USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 27
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212
HISTORY OF DERBY.
be a department connected with the institution where females can pursue any branch of education they may desire.'
" The number of scholars of both sexes during the summer of 1824, was perhaps fifty or sixty ; among whom were five boys from New Haven, about as many from New York, and some from other places, near and remote. The school was certainly an attractive and pleasant one, and those who were so disposed made good progress in useful learning. Several of the boys were intrusted with surveying and leveling instruments, and used them frequently and successfully. Mr. Coe gave special attention to the mathematical studies, and Mr. Holbrook gave lectures and instruction in natural history and allied subjects. The boys rambled extensively over the hills of that region, did some work in hoeing and digging potatoes and in making hay, and once made a pedestrian excursion for minerals to Lane's mine in Monroe.
" The working of the school was harmonious ; a spirit of study generally prevailing among the pupils, and the supply of out- door exercise and sports was ample."
If Mr. Josiah Holbrook could step into one of the agricultural colleges or universities of the present day he would find his little seminary grown to robust manhood, but not quite to perfection.
It is customary at the present day to represent the people as having become more dishonest, unreliable and unworthy to be trusted than the people were one hundred years ago. It is rep- resented that public officers make all the expense they can and waste the property of the people. It is represented that public expenses were so small in old times that the people could lay up money and become independent. Two selections of illustra- tions will show the error of these statements, and also that offi- cers of old sometimes made larger bills than were ever paid.
When there were comparatively few fences and vast tracts of land over which cattle, horses and sheep roamed or would roam if once strayed, it frequently occurred that a strayed horse or other animal was found and put into the pound. After a cer- tain time they were advertised, and if no owner appeared to prove property, they were sold at public auction. The follow- ing shows how such proceedings frequently resulted :
" Derby, Dec. 12, 1794. A bill of expenses on one colt taken
.
213
OFFICIAL "HONESTY."
and impounded by Henry Wooster of said Derby, and the said colt was put into my care as one of the constables of said town on the 23d day of August, 1794, and the said colt was sold at the sign-post in said Derby town at public vendue, on the 12th day of September, for the payment of expenses and damages as fol- lows, by me, Joseph Riggs, constable of Derby.
E. 5. d.
Aug. 29, 1794. To advertising and pasturing,
O
4
II
To looking for pasture and driving the colt,
O
4 O
To paying pasturing bill,
O 6 O
To do. for damage and expense to Henry Wooster, I
19
6
To attendance and expense on vendue,
O
8
6
To poundage and baiting,
O
O
II
To recording, cash paid town clerk, O
I
6
3
5
4
Credit. By sale of the colt,
2
II
O
There remains expenses and damages not paid, 0 14 4
About the same time four sheep were taken up, advertised and sold, and "there remained five shillings not paid, or the sheep sold for five shillings less than the charges brought against them. In only one case observed did the receipts surpass the expenses connected with the sale, and therefore the times and the people have not so materially degenerated within one hun- dred years, in respect to such transaction. These are but small items in themselves, but are just what occurred over and over during more than one hundred years.
The first mercantile enterprise started at Derby Narrows failed in six years, and an assignment was made to New York and Stratford creditors. We know not the cause of this failure, but know that the events of those times were very much like the present, with the exception that ghosts and witches were believed in and feared, but this can scarcely be said of the pres- ent age. The reason, we apprehend, is because so many ghosts have been found to be mundane animals rather than of a higher or lower sphere, that knowledge banishes fear. This was the case in a story related by Doctor A. Beardsley, which is far too good to be lost, and hence is here recorded.
Many are the stories,true or false, which our mothers and grandmothers used to tell the children, to excite their curiosity
214
HISTORY OF DERBY.
and increase their bump of veneration, now and then loading the memory with some moral and useful lesson. If any, with old Dr. Johnson are inclined to "listen with incredulity to the whispers of fancy, or pursue with eagerness the phantoms " of witchcraft demonology, ghosts, hobgoblins or modern spirit rap- pings, we commend to their perusal the following adventure, which is not only founded on fact, but in the language of the novelist, actually and circumstantially true.
Though of no political reminiscence, our story dates back nearly to our national epoch of 1776. An inhabitant wearied with a day's journey, was returning from one of our northern villages up the valley, at midnight, by an unfrequented route to his home not a thousand miles from Derby. His path though " straight and narrow," carried him across a secluded burial ground, which he could not in the darkness of a starless night very well avoid. Perhaps some, in the degeneracy of these modern times, may be surprised at the courage which would pre- fer a shorter walk through a grave-yard, to a longer and more circuitous one in another direction, especially in the night sea- son. But such was the resolution of our traveler, and he entered boldly, "at high twelve " and without mental reservation, the dwelling-place of the ancient dead. He paused ; but, solitary and alone, his line of safety impelled him forward. He had scarcely passed the silent enclosure when, as is usual on such occasions, he saw a figure in white moving slowly and conspicu- ously at some distance. Unused to pray, our trembling hero raised his eyes toward heaven, but before he had time to re- cover from the shock of his vision, he was suddenly raised from the ground by some invisible agency, carried a few rods and as unceremoniously deposited again on terra firma. The fig- ure in white in his Jim Crow movements, brought to his imagin- ation a thousand frightful and solemn fancies of the sleeping dead.
Can the legends of witchcraft furnish anything more terrific or a situation more dreadful ? Many a heart which at Lexing- ton and Bunker Hill, at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, stood unmoved in front of the hottest battle, and quailed not when the dead and the dying lay thick around them, would have trem- bled and begged for mercy in that dark and trying hour, for it was not a dream but a reality.
215
EES IN DERBY.
SLAV"
But we hasten to the den ouement that relieved our traveling "Hervey in his meditations among the tombs." A black colt sent forth a shrill cry a few" moments after depositing his un- welcome and involuntary rid'er who had unconsciously stepped astride him, and was answered by his white mother at the other end of the graveyard. 1
From that hour until the day of his death, our adventurer would never believe in the ghost and fairy stories so common among the good people of olden' times.
The leading men of Derby, in cluding ministers of the gospel, held slaves and thought it no sin, while Connecticut was a slave state, but from an early day they were required by law to learn their slaves to read. The slave trade was carried on in Derby both for shipping purposes as well as the home market. Nicho- las Moss, it is said, bought and sold, and now and then sent a slave to the West Indies He was engaged in this business as shown by the following bill of sale :
" Know all men by these presents, that I, William Cogswell of New Milford in Litchfield county, do sell and convey unto Nicholas Moss of Derby in New Haven county, one certain negro girl named Dorcas, about eighteen years of age, which girl I sell to the said Nicholas Moss during her natural life, and I have good right to sell the same, and do bind myself and my heirs to warrant her to him and his heirs. for forty- five pounds lawful money, from all other claims and demands whatever.
" In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of July, Anno Domini, 1773.
In presence of us,
Daniel Moss,
Ephraim Keeney.
William Cogswell."
Slaves were owned in Derby nominally as late as 1840, they not having accepted their freedom, their owners being obliged to maintain them in their old age. Bennet Lumm, Esq., and Joseph H. Riggs, both of Derby, were the last to care for slaves in this town.
" NEW HAVEN COUNTY, February 7, 1791.
"Personally appeared Mr. Agar Tomlinson and made oath that he has in his possession a negro boy named Peter, belonging to the heir of David Tomlinson, deceased, aged five years and three months want- ing one day.
" Entered per John Humphreys, town clerk.
216
HISTORY OVERBY.
" Before me, John Humphreys, jus, of the peace.
" On April 21, 1791, Mr. Daniel poster made oath that he was possessed of a mulatto boy called Pet aged one year and four months and two days.
"On March 22, 1792, Capt. Tinhy Baldwin made oath that he was possessed of a negro girl aged,ur years, eight months wanting five days.
" In December, 1792, Mr. Agar 'omlinson made oath to the pos- session of a negro boy named Tim hy, aged one year and twenty-five days.
"On April 20, 1795. Mr. Agarromlinson made oath that he was possessed of a negro girl named 'live, aged eight months the first day of May, 1795.
" April 4, 1797. Personally
ppeared before me Mrs. Anna Hum- phreys and made solemn oath that she is possessed of a negro girl named Twinet, aged one year and nine months wanting seven days.
" Before me, John Humph reys, justice of the peace.".
GREAT HILL.
The tract of lar "Sd including Great Hill was purchased of the Indians in 1676
, and was bounded "with Potatoke river on the west side, ar idCfd with a little brook and the English purchase on the south and .Hune Ifi side (extending south nearly to the old Bassett place), scarswith a brook that runs from Naugatuck river to a brook called Four-mile brook, the which Four-mile brook is the bounds northerly, and Naugatuck river is the east bounds of the above said tract of land." This purchase was made by Alexander Bryan of Milford, to whom the Indian deed was given, the consideration being seventeen pounds, and it was by him, for the same consideration, turned over to John Brinsmade, : sen., Henry Tomlinson and Joseph Hawley, all of Stratford, on the third of December, 1670. This purchase was included with another on the south side of it in the difficulty which arose, and was placed in litigation between Mr. Joseph Hawley and the town of Derby, and which was finally settled by a commit- tee from the General Court, ten or eleven years later. It was a part of this land that Sergt. Robert Bassett of Stratford bought of Mr. Hawley and gave to his son Samuel Bassett, the first settler of this name in Derby, in 1716, soon after which
-
217
GREAT HILL.
this Samuel Bassett settled on this land, making his residence at the foot of Great Hill.
Soon after 1700, lots began to be laid on Great Hill, and the work continued some years before all who had a right to land in that purchase were accommodated. In 1711, quite a number of lots were surveyed and assigned to different parties of the former settlers. On pages 156 and 157 of this book are re- corded the names of those who held rights to this land.
This locality is well named Great Hill, being nearly the high- est elevation in the town, and extending from north to south on the Woodbury road about three miles, and from east to west about two miles. From it most charming views may be had in every direction, especially on Long Island Sound.
Several old houses remain, indicating quite satisfactorily the antiquity of their existence, but others are in good repair, and present the comfort, quietude and success of a farmer's home.
GREAT HILL ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY.
In 1775, Timothy Russell and others, inhabitants of Derby, some of them residing in Oxford society, petitioned the Gen- eral Court to release them from paying ministerial taxes to either of those societies in order that they might support preaching and church services among themselves. This memo- rial was granted, and the limits of the district so exempt con- fined between Five-mile brook, the Great river, down to the old Bassett place and the Naugatuck river.
In the records of this society the first entry made reads thus : "A book of records of the votes of the inhabitants included in a memorial, part in Derby and part in Oxford, for winter preaching. Nov. 29, 1775." They then appointed Benjamin Tomlinson moderator of the meeting, and Joseph Canfield, Joseph Tomlinson and Noah Tomlinson, the society's committee, John Bassett collector of the one and a half penny rate, and Samuel Russell clerk of the society.
The first meetings of the society and for religious services were held in the school-house, standing then on the site of the present one. This arrangement for winter preaching con- tinued four years, when they sent a memorial to the Assembly to be made a distinct society. 28
218
HISTORY OF DERBY.
In May, 1779, "Upon another memorial of John Holbrook and others, inhabitants of the south-westerly part of the town- ship of Derby, praying this Assembly to grant and enact that that part of Derby laying within the following bounds, viz. : beginning at the southerly corner of Benjamin Bassett's land by the Great river, running thence a straight line to the mouth of Hasekey meadow brook, where it empties into Naugatuck river, thence up said river to the Great new bridge, thence running north-westerly as the county road runs, to the easterly corner of David Wooster's meadow, thence running to Abner Johnson's dwelling house leaving the same on the north side of said line, from thence to the Five-mile brook, where it crosses Woodbury road leading to Derby, thence down said brook to the Great river, and from thence down said river to the first mentioned boundary, be constituted and made an ecclesiastical society by the name of the Great Hill society, with all the privileges, immunities and advantages that other ecclesiastical societies by law have and enjoy.
"Resolved by the Assembly, That all the inhabitants dwelling in that part of the township of Derby, lying within the above described lines and boundaries, be, and the same are hereby constituted and made an ecclesiastical society by the name of the Great Hill society, with all the privileges, immunities and advantages that all other ecclesiastical societies by law have and enjoy."
After this the first record made by the society, they denomi- nate, "The first society meeting of the third society in Derby, Sept. 20, 1779." After a few years they learned to use their legal name, Great Hill society.
In the above memorial we are introduced to an old acquaint- ance, Capt. John Holbrook, the same that with his wife, Abigail, gave the land for the site and burying ground for the first Episcopal church of Derby, and who left that church to sustain the Revolution.
It is said he built the Great Hill meeting-house himself, that is, mostly at his own expense. He is said to have been quite wealthy, owning a thousand acres of land, a saw mill and much personal property. He was elected the first deacon of the Great Hill Congregational church, and was to all appear-
219
SECURING A MINISTER.
ance a grand, noble, generous man, seconded always by that noble woman whose name joined with his in the deed to the Episcopal church.
In April, 1781, they voted not to hire any more preaching for the present except one Sabbath. The next February they voted to "adjourn said meeting to the second Monday in March, 1782, to be holden at the meeting-house." Hence, probably that house was built in the summer of 1781. It stood about half a mile north of Priest Smith's house, which is the gambrel-roofed house on the hill, still standing.
"November, 1783, they voted to hire preaching every other Sabbath until the first of May next.
"Voted, Mr. Abraham Canfield, Nehemiah Candee, Daniel Canfield, Benjamin Bassett, Joseph Bassett, Isaac Bassett, chor- isters of said Society
"Voted, Capt. John Holbrook, Benjamin Bassett, Jonathan Lumm, jun., to appoint a burying place in the Society." Four weeks later they voted to have "a burying place east of John Holbrook, jun.'s land," part of it being of the highway, and a part belonged to Capt. John Holbrook. John Holbrook, jun., Enoch Smith and Benjamin English, were appointed to dig the graves for the society."
The choristers thus appointed began a system of vocal culti- vation that made the place celebrated in this respect for many years, the fame of which is still spoken of with great delight, although the singers are all passed on to the new life.
December 3, 1782, they voted to hire Mr. Birdsey to preach until the first of the next May, which is the first minister's name mentioned in the records.
They continued thus to hire preaching for certain specified terms of a few weeks or a few months, until Dec. 28, 1786, when they voted that the society committee should confer with Mr. Abner Smith to preach four Sabbaths from the first of January, 1787.
On the 21st of Dec., 1787, they voted to give Mr. Abner Smith a call, with a settlement of one hundred pounds, a salary of seventy pounds, and his fire-wood.
Mr. Smith's letter of acceptance of this call, dated March 8, 1787, is still preserved, and is a most beautifully written letter.
220
HISTORY OF DERBY.
The penmanship is elegant, and the whole production is very honorable to him. That he was a man of no pretentiousness is very apparent, but a man sincere, intelligent and devoted. He was ordained and settled soon after, but no records of the services, nor of any doings of the church, or marriages, deaths, and baptisms, have been seen, nor is it known that there are any records of these events.
In the first starting of raising rates, or taxes, for the support of the gospel, they say the rates are to be paid in silver, or gold, or Connecticut money, which is a record very seldom seen.
About 1790, a law was passed that those desiring to be released from paying rates to the minister, should present a writing that he belonged to some other denomination, and that thereupon he should be exempt.
"Derby, August 24, 1801. This may certify that Richard Holbrook, of Derby, has this day subscribed his name to the clerk's book belonging to the Episcopal Union society, and considers himself holden to pay taxes to said society.
Test, Samuel Sanford, clerk.
The above certificate received by me, Jonathan Lumm, 4th, clerk of this book."
Rev. Abner Smith, not long after his settlement, bought land, or the society did for him, and he built a good sized gam- brel-roofed house on the most picturesque location on Great Hill. The house is still standing, and is said to be about ninety years old. In this house Mr. Smith and family resided until 1829, when he sold this farm and removed west.
After his removal the old meeting-house was converted into a school-house, although meetings were held in it occasionally some years later, both by Congregationalists and Methodists.
After a time it was taken down, very much to the grief of some of the old members of this church. The communion set is still preserved in the care of Mrs. Thomas C. Holbrook, of Great Hill.
GREAT HILL M. E. CHURCH.
It is said that this is one of the oldest Methodist churches in Connecticut, and that from the time the Rev. Jesse Lee
221
GREAT HILL M. E. CHURCH.
preached in the valley of the Naugatuck, services were held here by his successors.
The first minister sent into the New England states by a Methodist conference, was the Rev. Jesse Lee in 1789. In 1790, the appointments for New England were: Jesse Lee, pre- siding elder, John Bloodgood at Fairfield, John Lee at New Haven, Nathaniel B. Mills at Hartford, Jesse Lee and Daniel Smith at Boston.1
If then Methodism began on Great hill, as said, it must have been about the year 1790, but no written dates have been seen confirmatory of this tradition.
Previous to the organization of the Congregational society for winter preaching at this place, the Rev. Dr. Mansfield of Derby had held services some years in Great hill school- house once a month, and the same at Oxford and Quaker's Farm. The Congregationalists held their services in the same school-house six or seven years, until their meeting-house was completed in the autumn of 1781. When, therefore, the Metho- dists began preaching here, they probably held their services in the school-house, and continued so to do until regular ser- vices were given up in the meeting-house after Rev. Abner Smith became feeble in health or after he removed west in 1829 or 1830. After this, by common consent, the Methodists occupied the meeting-house until they dedicated their present church on Wednesday, October 25, 1854. The Great hill soci- ety became one of the strongest points on the Derby circuit, which at first extended up the Naugatuck valley as far as Water- bury. The Rev. Elijah Woolsey, circuit preacher here in 1714, gives in his book called "The Lights and Shadows of the Itin- erancy," space to incidents of his experience on Great hill, and the Rev. Heman Bangs, who was presiding elder about 1820, said Great hill was his main support.
After the close of the ministerial labors of Rev. Mr. Smith, Congregational services grew more and more infrequent, and the Methodist people occupied the old meeting-house until they built their new one.
Several ministers and laymen are spoken of in connection with this society as specially serviceable to the church. The
1Stevens's Hist. of Methodism, II. 417, 418.
222
HISTORY OF DERBY.
Rev. George C. Fuller, pastor in 1825-6, is remembered for his eccentricities, earnest and successful labors. Cyrus Botsford, the music teacher, was chorister many years from about 1810. Capt. Isaac Bassett and wife, grand parents of Capt. Elliot Bassett, are said to have been among the first Methodists in this place. The late Judson English was closely identified with this church during half a century.2 The "History of Seymour3" tells us that Anson Gillett was the first class leader over sixty-five years ago. If it is intended to indicate by this that the first class
leader was appointed sixty-five years ago, it must be a mistake, since preaching began here by Jesse Lee, or his successors, about twenty-four years before that time, and a regular preach- ing service held by the Methodists of that day twenty-four years without a class and a class leader, is an unheard of thing. Methodists were not of that kind in those days, nor do we know of any such in these latter days. It is said in the same book that "Almost the only preaching on the hill for forty years preceding 1854, had been by the Methodists."4 The Rev. Abner Smith was here and services were kept up most of the time until about 1829, and after that Congregational ministers have preached in the place frequently, and are cordially invited and frequently accept the invitation to preach in the present Methodist church.
THE SMALL POX.
The era commonly assigned for the first appearance of small- pox is A. D. 569 ; it seems then to have begun in Arabia, and the raising of the siege of Mecca by an Abyssinian army is attributed to the ravages made by the small-pox among the troops. Razes, an Arabian physician who practiced at Bagdad about the beginning of the tenth century, is the first medical author whose writings have come down to us who treats expressly of the disease ; he however quotes several of his pre- decessors, one of whom is believed to have flourished about the year of the Hegira, A. D. 622. Inoculation was introduced into civilized Europe from Constantinople through the sense and
2Three or four of these items are taken from the Hist. of Seymour.
3Wm. C. Sharp, 1879.
4 Hist. of Seymour, 119.
223
INOCULATION.
courage of Lady Mary Wartly Montagu, but since the discovery of vaccination by Dr. Jenner has been discontinued.
Vaccination (Latin, vacca, a cow), inoculation for cow-pox as a protection against small-pox was first practiced by Dr. Jenner, an English physician, in 1796.
Inoculation for small-pox and for cow-pox are very different things as to the disease but the same in preventing small-pox, the latter, however, being a much milder disease and far less dangerous. It was the former of these that was first introduced into this town.
The following petition was presented in town meeting January 7, 1793, "To the inhabitants of Derby in town meeting assembled, sirs : we the subscribers of said Derby, physicians, beg liberty of said town that we may have liberty to set up the inoculation of the small-pox in said town as there are many of the inhabitants that are now going into other towns for said purpose, and the younger people are much exposed to have it the natural way if not inoculated.
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