USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 20
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129
FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSE.
build convenient houses for their families on the Sabbath and public days, near the meeting-house on the common." This was followed in 1728, by another institution to be used for the same purpose, a part of the time. Mr. Lumm, John Smith and Gideon Johnson were appointed to gather subscriptions "to build a school-house near the meeting-house, which house shall be at said Lumm's and Smith's and Johnson's command on the Sabbath days;" and a committee was appointed at the same time to "hire a school-master according to law." This was the first school-house, and was near the church and used as a " Sab- aday house," and although the meeting-house is gone, there is a school-house, greatly enlarged and beautified, still at that place ; and the location is now called Academy hill.
In 1764 "the town granted liberty for any of the inhabitants of the town to build Sabbath day houses and horse houses on the sides of the highway near the meeting-house, not to incom- mode any highways."
Thus early did religion and education walk together. Rev. Mr. James started school-teaching in the town by doing the work three months or more, for forty shillings, or possibly forty shillings on a thousand pounds on the list, and Mr. Moss so stimulated the public mind, that a school-master was hired to give his whole time to the work for some months, and additional money raised to pay the teacher, and in Mr. Moss's day a school- house was built.
THE LIST OF ESTATES IN DERBY IN 1718, BY AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN.
Col. Eben Johnson,
£146
Eben Harger,
£9
Capt. Joseph Hulls,
226
Mr. John Durand,
55
Ens. Samuel Riggs,
59
Francis French,
90
Abel Gunn,
I 58
Jonathan Hill,
21
John Johnson,
33
George Black,
21
Jabez Harger,
22
John Munson,
18
Ens. Samuel Nichols,
60
Andrew Smith,
IOI
Samuel Brinsmaid,
15
Jonathan Lum,
54
Wm. Moss,
98
John Davis,
54
Isaac Tomlinson,
68
Wm. Washbon,
90
Abiram Canfield,
23
Saml Moss,
43
Lef. John Riggs,
160
John Weed,
56
John Hulls,
69
Stephen Pierson, Jr.,
51
17
130
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Thomas Wooster,
£117
Stephen Pierson, sen.,
£ 52
Samuel Tomlinson,
62
John Tibbals,
63
William Tomlinson,
39
Joseph Nichols,
32
John Twitchel,
65
John Towner,
48
Abraham Tomlinson,
29
Samuel Bowers,
59
Joseph Hawkins,
I37
Abraham Pierson,
48
Samuel Washbon,
57
Abel Holbrook,
86
Timothy Wooster,
78
Josiah Baldwin,
50
John Pringle,
57
Joseph Johnson,
28
John Tomlinson,
51
Mr. Samuel Gunn,
I5
Joseph Smith,
31
Mary Wooster,
3
John Smith, sen.,
82
Samuel Bassett,
28
Ephraim Smith,
39
Mr. Abraham Pinto,
29
Ens. Eben Johnson,
48
Peter Johnson,
82
John Chatfield,
87
Micah Denman,
31
Jeremiah Johnson,
106
James Humphreys,
18
Benj. Styles,
21
ARRANGEMENTS OF FENCE ON THE RIVER IN 1720.
"An account of the fence that is about that common field which is on the east and west side of Naugatuck river in Derby, as it is now moddled and laid out by Capt. Joseph Hulls, Lef. John Riggs, John Pringle, John Smith & Abel Gunn, the former & standing committee of said field ; new moddled in the month of March, 1720.
" The beginning is on the north end on both sides of the river & to each man's name here inserted there is set so much fence as is laid out to . . him . . and there is marks made & the letters of the men's names on wood or stone at the beginning & ending of their fence.
NORTH END, EAST SIDE.
Mr. Durand,
15 rods.
Capt. Joseph Hulls,
66 rods.
Thomas Wooster,
163
John Hulls, 37%
770
Eben Harger,
122
Capt. Joseph Hulls,
79%
Israel Moss,
II
Wm. Washbon, 63 rods.
Ens. Saml Riggs,
33
Thomas Wooster, 20
Abel Gunn,
88
Tim Wooster, 64
Joseph Smith,
19
Abram Tomlinson, 18
Abel Gunn,
69
Ens. Saml Nichols, 8
Eben. Harger,
12
Stephen Pierson, 8
Ens. Samuel Riggs,
12
Wm. Tomlinson, 43
Joseph Smith,
33
John Smith, 28
Francis French,
32
Joseph Smith, 45
NORTH END, WEST SIDE RIVER.
I31
A NEW BRIDGE.
Andrew Smith,
20 rods.
Eben Harger,
4₺ rods.
Saml Brinsmade,
7
Abel Gunn,
31
John Hulls,
14
Stephen Peirson,
32
John Tomlinson,
93
Tim Russell,
14
Eliphalet Gilbert,
9
Joseph Hawkins,
30
Andrew Smith,
20₺
Sam. Harger,
9
Sam Harger,
20
Wm. Moss,
49
Abiram Cantfield,
31
Sam Bowers,
4
John Pringle,
27
Joseph Hawkins,
35
Abram Cantfield,
27
Lieu. John Riggs,
583
Eliphalet Gilbert,
9
Michal Denman,
I4
John Pringle,
1 36
Abram Peirson,
12
Sam. Harger,
43
It is said that this fence on the south ended at the island bars, but precisely where those were at that time, is not certain.
THE PROPRIETORS OF SENTINEL HILL FIELD.
" Mar. 14, 1703 At a meeting of the Proprietors of Sentinel hill field, the proprietors did accept of what the committee hath done in laying out every man his proportion of fence about the said field.
Jeremiah Johnson,
Parsonage,
John Pierson,
Ensign Riggs,
Samuel Bowers,
John Chatfield,
John Riggs,
Abel Gunn,
John Tibbals,
Capt. Johnson,
Moses Johnson,
Abell Holbrook,
John Baldwin,
Francis French,
Adino Strong,
Stephen Pierson,
Jeremiah Johnson, Jr.,
Widow Denman.
The following record shows a confidence in public officers quite interesting and instructive. "February 5, 1722, voted that the town appoint Samuel Hulls and Joseph Johnson to make up accounts for five years last past with the several collectors of town rates and treasurers, and to make report to the town how they find accounts to stand." Officers could be trusted five years in those days.
The town had enjoyed the privilege of a bridge over the Nau- gatuck just ten years, or a little over, when it went down the stream by a freshet. They immediately voted to build a new one at the expense of the town, except what might be given by
879} "
I32
HISTORY OF DERBY.
persons out of the town. But they soon found the cost a larger item than they felt able to contend with, and petitioned the General Assembly for a " brief to build the bridge over the Nau- gatuck river which was lately carried away by the flood." The bridge had been repaired in the autumn, and therefore was in good condition to go down the river the next April as it did, taking all repairs along.
The advancement of the town in numbers, and the state of society is indicated in a record made by the town clerk during ten years from 1730 to 1740, of those who were made freemen. In 1732, they made twenty-six; in 1736, they made twenty- seven, and in 1740, nineteen. These, nearly all, were raised in town.
In 1731 another piece of land was purchased of the Indians,7 It is a frequent charge that the white people took away the In- dian's land. But in Derby they not only paid for it, and some of it three times over, but the Indians were urgent to sell much faster than the white people were able to buy. This seems to have been the reason why the tract called Camp's mortgage was bought. They offered it so cheap that Mr. Camp took a mortgage, and there it lay quite a number of years before the . town felt able to raise the money to pay for it.
At the time that the town felt it necessary to " pacify the In- dians as though they were ready to rise in war, they were urg- ing (some of them) the sale of a piece of land, and Henry Wooster was appointed to go with the Indians and view their lands and make report." Land seemed to be a burden on their hands until it was gone, and then they grieved for it as thrown away.
"We .. in consideration of thirty pounds good pay, part money and part goods . . have sold . . all that tract of land known by the name of the Indial Hill in Derby, situate on the east side of Naugatuck river, near the place called the Falls. all the land at or near that place we sell, except the plane that lieth near the falls up to the foot of the hill unto a heap of stones on the south, and a heap of stones on the north end; all that land that lieth eastward, northward and southward of said plane that is not purchased before by the English. This 2ª day of March, 1731.
Indian Witnesses
John Anthony his mark
Melook Took his mark
John Cuckson his mark
John Howd his mark
Watiens his mark
Oranquato his mark
Sausonnaman her mark
Towsowwam her mark
I33
LAMENT OVER PAST FOLLY.
Nor is this peculiar alone to Indians. How many thousands of white people as individuals have done the same. Nor is it peculiar as to lands. Thousands have almost literally thrown away their money, or worse than that, and then lamented until their dying day, the folly of it. And the multitude are slow to learn the terribleness of this folly. Thousands of years of his- tory have painted this marvelous want of wisdom, but who reads and thereby is wise ?
-
CHAPTER V.
DISSENTING DERBY AND THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
1732-1773.
HE Rev. Joseph Moss was preaching regularly in the beginning of the year when on January third his salary was fixed at threepence on the pound, on the grand list for the year. He was taken severely ill and died twenty days after, Jan. 23, 1731-2, in the fifty-third year of his age.
The next June a vote was taken for the settlement of Mr. Abraham Todd, then a young man, and the number of votes were sixty and the blanks were seventeen, and two refused to vote, but the record states that they all, but one, agreed to abide by the majority vote. They then made him an offer of salary, and a " settlement " or a certain amount of money, four hundred pounds, instead of a house and lands as they had done previously. Mr. Todd was not secured, however, and the next September they voted that they " heartily consent to what the church sent to the Association for advice under our present state."
Soon after this, Mr. Samuel Whittlesey of Wallingford was preaching for them, and they gave him a call, but without suc- cess He afterwards settled in Milford.
Mr. Noah Merrick was called in the summer of 1733, with the same settlement as offered Mr. Todd, and one hundred pounds salary, and after four years £120, per year " for the time that he shall preach with us as our dissenting Presbyterian min- ister," but Mr. Merrick could not be secured. In this record there is revealed the truth that the word Congregational, as ap- plied to a denomination, was then unknown, or so little known as to be unfamiliar in that sense, for the term Presbyterian was not applicable to that form of church organization ; one reason of its use being that other church organizations began to be rec- ognized in the country, as the Baptists and Episcopalians, and hence the need of the distinguishing name, instead of saying as was the common mode " the Church of Christ."
I35
MINISTERS' SALARIES.
Another reason is that there was manifested quite early a Pres- byterian preference of church order, by some of the people of New England, and hence the churches were frequently spoken of as Presbyterian. As early as 1666, a division of sentiment was found in Hartford that gave much concern and resulted in sus- taining the proposition of the " Half-way Covenant" which was denominated the " new way " and also the " parish way," a " sys- tem under which the local church, as a covenanted brotherhood of souls renewed by the experiences of God's grace, was to be merged in the parish ; and all persons of good moral character living within the parochial bounds, were to have, as in England and Scotland, the privilege of baptism for their households and of. access to the Lord's table."l
It is here stated also that this was a dissenting church, after- wards called Separates, and after that denominated by them- selves Strict Congregationalists.
The next candidate was Mr. Daniel Humphreys, to whom they gave a call December 3, 1733, with a settlement of four hundred pounds, and one hundred pounds salary, and after four years, one hundred and twenty pounds salary yearly, and it was afterwards raised still higher.
The day of ordination was "appointed for the first Wednes- day of March next, and Capt. Hull, Capt. Riggs, Deacon Hol- brook, Lieut. Johnson, William Moss, Gideon Johnson and Tim- othy Russell, to take the whole care of the ordination in behalf of the town."
Here it may be seen that the town paid during four years, eight hundred pounds for the support of their minister, (or two hundred pounds yearly) after that a little more than half that sum yearly. The tax list of the town amounted to not over four thousand pounds ; (in 1718, it was £3,650 nearly.) This being the amount of the list they paid for the settlement (£100) and the salary (£100) just one twentieth of their tax list, yearly, a sum surprisingly large, when their circumstances are consid- ered, or when compared with the sums paid at the present day. Nearly all of their money was gathered from the soil by contin- uous hard labor. The Connecticut Home Missionary Society,
1Dr. Bacon's Hist. Discourse, Eccl. Col.
I 36
HISTORY OF DERBY.
requires at the present day, that the members of a Congrega- tional church shall pay, in the aggregate, a sum equal to one per cent. on their grand list, before receiving aid from that society. What if it required five per cent .? There would be scarcely a church in the state that would need help, if such were the rule. The grand tax list of the town of Derby for 1878, was a little over three and a half millions, and five per cent. on that would · give one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The whole expense of all the churches in the town does not probably ex- ceed one-fifth of that sum, so that the comparison of the church cost of the present day with one hundred years ago is as one to five, or one-fifth. The only difference being, that at that time the grand list was made by taking a small percentage of the valuation of property as the basis for assessments. The regu-
lar salary of Mr. Daniel Humphreys after a few years was one hundred and forty pounds money, or four hundred and seventy dollars. The four hundred pounds was given for the minister to purchase a farm which was supposed to furnish a considera- ble portion of the minister's living ; and a minister in that day without a farm would have been a mystery as great as for one to have one at the present day.
Some considerable difference of opinion as to ecclesiastical or- der grew up in the parish after the legal establishment of the Say- brook Platform in 1708, and by which the church became a dis- senting church, and the way was opened for the establishment of the Episcopal Church in the place. The dissenters claimed that a change of heart or actual experience was important in order to the reception of the sacraments, while the New way or Half-way covenant administered baptism to all children whose parents assented to the doctrines of the church, and such parents were regarded as in a half covenant state with the church. The half-way membership had been in practice among the churches some years but without any formal conventional sanc- tion until 1708, and very probably this had been the position of the Derby church until sometime after Mr. Moss's settle- ment, and after the matter had been discussed in the churches generally.
After the decease of Mr. Moss, and a new minister was to be settled, the division of opinion took a more definite form, and
I37
THE NEW LIGHTS.
yet the vote of the town in settling a minister seems to have been ordinarily harmonious ; sixty against nineteen, and all announcing that they would yield to the majority vote. After the settlement of Mr. Humphreys and the revival excitements of 1740 and 41, the establishment of the Episcopal church be- came an easy matter and took some of the old substantial sup- porters of the Congregational church into it.
If the records of the Derby church had been preserved, some things more definite might belearned. In Sprague's Annals2 Mr. Humphreys is mentioned as one with Dr. Bellamy and others who promoted the revival work in 1740, and it was in conse- quence of this, doubtless, that he fell into some little trouble as indicated in the following record.
The following complaint against Mr. Humphreys is recorded, but whether it went any further is not known.
" To the Clerk of the Parish or Society in Derby to which the Reverend Mr. Daniel Humphrey doth belong these may in- form that the said Daniel Humphrey, contrary to the true in- tent and meaning of a law of the Colony of Connecticut entitled an act for Regulating abuses and correcting disorders in Eccle- siastical affairs, has presumed to preach in the Parish or First Society of New Haven.
Dated at New Haven, Sept. 24, 1742.
Signed per Samuel Bishop, Justice of the Peace, John Hubbard, Justice of the Peace."
The effort made by those who sustained the half-way covenant, which method was called the Old way, and was at that time the legal way, to stop the progress of the New way, the followers of which were called New Lights, was very arbitrary and deter- mined, as given by Dr. Trumbull.2
" While these things were transacted in the eastern and north- ern parts of the colony, a violent opposition was made in the county of New Haven, to the new lights, and to the religious revival which had been in the country. They appeared to hes- itate at no means to suppress the new light ministers. In 1741, when the grand council was to sit at Guilford, the association drew up several resolutions to be laid before the council ;
2Vol. 1, 315.
18
138
HISTORY OF DERBY.
among which was the following: ' That for a minister to enter into another minister's parish, and preach, or administer the seals of the covenant, without the consent of, or in opposition to the settled minister of the parish, is disorderly ; notwith- standing, if a considerable number of the people of the parish are desirous to hear another minister preach, provided the same be orthodox, and sound in the faith, and not notoriously faulty in censuring other persons, or guilty of any other scandal, we think it ordinarily advisable for the minister of the parish to gratify them, by giving his consent. upon their suitable applica- tion to him for it, unless neighboring ministers should advise him to the contrary.' Mr. Humphreys of Derby had preached to a Baptist society, and on that account was soon after deprived of a seat in the association. The Rev. Mr. Timothy Allen of West Haven, who was an able and zealous Calvinistic preacher, was not pleasing to them, and for some little imprudences, the consociation dismissed him from his ministry. The principal ar- ticle alleged against him was that he had said, ' that the read- ing of the scriptures, without the concurring influence and oper- ation of the spirit of God, will no more convert a sinner, than reading an old Almanac.' Though it was true, that no external means would convert a sinner, yet, Mr. Allen lamented the manner of expression, and offered his confession to the associa- tion for it ; but the council dismissed him, and it is said with this ill-natured triumph, that they had blown out one new light, and that they would blow them all out. Mr. Allen was a man of genius and talents, and an able defender of the doctrines of the gospel, as appeared by some of his publications ; he was also a man of strict morals, and a powerful and fervent preacher. Though his light was not permitted to shine in the county of New Haven, yet it shone in other churches until he was be- tween eighty and ninety years of age. In the year 1800 he was pastor in Chesterfield, in Massachusetts, in the eighty-sixth year of his age.
"In 1744, a church was formed in Salsbury, on the princi- ples of the Cambridge platform, and the town and church made choice of Mr. Jonathan Lee for their pastor ; and, among other gentlemen, made choice of the Rev. Mr. Humphreys of Derby, and the Rev. Mr. Leavenworth of Waterbury, and the Rev Mr.
I39
NEW EXPENSES.
Todd of Northbury, to assist in his ordination. He had re- ceived a liberal education at Yale College, and studied divinity under the care of Mr. Williams of Lebanon ; was of a good moral character, and a zealous preacher of the Calvinistic doc- trines. The association suspended these gentlemen from all associational communion, for assisting in the ordination of Mr. Lee, because he and the church had adopted the Cambridge platform, and were not on the constitutional establishment of the colony."
Therefore, Mr. Humphreys was twice suspended from the fel- lowship of the association, for holding just the views which are now generally entertained by Congregational ministers and churches.
In those days as at the present, there was no end to expen- ses which called for extra taxes, for scarcely had one enterprise of progress, or an unusual calamity been provided for, when another would come. The settlement of Mr. Humphreys had been but just paid, and the regular order of expenditures reached, when it was found that the bridge over the Naugatuck was in a decayed condition, and a committee appointed to repair it if possible, if not, to rebuild it, and it was rebuilt in 1739. Two years later it went away with the flood. Then a company was organized, and petitioned the Assembly for a toll bridge, as a private or stock enterprise. The Assembly granted " liberty to the memorialists, and such other persons as shall see cause to join with them, to build a bridge over the river aforesaid at the place aforesaid, or as near it as may be convenient, for all persons to pass and repass over said river ; and that the toll or fare for all persons, except the inhabitants of Derby, shall be six pence for man horse and load, and three pence for each person, and for each team one shilling ; and that the fare above said, shall be taken in old tennor-bills of all persons except the in- habitants of said Derby until this Assembly shall order other- wise. Oct. 1741." Six years later the town voted to repair this bridge upon the town's cost, provided the proprietors would give the property to the town, and in 1752 they send a committee to the Assembly to ask for higher rates of toll. In 1760, the town " voted to make the bridge across the Naugatuck near the meeting-house free for one year," and in 1762 they voted to
4
140
HISTORY OF DERBY.
build a bridge across the Naugatuck at the town's expense, the old bridge being carried away by the flood."
Straws tell which way the wind blows, is an old saying, mean- ing that very small items illustrate character, customs and man- ners. An item of this kind is recorded : " March 25, 1745, voted . . that the town of Derby do discharge the Selectmen, Samuel Riggs and Joseph Hull from that note of forty pounds old tennor which they became obliged to pay to Doctor Leaven- worth of Stratford upon demand for taking and keeping a cer- tain negro man named Nero, and also discharging the said town forever hereafter from any charge arising by said negro." This negro, probably, had escaped from the town of Stratford and was arrested by these selectmen of Derby, and detained so long that the owner demanded pay, and they gave their note, but having arrested the negro, as the selectmen of Derby, the town was obligated, and held the property ; this note gave the negro to these men and they were to pay the note. This trans- action reveals the fact that since 1681, the price of a slave had risen from eighteen pounds to forty, providing money values were equal. It has been often alleged that slavery was given up in Connecticut only when it was found that it would not pay ; but if it was profitable when slaves were worth one hundred dollars, why was it not when they were worth two and three and four and five times that sum ? Logic always demands an actual basis for the assertion made.
In 1742, a little further extension of Derby territory was made by the purchase of an island in the Ousatonic river just above the mouth of Eight-mile brook. This island was really beyond the boundaries of Derby, and hence was not reserved when the adjoining land in Derby was sold. It was now bought by an individual for his personal possession and not as a town agent, yet he being a resident of Derby, the deed was recorded here.3
A peculiarity about one name attached to the deed is, that this same person, apparently, signed the deed in 1731 as John Cuckson, but in this deed he had become John Cockshure, of whom more may be seen in the Indian history of this book.
3We Manchero and John Cockshure and Hannah Tous, . . do sell . . to James Hard, his heirs etc., one small island of land, lying in Powtatuck river, being
141
FLOURING MILLS.
It is quite evident that John Howd and John Cockshure were heirs or successors of Cockapatana.
Notwithstanding the floods, the taxes, and the passing away of their great men, the town moved on in progress just as the world will for ages to come, profiting little by the experience of the past, and giving but small attention to the lessons of that past, although on the whole making some progress as to the general good of humanity.
HULL'S MILLS.
Samuel Hull's mill is mentioned in 1745, when a highway was made from Bare plains to it for the convenience of the people. When this mill was set up on the Old river, now the race to the Birmingham Iron Foundry, a little above the New Haven road, is not definitely known. In 1707, the town voted to pay "Major Ebenezer Johnson for work done on the old and new flour mill, and on the meeting-house," which is almost an assurance that Hull's mills were then standing, since no others are known to have been built up to that time; and in 1714, the " old mill- pond " is mentioned.
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