury. In 1708 the ministers, including those of the present Windham County limits, formed an association, based on the Saybrook Platform, and until the erection of Windham County, Windham and Ashford churches were included in Hartford County organization, and Plainfield, Canterbury, Pomfret, Killingly and Voluntown in New London. After that the Windham County Association was comprised of the ministers in its limits and one or two in New London County. It was given ecclesiastical power by the Colonial government and was an influence strongly felt through- out the county.

During the next twenty years the population of the county continued to increase, and its resources were further developed. New lands were cleared ; the town of Union was added to its limits in 1734. Throughout the years the consociated churches were harmonious, but according to the universal testi- mony of historians the early part of the eighteenth century was marked by great spiritual decline, and a low state of morality. This decline was followed by a great revival in 1741, started by the preaching of Edwards and White- field. The revival was felt throughout Windham County, and large numbers of members were added to the churches. This was soon carried to excess, how- ever, and thus did more harm than good. An endeavor was made to suppress the fanatical preaching, which only tended to arouse antagonism to the church, divided families and communities, and finally ended in the formation of separate churches. This contest was particularly bitter in Windham County.

The French and Indian war only added to the troubles of the county already occasioned by the religious dissensions. Death through illness had taken away many of the inhabitants. An earthquake during the war tended to further frighten the colonists. Everywhere there was suffering and privation, en- dured alike by those in the service of their country and by those left at home, and the successful ending of the war was the occasion of thanksgiving and joy.

* Note-The foregoing general summary, and the following respective summaries of the earlier history of each of the fifteen towns of Windham County, are gleaned from Miss Larned's history, condensed in form, but the text followed closely. Where there was any danger of changing Miss Larned's exact meaning, her words or expressions have been used exactly as they stand in her history. This has been done particularly in the beginning of each of the town histories. The quotations used are those which Miss Larned herself has used .- EDITOR.

HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

According to the first census of Windham County the population in 1756 numbered 19,670 white and 345 blacks. Without the towns of Coventry, Lebanon, Mansfield, and Union, and including Voluntown, for some time a part of the county, there were 12,784 whites and 208 blacks. The number of Indians was not given. Schools were improving. At that time there was as yet very little manufacturing done.

The necessities of war, however, developed the resources of the towns, and called into demand the best energies of their people. The discipline of the battlefield, and the experience gained in connection with it, made stronger men and fitted them for increased usefulness at home. Affairs there were man- aged intelligently, and because of the training of the towns a live interest in the larger affairs of the state prompted the townspeople to participate ac- tively in their administration. The county took a prominent part in the prose- , cution of the Revolutionary war. After Boston harbor was closed by the British, Windham sent a gift of 258 sheep for the relief of that city and was aparently the first town to come to her aid. The gift was followed by others from various Windham County towns. Windham took a particularly conspicuous part in the early acts of the war. Out of the 200 Connecticut men detailed under Cap- tain Knowlton for special service on Bunker Hill Putnam's regiment supplied 120 men. Windham County won a most honorable share of the glory of that battle. Putnam was one of the greatest heroes of the day, and was made fourth major-general of the American army, Knowlton and Dana won distinction,- Knowlton was made a major, and Dana a captain. A powder mill at Willi- mantic sent supplies to the continental army. Those left at home were kept busy supplying beef, pork and mutton for the army, also knitted stockings, tow cloth for tents, and home-made shirtings and vestings. There were many losses among them-Nathan Hale, followed the next night by Knowlton's death from wounds received in battle. The winter of 1777-78 was a terrible one for those with the army and for the families at home. The reputation for courage and good conduct won by the county at the beginning of the war was kept up to the end, and was backed and sustained by those at home. Religion suffered during the war, Baptists alone making any gain.

After the revolution there came renewed hope and confidence in the future. There followed growth and development, though the emigration to new lands checked the increase in population. The census of 1800 showed a loss of 699 since 1790 and a gain of only 728 since 1774. Manufacturing was carried on extensively, and a general enterprise in business developed. Morals declined at the beginning of the nineteenth century. There were, however, in 1806 about forty churches of various denominations. By the establishment of a school fund and more strict supervision public schools were improved. A greater interest in education was shown by the establishment of academies and high schools, and by an added number of libraries. Social and home life changed also with added conveniences and facilities. The introduction of the carding machine made the production of woolen goods easier. Cotton factories were established. The War of 1812 aroused great interest, and Windham actively participated in its prosecution. On July 26, 1820, the county seat was changed to Brooklyn. The coming of the railroad meant much to Windham and stimu- lated manufactures and business enterprise.

CHAPTER V TOWN OF WOODSTOCK

NOTABLE CELEBRATIONS-THE LAST OF THE WABBAQUASSETS-THE SWEDES OF WOODSTOCK-A JOURNEY THROUGH WOODSTOCK WITH NOTES ALONG THE WAY- WOODSTOCK SCHOOLS-WOODSTOCK TERCENTENARY-WOODSTOCK IN PUBLIC LIFE.

This town is situated in the northwest corner of Windham County ; is about seven by eight miles in size, the largest. in the county, and retains its original territory, except a small strip on the north side. It ranks high among the agricultural sections of Connecticut; its soil is better than the average town within Windham County. On account of not having a large number of fac- tories, this town has paid special attention to keeping the soil up and in gen- erally caring for the lands adapted to cultivation. From a remote period, various attempts have been made here to utilize the water-power of the small streams within its borders, but these attempts have for the most part been a failure.

This section of Connecticut was first known to white settlers of the common- wealth as a part of Wabbaquasset, a country run over and conquered by the Mohegans. Its name signifies "The mat-producing country." This was from the fact that the marshes found within its borders produced a valuable flag for making mats and baskets.

The greater part of the people of this town have ever been progressive and on the correct and right side of all public questions. They were the first in this county to espouse the causes of temperance and abolition of slavery. When the republican party came out in 1856, with Fremont and Fessenden as standard-bearers, Woodstock town cast 478 votes for them. Eighty odd years ago, the town refused to license the sale of liquors, even for medicinal purposes, and taverns that persisted in selling liquor had their doors closed by the authorities.

The town had more population in 1820 than it has today. Emigration, and the lack of manufacturing enterprises has caused this great decrease.

Before the Revolutionary war this town had iron foundries, saw mills, grist mills, cooper shops, tanneries, made potash; had a fulling mill as well as a cotton and woolen factory by not later than 1814. In 1844 "John Lake set in motion the first, last and only tub and pail factory in this part of Connecticut." Six thousand pails and tubs were made annually. P. & Z. Wight made at Stoggy Hollow (now Woodstock Valley), the first case of sale shoes ever made in the State of Connecticut. Alba & Otis Hiscox, Lyman Sessions, Ellis and Burlow, were also early in the shoe business. The shoe business at West Wood- stock in 1833, by John P. Chamberlin and J. O. Fox, was so large that during that year 5,651,580 pairs of shoes were the credited output, and the same date the output of wooden shoe-pegs was about fifty bushels. Employment was

HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

given to nearly five thousand men and but a few less of women and girls. The amount of lumber worked up in these early days was about fifty thousand feet per year.

NOTABLE CELEBRATIONS

Above most other towns in Connecticut, Woodstock has been long favored as the meeting place for great political and other anniversary and re-union gatherings. Beginning with the John C. Fremont political campaign in 1856, there have been many notable meetings and conventions which have given the locality a name almost nation-wide. Following the lively time had in the autumn of 1856, another great mass-convention was held there during Civil war days, when President Lincoln ran and was elected President the second time. In 1868 the "Grant Colfax and Peace" campaign was remembered at this locality with rousing republican meetings. In 1870 at the great Fourth of July cele- bration President U. S. Grant and suite, with the Russian minister and other noted men were present at Roseland Park the beauty-spot of the town. This park was established by H. C. Bowen. It was formally opened to the public July 4, 1877, when addresses were made by Hon. James G. Blaine, Ex-Governor Chandler and others. A delightful poem was read by that superb author, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Field days for different institutions, union Sunday school picnics, family reunions and many other interesting meetings have been staged at this park. It was in 1888 during the presidential campaign, that a mass-meeting was held here at which Mr. Searles, of Thompson introduced such noted persons as Hon. William Evarts and Mrs. J. Ellen Foster. On that day many old soldiers of the ranks of the Grand Army of the Republic gathered and chatted with a large company of voters who had in the campaign of 1840 voted for old William Henry Harrison for President. One year later his grandson, Ben- jamin Harrison was present, as was also speaker of the House of Representa- tives, Thomas B. Reed, of Maine, General Hawley, chief justice, Samuel F. Miller, and members of the cabinet.

The statistical record of this town shows the following in 1915-16: popula- tion in 1910 was 1,849; children between ages of four and sixteen 406; grand list, $1,167,604 ; indebtedness $17,450; rate of taxation sixteen mills; principal industries, agriculture and manufacture of cotton twine. Postoffices are Wood- stock, East Woodstock, West Woodstock, North Woodstock and South Wood- stock and Woodstock Valley. The name Woodstock came here on account of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England, and the town above described became an- nexed to Connecticut May, 1749, before that being a part of Massachusetts and known as New Roxbury from its settlement in 1686 until 1690.

The lumber interests of Woodstock have always been considerable and are today, more than two million feet of lumber being sawed each year much of which finds a market in the nearby towns of Southbridge, Webster, and Putnam.

In September, 1674, Daniel Gookin, a magistrate of Massachusetts, visited Wabbaquasset and found large fields of corn growing there which he estimated would yeild forty bushel per acre, but before this date the attention of the early settlers in the vicinity of Boston was called to the Wabbaquasset country by the Indians bringing corn to them in the time of their great need. It is related that on Aquittimaug carried a bushel of corn all the way from Wab-

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 7

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