USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 21
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Samuel Hull, was the son of Captain Joseph, born in 1692, and it is very probable that his father built this mill, at the first a small one, to which additions were afterwards made. In 1696, John Hull, brother of the first Joseph, received the old mill as a gift from his father, and it is most probable that he and his brother Joseph or Joseph alone, built the new mill about 1705 or 6.
The only mention of any mill enterprises other than the above seen in the records between 1696 and 1745 is in regard to a grant of land and liberty to Benjamin Stebbins of New Haven to set up the trade of tanning and shoe-making, with accommo- dations " on Meeting-house hill," which meant where the meet- ing-house then stood at the old town, but which was not erected. Samuel Hull's mills became a great institution, and continued thus, until within the memory of many now living, although all
in quantity about eight acres, lying about the Eight Mile Brook, and is the first island above said brook, bounded on all sides with said river.
Aug. 4, 1742.
Hannah Tous
her mark
John Cockshure his mark
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HISTORY OF DERBY.
physical traces of them are now nearly gone. They were called, many years, and are still known, as the Old Yellow Mills, and Hull's mills. There is not much doubt but that several of the Hull family were interested in them as owners, but this is not stated in any records seen. These mills secured profitable em- ployment to a considerable amount of capital. The flouring mill, in addition to the making of flour for the farming commun- ity, contained appliances for manufacturing kiln-dried meal which, being packed in hogsheads, was shipped to the West Indies, causing not a little mechanical and mercantile employ- ment. A saw-mill was attached, which not only did work for the use of the people of the town, but prepared timber and lum- ber of various kinds to be shipped to different sea ports, as is evidenced by the yearly appointment by the town of a person or persons as inspector of timber, which could mean nothing else than that timber was a mercantile product.
The oil mill, for making oil from flaxseed, required a large capital, the oufit being extensive as well as the help employed, and the profits were very gratifying for some years. The ma- chinery was the first imported to this part of the country, and gave the company a monopoly of the business for some years. It was doubtless some years after 1745, when the oil mill at- tained its highest efficiency. But when the practice in Ireland of gathering the flax before the seed was ripe, was adopted in that country, an additional market was opened, at higher prices for American flaxseed, and the demand for the oil not equaling that for the seed, the work of the mill became unprofitable. As often occurs in such enterprises, the business was continued in hope of better times until former profits were consumed.
There was also a cloth-dressing establishment as a part of these mills which had the first fulling mill and carding machine of any, in this part of the country ; and which was not equaled until General Humphreys started a larger enterprise at Hum- phreysville. In later years, the brothers, Samuel and Richard Hull, with a son of Dr. Mansfield, were the owners of these mills. But the Old Yellow Mills have faded away ;
" The mill wheel has tumbled in, And Ben Bolt lies under the stone !"
And "sweet Alice," also !
143
OLD YELLOW MILLS.
Doct. A. Beardsley, gives the following interesting particu- lars in regard to these mills.
The Old Yellow Mills, sometimes called Hull's Mills, recently demolished, located at the head of the present Birmingham res- ervoir water works, was a place of business for revolutionary times. For miles and miles the country round, even as far as Woodbury, Waterbury and New Haven, it was a central spot where farmers came with corn or rye in one end of the bag and a stone in the other, to get their "grist ground." A singular death occurred at these mills to a Derby citizen, nearly a hun- dred years ago. The people were honest in those days, and locks and keys scarcely used, the miller vacated his premises one afternoon, leaving his customers, if any should come, to help themselves. Capt. Isaac Smith, grandfather of the late Sheldon Smith, Jr. of the Neck, went for his grist, and shouldering his bag, and while descending a flight of steps, as is supposed, fell to the outside door, where he was found next morning dead, with his burden on his back, his neck broken and his faithful horse standing by his side. The burial of this good man was in striking contrast with modern times, for his pall bearers con- sisted only of two horses, his remains being suspended between them, and were thus borne to their last resting-place.
At these mills a set of stones were run day and night, which ground out monstrous quantities of linseed oil for exportation. Some of the credulous at one time, believed there was a sort of witchcraft about this turning flaxseed into oil. An apparatus was so connected with some portion of the machinery, that after a given number of revolutions of the stones were made, a bell commenced ringing in a remote corner of the mills. This un- seen signal told the story that the seed had run to oil, which was a great puzzler to some of the natives for a long time.
The Old Yellow Mills finally run down and fell into the hands of one John Lewis, a speculative Yankee, who, in selling out his interest to Sheldon Smith of New York, in part laid the founda- tion of the present prosperity of Derby.
Another flaxseed oil mill, was established on Two-mile brook some years later, but continued only a short time and that with- out much success.
Another mill enterprise was planted further in the wil-
144
HISTORY OF DERBY.
derness, even to Little river, and the first introduction to it granted is as follows :
" New Haven Aug. 5, 1747. I George Abbott of Derby have re- ceived of Stephen Perkins of New Haven, five hundred pounds money, Old Tennor, in full for one-half of a Saw-mill, the whole of a Grist- mill or Corn mill, and a dwelling house; the mills standing on the Little river so called and the dwelling house near by, all in good order ; which house and mills I do sell. · George Abbott."
But Abbott's Mills, were not destined long to be the only fore- runner of what should be at Seymour. In 1760, the town granted " to James Pritchard the liberty of the stream of the Little river from its mouth up against the dwelling of said Fairchild to erect and keep in repair a corn mill or mills."
The next mill enterprise was on the Naugatuck river at the Falls, and for this purpose about two acres and a half, including the Falls, at what is now Seymour, was purchased by Ebenezer Keeney, John Wooster and Joseph Hull, Junr., of the Indians.4 This was not all the land then owned by the Indians at that place, but only a small part of it, purchased in order to secure the water power ; and upon this land these persons as partners erected a saw mill, two fulling mills and a clothiers shop, all which they or their successors sold to General David Humphreys in 1803, which was the beginning of the manufacturing age of the town of Derby. The town had previously manufactured vari- ous commodities, such as leather and staves for barrels, more than it consumed, but this was the beginning of enterprises without number that should be instituted for the production of large quantities of goods for exportation, not only out of the town, but to foreign parts to the end of the world. David Hum- phreys, stands before the world as the first great general of the manufacturing enterprises of Derby, as well as a celebrated mil-
"4We Joseph Chuse and John Houde, Indians . . with the advice of Samuel Bassett, Esqr., agent for the said Indians . . for the consideration of eight pounds, lawful money to us paid by the said Ebenezer Keeney, John Wooster and Joseph Hull Junr., to our full satisfaction . . do confirm .. a certain parcel of land . . bounded .. and taking in the falls rocks, containing one acre against the falls and one acre and a half of land for a highway to said acre with privileges and appur- tinances belonging to said falls and land.
Oct. 4, 1763.
Joseph Chuse John Hude."
145
THE NORTH FARMERS.
itary general, and whatever his native town may think of him, he will ever stand as one of the great men of enterprise and so- cial improvement of his own nation.
OXFORD SOCIETY.
Several records are found concerning the formation of Oxford into an Ecclesiastical Society, and by these records the thought involuntarily arises that Derby thought it the time to pay an old grudge by treating the North Farmers as Milford treated Derby at the beginning, and so they put in opposition towards the movement.
In March, 1733, the town voted that "these Quaker Farm men whose names are under written, who petition for abate in the town's charge, we the said town declare that [we] will abate these our neighbors four pence upon the pound on the grand list for two years from this date." Caleb Terry, Josiah Terry, John Smith, Jr., Jonathan Griffin, John Towner, Abraham Wooster, Abel Holbrook, Ebenezer Hawkins. No reasons are given for this petition, and it is difficult to conjecture except these rates were abated from the support of the minister, and that in consequence of their distance from the meeting-house. Fourpence on the pound was Mr. Moss's rate for many years.
In April 1740, " Capt. Samuel Bassett5 was chosen agent to represent the town of Derby in May next to show why the me- morial of the north farmers in said Derby should not be granted." The petition failed as to that year, but the next May, upon the report of a committee, the petition was granted, mak- ing an ecclesiastical society named Oxford, Timothy Wooster, John Twitchell and John Towner leading the names from the north farmers, and Isaac Trowbridge, John Weed, Jonas Weed, Joseph Weed, Thomas and Joseph Osborn, dwelling in the south- west part of Waterbury, and Isaac Knowles, Joseph Towner, Eliphalet Bristol, John Tift and Aaron Bristol. dwelling in the south-east part of Woodbury, were included within the parish.
"5In 1738 the General Assembly appointed Mr. John Fowler of Milford, Capt. Samuel Bassett and Mr Gideon Johnson of Derby a committee to repair to said Waterbury, and at the charge of the people of the northwest quarter of said town, view the circumstances, and if they judge it best that the said northwest quarter be a distinct Ecclesiastical Society, that then they state the bounds thereof."
19
146
HISTORY OF DERBY.
In December, 1740, while the matter was in the hands of the committee of the Legislature, the town appointed " John Riggs Esq., Mr. Francis French and Mr. Joseph Johnson agents for the town of Derby, to agree with a committee by the North Farm- ers to settle a dividing line between the south and north parts of Derby township in order to make an ecclesiastical society in the north part of said township; and the town declare they will excuse all the North Farmers paying any ministerial charge to the present minister of Derby for the year 1740 ; viz. : all whose dwellings are above the Five-mile brook bridge, and so above a line from said bridge that shall strike the south end of John Riggs's farm provided they hire preaching among themselves for the whole year." Thus in about six months their opposition gave way and they seem ready to work harmoniously with them, but why should they put on the last clause or condition : "pro- vided they hire preaching among themselves for the whole year ?" Simply because they had not learned the idea of lib- erty in its general and full meaning. To let people do as they might choose as to religion, had not entered their minds ; and although there is some dawning of that coming day at the pres- ent time, yet, the clear and true light has not yet come. The Lord himself did not prohibit a known sinner to partake of the first sacramental bread and wine, but for a church not to take to itself greater authority than the Lord pretended to exercise, is thought to be so great a sin that the church would lose all char- acter, and the favor of Heaven ! The day is not past when the civil authority is invoked to try to make men religious, however much we abhor the thought. The requiring of all children in a public school to pray, any prayer, no matter what, without re- gard to their wish or pleasure, and under the fear of penalty, if compliance is not acceded, is of the same principle possessed by those who burned men at the stake by civil authority. Also the proposition to amend the Constitution of the United States by inserting the name of the Deity, in any form, is of the same quality ; viz. : to compel men to profess to be religious whether they desire so to do or not. When God shall sift the nations and plant Colonies for freedom a thousand or two thousand years longer, he may get them where they can understand His gospel, rather than the gospel of men.
147
OXFORD MADE A PARISH.
No man has a right to put a finger's weight on his neighbor to make him religious ; and if he had, it would do only injury and not good. The free reception of the truth by the individ- ual, is the only possible way human character can be elevated ; and any theory that does not give every intelligent being a fair opportunity, somewhere, for thus receiving the truth that would save him, is utterly to be rejected by the highest dictates of reason, and is a reproach to the Divine character.
The good Christian people of Derby must put their neigh- bors and old friends, and their own children, under legal obliga- tion to hire a minister, or they would not release them from paying to the old society, as though some state authority must be exerted by somebody or they might not attend to religion.
The town appointed in 1742, Samuel Tomlinson, Joseph John- son, sen., and James Wheeler, a committee to lay out a bury- ing place for the parish of Oxford upon the charge of said parish. That is, the expense of the laying out to be paid by the parish, but the land given by the town.
In 1745, they voted to divide school money with Oxford parish according to their grand list; the sum to be received being forty shillings on every one thousand pounds in the list ; and in 1754, they sell the parsonage lands and divide with Ox- ford, the latter receiving forty pounds and Derby sixty. Thus did the people of the North Farms become the parish of Oxford ; and they completed their organization on the 30th of June, 1741, by electing the officers of their society.
They immediately entertained the idea of building a meeting- house, and on the 6th of October of that year decided by a two- thirds vote to build it, and to request the Legislature, by com- mittee as was the custom, to designate the site, or in their terms, "fix the place whereon their meeting-house shall be erected and built ;" which was finally fixed upon "at the south end of the hill commonly called Jack's Hill, and near the high- way that runs on the east side of the Little river, on land be- longing to Ephraim Washborn."j
In May, 1743, they were authorized to settle themselves in "a church estate, by and with the consent and approbation of the neighboring churches and settle a minister according to the
6 Seymour and Vicinity, by W. C. Sharp, 44.
148
HISTORY OF DERBY.
establishment of the churches in this government" This was effected according to the order imposed, and the Rev. Jonathan Lyman was ordained the first minister of the parish, Oct. 4, 1745, with a settlement of £500, to be paid in four yearly installments, and a yearly salary of £125. This was when Con- necticut lawful money, or bills, were valued at four dollars to one dollar in silver.
CHRIST'S CHURCH, DERBY.
The difference of opinion as to church order which arose in the First Church of Derby, as well as most other Congrega- tional churches in Connecticut, opened the way for the com- mencement of the Episcopal church in this place ; and was, probably, an influence which hastened the organization of the Oxford Ecclesiastical Society. A custom grew up in Connecti- cut of receiving persons to the "watch and care " of the church, upon consenting to the doctrines of the church, and of baptiz- ing the children of such consenting parents. The old rule was to baptize no children unless one at least of the parents was a member in full standing in the church. The Council at Say- brook, Conn., in 1708, sanctioned the new practice, and the General Assembly confirmed this order or method in the church, and thereafter if any church held to the old way, they were called a dissenting church. In 1733, when a minister was to be ob- tained in Derby to supply the place vacated by the death of Mr. Moss, this church took its position avowedly as a "dissenting Presbyterian " church ; which, whatever else may have been in- tended by the expression, meant that no children were to be baptized except one of the parents should be a member of the church in full standing.
The Episcopal church, or as then called "the Church of Eng- land," held views quite to the contrary of this, admitting any children to that ordinance upon the assured watch and instruc- tion in the Christian faith by some one, a member of that church.
Several Episcopal churches had recently, that is, within thirty years, been established in the Colony ; the first at Stratford, in 1707, one at Fairfield, and, some years later, another at New- town, and others, so that there were some five Episcopal par- ishes in the Colony when Mr. Daniel Humphreys was ordained
149
FIRST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
at Derby. Mr. Humphreys became quite zealous in upholding the dissenting opinions, and went out of his own parish to preach in so doing, and for which he was complained of as we have seen, by two justices of the peace of New Haven.
It was soon after this that the movement began which event- uated in the organization of the Episcopal church in Derby.
Just after the erection of the house of worship by the Church of England, the people of Derby passed the following vote, greatly to their honor, showing that the spirit of oppression was not in their hearts, whatever their views of church order may have been :
CIBeardsley Jr. del.
THE FIRST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN DERBY, ERECTED IN 1738.
" Again the town made choice of Mr. Abiram Canfield and . Mr. Samuel Botsford to cast Derby list for the year 1739, ex- clusive of the rates of Churchmen and what was granted to farmers (the north farmers,) to find what sum on the pound on said list will make one hundred and forty pounds which is granted to Mr. Humphreys. Voted and passed, Dec. 10, 1739."
Here the Churchmen, in the beginning of their enterprise, were exempted from paying to the support of the Congrega-
150
HISTORY OF DERBY.
tional minister. The further history of this church is faithfully given by Dr. A. Beardsley.
The cut gives a fair representation of the architecture of the first Episcopal Church built in Derby. A small band of Episcopalians in the year of our Lord 1737, composed of Capt. John Holbrook and seven others, commenced "to fell the trees and hew the timbers " preparatory to erecting this humble house of worship. It was located in the old churchyard, about six rods from the highway and almost directly in front of the resi- dence of Rev. Daniel Humphreys, in later times known as the Capt. Vose place ; as indicated by the following deed :
" This indenture made this seventh day of Nov., in the Twelfth year of the Reign of our sovereign Lord, George the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France & Ireland, King Defender of the faith &c. and in the year of our Lord 1738 Between John Holbrook of Derby in the county of New Haven, . . with Abigail Holbrook his wife of the one part, and the Revª Jonathan Arnold of New Haven aforesd Mis- sionary from the Honorable Society in England for the propagating the gospel in foreign parts, and Rector of the Church at Derby afore- said, of the other part, whereas the said John Holbrook and Abigail Holbrook his wife, are seized in fee simple . . of one quarter of an acre and two rods of ground, situate . . in Derby aforesd butting, on the highway eastwardly, on land belonging to Mr. Humphries south- wardly on land belonging to and in the improvement of John Holbrook aforesd ; westwardly and northwardly ; and whereas the said John Hol- brook and Abigail Holbrook his wife, out of their piety towards God and out of their zeal for the Protestant Religion, and the Church of England as by law established, have of their own free will resolved to give and grant the said premises to the said Jonathan Arnold and his successors in the ministry in trust ; nevertheless for the building and erecting a church (or finishing the house already raised thereupon,) for the worship and service of Almighty God according to the practice of the Church of England, and the rest of the land to be used as a Church yard for the burial of the dead ; Now this indenture witnesseth that the said John Holbrook and Abigail his wife upon the considera- tion aforesaid and of five shillings of lawful money to them in hand paid by the sª Jonathan Arnold before the erecting hereof, . . and that the said Jonathan Arnold, or the incumbent for the time being or the Church Wardens for the time being, for the enclosing the above bargained premises, do faithfully make & maintain the fence forever ;
151
REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD.
have given granted, . , to the said Jonathan Arnold as minister of the Church of England & his successors in that place and in that order forever to the use interests or purposes herein before recited & men- tioned concerning the same ; and to no other use, interest or purpose whatsoever.
John Holbrook.
Abigail Holbrook."
The entire expense of this edifice was borne by eight men, but it must have been constructed by piecemeals as it does not appear to have been completed until about the year 1746. The first "Meeting House" having been built in 1682, from that time until about 1737, Presbyterianism or Congregationalism was the dominant religion of the town, supported by taxation. An incident is here worth relating that shows how the first dis- ciple of Episcopacy in Derby was made. During the labors of the celebrated Rev. George Whitefield in this country he visited in Derby and preached in a private house now standing Up Town. Quite a religious stir and an exciting revival took place in Derby, about that time. A Mrs. Plum living near Plum Brook became so much excited concerning her spiritual welfare, that she hastened on foot to Milford to see and con- sult with her mother upon the subject. While there she had an interview with a colored woman who had been brought up and instructed in the Church of England. The colored Church- woman talked feelingly to Mrs. Plum and gave her several books, (some of which are still preserved,) on the doctrines and worship of the English church. She read them prayerfully and thus became the first open and known Episcopalian in the town. The religious awakening caused by Whitefield's preaching, pro- voked much inquiry and warm discussion as to the qualifications of church members, but his converts by no means were the only ones benefited by his labors. John Holbrook and his compan- ions became more interested in serious matters, and chose to worship God after the manner and discipline of their mother church. Episcopal gatherings became frequent in the neigh- borhood and from house to house, in the largest room of some dwelling, church services were held, and the seed sown a cen- tury and a half ago in this way has borne abundant fruit. A central place of worship had become most desirable. There was a rude park "where three roads meet" near (now 1879)
152
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Joseph H. Reemer's residence, called the Commons. The few who dissented from the "Meeting-house " on Riggs Hill, resolved to locate their house of worship on one corner of the Commons, which was then the court end of the town, but they were unexpectedly met with opposition, for a town meet- ing was called and a vote passed against the right of any one to build a house of worship on the Commons. Capt. Holbrook, more earnest than ever in a good cause, then donated the lot in front of Mr. Humphreys's residence, for a burying ground and a church. From that day to this it has been called "the Epis- copal grave yard," and many a departed one from a long dis- tance has been brought here to be placed in his narrow cell by the side of his endeared ancestors. With slender means the church as above stated was completed in 1746. It was called Christ's Church, a designation not uncommon at that period in the Colony, for Episcopal churches that could have no fixed name and consecration by a Bishop. It belongs to the office of a bishop to consecrate churches, and there were none in this country before the Revolution. Here in this little barn-like structure, with its raftered walls, the godly shepherd Mansfield was married, and here the worshipers for half a century went in and out to their morning and evening devotions, loving the church as the apple of their eye. The "Sabbaday House" as it was called, in which resided a mother in Israel, Mrs. John- son, stood near by the little church. When suffering from cold or tired of a dull, prosy sermon, the people often sallied out and congregated here to warm themselves and partake of refresh- ments from their scanty bags or baskets. In those days the luxury of heat from stoves or furnaces was unknown to church- going people. On one occasion the slowest and most uninter- esting of preachers found his congregation almost wholly retired into the "Sabbaday House," which obliged him to omit the "tenthly and lastly" part of his sermon. The first stated ser- vices held in Derby by an Episcopal minister were those of Rev. Jonathan Arnold, an itinerant missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and formerly a Congrega- tional minister at West Haven. He declared for the Church of England in 1734, and afterwards went to England to receive Holy Orders. His residence was in West Haven, and the chief
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