USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 38
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" Capt. James Rogers chosen first townsman ; this meeting adjourned till to- morrow at twelve o'clock."
Capt. Rogers was the farmers' candidate; he then owned and oc- cupied what was afterward known as the Tabor farm, on the Great Neck. The adjourned meeting, December 27th, opened under threat- ening auspices ; each party turned out in greater numbers than be- fore; 150 voters were present. The record says :
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" Whereas yesterday there was a misunderstanding in the choice of the first townsman, Capt. Rogers being then chose and entered, he for the peace and health of the town relinquishes that choice.
" Capt. Christophers chosen first townsman.
" Capt. Joshua Hempstead, second.
" Capt. James Rogers, third," &c.
Mr. Hempstead writes in his diary on the evening after the above stormy session :
" I went with Mr. Douglas to see Capt. Rogers, who sent for us to ask our forgiveness in any thing that he had spoken that might offend us ; we forgave him and he forgave us."
Happy mode of terminating an angry controversy !
The two committees for the Bartlet fund and the common school fund, were for a time distinct. In 1733, all the original Bartlet" feoffees were dead, and the Assembly having designated their heirs as successors, Mr. Plumbe, the heir of the last survivor, refused to de- liver up the papers to the town. This difficulty was referred to the legislature, who united the two funds, and gave the charge to a new . committee, who like the former were to hold the office during life, but all vacancies were to be filled by the town.
This arrangement seemed to work well, and was continued for many years ; but in later times the Bartlet or grammar-school com- mittee, like that for the common school, has been annually appointed. The fund in modern days has never yielded a sufficient sum for the maintenance of the school. Time has diminished instead of increas- ing the amount.
Ferries.
In town meeting February 26th, 1701-2.
" Voted with full consent that ye ferry over the Great River which was for- merly leased to Mr. Cary Lathamn deceased, his heires and asigns, with the ferry lott and house belonging thereunto, shall after the expiration of the afore- said lease, wch will be the 25th of March, in the year 1705, for ever belong to a grammar school, wch shall be kept in this town, and the rents thereof be yearly payd to the master of sd school, in part of his yearly sallery. Provided nevertheless, that the inhabitants of this town, on Lord's days, thanksgiving days, days of humiliation and town meeting days, shall be ferriage free, that is, such as shall cross the ferry to attend publique worship or town meetings on such days."
The above judicious enactment has never been molested ; the rent of the ferry still belongs to the public grammar-school of the town. 34*
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
After the expiration of Latham's lease, the Groton ferry was usually let in terms of five and seven years, and sometimes annually, at a rent varying from £5 to £10 per annum. The mode of conveyance, down to the year 1800, was by a scow, using both sails and oars. In 1724, by a resolve of the governor and council, the ferryman was licensed to keep a house of public entertainment on the east side of the river. No regular tavern was, however, opened there until about 1736. In 1724, the profits of the ferry at Nahantic bar, were also given to the schools. From this source very little was ever derived. The privileges of the ferry were originally attached to the farm of Governor Winthrop, which went into the Palmes family, but no reg- ular accommodations for the conveyance of passengers were estab- lished by Major Palmes or his heirs. The town, therefore, about 1720, having opened the lower road to Lyme, established a regular ferry at the bar, and assigned the lease to John Champlin, who paid for it a sum nearly equal to the rent of the Groton ferry. Passengers were propelled across by means of a boat and rope, which gave it the name by which it has ever since been known, Rope Ferry.
In 1723, Major Peter Buor purchased the ferry farm, of the heirs of Andrew Palmes, for £924. As an appanage of this estate, he claimed the ferry, and entered upon a course of litigation for the re- covery of the right. This was for several years a burdensome affair to the town. It was decided in 1736, by the General Assembly, in favor of Major Buor. To the proprietors of the ferry farm, the ferry and its profits were thenceforward relinquished.
Major Buor was an Englishman, who came to New London from the island of St. Christophers. He introduced upon his farm a more thorough system of cultivation than was practiced by his neighbors, and it became the model farm of the day. Hempstead sets down in his journal, October 29th, 1737, "I saw on Major Buor's farm at Nahantick, a large crop of English grass ; two large stacks were raised of twenty-five loads each, and they were still mowing."
In 1737, Major Buor leased the farm to Benjamin Ellard, for six- teen years, at an annual rent of £107, 16s. This lease included "the ferry, boat, oars, rope and other utensils," but the owner reserved to himself " the sole privilege of taking off mill stones." This reserva- tion indicates that the well known granite quarry at Millstone Point was wrought at that period. Ellard relinquished the lease, and in 1739, Major Buor sold the farm and ferry to Henry Paget, who is styled of Newport, but " late of Dublin." The latter, in 1740, trans- ferred the sale to Richard Durfey, of Newport, for £7,500. The
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farm at this time contained 557 acres. It has since that time been much divided, and the ferry privilege alienated to an incorporated bridge company.1
Earliest Mills.
The gradual diminution or failure of the small streams and springs since the settlement of the country, is a natural consequence of the clearing up of forests, and the cultivation of the ground. The "Mill River" of Governor Winthrop, is still, however, a considerable stream ; the mill itself is yet in operation, and the shadowy, rocky glen in which it is situated, has no appearance of having been dis- turbed since Winthrop's time. A mill is always an addition to a rural landscape, and seems to belong, as of necessity, to a stream and a valley. The one of which we now speak is almost buried in um- brage. We can scarcely imagine that the aspect of the glen was more wild and primeval, or its gloom more deep, when the few inhab- itants of the town assembled, in 1651, to build the dam, than it is at the present day. This mill seat, combined with the antiquity and secluded beauty of the mansion and grounds to which it has so long formed an accompaniment, is undoubtedly one of the most romantic and picturesque spots in New London.
The monopoly of mill privileges, which on the first settlement of the town, was granted to Governor Winthrop, very soon became a grievance to the inhabitants, and the right was finally resumed by the town, on the plea of forfeiture by the heirs of the grantee.
" In town meeting December 26th, 1709.
" Whereas the town hath suffered many years for want of a grist-mill, and no care taken by the heirs of the former Governor Winthrop for our relief there- in, who have some time claimed the privilege of supplying the town with what grist-mills are necessary, and the present grist-mill belonging to the late Gov- ernor Winthrop, being like to be altogether useless in a little time, the town therefore see cause upon the request of Robert Latimer, Stephen Prentis, John Daniels, Richard Manwaring, Oliver Manwaring, Jun., and James Rogers, Jun., to grant liberty to them, or the major part of them, to set up a grist-mill upon the falls of Jordan Brook, where it falleth into the cove."
We have here an indication of the second grain-mill erected in the town. It was built by Richard Manwaring, on "the falls of Jordan
1 In 1788, the farm at Millstone Point, including the quarry, was purchased by Be- najah Gardiner, in whose family it still remains. This was the southern portion of the original Winthrop grant.
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Brook," in the year 1712. This also is a romantic spot ; the current flows into a quiet, shaded basin, which is used for a baptismal font, by the religious society located in its neighborhood.
The first fulling-mill was established by Peter Hackley, in 1693, on Nahantick River, " below the highway, where the fresh stream falls into the salt water." About the same period, John Prentis erected a saw-mill at Nahantick.
The saw-mills of Governor Winthrop have been heretofore noticed. In 1691, Fitz-John Winthrop established one near Long Cove, on the east side of the river. In 1713, the town granted to "Lt. Coll. John Livingston, of N. L., what right they have to Saw-mill Brook, to erect a saw-mill and fulling-mill thereon." Major Wait Winthrop sent in a protest, which the town declared to be null and void, and refused to have it recorded. The same year Samuel Waller and his son Samuel, were allowed to erect a saw-mill on the stream which runs from Lake's Pond to Nahantick River.
In 1719, half an acre of land on Town Hill, was set apart for the erection of a wind-mill. This was just west of the Harris house. In 1726, Capt. James Rogers erected a wind-mill on this spot.
In 1721, Joseph Smith obtained liberty to erect fulling and grist- mills at Upper Alewife Cove. From him and his family this locality obtained the appellation of Smith's Cove. George Richards, the same year, erected a saw-mill on Alewife Brook. These were the earliest mill-seats of the town.
Wolves. 4
" Memorandum : that upon Monday the 16th day of January, 1709-10, being a very cold day, upon the report of a kennel of wolves, mortal enemies to our sheep and all our other creatures, was lodged and lay in ambuscade in the Cedar Swamp, waiting there for an opportunity to devour the harmless sheep ; upon information whereof, about thirty of our valiant men, well disciplined in arms and spetial conduct, assembled themselves and with great courage beset and surrounded the enemies in the said swamp, and shot down three of the brutish enemies, and brought their heads through the town in great triumph."
" The same day a wolfe in sheepe's cloathing designed to throw an inocent man into the frozen water, where he might have perished, but was timely pre- vented, and the person at that time delivered frome that danger."1
As the subject of wolves is thus again introduced, we may observe that at this period and for thirty years afterward, a wolf-hunt was a
1 New London records, book 4, inserted on a blank leaf of the index, by D. Weth- erell, clerk.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
customary autumnal sport. From ten to forty persons usually en- gaged in it, who surrounded and beat up some swamp in the neigh- borhood. Mill-pond Swamp and Cedar Swamp were frequently scoured for wolves, in November or the latter part of October. George, son of John Richards, had a bounty of £11 for wolves killed during the year 1717. These were probably insnared. The bounty had been raised to twenty shillings per head. The bounty for killing a wild-cat was three shillings.
It was not till 1714 that any enactment was made to encourage the killing of foxes. At that time a bounty was offered of three shillings for a grown fox ; with whelps, four shillings ; a whelp, one shilling.
The Great Snow of February, 1716-17, is famous in the annals of New England. It commenced snowing with wind north-east, on the twentieth of February, and continued all night: the snow was knee-deep in the morning. There was no cessation of the storm during the day and a part of the next night ; the wind all the time blowing furiously, and the drifts in some places ten and twelve feet high. Friday, 22d, was a fair day, with the wind north-west, blow- ing hard and the weather very cold. A few people, here and there, began to break through the drifts and visit their neighbors. The 23d was more moderate. On Sunday, 24th, was another fall of snow; very windy and cold, wind north-east. No meeting. Many horses and cattle found dead. After this, the weather was, for three days, fair and moderate. On the 29th, was another snow of several hours' duration, and on the 2d of March, rain and snow.1
On Sunday, March 3d, Mr. Adams resumed the service at the meeting-house, and preached a sermon from that passage of Nahum, which says, " The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." The audience is char- acterized, in the diary of Mr. Hempstead, as "a thin appearance." The sermon, however, was sent forth to preach more extensively, being printed by Mr. Green, with the title,
" A Discourse Occasioned by the late Distressing Storm Which began Feb. 20, 1716, 17. As it was deliver'd March 3d, 1716-7. By Eliphalet Adams, A. M., Pastor of the Church in New London."
At the time of the great snow, the adjourned county court was sit-
1 These notices of the weather from day to day, are from Hempstead's journal.
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ting in New London, and was for several days interrupted by the storm. The session was held in the Plumb house, (State Street.)
The Moving Rock. In the New England Weekly Journal, printed at Boston, (August 31st, 1736,) an account is given of a wonderful moving rock, at New London. As this phenomenon excited consid- erable notice at the time, it demands our attention, though probably the force of the tide is sufficient to account for the wonderful part of the story.
" A Rock ten feet long and six through, judged to weigh 20,000 pounds, had lain many years at the water's edge at New London : it is lately removed, (how, no one knows,) about twenty-five feet on rising ground ; and water fills the hole where the rock used to be."
The rock here mentioned was not in the town plot, but three or four miles distant, at Poquyogh, or Jordan Cove. It was supposed to have been removed in the spring, as when first observed, the rock- weed upon it was green, but soon dried up. It had evidently been forced up a ledge, the attrition of the stone marking its course, and was lodged on the platform above. In September of the same year, it was found to have been moved four and a half feet farther on the land, and its position changed. In May, 1737, it was found a little farther removed. The fame of the Moving Rock of Poquyogh was considerably extended, and numbers of curious persons went to see it. Some attributed the phenomenon to thunder, others to an earth- quake, or to an uncommon tide, or to an agency wholly supernatural, according to each one's fancy or judgment.
Amusements. The choice of military officers was always accom- panied with a feast, or treat, given to the company by the successful candidate. Thus-Edward Hallam, chosen clerk of the company, (1715,) distributed cakes and gave them a barrel of cider to drink. A captain, chosen to office, might perhaps give a bushel of cakes and a gallon of rum. An appointment to a civil office was often celebra- ted by a festival. Daniel Hubbard, appointed sheriff of the county, opened his house for the reception of guests, at an evening entertain- ment, July 28th, 1735.
On training days, shooting at a mark was a customary sport. The. prizes were usually given by some of the wealthier citizens, and were generally of small value, from five to twenty shillings. A silk hand-
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
kerchief was a common prize ; a pair of shoe-buckles an uncommon one. Sometimes a sum of money was clubbed by the company, to be won. Shooting at a mark was also one of the customary Thanksgiv- ing sports. But the prize, in this case was generally a goose or a turkey.
The Thanksgiving festival was kept very much in the same way as in other parts of New England. Its predominant feature was feasting, and without the adjuncts of the roast-turkey and pumpkin- pie, would scarcely have been recognized as genuine. The supply of these articles at New London, appears to have been always equal to the emergency ; at least there is no account on record of an omission. or delay of the festival, through any deficiency of the stores. Col- chester, one of the younger sisters of New London, has been less for- tunate. In the year 1705, that town, assuming a discretionary power, which they doubtless thought the extremity of the case justified, voted to put off Thanksgiving, which had been appointed for the first Thursday in November, till the second Thursday of the month, be- cause, says the record, "our present circumstances are such that it cannot with conveniency be attended on that day."1 The inconven- iency, according to tradition, was a deficiency of molasses, so indis- pensably necessary to perfect the flavor of the pumpkin. The town meeting which passed the vote, was held Oct. 29th, and before the second Thursday of November, there was a reasonable expectation that a supply could be obtained.
Horse-races were not common, but sometimes took place. Here follows a notice of one :
" 30 March 1725. A horse-racing to-day at Champlin's, (near Rope Ferry.) Five horses ran at once. Each paid down 40 shillings and he that outrun re- ceived the £20 from Major Buor. One Bly carried off the money."2
Raisings were seasons of feasting and festivity. A dinner or sup- per usually followed. At the raising of Mr. Curtiss' house, Aug. 13th, 1734, twenty-five were invited to a supper at the tavern: they were all Reformadoes, i. e., belonging to a club of that name.
In the following extract, there is an allusion to the raising of the steeple of the old Episcopal church, that stood on the Parade :
" 1735. Sept. 3 .- Last night about one or two o'clock the new Snow built by John Coit Jr. for Benjamin and Isaac Ledyard, Capt. Broadhurst of Great Britain Commander, burthen about 120 tons, ready to sail, took fire, no man
1 Colchester Town Records.
2 Hempstead.
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being on board and burnt down to her bottom, and consumed all the masts or rigging and sails, and loading except some small matters in the bottom and heavy timber, and drove ashore on Douglas Beach. It is supposed to be wil- fully done, the Captain having sent the men on shore in the day time to help raising the top of the steeple of the Church. They were all scattered abroad, some in one place, and some in another. They suspect the Captain to be guilty and have put him to prison."1
A few notices of weddings, public rejoicings and shows, may be allowed as illustrative of the manners and customs of the period :
April 17th, 1729. A lion was brought to town in a wagon drawn by four oxen. It came by way of Lyme and Saybrook, and had been all winter traveling through the western towns. The preceding au- tumn it had visited Long Island, New York, the Jerseys and Albany. It was several days in New London, and was lodged in Madam Win- throp's stable, (Bank Street.)
April 13th, 1732. A great entertainment was made at Madam Winthrop's, on occasion of the marriage of Samuel Browne, of Sa- lem, and Katherine Winthrop, which took place a fortnight previ- ous, but was that day first made public. Mr. Hempstead says, "I was invited, and presented with a pair of gloves." Matthew Stew- art, of New London, was married at Narragansett, Oct. 19th, 1735, to the daughter of William Gardiner. On his return home with his bride, he gave an entertainment, which surpassed in sumptuousness any thing before exhibited in the place.
July 2d, 1736, the inhabitants manifested their joy at the marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Protestant princess, by a public cele- bration of more than common note. The military officers, with some soldiers and music, were out on the occasion. Hempstead's account says :
" We had a barrel of powder out of our town stock by order of the select men, and fired seven cannon and chambers, three rounds at the fort, and three vollies of small arms, and marched up to the Town House and drank the Prince and Princesses healths. Old Mr. Gard'ner being in town gave us a ₺5 bill to be drunk out there and then we went to George Richards' and supped and drank wine till ten o'clock upon Club."
" March 1, 1737-8. Last night a great number of Sky Rockets were fired off from the roof of Durfey's house [in Bradley Street, ] in honor to Queen Caro- line's birth, and the sad news of her death is come this day by the post from New York." Hempstead.
1 Hempstead. From probate papers on file, we learn that this English captain was suffered to break prison and decamp: his books, bed and clothes were sold at an outcry, to discharge his debts.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The following account of an excursion for pleasure, is sketched from minutes in Hempstead's diary, 1739. On the third of October, Madam Winthrop, wife of John Winthrop, who was then in England, her son John, and daughter Ann, Col. Saltonstall and wife and two children, Col. Browne, of Salem, with his wife and child, and Mr. Joshua Hempstead, went on a visit to Fisher's Island, which was then leased to George Mumford. The whole party crossed with Mr. Mumford in his sail-boat, and remained four days on the island, nobly entertained by the Mumford family. The first day was diversified with an excursion to the east end of the island; the second day a fierce storm confined them to the house; on the third, they had a morning drive to the west end, and a visit to the woods ; in the after- noon a famous deer hunt. Saltonstall brought down a doe, and Mum- ford two bucks, one of which was immediately dispatched by a car- rier to Mr. Wanton, of Newport, as a present from the party. On the 7th of October they started for home at nine in the morning, but got becalmed ; the flood failed them, and they ran into Mystic. Landing near the house of Mr. Burrows, all walked from thence to John Wal- worth's, where they obtained horses, and reached home in the evening.
Memoranda in Chronological Order.
In May, 1724, Richard Rogers of New London, stated to the Gen- eral Assembly, that he had eight looms in operation for making duck or canvas, and had expended £140. Again, in October, 1725, he stated that he had expended £250. The court granted him the sole right of making duck or canvas in the colony for ten years.
April 24th, 1733. This was the day of election, or of freemen's meeting. Thirty new freemen were admitted, and one hundred and forty voters present. This was considered a great assembly.
July 21st, 1733. The commissioners appointed by Boston and Rhode Island to settle the line east of Pawtucket River, met at the court-house in New London, viz., Col. Hicks of Hempstead, Col. Morris of Westchester, and Mr. Jackson of Jamaica, in the colony of New York ; Roger Wolcott and James Wadsworth, Esqrs., and Mr. Joseph Fowler of this colony, with divers gentlemen of Boston and Rhode Island to assist.
Sept. 10th, 1734. Ten negro slaves taken to prison for being out unseasonably in a frolic at old Wright's: three that went without leave were whipped; seven that had leave, were dismissed on pay- ment of their part of the fine, 5s. 3d. each.
35
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Nov. 28th, 1734. A white man and Indian fined for killing deer at Fisher's Island.
In 1735, Solomon Coit of New London, in a petition to the Gen- eral Court, stated that he was the only person in the colony who had works for distilling molasses.
" March 3, (1736-7,) News of the death of Capt. John Mason of New Lon- don is come in a letter from Mr. Winthrop by Capt. Walker, who wrote on the 25th of Decr, that he died the last Sunday, in Lumbert St. of the Small Pox. Young Mahomet died there also of small pox last summer." (Hempstead.)
Capt. Mason, mentioned above, had resided long among the Mo- hegans, and had been at various times their school-master, agent, over- seer and guardian. After the death of Cesar, in 1723, the tribe was divided in regard to the sachemdom. One party, supported by the colonial government, was in favor of Ben-Uncas, the uncle of Cesar ; the other, encouraged by Mason, declared Mahomet, a grandson of Owaneco, the rightful heir. Ben-Uncas having prevailed, Mason took the younger sachem to England, to obtain the recognition of his rights, where they both died.
" April 30 .- A sad riot in town ; a great deal of fighting between the grand- jurymen, Shackmaple, Durfey, Keith and others." (Hempstead.)
Jan. 3, 1738. This day was sold in New London, the township of western lands which had been assigned to this county. It was divi- ded into fifty lots, which were sold off at prices varying from £132 to £157.
May 3d, 1738. Katherine Garrett, commonly called Indian Kate, was executed on Town Hill, for the murder of her infant child. The deed had been committed at Saybrook, about six months previous, but she had been brought to New London for confinement and trial, and the execution was ordered to be here also. The sermon of Mr. Adams, on the occasion, was published. Katherine was a Pequot of the North Stonington reservation, twenty-seven years of age ; she had been brought up at Saybrook, and well instructed. This is supposed to have been the first execution in New London.
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