USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Sharon > General history of the town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. from its first settlement, 2nd ed. > Part 3
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To the Honorable, the General Assembly of the Colony of Con- necticut, in General Court assembled, at Hartford, in said Colony, on the second thursday in May, A. D. 1742.
"The memorial of Peter Pratt, Nathaniel Skinner and Jona- than Dunham, agents for said town, and Stephen Nequitimaugh Nanhoon, and others of the Indian nations, residing in said Sharon, humbly showeth-
"That they, the said Stephen Nequitimaugh Nanhoon, and others of the Indian natives, residing in Sharon, were the proper owners of the lands contained in the said township of Sharon, and Salisbury, adjoining to said Sharon, and that a considerable part of said lands was honorably purchased of said Indians, and paid for by Thomas Lamb of said Salisbury, and that he, the said Lamb, in negotiating the said purchases of said Indians, did take advantage of their ignorance, and as they have since understood, did obtain a deed or deeds from them or some of them for more of said land than ever they sold or intended to sell to said Lamb, and particularly the place at the northwest corner of said Sharon, where the said Indians live and improve, and always designed to reserve to themselves for a settlement, besides several other parcels that have never been sold to the English ; That the Government's Committee have obtained the rights purchased by said Lamb of the Indians, and have sold all the lands in the townships of Salisbury and Sharon to the proprietors of said Towns, who are now improving and are entering on the said lands still claimed by the said Indians, which has aroused a great deal of uneasiness among the Indians, they looking upon themselves defrauded of their rights.
"That many of the Proprietors of Sharon are likewise inclined to believe, that the said Indians, who were the proper owners of said land, did never, to this day sell to the said Lamb or to this government, all the lands in said Sharon or Salisbury, but that they have still an honest right to that said tract where the said Indians now live, as also to one mile in width across the south end of said town of Sharon, and
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
that they are willing the said tract where the Indians now live should be restored to them and confirmed to the said Indians, though the Proprietors have purchased the same of the government, Provided they can have it made good to them by other reasonable satisfaction.
" Whereupon your Honors' memorialists humbly pray that the Honorable Assembly would take the case into their con- sideration and would appoint a Committee to repair to Sharon to hear and examine and to enquire into the claims of the said Indians, and purchases that have been obtained from them either by the said Lamb or others, with power to agree, settle and determine all matters of difference and controversy relat- ing to the premises, and for the quieting the said Proprietors and the said Indians, or that your Honors would in some other way, as in your wisdom you shall think fit, find a remedy.
" Your memorialists further show, that there is a very con- siderable number of said Indians, living at said northwest cor- ner of said Sharon, and others not far from them, that are desirous ,of being instructed in the Doctrines of the Gospel ; to be taught to read the Holy Scriptures, and be informed of the way of salvation therein revealed ; and that their children may be educated according to Christianity ; which your memo. rialists also recommend to your Honors' consideration, hoping that your Honors will be inclined to do something towards their encouragement ; and your Honors' memorialists as in duty bound shall ever pray. Dated in Hartford this 13th day of May A. D., 1742."
Upon this memorial a committee was appointed, consisting of the Hon. Thomas Fitch, afterwards Governor of the Colony, Daniel Edwards, Esq., of Hartford, afterwards a judge of the Superior Court, and Robert Walker, Esq., of Hartford, who was a large proprietor of the lands in Salisbury, whose duty it should be to investigate the subject matter of the memorial ; and they met the parties in Sharon, on the 11th day of Octo- ber, 1742, and heard them by their interpreters and witnesses.
They made a long and elaborate report in which they gave
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a history of Lamb's purchase ; and believing that the Indians had misunderstood the bargain, recommended that a certain quantity, not exceeding fifty acres should be set off to them ; that some equivalent should be allowed the proprietors, and that some provision should be made for the religious teachings of the Indians.
The Assembly approved the views of the Committee and requested Mr. Pratt, the minister of Sharon, to devote some time to the advancement of the spiritual interests of the tribe, but as they made no provision to remunerate the proprietors, no final adjustment of the difficulty was effected. The Indian improvements contained some ninety acres, and besides this, they demanded a large tract on the adjoining mountains, for fire wood. To this the proprietors would not consent without a compensation from the government, and the old troubles returned with increased acrimony.
In 1745 another effort was made to call the attention of the Assembly to these Indian troubles. The proprietors of Sharon advised their Honors that the Indians were uneasy and restless, in view of the state of their affairs, and they added : "We can't but think needful for some proper care, in this difficult time, to be taken."
This memorial was continued in the Assembly till 1746, when William Preston, of Woodbury, and Samuel Canfield, of New Milford, were appointed a committee to lay out the Indian lands by metes and bounds. This committee, in the prosecution of their duties, employed the celebrated Roger Sherman, then a humble shoemaker, at New Milford, to lay out the Indian lands, in his capacity of County Surveyor, and to mark out definitely their boundaries. All this was acccom- plished by Mr. Sherman; but nothing was done to remune- rate the proprietors, and both parties were left to contest their rights as best they could. The Indians were stimulated in their quarrel by certain disorderly persons, who made them believe they were their special friends, whose counsels were prevalent in shaping their course. Under the guidance of
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
those persons, they were emboldened to resistance, and gave great uneasiness and trouble to the proprietors. One Van Arenan, a Dutchman, pretended to make a new purchase of their lands, and it became necessary to take strong measures to prevent open and forcible collision. This state of things por- tended so much danger that Governor Law found it necessary to issue a formal Proclamation to the intruders, warning them that their Indian titles were worthless, and that the rights of the proprietors would be protected at all hazards.
About the year 1750, Thomas Barnes moved into the town from New Fairfield, in Fairfield county, and purchased a large tract of land in the neighborhood of the Indian territory. In the course of a year or two, he persuaded the Indians to sell out their lands to him, and took a formal deed of their posses- sions from two of their chiefs, Nequitimaugh and Bartholo- mew. It was contrary to law to take deeds of the Indian proprietors in that way, but the Legislature, on the petition of Barnes, confirmed his title, and he took possession of the disputed territory, the Indians having gone to other parts. They carried with them, however, a deep sense of the wrongs they had suffered, and some of them were often back among the inhabitants, complaining that they had been overreached, and often giving significant hints of the resentment which was rankling in their bosoms. The old French war commenced about this time, and the stories of Indian atrocities which were borne on every breeze, filled the whole country with terror and alarm. Four persons were murdered about this time, between Stockbridge and Lenox, and this, with other alarming incidents, produced a very general consternation in Sharon.
In 1754 one Thomas Jones had purchased a tract of land near the Indian Pond, which had been claimed by the Indians, and built a log house upon it. His family were frequently disturbed in the night season by what they supposed to be the noise of Indians about the house, and an armed guard was kept there during nights for several weeks. A memorial was presented to the Assembly, detailing the causes of danger from
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
the Indians, by which the settlers were alarmed, and the state- ments of the memorial were fortified by the depositions of some half dozen persons, who kept the guard, detailing with minuteness the incidents of one night. The testimony of one witness was as follows :-
" John Palmer, of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that some time ago I came to dwell, as a hired man, with the above named Mr. Thomas Jones, and have been a member of his family in the time of the late disturbances, which he has testi- fied about, but have not seen any Indians but one night, when I was upon the watch with several other men, but have frequently heard their whoops and whistles near his house, which noises of the Indians I am well acquainted with, having been a considerable time a captive among them and released from them last May. The time when I saw the Indians near Mr. Jones's was the latter part of the Sabbath day night before last. He came and put his head partly in at the door way, against a blanket that hung before the door. This he did twice. A man near me proposed to shoot, but I prevented him, hoping for a fairer shot, but he not coming there again, I went to the side of the house and looked through a crack between the logs of which the house was made, and saw an Indian but a few rods from the house, it being clear moon light. I then put my gun through the crack and shot, but not having advantage to take good sight, suppose I did not hit him. I then went to a place cut out for a window and saw him clearly, and shot again with a gun that was put into my hands, and supposed I had killed him, for I thought he fell down, upon which I took another man's gun and went out to see what I could discern, but not finding him at the place, scouted some time for him, at length discovered him at asmall distance behind a tree. I endeavored to shoot again, but mygun missed fire. I called to know if any one of the company was near me, when one man came to me. He went further in search of him and presently had a sight of him, when the other man presently shot. Afterwards I shot at him again, but don't
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
know that we hit him, except my second shot. I supposed him to be much wounded then, for he walked very poorly, stooping near the ground, his left hand holding up his blanket to his right side and his right arm hanging as if it was broken. But the men all coming out of the house after I had shot the last time, I run to the house, fearing lest some other Indians might get into the house in our absence and kill the women and children, so I saw the Indians no more. I saw no more Indians, but one of the company said he saw another, which by his account I believe he did. I have since seen no more, but heard their whoops and whistles as aforesaid. Dated October 14, 1754, and sworn before John Williams Justice of the Peace."
Such is a specimen of the exciting incidents of the early years of the history of the Town. The peace between Eng- land and France in 1761 put an end to all Indian claims.
There is no tradition or record bearing upon the history of the Town, which has any reference to the old French War, other than these Indian alarms, except the simple fact that Colonel Elmore, of the War of the Revolution, was a Lieuten- ant in the service in the previous war.
CHAPTER V.
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS-DEPOSITION OF MR. PRATT-HIS SUB- SEQUENT CAREER-LITCHFIELD COUNTY ORGANIZED-SET- TLEMENT OF MR. SEARLE-ELLSWORTH SOCIETY-REV. MR. KNIBLOE-DISMISSION OF MR. SEARLE.
WE have seen that Rev. Mr. Pratt was ordained in April, 1740, as the first minister of Sharon. The people were well united in him, and he settled under fair prospects of a long and useful ministry. He was married soon after his settlement to Mrs. Mary Metcalf, of Lebanon, and had several children. It would seem that the town showed him several acts of kind- ness, such as furnishing him with his fire-wood, paying the expenses of hiring a horse for a journey to Lebanon, and in various other ways showing him marks of their respect and confidence. But a dark cloud soon obscured the cheering prospects of Mr. Pratt, and his ministry soon terminated in disgrace. It was soon found that he was addicted to intem- perate drinking, and the most painful sensations were produced, as this fact, at first only suspected, was verified by indubitable indications. It is probable that his conduct was borne with for some time after it became evident that this habit was grow-
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ing upon him, in the hope that the admonitions of his friends and his own sense of propriety might reform him. The first intimation of displeasure on the part of the town, which appears on record, is a vote passed on the 9th day of January, 1746, when it was solemnly voted that they would not abide by the agreement with him in relation to furnishing him witlı fire-wood. His conduct was borne with, however, for about two years longer, when his intemperance became so notorious as to forbid further tolerance. A committee appointed by the town for that purpose, made a complaint to the association of New Haven county, accusing Mr. Pratt of habitual and incur- able intemperance, offering to prove the charges preferred, and requesting an investigation by the Rev. body to whom the com- plaint was made. Mr. Pratt was cited to appear before the association at a place then called Westbury, now Watertown, on the 13th day of October, 1747, to answer to the charges preferred against him, and the town were notified to appear and prosecute the complaint. The particulars of the trial are not known, but it resulted in a decree by the association, that the pastoral relation between Mr. Pratt and the people of Sharon should be dissolved, and that he should be prohibited from the further exercise of ministerial functions .* Thus
* Town Meeting, January 9, 1746. Further it was put to vote whether the town would abide by the original agreement with Mr. Peter Pratt as to the article of fire-wood, that is to say, whether they will annually procure, cut, and draw home for him his fire- wood, voted in the negative.
Town Meeting, Sept. 17, 1747. Voted that we will choose a committee to send to the moderator of the association ; at the same meeting Matthew St. John, John Gay, Lieut. John Pardee, Deacon Ebenezer Jackson, Jonathan Davis, Deacon Ebenezer Frisbie, Jacob Bacon are chosen our committee to apply themselves to the moderator of the association for a council to consider our grievances, and said committee to make all proof they can of Mr. Pratt's misconduct from the time he has been settled in the town until the council sits, in order to be laid before the council, and also to lay the same before the council when it comes,
Town Meeting, Oct. 8, 1747. Whereas a complaint and charge has by Messrs. Mat thew Jt. John, Ei enezer Jackson, John Gay and John Pardee, been carried to the Rev. as- sociation of the county of New Haven, and thereupon the moderator of the consociation of New Haven county has cited the said Matthew St. John, Ebenezer Jackson, John Gay, and John Pardec, to appear at Westbury, in the town of Waterbury, before said consocia- tion, upon the 13th day of October instant, at 12 o'clock, at the house of Mr. Samnel Hea- cock, Jun., then and there to prosecute said charge and complaint. Voted that the said Matthew St. John, Ebenezer Jackson, John Gay and John Pardee be our committee to ap- pear according to said citation, and to prosecute said charge and complaint at said West- bury, and elsewhere, if needful, till the matter be finished.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
ended the ministry of the Rev. Peter Pratt. Like others who have been the subjects of ecclesiastical censure, he seems to have been dissatisfied with the result, and to have made an effort to procure another hearing, in the hope of being restored to his former standing in the ministry. He invited the town to join him in calling the association together for that purpose, and himself offered to bear the expense of the meeting ; but the proposition was rejected .* Mr. Pratt continued to reside in the town for several years after his suspension. He had become the proprietor of a large and valuable real estate in virtue of his being the first minister of the town, an estate which at this time would probably be worth twenty thousand dollars. It contained some of the best land in the town. His home lot contained more than eighty acres, and included all the land on the east side of the town street owned by the late Mr. Perry, and on the west side of the street all owned by Mr. Loucks and most of that owned by the Messrs. Goodwin, extending half a mile each way from the street. He owned other large and valuable tracts of land, in the whole more than six hundred acres. It appears, however, that he was embar- rassed in his circumstances, and that all his real estate was mortgaged at an early day to secure debts in which he had involved himself, and to' some of his more importunate creditors he mortgaged his negro wench.t In 1750 he sold his home lot.
* Town Meeting, Dec. 16, 1747. Put to vote whether the town will join Mr. Pratt in calling together the consociation of New Haven county, upon Mr. Pratt's cost and charge, to see whether they will take off the suspension and prohibition laid upon Mr. Pratt by the consociation convened at Westbury in Waterbury in October last past. This vote passed in the negative.
t The following bill of sale executed by Mr. Pratt is copied from the first volume of Sharon records :- " To all people to whom these presents shall come, greetings : Know ye that, I Peter Pratt, of Sharon, in the county of New Haven, in the colony of Connecticut, in New England, for the consideration of two hundred pounds in Bills of Public Credit of the Old Tenor, received to my full satisfaction of Messrs Isaac De La Matter and Benjamin Hollister, both of Duchess county, in the Province of New York, do sell and convey to them the said Isaac De La Matter and Benjamin Hollister, their and each of their heirs and as- signs, my negro wench, cailed by the name of Pegg, to be to their use and service, and to the use and service of their and each of their heirs end assigns forever, that is during the' life of said negro wench. However, it is to be understood and is hereby provided that whereas the said Isaac De La Matter and Benjamin Hollister have by an obligatory bond, under their hands and seals, well executed, dated May the 24th, 1748, with the said Peter Pratt, and at the desire and for the debt of said Peter Pratt, jointly and severally bound
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
to Samuel Hutchinson, Esq., and it is not now known where he afterwards lived during his stay in town. His wife died on the Ioth day of December, 1755. It appears that. he was the first clerk of the court of probate for the district of Sharon, which was established in 1755. He held the office but a short time, - and he then returned to Lebanon where he died. He was undoubtedly a man of superior talents, and would probably have attained a high standing in the ministry had it not been for his unfortunate propensity. He left one son, who was a shoemaker and tanner, and who resided in different parts of the town, but there are none of his descendants remaining among us .*
After Mr. Pratt was dismissed, a considerable time elapsed befor the town was again supplied with an ordained minister. Various committees were employed and different candidates were applied to, but much difficulty was experienced in obtain- ing a suitable man. A Mr. Camp was first employed, and afterwards a Mr. Richards, and on the 25th day of July, 1748, it was voted "that Jonathan Elmer,t Daniel Brinsmade, Aaron Hutchinson and Elijah Mason be the candidates to be
themselves to Major Martin Hoffman of Duchess county aforesaid, in the penal sum of two hundred pounds, current money of the Province of New York. conditioned for the payment of one hundred pounds, money of New York, upon the 21st day of May, which will be A. D. 1750, with the lawful interest of the Province of New York, which is seven pounds per cent. from the date of said bond till paid; if therefore, the said Peter Pratt, or his heirs shall procure good and sufficient security, and deliver to said Isaac De La Matter and Benjamin Hollister, or their heirs, so as to indemnify and save harmless the said De La Matter and Hollister, their hetrs, &c., from the aforesaid obligation, upon or before the said 21st day of May, which will be A. D. 1750, then the above conveyance to be void, otherwise to be a good and ample bill of sale of said negro wench, to all intents and purposes in the law. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 25th of May, A. D. 1748.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of Samuel Hutchinson. Nathaniel Richards."
PETER PRATT.
* In 1842, Captain John Wilson, then an aged and respectable citizen of the town, in- formed the author that in the year 1770 he went to school to Mr. Pratt, at Greenwich in Fairfield County. He remembers hearing him speak of his ministry in Sharon, and the reason he gave for his dismission was that the people complained of his being engaged in speculations. He was then somewhat advanced in life, and somewhat addicted to intem- perate drinking.
t Mr. Elmer was a son of Deacon Jonathan Elmer, of Sharon, and was afterwards a distinguished minister at Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
¿ Mr. Brinsmade was afterwards minister at Washington Conn., and was grandfather
· to Daniel B. Brinsmade of that place.
*6
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
applied to in the order in which they stand. Neither of the candidates above named could be procured, but in the early part of the year 1749, Mr. John Searl, of Simsbury, was em- ployed as a candidate. Mr. Searl was a graduate of Yale Col- lege, of the class of 1745, and it seems that his ministrations were acceptable to the people of Sharon. On the 3d day of April, he was formally invited to become the minister of the town, and an offer made of 220 ounces of silver as a salary, and 420 ounces of silver for a settlement. The ecclesiastical constitution of the colony required, that before a minister could be settled, he must be examined and approved of by the association of the county, touching his qualifications for the ministry, and as a meeting of that reverend body was soon to be holden at Old Milford, it was voted that Mr. Searl should be sent there at the expense of the town, and John Gay was appointed to accompany him. The first Wednesday in August, 1749, was fixed upon for the ordination, and a large committee was appointed to make provision for the ordaining council, which met at Mr. Pardee's. Mr. Searl purchased the 23d home-lot, being the place now owned and lately occupied by Dr. Robert W. Smith, and lived upon it during his ministry in the town.
The first vote on the subject of seating the meeting house was passed soon after the settlement of Mr. Searl. The ancient method of constructing churches was, to build pews around by the walls, and slips in the centre, and in all cases the gentlemen sat on the right hand of the minister, and the ladies on the left. An innovation was made upon this manner of seating by a vote passed on the 19th day of December, 1749. A committee was appointed who were directed to seat the meeting house by dignity, age and list, and it was further ordered that men and their wives should be seated together. Similar votes were passed from time to time, as changes in the condition of the society rendered a new seating necessary. In one instance the committee were directed to seat the meeting house according to age, list and quality.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
Up to the year 1751, the towns on the west side of the Ousatonic River had belonged to the county of New Haven. About this time measures were taken to form a new county in this part of the colony, and much contention was had in respect to its extent, and in respect to the location of the county seat. The people of this town were in favor of a small county, with a view to bringing the court house nearer to them than they could expect if a large county were formed. Many town meetings were had on the subject* and much zeal was mani- fested. All contention ceased, however, upon the formation of the county of Litchfield, with its present limits.
After it was determined, in 1739, to establish the town plot, at a place so far distant from the centre of the township, it was foreseen that those living in the southeast part of the town would be taking early measures to enjoy the benefit of religious institutions among themselves. At one of the earliest meet- ings of the proprietors, a vote was passed, directing their com- mittee to lay out highways and lots in that part of the town with a view to the establishment of a distinct religious society. The town voted, as early as 1753, to set off a new society, with nearly the same limits as the present society of Ellsworth occupies. f
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