USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Goshen > History of the town of Goshen, Connecticut, with genealogies and biographies based upon the records of Deacon Lewis Mills Norton, 1897 > Part 4
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" Therefore unto our Sovereign Lord the King, his heirs and successors only one fifth part of all the ore of Gold and Silver which from time to time and all times hereafter shall be gotten had or ob- tained thereon in lieu of all service duty and demands whatsoever. In witness whereof we the said Governor and Company have caused the seal of this Colony to be hereunto affixed the thirty first day of
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
October in the 23rd year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the second of great Britain &c. King. A.D. one thousand seven hundred and forty nine.
"By order of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut in General Court assembled Jonathan Law.
October 2nd thursday 1749
" George Wyllys secretary, entered August the 12th 1751. Per Ebenezer Hill. Register."
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
CHAPTER III.
FIRST BIRTH, DEATH, OLDEST HOUSE, ORIGINAL SUR- VEYS, ETC.
On the nineteenth of February, 1735, James Wadsworth, Esq., sold his one-third part of the 300 acres " Esquire's Farm," to Ebenezer Hill, Luke Hill, Jr., and Isaac Hill, all of Wal- lingford. The consideration was 80 pounds, currency.
On the 9th of February, 1737, there was a legal division made between the owners of the whole tract, by which the southern third part came into the hands of the said Ebenezer, Luke, Jr., and Isaac Hill. It is supposed that they were brothers. On the same day, this 100 acres was divided by a deed of partition. Ebenezer took the south part, Isaac the middle, and Luke, Jr., took the north part, each 33 and one- third rods wide.
June 14, 1737, Luke Hill, Jr., of Wallingford sold his third part to Benjamin Frisbie of Wallingford, " a certain piece of land lying in New Bantam, containing 33 and one- third acres," etc. On February 18, 1738, Benjamin Frisbie, " of the township north of Litchfield, commonly called New Bantam," sold to Benjamin Lewis of Wallingford the same lot, " on whichi I now live," etc. This deed was not ac- knowledged until January 18, 1739, which affords evidence that Frisbie continued to live upon it. On April 14, 1741, this Lewis sold back to Benjamin Frisbie, " of Goshen," the same land. The Government deed to Benjamin Frisbie, dated New Haven, February 14, 1738, describes him as " of New Bantam, or the town above mentioned lying north of Litch- field." The same is true of the Government deed to Ebenezer Hill, dated February 20, 1738, "of New Bantam," or "the town north of Litchfield."
1
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
The preceding transactions are previous to the proper date of the settlement of the town, September 28, 1738; at wliich time the proprietors closed their meeting at Litchfield and came on to Goshen.
On December 18, 1739, Isaac Hill of Goshen sold to Ebenezer Hill of said Goshen about thirty-two and one-half acres, being all his third part, with the exception of a small piece at his northwest corner of the Middle third, which is described as belonging to the said Ebenezer Hill. How it came to be his does not appear of record. But there is satis- factory evidence (Book I, p. 9) that the house of Ebenezer Hill was at that place.
Deacon Lewis M. Norton records: " Captain Jonathan Buell, almost 88 years old, and born and educated to man- hood about sixty rods south of this place, says, that he well remembers the frame of this old house. That it was situated where is now the barn-yard of Harvey Brooks; was one story high and not large; on the west side of the road as it now is; but on the east side as the same was at first. It was well un- derstood that this old house was the residence of Ebenezer Hill, Senior, and probably his first house, if we except some- thing temporary for his accommodation while he was building it. His removal to that place was probably at, or about, the same time with that of Benjamin Frisbie, in the summer of 1737. The old house was about seventy rods north of the town line."
On April 15, 1741, Benjamin Frisbie sold his thirty-three and one-third acres of land to Ebenezer Hill; and on May 26, 1741, this Ebenezer Hill, for the consideration of par- ental affection, conveyed to his son, Ebenezer Jun., the same land, " with a dwelling house thereon standing."
From all the preceding it is certain that Benjamin Frisbie lived somewhere on the west part of his land; and, that he, together with Ebenezer Hill, were living on these lands at the time of the proper settlement of the town and were its first white inhabitants.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
THE FIRST CHILD BORN IN GOSHEN.
The first white child born iu Goshen was a son of Isaac Hill, born in 1738 or 1739, and named Billious Hill. He married Lydia Birge, August 9, 1758. They had three chil- dren born in Goshen, one of whom died in infancy, the others were daughters.
In the Proprietors records (Book I, p. 296, Dec. 5, 1770) a survey is made to Billious Hill and the rest of the heirs of Isaac Hill.
The fact of his being the first white child born in the town has been stated by Abraham Norton, and also by the wife of Timothy Collins, who further states that he was born at the south end. There can be no reason to doubt the correct- ness of these statements, as the fact must have been a mat- ter of notoriety in the town among the early settlers. The place of his birth must have been at the house of his brother, Ebenezer Hill.
But little is known of him. Whether he remained in Goshen during his childhood and youth is uncertain. His children were undoubtedly born in Goshen as it is certain that he lived here some years and probably at the south part of the town. While remaining here he disposed of most of the lands laid out to his father. He removed to Woodbury about 1762.
THE FIRST DEATH.
Huldah, daughter of Ebenezer and Martha Dibble Hill, born in Wallingford, Nov. 15, 1736; died in Goshen, Sept. 6, 1737.
THE OLDEST HOUSE.
The house occupied, January, 1897, by Mr. Hiram Tripp, on the north side of the road leading to Torrington and about sixty rods east of the Centre church, is, probably, the oldest house in the town. It was built by Moses Wright and was sold by him to Elisha Blin, April 28, 1760. Blin was a cooper
ADINO HALE PLACE - THE OLDEST HOUSE.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
and sold the house later. It was afterwards long occupied by Timothy Hale. He sold the place to Martha, widow of Justus Hale, August 19, 1773, and removed first to Vermont and later to Barrington, Mass. It came to be known as the " Hale Place," and here Adino Hale, and his wife, Candace, lived and died. His widow presented the solid silver communion service to the church, which has been so long in use. The house owned by Silas Burton, Esq., was built at about the same time.
THE COUNTY SEAT.
In 1751 there was a warm contest for the location of the county seat, between Goshen and Litchfield. Goshen being nearer the centre of the county, settlers had located here thinking that it would be made the shire town, when the county should be organized. The southern part of the terri- tory having been the first and the most thickly settled, gave to Litchfield a great advantage, and the General Court de- cided in October in favor of Litchfield. We have never learned that the inhabitants of Goshen comforted themselves, as the people of a beautiful town in Mass. were said to have done under similar circumstances, "on the ground that the morals of the young people would be corrupted thereby."
THE FIRST MILITIA COMPANY.
A militia company was raised here as early as 1742 - possibly in 1740. Col. Miner of Woodbury led the company to a choice of officers. Benajah Williams was chosen Captain; John Beach, Lieutenant; and Joseph Hickox, Ensign. The company, at first, consisted of forty men. In the records of the town we find that a meeting was held Dec. 8, 1740, where he is called Captain Benajah Williams. This shows either, that he was a captain somewhere else, or the company was raised previous to 1742. This last seems probable, as he is not called " Captain " in records previous to this date. The dan- gers and necessities of the first settlers would call for the or-
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
ganization of the company, among the first things to which attention should be given.
From this time forward, until the militia system was abol- ished, an organization was maintained for more than a cen- tury, and a list of the militia officers alone would fill more pages than the list of representatives. We have not been want- ing in company officers, nor in those of the regiment and brigade.
THE FIRST TOWN MEETINGS.
It has been recorded as the belief of those whose memories included events that occurred previous to the Revolutionary War, that the first town meetings were held in the log meeting- house. This was a very few rods southeast of the house owned and occupied by Mr. Stoddard, a building which was known at one time as " Mechanics Hall."
ORIGINAL AND LATER SURVEYS.
The first land surveyed in Goshen was the Esquire's Farm, so called, in the southeasterly part of the town. This was a tract of 300 acres, surveyed by John Hitchcock, of New Haven, County Surveyor, and dated April 28, 1731. This was before the location of the township. The next was the Col- lege Farm, in the west part of the town and done by the same man, and bearing date Jan. 5, 1737-8,- 300 acres for Yale College. This surveying was accurately done.
When the settlement of the town commenced in the fall of 1738, they had no competent surveyor for the laying out of the lands. The result has been that in the laying out of the first ten divisions the work was badly done. The first and second with the third and fourth divisions were laid out chiefly under the care of Captain Samuel Hinman, of East Street, Goshen. It is doubtful if he had any other than a pocket compass. The first six divisions were 50 acres each, that is, 50 acres were laid out on each right. The seventh and eighth divisions were 35
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
acres each, the ninth and tenth 15 acres. These last were granted by the proprietors at their meeting March 21, 1749.
"My honored grandfather, Ebenezer Norton, appears to have had no part in laying out the first four divisions. In the next succeeding six divisions his name appears as one of the committee for laying out, but Captain Hinman continued to be responsible for the surveying. Whatever compass he may have had was graduated like the mariner's, in points and half points, and he rarely spoke of degrees in giving the course of a line. There is no doubt that my grandfather did some- times attempt to do something at what was called surveying. But so far as I can gather from the Proprietor's Records, he as rarely spoke of degrees as Captain Hinman; and I am wholly uninformed as to what compass he used. I suppose, however, that in the latter part of his life he procured the old wooden semi-circular compass, graduated in degrees, which after his decease was sometimes used by my father, Ebenezer Norton. My father was never a County Surveyor, but after the death of my grandfather, and before the coming of Seth Porter, did sometimes attempt to do something in that line of business. I am led to think that he was more accurate than any that preceded him here. The same irregularity appears in the length of the lines as in the courses. Generally speaking, a line said to be 100 rods will be found to measure from 104 to 115 rods.
" Seth Porter, from Farmington, came to Goshen in 1784. He was a wheelwright by trade. He was, however, best known as a surveyor of lands. Of this business he had much to do for many years, and until he removed from the town. He suc- ceeded well, considering that he had not much scientific knowledge.
" Mr. Porter removed about 1806 and in 1807 I com- menced the work, in which I have continued without inter- mission or rivalry, until the last three years, during which time I have been endeavoring to introduce to the business my
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
second son, Henry Norton. With the old compass, used by my father, I made my first efforts at surveying, and continued to use it until the autumn and winter of 1813, when I succeeded in making the one which I have since used.
" It was not until about 1815 that I began to entertain the hope of being able at some day to get together on a plan, the original surveys of Goshen. This I was enabled to accom- plish, to a certain extent, by preserving and putting together the results of my investigations made for various individuals, and for which I had compensation from the persons for whom the work was done. Besides all these, however, I thought it proper to devote much of my leisure for several years to this object; and at length, about 1838, finished the work. Fifty or sixty years ago, such a plan would have been of immense value to the town and even at this late day I consider it far from being labor lost."
(The foregoing was written by Lewis M. Norton, Dec. 13, 1847.)
DOG POND -LOOKING NORTIL.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
CHAPTER IV.
TOPOGRAPHY, SCENERY, CLIMATE, LAKES, HILLS, ETC.
THE town contains a considerable proportion of the highest land in the State. The soil is strong and although the bould- ers abound in many places, a wise system of farming brings abundant reward. Large fortunes have been made by Goshen farmers and the agriculturist of to-day works a soil that yields rich return in grass and corn. The feed of the pastures is not only abundant, where not given over to the little shrub, lo- cally known as hardhack, but gives a richness of flavor to the butter and cheese produced, that cause these products to be sought for at remunerative prices where once their quality has come to be known.
Any person who has traveled over the Goshen roads may not have felt like commending them as highways, but as in- troducing them to grand or beautiful prospects, are ready to endorse the often repeated expression, "they are unapproach- able." If any are inclined to doubt the correctness of this statement, let them read the following, keeping in mind that the hill described by the writer, as in "the north part of Goshen," is the hill just north of the Palmer place, about ten rods west of the highway.
From President Timothy Dwight's Travels in New England and New York:
"On Saturday, September 18th, 1802, I set out on a journey to Lake George, accompanied by Mr. S., a member of the senior class in Yale College. We left New Haven at 11 o'clock; and arrived at Litchfield in the evening. Here we were detained by the heat, and moisture of the weather, till Tuesday morning. We then rode to Goshen; where we continued till three in the afternoon. The Rev. 4
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
Mr. H., pastor of Goshen, joined us here, on a journey to Middle- bury and Vermont. The weather still continued intensely hot; and the sky threatened us with rain. From a hill in the North part of Goshen, at a small distance west of our road, we regaled ourselves with an interesting prospect of the Kaatskill Mountains. After our return to the road, which is a turnpike lately completed, we speedily reached the western summit of the Green Mountains in this quarter. Here the road descends into a valley, several miles in length and furnishing an easy gradual descent to the plains below. Through the chasm between the spurs, which to the eye are the ex- treme boundaries of the vallies of the North-East and South-West, we were presented with a most interesting prospect. The valley itself was a fine object, narrow, deep, and wild; with here and there a solitary farm, and a few scattered houses. The mountains, by which it is bounded, are bold, majestic promontories, advancing to- wards each other, and intruding into the valley, with steep and lofty precipices. Beyond these spreads the expansion of the Hooestennuc; and still further beyond, ascended the summits of Taghkannuc. gilded by the declining sun, and spotted by the shadow of several clouds, which floated slowly and solemnly along its summit, and continually changed its dark form, as they moved over its bosom. Behind the mountain, rose a black and awful cloud, highly charged with electric fluid; whence the lightning streamed, and the thunders rolled, with uncommon grandeur.
"At the bottom of this valley runs the rapid current. a brook, of sufficient size for a mill-stream. Its margin on each side is formed by narrow intervals. The settlements here, are recent, com- pared with most others in the state. The grounds are imperfectly cleared. The agriculture is indifferent: and the houses are chiefly new, and small. The prospect of the mountains from the valley is scarcely less striking than that which has been already described."
The elevation of the town, 1,250 feet at the center, and its exemption from large marshes, accounts for the fact that it never has been visited by epidemics, producing general sick- ness, since its settlement. In 1874 there were upwards of sixty persons in the town over seventy years of age.
The wind very rarely ceases to blow, even in the hottest weather of summer, and the gentle breezes are refreshing. In the winter months the wind is less gentle, but as an offset the mercury never reaches so low a point as in the towns in the- valley. But what about the snowdrifts? They are sometimes
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
seen in Goshen, but we have also seen a bed of pansies out of doors, and blooming continually during the months of Octo- ber, November, December, and January. We do not say that this often occurs ;- neither are snow-drifts, fifteen feet in height seen frequently, and, the statement that, "the Go- shen people do not use their snow until it is two years old," is not strictly correct; and the other statement that, " they have found, by actual experiment that snow three years old is the best for diluting soft soap," in the interests of scientific ac- curacy we pronounce an unmitigated falsehood.
LAKES, HILLS, MOUNTAINS, ETC.
There are several small lakes or ponds in the township. One of the larger of these is popularly known as North Pond, in the north part of the town reaching nearly to the Norfolk line. It is a beautiful sheet of water and contains several hundred acres. Its Indian name was Kecutucusuk [Keheke- took].
The outlet of this pond is called Gun Stock brook, flowing through a hollow, called Gun Stock Hollow. These names were given from the fact, that many trees of what was known as curly maple grew in this hollow, near the brook, and dur- ing the War of the Revolution the wood was used in the man- ufacture of stocks for the muskets. Its Indian name was Keheketookasook,- " sook " meaning outlet.
Whist Pond is near the town line between Goshen and Torrington, just midway between the north and south lines of the town. Its outlet is towards the Naugatuck Valley, and it is now used as the source of the water supply for the bor- ough of Torrington. It is said that it gained its name from an Indian by the name of Whist, who was accustomed to visit the pond to fish, and was drowned in its waters. The story goes, that, in company with others, he was sliding upon the ice and was warned not to slide more, as it would not bear.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
He said, "I will have one more slide," and went under the ice and was drowned.
About two miles northwest from the centre, and directly north from Canada village, is the West Side Pond, or, Nar- shapaug, as it should be called. Its outlet empties into the Marshapaug, from whence the stream flows which has fur- nished the power for the different manufacturing establish- ments at West Goshen. Marshapaug is locally known as Tyler Pond, and is not only a great resort for fishermen, but, during the summer months, there are many camping parties located upon its shores.
Dog Pond is nearly two miles from Marshapaug, a little east of south of that body of water. It is well stocked with fish and in its basin adds beauty to the landscape. It derives its name from the fact that a dog belonging to Deacon Na- thaniel Baldwin was drowned there in the fall of 1738, as Deacon B. was engaged in laying out lands.
Hatchiloosie, an artificial pond, a short distance east of the Norton cheese factory, is so named for an Indian, who had his wigwam in the woods near it, where he lived alone, about 1757. It was made in 1882, and is owned and used as a reservoir by the Torrington Water Company.
Ivy mountain* is two miles from the centre of the town, measuring, as the bee flies, a little east of north. It is the highest elevation in the town, 1642 feet above the sea level. From its summit, on a clear day, the hanging rocks at Meriden can be distinctly seen with the naked eye; the tower on Talcott mountain; the Catskills and mountains east of the Connecti- cut River. There is one very distinct mountain in sight, far
* "Ivy Mountain is a conspicuous summit, and although not more than three to four hundred feet above the general level of the plateau, commands a view extending from the mountains in Haddam and Chatham, on the south-east, to the Catskill Mountains on the north-west, thus indicating the comparatively great elevation of the general surface of the country around it." - Percival's Geology of Connecticut.
MARSHAPAUG POND - LOOKING EAST.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
beyond the Haystack, in Norfolk, and mountains in the south- west, beyond Mt. Tom, which stands in Morris and Wash- ington. The top of the mountain is in latitude 41 deg., 52 min., 17 sec. north; and longitude, 73 deg., 13 min., 28 sec. west.
Beech Hill extends from the eastern end of Ivy mountain southerly, on the west side of the East Branch, and past the old Hartford turnpike to the meadow where the East and West branches unite. The hill acquired its name, not from the Beach family, but from the great proportion of beech trees which were growing upon it. No inhabitant of the name of Beach lived upon it in the early times.
Pond Hill is east of Hatchiloosie and southwest of Whist Pond.
Town Hill is southeast of the centre, and slopes towards the north nearly to Dog Pond. Here the Lymans settled at an early day and here they resided until within a few years.
Burr mountain is in the northeast part of the town, near the Winchester line.
Brush Hill is the hill a little north of the Brooks place. Pie Hill in the southeast part of the town and makes a part of the John M. Wadhams farm, formerly the " Esquires Farm." School Hill, about one mile from the centre, a little north of west.
Long Swamp is south of the centre, east of the Litchfield road, extending a long distance south from opposite the Pratt place.
A few rods west of North Pond and a few rods south of the Norfolk line Tipping Rock may be seen, and has come to be such an object of interest that it is frequently visited by parties from neighboring towns. It is said that it will weigh upwards of eighty tons. It is an immense boulder, resting upon a ledge beneath. Its highest point is about ten feet from the rock upon which it rests. This immense rock is so nicely balanced that, in one direction, it can be slowly rocked back
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
and forth by the force of a single hand, and the weight of a man walking upon the top will cause the same movement. There are several similar rocks in different towns in the State, but this is probably the largest.
From the summit of Bartholomew Hill there may be seen, at times, the water of Long Island Sound shimmering under the sunlight.
" The Manor,"- the land on the north and east sides of Whist Pond, now partly owned by Sherman Kimberly - was formerly owned by the brothers Nathaniel and Theodore Par- melee and was called Parmelee's Manor. As their tract was very large it was called thus in accordance with usage in Eng- land. -
TIPPING ROCK.
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HISTORY OF GOSHEN.
CHAPTER V.
RESIDENCES AND ROADS IN 1745.
THE following is taken from the Centennial Sermon of the Rev. Grant Powers, delivered September 28, 1838. This published sermon is very scarce,- but a small number of copies having been printed,- and it has been thought best to have it published in form that will be likely to secure its per- manent preservation. Mr. Powers gives the credit to Deacon Lewis M. Norton for having furnished him with most of the facts which follow.
With the assistance of the oldest residents of the town, it has been found impossible to determine the location of many of these houses named by Mr. Powers. It should also be borne in mind that not one of them is in existence to-day. Many of them occupied the same location of the houses referred to in our notes.
" I will now for the satisfaction of the present generation, and with a view to impress us all with the truth, that the fashion of this world passeth away, present you this town as it was in 1745. We will commence at the south part of the town with Capt. Jonathan Buel, son of Dea. John Buel of Litchfield, and father of Capt. Jonathan Buel, now of this town. His house stood upon the line between Litchfield and Goshen, on the West side of the North and South road, as it now runs .* In the house lately owned and occupied by Elias Buel,* a little South of Harvey Brooks, on the East side of the road, lived Ebenezer Hill, Jun., son of the Ebenezer Hill whose house was in what is now Mr. Brooks barn-yard. This house was built in the summer of 1741, and is the oldest house in town. This Hill and Capt. Jona. Buel kept tavern al- ternately for a number of years. Buel would keep two years,
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