USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Seymour > History of Seymour, Connecticut, with biographies and genealogies > Part 16
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Early in 1833 the paper mill passed into the hands of John C. Wheeler, and in April was leased to Daniel White for three years at an annual rent of $600. Mr. White was then in the paper business at the Falls, and his lease of that mill had one year longer to run. Sylvester Smith, who had been in Mr. White's employ one year in the old mill, was now transferred to the superintendeney of the new mill. During the year the most of the paper made in the mill was of a fine quality, for books and periodicals. All paper was then sold on six and nine months' credit. For about four years this mill furnished the paper for reprinting Blackwood's Magazine and other foreign periodicals by T. Foster in New York.
Mr. White, being unsuccessful in business, gave up the mill in the spring of 1834, and his successor (John C. Wheeler) gave Sylvester Smith a one- quarter interest in the business, Wheeler furnishing the capital. Their part- nership lasted three years. But from 1834 the times were hard and the price of paper fell off almost one-fourth. Wheeler, who was also in company with Raymond French in the auger business, met with heavy losses in the hard times of 1837. The dam was carried away in April, 1837, but rebuilt before July, and Wheeler then rented the mill to Smith & Bassett for fifty dollars a month, to be paid in wrapping paper. This was the commencement of a partnership which lasted nineteen years. Feb. 10th, 1840, Smith & Bassett bought the mill of John C. Wheeler for $4,220, payable in wrapping paper- $200 every three months.
Straw was made into paper in this mill in 1837, and was the first paper made from straw in Connecticut. Money was very scarce and for several years barter was more common than cash ; paper and augers being extensively used as a circulating medium in this vicinity. In January, 1841, an addition of twenty feet was built on the south end of the mill. Other improvements were made in 1846, but on the 29th of January, 1847, the paper mill was entirely consumed by fire. The loss was about $9,000 and the insurance was 83,500. With improved times and better facilities for making paper, all seemed ready for increased profit when this fire occurred. On Saturday, March 13th, 1847, the frame of the new mill was raised, about 100 men being present. Daniel White had charge of the carpenter work and Smith Botsford superintended the mill work. On Saturday, July 17th, paper making was resumed.
In January, 1856, Mr. Bassett sold his half of the mill to Mr. Smith. During the time of their partnership a large proportion of the paper made in the mill was straw boards and button boards. When they commenced the price of straw delivered at the mill was 85 per ton. In the last twelve years
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of their partnership the mill was much used in grinding and cleaning rubber, which added much to the profit of the mill. But in 1855 this branch of the business was closed up. The paper business was then poor for several years. The panic of 1857 came and the prospects were gloomy. Then came the sound of war and the tramp of armies, and everything was uncertain. But in the spring of 1863 the paper business revived, and the sun of prosperity arose on the old paper works. Prices improved, orders increased and the dream of profits was upon the mill owner. But another unlucky Friday came and the paper mill was again burnt down, about noon of March 13th, 1863 .. The loss was about $10,000 and the insurance $5,000. Fourteen tons of old iron was sold from the ruins. In two weeks the timber for the new mill was on the ground. The main building was raised the last week in April. It was 46 by 70 feet, and three stories high. The machinery was all put on the lower floor, and two turbine wheels took the place of the large wooden ones. On the 4th of July the mill was so far completed that a festival was held in it for the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers. About five hundred people attended, and with the music and speaking it was a pleasant affair. About the 15th of August the mill was in running order.
A large bleach-house was added to the main building, and in the same year an ell was added to the east side, 60 by 27 feet, two stories high. Ashbel Storrs planned and superintended the building, and Smith Botsford was the master millwright. Perhaps it was the most complete mill for the work for which it was designed that had been built in the country up to that time. During the next two years the mill did a successful business.
In 1866 W. W. Smith took charge of the mill on a salary, and his father retired from the business. In 1867 an addition was made to the south end of the mill, a steam engine put in, and the manufacture of manilla paper commenced.
On Monday evening, January 11th, 1869, a fire broke out in the second story of the ell part of the mill, and in a short time the whole building was destroyed. The loss was about $30,000 and the insurance $14,000. Mr. Amasa Trowbridge perished in the flames. At the cry of fire he left his home and lost his life in the effort to save his neighbor's property. In three months another mill was running in part, and at the end of five months from the date of the fire it was completed. The cost of this mill was nearly double that which was built in 1863, so great had been the increase in the price of labor and material.
In May, 1870, the mill was sold to Mr. W. W. Smith. This year was remarkable for the long-continued drought. Nothing like it had ever been known. In the summer of 1871 the dam was carried away, and Capt. Smith, at great expense, brought the water down from Rimmon Pond in Naugatuck River, put in a wheel opposite the mill, and applied that power, underneath the highway, to his mill, the new power going into operation in the first week in November. But another black Friday came November 10th, and in the rainy afternoon the cruel fire made short work of the mill. There were ten policies of insurance of $2,000 each on the property, but the then recent dis- astrous fire in Chicago had so damaged several of the companies that a large part of the insurance was lost. The whole loss by this fire was estimated at $30,000. The mill was again rebuilt and has since been confined to the manufacture of a superior quality of manilla paper.
De Dorest and Hodge purchased the water privilege and buildings where the rubber works now are and changed it to a paper mill, running partly by steam, making fine calendered book paper. They soon sold out to Smith &
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Bassett, who continued the paper business, but added the grinding of rubber. They also hired the mill at the mouth of Little River to grind rubber in, and even then were unable to do the work as fast as wanted. This mill at the mouth of Little River had been run as a paper mill by Lewis Bunce, and afterward by the Rimmon Paper Company. In 1854 Smith & Bassett sold the upper mill to Austin G. Day, and it has since been occupied by the Day Brothers in the rubber business exclusively.
SUFFERINGS OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
HE following extract from Ramsay's History of the Revolution, published in Trenton in 1811, gives a good representation of the sufferings of pat- riots of the Revolution who were captured by the British, among whom were Bradford Steele, Jabez Pritchard and others mentioned in this book in the account of the Revolutionary period.
The prisoners captured by Sir William Howe in 1776, amounted to many hundreds. The officers were admitted to parole, and had some waste houses assigned to them as quarters ; but the privates were shut up in the coldest season of the year, in churches, sugar houses, and such like large open buildings. The severity of the weather, and the rigor of their treatment, occasioned the death of many hundreds of these unfortunate men. The filth of the places of their confinement, in consequence of fluxes which prevailed among them, was both offensive and dangerous. Seven dead bodies have been seen in one building, at one time, and all lying in a situation shocking to humanity. The provisions served out to them were deficient in quantity, and of an unwholesome quality. These suffering prisoners were generally pressed to enter into the British service, but hundreds submitted to death, rather than procure a melioration of their circumstances by enlisting with the enemies of their country. After General Washington's successes at Trenton and Princeton, the American prisoners fared somewhat better. Those who survived were ordered to be sent out for exchange, but some of them fell down dead in the streets, while attempting to walk to the vessels. Others were so emaciated that their appearance was horrible. A speedy deatlı closed the scene with many.
The American board of war, after conferring (December 1, 1777) with Mr. Boudinot, the commissary-general of prisoners, and examining evidences produced by him, reported among other things, "That there were 900 privates and 300 officers of the American army, prisoners in the city of New York, and ahout 500 privates and 50 officers prisoners in Philadelphia. That since the begin- ning of October, all these prisoners, both officers and privates, had been confined in prison ships or the Provost: That from the best evidence the subject could admit of, the general allowance of prisoners, at most, did not exceed four ounces of meat per day, and often so damaged as not to be eatable : That it had been a common practice with the British, on a prisoner's being first captured, to keep him three, four or five days, without a morsel of meat, and then to tempt him to enlist to save his life : That there were numerous instances of prisoners of war perishing in all the agonies of hunger."
About this time (Dec. 24, 1777) there was a meeting of merchants in London, for the purpose of raising a sum of money to relieve the distresses of American prisoners then in England. The sun subscribed for that purpose amounted in two months to 46471 15s. Thus while human nature was tlishonored by the cruelties of some of the British in America. there was a laudable display of the benevolence of others of the same nation in Europe. The American sailors, when captured by the British, suffered more than even the soldiers which fell into their hands. The former were eonfiued on board prison ships. They were there crouded together in such numbers, and their accommoda- tions were so wretched, that diseases broke out and swept them off in a manner that was sufficient to excite compassion in breasts of the least sensibility. It has been asserted, on as good evidenee as the case will adiuit, that in the last six years of the war upwards of eleven thousand persons died ou board the Jersey, one of these prison ships, which was stationed in East river near New-York. Ou many of these, the rites of sepulture were never or very imperfectly conferred. For some time after the war was ended, their bones lay whitening in the sun, on the shores of Long-Island.
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STREETS OF SEYMOUR.
BIRCH, from Washington avenue to Day street.
BROAD, from Main street to Derby avenue.
CEDAR, from River street, along foot of Castle Rock, to West street.
CHURCH, from West street, east, past Trinity church, to Mill street. CULVER, from First avenue to Grand street.
DAY, from North Main street to Pearl street.
DERBY AVENUE, from intersection of Broad and West streets, southward.
ELM, from Pearl street to house of Edwin Smith.
FACTORY, from Main street to Kalmia Mills.
FIRST, from Factory street to Maple street. FIRST AVENUE, from Grand street to Culver street.
GRAND, from Washington avenue to Pearl street.
GROVE, from Derby avenue to Cedar street, past house of B. W. Smith. HIGH, from Pearl street, opposite M. E. Church, to Culver street.
HILL, from Main street, southward, formerly Rimmon turnpike.
HUMPHREY, from Pearl street to house of Isaac Losee.
JAMES, from Main street to Washington avenue.
MAIN, running north towards Pinesbridge and south towards Ansonia. MAPLE, from Main street to West street, near house of E. L. Hoadley. MILL, from River street, northwest, to West street.
MONSON, from Grand street to Culver street.
NORTH, from Day street, north, to North Main street.
OAK, from Derby avenue to Cedar street, past house of Frederick Emery.
PEARL, from South Main street to Day street. PINE, from Broad street to Derby avenue.
RAYMOND, from Factory street to foot of Third street.
RIMMON, from Maple street, north, over Rimmon Hill.
RIVER, from West street to Maple street.
ROSE, from Derby avenue to Cedar street, past house of S. C. Ford. SECOND, from Raymond street, north, to the river.
THIRD, from Maple street, south, to Raymond street. THIRD AVENUE, from Grand street, south, to Culver street. WALNUT, from Hill street, near house of S. C. Ford, to Pearl street. WASHINGTON AVENUE, (Promised Land,) from Hill street to Main street. WEST, from intersection of Broad street and Derby avenue, towards Oxford. VINE, from Derby avenue to Cedar street, south of house of C. W. Storrs.
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NOTES FROM DWIGHT'S TRAVELS.
PUBLISHED IN 1822.
From Derby the road crosses Naugatue river; and thenee proceeds by the side of the Hooes- tennue to the near neighbourhood of its fountains in New-Ashford. From Derby to Kent the course is nearly North-West; and throughout the whole distance to New-Milford is almost literally on the bank. The valley is every where narrow; and the prospect limited on both sides by hills of consid- erable height. A few of these are bold, masculine bluffs, with rude precipiecs, which may be called magnificent. Almost all of them present declivities, too steep for convenient cultivation, covered with a soil too unpromising to tempt the labours of the husbandman. At times it is sandy ; at others rocky : and at others cold. Hence this region is more thinly populated than any other, of equal extent, within the limits of Connecticut. The houses, also, are few ; and most of them indifferent buildings. In the parish of South-Britain, eighteen miles from Derby, and twenty-six from New- Haven, there is a small exception to these remarks. The rest of the traet is solitary; and, with the aid of a road generally sandy and heavy, is far from inviting excursions of pleasure.
You will remember, that these observations are applied only to the narrow valley of the Hooestennue, through which we passed; extending rarely more than a mile in breadth; and generally not more than one fourth of a mile. As soon as these steep hills are ascended, their surface presents a good soil, and sprightlier scenery, had numerous population and flourishing settlements.
The first township, along the skirt of which we passed after we had left Derby, is Oxford ; formerly a part of that township. Oxford is a collection of hills and vallies, generally. covered with a strong soil, The inhabitants are universally farmers. It includes two Congregations; a Presby - terian and an Episcopal plurality ; and, in 1800, contained 1,410 inhabitants; in 1810, 1,413.
Immediately North of Oxford lies the township of Southbury, along a tributary stream of the Hooestennne. Its surface is pleasant ; and the soil, excellent. It is divided into two parishes ; the Town, and South-Britain. The town is a pretty collection of houses, chiefly on a single street, running from North to South. The parish of South-Britain is small. That part of it, which borders upon the Hooestennuc, presents the only specimen of soft scenery on our road, until we reached New-Milford. The expansion here was wider, the hills more handsomely shaped, and the river adorned with several intervals. The soil was better than in the parts through which we have passed before. Here, also, was a scattered hamlet, the inhabitants of which appeared to be in better circumstances. Southbury contains two Presbyterian congregations. In the year 1774, it was a part of Woodbury. In 1790, it contained 1,738 inhabitants : in 1800, 1,757; and in 1810, (a part of it having been taken off to form the township of Middlebury,) 1,413 .- [Vol. III, pp. 396-7.]
New-Haven is the shire town of the County of New-Haven, in a State distinguished for the rigid execution of its laws. Of course all the capital punishments in the County have been inflicted here. The whole number of these in one hundred and seventy-five years, has been thirteen. Of these, five were whites; five were Indians: and three were blacks. Of the whites, one was a stranger taken up as a spy, as he was passing through this town, and executed, pursuant to a sentence of a court martial. Three of the remaining four were natives of England. It does not appear, that any inhabitant of this town, or County, ever suffered death by the hand of law. There is ne reason to conclude, that the people of this County are more distinguished for their morals than most of the other settlements, which have been established for any length of time. In this respect, (the paucity of capital punishments,) New-England may be compared with Scotland, and Switzerland; and will suffer no disadvantage by the comparison .- [Vol. IV, p. 33.1.]
There is not a spot on the globe, where so little is done to govern the inhabitants ; nor a spot, where the inhabitants are so well governed, or, perhaps, in more appropriate terms, where the state of society is so peaceable, orderly, and happy. A recurrence to the manner, in which elections are carried on here, as described in a former part of these letters, will enable you to compare them with
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your own. Those in your country have been described to me on various occasions, by authority which cannot be questioned. They are scenes of riot, tumult, and violence. Ours are scarcely less decent than religious assemblies .- [Vol. IV, p. 335.]
The people of New-England have always had, and have by law always been required to have, arms in their hands. Every man is, or ought to be, in the possession of a musket. The great body of our citizens, also, are trained with a good degree of skill, and success, to military discipline. Yet I know not a single instance, in which arms have been the instruments of carrying on a private quarrel. * * * On a country, more peaceful and quiet, it is presumed, the sun never shone.
* * * In Connecticut, the government, whether of the Colony or the State, has never met with a single serious attempt at resistance to the execution of its laws. * Our laws provide effectually for the comfortable maintenance of all the poor; who are inhabitants; and, so long as they are with us, of poor strangers, in what country soever they are born ; and, when they are sick, supply them with physicians, nurses, and medicines. The children of the poor are furnished with education and apprenticeships, at the public expense .- [Vol. IV, p. 336-7.]
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ABIEL CANFIELD,
A soldier of the Revolution, was born April 6th, 1753. He enlisted in the company of Capt. Pierson as piper, May 8th, 1777, and marched to New Haven the same day, where he remained with the forces for the protection of the city and harbor during the term of his service. He married Mary Barlow of Stratford Dec. 23d, 1779, and lived in West street, the second house on the left from Church street, still standing. He had a shop in the rear, where he manufactured brass and pewter buttons, buckles, sleigh bells, metal tags, &c. The pewter buttons were east in moulds. He employed an English engineer to cut the dies used in making the figures upon the buttons, for military and other uses. He afterward purchased of Bradford Steele the house east of the Episcopal church and built a shop near by. He died Dec. 6th, 1812, aged 59 years and 7 months.
REV. ALONZO B. PULLING,
Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church a portion of 1876 and 1877, laboring zealously and efficiently for the good of those under his pastoral care. "A good minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, put in trust with the Gospel." He became superannuated at the end of his pastorate and continued to reside at East Village, with the exception of his pastorate in Seymour, until his death. He united with his conference in the spring of 1846, and filled important charges with marked fidelity and acceptability, remaining almost without exception the full term allowed by the church. He served in the New Milford charge twice, the first term of two years and the second three years. He leaves a good record, and has been called from labor to his reward.' "Well done good and faithful servant."
MRS. ANN S. STEPHENS,
The gifted writer, was the daughter of John Winterbottom, junior partner of T. Vose & Co., successors to General Humphreys in the manufacture of broadcloth. She went to school in Sheffield, Canaan and other places, and wrote her first composition -an epigram upon a boy in her father's employ- at the age of seven. The first composition she published was an address to a
LUGRAND SHARP.
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friend, a student in Yale College, printed in the New Haven Post. In 1832 she married Mr. Edward Stephens of Plymouth, Mass., and in 1834 published the "Polish Boy." Two years later she started a literary magazine in Port- land, Maine, and in it wrote her first story and published "The Tradesman's Daughter." In 1838 she became editress of the Ladies' Companion, in New York, and published "Mary Derwent," "The Deluded," aud other serials. Later she was with George R. Graham and Edgar A. Poe on Graham Maga- zine in Philadelphia, at the same time acting as co-editress with Charles J. Peterson, of Peterson's Magazine. Mrs. Stephens and Mr. Peterson have been associated for over thirty years. About twenty years ago Mrs. Stephens published the original of "Fashion and Famine" in Peterson's Magazine, which was afterwards printed in book form, being the first book she ever pub- lished. Her published works now include about thirty novels, a "History of the War" in two volumes, and two humorous works. The opening scenes of "Bertha's Engagement" are laid here, and also the story of "Malvina Gray." She is now a regular contributor to Peterson's Magazine and other publica- tions. Her story of "Fashion and Famine" had a circulation of over 80,000 copies.
SQUIRE DAVID FRENCH,
The oldest son of Israel French, was a patriot of the Revolution, going to Boston after the battle of Bunker Hill to assist in resisting the encroachnients of despotism. He was trial justice of the north part of the town of Woodbridge for many years, and tried more cases than any other justice in Woodbridge. The late Judge David Dagget of New Haven said that he had pleaded a great many cases before 'Squire David. He represented the town of Wood- bridge in the General Assembly twenty successive semi-annual terms. He first built his log-house in Nyumphs, at a place which he afterwards gave to his son Luther. He was for many years a deacon of the First Congregational Church of Bethathy under the Rev. Samuel Hawley, but when Rev. George Whitfield visted this country he became a convert to his views of experimental religion, and afterwards was a regular member of the new seet of Methodists, which soon spread over the country like a great tidal wave. He was never one of the enthusiastic kind, but earnest and strongly sincere. All his public life he was much accustomed to public speaking, and used often in the General Assembly to encounter the celebrated Pierpont Edwards. He had a strong voice and expressed his opinions with energy and confidence. These opinions, whether religious or political, were always such as to command respect. He died Aug. 4th, 1821, aged 80 years.
LUGRAND SHARP,
Son of Thomas and Mary Sharp, was born in Ridgefield, Ct., June Ist, 1797. He was a great-grandson of Thomas Sharp of Newtown, who emigrated from England to Stratford in 1700, and was one of the original thirty-six proprietors and a surveyor of the the town of Newtown. Thomas Sharp, 3rd, purchased lands in Oxford, near Zoar Bridge in 1804 and settled there, but died in 1805, Lugrand being then but eight years of age. In 1821 he purchased the place in Southford on which the Abbott mansion now stands. In 1823 he married Olive M., daugher of Ebenezer Booth, cabinet maker, who built the house, dam and factory since owned by Rev. William Cutts, knife manufacturer. He was an earnest and efficient laborer in the Methodist society formed at Southford, of which Rev. Samuel Hickox of Seymour was the first pastor. It was to a great extent due to his efforts that a union meeting-house was soon built at Southford, and a class formed at Quaker Farms, of which he was the
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first leader. £ His house was always open to the hard-working itinerant preachers of those days, and he continued to be one of the most active members of the Southford church until 1843, when he sold out and came to Humphreys- ville, now Seymour. In 1849 he built the house on Hill street, which he afterwards occupied until his death. He was for several years superintendent of the Sunday school, and afterwards an active member of it until within two or three years of his death. He contributed liberally to such religious and benevolent causes as received his approval, giving over $1,500 to the mission- ary cause during the last nine years of his life. He died May 1st, 1876, aged 78 years. His last years were literally and fully devoted to the service of the Lord, and when his last sickness came he felt that his work was done and he waited in patience for the Master's call.
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