USA > Connecticut > New London County > Norwich > History of Norwich, Connecticut, from its settlement in 1660, to January 1845 > Part 23
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by an immense mass of rock lying across their contem- plated route. Here a deep cut was channeled for a considerable distance through a friable rock, but reach- ing at length a bed of solid granite, a tunnel was excavated 300 feet in length, and twenty in width. The height from the bed of the tunnel, to the summit of the rock above, is about 100 feet. Sitting in the car and gazing upon the scenery, you suddenly find yourself gliding into the bosom of frowning cliff's, and enveloped in subterranean darkness. You come out slowly, grinding along the edge of a precipice, with the ragged, foaming, contracted river below you on one side, and a barrier of cliffs on the other.
The road for many miles keeps near the Quine- baug, which has every where the same characteristics, chafed and noisy, the banks bold, the bed rocky, and the edges disfigured by boulders brought down with ice in spring floods, and lodged along the water course.
The section of the road from Norwich to Jewett City in Preston, was the most laborious and expensive of the route. The course was winding, the radius short ; the earth encumbered with rocks ; the contract- ors lost money, and were obliged to throw themselves upon the company. The tunnel alone cost nearly $30,000.
A large depot or station house was erected at Nor- wich, contiguous to the steam-boat landing, two sto- ries high, and 200 feet in length. It is situated just at the spot where the Shetucket contracts its course, turns a quarter round, and glides into the Thames. Here the company purchased a small rocky promon- tory called the Point, pulled down the buildings which covered it, blew up the rocks, filled the shallows, and constructed the station house, together with a wharf and a solid stone wall.
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During the severe flood in the spring of 1841, a bar was formed in the channel of the Thames, by an accu- mulation of sand brought down the Shetucket, 360 feet in length, which it was found very difficult to exca- vate, so as to leave the channel of its former depth. In consequence of this bar, the steamboats which had before this occasionally grounded in the river, were now frequently delayed two or three hours upon their route. This obstruction, together with the serious incon- venience arising from the ice in the winter season, induced the company to extend their road from Nor- wich along the bank of the river, seven miles to Allen's point, near Gale's ferry, where it is supposed that no serious obstruction will ever be presented by the ice. This part of the road was completed in 1843, and in regard to its location and scenery is altogether of a novel character.
The Shetucket is spanned by a lofty bridge, after which the route is directly upon the brink of the Thames, being channeled along her banks and run- ning over her coves and streamlets by bridges and causeways, affording views varied and picturesque in the highest degree.
The Norwich and Worcester rail road having been constructed at a period of pecuniary pressure in the country, unexampled in its severity and continuance, it is no matter of surprize, though it certainly is of regret, that the public-spirited band of men who com- menced the undertaking and completed it under such discouragements, should have suffered severely in a pecuniary point of view by the measure. It is not often the case in this world, that they who expend their zeal and energies upon a great work, are the per- sons that reap the most benefit from it. They plan, and execute, and toil on with unceasing ardor to com-
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plete an undertaking and then are swept aside, or pass away, while others enter into their labors, and enjoy that which costs them nothing. There is nothing dis- couraging in this ; it rather ennobles measures which otherwise would be but sordid ; teaching the generous mind to enter upon its beneficial task, whether person- al advantage accrue from it or not ; to do good, and pursue noble ends by noble means, without too solici- tously expecting a reward, or indulging regret if it be withheld.
HEALTH, LONGEVITY, DEATHIS.
Norwich may be called a healthy town. Though surrounded by running streams to a greater extent than most places, it contains no stagnant waters or marshy grounds. Fevers and chills are of rare occur- rence, and there seems to exist no causes for disease that are not common to the changeable climate of the State.
The first three or four generations in this place were distinguished for longevity. Dr. Lord said in his old age : " When I first came here, there was a beautiful sight of venerable, aged fathers, and many of them appearing of the right Puritan stamp, the hoary head found in the way of righteousness." And he adds, " there is now some greater number of the aged, from seventy and upwards, than there was at that time." For want of accurate public registering, we have but few data on which to form any estimate of the propor- tions of diseases and death. Dr. Lord stated in his half- century sermon (1767) that 1000 persons had died in the first society in fifty years-average number, annually, twenty-extremes, fourteen and thirty-112 of the whole number lived to be seventy or upwards, and one over 100: 390 died under fourteen years of age. At that
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period, there were forty living at the age of seventy or upwards.
Dr. Strong, in 182S, stated that the number of deaths in the society, for the preceding 50 years, amounted to 1450, averaging twenty-nine annually ; extremes, six- teen and sixty-three. The inhabitants for each period cannot be exactly ascertained, but probably it would not be far from the truth, to estimate them at a medi- um, during Dr. Lord's ministry, at 1600, and during Dr. Strong's, 1800. Perhaps the variation has been even less. Good judges say that the population of this society has been nearly uniform for 150 years ; emigra- tion and death keeps the balance in equipoise.
According to the above estimate, the proportion of deaths in this society is about one in sixty or seventy, which is the usual proportion in all the healthy parts of New England.
From 1787 to 1827, a period of forty years, Dr. Strong married 365 couple ; probably during that time, not more than half a dozen marriages took place which were not solemnized by him. These marriages ave- rage nine or ten per year. In the year 1796, he united twenty-four couples. From 'S7 to '97, 144 couples, averaging fourteen per year.
To illustrate the general health of the town, the following fact may be noticed. Dr. Strong built the house in which his son Henry Strong Esq., now resides, and lived in it fifty years with his family. He had three children, and usually kept two or three domestics, and yet his own death in 1835 was the first that had ever occurred in the house.
A remarkable instance of longevity, viz., that of Mrs. Lathrop, who died in 1732, at the age of 103 years, has already been mentioned. The following instance is men- tionedin Dwight's Travels : "Ann Heifer, a widow at Nor- wich, Conn., died March 22, 1758, in her 105th year."
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Aged inhabitants of Norwich, present at a political festival, in 1840.
Erastus Perkins, aged 89 Ichabod Ward, aged 80
Samuel Avery,
88 Newcomb Kinney,
80
Seabury Brewster,
86 Benjamin Snow, 77
Christopher Vail,
82 Nathaniel Shipman,
76
Bela Peck,
82 'Zachariah Huntington, " 75
Only one person, it is believed, has been killed by lightning in the town. This was a young woman, sister to Thomas Leffingwell, the third of that name, who was struck dead by the descent of the electric fluid, while in the act of closing a window. The event occurred in the old Leffingwell house, in the Town-plot society.
The number of suicides, for the whole period, can- not be ascertained ; but from the number of instances collected, it is estimated that they may amount to fifteen or twenty. The list comprises people in all conditions of life, and both sexes :- one was a respect- able woman, a wife and mother; three or four were disappointed in love, but the majority were hard drink- ers or persons of immoral habits.
The first suicide in the town, if we may credit tradi- tion, was Micah Rood, a man respecting whom several legends have been preserved, somewhat contradictory, and only partially harmonizing with the brief notices that may be gathered from the records. The following is as connected a statement as can be made out of these various accounts.
Thomas Rood, the father of Micah, was one of the first farmers that settled in Norwich. It is not improb- able that he came upon the ground with the first pro- prietors. He had a farm four or five miles from the town plot, in that part of the town which is now Frank-
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lin. His second son, Micah, possessed in 1715, a com- fortable farm "near the saw mill." The tradition is, that he introduced upon this farm a peculiar variety of the apple, of an early species, fair outside, and excel- lent flavor. One tree in particular, by assiduous culti- vation, had become large and productive. By what means he fell into poverty is not known. His old age was rendered miserable by the combined influence of want, and a depression of spirit, amounting perhaps to insanity.
The following record is copied from a slip of paper found among the town books.
" Norwich, Sept. ye 13, 1726.
Att a Town meeting Legalley warned This Town Desier the Present Selectmen to Agree with some sutabele parsen to keepe Micah Rood and his wife and the Town ingaege to pay what ye Selectmen shall agree for_Voted .- "
Tradition says that Micah was intemperate and dis- honest, and that in a fit of remorse he hung himself upon his favorite apple-tree. Since which period, says the legend, every individual apple from this stock has been tainted with a speck of blood. It is an undoubted fact that the apples of this neighborhood, locally called Mike apples, received their name from him, as having been propagated from a tree upon his farm. It is true also, that this species of apple, generally exhibits some- where in the pulp, a small red speck, resembling a tinge of fresh blood. This, connected with the suicide of Micah Rood, affords sufficient matter for a tale of superstition.
It is strange that the commission of crime, which ought to make men afraid to die, should so often lead to self-murder. Yet notwithstanding this aggravation of their guilt, there is always something that awakens
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our sympathy in the fate of the suicide. Take, for instance, another case that occurred in Norwich, in which the victim was a poor negro slave, named Jock.
He used occasionally to attend the new-light meet- ings, and had one or two seasons of being very religious. He courted a neighboring servant girl of his own color, but at length thinking himself ill used by her, in a fit of jealousy and anger, he one night took a gun, loaded it with bits of an old pewter spoon, which he cut up for that purpose, for want of bullets, went to the house where she lived, looked in at the kitchen window and saw her sitting by the fire with her master's child in her arms. He leveled his piece, fired and hit her in the shoulder. Immediately thereupon he fled to a swamp in the neighborhood, where he remained till driven out by hunger. He was then seized and confined in jail. The boys under his window one day told him that the woman whom he had shot, was dead ; and that very night he hung himself in prison. His body was given to the elder Dr. Turner for dissection, and his bones formed into an anatomical figure, were long kept in his office, an object both of terror and curiosity to the ignorant and the children of the neighborhood. If obliged to pass the place a little after night-fall, they were sure to imagine that they saw Jock's ghost.
But it is not only the stings of a tormenting con- science that lead to the commission of suicide. Few minds, without the aid of strong religious faith, can sustain a great calamity. Whenever therefore some uncommon misfortune crosses their path, they become desperate, loathe life, and seek relief in the grave. A more recent case of self-destruction that occurred in Norwich, is of too interesting a nature, not to be minutely detailed.
Albertus Siraut Destouches, a French gentleman of
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polished manners and respectable standing in society, settled in Norwich about the year 1790. He was a native of Bordeaux, had been educated at Leyden, in Holland, and after seeing much of life and manners in the old world, he removed to Demerara and engaged in commercial pursuits. From this place, he came to Norwich, where he entered into the mercantile line, purchased a handsome house, and married a widow lady of respectability. Being afflicted with a very painful disorder, he gradually withdrew from all busi- ness, and in a great measure from society. He had a large library, and endeavored to divert his mind with books, but so acute were his sufferings, that he was driven to despair, and life rendered odious to him. It was long, however, before he could convince himself that it would be justifiable in him to commit self-mur- der. He consulted various authors, and often conversed on the subject. At one time he endeavored, by high bribes and the most affecting entreaties, to prevail on one of his domestics to kill him, having a kind of nat- ural repugnance to the taking of his own life. While wavering in his mind whether suicide might not be justified by the laws of God, he addressed the follow- ing note to the Rev. Dr. Strong, of the first society. It will be given with all its peculiarities of idiom and circumstance.
From my bed, March 30, 1796.
Reverend Sir .--
Having not the advantage of being particularly acquainted with you, nothing but your public character and known dis- position to oblige, would have emboldened a poor sick man to apply and entreat your reverence for the favor of granting me a little of his precious time for a short visit, as not being able to do it myself. Fettered in my bed, stranger, without friend or relation and actually as waving between sickness, pain, distress, misfortune and despair, I hope you will not
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refuse him that favor, and acquaint verbally by the bearer when may expect, when granted. In expectation of which I remain,
Reverend Sir, .of your Reverence the Humble Servant, ALB. SIRAUT DESTOUCHES.
Reverend Mr. Strong, present, up town."
In the interview with Dr. Strong, which succeeded, the fitness of religion to sustain the soul under all earthly trials, was the principal topic of discourse, and M. Destouches permitted his visiter to retire without laying before him the peculiar subject that engrossed his thoughts. This led to a second more extended letter, of which the following is an exact transcript.
" Reverend Sir,
As nothing but your kindness and your principles of human- ยท ity only, authorizes me to disturb you again, and to intrude upon the precious time which your public character prescribes to devote to those only, whose similarity in their manner of thinking do coincide or agree with yours, permit, Dear Sir, that a poor unfortunate sufferer, who has no other claim or protector than the humanity and, (if I dare say it) the most rigid moral, __ trouble you again with this billet.
When last week you did me the favor of visiting me, how- ever good it did me, as I did not touch the point or subject I desired, I will expose now briefly the main part of it, the rest being become, by my low situation now useless.
I hinted to you, dear Sir, in our last interview, how unfor- tunate I have been here since my arrival, in matter of con- cern, and I related you, and you was yourself witness of my suffering, but since that time, I did experience an increase of pain (however now a little abated) which my strength does not permit to bear very much longer. Strength and hope of recovery are gone, and nothing is remaining but a most dis- tressing death which is the only end I have to expect, if I do not prevent it by an immoderate use of opium.
But, Dear Sir, though I find in my distressful situation, reasons to justify such an attempt, which the remembrance of all my other misfortunes, and the consciousness of my own un-usefulness, any longer in the society corroborates, a
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certain doubt holds me back, and none of my books give me any satisfactory account pro nor contra. Paley's Moral Phi- losophy, Hume's and Montaine's Essays tell me not enough. You would oblige me much if to the revelation which speaks magisterially to the will only, you could procure me some arguments to illustrate my reason in so dark a matter, when nature has lost its influence upon our senses. Not daring to expect yourself for the answer, a few lines upon the paper may satisfy.
Reverend Sir, your most Humble Servant,
ALB. SIRAUT DESTOUCHES. Wednesday Morning."
Dr. Strong after the reception of this letter visited the unfortunate sufferer repeatedly, and being now aware of the leading purpose of his mind, employed every argument that reason or religion could suggest, to divert him from its execution. But in vain-his resolution grew stronger as his frame grew more feeble. He became convinced that the act was lawful, and often declared that if his sufferings should increase beyond what he felt that he could endure, he should seek a violent relief. On leaving him one day, Dr. S. obtained from him, after much persuasion, his word of honor, that, at least, he would not commit the deed until he had seen him again,-holding out the idea that he would make the subject a matter of particular study, and hoped then to be able to produce argu- ments to convince him that he ought not to destroy himself. Having obtained this promise, and fearing that another interview would be as unsatisfactory as the former had been, he purposely kept out of the way of the sick man. Sometime afterwards he was called to attend a funeral, which obliged him to pass the dwelling of M. Destouches. He drove quick, in order to escape observation, but before he could get past the house, the unfortunate gentleman raised the sash of
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
his chamber window, and waved his hand expressively, as if to say, "I see you," closed it again, and instantly shot himself dead. Upon the walls of his room was written several times, in imperfect English, with a pencil,-"' 'Tis more as I can bear."
M. Destouches in his will left the greater part of his books, which were mostly of an infidel character, to a gentleman in Leyden, (Holland.) His executors took great pains to fulfill his wishes, but they could never hear from the legatee, or learn whether he was living or dead. The matter was referred to the Legislature of Connecticut, who ordered the books to be deposited in the library of Yale College, until called for by some person duly authorized to claim them.
Only twoexecutions have been ascertained; these both took place on Long Hill, overlooking the town plot. The first was soon after the settlement of Dr. Strong, who preached the execution sermon. The criminal was a man of the name of Dennis, who killed a com- rade by a sudden stroke, in a quarrel. He seems to have been condemned by a sentence too rigorous; as the fatal blow was dealt in a state of passionate excite- ment, and the victim was well enough to walk the streets for a fortnight afterwards.
The other was in 1816. An ignorant mulatto, named Miner Babcock, about twenty years of age, stabbed his step-father, in a quarrel. They had fre- quently fought before, with fists and hard words, but this time Miner drew out his jack-knife, and in the scuffle, the old man, who was much the worse character of the two, received a wound, of which he died. Miner was hung upon the same spot where Dennis suffered. Both of these scenes collected a large concourse of spectators from all parts of the State.
The village of Greeneville was established on the
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HISTORY OF NORWICHI.
purest code of morals ; not a foot of land was sold but upon condition that no ardent spirits should be vended upon it. Yet in its very infancy it received a foul blot . upon its fair fame, from an act of atrocious villany which occured in its precincts. A man by the name of Sherman, a native of Rhode Island, killed his wife and child in the most barbarous manner ; the child, on its mother's bosom, receiving one of the deadly blows aimed at the wife. It is supposed that he com- mitted the crime in a fit of anger, inflamed by intoxica- tion, for though, from the tenure of the lands in Greene- ville, he could procure no intoxicating liquor there, yet it was thought he had inflamed his veins with the deadly poison in a neighboring society, from which he returned that evening. He was tried and executed at New London.
FRESHETS.
The annual breaking up of the ice in the rivers around Norwich, and the consequent overflowing of the waters, frequently occasion great damages. Mills and bridges are swept away, meadow lands devastated, fences destroyed, and individuals, as well as the public, sustain serious losses. Some parts of the town are, from their situation, peculiarly exposed to these rava- ges. The narrow and winding outlet of the Shetucket, and the high banks that restrain it on the south, natu- rally tend to throw the accumulated swell of the river over the flat part of Chelsea. Only a few of the most remarkable of these floods can be here noticed.
In June, 177S, a great freshet was produced by rain, without the aid of snow or ice. For two days, (tenth and eleventh of June, ) the rain poured down without intermission, with all the vehemence that is displayed in a violent thunder shower. The rivers rose with great rapidity, to an almost unprecedented height, and caused great damage in and around Chelsea.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
The most alarming freshet of these rivers that has occurred within the memory of any now living, was in 1807. A heavy rain fell upon frozen ground and rushed towards the rivers. The ice began to break and move in the night, and the rise of the waters was so sudden and terrible as to cause great alarm and consternation. The bells were rung, and expresses sent to different parts of the town for assistance. The current swept over East Chelsea, and covered Main street up as far as the store of Mr. Charles Coit .. A temporary embankment was formed at this place, by placing the mast of a vessel across the street, securing it by heavy stones, then placing rails and timbers upon it, and filling in hay and straw to stop the leakage. The waters slightly trickled over this breast work, but it kept off the main body until it subsided, which was in the course of a few hours.
In September, 1815, at the equinox, a most destruc- tive gale of wind was experienced on the coast of New England. At Chelsea the tide rose to an unprece- dented height. Several stores on the wharves were swept entirely away, and others injured. On the wharf bridge the depth of water was five or six feet ; beating over it with such fury as to carry off the mar- ket and a store adjoining. The market drifted up the river and lodged on the east side of the cove, thirty or forty yards above the bridge. All the shipping in the harbor was driven ashore, knocking in the sides of stores, and lodging almost in the streets.
In March, 1823, the sudden rise of the river swept off several buildings from the wharf bridge : among them was the Methodist chapel, which passed down the river into the Sound before it broke into parts. This incident gave rise at the time to many jocular reports. The newspapers in some places published
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that it bore off both pastor and flock, and that they were heard singing as they passed New London. They reported also that it had landed whole on one of the islands, and that services would be performed there in future. A schooner from Providence, then in the Sound, asserted that it came driving by them in the night with lights in it .*
To show the force of the water in this flood it may be stated, that the Yantic was considerably deepened in some places, by the removal of large stones. One that weighed more than a ton, and which had been placed in the bed of the river many years before, to support a foot bridge, was raised, carried up into a meadow, and thrown against a large tree. An oil-mill was swept off, with a considerable quantity of flax-seed in it. By the middle of May several meadows adjoin- ing the river were covered with young flax.
MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.
Norwich abounds in springs of clear and soft water. Wells on the side hills generally require to be dug to the depth of twenty feet, and on the plains forty feet or more. In some few places the water is hard, and this probably arises from some mineral property of the earth through which it passes, as the town does not produce clay, which is the substance that most fre- quently prevents water from uniting with soap. There are some instances of wells that are alternately hard and soft, varying as different springs flow into them, and prevail at different seasons. Those springs which are reached by blasting the superincumbent rocks, are almost invariably pure, while those which pass through earthy strata, are apt to be tinctured with these ingre- dients.
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