History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 127

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 127

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"In 1743, Samuel Bellows was appointed an agent to attend the Assembly at its October session for that year to get a land tax for the town.

" In the following October, Benajah Williams and Thomas Newcomb were appointed agents to get an explanation of the tax of the previous year.

" In January, 1745, Samuel Bellows was appointed an agent to procure a patent, or deed of confirmation, of the lands in the town.

"In February, 1747, Thomas Chipman, Esq., was appointed an agent to procure a location of a site for the meeting-house."

THE GRAND LIST FOR 1742.

The following is a copy of the grand list of the town for the year 1742 :

"The List of the Ratablo Estate of Every Person In ye Town of Salis- bury In The County of New Haven In The Colony of Connecticut for the Year 1742, as they Drought Us the subscribers :

il.

Thomas Newcomb ....

137

John Smith.

112 0

Joseph Knickerbaker ..

83 00

Thomas Buylys.

51 10

Thomas Lamb

Nath'l Buell ..

Thos. Starr ...

Caleb Woodworth.

34 0

Culeb Smith.

136

Nath. Gellet

Sam'l. Welch

18 0

Tho. Austin.

Anthony Weldin

36 0

Auson Austin ..

45 0

Zachria Eddy

Timothy Elwards

Zephaniah Hoff

3º

Samnol Towsley.

James Burton ....

Sam'I Clark.

Jacob Vanduson

Ilenry Dutcher

Christopher Dutcher

Ruluff Dutcher

John Dutcher.

Gabriel Dutcher ...

Cornelius Dutcher.

Abraham Vanduson .

Jehu Weldin ..

John Landou.

Robert Name

Henry Vandusen.

117

James Vandusen

Widow Dutcher ..

William White ..

John Challenger.

George White

Joshua V. White.

Bonjam. White

10 0

Samuel Beebe

Samuel Bellowes.

Sum total

£2070

Matthew Townley

Isaac White ...

Sum'. Goodrich

528

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

" The Within is a True List According as is was Given to Us. " Test ·

" CYRENIUS NEWCOMB,

" RULUFF DUTCHER,

" SAMUEL BELLEWS.

" Assessors for ye Year 1742.

" Entered pr. C. NEWCOMB,

" Register.

" The rate that was Made Upon Sd. List Amounted to £28 83s. 8d."

MARKET-PLACE.

In laying out the first division lots a green and market-place was reserved in Town Hill, but was never appropriated to that use. In 1785, however, the General Assembly established a public market upon the meeting-house green, which had been orig- inally designed for a parade, and the selectmen were empowered to make by-laws and regulations for the market, and to design its limits. Twice in each year it was made lawful for all merchants, handicraftsmen, dealers, and voters to resort to the market with their vendible commodities. Such fairs were then common.

THE FIRST POST-OFFICE.

Although this town had for many years previously been a centre of importance, it was not until 1792 that the first post-office was established. This was at Lakeville, then called Furnace Village, and Peter Farnum was the postmaster. There are now five offices, as follows : Salisbury, Donald P. Warner, P. M .; Lakeville, Thos. L. Norton, P. M .; Ore Hill, Homer A. Gibbs, P. M .; Chapinville, John G. Lan- don, P. M. ; and Lime Rock, James H. Barnum, P. M.

PIONEER MILLS.

The first privilege for a saw-mill was reserved on the Great Falls of the Fellkill, and also "at Succo- nup's brook, near the place where the same runs out of the southermost of two large ponds, lying almost close together." The first of these locations was near the Lime Rock furnace, and the latter a short dis- tance below Chapinville. Thomas Lamb, however, soon after procured a privilege of erecting a saw-mill at Lime Rock.

A grist-mill was built at the Upper or Little Falls of the Housatonic as early as 1742 by Capt. Samuel Beebe, and in 1746, John Corbit erected a grist-mill in the southwestern part of the town. In 1748, Jacob Bacon and Daniel Park built a grist-mill and forge on Succunop's brook, in Chapinville.

The first bridge erected across the Housatonic River was the Falls bridge, for many years known as Burrall's bridge, in 1744. Dutcher's bridge was erected in 1760, and one in the southern part of the town in 1790. The latter was built by funds raised by a lottery, and was long known as the Lottery bridge. It was discontinued in 1808. Previous to the erection of these bridges access to the town from the east was very difficult, as there were but few fording-places upon the river, and these could only be improved when the river was very low, in the summer or fall.

"An incident worthy of relation occurred at the Great Falls of the Housatonic in the spring freshet of 1837. Two of the men employed by Mr. Ames at his iron-works attempted to cross the river in a boat ; such was the force of the current that they were pre- cipitated over the cataract. One of them, David O'Neal, an Irish laborer, was killed ; the other, Wal- ter Holley, almost miraculously escaped with little injury.

"The late Dr. Dwight, in one of his volumes, speaks of the moving rocks in the North or Washington pond, in this town. There are several rocks, and one of considerable size, near the southern margin of that pond, which appear to have been propelled by some powerful force towards the shore, leaving deep trenches or gutters behind, and accumulating mud and gravel before them. Such appearances alone would not per- suade me, uncorroborated by the credible testimony of observers, that these rocks had changed position. But I am compelled to yield my assent upon evidence of the actual observation of men of respectability, whose means of knowledge have been accurate. I am not sure that these are unusual phenomena; and perhaps they are the result of the immense pressure of the ice upon the rocks, connected with what may be the peculiar state of the earth or bottom upon which they rest."

INDIAN NAMES.

Housatonic signifies "Over the Mountain," or "the River of the Hill." The Furnace pond was called Wonumscopomuc. The two lakes in the northeastern part of the town (Twin Lakes) were called Washniee and Washining. The long pond in the southeast part of the town was called Wononpakook. The stream flowing through the Centre village was called Wachocastinook. The stream flowing through the pond at Chapinville was called Succunop's. The eastern range of hills, parallel with the Housatonic, were called Wotowanchu.

THE REVOLUTION.

"In the war of the Revolution this town was not inactive. Few towns in the State of only equal popu- lation contributed more efficient means in the prose- cution of that eventful struggle. An embarrassment severely felt at the commencement of the war was the want of a cavalry force. Sheldon's regiment was the first body of cavalry of considerable efficiency which joined the army. That regiment was raised in this town and this vicinity. Col. Elisha Sheldon, Lieut .- Col. Samuel Blagden, and Maj. Luther Stod- dard were attached to it.

" The services of Sheldon's regiment are frequently alluded to by writers of American history. In 1780 malicious charges were preferred against Col. Shel- don; he was tried by a court-martial, of which Col. Hazen was president, at Fishkill, on the 25th day of October of that year. He was acquitted ' with honor

529

SALISBURY.

and full approbation,' and his accuser, Dr. Darius Stoddard, of this town, severely censured.

" The enthusiasm and excitement occasioned by the aggressive acts of the British Parliament can hardly be appreciated by us of this generation. There was an electric spark communicated to the extremes of the colonies, producing a simultaneous action every- where. In this town a meeting was called on the 22d day of August, 1774, to deliberate upon the threatened state of the colonies. Spirited resolutions were adopted, accompanied by a preamble of the fol- lowing tenor :

" After reading and deliberating upon the several acts and lawe, de- nouncing dangerous exertions of Parliamentary power, as well as a par- tial, absurd, and self-confuted spirit of punitive malevolence, particu- larly leveled against the Province of the Massachusetts Bay; and being deeply impressed with the visible declension of the virtue and rectitude of British administration, which threaten insupportable convulsions to the whole empire; and willing, as far as in us lies, to ward off the ini- pending ruin, and revive the expiring liberties of the country; We re- solve," &c.

The resolutions which followed denounced the acts of Parliament, especially the Boston Port Bill ; approved the proposed call of a General Congress, and pledged the contributions of the inhabitants for the relief of their suffering brethren of Boston "from their plentiful harvest;" and concluded by appoint- ing a committee to take up subscriptions, consisting of Hezekiah Fitch, Esq., Capt. Elisha Sheldon, Luke Camp, Lot Norton, and Samuel Lane; and also con- stituting Col. Joshua Porter, Hezekiah Fitch, Abial Camp, Dr. Lemuel Wheeler, and Josiah Stoddard a committee of correspondence.

On the 5th day of the succeeding December the town expressed its acquiescence in the then recent resolutions of the Congress, and appointed Col. Joshua Porter, Luke Camp, Licut. Nathaniel Buell, Lot Nor- ton, Dr. Samuel Lee, Capt. James Bird, Jolin Camp, Samuel Lane, William Beebe, Hezekiah Fitch, and Capt. Elisha Sheldon a committee to carry them into effect. At the next meeting of the town, a comunittce of inspection was appointed, and a committee of the same character was constituted annually during the war. The duties of this committee were various, such as to look well to disaffected persons, to approve of substitutes for drafted men, to inspect all provisions intended for the army, etc.

The spirit of the people did not waste itself in reso- lutions and the appointment of patriotic committecs. What was expressed was intended, and was carried out in calmer moments by continual and efficient action. Every requisition of the General Assembly was complied with,-men were raised, supplies were furnished on all occasions when the emergency of the war demanded them, and to an extent much be- yond the requisitions of the General Assembly.

On the 7th day of April, 1777, Col. Nathaniel Buell, Lot Norton, Abial Camp, Daniel Bingham, and George Marsh were appointed a committee to encourage enlistments into the Continental army, and

to furnish the families of such as should enlist with necessaries during their absence. A similar commit- tee was annually appointed while the war continued.

On the 6th day of January, 1778, the town, by resolution, approved the Articles of Confederation of the Thirteen United States, and instructed their rep- resentatives in the General Assembly to confer upon the delegates from this State, in Congress, sufficient authority to ratify them.

In the spring of 1780 the General Assembly ordered the raising of five regiments for the Conti- nental service, and in June of the same year the town levied a tax of threepence on the pound, to be paid to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers who should enlist into the regiments. In January following the town voted to hire six men to serve for one year, and appointed Luke Camp, Joshua Stanton, Timothy Chittenden, Nathaniel Buell, Lot Norton, and Capt. James Watrous a committee for that pur- pose.

In June, 1781, Governor Trumbull issued his proclamation, offering a bounty to encourage enlist- ments. This town forthwith authorized a grant of three pounds to every non-commissioned officer and private who should enlist here for every three months' service, in addition to the offer made by the Governor; and previously, in February, 1781, Col. Nathaniel Buell and the late Samuel Lee, Esq., had been constituted a committee to hire the enlistment of four men for the defense of the Western frontiers. And again, in February, 1782, six men, in addition, were raised, with an extra pay of twenty shillings each per month, and a pair of shoes for each man, upon his marching to join the army. And on many subsequent occasions necessary supplies for destitute soldiers serving in the Continental army were raised here and forwarded to the suffering troops.

Yes, men, as well as money and supplies, were found here, ready to serve the country and the cause, both in the army and at home. Many of the most prominent, wealthy, and influential citizens joined the troops, either in the militia or Continental ser- vice; and young men, sons of our best inhabitants, sought no exemption, but left cheerfully the endear- ments of home in exchange for the privations of the camp and the dangers of the battle-field.

Among the officers were Cols. Elisha Sheldon, Samuel Blagden, Joshua Porter, and Nathaniel Bnell, Majs. Luther Stoddard and John Chipman, Capts. Roger Moore, James Claghorne, James Ilolmes, Joshua Stanton, Nathaniel Everts, Timothy Chitten- den, James Watrous, Jesse Sawyer, Samuel Lane, and Ebenezer Fletcher, and Lieuts. Nathaniel Chip- man, Richard Bignall, Adonijah Strong, Daniel Brinsmaid, and James Skinner.

Messrs. John Russell, Joseph Hollister, and Archi- bald Campbell enlisted and served before they became residents of this town. Mr. Russell was a sergeant of artillery in the New York Line of the army, and was

530

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

for some time attached to the military family of the commander-in-chief. Mr. Hollister was a sergeant from Glastonbury, and commanded a guard upon the Hudson River, attached to Gen. Putnam's command, which captured a British agent, supposed to be a messenger with dispatches from Gen. Burgoyne to Gen. Clinton .*

It is not to be denied that among the inhabitants were some who doubted the propriety of opposition to the demands of the mother-country, and who be- lieved themselves restrained by their oaths of alle- giance from taking part in the contest, or who con- sidered armed opposition as premature and hopeless. But none here gave aid to the enemy, nor did any oppose the efforts of the Whigs.

At length, in 1783, the battle ceased, the victory was achieved, and the war-worn soldier returned to his home. The gratitude of the people was expressed in rejoicings and thanksgivings. On the 6th of May, 1783, this town appropriated thirty pounds of powder "to congratulate the Continental soldiers belonging to this town upon their return and discharge." A day of rejoicing was set apart, and Col. Nathaniel Buell was appointed " to address the returned Conti- nentals, and present them with the thanks of the town for their generous and spirited exertions in the cause of their country."

In May, 1783, the people, in town-meeting, gave what they called instructions to their representatives in the General Assembly. They declared it "to be their indispensable duty to use their influence, and make the most reasonable efforts, for the security both of their interests and rights, and carly to have a stop put to injustice and oppression." They say, moreover, that " we are sensible, when you come to act in your public characters, you will be under the obligation and solemnity of an oath, and we mean not to desire or request anything that shall infringe on your con- science or judgment." The true relation between the representative and the constituent is here expressed.

The town proceeded to recommend the following particulars :

1. That our public accounts may be settled, so that a reasonable account may be rendered of the expen- diture of such vast sums of money as have been granted and collected in this State since the com- mencement of the late war.

2. That effectual care be taken to prevent such per- sons as have been known to be inimical to these States from being admitted to be free citizens of this State.

3. That the recommendation of Congress respect- ing pay to the officers of the army for a number of years after the war be wholly rejected as unjust and oppressive upon the people.

4. That a suitable address be made to Congress to suppress, prevent, and remove such placemen as hold

trifling offices with large and unreasonable salaries, which must ultimately be drawn from the people.

These instructions were addressed to Hezekiah Fitch and Elisha Fitch, Esqs., who were at that time our representatives in the General Assembly. They breathe the true spirit. They recognize no submission to cliques or cancuses,-the tyrants of the present day; and they dare to rebnke even the Congress itself.

Elisha Fitch, Esq., for many years had been a distinguished and popular man, and frequently repre- sented the town in the General Assembly. In the spring session of 1787 he made a very active opposi- tion to the proposed call of a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. This opposition destroyed his popularity, and extinguished him as a public man. The Articles of Confederation were revised, and the present Constitution of the United States was recom- mended to the people of the respective States for adoption. The convention of this State assembled to deliberate upon the Constitution at Hartford in Jan- uary, 1788. The delegates who represented this town in that convention were Hezekiah Fitch and Joshua Porter, Esqs., both of whom voted for the adoption of the Constitution.

The Revolutionary struggle had imposed impov- erishing burdens upon the country. The times in prospect were gloomy, and the hearts of many were desponding. An immense debt had been contracted, commerce annihilated, the currency depreciated, the public faith distrusted. In this state of affairs a town- meeting was called on the 11th day of March, 1785, by which it was

" Resolved, That we will continue to maintain harmony, good order, and unanimity among ourselves, as well as the good and wholesome laws of society."

WAR OF 1812.

In the war of 1812 several non-commissioned offi- cers and privates enlisted from this town, although it is not known that more than one of them was slain in battle. John O'Kain was killed in the battle of Bridgewater. It is said of him that while lying upon the ground, after receiving his mortal wound, he twice discharged his musket at the enemy.

THE IRON INTEREST.

The three principal mines from which the celebrated Salisbury iron ores are obtained are called respectively the "Old Hill," "Davis," and "Chatfield" ore-beds, and are situated on the eastern slope of the Tacconic range of hills.

The Old Hill ore-bed is a tract of land of one hun- dred acres, originally granted by the General Court in October, 1731, to be laid out by Daniel Bissell, of Windsor. It was soon after surveyed and located by Ezekiel Ashley and John Pell. The descendants of Ashley are still proprietors in the mine. The supply of ore from this mine has been very abundant, and for many years was easily obtained, but latterly the

* Dwight's History of Connecticut, 376.

531

SALISBURY.

cost of mining has been greatly increased. Up to about 1840 the average yield was estimated to be about four thousand five hundred tons per annum. The production has gradually increased until the average yield at present is estimated at fifteen thou- sand tons annually. The largest production in any one year was about twenty thousand tons. The pro- prietors of the mine were incorporated many years ago under the style of "The Salisbury Ore-Bed Pro- prietors."

The Davis ore-bed is so called from a gentleman of that name who at one time owned it. It was origi- nally called Hendricks ore-bed, and was owned be- fore the organization of the town of Salisbury, by Thomas Lamb, one of the first settlers in the town. The ore was mined in this bed as early as 1730 or 1731, and was taken by Lamb to supply his forge at Lime Rock. It was in early days transported in leathern bags on horses. This mine has been worked almost constantly since first opened, showing an in- creased production. The average yearly yield at present is estimated to be about fifteen thousand tons. The property has passed through several different ownerships, and the proprietors are now incorporated under the name of " Forbes Ore-Bed Company."

The Chatfield ore-bed was originally owned by Philip Chatfield, from whom it takes its name, and was opened about the same time with the other beds or soon after. It has been steadily worked since first opened, showing, as do the others, an increased pro- duction. Its annual yield at present is estimated to be twelve thousand tons. Notwithstanding the fact that these mines have been so long and so constantly worked, the supply of ore is still abundant, and is apparently inexhaustible.

There has been no special effort made to increase the production, as these ores are not in the market, and it is only desired to raise a sufficient supply for the furnaces in the immediate vicinity of the mines. The ores are all of the brown hematite variety, and of the same general character, yielding about forty-five per cent. of iron. The process of raising the ore and making it ready for the furnace has been much im- proved within the past twenty years, and the ore now goes into the furnace as free as possible from refuse matter of all kinds. It is now crushed and washed by machinery before leaving the mines. The ore is raised entirely by open mining, and the beds are now being worked at a depth of from seventy-five to one hundred feet.

In addition to the mines mentioned above, this company is working mines at Amenia and Riga, both on the New York and Harlem Railroad, just over the New York State line, and on the western slope of the Tacconic Hills, referred to. These mines produce ores very similar in character and value to the ores first described.

The first forge in this vicinity was erected on Lime Rock by Thomas Lamb as early as 1734. He took

his ore from the Hendricks (now Davis) ore-bed, which he then owned in part. Several different parties succeeded to the ownership of this property, and among those who occupied it longest and operated it most successfully were James Johnston and Messrs. Canfield & Robbins, who succeeded him. The last- named parties owned and operated a forge and blast- furnace on this site for many years, and also had a forge and blast-furnace, which was built by Leman Bradley in 1812, on the Housatonic River, just below the Canaan Falls, using at both places the Salisbury ores. The Lime Rock property came into the pos- session of its present owners in 1863, and in 1864 a new blast-furnace was erected, which has been in operation up to the present time. About the year 1748 a forge was erected in the present village of Lakeville (then called Furnace Village), and in 1762, John Haseltine, Samuel Forbes, and Ethan Allen purchased the property and built a blast-furnace.

This is supposed to be the first blast-furnace built in the State. This property, in 1768, came into the possession of Richard Smith, of Boston, who, being a loyalist, returned to England upon the breaking out of the war. The State took possession of the works, and appointed Col. Joshua Porter their agent in its management, and upon orders of the Governor and Council large quantities of cannon, shot, and shell were made during the Revolutionary war for the general government. John Jay and Gouverneur Mor- ris were often there, superintending the casting and proving of the guns, and it was there that the supe- rior quality and strength of this iron was proven. The cannon were intended chiefly for the navy, and after the war the navy, to a considerable extent, was supplied with guns made from this iron. The ship of Commodore Truxtun, the "Constellation," and the popular ship "Constitution,"-" Old Ironsides,"- were supplied with Salisbury cannon.

This furnace was afterwards owned and operated for many years by Messrs. Holly & Coffing, who also operated a forge and furnace at Mount Riga. The forge on Mount Riga was built about the year 1781, by Abner or Peter Woodin. Daniel Ball succeeded, and the works were for many years known as Ball's Forge. Seth King and John Kelsey commenced building n furnace there about 1806, but were not able to complete it, and in 1810 it came into posses- sion of Messrs. Holly & Coffing, who the same year finished the furnace, and for many years carried on an extensive and profitable business. Pig iron, anchors, serews, and various kinds of manufactured iron were made there.

These works and the ones at Lakeville were aban- doned many years ago, and the property at Mount Riga, including the water-privilege, which is very valuable, and are the finest in the State, is now owned by Barnum, Richardson & Co., and used by them to supply water-power in part to the furnace and foun- dries at Lime Rock.

532

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

There were also built at East Canaan two blast- furnaces for the manufacture of pig iron from Salis- bury ore,-one about 1840, by Samuel Forbes, and one about 1847, by John A. Beckley.

The first foundry for the remelting of pig iron was built in Lime Rock about the year 1830, and soon after came under control of Milo Barnum, who was the founder of the present company.

Milo Barnum was born in Dover, Dutchess Co., N. Y., July 16, 1790; married at twenty-three years of age, and in the spring of 1820 settled in Lime Rock, and engaged in business as a merchant. Soon after getting possession of the foundry he associated with him his son-in-law, Leonard Richardson, and within a few years his son, William H. Barnum, was taken into the partnership. The foundry business was carried on in a small way, in connection with the store (the firm-name at this time being Barnum, Richardson & Co.), their production consisting chiefly of clock- and sash-weights, plow castings, and other small work. The business gradually increased until about 1840, when they began the manufacture of railroad work. The first railroad work made was chains, frogs, head-blocks, etc., for the Boston and Albany Railroad, then being built from Springfield to Albany, and the castings were transported by teams to Springfield and Chatham, a distance of about fifty miles. The great tensile strength and natural chill- ing qualities of the Salisbury iron proved it of great value in the manufacture of cast chilled car-wheels, which naturally followed in a few years the making of smaller railroad castings. The iron early obtained, and has still held, the reputation of being the best known for this purpose.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 127

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