USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I > Part 48
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4. AA grammar school in each of the four head county towns to fit youth for college, two of which grammar schools must be free.
5. A collegiate school. toward which the general court made an annual appropriation of £120.
6. Provision for the religious instruction of the Indians.
The school therefore embraced every family and town, all classes of children and youth, and all the then recognized grades of schools. There were no select or sectarian schools to classify society at the roots, but all children were regarded with equal favor, and all brought under the assimilating influence of carly school associations, and similar school privileges. Here was the foundation laid, not only for universal educa- tion, but for a practical, political, and social equality, which has never been surpassed in the history of any other State.2
1 After 1702, the control of school matters became gradually vested in the ecclesi astical societies or parishes -and we shall therefore treat the history of the Windsor schools under their separate parochial divisions. The school history of Poquonock and Wintonbury parishes, in the absence of any official records, cannot be written.
? We have here quoted the language of Hon. Henry Barnard of Hartford, Com., formerly superintendent of public instruction in this State; to whose admirable digest of VOL. I. - 51
102
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
April 14, 1707. " It was voted that the inhabitants on the north side of the Rivulet shall have liberty to set up a school-house on the meeting house green ' upon their own charges for the benefit of learning to the town in general."
"Also [the] same liberty granted to the inhabitants on the south side the Rivulet."
In 1708, the legislature enacted that the constables shouldl deliver the + 40x. upon the £1,000 of the list," to the committee for the schools in such towns where the committee are, or in defeet of such officers, to the selectmen. This is the first intimation we have of a school com- mittee.
In December, 1711, it was ordered by the town of Windsor that there shall be " a constant school kept in the town."
In 1712, it was ordered, " that all the parishes which are already made, or shall hereafter be made by this Assembly, shall have to the bringing up of their children and maintainance of a school in some fixed place within the bounds of their parish, the forty shillings in every thou- sund pounds arising in the list of estates within said parish." This is the first recognition of parish or ecclesiastical authority in school mat- ters. Although by this act the parishes were simply made school dis- tricts and subordinate to the towns, yet in course of time they usurped the place of the latter. After this date the history of the Windsor schools is mainly to be found in the records of the " Ecclesiastical Soci- ety of Windsor."
February 3, 1712-13. The school Committee chosen were Col. Matthew Allyn, C'apt. Abraham Phelps, and Daniel White.
Also voted to give Mr. Ebenezer Fitch $10 money, out of this Society, to encourage him in the work of the school for the space of five years annually, or per annum.
At the next annual meeting, Feb. 14, 1713-14, " it was then also proposed, whether Mr. Fitch's salary (annually) shall be made up by, or out of the Society, exempting the children that shall go to school, and this shall continue for the space of seven years. Voted in the affirmative." llis salary was fixed at $38 per annum, and he was to keep school eleven months in the year. The next year, February, 1714-15, it was resolved " to grant Mr. Ebenezer Fitch's, Jr., petition, viz: that the rent of the school lands as let to Mr. Eleazur Gaylord, during the time of his keeping school here, shall be paid to him, the said Fitch."
the " History of Common Schools in Connecticut, " published in the American Journal of Education for 1858, we acknowledge our indebtedness. We may also be permitted, in this connection, to express our obligations to him for the many personal favors he has shown us during the prosecution of our work.
1 Now known as Palizado Green. It was then a parallelogram with the meeting-house about in the center of it, and directly in front of the General Pierson place.
2 Up to the year 1717, towns of seventy families had been obliged to keep a school for eleven months, but at that time the same obligations were imposed on parishes or societies having that number of families. Parishes having a less number of families were required to maintain school for six months. The householders in the parish were em- powered to lay taxes for the support of schools, to appoint collector, and transact busi- ness relating to the same. They were also to choose annually a clerk, and a school committee of three "able and discreet " persons.
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10:
SCHOOLS IN WINDSOR, 1700-1891.
"1714, April 5. The school-house was raised on t' other hill " (Timothy Loomis' Common-place book).
Taking Timothy Loomis's then residence as a standpoint, we should infer that he had reference to Stony Ilill, as " t' other hill."
January 31, 1715-16. The school committee were empowered to " raise by way of rate £4 to be disposed of for the schooling of Poqnon- noe people's children." The same amount was granted the sueccoding year.
The first schoolmistress named on the records was Sarah Stiles, in 1717 ; and the next year it was voted that the " schools shall be kept by women [in ] the summer until October."
December 30, 1718, " Our neighbors at Poquonnoe " were allowed to improve toward their own schooling, all they paid towards it in the County tax.
Mr. Ebenezer Fitch was released from the charge of the Windsor school in December, 1719.
The next year, December, 1720, " it was voted that this Society will keep schools in a manner following for two years next coming, viz, a fixed school on the north side, and also on the south side of the Little River, the months of November, December, Jan- mary, February, and March, by two good schoolmasters to teach our children, Reading, Writing, and Cyphering, and the rest of the months improve women to instruct chil- dren in Reading, provided the General Assembly do allow and accept, in lieu of the eleven months now stated by law, and that our Deputies be desired to pray the Assem- bly to allow of it, and thereupon have our school money as other towns and societies have."
Their application to the assembly was, however, refused.
January, 1720-1, the school committee were empowered to lease the school lands for fourteen years.
And in December, the committee voted to raise money in the society for maintaining school the next year, in conjunction with the county money, to which project Mr. Matthew Allyn. Jr., entered a caution.
In December, 1722, 830 was raised on the society list for schooling : and the town voted to divide the school money according to the lists of estates on each side of the Rivulet, and to apply to the assembly for a division into two school societies. Their petition was presented in the May following, but was opposed by a remonstrance from twenty-three persons, who alleged that :
1st. "One school at two houses, as heretofore, is preferred. 24. One master can teach all the scholars. 3d. Multiplication of schools will increase expense. 4th. New school-houses will have be built. 5th. It will open a door for the multiplication of school societies."
A petition, however, signed by sixty-one persons, was presented in May, 1723, and, by an act of the same session, Windsor was divided into
404
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
two school districts, one on the north and the other on the south side of the Rivulet.
1722-23. Mr. Henry Mlyn was schoolmaster.
1731. John Allyn was schoolmaster for ten weeks.
1735. Job Loomis.
1735. Also Mrs. Deborah Moore, Widow Esther Eggleston, Eunice Marshall, Grace Rowell, schoolmistresses.
December, 1742. " Voted that there be but one school kept on south side of Rivulet this winter.
" Voted, that said school shall be kept at the school-house near Col. Allyn's, till last of March, and then to have women's school set up."
December, 1743. The school lands were ordered to be leased for 999 years.
Also the inhabitants of Pine Meadows ( Windsor Locks) were allowed to use their own portion of school money.
1759. One school and master, to be kept half the year toward the south end, and half the year toward the north end of the First Society.
1760. A school was established in JJeremey's Lane.
1762. A school was established at Moses Barber's house. Also one at Mill Hill, for four months, and one " at the lower end" of the society.
1768. It was decided " to drop either of the said schools, if they have not fifteen scholars or more in a general way."
1773. The society was divided into Three Districts. The North Distriet was to take in John Roberts and all Cook's Hill. The South District was to extend from the south end of the society up to JJoseph Loomis's. The Middle District included the remainder of the society.
1784. The three districts into which the society was divided, were as follows : North District, " all north of Widow Mary Roberts and her house, and Cook's Hill (or Boston, so called) as far as Amos Filley, Theophilus Cook, and Dudley Drake's. South District, from Jerijah Loomis' all south to Hartford Line and Pipestave Swamp. The balance of the society formed the Middle District.
1797. Windsor, north of the Little River. was divided into the fol- lowing school districts : 1st. From Suffield line, south through Pine Meadow ( Windsor Locks ) to the brook next north of Gaylord Denslow's house. 2d. Thence south to the brook near Jacob Osborn's house, in- cluding David and Jesse Thrall. 3d. South to the south of Taylor Chapman's home lot. including Eliakim and Samuel Mather. 4th. Thence to Windsor Little River.
This year was noticeable in the educational history of Windsor, for the union which took place between the first and fourth ecclesiastical societies, which henceforth became the First Society of Windsor. As
1
405
SCHOOLS IN WINDSOR, 1700-1891.
has been stated in the previous chapter, one of the main features of the union compact between the two societies was the erection of an academy south of the Little River, on Broad Street Green.
This academy was built mostly by subscription in 1798. November 25, 1798, the Union School, as it was termed, was " ordered to be set up on June next. and kept till the interest of the school money loaned to the society be expended." In 1802, it was "voted, that the committee be empowered to exclude any scholar that shall not carry his share of wood for use of the said school." Also voted, " that if any scholar should do any thing to the school-house, they shall make it good, or be excluded from said school, after a reasonable time being allowed for the damage to be made good."
This academy at one time enjoyed a high and wide-spread reputa- tion, and is recollected with pleasure and pride by very many who now occupy prominent and responsible positions in life.
" In about 1845, the old building had become mich out of repair, and those living at a distance, with some others near by, made an attempt to annihilate the school by petitioning the legislature to dissolve the contract as far as the school was concerned, and divide up the fund among the districts. Two hearings were had before the legislature, and one trial before the superior court, and all decided in favor of the school. In 1853, a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for building a new house, if the means could be raised in that manner. After can- vassing the society, with a great deal of hard work, it was found that about $1,500 was all that could be raised. Mr. Henry Halsey, who was chairman of the committee, with the hope that certain of the earlier recipi- ents of this school, who had gone abroad and been successful in business, might have some sympathy for the old school, wrote to them, asking for their donation. The following gentlemen responded to the call : Hon. E. D. Morgan, Gen. F. E. Mather, and II. B. Loomis, Esq., of New York city ; llon. James Hooker, Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; the sons of the late Levi Hayden, Charleston, S. C., and N. Y. ; Hon. James C. Loomis, Bridge- port, Conn. ; Wm. S. Pierson, Jun., Esq., Sandusky, Ohio ; R. G. and F. A. Drake, Esqs., Hartford, Con., and Columbia, S. C. With this aid, and renewals of subscriptions and the avails of the sale of the old house,' the requisite sum was raised, the new academy built and finished, and the school started in 1851, clear of debt. Its dimensions are 16 by 28 feet, with 26-feet posts, and its cost, including ground, outhouses, Fences, school-room furniture, etc., ete., was $2,878.89.
1 The old academy building was moved off the ground, and was afterwards (with the addition of an under story of brick) occupied as a boarding house by the operatives in the Sequasson Factory.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
The School Fund, possibly, commenced with the legacy of JOHN Firen, in 1675; certainly was increased by the legacy of Lient. JOSEPH STILES, who lived just north of the present Judge Ellsworth place, and whose intended bride was drowned shortly before the wedding day. He consequently remained single, and his house, during his lifetime, was a pleasant resort for all the young people of the neighborhood ; and, at his death, he left a liberal bequest for the benefit of the schools of his native town.
Sgt. ABRAHAM PHELPS, who died in 1728, was the next who bequeathed a generous legacy for the same purpose. After him Capt. BENONI BISSELL, who died in 1761, left another gift to the school. His monument, yet standing in the old cemetery, was " Erected by the First Society of Windsor in Grateful Remembrance of his generous Gift for the support of their school." The present (1891 ) amount of the Union School Fund of the First Society in Windsor, which is now used to help ont the town's appropriation for High School, amounts to $2,050.' There are at this time (1891) one high school and 10 school districts in the town, and 14 school departments; and 695 children enumerated between the age of four and sixteen years. The annual appropriation from town treasury in 1884 was $5,000; from School Fund and State appropria- tions, $1,563.75: from Town Deposit Fund. $199.90; from Union School Fund, 8124.80 ; total, $688.45 ; total receipts from all sources, $10,261.61, and the total expenditures, $9.949.72.
The Young Ladies Institute is a private enterprise, established in 1867, by the Hon. HI. Sidney Hayden. There are two buildings, one on Broad street for the boarding pupils and teachers, and another on Maple avenue containing the schoolroom and Seminary Hall. From its inception it has been conducted by Miss Julia S. Williams, as principal, and Miss Elizabeth Francis, assistant, with an efficient corps of teachers: average number of scholars abont sixty.
Loomis Institute. In 1874 James C. Loomis, Hezekiah B. Loomis. Osbert B. Loomis, H. Sidney Hayden and his wife, and John Mason Loomis were constituted a body corporate under the above name. This Institute is designed for the gratuitous instruction of persons of the age of 12 years and upwards, and is to be located on the original homestead of Joseph Loomis, on the Island (an island only in times of high freshets). The homestead is situated on elevated ground on the west bank of the Connecticut River, and commands an mcommonly fine view of the river and valley. This site, since Joseph Loomis's death, has been in possession of his lineal descendants, and it is the design of the corpo- rators to do what they can to endow this institution : in which purpose
! We do not understand whether the money derived from the sale of the Western lands in 1720 formed a part of the above school fund.
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SCHOOLS IN ( EAST) WINDSOR, 1698-1768.
they look for the co-operation of the Loomis family, that the institution may become a lasting monument to the memory of Joseph Loomis, the emigrant ancestor of the name in America.
EAST OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
Second Society, or East (now South ) Windsor.
The first mention of schools on the east side of the Connectient River was the town vote of April. 1698, already referred to in the former part of this chapter.
About 1700, however, the educational interests of the town east of the river seem to have passed into the hands of the Society there under the charge of Rev. Mr. Edwards.
On their records, under date of December 15, 1702, it was " voted. also, that there shall be a school, and divided as it was last year ; voted. also, that the committee chosen shall provide a man to keep school."
In 1708, 1s. and 8d. was paid to John Stoughton " for keeping school one day," and in May of the same year " Mr. Roger Wolcott was chosen to make application to the Honorable General Court to be holden at Hartford this present month : that we the above said inhabitants on east side may have the school money out of the country rate which is paid by ourselves every year. We desire that it may be improved among ourselves for the benefit of our children, that they may learn to read and write ; and that it may be confirmed to us by the Honorable Court, annually.
" Voted, also, that Mr. Roger Wolcott should be paid for his time waiting at said court, and also for what money said Mr. Wolcott shall pay out for the petition."
December, 1712. Voted, " that the school money should be divided into three parts," one above Frantie River, another from there to Sgt. Joseph Newberry's Brook, and the third from there to Hartford Line.
Provision was also made for masters and school-houses.
January 28th. 1717-18. " Voted, that we will raise money to add to the country money that is granted by the Court." " Voted that we will raise so much money that will, with the Country's allowance, amount to $30 for a school. Joseph Rockwell, Sgt. Daniel Bissell and Joseph Phelps to hire a schoolmaster."
" Voted, that Capt. Thomas Stoughton, Samuel Rockwell and Lt. Samuel Bancroft should be visitors to see the well ordering of the school."
December, 1718, it was voted that schools should be kept in two places.
December, 1719. A similar vote is recorded. One of the schools to be located below, and the other above the meeting-house.
December, 1721-22. A similar vote for three schools. One to be " near this place " (probably the meeting-house), another half-way
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
between there and the lower end; the third half-way between "this place " and Ephraim Bancroft's house.
December, 1722. School to be kept as before in three places, and "the farmers of Bissell's Farm [Wapping ?] to have their part."
January 28, 1722 -3. " We will raise so much money to support a school among us with what the country allows to make the sum of $37 to hire a schoolmaster to keep a grammar school till December next."
February, 1723-4." " Voted, that we will keep a reading and writing school all this year."
December, 1724. Schools in six places, one below Podunk Brook, second at a " place called Bissell's Farms [Wapping ?]," third, at Great Marsh, and the other three from Podunk Brook north, equally divided in length.
In January, 1726-7. 64 was voted to the farmers at Bissell's Farms, for the encouragement of a school among them.
1740. It was voted to add $70 to the country school money. Also to employ masters in the winter, and school dames in summer.
December, 1741. "Capt. John Ellsworth. Joseph Loomis, and Roger Wolcott, Jr., were chosen a committee to take care of the money given for the several towns lately laid out in the Western land, to be disposed of, and improved for the support of School- ing in the several towns and parishes of the Colony, as mentioned in the Act, passed in May, Anno Dom, 1741, by the General Court, or Assembly."
December, 1742. Schools were created in four places : one between Ilartford line and Newberry's Brook; second, from there to Seantic River: third, to a center line between Scantie and the north line of the town : and fourth, from the said line to the north end.
In 1742, Windsor received from the colony, as a school fund, £146 12%, of which the Second Society's share was £84 3x 97.
Derember, 1749, it was voted that "those families that live out at Hoekanmm, viz., Robert White, Charles Thrall, Joseph Hawkins, David Smith, Joseph Stedman, Jr., Stephen Stedman, and John Scarles," should have their own school money.
In 1750 it was resolved to add £200 to the country school fund for schooling.
From this date to that of the separation of the towns, in 1768, we have no record.
CHAPTER XX.
FERRIES, INNS, STORES, TRADE AND COMMERCE, HOUSES, SLAVES, MANNERS AND CONVENIENCES, WITCHES, COLONIES, PHYSICIANS, LAWYERS, ETC.
Bissell's Ferry.
THE subject of a regular ferry across the Connecticut, at Windsor, seems to have been first agitated about January, 1641-2, at which time the court decreed that if the town of Windsor provide a ferry boat to attend the river, they are to be allowed three pence for a single pas- senger, and two pence a person when they carry more than one at a freight, and twelve pence a horse.1
No definite action, however, was taken in the matter until January, 1648-9, when the court concluded the following contract :
"John Bissell undertakes to keep and carefully to attend the Ferry over the Great River at Windsor, for the full term of seven years from this day, and that he will provide a sufficient Boat for the carrying over of horse and foot upon all occasions; And that if his own occasions should necessitate him at any time to go out of call from his house or Ferry, that then he will provide some able man in his room to attend that service: for which the said John Bissell is to have of those that he ferries over, eight pence for every horse or mare, and two pence for every person that goes over therewith, or that hath another passenger to go over the said Ferry at the same time; and three pence for every person that goes over the said Ferry alone, single, or without any more than himself at the same time .?
"And the court prohibits all other persons (except the inhabitants of Windsor, who have liberty to carry over themselves or neighbors in their own canoes or boat), from carrying over the said Ferry any passenger or passengers, when the said John Bissell or his assignee is present, or within call of his house or Ferry as aforesaid, to attend that service. And if any person or persons as aforesaid shall at any time during the afore- said term, go over by Indians or English that have not boats or canoes of theirown, that they pass over the said Ferry in, they shall as truly pay Sd. for every horse or mare, and 2d. for every person, as if they went over with him. And the court also gives the said John Bissell liberty to relieve (i. e. - entertain) such strangers and passengers as can not go the ordinary, and take of them convenient and reasonable recompense for the same. This was consented to by John Bissell in Court." 3
1 Col. Rer., i. il. 2 ('ul. Rer .. i. 174
3 There is a tradition in the Bisskit, family, that in 1636-7. this John Bissell was sent by the colony to England. to procure a new supply of cattle to replenish the heavy losses which they had suffered from the exceeding severity of the preceding winter .- that he returned with " ff cows and a bull " and as a reward for his services received the monopoly of this ferry, from the court. The tradition is strongly marked, both by its prevalence and its uniformity of detail, among all the different branches of this large
VOL. I. - 52
410
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
The road from the main street, in Windsor, to the original Bissell's Ferry lay along the south side of the present home lot of the heirs of Hezekiah Hills, about 60 rods north of the Chief Justice Ellsworth place. The landing place on the east side of the Connectient River was near the present wharf used by the Quarry Company. The road thence east, following the present road to a point of the Meadow Hill, at a considerable distance from the street, where it ascended the hill bearing away to the northeast.'
The lease having expired, was again renewed May 15, 1656, for one year, on the same terms as before, with this addition, that troops shall have free passage for man and horse, " so often as the said troopers shall with their listed horses travel with them to Springfield town or beyond." "
Again :
May 1657. John Bissell's lease of the country ferry was renewed for one year " at his old house," - Col. Rec., i. 298.3
and widely extended family. Yet we are disinclined to believe it : 1st, because in the official colonial records there is not the slightest allusion to any such circumstance ; 2dły, because we have very serious doubts whether John Bissell was here in Windsor at so early a date. It is possible that he may have come here about 1639 or '40, and may have brought some cattle with him, but we have been as yet unable to connect them with the ferry.
1 ". This road continues, east of the river, to-day, over nearly its ancient course, and extends from the main street in East Windsor, from opposite the Quarry Co.'s prop- erty to their wharf at the river; although the old ferry was long ago removed to the mouth of the Scantie, where it still retains the name of its original owners, Near the quarry wharf stood the first house built cast of the river, and occupied by a Bissell, and there was also erected a fortification, or block house, of stone (and which was still stand- ing in 1800), and evidences of these structures were very distinct forty years ago." John A. Stoughton's Windsor Farmex, p. 115
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