USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 19
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"Voted that those seats before the pulpit be parted." That is, being long seats running from aisle to aisle, each seat counted for two. When the addition to this house was completed there were probably two doors and an aisle from each door, and the pulpit standing on the back side between these aisles.
" Voted that Ens. Samuel Riggs, Mr. William Tomlinson, senr., shall sit in the first seat facing to the pulpit, and their wives likewise." That is, their wives in the opposite end. "That Mr. Isaac Nichols and Lieut. Thomas Wooster in the second of those seats facing the pulpit, and their wives in the same rank " [but on the women's side].
"That Doct. John Durand and Mr. John Davis in the third of these seats and their wives in the same order.
HISTORY OF DERBY.
" Voted that the town will have the rest of the meeting-house seated according to rates ; and that John Tibbals, Ens. Joseph Hull and Joseph Hawkins be a committee to see that matter of seating according to rates performed. That heads shall be taken out of the list, all except one head to each estate in order to seat the meeting-house according to rates." This method a few years later excluded a man's son and daughter, if adults, from his own pew or seat; which arrangement made it necessary to appoint the tithing man to watch the young people in the meet- ing-house, as they were shut out of their proper place with their parents. In this house the young people must have been seated in the back seats, but when the second house was built they went into the gallery.
"Voted that the first long seat shall be accounted the highest in dignity yet unseated and that the first short seat yet unseated be accounted the second in dignity ; and then the second long seat the third in dignity and the last short seat the fourth in dignity, and then the other seats being all in one tier to receive their dignity from their order successively.
" At the same time John Pringle, Samuel Bowers, Abel Gunn and John Riggs were appointed a committee to seat the meet- ing-house that is yet unseated," and they did the work and de- clared it at the same town meeting.
" At the same time voted that Abraham Pierson shall have his head taken out of his father's list and Seth Perry's head shall be taken out of Adino Strong's list in order to seating, and they the said Abraham and Seth shall have seats equall to the men of eighteen pound estate.
" Voted that the wife of John Tibballs shall sit precisely ac- cording to the list of her husband's ratable estate." She prob- ably held a ratable estate of her own, which added to her hus- band's would have placed her higher than he. Such an arrange- ment could not be tolerated in those days, but according to the rule established as to estates she could claim it.
"Voted that the town will convert those two hindmost seats before the pulpit into a pew for the women."
In the next March they voted further that " Edward Riggs, Peter Johnson, and Richard Holbrook shall have liberty to build a seat before the women's pew [at the side of the pulpit]
119
PROGRESS IN DERBY.
for their wives to sit in." This shows that there were not seats enough when arranged in classes, although previously there were sufficient.
Therefore it may be seen that the spirit of class order ex- isted one hundred and fifty years ago, the same as now, and as ever it had. At one time it is the boast of physical strength, at another of physical weakness, or idleness, independent of work ; at another beauty; another, wealth; another intellectual culti- vation ; in all ages it has lived and done good and evil ; and where it is not there is death of all that is improving in human society ; the only question is to guide it aright.
In 1710, they "granted the guard [soldiers] liberty to have the two hindmost seats but one on the men's side," which indi- cates the presence of from ten to fifteen soldiers each Sunday.
The spirit of enterprise was stronger now in Derby than ever .before, in all that would bring prosperity. Another tract of land is purchased on the east side4 of the Naugatuck, in 1709, extending the right of the soil to Beacon hill river north and Milford line on the east. The proprietors of this land say they are " Indians of Milford " an historical statement denoting the fact of their descent from the original tribe at Milford. In this sale, Chetrenaset an Indian receives a squaw from Major Ebenezer Johnson at the value of seven pounds, money, which was securing a wife at more than an ordinary cost for an Indian, but reveals the system of abomination that has cost America more, in every view taken, than any other to be mentioned to the present day.
This purchase was the last on the east side of Naugatuck and left the Indians no land on that side of the river except the reservation at Seymour.
"4We .. Indians of Milford, for and in consideration of seven pounds paid to Major Ebenezer Johnson of Derby from Chetrenaset upon the account of a Squaw Sarah, sold unto said Chetrenaset, and three pounds ten shillings in hand received 'of Major Ebenezer Johnson .. which we do acknowledge, have sold a certain tract of land lying in a place called Nayumps, bounded northerly with Beacon hill river, easterly with Milford, westerly with Naugatuck river, south with Lebanon river. . April 1, 1709.
Cockapatana his mark
Cockapatouch his mark
Waskawakes his mark
Mamook his mark Chipps his mark
Jack his mark
"John Minor, justice, says Cockapatana and his son Waskawakes, alias Tom."
I 20
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Another piece of land was purchased the next spring by Rev. Joseph Moss and his brother, Samuel Moss, containing one hun- dred and twenty acres, the only piece bought by the acre of any extent of the Indians. The price is stated to have been "a certain valuable sum of money." -
"5 A tract of land in the precincts of Derby, situate at a place known by the name of Twelve mile hill joining upon the bounds of the town of Waterbury on the north running from mile stake which standeth on the top of said hill, one quarter of a mile eastward, which will make the length of said tract of land half a mile, and to run from said stake one hundred rods south which maketh one hundred acres. Mar. 13, 1710.
Indian Witnesses
Cockapatana his mark
Powheak
Will Doctor his mark
Rowagosook
Sisowecum his mark
" All of us Indians, native proprietors of the lands in Derby, for the consideration . . of six pounds current silver money by Ens. Samuel and Lieut. Joseph Hull of Derby, agents, . . have sold . . a certain tract of land, bounded as follows, south- ward by the Little river, so called, westward by Woodbury bounds up to two chest- nut trees marked, which are the bounds between Waterbury, Woodbury and Derby, and then the line runs in the line dividing the township of Derby and Waterbury until it comes to the middle of Towantick pond, which is the northerly bounds of the land; thence Southwardly by marked trees until it comes to the brook that runs down the west side of Towantick hill unto the Little river.
"And further we . . hereby remise, release and quit claim . . all the rights and title we have . . in any of the lands within the bounds of Derby, excepting such small piece or pieces that we have by expression in particular deeds before reserved for our own use as may be seen by the records of Derby.
Jan. 31, 1710.
Nanawaug
his mark
Jack
his mark
Charles his mark
Tackamore his mark
Meskilling
his mark
Mackwash
his mark
Durgen
his mark
Ackcutrout
his mark
" We whose names are under written being Indians living near Derby do witness that Sisowecum alias Warouth, Pequet, Will Doctor, Daupauks alias Will Toto, John Toto and Tom Toto are the right owners of all the land in the northern and northwestward parts of Derby bounds yet unsold as witness our hands in Derby, this Ist of Feb. 1710
II
Nanawaug his mark
Curen
his mark
Jacob his mark
Watakis
his mark
Jack his mark
Charles his mark
Skilling
his mark
Chips
his mark
Mockwash
his mark
Durgen
his mark."
Indian Witnesses
Curens his mark
Wattakis
his mark
121
TURKEY HILLS.
One hundred acres of this tract was given to Mr. Joseph Moss by the town in the place of the forty acres promised him at his settlement.
One more purchase was made of the Indians, which, though dated a month earlier than the one above, seemed to complete the territory of Derby, very nearly as to purchases.
The names of the two sachems are not on these deeds, which raises the supposition that the lands were before this, divided among the Indians, and these chiefs with others had removed to other regions.6 Ten others signed their names to a paper declaring that certain other Indians were the owners of all lands yet unsold in the northern and north-westward parts of Derby, meaning doubtless the reservations. But this last paper may have been intended to confirm what was said in the last deed that all lands hitherto owned by the natives except reservations were now sold. The only reservations made so far as seen were at the Falls. The Turkey hills possession was a grant from Milford to the Indians. The original deed for Derby was for land so far south as to the "point of rocks ;" that is, the rocks at the mouth of Two-mile brook. Between that and the Mil- ford line was a strip of land running some distance east, if not to New Haven line. This strip Alexander Bryan bought of the Indians and Milford became possessed of it, and the portion called Turkey hill consisting of about one hundred acres Mil- ford appointed to the Indians about 1680 as their home. But Ausantaway, the faithful chief of Milford was settled in Derby before this, and closed his life career in 1676, and some of the clan resided here until the death of Molly Hatchett in 1829. Ausantaway is said to have been in Derby and hence probably lived north of the mouth of Two-mile brook on what is called also Turkey hill, where was also an Indian burying ground.
The following record can scarcely be true, although a matter of fact in history. "Jan. 9, 1707. Voted that the bargain the town made with Samuel Bowers about beating the drum for twenty shillings till next August be hereby ratified and con- firmed ; and that John Chatfield have six shillings for beating the drum for the time past." He did not beat the drum all the
"6Lambert 130, who says Cockapotany died at his home in Derby in 1731.
16
122
HISTORY OF DERBY.
time, day and night, as the record might imply, but for the calling the town together, but for what they should come together so often as to cost twenty shillings in seven months is the mystery.
The Rev. John James was the the first person employed in town to teach the public school, so far as has been observed in the records of the town, and this work began in 1701, in De- cember, and he continued it three or four years ; and all that he was required to teach was reading and writing, and that as or when the children came to him. For these services he received only forty shillings, the amount required by law to be raised and used in the town during the year ; the record says forty shillings, but this may have meant forty shillings per thou- sand on the grand list, and he kept night school as well as day.
In 17II, a considerable advance had been made, as indicated in the recorded statement, "that every person improveth the school-master by sending their children or servants to school this year, shall pay their proportion of that part of the school- master's salary which is over the money that comes to the school out of the country treasury in proportion to the number each sends, to the whole number and the time each child attends. And it is further agreed that all the night scholars shall pay . per night or per week, half that proportion that day scholars do, and bring in their accounts as aforesaid or suffer like penalty as aforesaid, excepting such night scholars as belong to those that find house-room for the schools, and they to pay nothing for their learning if there be nothing demanded for house-room." Six years before, they were content in using what money the law required, but now they tax themselves, and have night schools as well as day.
Another item of advance in the arts, was made in the secur- ing a cunning workman in iron. "Voted that the town grant John Smith of Milford, blacksmith, four acres of land for a home lot, to build upon. anywhere within one mile from the meeting- house where he shall choose, in the land not laid out, upon con- dition that he build a mansion house and smith's shop, and set up the trade of a blacksmith, and follow it for the benefit of the inhabitants of the town for the space of seven years." And they specify that if Mr. Smith will not accept the offer, then the town
123
ANCIENT DWELLINGS.
offered the same to any other good blacksmith that would come. This John Smith may have been the son of the first blacksmith in Milford, who came from Boston in 1643, and followed his trade in Milford some years.
No other men of trades are spoken of in the town acts up to this time. Doctor John Hull, seems to have been the carpen- ter while in town, he having built the first parsonage, the mill and the first meeting-house, and his son John took his place after the father removed to Wallingford. . In building their own houses, most of the farmers were their own carpenters and work- men, except as they exchanged work with their neighbors, and returned the same. Many of the best houses were not plastered, but ceiled in the first story, the half story or part under the roof very seldom was finished any way, except the outside cov- ering, and this was the lodging apartment for the young people, having sometimes a partition, but more frequently not. In some of the early houses, and indeed up to the Revolution and later, the chimney of the house was so constructed as to be open on the front, above the chamber floor. It is related that in an interior town, two young men engaged in trying their strength at a wrestling match, after preparing themselves for bed in the chamber, and not taking notice of the opening at the chimney, went down, both into the fire below, and rolled out on the floor, converting the embers into a warming pan for that evening.
In May, 1716, Sergeant Joseph Hawkins was granted by the General Assembly, " the liberty to keep a ferry over Stratford river [the Ousatonic] where the said Hawkins's house now stands by the said river, at the same fare with the ferry at Strat- ford ; and so often as he shall have occasion at the said place to carry or ferry over the mouth of the Naugatuck river, he shall have the same allowance as aforesaid ; and when to cross both, eight pence for man and beast.
This ferry was continued, so far as known, until a few years before the Revolution, when, as we shall hereafter see, a ferry was established at the Narrows.
In 1713 the town voted, " that so often as any man shall track a wolf into a swamp & give notice of it, and the people of the town do assemble pursue the sd wolf & find him in said swamp the informer shall have five shillings reward out of the town
124
HISTORY OF DERBY.
treasury ; and it is agreed that when and so often as it is a con- venient time to pursue & hunt wolves, all the effective men able to bear arms, shall assemble well mounted and armed at the call of Col. Johnson, Lieut. Hulls, and Sargt. Brinsmade or any one of them & under their conduct & direction shall pursue, hunt & slay the wolves what they can and any men that refus- eth to go out when so called shall pay a fine of three shillings unto the town treasury unless a reasonable excuse be offered."
A further improvement as to the crossing of the river seemed a question so difficult and therefore of such an amount of cost, that the town hesitated to enter upon the work, although of so much importance. The words in which the record is made show a doubt as to the hope of success. "Feb. 25, 1716-17 voted that the town are desirous of a good bridge over Nauga- tuck river." Having proceeded thus far, they ventured to ap- point a committee " to consider what is the most likely way for the building " of such a bridge. And then they request the same committee " to petition the General Court for a brief to raise money for said bridge, and collect what sums they can for said building and to make report to the town."
The General Court gave the grant and appointed a committee to receive the money and disburse the same for the specified purpose.
Sergeant Samuel Brinsmade and John Pringle were to circulate the subscription ("or brief"), and were to have " three shillings as money per day for carrying it."
At the first meeting they voted the "place for building a bridge over Naugatuck river shall be against Doctor Durand's and that it is the most likely and expedient place for a bridge."
" Voted twopence on the pound to build a bridge over the Naugatuck river-those to work out their money who choose to under directions of the committee. Col. Ebenezer Johnson, Joseph Hawkins and William Moss, committee and are empow- ered to call out men to work on the bridge."
It was built at that place, apparently, since Doctor Durand claimed damages for encroachment on his land after the bridge was built. Doctor Durand then owned the old homestead of Edward Wooster, the first settler, deceased, and probably resided
A NEW MEETING-HOUSE. 125
in it ; just opposite where the road from the bridge now enters the river road, at the old town.
This shows that the bed of the Naugatuck was at this time on the east side of the valley, although the old river is still re- ferred to in the deeds.
The following receipt shows the prevalent method of transact- ing business without money :
" Milford Dec. 26, 1723. Then received of John Holbrook of Derby upon the account of the Bridge Logs of Derby one hundred and thirty- six pounds of pork at three cents per pound. Barnabas Baldwin, Junr."
Thus almost everything was paid for by exchange of produce or some kind of merchandise. Very unfrequently was an en- gagement made by which silver or gold could be required by law. Gold, in pay, is not mentioned in the records during a hundred years, but silver is mentioned several times, yet nearly always to be delivered by weight.
Only twelve years had passed since the repairing of the old church when the spirit of enterprise determined that a new meeting-house was needed, and hence in December, 1719, they declared " that the town will build a new meeting-house, and that it shall be set in some convenient place near where the old meeting-house now standeth, and that the dimentions shall be as followeth, viz .: forty feet long and thirty-two feet wide and twenty feet posts.
"Granted a six penny rate for defraying the charge of build- ing the meeting-house ; and every man to have liberty to dis- charge his own rate in labor, provided he can labor in any way to advantage the building. Col. Ebenezer Johnson, Capt. Jo- seph Hull, and Lieut. John Riggs, to be the building com- mittee."
But this was one of the enterprises that progressed slowly, for more than a year after, May, 1721, a vote was passed that " the whole town will come together when it is a convenient time and raise the meeting-house without bringing the charge of it into any town rate ; and that the town will be at the charge of buying six gallons of rum for the above said occasion and that to be all the entertainment which shall be upon the town cost." This buying rum for such an occasion sounds surpris- ing, but it should be remembered that rum (alcoholic drinks,)
.
I26
HISTORY OF DERBY.
held about the same estimation in the public mind at that time as tobacco does at the present ; that is, it was supposed to be harmless to all if moderately used, and of great good to many ; and it would be difficult to judge which opinion is most wise or most unwise and injurious, the old or the new.
C.T.Beardsley Ir
THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE IN DERBY, ERECTED IN 1721.
This meeting-house was built in the years 1721 and 1722, but it was not seated until after the following vote: "Jan. 28, 1722- 3, voted that the meeting-house shall be seated by such rules as followeth : Col. Ebenezer Johnson, Ens. Samuel Riggs and John Tibbals, Stephen Pierson, Ens. Nichols shall sit in the first seat next the pulpit ; Doctor Durand, Mr. Samuel Bowers and Jeremiah Johnson shall sit in the second seat of the square next the pulpit ; John Pringle, Sargent Brinsmade, John Chat- field, senr., shall sit in a short seat by Mr. Moss' pew." At the same time it was voted " we will seat all that remain according to the list."
They had previously directed (Feb. 5, 1721-2,) "that Mr. Moss have liberty to build a pew six feet square joining to the pulpit stairs, for his wife and family."
I27
EXEMPT FROM RATES.
It was at this same time that the first tithing men were ap- pointed, Mr. Samuel Bowers and John Smith. The young people could no more sit with their parents, and therefore offi- cers must be appointed to watch them and keep them in quiet order in church. It was not the last religious movement that brought nothing but trouble and evil consequences.
"That the charges of building said house shall be upon tak- ing but one head to a list. Voted that Francis French, Jere- miah Johnson and William Moss shall seat the meeting-house.
" Voted that Francis French, Gideon Johnson and John Chat- field shall be a committee to sell the old meeting-house.
"Granted a rate of twopence on the pound on the country list of 1722, for defraying the charge of building the meeting- house
"Dec. 26, 1721. Voted that they who refuse to pay the whole or any part of the town rates for the building the meeting-house shall within one month from this date come & enter it upon the public records, what sum or sums they refuse to pay, & the clerk shall give a note to the collector stating the matter as it is, . . and upon this note from the clerk the treasurer shall deduct these sums refused to be paid before any distress is made against any person, & thereupon the collector & treasurer shall dis- charge the party so refusing either in whole or in part."
In reply to this the following were entered : " Jan. 17, 1721-2. The town of Derby refused to make up accounts concerning the building the bridge over Naugatuck river, whereby Joseph Hawkins was much wronged, therefore Joseph Hawkins keep- eth back & refuseth to pay forty shillings of the 4 penny rate toward building the meeting-house. Joseph Hawkins.
" Henry Wakelee refuseth to pay both the six penny and four penny rate for the building the meeting-house . . unless the town hire him to keep sheep again, & if they do he saith he will' pay both."
"In Jan. 1722-3, voted that Barnabas Baldwin, Junr, and Joel Northrop upon paying the three rates that are past & the two penny rate now granted according to their lists for defray- ing the charge of building said meeting-house & paying all charges yet to come by said house according to their lists, upon so doing shall have an interest in said house."
I28
HISTORY OF DERBY.
This house was located at what was known then as Derby, but known now as Up Town or Old Town, the latter name be- ing used mostly in these pages of history. The present school- house stands near the old site of this house. The settlement at the mill a mile rorth from this meeting-house was called the North End, and in the neighborhood of Ebenezer Johnson's and Dea. Abel Holbrook's was the South End. There seems to have been a distinction made as to the hill east; one portion being called Sentinel hill, another New Haven Sentinel hill. Riggs hill and Squabble Hole do not occur as yet, in the records.
Repairs were made on this house in 1738, when they "re- moved the three hind seats on the men's side of the meeting- house forward by making a seat in the alley, and made choice of Mr. Abiram Canfield, Mr. Joseph Hull, Junr., and Mr. Daniel Hull for their committee to remove said seats on the town's charge."
THE NEGRO PEW.
"Again the town order the said committee to build a conven- ient seat for the negroes on the beams over the front gallery, and stairs to go up, on the town's charge."
The posts of that house were twenty feet high, which gave room for a second gallery, or this seat "over the front gallery."
These distinctions of class and caste were much, if not wholly, indebted to slavery, for their existence. At the first settlement and the beginning of the first church, it was not so, but when slavery had existed some years, not only were the. slaves re- duced to a position of degradation, but every other man and his family in the community, not on the basis of color, but that of money, they were seated in church in accordance with the amount of money they were worth or held in possession.
SABADAY HOUSES.
In 1725, the following record was made, showing that the people began to think something about comfort on Sunday or First Day, as then called, or yet more strictly, it may be said that recorders frequently wrote second day, third day, and fourth day. "The town granted liberty to the inhabitants to
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