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 4
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In this same year John Moss had been appointed and "impowered to 'joyne persons in mariage,' administer oaths, etc., and was thereafter en- titled to be called 'Mister.'"
Mr. Moss was then an old man. The author of the Family History says
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
town, "to exchange thirty acres of land, in small parsells, for thirty akers of land on the west side of the river, former grants and hieways exsepted. In testimony hereof I have set my hand. John Hitchcok June 11th, 1697."
In attending to the business of settling what highways were needed on the west side of the river both John Parker and John Hitchcock had discovered that it was a region of great promise, and they took care to get some of it, as soon as they could secure surveyors to lay it out for them. Their neighbors found out this good thing, too, and it was not long before a small number of planters were located at the "West farms," and those farms were so popular that on April 28th, 1701, "The town declared by a vote that they would not dispose of or grant any more land, till the thurd Devision of land is layed out." They also, "seques- tered all land not already layed out in the bounds of the Ist Di- vision on ye west side of ye River."
This action on the part of the town resulted in preventing oth- er planters from settling in the south part on the west side of the river, at this time, particularly, as at the same meeting they voted they would have a "two rod highway with ye woods beloe Dr. Hull's field, for ye towns yuse." This gave an outlet in a northerly direction on the west side of the river, and as the troubles between France and England had been settled for the time being, the Planters were now left at liberty to abide wher- ever they chose to locate their houses.
It now seems evident that there had been an influx of new planters and inhabitants into the town of Wallingford, most of whom, with the sons and relatives of the original planters were seeking favorable locations on the west side of the river, unde- terred by such an incident as is told in the following :
"Wee, whose names are here under written, being pannelled as a Jury to view ye Corps of John Baker, doe give in our verdict
of the Mosses : "The place of his death is not reported. If he did not die at Wallingford, his death may have occurred at Jamaica, Long Island, at the residence of a daughter." His descendants are noted for their longev- ity, and there is an unauthenticated statement that Mr. John Moss died in Wallingford at the age of 103 years
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
under oath that we find nothing upon him that might be the Cause of his Death, but Providentially Drowning.
"Abraham Dowlittle, Sr., Nathaniel Royce, Samuel Brockett, Eliasaph Preston, Samuel Andrews, Jr., Abraham Dowlittle, Jr., Samuel Hall, John Atwater, Isaac Curtice, John Hitchcock, Eleazur Peck, Roger Tyler."
The poor man who was so "providentially drowned" was pos- sibly a victim of the imperfect modes of crossing "ye river." The fording places were frequently dangerous. The boats were either canoes or roughly built flat scows, while bridges had not yet been erected sufficiently strong for teams to pass over. We know that frequent freshets must have occurred, for the com- mittee in charge of the bridge building is warned "to see that ye timber got out for itt, att mill, is not carryed away by ye flud."
The records of this period of the town's growth now indicate that the tide was setting towards the northwestern reservation, for on the 28th day of April, 1701-2, the town voted :
"Thatt, they would have tow draft ways, one the weast side of ye river, one out by Bengeman Hulls, one to run to weastward to the south eand of the Brod Swomp, ye other at ye north eand of ye brod Swomp."
This last road opened up the present Cheshire street, and was followed up by later permissions to build cartways to the farms of various planters.
At the same town meeting, April, 1701-2, "The town voated they would have a hiway on ye weast side ye river from ye meadle bridg somewhear by Goodman beachs in ye most con- veniants place, over to the farms to the Eastard of the West Rocks-for foot persons and saddled horses, this way to be tow rodds wide where it is not already laid out."
By this vote the farmers on the west side of the river obtained increased facilities, with a direct road from the "Meadle" bridge at the town of Wallingford over to the farms in the valley of the Mill river to the eastward of the "WEST ROCKS," at that time the very appropriate title of the present town of Prospect. This road will now be recognized as the highway coming from the eastward and continuing across the hill, a little to the south of
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
the present Congregational church in Cheshire. By subsequent votes it was widened and cartways from it granted to "ye par- ticular persons praying for ye same," for more "conveniant" ac- cess to their several farms at "ye fresh meddoes" and "ye Mill River." In some cases land was granted on the "weast side ye River" to those who would maintain a "sofishient hiway," the "timber to be common." In this way neighborhood set- tlements were encouraged at considerable distance from the parent town, and between 1701 and 1706 there was a consid- erable increase of population on the west side of the Blue hills. Then the town voted (Sept. 16th, 1706) to replace the old bridge (Humiston's probably) by a "horse bridge over the river in ye most convenient place." Jacob Johnson and John Parker were chosen "fence viewers for particular enclosures on ye weast side of ye River," and in 1707 Nathaniel Hitch- cock was chosen "surveyor of Hiways for the weast side ye River," and at the same meeting it was voted to go on with the work of the "Meadle bridge," and appointed "a Comite to look after the getting out of timber." On the 30th day of December, 1707-8, the town voted :
"Thatt there shall be a twenty rodd hiway from the hieway that was stated to John Cooks, Joseph Ives, and Benjamin Beach's in the most convenient places,"I and at the September 1708-9 meeting "voated" an addition to this highway "through our bownds, four or five rodds wide, joyning New Haven line."
This road began at the Meadle bridge and took a west by south line directly over to the settlements at the West Farms and the "Fresh Meaddoes," about three miles south of the present center of the town of Cheshire.
At the 27th "December" meeting 1709-10, same year, "ye town voted that the hiway on ye weast side of ye River that goes to Stony River, thatt takes off ye south weast corner of Docttur Hull's land and the addition that Capt. Yale has laid out for itt, at the North East corner shall be as now the town has stated itt."
IThis was the highway that had been voted in 1692, and had been the most traveled road to the West Farms, where the persons named and others had been located for some ten years, or since the close of the In- dian troubles.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
These several "town votes" opened up that part of the town of Wallingford lying between the Quinnipiac River, and the "West Rocks" or Prospect.
The highway voted at the town meeting of December 27th, 1709-10, gave an impetus to the settlement of Cheshire Street and the North Farms, which now began to rival the settlements at the West Farms, and on the Mill River or southern end of the town. The records show that about this time the surveyors were busy "laying out" land to men whom the town voted "as desire- ing to improve itt." They gave preference in all cases to the "hairs" and grown up sons of the original proprietors; and in every vote admitting new inhabitants, they were very careful to specify the footing upon which these new men were placed. They jealously guarded their titles of proprietors to the lands they had obtained under the terms of the "Articles of Agree- ment" with the New Haven Committee of 1669-70, and they ap- plied to the May Courte of 1712 sitting at Hartford for a "deed of release, and quit claim" of and in the lands to the Proprietors of and within the town of Wallingford. The Courte granted the petition and such a deed was executed to them by the "Honourable the Governour and the Secretaries signing and sealing the same."
This was an important act, conferring as it did the land title given by the New Haven Colony, and settling for the time, some vexed questions in regard to the right of an "Inhabetant" to claim a share of land whenever the several "devisions" were made.
To obtain a clear idea of how these disputes arose, it will be in order to mention the case of William and Mary Tyler.
It appears that on the 23d of April, 1705, they sold "102 akers" of Second Division land "called the Lothrop farm," lying one mile from the New Haven Mill river and "eight acres" adjoining "layed" out on the east side of this farm. It was well under- stood at the time, that William and Mary Tyler did not convey a "Proprietor's right" in selling this land. It was only a small portion of the land that had belonged to some of the numerous Lothrop heirs and the title by which it passed into the possession
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
of the new purchaser is clearly set forth by the vote taken ten months later. "Att an ajurned town meeting the ninth January, 1706-7, the town admeated Thomas Broox an inhabetant upon thatt land he purchest."
We have a list of 23 other persons admitted as "Inhabetants"; some of whom claimed rights in Land Divisions, which were never allowed; and on June 16th, 1714, the Proprietors voted "not to admit the right" of William and Mary Tyler and others who had bought land. Later the Assembly at Hartford by enactments made from 1729 to 1735, settled effectually the land disputes between the town "Proprietors," and the town "Inhabe- tants," and the latter could no longer claim ownership in the un- divided lands of the Proprietors.
On January 10th, 1709-10, the town Proprietors voted "that the List that was made for the year 170I should be entered upon ye records because it was ye list that our Thurd Devision was layed out upon.
"The reason of entering this list was becas our thurd de- vision was laid out upon this :- an acar to every pound in this list, only prentis and servants Heads exempted."
The List of Wallingford Proprietors, as then given, and as it had been added to up to the date of February 12th, 1712-13, when the Town "voated thatt the Proprietors of Wallingford were the original settlers, and their hairs, and ye others thatt were ad- meated as Planters ; and nott those admeated as Inhabetants by purchase, and so voated in Town Meeting."
That List, with the additions up to 1712-13 contains 154 names, and so far as can now be ascertained, represented every "Head" or his "hairs." It is as follows ; those names marked with an O are those to whom was allotted the first House lotts and River Lotts in 1670-1672.
A
Samuel AndrewsO Samuel Andrews, Jr. William Andrews Joseph Andrews Nathaniel AndrewsO
William Abnatha, Sr. (sometimes written Ebnatha)
William Abnatha, Jr. John Astain (Austin)
John Atwater James Aling ( Allen)
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
B
John BrockettO Joseph Benham SenrO Thomas Beach Isaac Beach Samuel Browne
Irenus Benham John Beach Senr.O Joseph Benham Jr.
John Beach Jr. Benjamin Beach Matthew Bellamy Richard BeachO John Brockett Jr. Samuel Brockett Jabez Brockett James Benham
C
Samuel Cook Sr.O Ebenezer Clark William Cook Joshua Culver Joseph Curtis Thomas CurticeO Henry Cook John Cook
Hugh Chappell Nathaniel Curtis William Cole Samuel Cook Jr.
Joseph Cook
Isaac Curtis Samuel Curtis
D
Abraham Dowlittle, Sr.O Samuel Doolittle
Ebenezer Doolittle
Abraham Doolittle Jr.
Joseph Doolittle Daniel Doolittle John Doolittle Theophilus Doolittle
F
Edward Fenn
William Fredricks
H
Samuel HallO Sergt Benjamin Hall David Hall Jonathan Hall
Jeremiah How Sr.O
Jeremiah How Jr. Matthew How Samuel How Dr. John Hull Francis Hendricks
William Holt Widows Joseph & Benja- min Holt John Hall Senr.O
John Hall Jr.
Daniel Hall
Daniel HopperO
Zachariah How Sr.O
Ephraim How Zachariah How Jr.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
John HarrimanO
Samuel Hough
Benjamin Hull
Nathaniel HowO
William Hendricks
Daniel How Elijah How
Joseph Holt
John Hoghkis
Thomas Hall Senr.O
Ebenezer Hull
Thomas Hall Jr.
John Hitchcock
Nathaniel Hall
Benjamin Holt
I
Joseph IvesO John Ives decest
Gidion Ives Nathaniel Ives
J
Walter Johnson
Jacob Johnson
L
Benjamin LewesO Samuel Lothrop Ebenezer Lewis
Ruth Lothrop "widdoe of John ye Miller" John Lothrop
M
John Mosse Senr.O Nathaniel Merriman Sr.O
Samuel Merriman Weadoe Merriman Jr. Samuel Munson Senr.O John MilesO John Mosse Jr.O Nathaniel Merriman Jr.O Caleb Merriman
John MixO Samuel Munson Jr.
Thomas Matthews
Mercy Moss
John Merriman Weadoe Merriman Senr.
Daniel Mix Joseph Munson Phillip Miner
P
Eliasaph PrestonO Samuel PotterO John Potter Joseph Parker John Peck Senr.O John Peck Jr.
John Parker Senr. Eliphalet Parker Eleazur PeckO George Pardey Senr. John Parker Jr.
Eleazur Holt
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
5I
R
Samuel Royce Senr.O Nathaniel RoyceO Samuel Roys Jr. Nehemiah RoyceO Joseph Roice
Benjamin Roys (Rice) Isaac RoyceO Robert Roise Thomas Richason
S
Revd. Samuel StreetO Samuel Elmer Street
Samuel Street Jr. Nicholas Street
T
Simon TuttellO Samuel ThorpO
Roger Tyler David TuttellO
Joseph Thomson
William Tyler Nathaniel Tuttell Walter Thomson John Tyler
W
Samuel Whittelsey James Westwood
Richard Wood William Ward
Y
Thomas YaleO
Capt. Theophilus Yale
These "Heads" as they were called in the foregoing list, were not perhaps all of them alive at the date mentioned, indeed we know that some of them were dead; but they were carried on the books of the town because there was still considerable land to be divided, and every "Head" or "hair" was entitled to its share.
So many of the living "Heads" resided on the west side of the river in the year 1711-12 that the townspeople of Wallingford divided their trainband into two companies, and then applied to the assembly at Hartford to confirm the act, which it promptly did at the October session, as follows:
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
"This Assembly do allow and approve of the division made of the companies or trainbands in the town of Wallingford, and do establish and confirm Capt. John Merriman to be captain, Mr. Joseph Doolittle to be Lieutenant, and Mr. Samuel Munson to be Ensign of the West Company, or train band in said town."
The "West Farmers" were now well equipped with the means of taking care of themselves. They had fence viewersI and highway surveyors of their own, and the town drum was or- dered to be beaten on the west side of the river, from North Farms to ye West Farms, "on thirdsday or friday morning, pro- claiming 'Town meeting ye next tusday eight o'clock,' shall be soficient warning for time to come for town meetings," in short, those on the west side were a community in themselves for all practical purposes, except the onerous obligation of attending town meetings, and going so far for church services on the Sab- bath day, under penalty of two shillings and sixpence for each omission, unless there was some "propper" or reasonable excuse.
They were also much annoyed by "ye townsmen" looking so closely after them, in the matter of "falling ye timber," and "en- croaching upon ye highways." It was, they thought, a great hardship to be compelled to build fences in their sparse communi- ties, and disputes were not infrequently settled by "knockdown ar- guments," which often ended in some public punishment being inflicted. They were also annoyed by the rates ("rats") levied up- on them, claiming that their farms were comparatively wild lands, infested by wolves, and other beasts of prey, while in the town center other farmers were not subjected to the depredations of wild animals, who frequently stole their sheep and destroyed their crops. Under all the circumstances we must admire the patience and fortitude of our ancestors who had settled on "ye weast side of ye Great River," and had brought under subjection so large a part of the wild lands belonging to the Town of Wallingford.
IFence viewers on ye weast side ye river-Jacob Johnson and Joseph Parker.
Surveyors of hiways-"for tother side ye river"-Joseph Andrews, Ire- nus Benham, Elaphalet Parker.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
The division of the Wallingford train band into the East and West train bands, did not necessarily imply that all the members or officers of the West company lived on the west side of the river. A number of men belonging to the West company lived, no doubt, within the present boundaries of Cheshire, but it seems quite proper to consider Cheshire as having its real beginning at this time.
CHAPTER THREE.
PERMANENT SETTLEMENT-DISCOVERY OF COPPER-ANOTHER DIVI- SION OF LANDS-SCHOOL AND CHURCH MATTERS.
It is not possible to obtain all the names of those early men who went out from the parent town of Wallingford and erected for themselves homes in the then wilderness of the present town of Cheshire; nevertheless, the records of Wallingford furnish at least a partial list of some of the pioneers who were at this time settled upon or cultivating land in the territory west of the Quinnipiac River, on the then undivided lands of the "Walling- ford Plantation."
Nor is it possible to accurately determine who, of this num- ber were the first to locate and build houses within the precincts of the present town of Cheshire. By reference to the several votes of the town of Wallingford, the names of various men are given, as having been delegated to lay out roads, look after tim- ber, perambulate the bounds, and report generally upon the landed property in the western part of the town, which was about to be divided among the "Proprietors and their heirs," and some of these men became settlers on the west side of the river, and erected the earliest houses in Cheshire.
It will be understood that while there were quite a number of settlers upon these lands, and although the land had been "layed out," they were not yet in possession of legal titles to the same, notwithstanding their occupancy. They were, however, recog- nized as having the first right to take up their lands as soon as a division could be arranged.
We may consider the following list of these men as approxi- mately accurate :
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
John Hitchcock, Samuel Cook Jr. Joseph Parker William Hendricks
Joseph Ives John Cook
Benjamin Beach John Hodgkiss Joseph Curtis
Francis Hendricks
Dr. John Hulls
John Parker
Joshua Culver John Tyler
Josiah Clark
Matthew Bellamy Thomas Matthews Nathaniel Andrews John Merriman
John Atwater Samuel Royce John Doolittle
Timothy Tuttle
Thomas Brooks
Thomas Welsheare
Josiah Hodgkis
John Lothrop
Joseph Tomson John Moss Jr.
Ebenezer Johnson
Stephen Hodgkis
Reading across the page, these names are given in the order in which the men appear to have become permanent settlers from 1696 to 1711-12. The land records of Wallingford locate eight- een of them at the West Farms ; eleven at the North Farms ; one at West Rocks, and two a mile or more east of the present church.
The farmers at the south end of the town, during this year, 17II-12, were greatly excited by the report of one John Parker, that he had found copper and perhaps other precious metals in the vicinity of his farm. This report, like all of a similar nature in any community, created considerable of a stir, and the "Pro- prietors of Wallingford" took prompt measures to protect their interests in this valuable find of minerals. They instructed their Representatives at Hartford to secure from the Generall Courte such legislation as would confirm to them and their heirs the full benefit that might accrue to them by reason of said copper mines being discovered within the boundaries of their town.
It was soon ascertained that these finds of copper were on the west side of the River about four miles west of the town proper, and upon the western slope of the hills to the eastward of the "West Farms" and as it seemed quite likely the enterprising farmers over there would lay claim to everything in the shape of minerals, within the confines of the land that had been laid out to them, a committee was appointed, an investigation was made, and at the May session of the General Courte of 1712 the follow- ing legislation was enacted :
Joseph Doolittle
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
"Whereas, there is a Copper Mine lately discovered at Wal- lengsford, in the undivided lands, which appertain to a certain number of proprietors, being the surviving antient inhabitants of said town and the heirs of such antient inhabitants, proprietors, who are deceased, together with such other person or persons who are admitted by common consent and agreement of the proprietors among themselves to a certain proportion of interest and right in the said mines ; and more such copper mines or other mines may be discovered within the township of Wallingsford, either in the undivided lands, or in the lands that are divided and belong to particular persons ; all which mines whenever discovered do belong to the aforesaid proprietors by virtue of a covenant or agreement of the inhabitants of Wallingsford made and mu- tually concluded on among themselves, as also by virtue of a formal and lawful quitclaim from the Governour and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut in New England in Amer- ica, under their common seal, settling and confirming the said mines unto the said proprietors and their heirs and assigns for- ever: And whereas the well managing and improving the said mines will be not only profitable to the proprietors themselves, but also may be of publick advantage; which publick and partic- ular benefits arising from the improving of such mines may be greatly obstructed, by reason that several of the heirs of the de- ceased original proprietors are yet minors, and thereby not ca- pable of acting, and some few others of full age and capacity to act may now or hereafter refuse to act with the rest of the pro- prietors in the improving such mines as aforesaid, and thereby such mines rendered unprofitable :
"For the preventing of such inconveniences that either do or may arise,
"It is enacted and ordained by the Governor, Council and Rep- resentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the proprietors of the major part of the interest and propriety in the said mines, that now are or hereafter shall be found within the limits of the township of Wallingsford afore- said, being of full age and capacity to act, (although they should not be the greater number of persons interested in the said mines),
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
shall have power and authority, at all and every time and times hereafter, to improve all the aforesaid mines, and manage all the affairs and business anyways relating to the said mines, for the benefit and advantage of themselves, and the rest of the said pro- prietors, that are either minors or dissenters unto such their man- agements ; and the proprietors of the said greater part of the pro- priety and interest in the said mines may and are hereby enabled at any time or times hereafter, either by themselves or by their substituted attorney or attorneys, to lease out, demise, and let to farm, the whole or any part or parcel of said mines, to any other person or persons whomsoever, and for such term or terms of time, as well for such rents, incomes or yearly profits, or other considerations, as they shall think meet; and such their leases, bargains or contracts, so made concerning the said mines, either by the said proprietors of the major part of the interest and pro- priety in said mines or by their substituted attorneys or agents, shall be accounted, deemed and reputed good and effectual in the law, although the proprietors of the lesser part of the interest or propriety in the said mines should happen to be the greater num- ber of persons and should be either minors or opposers of such improvements or of such leases, bargains or contracts, that at any time hereafter may be made concerning the said mines. Pro- vided always, that such minors or others, incapable or refusing to act in the improvement or leasing the said mines, shall in no wise lose their interest in proportion of the profits arising from the said mines, because of their inability or refusing to act with the rest of the said proprietors."I
It may well be supposed that after the Proprietors had thus secured to themselves and their heirs all the legal rights belong- ing to them in the mines "lately discovered," they worked their find for all that it was worth. We have no record that either at this time, 1711-12, or that two years later, 1714-15; there had been very much copper found or mined. We may, indeed, as- sume that the mining industry was not very profitable; as will be inferred from the following vote passed June 16th, 1714:
IColonial Records, pp. 315, 316.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
"Ye proprietors agreed to give John Parker teen shillings in case sd Parker be forever hereafter quiet and contented with re- spect to ye mine money."
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