USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1872, Vol. II > Part 5
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It is not known when the death of Wecuppemee occurred. He was a witness to a deed (p. 24) dated July 14th, 1673 .. His mark, or totem, was the representation of a snake-a pretty good imi- tation-and his name was spelled Wecuppemee, instead of Wee-
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cuppeemee, the modern spelling. The former mode of spelling, used by Capt. John Minor in this deed, is believed to be the cor- rect one, because he so spelled it, and because it truly represents the sound of the name as uttered to this day. Wecuppemee was buried on a little knoll, near the river called by his name, a little west of the residence of the late Willis Lambert. Several small mounds mark the spot to this day. In the adjoining meadow, numerous and quite perfect flint and quartz arrow-heads are plow- ed up yearly. The same is true of a meadow near the residence of Mr. Theodore Judson, in Harle Plain, a mile or two distant.
The Indians were more particular than our fathers in the selec- tion of their burial places. They always selected the most attrac- tive places for their villages and burial grounds, and took great pains in arraying the corpse and preparing it for the necessities of the long journey before the deceased, on his way to the happy "hunting grounds." This chief, as was often the case, was buried at a place removed from the beautiful burial place on the plain be- low, by the murmuring waters of the Housatonic. From the vil- lage above, and the spot where the sachem was buried, is obtained some of the most delightful views, south and west. A series of hills, with vales between, and now and then a cultivated field, as in the early days, rise, one above another, in every direction, mel- lowed and softened by the varying tints of the ever-changing sky. Below, the noble river ripples on, in haste to join the ocean-tides. Uncultivated as was the savage, he had a mind to appreciate the loveliness of nature, and an eye to select the most romantic places. Said a young lady, while contemplating this enchanting scene, on a recent occasion, " the Indians found out all the most beautiful places." None need wonder that the poor native left this most lovely spot with sad, lingering steps, to make room for the steady advance of the pale face.
Nonnewaug, the last chief of the clan of his name, conveyed to our fathers the territory of Nonnewang, belonging to his peo- ple, in 1700, and joined with others in a confirmatory deed in 1706. Though on friendly terms with his white neighbors, he had till then sternly resisted all advances towards the purchase of his lands, yet he now yielded, giving as one reason for so doing :-
"Ye desire y tis w th in us of a friendly correspondency with ye English in- habitants of Woodbury."
After the sale of all his possessions, reserving only the right to fish and hunt over all of the granted lands, his haughty spirit seems to have become humbled, and his ambition after any worthy
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object to have been lost. It could not be otherwise under the disheartening prospects before him-the waning of his race-the loss of his wealth and hopes in life. The Indians now remaining within the territory, after this sale, became fully amenable, with other inhabitants, to the laws of the whites. Without other so- lace, the dispossessed sachem occasionally wandered to the village, and partook too freely of the "fire-water," which was even, in those early days of apple-orchards, to be obtained, despite a some- what rigorous law against the vending, or drinking of intoxica- ting liquors. On one occasion, being "overtaken in a fault " of this kind, he was arrested therefor, and taken before a magistrate. But he was so thoroughly intoxicated, his trial was put off till the next morning. He was then brought before the Court for exam- ination. The magistrate informed him, that all the plea he could induce him to make the preceding day was, "Your Honor's very wise, very wise." "Is that so ?" said the dilapidated chief, in trne Yankee phrase of the modern stamp. The magistrate assured him he so said. "Then," responded the fallen sagamore, " I must have been drunk, very drunk !" This was a somewhat unique way of pleading guilty, and the stern tribunal was so much pleas- ed with the witty retort, that he dismissed him with an injunction to " sin no more."
And Nonnewang, too, at the appointed time, slept with his fa- thers, and the small remnant of his people buried him in the bean- tiful plain at the foot of the musical falls that are called by his name, where his fathers' people had been buried before him, true to their instinct of selecting the most beautiful places by the river- side, by the silvery cascade, or in the verdant plain. An apple- tree was planted at the head of his grave, which still stands there, the faithful guar- dian of the ashes that repose beneath its grateful shade. It is a venerable tree, some 150 years old, but does not bear the marks of so great an age, though there are several decayed places in it, so per- fectly shown in the accompanying cut of the grave and tree, taken by the artist on the spot during the last summer. When the writer first visited it, twenty years ago, there was a large hillock, or mound, raised over the grave, which remained, distinguishing the
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sachem's, by its size, from the other graves around him, till a few years ago, when the present owner of the field committed the sacrilege of plowing it down, saying he was not going to have such an old " hummock in his field," much to the regret of every true antiquarian, and lover of ancient things. The mound thus destroyed was some ten feet long, six feet wide, and four feet ligh, having been gradually formed, in the same way, as in the case of Pomperaug's grave.
Two events will ever render the vale of Bethel Rock memora- ble; one, because it was the meeting place, or Bethel of our fa- thers during the first few years after the settlement ; and the other, because it is the locality of a sorrowful legend connected with it. It is a tale of sad romance, told and believed by many from the earlier days of the town. The rock is situated in the bosom of the Orenaug cliff's, and is the point of much attraction. Beneath the overhanging crag, a hundred feet below, in the deep dell, is space sufficient to screen two hundred' people from storm, and danger from a lurking foe. At its woody top is a delightful place, to which we may wander through the pine grove, at twi- light hour, for contemplation, rest, peace. In the rapture of the moment, well may we exclaim,-
" How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank. Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony !"
This legend of Bethel Rock is somewhat minutely told, and the reasons given why it may receive credence, on page 90, and is alluded to again here, to introduce the vivid conception of the scene by the artist, who has visited the place since the former ac- count was written. The picture gives a very accurate view of the scene as related in the universally received legend. Referring to the former account for full details, a brief statement only will be inserted here.
Some ten years after the return of the inhabitants to Woodbury from their enforced residence at Stratford during King Philip's war, it is related that Waraumaukeag, a young Pootatuck sachem, fell in 'love with Sarah Walker, a young girl of seventeen years, a niece of the venerable pastor, who was in Woodbury on a visit to her uncle, of some months duration. He was a youth of manly proportions, of graceful figure, and finely moulded limbs. Hle was far in advance of the other Indians in intelligence and in all the manly virtues, and, from their return from Stratford, an unwaver-
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ing friend of the white settlers. It seemed to be his ambition to adopt their habits and costumes, and in the end, as it turned out, he sought matrimonial con- nexion with them, aiming to bind in firm alliance and mntnal good offices and in- terests, the two races, whose lots in life then seemed cast together. He erected for himself a cabin of unusual elegance, and adopted many of the arts of civilization. He sought the acquaintance of the old pastor, and of the other leading citizens, and seem- ed fully inangurated in the ways of civilized life.
The young lady was the . possessor of great personal beauty, and womanly at- tractions. She seemed the " rare ideal of feminine love- liness, such as often haunts the dreams of the imagin- ative and young, but sel-
MATIS
- dom meets us in the walks of life." She was the type of innocence and purity. She was possessed of unaffected piety, and loved to
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wander in the beautiful sylvan retreats in the vicinity of the vil- lage. For the quiet contemplation of nature, and private devo- tion, she often, at sunset hour, retired by the shady path from her uncle's house to the over hanging, mossy cliff, of Bethel. Rock. It was natural for the romantic and religious child to wander to the place of prayer frequented by all the people, at stated intervals.
Waraumaukeag was often at the pastor's house, and became more and more enamored of his niece. Not yet having forgotten the aboriginal custom of wooing, he brought many a rich nd rare present, and lay at her feet to win her favor, but she, understand- ing their import, and being unimpressed by the fervor of his pas- sion, declined them all, with dignity and kindness, desiring to give no offence, to arouse his anger. Meeting with no success with the maiden, he pressed his suit upon the uncle, desiring his good offices on his behalf. The old pastor tried to show him the impro- priety of the alliance, and declined to influence his niece to accept the marriage proposed. Yet he did this with great kindness, as well as firmness, for it was a matter of first importance to all the settlers, to be on friendly and intimate terms with the Indians.
Thus failing, on all hands, in the prosecution of his suit, he de- parted, and was seen no more at the parsonage. His proud na- ture could not endure the slight put upon him, the leader of the red men. No offer of violence followed, and the pastor's house- hold was for some time in doubt as to what might result from this unfortunate attachment on the Indian's part, though revenge was feared. One delightful evening in the gorgeous " Indian summer," the young girl left her home, as usual, for Bethel Rock, just as the " sun set behind the western hills," to engage in her evening med- itation and devotion, but failed to return. Next morning, after diligent search had been made, her dead body was discovered, at the foot of the rock, mangled by the fall, but with her limbs de- cently arranged, her hands folded, and her clothing wrapped carefully about her. Beside her was the lifeless body of the chieftain, evidently lying just as he had fallen from the cliff. It is supposed that after she reached the top of the rock, she saw Waramankeag, who had followed her to this retreat, and, sup- posing him still angry, and coming to wreak his vengeance, started back in alarm, falling from the great height upon the jagged rocks below, and was killed by the fall. By a secure path the chief
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reached the scene below, and finding her dead, he adjusted the form and dress in a comely way, re-ascended the rock, and sought death by casting himself from the dizzy height upon the rocks by her side, thus atoning his responsibility for the occurrence by sharing her fate.
Let us pause a moment to drop a tear over the obliterated graves of a buried race. They are all gone to meet the Great Spirit, and, perhaps, as they desired while in life, to revel in "happy hunting grounds." By the romantic falls of his own ever-murmuring stream, is the grave of Nonnewaug. In his own orchard, at Pootatuck, near the noble Housatonic, rest the re- mains of Tummaseete. Within the fertile meadows of Wecup- pemce reposes the brave of that name, in his last quiet sleep. And there, by that rock, in our very midst, they buried Pompe- rang, the renowned chief of our valley, who gave his name to our beautiful meandering river. There, too, shall remain, perhaps for ages yet, the little hillock of stones which now mark the spot, dropped there, one by one, with a tear to each, by his remaining braves, as they sadly passed the hallowed spot on their hunting and fishing excursions. The children of the forest have passed away-faded from the view, and almost from the memory of man. In their low, unnoticed and unknown graves, they sleep well ! Their existence has become a matter of antiquarian research, and oft told legend. Their history has been written in desolation.
" The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye, And when she weeps, weeps every little flower."
We may look on this sad history with sympathy, for, in the " fullness of time," a similar fate will be ours. Our nation will leave more enduring " foot-prints on the sands of time," but with all that is noble and hopeful. it may not last forever. As individ- nals, at least, our heads shall lie as low in the dust as theirs. "Generation after generation," says an eloquent writer, " has felt as we now feel, and their lives were as active as our own. They passed away like a vapor, while nature wore the same aspect of beauty, as now, and loveliness crowned the hour. The heavens shall be as bright over our graves, as they are now around our paths. The world will have the same attractions for our offspring yet un- born, as she had for us when children. Yet a little while, and all will have happened. The throbbing heart will be at rest. Our
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funeral will wind its way, and prayers will be said; and then we shall be left alone, in silence and darkness for the worms; and, it may be, a short time we shall be spoken of, but the things of life will ereep in, and our names will soon be forgotten. Days will continue to move on, and laughter and song will be heard in the room in which we died; and the eyes that mourned for us will be dried, and glisten again for joy ; and even our children will cease to think of us, and will not remember to lisp our names."
4
CHAPTER III.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
GENERAL ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW ; THE "STRATFORD VIEW " OF THE WOODBURY CHURCH ORGANIZATION ; THE " WOODBURY VIEW " RE-STATED, RE-AFFIRMED, AND PROVED,
LTHOUGH the history of the immediate causes that led to the settlement of Wood- bury, were very fully set forth in the first vol- ume, yet it has been deemed advisable to recur to the subject again, carefully review the evidence in the case, and see if any er- ror has intervened, or any inaccurate infer- ence has been drawn. Almost immediately after the former edition was issued from the press, the anthor learned that his state- ments and conclusions in relation to the Church difficulties at Stratford, were not deemed to be entirely cor- reet by our good friends of the First Church in that town, and, on several public occasions, allusions have been made to the matter, and the opposite opinion has come to be known as the "Stratford View " of the church difficulties which led to the division of the church, and the settlement of Woodbury.
It was stated in the first volume, p. 32, that " the settlement of Woodbury was the result of difference in religious opinions among the inhabitants of Stratford. The first ministers of the colony being dead, and a new generation coming on the stage of action, alterations in respect to church membership, baptism, and the mode of church discipline, were imperatively demanded. Great dissen- sions on these subjeets accordingly arose in the churches at Hart- ford, Windsor, Wethersfield, and other places, and continued in. various parts of the colony from 1656 to abont 1670. The discord not only affected all the churches, but it "insinuated itself into all the affairs of societies, towns, and the whole commonwealth." About 1664, while these contentions were going on at Hartford,
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and other places, the people at Stratford fell into the same un- happy divisions and controversies in regard to the same sub- jects." And on page 113, it was stated, that the " principal cause of difference was in regard to church membership, baptism, and the discipline of church members. What the precise nature of the controversy was could not be distinctly understood by the most learned and pious, even of that day. It was the same as that which existed at Hartford, Wethersfield, and other places. One would say, at this distance of time, that the question to be decided was, whether the " Half-way Covenant Practice should be introduced into the church, or not. Upon this question, there was the most grave difference of opinion among the best and most distinguished men in New England."
It is not denied that the foregoing, taken together, is a substan- tially accurate statement of the differences among the people of Stratford at that date. But the writer, from all the evidence then at his control, and brought to his attention, inferred, that the " Half-way Covenant" doctrine was the principal cause of the dissension, and his history of the matter proceeded on that theory. The "Stratford View " does not admit that the "Half-way Cove- nant " practice had much, if any thing, to do with the controversy, for two reasons. First, because that system was practiced in the first church, from the earliest records of the church now extant, till after the commencement of the eighteenth century. The town was planted in 1639, and the church was no doubt coeval in date, as all the early towns had an ecclesiastical foundation. It was the first thing attended to. But, unfortunately, the records of the church were burned in the meeting-house, which was struck by lightning, in 1785, and all the records previous to 1675 were de- stroved, while the records of the town, to the year 1650, are also not extant. This is a great misfortune, for if the records of the church from its foundation had been preserved, the question now under discussion could not have arisen. So far as the history of the Second church of Stratford, now the First church of Wood- bury, is concerned, its records have been preserved from the day of its organization, May 5th, 1670. No dispute has arisen, or can arise on them, and they have . the advantage over those of the First church, in reaching back to a date five years earlier. It has always been a matter of wonder to the writer that there should be any sensitiveness on the part of any in Stratford in regard to the view taken by him, as he gave the First church the credit of
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having adhered to the " old landmarks," set up by the fathers in the colony, and as the "Half-way Covenant " plan has been gen- erally repndiated as unsound for nearly three-quarters of a cen- tury.
But to those who are interested in tracing the ancient records, the truth of history is a more controlling consideration than mere pride of opinion, or indeed any other. While an opinion, once deliberately formed, on dne examination of all the facts, should not be lightly thrown aside by an opposing opinion, yet it may often furnish the occasion for a re-examination of the matter, as well as for the search for additional facts and further light. With this view, the writer has carefully re-examined the question, in all its bearings, and has decided to introduce here the "Stratford View," as well as all other documents and information which have been any where preserved, that throw any light upon the subject, with such observations as occur to him.
The sole aim of every writer should be to discover and perpetu- ate the truth, especially in matters religious and historical. There can be no inducement to follow any other course.
In order to carry out this design, the writer applied to Rev. Benjamin L. Swan, of Oyster Bay, N. Y., who was for five years pastor of the First church in Stratford, who gave great attention, during his stay there, to antiquarian, archeological and genelogi- cal inquiries, and who is, withal, a most careful, thoughtful, and judicious investigator of the "ancient ways,"-to furnish him the "Stratford View " of this subject. Mr. Swan very kindly consent- ed, and it is as follows :-
" On the part of the Church in Stratford, a different view is taken of the con- troversy, that issued in the settlement of Woodbury, from that given in the His- tory of Ancient Woodbury. That the " Half-way Covenant," as being held by one party and rejected by the other, was not the ground of dispute, we feel as- sured for several reasons."
" It appears by Town Record in Stratford, that 1. Mr. Chauncey was not set- tled as minister of the parish in 1665, but on April 20th of that year,, 'the town did consider of giving Mr. Chancie a call to help Mr. Blakeman in the min- istry for a year' and voted so to do. Mr. Blakeman died Sept. 7, 1665. In March, 1665 6, upon the question of a parsonage lot and house, the vote of the town was divided, ' not that they were against the ministry,' i. e. of Mr. Chauncey. "June 1, 1666. At a lawfull Town meeting, the inhabitants generally pres- " ent, a paper was offered containing divers propositions to Mr. Israel Chauncey, "in order to a mutual agreement for his settling among us in Stratford." " It " was voted and agreed, that the said papers should by the townsmen of Strat. "ford be subscribed in the name of the town, and presented to Mr. Chauncy." Signed,
JOHN MINOR, Recorder.
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"The foregoing extract, verbatim from the Town Record, is of vital import- ance, because the paper and agreement to which it relatas is that given on page 119 of Hist. of Woodbury, as prepared May 13, 1669, by the dissentient towns- men, not members of the church; whereas it was the original overture of the town (for all the ecclesiastical business was then done town-wise, so far as re- lated to the settlement or dismission of a minister) to Mr. Chauncy, in June, 1666, and follows immediately. on the record, the foregoing vote, and is entitled both 'Town propositions to Mr. Chauncy,' and ' Church Covenant' with Mr. Chauncey. He accepted the propositions, and was settled as pastor, remaining such till his death, in 1703.
" A copy of this ' Call' is on file in Hartford State Archives, where it is en- dorsed as filed by Secretary Allyn, May 13, '69. Some one, mistaking this for the date of the paper itself, copied it for Mr. Cothren as belonging to a period after Mr. Chauncy's settlement, and as being an overture from those aggrieved by his settlement. On the Town record, it dates June 1, 1666, and was recorded by John Minor, Recorder, June 25, 1666. The church and town of Stratford voted together, parish-wise, in town meeting in all things relating to the minis- try, until Episcopacy was established, after 1700."
" It is not disputed that these "Town propositions " embrace the principles of the half-way covenant. That, therefore, could not have been the ground of dis- sension. Moreover, the earliest records now extant of Mr. Chauncy's ministry show that he did practice on these principles.,"
" Again, uniform tradition in Stratford, even in families of important men in Mr. Walker's party, (such as Joseph Judson, of whom the late Dea. D. P. Judson was a descendant.) denies that the half-way covenant made the difficulty.
" Again, in none of the papers extant, which passed between the parties, is that measure set forth as in dispute. There is, however, frequent allusion to principles of church government, discipline, &c., in which, beyond doubt the mystery lies. Too much space would be required for exhibition here of the evi- dence in point.
"The papers on pages 115-117 of Hist. Anc. Woodbury, bearing dates in old style, belong to January and February, 1866, and with the next ensuing pa- per, pp. 117, 118, preceded the parish call of June 1, 1666, on Mr. Chauncy to settle. The remark, therefore, on page 118, " Mr. Chauncy had been settled by a majority of the members of the church alone," is doubly incorrect, for, at that date, April, 1666, he had not even been called to settle, and his call, when given in June, was given by a large majority of the whole parish acting in town meeting. Indeed, by inspection of the list of inhabitants, it would seem that Mr. Walker's adherents polled but nineteen votes out of eighty-three, who were freemen of Stratford. There is no instance, during the whole discussion between the two parties, of a majority in town meeting adverse to Mr. Chauncy.
" It appears, by a vote Dec. 18, 1666, that the opponents of Mr. Chauncy la- bored, at first, to obtain his brother-in-law, Rev. Peter Bulkley, for their pastor, and, only after he declined, settled on Mr. Walker.
The differences between the two churches are declared by Mr. Chauncy's peo- ple, June 14, 1669, ' to be not doctrinal.' If it is said, what are our differences ? ' We conceive they are matters of civil concernment.' If onr differences are ec- clesiastical, what are they ? Mr. Walker's statement, May, 1670, 'nothing had
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