History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 4

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317


USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 4


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187


" Maj. Mason os. Amos Richardson, for defamation, calling him a traitor, and saying that he had damnified the colony £1000. Defendant fined £100 and costs of court.


"John Lewis presented by the grand jury for absenting himself at unseasonable hours of the night, to the great grief of his parents.


"John Lewis and Sarah Chapman presented for sitting together on the Lord's day, under an apple-tree, in Goodman Chapman's orchard


" William Billings and Philip Bill fined for neglect of training.


"1672 .- Edward Palmes, clerk of the court.


" Richard Ely, in right of his wife, Elizabeth [Sefler], vs. John Cul- lick, as adm'r on estate of George Fenwick. This was an action for re- covery of a legacy left said Elizabeth by the will of Fenwick. Re- covered £915 and costs.


" John Pease complained of by the townsmen of Norwich, for living alone, for idleness, and not attending public worship; this court orders that the sald townsmen do provide that Pease be entertained into some antitable family, he paying for his board and accommodation, and that he employ himself in some lawful calling.


" A negro servant of Charles Hill presented for shooting at and wound- ing a child of Charles Haynes.


" 1673 .- John Birchwood, of Norwich, appointed clerk.


" Widow Bradley presented for a second offense, in having a child born out of wedlock, the father of both being Christopher Christophers, a married man; sentenced to pay the usual fine of £5, and also to wear on "her cap a paper whereon her offense is written, as a warning to others, or else to pay £15. Samuel Starr became her bondsman for £15.


" Ann Latimer brought suit against Alexander Pygan for shooting her horse; damages laid at 30s. Defendant fined and bound over to good behavior for presumptuous and illegal carriage in shooting Mistress Latimer's Forse.


"James Rogers, Jr., for sailing in a vessel on the Lord's day, fined 208.


" Edward Stallion for sailing his vessel from New London to Norwich on the Sabbath, 40s.


"Steven Chalker, for driving cattle on the Sabbath-day, 20s.


" Sept. 1674 .- Complaint entered against Stonington for want of con- venient highways to the meeting-house. The court ordered that there shall be four principal highways according as they shall agree among themselves to the four angles, and one also to the landing-place, to be stated by James Avery and James Morgan within two months.


"Sept. 1676 .- James Rogers, Sr., John, James, and Jonathan, his sons, presented for profanation of the Sabbath, which is the first day of the week, and said persons boldly in the presence of this court asserting that they have not, and for the future will not refrain attending to any ser- vile occasions on said day, they are fined 10s. each, and put under a bond of £10 each, or to continue in prison.


" Matthew Griswold and his dr. Elizabeth vs. John Rogers (husband of said Elizabeth), for breach of covenant and neglect of duty ; referred to the Court of Assistants.


" John Rogers ordered to appear at Hartford Court, and released from prison a few days to prepare himself to go.


"1677 .- Thomas Dunke for neglecting to teach his servant to read is fined 10s.


" Major John Winthrop vs. Major Edward Palmes, for detaining a cer- tain copper furnace and the cover to it; damages laid at £5.


" Wiliam Gibson owned working on the first day of the week ; fined 5s. "1680 .- Capt. John Nash, presiding judge.


" Thomas Dymond v8. barque ' Providence,' stranded on Fisher's Island, for salvage of goods.


" 1681 .- Unchas complains of much damage in his corn by English horses this year.


"1682 .- New London presented for not having a grammar school,


fined £10; also, for not having an English school for reading and writing, £5.


" William Gibson and William Chapell fined for fishing on the Sabbath.


" Elizabeth Way presented for not living with her husband. The court orders her to go to her husband or to be imprisoned."


Her husband resided in Saybrook, and she per- sisted in remaining with her mother at New London. She was the only daughter of John and Joanna Smith. A remonstrance of her husband against her desertion of him is on record at Saybrook. The order of court was disregarded.


"Capt. George Denison and John Wheeler fined 15s. for not attending public worship.


" 1686,-Chr. Christophers vs. Thomas Lee, for trespass on his land at Black Point. The jury find that a north line from Reynold Marvin's N. E. corner to come to the Gyant's land, takes in a part of the land plowed by Thomas Lee, by which they find said Lee a trespasser, and that he surrender to C. C. all west of said north line.


"1687 .- Mr. Joseph Hadley, of Youngers, in the government of New York, enters complaint against William Willoughby and Mary Wedge, formerly se called, yt the said woman and Willonghby are run from Yorke, and she is a runaway from her husband, Ake Peeterson, and is now at Mr. Elyes'.


" This court grants liberty unto Mr. Charles Bulkley to practise phy- sick in this county, and grants him license according to what power is in them so to do.


"Oliver Manwaring licensed to keep a house of publique entertain- ment and retail drink, 40s. per year.


"Mr. Plumbe for his license to pay £3 pr. year.


"Complaint being made to this court by John Prentice against Wil- liam Beebe for keeping company with his daughter Mercy, and endeavor- ing to gain her affections in order to a marriage, without acquainting her parents, which is contrary to law, the said Wm. Beebe is ordered to pay a fine to the County Trenaury of £5.


" At a County Court held at New London, June 4, 1689. Whereas the Governor and Company in this colony of Connecticut have reassumed the government, May the 9th last past, and an order of the General A8- sembly that all laws of this Colony formerly made according to Charter, and Courts constituted in this colony for administration of justice, as be- fore the late interruption, shall be of full force and virtue for the future, until further orders, &c.


"Sept. 1689 .- By reason of the afflicting hand of God upon us with sore and general sickness, that we are incapacitated to serve the King and Country at this time, we see cause to adjourn this Court until the first Tuesday in November next.


"1690, June .- John Prentice, Jr., master of the ship [vessel] 'New London,' action of debt against said ship for wages in navigating said ship to Europe and back.


" Nicholas Hallam brings a similar action, being assistant [mate] on board said ship.


"The court adjourned to first Tuesday in August, on account of the contagious distemper in town.


"July 3, 1690 .- Special Court called by petition of Mrs. Alice Living, to settle the estate of her husband. Major Palmes refusing to produce the will, administration was granted to Mrs. Living.


"Jonathan IIall, of Saybrook, for setting sail on the Sabbath, July 27th, fined 40s.


"1693, June .- George Denison, grandson of Capt. G. Denison, a student of Ilarvard College, prosecuted for an assault on the constable while in the execution of his duty.


"Sept .- John Chapell, Israel Richards, John Crocker, and Thomas Atwell, presented for nightwalking on the Sabbath night, Sept. 17th, and committing various misdemeanors, as pulling up bridges and fences, cutting the manes and tails of horses, and setting up logs against peo- ple's doors ; sentenced to pay 10s. each and sit two hours in the stocka."


The first Prerogative Court in the county was held at Lyme, April 13, 1699; the next at New London, August 28th. Daniel Wetherell, Esq., judge. This court henceforward relieved the County Court from the onerous burden of probate of wills and settlement of estates.


21


ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.


The justices of peace in New London in 1700 were Richard Christophers and Nehemiah Smith. The former was judge of probate in 1716.


In 1700 Lebanon was included in New London County, and in 1702, Plainfield. The other towns were New London, Norwich, Stonington, Preston, Lyme, Saybrook, and Killingworth.


" COMPLAINTS OF THE GRAND JURY TO THE COURT HOLDEN AT NEW LONDON, JUNE 4, 1700.


"New London for want of a Grammar School; also want of a Pound, and deficiency of Stocks.


"Stonington for having no Stocks according to law; also no sworn brander of horses.


" Norwich for want of a School to instruct children.


" Preston for want of Stocks, and not having a Guard on the Sabbathı and other public days."


"June 4, 1701 .- New London County was presented by the Grand Jury as deficient in her connty prison, and for not providing a county standard of weights and measures; also for great neglect in the perami- bulating of bounds betwixt town and town.


"New London and Lebanon presented for a deficiency in their town stock of ammunition."


While Maj. Mason lived there was no other magis- trate in New London County, and he generally held his courts at home ; but during several of the last years of his life he was subjects to attacks of a pain- ful disease that often disabled him from attending to public affairs. This caused some inconvenience, and led to murmurings and complaints, particularly at New London, where there was more trade and bustle, more of a populace, and a louder call for courts and pleas than in any other place in the colony. It was onerous and irritating to this stirring community to be dependent upon Norwich, the staid and somewhat frowning younger sister, for justice and arbitrament. In October, 1669, Mr. Wetherell, of New London, clerk of the County Court, in behalf of the commission- ers, petitioned the General Court for relief in this particular, and obtained an order for an assistant or magistrate to hold a court at stated times in New London.


After the death of Maj. Mason New London County had no chief magistrate or presiding judge resident within its bounds till May, 1674, when the following appointment is recorded :


" Major Edward Palmes is invested with magisterial power throughout New London County and the Narragansett country."


Maj. Palmes was of New London County, and Nor- wich, in her turn, found it irksome to go to her neighbor for award and decree. Between these sister- townships there seems to have been little similarity of taste, and no fusion of purpose and action.


The Superior Court was held in New London for the first time in September, 1711. No court-house having then been erected, the session was held in the meeting-house. Before this period the Superior Court had only sat in New Haven and Hartford. It was now made a Circuit Court, each county to have two sessions annually. Richard Christophers was one of the assistant judges, and Capt. John Prentis county sheriff.


In 1720 a petition was presented to the General Assembly by the people of Norwich praying that a share of the County Court sessions might be held in the latter place, but the petition was refused.


Another strenuous effort was made in 1734, the in- habitants petitioning the General Assembly that the Supreme Court in March, and the Superior Court in November, for New London County, might be held in Norwich. The agents for the town in this business were Capt. John Williams, Capt. Joseph Tracy, and Mr. Hezekiah Huntington. The effort proved success- ful; the petition was granted, and Norwich became a half-shire town.


The contest had been long and determined, marked in some instances with bitterness and exasperation ; but Norwich, having grown rapidly in numbers and influence, at length had her claim to a share of the courts sanctioned by equity and the public conven- ience.


In connection with this privilege the town of Nor- wich came under the obligation of furnishing conven- ient accommodations for the courts and county pris- oners. A new jail or prison-house was soon afterwards built at Norwich Town and ceded to the county, and a town-house erected under the oversight of the selectmen, the expense being defrayed by a penny tax on polls and ratable estate.


The jail stood under the shelter of the hill, upon the parsonage-lot. The town-house was at the south- west corner of the green, with a whipping-post and pillory near.


The act constituting Norwich a half-shire town the inhabitants of New London declared to be in- jurious to them " and of ill example." They remon- strated, and petitioned again and again to have it repealed, but without success. In the spring of 1739 the agents of the town were instructed to pledge the reimbursements to Norwich of what had been laid out by them in building a court-house and prison since the passage of the act, in case it should be re- scinded. The Assembly, however, refused once more to remove the courts from Norwich.


The first court-house in the county was located on the southeast corner of Meeting-House Square, in New London, fronting to the westward. It was raised April 20, 1724, was forty-eight feet in length, twenty- four feet wide, twenty feet between joists, and cost £48. The builder of this ancient structure was John Hough. The town arms and ammunition were stored in the garret, and "Solomon Coit was chosen to keep the town magazine gratis." This building was occu- pied until 1767.


After the burning of New London in 1781 the erection of a court-house was one of the first subjects that engaged the attention of the city authorities. The old one burnt by the British had stood on the parade, but objections were made to the site, and the position of the new house was finally settled by the following vote :


22


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


" April 6th, 1784, voted, that it is the opinion of this meeting that the place where the town school-house now stands, at the west end of the Broad Street [now State Street], is the fittest place of any in the city, both for use and ornament, and will best accommodate the city and the public, for the court-house to be erected on."


The County Court concurred in this opinion, and the present edifice, known as the city court-house, was immediately after erected, the position being fixed in the middle of the street, on the platform of rock at the head of State Street, with an open space on all sides. It has since been removed farther back, so as to leave the highway clear. The house was originally furnished with a gallery around the second story, which gave it a gay and dashing appearance, but the lower story was left for more than thirty years in a rough, unfinished state. Grotesquely antique in its appearance, now in its ninetieth year, it stands " the stately relic of a former age, still doing good service in this," and destined, in all probability, still to re- main for many years to come, as a reminder of the days of old, antedating every other public edifice in the city.


For some time previous to 1809 an acrimonious contest was carried on between Norwich Town and what was then known as Chelsea (now Norwich City) for the possession of the court-house and the court sessions.


Early in the year 1809 a vote was carried to cede the court-house to the county for the use of the county courts, provided it should be removed to Chelsea Plain at individual expense. The defeated party claimed that this result had been gained by sur- prise and from partisan motives. Fresh meetings were summoned, the vote was reconsidered, rescinded, and finally passed a second time. The county ac- cepted the cession, but before the deed of conveyance had been legally confirmed the storm of opposition grew so intense that it was not executed. December 18th, a second vote of cession was carried, and a new committee appointed to assign the property ; but on the 30th of the same month another town-meeting revoked all former proceedings whatever relating to the removal of the courts and the conveyance of the house to the county.


The contention was renewed at times, with alter- nate periods of brooding quiet, for a series of years. It came up again in 1826, with increased heat and determination, and at this time a strong desire was manifested in the old part of the town for a division into two communities. A petition to that effect was sent to the Legislature, praying that Norwich might be restricted to the First Society and relieved from its association with Chelsea, but it produced no re- sult.


Jan. 22, 1827, a meeting was held in the Congrega- tional church at Chelsea, at which the two proposi- tions for dividing the town and fixing upon the site for a new town and court-house were discussed with fiery vehemence. The vote for a separation was lost by a small majority, after which a conciliatory motion


was made and passed that the new court-house should be seated on or near the Central Plain. This vote was, however, so displeasing to a large party that a clamorous call for an immediate adjournment was made and carried.


The next day the freeholders reassembled at nine o'clock in the morning. It was good sleighing, and every horse and runner from the farms and/villages were put in requisition, the streets were lined with ve- hicles, and the church was thronged to its utmost ca- pacity.1 The vote respecting the site of the town and court-house was reconsidered and annulled, and a new resolution carried that the said house should be erected within the bounds of Chelsea. The vote stood 227 to 219, by far the largest number of voters that had been present at one meeting since the division into four towns in 1786.


The question with respect to the location of the courts was three times brought before the General Assembly and fully discussed, and twice tried in the Superior Courts, the decision being each time in favor of their remaining where they were. But in the ses- sion of 1833 the Assembly voted to refer the whole subject to the representatives of the county of New London. These met in the town-hall at Chelsea, September 19th, and carried the question of removal, 15 to 8. All opposition on the other side ceased from this time, and the transfer was made in peace. The struggle had continued abont twenty-seven years.


The town-house was erected in 1829, at an expense, of $9000. The upper story was fitted for a court-room, with offices attached, and in 1833 was ceded to the county for the use of the courts. The first court in this new building was in March, 1834, since which time the court sessions have been held exclusively at the Landing.


The court-house was destroyed by fire April 11, 1865. The books and records were saved.


In the early period of the town's history the jail stood upon the east side of the green, in the town-plot. In the time of the Revolutionary war it was on the west side, under the brow of the hill. Two buildings were worn out in this place, each having served about thirty years. The prison was then transferred to the southeast border of the green, near the present post- office, where it continued till the courts were removed to Chelsea.


A new prison, with an adjoining house for the keeper, was erected at Chelsea, upon the high ground overlooking the city. These were ceded to the county, but consumed by fire, after a few years' occupation, June 9, 1738.


The buildings were subsequently reconstructed on an enlarged plan. The present court-house and town hall was erected at an expense of $350,000.


1 Before the year 1830, at which time the town-house was completed, the town-meetings at the Landing were held in the Second Congrega- tional church.


23


THE PEQUOT INDIANS.


Civil List.


GOVERNORS OF CONNECTICUT FROM NEW LONDON COUNTY. John Winthrop, New London, 1657-58 and 1659-76.


Fitz-John Winthrop, New London, 1696-1707. Gurdon Saltonstall, 1707-24. Jonathan Trumbull, Lebanon, 1769-84. Matthew Griswold, Lyme, 1784-85. Samuel Huntington, Norwich, 1785-96. Jonathan Trumbull, Lebanon, 1798-1809.


Roger Griswold, Lyme, 1811-13.


William A. Buckingham, Norwich, 1858-66.


JUDICIARY.


CHIEF JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT FROM NEW LONDON COUNTY.


Gurdon Saltonstall, New London, 1711-12. Jonathan Trumbull, Lebanon, 1766-69. Matthew Griswold, Lyme, 1769-84. Samuel Huntington, Norwich, 1784-85. Richard Law,1 New London, 1785-89. Henry M. Waite, Lyme, 1854-57. John D. Park, Norwich, 1874.


MEMBERS OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS FROM NEW LONDON COUNTY. Silas Deane, Groton, 1774-76. Joseph Trumbull, Lebanon, 1774-75. Samuel Huntington,2 Norwich, 1776-84. William Williams,2 Lebanon, 1776-78 and 1783-84. Richard Law, New London, 1777-78 and 1781-84.


Benjamin Huntington, Norwich, 1780-84 and 1787-88.


William Hillhouse, New London, 1783-86.


UNITED STATES SENATORS.


Jonathan Trumbull, Lebanon, 1795-96. James Lanman, Norwich, 1819-25.


Jabez W. Iluntington, “ 1840-47.


Lafayette S. Foster,3 ' 5-67.


Wm. A. Buckingham, “ 1867-75.


MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.


Jonathan Trumbull,4 Lebanon, 1789-95. Benjamin Huntington, Norwich, 1789-91. Amasa Learned, New London, 1791-95.


Joshua Coit, = 1793-98.


Roger Griswold, Lyme, 1795-1805. Elias Perkins, New London, 1803-5.


Ebenezer Huntington, Norwich, 1810-11 and 1817-19.


Lyman Law, New London, 1811-17.


Noyes Barber, Groton, 1821-35. Elisha Haley, = 1835-39. Thomas W. Williams, New London, 1839-43.


John A. Rockwell, Norwich, 1845-49. Nathan Belcher, New London, 1853-55.


Augustus Brandegee, “ 1863-67. Ilenry H. Stark weather, Norwich, 1867-76.


Jolın T. Wait, = 1876 to present time.


CHAPTER III.5 THE PEQUOT INDIANS.


THE origin of the Pequot tribe of Indians must forever remain a mystery. Some writers have sup- posed that not long before this country was settled by


Europeans they were an inland tribe, who by their superior numbers and prowess fought their way to the seaside, and established their fortresses in what is now the town of Groton. Others have supposed that they belonged to the Mohegan tribe of Indians, who, under the leadership of Pequoate, the father of Sas- sacus, seceded from the Mohegans and established an independent tribe, taking the name of their sachem, and in time overwhelmed the Mohegans and held them as tributaries.


Not satisfied with their success, they sought to es- tablish their dominion over the surrounding tribes, and had so far succeeded as to extend their power and authority eastward to Wecapaug, in Westerly, R. I., where they were met and held in check by the powerful tribe of Narragansett Indians; southward they extended their sway to, and in some places be- yond, the Connecticut River, and as far north as the town of Windsor. When these events transpired cannot now be determined, or whether they ever hap- pened as here narrated is not certainly known ; but this we do know, that when Adrian Block, a Dutch navigator, explored our sea-coast in 1614, the Pequot and Mohegan Indians were located in the same places that they occupied in 1633, when our State was first settled by the English.


The Pequots were governed by a powerful sachem, whom they idolized and regarded "as all one god." Under his leadership they had become a terror to the neighboring tribes, with whom they had frequently been engaged in deadly hostilities.


The various tribes and clans tributary to the Pe- quots hailed the coming of the white man as an omen that foreshadowed their release from the tyranny of Sassacus. The Connecticut River Indians made the first effort to secure an alliance with the Massachu- setts and Plymouth colonies.


In the year 1631 an Indian sachem by the name of Wah-qui-ma-cut visited the Governors of the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies, and offered them strong inducements to come and settle in the beautiful valley of the Connecticut, and proposed that two men should be delegated to view the country and report to the Governors. Governor Winthrop declined the offer; but Governor Winslow, of Plymouth, held the matter under consideration, and soon after visited the place, and on his return home gave a glowing description of its fertility, which tempted many a Puritan to leave his sterile home at Plymouth and explore this Indian paradise from the mouth of the river far back to- wards its sources.


Meantime the shrewd and active Pequots were watching with sleepless vigilance the movements of the Plymouth people, doubtless foreseeing the danger that would result to them from a settlement of the English upon the Connecticut River, and sought to counteract and prevent it by an alliance with the Dutch; for as early as 1632 they sold lands at Say- brook to the Dutch Governor at New Amsterdam,


1 Afterwards U. S. district judge for District of Connecticut.


2 Of the above, Samuel Huntington and William Williams were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and from 1779 to 1781 Samuel Ilunt- ington was president of Congress.


3 President of the Senate from 1863 to 1867.


4 Speaker of the House from 1791 to 1793.


5 By Richard A. Wheeler.


24


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


and in June, 1633, Wa-py-quart, a Pequot sachem, sold to the West India Company, through their agent, Van Culer, a tract of meadow-land now covered by the city of Hartford, on which he immediately pro- ceeded to erect a fort, which he called the "House of Good Hope."


During the month of September, 1633, John Old- ham, with several others of the Dorchester planta- tion, visited Connecticut, and were kindly received by the native chiefs, who gave them some valuable presents of Indian hemp and beaver-skins. During this year the Plymouth people formed a trading com- pany, and sent William Holmes in October to erect a trading-house at a place previously selected on the west side of the Connecticut River, just below the mouth of the Farmington, or Tunxis River, in the present town of Windsor. Capt. Holmes reached the Connecticut River in safety, and sailed up the same, and passed the Dutch fort at Hartford in proud de- fiance, and erected the house at the place designated, and with the utmost haste surrounded it with pali- sadoes. IIe carried back to their native place Attawa- nott and several other Indian sachems, who had been driven away by the warlike Pequots, and of whom the Plymouth people purchased the land. The Dutch fort at Hartford was a harmless affair, and soon ceased to exist as such.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.