F 104 
 .N75 U5 
 Copy 1 
 
 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 
 
 Historical A 
 
 STORICAL ADDRESS 
 
 BY 
 J 
 
 ROGER WELLES, Esq. 
 
 POEM 
 
 ! 
 
 BY 
 
 MISS MARY K. ATWOOD, 
 
 DELIVERED IN THE 
 
 Congregational Church, j 
 
 NEWINGTON, CONN. 
 July 4, 1876. 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 
 THE ALLEN AND SHERWOOD CO., PRINTERS. 
 
 1876. 
 
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 
 
 Historical Address 
 
 ROGER WELLES, Esq. 
 
 AND 
 
 POEM 
 
 BY 
 
 MISS MARY K. ATWOOD, 
 
 DELIVERED IN THE 
 
 Congregational Church, 
 
 NEWINGTON, CONN. 
 
 July 4, 1876. 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 
 THE ALLEN AND SHERWOOD CO., PRINTERS. 
 
 1876. 
 
 T 
 
 n 
 
.ni 
 
 
 COM M ITT RES. 
 
 EXECUTIVE. 
 
 Roger Welles, h. A. Whittlesey, 
 
 Joshua Belden, J. s. Kirkham. 
 
 D. L. Robbins. 
 
 Cl.V IX I'll A TIONS. 
 
 H. M. Robbins, Mrs. Edwin Weli.es, 
 
 W. F. Brown, Jared Starr. 
 
 CHURCH EXERCISES. 
 
 Joshua Belden, Miss M. K. At wood, 
 
 W. G. Welles. 
 
 WUSIC. 
 
 II. L. Kellog, Mrs. F. H. Coriun. 
 
 J. C. Stoddard, d. W. Edgecomh, 
 
 Robert Francis. 
 
 Miss A. W. Helden, 
 Mrs. S. Steele, 
 
 Mrs. E. Welles, 
 Mrs. W. I-'. Brown, 
 
 J. Belden, 
 M. Morgan, 
 
 J. S. Kirkham, 
 
 REL /( \V. 
 
 COLL A II OX. 
 
 CAVALCADE. 
 
 F. C. Latimer, 
 Miss A. Welles. 
 
 R. Welles, 
 H. M. Robbins. 
 
 C. J. Welles, 
 J. II. White. 
 
 FIRE- II V Vv-A'.V. 
 
 <;. Morgan, 
 F. Kilbourn, I i. 
 
 F/.V i 
 
 J. S. Kirkham, p. n. Corbin. 
 
 Edw \ki. Shelton, ii. vi. Roj i 
 
 W . I- . Brown, Treasun r. 
 
 II. II. Stoddard 
 I Shelton, 
 
 PL 7.V. /( '. / Fit >.V. 
 
 R. Welles, 
 11. M. Robbins, 
 C. K. A r\\ ood. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The people of Newington, after mutual consultation, determined to cele- 
 brate the Centennial anniversary of our nation's declared independence by ob- 
 servances designed to revive and perpetuate the memory of the early settlers of 
 the town, as no less worthy and no less essential to a true history than that 
 of our Revolutionary ancestors. 
 
 At a meeting of citizens, early in the summer, committees were appointed 
 and assigned to special duties ; and to their well-directed efforts is to be at- 
 tributed much of the success of the celebration. 
 
 The day was ushered in with firing of cannon and ringing of bells. 
 
 At ten o'clock the Congregational church, which had been opened for 
 the occasion, was densely crowded with an eager throng of citizens and strang- 
 ers ; and Charles K. Atwood, at the invitation of the Committee of Arrange- 
 ments, took the chair. 
 
 The following is the order of exercises in the church : 
 
 1. Voluntary. 
 
 2. Reading of Scripture and Invocation, by the Rev. 
 William J. Thomson. 
 
 3 — Singing — " Glorious Day of Liberty " 
 
 4. Reading of Declaration of Independence, by John 
 
 G. Kellogg. 
 
 5. Singing— -" Who shall Sever Freedom's Shrine? " 
 
 6. Historical Address — Roger Welles. 
 
 7. Instrumental Music. 
 
 8. Poem — Mary K. Atwood. 
 
 9. Singing — " My Native Country," followed by the Dox- 
 
 ology in long metre. 
 10. Benediction. 
 
 After the services at the church — which occupied two and one-half hours — 
 were concluded, the audience and those who had been unable to gain ad- 
 
mission crossed the street to the Town Hall, where a liberal collation had 
 been spread, sufficient to satisfy the wants of all, and more. 
 
 The upper hall was devoted to the display of ancient relics. 
 
 The number and variety of the articles here shown excited much surprise, 
 and the exhibition was full of interest. 
 
 At two o'clock a procession, marshaled by Lieut. Lester Whiton, and 
 led by the music of fifes and drums, paraded the streets. 
 
 In this cavalcade was prominent a covered wagon containing thirteen 
 young ladies, representing the original States, and another in which rode 
 thirty-eight little girls dressed in white, having their heads encircled with ever- 
 green wreaths, representatives of the thirty-eight States now embraced in the 
 Federal Union. 
 
 But to many, the most interesting part of the display was that which 
 marked the contrast between the present and the past. 
 
 Here we saw the aged, white-haired fanner, with weary, dragging feet, driv- 
 ing his team to the hay-field, followed by his sons and a negro slave or two, car- 
 rying their uncouth and clumsy implements. After them came the modern 
 mower, tedder and sulky-rake, drawn by prancing horses, and driven bv 
 men who looked as if labor were but sport to them. 
 
 In another part of the line rode a "gentleman of the old school," in knee- 
 breeches and powdered wig, with a lady seated on a pillion behind him, 
 who retained her unaccustomed position by a firm clasp of the arm around his 
 waist. 
 
 Then came a "chaise," whose claim to antiquity none could dispute, occu- 
 pied by a gentleman and lady clothed in garments of a previous century. 
 These were followed by a line of glittering carriages, and ladies and gentle- 
 men riding their horses after the manner of nowadays. 
 
 The contrast in the military part of the parade, between the modern guard 
 and the Continentals who wintered at Valley Forge, was equally prominent. 
 
 The day was closed with the firing of cannon at sundown, and a bril- 
 liant display of fire-works in the evening. 
 
 Thus ended a well-spent day, long to be remembered in Newington. No 
 accident or untoward event occurred to mar its enjoyment. The presence and 
 kind greetings of man) residents of neighboring towns — natives of this place — 
 and others, contributed to the pleasure of the occasion. Notwithstanding 
 the prolonged and close confinement in the church, the Address and Poem were 
 li ii ned to witli fixed attention, and received with warm applause. 
 
HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 
 
 The citizens of Newington having decided to hold a Me- 
 morial Celebration on this Centennial anniversary of our Ameri- 
 can Independence, we gather to-day in this house built by 
 our fathers, that we may spend a little while in calling to 
 mind some of their honored names and achievements. 
 
 Until Newington was incorporated a town, on July 10, 187 1, 
 it had been a part of the town of Wethersfield. The chil- 
 dren and grand children of the first settlers of Wethersfield 
 became the first settlers of Newington. The two towns have 
 a common origin and a common history ; and in order to tell the 
 story of Newington accurately, we must also tell the story of 
 Wethersfield to a considerable extent. A brief survey of the 
 settlement of the ancient town will not be out of place. 
 
 COLONIAL SETTLEMENT. 
 
 The first settlers of the towns of Hartford, Windsor and 
 Wethersfield came mainly from the towns of Newtown, Dor- 
 chester and Watertown, in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. 
 
 At a General Court of that colony, held at Boston, May 
 ra, 1634, the people of Newtown (afterwards, May 2, 1638, called 
 Cambridge), who were under the pastoral care of the Rev. Thomas 
 Hooker, had leave granted to them to seek out some conven- 
 ient place to which they might remove their habitations, with 
 promise that it should be confirmed to them, if it were not 
 prejudicial to any other plantation. 1 
 
 They complained of straightness for want of land, espe- 
 cially meadow land, and with a view to removal, proceeded to 
 
 1 1 Mass. Rec , rig. 
 
6 
 
 send men to s p i e out the land — first to Agawam (now Springfield) 
 and Merrimack, 1 in that colon}-, and in July, 1634, six inhab. 
 itants of Newtown went in the vessel Blessing (bound to 
 the Dutch Plantation) to discover Connecticut River, intending 
 to remove their town thither. 
 
 In September, 1634, at a General Court held in Newtown, 
 formal application was made by the inhabitants of Newtown for 
 removal to Connecticut. The matter was debated for several 
 , and with considerable feeling. 
 The principal reasons given for their removal were: 1. Their 
 want of accommodation for their cattle. 2. The fruitfulness and 
 1 ommodiousness of Connecticut, and the danger of having it pos- 
 sessed by others, either Dutch or English. 3. The strong bent 
 of their spirits to remove thither. Mr. Hooker is said to have 
 alleged that it was a fundamental error that the towns in that 
 colony were set so near to each other. 
 
 No definite conclusion was arrived at by the court. A ma- 
 jority in numbers were for the removal, while a majority in 
 authority were opposed to it. 2 
 
 Under these circumstances it is not to be wondered at 
 thai the attractions of the Connecticut Valley, with its broad and 
 rich meadows, enticed some of the more adventurous of the in- 
 habitants to brook no further delay of the General Court, and to 
 migrate without civil sanction. It is said that, during the same 
 autumn, some of the inhabitants of Watertown removed to Con- 
 nect d built their huts in Wethersfield, called then by 
 its Indian name of Fyquaug (meaning "an open place" probably 
 referring to the broad, open meadows of Wethersfield), and which 
 locality these settlers called Watertown, after the town from 
 which they migrated. Their precise location is supposed to have 
 been on what was afterwards called "Poke" or " Folley Hill." 
 Uric they built their log huts and passed the following cold win- 
 ter, and were the first permanent settlers of the colony of Con- 
 icut. 3 They were separated from their friends by long miles 
 of forests ani , shut out from the world, surrounded 
 b) savage beasts and wild Indians. But they '•trusted in God, 
 and kept their powder dry." 
 
 ing spring, at a General Court of the mother col- 
 
 I W Mil ll. JOUI ., 
 
 - i Wintli. 
 
 3 1 Trumb. His., i i Conn. Rec, 513. 1 Stiles' An, 
 lii: I .ibrary. 
 
ony, held May 6, 1635, formal liberty was granted to the inhabit- 
 ants of Watertown to remove themselves to any place they might 
 think meet to make choice of, provided they continued still under 
 that government. 1 And on June 3, 1635, like leave was granted 
 to the inhabitants of Dorchester for their removal. 2 Also three 
 pieces (guns) were granted to the plantations that should remove 
 to Connecticut, to fortify themselves withal. They apparently 
 recognized the fact that "Heaven helps those who help them- 
 selves." And the same court, September 3, 1635, granted 
 power to any magistrate to swear a constable of the plantations 
 at Connecticut, when the inhabitants should desire the same. 3 
 Law and order were to be supreme, even in the wilderness. 
 
 In November, 1635, about sixty men, women and little 
 children, with their cows and swine, went by land to Connecti- 
 cut, where they arrived safe, after a tedious and difficult journey. 
 
 Those who migrated from Newtown settled mainly at Hart- 
 ford, called by the Indians Sia'kiai/g (meaning "black-earth," in 
 probable reference to the rich dark soil of the Hartford south 
 meadows), and which they named Newtown ; while those who 
 went from Dorchester settled in Windsor, called by the In- 
 dians Matianuck, and which they named Dorchester. So that in 
 the year 1635 permanent settlements were effected at Hartford 
 and Windsor; and that already made at Wethersfield was en- 
 larged. 
 
 At a General Court, held at Newtown, in Massachusetts, 
 March 3, 1635 (N. S. March 14, 1636), a commission was 
 granted to eight persons to govern the people of Connecticut for 
 the space of a year. The preamble of the commission runs as 
 follows : 
 
 " Whereas, Upon some reason and grounds, there are to 
 remove from this our commonwealth and body of Mattachu- 
 setts in America, divers of our loving friends, neighbors, free- 
 men and members of New Towne, Dorchester, Watertown 
 and other places, who are resolved to transplant them- 
 selves and their estates unto the river of Connecticut, there 
 to reside and inhabit ;and to that end divers are there al- 
 eady, and divers others shortly to go," etc. 4 
 Roger Ludlow and seven others were authorized to hold 
 
 a court in Connecticut, and administer justice. 
 
 1 M ass. Rec, 146. 
 1 Mass. Rec, 148. 
 i Mass. Rec. 159. 
 1 Mass. Rec. 170. 
 
I May, 1636, Mr. Hooker, of Newtown, and the most 
 
 of his congregation, started for Connecticut by land. His wife 
 
 1 arried in a horse-litter, and they drove 160 cattle, and 
 
 lived on the milk of their cows by the way. They settled at 
 
 Hartford. 
 
 Five of the eight commissioners appointed for the new plan- 
 tations held their first court in Connecticut, at Newtown (now 
 on the 26th day of April, 1636 (N. S. May 7, 
 I, when, among other things, Daniel Finch was sworn a 
 constable for Watertown ; and, as they had migrated without 
 their pastor, the formation of a church there was approved. 1 It 
 consisted of Andrew Warde, Jo. Sherman, Jo. Strickland, Rob't 
 Coe, Rob't Reynolds and Jonas Weed. The same commissioners 
 held their next court at Dorchester (now Windsor), June 7, 
 1636, when it was ordered that a watch be maintained in each 
 town, and Samuel Wakeman was ordered to survey the breadth 
 of Watertown, towards the mouth of the river. 3 
 
 A third court was held by six of the commissioners at Water- 
 town (now Wethersfield), September 1, 1636. 
 
 Four other courts were held at Newtown before the year ex- 
 pired for which their commission was granted. Thus Connecti- 
 cut was governed for one year under the jurisdiction of Mas- 
 sachusetts. The commission was never renewed, nor did 
 Massachusetts assert any further claim of jurisdiction over this 
 distant settlement. The government, of course, fell into the 
 hands of the people. 
 
 At the last court of the commissioners, held February 21, 
 1636 (N. S. March 4, 1637), the names of the three towns 
 were changed to Harteford, Windsor and Wythersfeild, and their 
 boundaries were for the first time established. These were 
 not very definite, but sufficiently so for their scanty popula- 
 tion. 
 
 Wethersfield extended down the river from Hartford, six 
 miles in breadth from north to south, and ran over the 
 river, east, three miles into the country; while its length west- 
 ward was left indefinite. 3 
 
 The first court, that met after the Massachusetts Commission 
 had expired, was held at Hartford, March 28, 1637, when the 
 
 1 t Conn. Rec, 1 ai t"he l • W ' : w that on April 
 
 i 1 put up seats in the meeting h 
 Smith w.i^ the Fn si minister. 
 
 [Conn Rei 
 
name of Mr. Thomas Welles first appears as one of the mag- 
 istrates. He was not named in the commission. 
 
 These magistrates were appointed by committees of the 
 several towns, invested by them with authority, and sworn to the 
 faithful performance of their duties. Mr. Welles was afterwards 
 Secretary and Governor of the colony, and his descendants 
 are to be found to-day in Hartford, Wethersfield, Newington, 
 and probably in most of the States in the Union. 
 
 The next court was held May i, 1637, and was called a 
 " General Court "; and, for the first time, was composed in part of 
 nine committees, or deputies, from the three towns, and was 
 the first General Assembly of the colony. 
 
 The important measure of waging an offensive war against 
 the Pequot Indians was decided upon, and a levy of ninety 
 men from the three plantations was ordered. Hartford was 
 to furnish forty-two; Windsor, thirty; and Wethersfield, eighteen. 
 Afterwards an additional levy of ten men was ordered : From 
 Hartford, five; Windsor, three; Wethersfield, two. 
 
 The expedition was crowned with success. The proud and 
 insolent Pequots were almost exterminated, and the white men 
 rendered more secure in the possession of their lands. The les- 
 son was a severe one to the Indians. But our fathers had am- 
 icably purchased their territory of these native proprietors, 
 and they thought it necessary that it should be fully understood 
 that they were determined to maintain their fairly-purchased pos- 
 sessions. 
 
 BOUNDARIES OF WETHERSFIELD. 
 
 Wethersfield was purchased of Sowheag, sometimes called 
 Sequin, who was Sachem of the Mattabeset, or Mattabesic, tribe 
 of Indians, and lived at Mattabeset, now Middletown. He, 
 some time after the settlement of Pyquaug, sold to the Wethers- 
 field men, for a consideration which was satisfactory to him, all 
 the land covered by their plantation — six miles from north to 
 south, running east from the river three miles, and west from the 
 river six large miles into the wilderness. The contract with 
 Sowheag seems to have been an oral one, as it is not on rec- 
 ord, and as subsequently it is referred to as such in a deed of the 
 same tract to the town by the heirs of Sowheag, confirming 
 the former grant, dated December 25, 167 1, and signed by 
 
io 
 
 Turramuggas, Sepannamaw (squaw, daughter to Sowheag), 
 Speunno Nabowhee, Weesumpshie and Waphanek. 
 
 The western boundary of Wethersfield was first established 
 by authority by a court held December i, 1645, when it was 
 ordered that the plantation called Tunxis should be called 
 Farmington, the eastern bounds of which were to meet with 
 the western of the River Plantations, "which are to be five 
 miles on this side the Great River." These continued the 
 boundary lines of Wethersfield until they were extended five 
 miles still further east by the General Court, held October 
 15, 1672; and afterwards — October 10, 1673 — a deed of this ad- 
 ditional tract was obtained from the Indians, signed by Tar- 
 ramuggas, Massecuppe, Wesumshye, One Peny, Nesaheeg, Se- 
 ocket and Pewompskin ; and" the whole territory was confirmed 
 to the town by the patent of the Governor and Secretary 
 of the colony, dated February 17, 1685. 1 
 
 PATENT TO THE TOWN. 
 
 The colonial charter of Charles II., dated April 23, 
 1662, had granted certain rights and privileges to the colony 
 of Connecticut, which the people cherished with jealous care; 
 and becoming fearful that this charter would be taken from 
 them, the General Court ordered that patents or deeds of 
 their lands should be granted to all the towns then existing. 
 The patent of Wethersfield granted the land bounded north 
 by Hartford, east "on the wilderness — full eight miles from 
 the Great River," south on Middleton, and west on Farming- 
 
 'It will be noticed that the land purchased from Sowheag ran west of the river "six large 
 iinhs into the wilderness" ; while the boundary fixed by the court was five miles west of 
 thi river. The bound tually established in accordance with the grant of Sowheag. 
 
 ! towns of Wethersfield and Farmington appointed committees who agreed upon 
 
 the boundary line October 19, 1670, asfi illows : 
 
 "Articli ol agreement betwixt the Committee of Wethersfield and Farmington, in 
 to the bounds betwixt the towns, as followeth, viz.: That John Nott, Sam 1 ! 
 Borman, Jno. Riley, Hugh Wells, for Wethersfield. and William Lewi-., Sam'l Steel. Jno. 
 Stanley & |ohn Wadsworth, for Farmington. in reference to the premises have agreed as 
 followeth, to wit: Thai the heap of stones on the east side of a bogie meadow, thai is 
 th tent of Hartford and Wethersfield bounds westward, and Farmington east- 
 
 ward: and from thence to run to a white oak tree marked on four sides, standing ah. nit 
 a mile to the south >1 iesetl River on rising land and is the utmost extent of 
 
 Wethersfield I ird, al their Southwest corner, and Farmington bounds Eastward. 
 
 Vnd there al thai tree we jointly agree to have a heap of stones or a ditch within the 
 
 nonth aftei ■'■ f; md a itraight line betwixt these two corners shall be the 
 
 perpetual bound marks betwixt Farmington and Wethersfield, which is alreadj ei 
 ore.d. 1 11 a ion , 1 1 ilf 1 p 'in 10 the wi 1 'I the lottth from the heap of stones till we come to the 
 marked 1 1 b 1 thi I 11 of the right line by the 1 - 1 bove specified. 
 
 As witness our hand this 20th day of October, 11 (2 Weth Rei I 
 
 As Farmington lay wesi ol the three river plantations, it maybe that the five miles 
 between it and the river wen men nod loan the rivei al Hartford, from which point the 
 I, I. .ill north and s mth. 
 
1 1 
 
 ton, to "Capt. Samuel Tallcot, Capt. John Chester, Lieut. James 
 Treat, Mr. Samuel Wolcot, Mr. John Deming, Sr., Mr. Robert 
 Wells, Mr. John Robins, Mr. John Hollister, Mr. Samuel Wells 
 and Mr. Richard Smith and the rest of the said present pro- 
 prietors of the township of Wethersfield, and their heirs and as- 
 signs forever," to have and to hold the same, " according 
 to the tennour of His Majestie's Mannour of East Greenwich, in 
 the County of Kent, in the Kingdom of England, in free and 
 common soccage, and not in capitte, nor by Knight's service, 
 they yeilding and paying therefore to our Soveraign Lord the 
 King, his heirs and successors, only the fifth part of all the oare 
 of Gold and Silver, which from time to time and at all times 
 forever hereafter shall be there gotten, had or obtained in lieu of 
 all rents, services, dueties and demands whatsoever, accord- 
 ing to charter." These words, relating to the tenure, are taken 
 almost word for word from the charter itself. And the effect 
 would seem to be the same as if Wethersfield had been trans- 
 planted from the banks of the Connecticut to the banks of 
 the Thames, and set down in the royal demesnes of East Green- 
 wich, under the windows of his Majesty's palace. The tenure 
 of " free and common soccage " was free, honorable and certain, 
 more so than any other feudal English tenure; and peculiarly 
 so in the county of Kent, where Saxon liberty flourished under 
 Norman conquest, where primogeniture had no existence, and 
 where the soil was trodden by no villein or slave. It was a 
 fit tenure to be granted to our liberty-loving fathers, and sa- 
 credly did they preserve it until July 4, 1776, when the old bell 
 of Independence Hall, at Philadelphia, proclaimed liberty 
 throughout all the land unto the inhabitants thereof, when 
 every man became possessed of an allodial title to his lands, held 
 of no superior, but of himself only, as his own lord paramount. 
 The freest of all the English tenures languished and died 
 when transplanted to American soil. 
 
 COLONIAL AND TOWN GRANTS OF LAND IN 
 NEWINGTON. 
 
 Under its two Indian purchases Wethersfield embodied a 
 tract of land fourteen miles long by six broad, an area of 84 
 square miles, or 53,760 square acres. But land was cheap 
 in the ancient times, and both the General Court and the 
 
12 
 
 town made lavish grants of this magnificent domain. These 
 grants were of all sizes, up to three hundred acres to a single in- 
 dividual. 
 
 At a General Court, held October 10, 1639, it was en- 
 acted that "the townes of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield, 
 or any other of the townes within this jurisdiction, shall each of 
 them have power to dispose of their own lands undisposed of, and 
 all other comodityes arysing out of their owne lymitts bounded 
 out by the court." 1 
 
 This privilege was freely exercised, and the records of 
 colony and town are full of these grants. The first grant of land 
 contained within the limits of what afterwards became the parish 
 of Newington was made by the General Court, at a session held 
 October 8, 166S. 
 
 SERGT RICHARD BECKLY'S GRANT. 
 
 It was a grant of three hundred acres to Serg't Richard Beck- 
 ly, lying by Mattabesert river, half a mile wide, on both sides 
 the river, to run up from New Haven path. This grant of the 
 court was confirmed by vote of the town at a meeting held Feb- 
 ruary 23, 1670-71, with a further grant of ''ten acres nigh his 
 house." 2 And in the record of this grant it is described as land 
 which he obtained " by purchase of Terramagas, Indian, with the 
 consent of the court and town, . . . whereon his houseing 
 and barn standeth." 3 
 
 How long his house had been standing in 167 1, it cannot now 
 be said, but it is probable that he was the first settler in Newing- 
 ton. Other Becklys settled around him, and gave the name of 
 Be< kly Quarter to that locality. Beckly Quarter was permanently 
 annexed to the parish of Kensington in 1754, and is now a part 
 of the town of Merlin. 
 
 FIRST DIVISION OF LAND IN NEWINGTON. 
 
 At a town meeting held February 2, 1670-71, the town, in the 
 exercise of their right of ownership and supreme power of dis- 
 posal oi lands within their limits, passed a vote that " the land next 
 Farmington bounds, one mile in breadth, that is to say, east and 
 
 I Col. K 
 
 i Town 
 j Town 1 
 
I 
 
 west, shall be divi led to all the inhabitants, — that is to say, ' i 
 householders that live on the west side of Connecticut river, in 
 the bounds of Wethersfield, to ever)' man an equal proportion, — 
 that is to say, one man as many as another, to be to them and 
 their heirs forever"; and a committee was appointed, consisting of 
 Mr. Chester, Serg't Nott. Sam'l Borman, Sen., John Rily, Sen., 
 and Hugh Welles, with full power to make the division. 
 
 This committee proceeded to lay out this tract of land into 
 seventy-six lots, containing about fifty-two acres each, which 
 proves that there was that number of householders in the town 
 west of the river at that time. 
 
 A town meeting was held February 23, 1670-7 1, 1 when it was 
 voted that no proprietor of any of these lots should make sale of 
 them to any man not an inhabitant of Wethersfield, under penalty 
 of forfeiting his right in said land. It was also voted that there 
 should be one highway, running east and west through the 
 middle of the tract, eight rods in breadth, with sufficient gates at 
 each end. 3 The lots were numbered from north to south. The 
 proprietors then drew lots for their shares in this division of land, 
 comprising about four thousand acres in ail. 3 
 
 This division of lots was sometimes called the "west division," 
 or "west lots." It extended from Hartford to Middletown, six 
 miles, while the lots ran across the division, east and west, a mile 
 in length, fronting the east, and abutting west upon Farmington. 
 It is probable that the east end of these lots is now somewhat 
 irregularly marked by the highway running north from the old 
 Academy building, and south by Back Lane, so called. And the 
 highway running east and west by the Academy is possibly th e 
 old highway running through the middle of the tract, with end 
 gates. 
 
1 4 
 
 SAW-MILL LOTS. 
 
 It is probable that the west division of lots was made because 
 there was a demand for it on the part of the inhabitants. Doubt- 
 less they wished to own it in severalty, either for purposes of 
 actual settlement, or for getting the timber with which it was 
 heavily stocked. 
 
 As early as 1649 a ship was owned in Wethersfield, and on 
 November 7, 1649, the General Court 1 granted "Sam. Smith and 
 the rest of the owners " liberty to get and make so many pipe 
 staves as would freight out the ship the first voyage. Pipe staves 
 were an article of commerce, probably in the West India trade. 
 Saw -mills therefore were in demand to furnish the pipe staves. 
 At a town meeting- held October 25, 1677, "there was liberty 
 -inted to Eman'l Buck, John Rily, Sam'l Borman and Joseph 
 Rily to build a saw-mill, with sufficient ponding, and also twenty 
 acres of land to each of them forever, and to be about Pipe Stave 
 Swamp, . . . and the mill to be up and fit to work, at or 
 
 >re the last of September next ensuing the date hereof. And 
 Hugh Welles, Serg't John Nott, Serg't John Deming, and Jose. 
 Edwards, are chosen as a committee to lay out the above-men- 
 tioned land." 
 
 This saw-mill was built at the pond in the center of the place, 
 and Pipe Stave Swamp must have been in the immediate vicinity, 
 east and south, and have acquired its name from the fact, prob- 
 ably, that pipe staves had already been obtained there. The 
 A minis farm, now owned by Martin Kellogg, so much of it as 
 lies east of the mill-pond, is a part of this original grant, as the 
 town records show 3 that the two Rileys sold i,s acres by estima- 
 tion of this grant to Joseph Andrus, March 31, 16S4, abutting 
 west partly on the pond ; and September 24. 1702, Andrus bought 
 the saw-mill itself, with two acres of land, and dwelling house 
 thereon, with the pondage belonging to said mill, the land being 
 bounded on all sides by the common, except the east, where it 
 was bounded on his own land, and being described as located 
 "on or near a place usually called C'owplain." 
 
 On March 25, 1680, the town granted 1 to Emmanuel Buck 
 twenty acres of land more, "next his land at the saw-mill, in 
 
 liange lor half an acre near his house for a highway." 
 
 I ■ 1 . Rei , 200. 
 1 town Vol 
 
 /n Rec, 1 1. 
 
 1 . 
 
IS 
 
 On September n, T6S4, the town "voted that Joseph Andrus 
 shall have a small piece of land near his land by the saw-mill, 
 convenient to build a house and barn on." 1 
 
 There may have been other grants to the saw-mill proprietors. 
 They were justified at the time, no doubt, upon the consideration 
 that the erection of a saw-mill was a matter of public concern- 
 ment and benefit, especially as we find that in this case the town, 
 regulated the price at which they should sell boards, viz.: at the 
 mill four shillings per hundred, and five shillings at home, for 
 twelve years. 
 
 SECOND GENERAL DIVISION OF LANDS IN NEW- 
 
 INGTON. 
 
 The grants to the saw-mill proprietors were exceptional in 
 character, and to particular individuals. The next general divi- 
 sion of lands in Newington was authorized by vote of the town 
 passed February 23, 1693-94, which provided that "our commons, 
 excepting so much as shall be thought convenient for the feeding 
 of cattle and sheep, and for the use of the town for the getting of 
 stone, &c, shall be divided unto the inhabitants of this town 
 according to the list of their estates, taken and approved in court 
 October, 1693, viz.: that every person shall have his just propor- 
 tion, according to the list of his own proper estate and right, 
 reserving convenient and large highways, and suitable 
 watering places for cattle." 
 
 This division, "according to the list," seems unjust and inequi- 
 table, but the reason is probably to be found in the fact that since 
 the first division, in 167 1, the town had bought of the Indians the 
 whole territory embraced within its limits, and had paid for the 
 purchase by a special tax laid on the list of estates : for instance, 
 January 15, 1673-74, a rate of half-penny on the pound to pay 
 for the live miles purchased east of the river, so that the division 
 was made upon the same terms as the payment. 
 
 The General Court had, at a session held May 8, 1690, 
 granted that so much of the town as lay east of the Great River 
 should be a town by itself, and on June 22, 1692, had named the 
 new town " Glassenbury." This accounts for the fact that the 
 whole town were to share in the present division, while only the 
 portion west of the river shared in the division of 167 1. The 
 two divisions are thus seen to harmonize in this respect, as the 
 whole town was now west of the river. 
 
 1 1 Town Votes, 94. 
 
1 6 
 
 At a town meeting held October 15, 1694, a committee was 
 chosen to view the commons and make the division, consisting of 
 Mr. James Treat, Capt. Rob't Weels (Welles), Lieut. Wm. Warner, 
 Serg't Jno. Weels (Welles), and John Stadart (Stoddard), Serg't 
 John Curtis, and John Chester, fun. The committee reported 
 at a town meeting, held April 15, 1695, in favor of making 
 a genera] division ot five different tiers of lots. The first 
 tier was located at the extreme south end of the town, half a 
 mile in breadth, and running from east to west, between Middle- 
 town highway and Mattabeset river, probably extending to Rich- 
 ard Beckly's grant. The second tier was parallel to the first, and 
 of the same length and breadth, north of it, with a space of 
 twenty rods between for a highway. Neither of these tiers is 
 in Newington, but in Rocky Hill. 
 
 The third tier was next to the Hartford line, and is in Weth- 
 ersfield probably. The fourth tier is in Newington, and ran from 
 Hartford to Middletown, half a mile in breadth, reserving half a 
 mile between the front of the west lots and this tier for ,1 com- 
 mon. This tier is now- bounded west by the highway running 
 north and south in front of the meeting-house, and east by the 
 old road under Cedar Mountain. All the land between tins tier 
 and the west division, except the saw-mid lots, was common and 
 undivided. The fifth tier was parallel to, and north of, the 
 second, with a space of ten rods between for a highway, and is in 
 Rocky Hill. 
 
 Every man was to have half an acre to a pound in the list of 
 He who drew number one was to have the east lot in the 
 first tier, and so on through that; then beginning at the east end 
 of the second tier; then, when that was appropriated, to take tier 
 number three ; then the Newington tier, beginning at the north 
 I finishing up with the fifth tier. The lots were of une- 
 qual size, depending upon the number of pounds of each man in 
 the list. 
 
 This report was acted upon, and at the same ig the 
 
 inhabitants drew lots ; and Ser iah Dickinson was cho 
 
 draw lots for those were not present to draw for them- 
 
 selves. There were 165 in all, called in alphabetical ord r, 
 their n Som - thirteen thousand acres were 
 
 thus dh ided. 1 
 
 ! 
 leckley 117, Benj. Beckley 5, Sarah Bish 1 ■ ■ h'l Beckley 1 
 
17 
 
 The apportionment and location of every man's lot must have 
 been a matter of subsequent measurement and adjustment. This 
 was the second general division of lands in Newington, and the 
 tier running through Newington was called by our fathers the 
 "east tier," in contradistinction to that adjoining Farmington ; 
 so that there were now two divisions of land in Newington through 
 its whole length from north to south, half a mile apart, with the 
 saw-mill lots near the pond sandwiched in between them. 
 
 Among the proprietors of this second division of lots, we 
 recognize as Newington names those of Andrus, Atwood, Belden, 
 Boardman, Churchill, Clark, Deming, Dickinson, Dix, Frances, 
 Gilbert, Goodrich, Griswold, Hunn, Hurlbut, Kilbourn, Lattimer, 
 Seymour, Smith, Stoddard, Steel, Welles, Willard, Kirkham, Rob- 
 bins, and perhaps others. They probably soon settled here. 
 
 FIRST SETTLERS. 
 
 According to tradition, the earliest settlers bore the names of 
 Andrus, Slead, and Hunn. The records show that John Slead 
 bought a fifty-two acre lot in the west division, December 16, 
 1681, and half of the next lot south, November 10, 1694; and it 
 is said that he built a house near where the old Academy now 
 stands. Samuel Hunn bought of Lazarus Hollister his lot, num- 
 
 Belden 142, Jonat. Belden 103. Joseph Belden 87, Sam'l Belden 120, Edward Benten 55, Peter 
 Blin 156, Mr. Nat. Boman 59, Isack Borman 58, Sam'l Borman, Jun. 42, Clark Sam'l Borman 
 9, Dan'l Borman ioe, Jonat. Borman 27, Nath'l Borman 157. Jno. Brunson, Jun., 165, John 
 Branson, Sen., 143, George Buttolph 76, David Buttolph 160, Sam'l Butler 7, ' ath'l Butler 132, 
 Rich'd Butler 134, Jonat. Buck 138, Sam'l Buck 63, David Buck 22, Henry Buck 44, Ezek. Buck 
 124, Tho. Biggs 45, Capt. Jno. Chester 89, Jno. Chester, Jun., 88, Mr. Steph. Chester, Sen., [64, 
 St jph. Chester, Jun., 49, Tho. Chester 32, Joseph Churchill 152, Clark Benj. ChurchiU 137, 
 William Clark 66, Lidia Cole, 48, Sergt. Jonat. Colefox 46, Jolm Crane 102. Jacob Crane 51, 
 Israel Crane 109, Abraham Crane no, Sen'r Widdo. Crane 106, Joseph Crane 163, Moses 
 Craffts 83, Joseph Crowfoot 131. Serg't Jno. Curtis 39, Jun. John Curtis 125, Serg't Jno. 
 Demming 12^. Sen'r Jonat. Demming 08, Drum'r Jno. Hemming 121, Sam'l Demming 67, 
 Widd. Sarah Curtis 81, Ebenezer Deming 57, Smith jonat. Deming in. Jonat. Deming, Jun. 
 
 75. Serg't Obad Dickinson 140. Obad Dickinson. [1111. 90, Jno. Dickinson 1 _■ 1, 1 I'i^ 119, 
 
 Sam'l Dix 41, John Durrant 10, Mr. Tho. Fitch 104, Qua'r Nath'l Fott (Foot) 107. Rob't 
 Trances S6, John Frances 84. Tho. Furbush 38, Bc-nja. Gilbert 12. Josiah Gilbert] 7, Jonat. 
 i, fno. Goodrich 141. Win Goodrich 146. David Goodri h 128, Jacob G fl 118, 
 Phil. Goff8o, "Moses GofF6o, Aaron 1 toff 1 (9, Tho. Griswould 16, Jacob Griswould i 1, Vlichael 
 Griswould 136, Joseph Grimes 37, Nath'l Hunn 133, Widd. Rcbi. Hal! 50, Sam'l Hurlbutt 
 150, Steph. Hurlbutt 79, Cor. Hurlbutt 74, Serg't Jno. Kilborn 161. ILbe. Kilborn 
 Kilborn 82, Cor. Jno. Lattimer 153, Sam'l Lattimer no, Mr. Morecock 112, Rich .Mason 6, 
 John Maclcv 52, John Nott 61, John North 158, Wm. Powel 53, John Rennals 8. Daniel Ri 
 15, John Rily 159, Jos. Rily 2. Jonat. Rily 144, Isaack Rily 14, Zacha. Seimer 71, Theop. 
 Sherman 18. jonat. "Smith 122, Sam'l Smith 60, Tho. Standish 130, John St". Mail 129, ! 
 Stoddart 31, Nath'l Stodart 33, Ens. Jno. Stedman 162, James Steel ; : . < or. Sam'l I all ott 34, 
 Eliz'r Tallcott 36, Jos. Tallcott 47. John Taylor 105, Sam'l Taylor 23. Will. Tayloi 
 Tobe 20, Lieut. James Treat 02, Inn. James Treat 108, Serg't Joshua Robbins too, Mr. J 
 Rowlandson 77. Lieut. Wm Warner 147, John Waddams 96. Capt. Robert Weels (Welles) 113, 
 Serg't fno. Weels 93. Serg't Tho. Weels 54, Mr. Tho. Wickham 1. Tho. Williams n, Jacob Wil- 
 liams 114, Simon Wil ard 25, George Woolc.t 154, Joseph Wright, Sen.. 56. Joseph Wright, Jun., 
 43, Sam'l Wright r 3 5. Tho. Wright 68, Lidia Wright 3, James Wright 15s, Jno. Russell 24 
 Jno. Wv.it 73. Will Burnham 72. Mathew Barns 94. John Coleman 70. Wm. Clark, Jim. p, 
 Wi Id. Martha Crane 65, Ben. Hale 85. Jno. Howard 28, Lieut. Tho. Hi Ulster n -. Lazarus 
 11 Lister 91, Lieut. Steph. Hollister 149, Jonas Holmes 62, Wm. Smith 95. Wm. Tryan 21, 
 Sam'l ICircum 64. Mrs. Mary Robbins 30, John Williams 35, Mr Sa I Wo Icot [48, John 
 W, ; ill 1 ti Town V ites, 118.) 
 
18 
 
 ber ninety-one in the east tier, containing twenty-five and one- 
 half acres, August 14, 1695 ; and the tradition is that the first 
 settler, by the name of Hunn, settled at the north part of the 
 town. 
 
 Joseph Andrus had his house fortified as a house of refuge 
 and defence from the Indians, and it was located twenty or thirty 
 rods from the old meeting-house, and still stands. He was a 
 large landholder. Some of his purchases have already been 
 mentioned. 
 
 THE WEST DIVISIONS MADE A PARISH. 
 
 By the year 1708, the settlement at these west divisions had 
 increased to such an extent that the inhabitants petitioned the 
 town to be a distinct parish. Their petition was not granted ; 
 but another one was presented at a town meeting held December 
 24, 1712, which was granted, and a committee was appointed to 
 locate the site for a, meeting-house on the commons between the 
 two divisions, and make return thereof to the next town meeting. 
 This committee made the following report at a town meeting held 
 March 23, 17 13: 
 
 "At a town meeting in December last, we, the subscribers* 
 being appointed and impowered to consider and determine where 
 the meeting-house (should be erected) for the public worship of 
 our inhabitants dwelling towards the west of our township ; ac- 
 cordingly we did, on the eighth day of January, 17 12-13, view 
 several places in the commons lying between the two west divis- 
 ions of land in our township, and do agree and determine that 
 the said meeting-house, when it is erected, shall stand on that 
 piece of cleared land adjacent to the house of Joseph Hurlbut 
 and John Griswold, westerly, about the middle of said land, on 
 the west side of a small black oak tree. 1 
 
 Benjamin Churchel. 
 
 ( rEORGE Still. man. 
 
 Jacob Griswold." 
 
 This return was accepted by the meeting, and this choice of 
 the site was, in October, 17 15, confirmed by a committee of the 
 Genera] Court. At the May session of the General Court, in 
 
 1713, the new parish was formally chartered.- 
 
 1 1 Town Vet'-, 1 51. 
 
 - See " A11n.il 1 -I Newington " (page 1 -17) for the full history of the charter of the parish. 
 
PARSONAGE LAND. 
 
 Having thus obtained the privilege of being a distinct society, 
 the west inhabitants, at a town meeting held December 7, 17 13, 
 presented the following petition for a grant of parsonage land: 1 
 
 "We, who are the west inhabitants in this town of Wethers- 
 field, having obtained liberty, both from the town and also from 
 the General Court, to be a distinct society for the worship of 
 God, we do at this time and at this present meeting, humbly 
 request a piece of land for a parsonage ; and in granting this our 
 request, you will much benefit and oblige us, who are yours to 
 serve. 
 
 " [abez Whitelsy, ) „ . 
 
 "Nathaniel Churchel, \Committee. 
 
 At this meeting, December 7, 17 13, the town, in answer to the 
 above written, did grant by vote that Cap't. Robins, Lieut. 
 Churchel, Lieut. Belding, and Joshua Robins, 2d, shall be a com- 
 mittee to lay out fifty acres of land at the west division, to be for 
 an accommodation of the ministry there. 
 
 And this fifty acres was laid out by the committee on the com- 
 mons, opposite the present residence of Martin Robbins, Esq., 
 and continued to be held and improved as parsonage land until 
 sold by the society in 1774, by a lease for 999 years. 
 
 THE FIRST MEETING-HOUSE AND MINISTER. 
 
 It is to the honor of our forefathers, that when they came 
 over Cedar Mountain from Wethersiield, and planted in this wale 
 their own habitations, they forgot not to put up a house to the 
 Lord of all the earth. And they took care that His house should 
 be the costliest, and located upon the fairest sight, of all in their 
 community. If it was rude and rough in the light of the present 
 day, we must remember that more rude and rough were their own 
 humble dwellings. This crowning eminence, " beautiful for situ- 
 ation," has been consecrated as a hill of Zion by two successive 
 meeting-houses, where for one hundred and sixty years the gene- 
 rations have come up to worship. 
 
 The first meeting-house was raised in April, 17 16, upon a site 
 a few rods southeast of the present church, and west of the 
 house of Horace Kilbourn, facing to the east, and standing in 
 
 1 1 Town Votes, 154. 
 
20 
 
 the highway. The straitened circumstances of the people are 
 shown by the slow progress of the building to completion. In- 
 deed, it never was finished inside except the pulpit, pews, galleries, 
 and gallery stairs, winch were at the northeast and southeast 
 corners of the house. The next month after it was raised, the 
 society voted to cover and underpin it. It remained in this con- 
 dition, without floors or windows, for the next four years. On 
 April 21, 1720, the society voted to lay a floor of hewed plank, 
 put in the lower tier of windows, and to make doors. The next 
 month they voted to substitute boards for a floor, in place of 
 hewed planks. .September 15, 1720, it was voted to lath and 
 ier the walls, and lay the floor, and committees were appoint- 
 ed to do the work. The floor was laid, but the walls were not 
 lathed and plastered for some years. In the meantime the soci- 
 ety had, on August 5, 1720, chosen the Rev. Elisha Williams as their 
 minister, and on December 6, 1720, the society appointed a com- 
 mittee to treat with him in order to a settlement, and to endeavor 
 to get a piece of land for him from the town. A satisfactory 
 
 angement was soon made with him, for on December 21, 1720, 
 the society voted to give him one hundred and seventy pounds 
 for a settlement, to be paid in two years, in money or labor, in 
 building him a house. It was further voted to give him two days' 
 work in a year, of every man that was then or should be in the 
 
 iety, from sixteen years old and upwards, capable of labor, for 
 live years. Such a vote as this seems a remarkable exercise of 
 power to us, but it did not probably seem so to those who passed 
 it, and it was, in all likelihood, not an uncommon occurrence in 
 those days. 
 
 It is, perhaps, not unjust to say that religion then wore a 
 sterner aspect than now, and won its way too much by the law 
 of the land, and too little by the law of love. Our ancestors 
 knew more of the doctrines of the Gospel than of its true spirit- 
 uality, and bound themselves under its legal formalities, at the 
 expense of fully enjoying its glorious liberty. They were men oi 
 strong and stern characters, firm in their convictions of right, and 
 unyielding in their determination to defend them. Men of such 
 caliber were well titled to grapple with the difficulties that 
 beset them, and become the founders of a nation. 
 
 Mr. Williams must have preached before this vote was passed 
 bu when he firsl 1 ame to the people for that pur- 
 pose is uncertain. It is probable that he had preached to the n 
 
21 
 
 before August 5, 1720, as they then made choice of him for their 
 minister, although at that time there was no floor to the church. 
 
 The town on March 6, 1720-21, made a grant of eight acres 
 of land to Mr. Williams, 1 to be laid out in the common land, near 
 to the Widow Elizabeth Andrus's dwelling-house, northwest- 
 wardly, so as not to hinder or obstruct any highway ; and Lieut. 
 Robert Welles, Mr. Jabez Whittlesey, and Jonathan Burnham 
 were appointed a committee to lay the land out to him. They 
 selected the eight acres northward of Widow Andrus's barn, fif- 
 teen or sixteen rods, and made return of their doings to a town 
 meeting held December n, 1721, when their action was approved. 
 
 Mr. Williams must have removed his family to Newington 
 before his house was built, for on February 16, 1720-21, the soci- 
 ety granted him liberty to make a seat or pew for his family in 
 the meeting-house; which would also seem to prove that, up to 
 this time, the church contained neither seats nor pews. 
 
 The society had the building of Mr. Williams's house and the 
 finishing of the meeting-house on their hands at the same time. 
 It was a heavy burden upon them. On February 8, 1722, it was 
 voted to build a pulpit and deacon's seat. When these votes were 
 carried out, the house was considered in a fit condition for hold- 
 ing the ordination exercises of the minister. On September 12, 
 1722, the society voted to keep Wednesday, October 3, next 
 ensuing, " as a fast, to implore divine assistance of God in gath- 
 ering a church of Christ here, and in the ordination of the Rev. 
 Mr. Elisha Williams "; and Wednesday, October 17, thereafter, 
 was appointed as the day of ordination. The Rev. Stephen Mix, of 
 Wethersfield, and Mr. Samuel Whitman, of Farmington, were 
 chosen to assist on the day of fasting, in organizing the church. 
 
 Let us "take a glance at this little gathering. In the high pul- 
 pit are the three ministers; at the right of the pulpit sit the fam- 
 ily of Mr. Williams, in the seat or pew which he was permitted to 
 make for them himself. In front is the deacon's seat, where sits 
 Deacon Joseph Andrus. A new deacon is elected, Mr. John 
 Deming, who takes a seat by his side. The rest of the congrega- 
 tion arrange themselves upon the seats as they please, for no 
 committee has been authorized to seat them as yet ; however, the 
 males sit upon one side, and the females upon the other side, of 
 the church. 
 
 We glance at the building. No paint has ever touched its 
 
 Town Votes, n. 
 
walls, which are yet unlathed and unplastered ; we see the upper 
 tier of windows are not yet in, and the October breeze has free 
 course over the heads of the congregation. We see there are 
 galleries, but they are not occupied, for there are no floors to 
 them ; however, the gallery stairs are found convenient seats for 
 the children, who are separated from father and mother, and 
 placed all together under the charge of a tithing-man, who has 
 no easy task to subdue to proper decorum the un-Puritanic 
 tendencies of these young Puritans, who while away the time 
 in counting the rafters of the roof, or at last fall asleep, and 
 dream of playing upon the huge beams that cross from plate to 
 plate. Forty and six years was the Temple at Jerusalem in 
 building. Six years and more have been spent in bringing this 
 house to its present state. Eighty years it stands, and its build- 
 ing is never completed. 
 
 At the first society meeting after the ordination, a committee 
 is appointed to the important and delicate duty of seating the 
 church, who pay due regard to the list, age, parentage, and use- 
 fulness of the congregation. As we see that list stands first, and 
 usefulness last, in this table of degrees, we are reminded that, 
 after all, our fathers were men of like passions unto us, even in 
 these days of corruption in high places. The Pharisees were not 
 singular in desiring the highest seats in the synagogues; and we 
 can imagine the gratification of some of our good ancestors as 
 they were advanced to the highest seats, and the heart-burnings 
 of others who were told to "sit down lower." 
 
 They were not called to meeting by the church-going bell 
 but by the beat of a drum, which, by its martial sound, must have 
 reminded them that the Christian life was a warfare against sin 
 and Satan, and in addition to that, in their own cases, it was a 
 warfare against the treachery of the Indian. The musket, as 
 well as the bible, was in their hands. The latter was their sure 
 defence against the wiles of the devil, and the former against the 
 darts of the red man. 
 
 but we turn with pleasure from this warlike accouterment to 
 a vote which provided two horse-blocks lor the accommodation 
 of the people. What happy associations cluster about these 
 necessary adjuncts to the village church, in the primeval days. 
 When the long sermon was over, and the benediction pronounced, 
 the sedate deacon led his horse up to the block and mounted 
 into his saddle with that grace born of long practice, while his 
 
23 
 
 wife mounted upon the pillion behind him, embracing his manly 
 form with her right arm, as they homeward jogged their way and 
 talked over the sermon. Perhaps the doctrine of election had 
 been the theme, and they thanked God that they had, by his free 
 grace, been called from Nature's darkness into the marvelous 
 Gospel light. This couple were followed, perhaps, by his robust 
 son and a buxom daughter of one of the neighbors, whom he 
 had taken on as a matter of accommodation, possibly. The 
 good deacon hears their lightsome laugh, and he fears they are 
 not talking upon the sermon. He looks back, but John is too 
 far in the rear to see the reproving glance, or his attention is too 
 busily engaged. His wife reminds the deacon that they were 
 young once, too, and slightly tightens her grasp. He does recol- 
 lect, and the sweet sunshine of that recollection pours into his 
 heart, and he forgets the sermon, the doctrine of election, and 
 even for a while that it is the Sabbath day. 
 
 John takes his companion home, having made an appointment 
 to take her to make a call after sundown, — for Sunday is over at 
 sundown, and there are no lights in the meeting-house, and no 
 evening meetings are held there. The evening call takes place at a 
 neighbor's, where there are several sons and daughters of the vicin- 
 ity gathered. Cider and apples are brought on; tallow candles 
 shed theirs oft radiance over the lively scene, as this one tells of the 
 number of wolves he has shot since the last bounty offered for them 
 by the town, while another relates an encounter with a bear, or a 
 lucky escape from a hostile band of Indians while on a distant hunt. 
 
 The restraints of the day are forgotten. The hours glide on 
 with good cheer, and promptly at nine o'clock the rustic youths 
 mount their horses for home, with their Dulcineas mounted 
 behind them. Who can recount the romance of those Sunday 
 evening rides home! They are spiced with a little danger ; but 
 the children of that generation were reared amid dangers. They 
 were not unduly startled by the howl of the wolf in Pipe Stave 
 Swamp, or the cry of the loon in the mill-pond, or the pow-wow 
 of the Indians living on its banks. Their hearts are only knit 
 closer together, and their destinies more firmly united. 
 
 Mr. Williams remained the pastor of the church in Newington 
 between five and six years, until May, 1726, when he accepted 
 the position of Rector of Yale College. 1 
 
 1 President Stiles has the following memoir of Rector Williams : " 1694. August 24, born 
 at Hatfield, son of the Rev. William Williams. 1708, admitted sophomore in Harvard College, 
 
24 
 THE NAME OE NEWINGTON. 
 
 For several years prior to 1700, Newington was called "Cow- 
 plain," and this name was kept up for some twenty years in the 
 last century. The name of " Newington " first appears in our 
 society records under date of December 15, 17 18, and it was 
 legally invested with that appellation by Act of the General 
 Court in May, 1721. It is said to have been so named "out of 
 regard to the place of Dr. Watts's residence, near London." 
 Newington in England is situated on the south bank of the river 
 Thames, in the county of Surrey, and is a suburb of London, 
 nearly opposite Westminster Hall, the Parliament House. It 
 contains the Surrey Zoological Gardens on its southern portion, 
 and on its northern is located the famous Bethlehem Hospital for 
 lunatics, which name, corrupted into Bedlam, enriched the lan- 
 guage with a new term for a place of noise and uproar. It is at 
 least three thousand miles from Bedlam to our own quiet New- 
 ington, which has ever been removed a long distance from 
 tumult, corruption, and crime. May it never awake to the mad- 
 dening activities of its London namesake! Far preferable is the 
 serene beauty of its Sabbath repose. 
 
 THE BURYING GROUND. 
 It was the custom in olden time to locate God's acre very 
 
 and educated under Mr. Tutor Remington. 1711-1714. graduated A. B. and A. M., by Mr. 
 
 it Leverett, and soon married Miss Eunice Chester, and settled at Wethersfield. 
 
 iade tutor of refugee scholars at Wethersfield by the Rev. Messrs. Woodbridge and 
 
 1,1111. two trustees ; afterwards chosen and approved at a legal meeting of trustees 
 
 of the College. 1718, member and clerk of the Assembly. 1720, severe fit of sickness — sanctified. 
 
 1 .'7, ordained pastor of the church in Newington. 1726, aged 33, installed Rector 
 
 College, elected 1725. He tilled his chair with great usefulness and honor thirteen 
 
 years. !l ood classical si holar, well versed in logic, metaphysics, and ethics, and in 
 
 : itory. He presided at commencement with great honor. He spoke Latin 
 
 freely, ami delivered oratii ns gi icefully. and with animated dignity. While a boy, I heard 
 
 him make his valedictory oration at the commencement, 1739, when he resigned his office. 
 
 He was ,1 man oi iplendor." Prest. Wolsey's Hist. 1 lis.. 104-5. 
 
 Vale ' rom Saybrook to New Haven, by votes passed by the trus- 
 
 tee ( >< tobcr 17, 171'', ami April 5, 1717. The first commencement held in New Haven was 
 on September 11, 1717- That year then- had resided thirteen scholars at New Haven, four- 
 teen at VVethei Four at Saybrook. On September 12, 1718, there was a commence- 
 ment held at New Haven and also at Wethersfield. At the latter, Mr. Woodbridge presided, 
 assisted by Mr. Buckingham and other ministers, who signed certificates thai the scholars, 
 1 1 % 1 in number, who graduated, were worthy of the degree of Ba< helor of Arts. ( >n September 
 ■ ,, the Mr. Williams to be rector, and appointed Mr Woodbridge, Mr. 
 i. md Mi Whitman, to obtain his icceptan e of the office, ["he circumstances 
 of Mr. William 1 re 1 I lettled before the next commencement, September, 1726, 
 ill Vndrcu itill presided. On the nexl day after, Mr. Williams was installed 
 vine manner, viz.: tn the library, before the trustees, he gave his consent 
 to the confession of faith and rules of church discipline agreed upon by the churches of 
 i i, 1 colony ii t; ■ ■ . :i nade a public oration in the hall ; and the trustees suc- 
 him as re< tor. He n i ;ned at a meeting of the trustees October 
 Hist, of Yale Coll :ge. 1 
 There is a tradition that Mr. Williams ai tea as tutor while in Newington, and had Yale 
 
 [1 wa 1 large house, and mighi ... mmodated them. In 
 
 I u.i I Catalogue he is put down as tutor from 171 1 1 1 He died at Weth- 
 
 ersfield, I ty-first year of his age. His funeral sermon was preached by 
 
 the Ri fames Loci d was afterwards printed. 
 
25 
 
 near God's house. This custom was followed in Newington. 
 At a town meeting held March 7, 1 7 26, 1 the " town granted to 
 Newington Society one acre of land for a burying place, near 
 their meeting-house or elsewhere in the half mile common, and to be 
 laid out bv Deacon Jabez Whittlesey, Deacon John Deming, and 
 Richard Boardman, who shall bound out the same by sufficient 
 monuments, and record it to said Society." This committee 
 afterwards reported"' that they had "laid out an acre of land for 
 said purpose, a little north of the meeting-house in said Newing- 
 ton, including the old burying place, and bounded it out by suf- 
 ficient monuments, it being sixteen rods in length east and west, 
 and ten rods in width north and south." The date of this report 
 is December 4, 1752; and yet they must have actually made 
 choice of the burying place soon after they were appointed, in 
 1726, for we find by the inscription on her grave stone, that 
 " Lydia, the wife of Pelatiah Buck, who died July 29, 1726, in 
 the 28th year of her age," was " the first that was laid in this 
 yard"; and upon another monument, that " Mr. Simon Willard, 
 who died January 8, 1726-7, in the 66th year of his age," was 
 " the first male laid in this yard." 
 
 The committee, in their report, state that this acre, which 
 they laid out, included "the old burying place." Such language 
 seems to imply that there was an ancient burial place here before 
 the grant of the town was made. It may have been an Indian 
 burying ground, long before the white man thus appropriated it, 
 and such we believe is the tradition. 
 
 There have been, in the last half century, two additions to 
 this burying ground: one strip upon the south side, south of the 
 walk, and the other upon the west, bought in 1865. These two 
 additions were made by the School Society, into whose charge it 
 seems to have fallen at some time during the early part of Dr. 
 Brace's ministry. It is believed that the last vote of the Eccle- 
 siastical Society relating to the burying ground, was passed at a 
 meeting held February 2, 1807. Since that time the School 
 Society exercised jurisdiction over the subject till 1856, when all 
 school societies were abolished, and their property vested in the 
 towns. 3 Our School Society was re-established in 1862, 4 and spe- 
 cifically invested with all its former powers as to burying grounds 
 
 1 2 Town Votes, 39. 
 
 2 Town Votes, 166. 
 
 3 Acts of, "56, page 39. 
 1 5 Private Lav, 5, 5O1. 
 
26 
 
 in 1866, 1 and again abolished and the town invested with all its 
 property, powers, and immunities, in 187 2. 2 
 
 •re 1726 the people of Newington must have buried their 
 
 in Wethersfield, where they attended church till they had a 
 
 minister of their own. It must have been a sorrowful duty to 
 
 have carried the remains of their departed loved ones over the 
 
 hills and across the valleys to Wethersfield, and there consigned 
 
 them to the dust, so far removed from their daily life. Surviving 
 
 friends and relatives could not readily go and weep at the grave, 
 
 or plant flowers thereon. It was far longer than the scriptural 
 
 ith day's journey. 
 
 It may not be out of place to notice some of the inscriptions 
 
 in our grave-yard; an interesting chapter might be written of 
 
 each, but we will let them tell their own brief story: 
 
 "Capt. Martin Kellogg. 
 Died Nov, 13, 1753. . I '. 
 " He was taken prisoner by the Indians, at Prerfield, Mass., suffered greatly 
 at two subsequent captures, and was afterwards eminently useful as Indian 
 
 agent and interpreter to the Six Nations." 
 
 "In Memory of 
 
 " Mrs. Sibbell, Wife of Dea. joshua Andrus, 
 
 " Who Died 
 
 " May ye 30th, A. D. 17S5, in ye Soth year of her age. 
 
 "N. B. The above-named when more than 40 years old was delivered 
 
 of 8 children at 3 births, 7 of them born alive, within the space of 2 years and 
 
 5 months." 
 
 '• To the memory of General Roger Welles. 
 " He was liberally educated : as an officer in the army and militia lie served 
 with great reputation. He was a member of the Legislature, a good citizen, a 
 kind husband and an affectionate father. He departed this life, greatly la- 
 in nted, .May 27th, A. D. 1795, in the 41st year of his age." 
 
 " In Memory of the REV. [OSHI \ BELDEN. 
 
 "He was born July 19, 1724; was settled in the gospel ministry in this 
 place Novem. 11, 1747, and actively discharged the duties of the pastoral office 
 until November, 1803. lie died Jul} 
 
 " Faithful in the discharge of the important duties of hi, office, ho was 
 a plain, practical dispencer of the word of life. Possessed of a sound and dis- 
 criminating mind, he did not slum to deliver the wh ile counsel of God." 
 
 , ' ■ ts, 21. 
 
 • i . ■ I'- 'i • 
 
27 
 
 " Rev. Joab Brace, D. D., 
 
 Ordained here January 16, 1S05. Died April 20, 1S61, aged 80. 
 
 " Pastor Fifty-six Years. 
 
 " A Good Minister of Jesus Christ." 
 
 " David L. Seymour, 
 
 " of Troy, N. Y. 
 
 " Born in this town Dec. 2, 1803. 
 
 " Died Oct. II, 1867." 
 
 There, also, peacefully slumber the remains of the Hon. 
 Martin Welles, who was born in Newington December 7, 1787, 
 and died January r8, 1863. 
 
 We might add to this catalogue the names of many worthy 
 sons and daughters of Newington who have been laid at rest. If 
 their names are not recorded here, we know that they are in 
 another book, where our own also appear, and which we shall 
 hear read on that grand occasion when we shall all be present 
 together once more. May it be a day of joyful celebration 
 to us all ! 
 
 THE POUND. 
 
 The town, by a vote passed March 6, 1720-21, authorized the 
 inhabitants of the West Society to make a pound ; and the Soci- 
 ety, December 19, 1726, voted that the pound should be located 
 " near about Caleb Andrus's corner," and Ebenezer Kilbourn 
 was appointed Pound-keeper. 
 
 It was located west of the first meeting-house, a few rods 
 north of its present location. There was a passage-way between 
 the church and the pound, but the road run east of the church, 
 and consequently east of its present position. The pound was 
 removed to its present location within the memory of persons 
 now living. 
 
 ROCKY HILL. 
 
 The town passed a vote March 5, 172 1-2, consenting that 
 Rocky Hill should be a distinct parish, comprehending the three 
 southern tiers of land in the town, if the General Assembly 
 should see fit to confirm the grant — which was done in May, 1722. 
 The parish was named Stepney in May, 1723, and incorporated as 
 the town of Rocky Hill in 1843. 
 
28 
 THE SECOND MINISTER. 
 
 Several months before Mr. Williams's final removal to Yale 
 College, the Rev. Simon Backus, of Norwich, is said 1 to have 
 been introduced into the place. Fie graduated at Yale College 
 in 1724. The society, on August 24, 1726, voted to call him 
 as their minister. September 5, 1726, the society voted the terms 
 of his settlement, and he accepted them September 7, 1726, and 
 was ordained January 25, 1727. The town, on March 5, 
 1732-33, granted to him ten acres of land, to be laid out some- 
 where near the parsonage lot,- " always provided and on this 
 condition only, viz. : That the said Mr. Backus, or said society 
 shall for him, immediately build a house thereon, and that 
 said Mr. Backus shall continue in the work and service of the 
 ministry in said Newington Society during the continuance of his 
 personal capacity therefor, and all to be upon the proper cost 
 and charge of said society." 
 
 This grant of land was laid out to Mr. Backus on the 
 north side of the parsonage land, and his house built thereon, 
 fining to the north, on the road leading west from the house 
 of Henry M. Robbins. He married, October 1, 1729, Eunice 
 Edwards, daughter of the Rev. Timothy Edwards, of East Wind- 
 sor, and the sister of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Northamp- 
 ton, who sometimes preached in Newington. 
 
 Mr. Backus was an acceptable pastor to his people. He had 
 a family of seven children, and apparently had a somewhat diffi- 
 cult task to support them, and became involved in debt. Appli- 
 cation was made by the parish to the General Assembly in May, 
 1732, for his relief, but none was granted. He went as Chaplain 
 to the Connecticut forces, at Louisburgh, in 1745, where he died 
 March 15, 1745-6. After his discease his effects, in clothing, 
 mi , etc., amounting in value to about ^300, were shipped for 
 transportation home, but were either lost or taken by the enemy. 
 The Genera] Assembly, in May, [746, upon the application of 
 his widow, -ranted her ^/Too, and in October following ,£200 
 more, for her relief. His son, the Rev. Simon backus, graduated 
 at Yale College in 1 759, and died at Bridgeport August 7, 1823, 
 85. Our church records show that he was admitted to 
 communion in this church May 3, 1761. 
 
 1 I >r. Brace, I 'i*-., u- 
 - 2 T. \ 
 
29 
 TITLES, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 
 
 The old records frequently show the prefixes of "Mr.," 
 " Goodman " and " Goodwife," to the names of persons. It 
 is said that the title of Sir or Gentleman was given to men of lib- 
 eral education, magistrates, and ministers, while to a man of com- 
 mon standing was given the title of Good/nan, and to his wife that 
 of Goodwife. This custom was brought over from England, and 
 the appellation of Goodman is said to have arisen from the prac- 
 tice, in courts of justice, for the Crier, when he had called over 
 the names of the jurors in a case, to bid them, attend, Good- 
 men and true. 
 
 The frequency and particularity of military titles occurring 
 in the old records attest the respect and esteem of our fathers 
 towards the military service. Whoever was general, colonel, major, 
 captain, lieutenant, ensign, sergeant, or corporal, was sure to have 
 his title prefixed to his name whenever recorded. It is not to be 
 wondered at when we consider the importance of the military in 
 the ancient days. Surrounded by treacherous foes, the lives 
 of the early settlers depended upon the efficiency of the military 
 arm, and every man was, in case of necessity, a fighting man and 
 trained to the use of arms. It was a matter of self-preservation. 
 
 Marriage was looked upon as a high religious duty and privi- 
 lege, and the candidate for matrimonial honors did not wait till 
 he had acquired a fortune before he took unto himself a wife. 
 Courtships were generally short, sharp and decisive. A single 
 illustration of this may not be uninteresting. The Rev. Stephen 
 Mix, of Wethersfield, who was the pastor of that church when 
 Newington was made a parish (having been settled there in 
 1794), when he thought it fit to choose a life partner, went to 
 Northampton, to the house of the Rev. Solomon Stoddard, 
 who had six blooming daughters. Mr. Mix informed the father 
 that he was in search of a wife, who thereupon called all his 
 daughters into the room and introduced them to Mr. Mix and 
 retired. Mr. Mix cast his eyes over the lovely group, imme- 
 diately made his choice, offered his hand on the spot to Mary. 
 She asked time for consideration ; he granted it, and returned to 
 Wethersfield. He soon received this pointed reply : 
 
 " Northampton. 
 "Rev. Stephen Mix: 
 
 '• Ves. 
 "Mary Stoddard." 1 
 
 1 Belden MS. 
 
30 
 
 They were soon after married, and no doubt lived as happily 
 as if he hid assiduously courted her for five years. 
 
 It was customary for the boys in the streets to take off 
 their hats to the minister when he passed by, ranging themselves 
 in a row and bowing as he went along. There may have been 
 more of awe than of love — of reverence than of regard — in this 
 simple tribute, but it was at least preferable to the free and easy 
 ways of the Young America of the present period. There was a 
 deference paid to age and respectability, which was manifest and 
 outspoken. Men were elected to office because they were 
 honest and capable, and re-elected year after year. Virtue and 
 character were the essential qualifications. Office-holders were 
 chosen largely from the ranks of the church. They were Chris- 
 tain men, and therefore in the truest sense were — 
 " High-minded men, 
 " These constitute a State." 
 
 THIRD GENERAL DIVISION OF LANDS. 
 
 At a meeting of the proprietors of the undivided lands in 
 the town, held February 20, 1752, it was voted " that all the com- 
 mon and undivided lands lying within the bounds of Wethers- 
 field " should be divided to the proprietors, and that the division 
 should be " made and proportioned according to the list of free- 
 hold estate given in to and made up by the listers in said 
 Wethersfield since the 20th of August last," with the restric- 
 tion that orphans and landlords should share for their estates 
 as if put in the list in their own names. 1 
 
 Under this division, the half-mile common in Newington, 
 the mountain tier, and all other undivided lands in the town 
 of Wethersfield, were finally disposed of to the several propri- 
 etors. But the name of "the commons" has survived even 
 to our own day, as applicable to the tract of woodland north 
 of the center of the place. 
 
 1 2 Town Votes, i. At a meeting of the proprietors, held June 29, 1752, Jonathan Bel- 
 dint;. Josiah Griswold and Timothy Wright, were appointed a committee to appraise and lay 
 out the lands. They laid out ami appraised 20 tiers, and found the mean price was £37 per 
 i. and accordingly laid "in I';; worth of land to every pound in the list. There were 436 
 proprietors. Phinehas Andrus chew number one, and had the first choice. He chose his fit 
 ai the north end of tier number [4, which was appi tisi d at 850 per acre. He had £15 8s. 
 list, which, multiplied by £'57 (the mean price), and the result divided by B50 (the val- 
 1 ai re "I that tier), gave him 11 acres, 1 mod and 2{ rods as his share. His lot is de- 
 scribed as bounded "north "ii the highway called Saw-mill Path." If any one refused 
 to 1 'i ike ( hoii e, the 1 ommittei were authorized to choose for him. Their report is dated Feb- 
 ruary 5. 1753, and is a full statement of the name 1 th pi >pi numbers drawn, 
 their list, lot isen by each, its appraisal .ami descripti irded at length in 
 Id Land Records, pages 141 p I 'hi w >te ind doings of the proprietors were 
 fullj ratified by the town at a meeting held December 25, 1752. 2 Town Vot • 
 
31 
 THE THIRD AND FOURTH MINISTERS. 
 
 There have been two ministers in the place, whose pastor- 
 ates overlapped each other, and, united, extended over a period 
 of more than a century — from November n, 1747 to January 16, 
 1855 — the Rev. Joshua Belden and the Rev. Joab Brace, D. D. 
 There are some striking parallels in the pastorates of these men. 
 Both were settled at about the age of 24 years. Both re- 
 signed the active duties of their pastorates — the former after 
 an active service of fifty-six years, and the latter after fifty 
 years. Both had colleagues, and both survived some years as nom- 
 inal pastors after the completion of their active services. The 
 full pastorate of Mr. Belden was sixty-six years, and that of 
 Dr. Brace was fifty-six years, making an aggregate of one hun- 
 dred and twenty-two years. Mr. Belden preached for the last 
 time November 6, 1803, and died July 23, 1813. Dr. Brace 
 preached his farewell sermon January 16, 1S55, and died April 
 20, 1 86 1. Mr. Belden lived to be 89 years old, and Dr. Brace to 
 be 80; united, their ages sum up 169 years. The annals of New 
 England furnish but few, if any, instances of such lengthened ser- 
 vices and lives in immediate succession in the pastoral office- 
 Like the apostolic preacher of Cowper, each was 
 
 " Simple, grave, sincere : 
 " In doctrine, uncorrupt ; in language, plain, 
 "And plain in manner: decent, solemn, chaste, 
 " And natural in gesture : much impressed 
 " Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, 
 " And anxious mainly that the flock he fed 
 " Might feel it, too." 
 
 THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 
 
 The people of Wethersfield fully shared in the patriotic feel- 
 ings pervading the country during the war of the Revolution. 
 On the 16th of June, 1774, a town meeting was held for 
 the purpose of taking into consideration the resolutions of the 
 House of Representatives of the colony, passed on the second 
 Thursday of May preceding, and the following resolutions were 
 unanimously adopted : 
 
 "The extreme distress to which our brethren in Boston 
 are reduced by the merciless hand of tyranny was then brought 
 under consideration, and Voted and Resolved, That this town con- 
 sider the inhabitants of the town of Boston to be now suffer- 
 
ing for the common cause of American Liberty, and that we 
 are bound in common justice, as well as by the early ties of 
 friendship between our ancestors when, despising every other 
 hardship and danger they fled from tyranny, civil and religious 
 to this continent, then a savage wilderness, and here erected the 
 standard of Liberty ; as well as by the laws of common humanity, 
 to afford them all the assistance in our power, both by our 
 advice and counsel, and by giving them a part of that sub- 
 stance which God hath blessed us with, from time to time, as 
 their necessities shall require. 
 
 " 2d. This town being informed that a Congress of the col- 
 onies is proposed and likely to take place soon, do highly approve 
 of it as a necessary, salutary measure, when we hope and trust that a 
 general non-importation and non-exportation agreement will take 
 place and be unanimously come into by the American colonies ; but 
 to the deliberations of so respectable a body, and to their supe- 
 rior wisdom, submit what is proper to be done at so alarming 
 and critical a period as this, in which nothing less is attacked 
 than the very lives and liberties of all the freeborn inhabitants of 
 British America, most cheerfully engaging, to the utmost of 
 our influence and power, to come into and promote that uni- 
 versal similarity of sentiment and proceeding on which, under 
 God. our all in life, and every agreeable prospect for posterity 
 is depending." 
 
 "At said meeting Messrs. Ezekiel Williams, Elisha Deming, 
 Elias Williams, William Griswold, Martin Kellogg, Charles 
 Churchill and Solomon Dunham, were chosen a committee to re- 
 ceive the contributions of the inhabitants of the town, and cause 
 the same to be transported to Boston, and there delivered to the 
 selectmen, or overseers of the poor in said town, to be by them 
 disposed of as they shall judge best for the relief of the in- 
 habitants of the same." 
 
 The battle of Lexington and the destruction of the public 
 stores at Concord took place April 19, 1775, and on the following 
 day the news reached the town by express. An independent 
 company of 115 men. under the command of Capt. John Chester, 
 were speedily mustered tor the relief of Boston. They assem- 
 bled with their fellow citi/eus on the morning of their departure 
 at the meeting-house, where the divine blessing was invoked upon 
 them by the pastor, amid the tears of the assembly. The devoted 
 band set out on their march, crossed the river, proceeded a 
 
S3 
 
 few miles when they were met by a messenger and informed that 
 their assistance at that time was not needed, and they returned 
 home. 1 The following members of that company belonged 
 to Newington : Martin Kellogg, ist Lieutenant; John Beckley, 
 3d Lieutenant; Thomas Wells, Sergeant; Solomon Stoddard, 
 Sergeant. Privates : John Atwood, Henry Brown, Benjamin 
 Beckley, Solomon Beckley, James Camp, Daniel Deming, James 
 Francis, John Goodrich, Enos Hunn, Phineas Kellogg, William 
 Kelsey, Moses Kelsey, Selah North, James Stanley, Ebenezer 
 Stoddard, Ashbel Seymour, David Stoddard, Enock Stoddard, 
 Eli Stoddard, Ashbel Wright, Joseph Wright, Leonard Webster, 
 David Wolcott, Zion Wentworth, Amos Andrus Webster, Tim- 
 othy Kilbourn ; 30 in all, in a company of 115 from the 
 whole town. The population of the town, as taken April 27, 
 1779, was 3,577, of which the First Society contained 1910; 
 Stepney, SSi; Newington, 508; and Beckley Quarter, 278; so 
 that, although Newington contained less than one-seventh of the 
 population of the town, she sent more than one-fourth of the 
 men of this company. 
 
 The General Assembly met in April, 1775, an d passed acts 
 by which six regiments were raised for the war. The second 
 regiment was commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph Spencer, 
 and the ninth company of this regiment was commanded by 
 Capt. John Chester, of Wethersfield, and was raised in Mav of 
 
 1 The following is copied from the original muster roll in the state archives : 
 " Marched from Wethersfield for the relief of Boston, etc., in the Lexington alarm, in 
 April, 1775: John Chester, Captain; Martin Kellogg, ist Lieutenant; Chester Wells. 2d 
 Lieutenant; John Beckley. 3d Lieutenant; Barnabas Dean. Ensign; Roger Hull, Clerk; 
 Charles Butler, Sergeant ; Thomas Wells Sergeant ; Solomon Stoddard. Sergeant ; William 
 Warner, Sergeant; Hezekiah Butler. Corporal; Eliel Williams, Corporal; Ebenezer Dick- 
 inson. Corporal; Benjamin Catliu. Corporal; William Fosdick, Fifer ; William Tryon, 
 Drummer. Privates: Amasa Adams, John Atwood. Henry Brown. Jonathan Belding 
 Balch, Edward Brown. George Bradley, Timothy Brooks, Alvin Bigelow. Thomas Bunce, 
 Daniel Buck, Elisha Belding, Samuel Boardman, John Barnes, John Benton, Return Board- 
 man, Elijah Boardman, Sam'] Boa dman 2d, linos Blakely. Benj. Beckley, Solomon Berkley, 
 Francis Bulkley. Michael Brigden Win. Crane, Nath'l Coleman, Joshua Cone, Jas. Clark, 
 Daniel Curtis, Zadock Coleman, James Camp. Daniel Deming. Leonard Dix, Joseph Dodge, 
 Elisha Dix, Josiah Deming, Aaron Deming, Jonathan Dallapy. Levi Dickinson, David Dim- 
 mock, Samuel Davis. Solomon Dunham, James Francis. Simon Griffin, John Goodrich, 
 Constant Griswold, < >zias Goodrich, William Griswold. Asa Hills. Enos Hunn. John Jackson, 
 David King, James Knowles, Phineas Kellogg. William Kelsey. Moses Kelsey, Richard 
 Montague, Seth Montague, Hezekiah May, Benjamin Morton, Charles Nott, Selah North, 
 Jacob Rack, Joseph Roads, Nathaniel Russell. 1'homas Russell. Oliver Robbins. Joseph 
 Stillman, Nathaniel Samburn, Gershom Smith, John Scripture, James Stanley, Ebenezer 
 Stoddard, Ashbel Seymour, David Stoddard, Enock Stoddard. Jonathan Stoddard, Eli Stod- 
 dard, Ebenezer Sanford, Charles Treat, Ashhel Wright, Robert Warner, Benjamin W. - ; 
 [oseph Wright, fosiah Wells. John Woodhouse, Solomon Willi. mis, Leonard Webster, 
 David Wolcott, Zion Wentworth. Timothy White. Amos Andrus Webster, Isarel Williams. 
 Lemuel Deming. Richard Deming, Solomon Wolcott, Samuel Whitmore, Oliver Pomeroy, 
 Timon (negro), Timothy Kilbourn, Ackley Riley. Solomon Buckley." 
 
 The Company drew pay for six days' service, and horse-hire 1807 miles. 
 " July 11. 1775. Certified by 
 
 "ELISHA DEMING, ) 
 
 "LEVI BOARDMAN, l Selectmen." 
 
 "S. M. MITCHELL. \ 
 
34 
 
 that year, and consisted of 109 men. 1 They marched to "Boston 
 and took part in the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. At 
 the commencement of the battle they were not engaged, having 
 been stationed at Inman's Farm, where the British were expected 
 to land. After the battle had begun they were ordered up 
 with other reinforcements, and at once marched for the scene of 
 action, anxious to mingle in the fray. As they were marching 
 on to the field they met another company marching off, be- 
 cause they had lost their captain. Capt. Chester ordered 
 them to halt, and, on being told the reason of their retreat, 
 " Follow us, then "; was his response, and follow them they did, 
 and fought as long as their ammunition lasted. Three of Capt. 
 Chester's company were killed: Willson Rowlandson, 2 Ger- 
 shom Smith and Roger Fox. In this company appear the 
 following names of persons from Newington, who were also 
 in the company raised in April, to wit : Ashbel .Seymour, 
 Sergt. Daniel Deming, Leonard Dix, James Francis, Enock 
 Stoddard, David Stoddard and Zion Wentworth. Other New- 
 ington names appear in this company, and doubtless others 
 enlisted into other companies. It is said that Newington fur- 
 nished one hundred men to the war — one-fifth part of her en- 
 tire population, equivalent to all her fighting men. Some few of 
 these names, in addition to those already mentioned, were Ros- 
 well Fox, Thomas Fox, Dea. James Wells, William Lany, Simon 
 Kilbourn, John Kirkham, Daniel Warner, Robert Francis, 
 Guinea, (negro), etc. 
 
 1 Eight Regiments were raised in 177^ ; six by acts of Assembly in April, and two by acts 
 of Assembly in July. Each Kegiment had ten Companies, eighty Companies in all (.Rev. 
 War. muster rolls, Roll 11). 
 
 '• A pay-roll of the oth Company in the 2d Regiment, raised in the colony of Connecticut 
 by act of Assembly, May, 1775, and Commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph Spencer: 
 
 "May 5. [ohn Chester, Captain; S. 15. Webb, Lieutenant; Ebenezer Huntington, 
 Lieutenant ; S. Goodrich, Lieutenant ; C. Butler, Ensign ; Ashbel Seymour, Sergeant ; I'hin. 
 ('.rover. Sergeant; Benj. Catlin. Sergeant; Daniel Curtis, Sergeant; James ECnowles, Ser- 
 geant ; Win.' Tryon. Corporal ; Joseph Miller. Corporal ; Alex McDowell, Corporal : Joseph 
 Andrus. Corporal ; John Benton. Corporal ; [ohn Russell. Drummer; William 1'ryon, Drum- 
 mer; Win. Williams. Fifer; William Fosdick. Fifer. Privates. Ashbel Wright. Jared llur.ee, 
 John Allyn. (illegible,) Mical Barce. fon*n II. Balch, Isaac Bidwell, Enos Blacksley, Abrin. 
 I'.lin Hez'a I'.lin. Seth Boardman. Samuel Boardman, Jon'a Rowers. Timothy Brooks, Lery 
 Brooks, Tims. Brooks, F.dw'd Brown. Francis Bulkley. Jas. Burnham, Orrin Burnham, J no. 
 Buller, las. McClean, Gid'n Cole, Nath'l Coleman, Win. Crane, Jos. Crane, Trios. Crosby, 
 John Dallabee. Sam 1 Davies, Sam'l Delling, Daniel Deming. Leonard Dix, Seth Paddy. Benj. 
 1 var Eliphalel Flint. Simeon 'ox, Roger Fox (killed in battle). James Francis, Abner Fuller, 
 facob Gibbs. fonas Clark Gibbs. Isaack 1 loodrich, Hoseah Goodrich, Ozias Goodrich, F.lizur 
 ( , odiii-h. \/hm1i Grant. Constant Griswold, Thos. Hinckley, Asahel Hills. Aaron Hollister, 
 I |ij ,h Hoi 1 ter, I lios Holmes/l'hos. Hoskins, Eli. Hulburt, Silas Hulburt. [no. Jai kson. Seth 
 Kilburn, Christopher Kllby, David King, Asa Loveland, Abisha Marks. Hez'a Mackey, [no. 
 Miller. |os. Miller, [no Mine , la . Murphy, Elihu Phelps. Benoni Powel, Jacob Rash, Oliv. 
 Ra mout, Fred Robbins, Willson Rowlandson. Jos. Rowlandson, Stephen Sabins, Moses 
 Scott. Reuben Shipmnn Gershom Smith, Epaphrai Stevens. H z Stocking; Enock Stoddard, 
 David Stoddard, Lawrence Sullivan, Ashbel 1'aylor, Chas. Treat. Elias Weare, Win. Weare, 
 [osiah Wells, Zion Wentworth, Elizur Wright, Waitstill Dickin 
 - " Died prisoner in Boston," is the remark against his name in the muster roll. 
 
35 
 
 The ministry were equally engaged with the people, and fired 
 their hearts with patriotic ardor. They did not hesitate to 
 preach politics and "beat the drum ecclesiastic." 
 
 On June 30, 1776, the. Rev. Joshua Belden preached a ser- 
 mon, from which an extract may be taken to illustrate his 
 position in these " times that tried men's souls." The text was 
 from Ezek. 22; 30: "And I sought for a man among them 
 that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap, before 
 me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." 
 He improved this text as follows : 
 
 " Every one that is able, and whose circumstances will ad- 
 mit, should be ready to stand up in the cause and defence of our 
 bleeding country, and go forth in its defence, and not stick 
 at little things and trifling points of honor, when all that is valu- 
 able in the world is in danger and lies at stake. Every one 
 should be ready to put to a helping hand to ' make up the hedge.' 
 This summer seems to be the critical time, and may deter- 
 mine the fate of America. Now is the time to exert yourselves. 
 Now or never ! Will you not stand forth to defend your wives, 
 your little ones, your country, your liberty, your religion, and all 
 that is valuable? Will you stand still and see your country sink 
 and not put to a hand to save it? Where is your public spirit, 
 your virtue, your love of your country, your regard to lib- 
 erty, to religion"? "Wo to them that are at ease in Zion, 
 
 that put far away the evil day, that chaunt to the sound of the 
 
 viol and are not grieved at the affliction of Joseph !" 
 
 "Such must stand justly reproved, who have no feeling of 
 their country's distress and danger, no hearts to pray or fight for 
 its defence. How justly might such be stripped of all their 
 rights and privileges and be subjected to bondage ! There is a 
 text that should be seriously thpught of, especially by those 
 whose circumstances point them out as proper persons to take 
 the field against our invading foes, and yet refuse. 'Tis in 
 Judges, v. Chapter, 23d: 'Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of 
 the Lord; curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they 
 came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against 
 the mighty.' If there is such a curse against those who withhold 
 a helping hand at such a time, he that stops to save his life by de- 
 clining any service to which lie is called, tarrying at home when 
 called to go abroad in his c ountry's defence, may lose it ; wink- he 
 that loses his life in the cause of Cod and His people, shall save it. 
 
36 
 
 Men are always safest when in the way of their duty, where God in 
 His providence calls them, though enemies and dangers may 
 stand ever so thick around them." 
 
 Truly these are no uncertain sounds, and prove the truth 
 of the inscription upon his tombstone that "he did not shun 
 to deliver the whole counsel of God." With such faithful 
 preaching it is not a matter of surprise that Newington sent all 
 its fighting men into the field. 
 
 At a town meeting held April 7, 1777, Messrs. Elisha Wright, 
 Josiah Smith, Joseph Webb, Daniel Ayrault, Solomon Welles, 
 John Beiden, John Robbins, Elias Williams, William Griswold, 
 Benjamin Morton, Gideon Hunn, Charles Churchill, Eli Stod- 
 dard, Solomon Dunham and Theodore Beckley were ap- 
 pointed a committee to engage, in behalf of the town, to provide 
 necessaries for the families of such soldiers belonging to this 
 town, who have engaged or shall engage and go into any of 
 the Continental Battalions, to be raised in this state, and deliver 
 the same to such families at the price affixed by law, without any 
 additional expense to such soldiers, or such soldiers lodging with 
 or remitting money to such committee for that purpose, agreeably 
 to the recommendations of his Honor the Governor and the 
 Committee of Safety in a proclamation issued March iS, 1777. 
 
 At the same meeting Messrs. John Chester, Elisha Williams, 
 Thomas Beiden, Elias Williams, Charles Churchill, Joseph Webb, 
 Aaron Porter, Benjamin Wright and Josiah Willard were ap- 
 pointed a committee to consider, and report to the town at their 
 next meeting what further may be best for this town to do in 
 order to furnish their quota of men in order to fill up the Conti- 
 nental Battalions to be raised in this state. 
 
 At a town meeting held September 29, 1777, it was voted that 
 a committee be appointed in eaijh society in this town to procure 
 the articles for the use of the army, as mentioned in the request 
 of the Governor and Council of Safety, dated September, 12, 
 1777, and Messrs. Elizur Goodrich, Chester Wells, Appleton 
 Robbins, Elijah Wright, James Stanley, Joseph Bulkley, Martin 
 Kellogg, Janna 1 )eming and Lieut. Isaac Nash were chosen a com- 
 mittee to procure said articles. Also voted, "That the committee 
 now appointed be directed immediatel) to procure the several 
 articles mentioned in said request of the Governor and Council 
 of Safety, and the same transmit to Mr. Elijah Hubbard, Com- 
 missary at M iddleiown, to be by him conveyed to the respective 
 
37 
 
 Commissaries of the Battalions of the Continental Army raised in 
 this state, to be by them delivered to the non-commissioned offi- 
 cers and soldiers now in the Continental Army, and that the 
 Treasurer of the town deliver to said committee such sums of 
 money as may be necessary therefor, as shall be directed by the 
 Selectmen." 
 
 At a town meeting held July 2d, 1778, Messrs. John Chester, 
 Daniel Buck, John Wright, Justus Riley, Jacob Riley, Joseph 
 Bulkley, Wait Robbins, Charles Churchill, James Welles and 
 Benjamin Beckley were chosen a committee to provide sum- 
 mer clothing for the soldiers in the Continental Army, agreeably 
 to the act of Assembly in January, 1778. Adjourned to Mon- 
 day next. At the adjourned meeting it was voted, "That 
 the several captains of the militia and alarm-list companies have 
 power, and are hereby authorized, to receive out of the treasury 
 of this town, the money which they paid in as fines, and first 
 examine and see what poor in their several companies are in 
 want of arms, and furnish so many arms as they need, and 
 deliver them into the hands of the Selectmen as town's property, 
 and after a sufficiency of arms are supplied, the remainder shall 
 be applied to hire men to go into the Continental army or into 
 detachments of the militia for a short time, not giving to 
 any man more than twenty pounds lawful money, and be ac- 
 countable to the town ; and that in the absence of the captains of 
 the companies the next commanding officer shall act on this vote 
 as captain. 
 
 At a town meeting held August 10, 1779, it was voted, "That 
 every person or soldier drafted by legal authority in this town 
 to serve in the Continental Army until the 15th day of January 
 next, or in either of the two battalions raised by this state to serve 
 until the 1st day of March next, who shall serve during the terms 
 aforesaid, or who shall hire an able-bodied man that shall be 
 accepted by the Muster Master, who shall serve faithfully in 
 his stead, shall be entitled to, and shall receive, out of the Treas- 
 ury of this town, the sum of one hundred pounds in Continental 
 money, provided that if said drafted man or men shall hire 
 persons as substitutes who belong to this town, such drafted man 
 shall serve in the stead of his substitute in the militia." 
 
 At an adjourned town meeting, held June 19th, 1780, Messrs. 
 Elijah Wright, James Lockwood, Chester Wells, John Rob- 
 bins, Robert Wells, Jr., Solomon Dunham, Charles Churchill, 
 
38 
 
 Benjamin Wright, Thomas Belden and Elisha Williams were 
 appointed a committee "to take into consideration the reso- 
 lution of the General Assembly of this state in their present ses- 
 sion, for filling up their Battalions in the Continental Army, 
 and what is expedient to be done by this town to procure their 
 quota of men, as called for in said resolve, and make report. 
 Adjourned to i 'oclock to-morrow." Met agreeably to adjourn- 
 ment, and the above-mentioned committee made report, where- 
 upon it was voted, " That each able-bodied, effective man who 
 shall, on or before the 26th day of instant June, enlist himself to 
 serve in the Continental Army, in the Connecticut line of infantry, 
 for the term of three years, or during the war, and who shall 
 legally be accounted as one of the quota of this town, and 
 pass muster accordingly, shall receive as a bounty from this town, 
 in addition to the bounties and gratuities allowed by Congress and 
 the Assembly of this state, the sum of six pounds in bills of credit 
 of the new emissions of March last and June instant, which 
 shall be paid at the time of his being mustered. And it is 
 further voted, that every such soldier, as also those who may vol- 
 untarily enlist to serve in any Connecticut Battalion in the Conti- 
 nental Army for the term of six months, or until the first day 
 of fanuary next, shall have their wages of forty shillings per 
 month made good to them — if not by Congress or the Assembly 
 of this state — by and at the expense of this town, in articles 
 of produce at the current market prices in the year 1774; 
 that is to say, in wheat, at the rate of four shillings and sixpence 
 per bushel, and other articles in proportion, or in bills of public 
 credit sufficient to purchase those articles. Also voted, that 
 every such soldier who has a family, the same shall, during 
 his absence in the service, be supplied with necessary provisions, 
 and agreeably to an act of resolve of the General Assembly 
 for that purpose made, and which has heretofore been practiced 
 upon in this state. Also voted, that Messrs. Elizur Goodrich, 
 John Robbins, Martin Kellogg and Solomon Dunham be a 
 committee to borrow the money necessary to pay the above 
 bounty for the town, and on interest until the town shall be able 
 to replace the same, and said committee are to settle with every 
 enlisted person, as aforesaid, on his producing a certificate of his 
 being so enlisted and mustered, and shall take such person's 
 receipt for said bounty on the back of his certificate. Also voted, 
 that a tax of six pence on the pound, in the new emission of bills 
 
39 
 
 or silver money, be laid on the polls and ratable estate in this 
 town, and paid into the treasury, in order to pay the above 
 bounty to the soldiers who shall enlist into the Continental Army, 
 and to make good their wages, according to the above vote 
 relative thereto. 
 
 Many votes relating to bounties and taxes are omitted. The 
 following appropriately closes this record. At an adjourned 
 meeting held April 28, 1783, Voted, That the selectmen he author- 
 ized to procure a quantity of powder at the expense of the town, 
 not exceeding one barrel, for the purpose of firing field pieces or 
 cannon, on account of the joyful news of peace. 1 
 
 THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE. 
 
 Before the Revolutionary war was over, the subject of build- 
 ing a new meeting-house began to agitate the minds of the people. 
 At a society meeting held Dec. 14, 1779, a vote was passed that 
 the society's committee should warn a special meeting " to con- 
 sider about building a new meeting-house." And fiom that time 
 till August 28, 1797, a period of eighteen years, they did consider 
 this subject fully, earnestly, and in all its bearings. Every possi- 
 ble site was canvassed, voted upon, chosen, and rejected. Com- 
 mittees of the Court and of the Legislature were invoked to set 
 a stake which should end the controversy. The stake would be 
 set here and there, but the controversy would not end. Like 
 Banquo's ghost, it would not down. At a meeting held July 7, 
 1 791, when the controversy was in its twelfth year, Capt. Martin 
 Kellogg offered his written obligation to give ninety pounds if 
 the building could be located near its present site; but this pro- 
 position was met at the instant by a counter one from Lieut. Lem- 
 uel Whittlesey, offering his written obligation to give one hundred 
 pounds if the location near Luther Latimer's should be chosen ; 
 and the weary contest wore on six dreary years longer. 
 
 In r 7 93 the inhabitants at the southern extremity of the place 
 petitioned the legislature to be annexed to the society of Worth- 
 ington. In May, 1794, their petition was granted. How much 
 of that result was due to this meeting-house controversy cannot 
 now be ascertained. The society was measured from all points 
 to find the geographical center, with the vain hope that a solution 
 might in that way be found to emerge from the difficulty, but this 
 
 1 See 2 Town votes, pages 239, 241, 250, 254, 259, 265, 266 and 267, for the action of the 
 town ielative to the war. 
 
40 
 
 hope was blasted ; the center was found to be in the midst of the 
 mill-pond. At last the foundation timbers were prepared. They 
 were drawn to a site, only to be drawn away again. In the 
 course of events they were drawn to the present location; but 
 change continued to be the order of the day. As usual it was 
 proposed to draw them away. The teams were gathered ; they 
 were hitched to the foundation timbers by the heavy iron chain ; 
 everything was made ready for the order to start. The word was 
 given, the chain straightened, when up stepped the village black- 
 smith, and he was seen to uplift with his brawny arms a glittering 
 broad-axe, which descended in quick, successive blows. The 
 third stroke severed the chain ! Those timbers remained. They 
 are beneath our feet to-day, a monument to the decision of char- 
 acter of David Lowrey. 
 
 The controversy was ended. The foundation stone of this 
 house bears the inscription "Sept. 1797." Its walls have looked 
 down upon four generations, and more of the people of Newing- 
 ton, as from Sabbath to Sabbath and on special occasions they 
 have assembled here. They have echoed to the voices of many 
 who are now silent in the yard close by this scene of their earthly 
 achievements. They have heard the feeble tones of the Rev. 
 Joshua Belden, during the last few years of his long life. They 
 have seen the dignified form of the Rev. Toab Brace ascend 
 the pulpit, as year after year for fifty years, with sonorous voice 
 and piercing eye he preached "Christ and Him crucified." For 
 ten years they have seen the Rev. Wm. P. Aiken delivering 
 his finished sermons, and pleading with true, heartfelt eloquence 
 the cause of his Master. For two years they witnessed the fer- 
 vid oratory and fervent prayers of the Rev. Sandford S. Martyn. 
 For three years they listened to the learned discourses of the 
 Rev. Dr. R. G. Vermilye, and for one year they have resounded 
 to the earnest calls to the sinner to come to Christ, from the Rev. 
 William J. Thomson, our present beloved pastor. 
 
 Here, some sixty years ago, first assembled the Sabbath School, 
 which owed its existence to the exertions of the pastor's daugh- 
 ter, Mary Brace, afterwards the wife of the Rev. John Todd, 
 D. I)., whose voice has often been heard in this house, and whose 
 books are, every Sabbath, distributed to the children of that Sab- 
 bath School. Here Nettleton preached at the time of the great 
 revival, and melted many hearts into a love for Christ. 
 
 Here hundreds have publicly enrolled themselves under 
 
41 
 
 the banner of our common Lord and Master by taking that 
 old covenant written in the pulpit-bible, as old as the church it- 
 self, and nearly double the age of this house. 
 
 Here, when President Lincoln was assassinated, the walls gave 
 expression to the common sorrow by their heavy drapery of wo. 
 Here the infant in its mother's arms has been dedicated in Bap- 
 tism to the God who gave it. Here, before the pulpit, loving 
 hearts have pledged to each other life-long vows. And here, 
 when life's dream has passed, lover and friend have, for the last 
 time, entered God's house, the farewell words of the preacher 
 have been spoken, the last look taken, and the coffin-lid closed 
 forever. 
 
 It would be vain to attempt an enumeration of the many hal- 
 lowed associations connected with this edifice. May it stand, 
 devoted to its sacred mission, where the multitudes shall come up 
 to listen to a preached gospel, pure and undefiled, long after 
 we shall have been gathered to our fathers. 
 
 THEN AND NOW. 
 
 One hundred years ago, Newington had a population of five 
 hundred souls ; now its population is nearly double that. 1 Then 
 there was not a painted house in the place; now scarcely any un- 
 painted, and many fine residences. Then there was no post- 
 office in the place ; now there are two. Then the usual mode of 
 conveyance was on horseback ; now we have two rail-roads 
 through our place and good common roads, and luxurious car- 
 riages to ride in. Then we had a dilapidated meeting-house; 
 now we have two church edifires and a town hall. Then the 
 people were struggling with poverty; now, by the census of 1870, 
 the real estate was valued at $886,300, and the personal property 
 at $449,200 — total, $1,335,500, averaging about $1,600 to every 
 man, woman and child in the place. We boast a bank president, 
 but no doctor; a dealer in tobacco, but no liquor-seller; two 
 grocery stores, but no saloons; two brick-kilns to furnish material 
 for our new houses, a paper-mill for our literature, and a grist- 
 mill for our internal supplies. 
 
 The unbroken wilderness that once echoed to the bark of the 
 wolf and the growl of the bear has been cleared away, and 
 now every prospect pleases ; the landscape is dotted with the 
 
 1 By special census there was a population of 837 in Newington, 2001 in Wethersfield, July 
 10, 1871. 
 
abodes of peace and plenty, and even man — his womanly half — is 
 fair, indeed. 
 
 Then we were a fraction of a town in a colony of Great Brit- 
 tain ; now we are free as a nation, sovereign as a state, and inde- 
 pendent as a town. 
 
 " We are living, we are dwelling, 
 
 " In a grand and awful time, 
 
 " In an age, on ages telling — 
 
 " To be livinir is sublime." 
 
48 
 
 POEM. 
 
 THE OLD TIMES AND THE NEW. 
 
 " Breathes there the man with soul so dead, 
 Who never to himself hath said, 
 This is my own, my native land ?" 
 
 Perchance, where tyranny holds sway, 
 And hearts rebel while hands obey, 
 Some might be found to hate the soil 
 On winch they only live to toil, 
 Those helpless hands can deal no blow 
 To lay the proud oppressor low ; 
 But through Columbia's broad domain 
 The search might be pursued in vain. 
 With pride her children spread her fame ; 
 With joy they speak her glorious name ; 
 And now, upon her natal day, 
 They think of all the thorny way 
 O'er which her infant feet have trod, 
 Secure, because upheld by God ; 
 And songs of praise, and words of prayer, 
 Are borne upon the summer air. 
 The sunshine gilds her radiant brow, — 
 We gaze, and cry " How fair art thou." 
 
 Look back one hundred years ago : 
 
 The darkened sky betokens woe, 
 
 While Freedom sees, with fearless eyes, 
 
 Columbia's haughty foes arise. 
 
 In her defence, a noble band 
 
 Pledge life and limb, and heart and hand, 
 
 Resolved 'tis sweeter far to die, 
 
 Than live bereft of liberty. 
 
 The tidings fly : from near and far 
 
 Behold the horrid front of war ; 
 
 See husbands turn from weeping wives ; 
 
 Hear mothers plead, "God shield their lives." 
 
 See maidens, from whose cheeks the rose 
 
44 
 
 Is snatched by grief, and sweet repose 
 Now banished from the home and heart 
 Of those who love, so soon to part. 
 
 The shadow falls on Newington, 
 
 For many a brave and cherished one 
 
 Goes forth from happy rural life 
 
 To mingle in the fearful strife. 
 
 Their pastor, like the saints of old, 
 
 (Named rightly Joshua), is bold, 
 
 And from the desk proclaims the right 
 
 And duty of good men to fight. 
 
 With earnest words of lofty cheer, 
 
 And maledictions most severe 
 
 Upon all cowards, bursts the storm 
 
 Of eloquence. All hearts beat warm, 
 
 And feel the patriotic glow 
 
 Which leads the brave to seek their foe. 
 
 To arms ! to arms ! our heroes cry ; 
 
 Bring forth the sword and gun ! 
 The British braggarts take the field ; 
 We fear them not, nor will we yield, 
 
 O, men of Newington ! 
 
 From Cedar Mountain's rocky height, 
 
 From Brassica's : fair hill, 
 From Birchwood and from far Ten Rod, 
 From hills and dales the brave have trod, 
 
 We come with changeless will. 
 
 Through Augurtown's long, winding roads 
 
 We take our arduous way ; 
 Through verdant, blooming Christian Lane, 
 We march to battle, not in vain, 
 
 And trust in God alway. 
 
 Our hearts resolved, our leaders true, 
 
 The victory shall be won ; 
 Then onward boldly let us go, 
 Our army shall beat back the foe, 
 
 And make the red-coats run. 
 
 Three cheers tor country, army, state, 
 
 Three cheers for Washington, 
 And three for gallant General Put, 
 Our hero from Connecticut, 
 
 New England's favorite son. 
 
 ' Cabbage Hill. 
 
4S 
 
 Farewell, farewell, beloved ones, 
 
 GikI keep you from all pain, 
 And hear us safely in his arms, 
 Through danger's path and war's alarm, 
 
 Back to our homes again. 
 
 These valiant men of stalwart frames, 
 
 (Immortal honor to their names,) 
 
 Responsive to their country's call, 
 
 Enter the army — some to fall 
 
 On bloody fields, and some to lie 
 
 In dungeons, where they prayed to die. 
 
 I've heard my aged grandsire tell 
 Of his young cousin, strong and well 
 Till in the sugar house he lay, 
 And wore his wretched life away. 
 Released, he reached his home to die ; 
 In yonder church-yard doth he lie. 
 He sleepeth well, although unknown, 
 His humble grave without a stone. 
 
 But turn we from those dreary years. 
 
 The dawn of peace at last appears. 
 
 Brave Washington, as good as great, 
 
 Has won the game, and cried "check-mate. 
 
 The British lion heard and saw, 
 
 And straight withdrew his savage paw. 
 
 Howling with mingled rage ami pain, 
 
 He crossed in haste the stormy main. 
 
 Columbia's eagle flaps her wings, 
 
 Distends her throat, and loudly sings ; 
 
 The bells ring out, the people shout — 
 
 There is no longer any doubt 
 
 That these United States are free. 
 
 Ah ! what a glorious jubilee ! 
 
 The heart of Newington is stirred, — 
 
 Peace is declared — oh, joyful word ! 
 
 And many of her valiant men 
 
 Are welcomed to their homes again. 
 
 What a meeting ! what a greeting ! 
 
 Heart, and lip, and eye o'erflow ; 
 Maidens blushing, lovers gushing, 
 
 Quite forgotten all their woe. 
 
 Father, mother, sister, brother, 
 
 Husband, wife, and laughing child, 
 
 Now united, gaze delighted 
 
 On each face, with rapture wild. 
 
46 
 
 Sweet the singing and the ringing 
 
 Of the clear and joyous notes, 
 While a mother's tender blessing, 
 
 Like sweet incense round them floats. 
 
 The years roll on. Our village youth 
 
 Are trained to honesty and truth, 
 
 To worship God, to love mankind, 
 
 To strengthen body, soul and mind ; 
 
 With diligence to till the ground, 
 
 And make prosperity abound ; 
 
 To love the Church, to serve the State, 
 
 To early choose a loving mate, 
 
 And share with her their joys and cat e 
 
 Their ardent hopes and fervent prayers. 
 
 Their cheerful helpmates wove and spun. 
 
 From dawning light till setting sun. 
 
 Brought up a dozen girls and boys. 
 
 Nor grew distracted with their noise. 
 
 The homespun suits, the frugal fare, 
 
 Attested well the mother's care. 
 
 Their nerves were strong, they did not faini 
 
 They rarely uttered a complaint, 
 
 But kept their houses spick and span, 
 
 As only model women can. 
 
 < )ft as returned the day of rest, 
 They sought the place they loved the best— 
 
 The little church so cold and bare — 
 
 And joined in solemn worship there. 
 
 Nor winter's frost, nor summer's heat, 
 
 ( ould drive them from that blest retreat. 
 
 Their dresses neat, preserved with care, 
 
 e haply always fit to wear. 
 How would they wonder could they know 
 \\ iili modern belles it is m 
 
 red it with the youngsters then, 
 
 ihave themselves like men, 
 I'., whom tin' plea, " Boys will be boys," 
 Would nol excuse tin' slightest noise, 
 mbt, their Sabbat li duties done, 
 .vali lied with joy the setl tng sun, 
 .And fell no eager longings i 
 I or endless Sabbath in the skies , 
 1 Jul "twi^s" thus bent grew trees so 
 rhej ered well doth churcl 
 
 .. 
 
 ill-, 1 . 
 
The village — to our partial eyes 
 The fairest spot beneath the skies — 
 How calm, how quiet, how serene 
 Life slipped away, till o'er the scene 
 Dissension raised his hoary head, 
 And Peace, affrighted, turned and fled. 
 Fierce party strife kept friends apart, 
 And planted anger in the heart. 
 E'en in the days of Washington, 
 The bitter conflict was begun ; 
 And round the head of Jefferson, 
 A bloodless battle fought and won. 
 (I trust that now we are too wise 
 To let such angry passions rise. 
 Or to believe the good alone 
 Are on one side, and that our own. 
 There should be words of cordial praise 
 For honest Tilden, valiant Hayes ; 
 Each worthy of the chair of state, — 
 Whom no one need investigate. 
 Whichever wins, we may rejoice 
 The people make so good a choice, 
 Though some predict "the sky will fall," 
 And bury us, both great and small.) 
 
 But to return — in spite of fears, 
 Columbia strengthened with her years, 
 Till came that fratricidal strife 
 Which aimed to sap the nation's life — 
 And now, as once their sires had done. 
 The gallant youth of Newington 
 Went forth to join the patriot band, 
 Who fought for their dear native land. 
 The graves of some are far away. 
 Who live within our hearts to-day ; 
 And some we gladly welcome here, 
 With grateful words of kindly cheer. 
 One ' sleepeth in the quiet spot 
 
 by the church. Oh ! pass him not 
 Without the tribute of a te: 
 me so young, so brave, 
 
 And yet to-day our heat 
 From far and near we beat 
 
 ;ladness ; .mil from all the earth, 
 In honor of < lolumbia's birth, 
 
 ■ have gathered now . 
 ne fresh, laurels round her brow. 
 
48 
 
 Then let as join the glad refrain, — 
 Joy at last must conquer pain. 
 
 Wave our banner high in air ; 
 
 Wake the cannon's roar ; 
 Bury grief, and banish care, 
 
 Bid them come no more. 
 See, our eagle spreads her wings, — 
 Hail, Columbia ! she sings. 
 
 Mail, Columbia ! sing we all ; 
 
 Wiiat a mighty nation ! 
 Ami the biggest waterfall 
 
 In the whole creation 
 Thunders forth with deafening roar. 
 Louder, grander than before. 
 
 Look o'er regions vast and far 
 
 With proud and smiling eye; 
 See, with lightning speed, the car 
 
 Madly rushing by ; 
 Arc! the whistle seems to be 
 Screaming, " Hail, Columbia!" 
 
 Sing, oh telegraphic wires ! 
 
 Over land and under sea ; 
 Sweeter than a thousand lyres, 
 
 Your low- voiced melody. 
 Sing of progress, sing of power, 
 
 Sing of happy, golden years, — 
 Surely, now the opening flower 
 
 Of millennial bloom appears. 
 
 But turn, oh Muse, essay no farther flight ; 
 
 Our goodly village must endure no slight. 
 
 D< pict its pleasant homes embowered in leaves, 
 
 Its lordly Adams, and its lovely Eves, 
 
 The mountain, dressed in robes of richest green, 
 
 Where nymphs and naiads wander still, I ween ; 
 
 Where youths, enamored, to their loves declare 
 
 That all they see is most enchanting fair ; 
 
 To whom the saucy maidens praise the scene, 
 
 Because on every side it looks so green. 
 
 If, from that rocky crest, some youth had chose 
 
 To leap from life, and leave all earthly woes, 
 
 There might have been a tale of love to tell. 
 
 And made the rhymer, who with cause complains 
 
 Which would have pleased romantic people well 
 
 Of want ol legends, thank him for his pains. 
 
 But lovers here, there's not the slightest doubt, 
 
40 
 
 Have too much brains to ever dash them out. 
 The pretty maid, if lover change his mind, 
 Is pretty sure a better mate to find. 
 The man refused, may feel a moment' s smart, 
 But some wise woman mends his mangled heart, 
 Consents to keep his house, assuage his woes, 
 Replace his buttons, darn his damaged hose ; 
 Nor does she sigh to mingle in the strife 
 For woman's rights, nor care if all her life 
 She has no vote ; she is a governor 
 Who rules one man, and that's enough for her. 
 The plaintive low of Glastonbury cows 
 For woman suffrage, fails in her to rouse 
 Ambitious longings, pleased in quiet ways 
 And kindly deeds to pass the swift-winged days. 
 
 No place this for idle dreaming ; 
 
 Fruitful fields in beauty dressed, 
 All the land with harvests teeming, 
 
 Industry and skill attest. 
 
 Houses springing up, gigantic, 
 
 Near the Junction now appear ; 
 City people, quite romantic, 
 
 Seek for homes and find them here. 
 
 And the school-house almost bursted, 
 
 Children, children, everywhere, 
 Some, whose hearts for learning thirsted, 
 
 Crowded out in deep despair, 
 
 Till at last they build another, — 
 
 Joyful sight for children's eyes, — 
 Standing close beside the other, 
 
 Quite surpassing it in size. 
 
 Near, Grace church, with spire ascending, 
 
 Fair without and fair within. 
 Stands, the cause of God defending 
 
 From the fierce assaults of sin. 
 
 In the old church, where our fathers 
 
 Worshiped in the days gone by, 
 Love, with tender reverence, gathers 
 Memories too sweet to die. 
 
 Pastors, teachers, friends unnumbered, 
 
 Cherished in our inmost thought, 
 Vanished forms, which long have slumbered, 
 
 Seem to throng this sacred spot. 
 
50 
 
 And we long for word or token 
 
 From the land so far away, 
 That our union is unbroken, 
 
 That they share our joy to-day. 
 
 How vain the wish. Death's seal, nor rolling years, 
 Nor prayers, nor bribes, nor floods of burning tears, 
 
 Can e'er avail to break ; 
 But we may follow in the path they trod, 
 Lean, as they leaned, upon the arm of God, 
 
 In heaven, with them awake. 
 
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