USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The town and city of Waterbury, Connecticut, from the aboriginal period to the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, Volume I > Part 19
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now
John Bronson Jr
2 Acres
William Higginson Edmund Scott Jr
Thomas Judd Jr
2 Acres
now
The house for the Minister 2 Aores
Danul Warner
Widow Warner . 2 Acres
Thomas Ruhardson
2 Acres
Obadiah Richards
Edmund Scott
2 Acres
John Carrington 2 Acres
2 Acres
Joseph Hocox
2 Acres
Danul Porter for son Daniel Porter 2 Acres
Samuel Hichex 2 Acres
Deacon Thomas Judel for John Judd Abraham Andrews Cooper 2 Acres
Richard Seamer Benjamin Barnes 2 ACTES
now Bank Street.
now North Main Street and Linden Street.
2 Acres
Richard Portes
2 Acres
Jonathan Scott_
Samuel Scott
2 Acres
Stephen Upson
2 Acres
Stephen Upson
A Great Lot
2 Acres
Thomas Warner
John Wurnor Sr
2 Acres
John Hopkins
Reserved
HOUSE LOTS OF MATTATUCK, 1681.
[The top of the page is west ]
Highway
now'
Comman Fence
Grand
Main
9 Acres
Thomas Judd for sen Samuel Philip Judd
Sargeant John Standley for son Timothy Standley 2 Acres
Street .
Street.
3Acres
Joseph Gaylord
Thomas Gridley
-
9% Actos
John Stanley Jr
4 Acres
Isaac Brunson
5 Acres
John Newell
Thomas Newell Son
John Porter David Carpenter Robert Porter 112 Acres
Highway
2 Acres
Samuel Gridley Them Is Nowell 1687 10% Acres
&'in Acres
West
Grove
Street .
MATTATUCK AS A PLANTATION. 161
The central fact of the early New England village, was its green plain. Around it and along its very borders the town plot was laid outt. Its surrounding house lots were narrow and deep. The green plain of Mattatuck, the eastern portion of which is now called, sometimes the Green, and sometimes Centre Square, was at the time of the settlement but little more than the marshy result of a former swamp. It has required time and much labor to evolve it into its
MATTATUCK.
. Those whose names are in parentheses were.
to Westbury
The roads wich are marked by dotted lines .. Avenol original.
River
Naugatuck
BenjaminJones . Common
Thomas Judd south
John Sconti fence
(William Scorte)
John Southmirs
.(Stephen Welton)
Burying Yard
Abraham Andruss Sen
Jeremiah Fick
John Milton. .
Jonathan Scott
Thomas Judd Jr .
·John N'amer
Edmund Scott Je :*
· Robert Potter
. Thomas Hancox
Thomas Richaon
.Thomas Newell
Ednaunut Scott Sens
John Bronson
Pochard Portey
.Theinas Judd L .
Mimuel Scott
Stephen L'usony) Timothy Stanley
Daniel Porter
Philip Judd · Jamph Buck ar
Pine Hill
dbmham Andruss My
Serj Samuel Huker.
Parsonage
Korting House
. Beryarn Barnes.
Little
John Stanley
to Judds Meadow
Joseph Guy 0
Brook
. John Hopkins
Grange Scott
John Newche
to Burnt Hull
Fence
Aboration Andris Sve
Great
Abraham Andrus 3% Sephen Hop kurs/
Brook
Daniel Porter 241
(John Brownn 24)
(John Richasont)
to Bucks HOT.
Esto Farmington .
DR. HENRY BRONSON'S MAP.
present form of beauty. The most careful research, reveals to us the town spot, as it was laid out under the care of the Assembly's Committee. On the north side of the green plain were twelve house lots-on its south side, twelve-on Willow street, four-on the north street, four-on Bank street, four. Thirty-one of the number were allotted to the thirty-one men who were the signers of 1674. One was given to Stephen Upson. One was bestowed upon the
Common
Mill
Common
(Joseph Hucka &t)
Riv
Pine Hill Road
John Ourruigton
Wid | Daniel Warner . Obadiah Richards
Stephen Upson
Fence
Thomas Warner
sade Bronson
John Richard
Samuel Hickox 24)
to New Haven ..
in woodbury
`not original proprietors. :
II
162
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
miller. Three remained as great-lot house lots for the benefit of the public.
We introduce here (see page 160) an outline map of these lots, with explanations. The small lot of three-quarters of an acre, on which now stands the stately ruin of the Judge Kingsbury house, was given to young Thomas Judd, the son of William, when he became of age to receive it. Two house lots have been added to the plot although they were not laid out until about 1685. This has been done in order to show their true position in the plan. They were bestowed, one upon Samuel Scott (a son of Edmund), the other upon Richard Porter. The Atkins building, at the corner of Grand and Bank streets, is on the lot of Richard Porter. The map of " Mattatuck Village" that was prepared for Dr. Bronson's History of Waterbury is also reproduced. It represents not only the earliest house lots, but also a period later in the history of the town. He placed three house lots below Grand street because one of the number, Richard Porter's, required a highway for its south bound, and he did not find that part of Grand street that lies eastward from Bank street. We find that Grand street east of Bank street, being an original highway, was conveyed in 1697 to Richard Porter in exchange for the Union Square front of his Bank street lot. Thus early did the townsmen begin the work of diverting the lands which had been granted to the ministry in perpetuity, from the original intent of the grantors ; for this temporary closing of a por- tion of Grand street was the entering wedge that opened the way for the relinquishment of the ministry lot on Bank street, for other land, and this took place while the founders of the town were living. The street was re-opened April 9, 1712.
We have so long delayed to introduce the inhabitants of Matta- tuck by name, that we are come to November in the year 1681. It is now six months since the time expired that was granted by the committee for finishing the houses. The past year has been one of great trials to the elder towns, and we may be quite certain that this new plantation has had its full share of tribulations. Rever- end Simon Bradstreet tells us in his journal, that during June, July, and August of this year a great drouth prevailed, destroying corn and grass to the value of many thousand pounds. The drouth was followed by " a malignant fever of which many died in many places in the colony during September and October." The "rod of the anger of the most High had been shaken " so severely over the people that, for the first time in its history, the General Assembly closed its October session without the appointment of a day for general thanksgiving. "And yet," the Reverend journalist adds : "there was enough left for a meat and a drink offering."
163
MATTATUCK AS A PLANTATION.
The specifications for house-building formulated in 1674 by the committee, were exceedingly simple. It was not forbidden to build a palace, but it was required that every man should have a good, substantial dwelling house, at least eighteen feet long, sixteen feet wide, and nine feet between "joynts, with a good chimney in the fore sayd place." The "fore sayd place" has not before been mentioned, but it probably referred to the chimney-space. It seems highly probable that the earliest effort at a habitation was one erected in common, with sufficient of comfort for the workers during the week, and that the men, inured to riding, thought little of returning to their families at Farmington as often as occasion required. But the time has now arrived when each man should be found living in his own finished house, with his family abiding with him.
We will begin our acquaintance with the founders of the town at the southeast corner of the "Green." The lot is marked on the plan "Deacon Thomas Judd for John Judd," with the name of " Abraham Andrews, cooper," beneath it. We find this lot without a house upon it. We have already learned why John Judd gave up his claim to Mattatuck lands. Abraham Andrews, his successor, although he has attained his thirty-third year, is still waiting for his coming bride. She will be Sarah, the daughter of Robert Por- ter, and will arrive from Farmington at some time during the com- ing year.
On the lot lying to the westward, Daniel Porter, the well-known surgeon of the River Towns, or his son Daniel, has built a house, but it has no chimney. The younger Daniel himself, although he is now twenty-nine years old, seems to have neither fireside nor wife. Eighteen years later, in 1699, we shall find him living in this house with his wife, Deborah Holcomb, and one child.
Adjoining the Porter lot, and where now is standing our Town and City Hall, we find the house of Timothy Standly. In 1634, John Stanley died while on the passage from England to New England, leaving three little children. One of the children died. The two, John and his sister Ruth, were left to the care of their uncles Thomas and Timothy (their father's brothers), between whom the estate of John Stanley was divided by the Court for the benefit of the children. The little boy, John, became Captain John "Standly," of Farmington, and was the father of the Mattatuck Standlys. We find Timothy Standly's house "large enough and ovned." In it are living Timothy himself, who is twenty-nine years old, and his wife, Mary Strong, of Windsor. They have been married five years, and are without children.
9
164
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
On the fourth lot, where now is the Silas Bronson Library build- ing, Leavenworth street, and a part of the Kendrick homestead land, John Carrington is living, with his wife and their four chil- dren. John is about thirty-nine years old. The children are :
John, age 14 years, Mary, age 9 years,
Hannah, age 6 years, Clark, age 3 years.
There is an interest and a pathos about this name John Carrington. It is connected with an event so pathetic that it sends shudders of pity through all the years from 1650 to 1892; and yet there are events occurring every day in the current of our boasted civilization that will, without doubt, send the self-same storm of pity surging through the hearts of men and women two hundred and fifty years hence-events that we accept without a protest. John Carrington and his wife, Joane, of Wethersfield, in 1650, were tried before the court at Hartford for the crime of witchcraft. Our John Carrington was then a lad of about eight years. We are not able to say that he was the child of the above John and Joane Carrington, but there seems to be no reason to doubt that such was the fact. "At a Par- ticular Court in Hartford on the 20th of February 1650, John Car- rington and Joane Carrington of Wethersfield, were on trial for their lives." We find the following :
JOHN CARRINGTON'S INDITEMENT.
"John Carrington thou art indited by the name of John Carring- ton of Wethersfield, carpenter, that not having the feare of God before thine eyes thou hast Interteined ffamiliarity with Sathan the great Enemye of God and mankind and by his helpe hast done workes above the course of nature for wch both according to the Lawe of God and the Established Law of this Commonwealth thou deservest to dye.
The Jury findes this Inditemt against John Carrington the 6th of March 1650."
Then follows the name of his wife Joane, and the same indite- ment in the same words, with the same finding by the same jury. On this jury we find men with whose names we are already familiar. Thomas Judd, William Lewis, Stephen Heart and Mr. Tailcoat, the father of our Major Talcott, are of the number. That the finding of this jury was followed by the execution of John and Joane Carrington, may be inferred from the following entry. I have not the date of it: "There was presented to this Courte an inventory of John Carrington's estate which was ordered to be filed, but not recorded." The inventory on file has never been found. We return, from this painful departure, to Mattatuck, and find the
165
MATTATUCK AS A PLANTATION.
house of John Carrington too small to meet the requirements of the committee, although large enough to hold many bitter recollections for its owner.
On the next lot-belonging to Edmund Scott-we find a house perfect according to the specifications of the committee. Not a com- plaint has been made against the work of this man. The original house lot of the late Hon. Green Kendrick, together with Leav- enworth street, occupies all of Edmund Scott's lot, and one-half of John Carrington's lot. In this perfect habitation we find a family notable for the number of its members who fell victims to the rage of the Indian. The family consists of Edmund, his wife, who was Elizabeth Fuller and the widow of Thomas Upson, seven sons and one daughter .* No other one of the proprietors is so well equipped with sons as is Edmund Scott. It is not surprising that many acres on mountain and in meadow are early recorded to the Scott name, when we find that the boys of the following list are aids to their father in subduing the wilderness. The following ages are esti- mated from the records of the Probate Court:
Joseph, about 20 years,
. Edmund, about 18 years, Samuel, about 16 years, Jonathan, about 15 years,
George, about 12 years, David, about 10 years, Robert, about 8 years, Elizabeth, about 5 years.
On Thomas Richason's two-acre lot we find no house in 1681, for he is living with his wife, Mary, and their seven children, in a cel- lar. The language of the complaint is that he " hires a cellar to live in." The children are :
Mary, age 14 years, Sarah, age 12 years, John, age 9 years, Thomas, age 7 years,
Israel,
Rebecca, born in Waterbury, April 27th, 1679, Ruth, age 6 months.
We have here the record of the birth of the first English child of Mattatuck. It is difficult to understand why Thomas Richason is living in a cellar in 1681, when we learn, by the record of the birth of his daughter Rebecca, that he has been living in Mattatuck at least two and one-half years. The construction of the early houses was such that many of them were easily burned; but, had disaster by fire fallen upon this proprietor-the man who held the least interest in the township, his right being but fifty pounds-the committee would surely have forborne to take away his allotments.
* The oldest known grave in ancient Waterbury is, with little if any doubt, the grave of Joseph, the eldest son of this family. It lies in a lonely spot in the very heart of the wilderness-about half a mile west from Reynolds Bridge-and marks the spot where he was killed by Indians. This was before February of I708.
166
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
The lot to the westward on which will be found "The house for the minister," is one of the three house lots belonging to the same number of great-lots, that were set apart by the committee for special service to the community. One of the number will be seen at the west end of "the" highway, or West Main street, the other on "a " highway, or Bank street. The one on Bank street had been devoted to the "ministry " already, but in this same year, the dwelling houses having been fairly well completed, one for each family, the question arose, "Which of the great-lots shall be for the minister's use ?" This question was asked in a letter written a few months later in the same year, on February 20, 1681, by Timothy Standly, and Abraham Andrews, "select men," to the committee. Surely this was commendable promptness on the part of the founders of the town in preparing the way for the coming min- ister of the gospel. The answer of the committee was deferred until April, when it was given in the following words: "We leave it to your judgment, to be determined by the major part of the inhabitants, and if you cannot agree, we shall determine." We infer that the lot was chosen by the inhabitants, in the absence of any evidence contrary to that inference. The house that was built on that lot, it is thought, occupied a site that included the land on which the extreme southern portion of the house of Mrs. John C. Booth is standing.
Next west of the minister's house, is a lot that was originally allotted to William Higginson, who was twenty-six years of age at the time he signed the Articles in 1674. His wife was Sarah, the daughter of John Warner, Senior, thus associating with the first days of the Plantation, as original planters, John Warner, his sons John, Daniel, and Thomas, and his daughter Sarah-the date of whose marriage with William Higginson I have not learned-as well as the third generation of Warners, in the children of John, Junior, Thomas, and Daniel. This lot was subsequently bestowed upon Edmund Scott, Junior. Our only authority for the ages of the children of Edmund Scott is the Probate Court record, according to which, Edmund, Junior, is at this time, about eighteen years of age, and yet he had been granted the house lot of William Higgin- son in 1679, and his house is now complained of, because it has no chimney. The gift at this time, to Edmund Scott, Junior, from his father, of a house on the same lot, in order to avoid the forfeiture of his son's allotments, suggests that we perhaps ought to find two houses on the lot.
The next lot is Benjamin Judd's. He has been living nominally in Mattatuck, several years, but delayed to finish his house until
167
MATTATUCK AS A PLANTATION.
two months ago. His wife is Mary, the daughter of Captain William Lewis of Farmington-Benjamin is not yet forty years of age. His wife is thirty-six. Their children are:
Benjamin, age 10 years, Mary, age 6 years,
Sarah, age 4 years, Hannah, age 2 months.
The next house lot is John Welton's. His age and parentage are unknown. On this lot he has built a house to the acceptance of his townsmen, for no complaint has been made by them to the com- mittee. In it, John is living with his wife, Mary, and their six children.
Abigail, age 14 years, Mary, age 12 years,
Elizabeth, age 10 years,
John, age 8 years, Stephen, age 3 years, Richard, age 19 months.
Especial interest is attached to the above infant, Richard Wel- ton, because family tradition claims his birth as that of the first English male child in Mattatuck. An account "of the Welton family in Waterbury," by Richard Welton, who writes that he (the writer) "is the great-grandson of John Welton, who came from England," gives the date of Richard's birth as "September 27, 1679 ; " but it is the only date given in the manuscript. Our town record states that this child was " born in Waterbury, sometime in March, 1680." Assuming that the public record is the true one, Richard Welton seems to have two competitors for the honor. One of them is little John Warner, who by record was " born in Water- bury, March 6th, 1680 ;" the other is Abraham Andrews, the next door neighbor of young Richard.
Abraham Andrews, Senior, was early on the ground, and seems to have fulfilled all his obligations with great faithfulness. His house lot is next west of John Welton's. Here he lives with his wife Rebecca Carrington, daughter it is believed of John Carrington of Wethersfield, and sister of John Carrington of Mattatuck, with their four children,
Rebecca, age 9 years, Mary, age 7 years,
Hannah, 2ge 3 years,
Abraham, born October 14th, 1680.
The record of Abraham Andrews' children does not say that this Abraham was born in Waterbury, but, as one of the requirements was that the proprietors should be personally living with their families at Mattatuck by May, 1680, and other men have been com- plained of because they were not here at that time, and Abraham has escaped all censure, we infer that he was living here in his own house when this child was born. Based upon the above as a conclusion, the birth of this young Abraham Andrews antedates that of Richard Welton and John Warner by five months.
168
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Next west, we find a " great-lot,"-house lot, whose first occu- pant will be Reverend John Southmayd, about 1704.
Having reached Willow street, we find on its western border a lot with John Langton's name on it. Of this lot we know little. There was probably no house upon it.
Benjamin Jones is the owner and occupier of the adjoining lot. His wife is Hannah Spencer, to whom he has been married twenty years. They have at least one child, Benjamin, age unknown. Benjamin Jones has been absent from the plantation too much to please his neighbors, and complaints have been made ; but, as he was on the ground in time, and built his house in time, the commit- tee will ignore complaints. This is also the lot on which John Andrews, the father of Abraham, the cooper, intended to build and live.
We will pass by the small lot of only three-quarters of an acre, on which young Thomas Judd will live when he becomes of age to receive lands. Crossing West Main street, we come to the home- stead of the late Judge Bronson. It is the scene of Abraham Bron- son's early attempts to settle in Mattatuck. This was before Lyme and his wife Hannah, the daughter of Matthew Griswold of that plantation, lured him away. He was married three months after the articles were signed, and was living in Mattatuck in 1677. Now we find John Scovill in possession, the allotments having been conferred upon him by the committee. John Scovill's house is without a chimney. In 1688 "the town of Farmington voted to have a town house to keep school in." It was to be eighteen "foot" square "besides the chimney space." Mr. Julius Gay, of Farming- ton, in his "Schools and Schoolmasters in Farmington in the Olden Time," refers to the above clause relating to the chimney as "sig- nificant," and tells us that "chimneys were at first built on the out- side of the houses; that they were not built of bricks, for there were no bricks in the country except those brought by the Dutch- men from Holland; that they were not built of stone, because there was no lime for mortar but the little that could be obtained from the burning of oyster shells. Accordingly, chimneys were built of wood, laid up log-house fashion, and lined with clay. Of course the clay was continually coming off and the houses taking fire." How- ever the chimneys of Farmington may have been built, the men of Waterbury built stone chimneys, laid in clay, at a very early date, and there is reason to think that the houses of the first settlers were constructed with stone chimneys. There was a house, built, it is thought, by the first Stephen Upson-it was certainly given by him to his son Stephen-that had a stone chimney. It stood on the
169
MATTATUCK AS A PLANTATION.
southwest corner of Grand and Bank streets, and was taken down in 1839, after the death of David Prichard, who had lived in it more than a century. The late Johnson house, that was built before 1723, by a son of John Scovil, the planter, had a stone chimney, laid in clay; while the heirs of another "signer" divided among them- selves the house of their father, even to the stones of the chimney. Two of the houses referred to certainly had chimneys in the centre. The fact that there are in 1681 four houses without chimneys, cer- tainly indicates that the chimney was supplementary to the house. John Scovill has been married about sixteen years. His wife is Sarah, the daughter of Thomas Barnes, of Farmington. Their chil- dren are John, who is about fifteen years of age, William, Benjamin, and perhaps others.
Lying to the northward of the John Scovill lot is the habitation of William Judd. William, three of his brothers and John Stanley, communicated to the church at Farmington their desire to remove to Mattatuck. The following is the reply that was made concern- ing William's request : "Particularly to our brother William Judd, that it having pleased God to deal so bountifully with him, that not many of the brethren with us have so large accommodations as him- self, yet see not his call to remove on account of straightness for outward subsistence and therefore counsel him, if it may be with satisfaction to his spirit, to continue his abode with us, hoping God will bless him in so doing." In May 1680, William's family was not living in Mattatuck. Because of this omission his allotments were taken from him. But last March he accepted them again and promised to live in Mattatuck. Therefore, we expect to find him in November of 1681, very comfortably housed. He is about forty- five years old ; has been married twenty-three years to Mary, the daughter of John Steele. Their eldest child, Mary, has been for two years the wife of Abel Jones, of Northampton. The children at Mattatuck are six:
Thomas, age 18 years, John, age 14 years, Rachel, age II years,
Samuel, age 8 years, Daniel, age 6 years, Elizabeth, age 3 years.
Returning to West Main street, on the corner where Mr. Charles Mitchell is now living, we find John Warner, Junior. He has built his house without delay or deficiency, unconscious of the fact that he is living on the ground where sixty years later will be erected the first Church of England edifice in the Naugatuck Valley. Here we find him with his wife and their five children:
John, age II years, Ephraim, about 11 years, Robert, age unknown.
Ebenezer, age 4 years,
Lydia, age 6 months.
170
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Next castward is the lot given to John Porter and resigned by him in 1677, we know not why. David Carpenter was the next owner, but he is under sentence of forfeiture. It stands now in the hands of the committee awaiting the coming of Robert Porter in 1684.
Going eastward we find on the next lot, containing one and three-quarter acres, the unfinished house of Thomas Hancox. It is "covered almost all and clabborded and noe chimney." Three of his neighbors testify that he has "deserted the place, being gone all or the greatest [part] of the year past." Thomas Hancox has the largest estate, save one-that of William Lewis-in Farmington. This evidence does not speak well for Thomas, and perhaps not for Rachel Leonard of Springfield, who, apparently, keeps him waiting for three years before she consents to live in Mattatuck as Mrs. Hancox. Meanwhile, the settlers will complain relentlessly; Thomas will return to duty; sign anew the promise to keep his pledges ; finish his house, and perhaps furnish his neighbors with food, for Thomas Hancox is a butcher. He will stay long enough to perfect his title as a proprietor-to have two islands, a brook, beautiful meadows, and one little child, bear his name-and then he will flit to Farmington, to Hartford, to Farmington again-and years afterward a grandson will sell his rights in the township.
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