History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 90

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

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The first white settler, as far as is known, came to Killingly in 1693. He was Richard Evans from Rehoboth. He had pur- chased of the Reverend James Pierpont a two hundred acre grant, for twenty pounds. Little is known of him, and the bounds of his farm cannot now be identified. It was in what was subsequently called the South Neighborhood of Thompson, and is now included in Putnam. In those early days his establish- ment served as a landmark, by which many other purchases were located.

In 1694 Reverend Noadiah Russel secured two hundred acres five miles southeast of Woodstock, east of the Quinebaug, "lands that bound it not taken up." In 1695 seventeen hundred acres, scat- tered about on Five Mile river, southeast from Evans', were con- firmed to James Fitch, Moses Mansfield, Reverend Mr. Bucking- ham and Samuel Rogers. This was "the wild land in Kil- lingly," afterward granted by Major Fitch to Yale College. In- dian troubles interfered with further movements toward settle- ment, and Evans was probably the only settler here before the close of that century. When peace with the Indians was established, land speculation began here again. This valley of the Quinebaug, extending from the Great Falls, now in Put- nam, to Lake Mashapaug, was then known as Aspinock, and had attracted the attention of Woodstock men, who saw value in it. Turpentine was gathered in large quantities from its numerous pine trees by that enterprising trader, James Corbin.

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While engaged in this work in his employ, Joseph Leavens, a young man, was one day bitten on the thumb by a rattlesnake. There being no help near, the young man coolly chopped off the bitten thumb with his axe, and then killed the snake. His life was saved, but his thumb was lost, and in after years the Indians gave him the nickname, "Old One-thumb." In 1699 Reverend Russel sold his land to Peter and Nathaniel Aspinwall, Samuel Perrin and Benjamin Griggs, for twenty pounds. Lieutenant Aspinwall then settled on the land, a mile southeast of the falls.

In 1703 Aspinwall bought of Caleb Stanley two hundred acres south of Mashapaug lake. The land adjoining it westward and extending to the Quinebaug was laid out to Thomas Bucking- ham, and sold by him to Captain John Sabin of Mashamoquet, whose daughter Judith, married young Joseph Leavens, and re- ceived this beautiful valley farm as her marriage portion. James and Peter Leavens bought up land grants and also settled in this vicinity. Other settlers soon followed. These settlers, the pioneers of Killingly, located on or near the Quinebaug, mostly between the falls and Mashapaug lake, on the land called As- pinock, at distances of three, four and five miles from Wood- stock. As details of the settlement of those parts of original Killingly which are now included in Thompson and Putnam are given in connection with the history of those towns, it will be unnecessary to repeat them further in this connection. We shall therefore confine our review now as far as practicable to the territory of the present town of Killingly.

The first settler south of Lake Mashapaug was James Daniel- son, of Block Island, who in 1707 purchased of Major Fitch "the neck of land " between the Quinebaug and Assawaga rivers, for a hundred and seventy pounds. Mr. Danielson had served in the Narragansett war, and his name appears on the list of officers and soldiers who received the township of Voluntown in recom- pense for their services. Tradition tells us that he passed through the Whetstone country on an expedition against the Nipmucks, and stopping to rest his company on the interval be- tween these rivers, was so well pleased with the locality that he then declared that when the war should be ended he would settle there. Nothing more is known of him until thirty years later, when he bought the land from the junction of the rivers, "ex- tending up stream to the middle of the long interval." Tra- dition adds that he first traded with the natives, receiving for a

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trifle all that he could see from the top of a high tree, but found that Major Fitch had forestalled him, so then he bought out his claim. Mr. Danielson at once took possession of his purchase, built a garrison house near its southern extremity and was soon known as one of the most prominent men in the new settlement. No other settler appeared in this vicinity for several years. The land south from Acquiunk-the name given by the Indians to this locality-was held by Plainfield proprietors, under their purchase from Owaneco, and no attempt was made for many years to bring it into market.

The settlers in this locality were few in number, but their re- moteness from the seat of government and independent mode of settlement made the organization of a town government very desirable. Their deeds of land transfer had to be recorded in Hartford, Plainfield and Canterbury. In May, 1708, the assem- bly granted town privileges to the people here, the patent of which set forth the bounds as follows: "Northerly on the line of the Massachusetts Province (it being by estimation about) five miles from the line between this Colony and the Colony of Rhode Island and the river called Assawaug; easterly on the said line between the said colonies; southerly, partly on the northern boundary of Plainfield and partly on a line to be con- tinued east from the northeast corner bounds of Plainfield to the said line between the said Colonies ; the said northern boundary of Plainfield being settled by order of the General Court, May the 11th, 1699, and westerly on the aforesaid river; the said township being by estimation about eight or nine miles in length and five or six miles in breadth, be the same more or less." The men named in the patent, as representing the proprietors, were Colonel Robert Treat, Major James Fitch, Captain Dan Wether- ell, Joseph Haynes, Samuel Andrew, George Denison, James Danielson, David Jacobs, Samuel Randall, Peter Aspinwall and Joseph Cady.

Grantees now hastened to take up their lands and sell them to settlers, so that population increased much more rapidly than in the richer neighborhoods owned by corporations and large land-holders. The land north of Danielson's, extending from the middle of " the long interval" to Lake Mashapaug, was con- veyed by Major Fitch to John, Nathaniel and Nicholas Mighill ; a farm east of the lake was sold to John Lorton ; David Church, of Marlborough, and William Moffat settled in the Quinebaug

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valley, adjoining James Leavens. Many grants were bought up by Nicholas Cady north of Rattlesnake hill, in the neighborhood of Richard Evans, and sold by him to George Blanchard, of Lexington, Thomas Whitmore, William Price, John and Samuel Winter, John Bartlett, William Robinson and others, who at once took possession of this northern extremity of the town.

The claimants of lands within the bounds of original Killingly having located, described and recorded their lands, the remain- ing lands within the limits were given to the proprietors in com- mon, and on October 13th, 1709, the payment of forty pounds through the agency of Captain Chandler having been made, a patent for the remaining lands was given by the governor and company of Connecticut to the following proprietors: Colonel Robert Treat, Major James Fitch, Captain John Chandler, Jos- eph Otis, James Danielson, Ephraim Warren, Peter Aspinwall, Joseph Cady, Richard Evans, Sr. and Jr., John Winter, Stephen Clap, John and William Crawford, George Blanchard, Thomas Whitmore, John Lorton, Jonathan Russel, Daniel Cady, William Price, William Moffat, James and Joseph Leavens, John, Nath- aniel and Nicholas Mighill, John Bartlett, Samuel Winter, Eben- ezer Kee, Isaac and Jonathan Cutler, Peter Leavens, Sampson Howe, John Sabin, John Preston, Philip Eastman, David Church, Thomas Priest, Nicholas Cady, John, Thomas, Matthew, Jabez and Isaac Allen. Nearly one-third of these forty-four patentees were non-residents, so that Killingly probably num- bered at that date about thirty families. Only a small part of the territory was inhabited, and that mostly in the Quinebaug valley and the open country north of Killingly hill.

An extensive rise of land in the eastern part of the town was called Chestnut hill. A broad open plateau lay upon the top of this hill, while its steep sides were heavily wooded. This very desirable spot of ground was included in the grants laid out to John and Joseph Haynes, Timothy Woodbridge and Governor Treat; sold by them to John Allen; by him to Captain John Chandler, who sold the whole tract-2,400 acres, for £312-to Eleazer and Thomas Bateman, of Concord, Samuel and Thomas Gould, Nathaniel Lawrence, Ebenezer Bloss, Thomas Richard- son and Ebenezer Knight, joint proprietors. John Brown, Moses Barret, Josiah Proctor, Daniel Carrol, Samuel Robbins, Daniel Ross and John Grover were soon after admitted among the Chestnut hill proprietors. Home lots were laid out on the hill

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summit, but the remainder of the land was held in common by them for many years. A road was laid over the hill-top and car- ried on to Cutler's mill and the Providence way. The remainder of Haynes' grant was laid out east of Assawaga river, bordering south on Whetstone brook, and was purchased by Nicholas Cady, who, in 1709, removed his residence hither. This tract, together with Breakneck hill on the east, and much other land in this vicinity, passed into the hands of Ephraim Warren, son of Dea- con Jacob Warren, of Plainfield, and who was one of the first settlers of Killingly Centre. The Owaneco land in the southern part of Killingly, held by Plainfield residents, was still unsettled and undivided, though many rights were sold or bartered. Ed- ward Spalding bought the rights of James Kingsbury and Wil- liam Marsh for £1, 10s. each. In 1708 Michael Hewlett pur- chased Parkhurst's right for one pound. Jacob Warren sold his right in this land to Nicholas Cady in exchange for land north of Whetsone brook, southwest from Chestnut hill, in 1710. Thomas Stevens at the same date sold his share to Ephraim Warren. John Hutchins bought out the rights of Nathaniel Jewell and Samuel Shepard.

Previous to this time the north line of Killingly had been what was known as Woodward and Saffery's line, then recognized as the boundary between Massachusetts and Connecticut, which line crossed what is now the southern part of Thompson. In 1713 this line was exchanged for a new one, six or seven miles farther north, which has since been recognized. As the charter of Killingly named the Massachusetts line as its north bound, the town now claimed the enlargement thus created. This claim was, however, denied by the government, by whom the north bounds of Killingly were declared " not to be above nine miles to the northwards of the said south bounds." But Kil- lingly was persistent in asserting its claims, which were recog- nized by the courts, and this town continued to exercise juris- diction over the territory in question, and admitting the people living upon it to ecclesiastical and civil rights in the town. In 1728 this territory was constituted a distinct society. By the government that society was regarded as independent of any town, but the society itself and the town of Killingly regarded it as belonging to that town, and so continued to exercise the conditions of such an association until the society became an or- ganized town in 1785. At that time the dividing line between

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Killingly and Thompson was agreed upon as a due east and west line between the Rhode Island line and the Quinebaug river, which line should run through the middle of a certain " heap of stones about two feet south of the garden wall owned by Mr. John Mason." The mansion house of Mr. John Mason, near the garden wall spoken of, is that now owned and occupied by Mr. William Converse, of Putnam.

The population of Killingly continued to increase. Daniel Cady removed to the south part of Pomfret, Nicholas Cady to Preston; but others took their places. Robert Day settled south of Whetstone brook in 1717. Nell-Ellick Saunders-afterward called Alexander-bought land of the non-resident Mighills in 1721, near Lake Mashapaug, which soon took the name of Alexander's lake, which has since clung to it. Joseph Covill, Philip Priest, Andrew Phillips and John Comins, of Charlestown, were admitted among the Chestnut hill company. John Hutch- ins, of Plainfield, is believed to have taken possession of the north part of the Owaneco purchase about 1720. In 1721 the town of Killingly laid out and distributed its first division of public lands. About eighty persons received shares of this land. No record is preserved of the terms and extent of this division. During this year the train-band was organized. Joseph Cady was chosen captain, Ephraim Warren lieutenant, and Thomas Gould ensign. Of the progress of schools, roads and many pub- lic affairs at that time, no knowledge can be obtained. A bur- ial ground south of the Providence road was given to the town by Peter Aspinwall at an early date.

The first town meeting in Killingly of which there is existing record was held November 25th, 1728. But forty-four regularly admitted freemen were then reported, not half the adult male residents. Justice Joseph Leavens was moderator of that meet- ing. He was also chosen town clerk and first selectman. Eleazer Bateman, Isaac Cutler, Joseph Cady and Benjamin Bixby were also chosen townsmen; Robert Day, constable: Thomas Gould and Jonathan Clough, branders; Joseph Barret and John Rus- sel, grand jurymen ; Daniel Clark, Jabez Brooks, William Whit- ney, Israel Joslin, William Larned and Daniel Lawrence, sur- veyors ; Daniel Waters, Andrew Phillips, Nathaniel Johnson and Jaazaniah Horsmor, listers ; Benjamin Barret and Jacob Comins, fence viewers; John Hutchins, tithing man. Peter Aspinwall, James Leavens, Sampson Howe and Joseph Cady still remained

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in charge of the public lands of the town. The school moneys were proportioned to the two societies according to their respec- tive lists. A year later a committee was appointed to lay out highways in Thompson parish, which was in 1730 recognized as a parish belonging to the town of Killingly, by an act of the as- sembly. The military company of the south part of Killingly was now re-organized with Ephraim Warren, captain; Isaac Cutler, lieutenant; and Samuel Danielson, ensign. Isaac Cut- ler, Sampson Howe and Mrs. Mary Lee were allowed to keep houses of public entertainment.

Mr. James Danielson, one of the early and enterprising settlers of Killingly, laid out a burial ground between the rivers, on his land, and was himself the first one to be buried in it. The in- scription on the earliest stone in that ground is as follows :

"In memory of the well beloved Mr. James Danielson, who, after he had served God and his generation faithfully many years in this life, did, with the holy disciple, lean himself upon the breast of his Beloved, and sweetly fell asleep in the cradle of death, on the 22d day of January, A. D. 1728, in the 80th year of his age. 'A saint carries the white stone of absolution in his bosom, and fears not the day of judgment.'"

Mr. Danielson left a son Samuel in possession of his home- stead and much landed property. Among his estate were five negroes, valued at six hundred pounds.

The first settler of South Killingly, Jacob Spalding, was thrown from his cart and instantly killed, in 1728. He left two young children, Simeon and Damaris. His widow afterward married Edward Stewart, a reputed scion of the royal family of Scotland. Shepard Fisk, afterward a prominent man in public affairs, settled near Killingly Centre prior to 1730. Daniel Law- rence, of Plainfield, settled on a farm in the Owaneco purchase, and title to land " south of Manhumsqueag bounds," was con- firmed to him. One of the first residents of Killingly hill was probably Noah, son of Joseph Leavens, who established himself on its southern extremity about 1740. The road over and west of the hill was often altered to suit the convenience of the in- habitants. Samuel Cutler was allowed to open his house for travelers in 1740. The tavern stand afterward known as War- ren's, at the fork of the roads, a half mile east of Cutler's, was first occupied by John Felshaw in 1742. In the same year John Hutchins was licensed to keep a tavern in the south part of the

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town. Pounds were allowed in different neighborhoods for se- curing stray animals belonging to this or other towns, which were running at large over the commons of Killingly and becom- ing a source of great annoyance and damage to the people. In 1749, when by direction of assembly the bounds of the town, in- cluding Thompson parish, were more definitely settled and es- tablished than they had before been, the town then being divi- ded into three societies, the taxable property in the north socie- ty (Thompson) amounted to £8,850; that in the middle society, £4,359; and that in the south society, £6,112.

Killingly was greatly disturbed in 1759, by the discovery of a gang of counterfeiters within her borders, engaged "in the vile crime of aiding in making counterfeit bills of credit." A son of one of her most respectable citizens was implicated in this affair, convicted, and sentenced to perpetual confinement. A large number of his fellow townsmen interceded in his behalf, "that they had known him from a child, and known him to be honest and regular, and took care of his aged father and mother, to as good acceptance as could be, and was in good credit among his neighbors, as little mistrusted as any young man in town, and were of opinion that he was over persuaded by evil minded per- sons." Through these representations, and his own declaration that he had been importuned by a certain Frenchman and others, the assembly granted the prisoner liberty "to remove to Killingly and there dwell and remain."

In January, 1775, a number of public-spirited citizens secured from Reverend Aaron Brown and Sampson Howe a deed of about three acres of land adjoining the meeting house lot, for the ben- efit of the public as a common forever. In South Killingly af- fairs seem to have been less prosperous than in the middle and northern societies. Unity was wanting in the ecclesiastical af- fairs, three different churches claiming the field and struggling for existence there.

Captain John Felshaw, long prominent in town and public af- fairs, died at an advanced age, in 1782. His famous tavern was held for a time by Samuel Felshaw, and sold in 1797, to Captain Aaron Arnold, of Rhode Island. Business at this time was de- veloping. A store was opened on the hill by Sampson Howe. William Basto engaged in the manufacture of hats. Stout chairs and excellent willow baskets were made by Jonathan and Joseph Buck. During the early part of the present century manufac-

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turing received much attention, and a very considerable impulse was given to the business development of the town. This im- pulse was also manifested in other activities. The mineral re- sources of the town were sought out and brought before the pub- lic. The old Whetstone hills were found to enclose valuable quarries of freestone, suitable for building purposes. Rare and beautiful detached stones, as well as extensive quarries, were found on Breakneck hill. A rich bed of porcelain clay was dis- covered on Mashentuck hill, which was pronounced by good -judges to equal the best French or Chinese clay. Indications of lead and still more valuable ores were also reported. These mineral treasures, however, have never been developed to any profitable degree. The quality of the clay proved unequal to what was anticipated, and a lack of facilities have prevented the realization of the sanguine expectations of those early years.

In 1836 the town had five post offices, all of which retained the town name, the cardinal points being used to distinguish four of them from the fifth, as well as from one another. At that time the Centre postmaster was J. Field; North, Luther Warren; East, H. Peckham; South, Cyrus Day; West, George Danielson.

The expense of taking care of the poor was in early years con- siderable of a burden upon the town, and measures were taken to avoid, as much as possible, the increase of that burden. The custom of farming out the poor to whoever would keep them at the lowest price was commonly practiced. During the latter part of the last century a work house appears to have been tem- porarily provided from year to year, and some citizen appointed to have charge of it. In this way the poor were made practically self-supporting. About 1833 a permanent house was secured, which was said to be a very poor house. An Indian woman, who went there to live, after the wind had demolished her own wig- wam, approved the accommodations, saying, when asked how she liked her new home: "Pretty well, 'cos we live just like In- juns."

Among the first public movements of this town in the direc- tion of providing highways within the limits of the present town, was the opening of a "gangway," which in fact was al- ready there when the town was organized, in 1709, leading from Plainfield to Boston. This extended through the entire length of the town, connecting by a cross road with the ways to Hart- ford and Woodstock, at the fording place below the Great Falls

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of the Quinebaug. Its condition may be inferred from the tra- dition that when James Danielson's negro was sent to Boston with a load of produce, he had made so little progress after a day's journey that he went home to sleep the first night. The Providence way, after encircling the base of Killingly hill, wound back far to the north, past Isaac Cutler's residence, enabling the inhabitants to procure boards from his saw mill, and helping to build up that remote section. Mr. Cutler was early allowed to keep a house of entertainment, and his tavern was noted as the last landmark of civilization, on the road from Connecticut to Providence. Other parts of the town were then only accommo- dated with rude bridle paths.

About the year 1729 the organization of the town seemed to take a fresh impetus, and among other matters that received re- newed attention, the roads were remodelled and placed in better condition. Chestnut hill settlers were allowed a way from Ser- geant Ebenezer Knight's at the south end of the hill, northward over the hill to Lieutenant Isaac Cutler's, " as the road was laid out by Chestnut hill purchasers through their tract." . Bridle roads with gates for passing, crossing the hill, were also allowed from Ebenezer Knight's to John Lorton's,and from Ebenezer Brooks' to Joseph Barret's. A highway was also ordered from the bridge over Whetstone brook to the settlement in South Killingly, and a cart-bridge over Little river in Daniel Lawrence's field. In 1731, Captain Warren, Captain Howe and George Blanchard were appointed " to perambulate the highway that comes from Plain- field, leading toward Oxford," remove nuisances and report need- ful alterations. This important road, communicating with Bos- ton, Norwich and New London, was then thoroughly perambu- lated and surveyed, from John Hutchins' on the south to Na- thaniel Brown's on the north-a distance of eighteen or twenty miles-and some important alterations suggested. Instead of winding westward around the base of Killingly hill, it was now carried "to a heap of stones on a rock upon the hill," facilitating settlement on this beautiful eminence.

In 1749 a road was laid out in the south part of the town, to accommodate the inhabitants traveling to the south meeting house, beginning on Voluntown line, "near the road now laid to the saw mill standing on Moosup," and extending to the bridge over Whetstone brook. A bridle road was also laid out from Daniel Waters' to the south meeting house, and the road over

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the north side of Chestnut hill leading to "where the old meet- ing house stood," was turned east of Enoch Moffatt's house, over a brook, to the new house of worship. A road was completed directly from Providence to the south part of Killingly in 1750, and a new bridge built over the Quinebaug, near Captain Sam- uel Danielson's. A committee was thereupon appointed to lay out a convenient road through the town from this bridge to the Providence highway. A road was also laid out from this con- venient bridge northeast, to Five Mile river ; also, one from the old burial place to the new meeting house on Killingly hill, and " others in different parts of the town. A committee was appoint- ed, December 1st, 1754, " to view and survey our country roads, and take quit-claim deeds of all the persons who owned lands where the roads cross." The road from Plainfield to Massachu- setts line through the town received especial attention. Quit- claim deeds were received from John Hutchins and his sons, Joseph, Wyman, Ezra and Silas Hutchins, Willard Spalding, Samuel Danielson, Daniel Waters, Boaz Stearns, Daniel Davis and many others. The length of this road, as thus surveyed, was found to be seventeen miles 250g rods.

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 90

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