USA > Connecticut > New London County > Groton > Groton, Conn. 1705-1905 > Part 33
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The Griswold House at Groton was burned in April 1858. The house had been built about five years before by Amasa Rockwell as a place where seekers after health and com- fort might find all the attractions of a first-class watering place. He had just leased the house to Samuel Jacobs, formerly of Northampton, Mass. The loss in house and furniture was estimated at $16,000; the insurance was $9,000.
On July 6, 1867, a fire destroyed the carpenter shop of H. & C. W. Latham, together with the paint shop adjoining, also the Burnside House and a barn, formerly the slaughter house belonging to Charles S. Williams.
From a sentimental standpoint one of the most regret- table fires was the burning of the old Avery house in July 1894. The relocation of the railroad placed the tracks very near this house and it is supposed that sparks from a loco- motive set the house on fire and it was totally destroyed. This was said to have been the oldest house in Groton, its history tracing back to about 1657. The original house was much smaller than the one destroyed, additions having been made to it from time to time -- one of the additions being built with the material from the old Blinman meeting
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house in New London. The house was occupied by James D. Avery, the town clerk, and with the house were destroyed many of the town records; how many will probably never be known.
Notable Events
Two notable events at the close of the Civil War deserve mention. The first was the funeral service in memory of Abraham Lincoln. This was held in the Union Baptist Church in Mystic on the Wednesday following the assassin- ation. All business was suspended, schools were closed and the people turned out en masse to do honor to the martyred President. A procession was formed at the Liberty Pole near the bridge at 10 a. m. in the following order :
Mystic Cornet Band 1st Division-Citizens 2nd
Charity Lodge No. 68, F. & A. M.
3rd 66 Citizens
4th
School children
5th Citizens in carriages
The procession moved through the principal streets to the church, where services were held at 10:30 a. m., par- ticipated in by the following clergymen: Rev. Lorenzo Sears of the Episcopal Church, Rev. Erastus Denison and Rev. A. C. Bronson of the Baptist Church, Rev. C. H. Boyd of the Congregational Church and Rev. Isaac Stod- dard of the Methodist Church. Colonel Hiram Appelman also took part in the programme. An air of deep solemnity pervaded the whole community and the large crowd of peo- ple-estimated at from twelve to thirteen hundred-filled the house to its utmost capacity, hundreds remaining stand- ing through the entire service.
The other event was of a different character, being the celebration of the Fourth of July following the close of the Civil War. At Mystic the day was observed by a great parade-the first event of the day being a flag-raising at the liberty pole, by Captain Jeremiah Holmes, a veteran of the War of 1812. The officers of the day were:
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Hon. Nathan G. Fish, President Vice Presidents
Charles Mallory
William S. Noyes
Jeremiah Holmes
Capt. John Appelman
James Gallup
William Clift
Peter Forsyth
George W. Noyes
George Greenman
William E. Wheeler
D. D. Edgecomb
John Burrows
Thomas Williams
Rev. Erastus Denison
Isaac D. Miner
Silas E. Burrows
Charles K. Holmes
John Gray
Sanford Stark
Col. Amos Clift
Robert Palmer
Eldredge Wolfe
B. F. Hoxie
Capt. Elihu Spicer
H. D. Chesebro
Capt. Henry Ashbey
George Packer
Mason Manning
Randall Brown
Capt. Benj. Burrows
Leonard C. Williams
Reuben Heath
Randall Brown
James Potter
Leonard C. Williams
Caleb E. Tufts
John S. Schoonover
Alonzo Williams
Welcome B. Lewis
Isaac D. Holmes
Charles Grinnell
Capt. Elam Eldredge
Henry K. Manwaring
E. Franklin Coates
Secretaries
D. W. Edgecomb
Lemuel Clift
H. G. A. O. Adam Charles H. Denison, Chief Marshal Executive Committee
Charles H. Mallory
Isaac W. Denison
Col. W. W. Packer
William Batty
Col. Hiram Appelman
Thomas W. Noyes
Rev. V. A. Cooper George H. Greenman
John E. Williams
Mrs. T. S. Greenman Mrs. F. T. Mercer
Mrs. Sidney Ashbey Mrs. Hannah Latham
Mrs. I. W. Denison Mrs. William E. Maxson
Mrs. Peace Grant Attendants at the tables
Mrs. Mary Holmes
Mrs. D. D. Mallory
Mrs. C. H. Mallory
Mrs. L. E. Haley
Mrs. George W. Mallory
Miss Calista V. Potter
Mrs. M. Seigneous
Miss Susan L. Fish
Mrs. S. Slack
Miss A. A. Murphy
Mrs. Lucy Riley
Miss Eldora Kerr
Mrs. Lucy Prentice
Miss Hannah Denison
Mrs. Booth
Miss Frances Denison
Mrs. G. W. Noyes
Miss Elizabeth Noyes
Mrs. Frances Burrows
Miss Jennie Noyes
Mrs. H. C. Holmes
Miss Prudence Bailey
Mrs. Sally Ashbey
Miss Lydia Forsyth
Mrs. Sally Grinnell
Miss Harriet Woodward
Mrs. Fanny Packer
Mrs. Eliza Squires
Miss Harriet M. Dudley Miss Hannah Cranston
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Mrs. E. F. Coates
Miss Phebe Brush
Mrs. Hannah Mallory
Miss Eleanor Smith
Mrs. Mary A. Brown
Miss Hannah Clift
Mrs. Pierce
Miss Margaret Irving
Mrs. Lucy A. Breaker
Miss Eliza Maxson
Mrs. Thomas E. Packer
Miss Sallie Haley
Mrs. Merritt
Miss Eliza Mallory
Mrs. Kenyon
Miss Lucy Brown
Mrs. C. S. Fairbanks
Miss Ellen Oben
Miss Emma Irons
Representatives of the States Adelia R. Breaker, Goddess of Liberty
Maria Williams
Cassie Haley
Nellie Sawyer
Eliza Tift
Caroline Sylvia
Hattie Bronson
Annie Morgan
Nellie Watrous
Georgianna Noyes
Nancy Williams
Hattie Noyes
Ellen Williams
Lizzie Forsyth
Ella Giddings
Henrietta Irons
Lizzie Riley
Augusta Smith
Frederica Packer
Mary Barnes
Eldora Kerr
Annie Irons
Florence Kerr
Louisa Landers
Sarah Noyes
Virginia A. Hale
Diana Denison
Minnie Carpenter
Addie Denison
Isabel Barrows
Sylvia Brainard
Lelia Bailey
Theresa Packer
Emma Bradley
Alice Burrows
Lavinia Denison
Henrietta Brand
The exercises opened at ten o'clock with singing, "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys Are Marching," by the thirty- six young ladies representing the States and the Goddess of Liberty, who occupied a car which was drawn up near the speaker's stand. The assemblage then joined in singing two verses of "Old Hundred," after which Rev. A. C. Bron- son offered prayer. "Hail Columbia" was rendered by the Mystic Cornet Band and William H. Potter read the Decla- ration of Independence. The president then introduced Hon. Mark Trafton of Maine, who delivered an eloquent ad- dress fitted to the occasion. At the close of the address the procession formed in the following order :
Charles H. Denison, Chief Marshal Executive Committee as aides Flag of the Union Mystic Cornet Band Orator of the day and clergy in carriages Veterans of the War of the Revolution
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Veterans of the War of 1812 in carriages Heroes of the present war both in the land and naval service of the United States Artillery 36 young ladies representing the States of the American Union with the Goddess of Liberty supporting the Banner of the Union in a car drawn by six horses Charity Lodge No. 68, F. & A. M. Sabbath Schools Citizens and visitors on foot Vehicles and Equestrians
After a short parade through the streets the company marched to Great Hill, where a bounteous repast had been spread under the auspices of the ladies mentioned above. Although there were many visitors from surrounding towns, all were abundantly cared for and at three o'clock the com- pany returned from the grove and were dismissed. Houses and stores along the route of march were profusely decor- ated and the town wore the appearance of rejoicing that was in the hearts of all-rejoicing that the cruel war was over and that our country, once again united, was on the way to greater achievements than ever before.
Meteorological
From the earliest records we find that the climate has shown extreme variations. As early as 1698 we read: "Jan. 24, 1698. The sound was frozen to fishers island. 26. Many small fowll Killed here. Feby. 2 a gret snowing Candlemas day. 13. no meeting because of snow. July 4 1702 a gret storm of thunder and hail that was not melted in three days, and killed much corn and other grain, and some catel and fowls and many birds."*
"Jan. 23 1727-28 Nathaniel, Stephen and Abigail went to Groton on the ice. Horses have gone over this day." ** "Jan. 7, 1751-52 River frozen over. Crossing on ice from Mr. Winthrops Neck."t "The great snow of February 1716-17 is famous in the annals of New England. It com- menced snowing with wind north-east on the twentieth of
* Diary of Manasseh Minor, pp. 27 vad 54.
** Hempstead's Diary, p. 19-1.
+ Ibid, p. 581.
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February and continued all night: the snow was knee deep in the morning. There was no cessation of the storm dur- ing the day and a part of the next night; the wind all the time blowing furiously and the drifts in some places ten and twelve feet high. . On Sunday, 24th, was an- other fall of snow, very windy and cold north east. No meeting. Many horses and cattle found dead."*
"One of the seasons noted in the annals of New England for intense cold was the winter of 1740-41 .** The extreme severity of the weather at New London commenced with a violent snow storm at Christmas. By the 7th of January the river was frozen over between Groton and Winthrop's Neck; and the intense cold continued without interruption from that time to the middle of March.
"The ice extended into the sound towards Long Island as far as could be seen from the town; Fisher's Island was united to the main land by a solid bed. On the 14th of February a tent was erected midway in the river between New London and Groton, where entertainment was pro- vided. A beaten path crossed daily by hundreds of people extended from the Fort (now Ferry Wharf) to Groton, which was considered safe for any burden till after the 12th of March, at which time the river was open to the ferry but fast above. People continued to cross on the ice at Winthrop's Neck till the 27th, when the river began to break up. lee in large blocks remained in various places almost to midsummer. At one spot in Lyme parties as- sembled to drink punch made of ice that lay among the ledges as late as July 10th."
"The extreme severity of the winter of 1779-80 is well known .; On the 2nd of January a violent storm com- menced. . . To this succeeded about five weeks of extreme cold: the Thames was closed up as far down as the light house-a sight which the oldest natives do not see more than twice and seldom but once in their lives. A
* History of New London, Caulkins, 1860, p. 405.
* Ibid, p. 411.
t Ibid, p. 543.
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storm on the 7th of February opened the harbor at the mouth but opposite the town it remained shut till the second week in March. The day previous a barbecue had been served upon the Isle of Rocks, midway between New Lon- don and Groton; but at night a furious southeast storm broke up the ice and the next morning a dashing current was running where sleighs had crossed and people had feasted the day before. Thomas Mumford of Groton was then recently married and the night before the thaw gave an entertainment which many guests from New London attended, crossing the river in sleighs. The banquet and dance continuing late and the storin coming on suddenly and furiously, the party were not able to return as they went and the next morning the swollen river full of floating ice rendered crossing in any way a hazardous attempt. Some of the guests were detained two or three days on that side of the river."
The summer of 1798 was noted for its extreme heat and for the prevalence of yellow fever in New London. "Bar- ber's Historical Collections," under the heading of New London (p. 294), says: "In that summer (1798) from the 28th of July to the 1st of September the heat was intense; the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer placed in the open air stood at midday from 86 to 93 with the excep- tion of five days in which it stood at 82, and one day at 78, which was its greatest depression. There was only one thunder shower during this period. The earth being parched under excessive droughts, vegetation failed early in August and many trees shed their leaves.
"It was noticed that the air was remarkably metallic, especially in that part of the city where the desolating sick- ness prevailed. Our usual fresh southwesters left us and we had only very light winds in the day. Scarcely a day occurred for seven weeks in which a person might not have carried a lighted candle through the streets. The nights in gloomy succession brought a deadly calm attended with sultry heat. Such a season as that of 1798 is not in the recollection of the oldlent citizen."
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OLD RED STORE. RANDALL'S WHARF AND LEDGE AT PACKER'S FERRY
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What was known as the Christmas storm of 1811 was long remembered as one of the most severe in the history of the town. The storm commenced on the morning of December 24th and continued all that day and until the morning of Christmas Day. Accompanied by a fierce gale of wind and intense cold, the snow drifted to great depths. Shipping suffered terribly, the coast being strewn with wrecks. A smack from Mystic went ashore on Fisher's Island, but the crew fortunately reached the shore and found shelter in a home on the island.
On September 23, 1815, occurred the great "September gale." The Mystic Pioneer of October 10, 1863, gives the following graphic account, all gathered from survivors of the fearful storm :
"On the Groton side-Mystic River-north of the Old Red Store was first the house occupied by Jedediah Randall, now by Stephen Denison (near the present site of the street railway power house -- C. R. S.), next west the house occupied by Levi Amesbury, now by Mrs. Welch, northeast of that the house occupied by Jonathan Wheeler, now by Lyman Dudley, northeast of that the house occupied by Anthony Wolfe, and the first north of where the bridge now is-there being at that time no bridge here --- was the house built by a Mr. Elliott, now occupied by Mrs. (Ambrose) Hillard Grant, north of that the house of Captain John Wolfe, now occupied by Mr. L. James, north of that the house built by Avery Brown, now occupied by John Weller, northeast of that the house built by Captain George Eld- redge, Sr., now occupied by Elam Eldredge, north of this the house occupied by Captain John Appelman, now by Captain John E. Tribble.
"These were the only houses then standing on the flats between the Old Red Store, then owned by Jedediah Ran- dall, and Long Bar, opposite Greenmanville. There was then no meeting house on either side of the river and but one school house within the circuit of a mile from the same point, which stood on the site now occupied by the parson- age of the Union Baptist Church.
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"The storm of wind and rain began on Friday, the 22nd of September, from the northeast and continued until night, when the gale began to increase in fury and during the night it may be said the terrific gale commenced. The next morning, September 23rd, at about six o'clock the wind veered from the northwest to the southeast, at which point it settled in an hour and the hurricane here com- menced its violence. At this time the tide began to rise rapidly, overflowing the low lands and beginning to cause anxiety among the inhabitants for the safety of their ves- sels and other property. At nine o'clock the gale was still increasing, the air being very thick with the spray from the salt water, and the people were at a loss to know whether it was rain or spray or both combined which drenched the clothing of those who ventured out to look after their property. Captain Appelman, living in the house which Captain John Tribble now occupies, fearing that the house might be swept away by the force of the waves or blown over by the wind, with his family and a Miss Bur- nett, a visitor, left the house, wading in water waist deep, and at length reached the home of Captain Amos Clift, now occupied by his son, Colonel Amos Clift. Mrs. George Eldredge, Sr., with her children also left her house, now occupied by Captain E (lam) Eldredge and sought refuge on the same hill, which was a general place of rendezvous for the affrighted and drowned out villagers.
"By this time the tide had reached such a fearful height that many were afraid to leave their dwellings and awaited with great anxiety the abatement of the terrific hurricane.
"From nine o'clock until ten the gale steadily increased and at this hour raged in its greatest fury, the destructive elements, wind and water carrying everything before them; the water at this time was at such a height and raged with such fury that the windows in the first story of the old Pistol Point house were demolished, the barn belonging to this house was swept away and a cow in the barn managed to get out and was carried by the force of the wind and wa- ter to the Groton side of the river, where she was found the
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next day, 'safe and sound in every limb.' The old Randall Store was in great danger of being swept away, the water being up to the top of the counter, and was only saved from destruction by a cargo of salt stored in it, which it was supposed held it down.
"The smack 'Hancock,' Captain Elisha Packer, lying at anchor in the river, was driven ashore in a cornfield where the Noank road now runs, in the vicinity of Old Field. The sloop 'Ranger,' Captain Silas Beebe, was driven on to Ran- dall's wharf and stood leaning against the door of the Old Red Store, her mast rising above the roof like a flag staff.
"The smack 'Driver,' Captain John Appelman, broke away from the wharf near the 'Ranger,' was driven up the river, striking Captain Appelman's home with her flying jib-boom, and passing on, at last stopped in a cornfield, her bowsprit sticking into an apple tree near where Horace Clift's house now stands. Soon after ten o'clock the wind began to change from southeast to south and at eleven was blowing from the southwest; the tide then began to recede with as much velocity as it had before risen, the gale having spent its fury. During the gale the tide rose ten feet above usual high tides.
"We have never heard any estimate made of the amount of damage to property and we find it at this late date im- possible to make a correct one, those now living who were witnesses to the disaster being unable to give us any satis- factory idea of the amount; there were a number of other vessels driven ashore and otherwise damaged between Noank and Mystic, nearly all the houses with their fur- niture more or less damaged, forest and fruit trees torn up by the roots or blown down by the tornado and much valuable ship timber destroyed, fences swept away and corn fields levelled, of which no account has been or ever can be made, and of course no correct estimate can be given of the loss, but it must have been very large and have fallen heavily on the then mostly poor villagers.
"To the distance of six or seven miles back in the country the leaves of the trees were covered with salt from the
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spray of the ocean, carried to that distance and crystalized by the sun's rays, giving the leaves a very pretty silvery appearance.
"The terrific tornado will be recorded as the most severe that visited New England since its settlement by Europeans, there being but two others on record that can bear com- parison to it-the Christmas gale of 1811 and that of 1635."
Fisher's Island, which up to 1815 was heavily wooded, was entirely stripped of wood by this tornado.
On February 15, 1846, occurred a storm of great severity, memorable for this town by the loss on Squam Beach, N. J., of the ship "John Minturn," in which wreck perished Cap- tain Dudley Stark, his wife and two children and John Leeds, his mate, of Groton. It was said by old inhabitants that no storm of equal severity occurred until the blizzard of March 12, 1888.
Another September gale of note was that of September 8, 1869. Houses were unroofed and trees blown down, but no exceptional damage was wrought in the town.
Burial Grounds
In accordance with the custom of the early settlers of New England, burials were usually made in land owned by the family of the decedent and we find these small family burying grounds scattered all over the town. We can name a number which remain as family grounds: the Captain Ambrose Burrows and Daniel Burrows on Pequot Hill, the Silas Burrows and Benjamin Burrows on Fort Hill, the Fish family on Pequot Hill, Crary near Burnett's Corners, Park family (two) on Cow Hill, Gallup family on Gallup Hill (now Ledyard), Packer family on the George Packer farm, Niles family, Allyn (Ledyard).
All the above mentioned grounds ante-date the year 1800. A burial ground of later date is the "Lower Mystic Cem- etery," situated on the New London road about a mile west of the village. This was incorporated in 1849, its first officers being Jeremiah Wilbur, president, and Horatio N
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Fish, secretary. The present officers, elected in 1890, are Charles R. Stark, president and Amos E. Slack, secretary and treasurer.
At Noank is another cemetery of comparatively recent date.
Miss Caulkins in her "Stone Records of Groton"* men- tions the following burial grounds, in all of which are buried victims of the Fort Griswold massacre:
"The Ledyard Burial Ground at Groton Heights, about one-quarter mile southeast of Groton Monument. The Starr Burial Ground in town of Groton on North Road, about one mile and a half from Ferry. The Wood Burial Ground in town of Groton. A small inclosure about one half mile from Starr ground on right of road driving north. The Crary Burial Ground in town of Groton. An inclosed ground on right of road between Burnett's Corners and Old Mystic, and about a mile from the latter place. The Turner or Moxley Burial Ground in town of Groton. An inclosed ground at about one mile from Center Groton on right of road from Center Groton to Gales Ferry. The Palmer Burial Ground in town of Groton. An inclosed ground about a quarter mile back from road, on Brook street, near head of Palmer's Cove. The old Pequonnoc or Avery and Morgan Burial Ground in town of Groton at Pequonnoc Bridge. This ground is one of the oldest in the town although another at Smith Lake, just north of Pequon- noc village, is nearly as old. The Packer Burying Ground in the western outskirts of Mystic is another old burying ground. The Captain Ambrose Burrows Burying Ground is located near the summit of Pequot Hill and the Daniel Burrows Ground is only a short distance to the south. The Wightman Burying Ground is located on the grounds of the old First Baptist Church, just off the road leading from Burnett's Corners to Center Groton. Here is found a mon- ument erected by the Baptists of Connecticut in 1890 to the memory of Rev. Valentine Wightman, the first Baptist
* Occasional Publications, New London County Historical Society, Vol. I.
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GROTON, CONN. 1705-1905
pastor in Connecticut. A short distance to the west still stands the old parsonage given to Valentine Wightman by his friend William Stark."
Post Offices
For many years the post office for the town was either at New London for the western part or at Old Mystic for the eastern section, that being a station on the old post road, though the post office was located on the Stonington side of the river. The first post office in the town was at Groton and Elijah Bailey was the first postmaster. He was appointed June 11, 1818, and served until his death. His successors have been :
Albert G. Latham, September 7, 1848 Simon Huntington, April 26, 1850 Aaron Chapman, September 22, 1856 Timothy W. Turner, June 8, 1861 Robert A. Morgan, September 27, 1866 John S. Morgan, May 24, 1869 Elisha A. Hewett, August 11, 1885 Joseph A. Smith, December 20, 1889 Pardon M. Alexander, December 14, 1893 Roswell S. Edgcomb, September 18, 1897
The second office was Portersville, established February 6, 1823. The incumbents have been :
Jedediah Randall, February 6, 1823 Peleg Denison, October 19, 1844 Nathan S. Fish, March 27, 1849
Name changed to Mystic River, August 2, 1851.
Nathan S. Fish, August 2, 1851 Caleb E. Tufts, December 28, 1852 Dwight Ashbey, June 8, 1861 John Gray, October 2, 1867 Warren W. Packer, April, 1869 Daniel B. Denison, August 11, 1885 Parmenas Avery, September 23, 1885
Discontinued February 19, 1887.
Center Groton, Connecticut
Richard W. Smith, June 1, 1830 Discontinued May 15, 1844
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Reestablished -
Henry Haley, June 15, 1844 George L. Daboll, August 23, 1847 George W. Daboll, July 24, 1888 Arthur G. Lester, December 2, 1889
Name changed to Center Groton.
George W. Daboll, December 9, 1893 Arthur G. Lester, December 23, 1897
Discontinued October 17-31, 1902.
Noank, Connecticut.
William Latham, June 25, 1841 George W. Chipman, November 30, 1844 William Latham, December 3, 1851 Orrin E. Miner, June 15, 1869 William Palmer, November 2, 1883 William E. Murphy, September 9, 1885 Edwin B. Searle, May 22, 1889 William G. Rathbun, June 26, 1893 Roswell P. Sawyer, November 23, 1897 George E. Andrews, March 3, 1905
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