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 3
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wordes respecting the bay and the interest, thretening the nullifying of what ever the bay hath done hear, respecting privilidges or proprietyes; things being thus, or thus apearing vnto vs, we being weeke and vnexperi- enced in the manageing of cases of this natures, causeth vs with all humilitye to sped these things before your worships and this Honerable assembly, humbly begging your firther faviour and countenanc in thes respects, for our incor- agement in the manifestation of our fidellitye, vnto which we haue ioyntly bound our selves: wherefore we doe earnistly intreat that since we haue bin and are orderly vnder your care and Government, that you would be pleased to doe your vtmost for vs to contenew us. So, and that we may not bee left vnto the mercyes of those of conecticote, whose wordes and actions speaks (unto vs) nothing but our ruin, who haue aproued our selues faithfull, yee and the ouerturning of the authoritye of the bay to there vtmost power: and becaus we doe not know how soone they may macke sum further attemtes against vs, we doe earnistly craue sum further orders and instructions may be sent unto vs, by this messenger if posably, that so we may not be in the darke what to do, if such attemts should be made against vs, which the lord in mercy prevent, by your wisdome, and if that purpose you would send any letters unto coneticot our mesenger can speedily convey them vnto there deputys Governor, which posably may abate there furye, and may be a means to prevent our further truble and of the continuance of our peace, together with your authoritye and interest: pardon we beseech you our bouldness, and let our presing nesesitye, together with our earnest desire after peace, and order, and the attending your orders and instrucktions to that end speake for vs: and if the lord shall macke your worships instru- mentall for the preservation of our peace and comfort, by the improvement and vpholding your authoritye amongst vs, we and ours shall haue caus as to owne his Goodnes so to acknowledg youre favioure, and shall continue. to pray.
"Yours in all Loyallty, though vnworthy to be owned,
"GEORGE DENISON "WILLIAM CHESEBROUGH "THO. STANTON "SAMUEL CHESEBROUGH
"ELIHU PALMER
"Townsmen.
"From Southertown: this: 19 of January 1662.
"In the name and with the consent of the towne."
-Mass. Archives, vol. ii, page 34 by William B. Trask.
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
Connecticut until the October session for 1664, when William Chesebrough was elected, and at the commencement of the session presented a petition1 in behalf of the planters, asking their pardon for past offenses, and their favor for the future, which was granted to all except Capt. Denison.2
In 1665 the name of Southertown was by the General Court changed to that of Mystic, in memory of that victory God was pleased to give this people of Connecticut over the Pequot Indians. In May, 1666, an act was passed as follows: "The town of Mystic is by this Court named Stonington, the Court doth grant to the plantation to extend the bounds thereof ten miles from the sea up into the country northward, and eastward
1 "To the Honorable Genrall Court now asembled at Hartford in the Collony of Connectycoat, Hounorable may it pleas you-We your poore petitioners being summoned by the Hounored Counsel of this jurisdiction to yield our obedience & subjection to this jurisdiction acording to his majestyes letters patent gratiously granted to this Collonie & to make choise of a percon to be a Comishonor & to atend the servis of this present Court in obedience to this summons we have yielded our selves & sent vp one to be a Comishonor to atend the servis of the Court. We humbly besech you thearfore that you will pardon all such mistaiks or miscariges wch through humain frailty hath bene offencive or grievous vnto you & receaue vs with a loving aspect & renue your former favor vnto vs that we may be remembered with equall priviledges of other Townes acording to our Capacite that we maie be pre- served in truth & peace & that scandals may be removeed for the forme we may not be so bould as to prescrib knowing the wisdom & prudenc of the Hounered Court hose wisdom & favor we do commit ourselues vnto.
"We humbly do be besech allso that the bounds of our plantation may be confirmed wch was granted vnto vs by the Bay, thus being loath to trespas vpon your patenc we humbly taik our leave & rest your pore petichoners.
WILLM CHESEBROUGH in the name of the rest
"October 14: 64"
-Conn. Archives.
2 "Mystic & Pawcatuck haveing by Mr. Chesebrough petitioned this Court for their fauoure to pass by their offences the Court haueing considered the same doe hereby declare that what irregularties or abusiue practices haue proceeded from them, whereby they haue seemed to offer contempt to the authority here established it shall be forgiuen and buryed in perpetuall oblivion and forgetfullness, and this to extend it selfe to all ye members of the afoarsayd plantation, Captayn Denison onely excepted whoe hath neglected or refused to submitt himselfe peaceably to the order of the Councill of this Colony."-Trumbull's Colonial Records, vol. i., p. 499.
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
to the river called Pawcatuck. This Court doth pass an act of indemnity to Capt. George Denison upon the same grounds as was formerly granted to other inhabitants of Stonington."
Mr. Noyes did not at first make arrangements to remain for any given length of time, but subsequently, in 1668, the town passed a vote that they would freely contribute, or give towards his building a dwelling-house among them in order to his set- tling in the town, and carrying on the work of the ministry among them. They also voted to give him a salary of fifty pounds currency annually for seven years, and in 1671 the town added the use of the ministry land to Mr. Noyes' salary, and subsequently raised it to one hundred pounds, with several grants of land and other donations. About this time a move- ment was set on foot to build a new and better meeting-house, to lay out public lands for the support of the gospel ministry, and to form a church in accordance with the established religion of the colony. In 1667 the planters convened in town-meeting and decided to set apart and lay out five hundred acres of land, to be styled the ministry land, the avails of which were to be applied to the support of the gospel ministry. In July of the same year the town established what they called a town plot, and appointed a committee to lay out as many lots as there were inhabitants then living in the town. Their home-lots contained twelve acres each, and were so arranged that each lot had a street front. Two hundred acres of this ministry-land was laid out around the place where the Road meeting-house now stands, the eastern line of which extended along a few feet east of said meeting-house, running nearly north and south. The western boundary was Mistuxet Brook. The northern and southern lines cannot now be traced, but the form of the plot can nearly be seen when we look at the distance between the east and west lines and the number of acres that were laid out. The home-lots were laid out around and upon each side of the ministry land. They extended as far east as Stony Brook, and south as far as Smith's Mill; one tier was located north, and the remainder west and south of said land. In 1668, a census of the inhabitants of the town was ordered to be taken, em- bracing those only who were inhabitants or heads of families. February 2d there were found to be forty-three inhabitants, viz., Thomas Stanton, George Denison, Thomas Miner, John Gallup,
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
Amos Richardson, Samuel Cheesebrough, James Noyes, Elisha Cheesebrough, Thomas Stanton, Jr., Ephraim Miner, Moses Palmer, James York, John Stanton, Thomas Wheeler, Samuel Mason, Joseph Miner, John Bennett, Isaac Wheeler, John Denison, Josiah Witter, Benjamin Palmer, Gershom Palmer, Thomas Bell, Joseph Stanton, John Fish, Thomas Shaw, John Gallup, Jr., John Frink, Edmund Fanning, James York, Jr., Nathaniel Beebe, John Reynolds, Robert Sterry, John Shaw, John Searls, Robert Fleming, Robert Holmes, Nathaniel Chesebrough, for Mrs. Anna Chesebrough, his mother, Gershom Palmer for Mrs. Rebecca Palmer, his mother, Henry Stevens, and Ezekiel Main. A home-lot was laid out for each inhabitant, and the title was obtained by lottery on the following conditions, namely: If built upon within six months and inhabited, the title would be complete, except that each proprietor must reside on his lot two years before he could sell it, and then he must first offer it to the town and be refused, before he could sell the same to any person and give good title. How many of these home-lots were built upon by the then inhabitants cannot now be ascertained.
Up to this time all religious services had been provided for and conducted by the authorities of the town. Ministers were employed by the selectmen, and paid from the town treasury. The town also appointed committees to examine candidates for the ministry, to see if they were sound in the fundamentals. "They did not by their acts recognize Councils, Assemblies, or ecclesiastical machinery in any way until 1669, when they preferred a petition to the General Court of the colony asking liberty to settle themselves in church order, which was granted at once;" but the church was not formed until 1674. During the time that these preliminary steps were moving for church organization, the inhabitants were worshipping at Pequot, in their dwelling-houses and the old meeting-house. They had repaired it several times in pursuance of town votes. It was also occupied by the town for holding town meetings.
At a meeting held therein in June, 1670, it was voted, with a joint consent, "That a bigger and better meeting-house should be built." Nothing appears to have been done about building a new house, for the reason that they could not agree upon a location. In April, 1671, another meeting was held, which
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
voted, "That the meeting-house agreed upon shall stand upon the most convenient place of the ministry land," and the selectmen were directed "to view said land and approve the place where they find it most convenient, according to the order of the town, to set the meeting-house."
The selectmen could not agree upon a location, and called another town meeting, which was held Thursday, December 14, 1671. At this meeting, after spending most of the day in fruitless motions and discussions, it was voted, "That the meeting should continue until Friday night, and that all the inhabitants meet Friday morning by nine of the clock at the meeting-house, and to go from thence to view a place to set the new meeting- house on."
They met the next day, and looked over the ministry land, and unanimously agreed upon a location for their new house, and then went back to the old meeting-house and passed the follow- ing votes, viz .: "That the New Meeting-House shall for time to come be set up and stand without removing upon the hill called Agreement Hill, so named by the town at the same place." The dimensions of this house were agreed upon at this meeting, and were as follows: "Forty feet long, twenty-two feet wide, and fourteen feet posts from joint to joint." It was also voted at this meeting, "That the present minister, Mr. James Noyes, for the time that he continues to be the minister of this place, shall have the use of all the ministry land to himself, besides his fifty pounds currency per annum, and at his death or departure to leave it wholly to the town." A committee of five were ap- pointed to superintend the erection of the new meting-house. It was built by subscriptions of timber, planking, shingles, ceiling, nails and labor of men and teams, etc. At the time the meeting-house was located upon Agreement Hill by the town, the hill was covered with heavy timber, which was removed by the inhabitants by voluntary labor, who then laid the foundations for the new house, and raised it Jan. 15, 1673. This house stood a few rods west of the present meeting-house at the road. It was not finished for several years. At first there were no slips or pews, except for the deacons, magistrates, and minister's family ; benches were used by all people, and a committee was appointed to seat them according to their notions of propriety. This state of things did not last long, for the town voted the
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
next year to have the floor of the house and of the gallery assigned to the inhabitants for pews. A committee was appointed to make the assignment, who encountered much opposition, but finally agreed upon a plan which was submitted to the town and accepted. Those who were dissatisfied with the section assigned them did not make their pews, and occupied the old benches. Some of them after a while reconsidered their determination and built them. The inside of the house was never lathed and plastered. After the pews were built the space between them and the gallery was ceiled, and this was done by sections, which had been assumed by some of the wealthier inhabitants. When this house was dedicated is not known. Religious meetings were held there in the summer of 1673, and ever after that until it was taken down to make way for a larger one, which was erected in 1729. Soon after this town was incorporated by the General Court of Massachusetts, the planters became apprehen- sive of trouble with the Narragansett and Wampannoag Indians, whose western limits bordered along on the eastern boundary of Southertown. The danger of the planters here had been in- creased by a union with the Massachusetts Colony, for the reasons that it was with that and the Plymouth Colony that the trouble originated that finally culminated in King Philip's war. Becoming a part of the Massachusetts Colony, they were re- garded by the Indians as their enemies. Their isolated condition and the neutral position of Rhode Island marked them as an easy prey for savage vengeance. Nor did the new charter in 1662 and their annexation to the colony of Connecticut better their condition, for as the difficulties with the Indians increased the whole of New England became involved in the conflict.
King Philip's emissaries visited the remnant of the Pequot Indians, and besought them to join in the grand plan of exter- minating the English.
They were partially successful at first in their endeavors, but the influence of Chesebrough, Stanton, Denison, Gallup and others prevailed with the Pequots and they remained friendly with the English and rendered them most important services when the war actually commenced. They participated in the great swamp-fight in Kingston, R. I., which took place Dec. 19, 1675. Capt. James Avery, of New London, commanded the Pequots and Mohegans, who, urged on by Oneko, fought with
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
unyielding determination. Capt. John Gallup was among the slain, but how many of lesser grade, and of the rank and file of our town, were killed and wounded cannot now be ascertained. Almost all of the able-bodied men of Stonington were engaged in the Indian wars of their time. Capt. George Denison raised and mustered into service from the colony a large force of English and Indians. He was provost-marshal for New London County and Rhode Island. He had a stockade fort just west of his dwelling-house in Stonington, where his soldiers encamped previous to their forays into the Indian territory. During the year 1676, Capt. Denison organized three expeditions, which pursued with unrelenting vengeance the shattered remnants of King Philip's forces. It was during the third of these expedi- tions, which began March 28, 1676, and ended April 10, 1676, that the brave Narragansett chieftain, Canonchet, was taken prisoner. He was brought to Stonington, where a council of war was held at Anguilla, near the present residence of Gideon P. Chesebrough. He refused to negotiate for peace, or for the cessation of hostilities on any terms, so the council decided that he must die, and when told of his fate, replied "That he liked it well, and should die before his heart had grown soft, or he had said anything unworthy of himself." He was executed after the Indian mode, being shot by Oneko and two Pequot sachems, the nearest to his own rank among his conquerors. This was done by his captors without consulting, or advice from any one superior to them in authority. No list or roll of the Stonington men who participated in the early Indian wars has been pre- served. The nearest approach to which may be found in "list of the English volunteers in the late Narragansett war," as prepared by a committee for that purpose in order to secure a grant of land for their services, as follows: Capt. George Denison, Sergt. John Frink, Capt. John Stanton, Capt. Samuel Mason, Rev. James Noyes, Lieut. Thomas Miner, Samuel Youmans, John Fish, George Denison, Jr., William Denison, Nathaniel Beebe, Henry Stevens, Edmund Fanning, Thomas Fanning, John Bennett, William Bennett, Ezekiel Main, William Wheeler, Gershom Palmer, Samuel Stanton, Daniel Stanton, Manasseth Miner, Joseph Stanton, James York, Henry Bennett, Capt. James Pendleton, Robert Holmes, Thomas Bell, Henry Elliott, Isaac Wheeler, John Gallup, Nathaniel Chesebrough,
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
Ephraim Miner, Joseph Miner, Samuel Miner, John Ashcroft, Edmund Fanning, Jr., John Denison, William Billings and Samuel Fish.
After the close of King Philip's war nothing occurred to in- terrupt the progress of the settlement. Some matters, however, connected with the contests between the colonies of Connecticut and Rhode Island, relative to the boundary line between them, lingered, to make trouble for the adjoining towns of Stonington and Westerly. The boundaries between Connecticut and Rhode Island as fixed by the new charter were not satisfactory to the Connecticut people, nor entirely so to the Rhode Island people, but after years of contention and litigation measures in the interest of peace prevailed, and the present boundary line was established. The attempted overthrow of the charter of the colony by Sir Edmund Andros, acting in pursuance of the policy of King James II., did not particularly affect the interest of the planters here, though they were bitterly opposed to the measures adopted by the king for the purpose of consolidating all of the New England colonies into one, shorn of the liberties granted them by the charter of 1662. The sudden collapse of King James, his abdication of the government of England in 1688, the arrest . of Andros in Massachusetts, and his forced return to England gave great satisfaction to the inhabitants of this town, as well as to all of New England; and when William and Mary ascended the throne in 1689 they were hailed with universal respect and esteem. Their beneficent policy was felt on this side of the Atlantic, and with the restoration of the charter and the assurance of the protection of the mother-country, the planters here went on from year to year electing their town and colonial officers, levying and collecting taxes for church, town and state and furnishing without dissent their quota of men to resist the invasion of the French and Indians from the north. During the latter part of the Rev. Mr. James Noyes' pastorate his health began to fail him, and the people of his charge were anxious to afford him all the assistance in their power. By this time the northern part of Stonington, now North Stonington, had become settled, and the old place of worship at Agreement Hill was felt to be too remote for them to attend. So they began to take measures to divide the town into two societies for religious purposes, pending which the
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
town held a meeting in 1715, and voted and agreed to call the Rev. Joseph Noyes1 to assist his father in the work of the min- istry, one of whom was to preach to the people remote from the old meeting-house. Mr. Joseph Noyes did not accept of this call, anticipating one from New Haven, which he subse- quently received and accepted. Another town meeting was held in 1717 and adopted measures for the division of the town, which was consummated by the General Assembly in 1720.2 The legal effect of these proceedings thus far was to divide the town into societies and leave them without authority to assemble and elect their officers, there being no general statutes at the time providing for calling the first society meeting for that purpose. Whereupon a petition was preferred to the Governor and Council in December, 1720, asking that a time might be
1 "At an adjourned Town Meeting held April the 14th, 1715, It was voted and agreed to call Mr. Joseph Noyes to be helpfull to the Rev. Mr. James Noyes in carrying on ye work of ye Ministry amongst us in thiss town, and that one of ye two Ministers shall preach to the People living remoat from the Meeting House at sum convenient Place where they, ye people agrived shall unanimously agree upon, and that after the death, removal or inability of either of the two ministers, to carry on the work of ye ministry, or so soon after as the uper people shall so cause the Town to be divided into two Societies for carrying on ye work of ye ministry; And ye Town to be divided so as may be consistant with ye rule of justice and righteousness and the Northern Society when set out as above shall have an equal part of the ministry land, in this town and for incuragement of ye uper society, the lower society shall when divided as aforesaid, pay unto them the sum of one hundred pounds towards ye settleing of a minister amongst them. It was voted that if Mr. Joseph Noyes shall accept of a call of this town to be minister with his father the Rev. Mr. James Noyes, that then ye town will give him, ye sd Mr. Joseph Noyes for his incuragement ye sum of one hundred pounds towards settling him amongst us and to pay him annually ye sum of seventy pounds as money so long as they ye sd Mr. James and Mr. Joseph Noyes shall carry on ye work of ye ministry amongst us in this town, and if it pleased God that Mr. Joseph Noyes shall succeed ye Rev. Mr. James Noyes and doe continue to carry on ye work of ye ministry amongst us that then, he shall have his salloroy raised to make it a comfortable and credeble main- tanance from this Town."-Stonington Town Records."
2 "Generall Assembly May Session A. D., 1620. Holden at Hartford .- Upon consideration of the petition of the inhabitants dwelling in the northward part of Stonington, praying that a Committed may be appointed to settle and establish a line that shall divide Stonington into two societies. Ordered, by this Assembly, that Mr. John Plumb of New London Conn., John Sprague of Lebanon, Conn., Joseph Bacchus of Norwich, and Lt. Timothy Pierce
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HISTORY OF STONINGTON.
fixed for a meeting of the inhabitants of said parish qualified to vote in the affairs therein. The petition was granted and the 28th day of December, 1721, at the old meeting-house, at twelve o'clock noon, was designated as the time and place for said meeting and three men were selected to warn it by giving five days' notice thereof, and when assembled either of said persons was to preside and lead the parishioners to a choice of society officers.3
of Plainfield, or any three of them be a committee to settle the line desired and make return of their doings therein to the Assembly in October next and that the Towne of Stonington be at the charge of it .- Hoadley's Colonial Rec- ords, vol. v, page 180.
"Whereas the Generall Assembly held in May 12th. 1720. Did appoint us ye subscribers to fix and settle a line in Stonington to divide it into two societies, and we having heard ye Parties, what they had to offer in ye premises and viewed ye list of estates as also taken a view of severall Quarters in ye sd. town and seriously considered ye same, do fix and settle ye aforesaid line which divides ye sd. Town into two societies as follows. Beginning at ye house and farme of Mr. William Wheeler, from thence west north-west line to Mystick River brook about one mile and from ye sd. house of William Wheeler a line easterly to ye house and farm of Mr. Josiah Grant, and from thence a line eastwardly to ye house and farm of Mr. John Brown, and thence a line easterly to ye house and farm of Mr. Thomas Brown, and from thence a line easterly to ye house and farm of Mr. John Randall, and from ye sd Mr Randall's house, an east line to Shoonuck River and so by Shoonuck River to Pawcatuck River, the aforesaid line taking in ye sd Mr William Wheeler, Mr Josiah Grant, Mr John Brown, Mr. Thomas Brown, and Mr John Randall with their present improvements into ye North Society and to be a part of it as witness our hands.
"JOHN SPRAGUE, JOHN PLUMB, JOSEPH BACHUS, TIMOTHY PEIRCE, Committee.
"Stonington, June 25, 1720."-Society Records.
3 "At a meeting of the Governor and Council in New London, December 20, 1720. Present, The Honorable Gurdon Saltonstall Esq. Governor Richard Christophers Esq., Assistant: Jonathan Prents Esq., John Picket, Christo- pher Christophers, Jonathan Star. Upon application made by several inhab- itants of the societies or parishes in Stoningtown, lately established by the General Court, desiring that a time may be appointed for the meeting of the inhabitants of said parish, qualified to vote in the affairs thereof, and an order given for notifying them of the time for their convening for that end. "Ordered that Wednesday the 28th of this instant December at 12 of
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