USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Norfolk > History of Norfolk, Litchfield County, Connecticut, 1744-1900 > Part 45
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"Jedediah Turner, John Turner and Samuel Turner, all settled in the west part of the town. Their descendants were numerous; among them was Rev. Nathaniel Turner, late of New Marlboro, and Bates Turner, Esq., Attorney and Judge of Superior Court of Vermont. They are all gone from here. (1857.)
Jesse Tobey located on the south side of great Bald mountain. He had a numerous family. All left here.
George Tobey located west of Bald mountain. He had a numer- ous family; some of their descendants reside in Canaan.
'The Lawrence family, came from England, and located in the region of Boston.
Samuel Lawrence married Patience Bigelow, January 24, 1734. He settled in Killingly; removed to Simsbury in 1750. He lived some years in Norfolk with Capt. Michael Mills, who married his daughter. He returned to Simsbury and died there April 10, 1793, aged 82.
Their children that located and settled in Norfolk; John, located in Loon meadow-district; his children;
Betsey, married Jonathan Munger.
Charlotte, married Roswell Pettibone, and afterward mar. Ira Mills.
Sophia, married Donna Andress.
Ann, married Ralph Mills .- John, mar. - Phelps.
Roxy, married Zenus Mills .- Samuel.
Other children of Samuel and Patience Bigelow Lawrence.
Mercy, married Michael Mills.
Susan, married Uriah Case.
Bigelow, married Asenath Curtis.
Patience, married Jacob Barber.
Sarah, married David Barber.
Zeruah, married Edward Case.
James, married Lois Fuller.
Samuel and Luther.
"Ariel, married Lucy Wilcox; located on Loon meadow road near Colebrook; their children:
Elijah, married Roxa Beach.
Ariel Jun., married Lucretia Brown.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
Grove, married Elizabeth Robbins.
Lucy, married Medad Curtiss.
Susan, married Augustus Pettibone.
Ezekiel.
Luther Lawrence settled on Loon meadow road.
David Barber, who married Sarah Lawrence, located on Loon meadow road; their children:
Humphrey, Tryphena, Daniel, Timothy.
Levi, removed to Ohio, and has since been a member of Con- gress."
"E. Grove Lawrence, born July 12th, 1806, in Vernon, Oneida County, N. Y., was son of Grove Lawrence, and grandson of Ariel Lawrence, residents of Norfolk. After the death of his father, he was adopted, at the age of four years, by Augustus Pettibone, whose wife was his father's sister, and for eighty-four years he lived in Norfolk, dying there August 30th, 1894. Graduating from Union College in 1827, the same year he married Jerusha Pettibone Stevens, daughter of Nathaniel Stevens, and in 1828 began life as a farmer on the Titus Ives farm, in the western part of Norfolk, and was still owner of that farm at his death. In 1831 he removed to Norfolk Centre, and engaged in merchandise, in company with Elizur Dowd, in the store built by E. H. Dennison, where the build- ing of Grove Yale stands. Two or three years later he in company with James C. Swift, built the building near the stone arch bridge, over the Creek stream on the North Main street road, and was en- gaged in trade there until the property was sold to J. & E. E. Ryan Co., about 1836. Lawrence & Swift then built the store now occu- pied by M. N. Clark, and traded there until the firm of Lawrence & Swift dissolved, about 1840. He afterward owned and occupied the Dennison store, until about 1852, in his own name, and in com- pany with Nathaniel B. Stevens, as Lawrence & Stevens. He operated and owned the grist mill on Buttermilk Falls for many years, where wheat, rye and buckwheat flour and millstuffs were manufactured in quantity, and marketed in all the surrounding towns. He was interested with James C. Swift for a time in oper- ating the woolen factory, afterward operated by J. & E. E. Ryan & Co. He built the iron works a short distance east from the old toll gate in 1846, and it was successfully operated for many years.
By his aid the hoe shop, now operated as part of the Ætna Silk Company's plant, was built by N. B. Stevens and Augustus P. Lawrence, under the firm name of N. B. Stevens & Co. This was operated for many years by N. B. Stevens, until merged into the Empire Company, which operated it in connection with the Axle Shop.
He was a large stockholder and promoter of the Lawrence
AARON GILBERT
J. M. COWLES
E.GROVE LAWRENCE
FRANKLIN ENG.CO Bogen
PHILO SMITH
ANSON GAYLORD
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
Machine Co., which built and operated the plant now known as the "Axle Shop" in West Norfolk, which was erected for the manufac- ture of fine wagon axles and wagon springs. He was a stockholder and interested in the disastrous enterprise known as the Norfolk Leather Co., which operated a tannery on the south bank of the Blackberry river in West Norfolk, below the Dewell scythe works.
He was one of the original stockholders in the Winsted Manu- facturing Co., one of the most successful of Winsted's manufac- turing enterprises, and was interested in other manufacturing en- terprises in Winsted and in Canaan.
He was largely interested in agriculture; owned and operated several farms in Norfolk, and in adjoining towns; dealt extensively in real estate, and erected many buildings in various parts of the town. He held various offices of trust and responsibilty; was post- master for several years; representative in the Legislature ;- twice Senator from the 17th Senatorial District, Delegate to the Whig National Convention in 1852. He was actively interested in the or- ganization of the Connecticut Western Railroad Company, and was a director of that company."
To Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence were born ten children; four sons and six daughters. The eldest son, Augustus P., died many years since, on the Pacific coast. Grove, a graduate of Yale, was an active, prominent business man of Pana, Illinois, for a long period of years, and died there in 1897. Hiram P., a lawyer, was for many years in the active practice of his profession in Winsted, where he now resides. Nathaniel S., is a farmer, 'on the Titus Ives farm, in the western part of Norfolk,' where his parents began life in 1828. Of the daughters, the youngest died in infancy. Jerusha P., (Tootie,) a noble, beautiful young lady, universally beloved and esteemed, died August 1861, at the age of nineteen years. Susan P., married Charles W. Sibley; lived in Pana, Illinois, and died in 1898. Elizabeth H., married Professor John L. Mills, a native of this town, son of Hiram Mills, a graduate of and tutor in Yale College, and for many years a Professor in Marietta College, Ohio, where they now reside. Miss Augusta P. Lawrence retains the fine old family homestead in this village. Nancy, (Nannie) married Matthew J. Ryan, son of John Ryan, a resident of this town for many years. They reside in St. Louis, Missouri.
Joshua Whitney came to Norfolk from Canaan, as one of the very first settlers of the town. He was a lawyer and practiced in the courts of the then new County of Litchfield. He was one of the original proprietors of the town, was chosen Proprietor's Clerk at their meeting in December, 1755, and held that position for several years. He built his house near if not on the very site where some years later Josiah Pettibone built a large house in which Major
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
James Shepard kept a hotel for many years, and where Samuel Canfield has lived for more than a quarter of a century. The first town meeting was held in Josiah Whitney's house, December 12, 1758, and Mr. Whitney was chosen the first Town Clerk, which position he held for a number of years, as is shown by the town records, which are in his handwriting. He seems to have been a prominent man in the community, as his name is found as one of almost every important committee for a number of years.
Mr. Whitney sold this house and lot to Mr. Jonathan Pettibone of Simsbury, who afterward sold it to his son, Giles Pettibone, who was one of the most prominent of the early settlers here.
Mr. Whitney became financialy embarrassed, sold out and left town probably as soon as 1763.
Sketches of the old inhabitants, in part, as prepared for Dr. Eldridge by James Mars, in 1857.
"Mr. Joseph Jones lived in the house now owned by Mrs. Julia Pettibone, on the east side of what is called the park. He married Abigail Seward, September 3, 1771. He was a tailor by trade, and had a family of eight children,-three sons and five daughters. His sons went west ;- three of the daughters married and went west. Keziah married a Newell of Davenport, N. Y. Laura Jones married Deacon Warren Cone, lived and died here. They had three children. The son, Mr. Joseph W. Cone, is now liv- ing here." The following is not by Dea. Mars.
About the year 1780 Mr. Joseph Jones commenced to build the house mentioned above, which is still standing and in fair condi- tion, having bought of Mr. Ebenezer Burr eight acres of land in the north-west corner of said Burr's farm, beginning at a 'mere- stone' at said N. W. corner, which is the boundary of the present parsonage property, running southerly on the east line of the green to the north end of the present cottage near the academy, and back about to the brook.
In 1793 Mr. Jones bought of Mr. Burr, "one acre, three roods and nine rods of land, beginning at the S. E. corner of said Jones's home lot."
The post office was kept in this house for a number of years. Mr. Jones was the post-master in 1816, at the time of the ordina- tion of Mr. Emerson, and died in 1832 at the age of 82. His record as a soldier in the revolutionary army is mentioned in that connection. Before he went into the army Mr. Jones had the frame of his two story house up to the rafters. Upon his return from the war he felt too poor to build a two story house, so he cut off the posts and made it one story, as it is today. Some of the later occupants, who were tall people used often to wish, as they bumped their heads in those low chambers, that Mr. Jones had
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
not cut off those posts so short. A child was born to Mrs. Jones soon after he entered the army, which he never saw till it was three years old, as he did not return home in all that time. Clarissa, daughter of Mr. Joseph Jones, married a Mr. Andrus of Davenport, N. Y. The pine clapboards and other pine timber used by Mr. Warren Cone in building his fine house in 1836, was sawed by Mr. Andrus at Davenport, N. Y .; lumber without a knot being selected, drawn over the Catskill Mountains by teams, and brought here to be used in building Mr. Cone's house.
"Mr. Asa Foot lived in the next house north, near where Mr. Pettibone Thompson lives. He was a blacksmith; his shop was where Mr. F. E. Porter's house stands.
"The next house was where Mr. James Swift, later Mr. Horace Stannard, lived. Dr. Benjamin Welch lived there, and afterwards built the house where his son, Dr. William W. Welch, lives. He had nine children. His five sons all became doctors and all settled near Norfolk. Two of his daughters married ministers; Rev. Henry Cowles and Rev. Ira Pettibone.
"Mr. Zebulun Shepard lived the next house east, south side of the road, where Franklin Bramble lived later." This old house still stands there, at the entrance to 'Knolly Brook.' Mr. Shepard was gate tender at the gate in Winsted. David Roys, a goldsmith, brother of Auren Roys, lived in this same house several years.
In the next house, which stood on the south side of the road near Charles H. Mills' barn, Mr. J. Hollister, a blacksmith, lived. His shop was east of the house. He went from here to Salisbury.
"The next house was Mr. Levi Thompson's, up on the hill, which Irad Mills owned later. Mr. Thompson was a tanner and shoe-maker. He built the house, which he sold to Ephraim Coy, where C. H. Mills lived. Mr. Thompson had two sons and two daughters, born in the old house. Sarah married Mr. Lemuel Aiken. His sons Giles and Seth spent their lives in this town.
"Captain Benjamin Bigelow lived on the Chestnut Hill road. a little distance south, where his grandson Benjamin lives. Capt. Bigelow manufactured nails; wrought nails by hand, and a few machine made cut nails later. He had two sons, Mark and Lemuel, who lived and died in this town, and a son Robert who lived in Florida, and died there."
In the war of 1812 Capt. Bigelow drilled a military company for service on a lot on Beech flats.
"Capt. Timothy Gaylord lived on the top of the hill east. He built a house which was burned just as it was completed; fire catching in some shavings when the workmen were at dinner. He rebuilt, and his son Reuben lived the larger part of his life on this place. Capt. Timothy Gaylord died at his old home in 1825, aged 90."
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
"On Pond Hill, a few rods east of the forks of the roads was the house where Mr. Hopestill Welch lived. He had nine children; most of them went to Ohio. His son, Dr. Benjamin, is mentioned elsewhere."
Hopestill Welch had three sons and ten daughters.
"Royce Gaylord, a brother of Timothy mentioned before, lived in the next house east, which he built in about 1780. He had six sons; three of them went to Pennsylvania. His son Royce lived in the house with his father and died there in 1833, aged 48. Royce Gaylord, sen., who was a soldier of the Revolution and of the French war, died in 1825, aged 87."
Timothy, son of Royce, sen., built a house on the Greenwoods turnpike and opened a tavern about 1800, and continued to keep it for about thirty-five years. He was a Free Mason, and for many years the lodge held their meetings in his house, where there was a large ball-room, as it was called. In those early days the country was a wilderness, full of wild animals. Royce Gaylord Sen. caught and killed a large panther that had killed a yearling steer of his. Sherman Cowles, when a schoolboy, often stopped to see the old people who lived in the west part of the house, and Royce Jun., in the east part. After the death of the younger man, in 1833, Sherman Cowles bought of his widow a musket that was captured in the French war, and carried in the Revolutionary war.
THE COWLES FAMILY.
The following was prepared many years ago by Mr. Peter Corbin of Colebrook and is now kindly furnished for this history by Mr. Benjamin W. Pettibone of Winchester:
"Tradition says the first Cowles came to this country in 1665. He was a merchant in London, and went to Holland for goods. On his return he found the gates shut and the 'plague' raging, and im- mediately sailed for America. The name was spelt Coles, Cowls, Cole and Cowles.
We begin at Farmington, Conn. Samuel B. married a Newell :- an Albino."
(The Albinos had pink eyes, which seemed very weak, and were almost closed and their sight seemed very defective. Their hair was white, and complexion exceedingly white. Within the past two or three generations it has been said that some of the descen- dants of this couple showed evidences of the pink, 'squinted' eye.)
"Samuel, 2d, born 1710; married a Brooks; died in New Hart- ford, 1798, aged 88. Their children were Samuel, born October, 1735; married Sybil North.
Martha, born 1741; married Thomas Curtis.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
Amasa, born Feb. 5, 1745; married Lucy North.
Eunice, born 1749; married Job Curtis.
Jerusha, born 1751; married Ebenezer North.
Mindwell, married Thomas Judd.
Adna, born 1754; married Ruth Boardman. Abigail, born 1752; married 1st, - -. 2d, Miles Riggs.
Abigail Riggs died November 14, 1833, aged 81.
Miles Riggs died September 17, 1836, aged 88.
Dea. Samuel Cowles 3d, was born in Cheshire, Conn, October 1735; married Sybil North, daughter of Ebenezer and Sybil-Curtis- North, of Farmington; she was born 1736.
Dea. Samuel Cowles died October 1815, aged 80.
Sybil, his wife, died September 1807, aged 71.
Deacon Samuel Cowles came from Cheshire to Torringford; settled in family estate, and removed to Norfolk about 1758, near the place where Warren Cone built his house.
Cowles and Curtis built the first grist mill west of the centre, near the site of the present grist mill." (This statement does not agree with the records of the proprietors of the town, nor with the early land records. T. W. C.)
"They (Cowles and Curtis), also carried on the potash business, and kept a small store of goods. He (Cowles) removed to the south end of Norfolk about 1780, and occupied the farm called the Ferry farm, a few rods south of the south end school-house. He afterwards moved to the farm called 'Chestnut hill,' about 1790; there he car- ried on potash making and kept a store of goods; and it is said he had the only store of goods kept in Norfolk until Joseph Battell commenced trading. Deacon Cowles had a grist mill at the south end in company with another man: Mr. Boardman, I think.
In October, 1803 or '04, he with his son Samuel Jr., removed to Colebrook. Their farms lay in the three towns about equal; Nor- folk, Colebrook, and Winchester,-of nearly 300 acres. Soon after he came to Colebrook, he was chosen deacon of the Congregational Church there, which office he held until his death. He lived a very exemplary life; a live, devoted Christian; in the family devo- tions very exact and uniform in the time of its exercise. His last public prayer was on the last Sabbath he attended meeting before his death, during the awakening of the fall and winter of 1815. I seem now to see him as he stood up in his earnest and fervent manner, he offered up his petition that the Holy Spirit might be poured out upon this place; that sinners might be con- verted and brought to repentance; and fully in a measure in his own family, was his prayer answered. Deacon Cowles served in the French and Indian wars. Was at the siege of Louisburg, and the taking of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. He was full of good
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
humor and cheerful; very earnest in politics; a strong Federal. At one time he accompanied the minister on a pastoral visit where the family were averse to the subject of religion. He thought they had been treated rather coldly. When they left, the deacon began to scrape his feet on the step. The minister said to him, 'Why, what are you doing?' He replied, 'taking the Scripture in- junction, that if they refuse to hear you, shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them when ye depart.' Much more might be added. Deacon Cowles used to say that his grand- father was a 'Fairier Doctor' in Cromwell's Army."
In all his intercourse with his fellow-men he was exact and just. One little incident will illustrate the mother. During the political strife in Jefferson's days much was said about Democrats and Federals. Dea. Cowles had been to Colebrook to attend Freeman's meeting. On his return home he described the appearance of the Democrats in a ludicrous manner; poorly shod, and clad with old slouching hats, etc. While in bed that night the mother with her babe dreampt she had a Democrat in bed with her, and as a good honest Federal woman she dumped the babe out on the floor, con- verting him and his descendants, doubtless, to good Republicans ever after.
An incident of one of the family connections, moving from New York State to the Sciota country, Ohio, was very painful. Com- mencing the journey, he sent forward one of his sons with a drove of cattle and sheep. He put up for the night, and was never heard from afterward, and it was supposed that he was murdered."
Mr. Joseph Rockwell came from Colebrook and settled in the east part of this town, where he spent his life, and died in 1843, aged 85. His daughter married Mr. Thomas Trumbull Cowles, also mentioned elsewhere, and they spent their lives on a farm very near where they were born. Mr. Cowles died in September, 1877, aged 73. On the same farm their son, Joseph Rockwell Cowles, still lives. Their younger son, Alva Seymour Cowles, who had been repeat- edly elected to fill nearly all the town offices, in different years, and who had represented the town also in the Legis- lature of the State, was in July, 1896, fatally injured in an accident, and his untimely death at the age of 57 was uni- versally deplored.
Mr. George Rockwell, son of Joseph Rockwell, spent most of his life in this town; married Myris Guiteau, daughter of Dr. Philo Guiteau, and died in February, 1855,.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
aged 61. Their son, Columbus Rockwell, studied law, mar- ried Margaret, daughter of Capt. Augustus Phelps, went West, and died in middle life. Philo Guiteau Rockwell, son of George Rockwell, was a physician of note; practiced for many years in Waterbury in this state, died at Aiken, S. C., February 6, 1888, and was buried at Waterbury.
Amasa Cowles, who for a time lived in the south end district in this town, about the year 1776 built the house a short distance east of the Royce Gaylord place, where he spent his life and died in 1832, aged 87. His son Amasa, Jr., lived in the house with his father, and died there in 1827, aged 56.
Mr. Cowles Sen., kept a tavern in this house until about 1820. At the time Burgoyne's army passed through this town, a portion of the army was encamped a little east of Mr. Cowles' house, and the men came into his house exhausted by their long march, and lay down upon their faces on the floor in such numbers that the women could not get around the house to do their work. When asked to get out of the way the men said, "We are so tired we can't get up, and you can walk over us, stepping on our backs," and this the women did. Mr. Cowles was a Revolutionary soldier. He was detailed once in the winter time during the war to take a load of provisions from Norfolk to the army at Johnstown, N. Y. He went with an ox-team and made the round trip in six weeks. He said once to his comrades in the army, "Do you want to see me cut off the head of that swallow sitting on the ridge of the barn?" He fired, and the head of the swallow dropped one side of the roof, and the body the other side.
Amasa Cowles, Jun., married first Sabrina Bull of Winsted. The children of this marriage were Saphronia, who married Alva Seymour and lived in Turin, N. Y., and Thomas Trumbull, who spent his life on a farm a short distance east of his birthplace. His second wife was Hannah Hosmer of South Canaan. Their children were Sherman Hosmer, William Everett and Henry Martyn.
Thomas Hosmer, the grandfather of those last mentioned, was a captain in the Revolutionary army, in a N. Y. regiment. At one time, wtih a squad of twelve men he surprised the British soldiers in a fort on Lake Erie and compelled them to surrender, although the British outnumbered the Americans by one man. Capt. Hosmer died in the old Cowles house in Norfolk, at the age of 96 years. The above incidents are given as related by Mr. Sherman Cowles, early in the year 1900, he assuring me they were given as related repeatedly in his presence by his grandparents, Amasa Cowles and Capt. Thomas Hosmer.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK.
Lieut. Samuel Pettibone lived a short distance east of the Amasa Cowles place. He lived in a log house a few years, and in about 1779 built the house where he spent the remainder of his life, where his son Amos lived a few years after his father's death, and where Mr. Thomas T. Cowles spent his life, having, when a young man, bought out Dea. Amos Pettibone. One of Samuel Pettibone's sons, Samuel Jr., lived a short distance east of his father's place, at the foot of the hill, on the south side of the road, and died there in 1813, before the death of his father, leaving sons, Lorrin and Alanson. Their place was sold to James Mars, who, after living there a few years, sold to Mr. Thomas T. Cowles. The old house is still standing, having been made into a barn. Samuel Pettibone's son, Luman, was a physician and lived in Stockholm, N. Y. His son, Philo, died in early married life. Dr. Luman Petti- bone had three sons who were ministers; Rev. Roswell, of Canton, N. Y .; Rev. Ira, who married Louisa P. Welch of this town, and Rev. Philo C. Pettibone of Burlington and Beloit, Wisconsin.
A Dr. Bidwell for a time lived a little east of Samuel Petti- bone Jun.'s. Mr. Joseph Rockwell later owned and lived in the same house, which was burned when Mr. Rockwell was an old man, having caught fire when he was burning out the chimney.
"Mr. Joseph Loomis lived near the Colebrook line; the house stood some rods west of the brook that crosses the road near the line. The barn stood on the north side of the road, nearly opposite the house."
Anson Couch moved what was called the old Avery house from near the Colebrook line, upon Mr. French's farm, where he spent his life.
An Indian named John George lived for a time in the old Avery house. He had two sons, John George and Stephen George, the latter of whom is remembered by a few still living.
Mr. Philemon Gaylord, son of Joseph and Rachel Tibbals Gay- lord, lived on the farm where his son Capt. Hiram Gaylord spent most of his life. This place has been the town farm for many years. Philemon Gaylord married Martha Curtiss. He had other sons, Lewis, Joseph, and Philemon Curtiss; the latter lived on the Greenwoods turnpike, a short distance east of the green, where his daughters Irene and Anna now reside.
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