Colonial history of Hartford, Connecticut, Part 24

Author:
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Hartford, Conn.
Number of Pages: 460


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It would surely be a fascinating amusement, and yield a most interesting exhibit in water colors, if the articles of dress left by certain colonial characters were used to clothe their imaginary figures, as children dress up paper dolls. We should then see the early Puritan in contrast with his colonial descendants. It would surprise us to find how colors displaced the conventional black; how soon those, who were able, laid aside homespun; how much the men thought - of a best broadcloth suit, with a fancy waistcoat; and how velvet and silks exerted their charm over the women. Unfortunately, in most inventories of the first generation, the value of "wearing apparel" is given as one item, and


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sometimes the contents of the purse is added. The clothing of an early planter seldom exceeded £10 in value; and that sum seems high for what he had. Here is the trader, who ventured first into the wilderness, clothed in a "Portingale cap," "A Jackette & p're of breches," probably leather, "stockings & shues." He could have worn "a pair of Indean stockins," and if he wanted a coat, he could have put on a short one of "darnixe," or one made of either "Catte skins" or "Racoone skins." An original settler of honored name left only "a Coate, a Jergen, 2 dubletts and a prre of breeches." This seems to be a meagre wardrobe; but the value given in inventories, even to old garments, indi- cates that all articles of dress were included, except of course those in which the decedent was buried. Another planter of good means had "3 suits of apparrell, wth hatts, stocking & shues," valued at £13 5s., which is above the average. The conclusion is warranted that the clothes of most of the founders of Hartford, who died within twenty- five years, were of the plainest sort and coarse but strong material. Their work clothes were usually of home manu- facture. The skins of wild animals were commonly used in winter, and the men all wore breeches of tanned deerskin. Ministers, magistrates and men of social standing had clothes suitable for public occasions. In fact, one of their early laws restrained excess of apparel by those of inferior rank, and the constables were authorized to warn any who ignored these proprieties.1 John Baysey was an original proprietor, and one of the settlers of 1636. He was a weaver by trade, industrious and thrifty. When he died in 1671, his inventory was of creditable size. His apparel is given in detail, and illustrates both Puritan simplicity and the increased supply of clothes among such as lived to that day. He left the following wardrobe: "cloath suite, cloath cloake, surge suit, Jacket, doublett & Breeches, cloath coat, peniston wascoat, Leatheren Jacket & white cotton drawers, payre of Buttons, payre of Gloves, woofteed stockings, yarne stockings, low crownd Hatt, High crownd Hatt, payre of bootes, payre of shoes, cotten & lining drawers, two shirts, Bands & Handkerchiefs."


1 Conn. Col. Rec., I: 64.


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


One characteristic of the reformation movement, was an attempt to check what was considered extravagance in dress, then beginning to appear. The General Court, in 1676, declared that it was "unbecoming a wilderness con- dition and the profession of the gospell, whereby the riseing generation is in danger to be corrupted." 1 Specific reference was made to wearing lace and buttons of gold or silver, silk ribbons, or other superfluous trimmings. Offenders were to be listed at £150 and taxed accordingly; but magistrates, public officers of the Colony and their families were excepted, as also commissioned officers of the military. No particular application of this law in Hartford has been discovered, nor does it seem to have hindered long the tendencies of the times. Little by little, the fashions came to permit colors for both sexes. This departure was furthered by the in- creasing use of foreign goods. Before the middle of the next century, the ultimate outcome was apparent; and the development of colonial dress in later years was only a mat- ter of time, under prevailing social conditions. Of these fashions, the inventories furnish many interesting details. How elegantly Samuel Edwards could be attired by an artist. He was a brother of Rev. Timothy Edwards, and died in 1732, leaving a large estate. Of coats he had the following: "loofe Coat of broad Cloth," "Streight bodyed Coat of broad Cloth," "Streight bodyed Coat duroy," "Loofe Coat of Duffels," "Streight bodyed Coat of fustian." He had waistcoats of fustian, broadcloth, black flowered silk and white linen. Of course, he had a pair of leather breeches; but he also had several of fustian and broadcloth. He could wear black and light colored silk stockings, worsted stockings, dark colored, light colored or "blewifh," or "old yarn stockings." He had plenty of the best Holland linen shirts. According to the occasion for which he was dressed, he would wear his "Noted wigg," "best bob wig" or "Na- turall white wig." His hat would be his "beaver"; his stock of white muslin; and he had a pair of white gloves. But what would his grandfather, William Edwards, have said of him? We can dimly see Rev. Daniel Wadsworth, who died in 1747, dressed in his "black suit," with black


1 Conn. Col. Rec., II: 283.


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silk stockings; silver buckles on his knee-breeches and on his shoes; a stock about his neck, and a periwig on his head. He seems to have been an example of ministerial proprieties. Still, he also had a blue coat and a drugget vest. The inventory of Rev. Samuel Woodbridge of East Hartford, who died the previous year, discloses the fact that he left no black suit, though he was probably buried in black. In the pulpit he wore a gown. His coat was of "blew broad cloth," and his "great coat" was blue. His best waistcoat was of "black silk Damafk." His knee-breeches were ornamented with silver and he had "gold sleve buttons." The blue coat had found favor with gentlemen before 1700; and clothes of a grey, butternut, or cinnamon color were sometimes worn.


One of Hartford's leaders of fashion, in her day, must have been Madam Elizabeth Wilson. She had a remarkable career in the matrimonial field, her fourth or fifth husband being Mr. Phineas Wilson of Hartford, who died in 1692.1 As a woman of rare business ability, she left abundant evi- dence. When she died in 1727, her estate amounted to £7154 4s. 2d. Her wardrobe was valued at £46 17s. The inventory of it proves that in her time, and probably some years before her death, more costly dress goods had come into fashion among the ladies. She had gowns of "black Sattin," "mixed white and black Silk crape," "flow- ered Silk lined with read Silk" and "padifway" (paduasoy). The use of silk in Hartford for hoods, aprons, petticoats and cloaks, had become fashionable in the latter part of the seventeenth century, though comparatively few could afford it. The wardrobes of certain ladies, who doubtless had an acquaintance with Boston or New York society, indicate that they introduced some of these newer fashions. The best wardrobe we have met with to serve in measuring the advance in dress among Hartford ladies in later colonial times, is that of Mistress Mary Hooker, spinster. She was the daughter of Mr. Nathaniel Hooker, and died in 1765. Her gowns were of "dove Cold Damask," "Light Blue Damask," "Blk padusoy wth Tale," "Stripd Lutestring," "dark ground Chintz" "moufe Cold grd Chintz," "Light


1 Manwaring's Hartford Probate Records, I: 522; II: 619-624.


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


Sprigd Chintz" "Blk Bombazein," "green Rufset," with a dozen others that were of less costly material, or had seen longer service. She had a "Blk Velvet cloak," a "Red cloak" and a "Blk Everlasting Cardinell." Her hoods represented the fashions of that day. They were of "white Sarfenett," "Blk gauze," "Blk Velvet with a Lace," "Silk wth gauze Border," and "flowd Blk gauze." She also had a "womans Blk Hatt wth Lace," and an "old plain Blk Bonnet," not to mention a "Blk flowd gauze Shade" and "2 Lacd pinners." Besides her black shoes, she had pairs of "Blue Rufsel," "Brocaded Silk" and "yellow Damask." Ladies of that period were fond of handkerchiefs, in which their skill at needlework could display itself. Mistress Hooker had several such. She had two girdles of silver and one of "Blue silver," ivory fans, jewelry already referred to and "1 Blk Velvet mask," for the mention of which we crave the lady's pardon. No doubt she had graced many a social gaiety elsewhere in her younger days, for she entered the period of "laced caps" and "temple spectacles" before she turned over her wardrobe to two of the town's foremost men to be inventoried.


CHAPTER XVI


EARLY SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN


THE claim that our Puritan ancestors esteemed education, rests not so much upon their own attainments, as upon the honor in which they held it. They saw the relation of learning to the full stature of a man as a responsible being. It was valued as an avenue by which to reach the altitudes of religious faith. That trait was sure to manifest itself in a system of education. In the early pages of their records, therefore, one expects to meet with some vote that declares their purpose to educate the generations for whom they had won the wilderness.


On December 6, 1642, the founders of Hartford passed the following vote: "It is agreed that thurte pownd a yeer shall be seatled vpon the schoole by the towne for efer." Thus they laid the corner-stone of an edifice, upon which succeed- ing generations have never ceased to build. This vote seems to have been related to some special undertaking, not fully disclosed. It could not have been the beginning of their interest in education. Schools were not then, either here or in the mother country, necessary tenants of school- houses. The teacher made the school wherever he gathered his pupils. Such was the case with many ministers, and several of that profession were numbered among the early schoolmasters of the town. At an early date, most likely in 1637 or 1638, John Higginson came to Hartford. He was the son of Rev. Francis Higginson of Salem, and had once been a pupil in the Grammar School in Leicester, England. His widowed mother had lands allotted to her here in the plantation divisions. She settled in New Haven, where she died in 1639, leaving eight children. Although John Higginson was nominally the chaplain of Saybrook fort for several years, his duties may not have required a continuous residence there. "I was sometime a school-


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


master in Hartford," he afterwards wrote, "where I enjoyed the ministry of that godly man, Mr. Hooker, and of Mr. Stone." Cotton Mather says, "He first taught a grammar school and then betook himself unto the study of divinity." 1 Thus Rev. John Higginson was the town's first schoolmaster. Probably he was a student of divinity under Mr. Hooker, his father's friend, at the same time. We have no clue, however, as to the place or pupils of his school. It may have been kept in the minister's home. His later life in Guilford and Salem fulfilled the promise of his youth. He died in 1708, aged 92 years. After him Rev. William Collins was engaged, but we do not know exactly when or how long he taught. He had been, says Hubbard, "an hopeful professor, and preacher also privately, at Gloucester in England, till he came to be seduced there, being carried about with one of the female sex, and of familistical prin- ciples." 2 He went later to Barbadoes, where he preached for a time, and did some good; but when persecution arose, he, with others, came to New Haven in the summer of 1640. Mr. Collins "was entertained first at Hartford, to teach school." At that time he was above suspicion of heresy, but, through a follower of Mrs. Ann Hutchinson, he became infected with her opinions. One morning he left Hartford, without disclosing his reasons or destination. That was the end of his school. He went, it appears, to Aquiday, where he embraced Mrs. Hutchinson's views and married her daugh- ter. In 1641 he was arrested in Boston, being found to be a seducer of the faithful, and was held for some months to pay a heavy fine. He was then released and banished.3 In 1643, he was killed by the Indians, with other members of the Hutchinson family.


Neither of these early teachers are thought to have taught in a school-house. A single room in some private house would have served the ambitions of those first years. The town's votes give us no record of any school-house in Hart- ford before 1643; nor should we look for any then, except


1 Mather's Magnalia, I: 365.


2 Hubbard's History, pp. 340-345; Winthrop's History, II: 10.


3 Mass. Col. Rec., I: 336, 340, 344; Winthrop's History, II: 46-48.


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as some portion of a private house was used for that purpose. In an inventory of the town's common property that year, the first item is, "2 great gunns: & Carriages & other things belonging to ym in the schoole howse." 1 Moreover, at a town meeting, in April 1643, an engagement was made with Mr. William Andrews to "teach the children in the Scoole one yere next ensewing from the 25 of march, 1643," for which service the town guaranteed him £16 a year. He was expected to collect from the parents what he could of this sum, at the rate of twenty shillings for each pupil. It is evident that no more than sixteen pupils were expected to attend, and probably not that number, as the town agreed to pay the balance. Where was this school-house - the first of record at least in Hartford? It has been claimed that "it was the usage to set school-houses in the highway, and thus the location was not a matter of record." 2 Such buildings, it is true, were sometimes erected on public property, and, in these cases, there was no deed of land; but it would be unusual for this to be done, without any vote of the town or the appointment of a committee to locate the building. In this instance, it is unnecessary to assume such an exception. A lot was secured by the town, probably in 1642, upon which a house afterwards owned by it, was located. This is believed to have been their first school-house. It was called the "town house," as in a later instance where the building was certainly the school-house. That is the reason the place has not been long since identified. This lot was originally the home-lot of William Hills. It was situated on the southwest corner of our present Gover- nor and Sheldon streets. In the earliest times, it was on their main highway running north and south, and was just south of the fordway across the Little River. This was a convenient location for both "Sides." The lot was recorded to William Hills, as an original distribution of the plantation, and comprised one acre and a quarter.3 Jonathan Gilbert bought the southern part, which was recorded to him about 1645.4 The town acquired the northern portion where the house stood. This may have been at first by rental or


1 Hartford Town Votes, I: 68.


3 Original Distribution, p. 262.


2 Mem. Hist. of Hartford County, I: 224. 4 Ibid., pp. 363, 382.


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


purchase, of which we have no record, and is thought to have been in 1642. There is evidence, however, that this lot and house were owned later by the town. On March 22, 1658-9, the townsmen were ordered to "take Care of ye Towne hous that was goodman hills: and repair the hous or fenc upone the towns acount," and, on November 22nd following, they were made a committee, with the addition of John Talcott [Sen.] and John Barnard, "to sell the Towne House." 1 This they did on December 7th, the grantee being Joseph Smith.2 There was then upon this lot of about one acre a "messuage or tenement," doubtless the same that William Hills had built for his own use. It could have been none other than the "schoole howse" mentioned in 1643, part of which had been used for storing their great guns. There was nothing strange in this. Their meeting- houses were used for similar purposes. In the author's opinion, the acquisition of William Hills's lot by the town in 1642, was the undertaking that led to the appropriation of thirty pounds as above mentioned. This was the place where William Andrews opened the school in 1643, and it was ample to accommodate the sixteen pupils which set the limit of their educational expectations. The inventory of Joseph Smith, who died in 1689, indicates that his house was of the usual one story type. It had two rooms on the first floor, and in one of these, the school could easily have been conducted.


This was a "grammar school," and was supposed to prepare youth for the college life of those days. It was the successor to the venture of Higginson and Collins. There were also in those times private schools of a lower grade. At least one such school was kept in Hartford - that of Widow Mary Betts, doubtless in a room of her own house, on Seth Grant's original lot. This was on the east side of Trumbull Street, near the Little River. "Goody Betts the school dame" died in 1647. Her pupils were young children, whom she taught the simple lessons of the "horn


1 Hartford Town Votes, 1: 124, 125.


? Original Distribution, p. 100. The date of the deed to Joseph Smith was copied as Dec. 7, 1669. It should have been 1659. Several of the grantors were deceased in 1669, and Joseph Smith owed the town £50 for the property in 1664. Hartford Town Votes, I: 146.


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book." Instruction of this kind was also given by parents; and the catechism was a means not only of religious train- ing, but also of elementary education in their households.


Our next information concerning the town's educational facilities is derived from a vote of February 1, 1648-9. As it is of some length, and is the only action recorded under that date, we conjecture that the meeting had been called expressly to consider their school. This record rehearses "the necessityes of the Towne and the desires of many for some provision to be made for the keeping of a Scoole with better conveniency then hitherto hath beene attayned, the want whereof hath beene both vncomfortable to those who haue beene imployed in that service, [and] prejudiciall to the worke vnder hand, wch is lookt vppon as conducing much to the good both of the present age and of the future."1 This proves that there was then in Hartford a progressive party in educational matters, and there is evidence to show that Governor Edward Hopkins was one of the leaders of it. The reflection on their old school-house situated near his home, and its unfitness for both teacher and pupils, is unmistakable. This reference is made more pointed by their conclusion to provide £40 by a rate, not sufficient, it was admitted, to attain the end of building a new school- house; but "in case any other shall make such an addition to the sayd summe that the worke may be carryed on and finished, eyther with tymber or bricke," the town further agreed "that the buildinge soe to be erected shall not be diverted to any other use or imployment but in a way of scoolinge without the consent of the partyes that shall con- tribute to ye [sum] more than their rates." We can put no other construction upon this record than that one or more inhabitants considered a room in a private house, part of which was used as an arsenal, beneath the dignity of and in- adequate for a town school, and some party or parties had given encouragement of erecting a grammar school building, by the payment of a sum in addition to the rate to be levied by the town. Some part of what the town promised, is lost in an undecipherable record; but it was evidently agreed that, if the new school-house was built, they would carry


1 Hartford Town Votes, I: 85, 86.


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


on their educational work with greater diligence. It was common then to supplement rates with additional subscrip- tions for a public enterprise, and the town had received such assurances. This agitation was the beginning of a move- ment, which at first promised great results, but no immediate action was taken.


In May, 1650, Edward Hopkins being then Governor of the Colony, their Code of Laws was established. It con- tained an emphatic declaration concerning the education of their children in the English tongue and the catechism. "And further," it was declared "that all Parents and Masters doe breed and bring vp theire Children and Apprentices in some honest lawfull [calling,] labour or imployment, either in husbandry, or some other trade proffitable for themselves and the Common wealth, if they will not nor cannott traine them vp in Learning to fitt them for higher imployments." 1 A similar law was made in Massachusetts in 1642. The above code also contained a law concerning the relation of towns to schools, enacted in Massachusetts in 1647. It required in every township of fifty householders the appoint- ment of a teacher to instruct the children in writing and reading, and in every township of one hundred householders the setting up of a grammar school to fit youth for the uni- versity, for which aid had already been proposed.2 This law became the foundation of Connecticut's early educa- tional system, and continued on its statute books until 1792.


The school in Hartford, so far as we are aware, went on as before in their arsenal school-house, with such improve- ments as could be afforded. Mr. William Andrews was teaching it in 1648. On February 1, 1649-50, Mr. Samuel Fitch, who was a son of Joseph Fitch and a nephew of Rev. James Fitch of Saybrook and Norwich, presumably began an engagement for three years, "to teach such children as shall be thought fitt to be taught by him." To all appear- ances, he fell out by the wayside, for, on November 19, 1650, it was ordered that Mr. Andrews should keep school for the. "present year," beginning the 29th of the previous Sep- tember. In 1651, Mr. Fitch married Susanna, the widow


1 Conn. Col. Rec., I: 521. Cf. Mass. Col. Rec., II: 6, 9.


2 Conn. Col. Rec., I: 112, 139.


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EARLY SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN


liam Whiting. He died in 1659, and was a e school to the last. Meanwhile the town, in of its project, granted a rate of £20 "towards of the schoole howse," and, on January 12, voted to raise £40 to be put in the hands of am Goodwin for the same purpose, he being ike the care of the work. A year later the town to him for thirty shillings "wch hee payd for ye Then the town votes disclose no more of for several years. We know, however, that Mr. nd some others were endeavoring meanwhile certain lot upon which to erect a school-house, e interest of Governor Hopkins had been suffi- aged to express a decided preference for this ot as a desirable location. It was the original Samuel Greenhill, situated west of our present t, between the Little River and Buckingham , if it had been secured, the Hopkins Gram- , amply endowed, might now be located there. ·enhill died soon after his removal to Hartford, n Thomas, and a daughter Rebecca, who married rd of Cambridge. His widow, Rebecca Green- d Jeremy Adams, by whom she had six children. e the family lived until Adams bought the Steele where stated. Thomas Greenhill died in 1653, ;hts of the heirs involved this lot in litigation for 3.1 It had advantages as a location for a school- nded to serve both divisions of the town. It ighway, which was fast increasing in importance, ist south of the bridge across the riveret. That Hopkins had favored this selection, is certain, for, r. Goodwin wrote as follows: "We do also desire t that the school house may be set upon the house was lately in the occupation of Jeremy Adams, vorthy friend did much desire that a school might 1 1653, Mr. Goodwin, still intent upon carrying lier votes of the town, sought to purchase this lot, d at £30, from Edward Stebbins, his fellow ex- ves: Private Controversies; I: 1-18; Manwaring's Hartford Probate -121.


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THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF HARTFORD


on their educational work with greater diligence. common then to supplement rates with additional s tions for a public enterprise, and the town had recei assurances. This agitation was the beginning of : ment, which at first promised great results, but no im action was taken.


In May, 1650, Edward Hopkins being then Gov the Colony, their Code of Laws was established. tained an emphatic declaration concerning the e of their children in the English tongue and the ca "And further," it was declared "that all Parents and doe breed and bring vp theire Children and Appre some honest lawfull [calling,] labour or imploymer in husbandry, or some other trade proffitable for th and the Common wealth, if they will not nor canno them vp in Learning to fitt them for higher imployı A similar law was made in Massachusetts in 16: above code also contained a law concerning the re towns to schools, enacted in Massachusetts in ] required in every township of fifty householders the ment of a teacher to instruct the children in wri reading, and in every township of one hundred hou. the setting up of a grammar school to fit youth for versity, for which aid had already been proposed law became the foundation of Connecticut's earl; tional system, and continued on its statute books ur




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