USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Cheshire > History of Cheshire, Connecticut, from 1694-1840, including Prospect, which, as Columbia parish, was a part of Cheshire until 1829; > Part 11
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Jno Glen A D Q M G
To Serjeant Hitchcock
Written in Hitchcock's handwriting on the blank part of above is the following :
of
Do acknowledge to have vollontarily inlisted myself a soldier to serve his Majesty King George the third in a Regiment of foot
ICopy for his guidance in enlisting soldiers.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
raised by the Colony of Connecticut to be commanded by Col for the --- in such camp paid of Witness my hand the day of in the year of our lord 1760
Little Falls 13th Sept 1760
Sir
You will take in your charge one Batteau Loaded with In- trenching Tools and Deliver them to the Conducter at Fort Stan- wix, and Load the Boat with provisions and proceed agreeable to the within orders to the Falls of Oswego, then return with all posable Dispatch to Fort Stanwix for a nother Load
Joel Clark CaptI
To Sergt Hitchcock
Received of Serjeant Hitchcock of his Majestys service Three Iron shod carts Three chains, Six Yokes-By me
Onondaga Falls
23d Sept 1760
Ashbel Humphreys Lieut Commanding at West pass
Fort Stannix was a military post, at or near the present town of Rome, N. Y. Two weeks before Sergeant Hitchcock obtained at Onandaga Falls the receipt of Lieut Humphreys, Montreal and all the other French posts in Canada had been surrendered to the English. The French and Indian war was virtually ended on the day, Sept. 8th, 1760, that Amasa Hitchcock was ordered to leave Schenectady, N. Y., with his boat "loaded with three iron shod carts," and "proceed" to Oswego Falls.
A tombstone in the Cheshire burial ground informs us that Reuben Hitchcock of Cheshire was a soldier in the French war, and was killed November, 1759, while returning from Montreal, Canada. He was elder brother of Amasa Hitchcock.
IJoel Clark was Ist Lieut. when E. Preston was captain at Crown Point.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
While the French war was being carried on, there was intro- duced into this country, for the first time, articles of pottery ware to which the common people were almost complete strangers. Heretofore the table service had been entirely of pewter and wooden utensils; except perhaps among the wealthy, who could afford to have a service of silver. Even these grandees had to use chiefly the baser metal at their everyday meals, and only the well-to-do people owned a few coarse Dutch pitchers and Delft ware mugs, of which they were very careful; transmitting them by will to their descendants as precious possessions. A glass bot- tle, or a common red earthen ware pitcher, or jug, was highly prized and not to be seen every day in the homes of the people. Up to this period there was not, in all the American Colonies, a full table service of what we should call "china ware."
It was a new industry in France and England that began about 1740 to turn out dishes and tea pots modeled upon the very ex- pensive Chinese articles. The first manufactures were coarse and plain, but cheaper and cleaner than pewter. They were soon handsomely ornamented and became the fashion so rapidly that in nearly every ship that brought troops or merchandise from England, there would be a consignment to one or more of the
wealthy colonists of a Doulton, or Worcester dinner or tea set. The merchants, who sometimes had orders for single pieces, could only supply their customers by importing a full set, and selling to particular persons the different articles required. It will be understood that the people generally were not included among the customers who bought "china ware" in those days. The good housewives had to be content with washing their wooden trench- ers, and polishing their pewter platters and flagons, or their cop- per tea kettles and milk pans, all the time perhaps wishing for the more easily cleaned pottery plates and bowls, owned by some of their wealthier neighbors.
It is on record that one young minister and his bride, received from her relatives, "at home in old England" a wedding present of a complete tea service. This was such an event in the parish that the women of the congregation organized a "surprise party" expressly to see and admire "them purty things her folks had sent
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all the way over here, just for them two to eat off of." The good wife who wrote this story to one of her grandchildren, added, "but next year your grandfather bought twice as many 'chiny dishes" for me, and they was a great comfort because it took no time at all to wash em."
China ware-or "pottery ware," was not an article of com- mon use in the parish of New Cheshire, and it is very doubtful if any of the families possessed a full set until after the Revolution- ary war, when a New Haven dealer advertised, on the 25th of November, 1784, that he had "Queens ware, well assorted, im- ported direct to New Haven." A month later when he had over- hauled his crates, he advertises "English china, cups and sau- cers." After that he advertises, "A large assortment of coarse stone ware in crates," "large round bottles holding near two quarts ; quart, pint, and half pint dittoes"; "with a discount to those who buy large quantities."
Five years later Samuel Dennis of New Haven applied to the Assembly for state aid to establish some pottery works, but his petition was negatived and the enterprise was abandoned.
China ware was too expensive for general use for many years after the Revolution, and leather pails, wooden bowls, pewter dishes, mugs and water pitchers of wood and copper, or brass, continued in everyday use until after the beginning of this cen- tury. One or two of the enterprising men of New Cheshier were famous in New Haven and elsewhere for the excellent wooden bottles they manufactured. They were esteemed for being so "light and handy" when New England rum or hard cider was to be carried into the mowing field or upon a horseback journey.
The war with the French, now virtually ended, had borne heav- ily upon the inhabitants of Connecticut, and in particular on the parish of New Cheshire, which paid almost as great a burden of taxation as the parent town of Wallingford. A large number of the French war prisoners had been quartered here and when the town could get no help from the Assembly they "impowered the selectmen to Proceed with the French People: : as with other Towns poor : : respecting binding them out :&c."a grand
King George the Second was dead, and his son George the
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Third, then 20 years old, was crowned in 1761. His accession to the throne of England may be said to have caused the Colonial Rebellion through the dissatisfaction of the New England colo- nies over "Orders in Council" and the arbitrary acts of the Eng- lish Government in saddling upon the American Colonies the greater part of their expenditures during the late war, and besides this, taxing all the people in many ways contrary to the letter and spirit of the colonial charters.
In the Parish of New Cheshier there were no doubt as many grumblers as elsewhere. One of them, Ebenezer Fisk, had (in Feb- ruary, 1760, cited the Parish to answer a memorial he proposed to send to the next session of the Assembly. On the 8th of May, 1760, "The question being put to ye society whether they would apoint anny person to Represent them before ye honorable gen- naral Asembly to answer ye citation &c" * * "Ye an- swer was in ye Afirmmative : : by thare voat made choyce of Captn Benjn Hall Esquier and Captn Samuel Hulls to represent them : : * and shew our resons why and wherefore ye memoril of ye sd memorialee should not be granted."
At the May session of the Assembly, 1760, this affair was dis- posed of by the passage of the following act:
"Upon the memorial of Ebenezer Fisk, representing that his dwelling house and buildings where he now lives is situate on a tract of land called 'The Purchase,' between the original bounds of the towns of Farmington and Wallingford, on the west side of the country road that runs North and South which tract had been heretofore by Act of Assembly annexed to the Parish of New Cheshier, and under the regulation of the town of Wallingford : and that the same lyes adjoyning to ye south bounds of the said town of Farmington, and parish of Southington ; that the same is remote from the place of public worship in the said parish of New Cheshier, and near the place of public worship in said par . ish of Southington ; that other of the said 'Purchase' land lying Eastward of said road (much of which belongs to the Memor- ialist), is already within said parish of Southington and under the regulation of the said town of Farmington, and that it would
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
greatly ease the Memorialist and be most accommodable on all accounts to him to have the aforesaid tract (whereon he lives) an- nexed to said society of Southington and to be under the regu- lation of the town of Farmington : It is therefore resolved by this Assembly that the aforesaid tract of land * lying Westward of the country road, and between that and the river called Tenn Mile River, in quantity about seventy acres, be the same more or less, be, and the same is hereby annexed to the said society of Southington, and the same land and all persons that do or shall dwell thereon shall be in all respects under the regulation of the town of Farmington, both with respect to duty and priviledge, as though they had been originally within their grant and patent ; and also shall be included within the limits of the South military company in the said society of Southington ; any former order or act of this assembly notwithstanding."
This Act probably took away from Cheshire the tract of land where is now the village of Milldale, and subsequent acts trans- ferred to Farmington the land between the west peak of the Hanging Hills and our present Cheshire street.
In this same year Joseph Moss (a great-grandson of John Moss, one of the pillars of the first church in Wallingford), gath- ered together some of his neighbors in the Parish of New Chesh- ier and read to them on the Sabbath day, and at other times, the service of the Church of England, expounding to them its doc- trines.This was scandalous to many persons in the parish, but it does not appear that Mr. Moss or his followers were seriously molested in their worship. Three years before this, some Episco- palians in Wallingford had permission to erect a church near Pond Hill, "on the west side of "Mix's" lane: : not to obstruct his Majestys Subjects." Rev. Mr. Dana and Rev. Mr. Hall do not appear to have opposed strenuously these church establishments, and as the worshippers continued to pay "Ministers Rates" of the orthodox church ; "his majestys subjects were not obstructed."
Mr. Moss bought the land on which the Episcopal church now stands ; and by the help of others erected a small building for church service. Afterward he bought additional land adjoin- ing, which he deeded to the Wardens of St. Peter's Parish for
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
"£7.10.00" and "for love and good will to the Church of the ever blessed Redeemer." For many years thereafter he was the lay reader and clerk of the Episcopal church he had been in- strumental in establishing.
The male inhabitants of the village at the date of the follow- ing tax list are probably all therein named as well as some not living in the parish, but who paid ministers rates for the New Cheshier clergyman.
The figures placed after each name in this list, is the amount in pounds upon which each person was assessed. The estates of the different individuals will indicate their wealth at this time. In all there are 270 "heds." Those who had served in the Army were not listed.
TAX LIST FOR MINISTERS' RATE.
Society of New Cheshier in Wallingford, Colony of Connecticut for ye year 1762. Reuben Atwater, Collector.
ATWATER-Abraham 95, John 23, Margaret 19, Samuel 45, Moses Jr 54, Ruben 55, John Jr 100, Stephen 90, Phynias 135, Benjamin 59, Enos 128, Moses 58, Elihu 29, Joseph 20, Caleb 59, Thomas 69.
ANDREWS-Enos 72, Amos 15, Benjamin 78, Elizabeth 4, Jon- athan 40, Jehial 58, Abel 18, Ruth 10, Elnathan 98, Sam- uel 35, Amos Jr 34, Daniel 40.
BEACH-Samuel 69, John 17.
BEECHER-Isaac 39, Elizabeth 8.
BENHAM-Joseph 70, Uri 30, John 62.
BECKWITH-Ranold 41.
BELAMY-Rachel 59, Moses 109, Aaron 80.
BARNS-Stephen 13, David 35, Dimon 39, David Jr, 12.
BRISTOL-Elizabeth 50, Thomas 30, Amos 73.
BLACKLEY (Blakesly) -Jonathan 49.
BUNNEL-Nathaniel 43, Abner 85, Ebenezer 91, Rachel 3, widoe. BROOKS-David 6, Enos Jr 53, Henry 96, Joshua 53, Moses 21,
Cornelius 172, Samuel 27, Thomas Jr, 39, Enos 142, Thomas 48, Ledya (Lydia) 3.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
BUR-Joseph 46.
BRADLEY-Samuel 29, Moses 59, Abner 3.
BADGER-John 46.
CLARK-Stephen 93, William 62, Enos 7, Andrew 13.
CURTIS-Nathan 6, Ethan 26, Jeams 61, Thomas 102, David 33, Gideon 52.
Cook-Samuel 96, "A" Cook 12, Ebenezer 38, Ashbel 20, Aaron 130, Ephraim Jr 17, Ephraim Sr 78, Elam 35, Thadeus 168, John 42.
CowLS (Coles)-Joshua 100.
CRANFORD-George 21.
CORNWELL-Abijah 29.
CHAPMAN-Daniel 18 and 32.
DOOLITTLE-Phylemon 47, Charles 37, Abraham Jr 51, Moses 154, Ambros 94, Abraham Sr 19, Eli 52, Ebenezer Jr 58, Ebenezer Sr 72, Amos 86, Caleb 148, Benjamin 39.
DUTTON-Benjamin 114.
DURAND-Andrew 63.
DORCHESTER-Jeams 7.
FORD-Nathan 47.
GALORD -- Benjamin 66, Nathan 60.
GRANNIS-Caleb 57.
GRAVES-John 21.
GRIGGS-Jacob 36, Isaac 88, Samuel 5.
HALL-Benjamin 163, C. Chauncey 114, John 245, Timothy 120, Joseph 96, Elisha 18.
HITCHCOCK-Jotham 83, Benjamin Sr 97, Benjamin Jr 89, Na- thaniel 31, Eliakim 48, Daniel 85, Titus 42, Elizebeth 8, John 81, Peter 58, Amos 37, Matthias Jr 33, Matthias 17, Jason 63, Caleb 3, Valentine 20.
HIND (Hine)-Ambrose 46.
HENDRICK-William Sr 73, William Jr 26.
HILLS-Nathan 52. HUDSON-Lot 29. HUMISTON-Daniel 103.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
HOTCHKISS-Joseph Jr 21, Daniel Jr 47, John 3d 59, Jeams Sr 97, Daniel Senr 88, Henary Jr 42, Joseph Sr 46, Jason 93, Amos Senr 66, Amos Jr II, Asa 38, Stephen 83, Gideon 20, Jeams Jr 38, Henary 144, John 2d 59, Josiah 109, Joshua 57, Elijah 29, Benjamin 62, John Ist 104, Timothy 21, Wait 8.
HULLS-Andrew 140, Miles 86, Samuel Senr 172, John 99, Caleb 119, Samuel Jr 101, Samuel A 3rd 54.
IVES-Zachariah 104, Joseph 84, Nathan 107, Margery 83. Enos 54.
LAW-Jahleel 102.
LEWIS-Barnabas 30, Jacob 69, Doct Benjamin 63, Caleb 36.
LINES-Ralph 43.
MATTHEWS-Aaron 123, Samuel 46, Amos III, Joseph Jr 22, Joseph Sr 84, Abel 54.
MARTIN-Robert 26, Jeams 27.
MERIAM-Samuel 60, Silas 32, Jehial 65, Abraham 25.
MONSON-Obadiah Sr 56, Marian 99, Obadiah Jr 54.
Moss-Benjamin 28, Joseph Jr 19, Nathan 114, Barnabas 68, Timothy 16, Josiah 99, Joseph 190, Jessee 104, Moses 73, Titus 45, Samuel 127, Keziah 6, Jabez 15.
NUTON-(Newton) Thomas Sr 124, Thomas Jr 36, Joseph 45. PARKER-Aaron 29, Ebenezer 42, Edward Sr 61, Edward Jr 76, Joseph 54, Susannah 33.
PERKINS-Joseph 64.
PECK-John 117, Charles 40.
PRINDEL-Ebenezer 18.
POTER-John 10.
POND-Gad 27.
ROYCE (Rice)-John 62, Nathaniel 77, Samuel 131.
SANFORD -- Andrew 17, Nathan 6.
SPERY-Abel 57, William 21, Israel 25, Joseph 38.
STREET-John 99 and 21.
STEVENS-Hubbell 25.
SMITH-John Jr II, Josiah 31, Asa 34, Neamiah 15, Ephraim 56, Timothy 49, Ezekel 25, John Sr 33, Joseph III, Daniel 72, Thomas 24.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
TUTTLE-Ephraim 201, Moses 89, Ebenezer 44.
TALMADGE-Josiah 34. THOMAS-Enoch 74, Lovewell 33. THOMSON-Samuel 120.
TWIST (Twiss)-Joseph 13.
TYLER-Thomas 75, Isaac Senr 141, Isaac Jr 24, Nathan 33, Enos 47.
UPSON-Josiah 8, Daniel IO. WHEELER-William Senr 56, William Jr 30. WEBB-Jonathan 25. WILKERSON-Allen 15. WILLIAMS-Jeams 40, Aaron 33. YALE-Job 58.
"The sum Total of ye List of N Cheshier "Ye year 1762 is £ 16258:15 :s:03 :D "Which at I and a happenny on the Pound "Amounts to £IOI : : 12 :s:03 :D.
"for which ye Collector of Ye Ministers Rate
"Stands Justly Charged- "Reuben Atwater Collector."
"Ot a meeting of ye Sociaty of New Cheshire held on Dec. 6th, A. D., 1763, voted that such persons In or neare ye Center of said Sociaty shall have Liberty to Buld a scool house, on ye green, near ye meeting house and shall have ye ould scool house to us whatt they see cause to buld ye new one with."I
It was next agreed, in 1765, "to cover the fore side of the meet- ing house roof with ceder shingles and New Roof boards," and "they made choyce of Samuel Beach for society's clerk." He was the son-in- law of Rev. Mr. Hall, had graduated at Yale Col-
IThe "green" here alluded to is the triangular piece of ground where the Town hall now stands, and the new "scool house" was erected close to the road nearly opposite the present residence of Henry Beadle. It, or its successor, stood there within the memory of many perons now living. The late Mr. Bronson Alcott taught school in this building, or its successor.
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lege a few years before, and was a man of much ability. At this time the increasing infirmities of the venerable pastor occasioned the settlement as a colleague with him, of the Rev. John Foote of Branford. He was a recent graduate of Yale, and being ac- ceptable to all concerned, the following year he married Mr. Hall's youngest daughter, Abigail, and continued thereafter as . the associate of his father-in-law, until, in due course of time, he became full pastor of the New Cheshier church.
It was about this time that the Town Meetings which were be- ing held in Wallingford, were attended by all the prominent men of the New Cheshier parish, and there is no doubt they made their voices heard, and their influence felt on the important ques- tions that agitated the people, not only of Wallingford, but throughout the Colony of Connecticut. The "Sons of Liberty" had been for some time actively engaged riding through the coun- try and rousing the inhabitants of every town to the necessity of holding meetings and protesting against the arbitrary orders of the English King and his Council.
At the town meeting held in Wallingford on Monday, Jan- uary 13th, 1766, the following vote in the handwriting of Mr. Samuel Beach is spread upon the minutes, headed
"YE STAMP ACT."
"WHEREAS it appears from Antient Records and other Me- morials of Incontestible Validity, that our Ancestors with a Great sum Purchased said Township: at their only Expense Planted : with great Peril possessed : and Defended the same :we were born Free :having never been in Bondage to any :an Inheritance of In- estimable Value.
Voted and Agreed that if any of said Inhabitants shall Intro- duce, Use or Improve :any Stampt Vellum : Parchment or paper, for which tax or Tribute is or may be Demandable : such Person or Persons shall Incurr the Penaltie of 20 shillings to be recovered by the Selectmen of said Town for the Time being for the use of the Poor of said Town.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
This order to continue in force until the next meeting of said inhabitants in Town Meeting."
At the same meeting votes were passed declaring that "the Dis- putes and Debates that frequently arise in ye Town meetings" regarding the action of the surveyors of the highways, "the Bad- ness of the public roads," "encroachments on highways," etc., and instructing the selectmen to fix the limits of each surveyor, and annually prepare a list of suitable persons to serve as such, and appoint a committee to remove obstructions.
The next town meeting held on the 30th of January, 1766, de- clared that the "Method of Voting for a Town Clerk shall be by papers, with his name fairly written." A month later "voted that Each Society make a nomination of thare Town officers to be Presented to the Town in there Annual Town Meeting in De- cember"; and that "the oaths be administered as by Law ap- pointed." Two months after this it was "Voted to expose the Poor at Public Vendue :to who will do it cheapest by the Week Month or year."
It does not appear that at any of these frequent town meetings the Stamp Act resolutions were repealed, and we may infer that the disturbances at New Haven and elsewhere in the colonies were fully endorsed by the Wallingford people; until the ob- noxious papers were finally sent back to England, and their sale in the colonies no longer authorized.
The following three or four years furnish us with abundant evidence that the inhabitants of New Cheshier Parish attended all the Wallingford Town meetings, and continued to manifest a decided opposition to every obnoxious measure of the English Government.
In common with other Connecticut towns, Wallingford op- posed, through Captain Macock Ward, its only representative in the Assembly, the enactment at the January, 1767, Assembly, quartering upon the Connecticut Colony of two officers and one hundred and thirty-four of "his majesty's recruits from Ger- many." The rates fixed by the English authorities for the sub- sistence of these men being very low, the Assembly enacted that
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
all persons on whom soldiers were billeted should receive out of the Treasury of the colony (in addition to the sum allowed by his majesty for their subsistence) enough "lawful money" to make the sum equal to five shillings (or 83 cents) per week for each soldier.
The Assembly cautiously worded their act so that it should prohibit the Hessians from carrying arms except on lawful duty ; and stated that if these men might be quartered in New Haven, Wallingford and Branford without detriment to his Majesty's service ; "His Honour the Govr. should give needful and specific orders to the authority of the towns according to law."
Wallingford and its parish of New Cheshier escaped this in- fliction, as appears by an account audited at the May session of the Assembly of 1767, directing the Treasurer to pay the towns of New Haven and Branford £ 100.07.04 "for billeting his Ma- jesty's forces quartered there."
Among other specifications in the Act of the Assembly each of these foreign soldiers was to have either "five pints of small beer or cider" or, in lieu thereof, "half a pint of rum mixed with a quart of water," as his per diem allowance, with his other rations.
The inhabitants of New Cheshier were now probably so im- bued with the spirit of "Liberty" that they determined to try again for "town privileges," that they might impose upon them- selves whatever taxes an independent existence might require. Accordingly they presented to the December town meeting at Wallingford, the "memorial" which is given in the following record :
"At an adjourned Town meeting in Wallingford January 2d 1770 meet according to adjournment.
"Whereas the Inhabitants of the Parrish of New Cheshire in said Town by their Agents Presented a memorial to said Town in the words following viz: (said Memorial was presented at the annual meeting in December 1769)
"To the Inhabitants of the Town of Wallingford in Town meeting assembled December 19th Ano Domini 1769. Gentlemen :
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
The memorial of the Inhabitants of the Parish of New Cheshire in said town by their Agents Nathaniel Moss, Reubin Atwater and Eliakim Hitchcock Humbly sheweth that we your Memorial- ists Having had the favour of said town in the year Ano 1722 to be made a Distinct Ecclesiastical Society, not Because we was then sufficiently Abel to support the Burthen of it, But Because of our Distance and Badness of Travil in coming to Town, in consequence of which Doings the General Assembly in May Ano 1723 made a grant of Parish Priviledges to your Memorialists, since which time your Memorialists have under the Favour of Providence Increased in number and also in their List to exceed many of the Towns in this Colony, which hath greatly increased the burden of Travel in coming to town on all Neadfull occasions & more Especially as our Settlements are Increasing Greatly over the West Rocks where we expect a Parish will be made hereafter Whose travel many of you gentlemen Know to be very Bad as well as the Distance of about twelve miles, those that are at Extream Parts, (at Least) under which Circumstances you Gentlemen will Easealy see a great many of the Inhabitants must be unable to at- tend on their Duty at Town, and more Especially in the Inclem- ent Seasons of tthe Year, all which Increasing Burthens said Inhabitants have endured for the space of Forty-six years at Least since made a society : and some Long before that Time, all which matters Gentlemen wee hope you will take into your wise and candid consideration and vote your free consent said society of New Cheshire should be made into a Distinct Town-with such Privileges as the General Assembly shall see cause to Invest them with : : all which Favours we with the more Confidence have the Boldness to Request Because we apprehend you will consider that in Lesning the Body which by Reason of its Leargeness is be- come unweildy in many Respects will naturally Lessen the Bur- den of the whole:all which matters Gentlemen with what else may Easily accrue to your minds in the Premises aforesaid we hope you will take into your Frindly and wise Consideration and
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
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