USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 66
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"Said new town shall pay its proportion (according to the grand list of 1850) of all debts, suits and claims now due and accrued against the town of Middletown, or for which said town may hereafter be made liable by force of any claim now existing.
" The poor of said town of Middletown who were born within the limits hereby incorporated and who have not by residence or otherwise gained a settlement elsewhere in this State than within said limits, shall be deemed in- habitants of said town of Cromwell, and shall be main- tained accordingly. And said town of Cromwell shall be liable to maintain all such poor of the town of Middle- town as are or may be absent therefrom. Provided, such persons at the time of departure had a legal settlement in that part of the town of Middletown hereby incorpo- rated.
" All the property of whatever nature or description. now owned by, due, or belonging to the town of Mid dletown, or which may hereafter accrue to said town by virtue of any claim, right or title now existing, shall be- long to said town of Middletown and said new town of Cromwell in proportion to their respective lists, accord- ing to the grand list of 1850; saving and excepting the public records and other property appertaining to the town clerk's office, which shall be and remain the prop- erty of the town of Middletown; and the town deposit fund shall belong to and be divided between said towns of Middletown and Cromwell in proportion to the num- ber of their respective inhabitants, according to the cen- sus of 1850.
" Always provided, that if, after the organization of said town of Cromwell the selectmen of the aforesaid towns do not agree in the division of the paupers or funds and property belonging to said
town on or before the 15th day of October A. D. 1851, the selectmen of either town may apply to John Mark- ham jr. Esq., of Chatham, Romonta Wells, Esq., of Wethersfield and Norman Porter, Esq., of Berlin, who or either two of whom, are hereby authorized and em- powered to divide said paupers and funds and prop- erty, in manner and form aforesaid; which division shall be final and conclusive-the selectmen of both towns aforesaid being first duly notified of the time and place, when and where said division shall be made. The col- lectors of the state, town and other taxes in the town of Middletown are hereby authorized to collect their re- spective taxes already levied, due, and in their respective rate-books contained, together with such county tax as may hereafter and before the 31st day of July A. D. 1851, be laid on the grand list of 1850, in the same man- ner as though this resolve had not been passed.
"Said new town of Cromwell shall belong to, and con- stitute a part of the 18th Senatorial district. The first town meeting of said town of Cromwell shall be holden in the Congregational meeting house in said town, on the third Wednesday in June A. D. 1851 (afterwards changed to the third Wednesday of July 1851) at 9 o'clock A. M .; and Elisha Treat, Esq., or in case of his failure Dr. Richard Warner, shall be moderator thereof. And said meeting shall be warned by Bulkley Edwards, Esq, or in case of his failure, by Andrew F. Warner, Esq., by setting up a notification of the same on the public sign- post within the limits of said town, and at such other place or places as either of said persons may deem proper, at least five days before said meeting; and said town of Cromwell shall have all the powers at said first meeting incident to other towns in this State, and full right to act accordingly; and the officers elected at such first meeting shall hold their offices until others are chosen and sworn in their stead; and this act shall take effect from and after the day of its passage."
The name of the Second School Society of Middle- town was changed to the School Society of Cromwell in 1854, and the name of the Second Ecclesiastical Society of Middletown to the First Congregational Society of Cromwell, in 1853.
CIVIL LIST.
Representatives .- The Representatives for Cromwell have been: Marvin R. Warner, 1852, 1853; Lorenzo H. Treat, 1854; John Haskell, 1855; Joseph Edwards, 1856, 1863; Samuel J. Baisden, 1857; David Edwards, 1858, 1866; Bulkley Edwards, 1859, 1864, 1867, 1872; J. D. Allison, 1860; Thaddeus Manning, 1861; Charles Kirby, 1862, 1869; David H. Hurlbut, 1865; Timothy Ranney, 1868, 1875; Elisha Stevens, 1870; Samuel B. Wilcox, 1871; John Stevens, 1873; John D. Botelle, 1874; Hen- ry E. Ely, 1876; Russel Frisbie, 1877; Isaac H. War- ner, 1878, 1879; George Gillum, 1880; George S. Wil- cox, 1881; Henry W. Stocking, 1882; George P. Savage, 1883; Charles P. Sage, 1884.
Town Clerks .- Samuel G. Wilcox, 1851, 1852; Lorenzo S. Treat, 1852-57; Elizur L. Wright, 1857-61; Charles Kirby, 1861-70; Samuel B. Wilcox, 1870-72; Stephen P. Polley, 1872-78; R. B. Savage, 1878, 1879: Stephen P. Polley, 1879-81; R. B. Savage, since 1881.
THE CROMWELL ROADS.
The first highway was that which connected the two settlements on either side of Little River. This road
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
left the Lower Houses a little further from the Connec- ticut than the present turnpike, and led to the ferry at the point where the present iron bridge spans Little River. Thence the road followed the banks of the river to the site of the tobacco warehouse of Henry W. Stocking. There it left the river and ran west along the present South street to Pleasant street, then turned north again, running parallel to the river along the line of Pleasant street to Freestone. This was the first public road of Upper Houses, and was extended as the settlement ex- panded. The short section that ran west from the river, leaving the latter, went on westward about on the route of the present highway around Timber Hill. In sections it ran further south and nearer the Little River meadows. What is now Freestone street was laid out from the cor- ner of Pleasant, eastward to the river, and westward it ran across the Cromwell quarry, north of the old ceme- tery, and onward over Timber Hill. At the corner of Main street and Freestone, the old road turned north, fol- lowing the line of the present Main street, along to the foot of Prospect Hill. At the point against Capt. Edward Savage's estate, the road parted as at present and ran around Prospect Hill. The road on the west side was laid out through the ravine at the foot of the hill, instead of along the brow, as at present. The eastern part fol- lowed pretty nearly the course of the present road around Prospect Hill. The main road followed the general course of the present Hartford Turnpike. It was much wider, however, than at present. At some points it was further west than the present layout. Another road fol- lowed a northerly course along the line of West street. At the common, near the Catholic church, this road bore to the northwest, as at present, and ran west of the new cemetery. This was laid out to the Wethersfield line. The larger part of this road has been thrown up. All that remains is a section from the common near the Catholic church, a short distance north of the new ceme. tery, and a section west of the Wightman Woods. The Plains School stands in the southeast cor- ner of these woods. In time, the river road was extended north from South street to Freestone. The point where this latter street strikes the river used to be known as Captain Weber's corner. The west ex- tension of the river road was from this corner north about a mile to the stone bridge that crosses the Nooks Brook. Near this bridge there was formerly a ferry known as Norcutt's Ferry. From it a road ran westward to the Hartford road, which it intersected a little south of Prospect Hill. This road was much used at one time by the citizens in the north part of Portland in going to Hartford. From Norcutt's Ferry the river road was finally extended to the Nooks, where it met an impass- ible barrier in the Higby Banks. These roads, in the meadows above Weber's corner, are not used to any great extent except for getting to and from the meadows. There is no general travel. Norcutt's Ferry is a thing of the past. What is known as the Nooks road was laid out by the gift of private individuals. It originally started at the river, some distance from its eastern ter-
minus, and followed the course of the present road till it reached the toy shop. Thence it ran due west of the hill, and intersected the road around the eastern brow of Pros- pect Hill near the Beaumont place. The road that runs west from the Hartford Pike, between the land of George Stevens and William Ward, is an early road, and one of the ways by which the first inhabitants reached Berlin. These were the principal highways that accommodated the citizens through the early period.
In 1801 or 1802 the Hartford Turnpike Company was incorporated. The charter granted the company the right of straightening the old highway where it was neces- sary. The company began to operate the road in 1803-4. The principal changes in Cromwell were in the meadows and at Prospect Hill. About a mile north of the Little River bridge, the turnpike left the river, ran through the meadows, and intersected the old road again at the cor- ner of Main and Freestone streets. At Prospect Hill, the turnpike ran along the hillside a short distance east of the old road in the ravine. In the days when the stage coach flourished, this turnpike road was a husy scene of travel and traffic. The coaches of the Boston and New York mail passed over the road and announced their approach by the blasts of the stage horn.
EDUCATION.
This historical survey is incomplete without some allu- sion to the educational interests of this people.
This community, in the early times, possessed the tra- ditional New England attachment to the common school. At the first, there was no separate school at Upper Houses. The children were obliged to go to the lower settlement; this caused great inconvenience. In 1663, the town granted the Upper Houses the privilege of a separate school, if with their proportion of the rates they could procure a teacher. In 1690, a similar vote was passed. It is likely that a separate school was maintained during these years. From the organization of this parish in 1703, this society managed and sustained its own schools. For many years, the town has been divided into five school districts. For several years it has main- tained a central school, of higher grades than the district schools offered. This is called the High School, and occupies the building owned by the trustees of the academy.
School children in attendance upon the schools in Cromwell during the winter of 1814-15:
Lower School, 120; North School, 51; Nooks School, 16; Brick School, 45; Northwest School, 45; total, 277. On January Ist 1884:
North School, 103; Northwest School, 59; West (Brick) School, 88; Center School, 60; South (Lower) School, 64; total, 374.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS.
The State of Connecticut, from the beginning, has an honorable record in the military history of the country. This community also, so far as meagre accounts afford
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CROMWELL-REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
light, did its full share toward making and sustaining the reputation of the State.
In the trying period of the French and Indian wars, the middle of the last century, this parish had an organ- ized militia company.
During the French wars, 1755-60, Connecticut raised several regiments, and sent them on the military campaigns. In 1757, four regiments of 3,600 men each were equipped.
It is not possible to give precise information about the men who went from this society.
Through these years the Colonial records show that there was a train band, or militia company, in the North Society of Middletown.
The names of Sage, Savage, Stow, and others appear amongst the number of those who were commissioned as officers by the General Court. It is fair to presume that from this company the parish sent its quota to the wars.
In 1758, Rev. Edward Eells, the pastor of the church. served as chaplain of the 2d Regiment, in place of Rev. Joseph Fisk, of Stonington, who was appointed by the Assembly. In 1759, he was chosen chaplain, by the Assembly, to succeed Mr. Fisk. Whether Mr. Eells ac- companied the troops upon the campaigns of these years, when he served as chaplain, cannot be determined.
The records of the church give the names of three who died in service during the French and Indian wars:
In March 1755, Eleazar Frary died in camp at Lake George.
In September 1758, Amos Johnson died in camp at Lake George.
November 23d 1760, news was received of the death of Joseph Willard in the army.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Coming down to the period of the Revolution, there is more satisfactory evidence of the part which Upper Houses bore in the struggle for independence. On land and sea the sons of this parish endured hard service, and won for themselves imperishable honor.
They were in the earliest struggles at Ticonderoga, at Bunker Hill, at Boston, and with Gen. Arnold in his dis- astrous Quebec campaign. From the records of the par- ish, and the scanty, rapidly fading traditions, the follow- ing roll of Revolutionary patriots has been preserved:
Asher Belden, a pensioner.
Samuel Clark, baptized May 22d 1743; private.
Nathan Edwards, baptized November 14th 1742; pri- vate; died in prison in New York.
David Edwards, a trooper in the Canada expedition. Churchill Edwards.
Edward Eells, baptized August 16th 1741; captain, major; family helped by the town during the term of his service.
John Eells, a drummer in the regiment of his brother, Major Edward Eells.
Samuel Eells, baptized January 13th 1744, captain. At time of entering service was pastor of the Congrega-
tional church in North Branford. Moved by an earnest appeal from General Washington, he urged his people to rally for the country's defense one Sabbath morning. At the close of the day's services, he took command of a company of 60 men and went to New York.
John Hands, a wheelwright in the Revolution.
Abijah Kirby, private; died July 22d 1782, in prison in New York.
John Pratt, born in Hartford, captain in the Revolu- tion.
Joseph Ranney, private; died in prison in New York, on or before July 22d 1782.
John Robinson, killed at Norwalk, 1779.
Comfort Sage, son of Ebenezer, grandson of John, of numerous posterity (189 at the time of his death); captain, colonel (general of militia). A citizen of Mid- dletown, and a member of the North Church after his re- turn from the war.
Nathan Sage, son of Amos, baptized August 23d 1752; renewed baptismal covenant, November 21st 1773. In the privateering service, then the United States navy. While the British were blockading New York, Sage, as captain on a vessel, ran a cargo of powder into port after a sharp race with two British cruisers. Was received by Congress then in session in New York. After the war Captain Sage was appointed collector of the Port of Oswego, N. Y., which position he held till his death, about 1833, 84 years old.
Elisha Sage, son of Amos, baptized August 17th 1755; private.
William Sage, son of Amos, baptized January 11th 1749; in battle of Bunker Hill; captain.
Epaphras Sage, baptized October 16th 1757; private; after the war, was ensign, lieutenant, and captain of militia; died May 28th 1834, aged 77.
Matthew Sage, killed in battle in 1776.
Benjamin Sage, with Arnold in Quebec campaign.
Simeon Sage, son of Deacon Solomon Sage; three years in the service.
David Sage jr., died from wounds received at Quebec, 1776.
Daniel Sage, with Arnold in Quebec campaign.
Hosea Sage, died in service in 1781, at West Point.
Abijah Savage, baptized July 24th 1744. Served as society's committee in 1773. Was among the first to take up arms. Served as lieutenant, commanding a company with Arnold in his expedition through Maine to Quebec. Brandige, of Berlin, a private in his company, used to tell Justus Stocking, that " No man possessed more capacity and endurance in getting supplies and in pushing forward the expedition." He became captain later in the service. His family was helped by the town during the time of his service. After his return, Captain Savage repeatedly acted as moderator of the society's meetings, and represented the town in the Legislature.
Josiah Savage, born February 1760; baptized January LIth 1761; was 17 years old when he enlisted, in 1777, taking the place of an older brother, who was feeble.
2.48
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Nathaniel Savage, born in 1745, baptized October 27th 1745; in the privateer service; he died November 11th 1823, 79 years old. Mr. Savage was at one time a cap- tive on board of a British prison ship. During a re- markably cold season, when the Long Island Sound was frozen over, he escaped from a cabin window of the ship and made his way out of the British territory upon the ice.
Caleb Sheldon, a pensioner; moved soon after the war to Northern Vermont.
James Smith, captain; died in prison in New York; heard of death, February 20th 1780. Captain Smith served as collector of the society in 1775. In Novem- ber of that year he was released from that office.
Samuel Smith, died in prison in New York; heard of death, July 7th 1780.
Nathaniel Stocking, died in prison in New York.
James Stocking, died in prison in New York; the date is about June 4th 1782.
Samuel Stow, baptized August 18th 1745; renewed baptismal covenant, July 10th 1769; a seaman; served as privateer; killed, April 12th 1780. A singular story is told in connection with Mr. Stow's death. A son of Mr. Stow, a mere child, was playing in the yard of the house, standing just on the other side from the Congregational church, a little north perhaps. His heart was as full of the joy of spring and the love of life as would be the heart of any boy of to-day, when he suddenly rushed into the house exclaiming: "Mama, the red coats have killed papa; I saw it." The time was noted. Subse- quent news confirmed the boy's vision. This event caused a great sensation. It seems to be a well authen- ticated tradition. A descendant of the Stow family is the authority.
Jonathan Stow, baptized 1748; private; early in the. service; took part in the seige of Boston, in 1775.
William Stow was baptized September 29th 1754; he was the son of Jonathan and Abiah Stow; he had two older brothers, Samuel and Jonathan, in the service. Below, two letters are given, copies of which have been kindly furnished by Mr. Charles C. Savage, of Brooklyn, New York, a grand nephew of Mr. Stow. Mr. Stow took part in the battle of Bunker Hill, and the first letter was written soon after that engagement.
" ROXBURY, June 23d, A. D., 1775. " Dear Parents:
I having an opportunity to write to let you know that I am well and in high spirits as I hope these lines will find you the same. All those, the scurmage which I wrote to you before the certainty of which, were killed, we cannot tell as yet, but 'tis reported there is about 1,700 of the Regulars, killed and wounded. There was about seventy officers, some colonels. On our side particulars we have not, but it is supposed about sixty or seventy killed and taken prisoners. So no more at pres- ent. I remain your loving son till death.
" WILLIAM STOW.
" Don't forget to send that sealing wax and thread."
" July the 2d, A. D., 1775.
Honored Father and Mother.
" I take this opportunity to let you know that through the kind providence of God I am well and in high spirits as I hope these lines will find you. Saturday, the Ist of July, we got fortified upon a hill and placed two' twenty- four pounders. They fired twice, the first struck about eight rods from their breastworks, the second went over among their tents. Sunday morning following they began and fired very fast. They fired and sot one house afire. They also threw but hurt no person.
" N. B .- The particulars of the captives the regulars took we have had letters from them that they have thirty, amongst them one Colonel. O that we had known how it was with them, for tis supposed all the regulars went out except the guard and the town was obliged to stand sen- tries, for this we had from Liberty men that came out that night. Some of the town's next neighbors got leave to come. I have nothing to write, only how we have fresh beef three times a week and a pint of milk a day and butter, also chocolate and molasses. We want for nothing. I have a little more to write which was trans- acted this day. We took a barge with eleven men in it. First we fired upon them and killed four, the rest sur- rendered up to us.
" So I remain your loving son till death shall part us. " WILLIAM STOW.
" P. S .- I have received the thread and sealing wax by Edward Eells, Jr."
Hugh White, born January 25th 1733; served as col- lector of the society and moderator of the society's meetings; commissary during the Revolutionary war. In 1784 he left Upper Houses for Central New York, just west of Utica. A large section was called Whitestown. This section included all of New York State west of a line running north and south through Utica. In 1792 this section contained 6,000 inhabitants. Judge White lived to see it containing over 300,000. He was judge of Herkimer county and Oneida county. He died April 16th 1812, aged 79.
Reuben White, born March Ioth 1765; died in prison in New York city, about June 1783.
Asa Wilcox; heard of death at West Point, September 30th 1781.
Eliphalet Wilcox, born 1761; baptized September 1761; a privateer: died May 24th 1839, aged 78.
Amos Wilcox, baptized October 23d 1757; was pres- ent at the surrender of Burgoyne, October 17th 1777.
There is some uncertainty in regard to the parish in Middletown, to which some of the above named be- longed. Nathaniel Stocking and James Stocking may have belonged to what is now called Cobalt or Middle Haddam. General Comfort Sage was probably never a resident in Upper Middletown Society. The opinion is that Ebenezer, his father, moved to the city early in life. Abner Sage is thought to have belonged to Portland.
THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
The difficulty of making a complete list of those who participated in the struggle for independence, suggested the desirableness of making a Roll of Honor for the Civil war, while its memories were fresh.
249
CROMWELL-REBELLION-WEST INDIA TRADE.
For this purpose a committee was appointed by the town in the fall of 1876, to prepare a list of the citizens of this town who participated in the Civil war. Messrs. Ralph B. Savage, Elisha Sage, and David Edwards were this committee. They made an interesting report at the next annual meeting, embodying the roll of soldiers and many other interesting historical facts. The report was accepted and ordered to be entered upon the town records. The town was prompt and patriotic in its efforts to promote the vigorous prosecution of the war.
April 30th 1861, a special town meeting was held, and the town voted that $2,000, or so much of that sum as might be necessary for the equipment of volunteers and the support of their families, should be appropriated from the town treasury for that purpose.
August 11th 1862, a bounty of $100 each was voted to a sufficient number of volunteers to fill the quota of the town under the call issued by the president on July Ist of that year. August 26th 1862, this bounty was ex- tended to all volunteers for three years, and on that day a bounty of $roo was given to every volunteer under the call for nine months' men.
August 22d 1863, it was voted to give $300 to every man drafted, and $100 to those drafted in 1862.
January 18th 1864, $100 was voted to each man, who volunteered prior to August 1862.
August 11th 1864, bounties were voted as follows: $100 to volunteers for one year; $200 to those for two years; and $300 to those for three years who should answer the call of the president for 500,000 men.
December 12th 1864, like sums were granted to those who should procure substitutes; and the selectmen were instructed to procure substitutes on the most favorable terms. (From the town records.)
The action of the town to keep the quota of men in the field was successful, as the list of citizens who en- listed shows.
INDUSTRIES OF THE TOWN.
The tillage of the land has been, from the beginning, one of the chief industries of this town. But the river with its deep channel, especially in the earlier days, affording navigation to deep draught vessels, opened a tempting avenue of enterprise, which citizens of energy were not slow to enter. Commerce with the West Indies and with China and various parts of the world was ac- tively carried on in former years. Among the heir-looms in some of the old families are pieces of old china, which were procured in Chinese ports. They were decorated with initial letters and other designs and brought home by sea captains as gifts to wives and daughters. The thrilling adventures of Capt. James Riley and mate, Aaron Savage, of the brig Commerce, natives of this town, who were shipwrecked on the western coast of Africa and captured by the Arabs, are evidences of the sea-far- ing ways of former generations. Among those who took part in the Revolution not a few were engaged in the privateer service. There are very few of the old families who have not relics and interesting traditions of the
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