USA > Connecticut > New London County > Stonington > History of the town of Stonington, county of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900 with a genealogical register of stonington families > Part 11
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The Advent Christian Association was organized in Stonington Borough September Ist, 1874, by Capt. George S. Brewster, William H. Smith, William F. Tanner, and Benjamin C. Brown,
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
who commenced religious services at the dwelling-houses of the associated brethren, until they secured the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, where they now worship. The organization of this association was brought about by a few conscientious, devoted men, whose efforts have been blessed until their members have increased beyond their expectations. Like all of the primitive churches of New England, they started with a fixed purpose, disregarding all opposing forces, and with unshaken faith trusted in Him who doeth all things well. They have no settled pastor, but enjoy a stated supply from neighbor- ing churches. The church is greatly indebted to Capt. George S. Brewster for his unselfish devotion to its interests.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church at Mystic .- The church edifice was purchased from the Methodist Episcopal Society, and dedicated in 1870. Rev. P. P. Lawlor, first pastor, was suc- ceeded by Rev. Wm. Hart, Nov. 18, 1872, who remained until April 9th, 1873. He was followed then by Father John Flem- ming, who remained until Sept. IIth, 1881. He was succeeded by Rev. J. F. Dougherty, who remained until Sept. 19th, 1895, when Rev. J. F. Murphy took charge, and is now the present pastor.
Quiambaug Chapel .- Formerly religious meetings and Sunday schools were held in Quiambaug school-house in Stonington, composed of all religious denominations in that region round- about. Some of the people in that vicinity had repeatedly ex- pressed an opinion that a school-house was not a proper place for such meetings, especially during school terms, so an effort was made and generally concurred in to raise by subscription money sufficient to build a chapel of adequate dimensions to accommo- date the people of that vicinity. The money was raised, a site was procured and the corner-stone of the chapel was laid De- cember 27th, 1889, and the building was erected and dedicated in April, 1890. Sunday school sessions and other religious services have been held in the chapel to the present time, productive of great and lasting good.
Wequetequock chapel .- Sunday School sessions were formerly held at the Wequetequock school-house, later on at the chapel there, erected by the Calvary Episcopal Church of Stonington for mission services; but for reasons not generally well under- stood the Sunday school services were transferred to, and held
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in the parlors of the Second Congregational Society's dwelling- house at Wequetequock, where they were held until the Episcopal chapel was purchased Nov. 9th, 1893, by the Wequetequock Chapel Association, a corporation organized and existing on the basis of a union non-sectarian, joint stock association, since which time the Sunday School sessions have been in the chapel, where other religious services have been held by clergymen and other prominent men of the surrounding parishes.
The Sunday School sessions have been held under the super- intendence of Dea. Joshua Haley of the Second Congregational Church of Stonington for eighteen years and have been pro- ductive of great and lasting good to all attending and participat- , ing. A union association of ladies has been formed, whose influence has enlarged the patronage of the association. Since its purchase the chapel has been repaired and beautified, and with gifts from those interested now presents an attractive appearance with ample sheds, all showing the progress of the association.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at Stonington Borough .- This church was formed in 1851, and the edifice was erected the same year by subscriptions from the Catholics of Stonington, Westerly and the Mystics, under the supervision of Rev. P. Duffy, who was the first pastor. At present it is joined to Mystic as an out-mission and attended by the priests at Mystic, the Rev. Father Murphy being its present pastor.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The men who settled Connecticut left their homes in England and emigrated to this country not to acquire wealth or worldly honor, so much as to enjoy civil and religious liberty and freedom; so as soon as the population was sufficient, teachers were employed to instruct the youth of the colony.
This was done in advance of any colonial legislative enactments on the subject of common schools, and in fact when laws were passed in relation to them they did little more than to make obligatory the practices which had grown up and been established by the founders of the several towns which composed the original colonies of Hartford and New Haven.
The founders of this State were educated men, and seeking for the best opportunities of educating their children the common school system was introduced in Connecticut. The first law upon the subject was enacted by the town of New Haven March 25, 1641, which provided for a free school under the care and management of the minister and magistrates. The next law was enacted by the town of Hartford, seven years after, appro- priating thirty pounds for its schools. In 1646 Roger Ludlow, Esq., compiled a body of laws for the colony of Connecticut, which provided that every township of fifty families shall main- tain a school for the education of all their children, and as soon as such township shall contain one hundred families, they are to maintain a grammar school. Various public acts were passed relative to common schools up to 1700, when the Connecticut code was revised and embraced the following, that "Every town having seventy householders shall be constantly provided with a sufficient schoolmaster to teach children and youth to read and write, and every town having a less number shall provide a teacher for one-half of the year, also that there shall be a Gram- mar school set up in every shire-town of the several counties."
In 1766 a law was passed authorizing each town and society to divide themselves into necessary districts for keeping their
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schools, which district shall draw their proportion of all public moneys belonging to each town according to the lists of each district therein.
In 1786 Connecticut surrendered to the general government for the benefit of the people, all its claim to a vast territory west of Pennsylvania and New York, from the sale of which we de- rived our present school fund. For ten years it was controlled by a board of managers, but in 1810 Hon. James Hillhouse was appointed sole commissioner of the school fund, and by his management its value was greatly increased.
In 1836, the town deposits fund came into existence from the general government, by a distribution of surplus revenues be- tween all the States, this State receiving $764,670.60, which was divided amongst the several towns according to the population, and one-half of the income by a law of our State was annually appropriated for the benefit of common schools education. And in 1845 another law was passed, devoting all of this income to common schools. The amount received by this town was $8,734.91.
Notwithstanding the repeated acts of Legislature, relative to common schools, they were so much neglected in this town that the friends of education induced the selectmen to call a town meeting Oct. 31, 1853, and after a long discussion the town voted to levy a tax of one cent on a dollar of the grand list for the benefit of common schools in the town, and the money should be expended under the direction of B. F. Langworthy, Charles H. Mallory and Richard A. Wheeler, for the benefit of schools; first, in paying lectures for them, second to bring up the funds of the small districts to seventy-five dollars; third, to divide the rest among the children of all the districts equally. So after various provisions, revisions and enactments of laws, the Leg- islature dissolved the school societies and placed the schools under the care of the town, thus returning to the first system of common schools established in Connecticut. At the present time there are forty teachers employed in the fifteen districts in this town, in fourteen of which are schools well taught and reg- ularly attended. One district has not the requisite number of scholars within its limits to sustain a school, but the town pays for transporting the few children to the next nearest school.
The amount of money expended for the forty teachers is
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
$15,269.85, and the total expenditure by town and district for educational purposes is $20,505.78, for the 1,754 scholars in- structed.
The Liberty Street school, called No. 16, has within its limits a parochial school, which takes the larger number of pupils in that district.
The new schoolhouse at Pawcatuck, called the West Broad Street school, is reputed to be the finest school building in the State, costing about $40,000.
HIGHWAYS.
Highways in Connecticut were established and laid out by an act of its General Court in the year 1638, which was amended in 1640, and in 1643 surveyors thereof were authorized to be appointed by the several towns, who were empowered to call out certain persons to repair the same. These laws were enlarged and perfected by the code of laws of Connecticut, enacted by the General Court in the year 1650 as follows :
"Whereas the maintaining of highways in a fit condition for passage ac- cording to the several occasions that occur is not only necessary for the comfort and safety of man and beast, but tends to the profit and advantage of any people, in the issue. It is therefor thought fit and ordered, that each town within this jurisdiction shall every year choose one or two of their in- habitants as Surveyors, to take care of, and oversee the mending and repairing of the Highways within their several Towns respectively, who have hereby power allowed them to call out the several cartes or persons fit for labor in each town, two days at least in each year, and so many more as in his or their judgments shall be found necessary for the maintaining of the afore mentioned end, to be directed in their works by the said surveyor or sur- veyors, and it is left to his or their liberties to require the labor of the sev- erall persons in any family, or of a team and one person, where such are, as he finds most advantageous to the public occasions, he or they giving at least three days' notice or warning beforehand of such employment; and if any refuse or neglect to attend the service in any manner aforesaid, he shall forfeit for every day's neglect of a man's work two shillings sixpence, and of a team six shillings; which said fines shall be imployed by the Surveyors to hire others to work at the said wages: and the Surveyors shall within four days after the several days appointed for worke deliver in to some Magistrate a true presentment of all such as have beene defective, with their several neglects, who are immediately to grant a distress to the Marshall or Con- stable, for the levying of the incurred forfeiture by them to be delivered to the Surveyor for the use aforesaid, and if the Surveyor neglect to perform the service hereby committed to him, either in not calling out all the inhab- itants in their several proportions as before or shall not return the names of those that are deficient, he shall incur the same penalties as those whom he so passes by are liable to, by virtue of this order, which shall be imployed to the use aforesaid, and to be levied also by distress upon information and proof before any one Magistrate."
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
In 1674 the General Court passed an act fixing the liability of persons to repair the highways, between sixteen and sixty years of age. In 1679 an act was passed by the General Court, ordering all the towns of the colony to clear their roads of brush at least one rod wide. In 1698 the General Court of Connecticut passed an act by which the General Court (which up to that time had acted as one body) should for the future consist of two houses, the first shall consist of the Governor, or in' his absence of the Deputy Governor and assistants, which shall be known by the name of the upper house, and the other shall con- sist of such deputies as shall be returned by the several towns within this colony to serve as members of this General Assembly which shall be known as the lower house.
In 1699 the General Court passed an act, giving authority to the county courts to lay out and establish and repair highways, with power to assess damages therefor. But it was not until 1795, that a general law of Connecticut was enacted authorizing towns to build and repair highways by a tax on their polls and ratable estate. The privilege to do so was previously conferred upon several towns when thereto by them specially requested.
The office of selectmen of Connecticut was created by its Gen- eral Court in the year 1639, with authority to lay out and repair highways, but no reference of their proceedings in laying out highways was required to be passed upon by the towns after the layout thereof.
The town of Stonington acting under and by virtue of the laws of the Connecticut Colony proceeded by its selectmen to lay out and establish certain highways as follows :
"At a town meeting legally warned and held on the second day of March, 1669, it was voted that the Selectmen with Capt. George Denison, Thomas Park, senior, and John Bennet, are chosen to seek out the country highway and other highways that are needful for the Towns use and to lay them out or the major part of these chosen are to lay out the country highways, by the first of May next; provided that the Selectmen give notice that all may know the time and place where to meet."
"At a town meeting held March 25th, 1669, it was voted that the country highway shall be laid out by the men chosen for that purpose from the head of Mystic (now Old Mystic), to Kitchamaug, so near as may be according . to the old footpath lies, provided it meet with London highway at Mystic River, having respect to the public good and the convenience of the partic- ular proprietors through whose lands this country highway shall run, and this highway to be allowed four-pole (rod) wide."
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HIGHWAYS.
The committee authorized to lay out said country highway as aforesaid made the following report :
"The country highway beginning at Mystic River on the west, four rod wide; lying between a white oak and a little beech tree marked on three sides, and so running through the Indian field at Quaquataug to Mistuxet Brook in or near to the old footpath and from thence running on the north side of John Reynolds, his house as the trees are marked to the Stoney Brook near to the old path; the path lying on the south a little distance, and from the Stoney Brook to Goodman York, his house in the old footpath, and from Goodman York, his house four pole wide through the said York's land; next unto Mr. James Noyes his land to the old footpath, and if the little swamp proves not passable, that is in the said York's land then the said York is to repair it, or else to suffer it to lie on the old footpath, because it is said he has sixteen pole allowed him the whole length of his land for that purpose and end; and from that leaving the old footpath a little to the south by reason of a foul swamp till we come to the top of the hill called Petequack and from thence to the wading place at Pawcatuck river known as Kitchamaug, above the Indian wares in the common traveled highway.
"And this was laid out by us, whose names are under written, on the first day of April, 1669, and the way is to be four pole wide from Mystic to Paw -- catuck, according to the town order, the 25th of March, 1669.
"As witness our hands this fifth day of April, 1669.
THOMAS STANTON GEORGE DENISON, THOMAS WHEELER, SAMUEL CHESEBROUGH, NEHEMIAH PALMER, THOMAS PARK, JOHN BENNET."
"At a town meeting legally warned and held April 6th, 1669, it was passed by vote that Captain George Denison should be employed to make a directory, and set it upon a tree or post at this the wading place at Pawcatuck river, Kitchamaug, where the country highway is laid out, that strangers and travellers may know how to find the country highway through the town to London highway at Mystic River and another at Mystic (now Old Mystic). The same day it was voted that there shall be a country highway laid out, the present month at the furtherest and that the Selectmen should appoint the. time and day and the persons to accompany the Selectmen in the work, to lay out the said country highway from where they left off at Kitchamaug to the east end of the town at Wecapaug and on the fifteenth day of March, 1670, the said country highway was laid out from the wading place at Kitch- amaug on the Pawcatuck river, where we ended the country way from Mystic to Pawcatuck and from Pawcatuck river to Wecapaug through the town four pole wide through a field where John Reynolds dwells, and so through the part. of the field where the Tinker did dwell and so throughout."
This was done by the selectmen and constables to the number of
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fourteen men. A few of the early grants of land here were given by the town, subject to necessary highways for the improve- ment thereof, but a majority of the land grants contained no such condition. Prior to 1699, there were no legal provisions in the statute laws of Connecticut, by which towns were liable for damages accruing by the layout of a highway by the select- men thereof, the natural consequence of which was that the landholders, over which highways were laid by the selectmen, fenced in, plowed and planted the roads at pleasure, which so obstructed the travel thereon that the town took further action in the premises as follows, viz. :
"At a Town Meeting March ye 9th, 1686, the following highways, consid- ered of ye sundry inhabitants appointed by order of the town, were legally voted, viz .: That the country highway lie from Mystic river head, between Major Winthrop and Deacon Park, their land to ye end of said York's his land, and then as ye way now runs to ye meeting-house, and so as we now go to ye brook Anguilla by Mr. Noyes his house, where it goes into ye former country way to the wading place at Pawcatuck river."
This proceeding of the town did not improve the condition of the highways nor satisfy the landholders whose interests were disregarded by the town, nor did they remove their fences across this old post road and throw it open to travel except in the winter season.
Traveling in those days was on horseback and by ox-teams, the highways were not graded, nor were the rivers and brooks bridged. The town of Stonington was not alone in poor roads, bridgeless brooks and rivers. The whole colony was suffering from the same cause and so much so that the General Assembly took the matter in hand as follows, viz .:
"Complaint being made that Post and other travellers meet with great dif- ficulty in journeying as they pass through this Colony, especially in the town of Stonington, difficulty doth arise either for want of stated highways or for want of clearing and repairing highways when stated and erecting and main- taining sufficient bridges when needing repairs: For remedy whereof the Selectmen in each town in this Colony situate in the accustomed roads are hereby required upon sight or publication hereof forthwith to take effectual care that convenient highways as may be for the advantage of Posts and others travelling in their journeying as aforesaid be laid out through their townships."
A committee was also appointed by the General Assembly to see that the foregoing order was duly complied with and carried
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HIGHWAYS.
into effect by the selectmen of the several towns. The town of Stonington had passed several votes relative to the survey and repair of its highways, but for some reason not now understood they were not carried into effect, and the roads were well nigh impassable. When the said order of the General Assembly was received, the selectmen proceeded to re-examine the old post road, which was the only established highway of the town at the time; the other roads were private ways or bridle paths, so called, and by their own act relaid it and caused the same to be recorded as follows, viz. :
" In attendance of an act of the General Assembly bearing date May 12th & 25th, 1698, the Selectmen of Stonington have for settlement of the country Road made search in our town records and have viewed and considered the road as far as we can find it hath been laid out and recorded. And we find that Stephen Richardson hath fenced the way on this side of Pawcatuck River at two places by his house and corn field; Now we order the said Stephen to repair and clear the way at those places, till his corn is off the land, and the way turned again where it was laid out. We find that Mr. Noyes hath turned the way at the west end of his land at the bridge; we order the said Mr. Noyes forthwith to repair the bridge and keep it in repair till his crop bee off and the way returned where it was laid out; That James Babcock hath turned the road where his fields are; We order the said Bab- cock to maintain sufficient way there, till his present crop be off, and then to pull down his fences and let the road be open according to law and town order, where it was laid out. We find that Elihu Chesebrough hath stopped the way by two gates and we do order the said Elihu to repair and mend the said gate till his present grass is off the land and then to take away his gates and let the way be open where the town has laid it out; and we find the rest of the way, as convenient as we know it how it was laid out, from Elihu Chesebrough's land to the meeting house at the road, and from the said Meet- ing-House to Reynolds his path on the east side of Quaquataug hill and then finding the way hath not been fully settled, we have laid out the way from the foot of the hill where the road crosseth Reynolds his path straight as the ground will allow it to go, going on the west of the ground, where it is most free from rocks then it is to pass through the upper end of said Park's his land as the trees were marked till it came into the lane and it is to go in the lane to the brow of the upper part of the hill, near the gate and pass thence down the hill where the road way is now trod and taking the best advantage for the ground because the hill is steep; We do order that from the brow of the hill near the gate down to the little pasture the way is to be left eight pole wide because the ground is wet and springy land, and then it is to pass through the pasture and through the southward part of the uppermost little cornfield by Mystic River side and then it is to go along, by the River as it is now travelled, to the place where it passes through Mystic River. And this way for a country road is to be four rods wide; and where there are any lanes for this way to pass through they are to be left four pole
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wide; and we do order the surveyors for the highways forthwith to call the town to repair the road according to law.
"By the Selectmen, date August 12th, 1698.
NEHEMIAH PALMER,
JOSEPH MINER, JOSEPH SAXTON, ADAM GALLUP,
Selectmen.
This road remained unfenced, except as against improved lands for a good many years, and was the principal thoroughfare between New London and Newport for more than one hundred years, and until it was superceded by turnpikes and railways. It has never been materially changed in its course since 1698. It has been reduced to its present grade by continued repairs little by little, and the bridges over Anguilla, Stoney and Mis- tuxet Brooks were made by special vote of the town.
The want of a law in our colony to enable the selectmen to lay out highways and cause damages to be assessed therefor to the proprietors of land taken for the same, which must be paid by a tax on the polls and ratable estate of the towns, finally resulting in petitions to the courts of the county, which had ample authority for laying out and establishing highways, so in 1752 a petition was presented to the County Court for a highway from Long Point to the town of Preston, which was granted, and the highway was laid out and established. The next year a high- way was so laid out, on petition by authority of said court, from Pawcatuck Bridge to Voluntown. Later on highways were so laid out from Pistol Point to the old Road meeting-house. Also a highway was so laid out from Long Point to Wequetequock, and on northerly to the old post road at Anguilla, thence easterly by and with said post road a short distance, from thence northerly and northeasterly to the said Voluntown highway. Also an- other highway was so laid out from the town landing at Old Mystic northerly and northeasterly to the said Preston highway, near the residence of the late Deacon Charles Wheeler.
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