USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut. Volume I, 1600-1760 > Part 35
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" To the General Assembly sitting in Hartford. May 9, 1728. The petition of the subscribers showeth to your Honors, the many attempts that have been made by many of the inhabitants of the towns of Plainfield and Canterbury for the making a good and sufficient cart-bridge over the river Quinebaug, between said towns; it being so extraordinarily difficult and hazardous, for near half the year almost every year, and many travelers have escaped of their lives to admiration. The same river can't be paralleled in this Colony. It descends near fifty or sixty miles, out of the wilderness, and many other rivers entering into it, cause it to be extremely furious and hazardous. And also the road through said towns, over said river, being as great as almost any road in the Government, for travelers. And now your petitioners, with the encouragement of divers persons (£98 8s.) have assumed to build a good cart-bridge, twenty-seven feet high from the bottom of said river-which is four feet higher than any flood known these thirty years-and sixteen and a half rods long; have carefully kept account of the cost, beside trouble which is great, (cost amounting to £424), and ask for a grant of ungranted lands."
The Assembly ordered, "That said bridge be kept a toll-bridge for ten years, receiving for each man, horse and load, four-pence ; single man, two pence ; each horse and all neat cattle, two-pence per head ; sheep and swine, two shillings per score ; always provided, that those who have contributed toward said bridge be free till reimbursed what they have paid." Two years later, on account of the great expense incurred in building this bridge, it was further resolved, "That no person shall keep any boat or ferry on said Quinebaug River for the
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transportation of travelers, within one mile of said bridge, on the penalty of the law." A bridge over Moosup River, by Kingsbury's Mill, was built by Samuel Spalding in 1729. In 1737, Captain Law- rence and William Marsh were appointed by the town to repair half the bridge that goes over Quinebaug by Dr. Williams', provided Can- terbury repair the other half. Canterbury choosing to build a new bridge rather than repair the damaged one, Plainfield ordered a road to be laid out from the country road to Canterbury line, to adjoin with the road Canterbury shall lay out to the new bridge over Quinebaug nearly opposite Captain Butts'. A bridge over Moosup on the road to William Deam's, was accepted by the town in 1740, “provided a suitable way be found for passing to Deam's mill."
In 1739, twenty pounds were added to Mr. Coit's salary, " as long as he is capable of carrying on public meetings, provided he will acquit past demands." During this year, the military companies in the towns of Plainfield, Canterbury, Pomfret, Killingly and Voluntown, were constituted the Eleventh Connecticut Regiment. Timothy Pierce of Plainfield was appointed its colonel; John Dyer of Canterbury its lieutenant-colonel ; Hezekiah Sabin of Thompson Parish, its major. Colonel Pierce was now one of the most prominent and respected citizens of Windham County, a member of the Governor's Council, Judge of the County and Probate Courts-"all which offices he executed with such diligence and care as to be unblamable. He was a father to the town and a promoter of the common welfare of all when he had opportunity, and was also of an extraordinary good, pious and Christian conversation." "
In 1740, Plainfield ordered, " That the meeting-house be viewed and repaired, school committee hire a teacher -- persons that work on meet- ing house and board the school-master to have a reasonable reward." Ten shillings a week was deemed a reasonable recompense for the master's "diet and horse-keeping." The general Field was now in such good condition that the number of " field-drivers" was reduced to eleven.
Voluntown, in 1726, was given over to discord and confusion. The meeting house site was still in controversy. In attempting to accommo- date everybody, no one had been suited. The inhabitants refused to accept the established centre and gravitated to various points on the borders. Religious services still alternated from Thomas Cole's house to Ebenezer Dow's. The injunction to carry on the work of building was disregarded, and not a man would bestir himself to prepare timber for a frame, while that constructed by Thomas Dow stood uncovered
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
upon their favorite hill-top. A petition of John Gallup and others complained of irregular proceedings of the inhabitants of said Volun- town in admitting inhabitants in their meeting, May 2, 1727. Upon a full hearing, the Assembly considered, that the town was in May, 1721, allowed the privilege of choosing its own officers and carrying on its own town affairs ; also, that towns have the right by law to judge of . the qualifications and consequently the power of admitting their inhabitants, and was therefore of opinion that the admission of said inhabitants was irregular and against the rules of law, and declared the same to be void and votes made after their admission to have no force. And insomuch as there was a remissness in improving the tax levied for the meeting-house- Joseph Adams, Jabez .Parkhurst and Richard Abbe were appointed a committee to receive the same and see that it be improved, and if Voluntown still neglect to carry on the work, the committee was to assume the oversight thereof. Money in the hands of Joseph Backus, received by the sale of lands in the addition to Voluntown-a hundred and ten pounds in bills of public credit, and two guineas-was ordered to be delivered to the Treasurer ; the bills to pay public debts, the guineas left to the special order of the Assembly.
With all its drawbacks, the town was gaining in strength and numbers. Sturdy Scotch-Irish emigrants established themselves within its borders, preferring the society of old friends and the Westminster form of discipline to richer lands and greater social privileges. At a town meeting, December, 1728, Captain John Gallup was chosen moderator ; Captain Gallup, John Dixon and Ebenezer Dow, townsmen ; Ebenezer Dow, town-clerk. Alexander Stewart, Ebenezer Pearce, John Jameson, Robert Williams, Jun., John Canada, William Trumbull, John Gordon, William Hamilton, Robert Dixon and Peter Miller, were admitted inhabitants. Many of these settlers united with the church, and helped sustain the minister and religious institutions. John Wylie, on his arrival, presented the following certificate :---
" That John Wylie and his wife, Agnes Park, and their children Elizabeth, John, Jean, Peter and James, during their residence in this Presbyterian congregation of Cullybaky, in the parish of Ahoghill and county of Antrim, which was from their infancy, are free of any scandal or church censure known to us preceding the date hereof is certified at Cullybaky, April 23, 1728. This by appointment, we having no minister :-
John Wylie, Sen. Gain Stowell. Matthew Clark."
Affairs in 1728, were so far settled that the town resumed the build- ing of its meeting-house. John Dixon and Thomas Dow were ordered to take account of the " stuff" provided for it. In 1729, a frame was raised and covered, and John Dixon directed to furnish glass. In 1730,
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a body of seats was ordered, " as soon as may be, John Dixon to have five pounds to make six seats." . Meanwhile, the house was seated with boards, ceiled with girths and made ready for its first town-meeting, December 22, 1731. Materials were then ordered for laying floors in the galleries, and workmen engaged to make floors and build stairs and the front, in said galleries. The vacant room on the sides of the house was " disposed of to such persons as should oblige themselves to set up good pews in said room, and ceil the same up to the girth opposite said pews-every man his room according to his rate-bill ; pews to be built by November 1, 1732." The Rev. Mr. Dorrance was allowed the first pew at the right hand of the pulpit. The pew spots were granted to John Gallup, Ebenezer Dow, Charles and John Campbell, John Dixon, Alexander Gordon, John Smith and Adam Kasson-" chief men "-and pews were in time completed. In 1733, a committee was chosen to build seats in the gallery and finish the ceiling under the same ; also voted, " That there be a broad alley from ye south door of ye meeting-house to ye pulpit, and the room on the lower floor filled up with seats ; also, to ceil the meeting house all around, up and down." In 1734, Patrick McClennan, Ebenezer Dow, Adam Kasson, John Keigwin, Alexander Gordon, John Campbell, John Gibson and John Wylie were empowered "to make seats and seat the inhabitants at their pleasure-that is, to move any at their pleasure, and that they lay out such persons as shall build."
The meeting-house thus completed after such long delay and conflict was acceptable to the great mass of the people, and probably well filled with hearers. People who lived " out of Voluntown " over the Rhode Island line, or on the borders of Plainfield and Killingly, were granted " equal privileges in the meeting-house if they pay their pro- portion." This condition not being always observed, it was voted, in 1734, " That all persons who live over the line in Rhode Island Colony, who belong to our community and do not give in their list and pay their proportion yearly, shall be looked upon as strangers and transient persons." A few Baptists were numbered among the inhabitants, and Isaac Ecclestone-" one of ye people commonly called Quakers "- strayed over from Westerly. Adam Kasson succeeded Jacob Bacon in the deacon's office. Mr. Dorrance gave good satisfaction for a time, and was much respected by his brethren in the ministry, though his Presbyterianism excited some jealousy. In 1737, it was reported to the Windham County Association, "That Mr. Dorrance was a member of the Presbytery of Boston, and had intermeddled in the ordination of Rev. Mark Gregory "-a report very "grievous" to some of its members. Mr. Dorrance, thereupon declared, "That he never was a member of said Presbytery, declined when desired to be and hal no
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desire to relinquish this Association to join any other ; that he assisted in Mr. Gregory's ordination, not to intermeddle where there was any difference, but to gratify the repeated desire of the gentleman to be ordained, being formerly of his acquaintance-not as a member of the Presbytery but as one of an ordaining council, and would be careful for the time to come not to be concerned in cases out of this establishment when there is opposition."
A highway was soon laid out from Voluntown meeting-house to Stonington. John Gallup, John Smith and the townsmen were appointed to lay out other necessary highways. A sign-post was ordered "south side of Voluntown meeting-house." December 4, 1732, it was voted, "That there shall be a surkelating school kep and a school-master hired at ye town's charge." In March, 1735, it was further ordered, " That the school be kept in four places, three months in a place, six months in ye north end and six months in ye south end, dividing ye town by a line from Alexander Gordon's to Ebenezer Dow's house-and that the master, John Dunlap, should have thirty pounds money, and sufficient meat, drink, washing and lodging, for keeping school eleven months and eighteen days, and in ye night, when convenient." The first school-house in town was built in 1737, " four rods from ye northwest corner of ye meeting-house, and a rate of twopence allowed for the same." A pound was permitted on John Kasson's land, he serving as keeper, in 1735, and the people north of Pachaug River were also allowed "to build a town-pound at their own cost."
Disputed boundaries and land titles still disturbed the peace of the town. Upon memorial of several inhabitants and proprietors, praying for allowance of lands taken from them by Rhode Island line-the Assembly granted, October, 1729, "That those persons that have had all or any part of their lands taken off should be repaid out of the public treasury, according to the proportion paid for purchase." But as in addition to loss of land these petitioners had suffered heavily in defending their claim in processes of law, "Nathaniel French and John Gibson-formerly of Voluntown, but since the running of the boundary line of Providence Plantation "-farther represented to the Assembly, October 14, 1731, "That after having purchased lands and performed conditions they had been ejected by pretended proprietors belonging to Rhode Island line, and judgment procured against them, the cost of which amounted to over a hundred pounds, besides time and pocket expenses, which burthen would be too hard for them unless the Honora- ble Assembly, out of their "moral goodness and Christian charity, would extend favor and help pay this intolerable cost." In response to this plea, fifty pounds were granted.
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The mysterious Stoyell controversy still gave the town much trouble. The title to a "gore of land " on Egunk Hill was now the point at issue between a number of Voluntown residents and the Pomfret school-master. The former apparently held the land under gift or purchase from Winthrop ; the latter by purchase from Old Voluntown proprietors. A " piece of land " in this vicinity was secured by John Dixon from the Assembly in 1735, on the representation that it was common or Government land, whereupon Thomas Cole protested, "That he had bought this same land and procured a second deed of it, yet now designing men thought they could quarrel him out of it-that John Dixon had got a grant and was expecting further confirmation of the land the petitioner had already paid for, and begged to have his deed preserved and confirmed." Many lawsuits resulted from these claims and complications. Stoyell, in 1738, appealed from the decision of the Superior Court to the General Assembly, and asked for a new trial, declaring that those who held land within the designated gore, held them to all intents and purposes as if literally included in the original grant to Voluntown; that Winthrop had nothing in the premises at that date but a pretended purchase of James and other Indians, without bounds or description agreeing to the land granted to Voluntown ; that the taking away of part of the original grant by Rhode Island made it needful for Voluntown to abut west on Plain- field, and thus the contested land rightfully accrued to the Voluntown proprietors from whom Stoyell had purchased it. The Assembly refused to grant a new trial, but upon renewed request granted a hearing. Robert and John Park, and other old residents, testified that the land was within the bound given by the Winthrops to Plainfield proprietors, and had been more than twenty years in actual possession of the Gallups and others, and that Stoyell had himself recognized their right, and consequently no farther trial was allowed him. An attempt to eject Thomas Douglas and John McClellan from their land in this gore was equally unsuccessful-the Superior Court deciding, March, 1743, " that the defendants were not guilty in manner and form as the plaintiffs have alleged-and Mr. Stoyell was compelled to relinquish his claim to Egunk. Whether these decisions were in accordance with aboslute right and justice it is impossible now to determine.
As the Voluntown land was still largely owned by non-resident descendants of original grantees scattered about in several towns, it was found very difficult to manage it properly. Proprietors often failed to receive notice of projected meetings, or were prevented from attend- ance by heavy floods and great storms. "Sensible that their method of warning meetings was not well-considered," the proprietors agreed in April, 1737, " that when fifteen proprietors should judge there was
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
necessity for a meeting and apply themselves to the clerk, and give under their hands that they judged it needful, then the clerk should send forth notice to warn all such proprietors, inserting all the material things, and set one such notification upon ye sign-post in Voluntown twenty days before the time appointed, and also to send copies to West Stonington, Groton, New London and Norwich." September 13, 1737, Manasseh Minor, Robert Dixon and John Gordon were appointed a committee to lay out common lots, and renew bounds of first lots. Samuel Banister was chosen attorney, to use all lawful means for recovering possession of lands taken away by Rhode Island, receiving one-half of the land thus regained. Thirty-one proprietors, represent- ing fifty-four rights, protested against this vote at a subsequent meeting, declaring that the day of meeting was very rainy and the rivers very high and deep, and many of the proprietors living in neighboring towns, it being a very difficult time to travel in, there was but a very small number-about eleven-present. In consequence of their remonstrance, the power of attorney given to Banister was declared null and void. In response to a petition from their very humble ser- vant, John Dixon, setting forth his great industry and untired diligence in pursuing after and taking care of the interests of the proprietors there many years, " one hundred acres in ye undivided land of Volun- town " were allowed him. In 1740, John Stoyell was appointed attorney, and a committee directed to divide all the remaining lands in the names of the original proprietors.
In 1739, the vacant mile north of Voluntown-which had long remained " a peculiar," to its great damage and disorder-was annexed to the town by formal act of Assembly. With this addition to its territory, the town again essayed a more regular settlement. No free- men had yet been sworn, no country taxes paid, no representatives sent to the General Assembly. In 1736-7, William Park, John Gaston, Thomas Kasson, Benjamin Pierce, Walter Trumbull, Robert Campbell, Benjamin Gallup, James Kasson, John Montgomery, James McGonagle and Robert Thompson were admitted inhabitants. April 8, 1740, a special meeting was called at the meeting-house, and the freeman's oath, as appointed by the law of the Colony, admitted to a large number of inhabitants. First on the list was Rev. Samuel Dorrance, followed by Deacon Adam Kasson, Alexander Gordon, James Campbell, James Douglas, John Dixon, John Smith, Jeremiah Kinne and all the leading citizens. John Dixon and John Kasson were then elected the first representatives from Voluntown to the General Assembly. It was voted, " That there be a highway on Egunk Hill, from ye house of John Anderson till it intercepts ye highway that goes from the meet- ing-house to the south end of the town, and to alter the latter highway
SECOND SOCIETY IN KILLINGLY, ETC. 305
from places where it was bad traveling to good ground, as near as where it now goes as possible. The proprietors also ordered necessary highways on Egunk Hill, as far as the common land extended, and the relaying of the highway from the meeting-house to the town of Preston. The division of land ordered in 1740, was delayed till 1747, when all previous committees were dismissed, and Humphrey Avery, Charles Campbell, Robert Dixon, Samuel Gordon and John Wylie, Jun., appointed to divide the common lots to each proprietor or his heirs, re-measure and re-bound old lots and lay out cedar swamps, which was satisfactorily accomplished. The committee sold land to Walter Trumbull, James Kinne, John McGonagle and others. Denison's Hill was confirmed to Captain George Denison of Stonington. The cedar and pine swamps, said to be the best in the County, were laid out and divided. The lot on which the meeting-house stood, and the burial-place adjoining, were sequestered for the use of the inhabitants of the town and their successors. Several of the original lots had not been taken up by those to whom they were granted.
VI.
SECOND SOCIETY IN KILLINGLY. THOMPSON PARISH. MEETING- HOUSE. CHURCH ORGANIZATION. ORDINATION OF MR. CABOT.
"THE colony-land north of Killingly, so persistently claimed by that township, was still unorganized. In 1727, the Dudleys, Wolcott and Thompson-non-resident owners-together with Samuel Morris, who had purchased part of the Dudley farm, again petitioned the General Assembly of Connecticut, showing :-
" That this tract of land was now possessed by sundry persons, some by purchase of Killingly and some by grants in country land, and we desire to have each one enjoy his purchase, because it is inhabitants that do make a town, and a great part of the remaining land is rough and broken and but little more fit to be inhabited, and, therefore, pray that a new town may be made there, so that we may know what town we are in."
The pleas offered by Joseph Leavens and Joseph Cady on behalf of Killingly in abatement of this petition were judged sufficient, and the request refused. The inhabitants of this tract were now becoming very urgent for greater privileges, and as Killingly had assumed its jurisdiction they applied to her for relief, and, Jan. 30, 1728, received liberty from that town to embody as a distinct society or precinct. It
39
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
was agreed that the dividing line should begin, " at a heap of stones, three rods south of Mr. Blanchard's barn, nigh where he lives, and an old cellar in Mr. Wilson's field in said Killingly ; thence west to Quinebaug River, and east to Rhode Island line"-about a mile south of the original north bound of Killingly. A petition for confirmation of this agreement, signed by Benjamin Bixby in behalf of the north inhabitants, and by Peter Aspinwall for the south, was presented to the General Assembly in May, 1728, and though Samuel Morris again appeared, " laboring under great hardships and difficulties from having his rights and properties encroached upon by some people of Kil- lingly," the petition was granted. A warrant from Justice Joseph Leavens June 18, 1728, represented-
" That whereas there is a precinct set off at the north end of the town of Killingly by an Act of the General Court, held at Hartford in May last, and they want to be imbodied: These are therefore in his Majesty's name, to Mr. Benjamin Bixby and Mr. Hezekiah Sabin and Mr. Ebenezer Green, all of said precinct, to require you to warn, or cause to be warned, all the inhabitants within your precinct to meet at the dwelling-house of Hezekiah Sabin in said precinct, on the 9th day of July . . then and there for to choose a precinct clerk, and any business that shall be lawful and thought needful for the health of the precinct."
The first public meeting of the inhabitants north of Killingly was held according to this warrant, July 9, 1728. The number of residents within the society limits is not known. Its leading men were Sampson Howe, Simon Bryant, Joseph Cady, Henry Green and Benjamin Bixby. Richard Dresser, the first settler, was then in failing health and died a few days after this meeting. Samuel Converse, the first settler near Quinnatisset Hill, with four grown sons, was still active in public affairs. Sabin's house on the hill-top was deemed the most fitting rallying point for the new society. Rude bridle-paths from various neighborhoods led up to this bleak eminence. Its northern extremity was still heavily wooded. The ruins of the old wigwam once occupied by Quinnatisset's praying Indians, were still visible. Sabin's establishment comprised the entire settlement. A goodly number of the inhabitants gathered on this July afternoon to organize a religious society. Jonathan Clough was chosen moderator. "They then voted and chose Sampson Howe, clerk for said society." Messrs. Howe, Sabin and Bixby were chosen committee. It was then voted, To hire a minister to preach the gospel in said society, and to begin with us to preach the first Lord's Day in August next ensuing ; also, that Mr. Wales should be invited to preach the gospel to us and to continue with us for the space of six months ; also, That for the future, a warrant set up at the usual place of our meeting for public worship shall be accounted legal warning for said society. For reasons not speci- fied, Simon Bryant, Henry Green, William Larned, Joseph Cady
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and Thomas Whitmore entered " their dissent against the proceedings of the day."
Though the first act of the society was to establish religious wor- ship, many other things were needful for "the health of the precinct." Its affairs were not yet settled upon a sound basis. The jurisdiction exercised by Killingly had never been authorized by the Government, and town officers in charge were scarcely legal and regular. Very few of the inhabitants had yet taken the freeman's oath, so that the privi- lege of suffrage was restricted to a few. The bounds of the society were not sufficiently definite. Inhabitants west of the Quinebaug, not included in any town, were anxious to be annexed to it. Attempts to vote in these "peculiars " and other inhabitants, occupied the second and third meetings of the society. The case of the former was referred to the General Assembly. "August 13, 1728, it was then put to vote, Whether every man that hath a house and land of his own, belonging to this society, shall have liberty to vote and act with us in all affairs relating to the settling the worship of God in said society, and it passed in the negative." Mr. Wales not being secured, Heze- kiah Sabin and Uriah Horsmor were appointed to provide a minister, and Benjamin Bixby and Jonathan Clough, "to take advice of the neighboring ministers who we shall hire to preach the gospel with us."
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