History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 59

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAM H. PUTNAM .- Mr. Putnam is a lineal descendant of that brave general and distinguished patriot, Israel Putnam, whose son, Daniel Putnam, was the grandfather of the subject of this biography. William, one of his sons, married Mary Spalding, whose children were: Caroline M., Harriet W., Wil- liam H., Elizabeth, Asa S., Jane, Anne, and three who died in early life. William H. Putnam was born February 2d, 1812, in Holland, Massachusetts, and in childhood removed to Brooklyn, where the residue of his life was passed. The best schools ob- tainable at that early day afforded him a knowledge of the ele- mentary branches, and the work connected with his father's farm occupied his time until after his marriage.

On the 12th of March, 1834, he was united to Miss Eliza, daughter of Captain John Day, of Brooklyn, who died on the 27th of May, 1880. Their children are: Harriet G., Mary, wife of James Perkins; John D., Sarah, deceased; Kate B. and Albert D. Mr. Putnam, two years after his marriage, leased the farm belonging to Captain Day, of which he finally became the owner. He cultivated its fertile acres, and made it his residence until 1877, the year of his removal to the village of Brooklyn, his son, Albert D., meanwhile succeeding to his farming interests.

Mr. Putnam interested himself in matters pertaining to his town, and as a republican held various local offices. His pre- vailing modesty and aversion to the excitement attending a

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public career, influenced him to decline more important honors. His advice was often sought on questions requiring maturity of judgment and experience, his opinions invariably command- ing respectful consideration. He was a director of the Wind- ham County National Bank, and the Brooklyn Savings Bank. Mr. Putnam was a member of Trinity Protestant Episcopal church of Brooklyn, of which he was for many years senior warden.

GEORGE SCARBOROUGH was born in Brooklyn, Conn., July 28th, 1806. His parents were Samuel and Molly Cleaveland Scarbor- ough. worthy representatives of respected ancestors. For twenty- three years George Scarborough lived the farmer's life, early entering on its arduous labors and working from April to Decem- ber fifteen hours a day. His educational privileges were such as four winter months each year in a country school could afford. This school he attended until he was sixteen years of age, when he became an instructor instead of pupil, working hard through spring, summer and autumn, and teaching during the winter. In his twenty-fourth year, while still teaching and doing his farm work, he began his study of Latin and Greek. In 1832 he went to the distinguished scientific school in Troy, N. Y .- the " Rens- selaer Institute "-in which he passed nearly two years. In 1834 he entered the Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., to prepare for the Christian ministry, but at the end of a year of diligent study in the Hebrew and other departments, impaired health compelled him to leave New England and seek a milder climate.

In November of 1835 he started for New Orleans, but when the steamboat, on which he had taken passage at Pittsburgh, Penn., reached the mouth of the Ohio, the Mississippi was so blocked with ice from its more northern tributaries that the captain felt obliged to retrace his way as far as Cincinnati. On this return trip Mr. Scarborough left the boat at Owensboro', Ky. On convers- ing with some of the most intelligent citizens he found that the town offered an opportunity for an earnest and persistent teacher. He immediately opened a school for girls and boys, in which he gave instruction in English literature, the classics, mathematics and in natural science and natural history. The school was of high order, the instruction very thorough, the discipline firm and kind, entirely without corporal punishment, and the whole men- tal and moral influence such as to win the gratitude and com- mand the respect not only of the pupils but of the whole com-

Win. He. Putinun

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munity. For twenty years Mr. Scarborough continued this admirable school. In 1857 and 1858 he made a long tour abroad, traveling through most of the central and southern countries of Europe, visiting Egypt, Palestine and Syria, and returning through Greece. After reaching home Mr. Scarborough was chosen "Professor of Chemistry" in the "Eclectic Medical School " at Memphis, Tenn., but on account of the troubled state of our country at the time he did not accept the position. In 1860 he removed from Owensboro', Ky., to Atchison, Kansas, where he lived eight years, and then went to Vineland, N. J., where he resided from 1868 to 1881, when he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., whence he removed in 1887 to his native town, which he had never ceased to regard with affection, and which is no less dear to him now, 1889, in his eighty-third year, than it was in early days.

All through his life Mr. Scarborough has been a close ob- server and loving student of nature, and gradually had formed a fine herbarium and valuable mineralogical and geological cabinet, which, during his residence in Brooklyn, N. Y., he gave to the Long Island Historical Society, of which he was a mem- ber, and by which his most generous gift-the "Scarborough Collection "-is highly appreciated.

Wherever he has lived, Mr. Scarborough has taken a deep interest in all that pertained to the mental, moral and spirit- ual welfare of society. A thorough-going temperance man -- a "Total Abstinence " man-from early manhood, always a firm, unshrinking friend and advocate of freedom, to no good cause has he been indifferent. During his many years in Owensboro' and Vineland he superintended a Sunday school, and never was away from his post, except because of sickness or absence from the country. Few "public " lives have been richer in deep and abiding influence-and influence of the best kind, most helpful to noble manhood and womanhood, to true citizenship-than the modest, unostentatious life of this faith- ful, accomplished educator, this loyal son of Windham.

The genealogy of the Scarborough family (in part):

1. John Scarborough of Roxbury, Mass., married May 13th, 1640, Mary, sister of Robert Smith of Boston, Mass., formerly of London, Eng.

2. Samuel, son of John, born January 20th, 1646.

3. Samuel, born 12th October, 1680; married Theoda Wil- liams February 5th, 1706.

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4. Jeremiah, son of Samuel3, born 12th November, 1713; married Miss Holbrook of Abington.

5. Samuel, son of Jeremiah, born August 3d, 1740; married Mary Amidon of Mendon, Mass., October 23d, 1770.

6. Samuel, son of Samuels, born 13th March, 1773; married Molly Cleaveland Gilbert October 7th, 1803. He served his native town of Brooklyn faithfully for many years as one of the selectmen, town clerk and justice of the peace.

7. His children were David, born 13th December, 1803; George, born 28th July, 1806; Perrin, born September, 1808, and Edwin, born 21st February, 1811.

EDWIN SCARBOROUGH .- "On Wednesday afternoon, October 10th, 1877, Brooklyn and Windham county lost one of the truest and best of men in the death of Mr. Edwin Scarbor- ough. For several years increasing feebleness of body had warned our esteemed friend that he was walking very near that mysterious line which divides the here from the here- after, but the marching orders to cross came to him sud- denly at last. Mr. S. was a public-spirited citizen; a large- hearted, generous neighbor; a loving parent; a man of culture- one who had the courage of his convictions upon political or religious matters, and yet liberal and courteous to all who differed from him. The world was made better because Edwin Scarborough lived in it-and one cannot help thinking that true hearts would not be so willing to leave their earthly home if they here met only such trusty and charitable souls. Every cause that had for its aim the elevation and happiness of men found in him a firm supporter. He was the friend of temperance, anti-slavery and education through all his act- ive career. He was intellectually superior, with a strong endowment of common sense. But his superiority lay in his heart culture. He was an ornament and pillar to our county. With many of our fellow-citizens we feel the death of Mr. S. as a personal loss, and we indite this brief tribute with no ordinary feeling of regret, for his loss seems to us almost irreparable."

W.W. Preston & Cª N.Y.

Gw. Scarborough.

CHAPTER XXVI. THE TOWN OF STERLING.

Geographical Description .- The Volunteers' Land .- Settlement as Voluntown .- Division of the Land .- Town Privileges .- Presbyterian Church Organized .- Lands Laid Out .- Sterling Town Organized .- Meeting House Erected .- General Progress .- Public Highways .- School Matters -The Voluntown and Sterling Church .- Line Meeting House .- Sterling Hill Baptist Church .- Other Churches .- Manufacturing .- Rocks and Quarries .- Oneco .- Decline of Manufactures .- The Grange .- Biographical Sketches.

T HE township of Sterling occupies the southeast corner of the county, being bounded on the north by Killingly, east by Rhode Island, south by Voluntown (formerly a town of Windham county, but recently transferred to New London county), and west by Plainfield. The town is nine miles long from north to south, and has an average width of three miles. It is centrally distant from Hartford 49 miles and from New Haven 73 miles. It contains an area of twenty-seven square miles. Much of the land is hilly or swampy. The town is well drained by the Quanduck and Cedar Swamp branches of Moosup river. It contains valuable building stones, which are quarried to some extent. Sterling hill, in the western part, is the original settlement, and occupies an eminence, furnishing a delightful view of the surrounding country. The town is crossed near the center by the Providence Division of the N. Y. & N. E. railroad. Large quantities of railroad ties are cut from the woods of the town. Farming and manufacturing form the industrial inter- ests of the town. Its population at different periods has been : In 1800, 908; in 1840, 1,099 ; 1870, 1,022; 1880, 957. The grand list of the town in 1800 was $20,873 ; in 1847, $11,791; in 1857, $13,447; and 1887, $259,263. The number of children between the ages of four and sixteen in 1858 was 280; in 1881, 227; and in 1887, 197. The post offices of Sterling, Oneco, Ekonk and North Sterling are in this town.

In October, 1696, Lieutenant Thomas Leffingwell, of Norwich, and Sergeant John Frink, of Stonington, moved the general

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court, "that they, with the rest of the English volunteers in for- mer wars, might have a plantation granted to them." A tract of land six miles square was granted in answer to this request, "to be taken up out of some of the conquered land," its bounds to be prescribed and settlement regulated by persons appointed by the court. The volunteers sent " out upon the discovery " of a suitable tract, found their choice very limited. Major Fitch, the Winthrops and others had already appropriated the greater part of the conquered lands, and the only available tract remain- ing within Connecticut limits was a strip bordering on Rhode Island, a few miles east of Norwich, and upon reporting this " discovery " to the general court, "Captain Samuel Mason, Mr. John Gallup, and Lieutenant James Avery were appointed a committee to view the said tract, and to consider whether it be suitable for entertainment of a body of people that may be able comfortably to carry on plantation work, or what addition of land may be necessary to accommodate a body of people for comfortable subsistence in a plantation way." After taking three years for viewing and considering, the committee reported favorably, and in October, 1700, Lieutenant Leffingwell, Richard Bushnell, Isaac Wheeler, Caleb Fobes, Samuel Bliss, Joseph Morgan and Manasseh Minor moved for its confirmation to the volunteers, which was granted, "so far as it concur with the for- mer act of the General Assembly, provided it bring not the Col- ony into any inconvenience " or, as afterward expressed, "do not prejudice any former grant of the court." A large part of the tract thus granted is now comprised in the town of Volun- town. Its original bounds were nearly identical with those of the present township, save that eastward it extended to Pawca- tuck river.

Little now can be learned of the primitive condition of this region. It was a waste, barren frontier, overrun by various tribes of Indians, and after the Narragansett war, claimed by the Mohegans. Massashowitt, sachem of Quinebaug, also claimed rights in it. No Indians are believed to have occupied it after the war, nor were any white inhabitants found on it when made over to the volunteers.

Some years passed before the division was completed. After the disputed Mohegan claim was settled a survey of the land was made in 1705. This land extended from the north bounds of Stonington northward to the Whetstone country, being a

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tract some twenty miles long, and from three to six miles in width. Its original quantity was diminished somewhat by the encroachment of the Rhode Island line, but after that had been established the tract was substantially the same as that now oc- cupied by the towns of Voluntown and Sterling. One hundred and sixty persons had enrolled themselves as desirous of shar- ing in the benefit of this grant, and the land was distributed among them by a drawing made April 6th, 1706. These drawers of lots were residents of New London, Norwich, Stonington, Windham, Plainfield and other neighboring towns. The list comprised not only officers and soldiers, but ministers, chaplains and many who had served the colony in civil capacity as well as military, during the war. Samuel Fish was probably the first settler on this tract, but at what point his settlement had been made (it being already there), we are not informed. Very few of the " volunteers" took personal possession of their allotments. Some of the proprietors sold out their rights at an early date, receiving five, six, eight, eleven and twelve pounds for an allot- ment. Others retained their shares and rented out farms on them whenever practicable. These first divisions were made in the southern part of the tract surveyed and most, if not all of the first land divisions and operations were probably within the limits of the present town of Voluntown. Northward lay the vacant land east of Plainfield. This land was petitioned for both by Plainfield and Voluntown. Some few had already obtained possession of lands here and had made improvements upon them. Reverend Mr. Coit, of Plainfield, had received a grant of three hundred acres north of Egunk hill, and he conveyed it to Francis Smith and Miles Jordan. Smith soon put up a mill and opened his house for the accommodation of travelers. Smith and Jordan, in 1714, erected a bridge over the river there, and received in payment 150 acres of land on the Providence road. This convenient road and pleasant locality soon attracted other settlers-John Smith, Ebenezer and Thomas Dow, Robert and John Parke, Robert Williams, Nathaniel French and others. In May, 1719, this vacant country was annexed to Voluntown, by act of the assembly, a strip one mile in width across the north end being reserved as public land. The settlers who were estab- lished in the vacant land had their purchases confirmed to them by the assembly, in October, 1719, on condition that each should " have a tenantable house and settle themselves within the space

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

of three years and continue to live there three years after such settlement, upon the forfeiture of said purchase."

In May, 1721, the people inhabiting this territory were invested with town privileges, in the exercise of which they proceeded to lay taxes for the support of a minister and building a meeting house. The town government of Voluntown was organized June 20th, 1721. Thirty-seven persons were then admitted in- habitants. The town was thus eighteen or twenty miles long and three or four miles wide. The question of location of a meeting house was a perplexing one, but it was finally decided by actual measurement, and placing it in the geographical cer .- ter of the town, or about a quarter of a mile therefrom, the central point falling on an inconvenient spot. The first pastor settled by the town was Reverend Samuel Dorrance, a Scotch Presbyterian lately arrived from Ireland, who was installed De- cember 12th, 1723. A church had been organized October 15th, 1723. This church adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith and was the first and for a long time the only Presbyterian church in Connecticut. The first members of the church were Samuel · Dorrance, Robert Gordon, Thomas Cole, John Casson, John Campbell, Robert Campbell, Samuel Campbell, John Gordon, Alexander Gordon, Ebenezer Dow, John Keigwin, William Ham- ilton, Robert Hopkins, John Smith, Daniel Dill, Thomas Welch, Jacob Bacon, Daniel Cass, John Dorrance, George Dorrance, Samuel Church, Jr., John Dorrance, Jr., Nathaniel Deane, Vin- cent Patterson, Robert Miller, Patrick Parke, Samuel Church, Adam Kasson, William Kasson, David Hopkins, Charles Camp- bell, Nathaniel French, John Gibson, James Hopkins, John and Robert Parke, William Rogers and John Gallup.

In 1724 John Gallup had liberty to build a dam and saw mill "where he hath begun on ye stream that runs out of Monhungon- nuck Pond," and Robert Parke was allowed a similar privilege on the Moosup. The landed interests of the town were still managed by the proprietors, and their meetings were held at New London, Norwich and Stonington. This subjected the resi- dent proprietors to much inconvenience and was afterward cor- rected by allowing a part at least of the business concerning lands to be done in the town. In May, 1726, Voluntown organized its first military company, with John Gallup, for captain; Robert Parke, for lieutenant; and Francis Deane, for ensign. The progress of the town had been greatly retarded, and at that date it was much

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behind its contemporaries, having no schools nor even a meet- ing house, and but few roads laid out. A long continued and obstinate contest over the site of the meeting house disturbed the town and prevented the erection of the building. Then again, boundary contests with the adjoining towns disturbed the peace of the town. Added to these disturbing forces from with- out and within was the fact that its population, though quite large, was motley and disorderly, made up of substantial settlers from adjacent townships, sturdy Scotch Presbyterians and lawless Rhode Island borderers. So great was the popular agitation and discontent that at one time the town voted "that it desired that the patent granted to Voluntown might be un-acted and made void, and that the town be divided by an east and west line into north and south ends, and each end to make and maintain their own bridges and highways." Attempts to go on with the building of the meeting house in this disturbed condition of affairs were quite suspended. A frame had been set up on Egunk, now Sterling hill, the site chosen and con- tended for by a large faction, and there it stood for years with- out covering. In 1729, however, the agitation was so far sub- sided that a meeting house was begun upon the site origi- nally designated by the town, and this was completed in the course of two or three years.

In 1740 a committee was appointed to lay out the undivided lands belonging to the proprietors. In 1739 the strip of public land which had been reserved, a mile in width, at the north end of the town, was annexed to this town by an act of the assembly. Up to this time no freemen had yet been sworn, no "country taxes " paid, and no representatives sent to the general assem- bly. The town now settled down to a more complete fulfillment of the privileges and responsibilities of corporate existence. But the division of land ordered in 1740 was delayed till 1747, when all previous committees being dismissed, Humphrey Av- ery, Charles Campbell, Robert Dixon, Samuel Gordon and John Wylie, Jr., were appointed to divide the common lots to each proprietor or his heirs, remeasure and rebound old lots, and lay out cedar swamps, which were satisfactorily accomplished. The cedar and pine swamps, said to be the best in the county, were laid out and divided. The lot on which the meeting house stood, and the burial place adjoining, were sequestered for the use of the inhabitants of the town and their successors. Several of the

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original lots had not been taken up by those to whom they had been granted.

In this condition Voluntown remained for many years, a greater part of the inhabitants averse to the established church and yet compelled to pay rates for the support of its ministry. Attempts were made by residents of each end of the town to procure distinct society privileges. A petition presented to the assembly in 1762 sets forth the situation in the following lan- guage:

" That there was but one society in Voluntown, twenty miles long and four or five wide; list in 1761, £10,786; inhabitants set- tled at each end and dispersed in almost every part, about one hundred and eighty families, some dwelling seven, some nine and ten miles from meeting house; trouble of transporting our- selves and families very great and heavy; town conveniently sit- uated for division; such burden of travel hardly to be found in any other town-and prayed for division."

In 1772 fifty-four persons north of Moosup river, including John, James and George Dorrance, Robert, Thomas and James Dixon, Robert Montgomery, John Coles, John Gaston, Mark and David Eames, some of them six, seven, eight and nine miles from Voluntown meeting house, and greatly impeded by bad roads and traveling, received liberty from the assembly to or- ganize as a distinct society or join in worship with Killingly. A number of these northern residents consequently united with the church in South Killingly, and after some years organized as a distinct society.

Sterling obtained town privileges without the customary struggle. The inconvenience arising from the peculiar elonga- tion of ancient Voluntown was abundantly manifest, and a prop- osition, April 25th, 1793, to divide into two towns met immediate acceptance. The resolve incorporating the new town was passed May, 1794, as follows:

" Resolved by this Assembly, that all that part of the ancient town of Voluntown, within the following bounds, beginning at the northwest corner of said ancient town of Voluntown, at the south line of Killingly; thence running southerly on the east side 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 southeast corner of Killingly; thence westerly

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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."

The first town meeting was held at the house of Robert Dixon, Esq., on Sterling hill, June 9th, 1794. Benjamin Dow was elected town clerk and treasurer; Captain John Wylie and Asa Montgomery, George Matteson, Anthony Brown and Lem- uel Dorrance, selectmen; Captain Thomas Gordon, constable and collector; Noah Cole, James Dorrance, Jr., Nathaniel Gal- lup, Dixon Hall, fence viewers; Nathaniel Gallup, grand jury- man; John Hill, Nathaniel Burlingame, Matthias Frink, tithing- men. Benjamin Dow, Lemuel Dorrance 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 arrangements. 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, Vaughan, Young, Bailey, Burgess, Burlingame, Hall, Mason, and other later residents, appeared among the in- habitants. The name of the town was given by a temporary resident, Doctor 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 advantages. It had fine water privileges, an excellent stone quarry, a great post road running through its center, and sterling men of good Scotch stock to administer public affairs.

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 59

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: New York, Preston Number of Pages: 1506

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506