USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 5
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 5
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 5
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Joshua Mather, the eldest of the four original settlers of New Britain Center, died in 1777. His son, David Mather, was in the war of the revolution, and at its close returned to his home near the foot of Osgood Hill. He had inherited the homestead of his father on South Main Street, and soon after the close of the war he deeded a portion of this, twenty-five rods square, including both sides of the north end of Maple Street, and as far east as the Hosiery Works, to his daughter, Percia, who married Thomas Sugden,* a deserter from the British army. The house and five acres adjoining David Mather were deeded to Percia's husband.
* Thomas Sugden, a soldier in the British army in the war of the revolution, deserted from the army, and in 1777, the year that Joshua Mather died, came to New Britain, where he remained several years. He married, December 2, 1280, Percia, the daughter of David and Hannah Dunham Mather, and they had their home at the homestead of her grandfather, Joshua Mather, at the corner of South Main and Park Streets.
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
A portion of the Mather farm south of the homestead was deeded to James North in 1785. A few years after, Sugden and his wife removed to Simsbury, and the farm was sold to James North, who thus became the owner of the " Sugden place" and the farm connected with it. Park Street was then a mere lane turning south near Meadow Street, and joining Whiting Street. The Sugden farm was between this lane and Main Street, and included the site of the Corbin Cabinet Lock Company and P. & F. Corbin. The five acres on the corner of South Main and Park streets, with a dwelling-house, were sold for £41. About the time that James North bought in the south part of the incipient village, Daniel Ames from Rocky Hill, a carpenter and cabinet- maker, built a house on the west side of South Main Street, a few rods south of the present South Green. He sold this place to Aaron Roberts of Middletown, a younger apprentice in the same shop, who for some years owned and worked the farm afterwards belonging to O. B. Bassett, Esq.
While the foundations were thus being laid in the center for the business and wealth which were afterwards developed, the descendants of the Stanleys in Stanley Quarter, of the Judds and Smiths on East Street, and of the Andrews and Harts in the west and southwest part of the parish, and others were extending their lines, and coming nearer the center, and nearer to each other. Another saw-mill had been built on the Quinnipiac River, the grist-mill of the Harts in the south part of the parish had been increased in capacity and power, and other small mills for dressing cloth and for other purposes, were established on some of the small streams.
The taverns also became places of note and centers of influence. In Stanley Quarter, the tavern of Noah Stanley was the place of meeting of many who came together to discuss the events of the wars and to gather the news of the day. Its landlord was a lieutenant in the British army in the French war, and often in public office. On East Street,
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NEW BRITAIN, 1750-1800.
Joseph Smith was keeping a tavern, which became a center of attraction for the news gatherers, as well as travelers, and which gave its proprietor the title of " Landlord Smith." His oldest son was in the French war, and also in the war of the revolution, and this tavern was often the meeting place of soldiers and officers who were interested in these wars. A few years later, a third tavern was in successful operation in the southwest part of the parish, in a building afterwards known as the " State House." The proprietor, Elizur Hart, was a successful school teacher, who for seven- teen winters taught in some one of the principal schools in New Britain or Kensington. He was well acquainted with the young people in both parishes, and his tavern became a noted place for parties, especially in the winter season. The dancing hall of this tavern was used for prayer meetings and preaching services, before the second meeting-house was built.
The first stores in New Britain were on East Street. Joseph Clark, who was living on the street near the Wells place at the time the society was organized (1754), had a small stock of such goods as were needed by the families in the vicinity. A few years later, Elnathan Smith, a school teacher of considerable experience, had a more extensive collection of such goods as were found in a country store at the time of the revolutionary war. He lived in the Rhodes house, and his store was near his father's tavern. It was opened first in his house, occupying one room, then two rooms together, and afterwards was kept in a small building near the tavern. The business of a retail store at that time was to a considerable extent barter, exchanging a few dry goods, groceries, and other articles for the products of the farms. Owing to the scarcity of money, farm products, as corn, rye, wheat, flax, and other articles, were used in its place. Not only the trade at stores was conducted with these articles, but traveling expenses at taverns, doctor's bills, minister's rates, the hire of laborers, and other dues, were paid in these commodities. A person driving out of town would take
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
a bunch of flax, or a bag of grain, in his wagon, to pay his tavern expenses when he stopped for the night .*
The early settlers of New Britain were many of them heads of large families. Seth Stanley and wife had sixteen children ; Ebenezer Steele, Jr., fifteen; Benjamin Judd, Lemuel Hotchkiss, and Adonijah Lewis, all living on East Street, and Nathaniel Churchill, twelve each ; Colonel Gad Stanley, Benjamin Hart, Jehudi Hart, and Ebenezer Stcele, each eleven ; a dozen at least of the other early inhabitants had families of ten children each, and others of nine or eight .; The children did not all remain at home, but in many in- stances, all or nearly all of a whole family settled in New Brit- ain, and reared large families near the homesteads of their parents. Sometimes a father with his eight sons, all full grown, athletic men, could be seen in the old meeting-house, standing with bowed heads in devotion, all members of the same church, and representatives of the business and social interests of the parish. Society was homogeneous, similar aims and occupations, kindred interests and plans, conspired to produce a quiet community favorable for the development of its resources.
There was but one ecclesiastical organization, but this had a leader in whom most persons had implicit confidence. His influence and teachings tended to produce thoughtful men and women, and to give to society its stabler virtues. The influence of the French and Indian war and the revolutionary war was felt in the colonies, and to some extent in the then secluded parish of New Britain. The strict habits of the puritans were somewhat supplanted by the looser practices of later immigrants and the circumstances attending army life. On Feb. 5, 1775, at a meeting of the civil authority and
* On the occasion of a party in Middletown, it is said that a prominent gentleman in New Britain took a young lady to the party on horseback, she be- ing seated on a pillion behind his saddle, and behind her seat was a bunch of ready carded flax to pay the bills at the hotel.
t There were also large families in Kensington and Worthington, that of Samuel Hart on West Street being larger than either of the above. He had seventeen children, ten of whom were married and had families.
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NEW BRITAIN, 1750-1800.
informing officers of the parish, to take into " consideration the many vices and increasing violations of the laws of God and man," they mention as needing correction, " profane swearing, sabbath breaking, and unseasonable night walking, etc., which so greatly tend to corrupt the morals of our youth "; and these officers issued an address to the public stating their determination to exert themselves to bring about a reformation, and to see that breaches of the law were punished .* The records of the justice court, and the returns of the constable and grand jurors, show that this was done.
After the treaty of peace of 1783 was signed, a tide of immigration set in toward the west from the east, and from Europe, and companies were formed in New England to buy up lands in Pennsylvania and Ohio. One of these com- panies, known as the Susquehanna Company, included a number of proprietors from New Britain, and some of its meetings were held in this parish. Among those interested in this company were Colonel Gad Stanley, Captain Jonathan Belden, "Esquire Churchill," James North, and a few others from the eastern part of the parish. The meetings were usually held at the inn of Elnathan Smith on East Street. A few of the residents of the New Britain society became interested in other enterprises abroad, but none of these proved so remunerative to the shareholders, or so beneficial to the parish, as the schemes to increase and develop the resources of the place, by increasing the variety of its indus- tries and the intelligence of its people.} During the first half century, the increase in population was slow and con- sisted principally of the descendants of the first settlers. The most rapid growth in the parish previous to 1820 was during the two decades following the close of the revolution- ary war and the peace of 1783.
Between 1760 and 1800, several houses were erected, a few of them on Main Street, but chiefly in other parts of the parish. The large families of Harts, in Hart Quarter, had
* See appendix for records of this meeting and of judgment of court.
+An account of these will be given under appropriate heads.
5
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
generally settled about their ancestral homes; the Judds from East Street had extended their lines, and built on the Stanley Road, and nearer the center. The Smiths and Lewises from that road, and East Street, were also coming nearer Main Street, while the Stanleys in the north, and the Andrews in the west part of the parish, were multiplying homes in their immediate locality, as well as contributing to the wealth and intelligence of the place. A few new fami- lies came into the parish, and the descendants of some of the old ones had moved away, but with the exception of the Norths, who had become prominent in matters of business, and of political and religious interests, the same names were prominent in 1800 as in 1758. The change in business, which occurred soon after 1800, produced its results upon the social condition of the place, but at the opening of the present century, and for many years afterwards, New Britain was only a small agricultural parish, without post-office or mail route, with no commercial facilities, little water power, or anything to predict its future growth.
1
CHAPTER IV.
NEW BRITAIN FROM 1800 TO 1850.
"THE years which followed the revolutionary war were to some extent years of trial to the parish of New Britain. The disordered finances of the country, the struggle to maintain the high moral character of the place, and to support the institutions of education and religion, had taxed the people very heavily. Before the close of the century there was a slight reaction, and in 1800 there was some promise of prosperity. The first movement to establish a manufacturing shop, other than for making tinware, was about this time. The effort was successful, and between 1800 and 1812 several attempts were made to introduce other industries than agriculture or the rearing of stock, and for a time these endeavors appeared to be successful. New families came into the place, and residents were induced to change their business and become interested in new enter- prises. The war of 1812, by the temporary suspension of communication with Europe, led to the establishment of several small shops, for the manufacture of knives and forks and various domestic utensils ; but at the close of the war, nearly all these shops were closed, and business and social life were again characteristic of an agricultural community. The period immediately following the war was to New Britain one of quiet recuperation and preparation for the changes which soon came.
The growth of the parish had been slow ; the changes which had occurred before 1820 were not marked by great transformation ; but from 1820 to 1825 causes were operat- ing which stamped their impression upon the place, and helped to give it a distinctive character.
Before 1820, nearly all of the immediate actors in the
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
*
organization of the society had passed away. Many of their descendants who had been prominent in laying the founda- tions of social order, industry, and thrift, had died or removed to other states ; but there were still living, in active influence, some who contributed largely to the business prosperity and general well-being of the place. Dr. Smalley, who had been settled over the First Church at its organiza- tion in 1758, died June 1, 1820. For more than sixty years he had helped to form character and to mold society. A business man and philosopher, as well as preacher and pastor, he had been an acknowledged leader and helper, and his words and life continued to influence the community long after his death. His contemporaries who were most closely associated with him, and had helped to reflect his opinions and make his influence permanent, were mostly dead, or had ceased to be active leaders.
Important changes had taken place in Stanley Quarter. The farms and residences of Thomas Stanley, Daniel Hart, and John Clark, which were excluded from the New Britain Society when it was incorporated in 1754, were annexed to it in 1765, but neither of these persons became members of the church in New Britain. Thomas Stanley died before the church was organized, but three of his sons, Noah, Timothy, and Gad, were influential members, two of them, Noah and Timothy, being deacons. Noah died in 1778, but Deacon Timothy Stanley, who was twenty-seven years old when the society was incorporated, united with the church ten years after its organization, and for nearly half a century main- tained, with the strictness of the early puritans, his regard for the Sabbath and the divine law, and died in 1817. Col. Gad Stanley, for many years a leader in civil and military affairs, died two years before. Gad Stanley, Jr., the son of Col. Gad, and the father of Frederic T. and William B. Stanley, died at sea in 1820. He had lived in. Stanley Quarter, in the house next north of his father. His widow, a sister of Prof. E. A. Andrews, sold the place in Stanley Quarter and built the house on Washington Street in which
·
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NEW BRITAIN, 1800-1850.
her sons, Frederic T. Stanley and William B. Stanley, lived and died. Two of the daughters of Col. Gad Stanley had married the two brothers, Alvin and Seth J. North, and lived nearer the center. The younger, Anna, wife of Alvin North, died a few months after her father; the other, Elizabeth, wife of Seth J. North, was in 1820 in the prime of life, at her home at the corner of Main and Park streets. Cyrus, the youngest son of Col. Gad Stanley, inherited the home- stead of his father, and for a time carried on the cooperage business near his home. He afterwards engaged in the brass business in the same shop, and later in a shop near the bridge on Kensington Street.
Daniel Hart, who lived at the north end of Stanley Street, and his children, had all died before 1820. His grandchildren had removed or died ; one, Mary Merrills, daughter of Stephen Hart, was married and lived on the north side of Dublin Hill. George Hart, a great-grandson of Daniel Hart, came to the village to live. John Clark remained with the Farmington Church ; after his death, his widow and four daughters became connected with the church in New Britain. His daughter Mary taught the first private school on East Street ; Ruth, the wife of Seth Stanley, lived in Stanley Quarter, and was the grandmother of John Mix Stanley, author of the Indian Gallery of Paintings, and the two other daughters were married, and for a time living in New Britain. Abel, the son, and John Clark, à grandson of John Clark, lived at the old homestead on Clark Hill.
In 1820, Amon Stanley, at the age of forty-two, had become a leader in the parish, and was living on the corner of Stanley Street and the "new highway."* The hatting business, in which he had been successfully engaged, had, to a considerable extent, been relinquished for the care of the large farm which he inherited from his father. John Eells, a weaver, was living on the new highway, but soon after
.
* The tenacity with which names once given to streets or localities are retained, is illustrated by the name of this road. When the French contingent marched to Hartford at the close of the war, 1781, their route was by this road, and it then had the name "new highway," which it still retains.
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
removed to Lenox, Mass. John Stanley, a grandson of Deacon Timothy Stanley, soon after 1820 built a house upon the site of the old house of Col. Gad Stanley, and for a few years carried on the fancy bead business, using the shop which had been vacated by Cyrus Stanley ; but having married a daughter of Seth J. North, he was induced to move to the Center, where he engaged in business with his father-in-law. He built the Rockwell house at the junction of Main and Elm streets, and this became his residence until his death. In August, 1831, the homestead which he had occupied in Stanley Quarter was sold to Henry L. Bidwell, who manufactured cook stoves in the old shop. In selling, Mr. Stanley reserved to himself "the tannery, distillery, cider-mill and appurtenances," and to his sister Laura "the mill and water works." The latter were near the "new highway."
Jesse Stanley, a successful farmer, was living upon the place more recently occupied by Thomas Tracy. George Francis' place was further south on the east side of the street. At the tavern stand of Deacon Noah Stanley, his son Noah, a substantial farmer over sixty years of age, and a revolu- tionary soldier, was living in 1820. Further south, in a house afterwards burned, his brother, Dr. Adna Stanley, was living until 1825, engaged in the practice of his profession, and in superintending his large farm. Wakeman N. Stanley, son of Noah, had his home and farm south of Dr. Aduna Stanley. Sheldon Upson, a mason, was living on the east side of the road in a house belonging to Dr. Stanley. There were a few other families then living at the northeast part of the society, but it was largely to the Stanleys and their , descendants that the town and city were indebted for the influence which has made this part of the place memorable.
On the west side of the Stanley Quarter road, near the head of Spiritual Lane, Abijah Smith was living at the home inherited from his father and grandfather. His brother, Moses, was living near. Both were prosperous farmers over fifty years of age. A short distance south of their homes,
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NEW BRITAIN, 1800-1850.
James Francis, a man who had been much in public life, was, in 1820, living at the age of sixty-three. On the same side of the road, a short distance south, Professor E. A. Andrews had his home and select school. After he was appointed to a professorship in the University of South Carolina, and his family had left this home, it was occupied for several years by the pastors of the First Church. Rev. Henry Jones made it his residence until his dismission in 1828, and Rev. Jonathan Cogswell resided in it 'during his pastorate from 1829 to 1834. This place has, for several years, been the residence of Charles S. Andrews, Esq., a son of Professor Andrews. Very near it, and on the same side of the street but a few rods south, was the residence of Levi Andrews, the father of Professor Andrews. He had made this his home in early life, and in 1820 was living here at the age of seventy-three, one of the wealthiest farmers of New Britain. He was, for many years, clerk and treasurer of the ecclesiastical society, and one of the church committee.
South of the Andrews homesteads, and on the opposite side of the road, was the residence of Lemuel Smith, for many years the leader of the church choir. On the west side of the street, farther south, at the intersection of the east and west roads, was the shop of Captain Deming and his son Asaph, who made plows. They resided upon the street extending west to the road to Farmington.
South of the east and west street, on the west side of Stanley Street, were the residence and brass shops of Joseph Shipman. He bought the place of Nathan Booth, Jr., in 1803, and procceded soon after to erect shops for his busi- ness. These had been enlarged from time to time, until, in 1820, they occupied a considerable space on the west side of the street. His son Ralph was married in 1825, and he soon after built and occupied the house more recently owned by L. A. Vibberts. Later, Joseph Shipman formed a partner- ship with his sons, Ralph and Horatio, under the firm name of J. Shipman & Sons, built more extensive shops north of Judd's mill, and enlarged the business, but the revulsion of
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
1837 embarrassed the firm and the business was closed. His residence was sold, and a few years later was burned.
In 1820, on the west side of Stanley Street, south of the Shipmans, were the residences of James Judd and James Judd, Jr. James Judd built his house in 1779, and had consequently resided in it more than forty years. He was now sixty-four years of age, and one of the proprietors of Judd's mills. His son was married in 1805, and then built the house next north of his father's. South of the bridge on Stanley Street were the houses of Daniel and Eri Judd, and Daniel Luddington, and possibly two or three others, before 1830. Near the intersection of North and Stanley streets, the first meeting-house, built in 1756, was still standing in 1820,* but it had already begun to show the marks of age, and had ceased to be, as at first, the most prominent building in the parish. Nearly opposite the meeting-house, on the east side of the parade, was a mul- berry orchard, which Elijah Hinsdale owned, and from which he had fed silk worms. In a silk house near he had reeled and manufactured silk for several years. After the silk business was given up, the silk house was removed to another site and became the residence of Elihu Burritt, Sr. It was destroyed by fire, and he then resided in a house built upon the mulberry orchard, and located nearly opposite the meeting-house. On the west side of the road, north of the meeting-house, was Judd's saw-mill. At the corner of East Main and Stanley streets, Alvin North had his residence, in a house built by Anthony Judd. In 1830 this house was removed to the east side of the street, and soon after became the home of Orrin S. North, while his father, Alvin North, built upon the site which it had occu- pied, a larger house for himself. Mr. North's shop was upon the north side of East Main Street, where a portion of the North & Judd manufactory is situated.
On Stanley Street, south of Alvin North's residence, was the home of Hezekiah C. Whipple, and at the Steele
* The old meeting-house was torn down in 1822.
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NEW BRITAIN, 1800-1850.
place Jonathan Belden was living, at the age of three score and ten. The other residents of Stanley Street, at this time, were Samuel Kelsey, living near the old homestead of Deacon Anthony Judd, William Ellis, Josiah Dewey, and L. Gilbert, the father of Rev. Raphael Gilbert. The old house of Deacon Judd was torn down soon after 1820, and the stone house of William Ellis built upon the site.
East of Alvin North's residence, on East Main Street, Deacon David Whittlesey was living in the house. of Dr. Smalley. He had married Rebecca Smalley in 1804, and had been living in the house with his father-in-law, several years before Dr. Smalley died. Nearly opposite the Smalley homestead was the home of Solomon Butler, a house-painter and chair-maker. Directly east, on the same side of the street, was the residence of his brother, Horace Butler, also a chair-maker. In 1820 the Butlers were both at work at their trade on their premises. In 1822 Horace Butler commenced work in Alvin North's shop, and, some time after, went into partnership with Alvin North, under the firm name of North & Butler. On East Main Street, west of North's shop, Samuel Shipman had his house and carpenter shop. There was no other house on this street between Stanley and Main streets.
A few years later, Josiah Dewey established himself on the north side of East Main Street, between Main and Elm streets, where he had a house, and back of it a shop for manufacturing furniture castors, window springs, and other small articles. Isaac Lee, Jr., was living in the "Lee house," on the east side of North Main Street, and man- aging the large farm which he inherited from his father. South of East Main Street, on the east side of Main Street, and a few rods from the corner, was the resi- dence of James North, who, in 1820, was seventy-two years old, but still active in business and public life. His son, Henry, who had married in 1810, was living in the house with his father, and after James North's death became sole occupant. The house was the residence of
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