USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 42
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This plain and faithful preaching produced a very different effect. People " began to awake from their slumbers." The church was greatly quickened and within a few years many were added to its membership. A new interest was aroused in all the secular affairs of the society. A singing school was opened, and Perley Holmes, Captain Augustus Larned, Ensign Isaac Davis and George Keith ap-
352
HISTORY OF WINDIIAM COUNTY.
pointed choristers. Enterprising young men now bestirred themselves to improve and adorn the house of worship, and crowned it with steeple and bell "free from any expense to the society." The hang- ing of the bell was safely accomplished amid a great number of spectators, June 2, 1798, the society thereafter voting, "To get a conductor to said meeting-house steeple, and authorizing its committee to procure and hang said conductor." The last vestige of the old body of seats was now replaced by fashionable pews, and the son of the late minister empowered for twelve shillings a year "to sweep the house once in two months and clear off the cobwebs." To make sure of keeping up with the times, a town clock was procured and instated in office, and "twenty dollars a year allowed for ringing bell and taking care of elock." Notwithstanding the general prosperity of the society it was found very difficult to raise the three-hundred- dollars-salary for the minister, and efforts were early made to establish a fund, "the interest to be for the support of the gospel." Deacon Simon Larned after many years service as clerk of the society, was sneceeded in 1789 by his son Thaddeus, who gave place the following year to Captain Jacob Dresser. The deacons of the church in 1796 were Simon Larned and Lusher Gay, in advanced age, and Thomas Dike and Joseph Gay in active service.
The sudden death of General Larned, who had been so prominent for many years in public and military affairs, was made the occasion of the greatest military and masonic display ever witnessed in the old meeting-house. The New London Gazette thus reports the funeral solemnities :-
" The General was buried under Arms. His corpse was attended by the Brethren of Moriah Lodge to the meeting-house, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. Daniel Dow; a Masonic Address and prayer followed by the Worshipful Master of Moriah Lodge. A procession was then formed, and moved to the grave in the following order, viz. :
Military ; Masons, clothed with the Badges of their Order; Clergy ; Pall (corpse) Bearers ; Mourners ; And Strangers.
The corpse being interred, Mr. Daniel Putnam pronounced an Eulogium of which the following is an extract :-
' Here have we deposited to mingle with their kindred earth the Relics of an Husband, a Father, a Brother, a friend. To the Dead this is the last kind office we can perform. Larned now rests from his labors.'
As a neighbor, a member of society, a citizen, he cultivated Peace, order and harmony. Faithful to his Trust, persevering in pursuit, accurate iu Calculation, he inspired a Confidence that was unbounded.
Engaged in active business and commercial life, punctuality in the perform- ance of engagements he practiced as a virtue, Educated in habits of industry and animated with a Spirit of Enterprise, he was ever prompt to undertake and encourage plaus of public utility, domestic convenience and of private and social happiness.
353
ORDINATION OF DANIEL DOW AND PARSON CROSBY, ETC.
Learning by his intercourse with mankind the aimable virtues of Hospitality and generosity and assiduously cultivating the social and benevolent feelings of the heart, he was ever ready to receive and welcome to his hospitable dwelling, the Indigent, the stranger and the storm-worn or benighted Traveler.
Rambling among these Tombs, the Poor will point and say, There were interred the remains of Larned, our generous benefactor : the neighbor and citizen, There we buried the body of a good, a worthy, an honest man : the soldier, There lies our General : the Sons of Moriah, There we placed the ashes of a beloved Brother, who seeking to obtain more Light left our Lodge to join that of the Supreme Architect, the General Master of the Universe, There to flourish like the ever-verdant Cassia in immortal Bloom.
After which the Ceremonies were closed by a masonic prayer by the Wor- shipful Master, and a sprig of cassia deposited on the coffin.
December, 1797."
Baptists were increasing in the northeast part of the town. Their church gained in strength and numbers though disturbed for a time by difficulties with its pastor, whose mind became somewhat unsettled with advancing years. After long labor and grievous trouble, it was agreed, October 12, 1797, to divide the church into two parts, and for each individual, male and female, to have full liberty to join which party they chose. Eleven males and sixteen females adhered to Eller Martin and set up worship by themselves in an obscure corner east of the Great Pond, known as Oxford Gore. The standing majority soon happily united in choice of one of their own brethren, Deacon Pearson Crosby. The son of Captain Stephen Crosby of Revolutionary fame, his native strength and energy had been early consecrated to Christian service. Uniting with the Baptist church, he had been chosen deacon in 1792, and furnished with credentials four years later, "for to go forth to preach." His preaching had proved so satisfactory that it was now the mind and desire of all "that he should be ordained and qualified to administer the ordinance of the Gospel." Resigning him- self wholly to the judgment of his brethren, a council was called, November 7, 1798. Rev. Daniel Dow was invited to sit in council with the Baptist ministers present, and took an active part in the examination of the candidate, who succeeded in satisfying all parties as "to the work of grace on his heart, his call to the ministry and system of doctrine." " Appointed Brother Abel Palmer to preach the sermon, Brother Zenas L. Leonard to make the consecrating prayer, Brother John Rathburn to give the charge, Brother Amos Wells to give the right hand of fellowship, Brother Robert Stanton to make the concluding prayer-all of which was attended to with a degree of becoming solemnity." At the same date, November 8, the church voted to unite with the Stonington Association, and thenceforward maintained connection with that or some similar body and attained an honorable position among its sister churches. Elder Crosby's labors were crowned with abundant success, and in a few years the church
45
354
HISTORY OF WINDIIAM COUNTY.
was greatly enlarged and strengthened. The religious deadness that had prevailed during the Revolutionary period was succeeded by a general interest and awakening at the beginning of the new century. The Thompson churches with these able and earnest young ministers were well fitted to engage in this work and received large accessions. In the Baptist as in the Congregational society material progress kept pace with spiritnal. Aversion to anything like compulsory rate-paying had always made it very difficult to raise a suitable support for the minister. After two-and a half years of faithful service, Elder Crosby was voted forty dollars in payment. Ebenezer Green, one of the first deacons, had left a legacy of nearly three hundred dollars to the church. Liberal subscriptions from others enabled the society to purchase a farm* in the vicinity for the use and occupation of the minister, which, with an annual salary of eighty dollars, furnished a comfortable support. In 1803, a new meeting-house was erected on land purchased from Noadiah Russel and Jonathan Converse, fronting " on the great turnpike road from Boston to Hartford." More than a hundred men assisted at the raising, May 19, putting up a good frame, "40x42 and 22 feet posts, and having dinner, supper and liquor enough provided." Elder Crosby, Deacons Jonathan Converse and Thomas Day, Captain David Wilson, Joseph Dike and Abel Jacobs, served so efficiently as building committee, that in the latter part of August the new meeting-house was opened to entertain the Sturbridge Association of Baptist churches upon its second session. Pews sold to ready purchasers helped defray the cost of the house. The "former
* " We, the subscribers of the Baptist society find in our minds that it is needful for every religions society for to have a leader or teacher in order for good regulation, and for the keeping up of public worship, and feel ourselves in some good measure free for to provide a place of residence for our minis- ter or teacher near our meeting-house, and furthermore we have concluded and agreed to buy of Deacon Jonathan Converse, his farm that he now lives on, for our minister to live on, so long as he or they shall give good satisfac- tion to said Baptist society, etc ..
Lemuel Knap $60.00
Elisha Converse $ 65.00
William Smith
25.00
David Wilson . 60.00
Jonathan Converse
60.00
Thomas Ormsbee
30.00
Abraham Green 30.00
Aaron Robinson . 60.00
Thomas Day
40.00
John Luther
20.00
Joseph Town, Jun.
30.00
John Keith
30.00
John Burril
20.00
Nathaniel Jacobs
40.00
Simon Burril
10.00
John Jacobs
50.00
Israel Stockwell 10.00
Jesse Joslin, Jun. 4.00
Widow Lidia Woodwart 5.00
Elijah Bates
50.00
David Robinson 14.00
Thomas Davis
30.00
John Bates 133.33
William Town
30.00
Legacy of Dea. Ebenezer Green. 298.67
$1,250.00
January 5, 1801."
John Pratt 10.00
Asa Jacobs 15.00
Samuel Kimball
10.00
---
355
THE METHODISTS,-SCHOOLS IN THOMPSON, ETC.
lot with an old meeting-house on it" was also sold by the committee to John Martin, 2d.
The offshoot on Oxford Gore maintained existence with some diffi- culty. After the removal of Eller Martin it enjoyed the ministra- tions of Solomon Wakefield. a member and licentiate of the mother church. He was a pious and godly man, but somewhat eccentric withal, refusing to accept the slightest compensation or even a friendly gift in return for his services, and warmly opposed to Cal- vinistic doctrines. An earnest and faithful preacher, he did a good work scattering seed in a field remote from other religious influences. Another licentiate of the First Baptist church was John Robbins, who also held meetings in his own neighborhood and obscure school- houses-a light in the far-off corner bordering on Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Methodists had become quite numerous in the opposite corner of the town, dating back to the early preaching of John Allen and Jesse Lee. A class of six members was formed in the southwest part of Thompson in 1793, closely connected with that of Pomfret, and having often the same leader. Joseph Buck, Shubael Cady and Jonathan Allen, were prominent among these early Methodists. A notable accession to their ranks was Captain Jonathan Nichols, who opened his house for the reception of the New England Conference, in 1796. This was the sixth Methodist Conference held in New England ; the first and last in Windham County. Bishop Asbury, Joshua Hall and many distinguished fathers of Methodism were present, and the sermon preached by the eloquent Bishop was heard with deep emotion by a crowded assembly. A meeting-house was built in what is now the village of West Thompson, about 1800, under the supervision of Captain Nichols. John Gove, Dyer Branch, Joshua Crowell, Elisha Streeter and Thomas Perry, were among the early Methodist preachers in this vicinity.
Schools in Thompson which had hitherto been left to the manage- inent of the several districts were brought under more stringent dis cipline by the Legislative enactment of 1798. A State School Fund had now been created by sale of Western Reserve; school societies had been endowed with executive functions, and now each society was obliged to appoint overseers or visitors who should examine the teachers, visit the schools, and assume their general superintendence and direction. In compliance with this enactment. Rev. Daniel Dow, Noadiah Russel and Daniel Wickham were appointed "inspectors." Their report throws some light upon the condition of public schools at this date :-
" The Inspectors of Schools for the town of Thompson, beg leave to pre-
356
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
sent the school society the following report, viz. :- Being impressed with the importance of having our schools subjected to better regulations, and con- vinced of the wisdom of the law made and provided by the Legislature of Connecticut for that purpose, we cheerfully entered upon the discharge of our office, and took as we trust a faithful view of the present state of the schools in the town of Thompson. We failed not in our determination to respect the law of the State, and we did whatever at the present time in our judgment seemed serviceable to be done. But, the regulating of schools in this place being an object entirely novel, and our work of reformation in this respect being somewhat extensive, we did not find ourselves in a capacity to make all those alterations for the present year, which in other circumstances we should have thought expedient. For the year ensuing, however, we enter- tain a hope that something more will be accomplished than what we have been able to effect ; and, in order that the districts may receive the benefit of the inspection which we have made and of that plan of conduct upon which we have entered, we beg leave to propose the following recommendations :-
We earnestly recommend that for the future it will be generally understood that the inspectors will enter upon a faithful examination of school-masters before their fall schools commence, and that all masters and teachers be re- quested to make application for that purpose.
We recommend that all masters offering themselves for examination, con- sider it as a necessary requisite to be able to read and pronounce English with propriety, to be able to explain the spelling book, and to perform common arith- metic ; that a moral character be considered indispensable; and a knowledge of English grammar though not absolutely requisite as very desirable.
We recommend that it be made a serious question with those districts that do not provide for themselves a school-house, nor any suitable and convenient place where the scholars may receive the benefit of instruction, whether they ought to have any certificate that they have had any school as the law requires, merely because they have hired a master to lose his time.
We also recommend, considering the large extent of this school society and the requisitions of the law, that the number of visitors be increased so that the burden of inspection be in some way lessened as your wisdom shall direct. And-
Finally, whereas it has seemed good to the Legislature of the State to order by express statute that the visitors insist upon some approved catechism to be taught in every school; that the Bible be read by the higher classes who are able to read therein, at least once a day; and also that it be recom- mended to all masters and teachers that they conclude the instructions of each day by prayer-we cordially acquiesce in recommending the same. Accordingly, we hereby give notice that all schools are expected to be furnished with, and statedly instructed in The Shorter Catechism as com- piled by the Assembly of Westminster divines, provided, nevertheless, if any district shall be better satisfied to make use of Dr. Watts' catechism for children, in the sentiment of which we trust every Christian mind must certainly acquiesce, we recommend that they exercise their own choice to adopt either the one or the other.
The whole is submitted to your wise consideration by
DANIEL DOW. NOADIAANI RUSSEL. DANIEL H. WICKHAM.
Thompson, May 1, 1799."
This report was accepted and thenceforward teachers were obliged to submit to examination and schools to visitation. Innovation made slow progress. Girls were still expected to spend a part of their time in plying the needle, and were not supposed to know "their letters " thoroughly till they had acquired the art of affixing them upon samplers. Geography was administered in the most economic fashion, the older scholars reading in it instead of other afternoon reading exercise, and
357
REPORT OF SCHOOL INSPECTORS, ETC.
making one or two copies of Morse's Geography suffice for the whole school. Saturday afternoons they were allowed as a great treat to read aloud by turns in the County newspaper, received at noon-time from the weekly courier, before submitting to the catechetic recitation prescribed by State authority. Mr. Dow was accustomed to visit and eatechize each school in town once or twice during a season-the church cooperating in the work by requesting "that the brethren residing in each district should attend together with the pastor at the catechizing of the schools." Notwithstanding this strictness the children had their diversions. Spelling schools were frequently hekl, and publie exhibitions with dialogue and declamation were coming into fashion. The last day of the school was celebrated with appro- priate festivity, the boys contributing pennies for the purchase of spirit to be made into flip, and the girls bringing home-made dainties. Captain Copeland, a popular teacher in the South Neighborhood, was accustomed to close his winter school by a grand ball given to the children in his own house in the evening.
Thompson was greatly favored in the matter of turnpikes. Captain Jonathan Nichols, Israel Smith and Jacob Dresser were appointed in 1796, "to wait on the committee appointed by the General Assembly to view and lay out a stage road from Hartford to Massachusetts or Rhode Island line." Captain Nichols and his associates were incor- porated the following year as " The Boston Turnpike Company," and to him was intrusted the charge of constructing the road. A large number of men were employed and the work pushed rapidly forward. The much desired road between Larned's store in the South Neigh- borhood and Bundy's Mills was now allowed, and carried thence west- ward to intersect the new turnpike at the stage tavern kept by Abel Alton. A bridge was built over the French River for the turnpike, and a new bridge over the Quinebaug at Eaton's Falls for the latter road. These enterprises made business lively but brought a heavy burden, increasing the town expenses from seven or eight hundred dollars a year to over two thousand. A proposal to lay another turn- pike from Rhode Island line to Dudley met with very strong opposi- tion from unwilling tax-payers. Lemuel Ingalls, Sampson Howe and Eleazer Moffat were appointed a committee to view and lay out such road-Captains Nichols and Davis and Roger Elliott to wait upon them. The town rejected their report and refused liberty to proceed in building. Persistent agitation finally overcame opposition and in 1803, the town refrained from choosing an agent to oppose petition. Elijah Crosby, Joseph Watson, Nathaniel Jacobs, Peleg Corbin, Thomas Chaffee, Noadiah Russel, John Nichols and associates, were thereupon incorporated as "The Thompson Turnpike Company," and a
35S
HISTORY OF WINDIIAM COUNTY.
second turnpike was soon opened, intersecting the Boston turnpike on Thompson Ilill. This new road became the main thoroughfare between Providence and Springfield. Stages were run daily over both lines and a vast amount of travel passed over them. The tide of business and population now turned to the hill-top, and soon built up a flour- ishing village. Pound and horse-sheds were summarily banished to make way for buikling lots.
The first "store " on Thompson Hill is believed to have been opened about 1794 by Daniel Wickham, who married a daughter of Captain Dresser and purchased of him a building lot* east of the common, adjoining the pound, where he soon put up a dwelling-house and business accommodations. His partner, George Keith, purchased the lot adjoining southward, and built a large houset which he opened for public entertainment prior to 1798. A handsome houset on the opposite side of the common was built at about the same date by Mr. Joseph Watson. Enterprising young men from other parts of the town were drawn to the growing village. John Nichols, 2d, and Theodore Dwight entered into business partnership, serving their customers in a new building at the northwest intersection of the turn- pikes. Sylvanus and Joseph Coan succeeded to the business of Daniel Wickham, who removed to Newport, New York. Paul Dudley and Nathaniel Jacobs bought building lots on the Providence Turnpike, east of the common, and several houses were built upon them by Captain Joel Taylor. The first resident physician was Dr. Daniel Knight, who also received in 1805 the position of postmaster, relieving Thompsonians from the troublesome necessity of a seven miles' drive to Pomfret for their letters. Among other improvements a handsome row of poplar trees adorned the south end of the village.
The new business impulse was felt in all parts of the town. Labor came into demand ; land increased in valne. The farins owned by the heirs of Robert Thompson, were crossed by the Providence turnpike and brought nearer market. Substantial houses had been built upon these farms, which were now leased to Daniel Graves, Ebenezer Covell, Simon Davis, Jonathan Copeland, Jabez Whitmore, Nathaniel Gregory, Noadiah Russel, Thomas Dike, Hosea Sprague. A fine farm upon the Quinebang owned by the same parties was occupied by Ephraim and Sylvanus Houghton. Thaddeus and Daniel Larned entered into negotiations for the purchase and succeeded in procuring a quit-claim deed from its English owners for the sum of fourteen
* Site now occupied by Dr. Lowell Holbrook.
+ House still standing and owned by Mr. John Wilkes.
# Still occupied by children of Mr. Watson.
359
SALE OF THOMPSON TRACT, ETC.
thousand dollars, a hundred and twenty years from the date of the original purchase. These farms were immediately sold out to lessees and other purchasers-Mr. Thaddeus Larned retaining a fine farm on the southwest corner for his personal occupation. Many large and commodious houses were built along the line of the turnpikes, and in other localities. The various mills in different neighborhoods were extremely active. Josiah Perry and Elijah Child carried on grinding, sawing and dyeing on the French River in the extreme north of the town. Rufus Coburn and Alpheus Corbin purchased the Houghton farm on the Quinebang-now a part of New Boston-and set up clothiery and potash works. Stephen Crosby, a young man of much mechanical ingenuity, served apprenticeship under Captain Cargill in the art of clothiery, and established himself at the French River on the site of the present Grosvenordale, dyeing and pressing cloth, and grinding grain for a large section of the country. Joseph Joslin, who returned from Rhode Island to the home farm in 1797, was very active in setting out trees, laying wall, getting out potash, running mills, and did much to stimulate improvement in the northeast part of the town. Through his efforts the first road was laid out over Buck Hill early in the century. The little hamlet of Brandy IIill, whose name is believed to have accrued to it from the bursting of a brandy hogshead, now boasted two taverns kept by Ebenezer Starr and Charles Cady. It had also two physicians, Doctors Cleveland and Weaver, and a fine new row of fashionable poplar trees set out by a new resident-Captain Isaac Davis. His brother Simon Davis engaged in the practice of law. Thompson's first practicing lawyer, was George, the second son of General Larned, who after studying his profession at Canterbury and Litchfield, opened a law office in the South Neighborhood, in 1801. The foreign trade of Larned and Mason had been assumed by the Masons. The store and local trade had passed into the hands of Augustus and Daniel Larned. Daniel, the third son of General Larned, was a young man of uncommon energy and business capacity, abreast with the age and ready to do his part in it. His fellow-townsmen manifested their confidence in his judgment and ability by intrusting him at a very early age with important services. Business interests and public convenience demanded yet a third turnpike, a road from Woodstock through the south part of the town connecting with the Providence turnpike. By persistent effort and representation, Daniel Larned succeeded in procuring a charter for this road, and assumed the oversight of its construction. Straight-forward, up-and-down roads were now the fashion. The old circuitous ways winding around to every man's door were con- sidered as much out of taste as out of compass. The building of this
.
360
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
straight road through the granite hill-range of western Thompson proved a most arduous and laborious enterprise, costing not only much money and toil but the valued life of its projector, who fell a victim to disease contracted by over-exertion and exposure, dying in Deeen- ber, 1806, at the early age of twenty-six. The previous October he had served the town as representative, and he was long remembered as one of the most promising and capable young men ever reared in Thompson. The death of his younger brother Otis, who was drowned in crossing the French River after a sudden freshet, also made a deep impression upon the community. So also that of George Keith, the jovial landlord of the new tavern, a leader in sport and revelry as well as in business enterprise, who was suddenly stricken down by disease. The great change wrought in this young man upon his death-bed, his clear conviction of those religions truths which he had previously rejected, his regrets for his wasted life, and his penitent acknowledgments to those young converts whom he had delighted to ridicule, greatly affected the young people of the town, and had much influence in checking the tendency to undue excess in merry- making and deepening the religious interest that prevailed for several years.
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