History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 64

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

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At the annual town meeting following the adoption of the new constitution November 30th, 1818, Benjamin Arnold was chosen moderator; Stephen Crosby, Jesse Ormsbey, Joseph Joslin, James Wheaton, John Bates, selectmen; John Nichols, Jr., town clerk and treasurer; Stephen E. Tefft, constable; for highway sur- veyors by districts-No. 1, Simon Davis ; 2, James Wheaton ; 3, John Elliott, Jr .; 4, Hezekiah Olney; 5, John Burrell, Jr .; 6, Isaac Davis; 7, Smith Bruce ; 8, Alpheus Corbin ; 9, Lyman Up- ham ; 10, Ezra Jacobs; 11, Joseph Benson ; 12, Rufus Brown ; 13, Peter Rickard ; 14, Darius Starr ; David Munyan, Alpheus Rus- sel, Eseck Aldrich, fence viewers; John Nichols, Jr., Simon Davis, Jr., Stephen Holmes, James Bates, Harvey Lamson, listers; Stephen E. Tefft, collector of rates; Smith Bruce, Amos Green, John Brown, Joel Taylor, Elijah Nichols, grand jurors; Asa Hutchins, Joel Taylor, Archelaus Upham, Millard Bowen, hay- wards ; Rufus Coburn, sealer of weights and measures; Darius Dwight, key keeper of the pound ; Josiah Sessions, Amos Green, Jonathan Nichols, Asa Jacobs, Charles Sharpe, tithing men.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

Town expenses for the year reported-$1 609.45. Seven hun- dred and fifty dollars was cheerfully voted by the town the fol- lowing year as their reasonable proportion of the sum needed for the removal of court house and jail from Windham to Brook- lyn.

Under the new regime of state and county Thompson moved steadily onward, its wealth and population increasing more rap- idly than any other town in the county, its thriving manufacturing villages offering remunerative labor and home market. Grad- ually various improvements were effected ; its poor were no longer trundled about town to the lowest bidder, but installed in a comfortable home in the east of the town, with a responsi- ble family to take proper care of them. The upper room of the old town house proving insufficient and inconvenient, a special town building was ordered in 1841. William H. Mason, Faxon Nichols, Talcott Crosby and William Fisher were appointed to fix upon a plan for the proposed building and make a statement of all the expenses. Their report was accepted the town's right and interest in the old building sold to Messrs. Erastus Knight and Edward Shaw- Talcott Crosby, Jonathan Nichols and Heze- kiah S. Ramsdell appointed a committee for building. In case a town meeting should be needed while the new building was in progress, it was voted to hold the same on the piazza in front of the house of Captain Vernon Stiles, and when the new town house shall have been completed, that it shall be the lawful place for holding town and other public meetings.

After holding several meetings during the summer on the pi- azza of Captain Stiles's popular tavern, the town met in its new hall October 3d, 1842. Jonathan Nichols, Esq., who for twelve years had served as town clerk, was now superseded by Talcott Crosby; George Nichols was chosen moderator; Faxon Nichols, Nelson S. Eddy, Winthrop H. Ballard, James Johnson and Amos Goodell, assessors ; John Tourtellotte, Stephen Crosby, Thomas Davis, board of relief ; Edward Lippitt, David Wilson, Joseph Tourtellotte, selectmen ; Edwin May, constable; Amos Goodell, Silas Bowen, Welcome Bates, Leonard Bugbee, Silas N. Aldrich, grand jurors; George Town, George M. Day, Elijah Carpenter, John Shumway, Pearson C. Tourtellotte, Samuel E. Joy, tithing men ; Jeremiah Olney, sealer of weights and measures; Hezekiah Olney, pound keeper; Thomas Davis, Josiah Comins, Joseph Tourtellotte, fence viewers ; Talcott Crosby, Jesse Ormsbey, Hez-

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ekiah Olney, committee for adjusting town accounts. Expenses were reported as $1,540. Voted, to allow the school visitors one dollar per day each for time actually spent in visiting schools. Petitioners received liberty to hold their singing school in the town house the ensuing season, under such regulations as should be made with the selectmen, as soon as insurance could be effected on the house. At a later meeting voted, " That the town house be opened for all such meetings as the selectmen shall judge proper, and on such terms as they may prescribe." One of the first public meetings held in this house was in the autumn of 1843, when the children of all the public schools in town, having been recently enrolled in temperance societies, were brought to- gether there, to be confirmed and strengthened in temperance sentiment by the thrilling eloquence of a young orator then lately discovered in Worcester-John B. Gough.

The peace and comfort of the town was suddenly broken in 1849 by a movement to dissever the southern part of the terri- tory, that it might be incorporated into a new valley town to be called Quinebaug. The village of Rhodesville now embraced a large manufacturing interest, adding much to the tax list and population of the town. This village, and that favorite section known as the South Neighborhood, were to be taken from Thompson and swallowed up in the new town. Thompson's population then numbered nearly five thousand, and it stood very high on the grand list of the state, closely following the cities and large county or manufacturing towns. Apart from considerations of sentiment, to be thus summarily thrust from her high position into comparative nothingness, to sink from " thirteenth on the list " into the rank of perhaps thirtieth or for- tieth, was not to be thought of or endured, and all parties and sects agreed in earnest opposition to such a scheme. The town had taken just pride in this thriving village and great pains to satisfy its exorbitant demands for roads and bridges. When called upon to take action upon the petition, Jonathan Nichols was appointed agent to oppose the same, with full power to em- ploy counsel if needful. " Also, resolved, That we, the citizens of Thompson, in town meeting assembled, consider that the di- vision of this town as contemplated by the inhabitants of Pomfret- ville would be highly injurious to the interests of the town at large, and consequently as highly inexpedient, and that our rep- resentatives in the general assembly be and they are hereby re-

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quested to oppose in every honorable manner the establishment of said division."

The very urgent opposition of the four towns interested in the matter procured the prompt rejection of the Quinebaug petition, but after taking breath for a season they returned to the charge with increased ardor. Thompson reiterated and confirmed her former resolution and circulated a forcible remonstrance, signed by a large number of citizens. Thomas E. Graves, Esq., was now appointed agent to oppose the petition, which service he ac- complished with his accustomed energy and adroitness. In 1852 Talcott Crosby, Benjamin F. Hutchins and William H. Chandler were chosen "to consult and advise " with Esquire Graves in op- posing the petition. In 1854 the situation became so alarming, the new town favorers assuming with the name a double portion of the spirit and persistency of Windham county's most famous hero-Putnam-that Thompson was constrained to send a most imposing delegation, viz., Thomas E. Graves, Talcott Crosby, William Fisher, Jesse Ormsbey, Frederic Hovey, Benjamin F. Hutchins, Jeremiah Olney, Silas N. Aldrich and Hosea Munyan, "to oppose the petition for a new town to be called Putnam." Once more the petitioners were defeated and Thompson's del- egation returned in triumph. In 1855 William H. Chandler was appointed as sole agent for the town in opposing division. It was becoming manifest that farther opposition was useless ; that nothing could withstand the march of progress and fiat of " man- ifest destiny." The treacherous motion "to send no agent to oppose division " was lost by only a meagre majority of forty- three. Tidings of the inevitable result were received with mourn- ful resignation, and while Putnam joyfully celebrated her vic- tory and independence, Thompson meekly grounded her arms and prepared to die decently. The line between the towns was run by Joseph M. Perrin and William Lester, surveyors. Divis- ion of town funds and other needful settlements were accom- plished by Adams White and William Dyer, esquires, the referees appointed by the legislature-the charge of two "paupers " and some $2,500 being made over by Thompson. The running ex- penses of the town during this costly and protracted contest reached the unprecedented amount of nearly $4,000 yearly. Erastus Knight and Jeremiah Olney served successively as town clerk and treasurer during this period.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

Thompson had so far recovered from this loss and heavy charges as to bear her part in the civil war with becoming loyalty and public spirit. At a special town meeting, called April 29th, 1861, the town voted to appropriate five thousand dollars for ex- tra payment to enlisters, support of their families during their absence, their clothing, equipment and other needful outlay. Messrs. Jeremiah Olney, Lucius Briggs and Hezekiah S. Rams- dell were appointed a committee to carry these votes into effect. At the county mass meeting held in Brooklyn, April 22d, Messrs. Chandler and Olney served on the committee on resolutions, and Mr. Chandler headed the subscription list pledged for the sup- port of government. The popular physician, Doctor John Mc- Gregor, went to the front as surgeon of the Connecticut Third, and was taken prisoner while caring for the wounded at the dis- astrous stampede at Bull Run. His return after fourteen months' wearisome captivity, his earnest and affecting representations -and pleas had much influence in quickening enlistment and deepening public sentiment. Many of Thompson's sterling men enlisted in the Eighteenth Connecticut, mustered in August, 1862, with Munroe Nichols, lieutenant colonel, and Doctor Lowell Hol- brook, later, as surgeon. George W. Davis served as quarter- master of the Eleventh regiment. Lieutenant Emmons E. Graves enlisted a company in the Thirteenth. Every requisition made upon the town was promptly fulfilled, her soldiers serving in many regiments; her agent, Mr. Olney, and the selectmen looking carefully after the needs of their families; her women enrolled in numerous Soldiers' Aid Societies, busily engaged in furnishing clothing and supplies. The great additional expense, bringing its annual outlay to more than nine thousand dollars, was cheerfully met by taxpayers. True to its early principle and habit of eschewing debt, it paid its bills every year. In August, 1865, a very large bill was brought against it, incurred the last year of the war in connection with raising colored sol- diers. A town meeting was called, which promptly voted to raise a special tax of 8} mills on the dollar by September 20th. A proposition was afterward made to provide for paying the debt by installments, and a meeting called to see if they would re- scind the previous vote. It was a warm day in August and work pressing, but the town turned out en masse and voted unani- mously not to rescind the vote passed August 5th, and paid the extra tax without grumbling.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

As a temperance town Thompson has a fair record. As public opinion became enlightened upon the question, it declined to license the sale of liquor, and when the local option law was promulgated a large majority voted against license. Finding that the law was in many cases evaded, it was voted in 1873 to appropriate a sum of money to suppress the sale of intoxicating liquors; also to appoint Judge Perry an agent to prosecute, with power to employ counsel to carry on said business. As the foreign element has increased in town, attempts have been made to open the question of licensing the sale of liquor, but it has been invariably refused by a large majority.

Within the last ten years a very great change has been made in the expenditures of the town, Thompson proving itself not only alive but fully up to the times in its views of what is de- manded by the civilization of the present age. The clumsy wooden bridges of past generations are fast being replaced all over the town by graceful structures of iron, more costly, in- deed, but it is hoped far more enduring. The old district highway system, under which every citizen had liberty to leisurely " work out his own tax " has been superseded by more modern methods, more effective, indeed, but costing the town annually, perhaps, more than double its whole running expenditures of former years. A far greater number of outside poor are helped, doub- ling expenses in that quarter. School expenses, formerly hardly worth noting, have become under new laws and administrative theories a very formidable item. The price paid for labor and the salaries of town officers are much augmented. Many im- provements have been made of permanent value. Money has been allowed for the improvement and care of the town burying grounds. A very beautiful and complete index of the record books of the town was made by the late Mr. Jerome F. Crosby. The town house has been comfortably fitted up with accommo- dations for the probate records and for town business.

The expenses of the town for the year ending September 15th, 1888, amounted to the incredible sum of over $26,000. Schools cost $6,579.37; bridges, $5,445.89; roads, $4,441.36; poor house and farm, $1,157.70; outside poor, $1,909.69; officers' salaries, $993.45; snow bills (blizzard), $905.41; vital statistics, $50.50; state and military tax, $2,715.77. The population in 1880 was 5,051, but has probably increased some hundred; children between four and sixteen years of age, 1,415; grand list, $1,713,420. The

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

present town clerk, registrar and treasurer, James N. Kingsbury, has held the office nearly twenty years. Present selectmen, Oscar Tourtellotte, Thomas G. Steere, George A. Hawkins; as- sessors, Hiram Arnold, Luther M. Child, Jerome Nichols; board of relief, George Flint, Oscar Robinson; grand jurors, Thomas Wilber, Barton Jacobs, Thomas Ryan, A. E. Jones, Nathaniel Child; constables, William M. Babbitt, William N. Bates, John Tradeau, George A. Putney; school visitors, Stephen Ballard, E. H. Cortiss, E. F. Thompson. Reverend N. J. Pinkham had previously served many years in this office.

A Probate court was constituted in Thompson in 1832, John Nichols, judge. Previous to that date it had been included in Pomfret probate district. The office of judge has been admin- istered by Talcott Crosby, Jonathan Nichols, Alanson Rawson, George Flint, and by others for very brief periods. Judge Flint entered upon service July 4th, 1873.

Public schools continued under the administration of the ecclesiastic society till 1797, when by a change of law it was recognized in the "capacity of a school society." Liberty had been previously given to the several districts to tax themselves for the purpose of building and repairing a school house, to choose a clerk and appoint a collector and treasurer. In 1798 it was further enacted "that each school society shall appoint a suitable number of persons to be overseers or visitors of its schools, whose duty it shall be to examine the instructors, super- intend and direct the instruction of the youth in letters, religion, morals and manners, to appoint at their discretion public exer- cises for the youth, to visit the schools twice at least during each season for schooling, and particularly to direct the daily reading of the Bible by such of the youths as are capable of it, and the weekly instruction in some catechism, by them approved, and to recommend that the master conclude the services of each day with prayer."

Reverend Daniel Dow, Noadiah Russel and Daniel Wick- ham were accordingly appointed visitors and "inspectors" of the Thompson school, and on May 1st, 1799, presented an elab- orate report, recommending a faithful examination of school teachers, each master to consider it " a necessary requirement to be able to read and write English with propriety," to explain the spelling book, and to perform common arithmetic; that a moral character be considered indispensable, and a knowledge of Eng-

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lish grammar very desirable; teachers to exercise their own choice between the shorter Westminster catechism and Doctor Watt's catechism for children. These recommendations were faithfully carried out. Examination of teachers was duly en- forced, Bible read daily, and catechism administered. Reading, writing and spelling were taught in all schools throughout the year, to which were added arithmetic and grammar in the winter, sewing and knitting in summer. The school-ma'ams' task of overseeing the sewing, basting and sometimes cutting out and fitting garments, was often very arduous. Some little girls were even required to make underwear for their fathers and brothers in school hours. No girl was thought to have thoroughly learned the alphabet until she had acquired the art of affixing each separate letter perfectly upon an elaborate sampler.

Geography was taught in very economic fashion, the older scholars reading it to the school in place of other reading exercise, sparing the necessity of buying more than one copy. Saturday afternoons they were allowed, as a special treat, to read aloud by turns, in the weekly county newspaper, before recita- tion in the catechism. Mr. Dow was accustomed to visit and catechize each school in town, if possible, twice during the sea- son-the brethren of the church, resident in each district, mak- ing a point of attending with him at such visitation. To make amends for this strictness there were weekly spelling matches, when boys and girls enjoyed the privilege of "choosing up sides " and spelling each other down, ransacking spelling books for the most difficult specimens of orthography. Evening exhibitions were also much in vogue, with declamation, rec- itation and amusing dialogue. The last day of the winter school was celebrated with especial festivities, the boys contributing pennies to purchase the requisite materials for a generous bowl of flip, and the girls bringing cake and home-made dainties. A popular teacher in the South Neighborhood was accustomed to give the children a closing ball in his own house. Five shil- lings a week was considered ample pay for a school mistress; a successful master could command as much as two dollars. The school house of that date was usually as bare, cold and comfort- less a building as could well be devised, but a daughter of Mr. Dow gives a pleasant picture of that in the Central district.

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This Thompson Hill district school house must have been quite exceptional. As a rule the school houses were close, crowded, and every way uncomfortable, with great cracks in the floor and about the windows, the huge fires burning the faces of the children while their feet were freezing. The numerous children in every household filled the houses to overflowing, es- pecially in the winter, when the schools frequently numbered more than a hundred pupils. Their progress depended entirely upon the personality of the teacher, some having that native teacher's instinct or faculty which enabled them to stimulate in- tellect even under those disadvantages. Captain John Green was one of these " born teachers," whose services were in great demand for many years throughout the town. His brother, Winthrop Green, Messrs. Horace Seamans and Winthrop H. Ballard, are remembered as successful teachers. Among the schoolmistresses none gained a higher rank than Miss Hope B. Gay, a shining member of Priest Atkin's celebrated "class" upon Killingly hill, and highly gifted with the art of imparting her own knowledge to others and winning the respect and affec- tion of her pupils. As a rule, however, the standard of the dis- trict schools was so low, and the accommodations so poor, that well-to-do families preferred to send their children to select schools or academies. Thompson boys were sent to Plainfield, Woodstock or Dudley Academies. Especially favored young girls had the privilege of a year's schooling in one of the noted " female schools " of Hartford, where they added to solid studies the accomplishments of painting, drawing, music and fine em- broidery.

The first piano in town was purchased for one of these young ladies about 1820, who in turn instructed the other girls of the village in those rare arts. The first select school in Thompson was opened by Miss Caroline Dutch, an experienced teacher, in 1824, where a large number of charming young ladies were trained in polite accomplishments. Select schools were also taught by Messrs. Welcome Wilmarth, David Fisk, -

Cooley and Matthew Mills. In 1837 a high school was opened by Mr. Thomas P. Green, of Auburn, Mass., which gained a more permanent standing and higher reputation. Woodstock Academy suffering a serious lapse at that time, its young men came over to the Thompson school, as well as many from other county towns and from Rhode Island. Mr. Green

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and his sister were not only stimulating and successful teachers, but they knew how to carry through an attractive " Exhibition," held yearly in the Congregational meeting house on the Green, which added much to the prestige of the school. In 1840 the old tavern house was purchased by Messrs. Joseph B. Gay and William H. Mason, and transformed into an academy building and boarding house, where the school flourished for a number of years. A few years after the demise of Mr. Green's school, viz., in 1851, another high school was opened by Mr. Henry Par- ker, an experienced teacher, which soon merged into a " Family and High School," carried on by Mr. Parker and the Reverend Alanson Rawson, in the historic "old Watson House." This school enjoyed a high reputation for thoroughness and good scholarship, and many young people of the town availed them- selves of its privileges, while a number of lads from other states found a pleasant home and careful training.

During these years great changes had been wrought in the administration of public schools. Finding that the Connecticut school fund, of which the state was so proud, had proved to some extent a disadvantage, that people took little interest in what cost them little or nothing, and that the provision for public ed- ucation in Connecticut was actually falling below that of other states, a new departure was resolved upon and effected. Through the efficient labors of Henry Barnard, first state school superin- tendent, measures were instituted which placed educational mat- ters upon a new basis and led to thorough regeneration or re- form. Schools have been formed for the instruction of teachers, laws passed compelling children to be placed under their tuition, and boards constituted to see that all these laws are faithfully carried out. School houses, school books and appliances, school methods, wages of teachers and ways of paying them, have been exhaustively scrutinized and debated, and if public schools in Connecticut are not some hundred per cent. in advance of those of former generations, it is not for lack of discussion, legislation or expenditure. Thompson has labored diligently to keep up with the demands of the age, and under the careful oversight of a competent board of visitors, has reconstructed her school houses, provided them with maps, charts, school books and libra- ries, graded the schools when needful, and, supplied them with as good teachers as could be procured. Some of these teachers are graduates from the town schools, as Mr. Newton A. and the

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Misses Ballard, Miss Shaw, the Misses Chace, Knight, Bates, Bixby, Mr. George Town and Mr. Wilfred Mills. No one has done more for public education in the town, both as teacher and visitor, than Mr. Stephen Ballard, often secretary and chairman of the board, and so many of the name are associated with our schools that it might well be called the banner family in this re- spect.

The First church of Thompson, as already narrated, was organ- ized January 18th, 1730, and Marston Cabot ordained and in- stalled over it as its pastor. He was born in Salem in 1704, graduated from Harvard College in 1724, married, July 22d, 1731, Mary, daughter of Reverend Josiah Dwight. He was a man of learning and sound judgment and a preacher of unusual excellence. The covenant adopted by the church under his guidance shows him to have been of unimpeachable orthodoxy, according to the standard of the day, and that the church was in full sympathy with his views, and "ready to rest satisfied with such admittance of adult persons as is performed by the pastor's examination of their knowledge and experience of the princi- ples and practices of religion." It also covenanted " To obey him that is by our present voluntary election, or those that may here- after be set over us in the Lord, as such that watch over our souls, and whom we shall always account worthy of a gospel support and maintenance ; as also to adhere to a pious and able ministry in this church, laboring in a way of joint concurrence with him or them, to his or their conscientious discretion, ex- erting the ministerial authority committed to them to recover and uphold the vigorous and impartial administration of disci- pline among us." The so-called " Half-way Covenant " was ad- mitted by the church, under which children of baptized parents, not church members, were made subjects of baptism.

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 64

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