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 13
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In the meantime the Massachusetts Colony, with its Committee of Safety, had organized a series of operations against the enemy,
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and military officers in the service of the various colonies marched into that state at the head of their respective troops. These forces were sufficiently numerous, twenty thousand in all, and fairly well equipped, but lacking a supreme commander, they fought the battle of Bunker Hill under circumstances which could not fail to lead to disaster.
Then Washington was appointed by Congress as commander- in-chief of all the armies, and proceeded to Boston where he soon brought the undisciplined troops into order, and efficiency, to be afterwards adopted by Congress as "a Continental Army." While this was going on, the Congress at Philadelphia prepared their celebrated "Declaration of Independence," to which is at- tached the signature of Lyman Hall of Georgia, who was born in Wallingford, a nephew of Rev. Samuel Hall of New Cheshier parish. A short time before this document was promulgated Congress had ordered the arrest "as a virulent enemy of this country," of Governor William Franklin of New Jersey (son of Benjamin Franklin, then the agent of the American Colonies in Great Britain). Governor Franklin was sent under guard to Governor Trumbull at Lebanon, where his parole was taken, and then he was brought to Wallingford. He remained a prisoner under surveillance here for some time, and was then allowed to reside in Middletown. At this latter town he became very dis- agreeable ; wrote disrespectful letters to the governor, was locked up without pens, ink and paper and finally sent to Litchfield jail.
On the 5th of July the "Declaration" was read to the army at New York. That night, an equestrian statue of King George, located at the Bowling Green, was upset, and its nose chopped off by some of the "Sons of Liberty." Having found out that the image of the King was made of lead, the next night it disap- peared entirely, to re-appear within two weeks in several bulky pieces at the residence of General Oliver Wolcott in Litchfield, Conn. The General, afterwards Governor, concealed the statue in his orchard, and with an axe he secretly chopped it up; con- veyed the lumps into his kitchen, where his sons, and some other reliable patriots moulded the melted lead into bullets. There is a record in the Governor's handwriting of the number of cart-
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ridges made by the patriotic young women of Litchfield, whose names are mentioned, and whose labor was cheerfully given, dur- ing many weeks; affording them and their lovers all the fun and frolicking of a corn husking. The cartridges were made up in packages of a dozen each, and altogether 42,088 bullets were re- turned in salutes to his majesty's soldiers, frequently accompan- ied by remarks informing the enemy what a good king he was to furnish his colonies with so much ammunition !
We believe the young people of New Cheshier parish enjoyed themselves equally well in patriotic diversions. There were spin- ning bees, and knitting contests ; and there is no doubt a variety of sports were indulged in which resulted in sending needed sup plies to the army, and there is every evidence to show that not until this year was the "turret" of the parish church sufficiently strengthened to bear the strain of the 450 pound bell which was "voted" and perhaps purchased two years before.
On the 21st of January, 1777, a town meeting was held at which it was voted to supply "Tents" and other "Utensills for the army," and the selectmen were instructed to obtain whatever might be desirable for the use of the soldiers that had gone into the army. At this meeting it was also "Voted-that all Regular Prisoners that shall be stationed in Town : : that the Famelys where they are kept :shall not allow them to goe about or abroad without License from the Heads of said Familys." To this vote is added "A true Record. Test. Caleb Hall Town Clerk." There was a special meeting held on the 3Ist day of March, A. D., 1777, of the town of Wallingford, which the record says: "was regularly convened in the Parish of New Cheshier." So far as we know, this was the first time in the history of the vil- lage that the Wallingford and Meriden people had been obliged to come over here to attend a town meeting ; or be "fyned" the usual sum for non-attendance.
It was voted that the town would give a bounty to the soldiers already in the army, and they "Voted that Each Souldier that Engage in the continental service for the Quota of Walingford Shall be paid by the Town the Sum of five pounds Lawful money
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by the Year for three years unless Sooner Discharged : : to be paid the Beginning of each year."
A committee was appointed to take care of the "soldiers fami- leys," and a pest-house was provided for the victims of small- pox then prevalent both in the army and at home. Taxes were laid to meet the necessary expense of these town votes.
At another meeting held in Wallingford soon after this one, it was "Voted That the Families of all those who are Convicted of Toreism or Inimical to the States of America and the Heads of all the Familys that have absconded to Lord How, they and their Family shall be removed to Lord How. "It was also "Voted that the selectmen of the Town Secure the Estates of all those persons that are Inimical to the states."
In Wallingford and in the Parish of New Cheshier there were some of these people. Abiathar Camp, the Church of England preacher, was warned out of town by vote, and the selectmen were instructed to see that "Camp Abiathar Imediately depart said town." Zachariah Ives ( father of Rev. Reuben Ives), was under surveillance and there is exhibited a pass permitting him to go to Branford but to "return within eight days under penalty." James Benham said he was induced by designing men to enter the Brit- ish service. He was pardoned on condition of taking the Oath of Fidelity, and was discharged after paying the costs of capturing and imprisoning him.
Then the Oath of Fidelity was administered to all the male in- habitants of the town and its parishes, and those who evaded tak- ing it were made very uncomfortable.
On the Ist of October, 1777, the town "voted to comply with the order of the Governor and council providing cloathing, stock- ings, shoes, etc.," for the quota of soldiers in the Continental Army belonging to the town and a committee was appointed for the purpose. Jeremiah Atwater declined to serve.
Some of the items in the town accounts show that small sums of money were paid to sundry widow women who knitted stock- ings for the soldiers and other sums are mentioned for woolen yarn purchased for the "use of the town, to be improved for the soldiers." Leather was bought for a similar purpose.
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At the inception of this war the assembly enacted the "Law- ful money" should be gold reckoned at six shillings eight pence per ounce of silver. When they contracted for war materials the following prices prevailed :
Gun barrels, for the troops, each £ 1.04.00
Gun locks, for the troops, each £ 1.00.00
Gun stocks, for the troops, each £0.06.06
Bayonets, for the troops, each £0.06.00
Cartrich boxes, for the troops, each £0.01.00
Ramrods, for the troops, each £0.01.00
Leathern belts and hangers, for the troops, each £0.01.06
Total
£3.00.00
Or about $10.00 of present money for an outfit.
Minute directions were given as to the construction of those articles. The length of gun barrels, the bore, the locks, stocks, ramrods, etc., were to be made as ordered in the schedules given out. The same articles when sold by the makers "to particular persons" (that is at retail), cost about one-third more. After- wards a contract was entered into for "gun locks in quanities of fifty at ten shillings each, (each gun lock to have the name of the maker stamped upon it), and perhaps the prices were also re- duced upon gun barrels, stocks, etc.
A considerable bounty was offered by the Assembly to all who manufactured "good" gun barrels, gun locks, bayonets, cannon, and other war materials, the state establishing its own powder mills and offering a bounty for sulphur and saltpeter. Non- commissioned officers' swords were sold for 85 cents, while a bayonet cost $1.00 in our money. A drum with sticks and belt sold for $4.35. A fife for the army cost 45 cents ; axes for the army cost 80 cents ; a large copper kettle $6.00; brass kettles $3.50 ; large iron kettles $3.00 ; small iron kettles $2.00; fry pans 40 cents ; knives 20 cents each ; skillets 60 cents. A "knappsech" for the army cost 80 cents ; an army blanket was $1.50; a large homespun blanket cost $2.50 ; a yard of "blanketing cloath" was
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70 cents ; a yard of linen cloth was 50 cents; and "whitened" or cotton cloth "tent cloth" was the same price. A "broad coat" for the army $4.25; a uniform coat $3; a "waistcoat," long flaps, $2.00 ; pair of leather "britches" $4.25; "cloath britches "or small clothes $2.50; mittens 25 cents; stockings, all long ones, 88 cents ; pair of boots $2.50; shoes $1.00; making "a pair of britches" 85 cents ; making uniform coat $1.00 ; making a "waist- coat" 60 cents ; making a "broad" or overcoat $1.50. The pay for spinning was 15 cents a run ; and for weaving 18 and 20 cents a yard. For knitting a pair of stockings the old ladies got eight pence or 12 cents ; onions for the army 20 cents a peck. Powder per pound at the state mill was about 85 cents, and lead fluctuated from ten cents to twenty cents per pound. Cartridges were made by dropping a lead ball in the bottom of a roll of coarse paper, then filling the paper with powder, and twisting up the open end. When the soldier loaded, he bit or tore off the twisted end of a cartridge, poured some of the powder into the priming pan of his flintlock, and then dumped the rest, followed by the paper and bullet, into the barrel of his gun. This he rammed down and was ready for the enemy. Flints usually cost two pence each, and were inspected very closely and a premium of EIo was offered for saltpeter manufactured from materials found in the colony.
The prices here given have been reduced to the money of our time on the basis at which "provision pay" and "Spanish pieces of eight" or "milled dollars" were quoted. These silver coins were recognized as about the equivalent of an ounce of silver, generally reckoned at six shillings sterling, hard money value. "Congress money," so-called, was first issued in 1775. It was made a legal tender, but it soon began to depreciate, so that in 1780 £40 of it was only worth one of the "Spanish milled dol- lars." The state bills of credit, issued by Connecticut (under an act providing for a sinking fund), were of much greater pur- chasing value than "Congress money" in the town of Walling- ford and the parish of New Cheshier, while the "state money" of the other colonies was at a discount proportionate to the
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amount issued and the understood chances of eventual redemption.
For a year or two, the Wallingford people took the state bills readily at their face value, but by the time men were enlisted for "three years, or the war," the state money had dropped consid- erably below par ; and the most stringent enactments of the Con- necticut Assembly could not prevent its greater depreciation as compared with the ounce of silver or "provision paye."
In fact the gold and silver coins of this period were dealt in as "merchandize." The golden guineas, half guineas, and quar- ter guineas, very thin and of light weight, issued during the reign of George III. were bought and sold in the American col- onies by weight. The silver coins used were also reckoned and valued in ounces worth more or less than the mint stamp, accord- ing to circumstances and the supply or demand.
On the 4th of December, 1777, the town of Wallingford held a meeting to dispose of "Eighty one and a Half Bushells of Salt, brought from Boston by the selectmen and set off to Wal- lingford
"Voted, to divide ye parish of New Cheshier to have their parts by their List * * Parish of Meriden by their List * * ** Men were appointed to receive the salt, "every £1000 in the list" to be accounted "one Hed" in the salt division which Oliver Stanley was authorized to make. Two weeks later it was
"Voted, The wifes of the soldiers in the Continental service be clear from paying the Bounty rate for the soldiers."
"Voted, To sell enough salt to pay for bringing it from Bos- ton and the remainder be distributed to Soldiers Familys and poor of the Town."
The Continental Congress had submitted to the Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut its "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union." This document was discussed at a "Regular" meeting and an adjourned meeting held in Wallingford January 20th, 1778. At the first meeting a committee had been appointed to consider the plan and report. This committee was composed of Samuel Beach, Reuben Atwater, and Timothy Hall, on the part of New Cheshier parish, and Samuel Street, David Hall,
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Caleb Cooke, Andrew Andrews, Deacon Ebenezer Cowles, and Deacon John Hough for Wallingford and Meriden. This com- mittee, after due deliberation, reported at the adjourned meeting some "Instructions to Col. Street Hall and David Brooks, the representatives from Wallingford in the Assembly." These "Instructions," which were drawn up by Samuel Beach, one of the committeemen from New Cheshier, cover several pages of the town records. While it agrees in the main with the plan proposed by Congress, it "instructs" the representatives of the town to present its "Dissent" to the English article, which re- lated to the method of "Levying taxes, and the proportion to be paid by the different colonies." The committee suggests to the Assembly a substitute, for the eighth article, and its report was unanimously adopted in town meeting, spread upon its minutes, and a copy ordered to be sent to the town's representatives at Hartford. It is noteworthy that the Wallingford "Dissent" was virtually adopted by the Assembly; and the Connecticut Repre- sentatives in Congress did not assent to all the "Articles of Con- federation" that had been submitted. They were amended and re-amended until later on, the "Constitution of the United States" was duly ratified.
At this same town meeting in Wallingford, the vote on "Salt" was reconsidered, and a vote directs "the remainder of said Salt, be sold at public vendue" ; also "Voted. That no man has Liberty to bid at said Vendue that is not an Inhabetant of this Town, and that has not taken the oath of Fidelity : : and that no man shall bye more than halfe a Bushell of said salt."
At another meeting, in 1779, it was voted "that the selectmen should view the old Powder house and repair the same, or oth- erwise build a New One to put the Town stores in." The bounds between Farmington and Wallingford were to be peram- bulated, and New Cheshier men put on the committee ; and then, at another meeting, it was voted to agree to the settling line be- tween the "towns of Wallingford and Southington" which had been incorporated a town in October, 1779.
On the 26th of June, 1780, while the town of Wallingford and the parish of New Cheshier were holding other important meet-
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ings, the town "Voted, that whosoever Demands more for any Marchandize Labour, or any other article than He or They shall Demand in Hard Money, or shall refuse to receive or Pass the money lately emitted by the General Assembly of this state for any greater Discount than he or they would for Hard Money : : He or They shall be deemed as trampling on the Publick Faith and we will withdraw our Commerce from him and Esteem him unfriendly to his Country. Voted in the affirmative. Test, etc."
Such a declaration had seemed to be necessary by the difficulty in collecting taxes, which were exceedingly onerous. Constables were allowed extra pay when they succeeded in gathering in any of the overdue rates, and many complaints were made against the laws passed by the Assembly "fixing by law, the market prices of the very necessities of life"; which were impressed by the authorities for the use of the soldiers, who were thus pro- tected from any very great disturbance of values, while the spec- ulators or "inimical persons," accumulated stores of needed ar- ticles and greatly enhanced the prices to those who were com- pelled to buy for their own subsistence.
It does not appear that the Legislative authority was able to check these irregularities to any great extent, and so the people themselves took up the matter and in this way sought to better the condition of things. It is possible they obtained some relief, and no doubt the traders were taught many severe lessons be- fore they realized fortunes during these troublous times.
In December of the year 1779 the inhabitants of New Chesh- ier parish again discussed the desirability of trying once more to secure town privileges, and at an adjourned meeting held De- cember 16, 1779, in New Cheshier, "Voted to Petition the town of Wallingford to Set of said Parish a Destinct town. Voted Reuben Atwater and Samuel Beach Esquiers and Timothy Hall : to Present a memorial to the old town for to set off said Parish for a Destinct Town." The meeting adjourned "to ye last Mon- day in ye Present Desember 2 o'clock ye afternoon."
This vote was carried by the Committee to the town of Wal- lingford. The further proceedings are best told in the following extracts from the records :
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At an annual Town Meeting in Wallingford Dec. 21st Anno Domini 1779.
Whereas the Parish of New Cheshire by their agents brought their memorial to said Town that the Society of New Cheshire might be made into a Destinct Town with such priviledges as the General Assembly shall see cause to Invest them with as other Towns are Vested with in this state.
Whereupon said town chose a committee of the Following Gentlemen viz Capt Stephen Andrews & Deacon David Hall Col Thaddeus Cooke Majr Reuben Atwater Timothy Hall Deacon Ebenezer Cowles Samuel Johnson & Samuel Beach Esq to con- fer on said memorial & to make their Report to the next meeting Adjourned to the 7th of February 1780-
The next meeting held 7th February 1780. The committee appointed Dec. 21st 1779 having reported favorably it was Voted that the Parish of New Cheshire shall have our approba- tion to be made a town on condition the Committee hereafter to be appointed by said Town shall agree on the Dividing Line, Division of the Poor of said Town, Military Stores of sd Town & Bridges to the acceptance of sd Town in town meeting Legally assembled. Chose Col Thaddeus Cook-Capt Stephen Andrews Cole Street Hall-Timothy Hall-Samuel Beach Esq-Major Reuben Atwater Deacon Ebenezer Cowles-Samuel Johnson and Capt Abraham Stanley to be a committee on said affair and make their Report to said Town.
The next Town meeting held in Wallingford by adjournment on Monday 17th day of April, 1780-
The Committee appointed by said Town relative to the Parish of New Cheshire being made a Town made their report to said meeting in the following manner viz-
At an adjourned Town meeting in Wallingford on the first Munday of February 1780 we the subscribers being appointed by the said Town a committee to agree on the Dividing Line, Division of the Poor and military stores of said Town and the Bridges on the River, Beg leave to report our Doings thereon which are as follows-viz.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
BEGINNING at New Haven line in the Highway that runs from thence northward by Col Thaddeus Cook to Lieut John Beadles house, from thence westerly in the highway till it comes to the original south east corner of Matthew Bellamys Farm, from thence northward a strait line to a heape of stones by Highway near where John Parker 2d formerly lived from thence north- wardly to a heap of stones in Highway sopose (supposed), to be the South East corner of Bristol farm and thence northerdly to a heap of stone at the highway at the south east corner of Ensign Moses Atwaters Farm, thence Northerly in said high- way till it come to the cross highway that leads by said Atwaters house and from thence north eastwardly a strait line to a chest- nut tree in the highway Eastward of Lieut Joseph Newtons barn-from thence a strate line Northwardly a cross part of the Hulls farm (so called) to the bend in the New Highway south west of where Capt Moses Roys now lives and from thence round as the Highway runs North and Westwardly to the Bridge a cross Mr Ephraim Houghs Mill Pond-
and from thence a cross the River taking in the whole of the said Bridge into the bounds of New Cheshire to be by them main- tained forever and continue westwardly as the Rode runs untill it comes to the original East line of Thomas Matthews farm and from thence Northwardly in said East line to a heape of stones by Highway East of Amos Parkers dwelling house from thence Eastwardly to Joseph Curtis original South east Corner from thence Northwardly in the strait line to the split rock (so called) that is said Curtis north east Corner, from thence Northwardly to a large black oak tree in the town line with stones about it called William Hendricks north east Corner all which shall be a dividing line between the Town of Wallingford and the new pro- posed Town of New Cheshire-
and also agreed that new Cheshire to Build and maintain a good cart Bridge a crost the Main River in the highway that runs from Benjamin Yales westward to Stephen Clarks and Samuel Cooks in New Cheshire Parrish-and that New Cheshire shall have the equal proportion of military stores that belong to
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the town according to their Iists the said parish of New Cheshire paying their part of the arrearages-
New Cheshire likewise to take there part of Town poor Di- vided by the list, and there names annexed as follows, viz :
Widow Elizabeth Cook, Mary Hayton, John Lawrance New- berry and his wife, Archible Rice, Betty Pecke, Rachel Bunnel, John siday Benoni Bristol, Rhoda Clark, Saml Burr, Priscilla Justin, Phebe Hall & two youngest children, Sarah Cowles, the eldest child of Thomas Janes.
Providing that wherever the dividing line shall strike the high- way betwen the town of Wallingford and the new proposed town of new Cheshire the one half shall be maintained by the town of Wallingford and the other half by New Cheshire as hereafter shall be divided by the selectmen of each town.
Also that all those who have heretofore obtained certificates from the selectmen of the Town of Wallingford and are absent in an other town if Returned again & become chargeable shall be divided according to the list as other town poor have been in this Report-
Thaddeus Cook Reuben Atwater Street Hall Stephen Andrews Ebenezer Cowles Samuel Beach Timothy Hall Samuel Johnson Abraham Stanley Jr
Committee
After the Parish of New Cheshire was separated from the old society and Meriden
Voted to accept of the Report of the Committee aforesaid, and also Voted that we are freely willing that the Parish of New Cheshire be made a Town
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and also the Parish of New Cheshire being seperate voted to accept of the Report of the Committee aforesaid
A true Coppy of Record
Test Caleb Hall Clerk
At an adjourned meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parish of New Cheshier held on "ye 18th day of April 1780 being con- vened : : Voted to accept ye Doings of ye Committy appointed to assertain ye Line Between ye town of Wallingford & ye sosiaty of Cheshier : : Now petitioning to be maid a Destinct Town.
"Voted that the Sosiaty will prefer a memorial to the General Assembly of this state in their present Session or in their ses- sions in May next to be A Destinct town :with all the Privilidges and Immunities as other towns in this state are Vested with.
"Voted Samuel Beach and Reuben Atwater Esquier agents to Transact for said sosiaty in Petitioning the Honorable General Assembly for Town Privilidges Mr John Peck was afterward added to this committee.
"Voted that our agents that are chosen to Prefer A Memorial to the Present Honorable General Asembly of this state: : in this Present session or in May next : : shall have Power to imploy Counsel if they think Proper."
This committee from New Cheshier at the May session pre- sented to the Legislature a copy of the votes taken at the town and parish meetings and a petition stating that "the town is nearly 18 miles long, has a tax list of £ 50,000 contains half the lands, and half the inhabetants, and would grow to be wealthy if relieved," etc., etc.
This petition was favorably acted upon and an Act of In- corporation duly passed.
The Act of Incorporation says :
"Upon the memorial of Samuel Beach, Reuben Atwater and the Rest of the Inhabitants of Cheshire * *" It then enumerates all the important parts of the foregoing agreement between the Town of Wallingford and the Parish of Cheshire, gives the latter parish the name of the town of Cheshire.
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