History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 80

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 80

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" MATCHIT-MOODUS.

" See you upon the lonely moor A crazy building rise? No hand dares venture to open the door- No footstep treads its dangerous floor- No eye in its secret prys.

"Now why is each crevice stopped so tight, Say, why the bolted door? Why glimmers at midnight the forge's light- All day is the anvil at rest, but at night The flames of the furnace roar.

" Is it to arm the horse's heel That the midnight anvil rings? Is it to mould the ploughshare's steel, Or is it to guard the wagon's wheel That the smith's sledge hammer swings ?

" The iron is bent and the crucible stands, With alchemy boiling up; Its contents are mixed by unknown hands,

And no mortal fire e'er kindled the brands That heated that cornered cup.

" O'er Moodus River a light has glanced, On Moodus hills it shone ; On thegranite rocks the rays have danced

And upward those creeping lights advanced, Till they met on the highest stone.

" O, that is the very wizard place,

And now is the wizard hour. By the light that was conjured up to trace, E'er the star that falls can run its race, The seat of the earthquake's power.

" By that unearthly light I see A figure strange alone. With magic circlet on his knee And decked with Satan's symbols, he Seeks for the hidden stone.

"Now upward goes that gray old inan, With mattock bar and spade. The suminit is gained and the toil begun

And deep by the rock where the wild lights run The magic trench is made.

" Loud, and yet louder was the groan, That sounded wide and far; And deep and hollow was the moan, That rolled around the bedded stone Where the workman plied his bar.

" Then upward streamed the brilliant light- It streamed o'er crag and stone; Dim looked the stars and the moon that night, But when morning came in her glory bright, The man and the jewel were gone.

" But woe to the bark in which he flew From Moodus' rocky shore- Woe to the captain and woe to the crew.

That ever the breath of life they drew, When that dreadful freight they bore.

" Where is that crew and vessel now? Tell me their state who can,

The wild waves dash o'er the sinking bow-

Down, down to the fathomless depths they go To sleep with a sinful man. .

" The carbuncle lies in the deep, deep sea, Beneath the mighty wave; But the light shines up so gloriously

That the sailor looks pale and forgets his glee, When he crosses the wizard's grave."

Many theories have been advanced as to the cause of these noises. One is that there is a subterranean passage leading from a large cave near Mount Tom to the sea, and that the noises are produced by certain delicate combinations of wind and tide. A more reasonable ex- planation of their cause is that there exist mineral or chemical combinations which explode many feet below the earth's surface. The jar produced by the noises is like that of exploded gunpowder.

BAPTIST CHURCH.

The Baptist Church in East Haddam was originally " The Third Baptist Church in Colchester." It was organized at the house of David Miner, November 22d 1809.

The first meeting was held at Bulkley Hill school house, December 15th 1809-preaching by Eliada Blakesley. Among the familiar names of the early mem- bers are John and Guy Bigelow, Daniel Bulkley, Anson Ackley, Seth Hayes, and Turner Miner. The church prospered and increased in numbers, notwithstanding they had no regular place of worship, services being held in the school house, and occasionally at the house of some member for 16 'years. The first meeting in East Haddam was held at the school house in the North- west District December 1825. Soon afterward, on the 15th of December, the first meeting was held in their - new meeting house, on the East Haddam and Colchester

Turnpike, where Ransom Rathburn now lives. About this time, the name was changed to the " Baptist Church of Colchester and East Haddam." Changes in places of worship and the erection of new meeting houses are not generally productive of harmony in any denomination. It seems that this change was no exception to the general rule, for cases of discipline for contempt against some of the most prominent members became quite frequent soon after the removal. In fact, during the 50 years that have elapsed since that time, this society has been par- ticularly "prominent in its intestine strifes. The last strife, but a year or two since, wherein the Beebe fac- tion was arrayed against the Brooks and Stark faction in the civil and ecclesiastical courts-injunctions and counter injunctions more potent than the Pope's bulls, closing the doors of the church for months, a fight which was widely known and discussed as the " Moodus Church war "-is fresh in the memory of every towns- man. The first pastor of the new church was Alvin Ackley, June 19th 1827.

June 18th 1833, Amos Watrous, and September 3d 1843, Thomas N. Dickinson were set apart as preachers of the work. August Ist 1844, it was voted to sell the

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EAST HADDAM-CHURCH IN MOODUS.

meeting house in Millington, and put the avails in a build- ing for public worship in Mechanicsville (Moodus). On the 21st of September following, the church was reor- ganized under the name of the "Central Baptist Church in East Haddam." New articles of faith were adopted, and since that time the place of worship has been at their new house in Moodus.

The first pastor of the church in Moodus was Elder Bela Hicks, whose successors have been as follows: Rev. A. J. Watrous, Elder Knapp, Levi Wakeman. June 18th :854, Elder James M. Phillips; August 31st 1856, Elder A. Watrous; May 3d 1858, Rev. A. V. Dimmock; Sep- tember 6th 1862, Rev. Mr. Haven; March 25th 1866, Rev. Thomas Attwood; April 30th 1867, Rev. Percival Matthewson; May 8th 1870, Rev. C. N. Nichols.

The present parsonage was purchased in 1868 for $2,000.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MOODUS.

As early as 1792, Methodist preachers passed through the town of East Haddam on their way from Middle- town and Hartford to Norwich and New London and occasionally preached here. A family of Chapmans and another by the name of Ely, living in the eastern part of the town, were among the first Methodists in East Had- dam. Lorenzo Dow preached in the house of Judge Higgins, at East Haddam Landing, in 1825 and 1830. Lewis Bates and Thomas G. Brown, still living at East Hampton, are known to have preached here, besides many others whose names are unknown. Classes were formed at Millington and Leesville early in this century, but no steps were taken to build a church until the spring of 1834. At that time Danforth Burgess bought of Ab- ner Brainerd, a piece of ground in Moodus for $50. On this lot a frame for a church building was erected in the fall of 1834. The building was completed the following year and was dedicated about November 25th 1835, Schuyler Seager, of Middletown, preaching the sermon. The building committee consisted of Danforth Burgess, Erastus Downing, Timothy F. Andrews, and David Cicero Wheeler. The church was enlarged in 1850, and in 1882 the interior was repaired and greatly improved at a cost of $750. The property now consists of a church, valued at $3,500; a parsonage, valued at $1,800; and a house on the Willimantic Camp Meeting Grounds, val- ued at $350. The charge was a portion of a circuit until 1844, when it became a separate station. The successive ministers have been: 1834, Leonard B. Griffin, Parden T. Kennef; 1835, Freeman Nutting, Amos Simpson; 1836, David Todd, John F. Blanchard; 1837, David Todd, assisted by students from Middletown; 1838, James Nichols, Solomon Cushman; 1839, Thomas W. Gile, assisted by students; 1840, Charles C. Barnes, Moses Stoddard; 1841, Abraham Holway, assisted by students; 1842, Lozien Pierce, Chester Field; 1843, Lozien Pierce, Ebenezer Blake; 1844 and 1845, William S. Simmons; 1846, Benjamin L. Sayer; 1847 and 1848, Henry Tarbush; 1849, Moses Chase; 1850, George W. Brewster; 1851, Roger Albiston; 1852 and 1853, Warren

Emerson; 1854, John F. Sheffield; 1855, William Cone; 1856 and 1857, Nelson Goodrich; 1858 and 1859, Henry W. Conant; 1860, George Burnham; 1861, L. D. Bent- ley; 1862 and 1863, C. M. Alvord; 1864, F. A. Brown; 1865 and 1866, George W. Wooding; 1867 and 1868, Joel Bishop (died June 1868); 1869, William Turking- ton; 1870, J. M. Worcester; 1871, H. S. Smith; 1872 and 1873, Anthony Palmer; 1874-76, J. H. Nutting; 1877, A. W. Paige; 1878 and 1879, E. M. Anthony; 1880 and 1881, E. F. Smith; 1882, R. D. Dyson; 1883 and 1884, F. C. Newell. The present membership is 115.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MOODUS .*

Previous to 1850 the district of Moodus was not visited by any Catholic priest for the purpose of hold- ing divine service. Occasionally one might be seen there, but it was to administer the last sacraments of the church to some stray Catholic, who happened to be dying, for at that time the Catholics were few and scat- tered over a wide area; and as the custom is at present, where Catholics are too few to constitute a parish, they were assigned to the care of the nearest resident pastor. Moodus is not a parish, but only an outmission, and is attached to the parish of Colchester, whence it is attended every second Sunday.

From 1850 to 1853 Rev. Father McCabe officiated in Moodus occasionally. From 1853 to 1855 Rev. John Lynch used to attend Moodus, coming from Chester, where he resided. From 1855 to 1860 Rev. Clark Reilly, and others from various places visited Moodus as occasion required.

The Rev. Father Creighton, the first pastor of Col- chester, appointed in 1860, was the first priest who held divine service at regular intervals in Moodus, going there once a month, and as there was no church in Moodus service used to be held in the house of one of the pa- rishioners.

Mr. Creighton, for a consideration of $165, purchased a site for a church from Mr. Foote, of Marlborough, Conn., and Rev. Mr. McCarton, who succeeded Mr. Creighton in 1867, built a church thereon. Rev. Patrick Fay assumed charge on the removal of Mr. McCarton in 1873, and remained in charge until his death in 1879. The Rev. J. H. Duggan followed and administered the parish until April 1880, when he was removed to Water- bury, and was replaced by Rev. B. W. Bray, the present rector.

In 1883, Father Bray enlarged the church, and fitted it up in an elegant and tasteful manner. The church will now seat 300, and in case of need, accommodation can be found for fifty more. The site on which the Catholic church stands is the highest and most prom- inent in the village, and from the church door the view of the wooded hills and deep-shaded valleys to the south and west, with the white-painted homes and mills of Moodus in the foreground, is really beautiful and impressive. The Catholic population of Moodus at

* BY REV. B. W. BRAY, PASTOR

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

present is about 250. There is a Sunday school number- ing sixty children, and the mission, financially and mor- ally, is in a thriving condition.

THE MOODUS SAVINGS BANK.

This institution was organized in 1827. The first offi- cers were: W. E. Nichols, president; Charles E. Brown- ell, vice-president; and E. W. Chaffee, treasurer.

The present officers are: C. E. Brownell, president; Amasa Day, vice-president; E. W. Chaffee, treasurer and secretary.

The first directors were: W. E. Cone, Amasa Day, D. S. Purple, Robert Chapman. The present directors are William E. Cone, David Purple, William L. Fowler jr., Albert E. Purple, Theodore Fuller.

THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY ADVERTISER.

This newspaper is published at Moodus. It was estab- lished in 1869, by E. Emory Johnson, Esq., who con- ducted it for a period of four years, when it was pur- chased by Joseph E. Selden, an old resident of the town, under whose management it has since remained. The Advertiser has a weekly circulation of 2,500 copies, and is sent into various parts of the world, wherever East Haddam people have gone.

MOODUS DRUM CORPS.

Among the prominent organizations in the town of East Haddam is the Moodus Drum and Fife Corps, which is very widely known, and has a reputation second to no other similar organization in the country.

It has been invited to participate in nearly every im- portant event, in which martial music was appropriate, that has occurred in or about New England in many years, and on each occasion acquitted itself creditably.

These musicians have taken part in two grand contests for the championship of the State, and have in each in- stance borne off the honors.

The first, an elegant banner, was won at Rockville, Conn., on the 10th of October 1877; the second was won at Hartford, Conn., in October 1880. They have also had friendly contests with many other prominent bands, the most noted of which was the famous Ninth Regi- ment Drum Corps of New York city. This occurred on the 24th of February 1879, at the armory hall of the Ninth Regiment, in the presence of three thousand people.

The affair, which concluded with a grand reception, was one of the finest in the history of the regiment, and one of the most enjoyable in the history of the corps.

Of course many changes have occurred during the 20 years of the existence of the corps, yet a goodly number of the original members remain, and the leader, Mr. Per-

cival, though he has long since laid aside the drum and sticks, finds pleasure, in his 85th summer, in listening to the practice of his boy.

The style of their playing is that of the days when their teacher was in his prime, and their costume is of the old continental fashion. Their drums, too, are of the old style, and several are more than one hundred years old, yet in a perfect state of preservation.

The corps is now prosperous under the leadership of Dr. U. S. Cook, to whom much credit for its excellent standing is due.

The present members are .- Fifers: Benjamin Adams, fife major; G. R. Buell, Leander Cook, Charles C. Mor- gan, W. A. Cone, Edward J. Grindshaw, W. A. Kinner; snare drummers: U. S. Cook, drum major; W. S. Com- stock, D. J. Treat, Merrill E. Wetherell, D. L. Williams, secretary; base drummers: Sidney E. Ackley, William E. Odber, George N. Bowers.

INDUSTRIES OF MOODUS.

THE MOODUS WATER COMPANY .- Bashan Lake is situated in the northeastern part of East Haddam, and covers an area of about 400 acres. It is from this body of water that the motive power of the many mills at Moodus is derived; indeed, the industrial prosperity of the town is largely traceable to the existence of this lake. In 1857, the old Moodus Water Company was formed under the joint stock act of the State, and Bashan Lake, together with certain rights of flowage, was purchased. The stock owners were the then proprietors of the mills on the stream below the lake. Each mill owner took a certain number of shares of the stock, and the value of the shares so taken was made the basis of assessment for taxation or contribution. The company proceeded to raise a dam at Bashan, and also constructed a small res- ervoir on Fall Brook, a branch of the Moodus River.

But the stockholders found themselves in a dilemma similar to that of the States under the old articles of the confederation. There was no power inherent in the or -. ganization by which it could compel the payment of the assessments levied on the stock. Consequently, in 1872, a charter was obtained from the Legislature incorpora- ting the Moodus Reservoir Company.

The charter is somewhat unique, and evinces the wis- dom or forethought of Mr. C. E. Brownell, under whose supervision it was prepared. It declares the special cb- jects and business of said corporation shall be " to build and purchase and hold reservoirs, and develop and im- prove the water power and water supply on Moodus

The band was organized in the autumn of 1864, under the tuition of the veteran drummer, W. Percival, and River and its tributaries, and to buy, sell, own, and deal consisted of the following members: F. W. Brainerd, W. S. Comstock, D. L. Williams, Emory Lewis, H. E. Cook, U. S. Cook, U. S. Purple, T. R. Spencer, J. S. Ackley, William Brown.

in any real or personal property necessary or convenient for the prosecution of said business, and generally to do all things incidental to said business, and to the proper management thereof.

" Capital stock of said corporation shall be $7,500, and the said capital stock shall be divided into 300 shares of $25 each.

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EAST HADDAM-MOODUS MANUFACTORIES.

" No person or corporation shall be entitled to sub- scribe for the capital stock of said corporation except such as are owners or part owners of mills or mill sites situated upon Moodus River, in the town of East Had- dam, and any corporation owning a mill or mill site situ- ated upon said Moodus River may become a subscriber to the capital stock. The shares of stock shall be appur- tenant to the mill or mill sites in which the several stock- holders shall be owners, and shall not be transferred by the parties except upon the transfer of the interest of such shareholder of his interest in the mill or mill site to which said stock is appurtenant, and whenever any stock- holder shall transfer and convey his interest in the mill or mill site to which his said stock is appurtenant, or whenever the same shall pass from him by operation of law or otherwise, his title to said stock shall pass with the title to the said mill or mill site, and as an appurte- nance to the same and said mill or mill site owned by each subscriber thereto shall always be subject to a lien for the payment of the capital stock subscribed by him and for the payment of the assessment on said stock."

The charter further provides for an annual tax of four dollars per share, which cannot be suspended so long as any indebtedness of the company remains unpaid.

A new dam was built, in 1883, at what is known as Great Falls. In 1860, the outlet at Lake Bashan was so modified as to reduce the level of the water eighteen inches. This resulted in a law suit brought by adjacent landowners versus Moodus Water Company. Among other privileges the water company purchased a lease by which they were allowed to build the dam as high as the water would rise. On the dam being so raised, about 1865, an action was brought against the company for flowage.

A third action was brought for drawing the water down to the old mark, on the claim that an excavation had been made prior to the modification of the outlet above described. The first action was decided against the company, the flowage petition in its favor, and the third, tried before Judge Origen Seymour, resulted in a com- promise.

THE UNION MANUFACTURING COMPANY .-- The old grist mill which was located at this place, was a fixed institu. tion for many years. When and by whom it was built is unknown; but from all information it always presented that worn-out, tumble-down appearance, which is suffi- cient cvidence of antiquity. There was also a saw mill here, which was operated for several years, and was probably the first mill of the kind in this portion of East Haddam.

The Indian name of the settlement in this locality was " Pum-pum-Bash unk."

In 1829, a company was organized, composed of the following gentlemen: Noah Bulkley; William Palmer, Aaron C. Palmer, Joseph W. Cone, Augustus Olmstead, Lemuel Dickinson, and Asa Smith, who, under the firm name of " The Union Manufacturing Company," com- menced the manufacture of cotton yarn at this place. A dam was erected near the mouth of the small pond, and

a suitable building was constructed on the site of the old grist mill, which had been removed. The amount of the capital stock actually paid in March 4th 1830, was $17,000; and at that time the company had introduced looms, and were making cotton shirtings. This com- pany continued business up to the time of the failure of Noah Bulkley, after which the mill was run irregularly until the purchase of the concern by Elijah Purple and Colonel William Palmer jr. in 1845.

After the purchase of the mill by Purple & Palmer, they discontinued the making of twine, which was carried on by the "Union Manufacturing Company," in 1840, under the superintendence of Mr. Edward Brownell. New looms were introduced, and the manufacture of cot- ton duck was begun. The new firm continued the busi- ness, not without success, till the 15th of April 1856, at which time the entire property was conveyed to N. A. Cowdry, of New Haven, who, on the first of August 1856, sold the same to the Moodus Water Power Company.

Once, in making conveyance of personal property and real estate, Mr. Bulkley conveyed to Prime, Ward & King, of New York, a portion of his interest in the Union Company; and after the purchase of Mr. Cowdry, this firm in New York failed, and conveyed their title to a house in London; thus, at one time " The Union Manu- facturing Company's " property was owned partly in Eng- land, and partly in " Pum pum-Bash-unk." This alien- ated part of the estate was recovered by Mr. Cowdry, and reunited to the industrial wealth of America.

After the water power company came into possession of the property, it was sold to various parties. Mr. S. S. Card purchased the mill, which was at once demolished, and the tenements were sold at different times, as pur- chasers could be found.

For a period of 27 years this mill was operated, and to-day there is not a vestige remaining to show that there was ever a manufactory there, and of all those who were directly interested, not one remains to tell the story.

NEW YORK NET AND TWINE COMPANY .- It is stated elsewhere that from time immemorial a grist mill existed at Bashan, where subsequently stood the factory of the Union Company. The same observation may also be made with reference to the site where now stands what is familiarly known to-day as the "Red Mill," the next one in order, and the first in the United States which manufactured by machinery cotton seine twine. It is believed that Captain Stephen Cone was the original owner of this property, and that he purchased it from the twenty seven men who bought the town from the Indians; at all events, he is the first of whom any record is given, and he reconstructed and operated the grist mill here. For a long time previous to the Revolutionary war, this property was in the Cone family, and subse- quently came into the hands of Jonah Cone, who was a lineal descendant of Captain Stephen Cone.

In 1712, Jonah Cone deeded this property to Captain Thomas Gates, and the latter left the estate to his son, George Gates, by whom the mill was rebuilt. From

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

George Gates the property descended to N. D. Gates, and from him to Phineas Gates, who was the father of Willianı L. Gates. Phineas Gates held the property but a single day, and then deeded it Gideon

Brainerd, and from him it passed into the possession of Dyer Higgins, and thence to George Higgins and Hezekiah Crowell; from Crowell it repassed to George Higgins, and then into the hands of "The Smith Manufacturing Company," and finally in 1834 to the " Nichols Company," where it remained un- til 1869, when a half interest was sold to Demarest & Joralemon, of New York city, and the name was changed to its present style.

Ebenezer Nichols, the founder of seine twine man- ufacturing and the builder of the fifth mill was born in East Haddam, June 24th 1770. He received the usual common school education, and early applied himself to business, first to mercantile, and later to mechanical pur- suits. In 1822, he was in the service of the "Smith Manufacturing Company," and it was during this period that he experimented with and perfected the machinery for making seine twines. Mr. Nichols commenced his experiments in the Smith Company's mill, on a twister containing 24 spindles; 12 for the first and 12 for the last process; both on one machine. The twine thus made was from the yarn which he purchased from the Smith Company. The experiment was a success, and in 1827, not having sufficient room, and the company being unable to supply him with what yarn he needed, he re- moved into a room of the Union Company's mill at Bashan. Large quantities of yarn were at times trans ported from the mills at Uncasville, a distance of 25 miles.

Soon after, Mr. Nichols bought out Mr. Stanton S. Card and Mr. George Higgins and associated with him in the business, Timothy Green. They built the "red mill," and at once commenced operations on their own territory.

William E. Nichols, the son of Ebenezer Nichols, was born August 15th 1806, and at this time (1827) was a medical student; but because of failing health he aban- doned his professional studies and turned his attention to manufactures. About 1828, he purchased the interest of Card & Higgins, and with his father gradually extended the business. Ebenezer Nichols died November 19th 1842, Æ. 73 years. About 1837, the firm associated with them, Mr. Roswell Davidson, built a small shop, now a a part of the " East Mill," and engaged in the manufac- ture of gimlets, under a patent granted to Mr. Orville Percival. In this enterprise they were not successful, and the building was for a time devoted to the manufac- ture of spool thread, and finally twines. About 1850, W. E. Nichols purchased the interest of Mr. Green, and took the entire business on his own account, Mr. Davidson having previously retired.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 80

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