USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 12
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Alexander Bryan was a very energetic business man, a mer- chant, not only at Milford where he resided but also at Paugas- sett. He was a member of the court at New Haven a number of years, and also of the General Court at Hartford. He was selected by the New Haven court in 1655 to send the laws of the Colony to England to be printed and to ship as a merchant the provisions to Barbadoes to procure the money to pay the bill for printing, thus indicating that he was the most extensive trader in the Colony. As early as 1640 he "sent a vessel to the Bay [Boston] laden with beaver, otter, and other precious
39
MR. ALEXANDER BRYAN.
furs," and in return brought such goods as were desired at Mil- ford and the region. And it may have been that those furs were, a considerable portion of them at least, obtained in the region of Paugassett, and became the occasion of stirring Mr. Wakeman of New Haven to build here the trading house in 1642.
In 1675, Mr. Bryan, his son Richard, also a merchant, and William East of Milford, merchant, owned two brigs and one sloop, which they kept engaged in trade to the West Indies and Boston, and his vessels, most probably, brought to Derby most of the goods imported, and carried out the surplus provisions, furs and staves that were provided for the market. His credit is said to have stood so high that his notes of hand were as current in Boston as bank bills at any time.
A large proportion of the deeds from the Indians of Paugas- sett lands, passed through his hands as the real owner, and his friendly and constant help in this matter was of very considera- ble advantage to the plantation. A grant of land was made to his son Richard, " merchant," in 1680, to become an inhabitant of Derby, and after a short time the grant was renewed with special inducements mentioned, showing that there were nego- tiations for such an end entered into by him, but the matter failed, and soon after he passed from his earthly work and his father settled his estate property here. Richard Baldwin was the first father of the plantation, Alexander Bryan was the second.
In May, 1673, Nicholas Camp and John Beard were accepted as inhabitants, and a grant of land lying near to the new Indian fort was granted them under the rules established, but they do not appear to have settled in the town, unless some years later. This same year, also, Alexander Bryan purchased the western- most island25 in the Ousatonic River in front of Birmingham, and delivered it to the town, probably soon after. This deed was signed by the name Chushumack, who is probably the
·
25 " All my island in the Great River called Pootatuck .. being situate against the Indian field, which formerly I sold to Mr. Alexander Bryan, senior, and against the Indian fort . . in consideration of a gun and other good pay in hand received. This 5th of June, 1673.
Chushamack, Sachem, his mark.
Ponomskut, his mark.
Robbin,
his mark.
Pawanet, his mark.
Amonequon, Kehow,
his mark. his mark.
Chawbrook, his mark."
40
HISTORY OF DERBY.
grandfather of the Chuse who was chief at Seymour some years later. He signed the deed given to Joseph Hawley and Henry Tomlinson, in 1668, of land above Birmingham. This is the more probable as the gathering of the Indians at Chuse-town was made of the remnants of those who had dwelt lower down on both rivers, the Pootatuck and Paugassett. The name Chuse, therefore, may have been an abbreviation of his full name, which was a very fashionable custom in those days for English as well as Indians, and not the result of Indian accent in pronouncing the word choose.
Another deed of lands partly in Stratford and partly in Derby was signed by this same sachem and fourteen Pootatuck In- dians, which included a tract of land larger than the present town of Derby, covering a large portion of the Great Neck.26
In the next year (1674), in March, two parcels of land were deeded, one to Jabez Harger, and the other to Jonas Tomlinson,
1
26 " Be it known to all Christian people, Indians and others whom it may con. cern, that I Pocona and Ringo and Quoconoco and Whimta who are right owners of one Island in the Great river Oantenock where Mr. Goodyear had a trading house and also the lands on both sides of the river, we do by this present writing grant . . unto Henry Tomlinson of Stratford the above mentioned island and the land on both sides the river three miles down the river southeast and the land on both sides the river upward northwest, which amounts to seven miles in length and ac- cordingly of each side the river three miles in breadth which amounts to six miles in breadth; all which tract of land and island, to have . . We confess to have re- ceived one piece of cloth and other good pay to our satisfaction. April 25, 1671.
Pocono,
his mark.
Tone, the second son of
Ringo,
his mark.
Mataret, his mark.
Quoconoco,
his mark.
Toto,
his mark.
Mohemat, his mark. Ocomunhed, his mark.
Cheshushamack, Sachem, his mark.
Wookpenos,
his mark.
Wesonco,
his mark.
Pomuntock,
his mark.
Mataret, the Sachem's
eldest son, his mark.
Chetemhehu, his mark.
Oshoron, his mark.
Papiscounos, his mark."
" Be it known unto all men to whom this present writing shall come that we whose names are hereunto subscribed being Indians belonging to Paqunocke that whereas we have had formerly interest in those lands lying within the bounds of Stratford; the aforesd lands .being made over by our predecessors when the English came first to sit down in these parts; we do therefore for our parts jointly and severally confirm, etc., forever, all that tract of land aforesd being bounded on the west with
41
RELEASE OF STRATFORD LANDS.
his brother-in-law, in the vicinity of Horse hill,2" and in the fol- lowing April another piece to Samuel Riggs and Abel Gunn, extending the plantation to the north side of Horse hill and to Beaver brook.28
Jabez Harger was the first settler in this vicinity east of Sam- uel Riggs, and Dr. John Hulls the next, but apparently did not remove his family thither until 1673 or later. The Weeds, spoken of by Mr. J. W. Barber as among the first settlers in this vicinity, came after 1700, and if here, then were they
Fairfield bounds, . . the north bounds being the Halfway river, the east bounds being the Stratford river, and the south bounds the sound or sea.
May 25, 1671.
Sucskow, his mark.
Musquatt, his mark.
Susqua James,
¥
Nesinpaes,
1
Peowse,
Totoquan, 66 60
Tatiymo, 66 66
This deed was confirmed in 1684, by the following :
Papuree, his mark.
Chickins,
his mark.
Ponamscutt,
66
Sashwake James,
Aennhe,
66
Crehero,
Robin,
Matach, 66
66
Cheroromogg,
66
Oct. 8, 1671. A receipt was signed by the following in full acknowledging the re- ceipt of " 20 pounds of lead, five pounds of powder, and ten trading cloth coats, the which we acknowledge to be the full satisfaction for all lands lying within the bounds of Stratford.
Musquatt, his mark.
Sassapagrenı or Piunquesh, his mark."
27 For and in consideration of one Indian coat in hand paid by Jabez Harger of Pagasett and other considerations . . one parcel of land . . adjoining to the said Hargers land and John Hulls, south and east, bounded with a rock north as high as Plum meadow, and bounded with the west side of Horse Hill.
Also to Jonas Tomlinson ten acres lying on the south of Horse Hill.
Indian witness,
Husks, his mark.
Okenug, his mark.
28 " I Okenuck, sole and only sagamore of Pagasett do sell . . to Samuel Riggs and Abel Gunn . . a parcel of land called . . Horse hill, bounded on the south with a brook, and on the east with a swamp and the Indians land, on the north with a brook, and on the northwest and southwest with two brooks called Beaver brook and Horse Hill brook; for and in consideration of one blanket by me.
April 20, 1674.
Okenuck, his mark."
6
66
Sasepaquan, 66
Shoran, 66
Nasquero, 66 66
Siacus, 66
42
HISTORY OF DERBY.
scarcely settlers at Derby Landing as represented by the same writer.
In the autumn of 1673, as indicated by the following record, a very important enterprise was planned and put in form to be executed in due time, with a precision becoming the dignity of what was regarded in those days, the great component part of a plantation. Abel Gunn wrote the record with the most careful definiteness, ornamenting the commencement of every line with a capital letter, and although it may appear odd, there is about as much propriety and beauty in it as in the present custom of ornamenting poetry in the same way.
" Item. At a lawful meeting of the inhabitants of pagasett together with those proprietors of Stratford And Milford that have some land in improvement there, november 18, 1673. It was voted and agreed that they would build Mr. John Bowers a dwelling house 36 feet In length and 18 feet and a half in breadht and story an half in height Mr. Bowers Finding what glass, nails, and iron works that shall be necessary for the house; this is to be finished so as Mr. Bowers may live in it with his family by the next May Ensuing the date above written.
" Item. It was agreed between Mr. Bowers and the inhabitants of Pagasett that in case the said Mr. Bowers should come to the possession of this house if he should be taken away by death Within the space of six years, that then this house shall be to his heirs and assigns For ever, but in case the Lord continues his life he hath not the power of dispo- Sal of it in way of selling until he hath fulfilled the just time of six years with Them in the Ministry; but after the term of six years Mr. Bowers hath full power Of the disposal of the above said house and in case Mr. Bowers shall see case within The space of this six years to remove from them it is always provided that the Inhabitants shall pay him for what it is any ways better by his improvement and then The [house] to remain to the inhabitants.
"' Item. The inhabitants at the same time have agreed with John Hulls to build this house Dimentions as above said for the value of 33 pounds, the condition of which agre- Ment is this that the said John Hulls shall do all the timber work concerning This house and get the planks for the lower floors ; the inhabitants do enga- Ge to get the clapboards and shingles and to cart all the timber; they also engage A rediness to help in case they are called and desired by John Hulls provided they Have a day's warning before hand; and for every days work this winter season Till March they are to be allowed two shillings a day, and after the first of Mar- Ch they are to have 2s. 6d. per day.
" Item. At the same time Mr. Hawley, Nicholas Camp, John Beard, Henry Tomlinson & John Brins- Mead did engage 20 pounds towards the building of the house in equal proportion amo- Ngst themselves ; and to pay ten pounds if it be demanded at the rearing and ten pounds At the covering of the house and because of present distance they are to be exemp- Ted from particular days works about the building.29
" Item. It is agreed by the inhabitants that they will cause to be paid to Mr. Bowers After the first year, from year to year the full and just sum of 635 in such
Ways as may best suit his needs, either in work or otherwise, they still maintain- ing him with firewood such as may be comfortable from time to time.
" Item. As to the first year, seeing the inhabitants are like to be at great expences in Building ; Mr. Bowers is willing to take up with what the inhabitants shall or will Voluntarily do for that year.
" Item. But in case the house return to the inhabitants upon the terms specifi- Ed, then they shall pay unto Mr. Bowers the proportion of the first years salary As they paid the second year.
20 l'hey all resided then in Stratford.
43
MINISTERIAL SUPPORT.
" Item. The inhabitants do allow Mr. Bowers, 12 acres in his house lot. 6 acres on Senti- Nel hill, 20 acres on Horse hill. as soon as it is purchased ; which land he hath Upon the same terms he hath the house above said.
Mr. Bowers desires and the inhabitants do grant him a watering place in
His home lot, and the improvement of the parsonage, upland and meadow. These Articles of agreement between Mr. John Bowers and the inhabitants, of Paugassett, .
As also between John Hulls and the inhabitants there, as also what the pro- Prietors engage and consented to at a lawful day and year above
Written I say have mutually consented that these articles and every part Of these particulars shall be recorded and to stand firm in law to all true Intents and purposes whatsoever."
The Colonial law for the maintenance of ministers was as follows :
" Whereas the most considerable persons in these Colonies came into these parts of America that they might enjoy Christ in his ordi- nances, without disturbance ; and whereas among many other precious mercies, the ordinances are and have been dispensed among us with much purity and power, The Commissioners took it into serious con- sideration, how some due maintenance according to God might be pro- vided and settled, both for the present and future, for the encourage- ment of the ministers who labor therein, and conclude to propound and commend it to each General Court, that those that are taught in the word in the several plantations be called together. that every man vol- untarily set down what he is willing to allow to that end and use ; and if any man refuse to pay a meet proportion. that then he be rated by authority in some just and equal way ; and if after this any man with- hold or delay due payment the civil power to be exercised as in other just debts."30
In 1672, a lot called sometimes the minister's lot, at others the par- sonage lot, was fenced since the one so laid in 1665, in the village had been sold, or exchanged, and the lot rented yearly ; and it was the use of this that Mr. Bowers asked.
It will be observed that the record says repeatedly that the inhabi- tants make these agreements ; which was according to the matter of fact, there being no other way since Paugassett was neither a town nor an ecclesiastical society in a town. Ecclesiastically they were a part of Milford, and paid to the support of the minister there, where they at- tended church, and all that was paid for preaching in Paugassett before it became Derby was in addition to the paying of their full share at Milford. There were services here before 1675, as Mr. Bowers was here as early as 1672. Those men, therefore, of Stratford who owned land here, must pay their full tax in Stratford, and then their tax on
80 [Records of United Colonies, September 5, 1644.] Col. Rec. vol. 1: 112
44
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Paugasett land for the support of preaching in Milford, and then in a voluntary way for the minister in Paugasett, if they desired to prove that a minister could be maintained in this last place. Mr. Bowers's house was built according to contract, and he probably took possession of it as soon as finished.
Preparations being made at this time under the expectation that the Court at its coming session would do something for them, the voters assembled and arranged some rules for the
ADMISSION OF INHABITANTS.
" April 16, 1675. The inhabitants of Paugasuck being sensible of the great inconvenience of men coming and taking up land and not dwelling and improving it according to the expectation of the inhabi- tants. do now order and agree that all which shall be entertained for inhabitants, for time to come, shall build a sufficient house according to law, and fence in his home lot and convenient outland, and inhabit constantly for the space of four years after the grant of all such lands, and that all persons that have and do take up land upon this grant, if they do not fulfill the order and shall go from the place and not fulfill these conditions shall forfeit all his and their grant of land and pains about it except the inhabitants see cause to favor him or them."
If such conditions were granted, at the present day, on the unimproved lands of the United States, they would be eagerly accepted by hundreds of thousands yearly. The grant usually made was four acres as a home lot, or lot to build on ; eight or ten acres of upland or tillable land, and as much more in swamp, or meadow ; making twenty or twenty-four acres. The home lot was to be fenced, and the individual was to take his part in the fences about the large fields if he had lands within them ; and must " build a sufficient house and inhabit four years," and then the land became his forever.
CHAPTER II.
DERBY.
1675-1680.
" General Court at Hartford, May 13, 1675. PON the motion of Joseph Hawkins and John Hulls to have the privileges of a plantation granted to the inhabitants of Pawgassett there being about twelve families settled there already and more to the number of eleven preparing settlement forthwith, and that they have en- gaged a minister to come and settle amongst them speedily, and have expended about one hundred pounds in preparing a house for the minister; This Court for their encouragement do grant them the power and privilege of a plantation ; and for their bounds, this Court do reserve power in their hands to settle their bounds (when they are informed of the state of those lands,) so as may be most accommodating and least inconven- ient to the said Pawgasuck and the new town going up at Mat- tatock; and do order that the future dispose of lands within the bounds to be granted them and settlement of what is purchased already for improvement, shall be ordered and disposed by the committee appointed by this Court to see to the settlement of both the bounds and distribution of lands, so as may be best for the upholdment of a plantation as is now granted to them ; which committee is Capt. John Nash, Capt Wm. Curtiss, Lieut. Thomas Munson.
" The plantation of Pawgasuck is by this Court named DERBY,1 and is freed from Country Rates for three years next following, they defraying their own charges."
THE TWELVE FAMILIES WERE :
Edward Wooster, Francis French,
Stephen Pierson,
John Hulls,
1 DERBY, a shiretown of Derbyshire, England, 127 miles nearly north-west of Lon- don, was the town after which the new town was named, as some of these settlers came from that part of England.
46
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Joseph Hawkins,
Jeremiah Johnson,
Samuel Riggs,
Jabez Harger,
Ephraim Smith,
Ebenezer Johnson,
Abel Gunn,
John Tibballs.
Those intending "to come in forthwith," and who had re- ceived grants of land, were :
Mr. John Bowers,
George Beaman,
Dea. Abel Holbrook,
John Brinsmade,
Capt. John Beard,
Henry Tomlinson,
Nicholas Camp,
Jonas Tomlinson,
Joseph Hawley,
Henry Botsford,
Moses Johnson.
All settled here within a few years except Mr. Hawley; Henry Tomlinson and Mr. Camp did not come in for some years, if at all.
The fact of being organized into a plantation guaranteed all the powers and privileges of an ecclesiastical society without a separate organization. The plantation, (or town as they began to call such organizations about that time,) held all powers which have since been delegated to ecclesiastical societies to provide for the preaching of the gospel, and thus it continued more than one hundred years, and there probably were no records other than town records of ecclesiastical doings in this parish until after the Revolution. The church proper kept records from the first, as is indicated in one or two town records which have been seen, but nothing of these can now be found.
MINISTER ENGAGED.
Rev. John Bowers had been preaching here some time when the record of November, 1673, was made, and the proposition of the town to settle him and provide for his support proffered and accepted by him. He was in Branford, it is said, in 1671, and may have come here in the next year, but the probability is that he came first in the summer of 1673, and after a few months the proposition to settle him was fully considered and the con- clusion reached as recorded, upon one condition, namely, that the Assembly would grant them to be a separate plantation, for they could not continue to pay to the support of Milford
47
FIRST MINISTER ENGAGED.
church and support their own many years, as they were then situated.
Mr. Bowers's house was most likely built in the winter accord- ing to the agreement, and probably he made his home in it in the spring of 1674, as proposed. This house was located on the hill in the vicinity where the first meeting house was located : since his land is said in the records to have joined that of Fran- cis French, Samuel Riggs and Jeremiah Johnson.
A vote of the town was passed in February, 1674, " that all lands granted and claimed within the bounds of Pawgassett should pay to the full maintenance of the minister, and that the minister's maintenance shall be levied by no other estate, but only by lands, and all lands shall be laid out and prized to tillable lands either in quantity or quality." So that those who had accepted grants of land, whether they occupied them or not, must pay their full share according as their land rated in the classes. The classes were as follows, being appraised in 1670, for Derby, by the court : " House lands twenty shillings per acre, other im- proved lands one-fourth part twenty shillings per acre, the other three-fourths ten shillings per acre, and all other lands improved [without] fence, one shilling per acre."
Such were the efforts made by these few settlers at this time, in a deep, thick wilderness, to secure homes and the ordinances of the Gospel A little while, only, they were to live and labor, and then go hence to return no more. The Gospel brought the only hope of any good beyond their earthly toils, and without that, the wilderness, though it should blossom with every joy and comfort beside, would be but a wilderness of fears and death. The efforts of these persons were really wonderful, amazing ! Twenty-three families, twelve only in the place, support a minis- ter nearly two years, while at the same time paying their full share of ministerial tax elsewhere, and building a minister's house at a cost of one hundred pounds, and they in a new country, with but little land cleared upon which to raise any produce. In half of the twelve families the parents were mar- ried only a few years, and had but little with which to lay the foundation of their life work on new farms. Under these cir- cumstances the struggle for success was beyond description. But three ways were open before them; to go without the
48
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Gospel, or go to Milford, or support a minister at home. Nearly twenty years some of them had gone to Milford on Sun- day and back, to obtain all the good they had had from the means of grace, and they knew quite well how much that cost.
A story is still told which illustrates the religious character of the people of that day and the perils of the wilderness. The oc- currence must have taken place between 1670 and 1673. A fam- ily by the name of Johnson, (and there was but one here then,) before services were held in Paugassett, consisted of small chil- dren and the parents. The father went to Milford on Sunday morning to the meeting to remain to the two services. The mother was engaged dressing the children for the Sabbath, when sitting near the door which stood open, she heard some animal near it, and thought it to be a hog. But the next sound seemed different from such an animal, and she reached and shut the door which fastened with a latch, making it quite secure. She then rose and made it more secure by the usual method, and went upstairs and looked out the window to see what crea- ture it was, when, lo! a bear of full size and power was seen. She took the gun, it being loaded for just such interesting occa- sions, and exercising the best of her skill, fired, and old bruin gave up his life at once. The hours of that day went slower in that house than ever before, until the master came. On arriv- ing home the husband called the neighbors in general camp- consultation as to whether it would be wicked to eat that bear, since he was killed on Sunday, for had it occurred on any other day except a fast day, there would have been no question, as such meat was judged quite delicious and healthful. The de- cision of the council was that since it was " killed in self-defense it would be Christianly consistent to eat the meat ;" although how the bear could have entered the house to the injury of the family after being fastened out, is not easy to see at this late distance. The decision having been rendered, the animal lay untouched until the sun was quite down, when he was dressed, and furnished some two hundred pounds of provision. But it had cost a severe fright to that mother and her little ones. So far as she could judge the bear might be dead and harmless, or he might not ; she could not venture out to see, and there she remained six hours in a prison of fear. Nor were the people
49
THE FAITH OF THE FATHERS.
without their apprehensions of such visitors every day. After the father of this family had left that morning, another family on their way to Milford meeting, called, and the woman had it in her mind to propose to stay with the mother and children instead of going to the meeting, as she apprehended danger im- minent to such a family.
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