USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > A statistical account of the county of Middlesex, in Connecticut > Part 8
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The Rev. Aaron Cleveland succeeded him in 1739, and was dismissed in 1746.
Mr. Cleveland was a gentleman of respectable talents, and a popular and engaging preacher. After leaving Haddam, he was
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Town of Haddam.
minister successively at Malden, Mass. at Halifax, in Nova-Sco- tia, and at Lewiston, in Delaware ; at the last place as an Epis- copalian. On a journey to visit his family, residing in New- England, he was taken sick and died at Philadelphia, at the house of Dr. Franklin, his old friend and acquaintance ; and his body was carried to Lewiston and buried.
The Rev. Joshua Elderkin was ordained in Haddam in 1749, and dismissed in 1753.
The Rev. Eleazer May succeeded him in 1756, and after a ministry of almost forty-seven years, died in 1803.
The Rev. David D. Field was ordained in this place in 1804, and dismissed in April 1818.
The Rev. John Marsh jr. was ordained his successor in Dec. following.
In the account of Chatham, it was stated that Haddam-Neck was constituted a part of Middle-Haddam in 1740. It may be proper to add here that the Neck contains about one third part of the Congregational society and church in that place.
Sixty or seventy years since, a few individuals began to hold meetings in the lower part of Haddam Society, who were custo- marily called New-lights cr Separates. In 1785, they were formed into a Strict-Congregational society, and in 1792, they professed themselves Baptists, and united, as was related in the account of Chatham, with the Baptists in East-Hampton. They hold meetings constantly in Haddam, and have some families be- longing to them, from the bounds of Chester in Saybrook.
The Methodists, in the western part of Haddam Society, arose in 1791, 2 and 3, and in the lower part of it, in 1803. These, with what Methodists exist in other parts of the society, are con- nected, and have an accession of members from North-Killing- worth.
The rise of Methodism in Middle-Haddam was noticed in treating of Chatham.
For seventy years, only a single school was taught in Had- dam. In 1732, a vote was passed that the school should be kept three months at the school-house, and then moved successively in other parts of the town; not far from which time new districts were formed. The number of schools in Haddam Society at this time is twelve, two and sometimes three of which are taught by men through the year; and there is one school on Haddam- Neck, which has the benefit of a small fund.
Among the distinguished individuals who have been natives of this town, the Hon. Hezekiah Brainerd, and his son the Rev. David Brainerd, deserve to be particularly mentioned.
The former, under those disadvantages for education which existed in his day, acquired a respectable portion of information
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Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
Early sanctified by divine grace also, he gave himself up to the practice of religion, and became distinguished for piety as well as abilities. His moral and mental excellence soon attracted public notice, and commanded the esteem and suffrages of his fellow-citizens. The inhabitants of his native town testified their sense of his worth, by sending him repeatedly a represen- tative to the General Assembly, where he was chosen clerk of the house of representatives, in May 1721, and speaker the three following sessions. In 1722, he was appointed a justice of the Quorum for Hartford county. The next year he was elected into the Council; where he held a seat until his death, which took place at Hartford, during a session of the Assembly, May 24, 1727, in the 46th year of his age.
The happy influence of his prayers and example, was seen on a numerous family. The Rev. David Brainerd was his third son.
This gentleman became the hopeful subject of divine grace in the summer of 1739, when he was at the age of 22. In the au- tumn of the same year, he entered Yale-College, where he ma- nifested an ardent love to the cause of the Redeemer : but from which he was expelled in Feb. 1742, for uttering some indis- creet and unjustifiable expressions concerning the piety of one of the tutors, at a time when much feeling and controversy ex- isted in the Colony respecting experimental religion. Notwith- standing this mortifying and unhappy event, he commenced the study of divinity with the Rev. Mr. Mills of Ripton the subse- quent spring, and in a few months became a candidate for the Gospel ministry. Regarded as suitably qualified to preach among the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ, he was appointed, in the month of November, a missionary to the In- dians, by the Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge. In April 1743, he began to preach to the inhabitants of an Indian village called Kaunau- meek, to the southeast of Albany, within the present towns of Schodac and Kinderhook, where he performed very arduous labours and suffered great hardships. The next spring, as these Indians generally had removed to Stockbridge and placed themselves un- der the care of the Rev. Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Brainerd visited the Indians living at the forks of the Delaware, nigh the line be- tween New-York and Pennsylvania. With a view to services at this settlement, he was ordained at Newark N. J. June 12, 1744. The following year he laboured principally at this place, but made two visits to the Indians further west, on the Susquehannah. After this he preached to the Indians at Cros- weeksung, near Freehold in N. J. where he had great success ; but took one or two journeys to the forks of the Delaware and to Susquehannah. Overcome by journeying and labours in the
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Town of Haddam.
summer of 1746, he was unable afterwards to perform much mi- nisterial service. In the spring of 1747, he travelled into New- England for his health, and on Oct. 10th of that year, died at Northampton, aged 30.
The abilities and address of Mr. Brainerd were good. His religion was distinguished for humility, submission, self-de- nial and zeal; and if we consider the numerous privations and hardships which he endured, and the arduous labours which he performed, among the several Indian tribes which he visited, the best evidence will arise of supreme attachment to the cause and interests of the Redeemer. By respectable writers and preachers in this country and in Great-Britain, he is often refer- red to as a pattern for missionaries. The important missionary stand at Chickamaugah, has lately been called Brainerd in honour of him, and his name will descend with respect to future genera- tions.
We have no written nor traditionary accounts that any exten- sive revivals prevailed in this town in the early periods of its history ; and as the ancient records of the church are lost, it is impossible to ascertain the numbers admitted to the church from time to time. Within the compass of twenty years, there have been two or three seasons of awakening in the lower part of Had- dam Society. In the summer of 1809, a revival prevailed in the west part of the Society, which resulted in the admission of about forty into the Congregational church. By a more extensive and powerful revival the last summer, the same church has received one hundred members. This revival spread also on Haddam- Neck.
As one of its happy effects, a Society has recently been form- ed in the town, called, " The Young Men's United Bible and Missionary Society," which has already 68 members. Accord- ing to existing subscriptions, this will raise annually $ 34 for the purchase of Bibles, and $ 10 for missionary purposes.
Eighty females have also given in their names, with a view of being formed into a society, auxiliary to the Board of Commis- sioners for Foreign Missions : whose subscriptions are 50 cents each, annually.
-
A
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT
OF THE
TOWN OF EAST-HADDAM.
IN the preceding account, the reader has been informed, that this town was formerly a part of Haddam; that most of it was obtained by the proprietors of that town in 1662, and the residue in 1673. It belonged to Haddam Society until 1700; when it was constituted a distinct society, and named, from its relation to the former society, East-Haddam. The inhabitants began to do town business by themselves in 1704, and to keep a record of their proceedings. But as the legality of doing business in this manner was questioned, and as uneasiness prevailed on other subjects, the societies of Haddam and East-Haddam in 1710, en- tered into articles of agreement, and had them sanctioned by the Legislature ; in which it was provided among other things, that the societies might do town business separately, and elect each a representative to the General Assembly. Agreeably to these articles their public affairs were managed until May 1734; when the town of Haddam was divided, according to the division of the societies, and the names of the societies continued to them as towns. In the act of incorporation, however, it was provided, that neither of these towns should send more than one represen- tative to the Assembly at public cost. This proviso remained until Oct. 1778, when Haddam, East-Haddam, Chatham, and one or two other towns in the State, were allowed to send two representatives.
East-Haddam is eight and 3-4 miles long, and from six and 1-4 to eight miles broad, containing 39,900 acres. It is bound- ed by Chatham and Colchester, on the north ; by Colchester, on the east; by Lyme on the south; and on the west, partly by Connecticut river, and partly by Salmon river, which separates it from Haddam-Neck.
75
l'own of East-Haddam.
It embraces two whole parishes, viz. East-Haddam and Mil- lington ; and two thirds of the parish of Hadlyme, the remainder of the last parish being taken from the third parish in Lyme.
The settlement began within the bounds of East-Haddam pa- rish ; but at what time is not absolutely certain. It has been commonly supposed that it began at the place called the Creek- Row about 1685, by the removal thither of the Gateses, and of some of the Bateses, Brainerds and Cones from Haddam. Cur- rent tradition declares this to have been the spot first settled, and these to have been the first settlers. But from a document found in the Colony Records, it is certain that Robert Chapman had a dwelling house in East Haddam, north of the Creek-Row, in 1674. If the settlement at the Creek-Row was first, it must have begun about 1670. Near this time, the Ackleys and a family of Spencers from Haddam, settled farther eastward in the parish. With these settlers, were soon united the ancestors of the Anna- bles, Booges, Fullers and Percivals, from the bounds of the old Colony of Plymouth ; the ancestors of the Olmsteds from Hartford, Samuel Emmons from Cambridge, Mass. and John Chapman Esq. from Saybrook, who had purchased the lands laid out to Capt. John Cullick, noticed in the account of Haddam. James Green, Elijah Atwood, Nathaniel Goodsped and Isaac Taylor, from the bounds of Plymouth Colony; Henry Champion and Matthew Smith from Lyme ; Robert Hurd from Killingworth ; John War- ner from Sunderland, and John Church from Hatfield, Massa- chusetts ; were later settlers.
Not far from the period in which the settlement began at the Creek-Row, Samuel Spencer from Haddam settled in the upper part of Hadlyme. Thomas Hungerford was an inhabitant of that parish as early as 1692, and John Holmes from New-Lon- don as early as 1710. Isaac Willey, John Willey and Abel Willey, also from New-London, Thomas Harvey from some part of England, and John Marsh from Braintree, Mass. were early inhabitants.
The first settler in Millington was Jonathan Beebe from New- London, who settled by the Long Pond about 1704, and was soon joined by several persons who have now no descendants in East-Haddam. Except at this spot, there were no inhabitants in Millington until about 1732, 3 and 4, when families moved into it, by the name of Arnold, Barns, Brainerd, Chapman, Church, Cone, Emmons, Fuller, Gates, Olmsted and Spencer, from East-Haddam parish ; of Harvey and Hungerford, from Hadlyme; of Clarke, from Haddam; of Graves, from Colches- ter, and Stewart from Voluntown. Daniel Smith from some part of Plymouth Colony, Lemuel Griffin from Lyme, and Thomas Fox from Colchester, settled in it not long after.
10
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Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
The town was very generally settled by 1740, and since that time the increase of population has been small, compared with that of most towns in the State ; indeed for half that period the popu- lation has rather diminished. In 1757 and in 1760, some fami- lies removed to Hartland in Litchfield county, and the emigra- tions have been almost perpetual, to the county of Berkshire, in Mass. to Vermont, or to New-York.
The greater part of this town was purchased from the Indians together with the town of Haddam : but when the tract granted in 1673 was obtained from them, is unknown. A considerable number remained in the town after the English settlements com- menced.
The Indians called it Mackimoodus, or the place of noises, from those noises or shocks of carthquake, for which it has been famed from time immemorial. These, the Puritans were dispos- ed to ascribe to the extraordinary pawwaws, which the debased clan, inhabiting this town, practised; while the Indians, on the other hand, were ready to ascribe their existence or violence, to the introduction of christianity : for an old Indian being asked the reason of the noises said, ' that the Indian's god was very an- gry, because Englishmen's god was come here.'
These have been heard more or less frequently ever since the English settlements began. Mr. Hosmer, the first minister of the town, says, in a letter to Mr. Prince of Boston, dated Aug. 13th 1729, " I have myself heard eight or ten sounds succes- sively and imitating small arms in the space of five minutes. I have, (I suppose,) heard several hundreds of them within this twenty years, some more, some less terrible. Sometimes we have heard them almost every day, and great numbers of them in the space of a year. Oftentimes I have observed them to be coming down from the north," (the center of them being in the north part of East-Haddam parish, about Moodus river falls,) " imitating slow thunder, until the sound came near or right un- der, and then there seemed to be a breaking, like the noise of a common shot, or severe thunder, which shakes houses and all that is in them. They have in a measure ceased ever since the general earthquake, as I remember there have been but two heard since that time, and those but moderate."
The earthquake referred to, occurred Oct. 29, 1727. Ten or twenty years after this, they became again very frequent and violent ; and excited the attention of the neighbouring towns, and of the learned and inquisitive throughout the Colony ; and thus they have continued, for some seasons, frequent and vio- lent ; and at others, rare and slight, until the present time. The most violent of these noises or carthquakes ever known, took place on the 18th of May, 1791, consisting of many shocks, which so
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Town of East-Haddam.
shook the earth as to untop many chimnies and excite consternation in every family. Some of the shocks were noticed at New-York, Boston and Northampton. After this they were rarely heard for some time, and not often till within three or four years past : nor are they by any means as common now as in the days of Mr. Hosmer.
A gentleman who has paid much attention to them, has ob- served, that for twenty-six years, they have occurred almost uniformly in a dull and heavy state of the atmosphere. What there is in this town to produce them, it is difficult to determine. In the letter above quoted, Mr. Hosmer observes, " Whether it be fire or air distressed in the subterraneous caverns of the earth, cannot be known, for there is no eruption, no explosion percep- tible." The day after the earthquake in 1791, however, it is said that apertures and fissures were observed in the earth and rocks near Moodus river falls, and that stones of several tons weight were found, thrown from their places. Some disruptions from the bank of Salmon river and of Moodus river, are also sup- posed to have been occasioned by them.
When these noises have been perceived only within a small circle, producing a slight tremulous motion in the earth and in the river, they have been called Moodus noises ; but when they have extended a considerable distance, they have been deno- minated earthquakes, and have been characterized by all the circumstances which attend earthquakes usually in New-Eng- land. The earthquakes noticed in Connecticut for forty years, with scarcely an exception, have been more violent in East- Haddam, than in any other place.
This town is less hilly and broken than Haddam, and taken together has a better soil; but is more suitable for grazing than for the culture of grain. The inhabitants are very generally farmers, and derive considerable profits from their stock and dai- ries, and from their wood and lumber.
Salmon river, described in the account of Chatham, washes its western border for four miles.
In the north-eastern part of East-Haddam parish, is a pond, spreading over an area of 1000 acres, sometimes called Bates's Pond, but more commonly from its form, the Round Pond, affording small fish, which at times are caught in considerable quantities.
This is the source of Moodus river, which after a winding course of four or five miles, receiving on its way the little stream called Wigwam brook, empties into Salmon-river Cove.
Two miles from its source are the falls, which have been re- peatedly named. Here the water descends suddenly to the depth of seventy feet, dashing against the rocks with great vio-
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Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
lence, and producing at times a noise, heard to a considerable extent in the surrounding region.
Bog-meadow brook, in the southern part of East-Haddam pa- rish, and Roaring brook principally in Hadlyme, are streams sufficient for turning mills a part of the year.
In the northeast corner of Millington, is the Long Pond, nam- ed like the Round Pond, from its form. Its length is two miles and its breadth half a mile ; affording also small fish.
This is the source of Eight-mile river, which after leaving Millington, passes through Pleasant Valley and Hamburg, set- tlements in North-Lyme, and empties into the Connecticut.
On this stream two miles from the pond are falls, more inter- esting than those on Moodus river. Immediately above the falls the stream divides itself into two parts, and then dashes down the rocks from 70 to 100 feet, in the course of eight or ten rods ; where the stream again unites, and passes on through a deep, narrow and gloomy opening. The rocks in the falls are curious- ly smoothed and scooped out by the action of water, or the whirling and friction of objects which it carries, and the scene- ry around is uncommonly wild, and romantic.
At the head of boat navigation on Salmon river, four miles from its mouth, are Lord's Mills, or Factories. At this excel- lent stand, an oil mill was erected fifty years ago, the first, it is said, erected in the State. A saw mill has also been erected here for several years, carrying eight saws and sawing a length of seventy feet. In 1814, a woollen and cotton factory were set up in the building, previously used for an oil mill. By some means not perfectly ascertained, this took fire on the night of the 30th of March 1815, and with a clothier's works, and dress- ing shop, and a large portion of their contents, was consumed ; occasioning a loss of 25,000 dollars. But notwithstanding this calamitous event, the proprietors, the summer after, erected a fine fire-proof brick building, 65 feet by 35, four stories, with a loft in the garret. Into this they introduced machinery in the fall, for the manufacture of woollen cloths, which now consumes wool at the rate of 16,000 pounds a year. In the spring of 1816, they introduced into it 500 spindles for spinning cotton, and intend hereafter to increase these to 2,000. In this building, is a ma- chine room, where all the wood, brass and iron machinery, are made and repaired for the establishment. Twenty hands are employed in the woollen factory, fifteen in the cotton, and five in the machine room. The streamn at this stand is equal in the driest season to two grist-mill powers, and by means of a seven- foot damn, has a head of twelve feet.
A cotton factory was erected in 1815, on the west bank of
79
Town of East-Haddam.
Moodus river, a mile and a half from its mouth. The building is of stone, 60 feet by 36, three stories, with a slate roof, and is cal- culated to contain from 1500 to 2000 spindles. It is owned by an incorporated company, allowed to hold stock to the amount of 75,000 dollars, divided into 150 shares of 500 dollars each.
On the same stream westward, a nail factory was erected in 1809 ; but this lately has not been much used.
Shipbuilding was begun at East-Haddam Landing some time before the revolutionary war; and as early as that war, it was begun at Chapman's Ferry. But the business is not now car- ried on extensively at either of these places.
A house was built at East-Haddam Landing and a market opened for produce in 1743; since which, most of the trade in the town has centered at this spot. This Landing is a little south of the mouth of Salmon river, on the bank of the Con- necticut, from which hills rise suddenly to the north and east. Here are three or four merchant stores and about twenty houses. A portion of business is also done at Chapman's Ferry and at Lord's Mills. Several coasting vessels are owned in the town, and usually two or three sea vessels.
It has been already stated that East-Haddam Society was formed in 1700. The church in this society was gathered Jan. 6, 1704, consisting of eight male members, viz. the Rev. Stephen Hosmer, ordained its pastor on the 3d of May following, and seven brethren from the church in Haddam.
Mr. Hosmer preached to this people forty-five years and sus- tained a respectable character.
The Rev. Joseph Fowler succeeded him in 1751, and was also deservedly esteemed.
The Rev. Elijah Parsons was ordained in East-Haddam in 1772, and is still living.
The Rev. Isaac Parsons was ordained colleague pastor with him in 1816.
The Society of Millington, in the east part of East-Haddam, was incorporated in Oct. 1733, and the church was formed, it is supposed, Dec. 2, 1736 ; as the first pastor, the Rev. Timo- thy Symmes, was ordained at that time. The members, gene- rally at least, were taken from the church in East-Haddam.
Mr. Symmes, in the great revival which spread in New-England a few years after his ordination, had his feelings, (as is reported,) extravagantly raised, and pursued his work with misguided zeal. This excited uneasiness, which closed his services in this place.
The Rev. Hobart Estabrook, son of the Rev. Mr. Estabrook of Canterbury, was ordained in Millington in 1745. He died in 1766, and is still remembered with affection and respect as a wor- thy minister.
80
Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
The Rev. Diodate Johnson, son of the Rev. Stephen Johnson of Lyme, succeeded him the next year.
Possessed of superior abilities and ardent piety, Mr. Johnson bid fair to be a distinguished ornament and blessing to the church. But the consumption, (a disease to which his family connections have been uncommonly subject,) closed his days in the sixth year of his ministry. When struck with death, he was sitting in his chair, reading the prayer in Doddridge's Rise and Progress, entitled, " A meditation and prayer suited to the case of a dying christian."
The Rev. Eleazer Sweetland, was ordained in this place in 1777, and died in 1787.
The Rev. William Lyman, D. D. succeeded him in the close of the same year, and is the pastor of the church at the present time.
The Society of Hadlyme was incorporated in Oct. 1742, and was thus called, because it was made partly from East-Haddam and partly from Lyme. The church was organized, with ten male members, on the 26th of June 1745, and on the 18th of the succeeding September, the Rev. Grindall Rawson, who had been minister several years at South-Hadley, Mass. was installed their pastor.
He was remarkable for pleasantry in conversation, and had an uncommon talent in reconciling parties at variance. He died in 1777.
The Rev. Joseph Vaill, the present pastor of Hadlyme church, was ordained in 1780.
Of fifty-five members, belonging to this church in April, of the last year, twenty-seven lived within the town of East-Haddam.
A disagreement in East-Haddam Society respecting the spot, where their present meeting-house should be set, produced a di- vision among the people. The portion dissatisfied with its loca- tion, were formed into an Episcopal society April 27, 1791, and the Rev. Solomon Blakesley was placed over them as deacon in 1792, and in full orders in 1793, and he has generally laboured with them and some neighbouring societies since.
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