YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

The Barly History of Tolland.

AN ADDEESS

DELIVERED BEFORE THE

TOLLAND mn\ HISTORICIL SOCIETY,

AT TOLLAND, CONN.,

On the 22d daj of Angnst and 21 daj of

By LOEEN p. WALDO,
PRESIDENT OP SAID SOCIBTT.

HARTPOED:
PRESS OF CASE, LOCKWOOD & COMPANY.
1861.

V t

37.^6 7S 4 60

NOTICE

When I first commenced the preparation of the following pages, 1
only expected to write an address that might have occupied an hour
in its reading before the Historical Society for whom I -was preparing
it ; but I soon found the subject too extensive and interesting to be
thus summarily disposed of. I accordingly enlarged my original plan
somewhat, and although my time was too limited to exhaust the sev
eral topics touched upon, yet I can not but believe that enough has
been done tx3 render the numerous facts I have recorded worthy of
preservation, so that they may become available to him who shall
undertake to complete what I have but imperfectly begun. Most of
the address was read before the Tolland County Historical Society, at
two meetings convened for that purpose, and such was the interest
manifested in the subject that very many expressed a strong desire to
see the address in print. A proposition was made to have it pubhshed
in numbers in the Tolland County Record, and I assented to an ar
rangement by which I supposed this would be carried into effect. I
therefore set about revising the address and preparing it for publica
tion, in doing which I availed myself of the kindness and assistance
of my friend, Sidney Stanley, Esq., who has carefully compared the
principal facts with records and his own memoranda, collected by
the ,labor of years. And I would, ju this place, acknowledge my
obligatiCi'T to him for his valuable aid in collecting and collating very
much of the material contained in these pages.
Having finished the revision of the address, and the paper in whose
columns it was designed to appear having suspended, I have by the

IV NOTICE.
advice of some of my friends, ventured to print it in a pamphlet form,
at my own expense, trusting that some of the sons of Tolland whose
history I have endeavored to perpetuate, will be willing to contribute
something towards the expenses of publication, by buying copies for
their owu use. To them I cheerfully submit the work, and whatever
of merit or demerit it may contain, I have some hope it will, at least,
be the means of rescuing some incidents from oblivion that might
otherwise have been forever lost ; and if it shall awaken any interest
in the subject of local history, I shall be fully compensated for the
labor I have expended.
Dated at Tolland, this 10th day of December, 1861.
LOREN P. WALDO.

ADDEESS.

Gentlemen op the Tolland County Historical Society,'
AND Fellow Citizens: '
My present purpose is to speak of the early history of the
town of Tolland, and to gather up and preserve some me
mentos of the persons who first peopled its territory. The
feeling that prompts to this duty is a sacred one and should
be cherished ; for while we are ruminating among the tombs
of our ancestors and gathering relics of departed worth, we
can not fail to be deeply impressed with the thought that the
footsteps of time are fast effacing the most prominent trans
actions and will soon obliterate the last trace of all things
earthly. We should most instinctively love to cultivate the
remembrance of past events ; to let our affections cluster
around the memories of those departed ones whose stations
we occupy ; and to look forward with fervent hope to that
period in our own existence when kindred spirits will com
mingle in one promiscuous throng. In these exercises we
may learn wisdom from the experience of the illustrious
dead ; may profit by their spotless examples ; may be encour
aged to imitate their never-dying virtues ;^and to follow
more cheerfully in their shining track through life's stormy
mazes to the haven of immortal happiness and peace.
In looking back through the long vista of years since this
town was first known, we can discover no incident of thrill
ing interest connected with its history. We can point to no
spot where the white and Ihe red man have met in mortal
combat ; nor where hostile armies have sought for vengeance

4 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
in the bloody encounter. We do not know that the barbarian
war-fire has ever shone upon these hills ; or that the savage
war-whoop was ever heard in these valleys. We have no
legend of the Indian's stealthy fread — of his merciless attack
upon the innocent and defenceless ; or of our soil ever reek
ing with human blood. Nor can we find the footsteps of any
distinguished personage upon its territory who has attracted
the gaze of the world by his deeds of daring or acts of self-
devotion. The history of Tolland, in short, is not calculated
to interest the marvelous, nor produce wonder and astonish
ment in the reflecting ; but like a gentle current, bears upon
its quiet bosom facts worthy of our notice, and which may
afford us both instruction and amusement.
The territory now called Tolland, prior to the year 1700,
formed a ^art of the vast wilderness that covered the western
continent before the track of civilization ever visited these
shores, and was inhabited only by wild beasts or wilder men.
The town of Mansfield was settled about this period, and as
the inhabitants of that town had some • connection with the
people of Windsor it is probable that in their intercourse the
hills of Tolland first attracted their notice. This town was
originally a part of the township of Windsor, and the earliest
records to be found in the town are copies of the transactions
of the town of Windsor in relation to the lands included in
the. town of Tolland. The earliest of these records I have
been able to find is under date of April 18th, 1713, at which
time a committee was appointed " to lay out a settlement
upon the east side of Windsor upon lands formerly purchased
of the Indians." This committee performed the duties
assigned them and made a report of their doings commencing
in these words :
"A chronicle of the acts of the committee empowered by
the town of Windsor to lay out a plantation from the east
side of Windsor upon lands formerly purchased of the In
dians, April 18, 1713. The committee went upon the land to
be laid out, and laid out and bounded highways and several
lots as foUoweth. A highway of twenty rods in breadth, and
running due north upon the hill called the meeting-house
hill, between the first furlong of lots on the said hill on the

the early history op TOLLAND. 5
east side of the highway and the second furlong of lots on
west side of the highway ; and is marked out by several
marked trees, and stakes and heaps of stones, and goes the
same breadth and point of compass until it pass the brook
that runs up out of Cedar Swamp."
Then follows a record of seventeen lots of land containing
forty acres- each, laid out on each side of this highway, —
eight of them being on the east side of the highway, bound
ing west upon it, and nine lots being on the west side of the
same, bounding east upon it. These lots were each forty
rods in width and one hundred and sixty rods in length, being
forty rods upon the highway and extending one hundred and
sixty rods in rear from the same. One of the lots on the east
side of the highway is bounded north on the brook, which is
no doubt the stream that runs up out of Cedar Swamp. The "
lots on the east side were numbered from one to eight inclu
sive, and were granted by the committee to Samuel Finney,
Jr., Hezekiah Porter, Sergt. Henry Wolcott, Joseph Porter,
Nathan Qillett, and Samuel Forward. Those on the west
side were numbered from one to nine inclusive, and were
granted to Enoch Loomis, Cornelius Birge, Simon Wolcott,
Jr., Joshua Loomis, Sergt. Henry Wolcott, Noah Grant,
Joseph Eockwell, Jr., Thomas Grant, and Josiah Eockwell.
The first and sixth lots on the east side of the highway do
not appear to have been assigned to any one.
It has been a matter of some inquiry where this first high
way was located, for it is evident that its location was intended
to establish the center of the new town. From the record
we learn that it was " twenty rods in breadth," and ran " due
north upon the hill called meeting-house hill, between the
first furlong of lots on the said hill on the east side of the
highway, and the second furlong of lots on the west side of
the highway," and that it goes the same breadth and point of
" compass until it pass the brook that runs up out of Cedar
Swamp." Here we have the point of compass — " due north,"
—the width of the road—" twenty rods,"— the name of the
hill where located—" meeting-house hill,"— and its northern
terminus — " the brook that runs up out of Cedar Swamp."
Now is there any locality that will answer this description ?

6 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Some persons have supposed that the village of Tolland is
located on this highway. The street, they say, runs nearly
north and south, sufficiently to answer the description " due
north;" that it is, or was before trespassed upon and shorn
of its primeval capaciousness, nearly of the requisite width ;
that it is the only eminence in town that can be justly called
meeting-house hill, for no other hill was ever honored with
an edifice of this character, and the stream of water north of
the village, known as " Spencer brook," is the brook that was
described as running up out of Cedar Swamp. But a little
attention -will satisfy the casual observer that the present
village could not have been the locality described in this
record. For the course of the street is not ^^due north" but
several degrees to the west of north, and before we come to
Spencer brook it is north-east. Nor was the street ever
twenty rods wide, during its whole length, nor is there any
evidence that it was ever called " meeting-house hill." It
must be borne in mind that this record was made April 18,
1713, more than two years before the charter of the town
was granted, and before its locality or extent could be known.
The town of Coventry was incorporated in 1711, but its
northern boundary was not then established, as we shall here
after have occasion to see ; and hence the proper place for
the center of the contemplated new township must of neces
sity then have been a matter of speculation. It is true, our
ancestors in locating a township first sought for an eligible
location for a meeting-house, and an indispensable requisite
for such location was high land. True to these instincts, the
committee that located the first road in Tolland, and laid off
the first lots to settlers, commenced upon the highest ground
that then was supposed to be nearest the center of the con
templated town. As I have already said, the north line of
the town of Coventry was then unknown, but was then and
for many years thereafter claimed by the Windsor men to be
one mile further south than it was finally found to be. There
can therefore be no doubt that the first location of highways
and lots in Tolland was made upon Grant's hill, and not
upon the hill where the village is now located. This locality

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 7
answers the description in the record. The course of the
road now on Grant's hill is generally north and south, and it
crosses the brook that runs up out of Cedar Swamp, and the
only such brook in Tolland. The name " meeting house
hill," was doubtless given to it because it was intended for
the center of the new town, which could not even be regarded
as a town without containing a meeting-house. But we are
able to make this thing certain by the following facts which
are conclusive upon this point. The record before spoken of
shows that several lots of forty acres each were, by the com
mittee who laid out this road, located on each side of it, and
were granted to particular individuals. The survey of one
of those lots is in these words, copied from the record afore
said :—
The seventh lot is by the committee bounded east by the
" highway ; south on the sixth lot ; west on undivided lands ;
north on the eighth lot ; and containing forty acres, being in
breadth forty rods north and south, and runs from the street
one hundred and sixty rods west. This lot is by the com
mittee granted to Joseph Eockwell, Jun."
The sixth lot described in this record was by this commit
tee granted to Noah Grant, and the eighth to Thomas Grant.
On the first book of records of. lands of the town of Tolland,
at page seventy-nine, I find a record of a deed of land from
Joseph Rockwell of Windsor, in the county of Hartford, to
John Abbott, of Andover, in the county of Essex and com
monwealth of Massachusetts, blacksmith ; dated March 14,
1719-20, which land in said deed is described as follows :
" My dwelling house and house lot in the township of Tol
land, said lot containing forty acres, being forty rods in
breadth, and one hundred and threescore rods in length, be
it more or less, butting and bounding west upon my own
land lately set out to me by the committee of the town of
Tolland in our first division of land, together with all the
divisions of lands appertaining to or belonging to said home-
lot, of forty acres, bounding easterly on the town highway,
and south on the home-lot of Noah Grant, and north by lands
firstly belonging to Thomas Grant, Jun., of Windsor, but
now in possession of Nathaniel Wallis."
John Abbott the first was the great grandfather of„ Mrs.
Sally Bliss, the wife and afterwards the widow of John Bliss,

8 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Esq., late of Tolland, deceased. It is a traditionary fact in
the family of Mr. Abbott, who is now lineally represented in
Tolland in the person of Mrs. Lucius S. Fuller, that he came
from Andover, Essex county, Mass., to the town of Tolland
ill 1720 ; that he bought lands of Joseph Eockwell of Wind
sor, that he lived in Tolland from 1720 to the day of his
death, Nov. 25, 1779, then in the eighty-fifth year of his age;
and that he owned the farm and lived in the house lately
owned and occupied by Alfred Young, now in the possession
and occupancy of James A. Brown, situated on Grant's hill.
It follows that the place now occupied by Mr. James A. Brown
was the place where John Abbott lived and died ; was by him
purchased of Joseph Eockwell, to whom the same was granted
by the committee who located the first road in Tolland on
meeting-house hill, and that this place is bounded easterly on
that road. The meeting-house hill, named in the first record
in Tolland, is now Grant's hill.
This committee made other locations and allotments of lands
on the 3d day of March, and 6th day of April, 1714, which
were also duly recorded, — a copy of this record was taken from
the records of Windsor, August 6, 1719, certified by the com
mittee, Matthew Allyn, Eoger Wolcott, and Timothy Thrall,
and was recorded in the records of lands in the town of
Tolland, November 19, 1719. The entry in Tolland records
is certified as follows: "November 19, 1719. I, Joseph
Benton, received the foregoing record and accordingly it was
recorded by me. Joseph Benton, town clerk."
The first movement towards an act of incorporation for the
town was made in the year 1713. The earliest record is
under date of May 9, 1713, and is in the words and figures fol
lowing, viz. :
" To the Honorable the General Assembly in Hartford, May
14, 1713.
The petition of us the subscribers humbly showeth : That
wliereas your petitioners being inhabitants' of this colony
and the descendants of those that have for a long time con
tributed to the support of the same, being through the
numerous increase of our families much straitened for want
of land whereon to make improvement and get our livelihood •

THfi EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

and being encouraged by your honors' wonted goodness to
encourage the settling of plantations in the waste lands
within the colony, and having viewed a township of land on
the east side of the great river, ordered by the town of Wind
sor and the heirs of Mr. Thomas Burnham, deceased, to be
settled into a plantation bounded as in their agreement doth
fully appear ; — many of us having already been out with the
committee and taken up lots in the same, and shall with those
that are desirous to settle with us, speedily settle a fair town
there if the government discourage us not; we therefore
humbly pray your honors would grant that a township may
be made of said land, and that they may be patented to and
holden by such inhabitants as shall be admitted by the com
mittee appointed by the town of Windsor, and heirs of Mr.
Thomas Burnham, deceased, and your petitioners shall ever
pray." Dated, May 9, 1713.
This petition is signed by the following persons, viz. :

Baker, Joseph
Barber, Benjamin
Birge, Cornelias
Bissell, Josiah
Chapman, Henry
Chapman, Simon
Cook, Nathaniel
Cook, Ebenezer
Cook, Daniel
Drake, Nathaniel
Eno, John
Ellsworth, Samuel
Edgar, Thomas
Eggleston, Thomas
Farnsworth, Joseph
Gillett, Cornelius
Gaylord, Jonas
Griswold, Daniel, Jr.
Gillett, Nathaniel, Jr.
Griswold, Thomas

Grant, Samuel
Grant, Noah
Grant, Nathaniel
Gridley, John
Hoskins, Anthony
Holcomb, Benaiah
Huntington, John
Loomer, H.
Loomis, Stephen
Loomis, Ichabod
Loomis, David
Loomis, Joshua
Marshall, Samuel
Mills, Jedidiah
Phelps, Joseph
Phelps, William
Pinney, Humphrey
Pinney, Jonathan
Pinney, Nathaniel
Porter, Daniel

Porter, Nathaniel
Porter, Joseph
Rockwell, Joseph
Rockwell, Samuel
Stiles, Thomas
Stiles, Henry, Jr.
Skinner, Joseph
Stoughton, Israel
Smith, Phihp
Wolcott, Roger
Watson, Nathaniel
Wolcott, Charles
Wolcott, Henry
Willes, Joshua, Sen.
Willes, John
Willes, Joshua
Willes, Samuel
Warren, Robert
Loomis, Daniel.
59 in all.

The next movement was at the General Assembly in May,
1715, when the following petition was presented :
" To the Honorable tlie General Assembly sitting at Hart
ford, May 12, 1715 : The petition of the town of Windsor
humbly showeth : — That your petitioners did in the year 1636,
purchase of the Indians certain lands on the east side of
Windsor ; and since the town has immeasurably increased
and many inhabitants forced to seek after new settlements,
and the town did in conjunction with the heirs of Mr. Thomas
Burnham release their claims to said lands unto such sober
inhabitants as should orderly settle on the same, paying only
the prime cost ; and therefore several sober and rehgious
2

10 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
persons viewing the same, are very desirous to settle the same,
and several families are already there, giving a fair prospect
of a likely town— if this Honorable Assembly would gra
ciously grant a town there, and the land to be holden by such
as shall orderly settle on the same : which we pray this Hon-
prable Assembly would graciously do ; and we beg leave fur
ther to move them thereto by the following considerations:
1. The Assembly hath hitherto done the like on like occa
sions, and it hath been found the best way to settle the
country quietly; —
2. Our purchase was improved before his Majesty for obtain
ing the colony patent, and he by it moved thereby to grant
the lands to the colony : — Therefore we pressing the same
arguments to the Assembly, hope to find the same favor ; —
3. It is most reasonable the ancient inhabitants who have
supported the colony should by the government be allowed
to settle the lands before strangers and without paying exces
sive prices to all pretenders, which hath led us into all imag
inable confusion already.
And your petitioners shall ever pray."
"At a town meeting in Windsor, March 21, 1714—15 — It
was voted : that the above written petition should be prefer
red to the General Assembly in May with their desire it may
be granted. Test, John Moore, Eegister."
This petition is now on file in the archives of the state at
Hartford, and at the Assembly in May, 1715, the following
resolution was passed.
"And it is further resolved by this Assembly upon the peti
tion of Windsor men that they shall, after the regulation of
Coventry according to the foregoing act of this ""Assembly,
have a township of six miles square laid out to them which
shall be called Tolland, bounded on the south with Coventry,
and east with Willimantic river ; and in case the claimers
mentioned in the preceding act shall pay in proportion to
what is in the said act settled with respect to Coventry, and
also by their inhabitants therein seated by Windsor committee
as in the aforesaid act is provided for the "like quantity of land,
the said inhabitants settled by Windsor committee to pay all the'
charges of laying out and settling tlie said land,— that a quit
claim of this govern tneuts claim shall also be in like manner
executed by the Governor and Secretary and delivered to the
claimers, for the claim of this government for so much of the
said township as shall fall within the bounds of the said
claimers. And it is further resolved that a quitclaim of this

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 11
governments right shall also be executed in like manner by
the Governor and Secretary to Col. Matthew Allyn, and
Roger Wolcott Esqr., Timothy Thrall and John Ellsworth all
of Windsor, in trust for themselves and such others as shall
by them be admitted to settle in said township, for all that
part of said township that lieth without the bounds of said pro
prietors claims as aforesaid. Provided the said Allyn and'
others do pay to the public treasury of this colony for the
said land in proportion to what is in this act before stated in
respect of Coventry ; and it is further provided that none of
the claims in the foregoing act shall be construed to oblige
any of the aforesaid inhabitants seated on any of the said
lands, who have procured the claims of the said propri
etors and have instruments under their hands to show for
the same, and it is also to be understood and it is hereby
resolved that the said proprietors if need be,! shall giya^fur-
ther and better assurance to the said inhabitaht^s to whom the
said proprietors have sold their claims and received the
money for the same. Provided also, that the above men
tioned claimers do or shall well and truly pay or cause to be
paid into the colony treasury the aforesaid sum or sums on
or before the 15th day of May next, or else they shall not
claim the benefit of this act, any thing herein contained to
the contrary notwithstanding."
By this resolution, the Windsor men became entitled to a
township six miles square, to be bounded south on Coventry,
and east on Willimantic river, and to be called Tolland.
The fee of this territory was to be vested in Matthew Allyn,
Roger Wolcott, Timothy Thrall and John Ellsworth in trust
for themselves, and for such others as should by them be ad
mitted to settle in the township. These gentlemen, it will
be perceived, were the committee who located the first high
way, and made the first allotments in Tolland, April 18, 1713.
These trustees, on the 11th day of May, 1719, conveyed
by deed of that date, the north part of Tolland to fifty-one
persons named in said deed ; the portion of land conveyed in
said deed was described as follows : —
" Bounded south on a line east and west at the south end
of Shenups pond, east on Willimantic river, and is to be in
length from Willimantic river west six miles, and in breadth
is from said line drawn ea,st and west at the south end of
Shenups pond so far north as to make the six miles from
Coventry north bounds."

12

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

The following are the names of the grantees in this deed :

Baker,
Benton, Samuel, Sen.
Benton, Samuel, Jun.
Benton, Joseph, Sen.
Benton, Joseph, Jun.
Birge, Cornelius
Bissell, Ephraim's heirs
Birge, Joseph
Brace, Stephen
Cook, Daniel
Coy, Samuel
Chapman, Simon
Caswell, Matthew
Drake, Joseph
Ellis, Thomas
Emmons, Peter
Eaton, William

Eaton, Daniel
Ellsworth, Jonathan
Ellsworth, John
Eorward, Samuel
Gillett, Nathan
Grant, Noah
Grant, Nathaniel
Hatch, Joseph
Hinsdale, Barnabas
Huntington, Christopher
Huntington, John
Loomis, Enoch
Loomis, Moses
Loomis, Joshua
Nye, Ebenezer
Pinney, Samuel
Peck, Joseph

Paulk, Samuel
Porter, Hezekiah
Porter, Daniel
Rockwell, Samuel
Royce, Joseph
Rockwell, Joseph, Jun.
Steams, Shubael
Stoughton, Thomas
Taylor, Nathaniel
Tucker, Ephralm
Utley, Samuel
Wolcott, Henry
Wolcott, Simon
Wallis, Nathaniel
West, Samuel
Willes, Joshua
Whipple, Thomas.

I can not find any record of the original title of the south
ern part of the town before the year 1718, of which I shall
by and by speak. There can be no doubt it was, by some
conveyance, vested in the committee who commenced making
the allotments in April, 1713. The petition of the town of
Windsor contains an allegation that the town did " in the
year 1636 purchase of the Indians certain lands on the
east side of Windsor," and " did in conjunction with the
heirs of Mr. Thomas Burnham, release tljeir claims to said
lands unto such sober inhabitants as should orderly settle the
same ; " which clearly evinces the fact that some portion of
the territory contained in the proposed township had already
been the subject of a conveyance. And the resolution of the
General Assembly authorized the conveyance to Matthew
Allyn and his associates only so much of the land that was
within the six miles square " that lieth without the bounds of
said jiroprietors claims as aforesaid." It is therefore obvious
that the title to the south part of Tolland was originally de
rived from the Indians, and it was the source of bitter con
troversies during the early settlement of the town. From
what tribe of Indians this title was obtained, does not appear.
Before the settlement at Windsor in 1633, the territory now
embraced in the State of Connecticut was inhabited and
probably owned by several small Indian tribes. But the
boundaries between these tribes were never very well defined,
and indeed, in some instancfes, different tribes claimed the

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 13
same laud, and the early settlers not unfrequently received
deeds of the same land from different sachems or Indian
chiefs. That portion of Connecticut situated east of Con
necticut river was inhabited and owned by the following
Indian tribes, to wit : The Pequots, who were located be
tween the Niantic and Paucatuc rivers, and extending from
the shore back into the country. The Mohegans, supposed
to be a branch of the Pequots, whose principal town was
between New London and Norwich, but whose territory ex
tended north into the southern part of Tolland county. The
Nehantics of Lyme, and the Podunks of East Windsor and
East Hartford. The Nipmucs of Massachusetts had a few
sparse settlements in the northern portion of Tolland and
Windham counties. The town of Windsor, on the west side
of the river, was subject to the Tunxis, a tribe that inhabited
the valley of Farmington river. As I have said, it nowhere
appears from which of these tribes the settlers at Windsor
purchased lands on the east side of Windsor in 1636, for it
is probable that the Mohegans, the Podunks, and the Nip
mucs might have each claimed the territory. Whatever may
have been the claims of others, it is certain the Mohegans
regarded a portion of the territory now included within the
boundaries of Tolland as their own, and hence we find that
one of their sachems named Joshua, as early as the year
1675, undertook to dispose of it by (vill, — as by the following
extract from the record of it will appear.
" Item. I give and bequeath all that tract of land lying
from the mountain in sight of Hartford northward to a pond
called Shenups, east to Willimantic river, south by said river,
west by Hartford bounds, (except three hundred acres already
sold to Major John Talcott, and two hundred acres to Capt.
Thomas Bull, and according to a draught or map drawn and
subscribed with my own hand, bearing date with these pres
ents,) viz. : to Mr. James Eichards, Mr. Samuel Wyllys, Capt.
Thomas Bull, Mr. Joseph Haynes, Mr. Eichard Lord, Major
John Talcott, Mr. John Allyn, Mr. Ebenezer Way, Bartholo
mew Barrett, Nicholas Olmsted, Henry Hay ward, Mr. Joseph
Fitch, Thomas Burnham, and William Pitkin, to be equally
divided amongst them, into so many parts as there are per
sons, and also Nathaniel Willettto have an equal proportion

14 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
amongst them. Dated at Pettupaug 29 Feb. 1675. Com
pared Feb. 8, 1686. John Allyn, Secry."
This will describes that portion of the town of Tolland not
included in the deed of Matthew Allyn and others, and is
that part of the town where the first surveys were made by
the proprietors' committee. I have no evidence that this
tract of land was ever divided among the legatees according
to the provisions of the will, and probably it never was. The
Thomas Burnham named in this will, was doubtless the
Thomas Burnham whose heirs united with the town of Wind
sor in releasing their claims to the territory of Tolland " unto
such sober inhabitants as should orderly settle the same,"
and hence the first settlers had whatever right was vested in
Windsor by virtue of their purchase of the Indians in 1636,
and also the right Thomas Burnham acquired under the will
of Joshua. But the legatees of Joshua were dissatisfied Avith
the action of the first settlers, and prosecuted them for tres
passing upon their rights. The settlers resisted this claim of
the legatees, and made it one common cause, defraying all
necessary expenses from the common treasury of the pro
prietors of the township. The first suit was commenced in
April, 1724, by one Joseph Baker against one Shubael Stearns.
In September, 1724, the proprietors, at a meeting held for
that purpose, appointed i'rancis West, Daniel Eaton, and Shu
bael Stearns a committee to agree with the claimants, " with
power to go to the General Court at New Haven." It ap
pears that this committee attended the General Court at New
Haven, where a committee was appointed " to treat with the
proprietors of Tolland." This controversy was of great im
portance to the proprietors, and no doubt very seriously
affected the early settlement of the toAvn. It extended to a
very large portion of the land included in. their charter and
went to the validity of their title. After various conferences
between the committee above named, the matter was finally
compromised, and the General Assembly, at its session in
October, 1724, passed an act that the proprietors of Tolland
should pay to the legatees of Joshua at the rate of six pounds
per allotment, or three shillings per acre for the land, and

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 15
that the legatees should release all their title to said lands.
This action of the General Court was not acceptable to the
legatees and they seemed unwilling thus to give up their
claims ; — and as late as October, 1728, or four years after the
decision of the General Court above-mentioned, other suits
were commenced upon the same claims. The proprietors
held a meeting, October 28, 1678, and chose a committee con
sisting of Dea. Francis West, Capt. Hope Lathrop, Lieut.
John Huntington, Sergeant Samuel Benton, and Sergeant
Samuel Chapman, " to go to the legatees of Joshua and in
the name and behalf of the proprietors to take a quitclaim
deed of all their claims to the lands in Tolland." They also
solemnly obligated themselves " to pay all such sums as said
committee should be compelled to pay in the business of their
office." Tills committee promptly attended to the business
assigned them, and in a few months obtained proper convey
ances from the legatees of Joshua which put an end to this
expensive and important controversy.
It is a matter of some doubt at what precise time the first
settlement was made in Tolland. The opinion generally pre
vails that the first permanent settlement was in 1715, but I
am satisfied it was at an earlier date. It is certain that roads
were laid out, and allotments of lands made to individuals in
April, 1713. Tradition informs us that the persons who exe
cuted this work provided themselves with a temporary home,
under a large shelving rock, now situated on the west side of
the highway, leading to Bolton, near the north bank of the
brook that runs across the road this side of the present resi
dence of Alden B. Crandall. The walls of the dwelling, as
well as the roof, being of stone, it received the name of Stoney
house ; and this gave name to the brook that runs by it, which
is in the early records of the town called Stoney house brook.
While it is probable that the residence of persons at this place
was temporary, yet there are several facts tending to show that
permanent settlements were commenced in about 1713. The
petition to the General Assembly for an act of incorporation,
dated May 9,1713, alleges that many of the petitioners "have
been out with the committee and have taken up lots in the same ;

16 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
and shall with those that are desirous to settle with us speedily
settle a fair town there," &c. The petition of the town of
Windsor for the same object, alleges " that several families are
already there, giving a fair prospect of a likely town," &c.
This petition is dated March 21, 1714-15. The resolution of
the General Assembly under date of May, 1715, speaks of the
inhabitants thereon seated by the Windsor committee ; — from
all which it is evident there must have been settlements in
Tolland before May, 1715. And further, in the records of the
marriages, births and deaths in the town, we find the records of
several births in Tolland, prior to May, 1715. The earliest of
them is that of Amy Hatch, a daughter of Joseph Hatch, who
was born October 10, 1713. Margaret Pack, a daughter of
Joseph Pack, was born January 7, 1715 ; Joseph Hatch, son of
Joseph Hatch before mentioned, and as tradition says the first
male child born in Tolland, was born Sept. 12, 1715. Joseph
Pack had land assigned him in the early allotments, and his
name and that of Joseph Hatch are among the earliest upon
the records. From these facts I am confident the first settle
ment in Tolland must have been made in the year 1713.
There is no positive evidence that the territory within the
limits of Tolland was ever occupied by the Indians, other than
for hunting and fishing. , Formerly our ponds and streams
were stored with excellent fish, and our forests were filled
witli a great variety of wild game, which during certain por
tions of the year invited the attention of tlie savage inhabit
ants occupying the land near the sea-shore. I have myself
heard some of the aged people say, they had seen shad and
salmon caught in large quantities in Willimantic river, between
Tolland and Willington, and so plentifully were salmon caught,
that fishermen had a standing rule that they would not sell a
certain number of shad to one person unless he would take a
certain quantity of salmon. The Indians in their summer
visits to this town, found it necessary or convenient to erect
wigwams or Indian huts, — traces of which in the western part
of the town, on lands lately owned by Mr. Ephraim West and
Mr. Timothy Benton, were visible witBin the recollection of
some of our oldest inhabitants. A few families may have

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 17
occupied these huts, but they left the town before its first set
tlement and none of the red men have ever dwelt here since.
We have but few objects to which any Indian name was ever
known to be attached. The Indians gave the name of Wan-
gombog to a large portion of country in the southern part of
Tolland county, adjacent to the large pond known by this
name, situated in the town of Coventry. A portion of the
town of Tolland was within the territory called Wangombog,
and several of the early deeds recorded in Tolland, describe
the land conveyed as situated in Wangombog. The same
name is given to the locality of the land conveyed in the will
of Joshua, before mentioned. The pond on the west side of
Tolland, was by the Indians called Shenipset, which by an
easy corruption is now pronounced Snipsic. This word is
variously spelled in the old records — sometimes Shenipset,
Shenaps, Shenips.
The small stream running east of the Anllage was by the
Indians called Skungamug — the corruption of which is Skunk-
amug or Skunkermug — sometimes in the old records written
Scungamuck. These Indian names, though less euphonious
than some of our more modern ones, I hope will be perpetu
ated. Indeed, I entertain some doubt whether they will sound
any more harsh in the ears of ou# posterity than Ball Hill,
Sugar Hill,.Buff Cap, Goose Lane, or Cedar Swamp— all of
which are the recognized modern names of well-known local
ities. As I have already intimated, there was early a difficulty
about the true location of the north line of the town of Cov
entry. The Windsor proprietors, under date of May 14, 1716,
petitioned for a "final settlement with the legatees of Joshua;
for setting of bounds with the town of Coventry, concerning
which there is much difficulty ; " also, " that we may have
privilege to choose a town clerk and other officers as the law
directs." This petition purports to be the petition " of us the
subscribers, inhabitants of Tolland," and was negatived by the
Assembly. The following are the names of the petitioners,
to wit: 3

18 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Baker, Joseph Ellis, Thomas Steams, Shubael
Benton, Joseph Grant, Nathaniel Willes, Joshua
Birge Cornelius Loomis, Joshua Wolcott, Henry
Benton, Samuel Mather, Joseph Taylor, Nathaniel.
Bradley, George Porter, Hezekiah 16 in all.
Bissell, Ephraim Porter, Joseph
In May, 1718, a petition was presented to the General
Assembly, as follows, to wit: "A petition of us the subscri
bers, inhabitante of Tolland, relative to Coventry lands."
Signed by the following persons :
Baker, Joseph Loomis, Joshua Slafcer, Joseph
Birge, CorneUus Loomis, Enoch Slafter, Antony
Benton, Joseph Nyo, Ebenezer Stimpson, James
Benton, Daniel Pack, Joseph Stoughton, Thomas
Cook, Daniel Porter, Hezekiah Taylor, Nathaniel
Drake, Joseph Porter, Joseph Willes, Joshua
Eaton, William Rice, Joseph Wolcott, Simon.
Grant, Noah Rockwell, Joseph 25 in all.
Hatch, Joseph Stearns, Shubael
I am unable to ascertain at what time the line between Tol
land and Coventry was finally settled, but I have no doubt it
was done before 1720, in which year a committee appointed by
the General Assembly, located tlie town of Tolland and defined
its boundaries. The following is a copy of their report :
"This may certify whom it may concern, that we, James
Wadsworth and John Hall, on this day of October, A. D.
1720, being assisted by Thomas Kimberly, surveyor and in
company with sundry meUjOf the town of Tolland, did pur
suant to an act of the General Assembly of this colony, held at
Hartford May 12, 1720, survey and lay out the north and
west bounds of the town of Tolland ; and for that end we
went to the north-east corner of the town of Coventry ; and
from thence due north (by the needle of the instrument,) six
miles, at the end wliereof to wit, in an east line by the needle,
at or on the west bank of Willimantic river, we erected a heap
of stones for the north-east corner of the township of Tolland,
and marked a red oak tree on the south side with the letter
T ; and from thence ran upon a point west (by the needle,)
six miles seventeen rods and thirteen links to a white oak tree
marked and a heap of stones about it, standing on tlie south
erly side of a hill, which tree is the north-west corner bound
ary of said Tolland ; and from the said tree to run south, five
degrees west to Coventry north-west corner ; — the land con
tained within the said town lines, and the said river which is
the east bounds of said town is of the contents of six miles
square. The chainmen were under oath as the law directed.
A true copy of record. (Signed,) James Wadsworth.
Examined by Hez. Wyllys, Sec'y. John Hall."

the early history op TOLLAND. 19
From this certificate it is very evident that the north line
of Coventry was substantially settled before October, 1720,
and became the basis of the action of the above-named com
mittee in locating the north and west lines of the town of
Tolland. But there were subsequent negotiations between
these towns upon this subject. The towns of Coventry and
Tolland appointed a committee of three frofti each town to
agree about the dividing line, and they were empowered to
make a final issue and determination of the lines between the
towns. This committee consisted of Samuel Parker, Joseph
Strong and Thomas Root, of Coventry ; and Joseph Hatch,
Daniel Eaton and Noah Grant, of Tolland, and met on the
6th day of February, 1722, and agreed that the dividing line be
tween the two towns should be the line run by Capt. James Wads
worth, Capt. John Hall, and Mr. Kimberly, and that the same
s.hould thereafter be perambulated according to law. They
further agreed, " that Francis West and Joseph Benton, being
in Coventry, might pay their public dues in Tolland, with
three acres of land a-piece about their houses, and counted
inhabitants of Tolland, as if Tolland had took them in ; they
and their heirs and assigns living on the three acres of land
where their houses now stand." Francis West found it im
practicable to reside in one town and exercise town privileges
in another, and he very soon removed his house from Coven
try to Tolland. This house is the one lately occupied by Bil-
laky Snow, now deceased.
It would seem that the settlement with the legatees of
Joshua, and the establishment of the line between the towns
of Coventry and Tolland, might sufficiently quiet all conflict
ing claims and remove all doubts respecting the corporate
powers of the town of Tolland and the title of its inhabitants
to the territory within the limits of its charter. But lest
there might be some defect in the previous proceedings, or
some omission which might cause further difficulties, the town
procured from the General Assembly, at its session in New
Haven, October, 1728, the passage of a resolution confirming
and establishing every thing that had been previously done.
This resolution, after reciting the resolution of May 12, 1 715,

20 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
recognizes the survey made by Messrs. Wadsworth and Hall
in 1720, and also the deed to the proprietors of Tolland, dated
May 11, 1719, and then declares that the proprietors " held
the lands of the said township as one entire propriety ; and that
all the said proprietors shall have equal interest and benefit
by force of the patent 'by the said assembly granted to be exe
cuted to the said proprietors in usual form."
In pursuance with this resolution a patent was issued by the
Governor, countersigned by the Secretary of State, dated the
2d day of Nov., 1728, in and by which all the powers, privileges
and franchises before granted to the Windsor men, were ratified
and confirmed, and the title to the land within the boundaries of
the town as described by the survey of Messrs. Wadsworth and
Hall, was fully, clearly, absolutely given, granted, ratified and
confirmed unto Henry Wolcott, Stephen Steel, Francis West,
together with the rest of the proprietors of the town ; and to
their heirs and assigns, and such as should thereafter legally
succeed to, and represent them forever in such proportion as
they the said proprietors, partners and settlers, or any of them
respectively had right jn, or were lawfully possessed of the
same. Also authorizing and empowering said proprietors and
inhabitants of said town, from time to time, and at all times
forever thereafter, to exercise and enjoy all such rights, pow
ers, privileges and franchises in and among themselves, as
were given, granted, allowed and exercised and enjoyed by and
amongst the proprietors of other towns of the colony, accord
ing to the common approved custom and observance ; and
guaranteeing to said grantees, their heirs and assigns legally
representing them, " a good, pure, perfect, absolute and inde
feasible estate of inheritance, in fee simple, in the lands
described, to be holden of his majesty his heirs and successors,
as of his majesty's manor of East Greenwich in the county
of Kent in the Kingdom of England, in free and common
socage, and not in capite nor by knight service, yielding there
for and paying unto our sovereign lord king George, his heirs
and successors forever, one fifth part of all ore of gold and
silver, which from time to time and at all times forever there
after, shall be there gotten, had or obtained in lieu of all ser
vices, dutys and demands whatsoever."

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 21
.Note. Socage, is a tenure by any certain and determinate ser
vice. It is of two kinds — Free socage, and villein socage. Free
socage is when the services are not only certain but honorable. Vil-
lien socage is where the services, though certain, are of a degraded
nature. The tenure by which the lands granted in the foregoing
patent were holden, was one-fifth part of all ore of gold and silver
found within the limits of the town. , This was both certain and hon
orable, and in the absence of these precious" metals will never be a
great burden to the inhabitants of that town.

MEETING-HOUSES.

The first settlers of Tolland exhibited a very strong attach
ment to religious institutions. Being lineal descendants of
that band of pilgrims that left their native land, to seek across
the trackless waters an asylum where they could worship the
God of their fathers unmolested, according to the dictates of
their own consciences, it is not strange that they should regard
the social organization as entirely imperfect without a spirit
ual leader to break to them the bread of life. A minister and
a house for public worship were not only regarded by them as
essential to their happiness, but as indispensable to their
worldly prosperity ; and hence all sacrifices necessary to the
attainment of these objects were most cheerfully made. The
early records of the town furnish conclusive evidence of their
intense zeal upon this subject, and their great liberality in a
cause so near their hearts. They were authorized by the
General Assembly to choose town officers in the year 1717,
and the first town clerk and selectmen were chosen in that
year. In the year 1719, when probably there were not over
twenty-five families in town, a vote was passed appropriating
eighty acres of land for a minister lot, and offering a salary of
seventy-five pounds, or two hundred and fifty dollars a year,
making an average sum of ten dollars annually to each fam
ily. On the 19th day of November, 1719, the proprietors of
the town voted to build a meeting-house, thirty feet square,
and appointed Noah Grant, William Baton, and Joseph Ben
ton, a committee " to order the affairs of the meeting-house."

22 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
There was, as usual, some difficulty in locating this house ;
and the records show that several meetings were held on the
subject, which served to delay the building of the house for
several months. The spot where it was finally erected was
agreed upon February 5, 1721-22 ; which was on the hill a
little east of the present residence of Mr. William West. At a
previous meeting held on the 31st of January, 1720-1, the
town voted to build a meeting-house thirty feet long and twenty-
eight feet wide, with eighteen feet posts. They also voted
that the frame of the building should be raised by the last day
of the month of June next following, and that the sides should
be covered, and the floors laid, and windows put in, by the
last of the following November. It is not probable that any
very serious effort was made to comply with these votes ; for
I find the record of a town meeting held on the first of
May of the same year, at which it was voted .that the build
ing should be forty-five feet long, thirty-five feet wide, and
twenty feet between joints. As this is tlie last vote upon the
subject of dimensions, it is fair to presume that the house was
finally built as last prescribed, and was probably raised in the
spring of 1722. It does not appear when this house was
dedicated to the worship of God, yet there can be no doubt
public worship was held in it early in the year 1723.
October 4, 1725, a tax of four pence on the pound was laid
to defray the expenses " arisen and arising about furnishing
the meeting-house." February 28, 1726, it was voted to
build pews upon that part of the floor that was raised
above the rest. December, 1728, it was voted " to build a
house about twenty feet by fourteen, near the meeting
house, to accommodate the inhabitants living remote from
the meeting-house with a place to spend the intermission
between services without troubhng others." December 9,
1730, the town voted that " the selectmen should procure at the
towns cost what is necessary for the pulpit." December 8,
1731, it was voted " to do something towards repairing and
finishing the galleries." From 1744 to 1749, liberty was given
divers persons to " erect pews in the galleries at their own
expense and for their own accommodation."

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 23
It would seem that this house did not answer the purpose
for which it was desjigned ; for we find that before it had stood
thirty years, to wit, on the 28th of January, 1761, the town,
by a vote of nearly two to one, voted " that it was necessary
to build a new meeting-house for public worship in said town."
The question of building a new meeting-house at this time,
must have been one of unusual interest, for at this meeting
we find that no less than twenty-eight persons were admitted
inhabitants of the town, and one hundred and ten votes were
given upon the question, viz., seventy in the affirmative, and
forty in the negative. Three unsuccessful attempts were
made to rescind this vote, but the town adhered with increased
majorities each time to its first decision. The location of this
house was a matter of even more than usual interest. The
inhabitants of the north-west and western portions of the town
insisted upon a site at the north end of the street, while those
of the southern and eastern portions were equally strenuous
for its location at the south end of the street. The matter was
at first submitted to the town, and a majority of votes decided
in favor of the southern location. There was then no road
leading into the street from the eastern part of the town,
except the one leading from near where the old meeting-house
stood, and of course all persons attending meetings from the
eastern part of the town would have to come into the street
at the south end, which doubtless had its influence in deter
mining the location of the house. Tradition says that the
influence of the Hon. Zebulon West, whose residence was in
the south part of the town, had great weight in the final set
tlement of this question. The minority did not readily sub
mit to the decision of the majority, and they appealed to the
General Court and obtained a committee to review the pro
ceedings of the town, but after several public hearings, the
location fixed by vote of the town was finally confirmed. On
the 24th day of December, 1753, the town voted to build the
new meeting-house fifty-six feet long and forty feet wide.
This house was raised in the month of May, 1754, and was so
far finished as to be used for public worship in the Spring of
1755. The house was erected without a steeple, and it was

24 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
not until the year 1792, that the town came to the conclusion
not to dispense with this appendage any longer. At a town
meeting held on the 12th day of January, 1792, they voted
" That the town will build a steeple to the meeting-house.
Provided, that a bell can be procured and given to the town
without burdening the town with any expense for said bell."
The bell was to be procured by voluntary subscription, and
such progress was made in this direction, that the town, at an
adjourned meeting on the second day of February, 1792, voted
" to raise a tax on the last August list two pence and one far
thing on the pound to build a steeple to the meeting-house in
Tolland." It is a traditional fact, that the inhabitants of the
north-west and western' portions of the town were very much
opposed to the project of building the steeple, and it is said
that two persons, viz., Gen. Chapman, and his uncle, Simon
Chapman, were the only persons from that quarter of the
town who voted in the affirmative on this question. It is also
said that the old feud growing out of the location of the
meeting-house was fully revived and had its effect upon those
who voted in the negative. It seems the people were hardly
satisfied with the action of the town on this subject, and
another town meeting was called as will appear by the follow
ing vote copied from the town records under date of April
26, 1792 :
"Voted at said meeting that the town consider the first
article in the warning for a town meeting at this time first,
(viz.) whether they will reconsider the vote passed at a former
town meeting to build a steeple to the meeting-house. Voted,
to take that up first. The question was then put whether the
town would reconsider their vote passed at a former meeting
to build a steeple to the meeting-house. Negatived by the
whole." The following vote furnishes some evidence that the old
difficulty about the location of the house was not entirely for
gotten. It is under date of May 4, 1792, ^nd is as follows, to
wit: " Voted to choose an agent to send to Hartford to attend
the General Assembly at the present session to oppose the
memorial of a number of inhabitants of the town of Tolland

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 26
r-eferred to said Assembly, praying for liberty to move the meet
ing-house in said Tolland to some other place near the centre
of said town."
It is probable that the steeple was built and the bell pro
cured and in use before December 3d, 1792, for on that day
a town meeting was held at which the following votes were
passed :
Voted, "That a tax of one penny, three farthings on the
pound be laid and collected on the last August grand list, to
pay up the committee the residue of their bills fqr building
the steeple to the meeting-house ; and the overplus, if any, to
remain \to defray other town expenses. At the same meeting.
Voted, That the selectmen of said town procure Mr. Hanks
to run over the bell, if he will do it on reasonable terms, and
to hang it again in the steeple."
Mr. Hope Lathrop, an influential citizen, was very active in
procuring subscriptions for the bell. It is said he went into
the west part of the town to obtain funds for this purpose,
and being universally refused, he became a little excited, and
declared that those who would not give anything for the bell
should not hear it ring.
The collection of the tax for building the steeple was resisted
by people in the western part of the town, and the collector,
under the direction of the selectmen, distrained an ox, the
property of Nathaniel Kingsbury, Jr., to pay his tax. This
Nathaniel Kingsbury was an elder brother of Deacon Jabez
Kingsbury, whose grand-children still own and live on the
farm owned by him during his life time. Mr. Nathaniel
Kingsbury brought an action against Daniel Edgerton and
others, then selectmen of Tolland, to test the legality of this
tax. The writ was dated January 28, 1793 ; the facts were
agreed to by the parties, and the cause was carried to the
Supreme Court of Errors. Two questions were made in the
case: — 1. That the town had no right to tax its inhabitants
to build a steeple to its meeting-house; and 2. If it had this
right it could only be exercised by a vote of two-thirds of the
voters at a legal meeting ; and inasmuch as the tax in ques
tion was laid by a majority vote only, it was not legally laid.
4

26 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
But the court ruled both questions in favor of the town, and
the plaintiff had to pay the costs.
Tradition informs us that the first public use to which the
first bell was put, was tolling for the death of Capt. Hope
Lathrop, who was so active in procuring it, and that it was
cracked on that occasion. He died November 8, 1792, and
the meeting, to have Mr. Hanks recast the bell, was held
December 3, 1792; a fact that corroborates the traditional
evidence. Note. The steeple built by the town of Tolland in 1792, was
just one hundred feet high, and was the first or nearly the first ever
built in the county. It, of course, attracted great attention, and was
scrutinized by people from other towns. One Oliver Arnold, happen
ing in Tolland, and knowing somewhat of the diflSculties respecting
the building of the steeple, stood gazing upon it, when a sort of inspi
ration came upon him, and he gave vent to his reflections in the follow
ing doggerel : " Poor Tolland ; grand people !
Old meeting house, and new steeple ! "
This doggerel distich has more meaning than at first sight is appar
ent. It not only exhibits the envious feelings of the speaker towards
the people of Tolland, but contains a sarcastic criticism upon their
conduct. The term "poor Tolland," was intended to describe the
pecuniary condition of the town, as exhibited in its barren hills and
broken land. The term "grand people," was used to express the
contempt which the speaker felt for the distinguishing characteristics
of the town as the county metropolis. The people had just built a
court-house, jail, and a tall steeple. The other line is a biting criti
cism on the taste and judgment of the people in having an old build
ing to meet in with a new steeple for ornament.
Another incident will illustrate this feeling more fully. It was
formerly the practice of the profession to attend the Superior Court
on its circuit, and remain until the court adjourned. Many leading
members of the bar, in Windham and New London counties, were in
the habit of attending the courts in Tolland, and were often engaged
in the more important trials. On one occasion, after a session of some
interest, a gentleman from Norwich took occasion publicly to congrat
ulate the people of Tolland on their recent improvements, and the
brilliant prospects before them; and continuing his remarks with

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 27
more of irony than truth, said he entertained no doubt Tolland would
yet be a port of entry, and vessels would be seen unloading their car
goes upon the banks of the Skungamug. A resident of Tolland,
standing by, and not much relishing the sarcasm of the speaker, in
terrupted him by saying that the event of which he was speaking
was, in his judgment, much nearer at hand than he, the speaker, antici
pated ; for, said he, the small craft from the city of Norwich have
already found their way amongst us, and their larger vessels will
doubtless follow in their wake.
Although this meeting-house was so far finished as to be
used for public worship in 1755, it was not entirely completed
until several years afterwards, for I find a record of a vote,
passed on the 3d day of March, 1760, raising a tax for finish
ing the meeting-house, which was made payable the first day
of November then next following. The interior of this house
was fitted up with square pews, having seats usually on three
sides, so that a large portion of the audience had to sit with
their sides or backs to the minister. These pews fur
nished very indifferent accommodations for worshippers whp
indulged in the somniferous habits of some of the present
generation. The training of our ancestors, and their sense
of propriety, seemed to incline them to think less of their
bodily ease and comfort, during public worship, than of the
manner and spirit with which it was conducted. In their day
it was no particular hardship for females to walk two and
three miles every sabbath to meeting, if the weather would
permit ; and very few were ever found in any congregation so
overcome with bodily fatigue as to be unable or unwilling to
stand erect during the entire devotional part of the exercises.
It would doubtless have been a matter of surprise and aston
ishment could they have foreseen that their posterity, within
half a century, would become so effeminate as to be unable
to walk half a mile to attend public worship, or to stand
during the singing of a short hymn.
The meeting-house, of which I have been speaking, was
taken down in the summer of 1838, being eighty-four years
after its erection. The meeting-house now used by the Con-

28 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
gregational society was then built, and was publicly dedicated .
to religious services on the 25th day of October, 1838.
The house which belongs to the Methodist society was
erected by voluntary contributions in the year 1794. Its in
terior was at first very rude and the seats uncomfortable. It
underwent a most thorough repair in the year 1832, and by
subsequent repairs and alterations* has been somewhat im
proved. There has never been any money expended upon it
from the town treasury, the whole expense having been borne
by individuals. The house belonging to the Baptist denom
ination was built by subscription in the year 1832, and has
been throughly repaired. Before the building of this house,
this congregation held their meetings in the old court-house,
when that edifice was standing, and afterwards in the old
school-house of the Center district.

MINISTEES

The first vote on record in Tolland, respecting ministers, is
under date of June 15, 1719, and is in the following words, to
wit: "At a meeting of the inhabitants of Tolland, they did
choose Joseph Benton to go to see if he can get a minister
to be amongst us, to preach the gospel amongst us." Prom
sundry votes of the town, passed in the months of January
and February, 1719-20, it is certain that Eev. Stephen Steel
was then officiating as a clergyman in this town. On the 17th
day of said February the town voted " to give the minister
sixty pounds a year, and not to build him a house," and also,
"that John Yeomans and Joseph Benton shall go to Mr. Ste
phen Steel to see if he will accept of what they have agreed
to do for him." On the 22d of September, 1720, " it was
voted, that Mr. West, Mr. Yeomans, Mr. Eaton and Joseph
Bentoh shall be a committee to wait or call on Mr. Steel for
a longer time to be with us; and to see whether he will settle
with us." On the 7th of November " it was voted, that they
will give to Mr. Steel, if he will settle amongst us, the sum

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 29
of seventy-five pounds, to be paid in money or provisions, at
the market price, and a lot and allottment amongst us ; he
settling himself in the work of the ministry amongst us."
It does not distinctly appear from the records whether Mr.
Steel accepted this call ; but that he was the minister of the
town from the year 1719, under a contract to render services,
there can be no doubt. January 81, 1721, the town voted,
" they would not agree with Mr. Steel no otherwise but as it
was last voted, to wit: seventy-five poujids and he to build his
house." They also voted, "that his salary should begin when
he began to preach.with us, except the time when he was
wanting." In September following, a committee was ap
pointed " to reckon with Mr. Steel to see what was paid to
him, and what was behind of his due." The committee were
Joseph Benton, William Eaton, Joshua Willes and Joseph
Pack. It appears that there was no organized church in Tol
land before the year 1722. When, or under what circumstan
ces, the first church was gathered, can not be learned from
any records of its own, nor are there any traces of its separate
action to be found until the settlement of Eev. Ansel Nash as
its pastor in the year 1813. But in the town records, under
date of 1722, (the montli being torn off,) we find the follow
ing vote : " Voted, that Joseph Benton should get a prayer
put int6 the General Assembly for gathering a church and
ordaining a minister in Tolland." I can have no doubt that
this vote was passed early in the year 1722, for there is now
on file in the records of this State at Hartford, a document in
the words and figures following, to wit:
" To the Honorable the Governor, Council and Eepresenta-
tives in General Court assembled, in Hartford, May 10, 1722.
The prayer of Joseph Benton, of Tolland, humbly showeth:
that under the conduct of Divine Providence, and by the
favor of this honorable assembly, the aforementioned town of
Tolland is settled with a competent number of inhabitants ;
and having obtained a suitable person to preach the gospel
amongst us to the good satisfaction of the inhabitants, we are
desirous to enjoy the benefits of all gospel ordinances amongst
us, to which end, we, as our law directs, apply ourselves to this
honorable assembly for their approbation therein ; and by a
vote of said town, your petitioner is empowered to make his

30 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
application to this honorable assembly ; and your good count
enance herein will be a further obligation to your petitioner
ever to pray, as iil duty bound.
JOSEPH BENTON.
Upon this petition the following entries are made . ' ' Granted
in the Upper House. Test, Hezekiah Wyllis, Secretary."
"The prayer above granted in the Lower. House. Test, Jo
seph Whiting, Clerk." This document establishes the follow
ing facts: First, that the vote of the town, directing Joseph
Benton to get a prayer put into the general assembly for
gathering a church, was passed before May 10, 1722. Second,
that the town had then obtained a minister to the acceptance
of the inhabitants of the town. Third, that there was then no
organized church in town. Fourth, that it was the duty of the
town to obtain leave of the general assembly to gather a
church, so that they might enjoy gospel ordinances. Fifth,
that the general assembly did grant leave to the town of Tol
land to gather a church at its session in May, 1722. The
next record in order I have been able to find is a town record
under date of June 19, 1723, and is as follows, to wit:
" Voted, That the church hath liberty to ordain Mr. Stephen
Steel pastor of a church in Tolland. Voted, That the charge
of Mr. Steel's ordination be done at the expense of the towji-
Voted, That Noah Grant shall be one to see that provision be
made for the ordination of Mr.' Steel."
" Voted, That Daniel Cook shall be one to take care that
provision be made for Mr. Steel's ordination."
From the foregoing documents and records it is apparent
that the church of the Congregational Society in Tolland was
organized between the month of May, 1722, and the month
of June, 1723, but at what precise date, or who were its first
officers or members can not now be accurately ascertained.
The Eev. Stephen Steel, was ordained as pastor of the church
and society in Tolland in 1723, but the precise date is not
known. He continued to be the pastor of the church until
the 21st day of December, 1758, when the connection between
him and the church and society was amicably dissolved by the
parties, on account of his ill health. He died in Tolland on
the 4th day of December, 1759, in the 63d year of his age.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 31
George Steel came from England, and after a few years
residence in Cambridge, Mass., was one of the earliest settlers
of Hartford, Conn., and was one of the forty-two Hartford
soldiers who served under Captain Mason in the Pequot war.
He died in 1663 at an advanced age. His farm, now a por
tion of the city, of immense value, was situated around the
present Washington and Lafayette streets ; his house stood on
the latter just out of Washington street. James Steel, his sqn,
married for his first wife, Anna Bishop, of Guilford, who died
in the year 1675. He afterwards Inarried Bethiah, widow of
Samuel Stocking. James Steel, the son of James and Anna
Steel, and the grandson of George Steel, was born about the
year 1658, and died in 1712. He married Sarah Barnard,
who died his widow in 1730. Stephen Steel, the son of James
and Sarah Steel, and the great grandson of George Steel, was
born in Hartford in the year 1696, in the house, yet standing,
on the spot where George Steel first settled. He was the
first minister of Tolland.
He married Euth Porter, of Hadley, Mass. Their children
were as follows :
Ruth, their daugliter, was bom August 30, 1722, and died February 6, 1740-41.
Stephen, son, " September 29, 1724. Died October 23, 1802.
Eleazer, '• " August2, 1725. •
Elisha,' '¦ " October 7, 1728.
iVehitabel, daughter, " June 6, 1733. ¦
James, son, '¦ February 6jl737.
John, " " NoTember 25, 1738.
Aaron, " " NoTember 1, 1744'
Euth, the widow of Eev. Stephen Steel, died May 14, 1792,
aged ninety-one.
There was also Sarah, daughter of Eev. Stephen and Euth
Steel, who was born in Hadley about the year 1730 — there
fore not recorded in Tolland.
The sons of Eev. Stephen Steel, except James and Aaron,
married and settled in Tolland. Stephen Steel, Jun., the eldest
son, married Hannah Chapman, the daughter of Capt. Sam
uel Chapman. Her brother Elijah was married on the same
day, (May 28, 1747,) to Sarah, daughter of Eev. Stephen
Steel. The following is a record of the children of Stephen Steel,
Jr., and his wife Hannah.

32 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
Stephen, their son, was born July 10, 1749, and died November 26, 1760.
Hannah, daughter, " November 2,-1750.
Stephen, son, " August 31, 1752.
Ruth, rtanglJter, " September 17, 1755, and died December 81, 1768.
Perez, son,> " May 1, 1758. *. ^ . „ „. , . ^t 01-70
Rufli daughter, " April 29, 1762, married Samuel R. Kingsbury, August 13, li7».
Mary, " " July25,1765rmar. Asa Howard, died November 28, 1843, aged 78.
Daniel. son, " June 24, 1769.
Hannah, the wife of Stephen, died August 27, 1801.
This Stephen Steel was an officer of the mihtia and jsaptain
of the company in Tolland ; and was selectman of the town
for five years.
Perez Steel, the son of Stephen and Hannah Steel, married
Hannah Simons, of Tolland, June 7, 1781. The following is
the record of their children.
Lusalla, their daughter, was born UTay 1, 1782, and died June 14, 1782.
Aaron, son, " ' April 16, 1783.
Lusalla. daughter, " February 23, 1785.
Perez, son, '' April 10, 1787.
Clarissa, daughter, '¦ August 29, 1789.
Orreoda, " '¦ April 4, 1792.
Juliana, " " August 23, 1794.
Eleazer Steel, son of Eev. Stephen Steel and his wife Euth,
married Mrs. Ann White, of Bolton, December 28, 1749.
She died February 22, 1750. Eleazer Steel married, for his
second wife, Euth Chapman, daughter of Capt. Samuel
Chapman, of Tolland, November 7, 1751.
The following is their family record, to wit :
pn August 20, 1753.
April 10, 1756.
May 7, 1757, died in revolutionary service, 1780
April 27, 1780, died April 23, 1775.
July 24, 1762', died March 18, 1778.
March 15,1765.
June 29, 1767.
February 8, 1772, died September 25, 1775.
May 5, 1774.
Mrs. Euth Steel, wife of Fleazer Steel, died December 6,
1776, aged 43.
Eleazer Steel, of Tolland, and Lois Fenton, of Willington,
were married May 7, 1778. He died February 26, 1799, in
the 73d year of his age. He was town clerk of Tolland for
nine years, from 1776 to 1784 inclusive, and was twice a repre
sentative in the General Assembly.
Aslibel Steel, the son of Eleazer {ind Euth Steel, married
Elizabeth, daughter of Col. Solomon Wills, of Tolland, March
26, 1789.
The following is their family record, to wit :

Eleazer,

their son, -n

Ann,

daughter,

Samuel,

son.

Kuth,

daughter,

Joel,

son,

Ashbel,

. u

David, '

'"

Jeduthan

a

Abigail,

daughter,

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 33
Melicent Wills, their dawghter, born August 9, 1790, married S. Kent, March 3, 1812.
Salmon, -"son, " October 6, 1792, died August 22, 1823.
SethDwight, " . " March 14, 1796, died at Windsor, Ohio, September 1, 1834.
Roxey Chapman, daughter, " March 23, 1798, married Solo. L. Griggs, December 6, 1821.
PloriUa, " " September 24, 1800, died October 26, 1802. •
Ashbel Smith, son, " December 7, 1804, died August 30, 1811.
Ashbel Steel died May 30, 1830, aged 66 years.
Elizabeth. Steel died January 26, 1832.
Ashbel Steel was captain of one of the militia companies
in Tolland, and was two years a selectman. He resided near
the south end of Tolland street, at the corner of the road
running to the western part of the town, in the house where
his father lived and kept a tavern for many years. He was a
kind, obliging neighbor and most excellent citizen.
Melicent Wills Steel, his daughter, married Samuel Kent,
of Suffield. They had two children, viz. : Elizabeth Sophro-
nia Kent, now a resident of this village, and James S. Kent,
a resident of Eichmond, Virginia.
Eleazer Steel, Jr., son of Eleazer and Euth' Steel, married
Eebecca Lathrop, daughter of Hope Lathrop, December 16,
1779. The following is their family record, to wit :
Joel, their son, was born August 14, 1782.

Eleazar,Jeduthan, *'
Ralph, "
Ruth, daughter,
Minerva, "
Marilla, "
Sanford, son,
George, "

August 22 J 1784.
February 25, 1787.
May 8, 1789.
January 4, 1792.
September 10, 1794, married Jarvis Crandal, died February 25, 1831.
January 16, 1797.
February 27, 1799, now residing in Bolton.
November 4, 1801.

, Mr. Eleazer Steel died June 24, 1809. Mrs. Eebecca Steel
died March 3, 1806.
James Steel, son of Eev. Stephen Steel, married Abigail
Huntington, daughter of John Huntington, Esq., of Tolland,
January 24, 1754.
The following is their family record, viz. :
Aaron, their son, was bom October 19, 1754, died in the revolutionary army in New Jersey.
James, " " October 30, 1756, died in Ellington, 1819.
Zadoo, " " December 17, 1758, died in Stansted, Canada.
Samuel, " '• May 10, 1761.
Andrew, " " Deccmber25, 1763.
Abigail, daughter, " August 16, 1766.
Deborah, " " December 31, 1768.
Abigail, wife of James Steel, died January, 1769. He
married for his second wife, Dorothy Converse, of Stafford,
September 14, 1769. Their children were :
John, their son, was born November 8, 1770, died February 4, 1772.
John, " " December 31, 1772, died January 8, 1773.
Dorothy, wife of James Steel, died March 10, 1773. He
6

34 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
married for his third wife, Abigail Wakefield, of Weston,
January 18, 1775.
Abigail, their daughter, was born November 18, 1775.
James Steel removed with his family to Ellington, in 1776,
and having resided there several years, removed to Brookfield,
Vermont, where his son Zadoc had commenced a settlement,
and where he died at an' advanced age. His second son,
James, settled in Ellington, one family of whose descendants,
(that of Oliver Wolcott Steel, Esq.,) continue in that town.
Andrew, fifth son of James Steel, Sen., residing in Eandolph,
Vermont, married Elizabeth »Lathrop, of Tolland, August 17,
1785. Elisha Steel, the son of Eev. Stephen Steel, married Sarah
Wolcott, of Windsor, April 26, 1758. He graduated at Yale
College in 1750, was educated for the bar, located in the town
of Tolland, and engaged in the practice of his profe^ion.
He was chosen a representative in the General Assembly in
1761, and was reelected five times. He was one of the two
Justices of the Peace from 1761 to 1766 inclusive. He was
the first lawyer ever located in the town of Tolland, and the
only one while he lived. He died August 17, 1773.
The record of his children is as follows, to wit :
Sarah, his daughter, was born April 29, 1759.
Mara, " " May 27, 1761.
Mary-ann, " '• April 28, 1763.
Elisha, son, " April 80, 1755.
Boger Wolcott, " " January 19, 1768.
Mehitabel, daughter, " May 8, 1770, died August 21, 1772.
John Steel, the son of Eev. Stephen Steel, married Sarah
Cobb, daughter of Dr. Samuel Cobb, December 15, 1763.
The following is the record of their children, to wit :
Eunice, their daughter, was born March 19, 1767.

Sarah,John,

Mary, daughter,
Euth, "
Rachel, "
liovine, "

February 25, 1769.
June 11, 1771, died September 8, 1777.
February 27, 1774, died September 14, 1777.
June 11, 1776.
August 11, 1778.
June 19, 1780.
September 29, 1782.

Of the numerous descendants of the Eev. Stephen Steel,
only a few now remain in Tolland, and no one bearing the
name of Steel. They are to be found, however, in other fam
ilies. The Chapman family furnishes several of these descend
ants. The widow and children of the late Col. Ashbel Chap-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 35
man, the children of the late Mr. Eeuben Chapman, Mr.
Daniel Chapman, Mr. Elijah S. Chapman and their children,
Mrs. George H. Kingsbury and her children ; Miss Elizabeth
S. Kent and Charles 0. Benton ; George M. Grant, Edwin L.
Grant, Calvin Whitoii and Stephen Wliiton, and their chil
dren, are descendants of Eev. Stephen Steel. The family of
Sanford Steel, Esq., of Bolton, and Oliver W. Steel, Esq., of
Ellington, are also of the same descent.
I am unable to give any very distinct idea of the person
or character of the Eev. Stephen Steel. His death occurred
one hundred and one years ago last December, and norf» of
his cotemporaries now survive. Unfortunately, he left no
publication, nor does any manuscript exist from which his
intellectual and literary attainments can be estimated. He
once preached the annual election sermon at Hartford, but
omitted to furnish a copy for p.ublication. The fact that he
was selected for this service, is evidence that he was a man
of more than ordinary ability, for in his day none but clergy
men of very respectable attainments were honored with this
distinction. His correspondence with the town, and the Sat
isfactory arrangements made with its agents, when his health
became so much impaired as to .disable him from performing
the duties of his ministerial office, give unmistakable evi
dence of his conciliatory spirit, his disinterestedness and his
unaffected piety. He had then been the sole minister of the
town for nearly forty years, had commenced with it in its
infancy, when it was nearly an unbroken wilderness, contain
ing less than twenty-five families ; had seen the population
increase to near one thousand, and had the satisfaction of
knowing there was not, at the time of his dismissal, a single
dissenting worshiper in the whole number. The Eev. Dr.
Williams, the immediate successor of Mr. Steel, told a friend
of mine in 1827, that at the time of his settlement, and for
several years thereafter, there was not a dissenter, nor the
least want of unanimity on ecclesiastical affairs in the whole
town. I could almost be willing to give in my adherence to
the most rigid and antiquated puritanism, if I could once
more see such unanimity among those who profess to be actu
ated by the same spirit.

36 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
The connection between the Eev. Stephen Steel and the
church and society in Tolland, was dissolved by mutual con
sent on the 25th day of December, 1758. The town soon
invited a Mr. Gideon Noble, and afterwards a Mr. Nehemiah
Strong to preach as candidates for settlement. But the Eev.
Nathan Williams received a unanimous call from the town to
settle in the work of the ministry in Tolland, on the 26tli
day of November, 1759, — they offering to pay him two hun
dred pounds, (six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-six
cents,) as a settlement, and eighty pounds, (two hundred
sixfy- six dollars, sixty-six cents,) as a yearly salary. This
proposition was accepted, and the Eev. Nathan Williams was
ordained April 30, 1760. He continued the sole pastor of the
church and society until January, 1818, a period of nearly
fifty-three years, when the Eev. Ansel Nash was settled as his
colleague. Doct. Williams continued to reside in Tolland
until his decease, on the 15th of April, 1829, at the age of
ninety-four years. He was born at Longmeadow, Mass.,
Nov. 8, 1735, was son of Eev. Stephen Williams, minister of
that town, and grandson of Eev. John Williams, the celebra
ted minister of Deerfield.
The Eev. Nathan Williarus, of Tolland, and Mary Hall, of
WaUingford, were married October 20, 1760. The following
Were their children :
Nathan, their son, was bom Nov. 17, 1761, died in Savannah, Georgia, Dec. 16, 1784.
EliakimHall, " " Jan. 16, 1764, died April 28, 1816.

William,
Mary, daughter,
Ruth, "
Abigail, "
Isaac. son

April 23, 1766.
April 19, 1768, married Doct. Wm. Grosvenor, Oct. 4, 1787.
Nov. 11, 1770, died October 2, 1788.
Aug. 14, 1773, died Feb. 2, 1774.
Sept. 24, 1776, died AprU 18, 1781.

Madam Mary Williams, relict of Doct. WiUiams, died March
9, 1833, aged ninety-five.
Only three of the children of Doct. WiUiams lived to be
married. His son, EHakim H. Williams, first married Mary
Burt, daughter of David Burt, of Longmeadow, Mass., Jan.
18, 1792. She died January 22, 1793. He next married
Damaris Cory, of Mansfield, February 1, 1797. She died Sep
tember 20, 1801. He married for his third wife Aurelia
Howard, of Tolland, January 9, 1803, with whom he lived
until his death, April 28, 1816. By his last wife he had two

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND, 37
sons and two daughters, viz. : Ehakim and Isaac ; — and Eme-
line and Mary-Damaris-Aurelia. Mr. Eliakim H. WiUiams
always resided in Tolland, and was town clerk at the time of
his death. After his death his family removed to the State of
New York, where they have since continued to reside.
WiUiam Williams, son of Doct. Nathan WiUiams, married
Sarah Burt, of Longmeadow, Mass.^ September 4, 1793.
They had seven sons, viz. : Nathan, WUliam, David-Burt,
Aiigustus-Davenport, Theodosicus-Dickerman, Charles- Albert,
and Mortimer-Hall. Their daughters were Mary-Burt, and
Sophia-Maria. This family lived in Tolland untU the year
1833, when they removed into the western country.
Mary Williams, the daughter of Doct. Williams, married
Doct. WUliam Grosvenor, October 4, 1787. They lived in
ToUand untU Doct. Grosvenor's death, October 16, 1798.
They had eight children, only three of whom survived infancy.
The names of those were Mary-Williams, Euth and Jacob.
This family removed from Tolland after the decease of Doct.
Grosvenor ; and there has been no one of the lineal descend
ants of Doct. Williams, resident in the town since 1833.
The Eev. Doctor Williams holds a prominent place in the
history of Tolland. He has done more than any dther person
to form the character of its inhabitants. He was their only
minister for more than fifty years, and occupied a prominent
and influential position for nearly seventy years of bis life.
In person he was about five feet nine inches in height ; rather
stout, with a body symmetrical and well proportioned. He
was easy and graceful in his manners, social in his habits, and
interesting and instructive in his conversation. He was
punctilious in etiquette, careful in his personal appearance,
precise and select in his language, and in every way a model
gentleman of the old sohool. As a preacher he adhered to
the tenets of the old divines, was strictly orthodox as the
term was then understood, but was quite liberal for the age
in which he lived. He was a good scholar, well educated,
with a fair intellect, and good common-sense. His public
performances were very creditable, and quite acceptable to liis
parishioners. Several of his sermons and other religious com-

38 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
positions were printed, and will compare favorably with simi
lar productions of his associates. Several copies of them are
now deposited in the library of the Connecticut Historical
Society at Hartford. They were written and pubhshed as fol
lows: In 1780. The Annual Election Sermon at Hartford.
1788. On the Design and Importance of Christian Bap
tism.
1792. On Christian Baptism and Discipline. Two edi
tions.
1793. Discourse on the Fourth of July, at Stafford.
1793. Fast Day Sermon at Tolland. Order and Har
mony in the Churches agreeable to God's Law.
1794. Funeral Sermon at the Burial of Eliakim Hall,
1795. Sermon at the Funeral of Eev. Nathan Strong,
of Coventry.
Mrs. Mary Williams was a perfect model for a minister's
wife. Intelligent without vanity ; complacent without syco
phancy ; devotedly pious without any forbidding pretensions,
she exercised a salutary influence without any apparent effort.
She taught by example as well as by precept ; and the duties
of a wife and a mother were not neglected nor fqrgotten in
the pursuit of those that belong to the visionary philanthro
pist, or the chimerical moralist. She attended to the duties
of her own household, and cared for the wants of her depend
ants, feeling that her happiness was best promoted when she
was contributing to the enjoyment of those around her. She
was an economist, not for the purpose of acquiring wealth, but
on account of the example to others. Doct. Williams pos
sessed more of this world's goods, comparatively, than now
ordinarily falls to the lot of country ministers, but it was never
ostentatiously used. His house always exhibited comforts
without extravagance, and great order and neatness without
luxurious elegance. Mrs. Williams made it a matter of prin
ciple to live like her parishioners, although her means would
have allowed her greater comforts. She was heard to say during
the last years of her life, that her children when small, always
went barefooted to meeting in summer, because some in the

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 39
parish were unable to furnish their's with shoes at that season,
SO that no comparison could be instituted between her children
and others in that respect. The principle that prompted this
act, properly cultivated, would tend to restrain the practice
now becoming a custom, of regarding the attire in which we
are clad when in the sanctuary, as of more consequence than
the services in which we are there engaged.
The Eev. Ansel Nash was settled as the colleague of the
Eev. Doctor Williams, in the month of January, 1813, and
continued to be the active pastor of the church and society
until the month of May, 1831, a period of a little more than
eighteen years, when he was dismissed upon his own.request,
with the consent of a majority of the church and society.
Mr. Nash was born in Williaipsburg, Hampshire County,
Mass., on the 16th of January, 1788. He was the son of
John Nash, of Williamsburg, and his wife, Martha Little,
formerly of Granby, Conn. He graduated at Williams College
in the year 1807, at the age of nineteen years. He pursued
and finished his theological studies at Andover, Mass., and
was licensed to preach in the year 1810. He came to Tolland
in the latter part of the summer of 1812, received a call, and
in January, 18^3, was ordained as the colleague of Doctor
Williams. His salary was six hundred dollars a year ; one
hundred of which, a few years later, he generously relin
quished annually, in consideration of the pecuniary circum
stances of the society. He was married to Eunice Jennings,
of Windham, Conn., on the 24th of May, 1813, with whom
he lived until his death. He left no chUdren. After he was
dismissed from ToUand he was settled in the ministry in
Bloomfield, Hartford County, Conn., six years, when his rela
tion with that people was dissolved, and he became the agent
of the American Education Society awliUe, and then the pas
tor of the first church in EockviUe for about two years, when
he was again dismissed. He was, at two different times, agent
of the American Education Society, eight years, and suppUed
the pulpit in Colchester, Vermont, for about four years.
WhUe residing in Colchester, towards the close of his Ufe, he
became paralytic, and of unsound mind. In the vain hope

40 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
that he could be benefited by the medical treatment and
nursing at the insane hospital at Brattleborough, Vermont,
he was sent to that institution in the summer of the year 1850,
where, without receiving benefit, either in body or mind, from
the change, he departed this life August 11, 1851, aged 63
years, 6 months, and 26 days.
Mr. Nash was a man of marked ability. To a mind natur
ally quick and active, was added the polish of a finished edu
cation ; and aided by a memory that garnered the choicest
treasures of both ancient and modern literature, he was pre
pared to acquit himself creditably on the theatre of life. His
sermons. were characterized rather for their logic than their
rhetoric, and contained more of argument than imagination ;
still they were both attract^ and instructive. He could not
be said to be eloquent in their delivery, but was earnest, forci
ble and serious, and particularly successful in securing the
attention of his hearers. In extemporary prayer he possessed
peculiar gifts. He seemed to apprehend the secret desiies of
the most obscure worshiper present, and would present them
at the mercy seat in language that raised the mind from earth
to heaven, and imbued it with that fervency which makes
prayer importunate and effectual.
Some of the productions of his pen have been published,
among which are a Sermon on Christian Fellowship, printed
in the National Preacher in the year 1831 ; a somewhat ex
tended memoir of Mrs. Elizabeth Eldredge in the Panoplist
in the year 1816 ; and other interesting articles in magazines
and newspapers.
In social life, Mr. Nash was open, frank, and sometimes a
little abrupt. He carefully noticed passing events, and was
free to make them topics of general remark ; and it was some
times supposed these occupied too much of his time as a
religious teacher. And yet he was never light nor trifling,
and was always ready to defend the religion he professed,
whenever and however assailed. His connection with secular
matters, sometimes brought him in conflict with others en
gaged in simUar pursuits, and was the cause of some uneasi
ness on the part of those who should have been his friends.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 41
He strenuously maintained the right of exercising his own
judgment in matters personal to himself, and yet he would not
obstinately pursue a course of conduct offensive to any one,
when he had reason to believe such conduct was not required
by other demands than his own interest. He was forward in
all efforts for public improvement in the town in which he
lived — particularly those which had for their object the edu
cation of the masses. He took especial interest in the estab
lishment of an academy in Tolland ; and was for a long time
chairman of the board of trustees. It may not be invidious
to remark, that the academy ceased to exist about the time of
Mr. Nash's leaving the town, and there has been no special
effort since to revive it. He was a valuable member of socie
ty ; an intelligent and interesting preacher ; a worthy and
revered pastor ; and a most constant and sincere friend.
After the dismissal of Mr. Nash, the Eev. Abram Marsh
became the pastor of the Congregational church and society
in Tolland, which position he continues to occupy. He was
installed on the 30tli day of November, 1831. Mr. Marsh
was born in Hartford, Vermont, June 15, 1802. He was ed
ucated at Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1825 ;
pursued his theological studies at Andover, Mass., and was
licensed to preach in 1828. He supplied a church in Eedding,
Vermont, about two years, a portion of which time he was
the principal of an academy at Thetford. He married Miss
Ehoda Short, of Vermont, January 25, 1829, who died in
Tolland, August 17, 1840, leaving two sons. Mr. Marsh
married Miss Mary H. Cooley, of Norwich, Conn., his present
wife, April 6, 1842.
As he is still the pastor of the church and society in Tol
land, it is not proper for me to say more in this place ; and
may the day be distant when any pen will be employed in
writing his biography.
Prom 1723 to the present time, a period of one hundred
and thirty-eight years, the Congregational church and society
have had but four settled ministers, and there has been but
one year and two months vacation in the office during the
¦«rhole tithe. 6

42 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
It^as generally been supposed there were no differences of
opinion on matters of religion among the inhabitants of Tol
land before the year 1791, when the Methodists made their
first location in this town. Although at the time of the set
tlement of Dr. Williams, and for thirty years thereafter, the
people were of one fold and one shepherd, yet it is true that
the inhabitants of Tolland, in common with the other towns
in New England, were, seriously aifected by the preaching of
Whitefield and his associates about the year 1745. The Eev.
Wait Palmer, one of the preachers attached to that class of the
followers of Mr. Whitefield that called themselves Separatists,
labored in Tolland and its vicinity in the years 1750 and 1751,
and received persons to his particular fellowship through the
ordinance of baptism. This Mr. Palmer, and one Eev. Joshua
Morse, administered the rite of ordination to one Shubael
Stearns, Jr. , of Tolland, of whom I shall speak more particularly
in another place. Suffice it here to say, that Mr. Stearns was
a most zealous leader of the Separatists, and held no fellow
ship with the church then under the charge of Eev. Mr. Steel.
Mr. Stearns left the town, with his principal adherents, in the
year 1754, after which there was no particular controversy by
reason of this sect. Tradition informs us that the christian
charity and sound judgment of Eev. Mr. Steel did very much
to control the excited feeling of the people at this time, and
continue their attachment to him, and to the church of which
he was the pastor.
In the summer of 1791, the preachers of the Methodist
denomination first visited the town of Tolland, and succeeded
in establishing a Church. The names of their first preachers
were Lee, Eayner and Hull. Their preaching was attended
with very considerable success, and their followers became so
numerous it was found necessary to liave a house for public
worship, and one was buUt in 1794. These preachers brought
with them much of the zeal and many of the practices of the
Separatists ; and they attracted very great attention from the
earnestness, and, what many supposed, the irregularities of
their worship. This, doubtless, was the occasion of the fast-
day sermon by the Eev. Dr. Williams, entitled, " Order and

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 43
Harmony in the Churches agreeable to God's WiU," in which
he speaks of the confusion and disorder of some worshiping
assemblies as being contrary to the will of God. The organi
zation of the Methodist church and society has continued with
but occasional interruptions, in a regular supply of preachers
according to the usages of that denomination, to the present
time. The Baptist church was organized in June, 1807. Their
first minister was the Eev. Augustus BoUes, who was ordained
their pastor in the year 1814. The services at his ordination
were held in the Congregational meeting-house. He continued
their minister three years. The next settled minister in this
society was Eev. Levi Walker, Jr., who was ordained in June,
1833, and was succeeded by Eev. Sylvester Barrows in the
year 1836, who continued their minister until the year 1841.
Since the departure of Mr. Barrows, the following named gen
tlemen have supplied the Baptist church and society, tiz. :
Eev. John Hunt, one year ; Eev. Jamas Squier, three years ;
Eev. George Mixter, two years ; Eev. Thomas Holman, one
year; Eev. Percival Matthewson, one year; Eev. Homer Sears,
three years ; Eev. Thomas Dowling, four years ; Eev. Joseph
A. Tillinghast, a little more than a year, until his death Au
gust 7, 1859; and Eev. C. L. Baker, who is now their minis
ter. They have also been supplied occasionally by other per
sons.

MILIT AE Y.

The first record of any military organization in Tolland is
under the date of October, 1722. The General Assembly then
approved of Joseph Hatch as Lieutenant, and John Hunting
ton as Ensign of the train-band in Tolland. The number in
the " train-band " was probably then too small to make a cap
tain necessary. The following return, copied from the archives
in Hartford, for 1725, shows the election of the first captain
of the train-band in this town.

44 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLANl).
" Major Wolcott, Esq. Pursuant to that order from your
self for the drawing of the first company in Tolland, to a
choice for their commissioned officers for said company in
Tolland ; said company accordingly met on the 20th day of
April and orderly chose Lieutenant Joseph Hatch, captain ;
Ensign John Huntington Lieutenant, and Joseph Pack Ensign.
EBENEZEE NYE, Mihtary Clerk."
Samuel Chapman was chosen in 1735, to succeed Joseph
Hatch as captain of this company. By a return bearing date
September 13, 1737, it appears that the roU of this company
contained the names of eighty-seven rank and file. The mili
tia were afterwards divided into two companies, called the
north and south companies ; the division of territory between
the companies was a line nearly east and west through the
town, passing across the south end of the Street; and west of
the Street was represented by the road running west from the
present residence of Mr. William West to Vernon line.
Tfie extent of the participation of Tolland in the wars pre
vious to that which commenced in 1755, can not now be ascer
tained. All that is known with certainty is, that Captain
Samuel Chapman, Sen., commanded a company in the expe
dition to Louisburgh, in 1745, where he died the following
January ; and that Samuel Baker, son of Joseph Baker, in
that, or a former war, died in captivity among the French and
Indians. In the year 1756, the colonies raised an army of seven
thousand men for the purpose of aiding the mother country in
an expedition against Crown point, and placed them under
the command of Major-General Winslow. Azariah Wills, of
Tolland, (brother of Solomon Wills, of whom I shall by and
by have something to say,) enlisted under Capt. John Slap,
in the service of the colonies, on the second day of April, 1756,
and served until the 25tli day of June following, when he was
unfortunately taken prisoner, with others, by the French and
Indians, between Albany and Hoosick, and carried to Canada.
He remained a captive and endured great hardships until No
vember, 1758, when he attempted to return with Col. Schuy
ler and Major Putnam, but while on his journey home he was
taken sick and died on the eighteenth of November, 1758.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

45

How many others from Tolland were in this expedition I am
unable to say.
In August, 1757, there was an alarm that a powerful force
of French and Indians^was on the way to attack fort William
Henry. Volunteers were called for, and Connecticut instant
ly poured forth several thousand. On the roll of Capt. Sam
uel Stoughton's company are found the names of the following
men of Tolland.

Ens. Samuel Chapman,
Serg. Solomon Wills.
Daniel Baker,
Elihu Johnson,
John Abbott, Jr ,
Abuer West,
Thacher Lathrop,
Jacob Fellows,

Nathan Harvey,
DaTid Hatch,
John Eaton,
Ichabpd Hinckley,
George Nye,
Timothy Delano,
William Benton,

Solomon Loomis,
Samuel Huntington,
Jabez Bradley,
Samuel Barnard,
Samuel Benton, Jr.,
Samuel Aborn,
Jonathan Ladd, J'r.,

Simon Chapman,
Francis West,
Rufus West,
Joseph Davis,
John Steams, Jr.,
Amos Ward.
28 in aU.

But the French general, Montcalm, had prosecuted the
siege with his usual vigor ; and the fort was compelled to sur
render before any of the volunteers could arrive. Those from
Tolland went no further than Kinderhook, in the state of New
York ; and returned home, receiving pay for only fifteen day's
service. Pay was allowed for four horses from Tolland to
Kinderhook, £2, 3s., 9d. ; for nineteen from Tolland to Litch
field, £4, 18s., lid. ; and for two to bring them back from
Litchfield, 14s., 5d.
For the campaign of 1758, Connecticut agreed to furnish
five thousand men ; and a company was formed in Tolland
and its vicinity, of which Samuel Chapman, of Tolland, was
captain. The following is a copy of the roll of his company.

*Capt. Sam. Chapman, *Jonathan Boroughs,
1st Lieut. Titus Olcott, *Abner West,
2d Lieut. George Cooley, *Hope Lathrop,
*Ensign Solomon Wills, Timothy Ladd,
Serg. Samuel Benton, Jacob Newell,
* " Jonathan Birge, John Isham,
" Abner Webb, _ *Lathrop Shurtliff,
* ** James Steel, clerk", John Gray,
Corp. Samuel Hall, *Joseph Davis,
" Jonathan Bill, HezeMah Waters,
" Asa Wood, Isaac Hills,
" Nath'n Boardman,Joshua Hutchins,
Drum'er, Henry Bowen, Jonathan Dart,
" Charles King, Joseph Spencer,
Fifer, Joseph Conant. Beriah Bronson,

Privates.
?William Benton,
*Moses West,
*John Lathrop,
*Joseph Eaton,
Daniel Brewster,
Joseph Heath,
Benjamin Burdon,
Joseph Whitcomb,
Vohn Barnard)

Hezekiah King,
Samuel Hutchinson,
Joseph Tucker,
Jonathan Buckland,
Samuel Blackmore,
Jonathan Wright,
Lemuel Jones,
David Talcott,
Moses Thrall,
Brinton Payne,

William Hoskins,
Daniel Pratt,
Abraham Whipple,
John Atchison,'
Oliver Chapin,
Hezekiah Spencer,
John Fuller,
Joseph BueU,
Alexander Gowdy,
Thomas Buck,
Samuel Bartlett,
Luke Parsons,
Thomas Waters,
James Kibbee,
James Pease,
Nathaniel Brace,
Jacob Ward,
Abner Pease,
John Ford,
Jonathan Phelps,
William Russell,
*Nathan Harvey,
Jonathan Bliss,
*Shubael Dimick,
Benjamin Shepherd,

?Lemuel Hatch,
*Jabez Bradley,
?Joseph Luce,
Abijah Markham,
Thomas Burns,
Hezekiah ft^ellB,
Jacob Hills,
Simeon Webster,
?Solomon Loomis,
Joseph Tilden,
Joel Daniels,
Samuel Carver,
John Gordon,
Samuel Darling,
Joshua Bill,
Joseph Pike,
Nathan Tiffany,
Joshua Allen,
Josiah Fields,
?Nathaniel Warren,
Joseph Crocker.
Officers and music'ns, 15
Privates, . 80
Total, . 95

46 TAB EARLY HISTORY OP TOULAND.
Twenty-one of the above, viz. : those marked *, are recog
nized as belonging in Tolland, and probably there were others.
Most of the remainder would be recognized by their names
as having gone from the towns of Somej-s, Mansfield, Willing
ton, Bolton, Coventry, and East Windsor.
In the year 1762, the King of England made a requisition
upon the colonies for troops to join in the expedition against
the island of Cuba ; and a company was raised in the eastern
part of the State, of which Col. Israel Putnam was, by one
of the then formalities of the service, nominally captain, but
really under the command of its first lieutenant, Solomon
Wills, of Tolland. This company went to the island of Cuba,
and was present at the siege and capture of Havana, but
was not in any serious engagement. When a boy, I was in
formed by a man whose name is on the roll, that after the
principal fort had been undermined and blown up, so that a
column of British regulars carried it by assault, this company
had the sad duty to perform of clearing the fort and burying
the dead. The destruction of life was very great; the dead
were represented as lying in winrows. The pools of blood
were so deep in some places in the fort that, as my informant
said, he was compelled to step over his shoes in human gore
while removing the dead. Although this company was not
under fire during the whole of this campaign, the mortality
of its members was unparalleled. Of the ninety-eight per
sons of which the company was composed and who actu
ally reached the Island, only twenty-two ever returned to
their native land. Of the twenty-seven enlisted from Tolland
and its vicinity, only four escaped the arrow of the fell des
troyer. The names of two of these four persons were Solo
mon Wills and Edward Hatch. John Barnard, John Bur
rows, Constant Crandall, WiUiam Baton, Aaron Eaton, Leon
ard Grover, Judah Hatch, Noah Stimson, Ezra Waldo and
Oliver Yeomans, of Tolland, are known to have died on the
Island of Cuba. There were no deaths in the company before
the month of August. As returned on the roU, the deaths
were, in August, fifteen ; in September, eighteen ; in October,
eighteen ; in November, eighteen ; and in December, seven.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

47

Total, seventy-six. Tiie survivors were paid off December
11, 1762. The average term of service was about thirty-five
weeks. The followingis the pay-roll of this company. Those
marked f died during the campaign.

Israel Putnam, Capt,, tDaniel Brace,
?Solo. Wills, 1st Lieut . James Belbon,

Alex. Chalker, 2d
tisaac Dana, Ensign,
tMoses Earl, Sergeant,
Samuel Hyde, "
Samuel Cotton,

Colton,
INath'l Wheeler,
?tConst. Crandal, ,ivcuucu jl/uw
tJos. Truesdale, Corp'l, John Dollabv
Silas Harris, " tElijah Durphy,

tDaniel Brewer,
fWilliara Case,
t John Croswell,
tEdmund Cadwell,
tJohn Curtis,
tJoseph Croswell,
tJohn Cross,
tEbenezer Dana,
tReuben Downing,

t Thomas Brewer,
t Joshua Reed,
Privates.
tJohn Abby,
tNathan Allen,
tSquire Allen,
tHenry Bradley,
Samuel Bhss,
tJonathan Bliss,
tRinaldo Burdon,
*t John Barnard,
?fJohn Burrows,
t Stephen Brace,

tComelius Downing,
tJoel Daniels,
?tWiiliam Eaton,
t Joseph Edgerton,
?t Aaron Eaton,
Timothy Evans,
tWilliam Ellis,
t Abraham Forbes,
tDavid Fuller,
tMichael Grover,
*t Leonard Grover,
tStephen Goff,
tEzekiel Guernsey,

*tJudah Hatch,
*Edward Hatch,
tJoseph Hayward,
tAsahel Hollister,
tRobert Hollister,
tJacob Hollister,
John Hero,
tNathaniel Holt,
tEbenezer Holmes,
tJonathan Johnston,
tWilliam Kimball,
Thomas Knapping,
tBenj. Langworthy,
tBenjamin Loveman,
fJohn Negus,
tRichard Orms,
tAbraham Porter,
tNathaniel Redingtou,
t John Read,
Ackley Riley,
tJohn Ripponer,
tThomas Rose,
tMatthew Raymond,
tDaniel Roberts,
?tNoah Stimson,
tAmos Shurthff,

t Simon Strickland,
tSamuel Stiles,
tisrael Saunders,
tAmos Staples,
tisaac Staples,
Nathaniel Stone,
tJonathan Sampson.
t Jedediah Sanger,
t Samuel Smith,
John Stark,
Benjamin Shaw,
Charles Shorvel,
tSamuel Williams,
tJoseph Whitcomb,
John Way,
tEbenezer Wheeler,
?tEzra Waldo,
?{Oliver Yeomans,
tChristopher Lucas,
tCaleb Shepard,
tEbenezer Shaw.
Taken by the Sheriff.
Joseph Bisbee,
Samuel Stanley-

The following names are marked, Deserted : Sanuel Black-
man, Gideon Burnham, John Brown, Joel Brooks, Noadiah
Bronson, John Part, Ephraim Foot, Lot Loveland, Joseph
Prout, Asahel Hollister, John Adams.
The war of the Revolution commenced in 1775, and was
most vigorously supported by the people of Tolland County,
particularly by the town of Tolland. Their experience in the
war of 1755, known as the French war, had made them ac
quainted with the trials and hardships of military life, and
prepared them for the duties of the camp in the approaching
struggle with the mother country. Not only did the town
furnish its full quota of men and officers for the field, but it
was also forward in contributing to the relief of those who
suffered for advocating the principles that led to our national
independence. The first town meeting touching the difficul
ties between the colonies and England was held on the fifth
day of September, 1774. Ichabod Griggs was cbosen moder
ator. The following is a copy of the record of that meeting :
" Voted, That Messrs. Samuel Cobb, Solomon Wills, and
Eleazar Steel be the delegates to attend the county meeting
at Hartford bn the 15th instant.

48 THE EARLY HISTOEY OF TOLLAND.
Voted, That Samuel Cobb Esq., Capt. Solomon Wills, Capt.
Elijah Chapman and Ensign Eleazer Steel be a committee of
correspondence for this town, to receive and answer letters
from the committees of correspondence in the several towns
of this and the other colonies relative to the public contro
versy. Voted, That Messrs. Stephen Day, James Chamberlin,Hope
Lathrop, Joseph West and Simon Chapman, be a committee
to receive and transmit to the towns of Boston and Charles-
town, such charitable donations as shall be subscribed for the
use of the poor and necessitous inhabitants of those towns.
Voted, That the selectmen be empowered and directed by
the town to procure powder and other ammunition fully to
supply the town stock, in proportion as the law directs at the
expense of the town.
Voted, That a copy of these resolves unanimously agreed
to, be transmitted to the press ; and the town-clerk be directed
to forward them."
The appointment of the committee to receive charitable do
nations for the use of the poor and necessitous of the towns of
Boston and Charlestown, was not an unmeaning formality,
but was prompted by that generous sincerity with which
the people of that age were actuated. The following copy •
of a letter dated Boston, October 24, 1774, about six
weeks after this appointment, will show the object the town
had in view, and the efficiency with which the committee dis
charged its duties.
" Gentlemen, This is to acknowledge the receipt of your
kind and generous donation of ninety-five sheep by the hand
of our worthy friend Mr. Hope Lathrop which shall be applied
to the relief of our poor sufferers by means of the cruel and
oppressive port bill, — according to the intentions of the gen
erous donors. We are still struggling under the heavy load
of tyranny. Our troubles are exceedingly great, but the
kindness and benevolence of our friends in Tolland, as well
as other places, greatly refreshes and raises our spirits. You
may depend upon it, that by divine help and blessing, Boston
will suffer every thing with patience and firmness that a cruel
and arbitrary administration can inflict upon us, even to the
loss of fortune and life, rather than submit in any one instance
to the power of tyranny. We trust we have a righteous
cause, and that the Supreme Euler of the Universe will in
his own time and way, arise and scatter the dark clouds that

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 49
at present hang over us. We submit to him and ask your
prayers at the throne of grace for us. The sincere thanks of
this committee in behalf of this greatly distressed and injured
town are hereby presented to our worthy friends in Tolland,
for their kind assistance in this our day of trial. We are
with great esteem, gentlemen, your friends and fellow coun
trymen. Henry Hill, per order of the committee of Donations."
Nor did the liberality of the town cease on the commence
ment of hostilities, nor was it confined to direct drafts upon
its own treasury for the support of the soldiers of the war
and their families. The following document, copied from the
original in the ofi&ce of the town clerk, is evidence that the
town was ever ready to do its part in relieving sufferers under
all circumstances.
" ToUand, Dec. 21, 1781. Eec'd of the Selectmen of the
town of ToUand in hard money £3.14.6; (112.42 ;) States
money with the Interest — £3.12.1, (112.01 ;) as a donation
from said town for the relief of the suffering inhabitants of
New London and Groton, agreeable to a late brief issued by
his Hon. the Governor. Stephen Steel, Town Treas'r."
When it is remembered that the massacre at Fort Gris
wold, in the town of Groton, and the burning of New Lon
don took place on the 6th day of September, 1781, we can
not entertain any doubt as to the cause of the sufferings which
this donation, amounting to twenty-four dollars, forty-five
cents, was intended to relieve.
Under date of December 19, 1774, the town " voted that
the selectmen do immediately double the town stock of ammu
nition at the town expense." On the same day, they " voted
that Samuel Cobb Esq., Capt. Elijah Chapman, Ensign Elea
zar Steel, Capt. Solomon Wills and Samuel Chapman Esq.,
shall be a committee of observation for effectual putting in
execution the doings of the continental Congress, expressed
in the ninth article of the association and directed in the
eleventh article of said association."
AU these proceedings were preliminary to the commence
ment of hostilities, which event occurred at Lexington, Mass.,
April 19, 1775. When the news of this transaction reached
7

50

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

Tolland, a company of men was immediately formed from
this and several neighboring towns, which, under the com
mand of Capt. Solomon Wills, served in Col. Spencer's regi
ment atRoxbury, near Boston, from May 1, to December 1,
1775, a period of eight months. The following is a copy of the
roll of this company, kept by Comfort Carpenter, its orderly
sergeant, and filed by him in the Pension Office as evidence
of his service in the war of the revolution, with his applica
tion for a pension, under the act of June 7, 1832.

?Solomon Wills, Capt.,
Jona. Parker, 1st Lieut.
Samuel Felt, 2d "
Noah Chapin, Ensign,
?Com. Cariienter, Serg,,
Abel Parker, "
Jacob Orcutt, "
Noah Cooley, "
?Heman Baker, Jr. "
Jonah Brown, "
?Elij'h Ghapmau, Corp.
Asa Fenton, "
Matthew Buel, " •
?Luke Washburn, "
?Samuel Steel, '^
?Jaa. Steel, Jr., Drum'r
?Joel Stimson, Fifer,
JElias Newton, "
Privates.
Amasa Allen,
?John Abbott,
Moses Amadon,
Jude Brown,
Jacob Brown,
Alexander Brown

Amasa Buck,
Elijah Bradley,
?Jonathan Burrough,
Josiah Bradley,
?Josiah Benton,
^Jonathan Benton,
?Azariah Benton,
Asa Baldwin,
Jacob Brown, 2d,
Nathan Carpenter,
Eliphalet Cushman,
?Richmond Crandal,
?John Carlton,
?David Carlton,
?Richard Carlton,
?Ebenezer Cook,
John Charter,
Charles Bay,
?Edward Dimock,
William Elmer,
Adonijah Fenton,
John Furnxan,
?Isaac Fellows,
Christopher Frantz,
Simeon Griswold,

?Samuel Benton,
?Ebenezer Grant,
?John Huntington,
?David Hinckley,
Ezra Holmes,
?Abner Hatch,
?Dan Hatch,
Levi Hamlin,
Nathan Jennings,
Samuel Johnson,
Caleb Johnson,
Daniel Johnson,
Daniel Kibbee,
James Kibbee,
Bildad Kibbee,
John Lewis,
Edward Lawrence,
Andrew Miner,
Caleb Orcutt,
John Orcutt,
Peter Pinney,
Abner Pease,
?Bnfus Price,
Moses Pelton,
Joshua Parks,

?Tyrus Preston,
?Ammi Paulk,
Nathan Root,
Joseph Root,
Jeremiah Rider,
Daniel Rice,
Stephen Rice,
John Scripter,
?Perez Steel,
John ShurtliEF,
Elisha Stebbins,.
Isaiah Sparks,
Simeon Stimson,
Jeremiah Sparks,
?Nehemiah Sabin ,
Joseph Sexton,
Elijah Sexton,
?Henry Stevens,
Stephen Taylor,
Justus Thompson,
Samuel IV'right,
?Jabez West,
?Elijah Washburn,
Noah Whipple.

Those who have been ascertained with certainty to have
gone from Tolland are marked *, but it is known there were
more. The number on the roll are — officers and musicians,
eighteen ; privates, eighty. Total, ninety-eight. The names
indicate that the men were from Tolland, Somers, Stafford,
Willington, and Coventry. Arrangements for enlisting were
made in Tolland and men engaged on the day the news of the
battle of Lexington reached the place. It is known that other
persons from Tolland were at Roxbury, but were either tem
porary substitutes, or in other companies ; among them were
Joshua Griggs and Solomon Eaton. Thirty-four are known
as belonging in Tolland, which town was ascertained the pre
vious year to contain twelve hundred and forty-seven white,
and fifteen black inhabitants. The last survivor of the Tol
land men on the roll was Capt. Ammi Paulk, who died in
1843. Moses Pelton was from Somers, and the next year

THE EARLY HISTOEY OP TOLLAND. 51
when the Americans retreated from New York, he was killed
by a cannon ball from the British shipping.
On the first day of April, 1777, the town voted to furnish
the families of men who would enlist into the continental ser-
vice, with provisions and other necessaries, and appointed
Capt. James Chamberlin, Lieut. Stephen Day, aijid Ensign
Eleazar Steel, a committee for that purpose. The town also
voted to present to each soldier that should so enlist, a bounty
of ten pounds in money, (thirty-three dollars and thirty-three
cents ;) one-half to be paid at the end of one year from April
1, 1777, and the other half at the end of the second year :
" Provided the Honorable Assembly shall not raise money for
the purpose ; but if the Assembly shall add to the soldiers
bounty or wages, the sum of ten pounds, then the town is
quit and free from this vote and obligation aforesaid ; and if
the assembly shall add any part of said sum of ten pounds
to the soldiers [bounty or pay,] as aforesaid, then it is to be
understood to be in part pay of said sum of ten pounds to be
given as aforesaid." It appears by the other proceedings that
these enlistments were to be for three years or during the war.
Prom the record of the Committee of Payables, under date
of July 16, 1787, 1 find the vote of AprU, 1777, was responded
to, and the bounty of ten pounds therein named, was paid to
the following persons, viz. :
WiUiam Jolmson, WilUam Sowle, Joaepli Cogswell. Andrew Miner,
Solomon Eaton, Simon Stimson, Elijah HaskeU, Tyrus Preston,
Ebenezer Brown, Joseph Sparks, Eichard Carlton, Nehemiah Sabm,
Isaac Squier, Jonathan Luce, Jaeob HaskeU, Andrew Peterson,
John P. Burrows, Clement Miner, Elijah Benton, Blihu Johnson,
Abel CrandaU, Brisley Harris, George Hubbard, Ebenezer Stebbms.
Aitimi Paulk, William Huntington, Elias Newton,
Twenty-seven in all, who received £270. Solomon Baton,
the last known survivor, died in Tolland in September, 1843.
The above-named men belonged to Capt. Ichabod Hinckley's
company, and formed a part of the second Connecticut Regi
ment. There is a roU of Capt. Hinckley's company stiU
extant, from which the following names are copied. Those
marked *, were from Tolland :
*Capt. I. Hinckley, Corp. Nehemiah Sabin, »Martin Bavis, *Abel Crandal,
?Lieut E. Chapman, *Jonathau Luce, *WilUam Huntington, *John P. Burroughs,
*X,ieut. Rufus Price, *EUhu Johnson, *Wimaih Johnson, *ffUliam Sowle,
*Dr. Jeremiah West, *Tyru9 Preston, *Solomon Eaton, *Shubael Dmiick,
Serf. Eben'r Stebbins, *Andrew Peterson, Ebenezer Brown, *Edy Hatch,
*3ev3- Ammi Paulk, *EUas Newton, Isaac Sq.uier, *Smion Stunson,

52 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
?Jonathan Delano, John Crandall, Joseph Sparks, David Pierce,
?Clement Miner, ?George Hubbard. Amos Harris, Roswell Miner.
?Jacob Haskell, ?Elijah Benton, ?Richard Carlton,
On the 23d of September, 1777, the town " voted to comply
with the resolve of the Governor and Council of this State, in
providing articles of clothing for the soldiers in the continen
tal army belonging to the town." The following persons were
appointed a committee for that purpose :
Samuel Cobb, Esq., Hope Lathrop, Daniel Edgerton, Elijah Teomans,
Capt. E. Chapman,sen., Adoniram Grant, Eleazar Hammond, Jr., Lieut. David Jewett,
" Jas. Chamberlin, Samuel Nye, Shubael Dimick, Elnathan Strong,
" Stephen Steel, Rufus Price, Titus Baker, Samuel Ladd,
" Stephen Day, EUas Holbrook, Eleazar Steel. Jonathan Ladd.
" Stephen Stimson, John Palmer, George Nye, 29 in all.
Col. Solomon Wills, Jabez Bradley, Azariah Post,
Eleazar Kingsbury, Amos James, John Steel,
December 8, 1777. Aaron Woodward, John Tyler, John
Steel, and Joseph West, were chosen a committee to provide
for the families of non-commissioned officers and soldiers
belonging to the continental army from Tolland, for the year
ensuing. January 1, 1778. Under this date I find the following
vote : " Voted, that we accept and approve the articles of
confederation drawn up by the Congress of the United States ;
and do view them as a well-formed plan of confederation and
perpetual union. Voted nem. con."
In making provision for the soldiers of the revolution, it
became necessary to have a deposit for military stores, and on
the 28th day of December, 1778, Blias Holbrook was appointed
to take care of the military stores belonging to the town.
Hope Lathrop and Benoni Shepard were on the 28th day
of June, 1779, appointed a committee " to provide clothing for
the officers and soldiers in the continental army belonging in
Tolland ; " and the selectmen were empowered " to settle with
the committee appointed to provide such clothing and pay
them therefor."
The war had now continued about five years, and the issue
was still doubtful. The credit of the government had depre
ciated, and the circulating medium of the country had become
nearly worthless. The army began to complain as well for
the non-payment of its wages as the worthlessness of the cur
rency in which it was paid. It was impossible to find men
willing to leave their families for tlje continental service, with
out further guarantees that their services should be fairly

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 63
compensated. The town of Tolland was required to furnish
sixteen men for the continental army for the year 1780,
besides its quota of cavalry. In order to obtain this number
by voluntary enlistment, the town, on the 26th day of June,
1780, voted that the wages of forty shillings per month should
be kept good, and made up to each effective man belonging to
the town who should enlist to serve until the last day of the
then next December in the Connecticut line of the continental
army ; in wheat at four shillings per bushel ; rye at three
shillings per bushel, and Indian corn at two shillings per
bushel. And as a further encouragement the town voted to
pay each man that should so enlist, the sum of thirty shillings,
lawful money, on the first day of January then next. By the
same vote they extended the benefit of the same allowance to
such effective men as should enlist into the cavalry to serve
in the continental army the same time. On the fifth day of
July, 1780, they offered the same benefit to such as should
voluntarily enlist for three months, except the bounty, which
was fifteen shiUings instead of thirty — and to be paid January
1, 1781. The following persons received the bounty of thirty
shillings in silver, voted July 5, 1780, to wit : Samuel Steel,
Lot Burgess, Aaron Delano, Sylvanus Gage, Eleazar Hatch,
William Johnson, Ezra Rawdon, Andrew Steel, Zadock Ben
ton, Samuel Chase, Hezekiah Huntington, Samuel Reed,
Manoah Crowell, Clement Miner, Luther Delano, and Solo
mon Loomis. They were -in the second Connecticut Regi
ment, and served in Capt. Ichabod Hinckley's company, except
Samuel Steel and Luther Delano, who died before the term
of service expired. Samuel Reed, who died in Tolland in
July, 1861, at the age of ninety-one, was the last survivor of
the above, and the last revolutionary soldier in Tolland.
The same year, 1780, Benjamin Kimball, Charles Stearns,
Ichabod West, Titus Hammond, Jacob Benton, and Joel Cran
dal, (six in aU,) performed a tour of duty of three months.
Jacob Benton died in ToUand in June, 1848.
These several obligations made it necessary for the town to
provide means to discharge them, and many expedients were
resorted to, to sustain the pUghted faith of the town. Taxes

64 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
payable in provisions as well as money, were laid ; and such
taxes as would frighten the tax payers of modern times. The
Assembly had voted a tax of sixpence on the pound, payable
in provisions, but it would seem that this tax was not fully
paid, or was insufficient for the purpose. The town, therefore,
on the 13th day of November, 1780 :
" Voted to raise a rate of one shilling on the list given in last
year, for the purpose of raising the town's quota of provisions
for the army and navy, to be paid in silver or gold, by the
16th of January next. Provided the inhabitants of this town
or any of them, should not pay sixpence on the pound as the
law directs in provisions. But in case they or as many of
them as shall pay and deliver in provisions said sixpence on
the pound to the receivers of provisions in this town accord
ing to law at the stated price and produce receipt therefor
from said receivers, shall be discharged from said tax or vote."
Eleazar Steel and Medad Hart were appointed receivers of
provisions for the town.
It became difficult to obtain a sufficient number of persons
to make up the quota of the town in the continental army by
voluntary enlistment, so many of its men being already
enlisted either for a long stated term or during the war. Not
withstanding the encouragement the town had from time to
time given, they were compelled to resort to such compulsory
measures as should enable them to meet the demand. One
mode adopted was, to divide the inhabitants of the town into
classes and require each class to furnish one man. At the
town meeting held on the 13th day of November, 1780, Col.
Solomon Wills, Eleazar Kingsbury, Stephen Stimson, Benoni
Shepard, Elijah Chapman, Hope Lathrop, and Miner Hilliard,
were appointed a committee to class the inhabitants of the
town for the purpose of furnishing its quota for the continen
tal army. January 10, 1781, Ashbel Chapman and Jabez
West were appointed a committee to provide clothing for the
soldiers. February 9, 1781, Col. Solomon Wills, Hope La
throp, Capt. Elijah Chapman, Capt. Benjamin Norris, and
Samuel Ladd, were chosen a committee to enlist five men to
join a regiment and go to Horseneck for one year's service.
They were empowered to divide the town into five classes, pro-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 66
vided they could not hire the men by the 19th of the month.
It appears that the committee could not hire them within the
time specified, and they made a report of their classification
of the town to an adjourned meeting held on the twenty-first
of the same month, which was accepted and established. The
town also voted to pay to each of the five classes, twelve pounds
in silver money, ($40.00,) immediately upontheir procuring
a man for the class to enlist into the State service for one
year. The following persons were hired by the classes, and
received the bounty of twelve pounds each, promised in the
vote :
WiUiam Barnard, John HaskeU, Noah Johnson, Walter Holmes,
Abner Squier. ^ ,.
On the 25th day of February, 17S2, the town voted to " raise
five men for the service at Horseneck, by a rate on the town at
large." Simon Chapman, Col. Solomon Wills, JBhn Steel,
Medad Hunt, and Capt. Ichabod Hinckley, were appointed a
committee to hire the men. The selectmen were empowered
and directed to pay this committee the sums of money that
they were " obliged to give the recruit as bounty for encour
aging [engaging] in the service out of the town tax granted
in December previous." In this instance, instead of determin
ing the bounty themselves, the town left it to the discretion
of this committee. There was some difference of opinion in
regard to the number of men Tolland ought to furnish for
the continental service; and at the meeting last-mentioned,
the town appointed Col. Solomon Wills a committee to wait
on the county committee and adjust the matter, as well as that
relating to the year's men at Horseneck. Under the vote of
February 25, 1782, as above, the foUowing persons were
engaged to serve one year at Horseneck, and each received
twelve pounds bounty, viz. : WiUiam Barnard, John Haskell,
Charles De Wolf, Abner Johnson, and Edy Hatch.
In 1782, the inhabitants of the town were divided into
twenty-one classes, and procured for the continental army the
twenty-one men whose names follow : Abel Stimson, Solo
mon Eaton, Ichabod West, Ichabod Case, James Covil, Samuel
Parks and AUen Carpenter, Joshua Simons, John HaskeU,
Moses Coy, Samuel Dimock and Oliver Scott, Eliphalet Kil-

66

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

bourn, William Coltrain, Eleazar Hatch, Jonathan Creasy,
John Dimick, Caleb Thomas, Sylvanus Gage, Reuben Robin
son, Joel Barnard and William Eldredge.
The following document, copied from the original in the
town clerk's office, is valuable for locating the persons therein
named :
" Received of Colonel Samuel Chapman, thirty-nine able-
bodied men, viz. : Eliab Allen, Thomas Buck, Jr., Lot Bur
gess, Zadoc Benton, William Barnard, Samuel Billings, Jed
ediah Cady, Abner Cady, Samuel Chase, Samuel Davis, Job
Davis, Eliab Edson, Israel Furman, Timothy Green, Ede
Hatch, Walter Holmes, Timothy Herington, Philemon Holt,
Hezekiah Huntington, William Johnson, Joseph Lamb, Jasper
Marsh, Henry McNeil, Clement Miner, Benjamin Jones Or
cutt, Solomon Parsons, Jeremiah Philips, Samuel Philips, Edy
Pratt, Cliarles Pease, Samuel Reed, Sanford Richardson, Ezra
Rawdon, Joshua Simons, Samuel Taylor, Brodwell Watkins,
John West, Asa Wood, to answer as part of
the quota to be furnished by his Regiment to serve in the con
tinental army. John P. Wyllis, Capt.,
Hartford, July 6, 1780. Continental Army."
There is a memorandum on the back of this paper, as fol
lows :

TOLLAND.
Edy Hatch,
Samuel Reed,
William Barnard,
Joshua Simons,
William Johnson,
Luther Delano,
Samuel Chase,
Ezra Rawdon,
Hezekiah Huntington,
Abner Johnson,
Lot Burgess,
Walter Holmes,
Clemet Miner,
Samuel Park,
Zadoc Benton,
Moses Delano. (16.)

SOMERS.
Samuel Davis,
Edy Pratt,
Job Davis,
Thomas Buck, jr.,
Solomon Parsons,
Jeremiah Phillips,
Israel Inman,
Asa Wood,
Charles Pease,
Ben. Jones Orcutt,.
Sanford Richardson,
John Archer,
Samuel Billings. (13.)

STAEFOKD.
Charles Wood,
WiUiam Washburn,
Asa Allen.

The following are the names of the officers, citizens of Tol
land, who served in the wars previous to the war of the revo
lution, viz. :
Samuel Chapman, Sen., was a captain in the war of 1746.
Samuel Chapman, Jr., was a captain in the war of 1766.
Samuel Huntington was an ensign in the war of 1756.
Solomon Wills was an ensign in the war of 1756 ; and
Lieutenant commanding a company in the expedition to Cuba,
1762.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 67
Probably there were several others who can not be now
identified. The foUowing named persons, citizens of ToUand, were offi
cers in the army of the Revolution, viz. :
Samuel Chapman, Colonel of the twenty-second Regiment
of mihtia, from May, 1775, to May, 1792. His regiment was
at New York in the year 1776, and performed a tour of duty
of two months. He was in the service at other times.
Solomon Wills was Colonel during several tours of duty,
either of State or Continental troops.
Ichabod Hinckley was a captain in tlie continental line.
Elijah Chapman (afterwards sheriff) was a captain in the
continental line ; and a part of the time in Lafayette's light
infantry. James Chamberlin was a captain of cavalry two campaigns.
Amos Fellows commanded one of the Tolland companies at
New York.
Lieut. Lathrop, of the militia, was in active service.
Ichabod Griggs, ensign of the Tolland militia, campaign at
New York.
Joshua Griggs, adjutant. His services were principally at
Roxbury, New York and Saratoga.
There were two- companies of militia in ToUand in 1776,
both of which were in Col. Samuel Chapman's regiment at
New York. But at this time only the names of the officers
above given can be ascertained.
The following are the names of the persons, citizens of Tol
land, who died in the various wars prior to the close of the
revolutionary war in 1783 :
Samuel Chapman, Sen., Captain, died at Louisburgh, Jan
uary, 1746.
Samuel Baker died in captivity among the French and
Indians. Azariah Wills died during his return from captivity, Novem
ber, 1758, aged 25.
WiUiam Benton died at Oswego in 1760, aged 35.
Samuel Huntington, Ensign, died at Lake Oneida, August
18, 1760, aged 32.

58 THE EARLY HISTOEY OP TOLLAND.
Constant Crandall died at Havana, Cuba, August 27, 1762.
Noah Stimson, do. Sept. 13, 1762, M 20.
Jonathan Burroughs, do. " 7, "
Wm. Eaton, son of WiUiam, do. Oct. 18, " M 30.
John Barnard, son of Dr. Thos., do. "
John Burrows, do. "
Aaron Eaton, do. "
Judah Hatch, son of Ichabod, do. " M 42.
Oliver Yeomans, do. "
Ezra Waldo, do. "
Leonard Grover, do. "
Reuben Heath, son of Isaac Heath, died at Roxbury, Mass.,
September, 1775, aged 20.
A Mr. Scott, of ToUand, died at New York in 1776, before
the city was evacuated.
Ichabod Griggs, Ensign, died at New Rochelle, N. Y., Sep
tember 30, 1776.
Moses Barnard, son of Dr. Thomas, died at .New Rochelle,
October 15, 1776.
Azariah Benton, son of Daniel, died iu a prison ship near
New York, December 29, 1776, aged 22.
Amos Fellows, Captain, died in captivity in New York,
February 17, 1777.
William Hatch, son of Joseph, Jr., died at Chatham, New
Jersey, March 26, 1777, aged 30.
John Lathrop, son of John, was killed by a sabre cut at
Horseneck, December 10, 1780, aged 18.
- Heman Baker, Jr., died of small pox, at East Hartford, on
his way from captivity.
Samuel Steel died in 1780.
Luther Delano died in 1780.
Aaron Steel, son of James, died in New Jersey.
Amos Cobb, son of Samuel Cobb, M. D., was killed at the
White Plains.
The above are collected from the records. It is known
there were many others, particularly at New York in 1776,
but their names can not be ascertained.
Itis impossibleto estimate with accuracy the number of men

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 59
belonging in Tolland who served in the army of the revolution.
The quota usually assigned to it was from sixteen to twenty-one.
I understand this did not include those who served in the
cavalry. There can be no doubt that the town constantly
had no less than twenty-five men in the field, besides those
who served in what were called the short levies, and when
the entire military force of the town went on some alarm or
emergency. Nearly twenty can be enumerated as having
gone from the present limits of ^he fifth school district ; and
probably more than one hundred and fifty persons, residents
of Tolland, comprising nearly every man of suitable age and
strength, participated in that struggle by marching against
the enemy. Several persons were in the field during »lmost
the entire war, among whom Capt. (afterwards Gen.) Elijah
Chapman, Jonathan Luce, Isaac Fellows, Solomon Eaton, and
Elihu Johnson are remembered. Several times almost the
entire active male population was absent in the army, and
ordinary work upon the farms was done by female hands.
Elderly ladies sometimes spoke of their share of it in earlier
life, as if it was among their most interesting recollections.
I have heard a venerable lady, daughter of one of the revo
lutionary officers of Tolland, relate that she, assisted by her
younger sisters, frequently yoked the oxen, and harvested
the autumnal crops with their own hands. These necessary
out of door duties had not the effect "bf producing masculine
habits in those who engaged in them,ior in making them less
useful and agreeable in their proper sphere. In the instance
above alluded to, they detracted nothing from the eminent
social refinement and feminine graces of the individuals
spoken of.
Although Tolland furnished its full proportion of nien in
the revolutionary contest, and although so many of tliem
perished in the service, yet I have not been able to ascertain
either by record or traditionary evidence, that any were slain
in battle, except Amos Cobb and John Lathrop, before refer
red to. The record of John Lathrop's death, in the town-
clerk's office, is as follows : " John, the son of John Lathrop,
and Lucy his wife, departed this life December the 10th day,

60 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
1780, by the sword of the enemy at Horseneck." He was
under eighteen years of age, and was struck dead by a blow
on the head with a sabre, by a dragoon. Col. Solo. Wills, to
whose wife Mr. Lathrop was nephew, assisted in wrapping
him in his blanket and laying him in the grave of the soldier.
Nor is there now any evidence that any Tolland soldier
received any dangerous wound, or so severe an one as to
occasion his dimissal from the service.
Several kinds of domestic manufacture were attempted in
Tolland in the revolution. Linen cloth was then made in
families from flax, and exclusively used for summer clothing.
There was a family named Morey who lived at the south end
of tli^ village street, near the residence of the late Jeremiah
Parish, Esq., who used to print this home-made linen for
ladies' dresses. The cloth being first whitened, was then
impressed Avith figures engraved on a thin board very similar
in size to the hand-cards used in those days — the impression
being entirely done by hand. The only color distinctly rec
ollected was a dark brown. It is much to be regretted that
none of Jihis cloth or the stamps have been preserved as most
interesting revolutionary relics.
There was also an attempt to manufacture molasses from
green corn-stalks, ground in a common cider mill, and pressed
like pomace of apples. The particular mill used for this pur
pose stood just back of the site on which was afterward built
the house in which Col. Elijah Smith kept a tavern for half a
century. In the south-west part of the town resided Mr. Titus Baker,
a blacksmith, and his brother, Mr. Joseph Baker, who pos
sessed great natural ingenuity in the mechanical- arts. In
the scarcity of muskets, they contrived to manufacture a
number, (it is not known how many,) which, though clumsy
and heavy, were reputed to be serviceable weapons. The
makers estimated that the labor bestowed on one of them
amounted to the time of one man a fortnight.
During the war there were several instances in which Brit
ish prisoners were sent to ToUand for support and safe keep
ing. In the year 1781, when the progress of the war in the

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 61
South rendered it necessary to remove the army of Burgoyne
from Virginia, where they were sent for cantonment after
their surrender, many of them were removed into Connecti
cut. Companies of Hessians were quartered on the prem
ises of Col. WiUs, lately the property of Jonas Green ; also
at the house now occupied by Theodore Chapin. At one time,
two Hessian officers had a dispute and arranged for a duel,
which was only prevented by the assurance that in case of
the death of either, our laws would in due season, without
fail, send the survivor after him.
A party of English officers were lodged in the house of
Deacon Elijah Chapman, (now occupied by Daniel Chapman,)
and were there while Yorktown was besieged, and a son of
Dea. Chapman was a captain of Lafayette's Light Infantry
employed in that siege. These officers were always repre
sented by those who remembered them, as making a splendid
appearance, and as being very courteous and gentlemanly in
their limited intercourse with the inhabitants of the neigh
borhood. In concluding the general subject of the revolution, it
should be remarked that there were no tories in ToUand..
With the exception of two or three odd, crusty, eccentric
men, who generally opposed what others approved, and who
being in the main respectable persons, whose whimsical oppo
sition was generally amusing, there was entire unanimity in
Tolland from the first manifestation of opposition to the
tyranny of England until the final establishment of American
Independence. Most of the citizens of Tolland who were conspicuous in
the war of the Revolution were the descendants of the first
settlers. 4™ong' these, the name of Chapman is prominent.
They were the descendants of Simon Chapman, who was one
of the original proprietors lof the town. He lived in Wind
sor and owned several tracts of land in Tolland, but his son
Samuel, (the progenitor of all of the name in the western
part of the town,) settled, about the year 1725, on a tract of
about forty acres, lying south of a pond called Shenipset
pond, deedeci to him by John Huntington, of ToUand. To

62 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
this tract he made great additions from adjacent lands, and
his sons stUl more, until the three brothers, besides out-fields,
owned a tract extending two miles or more from south-east
to north-west, though of less, but irregular breadth. It was
not until about thirty-five years ago that this tract, on which
were eight houses, seven of which were of first-class size, and
all inhabited by families of the name, began to crumble away
and fall into the possession of others. Capt. Samuel Chap
man, the first settler, (whose decease at Louisburgh has been
mentioned,) was grandson of Mr. Edward Chapman, who came
from England, settled in Simsbury, and lost his life at the
storming of Narraganset Port in December, 1675.*^ He was the
only justice of the peace in Tolland for nine years, and was for
eleven years a selectman. Very reliable tradition speaks of
him as possessing many estimable qualities, among which was
that of being an excellent neighbor. He first lived in a house
situated above the entrance of the road that runs south from
the fifth district school-house. He then built the house now
owned and occupied by Mr. Oliver Eaton, and which, though
nearly one hundred and twenty years old, is still in good re-
•pair and elegant condition — promising fair to outlive the
present century.
Capt. Samuel Chapman had three sons and five daughters,
all of whom married and settled in ToUand. The sons be
came the wealthiest men in the town, and until superannuated,
were among the most active, influential, public-spirited citi
zens. Samuel, eldest son of Capt. Samuel Chapman, was a very
eminent citizen, and a very remarkable man. He was a cap
tain in the French war, and colonel of the twenty-second
regiment of Connecticut militia during the entir# war of the
revolution. He was at New York with his regiment in 1776,
and when the American forces evacuated that city, his regi
ment, stationed near Kip's bay, with the brigades of Parsons
and Fellows, animated by their colonel, did not participate in
the shameful panic of the American troops on that occasion,
but made an orderly and honorable retreat. He was also in
several other tours of duty ; his personal courage and aston-

THE early history OP TOLLAND. 63
ishing hardihood were proverbial among his soldiers. His
frame and nerves seemed as if made of iron, (for example, he
never wore mittens in the coldest weather,) and such was his
mental temperament, that disasters which would discourage
even superior minds, only aroused his undaunted spirit to
more fearless action. Few men could be found so unflin<5i-
ing in moments of danger ; and his firmness and energy never
faltered under any circumstances. The almost unexampled
number of times he was elected a member of the General
Assembly, exhibits the regard in which he was held by his
townsmen ; his was the master spirit that brought the citizens
of Tolland into unanimous and energetic action in the revo
lutionary contest. Col. Chapman was one of the most wealthy
men of Tolland, carried on a large business besides farming ;
would give employment to a poor man who wanted work,
regardless of advantage to himself ; and even embarrassed his
estate by becoming responsible for the debts of the unfortu
nate. In person. Col. Chapman was rather under the middle stat
ure, with blue eyes, and his voice was remarkable for its loud
ness and energy. He was what is called a great reader, was
rather taciturn, and of studious habits. He never laughed,
and a smile seldom lighted up his austere countenance.
Col. Chapman was born in Windsor, a few years previous to
his father's settlement in Tolland ; and occupied during his
life the house before-mentioned as built by his father. He
died March, 1803, aged 83 years, regardless to the last of
inclemency of weather or his own personal comfort. He was
found dead in his bed. Such was his apparent health and
uncomplaining habits, that the disease which occasioned his
death, was only a matter of conjecture.
Col. Samuel Chapman married Sarah White, of Bolton,
September 20, 1750.
Their children, five in number, were :
Ruth, born October 9, 1751.
Sarah, " January 15, 1753.
Samuel, " April 10, 1755, died July 15, 1756.
Samuel, " August 18, 1767, settled in Ellington.
Eliakim Chapman, the youngest son of Col. Samuel Chap
man, married Roxalana, daughter of Col. Solomon Wills, who

04 the early history op TOLLAND.
died November 24, 1783, after which he married Nancy, the
sister of his first wife. He had several children, one of whom,
Mrs. Joseph Bishop, is a resident of ToUand. He always
resided on his father's farm, was a colonel of mihtia, repre
sentative in the General Assembly, selectman, and a useful
citizen. Elijah, second, son of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married
Sarah Steel, daughter of Rev. Stephen Steel, of Tolland, May
28, 1747. He died  aged — years. She died 
Tlieir children^ twelve in number, of whom eleven lived to
maturity, and most of them to old age, were :
Joanna, born May 16, 1748.
Reuben, " December 8, 1749.
Sarah, " July 23, 1752, died In infancy.
Elijah, " July 13, 1753.
Ashbel, " June 28, 1755.
Parah, " April 1, 1757.
Ruth, " February 20, 1769
Esther, " At.ril 8, 1761.
Roxana, " November 14, 1763.
Aaron, " September 17, 1765.
Dorcas, " September 25, 1767.
Daniel, " September 23, 1769.
Of the sons, Reuben, the oldest, married Mary, daughter of
Doct. Samuel Cobb, April 21, 1774, and died October 25,
1776, of consumption, occasioned by hardships suffered while
in the revolutionary army, laaving only one child — a son
named Solomon, who was born July 3, 1775 ; whose grand
children still occupy the lands of their forefathers.
Elijah, second son of Dea. Elijah Chapman, — captain in the
revolutionary army, sheriff of Tolland county, &c., received
an extended notice in the History of Tolland County, published
in the Tolland County Record, which it is unnecessary to
repeat here. He married Sarah Keeler, of Ridgefield, a lady
of unusual worth, and his home and place of his death
was in a house (now owned by John Doyle,) which he built on
the land of his ancestors. He was the father of Elijah Chap
man, first cashier of Tolland County Bank, who united an
unusual elegance of manners with an excellent character, and
who died at Akron, Ohio, in 1849, aged fifty-nine years.
Ashbel, third son of Dea. Elijah Chapman, married Miss
Lord, of Marlborough, and continued through life on lands
received from his father. His sons were : Col. Ashbel Chap
man, lately of Tolland, deceased, who always resided on the

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 65
paternal acres ; Col. Carlos Chapman, now of Windsor Locks ;
and Col. John B. Chapman, late of Warehouse point, deceased.
Aaron, fourth son of Dea. Elijah Chapman, resided during
life in the house built by the first Capt. Samuel Chapman, for
his son Elijah, father of Aaron, and in which he (Elijah)
had resided after marriage, all his life, — the same house being
now owned by Daniel, son of Aaron. Dea. Aaron Chapman
married a Miss Buel, of Marlborough, and died in December,
1842, aged seventy-seven years, leaving two sons — Novatus
and Daniel.
Simon, youngest son of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married
Eunice Preston, April 22, 1762. He died in 1823, aged
ninety — years.
Their children were :
Eunice, born February 28, 1763.
Simon, " June 17, 1764, died December 25, 1767.
Henry, " March 31, 1776, died April 11, 1775.
Sunon, " February 12, 1768.
Nathan, " November 5, 1769.
Hannah, " August 23, 1773.
Eunice, wife of Simon Chapman, died April 12, 1775. He
married for his second wife, Lydia Carlton, of Tolland. Their
children were :

Alexander,

born

February U, 1780.

Jacob,

L<

August 29, 1782.

Lydia,

(C

July 9, 1784, died July 27, 1784.

Ariel,

"

June 24, 1786.

William,

(.1

April 19, 1789.

Erastus,

(i

April 19, 1792,

Lydia,

"

NoTember 13, 1795.

Sarah, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married Na
thaniel Kingsbury, March 16, 1737, and died July 14, 1794.
He died June 23, 1796. Nathaniel Kingsbury was a son of
Nathaniel Kingsbury, of Coventry, settled in ToUand about
the. time of his marriage, on lands granted to him by his
father-in-law, and on which his posterity continue to reside.
Nathaniel Kingsbury was a deacon of the church in Tolland
many years. The children of Nathaniel and Sarah Kingsbury
were :
Hannah, bom January 25, 1738.
Sarah, " February 15, 1789.
Three in succession who died in infancy.
Buth, born October 7, 1750.
Nathaniel, " May 6, 1753.
Jabez, " March 10, 1766.
Samuel, " February 2, 1763.
Jabez, son of Nathaniel and Sarah Kingsbury, married
9

66 THE EARLY HJSTORY OP TOLLAND.
Anna Hatch, daughter of Joseph Hatch, 2d, August 16,
1776. He died March 25, 1844, aged eighty-eight^ years.
His wife died June 12, 1842, aged eighty-three. Their chil
dren were :
Sarah, bom December 18, 1776.
Mary, " January 1, 1778, died February 7, 1778.
John, " October 28, 1782.
Jabez Kingsbury was many years deacon of the Congrega
tional church, was a justice of fhe peace twelve years, was
six years a selectman, and was elected to the General Assem
bly three sessions, discharging his various public and private
duties with unusual ability. He was one of the few who can
carry on a very extensive farming business with perfect suc
cess, and without noise, hurry, or confusion.
Col. John Kingsbury, son of Jabez and Anna, married
Sally Dimock, November 1, 1804. She died December 11,
1819, aged 37 years. Second wife, Sally Edgerton, November
1, 1821, who died April 20, 1824. Col. Kingsbury married
for his third wife, Mary Brigham of Coventry. Their chil
dren are :
John Brigham, born October 1, 1826.
George Henry, " November 22, 1828.
Col. John Kingsbury died in March, 1861, aged seventy-
eight years.
Ruth, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married Elea
zar Steel, as before stated in the notice of the Steel family.
Hannah, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married
Stephen Steel, Jr., as also previously noticed.
Maroaret, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married
Samuel Ladd, April 28, 1768, and died February 14, 1813.
He died May 18, 1814. Their children were :
Ruth, * born January 18, 1769.
Samuel, " May 11, 1770.
Margaret, " October 8, 1772.
Mary, " November 28, 1775.
Wareham, " April 28, 1778.
Jacob, " December 14, 1781.
Mary, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman, married Solo
mon Loomis — the date I can not find. She died February
24, 1774^ aged forty-two years. Their children were ;
Simon, . born March 7, 1758.
Solomon, " September 27, 1760.
Luke, " April 11, 1764, died April 27.
Epaphras, " September 10, 1768.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.- 67
'The Chapman family has been eminently distinguished in
civil as well as military life. Capt. Samuel Chapman, the
first settler, was the only justice of the peace in Tolland for
nine years, holding the office at the time of his death, and
was selectman eleven years.
Col. Samuel Chapman was elected to the General Assem
bly forty-three times, when the election of members was twice
a year, and attended at fifteen special sessions of that body.
He was a member of the convention in January, 1788, and
voted for the adoption of the present constitution of the
United States. He was two years selectman, and twenty-six
years, (from 1772 to 1797,) a justice of the peace, when
there were but two justices in the town.
Dea. Elijah Chapman, (also captain of militia,) was four
times elected to the General Assembly, and eight years select
man. Gen. Elijah Chapman, (captain in the revolutionary army
and major-general of the militia,) was sheriff of Tolland
county twenty-three years, and a member of the legislature
two sessions. For his biography, see county history.
Capt. Ashbel' Chapman was justice of the peace, holding
the office at the time of his death, selectman three years, in
the Legislature four years, and was a member of the conven
tion in 1818 which formed the present constitution of the
state, and voted in the affirmative upon the question of adopt
ing that instrument.
Dea. Aaron Chapman, (of the Baptist church, of which
he was the deacon, leader, and principal support for many
years previous to his death,) was a selectman three years.
Col. Eliakim Chapman was in the General Assembly one
year, and one year a selectman.
Simon Chapman, senior, was selectman two years.
Simon Chapman, Jun?, was a captain of militia, a deacon,
(which title in those days superseded the other,) and four
years a selectman.
Col. Ashbel Chapman, son of Ashbel, was representative
one year, and justice of the peace ten years, holding the office
at the time of his death.

68 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLANb.
Col. Carlos Chapman was selectman one year, representa
tive two years, sheriff of Tolland county two years, and four
years a justice of the peace.
Novatus Chapman was representative two years, justice of
the peace four years, selectman three years, sheriff of Tol
land county three years, clerk of the courts one year, and
judge of probate for the district of Tolland four years.
For nearly seventy years there has been a family of Chap-
mans in Tolland, distinct in descent from the foregoing, but
descendants from Robert Chapman, one of the earliest and
principal settlers of Saybrook. I allude to the late Capt.
Ezra Chapman, whose residence was in the village of Sknug-
amug. He was the son of Ezra Chapman, who was an ensign
of Capt. Horton's company of artificers, in Col. Baldwin's
regiment in the revolutionary contest, entering the service
for the war, August 6, 1777, and continuing therein until his
death, September 1, 1778. His only child — Ezra, of ToUand,
was born in Hebron, March 26, 1773 ; was apprenticed to
the trade of a blacksmith, (which was that of his father,)
and when of age settled in Tolland, where he resided until
his death, February 18, 185l, at the age of seventy-eight
years. In the apparent enjoyment of his usual health, and
while seated at his fireside, he fell into that sleep that knows
no waking. Capt. Chapiflan married Lydia M. Whittlesey,
July 6, 1797, by whom he had four children, two of whom
still survive, and (with their children and grandchildren,)
are citizens of ToUand, viz. : Capt. Sherman Chapman, born
January 23, 1803, and Mary, wife of Ansel S. Barber, born
March 30, 1805. Mrs. Lydia M. Chapman died December
14, 1806, and Capt. Chapman married for his second wife,
Abigail Morgan, May 20, 1809, by whom he had seven chil
dren, one of whom, Mrs. Mason Agard, is now a resident of
ToUand. *
Capt. Ezra Chapman was a man of some prominence. He
was quite early made captain of a militia company in Tolland,
was a selectman six years, a justice of the peace six years,
and a member of the General Assembly two sessions. He
was a very industrious man, honest and upright in his deal-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. ^9
ings, and in every way a worthy citizen. He read more than
ordinary men, reflected much, and was very happy in ex
pressing his ideas upon paper. He had a ready pen in drajv-
ingthe ordinary written agreements used among his neighbors,
and excelled in his epistolary efforts — many of his letters
bearing marks of thought and scholarship.
Wills or Willes. This is one of the names that stand
prominent among the early settlers of Tolland. Joshua
Wills was an inhabitant of the town of Windsor. His name
appears on the petition of the Windsor men for a new town
ship, bearing date May 9, 1713, and presented to the General
Assembly at its ensuing session. It also appears as one of
the inhabitants of Tolland, on the petition relative to Cov
entry lands, presented May session, 1718.
The following copy of a petition by Joshua Wills, now
among the archives of the state at Hartford, will give some
idea of the inhabitants of those times :
" To the Honorable the Governor and Council sitting at
Hartford May 25, 1722 : The prayer of Joshua Wills of
Tolland humbly sheweth : that your poor petitioner, by the
holy providence of God, visiting of him with great sickness
and of long continuance, is reduced to very hard and low
circumstances in the world : my life is still continued to me,
through the mercy of God, by my body and my estate brought
very low through the force of my disease. I have thought it
my duty to repair of the broken state of my health, but have
no means that can possibly enable me thereunto. Therefore
my humble request is that [you] would give me liberty of a
brief to ask charity from christian friends within places and
Umits as your Honors in your great goodness shall think most
suitable : and your petitioner as in duty bound shall pray."
Joshua Wills."
At this time there was a statute prohibiting applications for
charitable contributions, without liberty from the governor
and council, who were to direct in what towns and societies
such briefs should be used. It does not appear what action
was had on this petition.
The necessities of the poor and unfortunate were not in
those days relieved in this way alone, but they successfully
sought relief in other ways. The following extract of a letter

70 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
from Rev. Stephen Mix, of Wethersfield, to Gov. Talcott,
dated May 26, 1726, and the action had thereon, wUl exhibit
the character of the people of that generation in its true light.
" We have," he says, " for a considerable time had mmj
needy persons, (from the eastern towns principally,) coming
to us for corn ; and they are still daily coming ; many that
come — perhaps the generality seem to be sober, well disposed
persons — showing an honest simplicity and freedom as I
imagine from the vices, apt to be found in our more populous
and fuller towns : — This evening I hear more of their straits,"
&c., &c.
This letter occupies a page of foolscap paper, closely writ
ten. Gov. Talcott forthwith wrote a message to the Assem
bly, then in session, on a blank page of this sheet, and for
warded the whole for their consideration. A committee was
appointed of members of each house who made a favorable
report, and the following resolution was adopted in both
houses, to wit :
" May, 1726. This Assembly being informed that there are
many persons in the towns of Voluntown, Ashford, Willing
ton, Stafford, Tolland, and Bolton, which by frost in the year
past were generally cut short in their crops and thereby are
reduced to a suffering, almost a perishing condition : — for the
relief of whom this Assembly orders thirty pounds, (one hun
dred dollars,) money to be drawn out of the pilblic treasury
of this colony and to be delivered to Nathaniel Stanley and
Ozias Pitkin, who are hereby ordered to send to the several
ministers or selectmen of said towns except in Willington ;
and there to send to John Cady and Thomas Jennings, to
inform said committee of such persons as are in a sufiering
condition ; and said committee are hereby ordered to propor
tion said money to the several towns according to their num
ber and necessities ; and said poor persons having a certificate
from such ministers, selectmen or others as abovesaid, may
repair to such committee who is hereby ordered to deliver unto
him or them such support out of the money as they shall see
fit." Joshua Wills was one of the very first persons to whom
allotments of land were made in the territory afterwards
named T'oUand, on the 6th day of February, 1711 ; and he
was one^f the original grantees in the deed of the committee

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 71
who were authorized and empowered to sell the lands in the
north part of Tolland. He had a son also named Joshua,
who was born before Tolland was settled — the name of Joshua
Wills, Jr., appearing on the petition of Msf^ 9, 1713.
Joshua Wills, Jr., married Melicent Yeomans, November
9,1729. She died March 13, 1737. Their children were :
Solomon, born October 14, 1731.
Azariah, " June 27, 1733.
EUzabeth, " May 18, 1736, died July 2, 1736.
Melicent, " March 1\, 1737, died March 17, 1737.
'Joshua Wills, Jr., married for second wife, Jemima Eaton,
August 22, 1739. Their chUdren were : ",
Elizabeth, bom August 14, 1740.
Joshua, " July 15, 1742.
Gideon, " February 1, 1743.
MeUcent, '¦ January 12, 1747, died November 19, 1750.
Joshua Wills died August 2, 1767. His widow survived
to May 3, 1791. Mr. Wills was a captain of the militia com
pany ; a member of the General Assembly thirteen regular
and four special sessions ; and was selectman thirteen years.
Solomon Wills, son of Joshua and Melicent Wills, married
Elizabeth Lathrop, February 24, 1763. She was the daugh
ter of John Lathrop, one of the first settlers in Tolland.
Their children were :
Azariah, born May 30, 1772, went to Franklin, N. Y.
Solomon, " January 10, 1776, settled in Pennsylvania.
Wareham, " July 27, 1780. do. do.
Roxalana, " December 3, 1763, first wife of Col. E. Chapman, died November 24, 1780.
Nancy, *' September 3, 1765, second wife of Col. E. Chapman.
Elizabeth, " November 30, 1767, married Capt. Ashbel Steel.
Melicent, " September 12, 1769, married Col. EUjah Smith.
Solomon Wills was very early enrolled in the defense of his
country. We find his name first as a private soldier in the year
1756, in the French and Indian war. In 1759 he served as a
Serjeant, in 1758 as an ensign, in 1759 he was a second lieu
tenant, and in 1762 he was first heutenant commanding the
ill-fated company that went to Cuba, of whom so few returned.
In 1775, we find him captain of the volunteer company that
performed a tour of duty of eight months, near Boston. The
promptness with which this company was formed and made
ready for service, speaks well for the character of its com
mander. The exciting cause of this movement, was the skir
mish at Lexington on the 19th of April ; and this company
of ninety-eight men were at Roxbury, Mass., and mustered

72 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
into service on the first day of the foUowing May, When we
take into consideration the facihties of that day for circu
lating news or for traveling, this transaction wUl look the
more remarkable.* In the campaign of 1776, we find Mr.
WiUs under the command of Gen. Washington, as a Colonel,
in which capacity he served at different periods during the war
of the revolution, both in the State and Continental lines.
Col. Wills was in civil life also, a very active and useful citi
zen. He was a selectman of the town three years \. a justice
of the peace five years ; an Associate Judge of Tolland
County Court seven years ; a member of the General Assem
bly twenty-three sessions. In 1793 he ceased to act in public
life. He died December 10, 1807, aged seventy-six years.
Col. Wills is still represented in Tolland by two ladies, his
lineal descendants, viz. : Mrs. Joseph Bishop and Miss Eliza
beth S. Kent ; they being all the descendants of Joshua Wills,
one of the first settlers, now remaining in Tolland.
The name of Samuel Huntington appears on the list of
those who died in the service of their country. He was sec
ond son of John Huntington, Esq., one of the original grantees
of the town of Tolland. John Huntington was from Wind
sor ; was one of the petitioners for the town in May, 1713,
though his name does not appear on the subsequent petitions.
It is certain that he was of Windsor, January 14, 1719, for on
that day he took a deed of John Ellsworth of a tract of land
in Tolland containing three hundred acres. He had also a
lot of land that was Christopher Huntington's, assigned him
November 26, 1719. It is not certain when he 'moved to Tol
land ; it is certain, however, he became a resident of this
town before April 16, 1723, as there is a record of his mar
riage on that day as follows : "April 16, 1723. Then was
John Huntington of Tolland married to Thankful Warren of
Windham." The following is a record of his family :
Thankful, bom March 16, 1724, died July 14, 1739.
John, " February 22, 1725.
Samuel, " July 24, 1728.
Andrew, " September 17, 1730.
Abigail, " October 1, 1732.
Deborah, " May 21, 1736.
John Huntington, Esq., died January 26, 1737, aged forty-
six years. He was the second justice of the peace ever ap-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 73
pointed for the town of Tolland, and he was the only justice
from 1733 to his death. He was commissioned as ensign
in October, 1723, on the' first organization of the militia in
Tolland ; was one year the town-clerk, and two years select
man — departing this life at almost the commencement of his
public usefulness. Tradition assigns his place of residence on
the farm now owned and occupied by Dea. Nathan Spalding.
John, the eldest son of John Huntington, Esq., married
Mehitabel,.daughter of Rev. Stephen Steel, March 23, 1749.
The following is their family record :
John, bom May 14, 1749.

Thankful, Mehitabel,"Elisha,William,
Hezekiah,Deborah, Samuel,
AbigaU, Ruth, Thankful,Maria,

July 23, 1760, died October 29, 1750.
January 24, 1752.
December IT, 1754.
September 19, 1767.
December 30, 1769.
November 21, 1762.
March 23, 1765.
March 29, 1767.
May 12, 1769.
October 3, 1771.
October 27, 1774, died August 3, 1777.

Samuel, second son of John Huntington, Esq., married
Jane West, daughter of Deacon Joseph West, December 26,
1751. He was the Ensign in the French war, and died at
Lake Onedia, in 1760. His children were :
Thankful, bom December 24, 1752.
Jane, " February 22, 1755.
Diantha, " November 4, 1757, died September 20, 1763.
Jerusha, " May 1, 1760, died August 5, 1778.
John, son of John and grandson of John Huntington, Esq.,
married Rebecca Newell, of Ellington, (then East Windsor,)
February 20, 1783. Their children were :

John,

born

February 26, 1784, died November 18, 1784-

Mara,

u

February 12, 1786, died May 18, 1787.

John,

"

March 7, 1788.

Frederick Augustus

"

July 14. 1790.

Ephraim Newell,

i(

March 7, 1792, died Feburary 8, 1793.

Rebecca,

ti

October 29, 1793.
June 6, 1795.

Mara,

a

Andrew,

ft

March 23, 1798.

Robert Goodloe,

"

February 6, 1800.

Almira,

"

February 10, 1802.

Elisha, son of John and grandson of John Huntington,
Esq., married Esther Ladd, June 16, 1786. Their children
were:

Andrew, bom . January 25, 1786, died February 8, 1786

Lucia,

May 27, 1787.

Samuel,

' May 9, 1789.
Junes, 1791.

Ambrose,

Esther,

' September 28, 1793.

Elias,

" June 6, 1796.

Appollos,

" November 14, 1798.

Nancy,

" May 31, 1801.

Laura,

May 19, 1804.

Buth,

' December 20, 1806.

10

74 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Hezekiah Huntington, the fourth son of John Huntington
and' his wife Mehitabel Steel, was in the war of the revolu
tion. At one time he was in an armed ship that made a dar
ing attempt to escape from New London harbor through the
British fleet that blockaded the eastern entrance into Long
Island sound, but the ship was taken, and the most formida
ble looking of its men, among them Mr. Huntington, put in
irons. He was thus conveyed to New York, and confiLued in
a prison ship, where his sufferings were such as to injure his
health during life. He afterwards became an eminent law
yer and politician. For many years he was United States
District Attorney for Connecticut, and died in Middletown at
an advanced age, leaving children who occupy very promi
nent places in society, "viz. : Samuel H. Huntington, clerk of
the court of claims, Washington, D. C, and Hezekiah Hun
tington, of Hartford.
I am not aware that any of the descendants of John Hun
tington, Esq., the first settler, are now in ToUand.
Capt. Ichabod Hinckley was the son of Ichabod Hinckley,
who came from Barnstable county, Mass., about the year
1732, and settled on the farm now owned by Nathan Pierson.
He died May 10, 1768. He was selectman two years. Icha
bod Hinckley, Jr., had six children by his first wife, whose
name was Mary, viz. : Anna, Bethiah, Temperance, Ichabod,
Benjamin, and Daniel. His wife Mary died January 8, 1769.
He then married Hannah Kingsbury, daughter of Dea. Na
thaniel Kingsbury, for his second wife, December 12, 1769,
by whom he had four children, viz. : Mary, Hannah, Sarah,
and Deborah. He was a captain in the continental army,
and performed several tours of duty, besides being otherwise
very active in the revolutionary contest. He was twice a
member of the General Assembly, and fourteen yeai's a select
man. People who remembered him used to speak with
admiration of his integrity and ability as a selectman, and of
the dignity with which he used to preside in town meetings.
Capt. Hinckley died February 23, 1807, in his seventy-second
year. I do not know that any of his descendants are now in
ToUand.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 75
Captain Amos Fellows, of revolutionary memory, was a
son of Isaac Fellows, who came from Plainfield, in Windham
county, to Tolland about the year 1746. He married Abi
gail Lathrop, daughter of Ichabod Lathrop, and grand
daughter of John Lathrop, who was one of the early settlers
in Tolland. The following were his children, viz. :
Euth, bom March 27, 1753.
Ichabod, " March 7, 1754, died March 18, 1759.
Stephen, " April 17, 1755, died June 29, 1759.
Isaac, " May 29, 1757.
AbigaU, his wife, died June 25, 1773.
Capt Fellows is reported to have been at New York in the
twenty-second regiment, in 1776, where he is said to have
been taken by the enemy. Certain it is that he was in cap
tivity awhile, and was confined in a prison ship, where his
sufferings were the most cruel, and from which he found re
lief only in the sleep of death. He was said to have been
a man of intellect, and of great decision and firmness of
character. His death was considered a greatloss to the cause,
and it was said that had he survived he would have been
promoted to a very superior grade. He left only two chil
dren, one of whom, Isaac, married and remained in ToUand
to the day of his death.
Ichabod Griggs, Jr., was an ensign in the war of the revo
lution. He was the son of Dea. Ichabod Griggs, who removed
from Norwich to Tolland about the year 1744, the year in
which his son Ichabod was born. Dea. Ichabod Griggs was
representative three sessions, and selectman five years. He
died May 9, 1790, aged seventy-two years. His children
were as follows :
Joshua, bom January 8, 1743, at Norwich.
Ichabod, " June 7, 1744.
Sarah, " June 6, 1749.
Joshua, eldest son of Dea. Ichabod Griggs, was, like his
father, a deacon in the church and a very respectable man.
He was an adjutant in the revolutionary service, and was a
selectman five years. He married Joanna, daughter of Dea.
Elijah Chapman, December 11, 1766. Their chUdren were:

Koswell, bom September 23, 1767.

Joshua,

' June 17, 1769.

Susannah,

' January 30, 1771.

Daniel,

' . April 15, 1773

Charles,

August 15, 1775.

Sarah,

' September 23, 1777.

Elijah,

' September 5, 1780.

Joanna,

September 5, 1783.

76 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Dea. Joshua Griggs died June 9, 1813, aged seventy years.
RoswELL, eldest son of Dea. Joshua Griggs, married Sarah
Dunham, of Mansfield, October 27,^1791. The following are
their children, to wit :
Mary, bom May 15, 1792.

Sally,Minerva,Charles,Eunice Hovey,
Elijah Chapman,
Roswell Leonard,
Seth Dunham,
Farmela Porter,
Julia,Normand Drigham,

March 5 1794.
August 6, 1796, married Doct. 0. K. Isham, November 12, 1822.
April 14, 1799.
August 27, 1801.
September 5, 1803, died January 23, 1806.
March 11, 1806, died AprU 6, 1815.
May 1, 1809.
August 13, 1812, died February 3, 1813.
March 17, 1814.
June 18, 1816.

Joshua, son of Dea. Joshua Griggs, was a physician,and for
a short time practiced in Tolland, but removed to the west.
Daniel, son of Dea. Joshua Griggs, married Nancy Pinney,
of Ellington, January lu, 1806. The following are their chil
dren, viz. :

Joshua, bom October 11, 1806.

Eliza,

' February 19, 1808.

Lucius,

' January 9, 1810.

Harriet,

November 28, 1811, died March 1, 1815

Daniel,

March 2, 1814.

Harriet,

' May 27, 1816.

Lemuel P.,

' May 19, 1818.
' March 30, 1821.

Henry 0.,

Charles S.,

' November 25, 1823.

James Randolph,

May 7, 1827.

Ensign Ichabod Griggs, son of Dea. Ichabod Griggs, mar
ried Mary Hatch, daughter of Joseph Hatch, the second, De
cember 19, 1765. He died at New Rochelle, N. Y., Septem
ber 30, 1776, aged thirty-two years. His children were :
Joseph, bom January 30. 1767.
Samuel, " May 10, 1768.
Stephen, " October 3, 1769.
Anna, " September 14, 1773, died AprU 23, 1787.
Matta, " February 12, 1777.
Samuel Griggs, son of Ichabod and Mercy Griggs, married
Mary Hinckley, daughter of Capt. Ichabod Hinckley, all of Tol"
land, February 16, 1792. His children were :
Anna, bom October 6, 1792.
Ichabod, " February 28.
Chester, " April 6.
Stephen Griggs, son of Ichabod and Mercy Griggs, married
Betsey Lathrop, daughter of Solomon Lathrop, and a niece of
Hope Lathrop, March 8, 1792. His children were :
Harriet, bom December 27, 1792.
Ohauncey, " AprU 10, 1796.
Ralph, " January 31, 1798.
Solomon Lathrop, " ¦ April 7, 1800.
Austin, " July 26, 1805.
Leverett, " November 6, 1808.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 77
The descendants of Dea. Joshua Griggs, now residents in
Tolland, are Mrs. Mary Cowen, Mrs. Oliver K. Isham, and
Mr. Joshua Griggs. They are also descendants of Deacon
Elijah Chapman, through Joanna, wife of Dea. Joshua Griggs.
The descendants of Ichabod Griggs, 2d, are descendants of
Joseph Hatch, one of the first settlers in Tolland, through
Mercy, wife of said Ichabod.
The descendants of Stephen Griggs ajje descendants also of
Hope Lathrop, one of the first settlers in Tolland, through
Betsey, wife of said Stephen Griggs.
Ichabod Griggs, 1st, was representative in the General
Assembly three sessions, and selectman five years.
Stephen Griggs was selectman one year, and captain of a
militia company.
Chauncey Griggs was representative in the General Assem
bly two sesssions, judge of the Probate Court for the district
of Tolland two years, and a justice of the peace fourteen years.
Ralph R. Griggs was a justice of the peace five years.
Solomon Lathrop Griggs, was sheriff of Tolland county six
years, and selectman four years.
Seth D. Griggs and Joshua Griggs, were each representa
tives in the General Assembly one session.
James Chamberlin commanded a company of cavalry one
or two tours of duty during the war of the revolution. He
came to Tolland from Coventry about the year 1772, and
removed to Bast Windsor before the year 1782. While in
this town he lived at the extreme south-east part of it, on a
farm lying east of the one lately owned by Jesse West. He
was one of the representatives from Tolland in the General
Assembly, October session, 1776 ; otherwise I can learn noth
ing more of him than that he was a revolutionary officer.
The name of Joseph Baker frequently occurs as one who
actively participated in the early settlement of Tolland. He
was one of the petitioners in 1713, for a charter of the new
town, and his name is on various other petitions relative
to its settlement ; he also received an early allotment of land.
He was one of the fifty-one grantees of the township in 1719.
He was of Windsor and was the grandson of Jeffrey Baker,

78 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
from England, one of the early settlers of that town. Joseph
Baker finally removed his entire family, (all of whom were
born iu Windsor,) to Tolland, in the year 1724. He settled
on a tract of several hundred acres lying south of Shenipset
pond, — he was a large landholder, owning besides other tracts,
one in the south-west district, where he settled two or three
of his sons, and where their descendants have resided until
this day. One of his eons, Jacob, was educated for the min
istry and graduated sk Yale College in 1731, being the earli
est graduate belonging to Tolland ; but he was consumptive —
never preached except where there was a temporary vacancy,
and died early in life. Joseph Baker was two years a select
man, and died in 1784, aged seventy-five years. His son,
John, married Sarah, daughter of Dea. Isaac Davis, of Wind
sor ; settled on his share of the original tract, near Shenipset
pond, and died in 1802, at the age of ninety-five years. Jeru
sha, his only child who lived to maturity, married Samuel
Stanley; — their oldest son, John Stanley, born hi 1752, mar
ried Abigail Gibbs, of East Windsor, in 1771 ; — their oldest
son, Roswell Stanley, born in 1772, died in 1850, aged seven
ty-eight years, on the land of his ancestors ; — the farm being
now occupied by Col. Sanford Stanley, and was formerly the
residence of Sidney Stanley, Esq., now of Hartford, who
during his employment at the ofi&ce of Secretary of State, fur
nished me with copies of documents in the public archives,
relative to the history of this town. And I take pleasure in
publicly acknowledging my obligations to Mr. Stanley for
many of the interesting facts and incidents used in this his
tory, and would recommend those who may desire further
information upon this subject, to avail themselves of his exten
sive research and fund of facts relative to the early settlers of
ToUand. Joseph Baker, Jr., married Margaret Gibbs, of East Wind
sor, January, 21, 1731. Their children were :

Seth, born July 2, 1733.

Titus,

June 18, 1736.

Joseph, "

November 18, 1738.

Ebenezer, "

February 8, 1740.

Mary, "

August 5, 1745.
January 6, 1747, died June 3, 1752.

Daniel, "

Ruth, "

December 25, 1749.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 79
Joseph Baker, son of Joseph Baker, Jr.,' married Lois Car
penter, March 26, 1762. He was the father of Alvin Baker
and Eli Baker, who lived and died in the south-west part of
Tolland. Eli Baker was three years a selectman and four
years a member of the General Assembly.
Heman, son of Joseph Baker, senior, settled on his father's
homestead, married Lois Gilbert, of Hebron, and died in 1806,
aged eighty-six years. The children of Heman and Lois Gil
bert were :

Heman, bom October 11, 1748.

Ann, '

AprU 24, 1750.

Deborah, "

¦ January 12, 1762.

John, '

' January 26, 1754.

Oliver, "

¦ October 5, 1755.

AbigaU, "

¦ November 5, 1757.

Lois, "

• November 14, 1760.

Delight, "

December 21, 1762.

Lydia, "

February 4, 1765.

Heman Baker, Jr., was a sergeant in Capt. Solomon Wills'
company of volunteers at Roxbury, in 1775. The next year
he was taken prisoner, together with his brother-in-law, Joel
Smith, near New York, and after being kept in the usual
severe confinement, they were exchanged or released, and
having been unnecessarily and maliciously exposed to the
small pox, they were permitted to return to their homes. On
their way they became ill, and were unable to proceed farther
than East Hartford, where it was discovered that they both
had the small pox in the most malignant form, and where
they both died. Heman Baker, Jr., died January 21, 1777.
He was a single man. Joel Smith left a widow and two small
children. Their grave-stones yet remain where they were
buried, — not in the public burying ground, but in a field near
the house in which they died. No one of their friends in Tol
land could be present during their sickness or burial.
Oliver Baker became a physician and settled in New Hamp
shire. Note.  This family should not be confounded with that of a Mr.
Heman Baker, who moved into Tolland from Massachusetts, and some
of whose descendants for a generation or two, continued in the eastern
section of the town.
John Baker, son of Heman Baker, Sen., married Elizabeth
Dimick, July 22, 1779. Their family record is as follows :

80 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Celinde, born April 22. 1780, married Hon. E. Steams, November 4, 1800.
Nancy, " May 6, 1782.
Almira, " April 16, 1784.
Amelia, " June 10, 1786.
Seymour, " June 25, 1788.
Lydia, " October 25, 1790.
Chauncey, " September 18, 1794.
FloriUa, " October 17, 1797.
John Baker married for his second wife, Alice Jewett,
December 25, 1806. They had one child, Juliana, born
September 10, 1809.
The name " Joseph Baker," which was the name of the
first Baker who settled in Tolland, has been continued in a
direct line for more than two hundred years, and is now borne
by a young man who is the seventh in unbroken succession.
Two persons by the name of Benton died in the service of
their country in the French and revolutionary wars, viz. :
William Benton, who died at Oswego in August, 1760 ; and
Azariah Benton, who died in captivity in a prison ship in
Long Island sound, December 29, 1776. They were lineal
descendants of Samuel Benton, Sen., who was formerly of
Hartford, in this state.
Samuel Benton, Sen., was one of the grantees in the deed
of the committee to the first proprietors of Tolland. There
were in that deed four grantees by the name of Benton, viz. :
Samuel Benton, Sen., Samuel Benton, Jr., Joseph Benton,
Sen., and Joseph Benton, Jr. The name of Daniel Benton
appears first as one of the twenty-five petitioners respecting
the Coventry lands in May, 1718. On the 20th day of Feb
ruary, 1719, Samuel Benton, describing himself of Hartford,
gave a deed of land situated in Tolland, to Daniel Benton,
also of Hartford, which deed is expressed to be " in consid
eration of love and good will I have and do have unto my
loving son Daniel Benton," &c., &c. The land is described as
containing forty acres ; be the same more or less, &c., &c.
On the 23d day of May, 1719, he had a lot of land surveyed to
him, north-westerly from Skungamug pond. On the 20th day
of June, 1719, he had another tract set to him which had a
highway across it, leading from the highway that run west from
James Stimson' s. This tract was doubtless on both sides of
the highway that runs from the south burying ground south-
westward to the saw mill. July 25, 1721, he had other lots

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 81
surveyed to him — one of which was estimated at seventy acres,
and one twenty-seven acres.
Daniel Benton married Mary Skinner, January 3, 1722.
They had three sons, viz. :
Daniel, bom January 6, 1723.
WiUiam, " November 12, 1725.
Elijah, " June 30, 1728.
William Benton's name is upon the roll of Capt. Samuel
Stoughton, in the year 1767, at the time the French took
fort William Henry ; also upon the roll of Capt. Samuel
Chapman, in the year 1768. He married Sarah Burroughs,
December 14, 1750, by whom he had one son, John, born
March 2, 1754. They had three daughters, whose names
were Sarah, Ruth, and Abigail. William Benton died at
Oswego in the month of August, 1760, aged thirty-four years.
Daniel, son of Daniel and Mary Benton, married Mary
Wheeler, November 3, 1747. They had seven sons, as follows :
BUsha, bom August 9, 1747, died January 21, 1777.
Daniel, " AprU 29, 1748.
Azariah, " March 29, 1752, died in a prison ship, 1776.
Jacob, " April 22, 1754.
WUUam. " AprU 13, 1760.
Nathan, " May 3, 1764.
SUas, " June 6, 1766.
Daniel, son of Daniel Benton and Mary Wheeler, his wife,
married Betty Richards, of Somers, February 18, 1779.
Their children were :
Elisha, bom March 20, 1780.
Betty, " March 20, 1782.
Eunice, " July 23, 1784.
Agnes, " February 12, 1787, died August 19, 1791.
Phebe, " August 12, 1791.
Eunice married Bliss Chapin, of Somers, and occupied the
family homestead where their son, Theodore Chapin, now
resides. Jacob Benton, the son of Daniel Benton and Mary Wheeler,
his wife, married Sarah Weston, of WiUington, March 14,
1782. They had two children, Anna, born February 1, 1783,
and William, born August 29, 1785. Mrs. Benton died Sep
tember 23, 1787. He married for his second wife, Sarah,
daughter of Jonathan Ladd, Jr., of Tolland, January 1, 1789.
Their children were :

Azariah,

born June 8, 1790.

Ruth,

" December 8, 1791.

Daniel,

May 3, 1794.

Susalla,

" February 19, 1796.
" February 5, 1798.
June 1,1802.

Chester,

Jacob,

11

82 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Jacob Benton was a revolutionary soldier. At the age of
only seventeen he was a dragoon in the army that captured
Burgoyne, and saw the forces of that officer march off as
prisoners. He died in 1843, at the age of eighty-three.
Azariah, eldest son of Jacob and Sarah Benton, and now
deceased, was a deacon of the Congregational church, and
the father of Rev. William A. Benton, missionary to Syria ;
also of Azariah L. Benton, a resident of Tolland.
Daniel, son of Jacob Benton, and his children, are also
residents of this totvn.
Samuel Benton, Jr., was one of the grantees in the first
deed of Tolland, and probably was the son or grandson of
Samuel Benton, Sen., first above-mentioned. He married
Jane Bradley, December 22, 1743. Their children were :
Elihu, bom December 26, 1744.

Jonathan, Ozias,Samuel,
Zadoc, Jacob, Thankful,Thankful,Dorothy,Sarah,

September 9, 1746.
February 25, 1748
May 9, 1757.
March 7, 1761.
September 30, 1768.
AprU — ^ 1751, bumed to death in a house destroyed by fire, Nov., 1751.
August 22, 1752.
Febraary 23, 1755.
December 21, 1764.

Ozias, son of Samuel and Jane Benton, married Sarah Day,
of East Windsor, (now Ellington,) November 19, 1772.
Their children were :
Solomon, bom May 1, 1775.
Adonijah, " May 25, 1777.
Ozias, " January 1, 1781.
Ira. " September 16, 1783.
Alvin, " May 21, 1786.
Alfred, " January 6, 1789.
Benjamin D., " June 14, 1791.
1*"! " February 6, 1794.
In the year 1816, a disease, called by physicians " conges
tive pneumonia," made its appearance in Tolland, and in six
weeks time occasioned the death of sixteen persons, all of them
adults. Only one man recovered who was taken with it. In
the family of Ozias Benton the deaths were as follows :
Ozias, senior, died March 21, 1816.
BenjammD., son of Ozias, " " 21 "
Sarah, wife of Ozias, senior, " " 24' "
Adonijah, son of Ozias, " '• 24* "
Ozias, Jr., son of Ozias, " « 26' "
Adonijah, son of Ozias and Jane Benton, married Anna
Post, of ToUand, November 23, 1803. Their children were :
Erastus, born January 17, 1806.
Austin, " November 14, 1806.

the early history OP TOLLAND. 83
Benjamin D., born February 22, 1809.
George B., " May 23, 1811.
Juliana, " October 17, 1813.
Benjamin D. Benton is a resident of Tolland.
Altin Benton, son of Ozias and Jane, married Ruth, daugh
ter of S. R. Kingsbury^ and great granddaughter of Rev.
Stephen Steel, March 24, 1812.
Timothy Benton was undoubtedly a relative of the families
already described, but the precise relationship I am unable to
determine. The first Timothy Benton found upon our rec
ords, married Abigail Scott, of ToUand, June 29, 1738.
Their children were :
Abigail, bom November 1, 1740.
Eleanor, " August 12, 1742.
Mehitabel, " AprU 21, 1745.
EUzabeth, " February 21, 1747.
Prudence, " March 12, 1749.
Huldah, " July 15, 1751.
Jerusha, " March 22, 1753.
Timothy, " August 2, 1755.
Timothy, son of Timothy and Abigail Benton, was in the
revolutionary service ; and afterwards on the establishment of
an artillery company in Tolland, at the first choice of officers,
was elected its captain. He possessed an unusually excellent
common school education, and was a popular school-master.
Capt. Benton resided in the large house near the north-west
burying ground, now owned by the heirs of Milton Webster,
where he died April 18, 1816, of the "congestive pneumonia,"
above-mentioned. He married Sarah, daughter of Joseph
West, of Tolland, November 9, 1780. Their son, Timothy,
lately deceased, was born March 3, 1786 ; — his first "wife was
Minerva Webster, of Tolland. The sons of Timothy and
Minerva Benton were : Milton W. (lately deceased,) born
December 16, 1812 ; Charles West, born July 7, 1814.
Joseph Benton, one of the grantees in the first deed, was the
first town-clerk of Tolland, and held the office three years, or
from 1717 to 1720 ; but he was a poor penman as his records
will show. He was a selectman two years, and was otherwise
entrusted with public affairs. I can not find any record of his
family, nor do I know whether he had one. He was one of
the first deacons of the church in Tolland, and in the final
settlement of the line between Coventry and Tolland, was
located in the former town.

84 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
William Eaton was one of the -victims of the campaign of
1762. He was the grandson of WiUiam Eaton, one of the
first settlers in Tolland. WUliam Eaton the first, was from
the town of Windsor. He was one of the petitioners of May,
1718, respecting Coventry lands ; he had lands surveyed to
him on the 18th day of May, and 29th of December, 1719,
and 28th November, 1720. All these lands were in the south
part of the town, and bounded on Skungamug river. He
was born December 15, 1666, and married Mary Burnet,
January 11, 1693. The following is the record of this family :
¦ Daniel, born December 7, 1693, died July 20, 1716.
Mary, " March 23, 1695.
Ebenezer, " November 29, 1697, died June 17, 1716.
William, " July — , 1700, one Monday in pease time.
Samuel, " September 11, 1705.
Bethiah, " November 3, 1708.
The first William Eaton was the first selectman ever chosen
in Tolland. He was elected in the year 1717, and re-elected
the two succeeding years.
William, son of WiUiam and Mary Eaton, married a woman
whose Christian name was Rachel. Their children were :
Ebenezer, bom January 6, 1727, died August 1, 1728.
Juda, " March 10, 17S8-9.
Rachel, " November 15, 1730.
WUliam, " October 17, 1732, died at Havana.
Jemima, ^' January 26, 1735.
Peter, " August 19, 1737, died November 25, 1752.
William, son of William and Rachel Eaton, married Lydia
Cook, November 13, 1754. Their family record is as follows :
Ann, born November 17, 1755.
Solomon, " December 24, 1757.
WUliam, " June 24, 1759, died October 12, 1760.
Epaphras, " August 8, 1761.
This William Eaton was one of the men who went in the
expedition to the Island of Cuba in 1762. He was taken
with the fever that proved fatal to so many of the troops about
the time the army was to leave the island. Mr. Eaton was
taken to the beach preparatory to embarking, and was left by
his attendants who returned to bring some things he needed,
but when they came back they found he had expired. They
had no time to spare and buried him in the sand where he
died. Solomon Eaton, son of WiUiam and Lydia Eaton, married
EUzabeth Delano, daughter of Sylvanus Delano, and grand
daughter of Jonathan Delano, who will receive further notice

the early history op TOLLAND. 86
under the title of " Town Clerks." They were married June
23, 1777. The following is their family record :

Jasper,Zerad, Luther,Ralph,Clarissa,Sally, Almandor,Anna,

January 26, 1781.
November 30, 1783.
November 24, 1785.
January 23, 1788.
December 2, 1789.
December 21, 1791.
January 15, 1794.
July 3, 1796, married David Johnson, December 18, 1716.

Solomon Eaton was one of the revolutionary veterans of
Tolland. He served during nearly the entire war, and was in
many engagements. It is to be regretted that the full service
of any of those men can not now be ascertained. At Mon
mouth, Mr. Baton was slightly wounded, and in that battle he
kUled a British grenadier in fair single-handed conflict during
a charge "with||)ayonets, — a necessity on which, in a conversa
tion with a friend of the writer in his broken old age, his
mind seemed to dwell "with sadness. Mr. Baton was in La
fayette's light infantry ; — in September, 1824, when that
distinguished individual had just commenced his celebrated
tour through this country, Mr. Baton had the satisfaction of
an interview with his former commander. It was at the brick
tavern in the east part of Vernon. The friend before referred
to witnessed their parting. As they shook hands, Mr. Baton
said : " I wish you a pleasant journey." " God bless you,"
replied the General. Mr. Eaton was esteemed as the best
soldier of the veteran company in which he served his longest
term, and enjoyed through life a higher soldierly renown than
any other of the rank and file furnished by Tolland. His
patriotic feelings during life were very exalted. He wor
shiped his country and its emblems. One of his descendants,
Horatio D. Eaton, of Hartford, is now an officer of the Con
necticut volunteers.
Solomon Eaton died in September, 1843, at -the age of
eighty-five years, being the last survivor but one of the rev
olutionary soldiers in Tolland.
The descendants of William Eaton, who died at Havana,
remaining in this town, are those of his son Solomon, viz. :
Luther Eaton, Esq., and family, Mrs. Anna Johnson, widow
of David Johnson, and family, Mrs. A. M. Hawkins and her
children, and Oliver, son of Ralph Baton, now residing on

86 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
the original Chapman homestead. Several of the descend
ants of Solomon Eaton reside in Hartford.
Other persons of the name of Eaton were among the first
settlers of Tolland ; one of whom, Thomas Eaton, came from
Woodstock and settled here in the year 1721. He had two
twin sons born on the first day of March, 1739, whom he
named Moses and Aaron. Moses died in 1739, and there is
no record of the family after that date. Thomas Baton's wife's
name was Elizabeth Parker. They were married December
7, 1721. Their son Aaron was twenty-three years old at the
time of the Cuba expedition, and as one Aaron Eaton of
Lieut. Wills' company died in that expedition, I think the
conclusion reasonable that he was the son of Thomas Eaton
of ToUand.
Samuel, the son of William and Mary Baton, married a
wife whose name was Jemima — the surname not given.
Their children were :
Jemima, bom May 8, 1732.
Bethiah, " January 14, 1733.
Samuel, " September 15, 1734.
Aaron, " March 8, 1737.
Samuel Eaton, Sen., died in 1737. His son, Aaron, might
have been the one in the Cuba expefttion, but being a rela
tive of the William Baton who was in that expedition, and
as there is no family tradition that William had any relative
in the same service, I have supposed the other Aaron Baton
was the one who went to Cuba.
Constant Crandal was another of the victims of the Cuba
expedition. He came to Tolland probably after the year
1760. There is no record of him or his family other than
that he had a son born July 25, 1767, and that he died at
Havana, August 27, 1762. Giles Crandal came into town
about the same time. He had a son, Samuel, who married
Bethiah Eaton, August 12, 1749. Probably she was the
daughter of Samuel and Jemima Eaton. They had thirteen
children, among whom was one named Samuel, who was born
April 13, 1774, who married Roxana Rawdon, November 23,
1792, and they were the parents of the late Jarvis Crandal,
who died June 28, 1854, and who is long to be remembered
as one of the sweet singers in Israel ; also of Amos Crandal

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 87
now of this town. These Crandal families are of course the
descendants of WiUiam Baton, the first settler of that name
in Tolland.
Noah Stimpson or Stimson was another of the young men
of Tolland who died on the Island of Cuba. He was the
grandson of Doct. James Stimson, who was the first physician
located in Tolland. James Stimson, before 1716, resided in
Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts. He married Hannah
Stearns, a sister of Shubael Stearns and John Stearns, two
of the first settlers iir Tolland, at Lynn, March 21, 1710.
He must have removed to Tolland before March 22, 1716,
for his daughter Hannah is recorded as born in Tolland on
that day. He was one of the twenty-five inhabitants of Tol
land who signed the petition of May, 1718, to the General
«4.ssembly , respecting the Coventry lands. He had aUotments
of land made to him on the 21st of June, 1720, and received
a deed of land from Samuel Benton, Jr., dated December 4,
1721. The residence of Doct. Stimpson was near the spot
now occupied by Mr. George Morgan. He died March 10,
1768 — one hundred and three years ago ; therefore I can ob
tain no information relative to his repute in his profession ;
only the records abundantly show that he was in the medical
practice. James Stimson's eldest son, Ichabod, was born in Lynn,
Mass., January 22, 1713, and married Margaret Pack, daugh
ter of Joseph Pack, another of the first settlers of the town,
February 28, 1740. Their fifst son, Stephen, was born No
vember 5, 1740 ; married Keziah, daughter of John Paulk,
November 26, 1767. Their first daughter, Jane, was born
March 27, 1772. She married Joshua Luce of Tolland, and
they were the parents of Leverett Luce, lately of this town,
and owner of what was called Luce's mills.
The foUowing is the record of Doct. James Stimson's fam-
ily: Ichabod, bom January 22, 1713.
Eneas, " May 25, 1714.
Hannah, " March 22, 1716.
James, " September 20, 1719,
Naomi, " November 8, 1722.
Thomas, " July 26, 1725.
The children of Ichabod and Margaret Stimson were :

88 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Stephen, bom November 5, 1740.
Noah, " October 14, 1742, died at Havana.
Sarah, " October 5, 1744.
Joseph, " January 12, 1746.
Buth, " May 1, 1749.
Joel, " July 31,1751. _
Margaret, ** November 25, 17o3.
Lois, " January 22, l756.
AUce, " February 12, 1758.
Gideon, " September 13, 1761.
" February 17, 1765.

Thomas, the youngest son of Doct. James Stimson, mar
ried Hannah Flint, February 11, 1747. Their children were
as follows :
Aaron, bom November 28. 1749.
John, " September 1, 1751.
Hannah, " May 17, 1764.
Simon, " December 2, 1766.
Abel, " March 20, 1762.
David, " AprU 14, 1764.
Miriam, " October 25, 1766.
Ruth, " September 3, 1769.
Joshua, " May 14, 1772.
Thomas Stimson died January 24, 1796, aged seventy-one.
Joshua, youngest child of Thomas Stimson, was the fatherj
of Mrs. Sarah Northrop, at present a resident of Tolland,
and a descendant of two of the first settlers, to wit: Doct.
James Stimson and Joseph Pack.
Among the names of those who Vent from Tolland to Cuba
in 1762, is that of John Barnard, who never returned. He
was the son of Doct. Thomas Barnard, the second physician
that ever located in this town. Doct. Barnard was from Had
ley, Mass., and took a deed from .Tames Lassell, dated April
12, 1734, describing a tract of land lying on both sides of the
Skungamug river, a little south of Cook's bridge. This was
doubtless the farm now owned and occupied by Doct. Jedu
than C. Eaton, which farm it is known he occupied for some
time. Probably Dr. Barnard came to Tolland at about the
date of Lassell's deed. He had four sons whose names were,
Moses, born Feb. 16, 1729 ; John, born Aug. 6, 1731 ; Sam
uel, born May 13, 1737 ; and Aaron, born Sept. 30, 1746.
He died in 1780, aged seventy-three years. Some of the aged
people, with whom I formerly had conversation respecting the
early history of the town, recollected Dr. Barnard as a very
respectable gentleman, and a good doctor. He did not, how
ever, make any very prominent mark, nor do the records show"
that he was actively engaged in any public business. Moses,
his eldest son, married Ann Loomis, daughter of Solomon

Francis, bom
Esther,Jonathan,Ann,

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 89
Loomis, May 22, 1750. The foUowing is the record of this
family. August 31, 1750, died February 10, 1774.
November 20, 1752, died December 12, 1773.
February 27, 1755.
Augu.'it 23, 1757, died February 21, 1774.
January 28, 1760.
William, " September 22, 1764.
John, " June 26, 1766, died January 26, 1774.
Reuben, " October 24, 1768.
Abby, " February 20, 1771.
Solomon, " November 30, 1772, died February 10, 1773.
Ann, the wife of Thomas Bali-nard, died Jan. 12, 1774.
It wUl be seen that there were five deaths in this family
between Dec. 12, 1773 and Feb. 25, 1774, a period of only
seventy-one days — a mother and four children. Moses Barn
ard, the father, died at New Rochelle, N. Y., in the service, of
his country, Oct. 15, 1776, aged forty-six years.
I have no knowledge that any of the descendants of Doct.
Barnard are now in Tolland ; but as two of their number,
while belonging in town, lost their lives in the service of their
country, the family ought ever to have a place in the town's
history. The Hatch family also lost a member in the expedition to
Cuba. Judah Hatch, of Tolland, died at Havana in 1762.
He was the son of Ichabod Hatch, who came from Falmouth,
Barnstable Co., Mass., in the year 1726, and whose wife's name
was Abigail Works. Their children were :
Zerviah, bom October 6, 1715.
Joseph, " August 18, 1718.
Judah, " November 11, 1720.
Justus, " October 20, 1722.
Abigail, " March 27, 1725.
Daniel, " September 24, 1726.
Ruth, " August 15, 1729.
Ichabod, " October 28, 1732.
The name of Hatch is associated intimately with the settle
ment of the town. Joseph Hatch was one of the graiitees in the
first deed from the Windsor committee, and is one of the peti
tioners respecting the Coventry lands in 1718. He probably
lived in Windsor before 1713, but there is reason to believe he
removed to ToUaud in that year, and was one of the first two,
if not the very first, permanent settler in the town of Tolland.
A record of his family was made May 26, 1722, in Tolland,
commencing in these words :
"Joseph Hatch, a record of his children's births and deaths
12

90 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
in ToUand, in the county of Hartford, in the colony of Con
necticut, in New England.
Amy Hatch, daughter of Joseph Hatch, was bom October 10, 1713.
Joseph Hatch, the son of Joseph Hatch, was bom on September 12, 1715."
Tradition says that this was the first male child born in
Tolland.
Mercy, born August 23, 1717.
Jonathan, " September 29, 1718.
Children of Joseph Hatch and Rebecca, his second wife.
Lemuel, bom February 29, 1735.
Eebecca, '• June 8, 1737, died September 14, 1739.
Ebenezer, " April 21, 1740.
Timothy, " August 14, 1741.
This Joseph Hatch was two years a selectman, and was the
first tavern-keeper in Tolland, being chosen a tavern-keeper
at a town meeting Jan. 6tli, 1718. He was the first military
officer in Tolland, having been commissioned a lieutenant in
Oct., 1722, and captain in May, 1725. He was the owner of
the land in the south part of Tolland, now in the ownership
of Frank Hatch, his great grandson ; which has always been
in the possession of the family since the first settlement of
the town, a period of one hundred and forty-eight years.
Joseph, son of the above Joseph Hatch, married Mary
Clark, of Lebanon, March 10, 1741. He died February 23,
1773, aged fifty-eight years. His chUdren were :
Mary, born January 15, 1742.
Jonathan, " September 24, 1743.
Mercy, " February 28, 1746.
William, " December 28, 1747, died March 26, 1777, at Natham, New Jersey.
Joseph, " April 13, 1750.
Abithea, " May 12, 1753.
Bethiah, " January 13, 1765.
Dan, " December 29, 1757.
Anna, " September 18, 1759.
Timothy, " February 1, 1761.
Isaac and
Rebecca, " May 24, 1763.
Joseph Hatch, 3d, son of Joseph 2d, married Sarah Parks,
Sept. 18, 1772.
Joseph, their son, was born January 9, 1773.
August 27, 1774,
September 24, 1776.
October 24, 1778.
December 31,1780, died July 2, 1709.
March 21. 1783.
July 20, 1786.
January 3, 1783, died March 16, 1792.
April 28, 1790.
February 19, 1796.

Anna,Sally,WiUiam,Ephraim,
Ruth,
Dana, Frank,Dana,

Abner Hatch was a resident of Tolland before 1747, and
gn Nov. 6, of that year, married Abigail Loomis, daughter of

THE EARLY HISTORY .OP TOLLAND. 91
Solomon Loomis, one of the early settlers of the town. Their
children were:
Jerusha, born May 22, 1748.
AbigaU, " February 4, 1750.
Abner, " January 31, 1753.
Eleazar, " August 29, 1766, died June 12, 1763.
Hannah, " February 12, 1758.
Edy, " September 20, 1760.
Esther, " February 10, 1763
Eleazar, " September 17, 1769.
Sarah, " February 3, 1768.
The children of Edy, son of Abner Hatch were :
Experience, bom September 14, 1722.

Abner,
Hannah, Sarah,
David,
Lucy,

November 22, 1726.
January 16, 1729.
AprU 10. 1734.
f ebruary 8, 1736.
August 4, 1740.

Eleazar Hatch married Thankful, daughter of Joseph La
throp, December 31, 1767. Their children were :
Semantha, born November 22, 1768.
Morana, " June 1, 1770.
Zadoc, " January 6, i772.
Nathaniel, " January 19, 1774, died August 6, 1803.
Prudence, " June 8, 1776.
Grace, " April 3, 1778, died October 22, 1800.
Jeduthan, " December 20, 1780.
Lectana, " AprU 15, 1785.
Mrs. Thankful Hatch, wife of Eleazar, died March 17, 1803.
Zadoc, son of Eleazar and Thankful Hatch, married Caro
line Holbrook, June 13, 1793. The following is a record of
their family :
Gustin, bom November 3, 1794, died September 28, 1796.
Nersa, " January 21, 1796, died September 3, 1798.
Marvin, " November 13, 1797, died February 16, 1813.
Grace, " October 18, 1800.
Lectana, " September 13, 1802.
Caroline, " October 11, 1804.
Mary Hyde, " May 21), 1806, died Febraary 22, 1808.
Lovisa, " September 14, 1807
Eleazar Lathrop, " November 18, 1809.
Jonathan, son of the second Joseph Hatch, married Bath-
sheba, daughter of Dea. Joseph West, December 6, 1765.
Their children were :
Bathsheba, born June 15, 1768.
Mary, " May 5, 1770.
Clarissa, " October 27, 1772.
Jonathan, " August 24,il774.
Mrs. Bathsheba Hatch died September 1, 1774, and Jona
than Hatch married for his second wife, Mary, daughter of
Daniel Benton, Jr., April 28, 1777. Their children were :
Jerusha, bom June 6, 1778.
Kosamond, " May ll, 1780.
Aseoath, " May 6, 1782.
Mary, " April 19, 1784.
" November 5, 1786.

92 THE EARLY giSTORY OP TOLLAND.
Children of Timothy Hatch :
SaUienius. born July 11, 1717.
Wary, " August 17, 1718.
Jedicla, " December 30, 1720.
Jethro, " September 17, 1722.
Timothy, '¦ June 22, 1728.
Deborah, " April 10, 1729.
Job, " May 10, 1731.
Justus, son of Ichabod Hatch, married Abigail Case, Feb
ruary 16, 1744. Their children were :
Honora, born March 16, 1745.
IJeman, " April 1, 1747 .
Darius, " September 80, 1748.
Justus, " November 1, 1761.
Rutb, " January 21, 1759 — and two that died in infancy.
Children of David and Anna Hatch :
George, born September 29. 1764.
Solomon, " November 5, 1766.
Lucy, " February 19, 1768.
The descendants of the first Joseph Hatch now in Tolland,
are Mrs. Alexander Abbott and her descendants. Miss Ruth
Hatch, Frank Hatch and his children, the descendants of
Capt. Stephen Griggs, the descendants of Dea. Jabez Kings
bury, and Joseph Tilden and children.
Oliver Yeomans was one of the victims at the island of
Cuba. He was a son of Elijah Yeomans, and was born in
Tolland, November 10, 1740. He was of course about
twenty-two years old when he died. There were several
families of the name of Yeomans in Tolland at an early date.
In 1720 one John Yeomans was selectman ; and one John
Yeomans, Jr., of Tolland, has a deed recorded, bearing date
April 11, 1723. There is no record of his family.
Thomas Yeomans had the births of five of his children
recorded in Tolland, viz. :

Thomas,

horn

July 9, 1716

Joseph,

"

March 28, 1719

John,

"

May 10, 1721.

Stephen,

C(

July 9, 1723

Kuth,

"

October 28, 1725.

Joseph, son of Thomas Yeomans, married Susanna Rich
ardson, February 1, 1749. They had one chUd, Stephen,
born July 25, 1749.
Stephen, son of Thomas Yeomans, married Jerusha Ben
ton, October 17, 1771. They had one chUd, Susanna, born
August, 1772.
Elisha Yeomans and his wife Mary have the following rec
ord:

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 93

Jerusha,

born

March 3, 1728.

David,

"

March 30, 1730.

Mary,

u

May 5, 1732.

Jonathan,

(1

April 7, 1734.

Hannah,

u

March 8, 1736.

BUsha Yeomans died May 21, 1736.
Elisha Yeomans has this record. Abigail, born February
20,1736; Elijah, January 17, 1738; Oliver, November 10,
1740 ; Eunice, July 9, 1746. Elijah Yeomans died March
4, 1750.
Elijah Yeomans, Jr., married Amy Delano, June 17, 1762.
Their children were, Abigail, born May 6, 1763 ; Elisha,
November 9, 1764.
Elisha Yeomans married Joanna Baker, June 8, 1769.
Their children were : Molly, born March 24, 1770 ; Anna,
August 25, 1772 ; Elisha, January 27, 1775 ; Sarah, October
7, 1777.
John Yeomans, Jr., was doubtless originally from Ston-
ington. It does not appear whether those of Tolland bear
ing the name were his relatives, or whether they came from
the same place. But it does appear that the name was in
Tolland as early as 1720, and continued in the town until
1777, a period of fifty-seven years, after which the name of
Yeomans disappears from our records.
Ezra Waldo was another of the persons who was sacrificed
at Havana in 1762. He was doubtless the son of Bethuel
Waldo, who moved from Windham to Tolland about the year
1750. Bethuel Waldo was a son of Edward Waldo, who was
a son of John Waldo, and grandson of Dea. Cornelius Waldo,
who settled in Ipswich, Mass., about the year 1650. John
Waldo, son of Cornelius, settled in Windham, Conn., in the
year 1698. The records in Tolland do not show the time
when, nor the person to whom, Bethuel was married. It
commences with a notice of the birth of his son Bethuel, his
fourth chUd, who was born in ToUand, May 23, 1751. Be
thuel Waldo, Sen., married Lois Munsell, and had a son Ezra,
who was born March 23, 1746. Ezra Waldo was of course
but sixteen years old when he enlisted in the expedition in
which he died, and was then an inhabitant of Tolland. I can
find no other of the name who could have been in that expe-

94 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
dition. Bethuel Waldo, Sen., had a son named Henry, born
January 10, 1762, who was the father of Lemuel Waldo, now
a resident of ToUand, and of Mrs. Frances West, of Coventry.
There is a tradition in the family of Henry Waldo, that an
elder brother of his perished in the revolutionary army.
Bethuel Waldo had an elder brother, named Edward, who was
the great grandfather of the writer.
Leonard Grover came to Tolland from Coventry in 1766,
having a deed of a farm in the north part of ToUand, dated
April 23, of that year. He had a daughter born in ToUand,
October 9, 1758, and lost two chUdren, one of whom died in
1760 ; the other May 6, 1762 ;— after which last date there is
no record of him or his family. His name appears on the roll
of the company under Lieut. Wills that went to Cuba, with
the return that he there died. I am unable to find any fur
ther traces of his family.
Jonathan Burres or Burroughs was also a victim in the
expedition to Cuba in 1762. He came into Tolland about the
year 1748 ; and has a record of the births of six children, to
which it is added that he died at Havana, September 7, 1762.
I have stated that John Lathrop was slain by the enemy in
the war of the revolution. He was the grandson of John
Lathrop, who moved into Tolland about the year 1726, from
Falmouth, in Barnstable county, Mass., and who took a deed
of a tract of land containing a hundred and twenty acres,
bounded east on Willimantic river, which deed is dated June
4, 1726 ; and in which deed he is described as " now resident
in Tolland."
Hope Lathrop, who is reputed to have been the brother of
John Lathrop, took a deed bearing date 1726, of Daniel Baton,
of a tract of land in Tolland, containing by estimation one
hundred and fifty acres, and is also described as bounding east
on the Willimantic. In this deed, Hope Lathrop is described
as being of " Falmouth in the county of Barnstable, in his
majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay."
There is no record of the marriage of John Lathrop, but I
find a record of the births of his chUdren. This is as follows :
David, born October 18. 1723, died October 4, 1787.
Hannah, " July 6, 1725.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 95
Jonathan, born September 18, 1727.
Anna, " March 10, 1730.
John, " May 6, 17*32.
Thatcher, " January 26, 1734.
Lydia, " June 21, 1736.
Elizabeth, " AprU 22, 1740, married Col. Solomon WUls.
John Lathrop, Jr., son of John, married Lucy Gray, of Cov
entry, December 10, 1754. Their children were :
Susalla, born November 23, 1757, married Eliab Ladd.

Presenda,
John, Elizabeth,
Elvira,Rowland,
Lucy,Jonathan, MoUy,

January 30, 1761
April 24, 1763, killed December 10, 1780.
August 23, 1765.
June 13, 1768.
March 10, 1771.
November 1, 1774.
February 17, 1776.
September 12, 1779.

Rowland Lathrop, the son of John Lathrop, Jr., married
Hannah Crafts, of Tolland, January 1, 1799. The following
are their children :

Horace,

born

April 23, 1801.

WilUam,

u

January 8, 1806.

John,

t(

December 24, 1810, died May 29, 1813

Benjamin,

"

June 5, 1814.

Mary,

"

July 27, 1817.

Hannah Lathrop deceased October 15, 1820; — Rowland
Lathrop married for his second wife, Hannah Cleaveland, of
Hartland, Vermont, February 28, 1821. Their children were :
Sollin, born December 19, 1821.
Thomas Cleaveland, " February 22, 1824.
Rowland Lathrop possessed more than ordinary abilities.
When young, he passed for what in those days was called a
wild young man, but his wildness ended with youth and he
early became a very steady man and a most exemplary Chris
tian. He was a member of the Methodist denomination and
was a local preacher. His public performances were credita
ble for fervency, candor and sincerity. He had a good knowl
edge of human nature, and had a shrewdness peculiar to him
self in his remarks upon almost every topic. Mr. Lathrop
was proverbial for integrity and uprightness in all his deal
ings, and constant and true in his friendships. He was highly
esteemed by his acquaintance, and never seemed to be more
happy than when doing them some good. He was twice
elected to the General Assembly, but never appeared to be
over-anxious for political preferment. The influence of his
example was most salutary, and a recollection of his guileless-
ness and simplicity will cause his memory to be long respected.
He died September 14, 1844, aged seventy-one years.

96 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Ichabod, son of Hope Lathrop, Sen., married Abigail
Baker, of Barnstable, Mass., November 9, 1732. His family
record is as follows :
Abigail, born October 15, 171

Sarah,Hope,Sarah,Anna,Solomon,
Mary,

March 20, 1735, died June 6, 1739.
July 6, 1737.
January 22, 1740.
March 26, 1742.
May 24, 1746.
September 14, 1748.

Hope Lathrop, son of Ichabod, married Hannah Hubbard,
of ToUand, May 3, 1760. Their family record is as follows :
Rebecca, born October 17, 1760.
Edna, " February 15, 1763.
Sarah, " July 4, 1765.
Ichabod, " June 30, 1767.
Hannah, " July 12, 1768.
Second wife :
Horace, " April 25, 1775.
Grace, " February 21, 1776.
Solomon, " April 21, 1779.
Grant, " January 26, 1782.
Sophia, " July 2, 1786.
Azel, " January 28, 1788.
Laura, " November 19, 1790.
Capt. Hope Lathrop died November 8, 1792. He had been
four times a member of the General Assembly.
Joseph Lathrop married Prudence, daughter of Samuel
West, Jane 17, 1744. They had but one son — Nathaniel,
born August 16, 1752, and died AprU 28, 1771. Daughters :
Thankful, born October 21, 1746. Prudence, born August
16, 1749, who died November 30, 1771 ; and Rebecca, born
August 28, 1760. Joseph was a deacon of the church, and
nine years a selectman of the town.
John Lathrop married Rachel Ladd, Dec. 20, 1753. Their
daughter Rachel was born Oct. 22, 1764.
Melatiah Lathrop married Mercy Hatch, Nov. 15, 1738.
Their daughter Deborah was born August 11, 1739.
William Lathrop married Amelia, daughter of Capt. Ammi
Paulk, March 22, 1803. Their children were, Kelsey, born
October 17, 1803 ; Juhus, born March 17, 1805.
John Lathrop, the first settler, was a selectman two years,
and twice a member of the General Assembly. He was one
of the first representatives the town ever had, he being chosen
with Zebulon West at the Oct. session, 1748. His descendants
are yet rather numerous in Tolland.
John Lathrop, who resided in tlie south-east part of the

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 97
town on the farm where his son Charles Lathrop still resides,
was not of the above family. He was the son of Zebulon
Lathrop, from Lebanon, who received a deed of the above-
mentioned farm from Joshua Tilden, March 26, 1800. The
ancestors of Zebulon Lathrop were from Norwich. The chil
dren of this John Lathrop were :
Justin, born September 18, 1802.
John, " July 26. 1804.
Charles, " December 23, 1806.
Wealthy R., " September 13, 1810.
Samuel M., " August 11, 1815.
Mary Angeline," April 2, ISlS.
Amos Cobb, the son of Doct. Samuel Cobb, was killed at
the battle of White Plains, Oct. 28^ 1776.
Samuel Cobb was born in Wales, in Great Britain, in the
year 1716. I am unable to say when he came to this country,
and where he was educated. On his tombstone he is described
as having been a gentleman of public education, but his alma
mater is not mentioned. He came to Tolland probably about
the year 1743, and took a deed from Robert Parker, of Wil
lington, of a hundred and twenty-five acres of land, in this
town, dated Dec. 19, 1744, in which he is described as being
of Tolland. He married Mary Hinckley, August 25, 1743,
by whom he had two children, Sarah, born July 7, 1744, who
married John Slate; and Samuel, Jr., born Aug. 2, 1746.
Doct. Cobb married for second wife, Hannah Bicknell, of
Ashford, April 11, 1749. Their children were:
Amos, bom February 9, 1750, kUled at White Plains.
VMoses, " December 21, 1751, died February 2, 1781, was a physician ^
Mary, " December 29, 1753, married Reuben Chapman first, and Daniel Edgerton second.
Jeduthan, " January 24, 1756, married Sarah, daughter of Dea. Elijah Chapman.
Hannah, " January 20, 1758, died November 27, 1846, aged 89, unmarried.
Solomon, " July 30, 1759, died November 6, 1770.
David,. " July 6, 1761, married Hope Norrig.j,..-
Pamcla, " January 20, 1764, died November 6, 1770.
Daniel, " January 21, 1766, married Elizabeth Holbrook.
WiUiam, " January 20, 1768, married Elvira Stearns.
Ruth; ' " September 29, 1770, married Ephraim West.
Rachel, " January 20, 1774, died July 19, 1777.
Samuel Cobb, Jr., married Esther, daughter of Ephraim
Grant, Dec. 14, 1769. Their son, Samuel, was born Jan. 30,
1771. He mai'ried for second wife, Ann Slate, Dec. 16, 1773.
Their children were :
Jeduthan, bom January 29, 1776.
Amos, " January 2, 1778.
Esther, " July 4, 1779.
Ruth, " February 5, 1781.
13

98 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Daniel Cobb married EUzabeth Holbrook, May 31, 1787.
Their children were :
Achsah, born June, 1788.
Horace, " November, 1789.
Waite, " March,  . >
Betsey, " June, .:  .
Kuth, " April,  .
Daniel, " June,  .
Luther, "  ,  .
WiUiam Cobb married Elvira, daughter of Doct. John
Stearns, Oct. 29, 1792. Their chUdren were:
Hannah, born February 30, 1794.
Alma, " September 22, 1795.
Eliza, " August 27, 1797.
Elvira, " September 16, 1799,
Rachel, " December 31, 1800.
Wm. Bicknell, " March 9, 1802, died.
Mary Ann, " April 2, 1804.
Wm. BickneU, " January 16, 1806.
Calvin P., " September 26, 1810.
The descendants of Doct. Cobb, now in Tolland, are: Mr.
Levi Edgerton ; the children and grandchildren of the late
Reuben Edgerton ; Mrs. B. L. Young and her children ; the
children of the late Reuben Chapman ; Elijah S. Chapman
and his children, all being the descendants of Mary Cobb :
Luther Cobb ; Mrs. Edmund Joslyn ; and Mrs. Dwight Edger
ton, the descendants of Daniel Cobb : Mrs. Doctor Ladd ; her
children and grandchildren ; the descendants of William
Cobb : and the descendants of Mr. Ephraim West, deceased,
who married Ruth Cdbb. The descendants of Doct. Cobb are
also numerous elsewhei'c.
Doct. Cobb was One of the most prominent citizens that ever
resided ip. Tolland. He is reported as having stood high in
his profession, and as having enjoyed the entire confidence of
the community. He was honored by the town and the public
with several important and responsible offices. He was eight
times elected a member of the General Assembly, and like
wise attended two extra sessions. He was thirteen years a
justice of the peace when there were but two justices in town ;
and most of the time was the acting magistrate. In this
sphere of duty he gave very general satisfaction, and his min
istrations were regarded as equitable, discreet, and promotive
of the public tranquillity. His moral influence in society was
very effective in restraining vice and dishonesty, and he did
much to encourage sobriety and virtue. WhUe living he was

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 99
greatly respected, and his memory will long remain as the
conscientious, upright citizen, and honest man. He died on
the 6th day of April, 1781, aged sixty-five years.
As a branch of the Cobb family, now in Tolland, we can
not lose sight of the descendants of Mary Cobb, who became
the wife of Capt. Daniel Edgerton. Daniel Edgerton probably
moved into ToUand in the spring of the year 1770. On the 20th
day of March, of that year, he took a deed of Daniel and John
Lathrop, of Norwich, of a part of the farm he afterwards
owned in ToUand, and in which deed he is described as being
of Norwich. He first married Sarali, daughter of Dea. Icha
bod Griggs, Dec. 19, 1771 ; the record of which describes
him as being of Tolland. Their children were :
Sarah, born January 8, 1773.
Phebe, " April 13, 1775.
Mrs. Sarah Edgerton died June 23, 1777. Capt. Edgerton
married for his second wife, Mary, daughter of Doct. Samuel
Cobb, and widow of Reuben Chapman, Nov. 27, 1777. Their
children were :

Daniel,

horn

September 11, 1778.

Iteubeu,

'¦

June, 13, 1780.

Sarah,

"

April 5, 1782

Mary,

¦¦(

June 27, 1784, died September 27, 1784,

Ernstus,

'•

November 8, 1786.

Mary,

(I

Levi,

u

December 28j 1791.

Capt. Daniel Edgerton died January 10, 1825. He was
very highly respected, and was a very active and useful man.
Besides his military rank, he was fourteen years selectman,
a large part of which time he was the first selectman and
principal manager of the affairs of the town ; one year a jus
tice of the peace, (which he probably declined holding longer,)
and was chosen a representative to the General Assembly
twenty-three times. In stature he was quite six feet high,
stout built and well proportioned. In demeanor he resem
bled a gentleman of the -old school, — always dignified, affa
ble, respectful, courteous. He deserved and received the gen
eral good will of his entire acquaintance, and discharged all
the duties of life conscientiously and satisfactorily, and has
left a very holiorable and well deserved reputation.
Daniel Edgerton, Jr., married Sarah, daughter of Zebulon
Lathrop, May 7, 1801. Their children were :

100 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Marvin, bom January 11, 1802.
Linus, " October 4, 1803.
Erastus, " June 23, 1806.
Betsey, " September 30, 1808.
Phebe, " October 23, 1810.
Reuben Edgerton married Anna, daughter of Zebulon La
throp, March 23, 1803. Their chUdren were :
Austin, bom March 26, 1805.
Eliza Ann, " September 3, 1807.
WUliam L., " August 30, 1810.
D.Tniel, " September 26, 1813.
Reuben, " October 17, 1816.
Lucius, " April 19, 1820.
Marvin, " December 4, 1828, died December 5, 1829.
Levi Edgerton married Edna Grant, daughter of Ebenezer
Grant, December 7, 1825. Their children were Sarah Kings
bury, born September 14, 1826, and Amaret Grant, born June
. 26, 1828.
Capt. Daniel Edgerton, the founder of the above family,
had a half brother named Hezekiah, who came from Nor
wich to ToUand about the year 1770. He was the progeni
tor of the Edgertons in Coventry, and their descendants.
His widow, Preelove, died in Tolland in 1801.

BURYING- GROUNDS

The first record of any burial in Tolland was made in the
year 1735, and is in these words :
" Ebenezer Eaton, a son of William Eaton, died in June
the 27th day one thousand seven hundred and sixteen, (1716,)
in the nineteenth year of his age, and was the first that was
laid in the burying-place of the above said Tolland."
"Daniel Eaton, the son of William Eaton, died July the
twentieth day, in the year one thousand seven hundred and
sixteen, (July 20, 1716,) in the twenty-third year of his age,
and was the second in the burying-place in the above said
ToUand." These young men were the sons of William Eaton, the first
of that name in Tolland, of whom I have already spoken.
It would seem that the inhabitants of Tolland, by a kind of
common consent, set apart a portion of land where these
young men were buried, and now included in the south bury-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 101
ing-ground, as a public or common place of burial. Whether
this was the only spot then used for that purpose, does not
distinctly appear, nor does it appear that there was any ac
tion of the town or proprietors of the land upon this subject
before 1720. At a town meeting held and recorded under
date of August 3, 1720, the following vote was passed :
"At a town meeting in Tolland adjourned to the 8th day
of the same month it was voted : that there shall be a bury
ing-place where they did formerly bury in, about two acres."
This vote constituted the whole action of the town at that
time, and was deemed a sufficient appropriation and conse
cration of the ground for the purpose of burying the dead.
This ground was then common land, and it was permitted to
remain in common without being fenced, for about fourteen
years. On the 11th day of December, 1734, the town passed
the following vote :
"Itis further agreed and voted at said meeting to /ewce
the Burying-place • in Tolland with a decent five rail fence ;
that is to say — post and rail fence in some convenient time in
the year ensuing : Also voted to choose a committee to com
plete the fencing of the burying-place as aforesaid, — Sergt.
Ephraim Grant, Ichabod Hatch are chosen a committee for
to do or see said work well done."
In order to have the foregoing vote carried into effect, it
became necessary to locate this ground ; accordingly a sur
vey was then made by Jonathan Delano, a selectman, and
Zebulon West, surveyor, as follows :
" Whereas it was voted by the town of Tolland at a meet
ing on the 8th of August, 1720, that there should be a bury
ing-place where some dead had before been buried, viz. :
about two acres of land, and there being no survey of the
same to be found on record : We the subscribers have this
first day of March A. D. 1735, surveyed, measured and laid
out for the town, two acres of land a little southward of
Scungamug pond, containing within the same all the graves
that are thereabout ; bounding the same as foUoweth : Be
ginning at a white oak tree, marked, for the south-east cor
ner — standing in the west line of Doctor James Stimson's
land ; from thence run with six degrees to the west, twenty-
two rods and a half to a stake and heap of stones ; — from
thence run west twelve degrees to the south, fifteen rods to

102 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
a stake and heap of stones ; — thence run south, six degrees
to the east twenty-two rods and a half to a stake, and heap
of stones ; — thence a straight line fifteen rods to the first
mentioned white oak tree ; — abutting east on said Doctor
James Stimson, and west on Daniel Benton ; south on the
heirs of Barnabas Hinsdale. The above written recorded
March 30, 1735." Signed by Jonathan Delano, selectman,
Zebulon West, surveyor.
On the same day Daniel Benton gave a path one rod wide
across his land to this burying-place.
On the 16th day of March, 1761, the town passed the fol
lowing vote :
" Voted to procure two pieces of land of about one acre
in each in the northward part of the town for burying-places.
Also voted that Timothy Benton, Capt. Isaac Hubbard and
Mr. Stephen Steel be a committee to procure such pieces of
land by their discretion."
On the fifth day of January, 1762, Timothy Benton gave
the town of Tolland a deed of one acre of land for a bury
ing-ground, to be used for that purpose, for the consideration
of five pounds, lawful money. This is the burying-ground
in the north-west part of the town. Jonathan Ladd, son of
Jonathan Ladd, Jr., and Anna his wife, di§d August 25,
1762, aged two months and ten days, and was the first person
laid in this burying-ground. The child was a brother of
Eliab Ladd, father of Ariel Ladd, Esq., now of Tolland.
On the seventh of February, 1762, Nathan Plynt, for the
consideration of five pounds lawful money, gave the town of
ToUand a deed of one acre of land for a burying-ground
which is now the ground in Scungamug village.
With the exception of the north-west, which has been kept
in repair by those who felt an interest in its appearance, the
town has taken charge of these burying-grounds, has appoint
ed persons to take care of them, (called sextons,) and has
done most that has been done to make them even respectable.
On the ninth day of April, 1859, the town voted to purchase
land to enlarge the south burying-ground, and grade and drain
the one at Scungamug. On the thirteenth of AprU, 1859
the town procured a deed of land lying between the' south
burying-ground and the highway, which was graded and pre-

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 103
pared at the expense of the town, and the town also drained
and graded the ground at Scungamug, and erected a substan
tial stone fence on the side next the road, during the same
year.

POST-OFFICE.

Bepore the year 1795 or 1796, there was no post-office iu
Tolland. In one of those years an office was established in
this town, and Deacon Benoni Shepard was appointed post
master. Dea. Shepard kept a tavern in the house where Mr.
Charles R. Hicks now resides, and kept the office in his house.
At that time there was but one mail a week between Hartford
and Boston, and that was sometimes carried on horseback,
sometimes in a one horse sulkey. No stage coaches passed
through Tolland until the year 1807, when a line of stages
was established from Hartford to Boston, passing through this
town. Within fifteen years after its first establishment, the
mail route through Tolland became a great thoroughfare ;
there was a daily mail both ways, which was carried through
Tolland in four horse post-coaches. The route for the mail
from New York city to the Eastern States, was through this
town, until the western railroad was completed to Springfield,
after which the mail was placed upon that route. There was
also a tri-weekly mail from Springfield to Norwich, through
ToUand; from 1828 to 1851, carried in post-coaches, when it
was placed upon the railroad by the way of Palmer. These
principal mail routes have been turned from Tolland in con
sequence of the building of the railroads, so that while other
places have been benefited by those improvements, this town
has been a sufferer. In place of the mail accommodations
with which the town used to be favored, it is now supplied
specially with a daily mail from Hartford, — Tolland being the
end of the route.
BSNONi Shepard, the first postmaster, was probably a son
of Jonathan Shepard, whose deed of land in Tolland, dated

104 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
April 8, 1763, describes him as belonging in Coventry. Be
noni Shepard married Desire West, a daughter of Zebulon
West, Esq., June 16, 1774, at which date he is described of
Tolland. In another record he is found to be of Tolland,
May 25, 1772. His first wife. Desire, died July 20, 1778,
leaving one child, whose name was Pamela, born January 23,
1777. Mr. Shepard married for his second wife, Anna Al-
vord, of Bolton, daughter of Saul Alvord, Sen., February
15, 1781. By her he had the following children:

Benoni,

bom

January 4, 1782, died August 26, 1799.

Desire,

"

June 29, 1783.

Anna,

(1

March 31, 1785.

Sophia,

(C

February 3, 1787.
November 24, 1788.

Sally,

"

Lydia,

u

December 14, 1790.

Eunice,

(i

March 5, 1794.

Benoni A,,

(C

June 28, 1796.

Anson,

(C

September 29, 1799.

Mr. Shepard has the reputation of having been a good
neighbor, a worthy citizen and a useful man. He was for
several years a deacon of the Congregational church in Tol
land, and died January 16, 1808, aged sixty-eight years.
Upon the resignation of Mr. Shepard in 1807, Col. Elijah
Smith was appointed postmaster, and continued in office until
the year 1812, when for political reasons only, he was removed,
and Calvin Willey, Esq., appointed in his place.
Col. Elijah Smith was a son of Moses Smith, of East Hart
ford, and was born January 16, 1767. He was by trade a
hatter, and removed to Tolland and set up his business in the
Spring of the year 1788. He took a deed of a house and a
piece of land in Tolland, from James Wells, dated March 19,
1788. He married Melicent WiUs, a daughter of Col. Solo
mon WiUs, October — , 1792 ; — she died May 22, 1810, He
married for his second wife, Lydia Curtis, July 16, 1811.
Their chUdren are two sons, born March 22, 1812, whose
names are Elijah WUls and EU Ives ; — and two daughters,
Lydia MeUcent, born August 22, 1817, and Mary Mindwell,
born June 4, 1822.
Col. Smith commenced keeping a public house in Tolland
soon after his first marriage, at the place now occupied by
Ansel S. Barber, and continued in that business until his
death, — a period of about fifty years. To say that his house

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 105
was excellent — that he Avas a model landlord, and his good
lady a princess among landladies — would not be telling the
whole story, and would give but a faint impression of the
comforts afforded by his mansion. His house was indeed the
traveler's home, where a guest had every wish gratified with
out feeling that some extra effort had been put forth for his
special benefit. The Colonel was always cheerful and familiar,
without losing any of that dignity so essential to command
the respect of others ; and without seeming to exercise au
thority, he always kept his bar-room in such order that one
would as soon think he was sitting in a gentleman's parlor as
in a place of public resort. The whole establishment was
managed upon the plan of having a place for every thing, and
every thing in its place ; and this general plan had few inno
vations. At this tavern. Gen. Lafayette, iu his tour in this
country in 1824, halted and had an interview with some of
his comrades in the revolutionary war.
As a citizen. Col. Smith possessed many of those qualities
that adorn human nature, and which make a man's society
desirable and his life ustful. He was once a member of the
General Assembly, and as Colonel of the twenty-second regi
ment was a popular military officer. He was an affectionate
husband, an indulgent parent, a kind and accommodating
neighbor, and a sincere and constant friend. He was forward
in all attempts to build up the interests of the town, active in
works of benevolence and charity, and ever ready to relieve
the poor and distressed. He took a deep interest in the wel
fare of young men, often aided them by his counsels, and
encouraged them to hope for better prospects when angry
storm-clouds seemed ready to dash upon them. The writer
has too often experienced his kindness to let his name fade
from his recollection so long as his own memory performs its
office. Col. Smith departed this life May 24, 1847, aged
eighty. Hon. Calvin Willey was postmaster from 1812 to 1820,
when he resigned, and Luther Baton was appointed in his
place. Mr. Willey kept the post-ofiice a part of the time in
his own house, being the one how owned by James S. Kent,
14

106 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
and a part of the time he had Joseph Howard as assistant, who
kept the office at his own residence in the south part of the
square roof house near the north end of the village street, now
owned by Doct. Jeduthan C. Eaton.
Mr. Willey was born in East Haddam, Conn., September
11, 1776. His early advantages for education were very
indifferent, being nothing more than the benefits of the com
mon schools as they then existed. He commenced reading
law in the office of the late Hon. John Thompson Peters,
afterwards one of the judges of the Supreme Court of Errors,
in June, 1795. Mr. Peters was then a resident of Hebron, in
Tolland County. Mr. Willey was admitted to the bar in Tolland
county, in February, 1798, and first opened an office in Chatr
ham, in the county of Middlesex, but in 1800 he removed to
Stafford, in Tolland county, where he resided until the year
1808. While in Stafford he was twice chosen a representa
tive to the General Assembly, and was postmaster in that
town from 1806 to 1808, when he removed to Tolland. He
was Judge of Probate for the district of Stafford, then includ
ing the town of ToUand, from 1818 to 1825 — seven years ;
was six times elected a representative to the General Assem
bly from ToUand, and twice to the State Senate, upon a gen
eral ticket, before the State was districted for the choice of
Senators. He was a candidate for the office of Representative
in Congress in the year 1821, but was defeated by his own
party because he had, in 1820, suffered his name to remain on
a union ticket for State Senators, consisting of an equal num
ber of federalists and democrats. j\Ir. Willey was identified
Avith the democratic party. In 1824 his friends brought him
forward for the United States Senate, Avhen the same objection
was urged against him. There had always been some rivalry
and a little ill feehng between Mr. Willey and some of the
prominent politicians in the south part of the county ; and
hence the strong opposition to Mr. Willey whenever he was a
candidate for an office that called for their suffrages. He was
defeated as representative to Congress by Hon. Daniel Bur
rows, a resident of Hebron. In the canvass for the United
States Senate in 1824, the citizens in the south part of this

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 107
county, brought forward as his competitor, the late Governor,
John S. Peters, of Hebron. During the session of 1824, Mr.
Willey was three times elected by the House of Representa
tives to the office of United States Senator, by very consider
able majorities ; and John S. Peters was as many times elected
to the same oEfice by the Senate. As the two Houses did not con
cur, the Assembly adjourned without making a choice. The
friends of Mr. Willey were very active in the Spring of 1825
in securing a return of members of the legislature favorable
to his election to the senatorship, and succeeded in electing a
decided majority in the House of Representatives, which early
in the session elected Mr. Willey to that office ; but the Sen
ate, as if to try the temper of the House, re-elected on their
part Hon. James Lanman, whose term in the U. S. Senate had
then expired, and whose place this election was to fill. But
the House immediately returned the name of Mr. Willey to
the Senate, who upon reconsideration concurred with the
House, and Mr. Willey was thus elected Senator of the United
States for six years. In this canvass, which had become very
animated, Mr. Willey received the support of the remnant of
the federal party, which then existed in some strength. They
were conscious that much of the opposition to him arose from
his conservative course in the election of 1820, and the gen
tlemen who sympathized with him then, manifested their
gratitude by sustaining him for the office of U. S, Senator in
1825. Mr. Willey entered upon and discharged the duties of
that appointment, and retired from public life at the close of
his term in 1831, and at the age of fifty-five years.
He returned to his profession in 1831, but his absence for
so long a time, and the changes in the course of business, had
turned the current into other channels, and he was never
able to regain the professional standing he enjoyed previous
to his election to Congress.
Mr. Willey was a man of more than ordinary intellect, and
his attainments as a lawyer were very fair. At one. time he
stood at the head of the bar in Tolland county. He was de
votedly attached to his profession, entertained strong views
of the ennobling and elevating effect its practice has upon

108 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
the mind of the honest practitioner, and maintained that iu
its benefits to community it stood second to no other. He
was very successful before a jury ; he always entered into
the cause of his client with his whole heart, — indeed, he
often became so identified with his client as to make success
a matter of personal feeling ; and he sometimes lost sight of
the true interests of his client in his zeal to defend the claims
he set up. At the close of his life, the bar of ToUand county
noticed his memory by appropiate resolutions, which by or
der of the Superior Court were placed upon the Court rec
ords. Mr. Willey was twice married. His first wife was Sally
Brainard, of Chatham. They were married October 22,
1798. Their children were as follows:
Sidney Brainard, born March 14, 1807

James Marshall,
John Oalvin,
Sarah Jane,
Elizabeth Mary,
Asa, George Parsons,

December 27, 1811.
June 28, 1814.
June 29, 1816.
December 24, 1817.
September 7, 1819.
July 27, 1821.

Sally Willey, the wife of Hon. Calvin Willey, died Febru
ary 25, 1827, aged 44. He married Nabby Brainard, sister of
his first wife, April 25, 1827. The following are their children :

Harriet Maria,

born

April 28, 1828.

Mary Ann,

''

January 19, 1830.

Lucretia Green,

(£

February 4, 1832.

Eliza Hall,

((

May 14, 1833.

Letitia N.

((

February 24, 1835,

Mr. Willey continued to reside in Tolland until the spring
of 1854, when he removed to Stafford, where he remained
until his decease, August 23, 1858, at the age of eighty-two
years. Luther Eaton was postmaster from 1820 to 1845, when,
upon his resignation, Joseph Bishop was appointed to the
office. In the spring of 1850, Mr. Bishop was removed,
solely for political causes, and Henry Underwood was ap
pointed in his place. Mr. Underwood removed from the
town in the spring of 1853, and resigned the office, which in
June, 1853, was filled by the appointment of Obadiah P.
Waldo, who held the office until July, 1861, when he was
removed, for political causes, and William Keith appointed
as his successor.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.

109

Thus in sixty-six years there have been but seven post
masters in Tolland, three of whom have been removed from
office on account of politics, the others having been permit
ted to hold the office until it was their pleasure to resign, —
one of whom, Luther Eaton, Esq., held the' office twenty-five
years.

TOWN-CLERKS.
We have seen that a petition was presented to the General
Assembly in May, 1716, praying for " the privilege to choose
a town-clerk and other town officers," which was negatived.
Whether any other petition was ever presented for this object
does not appear ; but in the year 1717 the town was permit
ted to choose town officers, and in December of that year
commenced the exercise of that privilege. The following
are the names of the persons who have been town-clerks of
the town of Tolland, with the dates of the commencement
and termination of their terms of office.
Joseph Benton, elected Dec, 1717, held tl
Shubael Stearns, " 1720,
John Huntington, " 1722,
Shubael Stearns, re-elected, 1723,
Jonathan Delano, elected, 1724,
Zebulon West, " 1736,
Nathaniel West, " 1770,
Eleazar Steel, " 1776,
Benoni Shepard, " 1785,
Ephraim Grant, " 1803,
Samuel Ladd, " 1807,
Daniel KeUogg, " 1808,
Samuel Ladd, re-elected 1810,
Eliakim H. WiUiams, elected 1815,
Luther Eaton, elected 1816,
Joseph Howard, " 1820,
Oliver K. Isham, " 1836,
Samuel Kent, " 1846,

he office three years

" two

" one

" one

" twelve

" thirty-four
" six
" nine
" eighteen
" four
" one
" two
" five
" one
" four
" sixteen
" ten
" two
11 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
WiUiam W. Brace, elected 1848, held to April ,5, 1852, when
Joseph Bishop was appointed by the selectmen upon the
resignation of Mr. Brace, and held the office until the an
nual meeting in 1852.
Gurdon Isham, elected 1852, held the office two years.
Oliver K. Isham, re-elected 1854, " two "
Gurdon Isham, " 1856, and held the office until
his death, when Joseph Bishop was appointed by the select
men for the balance of the year.
Joseph Bishop, elected 1857, held the office three years.
Joseph A. Dresser, " 1860.
I have already spoken of Joseph Benton, and have given
such genealogical facts of the Benton family as I had been
able to obtain.
Shubael Stearns, the second town-clerk of Tolland, was
one of a family that had much to do in the early settlement
""of the town. He was one of the grantees in the deed from
the committee or trustees, and was also one of the signers of
the petition dated May 14, 1716, and May, 1718. He hadland
allotted to him in June and July, 1720. He was born in
Lynn, Mass., August 9, 1683, and married Rebecca Sanford,
at Saco, on the 28th day of December, 1704. The following
are their children :
Shubael, born January 28, 1705.
Rebecca, " November 19, 1707.
Peter, " August 2, 1710.
Isaac, " March 22, 1713.
The record made by Mr. Stearns himself, shows that the
children above-named were born before his removal to Tol
land. The following Avere born after his removal into this
town:
Elizabeth, bom August 30, 1715.
Hannah, " March 6, 1718.
Sarah, " February 29, 1720.
Bbenezer, " April 23, 1722.
Mary, " April 27, 1724.
Martha, " August 18, 1726.
Shubael Stearns was two years a selectman of ToUand.
Shubael Stearns, Jun., the oldest son of Shubael Stearns,
Sen., was ten years old when his father removed to Tolland,
in 1715. He married Sarah Johnson, of Lexington, March
6, 1726. He remained in Tolland untU the year 1754, when
he removed fi-om New England.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. Ill
Between the years 1740 and 1745, the people of New Eng
land were electrified by the eloquence of the celebrated
Whitefield, whose preaching was mainly instrumental in for
warding the great revival of religion that then spread through
the land. The followers of Mr. Whitefield were called New-
lights, and were not very favorably regarded by the more
staid religious community. Their success, however, was so
great, that many of the clergy who were then supposed to
have permanent livings, were opposed to the revival, fearing
that they might be deserted by their hearers, and be com
pelled to preach to empty seats. Many of them carried their
opposition so far as to refuse the revival preachers the use of
their pulpits, and actually procured the enactment of a law
that under certain limitations confined all preachers to their
own parishes, — an opposition as useless as unwise, and only
encouraged the very thing it was intended to prevent. The
minds of the people, having become excited by the fervor of
the new teachings, could not relish the dry, formal services
of the settled clergy, which they supposed were conducted
by a set of graceless mercenaries, without any of that unction
which characterized the performances of the New-lights.
The town of Tolland shared the advantages, or disadvantages,
of these movements ; but the innovators were treated with
more favor by the then settled minister. Rev. Stephen Steel,
than their associates received from the clergy generally ; and
the wisdom of the course pursued by Mr. Steel, growing out
of his forbearance, catholicity, and kindness, is evidenced by
the fact, that in a very few years this sect entirely disappeared
from the town, and left him in charge of a respectable con
gregation without any open dissension.
Among the persons in Tolland who adopted the New-light
ideas, no one became so much distinguished as Shubael Stearns,
Jr., above named. He united Avith them about the year 1745,
became a preacher, and continued with them about five or six
years. In the year 1750 or 1751, he became acquainted with the
Baptist denomination ; renounced the tenet of infant baptism,
and was himself rebaptized by Rev. Wait Palmer, in Tolland,
in the year 1751. On the 20th day of May, in the same year,

112 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
he was ordained to the work of the ministry by Mr. Palmer
and Rev Joshua Morse. Several persons in Tolland attaclied
themselves to Rev. Mr. Stearns, among whom were one or two
by the name of Paulk. Mr. Stearns and his companions left
Tolland in the year 1754, and fixed their residence elsewhere.
It does not appear that he started with any particular place
in view, upon which to settle. His biographer, from this
point, remarks respecting him, that he " resolved to follow the
guidance of the spirit, as it should be manifested to him from
time to time. The first place at which he made any stay was
in Virginia, on Opeckan creek, where there was a Baptist
church under the care of the Rev. S. Heton, and where he
met with Mr. Daniel Marshall, his brother-in-law, just returned
from his mission to the Indian country. Mr. Stearns pitched
at a place called Cacapon, not far above Winchester. Remain
ing there but a short time, and not finding that ministerial
success which his impressions had lead him to hope for ; he
and his company, now joined by Mr. Marshall and his com
pany, removed to North Carolina, and settled at a place called
Sandy Creek, and immediately formed a church. He con
tinued to labor with great assiduity, aided by MarshaU and
Breed. So great was their success, that in a little time this
little band swelled to more than six hundred. Mr. Stearns'
impressions, respecting a great work in the West, seemed
now to be verifying.; and considering subsequent events, he
must be an infidel who doubts the origin of these impressions.
" He was a preacher of some doctrinal talents, but he was
more remarkable for his zealous animating manner. He
brought from New England the same tones, gestures, &c.,
which had distinguished the new Ughts of that country. He
was of small stature, had a very expressive and penetrating
eye and a voice singularly hamonious. His enemies, it was
said, would sometimes be captivated by his musical voice.
Many things are related of the enchanting sound of his voice ;
and the glance of his eyes which had a meaning in every
move. Mr. Stearns continued to discharge his duties as a
pastor of Sandy Creek church until a short time before his
death, which took place on the 20th day of November, 1771.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 113
He lived and died faithful to the important truths confided to
him. Mr. Stearns was an orator of the right sort, and the
effects of his public speaking upon his hearers proved it better
than if a thousand finished orations had been published from
his lips."
It is not known whether any of the family of Shubael Stearns,
Sen., remained in Tolland after the year 1754 ; it is certain,
however, that several of them left at that time with Shubael
Stearns, Jr., and settled in North Carolina, where their pos
terity is now very numerous ; and where, as has been like
wise ascertained, witlun a few years, the Rev. Mr. Stearns
left a very desirable reputation as a pulpit orator.
John Stearns was a brother of Shubael Stearns, Sen.
This fact is verified as well by tradition as by the copy of a
deed from Shubael to John, dated Jan. 16, 1720, on the town
records, which deed is expressed to be for the consideration of
five pounds in money, or its equivalent, in hand, paid by my
brother, John Stearns, of Tolland, &c. This deed shows that
John Stearns was a resident of Tolland before 1720. He
married Elizabeth Barnes, of ToUand, Dec. 2, 1723. The
following is their record :
Eleanor, born February 13, 1725, died October 2, 1737.
David, " December 14, 1725, died February 2, 1725-6.
Elizabeth, " May 26, 1728.
Ruth, " July 19, 1730.
Lydia, " July 25, 1732.
John, " January 11, 1736.
Elizabeth, wife of John Stearns, died April 19, 1737. He
married Abigail Diggins, of Windsor, AprU 19, 1739, she died
February 13, 1752 ; he then married Eunice MUler, July 29,
1754. Their children were :
Daniel, bom January 24, 1756, died April 8, 1756.
Eleanor, '' August 11, 1757.
Charles, " October 19, 1758.
Mary, " February 3, 1760, died August 15, 1787.
Sarah, " November 6, 1761.
John Stearns, the son of John and EUzabeth Stearns, was
the Doct. Stearns who married a Miss Wills of ToUand, and
was the father of Judge Elisha Stearns, of whom I spoke in
my lecture on the History of ToUand County. It is only
necessary for me to state here that the Stearns family is rep
resented in Tolland by Mrs. Charles R. Hicks and her chil-
15

114 the early history op TOLLAND.
dren ; also in Bristol, in this State, by Mrs. Leverett Griggs
and Rev. Leverett Griggs' children.
I have before said that Doct. James Stimson married Han
nah, sister of John and Shubael Stearns. This relationship
is verified by a record of a deed from James Stimson to John
Stearns, dated Jan., 10, 1720, in which he sells to " his brother
John Stearns of said Tolland." There were of course three
families, where one of the united head was a Stearns, among
the first settlers of Tolland.
John Huntington, the third town-clerk, has heretofore been
described. Jonathan Delano, town-clerk of Tolland, came from Dart
mouth, Mass., May 8, 1722. He was a resident of Tolland
July 20, 1723, as appears by a deed to him of that date from
Stephen Steel. He was twelve years-town clerk, and eleven
years a selectman. To judge from his records he possessed a
superior English education, and probably was a very useful
citizen. His children, thirteen in number, are as follows ;
the first nine were born in Dartmouth, Mass. :
Sarah, bom March 18, 1705, married Samuel West, March 30, 1732.
Joan, " December 16, 1706, married Joseph AVest, May 19, 1725.
Jabez, " January 13, 1708.
Nathan, " March 1, 1711.
Amy, " August 11. 1713, married Christopher AVest, October 25, 1732.
Jonathan, " December 2, 1715.
Barnabas, " April U, 1718.
Sylvanus, " May 17, 1720.
Elizabeth, " May 15, 1722.
Susanna, " June 23. 1724.
Thomas, " December 24, 1726,
Timothy, " November 4. 1729.
Jethro, " October 29, 1732.
Jabez Delano, above-named, married Prudence Hobart, of
Windham, — had five daughters, but no sons that survived
infancy. Nathan Delano married Ruth  , September 3, 1731,
and had three sons : Nathan, born January 5, 1739 ; John,
born December 3, 1731 ; Jabez, born February 10, 1734, who
removed to Coventry, and afterwards to Dover, N. H.
Jonathan Delano married Ann Ladd, October 8, 1754.
Their children were :
Jabez, born July 1, 1755.
Jonathan, " August 10, 1757.
Anne, " August 11, 1759.
Philip, " June 15, 1761.
Esther, " August l3, 1764.
Zebulon, " February 19, 1767.
Clarinda, " June 10, 1769.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 115
Barnabas Delano had one son, Gideon, born November 27,
1742. Sylvanus Delano married Elizabeth Peck, a widow, daugh
ter of John Abbot, Sen. Their chUdren were ^
Sylvanus, born April 10, 1745.
Joseph, " August 21, 1746, died.
Amos, " August 9, 1747.
Sarah, " May 28, 1749, died.
Nathaniel, " May 27, 1751.
Elizabeth, " March 12, 1755, married Solomon Eaton.
Barnabas, " May 6, ]7.53.
Aaron, " November fl3, 1756.
Anne, •' April 17, 1760.
'  " June 15, 1762.

Jonathan Delano was a descendant of PhUip De la Noye or
De Laynaye, a French Huguenot or Protestant, who to escape
persecution in his own country, fled to the puritan brethi'en
at Leyden, and came to Plymouth in the second ship that came
to that place, viz. : the Fortune, in November, 1621. From
this Philip are descended all bearing the name of Delano in
the United States. The descendants of Jonathan are very
numerous and respectable, though mostly by female branches.
Rev. Stephen West, the celebrated theological writer, was one
of them. The representatives of this family now in Tolland,
are : the children of Mr Joel West ; the children of Mr.
Ephraim West, and their descendants ; Mr. Luther Eaton and
his descendants ; Mrs. Anna Johnson and her descendants.
Zebulon West was town-clerk thirty- four years. He was a
son of Dea. Francis West, who before the year 1720, was a
resident of Stonington. This is verified by the record of a
deed from Josiah Rockwell, of Windsor, to Francis West, of
Stonington, dated November 29, 1718 ; also of a deed from
Nathaniel Grant, of Tolland, to Francis West, of Stonington,
dated March 1, 1720, both conveying land in Tol^nd. He
was a resident in this town in January, 1721, as appears by
the record of a deed from John Huntington to " Francis West
of Tolland." These records show that he then had over seven
hundred acres of land standing in his name, lying principally
in the south-east corner of the town. He had several sons
whose names appear on the records of the town. Their names
are Samuel, Joseph, Amasa, Zebulon, Pelatiah, and Christo
pher. Joseph and Samuel were in town January 14, 1720,
on which day the ear marks of their cattle were record-

116 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
ed. Samuel's mark was a half-penny on the fore side of the
right ear ; and Joseph's mark was a half penny on the fore-
side of the left ear.
Samuel West was one of the original grantees in the pro
prietor's deed, and had land allotted to him with the other
proprietors of the town. Francis West took a deed from
Nathaniel Taylor, one of the original proprietors, of two lots
of land containing one hundred and forty-two acres, " with all
rights of division," which entitled him to an interest in com
mon with other proprietors.
Samuel, son of Dea. Francis West, married Sarah, daugh
ter of Jonathan Delano, November 4, 1724. The following
is their record :
Prudence, bom September 5, 1726.
Sarah, " March 21. 1729.
Samuel, " March 30, 1732.'
Abigail, " July 22, 1734, died February 12, 1750.
Abner, " May 1, 1737.
Joanna, " December 2, 1739.
Biisha, " September 14. 1742.
Anna, " September 16,' 1745.
Sarah, wife of Samuel West, died November, 1752. He
then married Abigail, daughter of Ichabod Lathrop, Novem
ber 26, 1754. Their children were :
Ann, born September 12, 1756.
Ruth, " December 21, 1759.
Samuel, son of Samuel West, married Sarah, daughter of
Ichabod Lathrop, March 25, 1756. Their chUdren were :
Sarah, bom November 19, 1757, '
Tryphena,
Ichabod, Stephen,
Frederick, Grace,
Prudence,

.January 21, 1760.)
June 7, 1762.
February 35, 1765.
April 2, 1767.
September 26, 1769.
February 23, 1772.

Abner, son of Samuel West, Sen., married Mary, daughter
of Joseph»eatch, 2d, July 3, 1760. Their chUdren were :
Abigail, bom June 28, 1761.
AVilliam, " February 12, 1762.
Abner, " January 8, 1765.
Mary, " March 6, 1767.
Submit, " July 24, 1769.
Joseph, son of Dea. Francis West, married Joanna, daugh
ter of Jonathan Delano, May 19, 1725. His chUdren were :
Mercy, bom April 20, 1726.
Joseph, " November 2, 1728.
Joanna, •' August 21, 1732.
Rufus, " October 1, 1735.
Deborah, " January 30, 1788.
Bathsheba, " July 9, 1741.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 117
Joseph, son of Joseph and Joanna West, married Lois
Strong, March 10, 1752. Their children were :

Joseph,

born

December 21,^762, died March 20, 175

Siirah,

"

April 7, 1754-

Charles,

*'

May 4, 1756, died September 18, 1760.

Dorcaa,

u

May 17, 1760, died August 15, 1760.

Eunice,

"

December 20, 1762.

Joseph,

(C

June 3, 1776.

Salome,

((

February 6, 1769.

Hannah,

('

October 30, 1721.

Zadoc,

"

December 1, 1773.

Joel,

u

March 19, 1777.

This Joseph West was a very useful citizen. He was en
trusted with the guardianship of an unusual number of minors,
not one of whom was ever known to express dissatisfaction
with the management of his property. Towards the close of
the revolutionary war, when the financial affairs of the town
were necessarily in great confusion, and the state government
had required additional duties from towns in their corporate
capacity, the people of Tolland elected a board of five select
men, being two more than the usual number, and Mr. West
was placed at its head, though he had, as selectman, long
before, gone the customary round of office.
Joel, son of Joseph and Lois West, married Abina Chapin,
of Stafford, October 25, 1798. Their children were :
Lois, bom February 23, 1800.
Percy, " January 1, 1802.
Lester, " July 8, 1804.
William, " June 3, 1806.
Alden, " August 27, 1308.
Chauncey, " May 22, 1811.
Elisha, " October 22, 1813.
Eli S., " August 15, 1817.
Henry W., *' August 28, 1819, who with his family continues to occupy the farm and
dwelling-house of llis ancestors.
Rufus, son of Joseph and Joanna West, married Sarah
Nye, November 22, 1764. Their children were :
Grace, bom November 1, 1766.
Ephraim, *' September 30, 1767.
Joel, " September 27, 1773, died in infancy.
Ephraim, son of Rufus West, married Ruth, youngest
daughter of Doct. Samuel Cobb, December 3, 1790. Their
children were :
Renda, bom October 4, 1791.
Rufus, " June 30, 1793.
Orson, " February 1, 1796.
Carlo, "
Biottnell, " January 10, 1800.
Sherman, " October 20, 1801.
Parmela, " September 12, 1803. '
Grace, " October 29, 1805.
Evaline, " June 26, 1807.
Ruth, " August 6, 1809.
Bpbiaim, " IfebimTj 11, 1812| died Maich 28, 1S18.

118 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Mr. iEphraim West died November 2, 1860, aged ninety-
three years. Mrs. Ruth West died January 14, 1838, aged
sixty-seven. Amasa, third son of Dea. Francis West,^ married Amy,
daughter of the first Joseph Hatch. Their children were :
Francis, bom November 1, 1731.
Oliver, " October 2, 1733,
Phebe, " September 2, 1735.
Lucia, *' August 9, 1738.
Rebecca, " November 26, 1742, died December 10, 1774.
Amy, " December S, 1741, died August 8, i756.
Mercy, " September, 16, 1744.
Mehitable, " February 7 1747, died March 24, 1755.
Amasa, " May 1, 1749.
Susan, " March 8, 1754, died March 25, 1755.
Amasa West married Bathsheba Gibbs, of Sandwich, Sep
tember 20, 1757.
Levi, bom April 27, 1760.
Francis, son of Amasa West, married AbigaU Strong, of
Coventry, September 13, 1751. He died June 22, 1769.
Their children were :
Beulah, bom September 8, 1752, died April 23, 1755.
Abigail, " January 14, 1753, died April 22, 1755.
Dorcas, " October 7, 1754.
Amasa, " March 7, 1757, died July 31, 1758.
Sarah, " August 15, 1758.
Joanna, " June 23, 1763.
Francis, " May 30, 1765.
Irena, " August 9, 1767, died April 15, 1758.
Oliver, son of Amasa West, married Thankful Nye, Janu
ary 20, 1757. Their children were :
Ebenezer, born November 23, 1758.
Anna, " July IS, 1759, died July 23, 1765.
Amy, '* September 9, 1761.
Caleb, " July 4, 1764.
Amasa, " October 20, 1765.
Zebulon, fourth son of Dea. Francis West, married Mary
Delano, of Barnstable, Mass., October 7, 1731. Their chil
dren were :
Mary, born September 17, 1732.
Stephen, " November 2, 1735.
Ann, " March 19, 1738, died January 8, 1775.
Thankful, " July 14, 1740, died December 15, 1754.1
Eiyah, " April 6, 1743.
Mary, wife of Zebulon West, died July 26, 1743. He
married for his second wife, Mrs. Mary Sluman, February 22,
1744. Their children were :
Sarah, bom January 27, 1745, died October 19, 1750.
Prudence, " February 16, 1747, died August 16, 1748.
Nathaniel, " September 5, 1748.
Jeremiall, " July 20, 1753.
Desire, " August 18, 1755.
Barah, " May 27, 1758.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 119
It is probable that Zebulon West came into town with his
father, Dea. Francis West, about the year 1720. He was
admitted an inhabitant, that is, a voter, September 21, 1725.
He was first elected to a public office in the year 1736, and
from that time to the day of his death, thirty-four years after
wards, he was always in the possession of some place of public
trust ; and no man could be found who served in more capaci
ties, or rendered more acceptable service. He was for seven
teen years one of the selectmen of the town ; he was town-
clerk thirty-four years, and a justice of the peace twenty-six.
He was the first person ever chosen to represent the town in
the General Assembly, and represented the town at forty-
three regular sessions ; being first chosen in September, 1748,
and with one exception was re-elected at every session there
after until his decease. He was Speaker of the House of
Representatives several sessions. He was Judge of Pro
bate for the district of Stafford, from its organization, in May,
1759, to his death. He was also one of the judges of Hart
ford County Court, several years. All these offices, except
those of selectman and speaker, and with the addition of
member of the council or upper house, to which he had just
been elected, he held at the time of his decease.
Mr. West was rather above medium size — was exceedingly
popular with the masses, yet it is said he never associated with
them nor was familiar in his carriage towards them. His
personal appearance was imposing, and with his deportment,
commanded the most profound respect. About twenty-five
years ago, a venerable lady, then nearly ninety-five years old,
said to me, she had known Zebulon West very well, and had
lived near him. She described him as very sedate, inclined
to talk but little, but was remarkable for .his good temper.
When he went into a place of public resort, all present uncov
ered their heads, and conversation ceased. It should be
remarked, however, that in his day respect was mutual, — that
the removal of hats in salutation was customary, and that the
young were carefuUy taught to be silent and respectful in the
presence of their seniors.
In the petty prosecutions for violation of the moral law.

120 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
SO frequent in those times, Mr. West carefully distinguished
between youthful thoughtlessness and confirmed depravity ;
and whenever such prosecutions arose from the disposition to
annoy or revenge, he took care, as far as possible, to avoid
making the law instrumental to gratify private malice under
the mask of public virtue. It used to be said that " Zebulon
West never did but one wrong thing," — and that was certainly
a very unfortunate one for the harmony of the town. It was
the procuring by his superior influence the location of the
meeting-house contrary to the just and strenuous wishes of
nearly, if not quite a majority of the inhabitants of the town,
at a place south of the geographical center. But notwith
standing this momentary resentment, he always exercised an
almost unbounded influence in the management of town
affairs, and was, through an entire generation, the principal
man in Tolland. He educated three sons at Yale College ;
Stephen, tlie eldest, was a clergyman, settled in the ministry
at Stockbridge, Mass., and became one of the most distinguish
ed theological writers in New England. Nathaniel, the sec
ond son, did not study a profession after graduating, but set
tled in Tolland as a farmer, was elected town-clerk after the
death of his father, six years, then emigrated to Vermont.
Jeremiah, the youngest son, settled as a physician in Tolland.
He was a surgeon in the revolutionary army, was a represent
ative in the General Assembly ten sessions. He was also a
member of the convention in 1788, and voted for the adoption
of the federal constitution, and he was justice of the quorum
or Judge of Tolland County Court fourteen years.
Zebulon West lived upon the farm lately owned by Bilapky
Snow, in the south part of Tolland, and died on the 4th day
of December, 1770, aged 65.
Note. — The record, so far as I have recited it, exhibits the char
acter of Zebulon West as nearly faultless, yet when the whole is seen,
he will appear, to some persons at least, in a light that will throw a
different shade over this fair picture. Mr. West was a slaveholder
and held one of the sable sons of Africa as property. My evidence
for this assertion is found in the town's book of records of births, mar
riages and deaths, from which the following is copied: "Zebulon

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 121
West's negro man Bristo, was married to Betty, Molatto woman on ye
21st day of September, A. D. 1757." This record is in the hand
writing of Mr. West, and doubtless was made by him when town-clerk.
The name of this man was Bristo Harris, who lived until April 1 ,
1802, and is still recollected by some of the inhabitants of Tolland.
The darkness of this shade upon the reputation of Mr. West is
very much relieved, when we recollect that Connecticut tolerated and
protected slavery by its laws, and that our Puritan fathers saw nothing
in slaveholding, nor even in the slave-trade itself, inconsistent with
the Christian character.
It may here be stated that during the existence of slavery in Con
necticut, several families in Tolland were in possession of that species
of property, and that on the abolition of slavery by law, several slaves
in Tolland gained their freedom. On the occupation of several
islands in Narragansett bay by the British, in the revolutionary war,
two or three families, with their slaves, came to Tolland and remained
here until the enemy were expelled.
Pelatiah,' son of Deacon Francis West, married Elizabeth
Lathrop, December 5, 1734. Their children were :

Elizabeth, bom September 17, 1735.

Susanna, '

March 28, 1737

Eleazar, '

' November 9, 1733.

Hannah, '

¦' March 28, 1741.

Zerviah, '

' August 2, 1743.

Eunice, '

' April 30, 1745.

Elijah,

March 7, 1747.

Daniel, '

July 22. 1749.

Prudence, '

' June 1,1751.

Mary, '

' June 28, 1753.

Eleazar, son of Pelatiah West, married Olive Redington,
December 6, 1761. Their children ; Charles, born October
4, 1763 ; Thankful, born November 20, 1765.
Christopher, son of Dea. Francis West, married Amy,
daughter of Jonathan Delano, October 25, 1732. Their
children were :
Friscilla, bom August 26, 1733.
Francis, *' October 30, 1735.
Jonathan, •' Decembei 30, 1737.
Jerusha, " April 27, 1740.
Miner, '' January 9, 1743.
Lois, *' in Coventry.
Mary, " May 25, 1750.
Solomon West, from Lebanon, married Abigail Strong, of
Lebanon, October 10, 1743. Their children were :
Solomon, born August 23, 1744.
Baby, " August, 1747.
Abigail, " December 19. 1748.
Lydia, " March 5, 1752, Sled OotoberaS, 1772.
Esther, " March 17, 1754.
Chios, " April 14, 1756.
Stephen, " August 19, 1769.
Jeiuaiia, " Jvue 6, 1763.
16

122 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Ensign Solomon West died August 21, 1810; Abigail, his
~wife, August 12, 1807.
Solomon, son of Solomon West, married Prudence La-
tlirop, March 22, 1770. Solomon, their son, born July 26,
1770, died August 21, 1771.
Prudence, wife of Solomon West, Jr., died November 30,
1771. His second wife was Catherine Carpenter; they were
inarried Febraary 29, 1776. Their children were :
Jesse, born December 25, 1776.
l>rudence, " April 2. 1778
SUvia, " ^ovell]ber 2il, 1780.
Kuby, " Decen/bcrla. 1781.
Ebenezer, " April 13, 1783.
Solomon West died June 8, 1822, aged seventy-seven
years. John West came from Lebanon : Dorothy, his daughter,
born October 1, 1751 ; Rebecca, born April 7, 1755.
Moses West married Jemima Eaton, August 18, 1751 :
Dura, born Jaimary 23; 1752 ; Laiia, born January 9, 1754;
Alice, born September 7, 1757.
The children of Caleb West, whose parentage is not ascer
tained, are :

Hannah,

born

August 8, 1749.

Cileb,

a

Januirv 22, 1751.

Ira,

u

June 26, 1762.

Jonathan,

cc

June 20,1754.

Krger,

"

Juh 1, 1755.

u

Susanna,

((

Priscilla,
Kitty,

tt

November 25, 1763.
March 20, 1768

Ira, son of Caleb West, married  , only daugliter of
Col. Samuel Chapman.
Eph^raim Gi-^nt, one of the town-clerks of ToUand, I have
spoken of in my address on the county organization. I here
only trace his genealogy.
Noah Grant, of Windsor, was one of the petitioners for a
new township, in the year 1713, and was one of the grantees
in the first deed to the proprietors of Tolland. He came to
Tolland before 1720, and settled on what is now called
Grant's HiU. He married Martha Huntington, June 12,
1717. Their chUdren were :
Noah, born July 12, 1718, died October 16, 1727.
Adnniram, " February 2i', 1721.
Solomon, " January 29, 1723.
Martha, " June 9, 1726.
Oae Noah Graut married Susauaa, daughter of Jonathan

the early history op TOLLAND. 123
Delano, November 6, 1746, and had one son, Noah, born
June 20, 1748.
Noah Grant, on the first day of January, 1720, deeded a tract
of land in Tolland to his brother, Ephraim Grant, of Windsor.
Ephraim Grant married Elizabeth Cady, August 22, 1723.
Their children were : Grace, born January 14, 1724 ; Bph-
];aim, born April 27, 1726.
Elizabeth, wife of Ephraim Grant, Sied November 8, 1746.
He married for his second wife, Esther Ladd, of Coventry,
(widow,) September 24, 1747. Their children were :
Eliza, born June 25, 1748.
Esther, " March 5, 1750.
Elisha, " March 24, 1752.
Eunice, " April 5, 1754.
Ebenezer, " August 2, 1756.
Ephraim Grant, Jun., son of Ephraim and Elizabeth Grant,
married Mary, daughter of Hon. Zebulon West, December
13, 1748. Tlieir chUdren were :
Ephraim, bora April 6, 1750. (Town clerk.)
Prudence, " September 19, 1752, died October 4, 1760.
Elias, " April 7, 1755, died Ootober2, 1760.
I>hiUp, " May 30, 1767, diecl September 26, 1760,
Solomon, " March 21, 1760.
Mary, " August 22, 1762.
Ann, " January 30, 1765.
Gi-ace, '* Januarv 16. 1767.
Stephen, " March 9. 1770.
William, " October 24. 1773
Zebulon, *' Decemlier 9, 1776.
Ebenezer, son of Ephraim and Esther Grant, married Phebe
Edgerton for his first wife, AprU 22, 1779. She died Sep'-
tember 29, 1780. She had one chUd, Oliver, born 1779, died
in 1794. He married Juliana Pearce, January 29, 1782.
She died December 17, 1783. Ebenezer Grant married for
his third wife, Edna, daughter of Hope Lathrop, December
23, 1784. Their children were :

Juliana,

born

November 16,1784.

Phebe,

(.

Augusts, 1787.

Harry,

(C

July 2, 1789.

Edna,

((

August 1 1791.

Ebenezer,

((

June 16, 1793.

Oliver,

tl

January 31, 17^6.

The Grant family is now represented in ToUand by Mrs.
Levi Edgerton, George M. Grant, and Edwin Lathrop Grant,
with their families. These persons can trace their descent
from the first settlers as well by the Lathrops as Grants, they
being lineal descendants of Hope Lathrop.
Samuel Lapd was town-clerk of Tolland six years. He

124 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
was a descendant of Jonathan Ladd, who, before 1720, was
an inhabitant of Norwich, Conn. Tradition says he first
came to Tolland in 1719 ; but it is certain he took a deed of
Nathaniel Wallis, of Windham, of three pieces of land,
dated February 11, 1720, which lands were situated in Tol
land. In this deed he is described as of Norwich, in the
county of New London. Jonathan Ladd married Susannah
Kingsbury, of Norwich, December 28, 1713. Their children
were :
Ezekiel, born .January 31, 1715.
Klizabeth, " March 14, 1716
Joniithan, " March 5. 1718
Mary, " February 6, 1720.
Susanna, " February 17, 1722.
Ephraim, " January 30, 1725.
Abigail, " March 26, 1728.
Ziiriah, " March SO, 1780.
Jesse, '! April 10, 1733.
Samuel, " March 29, 1734, died December 24, 1736.
Ezekiel, oldest son of Jonathan Ladd, Sen., »iarried Han
nah Bigelow, November 3, 1740, Their children were :
Lucy, born May 1, 1741.
Samuel, " June 7, 1742.
Ruth, " January 12, 1744, died September 3, 1766.
Hannah, " September 6, 1745.
Daniel, " Aprir9, 1747.
Ephraim, " Miy 11, 1749.
Elizabeth, " April 28, 1761.
Elisha, " March 7.' 1753, died December 26, 1841, at Wilbraham.
Ezekiel, " May 1, 1755.
¦David, " July 27, 1757.
Lydiii, " July 3, 1761.
Eunice, " March 13, 1764, died in infancy.
Jonathan Ladd, Jr., married Anna Tyler, June 27, 1751.
Their children were :
Anna, bom August 27, 1752.
Eliab, " April 21, 1764.
Abijah, *' February 27, 1756.
John, " April 3, 1758.
Sarah, " April 27, 1760.
Jonathan, " June 15, i762, ) .....  .., j . ^ t^. ,..„«
Anna, " June 15, 1762; J'™^' '1^=* A"Bvist 21, 1762
Jonathan, " March 20, 1764.
Kuth, " March 30, 1767.
Jonathan Ladd, Jr., died August 27, 1810. His wife,
Anna, died August 19, 1803.
Eliab Ladd, son of Jonathan Ladd, Jr., married SusaUa,
daughter of John Lathrop, Jr., January 14, 1779. The
following is their record :
Joseph, born October 22, 1779, died in infancy.
Lutlier, '' December 20, 1780, died in infancy.

Ariel, Stephen,
^ura,Roxy,
Bojsy, ^sinda

February 9, 1783.
November 8, 1784

October SO, 1786, died May 22, 1816.
SoptoBiber 8, 1788, died in infancy.
January 29, 1790, died in infanov.
September 9, 1791.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 125
EUab Ladd died December 15, 1800.
Ahijah, son of Jonathan Ladd, Jr., married Huldah Ful
ler, of Hebron, February 2, 1785. Their children were :
Lois, born November 18, 1785, died May 25, 1787.
Ahijah, " rebruary20, 1787, died June 2, 1787.
Ahijah, " August 15, 1788
Levi, " December 20. 1790.
Joel, " March 8, 1793.
Ezra, " February 23, 1795, died February 4, 1810.
Alvan, " May 17,179i.
Huldah, " f eptember 26, 1799, in Ellington.
Daniel, '• June 28, 1804, died February 9, 1807.
Ahijah Ladd died April 15, 1826, aged 70 ; Huldah, his
wife, November 20, 1834, aged 72.
John, son of Jonathan Ladd, Jr., married Esther Wood,
of Somers, December 11, 1783. Their children were :
Esther, bom September 15, 1784.
Luther, '¦ May 10, 1786.
Eunice, " June 20. 1788.
Aiso, John, Maria, Laura, Lois, Lathrop and Eliab.
Samuel, son <of Ezekiel and grandson of Jonathan Ladd,
Sen., married Margaret, daugliter of Capt. Samuel Chap
man, Sen., April 28, 1768. Their children were :
Ruth, born January 18, 1769, in East Windsor.
Samuel, " May 11, 1770 Town-clerk.
Margaret, " October 8, 1772.
Mary, '* November 2.S, 1775.
Wareham, " April 28, 1778.
Jacob, " December 14, 1781.
Capt. Samuel Ladd died May 18, 1814. His wife, Marga
ret, died February 4, 1813.
Ahijah Ladd, Jr., son of Ahijah Ladd and grandson of
Jonathan Ladd, Sen., married Almy Cobb, daughter of
William Cobb, and granddaughter of Doct. Samuel Cobb,
January 20, 1818. They had three sons, viz. : William
Cobb, born March 26, 1820 ; Charles Ahijah, born March
12, 1822 ; and Theodore Stearns, born September 4, 1826.
Mr. Ladd had no opportunity for obtaining an education,
other than was afforded by the common schools, of his day,
but by the closest application to these advantages, he obtained
an unusually fair education for practical purposes. He early
indicated an aptness for the duties of the sick room ; the rep
utation of his skill as a nurse, probably induced him to
study medicine. 'He accordingly entered the office of Doct.
Judah Bliss, with whom he continued until receiving a license
to practice in 1813, when he estabhshed himself in Tolland,
where, with the exception of two years residence iu Stafford,

126 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
he remained until his decease, July 17, 1855, at the age of
sixty-seven years.
Doct. Ladd always had a respectable practice ; in one or
two branches he was decidedly superior ; was reasonable in
his charges, and very indulgent to his customers. He main
tained a respectable position in society, and was a Very useful
man. He exercised a most wholesome influence in the circle
in which he moved ; always on the side of good order and
strict morality ; discountenancing all improprieties and im
moral condnct ; possessing all the qualities that characterize
the good neighbor ; and without exhibiting any disposition to
complain or wrangle when others were more successful than
himself. Conservative in all his actions and modes of thought,
he seldom if ever took lUtra ground on any subject, and
avoided all angry and unprofitable disputation^. With a kind
heart and honest purposes, seeking to do right himself rather
than to compel others to act according to his views and con-
.trary to their own, he secured many friends and was gener
ally esteemed.
Samuel Kent is one of the town-clerks who has passed
away ; I may therefore be indulged in a few words respecting
him. He was born in Suffield, Conn., November 27, 1786 ;
was educated as a farmer, and at one period of his life was
very successful in the application of his practical knowledge
of that business. He occupied a portion of the farm now in
the possession of William West, on which he made many sub
stantial improvements. He married Melicent Wills Steel,
daughter of Capt. Ashbel Steel, March 3, 1812 ; and after
residing two years in Suffield, commenced mercantile busi
ness in Tolland with Doct. Ahijah Ladd ; after the discontin
uance of which, and in June, 1819, he was appointed Deputy
Sheriff for Tolland County, which office he held by successive
triennial re-appointments until October, 1835 — a period of
sixteen years, when he resigned on account of ill-health. He
continued to reside in Tolland, (with the exception of a six
years residence in Fair Haven, from 1839 to 1845,) where he
remained untU his decease. May 28, 1854, in the sixty-eighth
year of his age.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 127'
He was two years selectman of Tolland, and on his re-elec
tion the third year, declined to serve longer. He was two
years town-clerk, nearly seventeen years deputy sheriff, and
nine years county jailer and keeper of the county house. Mr.
Kent discharged the duties of these offices with great credit
to himself, and to the entire satisfaction of the public. As
an executive officer he could not be excelled, and was very
rarely equaled. He had groat energy, which impelled him
to do his duty promptly ; and a sympathy which invariably
inclined him to leniency towards the poor and unfortunate.
Sometimes, indeed, he was far too indulgent*for his own inter
est, and at the commencement of his official life suffered an
embarrassing loss by indulgence to an unworthy debtor. But
it was one of Mr. Kent's peculiarities to meet misfortunes
cheerfully ; he never complained so long as he had physical
strength to carry the burden ; nor did he ever attempt to avoid
any responsibility, which either the law or honor cast upon
him. He was reasonably successful in business, until his health
became so much impaired he was compelled to relinquish the
ordinary labors of life. He was attacked with a lameness,
ultimately extending to the spine, which continued, some
times attended with great pain, until his death.
In stature, Mr. Kent was about five feet ten inches in height,
rather spa're habit ; strait and firm in his carriage ; quick and
active in his movements. He was a kind and obliging neigh
bor ; social and pleasant in his intercourse ; honest and up
right in his dealings ; and ardent and sincere in his personal
attachments. He deserved and received the respect and con
fidence of his acquaintance. He left two ciiildren : Eliza
beth Sophronia, born September 18, 1817, and James Steel,
born July 24, 1819.
GtiRDON Isham is one of the town-clerks whose last record
is made. He was the son of James Isham, of Ellington, who
moved into Tolland in the Spring of the year 1796. Asher
Isham, brother of James, bought a tract of Land in Tolland,
of Lathrop Birge, April 10, 1793, which he sold to James
Isham, March 1, 1796. James Isham, of Tolland, married

128 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Polly Kingsley, of Lebanon, at Lebanon, April 20, 1796.
Their children were :
Oliver Kingsley, born March 26, 1797, Physician in Tolland.
Gurdon, " December 10, 1800, Town-clerk, died February 7, 1857.
Shubael, " February 27, 1804, died July 22, 1825.
Mary, " July 15, 1806, married J. Lathrop, died May 2, 1838.
Garden Isham was apprenticed to the business of hatting,
which he followed through life. He married Abigail Strong,
of Columbia, January, 1824. Their children were :
Abigail, born November 17, 1824.
Shubael S., " January 16, 1827.
Chester C, " March 18, 1828, died April 4, 1823.
David B , " May 5, 1B30.
Abby Jane, " April 13, 1833.
Harriet A., " Match 19, 1843, died April 7, 1854.
Mr. Isham was captain of the militia company in Tolland
when he was but twenty-five years old ; was several years
county treasurer, and between two and three years town-clerk,
which office he held at the time of his death. He united with
the Methodist church in 1831 ; was a most exemplary and
useful member during life, entering into the subject of relig
ion with his whole heart, and there are few whose lives are
more'in conformity with their profession. Honest and consci
entious, never seeking popular applause, he was useful iu his
place ; those who knew him best will kindly remember him.

John Abbott, of Andover, Essex Co., Mass., removed to
Tolland in the year 1720, and purchased the place now owned
by James A. Brown, where lie lived sixty years. It is said he
never failed to attend meeting a single Sabbath until the year
of his death, and he usually went on foot. As he was going to
meeting one Sunday, he discovered a bear on a chestnut tree,
by the side of the road, opposite the house lately occupied by
Capt. H. Cogswell, and called out, a bear ! a bear ! fetch a
gun, in a voice that echoed through the forests and was dis
tinctly heard by persons on their way to meeting, a mile north
of the meeUng-house. A gun was brought and the bear
despatched. Persons now hving recollect this circumstance.
He died November 25, 1789.
This John Abbott had a son John, who married Elizabeth

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 129
daughter of John Stearns, January 21, 1748. John Abbott,
Jr., was born September 18, 1725, and died May 17, 1776.
Elizabeth, his wife, died January 6, 1783. Their children
were :
Nehemiah, bom December 21, 1748, died August 24, 1751.
John. " July 80, 1750.
Nehemiah, " August 28, 1752, died September 23, 1776.
Jehlel, " June 2, 1755, died April 13, 1776.
Sarah, " August 28, 1757.
Abiel, " August 16, 1760.
August 12, 1763.
April 6, 176-.
April 8, 1771.

Elizabeth, Erastus,
Alexander,

John, son of John and Elizabeth Abbott, married Temper
ance Baker, April 20, 1780. Their children were :
Sally, bom April 39, 1781.
Polly, » March 29, 1784.
John, " April 2, 1786.
Elizabeth, " October 18, 1788.
Jehiel, " September 3, 1795.
John Bliss, Esq., married Sally, daughter of John and Tem
perance Abbott, May 30, 1809. Their children were :
Sarah Olivia, born August 22, 1810.
Mary Eliza, " May 21, 1812.
Sylvester, ." June 29, 1814.
Emeline Eliza, " April 11, 1816.
The representatives of the Abbott family now in Tolland,
are Doct. Lucius Abbott, Mrs. George Tryon, Mrs. Lucius S.
Fuller, and their descendants.
Ebenezer Nye was one of the first settlers of Tolland.
He probably came into town before the year 1718, as his name
is on the petition to the General Assembly, dated May, 1718,
respecting the Coventry lands. There is some evidence tend
ing to show that he came from Dartmouth, Bristol County,
Mass. He had land allotted to him in Jan., 1721, Nov., 1722,
March, 1723, and at other times. He also purchased lands of
others. Some of his land was bounded east on Willimantic
river, and is evidently the farm now owned by William Hol
man, Esq. Ebenezer Nye married Sarah Newcomb, Jan. 13,
1720. Their children were :
Elizabeth, bom December 14, 1720.
John, " November 27, 1722.
Sarah, " August 9, 1724, died August 17, 1731.
Ebenezer, " May 14, 1726, died February 2, 1727.
Benjamin, " May 13, 1728.
Eunice, " February 15, 1730.
Lois, " May 25, 1732.
Malatiah, " April 21, 1734.
Thankful, " August 2, 1736.
Samuel, " July 20, 1738.
Sylvia, " Au^t 21, 1740.
17

130 THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.
Samuel, son of Ebenezer and Sarah Nye, married AbigaU,
daughter of Timothy Benton, May 30, 1765. Their children
were: Hezekiah, bom April 11, 1766, died March 9, 1850.
Samuel, " December 26, 1767, died March 23, 1/71.
Al^gail, " May 10, 1770. „
Susanna, " January 14,17(2.
Samuel, " December 25, 1773.
Bathsheba, " October 9, 1776.
Joseph, " November 2, 1779.
Hezekiah, son of Ebenezer Nye, Jr., married Asenath BueU,
Nov. 11, 1784. Their chUdren were:
Abel, born January 29, 1785.
EUmr, " April 23, 1786.
Jeduthan, " February 21, 1788.
BueU, " March 7, 1790.
Anne, " December 24, 1791, died February 21, 1817.
John Hyde, " April 8, 1793.
Marvin, " March 26, 1795
Sarah, " October 12. 1798, died March 13. 1819.
Austin, " March 26, 1800, died June 3, 1817.
Asenath, " Febraary 12, 1804.
Asenath, daughter of Hezekiah Nye, married James Spar
row. Their chUdren were, Emeline, born Sept. 11, 1825;
George E., born Oct. 22, 1826 ; John, born March 28, 1834.
Samuel, son of Samuel and Abigail Nye, married Elizabeth
Merrick, of WiUington, AprU 24, 1800. Their children
were:Harriet, bom August 15, 1801.
Horace, " August 22, 1803.
Susanna, " February 16, 1805, died February 7, 1828.
Anna, " August 12, 1810, married William Holman, March 26, 1833.
The Nye family is now represented in Tolland by George
Sparrow and his children, descendants of Hezekiah Nye ; and
by Mrs. William Holman and her children, descendants of
Samuel Nye. It is -here worthy of notice that the farm, on
which Mr. Holman and family now reside, was a portion of
the land allotted to Ebenezer Nye in 1721 and 1722, and has,
as far as can be ascertained, always been owned by him or his
descendants. Ebenezer Nye was a member of the House of
Eepresentatives one session, and selectman thirteen years.
Hezekiah Nye, his grandson, was a representative three ses
sions, and a selectman three years.
Samuel Aborn, of Lynn, Essex Co., Mass., took a deed of
Nathaniel Wallis, dated March 17, 1724, conveying a tract of
land in the north part of Tolland, upon the Hockanum, of
about ninety-six acres. This tract is the farm lately owned by

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 131
Parkel Aborn, now owned by Mr.  Loveland. I can
not ascertain when Samuel Aborn, the first grantee, came into
Tolland. The first record of any birth, marriage or death in
the family is the record of the marriage of Samuel Aborn, of
ToUand, to Mary Ingham, of Hebron, Nov. 7, 1763. The fol
lowing were their children :
Martha, born August 19, 1754.
Samuel, " March 23, 1756.
Mary, *' February 19, 1758, died in infancy.
Mary, " July 5, 1759.
John, " June 23, 1761.
Dorcas, " March 31, 1763.
Eliaabeth, " Mav 20, 1765.
Euth, " September 3, 1767.
Eeuben, " March 5, 1772.
Samuel, son of Samuel and Mary Aborn, married Dorothy
Post, of Hebron, Dec. 26, 1782. Their children were:
Samuel, born December 8, 1783.
Jedediah, " July 12, 1787.
Roxy, " October 17. 1791.
Hiram, " November 26, 1793.
Dorothy, " Febraary 15, 1797, died June 15, 1822.
Mary, " October 28, 1798.
Euth, " October 6, 1801.
Samuel Aborft was a veteran revolutionary soldier, that is
to say, he was in the continental service not less than three
years, in terms of not less than nine months each, which enti
tled him to a full pension, or ninety-six dollars a year. He
died March 11, 1827 ; his wife Dec. 9, 1834.
John, son of Samuel and Mary Aborn, married Sarah Eus-
seU, of EUington, June 28, 1796. Their children were :
Sally, bom July 1, 1797.
Laura, " January 7, 1799, married Chester Dart.
John G., " July 21, 1800.
Hannah, " January 21, 1802, married Alvin Kibbe, 2d.
Dan, " October 20, 1803.
Eeuben, " May 9, 1805.
Lucius, " October 13, 1806,
Parkil, " June 21, 1809.
Madison, " March 28, 1811.
Morton, " November 28, 1812.
Maria, " married  Allen.
John Aborn, died April 19, 1829.
The representatives of the Aborn family, now in Tolland,
are Samuel Aborn, Jedediah Aborn and descendants, Parkil
Aborn and family, the children and grandchildren of Chester
Dart, and Mrs. Alvin Kibbe, 2d, and family.
Samuel Paulk was one of the fifty-one grantees in the
deed of the first proprietors of the town. His name is not on
any of the petitions of the first settlers, but there is a family-

132 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
record showing that he was one of the earliest inhabitants of
Tolland. Samuel Paulk was married to Sarah Slafter, May
5, 1720, and the birth and death of their first chUd was on
the 6th day of Feb., 1721. This purports to be a record of
his marriage, " and the birth and death of his child iu Tol
land," &c. He had other children, viz. :
Mary, born February 8, 1723. »
Buth, " February 28, 1727.
Noah, " October 31, 1729.
Sarah, " January 31, 1732.
Abigail, *' November 15, 1734.
Samuel, " April 3, 1737.
John, " November 30, 1742.
Widow Sai^h Paulk died May 3, 1744.
Samuel Paulk had an allotment of land made to him May
18, 1719, also January 12, 1721. On the 24th day of Decem
ber, 1722, he conveyed a tract of land situated near Skung
amug river, to John Paulk of said Tolland ; but I am unable
to say whether there was any relationship between Samuel
and John Paulk.
John Paulk married Keziah Benton, Deftember 22, 1736.
Their children were :
Dinah, bom April 10, 1738, died March 6, 1747.
John, " February 7, 1740.
Lydia, " May 22, 1742.
Keziah, " October 10, 1744.
Puhamah, " January, 1746, died February 10, 1750.
David, " March 24, 1749.
Ephraim, " December 1, 1751.
Ammi, " April 27, 1756.!
Jemima, " June 28, 1759.
David, son of John and Keziah Paulk, married Margaret,
daughter of Ichabod Stimson, February 29, 1776. His chil-
.dren were, Lois, born in Tolland, January 24, 1777, and
others born in Vermont, where he removed, but died in
ToUand, February 10, 1824.
Ephraim, son of John and Keziah Paulk, married Eunice
Harvey, June 25, 1778. Their children were :
Orace, bom October 31, 1780.
Ephraim, " April 12, 1784.
Eliakim) " July 27, 1787.
Eunice, " February 23, 1790.
Elisha, " January 20, 1793.
EUakim, son of Ephraim and Eunice Paulk, married Sally
Craw, December 12, 1816. Their children were :
Laura, bom January 9, 1818.
George M., " February 8, 1820.
Julius, " June 28, 1822, died Aug<Mt 22, 1825.
James, " March 19, 1825.
Sarah, " March 19, 1827, died July 31, 1827.
Julius A., " August 16, 1828.
Edwin, " February 4, 1832, died July 11, 1833

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 133
Ammi, son of Ephraim and Keziah Paulk, married Esther,
daughter of Dea. Elijah Chapman and granddaughter of Rev.
Stephen Steel, June 6, 1782. Their children were :
Aurelia, bom December 24, 1782.
Jeduthan, " April 18, 1785.
Keziah, " September 21, 1786.
Esther, " June 12. 1791.
Lydia, " February 11, 1794.
Asenath, '* January 8, 1797, married Oliver Grant.
Ammi, " July 1, 1799, died January 15, 1807.
Erastus, " May 30, 1802.
Capt. Ammi Paulk was a veteran soldier of the revolution ;
died March, 1843.
Jeduthan, son of Ammi and Esther Paulk, married Eunice
Anna Cogswell, January 23, 1812. His children were Na
than L., born February 12, 1813 ; George A., born October
27, 1814. Jeduthan Paulk died October 4, 1830.
In connecting the line of the Whiton with the Paulk fam
ily, it may be stated that Elijah Whiton, the ancestor of the
former family, married Anna Brown, they both being of Ash
ford, January 3, 1771, and soon removed to Tolland. He
took a deed of land of Jonathan Hatch, September 30, 1775,
in which he was described as of Tolland. His children were :
Matilda, bom May 29, 1772.

Martha, Anna,
Vodicea, Hannah,
Elijah, Sybil,
Maria,
Stephen,

February 29, 1775.
April 6, 1778.
August 9, 1780.
January 26, 1783.
July 5, 1785, married Keziah Paulk.
Febraary 8, 1788, died February 28, 1790.
October 16, 1790.
April 7, 1794.

Elijah Whiton, Sen., died May 5, 1804.
Elijah, son of Elijah and Anna Whiton, married Keziah,
daughter of Capt. Ammi Paulk, March 23, 1808. Their
children were :
Ammi, bom April 3. 1809, died July 7, 1836.
Maria, " May 19, 1811, married D. Mathewson and died.
Elijah, " March 4, 1813
Luther, " January 20, 1816.
Calvin, " February 18, 1818.
Stephen, " March 19, 1820.
Marcia, " May 14, 1822, died February 11, 1824.
Erastus, " May 18, 1824.
Jonathan Paulk, who accompanied Shubael Stearns to
North Carolina, had the following children recorded in Tol
land: Esther^ bom November 7, 1731.
Micajah " October 7, 1733.
Kuth, " March 18, 1736.
Zechailah, " March 4, 1738, died in infancy.

134 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
The representatives of the Paulk family, now in Tolland,
are Miss Eunice Paulk, Mrs. Joseph A. Dresser and child,
Messrs. Calvin and Stephen Whiton, 2d, and their chUdren,
and Messrs. GeoBge M. and Edwin L. Grant, with their chil
dren. The name of Loomis is often found upon the early records
of the town. Enoch Loomis, Moses Loomis and Joshua
Loomis are all grantees in the deed to the first proprietors.
They were evidently residents of Windsor. Joshua Loomis
signed the petitions of May, 1716, and May, 1718. Land
was allotted to him in March and June, 1721. Hezekiah
Loomis received an allotment of land, September, 1720, and
June, 1721. He was a resident of Windsor in July, 1720,
but was a resident of Tolland June 12, 1724.
Solomon Loomis, of Windsor, received a conveyance of
land in Tolland from Samuel Cook, of Tolland, June 1, 1724.
Solomon Loomis married Abigail Strong, of Windsor, June
28, 1727. Their children were :
Abigail, bom April 18, 1728.
Solomon, " November 4, 1732.
Anna, " March 29, 1735.
Esther, " July 8, 1738, died June 17, 1751.
Solomon, son of Solomon and Abigail Loomis, married
Mary, daughter of Capt. Samuel Chapman. Their children
were:

Sunon,

bom

March 7, 1758.

Solomon,

u

September 27, 1760.

Luke,

u

April 11, 1764, died in infancy.

Nathaniel,

u

January 5, 1766.

Epaphras,

"

September 20, 1768.

Mary, wife of Solomon Loomis, died February 11, 1774,
aged forty-two. Solomon Loomis married for his second
wife, Mary Johnson, of Stafford, December 21, 1775. Their
children were :

Jeduthan, bom November 10, 1777.

Elisha,Mary,Justin,
Ealph, Kuth,

January 27, 1779.
November 5, 1780.
July 10, 1788.
February 28, 1785.
April 11, 1787.

Epaphras, son of Solomon and Mary Loomis, married Abi
gaU Grover, Nov. 27, 1794. Their children were:
Almon, born October 3, 1804, died March 6, 1818.
Elmer, " February 7, ISlO.
Elmer Loomis lived and died on the farm of his ancestors,

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 135
now owned by Doct. Eaton, leaving three children, viz. : Mary
Chapman, born Dec. 7, 1833 ; Caroline, born March 13, 1835 ;
and Prances EUza, born May 30, 1837.
Joshua Loomis married Deborah Elmer, of Windsor, April
6,1737. Their children were :
Priscilla, bom August 6, 1749.
Joshua, " January 12, 1751.
Eleazer, " May 26, 1752.
Deborah, " August 5, 1754.
Mary, " June 26, 1756.
Eleazar Loomis married Jemima Crandall, Sept. 8, 1774.
Their children were :
Samuel, bom September 27, 1775.
Grace, " October 17, 1777.
Ashbel, " September 16, 1779.
Esther, " September 14, 1781.
Hezekiah Loomis married Hepzibah Thacher, Nov. 14, 1724.
Their children were :
Hepzibah, bom January 1, 1725.
Hezekiah, " August 11, 1728.
Elizabeth, " August 8, 1731.
Ebenezer, *' - November 22, 1734, probably died young.
Mary, " July 13, 1737.
Natlianiel, " October 8, 1740.
" October 15, 1743.

Simon Loomis married Molly Carpenter, March 8, 1787.
Their children were, Luther, born April 10, 1787 ; Nathaniel,
born AprU 30, 1790 ; Sally, born June 6, 1792.
Elisha Loomis married Eunice Hatch, July 11, 1802.
Their children were :
Alanson, bom October 3, 1803.
Minerva, " September 15, 1805.
Jeduthan, " November 17, 1807.
Hannah, " June 18, 1810.

CENSUS OF TOLLAND.
The first census of Tolland I can find, was taken in the
year 1756, when the number of inhabitants was found to be
nine hundred and seventeen. The last census was taken in
1860, after a lapse of one hundred and four years, during
which time the town had gained three hundred and ninety-
three.

136 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
Second census, 1774 Whole No., 1262 — gain in 14 years, 345

Third

((

1790

1538

" 16

a

276

Fourth

a

1800

1638

" 10

(t

100

Fifth

tl

1810

1610-

-loss in 10

a

28

Sixth

((

1820

1607
" 10
a
3
Seventh
«
1830
1698-
-gain in 10
li
91
Eighth
a
1840
1556-
-loss in 10
it
142
Ninth
«
1850
1406
" 10
It
150
Tenth
u
1860
1310
" 10
It
96
There are other topics connected with the history of Tol
land that should have been noticed ; such as the exertions
of the first settlers relative to public or common school
education ; changes in style of living and architecture ;
improvements in learning, in husbandry, and in various other
matters ; but time forbids, and I must leave them to other
pens. In concluding my present labor, it is proper briefly to
remark, that the leading idea which seemed to* control the
acts of the first settlers of Tolland, was the establishment and
support of institutions for public worship. To this one point
their hopes centered, and their entire energies were directed.
Next to this, they regarded the maintenance of the govern
ment under which they lived, as a conscientious duty ; — hence
their readiness at all times to volunteer on hazardous service,
not only in the colonial wars, but in others in which the pa
rent country was engaged. They never harbored a thought
of disloyalty until the hand of tyranny fell upon a city in a
neighboring colony, when their sympathies for the oppressed
were immediately aroused. They then entered into the defense
of their inalienable rights with the same earnestness that
characterized their devotion to the religion they professed,
and pursued it with the same unanimity and unconquerable
persistency. I have never heard that there was a single tory
in Tolland during the whole of the revolutionary war.
They were also an united people, remarkable for their sta
bility of character and freedom from schism and discontent.
This is evidenced by the tenure by which all offices, civil,
military, and ecclesiastical, were held. These of&ces were
regarded as having been instituted for the benefit of society
THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 137
rather than as rewards for partisan services ; and the question
was — who can render the best service to society ? instead of
— who has best served his party. They were also essentially
a moral as well as a religious people. To do right, was the
ruling motive of that age ; and to know the right was the
great object of their lives. Their labors have ceased and they
have gone to their reward. Some of us are now occupying
their places ; busying ourselves in the same pursuits ; ani
mated by the same hopes ; depressed by the same fears, and
forgetting that our labors, like theirs, must soon end. Some
of us have passed the meridian of life, and are now in the
front rank, with no shield to ward off the arrow of the relent
less destroyer : and although we do not present a shining
mark for death's unerring aim — yet we can not be uncon
scious that the frosts of age are chilling the aspirations of
youth, and closing around us the curtain that will shut its
out from the scenes of earth. In the light of this thought,
how important is the question. Is our work done, and well
done ? Is there nothing more we can do to make life more
desirable, and the world better and happier ? Are we pre
pared to put off the armor and leave the field ? If so, ours
is a happy condition ; and the consciousness that we have
done our whole duty \vill lighten the darkness of the future,
and render our pathway to the tomb peaceful and blessed.
But if any thing remains to be done, let us improve the pres
ent moment to accomplish it ; nor let our efforts cease until
the great work of life is ended, and the Master calls for us
to participate in the employments of the happy spirit land.

18

138

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

It was not the policy of the Colony to impose any taxes
upon new towns constituted by the General Court, until they
had acquired stabUity and wealth, and those towns were never
represented in the General Court until they were required to
pay taxes to the treasury of the Colony. But so inseparable
were taxation and representation connected in the minds of
our forefathers, that just as soon as the government imposed a
tax upon a town, their representatives would immediately be
sent to the General Court. The following is the first act of
the General Court requiring the town of Tolland to pay taxes,
and was passed May Session, 1747. " Resolved by this
Assembly, that the town of Tolland send into this assembly in
October next the sum total of their List as the law directs."
The town sent to the General Court in October, 1747, the
sum total of its list, amounting to the sum of £7478, 19s. Od.,
equal to $24,92^.83. A tax of two pence on the pound was
laid on this list at the October Session, 1747, and at the next
October Session the town was first represented in the General
Court. The following is a list of the representatives in the
General Assembly, from October, 1748, to May, 1861, inclu
sive:

Samuel Cobb.
Same.
Samuel Chapman,
Ishabod Hinckley.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Same.
Zebulon West.
Zebulon West.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Samuel Chapman.
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.

1748

Oct.,

Zebulon West,

1754

Oct.,

John Lathrop.

1755

Mch.,

1749

May, Oct.,

Same.
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.

May, Aug.,

1750

May,

Zebulon West,
John Lathrop.

Oct.,
Oct.,
Same.
1756
Jan.,
1751
May,
Same.
Mar.,
Oct.,
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.
May, Sept.,
1752
May, Oct.,
Same.
Same.
Oct.,
1753
May,
Ebenezer Nye,
Zebulon West.
1757
Jan., Feb.,
Oct.,
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.
May,
I7S4
May,Oct,
Same.
Zebulon West,
Oct.,
THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

139

1758 17591760 1761 1762
1763 1764

Mch.May, Oct.,
Feb.,
Mch.,May, Oct.,Mch.,
May, Oct.,
Mch.,May, Oct.,
Mch.,
May, Oct.,
May, Oct.,
Mch., May,

Oct.,

1765

May, Oct.,

1766

May,

Oct.,

1767

Jan.,

May, Oct.,

1768

May,

Oct.,
1769
Jan.,
May, Oct.,
1770
May, Oct.,
1771
May, Oct.,
1772
May, Oct.,
1773
May, Oct.,
1774
^an.,
May,
Same.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Cobb.
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.
Same.Same.
Same. Same.Same. Same.
Same.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Elisha Steel.
Same.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Joshua Wills.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Same.
Zebulon West,
Elijah Chapman.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same. Same.
Same.Same.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Cobb.
Zebulon West,
Samuel Chapman.
Same. Same.
Same.
Same.
Samuel Cljapraan,
Samuel Cobb.
Same.
Same.
Same.
Samuel Chapman,
Elisha Steel.
Same.
Samuel Chapman,
Ichabod Griggs.
Same.
Samuel Chapman,
Samuel Cobb.
17741775
1776
17771778 177917801781
17821782 178317841784 17&5
Oct.,
Samuel Cobb,
Eleazar Steel.
Mch.,
Same.
May,
Solomon Wills,
Samuel Chapman.
Oct.,
Ichabod Griggs,
James Chamberlain.
Dec,
Same.
May,
Samuel Chapman,
Solomon Wills.
June,
No names recorded.
Oct.,
Ichabod Griggs,
Elijah Chapman.
Nov.,
Same.
Dec,
Same.
May,
Samuel Chapman,
Solomon Wills.
Aug.,
No names recorded.
Oct.,
Samuel Chapman,
Ichabod Griggs.
Jan.,
Same.
Feb.,
Same.
May,
Solomon Wills,
Samuel Chapman.
Oct.,
Same.
Jan.,
Same.
April,
No names recorded.
May,
Same.
Oct.,
Elijah Robinson,
Samuel Cobb.
Jan.,
Same.
April,
Same.
May,
Samuel Chapman,
Hope Lathrop.
Oct.,
Same.
Nov.,
Same.
Feb.,
Same.
May,
Solomon Wills,
Hope Lathrop.
Oct.,
Hope Lathrop,
Elijah Chapman.
Jan.,
Same.
May,
Elijah Chapman,
Solomon Wills.
Oct.,
Solomon Wills,
Elijah Chapman.
Jan.,
No names recorded.
May,
Samuel Chapman,
Solomon Wills.
Oct.,
Solomon Wills,
Eleazar Steel.
Jan.,
Same.
May,
Samuel Chapman,
Solomon Wills.
Oct.,
Solomon Wills,
Ichabod Hinckley.
May,
Same.
140

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

1785 Oct,
1786 May, Oct.,

1787 May, Oct.,
Convention,1788 Jan.,

1788

May,

Oct.,

1789
1790

Jan.,
May, Oct.,
May,

Oct.,

1791

Dec,May,

1792

Oct.,
May,

1793

Oct.,
May, Oct.,

1794

May, Oct.,

1795 May,Oct.,
1796 May, Oct.,
1797 May,
Oct.,
1798 May, Oct.,
1799 May,Oct.,
1800 May, Oct.^
1801 May^

Solomon Wills,
Jeremiah West.
Jeremiah West,
Samuel Ladd.
Solomon Wills,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Samuel Chapman.
Samuel Chapman.
Jeremiah West.
Samuel Chapman,
Jeremiah West.
Solomon Wills,
Samuel Chapman.
Same.
Same.Same.
Jeremiah West,
Solomon Wills.
Solomon Wills,
Samuel Ladd.
Same.
Jeremiah West,
Solomon Wills.
Same.
Jeremiah West,
Samuel Ladd.
Same.
Same.
Jeremiah West,
Daniel Edgerton.
Same.
Daniel Edgerton,
Elijah Chapman, Jr.
Daniel Edgerton,
Samuel Ladd.
Same.
Same.
Daniel Edgerton,
Solomon Wills.
Daniel Edgerton,
Samuel Ladd.
Daniel Edgerton,
Elijah Chapman, Jr.
Daniel Eilgerton,
Samuel Ladd.
Jeremiah West,
Jonathan Barnes.
Daniel Edgerton,
Jonathan Barnes.
Same.
Jonathan Barnes,
Daniel Edgerton.
Same.
Same.
Same.

1802 May, Oct.,
1803 May, Oct.,
1 804 May, Oct.,
1805 May, Oct.,
1806 May, Oct.,
1807 May, Oct.,
1808 May, Oct.,
1809 May, Oct.,
1810 May, Oct.,
1811 May, Oct.,
1812 May,
Aug., Oct.,
1813 May, Oct.,
1814 May^- Oct.,
1815 Jan.,
May, Oct.,'
1816 May, Oct,,
1817 May, Oct.,
1818 May,
GonTeution, 1619 . Aug.,

Same.
Same.
Same.
Same.
Samuel Whittlesey,
Jeremiah West.
Jeremiah West,
Jonathan Barnes.
Samuel Whittlesey,
Samuel Ladd.
Jonathan Barnes,
Daniel Edgerton.
Same.
Same.
Jeduthan Cobb,
Samuel Ladd.
Jonathan Barnes,
Jabez Kingsbury.
Jeduthan Cobb,
Ashbel Chapman.
Same.
Jonathan Barnes,
Jabez Kingsbury.
Same.
Jonathan Barnes,
Samuel Ladd.
Samuel Ladd,
Calvin Willey.
Calvin Willey,
Ashbel Chapman.
Calvin Willey,
Ezra Chapman.
Ashbel Chapman,
Calvin Willey.
Same
Jonathan Barnes,
Elisha Stearns.
Same. Same.
Same.
Eliakim Chapman,
Elisha Stearns.
Same.
Jonathan Barnes,
Elisha Stearns.
Ephraim West,
Elijah Smith.
Jonathan Barnes,
Ephraim West.
Eliphalet Young,
Jonathan Barnes.
Same.
Same.
Eliphalet Young,
Gurdon Thompson.
Dliphalet Young,

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND.

141

1818

Aug., Ashbel Chapman.

1839

Elisha Stearns.

Oct., Eliphalet Young,

• 1840

Ariel Ladd,

Wi liam Eldredge.

Seth D. Griggs.

1819

William Eldredge,

1841

Ebenezer West,

Hezekiah Nye.
Oliver Lord.
1820
Calvin Willey,
1842
Wm. 0. Newcomb,
Ashbel Chapman.
Luther 0. Anderson.
1821
Calvin Willey,
1843
Same.
Hezekiah Nye.
1844
Talmon Cross,
1822
Hezekiah Nye,
Benjamin L. Young.
Ezra Chapman.
1845
Same.
1823
Eliphalet Young,
1846
Obadiah P. Waldo,
George M. Hyde.
John P. Brigham.
1824
George M. Hyde,
1847
Loren P. Waldo,
Cordial Newcomb.
William W. Eaton.
1825
Jeremiah Parish,
1848
Same.
George M. Hyde.
1849
Joseph Clark,
1826
Cordial Newcomb,
Oliver K. Isham.
Jeremiah Parish.
1850
Ashbel Chapman,
1827
Same.
Chauncey Griggs.
1828
Elisha Stearns,
¦ 1851
Sherman Chapman,
Jeremiah Parish.
Ira K. Jfarvin.
1829
George M. Hyde,
1852
William Holman,
Rowland Lathrop.
Benjamin Fuller.
1830
Eli Baker,
1853
Joseph A. Strait,
Rowland Lathrop.
Orrin Ward.
1831
Eli Baker,
1854
Alvin P. Hyde,
George "M. Hyde.
Lucius S. Fuller.
1832
Loi-en P. Waldo,
1855
Benjamin D. Benton,
Eli Baker.
Aner Grover.
1833
Loren P. Waldo,
1856
William Clark, 2d.,
Novatus Chapman.
Daniel Grover, 2d.
1834
Loren P. Waldo,
1857
Joseph Clark,
Eli Baker.
'
Joshua Griggs.
1835
Novatus Chapman,
1858
Alvin P. Hyde,
Cordial Newcomb.
Elijah Ashley.
1836
Carlos Chapman,
1859
Charles Lathrop,
Alvin Kibbe, 2d.
John Warren.
Dec, Same.
1860
William C. Ladd,
1837
Same.
Orson A. Richardson.
1838
Elisha Stearns,
1861
Joseph Bishop,
Chauncey Griggs.
Jabez West.
1839
Loren P. Waldo,
Oct., Same.
JUSTICES OF
THE
PEACE.
By the provisions of the act of the General Assembly,
passed in 1711, justices of the peace were to be appointed by
the General Assembly, annuajly) and commissioned by the
142

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.

Governor for the time being, under the seal of the State.
This provision was adopted in the constitution in 1818, but
was changed by an amendment adopted in 1850, by which
justices of the peace are to be appointed by the electors of
the several towns. The statute of 1851 provides that they
shall be appointed for two years.
The following is a list of the justices of the peace in the
town of Tolland from the first settlement to 1861 :
Josiah Goodrich, from 1727 to 1733 Jedut'n Gleason, from 1840 to 1841

John Huntington,
Samuel Chapman, "
Zebulon West,
John Lathrop, "
Elisha Steel,
Samuel Cobb, "
Samuel Chapman, ¦"
Solomon Wills, "
Jeremiah West, "
Samuel Whittlesey, "
Daniel Edgerton, "
Jonathan Barnes, "
also, "
Jabez Kingsbury, "
Elisha Stearns, "
also, "
also, "
Daniel Kellogg, "
John Bliss, "
Judah Bliss, "
Solomon L. Fuller, "
Calvin Willey, "
Ashbel Chapman, "
Eliphalet Young, "
Jeremiah Parish, "
Geoi^e M. Hyde, "
Loren P. Waldo, "
John Warren, "
also, "
also, "
Carlos Chapman, "
Ezra Chapman, "
also, "
Oliver Lord, "
Novatus Chapman, "
Talmon Cross, "
also, "
Ariel Ladd, "
also, "
Warren Fitch, "
Seth D. Griggs, "
Stephen Ladd, "
Ebenezer West, "

1733 to 1737 Zaimon A. Storrs, " 1841 to 1853
1737 to 1745 Ashbel Chapman, " 1842 to 1847
1745 to 1770 also, ¦ " 1851 to 1857
1752 to 1753 Sherm'n Chapman, " 1842 to 1847
1761 to 1766 also, " 1856
1 768 to 1 780 Obadiah P. Waldo, " 1842 to 1844
1772 to 1797 also, " 1849 to 1851
1781 to 1785 also, " 1852 to 1854
1786 to 1794 Wyllys Gilbert, " 1844 to 1845
1795 to 1805 Daniel Grover, " 1844 to 1846
1798 to 1799 Jonathan R. Flynt, " 1845 to 1846
1798 to 1811 Luth. C. Anderson, " 1846 to 1856
1813 to 1829 Asa Willey. " 1846 to 1847
1806 to 1817 Gurdon Isham, " 1846 to 1847
1806 to 1819 Ralph R. Griggs, " 1846 to 1847
1828 to 1833 also, " 1854 to 1858
1834 to 1845 John S. Lyon, " 1846 to 1847
18U to 1813 John W. Gager, " 1847 to 1850
1811 to 1818 Chauncey Griggs, " 1847
1812 to 1814 Sidney Stanley, " 1847 to 1851
1813 to 1817 William W. Eaton, " 1848 to 18,50
1818 to 1845 Sam'l D. Merrick, " 1848 to 1851
1818 to 1823 Calvin Whiton, " 1848 to 1850
1820 to 1836 John Lyon, " 1849 to 1850
1821 to 1845 Hen'y Underwood, " 1849 to 1850
1824 to 1841 Alfred Young, " 1849 to 1853
1830 to 1853 Alvan P. Hyde, " 1850
1830 to 1836 Benjamin Fuller, " 1850 to 1851
1842 to 1844 Myron L. Mason, " 1851 to 1852
1851 to 1854 George Eaton, " 1852 to 1858
1830 to 1833 Joseph Bishop, " 1854
1833 to 1837 Wm. L. Edgerton, " 1854 to 1858
1841 to 1846 Geo. H. Kingsbury, " 1854
1837 to 1842 Jerc S. Parish, " 1854 to 1855
1836 to 1840 William Sumner, " 1854 to 1856
1836 to 1840 Geo. D. Hastings, " 1856
1842 to 1860 Henry W. West, " 1856
1838 to 1840 Edwin E. Mirvin, " 1858 to 1860
1842 to 1850 Nathan Pierson, " 1858
1838 to 1843 Orrin Ward, " 1858
1838 to 1841 James A. Brown, " 1860
1841 to 1843 Elij'h S. Chapman, " I860
1840 to 1849 Porter Walbridge, " 1860

THE EARLY HISTORY OF TOLLAND. 148

SELECTMEN.
Towns were authorized by the act of 1672 " to choose a
convenient number not exceeding seven of their inhabitants,
able, discreet and of good conversation, to be selectmen or
townsmen, to take care of and order the prudential affairs of
their town." By the consiitution of the State adopted in
1818, it is made " the duty of each town to elect annually
selectmen and such officers of local police as the laws may
prescribe." By the provision of the statutes of 1821, towns were annu
ally to choose and appoint a convenient number, not exceed
ing seven, to be selectmen, and by the statute of 1852 they
are to be chosen by ballot.
The first selectmen chosen in the town of Tolland were
chosen in the year 1717. The foUowing named persons have
held the office of selectmen in the town of Tolland, during the
year prefixed to the names of each respectively :
1717 William Eaton, Jonathan Willis, Daniel Benton.
1718 " " Nathaniel Taylor.
1719 " Joseph Benton, "
1720 John Yeomans, Francis West, Ebenezer Nye, John Stiles,
Daniel Benton.
1721 Daniel Eaton, Joseph Hatch, Joseph Park, Shubael Stearns,
John Stiles.
1722 Francis West, John Huntington, Noah Grant.
1723 Daniel Eaton, Shubael Stearns, Peter Emmons.
1*24 Jonathan Delano, Samuel Benton, Noah Grant.
1725 " " "
17^ Hope Lathrop, Jonathan Delano, Peter Emmons.
1727 Josiah Goodrich, Hope Lathrop, Peter Emmons, Samuel Ben
ton, Jonathan Delano.
1728 Jonathan Delano, Josiah Goodrich, Samuel Benton, Joseph
Baker.
1729 No record to be found.
1730 Josiah Goodrich, Jonathan Delano, Ebenezer Nye.
1731 Jonathan Delano, Ebenezer Nye, Samuel Chapman.
1732 '.' James Chapman, Ebenezer Nye.
1733 " Ebenezer Nye, Samuel Chapman.
1734 " Ichabod Hinckley, "
1735 " Samuel Chapman, Ichabod Hinckley.

144 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
1736 Samuel Chapman, John Huntington, Zebulon West.
1737 « Joseph Hatch, "
1738 " Zebulon West, Timothy Hatch.
1739 Joseph Baker, Ebenezer Nye, Samuel Chapman.
1740 Zebulon West, "
1741 Samuel Chapman, " Zebulon West.
1742 " " "
1 743 Ebenezer Nye, John Lathrop, "
1744 " "
1745 Zebulon West, Ebenezer Nye, John Lathrop.
1746 John Tyler, John Lathrop, Zebulon West.
1747 Zebulon West, John Tyler, Joshua Wills.
1748 " "
1749 " " "
1750 " " "
1751 " Joshua Wills, John Lathrop.
1752 " " John Stearns.
1753 Ebenezer Nye, " Zebulon West.
1751 Zebulon West, Ebenezer Nye, Joshua Wills.
1755 Ebenezer Nye, Joshua Wills, Joseph West.
1756 " "
1757 Joseph West, " Samuel Chapman.
1758 Joshua Wills, Joseph West, Solomon Loomis.
1759 «
1760 Joseph West, Solomon Loomis, Ichabod Griggs.
1761 " " "
1762 " " "
1763 No record to be found.
1764 Ichabod Griggs, Elijah Chapman, Joseph Lathrop.
1765 « « «
1766 " " "
1767 «
1768 " " *'
1769 Elijah Chapman, Joseph Lathrop, Stephen Steel.
1770 " " "
1771 « " "
1772 Joseph Lathrop, Stephen Steel, Samuel Chapman.
1773 Stephen Steel, Samuel Chapman, Solomon Wills.
1774 Solomon Wills, Caleb West, Samuel West.
1775 Samuel West, Jr., Samuel Chapman, Ichabod Hinckley.
1776 « " David Lathrop, Ichabod
Hinckley, James West.
1777 Samuel West, Jr., James Chamberlin, Solomon Wills.
1778 " Jonathan Wills. Samuel Cobb, Jr.
1779 Joshua Wills, Samuel Cobb, Jr., Joseph West, Daniel Edger
ton.
1780 Joseph West, Daniel Edgerton, Samuel Cobb, Jr., Benoni
Shepherd.
1781 Joseph West, Daniel Edgerton, Samuel Cobb, Jr., Benoni
Shepherd, Ichabod Hinckley.

THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND. 145
1782 Ichabod Hinckley, Samuel Ladd, Joshua Griggs.
1783 " " "
1784 " " "
1785 " " "
1786 " " Simon Chapman.
1787 Joshua Griggs, Daniel Edgerton, Samuel Ladd.
1788 Ichabod Hinckley, Elnathan Strong, Daniel Edgerton.
1789 " Daniel Edgerton, Elnathan Strong.
1790 Daniel Edgerton, Simon Chapman, John Steel.
1791 " " Samuel Ladd.
1792 " " Ichabod Hinckley.
1793 " Ichabod Hinckley, Simon Chapman.
1794 " "
1795 " Samuel Ladd, Jonathan Barnes.
1796 " " "
1797 " " '•
1798 Jonathan Barnes, Daniel Edgerton, Ichabod Hinckley.
1799 " John Kingsbury, Jabez West.
1800 '¦ Jeduthan Cobb, Jabez Kingsbury.
1801 " " "
1802 " Jabez Kingsbury, Jeduthan Cobb.
1803 Jeduthan Cobb, Jonathan Barnes, Jabez Kingsbury.
1804 Jonathan Barnes, Jeduthan Cobb, "
1805 " " "
1806 Jabez Kingsbuiy, " Simon Chapman, Jr.
1807 Simon Chapman, Jr., " Ashbel Chapman.
1808 Ashbel Chapman, " Ichabocf Hinckley.
1809 Eliakim Chapman, Ephraim West, Jabez Kingsbury.
1810 Ashbel Chapman, Samuel Ladd, Ichabod Hinckley, John
Warren, Ezra Chapman.
1811 Calvin Willey, John Warren, Ezra Chapman, Aaron Chap
man, Thomas Howard.
1812 John Warren, Ezra Chapman, Aaron Chapman, Shubael
Reed, John Stanley.
1813 Ephraim West, Eliakim Chapman, Shubael Reed.
1814 " Simon Chapman, Jr., Ashbel Steel.
1815 " " "
1816 Hezekiah Nye, Ezra Chapman, Ichabod Hinckley.
1817 " Sylvanus Haynes, Joseph Howard.
1818 " Eliphalet Young, Ezra Chapman.
1819 Eliphalet Y'oung, Ezra Chapman, Aaron Chapman.
1820 Stephen Griggs, Ephraim West, John Kingsbury.
1821 Ezra Chapman, William Tillinghast, George M. Hyde.
1822 George M. Hyde, Hezekiah Nye, Cordial Newcomb.
1823 " " "
1824 " Cordial Newcomb, William A. Sumner.
1825 " Seymour Fuller, Solomon Howe.
1826 " " "
1827 " Luther Eaton, Cordial Newcomb.
1828 Cordial Newcomb, Eli Baker, Solomon Howe.
19

146 THE EARLY HISTORY OP TOLLAND.
1829 George M. Hyde, Eli Baker, Solomon Howe.
1830 Eli Baker, Hezekiah Nye, Samuel Kent.
1831 Samuel Kent, Cordial Newcomb, Loren P. Waldo.
1832 John Lyon, Loren P. Waldo, Ira K. Marvin.
1833 Loren P. Waldo, John Lyon, "
1834 " Novatus Chapman, Charles Fish.
1835 " " «
1836 Oliver Lord, Carlos Chapman, Ebenezer West.
1837 Solomon L. Griggs, Warren Fitch, Joseph Burnham.
1838 Loren P. Waldo, Solomon L. Griggs, "
1839 « " John W. Gager.
1840 " « "
1841 " Novatus Chapman, Luther C. Anderson.
1842 Luther C. Anderson, John W. Gager, Levi Drake.
1843 " Sherman Chapman, Wm. C. Newcomb.
1844 Loren P. Waldo, Nathaniel K. Sibley, Lucius S. Fuller.
1845 " " "
1846 Joseph Clark, Sheldon Eaton, Orrin Ward.
1847 Moses Underwood, John W. Gager, Samuel D. Merrick.
1848 William C. Newcomb, William Holman, Alvan Kibbe, 2d.
1849 « " "
1850 John P. Brigham, Obadiah P. Waldo, Seth Brown.
1851 " " «
1852 Benjamin L. Young, Orson A. Richardson, Wm. Clark, 2d.
1853 " " «
1854 Alvan P. Hyde, Charles Lathrop, Jabez West.
1855 Charles Underwood, Anthony M. Weaver, George Eaton.
1856 Lucius S. Fuller, Edward P. Kellogg, Edmund Joslin.
1857 " " "
1868 Sherman Chapman, Elijah S. Chapman, Porter Walbridge.
1859 " « « °
1860 Charles Underwood, James M. Babcock, James I. Andrews.

GENERAL INDEX.

Page.

Page.

Abbot, John

7,128

Grant, Noah and family,

122, 123

Aborn, Samuel

131

Highway, first location of,

4

Huntington, John, &c.,

72-74

Barnard, John .

88

Hinckley, Ichabod

74

Baptist Church,

43

Hatch, Joseph and family, .

89

Baker, Joseph .

77

Benton, Samuel
80
Indian tribes,
12
Bell, how procured,
24
Indian names.
17
Bounties to Soldiers,
51-55
Isham, Gurdon
. 127
Burying-Grounds,
101
Incorporation, act of
10
Burres, Jonathan
94
Bliss, John
129
Kent, Samuel
126
Kingsbury, Jabez
65
Center of town.
5
Controversy concerning Title,
14
Location of Town,
18
Coventry town line,
17
Louisburg, expedition to
44
Church, when organized,
.29
Ladd, Samuel
66, 123
Crown Point, expedition to
44
Ladd, Doct. Ahijah .
125
Cuba,
46
Loomis, Solomon
. 134
Classes to obtain soldiers,
55
Lathrop, John and family,
44-46
Chapman family.
61-68
Chamberhn, James
77
Meeting-house, .
21
Crandall, Constant .
86
Ministers,
28
Cobb, Amos
97
Marsh, Eev. Abram
41
Cobb family.
97-99
Methodist Church, .
42
Census,
. 135
Military,
43
Deed to first proprietors,
10
Nash, Rev. Ansel
39
Donation to Boston,
48
Nye, Ebenezer and family.
129
" to New London,
49
Domesjio Manufactures,
Delano, Jonathan
60
Officers in the Wars,
57,58
. 114
Petition for new town,
8
Eaton, William, &c.,
84-82
" by town of East Windsor 9
Edgerton, Daniel, &e.,
99-101
" de Coventry lands.
18
Prisoners in Tolland,
60
Fishing in Willimantic river.
Fort William Henry,
16
Persons who died in army,
57, 58
45
Post-office, .
103
Fellows, Amos
75
Paulk, Samuel
131
Patent,
19
Griggs, Ichabod and family.
75,76
Grover, Leonard
94
Quota of Troops,
54
148

GENERAL INDEX.

Page.
Rolls : Capt. Samuel Chapman, 45
" Samuel Stoughton, 45
" Solomon Wills, . 50
Lieut. Solomon Wills, 47
Steeple, when built, . . 24
Steel, Kev. Stephen and family 31-34
Stearns, Shubael . . 42
Stearns, John . . 113
Separatists, . . .42
Settlement of Town, 1 5
Shepavd, Benoni . .103
Smith, Elijah . . 104

Page.

Stimpson, Noah
Stimpson, Doct. James

87
87, 88

Town-Clerks, .

. 109

Williams, Rev. Nathan
Will of Joshua,
Willey, Calvin
West, Zebulon and family,
Wills, Jonathan and familv,
Waldo, Ezra

31-34 13
105
115-1?! 69-71 93

Yeomans, Oliver

92

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