USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Granby > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 11
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Simsbury > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 11
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Canton > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 11
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GEORGE WASHINGTON.
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mines " a state prison for the reception of British prisoners of war, and for the purpose of retaliation ;" and asked from the Governor of this state a plan and estimates of expense. Governor Trumbull laid the matter before the General Assembly, who assented to the proposition, and requested him to furnish for Congress the plan and estimates required. What these were, do not appear, but the subject was drop- ped, probably for the reason that soon after this time a ter- mination of the war was anticipated.
Mention has already been made of the confinement of tories in this prison. No person of this description was imprisoned here until 1780, when an Act was passed author- ising the superior court to sentence to confinement in New- gate, such persons as should be convicted of certain specified crimes against the government not amounting to treason, but which consisted of certain overt acts deemed prejudicial to the cause of independence. Courts Martial too, exercised the power of sentencing to this prison persons found guilty of similar offenses. The whole number of persons, called tories, imprisoned, did not, it is believed, exceed fo ty. At one time there were upwards of twenty in the prison, all of whom, as before stated, escaped on the 18th of May 1781. Among them were persons of some note and distinction. The leader of this rebellion was a Captain Peter Sackett, who had rendered himself notorious, as well as extremely obnoxious, by his adherence to the cause o the British government.
A new Act, more perfect and specific in its details than the former one, was passed in 1790, constituting the caverns at these mines, with a small quantity of land over them, a state prison, denominated, as before, Newgate. The act provided for the appointment of three overseers, who were directed to cause a workshop and a dwelling house for the keeper to be erected, and to enclose them with a piquet wall or fence,-and to appoint a keeper, with a guard not exceed_ ing ten persons, to manage and protect the prison. The expense of rebuilding it was limited to £750. Persons con- victed of burglary, robbery, horse-stealing, counterfeiting,
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passing counterfeit money, knowing it to be such, and aid- ing in the escape of convicts from the prison, were to be confined at hard labor in this place for a term of years, or, in some cases, during the life of the culprit. Subsequently, for a few other crimes, the offender was subjected to impris- onment here.
The Hon. John Treadwell, and Roger Newberry, and Pliny Hillyer Esq. were appointed the overseers. A large workshop and a dwelling house, both of brick, were con- structed, together with sundry other buildings of minor con- sequence. Under the west end of the dwelling house was a small room well secured by massive stone walls, from which led the only passage to the caverns beneath. This entrance was perforated through a solid rock, and contained a ladder by which passage to or from the caverns was made. The month of this entrance, as was also the one leading into this room from the guard-room above, was well secured by a trap door with lock and heavy bolts. A wooden fence, furnished with spikes on the top. enclosed these buildings with about half an acre of land for a yard.
The prison was finished in October 1790, and Major Peter Curtiss was appointed the keeper, to whom with a guard of ten men was committed its management.
From this time, the affairs of the prison assumed a new aspect. The prison was more securely built, and better managed than at any former period. Escapes from it were rare, and there were no instances of a general rebellion, or an entire clearing out of its inmates as formerly.
The system of discipline and employment, as at first adopted, continued to be followed, with but slight varia- tions, until the removal of the convicts to the new state prison in 1827. As a general rule, the prisoners were lodged in the caverns. At day light, they were taken up and removed to the work shop, where they remained until four o'clock P. M., when they were returned to the caverns. They took their meals in the work shop. These consisted of coarse food prepared in the prison, which was dealt out to them by rations. Nearly all of them wore fetters strongly
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rivetted to their ankles. The most refractory, and desperate of their number, were more heavily ironed. In general, when at work, they were chained at their respective blocks in the shop, and a portion of them were secured by an extra chain leading from a band around the neck to a beam in the building .
The punishment for misconduct, or offences committed in the prison, was whipping, short rations, extra ironing, and, in some specified cases designated by statute, an addi- tional term of imprisonment. Each prisoner had a fixed amount of work to perform each day. Those who did extra work had the benefit of it in an, allowance on the bills of costs incurred in their prosecutions.
At first, all the prisoners were employed in making wrought nails, the iron for which was procured at Canaan and Salisbury. This business was followed during the whole time of the continuance of the prison at this place, and was, for many years, the chief occupation of the con- victs. A few other branches of manufacture were carried on, though not extensively. After 1820, a large number of the convicts were employed in the manufacture of shoes, wagons and various other articles, by which a greater profit was derived than from the nail making business. Indeed, the manufacture of nails at this place had always been attended with loss to the state.
In 1802, a substantial stone wall, twelve feet high, was built around the premises, having a gate which was never opened except by a sentinel under arms on duty. This wall was built by Colonel Calvin Barber of Simsbury. All the guards when on duty were under arms, and prepared at all times to use their weapons in any conflict or ontbreak that might happen. Their number, at first ten, was subse- quently increased to seventeen. The government, as well as the duties of the guard, partook strongly of a military character.
Additional buildings were subsequently erected. About 1815, a two story building, nearly fifty feet long, was put up in the south east corner of the yard. The lower story
HISTORY OF GRANBY. 129
was appropriated for cells, and the upper one for a chapel in which divine service was thereafter usually held once on cach Sunday. Adjoining this on the west, was another building of about the same length, the lower story of which was occupied for a cooper's shop, hospital and kitchen, and the upper story as a shoe maker's shop. In the northeast corner of the yard was another building used for making wagons. The cells above mentioned being weakly con- structed, were not much used. Still later, about 1824, a large edifice of stone and brick was built on the westerly side of the yard, which contained a tread mill, with the usual appurtenances for grinding grain,-a number of strong cells,-apartments for female convicts,-a kitchen, office, &c. This building was erected chiefly by convict labor. The tread mill, however, like all other similar ones, proved a failure-the labor of working it being found too expensive for the state, and quite too cruel for the convicts.
In the basement story of the guard-house, and near the entrance to the caverns, was a strongly built apartment about fifteen feet square, called the "jng." This room was used at first for the sick, and occasionally as a lodging room for that class of prisoners who were known to be well dispo- sed, and from whom no danger of attempting an escape was apprehended. The other prisoners were lodged in the cav- erns, where their beds consisted of two large platforms sup- plied with straw and a few blankets. The novice in crime, and the most hardened villain, were thus promiscuously huddled together without any restraint, or immediate over- sight by any of the guard during the night season.
The number of criminals in confinement after 1800, varied from about forty-five to sixty, until 1821, when the number of offenses, punishable by confinement in Newgate, was considerably increased by legislative enactments. This, with the increase of crime, and the change about this time of the law relating to the punishment of female convicts, by which they were subjected to imprisonment here in the same manner as, for sinnlar offenses, the males were, caused a considerable addition to the number of prisoners. In
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1827, when they were removed to the new prison at Weth- ersfield, they amounted to one hundred and twenty-seven.
The prison was never able to support itself from the avails of convict labor. The deficiency, which was paid from the state treasury, varied from five thousand to over thirteen thousand dollars per annum. It would average about seven thousand dollars a year, including outlays for new buildings.
The state having provided a new prison at Wethersfield, all the prisoners were removed so as to commence operations there on the first of October 1827. The old prison, with its buildings and some five acres of land, were sold in 1830, to the Phoenix Mining Company, for twelve hundred dollars.
This place was greatly resorted to by visitors, and espe- cially so during the winter months, when there was sleigh- ing .* Many of them descended into the caverns, and all had an opportunity to inspect generally the discipline and the labor-system of the prison. To those unaccustomed to the scene, a visit to the nail-shop presented a view extremely revolting, and to some even terrific. Here might be seen some fifty men, black and white, and so besmeared as to be hardly distinguishable, chained to their blocks, busily engaged in a noisy employment, and closely watched and guarded by a file of men under arms. Add to this, the appearance of the room with its inmates and implements, as viewed by strong lights proceeding from the various fur- naces, and the continual clatter of hammers used in forging nails,-and some idea of the scene, though necessarily an imperfect one, may be imagined.
Besides the revolt under Capt. Sackett, which has already been mentioned, and which was so successfully carried out, there have been several escapes, and attempts to break the prison ; a few of which are worthy of notice.
Shortly before 1800, a number of prisoners made their escape by opening one of the shafts which had been filled
* In a report made by the overseers in 1810, it is stated that the number of visitors to the prison would average four hundred and fifty monthly.
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up and, as was supposed, well secured by stones strongly bolted together. It was a work of great labor, and must have been a long while in progress.
In 1802, when the keeper and nearly all the officers and guard were sick and off duty, the prisoners, at the time of being returned to the caverns, rose upon the small remnant of guard able to be on duty, and attempted to escape. By the prompt action and indomitable courage of Mr. Dan Forward, a private, and who was indued with great mus- cular strength, the prisoners were subdued and safely secured under the hatches. It is supposed that this revolt was ill matured, or not generally known, for it did not commence until a large portion of the convicts had descended into the caverns. Had it been well managed, it would, probably, have succeeded, as the guard was too weak to quell a gen- eral rebellion on an occasion like this.
There was another rebellion in 1806. Nearly all the convicts employed in the nail shop had been supplied with pewter keys, with which to unlock their fastenings, manu- factured by some very skillful mechanics then in prison. At a given signal, the convicts were to unlock the chains which confined them to their stations, and make a concerted attack upon the guard. The signal was given-the men released themselves-and two of them commenced the attack by siezing the officer on duty so suddenly as to disable him from using his weapons in defense. A short scuffle ensued, during which one of the guard, not on duty in that shop, ran to the place and shot one of the ring leaders, a negro, dead upon the spot. This event so disheartened the rest that they immediately returned to their places and sued for mercy.
In the spring of 1822, nearly all the prisoners, then amounting to over one hundred, concerted a plan to over- power the guard and effect their escape. The time selected for the attempt was during the temporary absence of the keeper and three of the guard ;- the force remaining on duty being fourteen persons. Their plan was to have a general rising in all the shops at a given signal. The sig-
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nal was given in the nail shop, when the attack commenced. One of the guard was knocked down and his arms taken from him, and another was seized and mastered. During the scuffle which ensued, a reinforcement arrived upon the ground. Two of the insurgents were shot at and wounded, though not mortally, which terminated the affiay. There was no outbreak in the other shops-probably the signal was not heard.
On the night preceding the removal of the prisoners to the new prison in Wethersfield, one of the convicts, by the name of Starkey, was killed in attempting to make his escape. The shaft, used for a well, communicated with one of the caverns about seventy feet below the surface of the earth. The top of this shaft was well, secured by a hatch, which it was intended should be always fastened down in the night season. On this evening, the well was left open, and, as appearances would indicate, by design. Starkey attempted to ascend by climbing the rope used for drawing water. In making the ascent, the rope broke, by which he was precipitated to the bottom, where he was found dead.
The convicts, while at this prison, generally enjoyed good health. With but a single exception, which was readily accounted for by local causes, no contagious disease had ever occurred here. The caverns, as a lodging place, were generally deemed conducive to health. 'Those afflicted with cutaneous diseases were often cured. The temperature was uniform at all seasons of the year, being, as indicated by the thermometer, at about fifty-two degrees.
The inmates of this prison formed a motley group. Amongst them might be found rogues of high celebrity- the most hardened and reckless-the cunning and adroit- and often mechanics and artizans gifted with ingennity and skill of a high order. Persons well educated, with a large class of the most illiterate and degraded-negroes and whites-young and old-were all to be found here as con- mon associates, and generally as bed-fellows.
Some of the prisoners obtained a high reputation for their
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roguery. One, by the name of Newman, published an ac- count of his long career in crime and prison-breaking which, if true, would entitle him to the highest rank among vil- lains. He was, at times, quite successful in playing off his deceptions. While in this prison, before his pranks were discovered, he avoided labor by feigning sickness. He could at any time raise blood, which his attendants supposed pro- ceeded from his lungs. By feigning other symptoms of a pulmonary decline, he had strongly enlisted the sympathy of the guard, and was exempted from labor. His object was to avert the vigilance of his keepers, and thereby effect his escape. Being foiled in this, he proceeded still further and feigned fits. He contrived to manage these tricks so well, that it was some time before the deception was dis- covered. Succeeding in none of his deceptions practices, he was, after all his trouble, compelled to serve out the term of his imprisonment. In another prison, by counter- feiting death, he came very near effecting his escape ;- at least it is so stated in his memoir.
Another convict, by name Parker, after his release from prison, had extraordinary success in deceiving the weak- minded, by assuming the name and identity of persons who, by long absence from their friends, were supposed to be dead. He passed, for some time, as the long lost son of an aged pair ; and, at another time, imposed himself upon a woman as her husband, who had been absent many years. He also at times pretended to be a clergyman, and had some success in this branch of his deceptive career.
A prisoner by the name of Corson, after his discharge, in 1826, published an account of his exploits, from which, it would appear, that his character for villainy was well earned, and correctly bestowed,-and that the safety of the public required a permanent abode for him in some strong prison.
But, one of the most desperate and dangerous of the gang was a convict of the name of Sloan, who, in 1821, was sen- tenced for a long term of years for passing counterfeit money, a large amount of which was also found in his possession. While in Hartford jail, before his commitment to Newgate,
12*
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he nearly effected his escape by a bold and daring plot. Indued with extraordinary muscular power -- and being reckless and courageous, yet cool and circumspect-he became one of the most dangerous and troublesome prison- ers at Newgate. He was the leader in all insurrections, and was kept in subjection only by loading him heavily with irons. In attempting to make his escape, he struck down one of the guard, injuring him severely, for which outrage he was subjected to an additional term of imprisonment.
The annals of Newgate furnish many incidents of an interesting character. Some of them, depending on tradi- tion, are so intermixed with fiction as to become nearly val- ueless, and will soon pass into oblivion. A larger portion, resting on better authority, remain, and furnish a mass of information worthy of preservation.
As a place for criminals, this prison never fully answered the purposes intended by the government. The guilty were indeed punished-but rarely ever reformed. The free intercourse among all classes of offenders, allowed during the night season, was well calculated to make all adepts in roguery, and better fitted than ever for a new career in crime, when, at the termination of imprisonment, they should again mix with the world. No system, aiming at the reformation of an offender, could be worse than this. Under such a schooling, reformation could hardly be expected ;- it cer- tainly was never realized to any considerable extent. Few, if any, left the prison better men, or more favorably dispo- sed to regard the rights of society, or obey its laws. As a general rule, the convicts left the prison more hardened, and more disposed than ever to engage in new criminal enterprises, and with a better knowledge of the manner both of committing offenses, and evading detection.
The state having erected a new prison at Wethersfield, which was completed in September 1827, all the prisoners remaining were removed from Newgate to this prison on the 30th of that month ;- a few of them having previously been taken out to work on the new prison.
The persons appointed overseers of the prison, from its
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first establishment, were,-Erastus Wolcott, Josiah Bissell, Jonathan Humphry, Asahel Holcomb, James Forward, Matthew Griswold, Roger Newbury, John Treadwell, Pliny Hillyer, Samuel Woodruff, Martin Sheldon, Reuben Barker, Jonathan Pettibone Jr. and Thomas K. Brace.
Keepers :- John Viets,* Peter Curtiss, Major Reuben Humphreys, Col. Thomas Sheldon, Salmon Clark, Charles Washburn, Elam Tuller, Alexander H. Griswold and Andrew Denison.
* Mr. Viets, who was appointed by the General Assembly, resigned in 1776. From this time, until 1752, the office was held by a number of per- sons,-the keeper being the chief officer of the guard for the time being. Under the new act of 1790, the keepers were appointed by the overseers. Mr. Curtiss was the first one appointed after this time.
CHAPTER XI.
CANTON.
Settlement. Civil and Ecclesiastical History. 1737-1845.
THE western part of Simsbury, now incorporated into a distinct township by the name of Canton, was formerly called West Simsbury, and was settled by one or two fam- ilies as early as 1737, and within a few years thereafter by more than twenty other families, all of which, with two exceptions, emigrated from the old town. They located themselves in the valley bordering on Cherry's brook,-on the hill, or mountain, easterly of this valley,-and at Suf- frage. It is supposed that the ecclesiastical quarrel which, at this period, raged with so much acrimony in the old par- ish, as before narrated, had some, if not a preponderating influence in promoting the growth of this settlement at its commencement. At this time, the large tracts of land lying between Weatauge and Hop meadow, on the east, and West Simsbury were, with few exceptions, uninhabited and unimproved.
The following historical sketches of the first settlers, and of their respective families, have been obligingly furnished by Ephraim Mills Esq. of Canton ; to whom the author is also indebted for other statistical information embraced in this history of that town.
" RICHARD CASE, removed from the old parish to West Sims- bury in 1737, and is supposed to have been the first setler, and to have erected the first dwelling house in this portion of the town. His son, Sylvanus, has ever been reputed to be the first English child born within the limits of West Simsbury. He had twelve children, ten sons and two daughters. He resided on the East Hill-the building site is still to be seen opposite the house after-
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wards erected by him, and which is still standing, and is supposed to be the oldest building in Canton, having been erected in 1747.
His descendants are numerous in Canton, Granby and Bark- hamsted.
There were four brothers of the Barber family, who removed from the old parish in 1738, (viz. ) Samuel, Thomas Jonathan and John_all of whom purchased and settled on land contiguous to each other, within the limits of the Center school district of Canton.
Dr. SAMUEL BARBER had fourteen children, eleven sons and three daughters, a l of whom lived to adult years. He resided on the premises now occupied by his grandson Volney G. Barber, and died January, 1797, aged eighty-three. There are some of his descendants residing in Canton.
Serjeant THOMAS BARBER had ten children, five sons and five daughters, all of whom lived to adult years, and nine of them left children. He died in 1792. He resided in the house lately occu- pied by Hosea Case, deceased. Some of his descendants still reside in Canton.
JONATHAN BARBER had three children, two sons and one daugh- ter : he died in early life, 1745, at the siege and capture of Louis- burg. He resided on land now owned by Gardner Mills, a little south of the house of George L. Barber. His descendants have become extinct in Canton.
JOHN BARBER had six children, five sons and one daughter. He died 1797, aged seventy-seven years. His son Reuben died 1825, and was the first person interred in the new center burying ground. He resided in the house now occupied by Treat Lambert.
Deacon ABRAHAM CASE had seven children, two sons and five daughters. He removed from the old parish to West Simsbury about 1740, and died in 1800. He resided on the East Hill, on the premises lately owned by his grandson, Lyman Case, deceased. But few of his descendants reside in Canton. He was upwards of eighty years of age.
AMOS CASE, brother of Abraham, had nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom lived to adult years. He died, 1798, aged eighty-six years. He resided on the East Hill, in the house now occupied by the heirs of Abel Case Jun. He emigra- ted from the old parish to West Simsbury about the year 1740.
BENJAMIN DYER, a schoolmate of Dr. Franklin, removed from the city of Boston to West Simsbury about the year 1741. He had seven children, five sons and two daughters. He resided in the house now occupied by Luther Higley Esq. in the south part of Canton. Several of his descendants still reside in Canton.
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SAMUEL HUMPHRY removed from the old society to West Sims- bury, about the year 1741. He had six children, three sons and three daughters, who lived to adult years, and who were married and left children. He resided in Suffrage, East school district, near the house of Oliver Humphry Esq.
JOSEPH MILLS, at the age of thirty, married Hannah Adams, aged fifteen years, and emigrated from Meadow plain in Simsbury, to West Simsbury, in 1742 or 43. He had fourteen children, ten sons and four daughters-all of whom he lived to see connected in life, and have children. He died April 1783, aged eighty-nine. He resided on the premises now occupied by the Rev. Jairus Burt. His descendants are numerous ; a considerable number reside in Canton. The ancestors of the Mills family emigrated from York- shire, England, in the early settlement of this country.
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