The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 90

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 90

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The (new ) main building, fronting on the street, was modeled after the residence of his business correspondent, Gov. John Hancock of Bos- ton, and its construction was planned by the same architect. Much of

* Matthew Grant's record, written about 1677. in his account of the great food of March 1638 9, says : "For all the ground |meadow] then [South Windsor.] was drowned to one little ridge where Samuel Grant's now house stands."

OLD GRANT MANSION, EAST WINDSOR, 1700-1757. (By courtesy of author of " Windsor Farmen ".)

769

TRADE, MANUFACTURES, AND COMMERCE.

the written evidence of the contract for the house, including bills for timber, etc., yet exists.

In the hands of his grandson, the late Col. FREDERICK W. GRANT, this fine specimen of colonial architecture was carefully preserved in its original state, and around it cluster many historie memories, which he was wont to narrate with ardor. The southeast front room was occupied by Gen. Richard Prescott after his capture by the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Capt. Ebenezer Grant survived the Rev. Mr. Edwards many years, and was active in church and parish affairs during the ministry of his successor, Rov. Mr. Perry. The old account books of the former show many entries for " Rum, &c.," which he sold to his pastor. Capt. Grant married for his second wife the widow of Capt. David Ellsworth, and mother of Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth.

Trade, Manufactures, and Commerce .- Prior to the date of Mr. John Watson's store, according to Dea. Reed's Mss. letters, there had been iwo merchants in East Windsor. "One of these. NATHANIEL PORTER (the " Landlord Porter" mentioned when speaking of taverns ), kept a store in an addition built on to the north end of his house, projecting some fifteen feet in front, and, by a slight excavation of earth, being set high enough to form a cellar below for liquors, etc., and a room above for dry goods, approached by an outside stairway.

" The other store, that of Mr. Averstus MILLS, was built in the same manner: and, indeed, Mr. Watson's store was an exact copy of Mr. Porter's.

" Of manufactures there were none to my knowledge; and, though there were a few mechanies, such as joiners, carpenters, shoemakers, blacksmiths, etc., there were none but what made farming their principal business. There were two blacksmiths, Mr. WILLIAM (father of William and Edward ) STOUGHTON, who lived in an old red house south of my late residence in South Windsor: and Mr. BENJAMIN GILMAN, whose shop stood in the middle of Strong's road leading to Wapping: and there was a Mr. House in Wapping.

"Commerce there was none, unless exporting of tobacco to the West Indies could be so denominated. It was the practice, as far back as I can remember, for the town to appoint, at the yearly town meeting, an Inspector and Presser of Tobacco. Mr. Nathaniel Porter occupied the office for many years, and the under room of his old store was appropri- ated to that use. The tobacco was packed down in hogsheads and pressed with serews to a solid body, and when thus made ready for mar- ket, was bought up and exported to the West Indies. The price of tobacco, as far back as I can remember, and for years after, seemed to be VOL. I .- 97

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

a fixed price, five pence a pound ; some years it was down to five cents. For some years after my earliest recollection the prices of corn and rye were as regular as if fixed by law: corn, 2x. 6d., or 42 cents; rye, 3s., or 50 cents. Gin distilleries soon raised the price of rye and corn, and the manufacture of cigars the price of tobacco. To ask higher than this for grain was thought to be extortion. The northern part of the town of East Windsor, the North Society, as it was then termed, was always noted for raising great quantities of rye. In the year 1783, or '84. as near as I can ascertain, and on the 17th or 27th of June, I am not quite certain which, there was a severe frost which killed all the rye, far and near, except now and then a small patch that was protected by woods or in some other way, so that there was not enough saved to supply the people, and not a bushel could he bought. One resident of the North Parish, a large farmer, and who raised a considerable quantity of rye in detached parts of his farm (and which luckily had not suffered much from the frost), took advantage of his good Inek to force " a corner " on rye. He let no one know that he had even enough to supply his own family. People were calling frequently, and from every quarter, to pur- chase, but without success. I recollect well a man calling upon my father, who said he had come seventy miles from Rhode Island on horse- back, with three empty bags, hoping he might be able to get them filled. Hle had tried all along the road and had got none, and said he would have been thankful if he could have got even enough for one bagfull to carry home to his family, who had not tasted bread for three weeks before he left home. The North Parish farmer referred to kept close as long as he could, until just before harvest time, and then it came out that he had rye to sell. and, though he put his price at 75 cents a bushel (a price never before heard of), he rapidly coined money, for his neigh- hors were fairly compelled to accede to any demand to procure rye to eat and to sow."

NATHAN PELTON came to East Windsor from Middletown about 1765, bringing with him two slaves as workmen. He did a large business as a blacksmith, but had also a farm, the one now owned by Mrs. Carroll. His name always appears in the tax-list as one taxed for " Faculty :" that was an income derived from some source other than farming. See act passed by the General Court, 13 May, 1779.

Severe Winters, Floods, etc. "The winter of 1780-1 was very severe ; there was the greatest body of snow on the ground ever seen -one snow-storm which lasted several days covered almost all the fences so that but the tops of a few posts were to be seen. The storm ended with rain, which wet the snow to some extent, and cleared off cold and froze a solid crust that would bear teams with the heaviest loads of wood ; and

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SEVERE WINTERS. FLOODS, ETC.

people drew their wood from the woods anywhere across lots over the fences, the sleds sliding as if on smooth ice. In entting trees they stood upon the crust, so that when the snow was off, the stumps stood about six feet high.

" In the spring of 1801, there was the greatest flood in the C'onneeti- eut ever known : the river became dammed up with ice at the straits near Middletown, causing the water to rise to an heretofore unknown heighth, covering all the meadows on each side of the river; apple trees on the highest places in the meadows showed only a small part of their tops above water ; the flood set back in the brook north of my house so as to flood about ten rods wide and covered several acres of land east of the street. Two of my neighbors and myself with our wives got into a boat within one and one-half rods of the northwest cor. of my house and sailed in a straight line to the old ferry place at Windsor (before they had a bridge across the Little River ), without the least obstruction. In Hart- ford the ferry boats could traverse many streets, and many families were taken from their chamber windows, the water having risen to the second story of some dwellings. Previous to this flood the black, or barn-rat, was the only kind of rat known in this town. During this flood the wharf-rat came upon us like an invading army, appearing first at the lower end of the town ; and, in the morning, before the sand in the road had been disturbed by travel, might be seen their traeks where they had crossed the road obliquely in a body, like a drove of sheep, from one house or barn to another - till, in a few days they had distributed them- selves through the street to Seantie River, and how much farther I know not. Every house, barn, cornhouse, and hog-pen was fully inhabited by them, and to make their conquest sure they set eagerly to work to clear out all the black rats and mice. In my father's barn (and the same could be said of others) there was an almost continuous squealing of rats and mice that the conquerors were assassinating : and. when the barn became emptied of hay great numbers of fleshless carcasses were found upon the girts and plates of the barn. Some harbored under the hog- pen floor and a few minutes after food had been given to the hogs, mm- bers could be seen in the trough feeding with the hogs. No black rat has ever, to my knowledge, been seen in that vicinity since that time." ( Dea. Abner Reed's Mxs. )

Rev. Thomas Robbins's Diary, pp. 733, 740, chronicles very heavy floods in March and in May, 1818, in one of which the bridge across the river at Hartford was swept away.

Cheese-making. In Dr. Robbins's Diary, we find this record, March, 1811, " Received a letter from Mr. Battell, with $100 to be paid several families here for cheese." Mr. Battell was a merchant at Norfolk, Conn .. 130 miles away from East Windsor. As appears from another note this

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

cheese was brought to Mr. Robbins and he repacked it to be sent to Mr. Battell - a nice use to put a minister to.

Potatoes. The first seen in East Windsor, according to Thomas HI. Bissell of Hartford, by his great-grandfather (Mills ) were brought in his saddle-bags from Boston, where he had gone to purchase goods. He invited in some friends to eat some of them roasted in the embers, and planted the remainder. Mr. B. has also heard his Father say that in his boyhood (1760-1780) that his father cultivated but few potatoes, only in the proportion of one bushel to three of turnips : and that there were then but two varieties known, one called Spanish potatoes and the other English Whites. It is further related that " way back " in East Wind- sor times, some one of the Few who saw a Boston newspaper, noticed the advertisement of potatoes on sale : and, unable to imagine what they were, enquired of the minister, who was supposed to know everything- but even he was not able to say as to whether they were vegetables or animals.

Pianos. The first in East Windsor was owned by Miss Rachel MeClure, daughter of Rev. David MeClure ; the second by Miss Harriet. daughter of John Watson : the third by Miss Betsy, daughter of Martin Rockwell.

Watches. In 1796, there was not a gold watch in East Windsor - and only forty-seven in the county.

Coaches. In 1796, East Windsor had three coaches, taxed at $17 : and in 1820, sixty-six riding carriages.

Fat Cattle. " A fat ox was drove from here this morning, fatted by Capt. [Aaron] Bissell [of E. W. Hill] of this town, for Boston. He is seven years old ; has been fed with meal three years, and has cat about 300 bushels of corn. Hle measures around the girth nine feet and two inches. He is undoubtedly the best ox ever fatted in America " - Rob- binx's Diary, date Dec., 1808. In Jan., 1815, he records the killing of a cow, by Mr. Wolcott, which weighed 850 lbs. Capt. Ebenezer Grant is known to have received orders for fatted cattle, from Gov. Hancock of Boston, for his own table-use.

Military. "The military company here is very handsome," says Dr. Robbins in his Diary, in 1809, the year of his settlement at East Windsor; and in September of same year he witnessed the " military gathering in the north part of the society. All the regiments of the first brigade, five of infantry with their artillery and one of cavalry. were col- lected and inspected. Treated politely by the officers- Saw many acquaintances."

The " training" lasted for two days : on the second day " the brig- ade embodied and were reviewed by the Major-General. They per- formed remarkably well. There were about 3,000 men under arms, and

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THE GOVERNOR ROGER WOLCOTT HOUSE, SOUTH WINDSOR, CONN. ( From a sketch, made expressly for this work, by E. W. Ellsworth

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THE GOV. ROGER WOLCOTT HOUSE.

supposed to be at least three times that number of spectators. The weather very fine. The dust very troublesome. I saw no instance of fighting, misconduct, or intemperance. There were very few females. The place [probably East Windsor Hill] was excellent. Dined with the ofli- cers. No accident took place." The Reverend Doctor was afterwards, and during all his pastorate here, the regularly commissioned chaplain of the regiment, and took much pleasure in the performance of his duties as such.

Elm trees. In his Diary, Dr. Thomas Robbins records, in May, 1816, " worked all day getting up young elms in the woods and setting them in the street " - and his biographer adds, " from the lower end of East Hartford street, almost all the way to East Windsor Hill, and he- yond, the traveler, at the present day, finds a succession of ehm trees, some of them of gigantic size. Doubtless some of these trees in the south part of South Windsor are the very ones which Dr. Robbins was setting ont in the spring of 1816."

Traditionary evidence points quite positively to the fact that a large number of these elms were planted during the Revolutionary war, at the suggestion of Gen. Lafayette, who saw that it would not only benefit the town, but would furnish much needed employment for the number of Hessian soldiers (captured with Burgoyne's army ) who were at one time billeted in this part of the then East Windsor. See p. 676.

The Wolcott Memorial preserves a photographie portrait of one magnificent elm of South Windsor, which stands in front of the Samuel Wolcott house. It measures, at the height of five feet, twenty-three feet in circumference, and at the height of eight feet, twenty-nine and a half feet in circumference. The spread of its branches has a diameter, from north to south, of 102 feet, and its entire height is 108 feet. Numerous branches start out at the height of eight feet, and the whole tree is still healthy and vigorous -being estimated to be about 200 years of age.

The old Wolcott Houses. The Ephraim Wolcott farm, now owned by Enoch W. Pelton of South Windsor, was made up in 1730, and in- (Indes a portion of the old Governor Roger Wolcott farm. The old " Governor's Road" (see p. 413), which passed through the original farm. is now a boundary line between Mr. Pelton (representing the Ephraim Wolcott farm) and B. Maguire, who owns what was the other part of the Gov. Wolcott farm. And Mr. Pelton occupies the Ephraim Wolcott house (built in the seventeen hundred and fifties), which stands four or five rods north of " Governor's Road." The Governor's land ex- tended abont twenty-five feet north of the "Governor's Road" and met there the farm of Ephraim Wolcott, or, rather, of some cousins (of the name of Hotchkiss, or Hoskins ), from whom Ephraim Wolcott inherited it.

The Governor Wolcott house itself stood about four or five rods

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

south of the " Governor's Road." Its site is now unoccupied ; but a well, pertaining to the house, can still be seen, about twelve rods south of the " Governor's Road" and three west from the main road.

The Governor's house was standing until about (and not much later than ) 1830 ; and one of its last ( perhaps the last ) occupant was John Alexander. In 1830 Mr. Charles Willey, a merchant from Boston, purchased the Gov. Wolcott farm from Miss Chloe Wolcott. There were then two houses on the place - the Governor's, and another which Mr. Willey ocenpied until 1848. About 1850, he sold a part of the farm, including the site of the " Governor's House" to B. Maguire, aforo- said. Mr. Pelton purchased the other half from his half-brothers, the sons of Mrs. Betsy (Pelton) Wolcott. Inside of his (the old Ephraim Wolcott ) house, upon an attie-beam, is nailed a piece of board, marked " A. W. 1752," which has been supposed to be the date of its erection. In digging a little to the N. W. of this house the distinct outlines of a cellar were found - the site of a still older house.

The old " Governor's House" was described by those ohl people who remembered it as being unpainted on the outside. The rooms were wainscoted in dark wood, and above the wainscot, upon the plastered walls, were huge paintings of dragons and men ; and in one room, it is said, upon the walls was pictured the Massacre at Deerfield.

Through the kindness of Mr. ERASTUS WOLCOTT ELLSWORTH, of South Windsor, we are enabled to gratify our readers with a view of this his- torie mansion, which he has drawn (especially for this work ) from the description of those who well remember it.

The Samuel Wolcott House stood upon the site now (1891) occu- pied by the residence of Mr. Frederick 1. King.

Small-por and vaccination. Robbins Diary records, Feb. 21, 1818, "a man in Seantie and one at Long Hill have got the small-pox the natural way, without knowing how they got it. People are considerably alarmed, and are vaccinating." It used to be said that this disease was brought to Seantic intentionally, in the clothing of a quasi-physician in want of practice, from a small-pox hospital in New York, he having been vaccinated. On the 28th of same month, Mr. Robbins records that " Dr. [Sylvanus ] Fansher is vaccinating this town, hired by the selectmen for $150." This Doctor's name does not appear among those of the regular faculty of Connecticut for 1818, and whether he was an educated physi- cian, or had simply taken up the business of vaccination as a specialty, is not clear. Ile afterwards applied, but without success, to the Connecti- out Legislature for the grant of a lottery that he might be enabled to vaccinate the whole State. At the request "of the civil authority and selectman," Mr. Robbins afterwards wrote a statement concerning the vaccination in East Windsor for publication in the newspapers.

i 1

THE OLD WOLCOTT HOMESTEAD, SOUTH WINDSOR. ( From sketch by E. W. Ellsworth, In the Wolcott Memorial.)

775

THE IRISH ELEMENT IN THE WINDSOR TOWNS.

The Irish Element in the Windsor Towns: (contributed by Dr. James Coogan of Windsor Locks.)

During the 18th century there were but few, if any, of Irish birth or parentage within the limits of the old town of Windsor, Jonx Me- MORAN, of Seoteh-Irish ancestry, and JOHN RICHARDSON, from the south of Ireland, resided on the west side of the Connecticut before the Revo- Intion.

After the dissolution of the Irish Parliament, emigration rapidly increased - France, Austria, Spain, and the United States divided the thousands that Hled from Ireland's shores. The war of 1812 settled the question of " once a subject, always a subject," and, for the future, the Irishman leaving his native land could hope for the protection due an American citizen.

As a result of the great influx of Irishmen into the States, every hamlet, village, town, and city became an asylum for those escaping from the unjust and tyrannical exercise of British laws and power.

At the distilleries in Warehouse Point ( East Windsor) were a few Irishmen employed within the first quarter of the century - among them MICHAEL MCMANN, The digging of the canal at Windsor Locks at- tracted a number of Irishmen - and the names, Guinney, Moore, Burke. Mc Mahon, Fitzgerald, Hayes, and Doyle, testify to their race and the land of their birth. Several of these became prominent residents - thus forming the nuclei of those Celtic homes which now number one- third of the total within the boundaries of the old town of Windsor.

Paper manufacturing at the Locks, at Rainbow, and at Poquonock, brought to these parts many of the craft - paper-makers who had lost their positions in the Irish mills, consequent upon the introduction of machinery therein. Among this class were the English, Coogan, Byruc, Lester, and Carroll families, aB from County Dublin, and whose descend- ants continue to live within Windsor limits.

At the beginning of the second half of this century, the County Gal- way, Ireland, gave to the Locks and the adjacent villages the Fureys, Gilliganx, Persses. Faheys, Burkes, and Healeys, and their descendants are numerous on both sides the river.

PATRICK GEARY was the first Irishman in Broad Brook, and Mulli- gan the next. The Dalys, Reardons, and Carrolls in East Windsor Hill and South Windsor; the Lymans and Norrises at Windsor Green ; the Boucher family at Scantic; the MeMahons and Brennans at " the Point ": the Carrolls, Cunninghams, and Fallons at Poquonock : the Roachs and Goudlers at Bloomfield.

Most of the Irish are members of the Catholic faith. The first mass celebrated in Windsor was on the banks of the canal, just south of the railroad bridge crossing the Connecticut. Dr. Powers of New York city

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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

was the celebrant, in 1828. Rev. Dr. Carmody was the first priest as- signed to Windsor. The first Roman Catholic church was built by Rev. James Smith, its cornerstone being laid 14 Sept., 1852.

Besides a convent and a parochial school at Windsor Locks, the Catholics have a costly and substantial structure at Poquonock : a re- modeled church at Windsor; a church and residence at Broad Brook, and a church, built by Rev. Michael Kelly, at Bloomfield.

JAMES COOGAN, native of Dublin, Ireland, came to Windsor Locks in 1845, being then 37 years old, and resided there until his death in 1879. He became the most influential, as he was the wealthiest of his class. He represented the town of Windsor Locks in the State legisla- ture of 1866; served several times as juror for Hartford county, and filled every position within the gift of the town that he could be per- suaded to accept.

War of 1812. SAMUEL CHAPIN, who enl. 30 April, 1813, under Capt. Chauncey Ives, in 37th U. S. Inf., and was dise. 28 April, 1814, at expiration of term. is the only East. Windsor name given in .the Conn. Oficial Ree. as of soldiers in the regular army during this war, although some from East Windsor may have enlisted from some of the adjacent towns.

In the Merican War the following East Windsor men enlisted :

BLODGETT, SAMUEL, ent. 1 July, 1847, Co. L, 2d U. S. A., and d. 19 Dec., 1848. CURTIS, DAVID. enl. 6 Dee., 1814, Co. 1, 1st U. S. Inf. ; promoted Corp'l 5 April, 1845 ; Sgt. 15 Inly, '45; 1st Sgt. 1 April, '48; disc. 5 Oct., 1848.

HAMILTON, MARVIN, enl. 9 April, 1816, Co. F, 1st U. S. A. ; dise. disabled, 25 April, 1818.

MARBLE, MORROW, ent. 16 April, 1847, Co. F. 9th U. S. Inf. ; disc. disabled, 26 Dee., 1847.

PORTER, THOMAS B., (Sgt.) enl. 7 May. 1847, Co. B, 15th V. S. Inf. ; prom. Corp'] 31 May, '47; red. to ranks 13 Aug. 447 ; prom. Sgt. 5 May, 'IS ; dise. 5 Aug, 'S; expiration of time.

ROCKWELL, JABEZ J., enl. 18 May, 1847, Co. L. 4th U. S. A ; disc. 18 Ang, 448 : time expired.

East Windsor's Share in the War of the Civil Rebellion.

At a special town meeting convened at the basement room of the meeting-house in Seantie village, on Wednesday, the 23d day of July, A.D. 1862, Nelson S. Osborn was appointed moderator. The follow- ing resolution passed by an almost manimous vote :

" Resolved, There shall be paid from the treasury of this town, in addition to the sum already appropriated to each person resident of this town who has been accepted since July 4. 1862, or who shall hereafter be accepted, on or before the 20th day of Au- gust next, into the service of this State and turned over to the service of the United States, as a part of the militia of this State, under and pursuant to a call from the President of the United States for volunteers or militia for three years or during the

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EAST WINDSOR SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR.

war, the sum of ninety dollars, making in all the sum of one hundred dollars, the same to be paid by direction of the selectmen of the town when such volunteer shall be mus- tered into the service of the United States."

To aid in suppressing the southern rebellion East Windsor expend- ed for bounties, commutations, and support of soldiers' families, $45,- 730.04 ; the estimated amount paid by individuals for bounties to volum- teers was $3,000 ; the grand list of the town was, in 1864, $1,214,300.

LIST OF SOLDIERS FURNISHED TO THE U. S. SERVICE IN THE WAR OF THE CIVIL REBELLION. BY THE TOWN OF EAST WINDSOR, CONN .!

ABBE, LESTER G., enl. Co. A, 22 Conn. Vols., 25 Aug., 1862; disc. 7 July, 1863. ADAMS, CHARLES C. Rev. (chaplain), onl. 22 Conn. Vols., 13 Sept., 1869; res. 2 Mch., 1863.

ADAMS, HENRY IL., enl. Co. G. 16 Conn. Vols., Ang. 8, 1862; d. 25 Oct., 1864, Flor ence, S. (".

ADAMS, HENRY M., enl. Co. G, 16 Conn. Vols., 7 Ang., 1862; w'd 17 Sept., 1862, Sharpsburg, Md.

ADAMS, JOIIN, cal. Co. K. 5 Conn. Vols., 22 Ang .. 1863; wd. 15 May, 1864; transf. to Co., failed to report.

ADAMS, WILLIAM, ((ftd. or subs.), enl. recruit Co. H, 20 Conn. Vols., 25 Ang., 1863.

ALBRO, JOIIN E , enl. 1st Light Batt., 14 Nov., 1861; re-enl. Vet., 26 Dec., 1863; w'd 16 July, 1863.

ALDRICHI, WM. C., enl. Co. A. 22 Conn. Vols., 20 Ang., 1862; disc. 7 July, 1863. ALLEN, HENRY E., enl. Co. L, Ist Art., 5 Feb., 1862; re-enl. Vet., 9 Feb., 1861.

ALLEN, JOHN W. (s. Darid, s. Samuel, s. of Samuel), enl. Co. G. 16 Conn. Vols., 5

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The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 90

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