USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Cornwall > Historical records of the town of Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut; > Part 23
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Henry Johnson,
Navy .- Charles Dailey. Substitute .- John Mahone.
From other sources I gather the following names, but it by no means completes the list. A visit to each family would hardly enable one to make a complete record, so soon does the memory of events fade away :
COL. CHARLES D. BLINN, though born on the west side of the Housatonic River, and hence in the Town of Sharon, by good rights belongs to Cornwall. He was a son of Sturges Blinn, and on his mother's side a grandson of Dea. Elijah Nettleton, of the Baptist church, who resided on Cream Hill. From the location of his father's farm, just across the bridge, he was really " brought up" in Cornwall, was a member of the North Cornwall church, and at the opening of the war was a clerk with Pratt & Foster. He, with his uncle, Isaac Fuller Nettleton, then living in Kent, desirous to do something for their country, consulted with my father, resulting in a letter from him of recommendation to Governor Buckingham that they were proper persons to raise a company. I went to Hartford with them. We left Cornwall early in the morning, and before noon were in the Governor's office. He approved the application, the necessary papers were made out, and they returned the same afternoon to Cornwall and commenced recruiting. Theirs was the first full company to go into camp of the Thirteenth Regiment at New Haven. Going out as captain, Blinn returned at the close of the war as colonel,-the youngest in age in the Connecticut service. Lieutenant Nettleton died at New Orleans, much lamented, in the early period of the war, leaving an honored name in Cornwall. The same promptness that distinguished Captain Blinn and his company in their enrolment, followed them in their whole career. No task so diffi-
230
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
cult or post so dangerous that they hesitated. To detail their services belongs to national history.
Alvin Henry Hart, son of Elias Hart, went as sergeant in Co. I, 5th Reg., Conn. Vol., and was promoted to 2d Lieut. Nov. 1, 1864.
Horace Nelson Hart, son of John Hart, enlisted in Co. I, 8th Reg., Conn. Vol., Sept. 21, 1861, at sixteen years of age. Mustered out in 1865. Still lives in Cornwall.
John Mills, son of Peter Mills, enlisted at the same time and died in the service.
Henry Fieldsend, killed in battle.
Edwin L. Nickerson, 15th Conn.
Thomas A. Smith.
James Wilson.
Charles Fairchild.
LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM THE TOWN OF CORN- WALL-FROM THE STATE RECORDS.
October Session, 1761.
Thomas Russell,
Joshua Pierce.
May. 1762.
Joshua Pierce,
Thomas Russell. May. 1763.
Oct. Thomas Russell, Joshua Pierce.
Thomas Russell,
Joshua Pierce. May. 1764.
Oct. Joshua Pierce, Amos Johnson.
Thomas Russell,
Joshua Pierce. May.
1765.
Oct. Thomas Russell, Joshua Pierce. Oct. Thomas Russell, Joshua Pierce.
Thomas Russell, Joshua Pierce. May. 1766.
Noah Rogers,
Heman Swift. May.
1767.
Thomas Russell,
Heman Swift.
Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Russell.
Oct. Thomas Russell, Heman Swift.
LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE RECORDS.
231
May. 1768.
Thomas Russell, Elijah Steele. May. Joshua Pierce, Thomas Porter. May. Joshua Pierce,
1769.
1770.
Thomas Porter.
May. 1771.
Heman Swift,
Thomas Porter. May.
1772.
Thomas Russell,
Heman Swift.
May.
1773.
Heman Swift,
Thomas Porter. May.
1774.
Thomas Porter,
John Pierce.
May.
1775.
Heman Swift,
Thomas Porter. May. 1776.
Edward Rogers,
John Pierce. May.
1777.
Oct. Thomas Porter, Judah Kellogg. Oct. Judah Kellogg only.
Edward Rogers, John Pierce. May. 1778.
Edward Rogers,
Judah Kellogg. May. Judah Kellogg only.
1779.
May. Edward Rogers, Andrew Young.
1780.
Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Porter. Oct. Thomas Russell, Thomas Porter. Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Porter.
Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Porter. Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Porter. Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Russell. Oct. Heman Swift, Thomas Porter. Oct. Edward Rogers, John Pierce.
Oct. Edward Rogers, Abraham Payne. Oct. Edward Rogers, Andrew Young. Oct. Edward Rogers, Andrew Young.
232
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
May. No record.
1781.
May.
1782.
John Sedgwick, No record.
May. 1783.
John Sedgwick,
Matthew Patterson.
May. 178.4.
Andrew Young, John Sedgwick. May. John Sedgwick,
1785.
Matthew Patterson.
May.
1786.
John Sedgwick, Samuel Wadsworth.
May.
1787.
Matthew Patterson,
Heman Swift. May.
1788.
Rev. John Cornwall, John Pierce.
May.
1789.
Ebenezer Jackson, No choice. May. 1790.
John Sedgwick,
Ebenezer Jackson.
May. 1791.
John Sedgwick,
Dr. Timothy Rogers. May. 1792.
John Sedgwick, Timothy Rogers. May. John Sedgwick, Isaac Swift.
1793.
Oct. Mathew Patterson, Noah Rogers.
Oct John Sedgwick, Mathew Patterson.
Oct. Andrew Young, Edward Rogers. Oct. John Sedgwick, Andrew Young. Oct. Heman Swift, Matthew Patterson. Oct. Heman Swift, Matthew Patterson. Oct. Rev. Hezekiah Gold, Rev. John Cornwall. Oct. Samuel Wadsworth, Ebenezer Jackson. Oct. Samuel Wadsworth, Ebenezer Jackson.
Oct. John Sedgwick.
Oct Timothy Rogers, Tryal Tanner. Oct. John Sedgwick, Isaac Swift. Oct Samuel Wadsworth, Tryal Tanner.
233
LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE RECORDS.
May. 179.4.
Oct. No record.
Samuel Wadsworth,
Isaac Swift. May. John Sedgwick,
1795.
Ebenezer Jackson.
May. John Sedgwick,
1796.
Isaac Swift.
May.
1797.
John Sedgwick,
Isaac Swift. May. Elijah Steele, Jr.,
1798.
Tryal Tanner. May.
1799.
John Sedgwick,
Isaac Swift. May. 1800.
Judah Kellogg,
John Sedgwick. May.
1801.
Judah Kellogg,
Oliver Burnham.
May.
1802.
John Sedgwick, Benjamin Gold.
May.
1803.
Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham.
May.
180.4.
Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. May.
1805.
John Sedgwick, Benjamin Gold. May. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. 30
1806.
Oct. Isaac Swift, Samuel Wadsworth. Oct. John Sedgwick, Isaac Swift.
Oct. John Sedgwick, Judah Kellogg. Oct. John Sedgwick, Judah Kellogg. Oct. Samuel Wadsworth, Judah Kellogg. Oct. Judah Kellogg, Samuel Wadsworth. Oct. Judah Kellogg, Samuel Wadsworth.
Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. Oct. Oliver Burnham, Benjamin Gold. Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham.
234
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
May. Oliver Burnham, Benjamin Gold. May. Oliver Burnham, John Calhoun. May.
1807.
1808.
1809.
Benjamin Gold,
Oliver Burnham. May. Oliver Burnham,
1810.
Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. Oct. John Calhoun, Oliver Burnham.
Benjamin Gold. May. 1811.
Oct. John Sedgwick, Oliver Burnham.
John Sedgwick,
Benjamin Gold. May. 18 12.
Oliver Burnham,
John Sedgwick.
Oct. Oliver Burnham, Benjamin Gold.
May. 1813.
Oliver Burnham,
Noah Rogers. May. 1814.
Noah Rogers,
Benjamin Gold. May. 1815.
Noah Rogers,
John H. Pierce. May. 18 16.
Oliver Burnham,
John H. Pierce. May.
1817.
Philo Swift,
Oliver Burnham. May.
1818.
Oct.
Noah Rogers,
Philo Swift, Noah Rogers.
Philo Swift.
Oct. Reuben Fox, Oliver Burnham. Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham.
Oct. Oliver Burnham, John H. Pierce. Oct. Oliver Burnham, Philo Swift. Oct. James Alling, Oliver Burnham.
After this the new Constitution began to operate, and the Rep- resentatives were chosen annually, not biennially.
Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham. Oct. Benjamin Gold, Oliver Burnham.
235
LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM STATE RECORDS.
1819 Oliver Burnham, John H. Pierce. 1840 Isaac Marsh, John R. Harrison.
1820 Oliver Burnham, Wm. Kellogg.
1841 John R. Harrison, Frederick Kellogg.
1821 William Bennet, Samuel Hopkins.
1842
William Hindman, Edwin White.
1822 Oliver Burnham, Samuel Hopkins. 1843 William Hindman, Edwin White.
1823 Oliver Burnham, Samuel Hopkins.
1844
John Scovill, John E. Sedgwick.
1824 Peter Bierce, Benjamin Sedgwick.
1845 Edward R. White, Joseph Essex.
1825 Peter Bierce, Benjamin Sedgwick.
1846 Carrington Todd, William Hindman.
1826 Peter Bierce, John A. Sedgwick. 1847
Chalker Pratt, John C. Calhoun.
1827 John A. Sedgwick, Peter Bierce. 1848
John Scovill,
1828 Seth Pierce, Jr., Peter Bierce.
1849
Hezekiah C. Gregory, Reuben Wilcox.
John A. Sedgwick.
1850
Amos M. Johnson, Charles Lewis.
1830 George Wheaton, Frederick Kellogg.
1851
Edward W. Andrews, Isaac Marsh.
1831 George Wheaton, Frederick Kellogg.
1852
Isaac Marsh, Charles Lewis.
1832 Benjamin Catlin, Frederick Kellogg.
1853
John R. Harrison,
1833 Benjamin Catlin, Victorianus Clark.
1854
Jacob Scovill,
1834 Victorianus Clark, Philo Kellogg.
1855
Sherman Barnes, Earl Johnson.
Anson Rogers.
1856
Jacob Scovill,
1836 Caleb Jones, William Clark.
1857
Ralph C. Harrison, John W. Beers.
Myron Harrison.
1858 Russell R. Pratt,
1838 Caleb Jones, Benjamin Sedgwick. 1859
Edward F. Gold.
1839 John C. Calhoun,
Alvin B. Palmer, George H. Swift.
William Hindman.
Henry Swift.
1835 Philo Kellogg,
Samuel S. Reed.
1837 Caleb Jones,
1839 Isaac Marsh.
Myron Harrison.
1829 Peter Bierce,
236
HISTORY OF ( CORNWALL.
1860 Nathan Hart, Jr., 1869
M. A. Nickerson.
Rossiter B. Hopkins. 1870
Wm. H. H. Hewitt, Geo. C. Harrison.
1861 Dwight W. Pierce,
Philo C. Sedgwick.
1871
Alanson Preston, Niles Scoville.
1862 Stephen Foote, H. C. Gregory.
1872 Henry L. Beers,
1863 Marcus D. F. Smith, John McMurtry.
1873
Virgil F. McNeil,
1864 S. P. Judson, John McMurtry.
1874
Luman Harrison, Smith Beach.
1865 Robert T. Miner,
F. Burton Hart.
1875
Myron I. Millard,
1866 Gad W. Smith,
George H. Crandall.
1867
Silas C. Beers,
1876 Henry L. Beers, Ralph I. Scoville.
H. C. Crandall.
1877 William L. Clark,
1868 George L. Miner,
Ingersoll Reed.
Edward Sanford.
1869 William H. Harrison,
1878 Elbert Shepard, Amos Waterbury.
Senators from the Town beginning in
1837
Peter Bierce.
1847
Samuel W. Gold.
1838 Peter Bierce.
1855 George A. Wheaton.
1844 Philo Kellogg.
1859 Samuel W. Gold.
1845
Philo Kellogg.
1870
Victory C. Beers.
MANUFACTURERS AND MECHANICS.
A detailed history of the various manufacturing establishments which have sprung up in Cornwall would occupy too much space. Gen. Sedgwick has given a sketch of early enterprises in the Hollow.
Capt. Edward Rogers had a potashery near North Cornwall in the time of the Revolution, and there was one owned by a company on the Agur Judson farm. There was an old forge near Chaun- cey Baldwin's, at West Cornwall, which stopped work in 1828. Gardner Dodge, Eliakim Mallory, and Eli Stone are names men- tioned as connected with it. The ore was brought principally from Salisbury, yet some was dug in Cornwall.
Adonijah Pratt, in the last century, had a carding machine and fulling mill near where Gold's mill now stands. He was suc-
Chester Wickwire.
Robert N. Cochrane.
Solon B. Johnson.
237
MANUFACTURERS AND MECHANICS.
ceeded by William Stoddard, who built lower down on the stream, and afterwards made satinet, followed by Gledhill and others. Another factory of the same kind (Avery's) was in the south end of the town.
About 1837. John Rogers and Almon B. Pratt set up a tannery near Stoddard's, to dress deer and sheep-skins. These were made into mittens and gloves about the town. William Smith, and M. Beers & Sons afterwards extended the business; and after the burning of the paper mill, built a tannery on that spot. This was also burned and rebuilt, and then converted into a grist mill by S. W. & T. S. Gold, in 1860. The paper mill had been burned in 1846, just after its completion. It was owned by Pratt & Foster, Noah Hart, and M. D. F. Smith.
The Cornwall Bridge Iron Co. was formed in 1833, and about the same date the West Cornwall Iron Co. These were blast furnaces, making pig iron from Salisbury ore. The one at West Cornwall stopped in 1850; that at Cornwall Bridge is still in good working order, with a full stock of coal.
About 1845, Mr. Allen had a cupola-furnace at West Cornwall, for casting stoves, etc. Still earlier, S. J. Gold, followed by Mr. Essex, had a casting shop at South Cornwall.
For twenty-five years the manufacture of shears has been carried on at West Cornwall, by various parties, now by firms of Voliniller & Beck and Wood & Mallinson.
C. & M. Beers had a successful tannery in South Cornwall, sixty years ago. Capt. Clark, father of Pierce and Victory, had another on the hill south of Truman Dibbles; and still later, Leighton W. Bradley had a tannery in the Hollow near the Baptist Meeting House, and carried on quite an extensive trade.
Joel and Benjamin Catlin, sons of Bradley Catlin, were hatters, and had a shop near the North Cornwall Church, where they made hats till about 1835. They were active men and quite prominent in town affairs. They married sisters of Lee Blinn.
Blacksmiths and shoemakers were more numerous formerly than at present; machine and factory work now taking the place of the slower hand processes. Almon Benedict had a shop near E. D. Pratt's in 1825, and Chester Markham at Cornwall Center; later, Zerah Dean had a shop near Gold's mill.
Sixty years ago, tailor (Josiah F. Dean) Dean's wife did most of the tailoring for North Cornwall, succeeded by Reuben Hitchcock.
John Dean, sixty year ago, told stories over his lapstone, in the old house now torn down, north of the Hitchcock place. Alvy
238
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
Norton,* familiarly known as "Waxey," succeeded by Samuel Wheeler, made shoes on Cream Hill, while Milo Dickinson, Mica- jah Barnum, Theodore Ives, Curtiss and Menzies Beers followed the same calling.
Jeremiah Coggswell, father of Nathan, James Ford, and Car- rington Todd made barrels.
Soon after the railroad was completed, Henry and Edwin Ives of Goshen, with their brother-in-law, Mr. Baker, built a sash and blind factory at West Cornwall. The Iveses moved West, and Baker to New Hartford, and the building was used as a carriage shop by David Vail, succeeded by Orville L. Fitch, who came from Salisbury, Thomas Bosworth from Duchess County, and now by Geo. W. Silvernale.
James M. Gardner built a larger sash and blind shop, now Volmiller's Bee Hive, but the business failed.
Two grist-mills were early erected, special privileges being be- stowed for the control of the water-the one where Gold's mill now stands having the right to dam the lake for a water supply, and the other, below the pines at South Cornwall, having similar rights. A story is told of this mill, which had wooden gudgeons, and sometimes was run with a lack of oil. The inhabitants on the mountains south were aroused one night by certain unearthly sounds, like "Oh, father !" "Oh, mother !" "Oh, dear !" and mustered courage to trace them to their origin. They found old Mr. Kipp, the miller, was grinding his grist, and hence these lam- entations. The grist-mills at West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge were built about 1830.
Messrs. Wood & Mallinson, in 1873, erected a cupola-furnace at West Cornwall for the manufacture of Gold's Sanitary Heaters, and general castings. This was burnt in 1875, and rebuilt. Saw- mills have been numerous upon all our streams of sufficient water supply, and in some cases the builders have been disappointed in this respect. Tradesmen in the different arts have been enabled to make a fair living, and tolerable success has been awarded to our manufacturers; but agriculture, with all its difficulties, has ever been the main support of the inhabitants.
* He was one of the last of those who went about from house to house making a stock of shoes for the family, an occupation known as " whipping the cat." A practical assertion of "women's rights" over him, to correct a little irregularity in his domestic relations, made him famous in the annals of the neighborhood. The women, though not allowed to vote, claimed and exercised the right to administer justice.
239
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
There are few gross crimes to record. Rev. William Green, who was sentenced to state's prison for life for the murder of his wife, by poison, at West Cornwall, about 1867, was only a tem- porary resident. We are happy to say also that the "Perkins " of unhappy notoriety did not belong here.
Early in the present century Edmund, son of Oliver Ford, and brother of James Ford, and Samuel, son of Bradley Catlin, were drowned in the pond on Cream Hill, on a Sabbath evening. John Ford, a son of James Ford, was drowned in the Housatonic about 1842; also, a son of Jacob Garrison was drowned at West Cornwall about 1845.
Eber Johnson was killed by a bull in the Hollow about 1846.
Mrs. Hiram Garner was thrown from a wagon and killed, near West Cornwall, about 1850.
The house of Dea. Andrew Holmes of the Baptist church, was burnt in the night, about 1845, and his wife and two children perished in the flames. It stood in the Housatonic Valley, north of West Cornwall.
Charles Baldwin was thrown from a wagon and killed, on the turnpike west of Cornwall Center, about 1852.
James Oats was killed by the cars at West Cornwall about 1846, and Wm. White at Cornwall Bridge, about 1868.
A son of Wallstein Wadhams was killed by the kick of a horse, at Cornwall Bridge, about 1872.
Martin Cook was killed by the fall of a building in North Corn- wall in 1874.
A little son of Martin Besançon went to meet his father, who was chopping in the woods, got lost, and was frozen to death in 1874.
Story of the Convict Dana.
On or near the same ground on which now stands the house of Capt. Edward Gold, stood an old house occupied by several fam- ilies at different times, one of which was that of Joseph Judson. In this house he had a store. One night his store was broken open and robbed. London Dana was arrested upon suspicion, and in a singular manner convicted of the crime and sentenced to Newgate prison at Simsbury. Dana opened the store through the window, from which he removed a pane of glass by cutting out the putty with a knife. Having removed the pane of glass, he, with his
240
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
hand, unloosed the shutter on the inside, and thus effected an entrance. At a place in the casement where the putty was dug out, was found the point of a knife-blade. This was preserved, and, being presented, was compared with the blade of a knife which Dana had in his possession. The fracture of the blade of his knife agreed perfectly with the point found in the casement. On this single proof the villain was convicted. He was an extra- ordinary character, and the following story was taken from the mouth of Col. Humphrey, the commandant of the prison at Sims- bury. Of Dana, he said that he was the most intractable and most difficult to manage of all the convicts, and of the most determined resolution, giving the overseers of the prison almost constant vexa- tion. After being there for a season, Dana, while making nails, laid his right hand on the anvil, and taking the hammer in his left, he smashed the other hand and fingers, declaring with an oath that he would make no more nails. His master was not to be conquered in this way, and therefore ordered a frame and hopper to be made and sand brought, and directed Dana to pour the sand through the hopper with a ladle, unremittingly, while the other convicts were at work. This employment Dana pursued week after week. Finding that it availed nothing in subduing his indomitable temper, Humphrey adopted an expedient that effectually reduced him. In the numerous caverns of the prison was a dungeon, where the light of day could not enter, and from its rocky walls water was drip- ping constantly. Here Dana was confined, chained to a staple in the rock. The furniture of his solitary cell consisted simply of a bed of straw. At stated times one of the guards was sent to his cavern to carry him his bread, with an express order not to speak to him a word. For a long time Dana bore his dismal solitude with invincible patience. But at length his spirit was broken. He implored to be allowed again to see the light of day. Still the guard kept silence. Finally the colonel went down, and Dana was ready to yield with the most abject submission, asked his forgive- ness, and went to making nails with his mutilated hand, and con- tinued to the end of his term perfectly obedient.
NOTE .- I have visited this old prison at Simsbury and have seen this cell, with the staple in the rock, where the most incorrigible were confined. An old copper mine, wrought before the Revolu- tion, was used to confine the prisoners. Tories as well as common malefactors were here confined. T. S. G.
241
RECORDS OF EARLY AND PRESENT RESIDENTS.
RECORDS OF EARLY AND PRESENT RESIDENTS IN CORNWALL.
Of some of these we have no record. Others have passed away, and their names are no longer found here; tradition still survives, and we gather up the fragments. Some are so fully sketched in the historical discourses as to need little further notice. The record of the living is still incomplete, and they are passed with brief mention. I have solicited full records from all. It is unfortunate that so many have failed to respond, as I have labored to make this volume full in everything pertaining to Cornwall.
AMAIS
ARRIER
THE DOUGLAS FAMILY.
One of the most active pioneers in the settlement of this town was James Douglas. He came here, in 1739, from Plainfield. Cream Hill was his lot; it received this name from the superiority of the soil and the beauty of its scenery. This name was given to it, as Town Records show, before Mr. Douglas purchased. He bought two rights of Timothy Pierce of Canterbury, an original proprietor, in 1738, for £400; also, he bought fifty acres on Cream Hill, on which his first house was built. The fifty acre lot was purchased of Jonah Bierce of New Fairfield, who had bought it of Nathan Lyon of Fairfield, an original proprietor. James Douglas® was brother of Benajah, an original proprietor in Cornwall, but who settled in North Canaan, being the ancestor of the Douglas family in that town, and great-grandfather of the distinguished senator, Stephen Arnold Douglas.
James Douglas and his wife, whose family name was Marsh, taught the first school in Cornwall, he teaching in the winter and his wife in summer. Cream Hill, before the woodman's ax was heard there, was covered with lofty trees of various kinds, the sur- face not being entangled with underbrush, as much of the forest in town was. Mr. Douglas was an energetic and public-spirited man. 31
242
HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
He expended much labor in opening a mine one hundred and twenty feet in depth, for gold. Specimens of the ore were sent to Boston for analysis, from which small sums in gold were returned. But the expense of obtaining it was too great to make it a paying business. Another mine was wrought for silver, sixty feet, with like results.
He is said to have wintered the first stock in town,-a horse and yoke of oxen. Heavy snows caught him unprepared. Deer were abundant; the boiled flesh made a nutritious soup for the cattle, which, with browse from the trees felled for the purpose, was their support. The horse refused both, but ate hair from the skins, and moss from the trees gathered in blankets.
Mr. Douglas, about 1748, erected a large two-story house, which, about two years after its completion, was unfortunately burned down, and he built the house now standing on the same ground, which he occupied till his death. This is supposed to be the oldest occupied house in town. Capt. Hezekiah Gold, son of Rev. Hezekiah Gold, who married Rachel Wadsworth, granddaughter of Mr. James Douglas, purchased this property about 1790, of Mr. Joseph Wadsworth, a son-in-law of Mr. Douglas. This house and farm is at present (1877) owned by T. S. Gold.
Farmers were then their own mechanics. The old tan vat, where James Douglas tanned his own leather, was but recently filled up, -on the bank of the small stream now called the '. Gutter," near his house.
Mr. Douglas had three sons and four daughters. The eldest of the daughters, Sarah, married Capt. Samuel Wadsworth; the youngest, Eunice, married Mr. Joseph Wadsworth; another, Olive, married for her first husband, a Mr. Johnson, and after his death, Dea. Eliakim Mallory. The other daughter, Mary (or Rachel), married a Mr. Taylor, of New Marlboro, Mass. Two sons, William and James Marsh, having sold their property on Cream Hill, removed to Vermont, where some of their descendants at present reside. James Marsh married Rhoda, sister of Judge Burnham, of Cornwall. The other son, John, died in 1763, aged fourteen.
In the old cemetery at South Cornwall, we find the tombstones of James Douglas and his wife thus inscribed :
James Douglas, Died Aug. 18, 1785, æ. 74. Mortals Awake Your time review, think on Death, Eternity is near.
243
RECORDS OF EARLY AND PRESENT RESIDENTS.
Rachel, wife of James Douglas, died April 23, 1790, æ. 78.
Life how short, Eternity how long.
I am indebted to Charles H. James Douglas, of Providence, R. I., author of the "Douglas Genealogy," for the ancestral record of James Douglas.
Dea. William1 Douglas, b. 1610; m. Ann, d. of Thomas Marble, of Kingstead, Northamptonshire; landed at Cape Ann 1639-40; removed to New London 1660; d. July 25, 1682. Had five chil- dren.
Dea. William? Douglas, fifth child of Dea. William1, b. April 1, 1645; m. Dec. 18, 1667, Abiah, d. of William Hough, of New London, and had eight children.
Dea. William3 Douglas, third child of Dea. William2, b. Feb. 19, 1672-3; m. Sarah Proctor, about 1695, and in 1699 removed to Plainfield. He was one of a little company who, in 1705, cove- nanted together and formed a little church at Plainfield, of which he was chosen first deacon. He had twelve children, of which Thomas, the eleventh, was also deacon, and settled in Voluntown (now Sterling).
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