USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 45
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* Historical Address of Clarence W. Bowen.
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
establishing a seminary of learning, superior to any other which had been previously enjoyed," was deemed worthy of special commemora- tion, and on February 4, 1802, the new building was formally opened and dedicated. Suitable addresses were made by John McClellan, Esq., and Mr. Lyman, the latter closing with these words addressed to the prospective teacher :-
" I do therefore on this occasion in the name of the Trustees, and with the approbation of the Proprietors, commit to you, Mr. Williams, the key to the ACADEMY and the office of PRECEPTOR."
Mr. Williams entered upon his duties the next day with nearly an hundred pupils, gathered from all parts of Woodstock and neighbor- ing towns. Board was obtained in the best families for five shillings a week. A petition from John McClellan, Esq., secured from the Assembly in the spring an enactment, that Samuel MeClellan, Eliphalet Lyman, Nehemiah Child, Ebenezer Smith, William Potter, Hezekiah Bugbee, Ichabod Marey, Jesse Bolles, David Holmes and others, who are or hercafter may be proprietors of Woodstock Academy, are erected and made a body corporate, with needful power for its well- ordering and governing. Five trustees annually appointed by the proprietors were to superintend the affairs of the corporation. Mr. Williams retained his office for only a single term and was succeeded by another brilliant son of Windham County, Hezekiah Frost of Can- terbury. Jason Parke, his usher, was also from Canterbury. Aaron Dutton, Seth Norton and Phinehas L. Tracy, youthful Yale graduates, followed in quick snecession, neither of them remaining long enough to give character or stability to the school. Despite this drawback, interest and attendance were well maintained. A public exhibition every autumn increased its popularity. Teachers and pupils formed in line at the academy and marched with much ceremony into the church. Declamations and orations were followed by entertaining dialognes. On one occasion an elaborate tragedy was performed. embracing fifteen or twenty performers, and Philadelphia's future surgeon was desperately wounded by a pistol shot and carried off the stage by armed soldiers to the intense delight of the applauding audience. Most of the young people of the town enjoyed the privilege of at least a term's attendance at the Academy. Charles Morris, afterwards commodore in the United States Navy. Dr. George Mcclellan, the distinguished surgeon (son of James McClellan), William Larned Marcy, Secretary of State, and governor of the Empire State, Ebenezer Stoddard, lieutenant-governor of Connecticut, and represen- tative to Congress, David Young, judge, and Congressional represen- tative, Prescott and David Hall, distinguished in law, art and literature, were among its early pupils. Yale College gave it counsel and
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RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, ETC.
encouragement. A literary association, called the "Society of Colum- bian Brothers," was soon formed in connection with the school, each proprietor contributing a number of books as a foundation for its library. A Fourth of July Celebration was held under its patronage in 1803, when Mr. Jason Parke delivered an eloquent oration, whose closing flights must have deeply thrilled the youthful Columbians :- " If you would maintain your Independence inviolate, be prepared for Peace or War. With UNION for your motto extend with one hand the OLIVE BRANCH OF PEACE, and with the other brandish the FLAMING SWORD OF POWER. Be resolved that you will never behold the AMERICAN EAGLE checked in its towering flight and unfledged, to decorate a BRITISH CORONET or a FRENCH CAP with its brilliant plumes, but that your INDEPENDENCE shall be commensurate with your exist- ence." A library of a hundred volumes had been formed in the First Society a few years previous. The United Lyon Library still flourished in the North Society, numbering some two hundred and fifty volumes. The West Woodstock residents proenred a valuable library in 1806.
Improved traveling facilities brought business and gave impetus to the town. Turnpike projects had been carried through after the customary contests. The Norwich and Woodstock Turnpike, with branch to Sturbridge, the turnpike running direct through Thompson to Provi- dence, were great accommodations. Elijah Williams' establishment had now passed into the hands of Mr. William Bowen, whose tavern under its row of poplar trees, received a large share of public patronage. Major Williams' advertisement exhibits the varied capabilities of this business location :-
" For Sale, a few rods north of the meeting-house in the First Society in Woodstock, A PLEASANT COUNTRY SEAT, situated on the great road from Hartford to Boston, and on the road from Providence to Albany; with a large dwelling-house and barn thereon, also a large merchant's store, nailor's and cooper's shop, with tools complete for each. Also, a large convenient slaughter-house for killing and packing provisions. . . It is a very good stand for trade. The house is used as a tavern and has been ever since it was built, etc.
WOODSTOCK, March 6, 1797."
Major John, son of Elijah Williams, was for a time partner with Mr. Bowen. Jedidiah Kimball, Chester Kendall and Amos Paine were also engaged in mercantile traffic. Woodstock Hill had now its lawyer-John McClellan. Esq., who had removed hither in 1796, marrying a few months later, Faith Williams, the only daughter of Hon. William Williams of Lebanon. Dr. Ephraim Carroll of Thompson, was established in medical practice in the south end of the street. Dr. Lathrop Holmes engaged in trade and medical practice, Elias Childs and Charles Webb opened a store in West Woodstock. Increasing development in this part of the town had
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
raised the question of division. A number of westward residents, viz. :- Ashael Corbin, David Howard, Joel Gage, Daniel Lyon, Jun., Caleb Bugbee, Daniel Perry, Elias Child, Andrew Williams, Ebenezer Stoddard, Abishai Washburn, Luther Baldwin, Parker Morse, William Shepard, "in great measure divested of the privilege of free and legal inhabitants of the town of Woodstock, and a participation in the election of town officers, as well as the General in the State Legis- lature, owing to their remote distance"-petitioned town and General Assembly for redress of grievances and independent organization, but after discussion and consideration, division was indefinitely deferred. The " new county scheme " called out more energetic action. Again and again the town deputies were instructed to nse " their utmost endeavors" in its behalf. The removal of the Courts to Brooklyn was strongly opposed as "no accommodation." A half-shire with itself for shire-town was Woodstock's aspiration, to further which she promptly voted to be at the expense of erecting all needful buildings. A house for the poor was ordered in 1799. In polities Woodstock continued mainly federal though an earnest minority were followers of Jefferson. The growth of republicanism and anti-federalism was manifested by a vote passed in 1798, that the several ministers in town should take their turn in opening Freemen's meetings-by which the pulpit of the orthodox meeting-house on Woodstock Hill was thrown open to Baptist and Methodist invaders. Deacon Morse straightway reports "that Rev. Mr. Thompson prayed and delivered a discourse," but when the following year Elder Amos Welles took his turn as preacher his pen failed to make the accustomed record in the town book ! Elder Welles' discourse upon the words-" But I was born free" -- an earnest but temperate plea that all Americans might enjoy their birthright withont legal preference, free from "the unnecessary and unreasonable trouble of lodging certificates to clear them from paying taxes where they do not belong "-was however so acceptable to a large body of his hearers that they procured its publica- tion. The matter apparently excited much commotion and ill-feeling. Deacons Morse and Lyon and John McClellan were appointed a committee by the First Society " to examine the writings of a certain sermon delivered by Mr. Amos Welles of this town and printed, and for said committee to call on said Welles to see what he will do respecting supposed misrepresentations made by him and printed in said book, and for said committee to treat the matter as they shall judge best." Notwithstanding strong opposition, radicals like Jesse Bolles were sent occasionally to the Legislature. Other representatives were Eliphalet Lyon, Stephen Paine, Ebenezer Smith, Nehemiah Child, Noah Mason, John MeClellan, John Fox, Charles Child, Elijah
381
MURDER OF MARCUS LYON, ETC.
Williams, William Bowen, Samuel Dana, Silas May, Ebenezer Skinner, Chester Child, Ephraim May. Jedidiah and Jeremiah Morse, John McClellan, Nehemiah Child, John Fox and Ebenezer Smith, served as justices. In 1793, Woodstock resumed jurisdiction over Middlesex -a strip of land on the north which she had previously relinquished as clearly within Massachusetts limits-but finding it impossible to collect taxes from the inhabitants of this gore, she yielded it finally in 1796 to Dudley and Sturbridge.
Among other public enterprises the citizens of Woodstock engaged with much spirit in an association for the detection and punishment of thieving. It does not appear that any especial pilferage led to this organization, whose office was rather preventive than redressive. A meeting of subscribers was held, May 20, 1793. at the noted house of Elijah Williams, "for the purpose of detecting thefts." General McClellan was elected chairman, Major Ebenezer Smith, clerk. Messrs. Elijah Williams, Ebenezer Smith, Hezekiah Bugbee, William Graves and Silas May, were deputed "to form and draw articles for the society." At its second meeting June 3, the constitution was presented and adopted, thirty-eight persons subscribing to the same, each paying six shillings. The meetings were held quarterly, alternating between the Williams tavern and that of Silas May, in East Woodstock, at which pleasant reunions new members were always admitted. A little toddy was furnished out of the rapidly growing fund but no carousing permitted. Five or six efficient members were kept in office as "pursuers "-minute-men to rally out on any alarm. Through their agency stolen goods were from time to time recovered, and doubtless much thieving was prevented by dread of speedy detection.
The shocking fate of one of Woodstock's most worthy young men, must have increased its interest in any crime-detecting associa- tion. Returning with his summer's earnings from Cazenovia, New York, in November, 1805, Marcus Lyon was attacked by rufhans in Wilbraham, robbed and murdered. The riderless horse led to the discovery of the body, sunk in Chicopee River. Taken out and identified, it was borne to his home in West Woodstock. An immense number of people accompanied the mournful procession and attended the funeral in the Baptist meeting-honse. The assembly was addressed by Rev. Abiel Ledoyt. "The grief of the mourners, the numbers convened, and the tears that profusely flowed, presented a scene which we conclude has never had a parallel in these our inland towns." Mournful ballads and elegies, dolefully droned by many a Woodstock fireside, kept alive for many years the memory of this lamented youth :-
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
" My blood runs cold, when I am told In Wilbraham at mid-day, That blood is shed, Marcus is dead, Murdered on the highway."
Another mournful tragedy, calling out the deepest interest and sorrow. was the shipwreck of Doctor and Mrs. Lathrop Holmes on their return voyage from Georgia, April, 1801. The April storm that shook the very hills in its fury, seemed doubly terrible to the aged mother and friends, who feared that their loved ones might be exposed to it on the pitiless ocean, but weeks of weary waiting passed before they knew that the reality surpassed their fears. Their only daughter was happily safe in Woodstook, left behind at the earnest entreaty of her grandmother, and there were few children in Windham County whose tears did not flow when they heard of the sad bereavement of "little Temperance Holmes." When taken to Cambridge by her uncle and guardian, Dr. Abiel Holmes, her yearly visits in her old home were joyfully welcomed, and she was ever regarded with special interest and tenderness as one by early orphan- age made the child of humanity.
The yearly pilgrimages of Dr. Holmes and Dr. Morse, their accept- able services in Mr. Lyman's pulpit, and familiar intercourse with their old friends, afforded much pleasure and profit to the people of Woodstock. By the recommendation of Dr. Morse, they were among the first to engage in the Quarterly Concert of prayer for the conver- sion of the world-holding a " concert-lecture," reported as agreeable and well attended. Deacon Morse was able to reciprocate these pleasant visits till advanced age, riding back and forth on horseback, and taking great delight in the dawning promise of his son's remarka- ble family. The venerable fathers of Woodstock's First Church- Deacons Morse and Skinner-stood together in official relation to the church for forty-three years, "as brothers in harmony and good agreement." By remarkable coincidence their wives were both removed by the stroke of death in April, 1805, after a happy marriage life of nearly sixty years. Mrs. Sarah (Peake) Morse, mother of Deacon Morse, died in 1801, aged 99 years lacking 44 days-the oldest person that had then died in Woodstock, and having the most numerous posterity. Deacon William Skinner died January 30, 1807, in his 87th year, revered and lamented-an eminently devout man and "mighty in the Scriptures," a wise counsellor and a faithful friend. Woodstock lost the same year her most prominent and dis- tingnished public citizen, General Samuel Mcclellan, who died Octo- ber 17, aged 77 years. Ilis funeral was attended with the usual masonic and military demonstrations.
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ORGANIZATION OF STERLING, ETC.
XIII.
ORGANIZATION OF STERLING, MEETING-HOUSE ASSOCIATION. TOWN AND CHURCH AFFAIRS IN VOLUNTOWN. LINE MEETING-HOUSE.
S STERLING obtained town privileges without the customary struggle. The inconvenience arising from the peculiar elonga- tion of ancient Voluntown was abundantly manifest, and a proposi- tion, April 25, 1793, to divide into two towns met immediate accept- ance. John Gaston and Samuel Robbins, from the north and south extremities of the town, were appointed agents to petition the Assem- bly. Response being delayed, the town by a majority of two to one again voted for divison-Lemuel Wylie and Benjamin Dow, committee. The Resolve incorporating the new town was passed May, 1794, viz. :-
" Resolved by this Assembly, that all that part of the ancient town of Volun- town within the following bounds, beginning at the northwest corner of said ancient town of Voluntown, at the south line of Killingly, thence running sontherly on the east line of Plainfield until it comes to the southeast corner of Plainfield, thence east ten degrees south, to the division line between this State and the State of Rhode Island, thence by said State line to the south- east corner of Killingly, thenee westerly on the line of Killingly to the first- mentioned bounds, be, and the same is hereby incorporated into a distinct town by the name of ' Sterling,' and shall be, and remain in, and of the County of Windham."
It was also provided that the new town " shall not have more than one representative," should maintain its proportion of poor and be liable for its portion of all debts due from the mother town, and be entitled to its proportion of public money and all other corporate property. John Gaston, Esq., justice of the Peace, was authorized to warn a meeting for the choice of town officers and act as moderator.
In response to this summons a town meeting was held at the house of Robert Dixon, Esq., on Sterling Hill, June 9, 1794. Benjamin Dow, a respected citizen of the town. was elected town clerk and treasurer : Captains John Wylie and Asa Montgomery, George Matte- son, Anthony Brown and Lemuel Dorrance, selectmen : Captain Thomas Gordon, constable and collector; Noah Cole, James Dorrance, Jun., Nathaniel Gallup, Dixon Hall, fence-viewers ; Nathaniel Gallup, grand juryman : John Hill, Nathaniel Burlingame, Matthias Frink, tithingmen. Following their previous custom, John Douglas, Jun., was chosen grand school committee man, and a committee of one for each of the seven school districts, viz. :- 1. Jencks Mason ; 2. Noah Cole ; 3. Elisha Perkins ; 4. Lemuel Dorrance ; 5. Asa Whitford ; 6. Nathan Dow ; 7. Nathan Burlingame. Benjamin Dow, Lemuel Dor-
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
rance and John Wylie were appointed a committee to make division of all the corporate property that did belong to Voluntown ; also, to settle the line with Voluntown gentlemen and make division of the poor. Sheep and swine were allowed liberty " to go on the common." The dwelling-house of Robert Dixon was selected as the place for holding town meetings until the town saw cause to make other arrange- ments. Nearly a hundred inhabitants were soon admitted as freemen. The original Voluntown families, Dixon, Dorrance, Dow, Douglas, Cole, Smith, Gaston, Gordon, Gallup, French, Frink, Montgomery, Wylie, were still represented. Patten, Perkins, Vanghan, Young, Bailey, Burgess, Burlingame, Hall, Mason, and other later residents, appeared among the inhabitants. The name of the town was given by a temporary resident, Dr. John Sterling, who promised a public library in return for the honor.
Sterling entered upon its new duties with the usual spirit and energy. Its population was about nine hundred. Though much of its soil was poor, and its shape inconvenient, it had some peculiar advan- tages. It had fine water privileges, an excellent stone quarry, a great post-road running through its centre, and sterling men of good Scotch stock to administer public affairs. One of their first duties was to examine the circumstances of that stage-road " that leads from Plain- field to Providence by Captain Robert Dixon's." The Turnpike So- ciety, then recently constituted, was about to lay out a large sum of money in alterations and improvements, and the selectmen of Sterling were cited to do their part. "Taking into consideration the circum- stances and liabilities of the town, and the consequences that might follow any failure or neglect," they proceeded to notify the inhabitants and make the proposed alterations, viz., from Archibald Dorrance's fence through Kenyon's field and so to old post-road; also, another piece near the Burying-ground and Captain Colgrove's. A bridge was built over Moosup River near Smith's mill-Lemuel Dorrance, John Gaston and John Douglas, committee. A turnpike gate was erected near the western line of the town. To facilitate its fishing interest, it was ordered that obstructions should be removed from the river.
The lack of a suitable place for holding town meetings was an annoyance and mortification to the leading men of the town, publish- ing to the world their lamentable destitution of that most essential accommodation-a public meeting-house. This surprising deficiency in a Connecticut township was due in part to its peculiar conforma- tion, making it more convenient for residents of either extremity to join with neighboring churches in other towns than to unite in a common centre, and in part to the prevalence of seetaries, and
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MEETING-HOUSE ASSOCIATION, ETC.
Rhode Island propinquity and example, which led many of its inhab- itants to eschew all church-going and rate-paying. Congregationalists in the south part of the town were included in the North Society of Voluntown, and now engaged in building a new meeting-house upon the boundary line between the townships; those in the North or Bethesda Society united with the South church of Killingly. The Baptists in the west of the town were connected with the church in Plainfield ; the east-side Baptists joined in worship and church fellow- ship with their Rhode Island neighbors. As no religions society was ready to lead in erecting a house of worship at this juncture the town might very properly have arranged to build a house or hall for its own especial accommodation, but such repudiation of the peculiar legislative influences supposed to inhere to a regularly established meeting-house was not apparently even taken into consideration, and its public spir- ited citizens hastened to supply the deficiency by erecting a house of worship upon their own expense and responsibility. Possibly the chief movers in this enterprise might not have cared to intrust decision to the uncertainties and delay of town vote and action. Their favorite site on the north extremity of Egunk was quite aside from the centre of the town, and might not have obtained the suffrages of the majority of voters. But Sterling Hill, as it was now called, was virtually the head and heart of the town, the centre of business, the residence of the most influential citizens, and the members of the Sterling Hill Meeting-house Association* could not think of erecting the projected edifice in any other locality. Titus Bailey, David Gallup, Thomas Gordon, Joshua Webb, Philip Potter, commit- tee for the subscribers, procured from the heirs of Samuel Dorrance the deed of a building lot, "east side the Great Lane (now called Green), for the purpose of setting a meeting-house and that only, and the convenience of a green." Funds were procured without apparent difficulty, and the house com- pleted with more than ordinary expedition, the freemen adjourning thither from the house of Robert Dixon during the autumn of 1797. It was voted that the town and freemen's meetings be held at the new meeting-house. Each subscriber had pew shares according to his
* Original Proprietors of the Sterling Hill meeting-house :- Francis Smith, Levi Kinney, David Gallup, Joshua Frink, Isaac Gallup, William Gallup, George Madison, Charles Winsor, Nathan Burlingame, Philip Potter, Archi- bald, Lemuel, James and John Dorrance, Stephen Olney, Pierce Smith, Robert and Thomas Dixon, Joshua Webb, Benjamin Tuckerman, Reuben Thayer, David Field, Caleb Cushing, Andrew Knox, Titus Bailey, Joseph Wylie, Reuben Park, Moses Gibson, Azael Montgomery, Dixon Hall, Archi- bald Gordon, Thomas Gordon, William Vaughan, Captain Gaston, Andrew and Samuel Douglas, Thomas and Samuel Cole, John Kenyon, Sen. and Jun., George Hopkins, Asa Whitford, Benjamin Bennett.
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
subscription and occupied his seat with great satisfaction. Other publie meetings were held in it, and occasional religious services, but no regular worship maintained for several years.
Improvements in schools were gradually effected. Ten school-dis- triets accommodated with good convenient schools were reported in a few years. Efforts were made to establish an academy, a company formed, and a suitable building erected, "standing near our new meeting-house, nearly in the centre of the town," where "a man- school was maintained throughout the year, teaching reading, writing, mathematics and grammar." With these public buildings, Robert Dixon's well-known tavern stand, and several large substantial houses built by the Dorrances and other thrifty residents, Sterling Hill pre- sented a fine appearance, and received especial commendation from Dr. Dwight. After noting the lean soil and imperfeet civilization of Western Rhode Island, he proceeds :-
" At Sterling we were pleasantly advertised that we had come to Connecti- cut by sight of a village with decent church and school-house and better houses. A beautiful prospect from Sterling Hill."
Dr. Sterling failed to make good his promise, but a library was obtained by private benefactions. Jeremiah Parish and Artemas Baker attempted legal practice. Dr. Isaac Backns of Plainfield re- moved his residence to Sterling and pursued his medical practice. John Wylie and Captain John Gaston served many years as justices. Sterling's earliest representatives were John Wylie, Nathaniel Gallup. Thomas Gordon, Noah Cole, Archibald Gordon, Isaac Gallup, Lemmel Dorrance. The proposed change of county seat enlisted the sympa- thies of the town, and committees were maintained to unite in con- ference and action with other aggrieved towns.
Voluntown was seriously affected by the loss of its northern terri- tory and population. Many of its ancient families had removed to more attractive regions, and it became still more difficult to maintain its public standing and religious worship. Joseph Wylie, William Briggs and Nicholas Keigwin were appointed to settle the new boundary line: Joseph Wylie, John Stewart and James Alexander to make division of the town property. James Alexander was elected town clerk : Ebenezer Campbell, treasurer; Moses Campbell, grand school committee man. Town meetings were held alternately in the old and Nazareth meeting-houses. Renewed efforts were now made to complete a new house of worship. An attempt to meet the expense by a tax upon the society "to be paid in timber, boards, shingles, corn, wheat, rye, flax, tow-cloth," had been unsuccessful. The sub- scription method was now tried with better results. A number of proprietors, i. e., Daniel, Benjamin. Nathan, Ebenezer and Aaron
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