History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 25

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

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" Jv WITYEAR WHEREOF, The sall Governor and Company have canseu the Seal of the onid Colony to bo herennto affixed.

" Dated In Hartford, May the 19th day, Anno regui regis Decimo Georgii, Magne Britt'w, Fran's, Hybern's, Aunque Domol, Que Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty Four, 1721.

"(. SALTONATALL, Goc'r.

"Ily onder of the Gor'r andy Company In General Court nwembledl.

" HEz. WILLIS, Secretary."

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

The first settlement was made in the summer of 1720, by Capt. Jacob Griswold, from Windsor, Ezekiel Buek, from Wethersfield, and John Peck, from Hart- ford. The little settlement rapidly increased, and within three years from the pioneer location the fol- lowing were residents of the town : Nehemiah Allen, from Coventry ; Joseph Birge, from Windsor ; John Bird, Joseph Bird, from Farmington ; Ezekiel Buck, from Wethersfield; Samnel Beebe, from Fairfield County ; John Buell, from Lebanon ; John Baldwin, from Stratford ; Daniel Culver, Samuel Culver, Heze- kiah Culver, from Lebanon ; Timothy Collins, from Guilford; John Catlin, James Church, from Hart -. ford ; Joseph Gillett, from Colchester ; Abraham Goodwin, Joshua Garrett, from Hartford ; Benjamin Gibbs, Jacob Gibbs, from Windsor; William Good- rich, Jr., Jacob Griswold, from Wethersfield; John Gay, from Dedham, Mass .; Benjamin Hosford, from Windsor; Joseph Harris, from Middletown ; Joseph Kilborn, from Wethersfield; Thomas Lee, from Leb- anon ; Joseph Mason, John Marsh, from Hartford ; Nathan Mitchell, from Stratford ; Samuel Orton, from Woodbury ; Edward Phelps, from Windsor; Thomas Pier, from Stratford; Paul Peck, Jr., John Peck, from Hartford ; John Stoddard, from Wethers- field ; Eleazer Strong, Supply Strong, from Lebanon ; Joseph Sanford, Lemuel Sanford, from Stratford ; Nathaniel Smith, John Smith, from Taunton, Mass. ; Samuel Smedley, from Woodbury ; Thomas Tread- way, from Lebanon ; Benjamin Webster, from Hart- ford; Josiah Walker, Joseph Waller, from Wood- bury ; Nathaniel Woodruff, from Farmington.

" The township was divided among the proprietors, giving to each a home-lot of fifteen aeres, as nearly as conld conveniently be done. The choice of home- lots was decided by lot. The lot first selected was about half a mile south of the court-house, and next to Middle Street or Gallows Lane; the second was half a mile further south, and on the corner opposite the residence of Mr. Arthur D. Catlin; the third three- fourths of a mile west of the court-house, known as the Strong place.

" The eleventh choice was the lot thirty rods next west of the county-house corner, which subsequently the town voted was not fit for building a house upon. The mansion-house corner was the twentieth choice ; the corner now owned by Mrs. Bostwick the twenty- fifth choice; and the county-house corner the thirty- third choice. Ten lots were selected on Chestnut Hill, southerly from the school-house, and the last choice (the 57th) was the lot on which is the dwelling- house of Mrs. A. C. Smith.

" The home-lot of the first minister was the corner lately owned by Mrs. Weller, deceased, and the twenty- acre division appurtenant thereto was laid adjoining on the north, and extended to the north line of the land of Mr. Charles Jones.

"The highway from Bantam River, running wester-

ly through the village, was laid twenty rods wide, and called Meeting-Honse Street; that now called North Street twelve rods wide, and was called Town Street; that now ealled South Street eight rods wide, and was called Town Hill Street, the east line of which terminated six rods east of the front of Mrs. Bost- wick's dwelling. Gallows Lane, then Middle Street, was twenty-eight rods wide. The highway running southerly from Mr. David De Forest's house was named South Griswold Street, and that running northerly North Griswold Street. Prospect Street, then called North Street, was seventeen rods wide.

"The first church, court-house, and school-house, stood nearly in the centre of Meeting-House Street ; the court-house about opposite the centre of Town Street, and the church east and school-house west of the court-house.

"The first white child born in Litchfield was Eunice, the daughter of Jacob Griswold, afterwards the wife of Capt. Solomon Buell. She was born March 23, 1721. The first white male child born in Litchfield was Gershom Gibbs, on the 28th of July, 1724. He was taken prisoner at Fort Washington in 1776, and died on board a British prison-ship on the 29th of December of that year.

" Mrs. Mary Adams was born in Stratford in 1698, and died here in 1803, aged one hundred and five. Mr. Reuben Dickinson was born in 1716, and died here in 1818, aged one hundred and two. Capt. Sal- mon Buell was born here in 1767, and died here in 1868.

"' The first founders built log heuses. The settlement proceeded as fast as could reasonably be expected. During the frequent wars between England and France the Canadians and Indians ofteo harassed eur Ler- ders, and Litchfield, being a frontier town, was exposed te their ravages.'

"It is not strange that the natives, accustomed to rove over these beautiful hills, through these pleasant valleys, and about our delightful lakes (gems in eme- rald), should have viewed with jealousy the approach of the white man.

" But of course our predecessors, the owners of the soil by fair purchase, stood on their defense.

"'Between the years 1720 und 1730, five lienses were surrounded by pallisadoes. One of these stood on the ground near the present court- house, another half a mile south, one east and one west of the centre, nod Due in South Farms. Soldiers were then stationed here to guard the inhabitants, both while they were at werk in the field and while they were attending public worship on the Sabbath.

"'In May, 1722, Capt. Jacob Griswold being at work alone in a field about one mile west of the present court-hense, two Indians suddenly rushed upen him from the woods, took him, piniened his arms, and carried hini off.

"'They traveled in a nerthierly directien, and the same day arrived in sonie part of the township called Cadaan, then a wilderness. The Indians kindled a fire, and after binding their prisoner haod and fout lay dewo to sleep. Griswold, fortunately di-engaging his hands and feet, while his arms were yet pinioned, seized their gnos, and made his escape into the woods. After traveling a small distance he sat dewn and waited the dawo of day, and although his arms were still pinioned lie carried Loth their guas. The savages awoke in the morning, aod finding their pris- ener gone iaimediately pursued him; they seon everteok liai and kept ia sight of him the greater part of the day, while he was making his way homeward. When they came dear he turned and pointed one of lis pieces at them; they then fell hack. Io this manner he traveled till

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near sunset, when he reached an emineace ia ao open field, about one mile northwest of the court-house. He then discharged one of his guas, wbich immediately summoned the people to his assistance. The Iadians fled, and Griswold safely returned to his family.

"'The capture of Griswold made the inhabitants more cautious for a while, but their fears soon subsided. Afterwards, in 1723, Mr. Joseph Harris, a respectable inhabitant, was at work in the woods not far from the place where Griswold was taken, and, being attacked by a party of Indiaas, attempted to make his escape. The Indians pursued him, and, finding that they could not overtake him, they shot bim dead and scalped him. As Harris did not return the iohabitants were alarmed, and some search was made for him, but the darkness of the night checked their exertions. The next morning they found his body and gave it a decent burial. Harris was killed near the north end of the plain, where the road turns to Milton, a little cast of a school-house, and for a long time after this plain was called Harris' Plain.'

"The place of his interment remained unmarked for more than a century, but rested in the memory of the older inhabitants. He was buried in the west burial-ground, near the village of Litchfield. In 1830 a suitable monument, with an appropriate inscription, was erected at his grave by voluntary contribution.

"The summer of 1724 was a period of excitement and alarm. The war between the English and the French was then prevailing, and the latter used great efforts to incite the Northern Indians to attack the frontier settlements of the whites.

" The conduct of the Indians at the North and West during this year, and especially their hostile mnove- ments in the vicinity of Litchfield, induced the government to take such precautionary measures as the occasion demanded in order to furnish protec- tion to the weak and exposed settlements. A line of seouts was established extending from Litchfield to Turkey Hills, curving around the most northerly and westerly settlements in Simsbury. On the 4th of June, 1724, Capt. Richard Case, of Simsbury, was directed to employ ten men on this scouting-party to rendezvous at Litchfield. They continued in ser- viee until early in October.

" During these difficulties some of the more timid of the inhabitants deserted their posts, and the inter- position of the Legislature was deemed necessary, and therefore the following enactment was made,-viz. :

"* A General Court hollen at New Haven, Oct. 11, 1721, upon the me- morinl of the Inhuldtanta of the towa of Litchfield, be It enacted and ordalned, by the Governor, assistants, and deputies in General Court no sembled, and by the authority of the same, that whosoever hath or ought to have been an Inhubitant, and Is a proprietor of any lands within the town uf Litchfield, or have deserted and left sald town since difficulties have arisen there on account of un enemy, and shall neglect for the spre of one month after the rising of this Assembly to return to the said town and there nbide, or send sutne munn in their room ur stead to perform nad do the necessary inties of watching and warding and the Iko during the continuance of the difficulties of the war, ahall lose and forfeit all their right and estate In nud upon any and all of the lande aforesaid, and thelr estate, right, and Interest there.u, unto the corporation of Connec- ticut. And further, it is provided, that If any other man being now a proprietor and Inhabitant, or a proprietor and ought to have been an In- habitant In the sald town, shall hereafter during the continuance of frar and danger of the enemy, desert nud leave tho anld town, or neglect tu repair thither, and there personally abdde, without constantly provbling mme other anthedent person in his room and stead, there to perform all dutien en before mentioned In the case of them who have already deserted, shall likewieo forfelt their estate la and on all the lands in the town aforesaid unto this corporation.

"' And further, it is provided, that upon complaint made to the Con- mittee of War at Hartford, of or against any such deserter, upon their satisfaction of the truth thereof, the said committee shall declare the for- feiture, and the said committee are enabled to admit any other person who shall go and abide there in the room of the deserter, and perform the necessary duties as aforesaid, and that he shall hereafter receive a grant from this court of the estate escheated as aforesaid for his further confirmation therein. And it is further ordered, that five shillings per week shall be allowed for billeting soldiers in Litchfield for the summer past.'

"In 1726, upon news of the Indian enemy coming down towards our frontiers, the Assembly resolved that thirty-five effective men be raised to march to Litchfield for its defense, to be under the command of Capt. John Marsh.

" Dr. Dwight, the former president of Yale College, wrote:

"' Not many years after the county of Litchfield began to be settled by the English, a strange Indian came one day into an inn in the town of Litchfield, in the dusk of the evening, and requested the hostess to furnish him with some drink and supper. At the same time he observed he could pay for neither, as he had had no success in hunting, but proni- _ ised payment as soon as he should meet with better fortune. The hostess refused him both the drink and the supper, called him n Inzy good-for- nothing fellow, and told him she did not work so hard herself to throw away her earnings upon such creatures as he was.

"'A man sat by and observed that the Indian, then turning about to lenve so Inhospitable a place, showed by his countenance that he was suffering very severely from want and weariness, and directed the hostess to supply him with what he wished, and engaged to pay the bill himself. She did s. When the Indian had finished his supper he turned to his benefactor, thanked him, and assured halm that he should remember his kindness, and whonever he was able would faithfully recompense it. ...

""Some years after the man who had befriended him had occasion to go some distance into the wilderness between Litchfield, then a frontler settlement, and Albany, when he was taken primmer by an Indian scout and carried to Canada. When he arrived at the principal settlement of the tribe, on the southern border of the St. Lawrence, it was proposed by sumo of the captors that ho should be put to death. During the consul- tation an old Indian woman demande that ho should be given up tu her, that she might adopt him in the place of a son whom she had lost in the war. Ile was accordingly given to her, and lived through the en- nuing winter In her famlly, experiencing tho customary effects of ravage hospitality.

"' The following mummer, as he wan at work In the forest alone, an un- known Indian came up to him and asked him to meet him st a place which he pointed out on a given day. The prisoner agreed to the pro- posal, but not without some apprehensions that mlachlef was Intended him. During the Interval these apprehensions increased to such a de- gree as tu dlesuado him effectually from fulfilling hls engagement.

" " Soon after the same Indian found him at hils work again, and very gravely reproved him for not performing his promiso. The man apolo- gized awkwardly enough, but In the best manner In his power. The Indian told him he should be satisfied if he would meet hlin at the same place on a future day which he namal. The man promised to meet hlas, and fulfilled his promise.

"* When he arrived at the spot he found the Indian provided with two muskets, amiminnition for them, and konjmarks. The Indian ordored film to take one of reach and follow him. The direction of their march was to the south. The man followed without the least knowledge of what he was to do or whither he was going, but concluded that If the Indian lutriuled him harm he would have dispatched' hlm at the begin- ulng, ond at the worst he was as safe where he won as he could be In any other place.

"' Within a short time, therefore, his fears aulaided, although the ladina observed a profound und mysterious allence concerning the object of the expedition. In the day-tina they shut such game as came in their way. and ot right kindled a fire, by which they slept. After a toollong Journey of many days they came one martilng to the top of an eminence present - ing a prospect of a cultivated country, In which was a annuler of houses The Indian asked his companion whether he knew the place. He replied eagerly that It was Litchtell. Hle gulde then, after reminding him that ho hail so many years before relleved the wants of a famislilug Iulian of an lun in that town, auljolnel, " I that Indian; now I pay you; ">

« Morria' statistical account of Litchfield.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

home." Having said this he bade him adieu, and the man joyfully re- turned to his own house.'"

LITCHFIELD IN THE FRENCH WAR, 1755-63.

In this struggle Litchfield furnished her full quota of men and contributed largely in means. There is but a single list of the soldiers who went from this town preserved. This list appears as " A Pay-Roll for Capt. Archibald MeNeile's Company in the Second Regiment of Connecticut Forces for the year 1762," which is on file in the Secretary of State's office in Hartford :

Archibald McNeile, captain ; Isnac Moss, first lientenant; locrease Moseley, second lientenant; Elisha Bliun, ensign; Thomas Catlin, Nathaniel Taylor, Bezaleel Beche, Hezekinh Lee, Archibald Mc- Neile, Jr., sergeants; Roger Catlin, Win. Drink water, Nathan Sted- dard, Juines Lassly, corporals; Daniel Barns, Jacob Bartholomew, drummers; Charles Richards, Sammel Warner, Samuel Gibson, Jo- seph Jones, John Barrett, John Barrett, Jr., William Forster, Francis Muzuzan, Thomas Wedge, Reuben Sulth, Jeremiah Osborn, Benjn- min Landon, Isaac Osborn, Benjamin Bissell, David Nichole, Icha- bol Squire, Comfort Jackson, Elisha Walker, Amos Brougton, Na- thaniel Lewis, Levi Bonny, Thomas Barker, Samuel Drinkwater, Asnhel Gray, Eliakim Gibbs, Samuel l'eet, Ephraim Smedley, Ed- mund HInwes, Silas Tucker, Robert Bell, Thomas Sherwood, Ephraim Knapp, Titus Tyler, Robert Coe, Adam Mott, Asahel Ilinman, Roswell Fuller, Daniel Grant, William Emons, Moses Stoddard, Gideon Smith, Jonathan Smith, Hezekiah Leach, Adam Hurlbut, Jeremiah Harris, Eli Emons, Alexander Waugh, Orange Stoddard, Ezekiel Shepard, Ozias Ilurlbut, Daniel Harris, John Collins, Solomen Palmer, Juna- than Phelps, John Cogswell, Mark Kenney, Aaron Thrall, Timothy Brown, Roswell Dart, William Bulford, James Manville, Thomas Williams, Justus Scelye, James Francier, George Peet, Nathaniel Barnum, Adonijah Roice, Elisha Ingraham, Daniel Hurlbut, Ebeue- zer Blackman, Domini Douglas, Amos Tolls, Thomas Ranny, Daniel Hamilton, Asahel Hodge, Daniel Warner, Titus Tolle, John Ripner, Caleb Nichols, Jolin Fryer, Ebenezer Pickett.

" It is not to be inferred," says Mr. Kilbourn, "that all the members of Capt. McNeile's company belonged in Litchfield. Some in the list are recognized as resi- dents of neighboring towns. Lient. Moseley, for in- stance, was a Woodbury man. He became an eminent lawyer, legislator, and judge in his native county, and afterwards removed to Vermont, and was there ele- vated to the bench of the Supreme Court.

" The name of the late Col. Beebe, of his town, will be noticed among the sergeants of this company. At a still carlier date he had been a member of Maj. Rogers celebrated corps of Rangers, and was engaged in one of the forest fights, when the soldiers were dis- persed by order of their commander and caeh man was directed to fight, in true Indian style, from behind a tree. Beebe chanced to be stationed near Lieut. Gaylord, who was also from Litehfield County. He had just spoken to Gaylord, and at the moment was looking him in the face for a reply, when he observed a sudden break of the skin in the forchead, and the lieutenant instantly fell dead,-a ball from the enemy having passed through his head.

" The names of some of the Litchfield officers who received commissions between the years 1755-63 are here given, as it is known that a part of them were in the war,-viz. :

Solomon Buel, captain, 1756; Ebenezer Marsh, colonel, 1757; Isaac Baldwin, captain, 1737; Joshua Smith, lientenant, 1757; Abner Baldwin, ensigns ; Archibald McNeilo, captain, 1758; Zebulon Gibbs, ensign, 1758; Stephen Smith, lieutenant, 1760; Eli Catlin, lieutenant, 1760; Isaac Moss, lieutenant, 1761 ; Josiah Smith, lieutenant, 1761 ; Asa Ilopkine, lieutenant, 176L ; Gideon Harris, ensign, 1761 ; David Lan- don, ensign, 1761 ; Lynde Lord, ensign, 1762.

" Zebulon Gibbs was in the northern army from 1756 to 1762. In March, 1758, he was commissioned as ensign in Capt. Hurlbut's company, which was raised as a part of the force designed for the capture of Crown Point."

CHAPTER X.

LITCHFIELD (Continued).

First Indication of Revolutionary Spirit in Litchfield-Letter of Aaron Burr-The First Company of Soldiers-Capt. Bezalcel Beebe-The Bowling Green Statue of George III. Demolished-Carried to Litchi- field-Converted inte Cartridges-Continental Stores-Army Work- shops-Prisoners of War-Arrest of David Matthews, Mayor of New York-Conveyed to Litchfield-Governor Franklin a Prisoner here- Visit of Count Rochambeau nud Gen. Lafayette-Gen. Washington Visits the Village-Various Votes of the Town-Rev. Judab Cham- pion'e Prayer-Resident British Soldiers-Incideats, etc., etc.

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.#

THE first indication of the rising spirit of revolu- tion in this town is contained in the following docu- ment, which emanated from a town-meeting held Aug. 17, 1774, of which Oliver Wolcott was moderator :

" The Inhabitants of Litchfield in legal Town Meeting assembled on the 17th day of August, A.D. 1774, taking into consideration the distress to which the Poor of the Town of Boston may likely be reduced by the operation of an Act of the British Parliament for Blocking up their Port and deeply commiserating the unhappiness of a brave and loyal People, who are thus eminently suffering in a General Canse for vindicating what every virtuous American considers an essential Right of this Country, think it is their indispensable Duty to afford their unhappy dis- tressed brethren of snid Town of Boston all reasonable Aid and Support. And this they are the more readily induced to do, not only as the In- habitants of said Town are thue severely condemned for their reluctance to submit to na arbitrary, an unconsented to, and consequently uncon- stitutional Taxation, but the whole of the great and loyal Province of the Massachusetts Bay have been condemned unheard, in the loss of their Charter Privileges, by the heretofore unknown and unheard of exertions of l'urliamentary Power, which they conceive is a power claimed and exercised in ench a manner as canout fail of striking every unprejudiced mind with Horror and Amazement as being subversive of all those in- herent essential aod constitutional Rights and Privileges which the good people of this Colony have ever held sacred and even dearer than Life itself, nor ever can wish to survive ; not only every idea of Property, but every emolument of civil life being thereby rendered precarious and uncertain.

"In full confidence, therefore, that no Degree of Evil thus inflicted on said Town and Province will ever induce them to give up or betray their owa and the American Constitutional Rights and Privileges, especially as they cannot but entertain the most pleasing Expectations that the Committees of the several North Americau Provinces, wlio are soon to meet at Philadelphia, will in their wisdoor be able to point ont a Method of Conduct effectunl for obtaining Redress of their grievances,-a Method to which (when once agreed upon by said Committee) this Town will look upon it their duty strictly to attend. And in the mean time earn- estly recommend that subscriptions be forthwith opened in this Town, under

* This chapter is compiled mainly from the late Payne Kenyon Kil- bourne's " llistory of Litchfield," and Hon. Geo. C. Woodruff's " Histori- cal Address," delivered in 1876.

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the care of Reuben Smith, Esq., Capt. Lynde Lord, and Mr. William Stanton, who are hereby appointed a Committee to receive and forward to the Selectmen of Boston, for the use of the Poor in that place, all such Donations as shall be thereupon made for that purpose, and also to correspond with the Committee of Correspondence there or elsewhere, as there may be occasion.

" We also take this opportunity publicly to return our thanks to the members of the Honorable House of Representatives of this Colony, for their patriotic and loyal Resolutions passed and published in the last As- sembly on the occasion, and order them to be entered at large on the Public Records of this Town, that succeeding ages may be faithfully fur- nished with authentic Credentials of our inflexible attachment to those inestimable Privileges which we and every honest American glory in esteeming our unalienable Birthright and Inheritance."

At the annual town-meeting held December 6, 1774, it was voted, " That the Honorable Oliver Wolcott, Esq., and Messrs. Jedediah Strong, Jacob Woodruff, John Marsh, John Osborn, Jehiel Parmelee, Abrabam Bradley, Seth Bird, Archibald McNeile, Abraham Kilbourn, Nathan Garnsey, James Morris, and Ebenezer Benton be a Committee for the Purposes mentioned in the Eleventh Article of the Association Agree- ment of the Grand Continental Congress in Philadelphia, 5th of Septem- her last, and approved, adopted, and recommended by the General As- sembly of this Colony at their session in October last."

" The ‘ Eleventh Article of the Association Agree- ment' here referred to provides for the appointment of 'Committees of Inspection' in each city and town, ' whose business it shall be attentively to observe the conduct of all persons touching this Association ; and when it shall be made to appear that any person has violated its articles, they are to cause their names to be published in the Gazette, to the end that all such foes to the Rights of British America may be publicly known and universally contemned as the enemies of American Liberty, and thenceforth we break off all dealings with him or her.' Committees of Inspection were also appointed at the annual town-meeting in 1775 and 1776. In addition to the above, the follow- ing persons were appointed, viz .: Messrs. Reuben Smith, Lynde Lord, Andrew Adams, Archibald Me- Neile, Jr., Moses Sanford, Tapping Reeve, Jonathan Mason, Caleb Gibbs, Nathaniel Woodruff, William Stanton, and Nathaniel Goodwin.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 25

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