USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The history of Waterbury, Connecticut; the original township embracing present Watertown and Plymouth, and parts of Oxford, Wolcott, Middlebury, Prospect and Naugatuck. With an appendix of biography, genealogy and statistics > Part 2
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Ens. Samuel Steele was the son of Jolin Steele, an early settler of Hartford and a prominent man. He was born in 1626, and, together with his father, removed to Farmington at an early date, and became one of the original settlers of that town. He married Mary Boosy and had many children; Mary, Rachel, Sarah, Samuel, John, Benoni, James, Hannah, Ebenezer. In May, 1669, he was a deputy to the General Court in Hartford ; and in 1674, was approved as lieutenant of the Farmington "Traine Band." Late in life, he removed to Wethersfield, and died in 1685. He appears to have been a respectable but not a distinguished man. As a member of the committee, he was one of the most active, and was connected by marriage with some of the leading planters of Mattatnek. His sister Mary married Serg. William Judd, and his sister Sarah, Lient. Thomas Judd ; while his brother John married a sister of the Judds. He is the only one of the committee who has left his name in the territory he assisted to plant, and connected it indissolubly with its physical features. Steel's Brook and the tracts of land upon its borders, Steel's Meadow and Steel's Plain, will pre- serve the memory of Samuel Steele.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Ensign John Wadsworth of Farmington, was a son of Wil- liam Wadsworth of Hartford, and brother, I believe, of the famous Captain Joseph Wadsworth, of charter-oak memory. He was an assistant from 1679 to his death in 1689. Some of his descendants have been distinguished.
The business of this committee was " to regulate and order," in the language of the record, the affairs of the plantation ; to make rules for the planters and prescribe the conditions of set- tlement; to select a site for the town ; to lay out the house lots and to dispose of them and of the other lands, so far as expe- dient, by grant ; to direct concerning highways and fences ; to consult with the people, and to watch over their best interests. They were expected to see to it that education, virtue and re- ligion were properly cared for in the infancy of the settlement, and to act with authority, when the emergency and the common weal required it. They were selected as the tem- porary guardians and the fathers of the plantation, with all the power usually exercised by the town authorities. In fact, they were to found a town ; to organize it, and to supply it with locomotive force, until it got legs of its own. This done, their duties were ended, and their trust could be resigned.
The assembly's committee, (called on the town records the Grand Committee,) thus constituted, in pursuance of their duties, drew up the following ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND . AGREEMENT, which the proposed settlers signed :-
Articles agred vpon and concluded by us whos names are vnder writen the Comity for settling a plantation att mattatucke as followeth that
1 Euery on[e] that is excepted for an inhabitant at matatucke shall have eight acres for a hous lott
2 We agre that the distribution of medow shall be proportioned to each person Acording to estats [propriety ] noe person exceding a hundred pound alot ment except too or thre alotments which we the Comite shall lay out acording to onr best discrestion
3 Also wee agree that all taxes and Ratts that shall be leuyed for defraying pub- lick charges shall be payed proportion ably acording to their medow alotments and this article to stand in full fore and vertue fiue years next folowing the datt here- of and after the end and expiration of fiue yers all Ratts for defraying publike charges shall be leuyed and raised upon persons and estats acording to the law or enstom of the coutry
4 We determin that every parson that tacks up alotments att mattatucke within
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
four yer after the datt hereof shall build agood substan shall Dwelling house [at least eighteen feet in length and sixteen feet wide and]* nine foot between joynts with a good chimly in the forsaid place.
5 Itt is agred in case any parson shall faile of building as aforsaid: a dweling house upon his lott as is inioyned within the 4th article within the terme of four yers after the date herof shall forfit all his alotments att mattatucke and lose all his right and title therein buildings only Excepted to be dis posed to such: other meet parsons for im proue ment as shall be excepted by the Comity acording to the conditions of these Articles
6 And itt is also agreed that euery one to whom alotments are granted shall par- sonly tack up his resedenc as an in habitant att mattatuck in his own house within the term of four yeres after the date hereof and upon failler or defalte shall forfitt his lands and alottments att mattatuck to be improued as aforsaid by the comite
7 Itt is further concluded that Every parson that shall be posesed of lands att the said mattatoek shall inhabit and dwell ther in his own House for the time and term of four yers after he hath built acording to the Tenur and true meaning of the fourth Article and untill the said foure yers be ended no parson shall haue pouer to maek any alynation or sale of the afor said lands of what he or they are posesed of
8 Finaly itt is determined that all those parsons to whom alottments Are granted (by vs the comity) shall be ingaged to the forgoing Articles by a subscription of their names or marcks
And for a full confirmation of the forgoing articles wee the comitie haue this thir tyeth of may in the yere one thousand six hundred seventy and four: sub- scribed our names
We whos names are under writen doe Igag a faithful submission to and performance of the forgoing articles as wittness our hands this sixt of June in the yer 1674
John Talcott
Robert webster
Nicholas ohnsted
Samuel steel
John wadsworth
John Langhton
100
Thomas Hankox
100
John Audres
100
William Judd 100
Thomas Juddl Jur
100
John warner Jun
90
Edmun Scoot
100
Thomas Richarson
50
John wilton
080
william Higason
70
Abraham Andrus
080
John Carington
060
Isaac Brunson
090
Obadiah Richards
080
John Stanly Jur
100
Thomas Newell [for] son
100
Samuell hicok
085
Sargt John Stanly for son
95
Richard Seamor
100
Daniel Warner
60
Abraham Brounson
080
John warner sen
100
Isaac brounson ingageth for him
John Judd
100
John Porter
080
Joseph Hecoks
060
* The clause in brackets is presumed to have been inadvertently left out in the record. I have supplied the omission from other copies.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Joh bronson Jur 080
Thomas Jud senor for his - 080
Thomas Gridly 080
son Sam11
Danill Porter for son
090
Sam11 Gridly 90, th newell*
Soon after the signing of the articles of settlement, a new and more thorough exploration of the country was made, with a view of finding out its capabilities and deciding on a place for the center of the town. In the meantime, however, the committee took the precaution to extinguish any title to the land which was in the native or Indian proprietors. "Per order and in the name and behalf of the Genaral Court of Connecticut in New England," they purchased of certain In- dians, eleven in number, living in Farmington and belonging to the Tunxis tribe, (and took to themselves a deed of the same,) a certain tract of land at Mattatuck, lying on both sides of the Naugatuck River, ten miles in length from north to south, and six miles in breadth from east to west, but- ting east on Farmington bounds, south on Pegasset, (Derby,) west on Pegasset, Pomperaug, (Woodbury,) and Potatuck, (Southbury,) and north on the wilderness. The consideration was thirty-eight pounds in hand, and "divers good causes," and the deed bore date Aug. 21st, 1674. It may be found in the second volume of the Waterbury Land Records, page 224, and is signed (by marks) by Caraachaquo, James, Putteko, Atumtacko, Alwaash, Spinning Squaw, Nosaheagon, John Compound, Queramousk, Chere, Aupkt. The witnesses are Samuel Willis, Benjamin Fenn and Philip Lewis.
During the same season, a site was selected for the contem- plated village. It was the elevated ground on the west side the river, which, from this circumstance, has ever since been known by the name of Old Town Plat, or Town Plot. It was airy and showy ground, overlooking the alluvial lands upon the river. Here, three quarters of a mile west of the
* Thomas Newell, Jr., was afterwards substituted for Samuel Gridley, and the name is placed here in the original.
This document is taken from the second volume of the Waterbury Land Records, pages 221 and 222. It is in the hand of John Stanly, copied professedly from the original by direction of the proprietors, (in 1717,) after he removed from Waterbury, and certified by John Judd, then the town clerk. There are several copies of this paper to be found in the early volumes of the Town and Proprietor's Records, differing from one another in several (for the most part) unim- portant particulars. I have selected that which was fullest and seemingly most complete and authentic.
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IIISTORY OF WATERBURY.
present city, the roads were laid out, the one running north and south, sixteen rods wide .* This was ent in the middle, by an east and west road, running down towards the river, south of Sled Hall Brook, eight rods wide. There was another eross- road at the south end, probably near the present highway over the hill from the south bridge. The home lots, eight acres in each, according to the articles of settlement, were ranged along the north and south street, thirty-two in number, sixteen on each side, the east and west road already referred to, divid- ing each "teer" in the middle, leaving eight lots on either hand.
So much was done in the summer and fall of 1674, towards the settlement of Mattatuek, but it does not appear that any dwellings were erected. Forsome cause, not fully understood, the progress of the enterprise was suspended at this point. Perhaps the country, on a closer examination, did not prove so attractive as it had been represented. In the following year, however, there were new and obvious reasons for not pushing forward the enterprise. A more serious and pressing business presented itself, demanding attention.
Early in the summer of 1675, the great Indian War of New England, commonly called King Philip's War, broke out. Connecticut, though not itself attacked, entered with spirit into the struggle. Her sons left their husbandry and followed Treat and Taleott to the scene of danger. All thoughts of new settlements were abandoned and many of those recently com- meneed were broken up. For the present, the policy of the colonies was to concentrate themselves that their defense might be less difficult. It was a fierce and bloody war, in which the parties aimed at extermination. It was more destructive to the lives, property and immediate prospects of the country, than any which has taken place since. The whole weight of it fell upon New England, then containing about forty thou-
* Afterwards, or January 15, 1677, old style, when a new site had been selected and approved for the town, the committee passed a new order respecting this road, as follows :- " we order the highway of sixteen rods wide that is already layed out north and south through the old town platt to be butt two rods wide and grant that the propriators of ecth side the said highway to butt upon the new highway for enlargement of their lots proportionally."
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
sand people, (Connecticut perhaps ten thousand,) widely dis- persed in small settlements, and destitute of almost everything but stout hearts and a trust in Heaven. It was brought to a successful termination, without any assistance from the mother country, or the neighboring colonies, in the latter part of 1676, by the death of King Philip, an able, and, in many respects, a wise chief.
Who among those who subsequently became the planters of Mattatuck were personally engaged in the war against King Philip and his confederates, I am unable to say. I find, however, the following:
A meeting of the Councill in Hartford Dec. 5, 1676.
The Councill granted John Brunson of Farmington the sume of fiue pounds, as a reparation for his wounds and damage recd. thereby, and quarteridg and half pay to the first of this present moneth. [Col. Rec. II, p. 483.]
There were, at this time, three persons bearing the name of Jolın Bronson living in Farmington, John, John the son of John, and John, Jr., the son of Richard. Probably the ex- tract refers to John, the son of John, who went to Waterbury, and the reward was for injuries received in the war just closed. His father, though an old Pequot soldier, was now doubtless too old for active service.
CHAPTER II.
THE SETTLEMENT BEGUN: TOWN CENTER.
IN the spring of 1677, the tranquillity of the colony being secured, the Farmington people began once more to think of making a settlement at Mattatuck. They were, however, dis- satisfied with the place selected for a village site. Though attractive from its sightliness and probable healthfulness, a closer examination brought to light disadvantages and objec-
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
tions of a decisive character. The many broad acres which it allowed for each man's home lot were hardly a recompense for its rocky surface and moderate productiveness. It was of diffi- cult access from the east. It could be reached from the river lands (from which, in an important degree, subsistence was expected to be drawn) only by a long and steep ascent. Be- sides, a settlement upon the west side of the river would be liable, from the frequent floods which covered the flats, to have its communication with Farmington cut off. For the present, Farmington alone would connect the people with the civili- zation of the day, whence, for a time, must be obtained many of the necessities and all the comforts of life. There lived their friends, and there they would look for refuge, or succor, in case of a hostile attack from the Indians. There, too, for a time, they must resort for the regular ministrations and ordi- nances of the Gospel.
In pursuance of a plan entertained by those most interested of changing the town center, a meeting of the proprietors was held and a committee appointed " to vew and consider whether It will not be for the benefit," &c. This is the first meeting of the ancient proprietors of Waterbury, of which we have any account. I infer, from the date, that it was held in Farming- ton, though the place is not mentioned. The vote passed at this meeting is recorded, and the record seems to be original. It is the oldest, by several years, of the Waterbury Records. The recorder is, apparently, the " John Standly, Jr.," who sub- scribed the articles of settlement, though his name does not appear-the same person who subsequently, for many years, is known as the clerk of the proprietors and the town. The vote is written in a business-like hand, somewhat brisker than that which characterized the clerk's performances at a later day. The record book is an old, dingy manuscript, of foolscap size, which I dug out of a mass of forgotten rubbish, found in a private family. The sheets are sowed through and through, in the middle, by a cord of unnecessary strength, and the whole is covered by coarse, brown paper turned over at the edge, with a broad margin and made fast with a thread. Many leaves are gone at the beginning and end, and those
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
which are left, are rent and broken and exceedingly brittle when handled. Fifty four pages only remain. This is the first original Proprietor's Book, now in existence. Much of its contents has been copied, by successive clerks, into more recent books. The same has been done with the other earliest records, and the originals afterwards scattered and lost. Care has been taken by transcribing to preserve the evidences of property, particularly land titles ; but other matters have been regarded as of little account.
The following is the vote referred to in the preceding para- graph :-
At a metting held by the proprietors of mattatucke may the twenty first, 1677, upon furder Considaration of some difeculty that doth atende them seting the towne whare It is now laid out theay made chois of deacon Judd, John Langhton sen" John andrus sean" goodman Rote and John Judd and danell porter as a comite to vew & Consider whether It will not be more for the benefit of the propriators In General: to set the towne on this east side of the River contenting themselfes with les hom lots prouided: those formerly laide out be secured to them: prouided also they thinke & conclude It so to be to aduis with the grande Comite and in conjunction with them they jine with liberty so so doe we the proprietors agre to act Acordingly not withstanding what Is alredy done.
As the result of these movements, favored by the reason- ableness of the thing itself, the Court's committee changed the town center to the place where it now is, the planters " contenting themselfes with les home lots." The latter seem -. ed disposed to settle as near as possible to the lands from which they expected to draw their chief sustenance. In consequence of this anxiety, they jeoparded health to some extent. They erected their dwellings, in many instances, upon ground which was wholly unfit for building purposes. Just at the center of the village, the land was low and wet, and in some instances, marshy, and covered with standing water. Even within the writers's memory, the road was made solid by logs, laid in "corduroy " fashion, and cows that got off the traveled path sunk deep and helplessly in the yielding mire. As the conse- quence of its low situation, the ancient town was often envel- oped in fogs, as the young city now is. A part of the sickness and mortality among the early planters, may, perhaps, be attrib- uted to damp dwellings and an unhealthy locality. Against
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
the evils of these, they could provide but a slight defense, on account of their straitened circumstances.
Our fathers, looking to agriculture for support, did not select the most eligible part of the Naugatuck Valley for a settlement. Indeed they could hardly have fared worse, within the limits of their future township. Had they gone up or down the river, and planted themselves in what is now Plymouth, or Nauga- tuck, they would have found better land, and have been in the former case no farther removed from their friends in Farmington. It is true, they would not have had, perhaps, as liberal a supply of meadow lands, ready cleared and prepared for tillage; but these proved, in the end, an unsafe depend- ence. Had they crossed the river and established themselves in present Watertown, they would have found a good soil of superior agricultural capacity, for this part of the State. Mid- dlebury, too, that part of it embraced within the limits of the ancient town, though rough, has much strong land. But there was an objection to a locality so far west, with the Naugatuck* flowing between the settlers and the parent town, which has already been alluded to.
On the tenth day of September, 1677, the committee, being the grantees named in the deed from the Indians conveying the lands of Mattatuck, made over all their title and interest in the same to the proprietors of Mattatuek. By this act, how- ever, they did not part with any of their authority in the man- agement of the settlement. This is the assignment, signed by John Taleott, only :-
The above writen deed of sale we the said John taleot Nicholas olmsted and Samuel Steel do this tenth of September in the year 1677 asign and maek ouer all our Right and tittle therein and thereunto vnto Thomas Judd John Stanly Samuell hickoks and Abraham brunson inhabitants of mattatuck to themselus heirs and asigns for euer and to the rest of the inhabitants belonging to the said mattatuck for them selves and their heirs and asigns for ever as wittness our hands the said inhabitants having payd the purches to our order the purchesers
Lieut Webster being dead before our Asign Signed and delivered by us John Talcott
* Naugatuck-in the Indian language, Naukotunk, one large tree-is said to have been the original name of Humphreysville, (Seymour;) so called from a large tree which formerly stood near Rock Rimmon at Seymour. (Barber's Con. Ilist. Col.)
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Soon after this assignment, or in October next following, the committee in the exercise of their appropriate functions, " ordered " that the inhabitants of the new plantation "should settle near together for benefit of Christian duties and defense against enemies." They also modified at a little later date, some of the conditions of settlement, in consequence of the un- expected delay which had taken place in the movement of the emigrants. I quote, the date being Jan. 15th, 1677, (1678, new style) :*
We doe allso alow the propriators of mattatuck one yere for settleing them selues on [in] the aforesaid mattatuck more than was first granted: not withstand ing any thing to the contrary and all publick charges to be borne one yer longer or more than is concluded in the third article datted may 30th 1677
From various circumstances, it would seem that the first settlers came to this place some time in the summer of 1677, but at what precise date, I have been unable to ascertain. At any rate they were here on the tenth of September, as appears by the assignment of the Indian deed to certain persons, " in- habitants of Mattatuck." They came without their families, and erected some rude huts, for temporary shelter, on the banks of the river, near Sled Hall, so called. Having put in their winter crops, and made some preparations for the ensuing spring, most of them probably returned to Farmington, as the cold weather came on. In the spring following, some of the proprietors remov- ed their families to their new-found homes, and went to work. And serious work they had to do. But they were inured to it. Their hands were hardened by toil, and their hearts made
* The old year began March 25th. Between 1685 and 1690, the subject was first agitated of making a change, and commencing the year Jan. 1st. During this interval, some used old style and others new style. After 1690, the custom obtained, when giving a date from Jan. 1st to March 25th, of adding the new year to the old, in the form of a double date. Thus Feb. 5, 1710, old style, (which would be Feb. 5, 1711, new style,) was written Feb. 5, 1711. The custom, however, was not entirely uniform. Some began the year on the 1st of March, and on (and after) that day employed the new style. Our clerks were very careless, following no certain rule. Mr. Southmayd sometimes uses the double date, sometimes old style and sometimes new style. More usually, he employs new style for dates occurring any time in March. On the 14th day of March, 1752, it was enacted by Parliament that the year should commence on the 1st day of January. By the same act, eleven days were struck out of the month, and the third was called the fourteenth, to correct an error arising from the "procession of the equi- noxes." In this work, when referring to specific dates, I shall observe the custom of the eras concerning which I write, making at the time such explanation as may be necessary.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
brave by successful encounter with difficulty and danger. They were neither drones nor cowards. They were tough men, and had come into a tough country-a country which, for easy tillage, was in striking contrast with the plains of Farmington. Though prepared for unceasing toil and much sacrifice, they probably did not expect the prolonged hardship, the great dis- couragements, and fearful calamities which kept the popula- tion of the colony stationary for more than thirty years.
In the course of the summer of 1678, a few houses were erected on the newly selected site for the village. They were constructed of logs, after the fashion of the new settlements of the present day, with the naked ground, or in some cases, if the soil was wet, or the occupants were persons of taste and substance, with split logs, for a floor. They were "good and substantial dwellings," doubtless, ("mantion houses," they were sometimes called,) "at least eighteen feet in length and sixteen feet wide, and nine foot between joynts with a good chimly " of stone and clay mortar, according to the re- quirements of the subscribed articles; but they were not what, at this day, would be called fashionable. They might have been picturesque, provided the spectator stood far enough off. We shall be obliged to guess how they were furnished ; but I risk nothing in saying that they contained no tapestry carpeting or lace curtains. They in fact were designed for shelter, not ornament. According to tradition, there were, at a later period, forty of these rude log-houses, standing at one time, in the town center.
The village streets were laid out, in the commencement, very nearly, in most cases, where they still are-three running east and west, something more than half a mile long, and three shorter ones running north and south, the four outside streets forming an irregular oblong square, the east being more than twice as broad as the west end. The west street on the map of Waterbury, published in 1852, is called Willow street; the east, Mill street and Cherry street ; the north, Grove street, and the south, Grand street and Union street ; while the central streets are named, one West and East Main, and the other Bank, North Main and Cook streets. No new roads of much
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