USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 22
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New London appears to be rather undesirably distinguished for her rash and injudicious appeals and threatenings to appeal, to the laws and authority of the mother country for the settlement of con- troversies. This was undoubtedly owing to the commercial inter- course which she then enjoyed, direct with England, the number of her people born there, and the influence of her name, which had in- duced a habit of regarding herself as a New London-a portion of the old country lodged on this side of the water. England was nearer to her than to other towns in the colony.
The Liveen property recovered by the town, consisted of two dwelling-houses, a large lot attached to one of the houses, now form- ing the north side of Richards Street, and extending from the old burial ground to the cove; and in money, £300 sterling, equal to 780 ounces of silver, which was left in the hands of the executor, and afterward of his brother, Wait Winthrop, of Boston, on lease or loan. After the death of the two brothers, it was loaned to other persons, the care of it being invested, by the General Court, in a committee of three persons, viz., Robert Latimer, Joshua Hempstead and James Rogers, (third of that name.) In 1735, Hempstead, the only survivor of the committee, refused to deliver up the papers, or give a letter of attorney to enable the town to recover the money. On application to the General Court, a new committee was appoint- ed, to continue in office like the former, during life, but all vacancies to be filled by nomination of the town. The interest of this money, and the rent of the other Liveen estate, formed a part of the regular salary of the minister, while there was but one recognized church in
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
town, and was afterward expressly allotted by government, to the Congregational or ancient church.
To avoid the necessity of again taking up the subject of the Liveen legacy, its further history will be sketched here. In the year 1738, there was a general sale of the parsonage or glebe lands of the town, and the Liveen landed estate was disposed of like the rest at auction.1
It produced nearly £800, and the other glebe lots upward of £500. The Liveen money at interest was then estimated at £600, the whole making an aggregate fund of nearly £1,900 ; but it must be understood that this was reckoned in the new tenor, or deprecia- ted currency. But even with that allowance, the interest was nearly sufficient to pay the salary of the minister, to which purpose it was without doubt applied for many years. The whole fund has, in the course of time, melted away, and seems to have left no record of its loss behind. We may suppose that the rapid depreciation of the cur- rency, the great commercial losses before the Revolution, and the mis- eries that the town suffered during the war, affected this as well as all other interests, and reduced it to insignificance. What remained of it after the Revolution, was loaned out in small sums to several indi- viduals, and has probably dwindled away in the bankruptcies of the holders.
1 One of the Liveen houses, stood on Main Street, at the south-east corner of Rich- ards Street. This was bought and taken down by George Richards, who owned the land next to it. The other Liveen house stood opposite on the north-east corner of Richards Street, and was purchased by Daniel Collins. The large lot adjoining was sold in five parcels or house lots; one was bought by Robert Latimer, and has since been a parsonage lot once more.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHRONICLE OF THE EARLY COMMERCE OF NEW LONDON-FROM 1660 TO 1750. .
NEW LONDON was settled with the hope and prospect of making it a place of trade. Commerce was expected to become its presiding genius, under whose fostering care it was to grow and prosper. In a letter from the colonial government to the commissioners appointed by Charles II. to inquire into the Duke of Hamilton's claim in 1665, is the following passage :
" Whereas this colony is at a very low ebb in respect to traffick, and although out of a respect to our relation to the English nation, and that we might be ac- counted a people under the Sovereignty and protection of his Majestie the King of England, we presumed to put the name or appellation of New-London, upon one of our towns, which nature hath furnished with a safe and commodious harbour, though but a poor people, and discapacitated in several respects to promote traffique ; we humbly crave of our gracious Sovreigne, that he would be pleased out of his Princely bounty, to grant it to be a place of free trade, for 7, 10, or 12 years, as his Royall heart shall encline to conferr, as a boon upon his poor yett loyal subjects."1
Again, in a letter of 1680, to the lords of the privy council, they entreat that " New London or some other of our ports might be made free ports for 20, or 15, or 10 yeares ;" and in describing the harbor they say, "a ship of 500 tunns may go up to the Town and come so near the shoar, that they may toss a biskitt on shoar."2
No royal privileges were, however, conferred upon the port, nor did it need them ; the dowry of nature was rich and ample, and the en- terprise and sagacity of the inhabitants were soon on the alert, to profit by their advantages.
1 Hinman's Antiquities, p. 61.
2 Ut supra, p. 144.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
With respect to the early commerce of New London, all that can be given will form but a series of fragments. In the entire absence of all custom-house records or shipping lists, the utmost a historian can do, is to seize and transfix those gleams and shadows that flit occasionally across the view, in the investigation of other subjects.
In 1660, wheat was 4s. per bushel; pease, 3s .; Indian corn, 2s. 6d .; beef, 50s. per barrel ; pork, 70s. These articles, with wampum, which was familiarly called peag, constituted the common currency, and were termed merchantable, or country pay.
In March, 1659, the General Court appointed nine persons, one for each of the small ports in the colony, to enter and record such goods as were subject to custom. John Smith was appointed custom- master for New London. The office was unimportant in point of fees, for wine and liquors were the only goods upon which duties were imposed. Under the term liquors, the spirit called rum, which was then a recent product of the English West India Islands,1 was not included ; for an order of 1654 expressly prohibited the import- ation of that article into the colony.
" It is ordered that whatsoever Barbadoes liquors, commonly called Rum, kill-devil, or the like shall be landed in any place in this jurisdiction, drawne or sould in any vessel lying in any harbor or roade in this commonwealth, shall be all forfeted and confiscate to this commonwealth."2
This law was subsequently modified so as to allow Barbadoes rum to be landed for transportation elsewhere ; but several years elapsed before it could be lawfully imported and vended within the jurisdic- tion of Connecticut.
In 1668 Thomas Marritt was custom-master for the port of New London. Daniel Wetherell was the last that held the office by colonial authority, and the first that received it by appointment from the treasury board of the mother country. By commission from William Dyer, surveyor general of the plantations, he was made deputy collector and searcher for Connecticut, March 9th, 1685. The whole colony was thus thrown into one district for the collection of customs. Mr. Wetherell held his office into the next century.
The first shipwright in the place was John Coit (Coite.) His building yard was on Close Cove, where the depth of water was suf-
1 The sugar-cane was introduced into Barbadoes from Brazil, in 1645. Douglas' Summary, vol. 1, p. 132.
2 This act is recorded in New London, lib. 3. It is not known when this law was repealed, but probably before 1680.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
ficient for the pinnaces and shallops then in use, which were little more than decked boats. Joseph Coit, Hugh Mould and John Ste- vens-son and sons-in-law of John Coit-all pursued the same busi- ness. Mould was undoubtedly the master builder, as the vessels con- structed by the partners were usually called Mould's vessels. Several of them can be traced by name.
Between 1660 and '64, Mould and Coit constructed the Speedwell, Hopewell and Endeavour, which were called barques ; ranging in burden from twelve to twenty tuns, and in value from £50 to £82. They were built respectively for Thomas Beeby, William Keeny, and Matthew Beckwith, but like other movable property of that day, often changed owners. The Endeavour made several voyages to the West Indies, Robert Gerrard and Samuel Chester, commanders, and was sold in Barbadoes (April 10th, 1666) for 2,000 pounds of sugar.
In 1661 a vessel was built by John Elderkin, on the account of William Brenton, of Newport, and Daniel Lane, of New London, which cost, exclusive of iron-work,' spikes and nails, about £200. The burden is not mentioned. It was called the New London Tryall and was subsequently owned by Welman, Parker and Chester, all of New London. The building of this vessel was regarded as a great undertaking. It was the first actual merchant vessel owned in the place. We can not trace it beyond 1664, and probably it was lost at sea.
In 1662 Robert Latimer and Robert Chanell were joint owners and commanders of the Hopewell, and had made several voyages as far south as Virginia. On the 19th of May, while the barque? was anchored in the harbor, Chanell died suddenly, having been well in the morning and at 2 o'clock, P. M., he lay dead. The verdict of the jury was rendered in accordance with the opinion of "John North, professor of Physick," who being summoned on the occasion, declared that his death was occasioned by " unseasonable bathing after immoderate drinking." This is the first notice of any physician in town, and the only time that this one is mentioned.3 He was probably the Dr. John North that died in Wethersfield in 1682.
1 The iron-work was by George Hallsall, then the most noted blacksmith in town. He was of Boston in 1643. See Hist. and Gen. Reg.
2 We employ this term as it appears to have been used at the time, for any small vessel above the size of a boat.
3 After an interval of precisely 150 years, the name of North is again found among the inhabitants of the town, and in the same profession as in the first instance. Dr.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The affairs of Robert Chanell were settled by the townsmen ; Rob- ert Latimer purchased the whole vessel, and all that remained after paying the debts, was remitted to Chanell's wife and children in England.1
The early coasting trade was principally with Boston. From thence clothing and household goods, implements of husbandry, mili- tary accouterments, powder and lead, were obtained. The returns were in peltries and wampum. A petty traffick was also kept up with Rhode Island and Long Island, by boats and small sloops. Very soon the coasting trade was extended to the Manhadoes, (New York,) and occasionally to Virginia. In 1662, there was some trade with the latter place for dry hides, and buck-skins.2
With the south, however, the traffick was very limited. “We have no need of Virginia trade," say the magistrates in 1680, "most people planting so much tobacco as they need." Tobacco and wheat were then common articles of culture ; not for export, but to the full extent of domestic consumption. These articles of produce are now rare in the state, and in New London county are almost entirely unknown.
The master of a vessel was generally part owner of both craft and cargo, and not unfrequently was his own factor, agent and trades- man. In the small coasters, especially, the master or skipper was entirely independent of orders. He went from place to place, chaf- fering and bartering, often changing his course, and prolonging his stay on his own responsibility. His boy was under his command ; but his man if he had one, frequently brought a venture with him, and might trade on his own account. New London before 1700 was as much noted for these coasting vessels and skippers, as of late years for her fine fleet of smacks and smack-men. Among the early planters, William Bartlett, Mathew Beckwith, Thomas Doxey, Peter Bradley, Thomas Skidmore, Edward Stallion, Thomas Stedman, Thomas Dymond, and many others, were of this class.
Elisha North, a distinguished physician from Litchfield county, settled in New London in 1812 and pursued his professional practice in the town for thirty years. He died Dec. 29th, 1843, aged 73.
1 Among the debts owing him was £15 by Mr. Cornelius Stinwicke at the Munna- tos (Manhattan) and a hogshead of tobacco "at Kirkatan in Virginia."
2 The least buck-skin was to weigh four pounds and a half. A pound and half of . hides was equal in value to a pound of buck-skin-one pound of hides equaled two pounds of old iron-two pounds of hides equaled one pound of old pewter. Here are old iron and old pewter, having a fixed value, as articles of barter and merchandise!
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
In May, 1660, "the ship Hope," from Malaga in Spain, with a cargo of wine, raisins and almonds, came into the harbor, storm-beaten and in want of provisions. The master was Robert Warner; and the supercargo Robert Loveland,' who had chartered the vessel for Virginia, there to take in a fresh cargo and return to Spain, discharg- ing at Alicant. The voyage had been long and tempestuous, the cargo was damaged, the ship leaky, and information received on their arrival, of the state of affairs in Virginia, induced them to relinquish the intended voyage thither. The supercargo then proposed to dis- charge the freight and have the vessel "sheathed and trimmed" at New London ; after this to take in provisions for Newfoundland, and there obtain a cargo of fish for Alicant, the original destination. The commander refusing imperatively to concur in these measures, Mr. Loveland entered a protest, charging him with having violated his engagements in various particulars. The difficulty was finally set- tled by arbitration ; the cargo was landed and sold at New London,2 Capt. Warner paid, and he and his ship dismissed.
From this period Mr. Loveland became a resident in the town, entering so fully into commercial concerns, as to make a sketch of his subsequent history appropriate in this chapter. In 1661 he pre- sents himself as prosecuting a voyage to Newfoundland, and enters a protest against George Tongue, ordinary-keeper, that being indebted to him a considerable sum, which he had promised to pay in such articles as were proper for the intended voyage, which, says the pro- test, "are only wheat, pease and pork"-when the time arrived and the protester demanded his due, he was told that he must take "horses and pipe-staves," or he would pay him nothing; and these articles were not marketable in Newfoundland.
Mr. Loveland appears to have been often disquieted; and to find repeated occasions for protests and manifestoes. He purchased of Daniel Lane a considerable tract of land at Green Harbor with the idea of building wharves and warehouses and making it a port of entry for the town. When he found it unsuitable for the purpose, he entered a protest against Mr. Lane for selling it to him under false pretenses, charging the said Lane with asserting " that it was a good harbor for shipping to enter and ride, by reason it is defended by a
1 Robert Loveland was of Boston, 1645. Sav. Win., vol. 2, p. 262.
2 Capt. James Oliver, Mr. Robert Gibbs and Mr. Lake, merchants of Boston, appear to have had an interest in the cargo. Among the lading was a quantity of Malaga wine-lees and molasses, for distillation. These commodities were purchased and dis- tilled into liquors, by persons who had recently set up "a still and worm," in the place.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
ledge of rocks lying off, and yt there is 12 feete at low water, be- twixt the said ledge and the shore, and within 2} rod of the shore," whereas he, the said Loveland had sounded and found only shoal water.1
The title of Mr. accorded to Mr. Loveland, probably indicates that he had been made a freeman.
" Oct. 27. 1662. The magistrates have freed Mr. Robert Loveland from watching, warding and training."2
At this immunity was not often granted before sixty years of age, it may be inferred that he was advanced in life. A few more years and we find him on the brink of the grave. On the 27th of Novem- ber, 1668, he assigned all his estate, whether lands, houses, horses, cattle, debts due by book, bill or bond, either in New England, Vir- ginia or elsewhere, to Alexander Pygan. This bequest was of the same nature as a will and probably indicates the period of his death. It is signed with a mark, instead of his name. Mr. Bradstreet, who was one of the witnesses, testified that Mr. Loveland was sound in mind and judgment, but unable through great weakness to write his name.
A commercial intercourse was very early opened between New London and Newfoundland. Silly Cove, Petty Harbor and Reynolds on that island, as well as St. Johns, were frequented by our vessels. Pork, beef, and other provisions were carried there, and not only dry fish, but West India produce brought back. It is strange that a cir- cuitous trade, involving reshipments and enhanced prices, should have been pursued at a time, when direct voyages from New London to the West Indies were of common occurrence. The trade with Newfoundland was continued till after 1700.
With the island of Barbadoes the commercial relations were more intimate than with any other distant port. Two voyages were made by a vessel yearly. Horses, cattle, beef, pork, and sometimes pipe- staves were exchanged for sugar and molasses and at a later period rum. An interchange of inhabitants occasionally took place. Agen- cies from New London were established there, and several persons emigrating from Barbadoes, became permanent inhabitants of New London. The Barbadoes trade was the most lucrative business of the period. Merchants of Hartford, Middletown and Wethersfield
1 This land was received back by Mr. Lane.
2 Recorded on the Town Book.
2 35
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
made shipments from New London. Capt. Giles Hamlin, Capt. John Chester and other commanders from the river towns, often took in their cargoes here.1 C
In April, 1669, an English vessel, probably built and sent to New England purposely for sale, and called the America, was sold by "John Prout, of Plymouth, county of Devon, in Great Britain · mariner"2-who appears to have been both commander and owner- to Richard Lord and John Blackleach, of Hartford, for £230. She was seventy tuns burden, and was then "riding at anchor in the harbor of New London."
Several vessels were built by Mould and Coit, for the partners Hill and Christophers. Among them were the New London, seventy tuns, delivered to the owners, June 25th, 1666, and called a ship; the barque Regard, 1668; and the sloop Charles, twenty tuns, 1672. The New London was larger than any vessel heretofore constructed in the place, and was employed in European voyages. Thomas Forster, John Prout and John Prentis (second of the name) were successively her commanders. In 1689, her invoice registered "two large brass bells with wheels," consigned to George Mackenzie, mer- chant of New York.3 One of these bells was imported for the town of New London, and was soon after suspended " in the turret of the meeting-house," apparently to the great satisfaction of the inhabit- ants. It was the first bell that ever vibrated in the eastern part of Connecticut.
The John and Hester, stated variously at ninety and one hundred tuns burden, was undoubtedly the largest of Mould's vessels. It was built "for the proper account of John Prentis, Senior," and delivered to him October 14th, 1678. One-half was sold to William Darrall of New York for £222, 10s.4 The sons of John Prentis, John and
1 The following receipt shows the comparative value of two prime articles of ex- change.
" Barbadoes :- I underwrit do hereby ackowledge to have received of Mr. Jeffrey Christophers one bl. of pork pr. account of Mr. Benjamin Brewster, the which I have sold for 300 lbs. of sugar. Elisha Sanford. Aug. 18th, 1671.
" True copy of the receipt which was sent back to Barbadoes by Mr. Giles Hamlin in the Ship John and James. Oct. 29th, 1671. Charles Hill, Recorder."
2 This probably notes the first arrival in this country of Capt. John Prout, after ward of New Haven.
3 See ante, chapter 13.
4 Payment to be made in New York flour at 15s. per cwt. and pork at 50s. per barrel.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Jonathan, both of whom became noted sea-captains, made several voyages in this vessel.
Another vessel owned at this time in New London, and probably built by Mould, was the Success, a ketch, rated at fifty-four tuns. A captain, mate, boatswain and one sailor, formed a full complement of men for a vessel like this. The coasters had seldom more than two men and a boy. Sept. 6th, 1677, the Success, John Leeds com- * mander, sailed for Nevis, with stock, and in lat. 36º north, encountered "a violent storm of wind and tempest of sea that continued from the Sabbath day to the Fryday following,"-in which they lost twenty- six horses overboard, and sprung a leak, whereupon they bore up helm, returned home and entered protest. The Success belonged to John Liveen ; and in several voyages to Barbadoes, was commanded by his son-in-law, Capt. John Hallam, of Stonington. In 1688 she was sold by Mr. Liveen, for £114, to Ralph Townsend, late of New Haven, but then resident in New London-who changed her name to Ralph's Adventure. She was afterward in command of Capt. Benjamin Shapley.
The little fleet of New London was often thinned by disasters. The barque Providence, coming in from sea, was lost with her cargo on the rocks at Fisher's Island Point in the night of Nov. 28th, 1679. The master Thomas Dymond, and his two assistants John Mayhew and Ezekiel Turner, were barely saved. This is not the first in- stance recorded of wreck upon this dangerous point. The John and Lucy, an English merchant vessel, was here totally lost in 1671, and it is probable that her crew also perished.1
It is not easy to determine the character of a vessel from the nomenclature used at that period. The terms ship and barque were nearly as general in their signification as vessel. Boat, sloop, snow, ketch and brigantine were all of vague import. The Endeavour, twenty tuns, of 1660, is called a barque, and another Endeavour of fifty-two tuns, built in 1690, by James Bennet for Adam Picket, is also a barque. The Speedwell of 1660, fourteen tuns, is a boat or barque; but another Speedwell of 1684, Daniel Shapley, master, is styled a ship. To what description of vessel they belonged can not be determined. Probably no three-masted vessel was owned in the port till after 1700.
1 The guns of the ship were recovered by New London seamen and delivered to the order of Francis Brinley, merchant of Newport, who had been appointed attorney for the owners. The rocks on Fisher's Island Point have lately acquired a fearful notoriety by the loss of the steamer Atlantic, wrecked upon them Nov. 27th, 1846.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The list of vessels belonging to New London, as returned by the magistrates at Hartford to the Lords of Trade and Plantations, in 1680, was :
" Two ships, one 70 tons, the other 90; three ketches, about 50 tons each ; two sloops, 15 tons each."
This was about one-third of the tonnage of the colony. Shortly afterward the Liveen, which is called a ship, and the brigantine Re- covery, were added to the shipping of the port. The former was owned by John Liveen, and sold after his death, in 1689, for £600. The Recovery was from Southampton, Long Island, and purchased by Alexander Pygan.
The last vessel built by Hugh Mould, that can be mentioned by name, was the Edward and Margaret, a sloop of thirty tons burden, constructed for Edward Stallion, in 1681. Mr. Mould is supposed to have come from Barnstable, near Cape Cod. He can be traced in New London, from June 11th, 1662, the date of his marriage with Martha, daughter of John Coite, to June, 1691. He is then con- cealed from our view, probably by the shadow of death.1
Another noted ship-builder of this coast, coming next in the order of time, was Joseph Wells, of Westerly, on the Pawkatuck River. Of his vessels we can only mention with certainty as belonging to this port, the Alexander and Martha, built by contract in 1681, for Alexander Pygan, Samuel Rogers and Daniel Stanton. The dimen- sions but not the tunnage are stated.
" The length to be 40 and one foot by the keel from the after part of the post to the breaking afore at the gardboard, 12 foot rake forward under her load mark and at least 16 foot wide upon the midship beam, to have 11 flat tim- bers and 9 foot floor, and the swoop at the cuttock 9 foot, and by the transom 12 foot, the main deck to have a fall by the main mast, with a cabin, and also a cook room with a forecastle."
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