History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 15

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).

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Doctor Bryan Rossiter and his son, John, but was as bitterly opposed by others. As early as December, 1662, the former tendered their allegiance to Connecticut, and being encouraged by commissions, re- turned to vex and annoy those who did not favor the movement. So the matter was agitated until May, 1665, when the union was perma- nently concluded. In the meantime, Doctor Rossiter, tiring of his troublesome life, had moved out of the jurisdiction of New Haven col- ony, going to Killingworth in 1664. He returned upon the announce- ment of the union, but the idea of subordinating the church to the extent of giving every voter an equal voice in the affairs of the colony was so repulsive to Robert Kitchell and others, that they removed with Mr. Pierson, of Branford, to found the colony of Newark, N. J., upon the original New Haven idea.

The town having acquired titles to their lands from the Indians, or arranged for the same, now proceeded, under the act of 1684, to secure a patent from the colony for the same. At a meeting held November 4th, 1685, it was voted to secure a patent, and the following twelve men were designated as patentees, in behalf of the then ninety pro- prietors: Andrew Leete, Esq., Mr. Josiah Rossiter, Lieutenant William Seward, Deacon William Johnson, Deacon John Graves, Mr. John Col- lins, Mr. John Stone, Mr. Stephen Bishop, Sergeant Daniel Hubbard, Mr. Abraham Cruttenden, Sergeant John Chittenden and Mr. John Meigs. The charter was granted December 7th, 1685, and by vote of the town placed in the keeping of "Andrew Leete, William Seward and Josiah Rossiter for the town's use."

In 1688 the townsmen were empowered " to look after the town's bounds and to defend the town's rights against any that shall infringe them."

In 1722 the town ordered a saw mill built for the common good of the town. In 1724 the surplus funds of the mills were divided: £35 for a bell for Guilford; £8 for one for Madison; and £3 for one for North Guilford.

The towns of Branford, Guilford, Durham, Killingworth and Say- brook, having been constituted a probate district in 1719, with the seat of the court at Guilford, attempts were made at five different times, from 1718 to 1753, to form a Guilford county. In every instance the bill, after passing the house, failed in the senate. In 1739 the town voted £100 extra " for gaol and court house," if such a county should be ordered. As late as 1824 the ambition to be a shire town was cher- ished by Guilford, which was willing to be annexed to Middlesex county, if it could thus become a " half shire town." Failing in that, the town consented to the formation of Madison, in 1826, after having combatted the idea since 1699.

The action of the town upon other matters of public interest is detailed in the following pages.

Before the formation of the county courts, in 1666, probate busi-

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

ness was done by particular courts, called for that purpose. Subse- quently the county courts had all the probate business, until the divi- sion of the county into probate districts. Guilford district wasordered in October, 1719, to embrace the towns of Guilford, Branford (except Northford, which belongs to Wallingford district), Killingworth and Saybrook. The latter two were set off in 1780 to form the district of Saybrook. Madison was created a separate district in 1834, and the Branfords were created another in 1850, leaving the Guilford district as it now is, confined to the town of Guilford.

The judges of the district, the years of their appointment and their places of residence have been the following: James Hooker, 1720, Guilford; Colonel Samuel Hill, 1740, Guilford; Colonel Timothy Stone, 1752, Guilford; Nathaniel Hill, 1765, Guilford; Aaron Elliott, 1772, Kil- lingworth; Samuel Barker, 1780, Branford; Colonel Edward Russell, 1782, Branford; Henry Hill, 1810, Guilford; Major Samuel Fowler, 1834, Guilford; Reuben Elliott, 1835, Guilford; Joel Tuttle, 1838, Guil- ford; George Griswold, 1842, Guilford; John R. Wilcox (acting), 1843, Madison; George Landon, 1843, Guilford; Ralph D. Smith, 1844, Guil- ford; George Landon, 1846, Guilford; Ralph D. Smith, 1847, Guilford; George Landon, 1850, Guilford; Edward R. Landon, 1854 to 1882; Ed- win C. Woodruff, 1882 to 1886; Henry H. Stedman, Branford (acting judge), May, 1886, to January, 1887; Charles H. Post, since January, 1887.

Among those who served many years as clerks were Colonel Sam- tiel Hill, Henry Hill, Nathaniel Hill, John Elliott, William Todd, Ralph D. Smith, Edward R. Landon, Sylvanus Clark, William F. Isbell and George S. Davis, the latter serving in 1890.

The magistrates and justices of Guilford the first two hundred years were as follows: 1644-51, Samuel Desborough ; 1644, Governor William Leete; 1670, George Hubbard; 1676, Andrew Leete; 1698, Jo- siah Rossiter; 1705, Abraham Fowler; 1712, James Hooker; 1734, Col- onel Samuel Hill; 1746, Captain Andrew Ward; 1748, Colonel Timothy Stone; 1752, Nathaniel Hill; 1753, Samuel Robinson and Doctor Nathan- iel Ruggles; 1772, Samuel Brown and Joseph Pynchon; 1774, John Burgis; 1778, General Andrew Ward; 1780, Thomas Burgis; 1781, Wil- liam Starr; 1792, Henry Hill: 1794, Abram Chittenden: 1800, Nathaniel Rossiter: 1802, Nathaniel Griffing and Colonel Samuel Robinson: 1807, Samuel Fowler; 1815, Joseph Elliott; 1818, William Todd, Esq .; 1819, Timothy Stone, Esq., Reuben Elliott, Abraham Coan, William Spen- cer and George Griswold; 1821, George Landon; 1830, Samuel Elliott; 1832, Comfort Starr; 1833, George Hart and Samuel Scranton; 1834, Colonel George A. Foote and Ralph D. Smith; 1835, Doctor Anson Foote, Henry Loper and Samuel C. Spencer; 1838, S. C. Johnson, Amos Seward, Doctor Joel Canfield and A. S. Fowler; 1840, John Burgis; 1841, Reuben Stone; 1842, Walter Osborn, Alvah B. Goldsmith, Elisha Hutchinson, Horace Norton and Daniel Chittenden; 1843, S. A. Bar-

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ker, William Kelsey and J. H. Bartlett: 1844, Samuel Robinson, Henry WV. Chittenden, Edward R. Landon and Albert B. Wildman.

The North Guilford magistrates and justices for the first one hun- dred years and the times of their appointment were: 1749, William Dudley and Theophilus Rossiter; 1750, Samuel Hopson; 1769. Deacon Simeon Chittenden; 1772, Oliver Dudley; 1779. General Augustus Col- lins; 1800. Nathan Chidsey; 1814, Thomas R. Bray; 1818, David S. Fowler; 1820, Jared Scranton and Henry Elliott; 1829, Colonel Abel Rossiter: 1830, Richard Fowler; 1832. Samuel W. Dudley; 1836,Wyllys Elliott, Alfred Norton and Victor Fowler; 1839, William M. Dudley; 1840, Ammi Fowler; 1841, Benjamin Rossiter; 1845, John R. Rossiter; 1847, Augustus E. Bartlett and Whitney Elliott: 1848, Nathaniel Bart- lett and Timothy Rossiter; 1849, Edmund M. Field and Stephen Fow- ler; 1850. John G. Johnson.

The town clerks of Guilford have been the following: 1639-62, Wil- liam Leete: 1662-5, George Bartlett; 1665-8, Samuel Kitchell; 1668-73, William Johnson; 1673-85, John Graves; 1685-1706, Josiah Rossiter; 1706-7, Joseph Dudley: 1707-16, Josiah Rossiter; 1716-17, John French; 1717-20, Samuel Hill; 1720-1, Andrew Ward; 1721-52, Samuel Hill; 1752-71, Nathaniel Hill; 1771-6, Ebenezer Parmelee; 1776-99, Thomas Burgis, Jr .; 1799-1801, John H. Fowler; 1801-35, Samuel Fowler; 1835 -- 8, Reuben Stone; 1838-43, Joel Tuttle: 1843-8. Henry W. Chitten- den; 1848-83. Edward R. Landon: 1883 5. Edwin C. Woodruff; 1885- 6, Wallace G. Fowler: 1886 -- , Charles H. Post.

For more than a hundred years the meetings of the town were held in the meeting houses of the First Society. In 1773 the matter of build- ing a town hall was discussed, but no definite action was taken. There- upon a public hall was begun by private enterprise, which in April, 1775, the town voted " to take the house which hath been begun and partly finished by a number of subscribers, and to complete it." The sum of £90 had been expended, and the building was offered as a free donation, on condition that it be used for all public gatherings. It was not wholly completed until 1793. In 1801 the lower part was fitted up and leased for a " Store of dry and West India goods." In 1812 the upper part of the house was rearranged so as to hold more people, and Baptist and Methodist meetings were held there. In 1830 the hall was removed to its present site, where it still stands, antiquated and in a dilapidated condition.

In 1852 and 1856 futile attempts were made to build a new hall. A special meeting, in 1870, was also fruitless of action. In 1888 the matter was so far considered that Harvey W. Spencer, John W. Nor- ton and George W. Seward were appointed a committee on a town hall. They reported, June 1st, 1889, that a site on the east of the green could be secured, and that a suitable hall, with town offices, would cost $12,000 if built of brick, and $8,000 if constructed of wood. In that condition the matter has since rested, although the town sadly needs a creditable hall.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

The propriety of building an almshouse was considered as early as 1699, and liberty was given to set a small house on the green. But nothing further appears to have been done until 1790, when another unsuccessful attempt was made to put up such a building. Usually, in olden times, there were not many poor, and their care was generally sold to citizens of the town by the selectmen. As late as 1810 they were disposed of at public vendues " to whomever shall undertake to keep them the cheapest."

In 1814 a poor house was secured in the western part of the borough, at an outlay of $2,080, in which from twenty to thirty persons were maintained annually until 1827. In the division of the town property, after Madison was set off, this property was awarded to that town, Guil- ford taking the town mill. In 1849 another almshouse, east of the vil- lage, was purchased and used until 1848, when it was sold and the present almshouse, near Jones bridge was secured. About $1,000 per year is paid for the support of the poor at that place, and as much more for the proper care of the indigent outside of the almshouse.

The first interments in the town were made at Guilford village, and for more than 150 years the village green, in the rear of the meeting house, was the place of burial. These graves were neglected and un- enclosed until about 1800. For many years the dead were borne thither on hand biers. In 1691 the town chose Joseph Dudley " for the making of coffins on all occasions of death." Joseph Tustin was soon after chosen grave digger and compensated at the rate of four shillings per adult grave and " three shillings for lesser persons."

In 1731 the town voted " that the palls or cloaths to cover the coffins of ye Dead, when carried to their graves, shall be purchased at town charge and paid for out of the earnings of the mill, and Each of the three Societies shall have the benefit of one cloath."

In 1817-18 the burial places on the green were vacated, many of those lying there being reinterred in the East cemetery, often called the Alder Brook burying ground, about a mile east of the green; and others found a more quiet spot in the West burying ground, in Guil- ford, about the same distance on the opposite side of the green. Both places are of easy access and of appropriate selection. The latter ground passed under the control of Joel Griffing. Joel Tuttle, Samuel Fowler, Friend Collins and others, as corporators, in October, 1818. In the fall of 1862 lands were bought of Bildad Bishop and Samuel C. Spencer to enlarge the cemetery; and at this time a new corporation was formed, which had among its members Doctor Alvan Talcott, John Hale, H. W. Chittenden and many others. In 1890 this cemetery pre- sented a well kept appearance and had considerable area.

The Alder Brook or Guilford East cemetery also passed under the control of an association, incorporated September 26th, 1866, which had among its members Fitz-Greene Halleck, Thomas R. Pynchon, George E. Kimberly. Doctor Henry Benton and nearly one hundred

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

others. It is not as large as the West cemetery, but contains more old stones, some of which are quaintly inscribed. These inscriptions, of an earlier date than 1800, and others of the town, in the same period, have been published by the New Haven County Historical Society. Here is the grave of the poet, Fitz-Greene Halleck, born in Guilford July 8th, 1790, and who died in the town November 19th, 1867. On the 8th of July, 1869, a monument placed over his grave by loving friends and admirers, was dedicated. On that occasion his friend and brother poet, George Hill, read an original sonnet, and Bayard Taylor delivered an eulogistic oration. The monument is plain and unpre- tentious, but is much visited. The cemetery is substantially enclosed.

A place of burial was opened on Moose hill. in 1801, and one on Nut plains, in 1817. Both are small and less used now than formerly.

The cemetery at North Guilford. opened soon after the settlement of that part of the town, has a most beautiful location, on a hill near the church edifices, and commands a view of much of the surround- ing country. It contains several acres and is well kept. There are hundreds of headstones to the memory of many of the former inhabi- tants of this part of Guilford. Some have inscriptions which flavor of quaintness, while others are decidedly pathetic, as, for example:

ON A FRIENDLY VISIT DOC'T. DANIEL LYMAN DIED SEPT. 28, 1795; IN THE 27 YEAR OF HIS AGE.

In his profession very judicious and useful. His early death is greatly la- mented.

Thus pain and prospects pain our years, We meet to mingle groans and tears And bid the painful last farewell.

Burials were made at Leete's Island at an early day by the people of that locality. With the increase of population more attention was paid to this place of interment, and it has recently been enlarged. In 1885 it passed under the control of an incorporated body, which has improved the appearance of the cemetery.

The East river was ordered bridged in 1649, and since that time bridges have been maintained on the various roads where they cross the streams, which are small. The oldest road is the main thorough- fare from New Haven to Saybrook, and was used since the settlement of the town. It followed, in a general way, the shore trail of the In- dians. Although never improved as a turnpike, it has, in the main, always been good. In May, 1794, it was made a part of the great mail route of the states, from Maine to Georgia, and stages used this thor- oughfare until forty years ago. In 1818, the Pettipauge & Guilford Turnpike Company was authorized to build a road from the former place, in Saybrook, to the stage road in Guilford.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

The Guilford & Durham Turnpike Company was authorized in 1824. A road from Guilford green was built northward, 133 miles, to a point on the New Haven and Middletown road. From Guilford the road was extended to Sachems' Head harbor, four miles more. As this turnpike followed the intervales of the stream much of the way, it had a fine location, and for many years was much used. It has long since been a publie highway.

The New Haven & New London railway was chartered in 1848 to construct a road through the towns on the shore of the Long Island sound. The construction was commenced in 1851, and the first pas- senger train was run over the road, from New Haven to the Connecti- cut river, July 1st, 1852. This road and eastern connections were re- organized as the Shore Line railroad; and as a division by that name it is now a part of the consolidated system of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. It was leased to the latter company in 1870. The train service is very good. Stations are main- tained at Guilford village and Leete's Island.

Nearly all the first inhabitants of the town were planters or far- mers, and it is said that for many years some of the mechanic arts were not carried on, which resulted in many inconveniences to the community. However, in time, most of the necessary tradesmen were secured, and thence for a century the town was almost exclusively de- voted to agriculture; and even to the present time that pursuit princi- pally occupies the attention of the inhabitants. Hence in Guilford, more than in any other town in the county, are found the customs and practices which years ago characterized rural New England, and which have been promotive of the full development of a sturdy, self-reliant and intelligent class of people.

The usual grain and lumber mills were early provided, and have been continued to serve the wants of the people as confined to their local demands. In early times the cutting and shipment of cedar lum- ber was so actively carried on that the town issued an order of prohi- bition, lest that timber should be altogether exhausted.

The first grain mill was commenced in 1643 and completed two years later. It was begun by Mr. Whitfield, on a contract to build and operate a tide mill for certain privileges, but was finished and first operated by Robert Kitchell. After vain attempts, several years, to make the tide mill work satisfactorily, the site was abandoned and a site on the lowest power of the West river sequestered by the town, on which the mill was built with better results. The town has retained the ownership of the property, and the mill has been rebuilt a number of times. The present frame was put up in 1854. The power is suffi- cient to operate three runs of burrs.

Higher up this stream a site for clothiers' works was granted to Samuel Johnson in 1707. At first little else was done than fulling the cloth, but later weaving and dressing machinery was added. The

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Johnsons carried it on until about fifty years ago, the last owner also being a Samuel Johnson.

Other mills and small works were established, so that in 1838 the town had four saw mills, three grain mills, three fulling mills and four tanneries. About this period, after the manner of those times, large quantities of shoes were made, in different parts of the town, and ship- ped to markets outside of the state. Previous to this time Daniel Hub- bard had in successful operation an extensive carriage-making estab- lishment, whose business declined, after 1837, and later that industry in the town was carried on in a limited manner only. In more recent years George A. Hull & Son have been carrying on a hub and spoke factory on the West river, near the old fulling mill. Water and steam power are used and half a dozen men are employed. In 1850 Samuel Jones had a shop for making carriage parts.

In the same locality, some time about 1857, E. C. Bishop and others had an iron foundry, where they made grindstone castings, etc., and among their products, for a time, were also castings for the street car works of John Stephenson, of New York. The industry was not long continued, but Reuben Bull & Co. were there later.

The building of small sailing craft was carried on from the begin- ning, and later larger vessels were built. A shipyard, in which many men worked, was many years maintained at Jones' bridge, where among the best known builders were Nathaniel Griffing. Frederick Griffing, George Graves and William W. Baldwin. The latter discon- tinted sometime about 1849, but here built a fully-rigged schooner, which sailed for California, carrying out some of the argonauts. It is said that some Guilford men were on board of that vessel. At this point a saw mill was also operated. On the East river was another shipyard, where sea-going vessels were built by Eben S. Hotchkiss, William H. Caldwell and others. In more recent years small craft only were there built. When business was at its best as many as fifty men were employed at that yard. Some of the craft built were owned by inhabitants of the town, who were engaged in the coasting trade, and a few vessels of this kind are still kept in Guilford. A few of the inhabitants of Guilford were also engaged in the West Indies trade.

About 1847 O. B. Fowler and Charles Bishop bought out the Hull Foundry, at Clinton, and removed it to Guilford, setting it up at the wharf by Jones' bridge. They made plow castings and general work. Bishop, who had come from Meriden, sold out to Fowler the following year, and returned to that city. The foundry was now moved to the Nausup brook, where it crosses Fair street, where a large building was put up and the manufacture of sad irons added. In 1854 the place was called the " Nausup Foundry and Machine Shop," and O. B. Fowler was the agent in charge. The property was soon after sold to Israel S. Spencer and his son, Christopher. Later another son, George B., was added to the firm, which became, after the father's death in 1867,

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

I. S. Spencer's Sons, and has since so continued. The Spencers began making plows complete and made other castings to which wood work was here added, so that it became necessary, as the products were in- creased, to enlarge the factory from time to time. In 1869 a brick foundry. 60 by 100 feet, was built, in which was a cupola having a capacity for five tons. Castings for school furniture and sewing ma- chines were extensively made. In March, 1872, the part of the works fronting on the street was burned, when a two-story brick shop, 66 by 110 feet, took its place. In 1880 the works were further enlarged and a seven-ton cupola built. The manufacture of scales of all kinds was now begun, using the patterns of the Universal Scale Company of New Haven. In 1883 a brass foundry was added. Steam power was sup- plied in 1872. The works manufacture a large variety of products, and have become the most important industry in the town. Nearly one hundred men are employed.

In the spring of 1849 a joint stock corporation was organized, as the Guilford Manufacturing Company, of which Harlow Isbell was the president, and which had among the directors Jonathan Bishop, Samuel C. Spencer, George Bartlett, Horace Norton, Rufus N. Leete and Al- vah B. Goldsmith. The company purchased in May, 1849, the Baldwin shipyard and other property at the Jones Bridge wharf, and established a fine plant on its five and a half acres. Steam engines and heavy ma- chinery of various kinds were manufactured, which were shipped by boat from this place. In the fall of 1850 the company bought out Junius S. Norton's lock and knob manufactory. on High street, which had been erected a few years previous. A part of this building was occupied by Ransom Gaylord, in the manufacture of gimlets, which business he also sold out to the company in 1851. On the plant near the bridge E. L. Ripley had papier maché works the same time, and business appeared to prosper on all hands, when reverses came which resulted in the failure of the corporation. The manufactured goods and the machinery were sold at a sacrifice, and for some years the property stood idle. After the war one of the buildings at the wharf was removed to the north side of the green, where it now serves as Music Hall. Other buildings on that site were converted into tene- ments.

In 1868 the old lock and knob works were occupied by J. W. Scher- merhorn & Co., for the manufacture of school furniture and apparatus, which here developed into an important industry. Many men were employed and large quantities of goods were shipped to all parts of the Union. The money stringency in 1877 affected this line of manu- facture, which was here discontinued that year.

After being idle a few years the property passed to the Guilford Enterprise Company, composed of Amos Gates, H. E. Norton and others, who manufactured vegetable ivory buttons, etc. The old works burned down, and about half a dozen years ago a good brick factory

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

was located in its place. That business was last carried on by Edwin C. Woodruff, E. H. Butler and others. In February, 1888, the plant became the property of the Guilford Savings Bank, and in 1890 it was leased to the Paragon Novelty Company, transferred to this place from New Haven.

In spite of these reverses the town deemed it proper to encourage the spirit of manufacturing, and October 6th, 1884, "Voted, that the selectmen be instructed to abate the taxes on all the property owned by any_manufacturing company, or company coming into the town for the purpose of carrying on business."

Since that time several enterprises have been set on foot. Early in 1886 the citizens of Guilford united in raising a fund of $25,000 for the purpose of establishing a manufacturing plant for the production of textile goods. This fund was placed in the care of E. H. Butler, Alvan Talcott and S. W. Landon as trustees. A lot of ground near the railway station was donated by A. G. Sommer, on which was built a large, fine frame mill and an engine room, in which a good Harris- Corliss engine was placed. The mill was stocked with machinery for spinning weaving silk, by William O. Atwood, and about sixty opera- tives were employed. After two years Atwood failed, and the mill, after being idle a year, was operated a year by Singleton & Co. The next lessees were George H. Rose & Co., who operated until May, 1890, since which time the mill has again been idle.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138