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 8
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The advent of Mr. Hall and the enjoyment of religious privi- leges brought to the new society ten or more heads of families from Hamden, who worshipped at the Church of the West So- ciety at first by tolerance and afterward by permission of an act of the Assembly passed at one of its sessions held in New Haven ; and we know that later on, some of these "heads" or their sons, became residents of New Cheshire.
The "Society of New Cheshire in Wallingford" having ob- tained permission from the Assembly to tax the non-residents, Thomas Matthews, Jr., and Ephraim Cook were appointed a committee "for inspectors to see how much land those men
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have that do not belong to the sosiaty that is ratable" and they voted "to pay a school in the sosiaty as they do in townd in Equall proportion ;" and made choice of Matthew Belamy, Thomas Twiss, aand John Hotchkiss "as a committee on schools" notwithstanding "Thomas Brooks and Mathias Hitchcock gave their desent against all that was acted at ye meeting." And it appears that they "voted that thos on the East side of the river shall have their proportion of the country money :: provided they lay it out for scooling : : and to be under the inspection of ye scool comtee." This vote probably relates to the "North Farms" where there was a settlement at Cheshire street clamor- ous for school privileges. About this time-1726-there was a committee appointed to run the line between the old society at Wallingford and the Society of New Cheshire. This committee failed to act, for no line was run. A year later, the same committee was ordered "to prosead to run the line."
This division line was not run at this time for there was a record made four years later-1730-appointing a committee to "indeavor for an agreement whare the deviding line should run." There is no report of this committee and the line doubtless re- mained substantially as it had been ordered by the general as- sembly.
In 1726 "The Society maid chois of Decon Ives, Decon Hotch- kis and John Hichcock, for a committee to agree upon sum con- veniant plais for a buring plais." Parson Hall in his notes writes "Anno Domini 1726 :: Ye first yt was buried in ye New Cheshier Burying place was ye child of Daniel Smith's."
A society meeting after this "Agreed with Ebenezer Johnson to dig the graves for the year insuing, for five shillings a grave." The next year they gave him six shillings and he was "to have seven shillings for every grave he should dig in ye three winter monts."
At the October session of the Assembly in 1726, upon the news of the Indian enemy coming down towards our frontiers : "Resolved, that there be forthwith thirty effective men raised in the towns of New Haven and Wallingsford, to march forthwith to Litchfield Twenty of which to be raised in New
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Haven, and ten in Wallingford; and that a sergeant march with them directly from each of said towns, etc. * *"
Six men were sent from Wallingford, and four from New Cheshire, but their names have not been ascertained. They were gone some ten days, and the assembly ordered each man to be paid two shillings per day, and their officers were compen- sated according to their respective ranks ; besides being compli- mented for the zeal and activity they had displayed.
This war scare, however, had its effect upon the people of New Cheshire, but the town voted no relief to them because of the expense they had been at in relation to a "common danger," and did not give them a share of the money that was received from the sale of some of the town's powder at two shillings and sixpence per pound. A sixth division of land was drawn for about this time, which gave to the "upper class" men forty acres, the "middle class" thirty acres, and the lower class twenty acres, and this probably made the farmers on the west side happy.
The meeting house by this time had been found too small and it was resolved to "build a galirey," and afterwards they "agree to buld the galeries in the meeting hous this summer" (1727-8). They probably did put in the "galeries," for they had another agreement as to the "seeting of the meeting house: : firstly to have respect to Thomas Beech & John Cook & Thomas Twist and secondly : to leave the matter about the new comers to the judg- ment of the settors : : and thirdly : then to goe by the lists having A respect to but own (one) head in every list." The negroes were accommodated on an end seat "in the galry," and it was "agreed to sing, that which is caled the regular singing : : pro- vided they obtain a vot in the church therefor."
The same year the society of New Cheshire voted "to build two scool houses," and "agreed to buld own scool house near the meeting hous," and applied to the town to have "a scool in the three summer months;" but the town voted that "the west side farmers" should have the school, "the three middlemost monts in the year."
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
It would appear from this action of the town of Wallingford that the act of Assembly creating the society of New Cheshire did not authorize them to have independent school privileges.
In this connection there has come down to us an interesting ac- count of how the children of those times were taught; and we cannot but think that the tenacious memories our ancestors are credited with are in a great measure due to their school disci- pline. At the opening of the school the teacher usually placed an hourglass upon his table, and alongside of that, a bundle of birch rods. Prayer was then offered, and while the scholars (some of them more than half grown men and women) read the Scriptures, the "scoolmaster" occupied his time by making pens, which he fashioned from the goose quills each scholar brought. Sometimes instead of goose quills, the quills from an eagle's wing were taken to school and esteemed better for pens than the quills of the tamer bird. The pens having all been made, every one stood up and a verse or two was sung. Writing was the next brief exercise ; for paper was a dear commodity ; and only a few lines were written by each one; and not infrequently, three or more children of one family, wrote upon the same piece of paper which their parents furnished. This was followed by simple arithmetic, generally examples that were solved mentally, the "scoolemaster" being about the only "book" that was used. There were, of course "arithmetic books," but few of the scholars had them, and in most of the country schools the master, or "dame," were obliged to provide themselves with such textbooks as might be needed. By this time the hourglass was turned for the second time, and an intermission granted, during which some of the birch rods were used upon refractory pupils. On re-assembling the class in spelling was called upon to "toe the mark"-a line at a joint of two floor boards. Then a full sentence would be read, to which all gave their best attention. The first sentence was
"A big bundell of long sticks."
The first scholar repeated the sentence, and then sung out, "great A, and there's your great A."
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
The next would say "b," and sing "There's your little b;" "i," there's your "i"; and there's your "bi"; "g" and there's your "b-i-g ;" and there's your "big"; and there's your great "A," and there's your great "A big."
This was followed by another, who pronounced "b" and sung out, there's your "b ;" "u," and there's your "bu ;" "n," and there's your "bun ;" and there's your "big bun" and there's your great "A big bun."
The next on the line said "d;" then sung, there's your "d"; "e," and there's your "de"; "1," and there's your "del"; another "1" and there's your "d-e-1-1," and there's your "dell"; and there's your "bundell"; and there's your "big"; and there's your "big bundell"; and there's your great "A"; and there's your great "A big bundell."
The scholar who followed pronounced the letter "o" and sung there's your "o"; "f .. and there's your "f"; and there's your "o-f"; and there's your "of"; and there's your "dell of"; and there's your "bun"; and there's your "bundell of"; and there's your "big"; and there's your "big bundell of"; and there's your great "A"; and there's your great "A big bundell of."
The sixth speller began "1" and there's your "1"; "o" and there's your "lo"; "n" and there's your "lon"; "g" and there's your "g" and there's your "1-o-n-g"; and there's your "long"; and theres your "of"; and there's your "of long"; and there's your "dell of long"; and there's your "bun"; and there's your "bundell of long"; and there's your "big"; and there's your "big bundell of long"; and there's your great "A," and there's your great "A big bundell of long."
Not to make this spelling lesson too long, the last scholar pro- nounced the letters, "s-t-i-c-k-s," and sung : there's your "sticks"; and there's your "dell of long sticks"; and there's your "bun": and there's your 'bundell of long sticks' ; ; and there's your "big"; and there's your "big bundell of long sticks"; and there's your great "A"; and there's your great "A big bundell of long sticks."
By this time the hourglass had again nearly run out; and the class was dismissed with a probable reminder to one or two of
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the scholars in the spelling class, that the birch rods would be again brought into requisition when the school closed. A short lesson on the value of different parts of speech usually followed the spelling ; and if there was time, the "scoolemaster" or "scoole- dame" read to them a lesson in common geography, which they were to remember, and at the afternoon session this lesson would be the first thing taken up.
Each scholar was called upon in turn to relate what he, or she, remembered of the lesson read in the forenoon. If the first one blundered, he sat down; and the next took his place, repeating as much of the language of the lesson as had found lodgment within his brain. The brightest ones were permitted to stand ; the dull ones sat down. Then the "scoolemaster" told each one of those standing up, what they had omitted; and notified those sitting down that they would have an application of birch rods for their supper.
The school usually ended by asking each scholar to answer one or more questions from the catechism, and all repeated the Lord's Prayer.
An education thus obtained was doubtless sufficient for all practical purposes ; and if the scholars did not learn as much as the children do in our day, it was because the so-called "scoole- masters" were not always educated men, or capable of teaching even the elementary branches.
Blackboards and slates were frequently to be found in the schools ; but this was only in the larger towns, and where pa- rents were able to supply "lesson books" to their children. The "three middlemost monts" of the year was quite as long as the "New Cheshier" folks could afford to send their boys and girls to school; and it is remarkable how many of them, later in life, gave evidence that they had fully improved even these short terms of school attendance.
At this time the society of New Cheshier was yearly growing larger. Their minister, Mr. Samuel Hall, was a beloved pas- tor, and if his firewood was not furnished promptly, the delin- quents were admonished that the committee would buy firewood for the minister, at "seven shillings and sixpence (or about one
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dollar of our money) per cord," and collect the pay in some "lawful way." There appears also to have been some trouble in New Cheshier because the parent town of Wallingford did not properly warn them of the town meetings, and fines had been unjustly imposed. This was settled by the town voting, "that for the futer * the Drum shall be beat as formerly : for ye old society : : and for ye other societys ye celectmen shall send word a week beforehand to some one of them ;that is of sad societys comtees :that there is to be a town meeting at ye time abousaid."
The "New Cheshier" men wanted a "cart brige whare the old brige stands," and they got it, "but they had to turn out & help build it." This was not all they got. The town, at a later date, "gave liberte to our neibours of Cheshier to build a pound at ye loer end of ye plais on their own cost and charge," and "chose Decon Hodgkis brander for Cheshier and chose John Hichcok pound keeper for Cheisher."
Here is the list of Freemen in Cheshire and Wallingford April, 1730, the best census we have of the men living at that time here- abouts.
At this meeting the complaints from Cheshire were fully venti- lated and some relief granted.
"The number of ye names of the Freemen in Wallingford which was taken as they appeared at a Freemans meeting Aprill the last day 1730-are as followeth-"
James Alling Ebenezer Alling
Caleb Andrews Joshua Austin
Samuel Alling
Samuel Austin
John Beach
John Atwater Caleb Atwater
Nathan Beach
Moses Atwater
Moses Beach
Joshua Atwater
Divan Berry
Ebenezer Atwater
*Nathaniel Beadle Daniel Baldwin
Benjamin Atwater
Ensign Thomas Brooks
Stephen Brooks
Phenias Atwater *Stephen Atwater John Allison John Andrews Elisha Andrews
Enos Brooks
Thomas Brooks
Andrew Bartholomy
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Matthew Belomy Abraham Barnes Jabez Brockitt
Caleb Doolittle
Stephen Doolittle
Thomas Doolittle
James Brockitt
Joseph Doolittle Moses Doolittle
John Brockitt Samuel Brockitt Titus Brockitt
Theophilus Doolittle Jr
John Brockitt
John Doolittle Jr
Nathaniel Bunel
Daniel Doolittle Jr
Hezekiah Bunel
Thomas Dutton
Ebenezer Bunel
David Dutton
Parmenius Bunel
Benjamin Dutton
Joseph Benham Enos Benham
John Dible
Joseph Benham
Sergent Nathaniel Curtis
Thomas Curtis
Caleb Ebenatha (Abernathy)
Enos Ebenather (Abernathy)
Bartholomy Foster
Daniel Curtis
Timothy Foster
Benjamin Curtis John Curtis
Barnabas Ford
Benjamin Curtis
Edward Fenn
Nathan Curtis
Thomas Fenn
Robert Collins
John Fenn
Amos Camp John Cook
Theophilus Fenn
Samuel Cook
Joseph Gailerd
Ephraim Cook Aron Cook
Edward Gailerd
Josh Cook
Benjamin Gailerd
Isaac Cook Senr
Timothy Gailerd James Humaston
David Cook Stephen Clark
Luke Hill
Daniel Clark
Isaac Hill
Joseph Cole
Ebenezer Hill
Richard Hackle
Joseph Hoult
Benjamin Hoult Daniel Hoult
Daniel Doolittle
Jeremiah Hull
John Doolittle
John Hull
Captain Doolittle
Miles Hull
Ebenezer Doolittle
Daniel How
Alexander Dugles (Douglass)
Joseph Curtis
Thomas Curtis
Benjamin Frisbie
John Gailerd
Samuel Gailerd
Joseph Cole Jr Joshua Culver Samuel Culver Theophilus Doolittle
John Dunbar
Frederick Doolittle
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
John How Jeremiah How Zachariah How Joshua How John Hotchkiss 2d Stephen Hotchkiss
Elnathan Ives Abel Ives Stephen Ives Abijah Ives
Jotham Ives
Capt John Hotchkiss
Nathaniel Judd
Josiah Hotchkiss
Sergt Jacob Johnson
James Hotchkiss
Abner Johnson
Joshua Hotchkiss
Ruben Johnson
Amos Hotchkiss
Israel Johnson
Henry Hotchkiss John Hitchcock
Enos Johnson
Mathias Hitchcock
Dan Johnson
Benjamin Hitchcock
John Johnson
Lieut Samuel Hall
Timothy Jearum
Amos Hall
Theophilus Jones
Thomas Hall
Caleb Jones Samuel Jones
Sergt Daniel Hall
Caleb Hall 2d
Benjamin Kellogg
Benjamin Hall
Nathaniel Hall
Moses Lymon
Aron Lymon
Caleb Lewis
Moses Hall
David Lewis
Jacob Hall
Benjamin Lewis
Samuel Lewis
Capt John Merriman
Isaac Hall
Eliasaph Merriman
David Hall
Joseph Hall
Peter Hall
John Hall
son to Sergt John
Israel Hall
Joseph Hall
Asel Hall
Samuel Hall 2d
William Merriam
William Merriam Jr
Captain Nathaniel Merriam
Joseph Merriam
Samuel Ives
Daniel Murwin
Thomas Matthews
Joseph Ives
Lazarus Ives
Israel Merriman
Moses Merriman
Samuel Munson
Waitstill Munson
Caleb Munson
Joseph Munson John Merriam
Abram Hall
Ensign Gideon Ives John Ives senr
Samuel Lathrop
Eliakim Hall Samuel Hall
Jonathan Hall Jr Thomas Hall Jr
Samuel Merriman
Caleb Matthews
Joseph Ives
Caleb Johnson
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Joseph Matthews Thomas Mix Thomas Mix Jr Adam Mot
John Makie Left Thomas Miles
Alexander Robards
John Miles
Josiah Robenson
James Miles
Arthur Rexford
John Moss
Thomas Richardson
Benjamin Moss
David Rich Samuel Standly
Joseph Moss
John Standly
Samuel Moss
Abraham Standly
Eliasaph Preston
Ephraim Preston
Elnathan Street
Timothy Page
John Street
John Parsons
Samuel Street
Stephen Peck
Daniel Smith
Samuel Peck
Enos Smith
Stephen Peck Jr
John Sutlif
John Parker
James Scovel
Joseph Parker
Abram Sperry
Edward Parker
Sadiel Saeger
Eliphalet Parker
Timothy Tuttle
Samuel Parker
Daniel Tuttle
John Parker Jr Eliada Parker
Ebenezer Tuttle
John Thomson
Joseph Parker
Stephen Todd
Andrew Parker
Samuel Thorp
Samuel Parker
Samuel Tyler
Thomas Roys
Ephraim Tyler
Left Samuel Roys Sergt Robert Roys Timothy Roys
John Tyler Nathan Tyler
Captain William Ward
Macock Ward
Ensign Whiting
John Web John Way David Way
Samll Whittlesey Jr
Matthias Roys
James Roys
Evan Roys Phinehas Roys
Gidion Roys Ebenezer Roys
Joash Roys
Ruben Roys
Abiah Robards®
Capt Theophilus Yale Sr John Yale
Thomas Yale Capt Theophulus Yale Jr
Ezekiel Roys
Samuel Roys
Nathaniel Roys
Joseph Roys Benjamin Roys Abel Roys
Josiah Standly
Theophilus Moss
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Elihu Yale Samuel Yale Benjamin Yale
Nath1 Yale
(Total 307)
It was perhaps some of these discussions that called the at- tention of young Benjamin Hall (then newly married), to the parish of "New Cheshier," where his elder brother, Samuel Hall, had been the ordained pastor for some five years. The father of Benjamin Hall, "Decon John Hall," owned considerable land on the Mill river, "above Scotts rock," and Benjamin Hall prob- ably settled upon some of it. It was afterwards occupied by Jahleel Law (son of Governor Jonathan Law), and his hous,c long since gone, was upon the road upon which William Heine- man now lives. The coming to New Cheshire of Benjamin Hall, about 1728, added to the community a man who was destined to be even more prominent than his reverend brother.
At first he appears to have been active in the settlement of dis- putes between claimants to scraps of undivided land adjoining their allotments, and which he accomplished satisfactorily with the aid of his "trusty friend, Elnathan Beach," as he calls him (who held an appointment from the town as "surveyor of hi- ways"). -
At this time Benjamin Hall and Elnathan Beach were probably the only two young men in the parish, with influence enough, and sufficiently wealthy in lands and money to stir up the community, and cause the inhabitants of the parish to petition the town for the redress of grievances. One of these complaints was the lack of a magistrate to perform the ceremony of marriage. Only magistrates could act, and in certain cases ordained clergymen of a plantation who were also magistrates. In 1702 ordained minis - ters could marry couples "in the town where he is settled." This law continued for eighty-one years thereafter, and it was not until 1820 that the word "settled" was dropped.
Such a law probably accounts for the fact that during his long ministry Parson Hall appears to have officiated at marriages only fifteen times, the first occasion being ten years after he became pastor. Then he married "Joseph Ives Jr to Mamre Munson."
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
He probably doubted his right as the pastor of a parish, and left to Rev. Mr. Whittlesey as "settled in ye ministry of ye town," or the magistrates to perform this service.
Frequent applications were made for the appointment of a magistrate to reside in the parish, but it was not until 1732-3 that sufficient pressure was brought to bear. In that year the parish of New Cheshire was honored by having, for the first time, one of its inhabitants chosen as one of the Representatives for the town of Wallingford in the Assembly; and Mr. Benjamin Hall was thus honored and served several years. That same year he was commissioned not only a Magistrate but Captain of the Trainband, with Benjamin Hitchcock Lieutenant, and Elnathan Beach Ensign.
The meeting house had, for a long time, been found too small for the accommodation of the attendants. It was "agreed to build some more seats." A committee was appointed, but before anything was done the smallpox broke out and carried off, be- sides women and children, some of the leading men of the parish. This visitation was made the subject of a sermon by Rev. Samuel Hall, which was afterwards printed, with a preface by the Rev. Mr. Whittlesey of Wallingford, in which he says the "doors of the House of the Lord in the parish of New Cheshier, had been shut up some months," and this sermon of the Rev. Samuel Hall was preached soon after the "Author nad recovered of the Dis- temper." Many of the people had been prostrated, and we are informed through letters, and other writings of the time, that when the disease first broke out, the people were curious to see what the sick people looked like, "being afflicted with a sickness, the like of which ye men of ye town skilled in Physick, had never before known." Another writer said the people stood at the doors, and climbed about the windows to look upon the sick ones. After this came men of authority, who drove the curious away ; and it was with difficulty thereafter that persons could be had who would willingly expose themselves to the disease.
This interruption to parish affairs, put aside for the time being all repairs upon the meeting house. With characteristic energy and thoughtfulness, Mr. Benjamin Hall carried a memorial of his
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
own to the Assembly," in behalf of "sundry families" in Chesh- fre, "that have been greatly distressed with the small pox": "Resolved, that there shall be paid out of the publick Treasury, for the relief of said families, the sum of fifty pounds ; which sum shall by the deacons of said Cheshire, with the advice of the minister ; viz: Mr. Samuel Hall, of said place, be distributed to and among those that have suffered in said Cheshire with said distemper."
At an adjourned town meeting held in Wallingford, Dec. 26, 1732, "the town chose a comtee to look into ye matter of charge that did arise about ye small pox, that has ben amongst our neighbors at Cheshiere: and ajust accounts with all and every man or men that has don anything in that case, and the comtee are as followeth : John Merriman, John Hall ye 2d and Matthew Bellamy."
On further discussion "ye town voated that the account that did arise about the sick, etc., should be received ; and layd a two penny rate to be collected out of this present list."
These acts of the Assembly and of the town indicate that the affliction had been a serious one, almost paralyzing the people resident in New Cheshire village, and but for the necessity of looking after their belongings, many would have returned to the town on the other side of the river. We know that in this time of trial, the Rev. Samuel Hall was ably seconded by his brother, Captain Benjamin Hall, whose influence with the townspeople, at Wallingford, was almost equal to that he held in the parish of New Cheshier, and these two, assisted by Elnathan Beach, Samuel Cook, and other active men, kept alive the ambition and incited to activity the despondent villagers.
In course of time the church was re-opened, those who had been scared away returned, and repairs to the meeting house be- came once more the important business at the society meetings : For several years they "voated" additions to th emeeting house, or else they "agreed to build more seets"; but without doing much other work upon the meeting house, than was necessary to accommodate the people who attended at the church services.
The town proprietors of Wallingford about this time held a
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
meeting and voted January 15, 1734, that they would make a sev- enth division of land and appointed the "former comtee to act," directing that the land should be distributed in the proportions of thirty acres to highest, twenty acres to the middle, and ten acres to the lowest trank.
A town meeting was held on the same date, and a committee reported on a highway from Tansy valley (Tunxis Valley) to Mosses farm, "and they find there is a hiway, from ye gateway to said Mosses farm, only a little way : : or a littell part of ye way : : therefore ye proprietors impowered ye Comtee to do what is needful to settell said Highway." This action was brought about by the men settled at the North Farms, who wanted facil- ities for getting to Farmington and Waterbury, and also to ac- commodate many Waterbury and Farmington (now Southington) people, who had for some years been accustomed to get their wheat, corn, rye and other grain ground at Tyler's mill, which we now know as the Yalesville mill; and we learn from records made at this time, that this mill was resorted to by farmers living many miles away in the surrounding country. It was, in fact, the nearest mill where the farmers could carry their grain and be assured of having it ground within a reasonable time.
To accommodate the "outsiders," the town voted "regulations for ye miller," who was to "grind for ye towns people four days in ye week," and "for all others two days" :: "provided there is no grinding to be done for ye townspeople : : then ye miller might grind for all who should come to ye mill." At this time, too, some attention was paid to "hiways" which the assembly had ordered to be "improved" in those parts that would give "all ye inhabi- tants equall facilities," for getting to and from their respective places of worship. The facilities of better roads, in addition to the last division of lands, probably was an incentive to the New Cheshire Society to set about improving their meeting house. After several attempts at agreement it was finally, "December ye Ist, 1735, by thair voat they agreed to build A meeting house : : and thair was above two thirds in the voat," and at the same meeting they appointed "Capt. Benjamin Hall to be thair agent
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