USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854 > Part 6
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In 1675, the General Court first acted in relation to the bounda- ries of the new town. In various ways these gradually became settled, but had not been fully ratified till May, 1715, and the boun- daries of the North Purchase were not settled till 1724. The fol- lowing votes and reports explain themselves.
" May 1675 This Court appoynts Lieut Jos Judson, Mr John Bankes Ed- ward Worcester & Wm Judd to view the lands of Derby, Woodbury, Matta- tock, Pottatock & Wyantenuck & the distance between place & place, & to consider what may be suitable bounds for each town & present the same to the Court in October next.1
"October 1679-This Court desires & order the committee appoynted by this Court, May 13, 1675, to view the lands of Derby, Woodbury, Mattatock, Potatuck & Wyantenug &c. & to consider what may be suitable bounds for each town, that they attend the sayd service as soon as may be, & make report thereof to the Court in May next, & that no farm be layd out within eight miles of either of those places, till the committee have made their return.
· " October, 1680. To all whom it may concern &c, be it known, that we here- vnto subscribing in the behalfe of the plantations of Woodbury & Mattatuck, by the motion of honourable freinds & weighty arguments vs herennto induce- ing, have had a meeting upon the 29th of June 1650, in order to the settlement of the boundaryes between the sayd two plantations, and doe freely & vnany- mously agree and consent as followeth viz. that there be a line run due east from the westermost part of the bounds agreed and concluded between Matta- tuck & Derby to Mattatuck river & so that line to be runn from the sayd riner two miles & twelne score rodd due west, & then a line runn from the easter- most part of the great pond, comonly known by the name of Quassapange, from such a part of the pond as by vs allready is agreed on foner score rod due east, and then a straight line from that four score rod to the aforesaid west
1 Towns & Lands, vol. 8, pp. 152, 153, 154.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
corner between Derby & Mattatuek, & from the aforesaid corner fouer score rod due east from the aforesaid pond,-the bounds is agreed & concluded to run due north to the extent northward of each plantation bounds, and that this is our mutuall agreement and firm settlement of our dinident lines between our plantations aforesaid is signifyed by our subseribeing herevnto this 29th day of June in the year of our Lord Sixteen hundred & eighty.
JOHN MINOR WILLIAM JUDD JOSEPHI JUDSON THOMAS JUDD ISRAEL CURTICE JOHN STANDLY Jun
" May 1681. This Court have granted that the bounds for the plantation of Mattatuek, shall runn eight miles north from the town plott, as their stated bounds, and doe confirme and rattify the boundaryes agreed upon by Mattauck & Woodbury plantations and the boundaries agred upon between Mattatuck & Derby inhabitants, which more at large is sett down in their subscribed papers by the hands of the committees appoynted by cach plantation & Mattatock bounds on the east shall be upon Farmington bounds.
" Oet 1683. This Court grants that Woodbury bownds shall be seuen miles due west from Mattatuck west bownds which is eastward of the pond, about eight1 rods from said pond at the road, and the Court grants them eight miles from the north bownds of Derby where the line runs between Woodbury and Derby.
" May 1685. This Court appoyntes John Stanly of Mattatuck & Abell Gunn of Derby to lay out the north & west bownds of Woodbury from the Noreast corner seuen miles west, & from thenee south till it meets with Pototuck riuer & run by the river till it meets with Derby bounds.
" May 1686. This Court appoynts Lieut Ebenezer Johnson to joyn with John Standly of Mattatuek, in the laying out of the bowns of Woodbury accor- ding to the grant of the Court to sayd towne.
" May 1715. These may certify the generall assembly of the Colony of Con- nectient in New England or any concerned, that whereas wee the subscribers were by said assembly appointed to lay out the north & west bonnds of Wood- bury as may be seen upon record about the year 1685 or 86, pursuant to said act, wee began at their Northeast corner which was a white Oak tree standing in the dividing line between Waterbury and said Woodbury, and from thenee wee measured a west line seven miles, which extended west over Chippaug River about eighty rods upon a rising land & there wee marked a white Oak trce and laid up stones near it, which was the extent of their north bounds then granted. Wee do further testify by these, that wee did upon the second & third days of Nov 1714, draw a South line from said tree according to our
1 Eighty rods.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
best skill, which ended or abutted South upon Potatuck riuer, which ended directly against a brook on the other side of the river supposed to be or known by the name of Yanumpaug brook, and set up plentiful monuments in said South line.
EBENEZER JOHNSON JOHN STANLEY"
The above return was accepted by the Court in May, 1715, and the bounds of the town became fixed till the acquisition of the North Purchase, which was simply an addition to the old town.
At the May session of the General Court in 1684, Capt. John Minor and Lieut. Joseph Judson appeared as members. This was the first time the town had been represented, and at that session the Court granted that the "Woodbury sallery for their deputies shall be fifty shillings a session." This would probably be considered by the " magnates" who at present represent us yearly at the General Assembly, as rather a meager compensation. There was, however, a previous regulation, by which each town was to furnish the use of a suitable nag upon which its representatives might be carried, in proper state, to the place of legislation.
About the same time, uneasiness began to arise in the minds of some of the inhabitants, in relation to the title by which they held their lands. The territory of the town had originally been granted to the committee of the Second Church at Stratford, under the in- junction or proviso, that they should receive as many inhabitants to rights and privileges in their lands, as the plantation would conven- iently accommodate. The extent of territory was large, and it was a much more desirable place for habitation than most inland towns. Under these circumstanees, many persons offered to be admitted to the privileges of proprietorship in the plantation, and the authorities did not see fit to admit all of them. It was very natural for these persons to question the rights of those already located there, and to threaten to have the title by which they held their lands inquired into.
It is possible, that this was the particular moving cause, that induced the town to send deputies to the General Court this year, when it had rested very quietly without representation for ten years since its first legal organization as a town. Previous to this time the people had remained content with the measure of law and justice meted out to them by their committee of the principal men of the place, who ruled in accordance with the " written word."
.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
At the session of the General Court held in May, 1685, the citi- zens petitioned for a Patent in due and ample form. For some reason, it was not acted on or not granted at that or the next session. But at the May session, 1686, it was granted in legal form, a copy of which follows :
Woodbury Patent.
Whereas the Generall Court of Conecticutt have formerly granted unto the Inhabitants of the town of Woodbury all those Lands within these following abutments viz. on Mattatuck1 Bownds & the Comons in part on the East, & on the Comons on the North, & upon potatuck Riuer the Midle of the Streame & the Comons on the West, & upon Derby Bownds on the Sowth, & is about Eight Miles in length & Seuen miles in bredth East & west; the Sayd lands haveing been by purchass or otherwise lawfully obteyned of the Indian natiue proprietors ; & whereas the prietors, Inhabitants of Woodbury in the colony conectieut in New England, haue made application to the Governor & company of the Sayd colony of conectient, assembled the 14th day of May 1685, that they might haue a patent for confirmation of the aforesayd lands to them, so purchased and granted to them as aforesd & which they have stood seized & quietly possessed of for some years last past, without Interuption ; now for a more full confirmation of the afoarsd Traets of land (as it is butted & Bownded afoarsd) unto the present proprietors of the sayd Township of woodbury, know yee ; that the Sayd Governor & company, assembled in Generall court, accor- ding to the Commission & by vertue of the power Granted to them by our late Soveraigne Lord king Charles the 2d of Happy memory, in his letters patents, bear- ing date the Three & Twentyeth day of Aprill in the fowerteenth year of his sd Maties Reigne, haue giuen & granted, & by these presents doe gine, grant, rattify & Confirme unto Lnt Joseph Judson, Mr Zachary Walker, Capt. John Minor, Mr. John Hurd & Ensigne John Wyot, & all the rest of the Sayd present proprietors of the Township of Woodbury & their heires & assignes for Euer & to each of them in such proportion as they haue allready agreed upon for the division of the same, all that afoarsayd Tract or pacells of lands as it is butted & Bownd- ed, together with all the woods, uplands, arable lands, Meadowes, pastures, waters, Rivers, Islands, fishings, Huntings fowlings, mines, Mineralls, Quarries & precious stones upon or within the sayd Tracts of land, with all other proflits & comodities thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining, & doe allso Grant unto the afoarnamed Ln' Joseph Judson, M' Zachary walker, Capt. Jnº Minor m' John Hurd & Ensigne John Wyott & all the rest of the present proprietors, Inhabitants of woodbury theire heires & assignes foreuer, that the afoarsayd Tracts of lands shall be foreuer hereafter deemed, reputed & be an Intire Township of itselfe, to hane & to hold the Sayd Tracts of land & premi- ses with all & singular their appurtenances, together with the Immunities, priviledges & franchizes herein giuen & Granted to the sayd Lnt. Joseph Jud- son, Mr. Zachary Walker, Capt" John Minor Mr. Jolm Hurd & Ensign John Wyott & all other present proprietors Inhabitants of woodbury, their heires & assignes forever, & to the onely proper use & behoofe of the Sayd Lnt Joseph
1 Waterbury.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Judson, m' Zachary walker, Captn John Minor, in' John Hurd & Ensigne John Wyott & others, all the present proprietors, Inhabitants of woodbury their heirs & assignes foreuer according to the Tenor of his Maties Manor of East Green- wich in the County of kent in the kingdom of England in free & cominon Soccage & not in Capitee nor by knight seruice, they yielding & payeing therefore to our Soucraigne lord the king, his heirs & Successors, oncly the fifth part of all the oare of Gold & Silucr, which from time to time & at all times hereafter shall be there gotten, liad or obtayned in Liew of all rents services, dutyes & demands whatsoeuer, according to Charter.
in Witnesse whereof we have caused the Scale of the Colony to be herevnto affixed, this Seventeenth of May 1656, & In the Second yeare of the reigne of our Soveraigne lord James the second, by the grace of God of England, Scot- land, france & Ireland, king, defender of the fayth &e.
ROBERT TREATE Governor.
pr. order of the Generall Court of Conecticut, Signed
pr. JOHN ALLYN Secretary.
March 30, 1657. pr. order of the Governor & Company of the Colony of Conectient, Signed pr. JOHN ALLYN Secretary.
The abone written wth that on the other side, is a true coppy of the originall, being Examined & compared therewith May 19, 1666.
pr. JOHN ALLYN Secretary.
At the May session, 1703, this Patent was confirmed, for what reason does not appear, except that an act was passed that session making the soil in all the patented towns an estate in fee simple. It is not known that any question in relation to its validity ever arose. The town during the same year confirmed all grants of land which it had previously made.
At the same session it was resolved that
" This Court doe grant to Woodbury an addition to their township, vizt from the west bounds of Waterbury upon a parrallel line to the north-east bounds of the purchase made by the good people of Milford at Wiantenock." (New Milford.)
This grant was not ordered to be surveyed till the October session in 1723. This was done by the surveyor of Fairfield County, who made his report to the May session of the Court in 1724. By it we learn that this tract, which was called the North Purchase, and included the present town of Bethlem and a part of Washington, contained seventeen thousand four hundred and eighty-two acres and sixty rods of land. A Patent, in due form, was issued, bounding it east by Waterbury, north by a line drawn from the N. W. corner bounds of Waterbury, W. 5º 30' N. to the N. E. corner of New Mil- ford, west by New Milford, and south by the original town of Woodbury.
The town, having obtained this grant of the Court in. 1703, com- menced negotiations for the purchase of the same of the Indians, but
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
did not complete the bargain till June 23d, 1710, when a deed was executed by Nunawague, Chesguneage, Cockshury, Wussuttanunek- quet and Sasaw, describing the tract as being by estimation " seven or eight miles east & west & about five or six miles north & south at ye east end & about two or three miles north & south at ye west end as granted to the town by the General Court," bounded east on Waterbury, south on the original town of Woodbury, west on New Milford "alias Oantanuck," and "northerly on our own land as yet."" This is the "North Purchase " shown on the accompanying map.
The town had now full and undisputed title to its entire limits, both from the General Court and the native proprietors. Ilaving been somewhat minute in tracing the title of our fathers to their habitations, we pass on more rapidly with other particulars in their history.
1 W. T. R., vol. 2, p. 179.
5
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CHAPTER V.
CIVIL HISTORY CONTINUED.
CHARACTER OF THE FIRST SETTLERS ; CAPT. JOHN MINOR; CAPT. WILLIAM CURTISS ; HON. SAMUEL SHERMAN; HON. JOHN SHERMAN ; LIEUT. JOSEPH JUDSON ; LIEUT. ISRAEL CURTISS ; COL. JOSEPH MINOR ; HACKALIAH PRESTON ; HON. WILLIAM PRESTON.
WE come now to a pleasing task, the contemplation of the char- acter of our forefathers, who subdued the wilderness, and left to our inheritance these pleasant valleys and hills. They were emphatically a moral and religious people, and retired to this forest land to enjoy more freely their religious opinions, than they could even in the older towns of the Colony.
The original signers to the Fundamental Articles, as we have seen, were seventeen in number. Fifteen of these undoubtedly removed to the new plantation during the first year. It is not cer- tain that the two aged planters, Samuel Sherman, Sen., and Joseph Judson, Sen., ever resided here, although they had larger "accom- modations " than most of the other planters.
Of their minister and head, Rev. Zechariah Walker, who did not move with the first company, an account will be given in a subsequent chapter, and our limits will allow us only. to notice a few others, which may serve for a sample of the whole.
First among the settlers, men of note in Woodbury, and foremost in all difficult undertakings, was John Minor, an interpreter to the Indians, a justice of the quorum among the magistrates, a captain in the militia, and a deaeon in the church. IIe was also a surveyor, a necessary and important character in a new country. All the Indian deeds in this region were executed before him, from his being able to act as interpreter. IIe was town-clerk of Stratford for ten years from 1666, with the exception of a year, and held the same office in Woodbury for thirty years from its beginning. He was
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
also, for twenty years, almost always a member of the General Court, held an influential position there, and was frequently appointed on committees for the composing of serious differences and the solving of difficult questions. Early in life he acquired a good knowledge of the Indian dialects, and conversed in them with ease and fluency. In consequence of this, the rulers of the Colony wislied to prepare him for a preacher of the gospel to the Indians. In accordance with which desire, the General Court, Sept. 14th, 1654, expressed by positive action,
" Whereas, Notwithstanding former provision made for the conveyance of the knowledge of God to the Natives amongst us, little hath hitherto beene attended through want of an able Interpreter, this Courte being carnestly desirous to promote and further what lyes in them a worke of that nature, wherein the glory of God & the everlasting welfare of those poore, lost, naked sonnes of Adam is so deeply concerned, doe order that Thomas Mynor, of Pequott shall bee wrott unto from this Courte & desired that hee would forthwith send Ins sonne John Mynor to Hartford, where this Courte will provide for his main- tenance & schooling, to the end hee may bee for the present assistant to such eller, elders or others, as this Courte shall appoint, to interprett the things of God to ym as hee shall bec directed and in the meane time fitt himselfe to bee instrumentall that way as God shall fitt & ineline him thereunto for the future."1
Upon the 23d of Sept., 1654, the subject was brought before the Commissioners of the United Colonies, and they enacted,
" Upon a motion made to ye Commissioners by Capt Cullick, from the Gene- rall Courte of Connecticott, to take into y' consideration ye instruction of ye In- dians in theire Jurisdiction, in ye knowledge of God, and their desire yt John Minor might be enterteined as an interpreter, to communicate to ye said Indians those instructions weh shall bee delivered by Mr Stone, Mr Newton, or any other allowed by the Courte, and allso yt ye said Minor may be further instruct- ed and fitted by Mr Stone to bee a meete instrument to carry on the worke of propagating ye Gospel to ye Inchians, ye Commissioners conceivieng ye said propositions to be much conducing to ye propogating y' hopefull work, doe desire ye Magestrates of Connecticott to take care y' ye said Minor bee enter- tained at M' Stones, or some other meet placc, and they shall order y' due allowance bee made for his dyet and education out of the Corporation Stock. "2
Under this action, both John Minor and Jolm, son of Thomas Stanton, were received and kept at school and college for two or three years. Minor lived with Mr. Stone for some time after, and acted as interpreter for him when he preached to the Indians. But
1 Trumbull's Col. Rec., 265.
2 Rec. U. Colonies.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
he did not follow out the plan of his patrons. What induced him to turn his attention to other affairs, does not appear. He became, however, an honorable and useful citizen, turning his knowledge of the Indian tongue and his education to good account. He died at an advanced age, and was buried in the south-west part of the an- cient burying ground, but no stone remains to mark the spot-naught save a numerous posterity sleeping around him.
Capt. William Curtiss was another early founder of Woodbury, of high standing in the Colony, and one of the grantees of the planta- tion. IIe was from Roxbury, Mass. Ilis name was usually spelled "Curtice." It does not appear that he bought an interest in the plantation himself, but he was its fast friend, and sent two of his sons, Lieut. Israel and Joshua, with the first settlers. Ile was a member of the General Court ten or twelve years from Stratford ; often a commissioner, or justice of the peace ; and from year to year, appointed by the Court on important committees in various parts of the Colony. He was appointed Nov. 23d, 1673, captain of the forces raised in Fairfield County to serve against the Dutch at New Am- sterdam, (New York.) In Oct., 1675, he was appointed by the Gene- ral Court, captain of the sixty men to be raised in Fairfield County, to serve in King Philip's war, with power to appoint his inferior offi- cers. In May, 1676, when the people of Woodbury were at Strat- ford, on account of this war, he and Mr. Samuel Sherman were appointed commissioners for " Stratford and Woodbury."
Intimately associated with the last named, in all that related to the welfare of the new town, was the Ilon. Samuel Sherman. IIe was at the date of its settlement, undoubtedly the most distinguished man connected with the enterprise. He was from Dedham, Essex County, England, came to this country in 1634, and previous to the date of the new plantation, had been a leading man in the Colony. He had assisted in the settlement of several other towns in the Colo- ny, and now undertook the same for Woodbury. He had been a member of the Court of Assistants, or Upper House of the General Court, and supreme judicial tribunal, for five or six years from 1663, and held various offices and appointments of honor and trust. IIe is referred to in ancient deeds and documents as the "Worshipful Mr. Sherman." In 1676, as stated above, he was one of the com- missioners for "Stratford and Woodbury." It is not certain that he ever resided here, although he took a first class " accommodation" in the grant of the General Court. If he did not remove personally to Woodbury, he evidently caused his lands to be improved, in
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
accordance with the articles of the settlement. They are "recorded to" him on the 26th of May, 1675, and on the 22d of June, 1679, it is further recorded that " Mr. Sherman having injoyed and improved his accommodations to this 22d of June, 1679, according to the grant of ye town," has now an "absolute and positive record to him of the same according to law." He deceased previous to Oct., 1684, and his sons, Matthew and John, agreed on a division of said lands. He may have resided here, but it is probable that, being advanced in in years, and comfortably settled in Stratford, he continued to reside there till he was "gathered to his fathers." He furnished one son (John) for the first company, and subsequently two others. Samuel and Matthew, for other companies. His son, Hon. John Sherman, was one of the first company, and his fame is more partie- ularly the property of the town than the two last. He was distin- guished not only in his town, but also in the Colony. He was a justice of the quorum, or associate county court judge for forty-four years from 1684, a representative of the town seventeen sessions. and speaker of the Lower House in May and October, 1711, and May and October, 1712. Ile was town-clerk twenty-five years, and captain in the militia, a high honor in those days. He was the first judge of probate for the district of Woodbury, from its organization in 1719, for nine years. The district then comprised all the settled portion of the present county of Litchfield, and Waterbury in New Haven County. He was also an assistant for ten years from 1713.
Lieut. Joseph Judson, Sen., another subscriber to the Fundamental Articles, was a man of note before the removal to this town. He came from Concord, Mass. He was deputy to the General Court for some six years, and otherwise distinguished. After the settle- ment of Woodbury, he was sent as a deputy with John Minor to the session of 1684, being the first time the town had been represented, and continued to represent the town for four sessions afterward. He was one of the leaders of Rev. Mr. Walker's party at Stratford. He had a first class "accommodation," but it is not certain that he lived here till the close of his life, as a part of his land was after- ward sold to pay a ministerial rate. His son John, another " original signer," was a prominent individual in the town and Colony. He died 12th Jan., 1709-10, aged sixty-three years.
Lieut. Israel Curtiss, son of Capt. William, was another of the "original signers," and took a prominent part in the settlement and interests of the town. He was a lieutenant in the militia, and
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
represented the town at the May session, 1689, and for seventeen sessions afterward.
Colonel Joseph Minor, son of Capt. John, was not one of the " original signers," but was one of the early settlers, and for eighty years afterward held a prominent position. He attained the greatest age to which any inhabitant of the town has ever arrived since its settlement. Ile was born 4th March, 1672-3, and died 20th Oct., 1774, being nearly 102 years oldl. He was born sixteen days after the signature of the " Fundamental Articles," came to Woodbury a child, and spent a long life in its service. He passed through the various grades of military service to the rank of colonel, and was very efficient in preparing men for service in the French and In- dian wars. He was representative thirty-two sessions, town-clerk twenty-eight years, justice of the quorum fourteen years from 1725, and judge of probate thirty years. As above stated, he lived to a good old age, and retained all his physical powers to such an extent, that on his hundredth birthday he rode a horse through the streets of Woodbury. The fame of the feat is, however, marred by the fact that he did not alight, but fell from his horse. Ilis descend- ants are still numerous in this town. He lived under the hill in rear of Erastus Minor's. He inherited a piece of land from his father, which Erastus Minor, one of his descendants, now owns, and it is a remarkable fact, that it has never passed by deed since the deed from the Indians, nearly 200 years ago. It has passed from father to son through the probate court.
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