USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 10
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Towtanimoe, his mark. Younkitihue, his mark. Towheage, his mark."
15
BIRMINGHAM POINT.
Another deed, given to Thomas Wheeler, was executed as follows :
" Aprill 4, 1664. This may certify that I, Okenuck, Sachem of Pau- gassett, have sold Thomas Wheeler of Paugassett an Island lying in the river called ' Podertock ' river, lying before his house, southward from his house, containing three or four acres. The said Thomas Wheeler, in consideration is to pay me two yards of cloth and two pair of breeches "Witness the mark of Okenuck, Sachem. Ansantaway, his mark. Agonahog, his mark."
Lieut. Thomas Wheeler settled on his land on the Point, probably in the spring of 1657, and remained there until the winter or spring of 1664, when he removed to Stratford, and in the following June sold this farm, containing as the deed says, "about forty acres," to Alexander Bryan of Milford, and was none the poorer for the adventure as indicated by the deed of sale ; he having received it as a gift and sold it for £200.18
This was the parcel of land deeded to Mr. Wheeler by Tow- tanimow, which the author of the History of Woodbury sup- posed to be nearly as large as Litchfield County. It contained "forty acres, more or less." And this deed is recorded in close proximity to the Indian deed of this same land, which he copied, bounded in the same words. The same author errs when he says this "seems to have been the last sale of lands by the Derby Indians ;" since there were over twenty afterwards. He errs again when he says "their right to sell the land at all, seems somewhat doubtful, as the most of the territory sold, was occu- pied by the Pootatuck Indians." No evidence has been seen indicating that the Pootatucks occupied separately any land east of eight mile brook and the Ousatonic River, but they signed deeds with the Paugasucks.
The Pootatuck sachems signed five or six deeds with the
18" Jan. 6, 1664. Lt. Thomas Wheeler for a consideration of £200 in hand paid hath granted and sold . . to Alexander Bryan one parcel of land and houses where- in he now liveth and occupieth, it being as followeth: bounded with Pootatuck river south-west, Naugatuck river north-east, and on the north-west with trees marked by Towtanimow, sachem. This land containing forty acres more or less.
TOM: WHEELER."
16
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Paugasuck Indians, and the Paugasucks signed several deeds with the Pootatucks, as will be seen by a glance at the names attached to the Indian deeds of Derby and Woodbury. The very close relationship of these two tribes is given in part on page twenty-two of Woodbury history, and indicates that the Paugasucks had as much right to sell Derby soil as the Poota- tucks to sell Woodbury territory. The same author says again : "It is certain that Aquiomp, sachem of the Pootatucks in 1661, was independent of the Paugassett sachem, and that his succes- ors in the sachemdom, after that date, made numerous grants to the English." But every deed thus given, after that date, as represented in Woodbury history, was signed by Paugasuck Indians, with the Pootatucks.
The truth is, that both these clans descended from the Mil- ford Indians, and removed up the rivers before the incoming English ; and while living in different clans or families, were one in descent, and the claims of ownership in the lands, by both parties, are recognized by the English, from the first to the last. The sale of a tract of land lying on the Pequonnuck, in Stratford, in 1661, confirms this opinion, and also indicates that the Paugasuck Indians were regarded as having superiority over all others ; else they could not have given a deed of land occupied by the Pootatucks as they did. It is quite evident that the Paugasucks living in Derby territory were twice the number of the Pootatucks from 1650 to 1680; at which last date the former began to join the latter in considerable num- bers, at the mouth of the Pomperaug.
It was in consequence of this gift of land to Lieut. Wheeler that the planters had some misgiving about the validity of the title, and upon the death of Towtanimow a bond14 was given by the Indians in the sum of five hundred pounds not to molest the possessors in regard to this title.
14" June 27, 1664. This present writing witnesseth that I, Okenuch, Sachem of Paugassett and Ansantaway living at Paugassett, considerations moving us hereunto do bind ourselves joyfully and severally . . in a bond of five hundred pounds, that we will not molest or trouble Thomas Wheeler, now or late of Paugassett, nor Mr. Alexander Bryan of Milford . . about a parcel of land that was given to said Thomas Wheeler by Towtanimow, sachem then of Paugassett.
Akenants [Okenuck] his mark.
Ansantaway, his mark."
·
NEW DEED. 17
On June 14, 1665, Alexander Bryan sold this farm of forty acres and the island to Joseph Hawkins of Stratford, and John Brown of Paugassett, and on the twentieth of the next July Mr. Bryan passes over to Joseph Hawkins "his part of the farm at Paugassett, to be paid eighty pounds a year for three years," making a profit to himself of forty pounds, if this was the same land he bought of Mr. Wheeler, in which case the sale to Hawkins and Brown was a failure. Afterwards this land was passed to the town, and Joseph Hawkins received another allotment.
At this time, Mr. Richard Baldwin, desirous of securing a perfect title to these lands, and a united plantation, obtained a deed from the Indians covering all other deeds heretofore re- ceived, which was a statesman-like policy, on not a very ex- tended scale, although of very great importance. This deed has been relied on hitherto, very much by writers, as the com- mencement of the enterprise that finally issued in the town of Derby, and so far as it relates to the boundary of the town is of importance.15 It takes in no new land and covers only the forty acres on the Great Neck. It is not certain whether the old trading house went with the forty acres or not. Mr. Wheeler may have converted it into his dwelling house, or continued it as a store or trading house, for there are certain indications that Alexander Bryan, with others, perhaps, kept some sort of a trading house from the time Mr. Goodyear sold his interests there (1654), until after the plantation became a town. After he had sold the Wheeler farm on the Point, he is still said to have land there, and what or where it could be except at the trading house it is difficult to conceive.
15 " Know all men by these presents bearing date Sept. 15, 1665, that I Ockenunge the sole and only Sagamore of Pagassett together with all the Indians my subjects and proprietors at Pagassett aforesaid, . . do sell unto Richard Baldwin and his company, a tract of land bounded as herein expressed; bounded north with the pres- ent path that goes between New Haven and Pagassett, on the south with the bounds of Milford town, on the east with the Mill river of Milford, and on the west with the Great river at Pagassett. I do sell the above said tract of land, except what was formerly sold particularly to Ricard Baldwin or granted upon considerations whatso- ever, . . for and in consideration of full satisfaction already by me receved.
Ochenunge, his mark.
Chupps, his mark.
Nebawkumme, his mark."
3
. 18
HISTORY OF DERBY.
At this time Abel Gunn, a young, unmarried man came to the place, and being a good writer, with a talent and disposition for business habits, obtained a book and commenced keeping accounts and records in behalf of the company, and this book has now the high honor of being A number one of the Town Records of Derby ; never having had the ornament of being dressed in a cover of any kind. Many thanks to Abel Gunn, well named [Able], and of great service and honor to old Derby !
The first record made in this book is without date, but from various circumstances there is evidence that it was written in January, 1665-6, when he first obtained the book. This entry gives us important information :
"Item. Mr. Goodyear, Mr. Wakeman and Mr. Gilbert of New Haven hath bargained and sold to
RICHARD BALDWIN,
JOHN BURWELL,
EDWARD RIGGS,
SAMUEL HOPKINS,
EDWARD WOOSTER,
THOMAS LANGDON,
JOHN BROWN, ROBERT DENISON,
FRANCIS FRENCH, ISAAC PLATT,
of Milford, a tract of land at a place called Paugasuck, and by these men above named put under New Haven jurisdiction in the year 1655. the bounds of which tract of land is as hereafter followeth, namely. with Naugatuck river west, a small rock south, with a swamp on the east, and a little brook or spring that runs into the Beaver river north."
The next record made gives some idea of the location and the work then being done to make the beginning of a settle- ment :
" Paugasuck Inhabitants reconed with Edward Wooster this 2d of January 1665-6 and they are indebted to him as follows :
For the grass land so called £1 5 0
For the middle island so called £3 0 0
For the two mile island so called £2 14 0
" They have further agreed this 2d of January that he is to stay for this money till he hath had the sum by their purchasing their lands or other common works belonging to the place.
"They have also renewed upon Edward Wooster a former grant of land, namely, the Long lot so called, only there is to be a sufficient cart way through it, and the fishhouse island so called, and the two
.
FIRST ACCOUNTS.
19
mile island so called ; the above said Edward Wooster hath three grants conferred upon him ; also these conditions as followeth, namely, present security that he is not to drive any cattle through the meadow without it be where it is common ; and that he is not to common in the meadow but proportionally according to his lands.
" Debts due to the company as followeth, Edward Riggs fo 7s 2d. The company is indebted as followeth
s. d.
2 : II : 65, John Brown £o I 3
7 : 12 : 65, Joseph Hawkins for going to Stratford fo 5
Work done upon the general account April 1666
s. d.
Samuel Riggs three days and a half
£0 07 06
John Brown three days and a half
0 07 06
Francis French two days
0 05 00
John Brown one day
0 02 06
Samuel Riggs one day .
0 02 06
John Brown and his son Joseph each half a day
01 08
Francis French half a day
I 03
Joseph Riggs half a day
1 03
John Bruer for goodman Wooster half a day I 03
Francis French one day
2 06
Joseph Riggs one day
2 06
1667. Work done on the general account
Setting up that fence which was bought of Samuel Riggs
s. d.
Francis French 3 days and a half
8
9
Samuel Riggs 3 .. .. ..
8
9
Abel Gunn 3
66
8 9
Francis French I day more
2
6
Samuel Riggs I .6 2
6"
It is probable that in the spring of 1667 was made, among the ten proprietors,
THE FIRST DIVISION OF LAND.
It is stated as preliminary to the division that John Burwell sold his right to Thomas Hine, and he to Henry Lyon, and he to Henry Botsford. Also that Samuel Hopkins, one of the ten, sold his to John Smith, and then the division was made.
20
HISTORY OF DERBY.
"The laying out of this tract of land above mentioned, and the number of acres both of upland and meadow :
Home Lot.
Upland.
Meadow.
John Brown
I 1-2 acres
4 acres
3 acres
Isaac Platt
I I-2
4
3
Edward Riggs
I I-2
4
66
3
66
Richard Baldwin
2
"and a rod
6
4 1-2
66
Edward Wooster
I I-2
66
4
66
3
66
3
Henry Botsford
I I-2
66
4
66
3
66
Robert Denison
I I-2
4
3
John Smith
I I 2
66
4
3
66
Thomas Langdon
I I-2
66
4
3
Thomas Langdon hath his home lot where his house stands."
After this plan was adopted and before the land was laid out, it was recorded that Alexander Bryan had bought of Thomas Langdon all his right at Paugasuck, and Edward Wooster had bought the same of Mr. Bryan ; upon which Thomas Langdon seems to have removed from the place.
The description of the laying of these lots is important in order to know where the settlement first began, and thereby to know many other things which transpired in the town.
" At the laying out of the meadow, Edward Wooster accepted the lower end of the meadow, for his meadow lot, bounded with Richard Baldwin north, with Naugatuck river west, with a creek south and a creek east.
" Richard Baldwin hath a piece of meadow bounded with Edward Wooster south, Naugatuck river west, and Francis French north, and a creek running under the hill east.
" Francis French hath his meadow lot bounded with the foot of the hill east, with Richard Baldwin south, with Naugatuck river west, with Edward Wooster north."
In this manner they continue to measure out the meadow lots until they came to John Smith, the last of the ten, when they declare that his meadow and upland are joined together, (as in the accompanying plan), that is, his upland joined the east end of the meadow and then went up the hill east, making the southern boundary of the village as then arranged at the place known now as Up Town or Old Town.
Francis French
I I-2
66
4
66
66
FIRST VILLAGE PLOT.
21
Meadow Land.
Creek.
Ed. Wooster, 3.
Richard Baldwin, 42.
Francis French, 3.
Edward Wooster, 3.
John Brown, 3.
Isaac Platt, 3.
Edward Riggs, 3.
Robert Denison, 3.
Upland.
Henry Botsford, 3.
John Smith, 4 acres.'
John Smith, 3.
Henry Botsford, 4 acres.
John Brown, 4 acres.
Rich'd Baldwin 2 acres.
Highway.
Francis French, I acre.
Ed. . Wooster, 4 acres.
Rob't Denison, 4 acres.
Isaac Platt, 4 acres.
Francis French, 4 acres.
Rich'd Baldwin, 4 acres.
Edward Riggs, 4 acres.
Ed. Wooster, 4 acres.
Creek. .
Tree and swamp.
Naugatuck.
Foot of the hill, so said.
Highway.
Highway.
Beaver brook and Naugatuck.
Long lot.
Old river.
22
HISTORY OF DERBY.
A portion of the Naugatuck river at that time came down along the eastern bank a short distance below the old burying ground, then turning to the right, as is still apparent by the trees and the depression in the meadow, passed over to the Great Neck (or Birmingham) and then down by the old trading house. Hence the meadow land was bounded "west with Naugatuck river," and at the east a little way "with a creek," or the water flowing up by the tide, and after two lots, the others were bounded on the "east with the foot of the hill," there being no creek there. The confirmation of this river course will be quite clearly established hereafter.
Of the upland lots, five of them are bounded on the west with Naugatuck river, and east with a highway ; the other tier are bounded on the west with a highway and on the east with the foot of the hill.
This was the first formal laying out of land by the company. Edward Riggs had selected him a farm on the hill, and Francis French also. Edward Wooster and Thomas Langdon had built their houses, at this place, near the river, but all this was done without a formal division of land. When this division was made Edward Wooster and Thomas Langdon received lots where their houses stood, and these houses were probably built in 1654, and Edward Riggs built at the same time on the hill. Francis French built his later, that is, in 1661, when he was married.
Soon after this division was made Richard Baldwin died and his widow sold all her interest in Paugassett to Alexander Bryan, and then followed an interesting time in buying and selling lots as in many other real estate enterprises since that day ; the most important of which was that of John Brown, who sold all his land on the east side of the river and with Joseph Hawkins bought the Wheeler farm, on the point ; but which purchase Mr. Brown soon gave up and removed to New- ark, N. J.
Here then was the village of Paugassett as laid by authority in 1665-6, containing two houses, perhaps more, inhabited, and the house on the Wheeler farm; and Edward Riggs's and Francis French's houses on the hill east. Edward Wooster's house stood on the lot laid at the north end of the plot, as it is
23
MESSRS. GOFF AND WHALLEY.
said the road began "at his gate," and then went south between the two tiers of lots. Mr. Wooster was a farmer and made a specialty of hop raising in Milford, as indicated by the follow- ing town record : "A General Court, Oct. 24, 1651. Consid- ering the pressing need of hops, the town grants to Edward Wooster an acre, more or less, lying up the Mill river, to be improved for a hop garden, according to his request. This is not to pay rates while improved for hops."16 It is probable that the raising of hops on the meadow land at Paugassett was a leading object in Edward Wooster's settling here in 1654, as he did.
Edward Riggs was one of the first settlers in 1654, being one of the original ten proprietors, his house standing on the place still known as the Riggs farm on the hill a mile east of Old Town, or the first village lots laid out. In his house two remarkable men found shelter and protection; they were Messrs. Goff and Whalley, judges of Charles the First of Eng- land. President Stiles, in his history of these men and the place of their resort called The Lodge, says, "They left it and removed to Milford, August, 1661, after having resided in and about New Haven for near half a year, from 7th of March to the 19th of August, 1661. During this time they had two other occasional lodgments in the woods ; one at the house of Mr. Riggs, newly set up in the wilderness at Paugassett or Derby, another between that and Milford." 'The same author, speaking of two houses near West Rock a little out of New Haven, says, "these were the only two houses in 1661, west- ward from New Haven, between the West Rock and Hudson's river, unless we except a few houses at Derby or Paugassett. All was an immense wilderness. Indeed, all the environs of New Haven was wilderness, except the cleared tract about half a mile or a mile around the town."
In another part of his book, President Stiles gives the follow- ing important information :
"The judges might have some other secret retreats and temporary lodgments ; I have heard of two more within ten miles around New Haven, but not with so perfect certainty. The one about four miles from Milford, on the road to Derby where an old cellar remains to this
16 Lambert's History of Milford.
24
HISTORY OF DERBY.
day [1794], said to have been one of their recluses. This is called George's Cellar, from one George who afterwards lived there. The other at Derby on the eastern bank of the Naugatuck river at a place then called Paugasset and near the church. Madam Humphreys, con- sort of the Rev. Daniel Humphreys, and the mother of the ambassa- dor, was a Riggs, and a descendant of Edward Riggs, one of the first settlers of Derby between 1655 and 1660. She often used to speak of it as the family tradition that the judges who sometimes secreted them- selves at the cave and Sperry's farm, also for some time secreted them- selves at Derby, in the house of her grandfather, Mr. Edward Riggs ; whose house was forted or palisadoed, to secure it from the Indians ; there being, 1660, perhaps fewer than half a dozen English families there in the woods, ten or a dozen miles from all other English settle- ments, and they all lodged in this forted house. They might probably shift their residences, especially in the dangerous summer of 1661, to disappoint and deceive pursuivants and avoid discovery. This tradi- tion is preserved in the Riggs and Humphrey families to this day."17
Here we have the information that Edward Riggs's house was fortified, or made like a fort, in 1661, and that all the families [in times of danger] "lodged in this forted house." This in- formation is reliable, because Madam Humphreys lived several years cotemporary with her grandfather, Ensign Samuel Riggs, (not Edward, as Dr. Stiles has it) ; she being the daughter of Capt. John and not of Ensign Samuel.
From the fact that these men were protected at Mr. Riggs's home, we learn that the family were residing here at that time, and if so, they probably did not return to Milford after their first settlement in 1654, that is, Edward Riggs's family ; Samuel Riggs was not married until 1667 ; and we have confirmed an- other supposition that there were no dwellings between West Rock, New Haven and the Hudson river, so far back from the Sound shore. Such was the loneliness of the place where three or four families resided about ten years.
Francis French was another of these settlers of 1654, but was not married until 1661. His house, no doubt, was built on the hill half a mile east of the village, and it is probable that his lot as laid in the village, joined at the foot of the hill, his land on the hill.
17 Stiles's Judges, 113.
25
FIRST SETTLERS.
Thomas Langdon was living in his house mentioned in bound- ing the lots first laid out, and being one of the original pur- chasers, may have resided at this place some of the time since the first settlement, but how much we are not certain.
John Brown was here and did work, and land was laid to him, and it appears that he resided here, but of it we are not certain. He soon removed to Newark, N. J.
Henry Botsford may have resided here, but it is very doubtful.
Isaac Platt and Robert Denison sold their rights and never resided here so far as is known.
John Smith did not settle here, but his son, Ephraim, did, in 1668; and he may have worked here as a single man, some years before.
Richard Baldwin did not reside here, probably, but his de- scendants did some years afterwards.
There was a John Brewer working here, but the name is not seen again on the records in many years.
Joseph Hawkins purchased land on the neck soon after the village lots were laid out, but was not married until 1668; his father, Joseph, senior, did not settle here.
The best information thus far obtained leads to the conclu- sion that the first settlers came in 1654, and were Edward Wooster, Thomas Langdon, located at Old Town; Edward Riggs, located on the hill east ; and Francis French on the hill in 1661 ; Lieut. Thomas Wheeler lived on the Point from 1657 or 8 to 1664, and returned to Stratford.
That there was a settlement made here in 1654, is without doubt, since they made application in the spring of 1655, and were admitted by the New Haven court into the jurisdiction as a village, which could not have been if there had been no settle- ment.
It has been entertained that the first settlement was wholly at Squabble Hole, where the first meeting house was built, but that house was built twenty-seven years after the first settlers came, at which time the settlement had extended over Sentinel Hill; and the people evidently thought a large proportion of future settlers would be in that part of the town, but found themselves quite mistaken after a few years.
In the autumn previous to the laying out this first land, the
4
26
HISTORY OF DERBY.
colonies of New Haven and Connecticut were united, and the General Court put on a different face towards the little planta- tion in the Naugatuck valley.18
" This court upon the petition of the inhabitants of 'Paugasuck ' do declare that they are willing to afford the best encouragement they can to promote a plantation there, and if there do a sufficient number ap- pear betwixt this and October next that will engage to make a planta- tion. there, to maintain an orthodox minister among them, that they may be in a capable way to enjoy the ordinances of God and civil order amongst themselves, then the court will be ready to confer such privi- leges as may be for their comfort, so they do not prejudice the town of Milford or New Haven in their commons. Oct. 12, 1665."19
THE ENGLISHMAN'S HOGS AND THE INDIANS.
Although from first to last the English and the Indians pre- served great friendliness and fidelity, there were some differ- ences of sentiment and manner of living, especially in regard to the cultivation of the soil. The Paugasuck Indians at this time dwelt on the Great Neck, a little back of Birmingham, and down by the side of the Ousatonic river in the vicinity of the present dam. The Pootatucks dwelt on the west side of the Ousatonic where the village of Shelton now stands, and below towards the narrows. Some few Indians may have been dwell- ing at Turkey Hill, although it was after this or about this time that the Milford Indians as a body took their abode on that hill, just south of the boundaries of Derby ; a few may have been living at the narrows.
The Indians made no fences around their cornfields, or very few and poor ones ; the English did about theirs, and desired to allow their hogs and cattle to run in common in the woods ad- joining the fenced fields and meadows, but if this was allowed, the animals, not discerning the difference of ownership, would go into the Indians' corn, and especially when led by the red man's creatures, which though few, always roamed at large, so that the Indians' corn was sometimes nearly annihilated by his
18 Very particular attention and study has been given to these items of the first set- tlement, since the traditions and public prints differ concerning them. A careful examination of the town records will verify what is here written.
19 Conn. Col. Rec. I.
27
ENGLISH AND INDIANS.
own animals, with a strong inclination in their owners to lay the damages upon the English. This seems to have been about the only trouble that ever occurred between the Derby people and the Indians. It was in view of this difficulty that Lieuten- ant Wheeler of Stratford, two years before, when of Paugassett, had requested advice of the New Haven court, and that body ordered the people of Paugassett and the Indians there and at Milford, to meet the court in the autumn session at Milford and have a hearing from both sides. Mr. Wheeler in his re- quest stated "that he found some annoyance by the Indians planting so near their borders and not fencing anything like, but their creatures may go in as they will, that he can keep no hogs but in pens ; and how far their duty was, and the Indians in reference to fencing he desired to be informed."
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