USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Torrington > History of Torrington, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1737, with biographies and genealogies > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
Marked indications of the existence of iron are abundant in this town, but the efforts to obtain it in paying quantities have been so slight, or other disastrous circumstances attending the efforts, that
175
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.
success has not crowned this mining enterprise. The sulphuret of iron (or iron pyrites), abound to some extent in the northern part of the town, but very little effort has been made to develop those treasures so as to know whether the results would be economical or not.
NICKEL has been found and mined to some considerable extent in the hill and on a line continuous and north of the designated cop- per mine locality ; blended with copper, iron, and supposed cobalt. A copper nickel bed exists in the prevailing quartz and mica slate rock of the hill about half a mile west of the site of the second Meet- ing house, or Torrington green ; and is owned by Mr. Willard H. Barber who has taken some trouble and been at considerable ex- pense latterly to ascertain the value of the mine. The ore is abun- dant; and a few years since extensive buildings were fitted at Torrington hollow, where considerable effort was made and expense incurred to make the enterprise a paying one but that end was not reached. Another attempt is now being made by a gentleman from Hartford, and to all appearance it promises success. After the first process of smelting the result consists of iron, copper and nickel. The last is obtained by the chemical destruction of the two former.
The existence of SILVER in the Torrington hills has been indicated by specimens found in disintegrated quartz and mica slate rock which have been carried down the hills by rains and melted snow. A little distance north of Wolcottville, and west of the railroad at the foot of Horse mountain, a mining shaft has been sunk to some consid- erable depth, for silver ore, and although silver was obtained, yet the effort to obtain it did not prove economically successful.
GNEISS and GRANITE rock constitute the firm foundations and form of Torrington hills. They exhibit interesting combinations, forms, and qualities, and occur in extensive plateau, or table rock and enormous boulders, as in Torringford ; or in spurs of mountain range, upheavals, abrupt terminal and grotesque ledges, forced and stratified gneiss rock, on the north and west sides of the town.
Several varieties of the granite rock occur in the town, much of which may be utilized for building and architectural purposes. The variety in which the feldspar constitutes a leading ingredient, is designated as white granite ; is a beautiful material for building purposes, and is extensively quarried at Plymouth, Ct. Another variety is constituted by quartz rock, hornblend and epidote blended, which is much preferred by many for its grayish aspect, great dura-
176
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
bility, and capability of a fine polish. A variety also occurs in which the feldspar is of a beautiful flesh color, similar to what occurs in the Scotch and California granite, though not in quality or quantity for any economical purpose. An uncommon and curious variety oc- curs on the way from Wolcottville to Burrville, midway between these places, constituted by the feldspar being of a deep red color.
STEATITE, or soap stone, designated by its grayish color, smooth soapy feel, and capability of being cut, or wrought with sharp instru- ments without injury to them, makes its appearance mostly on Chest- nut hill, in the southwestern part of the town. One quarry of this stone, nearly on the top of that hill, was worked to a considerable depth, and with fair remunerative success, a few years since, and the cutting of the stone was conducted in Wolcottville, at the old Wil- son's mill. About a mile east of this, near the old Captain Amos Wilson place, this stone crops out in considerable proportions.
The extensive CLAY beds, which exist in the northeastern section of the town, have been utilized in the manufacture of brick, to a greater extent and more remuneratively, than any other native ma- terial which the town affords. These clay beds being of primitive formation, afford opportunity for interesting study, and for economi- cal purposes are almost an anomaly. This material for brick is of a superior quality, because of the rich color it has by oxidation, and the extreme hardness of the brick in consequence of the iron which is combined in the clay beds. The evidence of the primitive origin of these beds is their proximity to primitive rock, and the impacted round pebbles (silicious substance), small stones of brown hematite, granite boulders and jasper.
These beds extend over a considerable area, and have been worked many years, by the Hudsons, Haydens and Burrs.
Many varieties of the quartz rock abound in the town ; some of them of uncommon richness and beauty. During the period of more than a century since Torrington hills were first inhabited until the na- tional centennial, the economical, the psychological,and the scientific wealth which this old township affords, have been little known and studied, by a people who have been more than ordinarily character- ized for industry, schools, intelligence, and moral and scientific at- tainments. It is self-evident that the muck rake inspiration has been the inciting one, to such a degree, that great nature's constant and silent work and beautiful productions from her scientific laboratory, have been viewed, when viewed at all, as of very little account in
177
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.
the duties and privileges of the present life. The getting of money, has been, and still is in a great measure, the one great object of pursuit, while the magnificent GEMS of nature, which adorned the breast plate of Moses and Aaron, and which symbolize the heavenly gates of wisdom, purity and simplicity, have been unheeded and left by the wayside embedded in impurities.
Of these gems, we find the jasper, the chalcedony, the sardonyx the amethyst, the beautiful malachite, the apatite, of bluish white crystals, the agates, the jet black tourmaline crystals, the epidote, white and grass-green crystals, the laminated mica white, milky, smoky, and rose colored quarts ; and also, flesh colored and deep red feldspar ; chalcedony, of several varieties ; opal, semi-opal, of many colors and forms. The jasper occurs, of fine quality, takes a beautiful polish, and has been set for signet rings. Of all the gems thus far discovered in Torrington, those of the chalcedonic species excel in colors and beauty. They were discovered by Dr. E. D. Hudson in his miner- alogical surveys, occurring in quite large boulders, on the slope of the Torringford hill, towards Still river, directly west from the Tor- ringford Meeting house. They were interspersed along the side hill over a considerable area, and firmly impacted in the earth with here and there an encrusted, sharp point exposed to observation. When they were unearthed, they presented no attractive appearance ; had a disintegrated ragged exterior ; were oblong, and from three to four feet in length, and some eighteen inches in diameter. Not until some ragged point had been detached by the hammer, was the species of the mineral discovered to be purely chalcedonic. Heavy blows of the sledge hammer, soon revealed in the very heart of the boulder, nature's secret laboratory, and her magnificent crystaline products of many colors, of the most gorgeous tints, which no human skill could imitate. So rich an exhibit of the purest crystals of carnelian as these boulders disclose, rarely occur. They were of light pink, flesh, and deep blood red colors ; regular crystals of dazzling luster ; also botryoidal (grapeform), and stalagmites of yellow, green, and white colors.I
The chalcedony occurs in white and translucent uncrystalized masses ; some of it, the agate variety, makes beautiful watch seals, signet rings, sleeve buttons and the like ornaments.2 In these boulders,
I See Prof. Shepard's Report of Geological Survey of Conn., and State Cabinet of Minerals.
2 Dr. Hudson has several sets of jewelry, made for members of his family, to memorial- ize the gems of his native town. They are unique, greatly admired and valuable.
23
178
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
beautiful specimens of the chrysoprase variety of apple green color occur ; also heliotrope, of green and red blended ; the sard and sar- doynx, deep red, bluish red, and yellow. The garnet mineral in beautiful crystals, and hornblend abound in the primitive rocks of the town, especially near the nickel mine, where many fine specimens have been found in the bed of the brook a little north from the ex- cavations.
The phenomenal manifestations of the formation of mountain range, hills, solidified and stratified rocks, downs, and valleys of the town are wonderful and afford an interesting field for study. To contemplate the irresistible forces, which must have existed, suffi- ciently to rend these rock-bound granite hills ; to heave up their ever- lasting foundations, and force upward through their solid structure, laminated masses or veins of pure quartz, is sufficient to fill the mind with awe and wonder. It becomes evident that the Still river and the Naugatuck river, never excavated those valleys through which they course ; neither did they form the downs, or conical sand hills, which mound-like exist in those valleys and various parts of the town. The upheavals which Torrington hills have suffered, in common with every portion of the earth, and the marked results of some overwhelming deluge, floating its mountain glaciers over the hills are distinctly indicated. The angles and bends of the stratified laminated gneiss rock of Torrington, and the more solid granite table of Torringford, plowed and furrowed by the huge boulders, which were carried upon and over them by glaciers, and deposited on the north brow and very summit of that hill, afford demonstrable evidence of their origin, and of their geological formation.
These mammoth granite boulders ; the peculiar and interesting chalcedonic boulders along the western slope of Torringford hill, far from their original locality ; the vast primitive clay beds, full of debris, on its north brow, lead to the irresistible conclusion that Torrington was once the scene of an overwhelming deluge ; com- pletely submerged ; that vast bodies of ice floated over it, freighted with rocks which had been detached from their native beds and left isolated upon its topmost hills, and that the current or drift was from the north to the south.
The enormous boulders of sienitic granite which have lain, for ages, strewn and isolated far distant and high above all like forma- tions; some near to and in the diluvial clay beds of that hill, and
179
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.
others mounted on its highest elevations, indicate the chaotic state which existed during the physical formation of western Connecticut, and the hills of Litchfield county.
One of those monumental rocks, is of unusual interest on account of its size, shape, position, and location upon the summit of Torring- ford hill, at an altitude considerably greater than that of any other within several miles distance, except in Winchester and Newfield mountain range, which is separated from Torringford by a deep valley. It is shaped like a cone, or great hay-stack. It rests upon the table rock with some loose stones around and beneath it, and is in its greatest diameter about twenty feet, and about twenty-five feet in height. It can be seen from many portions of Torringford and from great distances ; and has stood as a monument, during untold ages, mutely pointing northward to the locality whence it was rudely detached. It stands about a half mile due west from the Torringford parsonage. The revelations which geology furnishes are well calculated to make men humble themselves before the Creator and Ruler of the universe. Magnificent and glorious are these granite hills, and the wonderful revelations they make.
" Who great in search of God and nature grow,
They best the wise Creator's praise declare."
CHAPTER XV. TORRINGTON ROADS.
THE HIGHWAYS.
HE original town was mapped on the hills and valleys in the shape of a rhombus, the sides being about six miles in length and running twenty-one degrees east and north of north and west, as stated in the ori- ginal survey. It is found however, by actual survey to vary less than this, from the cardinal points. The lots of land, were laid in twelve tiers ; one running east and west parallel, and a half a mile distant from, the southern boundary, and eleven running north and south, with highways between them.
The first highway was on the eastern boundary four rods wide, and is called Torringford East street, and is open and worked nearly the whole length of the town. The second is one-half a mile from the first and is called Torringford street, and is ten rods wide, and open the whole length of the town, and connects with South street to Winsted. It is the most picturesque and pleasant road, as a whole, in the town. The third is half a mile west of the second and is called Torringford West street and is open nearly if not quite all the way, though in some parts not much used.
And thus were laid eleven highways, running north and south, parallel, the last or most western, being half a mile east of the Goshen east line. Another highway was laid from Torringford street half a mile from Harwinton line, running west and parallel to the southern boundary of the town, ten rods in width. These were the original highways, including what is now Main street and Water street, in Wolcottville, and were laid before the lots or farms were laid, and hence were never any part of the adjoining farms. The roads were taken out or reserved by the proprietors, as their own property, in the right of soil and all timber growing upon them. This was the original intention, and this the proprietors claimed in law and equity until they delivered the books to the town in 1785, or
181
TORRINGTON ROADS.
fifty-three years after they took charge of these lands. In conse- quence of there having been some difference of opinion as to these highways, it is proper to insert here the proceedings of the last meet- ing of the proprietors as a legal body. Committees had been ap- pointed by the proprietors' meeting, and continued as standing committees, to prosecute any person who should make encroach- ments on the highways, or any who should cut timber on these high- ways, and also to sell parts of these highways.
THE LAST MEETING.
" Att a meeting of the proprietors of ye town of Torrington, held in Torrington October the 11th day A. D., 1785.
" Voted that Mr. Benj. Phelps be Moderator of said meeting.
" Voted that the proprietors impower the town of Torrington to exchange their highways, or sell highways for highways, or make up lands where wanted, if any in equity, or any ways to act and transact, as is necessary and best, as we ourselves could do legally in these matters.
" Voted that moneys due to ye proprietors, either in money or notes, the proprietors' committee shall render an account to ye town or town committee, and give up what remains when sd committee are called to account therefor.
"Voted that the aforesd committee appointed by the proprietors, re- main to act and transact until the town appoint a committee to act in their room.
"Voted that ye proprietors committee be allowed and excepted as now brought in.
" Voted that ye proprietors book and accounts be delivered into the hands of ye town.
" The meeting then being dissolved."
This shows that the proprietors held then the absolute right of soil, and the power to sell for the purpose of highways even or any other, and that these powers were transferred by vote to the town, so that whatever power had been vested in them was thereafter pos- sessed by the town.
The proposition thus made, the town accepted and in 1785, ap- pointed a committee to " exchange highways where it is necessary, and to lease out according to their discretion, and also full power to move off encroachments where they judge needful."
182
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
From 1785 to 1826, some forty years, the town acted upon the right to sell or dispose of highways as the committees appointed deemed expedient and equitable.
In April, 1826, the town took action upon a suit brought by Elihu Barber against Stephen Fyler and John Birge, who as a committee for the purpose, had sold a piece of road to the said Barber. The action taken was, that the selectmen should obtain advice with Mr. Fyler and Birge, as to the legality of the sale. At the same time the selectmen were directed to " bring a petition to the next general assembly of this state, either by themselves or in connection with other towns in this vicinity, to establish the sales of highways, here- tofore made by this town." The selectmen obeyed this request and the assembly took the following action :
" Resolved by this assembly, that all sales and conveyances, here- tofore made by the town of Torrington, or by their selectmen, or committee appointed for that purpose, of any original highways, or parts of highways, or reservations for the purpose of highways, laid out or reserved in the original survey and laying out of said town by the proprietors thereof, in those cases, and those only where such sales, deed or conveyances have been made as aforesaid, to persons who at the time of such sales or conveyances, were the owners of the land adjoining such highways or reservations, so sold or conveyed, as aforesaid, and all payments made in consideration of such sales, and conveyances, be deemed and taken to be good and valid to all intents and purposes.
" Said town of Torrington be and hereby are fully authorized to sell and convey any such original highway, or reservation, or parts thereof, remaining unsold as are or may be unnecessary to be used for public highways, giving the right of preemption to the adjoining proprietors."1
Against this enactment, and these claims of ownership by the pro- prietors, and the town, for more than one hundred and forty-five years, there have been no decisions of the courts so far as is known, and therefore the absolute right of soil inheres or remains in the town.
These original highways were never laid through the farms for the only purpose of highways, as in the case of most towns, but were reserved for highways, or any other purpose to which the proprietors of the town might direct.
I Private Laws of Conn., vol. 2, passed May, 1826.
183
TORRINGTON ROADS.
If these items are facts, then the town owns, not only the right of soil, but all timber growing on them naturally or planted on them, and all grass, and all the valuable stone, boulders and rocks originally belonging to, or lying on these original highways, and until the pro- per courts shall judge otherwise, it is difficult to see how persons can properly claim any of these items on or in these roads, except by suffrage of the town. The one fact that a suit was pending in the court, in 1826, when the legislature rendered its judgment as to the right of property in these roads, and thereby, apparently, that suit was brought to a close, is clear evidence that the courts have no au- thority to override the old law and practice of the town.
THE TURNPIKES.
The charter for the Torrington turnpike, from Jared Mills in Canton to Litchfield, was granted in May, 1800, and the road was surveyed the following summer. Hon. Herman Swift, Sylvester Gilbert and Samuel Forbes, were appointed by the assembly to lay out the road and make report of their doings. The petition for the road was signed by eighty-five names, quite a number of whom were of Torringford, very few from the west side of this town. Col. Aaron Austin of New Hartford, was agent for the company and he did very much to secure the success of the road.
The charter was surrendered in 1861, and therefore the road was in use as a turnpike nearly sixty years. In 1801, the town voted a tax of five mills on a dollar to pay the owners for the land taken by the turnpike, but refused to build the bridge over Waterbury river, for the turnpike company, and the question was carried to court, and decision rendered against the town, and they appealed to a higher court, and it was decided against them, whereupon they built the bridge. This turnpike proved to be of great advantage to the town, probably much more than it ever was to the stockholders.
In 1800, Abijah Holbrook and others sued in the county court for a highway, that should go along the west branch near his house, or Holbrook's mills, and connect with other roads so as to form a through road from Norfolk to Plymouth, and thence to water naviga- tion. Mr. Holbrook was interested in the iron forge, and was mak- ing efforts to work the iron mine on Walnut mountain in Torrington, but the town opposed, and the road was not built then, but by the efforts of Israel Coe and others some years after, the road was made
184
HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.
just where Mr. Holbrook desired it, but he no longer needed high- ways on the physical earth.
The Waterbury turnpike was surveyed through in 1801, or in the spring of 1802, and was soon after completed ; the directors were : William Leavenworth of Waterbury ; Noah Bronson of Litchfield ; Stephen Fyler of Torrington and Reuben Rockwell of Colebrook. It came up the old Plymouth road, and went through Newfield to Winchester.
In 1803, the town by vote, instructed their representatives to op- pose in the assembly, the petition of Abijah Catlin and others, for a highway from near Torringford Meeting house, through Harwinton and Bristol, to Southington.
In 1802, they opposed in the county court, the making of a high- way from Cornwall through Goshen, Winchester and Torrington to New Hartford.
The Goshen and Sharon turnpike, was made mostly in 1805, and the town, seeing no other way, voted at once, that they would build and maintain bridges over the following streams, for that road : " The stream east of Messrs. Cook and Soper's saw mill, the east branch of Waterbury river northwesterly of said saw mill, Waterbury river near Roger Loomis's dwelling house, and the stream near Harvey Palmer's, provided the turnpike company agree to have no further claim on the town for bridges on said road."
In 1813, a report by a committee appointed for the purpose, was made to the town, concerning a road to be laid from Torrington Meeting house (Erastus Hodges) to Litchfield north line, and in the same year there was a petition before the assembly for a turnpike road from Winsted to Litchfield, and this town instructed its repre- sentatives not to oppose it in the assembly.
About this time the town was almost crazy on roads. It does not appear that the vote in town meeting was ever against any turnpike, but against building the bridges for the turnpikes.
In 1807, the town started out anew on building and repairing roads ; made a thorough division into districts ; collected and arranged the tax lists on every district of roads ; made new assessment of taxes, and stirred up quite a business in road making. But it was not all voluntary, for the town had been complained of in court, and some- thing must be done, but when the work began to move, they scarcely knew where to stop.
The expenses for roads have been and are heavy because of the
185
TORRINGTON ROADS.
washing by sudden showers and heavy rains, and the melting of snows, and in the carrying away of bridges.
THE NAUGATUCK RAIL ROAD.
Mr. Alfred Bishop, then of Bridgeport, first proposed a rail road in the Naugatuck valley, and after consultation with various parties of leading men who might be interested in such an enterprise, the matter was laid before the legislature of Connecticut, and a charter granted in the year 1845, which was altered and amended in 1847 and 1848. The following were the persons named in the grant as directors :
Timothy Dwight, of New Haven, Philo Hurd, Bridgeport, Alfred B. Brittain of Bridgeport,
Green Kendrick of Waterbury,
Thomas Burlock of Derby,
George L. Schuyler of New York.
William P. Burrall, Bridgeport,
The first proposition was a road from Bridgeport to Waterbury, the capital stock $800,000, but afterwards it was made $1,200,000, to go to Winsted. This amount of stock was afterwards increased for furnishing the road with engines, cars and coaches, or rolling stock, to $1,500,000. An organization of the company was ef- fected in February 1848, and a contract made with Alfred Bishop, to build the road complete, and receive in pay $800,000 cash and $400,000 in bonds.
The first officers of the road were : Timothy Dwight, president ; Ira Sherman, secretary ; and Horace Nichols, treasurer.
The profile and survey of the road was prepared, and presented to the directors on March 14, 1848 ; which was adopted, and in the following April the work was commenced. The contract stipulated that the road should be built in the most thorough and durable man- ner, with a heavy H rail, similar to that used on the Housatonic road, which Mr. Bishop had just completed.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.