USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut. Volume I, 1600-1760 > Part 9
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So many new settlers arrived during the winter that, at its town- meeting, May 30, 1693, Windham enrolled the subjoined list of admitted and approved inhabitants :-
Joshua Ripley.
John Cates. Richard Hendee.
Jonathan Crane. Jonathan Ginnings or Jennings.
James Birchard.
Joseph Huntington.
Jonathan Hough.
Thomas Huntington.
Samuel Hide.
William Backus.
John Royce.
John Backus.
Samuel Birchard.
John Larrabee.
Robert Wade.
Thomas Bingham. John Rudd. Jeremiah Ripley.
Peter Crane.
Sam. Linkon.
John Arnold.
Of these twenty-two inhabitants, the last named eight had settled at he Ponde place, all the others were residents of the Hither-place or southeast quarter-save John Larrabee, who kept the ferry between he settlements. Thomas Bingham, who had removed from Norwich rith a large family of sons and daughters, was an important acquisition to Windham. He purchased, March, 1693, Captain John Mason's first ot, at the southeast quarter, for £14 in provision pay ; applied to pay town charges at the corn-mill. Mr. Bingham was then about fifty years of age, being, after Cates, the oldest man in the township, and became one of its most useful and valued citizens. His oldest daughter, Mary, had married John Backus the summer preceding. John Arnold had been schoolmaster in Norwich and was one of the most intelligent and influential of the Ponde-town settlers. Samuel and James Birchard were the sons of John Birchard, a Norwich Legatee. The other new comers were also residents of Norwich.
Improvements and accommodations kept pace with the increase of population. Great care was taken to provide for the Ponde-town people. Sign-posts were ordered against William Backus's house at the Hither-place, and Samuel Hide's at the Ponde-place. The brander's house and the pound were made the public places for branding horses. Messrs. Hough, Hide and Fitch were appointed to view a convenient place for a burying-ground at the Pondes, and Crane and Ginnings for the other settlement. As the number of new buildings in progress made a lively demand for boards, Jonathan Ginnings and the Ripleys had liberty to set up a saw-mill and the privilege of a dam at No-man's- acre Brook. Captain James Fitch, John Fitch and Joshua Ripley were chosen to meet with Hartford gentlemen to settle the lines at Willimantic. It was agreed at this meeting that the Willimantic
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River should be the bounds between the grants of Norwich and Hartford gentlemen-land east of that river accruing to Windham.
In September, the town voted "To belong to Hartford County," though its connection with Norwich would seem to have led it to New London. In December, the following town orders were adopted :-
" I. That all our fences shall be a sufficient pine-rail fence, or what is equivalent thereto, against cattle and swine-unruly cattle, unruly swine and swine under half a year old only excepted.
II. It has been found by experience, to the damage of some persons, that by foriners bringing of swine to this town, and the swine going away have led away our swine-for the prevention of which, if any person shall give liberty to any foriner to bring swine here, he shall pay a fine of twenty shillings- half to informer and half to town-and whatsoever swine found in town not belonging to town shall be poundable if it appears they are brought in.
III. For the preservation of our timber, no man shall transport a load or part of a load of cedar out of town, under penalty of fifteen shillings, for the town's use.
IV. That the constable for the year ensuing shall warn the town-meeting by virtue of a warrant given under the townsmen's hands, and all those that neglect attending being so warned, shall forfeit to the town's use one shilling- six-pence, country pay, and the constable to have one half of the said fines, to be gathered by distress or estate-seizure in law by said constable, except said delinquents, within a month, bring a certificate under townsmen's hands to constable; a sufficient warning for the town-meeting being a writing set on the sign-post, signed by the selectmen, five days before the meeting, and the contents of the meeting mentioned therein, and the like to be set up at the mill.
These orders voted at town-meeting, December 22, 1693."
A committee had been previously appointed to discourse with Mr. Whiting, offer him an allotment through the several divisions, with fifty pounds salary and to build for him a house, habitable, two stories high and eighteen feet square,-" said house in capacity like Joseph Ding- ley's-provided he would stay four years." Mr. Whiting accepting these terms, the town voted, February 14, 1694, "That the meetings on Sabbath days shall be three days heare (at the Hither-place) and two days at north end during the time that Mr. Whiting is engaged, provided he be willing to undergo the travel." At the same meeting, Joshua Ripley and Jonathan Crane were empowered by the town to run the town lines with Major Fitch, Thomas Leffingwell and John Butcher, employed by proprietors-" we being at half the charge."
In the spring, a highway was ordered through Peter Crane's di- vision, extending from the Ponde-place to the Willimantic River, near the Falls. The meadows in this vicinity furnished the Windham settlers with a great part of their hay, and to facilitate its convey- ance this highway was ordered "four rods wide from the hill to the river, seven rods wide down to the meadow, and four rods wide between meadow and fence." Twelve acres below the Falls abutting west and north on the river, were allowed to Mr. Crane as sufficient satisfaction for this highway. The home-lots laid out at Willimantic were not as yet taken up by the proprietors, and in April,
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1694, they received permission from the town to exchange them for allotments "at or about the Crotch of the river"-that remarkable curve in the Nachauge near its junction with the Willimantic, also known as the Horse-shoe. Seven lots were now laid out in this vicinity. Joshua Ripley, Samuel Hide, Joseph Huntington, Peter Crane and Thomas Bingham were chosen to choose two lots at the Crotch of the River, one for the minister and one for the ministry. The remaining home-lots were sold to settlers, who soon took possession. "Goodman William More," of Norwich, purchased a lot laid out to William Backus ; Benjamin Millard, of Bear Hill, Norwich, bought his land of Thomas Leffingwell-a thousand-acre allotment, at the Horse-shoe, a part of which is still held by his descendants. Benjamin Howard and Joseph Cary, of Norwich, and John Broughton, of Northampton, soon settled in this vicinity. This new settlement was also called "The Centre," from its position between the older ones, and seemed destined for a time to become the most important. The seventh lot was chosen for the minister and the sixth for the ministry, and great efforts were made to have the meeting-house built upon it.
July 20, 1694, the town agreed to give Mr. Whiting "seventh lot and divisions, break up six acres and fence in ten; to give him a hundred pounds provision pay, towards building a house, and plant him one hundred apple trees-when Mr. Whiting is ordained, the whole to be his, or if he die before having a family, the accommodations go to his heirs." November 24, "voted and agreed, to add to Mr. Whiting's salary after what is already engaged at a meeting in July last, that is to say, after March come twelve months next ensuing the date hereof-that we will, God enabling us, give as followeth: £60 per year for three years; then £70 for three years; then £80 for three years." In the following February, these terms were re-stated and confirmed, and Mr. Whiting desired and urged "to continue with us," at which time he engaged "to stay two years, God enabling him, to carry on the work of the ministry."
In answer to her petition, Windham was, in May, 1694, annexed to Hartford County. The large number of non-resident proprietors making it difficult to collect the rates needful for building Mr. Whit- ing's house and other expenses, two men were appointed to petition the General Court for order to levy town charges, which body being informed "that sundry of that town who have taken up land there, and yet are not settled there, do neglect paying their said rates, and the inhabitants cannot come at their personal estate to levy the same,"-
10
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
therefore judged, that in all such cases the Windham authorities might "siez their lands for their rates, and bring the same to a tryall."
Early in 1695, attempt was made to decide upon a locality for a meeting-house. Ginnings, Huntington, Royce and Wade were directed to measure and find a centre, beginning at the northern and southern extremities of the town, " measure where the path goes and so to find the senter for meeting-house." As preliminary to this, a bridge was ordered. A committee was appointed in February, " To choose a place on the Nachaug River for a sufficient bridge suitable for man and beast to pass with a load, the selectmen to agree with men to make it, lay a rate for the same and find help to raise the bridge." This bridge was built by Robert Fenton-a new and enterprising inhabitant of Ponde- town,-for the sum of fourteen pounds. In May, a military company was formed in Windham, with John Fitch for lieutenant, Jonathan Crane, ensign, and Samuel Hide, sergeant ; and training days were thenceforward observed with appropriate hilarity. During this summer, a committee was chosen "To lay out all highways that are needful on or about the hill that lies west of the Pond, east from the Crotch, and then those proprietors that desire their pasture lots removed to the east side of the hill shall have liberty to do so, and the owners of the Pond allowed the liberty and privilege for ditching and draining în the most convenient place." It was also agreed "to choose a moderator at beginning of town meetings; he to open with prayer," and on the fourth of November every man was ordered "To pay Mr. Whiting one bushel of corne before December 1."
In 1696, the energies of the town were almost wholly restricted to building a house for the minister, whose approaching marriage made ex- pedition needful. The selectmen were empowered to agree with masons to build the chimneys ; the remainder of the work was accomplished by the towns-people, detailed into squads, each directed by a leading citizen. Ensign Crane led to the charge Joshua Ripley, Thomas Bingham, John Rudd, John Larrabee, John Cates, the two Hunting- tons, Lieutenant Conant, Joshua Waldo and William Moulton. They were succeeded by Jonathan Ginnings, with Jeremiah Ripley, Lieu- tenant Fitch, John Backus, William More, Benjamin Howard, Joseph Dingley, Benjamin Millard, - Edgarton, Joseph Bradford and John Broughton. Peter Cross came next, with Sergeant Hide, John Allen, Samuel Linkon, John Royce, Samuel and James Birchard. The fourth squad, under William Hall, included Joseph Hall, Nathaniel Barrett,
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Benjamin Armstrong, Robert Smith and William Backus. With such a body of workmen, it may be hoped the house was in readiness to receive Mr. Whiting and his bride-Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. William Adams, of Dedham, to whom he was married, September 14,-though a rate of £16 was levied in the following January, "to pay a workman to finish the minister's house."
The population of Windham was constantly increasing. William and Joseph Hall, Joshua and John Allen, Nathaniel Bassett, Benjamin Armstrong, Samuel Gifford and Robert Smith were now settled at the Ponde-the Halls removing there from Plymouth, Bassett from Yar- mouth, the others probably from Norwich. Joseph Dingley now occupied the allotment purchased by Captain Standish. William Backus exchanged his house and accommodations at the Hither-place for Ensign Crane's grist-mill. Crane sold the house and lot to Exercise Conant, in 1695, who, for £70 in silver, July 3, 1696, conveyed it to John Abbe, of Wenham. Samuel Abbe, probably brother to John, purchased half an allotment and half a house at the Centre, of Benja- min Howard, in 1697. John Waldo, of Boston, a reported descendant of Peter Waldo, of Lyons, purchased an allotment laid out to Rev. James Fitch, and was admitted an inhabitant of Windham in 1698. William Hide, William Moulton, Philip Paine, John Ashby, Josiah Kingsley, Samuel Storrs, Sen. and Jun., Robert and Joseph Hebard, Isaac Magoon, John Howard and Thomas Denham, were also admitted inhabitants in or before 1698; Shubael Dimmock, in 1699; Abraham Mitchell, in 1700.
With many gains, they had some losses-James Birchard sold his right in Windham to Philip Paine, in 1696, and removed to the West Farms of Norwich ; Samuel Abbe died a few months after his arrival in Windham, his son, Samuel, succeeding to his estate at the Centre, his widow marrying Abraham Mitchell. John Cates, the first Wind- ham settler, died in the summer of 1697. Though less active in town affairs than younger and more vigorous citizens, Mr. Cates was greatly esteemed for prudence and sound judgment, and proved his interest in his adopted township by leaving legacies for its benefit. A service of plate was left for the communion service of the church, two hundred acres of land in trust for the poor, and two hundred acres to be applied to schools. His faithful Joe, together with a bed, a chest and wearing apparel were given to Mr. Whiting. His housekeeper, Mary-sister of Benjamin Howard-was his executrix. His land-one Windham allotment-was valued at £40; his servant at £30. It is said that poor Joe manifested his grief at his master's death by the most frantic outbursts, and did not long survive him. A tomb-stone-probably the
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
first in Windham burying-ground-thus commemorates its first settler and benefactor :-
In Memory of Mr. John Cates. He was a gentleman, born in England, And the first settler in the Town of Windham. By his last Will and Testament He gave a
Generous legacy To ye first Church of Christ in Windham In plate, and a generous Legacy in land For ye support of ye poor; And another Legacy for ye support Of ye school In said town for ever. He died In Windham, July ye 16th, A. D. 1697.
XI.
PONDE-TOWN CONTROVERSY. CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
W HILE Woodstock was highly favored at the outset, Windham enjoyed even superior advantages. Its land was cheap and accessible; its Indians few and friendly ; its wolves scarce and easily subdued ; its situation pleasant and healthful; its valleys free from encumberring forests and easily brought under cultivation ; its most pressing public wants supplied by the forethought and generosity of the first proprietors. Its inland position secured it from alarm and invasion, and the long Indian war, so pernicious to Woodstock, had no effect upon the growth and prosperity of the younger settlement, and left no trace upon its records. Its vicinity to Norwich gave it many valuable privileges, and greatly promoted its settlement and progress. At Norwich, the settlers found both market and supplies, and what was lacking there could be found at New London, where Mr. Pygan, the merchant, had accounts with inhabitants both of "Norwich and Windam."
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These unusual advantages attracted to Windham a very superior class of citizens-men of character, position and public spirit, desirous to found a permanent home for their descendants. Many of its early settlers were men of means and intelligence. Joshua Ripley and John Fitch were widely known and respected as men of sterling sense and sound judgment, and were often called to public services in different parts of the Colony. Mr. Ripley was one of the first Justices of the Peace in Connecticut, appointed in May, 1698, when that office was instituted. He was also the first representative sent by Windham to the General Assembly, appearing in that body in May, 1699.
Thomas Bingham, Jonathan Crane, Joseph Cary, John and Samuel Abbe, Thomas Huntington and his brother, were among Windham's active and influential citizens. Mr. Whiting was a man of much piety, wisdom, culture and public spirit, greatly beloved and reverenced by all his people. Nor were the wives of these leading Windham citizens at all inferior to their husbands. So far as can be ascertained, they were women of marked character and energy. Hannah Bradford, the wife of Joshua Ripley-a descendant of Plymouth's famous governor- was a noble and useful woman, remarkable not only for intelligence and accomplishments but for skill in the art of healing. She was the first, and long the only, physician in the settlement, and it is said that the first male physician, Dr. Richard Huntington, received much of his medical knowledge from her. Mrs. Whiting, sister of the Rev. Eliphalet Adams, of New London, was as noted for piety and good- ness as her excellent husband. Though " woman's rights " had not then been discussed, these Windham women assumed the privilege of doing any work for which they were fitted. Mary Howard could not only keep house for John Cates but settle his estate, and Lucy Reynolds, wife of Benjamin Millard, could kill a bear, lift a barrel of meat, or-if tauntingly challenged-throw the strongest man in Windham.
Yet, with all Windham's advantages, like Woodstock, she " was not in all respects in capacity," and in some important points was greatly deficient. Traveling facilities had as yet received little attention. In her first decade, she had apparently built but one bridge ; laid out but one highway. Her only other stated roads were those marked out by her first surveyors. The road from the Crotch or Centre to Wind- ham Green, it is said, was never regularly laid out, but gradually de- veloped out of a footpath. The population was mainly concentrated in the three villages and their vicinity. Rude bridle-paths and foot-trails led thence to the mills, meadows, cedar-swamp and out- lying parts of the town.
Education was as yet entirely neglected by the town authorities. Children were taught at home and, possibly, in private schools, but
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
Windham had made no provision for public instruction, following in this the bad example of the mother township-Norwich, in 1700, being presented before the grand jury of the county "for want of a school to instruct children."
Church organization and meeting-house were also still lacking. This surprising deficiency arose, however, not from neglect or indifference, but from excessive carefulness and anxiety to act for the best interests of the town. The location of the meeting house was first to be settled. Two settlements, "four miles apart and with a bad river between," were to be accommodated. . The public sentiment of the day favored centralization. One church organization and one place of worship were deemed sufficient for every township. The first step of the town was to measure for its "senter." The precise result of this measurement is not on record, but the spot deemed "most accommodable " for the entire population was at the Crotch or Horse-shoe, where a settlement was just commencing. Its prospective selection for the meeting-house drew settlers to this point, and gave it much importance. Here the minister's house was built in 1696, and here, the winter following, divine service was held statedly at the house of Goodman More. Pre- vious to this, the services had alternated between the two older settle- ments, the inhabitants meeting on Sabbath days sometimes "two days in the south of the town and one at the Ponde," or "half the time at the north and half at the south end,"-but now the town voted, " To comply with Mr. Whiting for the meeting on Sabbath in one place as he desired," and the place selected was at the Crotch or Centre-now known as "Brick-top."
The residents of the southeast quarter were not, however, satisfied with this arrangement, and the prospect of the church settlement in that locality. Their own village was far most populous and prosperous. With ample room and means to build a house for their own accommo- dation, they demurred from binding themselves to build and maintain one at an inconvenient distance. Apart from selfish considerations, the leading citizens of Windham Green could not but foresee that a sepa- ration ere many years would be inevitable, and deemed it the wisest course to provide for future development. The first intimation of their views upon the question is shown in the following resolution, adopted at town meeting, January 14, 1697 :--
" Whereas, the town of Windham, by its settlement and laying out of the allotments is in two places, about four miles distant one from another, and a bad river between these two places, it is therefore much to be desired that it might be that each place may be a distinct place and society, if on further experience of our capacity and ability and the good providence of God succeeding therein ; we, both parts of ye town, suppose it to be our duty, at least, now to make some provision in order thereunto. It is, therefore, by these presents voted and agreed by both parts as follows :-
I. We, at the southeast quarter, do by these presents give our full and free
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consent that our neighbors at ye Ponde-place, when they find themselves in capacity to call and settle a minister among themselves in an orderly way, with ye approbation of ye General Court-that then we, in the southeast quarter, do free them from all dues and rates to our minister.
II. We consent that our Ponde-place neighbors shall have the benefit of ye remaining part of ye rate for ye minister's house, unpaid, to be improved among themselves.
III. In suitable time will join with our neighbors, in a loving way, to state and agree with respect to the dividend.
IV. The Ponde-place people shall pay for the minister till they have one of their own.
V. The present place of meeting shall be at Goodman More's till the southeast quarter build a meeting-house of their own, or till we are in an orderly way two distinct societies-the place to set the meeting-house to be stated by the southeast quarter.
VL Before division lines are run, there shall be a laying out of those divisions of land and meadow yet unlaid belonging to allotments at ye Crotch and the line be run in April or May.
January 14, 1697, these proposals voted in Windham."
In accordance with this agreement, the southeast inhabitants pro- ceeded to make arrangements for the erection of their meeting house, and in February voted that the place to set in should be " the next convenient place to ye north of John Backus, his house." In April, Jeremiah Ripley and Thomas Huntington were appointed, "to run the dividend line between us and neighbors at north end," on condition " that if any person do enfringe our right or claim and take away any of our land, that our neighbors north shall be engaged under hand and seal to join with us to make purchase of the land that is taken away from us, that we may have our proportion of land with our neighbors."
· Still the work did not go on, the north-end settlers were much averse to a separation from their stronger neighbor, nor was it, probably, favored by non-resident proprietors or the General Court. After renewed discussion and deliberation, December 17, 1697, Shubael Dim- inick-a new resident of Ponde-town,-William Hall, Joshua Ripley, Lieutenant Fitch and Sergeant Sam. Hide, were chosen "a committee to add to selectmen to settle the dividend line, and to put things into a capacity for the unighting of each end of ye town together in the most loving way and suitable manner that they can-and further, if these men above named cannot agree,-then the town have made choice of the worshipful Mr. William Pitkin and Deacon Olmstead, and John Tracy, of Norwich, to issue the business and controversy in the town in respect to dividing or not dividing the town, and give them full power to decide the matter in controversy, and in case they do not decide to divide, they are to state the meeting-house plot, and the town agrees to stand to their judgment for a final issue of the matters in controversy, and promises to pay the men for their travel and for their entertainment to the land-lord."
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
This committee, after much discourse, " could not but judge .it a thing improper and as yet not attainable for us to divide the town," and, therefore, after having debated and discoursed things to the best of their ability, judged, "That the meeting house must stand in the Center, between ye two ends of the town as formerly agreed upon, and the money that has been paid by the people of the south end towards finishing the minister's house be returned back-half in money ; half to go towards building meeting-house." To this decision, the south- end party reluctantly submitted. Ten from the north end and eight from the south voted to accept it; three bold south-enders had the hardihood to vote its rejection ; a large number declined to express their opinion. The Ponde-town people had won the day, and the controversy was settled.
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