History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 124

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 124

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There is certainly some reason to suppose that there were several settlers on the east side before the year 1700, but there is only record of three.

The first inhabitant of Portland mentioned is James caled the Round meadow, being Near six Acres or their Stancliff. February 24th 1686-7, the town "approved of the agreement made by the selectmen with James Stan- cliff, concerning the building the chimneys, and other stone work, and that when the work is finished the town empower the selectmen to give the said James Stancliff legal assurance of a parcell of land upon the rocks, ac- cording to their agreement;" and it was recorded to James Stancliff, May 3d 1690, " on small parcell of land on the east side the great River, Lying upon the Rocks, con- taining fourty nine rods, Lying in a square, being seaven Rods in breath, & seaven Rods in Length, measured from the top of the bank of the River and so eastward seaven Rods bounded on the great River west, and on the Common or town land east, north, and south." His house stood there, " founded upon the rock," in 1690. How long it had stood there then there are no means of knowing. The town, in 1696, granted him another half acre, " on the south side his lot not intruding upon the Rocks." This house stood on what is now Middlesex Quarry, and at least some part of it was standing 50 years ago.

John Gill also built a house upon the bank about the same time, as is supposed, south and west of Mr. Frank Brainerd's. This was also standing in a dilapidated condition, within the memory of some still living. These houses had probably been altered and added to since their original erection, but stood on the same sites.

William Cornwell settled back of Wangunk Meadow soon afterward. The following is a copy of the deed

given to him by his father 100 years before the Revolu- tion:

" This writing made the fourteenth of November in the yeare on thoutand, six hundred, seventy, and six, Between Sargt wiliam cornwell Senior of Midleton in the county of Hartford and collony of conicttecut of the on part, and his sons william Cornwell and Samuell Corn- well of the same towne of Midleton and county of Hart- ford and collony of conicttecut on the other part; Wit- nesseth that the fore sayd Sargt William Cornwell for and in consideration of the full and just sume of eighty pounds sterling to him in hand payd or secured to be payd before the ensealing hearof and for Diuers other good causes him their unto mouing haue granted, giuen, Aliened, bargagned, sould, & confirmed and by these presents Doe fully, clearly, & absolutely giue, grant, aliene, bargaine, sell enfeof & confirm unto his sons afore sayd William and Samuell Cornwell and to their heirs for euer on parcell of meadow Land at Womgonk on the east side the great Riuer with the swampe adjoyning to it being about twelue Acres Abutting on undevided Land south and north and on the croked brooke west & on the foote of the hill east, and on parcell of playn land ad- joyning to the fore sayd meadow and swampe containing abought fifteene Acres Litle more or lesse Abutt- ing on Samuel Cornwells Land south & on un- deuid land north and on the fore sayd meadow and swampe west & on undeuided land east and on parcell of meadow at Wongonke comonly abought, part within and part without the fence which now standeth and the reuertion & reuertions remainder and remainders Rents & yearly Profits of all & giue these the sayd premises and euery part & parcell their of to haue and to hold the fore sayd parcells of Land with all ' their appurtances before by these presents bargayned, sould, or mentioned intended to be hearby granted, aliened bargained, sould, and confirmed & euery part & parcell their of unto the fore sayd William Cornwell junior and Samuell Cornwell their heirs, Executors Ad- ministrators & assigns for euer & the sayd Sarg't William Cornwell at the time of Ensealing & Delivery of these presents is & standeth Lawfully seesed of the premises & that he hath full power and just right to sell the same and euery part & parcell their of & that the afore sayd parcells of Land with all their appurtances shall from hence forth for euer remain and continue unto his sayd sons William and Samuell cornwell their heirs, Execu -. tors, Administrators & assigns, fully, freely, & clearly acquitted, exonourated, &· Discharged off & from all & all manner of former & other bargaines, salles, gifts, grants, Dowers, joyntures, Leases, rents, charges, annui- ties uses entayls judgments for fitures Executions Intru- sions, morgages, fines, Isues amersments & Incumbrances what so euer had made committed or wittingly or willingly Suffered or done by the sayd Sar'nt William Cornwell his heirs and assignes or by his or their means, act, consent, priuty or procuerment or by any other per- son or persons what so euer Lawfully clayming"from by

499

PORTLAND-EARLY SETTLERS.

or under him them or any of them and that it is Enroled to him in the Books of records in Midleton and shall be lawful for them the sayd william cornwell & Samuell Cornwell to alter the Enrolment theirof & to record the same to them selues their heirs & assigns for euer in Witness where of the sayd John cornwell & John Hall junior by the appoyntment of their father Sarg'nt Wil- liam Cornwell hee being not able to signe it haue signed sealed and Delivered this writing

" JOHN CORNWELL. "JOHN HALL.

"Signed, sealed, & Delivered in presence of " JOHN HALL.

" JONUS CORNWELL. "Acknowledged before me,

"NATH: WHITE, Comis'nr."

The spot on which he built his house, and which is included in the above conveyance, is the corner opposite Mr. Den. Goodrich's on which the sign post stands.

The settlement grew so that in 1710, 27 men, most of them heads of families, signed the agreement to build a meeting house. Their names may be found in the his- tory of the first church. . They were all, probably, from the two first parishes of Middletown. To these were after- ward added: Lemuel Lewis,from the county of Barnstable, Mass .; John Penfield, from Bristol, R. I .; Joseph Blague, from Saybrook; and John Churchill, from Wethersfield, The record of these first years is included in the his- tory of the first church and society. In May 1714, the town of Middletown and the General Assembly "granted the inhabitants of the east side to be a society by them- selves." They formed the Third Society of Middletown, and all the region comprised in the townships of Chat- ham and Portland was then known as East Middletown.

Its citizens cleared the forests, killed the wild animals, cultivated their fields, and built their houses, churches, and school houses, as all settlers have done. In solemn " society or church meeting-for church and town were one-they decided boundaries, built bridges, and laid out high ways, disciplined offenders, elected school com- mittees, provided " fierwood for ye youse of ye school," managed " Pacousett field," and " carried on the work of the Gospel in an orthodox way."

In December 1736, it was voted to “ prefer a petition to the town of Middletown that we that are the inhabi- tants on the east side the great River in Middletown might have liberty to be a town with all the priviledges of a town by ourselves and likewise to pursue the peti- tion if the town shall grant us these priviledges to the Gen. Assembly in May or Oct. next."

But not yet was the ambitious townlet to be loosed from the safe apron-string of mother Middletown; although the " great River" rolling between, and the difficulty and danger of its crossing (hindrances to inter- communication which two centuries have not removed) showed that its independence was but a matter of time.

November 29th 1757 .- " Capt John Fisk, Capt John Clark, and Joseph White were chosen a committee for

to joyn with Middle Haddam and Easthampton in petitioning the town of Middletown for their consent that we on the east side the great River in Middletown should be a township by ourselves, provided the place of town meetings shall never be carried farther Eastward than where Mr. John Churchill now lives." Ten years after this, the desired consent having been obtained from Middletown, a petition was preferred to the Gen- eral Assembly " that the 3d Society might be a township by themselves, with this condition; that the place for town meetings and to do all publick bussiness Be at- tended at our own meeting house in ye afore said 3d Society."

The original of this petition for town privileges is now in the State Library in the Capitol at Hartford. It states the difficulty of transacting public business, " ye other side of ye great River, not only on account of ye great distance many of ye inhabitants dwell from ye first society, and ye great difficulty that often happens in crossing ye river to ye great hindrance of business," etc., and furthermore declares that there were 420 families within the bounds of the proposed town. So "att a general assembly held at Newhaven in Oct. 1767 Chatham was made a town." It took its name from Chatham, England, in reference to its shipbuilding, then an important and growing interest in the town.

The first town meeting was held "Dec. ye 7th 1767. David Sage, Moderator, Jonathan Penfield was chosen clerk and sworn, Capt. Jeremiah Goodrich, Dea. Benj. Harris, Mr. Silas Dunham, Mr. Ebenezer White, Mr. Abiel Cheny were the selectmen." There were also elected, constables, listers (assessors) grand jurors, tything men, Collectors, a committee to settle with Mid- dletown, highway surveyors, fence viewers, leather sealers, hog haywards, and a committee to lay out the highways. It may be said here that the qualifications for freemen were " that they be of a peaceable and civil con- versation and otherwise qualified by law." Town meet- ings were held at the meeting house of the Ist Society until the 8th of April 1799, when they met in the (then) "new town house," on Penfield Hill. This stood on the corner opposite Mrs. Van Vectens, and it is remembered by a few of our elders as the " old town house." Though small and inadequate, it was used till 1841, when Port- land was set off, and the Episcopal society gave their old church edifice to the town for a town house, and it has so remained.

In the old map or chart of Chatham, made by Eben- ezer White (Ist) in 1767, is found the settlement back from the river on the hills, where now in the pastures may be seen old cellars and patches of lilac and aspara- gus, far from any habitation. In the woods near Cap- tain Harley Case's may be seen the ruined foundations of 25 or 30 houses; the owners of which many years ago emigrated to regions more favorable to farming opera- tions. The best preserved of these (though a ruin) is just beyond Captain Case's, that of his grandfather, and here stood the well whose "old oaken bucket " figured in the Centennial as the bucket from which General

500

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

Washington drank, while on his way to New York. To

return to the old chart, two ferries are marked, one from the foot of the lane by Mr. Joseph Gladwin's, to Crom- well, which was much more used than at present; the other at Brush Pond-some distance below the railroad track, running to Ferry street, in Middletown. The main road ran from the ferry through Pacausett, over " Hall Hill" to Penfield Hill, and on past Mr. Lucius Stewart's. It is here marked the Pacausett and New Lon- don Turnpike. This highway was laid out in 1659. There were two quarries: "Brush Pond Quarry," below the railroad, and "Shailor and Hall Quarry." There were a few houses at that end of the town, but the "main street " was an uninhabited highway. "Lewis' yard " occupied the place very nearly that Gildersleeve's now does. There were several houses here, as this was then the principal industry of the town. The only "meeting house " (the second built by the First Society) stood upon its hill in solitary state.

Slavery existed to a certain extent. Every prominent family owned one or more negroes, who were well cared for and kindly treated. "Guinea " was a negro owned by the Rev. Mr. Bartlett. When nearly a century old he came back and boasted to an incredulous generation of having himself reaped and threshed four hundred bushels of grain on "Hall Hill." Cato and Phyllis were two servants of Ebenezer White. A sketch of Cato is obtained by snatches, from Mr. White's journal. That he was a favored servant may be inferred from the fact that on several occasions when "Cato's teeth ached " " he did nothing that day." Cato may be followed through the pages of this diary as he dresses flax, goes to Great Hill for shingle stuff, lath stuff, and timber for cart hubs; as he mows, and hoes, and reaps, and cuts wood for ye fires, but on the 4th of June 1781, " Self and Cato went to Hartford. Cato In- listed into ye Continental Service in ye Connt Line for ye term of three years. I gaue a bill of Sale of him to Capt. Nehemiah Lyon of Woodstock and said Lyon Gaue him on consideration of his sd Cato Inlisting as one of ye Cota of ye town of Woodstock a Bill of Emancipa- tion." The 8th of June is the entry, "this is the last day Cato worked for me." Every reader will be glad to learn that on the 6th of June 1783 "Cato came home being Discharged from ye Army." After this he took up his old duties, but received wages, and was called " Cato Freeman." The following is a bill of sale of a negro girl bought by Mr. Michael Stewart, who was the owner of several slaves: "Know all men by these presents that I Matthew Talcott of Midleton in the County of Hartford in the Colony of Connecticut, in consideration of the Sum of Seventy Pounds Current Money to me in hand paid by Michael Stewart of Col- chester in the county and Colony aforesd the Rect whereof I the said Matthew Talcott do hereby acknowl- edge and Do Bargain, Sell, Convey, and Confirm unto the said Michael Stewart his heirs and assigns one negro girl named Flora aged about eighteen years "to have and to hold the said Negro Girl named Flora

unto the said Michael Stewart his heirs and assigns to his and their own sole, and proper use, benefitt and be- hoof and I the said Mathew Talcott do Covenant for my Self, my heirs, Executors, and Administrators to and with the s'd Michael Stewart his heirs and assigns in man- ner and form following that is to Say that att and untile the Ensealing of these presents I am the true, sole, and lawful owner of the said Negro Girl named Flora and have good Right to sell and dispose of s'd Girl as afore- s'd free from all incumbrances, and further more I the said Matthew Talcott do promise for myself and my heirs to warrent and defend the s'd Negro Girl Flora unto the said Michael Stewart his heirs and assigns against all lawful claim, in witness wherof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 3d Day of December Anna Dom: 1741.

" MATHEW TALCOTT.

"Signed, Sealed and Delivered in presence of

" JOHN RICHARDS, ANNE RICHARDS."

Some idea may be gathered of what it was to build a house in those days, from the old journals before referred to. February 7th 1774, the chimney having first been built, they went to Great Hill to get the frame of the house, and the splitting of lath and sawing of clapboards went on until August 13th, when they were making win- dow frames and lath for "ye negro rooms;" the 17th, they laid the parlor floor; September 26th, Eber Stock- ing was laying the chamber floor, lathing, paint- ing, and making "ye closets." It took

him

one day to make a door. The house was ready for occupancy some time in October. This house, which it took eight months to build with no lack of workmen, apparently has lasted just a century. It is prob- ably the house in which Edgar Hale now lives. An- other house was built in 1788, perhaps that now occu- pied by Mr. Kilby. The old Sage house belongs to this time. It was built about 150 years ago, and long occupied by Deacon David Sage. It stands on the hill just east of the Congregational parsonage. The frame of the house in which Mr. D. Goodrich lives is very old. It was formerly the "old Churchhill place." It has been kept in such good repair that few would think of its century and a half. The oldest house in town is the one in which Mr. Horace Wilcox now lives; it is more than 200 years old. Every nail in its clapboards was wrought by hand. Mr. D. Goodriches', formerly the Churchill house, is about as old, at least the frame, but has not been kept in repair. The house now occupied by Mr. Jerry Button is more than a century old.

The first tavern was near Glastonbury, kept by Asaph Abbey. Zebulon Penfield kept one on Penfield Hill, a hundred years ago, and the hotel kept by a Mr. Williams, in the building now occupied by Mr. Brans- field, is of still more recent date; it was given up less than 40 years since. Reference has been made to the journals of Hon. Ebenezer White, one of the most dis- tinguished citizens of the town in early days. This record covers 60 years of a very busy life. He began when a young man of 28, under the rule of "Our

501

PORTLAND-EARLY SETTLERS.

Sovereign Lord, George " etc., and laid down his pen a citizen of a country to the freedom of which he had con- tributed in many ways. There is but one break in this record, but that an unfortunate one. The books were lent, and when returned the one from 1775 to 1779 was missing. It is thought that a few extracts will be interesting to many. The first given relates two incongruous, but simultaneous occur- rences. "Daniel White is one year old to-day, and this day is ye terrible fight at Lake George." A month later, October 1755, they were " moeing for Capt Savage " and " planting Sergt Gibbs field for ry." These men were with the army. "First Day of April 1756 now men are a Listing to go into ye War in our Government's ser- vice." "April ye 12th I took ye Freemans oath." "ye 26th warning a muster." " May ye 3d Viewing Arms." 6th of May 1782 "Self Drawed attachment for-then Drawed Deed for --- Drawed warrant against -- planted corn. Drawed two pine logs to mill with 3 yoke cattle. Danl gone to Training this p. m." All this " Drawing " in one day,

" 22d of October Self pulling beens, and Tryd Case for profane Swearing." "11th December 1783 this is Thanksgiving Day throughout ye United States for a General peace." " 13th September 1785 This day Nabby went on a Voyage to Boston." Just before this great event there was bought in Middletown "472 yds Merene at three shillings a yard," and " two lutestring gowns at Hartford." "15th day of July 1792, Sabbath; Mr. Mor- ton preached his first Performance in ye pulpit."

Throughout the journals the Sabbath days are marked by a star, and texts the care- fully noted, sometimes with a remark,

as, " a laboured sermon," a "painful sermon," &c. "17th of September 1793 Rainy forenoon; afternoon Training, Captains Bidwell and Ames with ye Compy meet at ye Meeting House." " 4th Day of July 1798. This Day the people make a great Fuz about Independance & Burnt much Powder." "8th of April 1799. This day ye freemen to ye number of about two hundred and sixty met in ye new town house ye first time." "Feb. 22d 1800. Self attending the meeting for celebrating the death of Gen Washington as recomended by the president. Mr. Strong delivered a sermon." ‘10th Day of Aprill 1800 this Day ye Female meeting at Mr Strongs with their Compliment." "May 24 1801 Mr Strong preach'd a funeral Sermon on ye account of Wm Dixon jr being drowned by turning ye anker out of ye boat." " 7th of July 1803 Dan'l and Bragg mow'd all Siah meadow on ye north of ye great ditch from ye East end to ye old Warner line; they Soposed they mow'd abt 572 acres." This has come down to posterity as a wonderful feat with the scythe.

" Nov 15th 1804 this day Dan'l a son born wh he calls Ebenezer." "July 4th 1805 this is my birth Day which completes my 78th year." After this, the entries are more scattering, the firm, clear handwriting so familiar to those who study the early records of our town, grow fainter and more uncertain.

Here are a few prices gathered from old account books; a bill of 1761:

" Return Meggs Dr.

" To 22 loads of wood drawed to ye river £ s. d.

nere Hurlburts as me a Greed. 2

15 0

" Credit to one Beaver hat I I4 O

" to one Castor hat. I 00 O

2 14

Two loads of wood were balanced by a pair of shoes:

" Sent by Mr. Gill to New York to be layed £ s. d.

out in books. 3

4 O"

" I baylies dictionary 2

" Watt's logick 7 6

" Every man his own lawyer. 9

"One yard and nale of Taffety, £3 5s;" two handker- chiefs " for our own youse," one shilling ten pence apiece. A pound of butter cost three pence. Rum was plenty and cheap; brought from New York it was two shillings seven pence a gallon. In 1780, an ounce of Peruvian bark cost $12, and a "viol of Balsam of hon- ney bought at Hartford $40." These high prices were partly owing to the depreciation of Continental money. Shad could be bought for three pence. " 7 wgt of sug- gar for a hard dollar; one pound tobacko, three pence; two oz. pepper, one shilling four pence; an iron kettle, seventeen shillings; frying pan, £1; I pare shoe buckles, 45: Iod .; one sword, £3: 10s .; 31/2 yds. of blue cloth for a coat at 15s. a yard; I pare worsted stockings, 18s."

To close this account of the early history of the town a few weather notes gathered partly from the journals, and partly from other sources are given.

In 1755, this section suffered from a severe drought. November 18th 1755, " two hours before day was a ter- rible earthquake."

The 19th day of May 1780, there was "thunder and rain in the morning; it slaked raining perhaps about 9 of ye clock and then came on a Darkness and continued until about ye middle of ye Day; ye whole face of ye sky was of a yallowish Cast, and even ye Air to y't Degree as to Color Cloths that were abroad and so Dark y't ye school was Dismissed, ye children could not see to read. It appeared to be Cloudy, no great wind nor rain, and spoke of as ye most rare Phenomenon, and many much Surprised and put y'm in mind of ye Day of Judgment." This was the " Dark Day " when the Connecticut Legis- lature refused to adjourn.

Here are a few snowy days: January 9th 1780, "so Exceeding deep and drifted was ye snow that not one half was rode to ye meeting and it was most exceed- ing cold, sharp, and severe that ever I knew." We know it was no ordinary storm which could keep the early inhabitants from the "meeting." It even blocked the wheels of State. "Jan. 12th," writes the honorable member of the General Assembly from Chatham, "I wait at Hartford until night, no Assembly, ye Govenr not come to town and but few of ye members, by rea- son of ye great snow, and no paths." The next Sabbath

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

even " only a few with great difficulty got to ye Meet- ing house." This winter is mentioned, by several writ- ers, as unusually severe throughout New England. In July 1779, a severe hail storm passed over Chatham at the time of rye harvest. "It destroyed the grain in its course, broke windows, and left marks on buildings and fences which could be seen a year afterwards." The hail appeared to be uneven pieces of ice, many of them nearly as large as a hen's egg.

May 5th 1780, a frost killed beans and squashes and "ye mane of ye corn." The 20th of May 1795, there was also a hard frost, which was credited with killing the canker worms, along with all other tender things. The 8th of May 1803, " was a Storm of snow in such quantity that by 10 o'clock its depth on the ground was four inches. My family rode to meeting in a slay. Remarka- ble to see fruit trees all in blossom and loaded with snow."

The most remarkable freshets which are recorded as occurring in Chatham are as follows: December 1703, the meadows were " alarmingly flooded." The 11th of Feb- ruary 1781, was an " exceeding high flood." July 13th 1795, there was for 24 hours, "an excessive rain, water covers all ye lower swamp so that ye bridge floats. The upper swamp is covered one foot and a half deep at our west end and ye whole of our meadow except ye high- way noles."

From December 14th 1800, to the 25th of the same month, there " was no passing across ye meadow."

Twentieth of March 1801, " Last night the water rose as it is said six feet perpendicular; and now ye water is above ye post fence at ye meadow gate. The oldest man Living does not remember such a sudden Rise of water & so great at this time of year."

"The Ist of April the water was found to be two feet deep on the top of the highest knoll, and the waters were so high and violent that they tore the banks to pieces in many places."

There was also a remarkable flood in October 1843, at the time the corn was being gathered in. The water rose so fast that in a few hours the bridges were covered and the meadow was impassible, except by boats. The men worked all night, part of the time in boats, to save the crop of corn.

The freshet of 1854 was the most remarkable within the memory of living men. "Strickland street " was flooded, and the shipyard was under water. John Mc- THE REVOLUTION. Kay, who lived in the house now occupied by Mrs. Law- At the first sign of the coming conflict with Great Britain the men of Chatham prepared to assist their brethren and assert their own rights by appointing a vig- ilant committee of II to carry out the recommendations of Congress for " non importation, non exportation, and non consumption of British goods." Chatham took prompt action upon all the recommendations of the Gen- eral Assembly or the Council of Safety, and assisted in rence, on the river bank, died. William Norcott and oth - ers took the coffin out of the window into a boat and carried it to Henry Conklin's house, where the funeral services were held. The coffin was again put in the boat and rowed to the steps of the eastern (Center) church. At the same time the quarries were flooded, and the water rose to the second story of many houses on the sandbank, and pigs' noses could be seen sticking out of the struggle for liberty as well with stout supporters of the garret windows. In 1816, it is said, there was a frost the government at home, as with fighting men abroad. They took the oath of fidelity to the State as is shown by the records; 62 voters taking this oath at one time, in some part of the town at least every month in the year. But the late frosts of May 29th and June 1884,

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 124

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818