USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of the Colony of New Haven, Before and After the Union with Connecticut: Containing a. > Part 11
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* The old bell was taken at the foundry for old metal in part pay. for the new one. It was brazed and sold to a society in Waterbury. It now hangs in the belfry of the church at Salem Bridge, and is considered to be the best bell in the state.
t If this clock could have the moving power attached to it that Redheifer once fixed to his perpetual motion, in Philadelphia, viz,, an old negro behind the curtain to turn it, perhaps it might answer a better purpose than at present.
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of Mr. George Clark, Jr., for the first time on a Sunday. On the last Tuesday in January, they qualified themselves before the county court, according to the English " act of toleration," by taking the oath and subscribing the declaration required by the said act, for worshiping God in a way separate from that by law established in the colony. The persons who thus qualified themselves, were George Clark, Samuel Tyrrel, Bar- tholomew Sears, Benjamin Fenn, Ezra Camp, Nathaniel Buckingham, George Clark, Jr., Henry Peck, Joel Baldwin, Elder Noah Baldwin, Ephraim Strong, Jr., Samuel Whiting, Benjamin Fenn, Jr., John Smith, Jesse Lambert, Samuel Sandford, 3d, Joseph Fenn, Jr., Jeremiah Peck, Jr., Peleg Baldwin, Samuel Sandford, Samuel Smith, Andrew Sandford, Jr., John Sandford, William S. Sears ; also, soon after, An- drew Sandford, Jonathan Fowler, Josiah Tibbals, Ephraim Strong, Josiah. Northrop, Samuel Sandford, Jr., Joseph Fenn, Samuel Bristol, John Downs, Samuel Oviatt, Thomas Tibbals, Thomas Welch, Jerijah Baldwin, Edmund Treat, and John Peck.
Mr. Benajah Case, of Simsbury, was prosecuted for preach- ing to the " sober dissenters," on the 17th of January, 1742, and imprisoned by sentence of Governor Law, in the county jail. Mr. Whittelsey denied the use of his pulpit in that year to five ministers, whom the dissenters wished to hear preach, though not occupied by him at the different times when re- quested. One of these ministers preached on the door stone to an assembly of a thousand people. In the spring of the year 1743, Mr. Jacob Johnson preached to the seceders, and having taken the necessary oath before the county court, was invited to settle, and the 6th of April was agreed upon as the day of ordination. But in consequence of the strenuous op- position of the old society, this never took place.
In June, 1742, they made preparation for erecting a meet- ing house, but the town refusing them permission to set it on the commons, it was not raised till November. On the 9th of that month the county court granted them liberty to erect it, and it was located on land furnished by Bartholomew Sears. There was no steeple to this house till 1799, when one was built by subscription. Stephen Treat,* Esq., gave the bell.
* This man was noted for his eccentricities. He professed to be a subject of " King George," till his death, and the king's birth and coronation days he annually celebrated by firing of cannon, &c.
This society have had to gw standing. The siready stated, wad in some years. 1. across the west seate should be
Mery
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for the guard to set their arms. In 1705 it was voted to remove the guard seats to the women's side, where they were wont to stand, also to mend and right up the gallery seats, to make more room. It was also voted that the selectmen get the bell mended. In the same year it was voted that a floor be laid over head in the meeting house. In 1707 it was voted that the gallery be built on the north side of the house, and in 1709 that one be built on the south side, and that three long seats be built in each gallery. It was also voted that the meeting house should be seated according to the list, one head to each list. In seating it was voted that respect should be paid to aged persons, the wives of church officers and magistrates, chief military officers, and deaf persons. It seems that previously there had been some contention about seats- and it was then voted, that whosoever should be convicted, be- fore a justice of the peace, of needlessly setting out of the seat they are regularly seated in, in the meeting house, shall forfeit the sum of five shillings, to be paid into the town treasury. In 1718 it was voted to secure the turret by covering the floor thereof with sheet lead. In 1719 the meeting house was again seated. It appears that the seats were "long seats," that the men and women sat on different sides, and that both were seated. In 1720 it was voted to make a new door out of the west end of the house, for a passage out of each gallery into the street. In 1723 it was voted, that no addition shall be made to the meeting house, and that the selectmen need not cover it anew.
The second meeting house of the society was built in 1727 and '28. It was 80 feet in length, 65 in width, and three stories high. It had two tiers of galleries, the upper tier being de signed for the slaves and other blacks to sit in. The svepa was at the west end of the house, and ninety-five feet There were three entrances to the house-the steel 00%, the front door next the street and opposite the point end door next the river. At this door were high's step The house was at first laid out into Inng they va-s taken up and pews ud the upper
v hans i money Rated if auihr
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of conveyance is bounded north by a brook, east by the Mill river, south by a swamp, and west by the road. Dr. Tom- linson was greatly instrumental in procuring aid for its erec- tion. The Episcopalians formerly suffered much opposition, and were considered by most of the New England people as being akin to the Church of Rome ; but old prejudices have in a measure subsided, and the church at present is in a flour- ishing state.
There is a small but respectable Baptist church in the town, which was organized August 28th, 1831, and owes its origin to Mr. James H. Lindsley, of Stratford. The present minister is Mr. Oliver H. Hammond, a young man of high scientific attainments, a fluent speaker, and in all respects deserving of esteem. In the fall of 1835, John H. Noyes, a Perfectionist, preached for a time in the town ; but he soon left the place.
The first ground occupied for a burying place in the town, was a part of Mr. Prudden's home lot, being the east end of his garden. On the north side of it was a road called Prud- den's or burying-yard lane, which has long been shut up. The first English person who died in Milford, was a son of William East, aged a year ; he died June 18th, 1644. The first adult, was Sarah, wife of Nicholas Camp. The records state, that " she had twins on the 2d of September, 1645, and was doing well till the night of the 4th, when she was taken very ill with cold. She died on the 6th, (being the last day of the week,) in the morning, and was buried the evening after, in the garden of Mr. Peter Prudden, pastour." Here were buried all who died in the town previous to about 1675, and among these was Mr. Prudden himself, in 1656.
The present burying-ground was at first laid out small, but the town since, at five different times, have purchased land adjoining, and added to it. The original part is the southeast side. It lay open to the common, till 1751, when the town ordered it to be fenced in, leaving the road three rods wide, on the south side of it; and a committee was appointed to attend to the business. But the fence was not completed till 1756. It was made of stone, laid up in a very rough manner, and such is the fence at the present time. This ground is entirely neglected, only on the occasion of a funeral ; the older mon- uments are many of them broken down; some of them are covered with moss, so that they are illegible, and the general appearance of the yard is such as indicates but little respect to the memory of the dead. For the sum of $100 the stones
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could be righted up and the moss scraped from the inscriptions. It is much to be regretted, that the ashes of the venerated dead are treated with such neglect as they are in many of our towns. When it is remembered, that the patriarchs of old, " by faith gave commandment concerning their bones," it invests this subject with a dignity and importance every way worthy the attention of rational beings. But as long as ava- rice is the predominant spirit, it is nothing strange that the dead should be, like beasts, consigned to oblivion as soon as the cold earth covers them.
The burying-ground is bounded on the east by a small swamp, containing about an acre, in which formerly stood near the center two large pine trees. They were felled about 1830.
In 1825, the town purchased a hearse at the expense of $70, and erected a house for it, which cost $37.
Milford is a very healthy town, and is hardly ever visited by an epidemic sickness. For a time after the first settlement, however, it was not as healthy as at present. About the year : 1660, a number of widows are mentioned in the town records, and it is probable that a short time before, some mortal sick- ness prevailed. The long fever, so called, was formerly a common disease in the summer and autumn, though rarely epidemic. For want of snitable medical treatment, it would sometimes run a long time, (from six weeks to two months,) hence its name. It was similar to what is now denominated typhus fever. But the disease which was most dreaded in old times, was the small pox. Even the sound of the word carried with it terror and consternation. Nor is it to be wondered at, considering the mortality attending it, when spread in the natural way. Popular prejudice was so great against inocu- lation, that it was never much practiced in Milford. Such a change, however, had taken place concerning it, in public opinion, that at a town meeting, April 7th, 1800, the following vote was taken :
Voted that the privilege of setting up the " Inoculation for the small pox" and building a house for that purpose be and is granted to David B. Ingersoll, of Milford, and his heirs and assigns, under the control and direction of the Civil Authority and Select Men of said town, he to provide bed and bedding, and to admit into said house all persons infected for a reasonable reward, and is to have three shillings for every person admitted to inoculation; the per- son to have choice of Physicians.
A small pox hospital was accordingly built on the Housa.
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tonnuc river, above Oronoque ferry, but vaccination being soon after discovered, and by it the direful disease being disarmed of its terrors, the institution was never of much use.
The physicians who have practiced in the town must have a passing notice. The following is believed to be a correct list, from the first settlement till the present time : Jasper Gunn, John Durand, John Fisk, Jean Harpine, Ezekiel Newton, Zebulon Gillet, James Clark, Elias Carrington, Sam- uel Whittelsey, Caleb Austin, John Rossiter, Abraham Tom- linson, John Carrington, William Tully, Charles Beardsley, Elijah F. Bryan, Andrew French, Hull Allen, and Joseph Tomlinson. The three last mentioned, are at present the practicing physicians of the town.
In 1712, Dr. Andrew Warner, a botanical physician, came into the town and practiced with much success for six or eight years. He was commonly called the Indian Doctor, because he used no other but vegetable remedies. He removed from the town to New Milford, where his posterity yet reside.
In the autumn of 1836, Dr. Edwin Woodruff, a Thomso- nian physician,* opened an office in the town, on the west corner of Broad and Wharf streets. His practice has been remarkably successful.
The subject of education received early attention from the first settlers of the town. Good schools were considered of the highest importance to the community of anything next the church. The first school was kept by Jasper Gunn, the physician. Richard Bryan, son of Alexander Bryan, was an early teacher. Very little, however, is on record concerning primary schools, till 1696, after which, there is some annual town act concerning them. It appears by New Haven re- cords, that there was a Latin School in Milford previous to 1656. In Dec., 1696, it was voted that a school should be kept up, the whole year ensuing, and that the selectmen should provide an able teacher. Thirty pounds was appro- priated towards the support of the school from the town treas- ury. The next year, in December, it was "voted that £35 be allowed toward the maintenance of a Latin school, and that the selectmen provide a school master, (by the advice of the honorable governor and Mr. Andrew,) and to see that the school is attended by such scholars as need learning."
In Dec., 1699, it was voted that £40 should be given to
* He studied medicine with Dr. Cyrus Thomson, of Geddesburg, N. Y., a son of Dr. Samuel Thomson, of Boston.
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support schools in the town, £12 of which should go to main- tain a school in winter at the West End. At a town meeting, Jan. 3d, 1699-1700, liberty was granted to men at the West End, to build a school house at some convenient place. For a long course of years, about the same amount was annually appropriated for the support of the schools, the one in the east part of the town being kept the whole year, the one at the West End during the winter months. On the subject of schools, the following is recorded :
December 10th, 1750. Voted by the town that if the money grant- ed by the General Assembly for the support of schools in the town, with the 40s. raised upon every 1000l. in the Grand Levy falls short of supporting sufficient schools in the town, that the remainder thereof shall be paid out of the town treasury, provided always that such a part as the inhabitants of Amity and ye Bryan Farms, Burwell Farms, and Wheeler's Farms pay on any rates, shall be re- turned to such a committee as shall be appointed by either of the Farms to receive their proportion of said money, and the same to be improved for maintaining a school in each and every of the said Farms.
Concerning the first receipt of the public money from the State School Fund, is the following record :
November 27th, 1797. The town met and formed into a school society and appointed necessary officers to receive such sums of money, as they may hereafter be entitled to by virtue of an act enti- tled "An Act for appropriating public Monies which shall arise on the sale of the Western lands belonging to the State."
Stephen Gunn, Esq., was appointed treasurer, and Gideon Buckingham, clerk. A committee was appointed to receive the said money, and pay it over to the treasurer, consisting of Messrs. Abraham W. H. De Witt, Joseph Platt, Jr., William Coggeshall, William Atwater, Elnathan Baldwin, and Lewis Mallet.
The town is at present divided into ten school districts, and the public money received, by being expended in the most parsimonious manner, supports the several schools, about nine months in the year. There is in Milford a town school fund, raised by the sale of pieces of sequestered land, the annual interest of which is expended for schools, by being added to the money received from the state. The schools are as good, perhaps, as can be expected, for the wages paid the teachers. But if the town would raise annually, by a tax, a sum half as much as is received from the school fund, and add to it, and pay such wages as would engage teachers of scientific acquire-
10*
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ments, and make it an object for them to instruct in reality, instead of having an inefficient form, the community would be greatly benefitted. But so long as a paltry pittance is grudgingly paid, so long the standard of the public schools will be depressed.
Concerning the subject of the western lands, which for a time agitated the state, the following votes are recorded :
March 21, 1773-4. Voted that in the opinion of the town the Colony extending their jurisdiction over the lands lying west of New York on the Susquehannah river (and challenged by Mr. Penn as being within his patent) without prosecuting their claims before his Majesty in council, the only proper place, will be tedious, expen- sive, and of dangerous consequences.
Accordingly, a remonstrance was drawn up and sent to the assembly. Recorded, town records, Lib. xv. pages 88-90.
March 10th, 1794. Voted that we concur with a number of re- spectable towns in this state disapproving the Act of the Assemby in October last relative to the sale of the Western Reserve Lands, as we consider the act at this time impolitic and not condusive to the best interests of the State, and that we will take every reasonable method to obtain a repeal thereof.
The first schools in Milford were kept in the town houses, at the east and west ends of the town. These houses were built, the east town house in 1645, and the west in 1700. The first east town house, (or school house, as it is called on record,) was taken down in 1734, and a new one built. This house was burnt in 1758, by some British soldiers in a revel. In the winter of that year, it being in the French and Indian war, a company of the king's troops quartered in the town, and a number of them lived in the town house. The next year, the government sent over money towards building a new one. On this subject, is recorded the following : "Dec. 10th, 1759, Voted to lay out the £50 granted by govern- ment to build a town house, and that it be two feet larger each way than the old one, which was burnt by the king's troops." It was also " Voted, that Mr. John Harpine should build the house as far as the £50 might go." This house is at present standing, and is occupied by the Baptist society for a meeting house. It is 45 feet in length and 30 in breadth.
The present town house was built in 1833, by Elijah Bald- win, architect, at the expense of $1,200. The length of the house is 42 feet, and the width 32, and is two stories high, with four windows on a side, in each story. The upper story
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115
South view of the Episcopal Church and Town House, Milford.
is finished off for a school room. Three hundred dollars of the "permanent funds of the town" were appropriated towards the erection of the house; the remainder was raised by a tax of two cents on the dollar. Concerning the use to which this was to be appropriated, the following vote was passed previous to its erection :
At an adjourned town meeting, Jan. 16th, 1832, voted, that the lower part of the house be occupied for the use of the town exclu- sively, and the upper part, for the advancement of education, and that no minister, missionary, ecclesiastic, or preacher of any order or denomination, be allowed to preach in the house when built.
Soon as the vote passed, a facetious person present ex- claimed, " Mr. Moderator. please to add, 'nor any other jug- gling allowed there.'" Many were opposed to building a new town house, (as they are to all other public improvements, which would compel them to cut their fast-knotted purse-strings,) and when the vote was passed authorizing the erection, a wealthy farmer of the "West End" told Mr. Moderator, that "it didn't appear to be a vote about that corner." Whereupon, to satisfy the gentleman, it was again put to vote. Had this house been built of brick or stone, with a fire-proof apartment for the town records, it would have been just the thing needed. Where the records are now kept, they are very insecure.
The original west town house is yet standing. It has al- ways been used for a school since its erection, and thousands have there received the rudiments of their education. In 1824 it was bought of the town by the district.
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Besides the town room " for the advancement of education," there is an academy building in the town, situated between the meeting houses, on the east side of the river. A perma- nent school was kept there during most of the time between 1810 and '25, by Elijah Bryan, Esq., whose stern tuition was the cause of many unpleasant reminiscences. At present a high school is kept there, by Mr. Oliver H. Hammond, princi- pal, assisted by Mr. Jonas French, which is every way wor- thy of patronage.
There have been two public libraries in the town, which were considered very valuable in their day : the Milford library and the Associate. The first mentioned library was estab- lished in 1745, and was principally made up of books of ser- mons, with , superabundant copies of the Saybrook platform, a few books of travels and voyages, fewer of history, and still fewer of philosophy. This splendid library was considered of such value and importance, that every person on becoming a member was obliged to give his bond of £10, for security against damage and loss of books. The library has not yet been formally dissolved, but is now neglected, and the books scattered to the four winds. The Associate library was es- tablished in March, 1761, by members of the second society, and was altogether a party concern, and such was the spirit of contention between the two societies, that they could not agree to read the same books. 'This library was more judiciously selected than the " old Milford," but yet it contained a large proportion of Calvinistic works. It was dissolved about 1820.
The first public house in the town, of which there is any re- cord, was kept by Henry Tomlinson, by occupation a weaver. He kept it only for about a year, when it was taken by Richard Bryan. It appears by the county court records, that Tomlin- son did not give satisfaction, and that the town brought a suit against him, at the court in New Haven, which was decided June 25, 1656. Some of the complaints against him were, that " he had broken the jurisdiction order, by selling strong water, wine, and beer, at greater prices than was allowed, and kept a disorderly house," in " that he suffered young men and maids to come there and dance, and play at shuffle board," (cards.) Concerning this tavern, the following is recorded on the town records :
April 24, 1644. The town, after some debate with Henry Tom- linson about keeping an ordinary, and some speeches in regard to the season of the year, that they could not tell how to build for him
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before harvest, some former speeches were renewed about an ex- change betwixt him and Richard Bryan, in ye court-and ye towne proffered Henry Tomlinson, that if he would undertake it speedily, so yt ye towne might not be destitute, to see if they could procure Richard Bryan's house, and yt yn. he might buy it. Henry Tom- linson was willing to yield himself to ye members of ye particular court, and exchange with Richard Bryan; Ensign Bryan to judge of ye price of his house and lott, and of the value of his sonnes house and lott. The deputants agreed to exchange, by giving Richard Bryan 45l. vantage to boot, besides ye house of goodman Tomlinson, which said house was called 231., and Richard Bry- an's 68l.
June 26, 1655. Richard Bryan and William East bought ye house above named of ye town, for ye same price of 68l., with the barn, honse lot, and all ye priviledges, except ye long table and bench, which the town lett remain there gratis, for the use and im- provement of the sd Bryan.
This house stood on the old country road, ten or twelve rods west of the meeting house. A public house was kept there from the time it was opened by Henry Tomlinson, till about twelve years since. The Bryans kept it for a fong course of years. General Washington twice put up over night at this house, during his tour through the country, in 1789. It was kept at the time by Andrew Clark, and prob- ably in an indifferent manner, if we may judge by the follow. : ing circumstance. Washington not much relishing his supper of boiled meat and potatoes, called for a bowl of milk, which was brought him, with a pewter spoon in it, having a broken handle. He asked for a silver spoon, but was told "the house afforded none ;" whereupon he gave the servant maid a two shilling piece, and told her to go and borrow one. She accordingly borrowed one for him at the minister's. The house was last kept by David Butler.
A public house was kept in the West End, located on lot number 50, by John Camp. It was opened, 1705. Samuel Miles kept a tavern, begun about 1710, at the place where Col. S. B. Ford now lives. There are at present four public houses kept in the town, two in the center, one at Poconoc point, and Washington Bridge House. The two in the center are located on Broad street, opposite each other, and are probably in op- position, in other respects besides their location. Washington House is kept by Capt. Stephen Trowbridge, and Milford Hotel by Nathan Merwin. The one at Poconoc point is kept by Benajah Thomson, Esq., formerly of Wallingford, a gentle- man disposed to accommodate, and to make his guests feel themselves at home. The house is pleasantly situated on the
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extremity of the high ground at the point, and is a delightful resort for people from the country, who may visit the seashore,
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