History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I, Part 6

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 966

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 6
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 6

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).

County judges only : 1842, Samuel J. Hitchcock : 1843-4, Noyes Darling ; 1845-6, Joseph Wood ; 1847, John C. Palmer ; + 1848-9, Edward Hinman ; 1850, Henry Dutton ; 1851, Alfred Blackman : 1852, Samuel Ingham (acting judge): 1853-4, Harris B. Munson ; 1855, Stephen WV. Kellogg.

The following have been the judges of the common pleas court, since its establishment : 1870-1, Samuel L. Bronson ; 1872-3, Henry E. Pardee : 1874, Henry Stoddard ; 1875-6, William C. Robinson : 1877. William B. Stoddard ; 1878-81. Lynde Harrison ; 1882-5, David Torrance; 1885, John P. Studley. Lucius P. Deming.

In addition to the assistants named, as presiding over the county court, 1665 to 1698, they were, also. the superior court in those times, and later. The assistants, from 1698 to 1818, credited to New Haven county were : Robert Treat, Milford, 1698-1708: Andrew Leete, Guil- ford, 1698-1703; Moses Mansfield, New Haven, 1698-1704: Josiah Rossiter, Guilford, 1701-11; John Alling, New Haven, 1704-17 ; Samuel Eells, Milford, 1709-40: Abraham Fowler, Guilford, 1712-29 ; Jonathan Law, Milford, 1717-50 ; John Hall, Wallingford, 1722-30 ; Joseph Whiting, New Haven, 1733-45 ; Roger Newton, Milford, 1736- 40 ; Benjamin Hall, Wallingford, 1751-66: Roger Sherman, New Haven, 1766-89 : James A. Hillhouse, New Haven, 1773-5; James Hillhouse, New Haven, 1789-91: Charles Chauncey, New Haven, 1789-93; Jonathan Ingersoll. New Haven, 1792-8: David Daggett, New Haven, 1797-1814: Elizur Goodrich, New Haven, 1803 -18: Isaac Beers, New Haven. 1808-9; Jonathan Ingersoll, New Haven, 1811-19 :

*Two Justices of the Quorum only by Constitutional Amendment.

+Designated County Commissioners.

*Of Middletown, acting Judge. $Chief Judge 1725-41.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

William Bristol, New Haven, 1818: Peter Webb, New Haven, 1818; David Tomlinson, Oxford, 1818; Simeon Baldwin, New Haven, 1806-18.

Other judges of the superior court have been the following : Asa Chapman, New Haven, 1818-25; William Bristol, New Haven, 1819- 26; David Daggett,“ New Haven, 1826-34; Joel Hinman,+ New Haven, 1842-70; Henry Dutton,# New Haven, 1861-6; Edward I. Sanford, New Haven, 1867; David Torrance, Derby, 1885-90, when he was elected a judge of the supreme court of errors for eight years.

The marshals of New Haven colony and the jurisdiction were appointed as follows : October 25th, 1639, Robert Seeley; November 7th, 1642, Thomas Kimberley; May 28th, 1662, Abraham Doolittle, who served until the end of the jurisdiction. The term marshal was now dropped and that of sheriff taken, to designate those serving as such officials. The sheriffs of the county and the years of their elec- tion or appointment have been as follows: November, 1667, John Alling; June, 1675, Samuel Miles; June, 1679, John Cooper; November, 1687, John Hudson; May, 1689, Joshua Hotchkiss; October, 1722, John Trowbridge ;- , Moses Mansfield ;- , Jonathan Fitch; October, 1796, Jehu Brainerd; October, 1804, Nathaniel Rossiter; June, 1819, Charles H. Pond; June, 1834, Eraustus Osborn; June, 1837, Samuel Cooke;“ June, 1839, Charles W. Curtis; June, 1842, Norris Willcox; June, 1857, David S. Fowler; June, 1863, Gideon O. Hotchkiss; October, 1871, Charles S. Scott vice Hotchkiss, deceased ; June, 1875, John C. Byxbee; June, 1884, Robert O. Gates ; June, 1891, Charles A. Tomlinson.

The following have been the king's or state's attorneys of New Haven county : 1720, William Adams; 1744, Elihu Hall; 1757, Jared Ingersoll; 1765, James A. Hillhouse ;** 1776, Charles Chauncey; 1789, Jonathan Ingersoll; 1798, Pierpont Edwards; 1802, Naphtali Daggett; 1805, Jonathan Ingersoll; 1811, David Daggett; 1816, Nathan Smith; 1835, Ralph I. Ingersoll; 1845, Dennis Kimberley; 1849, Charles A. Ingersoll; 1853, Jonathan Stoddard; 1854, Eleazer K. Foster; 1877, Orville H. Platt; 1879, Tilton E. Doolittle.

The clerks of the courts for New Haven county have been: 1798, Abraham Bishop; 1801, Dwyer White; 1806, John Lynde; 1807, Dwyer White; 1821, Cornelius Tuthill; 1825, John Beach; 1835, Robinson S. Hinman; 1839, John Beach; 1842, Robert H. Osborn; 1844, John S. Rice; 1847, Henry J. Lewis; 1850, Robert H. Osborn; 1854, Alfred H.

*Chief Judge Supreme Court of Errors 1833-4.

+Judge of Supreme Court of Errors 1861-70.

#Was also a Judge of the Supreme Court of Errors.

§Has since served as Judge of the Superior Court.

IAppointed by Sir Edmund Andros, and his Couneil.

* Offiee vacated on account of amendment to constitution, and Sheriff there- after eleeted by freemen.

** Died Deeember, 1775, Benjamin Douglass appointed.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Terry; 1860, Arthur D. Osborn; 1882. Jonathan Ingersoll; 1890, Edward A. Anketell.

In the earliest period of the civil government of the colony, the powers relative to the settlement of estates were vested in the particular courts. In May, 1666, they were transferred to the several county courts, and in 1698 to the respective judges, with two justices of the quorum. In May, 1714, it was provided that the courts of pro- bate should be holden by one judge, with a clerk in each county. The first probate districts, less than a county, were formed in October, 1719. The districts which were co-extensive with the several counties have never been re-established; but their limits have been reduced by forming new districts from them. The following are the probate dis- tricts in New Haven county, with the dates of their organization:

The New Haven or original district is composed of New Haven. North Haven, East Haven, Hamden. Orange, Seymour and Wood- bridge. The town of Orange (incorporated in 1822) was, up to that period, as parts of Milford and New Haven, included in those districts, but when it became a town the whole was placed wholly in the New Haven district. In 1850 Seymour was incorporated and annexed to the New Haven district. Up to that time the territory was included in the Derby district. East Haven remained in the New Haven dis- trict until 1868, when the town was created a separate district and so continued until 1883, when it again became a part of the New Haven district.

The Guilford district was established in 1719, to embrace Guilford, including the present towns of Madison, Branford and North Bran- ford, after the latter town was formed in 1831, except the society of Northford, which became a part of the Wallingford district. It also embraced some towns in what is now Middlesex county.# The juris- diction was reduced further by the formation of the Madison district. in 1834, and the Branford district in 1850.

Wallingford district was established in 1776, and included at that time, Wallingford (embracing Cheshire and Meriden) and the society of Northford. This district has been reduced by the formation of the Cheshire district in 1829, and the Meriden district in 1836. It is now composed of Wallingford and the Northford society, in North Branford.

Waterbury district was next formed, in the order of time. It was established in 1779, to include the then towns of Waterbury. Water- town and Plymouth. The latter was set off in 1833, and Watertown in 1834. When Wolcott was incorporated a town, in 1796, it was annexed to this district, and Middlebury has always been in this juris- diction. Naugatuck was created a town in 1844, out of parts of Water- bury, Bethany and Oxford, and the whole was annexed to the Water- bury district; but in 1862 this town (Naugatuck) became a separate * See sketch of Guilford.

HISTORY OF NEW ILAVEN COUNTY.

district, leaving Waterbury to include itself, Middlebury and Wolcott as the present district.

Cheshire district was established in 1829, to include Cheshire and Prospect. The former was taken from the Wallingford district, the latter from Wallingford and Waterbury districts. It remains as con- stituted.

Milford district was established in 1832, and was taken from the New Haven district. It is confined to the town of Milford.

Madison district was established in 1834, to include the town of Madison. Until that time the town was in the Guilford district.

Meriden district, composed of that town, was established in 1836, and was taken out of the Wallingford district.

Oxford district was established in 1846. Its jurisdiction is confined to that town, organized in 1798, and until the date of establishment, it was in the New Haven district.

Branford district was established in 1850, to include the town of Branford, and was taken from the Guilford district. Until 1719, Branford and all the eastern section of the county were in the New Haven district.

Bethany district was established in 1854, with bounds confined to the town of Bethany, which up to that time was in the New Haven district. A small part was attached to Naugatuck district in 1871, when Beacon Falls was formed.

Derby district was established in 1858, to embrace the town as it was at that time, including the present town of Ansonia. A part of Huntington was later added. The office for the records is at Birming- ham, and the district is now composed of Derby and Ansonia.

Naugatuck district was established in 1862, and embraced, at that time, the town of Naugatuck, which was taken from the Waterbury district. When Beacon Falls was incorporated, in 1871, that town was annexed to this district. Its territory was previously in the districts of Oxford and Bethany.

The town of Southbury has been in the probate district of Wood- bury, in Litchfield county, since 1719. The town itself was a part of Litchfield county until 1807, when it became a part of New Haven county.

Durham, in Middlesex county, was a part of New Haven county until 1799. It was in the Guilford probate district until 1752, when it was assigned to the Middletown district.

The judges of the New Haven probate district, from its organiza- tion have been the following: 1714 -17, John Alling: 1717-27, Warham Mather; 1727-48, Joseph Whiting: 1748-73, John Hubbard; 1773-86, John Whiting; 1786-1802, Samuel Bishop; 1802-19, Elizur Goodrich; 1819-24, Isaac Mills: 1824-9, William W. Boordman; 1829 34, Charles A. Ingersoll, 1st term: 1834-5, Nathaniel R. Clark, Ist term; 1835-8, Charles A. Ingersoll, 2d term; 1838-42, Nathaniel R. Clark, 2d term;

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

1842-3, Robinson S. Hinman (died in office and Alfred Blackman, of Waterbury district, filled the term of office, 1843 4): 1844-6, Eleazer K. Foster, 1st term: 1846-7, Ezra Stiles; 1847-50, Eleazer K. Foster, 2d term; 1850-4. Frederick Croswell: 1854-7, Cyprian Wilcox; 1857-63, Luzon B. Morris: 1863-4, Levi B. Bradley; 1864-6, Francis Way- land, Jr .: 1866-76, Levi B. Bradley, 2d term; 1876-87, Samuel A. York; 1887-, A. Heaton Robertson.

In the early settlement of the county but little attention was paid to the location and construction of highways. The settlers along the coast were long content with the means of communication by water way, which were largely used the first one hundred years, especially in the transportation of goods or commodities used in the trade between the different towns. The interior towns found no trouble in reaching the centers on the sound shore by means of the paths over the common lands, which often liad the same general course as the Indian trails, leading to those localities. Even in the settled parts of the towns, commons were left for these main paths (for such they were. no wagons being used for a long time), and when one became unfit for use, another was made on the twenty or forty rods wide of land available for that purpose. Gradually these commons were narrowed by encroachments, and the records of some of the towns show that a few planters were so unmindful of the interests of the public that they extended fences across some of these paths, and public action was necessary to have them restored to their original use. From nearly every village these paths radiated to the outlying farms or to other villages, and in course of time some were accepted and improved as highways. In other cases new and better roads were located, when once localities became more distinct, and were maintained by the sanction of the colony or by the different counties.

Of the former class one of the best known was the road which con- nected New Haven and Hartford and whose name is still perpetuated in the upper part of the county, as is shown by the titles of principal streets in Wallingford and Meriden. But even this highway was obstructed and, in 1759, the general assembly directed that a com- mittee should be appointed " with all care and diligence to view and observe said road now used in the various crooks and notable turns thereof, and them duly to note, and also with all care to find out how and where it may be practicable to shorten or better said way in whole or in part."# A view of the committee resulted in an order to the towns to have the evils corrected, and the course of the road was some- what modified. At other times the courses of these early roads were also changed to conform to the existing order of things, as the changes of localities, etc .; and, no doubt, a better knowledge of road building also had much to do in bringing about the modification of some of the early county roads.

* Colony Records, 1159.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

It should be stated that in the neighborhood of the villages these early roads were often called lanes from the fact that they there passed between the enclosed lots of the planters. Thus at New Haven the names of " Long lane " applied to the lower part of the highway leading to Hamden, Cheshire and northward: "Neck lane" to the road on the Neck * to Wallingford and Meriden, or to Middletown. The latter is now the well known upper part of State street. The road to Guilford and the east was first called and long known by the name of Totoket path. It first entered the village of New Haven by means of a ferry at Red Rock, whence was a way to " Neck lane," and thence by its bridge across Mill river. A cartway bridge was there built soon after 1642, and such a structure has there since been maintained. Its site became historic as being the place where the regicides, Goffe and Whalley, lay concealed while excited constables, sent to apprehend them, rode with loud clamor across the bridge under- neath which lay hidden the men they vainly sought. On the evening of July 5th, 1779, this spot was also made the point of rendezvous for the militia, called hither by the invasion of the British, but whose service in battle the next day was not needed in consequence of the peaceful evacuation of the enemy.

Neck lane has remained one of the most important thoroughfares in the lower part of the county, notwithstanding some of the travel over it, from the east, was given more direct entrance by the bridges at Dragon Point and below, across the Quinnipiac. The former was completed in 1793, and was first a toll bridge, owned by Henry Daggett, James Prescott and Thomas Punderson. The state sanc- tioned the aid of a lottery and, in 1825, the proprietors having been disbursed, the bridge becaine free. A handsome iron bridge now occupies the site. But an earlier bridge across the Quinnipiac was on the road to Middletown, which was called the Long bridge, and in 1784, when New Haven was incorporated a city, it was made the initial point in its bounds. In 1814 it became the property of the Middle- town turnpike, whose highways crossed the meadows at this point. It is still in use.

The longest and most important bridge across the Quinnipiac in the county is below the confluence of Mill river with that stream, which is here quite wide. It was built by a company organized for that pur- pose and which was encouraged in this enterprise by a grant of wharf privileges by the proprietors of New Haven, in the belief that these improvements would advance the commercial interests of the town. The bridge was begun in 1796, and was completed two years later. Its length, including the causeway on the east side, was about half a mile and the width was 27 feet. A draw in the bridge permitted the ascent

* The point of land between Mill and Quinnipiac rivers was early called the " Neck." The lower part of the "Neck" received the name of "Grape Vine Point." These terms have been perpetuated.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

of vessels to Fair Haven, more than a mile above. Below the west end valuable wharves were constructed, which were made the terminus of the Hartford & New Haven railroad. in 1839, and ultimately the franchises of the bridge company became the property of the rail- road company, which after 1852, used the wharves for freight pur- poses only. The bridge became of minor importance and was allowed to become dilapitated and insecure. In 1885, the railway company replaced it with the fine iron bridge which had been in use at Stratford. The following year the town of New Haven pur- chased the bridge, and the right of way to it of the railway company, and since that time it has also been a free bridge. A fine draw, eighty feet wide, permits large schooners to pass through. Near the same time a fourth bridge was built across the Quinnipiac, about midway between the above two bridges. It is an expensive wrought iron structure, extending from Red Rock, on the east, to the foot of Ferry street, on the west, and was built by the towns of New Haven and East Haven. It is also provided with a large draw and has from the beginning been free to the public.

Near the beginning of the present century, the ferries across the Housatonic, at Derby, and on the old New York post road, were dis- placed by toll bridges, which were freed to the public within the last few decades. These bridges, after being owned by the adjoining towns, became the joint property of New Haven and Fairfield counties in 1889. The lower, or the old Washington bridge, which is a long wooden structure, has been placed in good repair by the county com- missioners. The bridge between Shelton and Birmingham, an old covered wooden structure, was replaced by a fine iron bridge in the summer of 1891. The contract was awarded by the commissioners April 1st, 1891, to the East Berlin Bridge Company for $54,000. The structure is 500 feet long, 27 feet roadway with walks on each side 7 feet wide, and makes a fine appearance.

One of the oldest and best known bridge sites in the county is on the West river, where the old Milford path crossed that stream. It is probable that a foot bridge was placed there in 1639, and as early as 1642 and since that time the bridge at that point has afforded passage for vehicles. With the growth of New Haven came the demand for new streets southwestward, but they were laid out convergent to that point, and this was the only bridge on that part of the stream until the Kimberley avenue and bridge were built in 1848. The latter affords a far more direct route to West Haven and is also used by the street railway line between Savin Rock and the city. But the old West bridge, as it has been called from the beginning, retains much of its importance and has been carefully kept up. In 1876 a substan- tial iron structure was there placed in position. A notable improve- ment at that place, a hundred years ago, was the West Meadow dyke, which was built in 1769. by the elder Nathan Beers, who was killed

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

by the British when they invaded New Haven ten years later. He was a man of wealth and owned a large tract of land in the meadows which were of the nature of salt marshes. By constructing the dyke and placing tide gates at the bridge he reclaimed many acres of land above the bridge, which became valuable as fresh water meadows, after the tidal water was by those means kept out. When the British landed at West Haven, in 1779, they attempted to enter New Haven by this road, but were prevented by a small battery placed at the bridge, which covered the causeway across the meadows. They then bore to the left and crossed the river on Thompson's bridge, on the old Derby road, at the present village of Westville. A bridge at that point was first built in 1702, for the use of footmen and soon after was changed to a cart bridge. It is probable that those using the Derby path earlier than this were obliged to ford the stream, and that means of crossing was used many years later, at other points on the stream.

We have seen how the main roads of the county developed from foot and bridle paths until some of them were accepted post roads, and as such received more care than others. In 1767 the general assembly ordered the selectmen to set up milestones on these colonial roads, showing the distance from the county towns and in other ways directed their improvement, but without securing many beneficial results. Many of the roads through the country towns remained neglected on account of the lack of means to improve them, and the work of placing them in a better condition or of creating a better class of new thoroughfares, was left for the turnpike companies, of which a number were incorporated to build in this county, between the years 1795 and 1825. The movement in favor of these improved thorough- fares was especially strong in Litchfield county, which, unlike New Haven did not have the advantage of communication by water and found it difficult to transport its products. The second turnpike com- pany in the state was chartered in 1795, to build a toll road from Woodbury to John Wooster's house at Rimmon Falls, at that time in Derby, but now Seymour. It was located through Southbury Main street, thence across the hills to Southford and Oxford village and down the Little river to the point named. The road was not fully completed until 1800, and was popularly known in the section as the Oxford turnpike. It was maintained as a toll road about half a century; but the eastern section, in later years, became a plank road on which toll was charged until within a few years ago. On account of the relation of this road to a scope of country long without railroads, it remained for a long time the principal highway in that part of the county. Near the same time (1801) the Rimmon Falls Turnpike Com- pany built a road six miles in length, through the then upper part of Derby and the southern part of Woodbridge to Thompson's bridge, at Hotchkisstown, now Westville, by means of which entrance was secured into New Haven, after joining the "Straits" turnpike.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

The latter turnpike was built by a company chartered in October, 1797. to build from New Haven court house to Litchfield court house, a distance of 36 miles. It passed through the eastern part of Wood- bridge, along Mill river, thence northwest through Bethany to the waters of Beacon brook and through the defile of that stream, between the present towns of Beacon Falls and Naugatuck, commonly called the "Straits,"# from which the road took its name. At that place a hamlet now sprung up which was called Straitsville. From the latter place the turnpike followed the old county road until near Naugatuck village, when a more direct line was taken to Salem Bridge, where the river was crossed and the road passed upon the west side of the river, through Middlebury into Watertown and points beyond. A futile effort was made to have the road built upon the east side of the river, from Salem Bridge to Waterbury, but the influence of Water- town was too strong to permit the change of route. Subsequently a turnpike was built from Waterbury to Naugatuck, where a junction was made with the " Straits" turnpike; and still later another turn- pike was built from the Salem bridge to Humphreysville, also on the east side of the river, where connection was made with the Oxford and Rimmon Falls turnpikes. The "Straits" turnpike and its lateral branches were very much used until the completion of the Naugatuck Valley railway, in 1849. It was the first road of that nature built into the city of New Haven, and its course northwest continues one of the main public highways.

The Derby Turnpike was another of these improved highways. from the northwest. The company was chartered in 1798, to build from Derby Landing to New Haven, a distance of eight miles, and there is a well accepted tradition that one of the hopes of the builders was that by this means traffic from the east might be diverted to Derby Landing. which at that time smartly rivaled New Haven as a shipping point. Instead, however, of this being the case its projectors had the mortification of seeing long lines of teams pass by their ware- houses to New Haven, which under the stimulus of the turnpike system was now greatly prospering.+ The building of the Derby turnpike through the northern part of Milford (now Orange) was strongly opposed by the inhabitants of that town, who protested that it was not just to use their highways for that purpose. The main part of the road, however, has been maintained since 1802, when it was completed, and it now enjoys the distinction of being the only turn- pike in the state. Since the completion of the Derby railroad in 1871, its use has been greatly abridged. Although having only a small mileage, it still serves a useful purpose.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I, Part 6

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 966

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: N. Y. : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 966