USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > South Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Bloomfield > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor Locks > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Ellington > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 23
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
" There was a flood in Connectient in the year 1661, June."-" Gil- let Holcomb" Bible.
It had hitherto been customary to raise Mr. Warham's salary by a tax, but this year the system of voluntary subscription was introduced. as will be seen by the following extract from the town record :
November 11. "The Townsmen met and took into consideration how to proceed to know the town's mind what they would give Mr. Warham fo . his ministry this year, and we judge it meet, rather than warn a town meeting, to appoint some men to go from house to house, and speak with every man that pays rates, to know what each man will voluntarily and freely give Mr. Warham for this year: and the men to go soout to take down on a paper what sam they wiatld be rated, and whether as formerly or what. And the men that go about are Deacon Gaylord and William Hayden from the higher end [of the street] downward to Thomas Buckland; and from there to the ferry George Phelps and Matthew Grant. On the other side of the ferry from Paquon- ark dowuwards to all that side of the Millbrook ; and from the mill all to Ambrose Fuller's, Capt. Newbury and Dencon Moore."
This system was continued several years: the name and antount of rach subscription is still on record. In 1666, the smallest given -um was 1x, 6d., the highest ( Mr. Wolcott's) was £1 10s. (Bk. i. 48-49.)
3 0 0
4 0 0
182
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
1662. May 15th. The troopers of the several towns had hithert .. trained at some place of general rendezvous, but the court of this dat ... in consideration of - the inconvenience" and " unnecessary expense of time to no profit." allowed them to train in the several towns to which they belonged. " with their own foot company." They are, however, to be considered as " one entire Troop. consisting of several parts, who are to unite and attend the General Training as one entire body of horse." The standing or " preheminence " of the different train-bands was also determined, as follows : 1st, Hartford, 2d. Windsor. 3d, Wethersfield, 4th, Farmington.
Oct. 9 " The new Charter of Connectient was publicly read in an audience of the freemen [at Hartford], and declared to belong to them and their successors." (Co! Rec.)
1663. May 14. A lively picture of the police regulations of the several towns is gleaned from the following court order :
"The Constables in each Plantation are hereby empowered to charge the watch and ward duly to attend their watch and ward by walking in such places where they may best discover danger by the approach of an enemy or by fire, which if they do discover. they are to give notice the root by bring their guns, and crying Five. fire, or Arm, arm And in case they meet with any persons walking in the streets unseasonably, they are to examine them, and in case they can not give a good account of themselves, they are to return them to the Constable, who is to require them to appear before a Magistrate or some Assistant, to give account of their unseasonable walking."
The watchmen were also ordered to report themselves for instrue- tions to the constable, " in the evening, by the shutting in of the day- light:" and were not to leave their watch before daybreak on pain of 1s. for each default.
At this time, the good townsfolk were much annoyed by Indians strolling up and down in the towns, " in the night season to buy liquors." The court therefore decreed that any Indian found walk- ing the streets after nightfall should be fined 20x. (15s. to the public treasury, and 5%, to the informer) or else be whipt with "six stripes at least." ( Col. Rec.)
In the Annual Estimate of Town Payments:
October 31. . This was a town meeting, and all that were present voted that Mr Warham should [have] for this year following as formerly 990. Also manifested them. selves willing that there should be a looking out for a help for him."
". Also a request was made by some to set a house to shelter their horse's in on Sah- bath days, and other days when they ride to meeting; on one side of the street again-1 Begat Eggleston's orchar.1, about 9 or 10 feet in breadth, by his fence, and in length 23 or 24 feet - and it [was] granted."
1664, Feb. 6. Gov. John Winthrop, Jr., writing to Roger Williams. from Hartford, says, "all the Indians of these parts are together in a
3
183
EXTRACTS FROM TOWN ACTS, 1650-1675.
fort ueare Windsor & I heard from W. Pinchoon that they would make pace if they knew how, but none of them durst go to treat about it." - 06ll. Muss. Bist. She .. 4th Series, vi. 531.
1604-5. March . " Nath'l Bissell hath paid for his seat in the gallery to Josias Hull in pay tor his wolf, fa."
1565 May 11. Jas. Enno was fined for his wife's fault, in selling cider to the In-
Nov. 30th. Items of Matthew Grant's account.
. For drawing up Mr. Warham's pay into a method, that he might understand what hr was to receive of fach man by les free will ofering, which cost me a great deal of time. I had better to live moodle two rates as formerly, yet I set down but Gs, 6d.
Then for time I spent last July at the leading out of powder and lead, and making bullets, and taking again of some, and the setting down the accounts of these things. cost me about & day- time. I put down ix. 67."
1666. The times were evidently unsettled by reason of Indian troubles, of which Gov. Winthrop, writing from Hartford, July 15, 1666, to Gen. Nicholls, says: " & yesterday there was a party of y Mowhankes at Podunk (a place between y" towne & Windsor ) who were discovered by the [friendly. or Podunk ] Indians & as sone as discovered they find : These things considered (with je number of Indians that are round al us ) makes it dificult to us to part with any of of strength from hener." de' It is probade that during this year the fort was built at Windsor, which is alluded to in the following court record of the next year:
October 10, 1667 At a General Assembly held at Hartford:
" The inhabitants of Windsor having improved themselves in building a fort, this Court, for their encouragement, dothe release the Train soldiers of Windsor two days of their training this Michael Tide, and one day in the Spring."
This fort may have been merely a rebuilding, or strengthening. of the old Palisado: but our own impression is that it was the building onve known as " the Old Stone Fort," referred to on p. 141.
1667, April 1st. Luke Hill took the charge of the Rivulet ferry for $12 per annum ". besides what he gets from travellers and persons by night."
. This day Nat. Cook hath cond seadded to perform the work of cleansing the meet- ing house for this next year for 50x.'
John Owen. the former sexton. felt aggrieved by this appointment of Cook's-and it was agreed that "John Owen should have part of the pay with Nathaniel, though he did not of the work. It is issued that John Owen shall have 5s. of Nathaniel's £3, of the last year's pay."
April 27th .. When the freemen met for choice of deputies. Luke Will made a sal complaint that if the town would not add to the sum they had ser him for keeping the ferry at the former meeting. he must have the ferry; and his wife came in and sadly lemoaned their condition. Whercupon it was voted that they woukl add the other £3 a- it was before."
. Winthrop papers, p. 100, Max. Hist. See. Coll., 5 Series, viii.
184
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
July 3.1. .. These of the dragoons that have received pouches of The Dibles which he got made, and is to be paid by the town.
Deacon Moore, one for his man.
Anthony Hoskins, our. Michael Humphry. one. Tosias Ifull, one.
Ebenezer Dibble, one.
Nicholas Senchion, one.
Thomas Stoughton, one.
Henry Stiles, one.
Thomas Dibble, one.
These 9 Dibble delivered, and he delivered 7 more, which make up 16 - vip; comes to 40%. John Ruckwell bad oue of the old ones; he has received this again (Bk. ii. 7.)
September 30th. The freemen voted to give 17 shillings (besides the Sx offered by ther Countyi for all wo'ses killed within the limits of Windsor and Massaco [Sim-bury ]. Indians were to have for each wolf 20x in wampum at 6 for a penny. (Bk. if. 2.)
1667-8. February 3d. The Townsmen, upon complaint of Thomas Hopewell. Wife, [as to] their straights of firewood because of his lameness. The Townsmen, had appointed Sammel Marshall to carry them two loads and now appointed William Thrall to carry them three loads more, and put it on account in a town rate. (Bk. ii. 7.)
March 11th. " In preparation for a town rate for this year past, to gather up what debts the town must pay.
First to begin with wolves killed. $22, 082. 002.
The whole amount for Wolves was,
Mr. Wolcott. for seven [ ] cartridges. demands. 1, 15, 00.
Thomas Dibble, for making soldier pouches, 2. 01, 00.
Shepher T: yler. for barrel of Tar for [the ferry ] boat. . 15, 00,
William Thrall, for 3 loads of Wood for Hopewell. 9, 00.
Walter Gaylord. for heating the drum and new cord, 1. 1, 00. Ebenezer Dibble, for his part to make half pikes. 15, 00. 1 Lister's Expenses 4. 00)
4 Townsmen.
2, 08
House and fire.' 1, 02
3 Townsmen dining with the Magistrates, 3. 00.
Deacon Moore, his part making 36 pikes. 15. 00.
Thos, Burnt am. for making 36 Heads for pike's, 5. 10. 00.
Tahan Grant, for some Smith work, mending the ferry chain
and some nails, and hinges for town house, and nails for pike rods, 4. 0%
April 15th. "Mr. Allen came to my house to give notice to Thomas Marshall and Daniel Hayden to be free men of this corporation." (Bk. ii. 2.)
May 16th. " Mr. Wolcott brought to me St cartridges, so many as to sett off his town rates 20x 11d :
" Bargot Egleston undertakes the cleansing of the meeting [house] for this your coming for a, and the heating of the drum to meetings for 23%. Also it was voted that Granfield [Greenfieldl] men should Irive liberty to improve their land this year. but not to be allowed Inhibitance by this, and the difference between the Town and this, is de- ferred til the whole Town be made wequainted with it. and meet about it." (Bk. ii. 7) September 24th. " Voted that the town should be at the cost to procure a new rope for the ferry, because Luke Ifill is not able to be at the cost himself."
October 3ist. "Also. Deacon Moore is to speak with John Gibbard, to get him to come to mend the glass of the meeting house windows.
"Also, George Griswold is to get somebody to clab up the walls of the meeting house that are broken "
1 The old Town-house bring no longer in existence (see p. 139), the Townsmen were probably obliged to hire some room in which to hold their meetings.
.
1
-
185
EXTRACT- HOME TOWN ACTS. 1650-1675.
Massaco (now Simsbury), why is since 1642 or '13 had been more or less colonized from Windsor, had now reached a point which justitied its inhabitants, in the judgment of the Colonial authorities, in being set apart as a separate town.
October 8, 1668. . This Court doth desire that Massacoe, which hitherto hath been an appendix to the Town of Warlor, may be improved for the making of a plantation, & Capt. Benj. Newbery. Deacon John Moore, & Mr. Symon Woolcott, the present com- mittee for the graut of these lands. are desired and impowered by the Courte to farther the planting of the same, and to make such just orders as they shall judge requisitt for The well-ordering of the said Plantation, so they be not repugnant to the publique or- der> of this Colony."
In October, 1009, there were thirteen . stated inhabitants of Masaco, " that had " be u free nen for Windsor ;" and May 12, 1670, the Court of Election ordered the bounds of the " new village, Massaroe.' and gave it its name of Sansbury - the first of Windsor's colonies.
1608. November 234 " The Townsmen met concerning the oldl ferry Boat. The Town-men are content that Samuel Marshall shall have it to make the best of her; and if the town will exact 10x, of him for it he will pay it."
November 30th. " It was desired of all that were at this meeting that they would give in their papers, that we might know their minds, what they would give to Mr. Warham for this year going which ends the 25th of next March; and some per-ens, to the number of 30 did give in, and the sum of all which they presented rose to 527. What more will be done, I yet know not." (Bk. ii. 13.) Mr. Chauncey was then here.
1684-9, January 18 "The town voted to allow the Indians for every wolf they kil, and bring their heads, in wangann, at 6 a penny. 10x. And they that pay it to them nuist take up in our pay among ourselves with 5x."
February 15th. Accounts taken of town debts that have to be paid by a town rate to be made, or by pay that is to be paid of former rates:
John Owen, for ch.bins [elapboar ling] he did, the meeting house ₺ &. d. before winter, 7 4
Ephraim Strong, for 2 year- setting in the yard,1 2 0
Nathaniel Pinney, the like. . 2 0
.Simnel Rockwell. for mal.ing the ferry rope,
13 4
Nath'l Bissell, for 40 lbs of hemp for the ferry rope, betwixt his father and himself, 1 6 8
Jacob Drake, for 2 gallon- of Tar,
1
John Grant, for carting boult- from Pipe Stave Swamp for clab- boards for the meeting house walls. 7 6
For paying Hogernosset for his wolf, . 5 0
Bagryrot Egleston [for] 4 wolves, meeting house, 3 10 0
3 0 Drum and drum head,
Several men for setting in the yard. 16 0
There is also demanded by Mr. Stone. for preaching 3 sermons some
years past (Bk. ii. 14, 15). 3 0 0 [Thi wes the lev. MIr Stone of Hartford, and is interesting as showing the value of "occasional " pulpit ministration- in those days. ]
' This " setting in the yard " was, in other words, doing guard or sentinel duty in the meeting-house yard during divine service, a precaution quite necessary in those days I -vage invasion and surprise. The following item from the Windsor Records (BK. i p 18) explains the matter somewhat more clearly:
" The townes[men] meet, and Ephraim Strong and Nathaniel Pinne demanded paye for Getting in y- yard, and they are allowed to be payed 24, a piece out of ye townes Hate, and so likewise others that stand in like account with them as have set in ye yard without their + 1b. of multor [powder] a man payed to them, but was promised 12 pence a man to each man in lieu of puder."
VOL. I .- 24
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
March 11. " Voted tant those who reside in town but are not allowed inhabitant -. to pay ferriage as strangers
April 3d. "Mr. Wolcott ser At cartridges more to those he brought May 16th, [16] 65, 84. together 12%. (Bk. il 15.)
April 230. A great food which ruinated and carried away abundance of fencing and caused much trouble. (Bk. ii. 16.)
May 11. (Clause of an agreement with John Willington to keep the Rivulet ferry , " He is also to have the use of the cellar, which the town has now bought of Luke lon - for his use to dwell in, and the little house by it, and the use of a corner of land be low the cartway that lies between the river and the brook, during the time of this year. for his improvement, he -touring it; and for his wages he is to have if pounds paid him by a rate, &e." ¡Bk ii. 16.)
May 24th. "This was a day of training, and by reason of the death of Sammel Phelps, it was voted that Benajah Holcomb should supply his place of a way warden."
Also Nathaniel Loomis is allowed to entertain Andrew Hillyer as a sojourner. see ing that he carries well and orderly according to order." (Bk. ii. 17.)
October 12th and 13th. .. William Buel came and brought two new casements for the corner windows of the meeting house, and fitted them up, and he counted for his work 7x, - which he took ont of his own town rate for [16]68 - 38. 1d., and Timothy Palmer's town rate, [16]68 -- 8x. 6//. -- so there is due to him 5d."
1670, Jan. 13. In Increase Mather's Remarkable Providences ( pub- lished 1684, p. 24, of George Offer's edition, London ), he notices " some remarkable preservations which sundry in New England have exp- rienced; the persons concerned therein being desirous that the Lord's goodness towards them may be ever had in remembrance, wherefore a faithful hand hath given me the following account ( under above date ) : "
"Three women, viz., the wives of Lieut. Filer, and of John Drake, and of Nathan- iel Lomas, having crossed Connecticut river upon a necessary and neighborly ae unid [undoubtedly to attend a woman in labor - n. R. s. ]. and having done the work they went for, were desiring to return to their own families, the river being at that time partly shut up with ice, old and new, and partly open. There being some pains taken aforehand to cut a way through the ice, the three women abovesaid got into :. canor, with whom also there was Nathat.jel Bissell -ind an Indian. There was likewise another canoe with two men in it, that went before them to help them, in case they should mest with any distress, which indeed quickly came upon them, for just as they were gettin: out of the narrow passage between the ice, being near the middle of the river. " greater part of the upper ice came down upon them, and struck the end of the cator and broke it to pieces so that it quickly sunk under them. The Indian speedily got upon the ice, but Nathaniel Bissell and the abovesaid women were left floating in the middle of the river, being cut off from all manner of human help besides what did arise from themselves, and the two men in the little canoe, which was so small that three persons dar + schlom, if ever. venture in ir. They were indeed discerned from one shore, but the dangerous ice would not amit from either shore one to come ta them. All things thus circumstanced, the suddeness of the stroke and distross (which is apt to amaze men especially when no less than life is concerned), the extreme colduc .- of the weather, it being a sharp season, that persons out of the water were in danger of freezing, the inaptaess of persons to help themselves, being mostly women, one big with child, and near the time of her travail (who also was carried away under the ice), the other as unskilled and inactive to do anything for self-preservation as almost any could be, the waters deep, that there was no hope of footing, no passage to either shore in any eye of reason, neither with their little canoe, by reason of the ice, nor without it, the ice being thin and rotten, and fall of holes. Now that all should be brought of safely
L
187
EXTRACTS FROM TOWN ACTS, 1650-1675.
without the loss of life, or wrong to health, was counted in the day of it a remarkable" Providence. To say how it was done is difficult, yet, something of the manner of the deliverance may be mentioned. The abovesaid Nathaniel Bissell, preceiving their dan- ger and being active in swimming, endeavored what might be the preservation of him- » If and some others; he strove to have swam to the upper ice, but the stream being too hard, he was forced downward' to the lower ice, where, by reason of the slippery- ness of the ice, and disadvantage of the stream, he found it difficult getting up: at length, by the good hand of Providence, being gotten upon the ice, he saw one of the women swimming down under the ice, and, perceiving a hole or open place some few rods below there, he watched and took her up as she swam along. The other two women were in the river till the two men in the little canoe cante for their relief. At bagth all of them get their heads above the water, and had a little time to pause. though a long and difficult way to any shore, but by getting their little canoe upon the ice, and carrying one at a time over hazardous places they did (though in a long while) get all safe to the shore from whence they came."
The Bissells seem to have been somewhat in the way of " remarka- ble providences." for in the same connection the same author says :
"Remarkable, also, was the deliverence which John and Thomas Bissell of Wind- sor, aforesaid, did at another time receive. John Bissell, on a morning. about break of day, taking nails out of a great barrel wherein was a considerable quantity of gun- powder and bullets, having a candle in his hand. the powder took fire. Thomas Bissell was then putting on his clothes, standing by a window, which though well fastened, was by the force of the powder carried away at least four rods; the partition wall from another room was broken to pieces; the roof of the house opened and slipt off the plates About heeft down, As the great gitt of the house at one and broke out so far, that it drew from the summer to the end most of its tenant. The woman of the house being sie ?. and another woman niler it in bed, yet did the divine Providener so order things as that no one received auy hurt, excepting lohn Bissell. who fell through two floors into a cellar, his shoes being taken from his feet, and found at twenty feet distant; his hands and his face very much scorched, without any other wound in his body."
What seemed. however, to John Bissell and others of that day as a " remarkable deliverance" from the results of his own carelessness, -- and as affecting only himself -was, in reality, fraught with consequences of considerable importance to the interests and honor of Windsor.
In an affidavit made in the case of Whiting es. Bissell, in 1984, Matthew Griswoldl, son-in-law of Mr. Henry Wolcott, testifying in regard to certain land transactions occurring at Windsor (18:39-40), says:
"John Bissell. sometime of Windsor, now deceased, did offer to sell mee at that part of Mr. Ludlowe's accommodations, both of houseing and lands, which hee bought of Mir. Wm. Whiteing (os he tolde me) which lay on the West side Connecticut River, in the townshipp of Windsor. and I being not recommendated to my mind where I the lived, at Saybrook, and haveing kindred of my one and my xine's at Windsor, max willing to drell ut Windsor, and I bid the said Biwell €140 . tendered for sale, and haueing afterwards advised with my brother [-in-law] Henry Wolcott, [Jr. ] my said brother told mee he thought ? had bid high enoffe, land] did not advise me to give more : also I went to father-in-law Mr. Wolcott [Senior], who told mee I had bid high enoffe for my settlement there, aduised mee to give $10 more, that is $150 in all, rather than not buy it, and higher he anised mee not, whereupon I again treated with Good- man Bissell, and bid him £150 and [he still held] at $160, so after discourse we partel
188
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
with this conclusion; he said it I heard no more of him I should conclude he could not to. my ofer, so he went from me, and the day after I went from Windsor, with my boy concluding I might have it for $160, and not under ; but, afterwards, I understood fron. him and others, that he was risen early in the morning to set his people to work, that he might come to mee to accept of my offer of $150, but on accident fill out that pourd. took fire and burnt him so that he could not come, so that had not that accident been 1 had bought the said accommodations for $150 in such country pay as he was to make to Mrs. Whiting." (Start. Library, Private Controversies, Vol. II.).
Thus, out of the musty records of a long-forgotten civil suit, comes the other end of the story. It was a bad morning's work for Windsor, as well as for Goodman Bissell -since, had he not failed to " put in an appearance" and clinch the bargain with Matthew, Windsor would have received a most important acquisition to its social wealth, and might have had the honor of claiming two Griswolds as well as two Wolcotts. as Governors of Connecticut, sprung from her own soil.
1669-70, February. John Willington is to keep the rivulet ferry one year more.
October. At Court of 15th. " Windsor recorder certified that they had 300 lbs. of Powder and 700 lbs. of lead for their town stock "
The Court granted liberty to Capt. Daniel Clark " to add to his troop so many as may make them complete sixty besides officers - provided that none be taken out of Windsor without the Capt. of the foot company's leave, and that they are volunteers and maintain a horse and arms complete according to law, without any charge to the country.
1678. May. " The Court extends the bounds of Windsor 2 miles beyond the former grant."
May 14. "The Court orders the bounds between Hartford and Windsor shall begin on the East side Connecticut River at the lowermost Elm that was discoursed about be. tween the two Committees." And " whereas, the stated bounds between Hartford and Windsor, on the west side of the Great River, gives Hartford some advantage of land. in varying from the west line from Brick Hill Swamp, northerly - This Court order- that the line betwixt the said towns on the E. side of the Great River shall take its rise at the Elm Tree appointed by this Court to be the bound tree, and to run south of the east from the said tree, so much and so far as it doth vary from the west, northward from the abovesaid swamp to the end of the north bounds."
July 19. " We entered upon the use of Corporal Marshall's boat for the ferry, and are to have the use of it for the ferry, 13 weeks, paying him 50s."
August 16. - Nathaniel Pond borrowed one of the town muskets, by Capt. New- bury's allowance.
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.