USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) > Part 19
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* "The Libraries of Farmington," delivered at the opening of the Village Library in the new Town Hall September 30, 1890.
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his war against the Pequot Indians in 1637; Thomas Thomson who married Ann, daughter of Governor Thomas Welles who was the first owner of record of the former Thomson house at the corner of Main and Bridge streets; also John Steele, secre- tary of the Colony from 1636 to 1639 and first town clerk of Farmington.
Julius Gay was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati by right of descent from his great-grandfather, Colonel Fisher Gay.
Among his many layouts as surveyor is Walnut Hill Park in New Britain. In the vault at the town clerk's office are note- books of surveys, also note-books of genealogical interest gathered by Mr. Gay, and a note-book kept by Dr. Asahel Thomson, of births attended by him, presented by Miss Florence Thomson Gay.
Mr. Gay's great-grandfather Colonel Fisher Gay, performed outstanding service in the Revolutionary War. He was sent by General Washington to purchase all the gunpowder he could. Two tons were procured from Governor Trumbull at Lebanon and another large order from Messrs. Clark and Nightingill at Providence, much to the satisfaction of the General. Colonel Gay recorded in his diary that he had a cold and sore throat, and was bled and sweated and physicked by the army doctor at Dorchester. Colonel Gay had a day with his family in Farm- ington on his way to New York, but was then very ill. He died at camp in New York, the day of the Battle of Long Island. The family understood that he had been buried in Trinity Church Yard. The sword he carried bears the motto "Freedom or Death."
In the one year of the service which Mr. Gay gave the town as its town clerk, some of the more interesting and outstanding matters which were acted upon were:
"Annual Town Meeting held Nov. 5th, 1860 VOTED that the line of the West Plains school district in the town of Farm- ington be so altered that Isaac Alcott now living in the north- west corner of said West Plains School District with his build- ings and about seventy six acres of land now lying in said dis- trict be annexed to the Forestville school district No. 13 in the Town of Bristol.
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"VOTED that hereafter the Annual Meeting for the choice of town officers and the transaction of all town business be holden on the first Monday of October in each year.
"VOTED that the selectmen immediately examine the bridge at Eighty-Acre and make such repairs as they shall judge necessary.
"Julius Gay was elected Town Clerk.
"William Gay was elected Treasurer.
"Winthrop M. Wadsworth, Henry D. Stanley and Edward H. Hamilton were elected selectmen."
November 24, 1860, with Thomas Cowles moderator, it was "VOTED: that $125. be paid to the collector for collecting the taxes for the year ensuing.
. . . That hereafter the town pay $75. annually for collecting its taxes.
"Voted that the town pay its treasurer one per cent on all monies paid by him or overdue.
"Voted that a tax of three mills on the dollar be and hereby is laid on the list to be completed, payable into the treasury on or before the first day of March next.
"Voted that the selectmen examine and report on the ex- pediency of discontinuing the Hooker Frisbie or Pine road lead- ing from the Lovely St. road easterly on the north side of the old Langdon Farm."
At a town meeting held May 4, 1861, Thomas Cowles moderator:
"Voted; That we will pay to Sylvester Woodruff One Hundred Dollars in full of all demands made by him of the Town of Farmington in consequence of a recent case of small pox intro- duced into his family in the person of John Martin, a hired man in his employ.
"VOTED that a select committee of six be authorized and instructed to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the families at their homes of the persons of the town engaged, or who shall engage hereafter in the military service of the state or Union, while thus engaged; and also, if necessary, to aid such persons, in procuring the requisite outfit, provided that the sum expended shall not exceed Five Thousand Dollars.
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"Voted that the above committee perform their services gratuitously.
"Voted that the above committee consist of the following persons T. P. Strong, John Wiard, W. H. Sage, Danl. A. Tuttle, A. F. Williams, Thos. Cowles.
"Voted that all monies recently expended by private indi- viduals for the reasonable and necessary expenses of volunteers who have already gone from this town be refunded them, when such expenses are approved by the committee this day ap- pointed."
Annual town meeting held October 7, 1861, moderator, Chauncey Rowe:
"Report of Committee of Supplies to families of Volunteers made and accepted and the committee discharged.
"Voted that the selectmen of the town be and hereby are authorized and directed to make such repairs to the Record Office as they deem necessary.
"Voted that a tax of three mills on the dollar be and hereby is laid on the list next to be completed, payable on or before the first of March next.
"Thomas Cowles elected Town Clerk
"William Gay elected Treasurer
"Winthrop M. Wadsworth, Henry D. Stanley and William H. Sage elected Selectmen."
This was the last record made by Julius Gay as town clerk.
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MANY years of preparation in Farmington's best school, that of experience, including four years at Yale, later filling many public town offices, amply fitted Thomas Cowles for his post as town clerk through some of the most trying years of the town's history. War years of 1861-65 were difficult for town manage- ment, through loss of men, extra expense for care of the men and their families and the extra taxes brought about in this community for the support of the war effort.
Probably Thomas Cowles attended Deacon Simeon Hart's school. He was graduated at Yale College in the class of 1829 at the age of twenty. On October 9, 1833 he married Julia Anna Cowles, daughter of Gad and Anna (Deming) Cowles. Children born of this marriage were Anna Mary who married (I) D. G. Ramsey and (2) Mr. Fanning; Helen Maria and an infant who died soon after birth. Mrs. Cowles died December 28, 1843, aged thirty-three years. Mr. Cowles married Elizabeth Eells Sheffield on October 15, 1845. She was the daughter of Captain William Frederick and Elizabeth (Chase-Bird) Sheffield of New Haven, and was long remembered in Farmington as an exceptionally intellectual and accomplished woman.
Their oldest son was William Sheffield Cowles, born August I, 1846, the beloved Admiral of whom Farmington was so proud and who married Anna Roosevelt. Three other sons were - Edward Sheffield, born December 24, 1851; Walter Cleveland, born July 10, 1853 and Thomas Jr., born May 6, 1857.
Thomas Cowles was the son of Zenas and Mary (Lewis) Cowles and was born in the family homestead, now "Oldgate," January 12, 1809. His paternal grandfather was Solomon
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Cowles of Revolutionary fame, who lived on the east side of Main Street and who rebuilt the homestead facing Meadow Road.
In 1836 Thomas Cowles was serving as deputy sheriff; he was justice of the peace in 1843, 1846, 1881; notary public most of his business years; represented Farmington in the State Legisla- ture seven years between 1849 and 1881, as a democrat in 1849 and as a republican in 1881 ; he was state senator in 1864; judge of probate 1849-51; commissioner New Haven and Northamp- ton Railroad 1849; treasurer Middle School District 1854-55; town clerk and registrar 1861-1869; a practicing attorney all of these years; grand juror many years; bank commissioner 1863- 71; member Centenary Committee for observance at Congre- gational Church 1872; president Hartford Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company 1867-68; registrar of voters 1870.
For a few years he was in Ohio on a business venture but soon returned to his home where he combined his public duties with the practice of law and superintending his large farm. His law office was in the stone store owned by Major Timothy Cowles, which was burned in 1864.
Thomas Cowles' eldest son, Admiral William Sheffeld Cowles, later owned and occupied Oldgate. At his death his son William Sheffield Cowles Jr. inherited the property and now makes it his home with his wife and son, William Sheffield Cowles, third.
The property still extends from Farmington Main Street to the banks of the Pequabuc River, as in the original ownership of William Hooker. Until 1936 an ancient cider mill, later an ice house, stood on the corner of Back Lane and Meadow Road and was long a bone of contention in that none would admit owner- ship. It had seen the end of its prosperous days and when Mr. Cowles obtained ownership he demolished the building and now has ownership to both the east and west corners of Meadow Road and Garden Street.
Colonel Calvin Cowles said of Thomas Cowles "He was a man of fine personal appearance, a ready debater and fluent speaker, a leading politician in the town and county, popular with his constituents and a man of character and reputation."
His father, Zenas Cowles, was one of the leading merchants
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of the town after the Revolutionary War. With his brother Solomon, the firm of Solomon and Zenas Cowles traded with both the West and East Indies to augment such goods as they could bring to Farmington from the neighboring towns. Zenas and Solomon Cowles had their store at the corner of Main Street and Meadow Road, where fresh produce from their farm mingled with red and gold chests of India and China tea, Cuban molasses and rum, silks, India prints - some of which are still treasured on the walls of Farmington homes - ropes, saddles, both native and imported china, and kitchen necessities. In fact anything which they thought some one might buy. The building in which the store was conducted is now part of the laundry of the Porter School. Trade was excellent and the brothers made money.
The original part of Oldgate, which was probably built by William Hooker (son of the Reverend Samuel Hooker) who lived on this site, was willed to his daughter Susanna in 1689. William Hooker's widow Susanna married for her second hus- band, John Blackleach and they lived in the house during their life-time. The house was extensively rebuilt in 1786, with large additions, the work being done under the direction of a British officer and with the aid of men formerly prisoners of war. In 1782 Solomon Cowles, brother of Zenas, built the equally fine house on the southwest corner of Meadow Road, now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmarth Lewis. This house, like Oldgate, has rooms with high ceilings and exquisite panelling, with hand carved molding about the doors, windows and fireplaces.
Oldgate had many owners during the middle of the eighteenth century.
In 1747 Isaac Bidwell bought the small original house with six acres of land from Samuel Nash, selling the place in 1764 to William Pitkin. Isaac Bidwell again acquired the place in 1778 and sold to Fenn Wadsworth in 1781. Fenn Wadsworth was one of the Farmington men who lost his life in the Revolu- tionary War and in 1786 his brother Luke gave an executor's deed to the property back to Isaac Bidwell. On the same day Bidwell mortgaged the property to Solomon and Zenas Cowles and in 1802 Zenas Cowles acquired a full interest there, his land
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extending from Main and Meadow Streets to the Pequabuc River. Zenas furnished the newly remodeled homestead with beautiful furniture, hangings and china and added one of the first pianos to be found in the town.
The house immediately became the center of distinguished and gracious hospitality, a mecca for the young people who loved to dance and picnic, and a source of intellectual and stim- ulating social intercourse for their elders.
Thomas Cowles died October 22, 1884, surviving his wife Elizabeth by only two days as she died October 20. One funeral service was held for husband and wife.
July 21, 1862, a town meeting was held with Samuel S. Cowles as moderator at which it was "Voted: That the selectmen be and they are hereby directed to offer and pay to each Resident of this Town subject to do military duty under the laws of this State, who since the Ist day of May 1862 has volunteered or who shall volunteer on or before the 20th day of August 1862 and be accepted into any of the Regiments now organized or forming .. . the sum of One Hundred Dollars to be paid to them and each of them when they shall have been duly accepted and mustered into the service of the United States. Provided that said sum shall be in lieu of all other bounties whatsoever except those which have heretofore been offered by the Town of Farm- ington the State of Connecticut and the United States.
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"Voted: That the Selectmen be and they hereby are directed to make necessary and ample provision for the families of the Soldiers who have gone or may go from this Town and who have returned or may return in impaired health and also for the families of those who have died or who may die in the serv- ice of the Union.
"Voted: That a committee of three be appointed to act in connexion with the Selectmen as an Enlisting Committee as requested by the Communication of the Adjutant General of this State.
"Voted: That the Selectmen be authorized to nominate suit- able persons to act with them as a committee to assist them as an Enlisting Committee. The Selectmen nominated Daniel Tuttle, Thomas Cowles, Sidney Smith.
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"Voted: That the Selectmen be and hereby are authorized and directed to borrow if they deem it necessary not exceeding Six Thousand Dollars to meet the expenses under the vote this day passed relating to volunteers."
The committee appointed with the selectmen met immedi- ately and appointed recruiting officers as follows: Seneca L. Gorham at Unionville, Apollas Fenn at Plainville, Charles H. Rowe at Farmington.
At a town meeting August 18, 1862, with Apollas Fenn moderator:
"Voted: That the Selectmen be and they hereby are author- ized to borrow any additional sum that may be found necessary to pay bounties that have been offered and that may hereafter be offered by the Town for volunteers in the service of the United States."
The vote of the previous meeting was here brought up to date, authorizing the payment of one hundred dollars to each volunteer who was accepted and further directing that ample care be provided for the families of those who were in service or who might be injured or killed.
On September 6, 1862, part of the business recorded read thus:
"A Draft of Forty Two men from the inactive Militia of this Town having been ordered by the Governor of the State to fill up the quota of One Hundred and twenty nine men for the nine months service in the army of the United States, the Selectmen in pursuance of the order served notice on Two Hundred and thirty three citizens of this Town between the ages of eighteen and forty five years to appear at the Town Hall on the 10th of September 1862 for the purpose of a Draft in pursuance of the orders of the Governor dated August 2Ist 1862.
On the 10th day of September at 9 a.m. a large number of the citizens liable to a draft assembled at the Town Hall. Samuel S. Cowles was appointed chairman.
The selectmen from returns that had been made to them announced that the draft had been more than filled by volun- teers and consequently there would be no draft. The number of volunteers was found to be fifty-nine men.
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At a special town meeting September 20, 1862, it was "Voted That the provisions of the vote passed at our last Spe- cial Town Meeting appropriating a Bounty of $300 to each volunteer in the nine month service on or before the Draft be and they hereby are extended to each and every volunteer in the nine months service who volunteered on or before the 10th day of September 1862.
"Voted That the Selectmen be and they hereby are author- ized to pay to any volunteers for the service of the United States in any of the Old Regiments the sum of one Hundred Dollars. . . . "
At the town meeting held October 6, 1862, a tax of one cent on the dollar was laid to meet expenses of the town for the com- ing year.
At the same meeting it was "Voted that the selectmen be directed to reletter the Indian monument in the New Burial Ground or provide a new one with the former inscription.
"Voted that the town clerk make a Record of the names of all the Volunteers gone from this Town to the War for three years and the Bounty paid to each by the Town also the names of those mustered into the United States Service for nine months and the Bounty paid to each.
July 17, 1863, James W. Cowles chairman:
"Voted That a sum not exceeding Twenty Thousand Dollars be and the same is duly appropriated by the Town of Farm- ington for the purpose of defraying all the necessary expense which may be incurred by the Town under the provision of this series of votes.
"Voted That Dea. L. H. Carter, Dr. Sage and Thomas Cowles Esq., be a Committee to draw orders on the Town for a sum not exceeding Three Hundred Dollars in favor of such persons as may hereafter be drafted from this town and liable to service under the beforementioned act.
"Voted That the Town Treasurer be and he hereby is author- ized to borrow such portion of said sum of twenty thousand Dollars as may be necessary to carry out the foregoing vote.
"Voted That the Selectmen be and they hereby are author- ized to fill any vacancies that may occur in said committee.
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"Motion was made by Hon. John M. Rice to amend the Resolutions by striking out all after the words Voted and insert the following as a substitute: Resolved that the Selectmen of this Town be and they are hereby authorized and empowered to expend from the Treasury of this Town at their discretion such sum or sums as may be necessary to furnish the families of men who may be drafted from the Town and who shall be found upon the Military examination to be liable to service - and who shall actually serve in the army, with all supplies necessary for their support during the time such drafted men continue in service.
"After discussion the Resolutions were amended as moved and as amended were passed."
August 15, 1863, with Apollos Fenn as moderator, it was recorded: "Whereas by the provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1863 Entitled "An Act for the en- rolling and calling out the National Forces and for other pur- poses" and under the call of the President the apportionment in pursuance with and under the same of the Town of Farm- ington is Forty nine (49) men to be drafted from among our citizens liable to enrollment under said act therefore
"Resolved That the sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated from the Treasury of the Town for the following purposes viz: three hundred dollars thereof to be paid each person from this town who is drafted in case such person shall elect to abide said draft or who shall furnish a sub- stitute to be paid, when such person or his substitute shall have been accepted by and mustered into the service of the United States.
"Resolved That the Selectmen of this Town be and they are hereby authorized to borrow the said sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars or such part thereof as shall from time to time be neces- sary for said purpose and make their orders upon the Treasurer of the Town therefor, and the Selectmen are hereby appointed to disburse such money or such part thereof as shall be neces- sary to carry out the foregoing resolutions.
"Resolved: That the vote passed by this Town July 25th, 1863 appropriating money for the support of the families of
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men who shall be drafted into the Military service of the United States be and the same is hereby rescinded."
At a special town meeting held August 26, 1863, with Roger S. Newell moderator the following votes were offered and discussed and passed:
"Preamble Whereas by the provisions of the Act of Congress approved March 3rd, 1863 entitled "An Act for the Enrolling and calling out the National Forces and for other purposes "> and under the call of the President the apportionment in pur- suance with and under the same for the Town of Farmington is Forty nine men Therefore Resolved That every person Drafted or who may be drafted who is liable to and enters the service of the United States shall be paid the sum of Ten Dol- lars per month as Extra Service money, quarterly in advance during the time he continues in the said service, and in every case where such drafted men have a family dependant upon him for support if he shall lose his life in the service, his said family shall receive such extra service money during the time for which he was drafted, to the same extent as he might have done had he survived.
"Resolved That Lewis S. Gladding, Daniel A. Tuttle and Samuel S. Cowles be appointed a Committee who shall hear and determine all claims for assistance in procuring substitutes and have power to award in any case at their discretion a sum not exceeding Three Hundred Dollars.
"Resolved That the Selectmen be and they hereby are au- thorized and directed upon receiving from the Committee afore- said Certificates of their award to draw their orders on the Treasurer for the amounts specified therein in favor of the Conscripts for whom the awards are made whenever they are satisfied that the substitute has been mustered into the service of the United States.
"Resolved That the Selectmen be and they hereby are au- thorized to borrow such sums of money as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the following resolutions."
Annual Town Meeting November 2, 1863, Samuel Deming, moderator: "Voted . . . That the Selectmen be directed to cause to be repaired for the width the highway leading to the North
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Bridge and running the south side of the Store of William Gay. . . . "
Special town meeting November 30, 1863, Samuel Deming moderator.
The votes opposed by Mr. Rice at the Annual Meeting of the town and laid on the table in relation to funding the ex- penditures of the town for the war and issuing bonds for that purpose were taken up and after amendments were passed as follows :
"Resolved That the whole amount of money actually ex- pended or which may be expended by the Town of Farmington on account of the Legislature, and the Selectmen are hereby authorized and directed to issue Bonds of the Town signed by the first selectman and the Treasurer in such sums as they may judge expedient payable in twenty years at a rate of interest not greater than 6 per cent per annum. And the Selectmen are hereby directed to advertise such bonds in such manner as to bring them to the notice of the Public and to solicit bids for the whole or any part of the same, and to dispose of the same to the highest bidder in such way as to realize the highest pre- miums thereon but in no case to be sold less than 5 per ct pre- mium.
"Resolved That the sum which may be realized for Premiums on said Bonds upon the sale thereof be invested as a Sinking Fund to pay the principal of the Bonds when the same shall mature. .
"Voted that a tax of 6 mills on the dollar be and hereby is laid on the list next to be completed. ... "
A special town meeting April 9, 1864, James W. Cowles moderator.
The following "Bye Laws" on the subject of protecting the fish in the Farmington River and its tributaries was duly presented to the meeting and discussed and passed as follows:
"Whereas the Gen. Assembly of the State have enacted That any town may in Town Meeting make Bye Laws for the regulation of fisheries in the Streams and ponds within their limits and for the preservation of fish therein .. . Therefore Be
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It Ordained by the legal voters of the Town of Farmington in Town Meeting Assembled -
"I. No person or persons shall use any instrument other than a hook or bob attached to a line for the taking of any fish during the night season in the Farmington River within the limits of the Town of Farmington
"2. No person or persons shall use any torch or other light to enable him or them to take any fish in said River or its tribu- taries. . . . "
Special town meeting August 30, 1864, Sidney Smith chairman:
"Voted That the Selectmen of the Town by this Vote shall be empowered and authorized to fill up the quota of the Town of Farmington under the call of the President for Five Hundred Thousand men by volunteers or substitutes and said Selectmen by this Vote of the Town shall be empowered and authorized and shall draw orders on the Treasurer and said orders shall draw interest from the time said order or orders were presented to the Town Treasurer for every volunteer who has enlisted or who shall enlist under the present call for 500,000 men for one year Four Hundred dollars and for two years five hundred dol- lars, or men liable to draft who have furnished substitutes who have been mustered into service of United States, under the present call the sum of Three Hundred dollars every substitute or his principal Three Hundred Dollars and every drafted man three hundred Dollars said substitute or his principal or drafted man is to receive the above named sum of Three Hundred Dol- lars when said volunteer, substitute or his principal or drafted man shall present a certificate to the first selectman that he has been mustered into the service of the United States on the Quota of Farmington and when the orders are presented to the Treasurer of the town by a volunteer, substitute or his principal or drafted man or any man who has purchased an order or or- ders of said volunteer, substitute or his principal or drafted man, said town Treasurer by this vote shall be empowered and authorized and shall pay all orders as herein above stated. And if there is no money in the Treasury then said Town Treasurer shall keep a book & shall enter the name of owners of said order
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