.M5P4 :. •n*.^* ' ^ aP <^ • •• <» ^^-^. :f^' . ^^'\ ^'-^K 4 o ] ID O h- % 1 o o HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MERIDEN. BY G. W. PERKINS. WEST MERIDEN: PUBLISHED BY FRANKLIN E. HINMAN. 1849. [Copy RIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO Law] PREFACE. The compiler of the following pages, prepared a few historical sketches or reminiscences of Meriden, as a substitute for a Thanksgiving sermon ; for the dreary sight of empty seats, on those annual occasions, in a house usually full, left him no heart to preach on that day. Quite to his astonishment, the hearers were enough interested in the sketches to ask for their publication^ with such additions as might be accessible. With the expectation that a day or two spent in inquiries and reading, would enable him to comply with the wishes of his hearers, he began to prepare a few pages for the press. But he soon found himself involved in an expenditure of time and labor even for the meagre sketches here presented utterly inconceivable, to one who has not himself been enticed into local antiquarian researches. But unwilling to abandon what he had commenced, he has ransacked old documents, searched libraries, employed others to search for him, among whom he is specially indebted to Mr. Edwin Hubbard, run to and fro, from one " oldest inhabitant" to anoth- er, and after all has made a little book, which will probably be deemed unsatisfactory, and bearing little resemblance to the sermon out of which it sprung, except in the homiletic fragments, which may be found here and there in it. Although there are few formal references to names, books and documents, as authori- V PREFACE. ties for the statements on the following pages, on account of the space which would have been thereby filled, yet nothing has been stated for which the writer had not the best evidence, accessible to him at the time. No one can be more sensible than the compiler, that many of the facts here printed, are very insignificant, and can have no possible interest out of our own neighborhood. Many perhaps will think that he has wasted paper and ink on trash ; or on trifles at least. But he has inserted nothing but what had some inter- est for himself as a citizen of Meriden : and therefore he hopes it may gratify the curiosity of his neighbors and fellow-citizens. The history of a town like ours, must be a history of details ; and transactions which seem to be trifles are sometimes the best indications of the principles and condition of community. As Meriden was not a "town" until 1806, these pages embrace an account of the town of which we formed a part — Wallingford — until, Meriden became a distinct community as an ecclesiastical society, in 1729. Hence the reader will observe that the phrase " the town," " our town," &c. sometimes includes Wallingford. The spelling, punctuation, and capitals, of the old documents have been exactly copied, in all those cases in which the reader finds any deviation from our mod' ern modes of writing. The Map is a mere Outline, only designed to show distinctly how few and feeble were the settlements ia Connecticut, when Wallingford was settled. SKETCHES, &C, Psalms 80 : 8, 9, 10. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it and didst cause it to take deep root and it tilled the land : the hills were covered with the shadovi^ of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. This brief and graphic sketch of Judea, is truthfully descriptive of the origin and growth of New England. Feeble at first like a transplanted vine, with a strug- gling and precarious existence, it has grown up to a strength, wealth and power, which neither friends nor enemies dreamed of The history of each town is but a miniature copy of the history of the whole. Beginning in poverty, feebleness and hardship, many of these little territories have arrived at a degree of prosperity and improvement, in strong contrast with their early insignificance. To these facts my own mind always reverts with deep interest and grateful emotions. I have thought therefore, that I could not supply your minds with materials of more pleasant recollections, nor with better incentives to devout Thanksgiving this day, than by sketching the early history of our town. The latitude in the selection of topics usually allowed to the pulpit on occasions like these must be my apology for the introduction of some matters, not appropriate to the Sabbath; / FLRCHASE OF LNDIAN LANDS. Before the settlement of the white men, our town, of course, like all other parts of America was occupied or claimed by the Indians who lived or hunted here. My narrative will therefore naturally commence with tracing the transfer of these lands to the original white inhabitants. Purchase of Indiah Lands. Tliat part of our town which lies south of a line drawn east and west through the village of West Meriden, was very early purchased of the Indians, by the original settlers of New Haven. It appears that these settlers, in 1638, bought of '• Momaugiu, the Indian Sachem of Quinopiocke" and others of his council, the tract of land on wliich New Haven now stands, extending several miles to the northward,* and embracing probably North Haven, also. In the same year 1G38, they bought of "Mantowese, living at Mattabesick" — [or as it is usually spelt, Mattabesitt, being the tribe then living at and about the present city of Middletown,] '• the land on both sides the river Quinnypiock, from the northerly bound of the land lately purchased by the said English of the Quinny- piock Indians, [i. e. extending northward from about the present limits of North Haven] to the head of the river at the great plain [probably Hanover] towards the plantation settled by the English upon the river * Original Deed quoted at length, " Bacon's Historical I>»s- PURCHASE OF INDIAN LANDS. 8 of Quinticutt, which is about ten miles in length from north to south,"* [i. e. was to extend ten miles north from North Haven, towards Hartford on the Con- necticut.] It thus appears that the territory originally called New Haven, was about ten miles wide, and twenty miles long, extending from the sound to just about the point where the village of West Meriden now stands, and embracing the present towns of New Haven, North Haven, Wallingford, and parts of Cheshire and Meriden. Subsequently the north half of this twenty mile tract was set off, as Wallingford. As we hear much said of the gross frauds and wrongs perpetrated by the original white settlers, in their pretended purchases of land, from the Indians, the true history of these purchases ought to be under- stood. It is a well known historical fact, that the Indians living upon and west of the Connecticut river, had often suffered terrible defeats from the two most prominent tribes on their borders, the Pequots and Mohawks, and had been indeed grievously oppressed and crushed by them. They lived in constant terror of these formidable warriors. On this account they welcomed the arrival of the English among them. Nay, so desirous were they of English settlements on their territory that before the first settlement was made in the state a deputation of Indians appeared in * Bacon's Historical Discourses. The deed is there copied at length. 9 PUILCHASi: OF INDIAN LANDS. Massachusetts,* requesting the people of thai state to send a colony and form a plantation among them in Connecticut. So in one of the deeds referred to, it is expressly stated as a reason why they give the deed and wish the ^purchasers to settle among theni^ " re- membering the heavy taxes and imVninent dangers lately felt and feared from the Pequots, Mohawks and other Indians in regard of which they durst not stay in their country, but were forced to flee and seek shel- ter among the English, and observing the safety and ease that other Indians enjoy, near the English, of which benefits they have a comfortable taste already, which with all thankfulness they now acknowledge, they grant," &c., &c., &c. In this part of the country then, the original settlers were not intruders. It is true that the price or con- sideration paid for these lands was inconsiderable, when viewed from our stand point. For in one of the deeds alluded to, for a tract as large as Wallingford, Mantowese says "he is satisfied with twelve coats," and only wishes to reserve a small piece of land " for hie small company being but ten men in number be- sides women and children." But the real value of the lands was then small ; and the actual settlements of the English among them, were alone sufficient compen- sation for the territory they occupied. It further appears from the documents which I have * An account of this affair in Trumbull's history of Connecticut, chap. 2 ; also, chap. 6. Also in Winthrop's Journal. ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS. lO examined, that the lands in many instances were bought and paid for, several times over. If, after any particular tract had been purchased, some sachem or trib6 appeared with a claim to the same land, that title also was bought out, and if again other claimants appeared, the purchase was still made again. Part of Meriden was thus bought again and again. And in 1670, thirty-four years after the city of Hart- ford had been bought of the Indians, and had become populous, there arising some dispute about the title, the lands in Hartford were bought over again. The documents illustrative of this fact are too long for insertion here, but they are on record. So far were our ancestors from defrauding or wronging the original inhabitants out of these lands. Aboriginal Inhabitants. It thus appears that the south half of Meriden, was originally occupied or rather claimed by a little band of Mattabesitt Indians, not more than fifty in number, all told, and was sold to the original proprietors of New Haven, in 1638. The north half of Meriden, was also claimed by portions of the same tribe, as I think. For when Farmington was settled by the English there was a band of the Mattabesitt tribe, in the south-east part of that town, probably near to Kensington. A glance at the map will show any one that the tribe which owned the territory at Middletown and Kensington , U ORICLN OF TILE NAME. and the south part of Meriden, must unquestionably have owned the north part of Meriden, also. It is not probable however that the tract of country embraced within the present limits of our town, was ever occu- pied by any Indian village. They usually selected the banks of rivers, where there were conveniences for fishing and rich alluvial meadows for cultivation — as the sites of their villages and forts. Accordingly we find them on the rivers " Tunxis" and " Quintecutt" in great numbers, while the hilly, broken country like ours, was used by them merely for hunting purposes. Deer and all kinds of game were plentiful among our hills and swamps ; and there are several places, in our town, as at the outlet of Black Pond, where there are indications of beaver, the logs and sticks used for their dams and huts, being still found embedded and pre- served in the black earth, with the marks of their teeth still upon them. At the time of the settlement of New Haven, Smo- heag was the great Sachem of the Mattabesitt tribe. He had a fort or capital at Middletown, on the high ground near the " narrows," by the river, and, his pow- er extended over Middletown, Wallingford and Meri- den, and small portions of towns adjoining thereto. Origin of the Name. But the whole country between Hartford and New Haven, though portions of it were embraced within the nominal limits of towns, does not appear to have been ORIGIN OP THE NAME. 12 occupied with settlers for many years. A road was indeed cut very early between those two settlements, being the identical road passing through our town, and which we now term the '• the old road." So early was it cut through the wilderness, that as early as 1670, 180 years ago in an old legislative grant it was called " the old road, to New Haven."* But we have no evi- dence that for thirty years, there was a solitary house or settlement on the road. But within this period, certain localities had acquir- ed fixed and well-known names. The spot on which our village stands, was called " Pilgrim's Harbor," in an Indian deed of 1664.t There can be no reasonable doubt of the correctness of the following tradition ; universally current, among the old residents of our town. When Charles 2d, came to the throne in 1660, those who had been engaged in dethroning and execut- ing his father were compelled to flee. Some of them were concealed for a time in and near New Haven, but being in danger from the king's officers, fled to Massa- chusetts. On their journey up this road, they encamped on or near this spot for several days, it then being a swampy, tangled wilderness, well fitted for concealment. The place thence-forward as having afforded shelter or harhoi' to these men — ^who though denounced at home as regicides, were honored by our fathers as noble patriots — was called " Pilgrim's Harbor.'' * See Appendix, Ko. 4 t ^ee A^ppeirdtx, No. 1. \di ORIGIN OP THE KAMJ2. A8 early also as 1664, another locality lying north- ward of our village several miles ^as called Mcrideen ; Meridan, or Meridon.* For as early as that, an Indian deed conveying a large tract of land, describes it, or the locality about it, as " intitled and known by the name of Merrideen." 'Subsequent documents,! speak of land as lying between Pilgrim's Harbor and Merri- dan. Long before there were any settlements on this territory, and as early as there was any house, we find the name Merrideen or Meriden. The origin of the name is involved in some dispute. There is a tradition that the word is compounded of two words, " merry" and " den :" and that in an old stone house built up there in that locality, there were so many merry meetings of travellers, that the place acquired the nickname of Merry-den. But I am inclined to reject this derivation for reasons which will presently appear. It appears that one Mr. Belcher, very early, but how early we cannot precisely ascertain, had a grant of a large tract of land lying on our pres" ent northern border. Whether this was a colonial grant or a royal grant, we do not know, for no trace of deed or grant can be found in the state records or town records. This Mr. Belcher built a stone house, on that tract and very near the spot now occupied by the house gf Mr. Sidney Merriam, which old stone house served as a tavern for the very few travellers who journeyed through the wilderness then lying between Hartford * See Appendix, No. 1, t See Appendix, No^ 9. ORIGIN OF THE KAME. 14 and New Haven, and was also built strong enough to resist the attacks of the Indians. The foundations of that old house were ploughed up a few years ago, by Mr. Merriam ; and the remains of the cellar or vault used as a powder magazine, are still visible. We also know that the names of nearly all our towns were borrowed from England, the emigrants and set- tlers, with a very natural feeling transferring to America, the appellations so familiar and dear to them in their own country. For Cotton Mather remarks, " there are few of our towns, but what have their namesakes in England," and the Legislature in the preamble to an act, concerning New London^ assign as a reason for giving that name to the town, " whereas it hath been the commendable practice of all the colonies in these parts to give names to these plantations of soine cities and toiviis in Englaml.'''' It would be very natural, and almost certain there- fore that Mr, Belcher in building a house midway between two growing cities, and on a fine tract of land, where from all analogy he might expect a village ultimately to grow up — to give it a name, and a name derived from England. Now we know that there is, or was a village in England called Meriden, for in an old English Gazetteer, in the Historical Library at Hartford, we are told : " Meriden or Mireden, 97 miles from London, near Coventry. There is an inn here, one of the first in this part of England, being built like a nobleman's seat." As Mr. Belcher built 15 EARLY settlemt:nt. this stone house as early as 1664, as we find the name Meriden applied to the locality on which the house stood as early as the house was built, as Meriden in England, was distinguished for its beautiful tavern, and as Mr. Belcher's stone tavern, was an unusually substantial and costly building for that period, there can be no reasonable doubt, that he gave the name to the north part of the town ; which name was naturally transfer- red to the settlements which sprung up around it. This derivation of our name seems far more probable than any other. For the word Meriden is evidently not of Indian origin. Moreover the name is given and applied in deeds, immediately — as far as we know — after the erection of the house, and before it could have acquired notoriety and a nickname, from the revelries practised there. It usually requires a long time for such kind of names to gain foothold. Moreover, the number of travellers there was venj small^ and their general character of that grave and even austere kind, that we may be sure that so far as their conduct was concerned, the house would be more likely to acquire the name of " the praying house," than the " den of merriment." Early Settlement. As our town, originally, and for many years consti- tuted a part of the town of "Wallingford, I shall commence my narrative with the history of that place. In the year 1670, the first eettlement was made at EARLt SETTLEMENT. 16 Wallingford, At that time Hartford and New Haven had been settled about 35 years and the whole popula- tion within the territory now called Connecticut was about 1 0,000. But as the whole process of commencing and carrying on the settlement of a new town, or a ^'' plantatiorC — which was the term most commonly used — ^was very different from our modern processes, I will try to make the various steps intelligible. It has already been stated that the original settlers of New Haven in their corporate capacity, owned the whole tract from the sound up to the present village of West Meriden, which tract was about twenty miles long and ten broad. But when the increase of popu- lation seemed to render it necessary to push settlements further into the interior upon the unoccupied lands, they did not sell out farms to such individuals as chose to buy, and allow matters of this kind to take what we should perhaps call the natural course. They proceeded in a much more orderly manner. The people of New Haven, in their corporate capacity and in public meeting, voted to set off a certain portion of their territory to constitute a " village" or " plantation." The territory thus set off was to extend southward from the point where the " old road to New Haven goeth over Pilgrim's Harbor," ten miles, and to extend five miles each side of the Quinnipiock river."* The town next appointed a Committee, in whose hands they vested the title to the whole land * See Appendix, No. 4 Colony grant. 17 EARLY SETTLEMENT. embraced within the limits of the new plantation, which Committee were to admit settlers and divide the lands among them, on certain stipulated conditions, and were to have the entire control of the affairs of the plantation, until the settlement had so far proceed- ed, that the " planters" themselves should assume all municipal powers. This Committee then received applications from such as chose to commence a new settlement and selected those who in their opinion were best qualified for the work. The persons thus selected, mutually covenanted with each other and with the said Committee to observe certain rules and conditions, in a written agreement to which their sig- natures were affixed.* The Committee then proceeded to select a site for the proposed village, which location is described, as being " upon the hill, on the east side of the great plain commonly called New Haven plain," which will be at once recognized as the spot on which the present village of Walliugford stands. They then allotted to each planter a few acres of land for a building spot and a home lot, " beginning at the south-east of said hill." Having laid out the south part of the village, then '' next to the aforesaid house lots it is ordered that there shall be a highway crosse the hill, from east to west of six rods broade, [being the road, now leading from the Rail Road by the Congregational * See Appendix, No. 6 and 7, where the action of the Commit- tee, and the written covenant of the planters, are given in full from the original records. ALLOTMENTS OF LAND. 18 Church, to the main street,] and from thence a long highway of six rods broade on the top of the hill to run northward, [being the north part of the present main street of Wallingford,] and on each side of itt to ranges of house lotts of six acres to a lott ; and these lotts to be distributed." Allotments of Land. After the planters had received their respective allotments, built their houses, and had assumed the form of a regular and settled community, then the Committee, who had arranged all the preliminaries and incipient stages of the new " plantation" surrendered all their power, and the title to the whole territory, into the hands of the "planters," who thereby became, a corporate body, — in other words, a town. The land within the town limits, became thus the property of the town as a corporate body ; to be by them disposed of in such ways and to such persons as they might deem fit. One of their first acts was the allotment of certain portions of meadow and woodland to each planter at convenient distances from the village ; which appro- priations constituted the farms and private property of such individuals respectively. The land lying on the riv- er as best adapted to their purposes was first used, and described as " the lotts on the river called, New Haven east river, that are layd out to severall of the inhabi- tants as meddow land. They are to begin at the end of the hill caled Blew hill, where it comes to the river, (9 HOW KKW S£7TLER3 WEBS ADUITTED. and so to run upward tlie river." At this first apportionment of land, thirty-eight lots were given out to as many individuals or families ; some receiving eight; and some twelve acres. In these various transfers of the land, from the town of New Haven, and from them to the Committee, thence to the associated planters, and ultimately to individual proprietors, no money or consideration of any kind was paid. The land was worth literally nothing ; until actually settled and cleared. How NEW Settlers were Admitted. It would naturally occur that after the settlement was commenced, other individuals in addition to the original " planters" would desire to become residents in the town. Such an one was not expected, nor even allowed to buy any wild land. He was to make application to the town, both for permission to live in the town, and for a gratuitous allotment of land. The town in public meeting considered such a request and referred it to a Committee for consideration. That Committee after examining the testimonials which the applicant could produce touching his character, recom- mended a compliance with his request, if such testimonials were satisfactory. Accordingly we find in the records, many votes similar to the following. «I2th Feb. 1671. Agreed by y« Comitee fory« Towne of Wallingford that Isack Rise, and Nehimia Rise, shall have lotts granted y "^ provided they procure HOW NEW SETTLERS WERE ADMITTED. 20 suficient testamoney of theyr good conversation in the place whear they formerly lived." So careful were they in guarding the character of their new settlement, that even the land which was appropriated to individuals as their private property, was held under this condition, that no sale was to be made to any stranger, until the character of the proposed purchaser had also been examined and approved by the town, and leave granted by express vote of the town, for such transfer of land. Thus we find on the town records frequent entries like the following. « 23d Feb. 1677. The towne gave liberty to Nath'l Hickcok to sell his accomodation to any such men as y ** towne shall approve of" "20th Oct. 1674 voted that Good" Foote shall have liberty to buy the lott, y^ is Joseph Eives provided he procure sufl&cient teastimony of his good conversation in y® plase wheare he now pretendethto remove." Next January, we find "the teastimony for Goo^ foote being sevesente and axepted, he was admited & planter upon the lott that was Joseph eives." Not only were those who wished to become perma- nent residents, necessitated to make application to the town, before they could receive an allotment of the pub- lic land, or be allowed to buy out a previous settler ; but even temporary residents must obtain permission to sojourn for a time, within the town limits. For we find on the records votes similar to the one her© copied. 21 ADDITIOKAL ALLOTMENTS. "Sep. 1678. The towne gave liberty to Isack Curtice to abide in the town as a sojourner." Additional Allotments. From time to time as families became larger, and individuals became able to bring more land under cul- tivation, additional allotments of the wild lands were made by town vote, to each planter. At various times there were " divisions," in this manner made, ui>til the whole territory was occupied. In arranging these divisions, the whole population was classed into three " ranks," as indicated in the following vote, according to their ability to pay taxes. In all assessments, the first rank paid double the amount of tax charged on the " loest" rank, and one-third more than the middle rank, and in the divisions of land the allotments were* made out in the same ratio, as appears by this and other similar votes. In June, 1673. Voted, "that there shall be alowed' for the first division of lands to each planter taking in' liouse lotts, river lotts, and all sorts of land, to the loest rank 40 acres ; to the middle ranke, 60 acres, and to the hiest ranke 80 acres, and so to keep for the present." FiRs:r Acts of the Town. Arrangements having been made in the year 1669, in the spring of 1670, the emigrants commenced their settlement on the spot already described, being the FIRST ACTS OF TK£ TOWN. 22 site of the present village of Wallingford.* The company consisted of about one hundred persons, men, women and children. Instead of scattering themselves on farms, as is now usual in new settlements, they erected their humble dwellings in a compact village. This arrangement, though inconvenient for an agricul- tural population, was necessary for defence, and safety in those perilous times, when savage wars, and the irregular incursions of the Indians were so frequent. With the true spirit of New Englanders, they at once secured for themselves religious institutions and public worship. Though necessarily pressed with the excessive labor of erecting their own houses, and clearing away a hea"v^^ forest, to procure some land for cultivation, and the great expense involved therein, yet this little band had from the first, the stated preaching of the Gospel. For two years, one Mr. Harriman preached on the Sabbath, He was not a regularly or- dained pastor, but was probably an " elder," a Church ofiicer of that day who was appointed to discharge certain duties in the Church, and was authorised to preach, in case of the sickness or absence of the pastor. But they designed to secure the services of an ordained * At that time, the whole population of the State was about 10,000 and settlements had been commenced in the lollowing towns, Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Farmington, Saybrook , Middletown, Lyme, Milford, Guilford, Fairfield, Norwalk, Stam- ford, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Branford, Greenwich, and Haddam. The rest of the State was a wilderness, inhabited by Indians. See the Map, representing the settled and nnssttlad parts of Connecticut, iii 1670. 28 nitST ACTS OF THE TOWN. minister, as soon as one could be found, and the first tax ever imposed in the town was for this purpose. The vote stands thus : "April 21, 1671. It was voated for the incouragment of any fitt person whose hart god may stire up to be helpfull in the ministrcy, tliat what some soever shall be Reqisitt to the attaining such a man shall be raysed for this present yeare according to every man's proportion of land allotted to him on the river : the twelve acre lotts to pay 30/ and the eight acre lott3 to pay 20/." This tax was not only a heavy one in itself to per- sons in their circumstances, but pressed still heavier from a fact, the nature of which we at this day, can hardly appreciate; the almost entire destitution of money, or circulating medium. So scanty was the amount of gold and silver, that even as late as 1706, Trumbull asserts that " the whole circulating cash [in the state] was not more than £2000." In 1670, there must of course have been still less : and all taxes and debts must have pressed therefore with almost intoler- able weight, except when payable in something else than gold and silver ; Banks, then had no existence. We find on the early records accordingly very many votes, authorising payments to be made in various kinds of produce. As the New Haven people traded some with the West Indies, one common mode oi raising funds was from hoops and staves, materials for which abounded in our woods and swamps, and for which there was then as now, a great demand, in the SETTLEMENT OF MR. STREET. 24 islands. These were taken to New Haven, and sold to the merchants. Thus we find in relation to this first tax it was voted that " John Mosse and three others, ingage to provide and deliver 1500 good Marchantable pipe staves and deliver them at the place called logmine wharfe," " and others to pay their proportion in the like manner, in some other good pay." Settlement of Mr. Street. In the year 1672, Rev. Mr. Street, a regularly or- dained pastor, was invited to settle among them ; and complied with the request. It may help convey some idea of the state of things at that time to mention that after Mr. Street had consented to become their minister, two Committees were appointed ; one was to see that Mr. Street's goods were brought from New Haven and " landed}^ at some convenient place, the other to see that they were thence " cartedJ'' up to Wallingford. To us this seems to indicate a curious mode of intercourse between the two towns. But then owing to the state of the roads, it was no doubt easiest to send the goods from New Haven harbor, up the Quinnipiack river, as far perhaps as North Haven, and from thence by land to Wallingford. It may serve also to convey some idea of the char- acter of the people, that in 1673, when their own poor dwellings were hardly erected, and they were strug- S5 rORWATION OF TlIK CHURCH. gHn<:r with all the untold difficulties of a wilderness, iind when their whole number, men, women and children, hardly exceeded one hundred, they voted to build a house for their minister and to pay him a salary of £50. If our western settlements now had as much courage and energy, we should have small need of Home Missionary Societies. Formation of the Church. Although from the first week of their settlement, regular worship had been maintained, and a regular pastor had been supported by the people; yet no Church was organized. In this transaction they pro- ceeded with all the deliberation w^hich the reader of our early histories will remember was characteristic of the original settlers of New Haven, and vicinity. In the year 1675, Feb. 3d after there had been ample time for the inhabitants to become acquainted with each other's religious views and feelings, a day of fast- ing and prayer was observed, with reference to the organization of a Church. On the 15th of the same month, the inhabitants again met ; designated thirteen of their number, to "lay the foundation"' — that is, to constitute by the due mode of organization, the Church. These thirteen, thus constituting the Church, were then to admit others, by the ordinary course of exam- ination and profession. The record of this transaction is worthy of insertion here. FORMATION OF THE CHURCH. 26 '•At a lawful meeting the inhabitants of the town of "Wallingford and upon the 15th day of the 2d month, 1675, it was ordered and enacted by the town, that as there had been conference about establishing a Church of Christ, in the aforesaid town, and also a solemn fast set apart and celebrated by the town unanimously to seek Grod's guidance in so great a work, they have now also freely and unanimously concluded if it be the will of God, that there shall be a Church of Christ gathered to walk according to the Congregational way, and have also all freely and unanimously left the management of the same in the hands of the persons whose names are underwritten, that if it be the will of God to incline their hearts, so many of them as may be a competent number for that work, may in his time, lay the foundation. " Mr. Moss, Lieut. Merriam, Eliasaph Preston, Mr. Sam'l Street, Serg't Doolittle, .Tohn Hall, Sen'r, Mr. Brockett, John Beach, John Hall, Jr , Thomas Yale, Nehemiah Royce, Nathan Andrews, Benj. Lewis." They had as yet no house of worship. They hardly needed one, for their numbers were so email that they could without muchinconvenience assemble in a private house. For ten years they met on the Sabbath, in one of the houses of the village, and paid the proprietor forty shillings annually for the use of his dwelling. One reason however of this delay in erecting a "meeting house" must probably be found in the dan- 27 KING Phillip's war. ger, alarm, and the impoverisliing effect of the famous Indian war of that period, usually called "King Phillip's War." A distinguished Indian Sachem of this name had formed a coalition of nearly all the Indian tribes in Massachusetts, Khode Island and Connecticut, for the purpose of exterminating the white inhabitants. At that time they might hope to effect this ; for there were only about 35,000 white inhabitants in all New England, and they were scattered over hundreds of miles of territory. The Indians were more numerous, very ferocious and warlike, and exasperated by the alleged encroachments on their rights. As the two races lived in close proximity, each man might expect the war at his own door. For a time,the conflict raged with terrible ^slaughter in the eastern parts of New England ; great numbers of the whites were killed, towns burned and laid waste, and universal panic spread over the country. The war terminated with the death of Phillip, in 1676. But the derangement of business, and the heavy taxation consequent on the expenses of the war, impoverished the population, and pressed heavily on the new settlement at "VYallingford, Though no battle was fought near them, yet they wer^ kept in a constant state of alarm, which greatly hin- dered their agricultural operations and were compelled to fortify and garrison their little village, as if actually 28 in a state of seige. Their position may be inferred from the following votes. "27 Aug. 1675. In respect of the present dainger of ye Indians itt was ordered that the inhabitants se- cure themselves and the principall of theyr goods by fortifiing about too houses." " Also that evrie man bring his armes and amunition compleat on the saboth day that he may be able in a fitt posture to doe service if need reqire." '' That select gaurd serve as sentinells on y* Saboth, and y*^ rest of the town ward 4 men every Saboth and 2 every weeke day : that they begin to ward when the watch breaks up and hould on till y* watch be sett again : that they begin and end, at the dawning and^ shutting in of day." " 15 Oct. 1675. That those persons at the end of the town if they see cause to fortifie on of theyr hous- es which they can agree upon for theyr saftie in these times of dainger what theyr full charg is shall be de- fraied out of y^ town's tresury." " Also that any that are willing to be asistant to mak too flankers att Left* Merriman's barne, shall have due reoompens out of y® towne treasurie." Their mode of " fortifying a house," appears to have been this. At a small distance from the house, — ten feet perhaps — and all around it a log wall was erected, with the ends of the logs dove-tailed into each other at the corners, and carrie'd up to ten or twelve feet in height, with such openings as might suffice for pointing 29 A HOUSE OF WOKSHIP. mutjkcts at an attacking enemy. Such erections, were ample protection against any strength which the Indians were able to exert A House of Worship. Having recovered somewhat from the depression and impoverishment consequent on the war, we find them with true New England conscientiousness and public spirit, at work upon their Church and School. In 1679, they voted to build a " meeting house," twenty-eight feet long; twenty-four feet wide, and ten feet high, a build- ing which now would be considered small for a district school house. But even this small house, they were not able to complete for several years, for in 1681, they voted to "go on and finish the house." Great must have been their poverty, when with all their high estimate of the value of religious institutions, and when we know that nothing but absolute inability, could have prevented the most ample accommodations for their Church — we find their whole united means, inad* equate to build and finish a house, which now almost any single journeyman, could build out of his own resources. But as their population and wealth increased, we find the house of worship grows also. For in 1690, they enlarged the house, and made it foity feet long by twenty-eight feet wide, as their pop- ulation had increased to seventy-three families. The next year, 1691, the inmle of the house was completed, for at that date we find a vote for '^ ceiling the house " SETTLEMENT OF MR. WHITTLESEY. 30 the interior having remained twelve years, rough and unlSnished. This same year, 1691, the town voted that " two pews, should be built," an indication of growth, and even of luxury : for hitherto, the whole area of the house had been occupied with long seats, where all persons sat indiscriminately, except that the men and boys were on one side of the house, while the females in the Congregation sat on the other side. It is quite likely that some of the good people of that day, were quite shocked at the extravagance, pride and degeneracy developed by the innovation of pews. But growth and change kept on their course, for under date of April 30, 1706, we find " the town chose Deken Hall, Samuel Roys, and goodman Culvert, a commetee to procure workmen to come and buld gallers for the In largment of the meeting hous." Settlement of Mr. Whittlesey. Mr. Street was pastor of the Church for about thirty- six years. But as he became unable to perform the duties of his office, it became necessary to provide a successor. The forethought and action of the people in the matter are set forth in the following votes. "July 26, 1708. The town voted that they appre- hended it was their duty to take care and Lock out to geat an other minester." " The town voted that they would chouse a comme- tie to seeke out and to take the advice for the procuring and bring in a minester to seatle in the place." 5 51 StTTLEMENT OF MH. WIlITTLESKt. Under tliese instructions the Committee invited Mf. Whittlesey to preack The people being satisfied with his labors, invited him to become their pastor. The letter in which the call was communicated seems on various accounts worthy to be inserted entire. An exact copy of it is therefore given from the Wallingfcn'd Town Records. " Mr. Whittlesey, Sur. The subscribers hereof being a committe appointed and empowered by the town of Wallingford as may appear by their record bearing date April 4, 1 709 ; to treat with yourself in order to a settlement with us in the ministry, and for your in- couragement to comply with us therein doe propose to make such grants of Lands and other incouragements following — first we doe give and grant to you the said Mr. Samuel Whittlesey, a six acar lott of land lying neare the meting house ; and one acar and a half of the west end Beaken John Hall's home lott for a building lott, to be bought for you : also a peace of Land at south ward side the Leatel quarter one the hill on which the town stands fifteen acars ; and seaven acars of pasture land on the north side of Nath'l Ives home lott : also a meadow lott of land in the common field on the west side of the river of twenty acars and known by the name of the parsonage ; and fore acars ^ of plaine in the same field called the town lott, also a farm of one hundred and fifty acars of Land attJ SETTLEMENT OF MR. WHITTLESEY. 32 Pilgrim's Harbor called tlie *town farm with all the im laid outt land adjoining, and one hundred pound right in commonage and in all undivided land, all which shall be to the said Mr. Sam'l Whittlesey, his heirs, executors and administrators and assigns for ever, as an estate of inheritance in fee simple : Like- wise the said committe do agree to build a house for the s'd Mr. Sam'll Whittlesey of forty-two feets in Length and twenty feets in breadth, tow stories hye, with a porch and a back kitching and finish it deasant- ly the said Mr. Samuel Whittlesey to provide glass and nales : which house is to be soe built within tow years : the s'd committe doth farther agree that the said Mr. Whittlesey shall have a Sallery of Seaventy pound a yeare for the tow first years and the thurd yeare eighty pound and One hundred pound a yeare ever after, soe long as he carrieth on the work of the ministry: which Sallery shall be paid in wheat at five shillings par bushel, rye at three shillings sixpence par bushel, indian corne at two shillings six- pence par bushel, pork at threepence farding par pound, and if it soe fall out that there doth not come a suply of fire wood yearly to the s'd Mr. Whittlesey by par- sons appearing to doe it gratis, then the town are * This town farm, was set apart by the town about the year 1684. It lay on the north side of the river near Hanover, and on both sides of Pilgrim's Harbor brook, bounded west by a line on the ridge of the hill, now called " town rock,'' and east by the hill, which in the old records is called " milking yard hill:" the north line must have been near the southern boundary of the larms of Mr. Calvin Coe, and Mr. Ezekicl Rice. 33 THE NEW HOUSE. obliged to take the care, and find him his wood in some other way — but if the providence of God should so order that the said Mr. Sam'll Whittlesey dye leaving no male Hare that is a natural issue of his bodye, then the six acar lott by the meeting house, and the meadow lott called the parsonage to returne to the town againe, to the true and honest intent and parformans of the preameses we the before named committie have sett our names, " Thomas Yale, John Hall, sr. Samuel Hall, John Meariman, Thomas Curtis, John Hall." John Parker, Mr. Whittlesey accepted the call, and continued to be the pastor for many years. The New House. The old house with its " two pews," and " gallers" could not well contain the growing population, for some of the hearers, had to put up with rather incon- venient Church accommodations. But of these they were cut short by the following peremptory and rather uncourteous vote of the town in 1716 : "ordered that the alleys in the meeting house be cleared of chairs and stools, and the constable see that it be done." Where the occupants of these "chairs and stools" bestowed themselves after this unceremonious eject- ment we do not know : but it is quite probable that they agitata efiectually the project of a new and THE KEW HOUSS. 34 better house, for in a few months we find a new Churoh edifice in progress. In Jan. 13, 1717, the town vot^d " that they thought it was their duty to begin a new meeting house, and the form of the house to be like gilford meeting house." Preparations were going forward during the whole of the year, and in 1718, the house was raised, and it was '• voted that the metting hous floure shall be layed withgood single Boards well Rabbited," — also " the town voated that the metting hous shall have pues maid all round it and y® rest of ye hous shall be long seats." This last vote indicates the further increase of luxurious habits, inasmuch as the " two pews" of the old liouse were multiplied into a whole range of " pues," built all around the sides of the new house. The next vote illustrates what has been already stated of the mode of raising funds, for " April 28, 1719, the Town voated yt they wound git so many staves as will load a vessell and they chose Capt. Hall to make a bargain for y*' town in y^ Dispos- al! of y® staves, they obliged themselves to git : — in buying glass and nales — and promise to indemnifie hall from any damages thereb}' if he shall nead io stand or give bonds." The house was completed and occupied in 1720. It was a large house with two tiers of galleries, one above the other, somewhat in the manner of a theatre, a mode of building Churches quite common during the last century. The upper gallery was of course very high, and as its occupants were almost entirely out of eight, in fumiehed an ad- ^ii DIGXirVING THE NEW IIOI'SE. mirable place for boys to cluster together and play. Even in the old house it had been found necessary to " vote that Eliazur Peck be desired to looke to y^ boyes on y« saboth that they keep good order at meeting." In the new house they found it necessary to deny the boys admission altogether into so tempting a place as the upper gallery, for in " April 25, 1721, voated that no young man shall go up into tlie uper gallery to sett there on the Saboth day under eighteen yeare old." Dignifying the new House. The present custom of renting tlio seats in Churches was then unknown ; and in the new house, there would be quite a choice between the " pues" and the "long seats." In order to arrange or prevent all disputes for precedence in the matter, a Committee was appointed " to dignify and seat the meeting house." In assigning seats to the respective individuals and families, this Committee were enjoined by vote "to respect the aged who had been serviceable to the town," and also, " to have respect to those who had borne commissions." After giving the best seats to these dignitaries, they were instructed to have "this general rule for seating the meeting hous, viz : the lists, on which the charges are raised." If a plan had been devised for creating and perpetuating envy, jealousy an^ pride, no more ingenious scheme could have been invented for that purpose, than this attempt to arrange people in the house of God, every Sabbath day, according to their SINGING. 36 wealth and supposed rank. Many an individual, would probably form quite a different estimate of bis " dignity" from tbe Comrnittee. AVhat feelings were engendered have been bowever forgotten, except we learn that one man to whom was assigned a position on " the long seats," having made known his grievance, had redress as follows : " the town by their voat gave Capt. John Hall, liberty to make him self a pew in the new metting hous, near the east Dore, on men's side on his own charge." A belfry was built in 1 727. Singing. We find no allusion whatever to the singing in pub- lic worship. It is almost certain that the old puritanical custom of " Congregational singing," — as it is called — was followed. All who were present in the Church were expected to unite in this part of worship, and all instruments and choirs, were utterly eschewed. But it is quite evident that the young people of that day, fond of novelty or improvement, — as it would be dif- ferently viewed — after getting into their new Church, began to think of other new things, for in 1731, the town had before them a petition of certain persons for the use of the meeting house, that they might there meet and learn to sing. After some demur, the re- quest was granted. But alas the wedge of innovation, having entered, was fast driven in. Having learned to sing, the eingers naturally wished to give the Congre- 37 SCHOOLS. gatiou the benefit of their new acquisitions. This disturbed some old habits, and a town meeting was convened to hear the complaints of those who could not endure " the singing in the new way" as they termed it. The matter could not be settled : dispute arose, and the meeting adjourned. Another meeting was called — and after much debate, the matter was compromised by voting " that there should be singing on one Sabbath in the old way and on the next Sab- bath in the new way, and so on alternately, for six weeks." There the curtain drops ; and how long the controversy went on, we know not. We hope that the disputants are now together singing, " Where music flows from countless harps, Nor pause, nor discord knows." ScHOOLg. We find no allusion to schools, on the town records until 1678, eight years after the settlement of the town. That notice however, evidently shows that a school had previously existed ; it is quite probable that here as elsewhere, the school and the Church took root together, and grew up with the first log cabin in the forest. The vote in 1 078 is, "the town leaves the matter of schools with the select men, to promote the same according to law," and the next month, the selectmen having report- ed their opinion : the town vote " to allow for the encouragement of such a school master as the select xnen shall approve of, ten pounds a year m general, SCHOOLS, 38 and three pence a week for all scholars, from six to six- teen, as long as they shall go to school." Thus did our predecessors, like all the other founders of New England, develope a far-sighted religious wisdom, a profound sagacity, which none of the princes nor statesmen of this world knew. Tor all possible and conceivable ends had the power, blood, and wealth of nations been squandered for thousands of years : except for the only true ends of the state, the forma- tion and elevation of men. The fathers of New England designed to raise up religious and intelligent men. They alone ever conceived, or at least actually carried out the scheme of educating the people. In this point of view, the everlasting pyramids, the matchless splendors of Babylon, the great master-piece of architecture, St. Peters, are less imposing and valuable than the log school-houses of primitive New England. The world had never yet seen such men, so poor that they could not build a hut 24 by 30 feet — so har- rassed and perilled by a savage war, that they went to their Sabbath worship armed with muskets — while night and day their little village was guarded by block houses and patrols — and yet in that deep poverty, and from their first day in the wilderness, nobly sustaining the preaching of the Gospel, and schools, virtually free to every child among them. True, as we shall see, these early schools were somewhat rude, and we may smile at their evident defects. But the germ of New England superiority was in them. Our elegant Acad- , 6 89 SCHOOLS. emy and highly improved achoole, are but the developments and natural growth of the early school at Wallingford. It is a matter of some interest to know what sums were granted for schools. In 1684, the town granted £10 to the teacher, from the public treasury, and required the pupils to pay £5 in addition. In 1689, the town voted £5 for a school; the next year £4. In 1691, the town voted that all the school money should be raised by those who sent to the school. In 1694, they gave £6 to the school. In 1698, it was voted that each pu- pil should pay a penny a week. In 1702, they voted to build a school house, having hitherto hired a room for the school. In 1711, fifty acres of land and money also, were granted to the teacher. In 1714 each schol- ar was to pay 2/ per quarter, in addition to the town grant. In 1722 it became necessary to have several schools, and the rudiments of school districts begin to appear. We find no allusion made to any branches of learn- ing, except, reading, writing and spelling. It is quite probable that for a long time nothing else was taught, unless occasionally the rudiments of arithmetic, might have been studied. It cannot be denied, that our records exhibit some indications of lack of high culture both in teachers and pupils, as the following exact transcripts will show. '■Sep. 18, 1711. At the same Mctting Mr. Henry SCHOOLS. 40 Bats scool Master, gave thes following proposals, namely. " Grontel Men upon second considerations I doe hear- by propose that if y« town for ineoragoment will be pleesed to make sure and conferme to me fifty acars of land whar i shall see case to take it up and whar it is not alredy taken up and let me have to improvement of ye old Mill pon so caled and all other lands that belongs to the scool and fifty pounds a year for y^ time we shall agree upon the town appointing a commity to agree with me and all those that sends chilldren to cast iu thar mite towards purchaseing a horn sted and upon condition i may be " yours to serve. "HENKY BATES." "At y® same meting y© town voatted thar accepttans of ye above s'd proposals." "Dec. 20, 1713. The town voated yt the mony con- serning ye scool, Bespecting chilldren shall be raised upon all ye chilldren that live within a Mille and half of ye scool hous : from six year old to teen : whether they go to scool or nott : And all the children yt go to scool and enter ye scool a week shall pay for half a year." " Chose John Moss and Sam'l Culver inspectors, to look after ye scool Meester to see he keeps his bowers." "Jan. 13, 1719. The town voated and maid choys of leftnt street and Sergnt yall thomas mills a comitte 41 NORTH PART OF MERIDEN. to care of ye school, chose a schoole master and look after tlie prudentialls of that affair."' North part of Meriden. I have thus presented a few sketches of Wallingford, down to the year 1 724, when we in Meriden began to emerge into a distinct community. But the territorial limits of Wallingford, extended northward, only to " Pilgrim's Harbor." The part of our town lying ^between that point, and the present limits of Berlin, is not embraced in the preceding sketch, and some facts respecting it will now be stated. This north part of our town remained in possession of tlie Indians, long after they had sold all the adjacent territory. Between New Haven on the south, Middle- town on the east, and Farmiugton on the north, and part of the west, there lay this tract of land, of somewhat undefined boundaries. The " old road" passed through it. Near its northern limit lay " the Belcher farm so called." This is all we know of it, until the year 1664; in that year, Seaukeet^ an Indian sold and deeded to Edward Higbey, with boundaries somewhat obscurely stated, a large tract of land, which must have embraced nearly the whole northern half of Meriden, as now constituted.* But there were other claimants to the same land, for in 1682, another Indian by the name of Adam Puit, * See Appendix, No. 1, where the deed is given in full :— and some explanations are also added. NORTH PART OF MERIDEN, 42 sold to John Talcot, a tract, which from the description must have been identical with the one described in the deed of Seaukeet.* The next year 1683, Mr. Talcot, assigned over to the town of Walliugford, all his right and title to this land.f The town of Wallingford also bought out all the other titles or claims, to this same territory, as appears by documents in the office of the Secretary of State at Hartford, but which are too long to be inserted here. But this north part of Meriden, though oivjved by Wallingford, was not a ^:)a?-^ of \yalliugford. The title or fee simple of the land, was in the town of Wallingford — the right of government was in the state : but there was no town authority in it or over it— it was neither a town, nor constituted a part of any town. It remained in this anomalous condition for several years, until the people residing in it, weary of the in- convenience of such a state of things, petitioned the town of Wallingford to be received, as citizens of that town, which petition is here annexed. So far as we can learn it was that petition and the vote of the town .consequent thereon alone, without any action of the state legislature, which made the north part of our town, for a time, a constituent part of Wallingford. The petition just alluded to, was presented in Sept. 1718, and reads as follows, in the original records of the * See Appendix, No. 2, where the deed is copied in full, and remarks added. t 6ee Appendix, No. 3, where the aesignment i» copied in MV 43 EARLY SETTLERS. town of TVallingford, — " We, the inhabitants bordering and adjacent to, the town of Wallingford, do here entreat and request, tliat you would admit us the sub- scribers as wholesome and lawful inhabitants into the town of Wallingford. We the petitioners here request that if it may please you the inhabitants of the town of Wallingford to admit us your humble petitioners as town inhabitants, then your humble petitioners do promise and engage to be subject to your good and wholesome orders, laws and constitutions, as witness our hands. " Bartholomew Foster, John Hoisington, John Merriam, Solomon Gofie." Joseph Hills. Early Settlers. The town voted to comply with the request of the petitioners. But for a time, not all the inhabitants, residing in this north part of Meriden were considered citizens of Wallingford, subject to its laws, privileges and burthens, but merely those who had applied in form for citizenship. We find also on the records sev- eral special petitions from individuals residing in this same locality, to be allowed to attend public worship in the meeting house, and who were by special vote per- mitted to occupy a designated seat, on condition of paying a certain annual rent. Whereas citizens of Wallingford, being regularly taxed by town vote for the support of religious institutions, had a right as a EARLY SETTLERS. 44 matter of course to seats in the Church without any price or rent whatever. It would be tedious to trace out all the transfers of land in this neighborhood, after the Indian title was extinguished. It may be a matter of some interest however, to know some of the principal proprietors and residents, in this north part of Meriden about the year 1716. Northward and eastward of our present village of West Meriden, lay the farm of John Merriam,* of Lynn, Mass., who is, I believe, the ancestor of the nu- merous families of that name still residing here. He bought 300 acres for £305. More northerly lay the farm of Bartholomew Foster, of 350 acres, which seems to have been west of the present old road, and north- ward as far probably as the present residence of Mr. Hiram Foster, f Further north, was the land of Henry Coles, called " the Coles' farm," extending east of Bar- tholomew Foster, so as to reach the land of John Merriam. North of the " Coles' farm" was the land of Nathaniel Roys ; and still further northward was the Belcher farm, which — or on which — was the place called Meriden. These documents, give us some information as to the residents in this part of the town, at that period. We derive some additional knowledge of the inhabitants, as well as of their situation, from the following paper * See Appendix, No. 10 : the deed is there quoted at length. t See Appendix, No. 2. The deed to Mf. Fc£isr is th&re gi'/eo. 45 EARLY SETTLERS. copied from the original petition, now on file in the office of the Secretary of State, at Hartford. " To the Honorable the Governor and council and house of represtatives in General Cort assembled in his Majesties colon}^ of Connecticutt att New Haven, Oct. 8, 1724. " The Humble petition of the Subscribers Humbly Sheweth. " That we are under great disadvantages for want of a Pound nere ye Merriden or Stone House and are com- pelled to drive unruly Cattell nere 6 or 9 miles to ye nearest pound, which if we had one nere it would save us a Great Deal of troble, and we would carry the marks and brands of those Cattell impounded where the Law directs, to the next towns unless the Honora- ble Assembl}', would pleas to Constitute a man among us to Despose of Unruly Creatures as the Law directs. " Therefor your Humble Petitioners Pray that there may be order for a Pound near ye Merriden, or Stone House, and an officer to Despose of impounded cattell, and your Petitioners as in duty bound will Ever Pray, " Signed, N. Merriam, J. Persons, N. Merriam, Jr., Eleazer Aspinwall, Wm. Meriara, J. Merriman, Jr., Tim. Foster, B. Foster, J. Robinson, T. Andrews, T. Foster, D. Kich, T. Gerrum, J. Scofell" SOUTH PART OF MERIDEN. 46 I will now endeavor to trace the progress of settle- ments northward from Wallingford village into the bounds of what is now the south part of Meriden. But the information which I have been able to glean is quite scanty. It is quite clear that while the whole country was in alarm and peril, from the Indians, during " king Phillip's war" no settlements were made beyond the bounds of the compact little village, where the planters had clustered together for mutual protec- tion, though some land which was " in the wilderness," was granted out at that time. But after the termination of that war, we find the records full of grants, of wild land in distant parts of Wallingford, to actual settlers, some of which were within the present southern limits of our town. Some of the earliest grants of land were in and around a swamp called "dog's misery." It had acquired the name from the fact that wild animals, when hunted, took refuge in this swamp, which was so thick, tangled and miry, that the dogs of the hunters were baffled or killed in their attempts to reach their prey hidden in this jungle. This swamp is that tract of lowland [now partly reclaimed] and swamp, lying south of the Middletown turnpike, and south of the house of Mr. Thomas Baldwin, extending nearly a mile, in a south- erly direction. In 1679, "the town granted to Nathaniel Royce, David Hall, Thomas Hall, Dan. Mix, Joseph Holtj each 3 acres lying on the east side of the meadow, r 47 sorni part or meridkn. called dog's misery, by the southward branch of Pil- grim's harbor," [brook,] that being the name of the whole stream from its mouth, up to the pond, whence it flows. At the next town meeting, Kov. 1679, "granted to Neh. Koyce, Isaac Curtuss, each 3 acres, and Nathaniel How, and Isaac lloj'ce, each 2 acres, and all at dog's miser yV At still another meeting, 1679, there was still another grant of swamp, meadow and upland ^^ahout dog's misery ^^'' to Yale, Curtiss, Royce and others. In 1685, granted to Walter Jouson 20 acres, "on long hill towards dogh misery?^ 1683, "granted to Daniel Hooper, 12 acres at do^s ^niscry?'' 1700, the daughter of Nathaniel Royce, had three and a half acres, at ^'-dog's misery^'' as her portion. Another extract will indicate some quite curious facts, existing at that early period. Sep. 16, 1707, "the towne chose Eliezer peeck, Joshua culver, David Hall, a commetie to see that [dog's] missery hiway may not be pinsht [pinched] of the twenty rods in any place from the town to misseric whare it was not laid out before the graint was of s'd hiway." It seems that here was a "hiway" twaity rodsy^iA^: which enormous allowance for a road was not uncommon in those days, as there are several other notices in the records of roads of the like width. Still oftener I find noticed highways six rods in width. It is quite evident too, that the special care of the town to pre- SOUTH PART or MERIDEX. 48 serve the prodigious width of tlie " missery hiway" shows the importance and growth of the settlement in that quarter. Whether these persons settled around dog's misery at the precise date of these grants we do not know : but there is evidence, that they were there soon after For as early as 1696, there is some allusion in the records to a great contention about lands, among the owners of property at dog's misery. Of the nature and merits of the controversy we are not informed, but it plainly indicates that the lands about there were considered valuable, and that the place was inhabited. From the time of the first settlement onward, popu- lation slowly increased around " dog's misery," and as we shall see, around "Pilgrim's Harbor," also. In 1724, the whole number of families on and around these localities, was thirty-five. The distance to Wal- lingford being great, and the roads bad, they naturally wished for public worship nearer to their residences. According to the custom of that day however, they did not proceed to accommodate themselves in the matter, until it had been laid before the town, and their express permission obtained. Accordingly in 1724, we find a vote that '-in respect to the north farmers [farmers in the north pari; of the town, as that portion of our town was then the north part of Wallingford,] that they may hire a minister for four months this winter on their own charge." This was the commencement of the stated preaching of the 49 WEST AND SOUTH-WEST PART OF MERIDEN. Gospel within the present limits of this town, just 124 jears ago. A further account of their ecclesiastical organization and progress will be given, on a subse- quent page. West and South-west tart of Meriden. Contemporaneous with the "plantations" around "dog's misery," the settlements began to creep up into the western and south-western parts of the present limits of Meriden. As early as Sept. 1677, it was "ordered that every planter shall have according to theyr ranks, 4 acrs, 3 acrs, and 2 acrs of the choice land upon the River hopp ground land, beginning att pilgrim's harbor." This " hopp ground land" was that which produced the materials for making hoops [hopps]. Such land though swampy, was then the most valuable in the town. For in the great dearth of a circulating medium, and of means for purchasing all foreign pro- duce, these hoops, [and staves also,] always found a great demand, and a ready sale in the We^t Indies. Of course our farmers in trading with the New Haven merchants, found these hoop-poles as useful as cash. Accordingly we Snd in the records of the town that these " hopp ground lands," were most carefully man- aged, were granted out in very small quantities ; and in the various grants recorded, each man was very careful that a piece of this precious land should be included in his farm. In the year 1676, a farm was granted to Levi Fowler, farm's district settled. 50 as part " compensation" for building a mill. This was at the place which we now call "^/2€/«r;w5." Sixty acres were granted to him, and thus described : " the north stake to be pitched 10 rods to the north-ward of the brook, commonly called. Milking yard brook, as you go between Wallingford and Hartford, [this is the brook, which the old road crosses at the lower end of the present farm district, just north of the residence of Mr. Elias Parmelee and Mr. Linus Clarke, and so called, because cattle were of old, there driven into a pen to be milked,] and in the middle way between the mouth of said brook and the old path ; and so to run a straight line southward so as to cut the edge of the red bank by the east river so called [this red bank is the little spur or projection around which the rail road sweeps, just before it passes the high stone viaduct, over the turnpike] at the utmost part eastward, and so from the northern stake westward 120 rods, and so to hold his depth on the south side." This land would be very nearly that which constitutes the present farm of Mr. Wyllys Smith. Farm's District settled. Near and around this farm, oi/her settlers soon located themselves. In 1679, it was voted, "that the land about the milking yard, and on the north side of the brook at the head of the little plain, be granted," to planters, as these should be needed. This " little plain" was the upper part of the present *' farm district," 51 HANOVER SETTLED. where Is tlie farm of the late William Linsley. It was^ called little plain, in distinction, from " fall's plain," or " tlic plain," which is the locality we now term " Hano- ver." The same year, " The towne yielded to exchange with Sam'l Royce, the 3 acrs of his land att y© uper end of little plaine, for 3 acrs of y* swamp, in y*^ mid- dle of said plaine joyning to Crood" Lewes." In another grant to this Samuel lloyce, this same spot is called " milcin yard farms," as bounded south by milking yard brook, and west by milking yard hill. Also in 1679, " the town granted to Good^ Lewas 3 acrs of y® swamp that lieth about the middle of y« litle plaine." At the same time " the towne granted Tho. Yale 3 acrs of swamp land, joyning to his two acrs that was formerly granted for mendmeut of his river lott att the loer end of ye litle plaine." Hanover Settled. in the year 1677, there was a grant of land to Ne- hemiah lloyce and Samuel Royce, of some laud " at the head of the plains," which is another phrase by which Hanover was then designated. A very natural phrase, for at that point, the stretch of level land which extends from New Haven, through North Haven and Walliugford, terminates. In 1680 a grant was made " to Sam'l Hough, to settle on the head of the plain near to Nehemiah Royce's." In 1689 this "head of the plain," or " falls' plaine," was considered so beautiful a spot, that it was regularly laid out for a village. The CHURCH AT MERIDEN. 52 main street was to be eighty rods long, and on each side of it were staked out building lots ; the western lots extending to the hill, and the eastern ones, to the river. These lots were assigned by raflSe, each "planter" in the town of Wallingford, being allowed to draw one lot. A map of this village as thus laid out, was made 160 years ago, and still remains on the town records. The main street of this contemplated village must have been nearly if not quite coincident with the road now in existence, running north and south, past the house of Mr. James Newton, and terminating near the house of Mr. Chester Rice. The street however, as then laid out, was continued northward to the river, instead of terminating at the house of Mr. Rice. Church at Meriden. I have thus given an outline of the progress of set- tlements in several localities within our present limits. In the year 1724, the number of families within those limits being thirty-five, they began to have public worship as a distinct community, in the manner already stated on a previous page. In 1725, they organised themselves into a distinct Ecclesiastical Society ; and that society and the territory they occupied, received the present name of Meriden. Por the next two years they had public worship only in the winter season, and their meetings were held in a private house. In 1727, a house of worship was erected in the eastern part of the town. But at the very outset, there arose a very 53 CHl'RCH AT MERIDEN. serious difficulty as to the location of their meeliug house. The inhabitants around "dog's misery" would na- turally desire that the Church should be as near as pos- sible to their farms : and the people at " Pilgrim's Har- bor," " the old road," and " milking yard farms," would be equally desirous of a site convenient to themselves. That part of our town, now constituting "the centre," was then either entirely uninhabited, or was of so little consequence, that its claims in the matter do not appear to have been thought of At length it was decided that the meeting house should be built on the western slope of the hill, still known as the " meeting house hill," in which decision, the " dog's misery" party had the advantage. In accordance with this decision, the materials were all prepared, and collected at the chosen spot. But the aggrieved party, hoping yet to gain re- dress, collected men and teams at night, and hauled the timbers, over a brook, and up a hill, to a lot on or near v^hich tlie house of Mr. Willard Hall now stands, that being the spot, where they wished the house to stand. Of course such a step would excite no small stir. But of the details of the controversy thence ensuing we know nothing. Authentic tradition only assures us that the very men and teams who toiled all night to carry the timbers westward, were all induced or com- pelled, to haul them all back to the old spot, in broad day light. The house was then built on the spot first selected. It has long since disappeared, but from the best infor- ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 54 mation I can obtain, it was about thirty feet square, and built in the very plainest style. The jfirst burying ground in Meriden, was near the top of "meeting house hill," east of the Church. It has long since been disused. But many of the old stones yet remain, and some of the inscriptions are still legible. Its neglected and dilapidated condition, rebukes us for our want of care in honoring and preserving the memories of our fathers, or predecessors. OsGANIZATION OF THE ChURCH. In December 1728, Rev. Theophilus Hall began to preach in the new meeting house. Oct. 9, 1729, it was resolved to form a Church, and on Oct. 22, after a day of fasting and prayer the Church was duly organ- ised. Fifty-one persons were thus gathered as the original members, and it may be interesting to know who they were. Their names are therefore here sub- joined : Robert Royce, John Hecock and wife, Sam'l Royce and wife, John Cole, Thomas Yale and wife, The wife of Wm. Hough, John Merriam, " " " John Yale, Bartholomew Foster, " " " Joseph Cole, Robert Collins, " « '•' Nath'l Royce, David Levit, « « « David Rich, Ezekiel Royce and wife, " " " Daniel Harris, Abel Royce and wife, " " " S. Andrews, Benj. Royce and wife, " " " Tim. Jerom, 8 00 MINISTRY OF THE ilEV. MR. HALL. Nath'l Merriam and wife, The wife of Benj. CurtisB, John Merriam. Jr., and wife, " '• " John Ives, JoHcpb Merriam, " " " J. Robinson, Dan. Balding and wife, " " " W. Merriam, Amos Camp and wife, '' " '• Jos. lloyce, Benj. Whiting and wife. Widow llojce, Sam'l Ives and wife, Mary Hough, Ebenezer Prindle and wife, Eunice Cole. John Way and wife, Ministry of He v. Mr. Hall. The Rev. Theophilus Hall was the first pastor of the Church. He was ordained Oct. 29, 1729. His salary varied somewhat in different years, but was about £50, which in the colonial currency was about equal to $175, annually. By express stipulation this sum might be paid in money or provisions : and when paid in provi- sions, they were to be received at the following prices : wheat at 4s. per bushel, rye at 2s. 6d., corn at 2s. Mr. Hall was pastor of the Church about thirty -eight years, and died in March, 1767. During his ministry about 250 persons were added to the Church. In his personal appearance he is said to have been quite small of stature. He was "a man of strong intellectual powers, much esteemed as a preacher, of great firm- ness and stability, and a zealous advocate for civil and religious liberty." He lived in a house, not now in existence, whicli stood on the lot where the present reeidenc^ of Kr. Willard Hall — one of his descend- MINISTRY OF THE REV. MR. HUBBARD. 5b ants, — now stands. He also owned a farm of about one hundred acres which comprised all the central part of our town. It was hounded by a line, drawn from a point near the house of the late Rosweil Cowles, and running southerly about one hundred rods, then easter- ly to a point on the main street opposite the old Episcopal Church, thence northerly to the house of Mr. Samuel Yale, and thence to the point of departure. On this farm he built a house for his son. That house now stands, in its original location, and is occu- pied as the Central Hotel. During his ministry, a new and much larger house of worship was erected. It was built in the year 1755, on land given by the Rev. Mr. Hall, out of his farm for that purpose, and stood nearly on the spot where the present Centre Congregational Church now stands. The population in the central and western portions of the town, had so much increased at this time, that we hear of no objections to the erection of the new Church, at a point distant nearly one mile from the spot where the old house stood. \ Ministry of the Kev. Mr. Hubbard. In Nov. 1767, about seven months after the decease of Mr. Hall, the Church voted to invite Rev. John Hubbard to become their Pastor. This vote however was not unanimous, as 42 were in favor of the call, and 21 were opposed to it. At the Society meet- ing, the votes on the proposal to present a call to Mr. 57 MINISTRY OF THE REV. MR. HUBBARD. Hubbard stood, 65 in the affirmative an^ 37 in the negative. They also voted to give him a settlement, as it was called, that is, a gift of £100 at his settlement, and an annual salary of £80, which was about equal to 8250 ; one-half of which was to be paid in wheat, rye, and corn. But the division indicated by these votes appears to have been a very serious one, and the feelings excited in the Church very strong. For before these votes could be carried out, the minority opposed to Mr. Hub- bard, invited the Consociation of the County to meet in Meriden, and laid before them certain charges against the orthodoxy of Mr. Hubbard. The Conso- ciation cited Mr. Hubbard to appear before them. He refused on the ground that they had no authority in the case. Whereupon they voted to withdraw his li- cense to preach, and so far as they were concerned, silenced him. The Church proceeded nevertheless, and invited a Council to assemble Dec. 29, 1767, to ordain Mr. Hub- bard. They met; but on the same day, the Consociation of the County, also assembled in Meriden at the invi- tation of the minority. The Council, prepared to ordain Mr. Hubbard, agreeably to the wishes of the majority ; the Consociation, assembled to aid and advise the minority, in opposing the ordination. There was thus presented the unseemly spectacle of two ecclesias- tical bodies, assembled as rallying points, for the two little parties into which the Church was divided. MINISTRY OF THE REV. MR. HUBBARD. 58 Both of these bodies continued in session four days, sending from one to the other, letters, resolutions and remonstrances, becoming themselves more and more excited, and of course, exasperating the feud among the people which had already become intense. At length both bodies adjourned, and the ordination was deferred. But it seems the difficulties only became worse. For at the next session of the legislature in May, 1768, the minority party opposed to Mr. Hubbard presented a petition to that body, with an account of their condition and grievances. The legislature in Oct. 1768, heard the petition, and granted the minority a release from all taxes laid for the support of Mr. Hubbard. The legislature, further advised the Church, to refer the whole affair with all their difficulties to a certain number of ministers and laymen, selected by a Committee of the legislature, and to yield unreserved compliance with their decision. But the majority refused to assent to the recommendation of the legis- lature. The affair seems to have excited a good deal of attention throughout the State ; for letters and state- ments respecting all these proceedings appeared in the papers, and several pamphlets were published, in which the affair, with all its bearings and the principles in- volved, were earnestly discussed. At length in June 22, 1769, after nearly two years of unhappy controver- sy, Mr. Hubbard was ordained. But so strong was the feeling among the ministers of the State, that few 59 MrXISTRY OF TTIE REV. MR. HUBBARD. or none of them would take any part in the ordination, and a Council, composed principally of persons out of the State, convened at Meriden, and performed the required ceremonials. In consequence of his settlement a portion of the Church and Society seceded, organised themselves as a separate body and maintained public worship. They met for some years in a private house, belonging to Capt. Shaler, situated near the spot where the house of Mr. George Hall now stands, on the road leading to the north-east part of the town, and about one mile from the centre. In 1770, there were but eight or nine families who met there. Gradually they all re- turned. Mr. Hubbai'd was said to be a man of unusually kind and amiable disposition, and his perse- vering course of conciliatory conduct, slowly affected the minds of those who had opposed him, until they all returned to an attendance on his ministrations. About the year 1783, Mr. Hubbard was seriously injured by being thrown from his sleigh, and thereby disabled from preaching. He lingered until Nov. 1786, and died. He built and occupied the house in which Mr. Joel Miller now resides, near the centre of the town. By those persons now living who still remember him, he is said to have been a man of about the middle size, with an unusually pleasant and benignant counte- nance. His pleasing manners and amiable disposition won for him the affections of the people. As a preacher, he is said to have been animated and interesting. REV. MR. WILLARD. 60 Rev. John Willard was settled as colleague pastor in June 1786, a few months before the death of Mr. Hubbard. His salary was £100 — about equal to $330, and thirty cords of wood, annually, and by agreement the wood was to be taken at 8s. per cord. He also received a settlement^ as it was then termed, of £200. Since that time, the custom of making donations at the settlement of a pastor — once almost universal in our Churches — has been entirely abandoned here, and throughout the State. At the time of Mr. Willard's ordination, serious difficulties arose in the Congregation, similar in their origin, to those which appeared at the settlement of Mr. Hubbard. The theological doctrines, styled Ar- minianism and Calvinism, were then warmly debated throughout the State, and had their respective advocates among the ministers and Churches. It seems that Mr. Willard's doctrinal sentiments on some of these controverted points, were distasteful to a portion of the people, and they consequently opposed his settlement. Although there was no organized secession from the Church on account of these differences, yet the dissat- isfaction remained and increased. Yery great numbers during his ministry, either deserted public worship altogether, or transferred themselves to other denom- inations, so that the Congregation, was very much diminished and weakened. In consequence of which? Mr. Willard was dismissed in the year 1802. He 61 REV. MR. WILLARD. Bubseqiiently removed to Vermont and died there not many years since. He is said to have been in his personal appear- ance very tall and slender : and to have preached with a good deal of animation. While residing in Meriden, he built and occupied the house, now owned and used by Mr. Samuel Yale, on North Market street, just at the head of Liberty street. In Feb. 1803, Eev. Erastus Riple}^, was settled. His salary was fixed at $400. In the course of his ministry, the Congregation rapidly diminished. Great numbers joined themselves to other denominations, and at one time it seemed as if the Church, would become quite extinct. He was dismissed in Feb. 1822, after a ministry of 19 years. He was a very large, and commanding man in his personal appearance, and possessed of a strong mind. But his manner of preaching was dry, metaphysical, and destitute of all animation. While here he built and occupied the house opposite the residence of Dea. Walter Booth. He was subsequently settled in the eastern part of this state ; and returned here to spend his old age. He died, Nov. 16, 1843. In Nov. 1822, Kev. Charles J. Hinsdale, was settled. His salary was $550. During his ministry, the Church and Congregation increased very much in numbers and prosperity ; there were repeated revivals of religion, and a new house of worship was erected. He was dlgmisoed in Dec. 1833. after a ministry of eleven jesiv^. HOUSES OF vvoRsnip- 62 In March, 1836, Rev. Arthur Granger was settled, and after a brief and troubled ministry of about two years, was dismissed, in July, 1838. The present pas- tor was settled May, 1841. Salary, $700, and a house Houses of Worship. The erection and location of the first house of wor- ship within the limits of our town has been already noticed. It was occupied twenty-eight years. A second house was built in the year 1755, which was about sixty feet long and fifty broad. Originally it Was without steeple or bell. It so remained until the year 1803, when a steeple was added, and a bell pro- cured. This house was occupied for public worship, seventy-six years. In June, 1831, anew house was erected on the spot where the former one stood, and ig now occupied by the Centre Congregational Church. The cost of this house was about $7,000. Its dimen- sions were 78 feet long, and 50 feet wide. But as the population increased rapidly, there soon was need of another house of worship. As this increase was mainly in the western part of the town, it was decided to erect a new house at the point usually styled " the Corner," or " West Meriden." According- ly the house we occupy at this time was here built, at an expense of $8000. It is 90 feet in length, and 56 feet in width. In addition to the cost of the houae, the land was purchased for $800 ; a large bell and a town clock of superior workmanship, were also 9 63 OLD CtSTOMS. procured ; and the interior of the house furnished with elegant lamps, with carpets, and cushions through- out for every pew, and with two furnaces ; all of which raised the cost of the hou(*c as we now have it, to about eleven thousand dollars. In the rear of the Church is a lecture room, 50 feet long and 36 feet wide, erected at a cost of about 61200. It may perhaps be proper also to insert here, that in the year 1841, a beautiful parsonage was erected on the hill, which in 1847 was sold, and another was built near the new Church, the cost of which was about $3000. Old Custo.ms. For many years it was the cu.stom in Meriden, — as it had been in their parent Church, in Wallingford, and indeed throughout the State — to " dignify and seat the meeting house." On this practice and its con- sequent evils, a few words have already been said on a previous page. The custom was maintained here until the occupation of the house which was built in 1831. The Society then adopted the plan of renting the pews annually, at public auction, thus giving to each person the opportunity of selecting a pew suited to his taste. The younger part of my readers may be interested in some information relative to another custom, now obsolete and fast passing into oblivion. In the " good old times," the houses of public worship were never warmed. Indeed, some would have deemed it an inno- vation sadly ominous of degeneracy, if not of a