History of Torrington, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1737, with biographies and genealogies, Part 47

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Albany, J. Munsell, printer
Number of Pages: 920

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About the year 1804, he left his native state and established a patriotic and spirited weekly paper at Walpole in New Hampshire. In his position he exhibited much talent and literary acquirements, and obtained considerable celebrity, there being, at that time, few ably edited newspapers in the United States. From this situation in 1805, he was removed to the territory of Michigan, having received from Mr. Jefferson, then president, the apppointment of secretary of that territory. After this he was appointed by Governor Huntington of Ohio, a senator in congress, to fill a vacancy. He afterwards received the appointment of territorial judge, for the territory of Illinois. While occupying this position, he died at Shawneetown, in 1815.

MRS. FANNIE W. (CURTISS) GULLIVER,

Daughter of Dea. Elizur and Amanda (Steele) Curtiss, married Rev. John P. Gulliver D.D., September 8, 1846. He was ordained

I National Agriculturalist, Phrenological Journal, 1873.

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HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.

pastor of the Broadway church, Norwich, Ct., October 1, 1846, and dismissed, October 25, 1865 ; was pastor of the New England church, Chicago, from February 21, 1868 ; was president of Knox college, Galesburg, Illinois, a number of years ; is now pastor of the first Presbyterian church in Binghamton, N. Y. Dr. Gulliver stands among the first class ministers of New York state.

DR. THATCHER SWIFT HANCHETT,

Son of Ephraim and Nancy (Swift) Hanchett, was born in Canaan, Ct., November 8, 1838. His father was born at Salisbury, and his grand-father Israel lived in Salisbury. The father of Israel, received a grant of land, from the king, in Salisbury, which included originally the ore beds of that region.

Dr. Hanchett's father was of the firm of Hanchett, Huntington and Day, of Canaan mountain, manufacturers of anchors, engine axles, and bar iron. He removed to North Canaan where Thatcher S. attended school until he was fourteen years of age.

The doctor's mother was the daughter of Ebenezer and Lucy (Thatcher) Swift of Barnstable Mass.

When he was fourteen, his father removed as manufacturer to East Douglass, Mass., where young T, S. attended the academy five or six years. When twenty-one, he began to study medicine with Dr. Homer Darling in East Douglass, where he continued a year and a half, and then entered the medical department of Harvard university in 1861. After remaining there one year he entered the United States navy, on board the United States steamer Wamasutta, in capacity of hospital steward, and on his tour was in the south Atlantic blockading squadron off the coast of Georgia."

On his return to Massachusetts, he received an honorable dis- charge and re-entered the university, and remained another lecture term. He then spent a year in the office of Dr. A. W. Bennett of Uxbridge, Mass. He then took a lecture term in Bellevue hospital, -

New York city, and graduated at that institution in the spring of 1864. While in the city he was connected with Marion street Lying-in asylum.

I Dr. James Thatcher, was a physician of considerable celebrity, having published several works on the practice of medicine. He was Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and honorary member of the Georgia Medical Society.

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BIOGRAPHIES.

He was employed one year by Dr. William Welsh of Norfolk, Conn., as assistant physician, and rode one year with him.

In the spring of 1865, he settled in Wolcottville as practicing physician ; Dr. Erastus Bancroft and Dr. Jeremiah Phelps, being the physicians of the place at the time. Here he has had much suc- cess in his profession, is highly esteemed ; is a man of energy, and devotes all his energies to his profession.

REV. LUTHER HART,

Son of David and Hannah (Hudson) Hart, was born in Goshen, July 27, 1783, and when three years of age he came into Torrington with his father and family to reside and remained here until he com- menced his collegiate studies. In the great revival under Mr. Gillett's labors in 1799, he became personally interested in a Christian life and united with the Torrington church, at the age of sixteen years, in connection with Rev. James Beach and Rev. Timothy P. Gillett. He was fitted for college by Rev. Alexander Gillett, and in 1803 entered Yale college, and at once took a high rank, and at his grad- uation in 1807, he received one of the highest honors of the institu- tion.

After a year devoted to teaching at Litchfield, South Farms, he studied theology with Rev. Ebenezer Porter at Washington, Conn., and afterwards graduated at Andover, Mass., and was licensed to preach by the Essex Middle Association of Mass. In Sept., 1811, he married Minerva, daughter of General Potter of Plymouth, where he received a call, and was ordained the previous year, the sermon on the occasion being preached by his tutor, Rev. Ebenezer Porter. This marriage connection is said to have contributed greatly to his comfort and usefulness. Great accessions were made to the church in 1812, 1824, 1827, and 1831. About five hundred were added during his ministry. In 1818, he aided in the publication of doctrina! tracts, also in the establishment of the Christian Spectator, and con- tributed largely to both. On the 18th of April 1834, he was seized with lung fever, which at first was not deemed alarming, but on the 25th terminated fatally. He passed away in the triumph of faith.

Rev. Noah Porter of Farmington, preached his funeral sermon, and it was published in the Christian Spectator. The Rev. Laurens P. Hickok of Auburn, N. Y., says of Mr. Hart : " One of his marked characteristics was an indescribable expression of cheerfulness and hearty good will, diffusing its sweet savor wherever he was, so that

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his presence and society were always sought. He had a quick and keen discernment of men and things. His intercourse with his church and people was very frank and familiar, yet with a large amount of reserved dignity and seriousness. His sermons were serious, pungent and discriminating, and abounded less in long drawn argument, than in condensed, sententious thoughts, and concise declarations. His voice was full and melodious ; and a well qualified judge now living in Torrington, who has heard him preach quite a number of times pronounces him " one of the most eloquent men he ever heard speak in the pulpit."

He died at Plymouth April 25, 1834, aged 51 years. His only son Luther Potter, died August 28, 1829, aged five months.

To aid variety by course fine art, I'll venture measured lines on LUTHER HART :I A genuine song, with nobler aim Than rhyme or dulcet tone can ever claim, At Jesus' feet he lays his sacred lyre,

To Jesus praise, his loftiest strains aspire, And that dear name sets all his soul on fire.

In seventeen eighty-three, his cradle rocks, 'Mid Goshen hills, and snows, and Boreas' knocks, The hopeful boy in school-room soon appears, And runs in learning's ways beyond his years. In early youth begins a nobler race, With Christ to guide and lead to higher place. From Yale to Andover now ardent turns : With love to God and man his whole soul burns, Till Plymouth wisely calls him to her side, And he as wisely takes her for his bride : Another bride, in usual sense, he finds In this new home ; to both, his love now binds, And binds with strong and silken cords till death : In eighteen thirty-four he yielded his breath.

Dear man ! a heavier groan earth seldom hears, Than when he fell. No mimic sorrow now ! His wife ; his flock ; his cleric brethren all : His country ; state ; feel one great common grief.

No more we see that straight and slender form, And face like female's delicately fair, But manly too, with forehead broad and high, And look so kind, so winning, yet too pale, From thought intense, if not from midnight lamp. Did we not sometimes tremble, while we loved The wit and wisdom fresh from fount so deep ;

1 Rev. Cyrus Yale, in Centenial Anniversary of Litchfield county.

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BIOGRAPHIES.

Yea bottomless ? Did we not often fear The working of that strong and sprightly mind Would sure break down its tenement so frail ? How soft his voice ! yea, musically soft For social, or for holier pulpit use ; As if an extra sweetness it had gained From daily concert with angelic friends, Drawn down by sacred songs so like their own. What frank and Hart-y words, as oil flow out From lips now playful, now anon more grave, To please or teach, alike the young and old : His high, chief aim, to win their souls to Christ. At home, abroad, with poor and rich alike, He' ne'er forgets the business of his Lord. His sermons, full of thought, in flowing style, With new and forceful illustrations graced, And preached in way and manner quite his own, Were never opiates to youth or age, But suited to the need and taste of all. What lecturer could equal Mr. Hart, At sacred concerts, all the region round ! His wizard-wand could summon Jeduthun Of yore, with daughters three and sons fourteen Before you, as in ancient choir they stood, For songs, with harps and cymbals in God's house ; The inference plain ; let child and parent now Praise God together in the choral song.

At once he stood, ambassador for Christ, And eloquently urged the listening crowd To be forthwith all reconciled to God ; His look, and voicc, and action all accord With his high message, and a soul on fire ; Sudden, he stops ; assumes a kindlier look, A more familiar, more persuasive tone, And beautifully simplifies the way To heavenly bliss. The goodly city shines Before the breathless throng; all eye, all ear ; When pointing to the Christian's glorious home The impassioned man in substance says, "Look there ; Mark well the gates of entrance ; twelve in all; No matter which you enter ; only pass Within the city walls, and you are safe. Now, name these gates; repentance, faith and love, And other Christian graces up to twelve ; Then choose between them ; one includes them all. Come then to Christ with penitence, or faith ; Or come with love, or with humility ; Each grace implies the whole; and some find one, And some another plainer to themselves ; While each gives title clear to that sweet home."

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HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.

REV. LEMUEL HAYNES1

Was born in West Hartford, Conn., July 18, 1753. His father was a pure African, and his mother a white woman of respectable ances- try in New England. He bore the name of neither father nor mother, but probably of the man under whose roof he was born. Tradition says that his mother, in a fit of displeasure with her host for some supposed neglect, called her child by his name. He was abandoned by his parents in early infancy, and was thus an orphan, not by the bereaving hand of God, but by the cold neglect of those who ought to have been his most affectionate guardians. He says of his early years : " When I was five months old I was carried to Granville, Massachusetts, and bound out as a servant to Deacon David Rose, until I should become twenty-one years of age. He was a man of singular piety and thereby I was taught the principles of religion. His wife, my mistress, had peculiar attachments to me, and treated me as though I was her own child. I remember it was a saying among the neighbors, that she loved Lemuel more than her own children." Deacon Rose was a farmer, and on this farm Lem- uel lived, performing the hard work, common in those days, to that position in life.

His opportunities for education were confined to the common school and the chimney corner, until he engaged in the preparation for the ministry, at the age of twenty-six years. He studied Latin with the Rev. Daniel Farrand of Canaan, Connecticut, and Greek with the Rev. William Bradford of the parish of Wintonbury, and made great proficiency in each in a few months. His license to preach was dated Nov. 29, 1780, and was signed by Revs. Daniel Farrand, Jonathan Huntington and Joseph Huntington, and his first sermon was preached at Wintonbury from the words, " The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." Soon after being licensed he was invited to preach in Middle Granville, among his acquaintances and neighbors, and of his preaching at this time the author of his Memoir thus speaks: " The writer of this narrative, though a resident in a differ- ent parish in the town, and having opportunity to hear him in com- paratively few instances, owes more under God to Lemuel Haynes than to any other minister among the living or the dead. In his sermons he uniformly left the impression of the majesty of God, the

' Memoir by Timothy M. Cooley, D.D., published in 1837.

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importance of immediate repentance, the awful solemnity of the judg- ment day, the attractive loveliness of Christ, and the pleasantness of wisdom's ways." His delivery was rapid, his voice charming, his articulation uncommonly distinct, enabling him to present his argu- ments in " a perennial stream of transparent, sweet, animated elocu- tion, but with great simplicity and striking effect." He continued his ministerial labors in this place, with good success five years.

" Among the pious youth in Granville, was Elizabeth Babbit, who, in her deep religious anxiety, was greatly aided in her search after salvation by the counsels and prayers of Mr. Haynes. She possessed a refined education for that day, and was employed as a teacher of youth in the centre of the town. After considering all the proprieties in the case, she, with becoming delicacy, made him the overture of her heart and hand, as his companion for life. By such a proposal he regarded himself as highly honored, and they were married, September 22, 1783, at Hartland, by the Rev. Samuel Woodbridge."

Mr. Haynes commenced preaching in Torrington some time in the summer of 1785, was ordained on the 9th of November, of the same year, and continued his labors about two years. By his plain, pointed yet eloquent preaching the house was soon filled with attentive hearers. Of his success in winning, even, those who were opposed to his being employed to preach here, the Rev. Milton Huxley says : "There is a man of my acquaintance who feels that he owes much, under God, to the preaching of Mr. Haynes at Torrington. He was disaffected that the church should employ him, and neglected, for a time, to attend the meetings. At length, curiosity conquered prejudice so far that he went to the house of God, and from designed disrespect, sat with his hat on his head. Mr. Haynes gave out his text, and began with his usual impassioned earnestness, as if uncon- scious of anything amiss in the congregation. "The preacher had not proceeded far in his sermon,' said the man, 'before I thought him the whitest man I ever saw, my hat was instantly taken off and thrown under the seat, and I found myself listening with the most profound attention.' That day was a memorable era in the life of this man. Through the influence of the spirit of God, he was aroused from his stupidity, convinced of his guilt and ruin, and led to look to Christ Jesus for salvation. He became a man of prayer and unex-

I Mrs. Haynes, was born at Dighton, Mass., Feb. 28 1763, and died, Feb. 8, 1836, aged 73. She possessed an amiable character as a wife, and mother, and a Christian. Nine children survived her, and one daughter was deceased. There were three sons ; one a farmer, one, Lemuel, was a physician in the state of New York, the other, William, was a lawyer in Massachusetts. All of the children were successful in life and an honor to their pa- rents.

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HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.

ceptionable piety, and if now living, an elder in the church at the West." Tradition in Torrington speaks of him as a "man of great shrewdness and wit, and yet as being very earnest, and laboring with great seriousness, in the ministerial office." His journal says : "Tor- rington, July 26, 1785. Set out on my journey to the state of Ver- mont, accompanied by Mr. L. Loomis." This journey he probably made after he had preached some months here, and on his return, or soon after was ordained. Hence the whole time of his labors here comprised nearly two years and a half.

" March 28, 1788, he went to Rutland, having received a call to the pas- toral office in the west parish," where he was installed. Here his labors were ordinarily successful, until 1803, when there were one hundred and three ad- ditions to the church, and in 1808 there were one hundred and nine. By his faithfulness as a minister and his clear, pointed and practical preaching he pre- pared the way for the great and joyful ingathering of many souls.

During the later of these years, he preached a sermon in the presence of, and had some correspondence with the Rev. Hosea Ballou a Universalist minister. The sermon was printed in many papers in this country and in Europe, and gave him considerable fame as a controversialist. In such a field his ready wit and undisturbed good nature were weapons of great power.

It may be difficult for some to see the consistency of his very free indulgence in wit with a uniform and pervading piety. In the view, however, of those who were intimately acquainted with him, it did not detract either from his Christian or ministerial character. More- over, it is probable that in the circumstances which surrounded him, the cunning and obtrusive skepticism, the bold and blasphemous in- fidelity of the times, not only allowed but called for the free exercise of such intellectual talent.

Mr. Haynes was a strong advocate for an educated ministry and often expressed his great regret that he had not enjoyed the inestim- able privilege of a regular course of study. A young clergyman, in conversation on this subject, sincerely remarked, that he thought ministers without learning succeeded well, and that ignorant ones usually do the best. " Won't you tell me then, sir," said Mr. Haynes, "how much ignorance is necessary to make an eminent preacher ?"

Mr. Haynes having served the church thirty years in Rutland was regularly dismissed on the 29th of April 1818 by a council. The finding of the council closed with these words: " We do cheerfully recommend the Reverend Lemuel Haynes as a tried and faithful minister of Jesus Christ."

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BIOGRAPHIES.

Soon after Mr. Haynes's dismissal he received a call to preach at Manchester in the same state. Here he continued to labor until 1822 when he removed to Granville, New York, where he passed the eleven last years of his pilgrimage, preaching to that people. He was cared for in great kindness by his parish to the end, and closed his earthly career with great hope and assurance of immortality and eternal life. He died Sept. 28, 1833, in his eighty-first year.

DR. ELKANAH HODGES,

Son of George and Susannah Hodges of Taunton, Mass., was born in 1747, and came from Woodstock, Conn., to Torrington on horse back in 1772, or a little before. He at once commenced the prac- tice of medicine, making his home at Noah North's or in that part of the town. One of his account books that is preserved is a ledger, which he dated, January 2d, 1773, and on that day dated several pages in the book, copying from another as follows : D. B. A. P. I., i. e., Day Book A. Page one, and then giving the amount : thus practicing a thorough system of book keeping unusual in those days. Every thing in this ledger indicates that he was a well bred, well edu- cated gentleman of very decided business tact, talent and habits, which representation comports with the whole of his after life, so far as ever heard.

In 1776, he purchased the farm and home, known ever since as the Hodges place on what was then called Brandy hill, a little north of the second meeting house, and soon after commencod a store in his dwelling, which he kept many years in a building in the rear of his dwelling ; the buildings are still standing. This store soon became the place of trade and resort for the western part of the town, and was regarded as, and called Torrington center.

He married first Roxalany, daughter of Ashbel North, and had the small pox himself, and his wife took it from him and died in less than a year from the marriage, and second, Rebecca, daughter of Dea. John Whiting, by whom he had a number of children.

Dr. Hodges practiced medicine twenty-five years in this town ; was highly esteemed and respected by the people, and in all relations in life was a valuable man. It is said by some that in the later years of his life, he did not do much riding in his profession, and this may have been as Dr. Goodsell was then residing on the west side of the town, as a practicing physician.

His store was a very successful one and the establishment he con- ducted to make potash was also successful ; and his attention to

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HISTORY OF TORRINGTON.

these enterprises must have been quite constant, and increasing from year to year, but the doctor was a man of such energy and order in his business as to be able to do the work of two or three men, under ordinary circumstances.

He became a large land holder and was supposed to be one of the wealthiest men of his time in the town.

He was quite an active man in town matters and in the ecclesias- tical society, though not a man that desired to be in office.

An entry in his ledger, is the only item yet seen that determines when the second meeting house (the one at Torrington green) was raised ; and that with other items is worthy of a place on record.

The articles which I, E. Hodges, gave toward building the meeting house in Torrington.

s. d. May 20, 1785.

Two gallons of rum to the framers 55. . 0 10 0 I

One old cheese 5 lbs, 3d, 2

One pound of tea for the women when they raised said house, Two pounds of nails to nail the lap studs,

1786, May 18, 20 Ibs ten penny nails, .

7 66 1od. 5 IO

3 66 66

Is. 1d. 3 3

To my purchasing the nails and bringing them from New Haven for the meeting house, 5 O

Nov. 2d 62 lbs butts at 9d. 5

Another item in the doctor's ledger tells us when the school house at Samuel Beach's (afterwards Priest Gillett's) was built, the only record in the town so far as is known as to this fact.

December 6, 1788. Articles I, E. Hodges, tound for the school house at Samuel Beach's.

& s. d.

1000 feet of pine boards delivered to Samuel Beach, 200 Four pounds of chalk 4d, 1 4

Sash stuff, delivered to E. Smith, some time ago, 8 0

Three squares of 7 by 9 window glass, 1 6

6 o One iron slice,

One hundred nails,

I 0

He also gives the following which shows something of the relative value of cider and brandy.

"November 15, 1777, Esq. Epaphras Sheldon debtor to four barrels of cider, for which I am to have seven quarts of home made brandy for each barrel."

In 1782, he received six quarts of brandy per barrel for fifteen barrels.

Dr. Hodges's name is on some of the lists of committees of the town during the revolutionary war; and in 1780, he received from the

8 4

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BIOGRAPHIES.

treasurer of the town £82 15s, which may have been for services in accompanying the military company of the west side, when called to the field for the defence of the country.

As a physican, it is said, Dr. Hodges was confided in almost with- out question of doubt, and as a citizen his judgment was always ac- cepted as wise and safe, and when he departed this life he was sincerely lamented. He died suddenly from the result of an ulcerated tooth, May 21, 1797, aged 50 years.

ERASTUS HODGES, ESQ.,

Son of Dr. Elkanah Hodges, was born in 1781, in Torrington, where he always resided. He was educated mostly in his father's store, and his father dying when he was but sixteen, he and his older brother Willard, under the guidance of their mother, continued the store until he was twenty-one. Soon after he was twenty-one, in 1803, Mr. Abernethy commenced his store near the meeting house at Torrington green, but the Hodges brothers remained on the hill north.

It did not take the keen eye of Erastus long to see that Abernethy had the advantage of being at the foot of the hill ; and he and his brother having dissolved partnership, he built a store building near the site of the present dwelling of Mr. Levi Hodges, and established his business there in about 1807. Soon after, he erected the dwelling house now standing, which at that time was a new style of house, thoroughly built in every respect, and was the pride of the town. Soon after, when Dea. Guy Wolcott built his new house, it is said there was considerable controversy as to whether it would be more complete, and thoroughly built than Mr. Hodges's, but it is doubtful whether there has been, ever, a house on the west side of the town more thoroughly built and in better proportion and style, ex- cept Mathew Grant's which is now owned and occupied by Dea. F. P. Hills, near Goshen line.

On the 5th of January 1809, Mr. Hodges married Laura Loomis, daughter of Richard, who was the most queenly woman in the town at the time, and who was a most fitting partner for him, and a woman much esteemed in the town, through all her life.

Mr. Hodges became, by his success in business, general enterprise and fidelity of character, one of the most influential men in the town ; so much so that it was frequently remarked by one man on the west side at a certain period, that there were but three men in the town,

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History of Torrington, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1737, with biographies and genealogies, Part 47

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893 Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Albany, J. Munsell, printer Number of Pages: 920

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Albany, J. Munsell, printer
Number of Pages: 920