USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) > Part 16
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The bell for the new schoolhouse was purchased in Plainville.
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It weighed 154 pounds and is still in the cupola of the present Noah Wallace School, silent, but ready for further duty.
Deacon Simeon Hart as he was known, to designate him from his father, who was Simeon Jr., son of Simeon Sr., immediately fitted into the educational life of the town upon his settlement here after his graduation from Yale. In 1824 he accepted the position of principal at the academy. His years there were so successful that many applications came to him from both this country and abroad for his personal supervision. This lead to the establishment of a private school in the basement of the large house at the corner of Main Street and Colton Court. He had as his associate and assistant his nephew Edward Lucas Hart. A word is essential here of Edward L. Hart, for his years with his uncle, Deacon Simeon, taught him many valuable things about schools, and about boys. He was an only son, the posthumous child of Rev. Lucas Hart and Mary (Warner) Hart, and after the death of Deacon Simeon Hart, Edward L. Hart who lived in a large house on High Street, now occupied by W. Norton Smith, conducted a school for Farmington boys, and was as dearly loved as his predecessor had been. He had a small school building in the rear of his home, this later being moved across the street and serving for many years as the studio of Robert Brandegee. Judge Edward H. Deming Sr., was one of the pupils at this school and loved to tell of Edward L. and always spoke of him with a mixture of affection and appreciation. For all his dignity, he was not above joining the boys at their play, and in a game of baseball his long flowing white beard would seriously intefere with the game, but never deter him from playing.
Deacon Simeon Hart was not content with teaching on week days only. On Sunday he was superintendent of the Sunday School and for many years was chosen representative to the legislature. He was a deacon in the church and chosen a magis- trate, thus keeping active and useful in religious, educational, financial and political interests of the town.
At the death of Horace Cowles, Simeon Hart was appointed town clerk, one of his first duties being to record the bequest to the townspeople that they "unite to celebrate a day in 1940
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to carry on the institutions and traditions commemorative of the settlement of this ancient Town."
In the town meeting record book Simeon Hart recorded his appointment as Town Clerk on the 8th day of February, 1841, and following it this sentence:
"Horace Cowles Esqr. died much lamented Feb. 6th, 1841, Ae. 58."
From this date, to the date of the last entry on December 28, 1852, many outstanding events were acted upon, often after 'lenthy discussion" and sometimes only after many years of voting and repealing votes cast.
Some of the records, all-important as shaping the future of the town, showed what seemed a disportionate interest in ex- ceedingly small matters; but in the absence of greater de- nands, such as war and pestilences, town meetings easily fell nto the category of small town business.
A special town meeting April 5, 1841, gave the assessors the privilege of employing surveyors to assist them in cases where hey could not ascertain acreage. At the same meeting it was noted that "the takeing, catching, shooting or in any inten- ional way intentionally destroying birds or their eggs or nests, vithin the limits of the Town, other than those usually called birds of prey; also crows, blackbirds, & partridges, phesants, vild pigeons, wild ducks & wild geese shall henceforth be un- awful".
The weather concerned Deacon Hart to such an extent that nany notations were made. On October 9, 1843, he records a very great freshet doing extensive damage to roads, bridges, anals, and railroads in Mass. & Connecticut."
Taxes were dropping in 1841, only a four-cent tax being id for town expenses, but a two-cent tax still needed for the pads.
In the following year, Timothy Cowles and Simeon Hart ere chosen representatives of the town to the legislature. 'ichard Cowles was town treasurer, Sidney Wadsworth and isher Gay were selectmen, William Crampton commissioner f roads, James Cowles auditor, Henry Phelps collector.
On December 4, 1843, with Roger S. Newell as chairman
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pro tem, Messrs. E. W. Carrington, Edward Hooker, A. F. Williams, Augustus Ward and Egbert Cowles, with the select- men, were directed to consider the expediency of improving the road between Main Street and some point on the railroad in Berlin, "for travel and the transmission of the mail in all weather."
On that date also a committee of five were appointed to de- vise some plan if possible to reduce the expense of assessors and board of relief and making up the lists; also to ascertain if the expense of cleaning guns cannot be avoided and that James Cowles, Sidney Wadsworth, Henry Mygatt, Sylvester Wood- ruff, Solomon Whitman be that committee.
"On the first Monday in April 1844 ground covered with snow sufficient for sleighing, and weather quite cold."
On January 12, 1846, the Board of Commissioners of the town met at the office of the town clerk (then in the academy building) to consider applications for license to sell wines and spiritous liquors. It was resolved that such sale and license was necessary for sacremental, medicinal & mechanical purposes and applications were made by William Whitman, William Hitchcock, Noah L. Phelps, and Asahel Gleason, who were refused such license. To H. M. Welch & Co., A. & B. Whiting, Eben N. Gibbs, Geo. A. Moody and George D. Cowles, license was granted on the condition that
"Whereas the board of Special Commissioners of Farmington in Hartford County believing that wines & spiritous Liquors are needful for mechanical, medical, sacremental and scientific purposes and having special confidence in George D. Cowles, H. M. Welch & Co., A. & B. Whiting, Eben N. Gibbs, & Geo. A. Moody to support the laws of this State for regulating traffic in wines and spiritous liquors ... : on condition that each one keeps an accurate account of each sale & the name of the person to whom sold with the date of sale, & that said account be at all times open for the inspection of the Board or any member thereof, license granted."
On February 10, 1846, "Voted That the Selectmen be re- quested to lay out a highway from or near the store of Wm. S. Cowles on the Canal, to the Bristol road in the rear of Thomas
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Cowles dwelling house . .. , (the street now known as Garden or Canal Street.) also on that same day a new bridge was voted "across the Farmington River near the store of J. & A. Cowles upon the Sperry plan, provided it did not cost more than fifteen hundred dollars"
On October 5, 1846, Voted: That the Law in reference to "The riding or driving any horses, teams or carriages over a bridge in a faster gait than a walk" be extended to the new bridge.
November 6, 1846, Voted: "That A. F. Williams, Egbert Cowles, & Fisher Gay be a committee to appear before the Commissioners of the New Haven & Northampton Rail Road Company at their next meeting at Wm. Hitchcocks on the 17th inst in behalf of the Town, for the purpose of protecting & promoting the interests of the Town of Farmington in connexion with the location of said Road. At the Adjourned Meeting, the above committee were continued to protect the Town, from the encroachments of the Rail Road, by lawful measures."
Interspersed through the minutes of the town meetings, are the names of voters admitted over a period of several years.
A lengthy meeting was held December 14, 1846.
The new highway, west of Main Street, called at first New Road was formally accepted:
"It was voted that the selectmen be authorized to negotiate with the School Society & individuals for the purpose of opening the road from Main Street to the new road, as a public highway.
"Voted: That one individual in each School District be se- lected by the Commissioners of Roads to open the roads when blocked by snow.
"At that meeting also appears a vote on sidewalks, whereby all persons are prohibited from driving horses or cattle attached to wagons carts sleighs carriages or any other vehicle upon the side walk made within the limits of said Town, for the use of passengers and any person who shall so drive horses or cattle attached to vehicles as aforesaid shall be forfeit and pay to the Treasurer of sd Town the sum of fifty cents for each such preach of the law.
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"Electors Meeting April 5th, 1847, Chauncey Rowe and . Lucas H. Carter chosen Representatives.
"Meeting Oct. 4, 1847 on the proposed amendment to the Constitution viz: to strike out the word 'White' - Yeas 99 - Nays 96.
"Votes Presidential Election 1848 - Whig 190 - Dem. 171 - Free Soil 86."
On November 26, 1847, the subject again came to the fore, of a new town house or record office and it was "Voted that the Selectmen appropriate three thousand dollars toward the expense of erecting a Town House on the site now occupied by the Academy & Eccl. Society provided an arrangement can be made with the Proprietors of the Academy and the Eccl. Society and if such arrangement cannot be made, upon some other convenient, central location." A committee of nine was appointed to meet with the Ecclesiastical Society, the com- mittee members being Ira Hadsell, A. F. Williams, Samuel S. Cowles, Thomas Cowles, Harmanusett Welch, Virgil C. Good- win, Hezekiah Selden, Lewis Barber, Simeon Hart.
A resolution on the subject of a bridge over the Connecticut River at Middletown followed the other business:
"Whereas a bridge across Connecticut River at Middletown would very materially and seriously injure and obstruct the navigation of Connecticut River; and whereas this fact was found with great unaniminity by a Committee of the General Assembly of this State at its last session; and whereas such obstruction to the navigation would interfere with and damage the interests of the good people of this town, and of other towns in this State.
"Now, Therefore, Resolved, that the Selectmen of this Town be, and that they are hereby authorized and directed to petition the next General Assembly in the name and behalf of this Town for the repeal of so much of the Charter of the New York and Boston Railroad Company as authorized the erection of a Bridge or viaduct across Connecticut River, and to join in a general petition with other towns.
"VOTED: that the Selectmen be directed to make no expense
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on the preceding resolution, except Fifty cents to the Secre- tary."
At a meeting held January 10, 1848, it was voted
"That Simeon Hart, Augustus Ward, Henry Mygatt, Erastus Scott, George Richards, George Cooke, Henry D. Stanley, Hiram Hills, William Frisby, Joshua Youngs, Hiram Andrews, Hezekiah Selden, Timothy C. Lewis, be a Committee to build a Town Hall, or repair this house (the academy) now owned by the Eccl. Society & Academy Proprietors, for a Town Hall, for the use and accommodation of the Town, at their public meet- ings; said house if built, to be erected on the public green, and the sum of Two Thousand five hundred dollars is hereby appro- priated for that purpose;
"Voted: That the Committee appointed to make arrange- ments for building a Town Hall, be authorized to purchase
- the interest of the proprietors of the Academy at a sum not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars. .. .
"Voted: That said Committee be authorized to use their discretion with regard to uniting with the Eccl. Society in the erection of said building.
"Voted: That a Committee consisting of the Selectmen & Hon. H. M. Welch, be appointed to confer with the owners of the Middletown and Berlin Turnpike, & the Inhabitants of New Britain, for the removal of the toll gate upon said road, to such place further East - as will not interfere with the public travel from Farmington to the Village of New Britain.
"December 28, Voted: That whereas John Hooker has given his permission that the Pound may remain for the present where it now is, in front of his land on Mountain Street; the Town shall be considered as occupying the Ground thus enclosed, by his license, and as claiming no right however long such occu- pancy shall continue.
"Sabbath Day Nov. 12, 1848 snow fell to the depth of about 9 inches, and again on Sabbath night Nov. 19 & Monday the 20th it fell about 22 inches."
On October 2, 1848, C. Rowe as Clerk of the School Society recorded in the Town Minute Book "That the School Society relinquishes their right to the passage leading from the Main
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
Street to the Burial Ground westward from Dr. Porter's dwell- ing house provided the Town of Farmington will open and keep it in repair for the public travel like other roads belonging to said Town.
"Voted: That the Selectmen be requested to inquire & Report at a future meeting whether a less expensive & more efficient mode of collecting the taxes of the Town cannot be adopted.
"Tedious snow storm March 26th, 1849 and to day 27th very wintry; snow considerable depth; 28th storm has changed to rain & still continues, from N.E. continued to evening of 30th.
"No frost to injure vegetables to this date Oct. 6, 1849.
"On the same date at a meeting Voted that the Selectmen and Town Clerk be directed to procure the binding of such documents as shall be to the interest of the town to preserve."
A special meeting on the 19th day of December 1849 shows that great expectations had been fostered in the breasts of the town fathers. The State of Connecticut had authorized the establishment of a normal school in a locality where suitable buildings and a guaranteed contribution were obtainable and the town fathers "believing sd school will be a great benefit to the People where located & such accommodations can be furn- ished by this Town, & whereas certain individuals belonging to this Town will aid by contribution, in the purchase of such building for said object;
"Therefore, RESOLVED: That an appropriation be, and hereby is made of Three thousand Dollars to be applied in the purchase or erection of a suitable building, for a State Normal School, provided said school shall be located within the limits of this Town;
"Resolved: That a Board of Trustees ought to be created in which the fee of the property purchased for the Town, & the State Normal School may be vested, & in which the several interests united in the purchase are represented & as it is con- templated that the Middle School District and Private indi- viduals will unite with the Town in said purchase, & it being our opinion that five would be a suitable number for said Board, & that two ought to be selected & appointed by the Town, two
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Simeon Hart
by individual subscribers, & one by said Middle School Dis- trict - Therefore
"Voted: That Egbert Cowles & John Hooker be and are hereby constituted a Board of Trustees, in connexion with such other persons as said individuals and said School District shall select, to the number above named, and that said Board when so constituted shall take charge of all moneys raised for the above named purpose & are hereby fully authorized to purchase such buildings as they shall deem suitable for the objects above named & to take deeds of the same to be held in trust for the Town, the School District and the individuals above named."
Further votes followed concerning details of the plan.
And then on December 31, 1849, at a special town meeting:
"Voted: That all the resolutions & votes passed in Town Meeting in this Town on Wednesday the 19th inst. be and the same are hereby repealed."
An important Town meeting concerning bridges and road crossings over the canal, was held March 21, 1850.
Samuel S. Cowles was moderator.
The following communication was then presented by the selectmen.
"New Haven, March 15, 1850
"Dear Sir: I am authorized by the New Haven & North- ampton Co. to say to you, that if the Town of Farmington will assume the roads & bridges crossing the Canal, that this com- pany will give the Town all the materials in the bridges, stone, iron, timber & plank. It is expressly understood that in filling up the Canal for the road crossings that suitable sluices must be put in, so as to prevent the water from accumulating & doing injury to individual owners of property.
" I am respectfully yours,
Henry Farnam.
"Voted: Whereas the New Haven & Northampton Canal Company are by law obliged to abandon their Canal in the month of June of the present year, and whereas, the said Com- pany, by their agent Henry Farnham have proffered to abandon sd Canal bridges at the Road crossings, and the roads connected therewith at the present time, to give to this Town their prop- erty in the Bridges aforesaid, said Canal including iron, stone
Z
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
work connected therewith, conditioned said Town will make their roads across said Canal, & suitable sluices to carry off the water running into & collecting in said Canal, Thereupon Voted That the Town will and do hereby accept the surrender of the Roads and Canal Bridges at the road crossings within the limits of the Town, thus made and on the above specified conditions. And they hereby authorize the Selectmen to make contracts for making said roads across the Canal, within the limits of the Highway, where needed by the public, and also such sluices as shall be needed to carry off the water from the Canal, where such water shall incommode individuals or the public; & the Selectmen are further authorized to use the prop- erty in said Bridges, iron, stonework etc. in payment for making said roads, so far as said property will meet the expenses of making the same & for the balance, if any should be, to draw on the Treasury of the Town therefore.
"Voted: That the Selectmen be hereby authorized to ex- change highways with the individuals for other lands where the same can be done for the benefit of the public roads bor- dering on the Canal."
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A foot note, similar to others, states "Asahel Thomson & John Hooker Representatives."
At a special town meeting held March 10, 1851:
"Voted: That a Committee be appointed by the Town to examine and report the damage sustained by Wm. L. Cowles on account of the water Breaking out of the Canal, & carrying large quantities of same on his meadow. Committee: Fisher Gay, Henry D. Stanley, Winthrop Wadsworth."
Town meeting held March 24, 1851, according to adjournment.
"Report on claim of William L. Cowles for damages done to his land, made by Fisher Gay, Henry D. Stanley, Winthrop M. Wadsworth a Committee appointed March Ioth accepted; which report was not to pay any damages to Mr. Cowles.
"Voted: That the Selectmen be authorized to alter & locate a road by William L. Cowles barn in a convenient place that the public travel may be accommodated."
Simeon Hart was chosen town clerk October 4, 1852, for the last term of office.
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His last call was for a special meeting on January 10, 1853. At that meeting it was voted that "the Selectmen be authorized and required to purchase a fire proof safe, for the safe keeping & preservation of the Records of the Probate Court for this District & also to procure suitable record books when the same may be wanted for the said District.
"Also Voted: That the Selectmen of the Town examine and report whether the public interest does not require alterations on the main road to Hartford, by leaving the present traveled road, at or near the turn of the mountain near the residence of John Cahill and thence to the Main Road at or near the resi- dence of the late Deacon Thompson, and report the expense of such alterations, and also report how much distance will be saved of the public travel on said public highway, by the said alterations."
Samuel S. Cowles was clerk pro tem.
Deacon Hart left a substantial estate to his wife and children equally, except a special bequest of five hundred dollars to his eldest daughter Adeline. The inventory shows, in addition to the homestead, orchards, farm lands, live stock and more than the usual conveniences and luxuries of the day, also an interest in the Farmington Female Seminary, to which he had con- tributed $1,000 at its inception. Not very much is known about the school but we know that Simeon Hart and John Hooker were deeply interested, both from an educational as well as financial viewpoint. John Hooker conveyed the land for the school, which stood on Mountain Street about where the Porter School studio now stands. It had been part of the Col. Noadiah Hooker homestead, and before that originally part of the John Stanley farm. At the time of conveyance from John Hooker the quarter acre was bounded on the west by land of James and Augustus Cowles, south by Mountain Street, and north and east by Hooker land, reserving the right to reclaim the property by purchase after fifteen years. In 1864 John Hooker sold to the Farmington Parsonage Association "the homestead & all land on Mountain Street formerly belonging :o my father Edward except the School House known as The Farmington Female Seminary." Later the Farmington
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Parsonage Association sold to the Farmington Female Semi- nary three quarters of an acre on which the school stood. This was later purchased by Miss Sarah Porter.
Simeon Hart also had an interest in the academy. This building was the subject of much discussion at various town and church meetings. The upper story was owned by the Eccle- siastical Society and it was here the church members gathered of a Sunday evening to hear Dr. Porter or during the week eve- nings to give their charades, listen to lectures or give enter- tainments. These entertainments were not to the liking of the church members, and through the good offices of Deacon Hart the Ecclesiastical Society soon purchased all interest in the academy.
The lower story belonged to the proprietors of the Farm- ington Academy. In September 21, 1850, and again in 1851, in a second deed, the academy proprietors sold their interest in the Academy building to the Ecclesiastical Society reserving however, the bell, benches, seats and all philosophical appa- ratus, on condition that the society turn the building so that the end shall be town the Main Street and the north side on a line with the present schoolhouse of the Middle District and the same distance from Julius D. Cowles fence.
Julius Gay paid Deacon Simeon Hart a tribute in his paper on schools and schoolmasters when he said: "I cannot well restrain myself from paying a brief tribute to the memory of the noblest of them all, Deacon Simeon Hart. He was a mem- ber of this society, (the Library Society) and a frequent donor to its collections. No minute account of his life is needed. To most of you his face and voice and person were a familiar bene- diction. Others can read of him on the printed page. . . . Most prominent in the character of Deacon Hart was his profound but unaffected piety. Next to his religious life, and growing out of it, through love of his fellow men, appeared his wonderful public spirit. ... Whatever he undertook, his remarkable prac- tical good sense was sure to carry through, and when all was done, he invariably paid much more than his share of the ex- pense." An enviable tribute.
Austin Hart
T H E
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H B ITATIO
austin Hart
1853-1854
AUSTIN HART was a half brother of Deacon Simeon Hart, being the youngest son of Simeon Hart Jr., of. Burlington, where Austin was born April 17, 1824. His mother was Pamelia Pettibone (Wetmore). Austin Hart was graduated from Yale College in 1853, admitted to the bar in Philadelphia, Pa., and was chosen town clerk of Farmington the following October 3. He served the Town of Farmington for two years as town clerk, afterward moving to New Britain where he lived the rest of his life, practising law. He married October 9th, 1867, Susan Augusta, daughter of Samuel Deming and his wife, Catherine (Lewis).
During his two years as town clerk, one of the plans of the townspeople matured. For fourteen years votes had been passed and revoked making provisions for a new record office.
At a special meeting held June 5, 1854, it was
"Voted: That a Committee of three be appointed whose duty it shall be to contract for, erect, or purchase a fire proof building of such capacity as to conveniently contain all the records and papers belonging to or may hereafter belong to the Town Clerk and Probate Office, with a convenient room to examine said records at an expense not to exceed Ten Hundred Dollars.
"Voted: That Egbert Cowles, Samuel S. Cowles, and William Platner be that Committee.
"Voted: That the name of Adna Whiting be added to that Committee.
"Voted: That Ten Hundred Dollars be and said sum is hereby appropriated out of any monies in the Treasury to be subject
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