The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 86

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I > Part 86

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Miscellaneous. 1794, there were 3 Indians and 1 slave in the town. 1791, population of that part of the parish now known as So. Windsor (including 192 in Wapping), was 1,369. At this time Dr. MeChre records that there were only 2 or 3 families of " sectaries in So. W. ;

734

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

caused chiefly by . seating the meeting-house.'" 1794. The church de- clined the use of an organ. 1802. Dr. MeClure records that " the Methodists have run out in this place." 1835. The congregation " on fair days," reckoned at 250: there were then 18 Baptist families in the town. 1869, one of the female members of the church was serving abroad as a foreign missionary.

The Old Burying Ground was the first one opened on the east side of the Great River. In December, 1707, the Second Society voted " that the committee should purchase a piece of land for a burying place in some convenient place, and the society would pay the purchase next year."

In April following (1708) it was voted in town meeting " that the townsmen shall have power to agree with Dea. Job Drake, for land for a burying place, on the east side of the river," and, on the 8th of Decem- ber of the same year, " it was voted to give Job Drake thirty acres of land on the east side of the sequestered land in exchange for about three-quarters of an acre of land he resigns up to the town for a burying place, on the east side of the Great River. '

A record of all the burials in this yard was commeneed by Doctor Matthew Rockwell or his father, and afterwards passed into the hands of the Cook family, by whom it has been carefully preserved and addi- tions made to it down to the present day. (See " List of Authorities consulted" in preface to this volime.) The first person buried in this ground, according to this record, was Thomas Morton, who " fell from a cherry tree and broke his neck." July 20, 1708. His monument is now standing. No spot in South Windsor is so full of interest as this ancient " God's acre," thick set with the quaint tombstones which mark the last resting-places of the fathers and mothers of the town. No one who has spent a leisure moment in bending over these crumbling me- morials of departed worth, or who has surveyed the beautiful expanse of scenery which it commands, will ever forget the Old Burial Ground of South Windsor.

The new burying ground, near the present South Windsor church, was purchased and laid out in 1803, and subsequent additions have been made. And a committee to superintend funerals was first appointed in 1820.

11st Book Windsor Records, 102.

Sacred to the Memory of Five Brothers + SIfiers whole earthy remains 4ºc depofiled within this ing imure: $171 Mr DANIEL PHELPS deceuted July Hr pigg seed H5 years

Mr JERIJAH PHELPS deceafed JAN 22 1792 24. 0 BO years Mr ISAAC PHELPS

deceafed Oct' 30th 1787 aged 03 years ,they were fane of Cap' JOSEPH PHELPS Mrs DAMAHIS Wife of Mr DANIEL PHELPS. who decrated May B" 1792 ated 80 years Mrs SARAH WISE DI MI JERIJAM PHELPS whe decooled Sep" jo" 1794 etce 71 years

The, wary happily united in brotherft love through a lent life » more azsmples of eraty + +utg+ and died in nie hove oto biellen in mortality This Monument is created by the fund Jeryan and a Nephew of the Brotin is to a tribute of affectionate teaprehen for their worthe AnceTter? The memory of the juft is bleffed

Mr Jateph v~

Meffrs DANIEL, JERIJAH and ISAAC PHELPS. Mrs DAMARIS. 8 Mrs SARAH PHELPS.

PHELPS MONUMENT, OLD YARD. EAST WINDSOR HILL .

1 1

CHAPTER VII.

EAST WINDSOR, 1790-1890.

E AST WINDSOR, Hartford County, incorporated 1768, taken From Windsor. Population, 1880, 3,019; children between the ages of 4 and 16, January, 1881. 812 : January. 1888, 764. Grand list. $1,111,278. Indebtedness, funded, $40,000 ; floating, $6,049.19. Rate of taxation. 15 mills. Principal industries, agriculture and the mann- facture of woolen and silk goods. Rye gin is extensively made at the village of Warehouse Point. Is reached by the New York & New England Railroad, Springfield division, stations Osborn, Broad Brook. and Melrose ; and by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, station at Warehouse Point. Post-offices, East Windsor, Windsorville. Melrose, Broad Brook, and Warehouse Point.

This is the official statement of the Connecticut State Register and Manual For 1889.

To which we may add that, while the topographical location of the town, in great part along the fertile lands of the Connectient River, has always rendered it an agricultural community, yet the style of agriculture has passed through many changes since the early days. Fifty or seventy- five years ago rye, corn, and hay were the staple crops here. Now, and for thirty years past, the chief erop, as in most of the neighboring river towns, is tobacco. When rye was the principal crop, as it was half a century since, and before the rise of the temperance cause. there were several large gin distilleries at Warehouse Point and elsewhere within the limits of the town, which made an easy market for this special farm product, and Osborn's (Seantic) and other grist-mills were kept busy in preparing the grain for distillation.

The population of East Windsor, from the earliest time, was mostly found along the one great thoroughfare, on the east side of the river, between East Hartford and Springfield, known in general parlance. " from time immemorial," as The Street. It runs a little way back from the second bank of the river, out of the way of floods, but overlooking the rich meadow lands. The bulk of the wealth and cultured inthience of the town was mostly massed between Seantic River. north of East Windsor Hill, and the Hartford line ; and, when the town was again divided in 1-13, and South Windsor took in all this portion, it seemed

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

to leave East Windsor more in the attitude of a rural and inland com- munity. Its nearest point of connection with the outside world was at its extreme northwest corner, at Warehouse Point ; and it was not until 1876 that, by the opening of the Springfield division of the New York & New England Railroad, it was furnished with better facilities for freight and travel.

Under such circumstances the growth of the town has been slow and uneventful, and such history as it has must be looked for in connec- tion with villages, or nuclei of residence and industry. These are, in order of their historical evolution, Warehouse Point, Windsorrille, and Broad Brook.

Warehouse Point. As early as 1636, when Springfield, Mass., was settled, Mr. William Pyncheon undertook to send his supplies thither, around by water from Boston ; and, finding that his vessels could not pass the falls at this point, he was obliged to provide land carriage 14 miles to Springfield. It was probably years before boats were provided suitable for running the rapids : and Mr. Pyncheon erected a warehouse, at the highest point his vessels could reach, on the east side of the river. wherein to store his goods while awaiting transit by land. This warehouse probably stood about forty rods south of State street, and abont forty-five to fifty rods below the present ferry-landing between West street and the river bank. It consequently gave to the place the name by which it has ever since been known =" Warehouse Point."

The antiquity of this name, as well as the interesting fact that the whole Warehouse Point district was originally designed and set apart as the private domain and park of an English nobleman, who was largely and honorably (though not profitably for himself ) concerned in the carly planting of the Connecticut colony, is fully proven by the following evi- dence given in Dr. Charles J. Hloadly's lately published (XV.) vol- ume of Colonial Records of Conn., pp. 579-581.

" At a meeting of the Governor and Council in Hartford, 26th June, 1710, ap- prared personally Henry Stiles, Sen., and Daniel Hayden, Sen., of Windsor, who pre- sted an evidence drawn up in writing, relating to a certain tract of land lying at and near a place called the Warehouse Point, on the east side of Connecticott River, which said tract of land hath been and is commonly called Saltonstall's Park. And the said Stiles and Hayden prayed they might, respectively, now be admitted to allirm the same upon their oath, and it was allowed; and the said Henry Stiles and Daniel Hay. den now made oath to their said evidence before this Board accordingly. Ordered, that their said evidence he recorded at large with the records of the Council.

" Henry Stiles, Sent, of Windsor, aged about seventy nine years, and Daniel Hay den, Sent, of Windsor, aged about sixty-nine years, joyntly testifie and declare as fol lows, that is to say: That they very well knew and was intimately acquainted with Mr. Francis Stiles formerly of said Windsor, and that they have often heard the said Francis Stiles declare and say, that he was sent over from England into New England by Sir Richard Saltonstall, Knight, to take up a tract of land for him, of about two thousand arres, upon Connecticut River, and to fence it in for a park, and that accordingly he,

737

SALTONSTALL PARK, EAST WINDSOR.

said Francis Stiles, had taken up that quantity of land for the said Saltonstall on the east side the said river, at and near the place called Warehouse Point, at the foot of the falls between Windsor and Endfield; and that the same park was one mile in breadth from north to south at the said river, and did run east with that breadth from the river until it included the quantity of two thousand acres; and that the said river was the west bounds thereof: also, that a certain brook running upon the said tract of land, commonly called Saltonstall's Brook, and the said place called Warehouse Point, are both comprehended and contained within the said park, and that he, said Francis Stiles, had purchased said tract of land for a park of one Ne-row-we-nock, an Indian sachem. And the said deponents also testifie and say, that they have formerly heard the ancient in- habitants of Windsor tell and declare, that the said Francis Stiles was agent for Sir Rich- ard Saltonstall, and that he did take up the aforementioned tract of land for a park for him, and that the said brook was first named Saltonstall's Brook,' by reason of its being within the said Park. And the said deponents further testitie and say, that to their certain knowledge the said brook hath been commonly called Saltonstall's Brook, and the said point commonly called Warehouse Point, for above fifty years last past, and that they never heard or knew of any person whatsoever that did ever yet improve or manure any part of the park, or tract of land aforementioned, to this day. And the said Daniel Hayden further testities and says, that about sixty years ago he saw a com- pany of men going towards the said park to work, and that his father, William Hay. den, then told him they were going to fence in the said park. And the said Henry Stiles also further says, that he hath seen an high palisado fence that was set up and standing near the south side of the said park about sixty years ago. And further say not.

" The above named Henry Stiles and Daniel Hayden made oath to their above written evidence, severally, before the Governour and Council in Hartford, June 25th, 1710.

" Test, CALEB STANLEY, Secretary."

The following remarks upon this very interesting point in our East Windsor History are from the pen of Mr. JABEZ H. HAYDEN of Windsor Locks:

Sir Richard Saltonstall, one of the original patentees of Massachn- setts, came over with Governor Winthrop, 1630, and returned to England, 1631, where he died in 1658. He probably expected to return, as he was appointed assistant by the Massachusetts General Court, in 1633, and was a proprietor at Watertown many years. (Bradford's Hist. Maxs., and Bond's Watertown Genealogies. ) His sons, Richard and Robert, came over to Massachusetts soon after their father's return, and the latter was his attorney here ( II. S. Sheldon). Sir Richard was one of the principal " Lords and Gentlemen" who were patentees of Connectient ; and his at- tempt to establish a colony at Windsor, through his agent, Mr. Francis Stiles, has been already narrated in full on pages 43-17, 57-59 of this work. Indeed, this and that portion of our history must be studied in connection, to fully understand them aright - the former having refer- ence rather to Sir Richard's actions as one of the patentees; the latter

' This brook lies between the village of Warehouse Point and the Warehouse Point railroad station, and empties into the Connecticut about 10 rods below the railroad bridge. - J. H. II.

VOL. I .- 93

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

to his individual plans and purposes.' Saltonstall Park was " a traet at the Falls," the highest point reached by Pyncheon's vessels when carry- ing supplies for the new settlement at Springfield in 1636. This park was described in 1710 as one mile in breadth on the river, extending east three miles ; 1,500 acres of it was set to Francis Stiles, 400 aeres " by allotment " and 1,100 by purchase from the town [ Wind- xor Town Rec.], but it was nearly ten years before Stiles transferred it to Robert Saltonstall, as agent for his father, Sir Richard. The peti- tion of Robert (Conn. Col. Ree., i. 62), in 1640, was probably for au- thority for him to hold this land, taken up by Stiles, which the court authorized their commissioners to grant, " provided the town of Windsor consent thereunto." In 1642, the court confirmed this to Saltonstall, and ordered that the north line of Windsor ( Conn. Col. Rec., i. 72) should run on Mr. Saltonstall's land, "and what prejudice Mr. Salton- stall shall sustain thereby the country shall make good"; at the same time the court released Mr. Saltoustall from the conditions attached to " the said grounds formerly granted which was to have been impaled within three years."

Saltonstall Park, as described seventy years after (see Stiles' and Hayden's affidavit), inchided Saltonstall's Brook and the warehouse (about a mile apart ): the south line of it evidently was on the north bounds of Windsor as originally set at Kettle Brook. The same affida- vit claims that this is the ground Stiles took up for Saltonstall and ex- tinguished the Indian title .? The land which Stiles transferred to Sal- tonstall ( 1647) was described in the deed to Stiles (1640) as 60 rods wide on the river, extending east three miles, and there in breadth 444 rods. Possibly the town-line of 1636 ran through Saltonstall's land (then in Stiles's name ), and the court, in 1642, recognizing the town- line of 1636, made Saltonstall's land a parallelogram, containing 1,500 acres : to which the Massachusetts Court [1641; Mass. Col. Ree., i. 331] added 500 acres, "if it fall within our patent," making the 2,000 aeres [1,500, 500, and 120 = total, 2,120 acres ]; and later on, Massachusetts (1645: Muss. C'ol. Ree., iii. 66) threw her shield over the whole.

) Sir Richard Saltonstall was a Grantre under both patents and claimed lands on the Connectiont River by patent and by pre-possession - as early as 1631 (see his letter Ilist. Windsor, p. 843). Did he visit the Connecticut River before he returned to Eng. land ? It appears probable ! The first confirmation of his claim by both Massachu- setts and Connecticut General Courts was in 1641 and 1642. These embraced the terri- tory afterward more perfectly defined and known as " Saltonstall Park."

2 There were no Indians on this tract, nor had there been any for any other purpose than for hunting, within so recent a period that any cultivated land they may have had was not then one unbroken forest. It seems to have been a common practice when an Indian appeared who laid any claim to a part of the county to buy him off; it strength- oned the white man's title to have a quit claim from the nearest Indian, and sometimes the nearest Indian was a good way off. In 1678, John Lewis bought the great island on

- -

739

SALTONSTALL PARK, EAST WINDSOR.

In 1647, Massachusetts declared ( Maxs. Col. Ree., ii. 227) "that all the land on the East side of the Conn. River from the Town of Spring- field down to the Warehouse which they formerly built there shall be- long to the Town of Springfield and twenty poles below." There are no river meadows " at the falls," and there were no settle- ments nearer the park than Henry Denslow's (1663), a mile below on the opposite side of the river, or for many years after. Connecticut claimed the territory two miles north of Kettle brook, and Massachusetts abont three miles below. We see, by the Stiles and Hayden affidavits, that Sal- tonstall commenced to inclose his park about 1650, with a " high palisado fence," but, as neither Saltonstall or any one else, down to 1710, "did ever yet improve or manure [i. e., cultivate] any part of the park." it is evident the fencing was never completed, and no nse had been made of the park down to that time - seventy years after the Connectiont grant.

We learn from Col. Ree., i. 141, under date of June, 1646, that a commission had been appointed " to set a rate or value of the worth of impaling 2,024 rods of pale according to articles agreed betwist Mr. Saltonstall and Francis Stiles, . which hath long been neglected by the said parties," i. e .. the commissioners. The land was still stand- ing on the Windsor records in the name of Francis Stiles. The Court in 1642 had released Saltonstall from the obligation of "impaling," and it seems probable that he claimed the funds in the hands of his agent were to pay for the 1,500 acres " inclosed." The Court having re- leased Saltonstall from the condition of impaling the grant, he demanded so much of the funds returned as a commission should say the impaling would cost. We learn from the affidavit of Henry Stiles and Daniel Hayden, in 1710, that, abont 1650, when Hayden was ten years old, ho " saw a company of men on the way to the park to enclose it," and Henry Stiles (nephew of Francis, and then twenty years old) " hath seen an high palisado fence set up and standing near the South side of said park." This was three years after Mr. Francis Stiles had trans- ferred the " 1,500 acres across the Great River " to Saltonstall ; and the Fence was probably set up by Saltonstall, and was only a beginning for, seventy years after it had never been cultivated ; and, had it been

the falls of four Poquonock Indians, one of them a " papoose." who lived more than half a dozen miles away, " it now being out of our way to live upon it," They being the " true and proper heirs " whose right has "descended from generation to generation." Three years later "Nassahegan & Coggerenosset [ sometimes called Sachems of Poquonock ] do hereby acknowledge that we ourselves and for the rest of us, have received full pay- ment and satisfaction of John Lewis." Lewis sokl it to Daniel Hayden; the Haydens insisted on the validity of their title through three generations, but lost it. IL S. Shel- don says Saltonstall's title from Massachusetts prevailed. The island is but little above the site of Saltonstall Park.

740

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

inclosed and used - as it possibly was originally intended - as an Eng- lish game-preserve, we should certainly have met some reference to it, in the affidavit or at some earlier date, in other records.

The same year ( 1710) Connectient ran the line ordered in 1671. on the north bounds of Windsor (2 miles north of Kettle Brook ), " running West from the month of Stony Brook, 5 miles and East 8 miles, with a proviso that the settlement shall not be construed to the prejudice of any of the heirs of Sir Richard Saltonstall." Three years later (1713), a new line was agreed upon, only about one mile north of Kettle Brook. and Massachusetts gave to Connectient an " Equivalent " for the land between the new line and Stony Brook, 7,259 acres north of the old line in Tolland County - Col. Rec., v. 564, vi. 393. The next year (1714) in a communication from Governor Gurdon Saltonstall (governor 1707- 1724, a son of Nathaniel, a grandson of Richard, and great-grandson of Sir Richard - H. S. Sheldon) of Connecticut to the General Assembly we are told " that the Massachusetts province has allowed 2,000 acres [included in the 7,259] equivalent to this colony for a grant of land for- merly made by them to his ancestor, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Kt., which happened to fall within the bounds of Windsor ( Col. Ree., v. 437 ) - the north side of Saltonstall Park was nearly on the present north line - of East Windsor-and he offers to give up Saltonstall Park of 2,000 aeres, " provided he may take up the equivalent thereof where it may best suit him in the lands given for equivalent by the said government of Massachusetts,- which lands were in the northeast corner of the Col- ony, Eastward of Woodstock." - Col. Ree., v. 437, 444.

While, therefore, the evidence is not positive, that the 1,500 acres transferred by Stiles to Saltonstall constituted three-fourths of the park described in these affidavits of 1710, yet neither Saltonstall or his heirs released any other land in Windsor, and certainly do not own any now. And, until record evidence can be shown to disprove it, we claim that the 400 acres which Stiles had by allotment from the town, over the Great River, was the land which Woodcock would not accept (see 1. 58) because it was not according to contract ( Letchford's Notes, Trans. Am. Antiq. Soc., vii. ) and the jury ( Col. Rec., i. 34) decided in conse- quence, " Stiles should take the house back again " which he had sold to Woodcock while he (Stiles ) was in England, 1637, and that this, with the 1,100 acres bought of the town, constituted three-fourths of Saltonstall's Park.

[I am indebted to Mr. 11. S. Sheldon, who was the first to discover and explore " Saltonstall's Park," for much of my information, especially that from the Massachusetts Colony Records. - J. H. Il. ]

741

SCANTIC PARISH PETITIONS FOR FERRY.

These Bissell purchases, in the interest of the Town of Windsor, of lands which (in part, at least ) had already been fairly bought, in 1635-6, of the original Indian owner, wore evidently for the purpose of securing a perfect title, pending the ultimate settlement of such rights as Sir Richard Saltonstall had by virtue of his first purchase. Such re-pur- chases of the Indian claimants were not uncommon in the early history of the colony - where it was deemed advisable to secure a title " porad- venture".

When the land included in Saltonstall Park came fully into the hands of other owners. is not now ascertainable : but by 1755 there were evidently enough settlers through all that part of the then North or Seantic parish of ( East) Windsor to call for improved ferry facilities across the Conneetient. For, in May of that year, Sammel Watson of (East ) Windsor petitioned the Assembly for permission to establish a ferry across the river, from the S. E. corner of his farm on the east side to the end of the ferry road (described as running east from the coun- try road near Daniel Bissell. Jr.'s, to the Connecticut ) on the W. side. In support of this request, he urged that the travel between Ellington and East Windsor was increasing and that it took two hours to reach Bissell's ferry, which, moreover, in high floods, was often and deeply overflowed : his petition, however, though supported by the signature of probably all the then residents of Seantic Parish.' was denied by the As- sembly.

The next motion towards a ferry at this point seems to be the peti- tion of Mrs. Elizabeth Thrall, dated 17 May, 1782, urging its great need and that it may be confirmed (after her) to her son Timothy, then aged

1 Jno. Ellsworth,

Josiah Blodgett, Job Blodgett,

John Thompson, Jr.,

Nathaniel Ellsworth,

Job Thompson.

Benj. Ellsworth,

Ebenezer Blodgett,

Israel Osborn,

Charles Ellsworth,

Israel Stiles,

Nathaniel Oshorn,

Thos. Ellsworth,

Benoni Stiles,

Joseph Eggleston.

James Olcott,

Israel Dibble.

Bigot Eggleston,

Nath'l Stoughton,

Joseph Allen. Jr ..

Lamson Wells,

Ebenezer Watson.

Samuel Allen,

Solomon Wells,

David Skinner.

Abel Allen,

Aaron Clark,

Jeremiah Bissell,

Samuel Allen, Jr ..

Josiah Gaylord,

Israel Bissell,

Noah Allen,

Stephen Newton,

Jerijah Bissell,

James Cole,

William Young,

Samuel Bissell,

Joseph Harper,

Phineas Chapin (?)

Ephraim Bancroft, Jr .. John Prior, John Prior, Jr.,

Calkins Munsell.

Alex. Mckinstry,

Ammi Trumble, Jr., Jona. Bartlett. Jacob Elmer,

Henry Wright,

Dan'l Eaton,

Peter Wolcott,

Samuel Watson.

Simeon Booth,

Simon Wolcott,

Abm. Whipple, Sam. Russell,

Joseph Harper, Jr.,

Jona. Munsell,

Jacob Munsell, Ir ..

Medina Fitch,

742

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

17 years : and the assembly's committee, to whom it was referred, reported favorably to establishing a ferry upon the side of William Thrall's land in East Windsor, " where one Mr. Fitch dwells."

The next years Mr. James Chamberlain informs the assembly that he has purchased Thrall's land ; and, on his petition, the ferry was granted him. on condition that he should open a road from the common road in East Windsor to the river, which was done, and for many years he kept the ferry. This was probably Capt. James Chamberlain, in his day one of the best known and most respected men in the Colony and State of Connecticut. Ile came to Tolland from Coventry, about 1772, and removed to Warehouse Point before 1782. During the Revolution- ary War he had commanded a cavalry militia company during one or two tours of duty, and was a representative in the assembly at the Octo- ber session of 1775. He resided at the extreme southeast part of the town, on a farm east of that lately owned by Jesse West. He was a man of large stature (six feet " in his stockings," and over 250 pounds weight), and fine personal appearance; became dissatisfied with the Congregationalism of that period, and with Gen. Jeneks, Wm. C. Warner, and others of like mind, organized a parish for worship according to the forms of the Church of England, of which he was a devout and consistent communicant until his death. He was noted as a peacemaker, and was often selected as an umpire, or arbitrator, to settle differences, and bel- ligerent parties would end their quarrels by agreeing to leave the matter in dispute to " Cap'n Chamberlain." In business at Warehouse Point he was associated, under the firm style of " James Chamberlain & Son," with his third son. James, who ultimately removed to Canaan, Vt., and engaged in buying and selling horses and cattle, having, as a horseman. few if any superiors. Ile was a member of the Vermont Legislature for one or two sessions, and being well versed in military drill and exercises, received from the State a commission as major in the militia.

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The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 86

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909 Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company
Number of Pages: 1038