History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 70

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 70

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DEED FROM THE INDIANS.

The Mattabesett Indians, having their headquarters in Middletown, claimed the ownership of the land, and used Coginchaug as a hunting ground. There is no rea- son to suppose that any considerable number resided there permanently. There is a piece of land on the north end of Tibbals Hill, just east of the town, and known as Old Field, said to have been so called because of its former use by the Indians as a corn-field. This hill must formerly have been substantially an island.

January 24th 1672, the Indian deed was made to four men who had received from the General Court grants of land in Coginchaug. The essential parts of the deed are as follows:

" This writting made the twenty-fowerth day of Janu- hry, 1672. Between Tarramugus, Wesumpsh 1, Wannoe, Mickize, Sichamas mother, Tom alias Negannoc, Nesh- cheag squa, Taccumhuit, Wamphurach, Puccacun, spunno, Sarah Kembosh squa, Marragaus mother and Tabhows squa of the one part, and Mr. Sam'll Willys, Capt. John Talcott, Mr. James Richards, and Mr. John - Allyn of the other part, witnesseth that the sayd " Tar- ramugus, Weshumpsa," etc., "for themselves and in be- halfe of the rest of the proprietors of Cawginchaug, and the lands adjoining, for a valuable consideration to them in hand, payed by the sd Mr. Sam'll Wyllys, Capt. John Talcott, Mr. James Richards and John Allyn, have given, granted, Bargained and sold, and by these presents doe fully deed & absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, enfeoffe & confirm unto the sayd Mr. Sam'll Wyllys, Capt. John T'alcott, Mr. James Richards and John Allyn, their heirs & assignes, one Tract of land comonly known by the name of Cawginchaug, a butting on middle Town bownds north, Hadam bownds east, and to runne towards the west Two miles at least or so farre as may take in all those lands granted by the General Court of Conecticutt, to the afoaresayd Gent'n, and on the South on Guilford bounds together with all the Timber, Trees, brush, Rivers, waters, stones, mines or mineralls, being in the afoaresayd Tract of land, to have & to hold," etc.

Next follow the habendum clause and the usual cove- nants of those times-of seizin, of good right to convey, and the covenant against the grantors, all of which are considerably more verbose than in deeds of to-day, and must have astonished the Indians when read to them with due solemnity. The deed was "sighned and deliv- ered in presence of Joseph Nash, Georg Grove, Sepan- namoe Neshegen, and Thomas Edwards."

265

DURHAM-EARLY HISTORY.

The price is not mentioned, but may be guessed from the following certificate, which is annexed to the deed:

" Alice being lame and not able at the writing hereof to be present, and haveing received a coate towards the purchass of cawginchauge, I, under written in her be- halfe doe assent to the agreement & deed herein written, & as her agent doe in her behalfe testify her assent by subscribeing my hand, January 24, 1672.

one peny his marke and seale."

LAYING OUT THE LAND.

April 29th 1699, several inhabitants of Guilford peti- tioned the General Court to grant the tract of land com- monly called Coginchaug for a township. Among these petitioners are found the still familiar names of Seaward or Seward, Stone, Parmelee, Fowler, and Johnson.

The petition alleges that one family had already moved from Guilford to that place.

"And sundry more have already strong inclination moving that way, providing this Honorable Court would so far favor it, that it may be provided with all conven- ient speed, the ordinances of God might be settled there, it being considerably remote from any other town, and looks to be very difficult if not almost impossible for any comfortable attainment of them, which should be the greatest thing that we should have regard to in our set- tling here in this Wilderness."

In accordance with this petition, a town plat was, dur- ing 1699, laid out in the southwest part of the town, near Guilford line.

In 1703, a new town plat was established, where the village of Durham now is.

A street eight rods wide was first laid out, from the · old Swathel place, now occupied by Jacques Burckel, to the Wadsworth place, now of Reuben Hubbard, and this was called the Great street, or Broad street. On the west, Back Lane extended from Maple Grove to Spruce Ledge, as it was then called, west of the Wadsworth place.

On the east of Broad street, a highway was laid out from the Miles Merwin place to the highway, running easterly past Sanderson's. The northerly end of this has since been called Brick lane; the south end, Cherry lane.

It seems to have been expected by the early propri- etors, that the people would live in the village, while their farms lay at a distance. So the strips of land on the east and west sides of Broad street were cut up into large building lots, or " house lots," as they were called, aver- aging about 25 by 36 rods.

There had been two ranges of farms surveyed from this territory. These farms had been granted by the General Court, to citizens who had served in Indian wars, or otherwise deserved well of the colony. The owners of these farms laid out the streets and the lots. Appar- ently our forefathers had a correct idea of the value of town property, and understood real estate speculation.

should be sold at a reasonable price." And so it was agreed that a reasonable value should be set upon the lots, to recompense for the first cost of the land, and the laying the same out.

From the highway running westerly, between the Par- sons' cove and Nathan H. Parsons' place, to somewhere near the Edgar L. Meigs' place, seems to have been dedi- cated to public uses. On the north was the parsonage lot, then the burying ground, then came Allyn's Brook, then the minister's lot, which extended from Allyn's Brook to the Meeting House Green. This lot had, and apparently still has "the privilege of ponding said brook if need be." Then came the Meeting House Green, now largely oc- cupied by the new burying ground, or taken up for private use. Then the Samuel Camp, now Edgar L. Meigs' place.

February 16th 1707, it was determined that in all further allotments or divisions of land, two allotments should be reserved. One was for the use of the minister who should first be settled, and was to be owned by him ab- solutely. The other was to be held by the town, and the income derived from it was to go toward the support of any future minister.

INCORPORATION, GROWTH, ETC.

In 1704, Coginchaug, being still recognized as a planta- tion, received from the General Court the name Durham. They were also given this figure for a brand for their horse kind, viz., D -. This indicates that horses ran wild to a great extent. That they were cheap and plentiful, appears from the bill for the ordination of the first minister where three times as much is charged for the services of one good wife as for hiring five horses.

Until its incorporation, Durham belonged to three counties; the Haddam part belonged to Hartford county the Killingworth part to New London county, and the remaining part to New Haven county. After the town was organized, it belonged to New Haven county till 1799, when it became a part of Middlesex county.

Town meetings were held before the act of the Gen- eral Court constituting Durham a town. The first town meeting was held June 24th 1706. There were elected one town clerk, one constable, three selectmen, two " listers" (assessors), and a "culler " (collector).

A town pound was established on the east side of the street; probably where it remained till some years since. The records show that it was a great deal used in the first years of the town.

A desire was expressed that Durham be annexed to "ye County of New Haven."

The record speaks of the town of Durham as belong- ing to no other town; the inhabitants had established for themselves a government by mutual consent, as did the first pilgrims in the " Mayflower." The town govern- ment looks back for the origin of its authority not to any act of the king or General Court, but to the act of " we, the people of Durham."

The town plat was a valuable acquisition, and the Gen- eral Court recognized this, for the lower house made it a In 1708, Durham became a town, with all town rights. condition of changing the town plat, that " the lots As in other towns, the fee simple of the lands not already

266

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

granted to private individuals was given to the inhabi- tants. These first inhabitants, as proprietors, at their meetings admitted others to share with them; but this was done only for a few years. The unoccupied lands were rapidly surveyed, divided into parcels, and disposed of by lot to the different proprietors. There were several such divisions of wood and. pasture land, beside the swamp division, whereby Coginchaug Swamp became private property. In one of these divisions, most of the lots con- tained five acres; in another eight acres; in another 30 acres.

As may have been expected, there followed a great deal of dealing in real estate, both selling and exchang- ing, and the first Wadsworth, town clerk, must have found his office far more profitable than any of his successors. It seems wonderful that the old records could have been kept so long in so perfect a state of preservation. May 2 Ist 1708, the patent was issued securing the title of the lands under the hand of Gurdon Saltonstall, governor, and Eleazur Kimberly, secretary. Governor Saltonstall himself then owned a farm in Durham. There were then 34 adult males.

Immediately after Durham received its patent, that is, in June 1708, the agreement was made with Kenilworth (Killingworth) whereby Killingworth gave up all claim of jurisdiction beyond its present north line. For this concession Killingworth received 60 acres of land, owned by it in fee simple.

The year 1708 was a stirring one for the 34 voters then in Durham. By the agreement with Killingworth, and the patent from the General Court, they had become, as has been stated, the joint owners of all the lands in Dur- ham, which had not been formerly granted to individuals, and which constituted a large part of the territory of the town. They forthwith proceeded to have it surveyed, and that year divided a considerable part of it among themselves.

The first white child born in Durham, so his grave- . stone in the old burying ground affirms, was Ephraim Seaward, son of Caleb Seaward. He was born in 1700, and died in 1780.

The growth of the town, during its early history, was remarkable. In 40 years it had nearly equaled its pres- ent population, and it citizens began to emigrate.

In the early times, the town paid a bounty for killing black birds and crows. In the town account, for 1729, it appears that the town paid that year, for killing black birds, I penny each; for crows, 6 pence each; 602 black birds, and 26 crows were thus paid for. Part of this was paid to women.

A striking peculiarity of the ancient records and deeds of our forefathers, is the large number of names given to the different places. Every hill, every brook, had its name. It would be pleasant, certainly, if the places could be identified and the names again applied.

These names appear in the deeds and records: Goat Hill, Old Roade Hill, Great Swamp or Meadow, Blue Hills, Three Brooks, Prospect Hill, Farm Hill, Feeding

Hill, Hogpen Brook, Allyn's Brook, Parker's Hill, Greate Hill, Howe's Gap, and many others.

A look through the town records furnishes many inter- esting facts. Durham's town finances have always been carefully and economically managed, as witness the rec- ord for 1860, taken at random. The collector was voted $10.00 for the year; the assessors, $1.oo per day; the town treasurer, $5.00, and a tax of 312 mills was laid to defray the necessary expenses of the town, to pay the State taxes, county taxes, highway taxes, and school taxes.

In 1756, according to Fowler's History, there were 34 blacks in the town; in 1774, there were 44; and in 1776, every 24th person was a black. At present there is but one representative of the colored race, Henry Smith.

The number of children of school age returned to the controller's office was, in 1840, 324; 1850, 298; 1860, 297; 1870, 225; 1880, 188; 1884, 165.

The disproportionate decrease of children, as compared to the whole population, is accounted for on the theory that since the academy has made a higher education pos- sible to all, the young people, as they grow up, can do better than to stay in Durham and remain at farming.

The vote of approving the Constitution of the United States was taken in Durham in October 1787; four were in favor of it, and 67 opposed. The vote on ratifying the State Constitution, in 1820, was 82 in favor and 74 opposed.

The people of Durham felt themselves to be an inte- gral part of the United States, and desired to have their opinions known and heeded in national matters. Janu- ary 5th 1778, at a town meeting held in regard to the Articles of Confederation between the States, after a . glowing preamble, it was

" Voted, That we will cheerfully adhere to and abide - by what the Legislature of this State (whose great wis- dom and zeal for the public good we have long experi- enced) shall do in the premises; at the same time cannot but express our desire that some alteration may be made in the 8th article, and 8th paragraph of the 9th article of Confederation."

When Congress voted half pay and commutation"of halt pay to the officers of the army in 1783, the town met and adopted a long address, the closing lines of which are:

"We boast ourselves of having obtained independence and freedom from the arbitrary measures of Great Brit- ain. But if a half pay establishment or commutation takes place, may we not say, we have only changed masters. Thereupon voted, that we will, in every constitutional way, oppose the half pay establishment or commutation of half pay."

FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.

December 8th 1730 .- "Three pounds and no more were granted those maintaining the schools this year, the remainder of the schoolmaster's salary what the county don't do, shall be paid by the parents or masters that shall send children to the school."

December 1731, second Tuesday, "a committee was chosen to treat with the inhabitants of the neighboring

267

DURHAM-EXTRACTS FROM TOWN RECORDS.

town that do commonly attend worship in this town, re- specting their assisting this town in ading to the present meeting house or building a new one."

These were the people of Haddam Quarter, who it seems were then accustomed to attend meeting in Dur- ham.

" Three pounds and no more " was ordered paid " for the Incoragement of the Schoole."

December 23d 1731 .- Adjourned town meeting. A price was set upon the heads of crows and blackbirds, 6 pence for crows and I penny for black birds.

A tax of a farthing halfe farthing in the pound was laid.

April 25th 1732 .- A captain, a lieutenant, a sergeant, a deacon, and two misters were chosen "to seate the meet- ing house according to their best discretion."

December 1732 .- £120 salary voted to the Minister, Nathaniel Chauncey, to be payed in true bills of credit or in "wheete at 9 sh pr bushill, or in Indian corn at 4 sh 6d per bushill."

In 1731, the salary was " £110 in wheate at six shill- ings per bushill." The price of wheat varied greatly.

In 1733, the tax for the ministry was levied upon the " addetion made by the General Assembly in Haddam Bounds," whereby it appears that the inhabitants of Haddam Quarter then paid their church rate in Durham.

April 30th 1734 .- Enacted "that one peney half peney pr pound shall be forthwith collected and disposed of to the town's advantage to purchas a town stock of powder, shot and flints."

December 12th 1733 .- It appears that 47 voters were present, and every one concurred in locating the new meeting house in a " place northerly of the school house upon the Meeting House Green."

" Six pounds to be payed for the Incouragement of a Schoole. Their share of the County money to those on the west side of the swamp, provided they have a good schoole for three months this yeare."

December 2d 1837 .- " River on North Causey dammed up. Ordered cleared."

" Minister's salary was risen to £150. Nathan Bishop of Guilford to have a seate in the Meeting House on giving bond to pay his share of the tax for furnish- ing it.

" Lease granted to sundry of the inhabitants of the town to set up small houses on the edge of the Meeting House Green for the entertainment of themselves and their famelys on Saboths and other publick times."

In 1738, " leave given to build Saboth day houses on the Meeting House Green."

" Minister's salary {170; £8 granted for schools."

Great difficulty was experienced, from year to year, to get any one to accept the office of grand juror.

December 21st 1739 .- " Minister to have £40 addi. tional, and get his own firewood."

"Liberty granted to those in the North end of the town to set up a schoole house in the highway, not far from Capt. Jos. Coe's dwelling house."

December 1740 .- " Wheat has risen to 12 sh. p'r bush- ill. Indian corn to 6 sh."

" The town schoole to be kept in three places; in the north end of the town, at the southern part of the town, and the west side of the swamp."

December 9th 1741 -. " Meeting house to be anew seated." One deacon, 3 sergeants, a captain, an ensign and 2 misters appointed "to seate the meeting house a new and the persons are directed to use their best prudence in the affair and Indevour the peace and quiate of the town as far as may be."

November 3d 1731 .- " About £550 common bond money reserved from proceeds of sale of western towns by General Assembly."

In 1743 .- "Clabords in the Meeting House " to be "Rectified where wanting, and well boultered spey or led boulter."

In !744 .- "Minister's salary £230 and firewood."

Swine not to go upon common without "ring in nose." In 1748 .- " It is ascertained that the highway between . Brick Lane and Chery Lane is impassible."

Sign post set up on the green.

January 1751 .- North Causey is flowed too much."

In 1761, " Ordered that the Saybrook Platforms dis- tributed to the town by the General Assembly should be divided by the selectmen to and among the inhabitants according to the list."

March 28th 1774 .- " Voted that it is the opinion of this town that this colonys extending jurisdiction over those lands lying west of New York on the Susquehan- nah River, and claimed by Mr. Pen as being within his patent without first prosecuting their claim before his Majesty in Council (the only proper place of decision), will be tedious, expensive, and of dangerous tendency."

November 17th 1774 .- "A committee was appointed to receive and forward contributions for the relief and sup- port of the poor of that town, suffering under the op- pressive Port Bill."

December 13th 1775 .- " Seats in the gallery of the meeting house shall be for singers, and shall not be seated."

March 24th 1777 .- " Whereas, many arts, dissimula- tions, and subterfuges have been practiced in the man- ner of bargaining and dealing with a criminal intention to violate the law regulating prices; voted, that we do agree and firmly unite among ourselves strictly to ad- here to the Law regulating Prices, and to use our joynt and severel Influences to support and maintain the same as a very Important and Necessary Regulation for the Support of the Army and to Prevent every measure artfully taken for oppressing the poor."

December 5th 1777 .- Provision made for supplying the families of the officers and soldiers belonging to the town with Cloathing and Provisions.

The salt belonging to the town to be " divided to each Family in Proportion to the Number of Souls."

" The Question was put whether the Town would ap- prove of Inoculation for the Small Pox to be set up in this Town, resolved in the negative."

268

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

February 9th 1778 .- " Question was put whether the Town would approve of the civil Authority and Select- men giving permission to any Person in this Town to re- ceive the Infection of the small Pox by Inoculation under any Regulation whatsoever, and resolved in the negative."

May 7th 1771 .- " Swine may go on the common or highway provided they be well ringed in the nose."

July 7th 1780 .- " Voted, that a Bounty of £6 in Bills of public credit " be paid out of the Town treasury to each man who shall voluntarily enlist " to serve in the Connecticut Battalions in the Continental Army until the last Day of December, next and who shall pass muster."

November 13th 1780 .- " Capt. Saml. Camp, Capt. Charles Norton, Capt. Parsons, Lt. Smith, Lt. Butler, Lt. Scranton, Ens'n Scranton, Ens'n Johnson, Ens'n Strong, and Corp'l Baldwin, were chosen a Com'tee to procure Recruits for the Continental Army."

January 15th 1781 .- " The Com'tee appointed at the Town Meeting on the 13th day of November, 1780, by a major vote were appointed a Com'tee to procure three able bodied effective men to serve in a Reg't ordered to be raised for the Defence of the Posts of Horseneck and other Posts of this State until the Ist day of March 1782, and also one Horseman to serve in a Company of Horse ordered to be raised as aforesaid."

. June 2Ist 1781 .- " The town granted a tax of two pence in the Pound on the ' List of the Poles & rateable Estate in this Town,' to be layed out for beef cattle or deposited in the Treasury of this State, pursuant to an Act of Assembly."

August 6th 1781 .- "Jas. Wadsworth, Esq., & Mr. Phin's Spelman were appointed to procure Barrels, re- ceive and salt, pack and secure the Beef & Pork that shall be brought in and also to store such other articles as shall be delivered in payment of a State Tax of 2 sh. and 6 p. on the Pound."

February 2Ist 1782 .- A committee chosen "to pro- cure five able bodied men to serve in a Regiment or- dered by the General Assembly, to be raised for the De- fence of Horseneck or Western Frontier."

December 10th 1782 .- " Alexander Lime, Thos Fran- ces and Daniel Frances of Killingworth, given liberty of attending public worship in Durham, and being seated in the Meeting House they to give bond to give in their lists annually and pay their proportionable part of the minister's charge.

February 18th 1783 .- Amicable settlement of dispute " between Capt. John Noyes Wadsworth and the Town of Durham, respecting a certain pew adjoining the pul- pit stairs in the meeting house in sd. Durham, and now undetermined in the Honorable Superior Court.

February 29th 1793 .- " Voted, that in the opinion of this Town three Taverns are abundently sufficient to en- tertain all Travailors passing thro' or coming into this Town on Business, and whereas the unnecessary increase of taverns have a Tendency to promote Tavern haunting, occation a mispence of Time & corrupt the Morrals of People-Voted as the opinion of this Town that licuns-

ing of Mrs. Elisabeth Spelman to keep Tavern in Dur- ham the year ensuing will be unnecessary to accomodate Travailers and detrimental to the good order & Morals of the inhabitants."

March 11th 1799 .- Fencing of burying ground to be paid for in pasture, nothing to be put in but sheep and geese."

December 16th 1799 .- " Whereas, a proposition has been made to the Town by those who call themselves Universalists to appoint three men of their Denomination to confer with three men that the Town shall appoint re- specting an Arbitration for the accomodation of Differ- ence of opinion relative to Ecclesiastical matters in this Town. The Town voted that .Dea. Parmele, Mr. El. Camp & Col. Wadsworth be a Committee for the above mentioned purpose and make report to the next meet- ing.'

February Ist 1800 .- " Voted to direct the Selectmen to pay Mr. Hosmer $to for his services at the Assembly in getting this Town annexed to the County of Mid- dlesex, which is his account."

November Ist 1830 .- Voted to procure or build a house suitable for a work house or house of correction. October 3d 1831 .- Town meeting warned to meet in the academy, and meetings after that were held there.

After the Methodist church was built, there was an agreement whereby the town was to pay $200, and have the privilege of holding all town and electors' meetings in the basement.

The following facts appear from the calculations put in evidence in the hearing as to the location of the church: In 1800, there were 84 dwelling houses north of Mill Bridge, and 70 south. In 1844, there were 102 houses north and 107 south of Mill Bridge.

The enumeration of children of school age for different years in the respective districts was:

1822. 1825. 1831. 1843.

North District

68 44

Quarry District

75 77 94

Center District

62 59 66

South District.

48 43 56

West Side District 7I

5I 25

Southwest Side District

34 - 26

From a table of distances calculated in 1838, from house to house, on the New Haven Turnpike, commenc- ing at the center of the path between the two Center Meeting House doors, are selected the following dis- tances to well known points. The distances are given in rods and miles: Intersection of Madison Turnpike, 114 rods; Haddam Turnpike, W. W.'s, 134; Intersection Guilford Turnpike, 176; East end Causeway, 252; Old River Bridge, I mile, 4; Bridge at Narrows, 1, 196; Inter- section Coe's road, 2, 17; Elliott's, L., 2, 106; Enos Camp, 2, 192; Foote, L., 3, 113; Hart, W. A., 4, 2; Guil- ford Line, 4, 231; Elliott, F. T., 3, 30; Daniel Hart, 3, 247; Samuel Hart, 3, 315; West School House, 2, 27; Austin, 3, 56; Page, 3, 196; Curtis Pond, 4, 217.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 70

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