History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 102

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 102

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* Col. Records, 1717-25.

t Cortren's Hist. Ancient Woodbury, pp. 86-104.

425

NEW MILFORD.

riors, while Mr. De Forrest, in his " History of the In- dians of Connecticut," discredits both the above state- ments, on the ground that " tradition is always unsafe, and always exaggerates; and even our recollection, when it refers to events which happened in our youth, inclines us often to extend the truth, never to under- rate it." Making all allowances for the uncertainty of tradition, it will probably be safe to say that they had one hundred and fifty warriors at the time to which these writers referred. It is quite probable that Wereaumaug brought many of his old tribe with him, and that about that time the tribe became more powerful, as it must have also been increasing quite rapidly before that time. It would be within the range of probability to place the number of warriors in 1715 at two hundred. At this time, and for a few years afterwards, it must have been larger than at any previous period. It would seem that at the time this great chief came here the tribe must have numbered one thousand population, one-fifth of whom were to be considered warriors .* I am, however, inclined to believe that there were that number here when the town was settled, as Mr. Griswold conversed with people whose memory extended back to the period, and the tradition, not coming second-handed, must have been more reliable.

Soon after Wereaumaug came to this tribe he built a " palace" on the bluff near the Great Falls, which was his residence. As this was the capital of the tribe, this house of their chief was a native resort. Accord- ing to all accounts, nothing like it had before been seen. The Rev. Mr. Griswold says that "on the inner walls of this 'palace,' which was of bark with the smooth side inwards, were pietured every known species of beast, bird, fish, and insect, from the largest down to the smallest. This was said to have been done by an artist, whom a friendly prince at a great distance sent him for that purpose, as Hiram to Solomon."

The Rev. David Boardinan, the first minister, was held in high esteem by Wereaumaug, and had a high opinion of "his great abilities and eminent virtues." The "distinguished sachem," as he termed him, seems to have been favorably impressed with the doctrines of the Christian religion under the instruc- tions of the minister. Although the sachem's wife and all his tribe were not in sympathy with the re- ligion of the first settlers, yet in his last sickness he desired to see Mr. Boardman, who he felt would give him some consolation of cheer and hope in his rapid flight towards the river of truth.

Hon. David S. Boardman, a grandison of the first minister, treasured an anecdote, which was related to Mr. John W. De Forrest upon his visit to New Milford, and first published in his " History of the Indians of Connecticut." He says that "once in particular, while Mr. Boardman, was at the sachem's bedside, the latter asked him to pray, to which he of course as-

sented. It happened that there was at this time in the village a sick child, whom a pow-wow had under- taken to cure by means of the usual writhings, gri- maces, and hallooing. As soon as Mr. Boardman began his prayer, Wereaumaug's wife sent for this Indian clergyman, stationed him at the door, and bade him commence his exercises. The pow-wow im- mediately set up a prodigious shouting and howling. Mr. Boardman prayed louder, so that the sick man might hear him above the din. Each raised his voice more and more as he went on. The Indians gathered round, anxious for the success of their champion. The pow-wow was fully determined to tire out the black-coat, and Mr. Boardman was equally resolved that he would not be put to silence in his duty by this son of Belial. The indomitable minister afterwards declared that, according to the best of his belief, he prayed three hours without stopping before victory declared in his favor. The pow-wow, completely ex- hausted with his efforts, gave one tremendous yell, by way of covering his retreat, then took to his heels, and never stopped till he was cooling himself up to his neck in the Housatonic."

Wereaumaug died about 1735, the last chief sachem of the tribe, which was now destined to very soon disappear from the earth. He was buried on the mountain, near the place where he had resided so long. A pile of stones on an open plot of ground marks the place where his remains repose. The In- dian customs were observed on his burial. The war- riors, now few in number, painted their faces, and all that belong to the tribe deposited a stone upon the grave. The custom of placing a stone on the grave is kept up by the Indians when they visit the grave afterwards.

DOCUMENTARY HISTORY.

" NEw Mitroan Febr. 23, 1748-9. " An auount of ye goods delivered to Tamar Bordman at her Marriage, one lled £12, four Coverleds £9, one cheft of drawers £2 15s. one pair of fine Sheets £4 two pair of Now Sheets £3 four pair of half worn Sheets £3 four pair of pillow-cases £1 12s. one diaper Table Cloth and 6 nap- kins £4 44, two barrels 6s. one Pail 5s. two trowels two pair of linndirons one pair of tonga one peal ono rofting hook ono fleth fork three tines one bread tray 12s, two krot difhes one millk tray 5a,

" To all People to whom theao presents shall come: Greeting.

" Know yo, that I Sherman Boardman of Now Milford in Litchfield County & Stato of Connecticut, for the consideration of sertain services Done and performed and by me Received to my full Satisfaction of Elward; a Blackomn who was born n Slavo in my Houao & who I this day aot free according to Law; 1 du give grant bargain sell and confirm unto the said Edward the two following described pieces of Land Situato In the township of New Milford afore snid on the East side of the tirent River at the North end of my Farin; the first pleco being called the Brook Lot containing about two & n half Acres of Land bo the same more or lefa, bounded on all sides by Highway Except a small part on the north- oast corner In bounded on Elijah Boardman's Lands. The second pleco line southward of the first plece & westward of the Highway and adfoiti- Ing the Great River being a point at the north end and Extending with- ward adjoining to the highway & Great River so far south ward as to make four Acres of Land the linea to bo of equal Length by the Highwny & Great River Bounded Southward by my own Land Eastward by the High- way westward by the Great River.

" To havo and to hold the above granted nud bargained premises with the appurtenances thereof, unto him the said Edward, his heirs and afsigns forever ; to his & their own proper use and beheof. And also I

· Do Forrest, p. 47, noto.

426

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the said Sherman Boardman do for myself my heirs Executors and ad- miniftrators, covenant with the said Edward his Heirs & afsigns ; that at and until the enfealing of these presents I am well seized of the preni- ifes, as a good indefeasible estate in fee-simple, and have good right to bar- gain and sell the same in manner and forni as is above written, aud that the same is free of all incumbrances whatsoever. And furthermore I the said Sherman Boardman do by these presenta, bind myself and my heirs forever to warrant and defend the above granted & bargained prem- ifes, to him the said Edward his lleirs & nfsigns agains all claims & de- mande whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereanto set my hand and seal the 11th day of April Anno Domini 1808.

"Signed, sealed and delivered "SHERMAN BOARDMAN.

in Presents of

" JEREMIAH CANFIELD.

" ELISHA BOSTWICK.

" LITCHFIELD COUNTY 88.

" NEW MILFORD 11th April 1808.

" Personally appeared Sherman Boardoian signer & sealer of the fore- going instrument aod acknowledged the same to be his free act and deed before me,

" ELISHA BOSTWICK, Justice of Peace."

COPY OF ORIGINAL INDIAN DEED, ETC.

The following interesting matter is taken from the old records of the town of Milford:

"At a Town meeting of Milford held Jany 5th 1701-2 l'oled to pur- chase land at Wiantioogue of the Heathen. And if any freegian not pres- ent have a mind to come in for a share, they have liberty to do so; & if any person have a mind to exempt himself from a share, he has liberty to do so.

" Voted, That a Committee be chosen to gain or purchase land at Wian- tinogue, to treat with the Indians, & to secure the town's interest there to the best of their skill.

" Toted, That sd Committee shall consist of Col. Robert Treat, Ensign George Clark, Ensigo Joseph Treat, Mr. Tho" Clark, Ensign Joseph Peck, Sergt Jonathan Baldwin, & Seargt Timothy Baldwin.

" A company was formed the June following of those persons who had a desire to purchase land at Wiautinogue, as follows, viz .:

Shillings.

Robert Treat 50

Samuel Brisco. 20 Thomas Cook. 40 Thomas Tibballs Jar.

Ensign George Clark

Henry Bottsford. 6

Mr. Jolin Fisk

Barnabas Baldwin 20

Serg& Jonathan Baldwin 20

Richd Bryan ..

Seargt Samel Northrop. Ebenezer Pringle ..

Samel Camp Segr

Sergeant Nath Baldwin. 40

William Nathaos ..

Joseph Camp.

Lient Joseph Platt 20 John Clark 25

Lieutt Samel Camp 30

Mr. Robert Treat .. 40

Mr. Jonathan Law Jnr 20

Ssmnel Beard

Samuel Buckingham. 30 John Rouch

William Wheeler.

Joshua Lobdell

William Roberts

Gideon Allen 12 Samuel Pruddou

James Beard.

Sergt Timy Baldwin.

Zechariah Whitman.

James Terrill.

Samuel Nettleton 15 Hugh Stilson. Wo Mary Baldwin. John Terrill

Delivennee Downs

Daniel Downs.

James Prime. 20 Stephen Iline.

Sylvanna Baldwin

Samuel Miles Jur .. 16

John Smith (at the West End). 20 James Fenn ...

Gideon Allen 10 James Baldwin

John Camp ..

Samuel Camp Sur 10 Thomas Welch

Samuel Hein

Josiah Platt Jnr.

John Smith Jar.

Thomas Smith 10

Mr. Samel Clark 50 John Buckingham 20

Samel Lobdell 20

Ensign Joseph Peck 40 Samel Pingle

"Names with the amt left blank to be filled afterwards, with such sunis as the Subscribers shall see proper.

" The purchase of Wiantinogue was made by the Committee of tbe In- dians ; & a Deed recorded of them on the 8th of Feby 1702-3. The con- sideration for the tract was £60 current money & £20 in goods at money price. It was bounded in the Deed (Milford Records Lib. 3ª, page 135) Easterly by Woodbury, and a parallel line running into the Country, Westerly with the mountains, Northwesterly with Wemerang a small

Brook, running into the Housatonic, & from the head of the brook by a line running Easterly till it comes to the above sd parallel line ; with Danbury line on the Southwest, & Woodbury line Southeast.

" In this tract the Indians reserve their planting field on the west side of the River, opposite the town, and the right of fishing at the Falla.

"The Deed was signed by

"SHOPACK, PAPESOPO,

" WEWINAPOWK, PASNICOTO,

" PORCENAUS, TOWECOMIS,

" PARAMESIIE, WOMPOOTO,

" CHESQUMAG, NUNPOOTO,

" PAPIREIN, HAOWAMIS,

" YONCOMIS.

" In presence of

"JOHN MINER, Interpreter (allowed by both the English & Indians),

" EBENEZER JOHNSON,

" JOHN DURAND,

" TANORESTE,

" NONOWAK.

"The above-named Indians, the Subscribers, personally appeared in Milford the 8th day of Feby, 1702-3, and acknowledged this Instrument to be their free act & deed before me,

" EBENEZER JOHNSON, " Justice.

" Here follows upon the Record a diagrain of Wiantinogue as drawn by the indians marking their reservations.

"The Committee obtained a Patent of the Govr & Company which is dated the 2d year of Queen Anne, 1703, and signed by John Winthrop.

" It appeares that the settlement of the Town was not commenced till about 4 years after the above purchase was made. The Int Division of Land was made in Decr, 1706.

" An additional purchase of a tract of lard on the North of the first purchase was made by the Johabitante in 1722."

CHAPTER XLI.

NEW MILFORD (Continued).

Early Explorations-Purchases-Indian Map of the Town-The Patent - The First Settlement-First Proprietors' Meeting-List of Original Proprietors-Initial Events-The North Purchase-Names of Proprie- tors-Biographical Notes of Some of the First Settlers-Town Hill and Town Street.

EARLY EXPLORATIONS AND PURCHASES.

IT is quite probable that very soon after the set- tlement was commenced at Windsor, in 1633, the colo- nists became somewhat familiar, under the spirit of exploration and adventure, with the territory now comprising the township of New Milford, although it was seventy-four years from that time before the first settler came to the locality. Woodbury, the nearest town, had been settled thirty-five years before a white man had made his home in these solitudes, and they were familiar with the locality. The attention of the people of Fairfield and Stratford was turned to Weantenaug, the Indian name of New Milford, in 1670, when, upon the petition of Capt. Nathan Gold, Mr. Jehu and John Burr, the General Court at Hart- ford granted them liberty to make the purchase of the place, "and the lands adjacent, of the Indians, to make a plantation, if it be capable for such a thing." Mr. Gold, Mr. Jehu Burr, Mr. Hill, Mr. Thomas Fayrechild, and Mr. Thomas Fitch were appointed a committee " for the well ordering of the planting of the same, and also to entertain inhabitants." And it was declared " that any of the honest inhabitants ofthis

Stephen Miles .....

James Wright.

Tho" Buckingham 20

Thos Canfield 6

Josiah Platt Segr 20 Wo Lydia Newton.

John Merwin

Thomas Bassett.

Ensign Joseph Treat 40 Sergt Benjin Fenn ... 40 Thos Clark Est

Richd Baldwin .. Joseph Wheeler.

Eleazer Pringle ..

Jobn Woodruff 20

427

NEW MILFORD.

colony that are in want of land, may have liberty to be entertained there till the place is filled, provided, if the place be not planted in four years, it shall re- turn to the court's disposal again."*

Whether the committee found it incapable of making a plantation or not we do not know, or whether the attempt ever was made. There was, however, no settlement made under this authority from the General Court.

In 1775 the General Court appointed Lieut. Joseph Judson, Mr. John Burkes, Edward Worenston, and William Judd "to view the lands of Derby, Wood- bury, Mattatuck, Pootatuck, and Wyantenuck,t and the distances between place and place, and to consider what may be suitable bounds for each town, and pre- sent the same to the court in October next."

In 1679 the General Court ordered the committee appointed in 1675 "to attend the said service as soon as may be, and make report thereof in May next; and that no farm be layd out within eight miles of either of those places till the committee have made their re- turn."

The seeds of a controversy are now sown which resulted in a conflict between the Indian and colonial title to the lands of Weautenaug, which was not settled for nearly ten years after the patent of the town from the colonial government was obtained, and which caused several years' tedious delay in the settle- ment of the place. Henry Tomlins, a freeman of Stratford, had purchased land, it is said, of thieves in a private way, to the prejudice of the Indians. Two deeds were given to Tomlins "of an island in, and of lands on either side of, Oautenoek River, extend- ing more than seven miles in length and six in breadth; one of these deeds was given in April, and the other in July, 1671,# by Pocono, Ringgo, Quocon- ecoe, and Whimta, and by Perainos and Cawkapo- tons," who professed to be the Indian proprietors.

In 1677, Scantemung, the first chief sachem of Weautenang of whom we have any knowledge, made complaint to the General Court, then in session at Hartford, of these purchases, and of the trespasses upon the rights of his tribe. The whole matter in controversy was referred by the court to the Fair- field County Court. The ultimate decision was against Tomlins and those who came here from Stratford under their pretended Indian deeds, and they were obliged to quit the occupation of the lands of which they had taken possession, and make way for the claimants under the colonial patent and title.

Other efforts were soon made to establish a planta- tion at Weautenaug. In 1678 the General Court, at Hartford, granted the Honorable Deputy Governor, Maj. Robert Treat, with Mr. Bryan, Sr., or Jr.,

Capt. John Bird, Lieut. Samuel Eells, "liberty to view and buy convenient land for a plantation in those adjacent places about Pootatuek, Wiantenuck, or thereabouts ; and when the said land is purchased, it shall remain to be disposed as the court shall see cause and reason to order for the planting of it." But it is to be twenty-five years more before the people of Milford take a decisive step towards the settlement of the town and actually secure a patent, and hold pro- prietors' meetings for ordering and regulating the new settlement.

In 1694 the wilds of Weautenaug were penetrated by white people from a distance, when commissioners of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey and the Five Nations of In- dians met at Albany. Capt. Wadsworth, of Hartford, commanded a guard of sixty dragoons which aecom- panied the party from Boston to Albany. The Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth, afterwards president of Har- vard College, was one of the attendants, and from his diary it appears that they returned through Weau- tenaug to Hartford, by way of Woodbury. He says, " About noon came to Ten-Mile River, called so from its distance from Wyantenuek,-runs into Wyantennek, -by ye side of which we rode, I believe, six or seven miles, and passed ye same a little after sundown. Wyantenuek River is ye same yt passeth thro' Ouse- tonnuck ; it is Stratford River also." He also speaks about some parts of the way being through "a hideous prowling wilderness," and that some parts of their road was "not so extreme bad." In August, 1696, Capt. Whiting came from Hartford to Wiantonock, and the General Court allowed five shillings per horse in cash for their hire thither.

It was seventy years after William Holmes erected the first frame house at Windsor, in 1633, before a patent was received from the General Court of New Milford. Woodbury, adjoining it on the east, had been settled twenty-one years, and Danbury, the nearest town on the southwest of it, had been settled nineteen years, and the remaining part of Litchfield County, as it is now divided, was a dense solitude, and known as the " Wilderness." The people of Mil- ford, the town from which our town derived its name, had some years before taken steps to purchase the territory of the Indians, and had secured the author- ity from the General Court.

The time had now come for them to take hold of the matter in earnest, and sufficient numbers of their leading citizens were found ready to form a company to purchase the colonial title. The matter was agi- tated in their town-meetings, and Jan. 1, 1701-2, it was voted " to purchase Weantenaug of the heathen. And if any freeman not present have a mind to come in for a share, they have liberty to do so, and if any present have n mind to exempt himself from a share, he likewise has liberty to do so." A committee was chosen, consisting of Col. Robert Treat, Ensign i George Clark, Ensign Joseph Treat, Mr. Thomas

· Colonial Records.

t I have adopted the following as the best orthography, viz., Wenn- lenaug, although it Is spelled as above and a number of other different ways, all of which may be considered correct, -" Oautenock."

Į Colonial Record of Lands, I., 421.

428

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Clark, Ensign Joseph Peck, Sergt. Jonathan Baldwin, and Sergt. Timothy Baldwin, to gain or purchase the land, to treat with the Indians, and to secure the town's interest there to the best of their skill. From this first practical effort made to commence the set- tlement, eighty individuals were soon obtained who were willing to hazard the doubtful experiment of opening up these dark wilds to become the abodes of civilized men .* It was the home of the aborigines, on one of the most beautiful streams of water in the State, where, at the Falls of Mitichawon, a most wild and romantic gorge through the mountains, the salmon sparkled in the sun as he was taken from the water, punctured by the dart of the savage, and where the red man had his council-fires, and was a strong and powerful nation. Its dense forests were full of wild game, and the panther, the bear, the wolf, and the decr roamed unmolested through its wild wastes. The committee made the purchase of the Governor and company, and received a patent of the tract, which is as follows, viz. :

" SHEPAVO,

hie

mark

"WEWINAPOWK, his

mark

" CHASQUEMAG,

his

mark

" WOMPOTOO,

hie

mark

" TOWECOMIS,

hie

mark

" YOUCOMIS,

hie

mark

A A, Indian forts ; B, a line representing Housatonic River; C, Indian planting-field ; D, Indian reservation for fishing at the fields.

The above is a reduced copy of a map or sketch of Wiantinogne as drawn by the Indiane.

PATENT, AND NAMES OF THE PURCHASERS.

The bounds of Weautenaug, by this patent, com- menced at a small stream that empties into the Hou- satonic River at Gaylordsville, and is the present dividing line, in part, between the present towns of Sherman and New Milford, and from that northwest corner the line struck the Rocky River, and followed that river, and left it at the small brook, from which the line extended to the northeast corner of the town of Danbury, which point has never been changed. In running from that point to Woodbury, a portion of the town of Brookfield was included in the bounds of the patent. The north line was a straight one from the mouth of the brook, on the west side of the Housatonic River, at Gaylordsville, to the Bee Brook, as is supposed, in the present town of Washington, and then, following that stream, to the Shepaug River. There can be but little doubt where the east boundary line of New Milford ran upon an examination of the

* Lambert's History of the Colony of New Haven.

patent of the town of Woodbury, which was granted by the General Courts in 1686, and also a reference to the five Indian deeds of Woodbury, and the con- firmatory purchase from the Indians of May, 1706, which covered all the former Indian grants. The west boundary line of Woodbury, by its patent, is very indefinite when it says " upon Potatnek River (the Housatonic), the middle of the stream, and the commons on the west." It is quite clear that it was west on the Potatuck till it came to the Shepaug River, before it reaches the New Milford patent. The. only way to determine the commons on the west is by a reference to the Indian deeds. The first Indian deed of Woodbury, in 1659, does not give a clear idea of the west line, as it comprises a large tract in Litch- field County. The Shepaug purchase of March 17, 1685-86, which covered two-thirds of the present town of Roxbury, extended only to the Shepaug River on the west. By the confirmatory deed of May, 1706, seven miles, by estimation, at the north end, between Waterbury and Milford, " late pur- chase, about fourscore rods west of Shepaug River, at ye Steep Rock, and so running on ye west side of sd. river of ye same breadth westward to ye mouth of sd river to ye great river (Housatonic)."+ This refers to the New Milford patent, but does not affect the west line of New Milford, on the Shepaug River, north of the point fourscore rods west of the river at Steep Rock. At the time the New Milford patent was granted, in 1703, the east bounds of the town, upon a comparison of the two patents and the Indian deeds, was mostly on the Shepaug River. The lines between the two towns have since, however, been perambulated and fixed where they are now.

According to the best estimate that can be made of the territorial area covered by the colonial patent, eighty-four square miles of territory were granted to the one hundred and nine original first purchasers and proprietors of New Milford. The price paid by each proprietor for his right was twenty-four shil- lings, or four dollars. A half-right cost twelve shil- lings, or two dollars. There were ninety-nine whole or twenty-four-shilling rights, and ten half or twelve- shilling rights. The number of whole rights, by making the ten half-rights into five whole rights, would have been one hundred and four. The whole rights then would amount to five hundred and six- teen acres and a small fraction of land, at four dol- lars for the whole, which shows what eivilization does to affect the price of real estate.

The first Indian deed which the colonists received of. Weautenaug was dated Feb. 8, 1702-3.

There seems to have been no action taken by the inhabitants of Milford under the authority granted by the General Court in May, 1702, and further au- thority was obtained at the October session in 1703, when the following act was passed :

+ Cothren'e History of Ancient Woodbury, chap. ii. pp. 55-56.

429

NEW MILFORD.

"This Court doe grant to the towne of Milford, purchasers of a tract of land of the Judians (which land lieth at Wiantenuck ) for a township, liberty according to their purchase to take out a pattent signed by the Govern' and Secretary under the seal of the Colony : always provided it he not an infringement to any former legall purchases or proprieties, es also that they doe make a settlement upon said land within five years under the conduct of a comittee for the stating of the town plott and laying out the lotts. The name of the said town to be New Milford.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 102

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532