USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 56
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"Jannary 30, 1775, The Committee being met according to Adjourmuent Voted that Mr. James Persaville, Merchant of this Town, having bought and sold Goods higher than usual by his own Confession has been guilty of a violation of ye Association.
" That this Committee do upon a Confession made, and promise of Amendment by said Percival for his Fault in purchasing and selling sundry articles of English Goods at higher prices than is consistent with ye true Sense of ye Association, and upon his promising as far as he can to deposit ye surplussage of ye money over and above what they would have amounted to if sold at his usual Prices into ye Hands of such Person or Persons as shall by this Committee be appointed to receive ye same to be appropri- ated to ye Use of ve Poor of ye Town of Boston, and upon such Confession and Re- traction being made public restore sd Percival to full and compleat Charity."
" That if it has already or in time to come may happen that any Person or Persons, Inhabitants of any of ye neighbouring Towns have refused or shall refuse to acceed to or in any Way or Manner violate ye doings of ye Continental Congress, it shall be ve duty of ye Inhabitants of this Town to withdraw all kinds of Connexion from sneh Person or Persons, and as Members of this Committee we will use our best En- deavours that ye Inhabitants punctually adhere to this vote and practice accordingly."
" That it is highly important that all Venders of Goods and Merchandize within this town be desired as soon as may be to make out and to render to this Committee, an Inventory of all and singular ye articles of Goods or Merchandize they have either disposed of since ye Ist day of December 1773, or have now on hand, with their Number or other marks whereby said articles or any of them have been usually rank'd or distinguished, together with ye Prices they have sold them at for ready Pay and their Usual Advance for Credit since said Ist day of December 1773, or do now sell them, and also ye Names of ye Persons any of such Goods or Merchandize have been purchased of since ye first day of December 1774, to ye Intent they may be in the most effectual Manner prevented selling such Goods or Merchandize hereafter at higher Prices than they have been accustomed to since ye above mentioned Ist day of December 1773 contrary to ye Association of ye Continental Congress, or if they should that they may be detected and brought to condign Punishment.
" That all Venders of Goods or Merehandize within this Town shall hereafter each for himself render a particular Account to three or more of this Committee being present to take sueh Account of every article of such Goods or Merchandize as shall be purchased by them and brought into this Town with their numbers or other Marks of Distinction, and, likewise of ye Place where and ye Persons of whom said Goods or Merchandize were purchased before any of ye Packages thereof are broken, and it is expected ye Purchaser upon ye Receipt of any such Goods or Merchandize will notify three or more as aforesaid of this Committee to be present to take such aecomit to ye true Intent and Meaning of this Vote."
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March 15, 1775, Voted, " That Mr., Timothy Root be appointed to exhibit a Complaint against Capt. Solomon Cowles and Martha his wife for making use of Tea contrary to ye Association."
" That Messrs. Stephen Dorchester, Asahel Wadsworth, Timothy Root, Peter Curtiss, Noadiah Hooker, Timothy Hosmer, John Treadwell. Martin Bull, John Lee, Stephen Norton, John Allen, Jonathan Root, Daniel Lankton, Timothy Clark, Thomas Upson, Amos Barnes, Ihezekiah Gridley, Ichabod Norton, Joseph Miller, Noah Hart, Noah Stanley, Gad Stanley, Ludwick Hotchkiss, Simeon Hart, Joseph Stone, Titus Bunnel, Stephen Barnes, Thomas Upson, and Joseph Beacher, be appointed to give Licences for the use of Tea to such persons within their respective Societies, as shall appear to ye whole to each Society belonging that are here particularly named to be under absolute necessity for ye same."
" That Matthias Leaming be advertized in the Public Gazette for a contumacious violation of ye whole Association of ye Continental Congress, and that Messrs. John Treadwell, Peter Curtis, Noadiah Hooker, and William Judd to do ye same ae- cordingly."
March 23, 1775, " That ye Confession exhibited and subscribed by Capt. Solomon Cowles and Martha his wife for ye offence of using Tea contrary to the Association is satisfactory provided ye same be made public."
" That ye Evidence exhibited against Nehemiah Royce for refusing to accede to ye Association of Congress is not sufficient to justify ye Committee in advertising sd Royce in ye Gazette."
" That ye Committee appointed to advertise Matthias Leaming defer ye excention of that Business until the next adjournment, &c."
Aug. 12, 1775, " Upon a Motion whether this Committee are obligated to examine into ye Conduct of those who labored on ye Continental Fast, and to proceed against them according to the demerit of their offence as Violators of sd Association-Voted in ye Affirmative."
" September 11, 1775, ye Committee of Inspection being met according to adjourn- ment took into Consideration ve Case of Job Whitcomb, Ezekiel Carrington, Barzillai Lewis, John Lowry and Charles Ledyard who being accused of labouring on ye Con- tinental Fast voluntarily appeared before ye Committee and acknowledge ye Charge and upon their subscribing a Confession offered him by sd Committee, and consented that it should be made public-Voted that ye same be estecmed satisfactory."
" Voted that we will take up ye matter of Mr. Samuel Seott for suffering people to work upon the Continental Fast it being in ye opinion of this Committee worthy their attention, at which Meeting it was ye unanimous opinion of ye Committee at ye next Freeman Meeting to request a Dismission from ye office it being too burthensome to be executed by them for a longer time, and that another Committee be appointed in their room."
Some leaves of the record are wanting, but it seems a new committee was appointed, and acted on cases brought before thein. The next page of the record that is pre- served begins with the confession and explanation (only in part however) of some one guilty of using " tea." It reads thus : "he not in the least apprehending what was served up before him was India Tea, and that as soon as he had discovered ye decep- tion he immediately abstained from it-which Plea being duly weighed by ye Com- mittee was voted to be satisfactory."
" Voted, That Dea. Seth Lee and Dea. Noah Porter be appointed in ye room of Lieut. Elijah Potter to present all such persons within their Limits as shall appear to have violated ye Association agreeable to ye 12th Resolve of ye former Committee."
Jan. 29, 1776. "Ye Committee met according to adjournment when a complaint was exhibited against Jesse Fuller for laboring on ye Continental Fast, who negleet-
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ing to appear ye Committee proceeded to ye Examination of Evidences in ye Case, but as but one witness testyfied in Point ye further consideration of ye matter was deferred to a further opportunity."
" At ye same time a complaint was exhibited against Samuel Warren, Lydia Orvis, Hannah Andrus, and Prudence Buck, all of Farmington, for making use of India Tea contrary to ye Continental Association-when ye said Samuel Warren and Prudence Buek appeared in Compliance with the Citation and acknowledging the fact charged against them, they subscribed the following Confession, viz : we ye subscribers freely acknowledge we have violated ye Association of the Continental Congress by making Usc of India Tea; sensible of ye ill consequences of such a Practice we do freely express our sorrow for ye same, and do give the strongest assurance of our Determina- tion hereafter strictly to adhere in every Regard to ye Continental Association.
(Signed) SAMUEL WARREN, PRUDENCE BUCK."
This confession was considered at a later meeting.
" But as ye above said Lydia Orvis and Hannah Andrus did not see Cause to make their Appearance ye Committee proceeded to examine Witnesses in ye Case and found that they are guilty according to ye Complaint, but being willing to exercise Lenity towards them thought proper that they should have another day to appear, if they should see cause before ye Committee to answer for themselves."
" At ye same time Lieut. Ebenezer Orvis in a contemptuous manner intruded upon the Committee and unimpeached declared that he had drank India Tea contrary to ye Association and that he did it with a View that he might have it to tell of. Where- upon the Committee Voted that said Orvis is guilty of a flagrant violation of ye Asso- ciation ; accordingly a Confession was drawn up for him to subscribe and publish, which he refusing to comply with, ye further Consideration of ye matter was deferred till ye next adjournment."
At a later meeting " ye Authority and Selectmen of ye Town " were called in to advise with the Committee.
March 11, 1776, the Committee " Voted That Lieut. Ebenezer Orvis be Advertised in ye Gazette as an Enemy to his Country. Voted that Mrs. Lydia Orvis and Han- nah Andrus be advertised in ye Publie Gazette as Enemies to their Country, ye pub- lication to be deferred till after ye County Meeting hereafter to be held at Hartford."
Monday, April 22, 1776. " Lient. Ebenezer Orvis who had been Advertised in Pur- suance of ye vote of ye Committee appeared before ye Committee and presented a Confession for publication which was voted Satisfactory."
In the records at Hartford may be found a copy of this letter, dated October 15, 1775.
" I have shipped on board Capt. Loveman's sloop 149 bushels of grain given by the inhabitants of Southington for the relief of the in- dustrious poor of Boston-viz : 22} bushels of wheat-t18 bushels of rye, and 34 bushels of corn."
The letter is signed by Jonathan Root in the name and behalf of the Committee of Farmington. On the arrival of Capt. Loveman's sloop the grain was acknowledged in a letter full of patriotic expres- sions, and signed by David Jeffries in behalf of the recipients, dated Boston, November 15, 1775.
While there were several tories in the town, and one executed, there were only two or three cases of even suspected disloyalty in this parish.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
In December, 1776, the General Assembly appointed AMBROSE SLOPER, of this parish, Captain of a company, and ELISHA MOSS, Lieutenant.
After the battles of Lexington and Concord, a hundred men marched to the relief of Boston, but unfortunately the list of names has been lost, or at least is so stated in the Hartford records. There were some from this parish, but only a portion of the names can be recovered even by tradition. And a similar number the following year, in an emergency, marched to New York.
At a special meeting of the town, March 26, 1777, the call for 217 men was considered and a bounty of ten pounds offered those who would enlist in the Continental service. Committees were appointed to devise means to fill the quota, and also to provide for the families of soldiers.
So readily did the people respond that but few men' were left at home to cultivate the land. Some enlisted for six months at a time in order to be at home during the season of gathering crops.
This town separated from Farmington in 1779, and held its first meeting Nov. 11th, at which was passed the following vote:
" That Mr. Jonathan Root and Capt. Josiah Cowles be a Comtt. to Provide for the Famelies of the officers and solders in the Contenental Army."
The dates and votes of some of the succeeding meetings are also given.
Dec. 13, 1779. " At the same meeting Robert Hazzard, Eben Merriman, Stephen Pratt, and John Brownson were Chosen a Comtt. to Furnish Necessaries for the Fami- lies of the officers and Soldiers in the Continental Army."
Feb. 29, 1780. " Voted that the Committee appointed to Provide for the officers and soldiers in the Continental Army be Directed to Provide for those that have not been Supplied acording to Law the last year and to make up what is wanting."
June 22, 1780. " Voted that Capt. Asa Bray, Capt. Eldad Lewis, Ens". Stephen Barns, Lient. Samuel Smith, Timothy Clark, Esqr., Mr. Jonath Root and John Curtiss, Esqr., be a Committee to Take into Consideration the Case with Respect to getting up the Quota of this Town in the Continental Army and Report to this meeting. At the Same meeting Said Committee Reported as follows (viz) we your Committee Taking into Consideration the Necessity of filling up our Quota in the Continental Army are of opinion that Every able Bodyed Effective man who Shall Inlist to Serve in the Continental Army for the Term of three years or During the war Shall be Entitled to Receive as a bounty 30 bushels of wheat to be Paid in three Equal Parts (viz) Ten
I " Three companies from Farmington were in action against Burgoyne, and it is confidently asserted by one whose recollections cannot be mistaken, that every young man from the town, worth any consideration, was at some time or other in the field." Dr. Porter's Discourse, p. 31. So far as this parish is concerned, this was quite truc. For two or three years after 1775 every interest in the town flagged, and even the church became a desolation.
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bushels in each year or the value thereof in money and also Five bushels of wheat pr month for Each month he Shall be in Service or the value thereof in money and that a Tax shall be Laid on the Polls and Ratable Estate of the Inbabitants of this Town in order to procure said wheat or money-provided nevertheless that any ablebodied effective man who shall enlist to serve in the Continental army for the Term of six months or until the last day of December next, unless sooner discharged, shall be en- titled to receive as a bounty five bushels of wheat and also five bushels of wheat pr month during the time he shall continue in service, or the value thereof in money.
At the same meeting Voted that each able bodied effective man who shall enlist into the Continental army for the term of three years or during the war, shall be entitled to receive as a premium thirty bushels of wheat to be paid in three equal parts (viz) ten busliels when he shall enlist and ten bushels annually till the whole is paid ; the wheat to be delivered as aforesaid or the value thereof to be paid in current money ; also five bushels of wheat to be delivered to each soldier per month during the term he shall be in service or the value thereof in money unless they or any of them shall Desart the Sarvicc.
At the same meeting voted that each able bodied effective man who shall enlist to serve in the Continental army for the term of six months or untill the last day of December next be entitled to receive as a premium five bushels of wheat and also tive bushels of wheat per month for each month he shall be in service or the value thereof in money-unless they or any of them shall desert the service."
" Voted that Capt. Daniel Lankton, Timothy Clark, Esqr., Ens" Elizur Peck, Capt. Asa Bray, Capt. Ambrose Sloper, Nathan Lewis, Jun', Asa Barnes, Capt. Amos Beecher, Lient. Nathaniel Lewis and Ens" Justice Peck be a Committee and that they be directed to pursue the most vigorous and prudent measures in order to procure 21 able bodied and effective men, which number will complete our full Quota in the Con- tinental army-and said Committee are to make report to this meeting from time to time of their doings as occasion shall require."
" Voted that the abovenamed Committee shall have power to tax the inhabitants of said town in such proportion and to such amount as they shall find necessary in order to carry the above resolves into execution, and to order the collector or collectors where to deliver the wheat or money when collected."
" Voted that Mr. Jonathan Root, Capt. Asay Bray, Capt. Daniel Lankton, Timothy Clark, Esqr., Capt. Ambrose Sloper and Capt. Amos Beecher be a committee to wait on such gentlemen as are appointed a committee from the town of Farmington, in order to agree with them what number of men are wanted to complete our quota to fill up the Continental army and report to this meeting."
" At the same meeting the said committee reported that the full quota of men for the town of Southington was thirty-nine men, &c., &c."
And thus on to the close of the war every call was faithfully re- sponded to, and all patriotic measures nobly sustained.
In June, 1781, the French army, under the command of Count de Rochambeau, passed through the town. Marshall Bertier was aid to the Count. The army numbered (it is said) three thousand men. It appears that rain and freshets impeded their march so that they were encamped within our limits two or three days. The first encampment was on the hill side, stretching from where Martin W. Frisbie lives, to
67
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
a point opposite Rodney Langdon's.1 There can be no doubt of this place as that of one encampment. Old people, now living, received it from the lips of their parents. And Dr. Edward Robinson 2 states that his father told him of the fact that two French officers took tea with him. The people were very enthusiastic in receiving them, and all along the way3 refreshments were set before them.
On French Hill was the place of a second encampment, and from this fact the hill takes its name. Landlord Barnes gave a ball at his tavern, at which a large number of the young women of the vicinity were present; and they esteemed it something of an honor to have had a " cotillion" with the polite foreigner. It is said that a freshet had made the little plain almost impassable, so a large part of the army passed by the way of Clark's Mills, and took the road : leading directly west.
For many years, and even down to a late period, coins, buttons, and other things have been picked up on French Hill. And the camp pits were visible until quite recently. Many stories concerning the polite- ness,5 airs," and curiosity 7 of the Frenchmen have been handed down.
The passage of General Washington through the town, on his way to Wethersfield. was also a marked event. The date of this event can not be given exactly, but it was probably in the autumn of 1780. The tradition is that he passed here in the afternoon, and stopped for a time at Jonathan Root's house. And it is also said that coming unheralded it was not known until after he left that it was he. There is reason to believe this last statement to be true.
And it said also that Lafayette passed through here in 1778, but so
1 About thirty years ago Mr. Langdon picked up a French silver coin in one of these fields, bearing the date of 1733.
2 " My father used to relate that two French officers entered his house where the ten- table was spread, and they partook. Some sprigs of sage were on the table ; pointing to which one of the officers remarked, 'One do give dis de horse in my country.'"_ Memoirs, p. 96.
3 Daniel Allen then kept tavern opposite the present North Centre school-house, and he entertained the officers "without price," but when they left they insisted on his receiving pay.
4 Mrs. Sally Smith stated that when she moved on her place, the neighbors often spoke of the army as passing that way.
5 Mr. Artemas Gridley informs me that his mother told him that at the tavern (Deming's) the girls attracted the soldiers' attention a good deal, and for any favor such as a drink the polite return would be in words, "Pretty Polly," in their broken language; no doubt supposing this to be a compliment.
6 One of the officers went to Landlord Barnes to get some milk for a favorite dog. Mr. Barnes took a cracked bowl for the milk, and the officer felt insulted that his dog should be suspected of drinking from such a dish.
7 The Sabba-day houses excited much inquiry. See p. 75.
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unpretending, or disguised, that he was not recognized, nor the fact of his passing through known until afterward.1
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.
CAPT. OBADIAH ANDREWS was son of Joseph and Susannah (Hough) Andrews, and born Aug. 2, 1714. He was a member of the 2d com- pany of the militia, 2d regiment, in 1775. In 1779 he appears in the regular army, and connected with the 3d regiment, Col. Wyllys com- manding. He is put upon the pay-roll as receiving £25 6s. 7d., Sept. 11, 1780, and was probably discharged at this time. He lived where Mr. F. D. Whittlesey now does.
SAMUEL ANDREWS, known as "one-hand" Andrews ; his hand having been accidentally shot off by a pistol when he was home on a furlough. He was with the "hundred men " who marched to the relief of Bos- ton, and is said to have been at the battle of Bunker Hill. In the "war of 1812," when Commodore Decatur was shut up in the New London harbor by a British fleet, Andrews visited that place dressed in an officer's dress of the Revolution. Commodore Decatur being introduced to him, said. " I take you to be an officer of the Revolu- tion; " "Please your honor, sir," (said Andrews) "I was Fifth Cor- poral in Colonel Bray's army." After a talk and a "drink " with the Commodore, he asked permission to visit the British fleet. He was told that it would not be prudent to go on board the enemies' vessels. " Please your honor, sir," (said he) " I can take a flag of spruce." He was a man of genuine and exhaustless humor, and was, during his life, very prominent in the town. The stories related concerning him would fill a volume.
GIDEON ANDREWS, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gridley) An- drews, was born 1721, and married Jan. 12, 1744, Abigail Potter. He is said to have gone to the relief of Boston in 1775. His name appears on the army pay-roll in 1782, but nothing is known of his services.
EZEKIEL ANDREWS, on the pay-rolls for two years' service.
SAMUEL ADKINS, served in the army, but how long is not known.
THOMAS ADKINS, brother of Samuel, died of camp fever in 1776.
CORNELIUS DUNHAM, grandfather of Chauncy, was in the army for a short time, connected with the commissary department.
PRINCE DUPLEX, a negro, and son of Rev. Mr. Chapman's slave, served in the regiments of Col. Sherman and Col. Giles Russell. He subsequently lived on Wolcott Mountain, on the old road to Wolcott, about a quarter of mile above the grave-yard.
1 This is probably about the only town that can't furnish a bed in which Washing- ton slept, a cup from which he drank, a fork he used, or something of the kind.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
CHAUNCY DEMING claimed to have been in the boat sent out to cap- ture Arnold. He was a large man, and in his later years weighed about 200 pounds. His hair was nicely powdered, and always appeared in public with a cue. He rode in a chaise at a time when this vehicle was an expensive luxury.
SAMUEL CURTISS, who kept tavern afterward at South End, was in the service for a few months.
DR. JOSIAH ROOT was assistant to Dr. Wadsworth, and became Apothecary General. He drew a full pension.
DR. THEODORE WADSWORTH was first an assistant surgeon, and after- ward surgeon.
FREEMAN UPSON, son of Capt. Asa, was in the navy for a time.
DR. MARK NEWELL enlisted first as a private. In the company of which he was a member, were many very young, and Capt. Sloper, fearing they might not stand fire, said to them, "Boys, if our mothers should see us, they'd all cry, but we'll do all we're able." Just then Washington had ordered a retreat, and the "boys" fell back in great disorder. Dr. Newell said Washington rode a ball-faced horse, and a cannon ball whizzing by, the horse turned and leaped a stone wall. Hearing the noise, Dr. Newell fell to the ground, and the ball ploughed along not many feet from him. His mother married for second hus- band Capt. Daniel Sloper, and the "twain" had five sons in the ser- vice; she three, and he two.
ISAAC NEWELL marched to Boston for relief of that city. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill; was afterward sick and in hospital three months.
JOHN NEWELL enlisted three times for six months, and would return home summers to gather his crops. He married Sibyl Andrews. He was at the surrender of Burgoyne.
ASAHEL NEWELL, a brother of Dr. Mark, served for two or three years. He died in 1786, unmarried.
SOLOMON NEWELL. He had finally a captain's commission, and was brother of Dr. Mark Newell.
And besides these above named are several of whom I find nothing beyond their names as found on pay-rolls, as ARCHIBALD COOK; BRAIN- ARD LINSLEY; ELISHA PECK; ROBERT HAZZARD; ZACCHEUS GILLETT; ABEL COLLINS; GAD FULLER; - HUNGERFORD, a sergeant; GILLET, an ensign; ISAAC POTTER.
AMOS ANDREWS, JR., was the son of Amos and Mary (Scott) Andrews, and born 1758; married, April 10, 1782, Lois Hazzard. He was one of the "hundred men" who marched to the relief of Boston in 1775
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from this town. Afterward he enlisted in the army for a brief term, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill. His experience could not inure him to scenes of blood, and at the expiration of his time of service he returned home. He subsequently removed to New York State, where he died.
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