History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 49

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 49

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Pocket Cutlery .- In 1853, Thompson & Gascoigne (Englishmen) carried on a small pocket-cutlery busi- ness in the factory of the Eagle Company, which was soon after taken up by Beardsley & Alvord, and grad- ually enlarged and made profitable. In 1856 they built their eutlery-works at the lake outlet, and have since transacted a large and prosperous business in the name of "The Empire Knife Company." In 1880 the concern was moved to the present site, for- merly occupied by the table-cutlery establishment of William P. Lathrop.

In 1854, C. F. Clark, an Englishman, started a pocket-cutlery concern in the attic of the Cook axle- factory, which was taken up by Horace l'helps, and after a trial of one or two years was abandoned.

Augers .- The Winsted (joint stock) Auger Com- pany was organized in 1853, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, and immediately after erected the factory on Mad River, near the corner of Coe and Main Streets, at a cost beyond their capital. It was managed inefficiently by men unacquainted with the business, and was wound up before 1860.

Pins .*- In 1852, Erastus S. Woodford, J. B. Terry, and others organized "The Hartford Pin Company" (joint stock), and purchased of Anson G. Phelps the woolen-factory building on Bridge Street, opposite the Naugatuck Railroad depot grounds, and began making pins the same year. The company at once came into conflict with the Howe l'in Company, of Birmingham, in respect to a patented sticking-machine for sticking the pins on paper, which impeded operations until

. For history of New England Pin Company, seo blogmphy of Julin G. Wetmoro, Esq.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the question of infringement was settled by litigation in the United States Circuit Court. In 1857 the fac- tory property and machinery of the company became the property of James R. Keeler, who conveyed the same to "The New England Pin Company," organ- ized in May of the same year, and composed of said Keeler, Hector Armstrong, C. O. Crosby, and John G. Wetmore, stockholders, and with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars.

The Wyoming Pin Company was organized in March, 1880, with Mr. T. S. Carroll president and secretary. The manufacture of pins was commenced in Sep- tember, 1880. The establishment was burned in Jan- nary, 1881, and started again in March following. The factory employs twenty-two persons, and has a capacity of one million and eighty thousand pins daily. Mr. Carroll is also the manufacturer of a champagne tap, upon which he has a patent now pending.

Steel Fire-Irons .- Benjamin and Edward Woodall (Englishmen) began making, of highly polished steel, shovels and tongs and other fire-irons, about 1850 ; and in 1854 organized the "Winsted Shovel and Tongs Company," under the agency of Justus R. Loomis; they bought the Halsey Burr scythe-shop and water-power, and erected the factory building now used as a feed-grinding mill by Frederick Wood- ruff, on North Main Street. The concern lacked capital, energy, and business skill, and was closed up about 1857.

The Winsted Plane Company, organized in 1851, entered on the manufacture of joiners' tools in the old Soper woolen-factory building, and continued until about 1856, when it became insolvent and was wound up.

The Clifton Lumber Company was organized in 1854, and erected the building near the Naugatuck depot, now occupied by the Winsted Printing Company, for planing lumber and manufacturing doors, sashes, and blinds by steam-power. The concern was wound np in 1857.

Another company or partnership, consisting of Ralph H. Moore, Franklin Moore, and others, in 1872 erected a factory on Case Avenue for making plated spoons and other plated articles. This estab- lishment was destroyed by fire in 1873.

The Borden Condensed Milk Company, consisting of Gail Borden, Theron Bronson, and Elhanan W. Tyler, was organized in 1863, and purchased the factory building near the Naugatuck depot, now occupied by the Winsted Printing Company, in which they con- densed milk until 1866, when, not finding the loca- tion favorable for the business, the concern was wound up.

The Henry Spring Company, located at West Win- sted, was organized at New Haven in 1869, and its location was transferred to Winsted in April, 1870, and the grinding-shop on Lake Street, crected by the American Hoe Company, was purchased by the Spring

Company, and its machinery placed therein. The spring made by them is a patented article, combining equal strength and elasticity with springs of other manufacture of a third more weight, and are in con- stantly-increasing demand for light buggies and car- riages.

The Winsted Paper Box Manufactory, R. L. Preston proprietor, is the only institution of the kind in town, and greatly merits its present success. The mannfac- ture of tin-, brass-, and copper-ware is also carried on extra.

The Winsted Gas Company was organized Oct. 15, 1860, with a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, nearly half paid in, and directors were appointed as follows : George Dudley, Erastus S. Woodford; Moses Camp, Elliot Beardsley, Caleb J. Camp, Jabez Al- vord, John Hinsdale, James R. Alvord, and Henry Gay.

The directors chose the following officers : Moses Camp, president; Erastus S. Woodford, secretary ; and Henry Gay, treasurer.

A small gas-works was erected in 1861 on Prospect Street, and continued with varied success until April, 1874, when the company was reorganized with a capital of sixty thousand dollars, the old works abandoned on Prospect Street, and new fire-proof brick works erected on Case Avenue, and main iron pipes relaid, much larger than before; also extended to the East village (so called), and through North Main Street to Cook's.

The directors elected at the reorganization in 1874 were Henry Gay, George Dudley, Caleb J. Camp, Edward R. Beardsley, Edward Clarke, J. M. Loweree, Harvey L. Roberts, Henry G. Colt, George W. Phelps.

At a directors' meeting, held April 24, 1874, Henry G. Colt was elected president, and Sidney F. Dicker- man secretary and treasurer. The same efficient offi- cers have continuously had charge of the works since its reorganization; but time's changes have necessi- tated changes in the board of directors, which in May, 1881, are as follows : Henry G. Colt, H. H. Tibbals, Edward R. Beardsley, Sidney F. Dickerman, Henry Gay, Rufus E. Holmes, T. F. Rowland, Harvey L. Roberts, and Edward Clarke.

CHAPTER XVIII.

WINCHESTER (Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL IIISTORY.

First Congregational Church, Winchester-First Congregational Church, Winsted-Second Congregational Church-Methodist Episcopal Church -St. James' Church-St. Joseph's Church-The Women's Christian Temperance Union.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, WINCHESTER CENTRE.

The "Society of Winchester," which was practi- cally the Congregational Church, was incorporated in 1768. Under the act of incorporation a society meet-

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ing was held June 29, 1768, and the following votes passed :

"Vouted, That John Smith should be Moderator for sd. Meeting.

That Seth Hills should be Clark for sd. Sosiety.

That all free agents be lawful voaters.

= That Themas Hosmer should be fust Commety man for sd. Sosiety.

William Filey secnd Commety man for said Sosiety.

Seth Hills be third Commety man for su. Sosietay.

That the Sosiety will except 74 pounds of the tax yearly."

Sept. 20, 1768, at an adjourned meeting, it was

"Footed. That the meeting on the Saboth should be continued att John Hills til December Dext."

" That the Sisiety will aply to the Association for advice."

Oct. 13, 1768,

"Touted, That ye Society wil wait til week after next for Mr. Mills." "Toated, That the Comity shall try for Mr. Pitkin proid Mr. Mills don't com."

At the annual meeting, first Tuesday of December, 1768, Thomas Hosmer, Seth Hills, and John Hills were chosen society committee ; Setlı Hills, clerk; and Thomas Hosmer, treasurer ; and the committee were instructed to apply to Samuel John Mills to supply them.

At the annual meeting, Dee. 28, 1769, the privilege of voting extended to "all free agents by vote of a former meeting, was confined to all the inhabitants that are of age ;" and after choice of committee, clerk, and treasurer, the following additional appointments were made : "John Hills, corester; Abram Filley, corester ; David Austin, to read the Psalm; Berial Hills, to assist to read the Psalm."

And it was voted

" That our anuel meeting shall be waruld by the Commity by setting up a paper on a post by the Meeting- House at least eight days before ye meeting, telling the place and time of day."

At the annual meeting, Dec. 11, 1770, after appoint- ment of officers, the sweeping of the meeting-house was set up to the lowest bidder, and bid off by Jesse Wilkinson at five shillings and sixpence for the year. The expenses of the year were reported to be sixty pounds four shillings and threepence, and of the years 1768 and 1769, sixty-nine pounds cight shillings and ninepence, and the meeting adjourned to the first Monday of March, 1771, at which adjourned meeting it was

"Y'oted, That we will send a petition to the Assembly next May for tound privileges."

"Voted, That we will send a l'etltien to the assembly next Muy for a Tax for the Settlement of a Minister and bullding a Meeting.House."

"l'oted, That Heriah Hills and Warham Gibbs shall assist In reading the Pealm."

"Voted, That Jobn Hills and Abram Filley shall sett the Psalın."

The first mention of a meeting-house in the infant society is made in a vote in 1769, already quoted. No record is found referring in any way to the buikling of this sanctuary ; nor is any traditionary account of its erection, or by whom it was erected, discoverable. No tax was laid to pay for it, and no buikling com- mitte was appointed to superintend it.

On the 20th of September, 1768, it was voted that the

Sabbath meeting should be held until the next Decem- ber at John Hills' house, which stood near the Hurl- but Cemetery; then follows, in December, 1769, the vote requiring notices of society meetings to be placed on a post by the meeting-house. These votes would indicate 1768 as the year of its erection. It stood on the slope of a hill, on the west side of a road long since discontinued, coming up from the Luther Bron- son house, and passing immediately in front of the houses of Marcus Munsill and Noble J. Everitt, to Winchester Centre. It was a low, steep-roofed build- ing, thirty feet long and twenty-four feet wide, with nine-feet posts, covered with wide rabbeted boards one inch thick. It stood on a side hill above the road, the rear resting on the ground, and the front supported by sections of chestnut logs, three to four feet in diam- eter, lying diagonally under the corners. A huge chest- nut butt, set up perpendicularly at the front door, with a series of steps cut crosswise of the timber, gave ac- cess to the ground-floor. Opposite the door was the pulpit or rostrum, three to four feet high. The seats were rough planks or slabs with legs at the ends in- serted in auger-holes. Originally there was no floor overhead, but as more room was required to accommo- date the worshipers, joists were inserted in the cross- beams, and boards laid down loosely for a floor, except on a space of nine feet square over the rostrum. This was the gallery. Access was gained to it by a plank ladder outside, nt one of the ends of the building, as- cending to a door in the gable. The interior was neither ceiled nor plastered.

" SABA-DAY HOUSE."

" Near this church edifice there appears to have been another religious building peculiar to New Eng- land in the last and early in the present century, called a Sabbath-day house, or, as spelled in the one of the two instances in which it occurs in our ro- cords, a 'Saba-day house.' It is first mentioned in a vote of temporary adjournment of a society meeting in December, 1761, probably by reason of the extreme cold in the meeting-house. The second mention of it is in the survey of the road formally laid out and estab- lished in 1772, along the line of the bridle-path which had previously been the only means of access to the meeting-house, in which two prominent landmarks are 'a birch-tree near a saw-mill, then N. 13 E. to a Sab- bath-day house.' Such buildings were erected by indi- viduals living distant from places of worship for the ac- commodation of their families before and during the in- tervals of worship in the inclement weather of winter. They were generally long, low buiklings of two apart- ments, with a fireplace in each attached to one chim- ney. A supply of fuel was provided in the fall. Some member of the family or families owning those apart- ments went forward early on the Sunday morning and made up the fires, and the rest of the parties followed in such season as to thoroughly warin them- selves before going into meeting. At the intermission

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they returned to their rooms, warmed themselves, and such homely fare as they had bronght with then, ate their dinners, discussed the morning ser- mon, and returned to the afternoon exercise, at the close of which they again warmed themselves at the fires, and returned to their distant homes."

The church proper-as an ecclesiastical body-was organized by Rev. Mr. Roberts, of Torrington, and Rev. Ammi R. Robbins, of Norfolk, Oct. 30, 1771, with the following members : Widow Mary Loomis, Widow Hannah Averit, Dinah, wife of Wm. Filley, John Hills, Seth Hills, Adam Mott, Abiah Mott, Lent Mott, Abraham Filley, Robert Macune, Joseph Pres- ton, Mary Preston, Amy, wife of Joel Beach, and Elizabeth Agard.

" After y" Church was gathered ye following persons were admittod members in full Comn, with the Church, viz .: David Austin, Mary Austin, Mary Wilkinson, Mary Goffe, Mercy Filley.

"The Church then proceeded to and made choice of Robert Macune to be the Moderator or Clerk of this church.

" Attest,

" NATH1. ROBERTS, Pastor of ye Ch., Torrington, " A. R. RoBnNs, Pastor of Ch., Norfolk."

The following members were added to the church prior to the ordination of its first pastor, in 1772: Nov. 3, 1771, Warham Gibbs and Eunice, his wife, by profession. Jan. 19, 1772, Ebenezer Preston, by letter from the church at Torrington; Martha Pres- ton (his wife), by letter from the church at Harwin- ton; Eliphaz Alvord, by letter from the church at Chatham; Esther Alvord (his wife), by letter from the church at Chatham. Feb. 10, 1772, Capt. Jon. Alvord, by letter from the church at Chatham ; David Goff, by profession. July 26, 1772, Samuel Wetmore and Anna, his wife, by letter from Middlefield ; Simeon Loomis, by profession.

The records of the society show that endeavors were made, both before and after the gathering of the church, to secure a permanent minister. Mr. Peter Starr, afterwards the lifelong minister of Warren, was invited to preach, on probation, in July, 1771. A Mr. Hale was employed four "Saboths"; a Mr. Potter was invited, on probation, in September, 1771, and in case he did not come, a call, on probation, was voted to Mr. Judson ; and it was also voted to have Dr. Bel- lamy, of Bethlem, and Rev. Mr. Robbins, of Norfolk, aet for them in hiring a candidate "that they think will sute the society." Sept. 30, 1771, it was left " with the comity to hire a candidate as they shall think best ; but not to hire one that is determined not to settle." Oct. 31, 1771, the committee was directed to "apply to Mr. Jonson to supply us six Saboths." Feb. 13, 1772, it was voted " that the society will give Mr. Sam" Jonson amedeat call for a settlement." February 17th following, the committee were directed to apply to Mr. Brooks to supply for three Sabbaths; and on the 31st of March following, an application was voted to Mr. Napp to supply for six Sabbaths, and the committee was directed to go or send after

him. July 10th following, "Mr. Napp" was applied to to preach twelve Sabbaths on probation.

Sept. 23, 1772, it was voted "that the society will give Mr. Joshua Napp a call for a settlement in the ministry amongst us;" and a settlement was proposed of two hundred pounds, payable in installments, and a salary beginning at thirty-five pounds, and increasing five pounds annually until it should reach sixty-five pounds, which was modified so that it should increase in proportion to the increase of the grand levy until it should reach sixty-five pounds. He was ordained Nov. 11, 1772.

The ministers have been as follows : Joshua Knapp, 1772-89; Publius V. Bogue, 1791-1800; Archibald Bassett, 1801-6; Frederick Marsh, 1809-51; James H. Dill, 1846-51; J. W. Cunningham, 1852-54; Fra Pettibone, 1857-66; Arthur Goodenough, present pastor.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

In tracing the settlement of the Winsted section of the town, we have thus far made no mention of the Ecclesiastical Society of Winsted as an organized body. Its religious services up to this period were mainly held beyond the eastern border of the town. Its first meeting-house was there erected, and the first minister there ordained and settled. Its original members were residents along the old North country road and its vicinity, and a larger portion of them in Westchester and a considerable number in Barkham- sted.

To modern Winsted, its origin and growth, its struggles and dissensions prior to 1801, would seem a myth, did not its quaint old records avouch the reality of its history. These records begin with a society meet- ing lawfully warned and held March 17, 1778, at the dwelling-house of John Balcom, by a warrant granted by Matthew Gillett, justice of the peace, dated seven days earlier. Of this meeting John Wright was chosen moderator and Eleazer Kellogg clerk ; Isaac Kellogg, Josiah Smith, and John Balcom were appointed com- mittee-men ; and it was voted that the annual meet- ings of the society should be holden on the second Monday of December annually, and that warnings therefor should be set up at Austin's mill, Abram Callers' shop, and at the crotch of the road that goes from John Wright's to Lemuel Walter's, twelve days before such meeting. Another meeting, held Septem- ber 15th of the same year, voted that the money paid to Mr. Porter and to Mr. Ausbon for preaching, and also the money due Mr. Balcom for boarding Mr. Ausbon, should be paid out of a tax when collected. At the annual meeting of this year it was voted " that a meeting be warned to see if this society are a mind to be made a distinct town." The same subject was brought up at various subsequent meetings, but no definite action appears to have resulted.

At the annual meeting in 1780 the matter of locat- ing and building a meeting-house seems to have been first agitated, and it was voted "that we will git the

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WINCHESTER.

original plans of Winehester and Barkhamsted, and apply to Cornal Shelding to find the middle of this society, and if he cant by them give us the senter, then to measure the bounds of this society, the said Shelding to measure, and that this society will pay the cost to Cornal Shelding for doing the business for said society, and that Lieut. John Wright to see the bisness done." The subject was resumed May 24, 1782, when it was voted "that we do try to agree to pitch a stake for a meeting-house," and "that we apply to the next county court for a committee to pitch a stake for our meeting-house," and "that we nominate Esq. Asaph Hall, of Goshen, Maj. Jiles Pettibone, of Norfolk, and Esq. Ensign, of Hartland." In December, 1792, Col. Sheldon was substituted for Esq. Ensign on this committee, and at a meeting, Ang. 25, 1783, it was voted " to establish the stake for our meeting-house where it now stands pitehed by Col. Shelding, Maj. Pettibone, and Esq. Hall, and that Ensign Jesse Doolittle shall go and make re- turns to the honorable county court of our voting the establisliment of our meeting-house stake."

This looked like an auspicious beginning of the constructive work of the society, but the appearance was deceptive. A meeting was called, Dee. 22, 1783, " to see if the society will go on to bild our meeting- house where the stake now stands," and the question was decided in the negative. On the 2d of February, 1784, it was voted "that we chuse a comitte to go and view the society and se if we can't pitch a stake for ourselves;" and December, 1784, it was voted " to go on and build a meting-house at the stake pitched by the committee," the house to be forty-five by thirty-five feet and a suitable height for galleries ; and a tax of sixpence on the pound was laid for defraying ex- penses. This again looked hopeful ; but at a meet- ing in January, 1785, the hopeful project was knocked in the head by a vote " that all the bisness voated" in the previous meeting "be holy set aside consarning bilding a meeting-house in this society."

On the 9th of May, 1786, another committee, con- sisting of Capt. Josiah Smith, Nathaniel Russell, En- sign Jesse Doolittle, Othniel Brainart, Capt. Robert Whitford, and Sergt. Renben Sweet, pitched a stake at the west end of Jonathan Sweet's lot, where it was voted by more than two-thirds to build the house. In June following it was decided to buikl a house fifty by forty feet, with height in proportion, and that an agent be sent to the county court to get the stake established. Again the project was nullified by a vote of Sept. 4, 1786, " that we will not send an agent to the county court."

Another stake-pitching committee was appointed Sept. 25, 1786, which seems to have performed its (luty. In October following it was voted " that this meeting be adjourned to the place where the commit- tee have prefixed for to build a meeting-house;" and it was there " voted, by more than two-thirds, that we will bild a meeting-house where the committe have

pitched the stake." Although this vote of more than two-thirds was solemnly taken on the very ground prefixed by the committee, yet subsequent records show that the stake would not yet stay pitched. But, before tracing these measures to a final result, it is fitting to advert to other occurrences in the history of the society.

Up to 1786 preaching was had at irregular inter- vals, and no money raised by taxation for its support. Individuals seem to have advaneed money, aud to have found difficulty in getting it refunded. The so- ciety, in 1780, voted " to make up the sink of money due individuals for advancements, according to Con- gress scale." In 1782, May 14th, it was voted to hire preaching, and " that the committe do advise where to apply for a candidate," and that Lieut. Josiah Smith be appointed to read the Psalm on Sabbath-days, and that E. Kellogg read the Psalms when Lieut. Smith is absent.

In 1783 it was voted to have preaching in the sum- mer, and in the fall a tax of seven pounds was voted "to be applied for the youse of supporting singing." A committee was also chosen " to regulate the sing- ing in this society on the Sabbath-day, and to intro- duee such tunes as they shall think proper to be sung on Sabbath-days;" and it was also voted that preach- ing should continue during the winter.

It might be inferred that, with preaching summer and winter, and the support and regulation of singing under the supervision of three choristers, and a com- mittee to introduce tunes proper to be sung on the Sabbath, harmony and concert of action might have been promoted ; but stakes could not be pitched und voted on so often without moral friction. Heart- burning and dissensions prevailed to such a degree that in October, 1785, a mutual council, consisting of Rev. Messrs. Taylor, of New Milford ; Canfield, of Roxbury ; Huntington, of Middlebury ; Belden, of Newington ; and Smalley, of New Britain, was called to advise with the church and society in regard to the subsisting difficulties. The records fail to show the result, if any was reached. Harmony, in any event, was not restored. Meetings were frequent, and contra- ilictory in action. Votes passed at one stage of a meeting were not infrequently voted down before ad- journment, and the doings of one meeting were undone by another. The meetings were often protracted into the night, and unfair advantages taken in carrying measures at a late hour that could not be accomplished in a full meeting. To correct some of these irregu- larities a standing rule was adopted about this time, "that no vote should be put after sunset for the futer, except the business so drive them that they find it necessary, and passed a vote to continue the same before sunset." Another vote required " that all nc- counts against the society shall be brought to the an- nual meeting yearly, or shall be forfeit for the futer, except it he made to appear that it could not be done."

The following votes illustrate the way of doing busi-

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

ness in committee of the whole, under the new rule, and show an example of thoroughness worthy of all imitation :

"Voted, Elkana Pbelps £1 118. 4d. for boarding Mr. Fowler eleven sab- baths.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 49

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