USA > Connecticut > New London County > Norwich > History of Norwich, Connecticut: from its possession by the Indians, to the year 1866 > Part 57
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The contention was renewed at times, with alternate periods of brood- ing 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 Chel- sea, but it produced no result.
Jan. 22, 1827, a meeting was held in the Congregational church at Chelsea, at which the two propositions 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 re-assembled at nine o'clock in the morn- ing. It was good sleighing, and every horse and runner from the farms and villages were put in requisition ; the streets were lined with vehicles, and the church was thronged to its utmost capacity .* The vote respecting
* Before the year 1830, at which time the town-house was completed, the town meet- ings at the Landing were held in the Second Congregational Church.
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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 num- ber of voters that had been present at one meeting since the division into four towns in 1786.
At the electors' meeting in April following, the sectional spirit rose, if possible, to a still higher point. The Chelsea candidates were finally chosen : the first by a majority of only one vote, between 11 and 12 o'clock at night, after thirteen ballotings !
These proceedings show that Chelsea society had now gained the ascend- ancy over the older part of the town. The latter again petitioned the Legislature for a separate municipal organization, but without success.
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 session of 1833, the Assembly voted to refer the whole subject to the representatives of the county of New London. These met in the town-hail at Chelsea, Sept. 19th, and carried the question of removal, fifteen to eight. All opposition on the other side ceased from this time, and the transfer was made in peace. The struggle had continued about twenty-seven years.
The northern section of the town petitioned the Legislature to be sepa- rated from "the city," which was granted. The city limits since that period comprise Chelsea, Greeneville, and the Falls, with a section upon the river, extending to Trading Cove Brook.
The town-house was erected in 1829, at an expense of $9,000. 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 town-meetings contin- ued to be held alternately at the Town and Landing till 1839, when a vote was carried with but little opposition, to restrict them henceforth to the city limits.
The town and 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, in the rear of the present brick school-house. Two buildings were worn out in this place, each having served about thirty years. The prison was then transferred to the south-east border of the Green, near the present post-office, where it continued till the courts were removed to Chelsea. The old building, vacant and worthless, was soon afterward burnt to the ground.
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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, 1838.
The fire originated in the cell of a prisoner confined for theft, and was kindled by him with a candle which he obtained from his wife. His design was merely to burn out the lock of his cell door, that he might effect his escape; but before lie could complete his work, the fire got beyond his control. The light was discovered, the alarm given, and all the inmates rescued ; but from the difficulty of obtaining water, nothing could be done to arrest the destructive element.
The buildings were reconstructed on an enlarged plan, and though the taste which seated such an establishment in the most conspicuous part of the city may be questioned, yet the buildings themselves are pleasing objects in the perspective.
Gas Companies.
The introduction of gas as a medium for lighting the city was for sev. eral years embarrassed with conflicts of opinion, lawsuits, and vehement explosions of partizanship. The first company that was formed for this purpose erected their works and obtained from the common council cer- tain exclusive privileges for fifteen years. This company was incorpora- ted by the Legislature in 1853, under the title of the Norwich Gas Light Company ; Frederick W. Treadway, Superintendent.
Shortly afterward, great complaints were made ; the light was said to be poor, the gas of bad odor, leakages were frequent, shade-trees in some places were destroyed, the company was accused of having violated their charter, and on the whole there was a growing disgust of monopolies. A large number of prominent citizens organized a new gas company under the joint-stock-corporation law, called the Norwich City Gas Company, and a trial for mastery between the two parties commenced. The Gas Light obtained from the Superior Court an injunction against the City Gas, which was set aside by a subsequent decision, and suits, attachments, collisions and tumultuary street assemblages followed in quick succession.
In April, 1855, a city meeting was held in relation to these gas diffi- culties, which, after some discussion, passed a vote to adjourn without action, 176 to 131. This was regarded as a test vote in favor of the Joint Stock Company, which thereupon went to work with vigor, and on the 10th of May, two conspicuous buildings, the Wauregan Hotel and the Chelsea Paper Mill, at Greeneville, were lighted from the Joint Stock reservoir. This company gradually obtained the patronage of the city. The public excitement subsided. An arrangement satisfactory to both
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parties was made, the old gas-works were purchased by the City Gas party, and the two companies consolidated in November, 1858.
Town's Poor.
For several generations after the settlement of New England, society in point of wealth was without extremes. There were no overgrown for- tunes, neither was there any positive beggary. A transient vagabond and a foreign pauper made their appearance here and there, but poverty was not a grievance of the country, calling for a mendicant system.
If any of the town's people through age or misfortune became destitute, the selectmen provided for them. For a century after the settlement of Norwich, only two or three in a year required assistance, and generally a few shillings covered the whole expense.
At a later period, the poor were provided for by contract ; that is, placed under the care of those who would keep them the cheapest. This prac- tice, which is the same as putting them up at auction and selling them to the lowest bidder, is too revolting to be long endured by a benevolent and prosperous community.
In 1767, a vote was passed to hire a convenient house for the poor, and to place them in it immediately. How soon this was accomplished is uncertain. It is not until after 1790 that we find the Town Alms-house situated upon Long or Ox Hill, and occupying a portion of the Hazen farm. This location was both inconvenient and expensive, and was ulti- mately exchanged for a lot at Chelsea, adjoining the site of the Episcopal Church, where a building was erected to which the town's poor were removed in the autumn of 1800.
In 1795, the Legislature empowered the town to establish a work-house for idle persons and vagrants, to be nsed as a house of correction, instead of the jail, to which such culprits had hitherto been consigned. This was not done at that time, but after the alms-house at Chelsea was completed, a work-house was erected by the side of it, and went into operation in 1806.
The first poor-house had been established on a lonely and bleak hill, and the second was even less eligibly situated. It was directly upon the street, allowing its forlorn residents to be the gazing-stock of the public. After a few years a favorable change was made. A third alms-house was erected, in a retired yet easily accessible position, upon the west side of the cove, and furnished with all the accessories of comfort and conven- ience that considerate benevolence could wish. This was opened for the reception of the poor in 1819. The salary of the keeper was $150, and the physician's fees were not to exceed that amount. For a series of years, even till the flood of emigration and the war of the rebellion altered
ยท
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the circumstances of the country, the number of inmates seldom exceeded thirty.
A new building of brick, the fourth regular alms-house of the town, with larger and better accommodations, was erected in 1859, on the same lot as the preceding. The number of inmates in 1863 was 56,-two of them over 90 years of age.
According to the census of 1860, the number of persons, not in the alms-house, assisted by the town for the year ending June 1, 1860, was 53 native-born Americans ; 210 of foreign birth. Since that period the number is more than trebled.
For the year ending Sept. 1, 1865 : expenses of the alms-house, $6,- 217.74; of the poor out of the alms-house, $15,044.
Laurel Hill.
Going back to the year 1712, when the spot now covered by Norwich city was a wild, ungraded sheep-walk, we find the east side of the river bordered by high, precipitous banks, overshadowed with straggling trees, and dense with shrubs and vines, described in deeds as "the rockie land on ye east side of ye great river at the mouth of Showtucket."
Along the river, running down toward Brewster's Neck, were two farms; the upper belonging to John Downs, and the lower to Joseph Elderkin. These farms, after several times changing owners, were purchased at dif- ferent periods, the upper by Jabez Perkins, and the lower by Nathaniel Backus. Capt. Perkins bought also the Fitch farm and other lands in the neighborhood. His wife was the daughter of Mr. Backus, and on the decease of the latter in 1787, the Elderkin farm fell to her by inheritance, which brought the eastern bank of the river for a considerable distance into the ownership of Capt. Perkins and his wife. The only child of this couple that lived to maturity was Mary, the wife of Capt. Edward Whit- ing, and the two children of this daughter dying without issue, the estate, agreeably to the will of Capt. Perkins, reverted in fee simple to their father, Capt. Whiting.
The Indian name of this tract was Shipscattuck. In 1860 the road to Poquetannock was called the Shipscattuck path. The original grantees in this quarter were Robert Roath, Owen Williams, Josiah Rockwell, Ben- jamin Fitch, John Elderkin : these were Shipscattuck proprietors. At a later period the dwellings of Thomas Danforth and Michael Pepper were said to be at Shipscattuck.
These grants were all in East or Long Society, which in 1786 was dis- severed from Norwich by legislative authority and annexed to Preston.
Perkins and Whiting were the proprietors on this bank of the river for
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more than sixty years. A large proportion of the land was rugged and unproductive ; it was therefore but partially cleared and cultivated. After coming into the possession of Capt. Whiting, the only dwelling was a small farm-house pleasantly situated on the river, but with no road lead- ing to it except a pent-way through the woods. The farm-house has since expanded into the costly and eccentrie villa of Sunnyside.
In 1845, the Norwich and Worcester Railroad Company laid their iron track along the border of the river, purchasing the privilege for a very moderate sum.
With these exceptions this highland district lay almost in its natural state until 1850. But taste and enterprise were now ready to take pos- session of the hill. The northern portion of the traet, lying nearest the city, which consisted chiefly of rock-bound heights and tangled thiekets, was purchased, Oet. 8, 1850, by three partners, John A. Rockwell, Thos. Robinson, and Henry Bill, with the express purpose of bringing it into notice as an eligible position for a suburban village. Under their direc- tion the land was surveyed, a street opened, and house-lots laid out, and the whole thrown open to purchasers. The name of Laurel Hill was bestowed upon it on account of the preponderance of that beautiful ever- green in its woods and on its sunny slopes. Other wild flowers were also abundant. The trailing arbutus, the scarlet columbine, the wild pink, and the purple gentian, were among its noted floral treasures.
In 1853, two of the partners in the Laurel Hill purchase resigned their interest to the third, and since that period Mr. Bill has been successfully engaged in its improvement. He contributed largely to the construction of the free bridge over the Shetueket, established his own residence upon the hill, and has the satisfaction of seeing other pleasant homes and gar- dens gradually extending along the river-side, and changing the ancient " Rockie Hill at the mouth of Showtueket" into an elegant rural village. Laurel Hill now contains over thirty dwelling-houses; has forty voters, and seventy-six pupils in the schools,-all the growth of ten or twelve years.
In 1857, upon the petition of John W. Stedman, S. T. Holbrook, and others of the inhabitants of Laurel Hill, this district was annexed by a State Act to the city of Norwich. This was only a return to its ancient allegiance, of a part of Long Society. The dividing line with Preston passes over the highest westerly summit of Tory Hill, in the range of Lanman's Chair.
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Otis Library, incorporated in 1851.
This institution was founded by Joseph Otis, a retired merchant, who expended for the site, the erection of the building, its furniture, and the first purchase of books, about $10,500, and in his will left $6,500 to be funded for the future use of the library.
The building was completed in 1850. The lower story contains the library, and the upper is appropriated to a pastor's study, toward the fur- nishing of which Mr. Otis gave $1,000. The library opened with 250 volumes and over 1,000 subscribers.
Hamlin B. Buckingham has been the librarian from the commencement to the present time. The most important new works are purchased, and the best periodicals taken and preserved. In February, 1865, the num- ber of books reported was 6,666. Tickets for the year are one dollar each.
The original board of trustees, nominated by the founder, were :
George Perkins, William A. Buckingham,
Rev. Alvan Bond, D. D., Robert Johnson,
Worthington Hooker, M. D., J. G. W. Trumbull,
Charles Johnson.
The spare walls of the library are covered with about thirty portraits of citizens who were contemporary with Mr. Otis. These were painted by Alexander H. Emmons for Charles Johnson, Esq., President of the Norwich Bank, who, in ordering the work, had two motives in view, one to preserve the likeness of men honored and respected in the community, and the other to furnish subjects for an artist whom he wished to encour- age. Mr. Emmons is a self-taught portrait-painter, who has exercised his profession for more than forty years in Norwich, and has found constant employment.
Joseph Otis was a native of Norwich, born in July, 1768, at Yantic, near what was then the Backus iron-works, now the site of the Williams woolen-mill. His parents were from Montville : the name of his mother, Lucy Haughton. He had the common advantages of school education, but at a very early age went into mercantile service at the Landing, and as soon as he reached maturity, entered into trade on his own account. He was successively in business at Charleston, New York, Norwich, Richmond, and again at New York, where by far the greater part of his mercantile career was spent in the commission business. His religious con- nection was with the Duane St. Presbyterian Church, where he officiated for nearly twenty years as an elder. To all works of charity and Chris- tian benevolence he was a generous contributor,-the constant flow of his free-will offerings showing the largeness of his heart.
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In 1838, his health being infirm, he withdrew from business and re- moved to Norwich, which was thenceforward his home. His wife, who was a daughter of Levi Huntington, died in 1844, aged 72 years. They - had been married 47 years. Mr. Otis died in April, 1854, in the 86th year of his age. He had no children.
By his will he left about $30,000, which was a large proportion of his estate, to twelve different religious and educational institutions, in sums varying from $1,000 to $7,000.
Rev. T. H. Skinner of New York, in a letter written after the death of Mr. Otis, says of him :
" It was always refreshing to look on the face of Mr. Otis. It had a benign, friendly, affectionate aspect, even when his heart was sorrowful and when his sorrow expressed itself in tears. And his natural and gracious amiability was not a weakness, nor was weakness its associate. He was a man of sharp discrimination between true and false, good and evil, whether in things or persons."
It was characteristic of Mr. Otis to support with regularity and con- stancy every enterprise to which he had contributed, if it continued to be worthy of patronage. No better illustration of this trait can be given than the fact that he was one of the original subscribers to the New York Commercial Advertiser, and continued to take it till his death, a period of fifty-seven years.
Centenarians.
In Dwight's Travels an instance of longevity is recorded, of which we find no other account :
" Ann Heifer, a widow at Norwich, Conn., died March 22d, 1758, in her 105th,; year."
Abigail, the second wife of Samuel Lathrop, is an instance better known. On the completion of her century, Jan. 23, 1732, the Rev. Benjamin Lord preached a sermon in her room at the house of her son. Her death is thus noticed in the Weekly Journal, printed at Boston :*
" Mrs. Abigail Lothrop died at Norwich Jan. 23, 1735, in her 104th year. Her father John Done and his wife came to Plymouth in 1630, and there she was born the next year. She lived single till 60 years old and then married Mr. John Lothrop [mistake for Samuel Lothrop] of Norwich, who lived ten years and then died. Mr. Lothrop's descendants at her decease were 365."
An example of longevity that demands a more extended notice is that of Capt. Erastus Perkins. He was a descendant of Jabez Perkins, one
* Sce representation of her grave-stone at p. 218.
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of the brothers that settled early at Newent. His father, the third Jabez in succession, married Anne, daugliter of Ebenezer Lathrop, and settled in the town-plot, occupying a house in the street that runs along the side of Sentry Hill. About the year 1754, Mr. Perkins brought home one day from the woods two young elms, of a size that he could conveniently bear upon his shoulder, and set them out in such positions that when grown they would throw their shade over a shop in which he worked. These are now the Coit elms, those broad-winged, stately twins that so majestically overshadow the residence of Daniel W. Coit, Esq.
Erastus Perkins, the oldest son of Jabez and Anne, was born Feb. 17, 1752. He is the only person we can name with certainty, that was born and passed his life in Norwich, who has attained to the age of a century. Doubtless other instances have occurred, but the names, dates and proofs have not been thoroughly tested and recorded, as in the case of Captain Perkins.
He died Oct. 18, 1853, aged 101 years and 10 months. He had been three times married, and by his first wife (Anne Glover) had ten children, only two of whom survived him. In his will he leaves a legacy to Eras- tus Perkins Pooler, "the great-grandson of my son Jabez, deceased."
Capt. Perkins had led a frugal, industrious life ; active, but not eager and bustling. He was a man of great equanimity of temper, seldom in the whole course of his life ruffled to anger. Each of his three wives had been heard to say that she never saw her husband out of temper. He was all his life accustomed to regular hours; retiring to rest at the sound of the nine o'clock curfew bell, and rising soon after daylight.
All his schooling was obtained at the Brick School-house on the Town Green, where he began with his spelling-book at five years of age. From the days of childhood to those of maturity he was in the family of Gen. Jabez Huntington, and was employed variously in domestic and mercan- tile concerns. Here the customary breakfast consisted of bean-porridge, hasty-pudding, johnny-cake, brown bread and milk, baked apples and milk, and similar dishes ; the dinner was of meat and vegetables cooked in the simplest manner, but bountiful in supply. The Sunday dinner was an enormous Indian pudding dressed with molasses. The Saturday night supper was the customary baked pork and beans, and the brown loaf of the true mahogany color.
His reminiscences reached back to the days of stamp-act excitement, from thence meandering down through the Revolution and the war of 1812. After the Revolution he was for many years a packet-master, run- ning a sloop with freight and passengers between Norwich and New York; and hence came his title of captain. For twenty-three years he was Inspector of Customs, acting under the Collector of the New London district.
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On the day that he rounded his century, he received 165 visitors, con- versed with them all in a quiet and affable manner; recollected persons, faces, events, very readily ; related anecdotes, when any thing suggested them ; and had the appearance in mind and body of a man of 80 or 85.
In his history and customary habits there were no marked peculiarities. He was neither abstemious nor luxurious in diet. He never drank tea nor coffee till he was about 18 years of age, but after that period habitu- ally made use of both in moderate quantities. His exercise was just what his business and domestic affairs made necessary, expending no surplusage in gymnastic feats or hilarious sports, though in his younger days joining heartily in the social enjoyments and merry-makings of his friends and neighbors. An equable temper and regular habits seem to have been the tracks over which the wheels of his life glided smoothly into longevity.
Thus much it seemed desirable to state respecting that truly historical character, the prominent centenarian of the town.
A sister of Mr. Perkins, Lydia, wife of Shubael Breed, died in April, 1861, in the 94th year of her age.
" Sept. 23, 1800. Died at the Poor House, Jack, one of God's images in ebony, at the advanced age of 104 years." Norwich Courier.
Simon T. Rudd is probably the oldest person now living in Norwich. He was born at Windham, Sept. 1, 1768. His mother was Mary Tracy, daughter of Dea. Simon Tracy of Norwich, whose name he bears.
Newspapers.
I. "The Norwich Packet," the first newspaper of the town, has already been largely noticed in this work. It was commenced in October, 1773, by Robertsons & Trumbull. The Robertsons withdrew in 1776, leaving the paper in the hands of the junior editor and printer, John Trumbull, in whose sole management it continued for twenty-six years. In February, 1802, the title was changed, and No. 1455 came out as The Connecticut Centinel,-"a name," said the editor, "more appropriate to the times ; the Centinel being designed to do the duty of a good soldier, in giving notice of approaching dangers." The motto indicated the political party to which it gave support :
" Patrons and friends ; ye men of sterling worth, 'Tis you who call our grateful feelings forth : Firmly in Federal paths we still will tread, Nor heed the wasps that buzz around our head."
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