History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 90

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 90

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A parsonage was purchased in 1848, for $1,000, and another in 1868, for $1,200. The present church edifice was built in 1849.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ESSEX.

Religious services, with a view to the organization of a Congregational church in this village, were first held December 5th 1851, in the old Methodist meeting house, under the ministration of Rev. E. B. Crane. The erec- tion of a new house of worship was commenced in June 1852, and the corner stone was laid on the first day of September following, at which time the church was fully organized by a council of the neighboring churches duly called. The membership of the new church had with- drawn, to the number of 52, from the church at Center. brook, July 2d of that year. The church edifice, having been completed, was dedicated August 10th 1853.

The Rev. E. B. Crane, closing his ministrations on the first Sabbath of July 1852, was followed by Rev. E. WV. Tucker, who was employed as a stated supply for one year. A unanimous call was extended to James A. Gal- lup, February 26th 1854, and he, accepting, was ordained and installed May 17th following. After a harmonious and successful pastorate of nearly 12 years, his resigna tion took effect October 8th 1865. He was followed by Rev. Oliver S. Taylor, who labored here as acting pastor from January Ist 1866 to February 15th 1867. The Rev. L. T. Spaulding was installed October 2d 1867, and con- tinued till November Ist 1869. Henry W. Teller, being called to the pastorate, was ordained and installed July 7th 1870. He closed his labors January 15th 1873. Rev. J. Howe Vorce commenced his labors as acting pastor August Ist 1873, and continued till April Ist 1875. Rev. A. S. Gardiner was employed as acting pastor from August Ist 1875 to August 31st 1877. George H. Cate supplied the pulpit from March Ist 1878 till April 2d 1879, when he was ordained and installed. His pastor- ate extended to June 8th 1880. E. Clarence Oakley supplied the pulpit awhile, beginning September Ist 1880, and on the 30th of June 1881, was ordained and installed

as pastor, in which relation he continued until March 27th 1883. Rev. J. Howe Vorce again commenced act- ing as a stated supply July 8th 1883, in which capacity he still continues. The total membership of this church, January Ist 1884, was 166. The Sunday school con- nected with it numbers about 110. The deacons of the church are Gamaliel Conklin, elected January 4th 1855; Charles S. Munger, elected July 31st 1872; and Stillman J. Tiley, elected at the same time.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The earliest reference to the matter of schools that is found in the action of the society was February 15th 1726, when a committee was appointed to go down to Saybrook to treat with the selectmen about the school money for the society. A committee was appointed for the school in 1729, and again at a later date. The first schoolmaster, of which we can learn as being paid by this society, was Joseph Pratt, who, December 30th 1735, re- ceived one pound, five shillings, from the funds of the so- ciety toward his pay as a schoolmaster. He appears to have been employed in after years in the same capacity. December 22d 1736, a legacy in land which had been left for the improvement of schools was sold and the avails, amounting to £130, 8 shillings, were put at interest.

The school was probably kept at first in private houses, but in 1737 the society resolved to build a school house. A site was agreed upon, but at a later meeting it was changed; disagreement followed, and the matter was finally submitted to arbitration, and a council of men from Lyme was called for that purpose. They decided that the site should be about 20 rods west of Muddy River, and the society ordered, May 23d 1738, that the frame, which had already been set up elsewhere, should be moved thither. This building was completed in the course of the two years following, and the society meet- ing was held in it, in December 1739. It was in size 16 by 21 feet, and cost £81, 15s., 3d. "old tenor."

It was a common custom in early times to move the school from place to place for different parts of the year. At a meeting of the society, December 31st 1733, it was voted " That the school set up in this society be removed from place to place and to such places within this socie- ty as in the discretion of the committee may most ac- conimodate the society." January 25th 1743, the parish refused to move the school thus to accommodate those who lived distant, but a week later the meeting decided to move it and to keep it for the coming year, four months at the school house, two months at Daniel Pratt's house, two months at Hezekiah Buckingham's, two months at Philip Kirtland's, and two months at Sam- uel Bushnell's.

The financial affairs of the school were for many years managed by the "prudential committee " of the society, who managed the funds and property that had already been set apart for the school. About the year 1754, a distinct committee was appointed to take care of the school.

On the 7th of April 1768, the parish was divided, by its own vote, into four school districts, the locations of

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

which may be best understood from the following description: A north and south line was run from the north to the south bounds of the parish, passing 10. rods west of the house of George Clark and 10 rods east of the house of David Cone; and all that part of the parish lying west of this line was called District Number 4. A second line was run from a point on Daniel Williams' mill pond, 10 rods west of his dwelling house, south to the south bounds of the parish, at a point 10 rods west of where Daniel Bushnell then lived. District Number I occupied all that part of the parish lying east of this line and south of a line from the mouth of Twelve Mile Island Cove to the point on Williams' mill pond above described. District Number 3, also called the Middle District, occupied the space between Districts Numbers 1 and 4, and was bounded on the north by a line running east from the first line described, passing at a point 10 rods south of the house of Azariah Pratt and 10 rods north of the house of Thomas Pratt jr., till it intersected the line running from Wil- liams' mill pond to the mouth of Twelve Mile Island Cove. District Number 2 occupied all that part of the parish lying north of Numbers I and 3 and east of Number 4. At the same time, it was decided that the old school house should be sold at public vendue and the proceeds be added to the school fund already accumulated, the interest on which was applied to the support of schools.

On the 9th of February 1769, District No. I was di- vided into three districts, the two new ones thus formed being called the Southeast and the Northeast Districts. The bounds of the Southeast District were " a west line from the Cove which shall Pass half way between tima- thy tookers and the widow Shaus to continner till a South Line will strike the south East Corner of Doctor Cham- pion home Lot and then southerly to pass half way be- twene Isac pratts and widow mary Pratts 2d and Con- tiner till it Coms to the society Line and thence Runing Eastward and Nor Ward as s'd society is buted till it Coms to ye first mentioned Bound." The bounds of the Northeast District were "the North Line of s'd South East District and from the west end thirof a Northerly Line to 12 mile Island Cove or till it intersects the 2d District southerly Line thence Eastwardly to Connec- ticut River thence southerly as the society line Runs to the Eastward to the first mentioned Leaving Samuel Buckingham's house on the East Line." The remaining part of the former district still retained the title of Dis- trict No. I.

It was voted at the same time that a school house should be built in each district, and that a rate of six pence to the pound on the grand levy should be raised for that purpose, each district being entitled to the money raised in it. A committee was appointed in each district to see that the school house was built. These committees were: Benjamin Williams, Edward Bull, and Josiah Nott, in No. 1; Uriah Hayden, David Pratt, and Peleg Hill, in the Southeast District; Gideon Bucking- ham, Thomas Tiley, and Hezekiah Buckingham in the

Northeast District; Gideon Kirtland, Daniel Pratt, and John Denison in No. 2; William Clark, Mr. Prinedone, and Thomas Pratt jr., in No. 3; and Nathan Post, George Dibble, and Daniel Platt in No. 4. The money author- ized to be raised by tax in each district was to be appro- priated toward the building of a school house, when a sum equal to three-fourths of that amount should be raised by subscription. Several years passed before the districts were all supplied with school houses.

About this time the society employed a competent schoolmaster for 11 months in the year, and his services were distributed in the different districts, a part of the time in each. He was probably assisted by "school dames," who carried on schools in the several districts during some of the time, while he was engaged in other districts.

There were, in 1814, eight schools in Potapaug. These were located, and each numbered scholars, as follows: No. I, near the meeting house at Centerbrook, 72; No. 2, Deep River, 95; No. 3, at Comstock's, 43; No. 4, West District, 45; Southeast, No. 5, 70; Meadow Woods, No. 6, 66; " The Point," No. 7, 82; Pound Hill, No. 8, 80. Total number of scholars, 553. Besides the State moneys drawn, in common with other towns, for school purposes, Saybrook had received, by bequest of Mr. Ed- ward Lorey, in 1689; by act of the Legislature in 1718, as a recompense for the removal of the college; and by a sum realized from the sale of Litchfield lands, a con- siderable fund for the support of its schools. After some losses had been sustained, the fund was divided among the different parishes, and in 1819 the fund belonging to this parish was $652.43.

The old " Point school house " stood on, or near, the present site of the Essex Savings Bank. It had been in use many years, and had become dilapidated and out of keeping with the times. About the year 1845, meetings were held to discuss the question of a new school house, but a majority of the people, at successive meetings, voted to repair the old one. Excitement on the subject waxed high. A stormy meeting was held, and the major- ity again ruled that the old building should be repaired. In the middle of the night, after this meeting had dis- solved, a terrific explosion aroused the inhabitants of the neighborhood, and when daylight came the old school house was discovered to be in ruins. The force of an unknown quantity of gunpowder had blown the sides out, and the decision of the previous evening was effect- ually reversed. The Baptist conference room, standing under the hill on North street, was then purchased, and has since been used for the village school.

The "Great School House" was an institution designed for the advanced education of youth. It stood in the western part of the village, on the lot now occupied by the residence of George A. Cheney. It was built by in- dividuals about the year 1805, and was a two-story build- ing, finished for school purposes above and below. A school flourished in it for about 30 years, and it was afterward used for lodge meetings and other purposes. About 30 years ago it was moved from its original site,

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and devoted to other uses, and was finally destroyed by fire.

Under the general act entitled "An Act in Alteration of an Act concerning Education," passed in May 1867, the school districts, of this town were abolished, and the town made a single school district by the vote of the people in town meeting, October 3d 1870. This arrange- ment placed the management of the schools in the hands of a committee of twelve, which was composed of two men from each of the former school districts.

There are now five schools in the town, besides the department that is accommodated in the academy build- ing. Three of these have two departments each-one at Essex, one at Centerbrook, and one at Ivoryton. The other two, having but one department each, are located, one at Meadow Woods and the other in the "South Dis- trict," about a mile below the village.

HILL'S ACADEMY.

A number of enterprising citizens took the initial steps toward the establishment of Hill's Academy by a stock subscription bearing date May 8th 1831. Stock was to the amount of about 75 shares of $25 each. Land for the site of the building was furnished by Mr. Joseph Hill; hence the name. A two story building was erected in 1832, at a cost of $2,500. The company was incor- porated by act of the Legislature in May 1833. The charter names were: David Williams, Joseph H. Hayden, Richard P. Williams, Elias Redfield, Joseph Post, Samuel Ingham, Gideon Parker, Henry L. Champlin, William Williams, William Bull, Ezra S. Mather, Uriah Hayden, Timothy Starkey, John Urquhart, Alva Post, Reuben Post, Noah Starkey, and Austin Starkey. The corporate name was Hill's Academy, and the management of its affairs was placed in the hands of five trustees. The in- structor of the school was by the charter made exempt from military duty.

By the bequest of Captain William Williams the Acad- emy received, in 1836, property to the value of $2,376.48; and at the decease of Col. Joseph Hill, which took place July 5th 1843, the school received, by his will, a valuable shad fishery property situated in the town of Lyme. The shad fishery at that time yielded an annual income of about $600, but its value has depreciated until now all the revenue that can be derived from it is about $50 a year from the grass that grows upon its meadows. For many years a flourishing and profitable school was maintained. The property is still held by the corpora- tion trustees, but the school has been for several years a public school, maintained by the town as a high school department of its system of public instruction.

Lucius Lyon was an instructor in this academy, and Febuary 22d 1848, he received a lease of the acade- my property for ten years, in consideration of which he obligated himself to maintain such a school as the laws of the corporation required, and was also to receive all the income of the property from year to year. He then erected the seminary building, in 1848, and using that | for the accommodation of boarding pupils, carried on al

flourishing school by the combination of the two institu- tions. The seminary building is 70 feet long, and four stories high, and was designed to accommodate 30 boarding pupils. The combination, in its successful days, had an attendance of about 100 pupils, and em- ployed four teachers. Before the expiration of his lease, Lyon sold the combination to James L. Newell, and it was afterward occupied by Rev. Mark A. Cummings. The seminary was closed soon after its connection with the academy expired.

CEMETERIES.

The first English burial place within the present limits of this town was that on Little Point, in the northern part of the village. It occupies a beautiful site on a bluff about twenty feet high, overlooking the cove and the river. It was opened as a burial place at a very early date. The initial ground was in the eastern part of the present enclosure, the earliest tombstone to be found there bears in quaint characters the following in - scription :

"HERE LYETH THE BODY OF SARAH; THE WIFE OF NATHANIEL KIRTLAND, WHO DE- PARTED THIS FEBRVARY THE 5 1716, IN THE 22D YEAR OF HER AGE."

The ground was formally laid out by a vote of the proprietors of the quarter, October 14th 1730, to lay out a suitable quantity, not exceeding an acre and a half for a burial place " to be for sd use to the end of time." December 26th 1814, a meeting of all denominations in the parish was held to take action in regard to fencing the cemetery. The result was the erection of a stone wall four feet high and two and a half feet thick at the base. The ground then enclosed by this wall was 12 rods wide and 24 rods long. There was also a hearse house in the southwest corner, and the main entrance was a short distance north of it, in the west end. The ground has since been enlarged by the addition of 20 rods to its length, on the west end, and the stone wall has been re-set, so as to enclose the whole with a wall of nearly the same dimensions as the first. The ground contains many hundreds of graves, the most of which are marked with neat monumental slabs. In the newer part of the cemetery may be seen many nicely kept burial plots and a number of costly monuments. These are of grey and Scotch granites, brown stone, and white marble. They bear the names Pratt, Wooster, Stevens, Hayden, Manwaring, Starkey, Ingham, Post, Tucker, Collins, Hurlbut, Goodrich, Doane, and others, the names Hayden, Post,and Pratt being often repeated. Some monuments of the old style are in the old part of the ground. Quite pretentious in their day, they bear the names of Uriah Hayden and Ann, his widow; Samuel M. Hayden and Elizabeth, his wife; Nehemiah Hayden and Sarah, his wife; Richard Hayden and Patty, his widow; Richard Powers, Timothy Starkey, William E. Williams and Abby, his wife; William Williams, Noah Scovell and Desire, his wife; Seabury and Lewis Scovell, Lyman Pratt, Ethan Bushnell, Ebenezer Hay

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den, and others, the most of them dating in the first part of this century.

The old burying ground at Centerbrook covers half an acre, lying in the rear of the school house, on the east side of the road. It is enclosed with a plain picket fence, the ground having but little ornamentation, though being neatly kept. A few monuments bear the names Scovell, Bull, Comstock, Nott, Shepard, and Hovey. The earliest date on a tombstone here is 1800, though but few graves appear to have been made earlier than about 1835.

In the rear of the Baptist church at Essex, a very nicely laid out and cared for plot of about half an acre contains some neat and costly memorials. It was opened for this purpose at a comparatively recent date.

A small burial plot has been improved about one-fourth of a mile northwest of Pound Hill. It is located in a side hill sloping eastward, and is made available by terracing. It is occupied by a vault and about 12 graves. Three monuments stand in front of the vault. These bear the names: Captain Henry L. Champlin, died May 15th 1859, age 73; Joseph Hill, died July 5th 1843, aged 76; and Joseph H. Hayden, died December 24th 1844, age 46.

SHIPBUILDING.

Beginning in the early part of the last century, ship- building has been one of the most important interests of this place. The advantageous position of this point for the purposes of commerce, and the facilities it afforded for the building of vessels were the inviting conditions that led to the building of a village here.

The sites of former scenes of activity in this industry are scattered all around the borders of the South and North Coves. Single vessels were built here and there, until there is scarcely a house lot around the shores that has not at some time had one or more vessels built on it. There have also been regularly established yards, with the conveniences, that were used many years for ship building. The water was, in early years, much deeper than it is now. In fact, the rapid filling in of the coves has itself so changed the conditions as to preclude the reasonable possibility of launching vessels of any size from many points that years ago were used in that way. Permanent yards were used for many years on the south side of the South Cove, by Noah Starkey and David Mack, near the present residence of the latter. It is said that there have been times when a person could stand on Pound Hill and see 30 vessels on the stocks at a single sweep of vision over the water front. Two sets of marine railways have been in operation but they are worn out, and only one of them is now kept in working repair.

During the first years of the present century, from 1,200 to 2,000 tons of shipping were built here annually. At that time, and for years subsequently, the commerce of this place, which was principally coastwise, was not exceeded by that of any other on the river, except, perhaps, Middletown.

This industry attained the height of its first period of prosperity during the first few years of this century, but suffered a severe check in the embargo of 1812-14. After that it grew again, and reached its zenith about the year 1840, or soon after. Since that time it has been gradually declining, until at this time the business may fairly be pronounced extinct. No vessels of any consid- erable size have been built here in the last ten or twelve years.

Of those who have been prominently engaged in the business it will be of interest to mention a few. John Tucker began to build vessels about the year 1720, but the work was not extensively carried on for several years. Richard Tucker built vessels about 1750. Nehemiah Hayden built a " snow " for the West India trade as early as 1742. A " snow " is a vessel having two masts resembling the main and foremast of a ship, and a small mizzenmast carrying a trysail. He was engaged in the business for several years afterward. Uriah Hayden, a noted builder, began about 1750, and continued till after the Revolution. He died November 24th 1808, in the 77th year of his age. He was the builder of the Oliver Cromwell, the first, or one of the first war ships ever owned by the then newly formed government of the United States. She was a man of war, carrying 24 guns, and was built for the colony of Connecticut, in 1775, and afterward transferred to the general government. Ebenezer Hayden began building vessels about the same time. Samuel Williams Esq., was building vessels during the last years of the last century and the first years of this. Judea and Asahel Pratt engaged in the business about the first of this century. Captain Noah Scovell built vessels during the first ao years of the century or thereabout. Amasa Hayden built ships from 1800 to 1830, approximately. Noah and Austin Starkey built a great many vessels from 1815 to 1841. David Williams was also largely engaged in the work from 1815 to 1840. Charles Tiley carried on the business from 1825 to 1840. Richard P. Williams built many ships from 1830 to 1850. David Mack was a prominent builder from 1835 to 1870. Captain Frank West was engaged in it for 20 years pre- vious to 1856. Nehemiah Hayden built a great many vessels fromn 1840 to 1855.

The largest vessel ever built on the river up to that time was the Elizabeth Denison, a ship of about 1,000 tons capacity, which was built here by Noah Starkey in 1839. The ship Middlesex was the largest vessel ever built here. She was of about 1,400 tons capacity, and was built in 1851, by Nehemiah Hayden, on the north side of the point, just below the bridge that opens the way to the ferry.

WHARVES.

At a quarter meeting January 15th 1753, a grant was made to Abner Parker for 20 feet on the bank leading to the river, and fronting the highway, for his convenience in building a wharf and warehouse that might be a pub- lic benefit. This wharf is the old steamboat landing at the foot of Main street, and it was afterward owned by

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the Haydens, in whose possession it is still retained. The warehouse erected by Abner Parker in 1754 is still stand- ing, a long, low, gambrel-roofed structure, that bears upon its face the evidences of its great age. An addition was made to it about 1783.

This storehouse has been the receptacle for immense quantities of goods that, during the years previous to the building of railroads, were stored here to await the open- ing of navigation on the river, or the convenience of their owners, to be transported to the interior towns of the State. Large quantities of salt, for the use of the State, were stored here during the Revolutionary period. During that time, and at other times, pearl ashes, salt pork, molasses, lumber, tobacco, sugar, rum, and miscel- laneous merchandise were stored here for distribution to the country lying miles around. The proprietors of the quarter, February 11th 1773, gave Captain Uriah Hay- den liberty to fill in between Hayden's and Parker's wharves. Parker's wharf, at that time, was the one above referred to, and Hayden's wharf was the one south of it, and directly in front of the present resi- dence of Henry Hayden.

A considerable trade with the West Indies was carried on from about the time that ship building was com- menced through the middle of the 18th century, and horses were exported in exchange for sugar and other commodities. After the Revolution, a considerable trade was carried on with Nova Scotia.

The long pile dock just above the bridge was built by H. D. Braddock, about 1851. It is now considerably dilapidated. A sail-loft and boat-shop stands beside it. The pile dock below Hayden's wharf and adjoining the new paint works was built by H. C. Wooster about the same time. Other docks of this kind were built years ago in the North Cove, but are now nearly or quite gone. The present steamboat wharf was Robert Lay's wharf, built about a hundred years ago.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 90

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