USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 27
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 27
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East Haven village or parish became a town by virtue of an act of the general assembly, May, 1785, and the meeting for organization was held in July of that year at the East Haven meeting house. After prayer and a sermon by Reverend Nicholas Street upon the import- ance of union and harmony in the new town, Captain Samuel Forbes, Captain Isaac Chidsey, Azariah Bradley, Joseph Holt and Amos Morris, Jr., were elected selectmen; Joshua Austin, town clerk; Abra- ham Barnes, John Morris and John Wooler, tything men. A com- mittee was appointed to settle with New Haven, and it was voted that the warning of the town meetings should be the beating of the drum on Barnes' hill and at the old meeting house hill.
The freemen who voted at this meeting were the following 33 per- sons: Reverend Nicholas Street, Amos Morris, Esq., Josiah Bradley, Esq., Captain Isaac Chidsey, Joshua Austin, Timothy Thompson, Caleb Smith, Daniel Brown, Samuel Heminway, Levi Cooper, Dan Holt, Samuel Forbes, Abraham Chidsey, Jared Robinson, John Hunt, Dan Goodsell, John Dennison. Captain Stephen Smith, John Woodward, Captain Samuel Barnes, Joseph Holt, Daniel Tuttle, Daniel Augur, Samuel Townsend, Gurdon Bradley, Isaac Parker, Azariah Bradley, William Easton, Joseph Hotchkiss, John Robinson, Edward Bradley, Stephen Thompson and Elisha Andrews.
Under the village grant clerks were elected and served as follows: First, Samuel Heminway; next, Ebenezer Chidsey, 1702 until 1726: Samuel Hotchkiss in 1727: Gideon Potter until 1757; followed by Isaac Holt and Timothy Andrews for short periods; Simeon Bradley, from 1763 to 1778, except 1768, when the clerk was Abraham Heminway: Joshua Austin, 1779, and was also the first town clerk; 1786 to 1806, Josiah Bradley; 1806 to 1846, Bela Farnham: 1846 to 1864, Reuel Andrews: 1864 to 1878, Charles A. Bray: 1879-80, Asa L. Chamberlain; 1881 to 1891, Charles T. Hemingway.
When the town was first settled New Haven claimed the country
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east as far as Branford hills. This boundary line later became a matter for dispute, as Branford claimed the country west to the Furnace pond, and made demand to that effect in 1649. New Haven ignored this claim, and in 1656 made grant of the Furnace farm to the iron company and 12 acres to the collier, both in the limits claimed by Branford. The matter was finally settled in 1685 by giving New Haven a strip of land half a mile wide and extending to the northern limits of New Haven, from the point of beginning, half a mile east of the northern end of Saltonstall lake or Furnace pond. In 1789 these bounds were fully described, and the water bounds between New Haven and East Haven were also that year fixed, the line as finally agreed upon being the middle of the river.
The East Haven Probate District was authorized at the session of the general assembly, May, 1868, and Charles A. Bray was elected the judge. The district was discontinued in January, 1883, by the terms of the act annexing a part of the town to New Haven. East Haven is now, as before, a part of the New Haven Probate District.
East Haven was divided by an act of the general assembly, passed January, 1881, and the part west of the division line was annexed to New Haven. A special town meeting was held May 2d, 1881, to ratify or reject the terms of the act.' Those living in the part to be annexed voted in the engine house of the borough of Fair Haven East -- for, 301; against, 85; votes polled, 386. Those in the remaining part of the town voted in the town hall, in East Haven village-for, 123; against, 9. So it was decided by a majority of 330 that the act should become operative.
As a condition of the annexation New Haven assumed the bonded indebtedness of East Haven, amounting to about $100,000. Of this sum $60,000 was on account of the Quinnipiac bridge, whose construction, in 1877, was of more benefit to New Haven than to East Haven, the debt resting upon the town like a heavy burden, and which was the principal cause of the division.
The other funds and interests of the town were equitably divided, the committeee on the part of East Haven being A. L. Chamberlain, Hiram Jacobs and L. F. Richmond. The schools in the annexed part were placed in the care of the New Haven city school board, and the charter of Fair Haven Borough East was unaffected, except that the town of New Haven assumed the care of the streets and sidewalks of the borough. The annexation has in the main been beneficial to the town of East Haven, except that it has been left with a very small area and a greatly reduced population. In 1880, before the division, the inhabitants numbered 3,057; in 1890 there were in the present East Haven but 953 inhabitants. The grand list is but a little more than $300,000.
In 1644 a bridge was built over Stony creek, on the road to Totoket, by William Andrews, for which he charged the colony £3, 8s., 9d.
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This was the first bridge on that stream. In 1782 the bridge at the lowest dam on that stream was authorized. The bridge at Dragon point was built in 1791 and toll charged. The following year a new road was located to it. In 1796 a bridge at the so-called new ferry was authorized to be built; and the privilege to build wharves at the same place was granted in 1797.
The first ferry in which the inhabitants of the town were interested was established at Red Rock prior to 1650, and was first kept by Francis Brown. In 1650 George Pardee took the ferry and was granted the privilege of building a house there, at his own expense. In 1670 a ferry farm was granted him. It was kept up many years, being for a long time the only means of crossing the river. In 1782 the general assembly granted the parish of East Haven the right to establish a ferry at what was afterward called Ferry Point; but before many years it was superseded by a bridge. The latter structures were put up at heavy and almost ruinous expense to the town, but the bridge is much used and is a great public necessity. Since 1881 it has been wholly the property of New Haven.
The Totoket path was the earliest road through the town, and where it crossed the Stony creek a bridge was erected in 1644. The bearings of the road were fully described in 1686. It has ever remained the principal highway in the town, and has been well improved. In 1671 the road from Morris cove to Fowler's creek was reserved. In 1672 the road from the cove to the county road was secured from the Indians, and the right confirmed by another purchase in 1692. Other roads were located as the country was settled up. The town has the Shore Line railroad, which was completed for operation in 1852.
The first settlers were mainly agriculturists, and farming and gardening have continued leading occupations. The soil is especially adapted for the latter interest. But the mill privilege at Saltonstall lake early attracted attention, and it was selected as the site for the first iron works in the state. Liberty for this purpose was asked of the town of New Haven, November 12th, 1655, by Stephen Goodyear and John Winthrop, Jr. The former was a shipper and active busi- ness man of New Haven; the latter lived in Boston, but was interested in mining in this part of the country. The project was looked upon with favor by the town, which granted the desired liberty November 29th, 1655, on condition that Branford would unite in making a simi- lar grant. This was done, and the people of these towns assisted in building the dam and putting up a furnace and a bloomary, as they considered that it would greatly benefit them.
In May, 1656, the town granted twelve acres of land to the collier. "at a point between the Great Pond and Beaver Meadow," about two miles above the works, on condition that he would remain in the ser- vice of the company three years. A large furnace farm, on the east
14
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
side of the lake, was also granted to the proprietors. As a further inducement, the works were exempt from taxation seven years, and it was agreed that Branford should supply three-eighths and New Haven five-eighths of the wood used in making charcoal for the furnaces.
John Cooper was the agent of the iron works, and lived on Stony creek; Captain Thomas Clark, the master, and later was one of the owners; Jasper Crayne was one of the overseers; Richard Post was a founder; John Russell and Ralph Russell were among the workmen. It appears that others of the employees were lawless, and that the fur- nace had gathered some disorderly persons, so that complaint was made to the town, December 1st, 1657, on that score. It was then agreed that those working there in the future should bring certificates of character, and later Matthew Moulthrop, 2d, was appointed con- servator of the morals of the people at the iron works. In 1679 there was an epidemic sickness among the workmen, which caused the death of Ralph Russell and a number of others. It is said that this circumstance led to the suspension of work soon after.
In September, 1657, John Winthrop, Jr., disposed of his interest to Captain Clark and a Mr. Payne, also of Boston, and the former later became the chief owner and last operated it. The furnace was sup- plied with bog ore from North Haven, most of which was carted here, but some of the ore was taken by boat down the Quinnipiac and up Stony creek to a place below the furnace, which is to this day called " Bog mine."
It is probable that this enterprise did not meet with the expecta- tions of the owners, and it was discontinued about 1680. In that year Thomas Clark sold the furnace farm of 300 acres upland and 60 acres meadow to William Rosewell, whose daughter married Gurdon Salton- stall, afterward the governor of the colony, and who lived there for a number of years.
A later attempt to manufacture iron was made in 1692, when John Potter was given permission to set up a forge near the first spring west of Stony river. This was not long operated, but the place was called for many years the "old forge."
In 1686 the furnace site was sequestered for a grist mill, to be put up by Samuel Heminway, the village of East Haven granting him certain privileges, which the town of New Haven refused to ratify. After 25 years, in 1706, the sons of Samuel Heminway, John and Abraham, secured from the town of Branford additional priv- ileges, which enabled them to control the ground on both sides of the outlet. This mill was long carried on, and was known as the town mill. The Chidseys, father, son and grandson, in succession, were for many years the millers. The mill is but little used at this time.
Just below this place was a mill for making writing paper, etc., in which a number of hands were employed, and which was operated by James Donoghue, James Harper and others. This became the prop-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
erty of the Saltonstall Milling Company, whose name was changed in 1871, to the Saltonstall Manufacturing Company. It had a capital of $40,000, and was engaged in the manufacture of heavy carriage and portable engine wheels. Stephen Bradley was the president of the .company. On the decline of the interest at that place, a part of it was transferred to a shop in the village where steam power is employed, and work is still done by Stephen Bradley & Co. In the old building, on the lake outlet, Charles L. Fabrique manufactured brushes until the building was burned, when the interest was taken to Westville. The waters of the lake are now almost wholly used by the city of New Haven, which here obtains a part of its supply. Pumping works have been erected on the west side of the lake.
The privilege where stood the forge was granted in 1706 to John and Abraham Heminway and John Marsh, who erected a fulling mill at that place in 1709. This was operated many years, when the build- ing was used for the manufacture of horn buttons. Later a grist mill was here established and is now carried on by Hawkins & Forbes.
On the western border of the old town, along the Quinnipiac. near what was in early times known as Dragon point, the village of Fair Haven sprang up, after the war of 1812. It has grown steadily until it is a place of considerable importance, containing all the adjuncts of a progressive village. The part in East Haven was incorporated as a borough, with the title of Fair Haven East, which permitted the reg- ulation of their local affairs, independent of the town, and which aided materially in the improvement of the place; and the population increased to about two thousand. Since 1SS1 this has been a part of New Haven.
In the early history of the village commerce with the West Indies and coastwise trading gave employment to many of the inhabitants. Later the oyster trade at this place assumed large proportions, as many as several score vessels being thus engaged, during the oyster season. In the summer and fall the quarrying of building stone, near the village, was a leading occupation, and this interest is still carried on.
After 1860 many of the East Haven oyster men transferred their base of operations to the Chesapeake bay, and at Baltimore and other points, became leading dealers and packers. Among these were the Mallorys, Augurs, Hemingways, Luddingtons, Rowes. Landfairs, Footes, Millers, Farrans, Chidseys, Holts and Maltbys. Their removal caused the decline of this industry at East Haven, but since 1872, when the systematic cultivation of oysters in the waters of this locality was begun, it has been somewhat revived and again engages considerable attention.
Several manufacturing plants of parties from other localities have been placed in the town, as the copper mill of the Humphreysville Manufacturing Company, about forty years ago; the works of the
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American Chemical Company, in 1866; the New Haven Wire Com- pany, in 1871; the Bushnell Lumber Company, in 1866; and the New England Acid Company, in 1881. Fair Haven East has also a num- ber of stores and shops in the ordinary mechanic pursuits.
The village of East Haven, below Lake Saltonstall, is pleasantly located on an elevated plain, the oldest part being around the green, in the southern part of the present village. It presents a straggling but well kept appearance of about one hundred buildings, some of them antedating the present century, but still giving evidence of com- fort. Many of the better residences are occupied by business people of New Haven, with which the place is connected by railway and several lines of stages. There are Congregational and Episcopal houses of worship, a town hall, several stores and the East Haven post office, besides the usual mechanic shops.
The post office has been kept by, among others, Isaac Hagerman, D. M. Church, Stephen Hemingway for nineteen years, and, since August 19th. 1889, by C. E. Kirkham. It has commodious and attrac- tive quarters in the new Kirkham building, in which are also a fine reading room and a society hall. In the latter meet a Grange of Patrons of Husbandry, East Haven, No. 106, organized December 3d, 1889; and Fidelity Division, No. 26, Sons of Temperance, which was organized January 24th, 1885, with thirty charter members. Both societies are very prosperous.
Doctor Bela Farnham, who died in 1857, at the extreme age of 89 years, was, for a long period of time. the settled physician of the town. He was a skillful practitioner, and was much respected as a citizen.
Doctor James Casey, a later physician, after being actively engaged in his profession a number of years, moved to Passaic, N. J. Subse- quently Doctor Brainerd located here, coming from Naugatuck, but moved to Branford.
Doctor Marvin D. Smith is the present physician.
As properly accredited attorneys there were in East Haven, in 1890. S. W. F. Andrews, James S. Thompson, Dwight W. Tuttle and Grove J. Tuttle, whose legal business is in New Haven.
The first inhabitants of East Haven attended religious meetings at New Haven, which necessitated a long and tiresome journey. The way was by " Red Rock," through forests and swamps, and the river must be crossed by means of a ferry, none too safe or reliable. Hence, as soon as the population warranted such a step, the "East Side Farmers" asked for their own place of worship in the midst of their new homes. A petition for such a privilege, in 1677, was not granted until 1679, and two more years elapsed before the necessary arrange- ments could be made for holding meetings. In 1681 Reverend James Alling was engaged as a minister, and preached two years, when, not having received permission to organize a church, he left for a field
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where he could become a settled pastor. Reverend John Harriman, of New Haven, now preached to them for two years, when, owing to the removal of many inhabitants, who had been connected with the iron works, the meetings could no longer be continued, and for eighteen years the services were intermitted.
In 1704 the matter of establishing public worship in the village of East Haven was again taken up, and the end attained by securing Jacob Heminway as a minister. He was the youngest son of Samuel Heminway, Esq., one of the leading men of the village, and was one of the three young men who, in 1701, first entered the newly-founded school at Saybrook, and which in time became Vale College. In the summer of 1704 he graduated from Mr. Pierson's institution, being at that time in the twenty-first year of his age. Returning to his home, he was in so much favor with his neighbors that he was desired to become their minister. Hence, at the meeting of the villagers, November, 1704, "Voted, To seek Sir Heminway, that he would give us a taste of his gifts in order to a settlement in the work of the min- istry, and
"2. Voted, To desire John Potter, Sen., Caleb Chidsey and Eben- ezer Chidsey to treat with Sir Heminway to get him, if they could, to give them a taste of his gifts in preaching the word."
The "taste of his gifts," was so pleasing to the villagers that they voted, December 19th, 1704, to engage him as a minister at £50 per year. Thus he continued two years, when he was more formally engaged, the villagers promising, on their part, a salary of $50 per year, to furnish him his firewood, and to build him a house. In 1707 they built him a house, 20 by 40 feet, on a five-acre lot, on the south- east corner of the green. In 1709 54 more acres of land, in three tracts, were settled upon him. In the meantime, in 1706, a small plain meeting house, barely 16 by 20 feet, had been built on the opposite side of the green.
These buildings provided and a minister secured, they voted, May 3d, 1709, to petition the general assembly to be embodied into a church state. This was done October 8th, 1711, when the East Haven Con- gregational Church was formally organized. On the same day Rev- erend Jacob Heminway was ordained to the pastorate, in which he continued until his death, in 1754, preaching for the people more than half a century, which is evidence of his proper service in his chosen field of labor.
The first meeting house becoming too small, a new one was built on the knoll, on the northwest corner of the green, which was long known as the Meeting House hill. The building committee were: Captain Alling Ball, Sergeant John Thompson, Samuel Russell, Ser- geant Joseph Granniss, Samuel Hotchkiss, Nathaniel Hitchcock and Samuel Goodsell. The house was a high frame, 30 by 40 feet, having a straight roof and jutted ends. It was ready for occupancy in the
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fall of 1719, when it was properly seated, after the manner of those times, according to the rates paid in 1717. Although a rude and barn- like structure, it was made to do duty more than fifty years, longer perhaps than if there had not been difficulty as to the site for a pro- posed new house. This was a matter for a heated controversy between the people of the South End and the Center, who preferred the green as a site, and those of Woodward town and Foxon Farms, who had selected Mullen hill as their site. After the matter had been more or less agitated, from 1769 to 1772, Thompson's corner, between the two proposed sites, was selected as a compromise site. Upon this the con- struction of the now famous "Stone Meeting House " was begun the same year by a building committee composed of Captain Amos Mor- ris, John Woodward, Joel Tuttle, Stephen Morris, Isaac Chidsey, Stephen Thompson, Dan Bradley and Stephen Smith. It was finally determined to build the house, 50 by 73 feet, " and to build a steeple to be carried up with stone." The plan was at that time in the advanced style of architecture, and it is possible that the old South church of Boston may have been taken as a pattern. The material was gathered in the town, and the greater part of the work was done by those who expected to occupy it. The walls were finished and the roof put on in August, 1774, and it was so far completed that it was dedicated in the fall of that year. Up to this time its cost was about $12,000, or nearly three-fifths of the grand list, which shows to what extent the people went in their endeavor to have a suitable and endur- ing house of worship. How well they succeeded in that laudable, though sacrificing purpose is attested by the fact that this is now one of the oldest meeting houses in the state, and the oldest stone meet- ing house standing in all New England. Its walls are to-day as firm as when put up, and will probably stand a century longer.
The house was not fully completed until 1796, after an expenditure of $2,500 had been made mainly in finishing the interior and in build- ing a spire. The following year, October 8th, 1797, the " great tor- nado," which passed over the center of the town, threw down the spire, unroofed the house, and damaged it to the extent of $1,000. The repairs were immediately made, and in 1798 the spire was first supplied with a bell. It was cast in New Haven that year, when nine- teen Spanish milled dollars were added to the other metal, by Doctor Bela Farnham, who was present when the bell was cast. In conse- quence the bell has a peculiar silvery, pleasing tone. Soon after per- mission was given to Edmond Bradley and others to place a clock in the spire which, like the bell, has done faithful service through a long course of years.
In 1850 the meeting house was so extensively remodelled that it was deemed proper to re-dedicate it, October 16th, 1850. About $6,000 was expended. In 1859 the steeple was rebuilt and given a more
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modern appearance, having now most graceful proportions and a height of 196 feet from the ground. This work cost $2,000.
The interior of the house was renovated in 1868, at an expenditure of $3,000, and about the same time the property was enclosed with an iron railing and the grounds beautified, at an outlay of $1,300. Wood stoves were first placed in the meeting house in 1825, coal stoves in 1840, and steam heating apparatus in 1868.
A commodious chapel was built in 1874, which was conse- crated as the Centennial chapel; and the same year the one hun- dredth anniversary of the occupancy of the "Stone Meeting House " was appropriately celebrated on the 16th of September. The society purchased a parsonage in 1853, and a more commodious one in 1873. which has been enlarged and beautified. All the church property. which is very valuable, has recently been placed in good repair, and the parish is not encumbered by a debt.
Reverend Nicholas Street was ordained as the second pastor, Octo- ber 8th, 1755, and "acquitted himself a workman thoroughly fur- nished into every good work," until his death, on the 51st anniver- sary of his ordination, October 8th, 1806, aged 76 years. He was a man of superior ability, kindly disposed, yet of dignified appearance. and well fitted to inspire reverence, confidence and affection. In theology he was an " Old Light," and was opposed or indifferent to the more advanced methods of awakening interest in religious work.
Reverend Saul Clark, ordained the third pastor January 13th, 1808, was the opposite of Mr. Street in his methods and pastoral work, He was aggressive, zealous in his calling, and his ministry was char- acterized by a series of revivals, which greatly augmented the mem- bership, in spite of the fact that some of the older members took exception to his methods and withdrew from the church. In many things Mr. Clark was in advance of the times, taking positions which are now occupied by the religious world, but which at that time aroused so much opposition that for the sake of harmony he was dis- inissed, at his own request, May 19th, 1817. He died in Meriden in 1849, but is interred at East Haven, where his memory is still respected.
Reverend Stephen Dodd was installed as the fourth pastor, Decem- ber 11th, 1817, and resigned April 20th, 1847. He continued to reside in the town until his death in 1856, at the age of 77 years. He was an earnest and successful pastor, and an able and at times eloquent preacher. His long pastorate was quiet, yet one of steady growth. in spite of the fact that in 1830 many members withdrew to form the First church in Fair Haven. In 1824 Mr. Dodd published his "East Haven Register," which is a valuable historical work, and from which have been gleaned many facts for this sketch.
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