USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > Historical sketches of Meriden Connecticut > Part 3
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38
SCHOOLS.
and three pence a week for all scholars, from six to six- teen, as long as they shall go to school."
Thus did our predecessors, like all the other founders of New England, develope a far-sighted religious wisdom, a profound sagacity, which none of the princes nor statesmen of this world knew. For all possible and conceivable ends had the power, blood, and wealth of nations been squandered for thousands of years : except for the only true ends of the state, the forma- tion and elevation of MEN. The fathers of New England designed to raise up religious and intelligent men. They alone ever conceived, or at least actually carried out the scheme of educating the people. In this point of view, the everlasting pyramids, the matchless splendors of Babylon, the great master-piece of architecture, St. Peters, are less imposing and valuable than the log school-houses of primitive New England. The world had never yet seen such men, so poor that they could not build a hut 24 by 30 feet-so har- rassed and perilled by a savage war, that they went to their Sabbath worship armed with muskets-while night and day their little village was guarded by block houses and patrols-and yet in that deep poverty, and from their first day in the wilderness, nobly sustaining the preaching of the Gospel, and schools, virtually free to every child among them. True, as we shall see, these early schools were somewhat rude, and we may smile at their evident defects. But the germ of New England superiority was in them. Our elegant Acad-
6
39
SCHOOLS.
emy and highly improved schools, are but the developments and natural growth of the early school at Wallingford.
It is a matter of some interest to know what sums were granted for schools. In 1684, the town granted £10 to the teacher, from the public treasury, and required the pupils to pay £5 in addition. In 1689, the town voted £5 for a school; the next year £4. In 1691, the town voted that all the school money should be raised by those who sent to the school. In 1694, they gave £6 to the school. In 1698, it was voted that each pu- pil should pay a penny a week. In 1702, they voted to build a school house, having hitherto hired a room for the school. In 1711, fifty acres of land and money also, were granted to the teacher. In 1714 each schol- ar was to pay 2/ per quarter, in addition to the town grant. In 1722 it became necessary to have several schools, and the rudiments of school districts begin to appear.
We find no allusion made to any branches of learn- ing, except, reading, writing and spelling. It is quite probable that for a long time nothing else was taught, unless occasionally the rudiments of arithmetic, might have been studied. It cannot be denied, that our records exhibit some indications of lack of high culture both in teachers and pupils, as the following exact transcripts will show.
" Sep. 18, 1711. At the same Metting Mr. Henry
40
SCHOOLS.
Bats scool Master, gave thes following proposals, namely.
" Gontel Men upon second considerations I doe hear- by propose that if ye town for incoragement will be pleesed to make sure and conferme to me fifty acars of land whar i shall see case to take it up and whar it is not alredy taken up and let me have to improvement of ye old Mill pon so caled and all other lands that belongs to the scool and fifty pounds a year for ye time we shall agree upon the town appointing a commity to agree with me and all those that sends chilldren to cast in thar mite towards purchaseing a hom sted and upon condition i may be
" yours to serve. "HENRY BATES."
" At ye same meting ye town voatted thar accepttans of ye above s'd proposals."
" Dec. 20, 1713. The town voated yt the mony con- serning ye scool, Respecting chilldren shall be raised upon all ye chilldren that live within a Mille and half of ye scool hous : from six year old to teen : whether they go to scool or nott: And all the children yt go to scool and enter ye scool a week shall pay for half a year."
" Chose John Moss and Sam'l Culver inspectors, to look after ye scool Meester to see he keeps his howers."
" Jan. 13, 1719. The town voated and maid choys of leftnt street and Sergnt yall thomas mills a comitte
41
NORTHI PART OF MERIDEN.
to care of ye school, chose a schoole master and look after the prudentialls of that affair."
NORTH PART OF MERIDEN.
I have thus presented a few sketches of Wallingford, down to the year 1724, when we in Meriden began to emerge into a distinct community. But the territorial limits of Wallingford, extended northward, only to " Pilgrim's Harbor.17 The part of our town lying between that point, and the present limits of Berlin, is not embraced in the preceding sketch, and some facts respecting it will now be stated.
This north part of our town remained in possession of the Indians, long after they had sold all the adjacent territory. Between New Haven on the south, Middle- town on the east, and Farmington on the north, and part of the west, there lay this tract of land, of somewhat undefined boundaries. The " old road" passed through it. Near its northern limit lay "the Belcher farm so called." This is all we know of it, until the year 1664; in that year, Seaukeet, an Indian sold and deeded to Edward Higbey, with boundaries somewhat obscurely stated, a large tract of land, which must have embraced nearly the whole northern half of Meriden, as now constituted .*
But there were other claimants to the same land, for in 1682, another Indian by the name of Adam Puit,
* See Appendix, No. 1, where the deed is given in full :- and some explanations are also added.
42
NORTH PART OF MERIDEN.
sold to John Talcot, a tract, which from the description must have been identical with the one described in the deed of Seaukeet .* The next year 1683, Mr. Talcot, assigned over to the town of Wallingford, all his right and title to this land.t The town of Wallingford also bought out all the other titles or claims, to this same territory, as appears by documents in the office of the Secretary of State at Hartford, but which are too long to be inserted here.
But this north part of Meriden, though owned by Wallingford, was not a part of Wallingford. The title or fee simple of the land, was in the town of Wallingford-the right of government was in the state : but there was no town authority in it or over it -- it was neither a town, nor constituted a part of any town. It remained in this anomalous condition for several years, until the people residing in it, weary of the in- convenience of such a state of things, petitioned the town of Wallingford to be received, as citizens of that town, which petition is here annexed. So far as we can learn it was that petition and the vote of the town consequent thereon alone, without any action of the state legislature, which made the north part of our town, for a time, a constituent part of Wallingford.
The petition just alluded to, was presented in Sept. 1718, and reads as follows, in the original records of the
* See Appendix, No. 2, where the deed is copled in full, and remarks added.
t See Appendix, No. 3, where the assignment is copied in full.
43
EARLY SETTLERS.
town of Wallingford,-" We, the inhabitants bordering and adjacent to, the town of Wallingford, do here entreat and request, that you would admit us the sub- scribers as wholesome and lawful inhabitants into the town of Wallingford. We the petitioners here request that if it may please you the inhabitants of the town of Wallingford to admit us your humble petitioners as town inhabitants, then your humble petitioners do promise and engage to be subject to your good and wholesome orders, laws and constitutions, as witness our hands.
" Bartholomew Foster, John Hoisington,
John Merriam, Solomon Goffe."
Joseph Hills. 1
EARLY SETTLERS.
The town voted to comply with the request of the petitioners. But for a time, not all the inhabitants, residing in this north part of Meriden were considered citizens of Wallingford, subject to its laws, privileges and burthens, but merely those who had applied in form for citizenship. We find also on the records sev- eral special petitions from individuals residing in this same locality, to be allowed to attend public worship in the meeting house, and who were by special vote per- mitted to occupy a designated seat, on condition of paying a certain annual rent. Whereas citizens of Wallingford, being regularly taxed by town vote for the support of religious institutions, had a right as &
44
EARLY SETTLERS.
matter of course to seats in the Church without any price or rent whatever.
It would be tedious to trace out all the transfers of land in this neighborhood, after the Indian title was extinguished. It may be a matter of some interest however, to know some of the principal proprietors and residents, in this north part of Meriden about the year 1716. Northward and eastward of our present village of West Meriden, lay the farm of John Merriam,* of. Lynn, Mass., who is, I believe, the ancestor of the nu- merous families of that name still residing here. He bought 300 acres for £305. More northerly lay the farm of Bartholomew Foster, of 350 acres, which seems to have been west of the present old road, and north- ward as far probably as the present residence of Mr. Hiram Foster.t Further north, was the land of Henry Coles, called "the Coles' farm," extending east of Bar- tholomew Foster, so as to reach the land of John Merriam. North of the " Coles' farm" was the land of Nathaniel Roys ; and still further northward was the Belcher farm, which-or on which-was the place called Meriden.
These documents, give us some information as to the residents in this part of the town, at that period. We derive some additional knowledge of the inhabitants, as well as of their situation, from the following paper
* See Appendix, No. 10 : the deed is there quoted at length.
t See Appendix, No. 9. The deed to Mr. Foster is there given.
45
EARLY SETTLERS.
copied from the original petition, now on file in the office of the Secretary of State, at Hartford.
" To the Honorable the Governor and council and house of represtatives in General Cort assembled in his Majesties colony of Connecticutt att New Haven, Oct. 8, 1724.
" The Humble petition of the Subscribers Humbly Sheweth.
" That we are under great disadvantages for want of a Pound nere ye Merriden or Stone House and are com- pelled to drive unruly Cattell nere 6 or 9 miles to ye nearest pound, which if we had one nere it would save us a Great Deal of troble, and we would carry the marks and brands of those Cattell impounded where the Law directs, to the next towns unless the Honora- ble Assembly, would pleas to Constitute a man among us to Despose of Unruly Creatures as the Law directs.
" Therefor your Humble Petitioners Pray that there may be order for a Pound near ye Merriden, or Stone House, and an officer to Despose of impounded cattell, and your Petitioners as in duty bound will Ever Pray. "Signed, N. Merriam, J. Persons,
N. Merriam, Jr.,
Eleazer, Aspinwall,
Wm. Meriam,
J. Merriman, Jr.,
Tim. Foster,
B. Foster,
J. Robinson,
T. Andrews,
T. Foster, D. Rich,
T. Gerrum,
J. Scofell.".
.
46
SOUTH PART OF MERIDEN.
I will now endeavor to trace the progress of settle- ments northward from Wallingford village into the bounds of what is now the south part of Meriden. But the information which I have been able to glean is quite scanty. It is quite clear that while the whole country was in alarm and peril, from the Indians, during " king Phillip's war" no settlements were made beyond the bounds of the compact little village, where the planters had clustered together for mutual protec- tion, though some land which was " in the wilderness," was granted out at that time. But after the termination of that war, we find the records full of grants, of wild land in distant parts of Wallingford, to actual settlers, some of which were within the present southern limits of our town.
Some of the earliest grants of land were in and around a swamp called "dog's misery." It had acquired the name from the fact that wild animals, when hunted, took refuge in this swamp, which was so thick, tangled and miry, that the dogs of the hunters were baffled or killed in their attempts to reach their prey hidden in this jungle. This swamp is that tract of lowland [now partly reclaimed] and swamp, lying south of the Middletown turnpike, and south of the house of Mr. Thomas Baldwin, extending nearly a mile, in a south- erly direction.
In 1679, " the town granted to Nathaniel Royce, David Hall, Thomas Hall, Dan. Mix, Joseph Holt, each 3 acres lying on the east side of the meadow, 7
:
4
-
47
SOUTH PART OF MERIDEN.
called dog's misery, by the southward branch of Pil- grim's harbor," [brook,] that being the name of the whole stream from its mouth, up to the pond, whence it flows. -
At the next town meeting, Nov. 1679, "granted to Neh. Royce, Isaac Curtiss, each 3 acres, and Nathaniel How, and Isaac Royce, each 2 acres, and all at dog's misery." At still another meeting, 1679, there was still another grant of swamp, meadow and upland "about dog's misery," to Yale, Curtiss, Royce and others. In 1685, granted to Walter Jonson 20 acres, "on long hill towards dog's misery."
1683, "granted to Daniel Hooper, 12 acres at dog's misery."
1700, the daughter of Nathaniel Royce, had three and a half acres, at "dog's misery," as her portion.
Another extract will indicate some quite curious facts, existing at that early period. Sep. 16, 1707, "the towne chose Eliezer peeck, Joshua culver, David Hall, a commetie to see that [dog's] missery hiway may not be pinsht [pinched] of the twenty rods in any place from the town to misserie whare it was not laid out before the graint was of s'd hiway."
It seems that here was a "hiway" twenty rods wide: which enormous allowance for a road was not uncommon in those days, as there are several other notices in the records of roads of the like width. Still oftener I find noticed highways six rods in width. It is quite evident too, that the special care of the town to pre-
48
SOUTH PART OF MERIDEN.
serve the prodigious width of the "missery hiway" shows the importance and growth of the settlement in that quarter.
Whether these persons settled around dog's misery at the precise date of these grants we do not know : but there is evidence, that they were there soon after For as early as 1696, there is some allusion in the records to a great contention about lands, among the owners of property at dog's misery. Of the nature and merits of the controversy we are not informed, but it plainly indicates that the lands about there were considered valuable, and that the place was inhabited.
From the time of the first settlement onward, popu- lation slowly increased around " dog's misery," and as we shall see, around "Pilgrim's Harbor," also. In 1724, the whole number of families on and around these localities, was thirty-five. The distance to Wal- lingford being great, and the roads bad, they naturally wished for public worship nearer to their residences. According to the custom of that day however, they did not proceed to accommodate themselves in the matter, until it had been laid before the town, and their express permission obtained. Accordingly in 1724, we find a vote that "in respect to the north farmers [farmers in the north part of the town, as that portion of our town was then the north part of Wallingford,] that they may hire a minister for four months this winter on their own charge." This was the commencement of the stated preaching of the
49
WEST AND SOUTH-WEST PART OF MERIDEN.
Gospel within the present limits of this town, just 124 years ago. A further account of their ecclesiastical organization and progress will be given, on a subse- quent page.
WEST AND SOUTH-WEST PART OF MERIDEN.
Contemporaneous with the "plantations" around "dog's misery," the settlements began to creep up into the western and south-western parts of the present limits of Meriden. As early as Sept. 1677, it was "ordered that every planter shall have according to theyr ranks, 4 acrs, 3 acrs, and 2 acrs of the choice land upon the River hopp ground land, beginning att pilgrim's harbor." This " hopp ground land" was that which produced the materials for making hoops [hopps ]. Such land though swampy, was then the most valuable in the town. For in the great dearth of a circulating medium, and of means for purchasing all foreign pro- duce, these hoops, [and staves also,] always found a great demand, and a ready sale in the West Indies. Of course our farmers in trading with the New Haven merchants, found these hoop-poles as useful as cash. Accordingly we find in the records of the town that these " hopp ground lands," were most carefully man- aged, were granted out in very small quantities ; and in the various grants recorded, each man was very careful that a piece of this precious land should be included in his farm.
In the year 1676, a farm was granted to Levi Fowler,
50
FARM'S DISTRICT SETTLED.
as part "compensation" for building a mill. This was at the place which we now call "the farms." Sixty acres were granted to him, and thus described : "the north stake to be pitched 10 rods to the north-ward of the brook, commonly called, Milking yard brook, as you go between Wallingford and Hartford, [this is the brook, which the old road crosses at the lower end of the present farm district, just. north of the residence of Mr. Elias Parmelee and Mr. Linus Clarke, and so called, because cattle were of old, there driven into a pen to be milked,] and in the middle way between the mouth of said brook and the old path; and so to run a straight line southward so as to cut the edge of the red bank by the east river so called [this red bank is the little spur or projoction around which the rail road sweeps, just before it passes the high stone viaduct, over the turnpike] at the utmost part eastward, and so from the northern stake westward 120 rods, and so to hold his depth on the south side." This land would be very nearly that which constitutes the present farm of Mr. Wyllys Smith.
FARM'S DISTRICT SETTLED.
Near and around this farm, other settlers soon located themselves. In 1679, it was voted, "that the land about the milking yard, and on the north side of the brook at the head of the little plain, be granted," to planters, as these should be needed. This "little plain" was the upper part of the present " farm district,"
1
51 1
HANOVER SETTLED.
where is the farm of the late William Linsley. It was called little plain, in distinction, from " fall's plain," or " the plain," which is the locality we now term "Hano- ver." The same year, " The towne yielded to exchange with Sam'l Royce, the 3 acrs of his land att ye uper end of little plaine, for 3 acrs of ye swamp, in ye mid- dle of said plaine joyning to Goodn Lewes." In another grant to this Samuel Royce, this same spot is called "milcin yard farms," as bounded south by milking yard brook, and west by milking yard hill.
Also in 1679, " the town granted to Good" Lewas 3 acrs of ye swamp that lieth about the middle of ye litle plaine." At the same time "the towne granted Tho. Yale 3 acrs of swamp land, joyning to his two acrs that was formerly granted for mendment of his river lott att the loer end of ye litle plaine."
HANOVER SETTLED.
In the year 1677, there was a grant of land to Ne- hemiah Royce and Samuel Royce, of some land "at the head of the plains," which is another phrase by which Hanover was then designated. A very natural phrase, for at that point, the stretch of level land which extends from New Haven, through North Haven and Wallingford, terminates. In 1680 a grant was made " to Sam'l Hough, to settle on the head of the plain near to Nehemiah Royce's." In 1689 this "head of the plain," or " falls' plaine," was considered so beautiful a spot, that it was regularly laid out for a village. The
52
CHURCH AT MERIDEN.
main street was to be eighty rods long, and on each side of it were staked out building lots; the western lots extending to the hill, and the eastern ones, to the river. These lots were assigned by raffle, each "planter" in the town of Wallingford, being allowed to draw one lot. A map of this village as thus laid out, was made 160 years ago, and still remains on the town records. The main street of this contemplated village must have been nearly if not quite coincident with the road now in existence, running north and south, past the house of Mr. James Newton, and terminating near the house of Mr. Chester Rice. The street however, as then laid out, was continued northward to the river, instead of terminating at the house of Mr. Rice.
CHURCH AT MERIDEN.
I have thus given an outline of the progress of set- tlements in several localities within our present limits. In the year 1724, the number of families within those limits being thirty-five, they began to have public worship as a distinct community, in the manner already stated on a previous page. In 1725, they organised themselves into a distinct Ecclesiastical Society ; and that society and the territory they occupied, received the present name of Meriden. For the next two years they had public worship only in the winter season, and their meetings were held in a private house. In 1727, & house of worship was erected in the eastern part of the town. But at the very outset, there arose a very
1
53
CHURCH AT MERIDEN.
serious difficulty as to the location of their meeting house. The inhabitants around "dog's misery" would na- turally desire that the Church should be as near as pos- sible to their farms : and the people at " Pilgrim's Har- bor," " the old road," and " milking yard farms," would be equally desirous of a site convenient to themselves. That part of our town, now constituting "the centre," was then either entirely uninhabited, or was of so little consequence, that its claims in the matter do not appear to have been thought of. At length it was decided that the meeting house should be built on the western slope of the hill, still known as the "meeting house hill," in which decision, the " dog's misery" party had the advantage. In accordance with this decision, the materials were all prepared, and collected at the chosen spot. But the aggrieved party, hoping yet to gain re- dress, collected men and teams at night, and hauled the timbers, over a brook, and up a hill, to a lot on or near which the house of Mr. Willard Hall now stands, that being the spot, where they wished the house to stand. Of course such a step would excite no small stir. But of the details of the controversy thence ensuing we know nothing. Authentic tradition only assures us that the very men and teams who toiled all night to carry the timbers westward, were all induced or com- pelled, to haul them all back to the old spot, in broad day light.
The house was then built on the spot first selected. It has long since disappeared, but from the best infor-
54
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
mation I can obtain, it was about thirty feet square, and built in the very plainest style. The first burying ground in Meriden, was near the top of "meeting house hill," east of the Church. It has long since been disused. But many of the old stones yet remain, and some of the inscriptions are still legible. Its neglected and dilapidated condition, rebukes us for our want of care in honoring and preserving the memories of our fathers, or predecessors.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
In December 1728, Rev. Theophilus Hall began to preach in the new meeting house. Oct. 9, 1729, it was resolved to form a Church, and on Oct. 22, after a day of fasting and prayer the Church was duly organ- ised. Fifty-one persons were thus gathered as the original members, and it may be interesting to know who they were. Their names are therefore here sub- joined :
Robert Royce, John Hecock and wife, Sam'l Royce and wife, John Cole,
Thomas Yale and wife, John Merriam,
66 " " John Yale,
66.
" Joseph Cole,
" Nath'l Royce,
Robert Collins, David Levit,
" David Rich,
Ezekiel Royce and wife,
" Daniel Harris,
" S. Andrews,
¥ " Tim. Jerom,
Abel Royce and wife, Benj. Royce and wife, 8
The wife of Wm. Hough,
Bartholomew Foster,
55
MINISTRY OF THE REV. MR. HALL.
Nath'l Merriam and wife, The wife of Benj. Curtiss,
John Merriam, Jr., and wife, " " John Ives, Joseph Merriam,
" J. Robinson,
Dan. Balding and wife, 66 " W. Merriam,
Amos Camp and wife, " Jos. Royce,
Benj. Whiting and wife, Widow Royce,
Sam'l Ives and wife,
Mary Hough,
Ebenezer Prindle and wife, Eunice Cole.
John Way and wife,
MINISTRY OF REV. MR. HALL.
The Rev. Theophilus Hall was the first pastor of the Church. He was ordained Oct. 29, 1729. His salary varied somewhat in different years, but was about £50, which in the colonial currency was about equal to $175, annually. By express stipulation this sum might be paid in money or provisions : and when paid in provi- sions, they were to be received at the following prices : wheat at 4s. per bushel, rye at 2s. 6d., corn at 2s.
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