Putpe mle 2} Cairn East s Hr era rT SH en rar teas Uae rere dau tiie if aA ARCS ( tH ted i ND eae ViE ie Pw Br UR in Te MSc a Nk F AR ihre Siiehe aK CsA TE 1 OEY VE HHA an hs CEC in Bi wT pl Cee ICs Ceca ARAM fi halite Rit ef pre tt ee Cae ten ‘h i ESR ih Bite vey A i Line Use i nen ut i er a Hey w ya ss ¥ : Pei eas, eee Ue ie as ae Fen aneceny lane ah ra oF omen He foe RSPR SN RUT eet | ee ees ee EFA W fl H hats. ae dfs cS espera seen $i Deb yee sy WEA TEL Pm OPA om ; " a TEC a eee: ~~ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library r 102T6 C68 “ii wii iil 3 1924 02 976 olin [ 8 841 Overs HISTORY TOLLAND COUNTY. CONNECTICUT, ap , INCLUDING Its EARLY SurTLemeNT AND PROGRESS TO THE PRESENT TIME; A DESCRIPTION OF 1Ts HISTORIC AND INTERESTING LOCAL- ITIES; SKETCHES oryits Towns AND VILLAGES; PORTRAITS OF SOME DF ITS PROMINENT MEN, AND BIOGRAPHIES. OF MANY OF ITS REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. \ By J. R Gousg. ILLUSTRATED: NEW YORK: W. PRESTON & CO., , Ww. 1888. PREPAGE. Every available source of information has been utilized in the preparation of this work, yet the author lays down his pen re- gretfully, knowing that the book, with all its merits, contains imperfections. Mistakesin a work of this kind cannot be avoided, but it is hoped that the defects are comparatively trifling, and that the citizens of Tolland county will have reason to be satisfied with the record. Town, church and court records, unpublished manuscripts, standard histories, private diaries, letters, and local traditions have furnished the material, and this has been sifted, collated and arranged according to the writer’s ability. When making extracts from records and ancient documents, we have given, as far as possible, faithful transcripts of the orig- inals, copying the dates and spelling as written. This will ac- count for occasional inconsistency in the orthography of names. In some instances the spelling of names has changed, as that of ‘“Dimmick ” anciently written, *‘ Dimmock” subsequently writ- ten, and ‘‘ Dimock ”’ as now used. The author sincerely thanks the many kind friends who have generously aided in the preparation of this work. Particular acknowledgment is due to Doctor Charles F. Sumner, who prepared the Medical Chapter of the county, and the Town His- tory of Bolton; to Honorable Dwight Loomis, for his assistance on the Bench and Bar; to Reverend A. S. Kellogg, of Hartford; to Reverends J. B. Forbes, J. 11. James, W. F. Bielby, J. J. Fur- long and others, of Rockville, for their contributions on the his- tory of the churches and other matters. Mention should also be made of the documents collected by the late Doctor John B. Por- lv PREFACE. ter, of Coventry, received from Mrs. Jane B. Porter, also for much matter furnished by Mr. G. O. Southwick, of Willimantic; by Rev- erends K. B. Glidden and J. W. Brigham, of Mansfield; by Rev- erend Frederick D. Avery,of Columbia; by Judge J. O. Booth, of Staffordville; by F. Clarence Bissell, of Hebron, and others. We are also indebted to * Waldo's Early History of Tolland,” and to William T. Cogswell’s “ History of Rockville,” from which much valuable matter has been obtained. Thanks are also due to the Press of Tolland county for free access at all times to their files, and from this source much that was carefully prepared by able writers years ago, has been used freely and without comment. In short, the citizens of Tolland county have opened up every av- enue for information within their reach, and it is hoped that the work now before the reader will stimulate county feeling and healthy emulation, by exciting a truer appreciation in others for our ancestors, who going before have made Tolland county dis- tinguished in the annals of American history. TABLE OP CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. OUR COMMONWEALTH. PAGE. The Organization of the First Republic on the Western Continent.—The Early Settlement of Adventurers in Connecticut.—The Indian owner- ship of the Lands and how deeded away.—The Colonists at Hartford, Saybrook and New Haven.—The New Charter.—The New Government and how constituted.—Originai Laws on Schools and Parishes.—A Gen- Sfal SUMMA seers ceekaedi goatee wsas ure oso ew oe eegwu'g nud da peariete 1 CHAPTER II. THE INDIANS. The Indian Hunting Grounds.—Indian Settlements east of the Connecti- cut.—The Pequot Tribes.—The Lineage of Uncas.—Grants of Lands Made by the Indian Sachems te the Whites.—The Reversion of Deeded Lands.—The Will of Attawanhood.—The Wabbaquassett Country.— The Mohegan Claims Extend into Portions of the Town of Tolland.—Aunt Sara and Uncle Isaac Rogers.—The Massachusetts Boundary Line...... 7 CHAPTER III. TOLLAND COUNTY. Description and Boundary.—Early Settlers.—Railroads, etc.—The Erection of the County.--Coventry at First Excluded.--The Hebronians Dissatisfied. —The Incorporation of the Several Towns.—The First County Officers.— County Buildings.—Civil List, with Biographical Sketches by Judge Waldo.—Clerks of the Court.—Sheriffs, Treasurers, Attorneys for State.— Judges of the Probate Court......0... 0.00 cette nee ees 22 CHAPTER IV. PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND MUTUAL ASSOCIATIONS, Tolland County Agricultural Society.—Tolland County East Agricultural Society.—Tolland County Agricultural College.—Tolland County Insur- ance Company.—Tolland County Home for Neglected and Dependent Children.—The Tolland County Bank.—The Press of Tolland County : The National Examiner, The Free Press, The Tolland County Gleaner, The Tolland County Leader. The Tolland County Record, The Tolland County Journal.—Captain Pease and his Stage Routes.—The Freshet of 1869 sccit cAtece Geddes San yade Abue eRe Maeh ae eek ee defers sahhageshfeseeie wee Boa cbe 62 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. PAGE. THE MILITARY HISTORY. The French and Indian War.—The Expedition against the Island of Cuba.— The Revolution.—The Ready Response of Connecticut Soldiers —The Stamp Act.—The Boston Port Bill.—The Votes Passed by the Various Towns of the County.—The Three Cases of Tory Discipline.—How the News of the Battle of Lexington was Received.—The Number of Sol- diers from each of the Towns.—The War of 1812.—General Lafayette’s Visit. —The Civil War... 0... een eee es 87 CHAPTER VI. SOME DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, the Connecticut Historian.—Rev. Samuel A. Peters, D.D., L.D.—Jared Sparks, Former President of Harvard Col- lege, and Noted Author.—Nathan Hale, the Martyr.—Lorenzo Dow, the Eccentric Divine.—Rev. Samson Occom, the Indian Preacher.—John 8S. Peters, M.D., LL.D.—Prof. Elias Loomis, the Mathematician.—Rev. Ebenezer Kellogg, First Pastor of Vernon.—Rev. Charles Hammond, the Brilliant Scholar and Writer.—Rev. John Graham, First Minister of Staftord.—Deacon Whitney, Founder of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home.— Hon. Peter Dobson and John 8. Dobson.—The Talcott Family.—Ella M. Bakes cccndienseaidseahaeed-s4405 aera oMOUaLLs Syoa nee Raestee SS 1038 CHAPTER VII. THE BENCH AND BAR. The History of the Courts.—Samuel Gilbert.—Sylvester Gilbert.—Jonathan Barnes.—Asa Willey.—John Fitch.—Elisha Stearns.—Benjamin Pin- ney.—Hiram Rider.—Frederick Loomis Wright.—Loren Pinckney Waldo.—Dwight Loomis.—Elisha Steel.—Calvin Willey.—Benjamin Ruggles.—Saul Alvord.—Lemuel White.—Walter Raleigh Kibbee.-— Simeon Abby.—William Strong.—Thomas Fuller.—John Hugh Peters.— Julius L. Strong.—Timothy E. Steele-—M. P. Yeomans.—Alvan P. Hyde.—E. O. Dimock.—E. 8 Agard.—Roswell Dwight Davison.—Joel H. Reed.—Charles T, Preston.—John Hall Brockway.—Dwight Marcy. —Benezet H. Hill.—Gelon W. West.—Charles Phelps.—Samuel F. Mc- FSPlAti 4:6 cami enaamannnmnermmemarmnns TES GUURMM MIN Reh aadd oes aig Gade se 136 CHAPTER VIII. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, Medicine in Early Times.—Homceopathy.—The Peters Medical Association. —Tolland County Medical Society.—Biographical Sketches.—Doctors of Hebron.—Fever of 1775,—Mrs. Mary Sexton.—Surgeons in the Rebellion from: Tolland countyisseeamugee bis nc e380 8 oe EBS SPREE oa oe mavamanwraiage ¢ 176 CHAPTER IX. TOWN OF MANSFIELD. Pond-place.—The First Settlers.—The Original Layout of Mansfield Street. —-Ancient Houses.—First Town Meeting.—Difticulties that led to the Organization of the New Town.—The Pond-place Burial Ground.—De- scription of the New Town.--The Revolutionary Period.—Villages and Hamlets.—Silk Culture and the Various Silk Manufactories.—Other In- dustries.—Churches.—-Biographical Sketches..................00.0...., 237 : TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii oO CHAPTER X. | PAGE. TOWN OF HEBRON. Early Settlement.—Statement made by David Barber.—Letter from Honora- able Erastus Root.—The Sumner Family.—The Peters Family.—Samuel A. Peters and his Flight from Connecticut.—The Gilbert Family.—Notes from Judge Gilbert’s Diary.—Other Persons of Note.—Old Farms and Noted Men of Hebron.—Captain Morey’s Steamboat.—A Historic Event. —After the French and Indian War.—The Villages of Hebron.—A Ter- rible Tragedy.—The Churches.—Queer Epitaphs.—Town Officers.—Bio- graphical Sketches CHAPTER XI. TOWN OF COVENTRY. Description.—Early Settlers and Noted Characters.—Old Documents.—The Laying Out of the Town.—Incorporation.—Town Records.—Revolu- tionary Period.—Military Trainings and other Reminiscences.—Lake Wongombog.—Early Mills.—Early Industries.—Manufactories.—Schools. —Post Offices.—Hotels.— Village History .—Library.—The Hale Donation Fund.—Temperance.—Churches.—Biographical Sketches..............- CHAPTER XII. TOWN OF TOLLAND. Geographical and Descriptive.—Location of the First Highway.—Incorpor- ation.—Early Settlers.—The War of the Revolution.—Manufacturing in Tolland.—The Burying Ground.—Tolland Village as it was in 1815 and as it is now.—Post Office.—The Church History, Meeting Houses, Ministers, etc.—Town Officers in 1887.—Biographical Sketches.................... CHAPTER XIII. TOWN OF STAFFORD. Description of the Town.—Early Settlement.—Notes from John Adams’ Diary.—Stafford Street.—The Old Graveyard.—The First Murder.— Hotels.—Blast Furnaces.—Town Officers. —Staffordville.—Orcuttville.— Stafford Hollow.—West Stafford.—Churches.—Biographical Sketches... CHAPTER XIV. VILLAGE OF STAFFORD SPRINGS. Description of the Village.—The First Store.—Early Mills.—The Granite Mill Company.—The Various Mercantile Enterprises.—The Mills and their Products.—The Aqueduct.—The Telephone Company.—Mutual As- sociations.—The Stafford Mineral Springs.—Incorporation of the Bor- ough .—-Stafford’s Day of Disaster.—Church History .—The Great Fire.— Stafford Springs Cemetery Association.............. ec cee cece e eee eens CHAPTER XV. TOWN OF BOLTON. Incorporation.—Early Town Meetings.--Soil and Products.—Public Schools. —Early Settlers and Prominent Families.—Taverns.—Industries.—Bol- ton Church.—Universalists.—Methodists.—List of Bolton Soldiers.—Post OPACOB ei 2 So sb Be sine gaseers k Has eso pre aR dodo org Sede aas neg 4 mettaay 312 418 485 535 PUT vili TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. PAGE. TOWN OF WILLINGTON. Geographical and Descriptive-—How Settled.—Reminiscences of Early Set- tlers.—Revolutionary Struggle.—Village of Willington .—Gardiner Hall, Jr., & Co,—Other Villages.—Manufacturing .—The Church History .— Congregational.—The Conversion of Reverend Hubbel Loomis.—The Baptist Church ,.—Methodist Episcopal Church.—Biographical Sketches. 614 CHAPTER XVII. TOWN OF SOMERS. The Formation of the Town.—East Enfield.—The Building of the Meeting House.—Other Church Notes.—Pastors.—Schools.—Military.—Legisla- tion of the Town Fathers.—Somers in Ye Olden Time.—The New Post- master General and His Whiskey Jug.—Men of Note.—The Town Bell.— The Village.—Biographical Sketches. ............6 0 see eect eee eens 646 CHAPTER XVIII. TOWN OF UNION. Description .—Settlement.—Physical Aspects.—‘‘ Union Lands.”—Early Set- tlers.—Revolutionary Reminiscences.—Lieutenant Sprague and His Old Hat.—Soldiers of the war of 1812.--Mashapaug Methodist Church.—Vil- lage of Union.—Town Officers.--Industries.—Schools, Societies, etc.... 682 CHAPTER XIX. TOWN OF ELLINGTON. Ellington formerly called The Great Marsh.—Description of the Town.— Origin of the Name.—Early Incidents.—The First Clearing.—The First Death by Accident.—Notes of Austin Chapman .—Gin Stills.—Locating the Center of the Town.—The Village of Ellington.—The Church Buildings.—Congregational Church —Schools.—Incorporation and Town Officers. —The War of 1812.—Biographical Sketches.................... 703 CHAPTER XX. TOWN OF COLUMBIA. General Description.—The Clarke and Dewey Purchase.—The Original Society of Lebanon Crank.—The First Covenant, with Lists of Pastors and Deacons.—Meeting Houses.—Village of Columbia.—Moor’s Indian School .—Historical Sketches, ete... 0.0... e ee eee 731 CHAPTER XXI. TOWN OF VERNON. Situation.—Early Settlement.—Pioneer Industries.—The First Successful Cotton Mill in Connecticut.—Early Mills.—Incorporation of the Town,— Public Highways.—The Civil List, with Facts and Figures.--Town Farm .—Schools.—Early Religious Societies.—Cemetery.—Snipsic Lake. —Talcottville.—Vernon Depot.—Vernon Centre Congregational Church, —Biographical Sketches......... 0.0.0.0 cece cece ccc eee cee c eu ceueeueues V1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix CHAPTER XXII. PAGE . VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE. Location and Surroundings .—-Samuel Grant and his Ownership of the Land.— The Early Mills.—History of the Mills.—Notes from William T. Cogs- well’s History of Rockville.—The first Buildings.—History of the Commercial Industry of the Village.—Snipsic Lake.—The Snipsic Aqueduct Company.—Schools, Societies, Newspapers, Banks, Churches. —Other Matters of Interest.—Biographical Sketches.................04. 810 CHAPTER XXIII. TOWN OF ANDOVER. The Town, How Formed.—The Sixty-eight Original Householders.—Early Reminiscences.—Town Records.-—Representatives in the State Legisla- ture.—The Schools.—Some Scraps of War History.—The Village.—The Churches, Societies, Library, Etc.—Biographical Sketches............... 894 CHAPTER XXIV. Personal: Sketchesenn sso< occ s on gene exe 943406 Ba 6 4 4 ROSS RE ete a 908 PORTRAITS. Aas; HONEY epics asin 2 25 canada asaarinaniauied de lechons Gamegear Mo ARENA EE Ee es Cie 883 Avery, Rear Hrederick Dy. oc 6 saccmstamaeiG ana. Paine do emacs tia sees 768 Bakér, Gilbert. Hek csscccae caaaloinae etn ee eee an deanna Lak tie Seeqsumlas 569 Billings, Sanford M.................0.. rehasia tA bemaoas AERA RAN PE read aeas 680 Blodeett,.. Lucius: .cccccacangwien an aggackls sc othhacies a pea e Rees see E 525 Bottum;. Albert: Dssi4 vesagesi yee seeeeed var eee ena: Geeta gees aeankanaes 402 Brown, Flavius Avisos cscs ose daonae gaan gts ea pa ONO ce aeN Le Peer EuE ews 358 Brown; Lewis Dv... .c.4cidaduioles. Go aan shes Pee eees PSE HR Ess ea eases 289 Olaflee: J. Dwighty ¢.cncanseener ses Goh Rica Giguas Ao ee aes Ree thee 310 Chapiian, Revi By Wo. ciascsays.2tenee ne eh anegeualee detaches bane arent 904 Converse, Julius............ IW GARG Gunteidae cibintted o Hd aA NRG R Cade Ranananaes 572 Converse; Parley ec ss 44s /seuetsescuscene looters Hineenes sg aRNee ews 571 Converse. Solva...........00000 5) wih a mteanaakeiaies ieletn da epee Re MU EEGs TINS 570 Corbin. S6wis) Ais. ceeecatea peeeeH SEE EL EtEE Goes Sea ie ga EE pe 884 Grane, Duis We 6 sciedat vince cea aaws hes aks Gidea OS ed RE SE a dha eRa sem oomeaeaasmias 573 Da VAs OMB soe cies Seated ¥ OGE aed aces Ahunnaustonehes ne Mekic kd Yo wisetaaare mains ea 885 Dean, Henry S............. ih dtaeentuasiup cess Sodas ho taviuanausbpaand Serb awed SORTS Oihios 202 Dimock, Timothy... ccsecsa: guceceogees 4 avkwewaer gree ee eee ede easter 220 Doanex Nathan. ¢ 22+ das tae yc penis eoeldane ee se os eek nt wage Pee Re 886 Dobson; JOHMS cscs cases tcdedey Seas geek pHuledadiad att Gleen a sage ame uealmes ts 128 Dobson, Peter -..2.¢ cchiaekcevencwasiimnae se gde wtaiae Seinebise bed e emer e thee 126 Fairman, Elijah... .... 0... eect eee teen ete erent ene tne 526 Farmer, Aaron D..............+. 2uhiedLyndapuimncage ested deg Sak guee Re Ys ens 590 Bitch Patten ios ncn asacawia eaoee es eae Mee Mln MA LG ae las Soe Se 594 Pitch; Samuelsen csv sssa 4 soneekanwarq gree satae GaSe Ag as Wa tem endinnsaeannn ba ee 887 Flint: By. Bivccdcinseaihd was e404 Seabee be ba Hey geed He M oes UNF Bake 222 Foster, William A........... 6.0 e eee eee lb) Sb aca ta hair eae Mian enone ssh PRE 527 Fuller, Lucius 8.0.0.0... ccc ccc cence tenet eee nena enna tenn e een e tne nes 479 x TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE Gilbert: HW. Ae caisacheduaead ge cu. ekadaweeie’s Mae ond Os Seg eae 404 Gillett, AlETEd Gow c ca arcecceduiad Maw e nec eng oP Oe RAGS GEE E HeOmEG Ae CET E EET G HEE 720 GOOdHIGh, Ay. Ricicccantanwsavacn eds 62aaea pee kSs OF ERSSHE MET Te eRe Me RS 210 Gowdy:, Theodore Mea. ccs ance asnmmadiows an tee TOS BN Res Te Maue dale eas 681 Griggs, Chauncey Wes acsccncegg ese cases seed nein ebas CP Eb Ene DE esa Tee E 480 Gurley, Charles Aw scocseed cn nse xe se eeweug s Sse asnedine | EVENS HEE PERSE 290 Hall; (Gardiner... 420095 cask aden wow ened oe ea gas psieIOeeda wes ea E EPS RE 641 Hall, Garditier, Jiechi al oc Rae ek Pade EEE ARE aE EER ne ta ER OEE 642 Hammond, Allen... 2.0.0... cece eee ener nent ee nes 878 Hammond), Rev. By Bisiicewee dees cad nee sheen gS Ee baeS SR RSE OR RH Os ceele 804 Hanks, George RB... i... en eee en etre net teneees 291 Harvey, Moses B..... ci. eer e nen en ne et ee nn ennenes 528 Hendée,, Laicius.S: caoges dace sce cesenie cage ee eeeaeane BF SHARE Ege eT eR Poe 360 Henry, EB. Stevens) 2¢ic2 ayecsgenaa paw ae pinta ndanaeaue sagas SEES ae ET Ta wRS 888 HICKS. Ta belies sx p-g-ayse cacti Ai ieed edeeiahess nate aren ici AG Aes ehdnemeeeler NERD 483 Hinckley, Jonathan L ... 2 ec ec tenet nents 292 Holt; Charles: ctcesnseah ex Seger gee SA6ee. Soo se slaamamamn Sere Eee ers e eee 574 Howard, Chauney:s:..c.0205 e984 554558 eee en eas Hee EEMRO ROO yee CME 405 Hoyle. Janes. <.c,accaon estes se PALS RAVE ERR ee ae eas Fj OPES Saehene ay etn 643 Hint, BGA Zh .oc.0c8ae 8 oS 29 USER EE 4 ES TREKS TRONS PORES Ieee ee 198 Huntington, David: W., 9 is cen eos. i8eaes $4554 eHRRO eee ob wes ee eeaae ge 406 iy; AI VaNt IP oon ssteneeed ails 8 eae paren ay RES SS ARGRUR ME WeeReRee dD S948 ase reaas 170 Hyde, Oliver Mey csc aeauuuias ou dd dinesacoe toate gaara saamuamergid ws see 78 728 TOMNSOM, SEY. Watdennaaran cea ead Aad dds eacnsinvaniaod od Hostmseengurncar: wae oR te Soe Oe ee 227 Johnson, M. M........... heen Raa at ish BSDae SAS re cause sera ga bas Geta dushenas asi een 28 eA EN 294 Keeney, George E............. dicated NUR G MARES Ga td Staaten logiaa emai Mahed aS Sp 679 Keeney, Rockwell... cnccaree ctueceacags onhiegassnal eee wanes ee saeds 678 Kellogg; Georg Gauiaccianweacies yacacee eaten Tagine aan erties e Ss He aL 880 Kibbeés, Gentry Rik euncegd 2 saida.s 4a sgt a4 octane pecans sido ee yy ted 676 Hanes bury, Addis Oliewaw's itn vices.ay yoga qe Eee eee ek a Gow Darel ee, 08 9 go Bobs 408 Kingsbiry; Harveys. cescs10 veesesasegegh oss slagmgarnie dies deed eees eens O4 407 Lee, Charlesis. oy so0e00 4246250240464 F0b4 HHS SA ORLA COUemenewEalss TES Sow anead 409 Lillié,; MarctSz,.ccs¢c.cu88 se sereeresse sed 29 949.46 64 oR eEEEweR Ewa Uae. 410 LOOnis, DWiGhtecs.c2 teense cemeent eo NETO 16 oP FNS EG HIG TG Foo Seeeneine os 160 ISG ONS; MATMUCL Tc sisscsiveek oes wR ded eed RUE eSeaye 8 Wak oe ames anne bua lawless 411 Iya ait, MOMALIOSL, 3 cok ote caw. e uae Saas areca ieee oa Teg TabIa Heed ees weeeT 596b MAGTARIGITE, SATIOSHS oyidola aces sieass cect det 5s tie 8 aceugies eds acgoard al nin wlierareraielalnat by sate eee 296 MSW Ol Ge OT gS ia-secdichedsencgsn win ncd M2 Ade Sie Sedebr Glens Oak A. aad Dudealps me enetonidoctans'st gn . 889 Wo Gtr ara IM ees bho ceases Ode. Gee EIA RAY RG OR. alos aeiene Side R RODE S bemoan 300. Paull, George Me v.ccencan ae sans ap 04 238s fare Ging = cantante ihe We By ies < 890 Pease, NOAA AB, sicstucies anny eae Pees ey dene calaule caw MR geek wea wielh SSS ka eed 672 Phelps, Gurley... .............. Poe hee e uae coea wy yisty Sama SeRS Eur encrcasleelonans 906 Porter, Jéhn Basseawmsugyceeyteyscegr sees yaees sos waslneehetedinie ies saadean 200 Porter: Thonias) Me e:sesyeeses) She4 eee hhGu a PAG SORRMR ADORE lawids eeacicewae 413 Porter, Willams oii ace ss oad BRS DAs Tea FANS FRR Ieeneapaasuagin Ka ERGGls so 'ae 412 REYHOMAS,. WG ii sisessaua wer din pia 0 ebb ERA OMA Role HO. WN asinine? —GRet SRG m nae ee 306 Reynolds) GeGEGe: Jig a sehsds ocean da cureidvertinnd nog Bualiday downieniadghe Fea Rg dea es oo 308 Richardson, William Wes ovcccccsa Gi cae ease ae neanawa@nsee VERTED SSeS E TET GS Oo 225 Ripley, Chauncey B................ Mcheeitete duwatiete (Loveneexeemwncad 416 Risley, JAMS a anwrwiie ag eavas asgg aren essen ge pe Mew R Nye CoM EEta GAS has 532 Smith, HMmory Bisse: ce sorssineanasvawanes ery seew sna geaee see Eee conde 309° TABLE OF CONTENTS. x1 PAGE. Smith, “Wal awi ye ceca nanetsanee Wa gata wad aedonae antares edrad kaso eee daatee eed hee 576 Stearns, Elisha........... 000.000 ccc eee Soeaaane te Umea Pf a creas Heinieh haan 484b Steeles Bo Pramk) oie gar canals wolves Gasnaveuuse Geickek &. wd pated dnawwomeniedenS ee 592 PS OUMS Wa Telia ML, 8 os <2 CoanSutcadence hav aoa ak sch stone aed eee eR as dle bh sion 644 PUM TerY OHAKIES Wyss aves anus gos ava emananndaeney yee dea aewed Me maradenwins wecp eon 201 SY RES) GOOREE micros aacsacew oN Srila aaaiuls a aBREaew Sue RAL RA EE 4 ERR eae 891 Paleott, Charles’ Dig cavowctsa chutes areal de diakinteain oD AS GER RGAE MO een Ede awieR 795 Talcott; Horace: Ws 2s deanye Gekoss serene chy dite eae woeeow sa aedaconelacn bed set 794 Maleott, Fates: Mi 35.3.5 cé win cess cosans aveig uh pivansc whips a aeks ack brink Qvnibtatoueas aus Semen nena 730 Taleott;; PHineas: ccs eicvgaiaueiale he daa Hue aadeeniinstaced.Raeiunnee mie “eee 882 Thresher, LHOmas Ay csc soe ite acer aemaacace Gs Sa AR alyoe AE eRe og 533 Underwood, Charles. ..........0 0000. c ccc cece cece cence eeneeeeneeennrs 484 Waldo. Wren. -Peciedcte: koa 'vaimanidd Maen an sed dankha dR ae eee ee . 158 Warren; “Charlése <4 .soiscagax pee dee aue dae: deateg ass aca ecuhew Meng ands oe 534 ‘West; Gelon Wneies sian ce eee an-seaneises de neatial duet egee d5aae4 174 WIE Cys s airats anal iate ech ara shoe aah Maines aun anid ME TURNS Svhduattalblecynaia med bledoah 892 WOGd Uke icc cecmne tos ciindabkwlen aioe BAKA poerteeeben ees aaetade 674 WEIGHT, JON scx inchveciote piiteapareseiiagepadedta Plasmbaatanen ares ded’ 414 VIEWS. Farm House of Edwin Reynolds ............ 0.0 e ee cece eee eee 807 The Thomas E:, Porter Farm... cc cscasscgyacegeas4aea Ansaes ese deed ees 392 Residence and Mills of Julius Converse............ 0. cee eee eects 542 South Willington Village and Thread Works... 2.0.0.0... 06.00 cece eee ee 622 Residenceof Gardiner Hall, Jiri: ssdacnen c- Sh iea eu cs ede daidn vee y seen as eans 624 Thread Works of Gardiner Hall, Jr., & Co... ee ce cee 624 Daleville Mills. oc wwe onesie 24 Ceeiaaewedodcad goer euees aeeeeee bene seed hes 2. 626 Residenceiof Noah; Pease ecji ails s se carota ope at areceidoe dlatelades fape Sie ga Sieve eS 673 Piedmont, Residence of Henry R. Kibbe.. 1.1... . cc cece eee 677 Views at Taleottvilley ccna dads cad Cae ceon nanan head e ae cesar e tod 792 Residence.of Henry AdamMsy i. seucnverkeidnyewe id ooeinange ee ee Zane aw ae 883 cb ae a tg 2 ty eens ee ‘ ‘i ZF ifSanal itge y“ Saigo N ee A ae Sy) CONN. W.W. PRESTON & CO., PUELISHERS. Seale of Miles HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. CHAPTER I. OUR COMMONWEALTH. The Organization of the First Republic on the Western Continent.—The Early Settlement of Adventurers in Connecticut.—The Indian ownership of the Lands and how deeded away.—The Colonists at Hartford, Saybrook, and New Haven.—The New Charter.—The New Government and how consti- tuted.—Original Laws on Schools and Parishes.—A General Summary. OLLAND COUNTY, asa part of the great commonwealth Hi of the state of Connecticut, has great cause for husbanding a spirit of pride. The colonists of Connecticut were the first to organize a republic on the Western Continent, the first American constitution having been adopted and framed by the planters of Connecticut colony at Hartford in January, 1639. Of this constitution Mr. Bancroft has written: * Nearly two centuries have elapsed; the world has been made wiser by various expe- riences; political institutions have become the theme on which most powerful and cultivated minds have been employed ; dynas- ties of kings have been dethroned, recalled, dethroned again, and so many constitutions have been formed or reformed, stifled or subverted, that memory may despair of a complete catalogue ; but the people of Connecticut have no reason to deviate essen- tially from the government established by their fathers. s They who judge of men by their influence on public happiness, and by the service they render to the human race, will never cease to honor the memory of Hooker and Haynes.” This new constitution was the type of all that came after it. In the spring of 1637 Connecticut was a little confederacy of three plantations, containing about one hundred and sixty families. 1 2 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. In 1634 English adventurers arrived in Connecticut from Eng- land, under the conduct of George Fenwick, Esq., and the Rev. Thomas Peters, and established themselves at the mouth of the Connecticut river. Here they built a church and a fort, and called the place Saybrook. In the year 1635 John Winthrop, son of Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts, arrived at Boston, hav- ing a commission from Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook and other noblemen interested in the Connecticut patent, to erect a fort at the mouth of this river. In 1636 another party, under Mr. John Haynes and the Reverend Thomas Hooker, proceeded from Bos- ton, and in June settled on the west bank of the Connecticut river, where Hartford now stands. A third party of English settlers, headed by Mr. Theophilus Eaton and the Rev. John Davenport, left England early in the year 1637 and settled where New Haven now stands. Thus within the space of three years was Connecticut seized upon by three distinct English parties in three different places, forming a triangle. The lands belonging to Lords Say and Brook had been assigned by the Earl of Warwick, who had obtained a grant of the same about the year 1630 from the Council of Plymouth, and a patent from the king. The Council of Plymouth resigned their patent to Charles I. in 1635, and that monarch granted the latter to the Earl of Stirling. The second of the three English parties, conducted by Hooker and Haynes, who settled at Hartford, and the third, headed by Eaton and Davenport, who settled at New Haven, established their titles to the lands by purchases of the natives. Their deeds are signed by Shaumpishuh, Uncas, Joshua, Moodus and others. After the Pequot war Uncas was declared king of Mohegan, to reward him for deserting Sassacus, sachem of the Pequots. Sas- sacus gave the English no deed of lands, and it has been claimed that the English have no right to any portion of Connecticut lands through the gifts of Uncas, who was a rebel subject to Sassacus, nor to any of his descendants. After the death of Un. cas his eldest son, Oweneco, became king of the Mohegans. He re- fused to grant any deeds of land to the colony, whereupon the English proclaimed his brother, Abimeleck, to be sachem of the Mohegans. Oweneco deeded his lands finally to Mason and Harri- son, and Abimeleck deeded the same lands to the colony. The same troubles existed at New Haven. These English-made sachems, out of gratitude, assigned their lands by deeds to the HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 3 colony, and thus it was also that the lands of the colony have been granted by different sachems until there has been deed upon deed and grant upon grant that have entailed lawsuits without end. The settlers at Hartford declared themselves to be an inde- pendent colony, having dominions extending from sea to sea. They voted Haynes to be their governor, and appointed six coun- cilors to assist him. They also voted Mr. Hooker to be their minister, and six of their church members to ordain him. The governor and his councilors framed laws for regulating the state. New Haven, acting in hike manner, voted themselves to be a do- minion independent, chose Eaton for their governor and Daven- port for their minister. The governor and a committee had the power of making laws for the state, and the minister, assisted by the elders and deacons, ruled the church. This dominion adopted the Bible for its code of laws till others should be made more suitable to its circumstances. Out of this system of law making came the “ Blue Laws”’ of Connecticut. The Peterites of Saybrook were somewhat schismatical, and in 1635 Hooker was permitted by the Massachusetts Bay colony to move into and govern Connecticut by their authority. The Peterites were too loyal for their neighboring colonies, nor did they flourish so well after the royal cause lost ground in Eng- land. During Cromwell’s usurpation, foreseeing no prospect of the restoration, and fearing Hartford and New Haven would punish them by assuming jurisdiction, they formed a sort of al- liance and junction with the people of Hooker, and after that the colony flourished. The minister, Thomas Peters, established at Saybrook a school which afterward became Yale College. Matters continued thus until the death of Cromwell, in 1658. The people of Massachusetts then conceived the idea of attaching Hartford and Saybrook to their interests forever. They sent Mr. John Winthrop privately to Hartford to promote a petition to Charles II. for a charter, against the ambition of New Haven, which also had thoughts of erecting an independent government for itself. Mr. Winthrop’s proposal was accepted, and he was sent to England, and procured from the incautious Charles II. as ample a charter as was ever given to a palatinate state. It covered not only Saybrook, Hartford and New Haven, but half of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and a tract of land near one hundred miles wide, extending westward to the south sea, one thousand four hundred miles from Narragansett bay. 4 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Mr. Winthrop settled at New London, in the kingdom of Sas- sacus, where he purchased lands of the claimants under Lords Say and Brook. In 1664 Charles II. ignored the charter granted two years before and made another grant to his brother, Duke of York, of the territory between the rivers Connecticut and Delaware, called by the Dutch New Netherlands. By the authority of the charter granted to the people of Con- necticut, the freemen chose annually in May a governor, a deputy governor, a secretary, a treasurer, and twelve assistants; and twice a year two representatives from each town. These being met, constituted the general assembly which met in May and Oc- tober without summoning. By it the colony was divided into six counties, viz.: Hartford, New Haven, New London, Fairfield, Windham, and Litchfield. These counties were subdivided into 73 townships and 300 parishes. Each town was given two or more justices of the peace who heard and determined without a jury, all causes under £2. Each county was to have five judges who should try, by a jury, all cases above £2. Five judges were to preside over the superior court of the province. To this court were brought appeals from the county courts, when the verdict exceeded £10. The general assembly was a court of chancery, where the error or rigor of the judgments of the superior courts were corrected. The courts of probate were managed by a justice of the peace appointed by the general assembly. Each county had its sheriff and each town its constables. The ecclesiastical courts in Connecticut were: 1. The minister and his communicants; 2. The association, which was composed of every minister and deacon in the country; 3. The consociation, which consisted of four ministers and their deacons, chosen from each association. An appeal from the consociation to lie before the general assembly. The general assembly declared “Sober Dissenters” to be the established religion of the province. Societies or parishes, for religious purposes, were first established in 1700; a clerk was authorized to be chosen in 1716; a committee in 1717, a collector in 1721, a moderator in 1726 and a treasurer in 1764; and in 1771 the right to tax for school purposes, as well as for the support of the ministry, was declared. In 1798 the management of schools passed from towns and ecclesiastical so- cieties, as stich, to school societies especially constituted for this purpose. Upon the adoption of the present constitution in 1818, religious HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 5 liberty and equality of civil rights to all religious sects were granted. Prior to that time each parish, from its organization had taxed itself for the support of the ministry, for schools and other purposes. Since the adoption of the present constitution means for the support of the gospel have been raised sometimes by tax and sometimes by sale of slips and voluntary contributions. The early history of most of our old churches is very imper- fectly known, for want of any thing properly called records. Be- ginning with the year 1716, there were a few Episcopal societies, one Baptist and no Methodist societies in the state. Of the Con- gregationalist, in what is now Hartford county there were twelve churches where there are now fifty-one; in what is now New Ha- ven county, there were nine churches where there are now forty- nine; in what is now New London county, there were eight churches where there are now thirty-four; in what is now Fair- field county, there were eleven churches where there are now thirty-six; in what is now Windham county, there were six churches where there are now twenty-seven; in what is now Mid dlesex county, there were seven churches where there are now twenty-six; in what is now Litchfield county, there were two churches where there are now forty-one; in what is now Tolland county, there were three churches, besides South Mansfield, South Coventry and Columbia, where there are now twenty-two; in all fifty-seven churches in the state 150 years ago, where there are now 286 Congregationalist, 160 Methodist, 115 Baptist, and 130 Episcopal. In 1686 the assembly made a grant to the plantations of Hart- ford and Windsor of the northwest portion of the state, comprising the present towns of Norfolk, Goshen, Canaan,Cornwall, Kent, Sal- isbury, Sharon, Torrington, Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Harwinton, Hartland, Winchester, and New Hartford, to preserve them from the grasp of Sir Edmund Andros, who, acting for James the first, claimed all the unappropriated lands of the state as belonging to the king. Great disturbances ensued, but forty years after the dispute was settled, and the legislature resolved that the lands in controversy should be divided between the colony and the claim- ing towns of Hartford and Windsor. The colony was to have the western townships, viz., Norfolk, Goshen, Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury and Sharon; and Hartford and Windsor the eastern, -viz., Torrington, Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Harwinton, Hartland, Winchester, and New Hartford. 6 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. The legislature appointed a committee to view the townships belonging to the colony and this committee reported in May, 1733, as their opinion that the legislature should grant all the moneys arising from the sale of the seven townships to the towns of this colony which were then settled, to be divided to them in proportion to the grand lists of said towns and to be se- cured and improved forever for the use of the schools in the sev- eral towns. The report was accepted, and a committee appointed to make the sale of the lands. From this sale came the local funds to the various towns. From 1701 to 1800, the law of the colony may be summed up as follows: 1st. An obligation on every parent and guardian of children not to suffer any child or apprentice to grow up in their families unable to read the holy word of God and the good laws of the colony under penalty for each offense. 2d. A tax of forty shillings on every £1,000 of the lists of es- tates, collected with the annual state tax, and payable proportion- ately, to those towns only which should keep schools according to law. A common school in every town of seventy families or over was to be kept through the year, and in the towns of less than seventy families at least six months in the year. 3d. A grammar school in each of the four counties at their county seats, to fit youth for college, which grammar school must be free. A collegiate school toward which the general court made an annual appropriation. 4th. Provision for the religious instruction of the Indians. In 1717, the obligations resting upon towns in regard to educa- tion were extended to parishes under the same provisions. In 1798, the management of the schools passed from towns and ec- clesiastical societies, as such, to school societies especially consti- tuted for this purpose. In 1818 the present constitution was formed. CHAPTER II. THE INDIANS. The Indian Hunting Grounds.—Indian Settlements east of the Connecticut.— The Pequot Tribes.—The Lineage of Uncas.—Grants of Lands Made by the Indian Sachems to the Whites.—The Reversion of Deeded Lands.—The Will of Attawanhood.—The Wabbaquassett Country.—The Mohegan Claims Ex- tend into Portions of the Town of Tolland.—Aunt Sara and Uncle Isaac Rogers.—The Massachusetts Boundary Line. OLLAND COUNTY was once but a howling wilderness. Here the Indian roamed, the sole lord of the soil. Evi- dently long before the pale face and the Anglo-Saxon knew of these fertile fields and hillsides, the red man glided stealth- ily over the regions in search of game, which now, like the aboriginal owners of the soil, has sought less civilized dominions in the far west. As civilization advanced, the red man, in amazement, began to wonder at its progress. The primeval forest was levelled and utilized, and ripening grain fields were seen where once naught but wild animals roamed; and now, instead of the stealthy tread of the aboriginal natives the Indian path has been widened and the hum of busy wheels is heard. Up to 1675 the pale face was a stranger to Tolland county, and to all rights belonging to this territory. At that time a plot of land, principally in possession of the Mohegan Indians and their auxiliaries, lying east of the mountains, in sight of Hartford, running east eighteen miles, and thirteen miles in breadth, in- cluding the present towns of South Windsor, Bolton, Vernon, Andover, Hebron, Coventry, Mansfield, Windham, Hampton and Chaplin, was transferred from their grasp, and their hold, once slackened, gave way eventually, and this race departed from these hunting grounds finally and forever. The Nipmuck Indians formed a tribe, or a collection of a tribe having a residence in the northern towns of Tolland county. Their principal seat was in the southern towns of 8 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Massachusetts. The Nipmucks had no sachem of their own, and were subject sometimes to one and sometimes to another of the more powerful communities around them. In the towns of East Windsor and East Hartford lived the Podunks. It is probable that they, too, at times took up temporary residences in some of the eastern towns of Tolland for the purpose of hunting and fishing. They were closely connected with the Indians who lived on the opposite side of the river, as shown by the early records of Windsor. Windham county, like Tolland, was sparsely settled by the red men of the forest. The Nipmucks were inhabitants of this ter- ritory also to a small extent. The Mohegans were on the south. They were the most considerable in numbers, yet their territory only nominally extended over the southern towns of Tolland county. The Pequots and Mohegans were apparently of the same race with the Mohicans or Mohegans, who lived on the banks of the Hudson. The territory claimed by the Pequots as their own peculiar dwelling places may be estimated, says De Forest, at thirty miles in length, by fifteen to twenty in breadth, or about five hundred square miles. They were the most numerous, the most warlike, the fiercest and the bravest of the aboriginal clans of Connecti- cut. From the Niantic river on the west their forts and wig- wams extended along the rude and stony hills of New London county to Wecapug, ten miles east of the Paucatuc river, which divides Connecticut from Rhode Island. They reached back also to a considerable distance from the seashore, their northernmost community, afterward known as the Mohegans, residing on the banks of the Thames, ten or twelve miles from the sound. Their last sachem was Sassacus. He was their grand sachem, and had, it was said, twenty-six sagamores under him. His number of warriors has been variously estimated, the highest being seven hundred, but from good authority, De Forest being chief, this is an exaggeration. When Endicott landed on their coasts, in 1636, to force them to a submission, their whole force did not amount to over three hundred fighting men. When Mason also accom. plished his successful expedition, travelling through the entire length of the Pequot territory from east to west, he did not meet with a single wigwam, except the seventy which were contained in Mystic Fort. Mason, however, says that seven hundred Pequots perished in the defeat at Mystic. Underhill, who also was an eye HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 9 witness, estimates the number at four hundred. Winthrop states them at three hundred. De Forest thinks there were five and probably six hundred warriors who belonged to this nation. The sea coasts were the most thickly peopled, and next to this came the country along the courses of rivers. In short, wherever ' there was a bay or some natural waterfall for good fishing there was a village in which was the population for many miles around. Upon passing down the Connecticut river on the east side the first considerable aggregation of these aboriginal nations after leaving the Podunk settlement, was the one that had their seat at the township of East Haddam, at the junction of the Moodus and Salmon rivers. Here were located the Wangunks. Their village was within sight of the Connecticut, on a considerable eminence, now known as Mount Tom. This was the residence, it was said, of Hobbamock, and here the Indians held their greatest powwows. Next below the Wangunks came the western Nehan- tics, who extended from the river Connecticut eastward along the seashore, and to a small stream which retains their name. From the Niantic river along the shore to the Paucatuc river was occupied by the Pequots. North of this was the territory of the Mohegans. Thus we find that along the river and the sea- shore, where fishing was good, this people were thickly settled, and in the interior they were not found, save only when taking up their summer abode for an inland expedition. Many Indian relics, however, such as flints, arrow heads and toma- hawks, curiously formed instruments, have been dug up in various places in Tolland county. Their numbers during these later years are growing small, but sufficient quantities have been se- cured to show that our beautiful lakes and streams had once been visited by this wild race in search of game. As the relationship this county sustained to the Pequots inter- ests us the most, we will return to them. Chief among other matters of importance to us is some history of the Uncas family. Uncas himself made out a genealogy of the sachems of this tribe in 1679, and says that the name of the first one of these chiefs was Tamaquashad. Of him no particulars are given. He must have lived about the time the Pequots first established themselves in Connecticut, or perhaps when they first set out on their pilgrim- age from the Hudson to settle in this part of Connecticut. The next in succession was Muckquntdowas, who lived in a 10 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. placed called Awcumbucks, situated in the heart of the Pequot country. His wife was named Meekunump, and he had two chil- dren ; Woipeguand, who became sachem after him, and a daughter called like her mother, Meekunump, who was married to Oweneco, the father of Uncas. Woipeguand married a daughter of We- koum, chief sachem of Narragansett, and when he died was suc- ceeded by his son, Wopigwooit. Wopigwooit was the same with that Wapequart mentioned by the Dutch authors, and undoubt- edly also with that Pekoath who is spoken of by Winthrop. The son of Wopigwooit was Sassacus, the most famous and the most unfortunate of the Pequot grand sachems. About ten years previous to the war of the Pequots with the English, that is, about 1626, Uncas, the son of Oweneco and Meekunump, married a daughter of Sassacus, thus connecting himself still more closely with the royal line of his tribe. This alliance strengthened his claims, and eventually resulted in the downfall of his nation. His son, Oweneco, like himself a Mohe- gan sachem, became an interesting, as well as a remarkable character. We cannot give the history of the Pequot war in this connection. Tolland county, at that time, had no part or parcel in that seem- ingly unnecessary, unjust and wholesale slaughter of these red men. The crafty sachem, Uncas, and the part he took in con- junction with John Mason, raised him to power and influence, and he laid claim to the sovereignty of their country after the overthrow of the Pequots, on the ground of his connection with the royal family of the tribe. He readily gave up that district along the sea coast which the English had seized, but the re. mainder he considered as justly and undeniably his own. He thus came into possession of all the northern part of New Lon- don county, together with the southern portions of the counties of Toland and Windham. After the treaty of 1638 an agreement was drawn up and signed on the 8th of October, 1640. The Indian sachem, by this agree- ment, parted with his whole country except that on which the Indians were then planting, for “five yards of cloth and a few pair of stockings,” an insignificant present, hardly worth a dozen beaver skins. The nature of this agreement was ambiguous, and it was many years afterward the cause of an expensive lawsuit between the Mohegans and the colony. The colonial authori- ties claimed it was a true deed of purchase and sale. Uncas de- HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 11 clared it was only a mere right of pre-emption by which he in- terdicted himself from parting with his land to any but the colony or the settlers of Connecticut. On the death of Uncas, Oweneco succeeded without opposition. He had three brothers: Attawanhood, or Joshua; John, the eldest, who died before Oweneco, and Ben, who outlived them both and succeeded to the sachemship. We have already mentioned the relationship of Uncas, saga- more of Mohegan, to,the royal family. He subsequently rebelled against Sassacus, the grand sachem of the Pequot tribe. On the death of Wopigwooit he laid claim to the sachemship, was de- feated and fled to the Narragansetts, returned after a time, was _ pardoned and rebelled again, and again fled; but being a man of great courage, and of physical strength, as well as cunning, crafty and treacherous, he attracted a few river Indians to his standard and joined the English against his brethren, by which, as has been before stated, they came into possession of their ex- tensive landed estates. In the year 1640 for five yards of cloth and a few stockings Uncas was said to have parted with his whole country, except that on which the Mohegans were then planted. In 1659 they again disposed of a tract of land nine miles square, sold for the township of Norwich, for which the Mohegan sachems, Uncas and his sons, received seventy pounds; John Mason himself becoming one of the settlers of this town. ‘There was, however, considerable difficulty concerning the dis- position of these lands, in the way the same were disposed of. The manner of the purchase did indeed seem unfair, because the price paid bore no proportion to the value of the property, and il- legal because made without the consent of Mason, their overseer. The case was presented to Queen Anne and finally twelve com- missioners, headed by Joseph Dudley, the tool of Sir Edmund Andros, met for the purpose of deciding the claims, being em- powered to restore to the Mohegans their lands if it appeared they had been unjustly deprived of them. This whole matter resulted in a survey of the Mohegan country. The tract thus laid down comprehended what may be roughly described as the northern two-thirds of New London county and the southern two-thirds of Windham and Tolland counties, comprehending not far from eight hundred square miles. The commissioners then went over the circumstances by which, in the space of twenty-two years, the Mohegans had been deprived of land measuring, as they said, 12 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. more than forty square miles, almost without receiving any com- pensation at all. By an act of the colony Daniel Mason had been appointed their trustee, and the different grants of land had been pointed out, some by Oweneco and some by the colony, without the concurrence of Mason. The decision was then pronounced that the governor and com- pany of Connecticut should replace the Mohegans in possession of all the lands which they held at the death of Uncas. These consisted of three tracts: one of twenty thousand acres, lying be- tween New London and Norwich; one of eighteen square miles on the northern bounds of Lyme; and one which comprised the town of Colchester. Uncas died in 1682 or 1683. At this time the most considerable tract of the three then owned by the Indians lay between New London and Norwich, and measured more than eight miles in length by four in breadth. The tract stretching along the north boundary of Lyme measured nine miles in length by two in breadth, resting its western extremity on the Connecticut river. The third tract has been usually styled the Mohegan hunting grounds. It lay between the townships of Norwich, Lebanon, Lyme, Haddam and Middletown. The other tracts were smaller, and it is impossible to tell where they were all situated, though it is evident they held quantities of land in the southern towns of Tolland county, by a statement given in the Coventry records. Oweneco, the son of Uncas, died in 1715, aged about seventy or seventy-five years. With his blanket, his gun, his squaw and a pack on his back, he was wont to wander about the settlements in his old age,a mere vagabond. He had three sons, viz., Josiah, Mamohet and Cesar. Cesar assumed the sachemship, the other two brothers having died before the father did. Cesar died in 1723, and Ben Uncas, then an old man, was proclaimed chieftain. He was the youngest brother of Oweneco, and the sachemship should have gone to Mamohet. In 1726 Ben died and Ben Uncas, his son, succeeded. He died in 1749, and his son, Ben Un- cas became sachem, and at his death in 1769, the sachemship of the Mohegans passed away forever. This savage warrior was a disciple of Reverends Eliphalet Adams of Montville and David Jewet of the same town, who had labored patiently with the In. dians for many years. Reverend Mr. Adams was called by them “faithful and venerable pastor.” Isaiah Uncas, Ben’s son, became a pupil of Doctor Wheelock. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 13 Below is a copy of the original will of Attawanhood, taken from the Colonial Records. It is the oldest document on record relating to the transfer of lands in Coventry: ‘Pattopoage, Feb. 27, 1675. “I Joshua sachem, son of Uncas, sachem living near Eight Mile Island on the river of Connecticut and within the bounds of Lyme, being sick in body but of good and perfect memory and not knowing how soon I may depart this life, do make this my last Will and Testament, viz: ‘“Imprimis-—I give and bequeath all that tract of land lying on both sides of Ungoshet River abbutting westward to the moun- tains in sight of Hartford and Hartford bounds north to Major Tallcot’s farm. North east to Wattachagoische upon the east side bounded eight miles in breadth from the mountains eastward and to carry the breadth throughout the length being eighteen miles and according to a draught or map drawn and subscribed with my own hands, bearing date with these presents to Capt. Robert Chapman, to Lieut. William Pratt, to Mr. Thomas Buck- ingham, to each and every one of them 5,000 acres, To William Parker, sen., Abraham Post, Samuel Jones, John Clark, sen., Thomas Durkee, Richard Ely, and John Fenner, to each and every one of them 4,000 acres; to Francis Bushnal, Lieut. Edward Shipman, sen., and Mr. John Haskall (Wastal) to each and every one of them 3,000 acres; to John Pratt, John Parker, John Chap- man, William Lord, jun., Samuel Cogswell, Lydia Raymond, John Tully, Richard Raymond, sen., Abraham Chalker, William Bushnell, sen., and to Joseph Hyngham, sen., to each and every one of them 2,000 acres; to John Bushnell and Thomas Morton to each of them 500 acres; and it is my will that what quantity of land there is left over, or over and above the quantities given and bequeathed as aforesaid, shall be divided proportionately, accord- ing to each man’s legacy. “Item ( ) I give and bequeath all that tract of land lying from the mountains in sight of Hartford northward to the pond called Shenaps, East Willimantic River south by the said river, west by Hartford bounds except three hundred acres already sold to Major John Talcott, and 200 acres to Capt. Thomas Buell, ac- cording to a map as aforesaid, viz: to (1) Mr. James Richards, to (2) Mr. Samuel Willis, (8) Capt. Thomas Buell, (4) Mr. Joseph Haynes, (5) Mr. Richard Lord, (6) Major John Talcott, (7) John Allyn, (8) Eleazar Way, (9) Bartholomew Barnard, (10) Nicholas. 14 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Olmsted, (11) Henry Howard, (12) Mr. Joseph Fitch, (13) Mr. Wil- liam Pitkin to be equally divided among them into as many parts as there are persons; also (14) Nathaniel Willets to have an equal proportion with them. “Item—I give and bequeath all that tract of land lying to the westward of Appaquogue Pond eight broad and and according to the map aforesaid, viz: to Capt. John Mason, to Lieut. Samuel Mason, Mr. David Mason, Mr. James Fitch, sen., Mr. James Fitch, jun., John Burchard, Lieut. Thomas Tracy, Thomas Adgate, Simeon Huntington, Thomas Lefingwel, Lieut. John Olmsted, William Bachus, William Hyde, Hugh Calkins to be divided and distributed amongst them and every one of them as my father Uncas shall see meet and convenient, . “Item—I give and bequeath to my two sons, all that tract of land between Mipmug Path, and the lands given to the people of Saybrook, and according to the map, aforesaid, and in case either of my sons die before he attains the age of twenty years then to the survivors. And in case both of them shall die before they attain the age of twenty years, as aforesaid, then to my daughter. But in case both of my Sons and Daughter die before they attain the age aforesaid, then it is my will, that the said lands go to my father and his successors. And furthermore it is my will that these Indians who have lately lived and planted on some part of these lands should not plant there any more, but that they should live under my father Uncas. And it is my de- sire that Capt. Chapman, Lieut. Pratt, and the legatees of Say- brook, see that this part of my will be performed and that my children be not wronged. Also I give and bequeath to my two sons, forty acres of land already broke up at Podunk and also a plat of land about a half a mile square lying in the last addition to Hartford bounds and in case either die, then to my two squaws or the survivors of them. Further my will is, that my children be brought up for the first four years hence forward with Trusty, and their mother to teach them English and that they should live at or near Saybrook, and at the expiration of four years I desire that my children be kept at the English school and for their maintenance I give them five and thirty pounds, which is due to me from Major John Talcott, Capt. John Allyn, Mr. James Rich- ards and Mr. Richard Lord, to be improved for clothing them, as they shall need. “Also my will is that my land at Podunk, being forty acres HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 15 broke up the rents thereof being improved for schooling and educating my children. Also it is my desire that they come not among the Connecticut Indians. And, furthermore, it is my will, that the thirty five pounds aforesaid, and the rents of my lands at Podunk be received by Capt. Robert Chapman, Lieut. William Pratt and Mr. Thomas Buckingham to be disposed to my children as aforesaid, and I desire all my legatees to have respect to my children especially I leave them to the care of said Capt. Chap- man, Lieut. Pratt and Mr. Buckingham. ‘Also I desire that Ingham Bayonet and Thomas Cooper, my counselors be counselors of my children. And whereas Mr. John Wadsworth and Mr. Samuel Steel are indebted to me thirty shillings, it is my desire that it be payed to Mr. Eleazar Way. Also I desire Trusty may not go to the Narragansetts. I have chosen him to have the oversight of my children. as aforesaid. Also I desire to be buried at Saybrook, in a coffin, in an English manner and my legatees at Saybrook will see this done. My guns I give to my sons, four to each of them, my pistol to my eldest son. Also my seven brass kettles, and four iron pots, to be divided among my three children; also it is my will and de- sire that Capt. George Dennison and Mr. Daniel Wetherell be in- cluded with Capt. John Mason, and the rest of Norwich to come in with them, for a portion as my father Uncas shall see fit and upon that trust. “This with what is written on other sides I declare and pub- lish to be my last Will and Testament in Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in Pattopoque this 27 day of February 1665. [SEAL. | “ Signed, sealed and published in the pres- ence of us. “ JOHN DENNISON, |] The mark of GERSHAM PALMER, WILLIAM PRATT, JR., | JosHua, Sachem. “The mark of x UNCcaAS. “The mark of x Trust, Slave.” The southern towns of Tolland county are included in the above described tracts mentioned. The town of Coventry is practically included in the third tract. 16 HISTORY OF TOLLANI) COUNTY. The Wabbaquassett country of the Nipmuck region-included a large portion of the territory of the Mohegan north bound in Tolland county. This country was yielded by Massachusetts to the claims of Uncas, who, favored by the government, assumed this tract. This country was held by Uncas asa Pequot conquest. It extended from the Mohegan north bound line far into Masse- chusetts, and westward from the Quinebaug to a line runnirg through the great pond Snipsic, now in Tolland. This large tract was given by Uncas to his second son, Oweneco, while the land between the Appaquage and Willimantic rivers was assignc d to his third son, Attawanhood or Joshua, sachem of the Western Niantics. The land of Joshua was assigned to Captain John Mason and fifteen other gentlemen in trust for a plantation. He died in May, 1676. Judge Waldo, in speaking of the Indians, says: * There is no positive evidence that the territory within the limits of the town of Tolland was ever occupied by the Indians, other than for hunt- ing and fishing. Formerly our ponds and streams were stored with excellent fish and our forests were filled with a great variety of wild game, which, during certain portions of the year, invited the attention of the savage inhabitants occupying the land near the sea-shore. I have myself heard some of the aged people say they had seen shad and salmon caught in large quantities in Wil. limantic river, between Tolland and Willington, and so plenti- fully were salmon caught that fishermen had a standing rule that they would not sell a certain number of shad to one person unless he would take a certain quantity of salmon. The Indians, in their summer visits to this town, found it necessary or convenient to erect wigams or Indian huts—traces of which in the western part of the town, on lands lately owned by Mr. Ephraim \West and Mr. Timothy Benton, were visible within the recollection of some of our oldest inhabitants. A few families may have oc- cupied these huts, but they left the town before its first settle. ment, and none of the red men have ever dwelt here since, We have but few objects to which any Indian name was ever known to be attached. The Indians gave the name of Wangombog to a large portion of country in the southern part of Tolland county, adjacent to the large pond known by this name, situated in the town of Coventry. A portion of the town of Tolland was within the territory called Wangombog, and several of the early deeds recorded in Tolland describe the land conveyed as situated HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 17 in Wangombog. The same name is given to the locality of the land conveyed in the will of Joshua, before mentioned. The pond on the west side of Tolland was by the Indians called Shen- ipset, which by an easy corruption is now pronounced Snipsic. This word is variously spelled in the old records—sometimes Shenipset, Shenaps, Shenips. The small stream running east of the village was by the Indians called Skungamug-—the corrup- tion of which is Skunkamug or Skunkermug—sometimes in the old records written Scungamuck.” It is evident that the Mohegan bound north included not only the towns of Vernon, Bolton, Coventry, Mansfield, Hebron, An- dover and Coventry, as before stated, but also other territory, a portion of which is found in the southern part of the town of Tolland as well. In the above item bequeathing lands to Mr. James Richards, Mr. Samuel Wyllys, Capt. Thomas Bull, Mr. Joseph Haynes, Mr. Richard Lord, Major John Talcott, Mr. John Allyn, Mr. Ebenezer Way, Bartholomew Barrett, Nicholas Olm- sted, Henry Hayward, Mr. Joseph Fitch, Thomas Burnham and William Pitkin, etc., reference was made concerning grants in the southern portion of this town. In speaking of this will Judge Waldo says: “ This will describes that portion of the town of Tolland not included in the deed of Matthew Allyn and others, and is that part of the town where the first surveys were made by the proprietors’ committee. I have no evidence that this tract of land was ever divided among the legatees according to the provisions of the will, and probably it never was. The Thomas Byrnham named in this will was doubtless the Thomas Burnham whose heirs united with the town of Windsor in releasing their claims to the territory of Tolland ‘unto such sober inhabitants as should orderly settle the same,’ and hence the first settlers had whatever right was vested in Windsor by virtue of their purchase of the Indians in 1636, and also the right Thomas Burnham ac- quired under the will of Joshua. But the legatees of Joshua were dissatisfied with the action of the first settlers, and persecuted them for trespassing upon their rights. The settlers resisted the claims of the legatees and made it one common cause, defraying all necessary expenses from the common treasury of the propric- ‘tors of the township. The first suit was commenced in April, 1724, by one Joseph Baker against one Shubael Stearns. In Sep- tember, 1724, the proprietors, at a meeting held for that purpose, appointed Francis West, Daniel Eaton and Shubael Stearns « 2 18 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. committee to agree with the claimants, ‘ with power to go to the General Court at New Haven.’ It appears that this committee attended the General Court at New Haven, where a committee was appointed ‘to treat with the proprietors of Tolland.” This controversy was of great importance to the proprietors, and no doubt very seriously affected the early settlement of the town. It extended to a very large portion of the land included in their charter and went to the validity of their title. After various con- ferences between the committee above named, the matter was finally compromised, and the general assembly, at its session in October, 1724, passed an act that the proprietors of Tolland should pay to the legatees of Joshua at the rate of six pounds per allot- ment, or three shillings per acre for the land.” No full tribe of Indians was probably ever located in the vicin- ity of Rockville. On the eastern slope of Shenipsic lake, how- ever, the red men pitched their tents, and Indian settlements were made near Sucker Rock, where arrow heads and other In- dian implements have often been ploughed up. Of their de- scendants Aunt Sara and Isaac Rogers were somewhat favorably known to the early settlers. They pitched their hamlet at the head of the pond, the site of which is now easily found. Isaac was addicted to drink, and one day being too full of fire water he trolled off in his canoe, and wet himself fatally. Aunt Sara, a pious, good natured half breed, found favor with all the inhabitants, who always generously filled her basket when she made her usual tour. A tract commending her excellences was published and had considerable circulation, in which, pos- sibly, her virtues were exaggerated, although she was indeed a woman of a tender heart. The division line between the northern towns of Tolland and the state of Massachusetts was determined by joint commissioners of the colonies in 1713. This boundary line was for a long time satisfactory, but afterward trouble came in consequence of it. As a matter of historic interest, Captain Thomas Clarke, one of the wealthiest merchants in Boston and long prominent in colonial matters, and an extensive landholder, had something to do with the affair. For his public services he had received several crants of land, besides a lead mine farm in the town of Union. He died in 1688, and his son-in-law, Colonel Elisha Hutchinson, had charge of his landed estates, most of which were in the Nipnet country, in which all the region north and east of Union was included. HISTORY OF TOLLANID COUNTY. 19 Hence the lands claimed by him in Union were long called Clarke’s and Hutchinson's lands. Colonel Hutchinson was the grandson of the ill-fated Anne Hut- chinson, so famous in the early history of Massachusetts. He was the son of Captain Edward Hutchinson, who lost his life by the Indians in their attack on Brookfield in King Philip's war. He was himself a large landholder in various sections of New Eng- land. He was one of the joint commissioners of the colonies to determine the boundary line in 1718, and for this service he and his associate, Secretary Addington, received a grant of 1,000 acres in the Nipnet country. His son, Thomas Hutchinson, was a dis- tinguished merchant, a member of the council and a very worthy and benevolent man. His grandson was the celebrated and un- happy Governor Hutchinson, who really did more than any man of his ‘time to bring on the revolution, by exciting the intense odium of the people against his arbitrary measures. Elisha Hutchinson lost his lead mine, both houses of the assem- bly rejecting his memorials, which are on file in the state archives at Hartford. They were prepared with great care and show that his claims had at least an equitable basis. The territory known as Union lands was sold by a committee of the general assembly of his majesty’s colony of Connecticut on the first day of July, 1720, in the sixth year of the reign of George the First, to twelve proprietors, all of them residents of Windsor. The Union lands is a term referred to in the old town records, _ signifying the lands of Union. On the western border of this town was a gore-shaped tract of common land containing 1,800 acres which was called time out of mind the “ Land of Content.” Why these regions should have received these names long before there were any Christian inhabitants of European extraction to exercise those amiable virtues, is a mystery. The “ Land of Con- tent” was divided and allotted to the towns of Union and Staf- ford not far from the year 1750. There was a claim or reservation partly within the limits of this town and partly in Ashford, which was called Clarke's or Hut- chinson’s land. Three hundred acres were granted by the gen- eral court of Massachusetts Bay to Captain Thomas Clarke of Bos- ton, as early as 1657, for public services. By order of the general court the land was surveyed by Richard Fellows and “one fitt person who at the desier of said Clarke layd out a hill called Ocquebituque about twenty-eight miles from 20 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Windsor on this side wch contaynes five hundred acres or more by estimation; but he conceaving the court will allowe the over- plus measure the whole being so on a mountaine have not taken out any part thereof till we know the further minde of the court . leaving the ffootte of the hill for the bounds thereof.” The “retourne” of the surveyor was approved by the general court October 16th, 1658, which did not take exceptions to the overplus of land nor to its indefinite bounds. This hill Ocquebituque was in the southwest part of the town of Union, west of the former residence of Deacon Healey Corbin, and extended into the town of Ashford, including the site of the mine of black lead, a mineral esteemed of great value when Cap- tain Clarke became its proprietor; and he ‘made an entrance,” that is, opened the mine, as early as 1658. The black lead of this region was discovered 255 years ago by John Oldham, the first European who traversed this section in 1633, and obtained specimens from the Indians, but from what locality is not known. As early as 1644, two lead mines were known to William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield. One of them, that by Quassink, at Tantousque, the Sturbridge mine, was owned by Governor John Winthrop, Jr. The other, owned by Captain Clarke, is described by Pynchon as being five or six miles south of that by Quassink in Tantousque and the lead was said to be of a better quality. The Clarke mine at Ocquebituque was estimated by his heits to be of very great value. It was improved by them while they had possession, about the year 1699. During the revolution four hun- dred pounds were taken from the mine at or near Union, by Wales and Elderkin of Windham, at the order of Governor Trum- bull, for the use of the cannon foundry at Salisbury. The reservation of Clarke’s and Hutchinson’s land and all the territory of the Union land were within the “ disputed jurisdiction ” caused by the so-called line controversy between the two colonies, which lasted a great many years and at times was very bitter. Every measure relating to the settlement and possession of the towns on the northern Connecticut border was blended with this conflict. The history of this line contest disturbed the colonies interested until the people had the great French war to attend to, and then each began to quarrel with the king so cordially and in concert, that they soon forgot about their quarrel with each other. The final result of the whole matter was that the claims of Mas. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 21 sachusetts were at last utterly ignored by Connecticut; that the indented towns then so-called, viz.: Woodstock, Enfield (including Somers) and Suffield, revolted in 1747, from the domain of Massa- chusetts and annexed themselves to Connecticut, and in spite of the threats of the courts, governors, councils, and the invasion of sheriffs and constables from the Province of the Bay, those towns refused to return to their mother colony. Connecticut sold her common domain, now included in Union and Stafford, to the original proprietors of those towns. If the colonies had been independent sovereignties there doubtless would have been good grounds for beligerent operations. In the circumstances each colony referred the controversy to the king. The general issue of this contest involved the merits of several such grave questions as this: ‘“ Whether the town of Union, then about fourteen years old, had better be, all things considered, included in the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts colony.” The king of Great Britain could never find time to give any attention to the subject, and it was never settled by anybody. But no sooner had the legislature of Connecticut sold their public land, including the Clarke reservation, than the parties interested earnestly remonstrated with the proprietors, and memorialized the general assembly for protection and redress. But nothing came of it and the matter has remained as it is ever since. CHAPTER III. TOLLAND COUNTY. Description and Boundary.—Early Settlers.—Railroads, etc.—The Erection of the County.—Coventry at First Excluded.—The Hebronians Dissatisfied.—The Incorporation of the Several Towns.—The First County Officers.—County Buildings.—Civil List, with Biographical Sketches by Judge Waldo.—Clerks of the Court.—Sheriffs, Treasurers, Attorneys for State.—Judges of the Probate Court. OLLAND COUNTY was formed from Hartford and Wind- ‘| ham counties, and was incorporated in 1785. It is the youngest and least in area, except one, of the Connecticut counties, and when incorporated by the general court at New Haven, it included Tolland, Stafford, Bolton, Somers, Hebron, Willington, Union and Ellington. The county is bounded north by Massachusetts, east by Windham county, south by New Lon- don county, and west by Hartford county. Its greatest length from north to south is about thirty miles. At the north boundary it is nearly twenty miles in breadth; at its southern extremity it is but five miles in breadth. Toland county, as to its surface, soil, etc., may be divided into two distinct sections, the eastern and western. The western sec- tion, lying within the great valley of the Connecticut, is a beau- tiful level or undulating country. This tract is generally free from stone, and the soil, though somewhat light, is warm, fertile and productive. The eastern section, which embraces the largest portion of the country, is in the granite range which extends through the state. A considerable portion of forest lands remained in this county thirty years ago, especially in the eastern part. It is estimated that fully one-half of the forest trees then standing have been cut off. The improved lands afford tolerably good grazing, but are not very well adapted for grain culture. The manufacturing interests of the county are respectable and flourishing. The earliest industries of the county were principally farming HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 23 —clearing tracts of land and getting the soil in proper condition to raise produce for the maintenance of the family—and the manufacture, in each home, of hand-spun and hand-woven woolen and linen cloth for the wear of the family. The streams of this county give numerous facilities for manu- facturing, and in later years they have been utilized, and have furnished water-power for factories which have drawn to them- selves that domestic manufacture which before was scattered over the hills, and gave activity to every household. It may be said of this county, as a whole, that it has well improved its manu- facturing facilities. In 1870 there were only two counties— Windham and New Haven—that had a larger ratio than Tolland county of capital invested in manufacturing, in proportion to the total valuation of property. The brooks and rivers of the county gather a portion of the waters that unite at Norwich to form the river Thames. The Willimantic is the principal river in the county, and has con- tributed much to the support of the inhabitants. In early times shad and salmon were caught in large quantities up as far as Tol- land, and probably higher. The county of Tolland was organized after the revolutionary war, but it was settled before that trouble took place, and the soldiers drafted from this section were mostly the sons, and in some cases the grandsons of the first founders of the towns where they lived. These founders came chiefly from the Connecticut valley and from the counties of eastern Massachusetts. They were of the Pilgrim and Puritan stock, emigrants from the oldest colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and from Connecticut. From the river towns and from Windsor especially came a large emigration. Windsor gave land as well as men to make new towns, Tolland and Ellington being incorporated from her large domains. About one-quarter of the county was bought of the Indians—Joshua, a Mohegan sachem and others. Some of it was sold by the colony. Land companies were formed in Windsor and Hartford by the leading citizens of the colony, to purchase wilderness lands, to organize townships and sell their proprietary rights, or to become settlers themselves. In this way Tolland, Un- ion, Bolton and other towns were settled. On the proprietary records of these towns we find the names of Gov. Joseph Talcott of Hartford, a grantee of Stafford; Gov. Roger Wolcott, of Windsor, was a grantee of Willington; Henry 24 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. and Simon Wolcott, of Windsor, were grantees of Tolland ; Jona- than Ellsworth and Captain Ellsworth of Windsor were grantees of Tolland and Union (Both were brothers of Thomas, the Chief Justice Ellsworth. Captain John Ellsworth was son-in-law of Reverend Timothy Edwards of East Windsor); Simon Chap- man, Joshua Willis and William Eaton, of Windsor, were grantees of and emigrants to Tolland, where their sons, Samuel Chapman, Solomon Willis and Solomon Eaton, became distinguished citi- zens, and were most devoted patriots of the revolution. From Old Windsor came Benjamin Rockwell, an original proprietor of Stafford, and Samuel Rockwell of Tolland. From Windsor came the Loomis family, found in almost every town in the county, whose memorials have been published by Prof. Elias Loomis, of Yale College, a native of Willington. From Windsor came the Strongs of Union, Stafford, Bolton and Coventry, the descendants of the Elder John of Windsor, and numbered by tens of thousands in Professor Dwight’s ponderous volumes. From Suffield came Joseph Trumbull, and Benoni, the brother of Joseph, to Hebron, the father of Doctor Benjamin Trumbull, the historian of Con- necticut, and to Watertown Reverend John, the father of Judge Joseph Trumbull, one of the Hartford wits, and author of “ Mc. Fingal." From Windsor came Noah and Nathaniel Grant, two of the early proprietors of Tolland. Of this stock came the historic Mathew Grant, the ancestor of Jesse Root Grant. Many of the first settlers of Tolland county came from Plym- outh town and county, some bearing most honored names. Thus we have Josiah Standish, of Stafford, the grandson of Captain Miles Standish, of Plymouth. Daniel and Noah Alden, of Staf- ford, were grandsons of John Alden of Plymouth Rock fame, and his wife Priscilla Mullin, as famous as John and the captain both. The Southworths, the Conants, the Winslows and the Brewsters, of Mansfield and Windham, are of Plymouth origin. The Bradfords of Stafford, of Woodstock, of Ashford and of Can. terbury, trace their lineage to Governor Bradford. Faith Robin- son, the wife of Governor Trumbull, was the daughter of Rever- end John, of Duxbury, the grandson of Reverend John Robinson, the pastor of the Pilgrim church at Leyden. The principal railroads of the county are the New York and New England, and the New London Northern. The Boston and New York Air Line runs into the borders of two of the southern towns. The railroad running from Willimantic to Hartford is a HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 25 part of the New York and New England system, and was built in 1849. The Rockville railroad, which runs from Rockville to Vernon was built in 1863. It is but 4.8 miles in length and was leased to the New England Railroad Company. The length of road in- cluding sidings is 5.55. George Maxwell is president, and J. C. Hammond secretary and treasurer. The Melrose branch was built by the town of Vernon and is now owned by the Connecticut Railroad Company. It was built from the state line of Massachusetts to East Hartford in 1876. The Melrose branch to West street is 7.30 miles in length. The Air Line was built in 1872. The population of the county in 1790 was 13,106; in 1880, 24,112. The people of Tolland county have always been law-abiding and orderly. There have been less crimes and fewer criminal trials than in any other county of the state. Only one person has ever been executed for murder in the county and only five capi- tal trials have occurred from its organization to the present time. The county is empowered to establish roads and to prosecute offenses against the laws, but it has no representative in the gen- eral assembly. The town is the unit and the legislative func- tions are town-wise rather than county-wise. The history of the county is therefore largely in the town records, and to these we turn for the history of the civil and religious life of the county, and we find it, owing to the purposes of ‘the colonies, largely a religious history. The county of Tolland was established by the legislature of this state at its session in October, 1785. In May, 1785, a bill was introduced to make a new county in the northeast part of Hart- ford county, which passed the lower house, but was dissented to in the upper house. A committee of conference was appointed, consisting of Mr. Holmes, Colonel Mott and General Parsons, of the lower house, and Andrew Adams, Esq., of the upper house, who made a report to the upper house, and that house, on re-con- sideration of their former vote, ‘‘ voted to adhere to their first vote on this bill.” The effect of this last vote in the upper house was to defeat the bill then under consideration. At the following session in October, 1785, a bill was introduced into the lower house, entitled “ An Act for erecting and establish- ing anew county.” The first section of this bill provided that the towns of Tolland, Bolton, Coventry, Hebron, Somers, Stafford, 26 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Willington, Union, and the parish of Ellington in East Windsor, should be constituted a county by the name of the county of Tol- land. The second section provided that there should be held an- nually in said county, two county courts; one on the third Tues- day in March, and one on the third Tuesday in September in the town of Tolland, and one superior court in said Tolland on the last Tuesday in January. This bill was passed in the lower house but was dissented to in the upper house. Colonel Porter, Mr. Joseph Kingsbury and Colonel Thrall were appointed a commit- tee of conference on the part of the lower house, and Oliver Wol- cott, Esq., on the part of the upper house. Upon the report of this committee, and upon re-consideration the upper house * voted to adhere to their first vote on this bill.” In the lower house the further consideration of the bill was referred to the general as- sembly to be holden at Hartford on the second Thursday in May then next. The upper house dissented to the vote of the lower house continuing the bill; but upon further consideration, the upper house re-considered its former vote dissenting to the bill, and concurred with the lower house in passing it, with alterations and additions in these words: “ Exclusive of the town of Coven- try named in the 7th line, and with an addition at the end of the bill, to wit, provided nevertheless that this act nor anything con- tained therein shall have any effect until a proper and suitable court house and gaol, to be approved by this assembly shall, by voluntary subscription or otherwise, without taxing said county, be erected and provided in said town of Tolland.” The lower house, on re-consideration, concurred with the upper house in these alterations and additions. This completed the first act of legisla- tion by which this county was established. It does not appear why the town of Coventry was excluded from the original bill. The probability is that it was on account of its connection with Windham county, whose county seat was then at Windham, and not much farther from Coventry than the place of the proposed location of the public buildings in the new county of Tolland. But whether this was done at the suggestion of the people of Coventry, or for some other cause, it is certain the citi- zens of Coventry were early very much in favor of becoming a part of the new county. As evidence of this fact is introduced the folowing copy of a vote passed by the inhabitants of that town, which is in the archives of the state at Hartford. It is in these words: HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 27 “At a town meeting legally warned and held at the meeting house in the first society in Coventry, on the 9th day of May, 1786, voted unanimously, to petition the General Assembly to be hold- en at Hartford on the second Thursday of May instant, that the town of Coventry be annexed to the county of Tolland. Ephraim Kingsbury, Esq., and Captain Jeremiah Ripley, chosen agents for the town to prepare a petition and lay before the assembly. A true copy of record. Test, John Hale, Register. “Coventry, May 9, 1786.” In pursuance with this vote a petition was presented to the general assembly in May, 1786, which was granted in the lower house, but was dissented to in the upper house. The two houses, however, finally concurred in granting the prayer of the petition, and Coventry was at that session annexed to the county of Tol- land. But the difficulties attending the organization of Tolland county did not end here. The town of Hebron was dissatisfied with the action of the general assembly in establishing a new county. The feeling of that town was manifested by a vote passed in a town meeting, of which the following is a copy: “ [Vhercas the dismembering and breaking up of old counties and towns, which have been long settled and established, within proper and convenient limits, has a direct tendency to separate and divide the interests and connections of the citizens of the state, (who ought to have one common interest,) and is subversive of that peace, unanimity and good agreement which has so long subsisted, and also is expensive and burthensome to the people ; therefore it is voted and resolved by this meeting, that the repre- sentatives of this town be and they are hereby instructed to op- pose all such innovations; and particularly to move the House of Assembly in May next, ¢v the most pressing manner to re-annex the town of Hebron to the county of Hartford.” The manner in which the instructions contained in this resolu- tion were carried out, may be gathered from the following petition presented by the representatives of Hebron to the general assem- bly, in May, 1786: “To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, now sitting at Hartford - “The memorial of Joel Jones and Elijah Kellogg, inhabitants of, and representatives of the town of Hebron most humbly showeth; that in October last the General Assembly of this state passed an act forming and constituting a new county by the name 28 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. of the county of Tolland, in which the said town of Hebron is included, which has occasioned universal and grievous complaints throughout the said town, by reason of its being dismembered from the county of Hartford, (where their usual interests, busi- ness and connections principally centered to the reciprocal ad- vantage of both places,) and joined to the county of Tolland, be- tween which and Hebron there hath been very little intercourse and connection. Besides the county of Tolland is more remote and difficult of access than the county of Hartford, through worse roads to approach it. That at the time of passing the said act a great majority of the House had returned home, and the repre- sentatives from Hebron were in particular absent, and thereby deprived of an opportunity of opposing a measure which appears to your memorialists repugnant to common sense and big with injustice, tending to destroy the interest, peace and happiness of their constituents and posterity ; wherefore your memorialists, in virtue of the most pathetic injunctions from the inhabitants of Hebron, as well as from the fullest convictions of the justice of their request humbly pray your honors to take the premises into consideration and grant relief to their distressed situation by re- annexing the town of Hebron to the county of Hartford, and your memorialists as in duty bound shall ever pray.” Hartford, May 12, 1786. “JOEL JONES. “ELIJAH KELLOGG.” In the journal of the lower House is this entry: “The prayer of this petition is granted and liberty of a bill is given. “Test, JAMES DAVENPORT, Clerk.” It would be expected that these transactions on the part of Hebron would produce some reactionary movement on the part of other towns connected with the new county. In this movement the town of Tolland was most conspicuous, and its story was graphically told by itsagent, Colonel Samuel Chapman, in a counter memorial by him presented to the same assembly. This memorial is in these words: “To the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Connecticut now Siting - “The petition of Samuel Chapman, of Tolland, in the county of Tolland, in behalf of himself and the rest of the proprietors who have lately erected a court-house and gaol in the town of HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 29 Tolland for the use of said county, beg leave to represent, that at the General Assembly of said state held at New Haven on the 2d Tuesday of October last, the towns of Tolland, Willington, Union, Stafford, Somers, part of the town of East Windsor, Bol- ton and Hebron, were incorporated into a county, to be called by the name of the county of Tolland, and that the town of Tolland should be the place for holding the several courts therein; yet said resolve of said General Assembly was on this condition, that when the inhabitants of said town should erect a convenient court-house and gaol in said town of Tolland, that in such case the aforesaid towns should be entitled to all privileges necessary to constitute them an entire county; and therefore the aforesaid Samuel Chapman and others, relying on the probity of govern- ment immediately set themselves about erecting said buildings and have nearly completed the same agreeable to the conditions of said resolve. And they would further represent, that the in- habitants of said town of Hebron soon after the movement for said county was made, ostensibly showed themselves forward in procuring the grant aforesaid; and the petitioners not in the least distrusting the fidelity of said inhabitants were thereby induced to set themselves about erecting said buildings which they have done at great expense, and had the most sangttine expectation that said county at the present session of this assembly would be furnished with proper officers in order to enable them to carry the good and wholesome laws of the state into execution. But to the great surprise of the petitioners, the inhabitants of said town of Hebron some time within the present session of your honors have thrown off their mask, and without the knowledge of the petitioners have presented their petition of this assembly, praying that they might be taken from said county of Tolland and re-annexed to the county of Hartford, which petition is granted; but in order to bring about the aforesaid scheme and carry the same into execution, they the said inhabitants did affirm before said assembly that it was agreed at said October session that if they should in future be disposed to return to said county of Hartford, from whom they were taken, the rest of the towns in said county of Tolland would not oppose the same, which representation the petitioners say is groundless, which they are able to show. And they would further represent that by taking said town of Hebron from said county of Tolland wholly discon- nects the general plans which have been laid for to carry their 30 HISTORY OF TOLLAND) COUNTY. most salutary purposes into execution, and therefore the petition- ers would beg leave to observe that as they are bound in duty to put the greatest faith in the acts of legislation, and hold them- selves bound to obey, and therefore they are loath to believe that this Hon. Assembly will when they are made acquainted with the true circumstances of said matter, suffer the petitioners and the rest of the towns which compose said county, to be imposed upon by said town of Hebron, which in fact if said town is allowed to desert the general purposes of said county and leave the re- mainder under their present circumstances, will defeat in a measure, the grand end designed by incorporating the said several towns into a county in the first instance; and therefore the pe- titioners pray your honors to suffer a review of the petition of said town of Hebron wherein they pray to be re-annexed to said eounty of Hartford and negative the same and annex said town of Hebron to said county of Tolland in order that the petitioners and others may in future have sufficient grounds to rely on the faith of those who undertook to associate with them, so that they may answer the great end desired, and they as in duty bound shall pray. Dated at Hartford the 23d day of May, A. D., 1786. “ SAMUEL CHAPMAN. ‘In behalf of himself and the rest of the inhabitants for building the court house and gaol in the town of Tolland.” It will be seen that Mr. Chapman placed his opposition to the memorial of the town of Hebron upon a vested right growing out of the action of the preceding legislature. His argument was, that the legislature had promised to constitute the towns named in the act of October, 1785, a county with county privileges; and that the courts should be held in the town of Tolland, provided suita- ble buildings should be erected by voluntary subscription for the use of the county; that relying on the face of this promise, he and others had undertaken to build, and had nearly completed the necessary and proper buildings, and therefore he and his associ- ates had a right to insist that the promise on the part of the leg- islature should be literally performed. The legislature listened to the arguments of the petitioners, and upon consideration re. considered their action upon the memorial of the town of Hebron, and by another act ratified and confirmed the act of October, 1785, accepted the buildings the citizens of Tolland had erected for the use of the county, and appointed the necessary county officers. This completed the organization of the county of Tolland. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY, 31 That portion of East Windsor included in the county of Tolland by the act of October, 1785, was incorporated into a town by the legislature, May session, 1786, and was called Ellington. At this time the county of Tolland consisted of nine towns, to wit: Tol- land, Bolton, Coventry, Ellington, Hebron, Somers, Stafford, Un- ion, and Willington. All of these towns except Coventry and Union before October, 1785, belonged to the county of Hartford. Coventry and Union were a part of the county of Windham. In October, 1808, the town of Bolton was divided, and the north so- ciety in Bolton was constituted a new town by the name of Ver- non. Columbia and Mansfield were separated from Windham county and annexed to Tolland county, May session, A. D. 1827. The town of Andover, formed of contiguous portions of the towns of Hebron and Coventry, was incorporated, May session, 1848. These are all the towns included in the present limits of the county of Tolland. They were severally incorporated in the fol- lowing chronological order, to wit: Mansfield, 1703; Hebron, 1707; Coventry, 1711; Tolland, 1715; Stafford, 1718 (probably); Bolton, 1720; Willington, 1727; Somers, 1734; Union, 1734; Ellington, 1786; Columbia, 1804; Vernon, 1808; Andover, 1848. The first county buildings, consisting of a court house and jail, were erected by the people of the town of Tolland. The town at first in its corporated capacity, assumed the responsibility of fur- nishing the necessary county buildings, but the funds were after- ward raised by voluntary contributions. The action of the town in this matter may be gathered from the following votes copied from the town records: “At a legal town meeting held in Tolland on the 11th day of November, 1785, Captain Elijah Chapman, Moderator.” “Mr. Medad Hunt, Captain Ichabod Hinckley, Captain Hope Lathrop, Mr. David Lathrop, Mr. Joseph West, Mr. Simon Chap-— man, were chosen a committee to inquire and see how, and on what terms the court house and gaol can be built in this town and make report to the next town meeting. The meeting adjourned to the 25th day of November instant, one o’clock afternoon. Test, E. Steet, Town Clerk.” “ At an adjourned town meeting held in Tolland, November 28, 1785, Captain Elijah Chapman, Moderator. “Voted, to proceed to build a court house and gaol in this town to the acceptance of the General Assembly. “Voted, that Captain Daniel Edgerton, Mr. Samuel Chapman, 32 HISTORY OF TOLLANIT) COUNTY. Captain John Hinckley, be a committee for that purpose, and to agree with Captain Hope Lathrop on his terms and proposals, or any other gentleman as they, the said committee shall think fit and proper, and also to collect the subscriptions made for that purpose. “Voted to choose a committee in this town to affix the plan for said building. Test, E. Steet, Clerk.” It does not appear from the town record who was appointed on the committee raised by the last vote; but that a committee was appointed, that it was selected from the other towns in the county, and that it acted in the matter of locating the court house, is ap- parent from other votes, copies of which are given below. The town, at its annual meeting held on the 12th day of December, 1785, passed the following vote, to wit: “Captain Hope Lathrop and Ensign Medad Hunt, was chosen committee-men, in addition to Captain Ichabod Hinckley, Captain Daniel Edgerton and Simon Chapman, that was chosen a commit- tee the last town meeting for the purpose of building a court house and gaol in this town themselves, or by agreeing with any gentleman to erect said buildings as they should judge best.” The next and only other vote relating to this subject found upon the records of the town of Tolland is as follows: “At an adjourned town meeting held in Tolland on the 29th day of December, 1785, Captain Ichabod Hinckley was Moderator of said meeting. “Voted in said meeting that the court house be built a due east point from the stake that was set by a committee chosen by this town to come from the several towns in this proposed county to set a stake for the court house and gaol. Said house to be set near the middle of the highway where the committee ap- pointed to build the court house shall think most convenient. Test, Benoni Shepherd, Town Clerk.” The court house was erected on the spot in the last vote indi- cated, which is a little south of the large elm tree near the hay scales, about where the small elm tree first south of the hay scales now stands. It stood east of the center of the highway, nearer the present residence of Mr. Ansel S. Barber, and nearly in a line between those houses. The building was forty feet long by thirty feet wide, two stories high with a gambrel roof. The lower story was never finished inside, but the second story was finished for a court room, with a desk for the court on the west side of the HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 33 room. The whole workmanship was rude and exhibited but little of the order and taste that characterizes modern architecture. Our ancestors manifested their intention to have the access to the temple of justice easy, not only by placing the building in the center of the highway, but also by providing entrances through four spacious outside doors, one on each side of the building. This might have been designed as an illustration of the benignity and impartiality of the presiding genius that ruled within, never re- fusing to hear the complaints of the most humble suitor, and ever ready to dispense right and justice on every hand. Be that as it may, their posterity have not appreciated those peculiarities ‘so far as to make them a precedent for their action, but when they provided a building for the same purposes, located it on the west side of the highway, and thought one entrance sufficient for all practical purposes. The first court house was used for the sessions of the courts until the year 1822, when it was taken down and the present court house was erected. The expenses of this building were defrayed by a tax upon the county. The architects were «Abner P. Davison and Harry Coggswell, then both of Tolland. The first jail was built of wood, and was located nearly on the spot of the present county prison. It was a small building and very insecure. At this time the law of Connecticut authorized imprisonment for debt; and if a debtor confined within the walls of the jail escaped through the insufficiency of the jail, the county was liable to pay the creditor the amount of his debt. By reason of this, and other causes, the county of Tolland was subjected to very considerable damages on account of the insufficiency of the jail. It was accordingly abandoned and taken down about the year 1805, and a new jail erected. This building was of stone, and was placed to the south of thé spot now occupied by the county house, with its west side in the line of the road, and was con- nected with the county house. This building was never satisfac- tory to the public, and was as insecure as the old jail; it was therefore superseded by another stone building erected in the year 1824. This last building was located nearly on the site of the present county prison, and was the county jail until the year 1856. It was built under the superintendence and personal direc- tion of Eliphalet Young and Arial Ladd, Esq+ of Tolland, and Jabez S. White, Esq., of Bolton, a committee appointed by the county for that purpose. The principal idea that seemed to per- vade the minds of this committee was to make a strong prison, 3 34 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. and they paid but little attention to comeliness or comfort. It was built of large blocks of stone quarried from solid rocks, well dow- eled together, and was regarded as impregnable. It was two stories high, and contained six rooms—two large rooms and one small room in each story. It was indeed a strong prison, but was a most inconvenient place and wholly unfit as a place of confine- ment for human beings. Several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a better prison were made, and finally the feeling of humanity ob- tained the ascendency, and a more modern and much more con- venient and comfortable prison was erected in the year 1856. One thousand dollars was paid by the state treasury toward the ex- pense of this building, and the balance was met by a tax upon the county. ‘Located near the center of the street and at the corner of the road leading to Willimantic is situated the Tolland county jail. The first jail erected was in 1786, being constructed of logs and very insecure, the prisoners often escaping by burning holes through the walls of wood. This building being found inade- quate to secure prisoners, another one was built about 1810 and stone was substituted for wood. This was located directly south of and near the present county house, which was built during the year 1786, but has been remodelled several times since. The jail windows were strongly. protected by iron rods, but the door was of wood, which presented no serious obstacle to the escape of prisoners so disposed, and when this method of escape was not feasible, tunnelling was resorted to. About the year 1824, the county having gradually increased in population and offences against the law being more frequent, it was decided to build a jail which would securely confine those sentenced to incarcera- tion, and great care was taken to construct a jail which would successfully resist any attempt at escape. The floor was made of large stones, as was the ceiling, and the doors and windows were protected by iron rods. This building was continuously used for a jail from 1824 until the present jail was constructed. _ * Only one prisoner has been hung at Tolland, and this was an Indian, in the year 1824. He was hung ona gallows built by Father Coggswell of this town, and erected on the hill at the north end of the street. The coffin used was also built by the same person. “ The present jail is of stone and iron. The total number of prisoners received at the jail during 1884 was 85, and of this HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 35 number 2 were females. A record is kept of the date received and discharged, together with a description of age, height, color, nationality, married or unmarried, sex, when received and from what court, offence committed, whether strictly temperate or not. To the last question 82 answered ‘no’ and 3‘yes.’ Nineteen of all the prisoners were married. . The offences for which the different prisoners were sentenced were as follows: Drunkenness, 32; tramps, 23; vagrancy, 4; theft, 4; adultery, 1; defrauding hotel, 1, ete. Of the number, 35 were sentenced from Rockville courts. On being received the prisoner is searched, and a record is kept of the articles found. These are kept, and returned at the ex- piration of the sentence. Keys, knives and like articles are taken from the prisoner and he is allowed to retain nothing except clothes and tobacco. After being searched the prisoner is con- ducted to the jail and locked in, for which operation the turnkey teceives 50 cents. The jail contains two tiers of cells, seven in each tier, with two additional cells in an upper room for females. The floor and walls are stone, and heavy iron bars guard the win- dows. The doors are also iron, and at nine o'clock at night each prisoner is locked into a separate cell by the jailer, and released at 6:30 each morning into the large room, where they spend the day. The food given them is: for breakfast, at 7:30, bread and coffee; dinner, 12 m., meat, potatoes and bread, with an occasional variation of pork and beans, and fish once per week. Supper varies from mush and milk to crackers and coffee. The food is well cooked and given in liberal quantities. The iron bedsteads in each cell are supplied with mattress, sheets, blankets and pillows, which are kept clean, and altogether forming comforta- ble beds. “The jail is washed two or three times each week by the in- mates, and every precaution taken to prevent sickness, but the sanitary conveniences are abominable. If the architect had studied for years, a worse ventilated or less convenient jail could not have been devised. No water closets are connected with the jail, the slops from the prisoners’ buckets being emptied around the barn. The floor of the jail is on a level or below the surface of the ground, and the only ventilation is from the windows, which are high up, anda small hole in the center of the room. Repeated washing of the interior does not prevent a rank odor of dead air, which in summer is almost unendurable, and is bad at all times. This is in no wise the fault of the management, but 36 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. is due to the design of the jail. There is no reason why the prisoners may not improve their idle time by constructing a properly designed cesspool. The location of the jail is such that the expense of constructing water closets, with necessary sewers, would be comparatively nominal, and would add much to the sanitary conditions. “ Religious services are occasionally held by the local preachers. Prisoners committed for minor offences are sometimes hired out to the resident farmers, but are obliged to return and be locked in for the night. The state has allowed $2.50 per week for the board of each prisoner, but the present legislature has reduced the price to $2.25, which is rather small compensation. The com- missioners have sole charge of the county property, and the ‘sheriff is responsible to them for all affairs connected with the jail. The law commands the board of commissioners to meet once every month and inspect the jail. With the exception of ventilation and lack of water closets, the jail is in a good con- dition.” The first officers for Tolland county were appointed in the year 1786. They consisted of one chief judge of the county court, and four justices of the quorum, a sheriff, a state’s attor- ney, and a clerk of courts. The following are the names of the persons appointed to these offices respectively: Samuel Gilbert, of Hebron, chief judge; and Jeremiah Ripley of Coventry, Reuben Sikes of Somers, Solomon Wills of Tolland, and Moses Holmes of Willington, justices of the quorum; Elijah Chapman of Tol- land, sheriff; Ephraim Grant of Tolland, clerk. The following are the names of the presiding judges of the county court, from the first organization of the county to the 4th of July, 1855, when the county court was abolished, together with the dates of the appointments and the termination of the offices of each respectively: Samuel Gilbert, Hebron, appointed May, 1786; office terminated May, 1807. Sylvester Gilbert, Hebron, appointed May, 1807; office termin- ated May, 1825. Jonathan Barnes, Tolland, appointed May 1, 1825: Mr. Barnes refused to accept the office of chief judge of the county court and the duties devolved upon and were performed by Ingolsby W. Crawford, Esq., of Union, the first associate judge of the court during that year. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 37 Asa Willey, Willington, appointed May, 1826; office terminated May, 1835. John Fitch, Mansfield, appointed May, 1835; office terminated May, 1838. ‘ Elisha Stearnes, Tolland, appointed May, 1838; office termin- ated May, 1841. Joseph Eaton, Plainfield, appointed May, 1841. Benjamin Pinney, Ellington, appointed May, 1842; office ter- minated May, 1844. Hiram Rider, Willington, appointed May, 1844; office termin- ated May, 1846. Benjamin Pinney, Ellington, appointed May, 1846; office ter- minated May, 1847. Hiram Rider, Willington, appointed May, 1847; office termin- ated May, 1850. Frederick L. Wright, Somers, appointed May, 1850; Mr.Wright deceased before the first session of the court after his appoint- ment, and the duties of the office were performed during the year by Hon. George S. Catlin, at that time the judge of the county court for the county of Windham. Zalmon A. Storrs, Tolland, appointed May, 1851 ; office termin- ated May, 1852. Ralph Gilbert, Hebron, appointed May, 1852 ; office terminated May, 1854. Thomas Clark, Coventry, appointed May, 1854; office termin- ated May, 1855. At this time the county court was abolished. The following are the names and places of residence of the persons who have been justices of the quorum and associate judges of the county court from the organization of the county to May, 1888, when these offices were abolished : Jeremiah Ripley, Coventry, appointed May, 1786; office ter- minated May, 1807. Robert Sikes, Somers, appointed May, 1786; office terminated May, 1802. Solomon Wills, Tolland, appointed May, 1786; office terminated ° May, 1793. Moses Holmes, Willington, appointed May, 1786; office ter- minated May, 1788. , John Phelps, Stafford, appointed May, 1788; office terminated May, 1795. Jeremiah West, Tolland, appointed May, 1793; office termin- ated May, 1807. 38 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Jesse Cady, Stafford, appointed May, 1795; office terminated May, 1810. Samuel Dunton, Willington, appointed May, 1803 ; office ter- minated May, 1813. Oliver King, Bolton, appointed May, 1807; office terminated May, 1816. David Hale, Coventry, appointed May, 1807 ; office terminated May, 1818. Eleazar W. Phelps, Stafford, appointed May, 1811 ; office ter- minated May, 1812. John Hall, Ellington, appointed May, 1812; office terminated May, 1818. Joel Jones, Hebron, appointed May, 1813; office terminated May, 1816. Saul Alvord, Bolton, appointed May, 1816; office terminated May, 1818. Benjamin Man, Stafford, appointed May, 1818; office termin- ated May, 1820. , Septimus G. Loomer, Coventry, appointed May, 1811): office terminated May, 1820. Ingolsby W. Crawford, Union, appointed May, 1819; office ter- minated May, 1831. Eliphalet Young, Tolland, appointed May, 1820; office termin- ated May, 1834. Abner Hendee, Hebron, appointed May, 1834; office terminated May, 1835. William W. Reed, Coventry, appointed May, 1834; office ter- minated May, 1835. Benjamin Pinney, Ellington, appointed May, 1835; office ter- minated May, 1838. Zelotes Long, Coventry, appointed May, 1835; office terminated 1838. Before 1819 the county court consisted of one chief judge and four justices of the quorum and after 1819 it consisted of one chief judge and two associate judges. In 1838 the legislature passed an act, providing that the several county courts in the state should be held by one judge residing in the county, who should possess all the powers and perform all the duties pertain- ing to the offices of chief judge and associate judges of said court or either of them. From this time the county courts were holden by one judge. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 39 An executive officer for the courts was of course necessary from the beginning, but he is first mentioned by the title of marshall under date of January 10th, 1649-50. The earliest law for ap- pointing county marshalls appears in the revision of statutes printed in 1673 and gave that power to the county courts. Dur- ing the interruption of the colony government by Sir Edmund Andros (1687-9) a sheriff for each of the four counties was ap- pointed by the governor and council, but on the re-assumption of the charter the former order prevailed. At the May session of the general court, in 1698, it was ordered and enacted that the marshall of the colony should be called the high sheriff, and the county marshall in like manner. The sheriffs of the several counties in the state, before the adoption of the constitution in 1818, were appointed annually by the governor and council. By that instrument it was required that the sheriffs should be appointed by the general assembly and the terms of their offices were limited to three years. This provision was changed by an amendment to the constitution adopted in Oc- tober, 1838, requiring the sheriff to be chosen by the electors in in their respective counties, the tenure of the office remaining the same. Elijah Johnson was the first sheriff in this county appointed by the general assembly, and Simon House was the first elected by the people. The last change took place during the term of Carlos Chapman, and was the reason of his term being shortened one year. The law requiring sheriffs to be appointed by the governor and council was passed in 1724. Before that date they were annually appointed by the county courts. ' The idea of having the sheriffs appointed by the county courts was borrowed from the law of England, under which sheriffs are there ap- pointed. The twelve judges there report the names of three persons to the king, one of whom he appoints sheriff. The following list gives the names of the sheriffs of Tolland county for the past one hundred years, and their time of holding office: Elijah Chapman, Tolland, 1786-1809 ; George O. Gilbert, Hebron, 1809-19; Elijah Johnson, Stafford, 1819-28 ; Hiram Rider, Willington, 1828-37; Carlos Chapman, Tolland, 1837-39 ; Simon House, Hebron, 1839-42; Novatus Chapman, Tolland, 1842-45 ; Solomon Griggs, Tolland, 1845-51 ; William T. Coggswell, Rock- ville, 1851-54; Jasper N. Bolton, Stafford, 1854-57; William Oo HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. LK 18th of November, 1758. How many others from Tolland were in this expedition is not known. In August, 1757, there was an alarm thata powerful force of French and Indians was on the way to attack Fort William Henry. Volunteers were called for, and Connecticut instantly poured forth several thousand. On the roll of Captain Samuel Stoughton'’s company are found the names of the following men of Tolland: Ensign Samuel Chapman, Sergeant Solomon Wills, Daniel Baker, Elihu Johnson, John Abbott, Jr., Abner West, Thatcher Lathrop, Jacob Fellows, Nathan Harvey, David Hatch, John Eaton, Ichabod Hinckley, George Nye, Timothy Delano, William Benton, Solomon Loomis, Samuel Huntington, Jabez Bradley, Samuel Barnard, Samuel Benton, Jr.. Samuel Aborn, Jonathan Ladd, Jr., Simon Chapman, Francis West, Rufus West, Joseph Davis, John Stearns, Jr., Amos Ward ; 28 in all. But the French general, Montcalm, had prosecuted the siege with his usual vigor; and the fort was compelled to surrender before any of the volunteers could arrive. Those from Tolland went no further than Kinderhook, in the state of New York ; and returned home, receiving pay for only fifteen day's service. Pay was allowed for four horses from Tolland to Kinderhook, £2, 3s., Qd.; for nineteen from Tolland to Litchfield, £4, 18s.,11d.; and for two to bring them back from Litchfield, 14s., 4d. For the campaign of 1758, Connecticut agreed to furnish five thousand men; and a company was formed in Tolland and its vicinity, of which Samuel Chapman, of Tolland, was captain. The following is a copy of the roll of his company: Captain, Samuel Chapman; Ist Lieutenant, Titus Olcott ; 2d Lieutenant, George Cooley; ensign, Solomon Wills; sergeants, Samuel Benton, Jonathan Birge, Abner Webb, James Steel, clerk; corporals, Samuel Hall, Jonathan Bill, Asa Wood, Nathan Boardman: drum- mers, Henry Bowen, Charles King; fifer, Joseph Conant ; privates, William Benton, Moses West, John Lathrop, Joseph Eaton, Daniel Brewster, Joseph Heath, Benjamin Burdon, Joseph Whitcomb, John Barnard, Jonathan Boroughs, Abner West, Hope Lathrop, Timothy Ladd, Jacob Newell, John Isham, Lathrop Shurtliff, John Gray, Joseph Davis, Hezekiah Waters, Isaac Hills, Joshua Hutchins, Jonathan Dart, Joseph Spencer, Beriah Bronson, Heze- kiah King, Samuel Hutchinson, Joseph Tucker, Jonathan Buck- land, Samuel Blackmore, Jonathan Wright, Lemuel Jones, David Talcott, Moses Thrall, Brinton Payne, William Hoskins, Daniel HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 89 Pratt, Abraham Whipple, John Atchison, Oliver Chapin, Hezekiah Spencer, John Fuller, Joseph Buell, Alexander Gowdy, Thomas Buck, Samuel Bartlett, Luke Parsons, Thomas Waters, James Kuibbee, James Pease, Nathaniel Brace, Jacob Ward, Abner Pease, John Ford, Jonathan Phelps, William Russell, Nathan Harvey, Jonathan Bliss, Shubael Dimick, Benjamin Shepherd, Lemuel Hatch, Jabez Bradley, Joseph Luce, Abijah Markham, Thomas Burns, Hezekiah Wells, Jacob Hills, Simeon Webster, Solomon Loomis, Joseph Tilden, Joel Daniels, Samuel Carver, John Gor- don, Samuel Darling, Joshua Bill, Joseph Pike, Nathan Tiffany, Joshua Allen, Josiah Fields, Nathaniel Warren, Joseph Crocker; officers and musicians, 15; privates, 80; total, 95. Twenty-one of the above names are recognized as those be- longing to the town of Tolland alone; others of them are to be found in Somers, Mansfield, Willington, Bolton, Coventry and East Windsor. In the year 1672 the king of England made a requisition upon the colonies for troops to join in an expedition against the island of Cuba, and a company was raised in the eastern part of the state, of which Colonel Israel Putnam was then nominally cap- tain, and Solomon Wills, of Tolland, first lieutenant. This com- pany was present at the siege and capture of Havana. Of the ninety-eight persons of which the company was composed only twenty-two ever returned to their native land. Of the twenty- seven who enlisted from the towns of Tolland only four escaped death. The names of two of these persons were Solomon Wills and Edward Hatch. The survivors were paid off December 11th, 1762. The average term of service was about thirty-five weeks. In rank and influence no colony was superior to Connecticut, except Massachusetts and Virginia, in the time of the revolution. New York was then a frontier colony, and, strange as it may seem, Connecticut was called the provision colony of the war. The army depended largely for sustenance on her agricultural and manufacturing products. Windham county was noted for its zeal in the revolution, especially for the prompt activity of its people in the beginning of the war. Indeed, it may be doubted whether Boston could flourish a quality of more genuine and intense patriotism than generally prevailed in eastern Con- necticut. The scene of the declaration of independence was an assem- 90 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. blage of calm, thoughtful, earnest men of the highest character for wisdom, honesty and patriotism, the delegates of colonists in war with the strongest nation in the world, to whose judgments the destiny of their country was confided for all time. The crisis was felt to be the most fearful in view of its ultimate conse- quences. That crisis was met and determined by the declaration signed by their own hands, and thus, as John Adams wrote on the evening of the day of that immortal transaction, the greatest question was decided that was ever debated in America, and a greater, perhaps, never was nor will be decided among men. The response of the people to the declaration was most cordial and prompt. There was an amazing agreement throughout the continent. Assemblies, conventions, congresses, cities, towns, private clubs and circles seemed animated by one wise, active, noble spirit, one masterly soul enlivening one vigorous body, all acts tending to the support of the measures adopted by the con- tinental congress. The energetic stand early taken by Connecticut against the stamp act made it as much a dead letter before its repeal as it was afterward. The head and front of this offending was in Windham county, and its foremost leader was Colonel Trumbull, of Lebanon. England, it is true, soon repealed the odious meas- ure, but there was in the act of repeal an asserted right of colonial revenue for the benefit of England, as distasteful to the colonists as was the stamp act. The people foresaw the purpose of the British ministry to revoke the charter of Connecticut, and to annihilate the colony itself. Under such circumstances, it was impossible ever for a day of conciliation to come. The right to impose colonial revenue inhibited colonial industry and labor and forbade the use of water power for manufa-turing purposes, restrained the immigration of every class of artisans and me- chanics, and the making all wares in wood and iron. Restric- tions like these, and a standing army to enforce them, could not but lead to such outbreaks as the Boston massacre. But the most exasperating measure of the British ministry was the retaliatory “Port Bill.” In consequence, every man, woman and child in the large town of Boston was shut up tostarve. The whole country resented this act of despotism, and immediately every town in Connecticut called a meeting to see what should’ be done about it. The citizens of Connecticut throughout the state sympathized with their brethren in Boston. The utmost in- HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 91 dignation prevailed, and the general effect produced was to resolve the people as a whole into a resolute determination to stand fast in the liberties wherewith God had made them free. Of the towns in Tolland county Bolton voted to assert and defend the liberties of America, and to send aid to their friends in Boston ; Coventry voted a cordial acquiescence in the non-importation and non-assumption agreement; and Mansfield voted to provide relief for Boston to purchase a town stock of ammunition, and to devote their lives and fortunes to the cause of freedom. Tolland, Coventry, Bolton, Mansfield, and almost every town in Tolland county sent valuable presents with most earnest words of sym- pathy. During the few months before actual hostilities commenced, three cases of Tory discipline occurred; one at Hebron, one at Windham and one at Union. As will be seen these cases were not numerous in this region. The proceedings against them were on the part of law-abiding citizens. Their measures of dis- cipline were severe and for this reason they have been called mobs. But it was the policy of patriotism against despotism, and called for violence to check the excessive exercise of arbitrary power. To effect the ends of the patriots in these cases, this mat- ter was put into the hands of a committee of inspection appointed by the towns. As an action of the town it does not prove the people were in favor of any public disorder or personal injury done to life, limb or property. The town of Mansfield passed the following resolution October 10th, 1778: ‘That in all our efforts to maintain liberty we will injure no one’s property, nor restrain, nor terrify or afflict any man's person, nor be accessories in any coercive proceeding unless the same be necessary to the common cause and can be vindicated by undoubted reason.” The case of Doctor Samuel Peters, of Hebron, was intrusted to a company of three hundred visitors from the towns of Hebron, Tolland and Bolton. The case of Doctor Peters was notorious be- cause of his position as a clergyman. His consequent flight from the country to England after his discipline, and his writing of the history of Connecticut after his banishment, for the sole purpose of defaming the people and the institutions of his native state, show him to have been a bitter loyalist, and one who favored the plans of the destruction of the Connecticut colony. The case of Francis Green was that of a Boston importing merchant, who came to Windham to collect debts, and fell into the hands of the 92 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. “Windham Boys,” whose ways were said to be, “though omni- present, very dark.” The case at Union somewhat afflicted Colonel Abijah Willard, of Lancaster, Mass., who was a man of large wealth and business repute. But in an evil hour he accepted the office of mandamus councilor to Governor Gage, being directly commissioned by the king. He was appointed with thirty-six others to take the place of councilors elected by the people, and they were displeased with Gage because of their disloyalty. Therefore, the people were determined that every one of those mandamus councilors should resign, which they did or left the country in terror. Colonel Willard was a joint owner of a landed estate of seven thousand acres of wild land in Stafford, which he visited in the summer of 1774. He had two attorneys living in Windham and he made an appointment with them to meet him at Union. Re- garding him as a traitor these attorneys refused to serve him any longer and undoubtedly reported his intended visit to Union to the committees of inspection. On his arrival in Union a crowd of five hundred men gathered from all the surrounding region, ap- prehended him, and guarded him till morning, when he was taken across the province line to Brimfield, where he was taken in hand by a council of Massachusetts men, four hundred in number, who proceeded to try him and condemned him to imprisonment in the Simsbury mines; and they carried him thither on the road six miles, when he relented, asked forgiveness of all honest men for having taken the oath of office and promised not to sit or act in council. He afterward resigned. It is known that Governor Gage complained to Governor Trumbull of the treatment Colonel Willard received in Connecticut but received no satisfaction. The battle of Lexington took place on Wednesday, April 19th, 1775. The alarm reached all the towns in this region early the next day. The action of the people everywhere was the same. Early Thursday morning, the 20th, the news of the fight reached Som- ers, when the militia were ordered to meet at the meeting house, and about fifty enlisted for the relief of their brethren in and near Boston. Emery Pease was chosen captain. Friday, the 21st, at about nine o'clock, the company was on the march to Boston by way of Wilbraham and Palmer. On the next Monday, the com- pany paraded at four o'clock in the village of Cambridge. They ’ had been nearly four days on the road. When the news came to Union it was brought by an express- HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 93 man who rode up in great haste and said: “The war has begun; the British soldiers are on their way to hang the head of every family who will not swear allegiance to the king.” The news spread like fire. All the people met, the men at one house, the women at another. Persons went at once in all directions; some to take the lead weights from the clocks, some to gather powder, some to procure and repair guns. Some were casting bullets, some making cartridges; all were recruiting for volunteers. The women were as busy as the men; some making knapsacks, others outfits. All were at work the whole night long. In the morning the volunteers paraded, equipped poorly enough. Some without shoes were supplied by spectators from off their own feet. Thomas Lawson was chosen captain on the spot and they marched. Friends young and old were all present at their departure. The traditions of that town say that several waited not for the sun to go down on the day the message came. One man left his team in the field, seized his gun, bade farewell, and when asked where he was going and what for, replied: “To see if I am not wanted.” This man was Jeremiah Badger and he had a limping foot. The same enthusiasm existed everywhere. Every town in Con- necticut sent volunteers, self enrolled, self organized, the small towns more in proportion than many of the larger. In less than twenty-four hours they were marching on by thousands and tens of thousands. Mansfield sent 93, Tolland 96, Windham 155, Wil- lington 30, Union 26, Coventry 100, Hebron 61, Bolton 61, Staf- ford 63, Somers 50, Woodstock 189, Killingly 146, Pomfret (in- cluding Brooklyn) 150, Ashford 78, East Windsor 108, Canterbury 7. And with one heart the whole continent cried out, “ Liberty or death.” During the war of 1812 Colonel Salter commanded a regiment of militia raised in Connecticut. One company of this regiment was principally raised in Tolland county, Samuel West, captain, Ira Holbrook, lieutenant, Calvin Hubbard, ensign. The sergeants were Norman Little, George Loomis, Daniel Hill and David Storer. Corporals: Thomas Manley and William Hutchins. Cap- tain Samuel West was a native of the town of Columbia. The towns of Mansfield and Columbia furnished the largest proportion of men for this company. The following list gives the names of the privates of Captain West’s company: Simon Newcomb, Mosley Brewster, Solomon o4 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Abel, Eleazer Bill, Abel Franklin, Silas Holbrook, Orren Clarke, Nathaniel Hyde, Benoni Loomis, Orren Hunt, Manson Little, Na- than Tanner, John Richardson, Beriah Hartson, Amos Porter, Hubbard Barstow, Joseph Hills, Jr., John Porter, Jr., Zenas Man- ley, Thaddeus Hunt, Daniel Hunt, David Yeomans, Augustus Teft, Seth Wright, Asahel Hunt, Charles Lincoln, Jeremiah L. Fuller, Jonathan Cole, Nathaniel C. Pirce, Smith Hill, Stanton S. Card, Stephen Lavaby, Oliver Kingsbury, Nicholas Thomas, William Medbury, Sanford Pirce, Stephen Marcy, Avon Preston, Ruben Gepison, Edward Medbury, Shelding Collins, Rufus Dav- idson, James Horton, Willard Prime, William Steward, George A. Douglass, Chester Woodworth, George Huntington, Elijah Hyde. The company served less than a month. They went into service June 8th, 1813, but just how long they continued in camp at New London cannot be ascertained from records at hand. The company was the second company in Colonel John Salter’s regi- ment reporting for duty June Sth, 1813, and in records made of Rufus Davidson, who was a substitute for Mr. Hawkins, state- ment is made that he deserted on the 8th of July and returned on the 11th of the same month, and further than this we have no -data as to the length of service of the company. When Lafayette visited the United States in 1824, he passed through this county on his way from Boston to Hartford. Expect- ing to see him, the militia was called out, which consisted of two companies with the addition of two heavy cannon. He was ex- pected to make his appearance in the latter part of the day, but for some reason did not arrive until the next morning. From sunrise until past twelve in the night the guns kept up their con- tinual roaring, for his presence was expected every moment. Runners on horses would often tell the troops he was near by un- til late in the night the story could be believed no longer. The militia remained at their posts past midnight, then disbanded and lost the pleasure of giving our nation’s friend a grand salute. In the early morning he arrived, stopping long enough at E. Smith’s tavern to give the people an opportunity to see him, then going on to King’s Stage House in Vernon, there stopping some little time. At that place he was met with kind remembrances and good wishes by many old soldiers who had fought with him in the revolution. One of the veterans was Solomon Eaton, of Tol- land, and he was well remembered by General Lafayette. After a short interview, hands were shaken. Mr. Eaton said: ‘I wish HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 95 you health and a happy journey bafough this land of liberty and independence.” The general replied: “ God bless you and your land of liberty. "In the old building in Vernon, known as King’s tavern, is a room in which General Lafayette slept. The room, which was papered and frescoed in anticipation of his arrival, re- mains intact to-day and is an interesting place to visit. The great rebellion commenced actual hostilities in the attack on Fort Sumter at 4:20 on the morning of April 12th, 1861. The news flashed over the country and aroused an intense and uni- versal excitement in all the north. Many refused to credit the tidings and especially when the surrender of the fort was so speedily announced. All doubt, however, was soon dispelled by the publication of the president's proclamation on the 15th, calling for 75,000 volunteers in order to suppress the rebellion and cause the laws to be duly executed. This proclamation was received by the free states with enthusiastic approval and eee vied with each other in their proffers of men. In common with the whole north, the citizens of Tolland coun- ty were aroused to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and spontan- eously gathered at Rockville Hall, on the evening of the 19th, at which time enlistments were freely offered which were very soon increased to the number of a full company and were accepted as Company I in the 4th Regiment, three months men. But three regiments of three months men were finally accepted from this state and the company was therefore disbanded; but a consider- erable portion of the men immediately offered themselves for three years and through the untiring zeal and efforts of General E. W. Smith, aided by other citizens, the ranks were soon filled up to a sufficient number to be accepted as a company. These men were fully uniformed by the citizens, the work be- ing done through the sewing societies and by the ladies of Rock- ville, Vernon Center and Tolland, who entered into the cause with the utmost enthusiasm and perseverance, which resulted in fully uniforming the company in about three weeks time. A com- mittee of three gentlemen appointed by the meeting preferred to hold the matter in charge, but E. E. Marvin, who himself was one of the first to enlist, devoted his entire time and attention to car- rying forward the work, and is especially entitled to credit for his prompt zeal and devotion to the good cause. The company, fresh in its enthusiasm and its new uniform, was ready for departure on the morning of the 20th of May, and hav- 96 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. ing been addressed by Reverend C.C. Clapp, Reverend G. A. Oviatt, General E. W. Smith and others, and having been present- ed with a beautiful flag in a patriotic address by Hon. Dwight Loomis, left by stage for Hartford and was assigned to Colt’s reg- iment. That regiment having adopted an extra standard of height, upon examination threw out more than one half of our company for deficiency in that particular, but nothing discouraged the company was soon filled up again, by the efforts of its officers, with men of the right size. Colt’s regiment was finally disbanded ; the members of the company again reduced, again filled up to the required number of men, of whom about forty were from Ver- non and mostly from Rockville. At the final organization of the company, E. P. Allen was ap- pointed captain, E. E. Marvin, first lieutenant and Henry Owen, second lieutenant, all residents of Rockville, as were also a num- ber of the non-commissioned officers. The company became Com- pany F, 5th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, which arrived at the front at Harper's Ferry August Ist, 1861, and was ultimately incorporated into the Army of the Potomac, with which it remained until the autumn of 1863, when it became a part of the Army of the West under Sherman, and participated in his famous march across the country. It participated asa covering force in the clos- ing scenes at Ball's Bluff, in October, 1861, and in the well fought second battle of Winchester, in which the conduct of the regi- ment is mentioned in the reports of the brigade and division com- manders as deserving the highest praise. Two companies, of which Company F was one, constituted the main portion of a volunteer expedition which captured Company H, of Ashley's Cavalry, 53 men, 61 horses, officers, equipments and baggage. It was in the fight at Cedar Mountain, in which every officer but three was killed, wounded or taken prisoner, and the regiment suffered severe loss. It was also in the second Bull Run fight, as well as in the action at Chantilly September Ist, 1862, and was a part of the co-operating force under McClellan, at the time of the battles of South Mountain, Harper’s Ferry and Antietam. It was engaged at the battle of Chancellorsville and acquitted itself with credit; was in the battle of Gettysburg July Ist, 2d and 3d, 1863, and in the engagement at Resaca, Cassville, Lost Mountain, Kearshaw Mountain, Culp’s Farm, Peach Tree Creek and the Siege of Atlanta under Sherman, which place it entered September 25th, 1864; in the engagement at Dallas, and HISTORY OF TOLLANIT) COUNTY. 97 Marietta, Ga.; was at Montieth Station, the Siege of Savannah, Chesterfield Station, Averysboro and Bentonville. Company F was commanded by Captain E. P. Allen most of the year 1861, and E. E. Marvin was promoted and commanded the company during the year 1862, resigning early in 1863. There were seven men from Vernon that went out in the Seventh regiment, twenty-one in the Sixteenth and a few in the Thirteenth, First, Tenth, Sixth, Twelfth, Eighth, Twentieth and Twenty-seventh regiments and thirteen men in the Eleventh. Vernon was also represented in the Twenty-ninth and Thirty- first colored regiments. \ list of the casualties shows that of the men who went out of Vernon James Higgins was killed at Winchester and Mathew J. Mademach at Resaca. Six men were discharged for disability from wounds: John A. Alden, Hugh B. Garvin, Benjamin F. James. Patrick Noon, Charles G. Schmidst, S. WK. Tracy. Nine re-enlisted as veterans December 21st, 1803, viz.: William J. Noad, Philander Alden, J. Conrad Staugle, Patrick J. Garvin, Thomas McGee, Patrick McGuire, Patrick McCardle, George W. Rich, Richard H. Skinner. Philander Alden and James Hender- son of Rockville were promoted to be lieutenants. Company Dof the Fourteenth Regiment was recruited at Rock- ville, under Captain Thomas Burpee and Lieutenant Ira Emery. Vernon furnished seventy-seven of the men, and the remainder belonged to surrounding towns. The regiment left for Wash- ington August 25th, 1862, 1,015 strong. Owing to the raid into Maryland, the regiment, without being allowed time to receive necessary instructions and drill, was pushed forward and took an active part in the battle of Antietam, September 17th, being less than a month from the date of leaving home. The fight was a hard and obstinate one, and the regiment suffered severely, Company D especially; a shell bursting directly over the heads of the men, having in its flight first taken off the color staff of the regiment, and in an instant killing three of the brave boys and wounding six others, one of whom, Loren Griswold, lost an arm. Early in the day John Abby was killed, and in all the company lost four killed and seventeen wounded. This was a terrible breaking in of these raw soldiers. Captain Burpee having been promoted before leaving home, Captain A. Park Hammond com- manded the company in this battle. The regiment next fought at Fredericksburg, under General 7 9 GD HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Burnside, December 13th, 1862, being in the thickest of the fight, participating in that fearful cl.arge on the rifle pits with great loss. Company D bore itself bravely, losing Edwin McMann and Albert Town killed, and nine men wounded, among whom was Color-sergeant Charles E. Dart, who was conspicuous for his bravery, bearing the flag aloft wherever duty called until he fell fatally wounded. Here John Symonds was thrown to the earth by the bursting of a shell, blinded by a fierce shower of sharp sand, and neither the red flash of battle nor the soft light of the sun can again reach the mirror of his sightless eyes. The same shell fearfully disfigured Sergeant Oliver Dart, Jr., in the face. Sergeant Frank Stoughton commanded the company in this fight. The 2d and 3d of the following May, 1863, the Fourteenth was in two days’ battle at Chancellorsville, Company D losing Thomas Stafford, killed, and John Williams, taken prisoner. Two months subsequent to this time the regiment participated in the great battle of Gettysburg, being constantly and hotly engaged. Company D had especially active and honorable duty, being, with Company B, detailed as skirmishers, in which service they were engaged from daylight on the morning of the 8d of July, 1863, maintaining their ground nobly until the grand charge of the entire line of the enemy at nine o'clock P. M., when they fell back to the main line of battle, lying along an almost con- tinuous line of low stone wall, which afforded considerable pro- tection to our men from the enemy's fire as they advanced. When the first line of the enemy was within two hundred yards, they fired almost simultaneously along the entire line. The enemy's first line was broken and thrown back in confusion upon the second, throwing it also in confusion, and the fire continuing furiously they were hurled back, when a charge was made in which the Fourteenth captured five battle flags, which were found to belong to the following regiments, viz.: First and Fourteenth Tennessee, Sixteenth and Fifty-second North Carolina, and Fourth Virginia, and over forty prisoners, including one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, three captains and two lieuten- ants. In the battle wall behind the old stone wall, standing too boldly erect while loading his piece, young Corporal William Goodale was shot dead through the heart, and here, too, John Julian was fatally wounded. To that memorable old wall the men of Company D were indebted for their small loss, and un- HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 99 comfortable as the position then seemed, it is remembered gratefully. The regiment was now reduced from 1,015 men to 375 only, Company D suffering its proportion of loss with the rest. Sub- sequently the Fourteenth participated in the following battles : Falling Waters, Va., July 14th, 1863; Auburn, Va., October 14th, 1863; Bristow Station, same date, losing twenty-six men; Black- burn's Ford, October 17th, 1863; Mine Run, Va., November 2th, 1863, loss fourteen; and in the fight at Martin's Ford, Va., Feb- ruary @th, 1864. In this last, a hand to hand contest amid a cluster of houses, Corporal Henry W. Orcutt was killed and Henry Owens was wounded. At this date the original seventy- seven men mentioned above were so reduced that twenty-four only remained on the roll, and many of this number were tem- porarily unfit for duty. Still, the old Fourteenth, with Company D and as many as still remained, were in the battles of the Wild- erness, May 5th and 6th, and participated in all the engagements from that date up to the 19th instant, as well as in the four fol- lowing engagements: May 24th, 31st, and June 3d and 6th, suffer- ing a total loss of 185 men. The following named soldiers lost their lives on the various battle fields, or died of their wounds in hospitals or elsewhere : James Higgins, Henry Tilley, M. J. Mademach, W. P. Ramsdell, Daniel Edmonds, Albert F. Town, Thomas A. George, Colonel Thomas F. Burpee, Charles E. Dart, John Abbey, David W.Whit- ing, William H. Goodale, Russell Griswold, Patrick Jackson, John Julian, Edward W. Mann, Philip H. Foster, M.V. B. Metcalf, Horace Hunn, James M. Bushnell, Henry Owen, Henry W. Orcutt, Thomas Stafford, M. A. Truesdale, Alfred Truesdale, W. P. Stafford and Edward Patz, 27 in all. The following is a list of the graves decorated in the Grove Hill Cemetery, May 30th, 1887: Russell Griswold, Henry W. Finley, William H. Goodale, William Scott, Irwin Stoughton, Charles G. Cooley, M. A. Truesdale, Alfred Truesdale, Thomas F. Burpee, August Reidal, Charles E. Dart, Abner S. Bowers, Willibald Walter, John Julian, Jacob Frank, William H. Strong, John F. Keller, F. J. Reiser, Alfred B. Warner, George A. Pierce, Ashel S. Rockwell, M. V. B. Metcalf, John W. Lannin, Robert Gilmore, Roland Holt, Edward H. Hayes, Martin Yost, Jacob J. Yost, Gustav Straubold, Avery Brown, John Falber, Richard Lee, Joseph Porter, George Loudan, Charles W. Pease; Henry Owen, 100 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. G. W. Colburn, Carl Muller, George Wicks, F. H. Gaynor, Ira Emery, Edwin Post, E. H. Lathrop, W. P. Stafford, Frederick Wicks, Samuel A. Forrest, Christopher Renz, David McIntosh, Joseph Hirst, John Williams. Catholic cemetery—John W. Brennan, Michael Tierney, John Powers, Samuel McCarty, Thomas Keenan, Patrick Jackson, Matthew Farrell, Thomas Tone, James Farrell, John Abbey, Patrick O’Brien, Joseph Murray, George Tate, Dennis Moore. Vernon Center cemetery—David Knee- land, Alden Skinner, George S. Bingham, Henry W. Orcutt, Ol- cott Edgerton, Charles G. Thrall, Henry M. Pease. Ellington cemetery—John Alfred, Marcus Whiting, Christopher Waldo, Charles Grover, Alvah Thrall, Jason Thrall, Algernon A. McKin- ney, John Isham. The Twenty-fifth Regiment was composed mostly of men be- _ longing in Hartford and Tolland counties. Stafford furnished an entire company, Coventry and Ellington each a part, and Rock- ville a squad of ten men. The regiment left Hartford under command of Colonel George P. Bissell near the middle of No- vember, 1862, and performed its first march in heavy marching order from Williamsburg, L. I., to the Centerville race course, where was the rendezvous for the troops comprising Banks’ expedi- tion. The expedition left New York harbor the first week in December, and after a rough passage entered the Mississippi river, passing up by Forts Jackson and St. Philip and the city of New Orleans, where a part of the expedition landed. The remainder, with the T'wenty-fifth, moved up the river, under command of General Grover, to Baton Rouge, where a landing was effected, after the gunboats had shelled out the rebels. Here the regiment remained nearly three months. On the 10th of March following, the Twenty-fifth, a section of the Second United States battery, and a company of pontooners, all in com- mand of Colonel Bissell, were ordered to move toward Port Hud- son, to take and hold a certain position, and to build a bridge across a bayou, which the rebels had previously destroyed, all of which was successfully accomplished with the loss of but one man. On the 13th the whole army under Banks came up and made its first advance on Port Hudson, and having accomplished the object of its reconnaissance, withdrew to Baton Rouge, the men tired and worn with a week of duty, day and night. About this time Doctor Skinner, surgeon of the regiment, died from a fever, brought on by exposure during the expedition. March HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 101 28th commenced the expedition into the Teche district, where some sharp fighting was found. April 28th occurred the battle of Irish Bend, in which engagement the Twenty-fifth was again in front, and opened the fight, being deployed as skirmishers, the action being brought on immediately, the enemy opening from a concealed battery, which was received steadily and un- flinchingly. The regiment bore the brunt of the fight, losing nearly one-third of its membersin killed and wounded. Sergeant H. W. Coye and seven others were taken prisoners, but were soon released on parole. Avery Brown was here severely wounded. The rebels gave the regiment great praise for their gallant and stubborn fighting, and would scarcely believe that it was their first fight. One of our men who was taken prisoner was told by Major Ochiltree, of the Texan Rangers, that he was at Fort Donaldson, Pittsburg Landing and in all the Seven Days fighting on the Pe- ninsula, but that he never saw any better fighting than was done by the Twenty-fifth regiment on that day. After the battle com- menced the rapid pursuit of the enemy up the Red river, in which the rebels proved the better runners. The regiment forming a junction with their division, the investment of Port Hudson was begun in earnest. The Twenty-fifth participated in all the charges made on the fortifications during that long and bloody siege, and was at one time reduced by casualties and sickness to less than one hundred men fit for duty. The works were surren- dered to General Banks July 13th. The regiment was afterward sent to drive the enemy from Donaldsonville on the west side of the Mississippi. This completed the active duties of the regi- ment, and their time having expired, they arrived at Hartford August 17th, 1863. The squad of ten from Rockville all returned, some wounded for life, and all were honorably discharged. The First Regiment of heavy artillery, formerly the Fourth Regiment of infantry, was prominent at Yorktown, in the engage- ment at Hanover Court House, Gaines’ Mill, Malvern, Chicka- hominy and Golden Hills. The services and gallantry of the regiment were acknowledged in the order directing the names of the foregoing hard-fought battles to be emblazoned on their col- ors. The high character the regiment acquired by arduous ser- vices in the field has been so well sustained that it is ranked by competent military judges as the best volunteer regiment of heavy artillery in the field, and is a model for imitation. This regiment, 102 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. under the thorough drilling master, Colonel Robert Tyler, its commanding officer, one of the most thorough disciplinarians of the army, became a nursery for officers for other regiments. The town of Vernon furnished 28 men for this regiment. The Seventh Regiment went out under the command of Colonel (afterward Major General) Alfred H. Terry, who was succeeded by Colonel Joseph R. Hawley, of Hartford. This regiment was ina number of battles in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia, at Fort Pulaski, James Island, Pocataligo, Morris Island, Fort Wagner, O'Lustee, Chester Station, five engagements near Bermuda Hun- dred, Deep Bottom, Deep Run, Chapin’s Farm near Richmond, Fort Fisher and others. This regiment had seven men from Ver- non, including Samuel J. Corey, all of Company B. Three of the seven re-enlisted. The Sixteenth was a Hartford county regiment, and was first assigned to the army of the Potomac. Nearly the whole regi- ment was captured at the surrender of Plymouth, N.C.,and many of the men perished in the rebel prisons at Andersonville, Charles- ton and Florence. The regiment was in action at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Edenton Road, Providence Church Road and Plymouth, N.C. Twenty-one of its members were from Vernon, two of whom died while in the service, and one, Joseph Fuller, was killed at Sharpsburg. There were a few men from Tolland county in each of the fol- lowing regiments: Thirteenth, First Light Battery, First Cavalry, Twenty-second, First, Tenth, Sixth, Twelfth, Eighth, Twentieth, Twenty-seventh and Eleventh. The county was also represented in the Twenty-ninth and Thirty-first colored regiments. CHAPTER VI. SOME DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, the Connecticut Historian.—Rev. Samuel A. Peters, D.D., LL.D.—Jared Sparks, Former President of Harvard College, and Noted Author.—Nathan Hale, the Martyr.—Lorenzo Dow, the Eccentric Divine.—Rev. Samson Occom, the Indian Preacher.—John 8S. Peters, M.D., LL.D.—Prof. Elias Loomis, the Mathematician.—Rev. Ebenezer Kellogg, First Pastor of Vernon.—Rev. Charles Hammond, the Brilliant Scholar and Writer.—Rev. John Graham, First Minister of Stafford.—Deacon Edwin Whitney, Founder of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home.—Hon. Peter Dobson and John 8. Dobson.—The Talcott Family.—Ella M. Baker. NE of the early great men of Connecticut, of whom little is now known, was the Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, D.D., born at Hebron in 1735, and related to Jonathan Trum- bull, the famous war governor of Connecticut in the revolution. The inscription on his tombstone in the pretty rural cemetery at North Haven informs us that he was graduated from Yale Col- lege in 1749, and that he composed nearly four thousand sermons, and published essays on the inspiration of the scriptures, a his- tory of Connecticut, a history of the United States and other works, for which he was honored by his a/ma mater and esteemed by his countrymen as an able divine and accurate historian. Doctor Trumbull was ordained pastor of the North Haven ° church in December, 176), and retained his charge until his death, in February, 1820, a period of nearly sixty years. He was accounted an able preacher, but his real life work was after all the production of his history of the colonial period of Connecti- cut. He began the collection for this work in youth, and pub- lished the second and concluding volume but two years before his death. His methods of collecting them were primitive and original; he gathered them on horseback. In his preface he states that in preparing his work he had visited nearly every town in the state, and we have it on good authority that his short, stout figure, tall beaver hat, black waistcoat and small clothes were familiar objects to the people of Connecticut for half a century. He hada 104 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. genius for details and a passion for recording them, and it must be admitted that the early history of Connecticut furnished him with an endless variety. The pictured rocks at Groton, struggles of Pequots and Narragansetts, Old Newgate prison at Simsbury, Ethan Allen’s iron mine amid the Taconics, New Haven’s Col- legiate School and special appearances, French and Indian wars, Newtown's church controversies, disputed boundaries and wealth of town and neighborhood gossip, etc., etc., formed an embarrass- ment of riches demanding special efforts. Of our chronicler it has been said in the language of the poet Whittier : «« With his eyes agog and his ears set wide And his marvelous ink horn by his side,” he was ever on hand where minutest details might be obtained. Many tales and anecdotes of the worthy divine are current. He is described as being a short, stout, ruddy-faced man, of strong passions, immense energy and commanding mien. He had the manners of a gentleman of the old school, and never failed to return the salutes of the school boys who doffed to him. In the revolution he was distinguished for his ardent patriotism. He not only preached resistance to tyrants, but set an example of it by coming down from his pulpit on a certain Sunday, soon after an urgent call for more troops had been made, raising the leaf of the communion table and inviting his parishioners to en- list for the defense of the country. Forty-six responded, and the parson marched away at their head, penetrating as far as Ticon- deroga. Later he served as chaplain in Colonel Douglass’ regi- ment. The story of his placing himself at the head of one hun- dred of his parishioners in the war of 1812, when an attack on New Haven was feared and laboring with them on the forts of Pros. pect hill, has often been told. : An incident showing his plain speaking in the pulpit is nar- rated: One Sunday noon, resting in his study from the morning labors, he saw one of the village boys stealing his water-melons, but said nothing to the offender. That afternoon he preached a sermon on theft, referring to its increase in that community. He turned to the culprit, who sat in the gallery, and pointing his finger at him exclaimed: ‘No longer ago than this noon I saw you, John Jones, in my garden stealing my water-melong.” Doctor Trumbull died February 2d, 1820, aged 85 years, having preached as usual on the Sunday preceding. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 105 Samuel A. Peters, LL.D., an Episcopal clergyman of Hebron, Connecticut, was born there December 12th, 1735. He was grad- uated from Yale College in 1757. In consequence of loyal prin- ciples he was dismissed in 1774 from the char ge of the churches at Hebron and Hartford, and went, a refugee, to England. He remained abroad until 1805, when he returned to New York. In 1817 and 1818 he made a journey to the west as far as the falls of St. Anthony, claiming a large territory under an In- dian grant to Captain Tonathan Carver. He died at New York April 19th, 1826, aged ninety. His re- mains were entombed at Hebron. He left one daughter, who accompanied him in exile and married Mr. Jarvis, afterward secretary of the province of Upper Canada. She resided at Queenstown. He also left a son, who died of yellow fever at New Orleans, and his eldest son also had residence in that city. Doctor Peters is the reputed author of a history of Connecticut, published at London. It is of a similar stamp with Knickerbock- er’s “ History of New York,” and does but little credit to its au- thor. It is quite true Mr. Peters never asserted or denied his claim to the parentage of the work imputed to him, yet there is the clearest circumstantial evidence of his identity derived from a comparison between his anonymous and acknowledged writings. His book made its first appearance in London and if public con- jecture be correct it must have been written during his residence in England while the war of the revolution was at its height and before the. power of Great Britain was completely annihilated in the colonies of New England. He was afterward elected by the suffrages of a body of Episco- palians and sectarians to the Episcopate of Vermont, a connection, however, which was never consummated, owing to some difficulties in obtaining his consecration at the hands of English bishops. He returned again to this country about the year 1800, and in 1809 published in New York his “ History of Hugh Peters.” Mr. Peters was a tory of the ultra stamp and his book was evidently written under the influence of excited feelings. In short, it is to be expected of one in like circumstances that he should have written in justification of his own feelings and sentiments. The public, however, is prepared to lay aside old prejudices and judge the work with candor and magnanimity. From his history of Connecticut we copy the following state- ments to show the animus of the writer: 106 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. “'The laws made by this independent Dominion and denomin- ated Blue Laws by the neighboring colonies were never suffered to be printed, but the following sketch of some of them will give a tolerable idea of the spirit. “No Priest shall abide in this Dominion. He shall be banished and suffer death on his return. Priests may be seized by any one without a warrant. “No one shall cross a river but with an authorized ferryman. ‘No one shall run on the Sabbath days, or walk in his garden or elsewhere except reverently to and from meeting. “No one shall travel, cook victuals, make beds, sweep house, cut hair, or shave on the Sabbath day. “No woman shall kiss her child on the Sabbath or fasting day. “The Sabbath shall begin at sundown on Saturday. “To pick an ear of corn growing in a neighbor's garden shall be deemed theft. ‘Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace above two shillings by the yard shall be presented by the grand jurors, and the selectmen shall tax the offender at 300 1. estate. “Whoever brings cards or dice into this Dominion shall pay a fine of 51. : “No one shall read Common Prayer, keep Christmas or Saint- days, make mince pies, dance, play cards, or play on any instru- ment except the drum, trumpet or jews harp. ‘No man shall court a maid in person or by letter without first obtaining consent of her parents. 5 1. penalty for the first offense; 10 1. for the second and for the third imprisonment during the pleasure of the court. “Every male shall have his hair cut according to a cap.” Jared Sparks was born May 10th, 178), in the town of Willing- ton, Conn., and died at Cambridge, Mass., March 14th, 1866, hav- ing nearly completed his seventy-seventh year. Soon after his death the Massachusetts Historical Society, of which he was vice- president and for many years one of its prominent members, pre- pared a memorial of his life and labors of about one hundred pages. His long career as the author of many most valuable pub- ications, his labors in his profession and in his high position as a professor, and as president of the oldest American University render his life an interesting one indeed. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 107 The early opportunities for rudimentary education were only such as the district schools of the native town afforded, as good, doubtless, as those enjoyed in most of the towns of the vicinity. It is said that his mother, whose maiden name was Eleanor Or- cutt, and who lived in humble circumstances, was fond of books and had an active and a well endowed mind. Her mother, Be- thiah Parker, is reported to have been a great reader and also to have committed to writing her own musings in verse and prose. A childless sister of his mother, Mrs. Ebenezer Eldredge, and her husband, seem to have shared largely in the oversight of his early years and at intervals he lived with them at their home in Washington county, N. Y. His own minute and accurate record shows that from his fifth to his tenth year he went to school five months each year, from his tenth to his sixteenth only two months each year. When he was sixteen he attended school four months with the special object of fitting himself to become a teacher. Meanwhile he learned the trade of a carpenter, following that occupation in the summer and teaching school in the winter season. His first school was in Tolland. His leisure hours when teaching or en- gaged in his handicraft were spent in his favorite study of mathe matics. In March, 1809, he put himself under the tuition of Rev- erend Hubbel Loomis, the minister of his native town, to study Latin and mathematics. He had borrowed of a sailor a treatise on navigation. Mr. Loomis charged him a dollar a week as compen- sation for board and tuition. Alternating labor with study, he shingled the barn of his teacher for the sum of ten dollars. Mr. Loomis was a man of great force of character. Without the help of a collegiate education he had gained a high repute as a teacher and a clergyman, and after his removal from Willing- ton in 1828, he became the president of Shurtleff College, at Al- ton, Ill. He was the father of Elias’ Loomis, LL. D., professor of natural philosophy and astronomy in Yale College. He died December 15th, 1872, in the 98th year of his age. While connected with Mr. Loomis’ school, a circumstance oc- curred which decided the direction of the subsequent course of his pupil. The Reverend Abiel Abbott, pastor of the first church in Coventry, called one day to pay a brotherly visit to Mr. Loomis. This visit occurred when an earnest ecclesiastical controversy at Coventry was approaching its crisis, the result of which was the deposition of Mr. Abbott from the ministry by the Tolland Coun- 108 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. ty Association, for heretical opinions. This visit of Mr. Abbott proved to be a great advantage to young Sparks. Mr. Abbott was known to be an excellent classical scholar and after his removal from Coventry was the principal of the famous Dummer Acade- my, at Byfield, a parish of Newbury, Mass. Mr. Loomis called in his young pupil that Mr. Abbott might hear the young carpenter recite a lesson in Virgil, which he was reading at the rate of two hundred lines a day, although he had been studying Latin only eight weeks. On learning his pecuniary circumstances Mr. Ab- bott suggested Phillip’s Academy, at Exeter, as a school where free tuition and other helps might be obtained for a student so worthy of assistance. The academy of Exeter was then in charge of Mr. Abbott's cousin, Mr. Benjamin Abbott, who was principal of Phillips’ Academy fifty years. Mr. Abbott made a successful application for the admission of young Sparks, who started for Exeter on foot. Leaving Willington September 4th, 1809, he reached Exeter on the 7th, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, traveling forty miles a day. Mr. Loomis, being about to visit Exeter, trav- eled in his own chaise, carrying Sparks’ trunk suspended from the axle. Mr. Loomis suggested to the young scholar that the advan- tage he was seeking would justify the incurrence of a small debt. Debt was a fearful word to Mr. Sparks. With great reluctance he borrowed a small sum from his friend, Mr. Loomis. He reached Exeter the same day with Palfrey, his life-long friend. Bancroft joined them not long after. Thus the three most eminent histor- ians of their country’s annals were cotemporaries at the same school and the same college. He entered Harvard in August, 1811, in his twenty-third year, at an age in advance of the average period of graduation in that colege. His class was distinguished for ability and devotion to study. He is said to have excelled all his mates in mathematics, and to have had avery high rank. While at Exeter and Cam- bridge he was obliged to spend his vacations and a considerable part of his term time teaching others in order to earn the means of his own improvement. Thushe taught schoolat Bolton, Mass., and at Havre de Grace, Md.; at the latter place he was sorely dis- appointed in finding that a large part of the stipulated salary, which was the inducement of his voluntary exile from college, would not be paid. Here it was he met Hon. Josiah Quincy, then a leading member of Congress from Massachusetts, who intro- HISTORY OF TOLLANI) COUNTY. 109 duced his new formed acquaintance, Rev. Dr. Channing of Bos- ton. The interview gave the forlorn and struggling student new life and hope. His new friends were his warm friends ever after. Josiah Quincy became president of Harvard College, and with one intervening incumbent—Edward Everett—was succeeded in that office by the student he first met at the inn at Havre de Grace. Mr. Sparks graduated at Cambridge with high distinction in 1815. In his senior year he gained the Bowdoin prize fora dis- sertation on the physical discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton. Two years after graduation he was recalled to the college as a tutor in geometry and natural philosophy. Not far from this time he wrote his first contributions for the orth American Review. Subsequently he was its editor and proprietor for six years, from 1824 to 1830. For his profession he chose the Christian ministry and settled at Baltimore in May, 1819.. July 1st, 1823, he resigned his pastor- ate, the climate of Baltimore being unfavorable for his health. He always had some repugnance to public speaking, and he be- came deeply interested in literary work, and not long after he left Baltimore he consigned his sermons to the flames, sold his rare theological library, and devoted himself to the study of the Spanish language, that he might obtain some knowledge of South American affairs. In 1825 he began to gather materials for his “ Life and Correspondence of George Washington.” This work cost him ten years of assiduous toil, and fills twelve large octavo volumes. It was completed in 1837. In 1853 he published four supplemental volumes under the title of “ The Correspondence of the American Revolution ; Containing the Letters of Eminent Men to Gen. Washington.” In 1836 he began his “ Life and Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin,’ on which he spent four years of devoted attention. This work was published in 1840, in ten large octavo volumes. In 1833 he had published a small volume of * Franklin's Familiar Letters,’ most of which were then for the first time printed, col- lected chiefly by himself. In 1832 he published the “ Life and Correspondence of Gouv- erneur Morris,” in three octavo volumes, detailing events in the American and French revolution, and in the political history of the United States. In 1832 he projected his “ Library of Ameri- can Biography,” a work which appeared in two series, the first 110 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. consisting of ten volumes, the second of fifteen. The plan em- braced the lives of distinguished American citizens, or of per- sons renowned in American history in all callings and pro- fessions. In 1839 Doctor Sparks was appointed professor of history in Harvard University, and held the position ten years. During this period he was several times solicited to accept a nomination for member of congress, but he uniformly declined the honors of public life. In 1849 he was chosen to succeed President Everett of Harvard University, a position for which he was pre-eminent- ly gifted, and in which he gave great satisfaction. In 1851, while returning from Boston to Cambridge, he suffered a severe injury by being run over by two men recklessly driving a chaise. The effects of this injury on his right arm were permanent, and disabled him from doing the work he loved most. His general health also suffered from this accident, and in consequence he re- signed the presidency of the college, after four years of service, in 1853. Doctor Sparks was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of William Alen, Esq., of Hyde Park, N. Y. She died of consumption in 1836, leaving one daughter, who died of the same disease in her thirteenth year. In 1839 he was married to a daughter of the Hon. Nathaniel Sillsbee, an eminent mer- chant of Salem, Mass., and a senator of the United States. In 1852, while he was president of Harvard, he visited the scenes of his youth, in Tolland county. Doctor Sparks died after an illness of one week. His disease was pneumonia. His bodily vigor had become impaired, but his mental powers were unabated. On Sunday evening his children were around him, and with no consciousness that he was giving them his last lesson, he spoke to them in words of exceeding sweetness and beauty, closing with the sentence, “ S¢ritv to do good and you will surely bring tt to pass.” Nathan Hale, the martyr to American liberty, whose name has be- come famous throughout the land,wasa native of the town of Coyen- try, Conn. His father, Richard Hale, was from Newbury, Mass. His mother’s name was Elizabeth Strong. Her ancestors from 1630 were among the old Puritans, the staunch friends of liberty, the proscribed of despots and kings. Elizabeth Strong was born in Coventry, February 2d, 1728. She was the daughter of Joseph HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 111 and Elizabeth Strong, of the fifth generation from Elder John Strong, who was one of the first settlers of Windsor. Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong were married May 27th, 1746. Na- than was their sixth child, born June 6th, 1755. Mrs. Elizabeth Hale died April 21st, 1767. She was the mother of ten children, one of whom died in infancy. The story of this American patriot is best told in the words of Charles Dudley Warner at the unveiling of the statue at Hart- ford, June 14th, 1887. This bronze figure of heroic size, in the Capitol building, was the work of Carl Gerhardt, of Hartford. On that occasion Mr. Warner said: : “This is not a portrait statue. There is no likeness of Nathan Hale extant. The only known miniature of his face, in the pos- session of the lady to whom he was betrothed at the time of ‘his death, disappeared many years ago. The artist was obliged, therefore, to create an ideal figure, aided by a few fragmentary descriptions of Hale’s personal appearance. His object has been to represent an American youth of the period, an American pa- triot and scholar, whose manly beauty and grace tradition loves to recall; to represent, in face and in bearing, the moral elevation of character that made him conspicuous among his fellows, and to show forth, if possible, the deed that made him immortal. For it is the deed and the memorable last words we think of when we think of Hale. I know that by one of the canons of art it is held that sculpture should rarely fix a momentary action, but if this can be pardoned in the Laocoon, where suffering could not other- wise be depicted to excite the sympathy of the spectator, surely it can be justified in this case, when, as one may say, the immor- tality of the subject rests upon a single act—upon a phrase—upon the attitude of the moment; for all the man’s life—all his charac- ter—flowered and bloomed into immortal beauty in this one su- preme moment of self-sacrifice, triumph, defiance. “On the 21st of April, 1775,a messenger, riding express from Boston to New York with the tidings of Lexington and Concord, reached New London. The news created intense excitement. A public meeting was called in the court house at twilight, and among the speakers who exhorted the people to take up arms at once was one, a youth not yet twenty years of age, who said: ‘Let us march immediately and never lay down our arms until we have obtained our independence '—one of the first, perhaps the first, of the public declarations of the purpose of independ- 112 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. ence. It was Nathan Hale, already a person of some note in the colony, of a family then not unknown and destined in various ways to distinction in the republic.” Of Hale's personal appearance when he was graduated at Yale College in 1773, at the age of eighteen years, the speaker said : “Doctor Eneas Munson, of New Haven, who knew him well in the last year of Yale, said of him: ‘He was almost six feet in height, perfectly proportioned, and in figure and deportment he was the most manly man I have ever met. His chest was broad ; his muscles were firm; his face wore a most benign expressioi ; his complexion was roseate; his eyes were light and biue and beamed with intelligence; his hair was soft and light brown in color, and his speech was rather low, sweet and musical. His per- sonal beauty and grace of manner were most charming. Why, all the girls in New Haven fell in love with him,’ said Doctor Mun- son, ‘and wept tears of real sorrow when they heard of his sad fate. In dress he was always neat; he was quick to lend a hand to a being in distress, brute or human; was overflowing with good humor, and was the idol of all his acquaintances.’ os At his graduation he engaged in a debate on the question wheth- er the education of daughters be not, without any just reason, more neglected than that of the sons. ‘In this debate,’ wrote Judge Hillhouse, one of his classmates, ‘he was the champion of the daughters, and most ably advocated their cause. You may be sure that he received the plaudits of the ladies present.’ Hale seems to have had an irresistible charm for everybody. He was a favorite in society ; he had the manner and the qualities that made him a leader among men and gained him the admiration of women. He was always intelligently busy and had the Yankee ingenuity. He‘could do anything but spin,’ he used to say to the girls of Coventry, laughing, over the spinning-wheel. There is a universal testimony to his alert intelligence, vivacity, manli- ness, sincerity and winningness. It is probable that while still an undergraduate at Yale he was engaged to Alice Adams, who was born in Canterbury, a young lady distinguished then as she was afterward for great beauty and intelligence. After Hale's death she married Mr. Eleazer Ripley, and was left a widow at the age of eighteen, with one child, who survived its father only a year. She married, the second time, William Lawrence, Esq., of Hartford, and died in this city, greatly respected and admired, in 1845, aged eighty-eight. It is a touching note of the hold of the HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 113 memory of her young lover upon her admiration that her last words, murmured as hfe was ebbing, were, ‘ Write to Nathan.’” The speaker told of Hale’s volunteering to penetrate the British lines and endeavor to obtain information that seemed imperative- ly necessary to save Washington's army from destruction. ‘‘ Hale crossed over from Norwalk to Huntington Cove, on Long Island. In the disguise of a schoolmaster he penetrated the British lines and the city, made accurate drawings of the fortifications and memoranda in Latin, of all that he observed, which he concealed between the soles of his shoes and returned to the point on the shore where he had first landed. He expected to be met bya boat and to cross the Sound to Norwalk the next morning. The next morning he was captured, no doubt by Tory treachery, and taken to Howe's headquarters, the mansion of James Beekman, situated at (the present) Fiftieth street and First avenue. That was on the 21st of September [1776]. Without trial and upon the evidence found on his person, Howe condemned him to be hanged asa spy the next morning. Indeed, Hale made no attempt at de- fense. He frankly owned his mission and expressed regret that he could not serve his country better. His open, manly bearing and high spirits commanded the respect of his captors. Mercy he did not expect, and pity was not shown him. The British were irritated by a conflagration which had that morning laid almost a third of the city in ashes, and which they attributed to incendiary efforts to deprive them of agreeable winter quarters. Hale was at first locked up in the Beekman greenhouse. Whether he re- mained there all night was not known, and the place of his exe- cution has been disputed ; but the best evidence seems to be that it took place on the farm of Colonel Rutger, on the west side, in the orchard in the vicinity of the present East Broadway and Market street, and that he was hanged to the limb of an apple tree. “Tt was on a lovely Sunday morning, before the break of day, that he was marched to the place of execution, September 22d. While awaiting the necessary preparations a courteous young of- ficer permitted him to sit in his tent. He asked for the presence of a chaplain; his request was refused. He asked for a Bible; it was denied. But at the solicitation of the young officer he was furnished with writing materials, and wrote briefly to his mother, his sister and his betrothed. When the infamous Cunningham, to whom Howe had delivered him, read what was written he was 8 114 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. furious at the noble and dauntless spirit shown, and with foul oaths, tore the letter into shreds, saying afterward that ‘the rebels should never know that they had a man who could die with such firmness.’ As Hale stood upon the fatal ladder, Cunningham taunted him and scoffingly demanded ‘his last dying speech and confession.’ The hero did not heed the words of the brute, but looking calmly upon the spectators, said in a clear voice : “ ARTOTYPE, E. BIEKSTADT, N.Y HISTORY OF TOLLANID COUNTY. , 309 engineer for the Crane Elevator Company and others, and is one of the most active engineers of this generation. Mr. Reynolds was, on the 2d of November, 1853, married to Abby E., daughter of James Brown, of Westfield, Vermont. Their children are two sons, G. Osmer and Irving Huntington, and two daughters deceased. Mr. Reynolds resides in Pelham, Westchester county, New York, but has ever maintained an abiding interest in the town and county of his birth. This has inspired him to retain a summer home in Mansfield. In one of the most picturesque and attractive portions of the town he has reclaimed from its primitive condition of forest and boulder, a tract of land upon which a modern and beautiful home is built. Here nature, aided by the rare art of the landscape gardener, is rapidly transforming the spot into a garden of beauty, very properly christened ‘“ Spring Manor,” from the abundant supply of clear water flowing from perennial springs on the grounds. An unqualified republican in his political sentiments, and an earnest advocate of protective tariff principles, Mr. Reynolds has not been diverted from his legitimate pursuits into the exciting fields of political life. His interest in the cause of education has, however, influenced him to fill for eight years the presidency of the board of education of the town of Pelham, and the beautiful school house in his native district of Mansfield is a monument to his persistent efforts in the cause of education. Evory B. SMITH is a grandson of Isaac Smith, a revolutionary soldier who, having served seven years and a half in the war, af- ter his retirement from the service resided in West Boylston, Worcester county, Mass. His son, Joel Smith, born at the ances- tral home, married Abigail Divol, of Leominster in the same state. Their children were: Emory B., Isaac, Joel and George ; of whom Joel and Emory B., are the only survivors. Emory B. was born April 21st. 1810, in Leominster, and spent his boyhood in acquiring a knowledge of the English branches. He then entered a factory for the purpose of learning the process of comb making and, having attained proficiency, followed it un- til 1835 in his native state. During the latter year he removed to Willington, Conn., and continued to pursue his trade for a pe- riod of five years. On the 19th of November, 1840, he was married to Arvilla T., daughter of James Royce, of Gurleyville. Their children are Charles Emory and Abbie C. In 1849 Mr. Smith removed to Albany, N. Y., and became the 310 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. agent for his father-in-law, in the sale of the products of his silk mill, also himself dealing in silk. Mrs. Smith died February 15th, 1851, and he married on the Ist of February, 1852, Julia E., sister of his first wife. Their children are: Frank C., Edward L., and several who died in infancy. In 1862 Mr. Smith returned to Gur- leyville, and forming a copartnership with Mr. Royce, became joint owner of the mill, which he purchased in 1870, and operated successfully until 1886, when it was temporarily closed on the death of his son-in-law, Deacon Edward P. Conant, its manager. Mr. Smith has also been engaged to a limited extent in farming. He has been actively identified with public affairs, both in town and county, and was in 1870 elected to the state legislature from his district. He has served as selectman of the town, and justice of the peace. When a young man he joined the Baptist church, and has ever been a liberal supporter of, and worshiper in the churches of his neighborhood. J. DwicHr CHAFFEE.—The Chaffee family have for several generations resided in the town of Mansfield. Frederick Chaffee, the grandfather of J. Dwight Chaffee, a prosperous farmer in that town, married Elizabeth Knowlton. Their son, Orwell S., was born in Ashford, Windham county, Conn., and for some years re- sided in Northampton, Mass., where he was engaged in the man. ufacture of silk thread. Later he was similarly interested in Mansfield, and was also a man of prominence in that portion of the county, having served his constituents in the state legislature, and filled other important offices. He married Lucinda A.,, daughter of Joseph Conant, of Mansfield, one of the earliest silk manufacturers in the town of Mansfield, Tolland county. Their children are a daughter—Maria A., deceased, and two sons,—J, Dwight and Olon S. The eldest of these, J. Dwight Chaffee, was born August 9th, 1847, in Mansfield. He pursued a common English course at the public schools, and at the age of sixteen entered his father’s mill at Mansfield. He thoroughly learned the process of silk manu- facturing, passing in succession through all the departments, and becoming master of the business, the management of which grad- ually passed into his hands. In the year 1872, under the firm name of O. S. Chaffee & Son, the business was removed to Willi- mantic, where under superior advantages of location it greatly increased in proportions, and has enjoyed a career of much pros- perity. Two hundred hands are employed and a market for the HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 311 products, consisting of silk thread and silk braid, is found in all parts of the United States through agents, as direct representa- tives of the mills. Mr. Chaffee, as a republican, was in 187+ elect- ed to the state legislature, and in 1885 was the choice of his con- stituents for state senator. In January, 1887, he was appointed aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Lounsbury. He is presi- dent of the Nachaug Silk Company, and director of the W. G. & A.R. Morrison Machine Company. Mr. Chaffee was married to Martha, daughter of George B. Armstrong, of Mansfield. Their children are two sons—Arthur D. and Howard S.,—and a daughter, Gertie. CHAPTER X. TOWN OF HEBRON. Early Settlement.—Statement made by David Barber.—Letter from Honorable Erastus Root.—The Sumner Family.—The Peters Family.—Samuel A. Peters and his Flight from Connecticut.—The Gilbert Family.—Notes from Judge Gilbert's Diary.—Other Persons of Note.—Old Farms and Noted Men of Hebron.—Captain Morey’s Steamboat.—A Historic Event.—After the French and Indian War.—The Villages of Hebron.—A Terrible Tragedy.—The Churches.—Queer Epitaphs.—Town Officers.—Biographical Sket hes. HE town of Hebron was incorporated in the year 1707. Three years before that time William Shipman, Timothy Phelps, Samuel Filer, Caleb Jones, Stephen Post, Jacob Root, Samuel Curtis, Edward Sawyer, Joseph Youngs and Benoni Trumbull made a settlement in the town. They were from Windsor. The township of Hebron is bounded on the north by Bolton and Andover, on the east by Andover, Columbia and Lebanon, on the south by Colchester and on the west by Glaston- bury and Marlborough. The soil is excellent. The town has three villages, namely: Hebron, Gilead and Turnerville. The village of Hebron is the largest, and is one of the oldest in the state. Turnerville is situated on the railroad, and though small, is a flourishing manufacturing village. Gilead contains one store, a post office and a church. Hebron has furnished quite a number of distinguished men. Doctor Trumbull, the venerable historian of Connecticut, Gov- ernor Peters, Governor Palmer of Vermont, Governor Root of New York and three members of congress; Sylvester Gilbert, Daniel Burrows and the late Daniel Buck of Vermont, were all natives of the town of Hebron. The surface of the town is uneven, being somewhat hilly and diversified. The first minister ordained in this town was the Reverend John Bliss in the year 1717. He declared for Episco- pacy in 1734, having laid the foundation of that society. The Reverend Doctor Benjamin Pomeroy was ordained pastor of the HISTORY, OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 313 church in 1735. North pond in the south part of the town isa considerable body of water; it is situated partly in this town and partly in Colchester. A large iron furnace for castings and pig iron was erected in 1830, near the outlet of this pond about three miles from Hebron village. The best bed for obtaining the ore was about one mile northwest of the Congregational church in Colchester. There were also in the first society one woolen and two cotton factories and one paper mill. David Barber, a well-known citizen of Hebron of former years, thus speaks of the town: “bout the year 1704 or 1704, some gentlemen at Saybrook applied to a sachem, Joshua Uncas, for a grant of land which they obtained on terms agreed on, viz.: beginning at Hartford and in sight of Hartford bounding north on Maj. Talcott’s farm, which farm was a grant to said Talcott, at the southwest part of the bottom, then to run east eight miles, thence to run south eighteen miles, holding its breadth, which grant covered some miles of Lebanon anda great part of Colchester, which were both prior to Hebron. But likely the grantor did not know how large this vacancy was. The first family that settled in Hebron was that of William Shipman from Colchester, locating just north of the brook Dewey's. He had a daughter there, the first white child born in Hebron. The second child born in Hebron was Obadiah Hosford, who died in infancy; a third by the name of Filer, who also died in infancy. The next settlers after Mr. Ship- man were Timothy Phelps, Samuel Palmer and a Mr. Filer, all settling near together. Mr. Palmer settled where Captain Bissell now lives, and was greatly lauded both for quantity and quality. Mr. Phelps was a large and strong bodyed man and the first Innholder in Hebron.” These last named were all from Windsor. Then came Doctor Obadiah Hosford and Josiah Owen, Nathaniel Phelps from Windsor, Jacob Root from North- hampton, Samuel and Richard Curtis, Joseph Young from Long Island and Stephen Post from Saybrook, who brought ten chil- dren, and who lived to see them all well settled, attending the funeral of his youngest child first, who was the amiable consort of Mr. Benjamin Bissell. The venerable Mr. Post lived till eighty- eight years of age, and was noted as a remarkable man for piety. Two of his sons were deacons of the church. Samuel Waters from Saybrook, John Gaylord from Colchester, John Gott from Lyme, Joseph Dewey from Westfield, settled at 3l4 HISTORY OF TOLLAND: COUNTY. the southeast corner of Hebron, and built a grist mill, saw mill. and fulling mill, the first in Hebron. Mr. Daniel Brigg from Windsor, Edward and Jacob Sawyer from Lyme, Captain Heze- kiah Gaylord and Mr. David Barber from Windsor, Morris, Johnson and Tillerson from Saybrook and Nathaniel Mann, all single men, came about the same time and all married in Hebron. The Reverend John Bliss settled and built in Hebron and had. three children born there. He was from Norwich and was educated at Saybrook. He was ordained im 1717, and remained the minister for seventeen years, and was then dismissed. Caleb Jones from Saybrook, and soon after his two nephews from the same place, settled in the southwest part of Hebron. Caleb Jones settled near Mr. Backus’ tan house, and the first places for public worship in Hebron were in the houses of Mr. Jones and David Backus, and Doctor Hosford’s barn. Afterward Benjamin Skinner from Colchester, Michael Mudge from Lebanon and Nathaniel Dunham settled near where John Kellogg afterward kept tavern. David Porter from Windsor, Captain Benoni Trumbull from Suffield, Ebenezer Willson from Guilford, Jordan and Joseph Post from Saybrook, Samuel Ingra- ham and Thomas Wells and Samuel Rowley from East Haddam, and Thomas Brown from Colchester, Samuel Gilbert, Joseph, Hezekiah and Moses Hutchinson, John Porter, Samuel Calkins, Samuel Eaton, all settled near the North pond. Robert Stikes, Benjamin Kneeland, Hezekiah Russ, John Peters, Joseph and John Phelps (from Windsor), Daniel Hosford, Captain Joseph Sweetland, Obadiah Newcomb, Josiah and Olando Mack, John Merils, Daniel Bushnell, Obadiah Hosford, Nathan Phelps, Moses Tillotson, Joseph Phelps, Timothy Buell, Charles Dewey, Samuel Filer, Alexander Phelps, David Barber, Obadiah Hosford, Stephen Barber. Joshua Phelps, Roger Phelps, John Gilbert, Hezekiah Bissel, Elihu Pomeroy, Phineas Strong, David Barber and Daniel Phelps are the names of several of the captains over the first military companies in the town of Hebron. Obadiah Newcomb. was the first captain in Andover, William Buell the first captain in Marlborough and Samuel Gilbert was captain in Gilead. William Slade, Doctor William Sumner from Boston, Jonathan Chappel, Captain Jonathan White, Moses Case, Captain William Buell, Joseph Kellogg, William Rawle, Captain Ichabod Phelps, Richard Beach and John Gillet were still other very early settlers. in Hebron. HISTORY OF TOLLANI COUNTY. 315° The first town clerks in Hebron were Samuel Curtis and Captain Nathaniel Phelps. Afterward Captain Hezekiah Gay- lord, Captain Jonathan White, Colonel Alexander Phelps, Neziah Bliss, and then Sylvester Gilbert, were all town clerks, each serv- ing for many years. Benjamin Skinner, Joseph Phelps, John Phelps, Samuel Gilbert. Alexander Phelps, David Barber, John Phelps, Benjamin Buell, Sylvester Gilbert, Neziah Bliss, Elijah Kellogg, Elihu Marvin, Timothy Dutton and Joseph Parker have been justices of the peace. Hon. Erastus Root was born in Hebron but we have no date as to marriage and death. From different records at hand we learn that he was born March 16th, 1773, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1793, was elected United States senator from the state of New York in 1808, became a general in the war of 1812, a member of congress in 1819 and lieutenant-governor of the state of New York in 1823, Joseph C. Yates being governor at that time. He at one time practiced law in the city of Hartford and subsequent-- ly became chief justice of the supreme court of errors. In a letter to Doctor Peters he says: “Dear Sir :—This afternoon I received yours of the 5th inst. by which I am informed that you intend in your biographical history of Hebron to give me more honor than I have any right to claim. You say, sir, that I may never see your history of Hebron. It may be so but it will be no fault of mine. Let me but hear of its publication and possess the means, and I can assure you that the volume shall be my own. “You justly remark that in 1774 I was young. I was born as I am told on the 16th of March, 1773. In my early youth, I re- member to have heard your name, but being educated in a differ- ent persuasion from yours and early imbibing old political max- ims, sentiments at variance with those then entertained by your church, it was not till I had arrived to maturer years that I was. convinced of your talents and worth. Since that time I have: frequently heard of you with kindly interest and have often re- joiced at your return to your country, fully satisfied with the cor- rupted and corrupting splendor of St. James. “ With great truth you suppose that J am not unacquainted with the heraldry of my family. I will, however, as far as I know with the certainty, comply with your request in giving the gen- ealogy of my grandfather's family. My grandfather, William. 316 HISTORY OF TOLLANT) COUNTY. Root, had five sons and four daughters, namely: William, Levi, Simeon, Samuel, Ephraim, Mehitabel, Anne, Hannah, Abigail. “ My grandfather settled his sons Levi and Simeon in Stratford, Vt. Simeon was many years ago, beyond the reach of my mem- ory, killed by the caving in of a well which he was digging. He left six sons and two daughters. Levi is hving in Stratford and has a numerous family. My grandfather settled his sons Samuel and Ephraim in Piermont, N. H. I believe they are both living. They have large families. My aunt Mehitable lived single to an advanced age and married to Benjamin Skinner, of Hebron. She is deceased. Aunt Anne married to a Mr. Higgins, and Aunt Hannah to Mr. White. They settled in Stratford. Both died many years ago. Their husbands are both dead. I never saw either of them. Aunt Abigail married to Aschel Chamberlain, formerly of Colchester. They are alive. Chamberlain has been general of the militia and frequently a member of the Vermont legislature. They live in Stratford. She never had children. My father lived and died on the patrimonial estate. He was born in 1731. He was married to Zermah Baldwin, of Lebanon. She was of the Norwich family of Baldwins. I know very little of their family history. My father had children, Abel, Dan, Adah and myself. My father died in 1790. My mother died in 1792. Abel married Mary Filer, daughter of the first Samuel Filer. Abel died of consumption in 1791, leaving two sons named Abel and Aaron. Dan married Mary Filer. He occu- pied the old patrimonial estate. Adah married Homer Phelps, son of Captain Joshua Phelps, of Hebron. They moved to the town of Franklin, Delaware county, N. Y. I married a daughter ° of Mr. Stockton, formerly from New Jersey and moved to Delhi, Delaware county, N. Y. The maiden name of my mother was Pinnock. I recollect to have heard her say that she came from Yorkshire in England. That she had seen people reaping there when there was snow on the ground. I also remember my great aunt, Ruth. She was sister to my grandfather. She was never married. She died at my father’s, aged nearly ninety, when I was a boy of twelve or. fourteen years of age. When a little lad the good old lady would frequently rehearse to me the history of my ancestors, and recount their toils in the first settlement of Hebron. She told me that my great-grandfather, Jacob Root, came from Northampton in Massachusetts to Hebron: that he was then about seven years old. They were the third family HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 317 which settled in the town. Mr. Shipman, ancestor to Doctor Shipman and a Mr. Phelps, ancestor to Aschel Phelps (constable), settled in the town before my great-grandfather. My grand- father had one brother by the name of Jonathan whom I remem. ber. He lived to an old age, was a poet and awit. He resided on the road to Norwich near the North Pond. Nathaniel was another brother of my grandfather. * When I was a boy there was a clump of apple trees in the old orchard which was called the ‘ Nursery, among which and the adjacent trees I remember the ‘Nathaniel’ apples, the ‘ Ruth’ apples, the ‘Margaret’ apples and the ‘Jonathan Sweetlings.’ Hence I conclude when the Nursery was a little grown each of the children chose a tree. Perhaps tl:ere were other children who felt themselves too large to choose a tree. I well remember that Jonah Root, of Marlborough Parish, frequently visited my father and called him cousin William. I believe he was.a son of my grandfather’s brother but whom I know not. “I have given, sir, as ample a genealogy of my grandfather's family as lam capable. It is far too ample for your biographical history, but you can select such part of it or rather the substance of such part of it as you may deem interesting. Although much, nay all of it, is quite uninteresting in history, yet it may afford you some amusement in a leisure hour. “T thank you, sir, for your kind recollection of my deceased father and that through him my humble name claims your notice. I fear, however, that the pages of your book will blush at the men- tion of my name in the exalted strain you are pleased to bestow. “You say that Copenhagen is with you. God grant that you may not be Copenhagenized. Tho’ a few shells thrown from a British squadron into the city might operate as a powerful re- storative. Indeed we need something to quicken us, something to restore us to former principles. Some incentive to bold action is ever wanted in the capital. I am acquainted with Mr. Palmer, of whom you make mention. He is quite a decent, tho’ rather buckish Quaker. I do not think he is about to marry Mrs. Wash- ington. That supposed match I imagine is all afloat. Accept Dr. Sir, the homage of my high respects. “ERASTUS ROOT, ‘Washington, D. C., Feb. 6, 1810.” The Sumner family of Hebron are descendants of Doctor Wil- “B18 HISTORY OF.-LOLLANI) COUNTY. -liam Sumner, who was born ,at: Boston March 18th, 1699. He “married Hannah, daughter, oe Thomas Hunt, of Lebanon, Conn., October 11th, 1721. In 1722 he was. dismissed from the church at Boston to the church at Hebron, where he removed, taking up his abode one mile from Gilead meeting house toward Hebron. He became ,a, large. landholder. He built a house about 1750, property now owned by Charles Brown. Doctor Sumner had seven sons and fqur daughters. William and Clement were edu- _cated at Yale College. Reuben married Elizabeth Mack and settled there, as, did also his three sons, William, Reuben and Reverend Henry Peterson Sumner. Doctor William Sumner - moved to New Hampshire and died there in 1778. Reverend Clement, son ¢ of Doctor William Sumner, graduated _at Yale in 1758. He was born at Hebron July 15th, 1731. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Gilbert, of Hebron, and moved to New Hampshire. Colonel Francis Sumner, son of Doctor William Sumner, was born at Hebron May 11th, 1734. He moved to Stafford, Vt., where he was justice of the peace, judge, ete. His brother, Jonathan Sumner, moved to Thetford, 'Vt.,in 1771. He also held prominent political positions. One . of his sons, Doctor Cyrus Sumner, was surgeon in the British _army in Canada in the war of 1812. Colonel Benjamin Sumner, - . son of Doctor William, married Prudence, daughter of David Hubbard, of Glastonbury, Gonn. He lived in Hebron till 1767, _ then moved to Claremont, N. H. ; His eldest.son, Colonel William B. Sumner, born at Hebron, October : 4th,, 1762, commanded a _ regiment at the battle of Plattsburg and through the war of 1812. Frederick Augustus and F. Haldiman Sumner, two other sons, were graduates of Har vard College. The former was a judge of Sullivan county. The latter settled .in New Orleans and was volunteer aid to General Jackson at the battle of 8th of January, 1815. He was a.noted lawyer there. He-died of yellow fever September 3d, 1819. Reverend Henry Peterson Sumner,a manufacturer and farmer, was at first one of the firm of William Strong & Co., whose factory was in the northwest,,corner of Hebron, on Blackledge river. This company failed soon, after the close of ‘the war of 1812, and H. P. Sumner purchased the several shares and carried on the business, making satinet cloths and carding for. customers under - the name of the Lafayette } Manufacturing Company. _ The factory HISTORY OF TOLLANID COUNTY. 319 ‘was burned in 1830 and never rebuilt. Just above, on the Black- ledge river, Doctor C. F. Sumner built a paper mill in 1870. It ‘was operated under the firm name of Sumner Paper Mill. It was burned in 1879 and never rebuilt. John W. Sumner, born in Hebron, September 16th, 1812, was also a manufacturer, a farmer, -a justice of the peace, representative, senator, etc. Charles F. Sumner, M. D., whose biography and portrait appear in another part of this work, was born in Hebron in March, 1817. He moved to Bolton in 1852. The Peters family has been prominent in Hebron. Lord Peters of England had three sons, who were in active life in the reign ‘of Charles the First of England—Thomas, Hugh and William. All were publicly educated men, and all dissenters from the established religion in the mother country. They came to Amer- ica to enjoy freedom and to worship God as conscience dictated. Thomas settled in Saybrook, Hugh in Salem, Mass., and Wil- liam in Meriden, Mass. Hugh had one child, a daughter, who ‘married into a highly respectable family in Boston. Thomas had no children, but he it was who commenced Yale College at Say- brook by bequeathing his large library, the nucleus of the present ‘one. The college was subsequently removed to New Haven. Hugh, at the time of the revolution of Cromwell, in the pleni- tude of his zeal, returned to England and took an active part in the rebellion, and preached the sermon at the execution of Charles the First in 1648. His text was from Psalm 149, verses from 5th to 9th inclusive. At the restoration of Charles II., that Christless drunken bigot, by his order Hugh Peters died a martyr. John Peters, a descendant of William, removed from Meriden, Mass.. to Hebron, Conn., in the year 1714, where he raised a numerous family. In 1774 most of the family took sides with the king, which ruined and scattered them as a family, and most of them died in a foreign land. All the families of the name of Peters in the New England states have their descent from William Peters, Esq., who bought of the Reverend Mr. Blackstone the whole peninsula on which -the city of Boston stands; but he was not permitted to hold it by those then called the new comers. However, he held a share of it and a share in the township of Andover and in other towns. He did much toward the settlement of Andover in building a meeting house and a house for the minister, the Reverend Mr. 520 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Fry, who married one of his daughters, and had a son named Perry Fry, a family of respectability. William Peters, Esq., had six sons and four daughters. He lived to a great age, and died at Andover much revered and loved for his learning, charities and piety. The names of his sons were: John, Andrew, Thomas, William, Samuel and Joseph, all of whom lived and had families. His son William had six sons and two daughters; the names of the sons were; Andrew, John, Samuel, William, Joseph and Beneslie. The names of the sons of John, of Hebron, were: John, William, Joseph, Jonathan ard Beneslie. All were married and had families. John, the eldest, had sixteen children by his wife, a great-granddaughter of John Phelps, the secretary of Oliver Cromwell. The eldest son, John, was acolonel in the service of King George HI. He married Mary Russel,a granddaughter of Major-General Thomas Harri- son, and one of the regicide judges of Charles I. His second son, Absalom, was a general in the American service. Colonel John Peters left a widow, six sons and one daughter. His eldest son, John, was an ensign in the British service in Canada. He married a daughter of Colonel Rogers and left a son also named John. Governor John 8. Peters was born in the town of Hebron Sep- tember 21st, 1772, and died March 30th, 1858, aged 86. The house in which he was born stands on the Bolton road in Gilead Society, now owned by Charles Wells. The house of Colonel John Peters, his uncle, is still standing, and was built just opposite the homestead of Governor Peters. This property is now owned by Noble C. Lord. Samuel A. Peters, the fourth son of John Peters, of Hebron, was born in 1735 and died when 91 years of age. He was married three times. His first wife was Hannah Owen, whom he married in 1760. She was the daughter of Cyrus Owen, of Hebron, and bore him one daughter; subsequently the wife of Colonel William Jarvis, the secretary of the governor of Canada. His second wife was Abigail, daughter of Judge Samuel Gilbert, of Hebron. She was married to him in 1769 and she died twenty days after her marriage. His third wife was Mary Birdseye, whom he married in 1774. She had one son, William, who married Mary Jarvis (see page 105). Peters’ “General History of Connecticut’ was published in England. The untruthfulness of the book destroyed its value with the reading public in New England and there are now not HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 321 over a half dozen copies to be found. The original proof sheet copy of this edition is now in the possession of Samuel P. Bell, John street, New York. ee pF Rafe feo Y/ A TYPE, E, BIERSTADT, N.Y HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 479 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Lucius S. FULLEk.—Both English and Scotch blood coursed through the veins of Mr. Fuller's ancestors. His grandfather, Deacon Abijah Fuller, who was a revolutionary soldier, and who, as sergeant, had the honor of being delegated by General Putnam to take charge of fortifying Bunker Hill by throwing up earth- works the night before the battle, died in 1885 in Hampton, Conn., where he was a farmer and a leading citizen. He married Abigail Meacham, of Windham, in the same state, whose children were: Abijah, Lois, Arthur, Seymour, Clarissa and Luther. Sey- mour Fuller resided in Hampton, his birthplace, until 1816, the date of his removal to Tolland. He married, February 10th, 1811, Louisa, daughter of William Butler and his wife Louisa Huntington, who was born April 9th, 1790. Their children are: Lucius S., Abigail, who married Sylvander Harwood, of Staf- ford; Caroline C., William B. and Melissa J., of whom the sub- ject of this sketch is the only survivor. Lucius S. Fuller was born March 27th, 1812, in Hampton, Conn., and four years later removed with his parents to Tolland. He received a common school education and enjoyed some aca- demic advantages, after which the winter was employed in teach- ing and the summer in work on the farm. He was for two years landlord of the “ County House" in Tolland, meanwhile erecting the residence he now occupies, upon the farm he purchased in 1846. Mr. Fuller has since that date been engaged in farming, and largely identified with insurance matters, as agent for various companies and president of the Tolland County Mutual Fire [n- surance Company. He was married on the 4th day of July, 1838, to Mary Eliza, daughter of John Bliss, Esq.,and his wife Sally Abbott, of Tolland. Their children are: Lucius H., of Putnam, Conn., born August 31st, 1849; Edward E., secretary of the Tol- land County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, whose birth oc- curred May 13th, 1853; and five who are deceased, as follows: John B., Mary J., Lucius H., an infant daughter, and John Bliss, all having died during childhood except the latter, who died Jan- uary 21st, 1883, in the prime of life, aged thirty-eight years, be- ing at that time secretary of the Tolland County Mutual Fire In- surance Company, and prominent in business, political and social circles. Mr. Fuller was formerly president of the Tolland County Na- tional Bank, and has been identified with nearly all the import- 480 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. ant enterprises in his town, as also judge of probate of the dis- trict and deputy sheriff of the county. A republican in his political associations, he has for years been one of the most in- fluential representatives of that party in the county, representing his district as delegate at the republican national convention at Phil- adelphiain 1872. Various town offices have been at his disposal, and in 1854 he represented histuwn in the house of representatives. In the years 1863-64 he was elected to the state senate. He has been for nineteen years one of the trustees of the Connecticut Hos- pital for the Insane at Middletown, Conn. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fuller are members of the Congregational church of Tolland. This venerable couple in 1888 celebrated their golden wedding. The occasion was a most happy one, and many golden tributes testified to the regard and affection of friends and relatives. CHAUNCEY WRIGHT GRIGGS was born in Tolland, Connecticut, December 31st, 1832, which town had for four generations been the family home. The Griggs family came from England to the New World quite early in its history, and have since that time figured prominently among that class of their fellow-citizens, honorable and honored, who have given America her reputation for virtue and valor. In the church, in politics and in their country’s battles they have always been leaders. The honors of Captain Chauncey Griggs, the father of the subject of this sketch, as an officer in the war of 1812, as deacon in the Congregational church of Tolland, and as a member of the state legislature for a number of years, were no other than any one would have predicted for the heir of his family history. Colonel Griggs’ mother was Heartie Dimock, and through her he is connected with the nobility of England; the Dimocks in New England, through Elder Thomas Dimock, an early settler of Barnstable, Mass., tracine their descent from the Dimocks of England, who from the time of Henry the Second to that of Victoria, have held and exercised the office of hereditary champion of the kings of England, and for their services have been knighted and baronetted. The direct line of barons failed in the early part of this century. On this side the Atlantic the Dimocks have always been influ- ential and worthy citizens, and were especially prominent in the revolutionary war, many of them being officers in the army. Colonel Griggs received acommon school education in Tolland, and at about the age of 17 went to Ohio, where he was for a short time clerk ina store. Returning home he finished his education HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 481 by graduating at the Monson Academy, Massachusetts, at that time one of the best institutions of its kind. He taught school for a time, and went West finally in 1851; starting first in Detroit in a bank, then in Ohio again in the mercantile business, then to Jowa, then back to Detroit, where he was for a time en- gaged with one of his brothers in the furniture business. In 1856 we find him in St. Paul, running a supply store, contracting, speculating in real estate, etc. April 14th, 1859, he married Martha Ann Gallup, of Ledyard, Conn., and the honor of whatever success he has achieved in life must be shared fully with her, one of the noblest of women, who has given him honorable sons and daughters, and has filled an important social position in St. Paul with dignity and grace. She has been especially prominent in church and charitable work, having held various positions in the Protestant Orphan Asylum Board, of which body she was for many years the honored presi- dent. Their children are: Chauncey Milton, born February 19th, 1860; Herbert Stanton, born February 27th, 1861; Heartie Dimock, born December 12th, 1866; Everett Gallup, born De- cember 27th, 1868; Theodore Wright, born September 3d, 1872, and Anna Billings, born June 17th, 1874. In 1861 Colonel Griggs organized a company for the Third Minnesota infantry, and was, for honorable and brave service, promoted through the various grades to that of colonel, and un- doubtedly would have been brevetted general had he not been obliged to resign in 1863 on account of sickness. Returning to Minnesota, he was for some years located at Chaska, a small town some thirty miles west of St. Paul, engaged in the brickmaking business, dealing in wood, contracting for the government and railroads, etc., also representing his county as state representative. He returned to St. Paul in 1869, and his progress from that time was rapid in politics and business. Until 1887 he was a prominent coal and wood merchant, at first in partnership with J. J. Hill, now president of the Manitoba Railroad, then with General R. W. Johnson and finally with A.G. Foster. He organ- ized and was for some time president of the Lehigh Coal and Iron Company, but in the spring of 1887 sold out his entire in- terest in the fuel business. r While better known in connection with his fuel business, he was always interested in a great many other ventures, in any- 31 482 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. thing, in fact, which promised good rewards for energy, push and abilitv. He has been particularly prominent as an investor in lands, having handled much property in the twin cities, and throughout Minnesota, Dakota and Wisconsin. Of late his investments have been in the pine lands of Wisconsin and in Montana property. He is prominent, too, as a wholesale grocer, having in 1883 formed a partnership with others as Glidden, Griggs & Co.,and having now a large moneyed interest in the firm of Yanz, Griggs & Howes, one of the largest wholesale grocery firms in the Northwest, in wh‘ch firm also he has placed as a mem- ber his eldest son, Chauncey Milton Griggs. In the future, however, Colonel Griggs will be known as one of the millionaire lumber men of the Pacific coast, and together with Henry Hewitt, Jr, formerly of Menasha, Wis., as having carried through undoubtedly the largest lumber purchase ever made. In May, 1888, these two gentlemen obtained from the Northern Pacific Railroad contracts for the sale of some eighty thousand acres of land and timber lying near the city of Tacoma, Washington Territory. This is the finest body of timber in the United States and will cut from eight to ten billion feet. Associated with many other prominent men in the East and West, as the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company, with Colonel Griggs as president, they are now establishing lumber plants on an enormous scale in Tacoma, viz.: two large mills with a cutting capacity of two hundred million feet per year, employing from five to seven thousand men. When it is remembered that Colonel Griggs had made his million already, and at the time of the above purchase was fifty-six years of age, with a large family and one of the finest homes in the Northwest, we can appreciate the energy and ambition of the man who can leave such a home and become a pioneer in a new country and a new business. As founder and president of a company commanding so much capital and with such magnificent prospects before it, Colonel Griggs is sure to occupy for some time a foremost position in the business world. Judging from his past record we may predict new and enlarged honors in his new and enlarged field of action. He has made Tacoma his permanent home. Colonel Griggs has for years been prominent in banking circles, being a stockholder and director of three banks and vice-presi- HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 483 dent of one. His record as a banker is given in the recently published “ History of Banks and Banking in the United States.” In person he is tall, well proportioned, of fine presence, with handsome features and erect figure. In politics he has always been a strong, conservative democrat, but never has supported a corrupt official or candidate or a questionable party measure. He was a member of the state house of representatives in Minne- sota two terms and state senator three terms. He was city alder- man for seven terms in St. Paul, and since his retirement from the active personal politics of the city has held positions of honor and trust on various city committees and boards, his eminent financial and executive ability making his services invaluable- His public offices have always been public trusts. In religion he is a Congregationalist, always responding liberally to the needs of the church. By his generosity the life of more than one decrepit or infant church has been renewed. RaTcLiFFE Hicks.—Ratcliffe Hicks, the grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, was a celebrated sea captain of Providence, R. I. His father was Charles R. Hicks, a native of Providence, and for many years a successful dry goods mer- chant in New York city. He married Maria A., daughter of Judge Elisha Stearnes, of Tolland county. The children of this marriage are: Ratcliffe, Emma H., wife of H. F. Downing of Springfield, Mass., Richard S. and Minnie H. The eldest of these sons, Ratcliffe Hicks, was born in Tolland, October 3d, 1843, and pursued his preparatory studies at the Monson Academy and the Williston Seminary, after which he entered Brown University in 1860, and was graduated from that institution in 1864. Deciding upon the law as a profession he entered the office of Judge Waldo, of Tolland, as a student, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. Mr. Hicks the same year began practice with the present United States Senator Platt of Meriden, and continued this business relation for three years, the ten suc- ceeding years having been spent alone. From 1879 to 1881 he pursued his profession in the city of Hartford. He was married in 1879 to Mrs. Wilbur F. Parker, daughter of Jared H. Canfield, of Meriden, Conn., their only child being a daughter, Bessie. Mr. Hicks speedily attained both success and distinction in his profession. His practice was large and caused him to be identified with many of the most important cases in the New England courts, notably the celebrated Sprague suit in 484 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. Rhode Island, where a fee of ten thousand dollars was received, doubtless the largest on record in that state. Mr. Hicks in 1881 made the tour of Europe, and on his return the following year was made executor of the estate of his father- in-law, lately deceased. Abandoning the law, where a career of brilliant distinction awaited him, he has since devoted his ener- gies to commercial life. Continuing the business he organized a joint stock company, known as the Canfield Rubber Company, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, which, under his judicious management, has so increased as to represent now a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, with a surplus of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and sales representing one million a year. He has made twenty voyages to Europe, chiefly in the interest of his business, and established large foreign connections, with a corresponding de- mand for the products of his factory. Mr. Hicks has on one or more occasions been diverted from his regular pursuits to enter the arena of politics. He represented his constituents in the Connecticut legislature in 1866, was from 1868 to 1874 attorney for the city of Meriden, and for three vears attorney for the county of New Haven. An Episcopalian in his religious creed, he fills the office of vestryman of the church in Meriden. CHARLES UNDERWOOD is the son of Moses Underwood, one of the pioneers in the business of tanning and belt making in Con- necticut. He made Coventry, Tolland county. his home in 1833, and three years later removed to Tolland, where he was for years interested in manufacturing.’ His son, Charles, was born in 1824 in Jewett City, New London county, Conn. He removed to Tol- land in youth, and has since been identified with its interests, much of his time being given to agricultural pursuits. He is as- sociated with the republican party in politics, and represented his district in the state senate in 1868 and 1869. For twenty years he has made Florida his winter home, where he is much interested in orange culture. Mr. Underwood was September 30th, 1850, married to Mary Hawkins. Their children are: Jennie H., Mrs. Frank Uhler, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Mary L., wife of Reverend C. H. Daniels; Kate M., Mrs. George W. Lansing, of Troy, N. Y.; and Charles F., who resides at home. Mr. Underwood is president of the Tolland Savings Bank. eee ARTOTYPE € BIERSTADT, N. ¥ HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 484a ELISHA STEARNS, of whom an extended account is giveri in the chapter on the Bar of Tolland county, was a descendant in the fifth generation, of Charles Stearns, who came from England (where the name is written Sterne),and was admitted freeman at Watertown, Mass., May 6th, 1646. John Stearns, grandson of Charles Stearns, was one of the early settlers of Tolland, where he was married in 1723. He lived to the great age of 96 years. His son John was a physician, who commenced practice at Wilbraham, Mass., about the year 1764. Elisha was the youngest of six chil- dren born to Doctor John Stearns in Wilbraham. Doctor Stearns with his family returned to Tolland, his native place, in 1787. Here Elisha grew up, and, having obtained a liberal education, located here for the practice of his profession as a lawyer, and continued a useful and honored citizen in the place until his death, more than fifty years later. In addition to the account of his professional and public life in the chapter on the Bar of Tol- land county, it only remains to make reference to his relation to the church of Christ, and to reformatory and evangelistic work in the world. The late Honorable William H. Wells, of Chicago, who was a native of Tolland, thus writes of him: ‘* Judge Stearns was one of the deacons of the church which I attended during all the earlier years of my life. Huis face was as familiar to me as that of my own father, and the portrait has preserved his features with remarkable accuracy. The sight of it recalls many pleasant memories of those far off days. His house was always open Sab- bath noons to those who lived too far away to go home between the morning and afternoon services, and I was there a hundred times. His family pew was next to the pulpit at the minister's left, but he always sat in the little deacon’s seat directly in front of the pulpit. No man in Tolland was better known or held in higher esteem than Judge Stearns. ° * [well re- member that in my boyish aspirations I always looked up to him as the highest and noblest type of manhood, and often asked my- self if I could ever make such a man as Judge Stearns.” Not only was he for many years a pillar of the church in his own town; he was also a most deeply interested supporter and advocate of the grand general movements, which had their rise, or their renewal, in his day, for the spread of religion in the world. He was prominent among those in his vicinity who sought the abolition of American slavery. His facile pen was frequently and effectively employed in the advocacy of missions. 484b HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. John, an elder brother of Elisha, adopted the same calling with his father, and having graduated at Yale College in 1789, and taken a degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, became eventually a physician of great eminence in the city of New York, and was distinguished also as a Christian philanthropist. LEVERETT Griccs, D. D., the sixth and youngest child of Cap- tain Stephen and Elizabeth (Lathrop) Griggs, was born November 17th, 1808. His grandfather, Ichabod Griggs, was a soldier in the Revolution, who died in the service September 30th, 1776, aged thirty-two years, at New Rochelle, N. Y. His great-grand- father, Deacon Ichabod Griggs, selectman and representative, removed to Tolland from Norwich in 1744, and died May 9th, 1790, aged seventy-two years. Leverett was the seventh in descent from Thomas Griggs (there seems reason to believe), who was at Roxbury, Mass., in 1639. The sister and brothers were: Harriet, Chauncey, Ralph, Solomon and Austin. The descendants of the family now on the stage of life are to be found not only in New England, but scat- tered along the lines of Western migration, some of them being located in each of the following cities: Buffalo, Cleveland, De- troit, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Tacoma. Others have their homes in Missouri, and in parts of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois outside the great cities. Leverett was a child whose prospect of life was small. A neighbor calling at the home when he was an infant, and behold- ing his ill and, to her view, hopeless condition, advised his parents to give him something that would terminate his suffer- ings; “for he cannot live,’ she said, ‘and if he could live he would never know anything.” In later years he was often heard to speak of his indebtedness to the malady which in some measure attended him through life, and of the propriety of patience under it, because, in the judgment of his father, it made him unfit to become a farmer, and was the means, therefore, of his receiving the boon of a liberal education. The home in which he was reared was located two or three miles east of Tol- land street, and was still standing at a late date. Near it was the well with its long sweep, having by its side the hollowed stone where the men washed as they came from work. Down the slope to the westward was the water where the boys went to bathe Sunday mornings in summer, and not far from there was HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 484c the place of the annual sheepwashing, when, in accordance with the general custom, a warming drink of spirit was given to all engaged in the work. The school house erected when Leverett was a boy and frequented by him continued till these later times. He was accustomed to speak with fond recollection of his con- tests in spelling with one fellow pupil, a girl, his sole competitor for the highest honors in that study. The simplicity of life as it was then, is illustrated by such a fact as the following. The only sister having married and set- tled in the town, found it convenient at times to employ the help of her youngest brother in caring for the children, and was ac- customed to compensate him with candles. One memorable term of service in this capacity made him the affluent and happy owner of six candles. When asked in his age the reason of this form of payment, he replied, “ Why, then I had a candle to go to bed by.” His preparation for college was obtained partly under the tui- tion of Reverend Ansel Nash, the pastor of Tolland, whom he greatly admired as man, teacher and minister. His recollection of student-life at the parsonage included the condition of the “study,” when, owing to the pastor’s fondness for tobacco, it was “altogether on a smoke,” and the thrill which he experienced when once the hand of the teacher unexpectedly rested on his head and these kindly spoken words saluted his ear, ‘‘Seest thou aman dilligent in his business, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men.” Having completed his pre- paratory course at Monson Academy, he entered Yale College in 1825. At that time Tolland was a station on a principal thorough- fare of the stage-coach. There Lafayette tarried for a night in his tour through the country at this very period. It was about 2 o'clock in the eventful morning of the boy’s departure from home that the coach rolled out of town, bearing him to the ven- erable seat of learning. His course in college was creditable. In March of his sophomore year he united with the church of the college, and retained his membership there until his death. By the recommendation of President Day, he spent a portion of his senior‘year as an assistant teacher in Mt. Hope Institute, a school for boys near Baltimore. (Graduating with honor in 1829, he pursued the study of theology at Andover and New Haven, occupying, while in the latter place, the position of tutor in the college. He was ordained and installed pastor in North Haven, 484d HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. October 30th, 1833. His nearest neighbor in the ministry on the North was Reverend E. R. Gilbert, his college room-mate and life-long friend. His pastorate in North Haven continued nearly twelve years, when he was dismissed to accept the call of the Chapel Street church of New Haven (now the Church of the Re- deemer). Compelled to seek relief from the asthma, to which he was subject, by a withdrawal from the seaboard, he resigned at New Haven, and was installed, September 22d, 1847, over the Second Congregational church of Millbury, Mass. From there he removed to Bristol, Conn., his last place of settlement, where he was installed February 27th, 1856. The failure of health led to his resignation of the pastorate in Bristol. He was dismissed December 15th, 1869. He represented the American Education Society among the churches of Connecticut from 1870 to 1874. For many years he was acting school visitor of the town of Bris- tol. When the end came, there was a beautiful congruity in the time of his departure. He had more than once remarked that Heaven seemed nearest at the Sabbath evening hour, and ex- pressed the desire that when he should be called away from earth it might be at that hallowed time. And soit was. He breathed his last Sabbath evening, January 28th, 1883. He was twice married. The first wife was Catherine, daughter of Honorable Elisha and Celinda (Baker) Stearns. She was the mother of six children. She died in Millbury, Mass., March 10th, 1848. The second wife wasCharlotte Ann, a sister of the former. She was the mother of four children, and still survives. Doctor Griggs was characterized by a peculiarly sunny dispo- sition. ‘Few men had such a loving, speaking, sweet face, itself a letter of credit; and then behind it, such a large, generous, open heart.” He was described by one who succeeded him in the sacred office as “ the model pastor of his generation, unrivalled in his power to make and keep for himself a place in the hearts of the people, and of his brethren in the ministry.” Equally true it is that he was a man of “uncompromising conscience,” faith- ful and fearless in the performance of duty. In speech, both public and private, he was remarkable for ease and appropriate- ness. Throughout life he was a large contributor to the period- icals of the day. Many of his sermons were published. His alma mater conferred upon him the degree of D. D. in 1868. CHAPTER NIII. TOWN OF STAFFORD. Description of the Town.—Early Settlement.—Notes from John Adams’ Diary.— Stafford Street.—The Old Graveyard.—The First Murder.—Hotels.—Blast Furnaces.—Town Officers.—Staffordville.—Orcuttville.—Stafford Hollow.— West Stafford.—Churches.—Biographical Sketches. HE town of Stafford is picturesquely situated in the valley T of the Willimantic river between two almost parallel ranges of hills, which stretch northward toward the Massachusetts line a few miles away. The town includes the villages of Stafford Springs, Glenville, Furnace Hollow, Hydeville, Staffordville and West Stafford, all located upon tributaries of the Willimantic and each having considerable manufacturing interests of its own. Stafford Springs, the most southern and principal village of the town, has long since outgrown the proportions of a village and has become chartered and organized as a borough. Two streams enter the borough and unite just below, and upon these streams the large woolen mills, the principal manufacturing in- terests of the town, are located. A narrow valley and three sloping hillsides comprise the site of this pretty village. This town was surveyed in 1718, and its settlement was com- menced in the spring of the following year. The principal settlers were twelve in number. Two of them, Matthew Thomp- son and Robert White, were from Europe; Samuel and John Warner were from Hadley; Daniel and Josiah Blodgett from Woburn; Cornelius Davis from Haverhill; Daniel Colburn from Dedham; John Pasco from Enfield; Josiah Standish from Pres- ton; Josiah Orcutt from Weymouth, and Benjamin Rockville from Windsor. The first minister, Mr. Graham, was settled in 1723. The descendants of Cornelius Davis are quite numerous in this part of the county. They are descended from one Thomas Davis, of Newbury, Mass., who came from Marlborough, Wilts county, 486 HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. England, in the ship “ Jones" in the year 1635, arriving in Bos- ton June 3d of that year. In 1642 he moved to Haverhill, Mass., where he died in 1683. His son John, who lived in Newbury, had a son named Cornelius (born in 1693) who moved to Stafford from Haverhill in 1719. He married Mehitable Bartlett. His children were : Cornelius, Samuel, Joseph, Benjamin, Moses, Me- hitable, Sarah, Mary, Aaron and Noah. Noah Davis married Sarah Alden (1748); Deacon Daniel Davis married Margaret Chapin (1798), and Deacon Alden Davis, Eunice King Cady, daughter of Deacon David and Abigail Chapin Cady, of Somers. Cornelius Davis, Jr., according to old records, had a claim granted by the general court of the colony of Massachusetts Bay to Cornelius Davis, his father, for services in the Narragansett war. This grant was one mile square, the old homestead being now occupied and owned by Alden Davis. Of this family Edwin Cady Davis, representative of his town (1887) in the state legisla- ture, was inspector and surveyor of customs from 1876 to 1880 ; deputy collector, 1880 to 1886, at the port of Darien, Ga.; and was vice consul of Portugal at Darien. He was elected to the state legislature in 1886. The Hyde family of Stafford are descendants of Ephraim Hyde, who came from Franklin and settled in the eastern part of the town near Hedgehog mountain, and raised a family, to wit: Nathaniel, Hannah, Lydia, Ephraim, Martha, Jacob, Jasper, Eunice and El. Ephraim Hyde, Sr., was born May 14th, 1734, and his eldest son, Nathaniel, was born March 7th, 1757, and died July 6th, 1825. Jasper Hyde was born December 22d, 1769, and died August 5th, 1848. Nathaniel and Jasper Hyde were prom- inent manufacturers of Stafford, and were extensively engaged in Stafford Hollow and elsewhere. They were large owners of property, were men of influence and did great good in their time. Hon. Ephraim H. Hyde, a sketch of whose life may be found in another part of this chapter, belongs to this family. There were a number of early settlements made in the north- eastern portion of the town, in what is known as the Hall district and vicinity, a hundred years ago and more. It is not known who settled there first. There was a family near where Ira Bradway now resides. The parents’ names were Ephraim and Hannah Hall. Their children were: Levi, Judah, John, Sally, Lydia and Hannah. These all grew to maturity and Judah and Levi resided within the limits of the Hall district. The district HISTORY OF TOLLANID COUNTY. 487 was in all probability named after this family. A log school house, having the primitive fire-place and other marks of those early times, was moved away about the year 1820, and a new one built two years later. On the road, not far from the state line, was an old house in which Charles Sears lived. ~ Ete, was for several years pastor of the Congregational church in New Britain. In his biography, Doctor Goodell, in speaking of the work in St. Louis, says: “ After eight weeks of earnest union effort by the churches, under the lead of Reverend E. P. Ham- mond, the evangelist, there is no indication either of God’s hiding his face from us, or of souls ceasing to seek great salvation. “ Over two hundred union meetings have been held, those in the morning during business hours always crowded, as well as those in the evening. Twenty-five hundred more have signed the cove- nant to be the Lord’s, and this is only a small portion of those that have been converted. From the first the work has continued silent, deep and powerful, and entirely free from any excess. The prayer of yesterday is answered to-day. The doctrines of the cross are uttered and straightway the soul cries out, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ “ A business man is strongly entrenched in wordliness to-day ; to-morrow he says, ‘Sir, we would see Jesus ;’ and the next day he has sought his neighbor. All past enmity is reconciled, and they are kneeling together at the foot of the cross. How soon God, by his power, can change the whole moral aspect of a com- munity, and direct into new channels the currents of thought and feeling and activity! Every Christian here feels that sur- prising advance, which must be permanent, has been made in the spiritual tone of this city. I was present at the great Opera House last night, and saw the 4,500 people gathered there listen- ing with rapt and tearful interest, hour after hour, to the plainest gospel truths from the lips of Mr. Hammond, whom God has made a pillar of light and power in all this work; another preacher, speaking at the same time to 2,000 people in the street, who could not gain admittance inside. As I saw the 2,600 (at least) rise to express their determination to become Christians, and as I worked until after eleven o'clock in the the parquet among strong men, bowed down in conviction of sin, and anxious for the salvation of their souls, and heard the joyous and trium- phant confession of deliverance and pardon through the power of redeeming love ; and from eyes unused to tears, read the story of a new found hope in the blessed Jesus, the thought came to me again and again, eternity alone will reveal the extent and bless- edness of this work.” Mr. Hammond remained about nine weeks in San Francisco. HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 809 After he had been there four weeks Mr. Crosby, a fellow-towns- _ man of Mr. Hammond, wrote to the Rockville, Conn., Journal as follows : “I suppose I shall not exceed the truth in stating that since arriving in San Francisco, Mr. Hammond has held one hundred services and spoken to fully one hundred thousand peo- ple. Iam not informed of the number of conversions, but know they reach into the thousands gal include among the number Jews, infidels, heathens, harlots, backsliders, business men, Cali- fornia street brokers, and children in large numbers, and, judg- ing from the tone of the papers, some of the reporters must have been somewhat softened, if not changed. In fact, it has been a general revival of religion among all classes and conditions of men. “Mr. Hammond has been blessed abundantly, and he gives the whole glory to Christ; this seems to be his prevailing thought, ‘Jesus does it all.” The blessing which has accompanied Mr. Hammond’s meet-_.., ings during the_last thirtyears, has, no doubt, been largely * ie ¢ a SL owing to the fact that much prayer has been offered for them and that many have earnestly co-operated in them. Mr. Hammond has written about a hundred tracts and books, most of which have been published both in this country and Great Britain. Numbers of them have been translated into var- ious languages; among them are ‘“ The Conversion of Children,” “Children and Jesus,” “ Roger’s Travels,” ‘Jesus the Way,” “ Jesus and the Little Ones,” ‘The Better Life and How To Find It,” “What I Saw from Vesuvius,” ‘‘Gathered Lambs,” “ Child's Guide to Heaven,” “ Jesus the Lamb of God,” ‘Golden Glean- ings,” ‘How to be Happy,” “ Latth-Ones-nrthe-Fotd’_‘‘ Picture Tracts for Children,’ ‘Familiar Talks,” “Floral Tracts,” te “Sketches of Palestine,” etc. Reverend P. C. Headley has writ- ten “The Reaper and the Harvest,” a book of 550 pages, giving an account of Mr. Hammond's labors and experiences; published by F. H. Revelle, Chicago, and in London by Morgan and Scott. In his meetings Mr. Hammond gives away many of the tracts and books which he has written. f 2 ee GS [ nwt Ca fs a) get. ee he Eo de ter Se Y CHAPTER XXII. VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE. Location and Surroundings.—Samuel Grant and his Ownership of the Land.— The Early Mills.—History of the Mills.—Notes from William T,. Cogswell’s. History of Rockville.—The first Buildings.—History of the Commercial In- dustry of the Village.—Snipsic Lake.—The Snipsic Aqueduct Company.— Schools, Societies, Newspapers, Banks, Churches.—Other Matters of In- terest. OCKVILLE, one of the most thriving manufacturing vil- lages in New England, is situated on the New York and New England railroad, in the town of Vernon, 16.7 miles from Hartford, 4.4 miles from Vernon, 109.4 miles from Boston, and 125 miles from New York. It has a population of about 7,500, and is rapidly increasing. Within its limits are eight churches, four banks, one cotton warp, one silk, two stockinet, two gingham, four woolen and one satinet factories, a large en- velope factory, an iron foundry, grist mill, two telegraph offices, express office, three hotels, excellent public schools, two weekly papers, gas works, two opera houses, aqueduct water and about seventy-five stores and markets. The village has for its life-giv- ing resources a lake, in area about one mile square, from which comes the power that drives the machinery that gives employ- ment to about twenty-five hundred hands and calls for a pay roll of about $60,000 a month. The location is on a branch of the New York & New England road from Vernon, and the Melrose branch from Springfield, and is the center of trade of a number of smaller villages, including Vernon, Ellington, Tolland, Bolton, Quarryville, Coventry and Windsorville, all of which are within a radius of a few miles. The village is picturesquely situated among hills, and has two very pretty parks, and a St. Bernard's Terrace with triple streets. Within easy reach is Snipsic grove, also Snipsic lake, both of which are largely patronized. The lake is a beautiful sheet of water, well stocked -vith salmon and bass. It furnishes excellent HISTORY OF TOLLAND COUNTY. 81r facilities for summer recreation. Fox Hill, too, from whose sum-- mit can be seen a number of towns in this state and Massa- chusetts, is easily approached. Samuel Grant was the first white settler in the village. The transaction of the original deed covering the rough and rugged lands of Rockville took place in Hartford, April 29th, 1726, and was made to him by the agents of the proprietors of the Bolton lands. Years before Rockville had a beginning Bolton township had. become a flourishing center of population and business. Its early inhabitants, somewhat ambitious of appearance, desired to lay out through the center of the settlement, on this ridge, a broad street or common. The owners were to throw the land into com-- mons, and of course without charges. In carrying out the pro- ject a certain farm owned by Samuel Grant, of Windsor, was found to interfere, as he being a non-resident would not take sufficient interest in the improvement to induce him to give the land.