USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut > Part 45
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Mr. Ayer continued to preach till April 1st, 1858, when he re- signed to accept a call to the churches of Voluntown and Ster- ling. The membership was then seventeen. From September 14th, 1858, to April 1st, 1859, Reverend Edward F. Brooks was engaged as a supply. December 19th, 1859, Reverend S. H. Fellows was engaged as acting pastor, and still remains, thus filling a term of nearly thirty years, and how much longer it may be must be left for the future historian to write. The whole number who have been connected with the church during its
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thirty-two years of existence has been one hundred and sixty- four. The largest accession in a single year was in 1878, when thirty-four were received. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the organization of the church was celebrated with appropriate ex- ercises, at which only one of the original members was present, though all except one were living. December 21st, 1884, the pastor preached a sermon in review of his twenty-five years' work here, which was published by requsst.
Services were held in the hall without any active effort to build a church until October, 1872, when Mr. James S. Atwood, agent of the manufacturing company, secured from them an appropri- ation of $10,000 for the erection of a church, to be expended under his direction. The ground was broken April 1st, 1873; the corner stone was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, May 10th; and the church was dedicated January 29th, 1874. The building is of the Gothic style of architecture, with a chapel in the rear. The audience room has a seating capacity of about three hundred. It is supplied with a pipe organ, is lighted with gas, and is one of the most neat and commodious churches in the county. The membership of the church at the present time is about ninety.
The Roman Catholic church at Moosup, called All Hallows church, was dedicated by Right Reverend F. P. McFarland, bishop of Hartford, in July, 1859. The successive pastors of this church since that time have been as follows: Reverend P. B. Daily, appointed in July, 1859; James Quinn, appointed in June, 1861; J. J. McCabe, appointed in October, 1869; Ferdinand Bel- anger, appointed in April, 1870; John Quinn, appointed in No- vember, 1872; D. Desmond, appointed in July, 1874; P. M. Ken- nedy, appointed in October, 1876; J. A. Creedon, appointed in October, 1878, to the present time.
The first public provision for the schools of this town of which we have any record was made in December, 1707, when “part of the country land was allowed for the encouragement of a school," and Lieutenant Williams, Joseph Spalding and Deacon Douglas were directed "to take care that there be one." A year later the town voted to send to Mr. James Deane to come and be their schoolmaster, and he agreed to undertake the work for what could be made out of it for half a year. At that time the school was supported by its patrons rather than by a general tax. In 1716 John Watson was "improved to keep school-the
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deacons and selectmen to order the school and receive the money." It was next agreed that the school should be kept in three places, a suitable place provided for the schoolmaster to quarter at, and a house suitable to accommodate each part dur- ing the time of the school being continued in that part, to be provided at the charge of each part, and if any neglect to pro- vide such place, the committee to order the schoolmaster to go to the next part; school to be kept first over Moosup river; next in the middle; next in south part.
In 1717-18 John Stoyell, one of the most noted schoolmasters of the day, was employed by several persons in the middle of the town to instruct their own children and others for twelve months. The town accordingly ordered all the school money for the year to be delivered to these persons and made it the public school for the whole town, the cost to each child being fourpence a week besides the public money. In 1719 Henry Wake was schoolmaster three months at Edward Spalding's quarter,
receiving for service his "diet " and five pounds. In 1721 Mr. Walton maintained perambulatory schools in the different neigh- borhoods, the town paying him twelve pounds, finding board and keeping a horse for him. In 1720 the town was divided into school districts, north and south of the meeting house, each to order its own schools. In May, 1722, the first school house was ordered, forty or fifty rods from the meeting house on the country road, and in 1725 two others were completed-one at the south end, between James Deane's and Thomas Smith's; one at the north, near Joseph Shepard's. In 1740 ten shillings a week was deemed a reasonable recompense for the master's " diet and horse-keeping." In 1766 a committee was appointed to lay out school districts, which thus reported:
"1, Flat Rock district, bounded south on Preston, east on Vol- untown; 2, Stone Hill district, north of Flat Rock; 3, Goshen, bounded north by Moosup River, south by Stone Hill; 4, South, bordering south on Preston, west on Canterbury; 5, Middle, ex- tending from Mill Brook up Main Street, butting east on Stone Hill; 6, Black Hill; 7, Moosup Pond, northeast corner; 8, Moosup River; 9, Shepard Hill; 10, Green Hollow, beginning at Snake Meadow Brook or Killingly line."
Doctor Perkins, Daniel Clark, Stephen Kingsbury, Andrew Backus, John Howe, Jonathan Woodward, Philip Spalding, Sam- uel Warren, Samuel Hall and Isaac Allerton were appointed a
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committee, one for each district, to see that the schools were kept. Although the number of teachers and schools was in- creased by this arrangement, the leading men of the town were not yet satisfied with their attainments, and in 1770 proceeded to form an association " for the purpose of providing improved facilities for the more complete education of the youth of the vicinity." They erected a brick school house of respectable size, procured teachers of a higher grade, and established a more thorough system of instruction in common English bran. hes, but were unable to organize a classical department.
Stimulated by a legacy left by Isaac Coit, Esq., at his decease in 1776, the annual interest of which was to be applied to the maintenance of a Latin or grammar school in the new brick house in Plainfield, the associated friends of education proceeded in 1778 to organize a classical department, securing for rector Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton, of Newport, a gentleman of high scholarship and accomplishments, and unusual aptitude for teach- ing. His reputation and the favorable location of the school at- tracted at once a large number of pupils. Colleges and acad- emies had been generally suspended. Seaboard towns were ex- posed to invasion, but this remote inland village offered a safe and pleasant refuge. Gentlemen in Providence, New London, and even New York, gladly availed themselves of its advantages, and many promising lads from the best families in the states were sent to Plainfield Academy. The good people of the town welcomed these students to their homes and firesides. More teachers were demanded, and the popularity of the school in- creased until it numbered more than a hundred foreign pupils, besides a large number from Plainfield and neighboring towns.
In 1784 Ebenezer Pemberton, Hon. Samuel Huntington, Hon. Eliphalet Dyer, Reverend Levi Hart, Preston ; Reverend Joseph Huntington, Coventry ; and General John Douglass, Major An- drew Backus, Doctor Elisha Perkins, Captain Joseph Dunlap, William Robinson, Samuel Fox, Ebenezer Eaton and Hezekiah Spalding, of Plainfield, with such others as the proprietors should elect (not exceeding thirteen in the whole), were made a body corporate and politic by the name of "The Trustees of the Aca- demic School in Plainfield," and invested with ample powers for managing the affairs of the school. Plainfield Academy held a high position in popular favor. Its rector was one of the most accomplished teachers of the day, and its patrons and directors
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were among the leading men of the state. The village was pleasant and healthful, and its most respectable residents were proud of the school, and ready to open their homes and hearts to the stranger students. Doctor Perkins, though now so much engrossed with the duties of his profession, was alive to the in- terests of the academy, receiving even scores of lads into his own family when boarding places were scanty. A prudential committee of three was chosen annually from the directors, who had charge of the buildings and supervision of the financial departm ;nt, while a stringent code of by-laws regulated the de- portment of the pupils.
The third academic building known as "The White Hall," about a mile south of the others, was soon completed and occu- pied by the English department under the charge of Mr. Alpheus Hatch, a faithful and competent instructor. The mathematical department in the brick school house was assigned to Mr. Nathan Daboll, the author of "The Schoolmaster's Assistant." The principal academic building, known as "The New Hall," was devoted to classical instruction under the immediate charge of Doctor Pemberton. Many aspiring youth were here fitted for a longer residence in wider and more famous halls of learning.
A handsome stone edifice replaced the old academy building, erected in 1825, on a beautiful and commanding site given by Mrs. Lydia Farlan, other public spirited residents subscribing funds for the building. About a hundred students were usually connected with the school, of whom nearly one-half pursued classical studies, fitting for college or professional life. At the beginning of this century it usually had, for years, about 100 pupils, diminishing in later years, by reason of high schools in adjoining towns; the attendance in 1845 being about 75, in 1860 about 50, and recently from 30 to 40.
Among the many eminent men who have been connected with the Plainfield Academy, as pupils or teachers, a few may be mentioned a follows: Nathan F. Dixon, eminent lawyer of Wes- terly, R. I., and M. C .; Hon. Edward A. Bradford, foreign min- ister ; Joseph Eaton, judge of county court and state senator ; Abraham Payne, prominent lawyer, of Providence; Rinaldo Burleigh, for many years principal; Calvin Goddard, an able lawyer ; John Adams, an educator of great talent ; Nathan Da- boll, teacher, and author of arithmetic and almanack ; Sylvanus Backus, speaker of the house of representatives many times ; 1
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Reverend Joel Benedict, D. D., eminent divine; Hon. James Humphrey; Reverend Edward Humphrey ; Hon. James Mun- roe, member of congress from Ohio. The list might be extend- ed indefinitely, but this indicates a vast blessing conferred on our country by Plainfield Academy. Among the many who went out from Plainfield homes, and the instruction of Plainfield Academy, none achieved a more useful life-work than George Shepard, D. D., Bangor, Me., professor of Sacred Rhetoric, stamping upon many minds the impress of his own high char- acter and deep spiritual consecration. The Hon. Edward A. Bradford won much success at the bar in New Orleans, and was honored by an appointment as judge of the supreme court of the United States. Connection with the great anti-slavery conflict, as well as their own genius, have made the Burleigh brothers very widely noted.
The union of three school districts, and the erection of the fine building in Moosup, for the graded schools, at a cost of $10,000, was a long step in the right direction, and marks an epoch in the progress of the town. The ample school buildings at Central Village and at Wauregan, indicate the public spirit and wisdom of the people.
It has already been stated that the town of Plainfield is largely dependent upon its manufacturing enterprises for the degree of prosperity which it enjoys. There are in the town several locali- ties of more or less importance which have been built up by this industry. These are Moosup, Central Village, Wauregan, Ken- nedy City, Almyville, Gladdingville and Packerville, which last is on the Canterbury line.
The water power at the Union Mills was used for many years for a carding machine. The original mill was built about 1805, and was very sınall; afterward enlarged twice; owned at first by a joint stock company composed of Jonathan Goff, John Dean, Elias Dean, John Dunlap, Jonathan Whaley, Doctor Baldwin, David Anthony, of Providence, and others. The stone mill was built subsequently. Mr. Andrew Young, from Rhode Island, became superintendent in 1815, and continued fourteen years
After the failure of Mr. Almy the mill stood still for two years, when it was bought by D. L. Aldrich of Hope Valley, and S. G. Gray, for $33,000, by whom it was run till the lamented death of Mr. Gray, September 27th, 1885, when Mr. Aidrich became sole owner. The stone mill was put in operation in 1879, with 140
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looms and 7,000 spindles, on 56 x 60 print cloths. At that time Mr. Aldrich was agent; Mr. Gray, superintendent; G. E. Tilling- hast, bookkeeper ; P. S. Phillips, overseer of weaving; W. J. Potter, overseer of carding and spinning; and John Gibson, overseer of mule spinning. In 1880 an addition was built on the back side of the stone mill 40 x 60, two stories, used as a lapper and slasher room. In the fall of 1881 another addition was built, to be used as a boiler and engine room. In the summer of 1882 an addition of 108 feet was built on the west end of the mill, of the same height and width as the mill, to accommodate the machinist, and for other purposes. In 1883 the old mill was torn down, and nearly on the same spot Mr. Aldrich laid the foundation for an ad- dition of 100 feet in length, built the next summer, three stories high. Another story was added to the main mill as far as the tower. The mill has a capacity for 350 looms. It has 10,000 spin- dles, and employs upwards of 100 hands. D. L. Aldrich is sole owner and agent; G. E. Tillinghast, superintendent ; W. J. Nichols, bookkeeper ; P. S. Phillips, overseer of weaving ; Frank Boudroe, overseer of carding; J. Gibson, overseer of mule spin- ning; H. A. Bell, overseer of spinning; Henry Daggett, in charge of slashing ; G. Wilbur, boss machinist.
The energy and resources brought to bear on this enterprise by the owner, give assurance of the largest success. Several houses in good style of architecture he has already added to the village of Moosup.
In the northwestern part of the town is the manufacturing village of Wauregan, having a Congregational church within its limits proper, and a Roman Catholic church on the opposite bank of the Quinebaug, in the town of Brooklyn. The village is under the control of a company in whose manufactory the people are employed. There are in the village one store and a large hall for concerts, lectures and the like. The village has a library of one thousand volumes from which any one can draw books by the payment of ten cents a week.
About the year 1850 Mr. A. D. Lockwood bought the privi- lege, and in 1853 a company was formed, which obtained a charter from the state legislature under the name of the Wau- regan Mills. In 1853 and 1854 a building 250 feet in length and 45 feet wide, three stories high, was erected. In 1858 and 1859 the length of this was doubled. In 1867 and 1868 another build- ing 500 feet in length and four stories high was built on the
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opposite side of the trench, and the two parallel buildings were connected in the middle by a building 250 feet long, extending across from one to the other. This makes a total length in the three parts of about 1,250 feet. It is built of rough stone, which was quarried in the vicinity, the outside being plastered. Both water and steam power are used. Water from the Quinebaug is carried through five turbine wheels, giving what by estima- tion is equal to one thousand horse-power. A steam engine of four hundred horse-power is also ready for use when occasion requires. The factory is lighted with gas, which is made on the premises from ccal oil.
There have been no changes in ownership, except as sons of the original proprietors have taken the places of their fathers. The stock is owned mostly in Providence, R. I. Mr. A. D. Lock- wood was agent at the commencement, but soon disposed of his interest. Mr. J. S. Atwood, who had been superintendent from the start, was then made agent, and retained the position until his death, February 20th, 1885. The works have now in successful operation 56,000 spindles and 1,400 looms, making different kinds of plain and fancy cotton cloths. The pay roll of the company contains more than eight hundred names. The annual product is between eight and nine million yards. Seven hundred cords of wood and fifteen hundred tons of coal are annually consumed. The farm owned by the company contains twelve hundred acres of as fine land as can be found in the state.
On the Moosup river, in the upper borders of Moosup village, is the locality known as Almyville, a factory village. In ancient times a carding machine occupied this water power for many years. The old mill, known as the woolen mill, was built by William Almy, of Providence, about sixty years ago. It was started and operated by Darius Lawton, making fine broadcloths, being about the first made in New England. At the end of ten years Mr. Lawton left, and Sampson Almy succeeded to his place and continued the business about ten years longer, when the change was made to cotton, and a variety of cotton goods was manufactured.
There was another mill built in 1856, and run as a woolen mill till it was burned in 1875. The present owners, Aldrich & Milner, bought in 1879, and have built a large mill on the site of the burned woolen mill. They have now running eight sets
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of cards in the new mill, and four sets in the old woolen mill; and are now running 14 sets of machinery, with 84 broad looms, employing about 230 hands, with a pay roll amounting to nearly $8,000 a month.
A new mill at the upper dam has been built, where are now running two sets of improved cards, with mules for spinning, and a Garnet machine for opening ends. Several new houses have been recently added to this beautiful village. Mr. Julius S. Bowes is the efficient superintendent of the Almyville mills.
Another section of the village of Moosup is locally known as Gladdingville, or Kiswaukee. A mill was built at this place by Joseph S. Gladding in 1817, for the manufacture of cotton cloth. Since then it has been owned by James B. Ames, by Hale & Miller, and by David Harris. It is now owned by Floyd Cranska, and is occupied in the manufacture of a very excellent article of thread. The mill is supplied with four thousand spindles, and some thirty to forty hands are employed.
Allen Harris, one of the pioneers of manufacturing in Central Village, was born in Smithfield, R. I., May 16th, 1790, and came with his parents to Plainfield in 1800. He, with Arnold Fenner, built the upper brick mill about the year 1828. For a while the village was known as Harrisville. Previous to that time Fenner & Richards had built the old wooden mill still standing in the upper part of the village, though not used as a mill for many years. That mill was afterward owned by Fenner & Borden. The lower brick mill was built about the year 1845. Borden died and Bowen became a partner, the firm being then known as the Central Manufacturing Company, of which mention has been made in a previous paragraph. After the death of both owners, the business was carried on by the heirs of Fenner & Bowen till the property was sold to the Leavens Brothers. J. Leavens' Sons, of Norwich, bought the property in July, 1881, and gave it the name by which it is now known, viz., the Kirk Mills. They immediately commenced making such changes as were necessary to manufacture the same kind of goods which they had formerly made. For that purpose the upper mill was arranged for fancy goods. This also necessitated many changes in the lower mill. The mills now contain 11,000 spindles and 234 looms. They are making fancy goods, wide prints and light plain goods, and employ some one hundred hands or more. The superintendent is Mr. H. Truesdell.
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
A locality in the suburbs of Central Village is known as Ken- nedy City. In ancient times here was only a grist mill. After the property was bought by John and Robert Kennedy, a saw mill was added, and a fulling mill. After some years John Ken- nedy sold out to Arnold Fenner, who built a cotton mill about fifty-five years ago. Previous to this time, some five years, the fulling mill on the north side was made into a flannel mill. About thirty years since machinery for making wicking and twine was put in, and work in this line has gone on till the pres- ent time. The works are now operated by Thomas Sheldon.
The ancient grist mill, located near here, on the Canterbury road, was built by Jared Cook about the year 1768. It was sold to William Cutler in 1775. He in turn sold it to John and Rob- ert Kennedy in 1794; and it was again sold to Henry Cutler in 1856. It is still owned by him. About thirty horse-power of water is employed, and the mill grinds 250 bushels a week of corn, wheat and feed. The dam is supposed to have been built by one Pope some years earlier than the date given above, and a saw mill built on the opposite side of the river.
The Robinson & Fowler Foundry Company had its origin, as far as active work is concerned, in Canterbury twenty-five or more years ago, and was removed to Plainfield Junction in 1868. It is located near the railroad depot, and employs from thirty to forty hands. The works are largely engaged in making cast- ings for the "Webster " and the "Richmond " furnaces. The present officers of the company are: J. Hutchins, president; Ros- well Ensworth, secretary; W. Tillinghast, treasurer, and S. P. Robinson, agent. They also manufacture farmers' boilers, cook stoves, parlor stoves and office stoves, hollow-ware, cellar win- dòws, cultivators, plows, horse hoes, cauldron kettles and machin- ery castings.
One of the most destructive freshets ever known in this town occurred on the night of February 13th, 1886. The Moosup river burst its banks, carrying away bridges and flooding build- ings. An eye witness describes it thus:
"The Moosup River, usually so quiet and peaceful, had yielded to the elements and soon was beyond control, sweeping with a mad, irresistible force everything before it. At the vicinity of the 'Central bridge,' so called, the roads were completely ruined, while of the bridge nothing remains. All the houses on the flat were vacated, and on Sunday the scene was a terrible reality to the many visitors.
A
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" The trench of the Central Manufacturing Company was com- pletely torn out, stopping further operations at the mill, and throwing many out of employment until repaired. A few rods further down the stream is an old bridge, just above the railroad bridge, erected on apparently loosely built abutments, which took the first shock of the ice and debris from above, and, strange to say, the old bridge stood there, with the road washed away on both sides, a pigmy mocking at the strength of a giant. A few feet further down was the railroad bridge on strongly built abut- ments, which presented an entirely different aspect. The force of the stream was such that the south abutment was half gonc, the bank under the track torn away, while the rails on the bridge were twisted toward the east quite a distance. The north abut- ment at first glance would seem but little damaged, but on close inspection, the now falling river showed that it had been under- mined, so that considerable work will have to be done there.
" Below the railroad bridge was situated a building owned by J. P. Kingsley of Plainfield, and occupied by French's grist mill, Torrey Brothers' carriage shop, where they also made stable forks and wagon jacks, and in the basement by Fitch Cary and Torrey Brothers in making ox bows and yokes. Below the building the bank completely gullied; broken machinery, lum- ber stock and debris from above were mingled in wild confusion, the whole shop being a complete wreck. The water rose higher and higher until it reached the floor above, sweeping through the sides of the building and carrying away at least a third of the side towards the stream. The Torrey Brothers fortunately saved most of their tools on this floor, and of 500 bushels of corn grist put into the grist mill, 350 bushels were saved. Half the dam here is swept away, the high water still hiding traces of further destruction. On the roadway to the shops above men- tioned was situated a barn and sheds, which the freshet, in its destructive career, swept away with half the road. The fields as far as the eye could see were strewn with broken timbers and wreck of every description.
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