USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Winchester > Annals and family records of Winchester, Conn.: with exercises of the centennial celebration, on the 16th and 17th days of August, 1871 > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
4. Lucius, private Company HI, 28th Infantry ; died of swamp fever on Mississippi.
IV. Sons of Arad Hosford-
1. Charles L., sergeant Company E, 2d Infantry, captain Com- pany D, 11th Infantry.
2. Benjamin F., private Company E, captain 2d Heavy Artil- lery, killed at Cedar Creek.
3. William A., 1st lieutenant Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery.
V. Sons of Sylvester Hurlbut-
1. George W., private Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery, died at Alexandria, Va.
2. William S., private company E, 2d Heavy Artillery, died at Fort Worth, Va.
3. Andrew M., private Company E, 11th Infantry, re-enlisted a veteran.
VI. Sons of Anthony Horne-
1. Samuel B., private Company C, 2d Infantry, captain Com- pany F, 11th Infantry, provost-marshal 18th Army Corps.
2. Robert, drummer Company F, 11th Infantry, wounded at Petersburg, Va.
3. John J., private Company F, 15th N. Y. Heavy Artillery.
VII. Sons of Newton Hart-
1. Davis, private Company A, 10th Massachusetts Infantry, killed at Spotsylvania, Va.
2. Geo. L., private Company A, 10th Massachusetts Infantry.
3. Timothy A., sergeant Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery.
483
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
VIII. Sons of Sylvanus Pease-
1. Byron W., assistant surgeon United States Colored Engin- eers, La.
2. Frank S., musician Company D, 11th Infantry.
3. Robert, musician Company I, 5th Infantry.
4. James A., private Company E, 7th Infantry.
IX. William H. Rowe, (father,) musician 1st Heavy Artillery, private Company F, 28th Infantry.
1. Edward E., (son,) private Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery, died in the service.
2. Charles H., (son,) private Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery.
X. Sons of Elias Rowley-
1. Henry H., private Company E, 7th Infantry.
2. John G., private Company E, 7th Infantry.
3. Warren, private, Cavalry.
4. Ansel, private, Navy.
XI. Sons of John Skinner-
1. Jeffrey, 1st sergeant Company E, 2d Infantry, captain, major, and lieutenant-colonel, 2d Heavy Artillery.
2. Henry, sergeant Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery, lieutenant Companies E and G, captain Company B, same regiment.
3. Edward, corporal Company G, 13th Infantry.
We note, in closing this list, a mixed family, all of them residents of this town, before, during, or immediately after the war. Francis H. Kin- ney was father of two sons, and Margaret, his second wife, was mother, by a former husband, (Miller,) of three sons, all of whom served in dif- ferent regiments, as follows :
1. Francis H. Kinney, (father,) private Company H, 15th Infantry; discharged for disability.
2. Horace Kinney, (son,) private Company E, 11th Infantry, and veteran.
3. George Kinney, (son,) private Company D, 11th Infantry, trans- ferred to 20th United States Cavalry.
4. David Miller, (step-son,) color-bearer, Company D, 1st Infantry, corporal Company E, 2d Heavy Artillery, wounded at Cold Harbor.
5. John B. Miller, (step-son,) private Company E., 11th Infantry ; vet- eran ; promoted to lieutenant; wounded at Cold Harbor, Va.
6. Frank Miller, (step-son,) private Company A, 8th Infantry ; wounded at Cold Harbor.
The three Millers belonged to three distinct regiments, all present at Cold Harbor; were all wounded successively on the 1st, 2d, and 3d days
484
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
of June, 1864, and were successively brought to the hospital at Alexan- dria on the 5th, 6th, and 7th days of the same month.
Frank, the youngest of the three Millers, was fourteen years old when he enlisted. He was wounded at Cold Harbor by a rifle ball in the shoul- der. Chloroform was twice administered to him preparatory to amputa- tion of his arm at the shoulder joint, but it was deferred, through fear of a fatal result. He lived to become a strong, hearty man.
From the foregoing data we gather, as the effective force of Winchester men, regularly mustered and engaged in the military and naval service, and honorably discharged therefrom, three hundred and fifty-two efficient men, thirty-four of whom re-enlisted for second terms of service, early in the war, and twelve or more re-enlisted as veterans, after three years of service.
To these are to be added not less than seventy-five substitutes, pur- chased by the town authorities in the bounty-jumping shambles, who never resided in the town, and whose names it would be superfluous to give. Of this class full forty deserted-most of them immediately after receiv- ing their bounty; twenty were unassigned or not taken up on the rolls ; and a small number were killed, or honorably discharged at the end of their terms of service, and are named among the effective men.
SUMMARY.
Whole number of effective men, - 352
Men enlisting and serving second terms, 46
Deserters, bounty-jumpers, and "dead beats," 75
473
Probably no army in the world's history was made up of better mate- rial in the aggregate (Cromwell's Ironsides excepted) than the volunteer force of the United States in the War of the Rebellion ; better in physi- cal power, moral training, intelligence and social standing, but unused, at the outset, to discipline and subordination. There was enough of religious zeal and patriotic ardor to call into the field thoughtful and high-princi- pled men, rather than those of a debased order. East and West this ele- ment predominated. In the West the volunteers were mostly farmers ; in the East they were more largely intelligent mechanics, inferior in bone and sinew, but excelling in elasticity and endurance. Our men, to a large extent, were made up of the latter class, and of young men tenderly reared, and apparently unfitted to endure hardship and privation ; yet an examination of the foregoing statistics will show that far the largest pro- portion of discharges for disability and deaths by disease occurred among the agricultural class.
Among the evil forebodings at the beginning of the conflict, none seemed
485
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
better warranted than that a whole generation of young men would be demoralized by the debaucheries of army life. Experience of other wars had taught this lesson; but it signally failed in its application to the younger or older volunteers of this town. It is very doubtful whether, among our soldier boys, an instance can be found where a young man, entering the service with good moral and temperate habits, has returned to civil life with those habits essentially deteriorated. Almost without exception, they at once resumed their accustomed occupations in the factory, on the farm, and at the counter, or embarked in new fields of en- terprise suggested by their enlarged experience and observation.
Another foreboding of the early days of the war took the form of as- surance that every branch of manufacturing and mercantile business was to be prostrated, that farms would be uncultivated, that the rich would become poor, and that the poor must fight or starve. An all-wise Provi- denee has averted these evils. Our citizens in nearly every branch of industry and business have been prospered during the ten years ending in 1871, as in no earlier decade ; and this prosperity has resulted from no direct government patronage in the way of army contracts or war specu- lations.
The pecuniary outlay of the town in bounties, expenses of filling quotas and aid of soldiers' families, as appears by the accounts of the seleetmen, was as follows :
1861. Paid volunteers and their families,
$ 851.63
1862. expenses of filling quotas, - 492.59
bounties on enlistments, 6,500.00
1863. " bounties and expenses of filling quotas,
16,110.00
1864.
"
16,481.05
1865.
14,233.45
1866. 66 "
300.00
1867.
"
8.53
$54,977.25
The individual contributions, as far as ascertained, were as follows :
Balance of cash raised in 1861 by citizens for purchase of ma- terials for soldiers' uniforms, and for support of their families, and not refunded by the state, - $ 676.14
Cash paid by individuals for filling quota in 1864, - 664.42
Bounties of $10 cach to 100 men by Elliot Beardsley, 1,000.00
Bounties paid by other citizens (estimated), 2,000.00
$4,340.56
A large amount of hospital stores, clothing, bedding, provisions, and cash were furnished by female societies, only a portion of which can be ascertained, by reason of the imperfect records made of the same. We compile from such records and memoranda as have been preserved, the following items :
486
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER.
Making up 103 uniforms from materials paid for by the state, - $ 412.00
66 112 shirts (cloth furnished), 84.00
200 linen haveloeks, 100.00
Sent to Christian Commission, 16 boxes and barrels of clothing, bedding and hospital stores, valued at 688.18
. Cash, proceeds of tableaux exhibition, -
252.50
To Sanitary Commission, hospital articles and stores,
476 39
To Mrs. Harris, Supt. of Hospitals, Phila., hospital articles and stores,
370.71
To Freedmen's and Refugee Aid Societies, 1550.50
To Soldiers' Aid Society, - 31.70
To Soldiers in Connecticut Regiments, 96 barrels and 15 boxes
vegetables, provisions, and stores, 635.00
$4,600.98
The above articles, estimated below their value, and comprising an infinite variety of articles, were mainly furnished by one of our two female organizations. Of the number and value of articles supplied by the other society, we have obtained no statement, but may safely estimate them at $2,081.21 ; and so estimating them, we have the following sum- mary of town expense.
Town expenses, .
$48,977.25
Cash items by citizens of the town, 4,340.56
Clothing, bedding, hospital stores, provisions and cash from West Winsted Soldiers' Aid Society, 4,600.98
Similar articles furnished by other societies and individuals (estimated), -
2,081.21
Grand Total,
$60,000.00
The contributions furnished by the female society above named, are specified with great particularity and precision, and are largely made up of the most valuable and indispensable articles of clothing and bedding, the cost of materials worked up and paid for in cash, making a large part of their estimated value.
One item of hospital stores, nowhere enumerated, was the product of ninety-five bushels of blackberries, which were gathered in one day, mostly by females, on a proposition of Gail Borden, Esq., that he would convert into jam all the blackberries so gathered in one day, at the condensed milk factory owned in part by him, the sugar and cans being paid for.
NOTE .- The compiler has learned, since this chapter went to press, that our worthy neighbor, Caleb P: Newman, First Sergeant of Company B, 2d Infantry, and Ist Lieutenant of Company F, 28th Infantry, had signed an enlistment paper before the meeting at which Captain Horne enrolled his name.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS AS AFFECTED BY THIE REBELLION-BUILDING OPERATIONS- INCREASE OF TAXABLE PROPERTY-CONNECTICUT WESTERN RAILROAD- TEMPERANCE REFORM AND DECADENCE-MASONIC SOCIETIES.
1861 TO 1872.
AMID the enthusiasm and firm resolve of the loyal masses of the North, at the outbreak of the rebellion, there was among intelligent men a consciousness of a mighty struggle impending, and a belief that it would be attended with ruin to all our business interests. The merchant encouraged his clerks to volunteer, by assurances that their places should be kept open for their occupancy on their return from military service, and by pecuniary bounties. The manufacturers held out like inducements to their operatives.
The struggle was mightier and longer than was apprehended ; but business interests were only partially affected or deranged. In our com- munity the only business entirely suspended was the manufacture of planters' hoes for the southern market. The business employed a large number of men, who were represented in most of the battle fields of the Atlantic States .* Other manufacturing establishments for a time reduced their business, but soon found it enlarged in amount and profit. The evil day of collapse and ruin apprehended at the beginning of the war was not realized, but was foreboded at its end. At the end of seven years, after the return of peace - thanks to the wise management of the financial affairs of the nation - no business revulsion has occurred. Nearly four hundred millions of national debt-to say nothing of state and town debts approaching an equal amount- have been paid off, and the business affairs of the country were seldom more prosperous. Very few new dwellings or factories were erected during that period, but nearly all the dwellings previously built with funds borrowed from savings and building associations, and afterwards sold to speculating capitalists, found purchasers at largely advanced prices, and came into the hands of substantial resident owners. Population rapidly increased
* We have, in the preceding chapter, noticed six members of one family who served in various regiments, all of whom - with perhaps one exception - had been employed in this branch of business.
488
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
from year to year, though the increase has hardly been noticeable by reason of the crowding to a large extent of two or more families in buildings previously occupied by only one.
Owing to the great increase of taxation, falling more largely on real estate than on personal property on the one hand, and on the other hand the inducements held out to investors by ten per cent. mortgages, railroad bonds and stocks, but few tenant houses have been erected in the borough since 1860 by capitalist or manufacturer.
During the twelve years since 1860, the following public buildings, factory buildings, and stores have been erected.
The graded school building in west district was built in 1867, at a cost of $19,400.
Number of scholars on the roll November, 1872, 310
Number of teachers,
5
Aggregate amount of salaries, - - $4,600
The graded school building in the east section was built in 1870, at a cost of $15,000.
Number of scholars enrolled November, 1872, - 160 -
4 Number of teachers, -
Aggregate amount of salaries,
- $2,302
The monastery building of St. Francis' Literary and Theological Seminary was erected in 1867. Connected with the seminary is a parish school, with from fifty to seventy-five scholars, under charge of Sisters of the third Order of St. Francis; and also the Academy of St. Margaret of Cortona, for tuition of young ladies in the higher branches.
The borough building and lock-up was erected in 1861.
The Woodford four-story brick block, containing a store, banking office, and masonic hall, was finished in 1861.
Dudley's three story brick block, containing four store tenements, was erected in 1861.
Moore's south three-story wooden block, containing fish market, smith shop, and stove warehouse, was erected in 1866.
Moore's north three story wooden block, containing clothing store and feed store, erected 1869.
Phelps' three-story wooden block, containing millinery and drug stores, erected in 1868.
Gilman & Hallett's three-story wooden block, containing two store tenements, erected in 1872.
Ilicks' three-story Hotel, corner of Main and Park streets, erected in 1870 on the site of the old Stevens' House.
Gilbert Clock Company's brick factory on north side of Wallen street, built on site of factory burned in 1871, erected in 1871.
Gilbert Clock Co.'s brick factory, south of Wallen street, erected in 1872.
489
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
Strong Manufacturing Company's building erected in 1866. Gilman Carriage Company's building erected in 1866.
The four-story brick block, north of the Beardsley House, on Main street, containing two store tenements and a banking office, erected by the Beardsley family in 1872.
The Music Hall building, erected in 1872 by a joint-stock company, a brick and iron structure; fronting fifty-six feet on Main and 126 feet on Elm street, is three stories above the basement floor, and surmounted by a Mansard roof, contains a public hall 54 by 92 feet, and three store tenements on the first floor. Adjoining it on the east, and in the same style and material, is a block of 48 feet front, containing a banking office and a store tenement, erected by John G. Wetmore.
The Connecticut Western Railroad Depot, on Lake street, was erected in 1872, in part by funds appropriated by the railroad company, and in part by contributions of George Dudley and other citizens.
The dwelling houses erected by resident owners, though limited in number, have been of a superior order in style, architectural proportions, and conveniences. Among them we note the following, with their loca- tions and date of erection :---
Dwelling of Thomas M. Clarke, on Elm street, in 1864.
John G. Wetmore, on Hinsdale street, in 1867.
66 James R. Alvord, on Meadow street, in 1867.
66 David Strong, on Walnut street, in 1869.
66 E. R. Beardsley (built by Seth L. Wilder, deceased), on Main street, in 1862.
66 George F. Barton, on Prospect street, in 1869.
66 Edward Clarke, on Hinsdale street, in 1870.
66 James G. Woodruff, on Northi Main street, in 1870.
William C. Phelps, on High street, in 1870.
66 T. M. V. Doughty, on Union street, in 1862.
William McAlpine, on Hinsdale street, in 1871.
James Cone, 66 in 1872.
Wm. L. Camp,
in 1872.
F. L. Pond,
in 1872.
יו Wm. C. Welch, on Main street, in 1871.
66 Julius Gregory, Beach street, in 1870.
66 Patrick Reidy, Elm street, 1870.
66 Charles J. York, “ 1871.
Jos. W. Parsons, Beach street, 1871.
Charles L. Norton, Elm street, 1871.
62
490
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
We compile from the lists of 1861 and 1871 abstracts of taxable prop- erty in Winsted, and also whole amount of assessments of the whole town :-
1861.
1871.
DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY.
No.
Valuation.
No.
Valuation.
Dwelling houses,
502
$514,450
555
770,225
Acres of land,
8,800
186,884
217,426
Factories, mills, and stores,
77
201,500
93
279,150
Horses,
219
17,780
285
33,745
Neat catttle,
758
14,847
872
19,941
Sheep and swine,
259
289
Carriages, &c.,
9,201
23,150
Farming utensils,
6,354
14,281
Musical instruments,
6,020
13,875
Extra furniture,
5,550
14,935
Bank stocks,
204,344
186,556
State stocks,
2,100
Railroad bonds, -
21,188
328,585
Invested in merchandize, -
90,350
140,415
manufacturing, -
113,900
191,200
steamboats,
9,500
Money at interest,
79,443
216,767
Money on hand,
3,428
16,150
Taxable property,
270
8,075
$1,475,768
$2,486,490
We omit the taxable polls on account of changes in valuation from time to time, and the variation of numbers exempted for various reasons.
The whole number of unexempt polls in 1861 was,
645
While in 1871 the number was reduced to - -
- - 451
In 1840 the taxable property of the whole town was, $ 477,865
In 1851 66
66
1,023,875
In 1861
1,750,921
In 1871
66
2,759,943
Polls not included.
The population of the town, at the periods specified, was as follows :-
By census of 1756, - 24
" 1774,
339
" 1781,
688
" 1800,
1,368
" 1810, -
1,466
" 1820,
1,601
125
Clocks and watches,
491
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
By census of 1830, -
1,766
" 1840,
1,667
" 1850,
2,179
" 1860,
3,550
" 1870, -
4,102
After the opening of the Naugatuck Railroad in 1850, the necessity of a railroad communication eastward to the Connecticut River, and west- ward to the Hudson, became more and more apparent, but until recently seemed impracticable, by reason of the high grades and circuitous lines required in running roads easterly and westerly over the mountain ranges between the Hudson and Connecticut rivers.
The steady growth of Collinsville, New Hartford, and Winsted, and the great enlargement of the iron interests of Salisbury and Canaan, stimulated the desire to overcome difficulties in the way of the enterprise, which had seemed to the communities interested to be insuperable.
Public attention was first called to the practicability of the enterprise by E. T. Butler, Esq., of Norfolk, in 1865, and mainly through his instru- mentality, experimental surveys were made during that year; and in 1866 a charter was granted to "The Connecticut Western Railroad Company," with power to construct a road from Collinsville, Conn., to the Massachusetts state line on the border of North Canaan. Strenuous efforts were made by Mr. Butler and others to interest capitalists in the scheme. The Boston and Erie Railroad Company were vainly solicited to make the route a part of their line. Hartford and Springfield capital- ists were appealed to in vain. The Canal Railroad Company would have nothing to do with it. The Harlem, Housatonic, and Naugatuck Com- panies, with which it was to form connections, gave it a cold shoulder.
At this nearly hopeless stage of the enterprise, the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad Company, under the auspices of George H. Brown, Esq., of Washington Valley, N. Y., had completed their road from Fish- kill, on the Hudson, opposite Newburg, to near Pine Plains in Dutchess County, N. Y., and were seeking an eastern connection. The existence of the Connecticut Western Charter was made known to Mr. Brown, who, with characteristic energy, at once embarked with Mr. Butler and others in the enterprise. A new charter was obtained from the Legisla- ture of 1868, granting power to extend the road from the City of Hartford to Collinsville ; thence to follow the line of the charter of 1866 through New Hartford, Winsted, and Norfolk; and thence to diverge westerly through North Canaan and Salisbury, in the direction of Millerton, on the Harlem Railroad, so as to connect with the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad at the state line. The charter authorized towns along the line of the road, in their corporate capacity, to subscribe and
492
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
pay for stock in the road to an amount not exceeding five per cent. of their grand lists last made up, on being empowered so to do by a two- third vote of the inhabitants of such towns at meetings duly called and notified for that purpose.
The town of Winchester, on the 22d of August, 1868, by a ballot of 366 to 66, voted a subscription of five per cent. on its list, amounting to $116,000, to the stock of the company, and individual citizens of the town made further subscriptions to the amount of $74,900. Winchester was the first town on the line to vote on this test question, the result of which was to determine whether the road should be carried through. Subscriptions of other towns along the line were soon afterwards voted as follows :-
Salisbury, by town,
$50,000
By citizens,
$103,090*
Canaan,
66
34,000
16,000
Norfolk,
41,500
10,800
Canton,
40,000
0,000
Simsbury,
50,000
20,100
Bloomfield,
42,300
25,900
Hartford,
750,000
66
64,000
Add Winchester,
116,000
74,900
The surveys, estimates, and location of the road were completed in 1870, and the whole line was put under contract immediately afterward. The first passenger train passed over the road from Hartford to Miller- ton, N. Y., on the 21st December, 1871, and returned the same day, and since then the communication has been uninterrupted. Its connections with other roads along its line, and at its termini, will make it a trunk line of equal importance with the other east and west roads of New England. Its connections with roads already completed, are with three roads at Hartford, with the Canal Road at Simsbury, its branch at Collinsville, the Naugatuck at Winsted, the Housatonic at Canaan, the Pokeepsie and Eastern, and the Dutchess & Columbia at state line, and the Harlem at Millerton. Other connections are shortly to be completed with the Connecticut River and Boston & Albany roads at Springfield, the Collinsville & New Britain branch at Collinsville, the Farmington River Road from Lee to New Hartford, or Winsted, and the road from Rhinebeck on the Hudson to the state line, the three latter now in process of construction.
With these new avenues of intercourse with every portion of New England, and especially with direct access to the coal fields of Pennsyl- vania, and the wheat and lumber regions of the great West, a rapid
* This amount of private subscriptions is supposed to include a subscription of $50,000 by Mr. Brown of the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad.
493
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
growth in the population and wealth of Winsted is confidently anticipated.
In the regular course of our annals, the great temperance movement, which has contributed largely to the prosperity and moral improvement of our community, and which has been largely promoted by our citizens, has found no place.
As early as 1825 the Temperance Reform, by organized associations, began to be agitated in this vicinity. Able lecturers from time to time appeared among us, setting forth the evils of intemperate drinking, its almost universal prevalence, and the remedy to be found in total absti- nence from spirituous liquors, and associated action in enlightening the public mind, and aiding the intemperate in their endeavors to abandon their evil habits. It was then thought that abstinence from distilled liquors would remove the giant evil of the country, and the original societies were organized on a pledge thus limited.
We have before us the records of the Winsted Temperance Society, organized August 16, 1829, as an auxiliary of the Litchfield County Society, and based on the following pledge :---
" The members of this society, believing that the use of intoxicating liquors for persons in health is not only unnecessary but hurtful, and that the practice is the cause of forming intemperate appetites and habits, and that while it continues the evils of intemperance can never be prevented, do therefore agree that we will abstain from the use of distilled spirits, except as medicines in case of bodily hurt or sickness ; that we will not allow the use of it in our families, nor provide it for the entertainment of our friends or persons in our employ, and that in all suitable ways we will discountenance the use of it in the community."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.