USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Granby > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 8
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Simsbury > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 8
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Canton > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 8
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the foreigners who were employed at the copper mines in that vicinity.
Twelve years afterwards, on the application of Thomas Fitch, George Wyllys, and Robert Walker Jr. all gentle- men of high standing in the state, a special act was passed, by the General Court, granting to them and their associates, " the sole liberty and privilege of making, manufacturing, and converting iron into good steel within the bounds and limits of this Colony," for the term of fifteen years, with the proviso that they should perfect their work within two years, and furnish at least half a ton of steel during each year of said term of fifteen years. They commenced build- ing a furnace in this town, but by reason of the death of the Rev. Mr. Timothy Woodbridge, who had become asso- ciated with them in the enterprise, and on whom, as they state, " they principally depended for ye skill in preparing ye furnace and making ye experiment," their design was retarded ; but upon their application, the General Court in 1743, revived their grant for the remaining part of the said fifteen years, allowing them one year within which to make the experiment. Before the expiration of the year, to wit, in October 1744, Aaron Eliott and Ichabod Miller, who had charge of the works, certified to the Assembly, " that after many expensive and fruitless trialls with which sundry of the owners was discouraged, the affair being still pursued by others of them, it has so far succeeded that there has been made more than half a ton of steel at the furnace in Syms- bury which was erected for that purpose by the gentlemen to whom said grant was made." Instruments made of this steel were exhibited " as a specimen of ye goodness thereof to answer ye intentions of German steel." Upon which representations, the Assembly resolved that the condition of said grant " is performed according to the tenor and mean- ing thereof." It is understood that these works were kept up for some years, though it is not supposed that the pro- duct was extensive or the business lucrative. The furnace was erected on the brook a short distance west of Tuller's mills.
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Pitch and tar were manufactured at Massacoe as early as 1643. The extensive forests of pine, which then spread over a large portion of the plantation, furnished a ready supply of the materials for the manufacture of these articles, and for the collection of turpentine whichi, at a subsequent, period, became an extensive business. The manufacture of pitch and tar was commenced and carried on at this place by John Griffin and Michael Humphrey, then of Windsor, though subsequently both of them became inhabitants of this town. At first, they had a partner of the name of John Tinker, who afterwards settled as a merchant at New Lon- don. These articles being in great demand for the uses of the British navy, as well as for ship-building generally, com- manded a ready sale at high prices, and were nearly the only ones allowed by England to be exported.
This, especially the turpentine business, was pursued more or less extensively in the town during a period of over one hundred years. There are indications of the localities of some of these works plainly visible at the present time. In 1728, the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge shipped at one time to New York nearly five tons of turpentine, as appears by the records of a law suit founded upon the shipment.
During the pendency of the meeting-house question, a Map of Simsbury was made -- and, as it would seem, not far from 1730-for the purpose of showing to the Assembly, in the investigation of this matter, the true condition of the town in respect to roads, the localities of the respective inhabitants, &c. It is preserved in the office of the Secre- tary of this State, and is valuable as a relic of antiquity. Its general appearance indicates that it was drawn with great care and accuracy. In addition to the usual matter contained in maps, this one gives all the roads, and every dwelling house in town standing at that time. The main road lead- ing from Avon, through Hop meadow, to Salmon brook, with all the other roads easterly of this, are laid down very much as they are used at the present time. But, westerly of this main road, there is not, upon the map, a single road or house designated, excepting two or three buildings, near
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Tuller's mills, on Hop brook,-thus showing conclusively that there were no inhabitants westerly of this road, until after this time. With the houses, the names of a consider- able number of their respective owners are given. The whole number of houses is one hundred and sixty-two- fifty-eight within the limits of Granby, as at present defined. and one hundred and four in Simsbury. The two " forts" before mentioned are laid down ;- one called the " Great .Fort," situated on the plain, about one mile north of Sax- ton's brook, and east of the road leading from Westover's plain to Salmon brook ;- the other, called " Shaw's Fort," is, perhaps, one mile north of Salmon brook street, near the road leading to Southwick. These fortifications which, probably, were but block houses, protected by ditches and palisades, were built, it is supposed, in 1708.
Previously to 1734, there had been no bridge constructed over the Farmington river, in the town. Nor were there any ferries, established by law, or kept at the public ex- pense. There were sundry places, called ferry places, where passages were effected. One was at Weatauge, one at Hop meadow, opposite the present meeting-house, an- other easterly of Col. Calvin Barber's house, and one at Terry's plain. At the Falls, the river was forded. At the other places mentioned, canoes were used for the passage of footmen, and if horses were required to pass, they were got over, in most cases, it is believed, by swimming. It is not known that there were any boats larger than canoes in use, at this time, though possibly there were some. They could have been but little needed, except for agricultural purposes, for there were not, at this time, any wagons or other car- riages in use.
The first bridge erected over Farmington river, was a toll bridge, at Weatange, in 1734. The tolls were established by law. A bridge, at this place, was much needed, for here was the great thoroughfare of travel, between the eastern and western sections of this part of the country. It is sup- posed that it was continued, as a toll bridge, only about six years ;- after which, for a period of about forty years, a
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bridge was supported at this place by private munificence. In 1781, a bridge which was nearly new, having been swept away by a freshet, the Assembly granted a lottery, in aid of building another. But, it is understood, that the lottery project was abandoned, though the tickets had been pre- pared, and some of them disposed of. A bridge, however, was erected by means of other resources ;- and one has continued to be kept up at this place, and, for the greater part of the time, at the public expense.
About 1750, a bridge was built across the river, at a place not now used for passing it, nearly east of Col. Barber's house, in Hop meadow. This, too, was erected by indi- vidual donations. It stood but a few years, and was the only one ever constructed at that place.
In 1756, Thomas Marvin, then of this town, obtained a grant from the General Assembly to keep a ferry, at this place, for the term of ten years, and with permission of collecting tolls. This is the only legal ferry ever established in this town. The'rates of tolls allowed, were,-
For man, horse, and load, one penny.
Single man, or single horse, one half penny.
Neat cattle, per head, one half penny.
Sheep and swine, per head, one farthing.
In none of the laws of the Colony, relating to ferries, are wagons or pleasure carriages mentioned, as objects of tolls, until 1760-thus showing when these vehicles first came into use.
It is not known how long this ferry was kept up,-but probably it was but a short time, at these prices of ferriage.
The first bridge built, by the town, over this river, was in 1777, or 1778, and was erected at Suffrage, being the south- erly part of the present town of Canton. This, too, was on the great traveled road, before mentioned, leading into the county of Litchfield.
Within a few years thereafter, a bridge was built at Ter- ry's plain, where one has been supported ever since, at the expense of the town. About 1788, one was erected nearly a mile north-east of the meeting-house, which was swept
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away by a freshet in 1801, and was never rebuilt. In 1819, a bridge was built by individual subscriptions at Hop mead- ow, opposite the meeting-house. It stood but a few years, when another was erected at the public charge. For many years, there has been a bridge at the foot of the falls, in Scotland, supported equally by Simsbury and Granby ; and for nearly forty years, the latter town has supported one at Tariffville, near the' head of the falls. Another has been recently erected by individuals at the village of Tariffville. At the present time, the town of Simsbury supports three bridges crossing this river-one at Weatauge, one at Hop meadow, and the other at Terry's plain.
One of the most severe hail storms on record, occurred in the latter part of July, 1768. It seems to have been more violent and disastrous at Weatange, than any where else. The newspapers of the day represent the hail stones to have been of the size of " geese eggs," and the largest to have weighed, after the storm was over, three ounces each. Fruit trees and gardens suffered much damage. Large quan- tities of English grain were nearly destroyed-window glass was extensively broken-and the smaller and weaker ani- mals much injured. A deer, in the park of Mr. Thomas Case, had one of his legs broken, and was otherwise so injured as to cause his death. "Several hogs had their backs broken, some of which died some days afterwards. Some horses, and other large animals were cut through the skin by the biggest and more ragged hail-stones." Jonathan Pettibone Esq., Mr. Thomas Case, and others living in that vicinity, were the greatest sufferers.
In the various wars in which the country has been engag- ed, the inhabitants of Simsbury have performed their full share of service. We have already allnded to their services in the early Indian wars. When, in 1711-12, forces were sent into the county of Hampshire, Massachusetts, to oppose the movements of hostile Indians, who had assembled at that place in considerable force, a part of a company, attach- ed to the expedition, was raised in this town, of which Sam- uel Humphrey was appointed Lieutenant. His commission,
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signed by Gov. Saltonstall, is in possession of one of his descendants.
In the French war of 1756, a company was raised in the town " for the protection of Crown Point," and other service upon Lake Champlain, of which company, Jonathan Hum- phry was appointed first Lieutenant. His commission, signed by Gov. Fitch, has also been preserved in the same family. 'The names of the other officers of this company are not known.
A company consisting of forty-seven men, and command- ed by Captain Noah Humphry was raised, chiefly in Sims- bury, which belonged to the corps sent out to Havana, in 1762, under the command of General Lyman. This expe- dition was signalized by the great loss of life, chiefly by sickness, which it sustained. It is believed that less than one third of the troops ever returned home.
At the disembarkat o, August 10, the Simsbury company consisted of forty-seven men-of whom twenty-two died before leaving the Island, and some of the others deceased on their passage home. There were fourteen men in this company belonging to that part of Simsbury which lies within the present limits of Granby, all but two of whom lost their lives. These two were Andrew Hillyer and Dud- ley Hays.
There has been preserved a " Week'y Return" of this regiment in the hand-writing of Elihu Humphry Esq., who was an officer in the Simsbury company, and as is believed, was adjutant of the regiment. This return shows a melancholy picture of the condition of the forces, after their arrival at Havana, and during their continuance on the island, to wit, from August 10, to October 16. The expedi- tion consisted of eleven companies, numbering 802 men. The field officers, besides General Lyman, were Colonel Putnam and Major Durkee. On the 14th of August, the number of troops returned as sick, was 140 ;- the next week, 343 ;- September 18th, 540! The number reported fit for duty, October 2d, was only thirty-four ! At the last return, Oct. 16, the whole number reported fit for duty was forty,
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and in Captain Humphry's company, but four. Up to this time, the number of deaths in the whole regiment amounted to three hundred and forty-two! Some of the survivors died on their passage home, and others were captured or shipwrecked. The expedition was incomparably the most disastrous in its results of any ever fitted out by this Colony. It was a sacrifice of human life almost unexampled, and without the accomplishment of any valuable object. The extreme unhealthfulness of the place, at that season of the year, was probably then unknown ; but at the present day, no one would seriously think of sending troops from Con- necticut to occupy Havana in the month of August !
In the war of the revolution, the inhabitants, with but few exceptions, espoused the cause of freedom, and ren- dered essential aid in the great struggle for independence. Before the commencement of hostilities, a town meeting was held which, by a large majority, passed resolutions strongly reprobating the Boston Port Bill and other oppress- ive acts of the mother country. The resolutions are spread upon the records of the town. They are well drafted, and evince a spirit of freedom and an invincible opposition to oppression, alike worthy of the times, and the men who were so soon to embark their all in the contest. Measures too were taken to furnish relief to their suffering brethren in Boston who, by their patriotic conduct, had subjected themselves to the especial vengeance of the British govern- ment.
In the expedition secretly fitted out and sent to take fort Ticonderoga in April 1775, Capt. Noah Phelps of this town was a chief projector and principal actor. When the vol- unteers composing this expedition had reached lake Cham- plain, Capt. Phelps crossed it in a boat and entered the fort as a spy. Pretending that his object was to get shaved, he ' avoided suspicion, and had an opportunity to ascertain the construction, strength, and force of the garrison. And he had the good fortune to elude detection, thongh as it after- wards appeared, his presence had began to excite mistrust before he left the garrison. The boatman who conducted
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him from the fort, suspecting his character, was deterred from returning back by the superior strength of his passen- ger. Upon report of Capt. Phelps to his comrades concern- ing the condition of the fort, the company passed over the following night, and succeeded in the capture of this impor- tant garrison without the loss of a single man.
In addition to the valuable ordnance and military stores which fell into the hands of the Americans by this exploit, there were taken Gov. Skeene with his suit, the officers of the garrison, and forty-seven privates, all of whom were sent to Hartford as prisoners of war. The American force amounted to eighty-three persons, many of whom were volunteers from Vermont.
As this enterprise was undertaken before the declaration of Independence, the state, as such, did not openly favor the design. But the funds to re-imburse its expenses were fur- nished from the treasury on notes executed by a few indi- viduals, which notes were subsequently cancelled and given up.
Early in May 1775, a company under the command of captain Abel Pettibone, was raised in the town and sent to the camp near Boston. This company consisted of over one hundred men, and continued in service until the 18th of December following. Volunteers from this company were engaged in the battle at Bunker Hill.
Immediately after this battle, another company was raised by enlistment, and composed principally of men belonging to Simsbury. The officers were, Elihu Humphry Captain, Ebenezer F. Bissell and Andrew Hillyer Lieutenants, Sam- uel Stoughton Ensign, and Jonathan Humphry Jr. Clerk. The company consisted of seventy-five men, rank and file. On the day of their march for the camp, they were assem- bled in the meeting-house, where a sermon, peculiarly adapted to the times, was preached to them by the Rev. Mr. Pitkin of Farmington. They were retained in service near Boston until the following December. The original muster roll of this company has been preserved.
The commander of this company was subsequently raised
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to the grade of Major in the Continental line, but died soon afterwards, near the close of 1776, in service. He was a brave and efficient officer, and had served, as before stated, in the expedition to Havana.
Other troops were raised in 1776. From a return of the 18th regiment of militia, under the command of Colonel Jonathan Humphry, dated in July 1777, it appears that twohundred and sixty-four men, belonging to this regiment, were then in service in the Continental army. There were twenty-one companies belonging to the regiment, with an aggregate force of one thousand one hundred and forty-nine men, more than three quarters of whom belonged to Sims- bury. In 1778, the whole of this regiment was called into service in the vicinity of New York. During this expedi- tion, Colonel . Humphry died at Horse-neck. He was much engaged for a long series of years in public employ- ments, and eminently enjoyed the confidence of his fellow citizens.
Subsequently, the whole regiment, or a portion of it, was occasionally detached, though generally for short periods of service. Nearly every man belonging to it had served in the war. Of enlisted men for the army, few, if any of the towns furnished a larger number. A company under the command of Captain, afterwards General, Noah Phelps, was raised in this manner for the service. His brother, Cap- tain Elisha Phelps, was a Commissary in the army until his decease in 1776. Besides those already mentioned, a large number of persons belonging to the town lost their lives while employed in the public service.
The extraordinary dark day of 1780, is still remembered and often adverted to by aged people. It occurred, it will be remembered, during the revolutionary war, and at the most gloomy period of that struggle. The event was very generally considered as supernatural. It caused much aların among the people, and was to some consid- erable extent believed to prognosticate some great national calamity.
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The following description of the darkness, which occurred on this day, is from a diary kept by John Owen Esq. Under date of Friday, May 19, 1780, he says :-
The darkness " began in the morning with a thick air, and between 8 and 9, I observed an uncommon yellowish green spread over every object above and below, which continued increasing and withall growing darker and darker_so that about 30 minutes past 10 A. M., I laid by my business of writing in the light room where I now am-every thing seemed to turn of a red yellow dark green. I walked abroad, every thing appeared gloomy. The fowls retired to roost, and evening birds to their songs. This con- tinued until near noon, when the air in some measure cleared up, and the sun appeared."
" As this darkness was a new phenomenon, every one will speak of it as they like. But I will set it down as my own opinion that it is a prelude of something extraordinary to happen to this coun- try. It is indeed a lively picture and emblem of the mental dark- ness now abounding."
He adds, that he has " heard for about one hundred miles each way, and the appearance was much the same as here."
There was nothing in this event of a nature so extraordi- nary as to justify the appellation of " supernatural," which Judge Owen and others gave to it, nor in reality to canse the alarm which, it is said, so generally prevailed. The dark- ness is easily accounted for. It was undoubtedly produced by the accumulation of thicker and denser masses of vapor or smoke than was usual, in ordinary cloudy weather.
Soon after the commencement of the last war in 1812, Messrs. Allyn and Phelps erected works for the manufac- ture of iron wire, at the place now occupied by the carpet manufactory at Tariffville. The iron used was obtained from Salisbury, which after being rolled into rods of about three fourths of an inch in diameter at Winsted, was carried to the factory and drawn into wire of all sizes. Large quantities were manufactured, especially of the finer kind used by card makers, which found a ready market in Wor- cester county, Massachusetts, and other places where cards, and especially machine cards, were manufactured. After the peace in 1815, coarse wire could not be made at a profit, and its manufacture was discontinued ; but card wire was continued to be made some years afterwards, not only at
9*
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these works, but by Cowles and Mills, on the same river, farther down the stream, and also by a Mr. Prouty, in con- nexion with E. Phelps Esq. on the north branch of Hop brook. The wire-drawing business is still continued at this place by Mr. Zebulon Chapin.
Each of these establishments had connected with it a card factory. That of Allyn and Phelps, carried on under the name of Allyn, Johnson and Co. commenced the busi- ness during the war. At first, hand cards only were made, but afterwards machine cards, which at this time became in great demand. These works were afterwards removed to Hartford, and some of the others were discontinued. The business was at times profitable, and was pursued exten- sively. But after the introduction of machinery for setting card teeth, these establishments, not having the benefit of this machinery, were compelled to abandon the business. Near the close of the war, Mr. Thomas Case was also enga- ged for a short time in the manufacture of hand cards.
Tin ware has been manufactured in this town about fifty years. Joel Saxton, Samuel Vining, Thomas Barber and others, have been engaged in the business. It is now carried on, as it has been some years, by Moses Ensign Esq.
Richard Bacon Esq. in connection with partners residing in England, have works at East Weatauge, for the manufac- ture of Safety Fuse for blasting rocks. There is no other establishment of the kind in the United States, and but one other in the world. This one is in England. The process of manufacturing the article is patented, and the company in Simsbury is called " The Patent Fuse Company."
The factory of the Tariffville Manufacturing Company is situated at the north-east corner of the town, on the Far- mington river. The village, which is called Tariffville, lies about twelve miles from Hartford, and contains about one thousand inhabitants. A part of the factory buildings were erected, nearly twenty years since, by a company called the " New England Carpet Company." Within a few years, the property has passed into the hands of a new company, called the " Tariffville Manufacturing Company," who have
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extended the works and constructed many additional build- ings. The water used is taken from the river and conducted to the mills by a canal of about sixty rods in length. Until recently, the business of the company has been confined to the manufacture of carpets, but another large mill having recently been erected, coarse woolen cloths are now also manufactured at this place.
The carpet factory is on an extended scale, being one of the largest in this country. It employs about three hundred hands, and makes yearly about three hundred thousand yards of carpetings, called fine, superfine, three ply and Venetian, which bear a high reputation, and are fully equal to imported fabrics of similar kinds. Great improvements have been made recently in the manufacture of this article, especially in colors, workmanship, and finish. Hearth rugs are also made at this mill, and the company expect very shortly to commence manufacturing Brussel carpets.
The new mill employs about one hundred and fifty hands, · and makes at the rate of about six hundred thousand yards yearly of woolen cloths of a coarse quality, Tweeds, Jeans, &c. These factories make this one of the most important manufacturing villages in the state.
By the original grant, the dimensions of the town were ten miles square. When the line between Connecticut and Massachusetts was surveyed and established in 1750, it was found that a strip of land, over three miles in width, remained lying between the north boundary of Simsbury and the state line. This was annexed to Simsbury by act of the legislature, by which the length of the town north and south was increased so as to extend over thirteen miles ;- the west line being about fourteen miles .*
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