History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 83

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

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Stringent laws had then been passed for the maintenance of proper authority. Those neglecting to work upon the highway after suitable warning should forfeit three shillings. A fine of one and sixpence was ordered for neglecting town meetings; sixpence for not appearing at the hour appointed, and an addi- tional sixpence for every following hour. March 2d, farther rules were enacted; Jonathan Peake was chosen constable; Nath- aniel Johnson, to collect town rates and minister's salary, receiv-

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ing ten shillings, cash, " and such rates as he does not gather he is to pay the same out of his own estate." Selectmen were in- structed: 1. To secure the town from all damages and penalties of the law sustained through their neglect. 2. In raising town charges, all male heads to be rated threepence per head from sixteen years old and upward; home lots, meadows, at a penny an acre; divisional addition, halfpenny an acre; horses, cattle and swine as they are valued in law. 3. That every person do bring an exact note of their estates August 1st; Samuel Perrin, Ebenezer Morris, surveyors; Nathaniel Aspinwall, David Knight, fence viewers. The same day Deacons Chandler and Sabin, Lieutenant Bartholomew, Nathaniel Johnson and John Leavens were appointed a committee to seat the meeting house, observing as rules, " what persons have paid and do pay, and to respect age." John Carpenter and Peter Aspinwall were afterward add- ed to the committee for managing the affair of finishing the meeting house, viz., John Chandler, Sr., and Edward Morris; and Samuel Taylor allowed twelve shillings a year for sweeping.

Thus in ten years the Roxbury colony was comfortably estab- lished, but clouds were gathering. The long-continued war be- tween France and England incited their Indian allies to shock- ing atrocities. New England was exposed to constant alarm and assault from the fierce Mohawks and restless Canadian Indians. An isolated, frontier town like Woodstock was especially ex- posed, and the insubordination of its own Indian residents add- ed to their uneasiness. These Wabbaquassets were inimical to Massachusetts and her authority, but most fortunately at this epoch they were willing to yield allegiance to Lieutenant John Sabin, half brother of Deacon Sabin, who had established him- self just over Woodstock line, within Connecticut limits. Un- der his leadership Woodstock's military position was greatly strengthened. Watch houses were fortified, scouts maintained, military discipline enforced, the Indians looked after and brought within Sabin's fortifications.

Woodstock's first serious alarm occurred in the August of 1696, just ten years from the date of settlement. A band of marauders fell suddenly upon the helpless Huguenots of French- town (now Oxford). John Evans and John Johnson were shot, the children of Johnson dashed against the chimney jamb, their mother managing to escape to the river by the aid of her brother. Stealing down the stream and through the woods, she reached

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Woodstock in the morning with her tale of horrors. Quickly the news flew through the Woodstock settlements. The inhab- itants huddled within the garrisons, tidings were sent to the au- thorities of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and bands of armed men scoured the woods and guarded exposed positions. The arrival of Major Fitch with a few English soldiers and a band of friendly Indians relieved immediate apprehension, especially as he was able to exercise authority over the Wabbaquassets. He found they numbered twenty-nine fighting men, and as their headquarters were with Lieutenant John Sabin, he was able to furnish them with arms and ammunition under certain restric- tions.

This beginning of tribulation was followed by a long period of insecurity and alarm. In October, 1696, by act of assembly, Woodstock was accounted a frontier and comprehended within the act to prevent the deserting the frontier, by which its inhab- itants were forbidden to leave the town without special license, under very severe penalties. John Sabin was now made cap- tain and Peter Aspinwall lieutenant of the company, the latter serving many months in command of a company of scouts or rangers, patrolling the woods of Massachusetts.

A very serious panic occurred early in 1700, arising from the very suspicious conduct of the Wabbaquassets, who went away mysteriously with their families and the treasure of the tribe, pretending fear and danger from the Mohegans. Other indica- cations pointed to a general combination and insurrection of what were deemed friendly Indians in New England, and there was great apprehension that these Wabbaquassets had started for the rendezvous. A hasty message brought to the relief of Wood- stock Captain Samuel Mason, with twelve English soldiers and eighteen Mohegans. He found Woodstock in great excitement. James Corbin's well-known cart was on the way from Boston, laden with ammunition, and great fear was entertained lest this military store might be captured by the enemy. After holding counsel with Mr. Dwight, Captain Sabin and leading men of the town, it was thought best to dispatch three faithful Wabba- quassets, viz., Kinsodock, Mookheag and Pesicus, as messengers to the fugitives, urging them to return and assuring them of their friendship and protection. A pass was sent with them for- bidding people to take their arms from them. News came dur- ing the day that Corbin's cart was drawing nigh, and sixty armed

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

men went out to meet it and brought it in with great rejoicings. The friendly messengers were probably successful, as nothing farther was heard of the "resurrection and revolt of his Majes- ty's subjects," and Captain Mason returned peacefully to New London.

The state of alarm continued several years. Major Fitch visit- ing Woodstock in 1704, reported affairs there in bad condition, the people poorly provided and much exposed, the women and children gathered into garrison with but one man to guard them. Other inhabitants were out scouting or laboring in the fields under arms. The families on the westward hill he found in very difficult and disheartening circumstances, too remote to come into town, and having no adequate fortifications. He thought needful to leave fifteen men for the defense of the place, to serve alternately as scout and guard, and desired the government of Massachusetts " to provide the standing part at the several garrisons as to diet, and the marching part with sup- per and breakfast when they came in." The sums levied upon Woodstock for her subsistence and maintenance of this defense told heavily upon her slender treasury.

Public affairs were much neglected during these anxious years. Town meetings were almost wholly intermitted, common land left unfenced, highways to run to waste, mill house out of re- pair. A few families removed from town. A number of the older settlers were removed by death, viz., John Leavens, John Butcher, Deacon John Chandler, William Bartholomew, Sr., Na- thaniel Johnson, Sr., and others. By 1704 tranquility was so far restored that the first school house was ordered, "21x16, six or seven feet high, on the hill southwest of John Carpenter's. . . to be finished by Michaelmas next," Jonathan Peake, Jacob Parker, Arthur Humphrey committee to manage the work (site on town land near the present Plaine Hill cottage). John Holmes, John Johnson, Philip Eastman, Samuel Perrin, Smith Johnson now served as selectmen; Matthew Davis, constable; John Chandler, town clerk; Thomas Lyon, Thomas Eaton, sur- veyors. Philip Eastman was sent as deputy to the general court. John Picker taught the first school in the new school house, and was succeeded by Thomas Lyon. Samuel Paine, Zachariah Richardson, James Hosmer, John and Peter Morse, John Pay- son, John Child and other new settlers had come into possession of home lots, made vacant by removal to growing settlements

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

in Aspinock and Mashamoquet. Deacon Benjamin Sabin and his large family of sons, Nathaniel Gary, John Carpenter, Na- thaniel Sanger, John Hubbard, Peter Aspinwall, the sons of John Leavens, Samuel Paine and Samuel Perrin were among these emigrants.

The opening of these adjacent settlements added to the im- portance of Woodstock, the mother town, with established in- stitutions. These " borderers " attended service at her meeting house, improved her grist mill, traded at the Corbins' shop, and participated in the festivities of training and election days. The mill privilege had now fallen into the hands of James Hosmer, whose family retained it for many years. John Holmes added a fulling mill to his accommodations, and was also chosen and desired to make coffins "as there may be occasion." William Lyon, grandson of William Lyon, Sr., accepted the office of grave digger. Public matters now received attention. Attempts were made "to bridge the great rivers between us and Mendon." Selectmen of Woodstock initiated a movement for a new road to Providence, with a bridge over the Quinebaug. The road was laid out as at present, crossing the river below the High Falls (now in Putnam), but no bridge was achieved for a number of years.

In 1710 two new school houses were constructed, one near John Child's corner, the other near Joseph Bacon's, north end of Plaine hill; Samuel Perrin, Smith Johnson, William Lyon, John Morse, building committee. Thomas Lyon taught for two months in the north school house; Stephen Sabin at the south; the town stipulating "that they require not above nine shillings a week."

In 1710 a new division of land was surveyed and laid out by Captain John Chandler; eighty acres for a twenty acre right, and other rights in proportion were allowed to each holder of original lots, each proprietor drawing in turn his allotment. It was voted, "That the lands still undivided on the east end of the town shall abide as common land forever or till the town dispose of them." Another division was also made in Roxbury's half, "all conformable " to the previous laying out of John Butcher in parallel ranges, with highways between. This di- vision was not completed and distributed till September, 1715, at which date Roxbury's right in Woodstock passed into the hands of individual owners. During this year the western part

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

of the south half was laid out in four ranges, running from north to south, and distributed among the proprietors. Massa- chusetts' southern boundary, which had caused so much con- tention and trouble, was now rectified, but by the terms of the agreement she was allowed to retain jurisdiction over the towns she had settled. Woodstock, although within Connecticut's patent lines, was thus left appended to the Bay colony.

The division and transfer of land in the north part of Wood- stock facilitated settlement. Sons of Roxbury owners gladly availed themselves of this opportunity to found homes in this popular and growing town. Among the first of these north-half settlers were the sons of Benjamin Child, whose brother John had been for some time a resident in the eastward vale, or "the town," as it was then called. His oldest son, Ephraim, married Priscilla Harris in 1710, and with his young wife soon removed to one of the ample lots in the vicinity of Muddy brook, held by his father. He was soon followed by several gay young bach- elors, viz., his brother Benjamin, John May, Ichabod Holmes and Joseph Lyon, who also took up allotments and went busily to work, breaking up land, getting out stumps, fencing, planting and building rude houses, making ready for the prospective brides. The great Cedar Swamp, "left distinct and excepted " for the public use, furnished suitable material for building, though the watch and care needful to prevent pillage was an ad- ditional burden to the few inhabitants. The wild land in the west part of the town also furnished shelter for many wolves and other troublesome neighbors. A journal fortunately kept by John May gives a pleasant picture of these stalwart pioneers, now toiling alone for days over some refractory field, and then all joining together in a cheerful "bee " at the final log hauling, carting and planting, helping each other with "team," imple- ments and friendly service. On stormy days they "sort their nails " and potter about house, or visit the several families of kindred in the south half, and recreate with these older resi- dents at public fasts, trainings and town meetings.

The old "Child House " with its Centennial Elm, and the " old May House," (now Lippitt's) stand upon or near the sites of the first rude houses built by Ephraim Child and John May. The . homestead of Benjamin Child was on the brook in the heart of the present East Woodstock village. "Old Mr. Maturin Allard," Thomas Gould, tanner, and Deacon Joseph Lyon, were also

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among the early inhabitants of the north half. Their first recog- nition in town meeting was in 1715, when they had liberty to mend their own highways. Maturin Allard was the first man chosen to hold town office. Wolf hunting was apparently great- ly stimulated by settlement in this previously waste country, as the town was called to pay many wolf bounties, at twenty shillings a head. Thomas Lyon, Jr., and Jonathan Payson were very active in this service. John May showed much versatility, helping build chimneys and houses, having charge of the Cedar Swamp, and assisting Lieutenant Samuel Morris in placing the first bridge over the Quinebaug river.

These northern settlers attended divine worship in the town meeting house and bore their share of minister's rate and other town expenses. The question of building a new meeting house excited much discussion and wrangling. In 1717, an experienced committee reported "that it would be most profitable as well as most accommodable to build a new house." The town accepted this opinion with thanks, but was slow in deciding upon the site. A letter was written to the residents of the north half relating to moving the meeting house more northerly, but no return was made to it. After long delay and many reversals of decision, Mr. Dwight was sent for " to pray with the town." All previous action was then annulled and the site referred to three men from out of town. Samuel Paine, Smith Johnson and Benjamin Griggs from South Woodstock, and William Lyon, James Corbin and Jonathan Payson from Plaine hill, were appointed, "to re- monstrate to the committee from abroad the circumstances of the town, and the arguments they have to offer as to which place they think best, and to write to such committee, provide for and pay them."

These wise men decided "in favor of burying-place spot," the site now occupied by the Congregational church edifice on Woodstock hill. William Lyon, Eliphalet Carpenter and John Chandler, Jr., served as building committee. The house was raised with due solemnities and rejoicing in April, 1720, and the work of building carried on with unwonted celerity. Much at- tention was given to style and ornament. A body of seats occu- pied the floor. A pew for the minister was built east of the pul- pit. Sixteen other worthies were allowed the privilege of build- ing wall-pews for themselves, the minister's serving for a stand- ard. The leading citizen of the town, Captain John Chandler,

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

was allowed to build next to the pulpit stairs. Following him in order were Samuel Morris, John Chandler, Jr., Samuel Perrin, Jabez Corbin, John Marcy, Deacon Edward Morris, Deacon John Johnson, James Corbin, Eliphalet Carpenter, Jonathan Payson, Joseph Bartholomew, Edmond Chamberlain, Joseph Lyon, Zach- ariah Richardson and John Morse.

The cost of this house proved so great a burden to the town that an effort was made to procure a tax upon the land owned by Roxbury non-residents, which called forth a most indignant re- monstrance from the citizens of the mother town, and a prompt re- jection by the general court. The new house was occupied be- fore completion, the materials of the previous house being used in its construction. Its formal " seating " was not accomplished till 1725, when it was referred to Colonel Chandler and the two dea- cons, " rules to be observed-age, charge, usefulness." Suitable and desirable young people were allowed to build pews in the hind part of the galleries.

In the following year Woodstock parted with its first minister. The pleasant relations of early years had been succeeded by pro- longed uneasiness and wrangling. With many good points, Mr. Dwight was erratic and headstrong. His small salary was poor- ly paid and in attempting to eke it out by land jobbing and " great strokes of husbandry," he incurred much censure. Diffi- culties at length reached such a point that a ministerial council was convened, which opined that while there were articles in Mr. Dwight's conduct which were exceptionable and justly grievious to the people, there was nothing that might not be ac- commodated by suitable methods in a Christian spirit. Mr. Dwight in a long, peculiar and pathetic "declaration " the fol- lowing Sabbath, left his "staying or going off " for his people to determine, expressing, however, his choice "to finish life and labors together in this place." A town meeting was at once called to consider the question-" Whether it be the opinion of the town that it will be for the glory of God, the interest of re- ligion, and the peace and comfort of the town, that the labors of Mr. Dwight should be continued further among us." To the as- tonishment of all, and more especially of the pastor, the town voted in the negative, "sixty against one, and one was neutral." Surprised and disheartened by unexpected opposition and alien- ation, Mr. Dwight at once resigned his ministerial office in Woodstock, the town voting his "total, immediate dismission."

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The lack of formal church co-operation and ministerial concur- rence in this dismission prolonged the controversy for a num- ber of years.

The succeeding pastorate of Reverend Amos Throop, ordained May 24th, 1727, was as harmonious as that of Mr. Dwight had been stormy. Various secular matters were now under consid- eration. As early as 1720 Colonel John Chandler had presented a petition to the general court for the erection of a new county in the south of Massachusetts, to be called Worcester. A bill was presented, ordered to be considered, and then indefinitely deferred. Renewed Indian hostilities gave much annoyance. Colonel John Chandler and his son William were much occupied in military affairs, the latter having charge of a frontier guard for many months. Woodstock households were again gathered into garrisons, and exposed to perils and anxieties. A rumored invasion of Worcester, in 1724, called out a most urgent appeal from that feeble settlement to Colonel Chandler, " having an ex- pectation that he would be a father to it."

In 1724 a final division of the remaining land in the south half was ordered. Some fifty odd pieces scattered about the tract were surveyed and numbered. The commons at Plaine hill and South Woodstock and some other pieces were reserved for pub- lic uses ; the remaining forty-five pieces of land, amounting to 1,681 acres, were divided among the representatives of the origi- nal proprietors. A number of rights were bought up by John Chandler, Jr., which were laid out to him in one strip of two hundred acres. Of the first settlers none were living but John Chandler, Joseph Bugbee and Jonathan Peake. Henry Bowen, John Marcy and Benjamin Griggs had recently deceased. The shares were distributed to thirty-six proprietors. The selectmen at this date were John Chandler, Smith Johnson, Edmond Cham- berlain, Jonathan Payson and Samuel Paine; assessors, Samuel Perrin, Payson and Chamberlain ; constables, Ephraim Child and John Holmes; highway surveyors, Samuel Lilly, Ebenezer Mor- ris, David Holmes and Maturin Allard ; tithing-men, Lieutenant Jabez Corbin and Daniel Abbot; fence viewers, John Child and Edward Morris, Jr .; hog-reeves, Zachariah Richardson, Joseph Wright, Joseph Lyon, Isaac Johnson and Henry Bowen ; leather sealer, Stephen Fay. Eliphalet Carpenter and Jonathan Payson served as licensed inn-keepers; John Chandler as retailer.

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In 1731 the new county movement carried the day, and Wood- stock, with many northward towns, was incorporated into Wor- cester county. This distant frontier town furnished the leading officers. Already colonel of the regiment, John Chandler, Sr., was now made judge of probate and chief justice of the court of common pleas. John Chandler, Jr., was appointed clerk of the court, and by especial request of the inhabitants removed his residence to Worcester. The first court in the new county was held in Judge Chandler's Woodstock mansion, wherein much le- gal and public business was transacted. A new road was now laid out from Worcester to Woodstock line, to accommodate bus- iness and travel. Woodstock ranked among the foremost towns of the county, its tax list only surpassed by some of the older townships. A well-patronized select school gave evidence of prosperity and progress. Some seventy pupils were reported by its master, Thaddeus Mason, including pupils from the best fam- ilies in Pomfret and Killingly. An attempt was made to estab- lish a permanent Grammar or high school-the town voting to build a school house for the accommodation of grown children, not hindering subordinate schools. This vote called out one of Woodstock's characteristic controversies. Thirty out of sixty- nine voters dissented from this vote. A strong memorial was immediately prepared, signed by Colonel Chandler, Eliphalet Carpenter, John Holmes, Henry Bowen, and other prominent men, showing that this matter had been laid over to this June 8th, 1730, "to be farther considered on," but instead was not only considered "but transacted upon in a way very grievous to a great number of the inhabitants," and for "preventing any contests, heats or disputes," desired that another town meeting might be called. Though held in the busiest time of the year over a hundred voters were present at this meeting. The for- mer vote was annulled, the new school house for "grown chil- dren " countermanded, and directions given for repairing the old Plaine hill school house.

In 1731 liberty was given to build a school house in the north half. The appointed committee affixed the site, east side the highway leading from the house of Ephraim Child to Maturin Allard's, but this site was considered too far eastward. Captain Payson, Moses Barrett, Joseph Chaffee, Jonathan Bugbee and Nathaniel Sanger were appointed a committee to view the site ; John May, Benjamin Child and Maturin Allard, to take care of

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building said house, but still the work did not go forward. Sev- eral other families of Child had now settled in this section, and many children were growing up, and while waiting to agree up- on a building site schools were maintained in private houses. John May and Jonathan Morse taught in the winter; school ma'ams were employed in the several sections in the summer.

The town at this date was much exercised by a controversy with its most prominent citizen, Judge Chandler. Deacon Wil- liam Lyon superseded him as moderator of town meeting; Isaac Tiffany as town clerk; David Holmes as town treasurer. Judge Chandler refused to deliver up the town records, "because pro- prietors' concerns are mixt with ye town's," and declined "to transcribe what belongs to proprietors from the town books " without some adequate compensation. The town, on her part, refused to be at the charge " of transcribing proprietors' concerns from town affairs," and ordered the selectmen "to get and pro- cure town books from Hon. John Chandler, as speedily as they can by the most prudential ways and means as they shall judge best."

Judge Chandler also disagreed with the town in relation to the settlement of a minister in place of Reverend Amos Throop, deceased. A call was extended to Mr. John Hovey to become their pastor. A tendency to override technicalities, and manage affairs in a somewhat independent fashion, was severely cen- sured by the honorable judge, who "apprehended the whole proceedings both in church and town were the product of arbi- trary or mobbish principles, and the foundation being laid upon the sand, the superstructure cannot long continue." The town responded by appointing as agents Deacon William Lyon, Cap- tain Payson and Lieutenant Morris, “ To demand, sue for and re- cover the town book of records." Mr. Hovey declining this ir- regular call, the town concurred with the church in sending to New Haven " to invite Mr. Abel Stiles to preach with them by way of probation." A large majority expressing their satisfac- tion with the ministerial performances and qualifications of the candidate, he was ordained pastor of church and town, July 27th, 1737. Able and accomplished, the only drawback in this rela- tion was Mr. Stiles' preference for Connecticut's form of church government. He did not, however, explicitly refuse to sign the church covenant, but presented a written statement of his own views and principles, which was considered satisfactory. This

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 83

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