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 EARLY SE FLEMENTS 
 
 Ol E 
 
 PLYMOUl COLONY. 
 
 nSTORICAL, BIOGRAPI L AND ANECDOTICAL. 
 
 BY EGBEI . COWLES, 
 
 FARMIN( < ■ , CONN. 
 
 
 NEW Bin 'ONN. : 
 
 IT.KSS OF ADKINS HXf} C:OMPAXY. 
 
 1 ■•■•■I, 
 
SKETCHES 
 
 2 
 
 OF THE 
 
 , ':arly settlements 
 » 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PLYMOUTH COLONY. 
 
 HISTORICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL AND ANECDOTICAL. 
 
 BY EGBERT COWLES, 
 
 FARMINGTON, CONN. 
 
 NKW BRITAIN, CONN. : 
 PRESS OF ADKIN8 PRINTING COMPANY. 
 
 1880. 
 
 y 
 

 ir- 
 

 \i TO MISS SARAH PORTER. 
 
 Dear Madame : — In dedicntinc: the following work to you, I am 
 |)nly doing justice to our native town. The great labors in which 
 you have so long and so successfully been employed, in educating 
 :he female mind, have resulted in such an improvement as that in the 
 future every State and Territory within its control cannot but testify 
 to your arduous labors; and will you permit me to hope that you may 
 be long continued in those labors, and that posterity may be enabled 
 to bless you for those needful and useful Inbors ; and that in the end 
 you will receive your reward, in the good accomplished, and in the 
 thanks of a greattul country. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE READER. 
 
 The motives whicli led to, and influenced the publication of the 
 following sketches of the eaily settlements of the Plymouth Colony, 
 by the followers of Pastor Robinson, from Holland, thiougL the in- 
 fluence and lead of Miles Slandish, and the late attempt by Massa- 
 chusetts settlers to rob Connecticut's noble son of the honor of com- 
 manding the patriot army at Bunker Hill, needs only a simple . t '( • 
 ment of the facts connected with the history of these events weighed 
 in the scales of even and exact justice, cannot but satisfy evei j c'li- 
 did mind that Miles Standish was the originator and prime mover of 
 the settlement of New England, by the original English Colony from 
 Holland, and that to his influence and foresight is America indebted 
 for its early settlement and perhaps in a great measure to its free in- 
 stitutions, and to General Putnam it may said, to his bold and patri- 
 otic stand in favor and support of our free institutions, that no man 
 ever displayed more energy of character, or perseverance and courage, 
 in that support, than did this son of our country, and let the acts and 
 lives of these true sons of liberty be w*^ighed as they deserve *o be in 
 the even scales of justice, and the country will award to tbem the 
 full measure of patrotism as ardent lovers of their country. 
 
THE EARLY SETTLERS OF FARMINGTON. 
 
 It has been re})i'es('nted by mauy honest and can<lid men that re- 
 ligious bigotry gave the first impulse to encountering the perils of a 
 new and untried land, but it seems to the writer that a simple state- 
 ment of the facts connected with the early settlement of New Eng- 
 land will exhonerate the first settlers from this charge of bigoted re- 
 ligious feeling. That they were truly religious men, sincere believers 
 in the gospel of Jesus, is much to their credit; but in all their con- 
 duct in their varied and eventful lives, sound reason and wise fore- 
 thought seemed to have a predominating influence, and few people 
 have ever exhibited in the crices they were called uj>on to meet more 
 sound discretion or cool, deliberative wisdom in all the great ques- 
 tions they were called upon to decide. Even in the tiivst s.^ttlcmeut 
 in Holland, under Rev. John Robinson, caused by religious persecu- 
 tion, our ancestry showed the same qualities they so eminently dis- 
 played in their after lives. Let their Dutch civil ruler testify in their 
 behalf as they were about to embark for their new home. In a pub- 
 lic address to his countrymen he said : " These Englishmen, who have 
 resided among us for more than twelve years, have never once been 
 arraigned for a breach of our laws, have led peaceable and quiet 
 lives, always submitted quietly to law without dispute, and have 
 never broken any known law. I wish as much could be said of you, 
 my countrymen. Let their peaceable and (juiet lives be an example 
 to you. I am sorry to leave them." Surely there is no proof of re- 
 ligious bigotry here, and in tlieir new home we can lind but little 
 evidence in all their lives to sustain or corroborate the charge. 
 
 To Miles Standish this couiiti y is more indebted than to any other 
 for its eai'ly settlement. Yet, overlooking all his patriotic labors and 
 a life sf)ent for the good of this country, he is now better known for 
 his unsuccessful courtship of the beautifiU Miss Mullens and the ridi- 
 cule attached to his name in consequence. Jjut he deserves notice 
 for the great good he has done, and posterity will hereafter bless him 
 as the leader of the great enterprise. He was not of the first mi- 
 grating to Holland, but he sympathized with tiiom in their trials and 
 
often visited them to counsel and advise, and his foresight soon saw 
 that in the ah-eady over-populous coniiuunities ofHolUmd the English 
 colony would soon be lost — as Englishmen he swallowed up. He 
 therefore turned his eyes to the newly discovered continent as a suit- 
 able place for Englishmen to occupy, and found perhaps an empire, 
 and extenil the just and liberal ideas of Anglo-Saxon freedom. To 
 this end he visited Robinson's colony, showed the probability, nay, 
 certainty, of their being swallowed up in the teeming population of 
 Holland, and the glory of being the pioneers of an English empire on 
 the new continent. Carver and the leading men of the colony soon 
 became converts to his views, and even Robinson became convinced 
 that his colony would soon become extinct in Holland, and though 
 his age would prevent his participating, he approved the enterprise. 
 Standish himself, a man of some property, offered to head it. His 
 counsels jjrevailed, a Dutch vessel and master was hired, and one 
 hundred emigi-ants started upon the project of founding a new em- 
 pire, and late in December, 1620, they reached the American coast 
 near what they called Plymouth. Ere they landed, they each and 
 all signed an agreement, or system of laws, by which they agreed to 
 be governed, and this became their constitution, to which Plymouth 
 colony adhered for seventy-five years, at which period they became 
 united to the Massachusetts colony, whose cliaiter covered the Ply- 
 mouth territory, as Connecticut's charter covered the New Haven 
 colony. 
 
 Of Miles Standish's labors and his ])atriotic devotion to the welfare 
 and prosperity of his Plymouth colony, 1 should be glad to speak, and 
 the cause which led to his seeking the hand of Miss Mullens, and the 
 nilicule attached to his name. 
 
 I now propose to give your readers the incidents connected with 
 the first settlement of this ancient town. 
 
 A party of hunters, in pursuit of wild game, reached the heights 
 overlooking the valley of the Tunxis, and they were delighted and 
 surprise at the beauty and extent of tlie fair prospect, of its abund- 
 ance of rich vegetation, its charming appearance, its deep verdure, 
 abounding in all that was necessary for the full sup})ly of the 
 tj-razing animals of the forest, and on which, were then seen the bound- 
 int>- deer with their young, cropping its verdure, and the temptation 
 at once arose to enjoy its possession. The discovery was reported to 
 friends at home, and party after party followed to enjoy the scene. 
 The result was a company was organized to negotiate and purchase 
 
9 
 
 of the Tunxis tribe a part or all of the valley. The owners, a peacea- 
 ble tribe, had sutfered from more warlike neighbors, and learning of 
 the prowess of the new white settlers, they thought a near settlement 
 of them would be a protection. The proposition was accepted and a 
 purchase of all the land east of the groat river Tunxis and the little 
 river Pequabuck, extending south to the blue hills, north to Wetaug 
 settlement, and east as far as the white settlers' purchase. 
 
 Political writers have claimed tliat the original owners of the soil 
 were wronged in the sale of their land by the white purchasers, but 
 so far as the J'armingtou purchase is concerned, the original owners 
 received a fair equivalent. In the bargain of sale, the tribe reserved 
 all the valuable lands in the Tunxis valley, and a good spot around 
 their huts at the mouth of the Pequabuck for the ])lanting of corn, 
 which the chief himself was to fence off, and the use of all the lands 
 sold for the only purpose for wliich they needed, viz : a cover for 
 game, and a further reservation of all the ftsh in the stz-eam and the 
 right to capture them the best way they could on its banks. And as 
 further evidence of the justness and fairness of the bargain, the tribe 
 owning the land and living in the vicinity exjiressed no dissatisfac- 
 tion as to the sale and always lived in peace with its neighbors. And 
 in the calamities of the French war, while the Mokawk tribes were 
 under the control of the French, they ne\er failed tO give notice of 
 the approach of the hostile Indians, tlius evincing, the friendship with 
 which they regarded their neighbors and friends. While neighbor- 
 ing tribes were commftting depredations on the new comers, they 
 remained peaceable and fi-iendly, and after the main body of the tribe 
 removed to the West, several funilies remained and spent their lives 
 with those they deemed their best friends. 
 
 The new settlers having thus made their purchase, immediately 
 jtrepared for its occupancy by a survey of the future town, first estal> 
 lishing a center for a house of worship where they might publicly 
 meet and tender their thanks to tlie Great Being who thus far guided 
 and protected them, and planteo them in their new homes, and also a 
 school-house, where their childi-on might be taught their duties to 
 their God, their parents and their future country. Near to this they 
 located a lot to be given to the enterprising individual who would 
 build a mill on the stream, that would supply their future wants. 
 From that center they laid out narrow lots on the river extending 
 east as far as their purchase would warrant. These lots were dis- 
 tributed by lottery, and the favored locations were permitted to be 
 
10 
 
 held in fee or sold, as the fortunate possessor might choose. One 
 street, originally an Indian foot path, was the only highway on which 
 the future dwellings were located, and this extended north and south 
 about three miles, as originally occupied, and the new comers imme- 
 diately entered into possession by the erection of log cabins, such as 
 some of your dainty female readers would deem unfit for the pigs, 
 but prized by their occupants as a safe protection and covering from 
 the severe winters formerly experienced by our country. The writer 
 in his early days had some knowledge of these rude erections, as two 
 were standing within his remembrance. 
 
 The active mind and keen foresight of Capt. Standish anticipated 
 the need of providing the means for sustaining the settlers in their 
 new home until by cultivating the soil they had raised a sufficiency 
 for their support. The long voyage of the Mayflower had partially 
 exhausted their supply of provisions and there was absolute necesity 
 for a new supply from England to sustain the colony. Thus was 
 Capt. Standish, after seeing huts erected to shelter the new settlers, 
 compelled to return to England to supply their need. The news of 
 the successful planting of a colony of Englishmen on the shores of the 
 new continent spread like fire throughout the whole island, and their 
 desire to follow the example thus set seemed to reach every hamlet- 
 Wealthy and influential men sought to procure charters of extensive 
 tracts in the new region for the settlement of other colonies there. 
 Thus was obtained the location and right of settlement from the gov- 
 erment there of tlie charters of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New 
 Haven, Rhode Island, and the influence of these proprietors was ex- 
 erted to settle these proprietory grants by the hardy rural population 
 of England, and it is more than probable that this influence was 
 greatly strengthened in the minds of the liberty-loving free Anglo- 
 Saxon race by the law of primogeniture, giving, to the eldest male 
 heir of every landed estate the fee in soil. Thence has arisen the 
 great estates held by the titled heirs of sueli estates, and such is the 
 cause why the bulk of her population, even in the cities, are merely 
 tenants on the land they cultivate, removable at the pleasure ol the 
 lords of the soil. Hence the necessity for the younger sons to employ 
 their talents and vigor in other employments, and which sends so 
 many of her talented sons to seek employment and support in her 
 army and Navy instead of more useful employment. 
 
 Standish returned to supply the needs of his colonists, and then 
 8i)ent his life in caring for and defending the colonies from the hostile 
 
11 
 
 Indians, who for years sonuiit the destrtietion of the new comers, and 
 now there are but few left to ai»|»reciate their services, or award jus- 
 tice to the departed ])atriot. 
 
 The influence thus operating throughout England by the estahlish- 
 ment and success of. the New Plymouth Colony under Standish was 
 undoubtedly strengthened by the persecution of the devoted leaders 
 in the reformation by the established church in England. They were 
 sincere, talented, devoted men ; strong in the belief in the correctness 
 of their opinion they could not but have many followers, and their 
 sympathies with their suffering pastors were willing like Robinson's 
 flock to follow where their teachers and pastors should lead. Thus, 
 the Rev. Thomas Hooker led a large and devoted congregation to 
 tlie American shores. 
 
 The London Merchants, too, learning of the valuable peltry of ot- 
 ters and beavers to be obtained of the natives of the country, soon 
 organized a company and Massachusetts colony in 1627 followed by 
 the settlement of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield in 1635, New 
 ITaven in 1638, Milford in 1637, Rhode Island in 1643 and Farming- 
 ton in 1640, these being ]>art of the original flock headed by the tal- 
 ented Hooker. Thus was the new continent rapidly settled by flocks 
 from the parent country. But the settlement on the Connecticut 
 ri\ er had an earlier date than that given by the followers of Hooker 
 as a trading post was estal)li!^ed at the Tunxis (now Farmington 
 river) two years previous in U31 by an English colony although the 
 Dutch claimed by former occupancy at Dutch point in Hartford, the 
 English post was maintained until the three towns were occupied. 
 But as my object is not to give a connected history but such inci- 
 dents as led to the settlement of ancient Farmington, I have deemed 
 it important to notice them. 
 
 As a conse(iuence of the faith of the early settlers of Farmington, in 
 ilie (h)ctrine of that religion taught by its Divine teacher, Jesus, after 
 jjroviding for their immediate wants, building houses and clearing 
 lands for food, they turned their attention to building a house for tlie 
 woi-sliip of that Being wlio is the Author and Ruler of all events. 
 Thus provided they sought a teacher that their children might be in- 
 structed in the knowledge of those duties on which dej)end the desti- 
 ny of man in the life to come. In the sscond year of the settlement 
 of the town, Roger Newton was enstalled as teacher and pastor of 
 the relii^ious society then formed, and remained as such for nine years. 
 For S(^m'-^ cause, probably for want of sutflcient support, he removed 
 
12 
 
 to Milford and Samuel Hooker, son of the famous Thomas Hooker, 
 who led a colony from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and settled Hart- 
 ford, succeeded him. This son was an approved minister and al- 
 though not possessing the talent, power and eloquence of his great 
 father, was yet an able teacher of the doctrines of the Gospel, and as 
 such gave good satisfaction to the society, and was eminently useful 
 during the forty years he served in that capacity. Samuel Whitman 
 followed in the same line as teacher. He was considered a sound and 
 able divene and although plain and without pretense, yet served with 
 approbation in that capacity for forty-five years, honored and re- 
 spected by all. One of the most expensive momument of their day, 
 now stands in the old cemetery of the town recording his age, 
 office and memory. The next that followed in that capacity was the 
 Rev. Timothy Pitkin, in a service of thiity-three years. Mr. Pitkin 
 was a warm hearted man, genial in spirit, social with all, zealous in 
 the cause of his Master, and ])robably without an enemy on the earth; 
 yet his over-sensitive nature led him to believe he had lived beyond 
 his usefulness, and perhaps a tincture of pride led to the suspicion of 
 failure of popularity (for he had been idolized) and he asked for a 
 dismission from the pastorate. This the society refused, a full evi- 
 dence of the estimation in which he was held. But from the urgency 
 of a second application, the society finally granted the application. 
 An anecdote will perhaps best illustrate the feeling of the society, and 
 the over-sensitive nature of the pastor. At a ]niblic discussion on 
 the subject it was asserted that he was exempt from many of the 
 frailties common to human nature as evidence for future usefulness. 
 Dr. Thomas Horner dryly remarked that these propensities of our na- 
 ture were probably overcome by a strong exercise of will for the sake 
 of popularity, and that these frailties, under temptation, would be 
 exhibited before the public. This was strongly denied and the doctor 
 dared to the trial, which he accepted, and knowing the habits of Mr. 
 Pilkin of early walking each morning, he contrived to meet the good 
 • n'lan at one of the most public places on the street. After the usual 
 salutations of Mr. Pitkin, the Doctor replied in a sober, serious way 
 that it was not well with himself, he had not had a patient for a 
 month, and that there was danger of his family starving, and unless 
 there was more sickness abroad and he had more patients, his family 
 must suffer, and as it was the duty of the good pastor of a flock to 
 pray for the prosperity of all classes of society, he wished the benevo- 
 lent man to pray for the community that his family might not suffer. 
 
13 
 
 The astonished pastor enquired what ho meant ly asking him to pray 
 fcr calamity on his fl>>ck. The Doctor replied he supported his fami- 
 ly by administering to the suffering, and unless he had patients they 
 must suliiT. He had had only on-. )):itient for a Ion_, time, and he was 
 most greviously tempted to keej) that patient sick for the sake of the 
 fees. The astonished pastor expressed nadignation at such sentiments 
 and anxiously enquired if he himself should be sick, if he, the Doctor, 
 would be thus tempted. The Doctor replied that he liked to hear 
 the good man preach and no temptation would prevent his using his 
 best skill for his speedy cure, but if his wife was the patient, he should 
 have no compunctions of conscience, (the Doctor knew of the strong 
 aflection of the pastor for his wife). Mr. Pitkin was at once aroused, 
 and exclaimed, " What, you keep ray wife sick for gain ! I shall never 
 ask you to enter my house again. I will send to Hartford, to New 
 Haven, nay, to New York before I ever emj)loy you ngain." The 
 spectators giithered around to see the humble Christian pastor in such 
 an unwonted plight, and the wily Doctor, holding his sides to prevent 
 an outburst of laughter, hastily turned away and departed. The 
 good pastor, slowly recovering, found himself a subject of astonish- 
 ment, but in the course of the day he sought the abode of the face- 
 tious Doctor to apologize and explain. The Doctor frankly explained 
 and apologized for the deception and the pastor himself acknowledged 
 his frailty, and the people did not abate their love for their aged pas- 
 tor. Thus he lived honored and respected during his after years, and 
 died among them loved and mourned. 
 
 The early settlers of the town were somewhat distinguished, as 
 compared with their fellow emigrants from the mother country, for 
 their energy of character, their perseverance, and resolcte industry; 
 and I propose to give you anecdotes illustrative of these traits of in- 
 dividuals without a connected historical sketch of their progress in 
 locating themselves for life. Their isolated situation, ten miles from 
 navigable water, will show the disadvantages they had to labor un- 
 der; and, achled to this the inferior quality of the soil compared with 
 the rich Connecticut valley occupied by their fellow emigrants, all 
 tended to show the necessity of extra exertion to compete with their 
 more fortunate neighbors. But they seemed equal to the task, and 
 set about it resolutely and successfully ; and after providing well foi- 
 their immediate families, they found a surplus of the products of their 
 industry on hand to exchange for the luxuries of other lands, and 
 this they disposed of in trade with the West Indies. The products 
 
14 
 
 of the sugar house aftbrded what they deemed a sufficient supply, and 
 which they couki readily obtain for their kiln-dried corn meal, hoi'ses 
 and beef-cattle, and a brisk trade soon arose. The active inhabitants 
 of the town soon built and employed vessels in t^is trade, and four 
 or five were owned by the merchants of the place, and the profits of 
 this trade in after years became a source of wealth to its people. But 
 along with this prosperity there was one draw back. One deleterious 
 consequence we were possibly to experience, viz.: the appetite for 
 strong drink. Among the products of this trade was the spirit man- 
 ufactui-ed from the sugar plant, and in after years such was the per- 
 version of appetite that evei'y farmer found it necessary at the ingath- 
 ering of his harvest to provide a ten-gallon keg of rum to sustain the 
 labor, and the larger ones more frequently provided a thirty-gallon 
 cask, and this hardly sufficed for the occasion. We have now learned 
 to a])prcciate its disastrous eii'ects, but we have yet to learn whether 
 we can stay its progi-ess by that God-given power, reason. 
 
 An incident illustrative of the power of a])petite over reason I give 
 on the authority of Di*. Eli Todd, whose name and reputation is 
 sufficient authority for its truthfuhu'ss. Tlie report was made some 
 months after the event occurred, and some of the incidents were 
 known to the writer. Coral Case, a son of the early merchant John 
 Case, was an active hat manufacturer, and employed a number of 
 workmen; and to dispose of the products of the business he was 
 necessitated to travel much. As his meals were taken irregularly he 
 supplied the need by the stimulant of strong drink, and thus acquired 
 a habit which destroyed his health eventually and laid him on a bed 
 of sickness. Dr. Todd was called upon for professional services, and 
 soon discov(M'e<l ihc cause of his prostration. He faithfully reported 
 to his patient the only remedy. The only hope of cure was in ab- 
 staining from strong drink. The pati'ent pleaded that in his weak, 
 reduced state it was necessary to sustain ; but the i)hysician as- 
 sured him that this was the sole cause of his illness, and there was 
 no other hope of recovery but an abandonment of its use. The reply 
 was, he must take time to reflect, and he would give the doctor the 
 conclusion at the'next visit. On the doctor's return he was saluted 
 with the report that the patient had accepted the advice, and as proof 
 and to avoid temptation, had emptied every drop of liquor in his pos- 
 session on the earth — had broken every vessel containing the 
 liouor, broken every glass ]iroper for its use, and was now ready to 
 follow his advice, the doctor vigorously exerting his skill. At the 
 
/ 15 
 
 end of six months he saw his patient recovered and apparently enjoy- 
 ing vioorous healtli. When his old patient again sent for him, whom 
 he found completely prostrated, the strong minded man, with intel- 
 lect uuinijiaired, thus addressed him : " Doctor, yon find me in this 
 condition and you need not enipiire the cause, for you cannot but 
 know it. I cannot control this cursed api)etite; it is stronger than 
 reason, than judgment, than conscience, and I cannot resist it. I 
 know it will destroy my life, but I am helpless. I now have two re- 
 quests to make — one, that you will say nothing to me as to the cause 
 of my prostration, for it will be useless ; the other that you will exert 
 your skill to prolong my life for my family need my care, and my 
 protection and watchfulness, and thus you will do good." 
 
 The kind-hearted physician, struck with this exhibition of the 
 power of intellect, resolved to make anotlier effort to save the de- 
 spairing man from ruin, and addressed him in language to the follow- 
 ing effect : " Mr. Case, you have a mind vigorous and sti'ong, and, if 
 properly cultivated, oapuble of accomplishing great things, much be 
 yond the mere rank of your fellows. If you will it you may stand at 
 the head of the leading men of town ; nay, if you will ])repare your- 
 self and conduct yourself as you ought, you may become a leading 
 man in the state. Nature has fitted you for great things, and why 
 should you throw away such powers of mind and become a blank in 
 society. I entreat you to exert yourself and become what nature de- 
 signed you to become, a leader among great men." The reply was : 
 "Alas! I know my powers; I have felt what man could accomplish 
 was within my reach, but appetite is stronger than will, and every 
 propensity for good, every feeling of ambition, eveiy struggle for im- 
 provement, is overcome by this pernicious appetite. Let me go to 
 the drunkard's grave, despised, forgotten." The good man aban- 
 doned the task, and tears followed the recital. Some six or eight 
 months after this sad event he died, and now a moss-grown stone 
 records "he death of Coral Case at the age of thirty-seven years, and 
 an epitajih selected by himself reads thus: 
 
 "My flays are ended; my purposes are broken off ; even the thoughts of my 
 heart." 
 
 Thus died a great man, fitted by nature for great usefulness, who 
 by his folly thi-ew away all capabilities and became a disgrace to his 
 family and a spectacle of sorrow and regret at the sacrifice of exalted 
 abilities. 
 
 The next business was to erect buildings, to shelter and to protect 
 themselves and families from tlie inclemency of the northern winters 
 
16 
 
 of the new county. For this object the only available means within 
 their reach were the straight trunks of the lofty forest trees, laid upon 
 one another as the children of the present day build cob houses, 
 probably partitioned from what they have learned of these original 
 dwellings. They were such as necessity compelled them to erect and 
 consequently temporary dwellings. Perhaps a description of one of 
 them will serve to gratify the curious enquiries and possibly to 
 allay the discontent of some of your fair readers in not having more 
 conveniences, such as dormer windows in their dwellings. 
 
 The writer in his youthful days had an opportunity of knowing 
 something of these structures, although it was said that they were a 
 great improvement on the structures first occupied by the original 
 settlers. There were two remaining, one occupied by the last Indian 
 family remaining residents of their ancient home, and one occupied 
 by one of the descendants of the early settlers. The writer, some- 
 what after the example of Don Quixotte and his man, Sancho Panza, 
 was intent upon an equally impracticable exploit, viz., the capture of 
 the young of the wild deer in his lair, was induced to spend a night 
 with his companion in one of these dwellings. The matron rather 
 proud of her home proposed to sliow the conveniences to the visitor. 
 The erection was of logs laid flat upon each other, dovetailed or 
 locked at the corners with logs flattened and laid upon the ground 
 for floorino-, and not so neatly matched together as not to prevent the 
 dirt accumulating by sweeping to pass between the logs. On one 
 end was a liuge fireplace composed of stone, in the corner a large 
 doorway for an entrance, so large as to admit the family horse, often 
 employed to diaw in the back log, for a great fire was necessary for 
 the family in the winter season, and this seemed to be the common 
 room for all the occujtants and for all necessary work. It had one 
 window, siiiiply a board hung with leather hinges to be opened when 
 the weather would ]3ermit, and when too cold, shut, the large fire 
 2;iving light enough for all necessary purposes. The entrance to the 
 next room seemed to be of coarse canvas, strung on wire, that could 
 be easily slid back and forth, wide enough for an entrance into what 
 seemed the better oi- company room. Here some chairs — I think they 
 were not mahogony or of other costly material — and a table neatly 
 covered and at one corner what was termed a beaufet, containing the 
 choi .e crockery and table furniture for lady visitors and the afternoon 
 group; one single window, diamond-shaped glass, frame partly of 
 lead, o-ave the light necessary for the company, and this was the 
 
17 
 
 furnishing of the company room. The entrance to the next, or bed 
 chamber, seemed to be like the former, save of finer material and 
 white in appearance, but strung on wires, easily slid back and forth. 
 The furniture was tAvo or three beds, well furnished and to all appear- 
 ance very comfortable ; and instead of carpets, which are a much 
 later luxury, beside each bed was a mat, a compound of soft material, 
 about twenty inches in diameter, sufficient to stand upon while in 
 preparation for repose. This luxury was probably in use in the moth- 
 er country. Were it not for its better substitute we should not like 
 to disjiense with it. A small looking-glass occupied this as well as 
 the adjoining room. These luxuries Adam and his sons might have 
 dispensed with, but Eve would tell us they were absolutely necessary 
 and we must acquiesce in that conclusion. But it was necessary for 
 me to have some rest, and the host bade me follow him up the ladder 
 from the common room to the bedchamber. At its top a door was 
 swung open, admitting us, and the guide bade me follow. There 
 seemed to be impassable obstructions. I could hear the voice of my 
 leader at a distance calling me to advance ; I used my hands parting 
 the darkness, but I made little progress until I received aid from my 
 man, and I had never before felt the darkness. The bed was a 
 blanket and straw. My man was soon sound asleep, but the sharp 
 knots of the flooring were penetrating my body, and thus I passed 
 the night, with one consoling reflection. The mosquitoes I heard 
 by their music. I felt sure they could not find their way through to 
 reach me, and when the glad morning was announced by the birds 
 without, I tried to grope my way to the trap-door which was to admit 
 me to the light of day. I confess I did not covet a residence in a log 
 cabin. That the residences thus built were only temporary, the 
 results proved, for before a savv-raill was erected within the limits of 
 the town a frame dwelling was built by a supposed son of one of the 
 first settlers of the town, Robert Porter, and the covering was of 
 rived timber, smoothed by hand labor and the jack plane and secured 
 by nails wrought singly by hand. This building is still occupied and 
 comfortable. We have no data to ascertain the time of its erection, 
 but the first saw-mill was erected, with a grist-mill, within five years 
 of the settlement of the town. Samuel Deming, erected the saw-mill 
 within six years of the first settlement of the town, thus supplying the 
 wants of the people for bread and b-iilding interests. Thus the first 
 saw-mill was built by Deming as early as 1646, but as the Porter, 
 house was built previous to that date, we may justly claim this dwell- 
 
18 
 
 ing to be one of the oldest residences in the country. The antiquaries 
 of New Haven county claim the dwelling house built for the first 
 clergyman in Guilford to be the oldest dwelling in the country. NoW) 
 although I am not disposed to dispute that claim, yet a few facts may 
 show its uncertainty. St. Augustine was the earliest settlement of 
 our country, and some of the adobe houses built by the first settlers 
 fi-om its lasting material may still be habitable. It is said some of 
 the dwellings are still in existence and still habitable ; but there is no 
 certainty as to the fact. As regards Guilford, the site of the town 
 was purchased from the natives in the month of September, 1639, but 
 it is believed not occupied by the purchasers until the following 
 spi-ing, 1640, the same year that Farmington was settled. As the 
 "Giuilford settlers were under the same necessity of building log huts, 
 and as they could not bear the expense of building a stone dwelling 
 for Whitfield, their pastor, until some years after, it is therfore more 
 than probable that the Whitfield house has not an earlier date than 
 the Porter house, nor within five years from the settlement uf the 
 town. Biit ancient Farmington does not rest its reputation on its 
 dwellings, although they have many comfortable ones, but on their 
 general character as industrious, persevering, frugal people, faithful to 
 their country, their families, and to their God. 
 
 An attachment to the place of one's birth, and love of home, is the 
 characteristic common to all men ; but that this projiensity was pectd- 
 iarly strong in the minds of the early settlers of this town is proved 
 by their after acts as well as in their efFoi'ts in behalf of their mother 
 country in the wars occurring between France and England. It was 
 the great object of the government of England to drive France from 
 the possession of Canada, that they might be the sole possessors of 
 the new continent ; and this motive was the operating cause of the 
 freouent wars between the two countries. The sympathy of the set- 
 tlers in behalf of the mother country (and through this all the aid 
 within their power to bestow), was given to the English. The expe- 
 dition for the capture of Louisburg was carried on mainly at the ex- 
 pense of the colonies, and the preparation for the capture of the 
 strongholds held by France in Canada was mainly sustained by New 
 England, and its full share of this expense was sustained by this in- 
 dustrious colony. The Six >' ations of the Mohawk tribe were under 
 control of the French, and this warlike tribe were in the constant 
 habit of raiding on the frontier settlers of the English colonies ; and 
 from the location of Farmington she was first to meet these expedi- 
 
tions, consequently there was a necessity for constant vigilance and 
 care. Every inhabitant of adult age carried his weapon of defence 
 ready for action. Pethuz, tlie chief of the Tunxis, a wise and prudent 
 man, reported to the authorities of the town that emissaries from the 
 Mohawks were plottinoj with his warriors to capture and ransack 
 the settlement in the aid of the French, or mduce the tribe to join 
 the warrior Mohawks. The result of the conference was that the 
 Tunxis warriors were compelled each to answer to his name once 
 each day until the trouble was over. The time was early ra rning 
 and the chief and his followers, in Indian file, appeared and answered 
 to his name, and then was dismissed for the day. The agent with 
 his roll of names, and his danghtei-, an only child, kept tiie check-book 
 and thus were the doubtful kept in subjection. The early appearance 
 of the individuals caused the improvident ones to meet hunorv, and 
 the kind-hearted girl was thus induced to feed such each day. The 
 indulgent parent gratified his child's desire at much pecuniary ex- 
 pense, and the result was, as the chief afterwards reported, that the 
 white squaw had more influence with his warriors than he himself 
 had ; that her word was law with tliem ; and that each day brought 
 presents from the gratified, and tlius was preserved the faith and good 
 conduct of the tribe during the perilous times of the French war. 
 Pethuz. the chief, expressed a strong desire to have this girl become 
 a teacher of the white man's religion ; " to tell his people of the Great 
 Being, who was all eyes ; could see all things, and could tell even the 
 thoughts ; and of the pure white beings with wings, who could cro 
 everywhere and were exempt from bad thoughts." " Me wonder he 
 no have him pink on he cheek like white squaAv." The reply of the 
 girl was that this was evidence of a sinful nature. Angels had no 
 sinful nature and no bad thoughts. These were marks of sin — of evil 
 thoughts — and Indians had the marks of sin, and white men had 
 these marks also, and all must try to wipe them away. He replied : 
 " White squaw fibs ; she all good. The pink cheek no tell truth.'' 
 She replied that the minister could better teach. He shook his head, 
 saying : " The minister use long big words ; no understand him ; no 
 good." She finally replied " if he would bring the boy warriors every 
 Sabbath day she would teach them the white man's religion ; " and on 
 the next Sabbath commenced the first Sabbath school ever taught in 
 our country. How well that succeeded can only be known in the future. 
 This much is known, that among the individuals of that tribe there 
 were those that exhibited traits of character that gave evidence of 
 
20 
 
 Christian principle and that purity of conduct as only taught by the 
 Bible. Okum, one of the tribe, became a preacher, and one of his 
 sermons gave so full and clear expositions of its doctrines as to prove 
 its orthodoxy. The last resident in the town of the tribe, Mossuc by 
 name, and his wife, were regular attendants of a preached gospel un- 
 der the Rev. Mr. Pitkin's teachings for years, and by their exemplary 
 conduct gave evidence of its influence upon their lives. 
 
 The history of the Mohawk raids may serve to show the trials and 
 perils of the settlers in these early days, learned through the report 
 of Pethuz, who visited these tribes after the peace. One hostile party 
 consisted of five, armed with muskets, tomahawks, knives, and other 
 implements of war, and their repor*; was corroborated by the recol- 
 lection of facts by some of the actors in the scene described. This 
 party of Mohawks came upon an individual near R*>und Hill, in the 
 vicinity of the Tunxis. His dog gave notice of the danger and prob- 
 ably stimulated him to extra vigilance and care. His employment 
 was planting his corn crop. His vigilance caused him to lay his mus- 
 ket down and plant a few hills, and then bring up his weapon to the 
 spot his labor had reached, and thus be ready for its use. The enemy 
 could easily kill and scalp the victim, but their object was prisoners. 
 The reward for such was large, but for scalps simply nominal. If 
 they advanced upon him it would be at the sacrifice of one of their 
 own lives, and this was too great a price for a worthless white man, 
 and he must be taken unawares. But the vigilance of the planter 
 could not be overcome. He shot a partridge flying over, but his ob- 
 ject was to re-load with buckshot, and moved not from his tracks un- 
 til he re-loaded. His enemies expecting him to go after his game 
 were much disappointed. After waiting all (lay and finding no op- 
 portunity to take him alive, they followed him to the river, expecting 
 him to relax his vigilance in crossing. But his prudence baffled their 
 expectations. They crossed the river during the night, and for two 
 days secreted themselves, expecting to seize some unwary herdsman 
 watching his cows. But every person was found armed, ready to 
 meet any foe. One raider boldly came to the mill fur flour. On be- 
 ing questioned he claimed to be a Narragansett, but on ^ aying for 
 the flour the money proved to be French coin, which he explained by 
 saying he had been a prisoner. After two days' watching without 
 success, they discovered a smoke arising among the forest trees, and 
 making for it, found it a dwelling on the New Britain road, occu- 
 pied, as they judged, by a single family, all of which they planned to 
 
21 
 
 capture during the night, and thus make a profitable raid. When 
 night came they made full preparation for the haul. The good man 
 was about closing the day with his ordinary devotions, and leaning 
 upon his chair began his sustomary address ; but his two dogs had 
 scented the danger and anticipated the proceedings by their loud 
 clamor and thus awakened the head, and in his agitation he spoke 
 loudly, stamped and moved the chairs, lattled the table, and thus 
 awakened h ' fears of the enemy. They, hearing the noise, came to the 
 conclusion the house was full of men ])reparing for action. The poor 
 man, distracted by fear ana bewihlered in judgment, seized a l)rand 
 of fire instead of his weapon, opened his door, the dogs sprang forth, 
 and at the top of his voice he called for assistance. The frightened 
 Mohawks being thus attacked, ivith a raging maniac at their heels, 
 fled to save their lives, nor stopped until they reached the high 
 grounds on Bristol mountain. Thus did the distracting fear of the 
 good man save himself and family from the grasp of the Indians as 
 he sup|)osed. On the next day they discovered a lone man cultivat- 
 ing a spot for a habitation. He, having unwisely laid his gun out of 
 reach, was captured without hazard, and having gagged him to pre- 
 vent (lisco\ery, they started for their northern home, satisfied that the 
 vigilance of the settlers would prevent furthe; success. The prisoner 
 reluctantly accorapanie<l his captors a mile or two, but dreading a 
 long captivity among the Indians, refused to travel further. The 
 captors, using all humane means within their power to induce him to 
 proceed, and failing, fearing discovery, put him to death, and havinfj- 
 scalped him and secreted him with brush, fled for safety. Hunters 
 discovered and identified his body, and the school district of Scott's 
 Swamp took its name from h:m, the unfortunate prisoner's name be- 
 ing Scott. 
 
 Although the early descendants of the first settlers were distin- 
 guished for their industry and vigor in the cultivation of the virgin 
 soil of the newly acquired country, yet they appreciated the value of 
 the cultivation of the mind as the necessary means for the full enjoy- 
 ment of that liberty which the first settlers struggled so hard and 
 sacrificed so much to obtain, and they determined that their children 
 should be so taught as to enable them to fully appreciate the necessity 
 of such an education as to fit them for the enjoyment of ail the rights 
 of freemen. To this end their attention was first called to the best 
 means for educating the children of the rising community ; and the 
 best means to accomplish this end was to establish neighborhood 
 
22 
 
 schools wliere every child of the poor as well as all others should be 
 taught the rudiments of an education which would fit them to stand 
 on equal terms with the rich and more favored ones in the land. To 
 this end the settlements were divided into what were termed school 
 districts where every child of propei- age could attend and acquire the 
 necessary knowledge to nt each to pass thi-ough life decently and re- 
 spectably. The parents of each disti-ict selected some individual to 
 take charge of such school, and then a man in the winter season and 
 a female in the summer as more suitable for the ages of the different 
 parts of the year, and thus were the youth of the land early taught 
 to fit them as heads of families in the coming adult years. 
 
 Among the most worthy and respected descendants of the first set- 
 tlers was John Treadwell. He was early sent to the best schools of 
 the country and graduated with the honors of the college as being a 
 learned student and as being a profound lawyer. He opened an office 
 in his native town, his first case being a criminal one, the improper 
 use of intoxicating liquor, in which he very clearly set forth the 
 breach of law. His antagonist, without one tithe of the knowledge 
 of law, but by ridicule, so dashed the young lawyer that he could 
 hardly utter a word in reply and the audience approved the ridicule 
 because it sustained the argument for the use of strong drink. But 
 the just magistrate sustained the exposition of law and approved the 
 case as a clear breach of law, and committed the young man. The 
 young lawyer was disgusted with this ridicule, so contrary to his feel- 
 ino-s of right, so repulsive to his honest moral nature, so contrary to 
 a just exposition of law, but his just views, his profound knowledge 
 of law, led the active counselors throughout the state, to consult M-ith 
 him on the most abstruse and difficult points connected with their 
 practice, and his opinion was quoted as being the best and fairest, and 
 his reputation as a wise counselor was high throughout the state. He 
 was soon elected to the council of the state, and continued a member 
 until chosen Lieutenant Governor and finally its Chief Magistrate. 
 His views on all moral and religious subjects were profound and 
 weighty. In the subject of education he took a leading part. 
 Throuo-h his recommendation small district schools were established 
 in his native town. By frequent visits, he found that sometimes in- 
 competent and improper teachers were employed. To remedy this 
 evil he devised a plan fir the appointment of school visitors, whose 
 duty it was to examine such teachers, with authority to reject such as 
 in their opinion were found incompetent or immoral. This plan was 
 
23 
 
 adopted by a public vote and its good effects were visible in the im- 
 provement of the schools throughout the town. So good were its 
 practical effects, that the same plan was adopted throughout the 
 state, mainly through the influence of Governor Tread well in the Leg- 
 islature. But the influence of this man did not end here. His strong 
 belief in the doctrines of the Bible dictated to him the duties of do- 
 ing good to the rising generation. To this end he made it a regular 
 practice to visit all the schools within the limits of the town, and by 
 his counsel and advice to aid the young in the attainment of knowl- 
 edge, and this without fee or reward save the luxury of doing good. 
 Now, l)y a law of the state, such visitors are allowed a fair compen- 
 sation for the time spent in such visitations of the schools. But the 
 labors of the good man did not end here. A strong believer in the 
 doctrines of the Bible, and the propensity of our natures to evil ten- 
 dencies, he gave all the aid within his power to bestow to assist the 
 religious teacher, for the time being, in his arduous labors to counter- 
 act this evil tendency of our nature. He was always the right-hand 
 man, the coianselor, the aid, in trials the staff on which to lean, in the 
 many trials which the teacher has to meet in his conflict with our sin- 
 ful nature. It is not too much to say, that his advice was always 
 sound, wise, and most conducive to peace and harmony. His ruling 
 motive of action seemed to be, "Love to God and good will to men.'' 
 The tendency of all his acts seemed to be a desire to improve the 
 fallen condition of man. 
 
 The great event of his life, and that perha{)s on which his mind 
 was most strongly fixed, was the organization of a Foreign Missionary 
 Society. To this end, he thought and labored much with influential 
 men in all the New England States. He prevailed upon a large 
 number of such individuals to meet and organize into a society called 
 the " Foreign Missionary Society." The initial steps were taken by 
 this ardent, efficient man, to call together the friends of the Gospel to 
 advise and adopt a plan to extend its influence through all lands. It 
 is within the bounds of truth to say, that John Treadwell was the in- 
 strument by which this great end was to be attained. The call was 
 answered by a personal attendance of a large number of influential 
 men from all the prominent parts of New England, to meet at Farm, 
 ington for this purpose. The number is unknown, but the village 
 seemed filled with strangers and the result was that such an organiza^ 
 tion was effected here, the result of which can only be known at the 
 last great day. But the belief is, that the heart of the good man 
 
24 
 
 will be greeted with the " WelcouK" from the Master. Well done, 
 good and faithful servant, thoii hast been faithful and true in the 
 care of a few things, I will entrust thee with th^; care of many. 
 
 Amono; the vigorous and active men of Farmington was Fisher 
 Gay. He was not among the early settlers, but belonged to the sec- 
 ond generation. He was a native of Sharon, in Connecticut. Edu- 
 cated at Yale College, he finished his studies with approbation at the 
 age of twenty-one years. His father upon his return home thus ad- 
 dressed him : " I have done all I can for you pecuniarily ; you have 
 capacity and a good education. If you use the means within your 
 reach, you may become a useful and respected member of society. I 
 now give you an English guinea and a })arent's blessing and bid you 
 go forth and carve your way in future life." 
 
 He came to Farmington as a school teacher and for two or three 
 years followed that employment. But his active mind sought for 
 more expansion and he took up merchandizing as more profitable anjj 
 affording greater opportunity for energy of mind. He soon exhibited 
 traits of character su])erior to his fellows Trade had now chiefly 
 centered in New York in preference to Boston, and the practice of 
 th se in business was thus to |;erform the journey — mount a horse at 
 home and ride to New Haven and thence take a sail boat to New 
 York, thus having to depend upon fair winds to reach the point of 
 <lestination. The amount of trade often required two or more such 
 journeys each vear. The uncertainty of this mode of travel did not 
 suit the exactness of Mr. Gay's estimate of the value cT time and he 
 chose for himself this rule for the time to spend to and from the mart 
 of trade. As the roads then were, with the ferries necessary to cross, 
 it required two whole days of diligent travel to accomplish the jour- 
 ney. But Mr. Gay's plan was to save one-fourth of the time and this 
 he thought practicable. He possessed a horse of a peculiar breed, re- 
 markable for fleetness and endurance (this breed is now extinct), and 
 so hio-hlv valued that no man save himself had ever been permitted 
 to mount him. With this animal he endeavored to complete the 
 iourney within the given time, and in point of fact this he always ac- 
 complished, and at one time with the same animal he performed the 
 journey fi-om the rising of the sun to nine o'clock at evening, reaching 
 his home from New York. This energy and exactness were charac- 
 teristic of the man in all his business transactions. 
 
 While the active and energetic mind of Gay pondered upon the 
 arbitrary acts of the English government, his free spirit was aroused 
 
25 
 
 to resist w li:io was so contray to their chartered rights, so galling to 
 freemen. In all the acts and deliberations of the assembled freemen 
 of the town on public affairs, he took a firm and active part. Some 
 of the boldest and most decided resolutions were known to emanate 
 trotn his pen. 
 
 Although never employed in any military capacity, yet his talents, 
 his zeal and iiis sound judgment all pointed bini out as a worthy lead- 
 er in any contingency that might arise requiring sound judgment and 
 undoubted courage. He was therefore made a Brigadier General of 
 the state militia. The confidence of his fellow citizens was not mis- 
 placed. Almost tlie first act in that capacity was in preparation for 
 the conflict, which he foresaw must inevitably come. The battle of 
 of Lexington aroused the thoughtful to a souse of danger, but Gay 
 was ready for the emergency. He was at Hartford on private busi- 
 ness when the news of the conflict reached the place. He at once 
 decided what was duty. He mounted his trusty horse, returned to- 
 ward home, and met and consulted with his friend Gad Stanley on 
 the proper course of action. This seemed to him best, that he should 
 immediately start for Boston, and that Stanley and Peter Curtis 
 should at once organize a company for the conflict. He would con- 
 sult with tlie leading men of Boston relative to the co irse of action 
 for the patriots to pursue and would return aud lead the recruits to 
 active service. 
 
 At early dawn, next day saw the ardent patriot on his way to the 
 scene of conflict. Whether he or Putnam first reached the scene of 
 action is uncertain. But as Putnam had to consult with Gov. Trum- 
 bull as to a plan of action for the state, it is believed that Gay first 
 reached the scene. In his first consultation with Warren and otlier 
 Uaders there, his first inquiry was, are the munitions of war lost at 
 Lexington replaced ? To his surprise he found that no effectual steps 
 had been taken to replace them. He remarked that the patriots 
 flocking there from all directions would be useless without powder 
 and ball. He strongly urged that immediate steps be taken to pro- 
 duce them. This wise advice was at once acted upon and the ener- 
 getic Gay was selected as the most active man for the performance of 
 the duty that had been thus neglected. 
 
 He immediately wrote to Col. Stanley to send on the men at once. 
 In the performance of this self imposed and laborious duty, he yis- 
 ited every town in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and 
 New Hampshire, where such material had been or was manufactured. 
 Day and night were thus employed. 
 
26 
 
 On Tuesday, before the battle of Bunker Hill, he returned with a 
 large supply. From thence he went to his work and we may award 
 to his foresight and labor the success of that conflict and the crip- 
 pling of the British army. 
 
 This duty, although less likely to attract public approbation, w-as 
 absolutely necessary to ensure success He contmued thus employed 
 until the arrival of Gen. Washington to take command of the array. 
 In the reorganization of that army and in preparation for the great 
 conflict that was to ensue, his sound judgment led him to weigh the 
 character and talents of Gay at their real worth. Tlirough his influ- 
 ence. Gay was appointed to the command of the First Regiment 
 organized as the real Continental army. In that command he con- 
 tinued in active service until his death. 
 
 Among the incidents arising during the seige of Boston, General 
 Washington had seized a height commanding the harbor and had 
 commenced fortifying the post. It was foreseen that the British must 
 either recapture the post or evacuate the city. The sagacity of the 
 commander decided that while the enemy was divided, it would be a 
 favorable time to enter the city. He, therefore, prepared for the 
 enterprise. While the enemy were attempting to retake the post 
 thus seized, 4,000 men were placed under Putnam, with Gay, Stark, 
 Green, and Prescott, as assistant commanders. The hope was enter- 
 tained that the veteran enemy might be overcome and driven from 
 the city. It was a well-formed plan and promised favorable results 
 but it was a desperate enterprise, to bring these unskilled undisci- 
 plined, raw soldiers to combat with an army prepared by long expe- 
 rience to combat with the disciplined armies of Europe. But with 
 such officers and such a band of resolute and patriotic men, confi- 
 dence was inspired. Everything was prepared, even the boats secured 
 along shore and the men ready for embarkment, when such a furious 
 storm arose as made it impossible to embark or the boats to move on 
 the troubled waters. It could not but be seen that the hand of Prov- 
 idence was there and the lives of these valuable men were to be pre- 
 served and their services retained for future conflicts. Bennington 
 and Yorktown needed these leaders. Providence emphatically said : 
 "Not now the sacrifice, their country needs their services." Before 
 the storm abated, the seized post was so fortified the enemy deemed 
 it hazardous to make an attack upon it, and immediately prepared to 
 evacuate the city. 
 
 Their next move was to occupy New York. Gay, with his regi- 
 ment, was ordered there to aid in its defense. Worn and broken in 
 
body, but strong and Tigorous in spirit, patriotism sustained him ; on 
 the march he reached his home and spent the night with the endeared 
 ones and was strongly urged to stay and recruit his worn body. But 
 duty demanded hi.s service, his regiment his care, and possibly the 
 safety of New Y< rk might depend upon him, and he must be faithftil 
 to the leader, Washington. The early morning saw him depart and 
 if successful he hoped to see them again. But while starting his reg- 
 iment, the presentiment came i;pon him that in the coming conflict 
 his life must be sacrificed. So strong was this impression upon him 
 that he turned back to take a final leave of his family. He told the 
 loved one of the risks of battle, that his life was to be sacrificed, that 
 God's will was that he must die for his country's sake and that she, 
 too, must be willing, for the futui'e good ot their family; that now he 
 came back to commend them to the kind care of Him who does all 
 things well. While he was to fall in battle, his family would be 
 cared for through life — thus he left them in the full belief and with 
 more than Abraham's faith, that it was himself that was to be sacri- 
 ficed for his country's good. 
 
 With these devotional sentiments in his heart, he led his command 
 to the scene of the conflict, and there, within the hearing of the 
 booming of cannon and the noise of battle, his spirit took its flight 
 heavenward, leaving his worn and exhausted body to be cared for by 
 fi-iends. He was buried in Trinity Church yard. The battle was 
 lost, the American army was driven from the city. Years afterward, 
 when the success of the Americans recovered the place, the hundreds 
 of interments had so filled the cemetery, that his friends found it 
 impossible to find the spot where his ashes rested. Now nothing 
 remains of his earthly existence but the sword he wore in his last 
 conflict with the enemies of his loved country. 
 
 Now a few words to the memory of his friend and compatriot and 
 I have done. Peter Curtiss, at Gay's request, was active in raising 
 the company to avenge the massacre at Lexington. He accompanied 
 the recruits to that battlefield and participated in the Bunker Hill 
 fight behind the rail fence. He accompanied Gay to the New York 
 conflict. He was in every battle during the seven years' war, where 
 Washington commanded, and participated in storming the redoubt 
 before Yorktown, which action closed the war. These services had 
 broken down his robust frame, but his mind was still vigorous. His 
 grateful state gave him an office which it was hoped would give him 
 a comfortable support through life. But this he was obliged to relin- 
 
28 
 
 quish from infirmity of body and returned to his home, noted since 
 as the Whitman Tavern. His early life commenced as a blacksmith. 
 The implements of his early trade remained in the family and after 
 his decease were sold at public auction. Among these was an iron 
 bar with the initials of his name, " P. C," which were declared to 
 have been imprinted by his own band in years before the war. 1 
 looked upon these emblems with an almost reverential curiosity and 
 determined to possess them. I bid the instrument ofi at an enhanced 
 valuation. Age and use had worn away these insignia of his early 
 work. But as often as I take this implement in my hand, I recall the 
 name of the gallant former owner and the noble life devoted to the 
 service of his country. 
 
 In calling to recollection incidents in the lives of the prominent 
 men in active life in the second generation of the early settlers of the 
 town, I have found no one who so fully presented the leading trait of 
 character exhibited by the majority of the early settlers of the town, 
 viz., energy in the pursuit of life, as did Mr. John Mix, belonging to 
 that class called the second generation. Among the followers of the 
 energetic Hooker, who led a colony from England to Boston and 
 from thence through the Avilderness to Hartford, and there settled, 
 was the ancestor of John Mix. Of him little is known save that he 
 was a man of great energy of character, of decidedly religious ten- 
 dencies and diligent in caring for the welfare of his family. His 
 eldest son, John, was educated at Yale. At the close of his college 
 course he came to Farmington to reside and soon married there. 
 But inheriting the family trait and being full of ambition, he chose a 
 military life. As commissary, he led a most active career in the 
 Northern army under its various commanders. During the reverses 
 which preceded and followed the attempt of Burgoyne to sever the 
 confederated states, after the capture of the British army, he took 
 charge of the captured artillery and other captured ])roperty, brought 
 and stored the same at Farmington for safe keeping, and there most 
 of the materinls remained until it was needed for the capture of 
 Yorktown. At the close of the war, Mr Mix returned to the duties 
 of civil life. In return for long military services and for his marked 
 ability, the citizens gave him the best gift within their reach, viz., 
 "Town Clerk of the Corporation," which office he retained by annual 
 appointment some twenty years. He was also appointed a magis- 
 trate, and for long years was arbiter to decide all the quarrels and 
 differences arising between the conflicting parties of the town. Such 
 
29 
 
 was the justness and uprightness of his decisions as generally to give 
 lull satisfaction to the parties. Such also was his reputation for 
 cajiacity and sound judgment, that for more than twenty years he 
 was elected as first Representative to the General Assembly of the 
 State, while he had as colleagues, at difierent times, such able and 
 popular men as Ichabod Norton, John Treadwell, Gad Stanley, Sol- 
 omon Cowles, Timothy Pitken, Jr., and others of the best men of the 
 town. Among this host of worthy men, such was the estimation in 
 which he was held by the people, he always stood as first Representa- 
 tive. An incident is in point as illustrative of the character of the 
 man. Solomon Langdon, an inhabitant of Unionville, came to Mr. 
 Mix for advice. Havmg no children and possessing a large property, 
 he wished to dis})ose of it where it would do the most good, and 
 cominiserating the condition of Rev. Dr. Porter, who was spending 
 his life with an inadequate salary, wished to help him, and sought 
 advice of Mr. Mix. Stating his Avishes, he was told it needed reflec- 
 tion, but was told to come to him a week afterwards and he would tlien 
 respond. At the api)ointed time Mr. Langdon came and instead 
 of giving directly, as Mr. Langdon ])referre(i, the advice was to give 
 to llie Society tJiree thousand dollars^ on condition tliat the Society 
 would increase it to ten thousand dollars to constitute a fund for the 
 su|)port of the gospel ministry according to the Orthodox I'aitli, and 
 thus aid Dr. Porter through that fund. Mr. Langdon was afraid the 
 Society would not dispense aid suflicient to supply Dr. Porter's needs 
 and demurred, but finally thought if the Doctor would be satisfied 
 with the interest on this amount, he would make the donation. The 
 revereiul Doctor was sent for and the case stated. The good Doctor 
 most generously consented, almost against the wishes of Mr. Lang- 
 don. The donation was made, the conditions fulfilled and thus was 
 constituted the fund, at present fourteen thousand dollars, and this 
 mainly through the agency of Mr. j\[ix. His ashes now rest in the 
 old cemetery and his name wdl be revered by many of the descend- 
 ants of the early settlers of Farmington. 
 
 After the dismissal of Mr. Pitkin from the pastoi-ate of the relig- 
 ious society in the town, Mr. Edward D. Gritfin came as a candidate 
 for the vacant pastorate, and becoming acce|)table to the society, a 
 council was called as a preliminary to the sttlement. But an unex- 
 pected op]>osition arising, the council, after long deliberation, advised 
 the calling of a second council, and this unusual course excited a 
 strong feeling throughout the community. At the meeting of th(! 
 
 \ 
 
80 
 
 second council the excitement was so great that almost every indi- 
 vidual of the town attended to hear the result. It is probable that 
 the ancient church was never before or since so filled as on that occa- 
 sion. It seemed that the very existence of the society depended 
 uj^on the result. The ablest counsel for and against the candidate 
 were employed, and a whole day was spent in the hearing. To the 
 disappointment of a large portion of the society, the council advised 
 a non-settlement of the candidate. The charge was immoral con- 
 duct. The proof was that in a passage from New York to New 
 Haven in a small sail vessel, crowded with passengers, without any 
 convenience for sleeping and auiid the jollity and scociality of merry 
 talk to keep from falling asleep, the said candidate kissed one or 
 more of the lady passengers. It was proved that these ladies were 
 of an u'reproachable character, above suspicion or reproach, and 
 nothing else j)assed but what might be considered innocent mirth, 
 caused by their novel situation. Such was the strength of feeling 
 exhibited by a ])ortion of the society, tliat it was strongly urged to 
 install the candidate without the aid of the council. But wiser 
 thought ]irevailed, and Mr. Griffin was afterward settled in a neigh- 
 boring society and became a very useful and respected minister of 
 the doctrines of the Bible. 
 
 After the bad and excited feeling of the society had settled down 
 into quietness and peace, the hope prevailed that the best interest of 
 the rising generation would be best promoted by harmonizing on the 
 settlement of a minister, and Mr. Allen Alcott was called and set- 
 tled in that office. Although an able student in theology, his ser- 
 vices were not accej^table to the society, and, after four years of 
 service, he was dismissed, to the mutual satisfaction both of people 
 and pastor. 
 
 After this dismissal the people harmoniously united in calling Mr. 
 Joseph Washburn to the pastorate of the society. Mr. Washurn 
 was a man of most genial manners, a strong believer in the pure doc- 
 trines of the gospel, an ardedt follower of the Leader and promul- 
 gator of these doctrines, an example in all moral conduct and rather 
 fascinating in conversation. He drew around him the young of both 
 sexes, and although not a great man in intellect, yet by his gifls he 
 became a man of power with the rising generation, and it is within 
 the bounds of truth to say that during the years of his ministry there 
 was a constant arousing and awakening of the people to a pi-epara- 
 tion for a future state. It was interesting to witnees the weekly 
 
81 
 
 gathering at his dwelling of the youth of his charge, to hear the 
 words of wisdom from his lips, and learn the road that leads to a 
 better world. Thus he passed his days without perhaps being aware 
 it was destined to be so short and yet so useful. Disease overtook 
 him in the midst of his labors. His physician warned him that he 
 could not endure the rigors of a northern winter, and that he must 
 seek a more genial clime during the cold season. He acquiesced in 
 the ndvice and prepared a parting sermon to the people of his charge, 
 and the next Sabbath this was communicated to them. It was sud- 
 den and unex])ected. It seemed by its tenor to be a farewell sermon 
 to earth. He warned them tli;it this might i)e his last counsel, that 
 their next meeting would be :it the bar ot God, that his whole min- 
 istry had aimed to fit them for that event, and that they must bear 
 festimony to the truth of the aim of these labors on their behalf. 
 The evidence of the sincerity of his utterance and the ho])e that still 
 glimmered on his countenance wns visible, but the pallid face, the 
 sunken eye, tlie whis])ering voice, the feeble step, all tohl the tale of 
 sorrow^ — that they would see his face no more on earth. The mor- 
 row saw him depart with his wife for New York, where he embarked 
 in a sailing vessel for Charleston. Otf Cape Hatteras they were 
 overtaken by a furious storm, and amid the tumult of the storm his 
 spirit left its frail abode. During a lull ])repai:itions were made to 
 cast the body into the dee]). Ot this the stricken widow was in- 
 foi'med, and arousing herself from the depth of her sorrow, she be- 
 sought the captain in her agony to spare the body tor a Christian 
 burial. But she pleaded in vain against the sailor's bigoted belief 
 that a dead body on board during a storm would prove fatal both to 
 vessel and crew, and the body must be cast ott". The preparation 
 must proceed. The helpless widow, without a single earthly friend 
 to help her bear this heavy load of sorrow, had to witness this to her 
 new way of disposing of the remains of departed friends. The body 
 was enclosed in an old sail, with a weight attached to the feet, and 
 then placed on a tilting i)lank with two sailors at the head, and at a 
 given signal the body was precipitated into the boiling waters. The 
 grief stricken widow tottered to the cabin, there to ponder upon her 
 lot, and a strong faith enabled her to endure until she could recall 
 the consoling and sustaining promises of the Gospel. Yet, that body, 
 devoured by the monsters of the deep, shall live again, clothed with 
 new life and new beauty, ready for the summons of its Maker, and 
 when the name of Joseph Washburn shall be called, the response 
 
82 
 
 will be, " Here am I, and the flock thou gavest me in charge," and 
 who of the witnesses of that life of the pastor, can doubt of the kind 
 reception from the Giver of all good in the language of the Bible, 
 " Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of thy 
 Lord." 
 
 When the news of the sudden death of their pastor, Mr. Wash- 
 burn, reached the society, they assembled together to mourn over the 
 calamity which had befallen them, and to express their sorrow by a 
 public vote ; also to confer upon the subject of filling the vacant pul- 
 pit. The committee of the society were to seek for such an one as 
 was the equal in capacity to the one they had lost, and in the inter- 
 val to procure one for a temporary supply. A youth of the town 
 who had been educated at Yale College, although but little known, 
 as he had lived mostly a retired and studious life, they thought would 
 answer for a temporary supply, and he was obtained. The committee 
 at the appointed time reported that they could find no candidate an- 
 swei'ing to the requirements sought for, and they were again sent 
 forth with instructions to use more diligence, and not to abate in the 
 qualifications required. In the interval the young man employed 
 had begun to make favorable impressions, and although extremely 
 modest in behaviour, his discourses evinced much vigor, depth of 
 thought, learning, and soundness of intellect. The committee again 
 reported that the requirements were of too high a standard. Candi- 
 dates were ])lenty, but none would come up to the mark. Governor 
 Treadwell, a man of great influence in the society, and who had 
 become thoroughly acquainted with the young man employed, re- 
 marked to the assembled members that all the qualifications sought 
 for by the society would be found in the young man employed by 
 them until they could find one of greater reputation, but if they 
 would give the modest young man on trial a thorough opportunity to 
 develop his talents, they would find him all they asked for. In com- 
 pliance with that advice they agreed to give him a thorough trial, 
 and after the ordeal a proposition was made to invite the candidate 
 to become a settled pastor of the society, and in that large assem- 
 blage of more than one hundred individuals not one opposed the 
 invitation. 
 
 Mr. Porter was the son of a plain, humble, worthy member of the 
 society, living in an obscure part of the town, and but little noticed 
 or known, save as a constant, regular attendant on public worship on 
 the Sabbath. The minister was sedate and quiet in manner, not at 
 
33 / 
 
 all inclined to boyish sports, but thoughtful in appearance and char- 
 acter. He gave evidence of capacious intellect which his after life 
 corroborated. His sermons showed deep thought, sound reasoimg, 
 and occasional eloquence, beyond the reach of most men. 
 
 It was through the advice of Mr. Was>iburn that he became a 
 student of theology, and it is within the bounds of truth to say that 
 but few men possessed a more thorough knowledge of the true doc- 
 trines of the Bible than did Dr. Porter. His life was given to study; 
 he seemed to have no pleasure in the ordinary joys of life; the mid- 
 night lamp often illumined his study, and the morning sun has often 
 found him preparing his Sabbath discourses. The old custom re- 
 quired two labored sermons tor each Sabbath. In his later years a 
 friend besougnt him to write but one sermon for each Sabbath, and 
 depend upon extemporizing for the afternoon service. His reply 
 was, " I never practiced it in my younger days for fear I might use 
 terms or words that might be construed as meaning what I did not 
 intend, and now it is too late and I must labor on while I last." 
 That the good man's labors were disinterested the following facts 
 will prove. A parishioner wishing to aid the pastor by a pecuniary 
 gift, sought a friend for advice (the pastor had spent his patrimony 
 for his necessary expenses). The friend advised that instead of giving 
 direct, he should pledge the amount he intended to give the pastor, 
 to the society for a fund for the support of the gospel ministry, con- 
 ditioned that members of the society would raise the fund to ten 
 thousand dollars. The gentleman demurred, but finally agreed, if 
 Dr. Porter would consent (he having been notified previously that 
 he was to be the recipient of the gift). The Doctor was sent for and 
 the terms stated. He disinterestedly relinquished the gifts against 
 the real wishes of the donor. The salary of the Doctor was five 
 hundred dollars and the use of the parsonage, estimated at one hun- 
 dred dollars. But the use of the same parsonage by the previous 
 pastor had brought him in debt by repeated loss offences by freshets. 
 The salary of the Doctor was increased at long intervals by sums of 
 one hundred dollars, but the greatest amount he ever received for one 
 year was seven hundred dollars. 
 
 The good man left a large family, and they, profiting by his bright 
 example and wise counsels, have become usefiil members of society. 
 One has become eminent as president of Yale College, celebrated as 
 a learned man, and admired for great purity of character. But for 
 soundness of intellect we shall look in vain to find a superior to the 
 
34 
 
 aged pastor of tli^e ancient church of Farmington. He was a great 
 man in the best sense of the word, and it will be long before we shall 
 look upon his like agkin. 
 
 Perhaps there are no facts more illustrative of the energy of char- 
 acter displayed by the <^arly settlers of Farmington than some inci- 
 dents in the life of Chuuncey Hills, as related by himself in after 
 years, and which are ot such interest that they seem to the writer 
 worth relating. His statement commences thus: "I went to Chaun- 
 cey Deming, a moneyed man, and related my destitute condition, 
 saying, ' I am twenty-three years ol age; I have just married one a 
 little younger than myself, equally destitute, both possessing vigorous 
 health, and each determined to earn a living by industry. My 
 brother owns and (jflers a farm of seventy acres, with a house and 
 barn, at a price below its real value, because of debt. I wish to pur- 
 chase it, but have not the means. Believing that with prudence and 
 industry I can redeem and pay for the property, I propose to bargain 
 for it, and mortgage the same until I can pay the debt. Now will 
 you loan me the money and take the mortgage until I can pay the 
 debt ? ' Mr. Deming quietly heard my statement without a single 
 word in reply, and after a steadfast gaze at me for at least fifteen min- 
 utes (I thought it an hour), opened his lips and said, ' I wonder what 
 any young woman could see in you that could induce her to marry 
 you, rough looking and unpolished as you are, and clad in garments 
 of the coarsest texture. But they are befitting your condition and as 
 good as you ought to wear under the circumstances, and I commend 
 your prudence. The tarm is worth more than the price named and 
 is ample security for the price asked. I will loan you the money on 
 these conditions : You are to bring me the Town Clerk's certificate 
 of the property's being unencumbered, and you and your brother are 
 to appear at my store at 9 o'clock to-morrow. I will have a magis- 
 trate here, your brother is to give you a deed of the property and you 
 are to give me a note and a mortgage deed of the same with annual 
 interest, and payable annually at the end of each year, with the 
 expectation that if there is any failure in the conditions, legal meas- 
 ures are to be taken to oust you from possession.' These i-igid con- 
 ditions were what I expected and were complied with to the letter; 
 nay, at the end of the first year I had paid some of the principal, and 
 for forty years I have not been out of debt." It was remarked to 
 him this was not very wise ; his reply was, ' It is both wise and pru- 
 dent and I can demonstrate it. Six months ago my wife said to me, 
 
35 
 
 'My dress is faclecl, nn<\ pride says I must have a new one. My 
 neighbors when at church, with new dresses, look at and despise me. 
 I know we are better able to appear in public well dressed than most 
 of them, aud it makes me feel uncomfortable.' To this I replied that 
 she was a good wife and deserved to be gratified, and if she insisted 
 upon it I would borrow the money to purchase a new dress. But if 
 these neighbors, who so despised her, should meet with any pecuniary 
 calamity, they would solicit aid from her. I had felt something as 
 she had, and had looked upon my faded Sunday suit and thought I 
 deserved a better, but had come to the conclusion to wait until I had 
 cleared away my debt, which I hoped soon to do, and then to in- 
 dulge in a new coat. But I reiterated that if she decided to have a 
 new dress she should be gratified. Tiius we sejjarated, but at the 
 evening sitting she informed me she had concluded to wait and both 
 have ne^v garments together, and thus I demonstrate my course of 
 economy." 
 
 Among the incidents of these early days of the settlement of our 
 country there is none more illustrative of the resolute, persevering 
 industry of the early settlers of Farmington than the establishment 
 of a turnpike road from its center to New Haven. A charter was 
 obtained through the influence of the merchents and a company 
 formed with authority to establish two toll gates, and the company 
 gave notice that they should establish one within the bounds of the 
 town. The citizens were ;troased a!id a public lueeting was called, 
 at which the selectmen were authorized to make said road to the 
 southern limits ol the town rather than subject its citizens to the pay- 
 ment of toll, ])rovided said company would not erect a toll gate 
 within five miles of its border. With the assent of the company to 
 this, the selectmen issued proposals lor the building of the road, 
 pledging their acceptance of one on condition that it was reasonable, 
 from the lowest bidder. There were some twenty bidders, ofi'ering 
 to make said road at prices from one dollar to thirty-five cents per 
 rod. Among these bidders was Chauncey Hills, then over sixty years 
 of age, ofi^ering to build at thirty-five cents. The selectmen were 
 satisfied that the road aould be built for less, and ofi'ered Mr. Hills 
 this alternative — to work two days with his help and then accept 
 twenty-five cents per rod for the whole distance, or receive thirty-five 
 cents for the work done, and leave the job. After the trial Mr. Hills 
 accepted the selectmen's price and completed the work, thus evincing 
 what an old, worn man could accomplish, and proving the energy 
 
36 
 
 and persevering industry of the early settlers of the town. Thii 
 industrious, frugal farmer became the owner of more than one thou- 
 sand acres of the best land in Plainville, and the annual product of 
 his farm was in the various grains. He sold from ten to twelve hun- 
 dred bushels yearly, and one year ])roduced fifteen hundred bushels. 
 This was the reward of his persevering industry, and his descendants 
 are now among the most prosperous and thrifty dwellers of Plainville. 
 The excitement and the psti-iotic feeling aroused by the removal of 
 the battle flags to their last resting-place in the new Capitol, by the 
 soldiers surviving the War of the Rebellion aroused anew the strong 
 feeling so universally exhibited through the country during its con- 
 tinuance, and calls to recollection the leading incidents recorded of 
 the War of the Revolution, which separated us from the Mother 
 Country. It is a most pleasing thought that the Roman patriotism 
 so strongly exhibited by our fathers, is still existing in the minds of 
 their descendants, ready, if need be, to call forth their personal ser- 
 vices in the call of their country. There are many facts but imper- 
 fectly known concerning the self-sacrificing patriotism of that worthy 
 ancestry, which might be recorded to their credit, and to the profit of 
 the rising generation. After the lead of the patriot Gay, Noadiah 
 Hooker led a company of nearly one hundred of the citizens of 
 Farmington to the seige of Boston. The slaughter at Lexington by 
 the British soldiers had aroused the whole of Connecticut, in com- 
 mon with her sister States, to action, and in point of number, a great 
 army was assembled in front of Boston to revenge the slaughter of their 
 bretliren at Lexington. The patriot cry throughout the whole country 
 was " Vengeance on the murderers." Washington, on assuming com- 
 mand of the patriot army, organized a regiment of volunteers to serve 
 the country during the war. Of this regiment Fisher Gay was the 
 first commander or colonel, and a large number of Captain Hooker's 
 Farmington boys enlisted for permanent service. Among them was 
 Peter Curtiss, and through all the war of seven years' duration, he 
 served in various capacities, from flag-bearer up to major, and at the 
 capture of Cornwallis, of Yorktown, he led the assault on the for- 
 midable redoubt, which was the main defense of the British army, 
 and on its capture the British ai-my surrendered, and thus ended the 
 war. Ca})tain Hooker commanded a regiment of militia for several 
 years, and did eminent service in the Northern army and was present 
 at the capture of Burgoyne. Amer Wadsworth was the standard- 
 bearer in Captain Hooker's company, and was a most gallant ofticer. 
 
37 
 
 In a letter to his brother at home he gives an account of a Buccessfiil 
 raid upon the enemy, and as it is well worth the recital for its bold- 
 ness and gallantry, I will give it mostly in his own language : 
 
 " The British commissary department had collected a store of beef 
 cattle and ])laced them for safe keeping on an island in the vicinity 
 of Boston. The Americans determined to secure them for their own 
 use, and a large number of boats were provided and brought to one 
 point, and it was a wonder what was to be done with them. The 
 party, mainly volunteers, embarked without knowing their destina- 
 tion, landed on the island, and collected their prey. But discovery 
 was made, and an armed vessel was dispatched to drive off the raid- 
 ers. But the vessel in the attempt ran aground. The American 
 party discovered the disaster and determined to take advantage of 
 it, and all the boats left for the new enterjirise. The vessel was sur- 
 rounded and overpowered by numbers, the crew taken prisoners, and 
 the vessel burnt. The party returned to their original pur])Ose, and 
 with jirisoners and cattle returned to the mainland in safety. Among 
 the prisoners was a Boston damsel, married to the pilot captain, and 
 in her fear aske<l what they were going to do with her. The gallant 
 Wadsworth told her she might accompany her husband, or they 
 would send her back under a tlag of truce to Boston, for they did 
 not war with women. She preferred not to live among rebels. The 
 raid was thoroughly successful." 
 
 In the oi)eration of the army undei- Washington they secured a 
 height which commanded the harbor of Boston, and which was 
 immediately fortified, and the naval commander informed the Briti«h 
 General that it was no longer safe for the fleet to remain there. The 
 British General was reduced to the alternative of evacuating Boston 
 or drive the American arniy from their position. But the lesson of 
 Bunker Hill had taught the commander that ihe lives of the soldiery 
 had better be preserved for other fields, and a better chance of life; 
 and orders were immediately given to embark the army on board the 
 vessels, and thus ended the seige of Boston. 
 
 Miss MuUins, in giving the reasons why she was not ready to accept 
 the proffers of marriage from Captain Standish, said that her mother 
 had charged her never to think of that mattei- until her chest of linen 
 was filled. Whether this sage advice had become the rule of action 
 for the young women of this ancient town it is not for the writer to 
 say, but certain it is, that class of the early settlors were equally con- 
 spicuous as their male companions for their industry in preparing the 
 
38 
 
 materials which were to be theirs in the future allotments for life. In 
 those early days the making of linen was a family business, wholly 
 carried on by the labor of hands, without the aid of machinery, and 
 principally by females, save that the labor of weaving in the heavy 
 looms of those days required the strength of men to perform the 
 labor. The spinnnig wheels as then used, and all the apparatus of 
 the kind, arc now stowed away as useless lumber in all the ancient 
 dwellings of the land. The use of these required much patient prac- 
 tice, but most of the women became experts in spinning. Carding 
 was a slower process. The cards were small, four inches by eight, 
 and the most exj)ert could turn off only short rolls at the rate ot 
 about one per minute; now by machinery or water power, one large, 
 long roll can be turned off in less than one second, and in spinning, a 
 single young woman can attend u])on one hundred spindles with only 
 the labor of mending broken threads. In the early months of the 
 year the buzz of the wheel could be heard fi-ora every dwelling, in 
 most instances accompanied by the voice of the spinner, as if she 
 delighted in the labor, and indicating very cheerful preparation for 
 the coveted store that was to be laid up for future use ; and when the 
 process of weaving had resulted in long yards of linen, the process of 
 bleaching was to finish the labor of preparation. And this was to be 
 iii vuoinplished during the clear, hot sun of July, and upon the clean, 
 giiissy sward adjoining the dwelling the long pieces were spread 
 ready for the sprinkling process, and this as fast as dried was to be 
 renewed. The young women were the actors in this process, and 
 the writer is compelled to acknowledge that he was oiten tempted to 
 turn aside from his cruel employment of robbing birds' nests by the 
 bright faces and charming company of these bleachers to aid in trans- 
 portino; the water-pot. Thus were the young women necessarily 
 em])loyed in the preparation and manufacture of clothing for them- 
 selves and to supply the needs of the families to which they belonged. 
 Some of your readers may be tempted to say the females thus busily 
 employed must have been deprived of that cultivation of mind which 
 would fit them to become companions for that other and better edu- 
 cated class. To this I reply that in some future article I shall give 
 examples of individuals thus reared and thus employed, who became 
 ornaments not only to their own sex, but fitting examples for our own 
 to follow. 
 
 The cotton plant had not yet become acclimated in our country. 
 The first importation of its product was in the shape of a coarse, 
 
39 
 
 elazy article from China, called "hurabum," fit only for wrappers; hut 
 finding it could be made into a finer and better article, and perhaps 
 be a substitute for flax, and possibly wool, the ex]>erinient was made 
 of planting its seed and trying it at the South, that being a congenial 
 climate. The experiment succeeded beyond expectation in the sea 
 islands of the Carolinas. It grew and jiroduced most luxuriantly, 
 and soon supplanted the use of flax, because it could be raised at one- 
 half the cost, and of finer texture, besides being easily manufac- 
 tured. In fact, it supplied the place of wool to such an extent as in 
 its early use to receive the cognomen of "cotton wool"; and such 
 was the facility of its production and the extent of its culture that it 
 has become the principal material in all our goods used for clothing, 
 except silk goods, which are expected to remain pure and uncontam- 
 inated. 
 
 The thinking men now began to ponder upon improvements to aid 
 the labor of hands ami facilitate the means to satisfy the wants and 
 artificial devices of a rising community. The reputation of the pros- 
 perity ot the farmers of Farmington had so spread that mechanics of 
 all kinds flocked there to participate in their prosperity. These 
 acquisitions helped to increase its })0|)ularity, and this may account in 
 part for the stand it took, compared with its sister towns, and partic- 
 ularly with Hartford. A reference to the Colonial rec^ords of ,1 3 
 State will show the standing of Farmington compared with its si;, r 
 towns. So late as 1775 the grand levy stood thus: New Haven, 
 $73,1200; Norwich, 108,678; Farmington, $66,571 ; Guilford, $38,406; 
 New London, $35,3ti8; Wethersfield, $38,695; Hartford, $28,120; 
 Windsor, $24, 625. Thus stands the record, and the i)oi)ulatiou will 
 nearly compare with the list. Considering the unfavorable location 
 of Faimington compared with the towns named, all within the reach 
 of navigable waters, these facts must speak favorably for the industry 
 and enterprise of its people. But even here the active mind of its 
 people began to ponder upon the practicability of machinery to aid 
 in the manufacture of clothing. One of the earliest settlers of the 
 tcnvn, Brownon by name, built the first mill, for the manufacture of 
 flour, within the limits of the purchase. This was located on the 
 side of the mountain, half a mile south of the meeting-house, on a 
 brook sustained by surface water from the swamp, to retain which a 
 dam was built of granite, laid in cement, and now it seems so incapa- 
 ble of decay that from present appearance it will last until time shall 
 be no longer. A son of this man, a mechanical genius, a dyer, a spin- 
 
40 
 
 ner, a weaver, an adept at all trades, first introduced the spring shut- 
 tle and other improvements in weaving, and finally went to England 
 to compare and watch the acquirements of genius there, and on his 
 return his varied employments kept his active mind in full employ 
 until the juice of the sugar cane checked all his improvements. In a 
 quarrel with his wife he threw her into the great dye kettle, fortu- 
 nately not so hot as to scald, yet so warm as to impress the coloring 
 material into her skin, and she was compelled to absent herself from 
 public gaze for several months. As an indication of the mirth caused 
 by this incident among the people, a school girl offered to a male 
 companion to write his epitaph, provided he would paste it upon Mr. 
 Brownon's door. The arrangement made, the epitaph read thus : 
 
 " Here lies one, and he was human, 
 He lived a man, but dyed a woman." 
 
 This was paraphrased to read thus : 
 
 " Here lives one, and he was human, 
 
 He lives as a business man, but dyes women." 
 
 The wits of the town called upon Mr. Brownon to know when he 
 could take in their women to dye, under pretense that they each had 
 one to operate upon. Mr. B. became impatient and swore vengeance 
 could he find the perpetrator, and the poor boy had to keep shy of 
 the wrath of the mortified sufferer. 
 
 In estimating the character of the early settlers of the town, and 
 in treating of the female portion of that community, it is but justice 
 to bring into the estimate the necessity of that class, not only of pre- 
 paring the food for the family, but in preparing and furnishing cloth- 
 ing to protect them from the winter's cold, and, like our first mother, 
 to provide material (although of different texture) for modesty and 
 necessity. This made it necessary for almost constant and never- 
 ending labor. While their companions of the sterner class, had 
 seasons of rest, for the cultivation of the mind, there was no oppor- 
 tunity for such relaxation to improve theirs by similar thoughts and 
 employment. Still, under these privations, we have seen them rise to 
 an equal standing with the more fortunate class. In the common 
 schools, with opportunity for fair competition, we have seen them 
 excel their com|)etitors of the prouder sex. In adult years we often 
 find them taking the lead in benevolent projects having for their 
 object the amelioration and improvement of the condition of our 
 fallen race. It was a well known fact that in former years the 
 amount annually contributed for missionary and benevolent pur- 
 
41 
 
 poses was larger than from most places in the State of equal wealth 
 and population ; but it is not as well known that the larger share of 
 these contributions came through female hands. Another fact is also 
 well known, that in some of the most wealthy families the female 
 head was the sole contributor to these great objects, and even now, 
 reduced in population and wealth as she is, the statistics of contribu- 
 tions for the 8MHK' objects for the last thirty years, as the treasurer's 
 books will show, the amount annually contributed averaged -f? 1344.75 
 for each year, and these contril)utions are independent of ]>rivate 
 charities, which the writei" estimated from observation to double that 
 amount. By these and like facts we may estimate the real worth of 
 "God's last, best gift to man," not for their [)ersonal attractions, not 
 for their accomplishments, but for that kindness of heart which 
 caused the poor wi<low to bestow her last mite in objects of charity. 
 But we are not without an example of that class excelling ours even 
 in hteratur and fine wi'iting. 
 
 The ancient cemetery had become so filled as to make it necessary 
 to provide a new one, and its committee was directed to report a 
 suitable location for it. The report recommended a plot, which 
 legend said, was once occupied by the red man for the same purpose, 
 with the further recommendation that a monument be erected to 
 commemorate that tact. This was accepted, and a native artist 
 emjjloyed to fui-nish one from the native soil and a writer sought for 
 a suitable memorial. Lydia Huntley, reared in the Wadsworth fam- 
 ily, and often residing with one of its branches in Farmington, was 
 thought of, but was adjudged not sufticiently skilled as a writer, and 
 application made to a poetic writer, a resident of New Haven. He 
 received the ap|)lication with much satisfaction, apparently, and 
 agreed to furnish it at a given time. When called upon his replj 
 was, " I have attempted to write a suitable memorial for the lost race, 
 and, after three separate attempts, have given it up in despair. The 
 truth is, ins})iration would not come, and I applied to ray friend. Miss 
 Huntley, to aid me, and after a whole night spent in the labor, she 
 presented me the following memorial, in commemoration of the tiict 
 of its former occupation." This we accepted, and is a portion of that 
 memorial. Miss Huntley's ei)itaph gracing the memorial stone is as 
 follows : 
 
 Chieftains of a banished race, 
 In your ancient burial place 
 By your Father's ashes blest, 
 Here in peace securely rest. 
 
42 
 
 Since on life you looked your last, 
 Changes o'er your laud have passed; 
 Strangers came with iron sway, 
 And your tribes have passed away. 
 
 But your fate shall treasured be 
 In the strangers' memory, 
 And virtue long her watch shall keep. 
 Where the Red Man's ashes sleep. 
 
 The writer of this memorial afterwards married Mr. Sigotirney, 
 and hei- name became somewhat celebrated for her writing and 
 genius. But other natives of this town gave evidence of genius and 
 skill in com])osition. Mrs. Lowrey, without other education than 
 what she obtained in a common district school, and though over- 
 whelmed in the cares of a large, rising family, yet found time to 
 write, while others slept, much that is worthy of perusal. Among 
 other productions, she composed a poetic discription of the beauties 
 of the Tunxis vwlley, connected with its river, which gave it the 
 name, a production far more worthy of publication than many others 
 which have found their way into print. But an epitaph which she 
 wrote is worthy of particular notice. A youth of the town said, to 
 his weeping friends, " Do not weep, for God is with me." Her epi- 
 taph reads thus: "Yes! He was with him as life ebbed away, and 
 peace was given, as in that hour of nature's agony, he passed to 
 heaven." There are but few epitaphs more appropriate or more 
 beautiful. But I ]jass to recollections of my earlier day. In pur- 
 suing my daily avocations in tlie not commendible pursuit of robbing 
 birds' ni'i^ts, I met a middle aged woman with no personal attractions, 
 but most scrupulously neat in her plain attire. There was a dignity in 
 her mein, and a benevolence in her countenance, which attracted me. 
 I saw her enter the abode of poverty and wretchedness. I knew she 
 did iKit belong there, and I enquired her out. They told me she was 
 a widow, left, tor those times, with a considerable fortune which she 
 was speiuling among the poor, and as they said, unworthy, but I 
 could not but commend her benevolence. After a time she sickened 
 and sent for an amanuensis, to whom she dictated her will. The 
 property left was to constitute a perpetual fund, the interest of 
 which was to be applied to the following named uses. First, To aid 
 youths in striving to get an education, fitting them to become preach- 
 ers of the gospel ; /Second, To aid poor female members of the church 
 who were needy ; Third, To aid poor destitute widows with a flock 
 of children, without other means of support than the labor of a des- 
 
43 
 
 titute mother. The officers oi tlie church, for the time being, were 
 made the trustees of the fund. \ Thus far, it is the full belief tlxat that 
 trust has been faithfully executed. It is well known that two at least 
 and probably three, have been thus aided in completing their educa- 
 tion, and have become eminent in their profession as teachers of gos- 
 pel doctrines, and that worthy destitute female professors of gospel 
 doctrines, have been aided in the thorny path of life. If the succes- 
 sors in office as trustees shall be as faithful to this trust as their prede- 
 cessors have been, ages hence some jjoor and destitute widow, with 
 children around her crying for bread, on receiving aid from this fund, 
 will bless the name of Anna Smith, its fov;nder. 
 
 The following letter, first published in 1810, is so illustrative of the 
 character of ancient settlers of the old town, cannot fail to interest the 
 descendants of those worthies. In it are facts of such worth that by 
 repitition will not lose their value. It is a letter written by Rev. Ada 
 Packard, of Lancaster, Mass., to his gi-andson, at school at Farming- 
 ton. " In 1777, while I was passing through Farmington, on return- 
 ing from the army and New York, to my parents at Bridgewater, I 
 was taken sick. The wound I had received in battle, was not healed, 
 the ball ti'oubled me and is still an affliction. I could not walk with- 
 out an arm to lean upon ; I could not rise from the fiooi- without 
 assistance, I could travel only a few miles in a day. On a Sabbath 
 morning, as snow lay upon the ground, I was in Farmington village, 
 leaning on my friend, who le<l me. Striking something with my foot, 
 I fell. Bursting into tears, I said I could go no further, I will die 
 here." His counsel and entreaties were lost. I persisted in refusing 
 to go further. " Well," said he, " there is a tavern, we will go there." 
 "No," said I, "I will die here." "You cannot get in at a private 
 house," was his reply. Standing, and leaning upon him, I looked 
 around u])on houses in sight and selected a neat, snug looking one- 
 story house, not painted, and standing back fi'om the road, then said, 
 " I will try here." A Mr. Thomas Cowles was the owner. We went 
 in. The venerable man had his great Bil)le before him on a small 
 table near the fire. His plain dress, blue stockings, and small-clothes 
 I well remember. I was spokesman. I told my sufferings and 
 wishes. He said " he could not take me in ; his daughter, who took 
 the care of him, was feeble and sickly and unable to bear additional 
 labor." I was in tears, as I am now. " Sir," says I, or similar words, 
 " my parents are living and are respectable people, and if you had a 
 son situated as I am, and should make a similar request of them, as 
 
I 44 
 
 I do of you, tliey w^oiil'l not turn him away ; you must let me stay 
 until I am better." At this time tha daughter came into the i-oom 
 (she was some forty or l(ifty years old). I do not remember all her 
 kind, commiserating word^, but she consented to my staying there 
 and never was greater kikdness shown to a jjoor, sick sufferei- than 
 was shown to me. How long I was confined there I cannot say, but 
 I was delirious at times aAd very ill. I know an elderly physician 
 attended me. When ray b^tother came to my relief, both Mr. Cowles 
 and the physician refused to take compensation for their services. I 
 wrote to Mr. Cowles often and he answered me, and having a direct 
 opportunity, I sent him two books, in which I wrote him the grateful 
 feelings of my heart. " I was a stranger and ye took me in." If then 
 any of his descendants are living, they ought to know of this benevo- 
 lence shown to a stranger, worthy of a Christian. May I meet him 
 in a better world. 
 
 While recalling historical tacts regarding the female portion of the 
 early settlers of the ancient town, I feel constrained to relate one or 
 two anecdotes of the descendants of those worthies, whose good 
 deeds we delight to recall. The writer had occasion to test the char- 
 acter of these in point of benevolent feeling towards those who had 
 no claim on their charities as residents of their neighborhood. The 
 claimants wei-e English peasantry, with only a temporary home, with 
 a large family of children without clothing to protect them from the 
 winter's cold, then approaching, and having no claim on public char- 
 ity by a fixed residence. Application was made to over twenty indi- 
 viduals to aid in clothing these suffering little ones, and among the 
 whole number thus called upon there were but two individuals who 
 refused to respond to the modest call for cast-oiF clothing. The read- 
 inesss to respond to this call will best illustrate the kind-heartedness 
 of this portion of the descendants of the early settlers. The female 
 head of a family to whom the application was made promptly 
 responded, "These children must be clothed for winter. I will spare 
 an overcoat for the eldest son, that he may attend school, and here 
 are remnants of flannel that will make under-garments for the little 
 ones. Will they be made up by the mother?" The kind donor was 
 assured it should be done, and if she chances to read this her heart 
 will be gratified with the assurance that the mother of the suffering 
 little ones showed the writer the garments made from these gifts. A 
 lady, to whom application was made, responded, " The poor around 
 me are expecting all I can spare in the way of cast-off garments, and 
 
45 \ 
 
 I soiiui]) myself for tlieir saket^; but sit (lo\v«), let me search ami see 
 if I cannot spare somethino- for the sufferi/ig ones," After a time 
 spent in searching, she returned with two pai}' of stockings witli the 
 a})ol()gy that they wanted sonie darning; anri a pair of men's boots, 
 with the remark that she feare<l her husband, from intirmity, would 
 not need tliem more; if lie should be able to go abroad he could buy 
 more, while the father of the suffering family, wearing these, would 
 be better able to provide for the little ones. 1 accepted the gift and 
 the thought passeil my mind, where shall I find the woman who will 
 exhibit the same forethought and kindness of heart? The writer is 
 constrained to acknowledge the feeling of pride and exultation that 
 no proof of degeneracy was found in the descendants ot those worthy 
 ancestors whom we delight to honor. 
 
 Among the incidents arising from and connected with the settle- 
 ment of the ancient town, perha])S there are none more illustrative of 
 the energetic character ot these men than the occupancy of the great 
 swamp, as it was termed, as a place of residence. 
 
 This is a broad valley, lying between the villages of Kensington 
 and Worthington, now constituting the town of Berlin. This valley, 
 rich in soil and tem))ting to the agriculturist, is nine miles from the 
 ancient settlement, the road to which, crossing the mountain, was the 
 resort of hostile savages and occujiied by beasts of prey and venom- 
 ous serpents, yet the hardy settlers wei-e willing to risk these ]ierils to 
 occupy so tempting a situation. 
 
 Some four years ago a project was broaclied to carry the Western 
 Railroad through Farmington to New Britain, and in an examination 
 to locate said road, the wi'iter spent some time to find the most eligi- 
 ble line to locate the same, and, to his surprise, he found plain and 
 visible marks of the ancient road, across a spur of the mountain so 
 often traversed by these enterprising men, and having learned much 
 of the punctual habits of these men in attending religious service, 
 through an aged ancestor, and more particularly the method of travel, 
 imagination led me to contemplate the scene of such travel, as had 
 been so often witnessed and described to me by this venerable ances- 
 tor. I leaned up on a rock and the illustration seemed perfect. The 
 cavalcade was led by a woman mounted u})on the family steed with 
 two daughters behind her, seated upon a stuffed seat called a pillion, 
 steadying themselves by holding fiist by the mother. Walking beside 
 the horse was the careful husband with his musket upon his shoulder, 
 ready for any risk or danger or hostility presenting, and thus to 
 
46 > 
 
 I 
 ensure the safety of hJ,; family. Cl(()se behind liim were three boyS' 
 
 following their parents; to the place of worship, and as the way was 
 long and the little oni^s hungry, each of their pockets was stuffed 
 with food to satisfy tho; cravings of appetite, but each of these little 
 ones instinctively filled ^-^lie opposite pocket with smooth, round peb- 
 bles to cast at the small animals and birds on their wearisome \vay to 
 church, and with these pebbles were stuffed the wild fruits as gath- 
 ered on their Avay, and occasionally as a pebble flew at a bird and 
 an exclamation followed, the strict parent would warn the boy it was • 
 the Sabbath or Holy time ; the excuse was ready " it's a big snake," ' 
 and thus mollify the indulgent parent. Next followed a mother, sim- 
 ilarly mounted, with an infant in her arras, with her eldest daughter 
 seated on a pillion and clinging to her mother for safety, the anxious 
 father by her side, carefully guarding the precious charge, and as it 
 was a day to administer the rite of baptism, each member of the fam- 
 ily must be present, as was then the custom, to see the performance of 
 the ceremony ; the pride, or rather the sense of propriety, caused the 
 mother to insist that the two boys accompanying them should appear 
 decently clothed, with shoes on their feet: the boys were thus 
 equi})ped for the occasion, but they, not used to the incumbrance, 
 complained loudly, their feet were hurt, the skin Avas rubbed off, and 
 they were limping on the way, and the pitying father consented to 
 the removal and carrying in the hand of this cause of trouble, while 
 the mother remonstrated, saying it was a disgrace to have her boys 
 appear before the whole congregation with dirty feet, but the matter 
 was compromised by arranging that the boys should w^alk without 
 shoes until they reached the last run of water near the church, where 
 they were to wash and then resume their shoes; and thus was the 
 pride of apprehension of the good woman satisfied for the occasion. 
 
 The next party in the procession was an aged man on his long-used 
 faithful horse, gentle and kind and ready for any service, with his 
 loving wife seated behind him, with his African slave carefully guard- 
 ing by his side ; he, on being questioned, said his master was good 
 and kind, had fed and clothed him when a boy, and when he now 
 was old and infirm and needed care, he felt that he must repay 
 that kindness, and now he w^as caring for both master and mistress. 
 He helped them on and off their horse, took good care of the animal 
 when they were at church, and when they were through helped them 
 to mount and carefully guarded them home. 
 
47 
 
 Thus each separate family were mounted pn their family horse, 
 with each head of a family carefully guardinW and caring for its 
 
 . safety. There were fourteen families in the I'lew settlenient and so 
 constant were they in attendance on the instruction thus disjiensed, 
 that, unless sickness prevented, each and all thus labored and toiled 
 
 < to obtain a knowledge of the duty they owed to Go«] and their fel- 
 low men. ) 
 
 Soutliington is now so ])opulous and so prosperous as to look upon 
 tli6 ancient home as but an insignificant hamlet, yet for years its scat- 
 tered pojiulation had no place of [;ublic worship save the rude log 
 chnrch of the old town, and the source and foundation oi' that pros- 
 perity may reasonably be traced to the persevering and sagacious 
 industry of its ancestry of the oW town. 
 
 Of the first church of the ancient town we only know it was of 
 the rudest structure, built of logs, and if it had seats they must 
 have been of the plainest, simplest kind, but it is more than ]»r()bable 
 that the early devotional exercises of our ancestry were ])erformed 
 standing. 
 
 Of the second church we knew something. It was a framed build- 
 ing, decent in appearance, and had low seats of the kinil, but were 
 comfortable. The only exce|)tion was a box or raised seat near the 
 door for the guard to occupy, always provided to watch and guard 
 against surpiise. The comnion seats were suppose<l to be comforta- 
 ble without raised backs, but some ladies, claiming to be infirm, peti- 
 tioned the society to build at their own expense, a few seats with 
 raised backs to lean upon during the long services they sometimes 
 had to endure. This petition the authorities received and pondered 
 upon and finally rejected. The grounds of refusal were that the 
 grant might be a source of envy and discontent among the female 
 members of the flock, and the motives of the applicants might be 
 construed into a love for distinction, or perhaps the pride of wealth 
 and thus cause discord in the church, and they therefore besought 
 the petitioners to be content with the seat the society had jirovided, 
 and perhaps, now, it may l)e a profitable en({uiry whether the costly 
 and extravagantly furnislied seating of modern churches may not be 
 a hindrance rather than aid to the spread of the gospel, and by possi- 
 bility a bar to the exercise of true love to the Redeemer. 
 
 The claim advanced by Massachusetts writers, and repeated by 
 Bancroft in his history, has been so cleai'ly refuted by facts sub- 
 stantially proved, that the claim was believed to be abandoned, viz : 
 
/ 48 
 
 that Prescott was th<? commander of Bunker Hill. The niemoiiali 
 monument now abouv to be erected on the site of the conflict, has 
 given rise to a renewal of the claim that Col. Prescott was the actual 
 commander on that occasion. 
 
 Now it seems to the vriter that a single statement of the facts as 
 they occurred, during the conflict, will place the question at rest, now 
 and forever. , 
 
 The authorities of the Massachusetts colony in selecting a spot 
 commanding the Boston harVjor, sent a force under Col. Prescott, on 
 the evening previous to the battle, to raise up and erect works to 
 annoy and command the harbor of Boston. With this command 
 Putnam was selected to fix npon the spot, where, by military woiks, 
 they could best annoy the enemy, now occupying Boston. Putnam 
 was with that party, as by his experience they could best annoy and 
 drive away the enemy. The light of day found the colonists in such 
 a commanding position that the city must be evacuated or the Amer- 
 ican army driven from the commanding posts now in the hands of the 
 Americans, and the British army was ordered to retake the height and 
 Prescott was ordered to foitify and maintain the post and Putnam, 
 with the Connecticut troops, extended the line of defence from Pres- 
 cott's post by a line of double fence lined with hay, and when Starke 
 appeared with his New Hampshire troops he was directed to extend 
 the line to the river; this order was given to Starke by Putnam in 
 the hearing of Lewis, a subordinate oflicer of the Connecticut troops, 
 and immediately obeyed. A large supply of intrenching tools in the 
 hands of Prescott's men were ordered to be removed for other points 
 by Putnam. To this Prescott objected as the enemy was approach- 
 ing and he could not spare them. To this Putnam replied "the men 
 should return " and he wanted the tools at another point, and the 
 tools were so removed. Putnam was the only man on horseback 
 during the day : he was seen in evei-y part of the field mounted ; he 
 was seen so mounted ; repeatedly swept by the British canon. 
 
 The narrow neck of land connecting Bunker and Breed's Hill he 
 directed Captain Charter, of Wethersfield, to let his men cross the 
 exposed spot in single file, so as not to expose his men needlessly ; he 
 directed Knowlton and Starke to caution their men to reserve their 
 fire until they could see the bright buttons on the enemy, and at 
 every exposed point he was seen encouraging the men to manfully 
 meet the foe. The gallant Warren had but lately been elected Major 
 General by the legislator of Massachusetts, and he came into the field 
 
49 \ 
 
 I 
 
 armed and equipped for service. Putnam cautift-usly saluted him and 
 asked him to take the command for the day. ^' 
 
 "I came as a volunteer, assign me a post where 1 can be of service to 
 our country." Col. Small of the British army in after years reported 
 that he owed his life to the noble act of Putnfini ; while leading his 
 men close vxp to the breastworks of Presccyit's command and his 
 men nearly stricken down he saw the musketb of two or three point- 
 ed at him, but at the instant he saw his old ti-iend Putnam knock up 
 the leveled miiskets saying, " save the life of my old ti'iend Small." 
 And when the ammunition was expended and the clubbed musket 
 was of no avail, and the enemy leaping the breastworks, Prescott 
 gave the order to evacuate the works then Putnam was seen mounted 
 upon his horse, leading the Connucticut troops, and covering the 
 retreating Prescott men, and repelling the advancing British soldiers, 
 and in a vain effort to stay the advancing enemy, he made every 
 effort to stay the advancing enemy, on the other hill where he had 
 begun works of defence and there was he seen using every effort that 
 human courage coidd employ to the enemy. All that a bold and 
 skillful commander could perform was exhibited in that disastrous 
 retreat. The writer would not detract from the merits of Prescott; 
 what man could do was performed by that gallant soldier, and during 
 the three murderous assaults he maintained his post with unflinching 
 resolution, and, until his ammunition gave out, successfully; but 
 while living he never claimed to be more than a commander of his 
 redoubt, and were he alive now, he would claim no higher honor. 
 And now Connecticut is unwilling that her sister state shall rob her 
 of the honor so justly due to her gallant son, the commander of the 
 American army at the battle of Bunker Hill. 
 
 J 
 
50 
 
 HYMN BY REV. EOYAL ROBBINS, OF KENSINaTON. 
 
 O'er thei^e fair plains the years have rolled 
 'Till twice, an age, its tale has told, 
 Since first our sires, Heaven's favored race, 
 Sought here their home and resting place. 
 The agete pass, but God remains, — 
 We'll pfaise him in our grateful strains. 
 
 / 
 The day anU scene, in history's page. 
 
 Afresh, our hearts, and thoughts engage, 
 
 When on this spot, the Pilgrim band 
 
 In faith to each gave each his hand. 
 
 The ages pass, but God remains, — 
 
 Our Saviour God, o'er earth he reigns. 
 
 Four-score and four our fathers were, — 
 
 A little flock, — but strong in prayer; 
 
 Bright beamed tlieir eye, of faith and love, 
 
 As fixed its gaze on things above. 
 The ages pass, but God remains, 
 Our fathers' God, o'er heaven he reigns. 
 
 Now grown in numbers to a host, 
 Whilst circling towns their parent boast, 
 We own, with grateful hearts, tlie care 
 Which saved the flock from every snare. 
 Tlie ages pass, but God remains, — 
 Our God and theirs, o'er time he reigns. 
 
 Sweet plains, with peace and plenty crowned I 
 Once the wild natives' bunting ground ! 
 No trace ye bear of savage foes — 
 So changed, save where their bones repose. 
 The ages pass, but God remains. 
 Who works all changes, or restrains. 
 
 Reap we the fruit of all their toil, — 
 Our clieerful homes, our fertile soil, 
 Our dear, domestic altars, where 
 We pour aSeetion's hallowed prayer. 
 The ages pass, but God remains, — 
 Whom grace selects, his power maintains. 
 
51 
 
 •Here freedom, laws, and justice live,'^ 
 Here schools their blest instruction g: ve ; 
 The Sabbath's holy rest is here, 
 And temple throngs to God draw near. 
 The ages pass, but God remain,-*, — 
 Whom he transfers, he, too, sjistains. 
 
 Then will we hold in solemn trust/ 
 Their chartered riglits, as honored liust. 
 And best their virtues shall proclaim, 
 As on our hearts we bind the same 
 
 The ages pass, but God remaius, — 
 We'll give him praise in endless strains. 
 
 Time bears on to wliere they rest 
 In the long slumber of the blest ; 
 There may our dust in peace be found 
 When the last trump shall rend the ground. 
 
 The ages pass, but God remains, — 
 
 O'er his eternity he reigns 
 
 EXTRACT FROM WALTER SOOTT. 
 
 Breathes there the man, with'soul so dead, 
 Who never to himself hath said. 
 This is my own, my native land. 
 Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned, 
 As home his footsteps he hath turned. 
 From wandering on a foreign strand ! 
 If such there breathe, go mark him well, 
 For him no minstrel raptures swell ; 
 High though his titles, proud his name, 
 Boundless his wealth, as wish can claim; 
 Despite those titles, power, and pelf. 
 The wretch concentered all in self, 
 Living, shall forfeit fair renown. 
 And, doubly dying, shall go down 
 To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, 
 Unwept, uuhonored, and unsung. 
 
 * Allusion to the motto of the State. 
 
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