USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 8
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The town having had their claim to the lands lying east of Mys- tic River confirmed by the General Court, made their first grant on that side, November 15th, 1651, to Capt. Mason. At the session of the Court in September, a grant had been made to the gallant cap- tain-as a bounty out of the conquered territory-of an island in Mystic Bay (called by the Indians Chippachaug, but since known as Mason's Island) and one hundred acres of land on the adjoining main-land. To this the town added their gratuity, joining another hundred acres to the former grant; and at a subsequent period they extended his boundary still further to the eastward. The main-land portion of this noble farm was washed by the salt water on three sides, forming a neck; and on the north-west was a small brook, called by the Indians pequot-sepos, afterward a well known boundary between Mason and Denison land.
1 Thompson's Hist. Long Island, p. 189. Col. Rec., app., p. 573. Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d series, vol. 10, p. 183.
2 The older clerks were by no means consistent in their spelling. Mr. Bruen writes Cheesebrooke in one passage and Cheesbrough in another. He often made the mis- take of writing Blatchfield for Blatchford. John Leighton may have been the same as John Lawton, afterward of Westerly.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Capt. Mason was at that time intent on obtaining the removal of the clan of Indians that had settled under the rule of Cassasinamon on the border of Mystic Bay, opposite his island. At the same date with his first grant from the town, a preamble and resolutions are sketched in the moderator's note-book, with interlineations in Capt. Mason's hand, portending a speedy change of habitation to this for- lorn remnant of the Pequot race, who are here called Nemeaks. The townsmen declare that they have special use for the land and the Indians must be removed ; "the worshipful Capt. Mason" enga- ges to effect their removal and to place them with Uncas, where they shall have land of their own "as long as Uncas doth hold his inter- est there and they demean themselves in a quiet and peaceable manner." This proposition, if brought before the town, was not. carried : the Indians were not removed from Naiwayonk till sixteen years later. An agreement, however, was made with the Indians, obliging them to keep their planting grounds well fenced, and that they should bear all damages made by cattle of the English on their corn, as well as make good all damage by their cattle on the corn of the English. . This was signed by their chief, in behalf of his com- pany, on the moderator's book, Nov. 18th, 1651.
Casesynamon
his mark.
Witnesses.
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Major 2616
John
hallopo
" Nov. 27, 1651.
" It is ordered that no man shall transport pipe-staves, bolts, clap-boards or shingles from this side of the river without leave of the townsmen upon pen- alty of 5s. the hundred." .
" Feb. 21, 1651-2.
"None shall fell any trees upon the Common within 10 pole of any man's fence, or about the common field fence next unto the Commons."
These regulations display a prudent forethought rather uncommon in the first settlers of a well forested country. The first has a bear-
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
ing upon the wanton havoc of timber, and the other on the preser- vation of trees for shade around the borders of the highways and fields. The fathers of the town were solicitous, from the first, to prevent an indiscriminate waste of the wood-lands. Ordinances to preserve the timber upon the commons, and all trees that were de- sirable to be left for shade in the streets and highways, and also in the broader commons, may be traced downward into the next cen- tury. The townsmen were directed to mark all such trees with marking irons with the letter S, and a fine was imposed for cutting them down. In their eagerness to clear the country and open to themselves a broader scope of the sun and stars, they were not un- mindful of beauty, propriety and the claims of posterity-arguments which have had less weight with some succeeding generations.
" Dec. 6.
" Mr. Winthrop hath a small island given him': one of the outermost of Mistick's islands yt lyes next his own island, yt upon which he puts his ram goates, now named Ram-Goat island."1
Several of the larger farmers, at this period, made an attempt to keep goats. On the east side of the river were several large herds containing from twenty to fifty goats. A by-law was made for their regulation :
" May 28, 1651.
" It is ordered that all dammage done by goates is to be vewed by three in- different men, and as they shall judge the real dammage, double dammage is to be allowed."
Mr. Winthrop was probably the only one who persevered in rais- ing goats. At a time when the Narragansett Indians were con- sidered turbulent, (November, 1654,) a report was current "that they had killed two hundred of Mr. Winthrop's goats."2
The Mystic islands, with the exception of Chippachaug or Mason's Island, were small and of slight value, and yet were early solicited from the town as grants.
" Dec. 15, 1651.
" Thomas Mynor hath given him at Mistick a small island lying between Chipichuock [Mason's Island] and the Indians ; at the east end of it there is a little upland full of bushes."
1 Now Bradford's Island, a favorite summer resort.
2 Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d series, vol. 10, p. 4.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The possession of this island was contested with Mr. Miner, and he surrendered the grant. It is probable that Mr. Blinman had some claim to it, and that it was the island granted to the latter, as follows-
" Feb. 5, 1653, ['4.]
" Mr. Blinman hath given him a small island, a woody island against Capt. Mason's island at Mistick : called by the Indian name of Ashowughcummocke. '
In May, 1655, "a small woody island near his island at Mistick" was granted to "Major Mason of Seabrook." This is probably a third grant of the same island. "Sixpenny island at the mouth of Mistick," was granted to Robert Hempstead and John Stebbins in 1652. Notwithstanding its derisive name it contained near twenty acres of marsh.
During the winter of 1651-2 the common lands upon the Great Neck, consisting of all the old ground between the town and Alewife Brook,1 were laid out and divided by lot. The lots were arranged in tiers upon the river to the brook, and then beyond, by what was called " the blackamore's river,"2 and from thence along the Sound. These were for plowing and mowing lots, and in the rear was laid out a series of woodland lots, double the size of the others and reaching from the ox-pasture near the town to Robin Hood's Bay. If this were not sufficient, the measurers were to go forward toward the north of Uhuhiock' River, until all had their lots laid out. These difficult divisions appear to have been managed with skill and fairness. It is interesting to note the care and precision with which the townsmen form the plan and give the directions to the surveyors. The one who had the first lot-that is, the lot nearest home-in the mowing land, was to have the last in the wood-land : and the portions of the common fencing were arranged in the same order. Care was taken that all should have equal portions of old and new ground, and it was a general rule that allowance should be made for defects. All large rocks and swamps unfit for use, were to be left unmeasured and cast into the nearest lots.
The agreements made with the cow-keepers display the same prin- ciples of prudential care and equal justice. The cattle were divided
1 This is Lower Alewife Brook, a pleasant little stream on the Great Neck.
2 A brook beyond Alewife, so called at that time on account of some Indian wig- wams remaining near it.
3 Or Uhuhioh, the aboriginal name of Jordan Brook.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
into two hierds, with each a keeper, who began his time at the 19th of April, and received the herd at certain portions of the town, go- ing forth with them at sun half an hour high and bringing them home half an hour before the sun set.
" For the Lords days he is to keep them every 4th Lords day and to give one days notice to him that hath most cattle first to keep them upon the Lords day and so whoever hath one more than an other to warn him before he that hath fewer to keep them a Lord's day and after he that hath but one cow shall keep them his day, then to begin again with him that hath most, twice warning them that have double the cattle that their neighbors have before once warning him that hath but half that his neighbor hath.
" The keeper for his paines is to have 12s. a weeke-for his pay he is to have 1 pound of butter for every cow, and the rest of his pay in wompum or In- diane Corne, at 2s. 6d. p. bushell in the moneth of October."
The waste marsh generally overflowed, was given to a company of undertakers, viz., Mr. Denison, Hugh Caulkins, John Elderkin and Andrew Lester, who undertook to drain it, and were to have all the land " now under water forever." It was added :
" The undertakers have liberty to make a weare. They are to leave it open two nights every week for the coming up of the alewives. The town to have freedom to take what they please at the usual place or to buy them at the weare at 20 alewives for a penny for their eating."
The salt marshes were esteemed as the first class of lands by the planters. Those near the harbor's mouth were known by the Indian name of Quaganapoxet and were mostly granted to the settlers from Gloucester, as a kind of bonus to induce them to remove, and as furnishing a ready-made food for the cattle they brought with them. They are often referred to as "the marshes given to Cape Ann men."
March 17th, 1651-2.
Among the subjects minuted to be brought before the townsmen, is the following :
" Mudge's will :- his house and house lot : Thomas Mynor puts in for a debt of 20sh." [.i e., due to him from estate of Mudge.]
The decease of Jarvis Mudge probably occurred two or three days before this date. It is the first death in the plantation to which any allusion is made on records now extant. Thomas Doxey died about the same time, but whether at home or abroad is not known, as no contemporaneous reference is made to the event. He had a grant of land recorded to him, Dec. 2d, 1651, and his wife is called " widow Kathren Doxey" on the 9th of April, 1652. Jarvis Mudge
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
was undoubtedly interred in the old burial-ground, as it lay contigu- ous to his house lot and had not then been inclosed. It is probable that these were the first relics left to molder in that venerable place. The families of these two deceased individuals soon removed to other parts of the country, leaving none of either name in New London. Wills and inventories were at that time engrossed upon the town book, and sent to the Assistants' Court at Hartford for probate ; but no papers relative to the estate of either Mudge or Doxey are extant, except the following item.
" June 18, 1653. The Court at Hartford give liberty to the townsmen of Pe- quot to dispose of the lot of the widow Mudge towards the paying of the debts, and the bettering of the children's portions."1
The first registered death was that of a child born in the town.
" Ann daughter of Thomas and Grace Minor born 28 April 1649 : died 13 August 1652."
A blacksmith is an important personage in a new settlement. Richard Post and others of the first comers were of this profession, but they had left the place, and an invitation was extended to John Prentis, of Roxbury, to become an inhabitant and wield the hammer for the public benefit. The town of Hadley had made a similar pro- posal to him,2 but he came to Pequot on a visit of inquiry, and en- tered into a contract with Mr. Winthrop and the townsmen, who, be- ing authorized by the town, engaged, if he would remove, to build him a house and shop, pay the expense of his transportation, and provide him with half a ton of iron, also "twenty or thirty pound of steele," to be ready by the middle of May. These articles were signed Feb. 28th, 1651-2, and at the same date he received the usual accommodations of a planter, house lot, upland and meadow. The house lot of two acres was in an eligible and central position, at the corner of the present State and Bank Streets.3
About the same period a house lot near the mill brook was laid out to Lieutenant Samuel Smith, from Wethersfield, a person whose respectable standing as an officer and capacity for business made him a welcome inhabitant. He was subsequently chosen "the towne's leivetenant."
1 New London Town Book.
2 Sylvester Judd, Esq., of Northampton, (MS.)
3 The Prentis lot with two houses upon it, one of them altered from the shop, was purchased in Feb., 1658 by Joshua Raymond. A part of it was owned by the Ray- monds for 150 years.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" May 20.
" Water [Walter] Harries of Dorchester desires a house lot beyond the plot of land by John Coites. Granted."
This house lot was at the south end of the town, toward Green Harbor. Additions were subsequently made to it from the ox pasture on the opposite side of the way, and a quantity of "hideous rocks" near by were thrown in unmeasured.
" Aug. 29. .
" John Stoder [Stoddard] hath a house lot given him at Foxen's hill,-6 acres, highwaies to be allowed to common land and to fetch stones."
The transportation of stones alluded to in this grant refers to a ledge of granite on the bank of the river, a mile from town, where stones for building were quarried. "A highway to the Quarry" was reserved in grants near it. Winthrop's house and some others were built of stone, probably from this ledge.1
Other grantees and new inhabitants of 1652.
Thomas Griffin, afterward of Pawkatuck.
William Rogers, from Boston. Nehemiah Smith, sometime of New Haven.
Richard Smith, from Martin's Vineyard. He bought the Mudge house lot, but after a few years removed to Wethersfield.
Nathaniel Tappin : grants forfeited.
The charge of the town-clerk for his services during the year 1652, was as follows :
" O. B. for writing and recording for the Towne, orders, agreements, peti- tions, letters, Court grants, rates, gathering and perfecting rates, writing before, at, and after town meeting, covenants of cow-keeper and smith, £6."
In 1652 a general apprehension existed throughout the country that the Indians were preparing for hostilities. The Narragansetts were especially regarded with suspicion, and preparations were made in the frontier towns to guard against surprise. At Pequot the town orders were peremptory for arming individuals and keeping a vigilant eye upon the natives. Watchmen were kept on the look-out, both night and day. A fresh supply of ammunition was procured and the following directions published :
1 The houses of James Rogers and Edward Stallion, both built before 1660, were of stone. Stallion's was on the Town Street: afterward Edgecombe property.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON
"* July 8, 1652.
" forfeiture of false raising of an alarum 10l.
" forfeiture of not coming when an alarum is raised 5l.
" forfeiture of not coming to there pticular squadron 5l.
" It is agreed yt it shall be a just alarum when 3 gunnes are distinctly shot of, and the drum striking up an alarum.
" If the watchmen here a gunn in the night, they well considering where the gunn was firing if they conceive to be in the Towne may raise an alarum.
" for the seting of a gunn for a wolfe they y' set a gunn for that end shall acquaint the constable where he sets it that he may acquaint the watch."
Three places in the town were fortified, the mill, the meeting-house, and the house of Hugh Caulkins, which stood at the lower end of the town, near the entrance of Cape Ann Lane. The inhabitants were divided into three squadrons, and in case of an alarm Sergeant Miner's squadron was to repair to Hugh Caulkins', Captain Denison's to the meeting-house, and Lieut. Smith's to the mill.
Severe restrictions were laid upon the trade with the Indians in the river, which was to be confined to Brewster's trading-house. No individual could go up the river and buy corn without a special license, which was only to be given in case of great scarcity. Hap- pily no alarm occurred, and all fear of an Indian war soon died away. But Mr. Brewster was allowed for several years to monop- olize the Indian trade. This granting of monopolies was perhaps the greatest error committed by the fathers of the town in their leg- islation.
" April 25, 1653.
" Captain Denison, Goodman Cheesebrooke, Mr. Brewster, and Obadiah Bruen are chosen to make a list of the male persons in town 16 years old and. upward, and a true valuation of all real and personal estate of the said persons according to order of the Court. Goodman Cheesebrooke is chosen Commis- sioner to carry the list to the Court in September next."
This was the first list of the town returned to the General Court, the inhabitants having been heretofore free from the colonial tax. The list amounted to £3,334, which ranked the town sixth in the colony : the five river towns, Hartford, Windsor, Wethersfield, Farm- ington and Saybrook, took the precedence.
The house lot grants for this year were not numerous. After 1652 there was no general resort of settlers to the plantation. Feb. 20th a house lot on Lower Mamacock, with other accommodations, was pledged to a Mr. Phillips in case he come. This was perhaps the. same lot that had been given to John Elderkin and surrendered by him. Mr. Phillips never came, and the next December the lot 8
86
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
was given to John Picket and Thomas Hungerford for fire-wood. This is worthy of notice, as showing that the rugged promontory, now almost denuded of trees, smoothed down, and crowned with a noble fortress, could then boast of verdant boughs and forest walks.
August 9th, house lots were granted to "Amos Richardson's brother the millwright"-afterward called his brother-in-law-and to "Nehemiah Smith's brother," without naming them. The former subsequently had a grant of a large farm east of the river under the same vague denomination : he has not been identified. The latter was John Smith, who had been for some time resident in Boston, and came to Pequot with wife and one daughter. At the same time a grant was made to "Goodman White, shoemaker, of Dorchester," of whom there is no subsequent notice. November 20th, grants were made to Edward Culver of a farm at Mystic and a house lot in town.
" Dec. 5. Goodman Harries for his son Gabriell hath given him sixe ackers . of upland for an house lot ioyning next to his father's."
This was doubtless a preparatory step to the marriage of Gabriel Harris and Elizabeth Abbot, which took place at Guilford, March 3d, 1653-4. Tradition adds to the simple record of the marriage many romantic incidents. It is said that a vessel with emigrants from England, bound to New Haven, put in to Pequot Harbor for a shelter in foul weather and anchored near the lonely dwelling of the Harris family, which stood upon the river side. Gabriel went off in his fishing boat and invited the emigrants to his father's house. The whole party accordingly landed, and a great part of the night was spent in feasting and hilarity. One of the emigrants was a young female, to whom Gabriel was so assiduous and successful in his attentions, that when the company returned to the vessel they were betrothed lovers. Some, indeed, relate that a clergyman or magistrate was present, and the young couple were actually married that night. But the tradition that harmonizes best with fact is, that the emigrants went on their way, and the young man shortly after- ward new painted and rigged his father's pinnace and following the wake of the vessel through the Sound, came back merrily, bringing a bride and her household gear.1
Bream Cove was at this time a noted landing-place. The decked boats and pinnaces used in that day ran nearly up to the head, and on the west side were several shore rocks, where it was convenient
1 The record of this marriage was communicated by Ralph D. Smith, Esq., of Guil- ford. Elizabeth Abbot was probably a daughter of Robert Abbot, of Branford.
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
to land. The house lots of Robert Hempstead and James Bemas reached to the cove, with the highway (now Coit Street) separating them into two divisions. In December, 1653, the remainder of the land on the east side of the cove, was divided equally between three other B's, Beckwith, Bruen and Blatchford. About the same time, also, Mr. Blinman removed to the lower part of the town and had his house lot on the west side of the same cove, where it is supposed that he dwelt until he left the place.' His house stood near where the old bridge crossed the cove.
" Dec. 19. Mrs. Lake hath given her in the woods west from the town at a plaine, by a pond called Plaine lake, 300 acres of upland with the meado by the pond and the pond."
The beautiful sheet of water here called Plain Lake has since been called Lake's Lake, or Lake's Pond, and is now included in Chesterfield society, Montville. The farm laid out to Mrs. Lake, nominally three hundred acres, being measured with the generous amplitude so common in that day, was twice the size of the literal grant. It was of a seven-cornered figure, inclosing the beautiful oval lake. Within the area were hill-sides and glens, wood-lands and swamps almost impenetrable. This estate was bequeathed by Mrs. Lake to the children of her daughter Gallop, by whom it was sold to the Prentis brothers, sons of John Prentis.
The new inhabitants of 1654 were John Lockwood, William Roberts, William Collins, Sergeant Richard Hartley and Peter Bradley. Hartley appears to have come from England with a stock of English goods, which he opened in a shop on Mill Cove. Peter Bradley was a seaman, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Jon- athan Brewster, and bought the house lot of John Gallop. John Chynnery, of Watertown,2 at the same period bought Capt. Denison's homestead, the latter having previously removed to Mystic.
April 9th. The order was reenacted enforcing attendance upon town meeting and a fine of one shilling imposed upon absentees when lawfully warned.
" The aforesaid fyne also they shall pay if they come not within halfe an howre after the beating of the drum and stay the whole day or untill they be dismissed by a publick voate."
1 This swarm of B's appears to have been unconsciously gathered around the cove. Peter Harris afterward built on the spot occupied by Mr. Blinman.
2 Perhaps this was the John Chenary, who was one of sixteen men, slain by the Indians Sept. 4th, 1675, at Squakeag. Coffin's Newbury, p. 389.
-
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
The order for a town meeting was given by the townsmen to the constable, who gave notice to the warner and drummer. The warn- er left a summons at every house : the drum began to beat half an hour before the time for business, and if a constable, two townsmen and fifteen inhabitants appeared, it was a legal meeting.
"June 2. Goodman Harries is chosen by the Towne ordinary keeper.
" June 20. "Capt. Denison is chosen Commissioner and to him is chosen Mr. Brewster Mr. Stanton and Hugh Calkin to make a list of the state of the towne and the inhabitants and to make the Country rate of Twenty pounds."
August 28th. The former law granting a tax of sixpence from every family for the killing of a wolf, was repealed, and a bounty of twenty shillings substituted.
" The Towne having nominated and chosen Goodman Cheesebrooke, Oba- diah Bruen and Hugh Calkin whom to present to the Court desire that they may have power together with Mr. Winthrop and Captin Denison or any three of them for the ending of small causes in the town."
This petition was not granted and the inhabitants were obliged for some time longer to carry their law cases to Hartford for adjudication.
" Nov. 6.
" John Elderkin was chosen Ordinary Keeper.
" An order from the Court forbidding the sale of strong liquors by any but persons lycensed by the Court was published.
" Widdo Harris was granted by voat also to keep an ordinary if she will."
Walter Harris died the day this vote was taken, and Elderkin was chosen as his successor, who was confirmed in his office and licensed by the General Court. At the northern extremity of the town, on Foxen's Hill, another inn was established about this period, by Humphrey Clay and his wife Katherine. How far it was sanc- tioned by the town we can not learn, as the note-books of Mr. Bruen from the early part of 1655, to September, 1661, are lost and the regular town book is scanty in its record. The inn of Mr. Clay continued to be a place of notoriety until 1664, when it was broken up and its landlord banished from the place for breaches of law and order.
" At a General Town meeting Sept. 1, 1656.
"George Tongue is chosen to keep an ordinary in the town of Pequot for the space of 5 years, who is to allow all inhabitants that live abroad the same privilege that strangers have, and all other inhabitants the like privilege ex- cepting lodging. He is also to keep good order and sufficient accommodation according to Court Order being not to lay it down under 6 months warning, unto which I hereunto set my hand
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