USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut > Part 50
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HISTORY . OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
With the improved traveling facilities offered by the new turnpike Westminster village became a place of more import- ance. Doctor Rufus Johnson purchased a strip of the meeting house green in 1790, and afterward built a house upon it. Cap- tain Stephen Butts entertained travelers in an old house adjoin- ing. The old "Ford" house, on the Norwich road, and the Parks tavern house were called the oldest houses in the vicinity.
About the year 1800 the emigration movement broke out afresh, and many Canterbury pilgrims were wending their way to distant states. Captain Josiah Cleveland, of Bunker Hill fame, removed to Owego, N. Y. Doctor Azel, son of William Ens- . worth, settled in Palmyra, where he became an active and influ- ential citizen. A pleasant eminence in Rome, N. Y., called Canterbury hill in honor of its first settlers, became the resi- dence of Gideon, John, Elisha and Daniel Butts, Samuel and Asa Smith, Samuel Williams, Thomas Jewett, Daniel W. Knight and others from Canterbury. Eliashib Adams, Jr., Elijah Herrick and William Bingham attempted a settlement in Lewis county, near Lake Ontario, but Herrick was drowned in crossing Black river, and Adams finally settled in Maine. Deacon Eliashib Ad- ams followed his son to a temporary home in Massachusetts. Alexander Gordon sought fortune in the far South, and William Moore established himself in the snows of Canada. General Cleveland had the honor of giving name to the locality upon which the present noble city of Ohio stands. In 1796 he went out in command of an expedition sent by the Connecticut Land Company to survey and settle the Western Reserve. He arrived at "New Connecticut " on the 4th of July, and on the 22d mounted the bluff from a landing made a short distance up the Cuyahoga river and took possession of the site of Cleveland, where the town and village plan was laid out by him in October following.
At this time, i. e., in 1800, the population of Canterbury was 1,812, and the grand list amounted to $48,037.48. About 1811 Gad Bulkley kept the post office and David Hyde carried the mail and served the newspaper class that held its headquarters at Samuel Barstow's much frequented tavern. The tavern at the Green enjoyed its accustomed patronage and popularity, succes- sive landlords having been Jacob Bacon, Samuel Hutchins, and Captain Bicknell. Its previous occupant, Jedidiah Johnson, was made general of the Fifth Brigade in 1809. Canterbury at this date furnished most of the officers for the 21st Regiment, viz. :
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
William Kinne, adjutant; Samuel Hutchins, quartermaster ; Isaac Knight, paymaster; Reverend Erastus Learned, chaplain. Its company of light infantry was one of the best drilled and equipped in the state. Its officers in 1809 were : Joseph Simms, captain ; Nathan Fish, lieutenant. In 1815 they were: James Aspinwall, captain ; Samuel Hough, lieutenant ; Amos Bacon, ensign.
In October, 1769, the inhabitants living west of a north and south line surveyed through the center of the town, were granted by the assembly a charter and endowed with distinct privileges as a society to be known as Westminster. A broad hill summit near the center of the society was chosen by unanimous consent for the site of a meeting house, where about four acres of land at the crossing of the roads was given by John Parks for the site of meeting house, burial ground and common. The meeting house was built during the summer of 1770. A church organiza- tion was effected November 20th, 1770, the following persons sub- scribing to the covenant according to Cambridge platform: Ste- phen Frost, Robert Herrick, John Lewis, Isaac Woodward, Dan- iel Davis, Thomas Bradford, William Bond, Jacob Foster, Enos Woodward, Peter Woodward, Amos Woodward, Ebenezer Davis, Anthony Glass, John Herrick.
The first minister obtained by this church was Reverend John Staples, who was ordained April 17th, 1772, and continued till his death, February 15th, 1804, in the sixty-first year of his age and the thirty-second of his ministry. He was followed by Rev- erend Erastus Learned, installed February 6th, 1805, and con- tinued in the relation until he died, June 30th, 1824, in the fif- tieth year of his age and the twentieth year of his ministry in this church. His successor was Reverend Israel G. Rose, or- dained March 9th, 1825, and dismissed by council October 11th, 1831. The fourth pastor was Reverend Asa King, who com- menced his ministry in this church in 1833, and continued in the pastoral relation until his death, December 2d, 1849. Through increasing age and infirmity he was obliged to resign the active pastoral labors March 1st, 1848, and the pulpit was then supplied by Reverends Pierce, Strong, Baldwin, Burchard and Hazen for short terms. The last mentioned, Reverend Reuben S. Hazen, was installed as pastor of the church September 26th, 1849. His pastorate was terminated by his death, March 31st, 1864, while in the seventy-fourth year of his age and the fifteenth year of
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
his ministry to this church. The pulpit was supplied for some time by Reverends Hyram Dyer, Lucien Burleigh and others. Reverend E. F. Brooks was installed as pastor of this church July 11th, 1866, and remained here until the relation was dis- solved by council June 9th, 1868. In the fall of the same year Reverend Joseph W. Sessions commenced his labors here, and continued that service until November 14th, 1877, when he re- signed on account of advancing age. After that time the church was supplied by Reverends Mr. Chappell, H. L. Reade and E. H. Parmalee, until March, 1881. On the first Sabbath of that month Reverend Stephen B. Carter, whose boyhood had been spent within the pale of this church, commenced his pastoral relation with the church, and he still continues in that position.
The meeting house of 1770 is still in use by this congregation, no other having been erected since. The total membership Jan- uary 1st, 1889, was fifty-two. In 1847 the Hon. Seth Staples, a lawyer of New York, son of the first pastor, presented this church with a fine toned bell, which is still in use. In 1883 a valuable clock was presented by Pulaski and Pliny Carter, and their sister, Mrs. Pamelia C. Spalding, all of whom were born and reared in this parish, though now residing elsewhere. Extensive repairs upon the house of worship were made a few years since, in which former residents generously assisted, no doubt taking pleasure in thus manifesting their love for their old church and child- hood's home.
A singular circumstance is on record in connection with West- minster, though nothing about it connects it with ecclesiastical history except that it is from a minister's diary. July 2d, 1788, a remarkably black cloud seemed to settle down upon this local- ity, and from it burst forth a terrific thunder storm, accompanied by great and numerous hail stones. The record states that in places the hail was nineteen inches deep (perhaps in some gut- ter or other hollow spot). It is said that glass was much frac- tured and grain and grass lodged, and gardens were destroyed, so that people in the neighboring towns sent relief to the suffer- ers. The violence of the storm probably did not extend over a very large extent of territory.
Canterbury has never been largely identified with manufact- uring interests. And the passing decades that have seen such interests build up some other towns almost like a magic spell, have seen the interest in manufacturing rather decline here than
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
build up, until now the town contains no manufacturing estab- lishment of any prominence. One or two carriage shops, one or two saw mills and a grist mill are all that could claim a place in such a list. The manufacturing record of the past is briefly told. The first footprints of this kind that we see are the grant- ing of liberty to Samuel Adams, in 1703, to build and maintain a corn mill on Rowland's brook, a short distance northwest from Peagscomsuck. This mill was kept in operation for a long time. At a later colonial period, tannery works were also carried on by Benjamin Morse. About the revolutionary period and after, potash works were carried on by Ephraim Lyon, Stephen Butts and Phineas Carter. Mr. Carter afterward carried on a cooper- age at Westminster, employing four to six hands in the winter season. After the revolution, tanneries were established in sev- eral parts of the town. The Downings, who settled in the west- ern part of the town and gave their name to the brook, built a mill upon it and made a little settlement there, which for a time flourished in quiet seclusion and almost isolation from the other parts of the town. Saw and grist mills were carried on success- fully by the Morses and the Bradfords in the North society, a dam being allowed on Rowland's brook in 1804. In the course of the next decade or two, carding machines were in operation on Little river, and cloth dressing and hat manufacturing were carried on with increased vigor. Captain Joseph Simms en- gaged in making heavy black woolen hats, and employed some- times four or five journeymen. He was established at Canter- bury Green. James Burnet also carried on the same business at Westminster. At that time some six or eight stores were needed to supply the wants of the town. In cotton spinning Canterbury made no great pretenses, and only achieved one small mill, which was erected by Fenner, Harris & Bulkley on Rowland's brook, and did a good business during the war of 1812. The clothing works of Captains Kingsley and Spafford at that time en- joyed abundant patronage. In 1826 the project of a canal along the valley of the Quinebaug absorbed much attention and was highly approved by the people of this town in open town meet- ing. The canal was to run from Norwich to the north line of the state, its objective point being Worcester. The state granted a charter for it, but before it was executed the railroad project superseded it. At this time the people were considerably aroused to the questions of manufacturing enterprises presented
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
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to them. Flourishing foundry works were carried on in the north part of Westminster parish by Isaac Backus and Nathan Allen. Samuel Hough and D. F. Eaton engaged successfully in axe-making. George Justin made scythes and axes in his black- smith shop in South Canterbury. Perez Austin made and re- paired wagons and carriages. Phinehas Carter kept up his cooper's shop. Stillman G. Adams carried on the hat manufact- ure in place of Deacon Simms, who had removed to New York state. Sufficient domestic cloth was yet made to keep Kingsley's and Foster's fulling machines and clothiers' works in active op- eration. Cotton manufacturing was still carried on in Fenner's factory, and Canterbury shared with Plainfield the rising prom- ise of Packerville. A house and farm to furnish a home for the poor of the town was purchased in 1829. One after another all these attempts at manufacturing have faded out, like the stars of night before the coming of the day.
The Separate church of Canterbury, of whose origin we have already spoken, was the first in the colony to come out boldly and squarely adopt " new light " principles, and renounce fellow- ship with the established churches. On January 6th, 1745, the principles of this church were subscribed to by its adherents, fifty-seven in number and representing some of the oldest and most respectable families in Canterbury, among them the names of Paine, Backus, Cleveland, Adams, Johnson, Fitch, Bacon, Hyde, Bradford, Brown, Parish and Carver. The separation of this church from the " standing order " was attended by a bitter and lengthy controversy. The Separates were not exempt from taxation to support the church from which they had withdrawn, and which had the strong arm of civil authority in its favor. They were taxed for Mr. Cogswell's settlement, ordination and maintenance, and for repairing the meeting house, which had been seized and held by their opponents. Refusing to pay these rates, their cattle, goods and household furniture were forcibly taken, and in default of these they themselves were cast into prison. Their appeal to the assembly for relief was also with- out avail.
Under these burdens the body of Separates, still contending that they were "the regular Congregational church of Canter- bury," went boldly forward and proceeded to call a minister. After considerable time given to two or three fruitless attempts, they succeeded in securing the acceptance of Solomon Paine,
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
who was duly ordained September 10th, 1746. March 25th, 1747, . Thomas Boswell and Obadiah Johnson were solemnly ordained to the office of deacon. The communion service and records of the Canterbury Congregational church being in their hands, they regarded the smaller part of the church who held with the society as having gone out from them, but they generously con- sented to divide the communion service with that body, though they determined to hold the records, and did so. After a time a meeting house was built on the high land west of Canterbury Green. The membership, when the church was fairly estab- lished, reached one hundred and twenty. The church was extremely zealous. Its members professed the utmost devotion, and under color of preserving the purity of its membership, kept up a constant and scrutinizing watch upon the conduct of its members. The most trivial derelictions from duty were noted and reported, and unbending exactions marked their dealings with offenders. The Canterbury church, with all its glowing fervency and affection, within three years suspended or cut off more than one-third of its approved membership. No plant could long withstand such vigorous pruning, and it is not wonderful that the Separate church was not permanently suc- cessful.
After the death of Solomon Paine, which occurred October 25th, 1754, the church was for some time unable to find an acceptable pastor, and diminished in numbers and influence. In 1757 Joseph Marshall, of Windsor, was chosen to be their pastor, but was not ordained until April 15th, 1759. In its weakened condition the church could no longer support itself and pay rates toward the support of the legally recognized church, and in May, 1760, a number of them, with other citi- zens, asked for society privileges, thus yielding the proud posi- tion they had formerly taken in spurning the idea that the civil government had any right to grant authority or privilege to an ecclesiastical body. This action gave great offense to some of their number, who repudiated it, though exemption from pay- ment of minister's rates to another society had been secured by it. Mr. Marshall was dismissed from the care of this flock by a council held May 29th, 1768. After this the church, losing its members by death, by disaffection and by emigration, grew steadily weaker, and was not again able to secure a pastor. Some returned to the First society, being allowed by that body
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
to make contributions to the support of the ministry instead of being taxed for that purpose, which system was so repugnant to them. The Separate church, however, still held its organization and occasionally had preaching by some itinerant of their own color or by the Baptists. Efforts were made to unite them with the First church in 1784, but without success. In 1788 they removed their meeting house to the north part of the town, about thirty of their number having gone back to the First church. In its new location a congregation was gathered, and William Bradford, having been previously ordained, assumed charge of the flock. After his death the church maintained a feeble existence, its members carrying on the services, but dur- ing the early part of the present century its life went out and the meeting house was left to fall to pieces.
Before the revolutionary war Baptist sentiments were promul- gated in this town by Ebenezer Lyon, and many of the " stand- ing order," as well as Separates, were drawn toward their acceptance, much to the annoyance and grief of Mr. Cogswell and others. These Baptists held to what was called "mixed communion," and often joined with the Separates in worship and ordinances. Captain Ephraim Lyon was one of their lead- ers for a time, but he turned to the Methodists, while the preacher, Ebenezer Lyon, embraced the doctrine of universal salvation, and the Baptist faction fell into obscurity.
Soon after the revolution there were many Universalists in Canterbury who despised and flouted Mr. Morgan, and seemed likely to do much damage. Several united with the Universa- list society of Oxford, then under the pastoral care of Reverend Thomas Barnes, who frequently held service in Canterbury and other Windham towns. So much interest was excited that meetings were advertised in school houses "to discuss whether the doctrine of universal salvation could be proved from Scrip- ture."
Episcopal service was frequently performed by Reverend George S. White after his removal to Canterbury, and in 1827 "St. Thomas Parish " gained a name, but scarcely a " local hab- itation." Its existence was, however, recognized for several years, but has long since become a thing known only to history.
The Packerville Baptist church was organized in October, 1828, with twenty-two members, of whom nine were males and thirteen females. Levi Kneeland was ordained as its pastor at
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
the organization. During his pastorate, which ended with his death in August, 1834, the church received three hundred and sixteen members. At the date last mentioned, the membership of the church numbered two hundred and twenty-seven. Mr. Daniel Packer, from whom the village took its name, was instru- mental in establishing the church, aiding it both by his judic- ious efforts and large expenditures in building a house of worship and providing a parsonage. A meeting house, built in 1829, is still in a good state of preservation. A nice chapel was built in 1875 at a cost of eight hundred dollars. The church also has a good parsonage and several acres of land belonging to it, and a small invested fund. The present membership of the church is ninety-three. Manufacturing in the village hav- ing ceased, the congregations are necessarily small and the mem- bers considerably scattered. The pastors succeeding Mr. Knee- land have been as follows: Tubal Wakefield, 1836 to 1842; Martin Byrne, 1843 to 1844; D. D. Lyon, 1844 to 1847; Silas Hall, a short time from April, 1847, he being excluded and deposed; John B. Guild, 1848 to 1853; Alfred Gates, 1853 to 1858; John Payne, 1858 to 1863; Percival Mathewson, 1863 to 1867; George R. Northrup, 1867 to 1870; W. N. Walden, 1870 to 1875; Otis B. Rawson, 1875 to 1879; J. F. Temple, 1879 to 1885; A. A. Robin- son, 1886 to the present time.
The origin of this settlement, which lies in the southeast cor- ner of the town, partly within the town of Plainfield, was the manufacturing interest which attached to the Andrus factory privilege, which in 1818 passed into the hands of Daniel Packer and Daniel Lester, of Preston. After a few years of suspension the work was resumed under the management of Mr. Packer. Buildings were repaired and enlarged, new machinery intro- duced, and a village started into life. Captain Packer was pained at sight of the loose morals and irreligious inclinations of the people, and engaged his interest and exertions in establishing the church whose history we have noticed. For a time the vil- lage prospered and seemed to promise to become a center of per- manence. A fire engine company was organized here in 1830. With the drift of manufacturing interests to other centers the growth of the village has declined, and in later years the indus- try here has been abandoned.
Many of the leading men of the county were early connected with the Masonic Lodge at Hartford. Upon petition of Colonels
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
Gray and Grosvenor, Moriah Lodge was instituted at Canter- bury in 1790, and soon received into its brotherhood many of the active leading men of the county. Its first master was Colonel Ebenezer Gray. Among those actively interested in this lodge were Moses Cleveland, Evan Malbone, Thomas and Lemuel Grosvenor, Samuel and John McClellan, Daniel Larned, Daniel Putnam, William Danielson, Lemuel Ingalls, Albigence Waldo, John Brewster and Jared Warner. Its annual commemoration of St. John's day, in June, was one of the great festivals of the year, excelled only by the Fourth of July and general training day. The Masonic brethren from all the adjoining towns in full regalia marched through the street, with banners, music and open Bible, to be entertained in hall or grove with a grand ora- tion and a sumptuous dinner. For many years the lodge took part in festival days and occasions, and made a prominent fac- tor in the social life of the community.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
MARVIN H. SANGER, of Canterbury, the second son of Ebenezer and Eunice (Hutchins) Sanger, was born in the town of Brook- lyn, Conn., April 12th, 1827. In the year 1828 his parents re- moved to Canterbury, which has since been his residence. His paternal grandfather was James Sanger, of Windsor, Hartford county, Connecticut, and his grandmother, Olive (Chaffee) San- ger. Mr. James Sanger died in Windsor. Some years after Mrs. Sanger returned to Canterbury, where she resided until her death at an advanced age. The children of this marriage were three sons, James, Ebenezer and Ira, and one daughter, Sally. Immediately after the death of his father, Ebenezer removed from his native town (Windsor) to Canterbury, and remained a resident thereof until his decease in 1863, with the exception of a brief time in Brooklyn. He was twice married, his first wife being Olive Chaffee, a cousin bearing the maiden name of his mother. His second wife was Eunice, daughter of Amasa Hutchins, of Plainfield, to whom were born five children: George, Marvin Hutchins, Hannah, Olive Chaffee and Sarah Wright.
The subject of this sketch at the conclusion of his educational period, which was passed in the common schools of the vicinity and at Bacon Academy in Colchester, Conn., devoted three years to business as a mercantile clerk in Plainfield and Providence, R. I. In 1849 he returned to Canterbury and engaged in busi-
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ARTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
ness for himself as a merchant, continuing with success for a period of twenty years. During this time he was also interested in the cultivation of a farm, which still continues to occupy a part of his time and attention. He had meanwhile not been idle in another field of action, and for a number of years was hon- ored by the suffrages of his townsmen when a candidate for many local offices. In the years 1857 and 1860 he was elected to represent the town at the general assembly. Affiliating, as he always had, with the democratic party, in 1873 he was elected by that party to the office of secretary of state, and re-elected in 1874, 1875 and 1876, holding the office four terms or four succes- sive years. In the years 1882, 1887 and 1889 he was again hon- ored by the citizens, as representative in the legislature of the state, serving as a member of the committees on banks, insur- ance, temperance and capitol furniture and grounds. In 1864 he was elected judge of probate for the district of Canterbury and is the present incumbent of that office. For more than a quarter of a century he has been town treasurer, and for nearly that time town clerk.
He is president of Brooklyn Savings Bank and a member of Moriah Lodge of F. and A. M., of Danielsonville. He was a member of both legislative committees as a representative of the state at the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the city of Columbus, Ohio, in September, 1888, as also at the centennial celebration of the inauguration of George Washington as president of the United States, in New York city in May, 1889. Mr. Sanger has often been called to fill important positions of trust, among which have been the settle- ment of several estates of considerable magnitude outside of his judicial district.
On the 14th of November, 1855, Mr. Sanger married Miss Mary J., daughter of Benjamin Bacon, Esq., of Plainfield, and has two daughters, Olive Douglas and Hattie Bacon Sanger, who reside with their parents at Canterbury.
DARIUS WOOD .- Levi Wood, the grandfather of Darius Wood, removed from Swansea, Massachusetts, to Foster, Rhode Island, where for years he followed his trade of stone mason. By his union with a Miss Mason were born children : Nathan, Levi, Jr., Wheaton, Ira, Olney, Albert, Hiram, Polly, Delight, Huldah, Louisa, and one who died in youth. Levi, Jr., was born in 1795 in Foster, and during the early period of his active life, com-
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