USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 45
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In 1760, a lottery was granted to build a light-house at the en- trance of New London Harbor.1 This was the first light-house upon the Connecticut coast. Near the rocky ledge chosen for its site, members of the Harris family have dwelt since the first generation from the settlement. The particular spot on which the house was erected, was sold to the governor and company by Nathaniel Shaw, Jr. It was part of the inheritance of his wife, Lucretia, only child of Daniel Harris. In 1801, this structure was superseded by anoth- er, built by the general government, which had assumed the charge of the light-houses of the country.
The beautiful beach along the mouth of the river, north of the light-house, was for many years used as a kind of quarantine ground. At various periods, the small-pox has been a scourge to the town. Between 1750 and 1760, vessels were continually arriving with this disease on board. The selectmen were the only health officers, and it fell to them to dispose of the sick, and to the town to defray most of the charges. At the White Beach and Powder Island, such ves-
1 A light-house of some sort had previously been erected at the mouth of the har bor. Allusions to it are found after 1750, but nothing that shows when it was built, or how maintained.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
sels were usually stayed, and there many a victim to the perilous in- fection, was cast into the earth as a thing utterly abhorred.
In 1761, the first alms and workhouse was established. A house and land was purchased, on what is now known as Truman Street, (corner of Blinman,) and the expense covered by a penny tax on polls and assessments on persons who had encroached upon the highway. Some eight or ten conspicuous encroachments were thus compounded for and legalized, to the manifest detriment of the streets. This house was occupied by the town's poor till 1782, when it was discon- tinued, and for several years paupers were provided for by contract.
1763. A town vote granted liberty to Wm. Potter, to build a wharf on the highway next north of the fort, for the benefit of the ferry, during the town's pleasure. This is now Ferry Wharf.
Dec. 1765. " Voted, that the thanks of the town be returned to Capt. Stephen Chappell, for extraordinary care and pains as sur- veyor of highways, in discharging that office to so good satisfaction and applause, and that the vote be recorded in the town-book as a memorial to his honor."
1766. The first cart-bridge over Bream Cove was built this year ; the contractor was Lieut. Christopher Reed. On the 19th of Novem- ber, a bear was killed on the Norwich road, three miles from town, near Wheeler's. It weighed two hundred and forty pounds-was dressed and brought into town to market. Hundreds, for the first time, tasted of bear's meat.
1767. This year the first fire-engine appeared in town. It was presented to the inhabitants by Nathaniel Shaw, Jr., who had pro- cured it from Philadelphia.1 A house was built for it upon the
1 In a letter from Shaw to his correspondent, Thomas Wharton of Philadelphia, is the following passage relating to this engine:
" In Mr. Goddard's paper No. 9, I see that a Fire Engine is advertized for sale by Daniel Elly Esq. I should be obliged to you to engage it for me, if it be a good one, and ship by Capt. Harris." (Shaw's Letter Book.)
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Church land on the Parade, by permission of the wardens and vestry of the church. How this engine escaped the conflagration that de- stroyed the church and a great part of the town, at the time of the British invasion in 1781, is not known. Perhaps it had been pre- viously removed elsewhere. In June, 1785, after the incorporation of the city, this old engine, being inspected and found worthy of re- pairs, was forwarded to New York for that end, and on its return in 1786, a regular fire-company was established, to take charge of it. This was the first fire-company in town. Ebenezer Douglas was appointed captain, with authority to enlist twelve men, whom he was to exercise once a month. The city engaged to pay the personal highway-tax of those who enlisted.
The New London Summary was discontinued in October, 1763, three weeks after the death of its publisher. Probably no entire copy of it is now extant. A glance at its advertisements will furnish us with hints from which, by comparison, we may estimate the ad- vances made since that period. A trip to New York, in a packet schooner, was then an undertaking of some moment. "Sept. 26th, 1760, John Braddick will sail for New York in about six days. For freight or passage, agree with him at his house." In the next issue of the paper, (October 3d,) the same advertisement is continued, and, October 10th, under head of " Custom-house cleared out," is " Brad- dick for New York."
" Jan. 30th, 1761. No Boston mail this week."
The most conspicuous stands for merchandise, were those of Jo- seph Coit and Russell Hubbard, on the Bank, and William Stewart, on the Parade. Roger Gibson, recently from Edinburgh, and Pat- rick Thompson and Son were on Main Street, and Thomas Allen near the Ferry Wharf. Goods were curiously intermixed in the as- sortments : "London babes" (dolls) and Kilmarnock caps stood side by side with Cheshire cheese. Amos Hallam kept a house of entertainment for gentlemen travelers, near the Ferry Wharf, sign of the Sun. Capt. Nathaniel Coit another, on Main Street, at the sign of the Red Lion.
Dr. Thomas Coit was the principal physician. He had nearly the. whole medical practice of the town for forty years, commencing soon after 1750.
Richard Law was the most prominent attorney. He was a younger son of Governor Jonathan Law, of Milford ; graduated at Yale College, 1751 ; practiced law a short time in Milford, and settled in New London about 1757.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
A return of the shipping of the district of New London, (which it must be remembered included at this time the whole colony,) for the year 1761, gives the following result :
Forty-five vessels, one thousand six hundred and sixty-eight tuns, forty guns, three hundred and eighty-seven men.1
In this list were eight brigs and brigantines, forty-five to sixty- eight tuns, seven schooners and thirty sloops. The guns belonged to two brigantines, King George and Britannia, (each fourteen,) and the schooner Fox, (twelve.) The Britannia had a crew of fifty men. Coasters and packets were not included-adding these, the whole Connecticut fleet amounted to about eighty sail.
The above list is certified by Joseph Hull, collector, Jeremiah Miller, naval officer, and Joseph Chew, surveyor. Hull is supposed to have come into office as successor to John Shackmaple, who died in 1743.2 Nicholas Lechmere was one of the naval officers of the port in 1750; but was afterward transferred to Newport, and made controller of the customs there. Jeremiah Miller was a grandson of Governor Saltonstall, and the only native of the town that is known to have held an office in the king's customs. Joseph Chew was an emigrant from Virginia, who settled in the place before 1750.3
In 1762, Thomas Oliver was appointed collector of the district. He was an Englishman, who had been a resident of New London at intervals since 1747, and perhaps held some previous office under the king.4
In 1764, he was superseded by the appointment of Duncan Stew-
1 The original is among the Trumbull papers in the library of the Mass. Hist. Soc., Boston.
2 This was the second John Shackmaple. His wife Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Christophers, married in 1754, Thomas Allen. Capt. John Shackmaple, of the third generation, died in 1767, and with him the male line in New London became extinct.
3 His father was Thomas Chew, of Virginia, and his mother a daughter of Col. James Taylor, a gentleman who stands as progenitor to two of the Presidents of the United States-James Madison and Zachary Taylor. Mr. Chew, after his removal to New England, corresponded with his cousin, the elder James Madison, Bishop of Vir- ginia, who was his coeval in birth, almost to precision, the two cousins having been born respectively on the seventh and eighth of April, 1720.
4 He is called Captain Oliver, and had probably been a sea captain in tlie West In- dia trade. His will was executed in New London, December 22d, 1770, but not proved till 1790. It bequeathed all his property, whether in New London or Antigua, to his nephew, Richard Oliver, of London, appointing another nephew, Thomas Oliver, of Cambridge, his executor. This last mentioned gentleman was lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, in 1774.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
art, who sailed from Portsmouth in June, in the Essex frigate ; but the vessel being forced by tempestuous weather to go into Lisbon, he took passage in a brig to New York, from whence he came to New London, September 21st. Mr. Stewart was the last collector of his majesty's customs in this port, and continued nominally in office till the declaration of American independence. Dr. Thomas Moffatt was controller of the customs, and esteemed also as a skillful physi- cian, in which line he had some practice. Neither he nor Stewart, though both were subsequently driven from their places by the on- ward sweep of revolution, were otherwise unpopular, than as Eng- lishmen commissioned by rulers far away, and having no interest in common with the country.1
After the peace of Paris, in 1763, the trade of New London revi- ved, and prosperity returned in its train. The weekly herald of the town, "the Summary," now arose like a phoenix from its ashes, " another and yet the same." It was issued November 3d, 1763, under the auspices of Timothy Green, third of that name in New London, and bore the title of " New London Gazette."
An early number of the Gazette gives information that a British squadron had been ordered to cruise on the New England coast, and regulate the colonial trade : the Jamaica was to be stationed near Marblehead ; the Squirrel at Newport, and the Cygnet at New Lon- don. The Cygnet thus announced, arrived January 11th, 1764, and wintered in the harbor for three successive years. Her commander was Capt. Charles Leslie,? and her officers soon made themselves at home in the town, adding, however, more to the festivity than to the quiet and good order of the place. They attended parties, gave en- tertainments on ship-board, frequented the taverns, scoured the coun-
1 It has been stated that when Col. Eliphalet Dyer, of Windham, was in England, in 1769, as agent of the Susquehannah and Delaware Company, he was appointed controller of the customs for New London. This was probably a commission to supersede Dr. Moffatt. On his return, the office had become so unpopular that he resigned.
2 Gazette; Capt. Philip Durell, appears to have had the command before the ship left the coast, and to have been the officer best known to the inhabitants. He is said to have erected a flag-staff on Town Hill, where his ensign was always displayed while he was on land. At one time he made an excursion into the country to visit the Mohegans, and presented the sachem, Ben-Uncas, with a flag, which floating on Indian fort hill, could be seen from his ship at the mouth of the river.
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try as sportsmen, caught all the trout, and killed all the woodcock within ten miles of the port, and in winter spent much of their time on land, sleighing and merry-making. The attentions paid by the officers to the young females of the place, were not always agreeable to their relatives of the other sex. The more grave and religious citizens would not allow their daughters to attend parties where the brilliant Englishmen were received as guests. Romances have been written, and more might be founded on these scenes, but the moralist frowns upon this period as one in which the early decorum of society and the strict supervision of the laws, had given way to codes of less energy and purity.
One of the officers of the Cygnet married in New London,1 and in various ways this vessel became associated with the fire-side stories of the imhabitants. A number of the crew deserted, and the quiet woodlands and farm-houses were often searched for the fugitives. It was reported that six of these deserters escaped into the backwoods, and were never recovered. Another is said to have been concealed for a considerable period, or until the rigor of the search was over, in a cave, or rock-cleft of Cedar Swamp. If we may credit tradition, still another of these fugitives lived concealed for many months, and through one long severe winter, in the woods, having for his home and hiding-place, a natural chamber in the rock, something like a cavern, that is found among the cliffs on the western bank of the river, a little south of what is now called the Oneco farm-house. Fearful of being betrayed, he held no communication with any hu- man being until after the departure of the ship; sustaining himself on berries, roots, shell-fish, and what he could furtively obtain by prowling around corn-fields and fruit-trees in the night. When at length he ventured to appear in the presence of his kind, his clothes being nearly worn from his body, and his meager frame exhibiting the likeness of a walking skeleton, people fled from him in supersti- tious terror.
There is yet another deserter from the Cygnet to be mentioned.2
1 John Sullivan, purser of the Cygnet, married, February 21st, 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of Gideon Chapman. Their children, Jeremiah C., born August 27th, 1768, at Charleston, S. C., died young; Mary, born November 9th, 1772, in Philadelphia, married Enoch Parsons; Elizabeth, born December 1st, 1773, in Philadelphia, mar- ried Dr. S. H. P. Lee.
2 These traditionary tales may be true in the main points, but it is probable that they ought to be distributed among several war vessels, and not all assigned to the Cygnet. Where tradition is the leader, and there are no dates for landmarks, accu- racy can not be expected.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Capt. William Weaver, subsequently a respectable ship-master of New London, is said to have left the Cygnet, the night before she sailed for Europe.1 The weather was extremely cold, and the ship was anchored three miles from land, but he had resolved to escape from the service or perish in the attempt. After night closed in, he seized an opportunity when he was unobserved, put on a cork jacket, slipped over the side of the ship and made for the shore. He was a good swimmer, but the water was so cold that when he came near to land, and saw a skiff before him fastened to the shore, his benumbed hands refused to grasp the side. He would have perished but for one of those rare coincidences which are sometimes found interwoven with the providential arrangements of the Creator. The owner of the craft, hearing the wind breeze up rather freshly, concluded to go out before retiring for the night, and see if the fastening of his skiff was secure. While examining it he heard a splash in the water, and soon discovered a man making repeated attempts to get hold of the boat, but each time falling back without success. With instinctive humanity he plunged into the water and brought him to the shore.
In town meeting December 27th, 1768, the inhabitants exhibited a commendable zeal to eradicate two distinct evils from their bounds. They first issued an edict against barberry bushes, imposing a fine of fifteen shillings lawful money, upon "every person who finds them growing on their own lands and does not attempt to destroy them."2 Either this law was but imperfectly enforced, or the barberry per- versely resisted the attacks made upon it, for it still continues to be proverbially common in the fields and pastures of the vicinity. Its reputation, however, has brightened by time ; the blighting influence attributed to it by our ancestors is now doubted, while its delicate blossoms and bright crimson fruit have won for it a place in ornamen- tal shrubbery.
The second denunciatory vote was directed against an evil of a dif- ferent kind and less doubtfully pernicious, though it was to be visited with only an equal penalty. This was the mock celebration of Pope- day, which had been for some time annually celebrated on the 5th of
1 The Cygnet left Long Island Sound late in the autumn of 1767.
2 There was also a law of the colony against barberry bushes, allowing persons at certain seasons of the year, to destroy them, wherever they were found. These acts were founded on the prevalent notion that pollen wafted from the flower of the bar- berry, caused wheat to blast. This idea is now discarded.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
November, the anniversary of the Gunpowder plot. The edict was as follows :
" Whereas the custom that has late years prevailed in this town of carrying about the Pope, in celebration of the 5th of November, has been attended with very bad consequences, and pregnant mischief and much disorder, which therefore to prevent for the future, voted that every person or persons that shall be any way concerned in making or carrying about the same, or shall know- ingly suffer the same to be made in their possessions, shall forfeit fifteen shil- lings to the town treasury of New London, to be recovered by the selectmen of said town, for the use aforesaid."
Descriptions of this obsolete custom may still be obtained from persons whose memories reach back to a participation in the ceremo- nies. The boys of the town, apprentices, sailors, and that portion of the inhabitants which come under the denomination of the populace, were the actors. The effigies exhibited were two, one representing the pope and the other the devil; each with a head of hollow pump- kin, cut to represent a frightful visage, with a candle inside to make it "grin horribly a ghastly smile," and the only difference between the two, consisting in a paper crown upon the head of the pope, and a monstrous pair of horns to designate the other personage. These were fixed upon a platform, and lifted high on the shoulders of a set of bearers, who in the dusk of evening, with boisterous shouts and out- cries, marched in procession through the principal streets, stopping at every considerable house to levy pennies and six-pences, or cakes and comfits, upon the occupants. When arrived opposite a door, where they expected largesses, the cavalcade halted, the shouts ceased, and a small bell was rung, while some one of the party mounted the door-step, and sung or recited the customary doggerels, of which the refrain was,
" Guy Fawkes and the 5th of November, The Pope and the Gun-powder plot, Shall never be forgot."
At the conclusion of the orgies, the two images were thrown into a bonfire and consumed, while the throng danced around with tumult- uous shouts.
The ban of authority issued as above related, in December, 1768, against this celebration, had no effect. In defiance of the law, Guy Fawkes and the Pope made their annual procession through the streets, until after the destruction of the town by the British, saving only two or three years in which it was interrupted or greatly modi-
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fied, through an unwillingness to give offence to our French allies, who were loyal subjects of the Pope. Washington, in one of his general orders, prohibited the army from making their usual demon- strations on this day, out of respect to the generous power that had come to our aid in the great contest, and the New London boys were too magnanimous in their patriotism not to follow such an example.
After the Revolution, Pope-day or rather Pope-night, revived in all its details, and the restrictive acts of the town being entirely dis- regarded, Messrs. Shaw and Miller, and other magistrates, deter- mined to try what could be done by indirect measures. Judging that the most effectual method of destroying a custom so ancient and deep- rooted, would be to supersede it with a new one, which not being so firmly established in usage, might be assailed at any time, they sug- gested to the populace the substitution of Arnold for the Pope, and the 6th of September for the 5th of November. This was eagerly adopted, and the ditty now sung at the doors, ran in this manner :
" Don't you remember, the 6th of September, When Arnold burnt the town, He took the buildings one by one, And burnt them to the ground, And burnt them to the ground.
And here you see these crooked sticks, For him to stand upon, And when we take him down from them, We'll burn him to the ground, We'll burn him to the ground.
Hark ! my little bell goes chink ! chink ! chink ! Give me some money to buy me some drink. We'll take him down and cut off his head, And then we'll say the traitor is dead, And burn him to the ground, And burn him to the ground."
After a few annual jollifications in this form, the whole custom fell into desuetude.
The commercial prosperity which visited the country after the peace of 1763, was suddenly interrupted by the Stamp Act. As public opinion in Connecticut would not allow the use of stamps, there was a temporary cessation of all kinds of business. The courts were closed, and no clearances could be given at the custom house. The repeal of that odious act caused a general rejoicing, and opened
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again the sluices of commerce. But in New London, the privilege of free trade was of short duration. Early in 1769, the revenue sloop, Liberty, was stationed, by the commissioners of customs, in the har- bor, and every sail that passed out or in, was subjected to a rigorous inspection. Nathaniel Shaw, merchant of New London, writes to one of his correspondents, May 15th, 1769, "The sloop Liberty is now stationed here, and searches every vessel in the strictest man- ner." Again, " Our cruising Pirate sailed yesterday for Newport." This vessel was kept for some time plying between Newport and New London, and overhauling every vessel that she found upon the coast. ' Before the close of the summer she was destroyed near New- port, in a burst of popular frenzy. The oppression of the laws at this time inevitably led to a laxity of commercial honor. Espionage and imposts on one side were met with secrecy and deception on the other. Goods that could not be cleared might be run, and if sugars and in- digo could not afford to pay the customs, they might be shipped as flaxseed, or landed in the silence and shade of midnight, and the duty wholly avoided.1
The West India trade was accomplished principally in single-deck- ed vessels. It was a cheap and lucrative navigation; lumber, pro- vision and horses were sent away-sugar, rum, molassess and coffee brought back. These statements will apply to other ports in New England, as well as to New London.
The departing vessels carried horses and oxen on deck ; staves, boards, shingles and hoops in the hold, and occasionally, but not always, fish, beef, pork and corn. The balance was generally in favour of the American merchant, which being paid in dollars, and bills of exchange furnished him with remittances for England. And this was necessary, for in that quarter the balance was against him ; the consumption of British manufactures being double the amount of exports. To Gibraltar, the Spanish ports on the Mediterranean and Barbary-flour, lumber and provender were exported, and mules taken in exchange which were carried to the West Indies and a car- go of the produce of those islands obtained .? The home market
1 " Matters of this kind are daily practised in New York and Boston, for in short, brown sugars will not bear to pay duty on." Shaw's Letter Book, (MS.)
2 Capt. Gabriel Sistera, or Sistare, of Barcelona, Old Spain, was engaged in this line of trade. He came to this country in 1771, bringing his son Gabriel with him, and fixed his residence in New London.
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being thus overburdened with the island products, a vent was sought in England. Nathaniel Shaw, Jun., then the most distinguished mer- chant in New London, entered with spirit into this circle of trade. In May, 1772, he sent the sloop Dove, to Great Britain, with brown sugar, molasses, coffee, and one bag of cotton wool. These were articles, of which more than enough for home consumption was ob- tained from the West Indies. In the letter to his correspondents, " Messrs. Lane, Son, and Frazier, merchants in London," respecting this consignment, he says in substance :
" Our trade to the foreign islands, (French and Dutch) has of late increased so much that those articles are not in demand here, which is the occasion of . my shipping to your market, and in case it turns to advantage we shall send three or four vessels annually. Send me by return, sheathing, nails, Russia duck, hemp; a large scale beam for weighing hhd. sugar; a good silver watch ; a good spy-glass ; two dozen white knit thread hose ; a piece of kersey and four yards of scarlet cloth, 18s. per yard. I imagine it will be difficult to get a freight back to America in a single deck vessel, and if that should be the case, send a load of salt."
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