USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Harwinton > The history of Harwinton, Connecticut > Part 10
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NOTE F., PAGE 20.
Did Hartford and Windsor contest the title of the Colony to land, now in Litchfield County, west of the Housatonic river ?
It has been supposed that the Towns of Hartford and Windsor, in their controversy with the Colony of Connecticut, respecting "the Wes- tern lands," laid claim to a tract more extended than the one specified in the act of the Colonial Legislature. Rev. Grant Powers, in his Centen- nial Address at Goshen, says: "Their [the said Towns'] claim was extensive, comprehending Kent, Litchfield, Harwinton, New Hartford, Torrington, Goshen, Cornwall, Salisbury, Canaan, Norfolk, Winchester, Colebrook, Barkhamsted, and Hartland." Dr. Bronson, in his History of Waterbury, (followed by Mr. Kilbourn, in his Sketches and Chroni- cles of Litchfield,) implies the like opinion by saying: "In settling the claims of the Hartford and Windsor proprietors to the lands in Litch- field County, the Colony obtained the quiet possession of seven town- ships in the western part of the County-Norfolk, Goshen, Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury and Sharon." It will be noticed that Mr. Powers' enumeration omits Sharon, and that Dr. Bronson's includes, with Kent which lies partly on each side of the Housatonic, Salisbury and Sharon which lie wholly on the west side of it. This discrepancy may not argue an error; but the assertion of the one writer so agrees with the implication of the other writer, as seems to denote that the view held by both of them had, in each, the same occasion. What this was may, perhaps, be conjectured. Dr. Trumbull, in his History of Connecticut, gives his account of the controversy which Hartford and Windsor had with the colony about "the Western lands," in so close a connection with his account of the arrangements which, after the contro- versy was ended, were made by the Legislature for the sale and settle- ment of those lands, and he, throughout this latter account, so speaks of " the fourteen townships," " the fourteen new townships," and of "Kent another of the new townships;" as very naturally to make the impres- sion that those Towns had altercated with the Colony for lands west, as well as east, of the Housatonic. A person, not one of the above named, is known to have derived from those premises that conclusion. Dr. Trumbull, however, does not affirm that as many of those new town- ships were made out of that share of the disputed territory which the Colony at last secured, as were made out of that which it ceded to Hart- ford and Windsor. Of that share which the Colony secured of the dis- puted territory, less than five townships were* made, viz., Canaan, Corn-
*Litchfield township had been made, several years previously.
104
wall, Goshen, Norfolk, and part of Kent. That there were in market, at the time referred to, seven townships owned by proprietors in Hart- ford and Windsor, and, at the same time, seven townships of which the Colony was proprietor, was simply a coincidence. There would have been more than seven or less than seven, then for sale by the Colony, had that part of "the Western lands " situated between the Housatonic and the boundary of New York been somewhat larger or somewhat smaller than it was. The Colony, as a basis for ending the dispute about those lands, was to share them equally with the Towns that had claimed them. Any person by a little calculation will find that, when Salisbury and Sharon with that part of Kent which is on the western side of the Housatonic are omitted, the Colony retained of the disputed territory a district about as large as that which it yielded to the claimant Towns.
NOTE G., PAGE 20. Original Proprietors of Harwinton.
I. The proprietors or grantees of the western half township, by them called 'West Harwinton,' were :
Samuel Allyn, John Bancraft, John Barber, Joseph Barnard, Daniel Bissell, Eben- ezer Bissell, Thomas Buckland, Simon Chapman, Benjamin Colt, John Cook, Sen., Thomas Cook's heirs, Samuel Denslow, Nathaniel Drake, Benjamin Eglestone, Isaac Eglestone, Caleb Elmer, John Elsworth's heirs, Daniel Garrett's heirs, John Gaylord, Daniel Gillet, John Grant, Joseph "Grayham," Daniel Griswold, Jun., Edward Griswold, Matthew Griswold, Pelatiah Griswold, Samuel Heydon, Joseph Holcomb, Timothy Hosford, Ebenezer Loomis' heirs, Hezekiah Loomis, Mary Loomis, Nathan- iel Loomis, Sen., Noah Loomis, Pelatiah Mills, Amos More, John More, Jr., Roger Newberry, Nathaniel Owen, Daniel Phelps, Samuel Phelps, Sen., William Phelps' heirs, Josiah Rockwell, Joseph Skinner's heirs, Noah Sparks, Daniel Stoughton, John Stoughton, Return Strong's heirs, Henry Styles, Sen., John Styles, Sen., Thom- as Styles, Nathaniel Watson, Samuel West, Daniel White's heirs.
II. The proprietors or grantees of the eastern half township, by them called 'East Harwinton,' were :
John Andrews, "Sen., Jonathan Arnold's heirs, Samuel Benton, John "Bracy,' Moses Bull, James Bunce, John Bunce, Jun., Joseph Bunce, Jonathan Butler, Thom- as Butler's heirs, Joshua Carter, Benjamin Catlin, Samuel Catlin, Timothy Easton, Benjamin "Grayham's" heirs, Jonah Gross, Barnabus Hinsdell's heirs, Joseph Holtom, Ebenezer Hopkins' heirs, Ebenezer Hopkins, Jonathan Hopkins, Thomas King, Jonathan Mason, Daniel Messenger, Joseph Mygatt's heirs, Thomas Olmstead, Thomas Richards, Thomas Richards, Jun., Samuel Sedgwick, Zechariah Seymour, Joseph Skinner, Thomas Spencer, William Warren, Abram Webster, Samuel Web- ster, William Webster's heirs, John White, Jun., John Williams, Mary Williams, Hezekiah Wyllys, Esq.
NOTE H., PAGE 23.
Act of the Legislature incorporating Harwinton : passed at the session which began 13 October, 1737.
Upon the Memorial of Daniel Messenger Zachariah Seymour and Anthony Hors- kins in behalf of themselves and the rest of the Jnhabitants of the Plantation called Harwinton shewing to this Assembly sundry Greivances aud Difficulties suf- fered by them for want of Town Priviledges and praying the same may be now
105
granted unto them by this Assembly, and also praying the Lands within the Bounds of said Plantation may be Taxed, and that they may have Liberty to Jmbody in Church Estate, Resolved by this Assembly that Said Plantation be a Town Jncor- porate Known by the name of Harwinton and Vested with Town Priviledges as Other Towns in this Colony Established by Law are, and that a Tax of two pence pr Acre shall be Assesed & Levyed upon all the Lands within the Bounds of said Town Annually for the Space of four years, next after the Session of the Gen1 As- sembly in May next in Lieu of any former Grant or Tax, and that the Collectors for the Time being in said Town shall annually Collect said Tax, who are hereby Au- thorized and Jmpowred to Collect the same as Other Collectors of town Rates by Law are & having Collected the same, said Collectors are to deliver the same to such Committee or Committees from Time to Time as said Town shall make Choice of for that purpose, and to be by them Applyed and Improved, for the Support of the Gospell Ministry and Building a Meeting House in said Town, and it is further Resolved that said Jnhabitants have Liberty to Jmbody themselves into Church Es- tate and Settle an Orthodox Minister of the Gospell in said Town with the Advice and Consent of the Neighbouring Churches, and it is further by this Assembly Re- solved that the Letter A shall be the Brand for Horses in the Town of Harwinton-
NOTE I., PAGE 23, 20. Formation of Litchfield County.
A petition, praying "that the towns of Litchfield, Woodbury, New Milford, Kent, Sharon, Salisbury, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton, Torrington, Norfolk, New Hartford, Barkhampstead, Hartland, Win- chester, and Colebrook, be made a County," was presented to the Legis- lature, 20 Aug., 1751. Said petition has on it, of Harwinton citizens, the names following :
Daniell Phelps, Abijah Catling, Joseph Marrimon, Jobe Alford, Ezreal [Ezekiel] Scovil, Benjamin Catling, Jun., Daniel Catling, Ebenezer Hopkins, Jun., Wm Hey- don, Nathan Davis, David Willcoks, Ju., John Barbour, Jacob Benton, Jonathan Hopkins, Amos Bull, Isaac Bull, Noah Lomes, Juner, Sam11 Stone Butler, Ciprian Webster, Aaron Cook, Isral Merimon, Anthony Hoskins, Ebenezer Hopkins, Jacob Hinsdell, Sam1 Phelps, Timothy Stanly, Jun., John Wilson, Sam1 Barbor, Thomas Bull, Daniel Bartholomew, Jacob Peck, Noah Loomus, Samuel Bull, Joel Catlin.
A remonstrance against the formation of such proposed new County was presented to the Legislature, 17 Sept., 1751. On said remonstrance are, of Harwinton citizens, the names following :
Benj. Catling, Ebenezer Heydon, Daniel Messenger, Jonathan Hopkins, Nath11 Moody, Jacob Benton, Abraham Catlin, Aaron Cook, Junor, Johnathan Catling, Samuel Cook, Jonathan Brace, David Heydon, Joseph Heyden, Timothy Stanly, Ebaneser Tyler, Joseph Curtice, Ashbel Skinner, Abiel Tyler, Sam1 Messenger, William Elsworth, Hez. Hopkins, Daniel Gillitt, Janna Griswold, Zechariah Seymor, John Coult, Reuben Barbur, Ezept [Ezekiel] Scovil, David Willcoks, Elias Willcoks, John Still [Steele ?], Sam11 Wesson, Nehemiah Hopkins, Amos Catling.
' The following desire that their names may be erased from the prece- ding petition,' in a request presented to the Legislature, 22 Sept., 1751; viz :
Sam1 Stone Butler, Amos Bull, Timothy Stanly, Jun., Jonathan Hopkins, Jun., Ebenezer Hopkins, Jun., Jacob Benton, Jun., Jacob Hinsdell, John Barbur, Thomas Bull, Samuel Bull.
14
106
NOTE J., PAGE 23. The Pioneer Settler.
"The first man that settled in Harwinton was Daniel Messinger from Hartford, in the month of January, 1730. My father, Jonathan Brace, who married [Mary] the aforesaid Messenger's fourth daughter, settled in Harwinton, April, AD. 1733, aged [, at that time,] 23 years."-MS. of James Brace, Esq., in possession of his son-in-law, Dea. Jonathan Balch, of Harwinton.
NOTE K., PAGE 26. ' Modern Improvements.'
Nearly all the houses in the village of Harwinton were erected, since the present century began. In 1837, there were resident in that village only two families who had been there twenty-five years.
Certain other changes were made more recently than most persons now might suppose. The introduction of pleasure carriages bears here, as elsewhere, a quite modern date. The mode of conveyance, for riders, was at first mainly on horseback, the horse being trained to carry two persons and, occasionally, more than two. Sometimes vehicles drawn by oxen would be employed, especially in the winter, and when it was desirable to convey families. Light four-wheeled carriages, each drawn by one horse, were not known here, till about 1818, and these were then more like what is called 'a one-horse lumber-waggon' than what are now styled buggies. Some years before the date last mentioned, wagons drawn by two horses began to be used for conveyance of per- sons. Among the first individuals who owned here such carriages, were Messrs. -- Hayden, Joel Gillet, Samuel Phelps, David Candee, who, coming with their families to Church in these carriages, occasioned, by the noise which was made, 'some excitement' to their neighbors who had not the means of being in that way as noisy.
The early manners and customs of Connecticut, are noticed at length in Hollister's History of Connecticut, V. I., Chap. XX.
NOTE L., PAGE 27. The Messenger Family.
On account of the prominence of Capt. Daniel Messenger in the early history of Harwinton, and as illustrating the migratory habits of New Englanders, the following notices are given.
Edward Messenger was a grantee of New London, Ct., 6 Nov., 1651. He, soon after, removed to Windsor, Ct .- Hist. of New Lond.
Henry Messenger was a first settler of Jamaica, L. I., 1656. He was from Con- necticut .- Thompson's Hist. of L. I.
Nathaniel Messenger, of Hartford, was one of the grantees of Bantam (, Litch- field), 27 April, 1719 .- (History of Litch. ? )
Nathaniel Messenger, from Hartford, began the settlement, 1742, of 'the South- west or Winter parish,' in Farmington, incorporated a 'Society ' and called New Cambridge in 1744, now the Town of Bristol .- Porter's Centen. Address at Far- mington.
107
Nehemiah, son of Capt. Daniel Messenger, was of Cornwall, Ct., 1743; of Shef- field, Ms., 1750; and, as hereinbefore mentioned, of Egremont, Ms., 1756 .- Har- winton Rec. Hist. of Berkshire Co., Ms.
Messenger was a settler of Becket, Ms., 1755 .- Hist. of Berk. Co., Ms. Roderick Messenger, born (a twin brother to Andrew Messenger) at Harwinton, a son of Samuel and Mabel Messenger, 11 March, 1741-2, was among the first im- migrants of West Stockbridge, Ms. He went thither from Farmington, Ct .- Hist. of Berk. Co., Ms.
Isaac Messenger removed from Simsbury (, now Granby,) to West Simsbury (, now Canton), about 1743-4. He died in 1801, aged 82 .- Hist. of Canton, Ct.
This surname did not long remain in Harwinton. The children of Dea. Jonathan Balch (, as see hereinbefore Note J.), of Horace Bissell, residents of Harwinton, and those of Gaylord Wells, M. D., resident in West Hartford, are descendants of the pioneer settler, Capt. Daniel Messenger.
NOTE M., PAGE 28, 30. Tabular arrangement of Early Settlers in Harwinton.
To ascertain in what places had previously resided those persons who became the earliest inhabitants of English descent in any New England Town, is, in many respects, a matter of worthier interest than the grati- fication of even a laudable curiosity. With those places, as below des- ignated of such inhabitants of Harwinton, it seemed desirable to connect certain other specifications. As the basis of such specifications, facts have been earnestly sought. History cannot much value tradition ; for tradition, too often, becomes-what the derivation of the word inti- mates-traitorous. When radically true, it lacks precision. It tends to enlarge things, when it does not distort them. Like ill-report and snowballs rolled, 'it grows as it runs.' Its accounts as to other matters are, on examination, found as 'unreliable' as are in genealogy its ac- counts, which American investigators are told, of 'There were three broth- ers of our surname who came over from England to this country.' In- deed, only believe what such as do not have records of their ancestry declare, and, a tyro in genealogical researches, you shall see the sets of "three brothers' increase, by repetition of inquiry, as rapidly as did, by repetition of the story, the 'three crows' which an uncertain invalid's stomach disgorged. Still, facts are not always recorded. Records made are not always preserved. Existing ones are not always known, or, when known, cannot be visited ; sometimes transcripts of them are not pro- curable. It has happened, thus, that some items which were desired, as respects the earliest settlers in Harwinton, were not obtainable. It be- came a necessity then, either not to allude to them, or to present, re- specting them, what in view of various known circumstances seem to be in a high degree probabilities. The latter alternative was adopted for the reason that, while 'blind conjectures' can hardly do better than mis- lead, 'intelligent conjecture,' if one takes it for that and that only, may put him in the way of reaching truth. Some matters of verisimilitude, carely denoted as no more than such, will therefore be noticed among the facts, and the authorities assigned with the facts, presented in the following table :
TABULAR ARRANGEMENT OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF HARWINTON; A. D. 1730 TO 1740 INCLUSIVE.
Italic letters affixed to the names in this list, or preceding what is in the other columns, refer to notes below .- O. P. denotes an original proprietor .- The ( ) intimates, 'probably rather than certainly.'
When first took
deed of land in the
township.
When first came to
the township.
When is first of
record as an inhab-
itant of the town-
In which of the
half townships
lived ; E. (east); W.
Date of birth.
Date of marriage.
Where resided im-
mediately before
coming to the
township.
Job Alford,
a 1738
৳ 1738 a 1741
a W.
q 1708
৳ 1735
a Windsor.
(Edmund Austin), c.
b 1736
a 1736
Samuel Barber, .
d 1733
d 1733 d 1733-4 d W.
g 1710
a 1735
Andrew Bartholomew, a Rev.,.
e 1739
f 1737 a 1738
a E.
g 1714
a 1740
Jacob Benton, f Sen., a Dea., ..
e 1732
b 1735 a 1737
e E.
r 1698
a 1724
Daniel Bissell, d Jr.,.
d 1732
b 1734|f 1740
d W.
2 1694
lg 1717-8
Windsor.
Hezekiah Bissell, ..
b 1738|f 1740
b W.
q 1710
Windsor.
Jonathan Brace, a Lt., a Esq., ..
e 1732
i 1733 j 1733
e E.
1710
a 1738
e Hartford.
Daniel Brown, k Esq., c ...
e 1736
e
1736 e 1736
e E.
b 1701
b 1726
e Mendon, Ms.
Isaac Bull, r.
a 1739
b 1738 a 1739
a F.
b 1715
a 1737-8
a Wiudsor.
Thomas Bull, r.
e 1732
a 1736 e 1736
e E.
~ 1699
r 1720
e Hartford.
Jonathan Butler, e Jr.,.
€ 1732
b 1733je 1734
e
E.
a 1708
a 1737-8
e Hartford.
Abijah Catlin, a Sen., a Esq., a Maj.,*
1739
h 1738|f 1740
a E.
Ih 1715
7 1736
a Hartford.
Benjamin Catlin, h Sen., d Sergt,, .
e O. P.
h 1738 @ 1738
e E.
2 1680
h 1703
Jonathan Catlin, h Sen., ...
a 1739
7 1738 a 1738
a W.
I7 1704
b 1740
h Hartford.
James Cole, .
d 1733
b 1733 d 1733
d W.
b 1712
a 1742-3
d Wallingford.
John Colt,
d 1735-66 1736 f 1740
1b 1714
a 1738
d Simsbury.
Nathan Davis, d Jr., a Lt.,.
d Windsor.
Daniel Gillet, d 2d, ..
d 1733
৳ 1733 a 1738
d W.
iq 1703
q 1726
, Windsor.
Nathaniel Hatch,.
e 1732
৳ 1736 @ 1737
e E.
৳ 1706
a 1728
, Guilford.
Joseph Hayden, .
d 1737
৳ 1737 a 1738
d W.
lg 1711
a 1739
d Windsor.
William Hayden, ...
d 1737
b 1737 @ 1738
d W.
q 1713-4 a 1743
Id Windsor.
Josiah Higley,. ..
. d 1737
৳ 1737 |@ 1738
d W.
Z 1701
Ja 1728
d Simsbury.
Amos Hinsdale, . ..
le 1732
৳ 1734 |f 1740
e E.
Z 1710
1b 1734
e Hartford.
Jacob Hinsdale, a Sen., a Capt., ..
€ 1732
b 1734 1738
e E.
Z 1698
la 1736
e Hartford.
·
d Windsor.
h Wallingford.
e Hartford.
.
....
.
0020
108
·
·
d 1734-56 1734 d 1735
d W. d W.
022
b 1712
a 1734
2008 Hartford.
·
.
022
ship.
(west).
Ebenezer Hopkins, e Jr., a Sen., ..
le O. P.
Im 1730|a 1732-3|e E.
e Hartford.
Hezekiah Hopkins, . . ..
e 1732-3 e 1733 e 1736 e O. P. a 1738 a 1738|a 1738
e E.
1 1699 Z 1701
In 1728 a 1736 b 1721
e Hartford. e Hartford.
Jonathan Hopkins, a Sen., a Ens., ..
৳ 1736 a 1738 e. E.
n 1696
1693 n 1710 n 1729-30 q 1725
a Hartford. d Windsor.
Parmenor King,
e 1736
b 1735 e 1736 1b 1734 e 1735
e E.
b 1712
b Hartford.
Joseph Lawrence, c.
e 1735 ·
Noah Loomis, a Sen., ..
d O. P.
b 1735 d 1736-7 d W.
q 1692
৳ 1692
b 1715
d Windsor. d Wallingford.
Joseph Merriman,. . .
· a 1740
b Wallingford.
Daniel Messenger, a Capt., ...
e O. P.
0 1730 e 1732-3 e E. Im 1730 e 1735 e E.
b
1683
৳ 1706
e Hartford. e Hartford.
Samuel Messenger, . .
e 1733-4 m 1730 e 1733-4 e E.
b 1710
a 1736
e Hartford.
(Pelatiah Mills), q Sen., Esq., d Capt.,.
d O. P.
b 1738 f 1740
d W.
1693
q 1720
d Windsor.
Samuel Moodey, . .
e 1732
b 1736 f 1740
e E.
L 1704
b 1731
e Hartford.
Daniel Phelps, d 2d, a Dea., ..
d 1733
m 1730 d 1736
d W.
q 1700
a 1730
d Windsor.
Samuel Phelps, d, Jr., f Sen., a Lt.,.
d 1736-7 7 1735 d 1736
d W.
q 1710
a 1732
d Windsor.
Joseph Richards,. .
a 1736-7 6 1737 a 1738
a E.
৳ 1714
৳ 1737
a Hartford.
(William Robinson), c
Zechariah Seymour, a Jr., .
a 1739
f 1736 f 1737
a E.
৳ 1714
a Hartford.
John Stoughton, ..
d O. P.
b 1738 f 1740
1683
q 1706
Id Windsor.
Ebenezer Tyler, ..
la 1739
b 1739|f 1740
a E.
৳ 1690
b 1718
a Branford.
Cyprian Webster, a Sen., a Esq.,.
e 1733
b 1734 a 1737
E.
n 1701
In 1729
e Hartford.
Moses Webster, ...
€ 1737
b 1737 a 1739
e E.
n 1706
n 1733
e Hartford.
Jolın Wilson, a Jr., a Capt., a Dea., .
a 1737
m 1730 a 1737
la W.
p 1711
@ 1737
a Windsor.
Samuel Winchell, ..
d 1734
b 1735 d 1736
d W.
g 1710
jb 1734
d Windsor.
George Wyllys, e Capt., f Hon.,
b 1733 f 1735
e E.
1710
e Hartford.
·
d 1732-3|b 1735 a 1737
a E. d W.
e E.
৳ 1688 b 1711 16 1720
, 'Southhold,' L. I.
Israel Merriman, . .
d 1735
b 1735 d 1737 ৳ 1735 a 1739
d W. W.
b 1717 a 1745
Nehemiah Messenger,.
e 1735
৳ 1712
1735
·
. ..
·
aTown Records, Book I. bProximately accurate. eSee, herein, at page 32. Joseph Lawrence was probably father of the wives of Edmund Austin and William Robin- son. He, the ' smith,' sold his land in Harwinton, 15 Feb., 1736, to John Anstin, 'merchant' of Hartford. Daniel Brown, a 'blacksmith,' sold his land in Harwinton, 14 March, 1739, to Ebenezer Tyler. dWest Harwinton Records. eEast Harwinton Records. fColony Records in the State's Archives. gSee, hereinafter, Note EE. AFam- ily Record, or verbal information of persons most likely to know. iNew England Historical and Genealogical Register. j See, at page 106, Note J. kHistory of Berkshire, Ms. ¿ Sylvester Judd, Esq., of Northampton, Ms. mSee pages 23-28. 2Goodwin's Genealogical Notes. oSee p. 23, and at Note J. pChurch Records, Book II. qHistory of Ancient Windsor. rHinman's Catalogue of the First Puritan Settlers of Connecticut.
*One of the five brothers of this Abijah Catlin, all sons of Samuel. Sen., of Hartford, wasSamuel, Jr., of Hadley, Ms., in 1738, when, as per Harwinton Records is shown, Samuel Sen., 'deeded' land to Samuel, Jr. Thomas Ketling of Hartford, Ct., was successfully defendant in a case at Court there, 1 Aug., 1644 .- Colonial Records of Ct. For remainder of this foot-note, see, hereinafter (, following Note II.), SUPPLEMENTARY.
1
.
·
৳ 1736
a 1736
109
d W. 8000
Stephen Hopkins,. ..
Anthony Hoskins, d Jr., ..
110
NOTE N., PAGE 29. Titles among the early New Englanders.
The founders of New England brought with them to America those principles which in due time found enunciation in the statement that "all men are born free and equal;" but they also brought with them, of course, the feelings which, at the time of their leaving England, were prevalent there. Among those feelings was, as it now seems, an inordi- nate respect for some of the marks by which are designated external distinctions in society. Their 'dignifying the seats' in their Church, buildings, here carried to a somewhat farther extent, perhaps, than in England, was no more an exhibition of those feelings than was their scru- pulous regard for titular designations. The following extract from an old English author will show the ancient regard had for titles; and the degeneracy of titles, too.
As for gentlemen, they be made good-cheap in England; for whosoever studieth the laws of the realm, who studieth in the universities, who professeth liberal sciences, and to be short, who can live idly and without manual labor, and will bear the port, charge and countenance of a gentleman, he shall be called Master [Mr.], for that is the title which men give to Esquires and other gentlemen ...... Yeomen are next to the nobility, knights and squires. This sort of people are not gentlemen, but for the most part farmers to gentlemen, and by grazing, frequenting markets, etc., do come to such wealth that they are able to buy the lands of un- thrifty gentlemen, and after setting their sons to the universities, to the laws, etc., do make their sons gentlemen. Yeomen are not called Masters [Mr.], but to their sirname men add goodman .*
In Massachusetts, among the early planters, "the title of Mr., or Mas- ter, was applied to captains and sometimes to mates of vessels ; to mili- tary captains; to schoolmasters, doctors, magistrates, and clergymen ; to persons who had received a second degree at college, and who had been made freemen. The wives and daughters of Masters were called Mrs. To be deprived of the Mr. was considered a grievous loss of caste. An instance of this kind occurred in 1631, when the Court of Assist- ants took such a title from an individual for immoral conduct. 'Good- man' was prefixed to the surnames of such as were not denominated Masters. The help-meets of these persons were called 'Goodwives' [often shortened, however, into Goody]."t The like prevailed in the first-settled towns in Connecticut. At Norwich, for instance, begun in 1646, few persons had the distinction of Mr. "Old men had the title of Gaffer, others that of Goodman, which was considered a respectful appellation, and is often used in the records. Women, in like manner, were respectfully addressed as Gammers and Goodwives."}
Dr. Cotton Mather, referring to a visit, made in 1632 by Gov. Winthrop, to Plym- outh, Ms., relates: "There were at this time in Plymouth two ministers,, leavened so far with the humours of the rigid separation, that they insisted vehemently up-
*Smith's Commonwealth of England. Cited in Annals of Salem [, Ms].
+Annals of Salem [, Ms].
#History of Norwich [, Ct].
111
on the unlawfulness of calling any unregenerate man by the name of "good-man such an one," until, by their indiscreet urging of this whimsy, the place began to be disquieted. The wiser people being troubled at these trifles, they took the op- portunity of Governour Winthrop's being there, to have the thing publickly pro- pounded in the congregation; who in answer thereunto, distinguished between a theological and a moral goodness; adding, that when Juries were first used in Eng- land, it was usual for the crier, after the names of persons fit for that service were called over, to bid them all, "Attend good men and true;" whence it grew to be a civil custom in the English nation, for neighbours living by one another, to call one another "good man such an one;" and it was pity now to make a stir about a civil custom, so innocently introduced. And that speech of Mr. Winthrop's put a last- ing stop to the little, idle, whimsical conceits, then beginning to grow obstreper- ous."*
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