USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Wolcott > History of the town of Wolcott (Connecticut) from 1731 to 1874, with an account of the centenary meeting, September 10th and 11th, 1873 and with the genealogies of the families of the town > Part 15
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167
EPISCOPAL MINISTERS.
1855 and 1856, and showed equal faithfulness in regard to the records.
MINISTERS WHO PREACHED FOR THE EPISCOPAL PEOPLE IN WOLCOTT.
Rev. Mr. Prindle, of Naugatuck, two years once in six weeks, from 1811 to 1813.
Rev. Tillotson Bronson, of Cheshire, preached a short time.
From 1817 money was raised nearly or quite every year till 1835, to procure preaching, but the ministers' names are not mentioned in the records.
1836 and 1837 - Rev. Peter G. Clark of Cheshire.
1838 and 1839- Rev. Mr. Covell, of Bristol.
1840 and 1841, and perhaps longer - Rev. Servilius Stocking, resident minister.
1843-Rev. Mr. Gregor.
1844-Rev. Wm. G. French.
1845 and 1846-Rev. David Sandford.
1847-Rev. John D. Smith, of Seymour, three years.
1850 to 1855 - Rev. Collis Ira Potter, four years.
1855 and 1856- Rev. Ximenus Alanson Welton.
1858- Rev. Samuel A. Appleton, assistant to Rev. Dr. Clark, of Waterbury.
1859-Rev. James Morton, of Harwinton preached most of the year as supply on Sabbath.
1860- Rev. J. M. Willey, assistant of Rev. Dr. Clark, of Wat- erbury. He is said to have been a "smart man," and enjoyed preaching at Wolcott very much.
Since Mr. Willey, Rev. Prof. Russell, of Waterbury, has preached a few times.
CLERKS.
18II to 1823-Erastus Welton. 1824 to 1835 - Orrin Plumb. 1836 to 1839- Seth Horton. 1840 to 1841 -- Orrin Plumb.
1842 to 1864- Ezra L. Todd.
1865 to 1873 - Dennis Pritchard.
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I68
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
TREASURERS.
18II to 1823 - Erastus Welton. 1824 to 1834-Orrin Plumb. 1835 to 1841 -Levi Hall. 1842 to 1844-Heman Hall. 1845 to 1847 - Levi Hall. 1848 to 1859 - Geo. G. Alcott. 1860 to 1873 - Dennis Pritchard.
SOCIETY COMMITTEES.
18II - Moses Welton, Bildad Hotchkiss, Irad Wakelee. 1812 - Moses Welton, Irad Wakelee, Elias Wakelee. 1813 -- Moses Welton, Ambrose Ives, Levi Parker. 1814 - Ambrose Ives. Levi Hall, Moses Welton. 1815 - Levi Hall, Ambrose Ives, Eliakim Welton. 1816 -- Ambrose Ives, Levi Hall, Eliakim Welton. 1817 -- Joseph Minor, Jeremiah Todd, Jared Welton. 1818 -- Eben Welton, Joseph C. Alcox, Streat Todd. 1819- Eben Welton, Streat Todd, Marcus Minor. 1820 - Streat Todd, Levi Hall, Eldad Alcox. 1821 -Levi Hall, William Plumb, Eldad Alcox. 1822 -- Eldad Alcox, William Plumb, Archibald Minor. 1823 -- Archibald Minor, Hezekiah Bradley, Erastus Welton. 1824 - Hezekiah Bradley, Archibard Minor, Levi Hall. No record of election from 1825 until 1829. 1829 - Lyman Higgins, Orrin Plumb, Eldad Alcox. 1830 - Lyman Higgins, Levi Hall, Orrin Plumb. 1831 - Levi Hall, Eldad Alcox, Lyman Higgins. 1832 -John J. Kenea, Lyman Higgins, Marcus A. Minor. 1833 - Martin Upson, Marcus Minor, Seth Horton. 1834 -- No record.
1835 -Marcus Minor, Chester Hotchkiss, Seth Horton. 1836-Seth Horton, Jesse Nichols, Martin Upson.
1837 - Martin Upson, Heman Hall, Thomas H. Welton. 1838-No record.
1839- Marcus Minor, Moses Pond, Sammy Finch.
1840-Moses Pond, Heman Hall, Willis Merrill. 1841 - Martin Upson, I.evi Hall, James Alcott.
169
WARDENS OF THE SOCIETY.
1842-Martin Upson, Lyman Higgins, Levi Hall. 1843 -- Martin Upson, Harvey G. Plumb, Upson Higgins. 1844-Upson Higgins, Hezekiah Todd, Thomas H. Welton.
WARDENS.
1811 - Daniel Langton, Thomas Welton. 1812 - Eliakim Welton, Thomas Welton. 1813 - Eliakim Welton, Thomas Welton. 1814- Eliakim Welton, Thomas Welton. 1815 - Eliakim Welton, Thomas Welton.
1816 - Thomas Welton, Eliakim Welton, jr.
1817 - Eben Welton, Erastus Welton. 1818-Eben Welton, Erastus Welton. 1819 - Thomas Welton, Moses Welton. 1820 - Thomas Welton, Moses Welton. 1821 - Erastus Welton, Moses Welton. 1822 - Erastus Welton, Eben Welton. 1823 - Moses Welton, Thomas Welton. 1824 - Hezekiah Bradley, Moses Welton. No record of any elections from 1824 to 1829. 1829 - Levi Hall, Lyman Higgins.
1830 - Sammy Nichols, Hezekiah Bradley.
1831 - Sammy Nichols, Hezekiah Bradley. 1832 - Hezekiah Bradley, Sammy Nichols. 1833- Lyman Higgins, Levi Hall. 1834 - No record.
1835 - Sammy Nichols, Heman Hall. 1836 - Lyman Higgins, Heman Hall. 1837 - Heman Hall, Lyman Higgins. 1838 - No record.
1839 - Lyman Higgins, Heman Hall. 1840 - Heman Hall, Lyman Higgins. 1841 - Heman Hall, Lyman Higgins. 1842 - Lyman Higgins, Moses Pond, Martin Upson.
1843- Lyman Higgins, Moses Pond. 1844- Lyman Higgins, Moses Pond. No record until 1848.
1848 - Levi Hall, Martin Upson.
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HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
1849 - Lyman Higgins, Levi Hall.
1850 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1851 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1852 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1853 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1854 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1855 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1856 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1857 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1858 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1859 - Martin Upson, George G. Alcott. 1860 -- Martin Upson, Willis Merrill. 1861 -- Martin Upson, Willis Merrill. 1862 -- Martin Upson, Willis Merrill. 1863 - Martin Upson, Willis Merrill. 1864 - Martin Upson, Willis Merrill.
VESTRYMEN. .
1845 - Moses Pond, Martin Upson, . Heman Hall, Marcus Minor, Levi Hall, Lyman Higgins, Hezekiah Todd.
1846 -- Moses Pond, Chester Hotchkiss, Levi Hall, Lyman Higgins, George G. Alcott, Hezekiah Todd, Marcus Minor.
1847 - Lyman Higgins, Martin Upson, Hezekiah Todd, Mo- ses Pond, Levi Hall, Willis Merrill, Geo. G. Alcott, Marcus Mi- nor, Eldad Alcott.
1848- Moses Pond, Chester Hotchkiss, Orrin Hotchkiss, Lu- ther M. Pond, Geo. G. Alcott, Hezekiah Todd, Ezra L. Todd, David S. Bailey, Marcus Minor, Willis Merrill.
1849-Moses Pond, Willis Merrill, Hezekiah Todd, Marcus Minor, George G. Alcott.
1850-Ezra L. Todd, Marcus Minor, David S. Bailey, Willis Merrill, Bennet Upson, Luthur M. Pond, Wells Plumb.
1851 -- Marcus Minor, Dennis Pritchard, Hezekiah Todd, Ezra· L. Todd, Luther M. Pond.
1852 - Dennis Pritchard, Marcus Minor, Willis Merrill, Heze- kiah Todd, Moses Pond.
1853-Dennis Pritchard, Moses Pond, Marcus Minor.
1854-Willis Merrill, Hezekiah Todd, Dennis Pritchard.
1855 -- Marcus Minor, Willis Merrill, Dennis Pritchard.
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VESTRYMEN OF THE SOCIETY.
1856 - Dennis Pritchard, Willis Merrill, Marcus Minor. 1857 - Dennis Pritchard, Marcus Miner, Willis Merrill. 1858 - Marcus Miner, Dennis Pritchard, Willis Merrill. 1859 -Dennis Pritchard, Willis Merrill, Marcus Minor.' 1860 -- George G. Alcott, Marcus Minor, Dennis Pritchard. 1861 -- Dennis Pritchard, Ezra L. Todd, Marcus Minor. 1862 - Dennis Pritchard, Ezra L. Todd, Marcus Minor. 1863- Dennis Pritchard, Ezra L. Todd, Marcus Minor. 1864-Marcus Minor, Ezra L. Todd.
CIVIL HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
CHAPTER I.
TOWN INCORPORATED.
The Ecclesiastical Society of Farmingbury, at a Society meeting held December 7th, 1787, passed the following votes respecting the privileges of a town : "Voted that we are willing and desirous to be incorporated into a town. The negative was called, and not a hand up. Voted that it is our mind when made a town to be con- nected to New Haven County. Voted that Deacon Jo- seph Atkins, Capt. Nathaniel Lewis, Capt. Charles Up- son, Deacon Justus Peck, Streat Richards, Mark Harri- son, be a committee, or agents, to treat or confer with the towns of Southington and Waterbury respecting our becoming incorporated into a town, and likewise to carry a memorial to the General Assembly in May next. Voted that we prepare a petition to the Hon. General Assembly for privileges of a town, at their session in May next."
At an adjourned meeting on the second Monday of January, 1788, the Society " Voted that we will choose a committee to treat with the Waterbury committee re- specting our having town privileges, and that Captain Charles Upson, Daniel Byington, Streat Richards, Simeon Hopkins, Abraham Norton, Amos Seward, and Capt. Samuel Upson be the committee ; and said committee are desired to make their report to this meeting as soon as an agreement may be made ; and it is understood that the agreement of said committee is not binding on said Society until agreed to by said Society."
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HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
From Bronson's History of Waterbury we learn the opinion of that town respecting this movement :
In December, 1787, the inhabitants of Farmingbury presented a memorial, in town meeting, giving reasons why they should be incorporated into a distinct town, and asking the consent of the meeting. A committee was appointed to take the matter into consideration, and hear the proposals that might be made " con- cerning public moneys, bridges, and town's poor," &c., and report make. Josiah Bronson, Stephen Ives, Aaron Benedict, Ezra Bronson, John Welton, and Samuel Lewis were the committee. " It is rather a doubt in our minds," they reported, " of the expe- diency of granting them their request, on any consideration what- ever, but more especially upon the offers and proposals in several articles by them made." *
On the 14th day of next April the Society "voted to reconsider the vote that was taken to send agents to the General Assembly in May next, to try to obtain privi- liges of a town."
In a Society meeting, held on the 13th day of February, 1792, this subject was again taken up. It was at the same meeting that voted the settlement of Mr. Israel B. Wood- ward. "Voted that we prepare a petition to the Hon. General Assembly, at their session in May next, for town privileges ; and Dr. John Potter, Lieut. Streat Rich- ards, Mark Harrison, Esq., Capt. Charles Upson, Jona- than Carter, Lieut. James Bailey, Daniel Byington, Calvin Cowles, Capt. Nathaniel Lewis, Mr. Amos Seward, were chosen a committee, or agents, to treat with the towns of Southington and Waterbury respecting the above petition to the Assembly." We learn from the Wa- terbury History that this petition was not presented in the Spring, but in the Autumn session of the Assembly.
On the 8th of October, 1792, Farmingbury applied to the Legislature for the desired act of incorporation. The town of Waterbury " voted that if the memorialists would
* History of Waterbury, p. 282.
177
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
within eight days give up all right to the ministerial and school moneys, pay twenty pounds in consideration of being released from supporting the great bridge on the Woodbury road, bind themselves to take care of their portion, according to the grand list, of the town poor, and to pay their share of the town debts ; then, in that case, the town would not oppose the object of the memo- rial."* We find no report of the Farmingbury committee.
In the fore part of December, 1793, the Society again voted to present a petition to the General Assembly, and appointed the following committee to attend to this business : Capt. Charles Upson, Mark Harrison, Esq., Lieut. Streat Richards, Dr. John Potter, Capt. Samuel Upson, Lieut. Charles Frisbie, Capt. Walter Beecher, Ensign Jonathan Carter, Simeon Plumb, Joseph Beecher, Jr., Daniel Byington, and Samuel Byington. Of this com- mittee we hear nothing, except that in a Society meet- ing on the 5th day of February, 1795, the Society voted that "the committee heretofore appointed to prepare a petition to the General Assembly for town privileges, prepare the same." Hence it is probable they had done nothing about it.
On the 25th day of April, 1796, another committee was appointed, and this application was successful. The committee consisted of Mark Harrison, Esq., Captain Charles Upson, Capt. Streat Richards, Mr. Jacob Carter, Mr. Eliakim Welton, and Mr. Elijah Frisbie.
ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, on the second Thursday of May, 1796 :
Upon the petition of the inhabitants of the Society of Farming- bury, in the towns of Waterbury and Southington, t in the coun-
* Waterbury History, p. 282.
+ When Southington was incorporated a town, from Farmington, in Oc- tober, 1779, the eastern part of Farmingbury was included within the boun- daries of Southington, and belonged to that town until the above act took effect.
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HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
ties of Hartford and New Haven, showing to this Assembly that some years since said Society was formed by the extreme parts of said towns of Waterbury and Southington, with the dividing line of said towns and counties running from north to south through the centre of said Society, upon which line their Meeting house was erected and stands ; that their local situation is such, being obstructed in their travel eastwardly by a mountain, and other natural impediments, that great inconveniencies arise in their at- tending upon public meetings, and other public services and du- ties, and various other disadvantages are attached to them under their present circumstances ; praying to be incorporated into a distinct town, with usual town privileges, and to be added to the said county of New Haven, as per petition dated May 9th, 1796, on file ; and the said towns of Waterbury and Southington hav- ing withdrawn all objections against the prayer of said petition,
Resolved, That all the land lying and being in said Society of Farmingbury, and according to the established lines and limits of said Society, be and the same hereby is incorporated into a town by the name of Wolcott,* and that it shall have and retain, and enjoy all the privileges incident and belonging to any other town in the State; except, only, that said town shall hereafter send but one representative to the General Assembly of this State, and that the said town of Wolcott shall hereafter support their propor- tion of the present town poor, according to their list in said towns of Waterbury and Southington, on the said 9th day of May; pro- vided that all debts and taxes due on said 9th of May from the inhabitants of said Wolcott shall be paid and discharged, as the same then or now remains due and owing ; and that all debts and credits of said petitioners with said towns of Waterbury and South- ington (except those appropriated for schooling in said Southing- ton) shall be according to their respective lists of the year 1795. And it is further ordered that the inhabitants of said town of Wolcott shall hold a town meeting on the 13th day of June next, for the purpose of appointing town officers, and the meeting
* The name of the town would have been Farmingbury, but for the fact that Lieutenant Governor Oliver Wolcott, presiding in the Assembly when the bill was voted on, and there being a tie vote, he gave the " casting vote," which made it a town, and in honor of this fact it was called Wolcott
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179
CARING FOR THE POOR.
shall be warned by a warrant signed by Mark Harrison, Esq., and posted on the public sign-post in said town at least five days before holding said meeting ; and Mr. Aaron Harrison shall be moderator of said meeting, and said town shall then and there proceed to appoint a town clerk, and other town officers for said town, who shall continue in office until the second Monday of December next, or until others are chosen in their places and stead.
And it is further Resolved that said town of Wolcott be and the same is hereby annexed to the county of New Haven, and shall be and remain within and part thereof.
A true copy of record.
Examined by SAMUEL WYLLIS, Secretary.
A true entry of the bill in form of the Town of Wolcott.
Test. ISAAC BRONSON, Regr.
The following is the agreement of the towns named concerning the poor :
Know all men by these presents, that whereas the General As- sembly, at their session in May last, incorporated the parish of Farmingbury into a distinct town from a part of the towns of Southington and Waterbury, by the name of Wolcott, said Wol- cott to support their proportion of the town poor, and the town of Southington having appointed Asa Barnes, Ashbel Cowles, Elizur Andrews, Samuel Hart, and Daniel Langton, jr., and the said town of Wolcott having appointed Jacob Carter, Nathaniel Lewis, Calvin Cowles, and Mark Harrison, a committee to divide said poor, which dividend is this day concluded and made mutu- ally by us the said committee, viz .: The said town of Wolcott do agree to take Elizabeth Bailey, and Susannah Bailey and her child, on the 13th day of December next, and Abraham Pierson and wife on or about the first day of said December, into their care as their proportion of the poor of said town of Southington, and said Southington does agree to take into their care as their pro- portion of the poor of said towns of Southington and Wolcott, viz : Amos Parsons, his wife and child, Rebecca Hitchcock, Amos Nicholson, Mary -, and Eunice Buck ; said Wolcott to have no demand, of any name or nature, on said Southington; neither shall said Southington have any demand, of any nameor nature,
180
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
on said town of Wolcott, except a note of - dollars, which note is to be delivered unto the selectmen of Southington as soon as said selectmen of Southington shall execute the said deed unto the said selectmen of Wolcott of the land deeded to said South- ington selectmen by Philemon Barnes, now deceased, and each of said towns are hereby forever discharged from any demands on each other up until this date, except the above deed and note.
In testimony of the aforesaid agreement and settlement, we have hereunto set our hands, in Southington, this 25th day of November, A. D., 1796.
Ashbel Cowles, Asa Barnes, Jacob Carter, Nathaniel Lewis, Calvin Cowles, Mark Harrison, Samuel Hart, Daniel Langton, jr., committee.
A true copy. ISAAC BRONSON, Reg'r. THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Wolcott, legally warned and holden according to appointment of the Hon. General Assembly, on the 13th day of June, 1796, Deacon Aaron Harri- son, being appointed Moderator, proceeded to choose the follow- ing gentlemen to the several offices to which their respective names are annexed, viz :
Town Clerk -- Isaac Bronson.
Selectmen - Mark Harrison, Streat Richards, Jacob Carter.
Treasurer - Mark Harrison.
Constables - John Potter, Streat Richards.
Surveyors of Highways - Daniel Dean, John Potter, Elnathan Thrasher, Simeon Plumb, Eliakim Welton, Joel Granniss, Charles Upson, Samuel Upson, jr., Nathaniel Lane, Jeremiah Scarritt, Nathan Barnes, Joseph Twitchell, Ebenezer Johnson, Truman Smith, Dan Tuttle, Streat Richards.
Listers - Daniel Byington, John Potter, Isaac Bronson.
Collector-Samuel Plumb.
Leather Sealer - Farrington Barnes.
Grand Jurors- Mark Barnes, Ashbel Upson, Walter Beecher.
Tything Men - John Frisbie, David Harrison, Solomon Plumb, William Bailey.
Gauger - Isaac Bronson.
Packer- William Bailey.
18I
THE HILLS OF WOLCOTT.
Sealer of Weights and Measures - William Stevens. Key Keepers- Calvin Cowles, Dan Tuttle, Amos Upson.
Fence Viewers - Silas Hine, David Norton, Samuel Clinton, Amos Brockett.
At the same meeting, it was voted " that Messrs. Samuel Upson, Charles Upson, Streat Richards, Jacob Carter, Mark Harrison, Calvin Cowles, Nathaniel Lewis, and Dan- iel Byington, be a committee to reckon and settle all ac- counts, whether by book, note, or bond, that are or may be open with this and the towns of Waterbury and South- ington, at or before the 9th day of May last ; to divide the town poor (if any be) according to list, and to com- promise and settle all claims and demands, that are or may arise between this and said towns of Waterbury and Southington previous to said 9th day of May last, and, if possible, to effect such settlement, and make a true and just report of their doings to this town, at their an- nual meeting in December next. Voted, that the annual town meeting in this town be holden on the second Monday in December annually, and that the same-and all other ordinary town meetings-be warned by noti- fication, set upon the sign-post eight days previous to said meeting, by the selectmen of the town for the time being."
Thus were the people of Farmingbury constituted a distinct town, by the name of Wolcott, after petitioning nine years, and after being an Ecclesiastical Society twenty six years ; and the only evil we could wish to Wolcott, when its century of town history shall be com . pleted, is that its prosperity may be much greater than ever before, and that the celebration of that event may witness a population tenfold more than at any time in its past history.
THE HILLS OF WOLCOTT.
The town of Wolcott is situated on hills, there being only one valley of any extent within its territory, and that the one coming up from Waterbury to within half a
182
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
mile of the centre of the town. The stream of water called Mad River, rising in the extreme northern portion of the town, runs down this valley to Waterbury .* West of Mad River, and in the northwesterly part of the town, is Spindle Hill. A little to the north, on the western boundary of the town, and rising higher than Spindle Hill, is Clinton Hill, for a time called New Canaan. This is the highest point of land in the town, and from it may be seen nearly a dozen church spires, in as many villages, and from it also may be seen Long Island Sound and Long Island. A little east of Clinton Hill is a large and nearly barren rock, called Rattlesnake Rock. A little distance northeast of this rock is Becar Hill, which is nearly as elevated as Clinton Hill, but does not afford so extensive a view as the latter. South of Spindle Hill is Chestnut Hill, extending south to the valley of Mad River, where the valley is half a mile wide. Between Chest- nut Hill and Spindle Hill is Potucco's Ring.+ The hill which is now Wolcott centre was known as Benson Hill, until it was called Farmingbury, and contained a settle- ment of but few families. A small hill south of the centre was called Hogfields. Woodtickt is in the south- ern part of the town, at the head of the valley that continues westward to the city of Waterbury. A little south of Woodtick is a hill with which has been connected a legend from which it derives the name of Tame Buck, and west of this is Bald Hill, and west of the Woodtick pond is Wolf Hill. East of the bound line, and situated near Mr. Shelton T. Hitchcock's present dwelling, is Judd's Hill, probably so called from the fact that Deacon
* This stream, near Waterbury, was called in early times Mill River.
+ Potucco's Ring, written 'also Petucker's Ring, derived its name from an Indian who kindled a fire in a circle around the hill in order to shoot deer. Potucco himself, remaining within the ring was burned to death.
# So called from a story told of a man who, having laid aside his coat during the day while at work, found it at night in the possession of an innumerable number of insects called woodticks. ,
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183
THE HILLS OF WOLCOTT.
Thomas Judd, of Waterbury, father-in-law to Mr. Thomas Upson, was among the first land owners on or near it. The hill extending northwardly from Judd's Hill was sometimes spoken of as a part of Southington Mountain. That part of it, especially, where Captain Nathaniel Lewis and Mr. Thomas Upson resided, was called Southington Mountain by Waterbury people before Wolcott terri- tory was settled. Southington Mountain, so called by Wolcott people, begins at the south-east burying ground, and extends northward about two miles. The land next to the highest in the town is in the north-east, and was called for many years Pike's Hill, and after that Rose Hill, and still later has been known as the Lindsley Hill. This hill, for some time supposed to be the highest in the town, is lower than Clinton Hill, is also a little lower than East Mountain, near Meriden, and a very little lower than the highest land near Long Island Sound, west of New Haven.
The hills of Wolcott are composed of ledges of gray rock, and in many parts the rock is near the surface, or rising above it ; and where the rock is covered to a con- siderable depth, much of the soil is so filled with stones and small rocks that the cultivation of it is a difficult and laborious work. Some fields now under cultivation show nearly as great an area of stone as of soil, yet there are many acres of arable land. The greater part of the land under cultivation is at present devoted to grazing. If as much money was devoted to fertilizing the soil as in many other parts of the country, the trade of Wolcott would consist of exports more largely than imports. The rule governing most of the farmers at present seems to be, to get as much from the soil as possible and put nothing on it, which rule would bring barrenness to any land on the planet called Earth. One reason why the rule is in good favor, is because of the burdens laid upon the men left in the town, the young and strong men having gone away to engage in manufacturing and mer-
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184
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
cantile enterprises elsewhere, and there is not force suffi- cient remaining to cultivate the land. Many of those who have emigrated from Wolcott have been remarkably successful, and this success abroad has been an injury, in one respect, for the impression seems to prevail that young men can make money faster and enjoy it more in any place other than in Wolcott.
Those farmers who cultivate the land with energy, by hiring "help" and buying fertilizers, reap harvests as large as the average throughout the eastern portion of the nation. One thing sure to grow if the soil is left to itself, is white birch, chestnut, oak, and swamp maple trees. The average yearly export of wood is about four thousand cords, while the amount standing does not ap- pear to be diminished. There are many acres of land now called woodland that were under thorough cultivation from thirty to fifty years ago. Mr. Levi Atkins has land where once he mowed an abundant crop of hay from which he has taken one crop of wood, some of the trees being from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, and the second growth of wood on the same land is now of con- siderable value. Others have valuable timber land where they mowed large quantities of hay less than twenty- five years ago. Land with a full crop of wood standing is worth two-thirds more than without the wood, and when a farmer removes five or ten acres of wood, he ap- plies to the assessors to lessen, proportionately, the as- sessment on his farm ; so that the amount of the "grand list" is diminishing every year, for the growth of the wood is slow compared with the time required for the re- moval of it. On the other hand, the increase of the as- sessment list in proportion to the growth of wood is a very difficult matter, and one against which the people seem to have strong prejudices. The area of woodland is increasing every year, because the trees are springing up on grazing land in many parts with great rapidity. Without considerable effort to subdue these growing
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