USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Durham > History of Durham, Connecticut, from the first grant of land in 1662 to 1866 > Part 14
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In the west part of the town, the soil being on or near a trap
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HISTORY OF DURHAM.
formation, though rather hard and stony is strong, and well adapted to grass and apple orchards. Some of the western hills are excellent pasture lands.
The central range of land from the northern to the southern boundary, issometimes called the swamp, is meadow land or prairie, which bears a coarse grass which has been, from the first settle- ment of the Town, of great value in furnishing hay for cattle; and thus manure for the upland; while the prairie or meadow itself is kept in a good condition of fertility, from the flooding to which it is subject. It was from this source of fertility, that Durham has had its high character, as an agricultural Town; a character which it is in danger of loosing, now that some of the farmers, instead of raising and feeding cattle, are selling off their upland hay at Middletown and Portland. Something may in- deed be done by the purchase of artificial manures, but probably not enough to repair the fertility of the land, from which the hay is thus taken, and to which it is not returned in the shape of manure. Other farmers understand this, and adhere to the old mode of feeding out the hay with less immediate but more pros- pective profit, using artificial manure as auxiliary, but placing the most dependence on barn-yard manure.
It has long been a problem what should be done with the large tracts of the old worn out pasture land, on the eastern hills. Should they be permitted to lie as they now are, and let them grow up to wood, or should the bushes be cut off, or should they be plowed up, and laid down to timothy in the hope of improv- ing the pasture ? Different answers would be given correctly in different cases. It has been found on trial, in some cases, that there is not all the advantage expected from endeavoring to sub- stitute timothy for the natural grasses and herbage. By plow- ing, the old grasses and herbage which are natural to the soil are destroyed, and the timothy, not being sustained by sufficient fertility in the soil, dies out, leaving the ground without verdure. In other cases, especially when the land is well manured, the experiment works well. Major Chedsey informs me that he has sown timothy on some of these pastures without plowing, and that it took root, and benefitted the pasture. Perhaps an im- provement upon this would be, to sow mixed grass seed of va- rious kinds, adapted to different varieties of soil, and to differ-
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ent portions of the season. In this way lawns in England are treated.
For many years the farmers of Durham not only made their own cheese, and raised their own breadstuff, wheat, rye, and In- dian corn, but also, to some extent, sent these articles to market elsewhere. But this has not only ceased to be the case but the people depend largely on importing from the west all these ar- ticles, unless rye is an exception. The farmers, who seventy years ago used to kiln dry their Indian corn and send it to the West Indies, could hardly have believed that the farmers of Durham would ever depend largely on the Western states for this article.
" At a Town Meeting in Durham, Dee. 9, 1718-The Town taking into consideration, the great damage yt hath happened in the town in the increase and growth of a good breed of cattle, for want of a sufficient number of Good Bulls, do now enact and order yt they will annually pay out of the Town treasury, 15 shillings per year for Bulls three years old and upward, and ten shillings a year for two year old Bulls, the number of Bulls not to exceed seven; and the select men for the time, and so from time to time, shall take effectual care to have good bulls, by choosing likely, well grown calves to be kept for Bulls to be paid for as above sd and the selectmen shall take care, as near as may be, that sd Bulls be raised and kept by persons that may suite the Town for situation." Other acts like these at different times showed that the Town were in earnest in their endeavors to procure a good breed of cattle.
As a large number of the inhabitants came from Guilford, it is probable that they obtained from there cattle of the same fine breed, for which Guilford has been distinguished, and which were imported by Governor William Lecte, from Devonshire, Eng- land. This breed have the same general characteristics as the Devons, but are larger, and better milkers. Whether this differ- ence results from a change which they have undergone since they were originally imported, or whether the breed has changed in England in the two hundred years that have elapsed, it is diffi- cult to say ; perhaps it is owing to both causes. The Guilford breed of cattle, which are indeed found in Branford, Killing worth, Madison and Durham, are of a high red color, of a good size,
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HISTORY OF DURHAM.
larger than the imported Devons, very active, and hardy, excel- lent for farm work, and good milkers. Many of the farmers in these towns adhere persistently to this breed in preference to Durhams, Ayershires, Alderneys and Devons; but others kill their calves, and furnish themselves from the droves with cattle of all breeds, "ring streaked and speckled and spotted," so that there is danger that the taste of Jacob the patriarch may prevail, and the old breed run out, or become mixed.
It should be mentioned that Nathaniel W. Chauncey, Wor- thington G. Chauncey, Wedworth Wadsworth and Jared P. Kirt- land, M. D., now a distinguished pomologist of Ohio, took pains to introduce into Durham the best of fruit from Burlington, New Jersey, Long Island and elsewhere. The two former had a large nursery and furnished the inhabitants with trees at reasonable prices, many of which are now bearing in the town. There is not as much cider made as formerly ; and it is believed that cider made of grafted apples, for the table, is not as good as what is made of apples from wildings.
COMMERCE.
The commerce of ancient Durham consisted in the exchange of those articles of agricultural produce, which they sold in Bos- ton, and in Middletown, and New Haven, or were by them- selves sent to the West Indies, in the shape of private adven- tures. These private adventures were intrusted to ship-masters or mariners, sailing out of Connecticut river chiefly from Mid- dletown, and were horses or cattle or fowls, or sometimes grain, or, it may be, kiln dried Indian corn. In return they obtained sugar, molasses, a cask of rum, or a young negro. In the early period, as their minister, Mr. Chauncey, was paid at least in part, in country produce, he, when disposing of it in Boston, would to some extent dispose of the agricultural products of his parish- ioners and receive in return such merchandise as was needed for family use. This has been alluded to elsewhere. The stores in Durham and Middletown render this inconvenient process unne- cessary. Shoes were largely sent to the South.
MANUFACTURES.
In some respects, Manufactures have fallen off in Durham. The present writer remembers the time when there were three
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gristmills in the town; and one fulling mill, and a clothier's shop, and one hatter's shop, and one watchmaker, and a malt house, and a corn kiln, and four blacksmith's shops, a manufacturer of grave stones. Every large farmer had his shop, in which on a rainy day yokes and bows, and hoe handles, &c., were manufactured. Besides the spinning wheel, many families had a loom for weav- ing linen and woolen and worsted. A stocking weaver found employment. A turning lathe found constant employment, where the boys could get tops, and the women chairs and bed- steads. There were two distilleries, several cooper shops; and there is now in the Town a gun, manufactured in Durham, and carried to the American Army in Boston by Capt. Simeon Par- sons. There were four tanneries.
In Durham as elsewhere, within the memory of some living, the spinning wheel, especially the one for flax, often made a part of the outfit when the bride left her father's house to dwell with her husband. A farmer said, that "he had rather see a bunch of skeins of yarn, than a bunch of Marygolds." A spinner who could annually count a goodly number of skeins of linen yarn and a goodly number of sheets and towels, bleached by herself, was sure of suitors. The spinning wheel made pleasant music in the house of the married pair; to which in the way of inter- lude, were added, in some families, the labors of the loom, with alternate notes of the treadle pressed by the foot, and the shuttle thrown by the hand. Nor was the voice wanting, to trill forth some old English ballad or some Puritan psalm. Music like this, coming in strong tones from healthy lungs and an animated heart, would ring in the cars and the soul of the listener, taking him captive, whether in the house, or walking in way side, or check- ing his horse as trotting by. The "great wheel" gave health and a graceful, ready step, and nimble fingers to the young maiden. The "little wheel," borne by a brother or a " neighbor lad," she would on a morning carry to the house of some young friend, as light hearted and as merry as herself, to spin in concert during the day.
And then annually, for a period, came the spinning bee, a do- nation party at the parson's, when the matrons and the maidens carried their run of yarn, and their husbands or their lovers some
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HISTORY OF DURHAM.
equivalent ; and when all found it "good to be merry and wise," cheered on by their courteous and pious host and hostess.
But times have changed. Family employments have changed. The spinning wheel has given place to the cotton mill and the woolen mill. The hand shuttle has given place to the power- loom. A single machine, tended by a single person, will often do the work of twenty hands. Machinery has changed the man-
ufacturing business of the country, and the family spinner's oc- eupation is gone. Since the invention of the knitting loom and the sewing machine, knitting and sewing in families seem des- tined to the same fate as spinning. There are, therefore, in Dur- ham as elsewhere, those who are like the lillies of the field in beauty, and who like them " toil not, neither do they spin." The good house wife no longer " secketh wool and flax and worketh willingly with her hands." Flax is no longer seen in the sum- mer field. The wool-bearing sheep that onee adorned the hills of Durham have fled from the landscape. 1
FLAX.
Flax was formerly an important crop, requiring a large outlay of labor on the farm and in the house, and yielding remunera- tive returns. The plowing, the sowing, the pulling, the collect- ing of the seed, the rotting, the breaking, the dressing, the spin- ning, the weaving, the bleaching, demanded a great amount of labor. The dressing of flax was the great business of the winter. But labor was low at that season of the year, when there was not muel else to do besides getting fire wood. Rev. Mr. Chaun- eey hired a man for a week to dress flax. On Saturday evening he came for his pay. The flax which he had dressed was weighed, and was offered to him for his labor. He declined the offer with the question, "Rev. sir, how do you think a poor man can sup- port his family at this rate ?"
Drawing wood to market employed a good deal of labor, and often furnished a good remuneration. On a pleasant day in the winter time, when the roads were good, a dozen teams might sometimes be seen carrying wood to Middletown. But now coal has largely taken the place of wood.
SHEEP.
For very many years every farmer, almost, kept sheep for the wool and the eareass, putting them into a public flock in the sum-
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OCCUPATIONS AND CUSTOMS.
mer. It was pleasant on a summer day to see the Town shep- herd tending his sheep, himself reclining with his dog under a tree, or driving them to better pasture as they went bleating along the road, yarding them at night in pens enriched by them for turnips. That pleasant vision has passed away. There is no longer a sheep master, or a shepherd with his dog, or the town flock.
The following may be acceptable to some of our readers, as showing the enemies the farmers had to contend with, and the victories they won, as well as a specimen of town accounts :
The Town of Durham Deb'r to Sundry persons as allowed by the Selectmen in Decembr 1729.
To Benonie Hills for one Black bird £0.0.1
To Noah Lymans Widow for 15 black birds & one crow 0. 1. 9
To Ebe. Lyman for 61 black birds & 6 crowes 0.8. 4
To Moses Parsons for 20 black birds & 4 erowes 0.3.8
To Eli. the widow of Deac. Tho. Lyman for 31 black birds 0. 2. 7
To Simeon Parsons for 6 black birds 0. 0.6
To Timothy Parsons for 17 black birds 0. 1.5
To Capt. Jos. Coe for 59 black birds 0. 4.11
and for laying the meeting house steps, and for 50 foot } ' of boards for the meeting house, & for perambleating ag't Middletown, and for halfc a days work at the meeting house all
0. 8.10
To Ensn. Hez. Talcott for 10 black birds & one crow 0. 1. 4
To Richd Beach for 16 black birds & one crow 0. 1.10
and a three yeare old Bull 0.15. 0
To Serj Jos. Norton for 32 black birds 2s 8d, & a bull 15sh, all 0.17. 8
To Lieut. Sam Fairchild 33 black birds & 2 crowes 0.3.9
To Serj Merwin 2 black birds 2d. & pream. & gainst Middletown 0. 2.10
To David Robinson for 25 black birds & one crow 0.2.5
To Jos. Tibbals for 28 black birds 0.2.4
To Jos. Hickeox for 23 black birds & 4 crowes 0. 3.11
and for a two yeare old Bull 0.10. 0
To Samuel Stanley for 11 black birds 0. 0.11
To Richard Spelman for one crow 0.0.6
To Sam. Roberts for 5 black birds 0. 0.5
To John Norton for 33 black birds 0.2.9
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HISTORY OF I DURHAM.
To Jonathan Wells for 21 black birds 0. 1. 9
To Cornelius Hull for 30 black birds & one crow 0.3.0
To Silas Crane 23 black birds 0. 1.11
To Capt. Henry Crane for 32 black birds 0.2.8 and for a growen Bull 0.15. 0
To Albert Rossetter for 6 black birds 0. 0. 6
To Samuel Norton for 5 black birds and 2 crowes 0. 1. 5
To George Squire for 2 black birds 2d. and sweeping the meeting house 1.10. 2
To Eliakim Strong for 7 black birds 0.0.7
To Ser. John Camp for 6 black birds 0. 0. 6
and for work at the meeting house 0.1.8
To Ser. Nathaniel Sutlief for one black bird 0. 0. 1
To Ser. Josiah Avered for 26 black birds 0.2.2
To Nathan Camp for 14 black birds
To Noadiah Crane for 4 black birds 4d & druming 13s 9d 0.14. 1 To Curtis Fairchild for drumming 0.13.10
0.1.2
To Lieut. Joel Permele for 6 black birds & one crow 0.1. 0
and for two bulls 1.5. 0
and for nails & work at the meeting house 0. 5.8
To Jos. Wheeler 2 black birds
0.0.2
To Josiah Fowler for 3 black birds
0.0.3
To mr. Hez. Kilborn for nails used at the meeting house 0. 1. 6
To Daniel Squire for work at the meeting 0. 1. 8
To Theo. Morrison for mending the School masters chayre 0. 2. 0 To Zacha. Hinman for 5 black birds 0. 0.5
To Constable Moses Parsons for crying & selling one shay 0. 3. 0 To James Curtis for a 2 years old Bull 0.10. 0
To David Baldwin for a growen Bull 0.15. 0
To Deacon Wm. Seward for a growen Bull 0.15. 0
To David Baldwin in part for waits for the Town Standard 0. 8.11 To Samuel Seward for a two yeare old Bull · 0.10. 0
To Caleb Seward for 13 black birds 0. 1. 1
To Abraham Crittenden for three black birds 0. 0.3
To David Johnson for 2 black birds & two Crowes 0.1.2
To Ser. Jos. Norton for halfe a loade of wood for the Town meeting 0. 1. 9
To Ezra Baldwin for carrying & returning the Town waits
to Hartford to have them sealed 0.6.6
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OCCUPATIONS AND CUSTOMS.
To James Wadsworth for his services as Town Treas'r 1.10. 0
and for a growen Bull 0.15. 0
To Doctor Seaward for peram. agt. Kilingworth 0.2.8
To Samuel Camp for a grown Bull 0.15. 0
To Benj. Everest 3 black birds & a crow 0.9.0
To Ser. Murwin for the Servise of his Bull
0.2.0
SLAVERY IN DURHAM.
Like other towns in Connecticut, Durham owned slaves, who labored on farms, and in families. These slaves were some of them brought directly from Africa, or quite as often from the West Indies, with which a brisk commerce was carried on by the people of Connecticut. It was not uncommon for individuals to send out by ship-masters, adventures in the productions of their farms, to the West Indies, and to receive in return the pro- ductions of the West Indies, and negroes. Thus a man would sometimes send an order for a likely young negro. These ne- groes were more frequently obtained for Durham from the port of Middletown, which numbered, among its shipmasters, those who traded in the West Indies and dealt in negroes, for the supply of the country, that is the Colony.
In a letter on the 5th of July, 1773, his Majesty's secretary in- quired of the Governor of Connecticut as to the population of the Colony. The answer of the Governor in 1774, was that the number of whites was 191,372, and the number of blacks 6,464. I have not consulted the tables, but taking the population of Dur- . ham as about 1,000 at that time, the average number for Durham would be 33. But the town had actually 44 slaves. Nearly all the blacks were slaves.
At that time family government was of a high type, active, vigilant, and effective. Slavery was regarded as a family insti- tution. When slaves were married, it was done only with the con- sent of their masters, just as children in their minority were married with the consent of their parents. This consent was carefully recorded by the minister who married them. They were regarded as no better qualified to take care of themselves, than children during their minority. Like children, they were carefully taught the catechism and the commandments, in the family. Their infants were not unfrequently offered in baptism, by their believing masters.
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HISTORY OF DURHAM.
They had their holidays and amusements. They would sta- tedly, or occasionally, appoint a King who was decorated with some of the emblems of royalty. One of these kings the pres- ent writer recollects to have seen. He had the appropriate name, Cæsar, and held his court in the west side of the town.
They had their balls, in imitation of the whites. One of these balls the present writer witnessed at the Wilkinson house, just south of the Goodrich house. Sawny Freeman, whom some now must remember, was their musician. He accompanied his violin with a sort of organ, which he played with his foot. It was somewhat, in its effect, like the Aeolian attachment to the piano. It added greatly to the volume of the music. At this ball be- sides contra dances they had jigs and reels. They danced with great agility and spirit, like the dancing pair in Goldsmith's Deserted Village, " who simply sought renown, by holding out, to tire each other down." About the year 1800, the number of the negroes had diminished, and most of the adults were either slaves or recently manumitted. Free negroes do not generally keep their numbers good in the successive generations. In Durham now, there are only five; without any prospect of increase. The diminution of negroes in comparison, with the increase of whites, since the emancipation of slaves in Connecticut, is greater than it is on an average, in the State at large. "Durham contained in 1756, 765 whites and 34 blacks, in 1774, 1074, white and 44 blacks." In 1776 every 24th person was a negro.
Among the names of those that owned slaves in Durham, are those of Chauncey, Wadsworth, Talcott, Parsons, Merwin, Coe, Bates, Lyman, Fowler, Parmelee, Camp, Newton, Baldwin, Guern- sey, Sutliff, Burritt and others. To those who deem slavery wrong, these facts may seem strange. But it is to be remembered that every age has its own interpretation of the divine law, and its own favorite morality. In those days, slavery was not consid- ered as sinful by many of the best men. Such men as Rev. John Davenport of New Haven, and Governor Theophilus Eaton, the founders of the Colony, Rev. Joseph Elliott of Guilford, the son of the Apostle John Elliott, Rev. Jared Elliott of Killing- worth, Rev. Timothy Woodbridge of Hartford, the Rev. Noa- diah Russell of Middletown, and Governor Joseph Talcott owned slaves. Rev. President Jonathan Edwards, the greatest divine of
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OCCUPATIONS AND CUSTOMS.
New England, owned slaves, and wrote in defense of the slave trade. Governor Gurdon Saltonstall, a minister of the Church in New London, and owner of one of the farms granted by the General Assembly in Durham, addressed the Legislature in de- fense of slavery. Those who owned slaves in Durham and elsewhere in Connecticut were not considered as inferior to those who did not own slaves, in piety or in intellectual culture, or in social position. After the act of the Legislature for the gradual emancipation of the slaves of Connecticut, the aged ones were generally well taken care of by their owners, better than were the Town poor by the Town, better than were the free negroes.
A SPECIMEN BILL OF SALE OF A NEGRO.
Durham June 19th, 1759.
Know all men by this present: that I the subscriber, widow Mary Merwin, Executrix of the last will of Daniel Merwin Jun. do sell alien, and convey and confirm unto Elnathan Chauncey of Durham in the county of New Haven, to him and his heirs one certain Negro man, about 30 years of age named Ginne, for, and during his natural life, it being for the consideration of 13 pounds already received to my full satisfaction, in witness hereof I set my hand and seal, this 19th of June in the year of our Lord 1759.
In presence of MARY MERWIN.
JAMES TIBBALS. ABNER NEWTON.
ANECDOTES OF DEVONSHIRE, A GUINEA NEGRO SLAVE OF REV. MR. CHAUNCEY.
Mr. Chauncey, on going into his hay field found his men rak- ing hay at rather a rapid rate, said in a pleasant, familiar way, " Many hands make light work." Devonshire, (who was raking behind two others) answered quickly, No, no Massa, " Not when you'r rakin' behind."
It being customary among the older part of the congregation to take notes of the heads of the sermon on the Sabbath, D. soli- cited of Mr. C. pen, ink and paper for that purpose. After ser- vice he produced a paper covered with all manner of hieroglyphics, and on viewing which the Rev. gentleman said, What is THIS,
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HISTORY OF DURHAM.
Devonshire? I cannot read it at all. Devonshire (in astonish- ment, taking the paper.) Not, READ, THAT, Massa! Come out of your OWN MOUTH, every word of it.
On returning from Church, (after hearing a discourse from the text, "DEAD in tresspasses and sins," &e.) he found the barn door open and the "Old ram " on the hay satisfying the demands of nature. He returned immediately to the house exelaiming MASSA, MASSA, the Old RAM is DEAD ! Mr. C. followed him to the barn and found as above stated, and then, in a reproving manner said, Devonshire ! how came you to say so ? D. replied quickly, DEAD in tresspass and SIN, I GUESS Massa.
Mr. Chauncey had a meadow (called the Burnham lot) the crop of hay on which, unfortunately, for a number of successive years was nearly ruined by rain. Devonshire, on seeing the Rev. gentleman preparing to attend a meeting appointed by the good people of the place on Thursday, in mid-summer of a severe drought, to invoke the blessing of Almighty God in sending the necessary showers to water the dry and thirsty earth, said to Mr. Chauncey, Is it Sabbath day, to-DAY, Massa ? No, replied Mr. C. Dev. Then WHY go to meeting if it's not Sabbath day ? Mr. C. in reply said earnestly, Devonshire, Don't you see all our fields, meadows and gardens are drying up for want of rain ? God is the author of all our mercies, and we meet to pray that He would send down rain to water the earth. O-o, said Devonshire, with a curious twinkle of the eye. Rain, Massa, rain, THAT'S what you want. Better go and mow the Burnham lot; get RAIN quick enough THEN.
The anecdotes above were furnished by Leveret Norton, Esq.
TOWN AFFAIRS.
In ancient Durham, office, whether Town or Colony, was re- garded as a duty to be performed, and not as a privilege to be enjoyed. If a man was elected to office, he paid his fine, unless he performed the duty ; excepting in a few cases when he could show a good and sufficient reason for declining the appointment. Thus December, 1778, we have the following record, " Whereas, Col. James Arnold having exeused himself from serving as se- lectman by paying his fine, Simeon Parsons was chosen select- . man for the year ensuing." One reason why anciently office was
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OCCUPATIONS AND CUSTOMS.
regarded as a duty to be performed, and in modern times it is regarded as a privilege to be enjoyed, is, that anciently there was generally no emolument attached to Town offices, and in modern times there is.
There is a tradition that on one occasion so few were present at "Freemen's Meeting " that they waited for men who would go past with their team, and persuaded them to come in and elect delegates to the General Assembly. So little party spirit was there and so much confidence that the right men would be elected.
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