USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Seymour > Seymour and vicinity. Historical collections > Part 9
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The first mention on record of any action leading to the incorporation of the parish of Oxford as a separate town is in the record of a town meeting held Dec. 28th, 1789 :- Doctr Edward Carrington and Mr Shadrac Osborn were appointed a comtte to take into consideration all the circumstances of the town respecting Oxford being made into a town.
In 1791 the first Methodist sermon in this vicinity was preached by Rev. Jesse Lee and from that time meetings continued to be held in the open air, in school-houses, and in dwelling houses, until 1818.
At this time there was a gristmill at the mouth of Little River, known as "Baldwin's Mill." The owner was Isaac Baldwin, a man of strong re- ligious opinions and an unwearying student of the Scriptures. The Bible was kept near at hand and when the mill did not require his attention he improved his leisure in conning the sacred pages. William Kelly, of Litchfield, who was then a boy of eight or nine, living with his parents above Pinesbridge, said that when he came on horseback to the mill he would frequently find Mr. Baldwin reading his bible. One day in the winter of 179- he went down in the wheelpit to chop away the ice and was killed by the sudden starting of the wheel. His remains were interred in Milton Parish, Litchfield. His children were named Isaac, Esther, Sarah, and Eunice.
Bezaleel Peck owned the farm where Naaman Peck's house was since built. He was one of the early Methodists.
Samuel Sanford, from Bethany, was the first physician who located here. - The following petition, in which he represented Chusetown, was granted at a town meeting held Jan. 7th, 1793 :
"To the Inhabitants of the Town of Derby in Town Meeting assembled, sirs, we the subscribers, of sd Derby, Physicians, humbly beg liberty of said
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town that we may have liberty to set up the Enoculation of the Small Pox in sª Town, as there is many of the inhabitants of said Town that have and now are going into other towns for sd purpose, and the, yongue people much exposed to have it the natural way if not enoenlated, & we beg leave to sug- gest whether it be not for the advantage of this town to save as much of the money in the town as may be, and your Petitioners are willing to be under any restrictions as shall be thought reasonable, and are likewise of opinion that they can enoculate as cheap if not cheaper than is done by other Phy- sicians in other Towns.
Derby, Dec. 10th, 1792.
EDWARD CRAFTS, SAMUEL SANFORD, LIBERTY KIMBERLY.
The following is a copy of a report relative to the incorporation of the town of Oxford accepted in a town meeting held Feb. 4th, 1793. Pages 203-204, Derby Records, B., M., D. & T. P.
To the inhabitants of the town of Derby to be assembled in a meeting of sd town to be held at the town house in sd Derby, on Monday, the 4th day of Feby instant-we the subscribers, comtte appointed at a meeting of sd town on Monday, the 7th day of Jany last, to go out and view the circumstances and situation of sd town respecting a division thereof, and to ascertain certain boundaries and lines for sª division, and also to to take into consideration the expense or burden of sd town, and all matters relating to sd division, and to report our opinion thereon, beg leave to report ;- That we have attended to sd business and mutually agreed on the following boundaries and lines of a division of sd town, viz :- beginning fifty rods above the mouth of Eight Mile Brook by Ousatonic River, from thence running north-easterly to the bend in Five Mile Brook at the foot of the hill, from thence running by sd Brook to the bridge over sd Brook in Woodbury old road, from thence to the south-east corner of Timothy Johnson's-formerly Abner Johnson's-dwelling house, from thence a due east course to the Little River, from thence by said River to the mouth where it empties into Naugatuck River, from thence crossing sd Naugatuck River to the eastern shore, from thence running up by said River on the east side of sd River to the mouth of the brook at the lower end of old Rimmon Plain, from thence to the end of the hill on the north-easterly side of sd brook at the lower end of sd Plain called Pessemire Hill, from thence on the ridge of sª Rock to the upper end of sd brook, from thence a dne east course to the Woodbridge line. Also agreed that all land on either side of sd line where lands are divided by sd lines shall be put into the List in either of the towns where the owner thereof resides so long as the present owners shall possess the same. And it is further agreed that Oxford or the new proposed town shall support one-half of the Falls Bridge, so long as the present bridge shall stand; and when the present bridge will not an- swer to repair and it is necessary that a new bridge to be built, then Oxford or the sd new town shall at their own expense, build a good and sufficient new bridge where sd bridge now stands, to the acceptance of sd town of Derby. And it is further agreed that any persons living near said line on either side where the line divided their land shall have their choice on which town they will belong, provided they make their choice in one year after sd division, and shall belong where they enter ther List the first year after sd division. And it is further agreed that when a division of sd town shall be completed, the poor of sd town of Derby shall be divided to each town, and all other bur- dens which may arise in consequence of any existing circumstances, shall be
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equally borne by each of said towns if divided according to the List of each town. All of which is submitted by vour most humble servants.
SAM' HULL, DANIEL HOLBROOK, THOMAS CLARK, CALEB CANDE, JOSIAH STRONG, LEMAN STRONG,
Comtte
Dated, Derby, Feby 4th, A. D., 1793.
Leveret Pritchard, son of Sergt. Leveret Pritchard, who perished in the war of the revolution, was a sergeant of the 8th Company of the 32nd Regi- inent of Connecticut militia in 1793. Following is a copy of his commission.
Daniel Holbrook, Esqr, Lieut Colo Commandant of the Thirty Second Regiment of Militia in the State of Connecticut in America.
To Leveret Pritchard, Greeting: You being nominated by the Eighth Company or train band in said Regt to be a Sergt in Sd Company; Reposing special trust and confidence in your fidelity, courage and good conduct, I do by virtue of the Laws of this State me thereunto enabling, appoint and im- power you to take Sa Company into your care as one of their Sergts and carefully and diligently to discharge that trust, exercising your inferior officers and soldiers in the use of their arms according to the discipline of war ordained by this State, keeping them in good order and commanding them to obey you as their Sergt, and you are to observe all orders and directions as from time to time you shall receive from one or other your superior officers pursuant to the trust hereby reposed in you, and this shall be your sufficient warrant. Given under my Hand in Derby, the 2nd day of May, A. D., 1793.
DANIEL HOLBROOK.
Following is the roll of the company from the list left by Lient. Pritchard. The marked ; . were crossed off on account of death, removal to other towns, etc.
Ahira Anderson,
Simeon Gum,
John Riggs, 4th,
Isaac Baldwin,
Jonah Harden,
Samuel Riggs,
Elias Baldwin,
Joseph Hawkings,
John Sanford,
Jesse Baldwin,
Samuel B. Hine,
Moses Sanford,
Silas Baldwin, William Hine,
Abial Skeals,
Samuel Bartist,
Chaney Johnson,
Elijah Smith,.
David Beach.
David Johnson,
Jesse Smith,
William Beard.
Elijah Johnson,
Lyman Smith,
Rubin Blake,
Levy Johnson,
John Spenser, X
Henry Carpenter,
Timothy Johnson,
George Steel,
John Church Caffrin,
Seley Judd,
Nathan Stiles, Jun.,
John Churchel,
John Kelley,
Oliver Stoddard,
Timothy Churchel,
Thomas Leavinsworth,
Josiah Swift,
Amos Clark,
Zebulon Lines,
Thadias Thomas,
Elias Clark,
Ethel Lounsbury,
Cyrus Tomlinson,
Levy Clark,
Samuel W. Mitchell.
William Tomlinson, X
Rufus Clark,
Sebra Molthrop,
Benjamin Tuttle,
Hezekiah Clark, Jun.,
Ebenezer Orsborn,
Abel Wheeler, Moses Wheeler, Jun.,
Abel Church, William Church,
Philo Page,
Salmon Parker,
Thomas Wooding,
Worrin Cridenton,
Eleazer Patchen.
Jacob Warner, X
Sheldon Davis,
John Perry.
William Warner,
Asey French,
Thomas Pitcher,
Josiah Worshburn, Jun.,
Enoch French,
Asher Rheylee,
Henry Wooster, Jun.
Jeremiah Grissell,
James Riggs,
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In a town meeting held Sept. 21st, 1795, it was voted that to facilitate the division of the town, Derby would divide its representation with Oxford, if set off, each to have one representative.
At the same meeting it was "voted unanimously that this Town (Derby) Remonstrate agt the Petition of Thads Burr & his associates praying for leave to build a bridge over Ousatonnack River near Stratford ferry, and do hereby appt Mes's Leman Stone & John Howd our agents to Prefer a Remonstrance to the General Assembly & to prepare all Needful Evidence & Information to oppose Said Petition at the General Assembly."
Small Pox continued to be subject of legislation, and Dec. 11th, 1797, it was voted that "twenty-six persons and no more be granted liberty to receive the small pox, they to receive it by the evening of the 12th, and give bonds that they remain at the dwelling house of Mr. Benj. Davis in Derby and not depart the house until liberty be obtained from the authority and selectmen, and that the physician who inoculates thein shall give bonds not to spread the small pox, and that the bonds be made payable to the selectmen, and that the selectmen and civil authority or their committee shall set limits to said house and have the superintending of the Physician and Patients, and that those who receive the small pox shall pay all expenses and save the town harmless."
At this meeting Dr. Sanford of Chusetown, with Dr. Crafts, petitioned for liberty to "inoculate at some suitable place." At an adjourned meeting held Dec. 17th permission was given to inoculate in separate hospitals, under the restrictions before established. The hospital established by Dr. Sanford was on the hill a little north of Castle Rock, convenient of access from his house, which stood on the northwest corner of West and Church streets.
In 1797 Rev. Michael Coate, circuit preacher, organized the Methodist Society, including in its membership Jesse Jolison, Isaac Baldwin, Esther Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Eunice Baldwin, George Clark, Lucy Ilitelicock, Silas Johnson and Olive Johnson. Trinity church was built the same year. Vide page 25.
In 1798 an attempt was made to get a more direct road from Chusetown to New Haven, the town of Derby opposing it and appointing a committee to "the General Court to oppose the granting of liberty to a turnpike company to make a road from New Haven to Rimmon Falls, near Mrs. Dayton's, unless the turnpike company will agree and become obliged to be at all the expense of purchasing, making and repairing said road." Notwithstanding this the arrangement was finally made, terminating at the lower bridge, then known as the bridge "at the falls of the Naugatuck" or Rimmon Falls.
At first the road ran down what is now Pearl and Main streets, but in 1802 purchases of land were made from Edmund Page, Lydia Keeney and Moses Riggs of a right of way direct to the bridge. The purchases were made by "Henry Daggett and Thomas Punderson of New Haven, and Levi Tom- linson of Chusetown, committee of the proprietors of the Turnpike Road from Thompson's Bridge in New Haven to the Falls Bridge in Chusetown." Page sold 45 rods of land 3 rods wide, 18 rods on the northeasterly line and 12 rods on the southwesterly line; bounded southerly on highway, easterly on grantor's land, northwesterly on land deeded to said committee, and westerly on grantor's land. D. R. Vol. 16, p. 197. Lydia Keeney sold "a part of her home lot containing sixty rods, being three rods wide and about twenty-five rods in length, for the purpose of extending the turnpike road from the highway be- tween the dwellinghouse and blacksmith shop of Edwin Page, in a direct line to the Falls Bridge, running angling through the land of sd Lydia in a direct
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line with the sd turnpike extending southerly of sd Blacksmith Shop," for $70, . Feb. 16th. D. R., Vol. 16, p. 198.
On the 22nd of February Moses Riggs of Oxford sold to the sanie parties "about one acre and thirty-five rods on the east side of the Naugatuck river, running on the Southwesterly line a straight line from the northeast corner of said bridge to about two feet easterly of the northeast corner of Edmund Page's Blacksmith Shop, from said bridge about fifty rods to Lydia Keeney's land, bounded southerly on said grantor's land then easterly on land, deeded by sd Keeney to the grantees and their associates, then northeasterly on the grantor's land, and is three rods wide where it leaves sd Keeney's land on the northerly line and on the top of the hill four rods wide, and four rods opposite said corner of said bridge, and is bounded northwesterly on highway. Said land is for the purpose of extending the Turnpike Road from the highway near sd Blacksmith shop to said Bridge, D. R., Vol. 16, p. 199. The names-Thompson's Bridge Turnpike and Rimmon Falls Turnpike, were both used to designate this road.
These deeds make the old blacksmith shop, corner of Hill and Pearl streets, quite an important landmark. There was never any deed of the land, the shop having been built on "proprietors' land," i. e. undivided land. When the right of location was questioned, it was defended on the ground of a vote of the town in 1798 which gave a title to any such land occupied by buildings standing at that time, at the same time forbidding any farther unauthorized appropriation of the public lands. It was claimed that the blacksmith shop was there in 1798, and that the title was therefore good. To make sure that the building, or some portion of it should continue to mark the spot, the northi side of the building was cut out and the stone wall built, and under such cir- cumstances it is probable that the exact location was preserved.
In making the turnpike, the cut on Hill street, below Washington Avenue, was made in part by ponding the brook crossing the intersection of Hill and Pearl streets, and turning the water down the cut, carrying the sand and gravel into the river.
In April 1798, John Riggs, Caleb Candee and Charles Bunnell on the part of the Parish of Oxford, and James Lewis, David Hitchcock and Canfield Gillett on the part of "the old town," as a joint committee, reported in addition to previous arrangements, that Oxford should pay £170 to the old town in three annual installments, as a condition of the division of the town.
The Falls Bridge seems to have been a continued sonree of discussion and expense, either for repairs or rebuilding. In March, 1802, arrangements were commenced for building a new bridge, the expense to be borne principally by Oxford Turnpike Co. and Rimmon Turnpike Co., assisted by the town of Derby on condition that citizens of the town may pass toll free. A toll gate was to be put up at the end of the bridge. In this year John Wooster sold his third of the Falls property to Bradford Steel for $167, and Oct. 8th, 1803, Steel purchased of Nathan Styles his share of the Falls property and also a separate tract of land near by. Styles came from Southbury and married a daughter of Capt. Ebenezer Dayton. He had carried on business here a number of years previous to 1802.
Bradford Steel had been carrying on business at the mouth of Little River, having his fulling mill and dye shop at the foot of the hill, and his finishing shop at the top of the hill east of the church. He lived in the old house (still standing) until he sold it to Abiel Canfield.
Up to this time the spinning wheel for flax and wool had been a neces- sary article in a well-ordered farm-house, and it was often accompanied by
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the hand loom, reel, and cards,-soon superceded by carding machines. Mothers and daughters were skilled in making stout and durable cloth, as well as in the preparation of woolen yarn for mittens and stockings. Plain- ness of apparel was the rule and garments which had cost so many days of tiresome labor by members of the household were not likely to be thrown by for trifles. Steel made no cloth. The cloth dressed and finished by him had been woven on hand looms in the homes of the industrious weavers.
In 1803, Col. David Humphreys, afterward known as General Humphreys, who was to be so closely identified with the interests of the place, came and purchased the Falls property, as appears by the deed in Derby Records, Vol. 17, page 30. The deed was given Dec. 13th and recites that "Col. David Humphreys, now of Boston, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts," purchased of Bradford Steel, Bradford Steel, Jr., and George Steel, for the sum of $2,647.92, "one certain piece of land lying in said Derby at a place called Rimmon Falls, it being the same tract of land formerly deeded by John Howd and Joseph Chuse, Indians, to John Wooster, Ebenezer Kinney and Joseph Hull, Jr., as may appear on Derby Records ; for a particular description, refer to said Records; together with all the privileges, together with the saw mill, two fulling mills, clothiers shop, and all the utensils, implements, and apparatus belonging to and used in, and appendant and appurtenant in and to the said inills and clothier's shop standing on said land, together with the buildings thercon standing, together with the whole mill-dam across said Rimmon Falls."
The merino sheep had been introduced into the country and their great superiority being immediately manifest, farmers were everywhere glad to avail themselves of the opportunity to improve their stock. Gen. Humph- reys did not encourage speculation but distributed his sheep judiciously among the farmers at $100 each, a price said to be less than the original cost. When the price rose to $400 he refused to sell, saying that he believed such sales would lead to ruinous speculation. But soon the price of merino bucks went up to $1,500 and a few were even sold as high as $3,000, and ewes sold from $1,000 to $1,500. John Bassett was offered $1,000 by Philo Bassett for a full blooded merino ewe lamb eight days old and refused to take less than $1,500. A few days after it was killed by a fox. Two young farmers united in buying a buck at $1,500 and the same day it died by being choked with an apple. But such mishaps checked the speculation but little, and it rapidly extended throughout New England, Vermont in particular being quickly supplied with some of the merinos.
Gen. Humphreys considered it of great importance to the interests of the country that manufactures, especially that of woolen cloths, should be introduced, and with the nucleus of the "mills and clothiers' shop" purchased of Styles he immediately set about it. In 1806 he had the factory built which still stands on Factory street, near the race. On the fifth and sixth of June was raised the frame of the first woolen factory built in the United States.
The name "Chusetown" appears on the town Records as late as 1804, but it was soon changed to Humpreysville in honor of Gen. Humphreys, and this name was retained until 1850.
That he might the better carry out his plans Gen. Humphrey made several other purchases of land, among others the two following April 25, 1804. Of Nathan and Experience Wheeler, for $600, "one piece of land at a place called Northend, * * * lying on the west side of the highway, bounded northerly on John Swift's land, westerly on the Naugatuck River, southerly on land of Daniel Tucker, Jr., then easterly on sd Tucker's land, then southerly on sd
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Tucker's land to the highway, then bounded easterly on highway to said Swift's land, containing about 117 acres, more or less; also one other piece of land, lying on the hill, bounded westerly on highway, northerly on land of Henry Wooster, Jr., then westerly on land of sd Wooster, then again northerly on land of sd Wooster, to the O'Cain land, then easterly on the O'Cain land, then again easterly on highway to land of Zephaniah Tucker, then southerly on sd Tucker's land, then again easterly on sd Tucker's land, then running westerly to the highway, as the fence now stands, containing about thirty-five acres of land, more or less, with the buildings belonging to sd pieces of land."
Witnessed by John Humphreys, and John Humphreys, Jr.
He also purchased of Nathan Wheler, a tract of 131 acres, adjoining lands of John Swift, Daniel Tucker, David Treat, Levi Hotchkiss, Fitch Smith, Capt. Reuben Tucker, "common land," and highway, with another piece of eight acres, for the consideration of $4,500.
Cattle, sheep and hogs still roamed at large on the common lands. One item of the record says :- "David Humphrey's ear mark is a square half penny the upper side the right car. Entered May 15th, 1804. Per John Humphreys, Regr."
A road from Shrub Oak to Derby Narrows was demanded by the people of Woodbury and adjoining towns, and laid out in 1805. The following resolution in regard to it was passed June . 11th, "Voted that the select- men of the town of Derby be directed, and they are hereby directed to take such measures as in their judgement shall appear most prudent and proper to procure the making of the Road they have lately laid out on the west side of Naugatuck River, from Shruboak to Derby Landing, and cause the same to be well made at the expense of said town, and they are directed to collect and apply to that use any or all the monies due to said Town as they may find themselves needful."
President Dwight, of Yale College, wrote an interesting sketch of Humphreysville as he found it in the fall of 1811, which is here given :
"Within the limits of Derby, four miles and a half from the mouth of the Naugatuc, is a settlement named by the Legislature Humphreysville, from the Hon. David Humphreys, formerly Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid. At this place a ridge of rocks, twenty feet in height crosses the river, and forms a perfect dam about two thirds of the distance. The remaining third is closed by an artificial damn. The stream is so large as to furnish an abundance of water at all times for any works, which will proba- bly ever be erected on the spot. Those already existing are a grist-mill, a saw-mill, a paper-mill, woolen manufactory, and a cotton manufactory, with all their proper appendages, and a considerable number of other buildings, destined to be the residence of the manufacturers, and for various other purposes.
A strong current of water in a channel, cut through the rock on the Eastern side, sets in motion all the machinery, employed in these buildings. By this current are moved the grist-mill; two newly invented shearing ma- chines ; a breaker and finisher for carding sheep's wool ; a machine for making ravellings; two jennies for spinning sheep's wool, under the roof of the grist-mill ; the works in the paper-mill ; a picker; two more carding machines for sheep's wool ; and a billy with forty spindles in a third building ; a full- ing-mill ; a saw-mill, employed to cut the square timber, boards, laths, &c., for the different edifices, and to shape inany of the wooden materials for the machinery ; two more fulling-mills on improved principles, immediately
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connected with the clothier's shop; and the various machinery in a cotton manufactory, a building about one hundred feet long, thirty-six wide, and of four stories, capable of containing two thousand spindles with all their neces- sary apparatus.
The houses can accommodate with a comfortable residence about one hundred and fifty persons. Ten others in the neighbourhood will furnish comfortable residences for upwards of one hundred and fifty more. Gardens on a beautiful plat in the rear of the mannfactories, furnish all the vegetables, necessary for the establishment.
The institution contains four broad and eight narrow looms, and eighteen stocking-frames.
The principal part of the labour in attending the machinery, in the cotton and woolen manufactories, is done by women and children ; the former hired at from fifty cents to one dollar per week ; the latter, apprentices, who are regularly instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The wages of the men are from five to twenty-one dollars, per month.
In Europe great complaints have been made of manufacturing estab- lishments, as having been very commonly seats of vice, and disease. Gen- eral Humphreys began this, with a determination either to prevent these evils, or if this could not be done, to give up the design. With regard to the health of his people it is sufficient to observe, that from the year 1804 to the year 1810, not an individual, belonging to the institution, died ; and it is believed, that among no other equal number of persons there has been less disease.
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