USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > A statistical account of the county of Middlesex, in Connecticut > Part 9
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A few Baptists arose in Millington in 1789 or 90, with whom some families are now connected at East-Haddam Landing.
In Millington also are a few people of the Methodist persua- sion.
A school was probably kept in this town as early as the for- mation of East-Haddam Society. There was but one until 1729 or 30. In Millington and Hadlyme there must have been schools as soon as those societies were formed. There are now in the town 19, viz. 8 in East-Haddam Society, one or two of which are taught by men through the year, 7 in Millington, and 4 in Hadlyme.
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Town of East-Haddam.
The Hon. Joseph Spencer of this town, without the advan- tages of a regular and public education, acquired that general knowledge, and that acquaintance with business, which enabled him to discharge happily and usefully the various duties to which he was called. His mind was early impressed with the reality and importance of religious subjects, and comforted by the con- solations of the Gospel, though circumstances prevented his pro- fessing Christ for a season. Not long after the settlement of Mr. Estabrook in Millington, he communicated to him in writing, a very humble and satisfactory account of the exercises of his soul, and then came forward and united with the church under his care; in which some years after, he was elected a deacon. A long and humble walk with God, evinced the sincerity of his profession ; and he at last died, as might be expected, with strong and joyful expectations of a blessed immortality.
His public employments were very numerous. In 1758 he went into the northern army in the capacity of a major, under Col. Nathan Whiting, and the two following years as a lieute- nant-colonel, in the second French war; where he acquired the reputation of a brave and good officer. In 1775, in the war of the revolution, he was appointed a brigadier-general, and the next year a major-general in the army of the United States, a post which he resigned in 1778. From the autumn of 1753 till his death in 1789, he was judge of probate for the district of East-Haddam. In 1766, he was elected into the Council of the State, where he remained until 1779, being appointed for the last year a judge of Hartford county court. At this time a prejudice arose against him among the freemen, because he did not, in a particular instance, march some troops under his command on to Rhode-Island; and he lost his election as an assistant. But the same year, the Assembly, entertaining a high sense of his worth, sent him a representative to Congress ; and in 1780, he was elect- ed again into the Council, and thus annually elected during life.
In the first parish in this town, there was some special atten- tion to religion in 1802, and again in 1816. Some seasons of gentle refreshing from the presence of the Lord have occurred in Millington ; and there have been within a few years, several seasons of more than ordinary attention to the concerns of the soul in Hadlyme, and the state and prospects of that society have been greatly improved.
In each of the parishes in this town, are one or more female charitable societies.
A
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT
OF THE
TOWN OF SAYBROOK.
-
DISSATISFIED with the civil and religious state of things in England in the time of Charles I. Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook, Lord Rich and other gentlemen of distinction, contem- plated a removal to America; and in prosecution of their design, procured of Robert, Earl of Warwick, March 19, 1631, a patent of all that territory, " which lies west from Narraganset river, a hundred and twenty miles on the sea coast ; and from thence in latitude and breadth aforesaid, to the South Sea." In July 1635, they appointed John Winthrop, son of the governor of Massachusetts, then in England, their agent, to build a fort at Connecticut river, to erect houses for the accommodation of him- self and men, and for the reception of persons of quality ; and they constituted him governor of Connecticut river, of the har- bour and places adjoining, for the space of one year from his arrival there.
Thus commissioned, and furnished with men and means for the undertaking, he shipped for New-England. On his arrival at Boston, Oct. 8th, he found that some people had just gone from Massachusetts and settled upon Connecticut river, within the patent held by their lordships. But upon the agreement of his father and other magistrates, that those settlers should either re- move, or the patentees be satisfied in some other way, he dis- patched carpenters and workmen to the mouth of the Connecti- cut ; who arrived there in the close of November and entered upon their work. Mr. Winthrop followed them, and superin- tended their labours during the continuance of his commission.
The level and pleasant tract, two miles northwest from the bar, called Saybrook Point, was selected for the beginning of a set- tlement ; and was laid out with care, as it was expected to be-
83
Town of Saybrook.
come, not only the residence of great men, but the center of great business and wealth. This is a mile in length, and is lin- ed on the north and south by coves and meadows. On this, se- veral parallel streets were laid out, intersected by others at suit- able distances. On the east end, in front of Tomb Hill, a site was chosen for a fortification. Back from this, was a square, on which it was intended, the houses should be erected for the illustrious personages expected from Europe, while a square fur- ther west was reserved for public uses.
The fortification and some other buildings were immediately begun, under the direction of Mr. David Gardiner, a skilful en- gineer, who had been procured for the purpose in England ; and that the workmen and inhabitants might be the more secure, palisades were placed across the west end or neck of the Point. This Mr. Gardiner became the lieutenant of the Fort, and pro- moted the views and interests of those who were concerned in the settlement, several years after the expiration of the commis- sion of Mr. Winthrop.
In the summer of 1639, Col. George Fenwick, one of the pa- tentees, arrived from England, and gave to the tract about the mouth of the river, the name of Saybrook, in honour of Lord Say and Seal, and Lord Brook, his principal associates. From this time until Dec. 1644, he superintended and governed the inhabitants, and then sold the jurisdiction of Saybrook to Con- necticut Colony ; as his brethren had given up the idea of emi- grating to America. They were prevented from emigrating for a season, both by the dangers apprehended from the Indians at Saybrook, and by opposition to their removal made in England ; and afterwards, by a change in public affairs, they hoped to en- joy that liberty at home, which they had anticipated in the American wilderness, and therefore abandoned the project alto- gether ; but Lord Say and Seal particularly, was ever friendly to this settlement, and contributed to the promotion of its pros- perity.
The territory to which the name of Saybrook was applied, and which was sold to the Connecticut Colony, included most of the present townships of Saybrook and Lyme. The latter town was incorporated in May 1667.
Saybrook was at first considered to be six miles long, but was really eight and a half, and its length was increased two miles in 1669 agreeable to statements made in the account of Haddam ; so that its present length is ten and a half miles. This is its length at a medium. Its breadth varies from five to six and a half miles, and it contains by computation 40,800 acres. It is bounded by Connecticut river on the east, which separates it from Lyme; by Long-Island Sound on the south, by Killing-
11
84
Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
worth on the west, and by Haddam on the north ; and comprises four parishes, viz. Saybrook, Westbrook, Pautapoug and Ches- ter parishes. Saybrook parish is the south-eastern section of the town. This section the Indians called Pattaquasset. West of this is Westbrook parish, which was called by its Indian name, Pochaug, until Oct. 1810. North of these two parishes is Pautapoug, (incorporated before Westbrook but settled later,) an Indian name still used by the English. Northward still is Chester, which the Indians called Pattaquounk.
Some individuals who left England with Mr. Winthrop in 1635, and others who left it with Col. Fenwick in 1639, become set- tlers at Saybrook Point : but their number was small. About 1646, some individuals moved into the place from Hartford and Windsor. From a division of lands made in 1648, there appear to have been 43 proprietors then in the town. Among them, were the ancestors of the Barkers, Bulls, Bushnells, Chapmans, Clarks, Lays, Lords, Parkers, Pratts and Posts ; as there were of the Champions, Griswolds, Lees and Wades, who settled af- terwards in Lyme ; and of the Backuses, Blisses, Fitches, Hunt- ingtons, Hydes, Larrabees, Leffingwells, Masons and Budds, who removed about 1660, either from the bounds of this town or Lyme, and settled Norwich. These all lived upon the Point or in its immediate neighbourhood ; as did also the ancestors of the Chalkers and Tullies, who were very early associated with them. There were one or two families at Saybrook Ferry in 1663, and about this period some families settled west of Oyster river. Among the early settlers in Saybrook parish, after those which have been mentioned, were the ancestors of the Water- houses, Kirtlands, and Shipmans ; and also of the Whittleseys, Willards and Lyndes, which last families were from Boston. About 1710, a family by the name of Ayres settled in the north- ern part of this parish, at Ayres's Point.
The settlement in Westbrook began as early as 1664, near the east border of Pochaug river, between the meeting-house and the Sound. Some of the first settlers in this parish were of the name of Lay and Post from Saybrook parish or from Lyme, of Hart and Wright from Guilford, of Stannard and Spencer from Haddam, of Kelsey from Killingworth, of Denison from Stonington, of Deval or Dee from Seakonnet R. I., and of Mur- dock from East-Hampton, Long-Island.
John Denison from Stonington, and some families of Lays and Pratts from Saybrook parish or Lyme, settled at Pautapoug Point about 1690. Jolin Starkey from London, the Heydens from Boston, and Charles Williams from Rhode-Island, united with these some time after. Families by the name of Platts were early settlers in the west part of Pautapoug parish.
35
Town of Saybrook.
Jonah Dibble from Haddam was, an inhabitant of Chester in 1692, and Andrew Warner from Hadley, about 1696. The an- cestors of the Parkers, Shipmans, Waterhouses and Webbs from Saybrook parish, were early settlers in this place. George Wil- lard and Andrew Southworth from the same parish, Joel Canfield and Gideon Leet from Durham, settled in it about 1745.
In this town there were four Indian settlements. One of these was about the mouth of Oyster river. Another was on Obed's Hammock, near the mouth of Pochaug river, where Indians lived till within fifty or sixty years. A third was at Ayres's Point, and so northward to Pautapoug Point. A fourth was on, or near the Indian reservation in Chester, mentioned in the account of Had- dam.
From Oyster river the Indians may have carried their dead to the grave-yard at Black-Hall in Lyme, for interinent ; but they are known to have buried at, or near all the other settlements in the town. Their bones have been found frequently on Pauta- poug Point, and in one or two instances intire skeletons. Back of Ayres's Point on a sandy plain, are numerous hillocks or tu- muli, covered with small stones, which have been thought to be Indian graves; but of this there is no certainty : for though bones have been found on the plain, they were in such a state of decay, as to render it impossible to determine whether they ever belonged to human bodies. Here Indian arrows, pestles, axes. &c. have been often found.
The Indians in this town and in the vicinity were subject some years before the English settled upon Connecticut river, to the Pequots, a warlike and powerful nation, who lived principally in the towns of New-London, Groton and Stonington. These had become already distinguished for their jealousies of and cruelties to the English, and had communicated their malignant feel- ings to all whom they could influence. In 1634, some of their confederates murdered Capt. Stone and Capt. Norton, and their whole crew, consisting of eight men, half a mile above Saybrook Point ; plundered the vessel of such articles as they wished, and then burned her down to the water's edge and sunk her. It may not be unsuitable to notice, that some of the timber and plank of this vessel were found so recently as 1785, together with a - quantity of bar iron, and a few other articles. In 1635, they re- ceived and protected individuals, who had been concerned in the inurder of Mr. Oldham at Block-Island.
But notwithstanding these recent and abominable transactions, they consented to hold a treaty with Mr. Winthrop and his men, and gave to the English their right to Connecticut river, and the adjacent country. Thus they excited a hope of peace and safe- ty. But a few months, according to the testimony of Dr. Trum-
36
Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
bull and various other writers, disclosed their treachery and wickedness. For in the beginning of Oct. 1636, as five men from Saybrook fort went to get hay at Calves' island, four miles north, near Lyme shore ; some Pequots who had concealed them- selves in the high grass, surprised them, caught one, a godly young man, by the name of Butterfield, and tortured him to death : from which circumstance the place was named Butterfield's meadow. The other four escaped to their boat, but one of them was wound- ed with five arrows.
A few days after this, Joseph Tilly, master of a bark, came to anchor nearly opposite Calves' island, and taking one man with him, went on shore for the purpose of fowling. As soon as he had discharged his piece, a large number of Pequots rising from their concealment, took him and killed his companion ; and then gratified their malice by putting him to torture. They first cut off his hands and then his feet ; after which he lived three days. But as nothing which they inflicted upon him excited a groan, they pronounced him a stout man. The place where he was tak- en and tortured has ever since been called Tilly's Point.
Within a fortnight of these transactions, the following calami- ty was experienced. A house had been erected about two miles from the fort, (at Cornfield Point as is supposed,) and six men detached from the garrison to keep it. As three of them were fowling near the house, (a practice which the lieutenant had strictly forbid,) they were suddenly attacked by nearly one hun- dred Pequots ; two were taken, and one fought his way through them sword in hand, wounded with two arrows, but not mortally.
The following winter the fort was little better than in a state of constant siege. None could go from it without hazard ; and the cattle, stacks of hay, and almost every thing belonging to it at any distance were destroyed. When the spring arrived, the enemy were still more troublesome. As Lieut. Gardiner was going out in the month of March, with ten or twelve men to burn the marshes, the enemy rose upon them, just as they had turned south from the palisades, killed three of the men and wounded a fourth, so that he died in the fort the next day. The lieutenant was slightly wounded, but was able with most of his men to re- treat. Encouraged by this success, the Indians followed them, surrounded the fort, and challenged them to fight; mocking them in the groans and pious invocations of their friends whom they had tortured ; till a dexterous use of the guns loaded with grape shot, compelled them to retire. After this, Indians in several canoes beset a shallop, having three men on board, as it was sail- ing down the river. They shot one of them through the head with an arrow, who fell overboard. The other two they took, and ripped them from the bottom of their bellies to their throats,
87
Town of Saybrook.
cleft them down their backs, and then suspended them on trees by the side of the river ; that the English might behold these ob- jects of their vengeance. One of the Indians concerned in these babarities, was Nepaupuck, a famous Pequot captain, who for this and other murders was beheaded at New-Haven in 1639, and whose head was set upon a pole in the market place.
In the midst of these calamities, Capt. John Mason was sent with 20 men to reinforce the garrison at Saybrook : after whose arrival the Indians withdrew very generally, from that quarter. He was soon relieved by Capt. John Underhill with 20 men sent from Massachusetts, and he returned to Hartford. But a party of Pequots in the month of April waylaid some of the people of Weathersfield, killed nine persons, and took two maids captive. They also killed twenty cows and did other damage.
By these repeated murders and injuries, the inhabitants of Connecticut Colony were greatly alarmed ; not only for the safe- ty of their friends at Saybrook, but for the safety of themselves and families. They saw nothing before them but destruction, unless the rage and power of the Pequots could be broken. The General Court therefore, being summoned together on the 1st of May, came to the resolution of waging immediate war with that perfidious and cruel nation. Massachusetts and Plymouth Colonies also, hearing of the outrages of the Pequots, resolved to aid their Connecticut brethren in prosecuting the war against them. But the crisis admitted of no unnecessary delay. The Connecticut troops were raised forthwith, and on Wednesday, the 10th of May, Capt. John Mason, appointed commander of the expedition, with 90 men, almost the whole efficient force of Hartford, Weathersfield and Windsor; and Uncas, sachem of Moheagan, with about 70 Moheagan and river Indians ; went on board three small vessels at Hartford, and fell down the river for Saybrook fort. Not understanding the channel they ran aground several times, and did not arrive at the fort until Monday, the 15th of the month. But when they had got as far as Chester, the Indians, being impatient of delays, were permitted to go on shore, and proceed on foot. On their way, they fell in with about 40 of the enemy, killed six, and took one a prisoner, a no- torious villain, who had practised much treachery and mischief against the inhabitants of the fort. The Indians insisted upon punishing him according to the barbarous custom of their ances- tors, and in existing circumstances were not opposed.
Capt. Underhill with 19 men belonging to the garrison, join- ed the expedition, and 20 of Mason's men were sent back to protect their friends up the river. But the army was detained till Friday by contrary winds ; and the officers were divided in sentiment, whether to go directly to the Pequot settlements, or
88
Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
to sail to Narraganset, march into the country and so come upon them if possible by surprise. The latter course was finally adopted ; and on Saturday they arrived at Narraganset, and at the close of the following Thursday, in the neighbourhood of the Pequots ; having received on their way an accession of about 500 Indians, Narragansets and others.
It had been ascertained that the Pequots were collected in two strong forts, called Mistic fort, and Sassacus's fort. The army was near the former, which contained at this time four or five hundred inhabitants, men, women and children, and 150 . warriors, who had been sent on that day from the other fort, with a view to go out on an excursion against the English settlements. As the troops from Saybrook had been seen to pass by the Thames, the Indians drew the conclusion that they durst not attack them, and gave themselves up to merriment on that account, singing and dancing till midnight. After this they sunk into a deep sleep ; and Mason and his men marched forward to the confines of their fortress. It was now nearly day-light, on Friday, the 26th of May, and not a moment was to be lost. Capt. Mason therefore proceeded with one part of the troops to attack the fort on its north-eastern side, and Capt. Underhill, with another to attack it on its western side. They got within a rod or two of the fort, when a dog's barking awoke the Indian centinel, who instantly roused his brethren. But the assailants fired through the palisades, and soon effected an entrance, and a desperate con- flict ensued. For some time the victory was doubtful. In this situation, Mason ordered the fort to be burnt, and immediately took fire and put it to the mats on the wigwams. The flames spread with amazing rapidity, and the English retreated and formed a circle around the fort ; while the friendly Indians who had been disheartened, resumed courage and formed an outer circle. Many within the fort were consumed in the conflagra- tion, others mounting the palisades were a fair mark for the English muskets, and others rushing forward to make their es- cape, were cut down with the sword. In little more than an hour about 600 Pequots in one way or another were killed, while 7 only escaped and 7 were made prisoners. The English had only two men killed, and about 20 wounded.
The next day in marching to Pequot harbour, whither they had ordered their vessels, a running fight ensued with 300 war- riors from Sassacus's fort, who were frantic with passion upon the destruction of their brethren. In this fight the English and their associates suffered no loss, while several of the enemy were slain. They entered their vessels, and in about three weeks from the time they left Hartford, they returned to their respec- tive habitations.
39
Town of Saybrook.
١
But the Pequots at Sassacus's fort, deeming it unsafe to re- main in that region, burnt their wigwams, and dispersed in va- rious rambling parties. But their dispersion did not wholly se- cure them. The Legislature appointed Capt. Mason, and fur- nished him with men to prosecute the war; some forces were sent from Massachusetts for this purpose ; and the Indians, who had been inimical to the Pequots, willingly came forward and united in destroying them. One of their parties was taken by the Massachusetts troops, united with some of the Narraganset Indians. Another party crossed Connecticut river and proceed- ed westward, near the Sound. Some English scouts had a skir- mish with these on a hill in Saybrook parish, whence they fled into a neighbouring swamp, from which circumstance, the hill is called Pequot Hill, and the swamp, Pequot Swamp to this day. A few of these were pursued by some English soldiers, and by some Moheagans, down the eastern shore of the harbour west of Guilford. They crossed the harbour, but were taken as they as- cended the opposite bank. Among these was a sachem, (according to the Manuscripts of the Rev. Mr. Ruggles of Guilford,) whom Uncas shot with an arrow. He then cut off his head, and put it in the fork of an oak, where the skull remained for many years. From this transaction the harbour has ever since been called Sachem's head. But the fugitives generally proceeded to a large swamp in Fairfield. Thither they were pursued and sur- rounded; about 20 were killed and 180 taken prisoners. The others escaped and fled.
By these various attacks and losses, the Pequots were com- pletely subdued as a nation. Their conquest was of the greatest importance to the settlement in Saybrook, and to the other set- tlements on Connecticut river. It indeed struck a general terror into the Indians through the country, and prevented their rising in great numbers against the English for nearly forty years.
The lands in the south-eastern division of this township, throughout the greater part of Saybrook parish, are level and easi- ly cultivated ; and enriched by the white-fish and other manures, are very productive. The same is true of smaller tracts in other parts of the town, in the vicinity of the Sound and of the river ; but the lands back are generally stoney and somewhat hilly, though there are few hills of much note. Cow Hill, and Pequot Hill, (already named,) in Saybrook parish, Robert's Hill and Bork Hill in Pautapoug, and Horse Hill between this town and Killingworth, are among the more important.
The streams in this town, as well as in the other towns in the county, are small.
Chester river has its sources in the southern part of Haddam
90
Statistical Account of Middlesex County ;
and in Cedar-swamp Pond. The branches unite at Chester Cove, at the head of tide water, a mile fromn Connecticut river, and for half that distance, from Middlesex turnpike bridge, the river admits of large vessels.
Cedar-swamp Pond is remarkable only, for its being formed by a dam, sufficiently wide for a cart-path, which was apparent- ly made by beavers. Directly below this is the swamp which imparts to it its name.
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