History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 87

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 87

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

striped linen, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 9d. per yard; chintz, 5s. 6d .; oak wood, 9s. per cord; hickory wood, Ios .; pine boards, £6 per thousand feet; pitch, 20s. per bbl .; turpentine, 24s .; lamp black, Is 6d .; linseed oil, 5s. per gal .; bricks, 3s. per hundred; lime 2s. per bushel; glass, 5s. per square; chain cables, £3 6s. per hundred weight; sail- makers' and riggers' labor, 3s. 6d. per day; carpenters' labor, 6s .; ship work, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d .; board, 6s. per week; rum, 2s. to 3s. 6d. per quart.

FORM OF INDENTURE, 1804.

The following indenture is interesting as showing how such papers were drawn up in the early part of this cen- tury:

"This Indenture witnesseth that Lucy Spencer of Say- brook in the County of Middlesex Guardian to her son George Spencer aged about sixteen years and six months, hath put her said son and by these presents doth freely and voluntarily put him an apprentice to Nathan Pratt of said Saybrook goldsmith to learn the art of trade or mystery of a goldsmith and with him after the manner of an apprentice to serve from the date of these presents until he shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years; dur- ing which time the said apprentice his master shall faith- fully serve his secrets keep and his lawful commands everywhere freely obey.

" He shall do no damage to his said master nor see it to be done of others, but that he to his power shall let or forthwith give warning to his said master of the same.

"He shall not waste the goods of his said master, nor lend them unlawfully to any.

" He shall not commit fornication nor contract matri- mony within the said term.

" He shall not play at cards or any other unlawful game whereby his master may have any loss. With his own goods or others during said term without the license of his said master he shall neither buy nor sell. He shall not haunt taverns or play houses, nor absent him self from his said master's service day or night unlawfully but in all things, as a faithful apprentice he shall behave himself toward his said master and all his during said term. And the said master his said appren- tice in the same art which he useth by the best means that he can, shall teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed in every part thereof finding unto his said apprentice meat, drink, apparel, lodging and all necessaries during said term and shall instruct him or cause him to be instructed in reading, writing and arith- metic so that he may be able to do common business. And at the expiration of said term the said master shall furnish his said apprentice with two suits of clothes, one suitable for him to wear to meeting upon the Sabbath, or abroad at any time, the other suitable for common wear and also give to his said apprentice a good Bible and a gun and bayonet fit for a soldier. And for the true per- formance of all and every of the said covenants and agreements, each of the parties bind themselves unto the other firmly by their presents. In witness whereof the

339

ESSEX-WAR OF 1812.

changeably set their hands and seals the Ist day of May A. D. 1804.

In presence of

SAM'L JONES, LUCY SPENCER, NATHAN PRATT.

DAN LANE,

THE RAID ON ESSEX-1814.

During the war of 1812-15, while the British fleet was cruising around Long Island Sound for the purpose of blockading New London Harbor, it was suspected by the commander that a conspiracy existed among the ship owners of Potapaug to destroy these vessels and thus raise the blockade. Accordingly, on the evening of the 7th of April 1814, two or three vessels of the squadron anchored off Saybrook Bar, and despatched two launches, each carrying nine to twelve-pound carronades, and 50 or 60 men, and four barges containing about 25 men each. These were under the command of Lieutenant Coote or Coutts, as different authorities spell the name, who had previously gained a familiarity with the locality and its surroundings by visiting it in the disguise of a clam peddler.

The party were provided with torches and other ma- terials for burning the shipping. Before midnight they were discovered by the keeper of the lighthouse, as they entered the mouth of the river, but as there were no American troops in that locality he could do nothing to aid the helpless inhabitants in preparing to offer any re- sistence. Some of the troops landed at the old fort at Saybrook, where, finding no soldiers to oppose them, they cut down the flag and proceeded on their way. Owing to a strong northerly wind and the freshet, they did not arrive at their destination until 4 o'clock on the morning of the 8th. They landed at the point and formed into line, numbering 240 men, and being divided into squads proceeded to their work of destruction.

Very few of the citizens were appraised of their coming until a few minutes before they landed, and many of them knew nothing of it until the flames from the burn- ing vessels, which lit up the country for miles around, awoke them from their slumbers. Fear and consternation seized the people. Aged women and little children hur- ried off to Centerbrook, taking such valuables as they could gather, expecting that their homes were to be burned and fearing that the men would be put to death or taken prisoners. Their fears, however, proved groundless, for there was no attempt to molest the people. A few houses were searched by the picket guards for arms and am- munition, while the main body of troops proceeded to burn the vessels at the different yards and those anchored in the lower and upper coves, firing every vessel they could find, with a few exceptions for particular reasons.

A vessel belonging to Mr. Judea Pratt of New City, was saved through the mystic ties of free masonry. Lieutenant Coutts had ordered the vessel to be burned, but Mr. Pratt met him and gave a masonic sign of recog- nition, and after a few minutes conversation, it is said, the troops were withdrawn and the vessel saved. Jere- miah Glover, who had a sloop lying in the lower cove,

begged the British to spare it, and they finally consented to do so on condition that he should pilot them down the river and back to their ships.

Several hogsheads of rum which were stored at the Point were destroyed to prevent them from falling into the hands of the marines. One man, desiring to concil- iate the officers, brought out a waiter with decanters of rum and glasses. One of the officers drew his sword and with one sweep cut off the necks of the decanters and smashed the glasses. Many other incidents connected with this raid are preserved in the traditions of the local- ity, and would be interesting to the readers but the want of space forbids repeating them here.

About 10 o'clock in the forenoon the British called in their guards and proceeded down the river, with a brig, a schooner, and two slocps. But the wind shifting from northeast to southeast they set fire to all these except the schooner, which they anchored about a mile and a quarter below the Point, and there remained until evening.

During the day a number of the militia fromn Saybrook, Westbrook, and Potapaug had gathered on the shore, where they planted a nine-pounder, and about sunset opened fire with it upon the schooner, which appears to have grounded so that they could not get away with her. The British then took to their barges and pulled down the river, under cover of the darkness, except when be- trayed, as they were at the start, by the light of a pier which they had fired on the opposite side of the river. They endeavored to maintain silence in their passage, but the militia were enabled to mark them with some degree of accuracy, and fired upon them from the shore as they went, doing, as is supposed, some deadly execu- tion. The number killed is not known, but it is related by an aged man at Westbrook, that a year afterward he had occasion to go to Plum Island, and while there he saw eleven recently made graves, which the keeper of the light-house told him were the graves of men that were killed by the militia, and buried there by Lieut. Coutts on his way from the raid on Essex back to the fleet. During this perilous passage, Captain Glover, the pilot, lay in the bottom of the boat for protection against the balls that were flying about them and now and then striking the boat. He escaped unhurt, and saved his sloop, being landed about a week later on Fisher's Island.

The burning of the shipping at this place was a wanton piece of destruction, and Lieut. Coutts some years after- ward stated to an American sea captain, who was a large owner in the vessels burned, that it was the most unpleasant duty he was ever called upon to perform, and that when he undertook it he never expected to get away with his men. The loss occasioned by this raid was estimated to be about $160,000, sixty thousand of which fell on the people of Potapaug. The number of vessels destroyed is claimed by some to have been as high as 28, but the following list comprises all that the writer has been able to find any account of:

340

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

NAME.

TONS.

VALUE.

SAVED.

Ship Guardian.

319

$15,000

$1,500

A new schooner.

1,500

200

Superior

285

13,000

600

66 Atlanta

270

8,500

1,300

160

7,500

1.000

A new schooner ..

315

13,300

1,300

Sloop Comet.

1,200

100

Brig Felix.

300

12.000

Sloop Thitis ..

2,600

200

Emerald ..

2,500

100

Washington

100

5,000

Brig Cleopatra

140

7,500

800

Hector.

375

15,000

Amazon ..

310

12,000

1,000

Schooner Emblem

160

7,000

800

A new sloop ...

344

8,500

Three sloops.

225

6,700

One pleasure boat and a work shop.

The hulk of one of the vessels, the ship Osage, was towed up the North Cove, where it still may be seen at low water, lying just below the grist mill at Meadow Woods.

The following letter from Capt. William Van Deursen, 3d Regiment United States artillery, commanding Fort Trumbull, at New London, written about a year previous to the burning of Essex, is of interest in connection with this affair. It will be remembered also that this same Capt. Hardy was with Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar, and as Nelson was dying he said: "Kiss me, Hardy; kiss me:"

" FORT TRUMBULL, July 15 1813.

" I yesterday had the honor of dining with the cele- brated Sir Thomas. Hardy, on board His Brittanic Majesty's ship Ramilies, having been sent off as a flag officer by Brigadier-General Burbank. When Sir Thomas first discovered the flag approaching he hoisted a white flag at his foretopmast-head, and a boat was dispatched with a lieutenant and ten men on the barge coming up with us. The officer presented the commodore's compli- ments, with a request that I would enter his boat, which I accordingly did. On coming alongside of the ship the sides were manned with six young men dressed in white. On entering the ship I was met by Sir Thomas in per- son, who welcomed me on board. I immediately intro- duced myself to him. He took me by the arm into his cabin. On entering I was struck with admiration at the style and grandeur in which it was fitted up. Everything appeared to be conducted on the most splendid and magnificent plan, and I think I may safely say ] never have seen anything of the kind that compared with it.

"Sir Thomas himself appeared to be a man of great simplicity of manners, apparently a perfect stranger to everything like pride or ostentation. He is about 5 feet Io inches high, of light complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and red whiskers, and is somewhat bald. He cannot be called a handsome man, but has a countenance which strongly bespeaks the greatness of his mind and the nobleness of his soul. He was very affable, had a great deal to say and many inquiries to make, and appeared unwilling to let the flag depart when it did. He took me all over his ship, and justice requires I should state that it is not in the high order of our frigates. His crew and

gun decks were inexcusably dirty, his men generally much inferior to ours, and the discipline not to be put in competition."

THE BOROUGH OF ESSEX.

The Borough of Essex was constituted by an act of the Legislature of the State passed in May 1820. Its cor- porate name was " The Warden, Burgesses and Freemen of the Borough of Essex," and the boundaries given in the act were:

"Beginning at the most northeasterly part of a stone wharf or pier, owned by Jesse Murray and others, a lit- tle northerly of Pettipauge wharf, thence northwesterly in a right line to the northeast corner of New City wharf, thence southwesterly in a right line to a small appletree standing on George Williams' land, about six rods northerly of said Williams' dwelling house, thence south- erly in a right line to a small oak tree, standing at the lower side of a ledge of rocks, about fifteen rods north- westerly of Dr. Gideon A. Dickinson's dwelling house, thence southeasterly in a right line to a large button- wood or button-ball tree, standing in the highway near the dwelling house of Thomas Tripp; thence in an east- erly direction in a right line across the south cove, so called, to an old stone pier, owned by Benjamin H. Meigs and others, situated a little southerly of the south cove channel, thence in a northerly direction in a right line to the first mentioned bound."

By its charter it was empowered to elect annually, in May, a warden, six burgesses, a clerk, a treasurer, and a bailiff. The latter officer was to perform the duties gener- ally of a constable. The warden and burgesses, with the approval of the freemen of the borough, had power to levy taxes, to lay out and regulate streets and walks, to keep in order a public sign-post, to make by-laws regulating markets, wharves, moorings, trees, chimney sweeping, abating nuisances, and in relation to other local matters provided they did not conflict with any laws of the State. All such by-laws, after being approved by a public meet- ing of the freemen, were to be published at least three weeks in some newspaper published in the borough, or if no newspaper was published here they were to be so published in some newspaper in Middletown; and were still further subject afterward to the ruling of the Supe- rior Court. The warden and burgesses were also to form a fire company.

Joel Pratt Esq., in accordance with the appointment of the charter, called and presided at the first meeting of the borough, which was held at the Episcopal church on the 13th, being the second Tuesday of June 1820. This meeting elected Samuel Ingham, clerk; Joseph Hill. warden; Ebenezer Hayden, Timothy Starkey, Sala Post, Joseph Platts, Gurdon Smith, and Gamaliel Conklin, burgesses; Samuel M. Hayden, treasurer; and Felix Starkey, bailiff.

The borough meetings were held at the Baptist meet- ing house, with very few exceptions, until the annual meeting, May 31st 1847, which was held at Hill's Acad- emy. Soon after this they were moved to the Union

2.000

200

Ship Osage ..

140

4,000

Ship Mohala.

Schooner Black Prince ..

34 1

ESSEX-THE BOROUGH.

House, where they continued to be held until the sus- pension in 1855.

The first meeting of the warden and burgesses was held at the office of Joseph Platts, June 20th 1820. At this and subsequent meetings by-laws were passed pre- scribing the mode of warning the meetings of the free- men, and those of the warden and burgesses, and estab- lishing a sign-post; prescribing the form of oath to be taken by the treasurer; restraining horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and geese, establishing a pound and the offices of haywards and pound-keepers; for preventing injuries by fire; relative to nuisances, and providing for the appoint- ment of street inspectors; imposing a penalty for neglect- ing or refusing to serve in any office; empowering the warden and burgesses to settle and adjust all debts against the borough, and providing for their payment; naming the streets and public grounds in the borough; and relative to the mode of taxation, locating a pound and altering the place of holding meetings.

Several streets were named in a by-law passed in May 1821. These were Main street, from the corner near Captain Hezekiah Pratt's to the wharf near Hayden & Starkey's store, which was once called " Lay's cart path;" Hill street, from the corner above mentioned to the store of William Parker; Public Square, that piece of ground that lay between Captain John Pratt's shop, John G. Hayden's store, and William Parker's dwelling house and store, on the north and east, the lot and garden of Jo- seph H. Hayden on the north, and the dwelling house of Captain Henry L. Champlin on the west; West street, from the shop of Captain John Pratt, by the dwelling house of Dr. Gideon A. Dickinson, to the western limits of the borough; North street, from Main street, by Abraham Pratt's dwelling house, and the then late resi- dence of Captain Noah Scovill, deceased, to the northern limits of the borough; Church street, from John G. Hay- den's store, by the Episcopal and Baptist churches, to North street; New City street, from North street, by the dwelling house of Reuben Post, to the North Cove; Lit- tle Point street, from North street, by the dwelling house of Captain Gideon Parker, to the North Cove; New street, from the corner of Main and North streets, by the dwelling house of Gurdon Smith, to the North Cove; Cross street, from Main to New street, by the store of George Harrington; South street, from the corner near Captain Henry L. Champlin's store, by the dwelling house of Joseph Hill, Esq., to the southern limits of the borough; Spring street, from South street, southerly of the dwelling house of Nathan Pratt, to Hill street.

It may be interesting to review and locate by more re- cent descriptions, some of the points mentioned in the foregoing. Capt. Hezekiah Pratt's house still stands at the foot of the hill, in front of the Congregational church, on the east side of the road. The store of Hayden & Starkey was the old brick building on the south side near the foot of Main street, now closed. The store of William Parker stood on the lot now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Stephens, next west of the store of H. W. Starkey & Co. Capt. John Pratt's shop was a black-

smith shop, the site of which is still occupied in the same way by his grandsons. The present shop is a substan- tial brick structure, standing a short distance west of the Episcopal church. Between the shop and the Episcopal church stood the store then occupied by John G. Hay- den. The building was afterward occupied by others, and finally as a soap manufactory. It was torn down a few years since. The lot and garden of Joseph H. Hay- den is now occupied by the residence of W. H. Phelps. The house of Dr. Gideon A. Dickinson is still standing, on the north side of the road, under the hill, being the third house east of the crossing of the turnpike. Abra- ham Pratt's dwelling house was the house now owned by M. B. Hall. The Noah Scovill place is now occupied by Gilbert Thompson, the house having been burned and replaced by another. The dwelling house of Reuben Post was that now occupied by Capt. A. Judson Pratt, being the fourth house on the north side of New City street from the corner of North street. The dwelling house of Capt. Gideon Parker is now owned by William Keyes, and is the second house on the north side of Little Point street. The dwelling house of Gurdon Smith was that now occupied by Mrs. Arnold; that and the house of George Harrington, now owned by Mrs. J. B. Pratt, were the first houses built on that street. The store of George Harrington is the unoccupied building next below the post office, and belonging to the estate of Nehemiah Hayden. Capt. Henry L. Champlin's store stood on the southeast part of the lot now occupied by the residence of Mrs. H. L. Champlin. The dwelling house of Joseph Hill stood on the east side of the road, opposite the residence of Thomas Chrystal. The dwell- ing house of Nathan Pratt is that now occupied by William H. Phelps.

At a meeting, July 4th 1821, the borough elected four street inspectors, four fire inspectors, and four haywards, according to a by-law that had been passed establishing those offices. The number of haywards was afterward increased. Three assessors and three members of a board of relief were afterward chosen in conformity to a by- law which was approved by the borough June 12th 1845.

The office of warden was successively held by the fol- lowing: Joseph Hill, 1820-23; Obadiah Spencer, 1824, 1825; Ebenezer Hayden, 1826-29; Ezra S. Mather, 1830-36: Gurdon Smith, 1837, 1838; H. L. Champlin, 1839, 1840; Uriah Hayden, 1841, 1842; Ambrose W. Post, 1843; Elias Redfield, 1844; Nathan Pratt, 1845, 1846; Gurdon Smith, 1847, 1848; Cornelius R. Doane, 1849; Gideon Parker, 1850-52; A. F. Whittemore, 1853; John L. Parker, 1854; C. R. Doane, 1855.

The borough clerks were Samuel Ingham, 1820, 1821; William Bull, 1822; Joseph H. Hayden, 1823, 1824; Amasa Pratt, 1825, 1826; Samuel M. Hayden, 1827-29; Felix Starkey, 1830; Joseph H. Hayden, 1831; Elias Redfield, 1832; Samuel M. Hayden jr., 1833-35; Uriah S. Hayden, 1836; George Post, 1837; F. W. Shepard, 1838, 1839; Uriah S. Hayden, 1840-43; Horace H. Starkey, 1844; John G. Hayden, 1845-55.

During its existence, the corporation frequently con-

342

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

sidered such questions as providing fire engines, engine houses, and apparatus, building a steamboat wharf, and flagging the sidewalks on Main street; but beyond the appointment of committees of inquiry but little was accomplished. The last borough meeting was held May 28th 1855. The jurisdiction and limits of the town were so nearly like it that the borough organization was no longer needed.

THE TOWN OF ESSEX.

The town of Saybrook, as it then existed, extending from the sea north to the Chester line, was divided by act of the State Legislature in 1852, and the two towns of Saybrook and Old Saybrook formed from it. The · present territory of Essex and all of the town lying south of it became the newly erected town of Old Saybrook, while that part which lay north of it retained the name and prerogatives of the original town.

Two years later the town of Old Saybrook was itself divided, and a new town formed of the southern part, which carried with it the old name, while the remaining part, which retained the records and honors of the old town adopted the new name of Essex. The act of 1854 constitutes and defines Essex in the following lan- guage:

"All that part of the present town of Old Saybrook, which constitutes the second society of said town, and is bounded northerly and westerly by the town of Saybrook, easterly by Connecticut river, and southerly by the first school society of Old Saybrook, to remain an independent town, with the name of Essex, by which name it shall be hereafter called and known."

The division was enacted the first Wednesday in May 1854. By the act it was provided that the selectmen of the new towns should divide the paupers, according to their discretion; divide the deposit fund in proportion to the population of each; and divide all other property of the towns in proportion to their respective lists in the grand levy of 1852. The population of the town of Essex then was 1,519; while that of Old Saybrook was 1,036. By the grand levy of 1852 the assessment of Essex now was $22,475.71; and that of Old Saybrook was $15,350.31. Essex then had three paupers, and its deposit fund amounted to $2,989.47. The almshouse and three acres of land connected with it was sold to Capt. Jabez Pratt for $1,150, and the proceeds were di- vided between the two towns on the basis of the grand levy of 1852.

By an act of May 23d 1859, an addition was made to the town from Saybrook, as follows:

" Commencing at a rock on Book Hill at or near the northwest corner of the town of Essex, thence south- westerly to a point where the south boundary line of the Second School District in the town of Saybrook crosses the Middlesex turnpike road; thence westerly to a point two rods north of the dwelling house of widow Thomas Pratt; thence southwesterly to a point where the east line of the Winthrop or Fourth School District crosses the main road leading from the village of Winthrop to democrat, 227; Rogers, 5.

Westbrook; thence southerly along said district line to Westbrook; thence easterly along the north line of the town of Westbrook to the town of Essex."

On the proposed amendment to the State Constitution, in 1855, to the effect that " Every person shall be able to read any article of the constitution or any section of the statutes of this State before being admitted as an elector," this town cast 116 votes in favor and 97 against.

The town in 1882, voted on the license question, 28 "for," and 238 "against."

Caring for the poor of this town is a very light burden upon its tax-payers. The town for several years had an arrangement with the town of Saybrook, by which its paupers were cared for in the almshouse of that town. An almshouse, with a garden of 90 rods of ground, in the southeastern part of the town, was purchased of Gus- tavus Pratt, November 29th 1854, for $650. It is located at the junction of an old road with the Middlesex Turn- pike. Since its purchase it has remained much of the time unoccupied, the number to be cared for being too small to warrant keeping the house open.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 87

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