The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 89

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 89

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

And now the sireulating glass Is passed round and round, sir, Till some ly prostrate on the ground, And others can't be found, sir.

And I am told that mistres S., Who crauled home by the fence, sir, Crept off to bed but ne'er undrest, And has not been seen since, sir.

Chorus - O blessed name, etc.

Come on, my lad, and bring your lass, And tast our Jusius wine, sir ; The Democrats are gaining fast, The Feds are on decline, sir.

No more let's drag the galling chain, Our work is fast compleating ; Ther'l not a Federalist remain Till our next happy meeting. Chorus -O blessed name, etc.

Endorsed on the back :

" A specimen of the wit, satire, and poetical genius of the Federalists of East Wind- sor, supposed to be written by O. Tudor, the great poet and historian."

When Nathaniel Rockland (b. 1772) first voted (1792-3), there were but six Demo- crats in the town of E. W. James Rockwell and his three sons made 4 ; ---- Mills was the fifth.

The Diary of Rer. Thomas Robbins, pastor at E. W., 1808 to 1827, gives us many interesting glimpses of political feeling and changes in this town. It must be remembered, however, that as one of " the estab- lished order," the Rev. Mr. Robbins was naturally a Federalist, and the holy horror with which he regarded the Democracy of that day and all its belongings, seems to us of this day as being quite uncalled for and comical. He says (1798) that "the Democrats in Congress are very impudent"; - (1799) "had a loud dispute with some Arminians and Democrats" ;- (1801) "the Democrats are making great exertions to destroy the laws respecting religion in this State"- speaks of them as " deluded Democrats," and of a town as "infested with Democrats "-

761

DIARY OF REV. THOMAS ROBBINS.

( 1803) - Democracy is now making its most violent efforts in this State. May the God of our fathers preserve us!" This involuntary appeal to heaven often appears in his notes on Democracy; yet, when he made ( 1803) a missionary tour into Pennsylvania he has to admit that "most of the ministers and pions people in this part of the country, and of all classes, are Democrats" -a pretty hard pill for such a thorough-going Connecticut Federalist as he to swallow.

In 1808 he commenced his ministrations in East Windsor, and thenceforth his Diary keeps us pretty well informed as to political mat- ters in his own and the adjoining North parish of East Windsor. Thus:

1808. " Rode to Scantic and attended Freemen's Meeting, and prayed at opening of the meeting. The votes here were : Federalist, 226 ; Democrats, 62, about the same as heretofore. I hope Democracy is declining in this State."

1809. April Freemen's Meeting. Rev. Mr. Robbins officiated as before ; votes for Governor: Federalist, 213; Democratie, 92 ; " more of the latter than have ever been here before."

1810. He again officiated at Freemen's Meetings. Federalist votes for Governor, 195 (divided between two candidates) ; Democratic, 90 - total, 285. The population of E. W. at this time was 3,081 ; but, owing to certain property restrictions in the Conn. law, the number of voters was considerably less than on the present basis; and this vote of 1810 would indicate about 600 voters in E. W. at that time.

1811. "Prayed at the opening of the Freemen's Meeting"; votes for Governor were : Treadwell, 168; Griswohl, 86 ; scattering, 2. I believe Mr. Griswold had about thirty Federal votes. The remainder were Democratic. I think this last effort of De- mocracy, through the merey of our fathers' God, will meet with a great defeat." Tread- well and Griswold were both Federalist candidates ; the latter was elected Governor, and partly by Democratie votes.

1812. Freemen's Meeting : vote for Gov. Griswold (Fed.), 202 ; Boardman (Dem.), 19. " The meeting very harmonious." The light vote shows that there was really no party contest.

Sept. 21. " Rode to Scantic and attended Freemen's Meeting. The highest Fed. vote for nomination was 251 ; The Dem. nomination not called. There were but 27 Dem. votes for a representative."

1813. Freemen's Meeting : votes: Fed. (divided between two candidates), 206 ; Dem., M ; scattering, 4-284. Sept. Freemen's Meeting "remarkably harmonious and expeditious." Highest Fed. vote for nomination, 166 ; Dem. nomination not called.

1814. Freemen's Meeting. Fed. votes, 187; Dem., 62.

Sept. Freemen's Meeting.

" Highest vote for nomination, 119. No Democrats."

1816. Freemen's Meeting. Fed. votes for Gov .. 187; Dem., 89 - total, 276. He notes, a few days later, that "the Democrats in the State have made very great exer tions at the late Freemen's Meeting and have almost carried the election." Sept. "Our late Freemen's Meeting has issued unfavorably " - from which we may deduce the fact that Democracy was again in the ascendant.

1817. Framen's Mating. " The efforts of the Democracy are astonishing." Votes: Fed., 233 : Dem., 128 ; it is supposed that nearly 30 Federalists voted for Mr. Wolcott, the Dem. candidate.

Sipt. Fed. votes, 189; Dem., 91: "many staid at home." The Democrats this year were victorious. In October Mr. Robbins says, "Our Assembly adjourned yes- terday. They have not done much evil, but they have had a contemptible session. 1 holy God frowns upon our State." In Nov. (having a few months before met President Monroe and shaken hands with him), Mr. Robbins admits that he has read the Presi- dent's message, and thinks " it the best we have had since Federal times."

VOL. 1 .- 96

762

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

1818. Frumen's Mating. Votes for treasurer: Fed., 188, Dom., 111 ; the first vote for a Dem. representative, late a federalist, was 136. The meeting continued quite late. Democracy does not appear to abate in zeal or malignity." Sept. "We [Feder- alists] did unexpectedly well." Votes for nomination, 232 ; Dem., 128. The State did not keep so strongly Federal as East Windsor. But the reign of Federalism had well- nigh gone and in November the good parson says, " The President's message repre- sents our country in a very prosperous state. I think it is."

1819. Fremit's Meeting. Votes: Fed., 327; Dem., 177. " The Federalist> did exceedingly well."

1820. Fremme's Meting. Votes: Fed., 242; Dem., 161 ; " the majority much less than last year."

1821. And now the tide is evidently changing. Friemen's Meeting. "The votes were very close ": Dem., 186 : Fed. " but two or three more."

1829. " The Freemen's Meeting here issued very favorably."

1823. " Election excites but little notice."

1824. "Opened the Electors' meeting with prayer and left the meeting as usual. They chose Democratic representatives. The first time. Both irreligious and ungodly men. A severe and holy frown of heaven."

East Windsor Will, about 1820 .- The late Mr. HENRY WATSON of Northampton, Mass., a native of East Windsor, who died in Feb- ruary, 1891, kindly furnished us with the following notes of his recollections of "The Hill" as it was about 1820, which he profaced with the following remark : "There is one thing especially worthy of note - the great age to which so many of the parties lived. I have never known a place so healthy as our old East Windsor. If a child survived his first, or at most his second year. he might be almost sure that he was booked for extreme old age; and, if he did not fall off a load of wood, get drowned in the Connecticut River, die of con- sumption at from 20 to 30, or possibly get the pneumonia, he was sure to reach it. I do not recolleet ever to have known an East Windsor born baby who was over one year old to die. Of course there were some who did."

The fact of longevity thus humorously adverted to by Mr. Watson is, indeed, a most noticeable feature of this locality.

We have taken Mr. Watson's "Notes" as a basis of a survey of " The Hill " - our own observations, or those obtained from other sources being designated by brackets.

That portion of South (formerly East) Windsor, known as " East Windsor Hill," is the platean, less than half a mile in length, which lies between the declivity descending on the north to Seantic River and that descending on the south to Taylor's Brook, known as " Taylor's Hollow." The street is straight, wide, and beautifully ornamented with three rows of maple trees which, according to the Asa Boire Rec., were set out in April 1814. The houses and shops on " The Hill," about the year 1820 were occupied as follows :

Beginning on the west side at the north and moving south, the two- story brick house on the very brink of the hill, overlooking Seantic, was

763

EAST WINDSOR HILL, ABOUT 1820.

owned and occupied by ELI B. HASKELL, merchant, of the firm of Bissell & Haskell [ From notes in Rer. Dr. Robbins's Diary we learn that it was erected about 1812 or '13. It was on land originally of Capt. Aaron Bis- sell. his (silent) partner in business, and whose daughters were the first and second wives of Mr. Haskell]. After Mr. Il.'s removal to Ogdens- burg, N. Y., abont 1844, this residence was owned and occupied by Wal- ter Phelps from Hartford, next by Dr. Goodrich from Ware, Mass., now by Wayne HI. Rice.

Next was a brick two-story house. exactly similar to the Haskell house, owned and occupied by his father-in-law, Capt. AARON BISSELL, farmer and sheep-breeder, of the firm of Bissell &. Haskell. [Dr. Rob- binx's Diary records that, in July. 1813, Capt. B. "is building a very fine house," and at a later date speaks of it as " a very valuable house."] It stood on the site of a two-story lean-to house, formerly owned by Noah Bissell - ( Dea. A. Reed Mss. ) After Capt. Bissell's death ( 1834), Mr. Increase Clapp came into possession of it and resided in it until his death (1859), after which it was occupied by his son, Carlos W. Clapp. Increase Clapp, in 1820, was the blacksmith of the village, residing a short distance out on the Wapping Road at the house since occupied by his son George. In 1879, bought by Richard T. Abbe, who came from Enfield.

The next house was a tarern, once kept by Capt. Aaron Bissell, but, about 1820, by a Mr. MACK. North of the house, on the line of the street, were and still are the horse-shed and barn belonging to the tavern ; the barn abutting on the north, by the road which here passes down into the meadows to Bissell's Ferry. This tavern and farm subsequently became the property of Daniel Gilbert Sperry. In 1871, bought by Theodore E. Bancroft.

Next south was the dry-goods and grocery store then kept by Bis- sell & Haskell. It had been, in carlier days, occupied by Bissell & Tudor, a firm composed of Aaron Bissell and Samuel Tudor [Samuel Tu- dor, b. 1770 in E. W. : was afterwards head of the firm of Tudor, Wood- bridge & Co., formed in 1805, one of the largest dry-goods importing houses in Hartford ; from 1812 or '13 to 1818 partner with Woodbridge & Talcott ; at one time in business with Philo Hillyer ( Tudor & Hillyer) dry-goods importers " near St. John's Tavern," and later he dealt exel- sively in British dry goods. His house was on Main street, near " Need- ham's Corner," Hartford. He died 29 Jan., 1862, æ. 92. - Hartford Co. Mem. Hist. ]; and, after Bissell & Haskell's time, by JESSE CHARLTON. It stands now, not materially altered from what it was in 1820, and a store (owned by Calvin Z. Parmelee ) and post-office is still kept there. . A large elm tree, with a horse-block under it, stood in front of the door.

Next was the store-house (dry goods and groceries ) formerly oceu- pied by JOHN WATSON, subsequently by Henry Watson; about 1820 it

764

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

was used by John Watson, then largely engaged in farming and sheep- breeding, for storing wool, and wheat and oats after they were threshed. About 1839 this building was removed out on to the Wapping Road.

Next was the two-story brick house occupied by HENRY WATSON . VI from 1809 to 1828, when, upon the death of his mother, he removed into the John Watson mansion. Prior to 1809, this honse had been ocen- pied as a tavern by John Alderman ; after the building of the Theologi- val Institute it became the residence of its president, Rev. Dr. Bennett Tyler, and subsequently of Prof. Cornelius Hooker, and later again, a tavern. It burned down in 1889. The barn connected with it stood facing the street and close upon it, a short distance to the south of the house.

Next was a two-story brick house of the style of the Haskell and Bissell houses (builded in 1815 - Asa Bowe Rec., and remodeled about 1832 to its present style), owned and occupied by EPAPHRAS BISSELL, farmer. This house was afterwards sold to and occupied by Elihu Wolcott, later by Oliver D. Cooke, Jr. of Hartford, who remodeled it, and later by Hon. Erastus Ellsworth. After his death, 1879, his son- in-law, Dr. Win. Wood, resided there, and it is now occupied by his family, and by Mr. Erastus Wolcott Ellsworth. In the south front corner of the lot, nearly opposite the schoolhouse, Dr. Wood, at a later day, erected a two-story shop or office, in which is now stored his valuable ornithological, zoological, and antiquarian collections.

Next was an old two-story, mpainted house, known familiarly as " the Molly Smith house"- the last on the west side of " the Hill" go- ing south. Miss Mollie Smith resided here until her death in 1862. at the age of 93. With her lived SAMUEL MAY, saddler and harness- maker, and his family. His shop stood in the S. E. corner of the door- yard, at the very brink of the hill overlooking Taylor's Hollow : and the hill south of this shop was the " coasting" ground of the boys of the neighborhood.

We pass now to the east side of the road and travel northward again.

Opposite Miss Mollie Smith's house was another unpainted, old frame house, belonging probably to Eli or John Bissell, but then occu- pied by a Mrs. Murll, whose bachelor son. JJACOB MURLL. was the wheel- wright and carriage-maker of the village. This house was subsequently torn down and a new house erected of a more modern style, by Mrs. Ursula Skinner.

Next north of the Murtl place stood, and now stands, the Academy building (see page 754).

Next north of this and near it was Jacob Marll's carriage-making shop, and next north of the shop was the residence of JESSE CHARLTON,

765

RESIDENTS IN EAST WINDSOR.

the tailor, whose shop was a few rods north of his house, and where he also kept a small stock of dry goods, candies, ete. lle was also at one time a deputy-sheriff, and is well remembered by many for his unfailing suavity of manner and his kindness to children. This house was built by - Wells.

Next came the residence of GODFREY SCARBOROUGH, lawyer: it was afterwards occupied by SELAH B. TREAT, also a lawyer, but who subse- (mnently became a clergyman and was, for a long series of years, seere- tary of the Board of Home Missions in Boston. It was afterward pur- chased by Erastus Ellsworth, and occupied by Dr. Elijah F. Reed. I 1839 it was bought by John S. Clapp, and by him demolished in 1857. He erected a new residence a little north of the old site. This place is now owned and occupied by Calvin Z. Parmelee.

Next was the residence of Mrs. MARY (widow of Oliver) DAY, with whom lived Miss Mollie Day, and the family of ELISHA WELLS, who died about 1834. aged 84, his wife dying, aged 93. This house stood at the corner of Main Street and the Wapping Road.

Across the road. on the opposite corner, was the mansion of JOHN WATSON, merchant. This house, three stories high, large, roomy, and finished inside and out with serupulons nicety, both as to quality and style of materials and workmanship, was erected in 1788-90, and stands to this day, an admirable specimen of the finest domestic architecture of f. that day. It was occupied by Mr. John Watson until his death in 1824. aged 81; then by his widow until her death in 1827, aged 76; afterwards by Henry Watson until his death in 1848': after which it was sold to, and has since been owned and occupied by, Theodore Bancroft.

Next north, was a small, but neat, gambrel-roofed house, occupied by Mrs. RHODA (widow of Thomas ) GRISWOLD, and aunt of Mrs. Aaron Bissell. She died in 1838, aged 93. In the northwest corner of her yard was a tailor's shop, for many years (before and after 1820) unoccu- pied. This is now occupied by Mrs. SPERRY, and her daughter Miss RUTH T. SPERRY, the Assistant Editor of this History.

Next came the residence of Mrs. LUCY WEBSTER and family : with whom lived AsA BOWE, the shoemaker of the vicinity, and his family. his wife being the daughter of Mrs. Webster. Mrs. W. died in 1823, aged 83. Now occupied by the widow and daughter of Julius Birge.

Next north was the residence of JULIUS BIRGE, the tanner : whose father, Jonathan Birge, the cabinet-maker, had resided there previously. This was subsequently the dwelling of Dr. Rockwell.

Close by, on the projecting brink of " the Hill," was ASA BOWE's shoe shop. Mr. Birge's fan-yard was a rod or more down the Hill, on the north of this shop.

All the houses and shops on the east side of " the Hill" street stood

766

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

flush upon the line of the street, except the Murll and Griswold houses. On the west side, all stood back from the street, with small dooryards. except the two tavern houses and their barns.

Tarerns. On page 418 we have noted the licensing, Dee., 1775, of NATHANIEL Cook, and of the widow GRACE ( Minor) GRANT, mother of Mr. (afterwards Captain ) EBENEZER GRANT, to whom, about 1734-5, she resigned her tavern-keeping business. To what is there said of Capt. JOEL and his son, Capt. GILES LooMIS, as tavern-keepers, may be added that the tavern-property occupied by them finally came into the posses- sion of Major Abiel Wolcott, who took down the old original part of the honse, and erected an addition, in which he lived until his death.

Of the Landlord PORTER, mentioned on same page, Deaeon Reed's MIxx. says: "Nathaniel Porter was an old man when i first knew him, residing with his son Nathaniel, who, with his family, occupied the honse. Old Landlord Porter had once been to the West Indies, and many and large were the stories he used to tell about what he had seen there."

In the possession of the heirs of EDWARD KING, deceased, of In- dianapolis, Ind., is the old sign which for nearly a century swung at Bissell's Ferry. Originally, this sign bore in its center a design of 13 interlacing rings, each ring having in its center the representation of some tree, or trees, peculiar to the State which it designated. In the center of this circle of rings was the profile of George Washington: above it the legend, " The 13 United States," and beneath it, " Enter- tainment. | By David Bissell | A. D. 1777. In 1787 the words, " By David Bissell," were painted out, and " E. Wolcott " ( Erastus Wolcott ) substituted ; also, the date 1787 was placed in each upper corner of the sign-board.

In or about 1801 the sign passed into the hands of Joseph Phelps, and it then hung at the old house that the Jonex Brothers pulled down to make room for their new one. It was at this time made over, the whole face being painted out, and a new design given, viz .: On the obverse a copy of the first gold eagle coined in 1795, and upon the other side the reverse of the same coin, and J. Phelps' name underneath.

In 1816, J. PELTON bought the ferry tavern (now the Almshouse) from Epaphras Bissell, erased all the letters of Phelps' name from the tavern- sign, except the JJ. and the P., which were the initials of his own name. and hung it over the middle of the ferry road, from the limb of a large ehm that stood in the corner of the dooryard, about six rods southwest of the house, where the stump of the tree still stands.

. The tavern thus kept successively by David Bissell, Erastus Wolcott, and Joseph Phelps, probably passed down an unbroken line of Bissell inn-keepers, from John, Sen., to whom an inn-license was given in 1648, in connection with the grant of the ferry. See p. 418, Note.

767

CAPT. EBENEZER GRANT, THE MERCHANT.

Merchants in East Windsor. Foremost among these was Captain Ebenezer Grant. for many years the leading merchant of that portion of Windsor east of the Connecticut River. He was the youngest son of Samuel and Grace ( Minor) Grant, and came into the possession of the homestead on the east side of the Great River. His father died in 1712, and the boy must have been reared by his widowed mother, an efficient business woman ; and was fitted for college by Rev. Timothy Edwards, first minister of the parish. He was graduated from Vale Col- lege in 1726, and we find him soon after engaged in the shipping trade with the West Indies. The earliest date found among such of his papers as remain is that of : " Andrew Mcker's Acount April 3, 1728, for carting three Loads of corn to the vessel at the rever - -- 9sh."

Next, among a mass of similar papers, extending from 1733 to 1773, is a Bill of Lading, which we copy as a sample of commercial docu- ments " of that ilk," viz. :

" Shipped by the Grace of God. in good order and well conditioned by D. Meriville Jan' in and upon the Good Sloop called the Humbird wherof is Master under God for this present voyage Thos Coleman and now riding at Anchor in the Carlisle Bay by God's Grace bound for New London, so say one Hogd Rum for acet o Risque of the Shipper . . . being marked and numbered as in the Margent and are to be delivered in like good order and well conditioned at the aforesaid Port of New London (the dan- ger of the seas only excepted) unto M'. Ebenezer Grant, Mercht -in his absence to Cap' Tho" Coleman or to their Assigns, he or they paying Freight for the said Goods tive pounds pr Tunn with primage and average accustomed.

" In witness whereof The Master & Purser of the said ship hath affirmed 10 2 bills of Lading all of this Tenor and date the one of which 2 bills being accomplished the other to stand void.

"And so God send the good ship to her desired port in safety.

" Dated in " Barbadoes, - ye 24, 1733 " Tho' Coleman."

It is difficult to give exact data of the growth of his business ; but, from this time until 1779, Mr. Grant seems to have engaged in mercantile " ventures" of this description. He owned shares in different vessels and cargoes, and bought horses and tobacco from his towns-people, which he shipped to the Barbadoes. In return, he received, first and princi- pally, rum ; also molasses, sugar, and indigo. These goods were con- signed to New London or Middletown, and thenee, after paying duty, to Windsor.

Mr. Grant was also a large ship-owner, and even built several vessels at the mouth of the Seantic. One of these, The Peggy, was a brigantine, built by Charles Gaylord, at the month of the Seantie River, during 1747 and 'IN. at a cost of £212, 12%. She was owned by a company of East Windsor men in the following proportions: Ebenezer Grant, 4 : Mr. Lawrence, Į : Nathaniel Day, { : Ebenezer Bliss, 3 ; John and Charles Gaylord, 16: Sammel Watson, 4; Ebenezer Watson, who worked on

768

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

her, 1. 16 ; Ammi Trumble, : David Bissell, s. The " Launching Din- ner," given at her launch, cost $20. The Peggy's first trip was to the Barbadoes, under command of Capt. William Filley, freighted with " tobacco ho't of Sundry Persons at 7 pence per pound"-some at 8 and 97. In 1757 Mr. Grant purchased of Nathaniel Ilooker, merchant, of Hartford, 1% of the sloop Sarah, " being a square stern vessel of about 65 tons burden ": and, in 1755, he purchased from Thomas Elmer, Joseph Rockwell, Jr., and Jerijah Olcott & part of the sloop Susannah, 50 tons. The schooner Ann, used by Mr. Grant, and the brig Polly (according to Ebenezer Grant's Account Books) were also built in East Windsor, at the Scantie's mouth, where there was a bridge erected about 1746-8. In 1810 Mr. Robbins's Diary records that " there are two vessels building at this place." When his son Roswell graduated from Yale, in 1767, he immediately received him into partnership with him.

Mr. Grant prospered apace. In 1768 the brigantine Hartford car- ried from New London to the West Indies, for Ebenezer Grant & Com- pany, 6,000 brick, 6,000 staves, 2,000 plank, and upwards of 4,000 hogs- head hoops. One consignment of rum comprised 8772 gallons. In 1768 was paid 15 shillings of duty on two hogsheads of rum. About 1767 Mr. Grant erected a " shop" about two rods south of his then new resi- dence, and therein he sold dry goods, rum, groceries, hardware, and fancy articles. He bought his goods in New York and Boston, and we find bills from Beckman & Son, Samuel Browne & Co., of New York; and from John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Daniel Waldo, John Barrett & Sons, of Boston. In 1768 John Barrett writes: " Your supply being an Object of Consequence to us, I shall take great pleasure in waiting on you at our store." The Revolutionary War ruined business for Mr. Grant, as for so many others, and, after peace was declared, Mr. Grant was ocenpied in settling with his creditors.

Mr. Grant and his children were born in the house "supposed to have been the original one built by Samuel (son of old Recorder Matthew Grant) after he had removed from his residence on the meadow. where he had first located east of the river .* The interior of this portion, with its great beams and broad-paneled walls, and its vast chimney. laid up with the broad, flat bricks of that day, and cemented with clay instead of mortar, indicates its antiquity, and dates its erection back of 1700."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 89

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