USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 44
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In 1858 the town of Derby, as it was at that time constituted, was set off from New Haven as a separate probate district. Of the Derby district the following have been the judges of the court: 1858, William B. Wooster; 1860, Sidney A. Downs; 1866, Sylvester Barbour; 1868, George H. Peck; 1871, Samuel M. Gardner; 1873, Verrenice Munger; 1877, John B. Quillinan; 1879, William C. Atwater; 1881, Charles Reed; 1883, William C. Atwater; 1889, Daniel E. McMahon. The district embraced, in 1890, the towns of Derby and Ansonia, the courts being held at Birmingham.
The town court of Derby was established by an act of the general assembly, which became effective in May, 1885. The jurisdiction ex- tended over the entire town of Derby, and embraced both criminal and civil cases in limited actions, the maximum penalty being $200 or six months' imprisonment in jail. The main object of the court was to secure speedier and less costly trials than was afforded by the old system of trial by justices of the peace. The officers of the court are a judge, deputy judge, prosecuting attorney and assistant prose- cuting attorney. These were first: Seabury B. Platt, of Birmingham, judge; John B. Gardner, of Ansonia, deputy judge; Daniel C. McMahon and William Sidney Downs, attorneys. In May, 1889, Verrenice Mun- ger, of Ansonia, was elected judge, and John B. Gardner, of the same place, was continued as deputy judge.
On the division of the town of Derby, the same year, Edwin B. Gager was appointed judge to serve the unexpired term, ending May 1st, 1891, and Henry A. Nettleton, deputy judge for the same period. Andrew J. Ewen became prosecuting attorney, and Robert L. Gilbert assistant attorney, to serve for the same period.
Of the town court of Ansonia, which was established in July, 1889, with the same powers in the new town as the old court in Derby, Judges V. Munger and John B. Gardner continued in office, Dennis T. Walsh being the prosecuting attorney.
The early town meetings were held monthly, the business trans- acted being confined mostly to the disposition of the public lands, the establishment of a church and minor regulations. In 1678 Abel Gunn
* Died November 9th, 1783, aged ?? years.
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and William Tomlinson were appointed surveyors, and Ebenezer Johnson was licensed as an ordinary, being probably the first tavern keeper in the town. In 1679 George Beaman was appointed town marshal. A mill was also ordered built and roads to be opened, which, with the improvement of their own farms, kept the settlers busy.
The general court had ordered certain rules for the encourage- ment of sheep keeping in the colony as early as 1666, legislating sub- sequently upon the same subject, in 1670 and 1673. These laws pro- vided that the underbrush should be cut, so that grass could grow in the woods, each inhabitant being required to do a certain amount of the work at stated times. Upon the commons thus prepared, the sheep were kept in flocks, in care of a shepherd hired by the sheep- masters of the town. In 1703 the latter were, in Derby, William Tomlinson, Sr., Stephen Pierson, Sr., and Sergeant Thomas Wooster. The town flocks were kept many years, and much revenue was derived from them .*
As showing the singular customs of those times, we note a record in 1703: " Voted that Josiah Baldwin beat the drum whenever it is necessary that the town be called together for and to any meetings, except the training days, and that he have eight shillings for so do- ing." This Josiah Baldwin had been settled as a physician a few years previously, and was probably selected to beat the town drum, because he lived centrally. The previous year John Pringle, the town treasurer, had been ordered to buy an hour-glass, out of the funds of the town, which seems the only way they had of measuring time.
In 1723 the town entered upon the work of exterminating wild animals, offering a bounty for the capture of wolves, etc. It also authorized several hunts, under the call of Colonel Johnson, Lieutenant Hulls and Sergeant Brinsmade, and imposed a fine in case any of the inhabitants failed to respond to their summons.
In 1745 a town house was built on Cankwood plain, part of which was improved for a school house. In 1768 a new town house was built on Academy hill, a tax being laid for that purpose of 1d. rate on the pound of valuation. Captain Joseph Riggs, Deacon Eliphalet Hotchkiss and Nathaniel Smith were the building committee. There was some difficulty about the site, but in December, 1767, a joint com- mittee from Waterbury and New Haven set the stake in the locality named. The building was 28 by 32 feet, with 10 feet posts, and was used as late as 1831. The town meeting in 1832 was held on Great * About 100 years after this action of the town on sheep raising, that indus- try received a wonderful impetus through the efforts of a native of Derby, General David Humphreys. In the spring of 1802 he introduced Spanish Merino sheep into this country, bringing a flock of 91 animals to Derby Landing by sloop from New York, where they had been landed from Spain. Many were kept in Derby, and others were sent to Vermont and Massachusetts. From these have sprung many of the fine flocks in New England.
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hill, and the following year in the Academy, at old Derby. From that time they alternated between the northern and southern parts of the town, it being impossible for the voters to agree upon a place for a new town house. Since 1888 the town has found a home for its records and a place for its meetings in the new Borough Building, at Birmingham.
Soon after the town was created ineasures were taken to establish a ferry across the Naugatuck, so that communication could be had with Woodbury and Mattatuck. In 1676 a committee reported upon the location of such a ferry, on the old channel of the river, between old Derby village and Ansonia. Woodbury united in maintaining the ferry, as at first but few of Derby's inhabitants lived on the west side of the stream. Henry Williams was the first ferryman and a house was built for him on the west side of the stream. It is probable that the ferry was used only in high stages of water. In many seasons the river could be readily forded. In 1717 the ferry was displaced by a bridge. It was not built without some difficulty as to the means and site to be used. Finally a place near Doctor Durand's house was selected and the bridge was there built. About the same time a ferry privilege was granted to Joseph Hawkins, giving him the right to convey man and beast across the Housatonic, near his house, at the same rates of toll as those charged at the Stratford ferry. This ferry was kept up about 50 years. Sometime about the revolution a ferry was established at Derby Landing, and later, in connection with the old turnpike, was much patronized. For many years a quaint char- acter by the name of Parks was the ferryman.
The maintenance of the bridge across the Naugatuck caused the town much expense. In 1739 it had to be rebuilt and in 1741 a flood carried away the new bridge. Another bridge was now built by a company, which was given the right to charge toll, which arrange- ment continued until 1760, when the bridge was made free, but was again carried off by the floods, and in 1762 the town built a new one. In 1783 this bridge was again rebuilt and also a new one below the falls at Seymour, a lottery being authorized to aid the project. The scheme did not prove profitable and that plan of raising money lost favor. A part of the means were to be used in building the Woodbury road along the Housatonic.
The bridge across the latter stream, at Birmingham, was first built in the last century, at the old Leavenworth ferry, a short distance above the old red house. An ice flood damaged it not long after, but it was rebuilt at the old place. Being again damaged, it was in 1831 removed down the stream to Hawkins' point, where it was rebuilt by Donald Judson and Philo Bassett. In February, 1857, it was almost wholly destroyed by a disastrous flood, but was at once rebuilt and was used as a toll bridge until 1875, when it became the property of Derby and Huntington. On the 19th of August, 1889, the towns trans-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
ferred the bridge to the counties of Fairfield and New Haven and a fine new iron bridge will here be built in the near future. The old covered wooden bridge has not only become unsightly, but has been condemned as unsafe.
The courses of the first highways have been much modified. At first they were mere paths and were so called. The oldest led to Milford. The one to New Haven was located soon after. In 1683 the Woodbury path is first mentioned. The same year a highway was built from the Naugatuck ferry, up the west side of that river and thence across the hills into the Woodbury path, which started at a point in Derby Neck. The Woodbury road along the Housatonic was built 100 years later, the help of a lottery being asked to that end. ` In 1795 began the era of turnpike building, which continued about 20 years. The Oxford turnpike, chartered in 1795, was the oldest in this section and the second in the state. It was completed before 1800 and was used as a toll road more than 80 years. It passed through Oxford Center down the valley of Little river and crossed the Naugatuck below the falls.
In the fall of 1796 the town appointed a committee to cooperate with a legislative committee in laying out a desired road from New Haven to Derby, thence west to Litchfield. It was purposed to make it a turnpike from New Haven to Derby Landing, with the expecta- tion of making the latter place an important shipping point, It was believed that a good road from the east would draw trade from that section. Into this project Leman Stone, a merchant at the Landing, after 1790, entered most heartily and he had the cooperation of other leading citizens. After some years labor and the expenditure of much money a good road was secured; but the hopes of those interested in Derby Landing were disappointed. Not only did the farmers east of the Landing fail to come, but the western farmers, now having a good road, passed by, going to New Haven to ship their goods. An effort to attract those coming by way of the Oxford turnpike, from Seymour to the Landing was scarcely more successful. With that view a road was laid out from Shrub Oak (the west part of Seymour village) to Derby Narrows, and the work of construction began in 1805. Although the turnpikes in Derby did not prove as potent commercial factors as was anticipated, they greatly aided in making communication more easy than the travel over the cumbersome country roads, and to this day the abandoned turnpikes are the principal thoroughfares.
The development of the water powers along the Naugatuck hast- ened the building of a railway in the valley of that stream. The first charter for the Naugatuck railroad was granted in 1845, but in 1847 and 1848 it was amended. At first the road was projected to run from Bridgeport to Waterbury, but afterward it was concluded to extend it to Winsted. The company organized in February, 1848, and the sur- vey of the route was adopted the following month. In April, 1848, the
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
work of construction was begun, Alfred Bishop, of Bridgeport, being the contractor. He had just completed the Housatonic railroad, which was among the first lines built in the United States. The people along the route aided by donating $75,000, which was raised by committees in each town in the valley. As built the road extends from Winsted to Naugatuck Junction, in the town of Milford, where an intersection is made with the New York & New Haven railroad. The entire length is 55 miles. The road northward was completed to Derby village in May, 1849, to Waterbury the following June, and to Winsted in September, 1849. From the beginning the road has been a success in affording the desired accommodations for the enterprising inhabit- ants of the valley, and although the nature of the country through which it passes has made it difficult to maintain, it has the reputation of being one of the best branches of the consolidated roads, of which system it became a part in April, 1887. Since 1868 George W. Beach has been the superintendent of this road or division. Of Derby station, Benjamin B. Woodford was one of the first, if not the first agent. This position was held in 1890 by N. J. Bailey.
The New Haven & Derby Railroad Company was chartered in 1864. Among the incorporators were two Derby men, William E. Downes and Robert N. Bassett. The company was organized April 24th, 1867, and that fall the route was surveyed. The following winter the work of construction was begun, but the road was not completed until the summer of 1871. Regular trains between New Haven and Derby commenced to run August 9th, 1871. The road was extended to Birmingham and Ansonia a little later. At the former place the station was opened in March, 1872, with Sanford E. Chaffee as the agent, and he has since filled that position; at the latter place the depot facilities are in connection with the Naugatuck railroad.
The mileage of the company was small, being but a little more than a dozen miles. and the company did not enjoy the measure of pros- perity it deserved, in spite of the fact that the line was a great convenience to the people along its route. In the latter part of 1887 the " Little Derby " became a part of the Housatonic railroad system and it was extended, by way of Shelton, to Botsford, on the main line. It now forms a part of a great route to the West, and the business has much increased. The value of the shipping facilities to Derby and the contiguous villages has also been greatly enhanced.
The first enterprise of a commercial nature was the Indian trading house, on Birmingham point, commenced in 1642 by some New Haven men and continued by them about a dozen years. In 1654 they sold out to Richard Baldwin and others, of Milford. Three years later Lieutenant Thomas Wheeler, of Stratford, here bought 40 acres of land and engaged in shipbuilding, having as a partner, Alexander Bryan, of Milford. The latter became the sole owner in 1664 and probably also here had a small store. In 1682 the name of his son,
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Richard, appears in connection with these interests in Derby. A ware- house was maintained and produce was shipped from it by means of small sloops. Later this warehouse was owned by Joseph Hawkins, son of the first prominent settler on this point of land, and from whom it received its name. In 1709 grain was stored there for the account of the town, the selectmen being instructed to have it converted into money. Cattle and beef were commodities of shipment before 1690. In that year packers were appointed to see that the meats were put up according to law, before they were shipped to foreign countries. The shipment of fish caught in the Naugatuck and the Housatonic was an item of profit, and was carried on soon after the organization of the town, and before 1700 several fish houses were put up on the above streams and roads built to them. Large quantities of fish were caught, by the inhabitants of the town and by others who paid the town for the privilege. In 1680 Benjamin Fenn, Daniel Baldwin and others, of Milford, were given liberty to fish anywhere in Derby bounds, “ pro- vided they damnify no man's corn or grass." For many years fishing was an important interest, many of the present inhabitants remember- ing the large quantities of shad here taken annually. The Derby Fishing Company, # organized after 1805, was engaged in the cod fishery business, the products being carried to Mediterranean sea- ports.
Before the revolution quite a trade was carried on between Derby and the West Indies, sloops of 80 to 100 tons burden carrying cattle, horses, staves, casks and farm products thither and returning were laden with the commodities of that region, much of the imports being rum. It is said that as high as 60 hogsheads of rum were landed on Derby Dock in a single day. This was carted to all parts of the country by the teams which had come to the docks with articles for shipment. Often the teams thus laden and waiting their turn to un- load made a string half a mile long.
It may be said of the commerce of Derby that it first became important about 1765. The revolution interrupted it somewhat, but after the war it again increased, until it had reached its greatest pro- portions, soon after 1800. In March, 1799, New Haven was made a port of entry and in this district Derby, Branford, Guilford and Milford were constituted ports of delivery. Derby now appeared to have every assurance of continued prosperity. The number of vessels sailing from here was greater than those leaving the port of New Haven, and it was nearer the base of export supplies. The hill towns north and west were then in their prime, as an agricultural region, and their products were largely brought to Derby for shipment. It was at this period that Captain Henry Whitney exported such large quantities of horses to the West Indies, that his reputation extended far beyond the limits of the county.
* See Banking Interests.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
But various causes soon tended to reverse this condition of affairs, causing the decline of the commercial supremacy of Derby. The chief ones were the more rapid growth of New Haven and Bridgeport, whose natural advantages as shipping points were increased by the building of good turnpikes to those towns from sections which had before been tributary to Derby. Even the New Haven and Milford turnpikes, in which Derby had been so much interested, were used to its disadvantage, and some of its warmest projectors saw long lines of teams pass by their warehouses on their way to the Long Wharf, at New Haven. The Washington bridge, on the lower Housatonic, also impeded the free course of vessels, which were now attracted to the neighboring ports; and after the unfortunate ventures of the Derby Fishing Company, which ended in its collapse about 1815, the foreign shipping business of Derby rapidly declined. Many of the seafaring men who had sought homes here removed to other parts or engaged in other occupations, and the population in consequence was much diminished.
Among the sea captains who lived in this locality in the period named, are recalled the names of Captain Ebenezer Gracey, sometime about 1783; Captains William Clark, George Gorham, Thomas Horsey, William Whitney, Clark Elliott, Frederick Hopkins, Giles Martin- brough, James Hickock and Mordecai Prindle, who with seven men from Derby was lost at sea before 1812. Ithiel Keeney, said to have been the first white child born at Derby Landing, who died in 1837, aged 83 years; Joseph Prindle, John Fowler, James and Elijah Hum- phreys, William Whiting and his sons, William and Henry; Captain Thomas Vose, Captain Frencis M. Franch, Stephen Mansfield, Jabez Thompson and his sons, William and Sheldon; James Lewis, Silas Nichols, Eugene Olmstead, Jared Bartholomew, Carlton White and some others, were also seafaring men.
In addition to the ship-building in Derby proper, already noted, the Leavenworths, of Huntington, at what is now Shelton, were active in that industry, after the revolution. In a yard between the old Red House and the Leavenworth tavern, Captain Edmund Leavenworth and his sons, Gideon and Edmund, built in all 21 vessels. Two of the last built, called the "George and Jane " and the " Fox," and owned by the latter, were lost in the war of 1812. At other points, in Shelton, small packets or sloops were built, among those best remembered being the " Hannah " (nicknamed the " Pulpit "), by Reverend Mr. Ruggles, after his service as the Congregational minister in Derby.
On the Naugatuck packets, sloops and schooners were early built by Captain George Gorham and several others. The former built a " number of vessels at what later became known as the old Hallock yard, near Reuben Baldwin's distillery. He had served in the war of the revolution and was one of the party that stretched the famous iron chain across the Hudson, to prevent the British from going up the
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river. Sometime about 1810 Captain Bradley came from Guilford and built several vessels for the Derby Fishing Company, the largest and finest of which, the " Ocean," was captured and her cargo confiscated by the French. This proved a heavy loss to the company and the people of Derby. Other ship builders in this locality were, about that time, Ezra Hubbell and John Lewis. Talmadge Beardsley was on Sugar street, Birmingham, where he turned out very superior work. He is credited with building the first center-board vessel on the Housatonic. This was named the "Commodore Hull," and was a very fast sailing vessel. He later assisted Robert Fulton in building the first steamboat.
In 1816 Captain Lemuel Chatfield built a sloop on the west side of the Housatonic, north of the bridge, having as workmen Zephaniah and Israel Hallock, brothers, who afterward succeeded him and became famous shipbuilders. He soon secured a better site for a yard, on the east side of the river, at the head of Sugar street, which embraced in 1820 ten acres. It was, however, found difficult to launch large vessels at that place, and in 1824 the Hallock Brothers removed their yard to Derby Landing, where the new site included the Baldwin distillery, which they discontinued. At this place ship building was carried on until 1868. The last vessel built was the "Modesty." It was of 200 tons burden, and fitly ended their successful career as builders. It is said of them that of the 52 vessels they built, all but one was success- fully launched; and all their vessels were characterized for their sub- stantial construction.
A number of the vessels built at Derby plied between that place and other points, and when the first steamboat commenced running, in 1824, those then in service strongly opposed the new method of transportation. In this they were in a measure successful. The first steamboat was the " Lafayette," commanded by Captain Thomas Vose. She was a small boat and had an uncouth appearance. Unable to withstand the opposition of the three Derby packets, at that time also sailing to New York, she was sold to parties in Bridgeport and ran from there to New York. A new steamboat was now built, under the direction of Captain Vose, which received the name of the "Ousatonic." Although better adapted for the service between Derby and New York, she remained on the line but two seasons and steamboating on the Housatonic was abandoned until 1836.
When Sheldon Smith founded Birmingham, he promised the in- habitants that they should have steamboat service to New York. With this view he built a dyke and deepened the channel across the river. In 1836 he put on the "Caroline," and she not proving successful secured a smaller boat, the " Maria," which made several trips in 1837, ending her experience here by running upon the dyke embankment in high water. Mr. Smith then abandoned this project.
In 1845 and later the Naugatuck Transportation Company put in
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service the small steamboats, " Naugatuck " and " Ansonia," and be- fore 1861 the Atwater Iron & Steel Company, of Birmingham, built a small boat, the " Valley City," which after running here a short time, was sold to the government, for use in the civil war. Since that time other steamboats have been run for short periods, none proving suc- cessful in a financial sense. The latest venture was made by the Naugatuck Valley Steamboat Company, which placed two boats on the line, from Derby to New York, in June, 1886; the "Naugatuck " and the " Housatonic," both of which carried freight and passengers. The line was continued about three years. At the same time the Derby Transportation Company was running a steam propeller and two barges, mostly in the coal carrying trade. The former company was chartered in 1886; the latter in 1888, and in 1890 its boats plied regu- larly between Derby and points on the North river. Sailing vessels were also in the carrying trade and the aggregate shipping reached considerable proportions.
The name of Derby village may now properly be applied to all that part of the town lying east of the Naugatuck and west of Sentinel hill, south of the town of Ansonia. It thus embraces the old town of Derby, the Landing or Narrows, with the intervening territory. In these limits are several thousand inhabitants and all the elements of a modern, progressive village, which are enjoyed on account of the relation the place sustains to Birmingham and Ansonia. It has the same system of water works, street cars, gas and electric lighting as those thriving boroughs.
In the north part of the village, in the "Old Town," a store was kept soon after 1700. In 1712 Edward Pierson, a merchant, was at that place, and in 1742 William Clark was already here established in trade. His sons succeeded him and about the time of the revolution Sheldon Clark was a merchant in the town, having his store at the Landing. Ebenezer Keeney had here built the first house, about 1754, and may also have been a small merchant before his death in 1795. In 1762 Stephen Whitney bought a piece of land on which he built a store and traded until 1768, when his business passed into the hands of his creditors. The following year Captain Grassee built a store at the wharf and in 1763 he entered into partnership with Joseph Hall, trading as such a firm several years. From this time on, for the greater part of 50 years, the Landing was a busy place and there was so much expectation of making this a great commercial part that the place was called New Boston. At one time the question of regarding New Haven as a business rival hardly entered into the minds of the merchants of the Landing, since this was comparatively the more important place and everything seemed to tend toward its prosperity. In this period of great activity Leman Stone was one of the prominent merchants. He came from Litchfield about 1790, and built a large store and warehouse on his wharf, which was so arranged that part of
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