USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
GENERAL HUMPHREYS DELIVERING THE FLAGS TAKEN AT YORKTOWN.
The above engraving represents Colonel Humphreys deliver- ing the standards surrendered under the capitulation of York- town, at Congress Hall, in Philadelphia, Nov. 3, 1761. It is
200
HISTORY OF DERBY.
from a painting in the Trumbull Gallery in New Haven, which was executed under Colonel Humphreys's direction, in Spain by a Spanish artist.
Thus closed the war of the Revolution. No event in the history of the world has had the effect of liberation of thought and hence of action, on the mind of the whole world as the American Revolution, and next to that event, for the same effect, was the sustaining the authority of the National Gov- ernment in the late rebellion. The list of Revolutionary sol- diers, so far as obtained will be found in the appendix to this volume.
CHAPTER VII.
AFTER THE REVOLUTION.
1784-1800.
HE war of the Revolution had reduced the Colonies to extremity in almost everything but courage. The simple and only fact of freedom and independency, filled the country with rejoicings and celebrations. The day dawn of freedom, such as they had not at first dreamed of, had come with its high promises of future greatness and shining glory for the whole world. From the north to the south and from the east to the far west, even to the depths of the wilderness, and to the shores of far off lands ran the thrilling joy of a nation's birth ; a nation of Freemen ! While the tears of affection ran down the faces of the people like floods in nearly every household in the land, for the dear ones who would come no more to greet them, as in other days, the thrill of freedom sent up a shout, long and high, of victory and triumph, and the past seemed only as a dreary night now gone, and the morning bright and clear, filled with hope and promise, come.
At the very dawn of promise, Derby began to stretch her arms for progress and improvements, and nothing daunted her courage but the extremity to which she, as all other towns, was reduced, because the war had eaten up everything but the houses and lands and the devastated inhabitants.
During the wars which had fallen upon them the preceding forty years, with only short intervals, the most that was done as a plantation, was to maintain the stage of acquirements to which they had arrived before the war race began.
The condition of the town in this respect is quite clearly re- vealed in a preamble and a vote which was recorded December 23, 1782, when they had resort to
A LOTTERY.
" Again, considering the great expense this town has been at in building and supporting two large bridges across the Nauga-
26
202
HISTORY OF DERBY.
tuck river, and said bridges now want to be rebuilt ; also a highway from Woodbury to Derby by the Ousatonic river, all which as computed will amount to five hundred pounds; this in addition to other burdens lying on said town in supporting highways and other public burdens, the town feel themselves very unable to bear, therefore voted, that Capt. Thomas Clark and Capt. Daniel Holbrook be appointed and directed to peti- tion the General Assembly for liberty to set up a lottery for the sum of five hundred pounds, for the purpose of building said bridges and making said highways ; said lottery to be at the risk of said town."
At an adjourned meeting two months later, they appointed the managers of the lottery, which the Assembly had granted, which consisted of the following persons : Mr. Samuel Hull, Capt. Daniel Holbrook, Mr. David De Forest, Mr. John Humphrey and Lieut. Joseph Riggs. These persons were put under oath and required to give sufficient bonds to secure the money which might be placed in their hands. They also directed that after a certain time all tickets unsold should be called in and depos- ited in the hands of the selectmen before drawing the tickets that might have been purchased. On the first day of March, 1784, they voted to draw the lottery tickets on the 21st day of April next ; but two days before that time arrived the town was called together, and they voted to postpone the drawing in consequence of so few tickets having been sold ; and then peti- tioned the General Assembly to extend the time allowed for the drawing.
In February, 1783, as soon as the privilege of the lottery was granted, the town appointed Ashbel Loveland " to oversee and build a bridge over Naugatuck river below the falls," and Mr. Samuel Hull to build a bridge over Naugatuck river " where the old bridge now stands, called the lower bridge, and Capt. Zechariah Hawkins to oversee and make a new highway from Woodbury to Derby by the Ousatonic river." In the next March the town's committee were directed to lay out a high- way through Wesquantuck or Rock House hill purchase, by the Great river, and make returns of their doings." They seem to have no doubt but that the lottery would bring the money and proceeded in that faith, and it is probable that the work was all
203
LOTTERY TICKETS.
done sometime before the lottery reported its net proceeds. All that is recorded of the results is that in February, 1785, they voted that the managers be directed to draw the lottery ; and at the same time voted that the "selectmen be enabled when the lottery is drawn, to tax the town to raise money to secure the managers and pay the necessary expenses that shall arise thereon." After this there are no more lotteries talked of in the town records. From all the records say, it seems probable that some considerable number of tickets were sold, possibly to half the amount desired, out of which the costs must be taken, and the result would not warrant another trial. And there has not been a time since then when so great need of foreign aid ex- isted, or when the town has been driven to such extremities to raise money for necessary repairs and expenses. At the pres- ent day a large majority of the better classes of community judge all lotteries, great and small, to be immoral, dishonest, and that they ought to be discountenanced by all true Christians.
An old book is still preserved having been made for the pur-' pose of keeping the account in building one of these bridges, for the payment of which the lottery was granted. It explains itself.
"An account book kept by Ashbel Loveland who was appoint- ed a manager or a committee by the town of Derby to build a bridge across Naugatuck river, near Rimmon Falls, containing the costs which said town of Derby has been at to build said bridge.
" Posted alphabetically. The bridge cost £144 1IS. 9d."
This book shows eighty-eight tickets bought by thirty-three persons at twelve shillings a ticket, and most of them paid for by work done on the bridge and material furnished.
The work began in March, 1783.
tickets.
tickets.
Joel Chatfield,
3
Levi Hotchkiss,
3
John Crawford,
2
Moses Hotchkiss
3
James Baldwin,
I-3
Joel Hine, 5
Abiel Canfield, Daniel Davis,
I
Amos Hine, 2 1-3
2
Hiel Hinc, 2
Ebenezer Dayton,
3
Gideon Johnson, jun., I
Enoch French,
6
Asahel Johnson, 2
Isaac Foot, I
Hezekiah Johnson,
3
204
HISTORY OF DERBY.
tickets.
Levi Johnson,
I
David Parsons,
I
Joseph Johnson, jun.,
4
Polycarp Smith, I-3
Gideon Johnson, sen.,
I
Samuel Smith,
I
Ebenezer Keeney,
I
Benjamin Twitchell,
2
William Keeney,
2
Benjamin Tomlinson, 6 1-2
Ebenezer Warner,
I-3
Ashbel Loveland, tickets sold,
17
Hezekiah Wooden,
3
Peter Nostrand,
2
John Wooster,
2
Elisha Pritchard.
I
Turrel Whittemore,
2
After the Revolution the school districts were re-arranged, and for some years much attention was devoted to education ; first, to meet the requirements of the new laws made in regard thereto, and also, a spirit of emulation and ambition in regard to education seems to have come upon the whole people as the consequence of freedom, and they moved harmoniously to the inspiration. In 1785, a proposition to build a new school-house at the then village of Derby (Old Town) resulted in the end in an academy. Apparently, a number of persons agreed to unite in certain proportions to furnish the money to build a new school-house at this place, the lower story of which should be used for the common school, and the upper story for a higher branch of education. The building was put up in the winter or early spring of 1786, and finished that summer. When the building was completed, the items of cost were collected and the amount divided according to the agreement. By an agreeable fortune the paper containing this account is preserved, but bears no date.
THE SCHOOL HOUSE COMPANY.
The whole amount of the bill is £240 IS. 3 1-2d.
The proprietors Dr. for their several shares as follows, viz. :
€
s.
d.
S. d.
Samuel Hull, . 25 5 5
Richard Mansfield, 12 12 8 1-2
John Humphreys, 25 5 5
Jabez Thompson, 12 12 8 1-2
Daniel Holbrook, 25 5 5
John Howd,
12 12 8 I-2
Joseph Riggs, jun., 25 5 5
David Hitchcock,
12 12 8 1-2
Sheldon Clark, 25 5 5
Edward Craft,
12 12 8 1-2
James Beard, 12 12 8 1-2
Joseph Hull, 12 12 8 1-2
Levi Tomlinson, 12 12 8 1-2
David Tucker, 12 12 8 1-2
One bill is preserved and shows something of the material used and the cost of such items at that time.
tickets.
205
ACADEMY BELL.
March, 1786, School House Company, Dr. to Joseph Riggs, jun., To one load of timber,
£ s. d. 0
3 6
To studs and plank for turret rafters,
O
9 6
To two days getting window frame timbers,
O 8
To timber for the window frames,
0 12
O
To carting three load of window frame timber,
0 10
0
To one day carting sand and slacking lime,
0
3
6
To 3,800 brick delivered at the school house a 3 per C.,
5 14 O
Jan., 1787. To cash paid Mr. Hull, 6s.,
0
6 0
To 1,000 feet of white oak floor boards delivered at the school-house from Oxford, a 6s. pr. C., 3 º 0
I
5
6
To 3,000 shingles, a 18s,
2 14 0
18 0 6
Joseph Riggs, jun."
Although some of the items of this bill are of a later date, yet it is probable the house was completed in 1786, and thereafter for a time the upper part was devoted to accademic studies, but after some years the whole building was devoted to such studies and called the academy.
THE ACADEMY BELL.
The further account of the academy and the academy bell is very graphically given by Doct. A. Beardsley:
The old oblong house with its two chimneys now standing midway between Merritt Clark's and Patrick McEnerney's was long known and somewhat celebrated as the Derby Academy, located on elevated ground, commanding a fine view, the build- ing was an imposing structure when first built. Within its walls many an aspiring youth, then experiencing that the root of learning was bitter while its fruit was sweet, studied Sallust and Virgil, conquered his Greek, and fitted for venerable Yale. The people of the town evinced a lively interest in the institution, for to them it was a pride and boast. Among other features show- ing the good will of the people towards the academy was the supplying it with a bell purchased jointly by the Episcopalian and Presbyterian churches, then located in Up Town, and for a long time it was the only bell in Derby which on the Sabbath day rang out its merry notes, calling the pious to the house of prayer. Those who were to join in the long supplication of the
June 9, 1789, To 512 feet of boards a 5s.,
To 900 feet of white wood clapboard from Isaac Wooster, a 6s. pr. C., 2 14 O
206
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Pilgrims' faith or the solemnity of the Church, alike pressed their footsteps, hastened by the academy bell.
The academy fell into financial embarrassment and was dis- continued, but its bell, like Noah's dove was given to unrest, for in process of time it became a bone of contention and finally fell a victim of dishonor among its friends.
We must not forget to mention, that old Todd was its ringer, and on the advent of a death or a funeral he was always on hand. On one occasion he came near ringing the bell for his own de- parture. The bell was so constructed as to require the going into the belfry to ring it. One morning he ascended the belfry to toll the bell, and slipping his foot-hold, tumbled out on the roof and fell a distance of thirty-five or forty feet, but, fortu- nately he was caught in a peach tree standing close to the academy and escaped serious injury. A few years after this he slept over night in the old town house, and from a loft fell a dis- tance only of seven feet, and was instantly killed.
Being poor he now and then obtained a little loose change for his services at the bell. One night at high twelve he was asked by a man ripe for fun at the old tavern at the Narrows, if he was the Derby bell ringer. "I am," said he ; " got a job ?" " Yes," was the reply. "My name is Gillett, from Hell Lane (now Seymour) and I want to get out of the town. My horse travels best with music. If you will ring the bell till I get over the line I will give you this silver dollar." " Agreed," said the bell-ringer, and he was soon tugging at the bell, when Gillett mounted his horse and galloped away. The neighborhood, quiet as a graveyard, was startled from its midnight slumbers, and among others, Samuel Hull rushed out in his night-clothes, hurried up to the academy and brawled out, " You crazy man, what are you doing with that bell this time of night?" Old Todd answered from the belfry, "I am ringing a man out of Derby into Hell Lane, on contract."
From long and constant use this bell became cracked, the academy boys palsied its tongue, and for a time its music was silent upon the hill. It had the misfortune of having many owners, and they one by one lost interest in its care and keep- ing. It was said the Presbyterians owned the largest share, but it was difficult to divide the stock, and so some of the wise
207
THE STOLEN BELL.
heads down in the Narrows attempted to make a corner, and if possible to steal the bell from the Up Towners. A plan was con- cocted and the program arranged. A few boys, and some of older growth, on a certain night, armed with some good old Jamaica, ventured up to the academy, ascended the belfry and rolled off the bell. For safe keeping and to elude the search of the aggrieved, they lowered it into a secret place about the premises, there to remain until the excitement and noise over its loss should die away. Every one of these nocturnal thieves was sworn to keep the secret and some have done so even to this very day. Next morning, the honest people of Up Town found out that the old academy bell was missing, and soon the whole neighborhood was in uproar, and filled with indignation. Detectives from all parts were sent out to seek diligently for the lost treasure. Day after day and week after week, the inquiry was anxious as to the stolen metal, but all was a mystery.
After a while, in the dead of night, some who participated in the first movement went up and hauled from its hiding place the bell, put it upon a stone drag and conveyed it to the Narrows, where they dumped it into a certain cellar near what was then called Swift's Corner. A roguish boy who held the candle on the occasion started the story some days afterwards, that he "guessed Capt. Kinney knew where the bell was, but before search could be made it was buried out of sight. The boy was closely ex- amined and cross-examined, which led to the belief that he had not far deviated from the truth. Suspicion at once rested upon one young Downs as the ring-leader, who has long since in good faith been gathered to his fathers. Downs was even ap- proached by the sheriff with a view to intimidation, but one Mr. Harvey, the shrewdest man of the neighborhood, publicly declared that he had plenty of money and would defend the accused to the last dollar. " A halt between two opinions " delayed matters for a while, but believing they were on the right track, the Up Towners now threatened the Narrows people in a body with a lawsuit, if the stolen property was not forthwith returned and the matter settled up. Much was said upon both sides, men and women entering into the discussion. Capt. Thomas Vose, who was a sort of moral regulator in the town and who had a holy horror of wrong doing, argued that as the bell was owned
208
HISTORY OF DERBY.
by two religious bodies and others outside of the church, it was sacred property, and to use his own words he "fancied that state's prison would follow conviction of the guilty parties," and entreated and begged for the peace of the town, that the bell might be returned and no questions asked, for he was "afraid the affair would make more noise in the future than it had done in the past."
But the missing bell could not be found, while the Up Town people wondered and grew sorely vexed. During the painful suspense, a similar bell was landed one evening at the Derby dock opposite Col. R. Gates's store, which stood near the pres- ent Naugatuck depot. This bell was designed for the back country and it was in charge of Col. Gates. A splendid opportunity now offered itself to get up "a good sell" on the Up Towners. The keeper of this bell, brim full of fun, sanction- ed any proceeding, provided the "up country bell was returned safe and sound on his wharf next morning." So the lovers of sport made all due preparation. The right men were selected and this bell in the stillness of night was hauled up near the academy and quietly hung in a tree with a long rope attached stretching over a stone wall where a boy was stationed and ordered to ring it at a certain signal, when its ding dong awoke the sleepers who exclaimed in ecstacies, "Oh ! our bell has come back-our bell has come back !" a victory surely had now been gained. Peace for a moment breathed upon the troubled waters, and the perversity of human nature was ready to make full atonement for offenses committed. The advice of Capt. Vose had been heeded. Some rushed out to examine the premises, but alas ! all was silent and nothing to be seen. They returned to their homes in wonder, when again the bell sounded. They were now doubly sure and went to their repose, fully satisfied, but in the morning no bell was to be found for it had quietly been returned to the Derby dock where it belonged. A warm dispute now arose among the people, whether a bell really had been heard or not on the night in question, many declar- ing it was all an empty dream of the Up Towners. Some were positive, others very doubtful, no one could satisfactorily unfold the mystery ; but finally, honest Capt. Tucker, who had heard much music on the battle fields of the Revolution and who
-
209
RESTORATION OF THE BELL.
believed in ghosts and witches settled the question, for he declared that he "heard it a mile in the distance and if there was no bell, he believed that there was either some witchcraft about it or the spirit of old Todd had returned, and it was high time that Derby people were honest and without trifling in matters so serious."
After a long silence the bell, undiscovered, was returned to the arches of the old academy and Mr. Coe, who settled up its fallen fortunes, turned it over to the Up Town school district where it rested for years without creating further dissensions. Good nature had scarcely outlived the moss of ill feeling, how- ever, when the once olive branch of peace again stirred up the passions of men, for as it was the first bell of the town, in time it became the first church bell in Birmingham. Laying idle without notoriety, a well meaning church member very adroitly obtained possession of it without valuable consideration and it was soon rigged, new tongued and hung in the steeple of the Methodist church, by Lewis Hotchkiss, in the then infant village of Birmingham ; when its first notes were heard Up Town its sound was familiar to old Capt. Curtis, who vehemently ex- claimed, " There goes our old academy bell ! another trick on us ! They'll steal in Birmingham as bad as they used to in the Narrows."
Capt. Curtis full of indignation set himself about ferreting out the offenders, declaring the bell should come back as he was still one of its owners, and the Methodists, unwilling to be sac- rilegious or provoke any discord in the town, forthwith returned it and its sound was again silent.
About this time in the good providence of God the members of St. James's parish voted unanimously to change the location of their church edifice from Up Town to Birmingham. This con- templated an entire and final change in the full services of the church. After a hard struggle the new edifice was completed and consecrated in 1842, and then the church bell, organ, etc., were at once removed to Birmingham. Very naturally this created much warm and ill feeling among the good people Up Town, for nothing sublunary did they love and cherish with more veneration than this their mother church. Long had they lived and flourished under the very droppings of the old sanctu-
27
210
HISTORY OF DERBY.
ary. Honest differences of opinion, however, led to a swift decision and the disaffected resolved on separate services simultaneously in the old parish. Without a church they could occupy, the little district school-house was selected for religious services, a belfry forthwith erected upon its roof, and again the old academy bell was brought out from its obscurity and once more devoted to a sacred purpose. The first Sunday morning that the deep mellow tones of the Episcopal bell in Birmingham sounded the old academy bell responded up the valley, and soon the pious and devoted, in hope and trust, with the spirit of for- giveness and charity, were assembling in their respective abodes of worship. Thus among its last services did this instrument of varied musical discords, ring out the nucleus of a new church organization which now flourishes with great harmony in Ansonia.
Once again this pet of the town fell into disuse, and a few years ago the school district committee sold it to the Birming- ham Iron Foundry for old metal. If its tongue had been gifted with speech what " a tale could it unfold." In its ancient vicis- situdes it is said the old men planned while the boys executed. Its early friends have mostly gone to their rest, while its history with all its lessons in human nature still lives in the recollec- tions of the past.
The academy of which much might be said was built in 1786, and was made a sort of joint stock corporation. Through the long years of its existence it was favored with only seven differ- ent teachers. viz. : - - Kerkson, - Whittlesey, Dr. Pearl Crafts, Shelden Curtis, Josiah Holbrook, Truman Coe and John D. Smith. Whittlesey distinguished himself for his novel mode of punishment. When a boy disobeyed the rules of the academy he punished him by sandwiching him between two colored scholars seated on a bench in one corner of the school room. This mode of discipline worked well until Whittlesey lost one of his best pupils from New York, rather high toned, when the practice was abandoned. Trueman Coe for many years was a most acceptable teacher and established the reputa- tion of the school as a successful classical academy. Many young men were here fitted for college, and the institution was a credit to the town, but it fell into disrepute from a want of sufficient
-
211
HOLBROOK'S SEMINARY.
patronage and was finally merged into the district school and the old academy building passed into other hands for private use.
AN AGRICULTURAL SEMINARY AT DERBY.
The following account of this institution was furnished by one of its pupils, and is taken from a published memoir of Mr. Jo- siah Holbrook :
" You ask me what I remember about the academy of Messrs. Josiah Holbrook and Truman Coe. It was established in the town of Derby, in this state, in the spring of the year 1824, and was, I believe, discontinued after one or two years. The pros- pectus published in the newspapers of that day gives an outline of the course of study and the plan of operations. It is as follows :
"'The exercises designed are the study of the Latin, Greek, French and English languages, Rhetoric, Elocution, Geography and History ; the mathematics, as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geom- etry, Plane and Spherical Trigonometry, Mensuration and Fluxions ; Natural Philosophy in its various branches ; Astron- omy, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Botany and Zoology. No efforts will be spared to render these sciences practical and fitted to common life. With that view, particular attention will be given to Composition, Declamation with extempore debates, the uses of the higher branches of Mathematics in common business, Practical Surveying, the application of Natural Philosophy to various kinds of machinery and agricultural instruments ; test- ing the principles of chemical science in mixing and preparing soils, farming manures, making cider, beer, spirit and various other articles of agriculture and domestic economy, agricultural, geological and botanical excursions into various parts of the country, examining and analyzing soils, and practical agriculture.
.
"' One prominent object of the school is to qualify teachers. The most approved methods of instruction will be introduced, and lectures will be given on most of the Physical Sciences, at- tended with demonstrations and illustrations sufficiently plain and familiar to admit of their being introduced into common education. Courses on Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Miner- alogy and Botany will commence at the opening of the semi- nary. Ladies will be admitted to the lectures, and there will
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.