History of New London county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men

Front matter

\tr^

:cmmEm:iom:,f i^±i

I LLU SXR AT!

Preface

The province of the historian is to gather the threads of the past, ere they elude forever his grasp, and weave them into a harmonious web, to which the art preservative may give immortality. Therefore he who would rescue from fast-gathering oblivion the deeds of a community, and send them on to futurity in an imperishable record, should deliver " a plain, unvarnished

tale,"

" Nothing extenuate, Nor set down aught in malice."

In such a spirit have the compilers of the following pages approached the work of detailing the history of the territory embodied herein, and trust they have been fairly faithful to the task imposed.

It has been their honest endeavor to trace the history of the development of this section from that period when it was in the undisputed possession of the red man to the present, and to place before the reader an authentic narrative of its rise and progress to the prominent position it now occupies among the counties of New England.

That such an undertaking is attended with no little difficulty and vexation none will deny. The aged pioneer relates events of the early settlements, while his neighbor sketches the same events with totally difierent outlines. Man's memory is ever at fault, while time paints a different picture upon every mind. With these the historian has to contend; and while it has been our aim to compile an accurate history, were it devoid of all inaccuracies, that perfection would have been attained which the writer had not the faintest conception of, and which Lord Macaulay once said never could be reached.

From colonial and other documents in the State archives, from county, town, and village records, family manuscripts, printed publications, and innumerable private sources of information, we have endeavored to produce a history which should prove accurate, instructive, and in every respect worthy of the county represented. How well we have succeeded in our task a generous public, jealous of its reputation and honor, of its traditions and memories, of its defeats and triumphs, must now be the judge.

We desire to acknowledge our sincere thanks to the editorial fraternity generally for much

valuable information, which has greatly lessened our labor in the preparation of this work, to

each and every one who has assisted us in the compilation, and would cheerfully make personal

mention of each, but it is impracticable, as the number reaches nearly a thousand.

Philadelphia, Jan. 2, 1882.

D. H. H.

CO]SrTE:N'TS.

CHAPTER II. Organization of the County

Organization of the County — Original Towns— Present Towns— First County Court, 1666— Early OiHcials— Extracts from Court Records— The First Prerogative Court— The First Superior Court— Contest between New London and Norwich — Norwich constituted a Shire Town — The First Court-House — County Buildings— Contest between Nor- ,wich Town and Clielsea for Location of Court-House — Civil List — — Governors of Connecticut^Kesidents of New London County — Chief Justices of Supreme Court of Connecticut— Residents of New London County— Membei-s of the Continental Congress— United States Senators — Members of Congress 19

Medical History 59

CHAPTER VI. Military History

The Second Regiment — The Third Regiment — The Seventh Regiment — The Eighth Regiment — The Ninth Regiment— The Tenth Regiment— The Twelfth Regiment — The Thirteenth Regiment — First Regiment Heavy Artillery — The First Cavalry — The Fourteenth Regiment— The Eighteenth Regiment — The Twenty-first Regiment— The Twenty-sixth Regiment 65

CHAPTER VII. Internal Improvements

First Road between Norwich and New London — First Turnpike in the United States — The Norwich and Providence Post-Road — The Norwich and Woodstock Road — The Essex Turnpike — The Shetucket Turnpike — Railroads — The Norwich and Worcester Railroad — The New London Northern — New York, Providence and Boston — New York, New Haven and Hartford — The Colchester Railroad 134

CHAPTER VIII. Population and School Statistics

Population 135

CHAPTER IX. New London

Geographical — Topographical — The Founder of New Londyn — John Winthrop the Younger — The First Grant— Fisher's Island— Government Commission for the Founding of New London — Naming the Town — Home-Lots— The Town Plot— The Removal of Winthrop— Initial Events — The First Birth, Marriage, and Death — Indian Troubles — Fortifications— Early Dissensions — Patent of New London 137

CHAPTER X. New London (Continued). — Early Rules and Regulations

Townsmen in 1648 — Town-Meeting of 1648-50— Vote Concerning its Pioneer Grist-Mill — " Cardes and Shufflebords" — Early Accounts — Goodman Cheesborough's Trouble — Voted that the Town be Called

London— Minutes from Societies' Records— Fort Hill—" Making of Bread and Brewing of Beere"— Holding the Contribution-Box — The Jail— Imprisonment for Debt— Sale of Powder to Indians— Church Regulations- Inhabitants Fined — The Stocks— Rev. Mr. Buckley — The Ferry— Sale of Liquors— Ministry-Rate List— Excluding Colored Persons from the Town 144

CHAPTER XI. New London {Continued)

Early Settlers— Incidents, etc 148

Chapter XII

New London (Continued). — War of the Revolution. Votes of the Town concerning the War— First Committees of Correspondence—Soldi era' Families— The First Naval Expedition— The Militia—Two Companies from New London at Bunker Hill— Nathan Hale — Cannonade of Stonington — Fort Trumbull— Officers on Duty — Enlistments— Marauders — Smugglers — Shaving Notes — Various Alarms — British Fleets in the Sound— Rumors and Alarms of 1779 and 1780 —Sketches of Soldiers 168

CHAPTER XIIL

New London (Co)ititnied). — War of the Revolution.

Privateering- Sea-Captains— The Schooner "Spy" — Brig "Defiance" — "Old Defiance"— The "Oliver Cromwell"— Brig "Resistance" — The " Hancock"— The Privateer " Governor Trumbull"- Ship " Confederacy"—The " Deane"- The " Putnam"— Continental Ship " Trumbull" — Benedict Arnold— He Marches on New London— Flight of Inhabitants— Burning of the Town— Arnold's Official Account — Estimate of the Loss — List of New London Sufferers — Washington's Visit to New London 181

Chapter XIV

New London (Continued). — Ecclesiastical History. First Church of Christ— The Second Congregational Church— St. James' Church— Methodist Episcopal Church— Bethel Church— First Baptist Church— Second Baptist Church— Huntington Street Baptist Church — Universalist Church— St. Mary's Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church 192

CHAPTER XV. New London (Continued). — Miscellaneous

Commerce— Whaling — The Port of New London — Custom-House — List of Collectors— The Ferry— New London in 1 SOU— Societies — Incorporation of the City— First Charter Election— Officers Elected — Mayors from Organization to Present Time— Schools — The Yellow Fever — The Old Militia — City Hall — Manufactures- Cedar Grove Cemetery— Gas Company- Water- Works— W. W. B. Post, G. A. R.— Fire Department 206

CHAPTER XVT.

New London (Continued). — The Press — The Banking Interests.

The New London Summary — New London Gazette — The Connecticut Gazette — The Weekly Oracle — The Bee — The Republican Advocate — The Connecticut Sentinel — The People's Advocate — The Morning Daily News — The Daily Chronicle — The Weekly Chronicle — The State Temperance Journal — The Repository — The New London Democrat—The Morning Star— The New Loudon Telegram — The Day— The Union Bank — The New London City National Bank — The National Whaling Bank — The National Bank of Commerce — The Savings-Bank of New London — The Mariners' Savings-Bank 215

Contents

National— The Unoas National— The Norwich Sarings Society— ""° Chelsea Savings-B|nlc— The Dime Savings-Bank— The Thames loa" and Trust Company— New London County Mutual Tire Insurance Company— The Norwich Mutual Assurance Company ^''

CHAPTER XXV.

Norwich (Oontinned).—TB1!, Pebss, Etc.

CHAPTER XIX. Norwich

Geographical — Topographical — The Moliegans — The Indian Deed— The First Settlements— Survey of the Townships— Original Proprietors— Home-Lots — The Town Plot — Plan of the Ancient Settlement- Pioneer Schools — Early Births, Marriages, and Deaths— The First Mill— The First Chaise 246

Chapter XX

Norwich {Continued). — Original Proprietors and other E.VRLY Settler.';.

Maj. John Mason — Rev. James Fitch — Adgate — Allyn — Buckus — Baldwin— Bingham — Bircliard — Bliss — Bowers — Bradford — Hugh Calkins ^John Calkins — Edgerton — Gager — GifTord — Griswold — Hendy — Howard — Huntington — Hyde — LefHngwell — Olmsted — Pease — Post — Beed — Reynolds — Royce — Smith — Tracy — Wade — Wallis — Waterman — Abel — Brewster — Biishnell — Elderkin — Lathrop — Allen — .^llerton — Ames — Andrews — Armstrong — Arnold — Avery — Baker — Bacon — Badger — Barrett — Barstow — Bates — Belden — Bell — Blackmore — Boom — Burton — Burley — Capron — Carson — Carpenter — Carter — Case — Cathcart— Chapman — Chappell — Cleveland — Coolidge — Cole — Cotteral — Grant — Crocker — Cross — Cullenin — Culver — Culverswell — Darby — Davis — Deans — Dean — Decker — Deuison — Dennis — Dowd — Edgecombe—Fairbanks — Fales— Fargo — Field — Fillmore — Ford— Fowler — Fox— Frasier — French — Gay lord — Gibbons — Gookin— Gould — Gorton—Gove— Green— Grist — Grover — Hull — Hamilton — Hammond — Harrington — Harris — Hartshorn — Haskins — Hazen— Heath— Hendrick— Hill — Hodges — Hough— Hutchins — Hutchinson — Jennings — Jones — Johnson — Kelly — Kenn edy — Kimball — K ing — Kingsbury — Kirby — Knowles — Knowlton — Ladd — Lamb — Lawrence — Lee — Loomer- Lord — Low — Lyon — Marshall — Meade — Metcalf— Merrick — Moore — Morgan — Moseley — Munsell — Norman — Ormsby — Palmeter —Pasmore— Peck— Pember— Pettis— Phillips— Pierce— Pike— Pitcher — Polly — Prior — Raymond — Richards — Roberts — Rogers — Rood — Eosebrough—Rudd—Sabin— Sherman— Smalbent— Spalding— Stone— Stickney— Stoddard — Story — Swetland — Tenny — Todd — Thomas— Tubbs— Walker— Warren— Way— Welsh— White— Whitaker— Wightman — Williams — WiUoughby — Wood— Woodworth 253

CHAPTER XXI. Norwich {Continued)

The Landing— Weequaw's Hill— Early Votes— Ship-yards— Highways—

Chelsea— The Parade— Pioneer Homes— Old Settlers— Hotels— Streets

—Commerce— Early Business Men— The First Druggist, Dr. Daniel

Lathrop 273

CHAPTER XXII. Norwich {Continued). — War of the Revoldtion

Interesting Incidents — Military Organization — Gen. Washington's Visit

—Visit of Lafayette— Baron Steuben and PulasUi—Votes— Benedict

Arnold— Sketch of his Career- Soldiers of the Revolution 279

Chapter XXIII

Norwich {Continued). — Ecclesiastical History. First Congregational Church— Second Congregational Church— Broadway Congregational— Park Congregational— Greeneville Congregational—Taftville Congregational— Christ Church— Trinity Church- Methodist Church, Bean Hill— East Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church— Central Methodist Episcopal Church— Sachem Street Methodist Episcopal Church— Greeneville Methodist Episcopal Church- First Baptist Church— Central Baptist— Greeneville Baptist— Mount Calvary Baptist^Duiveraalist Chuich— St. Patrick's Church— Roman Catholic, Taftville 290