USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) > Part 28
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Mr. Pepper has not given the source of his information, but where names and dates have been checked, they have been found to be correct. At the least, much of interest and value is given through Mr. Pepper's efforts and thanks to the Union- ville Chamber of Commerce, which would probably, in another generation, have been utterly lost.
We quote:
"We live in an age which seems bent on tracing all things to . their primal source or origin, and an astonishing amount of energy and time are consumed in research work. The more re- mote the period, the more dim the past, the greater the fascina- tion. So in attempting to bring to light the records of the early days of this section of the ancient village of 'Tunxis Sepus' or Farmington, we must go back of the period when our district was given a local name; even back of the Revolution and Indian occupation.
*Edited and arranged by Mabel S. Hurlburt
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Unionville In The Past
Except as Union District, no mention is made of Unionville in any of the old record books prior to 1834. Then the United States Government established a post-office here and this lo- cality received its name. Long prior to this date we hear fre- quent allusions to Langdon's Quarter and come across the name of one of the earliest settlers - Solomon Langdon.
Of our first postmaster, Richard Seymour, it is known that he was one of the firm of Seymour Williams and Porter, engaged in one of the earliest industries in the village, that of clock making. He was also prominent in school affairs as was his suc- cessor, George Richards, one of the firm engaged in the flour and grain business for such a long period. George Richards seems to have held the record for the longest term as postmaster - that of 28 years. Long after he was unable to transact the business alone, he was still retained, Truman Sanford the junior member of the firm of Tryon and Sanford, acting as postmaster.
The Georgias follow with a record of a quarter of a century. Thomas S. Rourke served 13 years, to be followed by a short term for Robert E. Taft. (James Morrissey was Taft's suc- cessor, serving until his death in 1940. Donald Burke is present postmaster. Ed.)
Langdon's Quarter embraced all that land now occupied by the Episcopal Church property and Hillside Cemetery and ex- ended southward to Roaring Brook where an old woolen mill was located. It also included Langdon's Grist Mill at the mouth of Roaring Brook where it empties into the Farmington River und Langdon's Inn - the present site of the Robert Parsons residence.
This was a noted hostelry in colonial times and tradition iffirms that General Washington once stopped there long enough to sign the register. Whether this is true, it is certainly of considerable local interest as being the home of the Rev. Giles Meigs Porter one of the early pastors of the First Church of Christ (Congregational) (brother of Miss Sarah Porter and President Noah Porter. Ed.) and the first residence of Andrew ;. Upson, head of the Upson Nut and Bolt Company. It was also the scene of the courtship days of Hubert Chauncey Hart, inother pioneer of industry in the village. Wales Porter, one of
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the early postmasters, also lived here. Norman Gridley occupied the house at a later period. But it is as the home of Solomon Langdon that the house interests us most. The old road from Farmington formerly passed between this house and the river. In 1832 Langdon exchanged the ground previously mentioned in the center of the village for a much smaller piece of ground where stood the original school of the Union District built about 1800. This land, thus becoming a part of Langdon Quarter was located at or near the present residence of Charles Hayes. For this exchange of property Solomon Langdon received eleven dollars in cash which reconciled him for the loss of the property at the center on which land the District immediately proceeded to build the second school building which was completed in 1833.
The original cemetery was located on Depot Hill. It was situ- ated a short distance above the residence of Chauncey Hart, who, it is said, built the first residence in this quarter about 1850. Prior to this, however, we have records that West District and the adjacent land through which ran the old Litchfield Turnpike road was the site of the very oldest settlements in the village. In this locality, at the junction of the two branches of Zack's Brook which has its rise in Burlington, stood Ham- mond's Gun factory where flint locks and guns were made for the government during the Revolution and the War of 1812. The annual product was said to be 400 which for that period was at least some aid for the struggling and hastily gathered army of our forefathers.
Hinman's Hotel in this vicinity was an old-time resort. The Memorial History of Hartford County speaks of George Wash- ington as also being a guest of the Hinmans on one occasion and all the old inhabitants hereabouts stoutly maintain that he was accompanied by Lafayette.
The hotel sign bore the legend "A. Hinman. Rising Sun." The Hinmans owned about 700 acres of land in this vicinity. Up to 1880 several of these settlement buildings were still stand- ing. No trace of them can be found today save that of the chim- ney of the Hinman Inn and the Ambrose Hart place, afterwards the home of the Connolly and Curran families.
Solomon Langdon Homestead and Inn. The house was probably built by James Gridley, Sr., about 1725, as he gave a one-half interest to his son James, Jr., at the time of his marriage to Sibble North in 1750. Solomon Langdon purchased the place in 1797.
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Unionville In The Past
North of this and around the bend in the river beyond the Rufus Hitchcock residence, stood Perry's Bridge, once the only means of access to the village from the south; long before any structure had been erected at the center or even at the extreme end of the village on the north. Richards' bridge was not con- structed until 1837.
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Perry lived in the house afterwards known as the Hitchcock place. It is said that he gave $500 towards the building of the bridge and he is also credited with building the house occupied later by Adrian Moses. Some of the remains of this ancient crossing can still be seen. Traces of the old road show the ap- . proach from this side to have been back of the home of Michael McMahon; the road crosses Perry Street between the Hoyt house and shop and crosses the Basin to Main Street about where the former residence of Samuel Graham stands.
Perry Street was named after the builder of this old-time structure. The two branches of Zack's Brook emptied into a pond; a dam was constructed, and later Chauncey Hart built a canal which led down and under the railroad track, and thence, skirting the river, it furnished the power to run his shop at the end of Battle Row. Youngs Mill comes next in point of anti- quity. This property was afterward purchased by the Richards and was known as Richards' Flour and Grist Mill. Here they conducted business for more than seventy years. Time was when the Abraham Parsons house which stood in the rear of the building now occupied by the Unionville Bank; the David Gleason house on Lovely Street, now known as the Curtis place; Langdon's Hotel; the old Woolen mill on Roaring Brook; the clock factory of Seymour Williams and Porter back of the present site of H. C. Hart's Cutlery; and the original school- house in Langdon's quarter, were about the only buildings in the immediate center of the village.
The original schoolhouse which was one of the earliest build- ings to be constructed in the school district was moved from its original location in Langdon's quarter to Main Street in 1832, becoming the residence of Frank A. Tryon and was afterward known as the Tryon House. Later it was again moved to the lower end of the village on the Avon road, and now forms a part
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
of the Edward Preston estate. The record book of this original school with the name of Elijah O. Gridley on the cover and the roll-call of 22 of the teachers and committee reports, is still in existence. The first entry is dated March 1802.
The second schoolhouse built by Ambrose Hart was finished in 1833. Its estimated cost with furnishings was $400. It was a one-story building when first constructed but another story was soon added. The school building stood on the present site of the Episcopal Church. This building was moved up Main Street about 1867 or 68 and became a part of the residence of Andrew Slater. About this time the third schoolhouse was built by Captain William Griswold on its present site. (On School Street and now demolished. Ed.)
Solomon Langdon was one of the most prominent figures in the early history of the village, and the little hamlet in its immediate center where he was the largest landholder, owed much of its progress to his generous gifts. He deeded the land where our present cemetery is located to Union District for a burial place and exchanged the portion of land on which the second schoolhouse was built in 1833 - present site of the Episcopal Church - for a much smaller parcel of ground where the original schoolhouse stood across Roaring Brook from the inn and mill. He in company with Daniel Woodruff and David Gleason were moderators on the school board of the original school in Union District. Solomon Langdon married Lucy, daughter of Elijah O. Gridley. He was a descendant of Deacon John Langdon of Farmington.
The Langdon Inn after many vicissitudes passed into the hands of Norman Gridley who ran the Gridley express between the village and Hartford. Here he lived until the erection of the brick house which he built east of the Langdon Inn.
Solomon Langdon gave two thousand dollars to the First Ecclesiastical Society of Farmington for the support of the gospel. In 1820 he gave an additional five hundred dollars on condition that the society would increase the amount to ten thousand which was accomplished. In March 1823 he made another subscription of three hundred to increase the fund to twelve thousand dollars. In his will after certain bequests, he
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Unionville In The Past
left to the society the residue of his estate amounting to $2,500 or more which sum was to be used for repairs on the Farmington Church. These bequests were the fruits of his own industry. He died May 10, 1835.
April 19, 1843 the Union School District voted to direct the district committee to give a quitclaim deed to the Unionville Ecclesiastical Society of all right and interest the District had to a certain piece of land lying north of the schoolhouse, one hundred feet long by fifty feet wide, and September 19, 1855 the Farmington Ecclesiastical Society, the residuary legatee of the Solomon Langdon estate, gave a quitclaim deed to the Unionville Ecclesiastical Society of this lot. The inhabitants of the village at that time evidently thought that they needed a place to bury their dead without going outside of the limits of the village, so this land was taken for the site of the cemetery, and the First Church of Christ (Congregational) was afterwards erected on the village green about where the soldiers' monument stands today.
In the early annals of Farmington we find numerous refer- ences to Lovelytown, our modern Lovely Street.
Lovelytown comprised all that territory bounded on the east by the Avon Road, on the west by the northern windings of the Farmington River, and extending southward from Cherry Pond near Canton, the source of Roaring Brook, to where the brook joins the Farmington River at Langdon's Quarter. All this section was then included in the town of Farmington and its inhabitants were more or less intimately connected with the early history of Union District, our village. In the days of the Revolution there was a thoroughfare called the King's Highway which ran through this section prior to the time when our pres- ent highway, known as Farmington Avenue was mapped out. Most of this ancient path was abandoned after the latter road- way was constructed. However, certain sections of it are still being used - other parts are so overrun and overgrown as to leave few traces of their original location. The first evidences of this old thoroughfare appear near the Tillotson, afterwards known as the Bailey place; it passes the Lorain Curtis farm, from thence back of the Franklin Deming (Monteith) residence
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
and to the rear of the Gridley homestead (better known as the Staples farm); thence crossing the Avon Road at the Emerson Gillette dwelling, one section of it diverged to the southwest, crossing Roaring Brook at the foot of Curtis Street.
Here was formerly located an old mill known as Hosford's Grist Mill. From here the road turned abruptly northward until reaching the Gleason (Curtis) homestead. Thence it con- tinued to the Horace Woodruff farm where Judge Cable after- wards lived and known still later as the Korper and Andretta estate. Here the road intersected the present Lovely Street on the left, and on the right another old thoroughfare which though never accepted by the town, led directly over the moun- tain and into West Avon. The older inhabitants supposed this route from the Gleason Homestead was to be a permanent road, consequently a few buildings were erected thereon. Later this route was changed.
Following the Lovely Street road to the farm of Martin Porter, we find another old thoroughfare leading on the left to Huckleberry Hill, the Daniel Woodruff place and Fuller's Bridge across the Farmington River; the second bridge to be constructed in the village over a century ago. Here a road led to Burlington connecting with the Litchfield Turnpike at Bur- lington center. Returning to the Gillette farm on the Avon Road we trace the right section of the King's Highway. This takes us northwest between the Crowley and Pangborn farms on Woodford's Hill, thence along the ledge at Cherry Pond till we finally reach Canton and connect with the Albany turnpike and the Simsbury road to old Newgate prison.
Sherman Sanford, whose father Jesse Sanford Junior was a soldier in the War of 1812 and whose grandfather Jesse Sanford Senior was in Captain Wright's Company, Colonel Enos' Regi- ment during the Revolutionary War tells us his ancestors often spoke of soldiers and cannon passing over this King's Highway during the struggle with the mother country for our independ- ence.
Jesse Sanford Sr. died May 28, 1840 aged 80 and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. His uncle Ebenezer Sanford, also a Revolutionary soldier, was drowned while the army of Wash-
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Unionville In The Past
ington was trying to lay a chain across the Hudson River to prevent the boats of the British from ascending that river.
Among the early settlers in Lovelytown of whom we can give a passing account are: The Crowley place on Woodford's Hill was built by Dr. Abernthy, one of a celebrated family of sur- geons in New York. It was originally intended to be used as a sanitarium, but on the death of the owner the property passed into the hands of the Crowley family who lived here for many years. The Cherry Park Farm was the home of one branch of the numerous family of the Tillotsons of Farmington. The area of this farm was about 400 acres. Cherry Park and the pond were named from an Indian called Cherry, who, it is said, re- ceived that descriptive name owing to his fondness for cherry rum. He was finally ostrasized and driven from his native haunts because when intoxicated he threatened to scalp Oliver Humphrey, keeper of the Hotel in Canton for refusing to sell him more rum. He then took up his abode farther down Roaring Brook. Tradition says he was drowned during a terrific storm while trying to cross Cherry Pond.
The David Hawley place was a noted resort in training days. Here David ran one of those wayside groceries where the inhabi- tants of this part of the town gathered for the discussion of the current topics of the day.
Farther down was the ancient hostelry of Chauncey Lusk. A few years ago when repairs were being made and one of the ancient structures connected with the estate was being demol- ished, an old-fashioned pouch was found in a good state of preservation. It was filled with bills of the proprietor dated from 1778 to 1780, most of them being for scores contracted at the bar. Chauncey was chairman of the school board and several of the vouchers were for payment of teachers' salaries in 1780 and 1781. The ancient house standing south of the present Lusk property was torn down many years ago.
Below was the Cowles estate. Captain Cowles received his commission in the state militia in 1835. He was a charcoal burner.
Crossing to Huckleberry Hill we find the old road leading to the Daniel Woodruff and Major John Woodford dwellings
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
(now Gibson house). This latter structure undoubtedly dates from colonial times as the enormous oven in the kitchen and the substantial building testify. Here lived Major John Wood- ford, father of Gordon and grandfather of Matthew Woodford of this village.
On the Daniel Woodruff, (now the Edwards place) we were shown a deed dated 1774 to the Woodruff family. Here lived Romanta Woodruff father of Daniel. Romanta left a diary covering the period from 1808 to 1814. Under Feb. 18, 1815 he wrote "Drove to Hartford when a treaty of peace and amity was signed by our President James Madison. Great rejoicing and general illumination. Bonfires everywhere."
Under date of Mar. 14, 1812 "I got my gun and scoured it for training. Prepared my regimentals. A fine day. Good order and a fine speech from Major General Lusk."
July 1813. "The drafted militia are mustering to go to New London to keep the British from landing."
Jan. 30, 1812. Romanta goes to Litchfield and Kent with a load of clocks. He records: "Good luck so far." Feb. 7 finds him still in Kent. Feb. 8 - "Sold all the rest of my clocks and started for home, 30 miles, in the worst rain storm I ever saw. Rivers all swollen. When I got to Fullers bridge the water was waist high in the path and all around the bridge. After all these trials reached home safely." Fuller's Bridge was eventually car- ried away in one of these freshets.
Returning to Lovely Street we locate the Porter Homestead, one of the oldest buildings in this neighborhood. Romanta Porter, the father of Captain Alpheus and Martin Porter, lived in West District. The Porter homestead must have been built nearly two centuries ago. Its exact date we have not been able to determine. The Porter family dates back to colonial times and their old-fashioned coach could have been seen in ye ancient times on its way to Farmington Church. When Captain Alpheus and his brother Martin passed away their deaths occurred less than five minutes apart. The funeral services over each were observed at the same time in the Congregational Church at Unionville, the processions from Lovely Street and West Dis- trict meeting at the village.
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Unionville In The Past
Across from the Goodrich place, afterwards absorbed into the Porter estate, stood the wayside blacksmith shop of Mr. Goodrich. In the rear of this shop was quarried the blocks of granite used in constructing the arch under the tracks of the canal railroad below Unionville on the trolley line to Hartford. This was in 1850.
Below on the left and leading towards the valley were the Oliver Wolcott and Horace Woodruff farms. One of the daugh- ters of Horace Woodruff married William Day. Another became the wife of Julius Cable, widely known as Judge Cable.
Farther down appears the old time residence of Andrew Payne. In the rear of the Payne place is the Gleason Home- stead, the most venerable of all our historic buildings now standing. This house was built by Asa North about 1750. David Gleason, who also left a noteworthy diary, married a daughter of Asa North. David was early connected with the schools of Union District. Asahel Gleason built the Gleason House for a hotel in 1825 and was its proprietor until 1850. The building stood where the Lambert Tavern stands today and was well known to early generations of Farmington. (As of 1925. Ed.)
In 1850 there were but seven houses standing on the right of Farmington Avenue from the Tillotson farm to the iron bridge at Sanford and Hawley's. The Daniel Tillotson farm which formerly consisted of four hundred acres was the home of one branch of the Tillotson family. The Daniel Tillotsons were noted for their hospitality and they had wealth sufficient to make much display on public occasions. It was on one fourth of July after a spectacular display of fireworks and set pieces that the Tillotson homestead was burned to the ground. It was rebuilt by Edward Tillotson and later came into the possession of Joseph Bailey.
Passing through the arch under the track of the canal railroad towards the village we come to the Franklin Deming dwelling (modern Monteith residence). Franklin Deming acquired the title of gentleman farmer as he never appeared in town except in full dress and was particular about his personal attire, to a nicety. He was interested in public affairs and in 1849 was one of the heaviest taxpayers in Union District. Franklin Deming
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Farmington Town Clerks and Their Times
married a daughter of Edward Woodford who formerly owned the Ashbel Woodford place on Woodford's Hill. After Mr. Deming's death his widow married Thomas Porter, town clerk of Farmington.
The Elijah O. Gridley residence built by Mr. Gridley in 1792 (?) is an interesting landmark. It is better known in later times as the Luther Parsons residence. Elijah O. Gridley is another conspicuous figure in the early history of Langdon Quarter. He lived but a short distance from the feeder dam where the branch canal led from the Farmington River to the main canal near the aqueduct at Cider Brook. He was Captain Gridley in the days of the raging canal and his boat, which he christened the "Dewitt Clinton" was named from the originator of the Erie Canal. Captain Gridley was billed to "leave Farm- ington every Tuesday and returning to leave New Haven the following Tuesday," alternating with Captain Dickinson of the "Hillhouse" who left Thursdays, returning a week later. Cap- tain Gridley was also interested financially in the clock industry of Seymour Williams and Porter.
We must remember that the feeder dam raised the water in the river so that the canal boats came up the river to the old warehouse built by James and Augustus Cowles in 1830 and which stood then on Water Street about where the office of the Case Paper Company is located today. Unionville was then at the head of navigation on the Farmington River and it was owing to that fact, that the project of extending the canal to New Hartford (which was abandoned later) caused the levels of the river to be taken by Engineer Farnum, which result was followed by the organization of the Farmington River Water Power Company and the consequent development of the indus- tries of the village.
The collection of antiques and furniture of the colonial period which once filled the Gridley mansion would have delighted the heart of a modern collector. The Gridleys were the aristo- crats of the village.
Following the fortunes of the Gridley residence we find its next occupant to be Luther T. Parsons, son of Abraham, men- tioned in Solomon Langdon's deed to Union District. We have
Original Warehouse on Canal Feeder
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Unionville In The Past
four generations of the Parsons family - Abraham, Luther, Martin and the present generation of builders.
Luther Parsons was the father of a large family as the school records of 1850 show. He was at one time employed in the Rich- ards Mill, later he was prominent in school affairs and held many offices of trust in the village.
David Henney, brother of Judge Henney, was a later occu- pant of the old homestead.
This brings up visions of the coming of the trolley in 1897, in which he played so prominent a part. It reminds one of the glory that was Suburban Park, and the far-off time when Pope and Colt bands enlivened the life of the village with their semi- weekly concerts, and the electric fountains, the restaurant, the merry-go-round, the dancing pavillion and other attractions which added zest to the life of a later period.
The place (Gridley Homestead) is now known as the Staples property and nearby is the proposed site of the new High School, yet to be erected. (As of 1925. Ed.)
On the left of Farmington Avenue in 1850 we have to deal with but two houses, one the home of Salmon Gridley, father of Norman Gridley who built the house known to us as the Thorpe residence, and the Solomon Langdon Homestead, at this period having passed into the hands of the Porters.
On the right of Avon Road on Keyes Street the first two houses are ancient ones. They were undoubtedly built for the old woolen mill operatives. In this first house were born all the members of the Edward Preston family. Daniel Goodwin lived here at one time and one of our older inhabitants, Mrs. Addie (Goodwin) Smith was born here. The third house on the street was the David A. Keyes homestead and from this family the street derived its name. The Keyes house was built by Noah Preston in 1841. Farther up on Avon Road is the Eli Dewey Preston house built by him in 1842. A short distance above on the left stood Preston's Saw and Machine shop, destroyed by fire in 1866. It was rebuilt and again destroyed by fire in 1903. Here Eli D. Preston and his son Edward Preston Sr., made overshot water wheels and carried on a lumber business. In the machine shop in the upper story George Dunham tried out his
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