USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 164
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Sunday-school teachers, ten; scholars, seventy-five. There is a memorial chapel connected with this parish, located at Wequetequoc, but not now in use.
Greenmanville Seventh-Day Baptist Church .- This church was organized in 1850, consisting of about forty members. Their meeting-house was erected in 1851. The Rev. Sherman S. Griswold was the first regular pastor, and held the position for about fifteen years. During his pastorate he became interested in our common schools, and held the position of school visitor for several years, laboring very successfully for the promotion of public education.
The present pastor, Rev. O. D. Sherman, has labored very successfully among the people of his charge, and stands deservedly high in his profession.
The temporal affairs of the church are held and managed by a board of trustees, consisting of David Langworthy, Warren Lewis, and William B. Haynes. Membership, thirty-eight; Sunday-school scholars, thirty.
Mystic Bridge Congregational Church .- This church was organized by thirty-seven seceding mem- bers from the First Congregational Church of Ston- ington, with five persons from other churches, on the 30th day of January, 1852, under the approval of a committee of the Consociation of Congregational Ministers and Churches of New London County, con- sisting of Rev. Messrs. A. McEwen, D.D., Moderator, Timothy Tuttle, Jared R. Avery, William Clift, and Myron N. Morris, clerk.
For the first year the pulpit was supplied by several ministers of the gospel. A call to settle was first extended to the Rev. D. R. Austin, which was de- clined. An invitation was then extended to the Rev. Walter R. Long to become the pastor of the church, which he accepted, and was duly installed Sept. 15, 1853. He continued with the church for about ten years, preaching very acceptably to the people of his charge. He was dismissed by a ministerial council March 29, 1863. He was succeeded by the Rev. Charles H. Boyd, who was settled as the second pas- tor of the church in May, 1869, and continued to labor with the church and people until May 6, 1865, when, on account of failing health, he was obliged to resign. He was formally dismissed by mutual council in January, 1866, and died soon after.
Mr. Boyd was succeeded by several divines, both as acting and settled pastors, down to the present time, when the Rev. Charles O. Oliphant has become the acting pastor of the church, preaching to great accep- tance. The membership is one hundred and forty- eight. Sunday-school officers, four; teachers, seven- teen; scholars, eighty-nine. The deacons are Nathan Noyes, Hiram C. Holmes, Henry K. Sparks, and George O. Hopkins. The corner-stone of the present church edifice was laid with appropriate ceremonies on Thanksgiving-day, Nov. 24, 1859, and went on to completion and dedication. It was enlarged in 1869, by the addition of about fourteen feet to its length. Society committee, Benjamin L. Holmes, Edwin B. Noyes, and Charles M. Gallup.
St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church at Paw- catuck .- Some thirty-eight or forty years ago Father James Felton, of Boston, Mass., came to Pawcatuck to celebrate mass and preach for the benefit of the Catholics then residing at Pawcatuck and Westerly. There being no church edifice of that order then at Pawcatuck, he held and conducted his services in the open air. The trustees of the Union meeting-house tendered him the use of that building for religious services as he might have occasion to use it. He con- tinued his ministrations for about five years, and was succeeded by Father Daley for one year, who was fol- lowed by Father Duffy, under whose regime the Roman
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
Catholic church at Stonington Borough was erected, and dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly in the year 1851, who afterwards perished at sea in the ill-fated " Pacific." Father Duffy remained pastor for two years, and was succeeded by Father Thomas Dray, who remained for six years, who in turn has been succeeded by sev- eral priests, whose ministrations have been accept- able to the people of their charge.
The pastorate of Father Lynch, the present incum- bent, has thus far been very successful. In his pa- rochial school there are one hundred and fifty children, in. the Sunday-school about four hundred and fifty, and the total Catholic population two thousand two hundred.
Trustees, Right Rev. Bishop McMahon, D.D., Very Rev. Thomas Walsh, V.G., Rev. T. L. Lynch, Laughlin Harty, and Thomas Bennett.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Stonington Borough .- This church was formed in 1851, and its edifice was erected the same year by subscriptions from the Catholices of Stonington, Westerly, and the Mys- tics, under the supervision of Rev. P. Duffy, who was its first pastor. At present it is joined to Mystic as an out-mission, and attended by Rev. J. B. A. Dough- erty. Trustees, Right Rev. Bishop McMahon, D.D., Very Rev. Thomas Walsh, V.G., Rev. J. B. A. Dougherty, pastor, Daniel Gilmore, and Jeremiah Sullivan. Membership, six hundred and thirty ; Sunday-school scholars, one hundred and ten.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Mystic Bridge .- The church was purchased from the Meth- odist Episcopal Society, and dedicated 1870. Rev. P. P. Lalor, first pastor ; present pastor, Rev. J. B. A. Dougherty. Trustees, Right Rev. Bishop McMahon, D.D., Very Rev. Thomas Walsh, V.G., Rev. J. B. A. Dougherty, Anthony Ryan, Dennis Craddock. Mem- bership, five hundred and thirty; Sunday-school scholars, one hundred and sixteen.
The pastorate of the Rev. J. B. A. Dougherty (who has the care of both of these churches) has but just commenced, and bids fair to be successful.
The Advent Christian Association was organ- ized in Stonington Borough, Sept. 1, 1874, by Capt. George S. Brewster, William H. Smith, William F. Tannar, and Benjamin C. Brown, who commenced religious services at the dwelling-houses of the asso- ciated brethren until they secured the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, where they now worship. The organization of this association was brought about by a few conscientious devoted men, whose efforts have been blessed until their members have increased beyond their expectations. Like all of the primitive churches of New England, they started with a fixed purpose, disregarding all opposing forces, and with unshaken faith trusted in Him who doeth all things well. They have no settled pastor, but enjoy a stated supply from neighboring churches. The church is greatly indebted to Capt. George S. Brewster for his unselfish devotion to its interests.
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
STONINGTON-(Continued).
Manufactures-Ship-building-Commerce, etc.
Mills and Manufacturing .- The first mill for any purpose erected in the town of Stonington ivas built in 1662, under the following stipulations, viz. :
" Articles of Agreement between us whose names are here under- written as followeth this 10th day of December, 1661. We Thomas Stanton senior, Samuel Chesebrough, Nath1 Chesebrough, Elihu Palmer, Nehemiah Palmer, Elisha Chesebrough, Thomas Miner, Sen., & Clement Miner, do bind ourselves each to the other in a bond of twenty pounds to build a grist mill at the We-que-te-quock upon the river that runs by Goodman Chesebrough's between this and Michaelmas next, each man to be at equal charges, either in good pay or work, & each man to have equal shares in the Mill & benefits thereof, when it is built, and no man to sell his share to any other person, if any of those will give as much for it as another will ; & hereto we set our hands interchangably this 10th of December, 1661.
" THOMAS STANTON, NEH. PALMER,
" SAMUEL, CHIESEBROUGH, ELISHA CHESEBROUGH,
" NATHL. CHESEBROUGH, CLEMENT MINER, THOMAS MINER."
" ELIHU PALMER,
This agreement was followed by another between the proprietors of the land to be used in building and flowing, viz. :
" We William Chesebrough & Elihu Palmer, do hereby engage for ourselves & our relations, that whatever land is taken up for the Dam of the Mill before mentioned, or for any trench work, or that the water in draining overflows or for the setting of the Mill & Mill house shall go free withont cost or pay to the undertakers of ye work as witness our hands this 10th day of Dec. 1661 & this land is to remain to the mill & undertakers as long as the mill continues in use; if it be defective and not sold, to return to the above mentioned William Chesebrough & Elihu Palmer, as witness our hands.
" WILLIAM CHESEBROUGHT,
" ELIHU PALMER.
" Witness : THOMAS MINER."
This mill has been kept up and in operation ever since, and is now the property of Mr. John F. Chese- brough.
Farther up stream Mr. Chauncey Johnson, a few years ago, built another grist-mill, on lands purchased of Capt. Charles P. Williams.
The second grist-mill was on the Pawcatuck River, and was built before 1666.
During the early settlement of the town the wives and daughters of the planters spun and wove all of their linen and woolen cloth, and at first and along dressed the woolen goods by hand fulling-mills, color- ing the same to suit their fancy in the old-fashioned dye-tubs. The first movement to establish fulling- mills in town for the dressing of woolen cloth came up for consideration in town-meeting in 1624, when favor- able action was taken upon a letter addressed to the towns of New London, Norwich, and Stonington by Roger Playsted, of Rhode Island, which, with the answer of the town, is as follows, viz. :
"This may certify, the towns or the inhabitants of the township of New London, Stonington and Norwich that in answer to ye request of John Lamb, concerning building of a fulling mill at or about the head of the River, for ye milling of the cloth that shall be raised in those towns. Now if those towns shall please to engage certainly that they will bring all the cloth they shall have occasion to have milled to this
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mill mentioned, without suffering others to be built within those town- ships, or sending their cloth unto other places, se long as this mill can answer, or in case this cannot, that one may be erected in some other convenient place allowed and freely granted with what accommodation is requisite fer the carrying along of such a design by any of the afore- said towns from time to time and at all times need shall require.
"Now this may certainly inform you that if God shall spare my life and afford me strength to go on with this design, that I will build a sub- stantial fulling mill with fixtures to dry your cloth which shall be under one yard and half in breadth, unto what size of thickness yourselves shall direct, you paying me for doing, three pence for each yard, so milled and dried, in money or pay equivalent, brought home to the said mill er some other convenient place not withholding my pay above six months after the work is done, and it be concluded on in some short time, I doubt not but in eighteen months after the mill may be finished and ready to go, and if after this is done, any shall desire to have their cloth sheared and dried, I shall join my son to that work provided those that have it so dene shall pay what in reason such work is worth, and to conclude if what above said be granted, I to the performance of what is written have subscribed my hand this 18th of June 1674.
" ROGER PLAYSTED.
"Stenington"
"Stenington answer to Mr. Playsted's petition, that they are freely willing that Mr. Playsted should go on about erecting a fulling mill in these parts and to manifest their liking of the petitions made by the said Playsted unto them and their acceptance of the same; this was agreed upon and manifested by a vote at a public town meeting and ordered to be recorded by the selectmen, &c.
" December 29, 1674."
The towns of New London and Norwich did not accept of his proposition, so the whole matter failed.
John Shaw built the first fulling-mill in town on Stony Brook, west of the present residence of Latham H. Miner, and on land owned by him. The date of its erection is not certainly known. The location of the dam and the margin of the pond can now be traced. It is more than a hundred years since it went out of use.
" Weave-shops" were introduced and in use as early as fulling-mills. The one manufactured the cloth and the other dressed it. The wool was carded and spun by hand ; the flax was pulled, rotted, broke, swingled, hetcheled, spun, wove, and bleached by hand. Later on these "weave-shops" became a sort of manufacturing establishment for the production of first-class goods. As early as 1760 the basement of the dwelling-house of Capt. Richard .Wheeler was used by him for a weave-shop. He was also engaged in tanning leather, using vats made of large chestnut logs, dug out and imbedded in the ground near Stony Brook. Apprentices for this trade were regularly in- dentured and served for a given time, and then set up business for themselves.
A mill for the manufacture of potash, saltpetre, and powder, before and during the Revolutionary war, stood near Stony Brook, on land now owned by Nelson H. Wheeler, owned and operated by the Shaws. During the Revolutionary war the blockade of our sea-coast by the British was so close and effect- ive that sugar and molasses became so scarce that it was wellnigh impossible to get any for use. So a sugar-mill was erected on lands of Deacon Joseph Denison and operated by horse-power, in which sweet- corn stalks were ground up and the juice pressed out and boiled down for molasses and sugar. Before the
Revolution a grist-mill was erected on Stony Brook, and known for a time as the Fellows' Mill. After- wards it became the property of Dr. William Lord, who held it until he left town, when it was purchased by the late Capt. Charles H. Smith, who erected a new dam, increasing the area of the pondage, and built a new mill below the old one, with a powerful water-fall, which made it one of the best grist-mills in the State.
After the death of Capt. Smith the property was sold to Frank Sylvia, who in turn sold it to the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad Company for a reservoir.
Mechanics and artisans are important persons in any community, more especially in a new settlement, where a large share of the capital is used in new buildings. Carpenters, masons, and blacksmiths are indispensable in a new settlement. William Chese- brough, our first planter, was a blacksmith and gun- smith, but did not follow either branch of his trade after he came here to reside. James Babcock, of Westerly, was a blacksmith, and continued the busi- ness nearly as long as he lived. John Frink was our first carpenter, and resided on Taugwonk. In 1673 there were blacksmiths in New London and Westerly, but none in Stonington. At a town-meeting in 1671, two twelve-acre lots were given to Jeremie Burch, if he would come here and do the town smithery, which, however, he declined. Whereupon the town ordered the lots given to him to be attached and restored to the town, which was done July 24, 1874. The town did not procure a blacksmith for a year or more, nor until James Dean, of Taunton, Plymouth colony, came here and entered into an arrangement with the town, which was adopted at a town-meeting as fol- lows :
" At a public town meeting Legally warned and held on February the 28th 1676.
"For encouragement of James Dean in order to his settlement in our town, Sundry inhabitants de engage themselves to pay unto the said Dean a certain sum, which, for, and in consideration the said Dean promiseth to repay all such persons in smithery work as each person shall have occasion for, and that these presents shall reciprocally be binding each to the other.
"The first, Mr Stanton Sen. promiseth five pounds, Mr Amos Richard- son & his Son Stephen five pounds, Nehemiah Palmer twenty shillings, Nathaniel Chesebrough twenty shillings. Thomas Stanton Jun. twenty shillings, Ephraim Miner twenty shillings, Joseph Miner twenty shil- lings, Goodman Reynolds and his son Themas four shillings, Thomas Bell twenty shillings, Henry Stephens twenty shillings, Edmund Fan- ning twenty shillings, Joshua Holmes twenty shillings, Ezekial Main twenty shillings, Samuel Miner twenty shillings, Adam Gallup twenty shillings, Mr James Noyes ten shillings, Goodman Searle twenty shil- lings.
. " The sum above mentioned is to be payed to James Dean at some place in Stonington where he may er shall dwell, in either perk, butter or wheat at or before the last of November next ensuing after the date hereoľ: the species mentioned are to be paid at price currant.
" The same day was granted to James Dean twenty four acres of up- land which was formerly reserved by the town for the accommodation of a smith, which grant is to him and his heirs er assigns, provided he doth the towns iron work for and during the full term of three years, but if the said Dean shall decease in our town within the term, then the said grant shall properly appertain to the heirs of the said Dean without mo- Jestation by or from the town, and this grant obligeth no further, but
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
that for the future each person payeth honestly for what work they have done."
" At a Town meeting legally warned, Sept. 6, 1677, it was voted for the smith's encouragement, Mr Richardson promiseth to cart the thatch to cover his house, and to allow him ten days work more.
" Adam Gallup, Thomas Edwards, and Thomas Fanning promiseth to cut the thatch for his house.
" Lieutenant Mason and Gershom Palmer, each of them one days work in carting.
" Mr Wheeler promiseth him two hundred of laths.
" At the same day James Dean had granted him one hundred acres of land, where he can find it upon the commons, provided it intrench not upon any fermer grant i. e: all former grants being first satisfied.
" The selectmen vide."
"At a legal town meeting held June 1st, 1682, it was passed by vote that James Deanc hath performed his condition made with the town.
"February the 26th, 1676."
The two twenty-four-acre lots, or double lots, as they were sometimes called, set apart and designed for the use of a blacksmith, were situated a little way easterly of the quarry ledge at Quiambaug.
Here Mr. James Dean erected his home and shop, and commenced business in 1676. Subsequently he received other grants of land, and became a promi- nent man in the affairs of the town. He continued to reside in Stonington until 1698, when he and sev- eral other of the planters of Stonington went up and joined the new settlement of Plainfield, Conn., and was chosen town clerk there in 1699.
His son, James Dean, Jr., remained and built what in our early days was known as the " Old Dean House," at Dean's Mills, about the year 1700, which was de- stroyed by fire in 1848. James Dean, Jr., did not confine himself to blacksmithing, but learned the business of fulling and dressing woolen cloth, and for that purpose erected a fulling-mill on Caulkins' Brook, afterwards known as Dean's Brook, about one- third of the way from the old post road down to the Dean's Mills. There he continued both branches of business until his son, John Dean, reached manhood, when he and his father built a new dam and erected another fulling-mill near his dwelling-house, where the dam now crosses the brook. After this arrange- ment was effected they devoted their time and atten- tion to cloth-dressing until 1807, when the fulling- mill was enlarged into a factory building, with a grist-mill, new machinery for cloth-dressing, wool- carding, and for the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods. These were introduced by Mr. James Dean, the son of John Dean, with whom he had been en- gaged in business from his early manhood.
Mr. James Dean continued in business until 1830, when he retired. The property was subsequently purchased by Capt. Charles H. Smith, who improved the premises by raising the dam, increasing the pond- age, and deepening the raceway, and leasing it to parties for cloth-dressing, wool-carding, and for manu- facturing purposes generally.
Samuel Gallup built a saw-mill and dam and the mill-house, now standing, about 1765. The site of this saw-mill is now overflowed by the pond of Capt. Alexander Palmer's grist-mill.
Farther up this brook and west of the residence of Uriah D. Harvey, Mr. Amos Denison built a saw- mill more than one hundred years ago, which for a while commanded a good share of business, but after his death ran down and was discontinued.
Still farther np the stream the late Samuel Wheeler erected a saw-mill in 1845, which was run success- fully for several years, and after his death became the property of his son, Samuel P. Wheeler, who kept it in use while he lived, but after his death it ran down, and has since been abandoned.
Previous to the year 1800 a grist-mill was erected on Mystic Brook, above the village of Mystic, which from its location and its water-power was considered very valuable property.
In 1814 the General Assembly of this State incor- porated the Mystic Manufacturing Company " for the purpose of manufacturing cloths and other fabrics of cotton and of wool, and of cotton and wool together ; and of brass, iron, and wood into tools, engines, and machines for mechanical use; and also of grain into flour and meal in the most advantageous manner." Capital stock not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars.
This company organized immediately and com- menced business, leasing the grist-mill property above the village, and the erection of two factories at the north end of the village, which were successfully managed and finally purchased by the late John Hyde, Esq. The south factory has been destroyed by fire. The north one is still standing, and is occa- sionally leased for manufacturing purposes.
In 1850 another Mystic Manufacturing Company was organized as a joint-stock corporation "for the manufacture of cotton or woolen goods, or both," with the late Henry Harding, Esq., as president. Capital stock, fifteen thousand dollars. The company built the factory at the south end of the village, which, with steam-power and apparatus, was transferred to A. B. Taylor in 1864, who ran it successfully for about ten years. Afterwards it became the property of the Groton Savings-Bank, who sold it to the Messrs. Rawitser & Bros.
The firm of George Greenman & Co. built a factory in 1849, at Greenmanville, which was owned by a corporate company, and at first was managed by Messrs. Crandall & Barber for seven years, since which the factory has been enlarged and run by va- rious parties down to 1873, when it was purchased by W. F. Prosser and George H. Greenman, and they, in company with George Greenman & Co., have run it to the present time. During the late Rebellion a large amount of capital was invested in an establish- ment for the manufacture of machinery, and located at Pistol Point, in the village of Mystic Bridge.
After the close of the war it was changed so as to manufacture cotton and woolen goods. After various changes as to ownership and management, it was de- stroyed by fire in 1875.
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Hitherto a planing-mill, in connection with the sash and blind business, was established at Mystic Bridge, but after various business changes and alter- ations in the establishment, and introduction of new machinery, it is now known as the Lantern Hill Silex- Works.
A windmill at Long Point was erected before the Revolutionary war, and was used for several years, but could not successfully compete with the water- power mills in town, and so was given up.
John F. Trumbull, Esq., in 1851 built a stone fac- tory in the borough of Stonington, which was first used for the manufacture of horse-shoe nails.
In 1861 "The Joslyn Firearms Company" was formed, under the joint-stock corporation laws, and leased the building for their business. The close of the war ended the demand for their goods, and the company went out of business in 1864.
The Standard Braid Company was organized in 1866, with a capital of $100,000, purchased this build- ing and went on with their business, but the great reduction in the price of their goods and heavy losses compelled them to suspend.
Nothing was done in the factory for some time, nor until the Atwood Machine Company purchased the building and commenced making machinery for the manufacture of silk goods. Under the skillful man- agement of this company their business has increased to such an extent that they have been compelled to enlarge the building, and are still unable to fill their orders. They give constant and remunerative em- ployment to about one hundred and fifty men.
A company for the manufacture of textile goods has just been organized in the borough, under the presidency and principal management of Capt. George Hubbard.
The Stonington Manufacturing Company was or- ganized in 1869, with a capital of ten thousand dol- lars, for the purpose of making household furniture ; commenced and carried on business for a short time, and then closed out its business.
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